This is another Fredthebear collection split to make more storage room. The 1.e4 gumbits have been removed.

Most games were included on a first-come, first-served basis. Some games are duds. Some are spectacular. It's a matter of having a variety of gambits included, not necessarily the greatest of all time. A few of the openings are not technically gambits, others are declined, but might be of interest.

Thank you jeta, patzer 2, Fredthebear!

* Most Common 1 e4 e5 mistake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrp...

* 1992: Game Collection: Spassky-Fischer Match 1992

* Mate in 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdR...

* 'The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games' by Graham Burgess, John Nunn and John Emms. New expanded edition-now with 125 games. Game Collection: Mammoth Book-Greatest Games (Nunn/Burgess/Emms)

* 2 Ingredient Biscuits Y'all! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dee...

* 200 IQ but can she play chess? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sU...

* 2023 Chess Year in Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr8...

* Hans blitz 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ik...

* 2,130 #s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyV...

* C-K 4 Beginners in 4 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg0...

* Better C-K: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvE...

* 4 Intros: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNK...

* 4...NxQe5 is strong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7d...

* Top 5 for Black: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihy...

* Broccoli 5x a week? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U-...

* Dragon in 7 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaT...

* 7 Riddles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpL...

* 10 Ways to Lose: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuY...

* 13 from the 60s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbA...

* 15 Puzzles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugA...

* 18 Fast Checkmates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hw...

* 21 Kinetic Gadgets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPn...

* 27 EZ tricks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqA...

* Quit for 30 Days: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7G...

* 111 Instruments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3j...

* 51 Tombstones of bears: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6B...

* 55 years of ministry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc1...

* '500 Master Games of Chess' by Savielly Tartakower and Julius Du Mont: Game Collection: 500 Master Games of Chess

* Accelerated Dragon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP0...

* Best of the British: Game Collection: Best of the British

* Brilliant games: Game Collection: Brilliant games

* 'Chess Praxis' by Aron Nimzowitsch: Game Collection: Chess Praxis (Nimzowitsch)

* The Clock is Your Opponent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Coc...

* Dragon Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcd...

* Everything About the Middlegame (Not): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT9...

* Exchange sacs: Game Collection: Exchange sacs - 1

* The Fireside Book of Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld: Game Collection: Fireside Book of Chess

* Foggy Mountain Breakdown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af9...

* Gambit Guide (brief visuals): https://www.chessjournal.com/chess-...

* Glossary: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/13/...

* Golden:
Game Collection: Golden Treasury of Chess (Wellmuth/Horowitz)

https://archive.org/details/the-gol...

* Good ol' time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49-...

* Great Combinations Compiled by wwall: Game Collection: Combinations

* Guinness Book: Game Collection: Guinness Book - Chess Grandmasters (Hartston)

* Haven't tried this yet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldx...

* Hyper-accelerated Dragon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_az...

* Kevin's Hyper-accelerated Dragon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRq...

* How to beat the KIA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r21...

* How to meet the Sarratt Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Fh...

* Hikaru hangs his king?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUR...

* Jimmy's Openings page: https://www.jimmyvermeer.com/openin...

* Kill from Z to A: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPz...

* King of Persia chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGw...

* King and Pawn Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QE...

* London System battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NS...

* Lasker's Manual: Game Collection: Manual of Chess (Lasker)

* Miniatures: Game Collection: 200 Miniature Games of Chess - Du Mont (III)

* Monday Puzzles: Game Collection: Monday Puzzles, 2011-2017

* Nunn's Chess Course: Game Collection: Lasker JNCC

* Pinch of... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU_...

* POTD 2023: Game Collection: Puzzle of the Day 2023

* Opening Names: https://allchessopenings.blogspot.c...

* Smitty's Openings: http://chesspowa.blogspot.com/2009/...

* Plan the Middlegame: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG4...

* Pragg vs Predke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ii...

* Plastic Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs6...

* Tennison Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu5...

* Many gambits from all openings by ECO code: https://www.jimmyvermeer.com/openin...

* Master List: https://fi.wikibooks.org/wiki/Shakk...

* MC Move-by-Move: Game Collection: Move by Move - Carlsen (Lakdawala)

* MC's face says it all: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kq...

* Middlegame Combinations by Peter Romanovsky: Game Collection: Middlegame Combinations by Peter Romanovsky

* Narc hates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9f...

* Benko's for Black? Game Collection: Starting Out: Benoni Systems

* Beware Job Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW7...

* Big Daddy Mode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJe...

* Black at 17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxy...

* Bogo Indian System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cm...

* Common Sense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJV...

* Cruise Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfX...

* D08: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che...

* Daily Practice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG6...

* Day by Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eko...

* Ding's Surprise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzu...

* Dubov blitz 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8J...

* Einstein says: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf8...

* Evans Gambit on board: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-l...

* Fem Narcs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsL...

* Fred Water: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI6...

* Javed's way: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...

* Outflanking, Opposition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooM...

* Passed Pawn Strength: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02c...

* Refrain from Imitation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By3...

* Remote Jobs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIY...

* This fellow has some creative gambits: http://krolaszachykor.blogspot.com/...

* Secrets of the Russian Chess Masters Volume II: Game Collection: Secrets of the Russian Chess Masters Volume II

* Russian Ruys: Game Collection: Chess in the USSR 1945 - 72, Part 2 (Leach)

* Rubinstein: Game Collection: Rubinstein's Chess Masterpieces

* Variety of Traps: https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/v...

* White gets an easy attack against the Scandinavian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-je...

* Anti-Scandinavian: Game Collection: Anti-Scandinavian

* Smartypants gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvL...

* Scandinavian, Icelandic-Palme Gambit Variation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57z...

* Icelandic Gambit Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owU...

* Scandinavian gambit sample game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yh...

* Scandinavian gambit sneaky checkmate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbF...

* Solomon's Icelandic Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Os...

* Sister Rosetta: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NF...

* Steinitz Attack: Game Collection: STEINITZ ATTACK

* Submit a PGN: https://www.chessgames.com/nodejs/u...

* Tactical Mix: Game Collection: mastering Tactical ideas by minev

* The Best of... Game Collection: World Champions' Best Games

* Fischer's Brilliance: https://www.chesspuzzler.com/Histor...

* Fischer Random: https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi...

* FM Schiller disagrees: https://www.chess.com/article/view/...

* Play whatever you like: Opening Explorer

* Tools in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MR...

* Telltale Evil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4k...

* Unforgettable Dubov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ohp...

* Unusual: Game Collection: Unorthodox Games; Unusual Names (ECO=A,D,E)

* Looking for Unorthodox? Game Collection: 6 GumboG's Unorthodox Games-Names (ECO=A,D,

* Uphill climber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4x...

* VP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncH...

* Who was he? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4v...

* What are you up to? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU6...

* Young Spassky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1D...

* You must study R endings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8O...

* You don't see this everyday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtk...

* Zilbermints: https://www.chessjournal.com/zilber...

* C-Zukertort System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLB...

* More C-Zukertort: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTp...

* EZ C-Zukertort Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hgg...

Fredthebear started this collection in summer 2020. It will continue to steadily fill up. The dirty rotten scoundrel employed by CGs hacked this section.

Alabama: Mobile
Established in: 1702

The city of Mobile is a port city on the Gulf Coast in Alabama that has a lot of French influence (which makes sense, since it was founded by the French). Mardi Gras celebrations originated there, and you can experience the history of the holiday at the Mobile Carnival Museum.

* Mobile: https://www.mobile.org/things-to-do...

* Chess History: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2a...

* Chess Variants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yr...

* Sea Cruise Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPI...

"I do not know how old I was when I learned to play chess. I could not have been older than eight, because I still have a chessboard on whose side my father inscribed, with a soldering iron, "Saša Hemon 1972." I loved the board more than chess—it was one of the first things I owned. Its materiality was enchanting to me: the smell of burnt wood that lingered long after my father had branded it; the rattle of the thickly varnished pieces inside, the smacking sound they made when I put them down, the board's hollow wooden echo. I can even recall the taste—the queen's tip was pleasantly suckable; the pawns' round heads, not unlike nipples, were sweet. The board is still at our place in Sarajevo, and, even if I haven't played a game on it in decades, it is still my most cherished possession, providing incontrovertible evidence that there once lived a boy who used to be me." ― Aleksandar Hemon, The Book of My Lives

<<Page 166 of The Personality of Chess by <I.A. Horowitz and P.L. Rothenberg> (New York, 1963) gave ‘a hitherto unpublished limerick-acrostic:>

Caissa, the goddess of Chess,
Has this task, no more and no less;
Every game, match and damn bit,
Sicilian and gambit
She must ever be ready to bless.>

"Chess is the gymnasium of the mind." — Blasie Pascal

"Sometimes in life, and in chess, you must take one step back to take two steps forward." — IM Levy Rozman, GothamChess

So much, much, much better to be an incurable optimist than deceitful and untrustworthy.

In God we trust; all others pay cash. ~ American Proverb

Trusting in wealth is like looking for feathers on turtles. ~ Senegalese Proverb

The Man and the Wooden God

A pagan kept a god of wood, –
A sort that never hears,
Though furnished well with ears, –
From which he hoped for wondrous good.
The idol cost the board of three;
So much enriched was he
With vows and offerings vain,
With bullocks garlanded and slain:
No idol ever had, as that,
A kitchen quite so full and fat.
But all this worship at his shrine
Brought not from this same block divine
Inheritance, or hidden mine,
Or luck at play, or any favour.
Nay, more, if any storm whatever
Brewed trouble here or there,
The man was sure to have his share,
And suffer in his purse,
Although the god fared none the worse.
At last, by sheer impatience bold,
The man a crowbar seizes,
His idol breaks in pieces,
And finds it richly stuffed with gold.
"How's this? Have I devoutly treated,"
Says he, "your godship, to be cheated?
Now leave my house, and go your way,
And search for altars where you may.
You're like those natures, dull and gross,
From, which comes nothing but by blows;
The more I gave, the less I got;
I'll now be rich, and you may rot."

Nehemiah 8:10
Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to our Lord. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the Lord is your strength!

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

"You must play boldly to win." ― Arnold Palmer

"Champions keep playing until they get it right." ― Billie Jean King

Fred Wellmuth was a strong amateur from California

Sir, if you could beat me, I would know you. – Jose Raul Capablanca (to an unknown player who had rejected Capablanca's offer of queen odds, on the grounds that Capablanca didn't know him, and might lose)

Proverbs 29:25
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

<Pastime with good company I love and shall, until I die.
Grudge who list, but none deny!
So God be pleased, thus live will I.>
― Henry VIII of England

French Proverb: "Il ne faut rien laisser au hasard." ― (Nothing should be left to chance.)

Deuteronomy 6:6-9: "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

Isaiah 66:24
24 "And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind."

Matthew 19:26
But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'

POTUS 31. Herbert Hoover
"Be patient and calm; no one can catch a fish with anger."

Chessgames.com will be unavailable October 14, 2024 from 1:30PM through 2:00PM(UTC/GMT) for maintenance. We apologize for this inconvenience.

InkHarted wrote:

Checkmate.
I started off as an equal
I have everything that they do
my life was one and the same as my foe
childish battles of lesser
I won baring cost of a little
but as time outgrew my conscience
I found that the pieces were moving against me
with time my company reduced
they left one by one
all in time forgetting me
my castles collapsed
my religion dissuaded
my protectors in hiding
I could not run anymore
I have been cornered to a wall
as the queen left silently
without saying goodbye
I could not live any longer
she was most precious to me
I could not win without her by my side
so the king knelt down and died.

"Everyone should know how to play chess." — José Raúl Capablanca

Mark 3:25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

'Finders keepers, losers weepers'
No, turn it over to Lost and Found.

Drive sober or get pulled over.

"For surely of all the drugs in the world, chess must be the most permanently pleasurable." — Assiac (‘Deutsch von Heinrich Fraenkel')

Once I asked Pillsbury whether he used any formula for castling. He said his rule was absolute and vital: castle because you will or because you must; but not because you can.' — W.E. Napier (1881-1952)

The Words Of Socrates

A house was built by Socrates
That failed the public taste to please.
Some blamed the inside; some, the out; and all
Agreed that the apartments were too small.
Such rooms for him, the greatest sage of Greece!

"I ask," said he, "no greater bliss
Than real friends to fill even this."
And reason had good Socrates
To think his house too large for these.
A crowd to be your friends will claim,
Till some unhandsome test you bring.
There's nothing plentier than the name;
There's nothing rarer than the thing.

'Ask no questions and hear no lies

* The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played: 62 Masterpieces of Chess Strategy by Irving Chernev - https://lichess.org/study/KMMrJvE1

* Legendary: Game Collection: The 12 Legendary Games of the Century

* Knight Power: https://fmochess.com/the-power-of-t...

'Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer

St. Elmo

Riddle Question: Often starting the game, I'm the most numerous, but least in fame. What am I?

Coral reefs are called the rain forests of the sea and enjoy an extraordinarily biologically diverse ecosystem, providing food and shelter to millions of species like fish, sponges, sea anemones, bryozoans, worms, sea stars, crustaceans, and snails, to name a few.

Riddle Answer: Pawn

Maximo wrote:

My Forking Knight's Mare
Gracefully over the squares, as a blonde or a brunette, she makes moves that not even a queen can imitate. Always active and taking the initiative,
she likes to fork.
She does it across the board,
taking with ease not only pawns, but also kings, and a bad bishop or two.
Sometimes she feels like making
quiet moves,
at other times, she adopts romantic moods,
and makes great sacrifices.
But, being hers a zero-sum game,
she often forks just out of spite.
An expert at prophylaxis, she can be a swindler, and utter threats,
skewering men to make some gains.
Playing with her risks a conundrum,
and also catching Kotov's syndrome.
Nonetheless, despite having been trampled
by her strutting ways
my trust in her remains,
unwavering,
until the endgame.

"For a period of ten years--between 1946 and 1956--Reshevsky was probably the best chessplayer in the world. I feel sure that had he played a match with Botvinnik during that time he would have won and been World Champion." ― Bobby Fischer

Oct-04-23 HeMateMe: I play 3/2 blitz occasionally on Lichess. I find it an excellent site, none of the delays/cancellations that ruined chess.com (for me). Oct-04-23 Cassandro: Yes, lichess is by far the best site for online chess. And you never know, apparently you may even get to play against a living legend like the highly esteemed Leonard Barden there!

FTB plays all about but has always been happy with FICS: https://www.freechess.org/

The Grasshopper and the Ant

A grasshopper gay
Sang the summer away,
And found herself poor
By the winter's first roar.
Of meat or of bread,
Not a morsel she had!
So begging she went,
To her neighbour the ant,
For the loan of some wheat,
Which would serve her to eat,
Till the season came round.
"I will pay you," she says,
"On an animal's faith,
Double weight in the pound
Before the harvest is bound."
The ant is a friend
(And here she might mend)
Little given to lend.
"How did you spend the summer?"
Said she, looking shame
At the borrowing dame.
"Night and day to each comer
I sang, if you please."
"You sang! I'm at ease;
For it's plain at a glance,
Now, ma'am, you must dance."

Q: What do you call a key that opens the door on Thanksgiving? A: A turkey.

Q: What do you call a cheese that doesn't belong to you? A: Nacho cheese!

Q: What do you call a cow that plays a musical instrument? A: A moosician.

Q: What do you call shorts that clouds wear?
A: Thunderwear.

Q: What do you call milk that gets anything it wants? A: Spoiled milk.

Q: What do you call a dog magician?
A: A labracadabrador.

Q: What do you call a funny mountain?
A: Hill-arious.

Q: What do you call a cute door?
A: Adorable.

Work hard, but smart. Avoid burnout; stop to smell the flowers along the way. Stay humble. Plan ahead for rainy days.

Success is a beautiful thing. But unbridled by humility, it can also be an ugly, selfish, all-consuming endeavor. Here are some important reminders to stay humble as you progress on your path:

Never forget your roots.

Never forget the sacrifices others made on your behalf.

Never forget how hard you worked to get where you are today.

Never forget to say thank you.

Never forget that everything comes at a price.

Never forget to stop and appreciate how far you've come.

Never forget that who you are is so much greater than what you do.

Never forget to pay it forward.

Never forget that it's not always about you.

Remember these and you will be golden.

<<greersome wrote:>

There once was a woman from Mizes

Who had chess sets of two different sizes

One was quite small

Almost nothing at all

But the other was large and won prizes! >

"If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor." — Eleanor Roosevelt

"Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities. Without humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy." ― Norman Vincent Peale

"The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one's destiny to do, and then do it." — Henry Ford

"Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

"In order to write about life first you must live it." — Ernest Hemingway

"My concern about my reputation is with the people who I respect and my family and my Lord. And I'm perfectly comfortable with my reputation with them, sir." — John Durham

"The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything." — Frank Sinatra

This poem is dedicated to all members who strive to become Masters of chess.

yakisoba's combination

in the middle of a cold Canadian winter night
a phantom creature was riding a stallion knight
but lo and behold it is the man called yakisoba
together with a bishop and queen chasing nova.
though the old bishop was getting pooped out
the merry queen in her glory was bouncing about
while riding hard yakisoba grinningly thought
"I know what to do with that nova when caught."
there on top of the castle was nova in hiding
strapped to a kite for a quick get-away gliding,

then trembling he realized to his consternation: he was being killed by the bishop-queen combination.

* Weird is what you're not used to: https://chessentials.com/weird-ches...

'A rolling stone gathers no moss'

'Don't shut the stable door after the horse has bolted'

"Of my 57 years, I've applied at least 30 to forgetting most of what I've learned or read, and since I succeeded in this I have acquired a certain ease and cheer which I should never again like to be without." ― Emanuel Lasker

<<limerick, entitled ‘The Solver's Plight' was by ‘A.J.F.' A.J. Fink and was published on page 22 of Chess Potpourri by Alfred C. Klahre (Middletown, 1931):>

There was a man from Vancouver
Who tried to solve a two-mover;
But the boob, he said, ‘"Gee",
I can't find the "Kee",
No matter HOW I manouvre.'>

Chessgames.com will be unavailable December 7, 2024 from 2:00PM through 2:45PM(UTC/GMT) for maintenance. We apologize for this inconvenience.

Why not give credit to the book that made you the player that you are? Your First Move: Chess For Beginners by Alexei Sokolsky defines Al. https://archive.org/details/yourfir...

Sokolsky also wrote one of the all-time great opening manuals: https://archive.org/details/moderno...

1.b4? Not so much: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UK1b...

Edmar Mednis espoused the Caro-Kann for the ordinary player, because it was structurally sound and a lot less memorization. If a player is patient and has a strong endgame, the Caro-Kann is a good choice, but one must know all those opening traps (often relying upon ...Qe2 or ...h6) that lean toward White. Yep, Fredthebear took up Bobby Fischer's studious habit years ago and is extremely well-read, although Fischer gave bad advice to "read" MCO not once, but twice. (Of course, BF had a photographic memory, so the affect on him would be pronounced.) Before the internet, there were no great chess instructors in FTB's area that I knew of. The no-nonsense writing of Edmar Mednis certainly helped my endgame.

If a player is theoretically lazy, the Sicilian Najdorf is a bad choice. This opening is for professional players IMHO.

"Know your enemy and know yourself, and in a hundred battles, you will never be in peril." — Sun Tzu

Perhaps the best advice an aspiring FTB received from an older master that he competed against was to read Fred Reinfeld's Complete Chess Course: https://archive.org/details/complet... In fact, the master walked over to the selection of books, pulled out Reinfeld's brick out, and handed it to me saying "By this one. It explains what you need to know to be successful." The course really does cover so many aspects of chess in an applied way. Unfortunately, FTB never grew to love the book, saw it more as laborious. The Complete Chess PLAYER by Reinfeld has more appeal. Smaller in size, yet 300 pages packed plenty of information: https://archive.org/details/complet...

The contemporary player might prefer this complete course dandy by Antonio Gude: https://archive.org/details/complet... A "Gude" book (in algebraic notation), but not better than Reinfeld's complete course.

Fredthebear got great mileage out of Learn Chess: A Complete Course by Alexander and Beach: https://archive.org/details/learnch... Unfortunately, the diagrams in some of the older editions (two separate books) were a bit faded, but FTB had young, fresh eyes back then and such was not bothersome.

For a novice struggling to understand what to do in chess, this beginner's book by Reinfeld (written for his wife as I recall) certainly fills the bill: https://archive.org/details/howtobe... No, it's not a complete course by any means, but it will set your chess mind on the straight and narrow path of search and seizer. Fredthebear has not read the algebraic edition, but it looks to have included more diagrams than the original.

The novice (player or instructor) might want to read A.J. Gillam's book first of all: https://archive.org/details/startin...

This Batsford book provides some good game examples once the fundamentals are learned elsewhere: https://archive.org/details/batsfor... Having a diagram in every column is very helpful. To be clear, FTB prefers the other mentioned books above before this one of application.

A complimentary follow up to Alexander and Beach is The Art of Mastering Chess: A Complete Course for Beginners by radio shack/GM Eduard Gufeld : https://archive.org/details/artofma... The strength of this book is the famous complete game examples worthy of memorization and technical opening theory not emphasized by Alexander and Beach. Beware that Gufeld's book has been published in English Descriptive and Algebraic notation. The serious student would be wise to read both forms without hesitation.

Here's Larry Evan's practical openings puzzle book that uses both forms of notation: https://archive.org/details/whatsbe... Instead of trying to figure it out as you go from the very beginning, wouldn't your chances dramatically improve if you got off to a good start every game by following the tried-and-true paths of a master?

These miniatures are more advanced, but it's arranged by opening making it easy to compare with Evan's puzzle book: https://archive.org/details/modernc...

Raymond Keene's meaty book is also useful for intermediates (far too much work for the novice): https://archive.org/details/keeneon... Keene recommends the King's Indian Attack for White ala Bobby Fischer.

Is this Keene's most popular book? https://archive.org/details/duelsof...

Here's twelve more brilliant games where Yasser Seirawan explains every move: https://archive.org/details/winning...

The study of tactics through complete game examples has great appeal: https://archive.org/details/acourse...

Perhaps the single most famous chess book: https://archive.org/details/my-syst...

This instructive book is hard to beat: https://archive.org/details/capabla... Solve some tactical puzzles and rehearse one game per night and you're done in two months (60 games). Rinse and repeat.

Nunn's monster is for experienced players after the above-mentioned books have been read at least a few times: https://archive.org/details/johnnun...

All about American champion Frank J. Marshall: https://archive.org/details/marshal...

A great broad games collection of an aggressive world champion: https://archive.org/details/mybestg...

If you go ape crazy over miniatures: https://archive.org/details/1000bes...

No - Haste, they great enemy! Slow down, look around - be disciplined, use your checklist and consider ALL the possibilities: https://archive.org/details/movefir... Masterful combinations with interesting commentary.

Fredthebear likes those words of wisdom: https://archive.org/details/2013The...

Who's Mark Reinfeld? https://archive.org/details/30minut...

Sign up for free there at the archives, and you can read/reference the entire book(s) on-line.

Newcomers, don't take this post lightly. Much improvement goes to the student that follows through on the recommended books above, and they are free to read if you sign up for free!

An all-time introductory best seller: https://archive.org/details/beginch... One might need to zoom in on the mini diagrams, but they do serve as excellent example of the subject at hand.

This beginner book (English Descriptive notation) gives easy lessons until Lesson 9 on Combinations: https://archive.org/details/chessin... The Giuoco Piano opening is discussed on page 71. Some of the best chess advice you will ever receive is on page 73, followed by your first theoretical openings.

This beginner book (English Descriptive notation) is not well known, but it gives good introductions to staples like control of the center, the Giuoco Piano, Ruy Lopez, tactics, the Opposition, and passing pawns, so it's rather useful: https://archive.org/details/chessba...

Printed in 1846, ten years after the Battle of the Alamo and before the gold rush near Sacramento, California: https://archive.org/details/chessfo... FTB looked at a few positions, but has not read the entire book.

Garry gives good chess lessons for beginners: https://archive.org/details/lessons...

A robust book for advanced beginners that already understand moves and captures: https://archive.org/details/frombeg...

Here's robust Volume I that starts from scratch: https://archive.org/details/learnch...

One for the coaches: https://archive.org/details/1997Che... Does this move along too slow for youthful attentions?

For those who'd rather watch a beginner's video: https://archive.org/details/cosmaca... Joe Payne has provided additional videos below on the initial page. Don't wait back and play passively -- become an attacker searching for checkmate!

Does your kid like Fried Liver? I wouldn't move that knight twice so soon when so many other soldiers are itching to get into the game. Still, it's a plan of action. https://archive.org/details/firstch...

This book looks like overkill, but the associated on-line videos are useful: https://archive.org/details/the-six...

75 brief lessons for intermediate players: https://archive.org/details/betterc... Don't be one of those common people who learn the moves and rules but never study again after they've started playing. Teach yourself better chess, and you'll have much more success!

For experienced players who well understand the 75 lessons given above: https://archive.org/details/practic...

Understanding the Sicilian Defense 1.P-K4 P-QB4 for serious intermediates and candidate masters: https://archive.org/details/practic...

For players with strong combinational skills: https://archive.org/details/chessle... Don't hurry; get the answer correct! Far better to be right than fast.

One incorrect move is all it takes.

Chessgames.com will be unavailable December 7, 2024 from 2:00PM through 2:45PM(UTC/GMT) for maintenance. We apologize for this inconvenience.

320 BCE Last recorded examples of Attic Red-Figure Pottery.

310 BCE Assassination of Roxanne and Alexander IV, wife and son of Alexander the Great.

c. 280 BCE Founding of the Achaean League in the Peloponnese of Greece.

c. 270 BCE Aristarchus of Samos proposes a heliocentric world view.

168 BCE Rome defeats Macedon at Battle of Pydna.

146 BCE Rome sacks Corinth and dissolves the Achaean league. Greece is ruled by Rome.

146 BCE Roman influence over Greece begins to rise.

140 BCE Venus of Milo is completed.

88 BCE - 63 BCE Mithridates of Pontus fights three wars to free Greece from Rome.

86 BCE The Roman general Sulla sacks Athens and the port of Piraeus.

31 BCE Greece absorbed into Roman Empire.

42 CE - 62 CE Paul the Apostle goes on missionary journeys across Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome.

c. 50 CE - c. 60 CE Establishment of various Christian communities in the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece, Egypt, and at least the city of Rome.

257 CE - 263 CE The Goths raid Greece.

267 CE The Goths sack Athens, Corinth, Sparta, and Argos.

"When you're lonely, when you feel yourself an alien in the world, play Chess. This will raise your spirits and be your counselor in war" ― Aristotle

"The habit of holding a Man in the hand, and moving it first to one square and then to another, in order to engage the assistance of the eye in deciding where it shall actually be placed, is not only annoying to the adversary but a practical infraction of the touch-and-move principle." ― Howard Staunton

"A bad plan is better than none at all." ― Frank Marshall

The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - 1807-1882

The tide rises, the tide falls,
The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;
Along the sea-sands damp and brown
The traveller hastens toward the town,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.

Darkness settles on roofs and walls,
But the sea, the sea in darkness calls;
The little waves, with their soft, white hands,
Efface the footprints in the sands,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.

The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls
Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;
The day returns, but nevermore
Returns the traveller to the shore,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.

<Atterdag: Geoff - are you a descendant of Wordsworth?: There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream, The earth, and every common sight, To me did seem
Apparell'd in celestial light,
The glory and the freshness of a dream.
It is not now as it hath been of yore;—
Turn wheresoe'er I may,
By night or day,
The things which I have seen I now can see no more. :-)

Sally Simpson: Hi Atterdag,
This is my tribute to Wordsworth. (Daffodils.)

I wandered lonely as a pawn,
o'er a field coloured brown and cream,
When suddenly I ran out of squares
and discovered I was now a Queen.>

"Friend, you don't have to earn God's love or try harder. You're precious in His sight, covered by the priceless blood of Jesus, and indwelt by His Holy Spirit. Don't hide your heart or fear you're not good enough for Him to care for you. Accept His love, obey Him, and allow Him to keep you in His wonderful freedom." ― Charles F. Stanley

Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Isolated pawns require a very expensive therapy, for keeping them alive.

"Rooks need each other in the middlegame. This is why one should keep their rooks connected until the opposing queen is off the board. She'll snare 'em (usually from a centralized square on an open diagonal or perhaps a poisoned pawn approach of the unprotected b2/b7 and g2/g7 square next to the occupied corner) if the two rooks are not protecting each other." ― Fredthebear

Proverbs 14:29-35

29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered * exalts folly.

30 A tranquil heart is life to the body, But passion is rottenness to the bones.

31 He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.

32 The wicked is thrust down by his wrongdoing, But the righteous has a refuge when he dies.

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, But in the hearts of fools it is made known.

34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.

35 The king's favor is toward a servant who acts wisely, But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.

"God has given us two hands, one to receive with and the other to give with." — Billy Graham

"I've read the last page of the Bible. It's all going to turn out all right." — Billy Graham

* Riddle-yZ-pe: https://www.briddles.com/riddles/ch...

Isaiah 66:24
24 "And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind."

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

"Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities. Without humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy." ― Norman Vincent Peale

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

"We made too many wrong mistakes."
― Yogi Berra, 18-time American League All-Star

<Pastime with good company I love and shall, until I die.
Grudge who list, but none deny!
So God be pleased, thus live will I.>
― Henry VIII of England

"My guiding principles in life are to be honest, genuine, thoughtful and caring." ― Prince William

Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

"It is atheism and blasphemy to dispute what God can do: good Christians content themselves with His will revealed in His Word." ― King James I

"The more a man knows, the more he forgives." ― Catherine the Great

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." ― Maya Angelou

<<<Mountain Monarch> The <bear> as a symbol of strength and nobility in the mountains is the focus of this poem.>

On the mountain high, a monarch reigns,

A bear of strength, in its domains.

Noble in stride, in the wild it claims,

In the peaks, its spirit flames.

Surveying lands, with a watchful eye,

In its kingdom, under the sky.

Mountain monarch, in freedom's song,

In its rule, it belongs.

Majesty in fur, a ruler so grand,

In the mountains, its command.

Mountain monarch, with power's arc,

In its realm, the bear's mark.>

Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever.

"The Lord is first, my friends are second, and I am third." ― Gale Sayers

"To what greater inspiration and counsel can we turn than to the imperishable truth to be found in this treasure house, the Bible?" — Queen Elizabeth II

"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." ― Benjamin Franklin

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." ― Denis Waitley

Luck never gives; it only lends. ~ Scottish Proverb

"The harder you fall, the heavier your heart; the heavier your heart, the stronger you climb; the stronger you climb, the higher your pedestal." — Criss Jami

<from the simpleton poet:

Roses are red.
Violets are blue.

Chess is creative.
And a journey too.

Good in the morning.
Or just before bed.

Play cheater_1, with engine.
Or OTB, all in your head.>

Psalm 96: 1-3
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

"God's mercy and grace give me hope - for myself, and for our world." — Billy Graham

"Man has two great spiritual needs. One is for forgiveness. The other is for goodness." — Billy Graham

Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

<<"Let the first act of every morning be to make the following resolve for the day:>

- I shall not fear anyone on Earth.
- I shall fear only God.
- I shall not bear ill will toward anyone.
- I shall not submit to injustice from anyone.
- I shall conquer untruth by truth. And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering."> ― Mahatma Gandhi

"My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world." — Billy Graham

"The only time my prayers are never answered is on the golf course." — Billy Graham

* Riddle-stone-lies-still: https://www.briddles.com/riddles/ch...

"Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities. Without humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy." ― Norman Vincent Peale

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

"Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours." ― Yogi Berra, one of the greatest Yankees of all time

<<<High Flight> BY JOHN GILLESPIE MAGEE JR.>

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air ....

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark nor ever eagle flew—
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.>

Bless Us, O Lord
Traditional Catholic Prayer

Bless us, O Lord,

And these Thy gifts

Which we are about to receive,

Through Thy bounty

Through Christ our Lord we pray.
Amen.

<I can still hear my dad's voice reverberating across the dinner table.

"Nothing in life is free, Son," he said, passing down some of his own hard-won wisdom to me. "But if you put your mind to something, work hard and do your due diligence, you will certainly succeed in tackling whatever challenges come your way."

"I know, Dad," I said, continuing with an earnest question. "But what happens then?"

"You appreciate how far you've come," he said, before emphasizing. "And then you keep going.">

Listen more than you speak. God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason.

If you must say something, then say what you mean, and mean what you say. Your word is your bond. Keep your pledges, promises and obligations. Can others count on you 100% of the time? Trust and respect, once broken, is difficult to regain.

The world will expect many things from you. And you will expect many things in return. When you feel your energy or happiness slipping, focus on softening your expectations a bit. You'll be better off not just in the moment but in the long run, too. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/g2Ar...

Control what is controllable (your attendance, your attitude, your effort, your budget, your belongings, your resources, your commitment to correctness/self-discipline unswayed by contemporary social pressure or fashion /the crowd jumping off the cliff to buy the newest unaffordable toy or protest unlawfully in the streets). https://www.youtube.com/shorts/E7D5... Take the high, narrow road, above the fray. Do what gives you a clear conscience and brings you enduring (not temporary) satisfaction like staying sober and studying for final exams, and don't worry about what is beyond your control, especially other people, their dishonesty and desire for attention. You know right from wrong. There are consequences for your words, your actions and re-actions, and lack of preparation.

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet." — General "Mad Dog" James Mattis

"There just isn't enough televised chess." — David Letterman

"Do the things that interest you and do them with all your heart. Don't be concerned about whether people are watching you or criticizing you. The chances are that they aren't paying any attention to you. It's your attention to yourself that is so stultifying. But you have to disregard yourself as completely as possible. If you fail the first time then you'll just have to try harder the second time. After all, there's no real reason why you should fail. Just stop thinking about yourself." — Eleanor Roosevelt

"Many have become chess masters, no one has become the master of chess." — Siegbert Tarrasch

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ― Howard Thurman

z64All free bumd one off puffy went out 4A smoke saw a UFOA outr space, force, time, android K safety Wesley So Zamikhovsky pauzed clock o' time: https://24timezones.com/#/map https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2v...

"Stay sharp, play smart, and take care." ― NM Nelson Lopez

Z is for Zookeeper (to the tune of "Do You Know the Muffin Man?")

Oh do you know the zookeeper,
The zookeeper, the zookeeper?
Oh, do you know the zookeeper
Who works down at the zoo?

Q: Why did the cow cross the road?
A: To get to the udder side.