Numerous Games from French Innovators/Experts Including: Nimzowitsch, Botvinnik, Korchnoi, Petrosian, Bareev, Nakamura, Dreev, Grischuk, Maroczy, Caruana, Morozevich, Vaganian, Blackburne, Burn, Tarrasch, Alekhine, Bogoljubov, etc. nfects.

Here is what Vladimir Kramnik has to say:
"Botvinnik's example and teaching established the modern approach to preparing for competitive chess: regular but moderate physical exercise; analysing very thoroughly a relatively narrow repertoire of openings; annotating one's own games, those of past great players and those of competitors; publishing one's annotations so that others can point out any errors; studying strong opponents to discover their strengths and weaknesses; ruthless objectivity about one's own strengths and weaknesses."

"Reading can take you places you have never been before." — Dr. Seuss

The Human Side of Chess by Fred Reinfeld

A Biographical Work on the World Champions
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2013 Since this is a lengthy review, I've divided it up into various topics. Please pick and choose those topics that are of interest to you. If you want a quick review of this book, then the fourth paragraph, "Reinfeld's coverage of the World Champions," should, hopefully, suffice.

WHO WAS FRED REINFELD? Fred Reinfeld (January 27, 1910 - May 29, 1964) was considered one of the world's most prolific chess writers. In 1950, Reinfeld was ranked as the sixth strongest chess player in the United States. (See the article on Fred Reinfeld in the Wikipedia encyclopedia for more information.)

A COMPARISON OF THE 1952 AND 1960 EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK. The "Human Side of Chess" was published in 1952 (302 pp.). It covers the World Champions from Adolf Anderssen to Max Euwe. There is a short chapter (5 pages), "After Alekhine," that briefly covers the period from Alekhine's death in 1946 to 1951 (Botvinnik's match with David Bronstein). A revised edition of this book appeared in 1960 under the title "The Great Chess Masters and Their Games" (334 pp.). Chapter IX, "After Alekhine," was shortened to four pages and a new chapter, "Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov" (23 pp.), was added. Four games (2 by Botvinnik and 2 by Smyslov) were added to the Game section at the end of the book (66 pp. in the 1st edition; 92 pages in the revised edition). Unfortunately, the publisher decided to delete the "Tournament and Match Records" (10 pages) and the Index (6 pages) from the revised edition. When I read this book as a teenager in 1957, I was fascinated by the tournament and match records of the various World Champions. I was sorely disappointed when this section was left out of the revised edition in 1960.

REINFELD'S COVERAGE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. Reinfeld devotes approximately 30 pages to each world champion. Unlike Reuben Fine's "Psychoanalytic Observations on Chess and Chess Masters" or John S. Hilbert's "Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker, Chessmaster," this book is neither a psychological study nor does it consist of intimate and detailed biographical commentary, i.e., I wouldn't call it a scholarly work. Yes, there are psychological insights and, yes, there are some personal details, but Reinfeld is mostly interested in the world champions as chess players first and foremost. We are not going to learn those intimate details that so often add spice to a biographical work. One also notices that Reinfeld is not reluctant to draw conclusions from what appears to be flimsy evidence. For example, he notes that Anderssen "was brusque at times, still suffering from the conflict between pride and embarrassment over money troubles and his humble origins." Can this be substantiated? Or is this simply a conjecture on Reinfeld's part? It should also be pointed out that Arnold Denker and Larry Parr, in their book, "The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories," warn us not to "read Fred's chess books for precision history." Although I did not note any factual errors in this book that is not to say that such errors don't exist. "My purpose," according to Reinfeld, "is not to criticize and not to apologize; only to understand." In my opinion, he more than succeeds. After reading this book, you will indeed have a greater understanding of these world champions.]

WHY DOES REINFELD BEGIN HIS BOOK WITH ADOLF ANDERSSEN? According to FIDE (the World Chess Organization), Wilhelm Steinitz was the first World Champion. Fred Reinfeld disagreed! He begins the reign of the World Champions with Adolf Anderssen of Germany (Anderssen was born July 6, 1818 in Breslau). Why does Reinfeld begin with Anderssen and not Steinitz? The answer is very simple, Anderssen won the first international chess tournament, London 1851. Howard Staunton wrote a wonderful book on this tournament. The title of the book is "The Chess Tournament" (377 pp. + 83 page introduction; published in 1852). It is interesting to note Staunton's comment from page lxxiv of his introduction, "...it will be ever memorable in the annals of Chess, as the first general meeting of players from different parts of the world...." Seven years later, Anderssen was defeated in a match (7 losses, 2 wins, and 2 draws) against the American Paul Morphy. Morphy retired from chess shortly after this match. Anderssen then played a match with Wilhelm Steinitz in 1866 (Steinitz won the match by 8 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws), so, according to this scenario, Steinitz was the third not the first World Champion.

When Alekhine died on March 24, 1946, the World Championship was decided by a tournament of the world's best players in 1948 (this tournament was won by Botvinnik). Reinfeld indirectly implies that the London Tournament of 1851, the first international tournament in which the world's best players participated, was the equivalent of the 1948 tournament.* If one accepts this line of reasoning, then Anderssen was the first World Champion. Since Steinitz's match with Zukertort in 1886 was for the "Championship of the World," then, according to the official version, Steinitz should be considered the first World Champion. In short, the title of World Champion did not exist prior to the 1886 match. Personally, I find Reinfeld's argument most persuasive. By adding Anderseen and Morphy to our pantheon of World Champions, I feel that we have enriched our chess heritage.**

A JUSTIFICATION FOR READING A BOOK ON THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. The reader might ask: Why read a book about the World Champions? The simple answer might be that their accomplishments are a source of inspiration and motivation for the rest of us, but I think that Veselin Topalov said it best: "From about the time of Anderssen and Morphy (mid-19th century) on, the champions were acknowledged as geniuses, and their best games had the status of works of art." ("Topalov-Kramnik, 2006 World Chess Championship, On the Edge in Elista," by Veselin Topalov & Zhivko Ginchev, p. 7.) Hopefully, the reader of this review will get as much enjoyment out of Reinfeld's book as I have.

A BRIEF NOTE ON REINFELD'S INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Although Reinfeld included a games section (pages 221 - 286), this book is primarily a biographical work. The first chapter (pages 3 - 8) has the intriguing title "The Illusion of Master Chess." "Chess becomes an art," according to Reinfeld, "when a player reaches the stage at which he is able to conceive a winning position and possesses the ability to bring the conceived position into existence. Such a player is called a master--a chessmaster. The great chessmasters, like the great poets, the great composers, the great artists, the great mathematicians, the great mystics, have the faculty of immersing themselves in some creative process with a concentration, a finality, that is beyond most of us. The creative activities of these chessmasters have produced a literature of masterpieces which is one of the glories of the human mind." He then goes on to talk about the "illusions" to be found in modern chess. I must confess that I am somewhat skeptical of his analysis, but I leave it up to the reader to draw his or her own conclusions (see pp. 7 - 8).

Chapter 2 begins with ADOLF ANDERSSEN (pp. 9 - 41). Reinfeld calls him "The Romantic." "Anderssen has been called 'the incarnation of Romanticism,' and there is a magic quality in his very name which thrills every devotee of chess to this day. Yet there is a bitter-sweet element in Anderssen's glory which is almost more poignant than frank neglect: for this fame is a spurious fame. It is based on a legend, on a tragic misconception. Admiration for Anderssen is blended with contempt; his true genius is obscured beyond recognition." What was Anderssen's "true genius"? For the answer to this question, you will need to read this book. For more information on Adolf Anderssen, see Hermann von Gottschall's Adolf Anderssen der Altmeister deutscher Schachspielkunst.

Chapter 3 covers PAUL MORPHY (pp. 42 - 71). He refers to Paul Morphy as "The Gentleman." According to Morphy, "Reputation is the only incentive I recognize." "Anderssen's career...began when he was thirty. Paul Morphy's playing days were over before he was twenty-three! In only three years of active play he conquered the Old World as well as the New, gave the development of chess theory a mighty impetus, set new standards for accurate and elegant play, enriched the chess world with many beautiful games." Eight years after Reinfeld wrote "The Human Side of Chess," Frances Parkinson Keyes wrote a fictional account of Paul Morhpy's life, The Chess Players (608 pages). She lists Reinfeld's book on page 606 of her bibliography. One of the best books on Morphy was published in 1976 by David Lawson, Paul Morphy: Pride and Sorrow of Chess (424 pp.). In my opinion, the best book on Morphy's games is Valeri Beim's Paul Morphy: A Modern Perspective (164 pp.; published 2005).

Chapter 4 covers WILHELM STEINITZ (pp. 72 - 118) who Reinfeld refers to as "The Lawgiver." Reinfeld states that "Wilhelm Steinitz, who has been fittingly described as 'the Michelangelo of chess,' was the most original thinker, the most courageous player, and the most remarkable personality that the chess world has produced in the fifteen or so centuries that the game has been in existence. Steinitz was born in circumstances of great poverty in Prague on May 14, 1836; he died a charity patient in the East River Sanatorium on Ward's Island in New York on August 12, 1900." Kurt Landsberger has written two very scholarly works on Steinitz: William Steinitz, Chess Champion: A Biography of the Bohemian Caesar (487 pp.) and The Steinitz Papers: Letters and Documents of the First World Chess Champion (325 pp.).

Chapter 5 on EMANUEL LASKER (pp. 119 - 141) starts off with the interesting assertion: "'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time?' has narrowed down to: 'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time--Lasker or Alekhine?'" Reinfeld refers to Lasker as "The Philosopher." "Lasker is elusive, remote, paradoxical. From the outset his career puzzles us because of his life-long interest in philosophy and mathematics. Most chessplayers are...well, chessplyers. But Lasker had two other interests which absorbed his attention at least as much as chess did. He refused to give his whole life, as Steinitz had, to chess. Sometimes years passed without his playing a single serious game; there must have been months on end when he did not look at a chessboard. This gave him poise, breadth of view, a sense of proportion. Even at the age of twenty-one, when he was 'just another chessplayer,' he impressed Hoffer (Steinitz's archenemy) as 'a man of culture and more than average intellect.'" The fact that Albert Einstein wrote the forward to Dr. J. Hannak's biography on Lasker, Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master, is evidence of the high esteem Lasker had as an intellectual. In 2005, Andrew Soltis wrote a wonderful book on Lasker's best games of chess, Why Lasker Matters (320 pp.).

Chapter 6 introduces us to JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA "The Machine" (pp. 142 - 167). I'm sure that Reinfeld's good friend, Irving Chernev, would have disagreed with Reinfeld's claim in the previous chapter. Chernev, as he wrote in his book "The Golden Dozen," considered Capablanca the greatest chessplayer of all time. Yet, Reinfeld felt that Capablanca was a flawed genius. "Capablanca realized just as well as Lasker that chess had reached a point where one had to take risks in order to obtain winning chances. Lasker had the greatness of character, the resourcefulness, the daring to defy the development of the Macheide; Capablanca did not. The idea of taking such risks was deeply repellent to Capablanca. He, who loved the tidy technique of neat endgames. was horrified by the illogic of risk." What was the Macheide? You will find the answer on page 123 of Reinfeld's text. There are many excellent books on Capablanca, but Fred Reinfeld's The Immortal Games of Capablanca is a wonderful book in its own right (239 pp.); I highly recommend it. Although not primarily a biographical work, Edward G. Winter's Capablanca: A Compendium of Games, Notes, Articles, Correspondence, Illustrations and Other Rare Archival Materials on the Cuban Chess Genius Jose Raul Capablanca, 1882-1942 is noted for its meticulous attention to historical accuracy.

Chapter 7 focuses on my favorite chessplayer, ALEXANDER ALEKHINE (pp. 168 - 198). Reinfeld calls him "The Fighter." "Some fifteen centuries of chessplaying and theorizing meet and fuse in the style of Alexander Alekhine. He was a very great man in some ways, very weak in others; but above all he was a historical phenomenon, and this gives him a dignity far beyond his personal significance. Many influences were woven into Alekhine's games, but he was no hack, no imitator. Alekhine was the most brilliant, the most artistic, the most dynamic chessplayer in history." What more can you say? His two books on his best games are superb! "My Best Games of Chess 1908 - 1923" (265 pp.) and "My Best Games of Chess 1924 - 1937" (285 pp.) were written before the personal computer, so there are the inevitable flaws, but, for a true lover of chess, these books are to be treasured. The Dover edition, My Best Games of Chess, 1908 - 1937, combines both volumes into a single book.

Chapter 8 deals with an extraordinary individual, MAX EUWE (pp. 199 - 215). Reinfeld calls him "The Logician." Of the World Champions, he was probably the most prolific chess writer (he wrote over 70 chess books). He earned a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Amsterdam in 1926. He was, undoubtedly, the most underrated of the World Champions. According to Reinfeld, "Euwe's great fighting victory over Alekhine in 1935 has never received due appreciation, and thus Euwe's career poses the paradox: How can a World Champion be the most underrated player in the world; or, how can the most underrated player in the world become World Champion?" Sadly for Euwe's fans, he lost his return match to Alekhine in 1937 (10 losses, 4 wins, and 11 draws). Euwe was fifty-one years old when this book was published. He died on November 26, 1981. The following books should be of interest: "From My Games 1920 - 1937" is an excellent book by Dr. Euwe. In 2001, Alexander Munninghoff wrote "Max Euwe, the Biography" (351 pp.).

Chapter 9 covers the period following Alekhine's death in 1946 (pp. 216 - 220). This is a very sketchy chapter that deals with the World Championship Tournament of 1948 (won by Botvinnik) and Botvinnik's drawn match with David Bronstein in 1951. Reinfeld concludes this chapter by stating that "Today master chess must be played in the style of Alekhine or not at all." Although he doesn't state it in these terms, Reinfeld is referring to the "dynamic" style that was generally associated with the Soviet School of Chess. Larry Evans used the term eclectics when referring to this style of play, but this term never caught on. (Reference "Dynamic Chess" by R. N. Coles, "The Soviet School of Chess" by A. Kotov & M. Yudovich, and "New Ideas in Chess" by Larry Evans.)

GAME SECTION. The Games section (pp. 221 - 286) includes 14 annotated games in descriptive notation (two games for each World Champion). This is followed by a section on the Tournament and Match Records of each World Champion (pp. 287 - 296). The book ends with a six page index (pp. 297 - 302).

CONCLUSION: Of the approximately 700 chess books that I own, this is one of my favorite books; needless to say, I highly recommend it.*** ____________________________________

* "Nowadays we think of Anderssen's victory as establishing him as the first World Champion. But at the time no official title was involved; he was simply looked upon as the world's best player, as a matter of widespread opinion, but not by way of official status" (p. 22).

** Graham Burgess in "The Mammoth Book of Chess" lists the "unofficial" world champions in this order: Philidor, de la Bourdonnais, Staunton, and Morphy. Although he mentions the London Tournament of 1851, he makes no mention of Anderssen. This is rather surprising, because we find the following remark in a book written by Graham Burgess, John Nunn, and John Emms: "Adolf Andeseen...was undoubtedly one of the strongest players of his era and indeed was crowned unofficial World Champion after handsomely winning the great London Tournament of 1851..." ("The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games," p. 14; by the way, a great book!). According to H. Paul Lillebo ("World Champions - reclaiming a lost century," ChessBase website, 4/24/2014), "we ought to extend our official history of the chess world championship by 139 years to recognize these great champions. The revised list will then begin as: François-André Danican Philidor (world champion 1747-1795), Louis La Bourdonnais (world champion 1824-1840), Howard Staunton (world champion 1843-1851), Adolf Anderssen (world champion 1851-1858, 1861-1866), and Paul Morphy (world champion 1858-1861)."

*** The Ishi Press International reprint (March 2013) includes an introduction by Sam Sloan.

* Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t...

* Morphy pounds Philidor's Defense: Game Collection: White - Philidor: Morphy

* MT Facts: https://www.chessjournal.com/facts-...

* Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes

* Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i...

<14 million-year-old vehicle tracks According to a researcher called Dr. Koltypin, millions of years ago advanced technologies existed on Earth, and the traces we see in the above image were left behind by vehicles 14 million years ago

As noted by Russian Geologists, these mysterious traces are at least 14 million old and were left behind by "vehicles" that belonged to a currently "unknown ancient civilization" that inhabited our planet in the past.

Many researchers believe that we are not the first society to rule over this planet. In fact, a number of authors have claimed that many other advanced civilizations called this planet home in the past.

According to Dr. Koltypin and many other archaeologists, which have adopted new ways of thinking, these ancient "car tracks" are one of the best-preserved pieces of evidence which undoubtedly prove the existence of highly advanced ancient civilizations that inhabited our planet in the distant past.>

Pawns are the soul of chess. Move too many pawns and you are toast. If you don't move enough pawns, you are cramped for space.

Thank you Jake, lomez.
See French Defence compiled by ChessPraxis.
Opening repertoire key games compiled by chessbuzz See Play the French 4th Edition by John Watson compiled by shoshonte Another chess creation by Fred Iyak

<Mohenjo-Daro
The archaeological site of Mohenjo Daro is considered by many ancient astronaut theorists as one of the best examples of ancient alien contact.

The destruction of this once great city has been a mystery for archaeologists and experts for decades.

Ancient Astronaut theorists claim that thousands of years ago, advanced alien civilizations visited Earth, and nuclear bombs were used to destroy this city.

The city was discovered in 1992 when Indian archaeologist R. Banardzhi found the ancient ruins on the banks of the Indus River.

Questions such as the cause of the destruction and the fate of its inhabitants remain a mystery to scholars.

Some researchers have postulated theories that this city was destroyed by the gods, with "advanced nuclear weapons.">

"Un croquis vaut mieux qu" — Napoleon Bonaparte

"The World is not ruined by the wickedness of the wicked, but by the weakness of the good." — Napoleon Bonaparte

"You don't reason with intellectuals. You shoot them." — Napoleon Bonaparte

* French Rep: Game Collection: French Defense

* Hans On French: Game Collection: French Defense

* French Victories: Game Collection: French - Advance/Tarrasch/Exchange/etc

* TFD: https://chessentials.com/category/l...

<The underground city of Derinkuyu Another incredible feat of ancient engineering. Thousands of years ago, ancient people excavated hundreds of meters into the Earth, building one of the greatest ancient underground cities on Earth.

This incredible underground city has challenged the views and theories of archaeologists and engineers ever since its discovery.

Many mysteries engulf this underground city. No one has been able to understand why and how it was built.

While some authors indicate it was created to protect its inhabitants from climate change, extreme temperatures or even war, there are others who believe that its purpose is far more mysterious.>

C02
French, advance variation
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5

French, advance, Steinitz variation
3...c5 4.dxc5

French, advance, Nimzovich variation
3...c5 4.Qg4

French, advance, Nimzovich system
3...c5 4.Nf3

French, advance variation (3...c5 4.c3)
3...c5 4.c3

French, advance, Wade variation
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4...Qb6 5.Nf3 Bd7

French, advance variation (4...Qb6 5.Nf3 Bd7)
4...Nc6

French, advance, Paulsen attack
5.Nf3

French, advance, Milner-Barry gambit
5...Qb6 6.Bd3

French, advance, Euwe variation
5...Bd7

* Theory:
http://162.203.35.1:78/mediawiki/in...

<A Massive knife discovered underwater Not much can be found about this mysterious image, but we'll include it just for fun.

We see a massive knife, held by three scuba drivers somewhere on Earth's ocean.

The image has been widely shared among people on social networks, and many consider it evidence that, before written history, perhaps tens of thousands of years ago, giants walked on Earth.

More than likely, it's a prop that ended up somehow in the ocean, but who knows for sure?>

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

"We do not remember days, we remember moments." ― Cesare Pavese

7,000 year-old road found under the Mediterranean Sea in Croatia

<Sacsayhuamán
Sacsayhuamán is without a doubt one of the most incredible ancient sites ever discovered on the planet. Why? Not only because of the history of this ancient city but because of the supermassive stones used in its construction.

The ceremonial complex is well-known for its impeccable masonry that is so precise that engineers today have no clue how it was made.

Some of the stones at Sacsayhuamán are so perfectly fitted that not a single sheet of paper can fit in between.>

The Fashion of the Champion by Wayne Proudlove
Posted: Aug-26-09

The success of the victor
depends on the factors
that take shape after the dream/
Obstacles that prevent
him from confirming the win
are like walking a thin and high beam/
For the opponent is prepared
and often uses his skills
in ways that are not quite what they seem/
This holds true
for both those working alone
and members of some kind of team/
But one thing remains certain
and it's through much experience
I've deemed/
It takes not just understanding
or mastery even,
but to perform under pressure extreme.

<The Gate of The Sun ( Puerta del Sol) The Gate of the Sun is a megalithic solid stone arch or gateway located in Tiwanaku, an ancient mysterious city located in Bolivia.

Archaeologists believe this ancient city was the center of a vast empire during the first millennium AD.

And despite the fact that we know a lot about South American ancient civilizations, researchers are still not able to figure out the meaning of some of the drawings that are enshrined in the monuments of the ancient city.

Some experts believe these depictions have a great astrological and astronomical value, while other authors believe it is a gateway to another world.>

Question: What is considered the first reality TV show? Answer: The Real World

Question: Who was Russia's first elected president? Answer: Boris Yeltsin

<The Longyou Caves
The Longyou Caves are out of this world. This incredible set of caves is little talked about.

The Longyou Caves are a set of artificial caves that are believed to be at least 2000 years old and happen to be one of the largest structures ever excavated by man.

Researchers have been baffled by the size and precision of the caves.

Archaeologists, engineers, architects, and geologists from around the world have tried to figure out how, why and when were these artificial caves were built, but no one has offered a single solution to the many mysteries surrounding the caves.>

The Fireside Book of Chess is a huge grab bag, accenting the lighter side of chess. It is a reservoir into which the reader can dip to provide countless hours of relaxation and entertainment. Since it makes few demands on the reader, it is a virtually perfect gift for Christmas or any other time of the year. Messers. Chernev and Reinfeld have stuffed their grab bag with golden nuggets. They have included stories and articles by unsung chess heroes like Billy Rose, veteran experts like Alfred Kreymborg, and devoted lovers of the game like Gerald Kersh and Solomon Hecht. The chess games contained were selected for their brevity as well as brilliance; some are amusing, others as devastating as an avalanche. There are sections on "Remarkable Games and the Stories Behind Those Games", "Combinations", "Quickies". "Simultaneous Exhibitions", "Women in Chess", "Slugging Matches", and twenty other such diversions. In brief, The Fireside Book of Chess contains everything necessary to delight the reader who knows that this ancient game is the most exciting and entertaining of all civilized sports. The Fireside Book of Chess is the World's Greatest Collection of stories, cartoons and amusing anecdotes about the game of chess. It also has curious and interesting chess games such as the game where the Champion of France lost in four moves, which is the quickest loss in chess history by a master. This book is famous not for the games it contains but for the stories, fiction and cartoons about chess. However, included is a selection of the games converted into Algebraic Notation in the back pages of this book. Nimzowitsch vs J Szekely, 1927

<The underwater city of Yonaguni – Japan Referred to as Japans Atlantis, some authors argue the Yonaguni complex is an ancient monument left behind by an ancient civilization that existed on Earth before the last Ice Age.

These alleged ancient remains were discovered accidentally by scuba instructor Khachiro Arataki.

Some underwater archaeologists, as well as many authors, refer to this ancient complex as one of the most important underwater discoveries in recent years.

The discovery of the Yonaguni complex has questioned several scientific theories.

The incredibly carved rock sank is believed to have sunken more than 12,000 years ago, much before the Ancient Egyptians built the Pyramids.

Mainstream archaeology and science argue that no advanced civilizations existed on Earth before the last Ice Age and that ancient mankind was not able to carve such a complex structure.>

Delaware: Lewes
Established in: 1631

As the first town in the first state, Lewes enjoys a special sort of charming history. The quaint town is full of historical touches and is a great place to visit. Located where the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean meet, there is also plenty of nature to be found.

* Brief History of Chess: https://www.chess.com/article/view/...

<Giant Stone Spheres
These giant stone spheres have been present from Costa Rica to Bosnia & Herzegovina, they come in all sorts of sizes. They were first found in South America in the 1930s by workers who were clearing jungle to make way for a plantation of bananas.

South American legends say that hidden within the rocks are unimaginable treasures. This has led to the destruction of many of these spheres by people who did not recognize their historical value. Despite the fact that many of these spheres were destroyed, no one has ever found anything inside them. Similar spheres can be found in Europe in Bosnia & Herzegovina near Visoko.

No one can explain what these giant stone spheres are made for.>

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.

"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

<2 billion-year-old Natural Nuclear Reactor In 1972, researchers confirmed the discovery of a set of Natural Nuclear Reactors in Gabon. Ever since, scientists have scratched their heads trying to understand how it is possible that these nuclear reactors developed in Gabon two billion years ago, and did not come into existence at any other place on the Planet.

As claimed by experts, more than two billion years ago, parts of the African uranium deposit spontaneously underwent nuclear fission. According to scientists, this mysterious "natural" nuclear reactor had the ability to produce modest energy. Scientists estimate the Oklo reactors would have had samples with roughly 3.6% uranium-235 — that's close to the enrichment threshold of modern nuclear reactors.>

Sniff. Sniff.

What's that smell?

My friend was sick and had a runny nose that he could not fix. I told him, "Break its legs."

Q: What was the name of the gang that only targeted people with runny noses? A: Aller G's.

Al accidentally sprayed some deodorant in his mouth yesterday. Every time he talked, there was a weird axe-scent coming out.

What's the name of Al's pal who doesn't know much and also has no nose? Nose-less.

The manager introduced a new fragrance at work.
Every employee has to follow it or be scent home.

I don't know why many people pick their noses. I've always preferred the one nose that I was born with.

* Masterful: Game Collection: FRENCH DEFENSE MASTERPIECES

* Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes

* Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i...