Dum spiro, spero

"The game might be divided into three parts: the opening, the middle-game and the end-game. There is one thing you must strive for, to be equally efficient in the three parts." ― Jose Raul Capablanca

"Unfortunately, many regard the critic as an enemy, instead of seeing him as a guide to the truth." ― Wilhelm Steinitz

"My passions were all gathered together like fingers that made a fist. Drive is considered aggression today; I knew it then as purpose." ― Bette Davis

"Chess is a matter of vanity." ― Alexander Alekhine

"As a chess player one has to be able to control one's feelings, one has to be as cold as a machine." ― Levon Aronian

"Sometimes it happens that the computer's assessment is very abstract. It's correct, but it's not useful for a practical game. You have to prove the assessment with very strong moves and if you don't find all of these strong moves you may lose very quickly. For a computer this is not a problem, but for humans it is not so easy." ― Vassily Ivanchuk

"A good book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit." ― John Milton

"Chess is a sport. The main object in the game of chess remains the achievement of victory." ― Max Euwe

"A sport, a struggle for results and a fight for prizes. I think that the discussion about "chess is science or chess is art" is already inappropriate. The purpose of modern chess is to reach a result." ― Alexander Morozevich

"No one man is superior to the game." ― A. Bartlett Giamatti, in reference to Pete Rose, the all-time MLB hits leader banned for gambling.

"To err is human; to forgive, divine." ― Alexander Pope

"I consider Mr. Morphy the finest chess player who ever existed. He is far superior to any now living, and would doubtless have beaten Labourdonnais himself. In all his games with me, he has not only played, in every instance, the exact move, but the most exact. He never makes a mistake; but, if his adversary commits the slightest error, he is lost." ― Adolf Anderssen

"After white's reply to 1.e4 e5 with 2.f4 the game is in its last throes" ― Howard Staunton

"I have added these principles to the law: get the Knights into action before both Bishops are developed." ― Emanuel Lasker

"With opposite coloured bishops the attacking side has in effect an extra piece in the shape of his bishop." ― Mikhail Botvinnik

"A pawn, when separated from his fellows, will seldom or never make a fortune." ― Francois-Andre Danican Philidor

"Be warned! From Satan's viewpoint you are a pawn in his game of cosmic chess." ― Adrian Rogers

"Pawns not only create the sketch for the whole painting, they are also the soil, the foundation, of any position." ― Anatoly Karpov

"The object of the state is always the same: to limit the individual, to tame him, to subordinate him, to subjugate him." ― Max Stirner

"It is a profound mistake to imagine that the art of combination depends only on natural talent, and that it cannot be learned." ― Richard Reti

"A Queen's sacrifice, even when fairly obvious, always rejoices the heart of the chess-lover." ― Savielly Tartakower

"Everyone makes mistakes. The wise are not people who never make mistakes, but those who forgive themselves and learn from their mistakes." ― Ajahn Brahm

"As a rule, so-called "positional" sacrifices are considered more difficult, and therefore more praise-worthy, than those which are based exclusively on an exact calculation of tactical possibilities." ― Alexander Alekhine

"It would be idle, and presumptuous, to wish to imitate the achievements of a Morphy or an Alekhine; but their methods and their manner of expressing themselves are within the reach of all." ― Eugene Znosko-Borovsky

"The most powerful weapon in chess is to have the next move." ― David Bronstein

"Get there firstest with the mostest." ― Nathan Bedford Forrest

"If the defender is forced to give up the center, then every possible attack follows almost of itself." ― Siegbert Tarrasch

"Erudition, like a bloodhound, is a charming thing when held firmly in leash, but it is not so attractive when turned loose upon a defenseless and unerudite public." ― Agnes Repplier

"If you watch it, you should watch it with other players and try to find moves, like it was before. Now on many sites you watch together with the computer and the pleasure is gone." ― Boris Gelfand

"I believe that Chess possesses a magic that is also a help in advanced age. A rheumatic knee is forgotten during a game of chess and other events can seem quite unimportant in comparison with a catastrophe on the chessboard." ― Vlastimil Hort

"It's funny, but many people don't understand why I draw so many games nowadays. They think my style must have changed but this is not the case at all. The answer to this drawing disease is that my favorite squares are e6, f7, g7 and h7 and everyone now knows this. They protect these squares not once but four times!" ― Mikhail Tal

"Having spent alarmingly large chunks of my life studying the white side of the Open Sicilian, I find myself asking, why did I bother?" ― Daniel J. King

"Apart from direct mistakes, there is nothing more ruinous than routine play, the aim of which is mechanical development." ― Alexey Suetin

"Not infrequently ... the theoretical is a synonym of the stereotyped. For the 'theoretical' in chess is nothing more than that which can be found in the textbooks and to which players try to conform because they cannot think up anything better or equal, anything original." ― Mikhail Chigorin

"The choice of opening, whether to aim for quiet or risky play, depends not only on the style of a player, but also on the disposition with which he sits down at the board." ― Efim Geller

"Despite the development of chess theory, there is much that remains secret and unexplored in chess." ― Vasily Smyslov

"No matter how much theory progresses, how radically styles change, chess play is inconceivable without tactics." ― Samuel Reshevsky

"Collect as precious pearls the words of the wise and virtuous." ― Abdelkader El Djezairi

"Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with ardor and diligence." ― Abigail Adams

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." ― Winston Churchill

"When I was preparing for one term's work in the Botvinnik school I had to spend a lot of time on king and pawn endings. So when I came to a tricky position in my own games, I knew the winning method." ― Garry Kasparov

"As a rule, pawn endings have a forced character, and they can be worked out conclusively." ― Mark Dvoretsky

"It is a gross overstatement, but in chess, it can be said I play against my opponent over the board and against myself on the clock." ― Viktor Korchnoi

"The fact that the 7 hours time control allows us to play a great deep game is not of great importance for mass-media." ― Alexei Shirov

"For me, each game is a new challenge, which has to be dealt with rationally and systematically. At that time, every other thought fades into oblivion." ― Viswanathan Anand

Ne kadar bilirsen bil, o kadar azdır.

"Any fool can know. The point is to understand." ― Albert Einstein

"To be content with what we possess is the greatest and most secure of riches." ― Marcus Tullius Cicero

"One bad move nullifies forty good ones." ― Israel Albert Horowitz

"It is a well-known phenomenon that the same amateur who can conduct the middle game quite creditably, is usually perfectly helpless in the end game. One of the principal requisites of good chess is the ability to treat both the middle and end game equally well." ― Aron Nimzowitsch

"My hard work and excellent training entitled me to be a better actress than some of my competitors." ― Pola Negri

"Endings of one rook and pawns are about the most common sort of endings arising on the chess board. Yet though they do occur so often, few have mastered them thoroughly. They are often of a very difficult nature, and sometimes while apparently very simple they are in reality extremely intricate." ― Jose Raul Capablanca

"Capablanca used to talk calmly and moderately about everything. However, when our conversation turned to the problems of the battle for the world championship, in front of me was a quite different person: an enraged lion, although with the fervour typical only of a southerner, with his temperamental patter, which made it hard to follow the torrent of his indignant exclamations and words." ― Alexander Koblencs

"A player is said to have the opposition when he can place his King directly in front of the adverse King, with only one square between them. This is often an important advantage in ending games." ― Howard Staunton

"A player can sometimes afford the luxury of an inaccurate move, or even a definite error, in the opening or middlegame without necessarily obtaining a lost position. In the endgame ... an error can be decisive, and we are rarely presented with a second chance." ― Paul Keres

"Never trust a government that doesn't trust its own citizens with guns." ― Benjamin Franklin

"The Soviet Union was an exception, but even there chess players were not rich. Only Fischer changed that." ― Boris Spassky

"Chess never has been and never can be aught but a recreation. It should not be indulged in to the detriment of other and more serious avocations - should not absorb or engross the thoughts of those who worship at its shrine, but should be kept in the background, and restrained within its proper province. As a mere game, a relaxation from the severe pursuits of life, it is deserving of high commendation." ― Paul Morphy

"Incidentally, when we're faced with a "prove or disprove," we're usually better off trying first to disprove with a counterexample, for two reasons: A disproof is potentially easier (we need just one counterexample); and nitpicking arouses our creative juices. Even if the given assertion is true, our search for a counterexample often leads to a proof, as soon as we see why a counterexample is impossible. Besides, it's healthy to be skeptical." ― Ronald Graham

"Even though chess isn't the toughest thing that computers will tackle for centuries, it stood as a handy symbol for human intelligence. No matter what human-like feat computers perform in the future, the Deep Blue match demands an indelible dot on all timelines of AI progress." ― Steven Levy

"Attackers may sometimes regret bad movez, but it's much worse to forever regret an opportunity you allowed to pass you by." ― Garry Kasparov

"Even the laziest king flees wildly in the face of a double check." ― Aron Nimzowitzch

"When you see a good move – WAIT! – look for a better one." ― Emanuel Lasker The Portuguese chess player and author Pedro Damiano (1480–1544) first wrote this in his book "Questo libro e da imparare giocare a scachi et de li partiti" published in Rome, Italy, in 1512.

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

"Winning is about commitment, discipline, hard work, dedication, determination, courage and sometimes even luck!" ― Susan Polgar

"Every defeat is an opportunity to learn from our mistakes! Every victory is a confirmation of our hard work!" ― Susan Polgar

"A chess player uses his/her knowledge to prepare for next game while a passionate coach preparez for next generation!" ― Susan Polgar

Games from "Positional Chess Handbook" by Israel Gelfer

French Proverb: "Ce n'est pas à un vieux singe qu'on apprend à faire la grimace." ― (There's no substitute for experience.)

<The Three Wise Men of Gotham

Three wise men of Gotham
Went to sea in a bowl;
And if the bowl had been stronger
My song would have been longer.>

‘May your Departures equal your Landfalls!'

* 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3

1) -0.12 (33 ply) 5...O-O 6.Rc1 dxc4 7.Bxc4 c5 8.dxc5 Qxd1+ 9.Rxd1 Nbd7 10.Nf3 Bxc5 11.O-O a6 12.a4 b6 13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.Ne5 Bb7 15.Nd7 Rfd8 16.Nxc5 bxc5 17.Rxd8+ Rxd8 18.f3 Kf8 19.Rd1 Rxd1+ 20.Nxd1 Ke7 21.Nc3 a5 22.Kf2 Nd7 23.Be2 Nf6 24.b3 Nd5

2) =0.00 (33 ply) 5...h6 6.Bf4 O-O 7.Nf3 b6 8.Ne5 Bb7 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Qg4+ Kh8 12.Qh5 Kg7 13.Qg4+ Kh8

3) +0.07 (32 ply) 5...b6 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Bxe7 Qxe7 8.Rc1 O-O 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.Ne2 Bb7 11.Nf4 Re8 12.Be2 c6 13.O-O Nd7 14.Re1 Nf6 15.Bf3 Rac8 16.Qa4 a5 17.g3 Ba6 18.Qd1 Qb4 19.Qc2 Bc4 20.a3 Qd6 21.Bg2 Rc7 22.Bh3 Bb5 23.Bg2

"The first instance of this opening Grünfeld Defence is in an 1855 game by Moheschunder Bannerjee, an Indian player who had transitioned from Indian chess rules, playing Black against John Cochrane in Calcutta, in May 1855:

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Be2 Nxc3 8.bxc3 c5 9.0-0 cxd4 10.cxd4 Nc6 11.Bb2 Bg4 12.Rc1 Rc8 13.Ba3 Qa5 14.Qb3 Rfe8 15.Rc5 Qb6 16.Rb5 Qd8 17.Ng5 Bxe2 18.Nxf7 Na5 and White mates in three (19.Nh6+ double check Kh8 20.Qg8+ Rxg8 21.Nf7#). Cochrane published a book reporting his games with Moheshchunder and other Indians in 1864." -- Wikipedia * Wikipedia article: Moheschunder Bannerjee

The 20-40-40 rule in chess is a rule for players rated below 2000 that states 20% of your study should be dedicated to openings, 40% to the middlegame, and 40% to the endgame.

The Fly and the Ant

A fly and ant, on a sunny bank,
Discussed the question of their rank.
"O Jupiter!" the former said,
"Can love of self so turn the head,
That one so mean and crawling,
And of so low a calling,
To boast equality shall dare
With me, the daughter of the air?
In palaces I am a guest,
And even at your glorious feast.
Whenever the people that adore you
May immolate for you a bullock,
I'm sure to taste the meat before you.
Meanwhile this starveling, in her hillock,
Is living on some bit of straw
Which she has laboured home to draw.
But tell me now, my little thing,
Do you camp ever on a king,
An emperor, or lady?
I do, and have full many a play-day
On fairest bosom of the fair,
And sport myself on her hair.
Come now, my hearty, rack your brain
To make a case about your grain."
"Well, have you done?" replied the ant.
"You enter palaces, I grant,
And for it get right soundly cursed.
Of sacrifices, rich and fat,
Your taste, quite likely, is the first; –
Are they the better off for that?
You enter with the holy train;
So enters many a wretch profane.
On heads of kings and asses you may squat;
Deny your vaunting I will not;
But well such impudence, I know,
Provokes a sometimes fatal blow.
The name in which your vanity delights
Is owned as well by parasites,
And spies that die by ropes – as you soon will By famine or by ague-chill,
When Phoebus goes to cheer
The other hemisphere, –
The very time to me most dear.
Not forced abroad to go
Through wind, and rain, and snow,
My summer's work I then enjoy,
And happily my mind employ,
From care by care exempted.
By which this truth I leave to you,
That by two sorts of glory we are tempted,
The false one and the true.
Work waits, time flies; adieu:
This gabble does not fill
My granary or till."

* A Brief History of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeB...

* A Brief History of the Game of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2a...

* Chess for Beginners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU6...

* Learn Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adY...

* Learn Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGu...

* Learn ALL the Rules of the Royal Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej_...

* Ladder Checkmate with Two Rooks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaQ...

* Checkmate with King and Rook vs lone King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yf...

* Checkmate with Two Bishops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN7...

* Chess Equipment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLA...

* The Opposition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52y...

* King and Pawn vs King (both kings want to be in front of the pawn to affect it's progress): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvB...

* Nimzowitsch Defense: https://www.chessable.com/blog/nimz...

* 1.d4 d5 Ryder Gambit, Halosar Trap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZq...

* Winning 1.d4: Game Collection: Winning with 1 d4!

* 1.d4 Response: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ-...

* 2024s:

* Arabian Checkmate Pattern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejh...

* Basic Checkmates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y-...

* Ben Kaspa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dh... Benoni Indian.

* Old Ben T: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYK... Old Benoni Trap.

* Old Ben Volclus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6z... Old Benoni D.

* Old Ben The Chess Giant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNo... Old Benoni D.

* Overworked! Game Collection: Overworked Piece

* Common Checkmate Patterns:
http://gambiter.com/chess/Checkmate...

* Famous Chess Photos: https://tr.pinterest.com/pin/585256...

* Glossary P: https://www.peoriachess.com/Glossar...

* Haxo Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn7... Haxo Gambit,

* Haxo Gambit vs Nge7?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgm...

* Haxo Gambit hammer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3om...

* Malaguena: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxD...

* Most Common Opening Mistake (Four Knights, Italian Variation): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrp...

* 4 Ns 4 Black: Game Collection: Four Knights Game for Black

* Scotch Game, Four Knights Variation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcn...

* Scholar's Mates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUN...

* Overview of the Open games:
Game Collection: The Open Games: 1.e4 e5

* Opening Tree: https://www.shredderchess.com/onlin...

* Open Kaspa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSH... Leonhardt Gambit, Bc4 vs Pirc D & Alekhine D, Bishop's Opening 3.Nf3 Kieseritzky Gambit, Petroff D Cochrane Gambit, links.

* Slow down w/the Petroff: Game Collection: 0

* Philidorians: Game Collection: winning with the philidor

* Combat the Spanish: Game Collection: JAENISCH GAMBIT (SCHLIEMANN DEFENSE)

* More Schliemanns: Game Collection: schliemann

* Tic-Tac-Toe is Easy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNF...

* Three Dog Night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l52...

* Son of Three Dog Knight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4N...

* Top 4 Traps in the Center Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8f...

* Top 4 Vienna Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb7...

* Top 4 Scholar's Mates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr4...

* Top 4 Fishing Pole Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11N...

* Top 4 Excellent Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTS...

* Top 3 Versions of the Italian Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CP...

* Top 5 Versions of the Italian Game Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-2...

* Top 4 Aggressive 1.e4 e5 Openings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tm...

* Top 5 Traps after 1.e4 e5 for White: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YW...

* 5 Chess traps in Giuoco Piano Opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny7...

* Italian Game Variations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xh...

* Garry Kasparov's Checkmate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuP...

* 5 Best Traps for White: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5t...

* Max Lange Attack instead of the Fried Liver Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI7...

* Top 5 Traps in the Bishop's Opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9l...

* Top 5 King Pawn Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS2...

* King's Gambit critique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrW...

* Top 5 More Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar9...

* Top 5 Famous Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJU...

* Top 5 Fastest Traps to Know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veZ...

* Top 5 Underrated Openings Against the Sicilian Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsh...

* Top 6 Opening Checkmates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRu...

* Top 7 Aggressive Chess Openings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib8...

* Wing Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODK...

* Mengarini Gambit?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecd...

* MC plays the Mengarini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XH...

* Top 8 Versions of the Scotch Trap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbu...

* Underrated Scotch Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8n...

* Scotch Gambit for White: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYP...

* Scotch Gambit Trap for White: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC-...

* Learn the Scotch Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nr...

* Scotch, Goring Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0F...

* Top 10 Fastest Checkmates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctP...

* Find Mate-in-One: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOa...

* 10 Well-Known Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf8...

* 10 Most Deadly Opening Traps to Know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyE...

* 10 Ruy Lopez Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ztm...

* Common Mistakes in the Ruy Lopez Opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y96...

* You are going to lose a lot of chess games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W4...

* Don't Hang Your Piece! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hz...

* DGT North American Chess Clock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkh...

* Electronic chessboard isn't necessary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOn...

* Elements of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2C...

* Easy to Learn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--D...

* No such thing as "Best Opening": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agU...

* Endgame Fundamentals: King & Pawn vs King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLy...

* Types of Opposition of the Kings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3o...

* Starting Out: French Defense: Game Collection: Starting out : The French

* Gambits against the French Defense:
Game Collection: alapin gambit -alapin diemer gambit + reti gam

* Attacking French: Game Collection: Attacking with the French

* KIA exchange vs French: Game Collection: French KIA for Black

* FT 0-1: Game Collection: French Tarrasch

* Pillsbury's Greek Gift: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNC...

* Punish Opening Errors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkL...

* A Thought Process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rZ...

* A Practical Thought: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ-...

* Quick Smothered Mate in the Budapest Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpe...

* Tips for Knights & More: http://www.chesssets.co.uk/blog/tip...

* Beautiful Knight Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_3...

* Knight's Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab_...

* Knight vs Pawn Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4f...

* Trompowsky Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrK...

* Trompowsky Studies: Game Collection: Study of the Trompowsky Game

* Trompowsky vs Naroditsky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILY...

* Top 10 Tactics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpl...

* Antics with Annotations: Game Collection: tactics 2

* Rajnish Das Tips: https://enthu.com/blog/chess/chess-...

* Removing the Defender: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6Y...

* Decoy onto the square for ambush there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdI...

* All 54 Tactics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY8...

* Alapin Sicilian for Beginners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY-...

* Alapin Sicilian Miniatures: Game Collection: Alapin Sicilian Miniatures

* Alapin Sicilian Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezy...

* Alapin Sicilian Never Disappoints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tzd...

* Chess Rules: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk1...

* Chess Clock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a10...

* Crazy Ending: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM_...

* Cultural History of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWN...

* First Chess Game Ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC4...

* Nelson explains his thought process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KN...

* How the Chess Clock Works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgg...

* How to Handle Losing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vrg...

* His First OTB Chess Tournament: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUi...

* How Not to Blunder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8Y...

* A Thought Process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rZ...

* Analysis Made Easy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y4...

* Attack the Fianchetto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF6...

* Destroy g6, Bg7 Modern Robatsch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv_...

* The Modern Defense: Wikipedia article: Modern Defense

* Attack w/the London System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmq...

* London System history: Game Collection: London system

* London System vs KID: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU2...

* Rosen's London System vs KID: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W2...

* Anti-London System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUB...

* Beat the London System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U-...

* Crush the London System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qg...

* London System Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTu...

* Beginner Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR-...

* Don't Blunder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jO...

* Blunder Less: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYy...

* Nimzo-Larsen Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwC...

* 1.b3: Game Collection: Nimzo Larsen attack (1. b3!) - Opening Ideas

* Black against 1.b3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpw...

* Owen's Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkf...

* Owen's Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF7...

* Owen/English Defence: Game Collection: OWEN DEFENSE - ENGLISH DEFENSE

* Queen's Fianchetto for White and Black: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O24...

* IM Lawrence Trent (not speaking) advocates 1...b6 against ALL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlW...

* More ...b6 against ALL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKn...

* Naselwaus Gambit vs Owen's Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBv...

* Botvinnik System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmi...

* Chess Evolution: Game Collection: # Chess Evolution Volumes 1-50

* Double Attacks: Game Collection: Double Attacks but not Forks-- OTB Examples

* Faster Learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClS...

* Flashcards Fix Your Failures by reminding you of the right way to go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvH...

* Flashcard Converter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B4...

* Flashcard Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isy...

* Free Tools: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-n...

* French Defense, Rubinstein Variation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jR...

* Five Gambits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48W...

* King's Gambit, Queen's Gambit in Style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-w...

* Grand Prix Attack: Game Collection: Grand Prix Attack

* Halloween Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XK...

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

* Improvement is COMMITTMENT, DEDICATION, DESIRE, and PERSEVERENCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCB...

* Improvement Book Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Up... This book appears to be for advanced players who already know the material listed above.

* Solve Puzzles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWz...

* How to Solve (Don't immediately look for your next move -- survey the board instead!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUr...

* Save the Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGz...

* Magnus sees a way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkq...

* Amazing Stafford Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uh...

* Killer Stafford Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUL...

* Stafford Gambit Tricks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q2...

* Stafford Gambit lines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFb...

* Best Stafford Gambit Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIe...

* Improved Stafford Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_p...

* The Bob Ross of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag0...

* The Pride of the Yankees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPy...

* The detailed history of chess: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show...

* Englund Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSh...

* Englund Hartlaub-Charlick Gambit: Game Collection: *_Englund Gambit Hartlaub-

* Crush the Englund Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABg...

* Crush the Englund Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5q...

* Englund Gambit Queen Sacrifice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcM...

* Englund Gambit Famous? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXX...

* Englund Gambit Stockholm Variation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx2...

* Oh no, my knight! Trap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oks...

* One Year 0-1700: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYC...

* Find the Best Move: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmF...

* Three Most Common: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6x...

* d4 Disclaimer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z...

* Fundamentals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSv...

* Alireza Firouzja Attacks with the Jobava London System! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wG...

* Facing ...Bf5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6p...

* Learn Danya's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLb...

* Magnus sends g4 early: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNE...

* Hansen has a go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTG...

* Roswell, GA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgE...

* Sidelines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-T...

* Slav Lines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3s...

* 3...a6 Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFS...

* 3...g6 Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3S...

* Naroditsky's Lab: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN8...

* New JLo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnG...

* Rapport System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBj...

* Nutty Tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAF...

* No such thing as Free ELO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMt...

* Rapport Speedrun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGb...

* Run to 2000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBn...

* Romanian Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8p...

* Benoni Indian ...c5, ...Qb6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2P...

* KID: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKy...

* KID: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4O...

* Na6 Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhF...

* MC goes nuclear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLo...

* Middlegame: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=261...

* Jim's Middlegame Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vC...

* What happens if...? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnS...

* Queen Endgames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxG...

* Hubner vs Kasparov 1992: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwR...

* Karpov's Immortal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUd...

* Q's Gambit Complete: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfO...

* Q's Gambit Fast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEm...

* Q's Gambit According to BoJanglles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXM...

* Top 5 Q's Gambit Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqI...

* Q's Gambit Accepted Tricks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2...

* Magnus opens classically: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbs...

* Kostya's QGD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie_...

* Q's Gambit Concepts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYB...

* Q's Gambit Tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAt...

* QGD, Slav D: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HT...

* The Slav D in 10 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs5...

* Slav Main Line dxc4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnH...

* 4...Bf5? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDY...

* 4...a6 Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcp...

* Beginner Mistakes in the Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTL...

* Cheery Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq-...

* Chessbase Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suk...

* Chameleon Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rW...

* ...a6 Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsD...

* Beat the Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeY...

* MC plays the Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAT...

* Defeat the Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQX...

* Lifetime Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGD...

* Unbreakable Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBN...

* Ben's QGD lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOW...

* Fundamentals of the Semi-Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFc...

* Kevin's Semi-Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ll...

* Kostya's Semi-Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgy...

* MC plays the Semi-Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqT...

* Semi-Slav Pathways: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB7...

* Semi-Slav, Meran Action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykn...

* Last Play of Every Super Bowl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9J...

* Learn the Stonewall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_b...

* Pillsbury's Stonewall Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR5...

* The Stonewall Sucks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwv...

* Stonewall Alteration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzI...

* Against the Stonewall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33M...

* Black Stonewall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeW...

* Simon's Classical Dutch w/d6, not d5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt8...

* 2.Bg5 Hopton Attack vs the Dutch Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dr...

* Another 2.Bg5 destroys the Dutch Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvo...

* Crush 2.Bg5 with the Dutch Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeK...

* Never Do This: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b1...

* Unnecessary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz0...

* Prep for a Tournament: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dpv...

* Qxb2 Poisoned Pawn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74h...

* Richard Reti Does It Again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9z...

* Regrettable Pawn Moves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI0...

* Shortcuts: Game Collection: 21+ Too Fast French Kisses

* She's right, but there are plenty of others: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw5...

* Space Advantages: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLL...

* IM Rosen Stalemate Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB_...

* How to Sicilian Taimanov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiv...

* Time Controls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljp...

* Tricks to Turn It Around: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxV...

* Trading Pieces: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Wg...

* Trade Queens? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIG...

* Evaluate Exchanges: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNG...

* When to Exchange: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D2...

* What is YOUR study plan? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Y...

* Wild Africa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlk...

* The Opposition and Outflanking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X1...

* King and Pawn vs King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z52...

* Knight and Pawn Endgames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHW...

* Queen vs Knight Endgames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex1...

* Principles of Rook and Pawn Endgames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXl...

* Promotion Tactics: Game Collection: Promotion Tactics

* Unusual Openings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJQ...

* A trap in Grob's Opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P50...

* Pulverize Grob's Opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTs...

* Tricks in Grob's Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESt...

* The Grob is TERRIBLE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wB...

* Basman's / Borg's Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThK...

* Mike explains Borg's Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Res...

* Last Play of the World Series 1943-1973: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzt...

* Last Play of Every Modern World Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkD...

* Levy shows us more traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fot...

* Tricks to Trap the Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmU...

* Tricks to Trap the Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd0...

* More Tricks to catch a Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfS...

* Queen Traps in the Scandinavian D: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syr...

* Trap the Queen in the Tennison Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZt...

* Top 10 Traps of the Queens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZh...

* White, Black Trap the Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olz...

* Win the Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ8...

* Zwischenzug inserts: Game Collection: tactics: Zwischenzug

<<<The Essential Sosonko: Collected Portraits and Tales of a Bygone Chess Era> by Genna Sosonko>

Genna Sosonko is widely acclaimed as the most prominent chronicler of a unique era in chess history. In the Soviet Union chess was developed into an ideological weapon that was actively promoted by the country's leadership during the Cold War. Starting with Mikhail Botvinnik, their best chess players grew into symbols of socialist excellence. Sosonko writes from a privileged dual perspective, combining an insider's nostalgia with the detachment of a critical observer. He grew up with legendary champions such as Mikhail Tal and Viktor Korchnoi and spent countless hours with most of the other greats and lesser chess mortals he portrays.

Sosonko was born in Leningrad, where he lived for 29 years and worked as a chess coach. After emigrating to the Netherlands, he became a world-class chess grandmaster, participating in the strongest competitions around the globe. In the late 1980s he began to write about the champions he knew and their remarkable lives in New In Chess Magazine. First, he wrote primarily about Soviet players and personalities, and later, he also began to portray other chess celebrities with whom he had crossed paths. They all vividly come to life as the reader is transported to their time and world. Once you've read Sosonko, you will feel you know Capablanca, Max Euwe and Tony Miles. And you will never forget Sergey Nikolaev.

This monumental book is a collection of the portraits and profiles Genna Sosonko wrote for New in Chess magazine. The stories have been published in his books: Russian Silhouettes, The Reliable Past, Smart Chip From St. Petersburg and The World Champion I Knew. They are supplemented with further writings on legends such as David Bronstein, Garry Kasparov and Boris Spassky. They paint an enthralling and unforgettable picture of a largely vanished age and, indirectly, a portrait of one of the greatest writers on the world of chess. <Garry Kasparov> wrote the Foreword.> ― Amazon

Near the surface, Earth has an atmosphere that consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases such as argon, carbon dioxide, and neon. The atmosphere affects Earth's long-term climate and short-term local weather and shields us from much of the harmful radiation coming from the Sun. It also protects us from meteoroids, most of which burn up in the atmosphere, seen as meteors in the night sky, before they can strike the surface as meteorites.

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

<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.'>

Better be ill spoken of by one before all than by all before one. ~ Scottish Proverb

Hush-a-bye, Baby

Hush-a-bye, Baby, upon the tree top,
When the wind blows the cradle will rock;
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall,
Down tumbles cradle and Baby and all.

Chess Squares Riddle
Riddle Question: How many squares are in a chessboard?

The name Earth is at least 1,000 years old. All of the planets, except for Earth, were named after Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. However, the name Earth is a Germanic word, which simply means "the ground."

Riddle Answer: 204 squares: 64 one-by-one squares, 49 two-by-two, 36 three-by-three, 25 four-by-four, 16 five-by-five, 9 six-by-six, 4 seven-by-seven, and 1 eight-by-eight

<<<Dreamers> By Siegfried Sassoon>

Soldiers are citizens of death's grey land,
Drawing no dividend from time's to-morrows.
In the great hour of destiny they stand,
Each with his feuds, and jealousies, and sorrows. Soldiers are sworn to action; they must win
Some flaming, fatal climax with their lives.
Soldiers are dreamers; when the guns begin
They think of firelit homes, clean beds and wives.

I see them in foul dug-outs, gnawed by rats,
And in the ruined trenches, lashed with rain, Dreaming of things they did with balls and bats, And mocked by hopeless longing to regain
Bank-holidays, and picture shows, and spats,
And going to the office in the train.>

"A chain is only as strong as its weakest link." A team or group is only as strong as its weakest member. If a person is not performing in a group, the whole group will suffer.

"I have known many chess players, but among them there has been only one genius - Capablanca! His ideal was to win by maneuvering. Capablanca's genius reveals itself in his probing of the opponent's weak points. The slightest weakness cannot escape from his keene eye." ― Emanuel Lasker

"I think Capablanca had the greatest natural talent." ― Mikhail Botvinnik

"Beautiful, cold, remorseless chess, almost creepy in its silent implacability." ― Raymond Chandler (on a Capablanca game)

"Capablanca was among the greatest of chess players, but not because of his endgame. His trick was to keep his openings simple, and then play with such brilliance in the middlegame that the game was decided - even though his opponent didn't always know it - before they arrived at the ending." ― Robert Fischer

"When a match is over, I forget it. You can only remember so many things, so it is better to forget useless things that you can't use and remember useful things that you can use. For instance, I remember and will always remember that in 1927 Babe Ruth hit sixty home runs." ― Jose Raul Capablanca

The 1927 New York Yankees are often considered the greatest professional baseball team of all time. They finished the season with a record of 110-44, winning their fifth pennant and finishing 19 games ahead of the Philadelphia Athletics. The team was managed by Miller Huggins and played at Yankee Stadium. They won the 1927 World Series, sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates with the greatest of ease. Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs for the team, while Tony Lazzeri and Lou Gehrig hit 20 or more. https://www.baseball-almanac.com/te...

<<<"The Purple Cow" by Gelett Burgess> I never saw a purple cow,
I never hope to see one,
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I'd rather see than be one!>

This short quatrain was a hit in 1895, when Gelett Burgess first published his now-famous poem for kids. Despite starting his career as an academic, artist and even railroad worker, he rose to fame as a humorist and author. In the 1900s, he published a handful of children's books, though he remains best known for this silly nonsense poem.>

"Birds of a feather flock together."
People with similar tastes often form a group for company or discussion.

* https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/oth...

Phone scammers are getting smarter with their tactics like AI voice scams. And if you're not careful, they could make big bucks off of you, the unsuspecting caller. Aside from hanging up if you hear this four-word phrase, there's something else you can do to avoid becoming a victim and to keep up with your smartphone security and privacy.

Certain area codes can warn potential targets that the call isn't safe, according to Joseph Steinberg, CEO of SecureMySocial. Although scam callers once used a 900 number, they've changed their methods as the general public became aware of their tactic. Now, many scam phone numbers have different area codes, including 809, which originates in the Caribbean.

Another area code to look out for may look like it's coming from the United States, but isn't. "Criminals have been known to use caller IDs with the area code 473, which appears to be domestic, but is actually the area code for the island of Grenada," Steinberg says. Watch out for these phone call scams that could steal your money, too.

By the way, those calls add up fast. You could be charged for taking a call from any of these foreign countries, according to AARP. Plus, scammers can swindle you out of your money through phony vacation scams and fake stories about danger or money problems. iPhone scams and Uber scams are also on the rise, making Apple fans and Uber users alike more wary. Make sure you know how to avoid Uber scams and how to stop spam texts on your phone.

To play it extra safe, Steinberg recommends never answering or returning a call from a number you don't recognize. If you actually know the person, they can always leave a voicemail. "Remember that it's unlikely that someone you do not know—who is in distress at a location with which you are not familiar—would dial a random number in another country and ask you to help them," he says. "They would call the police."

It can't hurt to be wary of possible scam phone numbers with the following international area codes. And watch out for these Facebook Marketplace scams before you go shopping.

Scam phone numbers: International Area Codes with a +1 Country Code

232—Sierra Leone

242 — Bahamas

246 — Barbados

268 — Antigua

284 — British Virgin Islands

345 — Cayman Islands

441 — Bermuda

473 — Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique

649 — Turks and Caicos

664 — Montserrat

721 — Sint Maarten

758 — St. Lucia

767 — Dominica

784 — St. Vincent and Grenadines

809, 829, and 849 — The Dominican Republic

868 — Trinidad and Tobago

869 — St. Kitts and Nevis

876 — Jamaica

It's important to note that scammers can create scam phone numbers by spoofing numbers from many area codes, not just the ones listed above. Remember, a good rule of thumb is if you don't recognize the phone number, don't pick up your phone and let it go to voicemail. This can help you avoid falling for common phone scams, such as those pesky car extended warranty calls.

By the way—if you are charged for picking up a scam call, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recommends contacting your phone company to try and take care of the matter. You can also file a complaint about the scam call with the FCC.

Next, read about these online scams you need to be aware of and how to avoid them. Also, read up on what doxxing is and how it sets you up to be hacked.

Question: What's the brightest star in the sky? Answer: Sirius – also known as the Dog Star or Sirius A, Sirius is the brightest star in Earth's night sky. The star is outshone only by several planets and the International Space Station.

Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs used their slaves as fly catchers. They would lather their slaves in honey, which would serve a dual purpose of attracting any flies to their slaves rather than themselves, as well as trapping and killing the flies.

Question: What's the difference between a cemetery and a graveyard? Answer: Graveyards are attached to churches while cemeteries are stand-alone.

Patty Loveless "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi...

The Ingratitude And Injustice Of Men Towards Fortune

A trader on the sea to riches grew;
Freight after freight the winds in favour blew;
Fate steered him clear; gulf, rock, nor shoal
Of all his bales exacted toll.
Of other men the powers of chance and storm
Their dues collected in substantial form;
While smiling Fortune, in her kindest sport,
Took care to waft his vessels to their port.
His partners, factors, agents, faithful proved;
His goods – tobacco, sugar, spice –
Were sure to fetch the highest price.
By fashion and by folly loved,
His rich brocades and laces,
And splendid porcelain vases,
Enkindling strong desires,
Most readily found buyers.
In short, gold rained wherever he went –
Abundance, more than could be spent –
Dogs, horses, coaches, downy bedding –
His very fasts were like a wedding.
A bosom friend, a look his table giving,
Inquired whence came such sumptuous living.
"Whence should it come," said he, superb of brow, "But from the fountain of my knowing how?
I owe it simply to my skill and care
In risking only where the marts will bear."
And now, so sweet his swelling profits were,
He risked anew his former gains:
Success rewarded not his pains –
His own imprudence was the cause.
One ship, ill-freighted, went awreck;
Another felt of arms the lack,
When pirates, trampling on the laws,
Overcame, and bore it off a prize.
A third, arriving at its port,
Had failed to sell its merchandize, –
The style and folly of the court
Not now requiring such a sort.
His agents, factors, failed; – in short,
The man himself, from pomp and princely cheer,
And palaces, and parks, and dogs, and deer,
Fell down to poverty most sad and drear.
His friend, now meeting him in shabby plight,
Exclaimed, "And whence comes this to pass?"
"From Fortune," said the man, "alas!"
"Console yourself," replied the friendly wight:
"For, if to make you rich the dame denies,
She can't forbid you to be wise."

What faith he gained, I do not wis;
I know, in every case like this,
Each claims the credit of his bliss,
And with a heart ingrate
Imputes his misery to Fate.

Driving too fast is linked to the majority of all traffic accidents. About one-third of all traffic fatalities are caused, in part, due to driving too fast.

Drive sober or get pulled over.

"For surely of all the drugs in the world, chess must be the most permanently pleasurable." — Assiac

Switch your pawn insurance to Promotion and you could save hundreds.

"There are more adventures on a chessboard than on all the seas of the world." ― Pierre Mac Orlan

"Chess is an infinitely complex game, which one can play in infinitely numerous & varied ways." ― Vladimir Kramnik

Psalm 8 King James Version

8 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;

8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

CHESS

Meet me then, within this grid,
this little wooden battlefield as equals,
as we forget our bodies to inhabit these pieces, control these spaces, trade threats and responses, send our thoughts out into possible positions, our eyes imagining nothing but sweet forks and lancing fianchettoes. We chessplayers, pretend enemies, bound to our miniature war inexplicably & inescapably: when did we find ourselves so obsessed, insidiously seduced to advances and exchanges, lost inside this abyss of infinite moves, willing servants of it's rules?

- Rael

"As a species, octopuses are very old, and it's speculated that the first octopuses appeared roughly 296 million years ago.

Their long existence has made them masters of camouflage and evasion, able to change their skin to match their environment. Octopuses also have the defensive mechanism of spewing ink and poison on enemies.

They are also smart enough to use tools to solve everyday problems in the deep sea, and some species even hide in coconut shells and carry coconuts with them if they need to hide.

With a short lifespan of anywhere from 3-5 years, it seems logical that octopuses would need such advanced defensive capabilities.

Octopuses are also semelparous, meaning they are a species that only breeds once in their lifetime, shortly dying after doing so." ― Planet Explore

<<<The Human Seasons> by John Keats>

Four Seasons fill the measure of the year;
There are four seasons in the mind of man:
He has his lusty Spring, when fancy clear
Takes in all beauty with an easy span:
He has his Summer, when luxuriously
Spring's honied cud of youthful thought he loves

To ruminate, and by such dreaming high
Is nearest unto heaven: quiet coves
His soul has in its Autumn, when his wings
He furleth close; contented so to look
On mists in idleness—to let fair things
Pass by unheeded as a threshold brook.
He has his Winter too of pale misfeature,
Or else he would forego his mortal nature.>

Lichess has all the same basic offerings as Chess.com: a large community, many game types, tutorials, puzzles, and livestreams. The site has a simple appearance, and it seems built to get you where you want to go in as few clicks as possible. You can create an account, but if you're not concerned with tracking your games and finding other players at your level, there's no need to log in. Just fire up a new game, try some puzzles, or watch a chess streamer play three-minute games while listening to techno and chatting with the comments section.

<by W.A. Ballantine given on page 153 of the American Chess Journal, September 1878:

Charming as the sweetest music;
High above the common reach,
Easy to the bright and wise;
Splendid in the hands of genius;
Such the royal game of chess.>

God Our Father, Lord, and Savior
Traditional

God our Father, Lord, and Savior

Thank you for your love and favor

Bless this food and drink we pray

And all who share with us today.

In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.

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

"There are more adventures on a chessboard than on all the seas of the world." ― Pierre Mac Orlan

"You can only get good at chess if you love the game." ― Bobby Fischer

"As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight." — The Revenant

Z is for Zipper (to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb")

Zipper starts with letter Z,
Letter Z, letter Z,
Zipper starts with Letter Z,
/z/, /z/, /z/, /z/!

Table stakes