Streatham & Brixton Chess Club's blog was started in November 2006.
Posts back-dated to the October archive are house-keeping posts only.
For instance, there is an index of the puzzles. Also, I will save stuff here for future use on the blog, so as not to forget them. And experiment with things to see how they look, before dating them correctly. There might the odd draft too.
Anyhow - you should basically ignore the October posts, unless you have come here for a particular reason.
You can see the 7 most recent posts on the blog by clicking here.
Or click on one of the archive links to your left, to see a whole month's worth of posts.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Picture
Uploaded for future use, as other wise I would forget about it. It's very nice.
Via http://e4c5.net/index.php/2006/09/27/concentration/.
Same goes for:
from http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5511842
At the other end of the spectrum, via realultimatepower.net:
And via Imperial Chess Club:
Aw:
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Puzzle Index
If you're just here to try some puzzles, this is the post for you. Each time I add a puzzle, this post will be edited with the new link, and for all our Sunday puzzles on one page click here. Here are the current links to all puzzles on the blog:
Al-Adli's Ninth Century Firework (easy)
All Too Accurate... (hard)
Anderssen-Anonymous (hard)
An Old Pair (one easy, one moderate)
As simple as can be? (simple, but moderate)
Attacking the Marshall Attack back (moderate)
Beauty & the Bulldozer (moderate)
Beauty, sans Truth? (moderate)
Better than a Pole Dance? (hard)
Bishops and Pawns Endgame (easy)
Bronstein Memorial (fairly easy)
Christmas Tree (moderate/fun)
Comedy or Competition? (moderate)
Cutely Round The Rink (easy/moderate)
David Howell's Win in One (easy)
Double Escape for Double FF (one easy, one moderate)
Easy for Jonathan (moderate)
Fifteen Minutes . . . Twice! (moderate)
Four Thought (hard/fun)
Find a future chess - or not? (hard)
From Blue Skies, Thunderbolts (moderate)
From the Bargain Basement (moderate)
Here Comes The Sun! (hard)
Intrigue & Improvement (hard)
Lasker's Ideal (very, very hard)
Ljubo's Missed Win (very hard)
Nissl's Little Dance (hard)
Ooops... (easy)
Puzzle Extraordinairé (very hard)
Rooks and Pawns Endgame (hard)
Sam Loyd, 1858 (moderate)
Scenic Railway (easy/fun)
Théodore Herlin 1860 Ice Skating (moderate/fun)
Unscenic Railyway (moderate/fun)
What the Audience knew... (hard)
You Can't Fail (trivial/fun)
If that doesn't satisfy you, the followings posts also contain positions to chew over, but they are not really purely about the puzzle.
Capablanca Blindfold Brilliancy (very hard)
Game fragment - blitz tactic (easy)
Game fragment - blunder, but why? (easy)
Game fragment - break-through versus blockade (moderate)
Game fragment - missed win (hard)
Still not had enough? Really?? In that case, try out chess blogger Steve Goldberg's Puzzles as well!
Or - if studies are more your thing, Chessvibes give you a week to solve theirs.
Al-Adli's Ninth Century Firework (easy)
All Too Accurate... (hard)
Anderssen-Anonymous (hard)
An Old Pair (one easy, one moderate)
As simple as can be? (simple, but moderate)
Attacking the Marshall Attack back (moderate)
Beauty & the Bulldozer (moderate)
Beauty, sans Truth? (moderate)
Better than a Pole Dance? (hard)
Bishops and Pawns Endgame (easy)
Bronstein Memorial (fairly easy)
Christmas Tree (moderate/fun)
Comedy or Competition? (moderate)
Cutely Round The Rink (easy/moderate)
David Howell's Win in One (easy)
Double Escape for Double FF (one easy, one moderate)
Easy for Jonathan (moderate)
Fifteen Minutes . . . Twice! (moderate)
Four Thought (hard/fun)
Find a future chess - or not? (hard)
From Blue Skies, Thunderbolts (moderate)
From the Bargain Basement (moderate)
Here Comes The Sun! (hard)
Intrigue & Improvement (hard)
Lasker's Ideal (very, very hard)
Ljubo's Missed Win (very hard)
Nissl's Little Dance (hard)
Ooops... (easy)
Puzzle Extraordinairé (very hard)
Rooks and Pawns Endgame (hard)
Sam Loyd, 1858 (moderate)
Scenic Railway (easy/fun)
Théodore Herlin 1860 Ice Skating (moderate/fun)
Unscenic Railyway (moderate/fun)
What the Audience knew... (hard)
You Can't Fail (trivial/fun)
If that doesn't satisfy you, the followings posts also contain positions to chew over, but they are not really purely about the puzzle.
Capablanca Blindfold Brilliancy (very hard)
Game fragment - blitz tactic (easy)
Game fragment - blunder, but why? (easy)
Game fragment - break-through versus blockade (moderate)
Game fragment - missed win (hard)
Still not had enough? Really?? In that case, try out chess blogger Steve Goldberg's Puzzles as well!
Or - if studies are more your thing, Chessvibes give you a week to solve theirs.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Test
This is a test to see how a playable game interface looks.
The link for the generator site is here:
http://chess.maribelajar.com/chesspublisher/index.php
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Your Name Here
Those interested in writing for the blog should email us.
If you are a member of Streatham & Brixton Chess Club, and would like to post articles on our blog - great.
Just email me, and I'll invite you to post. All the stuff you need to know will take around 20 minutes to learn, maybe a bit more.
There are a few other things anyone would need to know though, so I'll list those points here.
- For the diagrams, I use a programme called 'DiagTransfer'. You can download it via the sidebar, under 'Chess Downloads'. When posting diagrams, post them 'large' size - ironically, this makes the file-size smallest.
- For playable games,you can also try this: http://chess.maribelajar.com/chesspublisher/index.php . However, it is unreliable, so be careful we have moved to using this: http://www.chesspublisher.com/ (version 2).
- The blog's primary focus is Streatham & Brixton Chess Club.
- The blog's primary readers are Streatham & Brixton Chess Club.
- But, it's not as if there is chess club news every day - plus, it's nice to be generally interesting too. And we have many readers from outside the chess club.
- We aim to have a post on this blog once a day, and once only. We should not have any more than occassionally two per day or exceptionally three per day in total, between us all, ever. If we did more than that, it will be too much for people to read and keep up with, and people will lose track of what's happening.
- Avoid anything offensive or potentially offensive. If you're unsure where the boundaries lie, email a few of us others from the club for an opinion.
- But as Justin puts it: "this does not mean that opinions cannot be expressed, but this is neither a forum for pursuing grudges nor for the expression of political opinion. Please [in particular] do not embroil the club in rows about the conduct of opposing teams - problems in this area can be pursued through other channels."
- Avoid anything that will be useful to future opponents if they try to use the blog to research our players (eg opening weaknesses of certain players.) Unless, that is, the player concerned is happy for whatever statements to be made. (I don't mind posting my games, for instance, since I make it up on the night each time anyhow - but some more consistent players might.)
- Use the October archives as a 'sandbox', for this reason.
- I am the editor and have overall control!
Just email me, and I'll invite you to post. All the stuff you need to know will take around 20 minutes to learn, maybe a bit more.
There are a few other things anyone would need to know though, so I'll list those points here.
- For the diagrams, I use a programme called 'DiagTransfer'. You can download it via the sidebar, under 'Chess Downloads'. When posting diagrams, post them 'large' size - ironically, this makes the file-size smallest.
- For playable games,
- The blog's primary focus is Streatham & Brixton Chess Club.
- The blog's primary readers are Streatham & Brixton Chess Club.
- But, it's not as if there is chess club news every day - plus, it's nice to be generally interesting too. And we have many readers from outside the chess club.
- We aim to have a post on this blog once a day, and once only. We should not have any more than occassionally two per day or exceptionally three per day in total, between us all, ever. If we did more than that, it will be too much for people to read and keep up with, and people will lose track of what's happening.
- Avoid anything offensive or potentially offensive. If you're unsure where the boundaries lie, email a few of us others from the club for an opinion.
- But as Justin puts it: "this does not mean that opinions cannot be expressed, but this is neither a forum for pursuing grudges nor for the expression of political opinion. Please [in particular] do not embroil the club in rows about the conduct of opposing teams - problems in this area can be pursued through other channels."
- Avoid anything that will be useful to future opponents if they try to use the blog to research our players (eg opening weaknesses of certain players.) Unless, that is, the player concerned is happy for whatever statements to be made. (I don't mind posting my games, for instance, since I make it up on the night each time anyhow - but some more consistent players might.)
- Use the October archives as a 'sandbox', for this reason.
- I am the editor and have overall control!
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
World Championship Quality Blunders Index
A post to keep track of all the blog entries in this series.
In Ultimate Blunder Rating order...
19/20 CHIGORIN - Steinitz 1892
12/20 ALEKHINE - EUWE 1937
11.5/20 Spassky - FISCHER 1972
9/20 KASPAROV - SHORT 1993
8/20 Kramnik - TOPALOV 2006
PS:
if you want to go through the series in order they were written start here. This might be a good idea if you've no clue what an Ultimate Blunder Rating is.
In Ultimate Blunder Rating order...
19/20 CHIGORIN - Steinitz 1892
12/20 ALEKHINE - EUWE 1937
11.5/20 Spassky - FISCHER 1972
9/20 KASPAROV - SHORT 1993
8/20 Kramnik - TOPALOV 2006
PS:
if you want to go through the series in order they were written start here. This might be a good idea if you've no clue what an Ultimate Blunder Rating is.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Smallville
Fans of the successful Superman spin-off TV series Smallville will wonder why their favourite show is being blogged about on a chess site. Chess fans, meanwhile, think of Smallville as the on-line user-name, nickname and playing handle of Hikaru Nakamura: a 19 year old American chess prodigy, Grand Master, and already one of the world's top 100 players.
Whilst it's not uncommon for chess players to like science fiction - there is typically a Star Trek t-shirt or ten seen at any old chess tournament - liking science fiction with good looking heroes (as opposed to emotionally stunted nerds) is somewhat rarer. But perhaps Smallville's attraction to Smallville is not to hard to explain - in terms of the way he plays chess. Uh?!? I hear chess players and TV fans alike respond. Well, Smallville's style is famous for three reasons - and each seems to correspond to a certain character from Smallville . . .
Firstly, Smallville thrives on complexity, difficulty, a refusal to make life simple. He rarely resigns until it's completely over, and is always on the look out for resources to trap his opponent with. In other words, the obsessive, secretive, hording strategist who never gives up: his play throws a dark, Lex Luthor-shaped shadow over the board at all times.
Secondly, and in complete contrast to his Lex-esque murky, messy chess, Smallville definitely has a Lois Lane side. He displays that in the opening stages of the game - where typically he rushes headlong up the board with the most stupid and obvious attempts to win, that even beginner-level players could repel. Naive, bolshy, fun, confident, blind and oblivious to danger - like Lois sticking her foot in it. Of course, Lois then needs to be rescued . . .. . . and this is where Smallville's third distinctive ability comes in. Because, at times, make no mistake about it. Smallville is Clark Kent. He penetrates the problems on the board with x-ray vision, then executes apparently-impossible winning manouvers at lightening speed, that seem to come right out of nowhere. This is what clarifies the dark complexities of the Lex-like strategy; the sun after the storm. This, too, is what resuces him from the difficulties caused by his Lois-like idiot adventures.
Well, hopefully now fans of Smallville know a bit more Smallville, and vice versa.
But why I am telling you this?
Well, earlier this year I got to play Smallville in an Internet Chess Club Simultaneous Game. I hear that Uh?!? againt from TV-viewers. Well, the Internet Chess Club (ICC) club is a way to play games on-line through a computer programme. Many of the world's top players do this, as well as hundreds of thousands of amateurs like myself. Now, one way for the pro's to make money on the ICC is to play Simultaneous Games. A Simultaneous Game is where one strong player takes on a number of weaker players at the same time. Each weaker player only has their board to worry about - whilst the stronger player must make a move in turn on each of them, during a set time-limit. And I got to play Smallville in one of these Simultaneous Games - where he had 59 other opponents beside me.
Would I manage to Kryptonite his Clark side? Or would his Lois side make an idiot out of me on move 1? And what traps would his Lex-side cunningly lay for me? Well, here's what happened . . .
1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c6 4. O-O g6 5. d3 Bg7 6. Nbd2 O-O
I have the black pieces. Nothing scary so far, or so I thought. Lois-mode is evidently switched to off, I told myself; this is all rather dull and worthy of him, in fact - just like Clark's parents.
7. e4 Bg4 8. Qe1 dxe4 9. dxe4
But, uh oh. What's this. Out of nowhere he suddenly has a nasty threat; e4-e5-e6, like journalist Lois asking a question you can't think how to answer.
9. ... Qa5 10. e5 Nfd7 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Nxf3 Qxe1 13. Rxe1 Nc5
But answer I did. e5-e6 is now impossible, and white's space advantage less important because the queens have come off. If I knew more about the show, I'd make a metaphorical references to it here.
14. b3 Ne6 15. Bb2 Rd8 16. Ba3 Kf8 17. Rad1 Nd7 18. Rd3 Nb6 19. Rxd8+ Rxd8 20. Bf1 a5 21. Bc1 a4 22. Be3 Nd5 23. Bd2 axb3 24. axb3 Ra8 25. Bd3 h6 26. Bc4 Ra2 27. Rc1 b5 28. Bxd5 cxd5 29. Kf1 Ke8 30. Ke2 Kd7 31. Bc3 h5 32. b4 Bh6 33. Bd2 Bxd2 34. Kxd2 Ra3 35. c3 Ra2+ 36. Rc2 Ra1 37. Rc1 Ra2+ 38. Rc2 Ra1 39. Ne1
39. Ne1 is a definite Lex move - a draw by repetition and thus peace was available by 39. Rc1 instead, but he pushes his position to breaking point for the win.
39. ... Kc6 40. h4 d4 41. cxd4+ Kd5 42. Nf3.
Now at this point, it's clear the Lex-like uncompromising aggression has lead him into difficulties, since 42. ... Ra4 would probably win for black. But with a Lois-like innocent sweetness, Smallville proposed a draw. And since it was 3am and I was blind-drunk (probably the best way to watch the TV series too) I agreed. Game Drawn. Superman just didn't show up, and so the point was split between Smallville and me, his opponent, Jurchessic Park.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Quote for the Week
It might be nice to do a 'quote for the week' slot - quotes that are about or relevant to chess, or otherwise of definite interest to our club.
So, I will accrue quotes in this post, with that in mind for the future. Please feel free to suggest your own.
"In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is." - Yogi Berra
The format I would have in mind would be two lines of brief pre-amble; quote; paragraph (plus position if required) of chat.
So, I will accrue quotes in this post, with that in mind for the future. Please feel free to suggest your own.
"In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is." - Yogi Berra
The format I would have in mind would be two lines of brief pre-amble; quote; paragraph (plus position if required) of chat.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Thematic Strategic Pawn Structures
(1) The following position is a typical pawn structure arising from the Queen's Gambit Declined. Assume there are several pieces left on the board - enough to do something with - but that none of them are in particularly aggressive positions. What would your plan be as white, focusing on pawn moves?
Clue for the above: the plan is called a 'minority attack' and involves creating a weakness in the black queenside.
(2) The following position features a typical pawn structure that might arise from the King's Indian Attack. Assume both sides have all or nearly all their pieces left on the board, but again in relatively normal positions. (Eg, no knight on d4 for black& nothing on e6 for white, etc.) What plan with the pawns do you think white should pursue? What plan do you think black should pursue?
(3) White's pawn structure in the following position is typical of the Stonewall Attack - so called because his position is very hard to breach. Assume that both players have ALL their pieces left on the board. Assume that black has ALL his pawns on the board too - not just the two pictured.
(3a) Now, where would you like to place the white pieces to attack the black king? In answering this question, you are not allowed to place any white pieces beyond the fifth rank - ie no white pieces on horizontal lines 6-8. Also please note that Be5 is impossible (how could it have got there?)
(3b) Where would you like to place the black pawns and pieces to best defend his king against the attack in 3a?
Clue for the above: the plan is called a 'minority attack' and involves creating a weakness in the black queenside.
(2) The following position features a typical pawn structure that might arise from the King's Indian Attack. Assume both sides have all or nearly all their pieces left on the board, but again in relatively normal positions. (Eg, no knight on d4 for black& nothing on e6 for white, etc.) What plan with the pawns do you think white should pursue? What plan do you think black should pursue?
(3) White's pawn structure in the following position is typical of the Stonewall Attack - so called because his position is very hard to breach. Assume that both players have ALL their pieces left on the board. Assume that black has ALL his pawns on the board too - not just the two pictured.
(3a) Now, where would you like to place the white pieces to attack the black king? In answering this question, you are not allowed to place any white pieces beyond the fifth rank - ie no white pieces on horizontal lines 6-8. Also please note that Be5 is impossible (how could it have got there?)
(3b) Where would you like to place the black pawns and pieces to best defend his king against the attack in 3a?
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
London Moscow Ice Chess
This post includes all photos I have of the London-Moscow Ice Chess Match, which took place on 11th January 2007. If you click them, you will get the full-size version. The photos were sent to me by R J Christie. Full report here.
+in+Moscow.JPG)
This post includes all photos I have of the London-Moscow Ice Chess Match, which took place on 11th January 2007. If you click them, you will get the full-size version. The photos were sent to me by R J Christie. Full report here.
NB, they are predated in the October 2006 archive because this archive is especially for house-keeping posts, and those that aren't to be bumped to the top of the front-page.
+in+Moscow.JPG)
This post includes all photos I have of the London-Moscow Ice Chess Match, which took place on 11th January 2007. If you click them, you will get the full-size version. The photos were sent to me by R J Christie. Full report here.
NB, they are predated in the October 2006 archive because this archive is especially for house-keeping posts, and those that aren't to be bumped to the top of the front-page.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Thursday, October 05, 2006
The Worst Move On The Board Index
Worst Move I (Short, Beliavsky)
Worst Move II (James)
Worst Move III (Browne)
Worst Move IV (Bu)
Worst Move V (Matanovic)
Worst Move VI (Tringov)
Worst Move VII (Daniels)
Worst Move VIII (Ivanchuk, Jackelen)
Worst Move IX (Bareev)
Worst Move X (Maciol)
Worst Move XI (Lada)
Worst Move XII (Tanner, Brown)
Worst Move XIII (Hasegawa)
Worst Move XIV (Gillespie)
Worst move XV (Ivkov)
Worst Move II (James)
Worst Move III (Browne)
Worst Move IV (Bu)
Worst Move V (Matanovic)
Worst Move VI (Tringov)
Worst Move VII (Daniels)
Worst Move VIII (Ivanchuk, Jackelen)
Worst Move IX (Bareev)
Worst Move X (Maciol)
Worst Move XI (Lada)
Worst Move XII (Tanner, Brown)
Worst Move XIII (Hasegawa)
Worst Move XIV (Gillespie)
Worst move XV (Ivkov)
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Chess in Art Index
Chess in Art I (Gallegos y Arnosa)
Chess in Art II (Creifelds)
Chess in Art III (Tischbein)
Chess in Art IV (Oppenheimer)
Chess in Art V (McKee)
Chess in Art VI (Bargue)
Chess in Art VII (Foster)
Chess in Art VIII (Anon, Iran c.1500)
Chess in Art IX (Man)
Chess in Art X (Muelich/Anguissola)
Chess in Art XI (Boileau)
Chess in Art XII (de Carrion/de Tyr [attr.])
Chess in Art XIII (Ernst)
Chess in Art XIV (Klee)
Chess in Art XV (Delacroix/Deutsch)
Chess in Art XVI (Van Mander [attr.])
Chess in Art XVII (Shvarts)
Chess in Art XVIII (Tenniel)
Chess in Art XIX (Lucas)
Chess in Art XX (Eakins/Sorbi/Clark/Lavery/Evans/Schwartz/Daumier)
Chess in Art resources
Chess in Art Postscript : Evans' Gambit
Chess in Art Postscript : Naughty Boys
Chess in Art Postscript : Game On
Chess in Art Postscript : Games Go On
Chess in Art Postscript : My Fair Ladies
Chess in Art Postscript : Slow Triangulation
Chess in Art Postscript : Here Come Du Champ
Chess in Art Postscript : Gone Luco
Chess in Art Postscript : Exhibitionism
Chess in Art Postscript : Just An Expressionism
Chess in Art Postscript : Staring Into The Abyss
Chess in Art Postscript : No Play Today
Chess in Art Postscript : The Significance Of Seeing Ernst
Chess in Art Postscript : Raglafart In Retrospect
Chess in Art Postscript : That's Still Life
Chess in Art Postscript : Chess-in-Artists Do For Christmas
Chess in Art Postscript : Mirror Writing
Chess in Art Postscript : Mirror Images
Chess in Art Postscript : Two's Company
Chess in Art Postscript : Keeping Two's Company
Chess in Art Postscript : Keeping Two's Company Postscript
Chess in Art Postscript : ITMA
Chess in Art Postscript : Possibly...Definitely...
Chess in Art Postscript : Possibly...Definitely...Continuingly...
Chess in Art Postscript : Possibly...Definitely...Finally
Chess in Art Postscript : A Game at Chesse
Chess in Art Postscript : A Game at Chesse - Seconde Parte
Chess in Art Postscript : A Game at Chesse - Thirde Parte
Chess in Art Postscript : A Game at Chesse - Fourthe and Finale Parte
Chess in Art Postscript : Canterbury Tail Piece
Chess in Art Postscript : Happy Birthday
Chess in Art Postscript : Looking Bakwards
Chess in Art Postscript : Staring Into The Abyss Postscript
Chess in Art Postscript : Seriously Seeking Eakins
Chess in Art Postscript : Seeking Eakins While Gérôme Burns
Chess in Art Postscript : There's Nothing Like Gérôme Cooking
Chess in Art Postscript : It's The Thought That Counts
Chess in Art Postscript : Now and Here.
Also:
Style Wars
Nothing is wasted, only reproduced
Chaessthetics
They Have Designs On Us
Stop Press: Historic Chess Picture In Town
Chess Art In Our Time
Saatchmate
Dzama Queen
And, other talents:
The Other Talent of Philip Poyser
The Other Talent of Bill Hook
The Other Talent of Bill Hook's Friend
The Other Talent of Léonardus Nardus
The Other Talent of Bill Hook: Another Look
The Other Talent of Samuel Boden
This, too:
We are not amused
We are not amused II
We are not amused III
We are not amused IV
We are not amused V
We are not amused VI
We are not amused VII
We are not amused VIII
He Might Not Have Been Amused IX
And yet more:
Every Picture Tells A Story Index
Asylum Index
And see a series on Anthony Rosenbaum's chess painting of 1880 (in the National Portrait Gallery) via the blog's History Index
Chess in Art II (Creifelds)
Chess in Art III (Tischbein)
Chess in Art IV (Oppenheimer)
Chess in Art V (McKee)
Chess in Art VI (Bargue)
Chess in Art VII (Foster)
Chess in Art VIII (Anon, Iran c.1500)
Chess in Art IX (Man)
Chess in Art X (Muelich/Anguissola)
Chess in Art XI (Boileau)
Chess in Art XII (de Carrion/de Tyr [attr.])
Chess in Art XIII (Ernst)
Chess in Art XIV (Klee)
Chess in Art XV (Delacroix/Deutsch)
Chess in Art XVI (Van Mander [attr.])
Chess in Art XVII (Shvarts)
Chess in Art XVIII (Tenniel)
Chess in Art XIX (Lucas)
Chess in Art XX (Eakins/Sorbi/Clark/Lavery/Evans/Schwartz/Daumier)
Chess in Art resources
Chess in Art Postscript : Evans' Gambit
Chess in Art Postscript : Naughty Boys
Chess in Art Postscript : Game On
Chess in Art Postscript : Games Go On
Chess in Art Postscript : My Fair Ladies
Chess in Art Postscript : Slow Triangulation
Chess in Art Postscript : Here Come Du Champ
Chess in Art Postscript : Gone Luco
Chess in Art Postscript : Exhibitionism
Chess in Art Postscript : Just An Expressionism
Chess in Art Postscript : Staring Into The Abyss
Chess in Art Postscript : No Play Today
Chess in Art Postscript : The Significance Of Seeing Ernst
Chess in Art Postscript : Raglafart In Retrospect
Chess in Art Postscript : That's Still Life
Chess in Art Postscript : Chess-in-Artists Do For Christmas
Chess in Art Postscript : Mirror Writing
Chess in Art Postscript : Mirror Images
Chess in Art Postscript : Two's Company
Chess in Art Postscript : Keeping Two's Company
Chess in Art Postscript : Keeping Two's Company Postscript
Chess in Art Postscript : ITMA
Chess in Art Postscript : Possibly...Definitely...
Chess in Art Postscript : Possibly...Definitely...Continuingly...
Chess in Art Postscript : Possibly...Definitely...Finally
Chess in Art Postscript : A Game at Chesse
Chess in Art Postscript : A Game at Chesse - Seconde Parte
Chess in Art Postscript : A Game at Chesse - Thirde Parte
Chess in Art Postscript : A Game at Chesse - Fourthe and Finale Parte
Chess in Art Postscript : Canterbury Tail Piece
Chess in Art Postscript : Happy Birthday
Chess in Art Postscript : Looking Bakwards
Chess in Art Postscript : Staring Into The Abyss Postscript
Chess in Art Postscript : Seriously Seeking Eakins
Chess in Art Postscript : Seeking Eakins While Gérôme Burns
Chess in Art Postscript : There's Nothing Like Gérôme Cooking
Chess in Art Postscript : It's The Thought That Counts
Chess in Art Postscript : Now and Here.
Also:
Style Wars
Nothing is wasted, only reproduced
Chaessthetics
They Have Designs On Us
Stop Press: Historic Chess Picture In Town
Chess Art In Our Time
Saatchmate
Dzama Queen
And, other talents:
The Other Talent of Philip Poyser
The Other Talent of Bill Hook
The Other Talent of Bill Hook's Friend
The Other Talent of Léonardus Nardus
The Other Talent of Bill Hook: Another Look
The Other Talent of Samuel Boden
This, too:
We are not amused
We are not amused II
We are not amused III
We are not amused IV
We are not amused V
We are not amused VI
We are not amused VII
We are not amused VIII
He Might Not Have Been Amused IX
And yet more:
Every Picture Tells A Story Index
Asylum Index
And see a series on Anthony Rosenbaum's chess painting of 1880 (in the National Portrait Gallery) via the blog's History Index
History
Our History Posts and Series
(listed in roughly alphabetical order)
Asylum Index
13 posts relating to chessers in Bethlem/Broadmoor Asylum from Victorian times onwards - especially Richard Dadd.
Brasen Nose Chess Club 1810-11
Revelations about a short lived chess club in Oxford - one of the first.
1. Those delightful symposiasts
2. Gentlemen only
3. Every man has his piece
4. Oysters at nine
5. The last hurrah
6. The beginnings of organised chess
Mr Rosenbaum's Chess Picture
A detailed exploration of Anthony Rosenbaum's painting of 47 Victorian chess players unveiled in 1880.
1. The Tableau
2. Who's Who
3. AWOL
4. Flog It
5. Pass
6. Close Up
7. Adonis
8. Mr Rosenbaum
9. Mr R Again...
10. And Now Mr S
Streatham Strolls
Chess in and around Streatham (and beyond) in days of yore.
Streatham Strolls 1
Streatham Strolls 2
Streatham Strolls 3
Streatham Strolls In The Country
Streatham Strolls In The Country Continued
Streatham Strolls East
When we were Kings Index
A series of posts about chess in the 1970s.
(listed in roughly alphabetical order)
Asylum Index
13 posts relating to chessers in Bethlem/Broadmoor Asylum from Victorian times onwards - especially Richard Dadd.
Brasen Nose Chess Club 1810-11
Revelations about a short lived chess club in Oxford - one of the first.
1. Those delightful symposiasts
2. Gentlemen only
3. Every man has his piece
4. Oysters at nine
5. The last hurrah
6. The beginnings of organised chess
22 posts on the ground-breaking trail of Thomas Leeming's painting of the Gentlemen of the Hereford Chess Club of 1815.
Mr Rosenbaum's Chess Picture
A detailed exploration of Anthony Rosenbaum's painting of 47 Victorian chess players unveiled in 1880.
1. The Tableau
2. Who's Who
3. AWOL
4. Flog It
5. Pass
6. Close Up
7. Adonis
8. Mr Rosenbaum
9. Mr R Again...
10. And Now Mr S
Streatham Strolls
Chess in and around Streatham (and beyond) in days of yore.
Streatham Strolls 1
Streatham Strolls 2
Streatham Strolls 3
Streatham Strolls In The Country
Streatham Strolls In The Country Continued
Streatham Strolls East
When we were Kings Index
A series of posts about chess in the 1970s.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Improve Your Chess: The Index
In the 2007-8 chess season I managed to substantially improve my chess, as detailed here. Then over summer 2008 I wrote a series of posts detailing what I'd done, and what ideas I had about chess improvement in general. This post indexes all that:
I: Why Coach Others?
II: Vice and Advice
III: Simulation, not Computerisation
IV: Read Rowson
V: Annotations versus Statistics?
VI: Join a Club!
VII: The Habits of Talent
VIII: Improve Your Chess!?
IX: Earplugs
I: Why Coach Others?
II: Vice and Advice
III: Simulation, not Computerisation
IV: Read Rowson
V: Annotations versus Statistics?
VI: Join a Club!
VII: The Habits of Talent
VIII: Improve Your Chess!?
IX: Earplugs
Miss Easy Tactics! index
Miss Easy Tactics! I
Miss Easy Tactics! II
Miss Easy Tactics! III
Miss Easy Tactics! IV
Miss Easy Tactics! V
Miss Easy Tactics! VI
Miss Easy Tactics! VII
Miss Easy Tactics! VIII
Miss Easy Tactics! IX
Miss Easy Tactics! X
Miss Easy Tactics! XI
Miss Easy Tactics! XII
Miss Easy Tactics! XIII
Miss Easy Tactics! XIV
Miss Easy Tactics! XV
Miss Easy Tactics! XVI
Miss Easy Tactics! XVII
Miss Easy Tactics! II
Miss Easy Tactics! III
Miss Easy Tactics! IV
Miss Easy Tactics! V
Miss Easy Tactics! VI
Miss Easy Tactics! VII
Miss Easy Tactics! VIII
Miss Easy Tactics! IX
Miss Easy Tactics! X
Miss Easy Tactics! XI
Miss Easy Tactics! XII
Miss Easy Tactics! XIII
Miss Easy Tactics! XIV
Miss Easy Tactics! XV
Miss Easy Tactics! XVI
Miss Easy Tactics! XVII
Monday, October 02, 2006
Cover Version index
Howard Riley Trio (The Day Will Come)
Dr Paul P Parker (How To Use Tact And Skill In Handling People)
Arthur Bliss (Bliss Conducts Bliss)
Philip Langridge and Graham Johnson / Franz Schubert (The Hyperion Schubert Edition, Complete Songs 4)
Antal Zalai / Bela Bartók (Complete Works for Violin, Volumes 1 and 2)
Manuel Göttsching (E2-E4)
Brand New (Your Favorite Weapon)
Gruppo di Improvvisazione di Nuova Consonanza (Nuova Consonanza)
Kings Of Convenience (Riot On An Empty Street)
Cover version encore
Antal Zalai / Bela Bartók (Complete Works for Violin, Volume 3)
Dr Paul P Parker (How To Use Tact And Skill In Handling People)
Arthur Bliss (Bliss Conducts Bliss)
Philip Langridge and Graham Johnson / Franz Schubert (The Hyperion Schubert Edition, Complete Songs 4)
Antal Zalai / Bela Bartók (Complete Works for Violin, Volumes 1 and 2)
Manuel Göttsching (E2-E4)
Brand New (Your Favorite Weapon)
Gruppo di Improvvisazione di Nuova Consonanza (Nuova Consonanza)
Kings Of Convenience (Riot On An Empty Street)
Cover version encore
Antal Zalai / Bela Bartók (Complete Works for Violin, Volume 3)
Bad book covers index
Bad book covers I (Avni)
Bad book covers II (Bronstein)
Bad book covers III (New in Chess)
Bad book covers IV (Karpov)
Bad book covers V (Wilson and Albertson)
Bad book covers VI (Hertan)
Bad book covers VII (Volotikin and Grabinsky)
Bad book covers VIII (Alburt and Lawrence)
Bad book covers IX (Alburt)
Bad book covers X (Dunne)
Bad book covers XI (Basman)
Bad book covers XII (Soltis/Chess Digest)
Bad book covers XIII (Baumbach, Smith and Knobel)
Bad book covers XIV (Keene and Martin)
Bad book covers XV (GarcÃa Palermo and De Anna)
Bad book covers XVI (Bogdanovich)
Bad book covers XVII (Rudel)
Bad book covers XVIII (Hodgson)
Bad book covers XIX (Olms)
Bad book covers XX (Flear)
Bad book covers XXI (Shamkovich and Cartier)
Bad book covers XXII (Beim)
Bad book covers XXIII (Aagaard and Shaw, eds)
Bad book covers XXIV (Lovas)
Bad book covers XXV (Tykodi and Gufeld)
Bad book covers XXVI (Edwards)
Bad book covers XXVII (Hodgson)
Bad book covers XXVIII (Réti)
Bad book covers XXIX (Neiman)
Bad book covers II (Bronstein)
Bad book covers III (New in Chess)
Bad book covers IV (Karpov)
Bad book covers V (Wilson and Albertson)
Bad book covers VI (Hertan)
Bad book covers VII (Volotikin and Grabinsky)
Bad book covers VIII (Alburt and Lawrence)
Bad book covers IX (Alburt)
Bad book covers X (Dunne)
Bad book covers XI (Basman)
Bad book covers XII (Soltis/Chess Digest)
Bad book covers XIII (Baumbach, Smith and Knobel)
Bad book covers XIV (Keene and Martin)
Bad book covers XV (GarcÃa Palermo and De Anna)
Bad book covers XVI (Bogdanovich)
Bad book covers XVII (Rudel)
Bad book covers XVIII (Hodgson)
Bad book covers XIX (Olms)
Bad book covers XX (Flear)
Bad book covers XXI (Shamkovich and Cartier)
Bad book covers XXII (Beim)
Bad book covers XXIII (Aagaard and Shaw, eds)
Bad book covers XXIV (Lovas)
Bad book covers XXV (Tykodi and Gufeld)
Bad book covers XXVI (Edwards)
Bad book covers XXVII (Hodgson)
Bad book covers XXVIII (Réti)
Bad book covers XXIX (Neiman)
Old Times index
The Times obituary for Elaine Pritchard and the places from which it was copied:
Introduction
Part one
Part two
Part three
Part four
Conclusion
Introduction
Part one
Part two
Part three
Part four
Conclusion
Ray Keene Index
The things Ray says Ray forgets to mention the book he wrote despite having contracted not to
Ray of hope Ray tries to touch Kate Hoey for a job - Hoey does not reply
Post paste Ray's unauthorised copying from Edward Winter
Grandnesia Ray's excuse - he claims to have forgotten where he copied from
What Ray did next Ray revises his copied piece, but there's still plenty of copying left
Pick up a Private Eye Ray's unauthorised copying reaches the pages of Private Eye
How good is your copying? Ray copying again, albeit this time copying himself
Looks Familiar Ray's Wikipedia entry mysteriously copied into his Chessville biography
Giddins Gracious Me Ray acquires a new sidekick
The Library with Two Brains Ray's books don't seem to make it to legal deposit libraries
PsychoSchiller Ray's sidekick Eric Schiller gets all threatening
Shameless spivvery Ray in Private Eye again
Iffy and whiffy Ray's lawyer fined and banned
The Staunton set Ray has pro-Karpov event named after his own chess tournament
No thank you, CJ Ray acquires yet another sidekick, and unfortunately it's the ECF President
Bad book covers XIV Ray's friend Barry Martin produces hideous cover for Ray's book
Do not adjust your set Ray plugs his brother-in-law's book, omits to mention it's his brother-in-law
When we were Kings XVIII Ray's contract-busting book: how the chess press failed to report the controversy
Did they mean compulsive? Ray favours compulsory chess in schools
Ray Tweets the Wedding Ray claims Royal connections
Anti Chess II: Refuseniks and Dissidents Ray smuggled books into the USSR
Giving a simul Ray played the author in 1984
Cut and paste Ray/Johann Hari joke
Chess man Raymond plays for cheque Ray when he was apparently on course to be the first English Grandmaster
Ray on Rupert Ray loves Rupert Murdoch
When will they ever learn? Ray, for some reason, invited to open the British Championships
CJ, the ECF and Constable Savage Ray, the T-shirt controversy and matters arising
The man who would be mentioned Ray dmeands apologies
The mysterious appearance of Ray: The ECF Responds Ray at Sheffield: the ECF comments, albeit not very much
At what point does this become embarrassing? Ray's sidekick wished happy birthday by another sidekick
Constable Savage again Ray at the centre of events, but the ECF try to pretend otherwise
Department of A Likely Story : Richard Desmond and the chess correspondent Ray with Desmond in 1984
Rumours Ray and the who-paid-for Sheffield rumours
Rumours II Ray and the who-paid-for Sheffield rumours - questions for the ECF
Rumours III Ray claims a "grovelling apology" to his sidekick
Whatever happened to the King's Indian Attack? Ray in his time was a flank openings pioneer
Considering the possibility Ray's sidekick thinks about appointing Ray as England captain
Tales from the Breakfast Club Ray and his sidekick discuss halloumi
Keeping things vague Ray wants to take the credit, but doesn't want to take the credit
What are buildings with the people gone? Ray hosts major chess tournament - the public not admitted
A likely customer Ray goes sock-puppetting
The Society of the Spectator Ray at event organised by magazine where his unauthorised copying appeared
Money Ray's company and the expensive rulebreaking dinner at the House of Lords
Money: Ray replies Ray and the House of Lords dinner: Ray emails
The Great Chessboxing Swindle: a huge signing Ray does chessboxing commentary. But why did he fall out with Korchnoi?
What happened next XIX Ray in 2007, plagiarising, in Chessville, Jonathan Levitt's notes from 2005 in CHESS
Enjoy a fine game and somebody else's notes Ray's plagiarising from CHESS detailed - and Chessville notified
Downtown Shortly after our piece about Ray plagiarising CHESS, Chessville disappeared
A typical game for the variation Ray illustrates a variation by inserting a move that never took place
All's Wells Ray's tribute to the late Ian Wells - a tribute that plagiarised the deceased's notes
Half a billion chess players can be wrong Did Ray come up with the "half a billion chess players" claim? (Probably not.)
The Great Chessboxing Swindle: taking a dive Ray never makes it to the Candidates commentary booth
Caption competition Ray at Number 11 with George Osborne
What Jean Stean had seen How Ray cheated Viktor Korchnoi: the full story from the CHESS letters column
Press freedom When Ray threw out a journalist from a world championship match
One of the privileged few How Ray cribbed an entire Spectator piece from the Chess Café and the Oxford Companion to Chess
The Keene-Miles affair
Keene's Gambit Ray accused: the Sunday Times piece where the allegation was made in print
Keene's Move Ray's version of events
Checked Again Ray's version: Miles' rebuttal
Stop me if you've heard this one before Ray and Miles: link to Miles' full account in Kingpin
RDK Annotates
A Trip and a Game, Down Memory Lane
Ray Keene: You Read It Here First
Ray Could Play
I: A win v Botvinnik and a draw with Karpov
II: RDK v Jakobsen, Esbjerg 1981
III: Hutchings v RDK, Barcelona zonal 1975
IV: RDK v Eric Holt, a loooong game.
V: RDK spots something his friend Michael Stean had missed.
VI: RDK knew how to sac the exchange.
VII: RDK simultaneously wins the British Championship and ends the Penrose era.
VIII: The first game with Tony Miles.
IX: 40-year-old preparation still stands up.
X: A Ray favourite against the Nimzo, a double exchange sac and a Master Game clip.
I want my IQP - dashing sacrifices from Raymondo
Black Queen Murder Mystery
Somebody dial 999?
- a mysterious map
Times Chess Man Cracks 'Missing Woman' Riddle
- DCI Mondo exercises his little grey cells
Definitely Got Something To Do With Chess V
- it almost became a pilot for a TV detective series
Grandmaster
- a scene from the pilot
Probably Got Nothing To Do With Chess VII
- a Ray Keene v 'deadly assassin' thriller
Ray Could Soothsay
- some frontpages from The Times, a big article in the Sun ... and RDK getting a little bit carried away with himself afterwards
Nightmare over for The Riddler
- The suspect, Colin English, was found not guilty ... so what exactly was Raymondo's part in this investigation?
Also see
What Happened Next - Ray saves the day
What Happened Next? XII - Ray in Tbilisi (What Happened Next XII)
My Favourite Moves XI - Ray on Nimzo
Ray of hope Ray tries to touch Kate Hoey for a job - Hoey does not reply
Post paste Ray's unauthorised copying from Edward Winter
Grandnesia Ray's excuse - he claims to have forgotten where he copied from
What Ray did next Ray revises his copied piece, but there's still plenty of copying left
Pick up a Private Eye Ray's unauthorised copying reaches the pages of Private Eye
How good is your copying? Ray copying again, albeit this time copying himself
Looks Familiar Ray's Wikipedia entry mysteriously copied into his Chessville biography
Giddins Gracious Me Ray acquires a new sidekick
The Library with Two Brains Ray's books don't seem to make it to legal deposit libraries
PsychoSchiller Ray's sidekick Eric Schiller gets all threatening
Shameless spivvery Ray in Private Eye again
Iffy and whiffy Ray's lawyer fined and banned
The Staunton set Ray has pro-Karpov event named after his own chess tournament
No thank you, CJ Ray acquires yet another sidekick, and unfortunately it's the ECF President
Bad book covers XIV Ray's friend Barry Martin produces hideous cover for Ray's book
Do not adjust your set Ray plugs his brother-in-law's book, omits to mention it's his brother-in-law
When we were Kings XVIII Ray's contract-busting book: how the chess press failed to report the controversy
Did they mean compulsive? Ray favours compulsory chess in schools
Ray Tweets the Wedding Ray claims Royal connections
Anti Chess II: Refuseniks and Dissidents Ray smuggled books into the USSR
Giving a simul Ray played the author in 1984
Cut and paste Ray/Johann Hari joke
Chess man Raymond plays for cheque Ray when he was apparently on course to be the first English Grandmaster
Ray on Rupert Ray loves Rupert Murdoch
When will they ever learn? Ray, for some reason, invited to open the British Championships
CJ, the ECF and Constable Savage Ray, the T-shirt controversy and matters arising
The man who would be mentioned Ray dmeands apologies
The mysterious appearance of Ray: The ECF Responds Ray at Sheffield: the ECF comments, albeit not very much
At what point does this become embarrassing? Ray's sidekick wished happy birthday by another sidekick
Constable Savage again Ray at the centre of events, but the ECF try to pretend otherwise
Department of A Likely Story : Richard Desmond and the chess correspondent Ray with Desmond in 1984
Rumours Ray and the who-paid-for Sheffield rumours
Rumours II Ray and the who-paid-for Sheffield rumours - questions for the ECF
Rumours III Ray claims a "grovelling apology" to his sidekick
Whatever happened to the King's Indian Attack? Ray in his time was a flank openings pioneer
Considering the possibility Ray's sidekick thinks about appointing Ray as England captain
Tales from the Breakfast Club Ray and his sidekick discuss halloumi
Keeping things vague Ray wants to take the credit, but doesn't want to take the credit
What are buildings with the people gone? Ray hosts major chess tournament - the public not admitted
A likely customer Ray goes sock-puppetting
The Society of the Spectator Ray at event organised by magazine where his unauthorised copying appeared
Money Ray's company and the expensive rulebreaking dinner at the House of Lords
Money: Ray replies Ray and the House of Lords dinner: Ray emails
The Great Chessboxing Swindle: a huge signing Ray does chessboxing commentary. But why did he fall out with Korchnoi?
What happened next XIX Ray in 2007, plagiarising, in Chessville, Jonathan Levitt's notes from 2005 in CHESS
Enjoy a fine game and somebody else's notes Ray's plagiarising from CHESS detailed - and Chessville notified
Downtown Shortly after our piece about Ray plagiarising CHESS, Chessville disappeared
A typical game for the variation Ray illustrates a variation by inserting a move that never took place
All's Wells Ray's tribute to the late Ian Wells - a tribute that plagiarised the deceased's notes
Half a billion chess players can be wrong Did Ray come up with the "half a billion chess players" claim? (Probably not.)
The Great Chessboxing Swindle: taking a dive Ray never makes it to the Candidates commentary booth
Caption competition Ray at Number 11 with George Osborne
What Jean Stean had seen How Ray cheated Viktor Korchnoi: the full story from the CHESS letters column
Press freedom When Ray threw out a journalist from a world championship match
One of the privileged few How Ray cribbed an entire Spectator piece from the Chess Café and the Oxford Companion to Chess
The Keene-Miles affair
Keene's Gambit Ray accused: the Sunday Times piece where the allegation was made in print
Keene's Move Ray's version of events
Checked Again Ray's version: Miles' rebuttal
Stop me if you've heard this one before Ray and Miles: link to Miles' full account in Kingpin
RDK Annotates
A Trip and a Game, Down Memory Lane
Ray Keene: You Read It Here First
Ray Could Play
I: A win v Botvinnik and a draw with Karpov
II: RDK v Jakobsen, Esbjerg 1981
III: Hutchings v RDK, Barcelona zonal 1975
IV: RDK v Eric Holt, a loooong game.
V: RDK spots something his friend Michael Stean had missed.
VI: RDK knew how to sac the exchange.
VII: RDK simultaneously wins the British Championship and ends the Penrose era.
VIII: The first game with Tony Miles.
IX: 40-year-old preparation still stands up.
X: A Ray favourite against the Nimzo, a double exchange sac and a Master Game clip.
I want my IQP - dashing sacrifices from Raymondo
Black Queen Murder Mystery
Somebody dial 999?
- a mysterious map
Times Chess Man Cracks 'Missing Woman' Riddle
- DCI Mondo exercises his little grey cells
Definitely Got Something To Do With Chess V
- it almost became a pilot for a TV detective series
Grandmaster
- a scene from the pilot
Probably Got Nothing To Do With Chess VII
- a Ray Keene v 'deadly assassin' thriller
Ray Could Soothsay
- some frontpages from The Times, a big article in the Sun ... and RDK getting a little bit carried away with himself afterwards
Nightmare over for The Riddler
- The suspect, Colin English, was found not guilty ... so what exactly was Raymondo's part in this investigation?
Also see
What Happened Next - Ray saves the day
What Happened Next? XII - Ray in Tbilisi (What Happened Next XII)
My Favourite Moves XI - Ray on Nimzo
Nigel Short index
The worst move on the board Nigel blunders into a mate in one
Nosher's nashers Nigel commendably refuses to blame his teeth
JB's favourite moves II Nigel's famous win against Gurevich
Staying power Nigel's win destroyed Gurevich as a player. Or maybe it didn't.
Oh Hou we laughed Nigel loses to thirteen-year-old
Three aphorisms and an explanation Nigel loses to Timman
England's Number One Nigel plays Michael Adams
Tick, tick, tick ... IX Nigel's phone battery runs low and costs him the game
It was Adams, and it was Short Nigel has short draw with Adams, we have suspicious minds
Once bitten, twice wise Nigel unwisely repeating his successful opening against Kasparov
If you want to get ahead, don't get a hat Nigel decides eleven-year-old may be cheating, insists he removes hat
Is this pig? Nigel's juvenile sexual attitudes
Swiss Toni writes for New In Chess Nigel's juvenile sexual attitudes, again
Nosher on the rampage Nigel turns over some Dutchmen
Some tourists go too far Nigel thinks the sexual exploitation of women is hilarious
When we were Kings XVII Nigel's Life In The Day from 1977
De Mooi The Merrier Nigel goes on tour with CJ de Mooi
Sauce for the Nosher Nigel complains that arbiters can't lose their titles - though neither can grandmasters
Short retort Nigel talks cobblers about Isle of Man tournament, New in Chess decline to print email saying so
I don't call you f**k Face Nigel objects to his nickname "Nosher"
Untitled simul post Nigel 's simul tour a great success
Ten years ago this week Nigel's notorious "sleeping with his girlfriend" obituary of Tony Miles
Short Stories Nigel's share of the responsibility for the Sheffield fiasco
Keeping things vague Nigel using the ECF as a stooge - or is he Kasparov's stooge?
Something's gone wrong again Nigel's court case loses and Nigel should resign
Doctor No Nigel's "Doctor" title and why it's not correct to use it
Chunks of memory Nigel beating Timman - Ceefax memories
Short of knowledge Nigel is forgotten by the youth of today
Let's talk about Nigel Nigel still thinks sex tourism is hilarious
Nosher's nashers Nigel commendably refuses to blame his teeth
JB's favourite moves II Nigel's famous win against Gurevich
Staying power Nigel's win destroyed Gurevich as a player. Or maybe it didn't.
Oh Hou we laughed Nigel loses to thirteen-year-old
Three aphorisms and an explanation Nigel loses to Timman
England's Number One Nigel plays Michael Adams
Tick, tick, tick ... IX Nigel's phone battery runs low and costs him the game
It was Adams, and it was Short Nigel has short draw with Adams, we have suspicious minds
Once bitten, twice wise Nigel unwisely repeating his successful opening against Kasparov
If you want to get ahead, don't get a hat Nigel decides eleven-year-old may be cheating, insists he removes hat
Is this pig? Nigel's juvenile sexual attitudes
Swiss Toni writes for New In Chess Nigel's juvenile sexual attitudes, again
Nosher on the rampage Nigel turns over some Dutchmen
Some tourists go too far Nigel thinks the sexual exploitation of women is hilarious
When we were Kings XVII Nigel's Life In The Day from 1977
De Mooi The Merrier Nigel goes on tour with CJ de Mooi
Sauce for the Nosher Nigel complains that arbiters can't lose their titles - though neither can grandmasters
Short retort Nigel talks cobblers about Isle of Man tournament, New in Chess decline to print email saying so
I don't call you f**k Face Nigel objects to his nickname "Nosher"
Untitled simul post Nigel 's simul tour a great success
Ten years ago this week Nigel's notorious "sleeping with his girlfriend" obituary of Tony Miles
Short Stories Nigel's share of the responsibility for the Sheffield fiasco
Keeping things vague Nigel using the ECF as a stooge - or is he Kasparov's stooge?
Something's gone wrong again Nigel's court case loses and Nigel should resign
Doctor No Nigel's "Doctor" title and why it's not correct to use it
Chunks of memory Nigel beating Timman - Ceefax memories
Short of knowledge Nigel is forgotten by the youth of today
Let's talk about Nigel Nigel still thinks sex tourism is hilarious
Once was enough index
Once was enough I (Latvian Gambit 3.Nxe5 Nc6)
Once was enough II (Portuguese Gambit)
Once was enough III (Czech Benoni)
Once was enough IV (Eingorn Winawer)
Once was enough V (Vienna Variation)
Once was enough VI (Marshall Attack)
Once was enough VII (Chebanenko Slav)
Also:
Once was enough - or maybe it wasn't (Berlin Wall)
Once was enough II (Portuguese Gambit)
Once was enough III (Czech Benoni)
Once was enough IV (Eingorn Winawer)
Once was enough V (Vienna Variation)
Once was enough VI (Marshall Attack)
Once was enough VII (Chebanenko Slav)
Also:
Once was enough - or maybe it wasn't (Berlin Wall)
Chess Is Like... Index
I: Poetry?
II: Tennis?
III: Sailing?
IV: The Economy?
V: Politics?
VI: Golf?
VII: The Church?
VIII: Horse Racing?
IX: The Carlton Club?
II: Tennis?
III: Sailing?
IV: The Economy?
V: Politics?
VI: Golf?
VII: The Church?
VIII: Horse Racing?
IX: The Carlton Club?
Tournament Diaries Index
Penarth 2012
Sixty Memorable Annotations #7
Sixty Memorable Annotations #8
The Penarth Pier Problem
Streatham and Brixton Against the Grandmasters
A bit previous
The Worst Move On The Board XII
Benasque 2011
Petrosian and Bryant Triumph in Benasque
Upside Down
Talking Blues
Con Un Poco de Suerte
Streatham and Brixton Against the Grandmasters
Chesserettes
Benasque 2009
Tragedies
Coincidences
More Coincidences
Absences
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Sixty Memorable Annotations Index
#1: Sherwin slid the Rook here with his pinky, as if to emphasize the cunning of this mysterious move.
Bobby Fischer on Fischer - Sherwin, New Jersey Open 1957
#2: It was this position which Geller saw in my room that morning. And yet 25 moves have already been made!
Lev Polugaevsky on Polugaevsky-Tal, Soviet Championship 1969
#3: I often tell my students that good players are like monsters from horror movies. You can shoot them and stab them but they won't lie down and even after they are confirmed dead they keep coming after you. So never relax!
Simon Agdestein
#4: The position is now objectively drawn, but I was very determined to win. My long-term plan consisted of winning the a-pawn, winning the bishop for my pawn and, eventually, winning with rook and bishop against rook. Let us evaluate the position. I will not win the a-pawn, I will not win the bishop and, even if I did, the position would still be a theoretical draw. That would be the objective evaluation.
Real life experience, however, tells us something completely different ....
Jacob Aagaard on Aagaard-van der Berg, Wijk aan Zee 2001
#5: Oh no, not a rook ending. I hate these rook endings, just so you know.
Jesper Hall on Salov-Gligoric, Belgrade 1987
#6: White’s control of the position is so great that he could inscribe his initials on the board with his king if he wanted.
Michael Stean on Botvinnik-Szilagyi, Amsterdam 1966
#7: This is probably the best move in the position if you are of equal strength to your opponent but ... it is often in the stronger player's interest to exchange bishop for knight ....
Jacob Aagaard on Shliperman-Yermolinsky, Philadelphia 1997
#8: If you play the Dutch you have to accept the element of risk. Some years ago I heard a young player moaning to British GM Jonathan Mestel that he had played the risky Sicilian Dragon and been wiped off the board. Mestel, himself a Dragon aficionado replied calmly ‘think of all the draws you have avoided by playing the Dragon’
Neil McDonald on the Dutch Defence
#9: This is the privilege of the attacking player in these situations. Before trying his main winning try, Miles first goes around in circles, giving his opponent maximum opportunity to go wrong.
John Emms on Matulovic-Miles, Birmingham 1975
#10: Thomas Ernst was a big expert on the Dragon, but it was also in my repertoire, so I decided to play it anyway "to learn something". The main thing I learned was not to be naive.
Jacob Aagaard on Ernst - Aagaard, Copenhagen 1991
#11: Were White to play, he would immediately draw after 1 Kg3 and 2 h3.
Jesus de la Villa
#12: At first sight a strong move, but the knight only looks good on d5.
Ivan Cheparinov on Polgar - Topalov, San Luis 2005
#13: The Classical Dutch is a pretty rare bird these days. According to Jan Pinski's 2002 book on the opening (Classical Dutch, Everyman £14.99), I am just about the only top player who would consider playing it. If so, it is in need of new advocates because I abandoned it years ago. Having said that, it is only a little dubious, rather than plain unsound. Furthermore, few White players are familiar with its subtleties.
Nigel Short on Ward - Williams, British Championships 2004
#14: This move, suggested by Hort, was specially prepared by Korchnoi before this match. The plan is to cramp Black's queenside pawns.
Ray Keene on Korchnoi - Spassky (7), Belgrade 1977
#15: Here I had a long think.
Jon Speelman on Speelman - Sokolov. A, Brussels
#16: An important branch of endings of this type is the endgame with the BP and RP pair, which as been met repeatedly in tournament practice. When Marshall drew such an ending at San Sebastian in 1911 against Rubinstein, theoreticians set about a detailed analysis of it. Spielmann, Rabinovich, Belavenets, Maizelis, Zek, Keres and finally Botvinnik together with Ragozin and Flohr discovered many interesting ideas. All the same, far from everything is clear in the assessment of this ending.
Levenfish and Smyslov on rook plus f&h pawns against rook
#17: The tablebase tells us the fastest win starts with 82 Rg7, from a human point of view of course 82 Re7 is much more sensible, preventing the Black king from joining the action.
Jonathan Hawkins on Alekhine - Capablanca, Buenos Aires World Championship 1927
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)