Sing a Song of Chess VI

About birthdays, this much I know: there's a downside and an upside to ageing.

Birthday cons:-

• they come around sooner and sooner. I refuse to believe that three years have passed since I turned forty;

• their importance varies in direct proportion to the number of young folk who have birthdays around the same time. My nephew Nathanial's birthday is a few days after my birthday and ever since he arrived my family have - rightly - regarded 17th September as nothing more than a preamble to the main event;

• they expand sideways. At some point the hyper importance of a party on the exact date melts into 'nearest weekend is probably best' and by the time you hit forty-three any date in the right month will do.

Birthday pros:-

• they multiply. Getting everybody together at the same time becomes a logistical nightmare so you can legitimately give up and have many events in many locations;

• it becomes acceptable to buy yourself presents. Over-priced and completely unnecessary for preference, naturally.

Anyhoo, back to Nathanial. Indoctrination can't start too early, wouldn't you agree?




Cheesy

One rook and one knight
One bishop too
One queen and one king
Another bishop true

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