CHESS!

[Pinwig]

Oh right! I thought if you were one square away my King could take your Queen.

See, told you it wouldn't be much of a match up!

[Pinwig]

Oh, I see the Bishop now.

[Shockprowl]

The Queen is guarded by the Bishop on g5, so the King can't take her.


And you did great! You were very aggressive with your Knight. The Bishop blunder cost you. My play was terrible! I didn't finish development, didn't castle. If I hadn't been able to check you around the place that nasty Qtakes b2 move would have been devastating, trapping my Rook!

[Shockprowl]

I'd been sweating over that Qxb2 move. But I'd hoped to corner your king with the few pieces I'd mobilised before you could play it (If my attack flopped, I think I'd have simply advanced the b pawn up one to block out the attack...) But it was hard BECAUSE I HADN'T DEVELOPED!!! I shall whip myself severly when I get home tonight.

[Pinwig]

Man, I can't even beat a computer on its lowest difficulty setting. I'm completely shit at this. No ability to read the board.

[Shockprowl]

It's like any puzzle, the more you use the puzzle-muscle the better at it you get.

[Shockprowl]

I was utterly hopeless when I first got back into it. 12 months later I now think I'm at the 'Not-shit' level. But a half decent club player would remove my face movie Optimus Prime style. That's what I need now, join a club (not have my face removed). But it's finding the time. Chess puzzle books are a big help. English GM Jon Speelman has done a good one published by Gambit. Any Gambit books are good, they're a purely chess book publisher run by masters and grandmasters. But any simple puzzle book is good. 101 Easy Checkmates by Larry Evans (Bobby Fischer's pal and ghost writer) was the first one I read. Simple one or two move checkmate puzzles are the best way to get your eye in.

[Pinwig]

I applaud your endeavours. I do see the fascination and am now wondering where I can find my puzzle muscle.

[Shockprowl]

Your puzzle-muscle... If you clench it, you will find it.




Fancy a rematch? Or are you chessed out for the moment?

[blueshift]

Mar 19, 2017 20:08:38 GMT Shockprowl said:

Your puzzle-muscle... If you clench it, you will find it.




Fancy a rematch? Or are you chessed out for the moment?

I will fight you!

[Pinwig]

If Blue wants a go, have at it. I'll practise for the next encounter.

[Shockprowl]

GIVE ME ALL YA GOT, BLUE'!!!



Would you like to be white?

[The Doctor]

I am Captain Black.

-Ralph

[Shockprowl]

Was Captain Black indestructible as well? I can't remember.

[The Doctor]

I...it's late.

-Ralph

[Shockprowl]

World Champions.

Steinitz
Lasker
Capablanca
Alekhine
Euwe
Botvinnik
Smyslov
Tal
Petrosian
Spassky
Fischer
Karpov
Kasparov
Kramnik
Anand
Carlsen

[Shockprowl]

My top ten strongest of all time.

1 Kasparov
2 Fischer
3 Carlsen
4 Karpov
5 Capablanca
6 Lasker
7 Alekhine
8 Morphy
9 Tal
10 Keres

[Philip Ayres]

Feb 23, 2017 6:10:23 GMT blueshift said:

Feb 22, 2017 21:27:10 GMT Philip Ayres said:

Phil would like to point out that One Night In Bangkok is sung by the brother of Anthony Stewart Head, Giles from Buffy/Headmaster in School Reunion,

WHAT

On tonight's TOTP repeat!

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09dx3lx

[Shockprowl]

Ooohhh goodie.

[Shockprowl]

Mar 27, 2017 20:48:45 GMT Shockprowl said:

My top ten strongest of all time.

1 Kasparov
2 Fischer
3 Carlsen
4 Karpov
5 Capablanca
6 Lasker
7 Alekhine
8 Morphy
9 Tal
10 Keres

I've changed my mind. And sadly Keres has just dropped out the top ten (this list is my own opinion, obviously...).


=1 Kasparov
=1 Fischer
3 Karpov
4 Carlsen
5 Lasker
6 Capablanca
7 Alekhine
8 Morphy
9 Botvinnik
10 Tal


Yes, I'm copping out on who's number 1.

[blueshift]

Where would you put Deep Blue?

[Shockprowl]

Mar 27, 2017 20:48:06 GMT Shockprowl said:

World Champions.

Steinitz
Lasker
Capablanca
Alekhine
Euwe
Botvinnik
Smyslov
Tal
Petrosian
Spassky
Fischer
Karpov
Kasparov
Kramnik
Anand
Carlsen

And the 'good enough to be/nearly were/or kinda were World Champions:

Chigorin (gave Steinitz a good run for his money. Twice.)
Pillsbury (died too young)
Schlechter (only one fairly obvious checkmate away from doing the impossible and beating Lasker in 1910.)
Rubinstein (a genius, world war one and mental health problems got in his way.)
Keres (known as 'The Crown Prince of Chess' as no one has come so close to the title more times.)
Bronstein (drew with Botvinnik in 1951. Did the Soviet powers force him to not win?)
Korchnoi (the defector! He came so so close to beating Karpov in '78.)
Ivanchuk (he rules Planet Ivanchuk)
Topalov (Topalov was a FIDE 'knock-out' world champion, but not an 'undisputed' world champion.)

[Shockprowl]

Nov 9, 2017 20:30:03 GMT blueshift said:

Where would you put Deep Blue?

In Kasparov's trash can.

[Shockprowl]

Unofficial World Champions (considered in their time to be clearly the strongest player in the world).

Philidor
Deschappelles
La Bourdonnais
Saint Amant
Staunton
Anderssen
Morphy

[Shockprowl]

Youtube chess channels I recommend:

Agadmator
Chess to Impress
Kingcrusher
Mato
Daniel King's Powerplay Chess

[Shockprowl]

And finally, my beginner's reading list!


TRAINING:

Yasser Seirawan-
Play Winning Chess
Winning Chess Tactics
Winning Chess Openings

Jeremy Silman-
Complete Endgame Course

Simon Webb-
Chess for Tigers

Jon Speelman's Chess Puzzle Book

HISTORY:
William Hartston-
The Guiness book of Chess Grandmasters

Andre Shultz-
The Big Book of World Chess Champions

GAMES COLLECTIONS:
Burgess/Nunn/Emms-
The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games

A games collection book of your favorite player, or one of the 'The Greats'.

[Shockprowl]

Did I tell you I had my first competitive chess game the other week?

I was a sub in a four man team in a local area league/cup thing. They were a man down that night and my chess friend whome I've recently met invited me to stand-in.

I played against an older chap who looked like he was a professor of ancient history. I think he was actually wearing a tweed jacket. He recorded his moves in old descriptive notation, which hasn't been used for 40 years! So I thought "oh my God, I'm up against someone who's been playing chess longer than I've been alive!".

I was black. I messed up my opening a bit, but after that I went on full attack. And... I almost had him! I had a great attack on his king. But he just stayed one defensive move ahead. I just couldn't find the killer move. I sac'ed a piece for the attack, but he just kept defending. Finally it got to a rook against knight endgame, me with the knight. And sadly my brave knight was no match for the more powerful rook. My opponent's greater experience then told, and eventually I had to resign. My team-mates said I could have offered a draw earlier in the game, when my attack was begining to falter. But I always thought I had a chance! But my new chess chums thought I did well in my first game and I am to remain their reserve. It was a lot of fun! Very friendly atmosphere. Very exciting, with the clocks and everything! And worrying an experienced player was very satisfying!

With the winter rush now on at work I'm not sure when I'll get another chance to play. But I eagerly look forward to it! Lookout, Mikey Adams!

[Pinwig]

That's fantastic Shockers! How cool!

[Shockprowl]

Thanks, Man! It was thrilling! I'd do it every night if I could!

[legios]

Well done! Not to shabby for first time out in a competitive environment.

Karl