Although I have yet to get my grubby hands on the new book by Frank Brady, Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall - from America's Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness , I do have it on order from a local bookstore, and will, hopefully, have it in my hands in a couple of days.
I rarely read reviews before reading a book. I prefer to read the reviews after I've made my own judgement. I made an exception in this case and have read every review I've found. I even listened to an interview with the author on NPR while driving home yesterday. It can be found at: www.npr.org/2011/01/30/.../the-troubled-genius-of-bobby-fischer
The quote of the year is the last line of a review by Dick Cavett on Amazon: "Frank Brady’s Endgame is one of those books that makes you want your dinner guests to go the hell home so you can get back to it."
You can find the review at: http://www.amazon.com/Endgame-Fischers-Remarkable-Americas-Brightest/dp/0307463907/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1296510074&sr=1-1
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Hikaru yes Chess!
That is a play on the extremely popular Japanese 'Hikaru no Go' series for children about a coming of age and the game of Go.
Hikaru Nakamura was my pick to win the Tata Steel tournament (I picked Luke McShane to win the 'B' section, and Mark Bluvshtein to win the 'C' section), as he is in every tournament in which he participates. It's not just because he plays openings like the Najdorf, which I played in my prime, and the Leningrad Dutch, my favorite opening with Black, but stems from his play at the 32nd Continental Open in Sturbridge, Mass, in 2002. I recall the tournament vividly because it was where I 'collapsed' with paramedics being called. I had been in time pressure for some time, needing desperately to make a trip to the men's room. Upon making my final move before time control, I got up to do just that, and the next thing I recall was coming to on the floor. The tournament took place after the US Open, where all the games had been played at night. The first two games of the Continental were also played at night. This game, the third, was played in the morning, and it appears I had become dehydrated by drinking only coffee during the game. It had a deleterious affect upon me when I stood up, obviously. Having won my first two games, I was still in contention after losing this one, but Brenda Goichberg convinced me to withdraw from the tournament, which I did. I therefore got to spectate and what I saw was empty top boards, as the top GM's, for the most part, decided to draw with each other and go next door and drink copious amounts of beer and eat seafood, while holding court with the younger players. But there was one top player who refused to 'join the club'. Hikaru Nakamura was there to WIN, not just to play. He was there to beat every GM placed in his path, no matter how much higher rated than he at the time, or which color he had, so I could not help but think of Bobby Fischer. I have followed Hikaru's career ever since, thinking of Bobby; thinking that the search was over, it was just that no one realized it yet. I bet they will now.
I met Hikaru and his father, Sunil, on a visit to the 2009 US Open in Indianapolis, and it was the highlight of the trip! He was there to play a simul. I was just there...
I found chess rather late, playing in my first tournament as a 20 year old adult. I never knew the wonder and excitemant I've seen in my very young students, but right now I'm as excited as a child! I simply cannot wait for the last two rounds of this tournament! David Spinks, the caretaker of the House of Pain in Atlanta once asked me who I was "pulling for." When I replied that I was just watching the game for the enjoyment of watching, he exclaimed, "YOU GOTTA PULL FOR SOMEBODY, MAN!"
You simply cannot believe how much I'm pulling for Hikaru, man!
Hikaru Nakamura was my pick to win the Tata Steel tournament (I picked Luke McShane to win the 'B' section, and Mark Bluvshtein to win the 'C' section), as he is in every tournament in which he participates. It's not just because he plays openings like the Najdorf, which I played in my prime, and the Leningrad Dutch, my favorite opening with Black, but stems from his play at the 32nd Continental Open in Sturbridge, Mass, in 2002. I recall the tournament vividly because it was where I 'collapsed' with paramedics being called. I had been in time pressure for some time, needing desperately to make a trip to the men's room. Upon making my final move before time control, I got up to do just that, and the next thing I recall was coming to on the floor. The tournament took place after the US Open, where all the games had been played at night. The first two games of the Continental were also played at night. This game, the third, was played in the morning, and it appears I had become dehydrated by drinking only coffee during the game. It had a deleterious affect upon me when I stood up, obviously. Having won my first two games, I was still in contention after losing this one, but Brenda Goichberg convinced me to withdraw from the tournament, which I did. I therefore got to spectate and what I saw was empty top boards, as the top GM's, for the most part, decided to draw with each other and go next door and drink copious amounts of beer and eat seafood, while holding court with the younger players. But there was one top player who refused to 'join the club'. Hikaru Nakamura was there to WIN, not just to play. He was there to beat every GM placed in his path, no matter how much higher rated than he at the time, or which color he had, so I could not help but think of Bobby Fischer. I have followed Hikaru's career ever since, thinking of Bobby; thinking that the search was over, it was just that no one realized it yet. I bet they will now.
I met Hikaru and his father, Sunil, on a visit to the 2009 US Open in Indianapolis, and it was the highlight of the trip! He was there to play a simul. I was just there...
I found chess rather late, playing in my first tournament as a 20 year old adult. I never knew the wonder and excitemant I've seen in my very young students, but right now I'm as excited as a child! I simply cannot wait for the last two rounds of this tournament! David Spinks, the caretaker of the House of Pain in Atlanta once asked me who I was "pulling for." When I replied that I was just watching the game for the enjoyment of watching, he exclaimed, "YOU GOTTA PULL FOR SOMEBODY, MAN!"
You simply cannot believe how much I'm pulling for Hikaru, man!
Sarah Palin's Sputnik Moment
After watching Decoded, I flipped over to the BBC news on public tv. That's the channel without commercials. While they were showing all the different companies that support 'commercial free' tv, I flipped over to Commercial News Network. The headline you see here was prominently displayed on the screen. Below was the question, 'Is she a factual space case?'
Soledad O'brien was giggling like a young girl about the latest salvo from Mrs Palin. It seems that in response to the POTUS State of the Union speech (or was it the response to the responce to the responce to the speech? There are so many responses these days I think they oughta let the parrotheads respond!), she said th President had had a "WTF" moment. Now, I know what 'WTF' stands for, as do most other people in this country, even if we don't 'twitter'. Some old guy named Cohen, younger than me, said he had had to ask his teenaged daughter what "WTF" meant. What's that guy doing on tv? When it comes to dumb, Sarah had company last night! In case you have not heard, Sarah said, "He needs to remember what happened back then with the former communist USSR and their victory in that race to space. Yup, they won, but they also incurred so much debt at the time that it resulted in the inevitable collapse of the Soviet Union."
I will be kind and just say that she was excoriated unmercifully by the panel, which included a Republican, Ed Rollins. He said, "It shows she has a lack of knowledge, which is extraordinary in a potential presidential candidate." He said later that "We should be discussing the response by Paul Ryan, not something stupid said by Sarah Palin." Whoa, Nellie! Bet he will not obtain a position in the Palin administration! Down South, when one talks about someone like that, they always end it with something like, "That woman is so stupid, God Bless her soul." You can say anything about anyone down South as long as you know how to end it the right way.
Soledad O'brien was giggling like a young girl about the latest salvo from Mrs Palin. It seems that in response to the POTUS State of the Union speech (or was it the response to the responce to the responce to the speech? There are so many responses these days I think they oughta let the parrotheads respond!), she said th President had had a "WTF" moment. Now, I know what 'WTF' stands for, as do most other people in this country, even if we don't 'twitter'. Some old guy named Cohen, younger than me, said he had had to ask his teenaged daughter what "WTF" meant. What's that guy doing on tv? When it comes to dumb, Sarah had company last night! In case you have not heard, Sarah said, "He needs to remember what happened back then with the former communist USSR and their victory in that race to space. Yup, they won, but they also incurred so much debt at the time that it resulted in the inevitable collapse of the Soviet Union."
I will be kind and just say that she was excoriated unmercifully by the panel, which included a Republican, Ed Rollins. He said, "It shows she has a lack of knowledge, which is extraordinary in a potential presidential candidate." He said later that "We should be discussing the response by Paul Ryan, not something stupid said by Sarah Palin." Whoa, Nellie! Bet he will not obtain a position in the Palin administration! Down South, when one talks about someone like that, they always end it with something like, "That woman is so stupid, God Bless her soul." You can say anything about anyone down South as long as you know how to end it the right way.
Coincidence or Conspiracy?
The segment on Brad Meltzer's Decoded, Secret Societies, airing on the History Channel last night,(http://www.history.com/shows/brad-meltzers-decoded/episodes/), shed some light on the Bohemian Grove, one of America's most tightly guarded gatherings of the rich and powerful. My ears perked up when I heard that one of the members who meet for two weeks each year, and pay $25,000 for the opportunity, is none other than Jimmy Buffett! That's right, the parrothead himself. Checking his website I could find nothing concerning his membership in any secret societies. Since this information comes only a day after the news of Jimmy blowing out his flip-flop and falling off of the stage while down under, I cannot help but wonder if it is only a coincidence, or part of some kind of vast conspiracy?
For those readers back home in the great state of Georgia, next weeks episode, Apocalypse in Georgia, concerns the mysterious Georgia Guidestones. Often called America's Stonehenge, this granite monument is located on a remote hilltop outside Atlanta. I will have an air-tight alibi next Thursday, Feb 3, 10/9c for any eventuality!
For those readers back home in the great state of Georgia, next weeks episode, Apocalypse in Georgia, concerns the mysterious Georgia Guidestones. Often called America's Stonehenge, this granite monument is located on a remote hilltop outside Atlanta. I will have an air-tight alibi next Thursday, Feb 3, 10/9c for any eventuality!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Kissinger on Go and Chinese Strategic Thinking
Discussing China on CNN Sunday, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said that “One has to understand the Chinese intellectual game, which is what we call go (and) they call weiqi.” Explaining that “it’s a game of strategic encirclement,” Kissinger said that “our intellectual game is chess. Chess is about victory or defeat. Somebody wins.” Kissinger contrasted chess in which “all the pieces are in front of you at all times, so you can calculate your risk” with go, where the pieces “are not all on the board, and your opponent is always capable of introducing new pieces.” Historically, Kissinger said, the Chinese use strategic analysis based on “the go way.” Despite Kissinger’s cogent understanding of the game, CNN mistakenly used video of Chinese Chess to illustrate the segment.
This is from the American Go E-Journal, 1/24/2010, by Chris Garlock. http://www.usgo.org/news/2011/01/kissinger-on-go-and-chinese-strategic-thinking/
This is from the American Go E-Journal, 1/24/2010, by Chris Garlock. http://www.usgo.org/news/2011/01/kissinger-on-go-and-chinese-strategic-thinking/
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The Impenetrable Wall of Manliness
To the anonymous person who left the the comment I would like to say that one does not get to be old by being a fool, you JACKWAD! How about being man enough to let yourself be known, my new 'frenemy'!
I will admit that you are right, sir. Having a life and other things to do, I was in 'time pressure' while writing the post. I realized it was wrong, but, being 'old', I could not pull the correct term outta the morass that is now my brain. I figured 'most people' would know what I meant. I could have gone back today and changed it, but why spend the time? I don't get paid for this; I do it for pleasure, and enjoy the feedback, usually.
That said, I have received an email from my ol' Bud, the Ironman. He writes, "I remember that I called the barrier The Impenetrable Wall of Manliness."
What can I say? It's tuff on the road. I'm just thankful I was not the one trapped in the woods with the Ironman as night began to fall, realizing I may hafta 'spoon' the Ironman that night in order to stay warm enough to survive! We have been friends for many decades now and I guess we woulda done 'whatever it takes' to come outta the woods alive just as the Ironman and Ott-Job did whatever it took to keep the wolves at bay.
Tim 'The Dude' Bond, formally known as the Rainbow Warrior until he let it be know that he never liked that moniker hung on him by the Ironman because he thought it had connotations of, shall we say to be PC, unmanliness. Which reminds me of the NM who changed his name from Dana to Kyle for what I heard were similar reasons. We thought that if he were going to change his name to a more manly name, then maybe he shoulda chosen 'Butch', or some such. The Dude used to say that the basis of friendship is "Mutual interests, mutual respect."
I can't help but wonder where GM Rowson came up with the word 'bromance'? I have never heard it before. Have you? I can't help thinking that, if a man and a woman have a 'romance' then a 'bromance' would be a romance between two happy men.
Imagine if, at the conclusion of the all time great movie Casablanca, after Captain Renault had said, "Major Strasser has been shot..... Round up the usual suspects", Rick had said, "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful bromance." Why, it coulda altered history!
I will admit that you are right, sir. Having a life and other things to do, I was in 'time pressure' while writing the post. I realized it was wrong, but, being 'old', I could not pull the correct term outta the morass that is now my brain. I figured 'most people' would know what I meant. I could have gone back today and changed it, but why spend the time? I don't get paid for this; I do it for pleasure, and enjoy the feedback, usually.
That said, I have received an email from my ol' Bud, the Ironman. He writes, "I remember that I called the barrier The Impenetrable Wall of Manliness."
What can I say? It's tuff on the road. I'm just thankful I was not the one trapped in the woods with the Ironman as night began to fall, realizing I may hafta 'spoon' the Ironman that night in order to stay warm enough to survive! We have been friends for many decades now and I guess we woulda done 'whatever it takes' to come outta the woods alive just as the Ironman and Ott-Job did whatever it took to keep the wolves at bay.
Tim 'The Dude' Bond, formally known as the Rainbow Warrior until he let it be know that he never liked that moniker hung on him by the Ironman because he thought it had connotations of, shall we say to be PC, unmanliness. Which reminds me of the NM who changed his name from Dana to Kyle for what I heard were similar reasons. We thought that if he were going to change his name to a more manly name, then maybe he shoulda chosen 'Butch', or some such. The Dude used to say that the basis of friendship is "Mutual interests, mutual respect."
I can't help but wonder where GM Rowson came up with the word 'bromance'? I have never heard it before. Have you? I can't help thinking that, if a man and a woman have a 'romance' then a 'bromance' would be a romance between two happy men.
Imagine if, at the conclusion of the all time great movie Casablanca, after Captain Renault had said, "Major Strasser has been shot..... Round up the usual suspects", Rick had said, "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful bromance." Why, it coulda altered history!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Bookmance
The question left to my post Book of the Year is, "What other books would you recommend for enjoyment?"
Two books by GM Jonathan Rowson, The Seven Deadly Chess Sins & Chess for Zebras: Thinking Differently about Black and White, come to mind. Edwin Schlossberg wrote that, "The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think." GM Rowson does this extremely well. I like the honesty with which he writes. I have always liked quotes, and I love the quotes he uses. His column in the best chess magazine in the world, New in Chess, is the first article I read. From a letter to the editor in the current issue, 2010/8, it would seem one Boris Kazanski did not care for Rowson's piece in the previous issue, A Fine Bromance. Rowson writes "...that the bond between male friends is somehow different, and more intense than female friendship..." Hence, 'Bromance'
I will admit the term chosen by the GM turned my stomach, making me somewhat uncomfortable. I would have preferred the term 'friendenemy'. Enemies across the chess board; friends away from the board.
I thought about the time my long-time chess friend, my 'friendenemy', the Legendary Georgia Ironman, NM Tim Brookshear and I met in Ft Lauderdale for the US Open. Tim did not care for the location I had found, one of those extended stay places, so he went on a scouting mission, landing a place on the beach. Unfortunately it had only one bed. Upon showing the place to me I saw that Tim had taken the pillows from the couch, which happened to be shaped in such a way that they would stand up, and placed them in the middle of the bed, therefore making it like two separate beds. "Look Bacon, there's no chance we will touch!", he exclaimed. We brought FM Big Head Todd, the Monster, Andrews in to stay with us and he will attest to the veracity of this story! I think Tim still remembered the time I told him I had to share a bed at a backgammon tournament and my 'bunkmate' hugged me during the middle of the night, proclaiming his 'love' for 'Ginger'! Needless to say, I got no more sleep that night!
I am comfortable with my heterosexuality, and I am comfortable with the Ironman's as well! Just because we have been friends for going on four decades now and have shared the same hotel room far too many times to count, whether at a chess tournament or a sports card show, does not imply that we have some kind of 'bromance'!
I love books and have previously worked in several bookstores. I will admit to having a romance with books-a 'bookmance'.
I would like to mention a book I am currently reading, True Combat Chess, by IM Timothy Taylor. I have never, and will never, review a book unless I have read it cover to cover, and I have not finished this book, but I can say that I am enjoying it immensely!
Two books by GM Jonathan Rowson, The Seven Deadly Chess Sins & Chess for Zebras: Thinking Differently about Black and White, come to mind. Edwin Schlossberg wrote that, "The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think." GM Rowson does this extremely well. I like the honesty with which he writes. I have always liked quotes, and I love the quotes he uses. His column in the best chess magazine in the world, New in Chess, is the first article I read. From a letter to the editor in the current issue, 2010/8, it would seem one Boris Kazanski did not care for Rowson's piece in the previous issue, A Fine Bromance. Rowson writes "...that the bond between male friends is somehow different, and more intense than female friendship..." Hence, 'Bromance'
I will admit the term chosen by the GM turned my stomach, making me somewhat uncomfortable. I would have preferred the term 'friendenemy'. Enemies across the chess board; friends away from the board.
I thought about the time my long-time chess friend, my 'friendenemy', the Legendary Georgia Ironman, NM Tim Brookshear and I met in Ft Lauderdale for the US Open. Tim did not care for the location I had found, one of those extended stay places, so he went on a scouting mission, landing a place on the beach. Unfortunately it had only one bed. Upon showing the place to me I saw that Tim had taken the pillows from the couch, which happened to be shaped in such a way that they would stand up, and placed them in the middle of the bed, therefore making it like two separate beds. "Look Bacon, there's no chance we will touch!", he exclaimed. We brought FM Big Head Todd, the Monster, Andrews in to stay with us and he will attest to the veracity of this story! I think Tim still remembered the time I told him I had to share a bed at a backgammon tournament and my 'bunkmate' hugged me during the middle of the night, proclaiming his 'love' for 'Ginger'! Needless to say, I got no more sleep that night!
I am comfortable with my heterosexuality, and I am comfortable with the Ironman's as well! Just because we have been friends for going on four decades now and have shared the same hotel room far too many times to count, whether at a chess tournament or a sports card show, does not imply that we have some kind of 'bromance'!
I love books and have previously worked in several bookstores. I will admit to having a romance with books-a 'bookmance'.
I would like to mention a book I am currently reading, True Combat Chess, by IM Timothy Taylor. I have never, and will never, review a book unless I have read it cover to cover, and I have not finished this book, but I can say that I am enjoying it immensely!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)