Online chess community where you can play chess, learn strategies and tactics, read chess news, see book reviews, find rules & tips, get free downloads, and more! http://www.chess.com/ 2007 Chess.com Pasha the Turk has a storeroom full of various beers and soft drinks. Every Sunday I amble down to London Road and we set up the board on a crate of coke.  In the Summer it was on the street, but no more as the winter comes. On the rare occasion...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/my-sundaysFri, 27 Nov 2009 16:19:31 -0800http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/my-sundaysI played a lot of chess in my teens. I didn't seriously study openings. As black I used to play the French defence against my friend, Guppy, just to annoy him more than owt. Twenty-odd years on from that time, and after a long long break from che...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/then-and-nowSat, 31 Oct 2009 19:22:47 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/then-and-nowI hate losing because of a blunder, especially when I have worked hard to gain a game-winning advantage. If I look at all the games I play though, as often as I lose because of my blunders, I win because of my opponents' blunders. There must be ...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/blunders2Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:45:26 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/blunders2Yesterday me and Gorby took a Xiangqi set, a didgeredoo and a drum to the woods at midnight and had a candlelit game with musical accompaniment. It was great. Carry a chess set (or Xiangqi set) with you at all times. http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/midnight-xiangqiSat, 22 Aug 2009 15:19:47 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/midnight-xiangqiSummat special is happening with chess and its allied games.  As a youngster I played at club level, but upon discovering women and beer I neglected the game for over twenty years. In April this year I stumbled across chess.com and ever since ch...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/chess-zeitgeistSat, 15 Aug 2009 11:06:42 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/chess-zeitgeistYesterday Summer seemed to have returned at last and me and Pasha the Turk were playing chess in a park off London Road. Sun, beer, chess and the company of good friends - it was the perfect Sunday. Things continued to be good and, as the evening ...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/why-dont-people-reply-to-draw-requestsMon, 10 Aug 2009 05:56:29 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/why-dont-people-reply-to-draw-requestsI was quite excited by Chess 960. I even entered a tournament.  But I don't like it much.  Somehow it lacks something that centuries old games like real chess have.  I'm not very good at it so this might sound like sour grapes.  If you want t...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/chess-960Fri, 10 Jul 2009 07:50:46 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/chess-960I have become aware over the few months that I have played at chess.com that the issue of time taken over moves and resignation is a great source of argument.  On the one hand there is a group of people who are incensed by people who slow-time wh...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/more-thoughts-on-sportsmanshipThu, 09 Jul 2009 05:54:42 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/more-thoughts-on-sportsmanshipEvery Sunday at 5pm I take my chess board down to London Road (Sheffield, England) and I play chess with my friend Pasha the Turk. He's a very strong player. Sometimes passers-by join us and ask for games. And we oblige. We also play any passing ...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/street-chess2Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:00:34 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/street-chess2I imagine the rating at chess.com exists so that we can easily pick opponents who will present an appropriate challenge. For many players, however, the rating is something of an obsession. I must admit it's nice when your rating is climbing and qu...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/how-important-is-your-ratingFri, 29 May 2009 07:34:32 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/how-important-is-your-ratingThere is nowt worse than making a blunder.  However, there are things you can do to minimise the damage. Firstly and most importantly don't tell your opponent you have made a blunder. Don't type "oooops!"  This way there is a hope that he will ...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/blunders---damage-limitationSun, 03 May 2009 14:15:19 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/blunders---damage-limitationNow I've moaned a lot about bad sports who let games time out when they're losing.  Today I was a pawn down, outplayed and in a bad position. Barring a miracle I was going to lose.  But my opponent timed out.  I'd rather lose than get such a fa...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/time-outs2Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:46:48 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/time-outs2When I first started playing at Chess.com I didn't notice there was an analysis board, and I played just how you would in a real world game.  When I noticed the analysis board I was surprised.  I personally don't use it as I think it discourages...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/the-analysis-board2Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:29:14 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/the-analysis-board2Beer and chess just don't go together. Well, not if you like winning. The problem is that when you stagger in from the pub after a particularly good gargle, and log in to chess.com you are risking completely undoing days and days of good work. I ...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/beer-and-chessWed, 22 Apr 2009 12:59:42 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/beer-and-chessI'm quite new to chess.com but already I love the place.  After a twenty year break from chess suddenly I'm embroiled in uber-chess and loving every minute of it. So I feel a little ungrateful when I have to have a moan about the few bad sports I...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/more-on-bad-sportsMon, 20 Apr 2009 03:24:52 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/more-on-bad-sportsI've had many great games here at chess.com, but I have come across some appallingly bad sportsmanship.  I think it's the nature of online chess that many people will resign at little later than usual. However, I don't think the following are ac...http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/sportsmanship2Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:20:21 -0700http://blog.chess.com/carlos_b/sportsmanship2