No Bars

I have the whole collection of my favorite chess pics but these two are really at the top. Because they mean chess can never be barred from you. Plus, how can one not love Ray playing whatever?

No-Bars Bonus.

I know it is a chestnut but I like this joke: Two chess players are playing a correspondence game. White lives at the South Pole. Black lives at the North Pole. The postal service is rather slow and play proceeds at the rate of one move per year. After 15 years of play, white makes a daring queen sacrifice, the consequences of which are by no means clear. A year later, as he sees the postman returning, he is very excited. He thinks "Will black take my queen ?", "Is the sacrifice sound ?". He tears open the reply and sees "J'adoube".

(Btw, to crack more smile- This theme of chess by letters was masterfully developed in The Gossage-Vardebedian Papers by Woody Allen. Enjoy!)