St. Casimir’s Parish Hall. Sept 2, 2023. A scrawny middle-aged woman slips effortlessly through the building’s door, unseen. She is here on a mission, to compete in the Toronto Open 2023, U1900. Will she lose ALL of her games, like las...
In a checkered Kingdom ruled by kingsWhere we adore our precious queens,A shadow creeps ‘n this game for twoAnd trembling voice whispers - “Me too.” We, women in chess, we speak our truthWe’ve been harassed, we&rsq...
Hi guys! If you’ve read my previous blog, and rooted for Liubov Shtepa, this update is for you! But first, I want to thank everyone here who made a donation, shared the blog, rooted for, and/or simply sent positive vibes Shtepa’s way...
Imagine a jolly, little girl living peacefully in Kyiv, Ukraine. She enjoys school, frolicking with her friends, and going to the chess club. Early in 2022, she competes in her first chess tournament where she gets her first Ukrainian norm and sho...
An angry swear word fell off his lips as my opponent blundered during one of our casual games. “Gotcha,” I chuckled, naively. Frustration, anger, swearing, and self-defeat – I’ve seen it all when people blunder. What I didn...
I spent my life playing a game.And now for loneliness I blame,No other but myself. Indeed,In love with chess, I fell so deep. And in this world of black and whiteI was immersed all day and night.Nimzowitsch, Fischer, Morphy, TalEach one by one b...
Mike Klein put his head and $10,000 on the line by challenging Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, to a chess match last week in his tweet. The face of Chesskid.com, FunMasterMike, is called “fun” for a reason. Who wouldn&rs...
I felt like a thief. With every photo I took of Magnus Carlsen, I stole his privacy and personal space. And he saw me stealing away... My hometown, Toronto, just got lucky with the arrival of Magnus Carlsen. It generated quite a stir in the ches...
Dear Canadians, What an exciting time for all of us! How many of you would love to see our favourite game of chess supported by the Canadian Government? We can now make this happen … with a bit of YOUR help! When it comes to chess, for ...
Dec 9, 2022. Hart House, University of Toronto campus. A scrawny, middle-aged woman is battling with the building’s heavy front door to get in. She is here on a mission - to compete in the Hart House’s Holidays Open tournament. This wo...
It took him 34 seconds, a ferocious attack, and a gentle smile to temporarily destroy all my self-confidence in chess. Charismatic, merciless, faster than lightning, he showed me what high-class chess is all about ... And just how far, faaaar away...
Ever since I had my first child eight years ago, most of the new friends I made were mommy friends. Together, we built sand castles in the sandbox with our little off-springs; exchanged cookie recipes, agonized over our babies’ unexplained r...
This was one of those moments where you work, work, work towards something and then boom! The reality hits. You realize that all the work and effort you’ve put into a project was … a waste. My project – the Pirc Defense. Since...
The Gifts They come in small gifts. You can take them or leave them. I’ve been getting these gifts throughout my entire life. Sometimes in abundance. Other times they were scarce. For many years - non-existent. This year I got plenty! Ea...
Once, when asked how the knight moves, Magnus Carlsen responded: “Like an L. And sometimes in blitz games it can be very unpredictable.” This was one of those blitz games … I was playing a casual match in a park ag...
I survived!! What an incredible, mind-blowing, and challenging experience this was! Exciting, nerve-wracking, emotional, and totally overwhelming! In short, I just finished playing in the Canadian Open 2022. My first tournament since 2011. In ever...
This is it, guys! Tomorrow I will compete in the Canadian Open 2022, my first tournament since 2011! Exciiiting! And … downright scaaaryyy! “Oh, why so?”, you might ask. Well, where to begin? Oh, here: Background Every once ...
It’s amazing how people we cross paths with can set us off in an unexpected direction, even decades after the brief encounter. It all began here with Hugh - a guy who played chess in the same tournaments as I some 20 years ago. We never talk...
My, oh my, here we go … The Flames of Chess How long have weBeen playing chess?Eternity.Nevertheless ... Some things have shiftedBetween usMy mind has driftedBut, alas … The pawns and kingsDon’t look the sameThe k...
Rows and rows of checkered squaresRooks and bishops in the airPawns and knights are everywhereI've looked at clouds that way … But now they only block the sunThey rain and snow on everyoneSo many games I could have playedBut clouds got...
Love is like chess, anyone can comment, speculate and guess. But only the two of them truly know what is going on and what move to make! -Shaik Ameen PART 3 - The Grand Finale Continued from Part 2 “You know Damien,” ...
If my rating could go up by one point each time I thought of you, I would become a grandmaster in one day. -Josephine PART II. Continued from here. They met at their usual coffee place. When Josephine walked in, Damien was already sitt...
“It would be easier without love,” she said, in a hesitant voice that betrayed temptation. “No love, I promise … just chess,” replied Damien. And for the first time in years, he wasn’t so certain he could kee...
Pressed for time? Fatigued? Need a little extra motivation for your chess? I’m in the same boat and this blog is for you. I’m going to share what’s been working for me for the past year to keep my chess alive, while I scramble to...
Hours of work, wrestling with photoshoots and chess.com interface, sustained physical injuries, sleep deprivation, unsolicited criticism, and now … (oh, this is unbelievable!), held “captive” and muted by The Police Engine!! T...
