Speaking of learning (and therefore learning chess), my new book about self-education is now available. Secrets of a Buccaneer-Scholar is available in ebook form on the Kindle and for other devices (or PC). Harcover will be available in September...
I was inspired, tonight, by this fascinating analysis, no part of which did I understand. I have no idea what happened in that game. I'm pretty sure they were using special rules revealed only to grandmasters. So, I'd like to try my own ha...
Here's a lesson about the importance of maintaining the initiative. At one point in this game, I was down more than 20 pawn-equivalency points (according to my chess analysis software). Gulbrandsen's pawns were like the crooked white teeth...
When Deckers sent his g-pawn forward, I didn't take the threat seriously. It was like a little harmless bunny. So fuzzy. So cute...
I'm "competing" in a freestyle tournament. That means the games aren't rated, and players can use any tool or reference or help of any kind, during the game, to win. At first I thought of it as a sort of tongue-in-cheek com...
I was playing a guy, tonight, who told me that his job was printing cardboard boxes. He works third shift, which is how he can play me in the middle of the night. I imagine him in a noisy printworks, making sure "This End Up" is printed ...
Here's how chess helps me think about life: I'm in a technical vocation. The big picture is that I develop and test software. More specifically, I travel around teaching large companies how to make better software. And more specifically s...
After the fifth or six move, announce loudly "Aha! I recognize this position. Capablanca vs. Lasker, Havana, 1921, round 5. I believe Capablanca answered THUS!" (then make your move dramatically)
Wait until your opponent's fourth move and say "Ah, the Sagerwall attack! But don't you find that the Reimman variation cancels it out? I believe THIS is the recommended move. (make your move with a flourish)" (doesn't work o...
I always thought of myself smart kid. I thought chess was for smart people. So I expect to win a lot. Instead I lost. I lost and lost and lost. I tried to read chess books, but I didn't have the patience to work through all the variations of ...
I learned the rules of chess very young. For a couple of years, I thought the name of the game was "chest", as in "let's play chest."
