Ah, the Black Forest...
The cake is a lie! (It's a reference to a game!)
Thanks for the post Javan64. I'm also fond of Black Forest Ham and a lot of other goodies that they have over there, a person could spend the whole day eating lol.
Just recently I came across an interesting aricle on Walter Muir ( 1905 - 2000 ) which was in " Check " magazine that is published up here in Canada. Walter Muir has been referred to as the " Grand Old Man of American Correspondence Chess " and was active in the ICCF for many years. He was awarded the title of International Correspondence Chess Master in 1971 ( at age 66 ).
How well did he play OTB? That would be interesting, if you know.
Here is more info on Muir, from Wikipedia:
The Correspondence Chess League of America (CCLA) was the first American chess club to become an ICCF affiliate. It was created in 1917 as a merger of four clubs, one of which was a Canadian club. The number of Canadians in CCLA diminished after the Canadian Chess Association took over the Canadian Correspondence Chess Association's Championship..
CCLA accepted the invitation of the International Correspondence Chess Association (ICCA) to become a member in 1946. Participation began in 1947 with a team of 100 players competing against teams from Belgium, England, Finland, France, Holland, and Sweden conducted by ICCA. The first time the US was invited to play in an ICCF Olympiad event was in 1958. This was the Final Olympiad III team tourney in which the USSR was invited also to enter a team for the first time.
Walter Muir took over the CCLA post of ICCF-US Secretary in 1969. Muir started playing chess in 1917 and didn’t stop until shortly before his death in December 1999. Muir’s father was Canadian. As a result, Muir was active in both US and Canadian chess. He won the Canadian CCA championship 8 times between 1928 and 1942! He is the first native born American to earn an ICCF Master Title. He had 520 games rated by ICCF at the end of 1997. He was awarded an Honorary Membership in ICCF in 1998.
Also, from USCF:
Walter Muir
Bio from September 1994.
Walter Muir has deservedly earned the title of the Grand Old Man of American Correspondence Chess. His influence is felt everywhere, and his pioneering spirit has led American players into the international arena.
Nine times Canadian Correspondence Chess Association Champion, twice British Overseas CC Champion, 16 time champion of the Illinois CCA, winner of nine ICCF Master Tournaments, qualified seven times for ICCF World Championship second-round play, and played on four Olympiad teams for the United States.
Muir was the first US player to defeat a USSR player (Atjashev) in ICCF competition, and was awarded the title of Interntional Correspondence Chess Master in 1971. Walter has been active as a chess admininstrator and OTB player, but his experience in postal play is non-ariel!
Thanks for the info Mr.e4---. Unfortunately the article that I quoted from does not mention anything at all about Walter Muir having played OTB ( rating info etc ). However the " Check " magazine that I did quote from is published by the CCCA ( Canadian Correspondence Chess Association ) they also mentioned that a Walter Muir Memorial Tournament is to be started soon.
I couldn't find it, either.
I think correspondence chess was once a fine thing. Two friends, halfway around the world, play chess by postcards. Same as ham radio operators...send each a postcard with their call sign.
Nowadays...sitting at a computer and using a computererized database for the first 5, 10, 20...or even more...moves? I think these early CC players would have to be shocked.
That's why online there are guys with a 2,000 rating (for example) who play OTB at only 1400.
Good way to go from a cold (I don't say "bad" anymore...politically incorrect and impolite) chess player to a hot chess player without all the fuss. I suppose.
The online CC players hate me for "telling it like it is". So, don't "let on". (I am redefining my image and sincerely want everyone...yes, even CC players...to like me.)
(I am redefining my image and sincerely want everyone...yes, even CC players...to like me.)
Hmmm, that seems reason alone to not like you!
Thanks for the recent posts, I'm glad that people are enjoying this thread. Regarding Walter Muir one thing that I found very encouraging was the idea of him earning a title at age 66, just terrific I would say.
Yes. And I've been telling you since we first met that aging isn't necessarily a problem toward improving at chess.
I played chess from 15 to 25. Then, I had an absence of 40 years. Got back to it almost 3 years now. I play better than I did when I was young. Why? Did I get smarter? No. Now that I am retired I have more time to study and improve.
Oh...sure...it takes a lot of effort. But I've gotten up to about 1600 in the past few years. My goal is 1800 by age 70 (late next year). Very doable, I think. And, no...I am not talking about database enabled chess. If I were to do that, I could already be 2,000.
So, cabby, I am telling you that if you put in the effort...you too could improve.
This was the cause of our "misunderstanding" (lol). You've said that you've become too feeble-minded to improve...and you are 7 years younger than me. I suppose this could be the case. But, I don't think so. You've "gotta want it". Then you've gotta roll up your sleeves and, by God...make it happen.
But, looks to me...you don't really want it. If that is true, then simply admit it and just enjoy what you have and not fret about the burdens that would otherwise require you to bust a nut to get better. See? (lol)
"You just gotta want it"...oh brother. Looks like you're freezing more than your nuts up there in Greenland.
As your buddy Bobby once said, you have to have the talent. He said he saw lots of guys who wanted it but didn't have the ability. This Sgt Carter stuff ain't gonna cut it in the long run. And anyway, I like Lucky Charms. And I don't trust Capablancas (wasn't cmibu a Capablanca?).
Talent? Certainly. But...Bubba...
We are not talking about helping cabby be a grandmaster. See? Maybe just help him break 1200. Got it?
No, I refuse to "get it." How do you know he can ever break 1200? Do you go all psychic or something north of that Arctic thing? (well, maybe so...at least that way you'd be able to make your way around in the unending night).
Well, you may be right. The old coot may not have the talent to break 1200. Damn if I would know that he could be that good. But, unlike you, I have faith in him.
cabby...do it!...do it!!...do it!!!
And don't listen to any nattering nabob of negativity.
I'm not saying he can't do it...I mean, how the hell would I know? How the hell do any of us know what he can or can't do?
I too wish cabby well. But if you can't do it, you can't do it. At any rate, he'll always have his old DVDs and 45s.
Oh yeah, and thanks for the Spiro (or was that Safire?) quote. Agnew was a lot of fun back in his day. That was a guy who knew how to shake up the turkeys...
As your buddy Bobby once said...
I meant to tell you, Bobby isn't my "buddy". I like you far more than I liked him. Now that's not saying much, but it is at least a modicum of something.
I liked Bobby's chess play, his winner attitude...but not his prima donna ways, failure to defend his title or his crazy rants.
Thing is, there are many more photos, zany happenings, quotations, etc. to write about concerning Bobby than any of the others. Get it...bubba? lol
Recently I have been going back to doing Crossword Puzzles while eating my Breakfast here. However I must explain that I'm not doing the most difficult of the Puzzles, with English being my second language I avoid the " Expert " types ( I'm a fan of the Dell Puzzle books ). I was 10 years old before I learned much English and tho I've become pretty good at yakking, the spelling part has been a bit below par ( I have the pleasure of being a bad speller in two languages lol ).