Hi Everyone,

With an ink pen and a legal pad of paper, and many revisions, I was able to organize my thoughts so I could share them with you.

My Image and my username:

My image is a Draken. A dragon from Old Norse ( Draki ) or from Greek ( Dracon ) came to be known as a Draken. The Teurisci were an ancient Celtic tribe. Vale means valley.

A Special Day in the Vale:

I want to tell you a tale that happened long ago in the valley of the Teurisci. This day would not be an ordinary day in the vale. The sun was shining bright, the birds sang a sweet tune, the creatures went to and fro, and the Teurisci went about their daily routines. Here lived a Draken who was very mysterious.

One day, while he was sitting on his favorite hillside, an idea came to him. Let’s have a chess tournament. We can send out invitations, see who responds, and serve food and drink. The idea would not leave his mind.

This would be a day of celebration. A menu was planned: tea, grilled cheese sandwiches, crinkly french fries with 3 special dips, and chocolates for later. Soon, replies began to arrive. Most common was, “Looking forward to it! I’ll see you there.” Finally, the day came. The matches began.

Who would win? Who would lose? Perhaps a draw? Would the challengers and the Draken become friends? Afterwards would come the analysis. The Teurisci offered to all, tea and chocolate. It was agreed that the tournament was a success. The Draken proposed that the tournament should become an annual event. The Teurisici cheered. The valley would never be the same again.

About Me:

My name is Duane. I am a husband, father, and grandfather. I love the game of chess, but chess puzzles even more. A few other things I enjoy are reading a good book, birdwatching, working on family genealogy, and spending time with family and good friends.

I was introduced to the game of chess by an uncle when I was 11 years old and shown a few fundamentals of the game. I was excited when I arrived home. Sadly, I found no chess clubs, and nobody wanted to play chess. That was long ago. Today we start again.

A few quotes I came across and wanted to share with you all:

“When you see a good move, look for a better one.” by Emanuel Lasker

“Strategy is not just making a series of moves, but an understanding of the entire game.” by Alexandra Kosteniuk

“Play openings like a book, the middle game like a magician, and the endgame like a machine.” by Rudolph Spielman

“In chess, as in life, a good move can lead to success. But sometimes, it’s the unexpected moves that bring the greatest victories.” by Judith Polgar

"Play for enjoyment, not to win prizes and, most importantly, don't be afraid of losing a game". by Michail Tal'

Thanks for reading this.

Draken-of-Teurisci-Vale