...in chess as in life.
Chess is a mental playground for mathematicians. How many ways can you place 8 rooks on a chessboard such that none of them attacks another? This is similar to the 8 Lonely Queens problem that I discussed in another blog. For the... Read more »
Five years before Alekhine became World Champion, he was defeated so surprisingly that he resigned after 55 moves by throwing his king across the room. Alekhine was not exactly the most sanguine player as I have described in a previous blog,... Read more »
In 1848 Max Bezzel published what has become one of the most famous chess puzzles in history. His article appeared in the German chess magazine Die Schachzeitung and introduced the ‘8 Queens’ problem. The task is to place 8... Read more »
Little is known of the reclusive 17th century Italian monk who lends his name to the opening that begins: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 There are no academic histories available regarding Mons... Read more »
French artist Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, having an impact on Dada, Surrealism, and Cubism, among others. He invented the genre of Readymades. He was also excellent at chess and pla... Read more »
In 1824 William Davies Evans (pictured here) of Wales was captain of the first Royal Mail steam ship, christened the Auckland, that made a run from Milford Haven to Waterford. Like all sailing men he was faced with a choice of diversions whe... Read more »
In a related essay I argued that Chess is Good for Your Mind. However, for every coin there is a flip, and heads sometimes become tails. Water is a healthy drink, but imbibe too much of it too fast and you can die of water intoxication... Read more »
Many people believe, or perhaps hope, that playing the game of chess is somehow beneficial. Ben Franklin wrote an essay that is widely available on the web about how chess improves one’s moral character. Let’s consider more... Read more »
As we saw in previous installments of this series that discuss the players behind the named openings, the Caro-Kann Opening (1. e4 c6) draws its name not from its inventor. Rather, the opening is named after Englishman Horatio Caro (18... Read more »
Most chess ratings calculations originate with the ideas of the Hungarian Arpad Elo (not pictured here). A physics professor in the U.S., Elo devised a basis for calculating ratings based on simple statistical concepts. His funda... Read more »
kurtgoddenUnited States
If you are intellectual or just like an occasional chess chuckle, then I think you will like my blog. You can get chess tips and tricks from anywhere, but where can you read about my topics? (Answer: only here.)
I especially enjoy your comments and encouragement, so please communicate if you see something you like.
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Most Popular (at least 1,800 reads):
Elo to Glicko: Your Rating ExplainedStill a Victim of ChessAnd the Best Player Ever is...The Longest Possible Chess GameThe Devil's Dictionary of ChessChess is Bad for Your MindThe Passion of Chess6 Pawns on a FileChess CheatersBlindfold ChessChess Jokes: Practical and Otherwise
Blogs that I Personally Like:
Chess is Good for Your Mind
Best Chess Quotes You've Never Seen
Even the Gods Can Blunder
A Tour of the Knight's Tour
How Your Chess Program Defeats You, part 1
Chess Comedy!
Chess Jokes: Practical and Otherwise
Be a Six-Sigma Chess Player
Chess Boxing
The Devil's Dictionary of Chess
Who was Giuoco Piano?
Which Openings Should You Learn?
My Continuing Series of Blogs Named after Players:
The Names behind the Openings, Part 1
Bird to Bogo
Caro, Kann and Chigorin – Openings Players
Evans and Göring: Gambiteers
A Greenfield Opening
Who Suggested 1. b3 ??
Nimzowitsch (in 4 syllables)
Petrov and the Mysterious Morphy Self-Mate
What was Philidor Thinking?
The Inauspicious Réti
The Orhid Opening of Robatsch