polleke's Blog

You won't find high level analysis here, just short stories about "chess ralated" stuff I find amusing!

 

The case of the wandering pacifier

Submitted by polleke on Mon Sep 7, 2009 3:00pm.

Not often does it happen that a visitor leaves my house sucking peacefully on one of my chess trophies... Not often, but I would not write this article if it didn't happen this summer! The person to blame: my little niece - or should I blame the t... Read more »

» posted in polleke's Blog

Hidden Treasures

Submitted by polleke on Wed May 13, 2009 2:19pm.

Last weekend I was reunited with the chess pieces I played with when I was a little kid. They were still hanging out in the cigar-box I used to keep them in years ago. The box was hidden somewhere in an antique cupboard in my dad's living room. I ... Read more »

» posted in polleke's Blog

A rating of NIL is a blessing!

Submitted by polleke on Fri Dec 12, 2008 6:42am.

There are certain benefits to having an elo rating of nil. Earlier this year I joined a chessclub, and after shaking the dust from my chess brain in the first couple of months, and some “sniffing out” by my club mates (who is he, is he any goo... Read more »

» posted in polleke's Blog

The Mother of All Bongclouds

Submitted by polleke on Wed Dec 3, 2008 3:50am.

Sir George Alan Thomas. His name may not ring a bell… To me he was a total stranger until I stumbled on some of his chess games. In an attempt to spice up my chess life I bought a number of books on (to me) unorthodox chess openings. One of thes... Read more »

» posted in polleke's Blog

Last Girl Standing

Submitted by polleke on Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:58am.

Having nothing important to occupy my brain with, it occurred to me that female chess players are often good looking. Of course there's taste involved, and given the low number of “girls in chess” the outcome of my pondering is statist... Read more »

» posted in polleke's Blog

Naivety

Submitted by polleke on Sun Jul 27, 2008 8:04am.

Ouch, I had my first bad chess.com experience. Nothing negative about this site, au contraire, my first bad event was completely self-inflicted. Some days ago I received a challenge for a game. I accepted, got the white pieces and was happy that... Read more »

» posted in polleke's Blog

Trench Defence

Submitted by polleke on Thu Jul 10, 2008 7:48am.

A complete opening repertoire against any white first move.  “Come here and look at this position little man!”. We just arrived at my grandparents’ house and I didn’t even get a chance to get rid of my coat. My grandf... Read more »

» posted in polleke's Blog

Chess set 100.001

Submitted by polleke on Thu Jul 3, 2008 4:14am.

I feel greedy today, and I don't like it. In general I aim to possess as little as possible to avoid worrying about the risk of loss, maintenance, tripping etcetra, but for chess sets there's a weird exception. That is where the problem starts...... Read more »

» posted in polleke's Blog

Bad behavior

Submitted by polleke on Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:17am.

Between the age of 7 and 10, playing chess came with a serious risk to my health. Not because I did nothing else and became fat and lazy, nor because I was allergic to the germs that other players left on the chess pieces, but simply because som... Read more »

» posted in polleke's Blog

Grandpa's notebook

Submitted by polleke on Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:59am.

Chess is a wonderful game! Everytime I play it, I am grateful that people took the time to teach me when I was a little boy. My teachers were my grandpa and an uncle - both in love with the game, and determined to convert my soul sooner or later. ... Read more »

» posted in polleke's Blog