Saturday Afternoon Chess/Open Thread 09-24-2016 [OregonMuse]

Good afternoon morons and moronettes, and welcome to the Saturday Afternoon Chess/Open Thread, the only AoSHQ thread with content specifically for all of us chess nerds who pay homage in the temple of Caïssa, goddess of the chessboard. And, for those of you who aren't nerdly enough for chess, you can use this thread to talk about checkers, or other games, or politics, or whatever you wish, only please try to keep it civil. Nobody wants to get into a hockey brawl on a Saturday afternoon.

"Why must I lose to this idiot?"
--~~Hillary Clinton~~ Aron Nimzowitsch

Nimowitsch said this after losing a crucial game to Friedrich Saemisch. Actually, he stood on a table and shouted it: "Gegen diesen Idioten muss ich verlieren?"

Nimzo's record against Saemisch was, at that point, 4-1. They played 5 more times after that and Nimzo won them all. That one loss must've hurt real bad.

Problem 1 - White To Play (110)

Hint: White mates in 2

3r4/1p5p/p1b3pk/R7/1P4B1/2Q3PP/1P1q1P2/6K1 w - - 0 1

Problem 2 - Black To Play (276)

Hint: Black wins a piece

White's queen is being attacked by the bishop on f5. White played 15.Qe2 to get out of the line of fire. That's a really bad move. Why? And for extra credit, what would be a better move?

r3qrk1/pp1n3p/2p2bp1/4pb2/2P5/1PN2NP1/P1Q2PBP/R4RK1 w - - 0 15

Chess Variant - Chess960

Chess gets regularly written off as being "played out". Meaning, we know what the good moves are, so what we're eventually going to get is an endless series of draws. A number of rules modifications have been proposed to avert this "draw death." Many involve additional new pieces and larger boards, to make the game more complicated. As I discussed last week, I generally don't care for them.

At some point, someone proposed modifying the opening position by randomly shuffling the back row pieces. But that creates oddities like the possibility of having both bishops on the same color square, and castling become problematic.

So, in 1996, former WC Bobby Fischer publicly announced his own variant, Chess960 (also called Fischer Random Chess) which was an improvement over the completely random "shuffle" chess. In Chess960, the only legal starting positions are those with bishops on opposite-colored squares, and the king placed between the rooks.

Under these constraints, it turns out there are 960 different possible starting positions to choose from. Hence the name of the variant.

Oh, and the black pieces need to be set up the same way as the white pieces, whatever configuration is chosen, so they're mirror images of each other, just like traditional chess.

The rules are pretty much the same. Castling is a bit different. Full rules are here.

I've actually played a few 960 games against my chess app, and I enjoyed it. 500 years of opening theory are completely gone, so you're on your own from move 1. Opening principles (develop your pieces, fight for the center, don't move your queen out too early, etc.) still apply. Depending on the starting position, there may be some unprotected pawns, so you'll have to deal with that. And I have found that the longer the game goes on, the more it starts to look like traditional chess. Perhaps a grandmaster with a more discerning eye wouldn't agree, but I can't tell the difference once I'm sufficiently into the middle game.

Here's an example of a Chess960 starting position.

The players need to check to see if there are any unprotected pawns, and sure, enough, in this position, there are a couple, namely, the 'a' and 'b' pawns. So, White might want to open with 1.f4, which opens an attack on Black's pawn at a7. Black can counter with 1...Nc6. This move has the advantage of not only defending the a7 pawn, but also prevents White from attacking the unguarded b7 pawn with 2.g3. Of course, instead of 2.g3, White can think about 2.Bh4, which puts pressure on Black's e7 pawn, which is only guarded by the King. 3.Qc5 would threaten a version of the Scholar's Mate. Or, White could just open more conventionally with 1.d4, which grabs a piece of the center and frees up the dark-square Bishop. There's all kinds of things you can do here.

If you want to try Chess960 for yourself, go to chess.org, click on "Play Against Computer" which will open a pop-up window, select "Chess960", then click on "Create Game".

I haven't found a way to play Chess960 against a computer opponent on Chess.com.

Problem 3 - White To Play (277)

Hint: White mates in 3

Control of the center is one of the great strategic principles of chess. And in this position, we see that White has pretty much established dominance in the center. So how does White cash in his strategic superiority for a huge tactical advantage?

2kr1b1r/pp6/2n1P1p1/3N3p/2BP1BP1/3K1Q2/PPP5/6q1 w - - 0 1

The 10 Most Important Moments in Chess History

Fun chess.com article. The "moments" are arranged in chronological order. I disagree with a number of their selections, but they'd be fun to kick around.

Problem 4 - White To Play (28

Here's a game wherein my endgame-fu was weak. I'm playing White against moron commenter 'fluffy', and he's not letting me win, curse him. We reach this position:

4r3/2R3p1/1p1p1k1p/1PbB4/2P2P2/6P1/6KP/8 w - - 0 38
After 37...Re8

So we're in the endgame and I think it's looking kind of drawish. Despite me being up by a pawn, it's not clear to me how I can make progress: his rook on e8 looks dangerous and he's threatening to get into my face with ...Re2+ So I move 38.Bf3 to prevent this incursion. I think I did good, and the game was eventually drawn. But then I ran chess.com's computer analysis on the completed game and it labelled 38.Bf3 as a big blunder. It suggested a much better move, one that would lead to a winning advantage for White, i.e. me. So, what might this move, and the subsequent winning line, be?

Endgame of the Week (80)

Hoo boy:

4Q3/r6k/5K2/8/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1

KQ v KR is one of the most complicated endgames in chess. To draw, Black must keep King and Rook together. To win, White must pry them apart (usually by forcing Black into zugzwang where he has to move the rook away), and then apply a forking check to pick off the rook.

Is this a win, generally speaking? You advanced players can correct me if I'm wrong on this, but I had always understood that previously, it had been thought that KQ v KR is a win for White, but not all of the time. There exists certain KQ v KR positions wherein Black can draw. That's what they used to think. However, modern computer-aided analysis has determined that KQ v KR is a win for White in all cases. But we needed a computer to tell us this, that means the winning line in certain positions is so hidden that a mere human may not be able to find it over the board. And in a tournament, you'll have the "50 move" rule to contend with.

But that's not the case here. In this position, the work of forcing king and rook apart has already been done. Your job is to maneuver your Queen into a position where you can set up a fork on the rook. If you can do that, that's a won game. After you capture the rook, I'll assume you know how to checkmate a lone King with your queen and king. Because that's a basic checkmate you can do in your sleep, right? RIGHT?

Perhaps a good hint would be what the fork will look like, so it will give you something to aim at.

Hint: Don't give Black an opportunity to move his rook. If you do, then you've lost the thread of the problem. So you want the rook to remain of on a7, and the idea is to force the Black king to the 8th rank, either g8 or h8, and if you can then move Qb8+, you've got your fork

___________

Solutions Update

Problem 1 - White To Play (110)

1.Rh5+ gxh5
2.Qf6#

Problem 2 - Black To Play (276)

15.Qe2?? is a blunder because of the reply 15...e4! which wins a piece. Both knights are under attack and White will lose one of them.

Knowing this, a better move for White, one that would block the attack, would be 15.Ne4. Then if Black increases the pressure with 15...Nc5, White has 16.Nfd2.

Problem 3 - White To Play (277)

This is very similar to one we had a couple three weeks ago:

1.Nb6+ axb6
2.Qxc6+ bxc6
3.Ba6#

Another fine example of Boden's mate.

Problem 4 - White To Play (288 )

I had overlooked 38.Rf7+. Well, I saw it, but I didn't really see any future in it, so I didn't play it. The computer, however, showed me otherwise:

38...Kg6 is Black' only move.

39.f5+ Kh7

Why Kh7? Because the two other possibilities lead to quick checkmates:

39...Kg5
40.h4+ Kg4
41.Bf3#

and

39...Kh5
40.Bf3+ Kg5
41.h4#

So, back to the main line

40.f6 Kg6 (if 40...Rg8 then 41.Re7)
41.Re7 Kxf6
42.Rxe8 and White should win, being up an entire rook.

It's amazing how much I miss during games.

Endgame of the Week (80)

The idea is for White to work his Queen down to the b8-h2 diagonal, so he can deliver a forking check on b8.

1.Qh5+ Kg8
2.Qg4+ Kh7
3.Qh3+ Kg8
4.Qg3+ Kh7

Not 4...Kh8? because of 5.Qb8+

5.Qh2+ Kg8
6.Qb8+ and wins

If Black instead chooses 2...Kh8, there follows

3.Qh3+ Kg8
4.Qg3+ Kh7
5.Qh2+ Kg8
6.Qb8+ winning

___________

Note: that cryptic line of letters and numbers you see underneath each board diagram is a representation of the position in what is known as "Forsyth-Edwards Notation", or F.E.N. It's actually readable by humans. Most computer applications nowadays can read FEN, so those of you who may want to study the position, you can copy the line of FEN and paste into your chess app and it should automatically recreate the position on its display board. Or, Windows users can just "triple click" on it and the entire line will be highlighted so you can copy and past it into your chess app.

___________

So that about wraps it up for this week. Chess thread tips, suggestions, bribes, rumors, threats, and insults may be sent to my yahoo address: OregonMuse little-a-in-a-circle yahoo dott com.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 04:43 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Chuck Norris doesn't go hunting, CHUCK NORRIS GOES KILLING!

Posted by: tu3031 at September 24, 2016 04:43 PM (qJhUV)

2 ...and first

Posted by: tu3031 at September 24, 2016 04:44 PM (qJhUV)

3 Qp4 or d4

Posted by: Skip at September 24, 2016 04:46 PM (JfUI4)

4 Problem 1:

1. Rh5+ gxh5
2. Qf6#

Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 04:46 PM (sdi6R)

5 Hydrogen. The building block of the entire limitless galaxy. Oxygen, without which we could never fathom the stars. Everyday we should thank a HO for our existence.

Posted by: Neil de Grassy Knoll at September 24, 2016 04:50 PM (ZFUt7)

6 4 Problem 1:

1. Rh5+ gxh5
2. Qf6#
Posted by: rickl the deplorable

Correct. Beat me to it.

Solving time: 3 seconds.

Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 04:51 PM (jBuUi)

7 Problem 2:

If Qe2, then black plays ...e5 and attacks both knights simultaneously.

Solving time: 2 seconds.

Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 04:52 PM (jBuUi)

8 Game thread!

If you game on the PC, seig heil:
http://www.pcinvasion.com/michael-pachter-pc-gamers-racists-twits

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at September 24, 2016 04:53 PM (6FqZa)

9 #1
Bh5, xh5?
Qf6 mate

Posted by: Skip at September 24, 2016 04:54 PM (JfUI4)

10 Problem 3:

Nb6+ PxN
QxN+ PxQ
Ba6 mate

Solving time: 1 second.

Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 04:54 PM (jBuUi)

11

Aren't those checker pieces supposed to be round, red & black?

Posted by: In Vino Veritits at September 24, 2016 04:55 PM (ZKlDy)

12 Sounds like Nimowitsch needed to be put back on his ass.

Posted by: Mr. Peebles at September 24, 2016 04:55 PM (iLoHX)

13 Gah!

I just got a very expensive, very poorly packaged and very damaged LP delivered.

Posted by: garrett at September 24, 2016 04:56 PM (cF2Eu)

14 Problem 2:

Qe2 allows e4 which causes all kinds of threats. I'd be inclined to play Ne4 which blocks the pawn and allows the queen time to squirm away.

Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 04:56 PM (sdi6R)

15 Hah.

Hellary is bringing Mark Cuban to Monday's debate, probably in hopes it will throw Trump off.

Gennifer Flowers has agreed to be there with Trump.

Check. Mate.

Posted by: this is how you play the game! at September 24, 2016 04:57 PM (H9MG5)

16 Problem 4:

Hmmm, this is a little more vague.

What immediately leaps to mind is

Rf7+ Kg6
f5+ Kh7
f6

and suddenly black is all tied up and may be losing a pawn soon. But I only spent 10 seconds on it, so I'm not sure.

Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 04:57 PM (jBuUi)

17

If you game on the PC, seig heil:

So PC gamers are, ironically, not PC?

Posted by: Mr. Peebles at September 24, 2016 04:59 PM (iLoHX)

18 Endgame of the week:

Backwards queen diagonals the whole way.

Start with Qh5+, then Qg4+, etc. backup up on diagonals the whole way, until the rook can be picked off. If the black king tried to escape with f8, then smother-mate him on the back rank.

Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 05:00 PM (jBuUi)

19 I just got a very expensive, very poorly packaged and very damaged LP delivered.

I once got a laserdisc set nicely cracked through the middle because some yob couldn't be bothered to pack it right.

Posted by: Mr. Peebles at September 24, 2016 05:01 PM (iLoHX)

20 Contributing to the /Open Thread portion:

What is so bizarre to me is the fact that Hillary cannot sell her book, she cannot induce people to put up signs/bumper stickers on her behalf, and she cannot attract a crowd when she appears anywhere, yet supposedly she has a tremendous following, keeping her numbers very close to Trump's. These must be very low-key people, shadow people, people not to be seen. It's weird, and I believe something very, very rotten is occurring.

Posted by: washrivergal madly and deeply deplorable at September 24, 2016 05:01 PM (CFc5L)

21 >>I once got a laserdisc set nicely cracked through the middle because some yob couldn't be bothered to pack it right.

Yep.

People.

Posted by: garrett at September 24, 2016 05:03 PM (cF2Eu)

22 And speaking of games, those Ole Miss guys whipped by Dawgs like a red headed step child today.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at September 24, 2016 05:03 PM (mpXpK)

23 14 Problem 2:

Qe2 allows e4 which causes all kinds of threats. I'd be inclined to play Ne4 which blocks the pawn and allows the queen time to squirm away.
Posted by: rickl

Yes, when I wrote "e5" in comment #7, I of course meant e4, because the pawn is already in e5.

I still mostly think in "English notation," and will NEVER get used to algebraic. Once you learn one kind of notation, it sticks to you for life, like learning a native language when you're a toddler. You will always think in that language.

Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 05:04 PM (jBuUi)

24 I just got a very expensive, very poorly packaged and very damaged LP delivered.

Vinyl? That sucks.

Posted by: Infidel at September 24, 2016 05:04 PM (fuo45)

25 >>she has a tremendous following, keeping her numbers very close to Trump's. These must be very low-key people, shadow people, people not to be seen.

It's mostly because they are Dead or they really only exist on Voter Rolls.

Posted by: Voter Fraud? at September 24, 2016 05:04 PM (cF2Eu)

26 Yep. Vinyl.

Hopefully the Vinyl Itself isn't as bad as the Sleeve / Gatefold.

Which is split in several places, dinged on all 4 corners and creased.

I just don't have the patience to even look at this moment.

Posted by: garrett at September 24, 2016 05:06 PM (cF2Eu)

27 20 Contributing to the /Open Thread portion:

What is so bizarre to me is the fact that Hillary cannot sell her book, she cannot induce people to put up signs/bumper stickers on her behalf, and she cannot attract a crowd when she appears anywhere, yet supposedly she has a tremendous following, keeping her numbers very close to Trump's. These must be very low-key people, shadow people, people not to be seen. It's weird, and I believe something very, very rotten is occurring.
Posted by: washrivergal madly

I spent all day yesterday in parts of Oakland and Berkeley that consistently vote 80+% Democratic in every election, and throughout the entire day, all combined, I saw ZERO Hillary signs! Zilch. None.

I did see about 40 leftover Obama stickers from 2008 and 2012, however. So even 8-year-old leftover Obama is more popular than today's steaming hot Hillary.

Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 05:06 PM (jBuUi)

28 Lotsa stiffs in Colorado are voting this year...

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at September 24, 2016 05:07 PM (6FqZa)

29 "Chuck Norris doesn't go hunting, CHUCK NORRIS GOES KILLING!"

Deer fall down when they see him, hold their breath, and, pass out. Chuck finishes the job.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at September 24, 2016 05:07 PM (kVBS6)

30 20 Posted by: washrivergal madly and deeply deplorable at September 24, 2016 05:01 PM (CFc5L)

You haven't been following the threads this week. What you are seeing in most of those polls are totally outlandish weighting fractions for the Republican Democrat Independent split. Some of those polls give Scankles a 15% normalization fraction in a State Obama only won by a few percent.

One thing to always keep in mind on polls, ALWAYS look at the weighting numbers. If the Dems get more than a few percent in a tossup State it is a BS poll.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at September 24, 2016 05:08 PM (mpXpK)

31 Very unfortunate but i do believe that vulgar clown show star has passed the margin of manipulating the intent of the voters.

I think I will strike a new medal to give to my friends. Yes, that is what I shall do.

President Obama will receive the very first "Excellence in Race Relations" medal. This will be a day long remembered in Kennebunkport!

Posted by: Jeb! at September 24, 2016 05:08 PM (d76uN)

32 So after last week's chess thread, I was looking around the web to read about shatranj or chaturanga, the ancestral forms of chess. I found this site, which is pretty interesting:

http://history.chess.free.fr/index.htm

It contains links to several historical variants of chess. One of them is Tamerlane Chess, which was apparently played in Persia in the 14th century:

http://history.chess.free.fr/tamerlane.htm

This is absolutely demented. Just reading about it makes my head hurt. This is what I'd expect to see if you crossed chess with Calvinball.

Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 05:10 PM (sdi6R)

33 " Very unfortunate but i do believe that vulgar clown show star has passed the margin of manipulating the intent of the voters. "

You're going to have to be more specific.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at September 24, 2016 05:10 PM (kVBS6)

34

Any word on the WA mall shooter

Awfully weird no id on the shooters. Or victims

Posted by: ThunderB at September 24, 2016 05:11 PM (qq4lq)

35 Lotsa stiffs in Colorado are voting this year...

That article infuriated me. I hate all mail in ballots.

How did the door knocking fgo?

Posted by: Infidel at September 24, 2016 05:11 PM (fuo45)

36 I still mostly think in "English notation," and will NEVER get used to algebraic. Once you learn one kind of notation, it sticks to you for life, like learning a native language when you're a toddler. You will always think in that language.

Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 05:04 PM (jBuUi)

I first learned English Descriptive as a yoot, used it for years, hated algebraic, and avoided it whenever I could. But then the whole (chess) world turned algebraic, and so I switched over in the early/mid 1990s. And the more I used it, the more I liked it. Now I think in algebraic, and if I ever read one of the old books, I will frequently makes mistakes with the English Descriptive.

Posted by: OregonMuse at September 24, 2016 05:11 PM (7A3+M)

37 Zombie, is my understanding of the KQ vs. KR endgame correct, or did I mess something up?

Posted by: OregonMuse at September 24, 2016 05:14 PM (7A3+M)

38 Dang fat fingers.

Posted by: Infidel at September 24, 2016 05:14 PM (fuo45)

39 What immediately leaps to mind is
Rf7+ Kg6
f5+ Kh7
f6

and suddenly black is all tied up and may be losing a pawn soon. But I only spent 10 seconds on it, so I'm not sure.

Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 04:57 PM (jBuUi)

Keep going with this. You've found exactly what the computer analysis found.

Posted by: OregonMuse at September 24, 2016 05:16 PM (7A3+M)

40 "Awfully weird no id on the shooters. Or victims"

They're still trying to some right-wing connections. Give 'em a day or two and then details will start trickling out.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at September 24, 2016 05:17 PM (kVBS6)

41
Over at HotAir, Now it's Just Getting Kinda Sad, Ed Morrissey is using as his Appeal to Authority --

Jeff B.

hotair.com/archives/2016/09/24/cruz-forgiven-trump-personal-attacks/

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at September 24, 2016 05:18 PM (kdS6q)

42 Said he hollered a womans name

Perhaps Ally Akbar?

Posted by: ThunderB at September 24, 2016 05:19 PM (qq4lq)

43 Posted by: Ricardo Kill at September 24, 2016 05:10 PM (kVBS6)

A considerarla como un acto de amor para pasar por alto cualquier pregunta que pueda tener.

Si peudo!

Posted by: Jeb! at September 24, 2016 05:22 PM (d76uN)

44 >>Over at HotAir, Now it's Just Getting Kinda Sad, Ed Morrissey is using as his Appeal to Authority --

Jeff B.

They probably listen to Genesis while they practice their docking.

Posted by: garrett at September 24, 2016 05:23 PM (cF2Eu)

45 Family had a pet coon as a kid. He was like a dog.

But he would shit under everyhtying.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at September 24, 2016 05:23 PM (kVBS6)

46 >>Said he hollered a womans name

ADRIENNE!

Posted by: Rocky the Mall Shooter at September 24, 2016 05:23 PM (cF2Eu)

47
Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 05:06 PM (jBuUi)

That's what I keep reading. People living in the bluest areas are saying the same thing: Zero signs/bumper stickers for Hillary. I've seen none. Only Trump and a smattering of Bernie.

Posted by: washrivergal madly and deeply deplorable at September 24, 2016 05:24 PM (CFc5L)

48 37 Zombie, is my understanding of the KQ vs. KR endgame correct, or did I mess something up?
Posted by: OregonMuse

Your summation was pretty much exactly correct!

To phrase it more concisely:

Q vs. R is ALWAYS a win for the queen if there is no limitation on the number of moves in a game.

However, some specific positions require more than 50 moves of maneuvering to win, and in those cases, if you are playing in a tournament with the "50-move rule" (i.e. if 50 moves in a row pass in a game with no captures or pawn moves, then it is declared automatically a draw), with perfect defensive moves the player with the rook can indeed force a draw.

And yes, the strategy is to pry the rook away from the king sufficiently to set up a "fork"-type check that attacks the rook and king simultaneously with the diagonal and horizontal powers of the queen.

Keep in mind that playing BOTH sides is incredibly difficult.

There was a famous challenge match in the 1990s between GM Walter Browne, one the strongest players in the US at that time, playing with the queen against a powerful computer playing with the rook. The position was known and already proven to be a forced win in 38 moves with best play. The computer team challenged Browne to see if he could beat the computer in under 50 moves.

Browne scoffed at their hubris and accepted.

And...
He...
FAILED!

Could not do it. The computer play the absolute best defensive move each time. Browne also played perfectly 95% o the time, but on 3 moves he made inaccuracies that pushed back the forced win a few more moves, and after the third inaccuracy it was pushed over 50 and he couldn't mate. He was furious.

And of course no human could even tell where his inaccuracies were. It was only later, with computer analysis, when his blunders were discovered.

Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 05:25 PM (jBuUi)

49
CNN: Forty eight hours before the debate and our CNN contibuters are calling Hillary Clinton the clear winner. 'It's obvious she's going to power through Donald Trump', they agree, 'even with the lingering effects of pneumonia. That's wining, in anyones book'.

Our impartial contributers include unindicted co-conspirators Sid Blumenthal, Lanny Davis, and James Carville.

Posted by: se pa moron at September 24, 2016 05:26 PM (ZFUt7)

50

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at September 24, 2016 05:08 PM (mpXpK)

Then the polls are bogus. Is it naive for me to think that they should not be legitimized by being published at all?

Posted by: washrivergal madly and deeply deplorable at September 24, 2016 05:28 PM (CFc5L)

51 A considerarla como un acto de amor para pasar por alto cualquier pregunta que pueda tener.

Si peudo!

I don't need a Mexican prostitute or wife.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at September 24, 2016 05:29 PM (kVBS6)

52 39 What immediately leaps to mind is
Rf7+ Kg6
f5+ Kh7
f6

and suddenly black is all tied up and may be losing a pawn soon. But I only spent 10 seconds on it, so I'm not sure.

Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 04:57 PM (jBuUi)

Keep going with this. You've found exactly what the computer analysis found.
Posted by: OregonMuse

Well, the end of the combination is at that point quite direct:

After f6 black MUST defend the pawn with Rg8, but then white simply slides his rook back along the 7th rank, exposing the bishop attack on the black rook, forcing it to move, which then allows Rxg7+ and it's crush time.

Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 05:30 PM (jBuUi)

53 Trump to bring Gennifer Flowers to the debate.

King of all Trolls.

" Hey Hill, better put some ice on that."

Posted by: The Deplorable Mr Aspirin Factory at September 24, 2016 05:31 PM (ytIUA)

54 Posted by: Ricardo Kill at September 24, 2016 05:29 PM (kVBS6)

I beg your pardon profoundly Mr. Kill but with your name I mistook you for one of my donors. However, after perusing my lists and not finding your name, I do not see why I should speak to you at all.

I will however refer your name to the local day labor office and see if they are in need of help.

Posted by: Jeb! at September 24, 2016 05:33 PM (d76uN)

55 50 Then the polls are bogus. Is it naive for me to think that they should not be legitimized by being published at all?

Posted by: washrivergal madly and deeply deplorable at September 24, 2016 05:28 PM (CFc5L
I pulled the internals of the 3 polls that Ace quoted in his article this past week and those were all good. So as of that day those 3 polls were about as accurate as you will see.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at September 24, 2016 05:35 PM (mpXpK)

56 Just wondering what others think of the controversy dealing with the movie that portrays a girl from Uganda as some kind of chess prodigy when she really isn't she's more of an average player or an average club player. Her score or raking is in the 1600.

Posted by: Patrick from Ohio at September 24, 2016 05:37 PM (dKiJG)

57
Hillary Clinton losing the so-called 'intelligentsia' voter in droves...

The tightening, according to Quinnipiac, is mostly due to shifts among white college-educated voters: In�August, Clinton had a 25-point lead among that group (58 percent to 33 percent) but�now�leads Trump by just 5 points (45 percent to 40 percent).

Posted by: se pa moron at September 24, 2016 05:38 PM (ZFUt7)

58 Doorknocking has definitely been better. Most of the doors today were smug lefty douches. For some reason yesterday evening's doors were better.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at September 24, 2016 05:38 PM (6FqZa)

59 Zombie,

There are no K+Q vs K+R endings that are longer than 50 moves with perfect play. The longest, I think, are 35 moves, and if I remember correctly, there are 4 of those.

There are, of course, drawn endings when the player with the rook also has a pawn.

For the given ending, today- check from h5, d5, h1, then g2 I think bags the rook, or white mates black otherwise.

Posted by: Yancey Ward at September 24, 2016 05:38 PM (vTVKC)

60 g'afternoon, 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at September 24, 2016 05:39 PM (KCxzN)

61 The chess.org link doesn't work for me.

However, just today I found a website where I can play shatranj against the computer:

https://www.jocly.com/#/game/shatranj-chess

I even won my first game! I didn't realize I had mate when I made my final move.

Then I discovered that the default setting on the computer was weak, and when I changed it to "medium", it kicked my ass in the next three games.

Still, this is a nice find. I'm fascinated by shatranj, which was chess for 1000 years before the modern rules were developed. Rooks and knights are the most powerful pieces on the board, but you have to watch out for those elephants. They're tricksy, moving two squares diagonally and jumping over intervening pieces. And like Chess960, you have to throw out all you know about openings.

Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 05:39 PM (sdi6R)

62 Jesus H Christ! Just got back from the store and turned on the Tennessee game, it's halftime, and the first thing I hear is about some of the players taking a knee during the national anthem because of the recent "police violence."

Is everyone eff'n insane? I HATE what's being shoved down our throats. Are the police not allowed to defend themselves against armed aggression?

Let's make some no-go zones in this country and see how these poor discriminated against yutes like it.

Posted by: Subterranean JT at September 24, 2016 05:40 PM (qG0hz)

63 Ed Morrissey is using as his Appeal to Authority -- Jeff B.

"It's nice here with a view of the trees,
Eating with a spoon because
They don't give you knives"

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at September 24, 2016 05:41 PM (6FqZa)

64 Trump to bring Gennifer Flowers to the debate.

King of all Trolls.

" Hey Hill, better put some ice on that."

Posted by: The Deplorable Mr Aspirin Factory at September 24, 2016 05:31 PM (ytIUA)

They just don't get that Trump isn't going to play by the white gloved, surrender at all costs, Vichy Republican rules

Posted by: TheQuietMan at September 24, 2016 05:41 PM (auHtY)

65 56 Just wondering what others think of the controversy dealing with the movie that portrays a girl from Uganda as some kind of chess prodigy when she really isn't she's more of an average player or an average club player. Her score or raking is in the 1600.
Posted by: Patrick from Ohio at September 24, 2016 05:37 PM (dKiJG)

Oh... much the same as I feel about a TV show that shows a 120 lbs black female, as a MAJOR League Pitcher?

TV and movies are trying to change our perception of what reality is....

Posted by: Don Q. at September 24, 2016 05:41 PM (qf6WZ)

66 Meant g1 at the end.

Posted by: Yancey Ward at September 24, 2016 05:41 PM (vTVKC)

67
Let's make some no-go zones in this country and see how these poor discriminated against yutes like it.

Posted by: Subterranean JT at September 24, 2016 05:40 PM (qG0hz)

That's rather harsh, but I like it!

Posted by: DJ Jazzy Mel at September 24, 2016 05:42 PM (75WaT)

68 Does this stuff just come easy to some people, or is it the benefit of many years of playing the game?

Posted by: Insomniac - Irredeemably Deplorable at September 24, 2016 05:42 PM (0mRoj)

69
Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at September 24, 2016 05:35 PM (mpXpK)

Thanks. Still, in my view, she should be getting three votes, tops - and that would include Bill, who I am not really sure would really vote for her.

Posted by: washrivergal madly and deeply deplorable at September 24, 2016 05:42 PM (CFc5L)

70 Hah.

Hellary is bringing Mark Cuban to Monday's debate, probably in hopes it will throw Trump off.

Gennifer Flowers has agreed to be there with Trump.

Check. Mate.

Posted by: this is how you play the game! at September 24, 2016 04:57 PM (H9MG5)

Why would Mark Cuban throw Trump off?

Is he going to light his farts when Trump speaks?

Posted by: Burnt Toast at September 24, 2016 05:44 PM (P/kVC)

71 53 Trump to bring Gennifer Flowers to the debate.

King of all Trolls.

" Hey Hill, better put some ice on that."
Posted by: The Deplorable Mr Aspirin Factory at September 24, 2016 05:31 PM (ytIUA)

Hey.... and he could ask Monica Lewinsky too! Just make sure she wears a Blue Dress?

Posted by: Don Q. at September 24, 2016 05:44 PM (qf6WZ)

72 One of the things I like about shatranj is that it is more like a war game than modern chess. Pawns can only move one square, so the opening position is like the opposing armies are in camp, and it takes awhile for them to advance into battle formation.

Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 05:45 PM (sdi6R)

73 15-2, 15-4 and a pair is 6

Posted by: Semilitterate at September 24, 2016 05:46 PM (ZRH0N)

74 Trump could invite all the rape victims and take up the first ten rows.

Posted by: The Deplorable Mr Aspirin Factory at September 24, 2016 05:47 PM (ytIUA)

75 Dig up Gaddafi and put him up there too.

Posted by: Burnt Toast at September 24, 2016 05:50 PM (P/kVC)

76 "Dig up Gaddafi and put him up there too."

"The Colonel's a bit under the weather, being dead and all, so I appreciate my friend Ben Ghazi providing assistance with the wheel chair."

Posted by: Cloyd Freud, Unemployed at September 24, 2016 05:53 PM (97XyN)

77 Are no-go zones the same thing as safe spaces?

/

Posted by: Wenda (sic) at September 24, 2016 05:55 PM (pZEKq)

78 Twitter says shooter is ahmed Mohamad. Hoax i think. Thsts clock boys name

Posted by: ThunderB at September 24, 2016 05:56 PM (qq4lq)

79 I attended the Washington State Fair in Puyallup, WA and in the "Hall of Hobbies" I saw someone's collection of unusual chess sets. There was a Dr. Who chess set, a Nintendo Mario one, Star Trek, Star Wars, etc. etc. There was some kind of 3D thing with three boards in a vertical configuration.

The most interesting one to me was a set for a game called "Beyond Chess". In "Beyond Chess, on your turn you move a piece and also move a section of the board. Seems like it would be a whole new game.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/34919/beyond-chess

If anyone expresses interest I would be willing to upload the photos I took of the unusual chess sets.

Posted by: mr_jack at September 24, 2016 05:57 PM (5qySz)

80 Hey if any of y'all are in the Austin area - NW Austin in particular, come on out to the Leander Bluegrass Festival tonight at Robin Bledsoe Park. I will have a booth there selling #NeverHillary t-shirts & bumper stickers. Got some #Texit t-shirts too! Sorry for the plug. Also not sorry.

Posted by: Texas Zombie at September 24, 2016 06:00 PM (SUtNI)

81 Problem 4:

38.Rf7+ Kg6
39.f5+ Kh7
40.f6 Kg6
41.fxg7 Rg8
42.Rf8 Kxg7
43.Rxg8+ Kf6

Traded pawns and stole a rook.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 24, 2016 06:01 PM (R+30W)

82 Endgame:
1.Qg6+ Kh8
2.Qh5+ Kg8
3.Qg4+ Kh7
4.Qh3+ Kg8
5.Qg3+ Kh7
6.Qh2+ Kg8
7.Qb8+ Kh7
8.Qxa7+ Kh6

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 24, 2016 06:02 PM (R+30W)

83 74 - It would take more than ten rows...the bengazi families, BIlly Dale and the other Travel Office victims, and all the women he's had consensual sex with. Maybe the women could all wear blue dresses. Juanita, Paula, Monica and Gennifer get front row seats.. ...

Posted by: vivi at September 24, 2016 06:04 PM (11H2y)

84

Posted by: Texas Zombie at September 24, 2016 06:00 PM (SUtNI)

Way too far away for me, but I'd go if I could. Please let us know how your sales went.

Posted by: washrivergal madly and deeply deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:05 PM (CFc5L)

85 I know something is going on when I see, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, a "Hillary for Prison" sticker on a construction street sign.

Posted by: vivi at September 24, 2016 06:05 PM (11H2y)

86 Problem 2
15.Qe2 e4
16.Rad1 exf3

or

15.Qe2 e4
16.Nh4 Bxc3

Better white move: Ne5

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 24, 2016 06:06 PM (R+30W)

87 @79
You can do it at a trot
You can do it at a gallop
Do the Puyallup!

Posted by: Diogenes at September 24, 2016 06:07 PM (0tfLf)

88 For Problem 4:

he's threatening to get into my face with ...Re2+ So I move 38.Bf3 to prevent this incursion.

I'd be more inclined to play Kf3 to prevent that incursion. You want to get the king active in the endgame anyway.

Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:07 PM (sdi6R)

89 Oh wow. I have been gone all day and just say where Gennifer Flowers is going to be at the Monday debate. Trump.. you magnificent bastard!!! First time in my life I look forward to Monday.

Posted by: DeplorableJewells45 at September 24, 2016 06:08 PM (CNHr1)

90 OK, that first picture made me LOL!

Posted by: Chris M at September 24, 2016 06:08 PM (6RZos)

91 Explosions heard in Budapest Hungry.

Posted by: Patrick from Ohio at September 24, 2016 06:09 PM (dKiJG)

92 Is Mark Cuban some sort of threatening character? Does he have a bad history with the Trump? All I know about him is that he owns a basketball team and is a libtard. Cause there making it out like his very presence is to going to turn Trump into incoherent blubber.

Posted by: washrivergal madly and deeply deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:10 PM (CFc5L)

93 Budapest: outside a night club. What a poisonous ideology.

Posted by: vivi at September 24, 2016 06:12 PM (11H2y)

94 Trump is the honey badger of politics.

Posted by: vivi at September 24, 2016 06:13 PM (11H2y)

95 Posted by: Texas Zombie at September 24, 2016 06:00 PM (SUtNI)

Hey Zombie, if you see this, could I ask you a couple questions about your site and tshirts? I wasn't sure if that was actually you at the LibertySwag email address.

If you wouldn't mind, either let me know here or you can also email me at txrebel60 at the gmail.

Thanks!

Posted by: Country Boy - Deplorable and proud of it at September 24, 2016 06:14 PM (Idu2i)

96 Cuban has been trolling Trump for months. He can enjoy the VIP seating with Flowers.

Posted by: tofer732 at September 24, 2016 06:15 PM (PJMpr)

97 I thnk Mark Cuban is another billionare who thinks they must know all the answers because they have a billion dollars

Posted by: Skip at September 24, 2016 06:15 PM (JfUI4)

98 Mark Cuban said Trump wasn't really a Billionaire, that's what pissed Trump off. Trump should have Paula jones or Cliton's rape victim in the Front row.

Posted by: Patrick from Ohio at September 24, 2016 06:15 PM (dKiJG)

99 tofer732, Skip, Patrick from Ohio: Thanks!

Posted by: washrivergal madly and deeply deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:18 PM (CFc5L)

100 Vivi... he is indeed!

Posted by: DeplorableJewells45 at September 24, 2016 06:18 PM (CNHr1)

101 Early voting results released for Florida. Not good news. I shall talk to mom and dad about this. They can fix anything.

See that boorish Gateway Pundit if you must.

Posted by: Jeb! at September 24, 2016 06:20 PM (d76uN)

102 22 And speaking of games, those Ole Miss guys whipped by Dawgs like a red headed step child today.
Posted by: Vic We Have No Party

Huh? Ole Miss won, 45-14. I assume you ment 'the', not 'by'. Doesn't matter to me, the Hokies look like they recovered from the bad game in Bristol a couple of weeks ago. Kicked the crap out of East Carolina.

Posted by: Puddleglum at September 24, 2016 06:22 PM (g5WLc)

103 Was looking into the Wa shooting, photos of shooter walking into mall without rifle so must have had it pre meditated stored to retrieve later. Reports are police have rifle.

Posted by: Skip at September 24, 2016 06:24 PM (JfUI4)

104 This just in: Sweetwater IPA is some pretty good stuff.

Posted by: Deplorable GGE at September 24, 2016 06:25 PM (vbvxt)

105 81 Problem 4:

38.Rf7+ Kg6
39.f5+ Kh7
40.f6 Kg6
41.fxg7 Rg8
42.Rf8 Kxg7
43.Rxg8+ Kf6

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 24, 2016 06:01 PM (R+30W)

Why not 42. ...Rxg7?

Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:26 PM (sdi6R)

106 I really hate this game. Why must I be so hammerheaded?

Posted by: the deplorable chiefjaybob, who hates everyone at September 24, 2016 06:27 PM (G2Sc9)

107 Probably the only thing that makes Cuban a billionare, and I think thats a lable put upon him, is if he owns a sports team in theory he's one.

Posted by: Skip at September 24, 2016 06:28 PM (JfUI4)

108 @OM:

You link for Chess960 isn't clickable.

Castling is a bit different. Full rules are here.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 24, 2016 06:28 PM (R+30W)

109 I really hate this game. Why must I be so hammerheaded?

Posted by: the deplorable chiefjaybob, who hates everyone at September 24, 2016 06:27 PM (G2Sc9)

I agree. We need a new less cerebral thread.

Posted by: Deplorable GGE at September 24, 2016 06:29 PM (vbvxt)

110 Why not 42. ...Rxg7?

Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:26 PM (sdi6R)

++++

43.gxf8=Q

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 24, 2016 06:31 PM (R+30W)

111 Dig up Gaddafi and put him up there too.

Hah. In the first row:

Zombie Vince Foster

Zombie Ambassador Stevens

Kathleen Willey

The little girl whose rapist got sprung by Hillary

The guy who kicked Hilldabeast off the Watergate committee for being an unethical shitbag

The military parents that Hillary lied to over their sons' caskets

The YouTube Mohammed video producer

Billy Dale

Posted by: Cicero, Profoundly Deplorable But Pretty Dependable at September 24, 2016 06:34 PM (4HySM)

112 Paging Amity Shales..
Paging Amity Shales..

I just heard Trump use the words "the forgotten man" in his rally speech.

Posted by: Serious Cat at September 24, 2016 06:35 PM (FzmdB)

113 110 Why not 42. ...Rxg7?

Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:26 PM (sdi6R)

++++

43.gxf8=Q

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 24, 2016 06:31 PM (R+30W)

The black rook just took the white pawn on g7.

Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:35 PM (sdi6R)

114 Does this stuff just come easy to some people, or is it the benefit of many years of playing the game?

Posted by: Insomniac - Irredeemably Deplorable at September 24, 2016 05:42 PM (0mRoj)

Experience. You have to see these things over and over and over again in order for the concepts to sink in.

Posted by: OregonMuse at September 24, 2016 06:40 PM (7A3+M)

115 # 111 @Cicero. Who was Billy Dale? Don't recall that name.

Posted by: olddog in mo at September 24, 2016 06:41 PM (Dhht7)

116
Seventy percent of physicians agree that Hillary Clinton is healthy enough to resume minor lawbreaking activities and full activities in weeks.

Posted by: se pa moron at September 24, 2016 06:41 PM (ZFUt7)

117 Rumor is now being bandied about that the strumpet flowers will a beret and a blue dress to the debate.

I am sure none of you rubes put her up to it.

So sad. So sad indeed.

Posted by: Jeb! at September 24, 2016 06:42 PM (d76uN)

118 RG3 on QE2

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at September 24, 2016 06:42 PM (IqV8l)

119 Solutions now up.

Posted by: OregonMuse at September 24, 2016 06:42 PM (7A3+M)

120 Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:35 PM (sdi6R)

++++

I should read instead of assume.

Good point. I was playing the app, and that's the way it went. I would try:
43. Rg8

Black then can go for the rook swap.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 24, 2016 06:43 PM (R+30W)

121 I agree. We need a new less cerebral thread.
Posted by: Deplorable GGE at September 24, 2016 06:29 PM (vbvxt)
-------------
Agreed. The Chess Thread is discriminatory to us retards. There should be a thread below the chess thread for the discussion of simpler things.

Posted by: Weasel at September 24, 2016 06:43 PM (Sfs6o)

122 Rumor is now being bandied about that the strumpet flowers will a beret and a blue dress to the debate.

I am sure none of you rubes put her up to it.

So sad. So sad indeed.
Posted by: Jeb! at September 24, 2016 06:42 PM (d76uN)

====
It'll be alright, Jeb. Here, have some milk toast.

Posted by: The Deplorable Captain Whitebread at September 24, 2016 06:43 PM (rJUlF)

123

Chess Variants (a really different variant): Baroque Chess (now called Ultima):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baroque_chess

... Long-leapers, Chameleons & Demobilizers, oh my.

Posted by: Jean-Pierre Folderol, Member, The League of Ugly Shirted Gentlemen at September 24, 2016 06:43 PM (FlRtG)

124
Who was Billy Dale? Don't recall that name.
Posted by: olddog in mo

Travel office firings.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at September 24, 2016 06:43 PM (IqV8l)

125 I don't know exactly why, but that opening image forced some Labatt Blue through my nose. In the words of Roy Batty, "that hurt".

This must be Saturday.

Posted by: Captain Ned at September 24, 2016 06:44 PM (WI6nT)

126 Just got back from second son's BGO interview for the Naval Acedemy. Guy seems to think he has a decent shot. Next up is a panel interview for senatorial nomination. Head of the panel is none other than Jim Lovell of Apollo 13 fame. Pretty cool.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at September 24, 2016 06:44 PM (kTF2Z)

127 Mark Cuban is a horse's ass who probably thought he could act like he does at home basketball games, Jump up and shout when Hillary scored points. Or yell Bullshit when Trump was talking.

Now let him try.

Posted by: Ignoramus at September 24, 2016 06:45 PM (bQxkN)

128 106 I really hate this game. Why must I be so hammerheaded?
Posted by: the deplorable chiefjaybob, who hates everyone at September 24, 2016 06:27 PM (G2Sc9)

Join the club. I work on these every Saturday, maybe figure out one or two after much sweating and swearing, then I see people who come in and breeze through them like it's nothing. That's when I feel like a complete fucking idiot and want to find a tall cliff to throw myself off of.

Posted by: Insomniac - Irredeemably Deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:45 PM (0mRoj)

129 Experience. You have to see these things over and over and over again in order for the concepts to sink in.

Posted by: OregonMuse at September 24, 2016 06:40 PM (7A3+M)

Oh...Thank God!

Because while I really enjoy reading the post, the problems are way over my head.

Not all of them...just 99% of them.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at September 24, 2016 06:45 PM (Zu3d9)

130 You link for Chess960 isn't clickable.

Castling is a bit different. Full rules are here.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 24, 2016 06:28 PM (R+30W)

Should be fixed now. Thanks.

Posted by: OregonMuse at September 24, 2016 06:45 PM (7A3+M)

131 That's when I feel like a complete fucking idiot and want to find a tall cliff to throw myself off of.

Posted by: Insomniac - Irredeemably Deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:45 PM (0mRoj)

Join our club!

Posted by: Complete Fucking Idiot's Club at September 24, 2016 06:46 PM (Zu3d9)

132 Acedemy? Sheesh, academy.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at September 24, 2016 06:47 PM (kTF2Z)

133 Posted by: Complete Fucking Idiot's Club at September 24, 2016 06:46 PM (Zu3d9)
------------
I want in.

Posted by: Weasel at September 24, 2016 06:48 PM (Sfs6o)

134 "Join our club!"

You were not supposed to reveal even the slightest hint of existence!

You are out! You hear me? Out!!

Posted by: Jeb! at September 24, 2016 06:49 PM (d76uN)

135 Wow....Duke might beat ND.....Kelly might become ex-coach.

Posted by: BignJames at September 24, 2016 06:49 PM (9RGU3)

136

Posted by: Complete Fucking Idiot's Club at September 24, 2016 06:46 PM (Zu3d9)

Any dues to join this club, you fine fellow?

Posted by: washrivergal madly and deeply deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:49 PM (CFc5L)

137 The New York Times editorial board endorses Hillary and opines that Trump is "the worst nominee put forward by a major party in modern American history."

Well all righty then.

Posted by: Ignoramus at September 24, 2016 06:50 PM (bQxkN)

138 Mr. Oregon Muse -

Are you aware that there's a novel in which all of the characters can be mapped onto chess pieces, and their interactions follow the famous chess game Steinitz-Tchigorin (Havana) 1892.

It's 'The Squares of he City' (an apt name, no?) by John Brunner, copyright 1965. Definitely worth a read.

Posted by: MrJimm at September 24, 2016 06:50 PM (l2J4e)

139 Looks like Tenn is going to snap an 11 year losing streak to FL. FL led 21-3 at half, now trailing 31-21 with Tenn 1st and goal at the five.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at September 24, 2016 06:51 PM (kTF2Z)

140 Just got my ass kicked at shatranj again. Still, I'm glad I found that site.

Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:51 PM (sdi6R)

141 Do they take checks for membership?

Posted by: Infidel at September 24, 2016 06:51 PM (fuo45)

142 Posted by: Duke Lowell at September 24, 2016 06:51 PM (kTF2Z)

I thought Tenn. was done.

Posted by: BignJames at September 24, 2016 06:52 PM (9RGU3)

143 (CONTINUED) There is a listing at the back of all 32 characters and their corresponding pieces, plus a list of each of the pieces taken during the game, and the corresponding actions in the novel. Most of the pieces taken involve the death of the character (killed by the corresponding opposing piece, no less), but others involve being driven to bankruptcy or being removed from office.

Posted by: MrJimm at September 24, 2016 06:52 PM (l2J4e)

144 Duke pulled it off 38-35.

Posted by: BignJames at September 24, 2016 06:53 PM (9RGU3)

145 I know there are white pieces and black pieces and how the pieces move. I know the point of the game is to get the other king. My strategy has always been to move my pieces around the board randomly until they are all captured and the game is over, which generally occurs pretty quickly.

You may begin to understand why the game holds no special attraction for me.

Posted by: Weasel at September 24, 2016 06:53 PM (Sfs6o)

146 FL has been out scored 35-0 in the second half. They have a whopping 11 yards of offense after the break.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at September 24, 2016 06:54 PM (kTF2Z)

147 I agree. We need a new less cerebral thread.
Posted by: Deplorable GGE at September 24, 2016 06:29 PM (vbvxt)
----
We need a crossbow thread, with the inevitable longbow counterthread.

And Hi GGE! *waves*

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Illuminated Savage at September 24, 2016 06:54 PM (jR7Wy)

148 138 Mr. Oregon Muse -
Are you aware that there's a novel in which all of the characters can be mapped onto chess pieces, and their interactions follow the famous chess game Steinitz-Tchigorin (Havana) 1892.

It's 'The Squares of he City' (an apt name, no?) by John Brunner, copyright 1965. Definitely worth a read.

Posted by: MrJimm at September 24, 2016 06:50 PM (l2J4e)

If he could pull off that mapping to the chess game, that would indeed be a marvelous book.

I will have to track it down, thank you for letting me know.

Posted by: OregonMuse at September 24, 2016 06:56 PM (icDRs)

149 It's 'The Squares of the City' (an apt name, no?) by John Brunner, copyright 1965. Definitely worth a read.
Posted by: MrJimm at September 24, 2016 06:50 PM (l2J4e)
----
My dad was a chess nut and he had that on his shelf. Never knew the plot.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Illuminated Savage at September 24, 2016 06:57 PM (jR7Wy)

150 This just in: Sweetwater IPA is some pretty good stuff.

Posted by: Deplorable GGE at September 24, 2016 06:25 PM (vbvxt)

I think it's as good or better than Dogfishhead 60 min, IPA.

Posted by: BignJames at September 24, 2016 06:57 PM (9RGU3)

151 First rule of the Chuck Norris Chess Club:

Don't talk about the Chuck Norris Chess Club

Posted by: Marlowe at September 24, 2016 06:58 PM (zqFM9)

152 38.Rf7+ Kg6
39.f5+ Kh7
40.f6 Kg6
41.fxg7 Rg8
42.Rf8 Kxg7
43.Rxg8+ Kf6

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 24, 2016 06:01 PM (R+30W)

You went astray at the end there, but aside from that, I'm very impressed with your work.

Posted by: OregonMuse at September 24, 2016 06:59 PM (2NeLu)

153 No, I wouldn't want to be in a hockey fight today but I wouldn't mind seeing one. (A literal hockey fight, nothing metaphoric here. It's late September and I'm jonesing.)

Nice touch to another great post, O.Muse!

Posted by: FireHorseyGuy at September 24, 2016 06:59 PM (EJsAU)

154 Haven't loaded any handgun ammo in a long time. Since I'm kind of on a break from rifle competition, I thought I'd load up some 357 Magnum rounds andI started preparing the brass today.

Posted by: Weasel at September 24, 2016 07:00 PM (Sfs6o)

155 Problem 4:

I would go rf7+

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at September 24, 2016 07:00 PM (zc3Db)

156 Posted by: Complete Fucking Idiot's Club at September 24, 2016 06:46 PM (Zu3d9)

Thanks for sending my membership kit, but I lost it, because, well, you know...

Posted by: The Deplorable Captain Whitebread at September 24, 2016 07:01 PM (rJUlF)

157 Posted by: Insomniac - Irredeemably Deplorable at September 24, 2016 06:45 PM (0mRoj)

I paid for a chess dot com membership. I started by knowing the rules governing how the pieces moves, that was IT. Been through a bunch of lessons, and at the $20/yr membership, you get 25 tactics puzzles every day. I have gone from a completely useless, stupid dipshit, to a completely useless, stupid dipshit who realizes what a stupid move that was right after I've made it. But this progress. And I'm definately starting to notice patterns. I could never see more than one move ahead. Now I'm finding that part of the time, I'm able to see 2-3 moves ahead on the easy patterns. Again, progress. But it seems agonizingly slow.

Curse you OregonMuse. I blame you for getting me into this.

Posted by: the deplorable chiefjaybob, who hates everyone at September 24, 2016 07:06 PM (G2Sc9)

158
Posted by: Complete Fucking Idiot's Club at September 24, 2016 06:46 PM (Zu3d9)

I'm a charter member. Someone stole my wallet and got my card. Please send another.

Posted by: Ronster at September 24, 2016 07:08 PM (516lt)

159 Posted by: OregonMuse at September 24, 2016 06:59 PM (2NeLu)

++++

The app screws me up sometimes when it doesn't make its optimal move. Then I swoop in for the kill, overlooking the fact that the only reason I have that move is because the app made a weak move.

I probably need to find the setting to crank up its prowess. I prefer if it plays better, but I don't want to sit and wait 5 minutes waiting for it to move every time.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 24, 2016 07:10 PM (R+30W)

160 Posted by: Complete Fucking Idiot's Club at September 24, 2016 06:46 PM (Zu3d9)
-------------
I would like to join but cannot remember my address.

Posted by: Weasel at September 24, 2016 07:10 PM (Sfs6o)

161 Any morons out there that has first hand experience with the 6.5 Grendle. I have two lowers and I'm thinking of building an upper in this cartridge.

Posted by: Agitator at September 24, 2016 07:15 PM (/ZrjP)

162
find a tall cliff to throw myself off of.

...a tall cliff, from which, to throw myself...

Posted by: Jump, jump, jump! at September 24, 2016 07:20 PM (4DCSq)

163 I just won a 103 move game of shatranj. Once you get into it, it starts to resemble chess. I still can't quite figure out what to do with the elephants or the counselor, though.

Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 07:23 PM (sdi6R)

164 Posted by: Agitator at September 24, 2016 07:15 PM (/ZrjP)
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Sorry, I shoot a lot of 6.5mm (260 Rem and 6.5-284) in bolt guns but not that cartridge.

Posted by: Weasel at September 24, 2016 07:24 PM (Sfs6o)

165 "chess as we know it", I should have said.

Shatranj was chess for at least 1000 years.

Posted by: rickl the deplorable at September 24, 2016 07:25 PM (sdi6R)

166 Mark Cuban will have company at the presidential debate... Jennifer Flowers...

BuzzFeed reports�that Flowers' assistant, Judy Stell, emailed them a statement saying,�"Ms. Flowers has agreed to join Donald at the debate."

Posted by: se pa moron at September 24, 2016 07:29 PM (ZFUt7)

167 40.f6 Kg6 (if 40...Rg8 then 41.Re7)

41.Re7 Kxf6

++++

You go Re7 on both forks?

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 24, 2016 07:34 PM (R+30W)

168 Hey Zombie, if you see this, could I ask you a couple questions about your site and tshirts? I wasn't sure if that was actually you at the LibertySwag email address.

If you wouldn't mind, either let me know here or you can also email me at txrebel60 at the gmail.

Thanks!
Posted by: Country Boy - Deplorable and proud of it at September 24, 2016 06:14 PM (Idu2i)

Yes that is me at the liberty swag eddy. Email me! Or ask here but I may not see it for a while.

Posted by: Texas Zombie at September 24, 2016 08:05 PM (Dgvtg)

169 Two chess variants:
Pawn Power: White gets a king and four pawns (c,d,e,f). Black gets the whole array. White gets two moves for each single move of Black. With best play Black wins, ... I think.
Put-back (or, bughouse): Players must return every captured pawn and piece to the board. If White (Black) captures a Black (white) piece the White (Black) player gets to place the piece anywhere on the board subject to the following restrictions: pawns may not be placed on their first rank and bishops must be placed on a square of their original starting color.
Play three or four games and then play standard chess and you'll play the stupidest chess you ever played in your life.

Posted by: Malcolm Kirkpatrick at September 24, 2016 09:01 PM (IbUUZ)

170 68 Does this stuff just come easy to some people, or is it the benefit of many years of playing the game?
Posted by: Insomniac

Both.

A. Gotta have the knack top begin with. Nothing to do with intelligence, gender, personality, ethnicity, whatever -- there's just some kind of in-born innate chess skill that some people have and other people don't. Grandmasters can be geniuses and wisemen, but they also can be idiots in real life and nutcases and everything else.

B. Even if you are born with it, you gotta practice over and over and over to get good. No one has ever reached the heights of chess skill just walking in out of the cold and playing on rare occasion. Even those with great innate skill need constant practice.

I recommend "speed chess" games -- i.e. five minutes or less per side. Play a lot of them, and you will get better and better.

Posted by: zombie at September 24, 2016 09:16 PM (jBuUi)

171 To play chess960 against the computer on chess.con, you go to Play Computer > Position and select chess960.

Posted by: Fischer at September 24, 2016 09:33 PM (/f2Lp)

172 OregonMuse, just for posterity I think problem 2's notation has an error. It has white marked to play first but the problem states it is black to play first.

Posted by: goodluckduck at September 25, 2016 01:08 AM (zXR/1)

173 Ok, problem 2 states that whites next move is Qe2. So that's ok, but to practice with a chess program I have to give it a different notation starting with the Q on e3 and black to play.

Posted by: goodluckduck at September 25, 2016 01:12 AM (zXR/1)

174 To play chess960 against the computer on chess.con, you go to Play Computer > Position and select chess960.

Posted by: Fischer at September 24, 2016 09:33 PM (/f2Lp)

I
tried this, I opened the 'Play Against Computer' board, but I don't
see 'Position'. I see 'Starting Position', but it doesn't link to
anything, so I'm not sure how to make this work

Posted by: OregonMuse at September 25, 2016 01:12 AM (icDRs)

175 173 Ok, problem 2 states that whites next move is Qe2. So that's ok, but to practice with a chess program I have to give it a different notation starting with the Q on e3 and black to play.
Posted by: goodluckduck at September 25, 2016 01:12 AM (zXR/1)

Right. Sorry for the confusion. For these types of problems, I need to show where the actual problem starts, not one move before. I will change the way I do this. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

Posted by: OregonMuse at September 25, 2016 01:14 AM (icDRs)

176 Terrific weekly thread. I look forward to it each week. Thanks fr starting it!

Posted by: Zogger at September 26, 2016 06:48 AM (SKahJ)

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