The Magnificent Lena Horne

Some of what follows has been taken from The Writer’s Almanac (https://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php%3Fdate=2011%252F06%252F30.html)

It’s the birthday of Lena Horne,

https://www.accessonline.com/articles/jazz-star-lena-horne-dies-at-92-85320

born in Brooklyn in 1917. Her grandparents were early members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Persons, and two-year-old Lena was the cover girl for their monthly newsletter in October 1919. Her father was a gambler who left when his daughter was very young, and her mother was an actress who was focused on her own career. Lena was mostly raised by her grandparents, and her grandmother taught her from a young age that racism in any form was unacceptable. Other black children teased her because she was so light-skinned, but this worked in her favor when she auditioned as a dancer for the Cotton Club when she was 16. Other dancers submitted to their role as scantily clad entertainment for white patrons, but it didn’t sit well with Lena. A year later, she made her debut in a Broadway chorus.

In 1941, she was lured to Hollywood by impresario Felix Young. He signed a lease on a house for her, since African-Americans were not allowed to live in Hollywood. Her neighbors found out and circulated a petition to have her removed, but Humphrey Bogart, who lived across the street, came to her defense. She recalled that Bogart “sent word over to the house that if anybody bothered me, please let him know.”

Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre in Casablanca https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_36

Her first movie appearances were stand-alone musical numbers that could easily be edited out before the films were shown in the South. During World War II, she did U.S.O. shows around the world, and she was popular with black and white soldiers alike. “The whole thing that made me a star was the war,” she said in a 1990 interview. “Of course, the black guys couldn’t put Betty Grable’s picture in their footlockers. But they could put mine.” She was openly critical of the way African-American soldiers were treated, and eventually she was no longer welcome to perform for the U.S.O.

When she was 80, she said: “My identity is very clear to me now. I am a black woman. I’m free. I no longer have to be a ‘credit.’ I don’t have to be a symbol to anybody; I don’t have to be a first to anybody. I don’t have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I’d become. I’m me, and I’m like nobody else.” She died in 2010 at the age of 92.

WGM Jennifer Yu’s ‘Combination’ versus FM Norman Rogers

WGM Jennifer Yu

https://www.diversityinc.com/17-year-old-jennifer-yu-first-teenager-to-win-u-s-womens-chess-championship-in-19-years/

had the white pieces versus FM Norman Rogers

https://www.thechessdrum.net/drummajors/N_Rogers.html

for the fifth round of the recently completed Philadelphia International Chess tournament. The former US Women’s Chess Champ had won two and lost two in the earlier rounds and her opponent result was the same. FM Rogers is eligible to play in the US Senior. Jennifer Yu will be eligible to play in the US Senior in 2052. Suffice it to say it was the match up was The Kid versus the Wiley Ol’ Veteran.

The action begins with the following position after FM Rogers played 21…Ra3:

Position after 21…Ra3

When watching the action I thought 22 Bg5 would be played, followed by 22…Qc7, when Jennifer could drop her Bishop back to f4, exerting much pressure on the black position via the pin (to win!) on the d6 pawn. Sure enough those moves were played bring us to this critical position:

Position after 22…Qc7

I knew, with certainty, the move Jennifer should play was 23 Bf4. I knew this because of a game played what seems now to be a lifetime ago in which a similar position was reached in a game played by yours truly, when just starting the long climb up the rating list. At the time my rating did have four digits, but just barely. Seeing the undefended Rook placed on a square that could be double attacked by ‘sacrificing’ a Knight in order to ‘win’ the Rook put an inward smile on my face as I excitedly played the Knight move to begin the combination. I was all full of myself while thinking progress was being made by seeing the combo as I played the moves. Just as in this game, I had traded both of my Knights for a Rook and a pawn. Unfortunately, I, too, lost the game. The game had been played while on the road with IM Branko Vujakovic, an exchange student from Yugoslavia residing in Atlanta. After showing Branko the game, and the ‘combo’ he said only, “You will miss those two Knights more than he will miss that Rook and pawn.” I was crestfallen, but from the outcome of the game Branko was right.

I was, quite frankly, shocked to see WGM Yu play 23 Ncb5, and now you know why.

WGM Jennifer Yu 2290 vs FM Norman Rogers 2138
15th Annual Philadelphia Open Round 5
E69 King’s Indian, fianchetto, classical main line

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. g3 O-O 5. Bg2 d6 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. O-O e5 8. e4 c6 9. h3 a5 10. Be3 exd4 11. Nxd4 Re8 12. Qc2 Nc5 13. Rad1 Qe7 14. Rfe1 a4 15. b4 axb3 16. axb3 Na6 17. Qb1 Nd7 18. Re2 Nb4 19. Red2 Nc5 20. Kh2 h5 21. h4 Ra3 22. Bg5 Qc7 23. Ncb5 cxb5 24. Nxb5 Qa5 25. Nxa3 Qxa3 26. Rxd6 Nc6 27. Be3 Bg4 28. f3 Be6 29. Bxc5 Qxc5 30. R6d2 g5 31. hxg5 Qxg5 32. f4 Qg4 33. Qd3 h4 34. e5 Bh6 35. Qf3 hxg3+ 36. Kg1 Bxf4 37. Rd6 Bxe5 38. R6d3 Qh4 39. Qe4 Qh2+ 40. Kf1 Bh3 0-1
   https://live.followchess.com/#!15th-annual-philadelphia-2022/-520788147

WGM Jennifer Yu finished with three wins, three losses, and three draws, one half point out of the chump change money. Stormin’ Norman Rogers finished with four wins to go with five losses.

The World’s Ugliest Dog Is Mr Happy Face

Richard Rapport Wins With Glek Variation

The erratic Richard Rapport continued riding the roller-coaster by losing again today. Sandwiched between his half point ‘gift’ to Nepo and todaze loss to Alireza Firouzja was a nice win with the Glek variation of the C46 Four knights versus Jan-Krzysztof Duda.

Richard Rapport vs Jan-Krzysztof Duda
2022 Candidates Tournament Round 8
C46 Four knights game Glek variation

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 Bc5 5. Bg2 d6 6. d3 a5 7. O-O h6 8. b3 O-O 9. h3 Nd4 10. Be3 c6 11. Kh2 Re8 12. a3 Nxf3+ 13. Qxf3 Bxe3 14. fxe3 b5 15. g4 Ra7 16. Qg3 h5 17. g5 h4 18. Qxh4 Nh7 19. Qg3 Nxg5 20. h4 Nh7 21. Bh3 Bxh3 22. Rg1 Ng5 23. hxg5 Bc8 24. Rg2 Rae7 25. Qf3 g6 26. Rh1 f5 27. Kg1 b4 28. exf5 gxf5 29. Ne4 1-0

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 Bc5 5. Bg2 d6 6. d3 a5 7. O-O h6 (SF 200622 @depth 42 plays this move, but SF 070622 @depth 48 castles, as does SF 14 @depth 37. The CBDB shows only one game with 7…h6, yet there are several more on which one can click, which makes no sense. Why does it show only one game when there are many?) 8. b3 (SF 070622 @depth 53 plays the game move, but SF 15 @depth 43 plays 8 Nd5, a move yet to be tried in practice)

Igor Glek (2467) vs Igor Lysyj (2596)
Event: ch-RUS Rapid 2019
Site: Sochi RUS Date: 10/16/2019
ECO: C46 Four knights game Glek variation
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3 Bc5 5.Bg2 d6 6.d3 a5 7.O-O Be6 8.Ne2 Bb6 9.d4 Bg4 10.d5 Ne7 11.h3 Bd7 12.Nd2 Qc8 13.Kh2 h5 14.Nc4 h4 15.g4 Ba7 16.f4 b5 17.Ne3 Bxe3 18.Bxe3 Bxg4 19.fxe5 dxe5 20.Bg5 Bh5 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Rxf6 Ra6 23.Rxa6 Qxa6 24.Qd3 Qb6 25.Rf1 Bg6 26.Nc3 b4 27.Na4 Qd6 28.Qb5+ Kf8 29.Qxa5 Kg7 30.Qc5 f5 31.Qxd6 cxd6 32.Nb6 fxe4 33.Re1 e3 34.Nc4 Rc8 35.b3 Ra8 36.Nxd6 Rxa2 37.Nc4 Rxc2 38.d6 Nc6 39.Nxe3 Ra2 40.Kg1 e4 41.Rc1 Ne5 ½-½
https://www.365chess.com/game.php?back=1&gid=4225262&m=15

Sergey Solovjov IM 2434 RUS vs Konstantin Kazakov 2154 KAZ
Peterhof open 2008
C46 Four knights game Glek variation
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3 Bc5 5.Bg2 d6 6.d3 a5 7.O-O h6 8.Be3 Bxe3 9.fxe3 Ne7 10.Nh4 c6 11.d4 O-O 12.Nf5 Nxf5 13.exf5 Qe7 14.Qd2 Rd8 15.h3 d5 16.dxe5 Qxe5 17.g4 b5 18.Qd4 Re8 19.Rae1 b4 20.Na4 Ba6 21.Rf4 Nd7 22.c3 Bb5 23.Nc5 Nxc5 24.Qxc5 bxc3 25.Qxc3 Qxc3 26.bxc3 a4 27.a3 Rab8 28.Rb4 Kf8 29.Kf2 c5 30.Rbb1 Bc4 31.Red1 Bb3 32.Rd2 Re5 33.Rxd5 Ree8 34.Rxc5 Rbd8 35.Rb2 Rc8 36.Rxc8 Rxc8 37.Rd2 Rxc3 38.Be4 Ke7 39.Kf3 Bc4 40.Rc2 Rxc2 41.Bxc2 Bb3 42.Bd3 Kd6 43.Ke4 Kc5 44.f6 g5 45.Ke5 Ba2 46.Ba6 Bb3 47.e4 Ba2 48.Bb7 Bc4 49.Bc8 Ba2 50.Bd7 1-0 (ChessBaseDataBase)

FM Emil Risteski 2363 MKD vs GM Igor Lysyj 2603 RU
Titled Tuesday intern op 11th Jan 2022
C46 Four knights game Glek variation
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3 Bc5 5.Bg2 d6 6.O-O a5 7.d3 h6 8.h3 Be6 9.Nd2 a4 10.Nc4 Nd4 11.Kh2 b5 12.Ne3 c6 13.f4 a3 14.f5 axb2 15.Bxb2 Bd7 16.a4 b4 17.Ne2 Nxe2 18.Qxe2 Bxe3 19.Qxe3 c5 20.g4 Rxa4 21.Qf3 O-O 22.h4 Nh7 23.Qg3 f6 24.Rxa4 Bxa4 25.Qf2 Qd7 26.Ra1 Ra8 27.Bf3 Bc6 28.Rxa8+ Bxa8 29.Qe1 Qa4 30.Qb1 Bc6 31.Bd1 Qa5 32.Bc1 Nf8 33.g5 hxg5 34.hxg5 c4 35.gxf6 gxf6 36.Bf3 Qc5 37.Kg2 d5 38.Bd2 dxe4 39.dxe4 c3 40.Bh6 Qc4 41.Qe1 Kf7 42.Qg3 Ke8 43.Qg7 Qf7 44.Qh8 Ke7 45.Bh5 Bxe4+ 46.Kf2 Qa2 47.Qxf8+ Kd7 48.Qe8+ Kc7 49.Qe7+ Kc8 50.Qe6+ Qxe6 51.fxe6 Kd8 52.Bf8 Bc6 53.e7+ Kc8 54.e8=Q+ Bxe8 55.Bxe8 f5 56.Ba4 e4 57.Bb3 1-0 (ChessBaseDataBase)

Did GM Richard Rapport Go Into The Tank?

‘Back in the day’ there were Candidates matches played leading up to the World Chess Championship. Young people regularly hear some old coot say, “Things were better back in the day.” I was once young, and have now grown old. The fact is that some things may have been better ‘back in the day’ and some were most definitely not “better.” As in most things in life, it depends on one’s perspective. That said, playing matches in lieu of playing a tournament to choose an adversary for the current World Champion was much better than the tournaments played today. The ongoing Candidates tournament is a prime example.

The following was taken from Chessdom: In the post-game interview with WGM Dina Belenkaya, Richard couldn’t explain what was the factor to make him refuse the draw and play on: “I don’t know. I should probably throw away my computer. Because I am pretty sure the line is 14…Bd6 instead of 14…Bh3, and then 15.Qxh7 Bh3 is a draw, so I figured I should be better here…“

“I got really upset about this that I played on, no one knows for what reason exactly. And position clearly seems dangerous. And also many other small things which were not going maybe before the game already. So clearly, it was extremely stupid for me to play on, regardless what is the evaluation of the position.” added Richard. (https://www.chessdom.com/rapport-on-the-r7-game-vs-nepo-i-should-probably-throw-away-my-computer/

What does Richard Rapport mean by, “…no one knows for what reason exactly.”? What about, “And also many other small things which were not going maybe before the game already.” The question must be asked, “Did Richard Rapport receive any inducement to lose the game intentionally, or were any threats made to him or any member of his family causing him to intentionally lose the game?

“Determining the ethics of intentionally losing a game to gain something greater in the future—known as “tanking” or “throwing the game”—seems like a no-brainer in that the practice is just wrong. Though…deciphering the logic of this conclusion actually does require the use of a brain as it’s not immediately obvious. Yet…a handful of commentators defend it, viewing it as just another example of good strategy, listing other commonly accepted strategies in defense of the practice.” (htps://law.scu.edu/sports-law/intentionally-losing-part-i-of-iii-ethical-considerations/)

Let us be honest here, the fact is that everyone involved with Chess knows the nefarious Russians will go to any lengths to recover what they consider “their” World Chess Championship title. FIDE is controlled by a Russian, Arkady Dvorkovich,

https://www.chess.com/news/view/dvorkovich-in-tight-spot-as-fide-president

who does what he is told by the Mad Vlad Putin.

https://nypost.com/2022/02/24/not-peter-the-great-hes-vlad-the-mad/

They know that if World Champion Magnus Carlsen

https://hiokori.substack.com/p/raising-your-floor-notes-from-magnus

refuses to again face Ian Nepomniachtchi the title will, once again, be held by a Russian.

Rapport-Nepomniachtchi left everyone, including Richard, puzzled | photo: Steve Bonhage, FIDE (https://chess24.com/en/read/news/madrid-candidates-7-nepo-caruana-win-again)

In the article, Cracking the Candidate Code (3) by ChessBase, it is written:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/cracking-the-candidate-code-3

“It is highly motivated and prepared players who win these events. Rapport may be motivated, but it is unlikely that he will be well-prepared. With events lined up he won’t have the time to prepare properly – he agreed to play in Norway, a tournament that finishes a mere six days before the start of the Candidates. Playing Carlsen and co. before an exhausting 14-round Candidates is not quite the best practice. Playing in Romania at the Superbet Classic wasn’t a success either, as his final score of minus two (both losses with White due to big blunders) placed him at shared-last.

Rapport’s second issue is that he is a self-confessed loner. He likes to work alone and finds it difficult to work with others. What he has achieved alone is incredible, but in order to climb the highest mountain players need teams – like it or not, the days of Fischeresque feats of ‘one against the world’ are gone and unlikely to return. Every single player who has qualified for a World Championship match has had a team that has supported him all the way. It would really be great to see Rapport find a support system to help him reach his full potential, but it seems that this won’t happen for Madrid, which is a pity, as I would have really fancied to see the best he can offer.” (https://en.chessbase.com/post/cracking-the-candidate-code-3)

After reading the above would you have wagered anything that this player would win the Candidates tournament? It is more than a little obvious Richard Rapport was not ready for prime time and should not have been included in the event. For the rest of his life the question of his “going into the tank” will haunt Richard Rapport.

Octopus brain more similar to the human brain than thought

Octopus brain more similar to the human brain than thought: ‘Fascinating example of convergent evolution’
June 24, 2022
by Matt Higgins

Diane Picchiottino on Unsplash

Humans might have evolved from apes, but that doesn’t mean we don’t share the same characteristics with other animals. A team of international researchers made a startling discovery when they found both the human and octopus brain share the same “jumping genes.”

“Jumping genes” are active in both the human brain and in the brain of two species of octopus — Octopus vulgarisms and Octopus bimaculoides. Over 45% of the human genome is composed by sequences called transposons, or the jumping genes, that can “move from one point to another of an individual’s genome, shuffling or duplicating.”
https://www.braintomorrow.com/human-octopus-brain-jumping-genes/

World Chess Championship Candidates Biorhythms

I have previously written about biorhythms on this blog in a post titled, End The World Chess Championship Match NOW! (https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2021/12/08/10063/) If you surf on over you will find this: “Below you will find the biorhythm of Nepo, who is in a triple low period approaching the bottom, where he will remain for the next week. Nepo’s biorhythms are about as bad as it gets, biorhythm wise.” If any member of the Russian ‘team’ had bothered to check Nepo’s biorhythms prior to signing the agreement to play the match they would not have allowed their man to play during such an adverse time, at least in regard to his biorhythms.

For those new to the blog, or new to biorhythms, the father of the love of my life was a Senior VP at one of the largest banks in Georgia. He gave me a book about biorhythms by Bernard Gittelson:

Kasutatud raamatud, Vanaraamat, teema: Eneseabi, psühholoogia …
vanaraamat.ee

He brought it to my attention because it featured the biorhythms of Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky during the 1972 match for the World Chess Championship.

https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/spasskyfischer.html

It was learned the Japanese take it very seriously, seriously enough to not allow pilots or bus drivers to work when having a physical critical day. After so doing the accident rate fell dramatically.

I once posted something about biorhythms on the United States Chess Federation forum for which I was excoriated unmercifully by the ignorant, nattering nabobs of negativism. One called it a “pseudo-science.” None of the nabobs knew anything about biorhythms, and were too lazy, or ignorant, to check into biorhythms, yet they were ready to condemn this writer for even bringing it to their attention.

From what has been learned over the last half century the most pronounced aspect of biorhythms is the physical aspect. Every two weeks a human body changes, going from a high to low phase, or low to high phase. Your body cleans itself and you began the new phase. From my experience changing from the high phase to the low phase is not a good day. Transitioning from a low to high phase is usually not as bad a day, but still, one can feel “out of sorts” or maybe feel “out of phase.” On the days one transitions from high to low physically it is best to stay home.

It is terribly difficult to quantify the intellectual and emotional aspects of biorhythms. It can be made more understandable if one keeps a record of how one feels each and every day and reviews it later. From a lifetime of following my biorhythms I have come to think of the emotional aspect as being different from the other two aspects because it seems better to be emotionally ‘low’ than ‘high’. Think of it as being “low key” as opposed to “high strung.” The thing about the emotional aspect is that if your long loving wife were to inform you she wants a divorce, it matters not where you are in relation to your emotional biorhythms. Whether on top of the world, or bottomed out, one would immediately have a bad day, unless, that is, you, too, were ready to end the relationship.

The biorhythms of the eight players follow. I considered writing a post prior to the start of the Candidates tournament, but changed my mind. After seeing such horrendous play during the first part of the tournament my thinking changed. The physical aspect is the blue line; red is emotional; and green designates the intellectual aspect of biorhythms. For those of you interested, and objective, enough to want to know more, please begin with the aforementioned blog post written during the ill-fated World Championship match between Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepo. I chose to use the date of June 26, two days from now, as the mid-point because it is the day the second half of the match begins. Rather than attempting an explanation for each of the players I have made the choice to let you review the material and come to your own conclusion(s), with one caveat. After reviewing each and every biorhythm of the players prior to the start of the tournament it was obvious Fabiano Caruana would have the best chart of the group, and therefore the best odds of winning the tournament. After comparing the charts of the players I believe even the “nattering nabobs” would be forced to agree with the statement that Caruana will again face Magnus Carlsen with the title of World Champion on the line, if, that is, Magnus decides to again defend his title.

Nepo slapp naumlega á móti Nakamura – efstur eftir 5 umferðir | Skak.is
skak.is

Ian Nepomniachtchi (born 14 July 1990)

Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Fabiano Luigi Caruana (born July 30, 1992)

Hikaru Nakamura, photo: FIDE/Stev Bonhage

Hikaru Nakamura (born December 9, 1987)

Magnus on Richard Rapport: “His understanding of the game is just superb” | photo: Stev Bonhage, FIDE

Richard Rapport (born 25 March 1996)

An excellent game by Ding Liren. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Ding Liren (born 24 October 1992)

Pierwsza porażka Jana-Krzysztofa Dudy w turnieju kandydatów
flashsport.pl

Jan-Krzysztof Duda (born 26 April 1998)

A huge missed chance to score for Teimour Radjabov, photo: FIDE/Stev Bonhage

Teimour Radjabov (born 12 March 1987)

Firouzja and Caruana before their game. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Alireza Firouzja (born 18 June 2003)

Bigfoot Went Down To Georgia

What makes this story of the most recent sighting of Bigfoot in Georgia so intriguing is the picture was taken in Decatur, a city in the Great State of Georgia, in which the AW was born and currently resides!

Bigfoot believers in frenzy over snap of bizarre figure ‘smiling’ at camera

By Ethan Blackshaw

22 JUN 2022

A bloke out photographing some forest scenery close to where he lives was shocked to discover a face “smiling” back at him in one of the snaps, with many suggesting it’s Bigfoot

A picture of a potential Bigfoot “smiling” down the lens of a camera has sent believers into a frenzy.

The chilling snap, shared to Facebook group Bigfoot Believers by Jay Willson, appears to show something’s face peering through some foliage.

Willson revealed that he captured the image seven weeks ago in Georgia, US when he “was just photographing tree structures which were everywhere”.

Bigfoot enthusiasts often say weirdly positioned broken trees, or branches broken in a way which wouldn’t occur naturally, are signs that Sasquatches may be in an area.

Willson didn’t spot the face (in the middle of the snap) at the time (Image: Jay Willson/Facebook)

Willson also said he didn’t see the figure at the time, only after he analysed the snap more closely.

He added: “I go back there every day. This is a large area of woods and I took 49 photos the day that I stumbled into it.

“I honestly have no idea exactly where I was when I snapped this photo, unfortunately. I honestly don’t care about naysayers. Couldn’t care less.”

He later joked: “Some people have told me it looks to be smiling. Say cheese…” (https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/weird-news/bigfoot-believers-frenzy-over-snap-27298051)

Bigfoot has often been spotted in Georgia:

Bigfoot Or Skunk Ape Caught On Camera In Georgia

By Dave Basner

December 7, 2021

Photo: Getty Images

Every year, there are thousands of reported sightings of Bigfoot in North America. While most take place in the Pacific Northwest, that’s not the only area where a Sasquatch has been spotted. In fact, someone recently filmed what they claim is the mysterious creature in the woods of Georgia.

The video, which was shared by the @CryptidUniversity Instagram account, shows shaky footage of what appears to be a large ape-like animal with black fur bending over behind some trees in the distance. When the creature fully stands, it looks taller and bigger than a human. It then walks off as the person filming hides behind a tree.

Commenters on the video are torn on if it is real, with some writing things like, “Best footage I’ve seen in a while – that thing was huge,” while others said, “They do all sorts of things for attention down in Georgia,” and “Filmed in 2021? With a flip phone? And no backstory, location or anything?”

However, even experts are convinced that this clip could be real. Seth Breedslove, the documentary filmmaker behind On The Trail Of Bigfoot, told the Daily Star:

“The subject seems to be very large but the movement possibly gives away the potential for some trickery. The subject seems to be looking down at the ground as it turns indicating it might be a person in a suit who is having some difficulty judging the forest floor beneath them. It makes me think this is more than likely a hoax. The thing does appear to be large though, so maybe it’s real? These videos always leave us with more questions than answers.”

It might not be Bigfoot at all, it could be something else – the Southeast has its own version of Sasquatch called a Skunk ape. Named because of its odor, the creature has been spotted in Georgia, Florida, Alabama for hundreds of years. Perhaps this is another encounter with it.

For now, there is still no word on if the video shows Bigfoot, a Skunk ape or is just a hoax.
https://www.iheart.com/content/2021-12-07-bigfoot-or-skunk-ape-caught-on-camera-in-georgia/

GM Hikara Nakamura Excoriates FIDE!

In a remarkable interview with GM Irina Krush and WGM Jennifer Shahade after the fourth round of the 2022 FIDE Candidates Tournament GM Hikaru Nakamura put the shells into the chamber of the shotgun and blasted away at FIDE, giving them both barrels.

Then he reloaded and did it again…and again…and again…

The President of the Georgia Chess Association Replies

A different post was about ready to go when the decision was made to check the email, where this reply was found in the inbox:

J Parnell Watkins, Jr.

4:03 PM

Well written as always. I will ask you, just how many people walk away from a tournament with prizes? How many are motivated by the prize fund to play? Am I in a minority?

Parnell

J. Parnell Watkins, Jr.
President, Georgia Chess Association
770.744.8595
president@georgiachess.org

I would like to thank the POTGCA for his kind words.

His questions will be answered in order:

I have no idea “…just how many people walk away from a tournament with prizes.” If anyone does have an answer please share it with the POTGCA.

“How many are motivated by the prize fund to play?” can only be answered by asking each and every player in each and every section how motivated they were by the possibility of winning money. If one does that for every tournament for a year one would probably have enough information to answer the question.

As for the last question about possibly being in a minority, once again, how large a sample size do you need? I will begin by informing you, sir, that you are, indeed, in a minority!

Then again, I will admit Chess is different in some respects, which can best be illustrated by something that happened at Gammons, in the Piedmont Peachtree Crossing shopping center, in the 1980s. One day Steve Moffitt and I were there early and began conversing about Chess. Steve was a Texas junior Chess champion, and he asked if I would like to play a game. He had a set and clock in his trunk even though he had not played in years. Once a player… We decided to do as GM David Bronstein suggested and play a fifteen minute game. Since the game was drawn we set them up again. The second game was also drawn. A backgammon player had entered and was standing there watching the conclusion of the second game. He had no idea why we were shaking hands and smiling. “Who won?” he inquired. Steve said, “It was a draw.” He looked dumbfounded before incredulously saying, “You mean you SPLIT? Nobody paid off?” After wrapping his mind around the fact that no money had changed hands he asked, “So the only way to get paid is to win?” Steve told him that was the way it was. I added, and then immediately regretted it, “We were not playing for anything other than the love of the game.”

“What?!!?” he scoffed. “You mean you weren’t playin’ for ‘nuthin at all? What’s the point of playing?”