Bad To The Bonin

A curious reader asked if I still followed the happenings in the world of Chess. The answer was “yes”, with the caveat that I am very selective of what I watch. These daze the focus is on Senior Chess, and players I know, or enjoy watching because they play to win, which should be the only reason to play. With that in mind I would like to present two games by the man Senior Master Brian McCarthy (https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2021/04/24/brian-mccarthy-r-i-p/) spoke highly of, IM Jay Bonin.

https://lizzyknowsall.blogspot.com/2007/11/ten-questions-with-new-york-knight-im.html

The fact is that I had considered turning the first game presented into a post because who plays the Gunderam defense? When was the last time you saw a game with the Gunderam? Maybe I should have added “offbeat” to the above concerning the games I choose to view…

The decision to sit down and write this post after seeing a game featuring the “IRON MAN” of CHESS, in the most recent The Marshall Spectator, May 15, 2024 edition.

Writing about Chess games takes much time, especially inserting diagrams into the post. Since all I needed to do was cut and paste the decision to write the post was easy.

The thing about playing against the Gunderam is that you know you should win. Even a draw is a loss because there goes a sure one half point. The onus is on the playing making the first move. If you do not win you are a failure, which puts the pressure on the player facing such a poor opening.

Why would The Bone play such a poor opening? Because Jay plays for the love of the game, and possibly because he would prefer to play an opening getting the youngsters our of the book.

Jonathan Sigfredo Subervi vs IM Jay Bonin
Marshall Chess Club FIDE Premier April 2024
ECO: C40 Gunderam defence

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qe7 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bc4 Nc6 5. O-O d6 6. h3 Be6 7. Bb5 a6 8. Bxc6+ bxc6 9. d4 Nd7 10. Re1 f6 11. d5 cxd5 12. exd5 Bf7 13. Nd4 Nb6 14. Be3 Nc8 15. f4 Qd7 16. Ne6 Ne7 17. Qf3 Rb8 18. fxe5 dxe5 19. Nxf8 Kxf8 20. Ba7 Re8 21. Rad1 Kg8 22. Bc5 Nf5 23. Qd3 Ra8 24. Ne4 h5 25. b4 Bg6 26. Rf1 Kh7 27. c4 Rac8 28. Qe2 Rhe8 29. Kh2 Rcd8 30. a3 Nd4 31. Qe1 Kh8 32. a4 Nf5 33. a5 Rb8 34. Rf2 Qf7 35. Rb2 Qd7 36. Rf2 Qf7 37. Rb2 Qd7 38. Qf1 Ra8 39. Qd3 Rab8 40. Rf2 Qf7 41. g4 hxg4 42. hxg4 Nh6 43. Rg1 c6 44. Qf3 Bxe4 45. Qxe4 cxd5 46. cxd5 Rbd8 47. d6 Qe6 48. Kg3 Kg8 49. Rh1 Rd7 50. Qg6 Nf7 51. Rh5 Ng5 52. Be3 f5 53. Qxe6+ Nxe6 54. Rhxf5 Rxd6 55. Rxe5 Rb8 56. Re4 Kh7 57. Re2 Kg6 58. Ba7 Re8 59. Re5 Rc6 60. Bc5 Kf7 61. Rf5+ Kg8 ½-½
   https://lichess.org/broadcast/marshall-chess-club-fide-premier-april-2024/round-2/KZrpAKKM/8n2IwPtA

White Player Cejas, Jose A
Black Player Garcia Campitelli, Gonzalo (2114)
Event: ARG-ch U18 sf
Site: San Bernardo Date: 05/05/2002
Round: 6 Score: ½-½
ECO: C40 Gunderam defence
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Qe7 3.Bc4 g6 4.O-O d6 5.Nc3 c6 6.d4 Nh6 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.h3 f6 9.Be3 Be6 10.Bc5 Qf7 11.Bxf8 Rxf8 12.Bxe6 Qxe6 13.Qd2 Nf7 14.Rfd1 Na6 15.Qe3 Qc4 16.Rd2 Qc5 17.Qe2 Rd8 18.Rad1 Ke7 19.Ne1 Rxd2 20.Rxd2 Nd8 21.Qd3 Kf7 22.Qf3 Qe7 23.Qd1 Nb8 24.Ne2 Ne6 25.c3 Rd8 26.Kf1 Na6 27.b4 Rxd2 28.Qxd2 Qd8 29.Nf3 Qxd2 30.Nxd2 Ke7 31.Ke1 Nac7 32.Nb3 Ne8 33.Kd2 Nd6 34.Kd3 h5 35.a4 Kd7 36.Nd2 Nf7 37.c4 h4 38.Nf3 g5 39.Nh2 Nh8 40.Ng4 Ke7 41.Ne3 Ng6 42.Nf5+ Kd7 43.g3 a5 44.bxa5 Nc5+ 45.Ke3 hxg3 46.fxg3 Nxa4 47.h4 gxh4 48.gxh4 Nb2 49.h5 Nf8 50.c5 Nc4+ 51.Kd3 Nxa5 52.Kc3 Kc7 53.Nd6 Nh7 54.Ne8+ Kd7 55.Kb4 Nb3 56.Kxb3 Kxe8 57.Ka4 Kf7 58.Ng3 Ng5 59.Ka5 Kg7 60.Kb6 Ne6 61.Nf5+ Kh7 62.Nd6 Kh6 63.Nxb7 Nd4 64.Nd8 Kxh5 65.Nxc6 Kg6 66.Ne7+ Kf7 67.Nf5 Ke6 68.Nd6 Kd7 69.Nc4 Ke6 70.Ne3 Kd7 71.Kb7 Nc6 72.Nd5 Nd8+ 73.Kb6 Ke6 74.Kc7 Nf7 75.Kb6 Nd8 76.Ne3 Kd7 77.Ng4 Ke6 78.Nh6 Kd7 79.Ng8 Ke6 80.Nh6 Kd7 81.Kb5 Nc6 82.Kb6 Nd8 83.Nf5 Nc6 84.Ne3 Nd8 85.Nc4 Nc6 86.Na5 Nd4 87.c6+ Nxc6 88.Nxc6 Ke6 89.Nd8+ Ke7 90.Nb7 f5 91.exf5 Kf6 92.Nd6 e4 ½-½
https://www.365chess.com/game.php?back=1&gid=203816&m=9

The following game recently arrived in the inbox when May 15, 2024 edition of The Marshall Spectator. TMS is absolutely FREE and anyone can receive it, so what are you waiting for?

FIDE Premier Games Analyzed, by GM Aleksandr Lenderman

You can play through the games with the notes from this article here.

Round 5: Bonin, Jay – Klenoff, Caleb

Prior to this game, Jay Bonin was riding a 15 game winning streak, and was currently tied for first with IMs Gus Huston and Mykola Bortnyk. However, his opponent, the young Caleb Klenoff likely had ambitions to win the game, since the win would not only get him potentially a share first by leapfrogging Jay, but also, prior to the tournament, he was extremely close to the NM title (2200 USCF rating), and quite possibly, he might’ve needed a win to get the title. So, despite being black, Caleb Klenoff chose the sharp Benoni defence, an aggressive opening, playing for a win.

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 c5 4. d5 d6 5. Nc3 exd5 6. cxd5 g6 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Bg3 Nh5 10. Nd2 Nxg3 11. hxg3 Nd7 12. Nc4 Nb613. e3 Bg7 14. Qc2 Nxc4 15. Bxc4 Qe7 16. Bb5+ Bd7 17. a4 Rb8 18. g4 a6 19. Bxd7+ Qxd7 20. Qe4+ Kf8 21. Qf5 Qxf5 22. gxf5 Be5 23. Ke2 Kg7 24. Ne4 c4 25. Ra2 Rhc8 26. g3 Re8 27. Kf3 b5 28. axb5 axb5 29. Rc1?! Inaccuracy. Ra6 was best.

(29. Ra6 Ra8 30. Rb6 Reb8 31. Rc6 Rc8 32. Rb6 Rcb8)

29… Ra8 30. Rca1 Rxa2 31. Rxa2 Rb8

32. Kg4?? Blunder. Nd2 was best. (32. Nd2 Bxb2 33. Rxb2 c3 34. Rb1 cxd2 35. Ke2 h5 36. Kxd2 b4 37. Rb3 h4 38. gxh4 gxh4)

32…b4 33. f4 b3 34. Ra7?! Inaccuracy. Ra4 was best. (34. Ra4 Bxb2)

34…gxf4 35. gxf4 Bxb2 36. Nxd6

We reach the climax point of the game. Caleb’s pawns are very menacing, while Jay is going all in, trying to create some sort of counterplay against Black’s king. Now, we reach a critical moment, where Caleb still has 46 minutes. He ended up spending about 5 minutes, and sort of bailing out into a draw. However, perhaps if he calculated deeper, he might’ve come to the right conclusion that Black’s pawns will matter more and White’s counterplay falls just a bit short. Since this position would likely be the last very critical moment of the game, I would most likely recommend spending at least half of the remaining time here. As it was, a narrow win was missed, and Jay was able to share first in the end, after Gus and Mykola made a draw, thus maintaining his undefeated streak.

36… Bc3?? Blunder. c3 was best.

A bail-out since now, White can sacrifice their two pawns for a piece, leaving Black without enough to create serious winning chances. (36… c3! Was winning! Now White has several tries, but they all lose.

37. f6+!? The best practical chance, and most likely, the move that Caleb feared. (37. Rxf7+ Isn’t the most challenging. 37… Kh8 (37… Kg8!? $19) 38. Rc7 c2 39. Nf7+ Kg7 40. Ne5+ Kg8 41. Nd3 Ba3 42. e4 c1=R 43. Rxc1 Bxc1) (37. Nxf7 Is toothless 37… c2 38. Ne5+ Kg8 39. f6 Bxe5 40. fxe5 c1=Q)

37… Kg6!! The key move/idea. Without this move, Black is not winning.

(37… Kh7?? 38. Nxf7 Here, White even creates a mating net.

(37… Kxf6?? 38. Rxf7+ Kg6 39. f5# Leads to mate for White. )

(37… Kh8?? 38. Nxf7+ Also, leads to mate. )

(37… Kg8? Objectively a mistake, but even this line could’ve been a safe bailout option for Black in case he didn’t see Kg6, since here Black doesn’t risk anything, and White has to find only moves to make a draw at best. 38. Nxf7!(38. Rxf7? Rf8! 39. Rg7+ Kh8 40. Nf7+ Rxf7 41. Rxf7 c2) 38… Rf8!? (38… c2 39. Nxh6+ Leads to perpetual check.) 39. Ne5!! The only move to draw! 39… Rxf6 40. Rb7! c2 41. Nd3 And White holds a draw.) (37… Kf8? Leads to an easy perpetual after 38. Rxf7+ Kg8 39. Rg7+ Kf8 40. Rf7+) 38. f5+ (38. Rxf7 h5+! The key, to free the h6 square with tempo. 39. Kf3 (39. Kh4 c2 40. f5+ Kh6) 39… c2) 38… Kxf6 Now, because White has played f5, that opened the escape e5 square for the black king!! 39. Rxf7+ (39. Kf4 Is an interesting try, but Black wins in several ways. 39… Rf8 (39… Rb4+ 40. e4 (40. Ne4+ Kg7) 40… Bc1+) (39… Kg7!? Even this is enough.)) 39… Ke5

37. Nxc4 b2 38. Nxb2 Bxb2 Now, this is more or less a draw. 39. e4 Rb4 40. Kf3?! Inaccuracy. Ra2 was best. (40. Ra2 Bc1 41. Rg2 Rd4 42. Kf3+ Kh7 43. Rc2 Bd2 44. Rc7 Kg7 45. d6 Bb4 46. e5 Bxd6) 40…Rb3+?! Inaccuracy. Bc1 was best. (40… Bc1 41. d6)

41. Kg4 Bd4 42. Rc7 Bf2 43. e5 Rg3+ 44. Kh5 Rh3+ 45. Kg4 A big missed opportunity for Caleb to win the tournament, still a great tournament for Caleb, where he either broke master, or came very close to it. Important update: Tournament has been rated and Caleb ended up making master, so perhaps, Caleb knew that going into the game, that draw might be enough for him to make master, which is why he didn’t want to take the risk to play for a win. As a result, everyone was happy. Jay shared 1st-3rd and Caleb ended up becoming a master. Success for everyone. 1/2-1/2 (https://themarshallspectator.substack.com/p/the-marshall-spectator-d4d?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1746694&post_id=144544378&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=29g5yf&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email)

Chess In The Schools Poker Night

The title sounds like an oxymoron. The May 1 2024 issue the Marshall Spectator was in the inbox, which is always a treat. There is nothing like Chess and Poker for the children.

Across the Table, with Kai Chu- Why a Chess Dad Designed a Notation Book

Unlock 20% Off: Elevate Your Chess Journey with Chess Cannon Notation Book

As a novice chess player and dedicated chess dad, I originally learned chess just to teach my son the basics. My elder son, Leon, started playing in tournaments about three years ago and has been playing at The Marshall Chess Club for a year and a half. My younger daughter, Caroline, has been playing chess for less than a year and is also a member at The Marshall Chess Club.

Developing good notation habits and conducting post-game reviews are essential for any serious chess player. I previously bought hardcover notation books for my children, but found the options limited, the designs monotonous, the quality average, and the prices high. Therefore, I decided to design a better notation book. A superior notation book can encourage players to take the game more seriously, as has been the case for my children.

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=ed92b615e7&view=lg&permmsgid=msg-f:1797857379602621687&ser=1

The Chess Cannon notation book stands out from other products on the market in several ways:

Inspiration: Every eight games, the book features an inspiring chess quote to motivate players. The first quote is “All I want to do, ever, is play chess” by Bobby Fischer. I’ve carefully selected quotes that resonate with young players and reflect the right approach to the game. For example, to discourage rash gameplay, one quote reads “When you play chess, the idea is to make good moves, not quick ones!” As players improve, they find quotes like “Good positions don’t win games, good moves do.” Some quotes are also meant to connect with chess parents, like myself. The last quote, “Chess is a great game. No matter how good one is, there is always somebody better,” reminds us that it’s normal for our children to lose to lower-rated players as they also need to challenge higher-rated players to grow.

Thoughtfulness: The book includes a clear board chart with notation explanations at the beginning, a dedicated time column for new players to track their pace, an hourglass icon next to move 40 as many tournaments use the 40/80 time control, 65 instead of 60 moves per game for longer games, and a journal page every eight games for recording chess thoughts.

Fun and Engagement: Players can express their feelings by circling out different face emojis about each game in a stats table and track their USCF rating progress in a chart at the end of the book.

Quality: The cover is made of synthetic leather and the inner pages uses 120gsm high quality paper. It features a pen holder, a concealed sheet compartment on the back cover, a ribbon bookmark, and a book band.

I am selling this notation book in limited quantities at ChessCannon.com. An exclusive 20% discount is available to all Marshall Chess Club members. You can purchase directly through this link. Simply add the product to your cart and use the coupon code ‘MARSHALL’ at checkout. Additionally, you can choose free local pickup at the Marshall Chess Club.

• Kai Chu, Marshall Chess Club Member

Is that cool or what? There is more, much more, in the issue. I urge you to check it out!

The End

Columbia Tunnelvision XX

There I was minding my own business at lichess.org: Upcoming broadcasts, when “Tunnelvision XX” was seen.

https://lichess.org/broadcast/columbia-tunnelvision-xx/round-1/l2GBnxrZ

Knowing there is a Tunnelvision in the Great State of South Carolina I clicked onto it after reading this:

Round 1
May 11, 2024, 10:30 AM
Columbia Tunnelvision XX
May 11th | 4-round Swiss | Classical time control

I would like to bring your attention to the “Classical time control” part of the above. After clicking onto the above one sees another page in which this is written:

The Columbia Tunnelvision XX is a 4-round Swiss, held on 11th of May in Columbia, SC, USA.

Time control is 45 minutes for the entire game with a 5-second increment from move 1.
https://lichess.org/broadcast/columbia-tunnelvision-xx/round-1/l2GBnxrZ

It is more than a little obvious things are rapidly changing in Chess these daze, but does only 45 minutes for the entire game qualify as a “Classical time control?”

Do You Still Chess?

A regular reader in another country posed the question, “Do you still chess?” Thank you sir for putting a smile on my face!

The answer is “Yes.” I just do not “Chess” as much these daze, but it is still part of my life. Your question reminded me of something recently read in an EXCELLENT book by GM Larry Kaufman, Chess Board Options. There will be more written about Larry’s book in the future.

Chess.com

On the last page, 219, in chapter 32: The future, Larry writes, “As for myself, although I’m generally in good health, I don’t know if I’ll resume serious over the board play once that is possible, as back trouble and poor vision make this problematic.”

Like Larry this writer also has a problematic back. Sitting for many hours can be injurious for anyone with a bad back. It is simply no longer possible for me to play two games a day, unless at a dramatically reduced time control. If, for example, the time control were G/2 and there was a break of at least one hour between rounds, and only two games were played that day, I might consider playing. Think about it for a moment… If there were two rated games played each day, and each game went the distance, that would mean two four hour games, which would be like working an eight hour job. ‘Back in the day’ I once played Chess beginning on Saturday morning at ten am. The third round game ended the NEXT DAY at two am, Sunday. My losing the fourth round game, which began at ten am, horribly and withdrawing will come as no surprise.

Most of my Chess these daze is watching games on Lichess.org, such as the recently completed Candidates tournament, which was again marred by having an unqualified player in the tournament, just like the last Candidates tournament. If Abasov, a player with whom I was completely unaware, had not participated Nepo would have finished with 71/2 points, a half point more than Gukesh, Nakamura, and Caruana. Nevertheless, I watched some of the action because two Americans, Fabby and Naka, were playing for what possibly would be there last chance to become World Champ, even if they would not be the best Chess player on the planet.

I do, though, enjoy reading about Chess. Occasionally I will check out the action around the world, with a focus on Senior events, and players with which I am familiar, and openings, many now discredited, such as the following game, played in the Grenke Chess Open 2024, which featured the Dutch opening, which has rapidly fallen out of favor, especially at the top, so it is invariably nice to see the opening played by a player the caliber of Gata Kamsky.

Rasmus Svane vs Gata Kamsky

1. d4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. b4 d6 6. Bb2 O-O 7. e3 Nc6 8. b5 Na5 9. Be2 a6 10. a4 c5 11. bxc6

There was a delay here so I went to 365Chess.com where this game was found:

White Player Keymer, Vincent (2700)
Black Player Kamsky, Gata (2666)
Event: Salamanca Uni Masters
Site: Salamanca ESP Date: 10/29/2022
Round: 7.3 Score: ½-½
ECO: A04 Reti v Dutch
1.Nf3 f5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 d6 4.Nc3 g6 5.e3 Bg7 6.b4 O-O 7.Bb2 Nc6 8.b5 Na5 9.Be2 a6 10.a4 c5 11.O-O cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bd7 13.Rc1 Rc8 14.Nd5 Ne4 15.Ba3 e6 16.Nc3 Nc5 17.Bb4 e5 18.Nf3 Nab3 19.Rb1 a5 20.Ba3 e4 21.Rxb3 Nxb3 22.Qxb3 exf3 23.c5+ Kh8 24.Bxf3 dxc5 25.Bxb7 Rb8 26.Bf3 f4 27.Bxc5 fxe3 28.fxe3 Rf5 29.Ne4 Rc8 30.Bd4 Bxd4 31.exd4 Bxb5 32.axb5 Qxd4+ 33.Nf2 Rb8 34.Be2 Rbf8 35.Bf3 Rb8 36.Be2 Rbf8 37.Bf3 ½-½
https://www.365chess.com/game.php?back=1&gid=4381524&m=19

After replaying the game rather quickly I returned to Lichess.co and the real time game…learning the game had been agreed drawn at the very spot I had left to check out the opening at 365Chess.com. The so-called “game” and I use the word loosely, can be located here: (https://lichess.org/broadcast/grenke-chess-open-2024–boards-1-60/round-7/kEy29TXZ/j7agjk3e)

After seeing the truncated game I will admit to having wondered why my time had been wasted watching Chess.

The FIDE Motto & Song

FIDE’s Call For World Championship Bids Sparks Reactions

TarjeiJS

May 4, 2024

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has made a call for bids for the 2024 World Championship match with budget figures that have stirred a debate in the chess community.

A few weeks after the conclusion of the Candidates Tournament, FIDE has already turned its attention to the next world championship match. The reigning champion, GM Ding Liren, will face the challenger, GM Gukesh Dommaraju. The match is scheduled to take place between November 20 and December 15, and now the hunt for an organizer has begun.

Last week, the governing chess body issued the first call for bids for the match. Compared to FIDE’s call for bids for the 2023 match, this one had some new requirements:

Minimum total budget: $8,500,000
Minimum total prize fund: $2,500,000
FIDE fee: $1,100,000 (https://www.chess.com/news/view/fides-call-for-world-championship-bids-draws-reactions)

Why $8.5 Million?

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is the governing body of the sport of chess, and it regulates all international chess competitions. (https://www.fide.com/fide/about-fide)

The above is what most call “Theory”. In “Practice” FIDE stands for, “Federation International Dollar Exchange. The unOfficial FIDE song is:

Although I try not to emend a post this is being done because the Discman (https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/the-discman/) left a comment concerning possible songs that could have gone with the post, one of which is one of my all-time favorite songs. The other was completely new to me.

Thanks to the one and only Discman!

How Is The Go Going?

I like receiving questions from readers and try to reply to each and every one, such as the one above. This writer has enjoyed spending time watching, and reading about, the game of Go, or what is called Weiqi in most of our world. Yesterday the intention was to travel to visit the Atlanta May the 4th Tournament (https://www.usgo.org/content.aspx?page_id=4002&club_id=454497&item_id=2268284) but the back was barkin’ at me this morning, and that old dog will not stop barkin’ so the plan had to be changed.

I am not a good player and have grown old. Nevertheless, I am a firm believer in the axiom, “Use it or lose it.” I believe spending time with Go has had a beneficial effect on my brain. It is almost as if I can feel the synapses making new connections in my brain. Videos have been watched and much time has been spent watching games played online, most of it at this website (https://online-go.com/). One of the things I have noticed is that my brain has been seeing patterns, which caused me to consider something recently read in this book:

goodreads.com (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001ypyp)

“That ability to discern patterns is still useful, but it can also make us think we see things that are not actually there.” Anyone who has sat at any kind of game board will immediately get my drift… Sometimes late at night when watching the chosen Go game I marvel at the beauty of the patterns.

I have gotten better and my understanding has become deeper enough to be able so see a “must” move. The following diagram is an illustration:

Black has just played a stone at L17, which is the black stone containing the white circle. Where would you place a stone if playing the white stones?

When the next stone was played it was exactly where I would have played if it were my turn to play:

Upon seeing the white stone played at J15 my fist was PUMPED as I exclaimed, “YES!”

For some reason I have found myself attracted to playing a stone a Chess “knight move” away for a set of two opponents stones, as in the following example:

Do you suppose all those years playing Chess has had something to do with my thought processes?

http://www.mondo-digital.com/knightmoves.html

Charlotte: The Queen of Chess City

This morning I surfed on over to Chess.com, one of the Chess websites viewed each day.
This was the headline that caused me to stay and read:
Chess.com Announces Partnership With Charlotte Chess Center (https://www.chess.com/news/view/chesscom-announces-charlotte-chess-center-partnership)

The article, replete with pictures like this,

Gathered by the love of the game.

begins:

Chess.com is proud to announce our partnership with the Charlotte Chess Center! Founded in 2014, one of the most influential centers in the US is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. We are ecstatic to work with an incredible over-the-board organizer like the Charlotte Chess Center and bring the best of online chess to the impactful experiences of in-person events.

The first over-the-board partnership between the CCC and Chess.com will be the upcoming 8th Annual Carolina Classic, June 7-9, at the Hilton Charlotte University Place Hotel where legends and trainers like GMs Judit Polgar, RB Ramesh, Vesalin Topalov, and Daniel Naroditsky will grace the halls with a book signing and autograph session.

The legend, GM Judit Polgar!

Frankly, I liked the above picture so much the decision was made to put together this post. Judit will, unfortunately, always be known as the woman cheated by former World Chess Champion, Garry Kasparov. (https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2020/04/26/confirmation-garry-kasparov-cheated-judit-polgar/)

One can only speculate what a victory by Judit would have done for women’s Chess. Surely there would have been a large increase in the number of females coming into the game. Therefore Kasparov not only cheated Judit, he also cheated Caïssa.

Atlanta is the capital city of the Southeast, a city of the future with strong ties to its past. (https://www.atlantaga.gov/visitors/history)

There can be absolutely no doubt that when it comes to the South, Charlotte, North Carolina is the capital of Southern Chess. I will admit this has been written with envy. The fact is that when it comes to the Royal Game, Atlanta has been left behind. It is an open secret that the Georgia Chess Association is dysfunctional. The fact is that there are much better Chess people in the Queen city. Is that an appropriate nickname, or what?! Plaudits to the people of Charlotte, North Carolina.

The best illustration for the state of Chess in my home town would be the following picture:

Yes

“I’ve Seen All Good People”

[I Your Move]

I’ve seen all good people turn their heads each day
So satisfied I’m on my way
I’ve seen all good people turn their heads each day
So satisfied I’m on my way

Take a straight and stronger course
to the corner of your life
Make the white queen run so fast
she hasn’t got time to make you a wife

‘Cause it’s time, it’s time in time with your time
and its news is captured
for the queen to use!
Move me on to any black square
Use me anytime you want
Just remember that the goal
Is for us all to capture all we want
(Move me on to any black square)

Don’t surround yourself with yourself
Move on back two squares
Send an instant karma to me
Initial it with loving care
(Don’t surround yourself)

‘Cause it’s time, it’s time in time with your time
and its news is captured
for the queen to use!

Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda
Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda
(Don’t surround yourself with yourself)

Don’t surround yourself with yourself
(Don’t surround yourself)
Move on back two squares
Send an instant karma to me
(Send an instant karma to me)
Initial it with loving care
(Don’t surround yourself)

‘Cause it’s time, it’s time in time with your time
and its news is captured
for the queen to use!

Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda (All we are saying)
Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda (Is give peace a chance)
Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda (All we are saying)
Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda (Is give peace a chance

‘Cause it’s time, it’s time in time with your time
and it’s news is captured…

[II All Good People]

I’ve seen all good people turn their heads each day
So satisfied I’m on my way

I’ve seen all good people turn their heads each day
So satisfied I’m on my way…
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/yes/iveseenallgoodpeople.html

Journey by Train

Journey by Train

by May Sarton

Stretched across counties, countries, the train
Rushes faster than memory through the rain.
The rise of each hill is a musical phrase.
Listen to the rhythm of space, how it lies,
How it rolls, how it reaches, what unwinding relays
Of wood and meadow where the red cows graze
Come back again and again to closed eyes—
That garden, that pink farm, that village steeple,
And here and there the solitary people
Who stand arrested when express trains pass,
That stillness of an orchard in deep grass.

Yet landscapes flow like this toward a place,
A point in time and memory’s own face.
So when the clamor stops, we really climb
Down to the earth, closing the curve of time,
Meeting those we have left, to those we meet
Bringing our whole life that has moved so fast,
And now is gathered up and here at last,
To unroll like a ribbon at their feet.

“Journey by Train” by May Sarton, from Collected Poems. © Norton, 1993.

I have always been fascinated by trains. The railroad tracks divided the city in which I came of age. The more wealthy people lived on one side and my family resided on the other side.

I crossed those tracks on foot walking to College Park High School for years until obtaining a drivers license and crossing those tracks every day taking my sisters to school in a small Volkswagen that had been hit by a drunken Delta Airlines pilot as I attempted crossing Virginia Avenue when taking my sister and a couple of my her friends home one Friday night. It was the first time I had driven at night. I waited until the light turned green. The cops said the pilot had to have been traveling at least eighty mile per hour. Fortunately, the injury was to my pride. My current roommate, the Legendary Georgia Ironman, when driving a dump truck, was hit by a train when attempting to cross those very same tracks south of town decades later. After spending time in a hospital bed he came out of it to play in a Chess tournament. Tim was all bandaged and there was blood dripping on the board as he sat there playing one of the strongest, and the first Georgia child prodigy, Randy Kolvick. The game has become known as the legendary “Blood Dripping Game.” Tim won the game, the only time he defeated Randy. Therefore, Chess has its own version of a “Blood Dripping Game” which is not to be confused with the famous Weiqi version called the “Blood-vomiting game.”

https://gomagic.org/courses/honinbo-jowa/

(https://senseis.xmp.net/?BloodVomitingGame)

When young one of our neighbors, who lived next door, had a model train set in his attic and I was the only boy he allowed into his sanctuary. He even allowed me to help paint some of the small models. His wife would bring us sandwiches while we “trained.” Alas, they moved.

In the seventh grade I made a trip to Washington D.C. with my classmates to visit the sites. All I recall now is that Jerri Bickers walked up to me on the train and planted the first kiss from a girl on my lips. That was the first of more than a few kisses received on a train. I don’t know what it is about those tracks…

A stewardess, Cecil Jordan, from the left coast, came to Atlanta to work for Delta Airlines. Because of her I am a proud member of the “Mile High Club.” When she moved to New Orleans I took a train to visit. Decades later I took a job taking brand new Bell South vehicles around the South. None of the other drivers wanted the trip to Lake Charles, Louisiana, which reader readers will not be surprised to learn, reminds me of a song by my all-time favorite R&R band:

That, folks, was a brand new video to these old eyes, so you know today I am a happy camper.

There was a time when a vehicle needed to be transported to Asheville, North Carolina, and it was the week of the Land of the Sky Chess tournament held each year in Asheville, by Wilder Wadford. I drove up in one of those Bell South vehicles being followed by the legendary Rainbow Warrior, Tim Bond, with whom I returned to Atlanta.

One year a very nice young man who was attending Georgia Tech began working at the Boys Club, one of my ALL TIME favorite places on the planet. One day he was reading a model train magazine and after asking to see it he asked, “Do you have a train?” I told him all about the neighbor, and the small train set received from Santa one year. Although I cannot recall exactly when that occurred I can recall it was in the mid to late 1960s and I had not started driving. He was in the ROTC at Georgia Tech, and after graduating, he was sent to Vietnam, where he was killed. I had grown too old to cry, but after learning of his death, I admit to being unable to stop the tears from flowing. What a WASTE! From that moment on I HATED that so-called Vietnam “conflict,” and any and everyone who supported the “conflict” which, I believe, was the “official” name of that “unofficial” WAR. For the Generals to have that war a POTUS had to be assassinated in broad daylight on the streets of Dallas, Texas.

The New GCA Hall of Fame

The Georgia State Chess Championship tournament was held over the weekend. Those interested can find the particulars at: http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?202404212862.0.

In addition, there is an article at the USCF website concerning the ten people chosen for the new Georgia Chess Hall of Fame, which can be found here: https://new.uschess.org/news/dan-lucas-inducted-georgia-hall-fame.

One of the worthy choices was Mr. William Alexander Scott III,

https://www.thechessdrum.net/newsbriefs/2002/NB_WAScott.html

who was an “African American from Atlanta who broke the color line in the Southern Chess Association in 1951 and the GCA in the 1960s; Atlanta Chess Association vice president (1963) and president (1965-1967); organizer, journalist, and instructor.”

Mr. Scott, which is how I always addressed the man, was my friend. I would visit him at his office at the Atlanta Daily World newspaper and we would play Chess. That would have been in the early 1970s when I first became interested in Chess. There was much racism ‘back in the day’ and yours truly had a choice to make, because my family was like everyone else. I recall a time when those with darker skin were marching and had shut down the interstate highway. My family was gathered around the TV watching the event when cousin Carl asked, “What do you think about what we’re seeing, Michael?”
The answer was immediate, “If my skin were dark I’d be out there with them.” There was complete silence. My choice had been made. The VietNam “conflict”, a completely unnecessary and wanton killing of innocent people, was raging and I was marching against the “conflict.” Everyone must make choices in life. Not all of my choices have been the right ones, but that choice is one of the ones for which I am most proud.
Some years ago a Chess player, Frank Johnson,

https://www.chess.com/players/frank-johnson

a strong player on the losing end of a vote for POTGCA (Fun Fong [https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/gca-president-renounces-chess/] was, unfortunately, the winning candidate) came to the Ironman Chess Club, saying, “I’ve been playing with some of the old guys (Joe Scott, George Leite, and Stan Sherman, etc.) and they all speak highly of you, Mike.”

Bob Joiner was my friend. After being taught how to play Chess by my father he beat me several times, which sent me to a bookstore, where the book, “How To Play Chess,” written by Fred Reinfeld, was purchased.

chessbookchats.blogspot.com

I refused my father’s offer to play again until after having read the entire book. I was fifteen or sixteen at the time. The next time we played I shocked my father by winning. He demanded another game, which he lost. Ronald became irate and swept the board clean of all the pieces. We never played again.

After hearing about it, cousin Carl Hendrix, who worked for Eastern Airlines, mentioned a fellow employee who played Chess. That man was Bob Joiner, who won the 1969 Georgia State Chess Championship 5-0. For many years I wondered what would have happened if I had met Bob four years earlier than when first playing in a USCF tournament. After learning I have Aphantasia (https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2023/05/26/aphantasia/) the realization struck that it would not have mattered when I first began playing the Royal Game. I would go by Bob’s office near 5 Points in downtown Atlanta and we would walk to a sandwich shop and return to his office with the sammy’s, and play Chess. Because Bob was a Public Defender, one who once helped me out of a legal jam, I did pro bono investigations for him. Some years ago the USCF sold bricks that would be inscribed, and placed along with other bricks. Bob purchased one of the bricks and I made a point of looking at it during a visit to Crossville, Tennessee. Bill Hall was in charge then and as we stood there looking at the bricks I told him about the time Bob offered to purchase one of those bricks for me, to be placed beside his brick, because I had won the 1976 Atlanta Chess Championship 5-0, but I declined his offer. Obviously puzzled, Bob wanted to know why I refused. “Because the USCF HQ will not be here long enough for it to matter, Bob,” I stated.

That was written to give you an idea of what kind of man my friend Robert Joiner was.

Prior to the beginning of that 1969 Georgia State Chess Championship some (most?) of the players got together and decided to ask Mr. William A. Scott to “play in a separate room.

Bob Joiner, (https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/atlanta/name/john-joiner-obituary?id=6859499) to his everlasting credit, took a stand, refusing to go along with the others. Bob led the small group who felt Mr. Scott should be allowed to play in the same room as everyone else, and they were ready, willing, and able, to not play in the event unless Mr. Scott was allowed to play alongside them. The racists backed down, and Mr. Scott was allowed to play in the main room.

Bob Joiner was not one of the chosen ones to be installed in the new Georgia Chess HOF, which is one of the most egregious mistakes ever made by the people in charge of Chess in the Great State of Georgia. Bob not being chosen speaks volumes about those in charge of the GCA. Only one person on the GCA board reached out to this writer and former player to ask for my thoughts on who should be in the new GCA HOF, Wayne Schmuggerow. After checking, I see Smuggy, like so many others, abandoned the GCA ship. There is a reason. The website shows not one, but two vacancies on the GCA board of directors. It is no secret the GCA is in a sorry condition. All one needs to do if you disagree is surf on over to the pitifully moribund website (https://www.georgiachess.org/) to understand why I am disparaging the Chess organization of MY HOME STATE.

It was not easy going against the mores and prevailing ‘wisdom’ of the time. My friend Bob Joiner took a very important stand ‘back in the day’. For him to have been overlooked, or excluded, for whatever reason, is reprehensible. When it comes to Chess I am embarrassed and ashamed to say I am from Georgia.

Lisa Lane, Chess Champion Whose Reign Was Meteoric, Dies at 90