Tag Archives: Hair

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Expert James Altucher Plays “The Truth”

Expert James Altucher relocated from up north in New York to the Great State of Georgia down South. Knowing nothing about the gentleman I have spent an inordinate amount of time researching the interloper. The results are interesting. What follows is an indication:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/what-you-can-do-if-you-are-a-nobody-james-altucher–178455203956029492/

After learning the Yankee had won the Georgia Senior Chess Championship I inquired as to who was the guy? “You know, the dude with all the HAIR!” Actually, I did not know that…

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQlx2klE_aNrPhz2OyKRdg

Origins notwithstanding the fact is we share some openings, as is the case with the game that follows. Regular readers know of my fondness for “The truth-as it was known in those far-off days.” If you do not know from where that emanates then please type “Bishops Opening” into the rectangle provided and all the posts concerning The Truth will magically appear. Then there is the fact that Altucher plays the Dutch, although not the Leningrad Dutch, which was the only reason I played the Dutch defense. 365Chess.com has the particular move order in the game listed as a C28 Vienna game. Lichess.org considers it to be a C24 Bishop’s Opening: Vienna Hybrid. As far as this writer is concerned any game beginning with 1 e4 e5 2 Bc4 is a Bishops Opening.

When Karl Demelt sat down to face the B.O. he, like James Altucher, had won both of his games.

Expert James Altucher (2000) vs FM Karl Dehmelt (2203)
Irwin Tournament of Senior Champions
Bishop’s Opening: Vienna Hybrid (Lichess.org)

  1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d3 Na5 5. Nge2 Bc5 6. Na4 Be7 7. Ng3 d5 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Bxd5 Qxd5 10. O-O Be6 11. Nc3 Qd7 12. f4 exf4 13. Bxf4 O-O 14. Qd2 Nc6 15. Kh1 Nd4 16. Nce4 f5 17. Nc3 Bd6 18. Bxd6 Qxd6 19. Nge2 Rae8 20. Rae1 g6 21. Nxd4 Qxd4 22. a3 Bd7 23. Nd1 Bc6 24. c3 Qd6 25. d4 Rxe1 26. Rxe1 f4 27. c4 f3 28. d5 Bd7 29. b4 b6 30. Nf2 fxg2+ 31. Kxg2 Qf6 32. Qe3 Re8 33. Ne4 Qe5 34. Qf3 Kg7 35. Re2 Qd4 36. Nf2 Qxc4 37. Rxe8 Bxe8 38. Ne4 Qd4 39. Kg3 Bf7 40. Qf4 Qxd5 41. Qf6+ Kg8 42. Qe7 Qe6 43. Nf6+ Kg7 44. Ne8+ Kg8 45. Nf6+ Kg7 46. Ne8+ Kh8 47. Qf8+ Bg8 48. Qe7 1/2-1/2

1.e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 (The usual move is 2…Nf6 and it has been played almost five times as frequently than the move made in the game. It is also the first choice of the Stockfish program at lichess.org) 3. Nc3 (‘Back in the day’ I would have played 3 d3, and so will the ‘Fish today) 3…Nf6 4. d3 Na5 5. Nge2 (The only move ever played when playing the Bishop’s opening was 5 Bb3. Although I love the bishops the fact is white obtains excellent compensation because of the time lost by black, which can have a deleterious affect on the black position. In addition, the opening of the rook file help white, and the pawn captured toward the center, which could have a positive effect later. What’s not to like?!) 5… Bc5 (SF would first play 5…c6, and after 6 0-0, then play Bc5) 6. Na4 (Turn about is fair play, eh? I would have dripped the prelate back to b3. SF will castle) 6…Be7 7. Ng3 (SF agrees with me and would return the knight to c3) 7…d5 (SF would first prepare this move with 7…c6) 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Bxd5 (There is no way I would even consider taking the steed with the powerful white squared bishop. Like the ‘Fish, I, too, would simply castle) Qxd5 10. O-O Be6 Qxd5 10. O-O Be6 11. Nc3 Qd7 12. f4 exf4 13. Bxf4 (Each and everyone of these moves would have been made by Stockfish) 13…O-O (SF would go the other way with 13…0-0-0) 14. Qd2 (SF goes with 14 Nce4) 14…Nc6 15. Kh1 (SF says 15 Rae1) 15…Nd4 (b6 SF) 16. Nce4 f5 (16…c5 SF) 17. Nc3 (If there is one thing learned from watching the ‘Fish do its thing it is that the program will, given the chance, almost always ATTACK SOMETHING. It will come as no surprise to you that the ‘Fish would move the knight to g5. Black, without question, now has the advantage) 17…Bd6 (Which he tosses away with this ill-fated move. SF would simply play 17…h6) 18. Bxd6 (18 Nce2 SF) 18….Qxd6 19. Nge2 Rae8 20. Rae1 (SF is ready to get some wood offa the board, preferring to take the intruding knight and after the Queen takes the knight, will play 21 Qf2, getting the Ladies offa the board with a view to at least making a draw).

We move along to this position:

Position after 34…Kg7

Althucher played 32 Re2?? The question marks are from lichess.org.

Position after 32 Re2??

Fortunately for the new kid in town

his opponent answered a double question mark ‘howler’ with one of his own when playing 35…Qd4?? (SF awarded)

Position after 35…Qd4??

Not to be outdone, the hirsute one answered with:

Position after 36 Nf2?? (SF again)

From here on it was down and out for the new ‘kid’ in town…or was it?

Position after 42 Qe7

Demelt now had a completely won position. All he needed to do was move the King to g7…

Position after 42…Qe6??

After 43. Nf6+ Kg7 44. Ne8+ Kg8 45. Nf6+ Kg7 46. Ne8+ the position looked like this:

Position after 46 Ne8+

And the game did not end in a perpetual check because Karl Demelt, in his wisdom, moved his King to h8 with his 46th move, which allowed Althucher to play 47 Qf8+, and after 47…Bg8 checkmate was NOT DELIVERED!!! James Altucher played 48 Ke7?? and the game was agreed drawn. I cannot make this up, people… That is the truth.

Stephen J Pullinger (2110) vs Gavin Wall (2369)
Event: Sutton op
Site: Sutton Date: ??/??/1999
Round: 1 Score: 0-1
ECO: C28 Vienna game
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Na5 5.Nge2 Bc5 6.Na4 Be7 7.Nac3 O-O 8.O-O c6 9.a3 Nxc4 10.dxc4 d6 11.Qd3 Be6 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.Rad1 Qa5 15.Kh1 Rfd8 16.f4 exf4 17.Nxf4 Bg4 18.Rd2 Be5 19.Nd1 Bxd1 20.Rdxd1 Bxb2 21.Rb1 Qxa3 22.Qxa3 Bxa3 23.Rxb7 Rdb8 24.Rfb1 Rxb7 25.Rxb7 a5 26.Rb3 Bc5 27.Nd3 a4 28.Rb1 a3 29.Nxc5 dxc5 30.Kg1 Kf8 31.Kf2 a2 32.Ra1 Ke7 33.Ke3 Ke6 0-1
https://www.365chess.com/game.php?back=1&gid=778982&m=12

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IM Kassa Korley and Hairy Chess

During the second or third grade my father took me to see the neighborhood barber, who, like most of the men in the neighborhood, had fought in the “Big One,” World War II. Mr. Cole had a barbershop in his back yard and supplemented his income by cutting hair at night and on Saturday. For some reason my father decided what I needed was a “flat-top.” Upon returning home my mother took one look at me and screamed, “I’m gonna KILL HIM!” My father was not the only one frightened…Since I played all sports not having hair was a real good thing, so it stayed that way until the summer before my senior year, when I let it grow, and grow…and grow some more…The picture in the high school yearbook was of me and my buzz-cut. This would have been the summer of 1967, as I graduated in spring of 1968. The thick, wavy hair looked longer than it was in reality. Still, there were those “straight” people who did not like it. The school principal informed me that I would have to obtain a haircut immediately or would not be allowed to continue playing on the Baseball team. It is still somewhat unclear what exactly happened next, but the recollection is of Coach Jackson “having a talk” with the principal. The net result was I no longer had to get my hair cut, and could still play Baseball…After graduating high school I took a year off before attending college on a scholarship from the Boys Club, where I worked part-time while attending college. Many years later my nephew saw pictures of me during those years with the beard and long hair and said, “Uncle Mike, you looked like Jesus!” I only wish I had some of that hair now…

‘It’s a racial issue’: Mom slams ‘sexist’ school policy prohibiting boys from having long hair

Elizabeth Di Filippo Yahoo Canada Style•January 28, 2020

A U.K. mom is speaking out against school policies which she says restrict boys from having long hair.

Bonnie Miller has helped her son Farouk James

amass more than 274,000 followers on Instagram by sharing photos of eight-year-old and his long, naturally textured hair.

According to Miller, the decision to allow Farouk to grow out his hair was “cultural.” He was initially encouraged by his father’s Ghanian family to not cut his hair until he was three. As Farouk’s hair grew, the child model developed an emotional attachment to his “unique and beautiful” hair which Miller affectionately calls his “mane.”

While researching secondary schools for her son, Miller said she was surprised to learn that several maintained strict policies prohibiting boys from having long hair. The family’s top choice, Fulham Boys School in West London, currently has regulations regarding hair length which Miller believes are “out of date” and discriminatory against children of colour.

“Hairstyles should be tidy and of a conventional nature, no extreme haircuts including sculpting, shaving, dreadlocks or braiding are allowed. The maximum hair length is above the collar and the minimum hair length is a number 2 cut,” the Church of England secondary school’s policy states. “Hair must be one natural colour. Parents are strongly advised to seek advice on the acceptability of hairstyles that may be considered ‘different’ before allowing their son to adopt such a style. School reserves the right to insist on re-styling if it considers the style inappropriate.”

Although Farouk

won’t attend secondary school for another two years, Miller said her son has become “terrified” at the thought of cutting his hair in order to be admitted to the school.

“It’s a racial issue,” Miller told Good Morning America (GMA). “We all know what kind of boys would have dreadlocks and braids. Generally, it’s black boys or mixed boys. We’re not talking about Caucasian children here… it’s very unlikely.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/mom-slams-sexist-school-policy-for-long-hair-214238479.html

While researching this article I found a plethora of other articles concerning the “problem” of a male child with long hair. Why is it that so-called “conventional” type people care so much about how a child, any child, boy or girl of any color, styles their hair? Why is it that so-called “establishment” type people demand conformity?

Bullying Story Spurs Apology From Romney

By ASHLEY PARKER  and JODI KANTOR

May 10, 2012

The day after President Obama endorsed gay marriage, Mitt Romney

found himself responding to allegations that as a teenager he harassed a prep school classmate who later came out as gay.

The account put Mr. Romney, who has struggled on the campaign trail to cast off his rivals’ image of him as privileged and insensitive, on the defensive about events nearly 50 years ago.

The episode, reported by The Washington Post, occurred at Cranbrook, a private school that Mr. Romney, the son of an automobile executive-turned-governor, attended in Michigan. Mr. Romney returned from spring break in his senior year to find that John Lauber, a quiet, offbeat type, had bleached his hair blond.

Mr. Romney, brandishing a pair of scissors, led other boys on a hunt for Mr. Lauber, teasing him and holding him down while Mr. Romney snipped off his long locks.

Since the election was close this story could possibly have contributed to Mitt not becoming POTUS. Unfortunately, being a bully did not stop Donald John Trump from becoming POTUS to the detriment of all of US.

One of the great things about working at the Atlanta Chess & Game Center ‘back in the day’ was that one encountered all kinds of people form all over the world. When I think of the people who came to the House of Pain I think of the vibrantly colorful characters and all the different styles of EVERYTHING, but with one thing in common. CHESS!

Looks like he could be a chessplayer.

IM Kassa Korley
Photo by CCC

Kassa Korley IS a Chessplayer!

Kassa Korley earns first GM norm!

 

https://players.chessbase.com/en/player/Korley_Kassa/133904

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVtZgeH7mk5rKpIFjHkI9oA

https://podbay.fm/podcast/1185023674/e/1525172400