Hello everyone,
Its been a wild last few months! I'm still in China, specifically the city of Chengdu in Sichuan Province. I had actually gotten to play a good amount of chess games with some other westerners that live in my dorm. There were three college students during summer term who had played club chess to some extent. Two of them would be in about the 1400 range and another in about the 1500-1600 range. I went a combined 10-3 against them in long, casual games.
I finally came across a local group of players though. I'm not sure if they are directly affiliated with the Chengdu Chess Club but I know several of the players are regulars there. They were playing outside of a small noodle shop about half a mile from my dorms. I showed interest and one of the younger boys asked me if I knew how to play. I said yes and that I enjoyed playing. I was disregarded by the older players as they were concentrating on their games. The boy told me about a casual tournament at People's Park and I said I'd like to check it out.
It was more like the Reno Chess Club Swiss tourneys but it was outside in the blistering heat! It was all for fun but there weren't any push overs. I think I was the weakest player there in fact. I got crushed in my first two games and was able to take advantage of a blunder in my third game to keep from castling queenside (0-0-0) = )
In the first game I had white and I got abused in a French Tarrasch by a player who was probably expert or higher, I couldn't ask much chess lingo as he spoke no English and my Chinese doesn't have that type of vocabulary yet. The second game I got crushed in a Queen's Indian Defense by a very strong player (no idea what to say for rating strength). The third game my ego was a little bruised and I faced off with a 9 year-old boy. He actually knew enough English to hold a pretty good conversation. Where are you from, what music do you like and so forth. He has a FIDE rating which he claimed 1849, I believe his name was Wang Peng, but not totally sure.
Anyways I was able to play my line in the dragon and he made some moves which are standard in other Dragon lines, that just don't work against the line I play and I got him into trouble quickly, and then he started making bad moves. 1 of 3 ain't good but I played above my head all day!
*
Monday, August 15, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Game one victory!!
Quick update for those that care. I dueled my way to a victory with the white pieces in round one of the Western Class Championships. My opponent sported a French Defense-Fort Knox variation. I took my time and felt good about the game. When my opponent(1717)resigned he refused to shake hands because he was disgusted with himself.
Kinda weird guy but whatever...I'm a happy camper!!
Here is the game:
Kinda weird guy but whatever...I'm a happy camper!!
Here is the game:
Western Class Championships
Just checked into the Renaissance Agoura Hills Hotel for the Western Class Championships. The hotel itself is very nice and the quality of the room is more than I could have expected at the Chess price that they offered!
I should have a game tonight in the B section. Hope this thing starts off ok...
I should have a game tonight in the B section. Hope this thing starts off ok...
Monday, March 7, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Everything with a beginning has an end...
Well my eight-game unbeaten streak was snapped on Thursday night by Matt Herald. I was on the Black side of a French Advance and had created a great position and began moving too fast, not looking at my opponent's options and got into trouble resembling my trouble at the Far West Open last year.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
A little Anthropology for ya...
Neandertals and Endurance Running
Endurance running has been cited since the 1980’s as a possible explanation for the modern human body plan. Past studies have focused on the running abilities of species such as Homo ergaster and Homo sapiens, with little or no mention of other species or genera. Currently in press in the Journal of Human Evolution is a discussion of Neandertal running capabilities.
The authors observed the length of the calcaneal tuber of the foot, which correlates with how far the Achilles tendon will stretch during movement. For this study measurements were taken of both Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis. Species with short calcaneal tubers stretch their Achilles tendons to a greater degree, which is then returned in the form of elastic energy. Species with long tubers stretch the Achilles tendon less and therefore have a lower return of elastic energy.
White Line: Calcaneus tuber length. Red Line: Achilles tendon moment. Correlation between the two values. Photo from Raichlen et al.
Simply put, a species with shorter calcaneal tubers will use less energy when running. Anatomically modern humans have been found to have short tubers, while longer ones are found on Neandertal remains. According to the authors, this variation has significant behavioral implications.
Unlike modern humans, the storage of less elastic energy in Neandertals would have made running less efficient. However, Neandertals were not necessarily at a disadvantage in the colder climates they are often said to have inhabited. It is more likely that running over long distances would have been energetically costly to them, without having huge benefits.
Long distance running would prove beneficial in warmer climates where animals are prone to hyperventilate when chased. Modern humans would have benefitted from endurance running because it would have aided in capturing prey. The same model does not necessarily apply in colder climates. A runner could chase an animal all day in low temperatures and never have the animal succumb to heat stress or hyperventilation. It is for this reason argued that the ability to run long distances would not have been as evolutionarily valuable to Homo neanderthalensis.
Discussing endurance running provides fascinating insight into human evolution. While the ability to run long distances can be very revealing about evolutionary history, lack of endurance can be as well.
By Matt Magnani
Raichlen, D.A., Armstrong, H., Lieberman, D.E. (2011). “Calcaneus length determines running economy: Implications for endurance running performance in modern humans and Neandertals.” The Journal of Human Evolution. Article in Press.
Endurance running has been cited since the 1980’s as a possible explanation for the modern human body plan. Past studies have focused on the running abilities of species such as Homo ergaster and Homo sapiens, with little or no mention of other species or genera. Currently in press in the Journal of Human Evolution is a discussion of Neandertal running capabilities.
The authors observed the length of the calcaneal tuber of the foot, which correlates with how far the Achilles tendon will stretch during movement. For this study measurements were taken of both Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis. Species with short calcaneal tubers stretch their Achilles tendons to a greater degree, which is then returned in the form of elastic energy. Species with long tubers stretch the Achilles tendon less and therefore have a lower return of elastic energy.
White Line: Calcaneus tuber length. Red Line: Achilles tendon moment. Correlation between the two values. Photo from Raichlen et al.
Simply put, a species with shorter calcaneal tubers will use less energy when running. Anatomically modern humans have been found to have short tubers, while longer ones are found on Neandertal remains. According to the authors, this variation has significant behavioral implications.
Unlike modern humans, the storage of less elastic energy in Neandertals would have made running less efficient. However, Neandertals were not necessarily at a disadvantage in the colder climates they are often said to have inhabited. It is more likely that running over long distances would have been energetically costly to them, without having huge benefits.
Long distance running would prove beneficial in warmer climates where animals are prone to hyperventilate when chased. Modern humans would have benefitted from endurance running because it would have aided in capturing prey. The same model does not necessarily apply in colder climates. A runner could chase an animal all day in low temperatures and never have the animal succumb to heat stress or hyperventilation. It is for this reason argued that the ability to run long distances would not have been as evolutionarily valuable to Homo neanderthalensis.
Discussing endurance running provides fascinating insight into human evolution. While the ability to run long distances can be very revealing about evolutionary history, lack of endurance can be as well.
By Matt Magnani
Raichlen, D.A., Armstrong, H., Lieberman, D.E. (2011). “Calcaneus length determines running economy: Implications for endurance running performance in modern humans and Neandertals.” The Journal of Human Evolution. Article in Press.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
4 in a row!
Ok so in my last post I aid two in a row but I forgot that I won my last game at the Nevada State Championships so that makes 4 wins in a row. Anything to keep up the motivation. Here is my first round game of the Club Championship Qualifier against James Mann.
I missed an easy recapture in the opening that would have ensured a big advantage and then we both worked on positioning our pieces and pawns towards central clarity.
I missed an easy recapture in the opening that would have ensured a big advantage and then we both worked on positioning our pieces and pawns towards central clarity.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Two in a row
This one will be short and sweet. I followed up last week's victory with another win as White against a Caro-Kahn defense/Classical variation. Aside from two bad moves my game was pretty solid and I was aware of what I was doing with my minor pieces, whether my moves were right or wrong I was at least debating mentally, the merits of a move and how it could make my knights and bishops good/bad.
I ended up purposefully creating a bad bishop to weaken the enemy king position in this game and it worked out well. Enjoy!
I ended up purposefully creating a bad bishop to weaken the enemy king position in this game and it worked out well. Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
On a night like this...
On Thursday I returned to action at the Reno Chess Club ad was able to swindle a victory from an utterly hopeless position. I had remembered several posts on the blog “Soapstone’s Studio” espousing the joys of a swindle, so while my position was becoming more and more hopeless I tried to think about; what if he messes up and I can take the game? I looked back over some of the blog entries and I kind of got inspired for a detective narrative.
So I hope you enjoy it, there are several homage’s to movies and books throughout. On a totally separate note, I so far really like Silman’s 4th edition of his classic How To Reassess Your Chess books.
The rain was coming down hard as I walked down 4th street that night. I was down to my last dime and hoping that this business venture would be short and sweet. Things had been rough lately, jobs gone sour, informants with bad information; a few bullets may have even flown my way. I kept telling myself it was crazy being a P.I. but what else did I know how to do? Ah the hell with it, here’s the place.
I stepped into the Wrondel offices at a quarter to ten that night. The lighting was low and the lobby was quiet…too quiet. I walked up to the well-dressed receptionist “I’m looking for Mike Houser” I asked her, it came out almost as a whisper.
“I’m sorry sir, you will have to speak up”, she replied.
“I says, I’m looking for big Mike, Mike Houser”.
“Oh, third door on the right…stay to the right”, she said in a dismissive manner.
I heard this guy was a straight-shooter, Jersey boy. Rumors he did time in the Pen upstate, but he paid in cash and it wasn’t my policy to question the hands that fed me. I hesitated, and then pulled open the door.
“Ahh, I’ve been expecting you. I’ve heard allot about you. They say you used to do whatever it takes to solve a problem. In the Bronx they called you the Harrington Hammer,” the man said with a solid grin and an all-too penetrating stare.
“You’ve done your homework Mr. Houser. But that was a different life. Whiskey, women and rough-necking with my share of knuckle-heads has soured my palate to anything like the Bronx days,” I said calmly, wondering exactly what this man had in mind for me tonight.
“I’ll get to the point, as your time is as valuable as mind, no doubt. There’s a kid down on the eastside, goes by the name Matt Herald. He’s been outta the game for a spell, but he’s been cutting into my turf and I need you to do some recon for me. Take some pictures, eavesdrop some conversations. The word on the street is he may be talking a backdoor deal with the deputy mayor in an abandoned warehouse right by the Fisherman’s Whorf, tonight at midnight”.
“I trust you can still use those keen eyes and ears that have made you such a commodity in this…community,” he said.
I hesitated; I had a bad feeling about tonight. No moon in the sky, wet as a rainforest and I’m tracking a man I know nothing about. “This doesn’t smell right. It’s gonna cost you double, and I don’t take checks”, I finally answered.
“Deal!” he quickly quipped.
I shuttered a bit and left the office with a photo of my mark, and my wits.
I could smell the salt in the air as I approached the dark seaport. Wasn’t a soul in sight but I glanced a broken windowpane and a door slightly cracked open. This was the warehouse. I took a deep breath and stepped inside…
1 d4 e6 As I slowly moved through the opening of this creepy building I began to hear a man’s voice.
2 c4 Nf6 As I circled the voice, he came into view. He was yelling at a beautiful woman in a business suit. I took my position behind some steel-drum barrels in a dark corner.
3 Bg5 Bb4+ I took out my camera and began snapping photos. It sounded like the woman was being blackmailed and it now occurred to me, this was the deputy mayor.
4 Nc3 h6 5 Bxf6!? She spoke up and I clearly heard when she said “Mr. Herald if you think I’m going to make a deal with you, I’m afraid you’re wasting your time,” and as she finished speaking he slapped her across the face and laughed. 5…Qxf6 She slapped him back and began running in the direction of the door.
6 e3 Herald opened the door to his right and I spied several henchmen putting on black gloves and one sharpening a butcher knife.
6…c5 7 Nf3 I loaded my pistol without thinking and the men walked into the room.
7…0-0 8 Be2 cxd4 The two gloved men grabbed the woman and I threw a stone through a large window across the warehouse.
9 Qxd4 Herald drew his sidearm and cautiously investigated the noise.
9…Bxc3 I quickly kicked over one of the heavy steel barrels and it began rolling towards a thug holding the mayor, and it struck the man with a thud. I stealthily ran into some shadows in an adjacent corner. The man’s knee appeared to be injured and he was writing with pain on the damp concrete.
10 Bxc3 Qe7 Herald faced the woman, “You didn’t come alone did you?” He pointed the gun at her and she struggled fiercely, breaking the slippery hold of the remaining gloved thug.
11 c5!? Herald pulled the woman to the ground and shoved the steel drum over top of her, effectively ending her squirming for the time being.
11…Nc6 12 Qd6 Qf6?! 13 Nd4 The gloved thug lifted a Tommy Gun from the table and stood in the middle of the room ready for action.
13…Qg5 14 0-0 e5?! 15 Nb5 a6 16 Nc7 Ra7 17 Rab1 As my eyes began to adjust to the darkness I began to realize I was seriously outgunned and outmanned, and that it wasn’t as dark in here as I would have liked it to be. They were too close to the door for me to make an exit and I could see no possible way to fee the mayor.
17…Qe7 18 Rfd1 f5 19 Bc4+ Kh8 20 Qg6 Rf6 As I went to put away my camera, I accidently leaned to hard against the barrel and it went tumbling over! It landed with a thud. The Tommy gun started spraying his heat in my direction as I ducked behind my cover. Then the others were shooting off smaller caliber shots, I was pinned down, returning fire just to keep them at bay.
21 Qg3?! One of the perks slowly backed up and he was now right under a load of boxes hoisted by rope. I kept that in mind and focused my attention on the Tommy Gun.
21… Rf8 22 Rd6 Qd8? I leaned out and finally had a good shot at the Tommy Gun, but he was gone? I couldn’t see him, I was a sitting duck!
23 Rg6?? F4?! I began frantically shooting at the rope above the thug, I could barely see the line and was running low on ammo.
24 Qg4?? A stroke of utter luck from above. Herald slipped in the sludge-puddle and dropped his gun. It slid close to the woman.
24…d5! I rolled out into the open and now had all three villains in range and none could get off a clean shot at me.
25 Re6?? dxc4 All of a sudden the packages fell from their bindings and crushed the man, she had apparently gotten the weapon and shot the rope which I missed so many times.
26 Rd1 Qxc7 I lined up my shot and sent the Tommy gun flying into the air and it landed on the ground with a clank, a moment later its user fell with his last breath.
27 Rdd6 Bxe6 28 Qxe6 Qf7 I took out the final gloves henchman and we turned our gaze to the now solo Matt Herald.
29 Qh3 fxe3 30 Qxe3 Raa8 31 h3 Rad8 32 a4 Herald ran out of bullets and began throwing old railroad spikes and bits of heavy metal at us. He was determined to fight to the very end!
32…Rxd6 33 cxd6 Rd8 34 Qc5 Qd7 35 Qxc4 Qxd6 36 g3 Qd5 37 Qg4 Qd1+ He made one last attempt at the door and then fell in exhaustion, Hands in the air and disappointment on his face.
“You really had me sweating Herald. What were you thinking, messing around in my town?”
“I had you man, I had you,” he said with strength in his voice.
“That you did, and now you know what it’s like to be swindled.”
I tied him up and gave a call to big Mike. He’d want to talk to herald personally. I then turned to the deputy mayor, that was some nice shooting there ma’am. You can back me up anytime”, I said with a coy smile. I turned and walked away.
“Handsome stranger, you ever considered a career in politics?” she yelled after me.
“That business is too rough and dirty for a man like me, take care ma’am.
As the sun rose over the harbor I felt alive and I had won…
So I hope you enjoy it, there are several homage’s to movies and books throughout. On a totally separate note, I so far really like Silman’s 4th edition of his classic How To Reassess Your Chess books.
The rain was coming down hard as I walked down 4th street that night. I was down to my last dime and hoping that this business venture would be short and sweet. Things had been rough lately, jobs gone sour, informants with bad information; a few bullets may have even flown my way. I kept telling myself it was crazy being a P.I. but what else did I know how to do? Ah the hell with it, here’s the place.
I stepped into the Wrondel offices at a quarter to ten that night. The lighting was low and the lobby was quiet…too quiet. I walked up to the well-dressed receptionist “I’m looking for Mike Houser” I asked her, it came out almost as a whisper.
“I’m sorry sir, you will have to speak up”, she replied.
“I says, I’m looking for big Mike, Mike Houser”.
“Oh, third door on the right…stay to the right”, she said in a dismissive manner.
I heard this guy was a straight-shooter, Jersey boy. Rumors he did time in the Pen upstate, but he paid in cash and it wasn’t my policy to question the hands that fed me. I hesitated, and then pulled open the door.
“Ahh, I’ve been expecting you. I’ve heard allot about you. They say you used to do whatever it takes to solve a problem. In the Bronx they called you the Harrington Hammer,” the man said with a solid grin and an all-too penetrating stare.
“You’ve done your homework Mr. Houser. But that was a different life. Whiskey, women and rough-necking with my share of knuckle-heads has soured my palate to anything like the Bronx days,” I said calmly, wondering exactly what this man had in mind for me tonight.
“I’ll get to the point, as your time is as valuable as mind, no doubt. There’s a kid down on the eastside, goes by the name Matt Herald. He’s been outta the game for a spell, but he’s been cutting into my turf and I need you to do some recon for me. Take some pictures, eavesdrop some conversations. The word on the street is he may be talking a backdoor deal with the deputy mayor in an abandoned warehouse right by the Fisherman’s Whorf, tonight at midnight”.
“I trust you can still use those keen eyes and ears that have made you such a commodity in this…community,” he said.
I hesitated; I had a bad feeling about tonight. No moon in the sky, wet as a rainforest and I’m tracking a man I know nothing about. “This doesn’t smell right. It’s gonna cost you double, and I don’t take checks”, I finally answered.
“Deal!” he quickly quipped.
I shuttered a bit and left the office with a photo of my mark, and my wits.
I could smell the salt in the air as I approached the dark seaport. Wasn’t a soul in sight but I glanced a broken windowpane and a door slightly cracked open. This was the warehouse. I took a deep breath and stepped inside…
1 d4 e6 As I slowly moved through the opening of this creepy building I began to hear a man’s voice.
2 c4 Nf6 As I circled the voice, he came into view. He was yelling at a beautiful woman in a business suit. I took my position behind some steel-drum barrels in a dark corner.
3 Bg5 Bb4+ I took out my camera and began snapping photos. It sounded like the woman was being blackmailed and it now occurred to me, this was the deputy mayor.
4 Nc3 h6 5 Bxf6!? She spoke up and I clearly heard when she said “Mr. Herald if you think I’m going to make a deal with you, I’m afraid you’re wasting your time,” and as she finished speaking he slapped her across the face and laughed. 5…Qxf6 She slapped him back and began running in the direction of the door.
6 e3 Herald opened the door to his right and I spied several henchmen putting on black gloves and one sharpening a butcher knife.
6…c5 7 Nf3 I loaded my pistol without thinking and the men walked into the room.
7…0-0 8 Be2 cxd4 The two gloved men grabbed the woman and I threw a stone through a large window across the warehouse.
9 Qxd4 Herald drew his sidearm and cautiously investigated the noise.
9…Bxc3 I quickly kicked over one of the heavy steel barrels and it began rolling towards a thug holding the mayor, and it struck the man with a thud. I stealthily ran into some shadows in an adjacent corner. The man’s knee appeared to be injured and he was writing with pain on the damp concrete.
10 Bxc3 Qe7 Herald faced the woman, “You didn’t come alone did you?” He pointed the gun at her and she struggled fiercely, breaking the slippery hold of the remaining gloved thug.
11 c5!? Herald pulled the woman to the ground and shoved the steel drum over top of her, effectively ending her squirming for the time being.
11…Nc6 12 Qd6 Qf6?! 13 Nd4 The gloved thug lifted a Tommy Gun from the table and stood in the middle of the room ready for action.
13…Qg5 14 0-0 e5?! 15 Nb5 a6 16 Nc7 Ra7 17 Rab1 As my eyes began to adjust to the darkness I began to realize I was seriously outgunned and outmanned, and that it wasn’t as dark in here as I would have liked it to be. They were too close to the door for me to make an exit and I could see no possible way to fee the mayor.
17…Qe7 18 Rfd1 f5 19 Bc4+ Kh8 20 Qg6 Rf6 As I went to put away my camera, I accidently leaned to hard against the barrel and it went tumbling over! It landed with a thud. The Tommy gun started spraying his heat in my direction as I ducked behind my cover. Then the others were shooting off smaller caliber shots, I was pinned down, returning fire just to keep them at bay.
21 Qg3?! One of the perks slowly backed up and he was now right under a load of boxes hoisted by rope. I kept that in mind and focused my attention on the Tommy Gun.
21… Rf8 22 Rd6 Qd8? I leaned out and finally had a good shot at the Tommy Gun, but he was gone? I couldn’t see him, I was a sitting duck!
23 Rg6?? F4?! I began frantically shooting at the rope above the thug, I could barely see the line and was running low on ammo.
24 Qg4?? A stroke of utter luck from above. Herald slipped in the sludge-puddle and dropped his gun. It slid close to the woman.
24…d5! I rolled out into the open and now had all three villains in range and none could get off a clean shot at me.
25 Re6?? dxc4 All of a sudden the packages fell from their bindings and crushed the man, she had apparently gotten the weapon and shot the rope which I missed so many times.
26 Rd1 Qxc7 I lined up my shot and sent the Tommy gun flying into the air and it landed on the ground with a clank, a moment later its user fell with his last breath.
27 Rdd6 Bxe6 28 Qxe6 Qf7 I took out the final gloves henchman and we turned our gaze to the now solo Matt Herald.
29 Qh3 fxe3 30 Qxe3 Raa8 31 h3 Rad8 32 a4 Herald ran out of bullets and began throwing old railroad spikes and bits of heavy metal at us. He was determined to fight to the very end!
32…Rxd6 33 cxd6 Rd8 34 Qc5 Qd7 35 Qxc4 Qxd6 36 g3 Qd5 37 Qg4 Qd1+ He made one last attempt at the door and then fell in exhaustion, Hands in the air and disappointment on his face.
“You really had me sweating Herald. What were you thinking, messing around in my town?”
“I had you man, I had you,” he said with strength in his voice.
“That you did, and now you know what it’s like to be swindled.”
I tied him up and gave a call to big Mike. He’d want to talk to herald personally. I then turned to the deputy mayor, that was some nice shooting there ma’am. You can back me up anytime”, I said with a coy smile. I turned and walked away.
“Handsome stranger, you ever considered a career in politics?” she yelled after me.
“That business is too rough and dirty for a man like me, take care ma’am.
As the sun rose over the harbor I felt alive and I had won…
Friday, December 17, 2010
Sicilian Najdorf-English Attack
Here is my second round game of the Nevada State Championships. I had the white pieces against young up and comer Oswaldo Rodriguez of Las Vegas. He parlayed a sharp line in the Sicilian Najdorf and as he floundered trying to achieve counter-play I was able to secure the victory.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Nevada Crusade
On September 25th the Reno Chess Club began a crusade to return the Nevada State Championship trophy to its proper home in Reno. Battling the evil Las Vegas team, whom had guarded it viciously for 6 years.
In 1187 the German emperor frederick Barbarossa with Phillip 2nd of France set forth to finance and lead a "crusade" to retake the Holy Lands from Saladin and his various allies.
A year later the newly appointed king of England: Richard 1st "The Lion-Hearted" declared his allegiance to the endeavor-while much has been made of overriding religious sentiment in casual discussion of the Crusades- the true goal was Near-East riches, expanded trading routes, prestige and adventure.
Barbarossa drowned during the voyage to the Holy Lands and Phillip would fail to stay away from France long enough to support the cursading campaign to a victorious conclusion. These factors did however lead to Richard 1st engaging in heroic efforts, enabling the Latin kingdom to survive another century, but even he could not retake Jerusalem alone. He and Saladin eventually settled on an uneasy truce.
But before peace, there were gnarly and brutal military encounters...
The siege of Acre- August 28th 1189
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 A small Christian force lead by Guy de Lusignan boldly lay siege to Acre.
3 exd5 exd5-Instead of investing in a strategic charge Lusignan harasses Acre from a distance. Launching rotten animal carcasses and fire bales into the stronghold by way of trebuchet.
4c4 Bb4+ A siege engineer launches a fire bale with great precision and scores a direct hit on the Muslim's main granary!
5 Nc3 Bf5 6 Nf3 A patrol of Muslim cavalry has completed their tasks and returning to the city are shocked by a besieged battle scene. They bring news of an incoming naval blockade of ships from Pisan and Genoa.
6...Nf6 7 Bg5 The cavalry patrol flanks the exposed siege engines.
Qe7?! Lusignan abandons his trebuchets in fear that the charging horsemen are scouts from Saladin's army.
8 Be2 dxc4 9 0-0 0-0 10 Nd5! Having smashed Lusignan's long-range artillery brave Islamic warriors charge, spears pointed into the heart of the crusading infantry. They converge in a tight double-file formation and then spread out as they close in on the enemy troops. This causes a great panic, Lusignan's troops are now disoriented and communication is very difficult.
10...Qd6 11 Nxf6?! Thinking that this small Christian force comprises Europe's entire attack, the cavalry plunge into the heart of the crusader cavalry, leading to the loss of many horsemen for both sides.
11...gxf6 12 Bh6 Re8 13 Nh4 Bg6 14 Bxc4 Re4!? The spirits of the men are lifted as Phillip 2nd joins the battle!
15 Nxg6 hxg6 16 Qd3? Acre sends out lightly-armoured skirmishers to finish off the invading troops with their quick moving formations and projectile weaponry.
16...Qxd4! Richard 1st The Lion-Hearted enters the battle with an unseen crossbow barrage, followed by heavy cavalry charges!
17 Bxf7+?? For fear of death the commander of Acre "blinks" and in a moment of panic he sends his troops on an all-out attack, Richard is in his cross-hairs! A great battle ensues.
17...Kxf7 18 Qb5 Qb6?! 19 Qd5+ Re6 20 Be3 Qc6 21 Qb3 Na6?! Phillip's forces are uncoordinated and are proving to be of little help in this battle. The horses are spooked and their riders are uneasy.
22 Rac1 Qe8 23 Rc4 Be7 Richard regroups, calling out to his troops "Maintain formations, they wish to confuse you! draw on the strength of the True Cross! This shall be our finest hour!"
24 Qxb4 Rb8 25 Qf3 Rxb2! The gates of Acre have been breached by an English battering ram!
26 Qh3 The knights of Allah continue to pressure close to Richard. If they can kill the leader, victory will be theirs
26...Bf6 27 Qh7+ Bg7 28 Rg4 g5?? Richard's veteran bodyguards over pursue attacking forces and leave their king very vulnerable.
29 Qh3?? Acre's main division fails to exploit the tactical errors of the crusaders and fall back.
29...Rb4 30 Rxb4 Nxb4 Both sides are exhausted an begin to fight under the emerging moonlight, a chaste breeze saves many from heat-stroke.
31. Qg4 Bf8?! Phillip's last group of longbow men back up the royal position, no longer attacking the city.
32 h4!? The peasants and children are given knives and farming tools and forced to attack the vulnerable crusader kings.
32...Nd5 33 hxg5 Nxe3 34 fxe3 Bg7?! Phillip's men are close to deserting, they have had enough of this battle!
35 Rf3 Rxe3?? Lusignan's forces have breached the inner-courtyard but European leadership is under heavy duress.
36 gxf6 Re1+ 37 Kf3 Qe2+ 38 Kg3 Qe5+ 39 Kf2 Qe2+ 40 Kg3 All sides have paid heavily in this battle. Richard allows Muslims to retreat and abandon Acre as the Muslim forces stop just short of breaking through to him. He has taken the city, but at what cost? His victory may turn to defeat as Saladin's army is close and fully mobilized.
The blood that screams out from the now wet desert soil leaves Richard with his inner thoughts and justifications for this battle rattling around his skull. As he lay in bed, still in shock from the intensity of battle, he whispers to the shadows, or perhaps to God himself, "I wish not Saladin to be my Richard..."
Friday, July 30, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Lost-Season One-
Nice to get away from Chess for a bit and now that I've had time to sit back and think about Lost, I wanted to write a bit about it. I had a pretty lengthy conversation with one of my best friends who was disappointed about not getting the answers he felt entitled to. Most of the questions he still had were actually already answered on the show (maybe not to his/or others satisfaction). I was hesitant to put time into actually going over any of the answers since I've never felt that revealing them was a strength to the show, having mystery and developing characters, along with using unorthodox storyboard techniques were always Lost's strengths.
So I thought I'd take a thoughtful look at the so-called Answers. Keep in mind that one of the main goals of the writers was always to leave lots of ambiguity for you and me to have opinions on the reality of the island and the characters.
We'll take a look at the questions posed in Season One, first, and see where it leads us. But as was so perfectly inserted in the episode "Across the Sea" the woman caring for the Man in Black and Jacob cuts off endless questions with "Every answer will lead to more questions"; which is true of any type of knowledge, and in that way one of the more profound insertions of Season six, but getting down to business. Lots of my info is pulled from a collaboration of sources with the Lostpedia has a guide.
Why did the plane crash? A good place to start. Not surprisingly, with everything going on with the plane crash and the new island struggles, the reason for the plane crashing was a bit of an after-thought until the force of the new show started to settle in.
On September 22, 2004, Desmond Hume, who had been maintaining the DHARMA Initiative's electromagnetic station on the Island for the past three years, failed to enter the Numbers into the computer in time after having accidentally killed Kelvin Inman. This resulted in a system failure and an electromagnetic buildup. Although Desmond eventually managed to reset the Swan's countdown, the electromagnetic force had been strong enough to pull down the plane and cause it to break apart in mid-air. Desmond wouldn't come to realize his role in the crash until more than two months later. We find all of this out in the episode "Live Together Die Alone, Part One"
More interesting is that Jacob led these people(and the plane along with them) to the island as "candidates" to replace him as a protector of the island. Jacob didn't pick happy people; he picked people who lived a "lost" existence.
What is the Smoke Monster and what is his nature/properties? We find out near the end of the series that the so-called Smoke Monster is an evil remnant of a not so evil twin brother of Jacob. I will discuss the “Man in Black” as separate as I can from the Smoke Monster, as I consider them different characters. The Monster’s powers include the ability to turn into a cloud of smoke and have quite a devastating effect on the material around him. He has also shown the ability (as early as episode one) to take the form of those that have died, e.g. Christian Sheppard, John Locke, Alex Rousseau and even Richard Alpert’s dead wife. He also has been shown to have the interesting ability to see into the pasts of people he has met.
I like to think that the Smoke Monster’s purpose is relative to whom perceives it. Since many characters seem to have come up with interesting ideas about what the monster is up to. For quite a while we are content with “the Others” point of view that the Monster is like a security system for the island. The Dharma initiative felt it was enough of a threat to create a system of sonic fences to control its movement. While it appears that Ben Linus can summon it by special technique in his small home in the Dharma camp he is quick to tell us that he thinks the Monster actually summons him.
Ben and Mr. Eko feel that the Monster is a judge of sorts and that when he approaches people it can weigh whether the person deserves to die, as explained by Mr. Eko in Season 3’s “The Cost of Living”.
The Smoke Monster wants to leave the island and will stop at nothing to escape.
Why are there Polar Bears on this tropical island? Starting in the episode “lockdown” we begin to understand that the Dharma initiative was testing exotic animals on the island, and actually modified them to be able to live in tropical climates. A fantastic teaser was shown in the episode “Confirmed Dead” where the Anthropologist Charlotte finds Polar Bear bones and collar with the insignia of the Hydra station. The Dharma folks used the Polar Bear to see what would happen when they spun the wheel, which indeed sends you to a spot in the Tunisian desert.
Who recorded the distress signal and why is it still repeating after 16 years? The distress signal which we are presented with in the pilot episodes was created by Danielle Rousseau, a young scientist whom wrecked, along with friends on the island. It kept playing because she never got rescued.
What is the Black Rock (mentioned in the distress signal)? The Black Rock was a slave ship from the 1800s which was piloted by Magnus Hanso (an ancestor of the Dharma founder) taking prisoners/slaves including Ricardo (Richard) Alpert. A large tidal wave launched it towards the island where it destroyed the huge statue and came to rest deep within the islands interior.
Who were the skeletons that Jack and Kate found in the caves? The skeletons which were found in the caves belonged to “the man in black” and the one called “mother”. She was the protector of the source before Jacob and was attempting, after murdering Jacob and the man in black’s mother (Claudia) to be there mother, raising one eventually to take over for her and protect the source.
The man in black was disillusioned after he found out all the lies she had told him and that she had killed his real mother, he choose to live with the other people who crashed with his mother, many years prior. The man in black wasn’t evil, he wanted truth and to be free to see the world. He began working with the other people and found a way to harness the source, the eventual wheel, mother became upset and killed all the people and ruined they’re project. He soon after stabs mother and physically dies by Jacob’s hand, creating the monster.
Jacob placed the bodies in the cave with the two stones.
What is the purpose of the cable that Said finds leading into the ocean? The cable, apparently lead from the dharma station “Flame” to other stations on the island. Sayid found a cable which lead to the “Looking Glass” station, which was an underwater station which helped guide the submarines and also served as a communications station.
Who are the Others? The term “the Others” in Lost typically refers to the people whom conspired to kill the members of the Dharma initiative and control most of the island, for most of the show. The Others initially consist of Richard Alpert and any other people who are lead to the island by Jacob. It then included Benjamin Linus who lead the slaughter of the Dharma folks.
They then use the resources of Dharma to continue the objectives set form by Jacob.
What are the “whispers”? The whispers which would sometimes be heard by people on the island was a remnant of those that died on the island and weren’t able to move on. An example I found in Lostpedia was Libby whom would appear and also whisper, but was able to get through and be part of the spiritual reunion at the end of the show.
What do the “numbers” mean? This is one of the more complex and debated issues so I will try to leave this simple so as to allow people to form their own opinion. The numbers do represent values of the Vanzetti Equation, which was released as a canonical experience in between seasons of Lost called “The Lost Experience”. There were in fact little details, especially with the numbers, and some higher ups in Dharma which the Lost experience provided extra info.
Many Lost fans aren’t really aware of “The lost Experience” so aren’t especially pleased to know that there is quite a bit of canonic info outside of the actual syndicated show.
As far as the show goes we know that the numbers represent different degrees which Jacob must turn his wheel to view the candidates, in his lighthouse. The whole idea of the Dharma initiative was actually to alter the numbers of the Vanzetti Equation, to change the course of the earth’s ultimate destruction.
What is the significance of the Hatch? The fascination of the Hatch was a spectacular part of the show. The hatch is where the release of electro-magnetism occurred and using the computer to type in “the numbers” one was supposed to stop a large build-up of E.M. The very popular character Desmond Hume was left in charge of this task.
A very popular storyline revolves around whether the button pushing is real or a social experiment, and several characters disagree, often violently on what is the truth.
What is the explanation for the so-called Hurley Bird? This was never answered and actually when the question was posed to a producer of the show he declined to talk about this bird’s significance. For those that don’t remember, a huge bird flew by twice and says Hurley (even in the sub-titles). The resulting silence and lack of explanation has lead to intelligent speculation including the idea of “Altjira” an Australian Aboriginal God of the dreamworld, which just so happens to be a huge green bird! Interestingly, if you remove the l and the t you get ajira, which is the name of an Indian airline which the “Oceanic Six” take to get back to the island.
Well that’s at least a good starting point. Those were a lot of the main questions from the first season (and many of them lasted deep into the series). Hopefully it can lead to some ideas on the show for people and I plan on listing some more ideas for other seasons, more for me than anyone else. I kind of enjoy going through the episodes and trying to figure stuff out.
So I thought I'd take a thoughtful look at the so-called Answers. Keep in mind that one of the main goals of the writers was always to leave lots of ambiguity for you and me to have opinions on the reality of the island and the characters.
We'll take a look at the questions posed in Season One, first, and see where it leads us. But as was so perfectly inserted in the episode "Across the Sea" the woman caring for the Man in Black and Jacob cuts off endless questions with "Every answer will lead to more questions"; which is true of any type of knowledge, and in that way one of the more profound insertions of Season six, but getting down to business. Lots of my info is pulled from a collaboration of sources with the Lostpedia has a guide.
Why did the plane crash? A good place to start. Not surprisingly, with everything going on with the plane crash and the new island struggles, the reason for the plane crashing was a bit of an after-thought until the force of the new show started to settle in.
On September 22, 2004, Desmond Hume, who had been maintaining the DHARMA Initiative's electromagnetic station on the Island for the past three years, failed to enter the Numbers into the computer in time after having accidentally killed Kelvin Inman. This resulted in a system failure and an electromagnetic buildup. Although Desmond eventually managed to reset the Swan's countdown, the electromagnetic force had been strong enough to pull down the plane and cause it to break apart in mid-air. Desmond wouldn't come to realize his role in the crash until more than two months later. We find all of this out in the episode "Live Together Die Alone, Part One"
More interesting is that Jacob led these people(and the plane along with them) to the island as "candidates" to replace him as a protector of the island. Jacob didn't pick happy people; he picked people who lived a "lost" existence.
What is the Smoke Monster and what is his nature/properties? We find out near the end of the series that the so-called Smoke Monster is an evil remnant of a not so evil twin brother of Jacob. I will discuss the “Man in Black” as separate as I can from the Smoke Monster, as I consider them different characters. The Monster’s powers include the ability to turn into a cloud of smoke and have quite a devastating effect on the material around him. He has also shown the ability (as early as episode one) to take the form of those that have died, e.g. Christian Sheppard, John Locke, Alex Rousseau and even Richard Alpert’s dead wife. He also has been shown to have the interesting ability to see into the pasts of people he has met.
I like to think that the Smoke Monster’s purpose is relative to whom perceives it. Since many characters seem to have come up with interesting ideas about what the monster is up to. For quite a while we are content with “the Others” point of view that the Monster is like a security system for the island. The Dharma initiative felt it was enough of a threat to create a system of sonic fences to control its movement. While it appears that Ben Linus can summon it by special technique in his small home in the Dharma camp he is quick to tell us that he thinks the Monster actually summons him.
Ben and Mr. Eko feel that the Monster is a judge of sorts and that when he approaches people it can weigh whether the person deserves to die, as explained by Mr. Eko in Season 3’s “The Cost of Living”.
The Smoke Monster wants to leave the island and will stop at nothing to escape.
Why are there Polar Bears on this tropical island? Starting in the episode “lockdown” we begin to understand that the Dharma initiative was testing exotic animals on the island, and actually modified them to be able to live in tropical climates. A fantastic teaser was shown in the episode “Confirmed Dead” where the Anthropologist Charlotte finds Polar Bear bones and collar with the insignia of the Hydra station. The Dharma folks used the Polar Bear to see what would happen when they spun the wheel, which indeed sends you to a spot in the Tunisian desert.
Who recorded the distress signal and why is it still repeating after 16 years? The distress signal which we are presented with in the pilot episodes was created by Danielle Rousseau, a young scientist whom wrecked, along with friends on the island. It kept playing because she never got rescued.
What is the Black Rock (mentioned in the distress signal)? The Black Rock was a slave ship from the 1800s which was piloted by Magnus Hanso (an ancestor of the Dharma founder) taking prisoners/slaves including Ricardo (Richard) Alpert. A large tidal wave launched it towards the island where it destroyed the huge statue and came to rest deep within the islands interior.
Who were the skeletons that Jack and Kate found in the caves? The skeletons which were found in the caves belonged to “the man in black” and the one called “mother”. She was the protector of the source before Jacob and was attempting, after murdering Jacob and the man in black’s mother (Claudia) to be there mother, raising one eventually to take over for her and protect the source.
The man in black was disillusioned after he found out all the lies she had told him and that she had killed his real mother, he choose to live with the other people who crashed with his mother, many years prior. The man in black wasn’t evil, he wanted truth and to be free to see the world. He began working with the other people and found a way to harness the source, the eventual wheel, mother became upset and killed all the people and ruined they’re project. He soon after stabs mother and physically dies by Jacob’s hand, creating the monster.
Jacob placed the bodies in the cave with the two stones.
What is the purpose of the cable that Said finds leading into the ocean? The cable, apparently lead from the dharma station “Flame” to other stations on the island. Sayid found a cable which lead to the “Looking Glass” station, which was an underwater station which helped guide the submarines and also served as a communications station.
Who are the Others? The term “the Others” in Lost typically refers to the people whom conspired to kill the members of the Dharma initiative and control most of the island, for most of the show. The Others initially consist of Richard Alpert and any other people who are lead to the island by Jacob. It then included Benjamin Linus who lead the slaughter of the Dharma folks.
They then use the resources of Dharma to continue the objectives set form by Jacob.
What are the “whispers”? The whispers which would sometimes be heard by people on the island was a remnant of those that died on the island and weren’t able to move on. An example I found in Lostpedia was Libby whom would appear and also whisper, but was able to get through and be part of the spiritual reunion at the end of the show.
What do the “numbers” mean? This is one of the more complex and debated issues so I will try to leave this simple so as to allow people to form their own opinion. The numbers do represent values of the Vanzetti Equation, which was released as a canonical experience in between seasons of Lost called “The Lost Experience”. There were in fact little details, especially with the numbers, and some higher ups in Dharma which the Lost experience provided extra info.
Many Lost fans aren’t really aware of “The lost Experience” so aren’t especially pleased to know that there is quite a bit of canonic info outside of the actual syndicated show.
As far as the show goes we know that the numbers represent different degrees which Jacob must turn his wheel to view the candidates, in his lighthouse. The whole idea of the Dharma initiative was actually to alter the numbers of the Vanzetti Equation, to change the course of the earth’s ultimate destruction.
What is the significance of the Hatch? The fascination of the Hatch was a spectacular part of the show. The hatch is where the release of electro-magnetism occurred and using the computer to type in “the numbers” one was supposed to stop a large build-up of E.M. The very popular character Desmond Hume was left in charge of this task.
A very popular storyline revolves around whether the button pushing is real or a social experiment, and several characters disagree, often violently on what is the truth.
What is the explanation for the so-called Hurley Bird? This was never answered and actually when the question was posed to a producer of the show he declined to talk about this bird’s significance. For those that don’t remember, a huge bird flew by twice and says Hurley (even in the sub-titles). The resulting silence and lack of explanation has lead to intelligent speculation including the idea of “Altjira” an Australian Aboriginal God of the dreamworld, which just so happens to be a huge green bird! Interestingly, if you remove the l and the t you get ajira, which is the name of an Indian airline which the “Oceanic Six” take to get back to the island.
Well that’s at least a good starting point. Those were a lot of the main questions from the first season (and many of them lasted deep into the series). Hopefully it can lead to some ideas on the show for people and I plan on listing some more ideas for other seasons, more for me than anyone else. I kind of enjoy going through the episodes and trying to figure stuff out.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Far West Open Round 5....10 move than I lose
I don't often drop a piece. In fact there have only been a handful of games in my chess career where i drop a piece, and this was one of them. On board one, the final day of the tournament with a chance for 1st place and some decent cash I went and blew the game inexplicably. Since the game is pretty short and pretty much all book till I lose I've added a bit of info on the opening choices for both sides. Enjoy.
Monday, April 26, 2010
French Advance (or) another win to keep me interested...
Here is my round one victory from the Far West Open. I started this tourney off pretty strong with 3.5/4 and then fell apart on day three when everything was on the line. This was a pretty straight-forward game against a French-Advance variation. My opponent made a few inaccuracies in the opening and I was able to exploit them and slowly improve my advantage.
Enjoy the game!
Enjoy the game!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Bloody Sicilian
Here is another recent game in mind which has some resemblance to my last blog post. This was a second round victory for me at the recent Far West Open. I have white this time and I face a Sicilian defense. I get a pretty good lead in development, flounder for a little bit and then finally capitalize on my opponent's errors. Maybe posting a few of these wins of late can pep my ego back for playing over the board games, either way hope you enjoy the game and any questions or suggestions are welcome.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Maybe I'll show some games...
I was going to display a long grinding win I achieved against Soltani but it appears that I've botched the score sheet. So here is my game the next week against Harry Chrysanthou.
I won this game rather quickly, but it may hold some value nonetheless.
I won this game rather quickly, but it may hold some value nonetheless.
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