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.

6 game unbeaten streak

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.

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!

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…

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.

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..."