The Skittles Room

We would like to thank those who have supported ChessCafe with a purchase of product and subsequent membership. However, subscriptions have fallen just shy of what is needed to maintain our stable of great columnists. Therefore, we are taking a three-month hiatus from posting new content. If you have an outstanding order pending in our shop, we will be issuing shop credit towards in-stock items, ebooks, or downloads. Along with a free gift valued at $89.95. We apologize for any inconvenience. … [Read more...]

Baron Munchausen Meets Mr. Bad Loser By Amatzia Avni The other day I was playing chess on the Internet. I have noticed that frequently, upon gaining victory in a fair contest, my opponent sent me a short message, stating that I was just lucky and in fact do not possess the slightest understanding of chess. To be honest, blaming my own losses on external factors, such as luck or destiny, also crossed my mind, whenever I have failed. I wondered whether my friend, the great Baron Munchausen, had encountered similar phenomena. "Of course I have" – he said – "and whenever I am blamed with being 'just lucky', I make a special effort to teach my rival a lesson". He quickly arranged the … [Read more...]

Fair Use or Infringement By Mark Donlan Our Video Spotlight feature on Nicolas Rossolimo prompted a reaction from Edward Winter, who protested that the videos, originating on YouTube, contained material that was taken from his Chess Notes website without permission. The videos were first posted at ChessCafe in May 2011 and have been available in our archives since then; we only recently reprised them because of the new format. As we do not wish to condone misappropriation of material, we have removed the links, though the videos remain available on YouTube. In an English Chess Forum post, brought to our attention by Mr. Winter, the videographer, Jessica Fischer, confirms some material … [Read more...]

This month we feature a report on the International Ladies' Chess Tournament from British Chess Magazine, August 1897 won by Mary Rudge (born February 6, 1842). We have updated the notation where appropriate and added images and diagrams. International Ladies' Chess Tournament It was a happy thought of Mrs. Bowles (hon. sec. Ladies' Chess Club) that an International Chess Tournament for ladies would be a fitting event to be held in the Diamond Jubilee year of the Queen's reign. The idea originated so far back as Whitsuntide, 1896, and Mrs. Bowles being of energetic character, set to work by speaking of the subject to several influential friends, and from most of these she received every … [Read more...]

This month we feature the obituary of Daniel Harrwitz from The Chess-monthly, Volume 5, September 1883 – August 1884, and an excerpt from The British Chess Review, January 1853. We have updated the notation where appropriate and added images and diagrams. Daniel Harrwitz by Mark Donlan Death of Daniel Harrwitz, The Chess-monthly, Volume 5, September 1883 – August 1884 One more link from the chain, connecting the past generation of Chess players with the present, has been severed through the death of Daniel Harrwitz, which occurred about two months ago at Botzen, Tyrol. Few masters, Anderssen excepted, leave such a splendid record as the late Harrwitz. During the fifteen … [Read more...]

The ChessEdu.org curriculum is designed to use chess as a tool for teaching problem-solving, creative thinking, and abstract reasoning in a classroom setting, be it in a public or private school, home school or other institution, or for personal use. Chess provides the opportunity to teach students how to think their way through solving complex problems, and it is a terrific way to introduce STEM and Common Core criteria. Children enjoy chess as a game. Yet, chess offers the means of teaching mental abilities used throughout life: concentration, critical thinking, abstract reasoning, strategic planning, problem solving, visualization skills, creativity, and patience to name just a few. … [Read more...]

This month we present an excerpt from The Knights and Kings of Chess (1894) by Reverend George Alcock MacDonnell. Dr. J.H. Zukertort Born 1842, Died 1888 Shortly before the opening of the tournament of the British Chess Association in 1872, four conspirators met one evening in the Strand at a restaurant which was at that time the hebdomadal rendezvous of certain well-known chess-players. "Well,"said one of them, "I think I have found a man who can beat Steinitz." "Who is he? "asked Lowenthal. "Zukertort,"said the discoverer. "He has just won a match of Anderssen." The matter was talked over, and the conspirators—all committee-men of the British Chess Association—resolved … [Read more...]

by Graham Burgess So the question was “When will electronic books replace printed books?”, and it was my turn to speak. “For chess books, I feel this point will come when these conditions are met: “1) The screen is as pleasant to look at as paper. “2) The electronic book has all the conveniences of the paper book as well as ‘chess-intelligent’ features, including at least the ability to see the position at any point. “3) The layout of the text needs to be as user-friendly as a printed book. “4) The reader device should be as portable and as replaceable as a printed book.” Of course, that all sounded like science fiction. I could almost hear the Finance Director thinking, “None of … [Read more...]

Morphy Numbers Revisited: The Mortimer Effect by Taylor Kingston As I described in a 2005 article for ChessCafe.com, the concept of a Morphy Number (probably originated by Dutch writer Tim Krabbé [i]), refers to a chain of chess players linking back to the great Paul Morphy (1837-1884). In the late 1850s this young American won the first US championship tournament, then showed himself to be clearly the best in the world by traveling to Europe and defeating almost all the best active players in head-to-head matches, only to give up serious play for the rest of his life soon after. Anyone who played Morphy has an MN of 1, anyone who played an MN1 has an MN of 2, etc. My 2005 article, … [Read more...]

Author A.J. Gillam sent us a commentary concerning the ChessCafe.com review of Mannheim 1914 and the Interned Russians. We present it this week as a Skittles Room extra! The Review of Mannheim 1914 and the Interned Russians I would like to comment on a couple of issues raised by your review of my book. It is true that I spend two-and-a-half pages commenting upon errors in Di Felice's Mannheim tables. I say in the book: "This section is not here for pedantic reasons nor is it a claim to superiority. It is here to show that I know what Di Felice has published and to say that I have strong reasons for my different version." Later, when commenting on both Di Felice's and Gaige's … [Read more...]