Chess Blogs

Yes, you are correct in thinking that I am now at the stage where I buy
any book from a charity or junk shop that has a chess reference in the title.
Of course I have not read it, the back of the book blurb put me right off


Though six weeks from now when I’m trying to persuade my pieces to get
off the back rank, I will suddenly be struck by a strong desire to know just
what Queen Bee Kimberly from a parochial Scottish town has been up too.

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Always on the look out for ways to lower the tone of the blog
this week I’ve stooped into the world of cringe worthy puns.

‘Anything You Can Do - I Can Do Better’ is a song from the
musical ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ and having failed miserably
to get an ‘Alekhine Get Your Gun’ Red Hot Pawn game to suit
that pun I lowered my sights and aimed at a game by Carissa Yip.

C. Yip - S. Foisor, Saint Louis, USA 2017...

I picked up this, my 3rd copy, I was not going to leave on a shelf for 50p.


It is one of those books everyone claims to have read but very few ever have.
Like most people I have flicked though it memorising a quote here and there
to recite parrot fashion giving the impression I’ve read it and appear to be smart.

This need to appear smarter than what we are is a chess players curse. When
asked about our rating we give it but hastily add it really should higher and
whoever you are talking to agrees, as they too think their rating should higher. ...

Pause for a while and figure out how you would win this as White.


We will come back to it. Meanwhile here is a cartoon


CHESS magazine May 1978.

A selection of puzzles from the 1960’s but first a quiz.

Q. How many players won the Chess World Championship between 1960 and 196...

I picked up this for 10p...


...on the inside back page the magazine it shows you how to castle.


The magazine cost £7.99 but it came with came with a chess piece.


This is just some of them....

This week we look at...


It is not really a chess puzzle book as in a real chess puzzle book,
its actually a chess themed puzzle book. I’ll show you what I mean.
I will give a solution to a few of the puzzles, not the word searches etc.

Which piece comes next in this logical sequence.

The Black Bishop[/hidden...

Viz, the popular British distinguished and...er...educational magazine
has again lampooned chess. This time with a double page feature which
is a bit too indelicate, near the knuckle and too racy to reproduce here.


Inside they are running a chess competition.

What is the least number of moves it will take for the Knight to
capture the Rook, Queen and Bishop, which will remain stationary....

A lot of weeks we start off with what chess treasure I have found
in a junk shop This week is no different except here is something
my wife picked up for £2.00 a few days ago. Never pass a junk shop!


Quite smart and in a very good condition, what was inside?


An eight level Novag chess computer. I put the batteries in and it fired up!

A Novag computer found in a wooden box (on level 4) v Me, Scotland, 202...

What is this? It is a Chess Sock. I use to have two, one for each foot.
I made the mistake of putting them both in the washing machine at
the same time and now it appears this sock has eaten the other one.

I cannot find it’s partner anywhere. My wife, who does not believe
this sock is a cannibal theory, told me to check out my sock drawer.
(that pun ‘check out’ whilst looking for a chess sock is deplorable.)

What is this? I found it in my sock drawer. It is a June 1977, minus th...

When I saw this Chess Life I thought the chap on the right was a young Fabiano Caruana.


It was only when I looked at the date, September 1982 did I realised that it can’t be.
That lad on the right is Steve Jacobi who tied with Thomas Crispin (left) for the 1982
U.S.A. Amateur Championship. (I still think it is Caruana and he is an ageless vampire.)


Fabiano Caruana (or an older Steve Jacobi)...