ALCHEssMIST

BBC World Service - Seeking The Endgame (Episode 1) by Simon Terrington

2010-08-30T18:02:00.005+01:00

BBC World Service - Seeking The Endgame (Episode 1) by Simon TerringtonJust heard about this new series on chess from the BBC World Service, via Closet Grandmaster. I would check the exact times nearer the broadcast time though as there seems to be some uncertainty about these - see Link 1 & Link 2.Tags: BBC - BBC World Service - Chess - Simon Terrington - TechnologyPosted by ALCHEssMIST -

I'm An Explorer Okay - Richard Feynman Documentary - The Last Journey Of A Genius [1988]

2010-08-05T17:02:00.006+01:00

ALCHEssMIST is a big fan of Richard Feynman (1918-1988), the theoretical physicist & Nobel laureate (1965). Below is a very interesting documentary about the great man - Richard Phillips Feynman - The Last Journey Of A Genius [1988].Video Concept List: 1850 - 1931 - 1965 - 1981 - 1983 - 1986 - 1988 - 584 - Adventure - Adventure Of Life - Adventurer - Apes - Arista - Asia - Astronomical Numbers -

Living Chess British Pathé Newsreel (1933) - The Famous Opera Game

2010-08-01T22:40:00.005+01:00

The famous Opera Game was played in 1858 between Paul Morphy and the partnership of Duke Karl of Brunswick & Count Isouard. Morphy won in a dazzling manner.The video link below (click on image) shows a living chess game filmed by British Pathé in 1933. Although not all the moves are seen, it is clear that the game is a re-creation of the famous Opera Game.Moves to the Opera Game:1. e4 e5 2. Nf3

Eating Takes Second Place For Chess Fiends (British Pathe Chess Newsreel, 1946)

2010-08-01T14:48:00.009+01:00

This 1946 British Pathe newsreel (click on image) shows weekday lunch hour footage of the Gambit Chess Rooms, London. The players can be seen eating lunch, with waitress table service, whilst they play games of chess. The chess games last on average 20 minutes.The classic quote from the newsreel was:'Lily the waitress has quite a job trying to keep the players mind on food.She knows that with

Enid Blyton On Chess (Chess Quote)

2010-08-01T13:12:00.003+01:00

A comment by the author Enid Blyton (here) got me wondering if she played chess, and also if she was possibly influenced by chess as a child.The quote was from a letter about her childhood where she described how her mind would be flooded at night by stories, "all mixed-up, rather like dreams are, but yet each story had its own definite thread—its beginning and middle and ending."This trytychian

What Do Bill Hartston and the Castellers of Catalonia Have In Common? (Cryptic Chess Puzzle)

2010-08-01T12:23:00.005+01:00

Question:What Do Bill Hartston and the Castellers of Catalonia Have In Common?Answer:Found here at The Streatham & Brixton Chess BlogCatalonia (Map)[Image by Hansen at Wikipedia (cc)]

Cryptic Chess Puzzles - An ALCHEssMIST View

2010-08-01T11:39:00.004+01:00

ALCHEssMIST's mind is particularly prone to noticing associations (especially visual) between apparently unrelated topics. These thoughts, however, do have some logic unlike a certain famous chess metaphor.Hint: - the psychologist who first described this chess metaphor had been in correspondence several years earlier with the celebrated author Enid Blyton who had written about her childhood

It's Something That Probably Won't Happen Again

2010-07-30T23:31:00.004+01:00

Blogging is such an interesting pursuit, just ask any blogger. Sometimes you get surprises.I was quietly browsing Google Finance today & came across the page for the New York Times.Anyway as the title says - It's Something That Probably Won't Happen Again.

Dylan Loeb McClain On Popularising Chess (New York Times Gambit Chess Blog)

2010-07-28T18:43:00.005+01:00

Just read this article - How to Make Chess Sizzle - by Dylan Loeb McClain at the New York Times Gambit Chess Blog. For those of you who are not aware Dylan has been writing the Gambit Chess Blog for the NYT since May 13, 2007. Dylan is also a published author, being a co-editor of - Kill Duck Before Serving: Red Faces at The New York Times: A Collection of the Newspaper's Most Interesting,

Chess - A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again (David Foster Wallace)

2010-07-27T16:08:00.004+01:00

Following on from my previous post about ALCHEssMIST's alleged writing style being similar to the writer David Foster Wallace, the novelist, essayist & humorist who is best known for his 1996 novel "Infinite Jest".The passage below comes from David Foster Wallace's non-fiction book - A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again.[1] The excerpt recounts an experience he had on the holiday cruise

David Foster Wallace - ALCHEssMIST's Writing Style?

2010-07-27T13:23:00.010+01:00

Just read Tom Chivers' interesting article Like: something rolling about at random on the keyboard, possibly in pain at the excellent The Streatham & Brixton Chess Blog.Tom refers to a "statistical analysis tool, which analyzes ... word choice and writing style and compares them to those of the famous writers." Site here.ALCHEssMIST wondered which author his writing style might be most like -

Florencio Campomanes (Former FIDE President) Dies Aged 83 Years (3 May, 2010) R.I.P.

2010-05-03T13:38:00.008+01:00

ALCHEssMIST was sad to hear the news that Florencio Campomanes (1927-2010), Filipino former FIDE President, has died today in Baguio City (Philippines) at the age of 83 years from prostate cancer.Campomanes was an extremely adept chess politician, who did much for world chess during his time as FIDE President (1982-1995); particularly those less wealthy nations. Approximately 50 new nations

Matthew Devereux - Chess Fantasia 1001 Reasons Why Chess Is Important

2010-04-29T10:44:00.007+01:00

I recently came across this fantastic post by Matthew Devereux.Chess Fantasia: 1001 Reasons Why The Game Is Important In The 21st Century (Particularly In Education): A Personal View By Matthew Devereux.I found this article utterly fascinating and nicely researched with lots of great weblinks. The blog publishing of the first portion of what promises to be a great book is a good idea. Matthew has

Obama Wins World Chess Championship (Chess Satire)

2009-11-27T21:39:00.000Z

A satirical look at Barack Obama's recent Nobel Peace Prize - HERE."The World Chess Federation today announced that Barack Obama had become the world chess champion, nudging aside former undisputed champion Viswanathan Anand of India.The news surprised some in the chess world, because Obama has never participated in tournament play. But FIDE officials said they felt certain Obama could become

MouseMate - Chess Game Chimera (BaratsandBereta.com)

2009-10-24T21:00:00.003+01:00

An entertaining video by BaratsandBereta.com.Just imagine if this was a real board game.HOW TO PLAY: (from Youtube)1. Find a dramatically-lit room in which to play.2. Set up a chess board incorrectly.3. Hit yourself over the head with a bat until you've forgotten the rules of both chess and logic.4. Go to town.

Bobby Fischer (1973) Philippines, Tokyo, Hong Kong

2009-10-05T19:32:00.006+01:00

These are an amazing set of bobby Fisher photos from his trip to the Philippines, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Bobby opened the first Philippines International Chess Tournament in Manila in October 1973. They are owned by youtube user nirocal who has posted them in this video. Thanks very much nirocal for sharing them with the world.Included in the photos are glimpses of the private side of the Marcos

Checkmate! Wonder Woman - A Chess Playing Panelologist / Pannapictagraphist Dream

2009-09-13T17:27:00.007+01:00

Wonder Woman Checkmate!Checkmate! Wonder Woman - a chess playing panelologist or pannapictagraphist dream.Panelology = the study of comics as a medium and an artform.Pannapictagraphists = people who collect comic books.

How Can I Beat Kasparov's Evans Gambit? - Search On AltaVista Apparently

2009-08-25T23:20:00.006+01:00

A commercial for AltaVista.com showing Garry Kasparov conducting a chess simul."How Can I Beat Kasparov's Evans Gambit?"An improbable scenario but interesting nevertheless.

Sir David Frost Interviews Derren Brown on Al Jazerra English (June 2009)

2009-08-23T22:45:00.009+01:00

An interesting video - Sir David Frost speaks with Derren Brown (mentalist, illusionist, magician, sceptic, & painter) on Al Jazeera English June 20, 2009.Related Links:Derren Brown - Chess Simul (Trick Of The Mind Series)Derren Brown Being Interviewed By Richard Dawkins For 'The Enemies Of Reason' TV ProgramSir David Frost Interviewing Garry Kasparov - 5th December 2008 on Al Jazeera English

Can Tom Baker (The 4th Dr Who) Play Chess?

2009-08-16T18:46:00.010+01:00

Tom Baker @ Book Signing:[Who on Earth is Tom Baker? (ISBN 0-00-638854-X)]I have just posted on 'ALCHEssMIST Chess' (here) the scene from Doctor Who where K9 plays chess against The Doctor (Tom Baker). Surprisingly, The Doctor makes an illegal move 1. Qd2-d4, as the white queen is pinned against the white king by K9's (black) queen on c2. The only legal move for the white queen is 1. Qxc2. See

ALCHEssMIST Chess Records Site

2009-08-09T13:33:00.018+01:00

ALCHEssMIST has an interest particularly in the cultural, historical and cognitive aspects of the game of chess. Recently he has been looking at 'Chess Records' and will be documenting some of these on the companion blog ALCHEssMIST Chess Records.Some of the 'Chess Record' postings:Current World Chess ChampionHighest Chess Quotient Of All TimeHighest Ever FIDE Elo RatingMost Accurate Chess

Nietzsche - What Does Not Kill Him, Makes Him Stronger.

2009-08-02T15:35:00.012+01:00

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900):"What does not kill him, makes him stronger.""Was ihn nicht umbringt, macht ihn stärker."This quote comes from - Friedrich Nietzsche's (1844-1900) last original book - Ecce Homo: How One Becomes What One Is (German: Ecce homo: Wie man wird, was man ist). Although Ecce Homo: was written in 1888, it was not published until 1908, a period of 8 years after Nietzsche's

Scholastic Chess, Reasoning and Training Executive Function

2009-07-11T16:11:00.016+01:00

Scholar's mate - white to move.[1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Qh5, Nf6]What is the benefit of having a scholastic chess program in schools?It seems to me that the beneficial effects of chess may simply be that it provides a positive stimulus to helping the child to learn how to learn. Binet and Simon in 'The development of intelligence in children' (1916), when writing about the definition of

The "Chess Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve Award" Goes To - Garry Kasparov

2009-07-11T14:53:00.009+01:00

To "wear your heart on your sleeve" means to express your emotions freely and openly so that all around you can see. In competitive zero-sum games it may be a liability to exhibit this behaviour particularly where the precipitant may not be obvious to your competitor.Chess is an example of a perfect information game. In imperfect information games such as poker, it is very important that the

Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov to Play Match in Valencia (21st-24th September 2009)

2009-07-11T14:32:00.008+01:00

Karpov & Kasparov (New York, 2002):Good news via Chessdom.com. Kasparov and Karpov are to play a chess match from 21st to 24th of September 2009 in Valencia, Spain. The format of the 12 game match is apparently going to be 4 rapid (or semi rapid) games and 8 blitz games.

Scottish Chess Championship 2009 (Edinburgh City Chambers) & Past Winners

2009-07-11T13:40:00.012+01:00

Edinburgh City Chambers[Photo by © ronnie leask, Creative Commons]The Scottish Chess Championship is the oldest continually running chess event in the world, with an unbroken link since 1884. The event is currently being held at the Edinburgh City Chambers (High St, Edinburgh) from 1th - 19th July (official site).Grandmaster participants in this year's championship include:Arakhamia-Grant, Keti (

Sir Stamford Raffles - Singapore, Chess & London Zoo

2009-07-09T23:20:00.009+01:00

Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles (1781-1826)Zoologist & Colonial Governor (Portrait 1817)The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1826. London Zoo was opened to Fellows of the Society (ZSL) in 1828, and became the first scientific zoo. Charles Darwin was a Fellow of ZSL from 1837. The first admission of paying visitors to London Zoo, to aid in funding, was

JK Rowling Harvard University Commencement Speech (June 5, 2008) - Lessons on Failure and Success

2009-07-08T22:17:00.018+01:00

JK Rowling was the keynote speaker at Harvard University Commencement, June 5th 2008. She is the author of the Harry Potter series of books and subsequently films. In this video Rowling speaks passionately about how personal failure allowed her to let go and direct all her "energy into the only work that mattered to me ... to succeed in the one arena where I believed I truly belonged".For chess

Sir David Frost Interviewing Garry Kasparov - 5th December 2008 on Al Jazeera English

2009-07-07T22:44:00.012+01:00

I have just recently seen this youtube clip showing Sir David Frost interviewing Garry Kasparov for the Al Jazeera English TV program 'Frost Over The World' on the 5th of December 2008. As per usual Garry speaks both eloquently and forcefully about his 'specialist subjects' - Russia, politics and chess.

Google Similar Books Link - A Very Useful Function To Have On Any Web Search (Even A Good Idea For The Competitor Search Engines)

2009-07-05T22:27:00.011+01:00

Following on from my previous web posting where I discuss the usefulness of a "similar books link" on search engine query results, i.e. the Google search engine. The potential revenues from increased book sales ($$$) could be substantial.Related Pages:ALCHEssMIST - Chess Metaphor Watch - Diego Rasskin-Gutman - Chess Metaphors, Artificial Intelligence and the Human Mind

Chess Metaphor Watch - Diego Rasskin-Gutman - Chess Metaphors, Artificial Intelligence and the Human Mind

2009-07-05T21:51:00.015+01:00

This book by Diego Rasskin-Gutman entitled Chess Metaphors, Artificial Intelligence and the Human Mind is definitely on my shopping wish-list. This title, by The MIT Press and due out on the 12th September 2009, has been reviewed on The MIT Press Site here:When we play the ancient and noble game of chess, we grapple with ideas about honesty, deceitfulness, bravery, fear, aggression, beauty, and

Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Chess Set

2009-07-05T20:46:00.007+01:00

ALCHEssMIST has always had an appreciation for the natural world. He also, for a number of years, held annual membership at London Zoo. The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats, and is also responsible for both London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo.Zoological Society of London Chess Set:This chess set (shown above), produced

ALCHEssMIST Celebrates First Birthday 28th June 2009

2009-06-29T19:54:00.007+01:00

ALCHEssMIST was conceived on the 28th June 2008 as a hybrid of ALCHEMIST and CHESS. He first appeared on the internet here at chess.com. At that time alchessmist was a unique word, never before found on the internet. ALCHEssMIST is a portmanteau word - meaning essentially the blend of two or more words.The ALCHEssMIST Blog was subsequently commenced on the 18th September 2008, with a post

Stuart Dreyfus on Mathematics, Chess, Expertise, Intuition, Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence

2009-06-21T20:03:00.016+01:00

Stuart Dreyfus Professor Emeritus, University of California, BerkeleyPh.D. Applied Mathematics, Harvard University, 1964Stuart Dreyfus is Professor Emeritus in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at University of California, Berkeley. Stuart is also the younger brother of Hubert Dreyfus, philosophy professor at University of California, Berkeley. In 1986, the two brothers co-wrote Mind

Logic Quote - Semantics and Mathematics

2009-06-19T17:50:00.008+01:00

If your thesis is utterly vacuousUse first-order predicate calculus.With sufficient formalityThe sheerist banalityWill be hailed by the critics: "Miraculous!"If your thesis is quite indefensibleReach for semantics intensional.Your committee will stammerOver Montague grammarNot admitting it's incomprehensible.Anon.References:Montague GrammarPredicate CalculusTags:Logic - Mathematics - Montague

Josh Waitzkin on "Tackling the Multi-Tasking Virus"

2009-06-14T19:55:00.006+01:00

Young Josh WaitzkinI recently came across this online article by Josh Waitzkin entitled "Tackling the Multi-Tasking Virus". He gives some very sound advice and work-around solutions to the current multi-tasking culture which has gripped the youth of today. The whole online article is well worth reading.The key points Josh makes can be summarised as: Do what you love.Do it in a way you love and

Chess Art - Outdoor Bronze Chess Sculpture by Lloyd Lillie - John Marshall Park Washington DC

2009-06-11T21:35:00.009+01:00

The Chess Players by Lloyd Lillie[Photo by kimberlyfaye, Creative Commons]The sculpture shows 2 seated male figures playing a game of chess on a granite bench ledge. The artist is Lloyd Lillie who modelled the older figure on the sculptor's father and the younger figure on the sculptor's son.Location of sculpture:John Marshall Park, Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DCJust North of Pennsylvania

Chess Art - Outdoor Chess Portrait - 16th Street Mall, Denver, Colorado

2009-06-07T01:09:00.006+01:00

Outdoor Chess PortraitDenver, Colorado, 16th Street Mall [Link][Image by EricMagnuson, Flickr Creative Commons]Street View Image of Chess TablesView Larger Map

Chess Photography - Chess Is A Sensual Game - More A Dream Than Reality?

2009-06-06T23:57:00.008+01:00

A Quick Game Of Chess [link][Image by is a belle, fickr Creative Commons]A nicely composed cloned photo - and certainly more "interesting" than the usual chess portraits.

Should Christians Play Chess? - A Satirical Look at Religious Objections to Games

2009-06-05T20:00:00.010+01:00

The following passage was posted by ELEPHANTCITY as a satirical poke at the article Should a Christian play dungeons and dragons? The author is also happy for this article to be used on other sites - "if anyone's worried about copyright, i formally grant permission for whole or partial quotes of this page". (page link)ChessThe Subtle Sin Never mind the well-addressed question Should a

Bobby Fischer Pasadena Storage Unit Chess Library Auction (Bonhams, New York) 10th June 2009

2009-06-05T11:18:00.010+01:00

An auction of Bobby Fischer's chess library from the Pasadena storage unit will take place on the 10th of June 2009 at Bonhams, New York. The manuscript material mostly centers on Fischer’s preparation for his World Chess Championship match with Boris Spassky in 1972. The auction estimate for the lot is around $50,000 - $80,000. More information here.Background History:Library of books and

Chess Quotient (CQ) of Youngest Grandmasters in History by Paul Muljadi

2009-06-05T10:24:00.011+01:00

The Chess Quotient (CQ) is a simple idea based on the Intelligence Quotient (IQ). CQ is calculated as the Elo rating of the player divided by their age (16 years or younger). Paul Muljadi has published a CQ list of the youngest grandmasters (ELO rating over 2500) in history (here).Elite CQ List by Paul MuljadiBobby Fischer ..... 161Judit Polgar ...... 162Koneru Humpy ...... 165Hikaru Nakamura ...

James McQuillan Loses The Apprentice Endgame - A Knight Is No Competition Against 4 Potentially Queenable Non-connected Passed Pawns

2009-06-04T22:52:00.006+01:00

James McQuillan "The Apprentice Legend" and alleged child chess champion was fired by Sir Allan Sugar last evening after the "trial by job interview" episode. The job interviews were illuminating as it became clear that some of the things written in James' CV were placed there for dramatic effect. I suspect the child chess champion assertion may have also been inserted with an element of

News Watch - Passing Exams Could Be Child's Play For Boys

2009-06-03T17:54:00.007+01:00

Chess in the Park (New York City)[Flickr Creative Commons, photo by dlkinney]Poor performance amongst boys at school is a real problem. This article, from The Independent newspaper (3rd June 2009), reports recent research that encouraging boys to be involved with games and sports has a positive impact on their academic performance. Chess was one of the activities shown to have been

Political Chess - Obama Chess Metaphor Update

2009-06-03T16:40:00.010+01:00

Barack Obama[Flickr, Creative Commons license]Since my last Obama chess posting (here) there have been a number new Obama chess metaphor articles, including:Is Obama playing chess with bankers, too? (30 January 2009)The Chess Master (NYT, 9 February 2009)Obama Is Playing Three-Dimensional Chess (9 February 2009)Obama as Chess Master (The Kenilworthian, 10 February 2009)The Grandmaster of Three

Chess Photography - Fifi The Chess Chimp - London Zoo 1955

2009-05-27T23:21:00.011+01:00

LIFEembedDrawImage(3302140);This link shows a photo of a young girl from Brighton playing a game of chess with Fifi the chimpanzee at London Zoo (13th October 1955) (Photo by William Vanderson/Fox Photos/Getty Images)

Bob Dylan Talks Chess And East Orange New Jersey

2009-05-27T22:49:00.008+01:00

Bob Dylan talking about a chess playing coffee house, and a surreal chess dream, in East Orange New Jersey. [From the Minnesota Tapes]Related Posts:Musical Chess - Bob Dylan Interviewed By Bono (U2) 1984Musical Chess - Bob Dylan - Only A Pawn In Their Game

The Game Of Learning - Elizabeth Barrett The 17 Month Old Reading Prodigy-Phenom

2009-05-09T20:02:00.014+01:00

.Elizabeth Barrett was 17 months old at the time of the 2 embedded videos here. Her parents Katy and Michael Barrett are both speech pathologists. Even with the knowledge about the parents professions, Elizabeth's ability is still quite remarkable.The study of child prodigies is very interesting, with every example shedding further light on this phenomenon. With Elizabeth, according to parents,

Talchemist and Talchessmist - Mikhail TAL "The Alchemist from Riga"

2009-05-02T19:37:00.014+01:00

Mikhail Tal has a special place in the hearts of most chess players. Tal deeply loved the game of chess and believed that "Chess, first of all, is Art."Tal was also known as "The Magician from Riga", because of his extremely powerful and imaginative attacking playing style. Personally, I believe he should also be known as "The Alchemist from Riga" as he was frequently able to transform apparently

Alan Sugar Chess - James McQuillan "Owns" Alan Sugar

2009-05-02T15:18:00.013+01:00

Alan Sugar - Your "Owned"If one does a Google search of "Alan Sugar" and "chess" then you find that the majority of the pages relate to James McQuillan (currently one of the 15 contestants on the BBC series The Apprentice 5). I have already posted about James McQuillan's assertion that he was a child chess champion (here). Whether James truly has any chess ability is under dispute, however, he

The Apprentice 5 - James McQuillan - Really A Child Chess Champion?

2009-05-01T19:27:00.009+01:00

James McQuillan - BBC's The Apprentice 5James McQuillan is one of the 15 contestants on the BBC's The Apprentice 5, a competitive job interview to find a new apprentice for the business mogul Sir Alan Sugar. McQuillan is described on the BBC program website in the following way:Family man James McQuillan describes himself as a 'schmoozer' who people feel comfortable around. Football referee,

Celebrity Chess - Errol Flynn The Chess Player

2009-04-04T19:21:00.017+01:00

Errol Flynn playing chess with Olivia de Havilland:This photograph shows Errol Flynn playing chess with Olivia de Havilland on the set of the film, They Died with Their Boots On. Flynn co-starred with Olivia de Havilland in a total of eight films, including Captain Blood, The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), The Adventures of Robin Hood, Dodge City, Santa Fe Trail (1940), and They Died with

Chess Quote - Cecil Purdy on Pawn Endings & Golf

2009-04-04T18:30:00.012+01:00

C.J.S. Purdy[Chess World, December 1951]"Pawn endings are to chess as putting is to golf."-- C.J.S. PurdyThe Australian chessplayer Cecil John Seddon Purdy (1906-1979) was born in Port Said, Egypt. There is some debate about his birth year as discussed in Edward Winter's Chess Notes (here). His family moved to New Zealand, then to Hobart (Tasmania), before finally settling in Sydney (New South

Chess Art - The Art of Chess Exhibition, Reykjavik, Iceland (2009)

2009-03-18T20:42:00.009Z

Amorphous Organic, 2008, Alastair Mackie (official site)This Iceland art exhibition – The Art of Chess - at Reykjavik Art Museum (24 January – 13 April 2009) is giving an artistic take on the design of the game of chess. There are 15 chess sets in the exhibition, designed by contemporary artists from around the world, and curated by Larry List, Julia Royse & Mark Sanders.Official Reykjavik Art

Political Chess - Garry Kasparov Interview on Real Time with Bill Maher (20th October 2007)

2009-03-17T20:13:00.011Z

Garry Kasparov on Real Time with Bill Maher:This video is now a bit dated (20th October 2007) but it is definitely a classic. In my opinion it was this interview, more than any other, which let the non-chess playing world know what ex-world chess champion Garry Kasparov was all about.Video Concept List:1970s, 1980s, Activists, Aeroflot, Ahmadinejad, America, Approval rating, Bill Maher, Body

Abstract Chess Art - Speed Chess

2009-03-17T14:57:00.011Z

Speed Chess [by bogschess on flickr]Speed chess is played at less than conventional tournament chess time controls.Commonly recognised variants of speed chess include:Bullet Chess - 1 or 2 minutes per player.Blitz Chess - less than 15 minutes per player, commonly 5 minutes each.Rapid Chess - 15 to 60 minutes per player.Armageddon Chess - black has draw odds (ie a draw is counted as a win for

WUCC15 Number Proposal - The Chess Equivalent of The Erdős Number?

2009-03-16T20:09:00.019Z

Paul Erdős (1913-1996)Hungarian MathematicianThe eccentric Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős (1913-1996) was one of the most prolific publishers of papers in mathematical history (apparently second only to Leonhard Euler). Erdős wrote around 1,500 mathematical articles in his lifetime, with 511 direct collaborators.The Erdős number describes the "collaborative distance" between an individual

Claude Shannon - Chess & The Shannon Number

2009-03-16T18:31:00.014Z

Claude Shannon:Claude Shannon (1916-2001) was a mathematician and electrical engineer. He is considered the "father of information theory" and also known for founding both digital computer and digital circuit design theory. Chess was a hobby of Shannon's - publishing the important paper Programming a Computer for Playing Chess (1950). Shannon used his knowledge of information theory, and its

Chess Quote - Samuel Johnson & John Denham - Chess & Puppets

2009-03-16T15:17:00.018Z

Samuel Johnson (1772):[Painting by Joshua Reynolds]"CHESS. n.s. A nice and abstruse game in which two sets of puppets are moved in opposition to each other." Denham- from A Dictionary of the English Language By Samuel Johnson (link)Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) was an author and "arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history" (Rogers, 2006). Johnson wrote the Dictionary of the

Matthew Flinders Chess Set (1810)

2009-03-16T12:56:00.013Z

Matthew Flinders Chess Set (1810):Full size image ... here[Courtesy State Library of NSW]Matthew Flinders RN (1774-1814), the famous cartographer and navigator, was born in Donington, Lincolnshire, England. He joined the Royal Navy at the age of 15 years, at least partly as a result of being "induced to go to sea against the wishes of my friends from reading Robinson Crusoe". Flinders is

Philidor The Chess Player & Composer - Carmen Saeculare Overtures

2009-03-15T19:28:00.018Z

François-André Danican Philidor(1726-1795) Chess Player & ComposerFrançois-André Danican Philidor (1726-1795) came from an oustanding musical family, and as a boy was a chorister in the Chapelle Royal at Versailles. Whilst developing his career in music, Philidor became a formidable chess player (regarded as the best chess player of his age) playing regularly in the 1740s at

Chess Satire - Chess Wounds, The Daily Show (2000)

2009-03-14T21:27:00.013Z

.cc_box a:hover .cc_home{background:url('http://www.comedycentral.com/comedycentral/video/assets/syndicated-logo-over.png') !important;}.cc_links a{color:#b9b9b9;text-decoration:none;}.cc_show a{color:#707070;text-decoration:none;}.cc_title a{color:#868686;text-decoration:none;}.cc_links a:hover{color:#67bee2;text-decoration:underline;}The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10cChess

Ivory Chess Set Owned By Captain James Cook

2009-03-14T19:56:00.009Z

Ivory Chess Set Owned By Captain James Cook (1770):[© National Maritime Museum, London]This barleycorn ivory chess set belonged to Captain James Cook.Captain James Cook FRS RN (1728 -1779) was an English explorer & cartographer born in Marton in Yorkshire. Cook was the first to map Newfoundland. He subsequently made voyages to the Pacific Ocean where he discovered the eastern Australia

Terra Firma Chess - Chess Tables Central Park, NYC

2009-03-14T00:56:00.010Z

Chess Tables - Central Park, New York City[Annie Mole on Flickr]Central Park is a large, public, urban park in New York City. The decommissioned Central Park Reservior, also known as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir (since 1994), was built between 1858-1862. The Park was completely designed and landscaped by Frederick Law Olmsted & Calvert Vaux.Aerial View Of Central Park, New York City:

Terra Firma Chess - Street Chess In York, England

2009-03-13T22:25:00.009Z

Street Chess (York, England, UK)[Photo by Indigo Goat on Flickr]Street Chess (York, England, UK)[Photo by Indigo Goat on Flickr]Some interesting street chess photos from York (UK) by Indigo Goat.York is a walled city from North Yorkshire, England (UK). It has been in existence for approximately 2,000 years, though only became known as York around 1,000 years ago. Richard II had planned to make

Celebrity Chess - Ray Charles Beat Heroin Addiction With Chess

2009-03-13T17:47:00.025Z

Ray Charles (1930 - 2004) (California, 1966)By Bill Ray (Life Magazine)Ray Charles, the soul, blues and gospel music legend, learned chess in 1965 whilst recovering from heroin addiction. The movie Ray (2004), directed by Taylor Hackford, has a hospital scene showing Ray Charles (played by Jamie Foxx) playing chess with his doctor. Ray learned and played chess without the aid of sight, as he

Garry Kasparov Playing Chess With Sting & The Police (2000)

2009-03-11T22:40:00.010Z

Sting (previous band member of The Police) has a villa in Tuscany (300-hectare estate) which contains a giant chess board in the grounds (source). It would not be surprising then if Sting should enjoy a game of chess from time to time. This youtube video shows Sting and The Police "enjoying" a game of chess (simul) with the great Garry Kasparov in 2000.The youtube video below shows the moves of a

Chess Metaphor Watch - The Young Victoria (The Film)

2009-03-11T21:43:00.014Z

The Young Victoria (2009)Director: Jean-Marc ValleeThe game of chess is commonly used metaphorically to describe almost every aspect of life. In the political arena, chess metaphors are used quite regularly. Even ALCHEssMIST has jumped on the bandwagon recently with a posting about Barack Obama ... here.The recently released film - The Young Victoria - is a dramatisation of the initial turbulent

Artificial Intelligence GO-es Monte Carlo

2009-03-11T14:48:00.014Z

Korean Go game (circa 1910-1920): [Wikipedia]Go is a strategic board game (zero-sum game) between 2 players. Go originated in China (where it is also known as wéiqí) approximately 2,500 years ago. It has been estimated that the total possible number of games of Go is approximately 10171, many more configurations than there are elementary particles in the known universe.Brandon Keim has published

Chess Quote - Marcel Duchamp - Chess Is A Sport

2009-03-08T19:12:00.014Z

Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968)Chess is a sport. A violent sport. This detracts from its most artistic connections. One intriguing aspect of the game that does not imply artistic connotations is the geometrical patterns and variations of the actual set-up of the pieces in the combinative, tactical, strategical and positional sense. It is a sad means of expression though - somewhat like religious art -

How Smart Are Chimps? - Video by Jon Cohen

2009-03-08T17:21:00.015Z

Interesting video on chimp cognition by Jon Cohen.Click image - video will open on a separate page (slow loading).Video Concept List:0-9, Ai, AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, Ancestors, Ayumu, Bigger brain, Buzzer, Chicago, Chimpanzee, Chimp research, Chimps, Cognitive experiments, Complex language, Computer screen, Culture, Counting, Empathise, Evolution, Facial expressions, Genetic research, Guinea (

Rationality & Procrastination

2009-03-08T16:21:00.013Z

Can procrastination be rational?This article by Isaac Sorkin & Henry Swift - An economic study of procrastination, The Swarthmore Phoenix, Nov 30, 2006 - suggests there can be at least 3 good reasons for procrastinating.1). Fixed costs to starting work:Some people, before they can settle down to a task, need to go through various rituals - such as tidying their desk, answering emails, filling up

Cognitive Styles - Digital Game-Based Learning By Marc Prensky

2009-03-08T13:03:00.015Z

Marc Prensky (Photo by Jim Allen) Harvard University economist Kenneth Rogoff (here) has described how "pocket professors" (artificial intelligence & informational technologies) are likely to significantly change future world economic processes. He has partly arrived at this conclusion based on his experience with chess (Rogoff is a chess grandmaster) and the development and impact of chess

Game Theory & Hospital Management - Chess - Poker - Cooperation

2009-03-08T12:04:00.020Z

Game theory first became recognised following the publication of the book Theory of Games and Economic Behavior (1944) by John von Neumann & Oskar Morgenstern. It has wide application for decision support in many aspects of life. The article below briefly discusses how game theory can be useful for enabling effective hospital management.The hospital manager and game theory: chess master, poker

Ken Rogoff On Chess, Artificial Intelligence & Globalization

2009-03-08T00:46:00.013Z

,Kenneth RogoffI have recently posted a list of chess player economists (here). One of the most influential economists in the world currently is Kenneth Rogoff (Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Harvard University, and formerly chief economist at the IMF). In this article from the site Project Syndicate Rogoff argues that replacing people with "pocket professors" (artificial

Rationality & Game Theory - The Centipede Game & Chess Players

2009-03-07T23:14:00.017Z

"Game theory is a branch of applied mathematics that is used in the social sciences (most notably economics), biology, engineering, political science, international relations, computer science (mainly for artificial intelligence), and philosophy." (Wikipedia),The centipede game (introduced by Rosenthal, 1981) is one mathematical game which tests the conflicts between self-interest and mutual

Chess Players - Economists

2009-03-07T22:05:00.018Z

Below is a list of chess playing Economists:Anderson, Benjamin (American economist, skilled chess player & friend of Capablanca) - WikipediaBondarevsky, Igor (Economist by profession, coached Boris Spassky) - WikipediaDell, Edmund (UK politician, historian, businessman & author of The Politics of Economic Interdependence 1987) - ObituaryForintos, Gyozo (Hungarian Economist) - WikipediaFranklin,

Chess Quote - Anatoly Karpov on Chess

2009-03-07T19:53:00.011Z

Chess is everything: art, science, and sport.-- Anatoly KarpovAnatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (born 1951) was undisputed World Chess Champion from 1975 to 1985. He was an academically gifted schoolboy who initially went on to study Mathematics at Moscow State University before transferring to Leningrad State University to graduate in Economics. Anatoly Karpov had a great rivalry with Garry Kasparov,

Chess Quote - Child Prodigies - Chess - Mathematics - Music

2009-03-07T17:33:00.014Z

Chess, like mathematics and music, is a nursery for child prodigies.-- Jamie Murphy (Time Magazine Monday April 21st 1986)From article about the Polgar sisters (Susan 16 years old / Sophia 11 years old / Judit 9 years old) describing their exceptional performance at New York Open Chess Tournament in 1986.(Time article link - Don't Play Around with the Polgars)Caricature of child prodigy composer

Chess In Literature - Geoffrey Chaucer - The Canterbury Tales

2009-03-07T14:46:00.010Z

The Canterbury Tales is actually a collection of stories written between 1387 and 1400 by Geoffrey Chaucer. It is the story of a group of 30 pilgrims travelling to Canterbury (England). The pilgrims, who come from all levels of society, tell stories to each other, as they travel to Canterbury. Chaucer never actually finished this ambitious project and we are still uncertain about the order of the

If Chess Is ...

2009-03-06T18:29:00.004Z

If chess is a science, it’s a most inexact one. If chess is an art, it’s too exacting to be seen as one. If chess is a sport, it’s too esoteric. If chess is a game, it’s too demanding to be “just” a game. If chess is a mistress, she’s a demanding one. If chess is a passion, it’s a rewarding one. If chess is life, it’s a sad one.– Source Unknown

Chess Photography - Bird Brains Play Chess

2009-02-22T22:56:00.008Z

Bird Brains Play Chess (Flickr photo by striatic)Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) are nomadic birds found in Australia. Male specimens of budgerigars are one of the top 5 talking birds amongst parrot species. The world record for the largest vocabulary of any bird is held by a budgerigar named Puck - with a vocabulary of 1,728 words. Puck died in 1994 (see Wikipedia).Erwin, the Talking

Animal Cognition - Geese, Animal Rights & Factory Farms

2009-02-21T22:28:00.009Z

Family of Geese - Flickr Photo by Bob ReckI have been deliberating recently about animal cognition, animal rights and factory farming. During my browsing I came across this moving 2008 New York Times article, A Farm Boy Reflects, by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas D. Kristof. In the article Kristof reflects on his childhood Oregon farm boy interactions with the family farm's chinese

New Insights On Learning Languages (& Possibly Chess)

2009-01-28T16:17:00.011Z

Language Lab - image by Walter ParenteauNew research from Victoria University, New Zealand, has given us further insights about learning foreign languages. The answer appears quite simple. The brain needs to initially set up the neural structures that then enable us to learn new combinations of sounds. This initial neural setup stage can be achieved by passively listening to a foreign language

Political Chess - Obama's Chess Presidency - Strategy Over Tactics

2009-01-25T14:52:00.015Z

Barack Obama - Flickr Creative Commons licence.The new US Obama Presidency appears set to be very much more strategic than the previous more tactical Bush Presidency. The effect on the local and world political landscape is likely to be profound.I have previously posted (here) about a cartoon showing Barack Obama (playing Chess) vrs Hillary Clinton (playing Checkers). The best US political chess

Benefits of Digital Gaming & Chess For Disability Therapy

2009-01-24T22:14:00.013Z

The advent of digital chess (computer chess and internet chess) has had a beneficial effect on the lives of many people with disabilities such as cerebral palsy. The benefits of digital chess include, apart from recreation, the use as a learning tool for children and adults. For the more highly skilled chess players the internet has also revolutionised accessibility to chess competitions that

World's Largest Wooden Chess Set - Vilnius University, Lithuania

2009-01-24T19:13:00.010Z

World's Largest Wooden Chess SetVilnius University (2008)From flickr by andrius.vDimensions - Square size = 3x3 m; total chessboard size = 24x24 m; King over 3 m high.Location - Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Lithuania.Occasion - FiDi 40 Physics Day.Date - 5th April 2008Further images of the chess set available - here.This Youtube video shows a game using the giant chess set.Opening -

Chess Photography - Squirrel & Outdoor Chess Table

2009-01-24T17:39:00.008Z

Squirrel & Outdoor Chess Table by mdumlao98Flickr Creative commons imageOutdoor chess playing tables are increasingly being seen in community and park areas - giving photographers opportunities for "cute overload" pics. This squirrel appears to be in chill out mode.

Terra Firma Chess - Lindenhof Square Giant Chess Set - Zurich, Switzerland

2009-01-21T22:10:00.005Z

Giant Chess Set - Lindenhof Square, Zurich, SwitzerlandPhoto here by Jay8085 on FlickrLindenhof square, in Zurich, is a lime tree-fringed square popular with chess players because of the associated outdoor giant chess set. This square is also one of the most scenic places in Zurich, and well worth a visit.

The Power Of The Internet - ALCHEssMIST - A Drop In The Ocean

2009-01-21T16:37:00.008Z

The power of the internet amazes me.In June 2008 I set up an account on chess.com to access some of the excellent member content there. The name chosen was ALCHEssMIST - a hybrid of ALCHEMIST and chess. At the time there were no examples of alchessmist to be found on the internet using any of the popular search engines, i.e alchessmist was a new word.In September 2008 I set up a small niche blog

Chess Quote - Mikhail Tal on Vices

2009-01-20T19:59:00.014Z

I drink, I smoke, I gamble, I chase girls -- but postal chess is one vice I don't have.-- Mikhail TalMikhail "Misha" Tal (1936-1992) was a brilliant Soviet-Latvian chess grandmaster and the 8th World Chess Champion. Tal was a chain smoker and heavy drinker who lived life to the full, despite repeated bouts of ill-health.I am uncertain which of "Dante's seven deadly vices" (see Wikipedia) Tal was

Chess Quote - Charles Buxton on Forethought, Life & Chess

2009-01-11T21:01:00.007Z

Charles Buxton (1823 – 1871) was an English philanthropist and writer who followed in his famous father's (Thomas Fowell Buxton) footsteps to become a brewer and member of Parliament. In chess circles he is remembered for his famous quote:"In life, as in chess, forethought wins."Amongst his other attributed quotes the comment about time is also particularly relevant:"You will never find time for

Cartoon Chess - Dilbert Playing Chess Against Computer

2009-01-11T18:34:00.011Z

Dilbert Cartoon Season 2, Episode 11 - The Return - part 3/3The chess game dialogue between Dilbert and Comp-U-Comp:Dilbert: [Dilbert grabs King]C-U-C: I have already calculated 4 billion potential outcomes. Guess how many of those has you in it? Thats right! None.Dilbert: Hey! I didn't jabber when you were trying to make a move.C-U-C: Do you know how many ways the human body can

Chess Art - Outdoor Chess Portrait - Bulgaria

2009-01-11T16:34:00.007Z

Chess by ~dechobek (c) on deviantARTA fine chess player portrait by ~dechobek from Sofia, Bulgaria.

Chess Quote - John Fowles on Chess, Rules & Freedom

2009-01-10T22:43:00.018Z

Fowles, John (1926-2005):"Chess permits freedom of permutations within a framework of set rules and prescribed movements. Because a chess player cannot move absolutely as he likes, either in terms of the rules or in terms of the exigencies of the particular game, has he no freedom of move? The separate games of chess I play with existence has different rules from your and every other game; the

Philosophy and Chess - Philosopher Chess Player-Writers

2009-01-10T21:47:00.013Z

Below is a list of philosophers who have either been active chess players or discussed chess in their philosophical writings. The list is by no means complete, and will be updated as further philosophers come to mind.Ayer, Alfred (1910-1989) Bacon, Sir Francis (1561-1626) Dennett, Daniel C (1942- )Dreyfuss, Hubert (1929- )Fowles, John (1926-2005) ... linkGödel, Kurt (1906-1978) Goethe,

Chess Quote - George Bernard Shaw on Chess

2009-01-07T20:23:00.010Z

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950):“Chess is a foolish expedient for making idle people believe they are doing something very clever when they are only wasting their time.” - George Bernard ShawGeorge Bernard Shaw was a very talented Irish playright who was apparently a chess player. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925. Many of his literary works dealt with contemporary social problems,

Are Men Superior To Women At Chess?

2009-01-04T21:16:00.013Z

Free download preview - Page 1 (pdf)Time is running out for the argument that men are superior to women at chess. One of the most recent examples of this chess chauvinism came from GM Levon Aronian when interviewed by Berliner Zeitung (translation of interview reported in chessbase news here). The research study by Waters, Gobet & Leyden (2002) "Visuospatial Abilities Of Chess Players" (posted

Chess Art - Chess Game - Photos by Shawn Shu

2009-01-04T19:09:00.009Z

Deathnote - Chess by ~shiawase-chanDeathnote - Game by ~shiawase-chanCreative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Abstract Chess Art - Chess Leg, Stocking & Shoe

2009-01-04T18:39:00.009Z

Chess Shoe by ~Ephourita (Deviant Art)Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.Update (11.1.09) - A wallpaper version of ~Ephourita's Chess Shoe is available here.