The Euro Club Cup website's version of stick figure anatomy: tee hee

That could be all kinds of things haha.

Let's play like that psychology test thing. What do you think of?

Me I see big saggy grandma boobs.

hawt

Fat bottomed girls, you make the rockin world go round...

well played

I'm in this competition by the way, anyone else playing?

LOL, not-so-hidden brag... You should have put that into the BBV thread. Must be awesome to watch all the Super-GMs play and be a part of it.

How did your team qualify? Did you win a national cup or league competition?

You also could post your round 4 game at some time. Congratulations

I think I did post it there when we qualified, it is amazing to be involved all right, even if we're at the wrong end of the table. Definitely one of the perks of playing in a crappy chess country, I also got to play in a World Junior some years ago (more brags).

We finished 2nd in our national championships. We were all at high school together and upset a team of mercenaries in the last round to seal it, so it was quite a special result.

I won yesterday with an unusual blunderfice, will post it some time.

Several of my good friends from LTU are playing for the club that I've represented in the past when I was back there Thanks for reminding me, I haven't really checked the results or anything yet!

question, how many elo poins can one increase by being allowed to move pieces around before the move? Does this increase or decrease according to your level?

I've done very well against much higher rated players at iphone Chess With Friends by using an analysis board when I suspect they didn't. It certainly decreases big time with level.

Question to higher-rated players (and that's intentionally vague, because a 1900 and a 2300 are both higher-rated than me but might have very different answers):

How well do you know opening theory outside of lines you intend to play? I'm just curious. I'm still slogging my way through the last 100 pages of Mastering Chess Openings, and all these different lines and variations intrigue me. For example, how much Alapin theory do you know if you never intend on playing the Sicilian or 2. c3 against the Sicilian? Or maybe a better example, how well do you know the 2. Nf3 variation of the Caro-Kann if you never intend on playing it?

http://kevinspraggett.blogspot.com/2...uotations.html

cliffnotes:
- FIDE wants to introduce absurd fees for players who want to participate in ELO-rated events: 10€ for registration, 30€ yearly. TD gets fined 50€ / person who has not paid. I don't see how open tournaments will be rated after this gets through.

- Kevin Spraggett needs a new layout for his blog.

Doesn't seem so absurd to me. Guess I'm just used to paying for stuff though.

FIDE doesn't already require annual dues from a player, in order for them to participate in rated tournaments?

I only know my national federation, but in order to play in a USCF rated tournament one must be an active USCF member which requires annual dues. I had always just assumed FIDE was the same, which I suppose it would be if that proposal goes through. It really never occurred to me that FIDE might not have already been that way, so forgive me if I show a lack of outrage

http://roadtograndmaster.com/?p=378

Year one of Road to Grandmaster is complete. He still doesn't have a chance in hell of getting there, but it's been interesting to follow.

Gaining 100 points when under 2000 while making chess a priority? This is not promising--that's a reasonable goal for any actively improving player at that level.

But "Road to 2300" doesn't sound as good, I'll grant you that.

*

Is there a catchall "I barely know how the pieces move but want to learn" thread? A recently retired friend wanted to take up a new hobby and asked my advice on how to learn chess.

Are there any consensus recommendations -- from quick review of threads, I'd pick something from

Internet: FICS + chess.emrald.net/chesstempo/etc.
Books: How to Beat Your Dad at Chess or Comprehensive Chess Course (for the more ambitious)
Software: Chessmaster

but want to make sure I'm not missing anything highly touted.

He probably had it anyway, but man this was such a baller move by Fischer:

Just finished a project I have been working on for a while now to help me improve my chess game.

In reading the book post I seen Murray Chandler's book "How To Beat Your Dad at Chess" recommended by AC. I bought the book and entered all 50 of the various checkmates plus the associated positions into my database program and now I can work through them in a flash card type of manner. The database has 185 positions and it takes a bit of time to work through them all but in time I should have them somewhat internalized I'm thinking.

I hope this will get me to the 1600ish level.

Nothing is easy regarding this game and its a long slow steady process moving your rating upwards. Wish me luck!

If you like the flashcard approach check out a program called Chessimo.

I like chess position trainer a lot.

I think that's a very good plan!

care to explain?