Would You Rather? - my answers

Lots of questions to catch up on...

1. Would you rather play without your e-pawn or without your d-pawn?

Probably e-pawn...seems more natural for me...but doesn't make a huge difference.

2. Would you rather travel to the Olympiad (in Russia) for a meal with the Canadian team or to Victoria, B.C. for a meal in the Grand Pacific hotel + a visit to Chess in the Library?

I would have to say Victoria, because it's so beautiful, and the air is so crisp - at least from what I remember many years back. Organizers in B.C. also seem to have a lot of great chess programs starting up in the area. Of course, I'm biased because I've been to the Olympiad in the past. For those who haven't, the Olympiad is one of a kind - all sorts of cultures and grandmasters around every corner (including some of Canada's own)!

3. Would you rather play a tournament in an uncomfortably warm room or an uncomfortably cold room?

I thought I'd post this question because people keep bringing up the topic of hot/cold temperature. To clarify, I'm much more sensitive to heat! So an uncomfortably cold room would be my choice. That's what happens when you live in Canada all your life.

4. Would you rather be responsible for tournament equipment (including set-up) or tournament pairings?

Definitely equipment - no one's going to complain if you mix up the king and queen, but you'll have a mob if you screw up the pairings.

5. Would you rather -- at this moment -- completely change your white opening or completely change your black opening?

Well...if I could remember my openings...I would change white...at least I'd have a tempo on my side in case of a (minor) mistake.

6. Would you rather play a chess game underwater or in space?

In SPACE! That would be amazing - pieces floating everywhere (to distract my opponent from my new white opening!?). I'm not a big fan of water.

7. Would you rather combine chess with boxing or soccer?

I think I'd lose either way. At least in soccer I'd have a chance of coming out without a black eye.

8. Would you rather ask the neighbour in the house/apartment to your left for a game of chess, or ask the one in the house/apartment to your right? If you don't have a neighbour to both your left and right, choose either someone who lives on the same street as you, or one who lives on a nearby street!

Until recently, I would have been impartial. However, this past weekend, my neighbour to the right put on really loud music and woke me up during my nap (and I wouldn't consider myself sensitive to many sounds). Maybe a game of chess would solve the problem???

9. Would you rather rock climb with GM Nakamura or skydive with GM Carlsen?

Why do I torture myself with these questions? Either way, I'd have an extreme fear of heights. How about indoor rock climbing?

10. Would you rather have a stranger yell out "Hey! Aren't you a chess player?" from the other side of a Costco store or from across the hall in your workplace/school?

Costco :) In university, yelling across the hall...good or bad...is just asking for trouble.

Second set of questions:

1. Would you rather attend an expensive chess event with a fancy dinner banquet or attend a similar, yet less expensive event with sub sandwiches?

University student on a budget!

2. Would you rather attend a neighbourhood chess event which requires you to bike at least a couple times (yes, there are 'green' options!) or an out-of-town chess event which gives you an excuse to use the family car?

Out of sympathy for the environment, I would go for the neighbourhood option...that is, if my bike still functions properly. On campus, almost everything is in walking distance - so I brought my feet and left the bike at home.

3. Would you rather have a chess-themed holiday in January or July?

That depends - does it involve a day off school? Just kidding. I think a winter-themed chess day (with ice sculptures!) would be awesome.

4. Would you rather dress up (for Halloween) as Count Chessula or Spongebob Chesspants?

I don't think I could pull off Spongebob. I'll leave that to my students.

5. Would you rather have checkered black and white hair or checkered black and white teeth?

Hair...checkered teeth sounds too awful.

6. Would you rather live somewhere in Europe for a year, primarily to play chess, or live somewhere in Asia for a year, for the same reason?

Europe! Maybe in England. I've always wanted to go there. Major cities in France, Spain, Italy, Germany, ... are also quite lovely.

7. Would you rather record all your chess games in red or purple ink?

A lot of my lecture notes are already in purple! I find it stands out better than traditional black/blue. Of course, assignments are a different story...no red, no purple, all typed.

8. Would you rather play chess with your left eye covered or your right eye covered?

I'd cover my lazy right eye.

9. Would you rather play blitz without one of your minor pieces (your opponent gets to use all pieces = material advantage) or play blitz upside down?

I don't even play much blitz right-side-up! Poor minor piece...

10. Would you rather play Hula Chess with Jennifer Shahade or Fischer Random Chess with Peter Leko?

I really want to say hula chess, but I wouldn't be able to hula if my life depended on it.