Camel Story - the story continues!

Please read my past camel posts before reading this one (click the "Camel Story" label on the side bar)!

"Suddenly, the same neck she visioned enrobed with jewels felt stiff. No, it certainly was NOT a necklace. It was a huge metal chain, and there was no way to escape! Without hesitation, Mansur began to pull her away."

"Shhh...don't you dare make a sound. Look, I know I'm not the nicest guy in the world, but I promise to keep you safe. Once we get through this, you'll thank me a million times over. Those lavish riches, those jewels, they will be yours. You will be the most decorated camel in all of Egypt. Trust me."

Gamala stared in disbelief. How could she possibly trust a man so cruel? A chain around the neck - how could he? Just the other day, she was a free camel. Hungry, but all the freedom in the world. How could she trust someone who took that away from her? Yet, what choice did she have?

Mansur rounded a corner into a bustling marketplace. What a scene! People from all over the city talking, laughing, crying with joy. Exquisite linens of the most precisely chosen threads dancing in the gentle wind. A mosaic of finely painted glass shimmering upon every grain of sand. And every type of fruit and vegetable you could ever imagine. It was simply amazing!

"We're looking for the stall of Zaima the potter," Mansur said to a young fellow roaming the square, "He has important news from my father."

"Go eight thousand cubits (about four kilometres) down this path and you will find the stall on your left."

"Ah, I see. Thank you for your service, kind man."

Mansur proceeded down the path, through the market and into a dark patch of land on the outskirts of town. He seemed relentless - Gamala figured this news must be very important. Her legs ached in exhaustion, but the thought of being dragged around was a lot worse than putting up with tired feet. Even so, she was terrified.

Finally, at what seemed to be the end of the path, a small stall appeared. This stall looked worn down, abandoned, and didn't seem to be selling anything in particular. Was this the right one? Slowly, they approached. Even Mansur started to sweat, and if you looked closely, you could see a frightened gulp sliding down the lining of his throat.

"Hello? I am here to discuss matters about my father. I have brought a camel as you asked."

Gamala winced. She didn't know what to think of Mansur's comment.

Suddenly, a short man appeared from the back of the stall. "Yes, I have been expecting you. I regret to say I'm the holder of bad news - your father passed away the other day. I knew him well, and he would have liked to see you, but he did leave something for your taking. Wait right here."

The man reached for a small bag, and then another one, and another one. "Bring these with you to the Ma'at tournament. Look inside, but don't let others peek. Your father worked his whole life collecting what these bags contain. Perhaps this camel can help. Take care with what your father has provided, and as I told you before your arrival here, it will surely make you very rich."

To Be Continued...

"Camel Story" posts will be made each month - follow along for updates about Gamala and Gamalo, and the Ma'at tournament. The anticipated ending to the story will be posted in December 2011.

More Countdown Answers

Wow, I didn't expect to be so busy these past few weeks! I have a break now, so I'll start by posting answers to the remaining countdown questions. More posts to come this weekend...including fund recipient!

Countdown #17 - 23 - Would You Rather x 7

- Up to 7 points available

1. Would you rather play in a chess tournament on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve?

Probably Christmas Eve! I usually like to stay at home on New Year's Eve to watch the countdown under a warm blanket. On the other hand, if I stay at home on Christmas Eve, you can guess by now what I'd be doing - wrapping last minute gifts. (1 point for any appropriate answer)

2. Would you rather receive a wool sweater with a huge graphic of a chess king that says "Check me!" or an antenna hat with giant light-up pawns?

I'm not much of a sweater person. Plus, there's something compelling about things that bounce around, light up, and make you look like a bumble bee. (1 point for any appropriate answer)

3. Would you rather make a (chess-related) holiday logo for Apple or Microsoft?

Oooh tough one...I'd buy the software from Microsoft, and create the logo for Apple. As you'll find out below, I love apples in general, and the company Apple seems to have a more colour-oriented logo in general. (1 point for any appropriate answer)

4. Would you rather have a completely black and white holiday tree or a standard tree with all black and white ornaments?

Every now and then I like think up something fresh and unique. A black and white tree would certainly suit my style! (1 point for any appropriate answer)

5. Would you rather eat burnt holiday brownies or burnt holiday pie?

These options seem rather ridiculous, considering I'm not a big fan of sweets in the first place (I like to bake, and I'll have sweets here and there, but I don't enjoy them nearly as much as when I was younger). I prefer pie to brownies, especially if the pie has cinnamon in it, but burnt pie tastes awful. So brownies win by default. (1 point for any appropriate answer)

6. Would you rather go shopping on December 24 (Christmas Eve) or December 26 (Boxing Day)?

Easy choice - Christmas Eve. Before Christmas, I'm able to rationalize shopping for gifts (and delay wrapping them haha), even if it means finding my way through crowds. But after Christmas, I just want to relax and get back to other things that need to be done. True, there are some great deals on Boxing Day, but I've learned more than once that it's not worth lining up early in the morning for whatever scraps that didn't make it into Santa's bag. (1 point for any appropriate answer)

7. Would you rather spend Christmas day (substitute with another holiday if you don't celebrate Christmas) at home or with relatives/friends?

I love all my relatives and friends, but there is no better day than Christmas to spend time with my family. (1 point for any appropriate answer)

Countdown #24 - Knight Path (modified)

- Up to 5 points available

I haven't found a solution yet - have you? Here are my attempts (2 points for filling at least half the board):

Nh1 - g3 - f1 - h2 - f3 - g1 - h3 - f2 - g4 - e3 - g2 - e1 - d3 - b2 - d1 - c3 - e2 - c1 - a2 - b4 - c2 - a1 - b3 - d2 - b1 - a3 - c4 - d6 - f7 - h8 - g6 - h4 - f5 - h6 - g8 - f6 - e8 - g7 - h5 - f4 - e6 - g5 - h7 - f8 - d7 -b8 - a6 - c5 - a4 - b6 - c8 - e7 - c6 - d8 - b7 - a5 ouch so close

Nh1 - g3 - f1 - h2 - f3 - g1 - h3 - f2 - d1 - e3 - g2 - e1 - d3 - c1 - e2 - c3 - a2 - b4 - c2 - a1 - b3 - d2 - b1 - a3 - c4 - b2 - a4 - c5 - d7 - f6 - g4 - h6 - g8 - e7 - f5 - h4 - g6 - h8 - f7 - g5 - h7 - f8 - e6 - f4 - h5 - g7 - e8 - d6 (I can already see I've made a misstep somewhere) - b5 - a7 - c6 - e8 - b7 - a5

(third attempt = trying to work from the front and back)

Nh1 - g3 - f1 - h2 - f3 - g1 - h3 - f2 - g4 - e3 - d1 - b2 - d3 - c1 - e2 - c3 - a2 - b4 - a6 - c5 - a4 - b6 - c4 - a3 - b1 - d2 - b3 - a1 - c2 - e1 -g2 - h4 - g6 - h8 - f7 - d8 - e6 - f8 - h7 - g5

Na8 - c7 - e8 - f6 - d7 - b8 - c6 - a5 - b7 - d6 - b5 - a7 - c8 - e7 - g8 - h6 - f5 - g7 - h5 - f4

(unfortunately the two knights cannot connect)

The biggest problem is keeping moves flexible without boxing off certain squares, especially edges and corners. Even if you don't find a solution, this is a great exercise for students, since it involves thinking many moves in advance!

Countdown #25 - Joke IV

- Up to 5 points available

Why does Santa give chess sets without the queens and rooks?

Answer: On the busy night before Christmas, he wants to avoid major problems! (5 points for correct guess, 2 points for any creative guess)

Countdown #26 - River-crossing

- 2 points available

1. Rook and knight cross
2. Rook returns
3. Rook and one 'male' pawn cross
4. Rook and knight return
5. King and other 'male' pawn cross
6. King returns
7. King and queen cross
8. Queen returns
9. Rook and knight cross
10. King returns
11. King and queen cross
12. Queen returns
13. Queen and one 'female' pawn cross
14. Rook and knight return
15. Rook and other 'female' pawn cross
16. Rook returns
17. Rook and knight cross

(2 points for finding the entire solution)

Countdown #27 - Camel Story

- Up to 4 points available

Question 1 -What are the names of the camels and how were these names chosen?

Gamalo and Gamala. 'Gamal' means camel in Arabic. (1 point)

Question 2 - What did the camels say the chess king looked like?

A pharaoh. (1 point)

Question 3 - How did chess lose its status as a 'royal game'?

'Sandbagging'. For further information, see http://checkmateupdate.blogspot.com/2009/12/camels-learn-truth-about-chess.html (1 point)

Question 4 - What is the name of the tournament Oscar will play in?

Ma'at. (1 point)

Countdown #28 - Brain Teaser

- 2 points available

In a single move, Johnny moved his king two squares, but did not castle. How is this possible?

Johnny is playing checkers. He moved his king two squares by jumping over one of his opponent's pieces (how nice - kings can jump in checkers but not in chess!), and hopefully winning the game. (2 points)

Countdown #29 - Top Ten II

- Up to 7 points available

Top 10 ways to signal you want to resign a chess game:

1. Say "I resign".
2. Shake (1 point) hands
3. Tip down your king (1 point)
4. Stop the clock (1 point)
5. Write "you win" on your scorepad and show it to your opponent
6. Stare at your opponent angrily, then storm/stomp/run/etc. (1 point) out of the room (not a good idea!!!)
7. Sweep all the pieces (1 point) off the board (http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/etiquette-on-resigning) (not a good idea!!!)
8. Offer to play (1 point) again
9. Spell it out using toothpicks?
10. Disconnect your computer (1 point) (not very nice, even if your opponent usually can't see you!!!)

Countdown #30 - How well do you know your blog writer?

- Up to 4 points available

Question 1 - What are my favourite colours?

I love all sorts of colours, but my favourites...
(c) Blue and purple...they're so 'cool'! (1 point)

Question 2 - What do I like to drink when I need an energy boost?

Coke Zero is okay, but a bit too bubbly to have regularly. Plain water is a bit too...plain. I never have energy drinks, so take a point off if you chose that.
(b) Vanilla cappuccino (1 point)

Question 3 - What is my favourite thing to do over the holidays?

If you took a look at one of my other countdowns, wrapping gifts is out of question. Okay...it's not so bad afterall...just not my favourite. Shops are too hectic. Visiting friends is nice, but in the end, I just want to catch up on some zzzzzzz.
(b) Sleep (1 point)

Question 4 - I was once asked what food I could live off of for the rest of my life. What was my answer?

This question was asked a long time ago, but I think my answer made sense. I love apples!
(b) Apples (1 point)

Countdown #31 - New Year

- Up to 5 points available

Five of my resolutions (1 point for each of your resolutions):

1. Aim for a healthier lifestyle - I won't list all the specific details here, but it includes drinking more water, eating daily vitamins, choosing whole grains/fruits/veggies when possible, and getting at least 6 - 8 hours of sleep most nights.

2. With first semester over, time to reorganize! Throughout January (since this post is late, I have already accomplished much of this 'reorganization'), reclean my room, get all my new course materials, sort my computer files, contact friends, ...

3. This semester, go to all my classes (unless there is a legitimate reason like illness), but leave time for other activities (at least 1 volunteer initiative and at least 1 school club).

4. Find a summer job to support my education.

5. As for my blog, throughout the next year, give out the 2010 Elaine Howie Fund, collect at least $200 for the 2011 fund, finish the camel story, think of at least five fresh new ideas for regular features on the blog, update tournament information monthly, and of course, continue to entertain my readers!

Congratulations for finishing the countdown! Hope everyone is having a great month!

Countdown #25 - 30

Anyone else exhausted from the holidays? Guess they finally caught up with me. Hope everyone has been enjoying good company and good food!

Now to make up for countdown posts...

Countdown #25 - Joke IV

Value: 5 points if guessed correctly, 2 points for any creative guess

Why does Santa give chess sets without the queens and rooks?

Countdown #26 - River-crossing

Value: 2 points

Based on content from: http://brainden.com/crossing-river.htm

Two 'male' pawns, two 'female' pawns, one king, one queen, a rook, and a knight need to cross a river using a single boat. The boat can support maximum two pieces at a time, and one piece (in the boat) must be a major piece, or the king, in order to cross.

In addition,
- the 'female' pawns don't like having the king around if the queen is not present
- the 'male' pawns don't like having the queen around if the king is not present
- the knight cannot be left with any pawns, queen, or king, unless the rook is present

How can all of them cross under these circumstances?

Countdown #27 - Camel Story

Value: 1 point for each correct answer to the following questions

Question 1 -What are the names of the camels and how were these names chosen?

Question 2 - What did the camels say the chess king looked like?

Question 3 - How did chess lose its status as a 'royal game'?

Question 4 - What is the name of the tournament Oscar will play in?

Countdown #28 - Brain Teaser

Value: 2 points

In a single move, Johnny moved his king two squares, but did not castle. How is this possible?

Countdown #29 - Top Ten II

Value: 1 point per correct blank filled in.

Top 10 ways to signal you want to resign a chess game:

(note: not all methods are necessarily recommended!)

1. Say "I resign".
2. ______ hands.
3. Tip down your ______.
4. Stop the ______.
5. Write "you win" on your scorepad and show it to your opponent.
6. Stare at your opponent angrily, then ______ out of the room.
7. Sweep all the ______ off the board. (http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/etiquette-on-resigning)
8. Offer to ______ again.
9. Spell it out using toothpicks?
10. Disconnect your ______.

Countdown #30 - How well do you know your blog writer?

Value: 1 point for each correct answer to the following questions

Question 1 - What are my favourite colours?
(a) Red and green...Christmas spirit!
(b) Yellow and orange...now that's sunny!
(c) Blue and purple...they're so 'cool'!
(d) Any colour, as long as it's in the rainbow!

Question 2 - What do I like to drink when I need an energy boost?
(a) An energy drink, duh!
(b) Vanilla cappuccino
(c) Coke Zero
(d) Plain water

Question 3 - What is my favourite thing to do over the holidays?
(a) Shop
(b) Sleep
(c) Visit friends
(d) Wrap gifts

Question 4 - I was once asked what food I could live off of for the rest of my life. What was my answer?
(a) Ice cream
(b) Apples
(c) Whole wheat pitas and tzatziki
(d) I can't choose!

Camels are back!

Please read my past camel posts before reading this one.

Part 1: November 25, 2009

Part 2: December 5, 2009

Part 3: December 28, 2009

Part 4: February 27, 2010

"Gamala, wake up, wake up! The sun is up!"

It had been nearly a week since the two camels' last encounter with Oscar. Days had gone by slowly, yet the warm humidity kept the camels alert on their search for the mysterious Ma'at tournament. Once again, they were starting to lose hope.

"What's the point, Gamalo? We've been walking day in and day out through this desert. Even camels cannot go on forever without food. Maybe we should head home."

"Gamala, are you really thinking of giving up now? At this point, there's no guarantee we'll even find home in time to eat."

"That's ridiculous...this is all your fault. We had a good life, a good home, and you fooled me into looking for some game we don't even know how to play. It must have been a hallucination all along."

"And yet you came with me. Did you not have some interest in this game yourself?"

"That was last week. This is now. Let's cut our losses and head back home. Can't you see, it's the only viable choice we have left. I'm completely exhausted."

Gamalo started thinking about what Gamala had said. There was definitely some truth. Getting lost in the desert was like getting lost in a never-ending cornfield on the other side of the world. No matter how hard they tried, every step looked the same, yet felt foreign. Even so, Gamalo saw something intriguing about the game of chess, the Ma'at tournament, and something told him to continue on.

"I don't know about you, but I'm not going to stop now."

Slowly, Gamalo trodded off. With teary eyes, Gamala headed the other way. Her heartfelt goodbye faded in the desert wind.

**********************************************************************************

"Hey, you there!"

A voice whispered.

"Yes, you! What a lovely camel. Please, I need your help."

Gamala turned around. A familiar face smirked. It was Oscar's opponent.

"Look, I don't know if you can understand me, but my name is Mansur. I am a chess player. I saw you watching some of my games. You must be a very smart camel. Trust me, if you give me a hand...I mean hoof...I will give you all the luxuries you will ever need, and you won't be lost anymore."

Gamala had no idea how he knew she was lost, or how he found her, but she sensed a kind of sincerity. She gently bowed her neck as Mansur approached. She wanted to show him full devotion. In her head, she envisioned all the luxuries he promised. Maybe a pearl necklace or two. Just imagine what it would be like around her neck.

Suddenly, the same neck she visioned enrobed with jewels felt stiff. No, it certainly was NOT a necklace. It was a huge metal chain, and there was no way to escape! Without hesitation, Mansur began to pull her away.

To be continued...

What do you think will happen to Gamala? Leave your comments below!

**********************************************************************************

Additional notes:

Did you know? A camel's hump is really "a giant mound of fat", allowing it to live without food for up to two weeks!

http://ask.yahoo.com/20010608.html

Gamala? Gamalo? These names were chosen based on the Arabic word "Gamal", meaning camel. Learn more Arabic words on this website:

http://oasis.fortunecity.com/pyramids/221/arabic.html

My favourite is "wahda wahda" (slow down), though "ahlan" (hello), "shukran" (thank you), and "feen el-hammaam?" (where is the toilet?) may be more useful! I also find it interesting how some sayings have both male and female versions. Isn't it fun learning about different cultures?

Note: the site above is great because it's understandable for English-reading viewers, but it is mainly for learning to speak like an Egyptian, not write like an Egyptian!

Mansur? Ever wonder what names like this mean? Visit this site:

http://www.milligazette.com/misl/muslim_islam_islamic_baby_names_girl_boy_name.htm

Enjoyyyyy!

Upcoming event for camels to explore!

Part 1: The camels discover the game of "chess".

Part 2: Oscar discusses a "problem" with his opponent.

Part 3: Oscar explains "sandbagging" in the once-luxury game.

Part 4:

"Eventually, the royal game itself became an insignificant piece that would slowly fade away..."

The two camels looked at each other. Could Oscar be right? In the desert, humans and animals were taught to cooperate with each other in order to survive, not to pursue individual greed! How could a single game break such a long-held unity?

As the camels pondered this question, Oscar continued to win against his opponent. Both seemed tired. It had been a long day.

With one last hand movement, Oscar indicated that another game had ended. "My friend, it has been such a pleasure. Fond memories. And it seems you are improving. Would you consider joining me in the Ma'at tournament next week? It's one of the only competitions left in all of Egypt."

Oscar's opponent thought about it for a moment, and then nodded, "That sounds good. I'll be there."

"Great, I shall see you then. So long for now. Don't forget what I have told you."

With that, the two parted. The camels were alone once again. They began to reflect on their mysterious encounter. What adventures would await them in the chess world? What was this approaching tournament? The possibilities seemed endless.

...to be continued!!!

(Sorry, cut short due to illness. I'll try to add more when I'm better.)

Note: Ma'at is the Egyptian goddess of "truth, justice, and harmony", married to Thoth, the god of wisdom...

http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/egypt/maat.htm

Camels learn the truth about chess...

Part 1: The camels discover the game of "chess".

Part 2: Oscar discusses a "problem" with his opponent.

*******************************************************************************

Part 3:

*******************************************************************************

Oscar sighed. "Hasn't anyone explained this to you? There's only one problem with this game..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"A problem? What ever could it be?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Something you'll eventually find out. It's a fantastic game, yet..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oscar paused for a second before continuing,"...there's more strategy to it than what you see on the board."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His opponent seemed confused.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You see, when I was a young lad, chess was a royal game. It was played in lavish palaces, decorated in the finest gold, silver, and white diamonds. People came from all over the world to see the matches, and those who performed well lived in luxury."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oscar's opponent's eyes began to dazzle. He could see the brightness of the light gleaming on his pieces. For a moment, even his small rickety stool began to feel like a throne. "Amazing! But tell me, Oscar, why do we live in rags?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Haven't you ever heard of the expression 'it's too good to be true'? Well, that's exactly what happened. As more and more money was piled into the game, people became increasingly greedy...and that was just the start of the downfall"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Please tell me more."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Look closer at what I have in my hand."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"A small bag?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Not just any small bag. This kind of bag was once used to hold just about anything a person in the desert needed. It could hold water better than a metal container. It could hold salt and spices...money and valuables. It could even be used as a lucky charm. Deserters would carry hundreds of these little pouches everywhere they would go."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"And how does this relate to chess?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well, one of the most common uses for these bags was as a weight. Each time a heavy load needed to be tied down, several little bags were filled with sand to keep the load in place. They became known as 'sand bags'."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I still don't see where this is going."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hang on. I'm getting there. Though that was the most common use, chess players found another solution. By then, chess tournaments had become so large, expensive, and potentially rewarding that players would go to any extent to get an unfair advantage."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"How would they do that?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"In smaller tournaments, players knew each other fairly well. They would talk between games, and figure out each other's style of play. Some even became friends. Using this knowledge, some players would fill sand bags with specific game information. This included who had the most potential in larger tournaments, and who was just in it for fun. These information collectors would pay the tournament coordinator (who they often knew very well) to organize the playing schedule based on a calculated mapping scheme. This way, the less serious players would play against the rising stars, who were instructed to lose on purpose."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I think I see how this works."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"When a larger tournament was held, the stars were placed in groups much lower than their skill level. They would go on to win much larger prizes for their particular region. Meanwhile, the less serious players would be satisfied with their winnings in smaller tournaments, and could tolerate many larger tournament losses. While some were suspicious, no one was able to find any evidence of foul play as the information was hidden in the thousands of sand bags that circulated daily. This became known as 'sandbagging'"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Then wouldn't the process of fortune continue forever?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Eventually, sandbagging became so widespread that tournament groups became a mess. Coordinators began to argue with sandbaggers. Younger stars became discouraged with losing all the time in the more frequent smaller tournaments, especially if they couldn't really afford to attend all the larger events. The list goes on, but one thing's for sure...no one could stand the chaos stemming from the basic drive for money. Eventually, the royal game itself became an insignificant piece that would slowly fade away..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...to be continued!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Note: This isn't really how 'sandbagging' works. According to Urban Dictionary (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=sand%20bagging), sandbagging means "to deliberately perform at a lower level than you are capable of".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In chess, this can easily become an issue, since players are grouped based on rating. Ratings can be somewhat manipulated in a variety of ways. I have included a variety of links that discuss the issue of sandbagging:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://boylston-chess-club.blogspot.com/2009/06/chess-and-sandbagging.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://sandbaggersanonymous.blogspot.com/2006/12/what-is-sandbagging.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://blueeyedrook.blogspot.com/2006/05/goofy-chess-terms.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.chesscafe.com/text/scholastic08.pdf (page 12 -16)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://blog.chess.com/backrow1720/anti-sandbagging-or-the-louisville-summer-open

Revisiting the Camels...

Last week: The camels discover the game of "chess".

This week:

The camels approached the two men, who seemed to be concentrating quite intensely on a small board containing little "statues". Some were short, and some were tall. Some were round, and some had sharp creases. Some even looked like the camels themselves!

As the camels neared, one of the men picked up a "statue" and moved it to another location on the board, all the while exclaiming "Check!". The camels were confused. They didn't know what this meant. The game seemed very peculiar, yet intriguing.

The other man made a move. He seemed concerned as he picked up a "statue" resembling a pharaoh. He didn't move it a long distance. The man looked around the board, left, right, then left again. He placed down his pharaoh and looked to his opponent. The camels knew the end must be near.

Without hesitation, the opponent, who the camels called "Oscar"(due to his scruffy long beard and his serious, almost menacing, facial expression) grabbed a tall "statue" and moved it right adjacent to the pharaoh. He yelled out "Checkmate!".

Grieved, the other man once again looked left, right, and then to Oscar. He slowly put out his hand and Oscar shook it. The two smiled, and set up the board to play again.

Just as the camels were about to approach even closer, the two men started a discussion.

"You know, I don't know why chess isn't popular anymore. It used to be so well-known", said the one man

Oscar sighed. "Hasn't anyone explained this to you? There's only one problem with this game..."

"A problem? Whatever could it be?"

"Something you'll eventually find out. It's a fantastic game, yet..."

...to be continued!!!

What do you think will happen next? Feel free to comment below!

Thinking About Drier Places...

A rainy day in Waterloo gave me a much "drier" idea.

Two camels were slowly marching through a large, dry desert. Time only inched forward, and the camels often found themselves extremely bored. They were tired of simply basking in the sun...so they decided to look for something new.

One early morning, something caught their eye. Through the dense air, they could see someone playing a game, but they didn't know what it was. As they approached, the image appeared to be fading. The first camel said "We must be hallucinating!" -- yet his friend refused to agree. They approached further, and further. Eventually the image faded. What was this game?

The camels contemplated for days, but found no clues. They were beginning to lose hope.

Then, all of a sudden, the image came back. They could see it quite clearly in the distance, but still couldn't make out what it was. The camels moved quickly towards it, despite weakness in their legs from a long haul the previous day. They pushed on and on. Finally, they reached it...a small table and two men....playing a game they called "chess".

...to be continued!!!