A Poetic Attempt

Pieces, pieces, pieces,
They glitter in the light.
Opening up the position
Perhaps a pawn and knight.

Bishops take diagonals,
Rooks on files and ranks.
Fortress in the centre,
And storms along the flanks.

What a fight it is!
Both sides under stress.
Realizing one mistake,
Could end up in a mess.

Anticipating many possibilities,
Not sure what to do.
Just so many pieces,
Squares and thoughts too.

Pieces, pieces, pieces,
They aim near and far.
Making golf look easy,
When all you need is par :) (haha not so easy)

Just how to win this game,
With pieces all around?
It seems like a game of hide and seek,
Where you're always lost or found.

But now you see a brilliant move -
The best you've ever seen!
It all makes sense when pieces
Have trapped the powerful queen.

Totally Thursday - Blogger Error

Sorry to everyone who checked the blog yesterday for a Thursday post. Blogger was not allowing access to accounts for most of yesterday, and also this morning.

See http://status.blogger.com/

I will add an extra post to what I have planned later this weekend or Monday. In the meantime, check out some of the Chess in the Library posts below (find links at the bottom of this blog)!

Have a nice day!

Wacky Wednesday - Personality Quiz

Let's try something new for a change. Personality quizzes are popular in magazines, so why not include them in a blog?

What type of 'chess animal' are you?

For each of these questions, choose the answer that suits you best!

Question 1: How do you usually win your games?
(a) Brilliant checkmate
(b) Long, drawn-out endgame
(c) Perhaps win some material, then use the advantage later on to checkmate

Question 2: What is your first instinct when you realize a king's castle is open?
(a) That king is not safe!
(b) There may be a way to get an advantage!
(c) What a great chance to attack!

Question 3: If there was one type of piece you feel you couldn't play without, what would it be?
(a) Queens
(b) Minor Pieces (Knights or Bishops)
(c) Pawns

Question 4: When you see yourself playing black against a higher-rated opponent, what result do you tend to anticipate?
(a) Loss
(b) Draw
(c) Win

Question 5: If your position gets closed, you immediately
(a) Decide on a new plan
(b) Try to open up the position
(c) Reorganize your pieces, but let the closed structure remain

Total up your points:

Q1 (a) 3 points (b) 1 point (c) 2 points
Q2 (a) 1 point (b) 2 points (c) 3 points
Q3 (a) 3 points (b) 2 points (c) 1 point
Q4 (a) 1 point (b) 2 points (c) 3 points
Q5 (a) 2 points (b) 3 points (c) 1 point

Score:

5 points - 8 points
You're a bear -

You tend to sit back and wait for something to happen. You like solid structures and calm positions. However, if your opponent causes too many disruptions, you unleash your inner strength. To improve, bring your strength to the next level - take initiative as soon as there is an opportunity - don't wait for your opponent to make the first attack, otherwise you risk getting too passive.

9 points - 11 points
You're a chameleon -

No one really knows what's on your mind. You 'change the colour' of each of your games by adding unique twists and turns. Sometimes you choose to stay calm like a bear, sometimes you push ahead like a lion, and sometimes you do something really extraordinary. To improve, be aware of your tendencies and situations, then match various styles to appropriate positions.

12 points - 15 points
You're a lion -

You are always on the prowl for a fresh way to attack. You like unbalanced, unclear positions. People fear your fierceness, and may try to hide or fight back. Either way, you are always ready for a challenge. To improve, keep up with tactical themes, and make sure to build your attacks thoroughly (rather than spontaneously). Of course, not all positions call for an immediate attack, so be patient - even lions need up to 20 hours rest per day!

Wasn't that fun?

(Note - this quiz is just for fun, not for serious training. You should consult your instructor or further resources before determining your precise style. Quiz was designed by Hazel :) Hope you liked it - more to come in the future!)

Twisted Tuesday - Puzzles

These are the puzzles I selected for the OGCC this past weekend (+ added the rhymes). Try them for yourself!

Kindergarten - Grade 1
"I really want to take the knight, but after 2. Kc2 the game is tight. Can I win material in three? Help me, help me, what can you see?"


Grade 2
"When I got his queen, my advantage grew. Now I have mate in two!"


Grade 3
"Two knights patiently wait, for the next two moves become checkmate!"


Grade 4
"My access to black's king seems quite low. But wait, isn't he on the back row?"


Grade 5
"A few moves here and there - I'm sure to get to his king - beware!"


Grade 6
"Now we're starting to get in the groove. Tell me, tell me, what's the best move?"


Grade 7 - 8
"Pieces, pieces, point east and west. Which move here is the best?"


Grade 9 - 12
"A couple ways to end this game. More or less, the checkmate's the same."

Marvelous Monday - Joke!

How does chess relate to furniture?
Answer: There are winners, losers, and "drawers"!

Looking for chess table designs like the one above? http://www.thisnext.com/tag/wood-chess-table/

More Stuff Soon!

Hey Readers!!!

How is everyone doing? Hope you aren't under the weather - I hear a lot of illnesses are going around & it's been raining like crazy in Toronto. Let's cross our fingers for a sunny weekend!

You may be wondering why there has been a delay in blog posts. I've been extremely busy with errands + preparing activities for the OGCC (this Saturday). Time just seems to fly by! However, I do have plans starting next week to keep this blog fresh & up to date:

Weekday Posts -

Marvelous Mondays
* Begin each week with a "Checkmate!" classic - joke, quote, top ten, would you rather?, ...

Twisted Tuesdays
* Come back for brain teasers, puzzles, variants, strategy, ...

Wacky Wednesdays
* Reserved for newer features like chess libs, personality quizzes, contests, art/animations, ...

Totally Thursdays
* News, written pieces, links, visits/photos, gift guides, ...

Weekend + Friday Posts -

* surprise posts = a variety of chess-related topics, games, jokes, etc. depending on my mood

Monthly Posts -

* tournament and link updates
* camel story continuation
* player or game of the month

+ other fun stuff :)

- feel free to send in your games, photos, suggestions, etc.

If you're attending the OGCC, hope to see you there! If not, have a nice weekend & check back next week for more exciting posts!

Hazel

A 'Handy' Brain Teaser

How many hands might you find at a standard chess game involving two people?
Assume there are no other people around, and pieces do not have hands.

(Answer below)

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
V

Answer: Eight! Two hands per player and two sets of hands on a chess clock (if it is analog).