Countdown Begins Soon!

"Checkmate!" Blog's First Contest Coming Soon!!!

Announcing two important initiatives coming up in the next month:

1) Elaine Howie Fund - a reminder to all my friends to help contribute this holiday season! I will be deciding on how the 2010 fund will be distributed soon!!!

http://checkmateupdate.blogspot.com/2010/07/elaine-howie-fund-for-chess-juniors.html

2) Countdown to Chessmas - now for the real fun!

How it will work:

EVERY DAY (well most days) from December 1 through December 25, I will be posting a puzzle, brain teaser, online scavenger hunt, or some other task for readers to do, which will range in difficulty. Your job is to complete the task, then send me the answer by email with subject line marked "Countdown #" followed by the day number (see side bar for my email - please do not leave answers in comments). For instance, if the puzzle was posted December 15, send an email marked "Countdown #15".

Don't forget to include your name, phone number, and mailing address with your email. This information will be kept confidential, and used solely to track points (each puzzle will be worth a certain number of points) + contact winners. The only piece of information that may be displayed online is your name when announcing top results.

Each part of the contest will be posted around 10 am EST, and answers will be considered until 11:59 pm EST the next day. So if I post a puzzle at 10 am EST on Dec. 15, I will read emails that reach my inbox by 11:59 pm EST on Dec. 16. Remember to mark the email based on the day the part was posted, even if you decide to send the answer the next day.

As mentioned earlier, a certain number of points will be awarded for each part of the countdown. Points may vary, so check each day's post for the point value. To be objective, either your answer will be right or wrong. There will be no "part marks".

Whoever has the most points at the end will get bragging rights and a prize on behalf of my blog, which will likely be some sort of gift certificate. I will mention the prize later on, but rest secure that this prize will NOT come out of the Elaine Howie Fund, and is NOT part of any agreement with third parties. Think of it as my gift to you!

Contest is open to Canadian residents. Readers from other countries are welcome to participate for fun, but will not be part of the main prize pool.

All answers will be posted at the end of the entire contest.

Let me know if you have any questions! Countdown #1 will be posted Wednesday!!!

Taking a Short Break

Hello Readers,

Just announcing that I will be taking a short break from posting. Lots of things due this week, and recovering from a few setbacks that I will not discuss in detail. Thanks for your support, and I hope you continue to visit my blog soon! ^_^

Meanwhile, check out the news from the Chess in the Library blogs below...

Happy checkmating!

Hazel

Would You Rather? - my answers

1. Would you rather snap your fingers and magically turn all chess sets in the world blue or twitch your nose and magically turn all chess sets in the world green?

Blue is a nice colour, but since I cannot snap very well, the sets would probably turn out all wrong. I'm not even going to try twitching my nose.

2. Would you rather be in charge of naming a new chess-related food product or naming a new chess-related beverage product (be specific about the product)?

I would like to oversee a chess-themed Coke product...we could call it "Choke" :) Actually, I don't think much of that would sell. How about "Choca-Chola", "Coca Chessola" or "bubbly drink which happens to be related to chess"? Maybe I need to rethink this...

3. Would you rather play a chess game in which all pawns are replaced by knights or a game in which rooks are turned upside down and used as queens?

Knights!!! That would be a cool game. However, I would only play under one condition - I'm NOT the one bringing the set, because that would mean having to bring an extra four sets worth of knights.

4. Would you rather go to a 'chess university' for two semesters or play tournament games every day for a year?

I'm a bit biased, being in university and all, which means I miss playing tournament games more than sitting in lecture halls.

5. Would you rather play a chess game against Barney or a Teletubbie (haha, not sure if I spelled that right) of your choice?

I would choose to play against Barnie. That way, we could all sing the "I love you" song at the end and forget about the game itself. Hey, who said dinosaurs can't play chess? Hmmm...I'm starting to think I'll regret what I post to answer these questions?!

6. Would you rather play ice chess (chess using a set made of ice) in an igloo or stone chess (set made of stone) in a cave? Assume there are no bears in the cave!

Ice chess! Even if there are no bears, caves just scare me.

7. Would you rather win $450 cash or a new 16GB Wifi Apple iPad (worth $549 + tx) at a chess tournament?

Tempting...but no matter how amazing technology is, I'd have to take the cash and pay my rent :(

8. Would you rather paint your room with black and white squares or cover your walls with newspaper articles related to chess?

I don't think I could live with that many newspaper articles on the wall. Too distracting, and collects too much dust. So black and white it is. Of course, I'll stick with blue in real life.

9. Would you rather be in charge of a chess-related design for stamps, coins, cereals, or clothing lines?

All of them!!!

If I had to choose, I would make a Count Chessula cereal. I know it sounds silly, but breakfast is my happiest meal of the day :) It's also the easiest way to encourage kids to play! Come to our tournament and get yummy, awesome, amazing, delicious, tasty Count Chessula cereal for free*!!!!! *conditions apply

10. Would you rather play in a tournament which allows cellphones to ring during the game or a tournament which allows participants to play music openly?

I don't see a point of letting cellphones ring if people can't answer them, and it's the chattering on the phone that provides the biggest problem. Therefore, I'd have to choose the music option. I guess I'd look at who's playing in the tournament, and secretly find out everyone's music tastes to see if I should join. Trust me, it's a lot different having Taylor Swift's "Dear John" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qmZpPxY9eQ) playing in the background (yes, she mentions chess in that song!!!) and having the chocolate song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCYDOzHK364) blasting from your opponent's iPod.

The Life of a Chess Star

I was reading Susan Polgar's blog, and came across a nice interview today.

See for yourself:

http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2010/11/just-checking-with-new-in-chess.html

Other selections from recent news:

Chess is fun in Fredericton! (interesting how this blog contains the same name 'Checkmate!') http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/balance/article/1303762

Chess in Africa! http://allafrica.com/stories/201011150182.html, http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6774

Solitaire chess! http://www.walyou.com/blog/2010/11/16/solitaire-chess-lets-you-play-against-yourself/

Chess in York Region! http://penrith-press.whereilive.com.au/news/story/york-public-school-students-the-best-at-chess/

Endgame TV Show! http://www.vancouversun.com/chess+master+evokes+spirit+Howard+Hughes/3822684/story.html

Maurice Ashley, 'Chess is intellectual karate!' http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6810

Nice puzzle! http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/nov/16/ronan-bennett-daniel-king-chess

Would You Rather?

More questions!!! My answers at the end of the week...

1. Would you rather snap your fingers and magically turn all chess sets in the world blue or twitch your nose and magically turn all chess sets in the world green?

2. Would you rather be in charge of naming a new chess-related food product or naming a new chess-related beverage product (be specific about the product)?

3. Would you rather play a chess game in which all pawns are replaced by knights or a game in which rooks are turned upside down and used as queens?

4. Would you rather go to a 'chess university' for two semesters or play tournament games every day for a year?

5. Would you rather play a chess game against Barney or a Teletubbie (haha, not sure if I spelled that right) of your choice?

6. Would you rather play ice chess (chess using a set made of ice) in an igloo or stone chess (set made of stone) in a cave? Assume there are no bears in the cave!

7. Would you rather win $450 cash or a new 16GB Wifi Apple iPad (worth $549 + tx) at a chess tournament?

8. Would you rather paint your room with black and white squares or cover your walls with newspaper articles related to chess?

9. Would you rather be in charge of a chess-related design for stamps, coins, cereals, or clothing lines?

10. Would you rather play in a tournament which allows cellphones to ring during the game or a tournament which allows participants to play music openly?

Hazel's Jokes!

How do you know you're playing a chess game against a lawyer (or detective)?

Answer: He opens and closes the case!

The interesting chess set above can be found at http://www.kaleidoscopeiow.co.uk/chess.htm

Chess and Art

Sofia Polgar is a great chess player and artist!

Visit her website: http://www.sofiapolgar.com/

This one's my favourite:


More Chess Stuff (in Recent News)

Jason Cao: http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/saanichnews/news/106869408.html, http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/saanichnews/news/Saanich_golden_boy_comes_home_as_world_chess_champ.html

Scarborough Chess Club:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/nov/09/ronan-bennett-daniel-king-chess

Chess Boxing: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6203243,00.html, http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ac-7094360

Hitler played chess? http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/guywalters/100062776/hitler-and-zippy/

Survivor for chess fanatics: http://www.tvfanatic.com/2010/11/survivor-review-company-will-be-arriving/

Scotland Elementary School introduces chess for kindergarten students: http://ridgefield.patch.com/articles/scotland-school-to-offer-chess-classes-to-kindergartners

"The game of football is just a more physical version of a chess match (unless you're an extremely intense chess master)." http://bleacherreport.com/articles/511843-michigan-state-vs-purdue-chess-match-or-football-game

Guardian Chess Book of the Year

(The Attacking Manual, Volume 2, by Jacob Aagaard): http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/nov/09/ronan-bennett-daniel-king-chess