THE NEWS ON FOX CABLE TV I just happened to witness as it began airing the events at Fort Hood on November 5th and of course the following day my newspaper Democrat and Chronicle had glaring headlines: “Soldier kills 12 at Fort Hood” with even more glaring headline reading “TROUBLING SIGNS IGNORED.”

Personally I never heard the name Nidal Malik Hasa before but he had a blog on the internet and was a devout Muslim holding the rank of Major in the US Army as a psychitrist. Apparently he wanted to be excused from a tour pending to Afghanistan as he was against the wars taking place in the Middle East and those who shared his Islamic faith. His failed attempt to find a favorable resolution inflamed his emotion to a state of insanity and led to the horrific event on November 5th. Such a tragedy that could have been avoided.

Major Hasan is a mental case; he is a murderer. Still, most likely we shall find exhibited in the press and liberal news that it was the Army that indirectly caused this tragedy to occur. But is it?

The thought occurred to me that no other religion seems bent on killing indiscriminately like the followers of Islam. No other religion goes so far as to threaten the life of anyone who speaks ill of the Koran where some of it’s text encourages “death to infidels.” But it is deeper than that. When innocent folks go out to vote are threatened with having their fingers cut off, when children are threatened with death by family members for choosing to disobey Islamic life or join another faith, when women are persecuted, enslaved and forced to subject themselves to their husbands wills, when suicide bombers are promised many virgins when they go to Heaven, when decent law abiding muslims fail to speak out and condemn such barbaric and ancient customs, then the whole of the Islamic tradition and faith are put under a magnifying glass and examined for it’s value system and it’s purverse belief.

The Islamic religion is strong and widely followed throughout the world body. Devout muslims practice their faith with deep feeling and gratitude in following Allah. But just as many seem to have no qualms concerning murder because of false excuses that they are living up to their religious upbringing. This does not wash. This should not wash in true Islam. It seems like the Islamic Faith has been hijacked by radical nuts and has the quiet neutrality of those who abhor such slaughter of innocents across the world in the guise of suicide bombers–many viewed as having hallo rings over their heads–by rational followers. None of this speaks well of the Faith at large.

As a chessplayer, I view the picture that is painted by society and it smells largely at times like BO.  Societies can be good, bad, indifferent or just plain bad. Often times it is just a mix of all of them together where elements tend to muddy the waters of it as a whole.

Historically speaking, all religions possess flaws due mostly in part to the membership body. In general I would hope that each and every one would make the effort to grow in their own faith and practice those qualities that make and keep their religious beliefs true and strong. None have a monopoly on the right path except Jesus who the Bible quotes: No one comes to the Father but by me. Whether you hold this belief as true or not does not give anyone the right to criticize others’ beliefs nor give those who call it balony the often seen chastisement towards Christians.

I am reminded of the story about the Atheist who panned and panned religion as a whole. When he died, few cared or attended the wake. When his tombstone was selected by the family, the stone cutter was told to write on the tombstone this phrase: HERE LIES A TRUE ATHEIST, ALL DRESSED UP WITH NO PLACE TO GO BUT DOWN IN THE GROUND.

Truth?  Fiction? It was the atheist’s belief that the grave ended it all.

Now, a fellow friend of his was an Agnostic. He was a fence sitter and felt he should indeed be a believer just in case. He died and was buried. His spirit soared to the Heavens where he came to the Pearlie Gate and found St. Peter with his book open. “I’ve lived a good Christian life and look forward to Heavenly Peace and Joy.” St. Peter gave him a stern look and pointed his finger at a blank page and replied, “Your name is not in the Book of Life.”

For each of us, life can either be a bowl of cherries or otherwise–the pits. We go to bed at night, rise in the morning, enjoy family, go to work, come home, enjoy the day’s events, some fun time, and then it is off to bed again to be repeated. The values we get from life are finding relationships with others in various formats. If life is so strifle, who made it so? If a glass is half full, do you consider it half full or half empty.

We are living in very dangerous times with a lackluster leadership in Congress and the Presidency that spells peril to our National interests and world position of influence. Some of the appointments made seem more like a lunatic run rampant rather than good statesmanship. As an earlier column I wrote says: BO smells. Corruption Chicago-style seems what the American youth voted for but did they expect this form of change? I leave you with this thought: Be careful what you wish and vote for because you just may get it: THE PIED PIPER OF AMERICA.

Adios for now!

Driving to our favorite Charlie Riedel’s Family Restaurant, my wife and I discovered right on time the opening of the lake road swing bridge that is closed during the months of November through March. One might assume that wisdom prevails among the elite of our society as afterall these educated men and women who make up the Corp of Engineers possess more commonsense than the average citizen does, especially regarding the deployment of bridges! Assumptions? That is the crux of the problem facing Americans– the progressiveness that bends the very fabric of commonsense.

As a chessplayer and largely self-taught and being interested in many varied topics down the road of life, it appears to me that suddenly my critical thought pattern began to boil and sometimes it boils over. That is when my wife worries about me because I tend to analyze and put on my commonsense hat, which by the way is a TAM, and thus begins a vocal discussion during driving that is perhaps dangerous. At least I have heard that discussions in cars might be one of the causes of minor accidents on the road let alone those crazy folks who use cell phones and do text messaging or have their lap computers on which they operate during driving. Anyway, not to leave the subject, the thought that the Irondequoit Bay and Lake Ontario are linked by this swing bridge and that it is open during an seven month period covering spring through fall so that sail boats of the rich can traverse to and from the Bay and Lake.

What is wrong with this picture? Well, one problem is that the Lake Road is a vital link for an escape route in case of threats to the city and surrounding counties. But this is not the main problem. The Corp of Engineers opened the Bay for access to and from the Lake. Politically, that smells. Why? Because the original idea was that the opening would somehow add purity to the Bay waterway.  The real reason was to afford the sailboaters a chance to make use of the Bay as well as the Lake for private or sail racing. Never mind that the small business community on the westside now had a major loss of hundreds of customers who had always frequented those businesses, most of which were hotdog stands and Seebreeze Park. Want to enjoy the rides and rollercoaster? Forget it unless you travel the long detour and cross the Bay bridge that links the major routes to the city and major industries. Durand Eastman Park has always been a popular summertime area. Despite numerous attempts through getting thousands of signatures to change the schedule, the Corp of Engineers and the powers that be simply ignore some very interesting possibilities. For example, why I ask is the bridge open already in March-April when the weather is usually still too cold for sailboat travel? A little commonsense approach here is needed. Why not alter the dates say from May 20th through September 30th? Compromise would go a long way in some relief of the turmoil and gut wrenching hatred for the bridge felt by many who primarily have always enjoyed travel on the Lake Road, many going down to Sodus Point and having the added pleasure of visiting various farm fruit and vegetable stands that dotted the Lake Road landscape during the summer and autumn where the foliage is a major attraction as well. It would restore the small business culture and increase interest in the Seebreeze route along Lake Road while fulfilling the Rochester Gas & Electric escape routes plan should any accident at the nuclear power plant require evacuation.

I know for a fact that few watercraft venture out into the Lake or enter from the Lake. This was documented by a concerned citizen who sat for a whole week to record few large crafts coming and going. Does it make sense to deprive thousands of travelers and residents from access to both sides of the bridge by less than a handful of watercraft using the outlet? And does it smack of favoritism for a few at the expense of the many who took time to register their names to lists calling for change?

Personally I think most might agree that May 20th through September 30th would offer some compromise and be beneficial to both homeowners and businesses along with those who love the water. The temperatures prior to May 20th and after October 1st are generally cooler, windy and often rainy.  The foliage is exceptional in October and those who use the Bay likewise can enjoy travel along its route and admire the beauty of the landscape and high hills that border it.

Of course I am only one person who, by the way, did add my name as well as my parents many years ago when this whole scheme first materialized. People thought that a strong showing by the citizens would repel “dumb” but I guess that progessiveness always supercedes the wisdom of good old “commonsense.”

That is my analysis as a chessplayer and game expert.

How say you?

Chess theories abound. I, as an amateur, treat chess preparation and the study of opening theories with a bit of dismay because I have always tried to instill the idea that one should plan from move 1 to obtain the type of position that fits within one’s understanding and skill level. It does nothing more harmful than to merely play opening systems from book learning without a thorough knowledge of the complexities one finds in an opening system like the Sicilian Defense where it is paramount importance to study, study, analyze, and study again and again the huge number of variations possible if you so want to adopt what many term the best defense to achieve success with the black pieces. This requires deep study from both sides because as an 1.e4 player, you will likely encounter the Sicilian Defense more than any other opening system. For this reason, I have always advocated the study of 1…e5 in answer to e4 where, despite the result, you will learn to understand chess more quickly and develop a keen sense of attack-defense-counterattack situations. Even among the elite of the chessworld, the Sicilian can be a problem child. The following example will illustrate just what difficulties are met across the board when the Sicilian Defense in tried.

White: Igor Kurnosov   versus  Black: Pavel Anisimov

1.e4  c5  2.Nf3  d6  3.d4  cxd4  4.Nxd4  Nf6  5.Nc3  a6  6.Bg5  e6  7.f4  Nbd7.

This natural looking move if often played but one could also argue for Anand’s preference of 7…Qb6 that avoids the setup here that White aims for.

8.Bc4  Qb6.

Here, one round later, 8…b5 was tried and after 9.Bxe6 fxe6 10.Nxe6 Qa5  11.Nxf8 Rxf8  12.Qxd6 Qb6  14.O-O-O  Qxd6  15.Rxd6 Nc5 16.Re1 with advantage for White. In a 1971 game, this whole idea was played where black employed at move 14…b4 but faced hardship after 15.Na4.

9.Bxf6  Nxf6  10.Bb3  Qc5.

Also interesting and played in this position is 10…e5 11.Ba4+ Ke7 12.Nde2  exf4  13.Bb3  Be6  14.Nd4  g6  15.Qd2  h5  16.O-O-O with good play for the pawn. But a pawn is a pawn is a pawn, or; does compensation of a dynamic position dominate the landscape?

11.Qd3  Be7  12.O-O-O  e5.

Not a bad move maybe but it allows White’s Knight to penetrate and exchanges that lead to open lines more favorable for White where he dominates and controls the light squares.

13.Nf5  Bxf5  14.exf5  O-O 15.g4!

This sharp entry of the g-pawn is well played because 15…Nxg4 is strongly met by 16.Nd5!

15…exf4  16.Rhe1 Bd8  17.g5  Ng4  18.Ne4  Qa5  19.f6  gxf6  20.gxf6 Kh8 21.Qh3  Nxf6  22.Qh6.

Enter the Queen!

22. … Nd7  23.Rg1  Qe5  24.Rd5 and Anisimov resigns.  If you thought of 24.Rd3, that is even better as it forces mate in 8 moves!

Many of my amateur games even against many stronger rated players brought victories in splendid and short snappy games with the White pieces. Reference my wins from Dr. E. W. Marchand and other club players whom I documented in my columns.

Again, I recommend you learn as much as possible about KING PAWN OPENINGS where attack, defense, and counterattack will give you a strong sense of what to do from either side of the board. The variety of openings is quite large: The Ruy Lopez, Giuoco Piano, Scotch, Danish, King’s Gambit, Vienna, Two Knights Defense, The Petroff Defense, The Hungarian Defense, The Center-Counter Attack Defense.

Some argue and perhaps rightly so that all these openings undercut home preparation for tournament play because a smattering of some knowledge in playing key lines at least requires lots of effort and then you might get crossed up by openings other than 1.e4.  Same holds true with any opening like the Sicilian where the Wing or Morra Gambit can be essayed by White. And if one chooses the Caro Kann, French or  Indian systems against 1.e4, then there are a host of variations in each of them. So the whole matter becomes like a choice between apples and oranges.

In summation, it is more important to learn to play chess and get the most from the time studied for the amateur player who wants to compete or just play for fun while learning along the way to box and punch like good fighters. This is my belief and what 65-years of chess has taught me.

Adios, for now!!

Believe it or not, Rochesterians have through the years been subjected to strange goings-on with playful ghostly visits all over Rochester, N.Y. There seems to be more truth than fiction or fairytales to such stories by eyewitnesses that claim to have encounters with the other world.

There are a number of such sites around the city area that have caused a bit of shiver up and down the spine of those who venture out to any number of locations known to be inhabited by visits from the ghostly world.

One such place is the old House of Pain in the Eastman Dental Dispensary located on East Main Street. According to Ralph Esposito who runs the Rochester Candlelight Ghost Walks with Jennifer Oneske and Western New York Paranormal, their combined stories get larger each year as more and more data from area residents who experience personal contact and sightings enabled Mr. Esposito to compile in a book, Ghosts of Genesee Country.

Rochester’s rich history from its founding by Nathaniel Rochester with its many locations that ghosts most likely favor is an ideal spot for ghost hunters to frequent. From the Reunion Inn and old mansion on East Avenue to Mt. Hope Cemetery and a former downtown hotel, hunters spin their tales of spiritual visitations where you just might find a friendly “hello” and that visually drifts away into the night. Such reports are sometimes recorded by caretakers. In one such case, two guards locked up the cemetery gates and saw a young girl sitting inside so they opened up the gate and approached her. She was sitting on the side of the road of the Susan B. Anthony section. They stopped and asked her name. She told them and one guard said he would get a blanket and wanted to call her parents and take her home. When he came back, she got up and ran off into the cemetery. The guards chased after her and one tripped over an old tombstone. On the tombstone was the name the girl had given them. They claim to still see her occasionally but no longer bother to approach her.

Even stranger is the story of a girl who wandered into the cemetery and got lost, unable to locate the entrance. Suddenly she saw ahead a jogger who she ran after and suddenly he just faded and vanished but there in front of her was the entrance she was unable to find. Later on, thinking about it, she remembered his outfit was outdated and from an earlier era of dress.

But to top that, the case of the husband whose wife discovered a girl’s underclothes in the laundry basket that brought a harsh questioning for which there was no answer. The husband was perplexed how those garments got there. It was found that a mischievous young lady, the daughter of the original owners, had been murdered in the house years before and her ghost continued to play jokes and pranks on the occupants to this day.

The full story can be seen in the Democrat and Chronicle for Saturday, October 31st. Just be glad it was not Friday, the 13th!!!

If all this doesn’t raise the hair just a bit, review my columns where I wrote a short story of meeting a ghost in a visit to a chess club I called: A Christmas Ghostly Tale.

Our 1825 house may hold its own secrets, ghostly visitors who appear and disappear especially on foggy and cold nights. We get a variety of strange noises and voices that are carried through the tree limbs by the winds with knocks on the door and turning on the light finds only an empty porch. Ghosts?  Goblins? Shucks, I do not know. But occasionally I get the feeling that someone is in my study where I type my articles. Is the ghost giving me pointers and encouragement? Is he or she trying to give my mind a free rein that runs through the history of chess–maybe one of the early giants of the board or just maybe someone like Bobby Fischer with whom I’d crossed swords or one of the youngsters from the past.

The ghostly adventures of Halloween seems to be a time when such fever is at a high. Enjoy the moment!

This would be an ideal time for families and communities to come together and share the good things that make life worth living–creative dress, good food, sweets, and games to enjoy together.

Adios, for now!! and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Gone is the time when I was a kid who got high marks for good penmanship in school. That was a time when manual typewriters not only was to tool used in our typing class, but it was the tool used in homes, by secretaries and the typing pool , by journalists, reporters, and the Western Union.

Thinking back to those good old days that were not so good except that there was a sort of peaceful harmony generally in the families that filled our communities, towns, cities and states across this broad land called America, it is hard to believe that much was accomplished in the 19th and 20th centuries by the imagination and creativity of folks who were ever exploring for ways to improve the lot of mankind and a better world for future generations. It was more often than not that it rested with creative thinkers either individually or in small cadres of believers who saw the potential for making the seemingly impossible become functional and needed to meet demands of a growing population. The inventive minds of these pioneers led to advancements in manufacturing, in techniques that saved time and work in production costs, and covered a host of areas that has emerged in our own time.

Perhaps the greatest achievement was the development of technologies that even today sometimes become obsolete due to improvements, new ideas, old ideas given new birth by reevaluating needs with new approaches to their possibilities.  Such is the state of current times.

What technologies have appeared to revolutionize the broad spectrum of our lives? There is virtually no area not touched with vast improvements:

• Due to the internet, a whole variety of games are now played on the internet. Lessons to improve skill abound on many websites. Modern systems for publishing literature has made available to writers and authors a wide-range of opportunities to benefit each and those who read and study the materials hone skills to master many of the subjects. These, in turn, enhance the quality of an expanded body of participants at every level where the chance to create ‘gems’ come with every contest.
• Computer technology has streamlined much of the work done previously by manual labor to a denser and more appliable and beneficial use of the workforce and more efficient controls.
• TV sets no longer have rabbit-ears but have been replaced by satelite technology and cable.
• Communications via telephones have been replaced by electronic devices that bring clearer the voices into the room of the listener. Tiny cell phones and IPods make the world ever nearer regardless of travel or location.
• Sports arenas are outfitted with huge electronic demo boards that give fans increased joy in attending events held in them.
• Airlines provide greater safety and travel opportunities with modern seating and electronic wonders. A passport will enable anyone to travel world-wide.
• Financially you can live on a credit or debit card with accummulated expenses itemized and stored at financial institutions for any needed history review. Bill paying can also be a feature of a financial institution done electronically and at the request of the cardholder. Financial records can be viewed at one’s leisure.
• Improvements in a host of sports have aided the practitioners with high tech advances in design, quality materials, and sources and opportunities to partake. Most noteably here are advancements in golf clubs, golf balls, golf courses; in tennis the old rackets have been replaced by new designed rackets, balls, and both have been made more competitive and sportfan friendly by the high quality TV screens in use today.
• A whole new field has opened for experienced coaches for beginners and experienced players alike.
• Everyday home and work place environment has seen vast additions and or improvements both in and beyond our surroundings.

For we who enjoy the game of chess, the opportunities and quality that exists today is unrivaled through time. From the quality of sets, boards, clocks and other innovations to aid the tournament players, the organizers, the tournament officials and availability of news coverage through magazines, videos, the internet, newspapers and TV, and richer prize funds partly through corporate sponsors and individual donations or entry fees, have enriched not only the knowledge of the game but also the opportunities associated with modern technology.

Adios for now!

I like to play blitz chess at 1 0 while I listen to the radio. Recently I lost my Queen in a winning position by stupidly letting it get trapped. Oh, well, I thought “I am just a patzer in blitz play.”

Salvation? I recently took up the book I bought from Barnes & Noble called The Art of Planning in Chess–Move by Move. The author is the well known Neil McDonald. On page 46 appears a game between A. Istraescu and L. Ftacnik, 2005 played at Khanty Mansyisk. The opening is one of my favorites: The English Opening.

1.c4  Nf6  2.Nf3  c5  3.Nc3 e6  4.g3 b6  5.Bg2 Bb7 6.O-O  Be7 7.b3  O-O 8.Bb2  d6  9.e3  Nbd7 10.Qe2  Qc7  11.Rac1  a6  12.Rfd1 Bc6 13.d4  Qb7  14.h4  Rac8  15.d5!

Hey! Wait just a minute. That d5 square is covered 4-times so is this for real?

15…exd5  16.cxd5  Nxd5?

McDonald says the only way to fight is by …Bb4 which drops a pawn. The text leads to a bizzare finish.

17.Nxd5  Bxd5  18.Rxd5!  Qxd5  19.Ng5

Now the advance h4 made earlier is made clear. The Knight is guarded and exposes the Queen to the Bishop threat.

WE NEED TO APOLOGIZE TO NO ONE IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF NATIONS ala the UN. I stand on firm ground when I say this. Maybe I am Presidential material compared to the goofballs we have in the White House now with all those czars– socialistic, communist pinkos that Soros aligns himself with. Let him stay in England. Reminds me of a guy just angry that he lives on the other side of the Atlantic and misses the beautiful landscapes of our autumn and colorful forests and mountains here in New York State–the good ole USA!!!!!

I do not know about you but I am fed up with our so called President and other politicians who work overtime to apologize for our country’s prior actions. What a patriotic record of former statesmen I list here as a reminder that Obama is no Jack Kennedy; Obama is no Dean Rusk; Obama is no Colin Powell; and finally, Obama is no statesman but a Pied Piper leading the young and ignorant astray. In fact, the whole of the White House staff with all it’s Chicago cronies fail to meet that one word–STATESMAN or that they practice statesmanship of the qualities like those of the past.

The many tea parties across the Land brought out the common man and woman who have, by their labors and hardiness of character, demonstrate that Washingtonians in the District of Columbia as well as representative failures of the grand old party handle–Democrat no longer stands for integrity, honor, dedication to American values but have become a source of constant hatreds of American Life and its ideals.

Mr. Robert Whiting, an 83-year old American, maybe said it best when he got off the plane in Paris, France. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry-on.

“You have been to France before, monsieur?” asked the customs officer. In responding that he did, the officer then sarcastically added the barb, “Then you should know enough to have your passport ready.” The American said, yes, he indeed had been to France in the past and did not have to show a passport.

“Impossible!! Americans always have to show passports on arrival in France!”

Giving the customs officer a long hard look, he quietly explained, “Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate France, I could not find a single Frenchman to show a passport to.”

Colin Powell answered the Archbishop of Canterbury who asked if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by George Bush by saying, “Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.”

President Jack Kennedy while commander of a PT Boat that got rammed by the Jap vessel showed hs valor mettle and character by swimming with a mate on his back to safety. Americans do not leave behind their wounded.

Dean Rusk, Secretary of State under JFK was in France in the 60s when DeGaulle decided to pull out of NATO and wanted all US forces out of France as soon as possible.  Rusk responded, “Does that include those who are buried here?”

DeGaulle did not respond and you could HERE A PIN DROP!

A US Naval Admiral was attending a conference that included Admirals from the U.S., England, Canada, Australia, and France. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most mentioned. Everyone was speaking in the English language and during the sipping of drinks, the French Admiral present suddenly noted that most Europeans learn to speak many languages while Americans learn only to speak English. “Why is it, he asked, we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?” Without hesitation, the American Admiral replied, “Maybe it’s because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn’t have to speak German.”

Ignorance is no excuse but for the French and many Europeans, they just love to knock anything America does to benefit people. A perfect example is when international engineers met in France to participate in a conference. During a break, a Frenchman asked an American from Boeing, “Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intend to to, bomb them?”

The intelligent and wise Boeing engineer could not take this crap from the likes of such an ignorant fool and gave this account so the whole body could hear it. “Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electirical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3000 people three meals a day; they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh drinking water from sea water each day, and they carry half dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have 11 such ships; how many does France have?”

Yes, you could indeed hear a pin drop on any of the above occasions.

What have we to show for Democrat controlled Congress and the Presidency? Well, recently Secretary of State Hilary Clinton wants to let the Russians come and study our nuclear missile bases and inspect them. During the Clinton administration, China was granted the right to buy one of our key ports which they jealously guard and permit no oversight from Americans. China wants control of the Panama Canal which the liberal jackass President Carter so willingly gave away. And in recent times many Democrats have badmouthed America around the world.

I think Scoop Jackson, former Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Jack Kennedy would turn over in their graves to see the state that this great Nation of The United States has degenerated to due to the ignorance and standardization of  party affiliation without thinking what their vote will mean.  If you voted in the last election, then you live with what you reaped. The trouble is you have all of us in the same boat and that boat leaks.

The Bible noted that in the LAST DAYS the people would whine with wringing hands: WHERE ARE OUR LEADERS? Maybe part of the answer from GOD will be:”You aborted them.”

COLUMBUS DAY is long remembered by me because we did not have school but mostly because we had a chance to remember the valiant Italian Explorer Christopher Columbus who set sail with ships from the good grace of Spanish royalty to find a short route to China for trade. As all things usually happen, the purpose was honorable but flawed because his adventure led to discovery of the West Indies and subsequently the whole of both North and South America which fell into the lap of Spain’s rule and overpowering the Indian tribes who ruled those lands before the white man came. Only the exploration by the French and English prevented their total domination of two continents.

Columbus discovered the new world and proved that no one would fall off the world and die as was a belief by many seamen; it was to fall to the Spanish however to try and conquor rather than trade in peace as did Columbus’ dealing with the natives. The main cause of such deceit by the Spanish was the discovery of huge gold reserves–GREED, CONQUEST AND THE DESIRE TO FILL THE COFFERS OF THE SPANISH TREASURY.  Spanish troops were heavily armed with swords, cannon, muskets and gun powder. Their use of horses made invasion into the countryside much easier.

The rest is history. Eventually the Spanish conquors lost territories gained in North America by the U.S. government and rush to form settlements and their own breed of explorers into unknown Indian territories. The result of wars with the Spanish led to the expulsion from the northern continent altogether. Still, the once presence of the Spanish left a rich heritage to the development of the western regions.

Spain’s contribution to the development of South America and influences in North America provide a rich history and customs including the language of Spanish as a popular second language in many school systems. Would it all have been possible without the determination of Christopher Columbus who, in 1492, set sail into the unknown?

The 1956 Rosenwald Tournament was won by GM Samuel Herman Reshevsky with 8 wins, 1 loss and 2 draws with Arthur Bernard Bisguier taking 2nd with 5 wins, 2 losses and 4 draws.His lone loss was to the young and amiable Donald Byrne who came 5th in the field of 12 with a score of 5 wins, 5 losses and 1 draw. A relative newcomer on the American scene was Bobby Fischer who finished with 2 wins, 4 losses and 5 draws.

The final results of the crosstable shows the following:

1. Reshevsky………………………..9-2
2. Bisguier……………………………7-4
3. Mednis…………………………….6.5-4.5
4. Feuerstein………………………..6.5-4.5
5. Byrne………………………………5.5-5.5
6. Bernstein…………………………5.5-5.5
7. Turner…………………………….5.5-5.5
8. Seidman………………………….4.5-6.5
9. Fischer……………………………4.5-6.5
10. Hearst…………………………….4.5-6.5
11. Pavey……………………………..4-7
12. Shainswit…………………………3-8

While the victory of Reshevsky was impressive and a number of quality games were played in the event by the participants, the tournament will long be remembered for what Kmoch called in CHESS REVIEW: “The Game of the Century” made Fischer a household word and teenage star while Don Byrne had the memorable position of being on the losing end of a brilliancy by the youngster.

Briefly, Don Byrne was a rising star himself having won the 1953 US Open and 1964 Atlantic Open, New York City. He represented the USA in three Olympics (1962-4-8).

Robert J. Fischer toured the the USA and Canada playing in many regional and national events where he honed his skills. He did not consider himself a child prodigy but earned his credentials by study and practice that certainly to many suggested that he was indeed a child prodigy. The 1956 Rosenwald set the stage for his meteoric rise to the top of American chess as he went on to win the 1957 US Championship without the loss of a game scoring 8 wins, 5 draws and 0 losses in the 14 player field. His final 10.5-2.5 edging out Reshevsky who scored 9.5-3.5, losing to both Sherwin and Lombardy. Fischer went on to win every US Championship he played in and that record likely will never be broken.

White:  Donald Byrne             vs  Black: Robert J. Fischer

Opening:  Grunfeld Defense, Russian System

1.Nf3  Nf6  2.c4  g6  3.Nc3  Bg7  4.d4  O-O  5.Bf4  d5  6.Qb3  dxc4  7.Qxc4  c6  8.e4  Nbd7.

Another approach was 8…b5 9.Qb3  Qa5 as Kasparov played against Miles in 1986.

9.Rd1  Nb6  10.Qc5  Bg4.

I think here 11.Be2 should be tried which in fact was later played in Flear-Morris, Dublin, 1991. That game went: 11.Be2 Nfd7 12.Qa3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3  e5 14.dxe5 Qe8 15.Be2 Nxe5 16.O-O.

11.Bg5

Byrne wants to improve the Bishop’s position and influence on the game. Here I would say square-count-wise he pressures and digs into the enemy position. On f4, while it has a nice diagonal cross roads, it seems to lack punch. Fischer has to be given credit for a very imaginative idea. It has been said that dynamic imagination is more important in a chess battle than static knowledge.

11. … Na4!  12.Qa3  Nxc3  13.bxc3  Nxe4! 14.Bxe7 Qb6.

Knowing Fischer, he must have chewed his finger nails as far as they could be chewed by this point in time. And Byrne must have come to the realization that he got cooked with the fact that Black gets too much play if he captures the Rook. No doubt it dawned on him that Fischer was on his game and had outwitted him.

15.Bc4.

15.Bxf8 Bxf8 16.Qb3 Nxc3 or even Qxb3 analysis has shown gives Black excellent winning chances as White’s position begins to crumble.

16.Bc5  Rfe8+  17.Kf1  Be6!!

This masterful stroke upsets White’s applecart as perhaps Byrne was anticipating here: 17…Nb5? 18.Bxf7+! Kxf7 19.Qb3+ Be6 20.Ng5+ and the tables are turned.

18.Bxb6.

White is virtually in zugzwang here as after 18.Bxe6? Qb5+ 19.Kg1 Ne2+ 20.Kf1 Ng3++ 21.Kg1 Qf1+!! 22.Rxf1  Ne2 checkmate. This example of a Philidor smothered mate is stimulatingly pleasurable for readers. But Byrne realized that all roads here lead to Rome.

18. … Bxc4+ 19.Kg1  Ne2+  20.Kf1  Nxd4+21.Kg1  Ne2+ 22.Kf1  Nc3+ 23.Kg1  axb6 24.Qb4  Ra4  25.Qxb6  Nxd1  26.h3  Rxa2  27.Kh2  Nxf2  28.Re1  Rxe1  29.Qd8+ Bf8  30.Nxe1  Bd5  31.Nf3  Ne4  32.Qb8  b5  33.h4  h5  34.Ne5  Kg7  35.Kg1 Bc5+ 36.Kf1  Ng3+  37.Ke1  Bb4+  38.Kd1  Bb3+ 39.Kc1 Ne2+ 40.Kb1 Nc3+ 41.Kc1  Rc2 checkmate.

That a 13-year old kid could play such dynamic and imaginative chess and carry out the execution of moves as did Fischer against Byrne made it clear that youth indeed could grasp the elements of chess and raised the hope for a growing cadre of juniors.  Bill Lombardy sparked the junior world when he won the Junior World Championship with an 11-0 score. A number of leading players of the past Century thought children in general could not play master chess. It was thought that kids ages 13-14 might stir interest toward chess. The scholastic programs not only of the USSR but also the United States and spread throughout the world find children do indeed understand and let their imaginations soar.  Great talent abounds and chess is no longer considered an “old man’s game.”

In all the years of having seen depicted on the airwaves or in the press by journalists, political and military leaders and writers one term defies mention so far as I can recall.  Is this merely an oversight or is there some element to the very word discussed here as being completely new to the realm of national and international intrigues.

We can all find terms used to discribe current events, words to describe and emphasize the points being made–stalement, check, ploy, gambit, strategic plan, stratagem, checkmate, chess game, or battle of wits, swindle, blunder, errors, mistakes, miscues. But one word that is missing from all these is ZUGZWANG. Nowhere have I seen this term used by the parties mentioned.

ZUGZWANG is a term given to a chess position where any move played in the position loses at least the balance wherein the adversary will benefit usually with a full point as the result.

What circumstance might arise on the scene in life that might suggest this term to be applicable? It is a question I do not relish an answer for but most recent events in the Iranian affair with NUKES being an issue might give rise to such a term especially regarding the complexity of what and how Israel’s leaders weigh in.

The 21st Century is here and it is a time of dangerous games being played out on the field having many mountains and valleys. Such conditions can lead to such a term as ZUGZWANG!