Main Date: 05 Oct 2007 16:02:47 From: parrthenon@cs.com Subject: Hot off the press! IT'S FINALLY AVAILABLE THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS by GM Larry Evans $9.95 -- 20% discount if ordered directly from www.cardozapub.com The most controversial chess book ever written exposes the intrigues, scandals, conspiracies, dirty dealings and fascinating tidbits, not just with famous players and corrupt chess federations, but also killers, bloodthirsty tyrants, 12-year-old grandmasters and even legendary movie stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Humphrey Bogart. Chess giants include Gary Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov and Vladimir Kramnik, and of course, the enigmatic legend, Bobby Fischer, whose outrageous antics are revealed here. After reading this book and learning what really goes on, you'll never look at chess the same way again!   Date: 16 Apr 2008 20:52:27 From: parrthenon@cs.com Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess NO DRUG PROBLEM IN CHESS <If only LE could refrain from lunatic-fringe speculative attacks, leaps of illogic, and grotesque lies, such as the one about no drug having ever helped someone win a chess game, for instance. > -- help bog (aka Greg Kennedy Several years back Greg Kennedy, the self-described self-deprived Indiana lad, imagined GM Larry Evans brainwashing America into accepting Bobby Fischer's chess match conditions vs. Anatoly Karpov in 1975 when precisely the opposite was true. GM Evans was virtually the only voice in Chess Life exposing the flaws in Bobby's conditions. Now, GM Evans and presumably this writer are on the fringe. We can no longer brainwash an entire nation or even be taken seriously. . Ah well, one does go down in life. Concerning drugs helping to win games, we can add Vitamin C and vast numbers of herbs to coffee drinking and cig smoking. A proper diet is probably more important than any of the preceding. At which point, one enters the absurd. As yet, there is no documented instance of a drug helping anyone to win a chess game. There is no drug problem in chess. Never has been. The rush to drug testing is yet another attempt to impose a social control over what was a free area of socio-intellectual endeavour. Yours, Larry Parr parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > ABSURDITY OF DRUG TESTING IN CHESS > > "I can't think of a better way than drug testing to drive people away > from chess." -- GM Larry Evans > > <FIDE, which has over 160 member nations, could implode. Larry Evans > exposes how they bribe delegates, rig ratings, punish dissidents and > change rules on a whim without consulting top players. "It's hard to > think of an international organization more corrupt than the United > Nations; but FIDE, the world chess body, comes close," he laments. > > <His chapter on the absurdity of drug testing in chess is a classic. I > think this book is timely and will reach a much larger audience than > just dedicated fans. It's unlike any chess book ever written and will > receive a lot of positive feedback.> -- Reviewer at amazon.com > > THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS (pages 82-98) presents "The Case Against > Drug Testing in U.S. Chess" that I wrote in 2001 with GM Evans for the > FIDE Advisory Committee of the USCF. I will not renew my membership in > the USCF until it adopts our recommendations and obeys a delegate > mandate to oppose drug testing here and abroad. > > Yours, Larry Parr > > > > > Quadibloc wrote: > > I noticed that "help bot" said in this thread: > > > > > If only that were true; if only LE could refrain from > > >lunatic-fringe speculative attacks, leaps of illogic, > > >and grotesque lies, such as the one about no drug > > >having ever helped someone win a chess game, > > >for instance. > > > > I remember that at one point, a U.S. government official suggested > > that a chess club for young people in New York should start > > instituting drug testing. This was rejected, because encouraging an > > interest in Chess was a way to help get children *out* of destructive > > patterns, including drug use, and something like this would have > > turned away those who were benefiting. > > > > Since the drugs to be tested for were the usual things like marijuana > > and cocaine, which don't help people play better Chess, that was > > another reason to reject the suggestion. > > > > Yes, there are drugs that do help. Besides caffeine, to promote > > wakefulness, there's nicotine, which is known to improve concentration > > (John W. Campbell once wrote an article speculating on this; more > > recently, a _Scientific American_ article on schizophrenia noted that > > many schizophrenics are heavy smokers as a form of self-medication for > > a problem with concentration associated with the condition.). > > > > But the situation is largely self-correcting; drugs that might help in > > the short term hurt in the long term. It is nowhere near the point > > reached in many athletic fields due to anabolic steroids, so > > comparable remedies are not necessarily required. > > > > John Savard     Date: 17 Apr 2008 10:54:02 From: Mike Murray Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:52:27 -0700 (PDT), "parrthenon@cs.com" <parrthenon@cs.com > wrote: >NO DRUG PROBLEM IN CHESS > As yet, there is no documented instance of a >drug helping anyone to win a chess game. There is no >drug problem in chess. Never has been. The rush to >drug testing is yet another attempt to impose a social >control over what was a free area of socio-intellectual endeavour. Ritalin might be worth a shot: http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/003047.html       Date: 17 Apr 2008 11:13:03 From: J.D. Walker Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess Mike Murray wrote: > On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:52:27 -0700 (PDT), "parrthenon@cs.com" > <parrthenon@cs.com> wrote: > >> NO DRUG PROBLEM IN CHESS > >> As yet, there is no documented instance of a >> drug helping anyone to win a chess game. There is no >> drug problem in chess. Never has been. The rush to >> drug testing is yet another attempt to impose a social >> control over what was a free area of socio-intellectual endeavour. > > Ritalin might be worth a shot: > http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/003047.html Looking back to the past, up to the present, one might not see much cause for alarm. However, with our high rate of technological change, the revolution in the exploration of the human genome, and improvements in creating designer drugs, things are going to change fast. I used to like reading scifi els by Rudy Rucker. His vision of our drug future is quite imaginative and interesting. I end up agreeing with Larry for a different reason. I do not think that FIDE drug testing will be able to handle the load of future mental performance enhancing drugs. It is already a lost cause. -- "Do that which is right..." Rev. J.D. Walker         Date: 17 Apr 2008 11:24:15 From: Mike Murray Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:13:03 -0700, "J.D. Walker" <j.d.walker@comcast.net > wrote: >I end up agreeing with Larry for a different reason. I do not think >that FIDE drug testing will be able to handle the load of future mental >performance enhancing drugs. It is already a lost cause. And there's the further question as to whether mental performance enhancing drugs actually harm the user, and, if so, whether the harm outweigh the benefits accruing from their use. And it's not just drugs. There's a lot of work being done on brain "reprogramming" using electrical stimulation. Crackpot? Maybe, maybe not. If not, what if someone with the resources to undergo this treatment gets an unfair advantage? Further questions about adult choices versus children's choices (or choices imposed on them by adult guardians).           Date: 18 Apr 2008 00:47:23 From: Brian Lafferty Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess Mike Murray wrote: > On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:13:03 -0700, "J.D. Walker" > <j.d.walker@comcast.net> wrote: > > >> I end up agreeing with Larry for a different reason. I do not think >> that FIDE drug testing will be able to handle the load of future mental >> performance enhancing drugs. It is already a lost cause. > > And there's the further question as to whether mental performance > enhancing drugs actually harm the user, and, if so, whether the harm > outweigh the benefits accruing from their use. > > And it's not just drugs. There's a lot of work being done on brain > "reprogramming" using electrical stimulation. Crackpot? Maybe, maybe > not. If not, what if someone with the resources to undergo this > treatment gets an unfair advantage? > > Further questions about adult choices versus children's choices (or > choices imposed on them by adult guardians). Consider brain wave training. Take a look at Neuroprogrammer 2 http://www.transparentcorp.com/products/np/     Date: 17 Apr 2008 08:12:50 From: Chess One Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess <parrthenon@cs.com > wrote in message news:055f554b-6273-4ef3-beb6-fd12e4cc22a7@8g2000hsu.googlegroups.com... > NO DRUG PROBLEM IN CHESS > As yet, there is no documented instance of a > drug helping anyone to win a chess game. There is no > drug problem in chess. Never has been. The rush to > drug testing is yet another attempt to impose a social > control over what was a free area of socio-intellectual endeavour. > > Yours, Larry Parr Worse and Worser! And drug-testing seeks to voluntarily associate chess as a drug-free activity with that of the heavily invested drug-culture of professional sports. I do not understand why the exact opposite stance in not taken by our 'leaders', which is to proudly declaim to the world that *chess is a drug free activity*, and has no wish to associate with activities which are so evidently otherwise. Indeed, one wise poster here said some years ago, 'the brain makes chemicals of its own'. What needs pointing out, now as ever, is that drug-testing is not the wish of chess players, but is the wish of chess burocrats, who can logically be seen to be acting in a contrary way to the wishes of the chess community in which they purportedly 'serve and represent'. And that is a disgrace and a shame and a blight on chess. Phil Innes   Date: 16 Apr 2008 08:24:45 From: parrthenon@cs.com Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess ABSURDITY OF DRUG TESTING IN CHESS "I can't think of a better way than drug testing to drive people away from chess." -- GM Larry Evans <FIDE, which has over 160 member nations, could implode. Larry Evans exposes how they bribe delegates, rig ratings, punish dissidents and change rules on a whim without consulting top players. "It's hard to think of an international organization more corrupt than the United Nations; but FIDE, the world chess body, comes close," he laments. <His chapter on the absurdity of drug testing in chess is a classic. I think this book is timely and will reach a much larger audience than just dedicated fans. It's unlike any chess book ever written and will receive a lot of positive feedback. > -- Reviewer at amazon.com THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS (pages 82-98) presents "The Case Against Drug Testing in U.S. Chess" that I wrote in 2001 with GM Evans for the FIDE Advisory Committee of the USCF. I will not renew my membership in the USCF until it adopts our recommendations and obeys a delegate mandate to oppose drug testing here and abroad. Yours, Larry Parr Quadibloc wrote: > I noticed that "help bot" said in this thread: > > > If only that were true; if only LE could refrain from > >lunatic-fringe speculative attacks, leaps of illogic, > >and grotesque lies, such as the one about no drug > >having ever helped someone win a chess game, > >for instance. > > I remember that at one point, a U.S. government official suggested > that a chess club for young people in New York should start > instituting drug testing. This was rejected, because encouraging an > interest in Chess was a way to help get children *out* of destructive > patterns, including drug use, and something like this would have > turned away those who were benefiting. > > Since the drugs to be tested for were the usual things like marijuana > and cocaine, which don't help people play better Chess, that was > another reason to reject the suggestion. > > Yes, there are drugs that do help. Besides caffeine, to promote > wakefulness, there's nicotine, which is known to improve concentration > (John W. Campbell once wrote an article speculating on this; more > recently, a _Scientific American_ article on schizophrenia noted that > many schizophrenics are heavy smokers as a form of self-medication for > a problem with concentration associated with the condition.). > > But the situation is largely self-correcting; drugs that might help in > the short term hurt in the long term. It is nowhere near the point > reached in many athletic fields due to anabolic steroids, so > comparable remedies are not necessarily required. > > John Savard     Date: 06 May 2008 01:56:58 From: parrthenon@cs.com Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess FROM IVAN Junior Member 05/04/08 at 08:58:42 This Crazy World of Chess I own it myself and found it very amusing at times! The book is honest and recounts the behind-the-scene gossip and scandals from an experienced Grandmaster. http://tinyurl.com/6onrxx parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > ANOTHER 5-STAR REVIEW > > "This Crazy World of Chess" is a winner!, April 18, 2008 > > I grew up dining on "Evans on Chess" once a month in Chess Life. > Grandmaster Evans would answer questions, comment on games and then > unlike any other chess writer he'd pull away the curtain and expose us > to the other side of chess. The politial side! The shady > dealings,scandals, conspiracies, backroom politics and fascinating > tidbits were revealed like no other chess writer before him! Whereas > GM Evans once a month article is a meal "This Crazy World of Chess" is > a banquet! 294 entertaining and intriguing pages featuring 101 > articles exposing the "other side" of the world of chess! From Fischer > to Karpov, Kasparov to Kramnik, and Chaplin to Bogart this book will > keep you thoroughly entertained! My only regret is that there is no > volume 2!!! > > > Mike Murray wrote: > > On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:09:13 -0700 (PDT), SBD <DrDowd@gmail.com> > > wrote: > > > > > > >Supposedly Euwe once told Bogo that he was too fat to be a chess > > >master.... > > > > It was probably Tartakower who told him that.     Date: 18 Apr 2008 11:10:43 From: Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess On Apr 18, 1:30=A0pm, SBD <DrD...@gmail.com > wrote: > On Apr 18, 10:14 am, Mike Murray <mikemur...@despammed.com> wrote: > > > On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:09:13 -0700 (PDT), SBD <DrD...@gmail.com> > > wrote: > > > >Supposedly Euwe once told Bogo that he was too fat to be a chess > > >master.... > > > It was probably Tartakower who told him that. > > I found a similar quote by Bogo, who told Reti he was too fat to be > world champion ( supposedly): > > Als Reti 1920 in G=F6teborg ein stark besetztes Turnier gewonnen hatte, > klopfte ihm Bogoljubov kameradschaftlich auf die Schulter und meinte: > =ABTrotzdem wirst du nie Weltmeister, du bist daf=FCr viel zu dick!=BB > Der erstaunte Reti: =ABAber du bist doch viel dicker als ich!=BB > =ABJa, aber ich bin Bogoljubow!=BB kam es bescheiden zur=FCck... > > Another version of the "but I am Bogo" story.... > > You can translate with babelfish, or alternately ask Phil, our > resident expert in the use of languages. My German is rusty, but I'll take a whack at it, before Phil gives us something anomalous: After Reti won a strong tournament at G=F6teborg in 1920, Bogolyubov tapped him jovially on the shoulder and said: "Despite this, you'll never be World Champion, you're too fat for that!" The astonished Reti replied "But you are much fatter than I!" "Yes, but I am Bogolyubov," came the reply.     Date: 18 Apr 2008 10:30:42 From: SBD Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess On Apr 18, 10:14 am, Mike Murray <mikemur...@despammed.com > wrote: > On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:09:13 -0700 (PDT), SBD <DrD...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > >Supposedly Euwe once told Bogo that he was too fat to be a chess > >master.... > > It was probably Tartakower who told him that. I found a similar quote by Bogo, who told Reti he was too fat to be world champion ( supposedly): Als Reti 1920 in G=F6teborg ein stark besetztes Turnier gewonnen hatte, klopfte ihm Bogoljubov kameradschaftlich auf die Schulter und meinte: =ABTrotzdem wirst du nie Weltmeister, du bist daf=FCr viel zu dick!=BB Der erstaunte Reti: =ABAber du bist doch viel dicker als ich!=BB =ABJa, aber ich bin Bogoljubow!=BB kam es bescheiden zur=FCck... Another version of the "but I am Bogo" story.... You can translate with babelfish, or alternately ask Phil, our resident expert in the use of languages. I wonder if there are fat Andean chess masters?     Date: 18 Apr 2008 10:25:27 From: SBD Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess On Apr 18, 10:14 am, Mike Murray <mikemur...@despammed.com > wrote: > On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:09:13 -0700 (PDT), SBD <DrD...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > >Supposedly Euwe once told Bogo that he was too fat to be a chess > >master.... > > It was probably Tartakower who told him that. I am pretty sure it was Euwe, but I wouldn't bet more than a few bucks on that.       Date: 18 Apr 2008 10:36:43 From: Mike Murray Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:25:27 -0700 (PDT), SBD <DrDowd@gmail.com > wrote: >On Apr 18, 10:14 am, Mike Murray <mikemur...@despammed.com> wrote: >> On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:09:13 -0700 (PDT), SBD <DrD...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >> >Supposedly Euwe once told Bogo that he was too fat to be a chess >> >master.... >> >> It was probably Tartakower who told him that. > >I am pretty sure it was Euwe, but I wouldn't bet more than a few bucks >on that. Sorry. It was a joke based on Tartakower also being rather rotund.     Date: 18 Apr 2008 10:15:34 From: parrthenon@cs.com Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess ANOTHER 5-STAR REVIEW "This Crazy World of Chess" is a winner!, April 18, 2008 I grew up dining on "Evans on Chess" once a month in Chess Life. Grandmaster Evans would answer questions, comment on games and then unlike any other chess writer he'd pull away the curtain and expose us to the other side of chess. The politial side! The shady dealings,scandals, conspiracies, backroom politics and fascinating tidbits were revealed like no other chess writer before him! Whereas GM Evans once a month article is a meal "This Crazy World of Chess" is a banquet! 294 entertaining and intriguing pages featuring 101 articles exposing the "other side" of the world of chess! From Fischer to Karpov, Kasparov to Kramnik, and Chaplin to Bogart this book will keep you thoroughly entertained! My only regret is that there is no volume 2!!! Mike Murray wrote: > On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:09:13 -0700 (PDT), SBD <DrDowd@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > >Supposedly Euwe once told Bogo that he was too fat to be a chess > >master.... > > It was probably Tartakower who told him that.   Date: 16 Apr 2008 08:01:00 From: Quadibloc Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess I noticed that "help bot" said in this thread: > If only that were true; if only LE could refrain from >lunatic-fringe speculative attacks, leaps of illogic, >and grotesque lies, such as the one about no drug >having ever helped someone win a chess game, >for instance. I remember that at one point, a U.S. government official suggested that a chess club for young people in New York should start instituting drug testing. This was rejected, because encouraging an interest in Chess was a way to help get children *out* of destructive patterns, including drug use, and something like this would have turned away those who were benefiting. Since the drugs to be tested for were the usual things like marijuana and cocaine, which don't help people play better Chess, that was another reason to reject the suggestion. Yes, there are drugs that do help. Besides caffeine, to promote wakefulness, there's nicotine, which is known to improve concentration (John W. Campbell once wrote an article speculating on this; more recently, a _Scientific American_ article on schizophrenia noted that many schizophrenics are heavy smokers as a form of self-medication for a problem with concentration associated with the condition.). But the situation is largely self-correcting; drugs that might help in the short term hurt in the long term. It is nowhere near the point reached in many athletic fields due to anabolic steroids, so comparable remedies are not necessarily required. John Savard     Date: 18 Apr 2008 06:01:52 From: parrthenon@cs.com Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess FIDE AND VIAGRA <But if the enhancement is harmless, why not allow it? > -- Mike Murray <I am curious. Suppose that some misguided soul develops the false notion that Viagra helps him play chess. What is the FIDE policy in such a case? :) > -- John Walker It is not Viagra but the next generation of multi-dimensional drugs that might help one with randy ladies and play chess. But to answer the Rev. Walker's question, FIDE would ban players using a drug that helps sex and chessic performance simultaneously. Or ban a drug that helps chessic performance and improves longevity markedly. Under current Draconian regulations -- which include out-of-competition testing -- top players must submit not only their whereabouts (for that knock on the door) but also a list of medications they are currently taking. "Anyone else with a material condition requiring use of any prohibited substance, should contact the FIDE Medical Commission Secretariat office ASAP, to obtain a waiver from the IOC Medical Commission. Documentary evidence provided, should include, at a minimum, records of tests taken, affidavits from prescribing physicians, consultants' reports, etc." -- FIDE regulations FIDE would announce: choose between longevity and a better sex life on the one hand or participating in a FIDE tournament with the chance of eating cockroaches and rice with Kirsan and Campo. No brainer. Gotta go with roachrice and forget women and longevity. Yours, Larry Parr Mike Murray wrote: > On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:35:32 -0700 (PDT), "parrthenon@cs.com" > <parrthenon@cs.com> wrote: > > >WHAT IF? > > ><There's a lot of work being done on brain > >"reprogramming" using electrical stimulation. > >Crackpot? Maybe, maybe not. If not, what if > >someone with the resources to undergo this > >>treatment gets an unfair advantage?> > > > Fischer once said that when he saw Geller putting > >on a pot belly, he knew the guy was finished at the very > >top level. Those who can afford a personal trainer will > >probably also have to be banned from the game. To > >play chess may require eschewing excellent physical > >fitness beyond what can be acquired on one's own -- IF > >such fitness helps in over-the-board performance. > > > The logic is basically the same as punishing those > >who can afford some kind of exotic brain enhancement. > > To make a tighter analogy to the physical sports, punishment would be > reserved for those making a trade-off of health down the road for > competitive advantage today. As with the physical sports, this isn't > entirely rational or consistent -- it's quite possible to damage the > body with a completely natural training regimen. > > Today, we tend to allow people to trade dollars for competitive > advantage, but often frown (*and* often wink) at trading health and > life span for it. > > To me, the real question is how to handle those who would make this > decision for their children -- an artificial growth hormone that adds > pounds and inches now at the expense of a few years of life or some > degenerative disease hitting a few years early. Or brain enhancement > at the risk of mental illness. > > But if the enhancement is harmless, why not allow it?       Date: 18 Apr 2008 15:57:52 From: Chess One Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess <parrthenon@cs.com > wrote in message news:b0393b1b-f91d-45d4-8f0c-b7827ce66c1d@f24g2000prh.googlegroups.com... > FIDE AND VIAGRA > > <But if the enhancement is harmless, why not allow it?> -- Mike Murray > > <I am curious. Suppose that some misguided soul develops the false > notion that Viagra helps him play chess. What is the FIDE policy in > such a case? :)> -- John Walker > > It is not Viagra but the next generation of multi-dimensional > drugs that might help one with randy ladies and play chess. > > But to answer the Rev. Walker's question, FIDE would > ban players using a drug that helps sex and chessic > performance simultaneously. Isn't it more true to state that Fide would ban a drug based on the self-delusion of the person who takes it, and also of the self-delusion of the public who are suggestible enough to /perceive/ that it offers advantage. Hence, we depart from any true substance to that of appearances, for the sole purpose of gaining money - which is to say that Fide is a whore. And talking of whores, Horace said caelum non animun mutant qui trans mare currunt which is as apt comment on chess burocrats as may be held, and as ani ful no means; to cross the sea is to only change circumstance, not habit. Chess players have no chess & drugs habit. Phil Innes   Date: 16 Apr 2008 00:13:52 From: parrthenon@cs.com Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess STUCK BOBBY From Chess Problems Forum http://tinyurl.com/44qw4q Posted: by mrmip Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:40 am Post subject: Stuck Bobby The first official world champion Wilhelm Steinitz used to brag that he can solve any 2 or 3 move chess problem in 20 minutes. This of course was like a red cloth to Sam Loyd. So he composed a sneaky 4 mover and gave it to Wilhelm to solve. Steinitz thought, after half an hour think, that he had cracked the puzzle. Sam was happy as a pig, since there was a well hidden refutation that had escaped Wilhelm. So Sam named that puzzle "Stuck Steinitz" and was all too eager to show it to everyone. Well. Something similar can be said on Benko's "Stuck Bobby." This is a problem composed by Pal Benko. Pal introduced once this problem to Bobby Fischer and Bobby took the bet that he will solve it in half an hour. Well, he lost. Once seeing the solution Bobby claimed that he will find another solution (cook) overnight. He lost again -- there is but one solution. [Source: 'This Crazy World of Chess' by Larry Evans, page 38, Cardoza 2007] parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > HAS THE CHESS WORLD GONE CRAZY? > > > 14 March 2008 Written by New In Chess > > This Crazy World of Chess is the title of Grandmaster Larry Evans' new > book. > > It is a collection of 101 entertaining dispatches from the back door > of chess: fun, intrigues, bizarre anecdotes, scandals, great games, > and high-level gossip. > > Inevitably, there is a lot of Bobby Fischer in this book, as Evans was > Fischer's best friend during a crucial period in his life. > > But quite a few other celebrities turn up in this swinging volume: > Garry Kasparov, Charlie Chaplin, Anatoly Karpov, Artie Shaw, Sammy > Reshesvky and Ray Charles. > > There is another intriguing aspect of this 294 pages book: it costs > only EURO 11.50! Being a chess publisher myself, I fail to understand how > Cardoza, Evans' publisher, manages to make any money on this. > > In short: an extremely entertaining read at a ridiculously low price. > > http://tinyurl.com/2u4u85 > > > > > > > parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > > IM SAIDY REVIEWS GM EVANS' NEW BOOK > > > > http://tinyurl.com/2mmppr > > > > "JUICY, FASCINATING, SPICY, CONCISE" > > > > Although criticizing some technical aspects (notably the diagrams) > > IM Anthony Saidy notes: > > > > "Now we have THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS, a new collection of about > > 100 columns, some augmented, plus an extended article or two, > > exploring the whole panorama of chess off-the-board conflict, > > elucidating the murky world of chess politics, with a few examples of > > actual chess. Suffice to say that no office-holder, whether FIDE crook > > Campomanes (who banned his critic R. Calvo from intl.chess with > > American help), the grandiose Ilyumzhi or a mediocre USCF bumbler, > > manages to dodge Evans' barbs. Evans campaigned for one man one vote > > (OMOV) in the USCF and succeeded in modifying the cronyism at the > > top." > > > > > > > > > > > > parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > > > NEW REVIEW > > > > > > PeteyDaddy's Chess Library > > > > > > This Crazy World of Chess > > > > > > Posted December 29, 2007 > > > > > > I finished this book by Larry Evans a few days ago, but haven't gotten > > > a chance to review it until now. > > > > > > Larry Evans has played a prominent role in the chess world for over > > > half a century now, as player and journalist, so who better to dig up > > > and expose the dirt of the international chess scene? This book is a > > > collection of Larry's articles from the last 50 or so years, and it > > > provides a behind-the-scenes look at the chess world, for better or > > > worse. > > > > > > Evans was Bobby Fischer's second for a while, so some of the articles > > > provide more information about the former chess champion, and his rise > > > to the top. > > > > > > Evans doesn't care much for FIDE, the international chess > > > association. After reading this book, neither do I. It sounds like an > > > organization that is rife with scandal, and is actually harming chess > > > in the pursuit of protecting its own interests. Reading about this was > > > quite disheartening. Right now, chess needs an organization to boost > > > it up and really bring it back into the public eye, and FIDE doesn't > > > seem to be that organization. The USCF doesn't seem to be much better, > > > but I'm hopeful that with Susan Polgar at the helm, chess will > > > experience a renaissance of sorts in this country. I really like what > > > she has done with her foundation, and with trying to bring more girls > > > into the game. I think that she will help to bring more visibility to > > > the game. But enough of my soapboxing, back to the review. > > > > > > One of my favorite articles was one in which he details a trip that > > > he took to Russia during the 50s with the US chess team. It paints a > > > very vivid picture of 1950s Russia, and just how large a role chess > > > played in Russian culture. It was a source of national pride, and > > > apparently still is. It's what baseball is to America (well, without > > > the steroids). > > > > > > With all the articles collected in one book, some of Larry's tendency > > > to repeat himself becomes more obvious. There are several points or > > > anecdotes that are repeated in multiple essays, and I found this a bit > > > annoying. That's really the only negative comment that I have about > > > the book though. > > > > > > Overall, I enjoyed the book. The chess world truly is a crazy place, > > > and I'm glad that Larry Evans has spent his life chronicling it. > > > > > > http://tinyurl.com/ynldpa > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > > > > "This crazy world of chess" by GM Larry Evans, a review > > > > > > > > By Chess Loser > > > > > > > > http://chessloser.wordpress.com/ > > > > > > > > December 15, 2007 at 7:08 pm (book review, chess, random crap) > > > > > > > > i'm tired. drove out to denver yesterday, in the crappy snowy weather, > > > > to meet my daughter, who drove in from st louis. she is staying with > > > > us over the christmas break, for a bout a month. this morning, we woke > > > > up and drove back home, and here i am, unwashed, tired. > > > > > > > > i fear my chess studies will be even more interrupted, since the kid > > > > is visiting for a month. > > > > > > > > i'm going over alekhine's games, having a blast doing it, what fun > > > > games they are. in all this time, i've managed to read This crazy > > > > world of chess, the reletively new book by GM Larry Evans. i read the > > > > signed copy i got from him at reno a few months ago. > > > > > > > > what a fun book! there are 101 chapters, each about 2 pages long, > > > > with the longest chapter being, i think, chapter 28, at 16 pages. the > > > > book is a bunch of essays, anecdotes, stories, memories. a few games > > > > are in there, but only at the end of the chapters about something that > > > > had to do with the games played, for example, there is a chapter on > > > > ray charles' interest in chess, and at the end is the game played > > > > between ray charles and larry evans. > > > > > > > > the book is great for chess players and non-players alike. it should > > > > almost be required reading for "serious" chess players, as it gives a > > > > good "modern history and mythology" about the chess world, and we > > > > should know where we've been. it's great for people who know nothing > > > > about chess, as it is just interesting how much craziness and weird > > > > crap surrounds the game. scandals, the"mystery" of alekhine's death, > > > > stuff about bobby fischer you probably don't know, unless you are > > > > edwin "dutch defense" meyer, who knows all about fischer. > > > > > > > > there will never be a "this crazy world of monopoly" or even "this > > > > crazy world of scrabble," although the "professional" scrabble world > > > > has it's share of weirdness. > > > > > > > > a super interesting "insider's" look into the chess world, all in > > > > bite sized pieces that you don't even have to read in order. > > > > > > > > i would recommend it to anyone. > > > > > > > > http://tinyurl.com/yuqklb > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > > > > > ONE FIVE STAR AMAZON REVIEW > > > > > > > > > > Entertainingly Informative, October 23, 2007 > > > > > > > > > > By Clark Savage, Jr. - See all my reviews > > > > > > > > > > Grandmaster Larry Evans really was right in the thick of things during > > > > > so many major chess events and scandals. With numerous jabs at the > > > > > corrupt FIDE and many chapters about the eccentric Bobby Fischer, > > > > > Evans covers a multitude of monumental happenings in the "Crazy World > > > > > of Chess." > > > > > > > > > > There are a few chapters in the book that were uninteresting to me or > > > > > that I thought were irrelevant, like chess memorabilia being sold on > > > > > eBay and a bit about handwriting analysis. But overall this book has > > > > > way too much for that to even matter. The letters and interviews are > > > > > invaluable and fascinating. His level of involvement is enormous and > > > > > his interest and devotion to the game are very evident. A lot of work > > > > > and research must have been put into this book. > > > > > > > > > > Any chess fan out there needs to own this book. No argument about it. > > > > > You might think you know a lot of the history and many of the > > > > > scandals, but this covers them to a degree that only someone inside > > > > > the circle of these famous players could expose. You think you know > > > > > chess, but you ain't seen nothing yet! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > manoflemun...@yahoo.com wrote: > > > > > > On Oct 5, 4:02 pm, "parrthe...@cs.com" <parrthe...@cs.com> wrote: > > > > > > > IT'S FINALLY AVAILABLE > > > > > > > > > > > > > > THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS by GM Larry Evans > > > > > > > > > > > > > > $9.95 -- 20% discount if ordered directly fromwww.cardozapub.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The most controversial chess book ever written exposes the intrigues, > > > > > > > scandals, conspiracies, dirty dealings and fascinating tidbits, not > > > > > > > just with famous players and corrupt chess federations, but also > > > > > > > killers, bloodthirsty tyrants, 12-year-old grandmasters and even > > > > > > > legendary movie stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Humphrey Bogart. > > > > > > > Chess giants include Gary Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov and Vladimir > > > > > > > Kramnik, and of course, the enigmatic legend, Bobby Fischer, whose > > > > > > > outrageous antics are revealed here. After reading this book and > > > > > > > learning what really goes on, you'll never look at chess the same way > > > > > > > again! > > > > > > > > > > > > What a great idea! I'm in line for at least one-half dozen!   Date: 03 Apr 2008 05:11:05 From: parrthenon@cs.com Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess FROM CHESS.COM 31st March 2008, 05:00pm #1 by Masky Spain Member Since: Aug 2007 Anything worth recommending? So nothing to do with openings, tactics or any of that. Just a good read. I see there is a few, like "This crazy world of chess", "Bobby Fischer Goes to War : How A Lone American Star Defeated the Soviet Chess Machine"... parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > HAS THE CHESS WORLD GONE CRAZY? > > > 14 March 2008 Written by New In Chess > > This Crazy World of Chess is the title of Grandmaster Larry Evans' new > book. > > It is a collection of 101 entertaining dispatches from the back door > of chess: fun, intrigues, bizarre anecdotes, scandals, great games, > and high-level gossip. > > Inevitably, there is a lot of Bobby Fischer in this book, as Evans was > Fischer's best friend during a crucial period in his life. > > But quite a few other celebrities turn up in this swinging volume: > Garry Kasparov, Charlie Chaplin, Anatoly Karpov, Artie Shaw, Sammy > Reshesvky and Ray Charles. > > There is another intriguing aspect of this 294 pages book: it costs > only EURO 11.50! Being a chess publisher myself, I fail to understand how > Cardoza, Evans' publisher, manages to make any money on this. > > In short: an extremely entertaining read at a ridiculously low price. > > http://tinyurl.com/2u4u85 > > > > > > > parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > > IM SAIDY REVIEWS GM EVANS' NEW BOOK > > > > http://tinyurl.com/2mmppr > > > > "JUICY, FASCINATING, SPICY, CONCISE" > > > > Although criticizing some technical aspects (notably the diagrams) > > IM Anthony Saidy notes: > > > > "Now we have THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS, a new collection of about > > 100 columns, some augmented, plus an extended article or two, > > exploring the whole panorama of chess off-the-board conflict, > > elucidating the murky world of chess politics, with a few examples of > > actual chess. Suffice to say that no office-holder, whether FIDE crook > > Campomanes (who banned his critic R. Calvo from intl.chess with > > American help), the grandiose Ilyumzhi or a mediocre USCF bumbler, > > manages to dodge Evans' barbs. Evans campaigned for one man one vote > > (OMOV) in the USCF and succeeded in modifying the cronyism at the > > top." > > > > > > > > > > > > parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > > > NEW REVIEW > > > > > > PeteyDaddy's Chess Library > > > > > > This Crazy World of Chess > > > > > > Posted December 29, 2007 > > > > > > I finished this book by Larry Evans a few days ago, but haven't gotten > > > a chance to review it until now. > > > > > > Larry Evans has played a prominent role in the chess world for over > > > half a century now, as player and journalist, so who better to dig up > > > and expose the dirt of the international chess scene? This book is a > > > collection of Larry's articles from the last 50 or so years, and it > > > provides a behind-the-scenes look at the chess world, for better or > > > worse. > > > > > > Evans was Bobby Fischer's second for a while, so some of the articles > > > provide more information about the former chess champion, and his rise > > > to the top. > > > > > > Evans doesn't care much for FIDE, the international chess > > > association. After reading this book, neither do I. It sounds like an > > > organization that is rife with scandal, and is actually harming chess > > > in the pursuit of protecting its own interests. Reading about this was > > > quite disheartening. Right now, chess needs an organization to boost > > > it up and really bring it back into the public eye, and FIDE doesn't > > > seem to be that organization. The USCF doesn't seem to be much better, > > > but I'm hopeful that with Susan Polgar at the helm, chess will > > > experience a renaissance of sorts in this country. I really like what > > > she has done with her foundation, and with trying to bring more girls > > > into the game. I think that she will help to bring more visibility to > > > the game. But enough of my soapboxing, back to the review. > > > > > > One of my favorite articles was one in which he details a trip that > > > he took to Russia during the 50s with the US chess team. It paints a > > > very vivid picture of 1950s Russia, and just how large a role chess > > > played in Russian culture. It was a source of national pride, and > > > apparently still is. It's what baseball is to America (well, without > > > the steroids). > > > > > > With all the articles collected in one book, some of Larry's tendency > > > to repeat himself becomes more obvious. There are several points or > > > anecdotes that are repeated in multiple essays, and I found this a bit > > > annoying. That's really the only negative comment that I have about > > > the book though. > > > > > > Overall, I enjoyed the book. The chess world truly is a crazy place, > > > and I'm glad that Larry Evans has spent his life chronicling it. > > > > > > http://tinyurl.com/ynldpa > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > > > > "This crazy world of chess" by GM Larry Evans, a review > > > > > > > > By Chess Loser > > > > > > > > http://chessloser.wordpress.com/ > > > > > > > > December 15, 2007 at 7:08 pm (book review, chess, random crap) > > > > > > > > i'm tired. drove out to denver yesterday, in the crappy snowy weather, > > > > to meet my daughter, who drove in from st louis. she is staying with > > > > us over the christmas break, for a bout a month. this morning, we woke > > > > up and drove back home, and here i am, unwashed, tired. > > > > > > > > i fear my chess studies will be even more interrupted, since the kid > > > > is visiting for a month. > > > > > > > > i'm going over alekhine's games, having a blast doing it, what fun > > > > games they are. in all this time, i've managed to read This crazy > > > > world of chess, the reletively new book by GM Larry Evans. i read the > > > > signed copy i got from him at reno a few months ago. > > > > > > > > what a fun book! there are 101 chapters, each about 2 pages long, > > > > with the longest chapter being, i think, chapter 28, at 16 pages. the > > > > book is a bunch of essays, anecdotes, stories, memories. a few games > > > > are in there, but only at the end of the chapters about something that > > > > had to do with the games played, for example, there is a chapter on > > > > ray charles' interest in chess, and at the end is the game played > > > > between ray charles and larry evans. > > > > > > > > the book is great for chess players and non-players alike. it should > > > > almost be required reading for "serious" chess players, as it gives a > > > > good "modern history and mythology" about the chess world, and we > > > > should know where we've been. it's great for people who know nothing > > > > about chess, as it is just interesting how much craziness and weird > > > > crap surrounds the game. scandals, the"mystery" of alekhine's death, > > > > stuff about bobby fischer you probably don't know, unless you are > > > > edwin "dutch defense" meyer, who knows all about fischer. > > > > > > > > there will never be a "this crazy world of monopoly" or even "this > > > > crazy world of scrabble," although the "professional" scrabble world > > > > has it's share of weirdness. > > > > > > > > a super interesting "insider's" look into the chess world, all in > > > > bite sized pieces that you don't even have to read in order. > > > > > > > > i would recommend it to anyone. > > > > > > > > http://tinyurl.com/yuqklb > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > > > > > ONE FIVE STAR AMAZON REVIEW > > > > > > > > > > Entertainingly Informative, October 23, 2007 > > > > > > > > > > By Clark Savage, Jr. - See all my reviews > > > > > > > > > > Grandmaster Larry Evans really was right in the thick of things during > > > > > so many major chess events and scandals. With numerous jabs at the > > > > > corrupt FIDE and many chapters about the eccentric Bobby Fischer, > > > > > Evans covers a multitude of monumental happenings in the "Crazy World > > > > > of Chess." > > > > > > > > > > There are a few chapters in the book that were uninteresting to me or > > > > > that I thought were irrelevant, like chess memorabilia being sold on > > > > > eBay and a bit about handwriting analysis. But overall this book has > > > > > way too much for that to even matter. The letters and interviews are > > > > > invaluable and fascinating. His level of involvement is enormous and > > > > > his interest and devotion to the game are very evident. A lot of work > > > > > and research must have been put into this book. > > > > > > > > > > Any chess fan out there needs to own this book. No argument about it. > > > > > You might think you know a lot of the history and many of the > > > > > scandals, but this covers them to a degree that only someone inside > > > > > the circle of these famous players could expose. You think you know > > > > > chess, but you ain't seen nothing yet! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > manoflemun...@yahoo.com wrote: > > > > > > On Oct 5, 4:02 pm, "parrthe...@cs.com" <parrthe...@cs.com> wrote: > > > > > > > IT'S FINALLY AVAILABLE > > > > > > > > > > > > > > THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS by GM Larry Evans > > > > > > > > > > > > > > $9.95 -- 20% discount if ordered directly fromwww.cardozapub.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The most controversial chess book ever written exposes the intrigues, > > > > > > > scandals, conspiracies, dirty dealings and fascinating tidbits, not > > > > > > > just with famous players and corrupt chess federations, but also > > > > > > > killers, bloodthirsty tyrants, 12-year-old grandmasters and even > > > > > > > legendary movie stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Humphrey Bogart. > > > > > > > Chess giants include Gary Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov and Vladimir > > > > > > > Kramnik, and of course, the enigmatic legend, Bobby Fischer, whose > > > > > > > outrageous antics are revealed here. After reading this book and > > > > > > > learning what really goes on, you'll never look at chess the same way > > > > > > > again! > > > > > > > > > > > > What a great idea! I'm in line for at least one-half dozen!   Date: 16 Mar 2008 08:21:14 From: parrthenon@cs.com Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess HAS THE CHESS WORLD GONE CRAZY? 14 March 2008 Written by New In Chess This Crazy World of Chess is the title of Grandmaster Larry Evans' new book. It is a collection of 101 entertaining dispatches from the back door of chess: fun, intrigues, bizarre anecdotes, scandals, great games, and high-level gossip. Inevitably, there is a lot of Bobby Fischer in this book, as Evans was Fischer's best friend during a crucial period in his life. But quite a few other celebrities turn up in this swinging volume: Garry Kasparov, Charlie Chaplin, Anatoly Karpov, Artie Shaw, Sammy Reshesvky and Ray Charles. There is another intriguing aspect of this 294 pages book: it costs only EURO 11.50! Being a chess publisher myself, I fail to understand how Cardoza, Evans' publisher, manages to make any money on this. In short: an extremely entertaining read at a ridiculously low price. http://tinyurl.com/2u4u85 parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > IM SAIDY REVIEWS GM EVANS' NEW BOOK > > http://tinyurl.com/2mmppr > > "JUICY, FASCINATING, SPICY, CONCISE" > > Although criticizing some technical aspects (notably the diagrams) > IM Anthony Saidy notes: > > "Now we have THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS, a new collection of about > 100 columns, some augmented, plus an extended article or two, > exploring the whole panorama of chess off-the-board conflict, > elucidating the murky world of chess politics, with a few examples of > actual chess. Suffice to say that no office-holder, whether FIDE crook > Campomanes (who banned his critic R. Calvo from intl.chess with > American help), the grandiose Ilyumzhi or a mediocre USCF bumbler, > manages to dodge Evans' barbs. Evans campaigned for one man one vote > (OMOV) in the USCF and succeeded in modifying the cronyism at the > top." > > > > > > parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > > NEW REVIEW > > > > PeteyDaddy's Chess Library > > > > This Crazy World of Chess > > > > Posted December 29, 2007 > > > > I finished this book by Larry Evans a few days ago, but haven't gotten > > a chance to review it until now. > > > > Larry Evans has played a prominent role in the chess world for over > > half a century now, as player and journalist, so who better to dig up > > and expose the dirt of the international chess scene? This book is a > > collection of Larry's articles from the last 50 or so years, and it > > provides a behind-the-scenes look at the chess world, for better or > > worse. > > > > Evans was Bobby Fischer's second for a while, so some of the articles > > provide more information about the former chess champion, and his rise > > to the top. > > > > Evans doesn't care much for FIDE, the international chess > > association. After reading this book, neither do I. It sounds like an > > organization that is rife with scandal, and is actually harming chess > > in the pursuit of protecting its own interests. Reading about this was > > quite disheartening. Right now, chess needs an organization to boost > > it up and really bring it back into the public eye, and FIDE doesn't > > seem to be that organization. The USCF doesn't seem to be much better, > > but I'm hopeful that with Susan Polgar at the helm, chess will > > experience a renaissance of sorts in this country. I really like what > > she has done with her foundation, and with trying to bring more girls > > into the game. I think that she will help to bring more visibility to > > the game. But enough of my soapboxing, back to the review. > > > > One of my favorite articles was one in which he details a trip that > > he took to Russia during the 50s with the US chess team. It paints a > > very vivid picture of 1950s Russia, and just how large a role chess > > played in Russian culture. It was a source of national pride, and > > apparently still is. It's what baseball is to America (well, without > > the steroids). > > > > With all the articles collected in one book, some of Larry's tendency > > to repeat himself becomes more obvious. There are several points or > > anecdotes that are repeated in multiple essays, and I found this a bit > > annoying. That's really the only negative comment that I have about > > the book though. > > > > Overall, I enjoyed the book. The chess world truly is a crazy place, > > and I'm glad that Larry Evans has spent his life chronicling it. > > > > http://tinyurl.com/ynldpa > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > > > "This crazy world of chess" by GM Larry Evans, a review > > > > > > By Chess Loser > > > > > > http://chessloser.wordpress.com/ > > > > > > December 15, 2007 at 7:08 pm (book review, chess, random crap) > > > > > > i'm tired. drove out to denver yesterday, in the crappy snowy weather, > > > to meet my daughter, who drove in from st louis. she is staying with > > > us over the christmas break, for a bout a month. this morning, we woke > > > up and drove back home, and here i am, unwashed, tired. > > > > > > i fear my chess studies will be even more interrupted, since the kid > > > is visiting for a month. > > > > > > i'm going over alekhine's games, having a blast doing it, what fun > > > games they are. in all this time, i've managed to read This crazy > > > world of chess, the reletively new book by GM Larry Evans. i read the > > > signed copy i got from him at reno a few months ago. > > > > > > what a fun book! there are 101 chapters, each about 2 pages long, > > > with the longest chapter being, i think, chapter 28, at 16 pages. the > > > book is a bunch of essays, anecdotes, stories, memories. a few games > > > are in there, but only at the end of the chapters about something that > > > had to do with the games played, for example, there is a chapter on > > > ray charles' interest in chess, and at the end is the game played > > > between ray charles and larry evans. > > > > > > the book is great for chess players and non-players alike. it should > > > almost be required reading for "serious" chess players, as it gives a > > > good "modern history and mythology" about the chess world, and we > > > should know where we've been. it's great for people who know nothing > > > about chess, as it is just interesting how much craziness and weird > > > crap surrounds the game. scandals, the"mystery" of alekhine's death, > > > stuff about bobby fischer you probably don't know, unless you are > > > edwin "dutch defense" meyer, who knows all about fischer. > > > > > > there will never be a "this crazy world of monopoly" or even "this > > > crazy world of scrabble," although the "professional" scrabble world > > > has it's share of weirdness. > > > > > > a super interesting "insider's" look into the chess world, all in > > > bite sized pieces that you don't even have to read in order. > > > > > > i would recommend it to anyone. > > > > > > http://tinyurl.com/yuqklb > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > > > > ONE FIVE STAR AMAZON REVIEW > > > > > > > > Entertainingly Informative, October 23, 2007 > > > > > > > > By Clark Savage, Jr. - See all my reviews > > > > > > > > Grandmaster Larry Evans really was right in the thick of things during > > > > so many major chess events and scandals. With numerous jabs at the > > > > corrupt FIDE and many chapters about the eccentric Bobby Fischer, > > > > Evans covers a multitude of monumental happenings in the "Crazy World > > > > of Chess." > > > > > > > > There are a few chapters in the book that were uninteresting to me or > > > > that I thought were irrelevant, like chess memorabilia being sold on > > > > eBay and a bit about handwriting analysis. But overall this book has > > > > way too much for that to even matter. The letters and interviews are > > > > invaluable and fascinating. His level of involvement is enormous and > > > > his interest and devotion to the game are very evident. A lot of work > > > > and research must have been put into this book. > > > > > > > > Any chess fan out there needs to own this book. No argument about it. > > > > You might think you know a lot of the history and many of the > > > > scandals, but this covers them to a degree that only someone inside > > > > the circle of these famous players could expose. You think you know > > > > chess, but you ain't seen nothing yet! > > > > > > > > > > > > manoflemun...@yahoo.com wrote: > > > > > On Oct 5, 4:02 pm, "parrthe...@cs.com" <parrthe...@cs.com> wrote: > > > > > > IT'S FINALLY AVAILABLE > > > > > > > > > > > > THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS by GM Larry Evans > > > > > > > > > > > > $9.95 -- 20% discount if ordered directly fromwww.cardozapub.com > > > > > > > > > > > > The most controversial chess book ever written exposes the intrigues, > > > > > > scandals, conspiracies, dirty dealings and fascinating tidbits, not > > > > > > just with famous players and corrupt chess federations, but also > > > > > > killers, bloodthirsty tyrants, 12-year-old grandmasters and even > > > > > > legendary movie stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Humphrey Bogart. > > > > > > Chess giants include Gary Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov and Vladimir > > > > > > Kramnik, and of course, the enigmatic legend, Bobby Fischer, whose > > > > > > outrageous antics are revealed here. After reading this book and > > > > > > learning what really goes on, you'll never look at chess the same way > > > > > > again! > > > > > > > > > > What a great idea! I'm in line for at least one-half dozen!     Date: 18 Apr 2008 13:30:26 From: SBD Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess On Apr 18, 3:01 pm, "Chess One" <OneCh...@comcast.net > wrote: > <parrthe...@cs.com> wrote in message > > news:63c976d1-1f65-453c-8307-37f03031fa49@e67g2000hsa.googlegroups.com... > > > WHAT IF? > > > <There's a lot of work being done on brain > > "reprogramming" using electrical stimulation. > > Crackpot? Maybe, maybe not. If not, what if > > someone with the resources to undergo this > >>treatment gets an unfair advantage?> -- John Walker > > > Fischer once said that when he saw Geller putting > > on a pot belly, he knew the guy was finished at the very > > top level. Those who can afford a personal trainer will > > probably also have to be banned from the game. To > > play chess may require eschewing excellent physical > > fitness beyond what can be acquired on one's own -- IF > > such fitness helps in over-the-board performance. > > I never heard this before. Can you tell us, Larry, when he said this? There > is something quintessentially right about this sort of statement related to > chess, even if it is elusive to elucidate. You know if chess wants to promote itself...... This idea that a fit player is the better player would certainly be an interesting academic study, and possible promotional tool for the game. Doubt it will happen.....     Date: 18 Apr 2008 10:27:45 From: parrthenon@cs.com Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess FISCHER VS. GELLER According to THE GAMES OF ROBERT J. FISCHER by Wade & O'Connell Fischer won 4, lost 5 and drew 2 against Geller. <When did he say that and was that correct? I seem to remember that Fischer had a comparatively bad record versus Geller. Did Fischer lose to Geller after that comment? > -- John Hillery Fischer won their last game with Black at Palma de Mallorca 1970 after he rejected a draw offer by Geller at move 7! After the game when his second Larry Evans asked why he turned down the draw, Bobby said replied that Geller was fat and out of shape. SBD wrote: > On Apr 17, 10:35 pm, "parrthe...@cs.com" <parrthe...@cs.com> wrote: > > > Fischer once said that when he saw Geller putting > > on a pot belly, he knew the guy was finished at the very > > top level. > > > > When did he say that and was that correct? I seem to remember that > Fischer had a comparatively bad record versus Geller. Did Fischer lose > to Geller after that comment? > > Supposedly Euwe once told Bogo that he was too fat to be a chess > master....     Date: 18 Apr 2008 07:09:13 From: SBD Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess On Apr 17, 10:35 pm, "parrthe...@cs.com" <parrthe...@cs.com > wrote: > Fischer once said that when he saw Geller putting > on a pot belly, he knew the guy was finished at the very > top level. When did he say that and was that correct? I seem to remember that Fischer had a comparatively bad record versus Geller. Did Fischer lose to Geller after that comment? Supposedly Euwe once told Bogo that he was too fat to be a chess master....       Date: 18 Apr 2008 08:14:42 From: Mike Murray Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:09:13 -0700 (PDT), SBD <DrDowd@gmail.com > wrote: >Supposedly Euwe once told Bogo that he was too fat to be a chess >master.... It was probably Tartakower who told him that.     Date: 17 Apr 2008 20:35:32 From: parrthenon@cs.com Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess WHAT IF? <There's a lot of work being done on brain "reprogramming" using electrical stimulation. Crackpot? Maybe, maybe not. If not, what if someone with the resources to undergo this >treatment gets an unfair advantage?> -- John Walker Fischer once said that when he saw Geller putting on a pot belly, he knew the guy was finished at the very top level. Those who can afford a personal trainer will probably also have to be banned from the game. To play chess may require eschewing excellent physical fitness beyond what can be acquired on one's own -- IF such fitness helps in over-the-board performance. The logic is basically the same as punishing those who can afford some kind of exotic brain enhancement. And Lord help us if a sex drug also proves potent in playing chess. All men who want to perform four times a day might have to choose between that lithe oversexed woman or playing in a chess tournament. Yours, Larry Parr Brian Lafferty wrote: > Mike Murray wrote: > > On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:13:03 -0700, "J.D. Walker" > > <j.d.walker@comcast.net> wrote: > > > > > >> I end up agreeing with Larry for a different reason. I do not think > >> that FIDE drug testing will be able to handle the load of future mental > >> performance enhancing drugs. It is already a lost cause. > > > > And there's the further question as to whether mental performance > > enhancing drugs actually harm the user, and, if so, whether the harm > > outweigh the benefits accruing from their use. > > > > And it's not just drugs. There's a lot of work being done on brain > > "reprogramming" using electrical stimulation. Crackpot? Maybe, maybe > > not. If not, what if someone with the resources to undergo this > > treatment gets an unfair advantage? > > > > Further questions about adult choices versus children's choices (or > > choices imposed on them by adult guardians). > Consider brain wave training. Take a look at Neuroprogrammer 2 > http://www.transparentcorp.com/products/np/       Date: 18 Apr 2008 16:01:35 From: Chess One Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess <parrthenon@cs.com > wrote in message news:63c976d1-1f65-453c-8307-37f03031fa49@e67g2000hsa.googlegroups.com... > WHAT IF? > > <There's a lot of work being done on brain > "reprogramming" using electrical stimulation. > Crackpot? Maybe, maybe not. If not, what if > someone with the resources to undergo this >>treatment gets an unfair advantage?> -- John Walker > > Fischer once said that when he saw Geller putting > on a pot belly, he knew the guy was finished at the very > top level. Those who can afford a personal trainer will > probably also have to be banned from the game. To > play chess may require eschewing excellent physical > fitness beyond what can be acquired on one's own -- IF > such fitness helps in over-the-board performance. I never heard this before. Can you tell us, Larry, when he said this? There is something quintessentially right about this sort of statement related to chess, even if it is elusive to elucidate. Phil Innes > The logic is basically the same as punishing those > who can afford some kind of exotic brain enhancement. > > And Lord help us if a sex drug also proves potent > in playing chess. All men who want to perform four > times a day might have to choose between that lithe > oversexed woman or playing in a chess tournament. > > Yours, Larry Parr > > > > Brian Lafferty wrote: >> Mike Murray wrote: >> > On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:13:03 -0700, "J.D. Walker" >> > <j.d.walker@comcast.net> wrote: >> > >> > >> >> I end up agreeing with Larry for a different reason. I do not think >> >> that FIDE drug testing will be able to handle the load of future >> >> mental >> >> performance enhancing drugs. It is already a lost cause. >> > >> > And there's the further question as to whether mental performance >> > enhancing drugs actually harm the user, and, if so, whether the harm >> > outweigh the benefits accruing from their use. >> > >> > And it's not just drugs. There's a lot of work being done on brain >> > "reprogramming" using electrical stimulation. Crackpot? Maybe, maybe >> > not. If not, what if someone with the resources to undergo this >> > treatment gets an unfair advantage? >> > >> > Further questions about adult choices versus children's choices (or >> > choices imposed on them by adult guardians). >> Consider brain wave training. Take a look at Neuroprogrammer 2 >> http://www.transparentcorp.com/products/np/       Date: 17 Apr 2008 23:27:12 From: Mike Murray Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:35:32 -0700 (PDT), "parrthenon@cs.com" <parrthenon@cs.com > wrote: >WHAT IF? ><There's a lot of work being done on brain >"reprogramming" using electrical stimulation. >Crackpot? Maybe, maybe not. If not, what if >someone with the resources to undergo this >>treatment gets an unfair advantage?> > Fischer once said that when he saw Geller putting >on a pot belly, he knew the guy was finished at the very >top level. Those who can afford a personal trainer will >probably also have to be banned from the game. To >play chess may require eschewing excellent physical >fitness beyond what can be acquired on one's own -- IF >such fitness helps in over-the-board performance. > The logic is basically the same as punishing those >who can afford some kind of exotic brain enhancement. To make a tighter analogy to the physical sports, punishment would be reserved for those making a trade-off of health down the road for competitive advantage today. As with the physical sports, this isn't entirely rational or consistent -- it's quite possible to damage the body with a completely natural training regimen. Today, we tend to allow people to trade dollars for competitive advantage, but often frown (*and* often wink) at trading health and life span for it. To me, the real question is how to handle those who would make this decision for their children -- an artificial growth hormone that adds pounds and inches now at the expense of a few years of life or some degenerative disease hitting a few years early. Or brain enhancement at the risk of mental illness. But if the enhancement is harmless, why not allow it?         Date: 18 Apr 2008 11:17:43 From: David Kane Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess "Mike Murray" <mikemurray@despammed.com > wrote in message news:j0fg04hmhsj1b0vni3ho66aq6v9l6dgd9l@4ax.com... > On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:35:32 -0700 (PDT), "parrthenon@cs.com" > <parrthenon@cs.com> wrote: > >>WHAT IF? > >><There's a lot of work being done on brain >>"reprogramming" using electrical stimulation. >>Crackpot? Maybe, maybe not. If not, what if >>someone with the resources to undergo this >>>treatment gets an unfair advantage?> > >> Fischer once said that when he saw Geller putting >>on a pot belly, he knew the guy was finished at the very >>top level. Those who can afford a personal trainer will >>probably also have to be banned from the game. To >>play chess may require eschewing excellent physical >>fitness beyond what can be acquired on one's own -- IF >>such fitness helps in over-the-board performance. > >> The logic is basically the same as punishing those >>who can afford some kind of exotic brain enhancement. > > To make a tighter analogy to the physical sports, punishment would be > reserved for those making a trade-off of health down the road for > competitive advantage today. As with the physical sports, this isn't > entirely rational or consistent -- it's quite possible to damage the > body with a completely natural training regimen. > > Today, we tend to allow people to trade dollars for competitive > advantage, but often frown (*and* often wink) at trading health and > life span for it. > > To me, the real question is how to handle those who would make this > decision for their children -- an artificial growth hormone that adds > pounds and inches now at the expense of a few years of life or some > degenerative disease hitting a few years early. Or brain enhancement > at the risk of mental illness. > > But if the enhancement is harmless, why not allow it? It's much easier to defend the principle that players will compete without artificial enhancements. While I know that one can have a serious debate over what "artificial" means, it's a lot easier than defining "harmless". As a practical matter, it has proven very difficult to reduce drug use in sports where they confer a clear advantage and a drug culture has developed. It's sensible for chess to adopt the principle that artificial enhancements are prohibited       Date: 17 Apr 2008 21:23:34 From: J.D. Walker Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > WHAT IF? > > <There's a lot of work being done on brain > "reprogramming" using electrical stimulation. > Crackpot? Maybe, maybe not. If not, what if > someone with the resources to undergo this >> treatment gets an unfair advantage?> -- John Walker Larry, this was actually said by Mr. Murray. It is interesting, but I know little about it. :) > Fischer once said that when he saw Geller putting > on a pot belly, he knew the guy was finished at the very > top level. Those who can afford a personal trainer will > probably also have to be banned from the game. To > play chess may require eschewing excellent physical > fitness beyond what can be acquired on one's own -- IF > such fitness helps in over-the-board performance. > > The logic is basically the same as punishing those > who can afford some kind of exotic brain enhancement. > > And Lord help us if a sex drug also proves potent > in playing chess. All men who want to perform four > times a day might have to choose between that lithe > oversexed woman or playing in a chess tournament. I am curious. Suppose that some misguided soul develops the false notion that Viagra helps him play chess. What is the FIDE policy in such a case? :) > Yours, Larry Parr > > > > Brian Lafferty wrote: >> Mike Murray wrote: >>> On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:13:03 -0700, "J.D. Walker" >>> <j.d.walker@comcast.net> wrote: >>> >>> >>>> I end up agreeing with Larry for a different reason. I do not think >>>> that FIDE drug testing will be able to handle the load of future mental >>>> performance enhancing drugs. It is already a lost cause. >>> >>> And there's the further question as to whether mental performance >>> enhancing drugs actually harm the user, and, if so, whether the harm >>> outweigh the benefits accruing from their use. >>> >>> And it's not just drugs. There's a lot of work being done on brain >>> "reprogramming" using electrical stimulation. Crackpot? Maybe, maybe >>> not. If not, what if someone with the resources to undergo this >>> treatment gets an unfair advantage? >>> >>> Further questions about adult choices versus children's choices (or >>> choices imposed on them by adult guardians). >> Consider brain wave training. Take a look at Neuroprogrammer 2 >> http://www.transparentcorp.com/products/np/     Date: 17 Apr 2008 12:50:08 From: Quadibloc Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess On Apr 17, 12:24=A0pm, Mike Murray <mikemur...@despammed.com > wrote: > And it's not just drugs. =A0There's a lot of work being done on brain > "reprogramming" using electrical stimulation. =A0Crackpot? =A0Maybe, maybe= > not. I think that is beyond our current capabilities. I am hoping that 'uploading' will become possible sooner than currently thought. Not by scanning and duplicating the brain, but by connecting an electronic analogue of the brain to the brain, so that it gradually becomes a part of the brain - until people can survive the death of the biological part of their brain without impairment. When people have giant computers directly connected to their brains, starting in youth, so as to improve their longevity... chess as a competitive activity will be indeed vitiated. But it's a small price for eternal life. John Savard   Date: 25 Feb 2008 21:08:25 From: help bot Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess On Feb 14, 12:34 pm, "parrthe...@cs.com" <parrthe...@cs.com > wrote: > IM SAIDY REVIEWS GM EVANS' NEW BOOK > > http://tinyurl.com/2mmppr > > "JUICY, FASCINATING, SPICY, CONCISE" Uh-oh. When the word "concise" appears in a generally favorable review, the likely translation into honest-Abe plain English is that the work lacks substance, or real heft. I discovered this after buying a book (pamphlet) on e-bay; instead of giving the fact that the mere pamphlet was rather light on material, a reviewer chose the term "concise" so he could render a favorable review. I still learned something, but it was not quite what it was cracked up to be, and I wished the authors had done a lot more work and a little less marketing... . Still, it isn't often that a chess book can be had for so little, apart from Dover editions where the author is long dead. The real question for many will be "how much is new material to long-time Chess Life readers, and how much mere re-re-rehashing of LE's /olde stuff/?" -- help bot   Date: 24 Feb 2008 15:22:31 From: parrthenon@cs.com Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess Kindred's Kaleidoscope: A LIBRARY MUST Yesterday I was browsing in Barnes&Noble and finding a couple books of interest and carrying them under arm, I decided to take a look in the chess shelf section. Lo and Behold! Another book that caught my eye immediately is the latest work by GM Larry Evans whose excellent column was cut in CHESS LIFE magazine. THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS is a must read for anyone interested in chess covering an array of topics. On the cover, it amply sums up the character of this book: After reading this controversial book, you'll never look at chess the same way again! I stand to differ with such a broad assessment; it is, however, the most revealing book covering a host of controversial subjects that only the grand old man of chess knowledge and behind the scenes historian, GM Evans, can reliably report and differentiate fact, myth and fiction. The meat of the book covers in 101 entertainingly delightful subjects exposing the crazy world of chess blending a host of various tidbits of fun, humor, history, bizarre stories that keep you from laying the book aside once you open its pages. All the rumors, the Fischer that Larry Evans knew and worked with, the escapades from Karpov, Kasparov, and other legends of the chess world, brilliant interviews with long forgotten Dr. Ricardo Calvo and with Lev Alburt and Averbakh which will enrich your joy of chess. There are little known stories hidden in the annals of history that only Evans could tap. There are 297 pages loaded on every page with stories, games, a rich history of events only a man with a pen like Evans could tell. Thank you Cardoza Publishing for bringing this book to market! Thank you GM Evans for a truly enlightening look at chess as you experienced it. As Stan Vaughan, founder of the American Chess Association so well put it: "Grandmaster Evans is a national treasure." Chess One wrote: > <parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message > news:013dd2d7-8edc-4f04-b1c2-94860aad23dc@s8g2000prg.googlegroups.com... > > "YOU THINK YOU KNOW CHESS? YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET." -- a reviewer > > at amazon.com > > > > Northshire Bookstore Review(s) > > Northshire, Manchester, Vermont > > > Reviewed By... Christopher Law > > > > Chess has traditionally been associated with insanity. > > ROFL! > > > Grandmaster > > Wilhelm Steinitz was incarcerated in a Moscow asylum where he played a > > game over an invisible telephone line with God. > > Bedlam twice contracted a game with Members of Parliament, and won both > matches ~ which reflects methinks more on Parliamentary intelligence than > the incarcerated ones, and indeed, is also a comment on the nature of > insanity. > > > God Lost. But nothing > > about the clinically insane matches the machinations of Chess' > > politics. Grandmaster Evans' book chronicles the bad behavior of the > > powerful; from the antics of Bobby Fisher, whom he knew intimately, > > causa causata! Let us think the Northshire reviewer intended, 'knew well'. > > > to > > the absurd motions of FIDE (Chess' governing body), > > Chess's, or, if you can't manage that, 'the governing body of chess', a > handy form of English use, normally adopted by intelligent non-speakers of > it. > > > who began testing > > players for steroids in an effort to bring the game to the Olympics. > > Such an odd sentence, as if its parts were connected? We got Evans's > representation of Fischer's bad behavior and immediately following that, > steroid use, as if Fischer was Barry Bonds. > > > The bid failed. Testing continues. But wait! There is more: anti- > > semitism, bribery, blackmail, embezzlement, supression of free speech, > > and every other kind of evil one can think of to add to this list. > > Fascinating! > > Is it? > > It is possibly intriguing, but these days, where every form of corporate and > govenment corruption is made very evident, is it fascinating, exactly? > > Isn't it people's experience that our governance of ourselves is very > generally amiss - even governance of a game? > > I personally think Evans' work important in that - because chess is > apparently such a pure or innocent pre-occupation and art-form - /even here/ > there is corruption. And without need to advance any of the normal > geo-political and commercial interests, Evans well identifies what happens > when good people do nothing, and a coterie of clerks take over, who thereby > indifferently support Kirsan-Spaceman. > > Phil Innes > > > > > > > Chess One wrote: > >> <parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message > >> news:4340599f-1d58-4d99-a09d-a015c9c09d7a@d21g2000prf.googlegroups.com... > >> > IM SAIDY REVIEWS GM EVANS' NEW BOOK > >> > > >> > http://tinyurl.com/2mmppr > >> > > >> > "JUICY, FASCINATING, SPICY, CONCISE" > >> > > >> > Although criticizing some technical aspects (notably the diagrams) > >> > IM Anthony Saidy notes: > >> > > >> > "Now we have THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS, a new collection of about > >> > 100 columns, some augmented, plus an extended article or two, > >> > exploring the whole panorama of chess off-the-board conflict, > >> > elucidating the murky world of chess politics, with a few examples of > >> > actual chess. Suffice to say that no office-holder, whether FIDE crook > >> > Campomanes (who banned his critic R. Calvo from intl.chess with > >> > American help), the grandiose Ilyumzhi or a mediocre USCF bumbler, > >> > manages to dodge Evans' barbs. Evans campaigned for one man one vote > >> > (OMOV) in the USCF and succeeded in modifying the cronyism at the > >> > top." > >> > >> You think that's crazy, Larry? Read this: [nb, its not April 1st.] > >> > >> The New York Times, February 14th, 2008, reports: > >> > >> > >> > >> Like most chess clubs, the one at Public School 29 is composed of nearly > >> all > >> boys. Marlene Hochman, the coach, wants to change that and in a most > >> unusual > >> way: with dolls. > >> > >> > >> > >> At a meeting Thursday, she unveiled what may be the world's first Barbie > >> chess set. For the white pieces, Ms. Hochman, a doll collector and author > >> of > >> ''The Doll Hospital Directory,'' glued the heads of Barbie dolls onto the > >> pawns and queen, and Ken onto the king. For the opposing pieces, she used > >> Barbies with black wigs for the pawns and the doll's ''African-American > >> friends,'' Steven and Shani, as king and queen. > >> > >> > >> > >> ''I believe with this Barbie set I can teach any girl how to play,'' said > >> Ms. Hochman. > >> > >> > >> > >> Fortunately, no picture is available. Phil Innes > >> > >> > >> > > >> > > >> > parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > >> >> NEW REVIEW > >> >> > >> >> PeteyDaddy's Chess Library > >> >> > >> >> This Crazy World of Chess > >> >> > >> >> Posted December 29, 2007 > >> >> > >> >> I finished this book by Larry Evans a few days ago, but haven't gotten > >> >> a chance to review it until now. > >> >> > >> >> Larry Evans has played a prominent role in the chess world for over > >> >> half a century now, as player and journalist, so who better to dig up > >> >> and expose the dirt of the international chess scene? This book is a > >> >> collection of Larry's articles from the last 50 or so years, and it > >> >> provides a behind-the-scenes look at the chess world, for better or > >> >> worse. > >> >> > >> >> Evans was Bobby Fischer's second for a while, so some of the articles > >> >> provide more information about the former chess champion, and his rise > >> >> to the top. > >> >> > >> >> Evans doesn't care much for FIDE, the international chess > >> >> association. After reading this book, neither do I. It sounds like an > >> >> organization that is rife with scandal, and is actually harming chess > >> >> in the pursuit of protecting its own interests. Reading about this was > >> >> quite disheartening. Right now, chess needs an organization to boost > >> >> it up and really bring it back into the public eye, and FIDE doesn't > >> >> seem to be that organization. The USCF doesn't seem to be much better, > >> >> but I'm hopeful that with Susan Polgar at the helm, chess will > >> >> experience a renaissance of sorts in this country. I really like what > >> >> she has done with her foundation, and with trying to bring more girls > >> >> into the game. I think that she will help to bring more visibility to > >> >> the game. But enough of my soapboxing, back to the review. > >> >> > >> >> One of my favorite articles was one in which he details a trip that > >> >> he took to Russia during the 50s with the US chess team. It paints a > >> >> very vivid picture of 1950s Russia, and just how large a role chess > >> >> played in Russian culture. It was a source of national pride, and > >> >> apparently still is. It's what baseball is to America (well, without > >> >> the steroids). > >> >> > >> >> With all the articles collected in one book, some of Larry's tendency > >> >> to repeat himself becomes more obvious. There are several points or > >> >> anecdotes that are repeated in multiple essays, and I found this a bit > >> >> annoying. That's really the only negative comment that I have about > >> >> the book though. > >> >> > >> >> Overall, I enjoyed the book. The chess world truly is a crazy place, > >> >> and I'm glad that Larry Evans has spent his life chronicling it. > >> >> > >> >> http://tinyurl.com/ynldpa > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > >> >> > "This crazy world of chess" by GM Larry Evans, a review > >> >> > > >> >> > By Chess Loser > >> >> > > >> >> > http://chessloser.wordpress.com/ > >> >> > > >> >> > December 15, 2007 at 7:08 pm (book review, chess, random crap) > >> >> > > >> >> > i'm tired. drove out to denver yesterday, in the crappy snowy > >> >> > weather, > >> >> > to meet my daughter, who drove in from st louis. she is staying with > >> >> > us over the christmas break, for a bout a month. this morning, we > >> >> > woke > >> >> > up and drove back home, and here i am, unwashed, tired. > >> >> > > >> >> > i fear my chess studies will be even more interrupted, since the > >> >> > kid > >> >> > is visiting for a month. > >> >> > > >> >> > i'm going over alekhine's games, having a blast doing it, what fun > >> >> > games they are. in all this time, i've managed to read This crazy > >> >> > world of chess, the reletively new book by GM Larry Evans. i read > >> >> > the > >> >> > signed copy i got from him at reno a few months ago. > >> >> > > >> >> > what a fun book! there are 101 chapters, each about 2 pages long, > >> >> > with the longest chapter being, i think, chapter 28, at 16 pages. > >> >> > the > >> >> > book is a bunch of essays, anecdotes, stories, memories. a few games > >> >> > are in there, but only at the end of the chapters about something > >> >> > that > >> >> > had to do with the games played, for example, there is a chapter on > >> >> > ray charles' interest in chess, and at the end is the game played > >> >> > between ray charles and larry evans. > >> >> > > >> >> > the book is great for chess players and non-players alike. it > >> >> > should > >> >> > almost be required reading for "serious" chess players, as it gives > >> >> > a > >> >> > good "modern history and mythology" about the chess world, and we > >> >> > should know where we've been. it's great for people who know nothing > >> >> > about chess, as it is just interesting how much craziness and weird > >> >> > crap surrounds the game. scandals, the"mystery" of alekhine's death, > >> >> > stuff about bobby fischer you probably don't know, unless you are > >> >> > edwin "dutch defense" meyer, who knows all about fischer. > >> >> > > >> >> > there will never be a "this crazy world of monopoly" or even "this > >> >> > crazy world of scrabble," although the "professional" scrabble world > >> >> > has it's share of weirdness. > >> >> > > >> >> > a super interesting "insider's" look into the chess world, all in > >> >> > bite sized pieces that you don't even have to read in order. > >> >> > > >> >> > i would recommend it to anyone. > >> >> > > >> >> > http://tinyurl.com/yuqklb > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > parrthenon@cs.com wrote: > >> >> > > ONE FIVE STAR AMAZON REVIEW > >> >> > > > >> >> > > Entertainingly Informative, October 23, 2007 > >> >> > > > >> >> > > By Clark Savage, Jr. - See all my reviews > >> >> > > > >> >> > > Grandmaster Larry Evans really was right in the thick of things > >> >> > > during > >> >> > > so many major chess events and scandals. With numerous jabs at the > >> >> > > corrupt FIDE and many chapters about the eccentric Bobby Fischer, > >> >> > > Evans covers a multitude of monumental happenings in the "Crazy > >> >> > > World > >> >> > > of Chess." > >> >> > > > >> >> > > There are a few chapters in the book that were uninteresting to me > >> >> > > or > >> >> > > that I thought were irrelevant, like chess memorabilia being sold > >> >> > > on > >> >> > > eBay and a bit about handwriting analysis. But overall this book > >> >> > > has > >> >> > > way too much for that to even matter. The letters and interviews > >> >> > > are > >> >> > > invaluable and fascinating. His level of involvement is enormous > >> >> > > and > >> >> > > his interest and devotion to the game are very evident. A lot of > >> >> > > work > >> >> > > and research must have been put into this book. > >> >> > > > >> >> > > Any chess fan out there needs to own this book. No argument about > >> >> > > it. > >> >> > > You might think you know a lot of the history and many of the > >> >> > > scandals, but this covers them to a degree that only someone > >> >> > > inside > >> >> > > the circle of these famous players could expose. You think you > >> >> > > know > >> >> > > chess, but you ain't seen nothing yet! > >> >> > > > >> >> > > > >> >> > > manoflemun...@yahoo.com wrote: > >> >> > > > On Oct 5, 4:02 pm, "parrthe...@cs.com" <parrthe...@cs.com> > >> >> > > > wrote: > >> >> > > > > IT'S FINALLY AVAILABLE > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS by GM Larry Evans > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > $9.95 -- 20% discount if ordered directly > >> >> > > > > fromwww.cardozapub.com > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > The most controversial chess book ever written exposes the > >> >> > > > > intrigues, > >> >> > > > > scandals, conspiracies, dirty dealings and fascinating > >> >> > > > > tidbits, > >> >> > > > > not > >> >> > > > > just with famous players and corrupt chess federations, but > >> >> > > > > also > >> >> > > > > killers, bloodthirsty tyrants, 12-year-old grandmasters and > >> >> > > > > even > >> >> > > > > legendary movie stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Humphrey > >> >> > > > > Bogart. > >> >> > > > > Chess giants include Gary Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov and > >> >> > > > > Vladimir > >> >> > > > > Kramnik, and of course, the enigmatic legend, Bobby Fischer, > >> >> > > > > whose > >> >> > > > > outrageous antics are revealed here. After reading this book > >> >> > > > > and > >> >> > > > > learning what really goes on, you'll never look at chess the > >> >> > > > > same > >> >> > > > > way > >> >> > > > > again! > >> >> > > > > >> >> > > > What a great idea! I'm in line for at least one-half dozen!   Date: 15 Feb 2008 07:13:16 From: parrthenon@cs.com Subject: Re: This Crazy World Of Chess "YOU THINK YOU KNOW CHESS? YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET." -- a reviewer at amazon.com Northshire Bookstore Review(s) Reviewed By... Christopher Law Chess has traditionally been associated with insanity. Grandmaster Wilhelm Steinitz was incarcerated in a Moscow asylum where he played a game over an invisible telephone line with God. God Lost. But nothing about the clinically insane matches the machinations of Chess' politics. Grandmaster Evans' book chronicles the bad behavior of the powerful; from the antics of Bobby Fisher, whom he knew intimately, to the absurd motions of FIDE (Chess' governing body), who began testing players for steroids in an effort to bring the game to the Olympics. The bid failed. Testing continues. But wait! There is more: anti- semitism, bribery, blackmail, embezzlement, supression of free speech, and every other kind of evil one can think of to add to this list. Fascinating! Chess One wrote: > <parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message > news:4340599f-1d58-4d99-a09d-a015c9c09d7a@d21g2000prf.googlegroups.com... > > IM SAIDY REVIEWS GM EVANS' NEW BOOK > > > > http://tinyurl.com/2mmppr > > > > "JUICY, FASCINATING, SPICY, CONCISE" > > > > Although criticizing some technical aspects (notably the diagrams) > > IM Anthony Saidy notes: > > > > "Now we have THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS, a new collection of about > > 100 columns, some augmented, plus an extended article or two, > > exploring the whole panorama of chess off-the-board conflict, > > elucidating the murky world of chess politics, with a few examples of > > actual chess. Suffice to say that no office-holder, whether FIDE crook > > Campomanes (who banned his critic R. Calvo from intl.chess with > > American help), the grandiose Ilyumzhi or a mediocre USCF bumbler, > > manages to dodge Evans' barbs. Evans campaigned for one man one vote > > (OMOV) in the USCF and succeeded in modifying the cronyism at the > > top." > > You think that's crazy, Larry? Read this: [nb, its not April 1st.] > > The New York Times, February 14th, 2008, reports: > > > > Like most chess clubs, the one at Public School 29 is composed of nearly all > boys. Marlene Hochman, the coach, wants to change that and in a most unusual > way: with dolls.