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Main
Date: 15 Jul 2007 03:25:46
From: samsloan
Subject: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
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Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
Jennifer Shahade has declined to play in the US Woman's Championship.
In fact, Jennifer has not played a rated tournament game since 2004.
Joel Benjamin declined to play in the US Championship in Stillwater,
Oklahoma.
I have a problem with this. I believe that we have a right to expect
our regular columnists to play chess.
Similarly, Susan Polgar has not played an open tournament since 2005
and has played only 6 tournaments at standard time controls in the 12
years since 1995.
In the academic world they have publish or perish. A professor may be
a great teacher but if he does not write he loses his job.
I would agree that our veteran grandmasters like Benko and Evans
should not be expected to play in the World Open, but I feel that
otherwise our writing assignments should be awarded to players who
actually compete in tournaments.
Sam Sloan
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Date: 18 Jul 2007 21:26:16
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
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On Jul 17, 1:39 pm, "Chess One" <inn...@verizon.net > wrote:
> Bland - too bland, and neither fish nor fowl. He wasn't writing from his own
> insights or level, and his attempts to write-down for the public were
> guesses on what lesser players might find useful or intereszzzzzz
Well, I suppose this is what one gets from a bloody
bean-counting accountant. I like a bit of spice myself,
but not the fluffy kind, special-made just for the sake
of trying to sound interesting.
> >> Less than a quarter of USCF's adult population play 10+ games per year.
> >> 50% of them, or 15,000, play no rated games per year.
Hold it right there, mister! I can see where this is
going. You're going to throw a bunch of random
statistics out, and then ask us one of those trick
questions, like they have at Tickle.com, right?
> If only 7,500 USCF players achieve a rating every year which is not
> provisional [10+ games/Nolan] how many of them do so at chess clubs, rather
> than at CCA and other tournaments. Half again?
Um, insufficient data?
> That's just 3,750 people in
> the entire adult chess playing community for the whole continent.
No, I believe the "whole continent" would include
countries like Mexico, Canada, and of course the
many banana republics (sorry!) north of Panama.
> Your suggestion above is already in place under another name, Rating Floors,
> where 2210 players actually performance-rated 1780 these days, transfer
> their points [calculated from 2210] to other players directly in Swisses,
> rather than go through Switzerland.
I see. This means that the USCF has already cornered the
market. Rats.
> As for Life Members, I see that many of them are Dead
I say cut them off! Dead chess players no more need
to read Chess Life than I need to eat a whole roast ox.
"Waste not, want not!", my granddad always used to
type (back then, there were no computers, only type-
writers and mechanical adding machines). He worked
for a while at the New York Stock Exchange, but got
fed up when he learned they were working him silly just
to churn out paper for parades.
> and their widows
> write in to say, no ... these widows are not personally interested in chess
> and only tolerated it in their hubbies since they couldn't drink so much on
> chess nights, and would USCF please send their magazine to the dog's home or
> even the mortuary, where they think people play, off-hours?
I thought they kept those places locked up at night.
This is why we always had to find a restaurant to play
at, but if they have cadaver tables wide enough for a
chess board... .
> The trick, as above with ratings, is to avoid inflation.
This is what I keep trying to explain to the Feds.
Paul Volker understood, but ever since Alan
Greenspan and now Ben Bernanke took over, it
looks like inflation will be coming back for more.
Of course, inflation may well be their only way out
of the whole mess they've made of things.
> Actually its the
> same trick with chess politicians, who, by the evidence of what they say,
> think its all about them, and seem to have the scarecest idea of what you
> are saying, and to cover 'your' embarrassment they therefore make speeches
> at you about how they represent chess players.
Please, you are reminding me of my job; the so-
called supervisors do precisely the same things,
and yes, they really do believe it's all about THEM.
> The heavy irony of this situation escapes them. In fact, they probably think
> Heavy Irony is one of those Rap Groups - the ones where adolescent males,
> often very fat ones indeed
Okay, as "Scotty" put it in one Star Trek episode:
"We're big enough to take a few insults".
> have fantasies about extremely thin girls
Of which there are none around here (except the
"teenyboppers" still in K-12 school).
> who adore them, often three at a time, which is perhaps because they weigh the
> same as three girls.
I know this old trick; you are tossing up more
numbers -- all irrelevant to the problem -- just to
confuse us. It makes no difference how many
skinny girls equal the weight of one fat adolescent
male, for the ratings are not affected by this. But
just for the record, an adult male hippopotamus
weighs around 6,000 pounds! An adult female,
around 4,000. Baby hippos weigh whatever they
weigh, which only matters to crocodiles, who eat
them. (If I were a 6,000 pound hippo, I think I'd
go croc hunting, rather than spend quite so much
time eating plants while my children were being
devoured -- but that's just me.)
> >> As for the rest, assuming ALL scholastic players get in 10+ games/year,
> >> their average rating is less than 1,000 - so why they would exactly need
> >> to read a Benko or an Evans in preference to any old master who is used to
> >> youth, is unclear?
These are the readers who would benefit most
from a column such as Bruce Pandolfini's ABCs
of Chess.
> >> In short, two more numb recommendations about what to do, based on not
> >> noticing who the members are, or what they want.
Okay, then how about this: we gain control of the
ratings program, then "siphon off" a few points in
mysterious ways, depositing them to an offshore
account in Aruba. For example, who would ever
know it if we stole the 2800+ points belonging to
Bobby Fischer? A: Nobody! It's nearly foolproof.
I got the idea from a guy in prison; he says there's
nothing to it.
> >> [Hint: If you are really a bored board member, why not survey actual
> >> members? Remember them?]
>
> > Offhand, I would guess that the cost of any scientific
> > survey of the membership might be considerable, but
>
> But at a web site you can automatically see who reads what, which is another
> sort of survey, and free! We don't need no stinkin science, when we could
> look at what we already have in the bag.
True enough, but this would tend to skew (a scientific
term far too advanced for me to explain here) the results
toward what computer types like or dislike, while ignoring
all those readers of Chess Life who are still living in the
Stone Age. Wouldn't it be "more clever" (ala GM
Petrosian) to pretend we still care about what they think,
and let them slowly die off, one by one?
> > if done right and not too frequently, well worth it. As
> > far as I know, the last time a survey was done, as LP
> > tells us again and again, the most popular columnists
> > were GMs Andy Soltis and Larry Evans.
>
> He has it mixed up, it was Andy Evans and Garry Solstice.
Are they triple-weighted punk rockers, who like their
girls slim?
> But we should
> forgive these memories from before the age of electricity. The truth is all
> there, in 128 archive boxes in a rented wharehouse
Now wait one cotton pickin' second; are you trying
to suggest that USCF dues monies are being used
so that Sam Sloan and his drinking buddies can...
oh, I think I misunderstood you. Never mind.
> The last staff person to go in there met Sam Sloan poking around, and caught
> a staff-infection
Nonsense. A staff is generally made of wood, and
cannot be infected since it is too dry for fungus, mold,
or mildew to thrive. Nevertheless, keep it warm and
give it lots of rest. Once "cured", give it a hefty coat
of polyethylene or Cabot wood protector, just to be on
the safe side. And make sure it sees a psychoanalyst.
> for which Sir Sloan never mentioned the medical details
> thereof but recommended they be dismissed in case they turned out to be a
> spy for Which Mitch, or Witch Mitch himself.
I think it is amusing that even your doubles seem to
have acquired the same "allergies" as the original IM
Innes. It reminds me of the Jason Repa identities,
each of which displayed precisely the same troubles
with anger, swearing, and a lack of mental acuity.
> Of course, Which Mitch is now desposed
Of which country was he King? Not that island
in the Caribbean where the loony Marcus Roberts
hangs out, I hope.
> off by accusing him of being Paul
> Truong, who ``SHOCK~~ HORROR`` there is now EVIDENCE to suggest did NOT
> marry Susan Polgar - but instead in a Secret Ceremony last Fall, Paul
> converted to Mormonisim, and <gasp>
>
> married ALL 3 sisters!
This may net him a large chess book collection,
but purely from a genetics standpoint, it would be
better to marry three women with very different traits
-- even if none were any good at chess. And besides,
isn't it illegal to marry someone who is already hitched
to someone else? Perhaps we should ask Mr. Sloan,
he would know. In some countries, a (rich) man can
have as many wives as he can afford; here in America,
that comes to less than one apiece. : >(
-- help bot
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Date: 19 Jul 2007 12:24:00
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
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"help bot" <nomorechess@hotmail.com > wrote in message
news:1184819176.895620.98660@i13g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>> >> Less than a quarter of USCF's adult population play 10+ games per
>> >> year.
>> >> 50% of them, or 15,000, play no rated games per year.
>
>
> Hold it right there, mister! I can see where this is
> going. You're going to throw a bunch of random
> statistics out, and then ask us one of those trick
> questions, like they have at Tickle.com, right?
No - I was going to move on to the local chess club, where there has been a
conversation recently on if one of the nude people wants to play - an
emergency ordinance has just restricted their activity, but the select board
is split 3-2, see
http://www.reformer.com/headlines/ci_6401076
people have been coming to town from surrounding states to be nude
however, the numbers above are not random and come from Mike Nolan at USCF.
More than half of USCF's adult members play NO rated games/year, and
presumably are members just to read the larry Evans column in Cheese Lite.
>> If only 7,500 USCF players achieve a rating every year which is not
>> provisional [10+ games/Nolan] how many of them do so at chess clubs,
>> rather
>> than at CCA and other tournaments. Half again?
>
>
> Um, insufficient data?
Yes - I don't know the answer, and neither did Mike N. For some reason,
ratings cannot be correlated with type of event.
>> That's just 3,750 people in
>> the entire adult chess playing community for the whole continent.
>
>
> No, I believe the "whole continent" would include
> countries like Mexico, Canada, and of course the
> many banana republics (sorry!) north of Panama.
across the whole continental usa is the sense, like, from sea to shining
sea, which isn't right either, since they're not seas but oceans
>> Your suggestion above is already in place under another name, Rating
>> Floors,
>> where 2210 players actually performance-rated 1780 these days, transfer
>> their points [calculated from 2210] to other players directly in Swisses,
>> rather than go through Switzerland.
>
>
> I see. This means that the USCF has already cornered the
> market. Rats.
yes - they now have several animal leagues icluding rats - which TDs say,
they prefer to chess-playing lawyers! one said to me, "there are some things
a rat jsut wont do!"
>> As for Life Members, I see that many of them are Dead
>
>
> I say cut them off! Dead chess players no more need
> to read Chess Life than I need to eat a whole roast ox.
You don't have to read it all at once anymore than the person needs to eat
the ox at one sitting - take 2 10 minute sessions to properly absorb all the
chess
<... >
>> chess nights, and would USCF please send their magazine to the dog's home
>> or
>> even the mortuary, where they think people play, off-hours?
>
>
> I thought they kept those places locked up at night.
They do! Otherwise people would break in and steal the bodies and the
digital clocks - by the way - don't buy a Chronos if offered to you at a
discount - lots of them were recently ripped off [stolen]
> This is why we always had to find a restaurant to play
> at, but if they have cadaver tables wide enough for a
> chess board... .
and you can put your elbows on it, plus a flagon of cheap wine - or even the
pickling alcohol they put the 'bits' in, though from experience I recommend
you remove the bits first.
<... >
>> are saying, and to cover 'your' embarrassment they therefore make
>> speeches
>> at you about how they represent chess players.
>
>
> Please, you are reminding me of my job; the so-
> called supervisors do precisely the same things,
> and yes, they really do believe it's all about THEM.
just send them an unsigned note written on your grandfather's typerwriter
which says
" come the revolution, your type will the the first to go "
and sign it "Red-5"
it'll scare the bejeezus out of them for a week
> Okay, as "Scotty" put it in one Star Trek episode:
> "We're big enough to take a few insults".
just stop short of needing two zip codes
>> have fantasies about extremely thin girls
>
>
> Of which there are none around here (except the
> "teenyboppers" still in K-12 school).
you don't have 'Corn-Day' in the fields where eligible young maidens do
things [doesn't matter what] and then there is a barbque and then it gets
dark?
>> who adore them, often three at a time, which is perhaps because they
>> weigh the
>> same as three girls.
>
>
> I know this old trick; you are tossing up more
> numbers -- all irrelevant to the problem -- just to
> confuse us.
you are embarrassed! ha! possibly because you weigh twice as much as a young
girl, or expressed mathematically
1hb = 2yg
> It makes no difference how many
> skinny girls equal the weight of one fat adolescent
> male, for the ratings are not affected by this. But
> just for the record, an adult male hippopotamus
> weighs around 6,000 pounds! An adult female,
> around 4,000. Baby hippos weigh whatever they
> weigh, which only matters to crocodiles, who eat
> them. (If I were a 6,000 pound hippo, I think I'd
> go croc hunting, rather than spend quite so much
> time eating plants while my children were being
> devoured -- but that's just me.)
If I were a Hippo
And you were a Lady [Croc]
I would stomp you anyway
If you neared by baby!
>> >> As for the rest, assuming ALL scholastic players get in 10+
>> >> games/year,
>> >> their average rating is less than 1,000 - so why they would exactly
>> >> need
>> >> to read a Benko or an Evans in preference to any old master who is
>> >> used to
>> >> youth, is unclear?
>
>
> These are the readers who would benefit most
> from a column such as Bruce Pandolfini's ABCs
> of Chess.
well sure, but buying his book might be better, cause as we say in Vermont,
its a long way to Zugswang.
>> >> In short, two more numb recommendations about what to do, based on not
>> >> noticing who the members are, or what they want.
>
>
> Okay, then how about this: we gain control of the
> ratings program, then "siphon off" a few points in
> mysterious ways, depositing them to an offshore
> account in Aruba. For example, who would ever
> know it if we stole the 2800+ points belonging to
> Bobby Fischer? A: Nobody! It's nearly foolproof.
> I got the idea from a guy in prison; he says there's
> nothing to it.
is that /why/ he was in prison? not everyone in prison is george cluny!
<.. >
>> But at a web site you can automatically see who reads what, which is
>> another
>> sort of survey, and free! We don't need no stinkin science, when we could
>> look at what we already have in the bag.
>
>
> True enough, but this would tend to skew (a scientific
> term far too advanced for me to explain here) the results
> toward what computer types like or dislike, while ignoring
> all those readers of Chess Life who are still living in the
> Stone Age. Wouldn't it be "more clever" (ala GM
> Petrosian) to pretend we still care about what they think,
> and let them slowly die off, one by one?
I thought they already tried that with Patzers Mind = American Mind, the
Insult-a-Yank column?
<.. >
>> The last staff person to go in there met Sam Sloan poking around, and
>> caught
>> a staff-infection
>
>
> Nonsense. A staff is generally made of wood, and
> cannot be infected since it is too dry for fungus, mold,
> or mildew to thrive. Nevertheless, keep it warm and
> give it lots of rest. Once "cured", give it a hefty coat
> of polyethylene or Cabot wood protector, just to be on
> the safe side. And make sure it sees a psychoanalyst.
Ridiculous! Anyone goes to see a shrink needs their head examined!
>> for which Sir Sloan never mentioned the medical details
>> thereof but recommended they be dismissed in case they turned out to be a
>> spy for Which Mitch, or Witch Mitch himself.
>
>
> I think it is amusing that even your doubles seem to
> have acquired the same "allergies" as the original IM
> Innes. It reminds me of the Jason Repa identities,
True, I am Jason Aper, which as you see is a sort of copy-cat or
monkey-fella, spelled backwards, and obviously Jason is No Saj [not a wise
bone in his head or quivver] just piss and vinegar,
> each of which displayed precisely the same troubles
> with anger, swearing, and a lack of mental acuity.
Fukin idyuts, kant spel nythur, mus be emoceans mess me up agin
>> off by accusing him of being Paul
>> Truong, who ``SHOCK~~ HORROR`` there is now EVIDENCE to suggest did NOT
>> marry Susan Polgar - but instead in a Secret Ceremony last Fall, Paul
>> converted to Mormonisim, and <gasp>
>>
>> married ALL 3 sisters!
>
>
> This may net him a large chess book collection,
> but purely from a genetics standpoint, it would be
> better to marry three women with very different traits
no no no - think of the tax-breaks, its gotta be at least triple the regular
> -- even if none were any good at chess. And besides,
> isn't it illegal to marry someone who is already hitched
> to someone else? Perhaps we should ask Mr. Sloan,
> he would know. In some countries, a (rich) man can
> have as many wives as he can afford; here in America,
> that comes to less than one apiece. :>(
that's true, even women's socks cost 3x what mens socks cost
this country is messed up - and its mostly those magazines they get that
keep making them do it
if i find a subscription coming to my house i put it straight into the
neighbours trash
although this does give me a marketing idea for women's chess sets, which
are just a little nicer than the regular sort, but you can dress em up!@
like Barbie pieces [did K-Tel get here first?]
course, fore you know it, they'll have the SF Set for guys, where you
receive a little squadron of Kens, plus some designer notes
If this is sexist, then its equally sexist. And remember, you stimulated
this idea, but were too dumb too come up with the big idea because you are
an international B player
and as we say in this country, das de breaks, kid
Lord of the Northern Wastes, Sir Peregrin Innes [hic]
> -- help bot
>
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Date: 15 Jul 2007 21:44:26
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
On Jul 15, 6:57 am, samsloan <samhsl...@gmail.com > wrote:
> > Now, take a look at the other columns. None of the other columnist are
> > active players any more. They answer questions from beginners. They
> > write about historical events. None of them will tell you what opening
> > to play in the big tournament game tomorrow.
> The Opening Secrets column was great and I read it all the time. It
> provided information that tournament players need to know. I have
> often stated that I got the ideas I used to defeat Bill Brock in our
> infamous "Grudge Match" from Susan Polgar's Opening Secrets column.
> None of this is relevant to my central point.
>
> Regarding my central point, Pal Benko and Larry Evans have had a
> column in Chess Life magazine every month since it started in 1960. I
> know this because I just went back through the last 47 years of Chess
> Life looking for articles about endgames. Actually, Larry Evans
> started as a regular columnist in 1953. It appears that he was the
> first regular monthly columnist in Chess Life.
>
> Benko and Evans are proven writers with wide followings. Many
> subscribers get Chess Life just to read their columns.
Perhaps Mr. Sloan has confused GM Benko, and I
presume, his old endgame column, with GM Soltis and
his column?
Back when I played actively a bit, many of the chess
players I knew found the endgame in general -- and thus
Pal Benko's Chess Life column -- boring, and rarely read
it. These players were, just like Sam Sloan writes above,
much more interested in openings theory, in ways by
which to gain a won game without the need for mastery
of endgames or perfect technique. Some were interested
in GM Evans' political rants and some were fascinated by
GM Soltis' "historical events", as Mr. Sloan described
them, but few self-respecting high-rated players wanted
to read about "the ABCs of chess" or about dull, boring
endgames. This is/was not really any judgment on the
writing skills of GM Benko, but more a reflection of the
tendency of players to seek shortcuts, traps and zaps,
if you will, over plodding ahead, step by step, until
finally there amasses a real mastery of the game.
> By contrast, the three I mention are new hires. I really do not know
> how their writing abilities compare with others. I also do not know
> whether Kamsky or Nakamura would be interested in writing a column for
> Chess Life. I just find it odd that Benjamin, Shahade and Polgar are
> all eligible to play and have been invited to play in the US
> Championship, yet all have declined to compete.
Rather than try to fire those whose actions confound you,
perhaps a better approach would be to simply inquire as to
why each of them declined. [Even if I had been invited, I
would have been forced to decline because I have nothing
prepared for GM Kamsky's new anti-hippopotamus line
(27.h5! h6 28.a5! +=), or for GM Fischer's 2.d6! +-- in the
King's Gambit.]
> Evans and Benko, by
> contrast, never turned down an invitation to compete in such events.
So, your whole "logic" is based on precedence? If
a grandmaster does X, every player who follows is
automatically expected to do X? Or is it a fondness
for tradition? Where is your regard for what really
counts here -- for high-quality writing?
-- help bot
|
| |
Date: 15 Jul 2007 21:16:11
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
On Jul 15, 6:54 am, "Chess One" <inn...@verizon.net > wrote:
> Reschevsky, among others, was a bloody awful writer during his chess carear.
The only work I can think of offhand which was written
by GM Reshevsky would be something on the 1972
world championship match. Did he do an autobiography
or something like that? Please explain why you think this
particular writer was so bloody awful; what specifically
about his writing was horrible?
> Less than a quarter of USCF's adult population play 10+ games per year. 50%
> of them, or 15,000, play no rated games per year.
This gives me an idea: why not unfairly penalize such
players by taking away one point per month and transferring
them into an offshore account in Switzerland; these points
could then be sold off to the highest bidder, and the proceeds
could be used to fund the Life Membership liability, or perhaps
to hire an assassin to "eliminate" pests such as Sam Sloan,
or maybe even to improve Chess Life magazine so as to
ensnare new members, and thus turbo-charge the scheme
so it becomes akin to a perpetual-motion machine... .
> As for the rest, assuming ALL scholastic players get in 10+ games/year,
> their average rating is less than 1,000 - so why they would exactly need to
> read a Benko or an Evans in preference to any old master who is used to
> youth, is unclear?
>
> In short, two more numb recommendations about what to do, based on not
> noticing who the members are, or what they want.
>
> [Hint: If you are really a bored board member, why not survey actual
> members? Remember them?]
Offhand, I would guess that the cost of any scientific
survey of the membership might be considerable, but
if done right and not too frequently, well worth it. As
far as I know, the last time a survey was done, as LP
tells us again and again, the most popular columnists
were GMs Andy Soltis and Larry Evans.
-- help bot
|
| | |
Date: 17 Jul 2007 17:39:07
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
"help bot" <nomorechess@hotmail.com > wrote in message
news:1184559371.926940.121390@o61g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> On Jul 15, 6:54 am, "Chess One" <inn...@verizon.net> wrote:
>
>> Reschevsky, among others, was a bloody awful writer during his chess
>> carear.
>
>
> The only work I can think of offhand which was written
> by GM Reshevsky would be something on the 1972
> world championship match. Did he do an autobiography
> or something like that? Please explain why you think this
> particular writer was so bloody awful; what specifically
> about his writing was horrible?
Bland - too bland, and neither fish nor fowl. He wasn't writing from his own
insights or level, and his attempts to write-down for the public were
guesses on what lesser players might find useful or intereszzzzzz
>> Less than a quarter of USCF's adult population play 10+ games per year.
>> 50%
>> of them, or 15,000, play no rated games per year.
>
>
> This gives me an idea: why not unfairly penalize such
> players by taking away one point per month and transferring
> them into an offshore account in Switzerland; these points
> could then be sold off to the highest bidder, and the proceeds
> could be used to fund the Life Membership liability,
for USCF?
If only 7,500 USCF players achieve a rating every year which is not
provisional [10+ games/Nolan] how many of them do so at chess clubs, rather
than at CCA and other tournaments. Half again? That's just 3,750 people in
the entire adult chess playing community for the whole continent.
Another rating organisation has 1000+ members, and since those are 'Express'
maybe those people constitute non-USCf members, who are yet active.
Your suggestion above is already in place under another name, Rating Floors,
where 2210 players actually performance-rated 1780 these days, transfer
their points [calculated from 2210] to other players directly in Swisses,
rather than go through Switzerland. Its an innovation that the
mathematicians here will explain to your thick head, as if not understanding
why they do it makes you unable to see how they do it. Ask Ken!
As for Life Members, I see that many of them are Dead, and their widows
write in to say, no ... these widows are not personally interested in chess
and only tolerated it in their hubbies since they couldn't drink so much on
chess nights, and would USCF please send their magazine to the dog's home or
even the mortuary, where they think people play, off-hours?
> or perhaps
> to hire an assassin to "eliminate" pests such as Sam Sloan,
> or maybe even to improve Chess Life magazine so as to
> ensnare new members, and thus turbo-charge the scheme
> so it becomes akin to a perpetual-motion machine... .
The trick, as above with ratings, is to avoid inflation. Actually its the
same trick with chess politicians, who, by the evidence of what they say,
think its all about them, and seem to have the scarecest idea of what you
are saying, and to cover 'your' embarrassment they therefore make speeches
at you about how they represent chess players.
The heavy irony of this situation escapes them. In fact, they probably think
Heavy Irony is one of those Rap Groups - the ones where adolescent males,
often very fat ones indeed, have fantasies about extremely thin girls, who
adore them, often three at a time, which is perhaps because they weigh the
same as three girls.
>> As for the rest, assuming ALL scholastic players get in 10+ games/year,
>> their average rating is less than 1,000 - so why they would exactly need
>> to
>> read a Benko or an Evans in preference to any old master who is used to
>> youth, is unclear?
>>
>> In short, two more numb recommendations about what to do, based on not
>> noticing who the members are, or what they want.
>>
>> [Hint: If you are really a bored board member, why not survey actual
>> members? Remember them?]
>
>
> Offhand, I would guess that the cost of any scientific
> survey of the membership might be considerable, but
But at a web site you can automatically see who reads what, which is another
sort of survey, and free! We don't need no stinkin science, when we could
look at what we already have in the bag.
> if done right and not too frequently, well worth it. As
> far as I know, the last time a survey was done, as LP
> tells us again and again, the most popular columnists
> were GMs Andy Soltis and Larry Evans.
He has it mixed up, it was Andy Evans and Garry Solstice. But we should
forgive these memories from before the age of electricity. The truth is all
there, in 128 archive boxes in a rented wharehouse in Crossville TN, slowly
mouldering away, not unlike the LMA, and all mixed up with one tone of
expired Chess Lives which were accidentally shipped down from NY.
The last staff person to go in there met Sam Sloan poking around, and caught
a staff-infection for which Sir Sloan never mentioned the medical details
thereof but recommended they be dismissed in case they turned out to be a
spy for Which Mitch, or Witch Mitch himself.
Of course, Which Mitch is now desposed off by accusing him of being Paul
Truong, who ``SHOCK~~ HORROR`` there is now EVIDENCE to suggest did NOT
marry Susan Polgar - but instead in a Secret Ceremony last Fall, Paul
converted to Mormonisim, and <gasp >
married ALL 3 sisters!
Althoug it is unclear who started this rumor.
Phil Innes
> -- help bot
>
>
>
|
| |
Date: 15 Jul 2007 10:57:30
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
On Jul 15, 2:52 am, Paul Rubin <http://phr...@NOSPAM.invalid > wrote:
> samsloan <samhsl...@gmail.com> writes:
> > Similarly, Susan Polgar has not played an open tournament since 2005
> > and has played only 6 tournaments at standard time controls in the 12
> > years since 1995.
>
> > In the academic world they have publish or perish. A professor may be
> > a great teacher but if he does not write he loses his job.
>
> I'm glad Sam thinks Susan writes so well then (Sam Sloan, 22 Mar 2006):
>
> The Polgar column is the best and the most important regular monthly
> column in Chess Life. Every month, Polgar discusses a new move or
> recently popular old move. She writes about what the top grandmasters
> today are playing. Her articles are right at the leading edge, indeed
> the cutting edge, of chess opening theory and practice.
>
> Watch what happens when any active grandmaster picks up a current
> issue of Chess Life. He is going to turn to the Polgar column and
> ignore the rest of the magazine.
>
> Now, take a look at the other columns. None of the other columnist are
> active players any more. They answer questions from beginners. They
> write about historical events. None of them will tell you what opening
> to play in the big tournament game tomorrow.
>
> Nevertheless, there is one column that needs to stay in Chess Life,
> and that is the Polgar column. By the way, some are suggesting that
> the Polgar column should stay because she is a woman. That is not the
> reason. Her column should stay because it is the best.
>
> <http://groups.google.com/group/samsloan/msg/6991dfafdb382346?dmode=so...>
Thank you for bringing up that posting, in which I praised the Polgar
"Opening Secrets" column, because I still adhere to those remarks.
The Opening Secrets column was great and I read it all the time. It
provided information that tournament players need to know. I have
often stated that I got the ideas I used to defeat Bill Brock in our
infamous "Grudge Match" from Susan Polgar's Opening Secrets column.
Unfortunately, Susan Polgar stopped writing Opening Secrets when Dan
Lucas was hired as editor. He got Susan Polgar to write a "Game of the
Month" column instead. I never read that column and I doubt that many
do.
I do not know why Susan Polgar stopped writing Opening Secrets and I
would like to find out. Was this Susan Polgar's idea or was it Dan
Lucas'es idea? If it was the idea of Dan Lucas, it was a poor
decision.
None of this is relevant to my central point.
Regarding my central point, Pal Benko and Larry Evans have had a
column in Chess Life magazine every month since it started in 1960. I
know this because I just went back through the last 47 years of Chess
Life looking for articles about endgames. Actually, Larry Evans
started as a regular columnist in 1953. It appears that he was the
first regular monthly columnist in Chess Life.
Benko and Evans are proven writers with wide followings. Many
subscribers get Chess Life just to read their columns.
By contrast, the three I mention are new hires. I really do not know
how their writing abilities compare with others. I also do not know
whether Kamsky or Nakamura would be interested in writing a column for
Chess Life. I just find it odd that Benjamin, Shahade and Polgar are
all eligible to play and have been invited to play in the US
Championship, yet all have declined to compete. Evans and Benko, by
contrast, never turned down an invitation to compete in such events.
Sam Sloan
|
| | |
Date: 15 Jul 2007 11:53:30
From: Paul Rubin
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
samsloan <samhsloan@gmail.com > writes:
> Benko and Evans are proven writers with wide followings. Many
> subscribers get Chess Life just to read their columns.
Right, just like Polgar's old column, per your earlier post:
> > Watch what happens when any active grandmaster picks up a current
> > issue of Chess Life. He is going to turn to the Polgar column and
> > ignore the rest of the magazine.
I agree with you that "Game of the month" is a stupid idea for a
column. I bet Benko would lose a lot of his readers if he switched to
that format from Endgame Laboratory too. None of this has anything to
do with your proposal about limiting CL columns to active players,
which is quite obviously a thinly disguised attempt to clobber Polgar
for personal or political reasons.
|
| |
Date: 15 Jul 2007 00:28:50
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
On Jul 15, 1:12 am, Paul Rubin <http://phr...@NOSPAM.invalid > wrote:
> samsloan <samhsl...@gmail.com> writes:
> > I would agree that our veteran grandmasters like Benko and Evans
> > should not be expected to play in the World Open,
>
> Did Pandolfini have a column for a while? I forget.
Yes, Bruce Pandolfini had a column called The ABCs of Chess,
and he seems to have stopped competing just like the two GMs
mentioned by Mr. Sloan. As I (barely can) recall, he was claimed
to have been somewhere in the same range as our very own
"nearly-an-IM" Phil Innes, though his actual USCF rating was
much lower. This was, I believe, spelled out in a book about
Josh Waitzkin, who took lessons from him (and who, I recently
discovered, seems to want people to feel as if this was some
sort of handicap, rather than a distinct advantage).
The Chess Life columns were organized into a book with the
same name, and it was quite good. In fact, this is a fellow I
had in mind when I talked about an instructional CL writer
needing to be a good teacher, not a good competitor.
-- help bot
|
| |
Date: 15 Jul 2007 00:15:54
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
On Jul 15, 12:02 am, mar...@stkittsnevischess.org wrote:
> > I have a problem with this. I believe that we have a right to expect
> > our regular columnists to play chess.
> > I would agree that our veteran grandmasters like Benko and Evans
> > should not be expected to play in the World Open, but I feel that
> > otherwise our writing assignments should be awarded to players who
> > actually compete in tournaments.
> You are a pure NAZI. You have no right to demand that people play
> chess. Who in the hell are you, other than a KIDNAPPER who did his
> time in prision? I think you should play NFL football, so somebody
> could beat the hell out of you. My GOD Sam, it's a GAME. You can't
> order people to play chess! Why don't you call the police, CALL 911,
> and say that people aren't playing chess. This is ABSURD!!!!!!
>
> You have no legal authority to demand people play a silly game. People
> don't have to play chess. The USCF is a 501c4 not for profit.
>
> The idea that a convicted kidnapper can order people to play chess to
> write a column is CRAZY.
I think it is reasonably obvious that SS was not trying to
"order" anyone to play chess; he just seems to want to
fire certain people he doesn't like, and replace them with
people who "actively play chess". I was not surprised in
the least when the name Susan Polgar popped up among
those singled out for Mr. Sloan's personal attention... .
-- help bot
|
| |
Date: 14 Jul 2007 23:52:22
From: Paul Rubin
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
samsloan <samhsloan@gmail.com > writes:
> Similarly, Susan Polgar has not played an open tournament since 2005
> and has played only 6 tournaments at standard time controls in the 12
> years since 1995.
>
> In the academic world they have publish or perish. A professor may be
> a great teacher but if he does not write he loses his job.
I'm glad Sam thinks Susan writes so well then (Sam Sloan, 22 Mar 2006):
The Polgar column is the best and the most important regular monthly
column in Chess Life. Every month, Polgar discusses a new move or
recently popular old move. She writes about what the top grandmasters
today are playing. Her articles are right at the leading edge, indeed
the cutting edge, of chess opening theory and practice.
Watch what happens when any active grandmaster picks up a current
issue of Chess Life. He is going to turn to the Polgar column and
ignore the rest of the magazine.
Now, take a look at the other columns. None of the other columnist are
active players any more. They answer questions from beginners. They
write about historical events. None of them will tell you what opening
to play in the big tournament game tomorrow.
Nevertheless, there is one column that needs to stay in Chess Life,
and that is the Polgar column. By the way, some are suggesting that
the Polgar column should stay because she is a woman. That is not the
reason. Her column should stay because it is the best.
<http://groups.google.com/group/samsloan/msg/6991dfafdb382346?dmode=source >
|
| |
Date: 14 Jul 2007 23:38:42
From: JohnnyT
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
samsloan wrote:
> Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
<clipped >
> Sam Sloan
>
Of course not. I think it can be a consideration for the editor. But
the editor should put out the best publication that he can.
I do not think it is clear at all that activity and expertise and good
writing are connected, and if it is, it is redundant. As the only thing
that should matter is a good publication that helps the aims of the
organization.
And I guess that is the continuing problem. It is too difficult to know
what the aims are. Which leads to silly arguments like this.
|
| |
Date: 15 Jul 2007 02:14:02
From: Ray Gordon, creator of the \pivot\
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
> I have a problem with this. I believe that we have a right to expect
> our regular columnists to play chess.
Probably not, unless it's a stated job requirement, which they might not be
able to do since strings generally can't be tied to employment so easily.
--
Ray Gordon
Foxhunting: The ORIGINAL Lifestyle Seduction Guru
http://www.cybersheet.com/library.html
FREE e-books on how to get laid!
|
| |
Date: 15 Jul 2007 02:13:21
From: Ray Gordon, creator of the \pivot\
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
If I had been hired for that job, I would have used the money to train
full-time at chess and teach others.
> Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
>
> Jennifer Shahade has declined to play in the US Woman's Championship.
> In fact, Jennifer has not played a rated tournament game since 2004.
>
> Joel Benjamin declined to play in the US Championship in Stillwater,
> Oklahoma.
>
> I have a problem with this. I believe that we have a right to expect
> our regular columnists to play chess.
>
> Similarly, Susan Polgar has not played an open tournament since 2005
> and has played only 6 tournaments at standard time controls in the 12
> years since 1995.
>
> In the academic world they have publish or perish. A professor may be
> a great teacher but if he does not write he loses his job.
>
> I would agree that our veteran grandmasters like Benko and Evans
> should not be expected to play in the World Open, but I feel that
> otherwise our writing assignments should be awarded to players who
> actually compete in tournaments.
>
> Sam Sloan
>
|
| | |
Date: 15 Jul 2007 12:17:17
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
"Ray Gordon, creator of the "pivot"" <ray@cybersheet.com > wrote in message
news:NoOdnY1qs_yeJgTbnZ2dnUVZ_t-gnZ2d@pghconnect.com...
> If I had been hired for that job, I would have used the money to train
> full-time at chess and teach others.
[laugh] if you had the money, Ray, it would have been to write and edit
full-time for others.
and this [laugh] is another weakness in the active-players only should write
'argument'
phil innes
|
| |
Date: 14 Jul 2007 22:12:05
From: Paul Rubin
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
samsloan <samhsloan@gmail.com > writes:
> I would agree that our veteran grandmasters like Benko and Evans
> should not be expected to play in the World Open,
Did Pandolfini have a column for a while? I forget.
|
| |
Date: 14 Jul 2007 21:19:26
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
On Jul 14, 11:25 pm, samsloan <samhsl...@gmail.com > wrote:
> Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
>
> Jennifer Shahade has declined to play in the US Woman's Championship.
> In fact, Jennifer has not played a rated tournament game since 2004.
>
> Joel Benjamin declined to play in the US Championship in Stillwater,
> Oklahoma.
>
> I have a problem with this. I believe that we have a right to expect
> our regular columnists to play chess.
Why? Is there something magical about actively playing
competitive chess that transforms a writer's thoughts, makes
them "gel" when otherwise they would remain "mushy"? If so,
what is it, exactly that makes the spell work?
> Similarly, Susan Polgar has not played an open tournament since 2005
> and has played only 6 tournaments at standard time controls in the 12
> years since 1995.
>
> In the academic world they have publish or perish. A professor may be
> a great teacher but if he does not write he loses his job.
>
> I would agree that our veteran grandmasters like Benko and Evans
> should not be expected to play in the World Open, but I feel that
> otherwise our writing assignments should be awarded to players who
> actually compete in tournaments.
You would "agree" with whom? Why do you feel there
should be a double-standard in which grandmasters, or
old folks, or maybe old folks who are also grandmasters,
should be exempted from what you feel are necessary
requirements? What is so special about just being old,
or having this particular title, or both combined, which
magically breaks the spell? Why, for instance, would
not an old IM, or a young GM, get this exemption?
It seems to make no sense to me, for I see it as more
of a personal thing, a reflection of how Sam Sloan feels,
rather than any sort of rational idea which might be
universally applied to writers. If you can answer these
questions, perhaps we will become enlightened as to
precisely why you feel certain "special people" ought to
be exempted, and why all others should be held to this,
seemingly arbitrary, requirement.
My own view is that writers for Chess Life ought simply
to be good writers, and it is best if they know something
about chess -- the more, the better. A writer of a purely
instructional column might be someone who is good at
teaching chess, as opposed to competing at it, for
instance. Generally speaking, the quality of a piece is
determined more by the effort and care that went into its
creation than by a writer's age or titles. Truth be told, I
have seen "annotations" by GM-level computers which
deserve nothing more than a hearty laugh; and I have
seen articles by titled humans which would have been
effortlessly refuted by a 12-year-old armed with his
Chessmaster program.
(Disclaimer: although I may sometimes be armed with
Chessmaster, I am definitely *not* twelve years old!)
As for age discrimination, I am definitely opposed,
whether in the normally-supposed direction where it
acts against the aged, or in reverse. In fact, I believe
there is some law on the books somewhere which
specifically prohibits this sort of thing, and in view of
Mr. Sloan's extensive experience with the law, I find
it odd that he would even suggest such a thing.
What's next -- a ban on Black grandmasters writing
for Chess Life? Or maybe a special exemption for
women who hold the WGM title? How about a random
combination of bans and exemptions, determined by a
spin of the wheel?
-- help bot
|
| |
Date: 15 Jul 2007 04:02:56
From:
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
On Jul 14, 10:25 pm, samsloan <samhsl...@gmail.com > wrote:
> Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
>
> Jennifer Shahade has declined to play in the US Woman's Championship.
> In fact, Jennifer has not played a rated tournament game since 2004.
>
> Joel Benjamin declined to play in the US Championship in Stillwater,
> Oklahoma.
>
> I have a problem with this. I believe that we have a right to expect
> our regular columnists to play chess.
>
> Similarly, Susan Polgar has not played an open tournament since 2005
> and has played only 6 tournaments at standard time controls in the 12
> years since 1995.
>
> In the academic world they have publish or perish. A professor may be
> a great teacher but if he does not write he loses his job.
>
> I would agree that our veteran grandmasters like Benko and Evans
> should not be expected to play in the World Open, but I feel that
> otherwise our writing assignments should be awarded to players who
> actually compete in tournaments.
>
> Sam Sloan
Sam Sloan
You are a pure NAZI. You have no right to demand that people play
chess. Who in the hell are you, other than a KIDNAPPER who did his
time in prision? I think you should play NFL football, so somebody
could beat the hell out of you. My GOD Sam, it's a GAME. You can't
order people to play chess! Why don't you call the police, CALL 911,
and say that people aren't playing chess. This is ABSURD!!!!!!
You have no legal authority to demand people play a silly game. People
don't have to play chess. The USCF is a 501c4 not for profit.
The idea that a convicted kidnapper can order people to play chess to
write a column is CRAZY.
Marcus Roberts
|
| | |
Date: 15 Jul 2007 05:15:10
From: Inconnux
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
<marcus@stkittsnevischess.org > wrote in message
news:1184472176.952971.219820@22g2000hsm.googlegroups.com...
> On Jul 14, 10:25 pm, samsloan <samhsl...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
>>
>> Jennifer Shahade has declined to play in the US Woman's Championship.
>> In fact, Jennifer has not played a rated tournament game since 2004.
>>
>> Joel Benjamin declined to play in the US Championship in Stillwater,
>> Oklahoma.
>>
>> I have a problem with this. I believe that we have a right to expect
>> our regular columnists to play chess.
>>
>> Similarly, Susan Polgar has not played an open tournament since 2005
>> and has played only 6 tournaments at standard time controls in the 12
>> years since 1995.
>>
>> In the academic world they have publish or perish. A professor may be
>> a great teacher but if he does not write he loses his job.
>>
>> I would agree that our veteran grandmasters like Benko and Evans
>> should not be expected to play in the World Open, but I feel that
>> otherwise our writing assignments should be awarded to players who
>> actually compete in tournaments.
>>
>> Sam Sloan
>
> Sam Sloan
>
> You are a pure NAZI. You have no right to demand that people play
> chess. Who in the hell are you, other than a KIDNAPPER who did his
> time in prision? I think you should play NFL football, so somebody
> could beat the hell out of you. My GOD Sam, it's a GAME. You can't
> order people to play chess! Why don't you call the police, CALL 911,
> and say that people aren't playing chess. This is ABSURD!!!!!!
>
> You have no legal authority to demand people play a silly game. People
> don't have to play chess. The USCF is a 501c4 not for profit.
>
> The idea that a convicted kidnapper can order people to play chess to
> write a column is CRAZY.
>
> Marcus Roberts
>
I think the USCF should have a rule that if anyone who has a criminal record
should not be allowed to run for its board...
|
| | | |
Date: 15 Jul 2007 10:54:29
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Should Chess Life Columnists be Expected to Play Chess?
|
>>> In the academic world they have publish or perish. A professor may be
>>> a great teacher but if he does not write he loses his job.
Sam Sloan seems to think that this is an admired practice, rather than the
opposite - and where there is a publishing requirement, token books are
issued, sold to other complicit university libraries, and not necessarily
read by anyone [!] so the practice does nothing to further research in the
discipline, nor share it with others, and exists to help gain grant monies
for departments, especially from governments.
I have a friend, a non-university PhD taking 10+ years to write a book on
John Muir in New England, which is a big success - whereas the bi-annual
outputof all the colleges together don't match his effort.
>>> I would agree that our veteran grandmasters like Benko and Evans
>>> should not be expected to play in the World Open, but I feel that
>>> otherwise our writing assignments should be awarded to players who
>>> actually compete in tournaments.
Reschevsky, among others, was a bloody awful writer during his chess carear.
But this is really an aside, since to whom is this 'tournament' thing
appealing?
Less than a quarter of USCF's adult population play 10+ games per year. 50%
of them, or 15,000, play no rated games per year.
As for the rest, assuming ALL scholastic players get in 10+ games/year,
their average rating is less than 1,000 - so why they would exactly need to
read a Benko or an Evans in preference to any old master who is used to
youth, is unclear?
In short, two more numb recommendations about what to do, based on not
noticing who the members are, or what they want.
[Hint: If you are really a bored board member, why not survey actual
members? Remember them?]
Phil Innes
>>> Sam Sloan
|
|
