AJ

A typical lower league team match position from last monday. Our board 3 (black) was pretty annoyed he missed the mate in 2! #chesspunks

YouTube video by GSMovieMoments Splendor In The Grass sung by Gulliver's People with 1961 movie scenes (Jackie DeShannon tribute)

Bought the Ace singles compilations a few years ago after being infatuated with the Gulliver's People cover of 'Splendor in the Grass'. And 'When You Walk in the Room' has always been magic. youtu.be/xjpzpnAZCdQ?...

Last round of the current club season last week: was pretty pleased I found 23.Rxe5! Qxe5 24.Bf4 and the pin threatens Qb6+ winning amongst others. However completely missed ..Bg7 and lost the thread after 25.Bxe5 Bxe5 26.Qe2 (Ne2 is better) Bd4+ 27.Kf1? Nd5 and 0-1, 32
#chesspunks

The Putinization of America A Conversation with Garry Kasparov

Sunday newsletter: The Putinization of America
My conversation with Garry Kasparov

open.substack.com/pub/charlies...

YouTube video by ladysonja Mellow Candle - Sheep Season

On the recent reissue of 'Gather in the Mushroom' on Ace. Really like the instrumental part youtu.be/JwFXUmVbsYI?....

What to know about the Trump $250 bill proposal U.S. law forbids the depiction of a living person on U.S. currency.

www.axios.com/2025/02/26/t...

Nicest finish in years yesterday evening in the 1st round of a big Dutch weekender in Leiden vs an equal 1800-er. Black mates in 4! #chesspunks

YouTube video by Isak Borg Gang of Four - "What We All Want" (Live on Rockpalast, 1983) [11/21]

Best Go4 track imo youtu.be/iHfwqs5B1UU?...

A blunder from my recent Groningen Open (1/5: -2 =2 and this) vs a 1855. Worried about a threat of 16.. Bc5 finally decided on getting rid of it immediately: 16.Nc3 Bc5 17.Na4?? Rxa4÷ Forgot the standard blundercheck... Engine gives advantage after every discovered check sigh. #chesspunks

At the Groningen Open (www.chessfestival.nl) this week. Always highly amusing that before the start of a given round they randomly draw the names of half a dozen players in the tournament sections who are then subjected to a full an electronic bodyscan for suspect devices.

YouTube video by SenMondello Brendan Hanlon and the Batmen - Christmas Party

Probably my favorit Christmas song youtu.be/u426NFhGWq8?...

YouTube video by brucster99b The Troggs - Mona (Live 1967)

If I remember correctly Jon Savage posted this link on that other side awhile ago. Wild.
youtu.be/kWcgYJdkYnQ?...

YouTube video by Rootswise The Gaylads & Soul Vendors - Sound Of Silence (Studio One) 1967

My favorite rocksteady track. 'Red Rose' and 'It's Hard to Confess' are also great. youtu.be/V2xsXAr4Mps?...

Was heavily rooting for Ding I must say. Hopefully he can regain his is old form soon (he wasn't able to win even one OTB game the past year). It almost seems the World Champion title felt like a burden. Anyway a few decades of Indian dominance ahead!

The Week in Chess is still going strong : www.theweekinchess.com

Groningen chessfestival end of year. Wijk aan Zee - there is always room in the four-player events. Noteboom weekender (Netherlands largest) in Leiden in february. All have rating categories. After that it is pretty quiet till summer. Check www.chess-calendar.eu

A finish at my club last week (not me). White - totally oblivious to the danger - took the knight on c5...

Rights I think. Apparently still negotiating on the whole back catalogue though according to www.porthsmoutsinfonia.com

Any (CD)reissue still blocked I think - waiting for decades now!

Have it on order at the moment - finally upgrading from CB15. I find it still a luxury as I almost never use all that fancy professional stuff but it is nice to have a complete collection of your own games and a database of active regional players.

After a lot of average club games (1700 level) this year finally had a satisfying finish a few weeks ago. While targeting f2 (white defended with Nd1) i noticed the mate.