Blog Profile / The Closet Grandmaster
| URL : | http://closetgrandmaster.blogspot.com/ | |
|---|---|---|
| Filed Under: | Hobbies / Chess | |
| Posts on Regator: | 523 | |
| Posts / Week: | 2.6 | |
| Archived Since: | August 3, 2009 | |
Blog Post Archive
Insane Chess
Put this down as a new variant. But, honestly, it looks like chess for the hipster crowd. And in case you're wondering if this guy is an Australian: he is. Here's more on Bennett Foddy.
AndroidGate
Well we've already had "Dunnygate", What would we call this, then: AndroidGate?A row started after the Dublin schoolboy, who was said to have gone to the toilet “at least 20 times” during a game, was allegedly caught using an Android...Show More Summary
RIP Malcolm Tredinnick
I am just utterly, utterly shocked. One of the first people I ever knew in Australian chess, Malcolm Tredinnick, has passed away. It was at the 1996 Australian Chess Championships in Sydney that I first ran into Malcolm. He had always...Show More Summary
BBC iPlayer: A Profile of Magnus Carlsen
Magnus Carlsen is getting quite a bit of publicity lately.About a week ago The Independent dubbed him the Justin Bieber of Chess. I don't know about that. Bieber is an over-rated prick who now thinks that he's a man who can take on big boofy papparazi in a fist fight. Show More Summary
Film: "Computer Chess"
The Sundance Film Festival in the US ended this week, but there is one "oddball" film that's continuing to attract attention and is currently doing the rounds of reviews. It is the film by Andrew Bujalski, "Computer Chess". Instead of...Show More Summary
Learn Chess, Learn Some Grit
Here's another plus to encouraging chess. The game teaches life skills, grit, character. This interesting discussion isn't specifically about chess but about the broader subject of teaching "grit" to children. Hat tip to The Economi...
Anton: The "Supernova"
Blimey. I remember when his dad, international master and Sydney Uni academic Vladimir Smirnov, used to take him to Hyde Park to spar with the locals over a few rounds of lightning. He was fairly easy back then. But now, I think, not so. Show More Summary
Chess Is Just Too Hard
It's official. The scientists have delivered their verdict. Chess is just too hard. The game is impossible to master. And if you thought of switching to poker, you can forget that, too.
Shut Up Patzer, Make A Move
Hat tip to the Nairobi Chess Club Facebook page for sharing this. A chess scene by director Stanley Kubrick from his film "The Killing". It is also a scene quite familiar to us all, I think, although less so for me in the last couple of years.
Brooklyn Castle
A doco. Looks like one to look out for.
Max Gives Up Uni for GM
It turns out that Australia's latest international master is a sort of local celeb in Manly. Here he is, again, appearing in the pages of The Manly Daily.Dee Why's Max Illingworth aims for chess grandmaster title.
International Master Max Illingworth
It has been a long while since I did anything chess related. So long, in fact, that even the blogging platform that I use to publish this blog looks completely unfamiliar! I had to take a few moments to find my way around.However over the last week or so I've been quite completely absorbed in chess, thanks to the Istanbul Olympiad. Show More Summary
Occupy Sydney Grammar
So these two boys are getting the boot for doing what they love and what they're good at. In the spirit of the times, there's only one thing to do.Occupy Sydney Grammar. And tweet #occupysydneygrammar. Kevin Willathgamuwa, 8, and his...Show More Summary
Still Breathin'!
Still breathing over here. Thank God. Before hauling my ass over to Japan, I was totally aware of their working habits: long hours, sometimes over 6 or 7 days a week. But since I work for a US firm I thought I'd avoid all that. Turns out, I was wrong! It's not only the marathon feeling of everyday existence, but the sheer pace of it, too. Show More Summary
Beautiful Problems
Canadian playwright Andrew Laurenson has a new play....follows one man’s personal journey into learning what it means to take responsibility for his life. The story is inspired by one of the most famous chess games of all time: The 1997...Show More Summary
Mofo Chess Piece
U-huh. OK then. Chess bosses have added two new pieces to the ancient game in response to the introduction of ‘cool’ slang words to Scrabble’s official dictionary.The new pieces are the Gangsta and the Shorty.The Worldwide Chess Federation...Show More Summary
Missing Chess
It's the only form of chess I play these days. It's bullet, the opponent's not very good, but at least he's an IM. And, as they say, a win is a win.ICC 1 0My Opponent (IM)The Closet GrandmasterA001. e3 c6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nf3 d6 4. g3 g6 5. Show More Summary
On Holiday in Osaka
Normally I put up an out of office notice, but in my excitement, I totally forgot this time. The reason for the lack of updates over the last few days is that I've actually been on holiday in Osaka. It's Japan's second biggest city. There's plenty of good food here and things to do, but I wouldn't recommend more than 2-3 days. Show More Summary
Steadman's Lucky Win
A couple of very good results in today's SIO. First up, I'm so glad to see this win by my old mate FM Greg Canfell over Danish grandmaster Sune Berg Hansen. The Dane gets a bit too cute in the end with a silly move.Sydney Interntional Open 2011Berg Hansen, SuneCanfell, GregoryA261. Show More Summary
Another SIO, But No Games
A day off today. The start of a week long holiday, the so-called "Golden Week" in Japan. Now I actually have a little bit of time to catch up on some chess, like the ongoing SIO in Parramatta. Nice to see a favourite event make it to a fifth edition after running into some financial challenges earlier. Show More Summary