by scribe | May 9, 2018 | current news, off-topic, ruminations
The countdown to my book’s launch is on in earnest now: only six more days! Such metaphors as “countdown” and “launch” seem very apropos to me, because I feel like an astronaut strapped in his chair, with only ten minutes to go until...
by scribe | Sep 14, 2016 | current news, literature, ruminations, tournaments
Here’s the good news: the New York Times had an article about the U.S. gold medal in the 2016 Chess Olympiad. Here’s the bad news: the New York Times had an article about the U.S. gold medal in the 2016 Chess Olympiad. What do I mean? Well, first read the...
by scribe | Jan 13, 2014 | current news, literature, off-topic
Today the New York Times Numberplay blog features a card game that I co-invented, along with a mathematical problem: What is the best strategy? Here are the rules for “Stern-Mackenzie One-Round War.” The game requires three people, one of whom serves only...
by scribe | Dec 6, 2013 | literature, off-topic, ruminations, tournaments
A few of you might remember a post I wrote last year about a really cool math problem that a friend sent to me. For those who don’t remember, here it is again: Two chess teams are going to play a chess match. The best players on each team are supposed to play on...
by scribe | Jan 31, 2013 | current news, people, ruminations
To my surprise (and pleasure), two non-chess-playing friends e-mailed me a link to the same New York Times article. Nicholas Kristof, a regular op-ed columnist and former Pulitzer Prize winner, wrote a column today about Elizabeth Spiegel and her national champion...
