by scribe | Mar 12, 2011 | off-topic, ruminations
Yesterday I was heading back home from the animal shelter, where I volunteer on Friday mornings, and noticed a helicopter circling around in the sky. Make that two helicopters. It was hard not to notice them, because they were so loud that it sounded like a war zone...
by scribe | Apr 10, 2009 | Chess Lecture, off-topic, people, tournaments
I’m in Reno for the Far West Open, my first chess tournament of the year! I’m writing this on Friday morning, before the first round, so my score is still perfect for the year … no wins, no losses, no draws. I had some unexpected company on the drive...
by scribe | Dec 15, 2008 | Chess Lecture, games, people, tournaments
 Yesterday the Berkeley International 2008 chess tournament got started, with a field of 18 players including six grandmasters. Although I am not playing in the tournament (my current FIDE rating being too low to qualify), it isn’t every day that an...
by scribe | Jun 15, 2008 | Chess Lecture, games, openings, tournaments
Today I played my last game in the Santa Cruz Cup. After disappointing losses in my last two games, I was playing Black against Ilan Benjamin. With a win I would finish third; a draw or loss would relegate me to fourth place. Coincidentally, this was also graduation...
by scribe | May 26, 2008 | Chess Lecture, games, tournaments
Today was Memorial Day in the U.S., a holiday that is often considered the informal beginning of summer. The Memorial Day weekend is an ideal time for three-day chess tournaments, which range in size from huge (the Lina Grumette Memorial Day Classic in Los Angeles) to...
