{"id":7371,"date":"2025-04-11T13:25:59","date_gmt":"2025-04-11T21:25:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/?page_id=7371"},"modified":"2025-06-20T13:12:47","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T21:12:47","slug":"welcome","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; padding_top_2=&#8221;50%&#8221; padding_top_bottom_link_2=&#8221;false&#8221; padding_left_right_link_2=&#8221;false&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Header&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; background_enable_color=&#8221;off&#8221; use_background_color_gradient=&#8221;on&#8221; background_color_gradient_direction=&#8221;90deg&#8221; background_color_gradient_stops=&#8221;#ffffff 70%|rgba(255,255,255,0) 70%&#8221; background_color_gradient_overlays_image=&#8221;on&#8221; background_color_gradient_start=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; background_color_gradient_start_position=&#8221;70%&#8221; background_color_gradient_end=&#8221;rgba(255,255,255,0)&#8221; background_color_gradient_end_position=&#8221;70%&#8221; background_image=&#8221;https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Chess-Club_Pattern_100-Golden.png&#8221; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_right&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;left&#8221; min_height=&#8221;402px&#8221; overflow-x=&#8221;hidden&#8221; overflow-y=&#8221;hidden&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|24px||||&#8221; background_last_edited=&#8221;on|tablet&#8221; background_color_gradient_stops_tablet=&#8221;#ffffff 96%|rgba(255,255,255,0) 96%&#8221; background_color_gradient_start_position_tablet=&#8221;96%&#8221; background_color_gradient_end_position_tablet=&#8221;96%&#8221; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;2_3,1_3&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; width=&#8221;95%&#8221; max_width=&#8221;1495px&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; min_height=&#8221;610.4px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px|||121px||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;2_3&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Text&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;102bef9d-a6b9-41f0-af77-1ed5b7bd0593&#8243; text_font=&#8221;||||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;16px&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;1.8em&#8221; link_text_color=&#8221;#0C71C3&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;|||-101px||&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||3px|||&#8221; text_font_size_tablet=&#8221;15px&#8221; text_font_size_phone=&#8221;14px&#8221; text_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>For fifteen years, this was the home of &#8220;Dana Blogs Chess.&#8221; I began writing this blog in 2007, when blogs were the latest and greatest thing on the Internet. In 2021, I won the award for &#8220;Best Chess Blog&#8221; from the Chess Journalists of America, and I like to joke that they gave me the award only because it was the last blog still standing!<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, I decided at the end of 2022 that it was time to retire this blog, because I was no longer playing actively in tournaments (an unfortunate consequence of the pandemic). I also really felt as if I had said everything I wanted to say. See the last post (12\/31\/2022, &#8220;Anticipation of Things Future&#8221;) for a more detailed explanation.<\/p>\n<p>In 2023, I started to ask myself if there was some way to preserve a more permanent record of the 1245 blog posts I had written in this space. Thus was born the concept of my new book, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newinchess.com\/did-you-come-here-to-play-chess-or-to-have-fun\">Did You Come Here to Play Chess or to Have Fun?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I quickly realized that I couldn&#8217;t publish a book with <em>all<\/em> of my posts. It would have been thousands of pages long! So I selected about 40 of my favorites, edited them, updated them, and in some cases improved the chess analysis that was either outdated or had never been carefully checked. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newinchess.com\/\">New in Chess<\/a> agreed to publish my book (now a svelte 264 pages). You can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newinchess.com\/media\/wysiwyg\/product_pdf\/9237.pdf\">read a couple of sample chapters<\/a> and order it from their website. Also, of course, you can purchase it from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Come-Here-Play-Chess-Have\/dp\/B0DR4H94TV\">Amazon.com<\/a> or your favorite online retailer.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you are an old reader coming back here to relive your favorite moments, or a new fan who has just finished reading my book and wants to read more, you&#8217;ve come to the right place! All of the old material is still here, in its un-edited and un-improved form, just as I first wrote it. Please pull up a chess board &#8212; or fire up your chess computer, according to your preference &#8212; and make yourself at home.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_3&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Chess_Journalists_AWARDS_2021_39-300&#215;232.jpg&#8221; alt=&#8221;award for best blog&#8221; title_text=&#8221;Chess_Journalists_AWARDS_2021_39&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20241127_mackenzie_did_you_come_here_to_play_chess_x500.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;20241127_mackenzie_did_you_come_here_to_play_chess_x500&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; width=&#8221;60%&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_3,1_3,1_3&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color=&#8221;#eae8dc&#8221; width=&#8221;92%&#8221; max_width=&#8221;1495px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|||0px||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_3&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/chow-8.jpg&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; title_text=&#8221;chow 8&#8243; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_3&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Text&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;16px&#8221; link_text_color=&#8221;#0C71C3&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;|||-33px||&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|||1px||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h1>Position of the Week<\/h1>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4>(See the blog post: <a href=\"https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/?p=4373\">7\/29\/2016<\/a>)<\/h4>\n<p>In this game, I was Black against Colin Chow, a youngster who just a few months later won second place in the World Open under-2400 section.<\/p>\n<p>In the blog post, I describe the game as the most amazing comeback of my chess career. Here White is up an exchange and a pawn, with an f-pawn that is about to promote. What resource does Black have that White overlooked?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_3&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/DanaPosterSmall.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;DanaPosterSmall&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;|||38px||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>&#8220;Dana Blogs Chess&#8221; Archives<\/h2>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;2_5,3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;2_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_sidebar _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_sidebar][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_blog fullwidth=&#8221;off&#8221; posts_number=&#8221;3&#8243; include_categories=&#8221;all&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Blog&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For fifteen years, this was the home of &#8220;Dana Blogs Chess.&#8221; I began writing this blog in 2007, when blogs were the latest and greatest thing on the Internet. In 2021, I won the award for &#8220;Best Chess Blog&#8221; from the Chess Journalists of America, and I like to joke that they gave me the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7371","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7371","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/80"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7371"}],"version-history":[{"count":54,"href":"https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7371\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7513,"href":"https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7371\/revisions\/7513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/danamackenzie.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}