Everything/Anything and…Chess…"Despite the documented evidence by chess historian HJR Murray, I've always thought that chess was invented by a goddess"–George Koltanowski: from the foreword to:"Women in chess, players of the Modern Age"
A HUGE thank you to Anton Roetz, who visited my blog a little while ago. Anton made me aware of this piece of interesting history. I absolutely love to know that this is what some soldiers did during the Anglo-Boer War to entertain themselves and even more to know what one farmer did. Read this interesting piece of information. Information from the site of Cradock-info.
During the early 1900s, British soldiers created a chessboard or chequers board on the top of Saltpeterskop, a 1514m high koppie (hill) in the Park. While using the peak as a lookout point during the Anglo-Boer War, they played chess or chequers with their fellow soldiers on the next lookout point, the Old Fort in Cradock, transmitting moves by means of a mirror, which had the official purpose of communicating warning signals.
The story goes that a certain farmer – unbeknown to the soldiers – picked up the signals and started a game against the soldiers while sitting on the stoep of his farmhouse.
The chessboard and the names of the soldiers are etched onto a flat slab of rock at the top of Saltpeterskop, which is the first koppie on the right as one drives into the Park.
Names recorded include Corporal Pegram of the 1st Coldstream Guards, Corporal Hutchinson, Private W. Chambers of the 5th Lancaster Fusilliers, and many others with dates in 1901 and 1902. The chessboard is still visible today and can be accessed on a guided hike with a SANParks guide.
Salpeterkop was supposedly named after a cave on the hill which provided a supply of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), a substance used in the manufacture of gunpowder for firearms in the early days. The cave was reported to have collapsed and its location is not known today.
Salpeterkop Graves Image: Cradock-info.co.za Salpeterkop image: Thegreatkaroo.com Twitter – SANParks Mountain Zebra National Park – Chessboard — It is believed that the chessboard was created during the early 1900s by British soldiers. They created the chessboard or draught board on a rock on top of Saltpeterskop, a 1 514m high hill. Names of the British soldiers engraved on the chess board on Salpterkop
Alexandri Magni kan vertaal word met Alexander die Grote. Die vrou het gewen en die man het opgegee. Twee vroue speel skaak. Dit wil voorkom asof die vrou dalk gewen het? Ek wonder of hier ‘n dispuut was oor ‘n sekere skuif.
Vrouens is vir jare uit die skaakgemeenskap uitgesluit omdat skaak net as ‘n ‘manlike’ sport gesien is. Hier is dan ook bewyse dat vroue van die vroegste tye af ook skaak gespeel het. Hierdie afbeeldings het ek van die Bodleian aanlyn biblioteek gekry.
Chess was seen as a ‘male’ sport and it’s great to know that so many females and girls are now playing this sport too.
Click HERE to view one of the images on the site of the Bodleian Library. This link will not open in a new tab.
Vrede vir Ukraine!! Al hierdie foto’s – soos jy kan sien – is van Twitter. Ek gee nie kommentaar – lees asb. die tweet met die bygaande foto. Ek hoop net dat Poo Tin tot sy sinne sal kom en ophou om hierdie mooi land en sy mooi mense so koelbloedig te vernietig, maar soos ons hom ken, weet ons dat dit nie sommer sal gebeur nie. Hierdie oorlog tussen – eintlik – die VSA (my mening) en Rusland maak dat Ukraine onnodiglik ‘suffer’. Photo: Atef Safadi – skaak terwyl jy vir jou veiligheid onder in ‘n ‘bunker’ sit en nie weet of jy die volgende dag gaan leef nie. People play chess at Taras Shevchenko park in downtown Kyiv on Sunday, 10th April 2022 Chess in Odessa – a beaufitul city – before this ugly War
Ek het so bietjie rondgespeel met die verfkwaste Ek wou slegs net die kwaste, verf en papier uitprobeer en sommer vir die lekkerte ook net met die kleure rondspeel. Dan het ek boonop met van my sagteware se nuwe funksies ook uitgetoets – soos jy met die eerste ‘image’ kan sien. Ek noem hierdie sommer ‘sleepy knight’ want hierdie skaakstuk lyk behoorlik moeg. My inspirasie kom van ‘n stuk wat ek gesien het deur ME Ologeanu -Ek het verander waar ek wou. I looked at an image by Valentyna, which is basically the face in this image and I changed it by adding on till I had ‘enough’ – just another playing around with paint.
For my inspiration, I used Google images, however, I made quite a few changes – according to my taste.
Op die volgende link is daar ‘n uitdaging vir jou – ook ‘n lekker wiskundige uitdaging – maar jy moet die skuiwe van ‘n ruiter op die skaakbord ken vir die uitdaging.
Ek het ‘n studie gemaak van Rooikappie en die Wolf. Dit het als so begin: Sodra ons terug by die skool is na die lockdown – volgende week 8 Maart – is ons opdrag gegee om in elke jaargroep ‘n tradisionele storie te neem en ‘iets anders’ daarmee te doen. Vir ons jaargroep is Rooikappie gegee en ons gaan die kinders kry om hul storie te skryf vanaf ‘n ander karakter se oogpunt hulle kan kies: die wolf, Rooikappie, die Ouma of die houtkapper. Dit is ‘n lekker manier om dit so bietjie ‘fun’ te maak en dis altyd interessant om te sien waarmee die kinders na vore kom. In my rondsoeke na idees om my voorbereiding te doen, het ek afgekom op verskeie interessante artikels en geskiedenis wat my gelei het na meer ‘n studie as om aan beplanning te werk – alhoewel die beplanning ook op die ou end darem gedoen is! Ek was taamlik erg geskok om te sien wat oorspronklik deel was van hierdie ‘onskuldige’ storie! Sien die aangehaalde gedeeltes in blou.
Ek het onder andere op die dokument van die Britse hoofbiblioteek afgekom en ek het die PDF dokument hier ook opgelaai in die inskrywing vir jou om af te laai en self deur te lees. Ek het hier ‘n gedeelte aangehaal. Ook met die lees van artikels, het ek op ‘n blog van ‘n Onderwyseres afgekom waar sy 25 variasies van Rooikappie het! Ek het ook uitgevind dat daar nie minder as 85 variasies bestaan! Dis net ongelooflik hoeveel studie daar rondom die storie gemaak is. In die volgende afbeelding kan die oorsprong van soortgelyke stories gesien word. Ek het die artikels baie interessant gevind en nooit geweet dat daar soveel variasies bestaan nie! Gelukkig is die variasie van Charles Perrault verander – met ‘n gelukkige einde, maar is ook die ‘aaklige’ gedeelte verwyder!
Aanhaling van die dokument hierbo geplaas. Quote from the document by the British Library – the PDF in this entry for you to download and to read in your own time.
Charles Perrault’s tale of Le Petit Chaperon rouge (Little Red Riding-Hood) first appears with four other stories in a manuscript Contes de ma Mère l’Oye, which was offered to Élisabeth Charlotte d’Orléans, the niece of King Louis XIV, in 1695.
According to Marie Françoise Quignard, Charles Perrault rewrote tales which had been transcribed from the stories of nurses and old women by his son Pierre Perrault d’Armancour. Charles had the tales beautifully written out, and illustrated them himself with little gouache paintings at the head of each story, but signed the dedicatory letter with his son’s name in order to obtain him a post as secretary to Elisabeth Charlotte. The manuscript is now in the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York. The tales were intended to be read aloud, as the introduction refers to ‘those who listen’ to the tales. There are corrections to the manuscript, possibly by Perrault, and, in the story of Red Riding-Hood, beside the last reply of the wolf that his big teeth are ‘to eat you with’, a note says that these words should be spoken in a loud voice in order to frighten the listening child.
Three more stories were added to the first printed edition Histoires ou contes du temps passé published in 1697 by Claude Barbin. Le Petit Chaperon rouge is the shortest story in the collection. The heroine is a little girl who is idolized by her mother and grandmother; the latter making a little ‘chaperon’ for her to wear. The Dictionnaire de l’Académie Française of 1694 defines chaperon as a padded medieval bonnet, and also as a strip of cloth, in velvet, satin or camelot (a material which was a mixture of goat hair, wool and silk), worn by girls and women who were not of the nobility, ‘not long ago’. It was therefore mainly ornamental and quite small, very different from the enveloping capes shown in most English language illustrations of the story. The painted illustration (which is coloured) in the 1695 manuscript shows Red Riding-Hood in bed about to be eaten by the wolf, who is emerging from the curtains at the back of the bed. Red Riding-Hood wears a strip of red cloth laid over her head from her forehead back over her hair as far as her neck. In the first printed edition the engraved line drawing by Antoine Clouzier is not an exact copy of the painting. The image is reversed (by the printing process) and one can see more clearly that the wolf is beneath the covers of the bed, as described in the story. The little piece of cloth on the heroine’s head is just visible. Speculation that this is a picture of Grandmother, because the wolf has no clothes on, is belied by the presence of the red headdress in the original picture 3 Perrault does not describe the wolf putting on Grandmother’s clothes, but he does mention that she is ‘en son déshabillé’, implying a nightdress or shift. Perrault has not shown this, perhaps for the sake of a clearer image; one can excuse him on the grounds that the wolf was ‘showing his true nature’.
The Dictionnaire de l’Académie Française also explains that an older woman who wore this type of headdress was known as a Grand chaperon, a woman who accompanied young girls, whom we would now call a chaperone. In the eighteenth century a riding-hood or capuchin. was a large, soft hood with a deep cape attached, faced with a coloured lining, worn by all classes, and not just for riding. It was generally black with a bright lining.4 This is the garment usually depicted in illustrations, but of course red and not black. So perhaps Robert Samber, who first translated the stories of Perrault into English in 1764, thought that a chaperon translated as a ‘capuchin’, the alternative name for a riding-hood. The rolling r’s of ‘Red Riding-Hood’ certainly sounded well.
Perrault tells all his Contes very economically, in a precise, polished style. Le Petit Chaperon rouge is as brutal as the original version of Cinderella. The little girl meets the wolf in the forest, and asks where she is going. On hearing that she is to visit her grandmother, he runs ahead and eats the old lady, and then takes her place in bed. When Red Riding-Hood arrives, he pretends to be the old lady, and the little girl assumes that his gruff voice is due to a cold. He tells the little girl to undress and lie down beside him, a detail which is expurgated in later versions. Then follows the famous exchange of comments on the size of his arms, legs, ears, eyes, and finally teeth. Giving the terrible reply that his big teeth are to eat her with, he promptly gobbles her up. End of story, with no rescue. The verse moral explains that young ladies should be on their guard against human wolves. And the most dangerous sort of human wolves are pleasant and gentle, and follow girls into houses and alleys.
In 1729 an English translation of Perrault’s stories by Robert Samber was published by J. Pote and R. Montague as Histories or Tales of Past Times. Samber translates Perrault’s text exactly; the wolf eats up Red Riding-Hood. The only addition is that he calls the little girl Biddy, and the wolf Gossop Wolfe, a name which in a later anonymous version turns into Gossip Wolf. Samber makes Red Riding-Hood his first story, whereas Perrault begins with La Belle au bois dormant, and Le Petit Chaperon rouge is second. The illustrations in Samber’s translation, which are copperplate engravings, copy those by Clouzier in the first French edition.
The German Romantic writer Ludwig Tieck, who wrote a number of fairy tales, published a dramatic poem in 1800 about Red Riding-Hood, Leben und Tod des kleinen Rotkäppchens. An English translation of this was published in 1851 by Groombridge and Sons: The Life and Death of Little Red Riding-Hood, a tragedy, by Jane Browning Smith, illustrated by John Mulready. See this link: https://books.google.co.uk/books id=jfcIAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
Tieck introduces extra characters, both human and animal. Red Riding-Hood and her friend Jenny blow dandelions to see how long they will live. Red Riding-Hood’s seeds blow away instantly, indicating a short life. A dog has a philosophical dialogue with the wolf about the advantages of being a servant and protector of man, or a free agent and his enemy. The wolf hates man because his mate was killed by peasants, and he was ill-treated and hunted. The wolf kills Red Riding-Hood, and is shot by a huntsman, but too late to save her, and two robins mourn her fate (fig. 3).
In their version, Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm provide a happy ending. After the wolf has eaten grandmother and the child, a hunter enters the house and cuts open the wolf, releasing them both. The child fetches stones to fill the wolf ’s stomach, and he dies. The Grimms also provide an alternative ending in which Red Riding-Hood is alarmed by the wolf ’s fierce expression, and runs to her grandmother’s house. They shut the door to keep the wolf out. He waits on the roof, until grandmother fills a trough with the water in which she has cooked sausages, and the wolf, tempted down by the smell, falls in the trough and drowns.
This is a game I played against a player called ‘The Duke of Wellington’ – just his nickname. Of course, with a much lower rating than this Duke, I lost the game, but thought it was a good game and good experience. You can play through the game where I played white by clicking on the above link.
I have also discovered that Napoleon played also chess! He played a game against the Duke of Wellington though he was not the only person to play chess against Napoleon. Both the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon Bonaparte where gentlemen chess players – Napoleon had a higher rating. Chess just before battle of Waterloo – Night 17th June 1815.
The whole art of Chess consists in getting at what is on the other side of the board. Duke of Wellington
Lord Uxbridge: By God, sir, I’ve lost my Queen! Wellington: By God, sir, so you have.
Wellington describing Napoleon Game Play. Source – chess.com
Image – google images
Johann Baptist Allgaier (June 19, 1763 – January 3, 1823) was a German-Austrian chess master and theoretician. He was also the author of the first chess handbook in German – Neue theoretisch-praktische Anweisung zum Schachspiel.
This is a game played by Napoleon vs the Turk, alias Johann Allgaier.
Three games purporting to be played by Napoleon are in existence. One of these (a Scotch Game) said to have been played in St Helena between Napoleon and Bertrand, and first printed in Capt. Kennedy’s Reminiscences in the Life of Aug. Fitzsnob (Waifs and Strays, 1862), is certainly fictitious. The second game, said to have been played with Mme von Rémusat, 29 March 1804, and a third game (I.L.N., 1844, 352), played against the Automaton in Vienna, are also of very doubtful authenticity.’ from H.J.R. Murray’s A History of Chess. – Source: chess.com
During this game, the Turk was operated by Johann Allgaier The automaton was a chess playing machine known as the Turk. It was invented by a Hungarian baron called Wolfgang van Kempelen in 1770. However, the machine did not really play chess. It was a trick. The automaton was a large box, large enough for someone to hide inside and it was this person who played the game. In 1809 Napoleon played against the Turk. (1)e4e5 (2)Qf3 Nc6 (3) Bc4Nf6 (4) Ne2Bc5 (5) a3d6
I don’t think I’ve blogged about chess players and stamps before. As a young child, I collected stamps and still have them all. Just the other day, I actually ordered a new stamp album for some other loose stamps. After a chess dot com article about the best top 5 female chess players of all time, I was intrigued by the name of Verna Menchik and found her on stamp too. That led me to some more exploration. I have a few favourite Grandmaster chess players of which Magnus Carlsen is one and quite like the artistic stamp sheets I’ve found on ebay. With graphic software packages available these days you can create some really artistic collages like these stamp sheets. It’s sad to know that Vera left her country after a family split just to come and die due to a WW2 bomb that hit her house in England – in 1944. She must have had a strong mind to continue playing chess during a time that it was very ‘odd’ for a female to play chess – even in England.
The best top 5 female players of all time Image: ebay Image: ebay
More about Vera:
Vera Menchik
Vera Menchik was born in Moscow in 1906 to an English mother, a governess, and a Czech father who managed several country estates. Vera’s younger sister, Olga, was born 15 months later. Details of their life in Moscow are sparse but it would appear that the girls enjoyed a relatively comfortable life in pre-Revolutionary Russia. They were introduced to chess by their father when Vera was about 9 years old. The years following the Russian revolution in 1917 were hard for the family. They lost their income and their home, and the family spit up. In 1921, Vera, Olga and their mother moved to England to live with their grandmother, whilst their father returned to Czechoslovakia.
It was in England that Vera took up chess more seriously, joining her local chess club in Hastings in 1923. At this time, it would have been unusual to see women playing at a chess club. For Vera it seemed like a natural move as her spoken English was very poor, so sitting in silence suited her perfectly. Vera’s talent was quickly recognised, and she became a pupil of Geza Maroczy, a Hungarian Grandmaster. Soon she was representing both the Hastings Chess Club and Sussex County in team matches and making good progress.
In 1927, the World Chess Federation held the first World Championship for women. At the age of 21, Vera was its first winner, beginning a streak ended only by the Second World War. She was the first woman to compete on the international elite chess circuit, travelling Europe and the Americas to do so. In 1937 she married Rufus H S Stevenson, who was involved in the chess world, moving into his house in Clapham, bringing her mother and sister with her. She was Mrs. Stevenson at home, but Vera Menchik in chess. Source: blog.cwgc.org
The Chess Stamps History
It all starts on May 11, 1923 in Borstendorf when a local German industry decides to advertise its business with a first specific postmark: “Papier factories, Draught and Chessboards Industries, Toy Pianos”.
The first International Chess Tournament to be announced through a postmark was held in Kecskemét, Hungary in 1927 and was won by the future world chess champion Alexander Alekhine.
The 6th Chess Olympiad, organized by the FIDE took place between August 16 and August 31, 1935, in Warsaw, Poland. To commemorate this important event and also the 12th FIDE Congress was used a special chess postmark. This was the first special olympiad postmark.
The first postage stamp with a chess topic was issued in Bulgaria in 1947. It was a stamp showing a knight with the vertical inscription ‘Balkan Games 1947’ and the horizontal inscription ‘Republic of Bulgaria’ to commemorate the 1947 Balkan Games, held in Sofia, Bulgaria on November 2-5, 1947.
On November 20, 1948 in the Hague (Netherlands) and Moscow (USSR), three chess stamps were issued to commemorate the World Chess Championship match-tournament that brought together the five strongest chess players of the time: Mijaíl Botvínnik, Vassily Smyslov, Paul Keres, Samuel Reshevsky y Max Euwe. These three stamps was the 1st World Chess Championship Stamps.
Another three chess stamps were issued in Budapest, Hungary to celebrate the first Candidates Tournament on April 9, 1950. These was the first Candidates Tournament Chess stamps.
The first Chess Olympiad commemorated by a special edition of stamps held in Dubrovnik (Yugoslavia) on August 20, 1950. There are 5 chess stamps whose FDC you can see above on the left of this page.
On November 1, 1951 seven stamps were issued in Cuba as part of the 30th anniversary of Jose Capablanca winning the world chess championship from Emanuel Lasker in 1921. This was the 1st stamps showing a portrait of a chess player.
Tata Steel Round 5 Results – from the site of Tata Steel Standings after round 5 Chess tournaments take a lot of deep thinking. One thing I like about chess players – they are ‘nice’ in games. Chess is a gentleman’s game. Is it thinking or worry? Game 6 I like those cushions! (searching the internet….)
Jorden van Foreest commented on his game in round 6.
Carlsen’s aggression and Giri’s defensive skills light up day 1 of Tata Steel Masters 2021 by Sagar Shah – 17/01/2021 It just seems like a normal year when the Wimbledon of chess begins in January! That’s exactly what has happened in 2021! With the Covid-19 pandemic threat, it seemed likely that the Tata Steel Masters would be called off. But the will of the organizers and the excitement of the players to get back on the chess board has ensured an exciting 83rd edition of this world class event in the town of Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands. Day one began with an amazing onslaught by Magnus Carlsen. He won his game against Alireza Firouzja. Anish Giri got the better of Aryan Tari in an Ant-Berlin. Nils Grandelius was the other winner on day one. All of this and much more in our illustrated report from day 1 of Tata Steel Masters 2021.
The quaint town of Wijk Aan Zee known for its powerful breeze and scenic beauty – Chessbase. in
I quite like to follow the Tata Steel tournament and have blogged about some before, but that’s long ago. I think I might have a few spare minutes to follow the tournament this time – during this lockdown4. I quite like this image quote from @tatasteelchess
The 14 TOP players from 10 different countries: Magnus Carlsen, Grandelius Nils, Alexander Donchenko, Anish Giri, Aryan Tari, Pentala Harikrishna, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Jordan van Foreest, Fabiano Caruana, Andrey Esipenko, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Radoslaw Wojtaszek, David Anton Guijarro and Andrey Esipenko. Tata Steel – Blue is beautiful! images: @ChessBaseIndia – twitterImages: chessbase India End position of the game between Magnus and Alireza
Beth’s top 5 moves – from the movie: The Queen’s Gambit This is the opening we played in my game below – see link – and it’s called: The Philidor’s Defence
When I was at school, I got the looks from boys as chess was always just seen as a boys’ game. Luckily, time has changed, however, there are still some of the opposite sex that still think this is true and sadly even some of the Chess Grand Masters. I will not elaborate on this as I already done so a few years ago on my blog. After all the media attention, this Grandmaster denied what he said, but we know what he said is what he meant. Sometimes, when I write my own poems, I do like to weave some chess into my poems – you might find some on my blog to read and spot the random reference to chess in a random poem.
This was one of my online games from a few years ago, which I really enjoyed. If you click the link below the image, you van view the game and play through the game by using the arrows. I played black in this game. This image shows the end position.
I have watched this movie: The Queen’s Gambit and enjoyed it thoroughly. If you haven’t done so, you are missing out, even if you don’t know anything of chess, you will still enjoy it.
Beth Harmon – ~The Queen’s Gambit
The Queen’s Gambit – a Netflix Music from the movie: The Queen’s Gambit
This chess opening is called: The Queen’s Gambit
This chess opening is called, The King’s Gambit.
The Final Position on the board in the Netflix Movie.
Charlize in 2019 at the South African Closed Chess ChampionshipCharlize in Batumi, Georgia, in 2018Credit: Reint Dykema and Chess dot com
When there is an opportunity, I do like to blog about chess players from Africa as they don’t get the exposure they should get. Even more so if it is a high profile player and a female! I was quite surprised to find this article about Charlize on Chess.com and was quite excited to know there are more young female players, from South Africa, in this great game! I didn’t copy the complete interview on my blog and you can follow the link to read more about her and to view more other photos of this talented young player.
Quick Bio: Chalize van Zyl age 20
Occupation: Student (BA Media, Communications and Culture)
Rating: 1686 (FIDE) / 1801 (CHESSA)
SA rank: 9th (FIDE) / 7th (CHESSA)
Title: Woman International Master (WIM)
Number of Olympiads played: 1 (2018)
An interview conducted by WCM beccrajoy
At what age did you start playing chess, and who introduced you to it?
My Dad taught my sister and me when I was about 7 – he tried earlier, but we just weren’t into it. I started playing tournaments at 8, and when I was 9, I went overseas.
What’s your earliest chess memory?
My memory’s not that good, but I remember in one of my first tournaments, the only point I got was against my sister. We had both lost all our games, so we played in the last round. No one was watching us, and we ended up playing with just our kings until someone came and told us it was a draw!
How did you prepare for the South African Closed Chess Championships?
I did a lot of tactics in the days leading up to the closed. I did a bit on the opening, because I wanted to experiment a bit and change my lines, but not much. So, it was mainly hours and hours of tactics, and Puzzle Rush too. I’m addicted to Puzzle Rush – I don’t know if it was really training, but I couldn’t stop playing!
What is the highlight of your chess career?
When I was 13 I won the African Zonals, which is when I won my WIM title. And I broke a record for being the youngest South African to get the title.
With this lockdown due to the coronavirus, I think we all wait for some good news!
A song during the time when South Africa went through a difficult time with the border war, which lasted more than 30 years.
If we accept the word forever Maybe we should live together And not be scared to watch The late night news You can’t use guns to build a nation A bullet never was creation
Give, give me the good news War’s the one game where we all lose Give me the good news
If I accept the word tomorrow Can I file away my sorrow And not be scared to watch The late night news You can’t use force to sell a promise Dictatorship was never honest
Give, give me the good news War’s the one game where we all lose Give me the good news
Give, please give me the good news War’s the one game where we all lose Give me the good news
If I accept the word forever Maybe we should live together And not be scared to watch The late night news You can’t use…
English readers: scroll down a bit please. Ek is ‘n groot aanhanger van Country musiek and het die countrymusicartistfoundation co za gekry met die foto’s van ‘n paar legendes in Suid-Afrika se musiekwêreld van die (nie so ver) verlede. Nadat ek op twitter sommige mense se ‘tweets’ gesien het, het ek onthou van die mooi stem van Marie Gibson met ‘One day at a time’ en onthou hoe hierdie lied jou laat dink om die lewe ‘een dag per slag’ te neem.
Sommige van my ‘volgelinge’ (Onderwysers – in alle kategorieë van die Onderwys) het ge-‘tweet’ oor hoe ‘alleen’ hulle voel en dan was daar selfs van hulle wat beskryf hoe hartseer hulle voel en in trane is – omdat hulle alleen is en voel. Dis ongelooflik waar dat baie mense, in hierdie tyd waarin ons leef, alleen is en alleen voel. Mense is alleen om verskillende (baie) redes.
Jy moet net nie dat die alleenheid of die gevoel van alleenheid die oorhand kry en jou tot drastiese stappe laat lei nie. Besig bly en jou aandag aftrek is belangrik. Gelukkig is daar baie mense wat op hierdie ‘tweets’ van mense reageer en hulle aanmoedig of wat positiewe boodskappe terugstuur en selfs offer om die dag/aand met hulle te spandeer. Meeste mense, wie se ‘tweets’ ek gelees het, spandeer die aand in hul huise met die heel naaste familie, slaap vroeg en staan vroeg op en raak besig. Waarom moet daar nou spesifiek ‘n verskriklike groot partytjie, met ‘n paar hondered mense wees? Is dit regtig nodig? Skep mense ‘n idee wat ander laat voel hulle moet dit ook doen anders is hulle ‘uit’ of laat hulle voel hulle is ‘alleen’? Wat dink jy? O ja, Gelukkige Nuwe Jaar vir jou -wat hier lees – en ek hoop dat dinge vir jou ook positief sal uitwerk hierdie jaar en dat God jou sal seën!
I’m a big fan of country music and after reading some of my teacher-follower tweets, I remembered this song sung by a South African country singer – Marie Gibson. This song is about taking one day at a time.
Some tweets were about people feeling alone or lonely on a day like today. Luckily, many other of my followers encouraged them to be active, to do things and in this way, to get distracted by their thoughts of being alone.
My question is: do we need to have or attend parties of 50/100 people this time of the year? What is really important in your life? Many people tweeted about them just being with their closest relatives/family members, sleep early, get up and do the ‘normal’ things all people always do. This sounds great to me. Yes, we are all happy to start a new year. Yes, we are happy for everyone else for things that went well the previous year and for new resolutions and to get better at certain other things. But, do we have to attend this massive party to ‘show’ it? Are we letting other people feeling ‘left out’ with what we share in public? It’s the same with photos being altered by all sorts of apps and you let other people feel that they are not as beautiful as you are – whilst your photo was actually being photo-shopped? I really think we need to think about what we try to achieve with what we share and think about other people’s well-being too. What do you think? Btw – Happy New Year to you and I hope you will be blessed by God and that you will have a positive year this year!
Beautiful song and dance. Most of these choir members are orphans from a rural area in South Africa. These children are from the poorest part of South Africa – the Limpopo. For the past 10 years, they have been together and as they said in the first video (of Americans got talent), there was nothing to smile or laugh about. The choir, the singing, the dancing brought it all back. I cross my fingers and hope that they will come out top! They deserve it. Well done to Ralf Schmitt, the conductor of the choir.
Amira now lives in South Africa and what a great place for her to be! This girl is just amazing! Just the right music for a good chess game.
Now over to chess – for a change! The 2019 Grand Chess Tour is this year in Africa – for a change! Magnus is playing too. I hope to follow this tournament this year.
The Côte D’Ivoire Rapid&Blitz, the 1st stage of the 2019 #GrandChessTour, is held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast from May 8-12. Ten 2700+ GMs headed by Magnus Carlsen will compete for a total of $150,000 prize fund over 9 rapid and 18 blitz rounds.
I am fed up! Yes, to sign petitions, to read day in and day out about the vicious and brutal attacks, killings and murders of South Africans and in particular, the white farmers! It’s not always I feel like this, but after reading about more brutal attacks, I felt like crying – and the very young couple, with a month old baby, how they were murdered and tortured!
This is my poem based on the very famous poem of Ingrid Jonker: The Child is not dead.
The White Farmer
The white farmer is not dead at Hopewell nor at Port Elizabeth not at Kimberley nor at Brits
where he lies with an axe in his head.
The white farmer is in the dark shadow of the ANC the ANC on guard with pangas, axes, rifles, guns and kitchen irons, ready to brutally burn and torture farmer and wife the white farmer is present at all food markets, charities and schools for black, white and brown children the white farmer peers through the hearts of EVERYONE this white farmer just wanted to feed the whole nation of South Africa, black, white and brown children the white farmer is brave and a refugee in a whole world that turned a blind eye.
The white farmer is not dead at Sabie and Lydenburg nor at Tzaneen not at Uitenhage nor at Randfontein
where he lies with a bullet in his head
and his wife tied to a chair – raped.
This white farmer supported the community
in every way he could by sharing his belongings with his black workers
on the farm as well as in his shop but laid
dead in his house, brutally murdered by one of those…
in a world where world leaders are turning a blind eye
and the white farmer without a life!
Nikita (24/8/2018)
The Child is not dead
The child is not dead
The child lifts his fists against his mother
Who shouts Afrika ! shouts the breath
Of freedom and the veld
In the locations of the cordoned heart
The child lifts his fists against his father
in the march of the generations
who shouts Afrika ! shout the breath
of righteousness and blood
in the streets of his embattled pride
The child is not dead not at Langa nor at Nyanga
not at Orlando nor at Sharpeville
nor at the police station at Philippi
where he lies with a bullet through his brain
The child is the dark shadow of the soldiers
on guard with rifles Saracens and batons
the child is present at all assemblies and law-givings
the child peers through the windows of houses and into the hearts of mothers
this child who just wanted to play in the sun at Nyanga is everywhere
the child grown to a man treks through all Africa
the child grown into a giant journeys through the whole world
Without a pass
It’s time for the Sinquefield Cup and I’ve looked at some twitter news! I usually like to follow this tournament, but not sure if there will be time blogging about it. These are some favourite tweets.
Photos: Grand Chess Tour 2018 – What is Magnus thinking?
Shahriyar Mamedyarov resigns on behalf of his team.
To read the complete article, you can click here and read it on the site of the Natural History Museum. There is an exhibition till Monday, 28th May 2018.
I’ve blogged about the rhinos before and as I know this is very upsetting to look at, this is reality and if the world don’t know what’s going on out there, how would they be bothered to care anyway? On the 6th June, we have another rhino day at my school and like the one 5 years ago, this is going to be a fabulous day and we hope to help saving more rhinos. With our previous rhino day, we helped and donated £420 towards rhino Thandi’s skin grafting at the Kariega game reserve. Please help the rhinos and donate on the site of the International Rhino foundation. From the link I shared, I quoted the following:
Photojournalist Brent Stirton has won the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 title for his compelling image Memorial to a species, which frames a recently shot and de-horned black rhino in South Africa’s Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Reserve. Once the most numerous rhino species, black rhinos are now critically endangered due to poaching and the illegal international trade in rhino horn, one of the world’s most corrupt illegal wildlife networks. For the photographer, the crime scene was one of more than thirty he visited in the course of covering this tragic story.
Natural History Museum Director Sir Michael Dixon says ‘Brent’s image highlights the urgent need for humanity to protect our planet and the species we share it with.’
These generals of the Boer War look like they wanted to show off the latest fashion of some famous fashion designer’s clothes. Hats off to them! I can see them marching to the music in this video.
This girl is a super sweet cool girl. Camille is an American girl married to a South African and she sings Afrikaans! Her pronunciation and accent is far better than some Afrikaans born South Africans. She’s very much like a typical South African ‘farm’ girl and therefore, double super! By that I mean, she seems to be a down to earth and modest person without any fuss and hang-ups. She needs to sing more Afrikaans!
These are South African folk songs – beautiful songs describing South African nature and the ‘young’ (upcoming) South Africa (now the forlorn, dying South Africa where horrific things happen on a daily basis.
Ivan Rebroff – a Russian singer
Edit: Ivan Rebroff is not a Russian singer – Eugene, one of my blog readers, just pointed it out to me in a message. Seems like I have to do some research about this singer that’s actually a German: Hans-Rolf Rippert and he took on a Russian acting name.
After a few weeks into the new year and already a week break! Just in time. Enjoy the song Patches by Jody Wayne – a real golden oldie. In the video you can read where he is originally from!
A Picture of Patches
Another ‘patch’ – Gert Potgieter, a South African Tenor sings Bianca.
I saw this quote on twitter by ‘unknown’ and thought by myself, yes, I do know quite a few politicians’ names I can add here – not really in leading positions now, but those who think they can lead.
Another giant step in Chess! Well done to Dorsa, you are brave! Women must be able to make their own decisions in this world. Other people and their beliefs should not stop women from doing what they want to do.
“It shouldn’t have become such a big deal,” she said in an interview Wednesday, her head uncovered and long braids hanging down her back. “What I think is right to do, I do it. I try to keep my conscience clear and my mind at peace. I don’t know why some people have enough free time to worry about what I wear.”
Dorsa Derakhshani, 19, at St. Louis University, poses for a portrait on campus on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017. Photo by Christian Gooden.
Ruby Bridges, the first black student to integrate an elementary school in the South – of America – is 63 today.
Just wonder about this quote by Prince Bernhard, 1954? I haven’t seen this before. Interesting!
Sometimes things in the world happen and you just want to shake your head and sigh, tap your fingers and roll your eyes. Why do people think that ‘apartheid’ was JUST a South African ‘thing’ from a certain group?
David Isom, 19 years old, broke the colour line in a segregated pool in Florida on June 8, 1958, which resulted in officials closing the facility. Well, well, well, this is the time – and early 60s – when the world shouted ‘apartheid’ – uhm… uhm…it was the same time in so many other countries… in particular ‘certain’ other countries.
George Santayana said, “Those who do not remember history are condemned to repeat it.” We can forgive other nations for the past and for the wrong doings, but you should never forget. Memories should be kept alive in order not to repeat what happened and to always remind us not to repeat it. Warsaw uprise is a good example where Poland commemorated what happened 70 years ago last week. What are your thoughts?
What a beautiful voice from Refentse and he is singing in the most beautiful language – Afrikaans, the second easiest language in the world to learn – after Dutch. This song is called: Sonvanger – suncatcher.
Magnus Carlsen won the rapid section of the Paris Grand Chess Tour, but the day will be remembered for his outburst beginning, “What do you want me to do?” when Maurice Ashley suggested the final win had been less than smooth. Elsewhere the star was Alexander Grischuk, who did win three smooth games in a row, making it five wins in his last six games. He’s just one point behind Magnus with 18 rounds of blitz to follow, though he called that a big gap, given Magnus’ “idiotic ability to win many games in a row!”
Participants: Paris Grand Chess Tour 2017 Click– HERE — for the official site of the Grand Chess Tour 2017.
The 2017 Grand Chess Tour is a series of five chess tournaments held throughout the year and across the globe. A total of nine players were selected as full 2017 Grand Chess Tour participants. Three spots were awarded to the top finishers in the 2016 GCT, another three to the top players by average 2016 rating and the final three were determined by the GCT advisory board as tour wildcards.
Tour participants will play both classic events and two of the three rapid and blitz events. Unlike last year, every result will count toward a player’s final GCT standing. In total the Grand Chess Tour boasts an impressive $1.2 million prize fund, awarded as follows:
Someone asked me yesterday if I listen to any music when playing chess. I do like to do so, but only if it’s music that will allow me to think and concentrate. This song of Demis Roussos is one beautiful piece of music which I particularly enjoy when I need to think about those moves.
A brilliant video with subtitles and I wish that Zuma – and his allies, which includes some other people across the globe – would watch this. You really need to watch the whole video and listen carefully to what exactly is being said, especially if you think you might be one of thoseothers across the globe.
I came across this beautiful art of the artist: Leonard Campbell Taylor, a British artist born in Oxford. During WW1 he was an official war artist. I couldn’t find a large, quality image as I tried to analyse the position on the board. Also, when I resized the image, I noticed the expression on the male person’s face – and I wondered: What was he thinking with that expression and who are the females? I couldn’t find details, maybe a blog reader who is more skilful then me to find info on the Net?
A poem I like by Warsan Shire. There are too many wounded hearts in this world. Too many unnecessary things happen to too many people across the world. This must stop somewhere. If we all make an effort, it must help at the end or is it just me trying to think the impossible is possible?
What they did yesterday afternoon
by Warsan Shire
grief-reaction they set my aunt’s house on fire I cried the way women on tv do folding at the middle like a five pound note. I called the boy who use to love me tried to ‘okay’ my voice I said hello he said Warsan, what’s wrong, what’s happened?
I’ve been praying, and these are what my prayers look like; Dear God I come from two countries one is thirsty the other is on fire both need water.
later that night I held an atlas in my lap ran my fingers across the whole world and whispered where does it hurt?
We know apartheid was instilled by the British – the introducing of pass laws, before it was an actual law written in the law books of South Africa. This case study seems to be very interesting. For so many years many countries were shouting ‘apartheid’ – but did they know what was really going on in the country? Did America or Britain look at themselves to see what was actually going on in their own countries, the same time? What is happening in America at the moment? Why is there still so much ‘hate’ between black and white – after all these years? I rest my case. We all know the rules of the (chess) games people and politicians play. They change the rules to suit them only. They instigate events to suit them as and when necessary to avoid checkmate. Just look around the world and you will (probably) notice what they (still) do. This was just one more, but one more too many.
“Afrikaners, my people, have long been accused of being the originators and engineers of apartheid, one of the most disreputable institutions in modern history. Yet the accusers have, on the whole, not taken the trouble to understand the historical genesis of apartheid. That is the purpose of this book.
My aim is not to justify apartheid, but to shed light on the historical events and psychological factors which informed its origination. It is not a history, but rather a case study steeped in history.”
————–
“What compelled the Afrikaners, a people traumatised by British barbarism, to inflict the legalised racism of apartheid on their black countrymen? In other words, what does trauma do to a people?
This question constantly ringing in my head would eventually lead me on the most unexpected of paths, and keep me busy for nearly 15 years, something I couldn’t foresee even in my wildest dreams. It led me to the discovery of the abusive relationship between Englishman and Afrikaner, one of unrelenting humiliation of the Afrikaner by the English, since the British arrival in Southern Africa in 1795, and the tragic consequences this relationship had for South Africa, including, inter alia apartheid.”
——
“Fifteen years of research for this book has yielded evidence of at least 200 years of prejudice against Afrikaners. My psychotherapy practice in Cape Town and Swellendam continues to uncover many stories of humiliation. It is important that Afrikaners understand their own history. Otherwise how do you live with the guilt? How do you explain the past to your children – without creating new ghosts and falsehoods? How do you mourn and heal without knowing about the past which has shaped who you are today?
Although this analysis focuses on one group, the Afrikaners, the fact is that trans-generational re-enactment of trauma and humiliation is a universal theme, playing itself out all over the world. A lack of understanding of trans-generational trauma and the impact of humiliation on nations is one reason why ‘people never learn from history’. This book is an attempt to learn from ours.”
Another link:
The myth that there has never been democracy in South Africa is linked to a second myth. Most people think they know that apartheid was an invention of the Afrikaners and their belief that South Africa should be ruled exclusively by whites. Conversely, it is usually thought that the English tradition in South Africa was non-racial and democratic. In fact, the British tradition, as purveyed by both English-speaking South Africans and the parliament at Westminster, has played a less than glorious role in establishing democracy. Read more on the link of the Independent.
One more…
Link here to read. If you do some in depth research, you will find many more…
An actual fact many of these were a formalisation and extension of existing British pass laws and land acts that kept blacks from travelling freely, obtaining employment, and owning land.
Caption: Mandeni, KwaZulu-Natal, 21 December 2016 – The president rolled up his sleeves and went head-to-head with pupil Nokwanda Gcaba at an annual chess tournament took in Mandeni, KwaZulu-Natal. Photo: eNCA
South Africa’s President is well known for many (negative) things in the country and abroad. It has become an annual tradition to host a chess tournament to help developing strategic thinking in pupils organised by the Jacob G Zuma Foundation. Nokwanda Gcaba‚ 13‚ from AmaJuba‚ Newcastle was this year his opponent during the tournament in Mandeni‚ on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast and Zuma got outsmarted by Nokwanda. Maybe Zuma should get some advice and training in chess before next year’s tournament!
Zuma the chess player vs 5 year old Keagan Rowe – and counting. His game against Keagon in 2013 ended up in a stale mate.
A beautiful poem by Kipling – and an interesting history behind this poem.
IF
IF you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master; If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, ‘ Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch, if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!
After the Cold War, chess is once again emerging as a point of controversy as we move toward what some fear could degenerate into yet another Cold War. In fact, anti-Russian Cold Warriors in the United States have already nailed the scalp of a chess-playing “desperado” to their trophy wall. His arsenal reportedly features such deadly devices as the Yugoslav Attack, the Queen’s Gambit, and the dreaded Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation — all weapons of “chess distraction.”
August – Last month, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, a Russian and president of the World Chess Federation (FIDE), was barred from boarding a plane from Moscow to New York because he had been put on the sanctions list by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for allegedly “materially assisting and acting for or on behalf of the Government of Syria” and related entities. Mr. Ilyumzhinov had hoped to take part in preparations for a match between Russian Sergey Karjakin and Norwegian world champion Magnus Carlsen.
Mr. Ilyumzhinov had written to OFAC offering to come to Washington to hand-deliver documentation refuting the claims against him, but the office rejected his offer to deliver such evidence, suggesting instead that he mail them as part of his request for reconsideration of the decision to sanction him. Friends of Mr. Ilyumzhinov in Russia, Europe and even the United States suspect the decision to sanction him in the first place was based on politics rather than evidence.
Continue reading more on this link of the Washington Times.
For English readers: This is a poem by someone who is totally frustrated – and fed-up – by what is going on in South Africa. Watch this video and you will understand. For us who know why these things are happening, we feel the same and we all know who actually to blame for what is going on in this beautiful country we all love to bits! For those who are disrespectful towards other people and their native language, we do excuse you for being uneducated – as we guess it’s again Apartheid that gets the blame, even after more than 20 years, but we have a clear message: #Afrikaanswilnotfall
I enjoy true stories. I am not a really big fan of science fiction stories or movies. If you want to treat me, give me a good cowboy book or movie, a real life story or a true story. This movie is about a true story of a Chess Champion. African true stories, and from some other places in the world, are inspiring, as the struggle to reach for dreams is so much more intense due to so many problems and issues people from developing countries need to deal with on a daily basis -things people from developed countries take for granted. Today, some of those problems and issues are because of certain countries in the West who tried to gain, only for themselves and who put leaders in place just to shush their conscience. They think they get things right, but they are totally wrong. I’m glad that there is, once again, a movie about chess, to show the power of this game in real life and to highlight the struggles of some people in this world.
True Story of a Chess Champion Walt Disney Pictures has revealed the colourful first Queen of Katwe poster. The true story of an inspiring chess champion stars Golden Globe nominee David Oyelowo (Selma, Interstellar), Oscar winner and Tony Award nominee Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and newcomer Madina Nalwanga.
For 10-year-old Phiona Mutesi (Nalwanga) and her family, life in the impoverished slum of Katwe in Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle. Her mother, Harriet (Nyong’o), is fiercely determined to take care of her family and works tirelessly selling vegetables in the market to make sure her children are fed and have a roof over their heads. When Phiona meets Robert Katende (Oyelowo), a soccer player turned missionary who teaches local children chess, she is captivated. Chess requires a good deal of concentration, strategic thinking and risk taking, all skills which are applicable in everyday life, and Katende hopes to empower youth with the game. Phiona is impressed by the intelligence and wit the game requires and immediately shows potential. Recognizing Phiona’s natural aptitude for chess and the fighting spirit she’s inherited from her mother, Katende begins to mentor her, but Harriet is reluctant to provide any encouragement, not wanting to see her daughter disappointed. As Phiona begins to succeed in local chess competitions, Katende teaches her to read and write in order to pursue schooling. She quickly advances through the ranks in tournaments, but breaks away from her family to focus on her own life. Her mother eventually realizes that Phiona has a chance to excel and teams up with Katende to help her fulfill her extraordinary potential, escape a life of poverty and save her family.
Directed by Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding) from a screenplay by William Wheeler (The Hoax) based on the book by Tim Crothers, Queen of Katwe is produced by Lydia Dean Pilcher (The Darjeeling Limited) and John Carls (Where the Wild Things Are) with Will Weiske and Troy Buder serving as executive producers. Disney’s Queen of Katwe opened in U.S. theaters on September 23, 2016. Resource: commingsoon.net
The 42nd Baku Chess Olympiad starts today in Baku. Please click HERE for the official web link. Sadly, I won’t be able to follow the complete tournament this year!
Azerbaijan parks – photo credit: official site of Baku Chess Olympiad
Olympiad Schedule
Date
Time
Event
1 Sept
18:30/20:30
Opening, Captains meet
2 Sept
15:00
Round 1
3 Sept
15:00
Round 2
4 Sept
15:00
Round 3
5 Sept
15:00
Round 4
6 Sept
15:00/22:00
Round 5/Bermuda Party
7 Sept
–
Day Off
8 Sept
15:00
Round 6
9 Sept
15:00
Round 7
10 Sept
15:00
Round 8
11 Sept
15:00
Round 9
12 Sept
15:00
Round 10
13 Sept
11:00
19:30
Round 11
Closing Ceremony
14 Sept
All day
Departure day
The top seeds at the Olympiad
Russia Players: Vladimir Kramnik, Sergey Karjakin, Alexander Grischuk, Evgeny Tomashevsky, Ian Nepomniachtchi
USA Players: Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, Ray Robson, Sam Shankland
China Players: Wang Yue, Li Chao, Ding Liren, Yu Yangyi, Wei Yi
Ukraine Players: Pavel Eljanov, Ruslan Ponomariov, Yury Kryvoruchko, Anton Korobov, Andrei Volokitin
South African players in the Women’s team: Captain: Dalpat Winston WIM Frick Denise WIM Laubscher Anzel WIM February Jesse Nikki WCM Fisher Michelle M WFM Van Niekerk Lauren
Players in the Open section Captain: CM Bouah Lyndon 2115 GM Solomon Kenny 2380 IM Cawdery Daniel 2416 IM Kobese Watu 2350 IM Van den Heever Donovan 2247 FM Klaasen Calvin Jong 2177
Opening – photo: David Llada, the official photographer of the Olympiad.
It is again time for the British Chess Championships and it’s taking place at the Bournemouth Pavilion from the 23rd July 2016- 6th August 2016. The official opening ceremony is on Monday, 25th July.
Please click HERE to access all the necessary information regarding the championship. This is a PDF document from the site of the British Chess Championships.
Fatherless and raised by his grandmother, thirteen year old Ricardo Galam lives in South Africa’s Cape Flats, a unique and volatile sub culture dominated by two Number gangs, the 26 and 28. Ricardo’s future as a chess prodigy is threatened by his growing interest in the 26 whose local leader is grooming him as a potential member. Unknown to Ricardo, the father he’s never known has been released from prison. Farakhan, a reformed general in the 28, is back in his old neighbourhood, an intruder in 26 territory. In a story that is at times raw and violent at other times touching and true. FOUR CORNERS is a gripping drama set against the backdrop of a gang war in Cape Town which has been raging for a 100 years; a little known fact.
(Quote from youtube)
By watching this trailer, I don’t think I ever want to be in an area where any gangs are roaming and scavenging for anyone they can manipulate to their needs. It must be scary and you must feel intimidating to live in places like these, but the same time you feel sorry to know that there are people who only know one life and that’s this kind of life. Then the same time I wonder if you could change any adult who only knows this kind of life?
This movie has received 13 Golden Horn nominations at the SAFTAs – South African Film and Television Awards March 2015.
From The Tempest: Miranda and Ferdinand playing chess
Image: Wikipedia The Chess Players attributed to Karel van Mander. This was identified in 1916 as an image of Ben Jonson and Shakespeare playing chess. Most scholars consider this to be pure speculation, but the claim was revived in 2004 by Jeffrey Netto, who argued that the chess game symbolises “the well known professional rivalry between these figures in terms of a battle of wits”.
Update: 2016 – Shakespeare died 400 years ago and today is Shakespeare day! I’ve decided to repost an entry of 4 years ago. Please enjoy my ‘contribution’ to Shakespeare day. The following is my entry of 2012.
I’ve written another cento – I had to, because it’s a chess one! I’ve taken again Shakespeare lines – like my Moonrider-cento , where I also used Shakespeare. A cento is a form of poetry, where you use lines of different poems. In this case [like Moonrider], I’ve used lines of Shakespeare’s works – and not different poems. This cento was much easier to put together than Moonrider, as they are shorter lines and I didn’t really spent that much time thinking how to merge it into a poem that makes sense. I couldn’t give it a title other than ‘A Game of Chess’. I have made minor changes here and there – to the word order or adding of an exclamation mark – just for effect. This ‘poem‘ is almost like a dialogue – as it’s various characters speaking in role from Shakespeare’s plays.
A Game of Chess Sweet lord, you play me false For a score of kingdoms you should wrangle and I would call it fair play How fares the king? His hour is almost past
A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse! And I have horse – will follow where the game makes way. I have his horse! Give me another horse! So, the good horse is mine. My day’s delight is past, my horse is gone. The rascal hath removed my horse.
Are the knights ready to begin their triumph? A wandering knight? I am undone! The knight is here! Great shouts within all cry ‘the mean knight!’ Great is the humour of this dreadful knight.
I dare thereupon pawn My life I never held but as a pawn I have not pawn’d to you my majesty? I pawn’d thee none! I’ll send some bishop to entreat The bishop will be overborne by thee Wat says my bully rook?
There stands my castle! His queen, it was his queen! Queen of queens, how far dost thou excel? Come hither, come! Come, come, and take a queen Sir your queen must overboard! Will take your queen Farewell sweet queen!
I’ll move the king. The skipping king, he ambles up and down This may gall him for some check No mates for you! We’ll draw! My lord, your son drew my master Where’s the master? Play the men! Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown
[Shakespeare-lines -] Click on this link to read more about the Cento and to read what Folger Education think about my cento. I feel humble – you can view their comments in their comments box. Thank you!
–Click on this link to see the complete list of chess quotes with the references to the works of Shakespeare.
The World Chess Championship is coming to New York.
The WCC, a one-on-one match administered by the World Chess Federation (FIDE), will be played in New York City this upcoming November, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Magnus Carlsen, the highest ranked player in history who defended his title against India’s Viswanathan Anand in 2014, will play against a to-be-determined challenger from November 10 to November 30.
As for finding the challenger, eight of the world’s best players (excluding Carlsen) will meet in Moscow to compete in the forthcoming Candidates Tournament, a double round robin bracket, to determine who will play against the 25-year-old Norwegian.
Wikimedia
Among the eight are US Grandmasters Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura. If either of them win in Moscow, they’ll have the chance to become the first American world champion since Bobby Fischer in the 1970s.
The other six Grandmasters in this year’s Candidates Tournament are Peter Svidler and Sergey Karjiakin of Russia, Anand from India, Veselin Topalov from Bulgaria, Anish Giri from the Netherlands and Levon Aronian from Armenia,according to Chess News.
This is the first time in 21 years that the world champion in chess will be crowned on American soil.
Back in 1995, Garry Kasparvov beat Anand in a 20-game match on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center.
As for where exactly in New York the event will be held, the CEO of Agon, the commercial partner of FIDE and organizer of the WCC, told the WSJ that he is in discussions with several NY venues, including the World Trade Center.
The World Chess Candidates that takes place on March 10 – 30, 2016, is a dramatic tournament which determines the challenger for the World Chess Championship. The winner will play a match for the title against reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsen in November in the US.
Candidates Chess 2016 participants 1. Vishwanathan Anand (India) – The player who lost the 2014 World Championship Match 2. Sergey Karjakin (Russia) – as winner of the FIDE World Cup in Baku 3. Peter Svidler (Russia) – as the silver medalist of the FIDE World Cup in Baku 4. Fabiano Caruana (USA/Italy) – from FIDE Grand Prix 2014–15 5. Hikaru Nakamura (USA) – from FIDE Grand Prix 2014–15 6. Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria) – By rating 7. Anish Giri (Netherlands) – By rating 8. Levon Aronian (Armenia) – organizers nominee of rating higher than 2725 ELO Candidates 2016 details Details of the Tournament: Dates: March 8 – 29, 2016 Number of players: 8 Format: Double round robin tournament (14 rounds) Length: 22 days including arrivals, departures, opening and closing ceremonies Prize fund: EUR 561,000
Sergey Karjakin is going to the FIDE World Chess Championship Final 2016 in New York after winning the Candidates Chess 2016 tournament with 8,5/14. In the decisive round 14 Karjakin won the final game against Fabiano Caruana and surged a full point ahead in the standings. The Russian player is going to face the defending champion Magnus Carlsen.
This is precious. This male person pretends to speak a foreign language and the lady doesn’t understand him. She keeps on trying to figure out what he wants. So she asks him to speak Afrikaans – or… okay, I won’t repeat her words at the end… Afrikaans speaking people will really love this video. In South Africa, there’s more than 6 million people speaking Afrikaans – and they are from difference races.
This is again one of my most favourite pieces of the Opera. It’s been raining the whole evening, which is just the right mood for music like this. I’ve also been reading on the link in this entry – all about the morals of chess. Interesting that already in the 1700s people tried to annoy their opponents and were these ‘rules‘ probably put in place.
If your adversary is long in playing, you ought not to hurry him, or express any uneasiness at his delay. You should not sing, nor whistle, nor look at your watch, nor take up a book to read, nor make a tapping with your feet on the floor, or with your fingers on the table, nor do anything that may disturb his attention. For all these things displease. And they do not show your skill in playing, but your craftiness or your rudeness.
Follow this link to read more about the Morals of Chess as by Benjamin Franklin – dated: June 1732 – June 1779
At random times, I get asked by friends what cities in South Africa are like. They usually want to know if they are ‘big and busy‘ – similar to London. On Instagram, I saw these lovely photos and thought to put together this collage to share on the blog. These pictures are from two accounts: ‘SouthAfrica‘ and ‘CityofPretoria‘. From the Pretoria account, I’ve chosen six pictures as they are all amazing pictures and I couldn’t resist them. If you look at the ‘SouthAfrica‘ account, you will agree with me that there’s only one beautiful country in the world and not just a country with random beautiful places. #SouthAfrica
Happy New Year Everyone! May 2016 be a fabulous year filled with tons of happiness. Let’s all save the world from all bad things – including the animals.
Fly, thought, on wings of gold, go settle upon the slopes and the hills where the sweet airs of our native soil smell soft and mild! Greet the banks of the river Jordan and Zion’s tumbled towers. Oh, my country, so lovely and lost! Oh remembrance so dear yet unhappy!
Golden harp of the prophetic wise men, why hang so silently from the willows? Rekindle the memories in our hearts, tell us about the times gone by! Remembering the fate of Jerusalem play us a sad lament or else be inspired by the Lord to fortify us to endure our suffering!
I think the chorus of the Hebrew slave from the Italian opera, Nabucco, is many people’s favourite. These words are beautiful and leaves me in a sad mood if I think about South Africa and how it’s getting destroyed by Zuma.
Chess pieces from elephant tusk carved in China – Nottingham Castle Museum
Read about Watu Kobese, a South African chess champion and Fide trainer and now also author of chess books. Kobese is taking the game and his book on a roadshow to promote chess. Click on the image for a larger view in order to read the complete article.
Source: Please click here to read the article on the site of ‘Business Insider.’
The Sinquefield Cup Chess Tournament is on at the moment in St Louis and I’ve been following some of the games and thought it was high time to blog about a ‘big’ tournament again. The images above are from twitter The link below is game 7 where Anand is playing against Wesley So. You can see the moves up to move 11 by Anand. Please click HERE to follow the game live. 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 Nf6 4 d3 Bc5 5 Bxc6 dxc6 6 Nbd2 O-O 7 O-O Re8 8 Nc4 Nd7 9 b3 a5 10 a4 f6 11 Be3 Bb4 12 Rc1 b5
Chess Sinquefield Cup round 7 Anand vs Wesley So
Round 7 – Aronian and Nakamura
Round 7 – Magnus vs Grischuk
Round 7 – Caruana vs Vachier Lagrave
Magnus Carlsen on his way to the playing venue – photo: @CCSCSL SaintLouisChessClub
The 2015 South African Open Chess Festival incorporates the SA Schools Individual Chess Championship and SA Open Chess Championship SA Open Chess Championship runs from Fri 03 July to Sat 11 July 2015 (entire day over weekends and evenings during week days) SA Schools Individual Chess Championship runs from Mon 06 July to Thu 09 July 2015 (mornings and afternoons) SA Schools Individual Chess Championship players may choose to participate additionally in the SA Open. For more details, click this link. Click on the image for a larger view.
It is the World Women’s Chess Championships 2015 in Sochi. Follow this link to play through the games. The final battle is between Russia and Ukraine – how ironic. All images are from the official site – from the games link.
Muzychuk vs Pogonina
Final pairings / results – game 4 will be played on Sunday 5th April 2015 local time: 3pm
There stands my castle! His queen, it was his queen! Queen of queens, how far dost thou excel? Come hither, come! Come, come, and take a queen Sir your queen must overboard! Will take your queen Farewell sweet queen!
I was in a mood to blog a chess game, this is one of my very old games – about 8 years ago! I played black and like how I trapped my opponent. I love Shakespeare’s works and these lines are from Shakespeare. This title of the post doesn’t fit the writing, don’t worry, it’s meant not to fit. I need to play more chess so my brain can get organised in boxes. I like that guy’s video on youtube about the male and female brain. I need a male brain, so I can organised everything in boxes. I try too many things in one go. Here is the game link.
Please click HERE to play through the game.
The World Chess Championship Match between World Champion Magnus Carlsen and Challenger Vishy Anand is taking place in Sochi, Russia on November 7–28, 2014.It’s the first time that Magnus will defend his title. [Images:Twitter & Official site]
5-time World Chess Champion, Vishy Anand is considered one of the most versatile chess players in the world. He is the only world champion who won titles playing in all different formats (match, tournament and knockout). He is the first Indian grandmaster.
It’s been a year since my entry about the game in Chennai, where Magnus walked off as the World Champion
Please click HERE for the official site. You can also follow the game on twitter – on the bottom photo you will find the official twitter account of Carlsen and Anand. Sochi temperatures average 24° C – 27° C between June and October/November. Who are you supporting?
The Chess set
I hope you like this card-image – I was in a mood to play around with the two chess kings!
As Carlsen is called the ‘Mozart of Chess’ – I have some Mozart for you to listen to. One of my favourite pieces – though only part of the composition.
This is the hotel where Anand and Carlsen will be playing.
This is the Instagram link for you to follow, should you wish to do so.
On the map I’ve highlighted for you where Sochi is.
Norwegian camera teams may have been swarming around Magnus Carlsen before his meeting with world number two Levon Aronian, but the serious chess spectators had eyes firmly fixed on the start of Kramnik-Topalov, where the feud that began in their acrimonious 2006 world title match has resulted in permanently frosty relations.
by GM Jonathan Tisdall
Some of the games played today round 5. On this link you can follow the live games or play through games already played in previous rounds.
Tromso round 5: Topalov vs Kramnik
Round 5: Kramnik vs Topalov 1-0
Round 5: Ivan Cheparinov vs Peter Svidler 1/2-1/2 Round 5: Aronian vs Carlsen 1/2-1/2
Round 5: Barileng Gaealafshwe vs Kenny Solomon 0-1 On this youtube.com/watch?v=-xABHJdf31o link you can see Kenny as South Africa’s Chess Grandmaster and it’s strange that Fide still has him as an IM on his profile here: ratings.fide.com/card.phtml?event=14300192 Melissa Greeff is South Africa’s first Women Chess Grandmaster.
Chess art at Tromso
The South African Women’s Chess Championships will be held at ‘The Atrium’, The Woodlands, Johannesburg and starts on the 8th August 2014 – 10th August 2014. That’s a serious killer with 3 games per day! There is also a B-section. You can click on this PDF for all the necessary info and a link to the venue. 2014_SA_Womens_Open_CC
Spoken by great men:"Give me 20 divisions of American soldiers and I will breach Europe. Give me 15 consisting of Englishmen and I will advance to the borders of Berlin. Give me two divisions of those marvellous fighting Boers and I will remove Germany from the face of the earth." - Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery, Commander of the Allied Forces during WW2.
"The Americans fight for a free world, the English mostly for honour, glory and medals, the French and Canadians decide too late that they have to participate. The Italians are too scared to fight, the Russians have no choice. The Germans for their Fatherland. The Boers? Those sons of Bitches fight for the hell of it." American General, George 'Guts and Glory' Patton.
Image: Facebook
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