Click here to look for "chess" with the Google search engine.   Hello friend!     ...............    Welcome to one of the best {private} chess sites around. (Recognized as such by several national chess federations and also "C.J.A." Site of The Year for 2004.)     ................     Check out my School of Tactics!!  ..........  Many improvements and NEW PAGES!!!!   (Be sure to check the T.L.A. in 'Chess Life' for the tournaments in your area.)  Thanks, and have a great day!!!

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  by USCF Original LIFE-Master, A.J. Goldsby I 

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Monday; January 28th, 2013: Happy birthday to my sister Alicia Patterson ... in Sacramento, CA. 

I got more e-mails today ... 

One fan accused me of ignoring this feature - which is true, I have not posted a blog in over six months. 

I competed in the big international tournament in New Orleans in December in 2012. I don't think I played too badly, my PR was over 2200, my FIDE rating. (IF they were to grant the exceptions!);  would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 2150+. (My only loss was to IM Danny Kopec.)  


Wednesday;  July 13th, 2011:  I got quite a few e-mails today ...

Sometimes I am tempted to quote some of these ... and give the individual's real name and e-mail address. Sometimes, its because the e-mail was so irritating, that I would like to get back at the individual who sent me this missive - I would like nothing better than to embarrass them and show the whole world just what a knuckle-head this person really is. Other times, its because I am so filled with pride, the e-mail was so nice and full of praise ... I want to show off, and even rub my detractor's noses in it ... at least, for just a little while. 

However, in the end, I have NEVER used an e-mail ... unless I was given permission ... and I have NEVER violated my own policy of trust.

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In a few of the e-mails - I got praised for my work and they even asked me to continue my work. One gentleman blasted me ... and even said I should stop calling myself a master. (Among other comments!) But one person {who lives near Chicago, IL}; said that they had enjoyed my work for YEARS ... and even suggested an idea - that I start a web page with my own (chess) blog, thinking that it would become widely read. Brilliant! (He even suggested what I could put on this page - he even suggested that I mine the Internet for links ... and just add a few comments here or there.) 

So I decided to give it a shot. (You should also check this page as well, many - but not all - of the items there will be repeated here.)


  1. Morozevich qualifies for the Russian Super League. (Click here.) Inarkiev is a lucky guy. I must have missed it, the "Chess Games" website also has a page for this event. (Click here.) 

  2. Every day, this site has a daily chess problem to solve. And occasionally, (after a controversy); a few of you have written me - saying that I have over-reacted, been too critical, etc. However, I do NOT believe that most of my critics have ever read one of these things from the very beginning. So before you write me again, I think you should read one of these pages ... FROM START TO FINISH!!!  Page # 01  /  Page # 02  

  3. Early July, 2011:  The computer program, Rybka  stripped of all titles.   The "Fox News" story. The W.T. story.   The CG page for Rybka. 

  4. July 3rd, 2011:  I added more games - only three games now ... ... ... but what games!!!!! (Click here to see my CG collection on Aronian.) 

  5. My web page for the July (FIDE) Rating list of 2011.  

  6. July 5th, 2011:  I began a NEW game collection on the CG website ... click  HERE  to see that collection now. 

  7. A nice page on helpmates and other problems ... ... ... all from the ChessBase website.  (MORE puzzles!) 

  8. July 12th, 2011:  I annotated the POTD. (Look for my notes in the Kibitzes.) 

  9. July 14th, 2011The POTD for today was from a game played in 1977. IF you have ever wondered how to play the Black side of the game, when faced with the "King's Indian Attack," ... ... ... this game provides a graphic display ... an abject lesson in how NOT to play the Black side of this whole line! 

  10. Friday: July 15th, 2011:  Went to chess club last night, went over a few games in the CL mag. Today's POTD features a nice idea, [White to move, (20. '?')}  Its a rip-roaring modern - the answer is in the kibitzes, so I won't tip you off. 

  11. Saturday; July 16th, 2011:  Today's (CG/POTD) problem is by a person I personally know and have played {and lost to} a few times. (GM D. Gurevich.) Its a fine game - it starts off as a Reti, and turns into a "White to move and win" at move 26. Today's "Game of The Day" is an old favorite, its one of Capablanca's most brilliant short games. The game is Capa - Fonaroff; NY; 1918. (I also have a web page on this game, as well.) 

  12. Sunday; July 17th, 2011:  The game for today's POTD was Garcia-Wolff; 1986.  [White to move, (16. '?')]  For me personally, this problem was not nearly as tough as many other Sunday Puzzles. (Take a look! Maybe you will disagree.) 

  13. Labor Day weekend, (Sept 03-05); 2011: (See crosstable.) I went to the LA State (chess) Championships over this weekend ... and had one of my best results ever. (Tied for first, four wins and three draws.) I will probably post a few games from this event on the CG website

  14. I played in a Mobile tournament, October 22nd, 2011. Brent Inman and Rick Frye tied for first, I lost to Brent ... in the third round. 

          The following is a nice game: 

A.J. Goldsby I  - Cecil R. Rosal;   [D36]
  Gulf Coast Classic / Mobile, AL (R#2) / 22,10,2011.  

1.d4 Nf6; 2.c4 d5; 3.Nc3 e6; 4.cxd5 exd5; 5.Bg5 c6; 6.Qc2 Be7; 7.e3 h6; 8.Bh4 0-0; 9.Bd3 Nbd7; 10.Nge2 Re8; 11.0-0 Nf8; 12.Rad1 Bg4?!; 13.f3 Bh5; 14.Nf4 g5; 15.Nxh5 Nxh5; 16.Bf2 Ng7; 17.Kh1 Rc8; 18.Bg1 Qd7; 19.Qf2 b5;  20.e4 b4; 21.Na4 Nh5; 22.g3 Qh3; 23.Qg2 Qd7; 24.b3 Ng7; 25.e5 f5; 26.Rc1 Nfe6; 27.f4 Rf8; 28.Qc2 Qe8; 29.Be3 Qh5; 30.Qf2 gxf4; 31.gxf4 Bh4; 32.Qg2 Kh8; 33.Be2 Qf7; 34.Qh3 Qe7; 35.Rg1 Kh7; 36.Bd3 Rf7; 37.Rg4 Bf6;  38.exf6 Qxf6; 39.Rcg1 Nf8; 

mcb_pos01.jpg, 121 KB

 

40.Rxg7+ Rxg7;  41.Qxf5+ Qxf5; 42.Bxf5+ Kh8;  43.Bxc8 Re7;  44.Rg3 Nh7;  45.f5 Nf6;  46.Be6 Kh7;  47.Rg6 Ne4;  48.Rxh6+ Kg7;  49.Rg6+ Kh7;  50.Bf4 Nf2+;  51.Kg2 Nd3;  52.Be5 Nc1; 53.Bg8# 1-0  

 

  1. Nov. 18th, 2011: There was a nice chess problem today on the CG website

jones-dueball_1974__btm-26.jpg, 120 KB

  Black to move and win. 
  (Stumped? Try here.)  

 16.  (Nov. 2013) I am active in many tournaments. I think I am playing good chess, however, my rating does not seem to show it.  [more]  

 17. Next?  


   Holiday tip:     (November 27th, 2013.)  My grandmother taught me this, and it may help you.  

IF you have a big turkey or a frozen ham, how do you thaw it out quickly and easily? Thawing in the microwave NEVER works properly, you always wind up cooking the meat as you try to thaw it. I have even seen guys (outside) use blow-torches ... trying to thaw a turkey before dropping it into their deep-fat fryer. 

So what's the trick? It is so simple, it is ludicrous! Place the turkey (or ham) into the oven. Turn the oven on WARM (lowest setting) for anywhere from half- an-hour to an hour ... or even 90 minutes - for a really big bird. (Make sure to turn the oven off, doing this all night will ruin the meat!) Check your turkey (or ham); in about two hours, you will generally find that it is completely de-thawed and ready to cook. What usually works best is to do this the night before, run the oven - on warm - for about half an hour, maybe a bit more if you have a lot of meat to thaw out. Remember to turn the oven off - always set a timer!!! 

Generally, when you get up the next morning, you will find your meat ready too cook. Leave the store wrapping on, and you do not have to worry about the meat getting contaminated with any germs that may be present in your oven. (If you are a real neatness freak, you may want to thoroughly clean your oven before trying this.) 


After a lapse of some time, I decided that I needed to try to make regular entries into this blog. 


Labor Day Weekend, (Early September, 2014.); I won the Louisiana State Chess Championship, clear first. 
(Click  HERE  to see the cross-table for that event.)  

It wasn't all good though. While the slow chess was good for me, my play in the speed chess tournament was simply horrible. I blame most of this on the stupid TD - Bob Ballard. (He started into me right away with his garbage, I had already filed a complaint against him with the USCF.) It was really surprising that he would do this, as I had already alerted the main TD (Korey Kormick) that I had MULTIPLE problems with Ballard and he had interfered with me and (I believe) had purposely tried to negatively influence my results over MANY different tournaments! [At the 2014 Paul Morphy event, he began screaming at me. I took my ear-plugs out and asked what the problem was, he just screamed at me - over and over again - to get out of HIS tournament hall. (I even asked him if I could stop my clock and he said, "No - just get out!") During this game in the fourth round, I was involved in a game with another master, if I had followed his advice, I would have lost the game on time! A National TD told me that he had no right to do this and that USCF should even pull his certification. IMO, I have seen some really horrible TD's over the years, guys who have no business ever directing ... anything. However, Bob Ballard takes the cake, and wins my award for the worst-ever TD ... at least, the absolute worst that I have ever seen. (Well, Richard Crespo was a real monster and even demanded that I throw 5-minute games to him - but that is another story! {At one time - Crespo had managed to convince everyone in Pensacola that I was an evil person and even got me banned from all Pensacola events.})  BTW, another player took me out in the hall ... I know who it was, but I will not give his name here. He said, {as best as I can recall}: "A.J. ... I don't like you too much and I am never on your side in nearly anything. However, what Ballard did was wrong - even criminal - and I hope you report that _______ to the USCF." And I could tell you many other things that Ballard does that are wrong. Like literally yelling at me - REPEATEDLY- for my cell phone going off {once} and threatening to throw me out of the tournament - if it ever happened again. Yet, every single tournament, you will see Bob taking a call, chatting on his cell phone ... IN THE TOURNAMENT HALL ... over and over again! And, yes, he is playing in nearly all of these events.]  

The real puzzle of this story is that most of the officers of the LCA are pretty good and decent people. I just wonder why no one has even attempted to try and modulate (or restrain) some of Ballard's more extreme behaviors. Are they afraid of him? Or is it that they don't care? 

Most of the items you will see in this blog will be positive. In that regard, I apologize for the above entry.  
---> However, I HAD to get the above matter off my chest!  

BTW, I have a severely autistic daughter - and many times - I have to check on her repeatedly during the day. 


Thursday; October 8th, 2014. I went to the (chess) club tonight. I lost the first game that I played against Moshe Khatena, but won all the rest. 

I also played 3-4 games against Jeff Tobin, I won all of those - without too many problems. Good night at the club, I felt that I played OK. :) 

It was good to see Moshe again, I truly love him like a brother. [If not for his health problems, I feel absolutely certain he would have eventually become a GM, he has more talent in his little finger than most guys have in their whole body. I played him for YEARS ... before I won my very first game of bullet (One minute, no delay.) chess. His first game against me tonight was an absolute masterpiece, he outplayed me positionally AND tactically ... he also was ahead of me on the clock. This almost never happens, anywhere. He was probably winning in at least one other game, and another game he was clearly superior, but I got him cheapo's or the clock.]  

Too bad nobody records five-minute games, a few were interesting enough to post here, especially my loss to Moshe. 


Monday; October 13th, 2014:  They had a free day on ICC, I played in the 3-2 blitz tournament, and I tied for second place with six out of seven.  (I am "lifemasteraj" on ICC. Click HERE to see a copy of that cross-table copied from one of the screens.) 

I know it sounds like an excuse - but it is also the truth, my autistic daughter began screaming her head off and I lost that game ... 

Below is my round six game, in Round Seven, I defeated LM Joel Johnson.  (masscarnage) 

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lifemasteraj (2041) - TheJedi (2204)
ICC Internet Chess Club, 13.10.2014

1.Nf3 Nf6; 2.g3 g6; 3.Bg2 Bg7; 4.0-0 0-0; 5.d4 d6; 6.Nc3 d5!?; 7.h3 c6; 8.Bf4 Re8; 9.Qd2 Nfd7; 10.Bh6 Bh8; 11.Rae1 e5; 12.e4!
(White went on to win a nice game in under 40 moves.)  


September, 2015:  This playing site is where I play all of my chess nowadays, as I am usually unable to get to the chess club. However, cheating there is (pretty much) normal and most often, it is not even effectively penalized. (Some accounts I have reported for engine use literally dozens of times - and they are still playing chess ... and still cheating.)  

In particular, the account of "tilly123" uses a chess engine every time we play 2-1 chess. (Two minutes, with a one second - per move - increment.) Normally, a 1600-1700 player can expect to win only one game out of 100 with a master. However, this player wins more games than he loses. And - I am so certain that he is cheating - that I would gladly bet a finger on the outcome. (Trust me on this one, my digits are quite safe.)  


Friday; October 16th, 2015. 

The person who runs the "Chess Games" website, (D. Freeman); is a low-life, and not worth my time, anymore. However, before they suspended my speaking priv's, (for telling the truth about Freeman's sordid past, and what kind of sorry crowd that he ran with in High School); I used to be an active kibitzer on that website. (And - for the record - other kibitzers on that website used to make me a verbal punching bag, they would say all kinds of filthy lies about yours truly. Not only did Daniel Freeman never really effectively censor any of these people, they often would be encouraged to "flame A.J." by his lack of action or failure to justly penalize these jerks. And it was this flame war that helped his website gain much of its current popularity, Freeman would often joke about this topic with people who might be called his buddies ... that is, if he even has any real friends.)  

One of the last games that I commented on was based on a question I got in an e-mail from one of my {former} Internet students. He asked, "was 25...RxN/d6!? really necessary?" He went on to state that he thought that the move was probably an error, and I must agree. But now I have to stop and clarify a few things, as the average person may not be aware of the intricacies and vagaries of modern postal/correspondence chess, as compared to what it used to be.  

  1. In postal chess, you have always been allowed to set up a chess board and even move the pieces around, if you desired to do so. You were also allowed to consult chess books to be able to play both the opening and the endgame better. These procedures - outlined here in #1 - were not considered cheating and were even normal procedure, but ONLY in postal chess. (As compared to OTB chess. In over-the-board chess, if you even touch a single piece, you are required to move it - that is, as long as you have a legal move with that piece.)  

  2. In the days (BEFORE the Internet!) when postal chess was actually a medium executed via the U.S. Mail, (and usually mailed on an actual postcard); getting help (of any kind!!!) was considered cheating and was strictly prohibited, and - if you did seek outside help, and it was later discovered - the penalty was usually that you were banned from postal chess. (At the very least!) (AND) Just so you know, back in the 1960's and 1970's, (when I was much younger!); I played dozens of games of this kind, usually losing ... but also winning a few nice encounters. (I wasn't always a master. In fact, I spent a few years stuck at the "Class C" plateau. more ) One funny story is that a highly ranked officer of a big chess club in the {former} Soviet Union was busted for getting a real GM to help him to analyze his games.  

  3. When postal chess first began being played with moves transmitted via the Internet, outside help was also totally forbidden. BUT!!! In those days, chess engines were MUCH weaker then they are today, the average club player would probably be able to defeat them, as long as he played a fairly decent and consistent game.  

  4. Somewhere along the way, as chess engines got stronger and stronger, modern correspondence chess organizations just gave up on policing their membership and decided to allow players to use whatever chess engine that they wanted to consult. In fact, the joke today, is that when a correspondence tournament begins, they say: "GENTLEMAN - START YOUR ENGINES!" (The sad part of this is that {nowadays} you have clowns - who might hold the "title" of a gm at the correspondence level - who are not really much better than the average class player, and certainly could never play at the master level without the help of a chess program.)  

  5. Today, I am currently using Deep Fritz 14, (and also Stockfish and Houdini) and it is probably a LOT stronger than the engine that was used to play in the Dronov-Fischer game! (Today, I think that programs have pretty much leveled off and any real improvements are not that great ... most good chess programs are considered to be rated around 3000+.)  

  6. The above mentioned game is EXTREMELY COMPLEX!!! If I wanted to take the time, (several months?); I am sure I could do a thorough analysis of this game. But - for many different reasons - I don't have the time, energy or the money (or even the interest) to take on a project like that right now. If you are curious, GM Garry Kasparov played a few games (as White) in some similar systems, if you study those examples, they will probably help you better understand the Dronov-Fischer game. (Hint: Look for games with the same ECO openings code as the Dronov-Fischer example.)  


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Last mod:  10/16/2015


I created this page in July of 2011. It was first posted on the Internet on Wednesday; July 13th, 2011.  Last update on:   Friday, October 16, 2015 02:08:18 PM

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  Copyright (c) by LIFE-Master  A.J. Goldsby I  

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