The Lighter Side of Chess

[Wayne Komer]

Has an unexpected reply in a chess situation made you laugh?

This happened to me during Jeopardy! this past Friday night (June 28, 2013)

The category was called Hello? with the birthdates of famous people, whom you had to identify:

Alex Trebek: For $800 - this grandmaster made his opening move on March 9, 1943 in Chicago.

Laura Amundson: Boris Spassky.

A good chuckle there.

Several decades ago, when I was studying in England, I got the book “Chess with the Masters” by Martin Beheim (ed. by Leonard Barden),1963, out of the library. This passage, with its great punch line has stayed with me ever since:

"Naturally there are methods of preserving decorum in defeat, whether through rationalizing within oneself, or simply by keeping up outward appearances. The following story may indicate a helpful method for many people.

Burletzki, a much feared coffee-house player. arranged a match with the German master Kohnlein. The match consisted of six games, and is supposed to have taken place in 1908. Burletzki entered the fray with much confidence and a boosted ego, but Kohnlein won the first game.

Burletzki said: 'I made a stupid mistake.'

Kohnlein won the second game. Burletzki: 'One can't win every game.'

Kohnlein won the third game. Burletzki: 'I'm not in form today.'

Kohnlein won the fourth game: Burletzki: 'He's not a bad player.'

Kohnlein won the fifth game. Burletzki: 'I've underestimated the man.'

Kohnlein won the sixth game. Burletzki: 'I believe the man's my equal.'


Happy Canada Day!

[Gary Ruben]

Re: The Lighter Side of Chess

This happened to me during Jeopardy! this past Friday night (June 28, 2013)

I watch that show and saw that on Friday. Mostly I try to answer before the contestants if I know the reply. Sometimes I can run a category but not as often as I used to be able to do it. Some categories I don't know.

Some of those contestants are pretty awesome with their general knowledge in most of the categories.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Lighter Side of Chess

Still in keeping with the present holiday, I have just come across another humorous quotation that might raise a smile.

In the animated sitcom Futurama, there is a 25-star General, Zapp Brannigan, who is arrogant, incompetent and painfully stupid. He knows less about strategy than a novice in a nunnery, hence this statement:

Kif – Shall I fire on them now, Sir?

Brannigan – Not yet Kif, in the game of chess you can never let your adversary see your pieces.

To see that noble brow, to hear that confident delivery:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCKWIzmauQE

[Nigel Hanrahan]

Re: The Lighter Side of Chess

How about illegal moves by Grandmasters (over 2700) ? As in, 20 of them!

Illegal moves by Grandmasters

[Felix Dumont]

Re : Re: The Lighter Side of Chess

How about illegal moves by Grandmasters (over 2700) ? As in, 20 of them!

Illegal moves by Grandmasters

The FS illegal moves seem a little bit far fetched...

[Nigel Hanrahan]

Re: Re : Re: The Lighter Side of Chess

Chess. com has a number of Master games with illegal moves ...

[Francis Rodriguez]

Re: Re : Re: The Lighter Side of Chess

Churchill wanted to fill the coffers to aid the Second World War. He hit on the idea of awarding titles to people in return for money. He began to create dukes and knights, barons, lords and so on. An ex-prisoner, a burglar who had just stolen a vast sum of money, went up to Churchill and said, "I want a title." The Prime Minister said, "Yes I can give you a title, the price is such and such." "Give me the title of chess master," cried the ex con. Churchill recoiled shocked. "This I cannot do", he said. "Ask me for something else. I can make you a king, I can make you a queen, I can even make you the governor of Pentonville Prison, but only you alone can make yourself a chess master."

(from "Coffeehouse Chess Tactics" - John Healy)