The Chess Blogging Carnival flame was kept alive by the great Blue Devil Knight of Confessions of a Chess Novice, and now the torch is passed. See here for December's posts.
For the New Regime, we will no longer be using the Carnival blogging software, because between BDK and myself, two titans of tact, intellect and manliness, we couldn't get it to transfer title to me. To quote him, "I think the blog carnival site, and software, are not very well tended."
So here's how it will go down, at least for this month:
1) Find the "best of" ever posts in your blog, other people's blogs or even articles from the big non-blog chess sites (just this once). I'm talking back to the dawn of the Web, or even before (PDFs of Howard Staunton articles anyone?). Are there any great flame wars on the chess BBS boards from 1998? I don't know, but maybe you do. I'd especially like to see good games. If you have a good game that you've never posted, use the excellent Chess Flash (thanks to the excellent Glenn Wilson!) and post it. Or in the gravest extreme, send it to me in .PGN and I'll post. It had better be golden in that case.
2) Since we're not using the Carnvial site, copy and paste a URL in the comments to this post. Note that you don't have to have a Google account, and can comment anonymously on my blog, but I'd appreciate it if you'd leave your name, and if you'd make some comment about why the item is good beyond just dropping the URL. But it's not a requirement.
3) I'll take up to five posts/items from any one blog or website. This is a one-time deal for "The Best Of!" I wouldn't mind getting 100 or more entries, and breaking them up into a series of posts. I envision this as a kind of historical survey, where the chess blogs and other sites have been. Then maybe we can get ideas of how to do more good things in the future.
Thanks to everyone who takes the time to contribute. January 27 is the deadline for submissions, and the first post is scheduled for February 1. Now get those links coming!
Best regards to all,
Robert
32 comments:
Howdy Robert,
So I've never submitted to the Carnival, because I really don't create content. I consume it and the regurgitate it. The content that I somewhat create is pretty useless.
With that said, here are some of my submissions:
MOST USEFUL
http://rockyrook.blogspot.com/2010/10/configuring-babaschess-to-look-like.html
SOMEWHAT USEFUL
http://rockyrook.blogspot.com/2010/12/babaschess-background-or-wallpaper-for.html
MY #1 POST AS FAR AS PAGE VIEW
http://rockyrook.blogspot.com/2008/06/jk-rowling-quote-on-failure.html
WHAT I CONSIDER MY "LEGACY CONTRIBUTION" TO THE INTERNET CHESS WORLD
http://rockyrook.blogspot.com/2011/10/logical-chess-move-by-move-by-irving.html (be sure to open the link in this post and see what's in the .pgn file)
MOST USELESS POST, BUT SOMEWHAT POPULAR
http://rockyrook.blogspot.com/2009/02/chess-player-look-likes-tumnus-aronian.html
Take care,
Rocky
Thanks Rocky! I had somehow missed the Babaschess info--since I use it that is good to have.
And you do to have a lot of other good content. I may add one of your book reviews.
Hi Robert,
Here are my submissions:
Chess database formats - PGN vs. Chessbase - a fairly popular post
http://www.roman-chess.blogspot.com/2008/01/chess-database-formats-pgn-vs-chessbase.html
Becoming a chess master - thoughts on what prevents my chess improvement
http://www.roman-chess.blogspot.com/2009/08/becoming-chess-master.html
10 tips for Analysing your Chess Games - Soviet chess school ideas in the computer era
http://www.roman-chess.blogspot.com/2009/08/10-tips-for-analysing-your-chess-games.html
10 steps to a Better Chess Opening Repertoire - summary of how I try to work on my openings
http://www.roman-chess.blogspot.com/2009/03/10-steps-to-better-chess-opening.html
How to prepare for a Chess Tournament - inspired by a tournament that went well for me
http://www.roman-chess.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-to-prepare-for-chess-tournament.html
Roman
http://temposchlucker.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-de-la-maza-forgot-to-tell-us.html
The reason I like this post is that it is a final conclusion after 7 years of investigation.
Then I like to submit a post of Don Q.
http://mandelamaza.blogspot.com/2004/12/in-other-news.html
Don Q. is the founder of the Knights Errant and this shows his talent to bind the community with humor.
And an old post of Blunderprone where I discovered that he is an artist.
http://blunderprone.blogspot.com/2008/05/rocky-errant-picture-show.html
It is about the time that the Knights Errant were exposed as a cult.
Thanks again for taking up the mantle of Carnival host.
Although you've already seen it, for the record here's the url with my submissions:
http://pathtochessmastery.blogspot.com/2011/12/thoughts-on-best-of-chess-carnival.html
Hey Robert,
I am relatively new to the chess blogging scene. But I thought this game might qualify for submission under either BEST GAME or BEST MOVE:
http://lostinchessland.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-best-win.html
Thanks for the Carnival effort.
This is a great Carnival concept: to collect the best of chess blogs since the beginning. I love the ambition of it. I have sometimes thought of doing a book on the subject -- this might inspire me to think about that project again. I'll watch here to make sure the most important work gets covered --I think it would be worthwhile to try to make this as complete as possible.
The main difficulty will be choosing just three posts to represent the best blogs, including my own. But I will give it a shot:
Chess and Evolutionary Theory
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2007/02/chess-and-evolutionary-theory_12.html
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 White Repertoire Webliography
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2010/02/1e4-e5-2nf3-white-repertoire.html
Smith-Morra Gambit Update
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2012/01/smith-morra-gambit-update.html
If readers want to find other favorites, they can scroll through my "Best of..." links in the right-hand scroll bar.
Great continuation...
A contribution, some classic, some me.
Chess Fundamentals - Capablanca
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/33870
Henry Bird
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4902
A drawing move ? How come I lost ?
http://signalman90.blogspot.com/2012/01/t44-round-4-drawing-move-learning-point.html
Amateur Openings 1
http://signalman90.blogspot.com/2011/01/do-you-have-opening-for-me.html
Amateur Openings 1
http://signalman90.blogspot.com/2011/10/teamleague-4545-t50-summary-and.html
Amateur Openings 3
http://signalman90.blogspot.com/2011/12/t51-summary-and-openings.html
Chessloser would be on here if he hadn't taken down his blog.
Hi Robert,
I'd like to add my thanks to those above for keeping the carnival alive.
Ok, my titbits would be:
Best Blog & Best Moves!
I simply can't see past Tim Krabbe's amazing "Chess Curiosities". It's the benchmark for any chess blog in my view and his 101 Greatest Chess Moves is still the daddy!
From the Hebden Bridge Chess Club site and my own blog I would pick the following:
Most Popular Post
Statistically our best ever post was Lenin vs Hitler: Who Won? This post has spawned a series of spin offs and I was recently amazed to find that the game featured in this post has been put on You Tube badged as the genuine article. The internet is a wonderful place!
Favorite Post
I wish I could always produce posts like this one about visualisation Don't Look Now with interesting content gathered from across the internet and served up with my own perspective. Sadly time rarely permits such strenuous efforts!
Best Game
Not many candidates here! I still have a spot for this ancient game. I've certainly not played many better in the intervening years. Bit of a sad inditement really.
I look forward to this monster list you're creating. Shold be fantastic when it's done.
All the best,
'Mezzo
OK that link to Tim Krabbe's blog didn't work so here it is just in text http://timkr.home.xs4all.nl/chess/fant100.htm
Cheers,
'Mezzo
Great material everyone, thanks!
@LEP - I have some choice chessloser material that I quoted here. Also, I emailed him asking if he would get me anything he still had, but the fake Mrs. Chessloser said he was undercover in Uzbeki-beki-bekistan and it might be awhile.
I would like to contribute in my humble ways:
http://farbrortheguru.blogspot.com/2012/01/act-of-learning.html
This is tricky, because I have actually done two posts on my most popular blog entries:
www.danamackenzie.com/blog/?p=1202
www.danamackenzie.com/blog/?p=958
They will give you lots of links. But that's kind of cheating, isn't it? The challenge was to select five.
So here are the five I would choose:
www.danamackenzie.com/blog/?p=803
("Jerry Hanken on Reshevsky vs. Fischer." A little-known piece of chess history from the Fischer-Reshevsky match, which I heard from Jerry Hanken.)
www.danamackenzie.com/blog/?p=395
("Pruess Parties Like It's 1899." A great game from IM David Pruess, played in true 1800s style.)
www.danamackenzie.com/blog/?p=247
("Dana's Opening Philosophy." In one of my most popular posts of all time, I explain why Opening Theory is a scam.)
www.danamackenzie.com/blog/?p=1202
("Maris'd." I get my Life Master certificate, but I find out that it comes with an asterisk.)
www.danamackenzie.com/blog/?p=1263
("Who Loves Chess the Most?" Oh, what the hell -- why not include my most recent post in the carnival? It's a pretty good one. Sort of an homage to a very common chess player who has nevertheless done something quite uncommon -- he has quite possibly lost more games than anyone else in the USCF.)
Oops, I goofed in my last comment. The URL for my post "Maris'd" is actually
www.danamackenzie.com/blog/?p=959.
I think the others are right.
Nice idea Robert! I'll add a few of my better efforts...
A recent book review of Frank Brady's new Bobby Fischer biography
http://sonofpearl.blogspot.com/2011/06/book-review-endgame-by-frank-brady.html
Some of my pet niggles came out in 10 Ways You Look Like A Chess Newbie
http://blog.chess.com/SonofPearl/10-ways-you-look-like-a-chess-newbie
And my improvement tips for other lazy players like me - 8 Shortcuts To Chess Improvement
http://blog.chess.com/SonofPearl/8-shortcuts-to-chess-improvement
lastly, a lighthearted a not terribly serious quiz, Are You Obsessed By Chess?
http://blog.chess.com/SonofPearl/are-you-obsessed-by-chess-take-the-quiz
Thanks for the great links, finally got some good stuff to read again:)
Hi,
I'm not sure thet fit an 'improvement theme' , but here's some of the best of the Broken Pawn...
http://brokenpawn1.blogspot.com/2011/12/give-kid-prize.html
http://brokenpawn1.blogspot.com/2010/06/beast-in-me.html
http://brokenpawn1.blogspot.com/2011/08/fair-iowa-state-fair.html
Picking a favorite post is like picking a favorite child: they're all favorites. Here instead is an exercise in crowd psychology...
My Most Popular Posts
http://chessforallages.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-most-popular-posts.html
...As for flame wars, who said, "you delivered a written protest to the arbiter accusing me of visiting the bathroom too often"? And, nope, it wasn't Kramnik. - Mark
Hey there!
Here are my choices:
http://prodigalpawn.blogspot.com/2009/08/lets-play-overrated-or-underrated-day-1.html
http://prodigalpawn.blogspot.com/2009/09/chess-fresh-perspective.html
http://prodigalpawn.blogspot.com/2011/12/difference-between-practice-and.html
And without a doubt one of my favorite games I have ever played:
http://prodigalpawn.blogspot.com/2011/10/another-icc-win-lesson-learned-from.html
Robert: Here is the url for the best chess move I have ever played!
http://jimwestonchess.blogspot.com/2006/12/damianos-defense.html
NM Jim West
Well, since you said you were doing classic chess blogs since the beginning of chess blogging, I thought I'd put some together for you and your readers. This is, unfortunately, nowhere near a complete survey, which would be nice to compile but I do have a job and a family and my own blogging addiction to take care of....
Chess Is Fun by Jon Edwards
This was the first real chess blog, and a model of usability and helpfulness to readers. My favorite posts are those that provide a brief book review, a well annotated game from the book, and -- just in case that were not enough for you -- a complete collection of games from the book! There are lots of great games on the White side of the Najdorf Sicilian, but I focused on some other stuff that interested me. You and your readers should really explore this site.
April 30, 2004
Double Rook Sacs
http://www.queensac.com/chessblogapr2004.html
http://www.queensac.com/chessblog/bookgames/seirawan/takemyrooks.htm
Reti - Euwe, Amsterdam 1920
http://www.queensac.com/chessblog/bookgames/seirawan/rooks2.htm
March 31, 2004
Instructive Modern Chess Masterpieces
http://www.queensac.com/chessblogmar2004.html
http://www.queensac.com/chessblog/bookgames/stohl/stohl.htm
Kasparov - Nikolic
http://www.queensac.com/chessblog/bookgames/stohl/kasparov1994.htm
March 30, 2004
Speelman's Albin
http://www.queensac.com/chessblogmar2004.html
Albin Counter Gambit
Levitt - Speelman, Torquay 1982
http://www.queensac.com/chessblog/bookgames/speelman/levitt1982.htm
All the games from the book: http://www.queensac.com/chessblog/bookgames/speelman/speelman.htm
Games in the Albin -- though generally favoring White! - -what's with that? http://www.queensac.com/chessblog/bookgames/speelman/d09games.htm
The Boylston Chess Club Weblog
This was the first major weblog and it did a lot to promote a chess blogging community. Here are some interesting posts, both modern and classic:
Hnefatafl, an ancient Viking board game, revived.
http://boylston-chess-club.blogspot.com/2008/08/hnefatafl-ancient-viking-board-game.html
Tilting at Windmills
http://boylston-chess-club.blogspot.com/2004/12/tilting-at-windmills.html
A Remarkably Successful Failure
http://boylston-chess-club.blogspot.com/2005/05/remarkably-successful-failure.html
http://boylston-chess-club.blogspot.com/2005/01/knights-to-some-de-la-mazans-to-others.html
Measuring the Chess Blogosphere
http://boylston-chess-club.blogspot.com/2006/08/measuring-chess-blogosphere-iii.html
GM Kevin Spraggett
So good to see a GM chess blogger out there. Besides the lovely ladies, and the jokes, and the attacks on the Canadian Chess Federation, what I appreciate most are the annotated games (current and classic) and the quizzes. The quizzes most of all.
http://kevinspraggett.blogspot.com/2011/12/todays-winning-chess-quiz.html
http://kevinspraggett.blogspot.com/2011/11/todays-chess-quiz.html
Liz Vicary
Her interviews with the USCL players were interesting and well received
http://lizzyknowsall.blogspot.com/2007/11/20-questions-with-uscl-commissioner-im.html
http://lizzyknowsall.blogspot.com/2007/11/17-questions-with-gm-larry-christiansen.html
http://lizzyknowsall.blogspot.com/2008/05/national-elementary-part-two-pictures.html
The Chess Mind
One of the first and the best. Unfortunately, Dennis has had to move the blog twice, and one former blog (which had some of his best content) is now completely gone from the web. A terrible loss. His more recent work is solid, but more directed at analyzing the current games than engaging in the sort of things you generally look for in blogs. His analysis of the World Championship games was great.
http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2010/4/24/topalov-wins-game-1.html
http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2010/5/11/game-12-with-notes-a-closer-look-at-the-game-that-retained-a.html#comments
http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2010/5/11/game-12-underway-qgd-lasker-update-at-1235-pm-et-anand-wins.html#comments
http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2010/5/13/the-battle-of-world-champions-karpov-vs-spassky-on-tv-in-198.html#comments
http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/?currentPage=114
Marsh Towers
His reviews really took off around 2008. However, the quality necessarily dropped a bit, as he often had to review several works in each piece. The past couple years, it has been mostly about music.
http://marshtowers.blogspot.com/2005/11/chess-reviews-6.html
Someone else will have to add The Daily Dirt and The Streatham and Brixton Chess Blog which also deserve attention.
As for my work, I would add my series on The Panther, which is my all time favorite even if it never got a lot of attention:
http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/articles/panther/
My three best, in my opinion, are:
The social dimension of chess improvement
When and how much to analyze
Lessons from blitz
My Five favorite posts:
1) http://main.uschess.org/content/view/10502/593
2)http://adventuresofrabin.blogspot.com/2010/03/chess-struggles-in-amish-land.html
3)http://adventuresofrabin.blogspot.com/2010/02/boylston-quads-today.html
4)http://adventuresofrabin.blogspot.com/2010/01/liberty-bell-openback-to-brandeis.html
5)http://main.uschess.org/content/view/10736/605/ (Boylston Chess Club Piece)
-Evan Rabin
(adventuresofrabin.blogspot.com
My Five favorite posts:
1) http://main.uschess.org/content/view/10502/593
2)http://adventuresofrabin.blogspot.com/2010/03/chess-struggles-in-amish-land.html
3)http://adventuresofrabin.blogspot.com/2010/02/boylston-quads-today.html
4)http://adventuresofrabin.blogspot.com/2010/01/liberty-bell-openback-to-brandeis.html
5)http://main.uschess.org/content/view/10736/605/ (Boylston Chess Club Piece)
-Evan Rabin
(adventuresofrabin.blogspot.com
Everyone, thanks very much! The latest submissions have added a lot, and I'm going to go out and get a few more too. I really appreciate everyone for taking the time.
Blunderprone didn't post...that's odd...
I will go out and get some of BP's posts along with others who deserve to be included.
The picture you have selected looks so apt. I am an artist. Lovely picture to paint 1000 words.
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