Fihankra Chess Collective
Sunday, November 30, 2003
We would like to give praise to a local chess jewel: Mr. Beau Hardeman. He is a worthy instructor who takes his students seriously and trains them up to be strong players. Make contact with the "Lion of the Savannah!"
We also give thanks for Master-class player Negash Bezaleel. His dedication to the game and the community that supports it is worthy of praise. He is playing at the Starbuck's Coffeehouse on Cascade Road in Southwest Atlanta, and as we watch the Master at work, we can only be proud. Play through one of his games at the Chess Drum Game Library against the strong Terrence Depeaza in the Georgia State Championships (3). Don't let the name confuse you; by any name he is a marvel at the board, and we wish him many blessings.
As you decide to play through games, I offer advice from a strong player who related it to our group:
Take two boards, one large, one small. Play through the game score. As you come to a decision point:
Leave the small board, your guide board, and set up the position on the large board, your study board.-->
Go through the variations, and make notes on how YOU see the board, and question what your annotator has said is true. It is not necessarily true because it is in writing. Look beyond the illusion of permanency of the book and see the truth of what is being said. Test it against your own thoughts, and bring clarity to the exercise and to your own play. To strengthen the mind with great ideas is to strengthen your body's constitution with great diet. The bones of the martial artist become stronger as they test them with struggle. The weakest of the bones are broken and rebuilt denser, deeper, and more resilient. The mind follows the same principle, and your play will follow. Then,
PLAY THE GAME!
Thursday, November 27, 2003
November 27th, 2003:
We at Fihankra Chess Collective encourage the "standard" game, in addition to any variations that improve vision and creativity, such as Gothic Chess, Maharajah Chess, Correspondence Chess, or Progressive Chess.
A must-see site: The Chess Drum for all information and gamescores from spectacular players across the Diaspora.
See your players at Chess Photos.
Frank Johnson, on the way to Mastership, is an excellent photographer.
