Below see the dust jacket first edition of Fischer's 60 Memorable Games printed 1969.  Thanks goes to Mark Trevor Smith, the original owner, and Will Starnes, for passing the edition onto me.  I will cherish the book and while it does not offer anything in the way of chess knowledge that we cannot get from the newer edition (I have that, too, with algebraic notation) it does represent why this chess club was founded and what people hoped to get out of the game.  While I do not know all that many people I would call accomplished chess players (unless you've reached some sort of titled status) there is nonetheless a plethura of people who think they are accomplished. So, if nothing else, read and go over 4 or 5 of the games and ask yourself:  could I have come up with such splendid plans, defenses and attacks against the world elite?  If not, perhaps it is time to be humble, sit back and enjoy the game, your opponent and dream of one day understanding the game and all its complexities.


In the next few days I will add a game or two from this publication and you can view them here or in the Games section.  Please check back for the selected games.

The links below take you to chess happenings in the schools and the efforts being made to promulgate chess not only as a game but a game that has benefits far beyond the game itself.


America's Foundation for Chess
Teacher's Guide: Research and Benefits of Chess

Additional links and information regarding Scholastic or Youth Chess will be posted here and the Springfield Park Board Chess Club invites players of all ages to attend our Friday night meetings.  Chess is a game for all ages and our Club is open to anyone who wishes to learn and play chess.  The following is taken from an interview with Yasser Seirawan.

 Many beginning players get depressed when they are outgunned. How did you deal with early losses as you learned your stuff?

I never learned to deal with my losses. I hated to lose! At one point, I was certainly convinced that chess was not for me. This probably happened after 80 consecutive losses and I’m not exaggerating. I was really awful. At the time, as a 12 year old, it was just nice to be involved in an “adult” activity. I was getting a lot of attention from folks who were much older than me and I had an excuse to be in their presence.

Additionally, from the same interview:

Does chess have a future and, if so, what visionary insight can you share?

Chess has a great future. It is a marvelous tool of the mind that transfers skills such as reasoning, planning, strategic thinking, responsibility and discipline to everyday life. Chess players are more aware of when their brains are working and whether they are having productive mental storms or not. Chess players understand the need to invest their time to improve their game and when they don’t put in the required work their results will suffer. This is true for all things, whether building a house or a business. Planning is key. Things don’t just happen. An idea is conceived, nurtured and brought into being. Theory and practice go hand in glove. As teachers become more aware of how chess can positively impact the lives of children, chess will become an elective class for schools.


See full interview here:

Yasser Seirawan full interview