HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: hau4@ellis.uchicago.edu (sven  hauptfeld)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Re: Top FIDE Ratings
Date: 25 Jan 93 02:49:13 GMT
Reply-To: hau4@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago

In article <C1C622.2FA@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> J.Theodore.Schuerzinger@dartmouth.edu (J. Theodore Schuerzinger) writes:
>
>Sokolov was #3 in 1987, but look at him now.  I don't know how he ever
>got to #3, but I think ratings inflation might have had something to do
>with it.  (Please change the header if you're going to start a thread
>about ratings inflation!)  Also, I don't think Yusupov was #4 when he
>played against Sokolov in the 'Candidates' Final'.
>
I think Sokolov and Yusupov shared #3 and #4 with the rating of 2665, but this
is just from my head and that rating might well have been _after_ Sokolov's
convincing defeat in his match with Karpov.

I'll also point out that this is Andrei Sokolov, from former USSR (probably
Russia but I'm not sure), who is not to be found among top 50 players today
(although he is still young). He is not related to Ivan Sokolov, the rising
star from Bosnia-Herzegovina. Even their last names are stressed on different
syllables (Ivan SOkolov [sure] and AnDREY SoKOlov [SokoLOV? Russian speakers,
help, please!]).

	Sven
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
From: gene@essex.ecn.uoknor.edu (Gene E. Johannsen)
Subject: Re: First KK match
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 20:57:50 GMT
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

J.Theodore.Schuerzinger@dartmouth.edu (J. Theodore Schuerzinger) writes:

>Do you really want most of the games?  I'm sure I could post a few
>19-move draws....  :-)

>Seriously, though, I do have the scores to the games, but not in a form
>convenient for posting.  :-(

>--Ted Schuerzinger
>email: .zed@Dartmouth.EDU
>"I should have realized it would be bad vodka when all the label said
>was 'Russian Vodka'."

Yes, I do want them.  I read recently where Fischer criticized the games,
and I wanted to play them myself, to judge on my own.  I was hoping someone
might have the games in a convenient machine readable form, but, oh well.

Wouldn't it be great, though, if all the games from the championships were
on line somewhere?

gene
From: ralf@ark.abg.sub.org (Ralf Stephan)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Re: Parallel Chess Programs?
Date: 27 Jan 93 10:06
Organization: Not Very Ltd.

hyatt@cis.uab.edu (Robert Hyatt) writes:
> In article <C1Errs.DC@dcs.ed.ac.uk> pds@epcc.ed.ac.uk (Patrick Surry) writes:
> 
> >Can anyone give me any information on chess programs that have been
> >implemented on parallel machines and/or techniques for same?  We are 
> >interested in developing a very simple such program as a learning
> >experience.
> 
> The ones I'm familiar with:
> [...]

And
7. "Zugzwang" from the University Paderborn (Germany) which runs on 1024
   T-825 transputers and scored 4/5 in the last computer WC.
   They plan to upgrade to 65535 processors and want to use the T-9000
   whenever it mayeth be available... (Team: R.Feldmann, P.Mysliwietz)

ralf
--
************************************
One program's worth a thousand words.
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
From: david@bourbon.ee.tulane.edu (David Kaufmann)
Subject: Re: CHESS NOVELS?
Nntp-Posting-Host-[nntpd-17445]: bourbon
Organization: Department of Electrical Engineering, Tulane Univ.
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 06:03:35 GMT


There is a short story/novella by Zelazny, sf, quite good. I think
it's called "The Unicorn Variation."

David Kaufmann
INTERNET:	david@bourbon.ee.tulane.edu
From: tromp@cwi.nl (John Tromp)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Short-Timman, Game 11 adjourned
Date: 27 Jan 93 09:56:42 GMT

The 11th game in the Short-Timman match, played last Tuesday,
was adjourned in the following position:

Timman (white): Kg2 Rf5 f2 h3
Short  (black): Kc4 Rb2 g5 h4

This is from memory, so pieces may be off by a square:-)
Experts in Wijk aan Zee were of the opinion that Timman should win
this endgame, Kf3 being his best move. Whether Jan sealed that move is
of course anybody's guess...


-John Tromp (tromp@cwi.nl)         f() is total -- R.L. Goodstein
define s(n){;auto e,r;for(0;n;n/=b)r+=n%b*(b+1)^s(e++);return(r)}
define f(n){;for(b=2;n;b++)n=s(n)-1;return(b)} for(n=0;1;n++)f(n)
From: freeman@symcom.math.uiuc.edu (Edmund E. Freeman)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Re: book recommendation
Date: 26 Jan 93 22:35:08 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.C1HG2K.LrE
Distribution: usa
Organization: Math Dept., University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign

In article <1993Jan25.234909.741@netcom.com> walkie@netcom.com (Benjamin Wayne Witz) writes:
>Hello.  I am also a beginner to the VAST world of chess :-)
>I played a little from ages 8-12, but haven't played much
>until them.
>
>Now I play on the ICS, and have just become a member of USCF
>and looking to join a club here in the Kalamazoo, MI area.
>One thing that still boggles me is all these openings, knowing
>everyone who's everyone to know, and every little tactic about
>preparing for move 20 from move 1....heck I can't even think
>past my OWN move :-)

	I'm a B-player (i.e.,not too strong but I have played in tourneys),
so I figure my observations are reasonable for you.
	I find I can't stay in book for more than a couple of moves. This
happens even in my correspondence games. As a result, I wouldn't worry
about memorizing opening variations. Rather, what you need to have in mind are
general goals, (i) what you want to do in the opening (ii) more specifically,
what you are trying to do in the specific opening. For instance, in the
Stonewall system the object is to make a kingside attack by (a) Bishop on d3,
(b) pawns on d4 and f4 (c) N on e5 supported by pawns & another N on f3
if possible. In the French Defense, the idea is to let White have a big
pawn center and then attack it, so as white developes, he has to put his
pieces in defensive positions.
	For general opening guidance, I would reccomend Mednis' "How to make good opening moves" ( I think that's the title). For tactics, play speed a lot.
			Ed
m
a
i
l
fodder
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess,rec.puzzles
From: jeremyt@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Jeremy Tree)
Subject: Re: Fianchetto; En Passant
Summary: Definition of an old italian phrase.
Organization: University of Sussex
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 14:50:07 GMT

This is a reply to the question of what the term "passar battaglia"
meant.
Translated it means "dodging the fight" and was most obviously used in
reference to making the new two-step  first move by a pawn to avoid
being taken by an opposing pawn on the fifth or third rank,. It is
consider that the two square option was  probably intoduced some time in
the 13th century, and it seems probable that the phrase first appeared
then as such action would have probably been common practice.

Apparently the term lived on well into the 1800's until the en passent
rule became a rule of law.

Cheers Jeremy



Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
From: hyatt@cis.uab.edu (Robert Hyatt)
Subject: Re: BLitz question (Was: touch-move etiquette)
Organization: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 18:01:20 GMT

In article <1993Jan28.151451.28860@osf.org> ron@osf.org (Ron Birnbaum) writes:
>Here's another question for blitz rules experts:
>
>  I know if both flags drop then the game is a draw - so once someone's 
>flag drops the player can still play unless the flag is called by the
>opponent. And in blitz chess one who makes an illegal move loses. But
>what happens if Player A's flag falls - but player B doesn't notice
>the fallen flag and proceeds to make an illegal move. Can Player A claim
>a win since Player B has made an illegal move - even though Player A's
>flag is down???
>
>Thanks.
>
>-Ron
>
>

I have been to several national speed chess events.  The last one I attended
had at least one case of every possible scenario that can occur.  I believe
that everyone played under the following rules:

1.  If you call a flag down and your flag is still up, you win on time.

2.  If you call a flag down and your flag is also down, the game is a draw.

3.  If you (or your opponent) announces mate (not mate in n but mate on the
move as in qxg7 mate) then the mate stands regardless of the flag.  As in
the regular rules, mate overrides flag down, an ambiguity that has been
discussed at length.

I have seen "gambits" where player a got mated, but noticed that player b's
flag was down.  player a would make an illegal move and then punch the clock
and claim a time forfeit.  In such games, taking the opponent's king is ample
proof of an illegal move, but the ensuing argument was entertaining to say the
least.


-- 
!Robert Hyatt                    Computer and Information Sciences   !
!hyatt@cis.uab.edu               University of Alabama at Birmingham !
From: marcelk@blade.stack.urc.tue.nl (Marcel van Kervinck)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Timman-Short game 11 (Timman wins) moves
Date: 27 Jan 93 19:53:48 GMT
Organization: Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands.

# Timman - Short
# El Escorial 1993
# (11)
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.Qc2 Be7 7.e3 Nbd7 8.Bd3
Nh5 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Nge2 Nb6 11.O-O-O g6 12.Kb1 Ng7 13.Ng3 Bd7 14.Rc1 O-O-O
15.Na4 Nxa4 16.Qxa4 Kb8 17.Rc3 b6 18.Ra3 Be8 19.Qc2 Rc8 20.Rc1 Bd7 21.Qd2
h5 22.Rb3 Ne6 23.Rbc3 h4 24.Ne2 Qd6 25.h3 Rhd8 26.Ng1 g5 27.Nf3 f6 28.R3c2
Ng7 29.Ka1 Bf5 30.Ne1 Kb7 31.Rc3 Bxd3 32.Nxd3 Nf5 33.Qc2 Ne7 34.Qa4 Ka8
35.a3 Qd7 36.Nb4 Kb7 37.Rb3 c5 38.Qxd7+ Rxd7 39.dxc5 d4 40.exd4 Rxd4 41.Nd3
Nd5 42.Kb1 Re8 43.cxb6 axb6 44.a4 Ka7 45.a5 bxa5 46.Rc5 Nb4 47.Rxa5+ Kb6
48.Nxb4 Rxb4 49.Raa3 Re1+ 50.Kc2 Re2+ 51.Kc1 Kb5 52.Rxb4+ Kxb4 53.Rf3 Re1+
54.Kd2 Rg1 55.Ke2 Kc4 56.Rxf6 Rxg2 57.Kf1 Rh2 58.Rf3 Rh1+ 59.Kg2 Rb1 60.Rf5
Rxb2
# adjourned
61.Kf3 Rb1 62.Rxg5 Rf1 63.Rf5 Rg1 64.Rh5 Rf1 65.Rxh4+ Kd5 66.Rf4 Ke5 67.Kg2
Ra1 68.Rf8 Ke6 69.h4 Ke7 70.Rf4 Ra8 71.Kh3 Rh8 72.Kg4 Rg8+ 73.Kh5 Ke6
74.Kh6 Ke5 75.Ra4 Rg2 76.f3 Rg3 77.Re4+ Kf5 78.Re8 Rg6+ 79.Kh7 Rf6 80.Kg7
Rg6+ 81.Kh7 Rf6 82.Re7 Ra6 83.Rf7+ Ke6 84.Kg7 Ra1 85.Rf6+
# 1-0

--
Marcel van Kervinck
marcelk@stack.urc.tue.nl
From: kees@cv.ruu.nl (Kees de Graaf)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Re: Wijk aan Zee 1993 round 2, 1st day
Date: 27 Jan 93 19:59:28 GMT
Organization: University of Utrecht, 3D Computer Vision Research Group

In <93026.124311RFFCC@CUNYVM.BITNET> Ralph Frisch <RFFCC@CUNYVM.BITNET> writes:

| There have been no posts on the strong Wijk aan Zee tournament for a week
| now! The last post is quoted partially below. I am sure that my apprecia-
| tion of these posts is shared by others, and I hope to see more
| results and possibly games from this tournament.
| [posting 2nd round deleted]

Hoogovens Open, Wijk aan Zee, 1993, 8th round
Adams (UK) - Hodgson (UK) 1/2, Nunn (UK) - Piket (Nld) 0-1, Gelfand (Rus) -
L.Hansen (Den) 1-0, Gurevich (Bel) - Chirov (Let) 1/2, Van der Wiel (Nld) -
Azmaiparaschvili (Arm) 1/2, Lobron (Ger) - Korchnoi (Swi) 1-0, Akopian (Arm)
- Tukmakov (Ukr) 1-0, Nikolic (Bos) - Nijboer (Nld) 1/2, C.Hansen (Den) -
Van Wely (Nld) 1/2, Sokolov (Bos) - Lputian (Arm) 1/2, Van der Sterren (Nld)
- Huzman (Ukr) 0-1, Rotstein (Ukr) - Reinderman (Nld) 0-1, Christiansen
(US) - Wolff (US) 1/2, Van de Werf (Nld) - Har Zvi (Isr) 0-1, Schwartzman
(Rum) - Leko (Hun) 1/2, Cifuentes (Nld) - Smirin (Isr) 0-1, De Boer (Nld) -
Winants (Bel) 1/2, Schmittdiel (Ger) - Grooten (Nld) 1-0.

Top standings: 1/2) Adams, Piket 6 pts., 3-5) Gelfand, Hodgson, Lobron
5.5 pts.

Here's one game which I chose at random ;-)
Nunn - Piket. 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bb5 Nd4 5 Ba4 c6 6 d3 b5 7 Bb3
Nxb3 8 axb3 d6 9 0-0 Be7 10 Ne2 Bg4 11 Re1 Bxf3 12 gxf3 Qd7 13 d4 Qh3 14
Qd3 0-0 15 Ng3 g6 16 Qc3 Nd7 17 Qxc6 exd4 18 Bf4 Rc8 19 Qd5 Qe6 20 Qxb5
Rxc2 21 e5 dxe5 22 Ra6 Qh3 23 Bxe5 Bc5 24 Bd6 Rc8 25 Rc6 Bxd6 26 Rxd6 Rc1
27 Rf1 Nf8 28 Rxd4 Ne6 29 Ra4 h5 30 Rc4 Rxc4 0-1.

Enjoy,  --Kees
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
From: walkie@netcom.com (Benjamin Wayne Witz)
Subject: Re: book recommendation
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 23:49:09 GMT

Hello.  I am also a beginner to the VAST world of chess :-)
I played a little from ages 8-12, but haven't played much
until them.

Now I play on the ICS, and have just become a member of USCF
and looking to join a club here in the Kalamazoo, MI area.
One thing that still boggles me is all these openings, knowing
everyone who's everyone to know, and every little tactic about
preparing for move 20 from move 1....heck I can't even think
past my OWN move :-)

I'm kinda afraid to join a tournament...I hate seeing negative
numbers associated with my name :-)

Any further help the 'experts' here can tell me would be appreciated

-- 
[Benjamin W. Witz (WalkieT)   |        walkie@netcom.com]
[Portage, MI                  |        x90witz@wmich.edu]
[(616) 3276419                |  99witz@lab.cc.wmich.edu]
From: sla@mimsy.umd.edu (Steve Armentrout)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Mac interface for ICS
Date: 25 Jan 93 03:52:52 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: U of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Science, Coll. Pk., MD 20742

Is there a Mac interface for ICS that will accomodate small screens
(like the Mac Classic)?  The only graphical interface that I have
seen for the Mac is useless on my SE/30 screen.

Steve
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
From: franklin@cs.columbia.edu (Matthew Franklin)
Subject: CHESS NOVELS
Organization: Columbia University Department of Computer Science
Distribution: rec.games.chess
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 15:29:17 GMT

"The Tower Struck by Lightning" by Fernando Arrabal (translated by
Anthony Kerrigan) is an absurdist Spanish novel about the final game
of a World Championship that gets overshadowed by a kidnapping in
which one of the players is a suspect.  Diagrams give each move of the
final game.  I remember this novel to be wild and weird and well worth
reading.
From: ar635@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Paul J. Tletski)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: ? ICS KnightEdit ?
Date: 22 Jan 1993 14:53:21 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc4.ins.cwru.edu


I recently FTP'ed knightedit.hqx from valkyries.  I used Stuffit Lite to
translate from BinHex to Mac format.  The file outputted by Stuffit was
titled "Knightedit 1.5.2.cpt".  While it was converting the program
it gave the file signature as PACT/CPCT.  Apparently this file is in
a compressed format (the file notes don't indicate this).  What
compression application is this, and where can I get a hold of it?

Thanks,
Paul Tletski
Highland Hts. OH

p.s. Thanks to all who answered my ICS, FTP questions.
From: pds@epcc.ed.ac.uk (Patrick Surry)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Parallel Chess Programs?
Date: 25 Jan 93 11:55:04 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre

Can anyone give me any information on chess programs that have been
implemented on parallel machines and/or techniques for same?  We are 
interested in developing a very simple such program as a learning
experience.

Thanks for your help,
Patrick

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Engineers  think that theory  approximates reality | Mathematicians never
 Physicists think that reality approximates theory  | make the connection
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Patrick Surry, JCMB 2254, Edinburgh, Scotland   e||)   Edinburgh Parallel  
 EMail: pds@epcc.ed.ac.uk  Tel: (031) 650-5960   c||c   Computing Centre    
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: jb118@prism.gatech.EDU (Jeffrey N. Burch)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Re: Smith-Morra Analysis (long)
Summary: The Best or Not the Best?!
Date: 25 Jan 93 22:21:04 GMT
Organization: Georgia Tech Research Institute -- EOL

In article <1k1eu9INN203@newsstand.cit.cornell.edu> ram4@cornell.edu (Rod Malpert) writes:
>
>(where black has a sound   gambit following three very good 
>opening moves for white), is it not necessary to have an open mind 
>about the Smith- Morra?  

Certainly.

>Moreover, most people would agree
>that 1...c5 is not the best reply to 1 e4.  It is popular because 
>it leads to interesting positions, but certainly after one 
>move white has done more to improve his position than black
>has.  At this point perhaps it could be correct to gambit 
>the pawn rather than play into black's hands by opening the 
>C-file for him with 2 Nf3 and 3 d4. 

These last statements are the ones I'm not at all certain about.

While I don't have the opening statistics handy, the Sicilian, in 
some form, is probably played by more players in response to e4 than 
any two other openings combined (information on distribution of openings 
was posted not all that long ago - does anyone have it readily available?).
Also, while I don't play chess quite at the master level (I'm only an 
expert), I suspect that most players, master or otherwise, have many 
reasons for playing the openings they do, and that there is really no 
true concensus on which is "best."

I rather doubt whether Sicilian players (myself included) really 
think that 1 ...c5 is not the best reply to e4.  And regarding white
having done more in one move to improve his position than black, I
would respond:

1)  it takes more than one move (especially the first!) in order 
    to be able to judge an opening reasonably,  and

2)  it depends on what your goals are.  Black has opened a line for
    his queen, and controlled a center square.  Black's success with
    the numerous lines of Sicilian shows that he has no reason to 
    abnormally fear the White side of it - certainly not enough reason
    to give up playing the opening!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^  Dr. J(effrey Neil Burch)                 jb118@prism.gatech.edu    ^
^  Georgia Tech Research Institute                                    ^ 
^  Electro-Optics and Physical Sciences Laboratory                    ^
^  Atlanta, Ga.                                                       ^
^  30332                 If the facts do not conform to the theory,   ^
^  404-894-3628                the facts must be disposed of.         ^ 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
From: ntmtv!prupisvi@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Victor Prupis)
Subject: Re: CHESS NOVELS?
Organization: Northern Telecom Inc, Mountain View, CA
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 23:09:02 GMT


In article <1993Jan25.175027.21442@bnrmtl.bnr.ca> gillesf@bnrmtl.bnr.ca
write:
>In article <1jss41INNed7@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> ck832@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Stephen Leary) writes:
>
>[stuff deleted]
>
>>Nabokov, Vladimir. THE DEFENSE.
>
>In French, the name is "La Defense Loudjine", instead of "La Defense" alone.
>Nabokov explained that "Loudjine" (beside being the name of the main character)
>is pronounced in Russian in a way that sounds like "illusion" in English.
>This is why I find it strange that the title is "The Defense" straight.
>
In Russian (the original language) the name is "Zashchita Luzhina"
which might be transalated as "The Luzhin Defence" (i.e. an opening
variation) or "Defending Luzhin". 
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Gilles Fayad	(514) 287-1287	
>
>Unfortunately, my employer is not in the Chess business.
>Fortunately, it allows me to claim every opinion expressed here as solely
>mine.
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>

Victor
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
From: cs911209@ariel.yorku.ca (MICHAEL B DAVIS)
Subject: Looking for shareware chess programs
Organization: York University, Toronto, Canada
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 15:13:57 GMT

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know where I can find a good public domain or shareware Chess
program?  It would be really nice if it had good graphics.  It would also be
nice if it supported Hercules graphics (please don't laugh).

Thanks.




Michael Davis		York University			Toronto

			cs911209@ariel.yorku.ca
From: abbasi@star.enet.dec.com (My name is Nasser Abbasi)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Re: Past Chess Champions vs Present Day (Kasparov)
Date: 24 Jan 93 11:46:07 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation


In article <1993Jan23.220114.6263@crash>, uzun@crash.cts.com (Roger Uzun) writes...
>I am curious as to what the concensus of opinion is (if any
>concensus exists) on how the World Chess Champions of the
>past would have done, in their primes, vs modern day chess
>champions (Karpov, Kasparov et al).  Could some of the
>great Champions of the early 20th century, or the 1940's '50s,
>or even the late 19th Century, have competed against Kasparov,
>or has the level of play at the world championship level
>increased markedly over the years? 
> 
>-Roger

this question is not set up right, because if you bring say capablanca 
or say Lasker alive now , and put them in their chess primes , they'll not
do too well against top players on this age BUT that is because the opening 
chess theory has advanced too far, on the other if some of these old great 
players would somehow be brought back knowing all the changes in modern 
opening theories , they'll knock heads with the best of our current 
great players and come up equal if not ahead.

on a side note, i always enjoyed playing over old classical games such as 
Lasker, Alekhine, capa. etc.. i found those games very artistic also, and 
you can learn allot by playing some of the old games by the great players.

\nasser
From: proskuro@mathn.usc.edu (Wlodek Proskurowski)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Nabokov
Date: 26 Jan 1993 12:13:40 -0800
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: mathn.usc.edu

A new twist (angle) on the subject.

Vladimir Nabokov, Poems and Problems, McGraw-Hill, 1970.
From the Introduction (by V.N.):
...Finally, there is chess.  I refuse to apologize for its inclusion.  
Chess problems demand from the composer the same virtues that characterize 
all worthwhile art: originality, invention, conciseness, harmony, complexity,
and splendid insincerity.  The composing of those ivory-and-ebony riddles
is a comparatively rare gift and an extravagantly sterile occupation; but then
all art is inutile, and divinely so, if compared to a number of more popular
human endeavors.  Problems are the poetry of chess ...
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess,rec.puzzles