Last round of the current club season last week: was pretty pleased I found 23.Rxe5! Qxe5 24.Bf4 and the pin threatens Qb6+ winning amongst others. However completely missed ..Bg7 and lost the thread after 25.Bxe5 Bxe5 26.Qe2 (Ne2 is better) Bd4+ 27.Kf1? Nd5 and 0-1, 32
#chesspunks

Sunday newsletter: The Putinization of America
My conversation with Garry Kasparov

open.substack.com/pub/charlies...

On the recent reissue of 'Gather in the Mushroom' on Ace. Really like the instrumental part youtu.be/JwFXUmVbsYI?....

Nicest finish in years yesterday evening in the 1st round of a big Dutch weekender in Leiden vs an equal 1800-er. Black mates in 4! #chesspunks

Best Go4 track imo youtu.be/iHfwqs5B1UU?...

A blunder from my recent Groningen Open (1/5: -2 =2 and this) vs a 1855. Worried about a threat of 16.. Bc5 finally decided on getting rid of it immediately: 16.Nc3 Bc5 17.Na4?? Rxa4÷ Forgot the standard blundercheck... Engine gives advantage after every discovered check sigh. #chesspunks

At the Groningen Open (www.chessfestival.nl) this week. Always highly amusing that before the start of a given round they randomly draw the names of half a dozen players in the tournament sections who are then subjected to a full an electronic bodyscan for suspect devices.

Probably my favorit Christmas song youtu.be/u426NFhGWq8?...

My favorite rocksteady track. 'Red Rose' and 'It's Hard to Confess' are also great. youtu.be/V2xsXAr4Mps?...

A finish at my club last week (not me). White - totally oblivious to the danger - took the knight on c5...

After a lot of average club games (1700 level) this year finally had a satisfying finish a few weeks ago. While targeting f2 (white defended with Nd1) i noticed the mate.