Kipp Watson & Friends

"Chess is life"
- Bobby Fischer

The number of squares in a chessboard is 64.

Bobby Fischer died recently of kidney failure ... at the age of 64.

I am perplexed by his anti-semitism (weren't his parents both Jewish?) and, at the same time, intrigued by his chess play (casual queen sacrifices, etc.). I long for the days when Shelby Lyman would lift an image of a rook from one canvas pocket and place it another, in accordance with the moves of the 1972 Fischer-Spassky match. I believe that Fischer's greatest contribution is the idea of Fischerrandom chess play, where chess pieces are initially placed randomly during tournament play.

In a somewhat related matter, I have recently volunteered to start up a Go Club, through the auspices of http://go.meetup.com/198. Not because I am a great player -- but because I need the mental stretching exercise. Larry Brauner, where are you? For the rest of you: ready, get a go set, Go!

"as uh matta a factly, membas a dis Go meetup group are comin' 'n goin'"
- Kipp Watson