The game below is probably my best game from my last event even though I lost. I played White against NM Davis Whaley:

Lexington, KY "Begin Anew" January 24, 2009 Round 2
Anton Taylor - NM Davis Whaley

1. e4 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nf3 d6 4. Nc3 Bg4 5. Be2 g6 6. h3 Bxf3 7. Bxf3 Bg7 8.
d3 e6 9. O-O Nge7 10. Bg5 O-O 11. Qd2 Nd4 12. Bh6 Nxf3+ 13. gxf3 Nc6 14.
Bxg7 Kxg7 15. f4 Nd4 16. f3 Qh4 17. Kh2 Qh5 18. Qf2 a6 19. Ne2 Nxe2 20.
Qxe2 Qh6 21. Kg3 Rae8 22. e5 g5 23. exd6 Qh4+ 24. Kg2 Qxf4 25. Rae1 f6 26.
Qe4 Rf7 27. Qxf4 gxf4 28. d4 cxd4 29. b4 e5 30. a4 Rc8 31. Rc1 a5 32. c5
axb4 33. Rc4 Rd7 34. Rb1 b6 35. Rbxb4
... and the rest is a time scramble but a short glance will show Black clearly better after White's poor play.

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I won't be posting a regular edition this weekend because I'm at a chess tournament see: http://lexchess.com/index.php?view=details&id=105:begin-anew
I'll be back next week spreading the good word on Chess!

The past week or so has been little more than tournament news in the chess blog world. Is that all chess is about? That's not a rant but a legitimate question. Is there something that you ... the reader ... can do to spice up these occasional periods of time when news is slower and no new initiatives are developing even though what we have now is steadily moving forward?

Then again, as I said, are tournaments all chess is about? While I think that tournaments are chess in its purest form I disagree that that's all there is to chess. If playing in tournaments is all their is then what about tournament organizing? That's an enjoyable and legitimate chess-related enterprise.

If tournament organizing is legitimate ... then what about chess teaching? Is that newsworthy? I just read in the recent Chess Life an article all about GM Gregory Kaidanov who is known more as a successful teacher than player.

I believe that we can expand our personal network far enough that Chess itself can encompass just about everything. That makes me something of a Pariah in the circles that think chess should just be left alone but with the more open crowd (the people who think up Chess+Boxing and Chess+Scuba Diving, etc.) I'm gaining ground.

As for the moment the chess community as a whole would like to at least listen to new ideas but they lack a leader to stand up and say "This is the new idea that you should embrace". Are you that person?

I was reading a recent article by Tom Chivers and it reveals a sentiment that those who know me best will know I agree with ...

When it comes to chess, I'm not particularly big on sharing. For instance, the more children who learn about the delights of our game, the more who will beat me in a few seasons time. Ideally, I'd like chess to become increasingly unpopular to the point of vanishing: for therein lies my only real chance of gaining the World Championship.<

While I don't necessarily agree that discouraging people from playing is the best solution to our fears of inadequacy I certainly relate to the sentiment. I seriously doubt that Tom feels the way he writes in his article as well but the messages undercurrent is apparent. I love his little cartoon as well ...