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October 19, 2024 at 6:14 PM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
Wonder what it's like to write an online chess book? Read this description of my first experience on chessable.com! www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
Secrets of Trapping Pieces: My Experience Writing a Chess Book
So, in September of 2022 I saw a message that chessable.com was having a contest to publish a chess book and that the winner would receive $5,000 against advance sales. Huh. Interesting, but what woul...
www.chess.com
November 21, 2024 at 11:06 AM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
What do chess and home ownership have in common? Lawnmowers! Today we look at the lawnmower mate. First, patterns that lead one to agree lawnmowers can appear on a chessboard! Second, puzzles. Third, short player bios. www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
Secrets of Trapping Pieces: Lawnmower Mate
The primary purpose of this blog is to allow you to test your skills in applying the Lawnmower Mate, not just trapping the king but putting an end to His Majesty. The puzzles range from very easy to.....
www.chess.com
December 11, 2024 at 12:03 PM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
One of my favorite and simplest checkmating patterns is Lolli's Mate. If you don't know it, the post explains it. And then there are plenty o'puzzles to test your newfound or long-term knowledge! Lollipop, lollipop, oh lolly... www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
Secrets of Trapping Pieces: Lolli's Mate
The primary purpose of this blog is to allow you to test your skills in applying Lolli's Mate, not just trapping the King but putting an end to His Majesty. The puzzles range from very easy to...well,...
www.chess.com
December 3, 2024 at 4:29 PM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
In chess there are mating patterns that are quite similar. Today, we look at the Suffocation Mate, similar to the Smothered mate but the king isn't quite as closely surrounded by his courtiers. As always, the pattern is explained and then the puzzles begin. www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
Secrets of Trapping Pieces: Suffocation Mate
The primary purpose of this blog is to allow you to test your skills in applying the Suffocation Mate, not just trapping the King but putting an end to His Majesty. The puzzles range from very easy to...
www.chess.com
December 6, 2024 at 11:32 AM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
Another GOAT of chess quotes blogging entry. Entering the Hall of Fame at #8? Garry Kasparov, former World Champion, author, and politician. www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
Chess QuoteMaster (QM) #8: Garry Kasparov
In chess the rules are fixed, and the outcome is unpredictable, whereas in Putin's Russia the rules are unpredictable, and the outcome is fixed. — Garry Kasparov [A note for my regular readers: The in...
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July 3, 2025 at 7:46 PM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
Time for my monthly chess zodiac rendition of the biographies of famous and many not-so-well-known masters of the chess board born in July...and a smattering of chess bloggers www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
July Babies: A Chess Zodiac
Cancer (the Crab, but not "crabs") and Leo (the Lion, but not the cowardly one from Oz), do they form the nature of chess players born in July? The crab is intuitive, harnessing soft power inside a ha...
www.chess.com
August 1, 2025 at 10:14 AM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
Number Seven now enters the Chess Quote Hall of Fame, David Bronstein. A world chess championship contender who tied the match at 12 points each, but the champ retained the title in case of a tie. An incredible chess author. www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
Chess QuoteMasters #7: GM David Bronstein
We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are. [probable Talmudic origin] [A note for my regular readers: The intro has not changed...much...except for the following paragraph. Feel free t...
www.chess.com
July 19, 2025 at 12:03 PM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
Not the Pillsbury of dough boy fame, this Pillsbury is a great chess player from the past. Explore the conditions that establish a mating net named after Pillsbury and then solve some puzzles of ever-increasing difficult. Good luck! www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
Secrets of Trapping Pieces: Pillsbury's Mate
This is NOT a post about how to make a chess board and pieces using cookie dough or some other pastry confection of your choice. No, no, no! You can learn about that in your average cookbook. Having e...
www.chess.com
March 25, 2025 at 3:22 PM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
If you loved IM Jeremy Silman, then you'll love this post about chess hogs rooting on the seventh in pursuit of a Blind Swine mate! Introductory diagrams and some explanations are followed by puzzles sorted from easy to, "Huh! No wonder a grandmaster missed that!!" www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
Secrets of Trapping Pieces: Blind Swine Mate
The primary purpose of this blog is to allow you to test your skills in applying the Blind Swine mate, not just trapping the King but putting an end to his miserable existence. The puzzles range from ...
www.chess.com
February 18, 2025 at 7:36 PM
rye-bread.bsky.social
Spooky month drawings!! Marked suggestive due to a realistic-ish heart (so like gore) - also the art is old so note that! #spookymonth #sirpelo #bobspookymonth #spookymonthbob #sm #bobvelseb
#kevinsm #smkevin #strebersm #streberxkevin #smstreber #smlila #lilasm #art #artsky #shipart #twgore #gore
A traditional pen drawing of Spooky Month characters, the biggest doodle including Bob Velseb holding onto a skull, drooling with a grin- also having a wide stance. His other arm is behind his back. To the top right, there is a drawing of a semi realistic heart with his eyes closed. He is smiling, and the text stats “I heart you” (the realistic heart in his hands intending to be the heart part.) Below that is a drawing of Kevin and Streber blushing- both eyes closed. Kevin has his mouth closed meanwhile Streber has a wide grin. Below them on the right, Lila is drawn with a startled expression, a shaky frown and sweat on her face. She is implied to be shaking due to the lines around her. Finally, to the left there is text of “Spooky month” highlighted with orange pen used for the writing. The Os are drawn to look like a ghost, and above that text in the same colour as the writing below, the ghost says “Boo!”
October 18, 2024 at 1:52 PM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
Two days ago, I hit the "Submit for Publication" button on KIMPLODES!, a book about how to analyze your chess games while playing and afterwards.
Meanwhile, I'm keeping busy with chess blogs. www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
Chess Quotemasters #5: Robert (Bobby) James Fischer
To be great is to be misunderstood. Ralph Waldo Emerson A typical teenager's response (well, it was my response) to Emerson's quote might be the following, I'm the most misunderstood person in the who...
www.chess.com
September 11, 2025 at 10:29 AM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
Time for chess player birthdays during the Dog Days of August! www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
August Babies: A Chess Zodiac
Leos are blessed with such self-confidence that they are natural entertainers--does that bring any chess streamers to mind? We'll find out! Meanwhile, Virgos are known for their attention to detail an...
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August 31, 2025 at 10:11 AM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
Number 6 now enters the Chess Quotes Hall of Fame. IM Jeremy Silman wrote numerous books, provided chess insights to shows such as Harry Potter, and inspired me to write three chess books. Read all about him www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
Chess QuoteMasters 6: IM Jeremy Silman
Of chess it has often been said that life is not long enough for it – but that is the fault of life, not chess. William Ewart Napier To my fellow, esteemed quotologists, the opening quote was a follow...
www.chess.com
August 15, 2025 at 10:50 AM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
Know someone with a birthday in June who likes chess and wants to learn more about players born this month? Here's a post with pictures, bios, quotes, video links, and more! www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
June Babies: A Chess Zodiac
Gemini – the twins. Opposite sides of the same coin? Are they conjoined? They certainly seem inseparable. Perhaps they are descendants of Janus, the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, dualit...
www.chess.com
June 30, 2025 at 12:48 PM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
A return to my chess.com Hall of Fame series. A short bio, quotes, some analyzed games, pictures, and links to a treasure chest of other information sources about this grandmaster. www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
Hall of Fame #42: Najdorf–"Happy-Go-Lucky"
[A note for my regular readers: The intro has not changed. Feel free to jump to the Table of Contents or even to the Biography.] [A note for my new readers: I believe it is useful to read the full int...
www.chess.com
June 20, 2025 at 11:44 AM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
A return to the topic of who the GOATs of chess quotes were! This week, introducing #9 of the Top Ten of all time, imo. www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
Chess QuoteMaster (QM) #9: GM Rudolf Spielmann
People sometimes complain that there are fewer 'brilliant' sacrifices than there used to be in the past. However, the point is that players just don't allow them anymore! - Alexander Grischuk So, who ...
www.chess.com
June 13, 2025 at 12:38 PM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
A return to my chess players Hall of Fame series. This time it's #43 Szymon Winawer, a one-time German CC, and former #2 worldwide. A previous video and puzzle series was executed by the GMs mentioned below. Mine is more amusing...imo 🤣 www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
HoF #43: Winawer (The French King)
This blog is a celebration that leverages an outstanding concept of GMs Nielsen and Gustafsson (both of whom are also popular chessable.com authors) but offers my unique take. The two GMs produced vid...
www.chess.com
June 7, 2025 at 12:22 AM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
A Chess Zodiac for May. No predictions, I leave that to the reader's imagination!! Instead, there are names, stories, quotes, images, and more about chess players born on every day of May. www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
May Babies: A Chess Zodiac
Maybe, maybe not. Like mayflies, each day lasts only 24 hours (ignoring the fact a day is actually about four minutes less than that), so the opportunity to be born the same day as a famous chess play...
www.chess.com
May 31, 2025 at 10:22 AM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
A return to the topic of who the GOATs of chess quotes were! This week, introducing #10 of the Top Ten of all time, imo. www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
Chess QuoteMaster #10: GM Andrew Soltis
If drink is the curse of the working classes and work is the curse of the drinking classes, then chess is the curse of the thinking classes. J Ross So, who are the GOATs of chess quotes? Do you have a...
www.chess.com
May 23, 2025 at 10:30 AM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
The seventh post on "Hall of Fame" chess players. GM Peter Leko is up this time. He was nearly the World Champion but lost the last game to Vladimir Kramnik in a 14-game match. www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm... Next week, I'll introduce #10 in the Chess Quotemaster Countdown.
HoF #44: Leko–"The Cement Meister"
This blog is a celebration that leverages an outstanding concept of GMs Nielsen and Gustafsson but offers my unique take. The two GMs produced videos and multiple lessons regarding their top 50 chess ...
www.chess.com
May 16, 2025 at 1:43 PM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
The beginning of a new series that starts with chess players renowned for great quotes and whittles that down to the Top Ten Chess Quotemasters (QMs)! This week, I will introduce the 23 candidates and provide some details on the selection criteria. Stay tuned for QM#10! www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
ANNOUNCMENT! The Top Ten Chess Quotemasters (QMs)
We are in truth but pieces on this chess board of life, which in the end we leave, only to drop one by one into the grave of nothingness. (c 1120) - Omar Khayyam So, who are the chess quote GOATs? Do ...
www.chess.com
May 9, 2025 at 10:57 AM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
Week six of posting on famous chess players with a brief bio, quotes by or about the individual, a quick review of any books they wrote, some games they analyzed, and any interesting external links with other fun tidbits. Cheers! www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
HoF #45: Maróczy–"The Bind"
This blog is a celebration that leverages an outstanding concept of GMs Nielsen and Gustafsson (both of whom are also popular chessable.com authors) but offers my unique take. The two GMs produced vid...
www.chess.com
May 2, 2025 at 12:49 PM
kevinchesssmith.bsky.social
I've compiled another chess birthdays zodiac, this time for April. Read about world champs, chess power couples, famous authors, streamers extraordinaire, and more! Do you or a family member or friend share a birthday with any of them? Time to find out!! www.chess.com/blog/KevinSm...
April Babies: A Chess Zodiac
April Fools! This post is just so I can get a badge🤪. Oh, wait. That's the people on the "All Blogs" page who just learned that if they post ten times, they'll earn a weightless and coinless merit bad...
www.chess.com
April 30, 2025 at 11:27 AM