1. b3 d5 { Nimzo-Larsen Attack, Classical Variation } 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 e5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. d3 Bb4 6. Bb2 d4 7. a3 dxc3 8. Bc1 Ba5 9. Bg5 Bd7 10. h3 h6 11. Be3 Be6 12. g4 Bd5 13. Bxd5 Qxd5 14. f3 Nd4 15. Kf1 Bb6 16. b4 c5 17. bxc5 Bxc5 18. Qb1 b6 19. h4 Nxg4 20. fxg4 Qxh1 21. Bxd4 Bxd4 22. Qb4 Qxg1# { White is checkmated } 0-1

Lunch

Offered me a draw twice before resigning.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 { Queen's Gambit Accepted, General } 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e4 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. e5 Ne4 9. O-O Nxc3 10. bxc3 Bxc3 11. Rc1 Bxd4 12. Bxd4 Nxd4 13. Be2 Nxe2+ 14. Qxe2 O-O 15. Qe4 Bf5 16. Qxb7 a5 17. Rxc7 Rb8 18. Qa7 Be4 19. Rd7 Qc8 20. Ng5 Bg6 21. h4 h5 22. Nxe6 fxe6 23. Rxg7+ Kh8 24. Rxg6 Rb7 25. Qe3 Rh7 26. Rd1 Qc2 27. Rd2 Qb1+ 28. Kh2 Qxg6 { White resigns } 0-1

Evening

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 { Sicilian Defence, Löwenthal Variation } 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bb5 Bg4 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 Qb6 9. Bxc6+ Qxc6 10. Nc3 Nf6 11. Bg5 Be7 12. O-O-O O-O 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Nd5 Rad8 15. Qg4 Kh8 16. Nxf6 gxf6 17. Qf5 Kg7 18. Rd3 Qd7 19. Rg3+ Kh8 20. Qxf6# { Black is checkmated } 1-0

Dicey

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 { Scotch Game, Classical Variation } 5. Be3 Bb6 6. Qd2 d6 7. Bb5 Bd7 8. Nc3 Nge7 9. O-O-O a6 10. Ba4 O-O 11. Bb3 Ba5 12. h4 b5 13. h5 h6 14. g4 Bxg4 15. Rdg1 Bxc3 16. bxc3 Nxd4 17. cxd4 Bf3 18. Bxh6 Bxh1 19. Rxg7+ Kh8 20. d5 Bxe4 21. Qd4 Bxd5 22. Rxf7+ Kg8 23. Qg7# { Black is checkmated } 1-0

Quick one

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 { Philidor Defence, General } Qe7 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Bg5 Nf6 6. Nc3 c6 7. Qd3 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Bg3 Nbd7 10. O-O-O Nh5 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Bxe5 Qxe5 13. Qd8# { Black is checkmated } 1-0

Sicilian

1. e4 c5 2. c4 { Sicilian Defence, Staunton-Cochrane Variation } e6 3. d3 Nc6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Nf3 d6 6. h3 Be7 7. Be2 Bd7 8. O-O Qc7 9. a4 h5 10. h4 Ng4 11. Bg5 f6 12. Bf4 g5 13. hxg5 O-O-O 14. gxf6 Bxf6 15. Ng5 e5 16. Nf7 exf4 17. Nxh8 Rxh8 18. g3 d5 19. Nxd5 Qd6 20. Nxf6 Qxf6 21. gxf4 Qxf4 22. Bf3 Qh2# { White is checkmated } 0-1

10:21

1. e4 c5 2. Bc4 { Sicilian Defence, Bowlder Attack } e6 3. d3 d5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. c4 Bxb5 7. cxb5 Qa5+ 8. Nc3 d4 9. Qa4 Qxa4 10. Nxa4 b6 11. Ne2 Nf6 12. O-O Bd6 13. Re1 O-O 14. f4 Nbd7 15. b3 Nh5 16. Nb2 f5 17. Nc4 Bc7 18. a4 Rae8 19. Bd2 Ndf6 20. h3 Nd5 21. Ra2 Nhxf4 22. Nxf4 Rxe1+ 23. Bxe1 Nxf4 24. Rd2 g6 25. Bg3 Re8 26. Rf2 Ne2+ 27. Kh2 { White resigns } 0-1

Endgame win

1. e4 c5 2. Bc4 { Sicilian Defence, Bowlder Attack } e6 3. Nc3 d6 4. d4 Nf6 5. e5 dxe5 6. dxe5 Qxd1+ 7. Nxd1 Nfd7 8. Nf3 Nc6 9. Bf4 Be7 10. Bb5 a6 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. Bg5 Bxg5 13. Nxg5 Nxe5 14. Ne3 f6 15. Nf3 Nxf3+ 16. gxf3 e5 17. O-O-O Bd7 18. Nc4 O-O-O 19. Nb6+ Kc7 20. Na4 Be6 21. Rxd8 Rxd8 22. b3 c4 23. Nc5 Bf7 24. Nxa6+ Kb6 25. Nb4 cxb3 26. cxb3 Kb5 27. Nc2 Bd5 28. Rd1 Kb6 29. Nb4 Kc7 30. Na6+ Kb6 31. Nb4 Kc7 32. Nxd5+ cxd5 33. a4 Kb6 34. Rd3 Ka5 35. Kb2 f5 36. Rc3 d4 37. Rc7 d3 38. Kc1 e4 39. Kd2 Kb4 40. fxe4 fxe4 41. Rxg7 Kxb3 42. Rxh7 Rc8 43. Rb7+ Kxa4 44. Rd7 Kb5 45. Rd4 Rc2+ 46. Ke3 d2 47. Kxe4 Rc4 48. Ke3 Rxd4 { White resigns } 0-1

Bat flip

SMOTD

Credit Suisse report finds 1% now own half of world's wealth

The richest one per cent now own half of all the wealth in the world, a new report from Credit Suisse says.

The bank's Global Wealth Report 2015 marks the first time that the world's super rich have amassed enough wealth to cross that symbolic line.

By the bank's reckoning, just over $250 trillion US worth of wealth has been amassed by households. At the top sit the ultra-rich, which the bank defines as having a net worth of at least $50 million in assets. Worldwide, there are 120,000 people in the group.

Just below the ultra-rich are 34 million people, with a collective net worth of at least $1 million. Collectively, people in that part of the pyramid make up 0.7 per cent of the world's population, but own 45.2 per cent of the world's wealth. If you extend the cut-off to one per cent of the world's population, they own more than half of all wealth in the world.

"Wealth inequality has continued to increase since 2008, with the top percentile of wealth holders now owning 50.4 per cent of all household wealth," the report said.

Canadian data

In Canada, 1.1 million people last year fit the bill of being worth at least $1 million US. But due largely to the huge drop in the loonie, their ranks actually declined in 2015 to 984,000 people.

Millionaires from just about every country saw their collective wealth decline last year, but the main factor was the rise of the U.S. dollar, which made wealth denominated in other currencies look comparatively smaller.

On a global scale, Canada has a disproportionate number of millionaires as Canadians make up three per cent of the world's "1%", despite Canada having only 0.6 per cent of the world's population.

Middle-class wealth

Beyond tabulating the wealth of the super rich, the report examined the wealth of the so-called middle class, the definition of which changes depending on the country.

In the U.S., Credit Suisse says anyone worth between $50,000 and $500,000 would be considered middle class for the purposes of the survey.  In some countries, the cut-off is higher, for example, in Switzerland, where the middle class starts at $72,000.

In China, it drops to $28,000. In India, it's at $13,700.

Interestingly, this year marks the first time that China's middle class — numbered at 109 million according to the bank — is larger than America's, which counts for 92 million people.

All in all, the middle class is worth a collective $80.7 trillion, or just under a third of the world's wealth.

On the bottom rung of the global wealth pyramid are 3.4 billion adults – 71 per cent of the world's population — who are worth less than $10,000 US.

Counter Attack

1. e4 c5 2. c3 { Sicilian Defence, Alapin Variation, General } Nc6 3. h3 e5 4. Bb5 Qb6 5. a4 a6 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. d3 Qc7 8. Bg5 Be7 9. Qf3 O-O 10. Bb3 d6 11. Bd1 Be6 12. Qg3 Qd8 13. Bh6 g6 14. Bxf8 Bxf8 15. Qf3 Bg7 16. Qe3 Qb6 17. Nf3 Qxb2 18. Ra3 Qxb1 19. Rb3 Bxb3 { White resigns } 0-1

1929?? Not really...

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qf6 { King Pawn Game, McConnell Defence } 3. d4 Nc6 4. d5 Nd4 5. Nxd4 exd4 6. Bd3 Bc5 7. Nd2 d6 8. a3 a5 9. h3 Qh4 10. Nf3 Qf6 11. Bg5 Qg6 12. e5 Bf5 13. Bb5+ Kf8 14. exd6 Bxc2 15. Qd2 Re8+ 16. Bxe8 Qe4+ 17. Qe2 Qxe8 18. Qxe8+ Kxe8 19. dxc7 Kd7 20. Bf4 g5 21. Be5 f6 22. c8=Q+ Kxc8 23. Bxd4 Bd6 24. Rc1 { Black resigns } 1-0

Outside

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Friends

Reno progress

"Pussies do that"

One of the joys of online chess is the occasional irrational abuse that losing players (and sometimes winning players) will mete out. In this case I was told that "Pussies do that" after white made his last move, but I'm not sure if it was in reference to any play style or tactic I used, or if they were even referring to their final move. Either way, it made for an amusing end to a tight game.


After 28. ... Ne5

1. e4 c5 2. Bc4 { Sicilian Defence, Bowlder Attack } e6 3. d3 d5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Bxd7+ Nxd7 7. Nf3 Qe7+ 8. Be3 d4 9. O-O dxe3 10. Re1 Qd6 11. Rxe3+ Be7 12. Nc3 a6 13. Ne4 Qc7 14. c4 Ngf6 15. Nxf6+ Nxf6 16. Ne5 O-O 17. Qf3 Rae8 18. Qh3 Bd6 19. Nf3 Rxe3 20. fxe3 Re8 21. e4 Bf4 22. Rf1 Be3+ 23. Kh1 Qf4 24. g3 Qg4 25. Qg2 Nd7 26. h3 Qh5 27. g4 Qg6 28. h4 Ne5 29. h5 Qxg4 30. Nxe5 Qxh5+ 31. Qh2 Qxh2+ 32. Kxh2 Rxe5 33. Rxf7 Kxf7 { White leaves the game } 0-1

Morning train

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 { Queen's Gambit Accepted, Old Variation } e6 4. Bxc4 Nf6 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bd6 7. e4 Bd7 8. e5 Bb4+ 9. Nc3 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 Nd5 11. Qc2 Qe7 12. O-O Nf4 13. Bxh7 g6 14. Bxf4 Rxh7 15. Bg5 Qf8 16. Rab1 Na5 17. h3 Bc6 18. Nh2 Rh5 19. Bf6 Kd7 20. Qd2 Nc4 21. Qc1 Qh6 22. Qd1 Qf4 23. Ng4 Rah8 24. Qd3 Qxg4 25. Bxh8 Qxg2# { White is checkmated } 0-1

10:46

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 { Scandinavian Defence, Mieses-Kotroc Variation } 3. Nc3 Qd8 4. Nf3 Bf5 5. d3 e6 6. Bd2 Nc6 7. Qe2 Nf6 8. Bg5 Be7 9. O-O-O Nd5 10. Bxe7 Ncxe7 11. Nxd5 exd5 12. Ne5 g6 13. g4 Be6 14. Qf3 f5 15. Bh3 O-O 16. g5 c6 17. d4 Qc8 18. Rhe1 c5 19. Qf4 Nc6 20. dxc5 Nxe5 21. Qxe5 Re8 22. Qd4 Re7 23. Re2 Qd7 24. Rde1 Rae8 25. Re5 Kf7 26. R5e2 Qc7 27. Qf6+ Kg8 28. Rxe6 Rf7 29. Rxe8+ { Black leaves the game } 1-0

2103

Day off

Long game from the morning train ride

1. c4 e6 { English Opening, Agincourt Defence } 2. e4 d5 3. d3 dxc4 4. dxc4 Qxd1+ 5. Kxd1 Nf6 6. f3 Bc5 7. Bg5 Bd4 8. Kc2 Nc6 9. a3 Be5 10. Ne2 h6 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. f4 g5 13. e5 Bg7 14. g3 f6 15. exf6 Bxf6 16. Bg2 Bd7 17. Nbc3 O-O-O 18. Rad1 Na5 19. b3 e5 20. fxe5 Bxe5 21. Rhf1 Rhf8 22. Rd5 Rxf1 23. Bxf1 Bf5+ 24. Kb2 Rxd5 25. cxd5 Bd3 26. b4 Nc4+ 27. Kb3 Nd6 28. Bg2 Bc4+ 29. Kc2 Kd8 30. a4 Ke7 31. h3 h5 32. g4 h4 33. Kd2 a6 34. a5 b6 35. axb6 cxb6 36. Kc2 a5 37. bxa5 bxa5 38. Kb1 Bd3+ 39. Ka2 Nc4 40. Kb3 Ne3 41. Bh1 Kd6 42. Ka4 Nc4 43. Bg2 Bc2+ 44. Kb5 Ne3 45. Bh1 a4 46. Nxa4 Bd3+ 47. Kb4 Bxe2 48. Nc3 Bxc3+ 49. Kxc3 Nxd5+ 50. Kd2 Bf1 { White resigns } 0-1

Sicilian

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 e6 { Sicilian Defence, Franco-Sicilian Variation } 4. d5 exd5 5. exd5 Nb4 6. a3 Qa5 7. Bd2 Nf6 8. Bxb4 cxb4 9. Nbd2 bxa3 10. bxa3 Ne4 11. c4 Bc5 12. Bd3 Bxf2+ 13. Kf1 Nxd2+ 14. Nxd2 Bd4 15. Qe2+ Kd8 16. Nb3 Qc3 17. Nxd4 Qxa1+ 18. Qe1 Qxd4 { White resigns } 0-1

From the weekend

Go birds!

Sunday

1. e4 c5 { Sicilian Defence, General } 2. d3 Nc6 3. c3 e6 4. Be3 Nf6 5. Be2 e5 6. a3 d6 7. b3 Be7 8. Nd2 Be6 9. Nc4 Qc7 10. Nf3 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 12. g4 Bg6 13. Bd2 d5 14. g5 dxe4 15. dxe4 Nxe4 16. h4 Bh5 17. Rf1 O-O-O 18. Qc2 Nxd2 19. Ncxd2 g6 20. Bc4 Rhe8 21. Bxf7 Rf8 22. Be6+ Kb8 23. O-O-O Bxf3 24. Nxf3 Rxf3 25. Rxd8+ Qxd8 26. Rd1 Qf8 27. Bd7 Qf4+ 28. Kb1 Rxf2 29. Qc1 Qe4+ 30. Ka1 Na5 31. Ba4 c4 32. b4 Nb3+ 33. Bxb3 cxb3 34. Rd7 Qe2 35. Qb1 Rf1 36. Rxe7 Rxb1+ 37. Kxb1 Qc2+ 38. Ka1 Qa2# { White is checkmated } 0-1

70 move victory

1. e4 c5 2. Bc4 { Sicilian Defence, Bowlder Attack } e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6 5. Qd1 Nge7 6. Nf3 a6 7. Nc3 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. a3 Ng6 10. Be3 Nce5 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Bf4 Bd6 13. Bxe5 Bxe5 14. O-O Qc7 15. g3 Bc6 16. Rb1 h5 17. h4 Qb6 18. Qf3 f6 19. Ne2 g5 20. hxg5 fxg5 21. Qe3 Qxe3 22. fxe3 O-O-O 23. Kf2 Rdf8+ 24. Ke1 Rxf1+ 25. Kxf1 Rf8+ 26. Ke1 h4 27. gxh4 gxh4 28. Kd2 h3 29. Rh1 h2 30. Nf4 Bxf4 31. exf4 Rxf4 32. Rxh2 Bxe4 33. Re2 Bxd3 34. Kxd3 Kc7 35. c3 Ra4 36. Rh2 Kd6 37. Rh5 e5 38. Rh6+ Kd5 39. Rh5 d6 40. Rg5 a5 41. Rg8 e4+ 42. Kd2 Kc4 43. Kc2 Kc5 44. Rc8+ Kd5 45. Rb8 Kc6 46. Kb3 Rc4 47. Rc8+ Kd5 48. Re8 a4+ 49. Kc2 Kc6 50. b3 axb3+ 51. Kxb3 d5 52. Re6+ Kc7 53. Rh6 Rc6 54. Rh5 Kd6 55. Kb4 e3 56. Kxb5 Rxc3 57. Kb4 d4 58. Rh2 Rd3 59. Kc4 Rd2 60. Rh6+ Ke5 61. Rh5+ Kf4 62. a4 e2 63. Rh1 Rd1 64. Rh4+ Ke3 65. Rh8 Rc1+ 66. Kb5 Rb1+ 67. Kc4 Rc1+ 68. Kb5 d3 69. a5 Kd2 70. a6 e1=Q { White leaves the game } 0-1

Cutting the cake

The Countdown has come and gone...

August 22nd 2015 was the ten year anniversary of "Anotherstinkingblog."

An impressive milestone only when you consider that this thing was started on a whim and has persisted on half-hearted (at best) efforts of its creator.

At this point I only think I keep it going to leave some sort of Internet footprint or artifact, at least until the plug gets pulled on it.

There were thoughts at times of trying to focus this blog on some sort of endeavour, but instead it settled on being an ongoing collection of brief moments I've experienced, things I've read, seen, or even sometimes created myself (mostly photos), and more often lately, chess games won.

So here's to over a decade of pointless blogging of ephemera, and for many more years of such to come.

smotd