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Axis Mundae Archives
A clearinghouse of publications updates 2003 - present

2011

November 27, 2011

Delphi

A Beginner's Guide to Athena - By Michelle Albert

The Birth of Athena - By Ev Cochrane

November 13, 2011

Chessays

From Circle and Square to image of the World: a possible interpretation for some petroglyphs of merels boards - by Friedrich Berger - Abstract: The game board for 'nine man's morris' (merels) us found incised on horizontal rock surfaces at many places of the world. It was also used in inclined or vertical positions as a motif for petroglyphs on rocks and historical buildings. The possible meaning of such depictions is examined. After an investigation into merels game boards, the route of circle and square motifs from Eurasian and Egyptian symbolism into Christianity is reviewed.

November 6, 2011

Gender and Chess

Elizabeth Vicary: "The Game of Kings?" Encouraging Middle School Girls' Success and Invovement in Chess - Elizabeth's thesis on adolescent girls in chess - part of a developing genre called "teacher research"... What can be done to increae the achievement and enjoyment levels of sixth grade girls learning chess for the first time.

November 6, 2011

Chessays

A Stone Game Board and the Development of Weiqi in Early China - Hsu, Agnes (China Institute) - Examination of Han era tomb structures: A spectacular research paper by Agnes Hsu. The entire document is relevant to our understanding of how weiqi fit into early Chinese mortuary programs and the culture of the game in general. In particular - p.41 - 62 delves into the oldest set of Chinese weiqi.

September 25, 2011

Chessquest

Do it Yourself Games Part 2 shows a recently refurbished Alphonso set as well as some excellent adventures in backgammon and a differently crafted Charlemagne chess set.

Do it Yourself Games Part 3 - A hand made Charelmagne chess set!

2010
September 26, 2010

Chessquest

Do it Yourself Games - and more! Alphonsine Chess : : A Goddesschess historical guide for the perplexed craftsperson... This page was inspired by recent correspondence with Rev. Craig L. Cowing of Newport, New Hampshire. With help from his wife, Mr. Cowing's reconstruction of the Alphonsine chessmen and period costumes of the age offers a nice example of how everyday people respond energetically to games in general and the culture of chess in particular. The total cost for the board game project was around $30.

August 22, 2010

Chessays

“The Monkey Race” – Remarks on Board Games Accessories - Anne-E. Dunn-Vaturi - In the ancient Near East, games represented an essential dimension in social life. It is because they are closely related to another principle, important in the stability of human communities...

June 13, 2010

Chessays

Origin of chess - a phylogenetic perspective... Alex R. Kraaijeveld : "Board games are like plant and animal species in that they can can evolve and give rise to new forms. This leads to an important similarity between board games and bio- logical species (Eagle 1995, 1998; Kraaijeveld 1999): in both cases a group of similar-looking ‘species’ most likely owe their similarity to their being descended from a single common ancestor.

2009
November 22, 2009

Chessays

The Game of Go: Speculations on its Origins and Symbolism in Ancient China - By Peter Shotwell © 1994-February 2008 "... just as new thinking and new evidence have turned up in recent years to help strengthen the original theses, scholarship and excavations of the multitude of China’s archeological sites that remain underground will undoubtedly influence future thought."

The Games of Chess and Backgammon in Sasanian Persia By Touraj Daryaee California State University, Fullerton - "Board games were played in many parts of the ancient world and so it is very difficult to attribute the origin of any board game to a particular region or culture."

September 27, 2009

Chessquest

The Montreal Open Chess Championship 2009 - A patzer's eye view of the road to and from Ahuntsic (With gathered links to postscripts on the event in French and English) by Don McLean - September 19, 2009.

The Daunce of Nine-Men's-Morris and the Boundaries Between Worlds by Tracy Boyd © 2004 - Well researched and written, Tracy gives us all something to sing and dance about! A stellar performance shows how the energetric pulse of a living culture courses through many tributary arteries - board games included.

Art & Artifact

Four new submissions on page 3 - (with many thanks to Lawrence Totaro)

July 12. 2009

Gender & Chess

Checkmate? The Role of gender stereotypes in the ultimate intellectual sport... By Anne Mass, Claudio D"Ettole and Maria Cadinu (University of Padova, Italy) In a nutshell, when women played chess with men on the internet but they didn't know the sex of their opponent, they played consistent with their relative skill level. But when they knew they were playing a male opponent, their relative performance levels dropped 50%!

Social/socialization factors at work explain the difference in performance rather any lack of innate ability among females to play chess as well as males...

June 28, 2009

Chesstories

Final Gambit by Karah Pino: We received this very interesting chess story for publication from Karah Pino, who stopped playing chess in 1999 after a personal trauma and subsequent realization. This is the true and well written story of her final game.

April 12, 2009

Alpheta's Literary Agora

Cassia Gives Odds to a Duffer Who Wishes to Engage in a Round of Romantic Chess A new chess poem by Cecily Anderson

March 22, 2009

Chessays

Updated: L’Occident chrétien médiéval et les échecs. L’évolution des pièces non figuratives du 10e au début du 16e siècle. - Modified for html access March 22, 2009 ADDED: English-French Introduction. French text - Pierre Mille offers a graphically rich and rewarding survey outlining the 10th - 16th Century evolution of western chess pieces. Merci, Pierre!

Chessquest

Updated: Lawrence Todaro's article on Salvador Dali now hosts recent photos of the Dali Museum St. Petersburg, Florida and some surprizing new information.

Jan. 18, 2009

Chessquest

Lawrence Totaro has put together a nice pictorial essay on Salvador Dali's artistic interest in chess that we are pleased to incorporate into our current library. Many thanks to Lawrence for this generous submission...

2008

Dec. 14, 2008

Chessays

The Literary World of 15th Century Valencia: The Scachs d'amour Manuscript and its Three Authors by M.C. Romeo. A wonderful about the Spanish literary circle that made modern chess what it is today.

"Socius, Civis et Alii" by Franco Pratesi. Goddesschess is pleased and privileged to present Carmen Romeo's special forward about the European literary traditions of chess.Also, an additional "printer friendly" series of individual PDF page files.

Oct. 19, 2008

Vegas Showgirls 2008

Showgirls cover Vishy and Vlady ! The World Chess Championship match between GM Viswanathan Anand and GM Vladimir Kramnik draws Bambi and Candi into the spotlight! Shocking Expose!

Aug. 17, 2008

Chessquest

The Goddesschess 9th Anniversary Celebration Come read about our lataest exploits and and experience the graphical wonders!

July 16, 2008

Chesstories

The Legend of Dalukah by Don McLean, has received a significant footnote upgrade. (July 16. 2008)

July 13, 2008

Chessquest

The Mesoamerican Sacrum Bone: Doorway to the Other World by Brian Stross - A large document but well worth the read. The author's research is stellar, as are his conclusions detailing recovery of ancient shamanic traditions involving dice. For an html view but without important graphical content click here.

July 6, 2008

Chessquest

The Sacred Game by J.C. Hallman Goddesschess "enthusiastically" presents this informed thoughtspiece from the pen of J.C. Hallman. (July 4. 2008)

April 27, 2008

Art and Artifact

... a few new graphics entries that we hope will capture your imagination.

March 23, 2008

Chessays

The Symbolism of Chess by Titus Burckhardt
" In this essay, Titus Burckhardt ties the game of chess (which originated in India and subsequently underwent minor modifications during its stay in the West) back to a larger, sacred reality. He covers an almost incredible amount of information (the caste system, astrology, and World Cycles) in a short period of time."

March 16, 2008

Chessays

"The Doctor's Game - A New Light on the History of Ancient Board Games" (see also PDF section the Chessay's Table of Contents ) "Excavations betweeen 1987 and 2003 on the fringes of the site of Camulodunum revealed an extraordinary funerary site with a Middle Iron Age antecedent." Dr. Ulrich Schadler's specialist report provides us with a high quality analysis of these discoveries from an esteemed authority on Roman era board games. Muchos gracias Ulrich!

January 20, 2008

Chesstories

Check Republics by Sally Feldman - With the kind permission of Paul Sims, this article is reproduced from New Humanist, a London-based magazine promoting reason,debate and free thought since 1885. Visit their website to browse an extensive archive dating back to1999, where you can also request a free trial copy

The Real Honest to Goddess Truth about Football By Alpheta Patton (with Donus Felinicus) Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner. Goddesschess (and the game of the goal posts) is pleased to present the real meaning behind the game and what this means to chess. Truthiness in action! Grab a beer, hang onto your helmets, sit back and prepare to be infotained! Forward en Passant! Go Ra!

2007
December 7, 2007

Chessays

Dr. Ricardo Calvo, M.C Romeo, et al
(MSWord doc - 1.7 Mb) Instant Download :: This partially edited draft includes a collection of translated essays extracted mostly from Dr. Ricardo Calvo's Spanish publication - "Lucena: an Escape into Chess". Our MSword entry incorporates and improves upon the previously appearing segment of goddesschess' projected two part series - bugun earlier in html as - Love, Chess and Literature in Lucena - an Unnoticed Precedent of "La Celestina"- Part I.

November 4, 2007

Chessays

Three Games - Three Epochs M.C. Romeo's recent 2007 IGK presentation investigates a succession of events and a common theme running through medieval literature. (716 kb In pdf format)

October 7, 2007

Alpheta's Literary Agora

Schacchia Ludus by Marcus Hieronymus Vida, Bishop of Alba

September 2, 2007

Chessays

A new paradigm for an "Origins of Chess" theory by John Ayer - This essay argues that the generally accepted scheme for the derivation of the current and disused forms of chess from the original Indian proto-chess is mistaken:

August 26, 2007

Chessquest

The Goddesschess Summer 2007 Celebration! Follow our fearless foursome as we explore and navigate the local chessboards of Milwaukee, Chicago and environs by land, sea and air. Photoworks, butterflies and fireworks help cap our 8th Anniversary installment.

July 1, 2007

Chessays

Love, Chess and Literature in Lucena - an Unnoticed Precedent of "La Celestina"- Part I ... further explorations in to the character and historical background of Lucena by Dr. Ricardo Calvo. (Special thanks to Carmen Romeo, who kindly forwarded Goddesschess this remarkable essay.)

Chessquest

Butrint in Vivisection Part II by Donald McLean - In which the play of pharoahs recaptures Butrint's historical conscience while netting a few cscharlatans in the process. Measure for measure, our man Butrint has been disgracefully wronged! Long live the king!

June 17, 2007

Chessays

Chessmen and Chess By Charles K. Wilkinson - We present here (with our notes) the text of Charles K. Wilkinson's article about the chess pieces excavated at Nishapur in 1939.

June 3, 2007

Alpheta's Literary Agora

Through a Glass Darkly by Gen. George S. Patton, Jr. - As it turns out, the famous American general had a lesser known poetic side...

"Through the travail of the ages,
Midst the pomp and toil of war,
Have I fought and strove and perished
Countless times upon this star."...

May27, 2007

Chess Goddesses

Ageless wonder! Alina Markowski delved into chess in the 1950s, at a time when women in the sport were uncommon. By Jan Newton - May 27, 2007

April 29, 2007

Goddesschess Blog

New Godesschess Blog! Yes darlings! Once again Goddesschess headlines the news with the announcement of our very own Google Blogspot. Come and experience!

April 17, 2007

Chesstories

"Chess", the Musical - A Story About a High-Stakes Game... and Chess, Too - (in two parts) By Jan Newton - April 16, 2007

Alpheta's Literary Agora

If I Were a Chess Master - by Michael Frey (Thanks for the poem Michael!)

If I Were King - song lyrics from the Wizard of Oz

April 1, 2007

Chessquest

No foolin'! "An Ancient Game Computers Can't Master" Jan Newton's March 31, 2007 report on "Go" strikes a blow for humanity!

March 20, 2007

Chesstories

The Legend of Dalukah Mas''odi's Dalukah appears to be a composite character. Here we find her in A. E. Wallis Budge's recapitulation, weaving her intrigues in a way that reminds us a great deal of grande alcedrix. As with almost everything Egyptian, the imagery is forcefully "magical".

March 17, 2007

Chessquest

New discovery or just the same old song? Between March 9 -12, 2007, a news story was picked up by several chess bloggers on the internet. The gist: A research team claims to have moved a step closer to proving that chess originated around the northern Indian city of Kanauj in the 5th century. Even so, we have some "questions" we would like to see resolved...

March 5, 2007

Gender and Chess

The Experts Say - It's Just A Numbers Game by Jan Newton March, 2007 - On February 3, 2007 my friend and fellow Chess Femme News Correspondent, Wayne Mendryk, who reports from northwest Canada, sent me an interesting item he'd come across while he was compiling a news report for Chess Femme News.  He found the report at Chessbase, one of the premier chess news websites.  Here is Wayne's report:

February 28, 2007

International Chessoid

Chessoid goes Hollywood! Donus Felinicus puts a claw into Hollywood Squares and and does what cats are wont do to with tablecloths. This is Alice's old trick.. Find out why nothing in Hollywood, or chess, is what it appears to be.

Queen Wins Oscar! A cameo appearance on these very Chessoid pages by our Hollywood savvy Vegas Showgirls! It takes a Showgirl to know one!

February 16, 2007

Chesstories

Dilaram Revisited by Jan Newton
An UPDATE of previous Dilaram research into a timeless chess story and the problems people encounter when falling in love with chess... and each other!

Chesstique

Chesstique: An all new look from the four corners of our upscaled merchandising adventure to you... Check out our brand new Goddesschess storefront PLUS - Georgia's Custom Games - Pawn Promotions - Chess Showgirls Collection

Chess Femme News

Chess Femme News The Aeroflot Open, one of the strongest Swiss chess tournaments of the year, begins Wednesday in Moscow. The tournament director has posted the first round pairings at the official tournament website...

January 31, 2007

Chesstories

Aishwarya Rai and Chess - Six Degrees of Separation by Jan Newton - January 27, 2007 - Bollywood does chess on the big screen!!

January 22, 2007

Chessquest

Great Snakes! The Serpent Gameboard of Iran" Much ado about - nothing? UPDATED: January, 2007 - Additions to Jan Newton's research of November, 2005.

January 17, 2007

Chessquest

The Jiroft Game Boards An UPDATE of Jan Newton's original essay, first launched on November, 2005. On February 6, 2005, an article appeared in the online version of the "Persian Journal" announcing fabulous archaeological finds in Iran... How fabulous? Check out those birds!

Chessquest

When is a bird not a bird? Another UPDATE!! This time of Don McLean's introduction to the article which originally appeared on November, 2005. In the mystic's world and the virtual world of board games, folkloric legends are often more truthful than strange. Archaeological fragments and the metaphysical collide head on in this Mandeaen exploration of the Simurgh.

January 2, 2007

Chessquest

Goddesschess' Seventh Anniversary Celebration! Like Old Man River, we just keep rolling along... this time to spectacular Chicago and the Field Museum. Jan Newton reports on Tlingit North American "chess" and other native games while sharing the discoveries of our August, 2006 get together.

2006
October 24, 2006

Alpheta's Literary Agora - Book Review

The Immortal Game, Two book reviews - by Phil Hanrahan and Katie Hafner of - DAVID SHENK'S "A History of Chess (or How 32 Carved Pieces on a Board Illuminated Our Understanding of War, Art, Science, and the Human Brain),"

September 24, 2006

Alpheta's Literary Agora

A Lady of the Game by Richard Badham Coxe Jr (2006)

Chessquest

Origin of chess and its cosmological roots by Andreas Bunkahle (06 feb 06) - Andreas takes us on a brief journey through the cosmological archetypes of XiangQi, Chaturanja, Chess and the I-Ching. An interesting extrapolation produces a novel form of the old Chinese game and shows great promise for future comparisons of this type. Reprinted with permission Sept. 21, 2006. Thanks for the submission Andreas!

Art and Artifact

Scroll to the bottom of the thumbnail gallery for quick navigation to a number of new pictures. Tlingit chess, cribbage boards of North American Indian provenance, Salvador Dali, a city square and beer are presently being served.

August 15, 2006

Chessays

Chess, Oedipus, and the Mater Dolorosa by Norman Reider (August 15. 2006) "The psycho-analytic study of play and games has been particularly rewarding, but no game is so full of possibilities for such study as that of chess."

August 8, 2006

Links

http://gamesbooks.net/related_links.jsp A-hoy! Book sales spotted on the horizon! Robert Graham has assembled a nice page of reading materials that may interest gamesters and history buffs of many different persuasions. "There is no frigate like a book..."

Culture et curiosites de l'echiquier Some very interesting material included here. Although it is a French web site, it includes ample mention of hard to come by "apocryphal" views on the origins of chess. We discount nothing and embrace everything. Were it not for "myths", Troy might never have been discovered.

August 7, 2006

Chessays

Alfonso X and Gambling in Chess November 27, 2005 - A PDF integration of the html version with updated bibliographical contents

Alpheta's Literary Agora

Out da box
Printed with permission from Waterlotus (2006) Hmmm. flowers that write poetry...?! Here's a choice bud from our good friend Waterlotus

Links

A newly updated Chessmayne awaits... Thanks, Raymond!

June 29, 2006

Las Vegas Showgirls

Showgirls do POKER! Candi, Bambi join up with and a Las Vegas dealer to hit another home run. This time, the World Series of Poker is their diamond!

June 28, 2006

Chess Femme News

Chess Femme News That's right! An EXCLUSIVE new section in our menu bar with regular updates on women's participation in major tournament events.

June 26, 2006

Links

A newly updated Links Page awaits...

June 10, 2006

Gender and Chess

The Tussle in Turin! June 10, 2006 By Jan Newton Here's an update on Arianne Caoili since the article first appeared in 2002. At that time, Caoili was contemplating moving from the Phillipines due to an alleged lack of financial and training support from the chess establishment there. However, there is more to the story.

May 21, 2006

Chessays

The Introduction of Chess into Europe by M.C. Romeo May 21, 2006 (41 pages) As translated into English from an address given to the Merida Conference of March, 2006. It would be criminal to merely place this file in the PDF section of our site without lavishing praise upon the sheer beauty of its contents, both graphic and informational. It would also be an unforgivable oversight to abstain from calling the reader's attention to what great distinction it brings to author and researcher M.C. Romeo. Carmen, you are a treasure!

May 14, 2006

Chesstique

A little late for Mother's Day, but the name says it all! Chesstique is Goddesschess' new portal to the Internet's commercial high seas. Added product links and catalogue updates are expected in the coming weeks. To get the cart rolling, Chesstique proudly introduces items from Georgia Albert's "Showgirls' Collection" of seductive textile boards and shimmering pieces. Come and experience

May 4, 2006

Chessays

Supposition on Results of Man vs. Machine on Chess by Hong Fei Teng, Yan Zhang, Yi Shou Wang & Hong Xia Zhao. We wish to thank an able and cooperative team of Chinese researchers for their mathematical journey into "probability" aspects of chess and other games.

April 24, 2006

Chessquest

Goddesschess' Sixth Anniversary Celebration!
Jan Newton reports on trips to New York and the Oriental Institute Museum in Chicago, September 23 - October 3, 2005.

April 4, 2006

Chessquest

Butrint in Vivisection - To be or not to be? Introduction to a multistage examination of the unusual find from Butrint Albania.

February 22, 2006

Archives

I.G.K. 2003 Berlin conference
Synopsis 2003I.G.K. 2005 Berlin conference
Synopsis 2005

Who We Are

An update of the never ending update! What is chess? Who is chess? Are we chess? Why chess? When is chess? Which chess?

February 14, 2006

Las Vegas Showgirls

Multitudes of intimacies shared and bared - decorum breached as cheeky, chesty Showgirls "Ask the Queen"!

Links

A few new and updated entries you may wish to explore...

February 6, 2006

Las Vegas Showgirls

4-3-2 Goddess! The Showgirls take off on a spellbinding tango through numerological and historical time-space! Their Godel Chess - Global Chess trilogy has also been recently updated.
Come and experience!!

Alpheta's Literary Agora

Chess an original poem by Elizabeth L. Scott - as submitted by our friend, Brian Wall

January 12, 2006

Art and Artifact

A new thumbnail format and a few additions to our gallery add fun and functionality to this expanding segment of goddesschess.

Chessays

Some new additions to the Joseph Needham page make the man and his work a little less mysterious to our viewers.

2005

December 7, 2005

Chessays

Alfonso X and Gambling in Chess A graphically and textually enriched re-entry of M.C. Romeo's most recent (Nov.27th) offering on the innovative chess of medieval Spain. The new page of Alfonso artwork is especially rich, even if some of the players have, indeed, "lost their shirts".

November 27, 2005

Chessquest

Twenty Squares Jan Newton November, 2005 - Are "culture wars" leading everyone astray? A controversial discovery made all the more so by conflicting evidence and suspect press releases.

Chessays

Alfonso X and Gambling in Chess November, 2005 - We welcome M.C. Romeo's masterful treatment of the Alfonso literature. One could lose more than one's shirt in the Spanish chess of medieval times. (English translation with original Spanish included)

November 25, 2005

Chessquest

The Jiroft Game Boards Jan Newton November, 2005 - On February 6, 2005, an article appeared in the online version of the "Persian Journal" announcing fabulous archeological finds in Iran...

When is a bird not a bird? Don McLean, November, 2005 - In the mystic's world and the virtual world of board games, folkloric legends are often more truthful than strange. Archeological fragments and the metaphysical collide head on in this Mandeaen exploration of the Simurgh.

October 25, 2005

Art and Artifact

The Egyptian cartonnage on our preview page is a capture from Goddesschess' recent tour of the Oriental Institute Museum (OIM) in Chicago.

Las Vegas Showgirls

The Showgirls have evolved their Godel Chess...Global Chess into a three part barnburner! Cameo appearances by several notables - including PI, my pet dragon...

May 17, 2005

Art and Artifact

New items from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Fine Arts publication "Art and Oracle; African Art and Rituals of Divination". Enter an African "doorway" and say hello to the "friction pawn".

May 12, 2005

Alpheta's Literary Agora

famous once - a short poem by NM Dennis Fritzinger.

May 8 , 2005

Chessquest

Irving Finkel, Jeremy Silman and the Chess of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" Jan Newton's entertaining and informative "stream of consciousness" foray into the creative depths of Harry Potter's chess adventures and the men of insight who make it all happen for us on the big screen. A delight for Griffendorfer's and Griffendorfettes of all ages!

2004
November 25, 2004

Art and Artifact

Remidios Varo: We have recently come across the brilliantly executed artwork of a little known known mistress of the medium. We hope you will share our enthusiasm and feel moved to further explore the depth of her genius. Thanks to Chris of TPG for pointing her out to us.

Links

Pascal Romain's website: Sorry Pascal! We should have included your site among our links from the very beginning.

October 31, 2004

Chessays

Dr. Grovert Westerveld: The Queen's Man By Jan Newton October 31, 2004. Dr. Westerveld's celebration of the famous Isabella la Catholica, Queen of Spain rubs shoulders with chess, checkers and the evolving history of female influence in the development of both games.

Links

Louis Cazaux's website has moved to http://history.chess.free.fr Please update your browsers to reflect this change.

July 17, 2004

Alpheta's Literary Agora - Book Reviews

A new category we hope will appeal to the literary demon in all of us. We begin at the beginning with two installments focusing upon "she who turns the wheel" of chess.

Birth of the Chess Queen by Marilyn Yalom

Silver Queen - The Glamour and Shadow of Success by Maria Ivanka

June 27, 2004

Las Vegas Showgirls

Our two Goddesschess hemp birds explore the mysterious east and shatrangi. Were traders rolling more into their carpets than most histories admit? Shatranji - Getting high on chess sends a whiff of suspicion wafting down the old Silk Road.

Alpheta's Literary Agora

To the Lady that Scorned Her Lover Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517 - 1547)

June 11, 2004

Chessays

Lucena - A mystery after 500 years By M.C.Romeo Our dear friend Carmen's expert research on the man, his legend and the intrigue involving publication of his work on chess owes much to the efforts of her husband, the late Dr. Ricardo Calvo.

Art and Artifact

donqalucinogeno - a unique and "visionary" poster from Taly Rivera of Puerto Rico. Thanks for forwarding this to us Taly

May 07, 2004

Chessays

Islamic Ivory Chess Pieces, Draughtsmen and Dice Anna Contadini delivers an outstanding index of Islmaic chessmen and other intriguing board game curiosities. Five galleries of viewable items with complete bibliographical notation.

Chesstories

Chess Hustlers Never Die, They Just - Get Evicted Jan Newton May, 2004 Up and down times in the glen and on the lam in Toronto

What Men Think About Women Chessplayers Jan Newton April, 2004. This article was inspired by an email I received from my friend and co-partner in Goddesschess, Isis a/k/a Georgia:

February 11, 2004

Chessays

Bidev Graphics At long last, we have recreated and reformatted the majority of graphic elements required for the Bidev article, "Chess - A Mathematical Model of the Cosmos". These have been included as as separate appendix and will "pop up" as a second window on your screen.

February 06, 2004

Las Vegas Showgirls

Aphrodisiac Cooking by Georgia Albert and Jan Newton Cooking with chess? In their third installment, those irrepressible Las Vegas Showgirls take us on an exotic tour of the spice box of chess. A tasty mix of far eastern facts with loads of links to related kitchens - where chess is always served - HOT!

Also updated: Candi and Bambi's two previous articles get a makeover and a sub-index of their very own. Enjoy the new sights and sounds of the revamped Showgirls Do Chess article and take a spin in their new Mustang on the Tessellations - Knight's Tour page. Always fashionable, informative and fun - stay tuned for more Showgirls features.

January 11, 2004

Chessays

The Men of Staunton - or are they? By Barry Martin - Chess Magazine Oct, 1994. A critical look at the background story behind the development fo the Staunton pieces and the alleged designer(s).

For Love of the Game by Janet L. Newton
(December 25, 2003) "The Idea of Chess" is almost more compelling than its actual history and seems to extend further back in time than the game itself...

2003
October 31, 2003

Art and Artifact

Updated with a few new files. Link to New York Metropolitan Museum of Fine Arts

Chessays

Tribute to Dr. Ricardo Calvo extended to include Carmen Calvo's salute to her husband and his work.

Archives

A snapshot of the recent Berlin contingent - with more information on the 2003 meeting to follow soon.

October 13, 2003

Las Vegas Showgirls

Those Las Vegas Showgirls take us on a Knight's Tour of the Las Vegas Skyline. Among the sites: Chess, Tesselations, M.C. Escher and MORE! The girls are fun - but they also teach an interesting lesson.

Chesstories

Human Brian FAR Superior to the computer. At last - proof positive that we hominoids are smarter than our I.T. creations

October 1, 2003

Chessays

The King Isn't Dead After All! by Jan Newton September, 2003 The Real Meaning of Shah Mat

Art and Artifact

A group of 16 different selections highlights the opening of this section of Goddesschess

Alpheta's Literary Agora

Checkmate by Blanche MacLanahan, 2003

August 28, 2003

Chessays

C.J. Gadd on Babylonian Chess?

Horst Remus The Origin of Chess and the Silk Road

Joseph Needham Thoughts on the origin of chess

(900 kb) Jospeh Needham Ch.11 The pseudo sciences and the sceptical tradition

(1.88 mb) Joseph Needham Ch. 26 Physics - the Chinese orientation to chess

MSWord do
c Peter Piccione: Abstract for 2003 publication on the Egyptian game of Senet

August 5, 2003

Alpheta's Literary Agora

Howwwwl! an original poem by Maria Thomas

Untitled
a brief but very brilliant poem by 14th century poet Hafiz

Chesstories

Machine vs. Man: Newsweek Magazine July 21, 2003 By Steven Levy

Chessays

A brief tribute to the memory of chess historian and friend, Kenneth Whyld (1926- 2003)

June 26, 2003

Chesstories

When The King Is Dethroned I jumped at the chance to teach my son how to play Chess. I just wasn't prepared for him to beat me By William O'Fallon September 10, 2001 Newsweek Magazine

Chessquest

A nascent Goddesschess category! Chessquest proposes a reflective pool of wanderings, ponderings, mental furniture, accumulated ghosts, skeletons, bric-a-brac - all conceivably related to chess...

Chessquest

Part 1 Ponderings, essays, this and that, all related to chess (more or less). Offered from time to time. May 26, 2003 Jan Newton Reflections on Memorial Day, 2003

Chessquest

Part 2 Lessons from Archaeology "The Glass Wreck" Underwater arcaeology and the discovery of some very old chessmen. June 22, 2003 Jan Newton