Day: November 11, 2014

OffMyChess.com Updated for Mobile

On November 11, 2014

Regular readers may have noticed some changes to the user interface here on the site as well as times when the site was simply unavailable. I have been working on retooling the interface and customizing some elements that were sorely neglected after the site launched in the summer. Chief among those is the replacement of the original pink color for the hyperlinks and title elements with a soothing green color, which is reminiscent of green chess tournament boards used in USCF tournaments around the country. The final elements were replaced with the new site color late this afternoon.

The next big project was to focus on the site’s usability on portable devices. Every day, more and more chess players are turning to tablets and smartphones for their fix and my desire for this site is to be right there in the middle of the mobile revolution. A major problem with WordPress sites is the sidebar where my information as well as links to important elements of the site are stored. These sidebars tend to cause design problems on mobile devices. Now, for anything less than the resolution of an iPad w/retina display will not display the sidebar in a vertical position:

iPad Air in vertical position without sidebar.

Turning an iPad horizontally will reveal the site’s main JavaScript slider as well as the full sidebar. Tables and PGN games have also been modified to adapt to mobile screens and should not cause problems for tablets with retina resolution or higher.

iPad Air in horizontal position with full sidebar.

Unfortunately, smartphones remain a challenge and are not yet fully compatible with the site. The sidebar and slider will not display on a smartphone regardless of its orientation. This is a function that I hope to add in the coming months.

When Anand Strikes Back

By Commander Exorcist

On November 11, 2014

In Famous Players

Chess players can be a very strange group of people. We spend much of our time refining our ability to concentrate on a single chess game for hours on end while simultaenously calculating the multitude of variations that could occur. Meticulous calculation is often required to reach the pinnacle of chess mastery. In the case of the World Championship, which is currently being played in Sochi, Russia, chess commentators and kibitzers around the world were quick to jump on the apparent weaknesses of challenger Vishy Anand after he drew the first game against Magnus Carlsen and went on to lose the second game. That second loss only put him a mere 1 point behind the incumbent world champ, but it was enough to send Anand’s chances of winning the championship in a tailspin, according to the court of public chess opinion.

Vishy looks concerned, but not as defeated as commentary would have you believe.

Without a doubt, Magnus was solid in his first and second performances of the match. In my opinion, the fact that Vishy was able to get a draw out of the match was well played and he really stood no chance against the champ in the second round. However, chess is a science and art that stretches the boundaries of what we know and perceive about life. Understanding this, the chess world must not be so quick to count Vishy out just yet. He has a long way to go, but the road ahead is not an impossible one to travel.

Magnus Carlsen always looks confused…a psych tactic, maybe?

One thing I find curious about Magnus Carlsen is the expressions on his face. He often looks confused or disinterested in the match. He certainly has the skill to win, but sometimes it is painfully obvious that his heart is not into it. The photo above is a perfect example of how Magnus spends most of his games gazing at the board as if he is trying to figure out if he is playing chess or checkers.

In addition, check out this image:

An abandoned warehouse?

The match between Carlsen and Anand is for the title of World Champion of Chess, but the images of the playing venue eerily resemble an abandoned warehouse. The massive, open, and empty space is just…creepy. Plus, there are still fresh memories of the horror stories from journalists covering the Olympics in Sochi, so who knows what is going on behind the scenes in this match. Something tells me that Magnus and Co. are staying in Russia’s finest…which may be significantly less than he is used to. In any case, I wish both of them the best of luck in the coming matches.

NOTE: Due to time constraints and the prevalence of online coverage for this event, I will not provide regular updates unless something out of the ordinary occurs. A final coverage post will occur once the match has concluded and the World Champion is named.

Happy Veteran’s Day!

By Commander Exorcist

On November 11, 2014

In Personal Reflection

As the World Chess Championship rages on, the United States comes together today to pay special tribute to the men and women that have given of themselves to serve in the Armed Forces in order to make our country safe for friends, family, and our ideals. As a veteran of Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom, I am proud to stand today with my brothers and sisters in arms and say Thank You to each of them for dedicated themselves to something bigger than they are.

It takes a special kind of heart to give one’s life for his brother or sister. It was our Lord Jesus Christ whose words of kindness immortalized the spirit of the military servant:

Greater love has no one than this,
that someone lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13, ESV

I will be forever grateful for the men and women that I have served with and for the ones that came before me to pay the ultimate price for our way of life. Today, I ask that we all take a moment and put down the chess pieces, step back from the board, and recognize the heroes that do battle on the 64 squares of life in the grandest war game of all.