Okay, don't tell my wife just yet, but after packing up 18 boxes of chess books, DVDs, and memorabilia (FIDE keychain! Botvinnik Memorial program! KasparovChess Online Grand Prix poster! Kramnik's discarded cigarette butt!) I realized how little of it I really care about or need anymore. Some of the computer stuff is obsolete, though I guess some people out there might appreciate Fritz 8 if they don't have any chess software. And the dozens of ChessBase Magazine CDs and training CDs and DVDs are high quality goods without expiration dates. Most are still sealed. (Wow, somebody is trying to sell some even more ancient chess software, asking $200. Good luck!)
As for the books, I'd keep a hundred or two of my favorites -- mostly history/biography, old tournament books, rarities, and game collections I've always appreciated. But since I'm not a real chess journo anymore and since I've discontinued the newsletters, I have no use for the many hundreds of instructional, opening, and general interest books. I probably won't find much use for a decade or more of Chess Life and a complete run of Inside Chess, either. (I've been putting stacks of Chess Life on the stoop along with old computer design and programming manuals. The pregnancy and first year baby books my wife put out went much quicker. If you stop by, ours is the apartment with the air conditioner supported by four old Informants.) New In Chess is sort of like National Geographic in that it's somehow too good to throw away. Would love to have them all in PDF instead of collecting dust.
I'm not really motivated enough to put everything up on eBay individually or in lots. I don't need the little money it would bring and it's too much work. Plus, most of what I'd be selling is hardly collectible quality. Libraries usually have little interest in such collections and chess clubs, are there still clubs? Most of this stuff isn't really apt for kids. Basically I would just like to see it all be of use and appreciated. How about "a box of Mig's chess junk" as prizes? But then shipping costs come in and I don't really want to take a loss on the project. Maybe eBay in lots and put the money into the NiPMiF? (How much for that cigarette butt?) Suggestions needed.
I e-mailed you some "fresh dirt", Mig. :)
option 1 Give it to an artist and make a giant collage / scuplture / piece of art of any kind.
option 2 Give it to an art designer who can use it to decorate a proper plateau ( example : someone is shooting the life of a chess player and there is a scene in the guy´s room ).
option 3 Give it to FIDE along with some candles , with any luck they should set themselves on fire trying to read the content.
I would definitely go with option 3. Best suggestion I've heard in ages!
option 4 Give it to miranda. because she's terrible at chess and needs to improve.
but otherwise, i reckon you should keep it. the miglet might want to read it in a few years!
Neh, Miglette won't need old Informants.
So I say Option 4 looks great-give it to miranda.
The Kramnik cigarette butt you should auction here... (with certificate of authenticity...)
As for the rest, a parent of a top NYC/NJ junior should offer 20c on the dollar (say, $1000 even) and do self-pickup... the collection sounds perfect for an up-and-coming grade-schooler.
Miglette would like to play with the books.
And if some books left over in a yeart she could make your books look pretty with some good paintings.
Offer a grab bag here. I'm sure there are a few of us addicts that would paypal you a couple hundred for a box shipped at the media rate.
Mig,
Your stuff isn't going to go away on its own, so you're going to have to do something!
Suggestions for the books: 1) General libraries won't be interested but school libraries might. 2) What about Sunil Weeramantry or Elizabeth Vicars? 3) Then there are the chess clubs at NYU, Cooper Union, Hofstra, St. Johns, etc.
As for the software, there probably is a market and listing those on e-Bay, putting them in some consignment shop, or consigning them to one of the many guys who vend chess gear at tournaments might make some sense.
As for the magazines, good luck!
You have one of Kramnik's cigarette butts? Where do I send my shipping address?
Would you be willing to part with the tournament books I have regretted giving up--42nd USSR Championship and Church's San Antonio 1972? I traded these in the early 1980s for a history book that I've used less than expected, and I've often missed these classic chess books.
Test-trial a MIG-autographed copy of some book or another, see how it goes... your signature's probably worth at least $20, good for half a second's work... (though maybe thin market... OTOH, this guy's gonna overthrow the Russian government and serve as minister of sport or something, at least... how much does Trotsky's autograph go for at present?)
Here's how I productively got rid of various chess stuff over the years:
Informants, a couple decades' worth of Chess Life, and several dozen chess books: Donated to The Right Move and took tax deduction. (Note: Tried Chess in the Schools first; they weren't interested)
Trophies (near-mint condition only): Sold the best ones (to Goichberg I think), later donated other well-maintained ones to Manhattan Chess Club
"Most of this stuff isn't really apt for kids."
I disagree with the above statement. The collection sounds absolutely PERFECT for an up-and-coming junior, grades 4 to 9. Enough to power him through Master and make sis Expert without resupply.
Some parent should definitely contact MIG to acquire the collection whole.
Mig,
I'll be happy to take some of the books, etc off of your hands. :)
Elizabeth O'Shaughnessy's Berkeley Chess School can put it to good use, I'm sure. The school is a non-profit, so you even get the benefit of a tax write off.
I'd be happy to cover shipping for any book/software donations to Illinois Chess Association Warren Jr Program (program director is the mother of the teenager who knocked off Fed in 16 moves in last round of US Open).
ICA is a 501(c)(3), so contributions are tax-deductible.
ChessBase mag quizzes are excellent training tools
Mig.
You are an awesome guy.I have an idea of what to with your chess stuff.
Donate them to a third world country. My suggestion : PERU !
I am a peruvian who lives in Texas, and I know there are still chessplayers in my country that "study" chess with the chess articles from the newspapers.
I know someone who can help to send the stuff to Peru. Anyway. Thank you Mig.
Rafael Llanos.
Sherman Texas.
Cell # (903)818-0610
p.s. "your AC rest on top of 4 old informants...hehe..funny Mig.
I like the "offer it up as prizes". Split your overflow up into like ten different prize combos and the winners have to pay only for the shipping. I would pay "only shipping" for a big bunch of chess stuff that probably would have cost me 5-6x what the shipping would.
yeah, there is a special place for the stuff you described....it's called a dumpster.
And I found a closet a quarter full of old KasparovChess.com swag. T-shirts, polos, backpacks, beach towels (!?), and more t-shirts. Also a bunch of t-shirts for the Mexico City world championship. Everything must go!
On a more collectible/valuable note, I have around 20 cool KasparovChess Online Grand Prix posters signed by Garry. Extremely rare and very nice looking posters, plus the autograph. Could be a good fundraiser to sell those on Ebay to pay for the shipping for the rest of the stuff. Keep the ideas coming.
I would love all the things you describe! I would happily pay for shipping!
But even more than so than me... if you have pre 1970 chess lifes... I have a friend that would very very very much appreciate you completing his collection of chess life.
Otherwise I recommend asking a library to include them in their thrift sales. I bought awesome chess books at the famous NewBerry Library thrift sale before.
You may want to contact the Cleveland Public library. They have the "John G. White chess and checkers collection" which is the largest special collection of chess and checkers (sorry to use the two words in the same sentence; their name, not mine)
http://www.cpl.org/010012/chess/
Hey Mig,
If you have any Informants which have games annotated by Ljubo...well, I'd come by to get them. :) (I'll skip the ones holding up your air conditioner).
KasparovChess.com beach towels?! Shirts and backpacks are understandable, but...
Posters signed by Kasparov would be pretty valuable.. give them out as prizes, sell them on Ebay, or keep them for another few decades in perfect condition and it can be your kid's inheritance!
recently chessbase is not producing great content, but their round 5 report on jamuk was inspiring:
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5674 .
the official website is doing their duties as well, showing a rare high standard for FIDE...
generally they do it wrong, but when they do it right, we should praise!
http://jermuk2009.fide.com/ is the official website of jermuk ("jamuk"!?!? wow...) . and the "rare high standard" refers not only to this event, but to the grand prix series websites in general.
Actually I wouldn't say "FIDE does it wrong" (with respect to Internet coverage of chess events) but "doesn't do it at all". It seems that, for the GP events, they - temporarily - hired some dedicated and competent people.
And about today's action in Jermuk: What on earth is Ivanchuk doing? His compensation for the queen seems, at best, speculative, and he is far behind on the clock. But maybe the result of the game will prove me wrong in the end ... .
Even if losing at the end , white seems to be calling the shots there , beautiful position.(22.)
Mig, if you would like to sell chess related items, tell me a price, along with the shipping cost and we can talk further.
Mig,
It is best to sell or auction the more valuable stuff on ebay as the stuff is valuable. For the sake of your family and miglette, I see no point in donating.
I would be surprised if there aren't enough interested folks in all of NYC. One of the chess clubs or someone like E Vicary would be worthy candidates.
Kapalik
This has all been so cute, but I'm glad to see some posts about real chess beginning to resume.
In addition to the Ivanchuk - Kamsky game mentioned above by Thomas and Manu, what malfunction occurred in Morozevich's thought process at move 34 vs. Avrukh? Most practical players (like me) would not pass up the relatively simple win with 34.dc5. However, time and time again, Morozevich appears to be unable to play simple and practical moves. Instead, he looks for something different. Many times, it works, but many times, he blows an easy win trying too hard to avoid the mundane. Now, if you feel the urge to yell at me, remember that I have already said that Morozevich would beat me 10-0.
hi Mig,
I would love any of this for my students / chess club. I'll email you.
thanks
Elizabeth
How about someone at Mechanics Institute or St. Louis Chess Club to donate to. Tax write off. Some swag etc to raise funds for next years "Chess Dirt Fighting Game Prize". Winner of U.S. championship gets slightly used trophy(only won once so far), a Kaspychess shirt for formal winners photo(better than any Tux or Armani suit), and of course, their very own Autographed!! Kaspy poster. That ought to help fix budget for US Chess. Maybe? Kinda?!?
"This has all been so cute ..."
IMO, nothing at all wrong with a thread aimed to help Mig as well as other people - though Mig may now face another problem, as so many are interested in his stuff.
I will further reply to you in the other thread, the one with the cute baby photo. That's where it belongs ... sorry for posting in the wrong place, but silvakov was the first one doing so.
You're an idiot Luke. If you think things like this aren't "real chess", then you know nothing. Go away.
If you semi-organize the stuff into groups (e.g. endgame, game collections, swag, periodicals), take a pic of the pile you will find an instant buyer on this blog alone. This helps us feed a need and helps you with some cash for your various funds. Win-win.
I like the prizes idea.
Now, what did I win?
How do I claim my prize?
I have a friend who lives in NY if you are serious about just getting rid of any Informants past issue 61 and/or the New In Chess. Let me know, and I can ask her if she can swing by and take them off your hands. I can work out shipping with her, so minimal effort on your part.
Dunno, seems like Vicary bids highest. Tax deduction, future use by young prodigies, NYC area pickup, and charming well-known high-rated sometimes USCF writer - it's all there.
Brock's good offer a distant second. Too bad he's male and in Chicago.
you wouldn't be associated with Vicary in anyway now would you?!
I like Elizabeth's offer, too.
In NYC on the corner of Broadway and 34th there is chesspromotion taking place by ChessNYC. It may be a waste to dump the really nice stuff there but I guess the less special things would probably be welcomed there (by me ;)).
*** BEGIN REPORT ***
NIGEL SHORT AT 2700.6
Current: 2684
Op R. Res Change
2655 0.5 -0.4
2632 1 0.5 +4.3 -0.7
2655 1 0.5 +4.6 -0.4
2583 1 0.5 -1.4 +3.6
2575 1 1 +3.5 +3.5
==============
Total: +16.6
16.6 + 2684 = 2700.6
All Nigel needs is a draw against Van Wely to maintain his rating at over 2700.
*** END REPORT ***
half of the Leaders rode for the short draw in Round 7. Though Leko demolitionated Cheparinov with the Black, homeboy Aronian met his paste in Eljanov. Your americanski Kamsky lost again, feeling the cellar if not for Inarkiev sullying the Russe colours.
LEKO +3
IVANCHUK AND KASIMDZHANOV +2 (short drawers)
ALEKSEEV AND ARONIAN +3 -2
GELFAND AND KARJAKIN +2 -1
ELJANOV +1
BACROT +1 -1
JAKOVENKO +1 -2
AKOPIAN -2
CHEPARINOV AND KAMSKY +1 -3
INARKIEV -5
Alekseev is on a 3-peat if beating Kasimdhzanov with White next.
If you give this stuff away (unless to a certified non-profit who will give you a tax receipt), you're nuts. It's worth plenty.
eBay is probably your best bet. Divide it into batches with mixed content (get rid of those butts and t-shirts by spreading them out) and offer them for sale. It's not hard or particularly time-consuming, especially after you set yourself up as a seller and post the first offering.
Sure, your readers here are as interested and as much potential buyers as anyone - so just post a link to each auction as you offer it, and we'll be "watching" . . .
I put the chess stuff on eBay and it sold amazingly well, though I guess I feel bad for not giving it to Lizzy and her students now.
Hi Mig,
Consider donating your books and chess software as prizes at the 50th US Armed Forces Open (www.USMilitaryChess.org/usafo2009.html) which will be held on Columbus weekend. This year's event will be at Gettysburg.
Cadets from the three service academies will be participating as well.
This is a no-entry fee event. All prizes including cost of running the annual event are met by donations.
Andres D. Hortillosa
Chair, USCF Military Chess Committee
How many innocent Iraqis did you kill today for the NWO, Hortillosa? Get a real job - if you have any skills.
Whoa, whoa, hcl. Let's not get into that, and just stick to chess and selling Mig's stuff.
Hey, Andres. What a great event! Go military chessplayers!
Hortillosa,
Sorry for hcl's personal attack. I'm sure I'm not alone in thanking you for your service.
Leave the soldiers alone, hcl. They're doing their job and dying for it, too. If you disagree with them being there, save your bile for your government. And the system that enables such things to happen.
¨Leave the soldiers alone, hcl. They're doing their job and dying for it, too.¨
cat: What would be ¨ their job ¨ in your opinion ?
Incendiary discussion about world politics and military strategy belongs on a blog far from here.
In comes down to who better benefits from the books?
Choice A: Promising NYC youth.
Choice B: Military men who are "dumb, stupid animals to be used" as pawns for foreign policy - according to Hortillosa's big boss, Henry Kissinger (still dominating the National Security Council today), in Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein's Final Days.
Who'd accept a min-wage merc job to breathe depleted uranium and get shot up?
Spätkapitalismus is totalizing: the promising youth are also "dumb, stupid animals to be used."
As are we all, no?
Good for you , but i wasn't asking for your opinion , just wondering if the cat knows what he is talking about.
Apparently the " replied to" is not enough for you , next time i'll be more specific.
If you want to have a private discussion about your media-fed beliefs, get a penpal. You are laying obvious trollish bait that doesn't belong here. Reply to whomever, but we all see it. Is that specific enough for you?
Mig,
Want to help out a developing chess nation? Back here in Kenya we don't have that many players and things like chessbase DVD's and chess life magazines are hard to come by. Feel like making a donation to the biggest chess club in Kenya? We will pay for the courier and cristen an annual tournament after you.
Let me know
In any case, only one person should (and can) decide who will get [part of] Mig's stuff, guess who? Of course Mig himself ... . The decision may be tough enough, no need for unsolicited advice.
I didn´t started the subject , never talk to you , asked the opinion of a friend (who can reply me by mail if he wants ).
On the other hand you are interrupting my conversation , yelling ¨there is a troll in my soup¨!! and acusing me of trolling.
One thing that diferences trolls from regular posters is that you can´t talk to them without having a fight , which is what you are looking for , please don´t talk to me or read me anymore.
Wasn´t you the one who faked his identity to atack Luke?
If that is not trolling , then what is it?
Your political issues have nothing to do with this site. You have your own blog for that.
Mig,
I'd pitch in for Mehul's cause. Sending that much stuff to Kenya would be expensive, but I'd also send you money to help out.
I'll keep it short, Manu. The mandate/job of the soldiers now is to protect the Iraqis and defeat those attempting to attack them. They are playing a lesser active role now due to Obama's beginning of the withdrawal process. Their mandate going in was to defeat Hussein and search for WMDs.
The case was pure nonsense and they should never have invaded Iraq on those grounds.
I won't drawn into any debate about what happened then or after. The point is the soldiers did as ordered, and many of them died or were maimed believing that they were fighting for something good. Any abuses/errors etc they committed are a separate issue, which I will not discuss here.If you disagree with them being there in the first place, then attack those who ordered them there, and the system which allows such things to occur. Ranting at individual soldiers like hcl did seems very wrong to me.
The Army obeys the state, it does not question its orders. Its "job" is to do what it is told, not to debate whether what it is doing is right. Otherwise it would be anarchy/military dictatorship. So blaming soldiers for the situation/war in Iraq, like I say, does not make sense to me. Just as if the state passes an unjust law, it doesn't make sense to hold the police to blame.
Right that's the last word I will utter on the subject, I won't reply to any follow-up posts, back to chess, please.
Oops, wandered into a 1960s campus demonstration, filled with adolescent fervor. Funny, though, this time there's only two kids shouting "Pig, how many boys did you kill today?" And they look a bit old for campus....And they don't even look American.
Oh yeah....I must have stumbled onto a chess blog. Guess I better go find a more sociable environment to hang out.
Next time hurry a little more in answering please , i get bashed while waiting
;)
Off topic.
In the latest USCF "story" (actually an ad for the author's chess camp), why does Ben Finegold share a trivial victory over an amateur? From a simul. Which he is proud of.
I've met 1500s who needed ego-stroking... but IMs?
http://main.uschess.org/content/view/9651/544/
Agreed. Here's a link to a story about Polgar and Truong membership's being revoked. I admit Polgar is a celebrity and it may be newsworthy outside the USCF, but do you really want to feature a story about revoking one of the most famous American chess player's membership inside your own website. If I worked there, I wouldn't hide it or lie about it, but I wouldn't feature it either. It shows a failure in communication and relationship which is not something to be proud of. http://main.uschess.org/content/view/9620/544
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