On the Coffee Table: Winning Chess Openings

Title: Winning Chess Openings
Author: Yasser Seirawan

via Amazon

Back when I first discovered Seirawan's books in the late '90s, I started with Openings.  My problem at the time was straightforward: I didn't know how to begin a game.  I knew some general principles but lacked the tools to implement them, especially if my opponent should go off-script from the main line.  So, I needed a resource to properly dig into the subject and Seirawan's book was perfect.

And now, having read and re-read several of his other volumes, I feel confident saying it's the best one.  His introductory chapter provides a wonderful history of his own early journey in the game as well as a glimpse into what he projects as a charming, jocular and refreshingly self-deprecating personality.  With that first read, I liked him instantly, both as a writer and a person, the sort of patient teacher who would never shame you for your ignorance. 

Am I a better chess player now than I was 20 years ago?  Probably, though more practice over the years would have helped.  I do, however, understand more of what he's talking about now so even if I'm not a significantly better chess player, I am a better chess reader. 

Once Seirawan gets to the meat, he divides his openings study into seven chapters:  classical king pawn openings, classical queen pawn openings, modern king pawn defenses and modern queen pawn defenses, wrapping up with three chapters for his own recommendations in each relevant situation.  I understand his approach to each better than I did 20 years ago.  He builds the first three around the most studied main line: Ruy Lopez for the king pawn, Queen's Gambit Declined for the queen pawn and the Sicilian Defense for the modern king pawn.  The queen pawn defenses are more varied.  Through each, he digs into the significance of each individual move and also explores relevant variants.

His actual recommendations are decidedly unconventional: the Barcza Opening, the King's Indian Defense and the Pirc Defense.  For those of you who are not chess enthusiasts, each intends to protect the king before challenging for control of the middle of the board, the primary function of most opening sequences.  I have used all three in the years since and have been more or less happy with the results.  In the book, he also recommends the English Opening (1. c4 for the curious), though he doesn't analyze it.  No doubt an editor told him to stop already.

Fortunately, it looks I will get a chance to practice more soon.  A colleague is starting an online chess league at school in this new distance learning phase of our lives.  Teachers are playing, too.  Can't wait!

Marvel Immersion Project: Fantastic Four #40-43

I'll admit it, I'm finding The Fantastic Four to be a tough slog.  You'll notice my issue count is down this week, despite social distancing.  Part of it is finding other interesting things to do, which is certainly a good thing.  However, I'm finding the series itself to be a bit tedious, especially compared with The Amazing Spider-Man.  Mind you, many of the problems I have with the FF are shared with the Spidey saga: the villain of the week, good guys always win formula becomes tiresome.  While there is more dimension to the heroes than there had been in the 1950s, there isn't much moral ambiguity with anyone, good or bad.  The Dr. Doom origin story in Annual #2 (see here) offers moments of sympathy for the guy but he went all in on the megalomania too quickly for it to last.

via Marvel in the Silver Age

Both series are also problematic when it comes to female characters.  This is not entirely surprising given the era.  However, the women in Peter Parker's life are the primary drivers of the more compelling threads in the Spider-Man stories.  Aunt May, Betty Brant, Liz Allan and Gwen Stacey are all more assertive and more nuanced than the FF's Sue Storm.  Sue has cool powers but is nauseatingly deferential to the others, especially Reed Richards.  She is certainly not an equal member of the Four.  The villain Medusa has a lot more backbone.

via Marvel Database

Obviously, I don't have to stick with the series or the project at all really.  However, an important character introduction is coming soon: The Silver Surfer.  His solo series is the next stop on the Comic Book Herald tour anyway so I'd hate to miss the debut before moving on.  I might skip ahead, though.  There are surely other fun villains in store, too, but I could always come back.  We'll see.


My Recent Reads

Fantastic Four #40
Originally Published July 1, 1965
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby

• Part 3 of a 6-part arc
• Villain: Dr. Doom
• Ally: Daredevil
• The FF's powers are restored via Reed's power ray.
• Doom is defeated but let go, Reed believing the wound to his pride is punishment enough.  Yeah, that line of thinking always turns out well in the long term...
• The Thing is not entirely happy with his powers being restored.  If anyone gets an interesting story through this thread, it's Thing.  While the others enjoy being superheroes, it's a burden for Ben Grimm, just as it is for the Hulk and, eventually, Wolverine.  He is understandably a bit resentful of Reed for essentially making the decision for him this time.

Fantastic Four #41
Originally Published August 1, 1965
Lee/Kirby

• Part 4
• Villains: The Frightful Four
• The Wizard uses an "Id Machine" to convert an already bitter Thing to the Dark Side.  Oops, wrong franchise...

Fantastic Four #42
Originally Published September 1, 1965

• Part 5
• The Human Torch is turned to The Frightful Four's cause as well!

Fantastic Four #43

• Part 6: the finale
• Apparently, the Id Machine didn't actually work on the Torch and he's been faking his allegiance.  So clever.
• The Frightful Four are defeated, though Medusa escapes, her feminine allure too much for young Johnny Storm to look past at the consequential juncture.

Star Trek: Where Silence Has Lease

Episode: "Where Silence Has Lease"

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Season 2, Episode 2

Original Air Date: November 28, 1988

via Memory Alpha

Curiosity kills the cat, and sometimes puts the Enterprise in great peril as well.  Data picks up an unusual reading, an area of total emptiness - no matter, no energy, nothing.  As the ship moves closer to check it out, our heroes are caught in what is essentially the mouse trap of a superior being, Nagilum.  The entity is curious as well, planning to kill half the crew just for sport.  Having no intention of subjecting his crew to prolonged suffering, Picard goes all in, setting the ship to self-destruct.  Is it a bluff?  Probably.  We still have over five seasons to go.

Most of the story is fairly tedious, I feel - just one more superior being putting humanity to the test.  As in The Motion Picture, there is way too much time devoted to shots of worried crew members staring at the view screen.  But it is a decent development episode for Picard and also for the Pulaski-Data relationship, one of the more important themes for Season 2.

Jean-Luc Picard is a bona fide badass.  His calm in facing down Nagilum is one thing.  His ability to sit back and be philosophical about impending death while the self-destruct clock is ticking is quite another - Macbeth-worthy.  Regular readers have already likely caught on but I am firmly in the Picard camp for the Kirk v. Picard debate.  This is the sort of episode that clarifies that choice for me.

I have difficulty warming to Dr. Pulaski and her dismissive attitude towards Data is the reason why.  Witness the following exchange:

PULASKI: Isn't this impossible, sir? I'm not a Bridge officer, but. Increase by one thousand, Mister Data. By ten thousand. It does know how to do these things, doesn't it?
PICARD: Commander Data knows precisely what he is doing.
PULASKI: Forgive me, Mister Data. I'm not accustomed to working with non-living devices that. Forgive me again. Your service record says that you are alive. I must accept that.

I realize Pulaski eventually comes around to respecting Data but their early interactions remind me of an old pearl of wisdom: if someone is kind to you but rude to the waitress, she is not a nice person.  In other words, Pulaski is only considerate when she has to be.  This may be oversimplifying the situation but it still rubs me the wrong way.

Acting Notes

via The Disney Wiki

Earl Boen (Nagilum) was born August 8, 1941 in Pueblo, Colorado.  His biggest role was Dr. Silberman in the Terminator franchise.  He is the only actor besides Arnold Schwarzenegger to appear in each of the first three films.

Squid Mixes: Sazerac

I got my Sazerac recipe from The New York Bartender's Guide: bourbon or rye with Pernod, sugar, Angostura or Peychaud's bitters, water and a lemon twist.  I chose rye and Peychaud's.  In fact, the latter was the initial inspiration for the drink.  We've had a bottle for a while but I don't think I'd actually used it yet - not that we were able to taste it much.  The Sazerac is named for the brand of cognac which served as its original base liquor.

The Pernod, an anise-flavored apéritif, was definitely the dominant flavor even though there's only a scant amount in the mixture: a mere half-teaspoon against three ounces of whiskey.  We're not big black licorice fans so a little bit of anise goes a long way.  The drink was enjoyable, though definitely strong.  The preparation is a bit fussy.  One coats the glass with the Pernod before adding anything else.  One must muddle the sugar, too, which is tedious.

Marvel Immersion Project: Fantastic Four #34-39

As I dig into the Fantastic Four's adventures, I am particularly aware of important similarities and differences between their stories and those of Spider-Man. 

Both franchises are based in New York City - center of the entire Marvel universe, in fact.  However, while Spidey tends to stay close to home, the FF end up in all kinds of crazy places: the Mole's underground world, Namor's Atlantis kingdom and, perhaps most important in the long-run, the Skrull world.

The Skrulls first invaded Earth in Fantastic Four #2.  In issue #37 (see below), the FF pay a return visit.  The Skrulls have been a prominent presence in Marvel ever since, far beyond the Fantastic Four saga.  In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Skrulls have been featured in both Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far from Home.

My Recent Reads

Fantastic Four #34
Originally Published January 1, 1965
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby

via Marvel Database

• Villain: Mr. Gideon, a billionaire set on world domination.  In the end, he gives up his fortune and devotes himself to his loving family.  Awww...
• Beatles reference!

Fantastic Four #35
Originally Published February 1, 1965
Lee/Kirby

via Marvel Database

• Villain: Diablo, controlling Dragon Man
• Cameos: Professor X and Scott Summers of the X-Men, Peter Parker
• The FF's personal lives aren't nearly as interesting as Parker's but there is an important development in this issue: it would appear Reed and Sue are engaged!

Fantastic Four #36

Originally Published March 1, 1965

Lee/Kirby

via Comic Book Religion

• Villains: a new bad guy team known as The Frightful Four, featuring the Wizard, Medusa, Sandman and Paste-Pot Pete
• Guests at Reed and Sue's engagement party, invited and otherwise: the X-Men, the Avengers and Spider-Man

Fantastic Four #37
Originally Published April 1, 1965
Lee/Kirby

• The FF travel to the Skrull world so Sue Storm can avenge the murder of her father.
• Nemesis (villain doesn't fit since the FF picked this fight): Morrat

via Marvel Database

• Princess Anelle and her father, the king, Dorrek VII (unnamed in the issue) also appear.  She is Morrat's fiancée and Dad doesn't approve of his prospective son-in-law.

Anelle via Marvel Database

Dorrek VII via Marvel Database

• Beatles reference!

Fantastic Four #38
Originally Published May 1, 1965
Lee/Kirby

• Villain: The Frightful Four
• Paste-Pot Pete renames himself The Trapster, thank goodness.
• The story ends with a cliffhanger.  As with Spidey, we're gradually getting longer arcs.

Fantastic Four #39
Originally Published June 1, 1965
Lee/Kirby

• Part 2 of the story arc begun in the previous issue.
• Villain: Dr. Doom
• Crossover: Daredevil, and for more than just a cameo.  He's on-hand to help.
• After their run in with The Frightful Four in #38, the Fantastic Four are stripped of their powers.  They feel helpless and vulnerable, which of course, they're not really.  They just have to be resourceful.  There is a powerful message in Daredevil, in particular, stepping in.  Not only does he lack obvious superpowers but he's blind.  He knows all about making the most of what you have rather than dwelling upon what you don't.

Star Trek: The Child

Episode: "The Child"
Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Season 2, Episode 1
Original Air Date: November 21, 1988

via Memory Alpha

We have a lot of ground to cover so settle in and get comfortable.

Deanna becomes unexpectedly pregnant when an alien entity invades her body.  I will keep my story analysis brief except to say that it's memorable for Deanna's emotional journey from the conception to the ultimate loss of the child.  Others have criticized the writers for avoiding the rape issue and for the lack of follow up for Troi in succeeding episodes.  But they certainly did not shy away from the matter of choice, making Captain Picard's position, at least, crystal clear.


Okay, first the good...

Riker's Beard

via Wikipedia

Between seasons, Jonathan Frakes stopped shaving.  He intended to remedy the situation before filming but Gene Roddenberry liked the beard and, with an assist from a convention audience, convinced him to keep it.  A television expression was born.

Riker's Beard is the opposite of Jumping the Shark.  The series Happy Days started heading permanently southward after an ill-conceived episode in which Fonzie jumps over a shark in a waterskiing daredevil stunt.

via GIPHY


Jumping the Shark has since been used to mark all such moments in the decline of a once dependable television show.  Similarly, the debut of Riker's beard has long been seen by the faithful as the moment when TNG stopped being terrible and started being awesome.  Riker's Beard is now employed for the moment when any struggling series finally finds its footing.

In my opinion, this season opener is not noticeably better than the best of Season 1, apart from a few promising hints.  Despite uneven quality of material, the first season's ratings were strong enough to merit a budget increase so production value went up.  We get a few character improvements, too.  Geordi is now chief engineer, giving him stronger character definition and bringing Scotty's old job into the principal cast.  Similarly, Worf now has a better defined role as chief of security.  Wes's character gets toned down from wunderkind to that of insecure teenager which makes him a tad more likeable.  He also gets a snazzy new acting ensign uniform.  Gone are the horrible sweaters, thank goodness.  Plus, we get Guinan - more on her in a bit.

But the point of Riker's Beard is not that it is the quality apex.  Rather, it is the moment marking the beginning of an upward trend.  Here we go.  For real this time, folks.


Now the bad...

McFadden Fired

During the first season, the cast, up to and including Patrick Stewart, were not shy about expressing their objections to the more offensive material, particularly the racism in "Code of Honor" and the sexism of several episodes, most egregiously "Angel One."  Gates McFadden (Dr. Crusher) was particularly vocal and, unfortunately, pushed hard enough to get on the bad side of Maurice Hurley, head writer and showrunner.  Though officially the studio said McFadden asked to leave as Denise Crosby had, in truth, she was fired.

It was not exactly a clean cut, which suggests that others within the operation were not so bothered.  The character was actually promoted within the story rather than killed off.  Also, her replacement, Diana Muldaur (first appeared on TOS, here) was never listed among the principal cast.  Finally, as soon as Hurley left the show himself after the second season, McFadden was invited back.

In the meantime, we must address the Uhura legacy.  While Muldaur's character, Dr. Pulaski is quite different from Crusher (more on that next week), she is the most obvious placeholder until Crusher returns.  So...

Uhrua = Dr. Crusher = Pulaski


Back to the good...

Ten Forward

The world-building aboard the Enterprise gets a big boost with the introduction of Ten Forward, the ship's lounge.  There, one can relax with friends, enjoy a quiet moment or seek the counsel of the enigmatic bartender Guinan, who offers wisdom along with Mareuvian tea and Delovian soufflé.

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan) was born Caryn Elaine Johnson, November 13, 1955 in New York City. She is, of course, an elite Hollywood superstar, one of only 15 entertainers to have achieved an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony), all in competitive categories.  There are those who argue her Emmy doesn't count because it's a Daytime rather than a Primetime award.  I say an Emmy's an Emmy and for good measure, she's won two of them.

Goldberg was a huge Star Trek fan as a child, inspired by the character of Lt. Uhura in The Original Series.  As the story goes, she first watched the show at age nine, then went running through the house saying, "Come here, mom, everybody, come quick, come quick, there's a black lady on television and she ain't no maid!"  She first expressed interest in working on the new series through her friend LeVar Burton but when he passed it on, the producers initially thought it was a prank.

The Guinan character was a perfect fit for the circumstances.  The writers were already planning to introduce Ten Forward but did not plan to include it in every episode.  Goldberg, while eager to be involved, couldn't commit to a primary cast role.  The character name derived from Texas Guinan, a famous speakeasy owner during the Prohibition era.

via Wikipedia

Squid Mixes: Old Overholt vs. Ezra Brooks

Ezra Brooks Straight Rye Whiskey is a relatively new product on Vermont's liquor store shelves.  It is $4 cheaper than our former standby, Old Overholt.  Therefore, it presents a meaningful challenge as a staple rye for when none of the higher-priced brands - George Dickel, for instance - is on sale.  Worth noting before we dig in: the Ezra Brooks is 90 proof whereas Overholt is 80.  Let the whiskey battle begin!

On the Rocks Test

Both whiskeys were perfectly nice straight.  Brooks was more bitter while Overholt was both sharper and fruitier.  Call this one a tie.

Manhattan Test

My wife tasted both blind and found the Ezra Brooks to be smoother.  I thought it more flavorful.  I let her finish the EB one while I finished the Overholt.  She accepted, with apology.

Edge: Ezra Brooks

Highball Test

A blind test again.  This time, she found the Overholt smokier and preferred it.  We both agreed, though, that the ginger beer was once again the more dominant flavor, the whiskey difference essentially negligible.  We used Otto's again.  At some point, once we've settled on a whiskey, we'll do some ginger beer tests.  The main thing we've learned so far is that there's no harm in sticking to the cheap stuff.

Slight edge: Old Overholt

Overall Winner: Ezra Brooks

Far and away, we consume most of our whiskey via Manhattans so the Brooks is the clear winner, especially with the difference in price.  Looks like the end of the road for Old Overholt at our house - kind of a shame but what can you do?  The change in recipe was not a good choice for the brand.