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Bobby Fischer dispute

I've gotten into a dispute on the Bobby Fischer talk page with 194x144x90x118 over this addition that I made to the section of the article about Fischer's anti-Semitism:

Fischer's library contained anti-Semitic and white supremacist literature such as Mein Kampf, Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, and The White Man's Bible and Nature's Eternal Religion by Ben Klassen, founder of the Church of the Creator. [citing David and Alessandra DeLucia, The Uncensored Bobby Fischer, 2009, pp. 160-62, 166.] A notebook written by Fischer is filled with sentiments such as "8/24/99 Death to the Jews. Just kill the Motherfuckers!" and "12/13/99 It's time to start randomly killing Jews." [citing DeLucia 2009, pp. 290, 292.]

194x144x90x118 vehemently objects to this, and has deleted it. He has offered various explanations, including:

(1)"Fischer was first and foremost a Chess genius not an anti semite and this article already sufficiently says all it needs to say regarding his alleged anti semitism, further more Fischer wasn't an anti semite he was an anti zionist which is a completely different thing."

(2) "If you were to invade my storage facility then you'd find guess what? An original copy of Mein Kampf printed in Germany in German but guess what I aint no fucking anti semite either and I don't even speak German so how could that be possibly relevant?"

(3) "If Fischer was SO! antisemitic and against jews then he would have put a gun in his mouth and rid the world of the jewish that he saw in the mirror. Ok it's time that I dug up something which PROVES!!!! beyond the shadow of a doubt that fischer was in fact Not! antisemitic."

Quale reverted the article, restoring my edit, but SarekOfVulcan re-reverted it. Evidently impressed by 194x144x90x118 's eloquence, he concurred: "At the moment, I agree fully. If the edit can be properly sourced, then there could be grounds for discussion."

I pointed out that DeLucia's new book was released days ago, and has accordingly not been the subject of a review other than the pseudonymous review of it [here http://www.chessgames.com/~ChessBookForum?kpage=15#reply385]. (Scroll up a bit to the two-part review by "Paris Attack". The comment by "FSR" is me.) I also pointed out that the chess historian (and co-author, with David Hooper, of the book The Immortal Capablanca) Dale Brandreth wrote of the two editions of DeLucia's prior book The Chess Library of David DeLucia: A Few Old Friends:

Among the treasure[s] depicted in this volume are the Paris Lucena Manuscript, the first edition Damiano, a flawless Carrera, the three editions of Saul (1614, 1640, 1672), the first edition Ruy Lopez, three different-color editions of the London 1883 tournament book (pristine copies), the Dubuque Chess Journal (with collation of this very hard-to-get complete run), St. Petersburg 1895 Tournament book, letters and scores of Alekhine, a commemorative envelope from Em. Lasker to his wife Martha from Cambridge Springs 1904, the first page of the Cambridge Springs 1904 tournament bulletins (the first tournament bulletins ever), extracts from several Lasker manuscripts (some on mathematics), several Lasker letters, a letter from Einstein to Lasker, Morphy letters, scoresheet, photos, and his chess board, Capablanca scoresheet, Capa's top hat, passport, and watch...and hundreds more extraordinary items. These two volumes are unique in the history of chess literature. I lack enough superlatives to do these two volumes justice. [Emphasis added.]

I also noted that Edward Winter, in Chess Note 5323, called DeLucia's prior work "of incomparable quality" and "so stunning in terms of both production and content that we can only marvel at it". I would think comments by two respected chess historians that DeLucia's work is "of incomparable quality" and "I lack enough superlatives to do these two volumes justice" ought to sufficiently answer the suggestion that he is not a reliable source. SarekOfVulcan, perhaps having since returned to his home planet, has not responded. I am about at the end of my rope dealing with 194x144x90x118. Does anyone else care to weigh in? Krakatoa (talk) 06:48, 17 June 2009 (UTC)

The fellow has now filed a complaint against me for purported edit warring, and threatened me on my Talk page. Krakatoa (talk) 14:13, 18 June 2009 (UTC)

Here are the threats:

This is basically the deal, you were wrong, the consensus is against you, a larger consensus is going to form and the edit will not stand. I have also taken a look at other instances in your edit history and it seems that much of your work here on wikipedia has been somehow misguided. You have two options, A. Face a full review and scrutiny of your work here on wikipedia that will lead to other article changes that you've made being reverted or B. Withdraw your support for your own edit on the bobby fischer article and never show yourself anywhere near it again. I await your response.--194x144x90x118 (talk) 10:58, 18 June 2009 (UTC)

Note that one more revert or one more supporting comment on the talkpage will be taken as a rejection of this offer and will have consequences.--194x144x90x118 (talk) 12:55, 18 June 2009 (UTC)

Krakatoa, if you keep your cool as you have so far, this will eventually turn out OK. I know it's very hard when dealing with these sorts of disruptive and abusive users, but he is pretty well known to the admins at WP:ANI and they are not very sympathetic to him. It's also clear that he has a distorted view of Wikipedia including what Wikipedia is, how it works, and what is expected and required of contributors here. I think one of Wikipedia's failings is that admins are too slow to block editors like this one, but in this particular circumstance I'm confident that outcome will be all right. I don't even think you need to mount a particularly vigorous defense against laughable attacks such as these, although it sticks in the craw to not fight back as hard as possible. Quale (talk) 15:35, 18 June 2009 (UTC)

Thanks. Yes, I have just been reading his (? - I assume it's "his"; hard to imagine someone this vitriolic being female, although possible, of course) Talk page and I see that this sort of thing is typical (e.g., calling an admin "incompetent and insane"). He also refers there to Philcha, Brittle heaven and me as "total fucking morons," "fucking losers," and "ignorant". (He doesn't refer to us by name, but since he's talking about a recent dispute on the Bobby Fischer talk page, we're evidently who he means.) Krakatoa (talk) 15:51, 18 June 2009 (UTC)

Notable person?

Is this person notable: Martin Bryant (programmer)? The article is almost entirely about the chess and checkers programs he wrote. Bubba73 (talk), 16:05, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

I would personally say no, but I am impressed by the references given: they are real reliable sources, so I would give it the benefit of doubt. SyG (talk) 10:27, 5 July 2009 (UTC)

From memory, Bryant was indeed one of the big names in the development of computer chess programs in the early eighties. So if computer chess is notable, then I'd probably say he is too. Brittle heaven (talk) 07:12, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

please check addition

Please check the two variations added to Open Game today. I didn't find any reference to them on the internet so I deleted them. They were added back and I added "fact" tags. Bubba73 (talk), 22:48, 6 July 2009 (UTC)

Good call to question this. I'd remove it as a hoax except but found names are real players, see Kuijper and Mellema. I do believe that 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4 is called Ponziani's Gambit and that's what is in Bishop's Opening. SunCreator (talk) 23:52, 6 July 2009 (UTC)

Looks altogether wrong in my opinion. Hooper & Whyld are quite meticulous in their naming of variations and they agree with User:SunCreator on the 3.d4 line (Ponziani Gambit). The 3.d3 line doesn't seem to have a name, and when you think about it, it's just a solid, obvious, unremarkable move, so why would anyone bother to name it? I think once you move to more contemporary times than Hooper & Whyld (1984), a name would need plenty of references from different sources to be regarded as notable, and not just some obscure passing reference from someone like Eric Schiller. As for 2. Bd3?! Tortoise Opening, near the bottom of the list—again, where are the sources? This ridiculous move is contrary to the principles of an Open Game, so hardly seems like a good or notable example. Brittle heaven (talk) 07:33, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

Isolani

I believe the origin of the word is Italian (not Latin), so the ending in "i" makes sense. It means an "islander." —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mjschumacher (talk • contribs) 20:03, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

So why comment to say something is correct in Glossary_of_chess#Isolani + Isolated_pawn? SunCreator (talk) 21:21, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

The Isolated Pawn article contains this aside "... called isolani (it is not clear why this term is used rather than the singular form, 'isolanus', which is ironic considering that the pawn stands alone)", which seems unnecessary. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mjschumacher (talk • contribs) 15:47, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

As far as the word being Italian, not Latin, that does seem very plausible. But it's still a plural noun; the singular in Italian would be "isolano". —JAO • T • C 15:59, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

This has often been questioned. Grammatically Isolani makes no sense. The term seems to have been coined by Aron Nimzowitsch. There has been speculation whether he adopted the name (or may have been influenced by the name) of a main character of Friedrich Schiller's Wallenstein play, a daredevil general, named Count Isolani - in fact a true historical figure, see the German wiki on Count Isolani. See for the chess term and Isolani also here, but so far the mystery about the term's origin has not been solved. --DaQuirin (talk) 23:40, 19 July 2009 (UTC)

Italian Game, again

Some sources say that the Italian Game is 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4. Others say that the Italian game is after 3... Bc5, which is also generally known as the Guioco Piano. But Chess Opening Essentials calls the above with 4. d3 the Guioco Piano whereas everyone else calls it the Guioco Piamisso (sp?). This book calls 4.c3 the Italian Game.

This has been discussed before (about what is the Italian), but this book seems to be at odds with everything else. To me, it makes sense for 3. Bc4 to be the Italian, to distinguish it from other White moves at this point, e.g. the Ruy Lopez and the Scotch. Then it can branch off into the Two Knights or GP, depending on Black's fourth move. Then the GP or Guioco Piamisso depending on White's fifth move. Bubba73 (talk), 05:16, 18 July 2009 (UTC)

First, I think it is "Pianissimo", and not "Piamisso". This is italian for "very very slowly". Then, one of my most reliable source tells the Italian game and the Giuoco Piano are the same, and are 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5, because 3...Nf6 is not the Italian game but the defense of the two knights.

On the other hand, the World Correspondence Chess Federation calls 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 the Italian defence. SyG (talk) 07:36, 18 July 2009 (UTC)

Yes, 3.Bc4 Bc5 constitutes Italian Game or Giuoco Piano - they are the same. Thereafter, some call the 4. d3 line Giuoco Pianissimo (Ray Keene thinks this means "Quietest" rather than "Slowest") and 4. c3 the Piano proper. The third option is 4. b4, The Evans Gambit which effectively, by means of a pawn sac, allows a turbo-charged Piano with the tempo-gaining c3 preparing an early d4. User:Gabodon would be able to clear up any translation questions, if necessary. Brittle heaven (talk) 09:40, 18 July 2009 (UTC)

From Italian Game. "The term Italian Game is now used interchangeably with Giuoco Piano, though that term also refers particularly to play after 3…Bc5.". I don't see what is at odds with the article, perhaps it's the name of 4. d3, which is the Giuoco Pianissimo, although depending on the context could still be called a Guioco Piano because that it what it came from. In the same way you would call 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 a Sicilian although normally be more precise and call it a Najdorf Sicilian. SunCreator (talk) 21:58, 19 July 2009 (UTC)

I had two points: (1) what that book calls the Piano, most sources call the Pianissimo. That may be a problem with the translation though. Secondly, why make the Italian the same as the GP? I think it makes more sense to call 3. Bc4 the Italian and you can have the GP or 2N from there. Some books give the Italian this way. That has the benefit of distinguishing 3. Bc4 from the Ruy, Scotch, etc. The Ruy and Scotch are "white openings", whereas most openings are black openings (i.e. a black move distinguishes it.) It would be good for 3.Bc4 to have a general name. Of course, I am not suggesting we change this in the articles - they must go by standard sources. But some sources do call 3. Bc4 the Italian. Bubba73 (if you can read this you can go to my talk page), 03:41, 20 July 2009 (UTC)

I understand the point you make; however 3. Bc4 is a crossroads and has no defining characteristic or identity of its own, i.e. Black can choose 3... Bc5 GP, ... Be7 Hungarian Def, ... Nf6 2N, ... f5 Rousseau Gambit etc. These all lead to games of a different nature. Brittle heaven (talk) 11:53, 20 July 2009 (UTC)

As for the double name, there are quite a few examples ... eg. Ruy Lopez/Spanish, Centre Counter/Scandinavian - they tend to relate to a country of origin or popularity and 'Giouco Piano' obviously has Italian roots, hence Italian Game. Brittle heaven (talk) 12:02, 20 July 2009 (UTC)

I agree with Bubba73 that it is desirable to call 3.Bc4 "Italian Game" and branch from there into the Giuoco Piano, Two Knights, Hungarian, Paris (3...d6), etc. Regarding Brittle heaven's observation that "3. Bc4 is a crossroads and has no defining characteristic or identity of its own", Quale once observed, and I agree, that the various lines arising out of 3.Bc4 have a lot more in common than, say, the Queen's Gambit, which leads to very different types of games depending on which of the myriad replies Black chooses (2...dxc4, 2...e6, 2...c6, 2...e5, 2...Nc6, 2...Bf5, 2...Nf6, 2...c5, and even 2...Bg4, named for the inappropriately-named British player "Horseman"). Krakatoa (talk) 07:16, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

I think it's easy to find sources using "Italian Game" as a synonym of the Giuoco Piano and other sources that use it for the position after 3.Bc4, so our articles should clearly state that the term is used with two different but very closely related meanings. (We don't do this correctly right now.) I don't think that either of these uses is especially preferred, although my off-the-cuff guess is that at least a few more sources use it to mean the G.P. Actually I suspect that in at least some of the cases that it is used for the G.P. it is also intended to cover other lines after 3.Bc4. Jargon is not always used perfectly precisely, and in fact somewhat loosely defined terms are not always bad—they can actual make communication easier when excessive precision is too tedious. In instances such as these the meaning the author intends for "Italian Game" is almost always clear in context. As Krakatoa notes, for our purposes in giving names to articles, it is much more useful to employ "Italian Game" with a meaning distinct from the G.P. I don't know that any of this represents a particularly difficult problem. There are many fields in which terminology is not perfectly standardized, and this is a much more serious issue in areas like medicine. All we need do is describe the accepted uses based on reliable sources. With this in mind, I think Italian Game is currently wrong: "The term Italian Game is now used interchangeably with Giuoco Piano, though that term also refers particularly to play after 3…Bc5." This isn't stated correctly. G.P. doesn't "also" refer to anything. Unlike the Italian Game the G.P. is very precisely defined and always means the line after 4...Bc5. The current wording is pretty much backwards. P.S. I don't think those lists of ECO codes mentioned near the beginning of the thread are reliable sources for opening names, although people repeatedly use them in wikipedia as if they were. (Also in this particular case, I have no idea what the "World Correspondence Chess Federation" is. The official world correspondence chess organization is the ICCF.) My understanding is that ECO doesn't actually give English names to their codes (see the Chess Informant site itself), so the opening names on the ECO lists floating around on the internet are unofficial compilations made by persons unknown and posted to various websites (probably geocities originally). Perhaps unfortunately, wikipedia has enshrined its own mutated version compiled from several of these lists at list of chess openings, so it will be propagated forever without end. The A00 entries on our list are particularly absurd. Quale (talk) 08:48, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Quale is correct that ECO generally does not indicate an opening's name, just the sequence(s) of moves assigned to a particular ECO code. ECO assigns "C50" to include (1) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4, moves other than 3...Bc5 and 3...Nf6 and (2) 3...Bc5, moves other than 4.b4 and 4.c3. There is no mention of "Italian Game," "Giuoco Piano," or "Hungarian Defense". ECO, Volume C (3rd ed. 1997), pp. 282, 284. In rare instances, ECO indicates the name of a person associated with an opening, e.g. "Alehin" for 1.e4 Nf6. ECO, Volume B (3rd ed. 1997), p. 26 n. 1. Nimzowitsch is not mentioned in connection with 1.e4 Nc6, id. p. 12, nor Caro and Kann for 1.e4 c6, id., p. 86. Krakatoa (talk) 22:49, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

Sorry guys, but I can't agree. I've played league chess for over 30 years and no-one has ever expressed the opinion that 3. Bc4 constitutes the Italian Game. Maybe someone needs to check the Gottingen Manuscript or the analysis of Greco and Polerio, from which the names 'Italian Game' and 'Quiet Game' appear to originate, but personally, I'd have to follow my own experience, which appears to be fully supported by the likes of Brace, Hooper & Whyld, Keene & Levy, Gufeld & Kalinichenko, to name a few opening books I've just checked. What are the sources that say otherwise? Are they equally reliable to those I just mentioned? I also find the point about the Queen's Gambit completely spurious. It's called the Queen's Gambit because you just gambited a pawn on the queenside, nothing more, nothing less. It's not meant to define the type of game that follows. In stark contrast, the 'Italian Game' does indeed refer to a specific set of possibilities arising after 3. Bc4 Bc5 (the aforementioned body of work by Greco/Polerio/Ruy Lopez, among others). Brittle heaven (talk) 00:25, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

Some books do call 3. Bc4 the Italian game. Bubba73 (talk), 00:38, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

There is some previous discussion of this at Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Chess/Archive 5#A_couple_of_things and Talk:Italian Game and Talk:Giuoco Piano. I didnt' look at these exhaustively, but I think the only books listed there that use "Italian Game" as a term distinct from the G.P. are The Guioco Piano by Gufeld and Stesko (the GP "is a branch of the Italian Game") and Understanding the Chess Openings by Sam Collins. I would consider Gufeld and Stesko to be the better reference of the two, but if this is all the support that calling 3.Bc4 the Italian Game has, then it's weaker than I thought. Quale (talk) 02:13, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

That's interesting. At first glance, Gufeld seems to be contradicting himself between his works with Stetsko and Kalinichenko. But looking more closely, he's just saying that after 3.Bc4 Bc5 (the Italian Game), there is also the possibility of the Evans Gambit - hence the Giuoco Piano is indeed 'one branch' of the Italian Game. It is therefore a small but important distinction that the Giuoco Piano and Italian Game are not 'identical' terms, just 'synonymous' terms (the words have different meanings - synonymous can mean "associated with"). Brace is therefore technically imprecise when he says the I.G. is "another name for G.P.". I can't comment on Sam Collins, as I havn't got his book, but much of what I'm saying appears to mirror your conversation with User:Moonraker12 on Talk:Italian Game when he said;

[ ... "The term Italian Game is now used interchangeably with Giuoco Piano, though that term also refers particularly to play after 3... Bc5." which mirrors the comment I found on the GP page. I know that nowadays (though I don't know how widespread it is) they are used synonymously, but I'm also conscious that they are not (or were not) the same thing (3.Bc4 certainly isn't "Quiet"!), and I wanted to reflect that.] Brittle heaven (talk) 09:09, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

I might add that I also described I.G. and G.P. as one and the same thing at the top of this string. This is where the real confusion lies - it's a fine distinction; some may take the view that the Evans is just an offshoot of the G.P., in which case Gufeld & Stetsko were misleading and Brace is right. In truth, you'd probably have to study the ancient works to know precisely what was analysed after 3.Bc4 Bc5 and what properly constitutes the Italian Game. I'll be amazed if it's everything after 3.Bc4 though! Brittle heaven (talk) 09:43, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

On page 5, Gufeld and Stetsko say "The G.P. (... 3. Bc4 Bc5) is a branch of the Italian Game with a 500 year history ..." To me that seems to say that 3. Bc5 is where the G.P. branches off the I.G. but it is possible that they mean the non-Evans Gambit branch. Page 12 of the book by IM Collins says "...3.Bc4 This move signals the beginning of the I.G." Then he talks about branches of the I.G. - the G.P., Evans Gambit, and Two Knights. (Note that I think all other sources I looked at said that the I.G. and G.P. were the same, except that Chess Opening Essentials says that the I.G. is the Giuoco Pianissimo.) Bubba73 (talk), 14:39, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

Interesting stuff. I hadn't thought of the possibility that someone would consider both the G.P. and the Evans Gambit to be Italian Games, but not consider the Evans Gambit to be (at least in essence) a variation of the G.P. That is certainly an interesting approach. Note that I think the current statement on Italian Game is simply wrong. "The term Italian Game is now used interchangeably with Giuoco Piano, though that term also refers particularly to play after 3... Bc5." The G.P. doesn't also refer particularly to anything, it is precisely 3...Bc5. If the I.G. and G.P. are always synonymous (and clearly this is the majority usage) then this comment is unnecessary and confusing and the description of the G.P. is wrong. If they aren't always synonymous then a comment is needed but this characterization of the G.P. is still wrong. (Use of the term Italian Game to refer to the Guioco Pianissimo is an aberrant usage that doesn't belong in wikipedia. We don't currently use it that way, so we're OK on that point). It is handy for classification purposes to have a name for the positions following 3.Bc4. The question I guess is whether we have sufficient reliable sources to call this the Italian Game. If we don't then I suspect we will be forced to again turn the current I.G. page into a redirect to G.P. as I don't think there's another suitable name for the page. The positions following 3.Bc4 are important Open Games, so some of the material could be moved there. Quale (talk) 21:57, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

I agree that equating Guioco Pianissimo and the I.G. is wrong, although it is in that book. That book was translated from some European language, and I think they made incorrect translations to some of the English names. Bubba73 (talk), 22:01, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

The Mammoth Book of Chess by Burgess, page 122 (revised edition) also gives 3. Bc4 as the Italian Game, with the G.P. 2N, Hungarian, and others branching off from there. Bubba73 (talk), 02:31, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

In the Preface to The Italian Game by T.D. Harding and G.S. Botterill (1976), the authors write, "This book deals with all the openings that arise from 1 P-K4 P-K4 2 N-KB3 N-QB3 3 B-B4. In Europe this complex is known as the Italian Game, but Anglo-Saxon readers may be more familiar with the term Giuoco Piano for the lines where Black replies 3...B-B4." On page 1, they confuse matters by writing of the position after 3...B-B4 (3...Bc5), "Thus begins the Italian Game, or Giuoco Piano, proper." Given that 3.Bc4 is sometimes referred to as the Italian Game, I favor using the term that way in Wikipedia for essentially administrative reasons - for example, in opening articles referring to, say, the position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6, we can write, "White usually plays 3.Bb5, the Ruy Lopez, or 3.Bc4, the Italian Game" rather than having to refer to the latter possibility in more cumbersome fashion as "3.Bc4, which may lead to the Giuoco Piano, Two Knights Game, or Hungarian Defense, among other openings". Of course, the Italian Game article should also acknowledge, as it does, that the term is also often used to refer specifically to the position after 3...Bc5 (a/k/a the Giuoco Piano). Krakatoa (talk) 07:44, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

Italian game is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5, if black plays anything else rather than Bc5 then it is not italian but rather 3...Be7 hungarian defense, 3...Nf6 two knights or four knights depending on what black does etc. Caling 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 italian game is same as calling 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 king's indian. Loosmark (talk) 12:50, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

Modern chess openings which is the authority on the topic has this to say:

Giouco Piano 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5. The Giouco Piano (known outside the English-speaking world as the "Italian Game") is a fifteenth-centuty opening that has stood the test of time. It's clear what the Italian game is and also that Giouco Piano and Italian Game are synonyms. Loosmark (talk) 13:25, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

As you may have surmised, I'm broadly with Loosmark on this one. I think the balance of evidence easily favours the Italian Game starting after 3. Bc4 Bc5 and whilst I'd admit it's no big deal either way, it does seem a bit mad to say otherwise, for reasons of administrative ease. I doubt you could construct a sentence along the lines of Krakatoa's example, in any eventuality, as it omits the possibilities 3. c3 - Ponziani, 3. d4 - Scotch, 3. Nc3 - Four Knight's Game ... so surely it's just inescapably cumbersome however you describe 3. Bc4. Brittle heaven (talk) 19:22, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

I know that most sources equate the I.G. and G.P, but not all. Also, people speak of the "Spanish bishop" (on b5) and the "Italian bishop" (on c4). It is also nice to distinguish among 3. Bc4, the Ruy, and the Scotch, three knights. ... Bubba73 (talk), 20:33, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

For an example of the utility of using Italian Game for all the openings following 3.Bc4, see Blackburne Shilling Gambit. I won't argue that this usage is essential, but it is handy. Without it we might have to direct the reader to Open Game to see what Black usually plays instead of 3...Nd4?! Quale (talk) 03:18, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

That is a good example. The Open Game is less specific. Burgess says that the Italian game brances off to the G.P., 2N, or Hungarian. Blackburne-Shilling gambit is also a branch from that point. Bubba73 (talk), 04:21, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

Table of references for the Italian Game

Here are the various references cited in the discussion above, classified on whether they support the Italian Game being 3...Bc5 or being 3.Bc4. Please feel free to add any new reliable source you may find. SyG (talk) 11:33, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

	Support the Italian Game as 3...Bc5	Support the Italian Game as 3.Bc4	Others
1	Le guide des échecs (Nicolas Giffard) calls 3...Bc5 the Italian Game and the Giuoco Piano (synonyms)	Sam Collins: "3.Bc4 This move signals the beginning of the Italian Game"	Chess Opening Essentials calls 4.c3 the Italian Game, and 4.d3 the Giuoco Pianissimo
2	Brace	The Mammoth Book of Chess (Burgess)	The World Correspondence Chess Federation calls 3...Bc5 the Giuoco Piano, and 4.c3 the Italian Game
3	Hooper & Whyld	The Italian Game (T.D. Harding & G.S. Botterill)
4	Gufeld & Kalinichenko	Gufeld & Stesko: "The G.P. (3.Bc4 Bc5) is a branch of the Italian Game"
5	Keene & Levy
6	Modern chess openings
7	Le bréviaire des échecs (Xavier Tartakower)
8	Le guide Marabout des échecs (Frits van Seters)
9	Italian game and Evans gambit (Jan Pinski)
10

It would be good to know the context of some of those references. To say support the Italian Game as 3...Bc5 'Italian game and Evans gambit' does not necessarily mean ONLY the Italian game and Evans gambit. Such references may also support Italian Game as 3. Bc4. SunCreator (talk) 20:38, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Join the project

I want to join this project in chess, so I can learn how to play chess better with my comrades. How does it do? Dr. Szląchski (talk) 04:18, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

Hi Dr. Szląchski, and welcome to Wikipedia ! We are more than happy to have you on board in this WikiProject, but please note its purpose is not to learn or teach chess, but to improve the coverage of chess subjects on Wikipedia. So you may be disappointed by not improving that much. Still wana join ? SyG (talk) 18:46, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

Yes, the purpose of this project is to work on the chess articles. But there are a lot of good articles where you could learn a lot. But they aren't as in depth as books. Bubba73 (if u cn rd ths u cn go to my talk page), 04:02, 30 July 2009 (UTC)

Most popular articles

I signed this project up for this. Each month it will list the 1500 most popular articles, by the number of times they are read in the month. First results should be the first of September. Bubba73 (talk), 05:27, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Great idea ! Isn't 1500 a bit overshooting ? SyG (talk) 07:03, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Maybe. The default was 500, the maximum is 1500. Since there are over 3200 articles in the project I set it to 1500. That can be changed. On the other hand, it will show what type of articles aren't getting much traffic. Bubba73 (talk), 14:53, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Looking forward to this. Where will the results be shown? SunCreator (talk) 20:21, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

It says that it will start collecting Sept. 1. I just missed the Aug 1 start. But then I don't know if we can see results soon after Sept. 1 or have to wait until the end of the month. It also lists the Class and Importance ratings, but they are in order by number of hits. This should be useful in seeing where work needs to be done and we don't have to do it manually. Bubba73 (talk), 20:52, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Tournament crosstable

I was reading the Linares chess tournament and i've a couple of questions, do we have a standarised format for tournaments' crosstables? should a draw should be ½ or = in the table? and finally should the crosstables be in the main Linares chess tournament article or should the crosstables go into seperate articles for specific years like for example this one: Corus 2008 chess tournament. Loosmark (talk) 16:16, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

• Both Linares chess tournament and Corus chess tournament are currently a mess, and both would greately benifit from a clean up. They are extremely important tournaments and it is a shame they are in such bad shape. I would suggest to have crosstables for all editions of these tournaments, but inside the article, not in separate articles. Compare eg with Tilburg chess tournament, I think that article is not perfect, but at least consistent in presentation.
• Regarding ½ or =, I think ½ is slightly more common, but I could be wrong.
• To make it manegable perhaps Corus chess tournament can be split in Hoogovens chess tournament and Corus chess tournament. Voorlandt (talk) 20:41, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

I agree, the Linares and Corus articles are in really bad shape we need to improve that. I think we should decide what information should the tournament crosstable have, should the country of the players, their titles and their RP in the tourney be included? Loosmark (talk) 10:03, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

I think the format of the crosstable in Corus 2008 chess tournament is just right, ie countries and rp but not titles. But as I said, I would make that article a redirect and separate Corus from Hoogovens. Just 10 editions of Corus have been played so it should be managable to have crosstables for each of them in the same article. I would have fixed up these articles long time ago, but currently don't have the time. If you are willing to do it, one way to save time is to copy the crosstable from eg TWIC into excel (text to columns) and use the excel to wiki converter to get it in wiki format [1] Voorlandt (talk) 16:18, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

Isn't a bit redundant to have both the name of the country and the country flag in the crosstable? I think it would be better to have just one of those. Loosmark (talk) 16:22, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

Yeah it is redundant, but that's how we have been doing it for most chess tournaments. It is not important imo, but not sure if there is an alternative to Template:Flagathlete Voorlandt (talk) 16:33, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

Bugs in Chess Titans

Short comment on the previous discussion. I know WP:OR, but i have managed to reproduce one of the issues. The silly pawn vs 0-0-0 bug is real alright, it makes the computer (v6.0 build 6000) illegally move one of my pieces, making it seem that white had made three consecutive moves. -- Jokes Free4Me (talk) 15:20, 11 August 2009 (UTC)

Update: and it doesn't only happen once. After that illegal move, the computer keeps moving my pieces from time to time, and subsequently check-mating him (or even just getting into a situation in which there's something wrong with his "best"/chosen move) gets into an endless loop of showing an "Invalid move" message inviting me to try another. :-| -- Jokes Free4Me (talk) 15:24, 11 August 2009 (UTC)

AfD on president of the Chess Federation of Armenia

There's currently a deletion debate underway for Vanik Zakaryan. By secondary source coverage alone he doesn't seem notable, but he's also the president of the Chess Federation of Armenia and a vice-president of the World Chess Federation, so members of this project might be in a better position than me to judge his notability. Please comment on Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Vanik Zakaryan. Thanks, cab (talk) 05:13, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

Maybe FIDE could contain a list of Vice Presidents. SunCreator (talk) 19:57, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Skip that idea. There are to many Vice Presidents. FIDE Presidential Board SunCreator (talk) 20:35, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Elo rating system

The Elo rating system article has had a "may need a total rewrite" template on it for some time. I have taken issue on the talkpage (here) with a particular paragraph there which I think is flat out wrong, but I'd appreciate comment on it. Sjakkalle (Check!) 14:00, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

I have boldly removed the template now, as I think at least 90% of articles on Wikipedia would deserve such a flag, so it is really useless and discouraging. SyG (talk) 17:36, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

Elo rating system is one of the most viewed chess topics yet it's has so many issues. Would be nice if wikichess members could clean up this article. SunCreator (talk) 20:34, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Raymond Keene article

I have some concerns over the way this article has recently been greatly expanded by an editor who focuses only on Keene's 'dark side'. It seems that he has sourced just about every condemnation of Keene that can readily be found and then added it all in meticulous detail; even to the point of criticising a publisher's erroneous claims on the cover of a Keene book.

While I have no particular axe to grind on the article (and would even say that a lot of it is good work), the result is (roughly) a 400% expansion of the negative material, while his 'positive achievements' have not noticeably been expanded at all.

Is this a fair representation of Keene's chess career? Does the article continue to strike a balance? I'd say not, but I'd welcome the views of other Project Members. Brittle heaven (talk) 11:39, 22 August 2009 (UTC)

No. Too much criticism and way too much detail of such for this article. Bubba73 (talk), 14:53, 22 August 2009 (UTC)

Agreed. Keene has many detractors, but the recent additions to the article are undue weight and run afoul of WP:BLP. Quale (talk) 17:25, 22 August 2009 (UTC)

Our policies are crystal clear: controversial material about living people must be scrupulously sourced. Private Eye, Kingpin and the "Daily Dirt Chess Blog" are three sources I can see immediately that would most likely fail WP:RS. Of course a Raymond Keene article must have a Controversy section - it is hard to think of a more controversial chess figure - but three quarters of the article is way too much. --Pawnkingthree (talk) 17:51, 22 August 2009 (UTC)

Thanks. That seems quite unanimous. I'll have a word with the editor concerned and see where we go from there. Brittle heaven (talk) 18:55, 23 August 2009 (UTC)

Private Eye is the most prominent satrical magzine operating in the UK. Kingpin is the most prominent satirical chess magazine operating in the world. Mig Greengard is one of the most prominent chess bloggers in the world. The idea that any of them would "fail" is a nonsense and I will put to them the suggestion that this so.

All references from all these magazines and everywhere else have been entirely scrupulously researched and all of them have been in the public domain, most for a very long time without receiving any legal challenge whatsoever. I would very much doubt that any other piece on chess in Wikipedia is more closely footnoted and more detailed than this one. I have also taken out a good number of factual errors (in the book list, for instance, or in the claim that Keene seconded Korchnoi in 1974, a claim that even Keene does not make). What you are proposing to amend is a piece that is presently many, many levels of accuracy and detail above which it has been before.

I'm afraid that there is a lot of controversy in Ray Keene's career and has been for thirty years and more. That is the nature of the career which the entry discusses. A great deal more could, in truth, be added, than is already in the piece. (If you do not believe this, say so - I can furnish you with a list.) It is not my job, I think, to be be concerned that

his 'positive achievements' have not noticeably been expanded at all

.If anybody else wishes to do that, they may of course do so. As far as I can see a large number of Keene's tournament victories and organisational achievements are already present - if there is material missing in that section, then by all means add it. But why relevant biographical material should actually be deleted, I cannot imagine.

Of course the real point may be that prior to my additions, the piece gave a very onesided views of what has been a very controversial career, and left a lot of things out. Well, a lot things have now been added to rectify that picture, and you now how a proper, properly-referenced, factually-accurate piece. I think this is what Wikipedia is for. Why anybody should complain about "way too much detail" is beyond me. The article is in immensely better shape than it was before. You are invited to compare both the number and density of footnotes - and for that matter, the layout - with what existed bfore. I say so myself, but it is vastly superior. Add positive detail if you wish, but otherwise, leave properly-researched material be. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Fewwords (talk • contribs) 23:35, 24 August 2009 (UTC)

A "satirical" publication is generally not a good source for a biography, and a blog, regardless of your opinion of its author, is almost never an acceptable source (see WP:RS). You should also take a look at WP:SPA and WP:BLP. It's hard to look at your edits to the article without getting the feeling that you have a strong personal antipathy for Keene, and that's not a good basis on which to edit a biography. The idea that you would "put" anything to the sources you use also suggests that you are too close the sources, if not the subject, of the article, so you may also need to read WP:COI. You may find this hard to believe, but a wikipedia biography is not an indiscriminate collection of every criticism of the subject that can be found (see WP:UNDUE). Quale (talk) 00:15, 25 August 2009 (UTC)