Southern Knights Chess Club

09/03/2026

Hi everyone,
We had 4 games going at The Galleria today.

Welcome back Tony Drue.

Congrats to Wade who will play on Mark's chess team in the Pittsburgh Chess League.

Good news! Tom Kelley, who used to be a guard at The Galleria, is finally out of rehab, but will not be returning to work.

We are playing at the Galleria this Sunday at 10 AM.

Chess quote for today---

“The best way to learn chess is to play chess.”

- José Raúl Capablanca

Jose beat his father at chess when he was 4 years old.
He became the third world chess champion.

Life is good,
Art

09/02/2026

Hello chess players,
Good turnout today at the Library.

Thank you, Terry, for bringing the giant muffins, walnut chocolate dipped muffins, and the pastries.

Thank you, Mark, for bringing the coffee and berries.

Thank you, Carol for the Andee's chocolate mints.

Welcome back, Tony and Paul M.

Chess quote for today-
You don't have to be a genius to play chess. You just have to have a strong will.
Magnus Carlson
Magnus was born in Norway on November 30, 1990.
He is the 16th World Chess Champion.
And the 9-time world Blitz Chess Champion.

On September 1st, 1972, Bobby Fischer Became the 1st American to be World Chess Champion.

We play tomorrow at 11 AM at the Galleria.

Terry's group plays tomorrow at 11 am at the Greenburg Barnes and Nobles.

Thank you to Opera Dave for driving Francisco home.

After chess, Mark and I walked a loop at the Gilfillan Farm Trail. It was HOTTT!.

Life is good,
Art

09/01/2026

08/31/2026

Hello chess players,
We had a good turnout at the Galleria, and a fellow Matt stopped by and showed some interest to return.

There were 5 players at Mark's group on Saturday evening at the Starbuck's chess.

Chess quote for today
I think anyone can become a strong chess player if they put in enough effort.
Tania Sachdev
40-year-old IM from India.
And a Woman's Grandmaster, which is a FIDE 2300 level.

We play next at the Library at 11 AM this Wednesday.

Life is good, Art

08/27/2026

Hi there,
We had 13 players at The galleria today.

After chess, Doug E, Mark and I walked at Gilfillan Trail. Anyone is welcome to join us next week after chess.

Today was the kickoff of Don's 2026 Fall Double Tourney.

We play on Sunday at 10 AM at the Galleria. Hope you can make it.

The first matches in the Pittsburgh Chess League start on September 20th. Jim has paid the 50-dollar entry fee for his team, and his players should play him 7 dollars each.

DID YOU KNOW???
Vera Menchik was the first female to become the chess world champion.
She was a British Czech chess master who became the world's first dominant female chess icon. Key Highlights Undefeated Champion: Won the first Women's World Championship in 1927 and held the title until her death in 1944.
Trailblazer: First woman to compete in elite, male-dominated international chess tournaments.
Playing Style: Known for her solid, positionally sound, and patient approach to the game.
The "Club": Defeated several top-tier male grandmasters, including Max Euwe and Samuel Reshevsky. The elite men she beat were famously dubbed members of the "Vera Menchik Club".
Tragic End: Her historic career was cut short when she was killed by a German V-1 flying bomb during the London Blitz in World War II

Life is good,
Art

08/27/2026

Hello chess players,
We had 16 players today at the Library. Good turnout.

Thank you, Terry, for the giant muffins and pastries.

Thank you, Tim K and Amy, for the Hallmark chocolates, truffles, and mints.

Thank you, Ken, for the coffee and cream.

Thank you, Elaine, for the chocolate chip cookies.

Paul P played against our new player, Tony, who found out about us online and said he would come tomorrow.

Moe and Terry were working with the Electronic chess board.

Mark recruited some new players and will be fielding a 2nd team in the Pittsburgh Chess League called Woodfire 18.0. They had played in the PCL for 17 years previously.

Mark played in a tourney last eve at Pitt with the Pitt Chess Club. He did very well.

We will play tomorrow at 10 AM at the Galleria food court.

Quote for today---
The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.
Dolly Parton RIP

Chess quote for today---
The way to get smarter is by playing a smarter opponent.

Life is good, Art

08/23/2026

Hello everyone,
We had a good turnout at the Galleria this morning.

Moe and I started play there at 9 30 AM.

At 2 30 PM, there were still 2 games being played. Kevin against Mark and Doug E against Kirk.

Tatiana stopped by and said she has played chess since she was very young and hopefully will come back to play.

At the Saturday eve chess at Starbuck's in Bridgeville, there were 5 plays including Francisco and Mark.

We play this Wednesday at the Bridgeville Library at 11 AM.

And Terry's chess club plays on Thursdays at 11 Am at the Greensburg Barnes and Nobles.

Quote for today---
"In chess, as in life, a man is his own most dangerous opponent."
Vasily Smyslov
He was the World Chess Champ 1957-1958
Vasily was also a baritone singer and an opera singer.
He became a Grandmaster in 1950.
Born in Moscow and interested in chess at the age of 6.
Life is good,
Art

08/20/2026

Hello Chess players,
We had a good crowd at the Galleria today.

Welcome back, Logan, Remmi, and Jen.

We started play before 10 AM and the last game was between Mark and Doug E, which probably did not end till about 3 PM.

Terry's chess club had 16 players today, and they meet next Thursday at 11 AM at the Barnes and Nobles in Greensburg.

Chess Quote for today-
"One of the greatest advantages of chess over other sports is that you can always resign." -Joe Gallagher
Joe was an English/ Swiss Chess Grand Master
Born May 4th 1964 to Irish parents.
He was an expert playing the King's Gambit as white.
Not many of the Southern Knights players use this opening, but Doug E checkmated an opponent with it yesterday in a very short game. Bravo!

We will play this Sunday at 10 AM at the Galleria food court.

Life is good,
Art

08/20/2026

Hello chess players,
Thank you, Terry, for bringing the muffins and pastries.

Thank you, Carol, for the chocolate chip cookies.

Thank you, Henry, for bringing cookies.

Welcome back to Eric who played against Doug E.

We will play tomorrow at The Galleria at 10 AM.

Chess quote for today---
In chess, you do not always defeat your opponent by attacking him. Sometimes, you simply take away every move he could make.
Antony Karpov
Born is a city in the Urals on May 23, 1951
World chess champ 1975 to 1985

Life is good, Art