An hour before tipoff of Game 2 between the Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on Monday, backup Sixers guard Buddy Hield is sitting at his locker.

Hield didnt want to speak to the media not while he was preparing for the second of a seven-game first-round playoff series. But he said one word while hunched over, holding a bunch of socks in one hand and his phone in the other, eyes peeled on the projected displaying film on the opponent he was about to face.

Adjust.

The playoffs are all about adjustments.

The right adjustment can swing an entire series in a teams favor, regardless of a perceived talent discrepancy between the two squads.

The wrong adjustment? Well, the wrong adjustment can send a team into a spiral. The wrong adjustment could cost a team a series, a head coach his job.

Adjustments will be abundant in a chess match between two teams with injured stars and high playoff hopes.

The Knicks are on this playoff run without Julius Randle, a three-time All-Star who suffered a season-ending dislocated right shoulder in January.

And for the 76ers, both All-Stars Joel Embiid (meniscus) and Tyrese Maxey (ill) were questionable and listed as game-time decisions before both decided to play through the adversity in Game 2.

I mean listen: I think that you get into the series after Game 1 for sure, said Sixers head coach Nick Nurse. You see a lot of the things that are happening. You can only guess what the coverages will be, what the matchups are gonna be, and all that kind of stuff. So you certainly have a lot of information going into the next game about where youre gonna move your pieces, if theres any matchups you want to change, any schemes you want to change, all that kind of stuff.

You just kind of move the guesses to some more of the factual information youve been presented, and then see how that affects what youre gonna do the next game.

Isaiah Hartenstein, too, is at his locker, a 90-second stroll from where Hield uttered the word adjust.

Hartenstein laughs. This is a question for the head coach, not for the player.

The playoffs are not just about adjustments, but also anticipation: Can you anticipate what the opposing coach is going to do and have a plan of attack ready for it?

For head coach Tom Thibodeau, much of the work leading into this series had been done long before the Knicks knew the victor between the Play-In Tournament matchup between the 76ers and Miami Heat on Wednesday.

As the Sixers and Heat battled for the right to play the Knicks in the first round, Thibodeaus staff spent time finding similarities between the two potential opponents in order to gain a head start for Game 1.

You do it all year long, so you dont have to adjust, Thibodeau said ahead of tipoff on Monday. So, same thing you do with your preparation, you dont change. You analyze the game that you, the things you did well, the things you have to improve upon and get ready for the next one.

Under Thibodeau, the Knicks have their foundational principles: They want to defend hard, shoot a ton of threes, crash the glass and protect the ball. If they do these four things, they believe they can sustain both a poor shooting night of their own or a furious opponent-scoring run.

We come in, we watch film. We have our principles of how we play, Hartenstein said pregame. An adjustment is always going to be made, but at the end of the day, weve got to stick to our principles and just kind of getter better as a team at what we want to do.

Game 1 gave both teams plenty of adjustments to make moving forward.

The Knicks, for example, couldnt stop Tyrese Maxey, who put his superior speed on display to the tune of 33 points in Game 1.

The Sixers found success defending Jalen Brunson, who shot just 8-of-26 from the field for 22 points but to do so, they helped off of Josh Hart, who hit four threes, including a trio of treys in the fourth quarter to help put the Sixers away late.

The Knicks also got some help from Deuce McBride, Bojan Bogdanovic and Mitchell Robinson, who combined to score 42 points off the bench in Game 1, while the Sixers got little else from players not named Embiid and Maxey.

Hield didnt score at all in Game 1 and missed each of the two shots he took in 11 minutes off the bench for the Sixers. The Sixers picked him up specifically for a scoring punch off the bench in a playoff matchup like this one.

Its why hes muttering one word at his locker adjust and why every series has unforeseen twists and turns, regardless of whos suiting up on a given night.

Read more:

Knicks-Sixers playoff is series a chess match rife with adjustments: 'You see a lot of the things that are happening' - New York Daily News

Good morning. Its Thursday. Today well look at a Nigerian chess master who is playing in Times Square. Well also look at a documentary about Black farmers that a store in Brooklyn will play on Earth Day.

As people took turns playing double Dutch and as Batman strutted around in Times Square, a Nigerian chess master, Tunde Onakoya, began his quest to break the Guinness world record for the longest chess marathon.

Onakoya, 29, in New York City for the first time, aims not only to break the world record of 56 hours, set in 2018, but also to raise money for the Gift of Chess and Chess in Slums Africa, organizations that aim to use the game to lift children out of poverty.

Im playing for the dreams of millions of children globally without access to education, read a message from Onakoya on a sandwich poster near the tables set up for his game. The goal was to raise $1 million over the next three days, said Russell Makofsky, a co-founder of the Gift of Chess.

At any given point, Onakoya was in the middle of two consecutive games, including one against Shawn Martinez, a national chess master who coached Tanitoluwa Adewumi, a boy who lived in a homeless shelter in New York City and became a chess master.

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A Nigerian Chess Master in Times Square - The New York Times

THURSDAY, APRIL 25

ANDOVER: Wiggle Words (Ages 0-18 Months)

Come to an early literacy storytime with songs, rhymes and stories.

9:30-10 a.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Must register: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

ANDOVER: Toddler Tales (Ages 18 Months-3 Years)

Join for stories, songs and crafts

10:15-10:45 a.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Register: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

ANDOVER: Friends Book Sale

Shop for bargains and support the Friends of Memorial Hall Library.

1-4:30 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

ANDOVER: Dungeons and Dragons (High School)

Join us for table-top role-playing no experience necessary!

3:30-4:45 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

NORTH ANDOVER: Chess Club

An all ages chess club held on the fourth Thursday of each month. Come test your chess skills against other members of the community!

6 p.m., Stevens Memorial Library, 345 Main St.

Info: 978-688-9505 / http://www.stevensmemlib.org

ANDOVER: Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting

Thursdays

Open meeting, no registration.

7-8 p.m., The Robb Center

Info: 978-623-8320 / http://www.andoverma.gov/elder-services

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

ANDOVER: Friends Book Sale

Shop for bargains and support the Friends of Memorial Hall Library.

9 a.m. 4:30 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

ANDOVER: Super Smash Bros. (Teens/Tweens)

Play Super Smash Bros on Nintendo Switch!

3-4:30 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

ANDOVER: Old Taverns in 18th Century Andover

Learn about the role of rum in the American Revolution and hear about a certain Mr. Washington who comes to Andover. See beakers, mugs and bowls from the era and have a taste of flip and calibogus drinks.

6-7 p.m., Andover Center for History & Culture, 97 Main St.

Cost: pay-what-you-like; tickets start at $15

Register: 978-475-2236 / http://www.andoverhistoryandculture.org

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

ANDOVER: Friends Book Sale

Shop for bargains and support the Friends of Memorial Hall Library.

9 a.m. 4:30 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 North Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

ANDOVER: Saturday Stories

A story time for the whole family.

10:30-11 a.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Must register: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

ANDOVER: Friends Spring Book Sale Bag Day Sale

Shop for bargains and support the Friends of Memorial Hall Library.

1-4 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 North Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

MONDAY, APRIL 29

ANDOVER: Meet-Up Monday (Ages 0-5)

Ages 0-5 and their caregivers can meet for a sensory playtime!

10-11 a.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 North Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

NORTH ANDOVER: Books and Babies (Ages 0-18 Months)

Mondays

This infant lapsit program will provide early literacy opportunities for caregivers and babies through a story time with interactive song, movement, and fingerplay. After the program, babies and adults will have time to play and socialize.

10:30 a.m., Stevens Memorial Library, 345 Main St.

Register: 978-688-9505 / http://www.stevensmemlib.org

ANDOVER: Teen Weekly Activity

This weeks activity is decorating mini notebooks with washi tape.

3-5 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 North Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

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Calendar: North Andover club champions the game of chess - Andover Townsman

(Bloomberg) -- The up-and-comers of Wall Street gathered not around an open bar, but tables with chess boards.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Traders and quants from Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Jane Street and Bank of Montreal were among those congregating at the headquarters of IEX Group Inc. to compete in a bi-annual chess tournament. ClearBridge Investments and WorldQuant were represented, too.

But it was BlackRock Inc.s Rusa Goletiani and her 10-person entourage who stole the show.

Goletiani, an FX trader, is also a chess International Master and Woman Grandmaster. She won the Soviet junior championship for girls under 12 in 1990 when she was 9, and has brought that pedigree to the worlds largest asset manager. The chess club she founded at BlackRock meets every Tuesday.

Her tutelage paid off: The top three teams at the tournament had at least one player from BlackRock. Alice Dong, whos part of Goletianis club, won it all, along with Hao Li of BMO, Xun Liu of Goldman Sachs, and Terrell Anderson of ClearBridge.

The skills that it takes to play chess, concentration, calculation, is appealing to quants and traders, Goletiani said. It takes a lot of time to get into chess, to get into a zone.

IEX, owner of the stock exchange made famous by the Michael Lewis book Flash Boys, started the tournament in April 2023. At this weeks event, the third such competition, about 70 players from nearly 20 firms participated.

The evening was broken down into four five-minute rounds, with players in teams of four competing for first prize a wooden chess set. The winners names are engraved on a trophy that sits at the IEX office.

Beer-and-chitchat

Theres this group among our clients who arent really the beer-and-chitchat types, but theyre all about our chess tournament, IEX co-founder and president Ronan Ryan said. Thats what gives our event that special edge.

Chess and other games requiring analysis, strategy and calculation are popular in the financial world. Saba Capital Managements Boaz Weinstein is a known chess and poker aficionado. At the Sohn conference in 2015, hundreds of finance professionals including Bill Ackman paid $5,000 to watch Magnus Carlsen, the Norwegian grandmaster, play simultaneously against three people, blindfolded.

Goletiani and her BlackRock colleague Dong likened the game to trading.

Story continues

You have to decide which move to make, and often there is no clear way of seeing the outcome. You have to rely on your intuition, Goletiani said. You have to do the same taking risk in the market, she said.

And as good as computers may be, theres no clear solution to the game of chess, Dong said.

Just like trading, there is an element of unknown, and a time crunch, having to make decisions fast, she said.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.

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'Flash Boys' Ditch Happy Hour to Compete With Chess Grandmaster - Yahoo Finance

Apr 22, 2024 1:00 pm CDT | Updated Apr 22, 2024 1:50 pm CDT

EVANSTON, IL The Evanston Township High School chess squad battled against the best high school teams in the country at the 2024 National High School Championships, which were held earlier this month in Baltimore.

More than 1,800 contestants took part in the tournament from April 5 to April 7. ETHS entered three teams across three divisions, which are organized based upon players' skill ratings.

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In the top division, which allows for players of all ratings, a four-player team from Evanston Township High School finished in 27th position.

The Wildkits were ranked behind the selective-enrollment Chicago Public Schools Whitney Young High School and Walter Peyton College Prep but ahead of their North Shore neighbors from Highland Park and New Trier high schools.

In the division for players with Elo ratings under 1900, ETHS came in fourth place, behind a pair of New York City public schools and Adlai Stevenson High School of Lincolnshire.

Asa Lieberman, Alastair Keely-Walker, Sam Kemeny and William Zalmezak were the four top-scoring members of the team. Their matches were counted toward the team's final placement, while Daniel Dligach and Tate Darin also took part.

In the division for players with Elo ratings under 1600, Ethan Brush, Aiden Wang, Micah Mostovoy, and Lucia Scrimenti finished 10th.

And in the division for unrated players, Adam Sklar competed individually and earned a 7th place finish.

"Coach Tom Doan and I are very pleased that most players on the U1900 and U1600 teams are underclassmen who will be back and playing for ETHS next year in Illinois high school chess competitions," Head Coach Keith Holzmueller told Patch.

As for individual rankings in the top-rated, championship division, senior Jonah Chang was the top ETHS finisher, finishing in 242nd, with sophomore Adam Elgat coming in at 249th and senior Christopher Van Hoff competing to a 253rd place finish.

For individual competitors under 1900 ratings, freshman Asa Lieberman was the top Evanston finisher with a sixth place finish.

And Brush, a senior, emerged from the tournament as national co-champion of the under 1600 division.

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Wildkit Gambit: Evanston Chess Team Checks Out National Championship - Evanston, IL Patch

I have 2 great news today.

First, my next course is at its final stages. It will be about chess strategy and it will be the perfect complement of my last course "The Complete Chess Tactics Bootcamp". The course will be ready on April 30th, so mark that date to get the best offers!

The second important thing is that yesterday the 2024 Candidates Tournament finished and we have a challenger!

17-year-old Dommaraju Gukesh convincingly won the tournament with 9/14 points, and he will play against world champion Ding Liren to have a chance to become the youngest world chess champion ever!

As I had previously anticipated, Gukesh had been playing the best chess in the tournament.

Despite being a teenager, Gukesh is very passionate about chess and has been studying hard for many years. For todays lesson, I studied all of his games from the Candidates and tried to find out what made him the better player.

I noticed some very outstanding qualities that I wanted to share with you so that you can try to incorporate them in your games.

1) Dont Panick Even when he was under extreme pressure, Gukesh kept his cool. In the second game he had the following position as Black against Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (aka Pragg) after 15 moves:

Until this point Pragg was quickly playing his moves as he was under preparation whereas Gukesh was thinking on his own.

Black is a pawn up and could get a third pawn after 15fxe6. However, considering that White had prepared this line and also easily attack the e6-pawn in that line (White could play Bf4, Bh4 or even Nd4), Gukesh was still able to come up with a new original plan by going 15f5!? planning to go Nf6 and slowly consolidate his position. This allowed him to win his first game in the tournament.

2) Be Pragmatic Gukesh can easily find solutions to worse positions.

This is the position that he had as Black after 17 moves in his 4th game against Fabiano Caruana.

Black is under some pressure since the knight on f5 is quite strong. White might even have ideas to sacrifice with Bxh6 mounting an attack against Blacks king.

Gukesh played 17Ne7!? Planning to trade knights. After 18.Nxe5 Nxf5 19.exf5 c5!?

his idea is to trade as many pawns as possible and the extra (doubled) pawn on f5 wont be much of a difference. Gukesh drew the game comfortably.

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3) Dont Be Dogmatic In his next encounter with Caruana (this time as White), he had the following position after 26 moves:

Here Gukesh played the surprising 27.fxg5 creating 2 sets of isolated doubled pawns after 27Qxg5:

Most players would not dare to play this way as White pawns can now become targets but Gukesh ideas was to play 28.Rf3! planning to double rooks on the f-file and attack the pawn on f5. The game ended in a draw after an accurate defense by Caruana.

4) Innovate Many people have been claiming that classical chess is dead since opening preparation is now killing creativity.

However, Gukesh is ready to come up with new ideas as early as move 4!

In this position that we get after 4 moves in the Nimzo-Indian Defense, Gukesh (playing as Black against Nijat Abasov) played the move 4h6. This position has been reached in thousands of games and moves like 40-0, 4d5 or 4c5 are very common. However, the move 4h6 is pretty much unique and the idea of Nh7-f8 that Gukesh later played is new.

5) Know When to Press Gukesh is a very objective player but as soon as he can start getting ambitious, he will not hesitate.

In his game against Alireza Firouzja from the 13th round he had this position as White after 34 moves:

Here taking on f5 with 35.Nxf5 might look tempting but after 35Nh5! Black is attacking both f4 and f5. Gukesh played a few solid moves with 35.Kh2 Nh5 36.Qf2 but after 36Rg6 37.Rd5!

White is already pressing for an advantage, putting pressure on f5 and planning to double rooks on the d-file and invade with Rd7. Firouzja was not able to hold the position, giving Guskesh a very important win.

If you want to see a more detailed analysis of the positions that I show in this article, check my video analysis here: https://youtu.be/aTJxn916qxk

Read more here:

What Can You Learn From the 2024 Candidates Winner - Chess.com

Chess Club meets today at Erie Community Library.

Third-Fifth Chess Club:4 p.m. Monday, Erie Community Library, 400 Powers St., Erie. Third through fifth graders are invited to play chess at the library. No experience is needed to register. Free,highplains.libcal.com.

Job Seekers Club: 9:30 a.m. Monday, Carbon Valley Regional Library, 7 Park Ave., Firestone. A job seekers club is an informal networking group of people who are engaged in the process of job searching and people who are interested in discussing the current workforce landscape and other employment-related topics. Free, 888-861-7323, highplains.libcal.com.

Open mic at Bootstrap Brewing: 6 p.m. Monday, Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Play a tune on stage and nab a free beer. Performers can sign up to play starting at 5:30 p.m. Holler at dennis.m.driscoll@comcast.net for questions. 303-652-4186, bootstrapbrewing.com.

Teen Finer Arts Club:4 p.m. Tuesday, Library, 409 Fourth Ave., Longmont. Sixth-12th graders can join for a monthly Finer Arts Club where theyll explore different art forms and projects. Supplies and instructions will be provided for each project. This month, participants will make resin gummy bears and initial keychains.longmontcolorado.gov.

Mug Magic for Teens: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Library, 409 Fourth Ave., Longmont. Make a customized mug using sublimation technology. Create a professional looking mug to keep or give as a gift for a friend or loved one. Choose from one of many designs, and create a special one-of-a-kind treasure.longmontcolorado.gov.

Passing Hats: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Carbon Valley Regional Library, 7 Park Ave., Firestone. Passing Hats has been making hats and giving them to cancer patients since March of 2011. The group knits, crochets, looms and sews hats, and everything is provided. Beginners are welcome, club members can help teach newcomers how to start off looming a hat. Free, 888-861-7323, highplains.libcal.com.

Procrastiknitting Teen Fiber Club: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Library, 409 Fourth Ave., Longmont. Join Procrastiknitting Teen Fiber Club to create and hang out with other teens. No instruction or specific project provided. A small selection of tools and yarn will be available, or participants can bring their own projects to work on.longmontcolorado.gov.

Family Book Club: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Carbon Valley Regional Library, 7 Park Ave., Firestone. This is a book club geared towards school age children ages 7-11 and their grownups. Free, highplains.libcal.com.

Art & Sip: 4 p.m. Thursday, Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road, Longmont. Inspired by photographs of rock formations in the current exhibit Picturing the West, participants will paint some grand and dramatic rocky peaks in acrylic on canvas. $40, 303-651-8374, longmontcolorado.gov.

R at Bootstrap Brewing: 6 p.m. Thursday, Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Power Of R band, also known as R, delivers a blend of timeless blues and early rock music, featuring iconic artists like Little Walter, Elvis and Chuck Berry, along with covers of classics from ZZ Top, Van Morrison and Dave Mason. The group also brings its own original compositions and enjoyable jam sessions that take listeners back to their youthful days.bootstrapbrewing.com.

Daniel Vigil at 300 Suns Brewing: 6 p.m. Thursday, 300 Suns Brewing, 335 First Ave., Unit C, Longmont. Singer-songwriter Daniel Vigil performs a mix of originals and covers in a rootsy Americana style.720-442-8292, 300sunsbrewing.com.

Foxfeather at Longmont Museum: 7 p.m. Thursday, Museum, 400 Quail Road, Longmont. Led by the dynamic duo of Carly Smith and Laura Stratton, rooted in powerful lyrics and bolstered by strong blues-rock instrumentals, this sultry alt-Americana bands unique sound has been captivating audiences since 2013. Songwriters Carly Ricks Smith and Laura Paige Stratton met in high school, connecting over their shared love of music. The pair began writing together in 2005 and have been creating material and leading their band for the past seven years. Foxfeather is extremely proud of being an advocate of women in art and in business and strives to motivate and empower other women and allies through song. The band is a local staple in the Front Range and also tours nationally. $12-$18,longmontcolorado.gov.

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Longmont-area events for Monday, April 22: Third-Fifth Chess Club - Longmont Times-Call

Titled Tuesday is Chess.com's weekly 11-round Swiss tournament for titled players, occurring twice each Tuesday since February 1, 2022 at 8 a.m. PT/17:00 CET and 2 p.m. PT/23:00 CET.

GM Hikaru Nakamura has won the most Titled Tuesday events since October 20, 2020, with 68 total victories. GM Dmitry Andreikin has the second-most with 16.

Since February 1, 2022, Titled Tuesday occurs every Tuesday at 8 a.m. Pacific and then again at 2 p.m.

The format is as follows:

Note For Titled Players

Titled Tuesday requires all players to have their full legal name in their Chess.com profile. Anonymous titled player accounts or accounts found to be using a fake name will not be eligible to win prizes during the event and may be removed from the tournament without notice.

All players must also abide by all rules and site policies found at Chess.com/legal/user-agreement and cooperate fully with Chess.com's fair play detection team. Participants should be prepared to join a Zoom call for proctoring at the arbiter's discretion, and this request may be made between rounds via direct chat in live chess by a Chess.com staff member.

Titled Tuesday debuted on December 30, 2014 as a monthly nine-round event. It became a weekly tournament on April 7, 2020 and permanently expanded to its current length of 11 rounds on October 20, 2020. On and after February 1, 2022, two tournaments are offered each week.

From June 2 through October 13, 2020, Titled Tuesday was part of the Speed Chess Championship qualification cycle and included a knockout section.

Starting January 2, 2024, there will also be cumulative annual standings and prizes as part of the Titled Cup. Titled Tuesday will also return to the Speed Chess Championship qualification cycle in 2024.

11-Round Single-Tournament Era (Oct. 20, 2020Jan. 25, 2022)

Double-Tournament Era (Feb. 1, 2022present)

11-Round Era (Both Single- and Double-Tournament) (since Oct. 20, 2020)

Note: GM Oleksandr Bortnyk scored a perfect 9/9 on October 4, 2016.

While Titled Tuesdays are exclusive for titled players, untitled players from the Chess.com community can play in the Untitled Tuesday community event every week. You can participate by joining our official Community Club. Starting April 2, tournaments will start at the following times:

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Titled Tuesday - Chess.com

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A Nigerian chess master has hunkered down in Times Square as he tries to break the Guinness world Record for the longest chess match. FOX 5 NY's Chris Welch has the story.

NEW YORK - On a modest folding table tucked under scaffolding in Times Square, Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya is embarking on a move that will test his stamina.

Hes trying to break the world record for the longest continuous chess marathon.

"We started yesterday, and its been like 26 hours so far," said Omoteyo Jacob, a volunteer on Onakoyas support team.

The previous record is 56 hours and 9 minutes. But Onakoya told FOX 5 NY he wants to break that and then some: hes aiming for 60 hours.That means he must continue playing until about 11:30 Friday night.

"Its cold outside in New York right now," said onlooker and native Nigerian Mary McAnthony, whos visiting from Dallas. "Sofor him to be doing this is amazing. This is a lot of dedication, determination, and hard work."

"Chess is an equalizer."

But hes not doing this for himself.

Tunde is co-founder of two nonprofits: Chess in Slums Africa and the New York-based The Gift of Chess.

"We have a vision to give the gift of chess to a million children across Africa," Onakoya said.

"Just setting up a chess center is a very practical way to involve them, and its given them a beginning of an education, where they can learn to become thinkers," Onakoya added. "And that is the best way we can empower anyone -- by showing them their own potential."

Susan Namangale, global head of The Gift of Chess, said chess can improve kids' social skills, decision-making and problem solving.

"Chess is an equalizer," she said. "When you play chess, you speak the same language."

Onakoya likes to use the analogy of the journey of a pawn in the game of chess.

"It starts out as the most invaluable piece," he said. "Its just one part. But then, if it marches all the way to the final round, it becomes a queen."

Viewers can watch the marathon streaming on Twitch, where they can also donate to the cause.

Read more:

Man trying to break chess record from folding table in Times Square - FOX 5 New York

i just returned to my office after a morning turkey hunt. at the time i pen this column, i am five days into our five-week spring gobbler season. if you are looking for a grab-and-grin image of a hunter holding his prized trophy and 500-700 words of delicate prose about how he gobbled on the roost, answered my tree yelping, flew down, and proceeded to gobble all the way to my lap stop reading. I will disappoint you greatly as an outdoor writer, seasoned turkey hunter, and someone who is afflicted by the call of a wild turkey. But if you enjoy reading about how a game bird makes an accomplished hunter a fool, multiple times mind you, then prop your feet up and enjoy.

The tom turkey has roosted for the night in the same general area all week. The setting is a spine ridge, about 40 yards wide, high atop a large piece of hunting ground above the Gauley River. The ridge is the highest point around with a knoll in the middle of the ridge. Three steep hollows break from the ridge with two heading towards the river and one heading in the opposite direction. In short, he has three options to start his day in this big country.

I have started my mornings three times on the ridge and twice I gambled and started below the ridge. He likes to gobble in the pre-dawn minutes when the world is waking up. In fact, he often gobbles before the owls hoot or the songbirds begin their sunrise celebration by singing as loudly as possible. Locating him at first light is no problem.

Just as the suns rays begin to illuminate the forest floor below him and he can see well enough to land safely on the ground, he flies down. Therein lies my problem, he pitches down to different locations every morning. If I set up south of him, he flies north. If I set up east of him, he flies west. Why and how does he know where I am I havent the foggiest.

This morning, I set up before dawn on a flat he used to land and gobble the following morning. He flew down to where I was set up yesterday. The day before, the same scenario. He is making me a little wacky trying to outsmart this old bird.

One morning, I decided to wait him out just to see what his next move was going to be in the mid-morning sunshine. Because of the steep terrain, trying to get in front of him quietly and unseen is somewhat difficult with the fringes leaning towards impossible especially when you have no idea which way he is going to go.

After the morning fly-down and gobbling session had ended, I made a guess and circled off the ridge, and entered the hollow way below him. I called and walked slowly up towards the ridge. He gobbled twice back at me, which is rare after the first light that he gobbles, and seemed to be heading slowly in my direction. After a long spell of nothing being heard but whitewater rushing through one of the many major rapids of the Gauley River, he gobbled again and was maybe 10 yards closer than two hours before still a long way off.

He has found a perfect neck of the woods, and he is the king of the big hardwoods. I am wood-wise and old enough to know that I should leave him and find another gobbling turkey to play the game with. Then again, I would miss our morning chess matches too much and be left wondering what he did in my absence.

I will keep in pursuit of the old bird and maybe one day he will mess up. If not, I am perfectly fine with letting him win. I am starting to enjoy my morning nature walks with the sun rising beautifully above the river valley. The brisk walk and climb to the top of the mountain is good exercise at least that is what I keep telling myself. Tomorrow is a new day and if you need me, I will be watching the sunrise and listening for him to gobble.

Link:

Chris Ellis: Playing chess with the king of the big hardwoods - Beckley Register-Herald