Just in case there may be future pronunciation discussions, I thought this reference might come in handy. However,I have no idea if Mr. Wall's definitions herein are in fact correct ???....:(

PRONOUNCE THAT CHESS WORD by Bill Wall

Here is a list of chess terms and personalities and their pronunciation.

Abramov (ah-BRAHM-ahf), Lev - Russian arbiter and Correspondence International Master (IM)
Adorjan (A-door-yan), Andras - Hungarian Grandmaster
Akhmilovskaya (akh-mih-LOEV-ska-ya), Elena - woman grandmaster
Akhsharumova (akh-sha-ROO-ma-va), Anna - woman grandmaster; Boris Gulko's wife
Alapin (ah-LAH-pin), Semyon - Russian master
Alatortsev (a-LAH-tahrt-seff), Vladimir - honorary Soviet grandmaster
Alburt, (AHL-bert), Lev - grandmaster
Alekhine (ahl-YECK-een), Alexander - former world champion
Alexandria (ah-lek-SAHN-dree-ya), Nana - woman grandmaster
Antoshin (ahn-TOE-sheen), Vladimir - Soviet grandmaster
Aronin (a-ROE-neen), Lev - Soviet International Master
Averbakh (ah-ver-BAKH), Yuri - Soviet grandmaster
Balashov (bah-lah-SHOFF), Yuri - Soviet grandmaster
Barcza (BAR-tza), Gedeon - Hungarian Grandmaster
Belyavsky (bel-YAHV-skee), Alexander - Soviet Grandmaster
Bernstein (BERN-shtyne), Ossip - Russian Grandmaster
Bisguier (BIS-gire), Arthur - American Grandmaster
Bogolyubov (bah-gah-LYU-bahf), Efim - German Grandmaster
Boleslavsky (ba-leh-SLAV-skee), Isaak - Soviet Grandmaster
Bondarevsky (bahn-da-REV-skee), Igor - Soviet Grandmaster
Book (Bek), Eero - Finnish Grandmaster
Botvinnik (baht-VIHN-ik), Mikhail - former world champion
Bronstein, David (brahn-SHTAYN) - Soviet Grandmaster
Bykova (BY-kah-va), Elizveta - former world women's chess champion
Caissa (KI-E-sa) - goddess of chess
Caro Kann (KAH-ro KAHN) - opening named after Horatio Caro and Marcus Kann
Chajes (KHAH-yes) - strong master
Charousek (Kha-ROO-sek), Rudolf - Hungarian master
Chernin (chair-NEEN), Alexander - Soviet Grandmaster
Chiburdanidze (tchee-boor-dah-NEED-zeh), Maya - former women's world champion
Ciocaltea (Cho-calta-ya)
Colle (KAW-lee), Edgard - Belgium champion
Csom (Chom), Istvan - Hungarian Grandmaster
Dolmatov (dahl-MAH-tahf), Sergei - Soviet grandmaster
Dorfman (DOHRF-mahn), Josif - Soviet Grandmaster
Dvoretsky (dvahr-YET-skee), Mark - chess trainer
Duz-Khotimirsky (dooz-kha-tih-MEER-skee), Fyodor - Russian master
En passant (ahn pah-SAHNT) - special method of capturing
En prise (ahn preez) - piece hanging
Euwe (UHR-vuh), Max - former world champion
Fedorowicz (Fe-do-RO-vich), John - American Grandmaster
Fianchetto (fee-an-KET-toe) - development of the bishop on b2, g2, b7, or g7
Furman (FOOR-mahn), Semyon - Soviet Grandmaster
Gaprindashvili (gah-prin-dahsh-VEE-lee), Nona - former world women's champion
Gelfand (GEHL-fahnd), Boris - Soviet Grandmaster
Geller (GEH-ler), Yefim - Soviet Grandmaster
Gligoric (Glee-GO-rich), Svetozar - Yugoslav Grandmaster
Gruenfeld (GREWN-feld), Ernst - Austrian Grandmaster
Giuoco Piano (JOKE-o Pee-AH-no) - Italian Opening
Gufeld (GOO-feld), Eduard - Grandmaster
Gulko (gool-KOE), Boris - Grandmaster
Gurevich (goo-RAY-vich)
Ilyin-Genevsky (ih-lee-IN-zheh-NYEV-skee), Alexander - Russian master
Ivanchuk (ee-vahn-CHOOK), Vasily - Soviet Grandmaster
J'adoube (Zha-DOOB) - I adjust
Jaenisch (YAY-nish), Carl - Russian player and author
Janowsky (Yan-OF-sky), Dawid - Polish master
Karpov (KAHR-pahf), Anatoly - former world chess champion
Kasparov (Kah-SPAHR-off), Garry - former world champion
Kavalek (kuh-VAHL-ek), Lubomir - American grandmaster
Keres (CARE-ess), Paul - Soviet Grandmaster
Khalifman (kha-leef-MAHN), Alexander - former FIDE world champion
Kholmov (KHOEL-mahf), Ratmir - Soviet Grandmaster
Kmoch (k-MOTCH), Hans - chess master and writer
Konstantinopolsky (kahn-stahn-ti-NOE-pahl-skee), Alexander - Russian master
Kortchnoi (kahrch-NOY), Viktor - Swiss Grandmaster
Kotov (KOE-tahf), Alexander - Soviet Grandmaster
Labourdonnais (lah-boor-do-NAY), Louis - 19th century player
Lange (LAHN-guh), Max - German player and author
Lein (Lane), Anatoly - American Grandmaster
Levenfish (leh-ven-FISH), Grigory - Russian master
Levitina (leh-VEE-ti-na), Irina - woman grandmaster
Liberzon (lee-ber-ZONE), Vladimir - grandmaster
Ljubojevic (Luh-BOY-yuh-vitch), Ljubomir - Yugoslav Grandmaster
Lucena (Lou-CHAYN-uh), Luis - 15th century chess author
Maroczy (muh-ROT-see), Geza - Hungarian Grandmaster
Najdorf (NIGH-dorf), Miguel - Argentine Grandmaster
Petroff (PEHT-roff), Alexander - Russian master
Petrosian (Peht-rahs-YAHN), Tigran - former world champion
Pirc (Peerts), Vasja - Yugoslav Grandmaster
Planinc (PLAN-ints), Albin - Yugoslav Grandmaster
Polugaevsky (pah-loo-gah-YEV-skee), Lev - Soviet grandmaster
Ponomariov (ponn-no-MAH-rre-ov), Ruslan (ROOS-lahn) - former world champion
Przepiorka (pshe-PURER-ka), David - Polish master
Psakhis (SAHK-iss), Lev - Soviet Grandmaster
Reti (RAY-tee), Richard - Hungarian master
Robatsch (RO-bahtsch), Karl - Austrian Grandmaster
Ruy Lopez (Rue-y Lopeth) - 16th century Spanish priest and player
Saemisch (SAME-ish), Friedrich - German Grandmaster
Schevenigen (sheh-VEN-i-gen) - pairing system and Sicilian Defense variation
Schliemann (SHLEE-mon), Adolf - German player and opening analyst
Shirov (SHEER-ahf), Alexey - Soviet grandmaster
Smyslov (smih-SLOEFF), Vasily - former world champion
Spassky (SPAHSS-kee), Boris - former world chess champion
Stean (Steen), Michael - British Grandmaster
Stein (Shtayne), Leonid - Soviet Grandmaster
Steinitz (Styne-itz), William - former world champion
Suba (SHOO-ba), Mihai - Romanian Grandmaster
Suetin (soo-AY-teen), Alexey - Soviet grandmaster
Sveshnikov (SVYESH-ni-kahff), Yevgeny - Soviet grandmaster
Taimanov (tie-MAH-naff), Mark - Soviet grandmaster
Tal (Tahl), Mikhail - former world champion
Tarrasch (tuh-ROSH), Siegbert - German master
Tartakower (tart-a-KO-Wer), Savielly - Austrain/Polish/Russian grandmaster
Tchigorin (chih-GOE-reen), Mikhail - Russian master
Timman (TEE-mahn), Jan - Dutch Grandmaster
Tseshkovsky (tsesh-KOEV-skee), Vitaly - Soviet grandmaster
Tukmakov (took-mah-KOEFF), Vladimir - Soviet grandmaster
Vaganian (va-gahn-YAHN), Rafael - Soviet grandmaster
Vasiukov (vahs-you-KOEFF), Yevgeny - Soviet grandmaster
Winawer (WIN-ah-wer), Szymon - Polish master
Xie Jun (she-a-JUNE) - former world women's champion
Yusupov (yoo-SOOP-ahf), Artur - Soviet grandmaster
Zaitsev (ZITE-seff)
Znosko-Borovsky (ZNOE-ska-bah-ROEV-skee), Yevgeny - Russian master
Zugzwang (TSOOKS-vahng), position in which the move makes a worse result
Zukertort (SOOK-er-tort), Johann - German master
Zvjiginsev (zvya-GIN-tsev), Vadim - Soviet grandmaster
Zwischenzug (TSVEYE-shun-tsook) - in-between move

Matarilevich:
Well for avoiding all these "problems" you can always say this opening the Spanish instead of Ruy Lopez..... Then there could not be any pronunciation problems....

Walter Montego, Pedro: Well, it´s a difficult matter. In Spanish "Ruy" is just one syllable. For me it sounds as [ru:I], with a "u" large as "rule", "too" or "you" and with a "i" short as "big" or "it". I´m not sure but i think the "u" in "Bush" is too much large as "sure" or "poor"

I kind of like that one. :)

Hey, I think it's two syllables and goes rue-ee

Matarilevich: There's just a minor difference between the vowel sounds in "bush" and "rule" and it's the one in "bush" that corresponds to the U in Ruy.

Pedro Martínez: But Ruy López are two spanish surname (Ruy -Ruiz- and López). In Spanish "Ruy" sounds like "Rui" and the "u" in "Ruy" is like "u" in the word "rule"... I think

Matarilevich: I think it's slightly incorrect, the U sounds as the "u" in "Bush", which is not the same as the "u" in "rule".

So the pronunciation is [rooy] with rolled R.

HalfPawn: "u" at Ruy sounds as "u" in rule, "y" sounds as [I]

http://brainking.com/en/Tournaments?trg=12856&tri=77645&trnst=0

redsales: neat . . . I'll have to look it up!

ColonelCrockett: just a collection of factoids about chess and its personages; ie an in-depth look at Tartakower, speculation on computers, composed games etc.

Socrates: 1 kramnik
2 kasparov
3 karpov
4 timman
5 euwe

yes! rating 1513 and i'm on stair 4!!!

redsales: what's the books premise?

One of the most entertaining books I've ever read on chess was "Karl Marx Plays Chess" by GM Andy Soltis. It probably won't make you a better player, but will you appreciate the game more.

votacommunista: Shirov has also used it . . . however, I think most Nimzo enthusiasts haven't studied the f3 line (instead voting for the Nf3 stuff) and so you may catch even a seasoned Nimzo-indian player off guard with f3.

ColonelCrockett: not really. check it at http://www.chesslive.de/ - this opening has been used by bogoljubow in 1931!

http://synonym.dk/mall/shop.asp?shop_id=5978&vare_id=220737

you can buy it in the us too.

ZOOM is a book written Stefen Zeuthen along with Bent Larsen. In it is a proposed a system of play based on the Greunfeld Indian formation. (Catalan as White --as Black the Greunfeld and Center Counter with ...g6.)

The main point was the with pattern recognition, where you can lessen the need to learn openings. Also the pattern recognition is helpful in middlegame structures and endgames. So instead of learning one opening and two defenses (against 1 e4 and 1 d4), you learn just one pawn formation.

Another classical ZOOM pattern is the King's Indian Attack as White, and King's Indian Defense with the Pirc Defense.

I think the book title is odd but chess friends who own it say it's very good.

it was only there because f3 has novelty value. :)

ColonelCrockett: why 4.f3 with a ?! In my opinion this is a very well variation against nimzo. i have used it sometimes

I have read a little bit about this interesting opening line . . .
1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 e6
3.Nc3 Bb4
4.f3?!

I was wondering what others thought of it.

votacommunista: Kaidanov had a copy in Russian . . . it was very worn . . . he must have read it alot.

ColonelCrockett: I know this book in German ... very well book! highly recommended!

mctrivia: GM Gregory Kaidanov recommeded to me . . . "Think Like A Grandmaster" by Alexander Kotov . . . the book is an excellent work!

ouspensky: I like some ideas of Nimzowitch but i´d not recommend "My sistem" to a beginner player. I like "Understanding Chess Move by Move" of John Nunn, "Grand Master of the Board" by Richard Reti or for example "Secrets of the modern chess strategy" of John Watson.

ouspensky: Is it a joke? For example Thal, Najdorf, Geller, Petrosian, Fine, Spasski, Larsen, Stein, Gligoric, Korchnoi have been great players much better than other current players who would not be GM without the help of the Pc. Fischer improved and dignified the chess. He got to change and to improve the rules. He popularized the chess in whole world as any player has never done. He always played for winning.

thanks everyone for the sugestions. I guess I have a lot of reading ahead of me.

http://www.chessville.com/misc/ChessPositionTrainer.htm

And it's free

http://www.chesspositiontrainer.com/

ouspensky: Both of those are very good and My System (which I have read) is excellent. But it's the third one I'd recommend reading. People shouldn't read it first. It's not as easy to get throuh as Amateurs and Reassess and I think by reading it later, one can benefit more.

mctrivia: I think the best is "My System" by Nimzovich and "Pawn Power if Chess" by Komch (sp?)" They both teach the fundamentals of positional play.

mctrivia: Yes. Amateur Minds and Reassess Your Chess by Jeremy Silman. There is a review on Amazon here


These two books are excellent and if you put in the time, it will pay off. Read Amateur Minds first. There is also a Reassess Your Chess workbook that is helpful.

Another big help is software and I'd recommend is CT-ART. I have it and use it (not enough) and it's great drilling.

Shop around to get the best deals. Amazon has been good to me but I usually buy my chess materials from http://www.chesshouse.com/ or even ebay (where the best deals can be found at least in my experience.)

There are other good books too but these two I'd suggest you start with.

ouspensky: I am too. I'm even more troubled that he turned out to be a bit on the crazy side. Someone with his gift at the game and he didn't use it.

Any suggestions on books for someone that isn't a beginer at chess but wants to learn to become beter?

Groucho:This is true for me. I never played chess until the Fischer-Spassky match. But I am troubled that he never played a match against a truly great player.

ColonelCrockett: My point was that US chess was not very active until he came along. It sprung to life after he came on the scene. People were facinated with him and became interested in the game too. It grew from there. Exactly how much I do not know. But clearly chess wouln't have grown like it did without someone like him.

Groucho: I don't like Fischer. His comments aside, I don't like his play . . . His games are difficult for the beginner to look at and comprehend, very few of his moves are straightforward. Therefore with that viewpoint I don't think Fischer contributed anything useful to the average player's chess. He doesn't belong on my list . . .

Groucho:

Matarilevich: His present behavior aside, he certainly was a positive force in the growth of US chess. Perhaps even the world.

Groucho: Yes, Fischer is the best.

Didn't Bobby Fischer really put Chess on the map? At least as the US in concerned? Up until Bobby Fischer, the interest in chess in the US was lacking. I believe the USCF grew rapidly after Bobby came on the scene.

Socrates:

1.Botvinnik
2.Alekhine
3.Morphy
4.Nimzowit
sch
5.Tarrasch

Note: this list was compiled with the idea of the "best contributor" to the game not necessarily the strongest.

Los Alamos chess tournament. Please sign here:
http://brainking.cz/cz/Tournaments?trg=12701&tri=75705&trnst=0

Socrates: My preferences

1. Emanuel Lasker
2. Alexander Alekhine
3. Jose Raoul Chapablanca
4. Mikhail Botvinnik
5. Paul Keres


Why not Fischer oder Karpov or Kasparow you may ask? Well I "prefer" the playr above because the had a very long career. (Think of Lasker and Moscow 1935!)

Everyone's opinion on the top 5 players ever? Here is mine:

1. Capablanca

2. Kasparov

3. Fischer

4. Alekhine

5. Botvinik

Thanks Bengood24 & Pawnme ! Much Appreciated !
I think I have a better understanding now ... and just to think, after all of this, I've had a change of heart and decided not to make the offer. It's do or die now.....:)

Abiodun: It sounds like you made a draw offer on your turn. If your opponent ignores the draw offer and you don't move you will lose on time. I would make a move and check the box for offering a draw with the move before you submit the move. Then it will show up as your opponent's turn and he will either accept the draw or make a move.

When a draw offer is sent, a private message is also sent to his/her mailbox. If your opponent moves then the draw will not be accepted, if your opponent doesn't move, but doesn't respond then you better move or your game will time out.

Either I'm missing something about the BK draw offer procedure, or perhaps there's a glitch herein.
I received the following message after offering a draw during my turn : " Abiodun offers a draw, but it is still his/her turn. If ferina does not answer this offer before 9. December 2005, 15:06:44, Abiodun will lose the game (timeout).Warning! If Abiodun makes a move, this draw offer will be automatically cancelled! "
Normally I don't look at my games until it is my turn to move. If my opponent does the same, how then is he suppose to know that I have offered a draw...?? I have done a 'work-around' to this dilemna by sending my opponent a seperate message , although I'm not certain that he reads or writes english since my game comments have all been unresponsive on his part. I've even tried offering a draw when it was not my turn, but I didn't receive the returned BK acknowledgement message (above in quotes) nor did my opponent respond.
If I knew that our game was winable for either, I would be content to play on indefinetly.
Recommendations ......What to do.......How to procede ...???