Dear Mr. Ames,

Heil Dubya!

Thanks for refreshing my memory. (Once again, I don't have access to my
personal library -- and won't have access to it for several months more,
DAMMIT!).

The Correspondence Chess League of America's CHESS CORRESPONDENT was the first
chess publication to which I subscribed, because a friend put me onto the CCLA.
(Neither of us knew of the USCF.) The CHESS CORRESPONDENT was an excellent
publication, but limited to its milieu: correspondence chess in the U. S. A.,
and, especially, in the CCLA, although, as I recall, it introduced me to the
International Correspondence Chess Federation.

That particular AMERICAN CHESS BULLETIN was Larry Evans's try at publishing,
wasn't it? If so, it came out about 40 or, at most, 45 years ago. Bobby
Fischer's, "A Bust to the King's Gambit" made a stir for the ACB, but, sadly,
the publication, like all "competitors" of CHESS REVIEW, died in infancy,
shortly after birth.

I had forgotten that Barney Wood's publication -- the best of the lot, although
CHESS REVIEW was not too far back -- was called, simply, CHESS. Perhaps, I was
confused by his selling out to BCM, in order to retire. [Incidentally, I
corresponded with Baruch (Barney) Wood -- and even had some of my stuff
published in his magazine.]

I don't recall a CHESS LIFE 45 or 50 years ago, although the USCF did put out a
newsletter that, in my memory, reminded me of an office mimeographed collection
of pages. It couldn't have been that bad, so must have been what you have
called "letterpress". CHESS REVIEW, CHESS CORRESPONDENT and CHESS, however,
all seemed to me to be "legitimate" print magazines.

All in all, as meager as the November issue of CHESS LIFE is, I would call the
CHESS LIFE of 2003 infinitely superior to the CHESS LIFE, if it existed, of
1953.

Fifty years ago the other US printed (letterpress) magazines were
Chess Review, Chess Correspondent, and American Chess Bulletin.
Mr. Wood's magazine (UK) was called, simply, CHESS.

My point of comparison was meant strictly between Chess Life of fifty
years ago and Chess Life as of recent date. I think the current issue
has one annotated game, which is pitifully little current chess
content.

David Ames

(Jerome Bibuld) wrote in message
...
Dear Mr. Croxen,

Heil Dubya!

I'll bite. To what two "other quality chess magagazines" do you refer?
There
was Al Horowitz's CHESS REVIEW, period. (Did the USCF have it's
mimeographed
newsletter then?) Are you thinking of Barney Wood's British Chess
Magazine?
But it was a UK publication, although I used to pick it up in a Times
Square
"foreign periodicals" market.

Subject: Chess Lite
From: (Kevin Croxen)
Date: 2003-10-20 9:31 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id:

In article , David Ames
wrote:
"Donna Walters" wrote in message
...
My Chess Life arrived today. It looks like a NY Times insert. And it
had
an
insert! Which almost doubled the total number of pages.

It is a good thing that the USCF only has 90,000 members. If they had a
monopoly they would probably go bankrupt.

Fifty years ago they had two issues a month and probably about three
annotated games per issue. The November 2003 issue, I think, does not
match up.

David Ames

Fifty years ago there were at least two other quality US chess magazines
to choose from. Other than member newsletter value, CL was pretty much
irrelevant. Now that the USCF and CL really do have essentially a
US monopoly, these November 2003 fiascos hurt even worse.


Heute Uhmuhrikkka, Afghanistan und Irak. Morgen die ganze Welt!

Uhmuhrikkka, Uhmuhrikkka uber Alles!

Was 11 September 2001 Kristalnacht or the date of the Reichstag fire?

Fraternally,

Jerome Bibuld
gens una sumus


Heute Uhmuhrikkka, Afghanistan und Irak. Morgen the ganze Welt!

Uhmuhrikkka, Uhmuhrikkka uber Alles!

(Was 11 September 2001 Kristalnacht or the date of the Reichstag fire?)

Fraternally,

Jerome Bibuld
gens una sumus