With the publication of its Winter 2004 issue, Chess Life has once again shown
that it is still plagued by typos and factual errors. Besides the mistake
(pointed out by an eagle-eyed poster on this newsgroup) of "Nakamura Takes
Third in Pamplona" on page 7, there are a couple of typographical errors, e.g.
the photo credit on page 13, giving the well-respected former Chess Life
editor's name as Burt Hochburg [sic], when anyone who's been involved in chess
long enough knows it's Hochberg.
How about the revisionist spelling of Alekine's [sic] Defense, page 22?
But my biggest pet peeve is the incorrect identification of some openings and
variations thereof, as has been seen in the previous two issues under the new
editor.
Examples:
page 22: Ruy Lopez Defense, Closed Variation - wrong on both counts! Should be
Ruy Lopez Opening, Exchange Variation Deferred
page 23: Queen's Pawn Defense - not at all! Should be Tchigorin Defense or
Queen's Gambit
page 34: Ruy Lopez - incomplete! Should be Ruy Lopez Opening
page 40: Sicilian Defense, Richter-Rauzer Attack - this it is not, but a
well-known main line in the Najdorf Variation
page 40: Queen's Pawn Game - besides having a faulty game score, this should be
a Queen's Pawn Defense or properly Nimzowitsch Queen's Pawn Defense or even
identified as the Orenburg Defense
page 40: Grunfeld Defense - this is more correctly the Schlechter Variation in
the Slav line of the Queen's Gambit
In addition, Gruenfeld should be rendered as such when an umlaut cannot be
given over the "u" in the name Grunfeld.
On a side note, the use of the photo of a (sick) Tal [on page 9] does not do
him justice. That photo was used in a previous issue and, in my opinion, is in
poor taste. Most responsible chess journalists I know would never use such a
photo but would publish a more flattering photo of The Magician from Riga.

George Mirijanian

The decline of the magazine is just another symptom. Shoddiness abounds in
New Windsor.


"Miriling" wrote in message
...
With the publication of its Winter 2004 issue, Chess Life has once again
shown
that it is still plagued by typos and factual errors. Besides the mistake
(pointed out by an eagle-eyed poster on this newsgroup) of "Nakamura Takes
Third in Pamplona" on page 7, there are a couple of typographical errors,
e.g.
the photo credit on page 13, giving the well-respected former Chess Life
editor's name as Burt Hochburg [sic], when anyone who's been involved in
chess
long enough knows it's Hochberg.
How about the revisionist spelling of Alekine's [sic] Defense, page 22?
But my biggest pet peeve is the incorrect identification of some openings
and
variations thereof, as has been seen in the previous two issues under the
new
editor.
Examples:
page 22: Ruy Lopez Defense, Closed Variation - wrong on both counts!
Should be
Ruy Lopez Opening, Exchange Variation Deferred
page 23: Queen's Pawn Defense - not at all! Should be Tchigorin Defense or
Queen's Gambit
page 34: Ruy Lopez - incomplete! Should be Ruy Lopez Opening
page 40: Sicilian Defense, Richter-Rauzer Attack - this it is not, but a
well-known main line in the Najdorf Variation
page 40: Queen's Pawn Game - besides having a faulty game score, this
should be
a Queen's Pawn Defense or properly Nimzowitsch Queen's Pawn Defense or
even
identified as the Orenburg Defense
page 40: Grunfeld Defense - this is more correctly the Schlechter
Variation in
the Slav line of the Queen's Gambit
In addition, Gruenfeld should be rendered as such when an umlaut cannot be
given over the "u" in the name Grunfeld.
On a side note, the use of the photo of a (sick) Tal [on page 9] does not
do
him justice. That photo was used in a previous issue and, in my opinion,
is in
poor taste. Most responsible chess journalists I know would never use such
a
photo but would publish a more flattering photo of The Magician from Riga.

George Mirijanian

(Miriling) wrote in message ...
With the publication of its Winter 2004 issue, Chess Life has once again shown
that it is still plagued by typos and factual errors. Besides the mistake
(pointed out by an eagle-eyed poster on this newsgroup) of "Nakamura Takes
Third in Pamplona" on page 7, there are a couple of typographical errors, e.g.
the photo credit on page 13, giving the well-respected former Chess Life
editor's name as Burt Hochburg [sic], when anyone who's been involved in chess
long enough knows it's Hochberg.
How about the revisionist spelling of Alekine's [sic] Defense, page 22?
But my biggest pet peeve is the incorrect identification of some openings and
variations thereof, as has been seen in the previous two issues under the new
editor.
Examples:
page 22: Ruy Lopez Defense, Closed Variation - wrong on both counts! Should be
Ruy Lopez Opening, Exchange Variation Deferred
page 23: Queen's Pawn Defense - not at all! Should be Tchigorin Defense or
Queen's Gambit
page 34: Ruy Lopez - incomplete! Should be Ruy Lopez Opening
page 40: Sicilian Defense, Richter-Rauzer Attack - this it is not, but a
well-known main line in the Najdorf Variation
page 40: Queen's Pawn Game - besides having a faulty game score, this should be
a Queen's Pawn Defense or properly Nimzowitsch Queen's Pawn Defense or even
identified as the Orenburg Defense
page 40: Grunfeld Defense - this is more correctly the Schlechter Variation in
the Slav line of the Queen's Gambit
In addition, Gruenfeld should be rendered as such when an umlaut cannot be
given over the "u" in the name Grunfeld.
On a side note, the use of the photo of a (sick) Tal [on page 9] does not do
him justice. That photo was used in a previous issue and, in my opinion, is in
poor taste. Most responsible chess journalists I know would never use such a
photo but would publish a more flattering photo of The Magician from Riga.

George Mirijanian



I have not yet received the latest issue of Chess Life and so cannot
comment. Also it's true there have been some embarrassing howlers in
the magazine.

My question is: have you ever worked under deadline pressure for a
cash-strapped publication that was short-staffed and had to deal with
copy submitted by non-professional writers, for some of whom English
is a second (at best) language?

If so, you are entitled to your Winteresque nitpicking. If not, please
stop.

Regards,

Eric M

"Eric Mark" wrote ...

George Mirijanian

My question is: have you ever worked under deadline pressure for a
cash-strapped publication that was short-staffed and had to deal with
copy submitted by non-professional writers, for some of whom English
is a second (at best) language?

If so, you are entitled to your Winteresque nitpicking. If not, please
stop.

Eric M

Eric,

Actually, George HAS done exactly that. He edited Chess Horizons for many
years, and when I edited it, George was perhaps my best helper (along with
Warren Pinches).

Tim Hanke

Subject: Chess Life Winter 2004 issue

On 6 February 2004 (Eric Mark) asked in
Message-id:


-snipped-

My question is: have you ever worked under deadline pressure for a
cash-strapped publication that was short-staffed and had to deal with
copy submitted by non-professional writers, for some of whom English
is a second (at best) language?

-snipped-

Eric M


I certainly have, but I never had the opportunity of working for a monthly
chess magazine that had an editor, two copy editors, an art director, an
executive editorial assistant, an advertising & TLA associate, a publications
consultant and a publications assistant.
When I edited a bimonthly 56-64 page chess magazine more than 25 years ago -
before computers were used to produce copy - I did the publication without
technical or editorial assistance. I typed it all. I probably had the best
games editor the magazine ever had - Jack Peters. And yes, I had to deal with
copy submitted by non-professional writers, for some of whom English was not
their native tongue.

George Mirijanian

"Tim Hanke" wrote in message news:GBWUb.186969$Rc4.1432447@attbi_s54...

Perhaps George should be the editor? Anyone is better than the current editor.

CK

Actually, George HAS done exactly that. He edited Chess Horizons for many
years, and when I edited it, George was perhaps my best helper (along with
Warren Pinches).

Tim Hanke

(Miriling) wrote in message ...
Subject: Chess Life Winter 2004 issue

On 6 February 2004 (Eric Mark) asked in
Message-id:


-snipped-

My question is: have you ever worked under deadline pressure for a
cash-strapped publication that was short-staffed and had to deal with
copy submitted by non-professional writers, for some of whom English
is a second (at best) language?

-snipped-

Eric M


I certainly have, but I never had the opportunity of working for a monthly
chess magazine that had an editor, two copy editors, an art director, an
executive editorial assistant, an advertising & TLA associate, a publications
consultant and a publications assistant.
When I edited a bimonthly 56-64 page chess magazine more than 25 years ago -
before computers were used to produce copy - I did the publication without
technical or editorial assistance. I typed it all. I probably had the best
games editor the magazine ever had - Jack Peters. And yes, I had to deal with
copy submitted by non-professional writers, for some of whom English was not
their native tongue.

George Mirijanian



OK. Fair enough. You paid your dues then. I've received a few emails
confirming this. Still your tone could be a tad more constructive,
methinks.

One thing that bothered me as a copy editor/nitpicker was the
continued misspelling of "supersedes" on the title page of the 4th
Edition rulebook. It remained consistently wrong in every printing for
9 years.

There's an old issue of Chess Horizons I lost much to my regret, from
the late 1980s, I believe. I'd trade a Macanudo for a copy in decent
shape.

Great analysis of a crazy line in the Scotch Four Nights where out of
the blue Black plays ....Nxe4, seeming to hang the piece to the white
knight on c3, ((and there's no white bishop on c4, so the ...d5 fork
idea is out)) but after ....Qe7 he wins the pinned white knight, since
Qe2 allows a mess that's good for Black after ....Nxd4. It's kind of
the mirror image of the famous Petrov game which a young Anand lost in
about 6 moves. White can trade Knights on c6, starting a crazy tempo
dance that doesn't lead to very much. Fascinating stuff.

I expect that in my old age players won't often use names to denote
openings; it will all be ECO codes. Of course they'll argue over which
move orders belong where, etc....

Regards,

Eric M

"CHRIS KINGMAN" wrote in message
om...

Perhaps George should be the editor? Anyone is better than the current
editor.

Hey Charlie, what's a matter? The current editor complaining about that slop
you submit?

StanB

"Eric Mark" wrote in message
om...
(Miriling) wrote in message
...
With the publication of its Winter 2004 issue, Chess Life has once again
shown
that it is still plagued by typos and factual errors. Besides the
mistake
(pointed out by an eagle-eyed poster on this newsgroup) of "Nakamura
Takes
Third in Pamplona" on page 7, there are a couple of typographical
errors, e.g.
the photo credit on page 13, giving the well-respected former Chess Life
editor's name as Burt Hochburg [sic], when anyone who's been involved in
chess
long enough knows it's Hochberg.
How about the revisionist spelling of Alekine's [sic] Defense, page 22?
But my biggest pet peeve is the incorrect identification of some
openings and
variations thereof, as has been seen in the previous two issues under
the new
editor.
Examples:
page 22: Ruy Lopez Defense, Closed Variation - wrong on both counts!
Should be
Ruy Lopez Opening, Exchange Variation Deferred
page 23: Queen's Pawn Defense - not at all! Should be Tchigorin Defense
or
Queen's Gambit
page 34: Ruy Lopez - incomplete! Should be Ruy Lopez Opening
page 40: Sicilian Defense, Richter-Rauzer Attack - this it is not, but a
well-known main line in the Najdorf Variation
page 40: Queen's Pawn Game - besides having a faulty game score, this
should be
a Queen's Pawn Defense or properly Nimzowitsch Queen's Pawn Defense or
even
identified as the Orenburg Defense
page 40: Grunfeld Defense - this is more correctly the Schlechter
Variation in
the Slav line of the Queen's Gambit
In addition, Gruenfeld should be rendered as such when an umlaut cannot
be
given over the "u" in the name Grunfeld.
On a side note, the use of the photo of a (sick) Tal [on page 9] does
not do
him justice. That photo was used in a previous issue and, in my opinion,
is in
poor taste. Most responsible chess journalists I know would never use
such a
photo but would publish a more flattering photo of The Magician from
Riga.

George Mirijanian



I have not yet received the latest issue of Chess Life and so cannot
comment. Also it's true there have been some embarrassing howlers in
the magazine.

My question is: have you ever worked under deadline pressure for a
cash-strapped publication that was short-staffed and had to deal with
copy submitted by non-professional writers, for some of whom English
is a second (at best) language?

If so, you are entitled to your Winteresque nitpicking. If not, please
stop.

I think the nitpicking is constructive. Would there were more of it. Pehme's
article on Kasparov last issue was close to unreadable.

Neil said:I think the nitpicking is constructive. Would there were more of it.
Pehme's
article on Kasparov last issue was close to unreadable.

Ready for the "crank" to send a bit of crow your way, Neil?

SBD