TWO THOUGHTS

I just filled some back orders today. I do that you know, from time to time. I don't carry everything, but if I can get it from a regular distributor, I will. If you are a regular customer then I try even harder. Loyalty, at least with me, does have its rewards.

The other thing is the chess blow out (haha) in late July. I have one committed and several who are more than interested. One school of thought is to HIDE any objections. I don't belong to that one. For example, the price of gas has gone up a pile and yet the fuel facilities are being hammered with overabundance according to today's news. This is typical of weakneed and simple minded investors and speculators who, I would guess, mostly get it wrong. The oracle from Omaha (Warrren Buffett), had his Berkshire Hathaway invest heavily in Conoco I think it was, at the height of the fuel crisis and it bit into his Nebraskan ass BIG TIME. What's different about Buffett is he admitted he screwed the pooch on that one.

So if you are thinking of driving or flying and it might cost you an extra $30-60 to come, then you really weren't interested in the first place. I hope to be calling some lodges tomorrow. Problem is, usually when I do this the first place I contact always sounds so good I don't spend a whole lotta time on the phone. Then to get someone interesting to spend time with--as well as myself I hope. As one friend told me not too long ago, "Bob, you sure have a lot of interesting stories and experiences." I used to be able to say all kinds of neat things without fear of being recorded, but that is getting harder and harder (ask those nitwits who used to work for NPR--and I mostly love NPR). Bring recorders if you want as long as I have the right to get transcripts for something in the future (hey, ya never know). But since I have no political ambitions, I'm not too concerned with covering my behind.

Contact: bob@thinkerspressinc.com

JUST CHECKING IN SO YOU KNOW I AM STILL HERE

Catalog went out last night with at least ONE typo in it. Prices on the Pal Benko book were almost half of what they should have been as I did a "cut and paste" price and forgot to go back and adjust. At least one fellow admitted the old "If it seems too good to be true..." phrase. But no one asked if maybe I made a mistake! That surprised me! I said 10 years ago "In the end, it's always about price, with no regard to consequences." I was told I was nuts.

I spent an hour reading more data on the controversy about Batsford and their changes to Fischer's My 60 Memorable Games which, according to historian Edward Winter, no one came clean on. Ooooh--bad for posterity. Winter found 570 substantiated changes including Ol instead of Olympiad. Fischer said there were thousands upon thousands but he was out to lunch unless he was counting EVERY instance of a change like "Ol" and even then he probably couldn't get thousands upon thousands. What led me to that article I was researching for something else.

Got cover elements today for Lasker & His Contemporaries #6 and will be working on those today also. Friend Andy Ansel gave me Isaac Linder's email address for some permissions I wanted to ask of him on an Emmanuel Schiffers article--so until I get that permission, I will have to pull that article and save it perhaps for the following issue if I should have it by then.

GM Alex Yermolinsky has written an amazing review, with even more details, of my recent work, The Critical Secret for Success at Chess and Anything Else, but he is unwilling to post it on Amazon.com because you have to register, and all that nonsense, and then be willing to be subject to emails from Amazon and "partners," which if you are a buyer, can be exasperating. It occurred to me that since I am already registered with Amazon I could post it for him but then it would look like it came from me, which it did only in terms of I got the manuscript from Alex. But I've been thinking--can I put a comment on the review pages about where they can get a COPY of this SEVEN page review? Anyone out there KNOW for sure (please, no guesses, I can do that).

The WHOLE review will be published in a newsletter for those who bought the book when I get the Newsletter ready. I have to leave out a couple parts OF the GM's review (for retrieval through the Amazon reference of where to get it) where he lets the cat out of the bag, as that is ONLY for those who bought the book, so that should be my only edit.

I probably won't be on here tomorrow as I am working like a hurricane to get some things caught up.

Contact me at: bob@thinkerspressinc.com

FISCHER'S REAL WIFE AND HEIR

Miyoko Watei finally wins in the estate dispute as the Icelandic courts saw documents proving Fischer really did marry her.

But that is not MY news today. Now that it appears over I can reveal that Mrs. Fischer, as Watei, was a customer of ours (Chessco) for many years. She was the head of the Japanese Chess Association. She paid her bills in advance, and she ordered hundreds of dollars worth of books, sometimes much more in her orders to us. At the time I had no way of knowing she had any connection with Fischer, but I wonder if some of the books she did order found a way to get into his hands to read! Only she knows.

I was rummaging through "Gold in Them Thar Hills" boxes the other day looking for something and I came across one of our invoices to her! Why would I have saved that since I had thrown so many out? Don't know. I know Rita also sold our goods to TV stars during those times. I have sold to rich collectors too before some of them became snobs (not to me, but to others). I've sold stuff, and lots of it, to those preparing for a world championship match.

Now, at the "point" of starting anew, I will have to refresh my company and set the chess world on fire in other ways.

T-SHIRTS

Over the years I have seen almost every kind of chess t-shirt there has been from those who specialized in them to commemorative chess events.

Chessco was fairly successful at this, especially with the "Collector" in 2002 at the Chess Festival. A nice piece of work by Bill Hannan. At the recent Last Chess Clinic, the t-shirt with the X-ray of the King caught in the rib cage sold out and I didn't get one for myself. They have always been great pieces of advertising. I've had attractive women see them and offer a big friendly smile. Well... you might've guessed it, I have another idea for t-shirts, one which I have never seen before (thank God). It will be made, should I do it, in the most popular sizes, L, XL, and XXL or maybe just the first two. But I can't reveal it yet. If I hear from enough size M, I could consider that.

Funny thing, as I said, I've seen LOTS of chess t-shirts and most of them were pretty bad; designed by a blind monk with no imagination. What was worse were the words often inscribed on them. About 20% of them tried to put the word "mate" in there somewhere so as to "look" cool in our "anything goes" on a t-shirt culture.

But nope, these will have class. Tell ya more later.

In the meantime, contact: bob@thinkerspressinc.com

LEFT EYE IS OKAY... NEXT

In a couple weeks the right eye will be worked on. All went well but it almost made me stir-crazy behaving myself yesterday.

Tonight, I will be working on a catalog of "small press" outfits that do chess books. Every now and then something good arises and you'll be shown what's there and for you to decide. The price discounts will be generous until items are gone.

In the meantime there will be a strong emphasis on new products and reprints from Thinkers' Press, inc. including reprints and the web site. I am at a point on the web site where I have to do a lot of work "adding" in things because "most importing" schemes can only go so far. In years past the web site did bring me new customers. Now I rely on email and it seems that some people are so distrustful of email that they won't do it, yet my companies have never had a problem. In many ways, email service has been more personal and faster as I have two machines open at the same time with a separate "eye" on each one!

In the meantime there will also be work done on George Gossip's Modern Chess Brilliancies, with the co-author Mr. X. No matter what you have read before, you won't be prepared for this. A title such as MCB also points out the flaw of using the word "modern," even as happened with Larry Evans' Modern Chess Brilliancies. On the other hand, if you put beneath it, "as of 2011," you will kill sales when you are a few years along. I know, it's insane as a Brilliancy IS a brilliancy, but when things are time date stamped, you lose with the buying public. I may change the title however of Gossip's book to be something MORE commercial, and perhaps, enchanting. Maybe "Half-Baked Chess, A Grandmaster Comments." I like puns and those who know how to "reach" would get it. Does that get me into trouble? Hmmm... Don't know. In chess there is no shortage of people who have a limited sense of humor. For a study on "sense of humor," watch Steve martin's movie, My Blue Heaven.

In the meantime, contact: bob@thinkerspressinc.com

PS: Oh yeah, lots of reviews coming up as well as Chess EXTRAS #5--a very colorful issue.

THE WEDNESDAY BLOG -- MR. X

These days it seems like there are Mr. X's on Blogs and Information Marketing Sites everywhere. Well, the Mr. X I am going to mention was in the 1890s and Thinkers' Press, inc. is doing a book on his personal, pencilled in written notes, to George Gossip's Modern Chess Brilliancies.

Yes, there are brilliant games in the book but Mr. X didn't think all of them were good choices. He was particularly unhappy about Gossip including some of his own!

My good friend, the late Ken Whyld, was on the verge of giving Gossip a break, if only a little one. George was what the Brits would call a "wanker." Americans might use the words, "overpuffed dipshit." No matter the crowd, George was like the guy in the middle, standing on a step-ladder saying, in effect, "Look at me." While various rating systems would have him ranked 60 or some other number today, in the world, one could argue, hysterically at any rate, that perhaps there were only 60 players in the world at that time.

Some people love old "Let George do it George" but if you look at his track record, the guy had a habit of finishing in last place and bitching and moaning about everyone else. He kept moving around to places like Australia, America, and Canada from his original England. He seemed universally disliked wherever he went. This takes some doing!

Our Mr. X, whose name will be revealed in the latest issue of Lasker & His Contemporaries #6, had no truck with this guy and his pencilled notes are all over this book. He put his name IN the book but my buyer wanted PROOF it was him. I explained the "secrets" in the notes and he too became convinced that the owner, with signature, WAS the owner and paid handsomely for it!

This book will be issued this fall in an algebraic notation, and possibly in hardcover. It won't be cheap trash or a toilet paper type book like so many from various reprint houses, it will have suggestions, complaints, and inside information as only Mr. X could provide. It will probably be less than 150 pages and run about $45. It will be part of my Thinkers' Press Historical Chess Series.

The entertainment value here at TPi keeps getting ratcheted up. I don't see the point of advertising it on Amazon.com, they've done nothing for me except discount my stuff (except with my new book, The Critical Secret for Success at Chess and anything else, which is listed at $99 and NO discount!) Since YOU are reading this here, right now, you needn't be worried, you know where you can get it. I believe scarcity IS a form of marketing. Whenever some chess marketer says in effect, "We have every book in print," that would be, "No, I'm sorry, you don't."

Lastly, I have in front of me a review of my above mentioned book and the review is quite favorable. And the review AND tips run 7 pages! It will be part of my FIRST newsletter for Critical Secret which goes ONLY to those who own the book, in effect stating, the book was definitely worth what they paid for it. Who is the Reviewer? None other than GM and former two-time US Champion Alex Yermolinsky!!

I have a special 2011 ONE-TIME offer for Critical, at $79.95 to be withdrawn at any time (and most of you know I mean this when I say it). I will include the shipping too to any country the US Postal System ships to. You will get the book and Newsletter #1 with Yermos fantastic notes.

As per usual, contact me at: bob@thinkerspressinc.com

WEDNESDAY

I have a great Mr. X story for you about something which is going to appear this fall or sooner About an older Super Master who couldn't stand the annotations of George Gossip. I had it written up last night but editing it this morning... whoosh... it disappeared.

See ya tomorrow.

Bob

LASKER AND CHESS EXTRAS FINISHED

Most likely by tonight or this evening. However, not totally finished. Clean up, proofing, art touches, and waiting for a cover for Lasker will take about until the end of the week. The EXTRAS will go out via PDF but Lasker #6 will be printed, so that will take a little longer. Then it will be time to start gearing up for The Chess Reports.

Those are all major publications for me. Someone recently suggested that I put together some sort of comprehensive catalog to explain what they all mean. I could, and eventually I might, but the point is, take a CHANCE. I do, and so do others. Often, when customers do take a chance they are pleasantly surprised. I'm not sure why. It's always been the goal of Thinkers' Press to give people more than they bargained for. But, I have discovered, in the past, there are those who eagerly look forward to a screwup at this end. Get a life guys.

These journals are not like the routine chess stuff that gets cranked out everywhere else and is forgotten 10 minutes later. For years I subscribed to everything, so I am not making this up. As one woman told me, "Don't compare me to them." Unfortunately, it is inevitable.

Occasionally I release samples or FREE copies and I have people who order those over and over, but who won't buy anything. The only way to get them to buy is to "guess" what their favorite subject might be and ship them that issue with the fond "hope" they will think EVERY issue is for them and contains that kind of stuff. To quote anyone, "Yeah, right."

A couple weeks ago I got a phone call from a fellow in Minneosta who works for another government. He LOVES the stuff TPi puts out but he won't give me permission to use his name because his superiors would go "ape" if they saw it, because it connotes all kinds of scary and secretive innuendo. But he can't wait for the next installment of whatever! Isn't that great? And, on top of all that, he's a great guy!

Here's the prices for those who can take the plunge and not sit on the can for week's at a time trying, with every grunt, to make a decision:

The Chess Reports, Semester 10. $69.95. You will also get a CD or DVD during this semester.

Lasker & His Contemporaries #6. $25.00 plus $3.50 for S&H. Will soon go to $34.95 + S&H.

Chess EXTRAS #5, part of a subscription series of 6, $65.00. $50 if you have a Gold Card 2011.

Contact me at: bob@thinkerspressinc.com

PS: All the time I get requests for a FREE catalog. At the moment I have nothing totally current. Very few people who get these catalogs ever buy anything. I don't know what they are looking for; usually they don't say. I am thinking of ordering a Mind Reading Kit from Amazon.com. Let's see if that improves my chances of guessing. When I would PRINT catalogs, back in the day, the printing and shipping would run around $10,000 and 75% of those who got them never said a thing or made ANY purchase; but they still ASK for the printed catalog! The email versions go to my tried and true, thank you men.

PSS: Tomorrow I go in for cataract surgery for the left eye *first." Unfortunately, that will take me out of action for a day or two. So I doubt if I will post any Blog tomorrow. In the meantime, keep those cards, letters, and emails coming in (not about my cataract surgery, though that is OK), but about what you need to enjoy chess more. That is what I do, and, I make no apologies for it.