Every chessplayer makes up excuses for every situation. Here are
some excuses that players say -- and what they really mean.
EXCUSE TRUTH
Mind if we use my set and board? My only set is this green and red
It's my favorite set and, besides, plastic Florentine set. Christ-
Larry Christiansen liked it. iansen was playing blindfold.
Interesting game. Your 12th move I was out of book on move three.
must be a theoretical novelty. I I seem to be losing after that
have never seen it before. 12th move that I overlooked.
I played this game in a postal match This has been played against me
and I crushed my opponent in 15 in a postal game and I was mated
moves. in 15 moves.
I unconsciously thought I was playing Not that again. I keep forgetting
the guys at work; they don't know how the en passant rule works. I
en passant so I don't use it. forgot the pawn could be captured.
Yes, I said "J'adoube" before I I'm not going to move my Queen now.
touched my Queen. I wasn't going to It would have been trapped. I'll
move it. I'm just adjusting it. move another piece. Besides, he
Try to listen better next time. needs witnesses that I touched it.
Fischer played that against Evans in Little known all right. Johnny Fischer
1963. It's a little known line. I lost to Danny Evans the same way back
should have played the improvement. in the elementary school championship.