Chess T-Shirts & Other Good Stuff

Ink on the Shirt: The Hypermodern Game

2012-02-08T19:31:00.001-08:00

As much as I love this technologically cluster-fucked world...there is something about the quiet brutal elegance of chess that the modern world can't touch. I wanted to create a chess t-shirt that played with these two contrasting worlds, particularly as it applies to gaming.

As you check out the progression below...please keep in mind that all of the inking was done by hand and took hour and hours to complete. Hours, I tell ya!!

Some beautiful stick-figure conceptual art...

Rough Sketch...

Detailed Sketch...

Many hours of inking...

Many hours, I tell ya!!!

Boom!! Ink on the shirt...

Now go buy one ! Or at least tell a friend!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-29T18:20:00.000-08:00

We're going to step away for a few days, but I didn't want to leave before wishing everyone a happy New Year!

See ya in 2012!!

2 New Chess T-Shirts Released!

2011-11-15T06:23:00.000-08:00

Hey All!

Well, better late than never! We are proud to present Endgame's latest release just in time for Fall...er, we mean, Winter!

Use the coupon code WINTER at the website checkout to receive 15% off all shirts during the month of November.

The Immortal Game

Somewhere, deep within the ocean, this mermaid has been playing chess with her lover for many, many years...

It's been a long time since we've released a new female design. Want to know why? Because in the past, they have not sold well! But more and more girls have asked for them, so being the suckers we are...we designed a new one! This is a beautiful 7 color design printed on the best girly t-shirt money can buy.

The Hypermodern Game

All of the wires, cords, constant upgrades and reoccurring charges associated with modern gaming provide a great contrast to the classic beauty of chess...

This is a one color black design printed on charcoal as well as a limited edition cardinal red version. Not sure how long the cardinal red will last, so if you want one...be sure to act fast!

And "Thank You" to all of our fans, customers and friends who continue to support every move we make. We are truly overwhelmed by the support and feedback we receive.

USCL Upset Prize - Week 10

2011-11-03T06:14:00.001-07:00

The last week of the regular season saw an upset by WGM Tatev Abrahamyan. She overcame a 126 rating point deficit to defeat IM Orlov. More details can be found at the USCL website.

USCL Upset Prize - Week 8

2011-10-21T15:11:00.000-07:00

From the USCL website:

With an interesting win with Black, NM Rosen not only provided a huge win for the Blaze at a moment when the match result seemed very unclear, he also scored the biggest upset of the week.

Behind this win, Chicago ended up with another victory by a lopsided score and are looking to break all sorts of records as the regular season draws to a close. Will the Blaze do what most would have previously guessed to be impossible and achieve a perfect regular season record? Be sure to stay tuned in as that and many other questions will be answered soon!

USCL Upset Prize - Week 6

2011-10-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

Damn. Things got crazy there for a bit and we have fallen behind on our postings.

The Upset Prize for Week 6 goes to Roland Feng for his defeat of National Master Gershenov.

It should be noted that Roland is only 11 years old! Nothing quite like getting your ass kicked by an 11 year old.

Keep up to date on all of the latest US Chess League news...here.

USCL Upset Prize - Week One

2011-09-01T20:12:00.001-07:00

The Upset Prize for Week One goes to Anna Matlin for the crushing kingside attack she slapped on National Master Craig Jones and his 223 rating point superiority.

We have our first girls-only chess t-shirt design that is in the process of being printed as we speak...hopefully Anna will pick this one. Fingers crossed.

You can play through Anna's victory and keep up on all of the latest US Chess League news...here.

London Chessboxing - Sept 10

2011-08-31T18:24:00.000-07:00

Anyone going to be in London on September 10th? Check this out! The venue and the production both look top notch.

I also happen to know that there will be some Endgame chess shirts present, as well. ;-)

U.S. Chess League - 2011 Season

2011-08-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

As the U.S. Chess League prepares for the 2011 season, Endgame is proud to once again sponsor the weekly Upset Prize. This is our third year working with the USCL and it promises to be another year of great battles and surprises.

Be sure to check out the U.S.C.L. website for the latest news and previews of the upcoming season.

Free Online Tournaments

2011-07-24T16:39:00.001-07:00

We're half way through our first series of tournaments over at chess.com. The next series will start in a few more weeks. To be eligible to play, simply join the "Friends of Endgame Clothing" group...get a chance at some free chess t-shirts and best of all...it's all free.

If you haven't played at chess.com yet, do yourself a favor and check it out!

Girlie Designs

2011-06-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since we've released a new girls' design. To be perfectly honest, the girls' shirts haven't really sold that well in the past...but with each passing release, there are more and more girls asking for new designs. So we're going to do it! We're working on a new design for the ladies right now.

I gotta tell ya, I'm feeling some pressure on this one. The good news is that we have an amazing concept with an amazing artist working on it. It should be sweet.

The next release of shirts will be in the Fall.

As always, thanks for supporting chess and Endgame!

Chess vs. Music, Volume II - Dave Matthews Band

2011-06-02T05:49:00.000-07:00

Do you think Dave Matthews has a soft spot for chess?

Last Weekend for 15% Off!

2011-05-27T06:22:00.000-07:00

This is the last weekend to use the coupon code CARNIVAL to receive 15% off all chess t-shirts.

So if you have your eye on something...go get it!

Behind the Artwork: Fool's Mate

2011-05-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a little "behind-the-scenes" on another of our chess shirts...Fool's Mate.

My original idea for this design had several elements and characters. Our artist wisely trimmed the idea to focus on just the jester...

Other than making the chess pieces a bit larger, the final design is pretty true to the starting sketch...

We had some trouble on the coloring of this design. But after experimenting with a bunch of different combinations, we think we stumbled upon a winner...

There are still a few days left in the month of May to get 15% off this shirt as well as all of our other chess t-shirts...use the coupon code CARNIVAL.

Thanks!!

Behind the Artwork: The Turk

2011-05-14T18:42:00.001-07:00

We wanted to take some time to show everyone the love and care that goes into each of our Endgame designs. First up is The Turk...

This was the first sketch we had...

This was good, but needed some work. We decided to take some artistic liberties to change the operator from a human into a gremlin. The Turk also seemed too "alive," so we added more mechanisms around him. Finally, we changed up the horses to make them more active.

At this point, we have something epic. We lost the light bulb on The Turk's head and moved forward with the inking.

Pick some colors and this baby's done!

Don't forget...coupon code CARNIVAL gets you 15% off for the month of May at the main website.

New Shirts Are Released!!

2011-05-04T06:36:00.000-07:00

Are these our best shirts yet?

Interesting chess themes? Check.
Insane face-melting artwork? Check.
Super high quality shirts and printing? Check.
Self-awarded "Number One" in customer service? Check.

The Turk was one of the greatest hoaxes of all time. Built in 1770, the Chess Playing Automaton, nicknamed The Turk, was said to be a machine that could best any man at chess. While in fact, The Turk was an elaborate mechanical illusion that swindled people on both sides of the Atlantic for nearly 100 years before being destroyed in a warehouse fire in 1854. The Turk's victims included both Napoleon and Benjamin Franklin. Edgar Allen Poe even tried to debunk the machine, but was wrong with several of his assertions.

As most players know, the Fool's Mate represents the fastest possible checkmate, often leaving the victim humiliated for a lifetime. Lucky for you, you'll never be humiliated in this shirt...the detail in this design must be seen to be believed.

And just because we like you...enter the coupon code CARNIVAL at checkout on the main site to receive 15% off your entire order during the month of May.

DFW

2011-03-17T05:25:00.000-07:00

From Rolling Stone:

"His life was a map that ends at the wrong destination. Wallace was an A student through high school, he played football, he played tennis, he wrote a philosophy thesis and a novel before he graduated from Amherst, he went to writing school, published the novel, made a city of squalling, bruising, kneecapping editors and writers fall moony-eyed in love with him. He published a thousand-page novel, received the only award you get in the nation for being a genius, wrote essays providing the best feel anywhere of what it means to be alive in the contemporary world, accepted a special chair at California's Pomona College to teach writing, married, published another book and last month hanged himself at age 46."

I attempted to read this 1,000 page monster about 10 years ago, but only made it 150 pages deep. After David Foster Wallace's death in 2008, I decided again to try to read Infinite Jest, but never did. I think I'm now ready to give it another try! It has always bothered me that I never finished the book and it's definitely something I want to do before I die. But it goes much deeper than that...I want to be able to hold this accomplishment over the heads of my less well-read friends. If I'm ever in danger of losing an argument, I can always whip out, "Well, obviously you wouldn't think that way if you had ever read Infinite Jest." Boom! Go re-read Life of Pi and play some checkers, you illiterate motherfucker.

During one of my recent pre-Infinite Jest workouts, I came across the commencement speech DFW gave to the graduating class of Kenyon College in 2005...complete with ill-timed laughter and inapproprate applause.

As I get older, I realize that there is never any "thing" that is going to provide me with lasting, sustainable happiness...I simply "am" happy or "am not" happy. And what determines a large part of whether I am or am not happy, is how I view the millions of pieces of information that I am bombarded with on a daily basis. I think this is the real work of being an adult...managing the constant and permanent Grind...and to somehow still have a smile on your face and passion and excitement in your heart.

Listen to this several times...

So what does all of this have to do with chess t-shirts? Well, if I have to explain that to you, then you obviously haven't read Infinite Jest.

Endgame Endorses: Thoughboxes

2011-02-28T19:54:00.001-08:00

I'm a list junkie. I even have a list of lists. No joke. They help me feel organized and allow me stay on task.

I recently came across a great website and thought I would pass it along. It is called Thoughboxes and the url is www.thoughtbox.es

This site allows you to keep your lists organized online. Check out this pic below...

See how nice and calm everything looks? No reason to feel overwhelmed by everything you need to do...it's got soothing colors!

We fully endorse this baby...give it a try! It's free!!

Chess vs. Music, Volume I - Dr. Dre

2011-02-12T09:18:00.001-08:00

Keeping with my usual theme of complete and utter amazement at the current unpopular state of chess, I have compiled a bunch of examples showing chess used in popular music. I'll run several of these posts in the weeks to come showing examples across all genres of music...and yet, professional chess stands like a wallflower in the corner.

First up, Dr. Dre on a recent cover of the popular hip-hop mag, XXL...

Nice shot of Dre and extra props for the board being set up correctly!!

New Chess Shirts...Coming Soon

2011-02-04T06:35:00.001-08:00

We've been busy...stay tuned!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T08:23:00.001-08:00

Black Friday Sale

2010-11-25T10:21:00.001-08:00

U.S.C.L. Upset Prize - Postseason

2010-11-25T08:32:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Rosenthal steamrolled through the playoffs, with an incredible 3 - 0 record, winning the biggest upset prize for his victory over FM Gauri Shankar. What made this result more surprising was that he started his USCL career horribly, scoring just 0.5/4, and at that point was considered to be the biggest weakness of the Miami Sharks. After winning his final four games against higher rated players, he proved all the critics wrong.

Congrats Nicky!

We're on TV!

2010-11-20T07:56:00.000-08:00

Hungarian TV, that is!

Big thanks to Zoltan (awesome name) for sending over this clip of himself being interviewed on Hungarian television wearing our Trophy t-shirt.

I don't see a way to embed the video, but it can be viewed here.

I'm On A Book

2010-10-22T05:20:00.000-07:00

Wow.

We've been featured in the book, Torso: Graphic T-shirts Exposed.

"With their catchy messages and bold artwork, T-shirts are a reflection of and petri dish for current styles in graphic design, illustration, and fashion. Focusing on T-shirts created by the most innovative and style-setting brands, Torso presents t-shirts that can be seen as projection screens for the most original contemporary visual codes. Compiled by Formatmag.com founder and editor-in-chief Daniel Eckler, this book is a definitive guide to today’s T-shirt culture."

Legit!

U.S.C.L. Upset Prize - Week 9

2010-10-22T05:07:00.000-07:00

Congrats to International Master Jay Bonin who won the US Chess League Upset Prize in week 9 for his win over GM Stripunsky.

GM Stripunsky had a very nice position against Jay, but overlooked a mate in one. I guess it happens to us all!

You can check out the game...here.

This Is How Nakamura Plays Blitz...

2010-10-17T09:18:00.000-07:00

U.S.C.L. Upset Prize - Week 8

2010-10-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Congrats to FM Carlito Agner for his win over Jorge Sammour-Hasbun in Week 8 of the U.S. Chess League. You can read his annotation of the game...here.

U.S.C.L. Upset Prize - Week 7

2010-10-08T20:12:00.000-07:00

Congrats to International Master Jonathan Schroer for his win over GM Kacheishuili in week 7 of the U.S. Chess League. Chess shirts on the way!

Torso: T-Shirt Graphics Exposed!

2010-10-06T06:34:00.000-07:00

We've been exposed.

We are super stoked to have one of our shirts included in the company of these amazing designs. I'm willing to bet that we are the only chess t-shirt in there.

https://shop.gestalten.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/673

We will bring you more info as this story develops...

Sam Shankland & Our Young Heroes

2010-10-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

A while back International Master Sam Shankland gave this interview. He was upset with many things. He was upset with his tournament results. He was upset with the technicalities that prevented him from attaining his Grandmaster title. He was upset with his experience as a professional player in his gap year between high school and college. He basically stated that he'll be quitting the game of chess. He has been repeatedly criticized as being a spoiled, arrogant kid for his behavior in this interview as well as other off camera language. I really only hold one position on this matter...

I LOVE THIS GUY!!!

I love the fact that he was pissed off and didn't give a shit about the camera. And did you see him shoot those daggers with that 100 yard stare? Damn!! This is EXACTLY how an 18 year old should behave!! People say his behavior is immature? Fuck that! He has his whole life to measure his words and calculate his actions. Sam Shankland is standing on the edge of adolescence, looking into the future as an adult chess professional, and he's pissed off. He deserves to be angry. I can't even imagine the amount of dedication and sacrifice required to achieve what he has done. Winning the World Under 18 at age 16? You know what I was doing at age 16? I was throwing dirt clods at my neighbor's house and pushing carts at the local grocery store.

It wasn't long ago that Hikaru Nakamura said that he didn't see being a professional chess player as a viable option for his future. He has since changed his mind (thank Caissa), but I have heard the same thing from Robert Hess. How soon until we hear this from Roy Robson?

But think about it...what are our top young chess players supposed to do when they graduate from high school? Perhaps they receive a scholarship and are able to dedicate themselves to playing through college. Then what? After graduation, they are forced to either downgrade chess to a hobby as they juggle the start of a non-chess career or they take a vow of poverty and continue to slug it out on the weekends for the chance at a slice of a meager prize fund.

And when they head back to their crappy hotel room, they get to watch a week-long broadcast of the National Spelling Bee on ESPN and primetime CBS.

Top cash prizes at major chess tournaments pale in comparison to those given to bowling, hot dog eating and rock-paper-scissor "athletes." Let me copy & paste that sentence again: Top cash prizes at major chess tournaments pale in comparison to those given to bowling, hot dog eating and rock-paper-scissor "athletes."

And after they do leave chess, how the hell are they supposed to adjust to being a schmucky cubicle crawler in the straight world? Think about Gata Kamsky for a minute. Regarded as a chess prodigy, he received his Grandmaster title at age 16 and was a challenger for the World Championship at age 22. He then completely left chess to attend law school.

Can you imagine Gata's first day at a law firm as a scrub attorney after being a top chess celebrity?

Senior Partner: Hey Gata, get your ass in here! I need you to photocopy this file and pick up my dry cleaning.

Grandmaster Gata Kamsky: With all due respect, but after being born in the Soviet Union, making my way in America, defeating the greatest chess players on the planet and accomplishing more by age 12 than most people accomplish in a lifetime...I feel I'm capable of more than just photocopying.

Senior Partner: Well, guess what Gata...now you gatta find a new job. Pack up your shit, you're fired!!

They've held up their end of the bargain. They became great young chess players. We have failed them. We have not given them viable options to become great adult chess players. Our greatest players are quitting before they reach their full potential.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go cry.

New Designs Are Here!

2010-10-01T07:02:00.000-07:00

We have two new designs available today!!

Head over to the main site to check out the new chess t-shirts!!

U.S.C.L. Upset Prize - Week 6

2010-10-01T06:13:00.000-07:00

The Upset Prize this week goes to 12-year old Margaret Hua for her draw against NM Carey Theil...Margaret was able to get the draw despite a massive 481 rating difference...wow.

Blogging Prize

2010-09-29T20:08:00.001-07:00

Every week the U.S. Chess League awards prizes to the bloggers who do an outstanding job of covering the weekly games. Endgame was proud to sponsor the Week 5.

Below are the winners, with links and my 2 cent commentary...

First Place:

Ron Simpson's accounts of his back to back wins exciting, humble and very human. In addition, his incorporation of Ashley's "Drawback" technique was particularly interesting.

http://carolinacobrasuscl.blogspot.com/2010/09/wow-gm-maurice-ashleys-drawback-concept.html
and
http://carolinacobrasuscl.blogspot.com/2010/09/simpsonr-gulkob_24.html

Second Place:

FM Elliott Liu smiles through the tears as he recounts Arizona's loss to Chicago. Elliott's personality comes through with this enjoyable entry...too many of our chess bloggers have less personality than Rybka.

http://arizonascorpionchess.com/2010/09/opposite-day-but-not-deja-vu-by-fm-elliott-liu/

Third Place:

No analysis or annotation, but Tom Panelas writes a nice little entry about Chicago's historic win over Arizona. Not only did they score their first league win over Arizona, but also ruined Arizona's perfect season score...bonus points for pictures!

http://www.chicagoblazechess.com/2010/09/ambush-in-the-desert/

And, of course, chess shirts for all the winners!

U.S.C.L. Upset Prize - Week 5

2010-09-24T15:12:00.001-07:00

For the second week in a row, FM Ron Simpson from the Carolina Cobras has won the Upset Prize. He overcame a 190 rating point difference to defeat IM Schneider. Congrats!

U.S.C.L. Upset Prize - Week 4

2010-09-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late in posting this, but don't let my tardiness take away from FM Ron Simpson's awesomeness. His victory over GM Gulko makes him the Upset Winner for Week 4.

Also, new chess shirts coming very soon.

U.S.C.L. Upset Prize - Week 3

2010-09-10T19:45:00.001-07:00

Congrats to FIDE Master Keaton Kiewra for winning the USCL Upset Prize for Week 3. Due to the large difference in ratings between Keaton and GM Finegold, he was able to clinch the prize with a draw.

Be sure to catch next week's action at the USCL website.

Screen Printing

2010-09-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered how that sweet design gets on your chess shirt? At Endgame, we print all of our shirts using the same traditional screen printing method that has been used for centuries. In fact, screen printing actually pre-dates chess.

Here's a cool little video done by the guys over at Enclothe...shows all the love and care that goes into a well crafted t-shirt. Love that lighthouse design!

One Man Band...DubFX

2010-09-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

It's crazy how you can forget about people, especially amazing, mind-blowing people. I remember hearing about this guy a while back and then totally forgot about him. His name is DubFX. He is the 21st century version of the one man band. His performances are an insane mix of vocals and beatbox using different recorded loops and all performed live!!

Do yourself a HUGE favor and watch this video. Don't get all ADD and turn it off after 10 seconds...watch the whole thing, simmer in the beauty and witness an absolute master at work!!

But if you don't like DubFX, then maybe you'll like this guy...

What does this have to do with chess shirts? Well, nothing really.

U.S.C.L. Upset Prize - Week 2

2010-09-02T21:49:00.000-07:00

It was looking like a soft week for upsets until we saw IM Florin Felecan from the Chicago Blaze put the hurt on GM Shulman!! Even as a 300 rating point underdog, Felecan defeated one of America's top grandmasters!! Damn.

Congrats IM Felecan!!

Be sure to check in with the U.S. Chess League at www.uschessleague.com

Can You Smell It?

2010-08-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

Smells like new chess shirts are on the way!

Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter on the main website to receive a full view of the shirts and a discount coupon!!

U.S. Chess League

2010-08-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

Once again, Endgame is very proud to be sponsoring a weekly Upset Prize for the United States Chess League.

Last night wrapped up Week One and the honors went to FM Tom Bartell for his victory over the veteran grandmaster Boris Gulko! Tom overcame a 158 point rating difference to defeat GM Gulko.

Hopefully we will be able to get some comments from the winner once he is finished celebrating his victory...

For further details and information on the U.S. Chess League, be sure to visit their homepage.

Things Will Never Be The Same

2010-08-12T22:12:00.000-07:00

The other day when I was looking for a youtube video to post on my Sell Out thread, I came across this video and almost started crying...

These days are behind me. The days of watching bands play without a stage and fans singing so loud that you can't even hear the music. Everything sounds like shit, but feels beautiful.

When we were younger, we would make fun of the creepy old dude who would be watching the bands from the back of the club. I guess am now that guy. More of an observer than a participant.

Now you might say, "But John, you have a totally sweet ass chess t-shirt company and probably roll deep with hotties all around." Yes, that's true. But things are different now...you can't replace that feeling of screaming until you cough up blood and not caring about what tomorrow brings.

I was pissing on the desert sand.
When the desert whispered to me,
It said, "Isn't this a shame?
Things will never be the same."
-Iggy Pop (performed by)

Sell Out?

2010-08-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

Many people (especially kids) adopt a punker than thou attitude if a band starts to stray from the sound on their first demo...and invariably scream, "SELL OUT!"

As I get older, I am much more forgiving in my judgments and open to different styles.

A recent example is one of my favorite bands, Against Me! When the band first started it was nothing but acoustic guitars and screaming...now it is a much fuller and produced sound. I still like the new stuff, but admit that the earlier stuff is some of my all-time favorite.

versus...

In general, do you think bands "grow" into different sounds or do they "sell out" in a deliberate attempt to enter the mainstream?? And what does this have to do with chess shirts? Well, nothing really.

New Chess T-Shirt Designs

2010-07-27T20:47:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update to let everyone know that we should have 2 new chess t-shirts available in the next month or so. I'll try to put up a sneak peak when we are a little closer to our release date.

Kings of California

2010-07-21T22:21:00.000-07:00

Tyler Fraser is a photographer who posts his stuff at Kings of California.

His subjects are the chess players at public tables throughout California. Here are a few of my favorites:

Seriously, let's look at the pic just above. What do we have here?

Illegal gambling? Check.
Suspicious police officer? Check.
Make-shift chess table six inches from a major street? Check.
The Bible held together by some duct tape? Check.
Cut-off jeans that are way too short? Check.

Take some time to check out the pictures...they tell some great stories.

Great job, Tyler!

There are so many good people working for chess. Our time will come.

Wonderfully Useless

2010-06-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of wonderfully useless things. I admire the dedication and passion required to make something that has such little practical value.

Check out this video...it was made with stop-motion photography using tiny paper cut-outs.

What does this have to do with chess shirts? Well, nothing really.

Damn it, I'm going to enjoy this...

2010-06-05T20:00:00.000-07:00

Wanna see my picture on the cover
Gonna buy five copies for my mother
Wanna see my smiling face
On the cover of Rolling Stone

Maybe it's not my face and Rolling Stone, but it is my t-shirt and Chess Life.

HUGE THANKS to Grandmaster Robert Hess for sporting the shirt. We had no idea that GM Hess was a fan. I emailed him to say "thanks" and he informed me that he owns 6 of our shirts. Wow...there is no greater compliment.

Chess Life is the official publication of the United States Chess Federation and has been published since 1946.

Want to know why Bobby Fischer stopped playing chess? No cool chess t-shirts to wear. Fact.

Against Me!

2010-06-03T07:15:00.000-07:00

Only a few more days until one of my favorite bands, Against Me!, releases a new album.

The album comes out on June 8th, but the video for their first single is up on their website right now.

Their 2001 album, Reinventing Axl Rose, is one of my all-time favorites.

Not sure if these guys play chess, but they are OK in my book.

Can't wait!

No Words...

2010-05-28T06:01:00.000-07:00

Drunk Chess History

2010-05-23T20:01:00.000-07:00

The great chess games of our past are always framed with a background filled with conflicting political ideologies, international affairs and exotic locales. And all of the players are always so sharply dressed...who cares if they all died penniless and alone?

The chess public owes a debt of gratitude to the chess journalists who tirelessly bring us these great tales from the past.

One of these journalist goes by the name of Blunderprone. Not only is Blunderprone a first class chess historian, but he is also an all-around great guy. In this Internet age, we are in contact with many people in many locations. Unfortunately, we do not always get to meet these people face to face.

Someday I will meet Blunderprone. And when I do, I'm going to buy him a few drinks and get him to talk about some chess history.

It might go something like this...

U.S. Chess Championship

2010-05-22T07:37:00.000-07:00

Have you been following the U.S. Chess Championship in St. Louis? If not, make sure to check it out!

We are starting the second part of the tournament today and so far there have been some great games but not too many surprises. I'm really looking forward to the next few days as there should be some great fighting games to come.

We also want to wish some extra special good luck to the Endgame enthusiasts: Shankland, Akobian and Nakamura.

There are many places to catch the action, but if you want to go straight to the source, the official website is here.

Endgame Endorses Karpov

2010-04-30T21:28:00.000-07:00

Election time, kids!!

Stay tuned, more to follow...

Hide Your Arms

2010-04-17T08:41:00.001-07:00

One of the good (and bad) things about the Internet is that people are always talking about you without your knowledge. I just came across this posting. It is from a t-shirt site called "Hide Your Arms."

I always love to see non-chess people appreciate the shirts.

Check it out real quick...HERE.

Chess Crimes

2010-04-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, Endgame Clothing has become one of the countless victims of credit card fraud. According to the U.S. government, credit card fraud costs consumers several billions of dollars each year. In our case, two different females ordered several of our girls' chess t-shirts in December of last year and had them shipped to the same business address in Miami, Florida. These two orders were identified as fraudulent in February of this year and the corresponding funds were removed from the Endgame bank accounts. There is no real closure to this...we are out the money and the shirts and the girls are still at large.

Now is it just me? Or does the idea of two Miami girls, buying chess t-shirts with a stolen credit card, sound kind of hot?

The account you read above contains the straight facts. But based on some follow-up investigations, this is what probably happened:

These two girls worked in the same office building for the same company. Suffocating in jobs they were told they should be grateful to have, they happened upon their boss's credit card one day. Never being particularly impressed with his intellect or character, they decided to take some liberties. Knowing that they would surely be fired upon the discovery of their transactions, they viewed these next purchases as the starting point from which the rest of their lives would blossom. In deciding where to perpetrate the crime, they both blurted at the same time, "Endgame!" Jinx...now they were both in this together. It can be dangerous when two girls like this get together. If Bonnie's twin sister had not died at birth, the world would never have had a need for Clyde.

The next few days were the difficult ones. These were the days when the girls could almost taste their new lives, but were forced to wait for the shipment to be delivered from the Endgame Clothing headquarters in Orange County, California. They remained patient with the satisfaction of knowing that when those shirts were delivered, they would also be delivered new lives.

When the shirts did arrive, they exceeded even their greatest expectations...never before had they seen chess shirts of such amazing quality and design. The second the shirts touched their skin, they knew there was no way they could ever go back. Running down the hallway to their boss's office, they were reminded of the prime years spent sleepwalking day after day through that office building.

Bursting open the door to their boss's office, they saw it in the corner. Just like the exotic sports car he polishes but never drives, like the vintage wines he brags about but never drinks, his antique chess set with 1,500 years of tradition and history just sat in the corner of his office and was never played. The asshole didn't even know how to play. So for the girls' final moments in that office...breathing recirculated air under stale fluorescent lights, they played some blitz. They played hard and pounded the shit out of that board. Some pieces were bent, some were broken, and one of the girls swore she saw a knight smile as they walked out the door.

Famished and exhilarated, they stopped at a raw bar for lunch. Feasting on oysters and beer, they planned the rest of their lives. Lives of adventure; lives of freedom; lives of love. Especially love. Love was the twisted conspiracy that Fischer could never uncover and the eternal equation that Alekhine could never solve. The dreams became as intoxicating as the brew. And when the dreams translated into giggly screams, they were asked to lower their voices. They responded by standing on their table and laughing. Laughing at the quiet people. Laughing at the serious people. Laughing at the one hour lunch-break people.

It is unclear if they paid for their meal, but the restaurant owner was satisfied to see them leave. As they sped away, they saw a teenage boy standing alone at a bus stop holding a trophy. Winning his high school chess championship with no celebration and no ride home, he jumped into the car. On his way home, the girls stole his virginity, but left him with a memory that he would fondly recall on his deathbed 64 years later.

As the sun began to set, the girls knew they were at the beginning of something special. There were a few victims along the way, but all was a sacrifice for the greater good. Smelling of sweat and excitement, they ran into the night to start their new lives.

Their names are Ashlee and Vanessa. So if you see two girls walking around Miami in Endgame shirts, tell them to drop me a postcard. And maybe some pictures.

Male Models

2010-03-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Male model, Dan, took 10 minutes to find. He's a guy I work with. I think he liked the idea of being a model, but was worried that his buddies would bust his balls if they found out...and modeling for a chess t-shirt company probably didn't help.

Whereas the Female model shows up with an entourage to do her hair and makeup, the Male model shows up after playing beach volleyball all day and decides to substitute beer for sunscreen. But what the Male model may lack in preparedness and dedication to his craft, he makes up for with the funny. You see, you've got to have a lot of funny if you are going to ask some dude to put on a chess t-shirt and take pictures.

With the Female model, I feel some pressure to make sure she realizes that Endgame is legit. With Dan, we just go out and shoot. However, there was a point where I came close to having a mutiny on my hands. It involved this picture:

Both Dan and the photographer thought the concept was lame. But I had the vision in my head and in my head the shot worked. I thought it would be funny and playful. All in all, I think it turned out ok...especially when you consider that I had an unwilling model and photographer!

Here's another equation for you:

Vote for Jazmin

2010-03-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

Endgame's favorite (and only) model is in the running for Maxim's 2010 Hometown Hotties. Be sure to visit HERE every day to vote.

Support the people who support chess!!!

Johnny Cupcakes & Chess

2010-01-18T19:27:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know, Johnny Cupcakes is a god in the indie t-shirt world. He has built an ultra loyal following of fans who buy his t-shirts and other apparel which is centered around cupcakes and baking. Keeping with the indie ethic, he retains total control of his company and interacts with his customers on a daily basis. He even has a few retail locations that are designed to look like bakeries. I bought a shirt from the shop on Melrose in L.A. and I can tell you first hand that the guy turns buying a t-shirt into a unique experience.

So check out what he just released...

What do you think?

You can check out his website HERE. And if you see something you like...buy it! Support the people who support chess!!

Female Models

2009-12-16T20:00:00.000-08:00

If you’re selling chess t-shirts, you have to use models, right?

And if you're selling girls' chess t-shirts, then must use female models!

I figured this was a long and proud tradition and I had no right to rock the boat. But I am also a pretty introverted guy and don't have much experience approaching attractive women to ask them if they want to be a chess model. But armed with the noble cause of creating a new breed of chess apparel and a love of hot chicks, I decided to blaze forward.

I thought finding a chess t-shirt model was going to be easy. I found several databases where I was able to search for models and then contact the ones I thought might be a good fit. And let's face it, there are worse ways to spend your time than searching for hot girls on the Internet. But it was also a lot of hard work. Several times I had to endure the personal sacrifice of skipping dinner...I would have to yell at my wife, "Not now! I'm trolling the Internet looking for girls."

But soon it got discouraging. There are millions of models out there, but apparently none that wanted to work with a small chess t-shirt company.

Then I found Jazmin. I had probably contacted 40 models by this time. About 50% never responded (in my mind, I figured they thought Endgame was lame). Another 40% politely said they were not interested. The last 10% were just really flaky...they would say that they wanted to be involved but I could never get them to commit to a date for a photo shoot. With Jazmin, there was never any of that bullshit. We set a date, I showed up with the photographer and we did work. We have shot several times since and she is always perfect. She comes with her little entourage with her hair and make-up done and several sets of clothes.

Now that I think about it, I'm not really sure why she even agreed to work with us in the first place. Hmmm...I actually need to ask her and make that a future blog post.

Now that things have been up and running, the story is different...we have been approached by several models who are just dying to be chess t-shirt models for Endgame. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but you get the idea. Anyway, we're sticking with Jazmin!

Any questions?

Next up: "Male Models" ...a much different story.

You Asked For It

2009-12-13T16:45:00.000-08:00

They are here.

After about a year of people asking, people suggesting and people just flat out calling us idiots...Endgame is now stocking 2XL sized chess t-shirts.

For the record, there was no conspiracy against the big guys...we just didn't think that there was much of a demand...apparently we were wrong!

Game on!

Hikaru Nakamura Wears Endgame!!

2009-11-29T19:12:00.000-08:00

Stop the presses!!

Hikaru Nakamura was spotted wearing Endgame!!

There is nothing better than seeing one of the world's elite chess players wearing one of our shirts. And is Hikaru just wearing the chess t-shirt around other chess players?

No!!

He's rocking it in the real world!!

Thanks, Hikaru!!

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a design we did a while back called Prodigy. We were going to release it as a Halloween chess t-shirt, but never did...maybe next year.

Hope everyone has a great Halloween!!

Bishop vs. Knight - now available!!

2009-10-17T09:44:00.000-07:00

Our newest design is now available...

We hope you dig this chess t-shirt that was inspired by the classic fight posters of the 50's. It was hand drawn and printed on navy with light blue discharge inks.

You can find it for sale at www.EndgameClothing.com

Have you seen this?

2009-10-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

This is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. It was on 60 Minutes last Sunday...

Don't mind the Viagra commercial, just watch it...HERE

And what does this have to do with chess? Well...nothing really.

Mysterious Video

2009-10-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

I just received an email from a film company asking me to post this video...

I know nothing about it, but was pretty stoked to see a major namebrand energy drink involved with chess.

Check it out and let me know if you have any guesses as to who is inside the can???

What do you think about this??

The Bad Stuff

2009-10-08T19:30:00.000-07:00

Part 2 - The Bad Stuff

You're probably thinking that running the greatest chess t-shirt company on the planet is a dream job. Well, I'm here to tell you it's not all Grey Goose and Grandmasters.

Here are the tough parts:

1. Inventory. Ok, not very exciting, but very important. I HATE to disappoint customers and run out of stock. But the problem is that we can't just go and print a handful of shirts. Our shirts are printed by an amazing shop that prints for huge name brands. We feel very lucky to have them print our shirts. So in order to keep our costs reasonable, we have to print large quantities.

And this assumes that I am able to get the blank shirts from our supplier. For instance, right now we are out of a few sizes on the Horsey design. My supplier will not have the "faded demin" colored shirt in stock for approximately 12 weeks. 12 weeks?!?!? Are you fucking kidding me? How can anything in 2009 take 12 weeks to accomplish? I just got off the phone with a 12 week old kid who already had his first IM norm under his belt.

So from time to time, we run out of stock. Hopefully people understand that this is just one of the fun things you get when you deal with a smaller independent company.

2. Photography. This has been an eye opener. I have now realized that I have taken for granted every single professional photograph that I have ever seen. I have never understood or even dreamed of the amount of detail and work required to get good shots. I guess I always just kind of thought that if the picture sucks then you need a better camera. Still working on this, making headway...but we have HUGE room for improvement here.

3. Search Engine Optimization. This is like playing chess with Google, except Google doesn't tell you the rules. I am constantly beating my head against the wall with this. I mean, come on!! There are not that many chess t-shirts out there...and you are going to tell me that Endgame doesn't deserve to be ranked on the first page? This means that there are millions of chess players who have never heard of Endgame. That makes me so angry, I want to punch a kitten.

4. The Internet can be a lonely place. It's strange to create something for people all over the world and never see them face to face. Or typing a blog in a dark room when you are never really sure if anyone other than my mom is reading it. Sure, I can see the traffic numbers, but are people really reading? Are they getting it? Do they dig Endgame? Believe it or not, some people do not like our designs...I know, I know...its hard to believe and it technically doesn't make them bad people. But there is a certain amount of arrogance in me that believes that every single chess player on the planet is going to love every design we create.

But in the end, the Bad Stuff means nothing.

The Good Stuff

2009-09-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

When we first started Endgame, I had pretty huge expectations. I truly believe in my heart of hearts that we have created the best chess t-shirts the world has ever seen. Would I call these shirts historic? Well, that's really something for the academics to work out, but one guy did say that Fischer probably would not have quit chess if he had shirts like these.

So I figured that when the chess t-shirts were first released, I would be immediately hoisted upon the shoulders of Grandmasters and paraded through hallowed tournament halls...I would grace the covers of chess periodicals...I would be celebrated by having openings named after me. I might even be invited to do that ceremonial moving of the first piece in the upcoming World Championship match.

Well, none of that shit happened.

But there has been a lot of good and some bad.

Let's start off with some of The Good...

1. Meeting Top Players. As a fanboy, one of the amazing things about chess, is that many of our heroes are very accessible...you don't have to get through a huge entourage to say "hi." Normally I am just a jackass from the lower section...but now I am a jackass with some chess t-shirts. Recognize! And I am very happy to say that most of the titled players that I have approached have been very receptive and supportive.

2. Artists. I have always loved art. As a kid I was always a huge fan of comic books and animation. T-shirt design has been an exciting way to work with amazing artists who are able to do things in computer graphic design that I never knew existed. I really enjoy the process of watching a rough concept for a design turn into the finished polished product. I'll probably write more about this in the future as several people have asked about it.

3. Models. I have always loved models. Especially female ones! This part was tough. Like everything else with Endgame, I have an idea in my head as to how everything works out. With a shirt design, we can always tweak until we get it right. But with models, you first have to find the right one and then they have to agree to work with you. My male model, Dan, was easy to find. I work with him and he cracks me up...done deal. Trying to find the female model was much more difficult. Not only does she need to look right for the part, but did I mention that we are modeling chess t-shirts? Not exactly the high fashion that most models dream of. So I searched and searched. Most would never respond or follow through. There was one model who agreed, but every time I tried to coordinate a photo shoot, she was busy. Then I found Jazmin. End of story...she's perfect and I feel very lucky that she seems to really enjoy being involved.

4. Worldwide Web. I think this Internet thing will be around for a while. It makes work very convenient. The Internet has been criticized for turning us into an anonymous society with increasingly less human contact, but I'm hear to say that it has restored some of my faith in humanity. Every day, I deal with wonderful, passionate people...who I have never met face to face. We transmit ideas and money on a daily basis and, almost without exception, people do the right thing. Good job humanity!

5. Endgame Customers. Without a doubt, this is the best part. I never lose sight of the fact that people have found Endgame and then made the conscious decision to wear a chess t-shirt. Wearing a chess shirt is both a committment and a statement. One guy said it is pretty much like putting a big middle finger on your chest. It is one thing to be a fan of chess and to play in the safe confines of a club or behind an Internet connection. It is quite another thing to put on a shirt and strut your shit in public. Any pussy can wear Quiksilver or Volcom, but it takes balls to rock a chess shirt. Thank you to everyone.

Endgame Upset Prize - Week One

2009-09-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

This season, Endgame is very proud to be sponsoring a weekly Upset Prize for the United States Chess League. This "upset prize" will be based on the largest rating difference between players. Draws are also eligible to receive this upset prize, once again using the rating difference, but a draws counts for only half of that rating difference when tallying the biggest upset.

Last night marked the end of week one. There were several exciting upsets, but only one could be named The Endgame Upset Prize...

The winner of the coveted Upset Prize for week one is IM Jonathan Schroer from the Carolina Cobras!! Even though IM Schroer was up against a whopping 225 rating point difference, he was able to secure the draw against GM Kritz.

Everyone wants to know exactly how IM Schroer felt when he found out he was the recipient of this prestigious award. Unfortunately, emails to the international master were not immediately returned. He must still be celebrating!!

For further details and information on the U.S. Chess League, be sure to visit their homepage.

New Endgame Chess T-shirts!

2009-08-21T00:06:00.000-07:00

It's been a lot of work, but the new designs are now available at the main site.

Well...what are you waiting for?

Go get 'em!!

Best Laid Plans...

2009-08-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

Well, summer is here and we almost have the spring shirts ready to go!! Best laid plans...

We have received a ton of emails asking when the new shirts are going to be released. We really appreciate how anxious everyone is, but we want to make sure everything is perfect.

We're not playing for a draw here, kids. The last piece of the puzzle is the photography. We want to make sure that every part of Endgame is the best we can do. Up to now I have been very proud of all aspects of Endgame...except the photography. Many of the photos on the site are just crappy shots I took with my cheapo camera. Some of them are just downright embarrassing. Well, that's all about to change!!

The photography with Jazmin, our female chess model, is finished and everything looks amazing. This afternoon, we are shooting our male model, Dan. So hopefully in a few more weeks, the photos will be edited and the site will be updated with the new chess t-shirts.

Hang in there, everyone...

***

In other news...Sean Trani filmed an interview with Grandmaster Var Akobian last month at the St. Louis Chess Club during the 2009 US Chess Championship. About halfway through the interview, Var has some very nice words to say about Endgame. Thanks, Var!!

Old Opponents

2009-07-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel strange playing a really old dude? And I don't mean just old. I mean way old and way overrated. I guess it's the opposite phenomena of the 12 year old kid who's abilities are increasing at a faster pace than his rating.

One of my biggest wins from a ratings standpoint was against an elderly gentleman who's best chess days were far behind him...but he would still come out to the weekend tournaments every once in a while with a smile on his face. Even in the summer, he would wear a collar and sports coat...both of which had to be at least 30 years old. He had the look of a widower who had not purchased a stitch of clothing since his wife's funeral many years ago.

He was 19 years old and serving as a chemist in the military when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor...and one afternoon several of us were captivated by his retelling of the experience.

This man once had a rating that I will never come close to achieving.

But was now being crushed in the lower section by some jackass like me.

So many others give up or become bitter when their abilities fade.

Not this guy.

He died a while back and I think about him quite a lot.

Weekend in Vegas

2009-06-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

A funny thing happened in Vegas...I got sick! And the not the usual kind of Vegas sick that goes away after a few Advil and a gallon of Gatorade. But even though it was not the ideal weekend, we still sold a ton of t-shirts and met some great people.

In other news, here's a quick update on what's happening around here...

1. The new designs are ready and the people in Vegas seemed to really like them. I am working to get the product photography done in the next few weeks and then they'll be up for sale on the main site.

2. We had a drawing in Vegas for a free Endgame t-shirt and the winner is David B! Thanks to everyone who entered!!! By the way, the results of the drawing were carefully audited by our 6 year old intern:

3. We will also begin to give away free t-shirts as prizes for tournaments hosted on chess.com. This is something we have been thinking about doing for a while so we are pretty excited to see how it works out. If you decide to become a member over there, be sure to say that "Endgame_Clothing" sent you.

That's all for now! See ya.

Packing Up My Game...

2009-06-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

...and I'm heading out East...to the Las Vegas International Chess Festival. Here's my van with hundreds of Endgame shirts, 15 CDs, 2 kids and a wife...all packed in and ready for a 4 hour drive across the desert:

It is going to be a crazy weekend, but I'm looking forward to every minute of it.

See you there!

New Endgame T-Shirt Preview!!

2009-05-24T09:56:00.001-07:00

The new Endgame Clothing chess t-shirts are being printed right now...and I mean literally right this moment!

Both of these designs will be available at the Las Vegas International Chess Festival being held at the South Point Hotel and Spa on June 4th through 7th. They will be available on the Endgame Clothing website shortly thereafter.

We truly appreciate all of the support everyone has given Endgame and we will always do our best to provide players with a unique way to support chess...both at the board and away from the board.

Also, if you haven't done so already, be sure to sign up for our newsletter to receive coupon codes good for discounts on the new shirts.

Great Moments in Chess Cinema

2009-05-06T19:35:00.000-07:00

Chess has been featured in an insane number of films. In case you missed them, here are a few highlights:

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

There is nothing worse than being convicted of a crime you didn't commit...just ask Andy Dufresne...or the A-Team. While serving a life sentence in prison, Andy decides to make his own chess set from the rocks found near the prison grounds. Andy describes chess as being "civilized" and "strategic." We don't get to see a whole lot of chess being played, but we know that chess is a pastime that Andy values greatly. What we learn from this movie: The same tactics that help you from being mated on the chessboard can't always help you from being sodomized in the prison showers.

Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)

Every sport has a crowning cinematic masterpiece. Boxing has "Raging Bull," baseball has "The Natural" and ping-pong has "Balls of Fury." Few would argue that there is a better chess movie than "Searching for Bobby Fischer." This is a great movie with a legit all-star cast. The movie centers around the idea that chess is a game that has been drifting around in the doldrums since losing its greatest player. When an 8 year old prodigy appears to be the next incarnation of the fallen hero, the entire chess community pins its hopes that this child can save a once proud country of chess players. Little known fact: After seeing Lawerence Fishburne's performance in this film, the Wachowski Brothers wrote and directed a complete rip-off of "Searching for Bobby Fischer" and called it "The Matrix." In this pathetic imitation, we have nearly the same plot: The very future of a group (chessplayers) hinges on finding the identity of The One (Fischer). The One is supposedly a predestined person who is capable of seeing the secrets of all of life as we know it (chess).

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

In this film, we can't help but fall in love with two unlikely friends in the form of a Rockstar and an Accountant. In one particularly emotional scene, we come across the sexually inexperienced Accountant, on his honeymoon, confused with his new role as a husband and struggling with his very faith in God. As he desperately tries to understand God's reason for putting a playground next to a sewer system, he finds solace with the Rockstar. Through the creative use of an oversized chess set as a marital aid, the Rockstar is able to show the Accountant the beauty of the sexual act as well as finding a level of intimacy with his new bride that he never thought possible. Movie Life Lesson: We all can learn something from each other. As the Rockstar provides the benefit of his vast coital experience to the Accountant, we hope that in turn, the Accountant can lend his financial expertise to help prevent the Rockstar from becoming a cautionary tale on VH1's "Behind the Music."

Current Chess Scene - Part Two

2009-04-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of hiding the fact that you play chess? Do you want to see your local Grandmaster quit his night job at McDonalds? Do you want to finally get the respect and admiration you deserve for spending years of your life staring at little wooden pieces?

In order for any of these things to happen, we must make chess more popular. And I am here to say that this is actually much easier than most people think. People have said for too long that chess will never achieve mainstream success. But in reality, an activity is irrelevant to its popularity. The largest determinant to whether something is popular or not is its promotion. And the promotion of chess in this country sucks.

Sure, we have problems with the federation that is technically in charge of promoting chess in this country, but that is not the biggest problem. The biggest problem, as I see it, is the lack of the human element. We tend to forget that 2 people are playing the game. These people have stories and personalities, but we never get to hear them.

The most horendous example of this problem is the Computer vs. Computer matches! Is there anything more boring and damaging to the image of chess than that? Are we suppose to revel in the glory of the computers' perfect play? Who gives a shit about perfect play!? That's like going to the movies to watch a film about a perfect life. BORING! Show me some guy who's life is fucked up and tell me how he overcomes it...that's what I want to see. That's what makes me cheer, laugh and cry.

To promote chess, we must make chess more human. So how do we do this?

1. The Internet. This has been a huge windfall for chess and chess communication. Chess blogs are all over the place (don't look now, but you're reading one) and online play has created millions of closet chess players. The best example of this is the one-stop, chess playing, social networking masterpiece called Chess.com. Anyone can play as well as connect with other chess players and truly feel like part of an online communty.

2. Focus on Character. Every person has a story. And the story of chess players in an amazing one. The incredible personal sacrifice to a game that never promises to give back as much as you put in? These people are not lured by flashy cars and supermodels. They are not leaving high school to go pro. They are sacrificing everything to play a game with little financial reward or prestige. Many get to the end of the road, and like a bitter drunk staring at a bottle, wish they had never seen a chessboard. Or others come from far away countries, dodging and weaving through years of beauracracy and political instability just to find a home. I don't give a shit about the tournament where they achieved their second GM norm, give me the stories of thier lives!!!!

3. Away from the Board Promotion. Chess is a very intimitating game for those who don't know how to play and can be downright cruel to those who do. And while the pieces may be beautiful, they aren't too cuddly. We need something softer, like....t-shirts!! Oh snap!!! See what I did there? I brought it back around to Endgame Clothing, The Original Chess Apparel. Apparel has been a standard for promoting activies for years. There are millions of people who wear Quiksilver or TapouT without every stepping foot into the ocean or an octogon. But people buy and wear the t-shirts because they support what the sport represents. Endgame Clothing t-shirts are an off-board expression of the love of chess.

My parents have never played poker. But my parents love watching poker on TV and they know all the players' names. They know who is nice and who is a jerk. Poker has done something very, very, right. They focus on the drama of the players, not the game.

"Hey, Mom, do you know any names living chess players?"

"Of course, honey, Bobby Fischer."

"Actually, he died a while back."

"Really?"

...Yeah, really.

Las Vegas International Chess Festival

2009-04-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! Endgame Clothing will be taking the traveling t-shirt circus on the road to the Las Vegas International Chess Festival which runs from June 4 -7. The tournament will be taking place at the South Point resort. If you are in town, be sure to stop by and say, "Hi!"

Late Update...

2009-04-08T08:20:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend, IM Sam Shankland won the semi-finals and finals of the US State Champion of Champions tournament which qualifies him to play in the 2009 US Chess Championship. Congrats!!

The US Chess Championship will take place in May in St. Louis...

Congrats to IM Shankland!

2009-03-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

Sam Shankland moved onto the semi-finals in the 2009 US State Champions of Champions by completely dominating his field with a score of 9.5/10!!

The semi-finals will take place on April 4th. More info can be found here.

Congrats, Sam!

The Future of Chess?

2009-03-21T17:42:00.000-07:00

Chess.com has over 500,000 members and is adding over a thousand new ones each day. This is an absolutely amazing feat when you consider that the site was only launched about a year and half ago. I remember checking it out briefly when it first came out, but it didn't seem like anything special. And it really wasn't, but much like a 15 year old IM, they have been improving on a daily basis.

I feel a little embarrassed that I didn't realize how powerful this community has become. I have always been a US Chess Federation kind of guy. And it might be a completely inbred, dysfunctional family, but it was my family. And even though mom and dad always argue and have taught me to have extremely low expectations which they continously fail to meet, I have stuck with them. I mean, they are the sanctioning body for chess in the United States...you can't get any better than that, right?

But damn...look at Chess.com. They have everything! It is a completely integrated online home for chess players. Playing chess can be a very cold and lonely endeavor at times and I think that is why the game loses so many of its casual players. But Chess.com has made a very comfortable place to hang out and find mentors and friends.

The visionary behind all of this is a guy named Erik. He has put his heart and soul into this chess community and it shows. But he isn't just some guy who runs the site and holds his constituents in contempt...he is an active part of the community. The amazing thing is that if there are any problems with the site, he is the first one to accept blame and ask the members for help and suggestions for improvement. His openness and transparency of action is not only endearing, but makes the members feel like they are all part of the journey. The USCF could learn a thing or two (or two million) from Erik and Chess.com.

Is this face the future of chess?

Oh, and Erik also wrote some very cool things about Endgame Clothing. You can check out the whole thing...here.

Rise Against and Chess

2009-03-08T10:40:00.000-07:00

You don't think chess is in the mainstream? Well, think again!

For those of you out of the loop, this bombshell came out a while ago, but I have been waiting for the rest of the International Chess News Corp to pick up on it. I figured this would have been a huge story! I guess I'll just have to report it myself...

The popular rock band, Rise Against, released their fifth studio album in October of last year. The name of the album is "Appeal to Reason" and it premiered at #3 on the Billboard 200. The album was immediately embraced as a critical and commercial success.

While this is all well and good, people seem to have overlooked the real importance of this album. It employs major chess imagery. Watch out Wu Tang! There's a new band on the block for chess players to desperately look to for validation on the musical landscape.

So without any further ado, I present what I am calling "See? It told you chess is cool #47 "...

What's that? You don't see anything? Well, look a little closer...

My high school years have been officially vindicated! I knew I was cool...I fucking knew it! I just didn't know I was ahead of my time. Here we have a successful band (but not too successful...we don't want to lose street cred) showing some heavy chess love.

So why does Rise Against have a bishop on their album cover?

No. I'm asking you, "Why does Rise Against have a bishop on their album cover?" Because I don't know. I have messaged them on Myspace, but haven't heard anything back. I'll let you know if there are any late breaking developments, but right now I need to go set the record straight with a few girls from high school that didn't understand what a visionary I was...

By the way, both the band and this album are great. And although it lacks the chess imagery, their previous album "The Sufferer and The Witness" is a favorite of mine.

Endgame's Next Top Chess Model

2009-03-01T05:38:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be super easy to find a model for Endgame Clothing. I mean, isn't modeling for a chess clothing company a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Doesn't every model dream of just getting the chance? Apparently not.

But let's not focus on the negatives here or how I was turned down so much it felt like high school all over again...let's talk about the positives...

After many failed attempts, dead ends and flakes, I found Jazmin. And she is wonderful. She was always prompt to reply to emails, was on time for the photo shoot...and did I mention she stands 6 feet tall in heels?

Now you might be cynically asking yourself if she plays chess? Haha, does she play chess? Hell ya...she knows how the pieces move!! Her 5th grade teacher taught the whole class...but she hasn't played since ;-(

I will continue to rotate more pictures of Jazmin at our main website http://www.endgameclothing.com/ so stop by and check them out, blogger doesn't quite do them justice...

Endgame Reviews

2009-02-19T23:11:00.000-08:00

There have been some great product reviews out there in cyberspace and I wanted to share a few with you guys. The two below are particulary cool because both are from non-chess related sites...

This first is a video review by Coty Gonzales. All this guy does is review t-shirts...he has seen a million of them...he eats t-shirts and craps cotton...let's see what he has to say about two of the Endgame shirts...

Glorious Nonsensities 2x06: Crazy Bananas, Endgame Clothing and Chess from Coty Gonzales on Vimeo.

In addition to the video, Coty interviewed me one-on-one for his "Indie Tee Spotlight"...this can be found here.

We were also mentioned on MilitantGeek.com, who reviews "T-Shirts for a Geek Friendly Future." Here's what they had to say:

"Chess geeks have had it rough. When somebody would go and attempt to make some game inspired gear it usually turned out on the french-horn-in band side of extracurricular lame. Not John. John started his shop, EndGame Clothing with a mission: create chess inspired shirts that would be equally at home raiding the frat house as they would be castling. That’s quite an accomplishment."

Back From the Tourney

2009-02-15T21:06:00.000-08:00

What did you learn this weekend? Well, I learned that there are certain people that don't like Endgame t-shirts. As I sat at my vendor table, at the U.S. Amateur Team West tournament, I was treated to several looks of contempt as people passed by. One man even said that one of my shirts was in "poor taste." Really? Dude, have you looked in the mirror in the past 10 years? That tie is in poor taste.

But for every person that didn't like my shirts, there were 2 that loved them. This was great and I want to thank everyone who came by to say, "hi." In particular, there were a group of guys from Cal State Northridge who where totally stoked to see my shirts and I even met 2 people who follow this blog!

This was my first attempt to promote Endgame in the offline world. I took a few pictures of my vendor table posted them in the draft for this blog entry, but after seeing them, I took down the pictures...they look too boring. I can now see that my set-up really failed to capture the majesty that is Endgame Clothing. I'm not going to let that happen again...I have some great ideas for next time.

By the way, the shirt that was in "poor taste" was my second best seller.

Photo Shoot

2009-02-12T21:55:00.000-08:00

Last night we had a photo shoot for Endgame Clothing. The photographer and model were awesome! I can't wait to see the pics...check back soon!

U.S. Amateur Team West Tournament

2009-02-08T08:26:00.000-08:00

Endgame Clothing is taking its game on the street!

I will be peddlin' my wares and pimpin' my shirts at the 24th annual U.S. Amateur Team West tournament on Saturday, February 14th. The tournament will be held at the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills, CA. Be sure to come by and say, "Hi!"

More info about the tournament can be found here.

Worst Job in the World

2009-02-08T08:22:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine decided to ditch work a few weeks back and bought a lottery ticket. Bam!! The guy wins $20,000 on a scratcher.

So he goes to the dreary government building to claim his winning. Sitting behind the counter is the most miserable person in the world.

Here is a little bit of my friend's conversation with this person...

My Friend: When does the confetti fall from the ceiling?

Lottery Employee: What confetti, sir?

My Friend: There should be confetti that falls from the ceiling when a big winner like me comes around. Come on, where is it?

Lottery Employee: (No answer. Just a dead blank stare. She cuts my friend a check who then studies the check very closely for a full minute.)

My Friend: Oh, this can't be right.

Lottery Employee: What do you mean?

My Friend: This check is too small.

Lottery Employee: No, sir, it is for $20,000...exactly the amount you won.

My Friend: No, I mean, the check is too small. Where is the big check, the huge one that I have to carry with two hands?

Lottery Employee: What?

My Friend: You know, that 4 foot long one.

Lottery Employee: That is only for ceremonies.

My Friend: Is there a suggestion box around here? I think you guys should make some changes...

I was cracking up when my friend told me this story, but can you image how soul crushing it must be to sit behind a counter all day and just hand out lottery winning?

So what does this have to do with chess? Well...nothing, really.

Current Chess Scene - part one

2009-02-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

One of my biggest gripes about the chess scene today is that there is no adult chess experience. I'm not talking about some obscure European chess porn (but if you have some, feel free to email john@endgameclothing.com ;-)), but I am talking about being able to enjoy and discuss chess in an adult context.

In organized chess today, the scholastic programs make up the majority of the members of the United States Chess Federation. And on one level, that is a great thing; the Federation needs every member it can get. But as a result, the Federation has created an environment that is wwaaayyyy too kid friendly. We are so busy kissing their prepubescent asses and trying to keep their parents happy that we end up trying to please everyone from ages 5 to 95. This is an impossible task!

So what we all get is a big serving of bland, boring, uninteresting dullness. Is it any wonder why so many people drop out of the chess scene after a few years? Unless you have completely dedicated your life to the game, are an 8 year old, or the overprotective parent of an 8 year old, I just don't many things that hold the attention of the casual player. The casual player needs to be given some other type of social reward or fulfillment.

Now don't get me wrong...I like kids, I have kids and I even used to be a kid. And I believe that if kids are around, then everyone has a personal responsibility to set the best example possible. But sometimes I also like to curse and get pissed that I hung a piece for the thousandth fucking time!

I am here to say that this squeaky clean one-image-fits-all is wrong! I am here to say that is one of the MAJOR reasons that chess in America is in such a sorry state!

And this is one of the reasons I started Endgame Clothing...that's right, dear reader, to save chess!!!

End Part One

Life in the Lower Section

2009-01-26T16:39:00.000-08:00

I have always had an amazing ability to learn. My parents told me that several teachers throughout my youth commented that I was a gifted learner. I imagine they kept this information to themselves so as to encourage me to one day become a well-adjusted adult. This ability to learn was evident in every intellectual endeavor I attempted. I was creative and mature in my understanding of language while destroying the grading curves in math and science.

And please don't think that my talents were limited to the classroom. Outside of class while enjoying baseball, I also loved to play board games. My favorites were Risk, Monopoly and chess. Especially chess. I guess I was about nine-years-old when my father first taught me the way the pieces were supposed to move. Almost immediately, I displayed an amazing command of the board and seemed an expert at making those sixteen pieces do their deadly dance. I demonstrated my dominance at the board by winning, almost without exception, every game I played. This incredible, unprecedented streak continued for nearly twenty years.

You may now be wondering why I don't have a GM or IM in front of my name. Well, perhaps I am very modest and don't wish to rub your face in my internationally recognized title. Perhaps like Henry V, I like to walk without my well-deserved designation, so as to get a better idea of what the average chess player is thinking and doing. But the truth is that I never played anyone who had even the slighted clue as to how to really play this game. And even worse, I had to come to the ultimate realization that after twenty years of playing chess, I didn't know shit. I was about to become a serious beginner.

It is hard to believe that that an adult can lose a game of wits to a child. But there I was, sitting across from sixty pounds of terror. I had fumbled through Nimzowitsch's MY SYSTEM before this kid had taken her first step. In the opening, I was knocked off balance and never got back on track. All I could do was await each painful move that she recorded with a pink Hello Kitty pen onto her scoresheet.

And of course I did not have to suffer alone. The only thing misery loves more than company is an audience. And at any chess tournament, an audience can always be found when a child is beating an adult. I tried not to look at the audience as my position got worse and worse, knowing that the room was filled with smirks and at least one smug parent. At the same time, a part of me was very proud of my child-opponent. After all, I have two children of my own, including one just about her age. The only difference is that my son's favorite pastime happens to be throwing dirt clods at the neighbor's house.

I believe that being a serious adult beginner in the game of chess is one of the most challenging things in the world. Some non-chess playing people will disagree and righteously say that the greatest challenge is raising children and ramble on about things like the importance of future generations and tomorrow's leaders. Compared to chess, raising children is a piece of cake. If one of my children talks back to a teacher, I simply explain "he gets that from his mother." If one doesn't want to eat his vegetables, "he gets that from his mother." But when I blunder at the board...it's all me.

The biggest threat to the serious beginner is the temptation to just quit. After all, this is supposed to be fun, a pastime. But to sit down and lose again and again is incredibly frustrating. The serious beginner has to make a lot of new friends. These friends go by many names, but the most common ones are frustration, heartbreak and humiliation. To be two pieces up and then lose to a one move mate on g7 has made me curse this game more times than I care to mention.

It is also at this point that we truly learn about ourselves. Do we simply give up like a spoiled child or rationalize that adults are not capable of learning as quickly as children? I am old enough to know that persistence will overcome almost any obstacle. Intelligence is great and helps, but over the long run it is the persistent person who comes out ahead.

And it was at that moment, when I could do no more and tipped my king in resignation, that I made the decision to renew my studies. There are many examples from my past where I have given up too easily. I decided that this would not be one of those times. I will focus more on the fundamentals that I know I neglect. I will seek a teacher to help me fill in the gaps in my play that seem to be reoccurring over and over. And I know that the next time I sit down to the board, it will be a fresh chance to show what I have learned. It will be a fresh chance to climb out of the lower section. But most importantly, I will try to not get discouraged and always enjoy my journey with this beautiful game. It is often difficult to love something, which at times, does not seem to love me back. But like all our great loves, we do not choose them; they choose us.

I walked out of that tournament with a lower rating but a greater understanding of myself. And in the grander scheme of things, which was more important? The answer was obvious. So as that little girl climbed into her dad's minivan and began to drive away, I picked up a dirt clod and threw it at their car. He gets that from me.

I had written this essay a while back and it was posted on Jeremy Silman's website...here. -John.

Chess and Lit

2009-01-19T10:07:00.000-08:00

A customer of Endgame Clothing sent me the following quote...

"If alterna-rock were a chess game, Lit would control the all-important mid-board squares, where the diagonals of cutting force intersect with the horizontals and verticals of straightforward pop-melodic appeal."

Talk about an amazing coincidence! This is from an article written in the LA Times back in 1999. Fast forward 10 years and a few million albums later and the guitar player, Jeremy Popoff, is wearing one Endgame's chess t-shirts. Awesome!!

By the way, if you do not own Lit's "A Place in the Sun," you have to get it. It is simply one of the best pop/punk albums ever.

The full article with the above quote can be found here.

Play well,

John.

What Does This Have To Do With Chess T-Shirts?

2009-01-15T16:20:00.000-08:00

I came across this video a while back and I find myself watching it over and over again. There is just something magical and beautiful about it...

Sony Bravia 'Balls' from Mark Kirby on Vimeo.

So what does this have to do with chess t-shirts? Well...nothing, really.

Play well,

John.

Chess and Other Boring Things on TV

2009-01-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

Poker is boring. Golf is boring. Billiards is boring. They are all so boring that each of them is usually accompanied by massive amounts of drinking. But they are also all on TV. Take a gander on ESPN2 on a Sunday afternoon and you will see nothing but boring sports. Billiards, golf, poker, spelling bees, scrabble and sandcastle building. Seriously? Sandcastle building? And did I mention that cooking has an entire channel?

Now I'm not here to pick on anyone, (well, maybe the scrabble people, I mean they're just so smug with their big vocabularies) but instead I want to spotlight what these other "boring" sports are doing right and what chess can learn from it.

When we're watching golf and the camera just happens to cut away to some guy in 19th place, we know he is going to make a spectacular shot. Go spend some time in a poker room and tell me that's not one of the most boring places on the planet. But when we watch on TV, every hand is pure excitement.

We're not talking about rocket science here...with chess you would film hours of play, do massive post-editing to just show the critical moves and put in some decent commentary. With the help of computer analysis, you can explain to the casual player or layperson what the best move is and illustrate it on-screen with some snazzy computer graphics. Flesh out the players with some filmed interviews and narratives with compelling back-stories. And, of course, some hot chick to conduct post game interviews.

People don't watch TV to see games, they watch to see human drama and joy. By itself, does it really matter if someone sinks a 20 foot putt or catches a spade on the river? No! But what I find engrossing is the passion and dedication it took to be able to sink a 20 foot putt. And I love to see the child-like excitement when someone catches a spade on the river to complete a flush. I want to see the victory and defeat, the journey, the competition, the stakes and the winnings!!

Do I really give a shit if a kid knows how to spell "alopecoid?" Hell, no! I just want to see something like this:

Good stuff. Human stuff. Ridiculous stuff. And is there anything more ridiculously human than sitting for hours, deciding which little piece to move on a board?

Play well,

John.

2008 North American Open

2009-01-04T11:16:00.000-08:00

The North American Open just finished up last week in Las Vegas with GM Giorgi Kacheishvili winning with a clear first. Chris Bird did an amazing job with timely coverage and photos of the event. All coverage and photos can be found here.

Speaking of photos...what do we have here?

It looks like IM Sam Shankland sporting the Wandering King! Thanks for the support, Sam!

John.

Interview with Alex

2008-12-28T20:07:00.000-08:00

Alex Mitchell is an 18 year old, metal-worshiping, myspace-master and graphic designer from Wadesville, Indiana. Within 10 seconds of seeing Alex's style of dark, classic imagery, I knew he was exactly what Endgame was looking for. Not only did he do an amazing job, but he was also great to work with. I am always interested in knowing where chess falls in peoples' lives, so let's ask him a few questions...

Endgame: Ok, Alex, I know you are good at designing stuff, but let's talk about something important...do you know how to play chess?

Alex: I honestly have not played in a few years, but I used to love it.

Endgame: What made you stop? Got tired of the chess groupies?

Alex: Actually, I discovered a skateboard.

Endgame: Ouch. Moving on...what was your first thought when you realized that Endgame Clothing was inspired by the game of chess?

Alex: I thought, "Seriously? That's fucking cool!"

Endgame: Really? Is that why the picture you sent of yourself has your face cut off? Endgame is so "fucking cool" that you want to make sure that nobody recognizes you?

Alex: LOL...no, it was the only good way to get the Endgame logo in the picture.

Endgame: Ok, sorry about that. Can you name one famous chess player, alive or dead?

Alex: Bobby Fischer?

Endgame: Can you name another?

Alex: Hmmmm....you?

Endgame: You obviously spend a lot of time in front of a computer...did you know that you can play chess online? And if you do know, have you ever?

Alex: I've never played chess online. You can do just about anything online, so I assumed the chess feature was there.

Endgame: You have recently worn your Endgame shirts to your high school. Can you tell me a little about that experience?

Alex: It was great...here's a few quotes, "Dude, does your shirt say chess apparel? That's cool!" "The...original...chess...apparel...really? Where'd you get that?" "I'd totally wear that!"

Endgame: Ok, last question...after working with Endgame Clothing, has your opinion of chess gone up or down?

Alex: My opinion has gone up substantially. Endgame is giving chess a cool image, something that is not often done.

Endgame: My work is done here...thanks for the interview.

So what did we learn?

1. It's possible to wear a chess t-shirt to high school and NOT get your ass kicked.

2. Apparently in Indiana, they are putting something in the water that makes 18 year-olds grow cool guy beards.

3. Alex is a great guy and an amazing designer. If you would like more information on Alex or see more of his work, check out www.octoberpromotional.com

Play well,

John.

Chess Shirts and The New Year

2008-12-24T14:23:00.000-08:00

Endgame will always have to fight against the public's perception of chess. And for that reason, I have spent an enormous amount of time and energy to make sure that Endgame Clothing blows that perception away.

It has been a lot of work getting to this point and, for the most part, I have loved every minute of it. But there were also times when I would think, "Chess shirts? Chess shirts?? What the fuck am I thinking?"

But for every set-back that popped up, there was an amazing victory. Here are just a few of the highlights from the past year...

1. Seeing the shirts printed for the first time. I knew they were going to look great, but I had no idea they would look and feel this great.

2. Grandmaster Var Akobian. Var has played chess all his life, all over the world and said he has never seen chess shirts like these. This really made me feel like I was on the right track.

3. Jeremy Popoff, the guitar player from Lit, agreeing to wear my shirts. Here is a guy who has sold millions of albums, played all over the world, and he rocks an Endgame t-shirt. I still can't believe it.

4. Just meeting a ton of great, talented people. Without all of the designers, programmers, models, photographers, etc., who helped me along the way, there is no way I would have been able to bring Endgame to life.

Play well,

John.

I make chess shirts...

2008-12-21T07:50:00.000-08:00

Here is how a typical conversation starts...

Them: "Cool! You have a clothing company? What kind of clothes?"

Me: "Well, see, um, the shirts are all inspired by the game of chess."

Them: "Yeah, right...haha...no really, what are your shirts like?"

Me: "I'm serious...I think I have made the best chess shirts in the 1500 year history of the game!!"

Them: "You have got to be kidding..."

It has been very strange to approach people and tell them what I do. I have had to explain the concept of chess t-shirts to everyone I have come in contact with...designers, printers, programmers, friends and models. As soon as I mention chess apparel, they get a strange look in their eyes and I can hear hesitation in their voices.

Are people just not ready for Hardcore Chess Apparel??

If I am able to show them the designs, then people usually come around. I have found some phenomenal designers to work with and the shirts look fantastic. But if I don't get a chance to show the shirts, then I usually get blown off.

A perfect example was trying to find models. I found several great models local to me and tried to message them or add them as friends on myspace. I am offering them the chance to be the sole model for Endgame Clothing, and they can see that I have a fairly professional operation and a professional photographer. Days go by...no response. I send follow up messages...no response. And thanks to the super-cyber stalking features in myspace, I can tell that she has read the messages. So she has 2,752 fuckin' friends on myspace, but somehow Endgame Clothing doesn't make the cut?

I wonder if Versace or Ralph Lauren ever had this problem?

Play well,

John.

The Shirts in Action...

2008-12-15T19:56:00.000-08:00

The Story of Endgame

2008-10-23T21:09:00.000-07:00

It all started about fifteen hundred years ago. One of man’s most beautiful creations was released upon the world…the game of chess. Ancient kings played this ancient game as a means of pastime as well as a training tool for both life and war. Since then, time has passed, borders have moved and wars have come and gone. But chess has stood virtually unchanged.

As the game made its journey through the centuries, something terrible happened along the way. Somehow this game, with its rich and colorful history, was plagued by a horrible image in many parts of the world. The game’s heroes, who were once viewed as celebrities and graced the covers of magazines, have faded from the popular culture. And many of the great clubs and halls that witnessed decades of play have either closed up or had been all but forgotten.

This was the birth of Endgame, The Original Chess Apparel.

Based in Orange County, California, we created our first t-shirts in 2001 out of necessity. There simply was no chess apparel worthy of being worn in public. As chess players, we wanted to wear clothes that expressed our love for the game, but our only choices were a poor selection of novelty items. We could not understand how a game that was able to bestow the gift of joy or the curse of insanity could be reduced to a simple novelty. So we started designing chess t-shirts for ourselves. And then for other chess players who asked. And still again, for others who were not chess players, but loved the idea of what chess stood for.

Things are not always easy for a chess player. We live in a time when activities such as bowling and competitive eating are regarded as more prestigious sporting events than chess. The majority of our top players cannot earn a living from the sport they have dedicated their lives to. Yet these players continue to push forward, fueled by their passion for the game. They stand in opposition to a society that celebrates stupidity and persecutes intellectualism.

Endgame believes that intellectual passions, like chess, are at the very core of being human. Passion of the body is nothing without passion of the mind. It is our body that engages in the act, but it is our mind that provides us with the lasting joy of it.

We strive to show the intelligence, beauty and strength of chess. We strive to restore chess to its historically rightful place as one of the greatest gifts man has ever given itself. And we strive to do it all…one shirt at a time. Come join us!