Today in history
AUGUST 17 IN HISTORY:
1601 Pierre de Fermat 
Future mathematician, born on this day
Future mathematician, born on this day In number theory, Fermat’s Last Theorem states that no three positive integers a, b, and c can satisfy the equation an + bn = cn for any integer value of n greater than two. This theorem was first conjectured by Pierre de Fermat in 1637, but was not proven until 1995 despite the efforts of many illustrious mathematicians. The unsolved problem stimulated the development of algebraic number theory in the 19th century and the proof of the modularity theorem in the 20th. It is among the most famous theorems in the history of mathematics.
1786 Davy Crockett
was born on this day; US, frontiersman/adventurer/politician [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA_mRD4H_x8]
1892 Mae West
born on this day in Brooklyn; one of the most famous actresses of her generation
1896 Gold is discovered on the Klondike River
The Klondike Gold Rush, sometimes referred to as the Yukon Gold Rush or Alaska Gold Rush, was a frenzy of gold rush immigration to and for gold prospecting, along the Klondike River near Dawson City, Yukon, Canada after gold was discovered there in the late 19th century. In total, about 12.5 million ounces of gold (about 390 tonnes) have been taken from the Klondike area in the century since its discovery.
1921 Maureen O’Hara
born on this day in Dublin Ireland; another famous actress
born on this day in Dublin Ireland; another famous actress1939 Wizard of Oz 
opens at Loew’s Capitol Theater in NY [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HRa4X07jdE]
1943 Robert Deniro
was born in NYC. Some consider him the greatest actor of his generation
The Beatles begin what would become a three-month engagement at the Indra Club in Hamburg, Germany. It’s their first appearance away from England.
was born in NYC. Some consider him the greatest actor of his generation[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_KK_c9zkfE]
1960 Sean Penn
was born on this day. Brilliant actor and director, with a weakness for blonde singers when he was younger (!)
Also 1960….
The Beatles begin what would become a three-month engagement at the Indra Club in Hamburg, Germany. It’s their first appearance away from England.
(left to right)
Paul McCartney (piano), Pete Best, Stuart Sutcliffe, George Harrison & John Lennon.
Paul McCartney (piano), Pete Best, Stuart Sutcliffe, George Harrison & John Lennon.
1962 Pete Best replaced by Ringo 
and the rest was history…
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyrmX5XVsIo]
1969 Woodstock Festival ends
Iconic festival of the baby boomer generation; up to 500,000 attend
August 17 (1969) was a rest day in the Stockholm World Junior Chess Championship. This rest day separated the preliminary qualification sections and the grand finals. The Soviet representative, Anatoli Karpov, 18 years of age, had just managed to squeak thru to the finals, with more than just a bit of luck! He was on the verge of defeat in atleast two games, and had his opponents cashed in it is very unlikely that Karpov would have qualified to the finals.
Saving both of these positions enabled Karpov to advance to the finals. In the finals Karpov played brilliantly, winning game after game. His final score was 10 points out of 11 games, a full 3 points ahead of second place!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv98-4eOJbU]
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1969 Stockholm (World Junior Championship)
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1969 Stockholm (World Junior Championship)
August 17 (1969) was a rest day in the Stockholm World Junior Chess Championship. This rest day separated the preliminary qualification sections and the grand finals. The Soviet representative, Anatoli Karpov, 18 years of age, had just managed to squeak thru to the finals, with more than just a bit of luck! He was on the verge of defeat in atleast two games, and had his opponents cashed in it is very unlikely that Karpov would have qualified to the finals.
In the position on the left, from the game Karpov vs Hug (round 2 , preliminaries) , had Hug now played 29…Qf3 then Karpov would have had to resign! (Hug played another move and the game was a draw).
In the position on right, from the game Torre vs Karpov (round 3, preliminaries) White is simply two pawns up and could only draw!
Saving both of these positions enabled Karpov to advance to the finals. In the finals Karpov played brilliantly, winning game after game. His final score was 10 points out of 11 games, a full 3 points ahead of second place!
On the 28th of August 1969 Karpov won the title of World Junior Champion, and started what was to be one of the most incredible runs up to qualifying to play Bobby Fischer for the 1975 World Championship!
Which of course begs the question: what did Anatoli catch on his rest day? (Could it have been the last day of Woodstock!?)
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS