Why is the blog called 'Borg Chess' ?

Well, obviously I'm a Star Trek fan, and corrplayers are in some ways quite similar to the Borg. Come to think of it, many of the species encountered in Star Trek could actually be descriptions of different groups of chess players or chess styles.

Lets see:

Borg - relies on databases, technology and collected experience assimilated from others. Motto: "Will adapt"

Hirogen - see others as 'prey' and possible future trophies. Prey is studied carefully, but once the hunt begins a Hirogen may take enormous risks to secure his 'trophy'. A Hirogen: "I once followed prey into a collapsed neutrino star." Tom Paris: "I once chased a mouse in jeffreys tube twenty-four..."


Klingon - Battles for the sake of battle. Anyone backing off from a fight is "without honour". As in: "Romulans are without honour!"

Vulcan - Logical, plays the game without involving their ego (or so they think). Any losses incurred must be a symptom of disease.

Romulan - Only show ambition if they think they are likely to win. Seldom calls a bluff and spend most of their time cloaked...

Ferengi - Grabs material and hangs on to it. Firm believers in the Laws of Acquisition.

Federation - Always seeks to negotiate a resolution in every conflict, but can fight quite resourcefully if required. "Our shields are holding at 58%. Target their weapons system."

Kazon - Mindlessly aggressive, but with little strength to back it up. Any success can usually by attributed to sheer luck. (Btw, The Kazon is one of very few species not assimilated by the Borg - as their assimilation would 'detract from perfection'.)

Species 8472 - Ruthless counter-attackers and extremely hard to kill. "The weak shall perish."

Talaxian - Good humoured traders, wily but sometimes too gullible. "Let's have a good time!"

Ocampa - Nice people, but with a life span of only ten years and needing a Caretaker to protect them from the Kazon...

Added 13/8
Vidiian - A race that suffer from a severe disease (the phage) that forces to steal body organs from other species to survive.

This one is not at obvious at the others, but isn't it reminiscent of players with inconsistent opening repertoires? That is, those who e.g. as White can play the Colle, the King's Gambit and the Catalan in the same tournament.


Well, I guess anyone who has played chess for a year or two will make associations between these species and players they have encountered in tournaments. Some will even be able to self-diagnose!

Personally, I guess in corr I'm a Borg / Vulcan and Over the Board closer to Hirogen / Species 8472 at least on good days. :) On bad days I may well be a Kazon unfortunately. :(

And if you have no idea what I'm talking about here, then you're probably 1) not a chess player, 2) not a Star Trek viewer or 3) lacking the imagination necessary. If so, just leave without making a scene - there's probably another and better blog out there, for example on how to memorise Pi until the cows come home...