Chess is ruthless: you’ve got to be prepared to kill people.

Poor New Jersey: No respect from late night talk show hosts. It's the locale for the world’s funniest joke. The New Jersey Nets move to Brooklyn in a couple of years.

And, now, we lose to New York in chess.

The New Jersey Knockouts lost to the New York Knights, putting an end to their US Chess League action for this year. O c’est domage.

In Round 10 of US Chess League action, the New Jersey Knockouts lost in a sqeaker to the New Youk Knights, putting an end to their season----2.5 -1.5. New York will take the final playoff spot and New Jersey will have to wait until next year. Boy, that burns my bishop.

NJ got slammed on Boards 2 and 3. That put the New York Knights in control very early. This was despite the New Jersey big win on Board 1. Yawn. Excuse me.

This was NJ’s first season in the League. Though they did not make the playoffs, New Jersey made a good showing.

Oh, well, better board position next year.

Here is the US Chess League entire season for the New Jersey Knockouts, in a nutshell:

• Round 1, Tie with Queens Pioneers, 2-2

• Round 2, Tie with Tennessee Tempo, 2-2

• Round 3, Tie with Baltimore Kingfishers, 2-2

• Round 4, Loss to Queens Pioneers, 1.5-2.5

• Round 5, Win over New York Knights, 2.5-1.5

• Round 6, Win over Carolina Cobras, 2.5-1.5

• Round 7, Loss to Philadelphia Inventors, 1.5-2.5

• Round 8, Tie with Boston Blitz, 2-2

• Round 9, Tie with Baltimore Kingfishers, 2-2

• Round 10, Loss to New York Knights, 1.5-2.5

Oh well, that's the way the chess boards, sometimes.