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When the Rockets' quest to identify the 16th head coach in franchise history set sail, it was clear what they were looking for: a defensive-minded coach who could take command in a locker room. And based on the list of candidates, the Rockets made it a point of emphasis to expand the criteria to coaches that had been a part of a championship run.

The early rumblings were that former Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel was the frontrunner, while rumors had been circulating that the franchise held Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse in high regard. What complicated matters on the Nurse front was the fact that Nurse hadn't officially been terminated when the Rockets' search got underway, as he and the Raptors hadn't yet decided whether he would be back in the fold, after a disappointing season in which the Raptors seemingly regressed.

The Rockets continued on with their search, irrespective of the situation regarding Nurse, and added former Celtics coach Ime Udoka to the fray. Udoka had been linked to Toronto, as he and Raps President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri are known to have a good relationship.

But the Raptors couldn't interview Udoka until they had made a decision on Nurse, and although the Rockets reportedly liked Nurse, they decided against waiting for him. In the end, the Rockets hired Udoka before Toronto announced that Nurse wouldn't be returning, leaving Toronto grasping at straws, as they had missed out on someone they held a high degree of interest in, as long-time NBA insider Marc Stein explained.

"League sources say that the Raptors were indeed hoping to make Udoka part of their search to replace Nurse but were likewise determined to commission a broad search process that would feature numerous candidates and stretch well into May. When the Rockets moved quickly by presenting him with a four-year offer that, according to The Houston Chronicle, is valued at $28.5 million, Udoka took the job in front of him."

The Rockets had to pay Udoka a steep salary (roughly $7.1 million annually), as the Gregg Popovich disciple could very well have opted to hold off on accepting any offer until he interviewed with Ujiri and the Raps, in hopes of a better offer. And the Raps were slated to pay Nurse $8 million in 2023-24, so they wouldn't have had a problem giving him a number that he was comfortable with.

Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta was aggressive to get a guy in Udoka who he really coveted and the franchise moved swiftly to prevent the Raps from even remotely having a shot at the 45-year-old Udoka. This level of urgency from ownership should bode well to a fanbase that's largely questioned whether ownership was committed to winning.

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How the Rockets won a masterful chess match against the Raptors - Space City Scoop

There are many passionate Elden Ring fans, but one particular fan has created an incredible chess set inspired by the popular action adventure RPG. The unique artwork is sure to impress many players of Elden Ring; even gamers who have yet to experience the game.

It's no secret that Elden Ring is one of the hottest games around right now. The action adventure RPG developed by FromSoftware is hailed by many gamers as one of the greatest titles in the genre, and critics have praised the game just as much as players. Despite only being out for a little over a year, many have named it a masterpiece. With that kind of passion behind it, Elden Ring has grown a die hard fan base, and it only continues to keep growing as new players journey to the Lands Between every day. Having such a large and passionate community means that sometimes those fans choose to pay homage to a game in unique and creative ways, like one player recently did.

RELATED: Elden Ring Trick Gives You Huge Advantage When Fighting Trolls

A Reddit user known on the platform as GreenyRepublic shared their incredible hand-painted chess set inspired by Elden Ring, featuring several prominent characters that a lot of fans will recognize. Even if one doesn't play chess, it's impossible to overlook GreenyRepublic's amazing work and dedication to completing this artwork.

Some of the featured characters on the board include Marika and Rennala as opposing queens and Turtle Pope standing in as the bishop, naturally. Additionally, Godfrey and Radagon are the kings of the set while the Tree Sentinel is the knight. For those who are interested in the possibility of owning a set like this, GreenyRepublic's work is unfortunately one of a kind since it was made as a gift for a very lucky friend. Although there's no chance of owning this amazing Elden Ring artwork, the fact that it's the only one of its kind makes it incredibly special.

There are many talented Elden Ring fans, and this chess set is an amazing addition to the long list of fan art within the game's community. Since Elden Ring is one of the best modern games around, it's no surprise that some players want to pay tribute to the RPG in such incredibly unique ways. Whether it's through drawing, crocheting, or painting, each new piece of artwork that is made by fans is just further proof of what a special game Elden Ring is, showcasing how much it means to many gamers.

Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: Elden Ring: Best Great Spears

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Elden Ring Fan Creates Incredible Hand-Painted Chess Set Based ... - GameRant

ASTANA Kazakhstan is focused on advancing chess in the country, aiming to double the number of chess players in the nearest future, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during a May 2 meeting with new World Chess Champion Ding Liren, runner-up Ian Nepomniachtchi and President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Arkady Dvorkovich, reported the Akorda press service.

President Tokayev with Ding(L) and Nepomniachtchi(R). Photo credit: Akorda.

More than 200,000 people play chess in the country. This figure should at least double with the help of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and FIDE. Chess will see significant growth in the country, said Tokayev.

The President congratulated Ding on becoming the world champion in a close chess battle and expressed his respect to Nepomniachtchi for his mastery.

Chinas grandmaster Ding thanked Tokayev for the invitation. Photo credit: Akorda.

Chinas grandmaster Ding thanked Tokayev for the invitation.

We are very pleased to meet you. I am thrilled to win and participate in this tournament. I enjoyed the game a lot, he said.

Russias grandmaster Nepomniachtchi noted the great interest in chess in Kazakhstan.

Russias grandmaster Nepomniachtchi noted the great interest in chess in Kazakhstan. Photo credit: Akorda.

I thank the organizers of the match, and thank the country. I see that the countrys interest in chess is constantly growing. With the new leadership of the federation, you are moving in the right direction, he said.

Dvorkovich expressed gratitude to the Kazakh President for the warm welcome, noting the effective development of chess due to state support and financial assistance.

Over the past seven months, Kazakhstan held five world championships. We see the popularity of chess in Kazakhstan. The numbers are impressive and will be even higher, said Dvorkovich.

Dvorkovich expressed gratitude to the Kazakh President for the warm welcome, noting the effective development of chess due to state support and financial assistance. Photo credit: Akorda.

According to Dvorkovich, FIDE plans to host the first-ever World School Championship in Kazakhstan this summer, in which representatives from at least 80 countries are expected to participate.

Following the meeting, the President wished the chess players luck in reaching new heights.

Ding became the new world chess champion after he defeated Nepomniachtchi in the FIDE World Chess Championship final game of the tiebreak on April 30.

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Kazakh President Meets with World Chess Champion and Runner ... - Astana Times

Bill Belichick hates the Jets. Everyone knows that. But does he hate them enough that he would cut the Steelers a sweetheart NFL draft deal in order to screw over Gang Green?

Thats what people inside the league apparently believe.

A quick recap: The Patriots had the No. 14 pick in last weeks draft. The Jets had No. 15 after the pick swap with the Packers in the Aaron Rodgers deal (they originally had No. 13). Everyone knew the Jets wanted to grab an offensive tackle. At that point in the night, Georgias Broderick Jones was the only lineman left worthy of a top-15 selection. Then while the Patriots were on the clock, Belichick shipped the No. 14 pick to the Steelers for the No. 17 pick, plus a fourth-rounder. The Steelers snagged Jones. And the NFL began smelling a rat!

From league reporter Jason La Canfora, writing for The Washington Post:

It appeared to some rival executives and general managers that Pittsburgh was granted easy access to Georgia offensive lineman Broderick Jones, specifically to keep him away from the New York Jets, for whom Patriots football czar Bill Belichick has no love and whose draft he would eagerly attempt to derail.

They should have had to give up a [third-round pick] and not a four to move up there, said one NFL general manager who had been keeping tabs on a potential trade up with the Patriots. He spoke on the condition of anonymity because he did not want to cause potential conflicts with either team. Belichick did it just to f the Jets. He sold low because he knew the Steelers were going to take the kid the Jets wanted to take.

A personnel executive from a team also picking around the middle of the first round said: Bill will try to screw them over any chance he gets. He knew exactly what he was doing.

This is a situation where more than one thing can be true. If we had to guess: Belichick realized the Steelers were coming up to get Jones before the Jets could and he was not broken up about that reality. But the argument he gave the pick away out of spite doesnt add up. If you look at the other in-draft moves on Day 1, getting a fourth-rounder in return for a three-spot drop adds up. And the Patriots ended up trading the pick to the Jets anyway.

And really: The pick swap cost the Jets an offensive lineman. Not the Patriots-Steelers deal. And thats OK. Because Rodgers.

James Kratch can be reached at james.kratch@xlmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @jameskratch.

James Kratch is the managing editor of ESNY. He previously worked as a Rutgers and Giants (and Mike Francesa) beat reporter for NJ Advance Media.

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NFL thinks Bill Belichick played 10-dimensional draft chess to screw Jets - Elite Sports NY

Three players sharing the top slot in the open section of the Bangabandhu Asian Zone-3.2 Chess Championships securing 5 points each after the 6th round matches held at Dilkusha Hall of Hotel Purbani International here on Sunday.

The leaders are: GM Enamul Hossain, IM Mohammad Fahad Rahman and FM Liyanage Ranindu Dilshan of Sri Lanka.

Four players shared the 2nd position with 4.5 points each.

They are: GM Ziaur Rahman, FM Tahsin Tajwar Zia, FM Sheikh Nasir Ahmed and CM Manon Reja Neer.

Eight players are in the 3rd position jointly collecting 4 points each.

They are: IM Mohammad Minhaz Uddin, FM Subrota Biswas, FM Mehdi Hasan Parag, CM Md. Sharif Hossain, FM Md. Taibur Rahman, Md. Abu Hanif, CM Sohel Chowdhury and Md. Abzid Rahman.

In the womens section, WCM Jannatul Ferdous of Bangladesh took solo lead securing 5 points after the day's 6th round matches.

WFM Nazarana Khan Eva is in the 2nd position with 4.5 points.

Three players sharing thev3rd position with 4 points each.

They are: WFM Noshin Anjum, WCM Ahmed Walijah and Wadifa Ahmed.

Warsia Khusbu, Kazi Zarin Tasnim, Nusrat Jahan Alo, WCM Sanudul KM Dahamdi and Abesinghe H M H Janandani of Sri Lanka and WFM Sujana Lohani of Nepal earned 3.5 points each.

In the day's 6th round matches of Open Section, : GM Razib defeated IM Minhaz. IM Fahad beat FM Subrota.. FM Dilshan beat FM Parag,. GM Zia drew with his son FM Tahsin Zia, CM Neer beat Shafiq Ahmed, FM Taibur beat CM Chanchal Kumer Ghosh, Hanif beat FM Mohammad Javed, CM Sohel beat FM Khandaker Aminul Islam, Abzid Rahman beat Siam Chowdhury, FM Rupesh Jaiswal beat Avik Sarkar, FM Syed Mahfuzur Rahman beat Md Shariatullah, FM Amer Karim of Pakistan beat Tashriq Saihan Shan, Md Azmaeen Parvez Sayor beat Mohammed Enayet Hossain, Marzouq Chowdhury beat Zoar Haque Prodhan and CM Nayem Haque drew with FM Mohammed Abdul Malek.

In the 6th round matches of Womens section, : WCM Jannatul Ferdous beat Warsia Khusbu.. WFM Nazrana Khan Eva drew with Wadifa Ahmed. WFM Noshin Anjum drew with WFM Ahmed Walijah. WFM Sujana beat Neelava Choudhury, WCM Sanudula beat WCM Mehak Gul of Pakistan, Abesinghe beat Ashiya Sultana, Sabikun Nahar Toniam beat Yeshey Lhaden of Bhutan and Fatiha Eyenoon Diya beat Nihaya Ahmed of Maldives, Kazi Zarin Tasnim drew with WIM Rani Hamid and Omnia Binte Yusuf Lubaba drew with WFM Tanima Parveen.

The 7th round matches of both the open and women's sections will be held on Monday from 3 pm at the same venue.

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Asian Zonal Chess: Three players share top slot in open section - United News of Bangladesh - UNB