The Chess Dog Journal

Expecting The Unexpected

2010-02-03T09:57:19-05:00

One of the fascinating aspects of chess is how it provides many surprises even though there are no secrets. Yes, every position tells a story, and if you are listening to the board, it will tell you all you need to know. Yet even in seemingly simple positions, we find ourselves surprised when a great unexpected move is played. Here are three instructive examples of winning surprises. This first position comes from a blitz game I played just last night. White has proudly just played Ne2 forking my queen and rook. But white’s glee quickly turned to despair when I...

Chess Tactics 101, Lesson # 4: TRIZ and Chess

2010-01-19T22:54:43-05:00

I always enjoy finding connections between different aspects of life. Recently, the position below presented an interesting example of this. Try and find the fastest path to victory and then read on to see how this position links back to my work life. [Note: To try your answer, click on the piece you want to move, then click on the square you want to move it to. The solution will appear after you pick the correct move or after three incorrect tries.] In my work life, I am immersed in innovation. When I saw this problem, it immediately made me...

Don’t Stop Playing Until The Game Is Done

2010-01-01T18:18:29-05:00

“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” – Yogi Berra Admit it. We’ve all been there. After a carefully executed opening and tense middle game, you reach a position that is easily won. You breathe a sigh of relief and embark confidently on the road to certain victory. But, something happens on the way to the win. Your brain takes a holiday, you make an absurd move, and there it is—in a moment you have blundered away the game only to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. I was chatting to my friend, Mark Kaprielian, about this syndrome the...

My 2010 Chess Training Plan

2009-12-28T12:29:34-05:00

I’ve now decided on my basic study plan for 2010. Since my plan in 2009 fell prey to the business demands of this past year, I’ve tried to build my plan with an eye toward being sustainable in what promises to be a very demanding year in the business sphere. So, here’s what I’ve settled on. Problem Solving – 15 minutes a day – This is pretty simple, but I think quite important. Solving problems helps keep you tactically sharp. Broad exposure to many tactical themes will improve your likelihood of recognizing pivotal opportunities over the board as well. Problems...

Chess Tactics 101, Lesson # 3: Dancing the Two Step

2009-12-17T22:40:58-05:00

I just opened the latest edition of Chess Life, and always the first things I looked at were the problems that accompany GM Soltis’ Chess to Enjoy article. I found the last problem particularly interesting because of its instructive value. First, have a look at the problem. What I really like about this problem is that the thought process to arrive at the solution is very useful. When I first looked at this position, several key tactical features of the position jumped out: the nearly trapped white queen, the Bf5 attack that is parried by e4, the possible exchange on...

Back To School

2009-12-08T00:44:20-05:00

As the year winds down, I am already thinking about next year’s tournament schedule. Which event to try and get out to? But, before I get too far down that track, there is a more basic question looming. How to prepare? This past year, I found I had very little time to study and hone my game. Since my goal is drive improvement in my game, that seems like a pretty important issue to address. So, I am thinking of building a two tier study plan. This plan should be built around a core of study activities that assume minimal...

We’re Back

2009-11-28T10:03:09-05:00

Thanksgiving is over. The turkey carcass is in the pot rendering broth. The pumpkin pie is already just a fond memory. This is my time to start reflecting on the past year and begin planning for the coming one. I am not happy with what’s happened to The Chess Dog Journal. Too many things just got in the way during the course of the year. I think 2009 has been a challenging year for many reasons, and I see that I am not alone in my struggle as some of my chess blogging friends, Harvey & Dave, have also had...

Speed Chess: Hors d Oeuvre or Junk Food

2009-06-29T09:00:00-04:00

Since I don’t get the chance to play over the board as often as I would like, I fill the void with internet chess. But, it’s not the same. For starters, instead of the deliberate pace of a rated tournament game, I find I play lots of speed chess. Is this a good thing? Is speed chess good or bad for your game? I have heard lots of differing opinions on this subject. Some of my friends just don’t like speed chess at all and won’t play it. Others love the fast action of blitz. Yet even among those who...

Whoops! Is it my move?

2009-06-22T22:07:08-04:00

Well, thanks to reader Smitty for pointing out my transgression. It has been over a month since my last post. Once again, I have been distracted by work issues. My boss is pleased to know I haven’t been as focused on my game as I would like. He feels when my game suffers, the business benefits. Any way, if you’re curious about what I have been up to, you can read about my two week European innovation tour on my other blog, Innovating To Win. Yes, I do have another blog. I have been blogging there for over two years....

Chess Tactics 101, Lesson # 2

2009-05-01T17:21:28-04:00

When thinking through tactical ideas it is always important to consider how to use the lines of influence that each piece to coordinate their interaction. Here we see a fascinating example of piece coordination at work. In this position, it appears as though white is losing his light squared bishop. However, Darga has a tremendous resource to call upon, and it is soon clear that it is actually black who is lost. Note how white’s pieces mesh together beautifully to finish the game.