The Chess Ghost

Bronx Stars of Tomorrow: Chess Master Justus Williams

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 01:48:00 +0000

Bronx Stars of Tomorrow: Chess Master Justus Williams
March 23, 2012 at 2:44 PM
Source: http://www.norwoodnews.org

In his first year as a teenager, Bronx native Justus Williams has already become the youngest African-American chess player to be awarded the title of Chess Master in the country, and he is the first to tell you about the hours of studying and dedication that he is continuing to put towards his game. Williams sat down with the Norwood News at IS 318, the Brooklyn middle school he attends, which boasts a nationally ranked chess team, to talk about his past tournament in Brazil, his favorite chess piece, and his secrets to match preparation.

You were just in Brazil for the World Youth Chess Championship, welcome back! How did it go down there?

It was very good out there, very hot. I got 26th out of probably 200 people. I was there for two weeks and I played one game a day and the games usually last somewhere between three and four hours with a 90-minute time limit per move. I played against a top rated player from Russia who was 14 and it was a draw (a tie). When I went to Brazil, all my opponents were from different countries. I prepared for each one so I wouldn’t be blindsided by their moves and so I wouldn’t get into opening trouble. When I go to continental tournaments I bring my own chess set because I feel more comfortable with it. The pieces are wooden and are not too big, not too small; I just like the way it feels.

How did you prepare for a game?

I look at my opponents’ past games, see what they’re good at and see what openings they had trouble with. I would build a database for them, and try to get the best position, so I felt that I had a good edge.

How did you begin playing chess?

It started at P.S. 70 (in the Bronx) with the Bronx Bomber chess team. I didn’t really know how to play, but my mom was just pushing me to do it. I moved to IS 318 (in Brooklyn) in 2009, because it would be a good chess team, and I felt that I should be challenged. I’m glad now that there are more people into chess than just me. Now, playing [with my classmates] is a challenge. I will probably win, but it’s challenging. I used to not study a lot, but now I’ve gotten more serious about chess and I’m trying to study an hour a day, like reading books and looking at top games. I used to just play in tournaments and think that it was helping me but it really wasn’t.

What makes a challenging opponent? Strong offense or strong defense?

I would probably say offense because a lot of the top grand masters have told me that I have a lot of good defensive skills, and usually an offensive type of player will push you hard.

Does the opening player have an advantage?

Usually people would want to play first and usually they have an advantage. But the part of chess is learning how to use your color to your advantage. I wouldn’t really care what color I got. I would just let it be.

Who do you think is the most skilled opponent that you’ve beat?

I beat my first GM (grand master), Michael Rohde, when I was 11 years old. I felt that that was a big accomplishment, and I was playing black.

Any GMs that you look up to?

I was honored to meet Maurice Ashley. He’s the first black chess GM and we’ve talked a lot. He’s a good guy.

Are you friends with the other young chess masters from New York?

Yeah, James Black goes to this school. We kind of go back and forth a lot because we’re both good players, but I don’t know, I think I’m better than him. But we’re all friends. The other one lives in White Plains. When we see him at tournaments we always hang out.

If you had to be a chess piece which chess piece would you be?

I really like knights because they can just jump all over the board, and sometimes knights are just annoying pieces because generally they’re good at attacking. They could just jump towards the King, attack it and jump back out.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Bronx kids your age?

I didn’t think I was going to be good at chess, so just try everything, and try the things you don’t think you’d be good at. If those don’t work out then try the things that you don’t think you’ll like.

–Interview by Emily Piccone.

Chess Coach: The Motivation to Move Forward.

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:21:00 +0000

Here I've found a very sound article about a journey of a Chess Coach, I quoted from the wholesalechess.com website. Specially dedicated to those who are trying to find some motivation to become a full timer as a Chess Coach. Good Luck!

Chess Coach . . . The Beginning of the Journey

July 19, 2010
Tags: Teaching Chess Articles

Written by guest author Erik Czerwin for Wholesale Chess.

So you’ve been named Chess Team Coach. Awesome! Right?! Or was that a dubious move? It seemed like such a great idea at first, but now what? When I first started achess club at the school, it was easy. All I had to do was ask, and I was allowed to let a bunch of kids hang out, play chess, and listen to bad techno. We had fun that first year; I never knew that 90s techno could strike such a chord with such a diverse group of kids. Then again, there were only ten of them. And we weren’t a team; we were just a bunch of guys hanging out.

And just when I started thinking this was a nice, easy way to end each Tuesday and Thursday, my principal tells me that next year they want me to make it competitive, and that we should go to the state tournament! Woops. Me and my big Polish mouth. You’d think I would’ve learned over the last several years of teaching to hunker down and shut up…

Of course, not every chess coach has the same experience getting started. Some scenarios are far worse. Some coaches have never played chess in their lives and they get the position forced on them by less than fortunate circumstances. No one wants to coach a team they know nothing about. Of course, I’d had a similar experience before when I was told to coach basketball. Ha! Me, coach basketball? But I guess I faked my way through that one all right. No one got killed anyway. And we did win 3 games. Out of 25. But who’s counting?

I had no idea where to begin. All I knew was that I had to start somewhere, and getting chess supplies seemed the most logical step. Can’t play chess without chess sets. Looking over the rag-tag chess sets in my classroom closet was utterly depressing. Surely competitive chess players used something a bit more attractive. So the research began.

plastic chess set

I started clicking on link after endless link and quickly realized that I was in way over my head. Those chess pieces were wooden and gorgeous. No way I could afford those. Luckily, I stumbled on a picture of a high school chess team at some random city somewhere. They weren’t playing with those handcrafted pieces of gorgeousness. They were using plasticchess pieces; maybe I could afford those. But how many sets would I use? Figure two kids per set ought to do it, right? But how many kids would I have? Crapola. I hadn’t the slightest idea. I mean, I loved chess, but I only had ten kids showing up to a hang-out club. How many would show up to play competitively?

After asking about funds, I was told none would be forthcoming, so I had to do this out of my own pocket. After clicking link after link after link after link, I found the cheapest prices on the net. I was sure of it. My Polish/Czech heritage wouldn’t let me spend a nickel more than I had to. But after realizing that I could get ten vinyl chess boards and ten of the cheapest sets of chess pieces for around $50, I was much happier. I could afford that with only a one-to-two day argument with my wife. And hey, once I get the pieces, I’ve got them forever, right? It’s not like chess pieces wear out.

And so that was it, I ordered the chess pieces and chess boards, what else could I need? I knew how the pieces moved, and some basic tactics, maybe some basic strategies. And I’m a teacher, so I should be able to pass all that on to my students without too much difficulty.

chess clocks

Of course, looking back, I could have done a little more. For only a few bucks more, slightly better pieces wouldn’t have broken so easily. I could’ve ordered chess clocks right away. It wasn’t until long after I had the sets that I realized the team needed chess clocks, too. Luckily, I caught that error before we made it to our first competition. Maybe I could’ve invested in a couple of chess books to pass out. Of course, those just kind of trickle in over the years. For some reason, the kids and parents really start donating once they’re in love with chess. So maybe chess books weren’t absolutely necessary at first.

One thing I did, I’m convinced, was just the right thing at the right moment. After hearing that I would be heading up a competitive chess team, I decided it was time to get involved with some real competition. How could I coach a team if I had never felt the thump-thump of my heart in my ears as I peered over a chessboard? And heck, beating these kids was pretty easy, how hard could it be to play chess against some adult? So I searched for local chess clubs, and it turns out that one met every Monday at my local bookstore café. Awesome.

I packed up my little wooden chess set that I’d had since I was 12 and dropped in. I’d seen this before, but only in cheesy chess movies about fathers and sons. Here were a bunch of crooked-backed old men and a handful of nerdy-looking kids moving pieces and slapping clocks. Maybe 20 people in all. I felt pretty confident. I asked around about who ran the show and was introduced to Gary. He politely offered to play a game with me.

Chess Coach

Without too much embarrassing detail, 15 minutes later, I felt crushed as I stared across the chess board at this graying gentleman having lost two games without the slightest idea why it had ended so quickly. Next year was going to be the longest school year of my career. But Gary smiled at me and immediately had me pegged. “New to the game?” he asked.

“Well, I’ve been playing for……” I petered out as I realized that telling him how long I had been playing might only make the embarrassment worse.

Over the next hour, Gary talked about how he had been a coach for 25 years and now he ran the chess club. He hosted scholastic tournaments from time to time. Most importantly, he told me not to worry; chess will happen. It’s the coaching part that counts. Since then, I’ve met a lot of other chess coaches, and I’ve realized that the only genuine support I have is other coaches. Without their encouragement, I never would have made it. Well, I would’ve had a team, but it would’ve been pure torture. Getting the right chess supplies is a requirement. Meeting the right people and becoming familiar with the heart of the game is indispensable. After all, it’s the connections we make in life that actually matter anyway.

Erik Czerwin is a self-taught chess player and also a self-taught chess coach. He founded the current Marengo Community High School Chess team, founded the Marengo Chess Club, plays at the Rockford Chess Club, and occasionally volunteers as a chess teacher at the Rockford Public Library, all in Northern Illinois. In his spare time, he’s also a full-time high school language arts teacher, part-time graduate student, part-time tutor, and full-time father of two and husband to a very understanding wife.

Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:27:00 +0000

Amazing Chess Move 1

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:44:00 +0000

1: 16...Nc6
Averbakh - Spassky, Leningrad 1956
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 Bg7 5.Be2 O-O 6.Bg5 c5 7.d5 Qa5 8.Bd2 a6 9.a4 e5 10.g4 Ne8 11.h4 f5 12.h5 f4 13.g5 Qd8 14.Bg4 Nc7 15.Bxc8 Qxc8 16.Nf3 Nc6 (About his #1 greatest move, Spassky wrote to me: I have played 16...Nc6 because I did not see any other practical resources because my position was so passive. I was very surprised that Yuri Averbakh was thinking about 1 hour (!!) (55 min.) I considered that after 17.dxc6 bxc6 18.h6! Bh8 White would have two pieces up and they could manage the win very easy. Mark Taimanov: "I would rather resign the game than to make such a move...") 17.dxc6 bxc6 18.Nh4 Qe8 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.Qg4 Rb8 21.Nd1 Ne6 22.Ra3 Nd4 23.Rah3 Qf7 24.Bc3 Rfe8 25.R3h2 Qxc4 26.Nxg6 Re6 27.Bxd4 Rxg6 28.Qf5 Qe6 29.Qxe6+ Rxe6 30.Bc3 d5 31.f3 Rb3 32.Rh3 c4 33.Kd2 Rg6 34.Rg1 d4 35.Ba5 Bf8 36.Rg4 Rd6 37.Kc2 Rd7 38.g6 Rdb7 39.Be1 c5 40.Rgh4 Bg7 41.Ba5 c3 42.bxc3 Ra3 43.cxd4 exd4 44.Rxf4 Ra2+ 45.Kd3 Rb1 46.Rh1 Rxa4 47.Kc2 Rb5 48.e5 d3+ 49.Kxd3 Rxf4 50.Bc3 Rxf3+ 51.Ke4 Rg3 52.Kf4 Rxg6 53.Ne3 Rb8 54.Nf5 Rf8 55.Rh5 Re8 56.Ke4 Rg1 57.Rh3 Bf8 58.Kd5 Rd1+ 59.Ke4 Rc1 60.Kd5 Rd1+ 61.Ke4 Rd7 62.Nh6+ Bxh6 63.Rxh6 Rh7 64.Rg6+ Kf7 65.Rf6+ Ke7 66.Rc6 Kd7 67.Rxc5 Rh6 68.Kd5 Rb6 69.Ba5 Rb5 70.Rxb5 axb5 71.e6+ Rxe6 72.Kc5 Re5+ 73.Kb6 draw

Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2012

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:06:00 +0000

Live games!

http://www.tatasteelchess.com/tournament/livegames

Carlsen – Gashimov | TATA Steel 2012

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:03:00 +0000

Live chess broadcast powered by ChessBomb and Chessdom

Endgame (TV series) - Showcase Television

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 23:03:00 +0000

Endgame is a Canadian drama television series that premiered on the Showcase Television network on Monday, March 14, 2011. The series is developed and produced by Thunderbird Films. The series follows former World Chess Champion Arkady Balagan (Shawn Doyle), a genius who uses his analytical skills to solve crimes.
The show starts three months after the death of Arkady's fiancée Rosemary, where Arkady has developed agoraphobia. Arkady uses those faculties he honed playing chess to help him solve cases.

Cancellation

In early June 2011 Showcase announced that it would not renew Endgame for a second season. This has prompted fans to start a campaign to urge Showcase to reconsider its decision.

^ "Petition to save Endgame from cancellation". Petition to Showcase by Fans to save Endgame.

^ "Facebook fanpage to save Endgame from cancellation". Save Endgame.

So, let me know what's your favorite movies or series?

Houdini Chess Engine

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:02:00 +0000

Houdini 2.0c is now available! It's superb - I've tried to match it with Fritz 12 in a 3 round matches and won all of them. Super fast on a Vista, 2.1 Gz, 4RAM system. Tactically brilliant & positionally 'kick-a*s'. Have you try it yet? Tell me in the comments - what's your favorite chess engine?

Freely available

There are hundreds of freely available chess engines which conform to one of the above communication protocols. Many run on Windows or are open source. The top 10 strongest, freely available engines are listed here.^[18]

Engine (strongest version)	Author (Country)	Elo
Houdini v1.5a	Robert Houdart (Belgium)	3309
Critter v1.4	Richard Vida (Slovakia)	3305 (64-bit 4CPU)
Komodo v3.0	Don Dailey	3280 (64-bit)
IvanHoe v9.47b	Yakov Petrovich Golyadkin, Igor Igorovich Igoronov, Robert Pescatore, Yusuf Ralf Weisskopf, Ivan Skavinsky Skavar	3270
Fire v1.31	Norman Schmidt (USA)	3260
Stockfish v2.1.1	Tord Romstad (Norway), Marco Costalba (Italy) & Joona Kiiski (Finland)	3259 (64-bit 4CPU)
Spike v1.4 Leiden	Volker Böhm and Ralf Schäfer (Germany)	3149
Rybka v.2.2n2 (last free version)	Vasik Rajlich (Czech Republic)	3126 (64-bit 4CPU)
Spark v1.0	Allard Siemelink (Netherlands)	3097 (64-bit 4CPU)
Protector v1.3.6	Raimund Heid (Germany)	3070 (64-bit)

Strategy: Reality & Theory

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 22:53:00 +0000

War zone is just like the squares on the board.
Troops are chess pieces.

Strategy in chess is more or less the same as in the war.

I've lost 5 games (standard) in a row recently. Literally, I'm totally devastated. I've had a good position, openings, but lost to time due to bad mid game strategy - cramped by own pieces.

So, I came across www.chess-game-strategies.com .Try to check it out. It's seems to me like a summary of Seirawan's books. I like it because the blogger (Graham Wadden) had it simplified & made it easier for me to understand rather than read through books.

Moral of the story; whenever cramped on position or territory, I have to squeeze out of it, exchange some pieces to breath some fresh air. Gain space but equalize materials.

Chess Improvement: an Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 14:08:00 +0000

The pattern recognition is the key to chess improvement. In order to improve at chess our brain must be reprogram to see things that we've not see before. By studying at least 1hour per day of tactics, you should improve dramatically. 



(to be continued)

Anand & Magnus to swap the "Crown".

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 17:39:00 +0000

Life is not always sweet, Magnus and Anand will switch places in January 2011. Let the race begins! The race between the Asians & the Westerns. Anand will not be the last Asian rival in the western dominant chess world. I believe that there will more to come. Looking at the latest development, Hou Yifan from China has proven that they have been prepared for this - to look & to conquer the chess world.

Magnus Carlsen loses to Anand. | Photo © Fred Lucas. | http://www.fredlucas.eu/

Rank	Name	Country	Rating
1	Carlsen, Magnus	NOR	2814
2	Anand, Viswanathan	IND	2810
3	Aronian, Levon	ARM	2805
4	Kramnik, Vladimir	RUS	2784
5	Karjakin, Sergey	RUS	2776
6	Topalov, Veselin	BUL	2775
7	Grischuk, Alexander	RUS	2773
8	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	AZE	2772
9	Ivanchuk, Vassily	UKR	2764
10	Nakamura, Hikaru	USA	2751

Source: FIDE Ratings January 2011

World Chess Championship 2010. Anand vs Topalov

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 08:58:00 +0000

Young Anand.

Viswanathan Anand won a very hard fought match 6.5-5.5 against his challenger Veselin Topalov to retain his title. In the final game Topalov's quest for complications led to trouble and he couldn't recover from a bad blunder.

Source: TWIC

Reggio Emilia 2010 LIVE

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 19:44:00 +0000

Live chess broadcast powered by ChessBomb and Chessdom

World Youngest Chess "Master"

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 12:20:00 +0000

Some say it is weird when kids at a young age can perform well in chess. Well, I say every single human being has a wonderful brain that capable of everything. I went to a chess tournament somewhere in the UK and I only see middle age people with a few youngsters. Unlike in Asian countries, we can see a huge number of kids playing chess in the open categories against the older ones. It is really embarrassing to lose to those kids though.

However, the main factors are fundings, education and supportive parents. With these, that brain can turn anybody to somebody. Fundings (a lot of it) are needed to buy chess books, hire a chess coach, pay chess tournaments fees etc. (Perhaps someday, chess will be the game for the rich ones only).

Samuel spends at least two hours a day studying chess, playing against his father Armen Sevian, 37, and practising over the internet with his coach, international master Andranik Matikozyan, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

Hou Yifan: New Women's World Youngest Chess Champion

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 13:31:00 +0000

No one has ever thought about it, a teenager could become a World Chess Champion!

A confident Hou Yifan arrives for game three followed by her mother (Source: Chessbase).

Ms. Hou is a solid player who takes few risks in her games, but also rarely makes critical mistakes. She has been among the best female players since 2006, when she suddenly rose to No. 8 in the world. She is now No. 3, but could surpass Humpy Koneru of India, the current No. 2, if her world championship victory is taken into account in the next rankings, which are due to be released Jan. 1. Ms. Hou defeated Ms. Koneru in the semifinals of the championship tournament.

More news:

Record Set for World’s Youngest Chess Champion
16-Year-Old Is Youngest Chess Champion in History
2010 Women's World Championship – Ruan strikes back! Tiebreaks ahead

The Chess Queen: Alexandra Kosteniuk

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:36:00 +0000

Alexandra Kosteniuk

..yeah of course! who else would be the Chess Queen?? i bet everyone wanna be GM at 14 year old as her...here's a bit background of her..

I am Alexandra Kosteniuk, an International Woman Grandmaster (WGM) (1998) and an International Master among men (IM) (2000). During the FIDE Congress in Calvia (2004) I was awarded the title of Grandmaster (Men), thus I became 10th woman in the whole history of chess who got this title. I am the Women's Vice Champion of the World, a title I got at the World Championships in Moscow in December 2001. I am the European Champion 2004 and Russian Champion 2005. I was born in the Russian city of Perm on April 23, 1984. I have been living in Moscow since I was one year old. I graduated from the Russian State Academy of Physical Education in July 2003 and am now a certified professional chess trainer. It's my dad, Konstantin Vladimirovich - who taught me to play chess when I was 5 years old and I am very grateful to him for that. I improved in chess rapidly. My first great achievements came in Junior tournaments. In 1994 I became the European Champion among girls under the age of 10, and a month later shared first and second places at the World Championship under the age of 10. Later, I had the same major achievements in other age categories, for example I became World Champion of girls under 12, in 1996. In 1997, I became a Woman International Master (WIM) at the age of 13, they say that I reached this mark slightly quicker than Maya Chiburdanidze, but I don't give much significance to that. I scored all necessary WGM norms in February of 1998 that is at the age of 13 years and 10 months but the GrandMaster title was officially given to me in November 1998 at the 33rd World Olympiad in Kalmykia. My current ELO rating as of July 1, 2005 is 2516, which makes me now the fifth strongest woman in the world. My official rating in the USCF Rating list of August 2005 is 2565 and so I am the highest rated woman on the USCF Rating List at this moment. I also have many other interests but chess, I write poems (some of them are published in my book), and I like sport in all its forms. I also love to do fashion modelling, and I even played a part in a movie, which by far was the most fun thing I have ever done in my life. My first book How I became Grandmaster at age 14 has been published already in three languages (Russian, English and Spanish). My dad and I have worked on it for almost two years, and I feel that its genre is very original. It is a manual in which I teach to play chess and at the same time I tell how I learned to play chess starting from the age of 5. The book contains many annotated games and pictures, including color ones. I hope that it won't disappoint you. I think that many parents could purchase it as a present for their children. Perhaps not everyone who reads it will become a Grandmaster at the age of 14, but many readers will learn to play this most intelligent and most beautiful game in the world. Good luck!

OPENING TRICKS AND TRAPS

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:04:00 +0000

By GM Susan Polgar

September 29, 2008

GM Susan Polgar. Photo by Jeffrey Weiss
An important opening idea

I believe that for most scholastic players (at least until one reaches 1800 rating), very little specific opening knowledge is needed. On the other hand, being familiar with as many tactical and strategical ideas in the opening as possible can be very useful. This understanding can sometimes be useful in various openings as positions can transpose.

In this column, we shall look at a famous and beautiful idea that was invented by Mr. Legal a long time ago in the 18th century.

Legal’s Mate

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Bg4

Pinning the knight on f3 is often a good idea in similar positions, but as a rule of thumb, I prefer to wait with it until after White castles. The reason is that until then White by playing h2-h3, Bg4-h5 and g2-g4 does not weaken the king’s position as the king has not chosen yet to which side it will castle. Therefore, queenside castling would still be an option.

4.Nc3

Now Black has to be careful not to fall into the famous trap.

4...Nc6 would not avoid the same trick either. 5.h3 Bh5? Of course, here Black could still avoid material loss by either trading on f3 or by retreating with the bishop on the c8-h3 diagonal. However, the whole idea of playing Bg4 was to create a pin over White’s knight on f3.

And here comes the famous “Legal Mate” idea: 6.Nxe5! Amazingly White can sacrifice the queen as after 6...Nxe5 at first it seems that actually White has fallen into a trap as after (If 6...Bxd1 a forced checkmate in two follows: 7.Bxf7+ Ke7 8.Nd5#) 7.Qxh5 Black can capture White’s bishop on c4 by 7...Nxc4. In this case, White has the final laugh after 8.Qb5+ forking Black’s king and knight! 8...c6 9.Qxc4 and it is White, who will be up a pawn at the end of all tactics.

4...g6?

Black’s best choice would have been 4...Nf6. The upcoming combination is possible due to fact that Black’s light squared bishop is on an unprotected square.

5.Nxe5!! Bxd1

This leads to an immediate loss. After 5...dxe5 White simply would capture Black’s Bishop with 6.Qxg4 winning a pawn. But that would have been Black’s best option anyway at this point.

6.Bxf7+ Ke7 7.Nd5#

A picturesque gorgeous checkmate!

As we shall see, the same theme can also arise from totally different openings.

Vucinic - Durovic
Yugoslavia, 1984

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.exd5 Nxd5

The game started out as an Alekhine defense, but now it resembles the Scandinavian defense more.

4.Bc4 Nb6

If 4...Nxc3 White can avoid doubled pawns (by b2xc3 or d2xc3) thanks to the intermediate move 5.Qf3 threatening Black’s f7 pawn and after 5...e6 6.Qxc3.

5.Bb3 e5?!

I would prefer the more solid 5...e6 lessening the power of White’s light- squared bishop.

6.d3 Nc6 7.Nf3 Bg4

Generally if this kind of pin cannot be maintained (as we shall see in this game) it makes no sense to create it in the first place.

8.h3 Bh5?

Again Black should have either traded on f3 or retreated back along the c8-h3 diagonal. Now we shall see a more complex version of Legal’s idea.

9.Nxe5!!

A brilliancy!! In this position, by White sacrificing his queen, he had to foresee more than ten moves ahead!

9...Bxd1

After 9...Nxe5 the answer would be 10.Qxh5 leaving Black a pawn down. It would still be better for Black than what happened in the game.

10.Bxf7+ Ke7 11.Bg5+

Unlike in the previous example, Nd5 does not make sense here.

11...Kd6

12.Ne4+!
This is an impressive way to continue the “king-chase” by sacrificing another knight. Capturing Black’s queen by 12.Bxd8? is not the right idea, as after 12...Nxe5 Black stays ahead, as both white bishops are under attack.

12...Kxe5 13.f4+ Kd4

So far so good, but White is running out of checks...and pieces.

14.Rxd1!

A quiet move, being a queen down! Impressive! After 14.Bxd8 Bxc2 or 14.c3+ Kxd3 15.Rxd1+ Kxe4 Black would win easily.

14...Qxg5

In another game which reached this very same position, Black tried 14...Nb4 but White won quickly after 15.c3+ Ke3 and 16.0–0!, threatening checkmate with Rf1–e1. (But not 16.Rf1?? allowing Black to checkmate with 16...Nc2#) 16...Nxd3 17.Ng3. Another quiet move, threatening Rf1–f3 checkmate and Black resigned (Rozentalis - Mikenas, Vilnius, 1981).

If Black tries to save the queen by (for example) 14...Qd7 White can checkmate in two moves elegantly...can you see how?

The answer is: 15.c3+ Ke3 16.f5#.

15.c3+

Chasing Black’s king further into White’s territory. 15.fxg5 would open up a retreat square on e5, while 15.Nxg5 opens one on c5, giving the black king the opportunity to escape safely from the middle of the board.

15...Ke3 16.0-0

This is the best choice, threatening checkmate in three with Rf3+ Ke2, Rd2+ Ke1, and Rf1 checkmate!

16.fxg5 also was good enough to win: 16...Kf4 17.0-0+ Ke5 18.d4+ Kxe4 19.Rf3 followed by Rd1-e1.

16...Qh4

Black could have delayed the end a bit longer by 16...Nd4 but not change the end result of the game.

17.Rf3+ Ke2 18.Rd2+ 1-0

As I have often stated before, it is more important for young players to understand opening ideas rather than to memorize long variations. Also, don’t forget to improve your tactics and endgame. I offer free chess puzzles daily on my blog, www.susan polgar.blogspot.com , as well as my SPICE website, http://www.depts.ttu. edu/spice/ . Try to solve them daily and please feel free to let me know how you are doing by sending me an e-mail at SusanPolgar@aol.com. Good luck!

Chess Training & Improvement by Mark

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 06:01:00 +0000

Improvement in chess over years is usually related to the frequency
of play and the addressing of discovered weaknesses as a result of
your losses. One facet that I have discovered is that people tend to
get stuck in a method of so-called 'training' and revert back to that
method after a series of less-than-spectacular games played on their
part.. One tends to 'hunker down' and retrain using the same methods
they used previously. The unfortunate thing is that those training
methods, whatever they were, led to their current predicament, and
are thus flawed in some way, were not executed properly, or did not
meet the current needs of the player.

One way to address this phenomenon is to make available several
different training methodologies to yourself and rotate from one to
another. This enriches one's chess knowledge and makes available to
the player differing perspectives from some of the great chess
teachers throughout history. But what does that mean?

Here is a simple example regarding methods of thinking in chess and
how to select candidate moves. I am aware of several methodologies
regarding this process. I list them here:

1) How to Think Like a Grandmaster - Kotov Method
2) How to Choose A Chess Move - Andrew Soltis Method
3) How to Reassess Your Chess - Silman Method
4) B-Method: Squares Strategy - Bangiev Method
5) How to Become an Expert - Purdy Method
6) Chess Praxis - Nimzovich Method
7) Generic Chess Training System (GCTS) - Irina Mikhailova/Author' s
method

Chess is an individual game. Because of that, training is almost
exclusively done on one's own. In regards to my own personal chess
training, I developed a hybrid system taken from Irina Mikhailova's
chess articles at Convekta, of CT-ART 3.0 fame. I have also studied
every method above at some point or another, beginning with Chess
Praxis by Nimzovich in my chess youth, moving on to Kotov's famous
book, being overwhelmed there, moving on to Silman's method, and
currently engaged in the fourth method, Bangiev's Squares Strategy,
which I find the most satisfying to date.

Chess is such a deep game that it requires each individual to become
creative, not only at the board, but also in their training methods,
to keep themselves fresh and their training relevant. This is why
having available a rotation of differing methods of training is a
must for the aspiring player. Solving tactical puzzles all day long
will help you improve, sure, but it will not get you beyond a
Category A level of play. True training is required to break that
glass ceiling.

By Mark in Chess Improvement Group.

12 Common Mistakes

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:43:00 +0000

Many beginners or even 'good' players lose their games because of many factors. The game that they should win but they lost. Try to avoid 12 common opening mistakes which would lead to lose or perhaps an uncomfortable middlegame positions:

1. Exposing your KING

2. Losing Material

3. Failing to castle

4.Attacking prematurely

5. Losing control of the center

6. Moving the same piece twice

7. Not developing all pieces

8. Developing the Queen too early

9. Pawn-grabbing

10. Blocking pieces with pawns

11. Making unnecessary with pawn moves

12. Giving useless checks

(Ronald H. Curry et. al, May 1995,Win at Chess)

You may saw these when you play with your small kids or whoever just started playing chess. Or you yourself may have experiences 'em all.

If one may have analyzed own games or follow the basics of opening, he or she may successfully achieved the middle game with better hopes. Unlike if you like to play an odd opening like Clyde Nakamura's favourites.

Garry Kasparov used to say that the opening moves are normally 10-15 moves. So ideally, soon after 10-15 of your moves, you should 'hold-on' a minute & analyze your pieces & board (space)! Ask yourself-have you achieve the position you want? If you practice & less blunder - i'm sure you'll greatly improve & win more games too.

Hope these tips will help us all to improve in chess!

WCC 2008 Round 1 Kramnik-Anand

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:07:00 +0000

The clash of the titans - nope, its the clash of the Kings! Well, I bet it is hard to know who'll win the World Champion title. We'll see it soon...

WCC 2008 Round1 Kramnik-Anand_0।pgn

Vladimir Kramnik - Viswanathan Anand
WCC 2008
Round 1
Bonn
14.10.2008

Note: The live comment by Chessdom for this event in fact would be with some delay - a requirement for all game translations

by the organizers of the match. For a live broadcast go to the official site. Every match for the title of World Champion is

a tough test for the contenders. The preparation involves a lot of analytical work with a helped by the seconds - and both

opponents have impressive list of such - for several months, as well as improving in psychological and physical aspect. Such

event may turn very nerve-consuming as we've seen during the Kramnik-Topalov match. Both contenders were recently focused

only on this encounter. The Russian was preparing without playing much, while Anand was far from his usual results,

apparently saving his energy for defending the title. With such short distance every inaccuracy may prove decisive in the

long run, so we may expect an uncompromising battle with both opponents very focused over each move.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 Anand's choice of the Slav Defence is no surprise - it is his main weapon as Black for many years.

3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 Well, that is a surprise. The drawing tendency of the Exchange line makes it less preferable at top level,

as it minimizes the chances to make good use of the White pieces.

4... cxd5 5.Bf4 Nc6 6.e3( is a popular choice but the Indian's first task is to neutralize the opening pressure - drawing as

Black is a good thing in match fight.)

6... Bf5 7.Nf3 e6 8.Qb3 (8.Bb5 is more common. The game move usually leads to complete equality.)

8... Bb4 9.Bb5 O-O 10.Bxc6 Bxc3+ 11.Qxc3 Rc8 12.Ne5 Ng4 (12... Ne4 13.Qa3 bxc6 may lead to some problems for Black due to the

inferior pawn structure. Anand prefers to maintain the symmetry.)

13.Nxg4 Bxg4 14.Qb4 ( Going for the 'a7' pawn is risky - 14.Qa3 Rxc6 15.Qxa7 Qe7 16.O-O Rfc8 and White experiences

difficulties.)

14... Rxc6 (14... bxc6 15.Bd6 would lead to obvious difference in the Bishop activity. The pawn sacrifice offered by Black

involves no risk, as the piece activity and the opposite colored Bishops level the chances.)

15.Qxb7 Else Anand would control the 'c' file just for free. (15.Qxb7 Qc8 (15... Qa5+ 16.b4 Qa4 17.O-O Be2 18.Rfe1 Ba6 19.Qe7

Rfc8 comes to mind as well) 16.Qxc8 Rfxc8 17.O-O Be2 seems completely equal.)

15... Qc8 16.Qxc8 (16.Qb3 is met by 16... Qa6 ( not by 16... Rc1+ 17.Kd2))

16... Rfxc8 17.O-O a5 Black has full compensation due to his active Rooks and a variety of possible plans. Anand decides to

prevent b2-b4 before anything else. A kingside expansion by f7-f6 or Bishop transfer via 'e2' comes to mind as follow up. Or

just Rc2.

18.f3 Bf5 19.Rfe1 Bg6 ( The dangers of letting White create a passed pawn are well illustrated by the line 19... Rc2 20.e4

dxe4 21.fxe4 Bg6 22.d5 R8c4 23.Rad1 Kf8 24.d6 Ke8 25.d7+ Kd8 26.Bg5+ f6 27.Rf1 Bxe4 28.Rxf6)

20.b3 ( Deprives Black Rooks of the 'c4' square. 20.e4 dxe4 21.fxe4 Rc4)

20... f6 21.e4 The only reasonable attempt to try for some advantage in this position.

21... dxe4 22.fxe4 Rd8 ( There was nothing wrong with 22... Rc2 planning doubling the Rooks on the 2nd rank and if 23.d5 e5

leaving the 'e4' pawn vulnerable.)

23.Rad1 Rc2 24.e5 Else e6-e5 was possible with mass exchanges resulting in a dead draw.

24... fxe5 25.Bxe5 Rxa2 Kramnik got an active Bishop but Anand recaptured the sacrificed pawn.

26.Ra1 Rxa1 27.Rxa1 Rd5 A draw agreement could be expected briefly.

28.Rc1 Rd7 29.Rc5 Ra7 30.Rc7 Rxc7 31.Bxc7 Bc2 32.Bxa5 Bxb3 Draw agreed. Kramnik played cautiously this game - or maybe had

something prepared in the 6...a6 line - and didn't pose any real problems to Anand, so the game logically concluded in a draw

as could be predicted by move 16.

1/2

source: chessdom.com

How not to "mechanical" thinking? -Josh Waitzkin.

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:53:00 +0000

"Try not to mechanically think during chess game" advised Josh Waitzkin. Thinking is the way to make decisions, but having knowledge to make the best move is the only 'fuel' to thinking! Here are some advice for you to benefit;

More than once I've read here in the group that opening should be
learned (if at all) later, after you master tactics, game ends etc.
Suggested book by Jim Roe "Reassessing Your Chess " by Silman starts
with game ends?! But the problem is that in the order to properly
learn thinking or any other aspect of the game, you have to know
opening. (does that make any sense??)

I'll quote Professor Aleksey Bartashnikov (Chess Strategy Course CDs
with ChessBase):
"The opening is a basis on which the whole chess building leans. A
well played opening is a precondition for success in the middlegame.
And on the contrary, mistakes at the beginning of the game can result
in a fast and unexpected defeat.

What is necessary to avoid these mistakes? Certainly, it would be good
to know all basic opening variations which you want to play. However
today their quantity is so great (and it is on the increase) that for
their study a lot of time and strength is required. The most simple
way to avoid trouble from the first move of the game is to follow
certain playing rules."

And then he goes and explains the rules.

Shouldn't someone who likes to improve his chess also with strategy
and tactics learn basics of his favorite opening and variations??

BTW, I would also suggest: "Understanding Chess Tactics" by Martin
Weteschnik.

The answer is not to study the openings but to know how to make
good moves. For this you must learn what and how to think.

There is a book by Mednis - "How to make good moves" I think, that will walk you thru a good generic opening.

Well, what ever the advice are, you must learn continuously & try to understand but not memorizing the openings, middlegame or endgames - coz human memory work like the recording tape or CD, we have to "input" the brain repeatedly, later on it will "come out" without knowing that you have known the best moves। That is what we call practice - practice makes perfect!

Kramnik lose to Slav!

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:42:00 +0000

Yeah! Can you believe it? Kramnik lose to Slav. Thanks to Shirov's gambit (7. g4) ...

2-GM Alexander Morozevich (Russia)-GM Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), Tal Memorial, Moscow 2008_0.pgn

Black Diemer Gambit

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:58:00 +0000

Gambit anyone?! BDG - Black Diemer Gambit: quite well known as its tricky traps in the opening. Have anyone played it in tournament? Well, I did...

Check it out - below is one of BDG example:

Black-Diemer Gambit col-sea94.pgn

Why Lose on Time

noreply@blogger.com (CG) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:22:00 +0000

Time management problem? Need a special short course for time management? Well, it happens to all but not for a good chess player. However, one must be very careful, when play chess too fast, you might get blundered. This can be observed among the juniors and amateurs. One silly mistake can be disastrous enough for your game sank into losing.

So, what is the best way to control your own time?

(will be update more later)

Links:

http://www.chesscafe.com/text/time.txt
http://www.jaderiver.com/chess/controls.html
http://www.google.com.my/search?q=chess+lose+to+time&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a