Wednesday, July 27, 2011

1st World Chess Games for Disabled in Dresden, Germany, October 24-30

I hadn't heard of this event before.  Link to details at Chess Life Online.  Please note that entrants must be sponsored by their national federation, which means that if you'd like to play, you need to get in touch with USCF as soon as possible.

There are separate titles for the blind, the deaf, and the physically disabled.  Unfortunately for me, "patzer" is not one of the disability categories.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Mesgen Amanov annotates

Mesgen steamrolled one of America's top juniors in the first round of this month's World Open in Philadelphia.  The game ends with a cute sacrificial flourish.

He discussed the game in a lecture at the North Shore Chess Center, and was gracious enough to share the game with those of us who weren't there.  Here's the link!

No-draw puzzles

Bill Smythe of Rogers Park posted some ingenious and amusing puzzles on the U.S. Chess Federation's "All Things Chess" forum.  Imagine some minor modifications to the rules of chess: repetitions of position are now prohibited, and the definitions of checkmate and stalemate are altered.

Can you figure out the theoretical result of king vs. king without resulting to brute force?  I can't!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Rachel Ulrich's first master scalp

I asked 11-year-old Rachel Ulrich if she could send the PGN of yesterday's win against NM Steve Tennant at the Downers Grove event. She modestly replied, "Yes, this is my first win against a master. Thanks to Mr. Tennant for playing in this event. I appreciate his time spent playing me."

And now we adults must be wary of another precocious young player.  White's play in this game is very smooth and very impressive! 

Young, Magness win Downers Grove #8

IM Angelo Young and NM Trevor Magness tied for first in yesterday's Downers Grove Chess Club #8 with 3½-½ scores.  In the final round, Young downed tournament leader NM Pete Karagianis, while Magness beat Mikhail Korenman. 

One-day, four-round Swiss System events are called "tornadoes."  This was certainly the strongest tornado in the Midwest this summer: two International Masters, three FIDE Masters, five National Masters, and several experts played.

11-year-old Rachel Ulrich (post-event rating 1714) beat NM Steve Tennant.  Tennant crushed me in the CICL playoffs a couple months ago.  Hmm.

Daniel Parmet organized for the Downers Grove Chess Club, assisted by Brian Smith.

Crosstable here!