Saturday, December 3, 2011
Fish Men
Coming next May 26 to the Goodman Theatre in Chicago: Fish Men, a play about chess hustlers in Washington Square Park in New York.
Youth Chess Foundation of Chicago event at Rickover Naval Academy
Mike Cardinale of the Youth Chess Foundation of Chicago and Michael Biela (principal of Rickover Naval Academy, a CPS school on the Senn High School campus) hosted a 5-round game/20 event today that drew about 280 players.
I had to leave before the awards ceremony, so I don't have final standings. Unofficially, Abdel Raoul took clear first in the top section with a perfect 5-0. I saw him drop a Fried Liver on Abraham Cornejo in Round 4 and win with good endgame technique.
And here are a few photos of the action in the Senn/Rickover cafeteria. (An iPhone doesn't do the space justice: one would need a wide-angle lens.)
I had to leave before the awards ceremony, so I don't have final standings. Unofficially, Abdel Raoul took clear first in the top section with a perfect 5-0. I saw him drop a Fried Liver on Abraham Cornejo in Round 4 and win with good endgame technique.
And here are a few photos of the action in the Senn/Rickover cafeteria. (An iPhone doesn't do the space justice: one would need a wide-angle lens.)
Mark your calendars for the next YCF event on January 21st, at De La Salle Institute /
St. Columbanus,
3434 S. Michigan Avenue.
London Chess Classic underway
Chicago Blaze manager Daniel Parmet is working the event, and Illinois Chess Association President Tom Sprandel is in London. Maybe we can get some inside info....
The nine grandmasters (including the world's top four: Carlsen, Anand, Aronian, Kramnik) played a fun exhibition game against "the rest of the world" on Twitter. The geniuses won easily, but they missed an amazing combination (checkmate or win of queen) in the position below:
Follow this link for the answer, the entertaining game, and the notes.
Follow Round 1 (right now!) at the official site, WhyChess, The Week in Chess, or your favorite paid provider.
The nine grandmasters (including the world's top four: Carlsen, Anand, Aronian, Kramnik) played a fun exhibition game against "the rest of the world" on Twitter. The geniuses won easily, but they missed an amazing combination (checkmate or win of queen) in the position below:
Black to play and win quickly
Follow this link for the answer, the entertaining game, and the notes.
Follow Round 1 (right now!) at the official site, WhyChess, The Week in Chess, or your favorite paid provider.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Schein-Friedman award
If you're one of the top juniors in the country in your age group, don't overlook this opportunity!
Anand on Fischer
World Champion Viswanathan Anand. Photo: Amit Bhargava/AP
...and other topics in The Guardian.
The London Chess Classic begins tomorrow!
Chicago Latino Championships
Eliza Blancas (age 92) vs. Elizabeth Rivera (age 6)
Keith Ammann informa para la Asociación de Ajedrez de Illinois.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Author, author!
Shiva Maharaj showed me this cute study the other day. I figured out that the theme was domination, but could not find the main line.
So whose study is it? I'll guess Kasparyan. (Duh: the obvious guess.) But if someone with the van der Heijden database would clue me in, I'd appreciate it and will amend to give credit.
So whose study is it? I'll guess Kasparyan. (Duh: the obvious guess.) But if someone with the van der Heijden database would clue me in, I'd appreciate it and will amend to give credit.
"Chess forges friendship, keeps it in check "
"As buddies, Loop lawyer, homeless man seem an unlikely match."
From today's Chicago Tribune.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Illinois Class in Orland Park, December 10-11!
Enough of that. Back to constructive things.
Cribbed from the ICA Tournament Calendar:
Cribbed from the ICA Tournament Calendar:
- Illinois Class Championships
- 12/10/2011 - 12/11/2011
- Orland Park Cultural Center - Orland Park
4SS, G90 + 30 sec. U1000/U700 Sections plays 5SS, G/75 with separate schedule. Orland Park Cultural Center, 14760 Park Lane, Orland Park, 60090 (from I-355 take IL-171 Archer Rd Exit toward 143rd Street (7.5 mi), take West St toward 147th St and follow the curve. From I-55 take US-12E/US-20E/US-45E/ S LaGrange Rd (10 mi); take W 144 PL and follow the curve). Free parking. Prizes $2,000 based on 80 paid entries. In 8 sections; no unrated allowed in Master/Expert section. Master/Expert (2000/up): $250-175-150-100-75. FIDE. Class A (1800-1999/unr): $125-75-50. FIDE. Class B (1600-1799/Unr): $125-75-50. Class C (1400-1599/Unr): $125-75-50. Class D (1200-1399/Unr): $125-75-50. Class E (Under 1200/Unr): $125-75-50. Under 1000 (K-12 only): Trophies to top 5. Under 700 (K-12 only): Trophies to top 5. Rated players may play up one section (additional $10). Unrated prize limit $50 on each section. Top 6 sections EF: Top 6 sections EF: $50 by 11/20, $60 after 11/20; $70 at site. U1000/U700: $25 by 11/20, $30 after 11/20; $40 at site. No credit cards on site! Online reservations and payments at www.intecsus.org Official uschess.org December supplement for ratings will be used if otherwise unrated. Schedule: Reg. on Dec. 10th at 8:30 – 9:30 am Top 6 sections: Sat: 10:00 am & 3:00 pm; Sun: 10:00 am & 3:00 pm U1000/U700 sections: Sat: 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm; Sun: 10:00 am, 1:00 pm Bye: all, must commit before rd 2 or not have plus score. Boards, Sets, and Clocks will be provided by the North American Chess Association. Organizer supplied equipment must be used. Hotels: Comfort Inn Suites (8800 W 159TH ST Orland Park, IL 60462); HR: $85; Homewood Suites by Hilton (16245 LaGrange Road Orland Park, IL 60467); HR: $135 Both hotels are located in 10-15 minutes drive from the tournament site.
Ent: IntECS, Inc., 63 W 75th St., Willowbrook, IL 60527 www.intecsus.org 630-789-2951
Chess Magnet School JGP.
Before the police were called....
David Heiser sent me a Facebook "friend" request some weeks ago, I turned it down, as I generally do when I get a request from a person I believe to be of low character. But I held my tongue at the time.
Today, I touched David on the shoulder. (In retrospect, a big mistake, I know, as Sheila Heiser had made it clear she had no interest in talking: but I hadn't heard that from David.). David threatened to "lay me on the ground."
As the folks at the office said, "This is all about chess?"
I sincerely believe that the ICA proposal for Chicago Public Schools is far stronger than the Renaissance Knights proposal. But I believe in the transformational power of chess in the schools strongly enough that, for all my misgivings, I'd be willing to back the Renaissance Knights proposal. After all, the children in Chicago Public Schools should come first. That's all I wanted to say.
After the meeting, I'm standing outside City Hall chatting with GM Yury Shulman and Paul Kash, the Whitney Young coach, about ten yards north of the LaSalle Street entrance to City Hall. David and Sheila walk out the door. I motion for them to come to me, without approaching them. They scurry back in:: Sheila yells, "I'm calling the police!"
Today, I touched David on the shoulder. (In retrospect, a big mistake, I know, as Sheila Heiser had made it clear she had no interest in talking: but I hadn't heard that from David.). David threatened to "lay me on the ground."
As the folks at the office said, "This is all about chess?"
I sincerely believe that the ICA proposal for Chicago Public Schools is far stronger than the Renaissance Knights proposal. But I believe in the transformational power of chess in the schools strongly enough that, for all my misgivings, I'd be willing to back the Renaissance Knights proposal. After all, the children in Chicago Public Schools should come first. That's all I wanted to say.
After the meeting, I'm standing outside City Hall chatting with GM Yury Shulman and Paul Kash, the Whitney Young coach, about ten yards north of the LaSalle Street entrance to City Hall. David and Sheila walk out the door. I motion for them to come to me, without approaching them. They scurry back in:: Sheila yells, "I'm calling the police!"
...in appearance and fact
Two questions:
Who are the members of the board of Renaissance Knights Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in Illinois?
Who are the paid employees and independent contractors of Renaissance Knights Foundation (and affiliated entities, if any)? Why didn't David Heiser want to talk about his economic self-interest at today's CPS summit meeting? (OK, make that three questions.)
After all, this is Chicago. And people do have to eat: there's nothing nefarious about having an economic self-interest.
Who are the members of the board of Renaissance Knights Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in Illinois?
Who are the paid employees and independent contractors of Renaissance Knights Foundation (and affiliated entities, if any)? Why didn't David Heiser want to talk about his economic self-interest at today's CPS summit meeting? (OK, make that three questions.)
After all, this is Chicago. And people do have to eat: there's nothing nefarious about having an economic self-interest.
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