Friday, January 20, 2012

Take the darn pawn, Gauri!

Here's the game featured at the end of yesterday's YouTube coverage of the Whitney Young - Glenbrook South match.

The caption for this blog post is of course tongue-in-cheek. 8...Qxb2 is the famous Najdorf Poisoned Pawn: objectively, it's the best move in the position, but players who haven't done their homework are asking for trouble.
For more coverage of the tournament from a frankly biased CPS perspective (I'm cool with that!) and for some quality trash-talking in the comments, see the Chicago Public League Sports Blog.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Whitney Young vs. Glenbrook South

Whitney Young wins a close one at last weekend's Glenbard South Chess Tournament, but any team that can beat Whitney Young on three of the top four boards is a force to be reckoned with....

Slow start for Americans in Wijk aan Zee

 Big shoes to fill?

After four rounds of Tata Steel Chess, last year's winner Hikaru Nakamura and reigning U.S. Champion Gata Kamsky are both 1½ points behind leaders Aronian and Carlsen.  Macauley Peterson reports at Chess Life Online.  (Teenager Fabiano Caruana, who learned to play chess in Brooklyn but now represents Italy, is only half a point behind the leaders.)

Check out the action Thursday morning: play begins at 7:30 a.m. Chicago time.

ballot-box stuffing

US Chess Federation members, do you want a chance to win a free copy of Frank Brady's Endgame?


Enter this contest by sending an email to Jennifer Shahade with your USCF ID, mailing address, and the magic words, "Fischer-Unzicker, Siegen 1970."  (You're allowed to choose a different Fischer game, but why bother?)

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Illinois Tour Standings

After one event!

http://www.il-chess.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=167

The formula looks rather darn simple: you get one point for playing in each event, then one point for every point scored.  But in order for you to claim your rightful place in the Tour standings, you'll need to renew your ICA membership.

Play in Evanston this Saturday ($5, such a deal)

FM Albert Chow will be there!  Another email cut-and-paste....

Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave., Evanston, IL 60202
Evanston Chess Presents:
Jan 21, 2012
9:00am-5:00pm

Three x Three, 3SS G/65 delay 5
Three Sections, USCF Regular Rated
Our guest master will be FM Albert Chow
Section Gold: 1700 and over

Section Silver: 1200 - 1699
Section Bronze: Under 1200 and Unrated

1600 - 1699 may play up to Gold.
1100 - 1199 may play up to Silver.
Published USCF Regular Rating determins eligibility.
Unrated players may be placed up at TD discretion.

From time to time Evanston Chess pays one or more titled players to play in our events. We usually do not pair them against each other. Even if they should lose (it does happen) we may pair them with the highest score groups.

Three rounds. Digital clocks are required and will be set to G/65 plus 5 seconds delay. Accelerated or decelerated pairings at TD discretion. Sections may be combined at TD discretion.

Registration from 9:00 to 9:30 AM. Players must check in by 9:30 am; players who arrive late will receive a half-point bye for the first round. First Round 9:45 am, last round over roughly 5:00 pm. No Lunch Break: We need to be finished by 5:00 PM, so there will be no extra time between rounds for lunch.

You may take one half-point bye in any round but the last.

Entry fee is $5, please pay cash (no checks) at the door. Masters and Experts play free.

Send name, USCF number, and telephone number to enter@evanstonchess.org

Junior players (under fourteen years) rated 900+ are welcome. Sorry, but we do not accept junior players rated under 900. Must be accompanied by a parent throughout the event.

Bring clocks. -- Wheelchair accessible. No Smoking.