Eric Rosen is playing on Board 1 against GM Samvel Ter-Sahakyan of Armenia. Follow the action here!
Update 9:00 p.m. by Frederick Rhine Alas, Eric lost, leaving him with 5.5/8 (+4 =3 -1) with one round left. I haven't done the math, but according to Jon Burgess on Facebook he can still get an IM norm if he wins or draws tomorrow. Go Eric!! Update 2:05 p.m., courtesy Matt Pullin, who doesn't think it looks good. I agree.Update 12:20 p.m. I've been unable to get moves for some time. Here's the last I saw (obscure opening, still theory):
Here are the round 7 standings: Eric moves into a tie for first if he wins. Awonder Liang of Wisconsin leads the World Under-8 by a full point, while Aydin Turgut has a plus score in the same event!
Friday, November 25, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Eric Rosen at World Youth Championship, Caldas Novas, Brazil
Round 5 pairings here! Eric is doing very well so far, with two draws against higher-rated players and two wins.
I found the draws at The Week in Chess. Eric defends a difficult Taimanov Sicilian with skill:
An exciting opening (the Ragozin QGD) fizzles out to a sterile draw:
Andi Rosen will be covering the event for Chess Life Online.
I found the draws at The Week in Chess. Eric defends a difficult Taimanov Sicilian with skill:
An exciting opening (the Ragozin QGD) fizzles out to a sterile draw:
Andi Rosen will be covering the event for Chess Life Online.
Samvel Ter-Sahakyan
GM Samvel Ter-Sahakyan of Armenia leads the event: he finished second in last year's event, held in Greece.At least we got one championship yesterday!
("We"? OK, I'm over 50 and living vicariously.)
NM Sam Schmakel of Whitney Young High School won his third national championship this weekend, the 10th grade section of the K-12 Championships in Dallas, Texas.
These events are not easy for the average 2200 teenager to win: Sam scored 6½-½, including 4½-½ against two fellow NMs and three experts. The event drew 1,182 players from across the nation, including 48 in the 10th-grade section.
Crosstable here! And here's the story on USCF's home page (no mention of Sam, but more on the event).
If only the young master could master the art of being in two places at one time.
NM Sam Schmakel of Whitney Young High School won his third national championship this weekend, the 10th grade section of the K-12 Championships in Dallas, Texas.
These events are not easy for the average 2200 teenager to win: Sam scored 6½-½, including 4½-½ against two fellow NMs and three experts. The event drew 1,182 players from across the nation, including 48 in the 10th-grade section.
Crosstable here! And here's the story on USCF's home page (no mention of Sam, but more on the event).
If only the young master could master the art of being in two places at one time.
"New York Knights extinguish Chicago Blaze in chess championship"
Bummer.
Listen to the podcast of WBEZ's coverage here!
Chicago Blaze (10.0 – 2.0) vs New York Knights (7.5 – 4.5) 
Listen to the podcast of WBEZ's coverage here!
Chicago Blaze (10.0 – 2.0) vs New York Knights (7.5 – 4.5) | Chicago Blaze | New York Knights | ||
| GM Mesgen Amanov: 2576 | 0.0 | 1.0 | GM Giorgi Kacheishvili: 2653 |
| GM Dmitry Gurevich: 2547 | 0.5 | 0.5 | IM Irina Krush: 2560 |
| IM Angelo Young: 2415 | 0.0 | 1.0 | SM Matt Herman: 2426 |
| NM Gopal Menon: 2222 | 1.0 | 0.0 | John Fernandez: 2129 |
| Avg Rating: 2440 | Avg Rating: 2442 | ||
| Chicago Total ------- | 1.5 | 2.5 | ------- New York Total |
Sunday, November 20, 2011
U.S. Chess League finals starting NOW!
Stolen from the USCL website. I'll be stopping by shortly: good luck to the Blaze!
1. Chicago Blaze vs New York Knights 3:00 PM ET
If you are wondering why some teams have an average rating of above 2401, click here
All ratings listed below are August ratings - not always the ratings used for the league rating calculations!
Team listed first has White on Boards 1+3
Sunday, November 20th, 2011
Chicago Blaze (10.0 – 2.0) vs New York Knights (7.5 – 4.5)
All Time Series Record: (This is their first match)
Starts at 2:00 PM CST Time Control - Game in 90 with 30 second increment
*Due to the World Youth and K-12 Nationals causing many players to be unavailable, Chicago agreed to allow New York to use John Fernandez on Board Four when generally that would not have been permitted as he had not played the requisite two games during the regular season
If the match ties 2 – 2, there will be a special tiebreaker. Click here for the tiebreaker procedures.
1. Chicago Blaze vs New York Knights 3:00 PM ET
If you are wondering why some teams have an average rating of above 2401, click here
All ratings listed below are August ratings - not always the ratings used for the league rating calculations!
Team listed first has White on Boards 1+3
Sunday, November 20th, 2011
Chicago Blaze (10.0 – 2.0) vs New York Knights (7.5 – 4.5)
All Time Series Record: (This is their first match)
Starts at 2:00 PM CST Time Control - Game in 90 with 30 second increment
| Chicago Blaze |
New York Knights |
||
| GM Mesgen Amanov: 2576 | GM Giorgi Kacheishvili: 2653 | ||
| GM Dmitry Gurevich: 2547 | IM Irina Krush: 2560 | ||
| IM Angelo Young: 2415 | SM Matt Herman: 2426 | ||
| NM Gopal Menon: 2222 | John Fernandez: 2129 | ||
| Avg Rating: 2440 |
Avg Rating: 2442 |
||
| Chicago Total ------- | ------- New York Total |
*Due to the World Youth and K-12 Nationals causing many players to be unavailable, Chicago agreed to allow New York to use John Fernandez on Board Four when generally that would not have been permitted as he had not played the requisite two games during the regular season
If the match ties 2 – 2, there will be a special tiebreaker. Click here for the tiebreaker procedures.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Armenian Gambit
From Avet Demourian's September 15th Associated Press story in the Chicago Tribune
Tiny Armenia is a big player in world chess, and a new gambit could make it even bigger: mandatory chess in school.
The click-clack of chess pieces is being heard around the former Soviet nation's primary schools this fall, as the game becomes part of the curriculum along with such standards as math and history for children between the ages of 7 and 9 [....]
Wendi Fischer, executive director of the United States' Foundation for Chess [sic], has campaigned for the game to be taken up in U.S. classrooms and says Armenia's program has big potential.
"By incorporating chess as part of the curriculum, you are including a game, and that's how kids see it," Fischer said. "They think they're focused on fun. So I think it is a great way to cross over between a true hardcore curriculum that's mandatory and the young children being able to play and explore and have fun.":
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
"Local chess team Chicago Blaze looks to keep competition in check "
Prior to last night's Blaze match, Sevan Muradian was interviewed yesterday by Alison Cuddy of WBEZ's Eight Forty-Eight. Listen here!
Chicago 2½, L.A. 1½!!!
Last night at the North Shore Chess Center, Dmitry Gurevich and Josh Friedel powered the Chicago Blaze to a 2½-1½ win over the L.A. Vibe. On to the U.S. Chess League finals!
Must work: games here!
Must work: games here!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Road trip: Kings Island Open
I saw many Chicago players this weekend at the Kings Island Open in Mason, Ohio: the top section included GM Dmitry Gurevich, FM Andrew Karklins, and FM Aleksandar Stamnov, and Wayne Clark was one of the directors. The top Illinois finisher, FM Igor Tsyganov, scored an undefeated 3½-1½ and drew GM Alexander Shabalov. Kentucky lion Gregory Kaidanov took top honors in the Open Section with a perfect 5-0.
Congratulations to Illinois players Zhijin Hu, who won $1186 for clear first in the Under 1250 section, and Delondon Hawthorne, who won $678 for equal first in the Under 1000 section.
Vanity p.s.: I won the $678 "second-best fish" prize when the congenial NM Owechuku Iwu (who'd previously beaten me four games in a row) once again outplayed me as he normally does, but then went wrong in a tricky bishop vs. knight ending. But is there any other kind?
Crosstables here!
Congratulations to Illinois players Zhijin Hu, who won $1186 for clear first in the Under 1250 section, and Delondon Hawthorne, who won $678 for equal first in the Under 1000 section.
Vanity p.s.: I won the $678 "second-best fish" prize when the congenial NM Owechuku Iwu (who'd previously beaten me four games in a row) once again outplayed me as he normally does, but then went wrong in a tricky bishop vs. knight ending. But is there any other kind?
Brock-Iwu, Kings Island Open 2011
Black to play
The problems that knights have in stopping rook pawns from queening are legendary. But sometimes bishops have issues coping with rook pawns, too, especially when they're supported by a friendly king and knight. (I learned this lesson the hard way from Jiri Marek at the 2002 Illinois Open.)
Normally, play on both sides of the board favors the player with the bishop, and Black is up two pawns to boot. But it seems that White is not worse here! Dr. Iwu went into a 45-minute think, then played 1...Kb3? 2.Kxf7 h4 3.Nd3, and White soon won. What would you have done? Some reasonable-looking moves appear to lose, and I suspect that two strange-looking moves draw.
"Masters of the Game and Leaders by Example"
Left to right: James Black Jr., Justus Williams and Joshua Colas
Richard Perry for The New York Times
Fewer than 2 percent of the 47,000 members of the United States Chess Federation are masters — and just 13 of them are under the age of 14.
Check out this great story in The New York Times.
Among that select group of prodigies are three black players from the New York City area — Justus Williams, Joshua Colas and James Black Jr. — who each became masters before their 13th birthdays.
And let's work together to create some competition for the New Yorkers.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Stoking the starmaker machinery
Chicago Public School (CPS) chess master key to success of Chicago area professional chess teamSKOKIE, IL, NOVEMBER 12, 2011: Whitney Young Magnet High School sophomore Sam Schmakel has been the key that unlocked the success of Chicago’s professional chess team, the Chicago Blaze, which set a regular season best record of 8 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss.The Blaze entered its fourth season in 2011 with a roster that included wily veterans -- mostly Grandmasters and International Masters -- and energy filled youth players who have achieved much from a young age.Schmakel, the best chess player ever in CPS and currently a student of Grandmaster Dmitry Gurevich, began playing chess during the summer between kindergarten and 1st grade. He is a product of the chess program his mother Eileen began at Decatur Classical, a CPS Gifted Program. In short order, Schmakel began to dominate the local and national scene, winning 2 national championships and winning a key game in the 2010-2011 school year, to secure the Illinois State High School Team Championship for Whitney Young.Schmakel, who earned his title of National Master only a few months ago, has been the linchpin of success for the Blaze. He was tapped during the summer months to become part of the team and has proven himself by being undefeated in his games thus far (5-0).Largely due to his performance, the Blaze has won its way into the Divisional Championships to take place on Monday night November 14th at 8 p.m. Schmakel will play again that night as the Blaze try to win their first ever Divisional Championship.The Chicago Blaze is a member of the United States Chess League (USCL), which oversees online matches among the nation’s top 16 teams. Blaze team members gather each week during the season to play their matches at the North Shore Chess Center, located at 5500 W Touhy Ave Suite A in Skokie, IL.For more information on the Chicago Blaze visit http://www.chicagoblazechess.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/chiblazechess
Friday, November 11, 2011
Last call - Akobian seminar
Greetings from Mason, Ohio. I may not be posting much this weekend....
Here's a cut-and-paste from tonight's email. The North Shore Chess Center is at 5500 West Touhy Ave. in Skokie: looks like a great event!
Here's a cut-and-paste from tonight's email. The North Shore Chess Center is at 5500 West Touhy Ave. in Skokie: looks like a great event!
2 sessions available - Saturday Nov 12 or Sunday Nov 13
Enjoy a 6 hour training session with one of the top Grandmasters in the United States - GM Varuzhan Akobian! GM Akobian helped the US team achieve a bronze medal twice in the 2006 and 2008 Chess Olympiads, and a Silver medal in the 2009 World Team Championships. In 2010 GM Akobian was tapped to become the trainer/coach for the US Men's Olympiad Team as well.
You can join GM Akobian in a 6 hour marathon lecture covering openings, middle game, and end-game. He will review popular opening lines, the ideas behind them and how to transition to the middle game along with middle game strategy, and what to do (and not to do) in the end-game. You'll be invited to ask questions and discuss the pro's and con's of variations, along with testing your inner-GM against this battled hardened veteran with on the spot puzzles and challenges.
The session will begin at 11:30am and continue until 5:30pm. After a 30 minute break, GM Akobian will perform a simul. Feel free to bring your personal chess boards if you want GM Akobian to autograph it for you also! Snacks and beverages will be available.
This session is $75 for members of the North Shore Chess Center and $100 for non-members if registered by Friday evening 9pm on Nov 11. Add an additional $20 at the door. Onsite registrations cannot be guaranteed for space!
Seating is limited to 30 people on a first registered basis.
Register online - http://www.nachess.org/events
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Board 4: Xiong 0 - Schmakel 1
FM Jeffrey Xiong of Dallas is only 10 years old! Sam Schmakel may be the first to get his GM title, but I'd put my money on Jeffrey to win the World Championship first.
This Najdorf is a wonderful theoretical battle that does credit to both young players. All of this has been played before until Sam's novelty 23...Na4!?
This Najdorf is a wonderful theoretical battle that does credit to both young players. All of this has been played before until Sam's novelty 23...Na4!?
Board 3: Amanov 0 - Holt 1
Another fascinating game on Board 3. Mesgen's preparation in the Exchange Slav is deep, but Holt deals with the homecooking and wins a complex ending, avenging his Chicago Open defeat at Mesgen's hands.
Board 2: Sadorra 1 - Friedel 0
Respect to GM Julio Sadorra, who managed to squeeze our GM Josh Friedel from an unpromising-looking QGD Tartakower.
Chicago Blaze ties Dallas Destiny 2-2, advances in playoffs!
The Blaze came in with the best regular season record and only needed to tie Dallas on Monday night to make it to the semi-finals. A tie was all they could manage, but that was enough to advance!
Here's the Board 1, matchup GM Yury Shulman of the Blaze vs. GM Cristian Chirila:
White eliminated Black's "good" bishop on move 10, but Black's position is still fully playable. After move 36, it's easy to see that White wants to evacuate the king from the kingside in preparation for the breakthrough. So White moved the king from h1 to d4 in the middle game!
To me, phase 1 of White's redeployment (moves 36-60) wasn't so hard to understand, but I was really impressed by Yury's second reorganization (moves 60-66). Every available unit is needed for the attack, including the lowly h-pawn!
This was the last game to finish: Yury kept the draw comfortably in hand and patiently improved his position until it became clear that he would need to win for the Blaze to advance. And win he did: congratuations, Grandmaster!
Here's the Board 1, matchup GM Yury Shulman of the Blaze vs. GM Cristian Chirila:
White eliminated Black's "good" bishop on move 10, but Black's position is still fully playable. After move 36, it's easy to see that White wants to evacuate the king from the kingside in preparation for the breakthrough. So White moved the king from h1 to d4 in the middle game!
To me, phase 1 of White's redeployment (moves 36-60) wasn't so hard to understand, but I was really impressed by Yury's second reorganization (moves 60-66). Every available unit is needed for the attack, including the lowly h-pawn!
This was the last game to finish: Yury kept the draw comfortably in hand and patiently improved his position until it became clear that he would need to win for the Blaze to advance. And win he did: congratuations, Grandmaster!
BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD: Chicago premiere, this Friday at Facets!
"All I want to do, ever, is just play chess." -Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer Against the World is a fascinating documentary that charts the turbulent life – from a childhood of isolation and neglect to young chess prodigy, world champion and subsequent madness and disgrace – of one of chess's undisputed masters. The World Championship of 1972, Fischer vs. Spassky, was replete with Cold War implications as a nation pinned its hopes on Fischer as the man to end Soviet dominance. As the center of media attention, Fischer was never equipped for a life in the spotlight and veteran filmmaker Liz Garbus (The Farm: Angola USA), exposes the disturbingly high price Fischer paid to achieve his legendary success as well as the resulting toll it took on his psyche. Fischer was a recluse for decades before resurfacing for a bizarre final chapter as a fugitive and rare archival footage alongside insightful interviews with those closest to him expand this captivating story of a mastermind's tumultuous rise — and fall.
Directed by Liz Garbus, U.S.A./UK/Iceland, 2010, 93 mins. In English and Russian with English subtitles
Showtimes: Fri., Nov. 11 at 7 & 9 pm Sat.-Sun., Nov. 12-13 at 3, 5, 7 & 9 pm Mon.-Thurs., Nov. 14-17 at 7 & 9 pmFacets Multimedia is a Chicago treasure: it's at 1517 W. Fullerton Ave. Call 800.331.6197 for more info.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Stunning decoys
(And no, we're not talking about carved wooden mallard ducks.) One final tactical example from Yakov Neistadt's Improve Your Chess Tactics (New in Chess, 2011): buy this book!
The legendary Nona Gaprindashvili missed an amazing shot in her 1979 game from the Soviet Championship with Irina Levitina. I'll quote from Neistadt's explanation, but I'll leave out the amazing move she missed.
The legendary Nona Gaprindashvili missed an amazing shot in her 1979 game from the Soviet Championship with Irina Levitina. I'll quote from Neistadt's explanation, but I'll leave out the amazing move she missed.
Levitina-Gaprindashvili, Tbilisi 1979
White to play has to stop mate on g2 somehow....
Neistadt writes:
"Black has just played her queen to f3, to threaten mate. In reply to 1.Qc6 (or 1.Qxe5+ Bf6 2.Qe4 Rfe8, Gaprindashvili's original calculations had gone 1...e4 and after 2.Qxe4 the decoy sacrifice 2...Rge8 3.Nxe8+ Rxe8. But when the white queen appeared on c6, she realized that at the end of this variation, White in her turn can attack the queen with 4.Nd4
Levitina-Gaprindashvili, Tbilisi 1979
Analysis after 4.Nd4: Black to play
(4...Rxe4 5.Nxf3), and Gaprindashvili was forced to abandon her original intention. Instead of 1...e4 she played 1...Qf5 and soon lost.
However, [...]"
So what did Nona miss?
Monday, November 7, 2011
Stolen from Facebook
...specifically from Blaze manager Daniel Parmet's post.
Tonight in the first round of playoffs the Chicago Blaze takes on the Dallas Destiny! Tune in to ICC at 7pm CST to watch the fiery match! Board1: GM Yury Shulman fresh off his GOTW win! vs GM Cristian Chirilia Board2: GM Julio Sadorra vs GM Josh Friedel Board3: GM Mesgen Amanov vs IM Conrad Holt Board4: FM Jeffrey Xiong vs NM Sam Schmakel Blaze advances on a draw!Or stop by the North Shore Chess Center!
The pin must win
With the absolute pin (pins?), all things are possible, as demonstrated by this puzzle from Yakov Neistadt's Improve Your Chess Tactics (New in Chess, 2011).
Parr-Wheatcroft, London 1938
White to play and win
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Of course you see the solution immediately....
...but can you imagine carelessly missing this shot (or, even worse, allowing it) in a tournament game?
Once again, this is from Winning Chess Exercises For Kids, a fabulous workbook for advanced beginners!
White to play and win
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Board 4: Young 1 - Adamson 0
Parents will make sacrifices so their little ones can get ahead in life. So too bishops.
With his killer shot on move 60, Angelo Young saved the Blaze from defeat. Well done!
Board 4: Atoufi 1 - Menon 0
Trendsetter Gopal Menon plays the fashionable 4...Qb6!? (I don't even know the name of this line: 2...Nc6 and 4...Qb6 is the Grivas Sicilian proper, and the Grivas is reached in the game by transposition.)
25...Qb3?! 26.Rda1! did not work well for Black in the game. Instead, Black could have played 25...Bxc4! 26.Qxc4 Rxa5, the point being that the pawn fork 27.b4 can be met by 27...Ra4 with messy play.
25...Qb3?! 26.Rda1! did not work well for Black in the game. Instead, Black could have played 25...Bxc4! 26.Qxc4 Rxa5, the point being that the pawn fork 27.b4 can be met by 27...Ra4 with messy play.
Board 2: Altounian 1 - Felecan 0
Black gets overambitious against White's hypermodern noodling-around and doesn't get enough for the sacrificed pawns. But Florin sets a beautiful coffeehouse trap on move 32. Black doesn't take the poisoned queen, but doesn't find one of the several clear winning lines, either, and Felecan is back in the game.
Then 37...Rf6? allows 38.d5! Ouch. Chess is hard.
Then 37...Rf6? allows 38.d5! Ouch. Chess is hard.
Blaze 2 - Arizona 2: Shulman's Board 1 win
First, belated congratulations to the Chicago Blaze for a fabulous regular season (8 wins, 1 loss, and Monday's tie against the Arizona Scorpions), and best of luck in the playoffs! (About which more later.)
On Board 1, Mackenzie Molner played a Nimzoindian line that I've always found attractive in the abstract, but never understood well enough to risk in tournament play. (Black's bishop appears to be trapped after 6...Ba5, but not really.) Shulman plays for the center, eliminates the pesky Nc5, and creates weaknesses in the Black camp on e6 and c6. But Molner defends well until a slip on move 39.
Find White's winning move in the diagram below!
On Board 1, Mackenzie Molner played a Nimzoindian line that I've always found attractive in the abstract, but never understood well enough to risk in tournament play. (Black's bishop appears to be trapped after 6...Ba5, but not really.) Shulman plays for the center, eliminates the pesky Nc5, and creates weaknesses in the Black camp on e6 and c6. But Molner defends well until a slip on move 39.
Find White's winning move in the diagram below!
Yury Shulman lecture / simul TODAY at Ida Noyes!
Details here. Might be too late to grab a board, but it's not too late to hear Yury's lecture and kibitz!
University of Chicago
Ida Noyes - East Lounge 1212 East 59th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
Saturday, November 5, 4:30PM
Lecture is open to all. Spaces limited for simul, please RSVP to reserve space. You will be sent an email before the event telling you if you have a spot or if you are on the waiting list.
Priority given to active chess club members. Members of the public welcome.
The Pillsbury mate
Another exercise from Jeff Coakley's Winning Chess Exercises For Kids.
White to play and mate
Be honest: did you have to calculate the solution, or did you solve it instantly because you knew the mating pattern? (But please don't ask the author of this blog entry to be honest.)
Friday, November 4, 2011
A Larsen shot
Stealing yet again from Yakov Neistadt's Improve Your Chess Tactics (New in Chess, 2011).
Like Petrosian, Bent Larsen was best known as a positional player. But he too was an outstanding tactician, and in his wonder year 1967, he didn't miss too many shots.
Black has some chances in the knight ending, but does he need to make the game last that long?
Like Petrosian, Bent Larsen was best known as a positional player. But he too was an outstanding tactician, and in his wonder year 1967, he didn't miss too many shots.
Black has some chances in the knight ending, but does he need to make the game last that long?
Westerinen-Larsen, Havana 1967
Black to play and win
Similar Sandrin slugfests
Irving Chernev, who wrote "Wonders and Curiosities of Chess," would have loved this. The following two games were both played at the U.S. Open, five years apart. The White players were brothers from Chicago named Albert and Angelo Sandrin, who both became Life Masters. In both games, White played exf7+, to which Black responded with ...Kh8. A few moves later, White captured Black's rook on f8 for free and with check, checked again with the capturing piece in order to vacate the f8 square, and then underpromoted his f-pawn to knight, checkmating Black. Commenter "Phony Benoni" (David Moody) at chessgames.com calls the games "definitely a case of sibling rivalry."
Albert's game is from the 1949 U.S. Open, which he won ahead of such luminaries as Larry Evans, Arthur Bisguier, and Anthony Santasiere.
Albert's game is from the 1949 U.S. Open, which he won ahead of such luminaries as Larry Evans, Arthur Bisguier, and Anthony Santasiere.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Come join us this Sunday in Lombard...
...to honor Senior Master Andrew Karklins.
We're at the same location (Buca di Beppo in Lombard, adjoining the Yorktown Shopping Center), at the same time (1 to 4 p.m.) Jim Brotsos will be our Master of Ceremonies.
Details here!
Buy your ticket here!
If you won't be able to join us this Sunday, please consider making a donation to the Illinois Chess Association's Warren Junior Program in Andrew's honor. (Details here.) Or consider a patron membership in the Illinois Chess Association in Andrew's honor! Details here.
And don't forget that ICA's annual meeting will precede the banquet, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.!
Details here!
Buy your ticket here!
If you won't be able to join us this Sunday, please consider making a donation to the Illinois Chess Association's Warren Junior Program in Andrew's honor. (Details here.) Or consider a patron membership in the Illinois Chess Association in Andrew's honor! Details here.
And don't forget that ICA's annual meeting will precede the banquet, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.!
If I told you the tactical theme, the solution would be too obvious....
Here's another position from Yakov Neistadt's Improve Your Chess Tactics (New in Chess, 2011). Former World Champion Tigran Petrosian is rumored to have been a more-than-adequate tactician.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Have I mentioned that I love this book?
The book in question is Jeff Coakley's Winning Chess Exercises For Kids.
White to play: what's White's best move?
In real life, successful tactics don't always give you a won game, but only a slightly superior position.
A trap in the Ruy Lopez, Alapin Defense
Semyon Alapin was a strong Russian master who originated a number of opening lines, such as the Alapin Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Ne2?!, intending to play a sort of King's Gambit Deferred with f4). The only one of much significance today is his line against the Sicilian, 1.e4 c5 2.c3, a solid line that has been played by many grandmasters and causes fits to higher-rated Black players because it's tough to beat. Among Alapin's lesser-known eponymous variations is Alapin's Defense to the Ruy Lopez. Quick, how many of you know what it is?
It's 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bb4!?, a really stupid-looking move that does have the virtues of stopping an immediate d4 and preparing to play ...Nge7 without blocking in the bishop. Alapin did reasonably with it, including draws with Steinitz, Blackburne and Schlechter. It's only been played in 40 games in chessgames.com's 600,000-game database, only 25 of those in the last 30 years. That makes it an even rarer bird, by a factor of ten, than Bird's Defense to the Ruy Lopez (3...Nd4), seen in 502 games, 250 of them in the past 30 years.
For such an obscure line, Alapin's brainchild hasn't done badly, including a 22-move win in A. Ivanov-Lugo, U.S. Championship 2005 and a draw in Anand-Hector, Palma de Mallorca 1989.
On to the trap, which comes from IM Gary Lane at chesscafe.com this week. After the natural 4.c3 Ba5, inquiring minds will want to know why White can't just win a pawn with 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nxe5, as White played in the above game. Now White could respond to 6...Qg5?! with 7.Nf3! Qxg2 8.Rg1 Qh3 9.Rxg7, since the tempting 9...Bg4 is met by 10.Ng1!, staying a pawn ahead after 10...Bxd1 11.Nxh3. Instead, Black plays 6...Qe7! 7.d4 f6! intending to regain his pawn after 8.Nf3 Qxe4+. But clever Whites will see an apparent flaw in this scheme: 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Nxg6 Qxe4+ 10.Be3 (see diagram) when 10...Qxg6 can be met by 11.Qxa5, e.g. 11...Qxg2 12.Rf1 Bh3 13.Nd2 intending 0-0-0. However, Black rudely surprises White with 10...Bg4!, reaching a winning position. 11.Qxa5 Qxg2 would be fatal, since White's king is not long for this world after 12.Nxh8 Qxh1+ 13.Kd2 Qd1# or 12.Rf1 Qf3. In the game sent in by Lane's reader, Earl Roberts of New Zealand, White tried instead 11.Qh4 Qxg2, and now Lane analyzes 12.Rf1 hxg6 13.Qxh8 Qf3 14.Qxg8+ Ke7 15.Qg7+ Ke6 and Black wins. Instead White stumbled into mate.
Roberts writes that he has lost track of how many times he has been able to reach the position after move 10 in his games, and indeed how many of his opponents have repeated the entire game! Based on this trap and other games submitted by Mr. Roberts, Lane concludes that 3...Bb4 is a good try at club level. Check out Lane's article and give it a shot!
It's 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bb4!?, a really stupid-looking move that does have the virtues of stopping an immediate d4 and preparing to play ...Nge7 without blocking in the bishop. Alapin did reasonably with it, including draws with Steinitz, Blackburne and Schlechter. It's only been played in 40 games in chessgames.com's 600,000-game database, only 25 of those in the last 30 years. That makes it an even rarer bird, by a factor of ten, than Bird's Defense to the Ruy Lopez (3...Nd4), seen in 502 games, 250 of them in the past 30 years.
For such an obscure line, Alapin's brainchild hasn't done badly, including a 22-move win in A. Ivanov-Lugo, U.S. Championship 2005 and a draw in Anand-Hector, Palma de Mallorca 1989.
On to the trap, which comes from IM Gary Lane at chesscafe.com this week. After the natural 4.c3 Ba5, inquiring minds will want to know why White can't just win a pawn with 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nxe5, as White played in the above game. Now White could respond to 6...Qg5?! with 7.Nf3! Qxg2 8.Rg1 Qh3 9.Rxg7, since the tempting 9...Bg4 is met by 10.Ng1!, staying a pawn ahead after 10...Bxd1 11.Nxh3. Instead, Black plays 6...Qe7! 7.d4 f6! intending to regain his pawn after 8.Nf3 Qxe4+. But clever Whites will see an apparent flaw in this scheme: 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Nxg6 Qxe4+ 10.Be3 (see diagram) when 10...Qxg6 can be met by 11.Qxa5, e.g. 11...Qxg2 12.Rf1 Bh3 13.Nd2 intending 0-0-0. However, Black rudely surprises White with 10...Bg4!, reaching a winning position. 11.Qxa5 Qxg2 would be fatal, since White's king is not long for this world after 12.Nxh8 Qxh1+ 13.Kd2 Qd1# or 12.Rf1 Qf3. In the game sent in by Lane's reader, Earl Roberts of New Zealand, White tried instead 11.Qh4 Qxg2, and now Lane analyzes 12.Rf1 hxg6 13.Qxh8 Qf3 14.Qxg8+ Ke7 15.Qg7+ Ke6 and Black wins. Instead White stumbled into mate.
Roberts writes that he has lost track of how many times he has been able to reach the position after move 10 in his games, and indeed how many of his opponents have repeated the entire game! Based on this trap and other games submitted by Mr. Roberts, Lane concludes that 3...Bb4 is a good try at club level. Check out Lane's article and give it a shot!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Chess gig on the Intertubes
Cut and pasted from here:
Chess Team Advisor - South
Organization: Glenbard Township High School District 87Type: Athletics/Activities : Activity Sponsor
Posted: 10/20/2011
Available: 2011-2012
Glenbard South
Glenbard South High School has an opening for an Assistant Chess Sponsor for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year. This is a Schedule B Group VIII position (0.80 FTE).
Interested candidates should fill out an online application at www.glenbard87.org .
Direct questions to:
Mr. Taff Nielsen, Assistant Principal for Student Services
Glenbard South High School
23W200 Butterfield Road
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
(630) 469-6500
Final reminder: register for All-Grades in Peoria!
If you're a scholastic player, parent, teacher, or coach, you should
really make a road trip to Peoria to play in this great Illinois Chess
Association event or to cheer on your kids. The event determines the
Illinois champion for each grade from 1st through 8th. There's also a
high school section.
The
Greater Peoria Chess Federation is organizing this year's event on
November 5th at the Peoria Grand Hotel. Two of the top players in the
state, Nikhil
Kumar Kunche and Timur Aliyev, will be giving simultaneous exhibitions
for the students. Registration closes at 6 a.m. on November 4th: don't disappoint the kids, do it now!
More info here!
A great deal of endgame wisdom condensed into one position
Jeff Coakley's Winning Chess Exercises For Kids delivers a healthy dose of endgame wisdom along with the tactical exercises.
In the general case, are rook endings easy to win?
White to play and win
In the general case, are rook endings easy to win?
Another title for Eric Rosen
Sevan Muradian just sent me an email: we have a new FIDE Master.
Eric scored a perfect 12-0 in Saturday's simul to publicize the return of the Illinois Chess Tour. Having been paid appropriate hush money, we withhold the names of all victims. Thanks to Mike Cardinale for organizing and for treating seven of us to a wonderful breakfast at Yolk (I hadn't seen Captain Streeter's statue before!), to the kind folks at Marbles for a very nice venue, for Grandmaster Dmitry Gurevich for stopping by to give Eric his good wishes, and to Eric for his volunteer service.
This was the first game to finish, if only because a player with chess culture knows when to resign:
And here's the finale of the last game. Black outplayed Eric in the middlegame. A pawn up, our brave N.N. quite correctly turned down a perpetual check to press Eric for the win. But it's hard to win a queen ending against a 2400, and no one has had more heartbreaking losses than Nomen Nescio:
P.S. Wow, what a boo-boo I made above! Pattern recognition is not the best substitute for thinking....
Eric scored a perfect 12-0 in Saturday's simul to publicize the return of the Illinois Chess Tour. Having been paid appropriate hush money, we withhold the names of all victims. Thanks to Mike Cardinale for organizing and for treating seven of us to a wonderful breakfast at Yolk (I hadn't seen Captain Streeter's statue before!), to the kind folks at Marbles for a very nice venue, for Grandmaster Dmitry Gurevich for stopping by to give Eric his good wishes, and to Eric for his volunteer service.
This was the first game to finish, if only because a player with chess culture knows when to resign:
And here's the finale of the last game. Black outplayed Eric in the middlegame. A pawn up, our brave N.N. quite correctly turned down a perpetual check to press Eric for the win. But it's hard to win a queen ending against a 2400, and no one has had more heartbreaking losses than Nomen Nescio:
P.S. Wow, what a boo-boo I made above! Pattern recognition is not the best substitute for thinking....
Monday, October 31, 2011
This Saturday: Evanston Tri-Level (only $5!)
Another cut-and-paste:
Levy Senior Center 300 Dodge Ave Evanston, IL 60202 Evanston Chess Presents: Tri-Level 4SS G/45 Three Sections USCF Dual Rated Nov 5, 2011 9:00am-5:00pm 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. Four rounds. Digital clocks are required and will be set to G/40 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. 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.
November Top 100 in world
ChessVibes looks at the just-released official FIDE rankings. Hikaru Nakamura (#10) and Gata Kamsky (#19) are the top Americans. Teenager Fabiano Caruana (#23) represents Italy in international play, and also holds dual citizenship in the U.S.
November 12 or 13: GM Akobian Training Session and Simul
Another email cut and paste. Looks like a very nice event! For those of you who would prefer to simply play in the simul, that option is also available.
2 sessions available - Saturday Nov 12 or Sunday Nov 13
Enjoy a 6 hour training session with one of the top Grandmasters in the United States - GM Varuzhan Akobian! GM Akobian helped the US team achieve a bronze medal twice in the 2006 and 2008 Chess Olympiads, and a Silver medal in the 2009 World Team Championships. In 2010 GM Akobian was tapped to become the trainer/coach for the US Men's Olympiad Team as well.
You can join GM Akobian in a 6 hour marathon lecture covering openings, middle game, and end-game. He will review popular opening lines, the ideas behind them and how to transition to the middle game along with middle game strategy, and what to do (and not to do) in the end-game. You'll be invited to ask questions and discuss the pro's and con's of variations, along with testing your inner-GM against this battled hardened veteran with on the spot puzzles and challenges.
The session will begin at 11:30am and continue until 5:30pm. After a 30 minute break, GM Akobian will perform a simul. Feel free to bring your personal chess boards if you want GM Akobian to autograph it for you also! Snacks and beverages will be available.
This session is $75 for members of the North Shore Chess Center and $100 for non-members if registered by Friday evening 9pm on Nov 11. Add an additional $20 at the door. Onsite registrations cannot be guaranteed for space!
Seating is limited to 30 people on a first registered basis.
Register online - http://www.nachess.org/events
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Easy combination with several cute points
We're cribbing once again from Jeff Coakley's Winning Chess Exercises For Kids
White to play and win material
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Seirawan interview in ChessBase
Back when I had hair, Yasser had an Afro....
A good read. I love the following comment for acknowledging one of the major challenges facing players over fifty:
I’m disgusted with the (FIDE) time controls! My chief complaint is that they are not standardized. To my mind, there are three types of chess tournaments: classical, rapid and blitz. Honestly, I don’t care what the time controls for these three disciplines are, only that they should be the same for all tournaments! Today, a “Classical” tournament will have all kinds of different time controls. It is terrible. For a professional, they are constantly recalibrating themselves for all these controls which can be different from event to event in the extreme. This too, has been a failure from FIDE, official federations and the professional players. In fact, it is just stupid.Read the rest of his interview with IM Ana Matnadze at ChessBase.
If I were chess dictator I would say: “For the next two years we will play our three disciplines with these and only these standard time controls. Full stop. At the end of two years, we will review the results. If we discover that some tweaking is necessary, we will change the standard and practice them for two years…” And so forth and so on, eventually settling on the three standards that we all like best, which works for all parties, including organizers.
I would start with a classical time control of 90 minutes for 40 moves with a thirty second bonus for all moves made from move one. For the second time control 30 minutes for 20 moves (with the thirty second bonus); for the third time control 15 minutes (with the thirty second bonus) for the rest of the game. My reasoning for this time control is that a classical game will obviously be the longest of the three disciplines. A player has physical needs, such as nutrition, drinks, visiting the restroom and so on. The three distinct time controls, allow the player to comfortably meet their physical needs. It is simply intolerable to be sitting at the board, with a strong physical need to go to the restroom and being unable to do so because you are playing on increment time only.
Eric Rosen simul this morning: walk-ins welcome!
The exhibition starts at 11 a.m.: arrive by noon and we'll make sure you play!
Click on the image to read the invite!
Friday, October 28, 2011
CICL: Watch out for Loyola!
I play for the Rogue Squadron in the CICL East Division, and we're very fortunate to have David Franklin as our first board. David lost his first game ever in CICL this week, to John Gurczak of Loyola.
The innocuous-looking 4.e3 has teeth. I don't like combining ....dxc4 with ceding the bishop pair after ...Bg4, but top players have done just this several times in 2011, including Bruzon and Gashimov at the World Cup. Kamsky's 7...a6 scores very well for Black, but that could simply be attributable to the fellow pushing the pawns.
And on Board 3, USCF Expert Isaac Braswell was upset by Peter Dimpoulous of Loyola, who won a pawn, then sacked a couple pawns back for a fierce kingside attack. (Isaac is a lightning-fast calculator and a time-trouble addict: even though he lost this game, realize that he was finding reasonable defensive moves in an instant!)
Of course, the Rogue Squadron won 4-2 because we are objectively awesome. But hats off to John, Peter, and our other worthy opponents from Rogers Park!
The innocuous-looking 4.e3 has teeth. I don't like combining ....dxc4 with ceding the bishop pair after ...Bg4, but top players have done just this several times in 2011, including Bruzon and Gashimov at the World Cup. Kamsky's 7...a6 scores very well for Black, but that could simply be attributable to the fellow pushing the pawns.
And on Board 3, USCF Expert Isaac Braswell was upset by Peter Dimpoulous of Loyola, who won a pawn, then sacked a couple pawns back for a fierce kingside attack. (Isaac is a lightning-fast calculator and a time-trouble addict: even though he lost this game, realize that he was finding reasonable defensive moves in an instant!)
Of course, the Rogue Squadron won 4-2 because we are objectively awesome. But hats off to John, Peter, and our other worthy opponents from Rogers Park!
Latvian-American beats six-time Russian champion
Lest we be accused of overhyping the nationalism card, we should note that the genial 1994, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2008, and 2011 Russian champion watches more Showtime series than either Andrew or I do.
ICA Banquet next Sunday, November 6th!
We're at the same location (Buca di Beppo in Lombard), at the same time (1 to 4 p.m.) with a new Broughton Award honoree (Senior Master Andrew Karklins)! The genial Jim Brotsos will be our Master of Ceremonies.
Details here!
Buy your ticket here!
And yes, Andrew's father, 96-year-old NM Erik Karklins, plans to be there as well!
Details here!
Buy your ticket here!
And yes, Andrew's father, 96-year-old NM Erik Karklins, plans to be there as well!
Defenders need to calculate, too
A simple but pleasing example from the very first quiz page of Jeff Coakley's Winning Chess Exercises For Kids. (You may not have realized that you're teaching your students an introduction to geometry!)
White to play: what's White's best move?
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Board 4: Schmakel 1 - Rosenthal 0
NM Sam Schmakel provides one bright spot in this gloomy match. A fun Steinitz Variation of the French leads to a pleasant endgame for White.
During the game, I saw the position after Black's 39th and thought that White's extra horsie was not enough to win. But Sam demonstrates that just as knights have trouble dealing with rook pawns, the kings that escort rook pawns have trouble dealing with knights.
During the game, I saw the position after Black's 39th and thought that White's extra horsie was not enough to win. But Sam demonstrates that just as knights have trouble dealing with rook pawns, the kings that escort rook pawns have trouble dealing with knights.
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