Sam drew one of the toughest possible opponents in Round 1: Peter Leko, who came within a few moves of winning the World Championship in 2004. But Shankland won! Rook and bishop vs. rook and knight endings are maddeningly difficult, even for endgame virtuosos.
When I was preparing for my first classical game against IM Florin Felecan a couple years ago, I was suprised to find that he had played several games against Peter Leko when both were teenagers.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
World Cup Round 1, Game 1
Yury Shulman has had great success in previous World Cups. But his first round pairing is the formidable Vladimir Potkin, winner of this year's European Individual Championship.
Yury has a quiet draw with White. Now he has to hold with Black and win the tiebreaks.
Yury has a quiet draw with White. Now he has to hold with Black and win the tiebreaks.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Strong Chicago showing in L.A.
I have yet to see games from the 1st Metropolitan Chess Inter,national , a 9-round norm event held August 17-21 in Los Angeles. But our local players certainly did well. GM Mesgen Amanov tied for second with a 6½-2½ score. GM Dmitry Gurevich had a mediocre event, but still scored 5½-3½. Eric Rosen had an IM norm in his grasp, but lost against IM Mark Ginsberg in the last round. (Note to Eric: I beat Mark Ginsberg when I was sixteen.) And NM Adarsh Jayakumar beat up on the locals (including IM Jack Peters) and gained some ELO with his 4½-4½ score.
GM Michael Adams simply outclassed the field: he won with a 7½-1½ score. One wouldn't want to be playing him in the World Cup!
GM Michael Adams simply outclassed the field: he won with a 7½-1½ score. One wouldn't want to be playing him in the World Cup!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Applause
Rumor has it that there's an organization called the Chess Journalists of America. (I cannot find a website for "Watching Paint Dry Journalists of America.")
As with the Academy Awards, the CJA occasionally honors someone who richly deserves it. This is one of those rare moments: congratulations, Maret!
CJA Best [USCF] State Chapter Website Runner-up
Official website of the State of Illinois' USCF chapter
Designed by Maret Thorpe
Sunday, August 21, 2011
From Chess Cafe to chess in cafés
National Master Vince Berry has a bright thought: we should compile a list of chess-friendly restaurants, cafés, and other businesses that give a home to casual chess. Chess happens in surprising places.
In the 1980s, Vince and I used to play at the legendary P-K4 barbershop across the street from Holy Name Cathedral, and Vince remembers a resale shop at Roscoe and Damen that supports casual play. You'd always find Rick Lang and the late Raj Yahya at Ennui (Lunt and Sheridan, in the same building as Papa Dee's Chicago Chess Club); it's closed now! Memories like these are nice, but tell us where you're playing chess now.
I go to Pressure Billiards & Cafe (6318 N. Clark) to study chess. It's not a chess hotbed, but it's chess-friendly. Sometimes a friend will be on ICC, and sometimes I'll get suckered into playing blitz risers.
In the 1980s, Vince and I used to play at the legendary P-K4 barbershop across the street from Holy Name Cathedral, and Vince remembers a resale shop at Roscoe and Damen that supports casual play. You'd always find Rick Lang and the late Raj Yahya at Ennui (Lunt and Sheridan, in the same building as Papa Dee's Chicago Chess Club); it's closed now! Memories like these are nice, but tell us where you're playing chess now.
I go to Pressure Billiards & Cafe (6318 N. Clark) to study chess. It's not a chess hotbed, but it's chess-friendly. Sometimes a friend will be on ICC, and sometimes I'll get suckered into playing blitz risers.
"The process of elimination"
Sherlock Holmes enjoyed berating Watson for failing to execute this procedure:
For example, what's White's best move in the above position?
Dvoretsky's The Instructor is the best monthly column on the web for players at or above the advanced intermediate level. If you print out a couple dozen columns from the Chess Cafe archives, you'll have enough material for a couple dozen afternoons in your favorite café! (Bring your set.)
"You will not apply my precept," he said, shaking his head. "How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth? We know that he did not come through the door, the window, or the chimney. We also know that he could not have been concealed in the room, as there is no concealment possible. When, then, did he come?"Mark Dvoretsky's current column in Chess Cafe has some wonderful examples of applying the principle of excluding possibilities in practical play. You don't have to calculate why your chosen move is best if you already know that the alternatives lose!
J. Moravec, 1925
White to play
For example, what's White's best move in the above position?
Dvoretsky's The Instructor is the best monthly column on the web for players at or above the advanced intermediate level. If you print out a couple dozen columns from the Chess Cafe archives, you'll have enough material for a couple dozen afternoons in your favorite café! (Bring your set.)
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Labor Day Scholastic at 2011 Illinois Open
Kick off the 2011-12 scholastic season in Oak Brook this September 3rd with a great new four-round event held in conjunction with the Illinois Open State Championship. Read all about it here! You'll get to see grandmasters and masters play for the state championshp.
You can register for either the one-day scholastic event or the two-day or three day sections of the Championship here.
And here's the listing for both events in the ICA Calendar.
Events this weekend
In Skokie Aug 19-21st, it's the 6th North American Amateur Open at the North Shore Chess Center. (Check the rating requirements, however: if your rating is below 1600 or you don't have a FIDE rating, you may not be able to play.)
In Northbrook on Sunday the 21st, it's the 3rd Coast Challenge XIII.
As always, check out the ICA Tournament Calendar to find out what's going on!
In Northbrook on Sunday the 21st, it's the 3rd Coast Challenge XIII.
As always, check out the ICA Tournament Calendar to find out what's going on!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Things I learn from beginners' books
Or in this case, a CD for beginners, the incredibly good Chess Tutor - Step 1.
Can you answer these three questions in less than five seconds?
Can you answer these three questions in less than five seconds?
- How many ranks does a chessboard have? (I bet you know that.)
- How many files does a chessboard have? (I bet you know that, too.)
- How many diagonals does a chessboard have? (I had no idea!)
The Illinois Chess Tour Is Back!
Another email cut-and paste!
The ICA is excited to announce the resumption of the Illinois Chess Tour for the coming year 2012.
The new format features 10 premier chess events and begins with the 26th edition of the Tim Just Winter Open this January.
ICA Metro Vice President Mike Cardinale has spearheaded the effort, and will serve as the inaugural Tour Commissioner, with assistance from some dedicated volunteers. Any ICA members who are interested in aiding the effort may contact Mike at metrovp@il-chess.org.
Stay tuned to our website for further details about the new Tour, including a kick-off event planned for this fall.
Play in the 2011 Illinois Open in Oak Brook this Labor Day weekend!
From the Illinois Chess Association's email newsletter:
2011 Illinois Open
Come join us at the 2011 Illinois Open. We expect to have GM Dmitry Gurevich, GM Mesegen Amanov, IM Angelo Young, FM Aleksandar Stamnov, FM Nikhilesh Kumar Kunche, FM Timur Aliyev! There will be plus score prizes, and all players can claim a three month extension to their ICA membership.
Chess for Life Website: http://chessforlife.com/chess/Ilopen11/ilopen11.html
Online Entry at: http://chessforlife.com/chess/Ilopen11/paypal.html
2011 Illinois Open
Come join us at the 2011 Illinois Open. We expect to have GM Dmitry Gurevich, GM Mesegen Amanov, IM Angelo Young, FM Aleksandar Stamnov, FM Nikhilesh Kumar Kunche, FM Timur Aliyev! There will be plus score prizes, and all players can claim a three month extension to their ICA membership.
- September 3, 2011 - September 5, 2011
- $11,000 prizes based on 250 entries
- 3 day schedule and 2 day schedule
- 6 Rounds
- Increment: G/90 + 30 seconds
- Pre-entry $79, At-the-door $90
- DoubleTree Hotel; 1909 Spring Road; Oak Brook, Illinois 60523
- Side Event: Individual Scholastic Trophy Tournament
- Side Event: Saturday G/25
Chess for Life Website: http://chessforlife.com/chess/Ilopen11/ilopen11.html
Online Entry at: http://chessforlife.com/chess/Ilopen11/paypal.html
Monday, August 15, 2011
Eric Rosen article in Chess Life
The author is Eric's mother Andi, so expect the piece to be hard-hitting. Eric also annotates the win against IM Marc Arnold that gave him the National High School title.
PDF here! The article originally appeared in the August 2011 Chess Life. Our thanks to CL editor Dan Lucas for giving the Illinois Chess Association permission to republish.
PDF here! The article originally appeared in the August 2011 Chess Life. Our thanks to CL editor Dan Lucas for giving the Illinois Chess Association permission to republish.
Call for CPS technology donations: Carter G. Woodson School
Trevor Scott gave me permission to republish this email:
Trevor Scott
Technology Coordinator, Carter G. Woodson South
773-535-1250
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I know that even with budgets tightening, technology upgrades are still done in corporate and federal entities, therefore, I am asking that any old equipment that is recycled or trashed to be donated to Carter G. Woodson School South, 4414 S. Evans. We are directly next door to a charter school with the same name so the address is of extreme importance to know the difference between the two schools. We are a windows based school with wireless capabilities and kids who just want a fair chance to succeed.
Our immediate needs are:
- Laptops
- Network/individual printers
- Desktops (preferably windows based and no older than 5 years)
- Flat screen monitors
- Copy machines
- LCD projectors
Thank you in advance for your consideration. If you need any further information then please feel free to reply to this e-mail or call the school directly and ask for Trevor Scott at your earliest convenience.
Trevor Scott
Technology Coordinator, Carter G. Woodson South
773-535-1250
Hardware is not just needed for the classroom: with the right software, it's invaluable for turning absolute beginners into strong players.
Your local public, parochial, or private school could also use some help, too. If you're a teacher or volunteer seeking donations for your school, or if your business is swapping out XP machines for Windows 7 machines, I'd be happy to facilitate the matchmaking process!
Cognitive blind spots
As we get "better" at chess, we see the board more quickly, but we may also stop seeing certain things.
In the following position, White can sacrifice his queen profitably. How?
And here's the question I couldn't answer when Mesgen Amanov told me to look for a queen sac: how many ways does White have to sacrifice his queen? I only counted three squares, and literally could not see the best move! The confusion eventually cleared.
Answer here.
In the following position, White can sacrifice his queen profitably. How?
And here's the question I couldn't answer when Mesgen Amanov told me to look for a queen sac: how many ways does White have to sacrifice his queen? I only counted three squares, and literally could not see the best move! The confusion eventually cleared.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)