Thursday, June 30, 2011

Solution to Black to Play and Win

Another game from the 90 30 league. And another win by krysto. Some really fine calculating.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

GM Nigel Davies on getting better at chess

The most common area of weakness at club level is probably the endgame; in my experience most club players focus their efforts more on openings which they perceive to be the weakest part of their game. Yet here there is an element of confusion because the definitions ‘opening’ and ‘endgame’ are to a large extent artificial concepts. It would be better instead to define positions as ‘simple’ and ‘complex’ after which it’s easier to understand that the openings will always be unfathomable unless someone first understands the simpler building blocks.

Thus we arrive at the apparent paradox that an immersion in endgames helps players understand the opening better, and the fact that this seems counterintuitive to many means that their entire conception of the nature of chess is flawed. Of course I won’t be able to demonstrate this to anyone’s satisfaction in a short blog post but I’ll leave you with the thought that it’s better to study the endgame.

Black to Move and Win

White just played Nb3. Can you find a win for Black?

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

90 30 League

I recommend playing in the 90 30 league. You sign up and are placed in a 4 person tournament playing each opponent twice. Tournaments are based on ratings, U2000, U1800, U16000 sections etc. so you get to play people near you by rating. Two weeks for each round. It's a lot more casual than the 4545 league. But as a consequence there are a lot of forfeits. But forfeits there only hurt yourself, not your teammates. Actually forfeits hurts your your opponent also. The time control means the game could last 4 hours. So you need to be committed.
Great warm up for the 4545 league.

Here's a game between two element players. A wild game that went back and forth.

milesotoole says "It was a good game between myself and Krysto in the 9030 league. It's a very complicated (or it seemed to me) French. I almost played 1. b3 to avoid his booked-uppedness in the main lines, but thought a direct preparational challenge would lead to more of a fight, and make me learn more about the French. I lost on a blunder of course, but after an interesting struggle."
Thanks krysto for saving the game so we could see it.

The Tomb Game

A great final position.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Solution to White to Play

From Igor Khmelnitsky's excellent book "You vs. Bobby Fischer"Kc2 is the move and a draw is the result.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

White to Move

Bobby Fischer just checked your King. Where do you move it? What result to you expect?

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Seaborgium Wins Nicely

Rhenium Round 6. Seaborgium tears apart a King's Indian.

Leo Forgacs

Forgacs had a short career in International Chess, 1902-1913, but he did beat Alekhine, Spielmann, Tartakower, and Nimzowitsch. Here's a great game.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Campagnolo Annotates His Win

Rhenium Rd 6. Campagnolo kindly gives us his comments on his nice win in the final round.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Friday, June 17, 2011

Round 6 Games

Rhenium Rd 6. A well played game. I think Maarten had something at the end.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Missed The Win

Tellurium Rd 5. az2112 was off form in this game else he would have reversed the result.

MasterOfTheKeys Wins

Selenium Rd 5. Black got a little fancy. MasterOfTheKeys calculated the refutation. Selenium won the match 3.5 to .5

Justi Wins a Short Game

Tellurium Rd 5. One little mistake was all Justi needed.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Ivio Draws

Selenium Round 5. There's a position worth study in this game if you wish to become a better endgame player. And score an extra half point here and there.

Friday, June 10, 2011

FutureGM Wins Nicely

Selenium Rd 5. futureGM punished his opponents' mistakes. Selenium takes a 2-0 lead.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Round 5 Games

Selenium Rd 5. bshribharath played a great attacking game here. Check it out!

A Hard Fought Draw

Rhenium Rd 4. Two masters pounding out good moves. Maarten had to settle for a draw. Rhenium won the match 3-1.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Seaborgium Wins

Rhenium Rd 4. Not the greatest of games, but a great result. The win gave Rhenium the match victory.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Krysto Plays an Endgame

Rubidium Rd 4. I'm really a fan of endgames. With some knowledge you score extra points, get a draw from a loss etc. Helps the rating too. In this game, from an even position, Krysto showed better endgame skills to get the win. Good stuff.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Paulkov Draws

Rhenium Rd 4. I have to play Oblio, at 2603, the highest rated player in the league.

A Missed Opportunity

Tellurium Rd 4. In the diagrammed position, cesaralexander, playing Black, missed a win. Do you see the move?

Friday, June 3, 2011

Campagnolo Wins

Rhenium Rd 4. Campagnolo destroyed his opponent.

Round 4 Games

Niobium Rd 4. Miles dropped a pawn but played great to get perhaps a winning position. The game was drawn.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

DreamCatcher13 Wins

Iridium Rd 3. DreamCatcher13 took advantage of a mistake.

Miles wins

Niobium Rd 3. The team is down 2-1 at this point. Miles gets the clutch win to draw the match.