All Around The Maypole

It looks bleak for White. Down two passed pawns. White to move. Your task is to find the draw.

White to Play

You've probably seen this before but it's always a good idea to look at famous chess combinations to re-enforce the ideas in your mind. That way you can quickly spot the same ideas in your own games.

Solution to Black to Play Pts 1 to 4

Black to Play Part 4

Black to Play Part 3

Black to Play Part 2

Credit for this position goes to IM Igor Khmelnitsky from his book "Chess Exam: Tactics"

Black to Play

You're playing Black. What's your move?

Cesaralexander Wins A Good Game

cesaralexander joins Tellurium for T49
Here's a wild game he won a few seasons ago.

Seaborgium With A Clutch Victory

Seaborgium rejoins Rhenium for T49.
The game here is from T45. This was the situation: Round 6. The team needed a win to make the playoffs. No other result would work. The other three games were drawn. So it all came down to this game. Seaborgium made his offers but Cristina made none. Just before the final deadline Cristina made a forum post "I accept so and so time" but didn't actually post the agreed time. This so called game time came and went with no game being played. The deadline passed. Our team argued that since Cristina had neither made any offers nor accepted one, the game should be forfeited. The TD thought otherwise and instructed Cristina to accept one the remaining offers, post it, or forfeit. Cristina did so but the accepted offer, the only one possible, was less than 24 hours away. Seaborgium, as per the rules, did not have to accept this time. He could simply ignore it and get a fofeit win. And we're in the playoffs. I would never suggest to a player not to play a game. We all just want to play. But privately I thought that he should take the forfeit so we all could play some more in the playoffs. So when the game time approached I logged on to ICC. And there was Seaborgium starting his game. We all were going to kill him if he lost. So you can see there was a lot tension and excitement about this game.

So we got into the playoffs and made it to the championship round. We lost this match but not on the chessboard, but by a TD decision. But that's a story for another day.

Barie Shows Some Tactics

Barie joins Rubidium for T49. Here he plays a good game. Two nice tactics eventually lead to a winning endgame.

Justi Draws Mecking

Justi joins Tellurium for T49. Here, in a simul, he battles the famous Henrique Mecking to a draw.

Solution to White to Play

There's a really nice combination here. I hope you found it.

White to Play

How do you win this?

Time To Sign Up For T49

If you haven't already done so, you need to update your profile to be able to play in T49. Your team mates await you. Don't let this happen to your dog.

Solution to Can White Win?

Can White Win?

White to move.

Should Black Play Bxd5. NO

The game is from the book "The Best Move" by Hort and Jansa. One of the best chess books ever. It had a very limited printing and had a big problem. The binding was horrible, the pages literally fall out of the book. I saw a perfect copy of the book being offered on ebay for $900. Even some copies of the book bound together with a rubber-band were going for $100. That's what my copy looks like.
As for this position. ..Bxd5 is incorrect.

Oblio vs. Uwak

Two of the best players in the league going at it a playoff game. Uwak's league rating is over 2600. A great game.

Should Black Play Bxd5

You're playing Black. Should you play ..Bxd5.

Solution to Black to play

bshribharath Wins a Great Game

Selenium Playoff Round 1. The final game of T48 for Selenium and all the element teams. Another outstanding game by bshribharath. Really good Chess.

Black to Play

Black has a material advantage but White has a dangerous attack threatening Ne6
How would you defend?

The Fast Play Virus Costs Another Game

I usually don't include clock times but here I must.
This is an important playoff game. Black, instead of trying hard, played a blitz game. This hurt himself and the team. This is a pet peeve of mine.
USE YOUR TIME AND THINK.

Rubidium Eliminated from the Playoffs

In their very first league Rubidium got to the playoffs. Very impressive. 4 wins and 2 loses got them a wild card. Although there is one game left they've been eliminated.
Congratulations to Berke, krysto (Captain), Elalfer, Tamky70, and Traho on a great season. Can't wait for T49.

Selenium Eliminated from the Playoffs

Selenium had a really good season. Won their division scoring 4 wins, 1 draw, and just one loss. They still have one game left in the playoffs but can't effect the outcome. Some really good chess was played.
Congratulations to DreamCatcher13, bshribharath, Ivio, Salvatore, and hcube.
And a great job by their Captain Salvatore.

Salvatore Draws

Selenium Playoff Round 1. An interesting game.

Scheduling Your Game

one-over (GMT-5h) and krysto (GMT-6h) have been paired for a game in this round
one-over: Hello Mr. Krysto, I can play between the hours of 8am and 9:30pm any day. She who must be obeyed tells me I still have to do the windows and curtins after the game. If I win, I only have to do the windows and curtins, if I lose, I will have clean out the barn also.
krysto: Hi Mr. One-Over, Monday 29 Nov at 20.00 ICC is ok for you?
one-over: Hello Mr. Krysto, Yes 11/29/10 at 20:00 is fine with me. Of course that means that I will be up until 6 or 7 am doing winders and curtins for she who must be obeyed, but I am used to that. And if I have to clean the barn I will really be in trouble. I would of course appreciate it if you take this into consideration as I do have a bad knee. I may be able to get myself out of this mess by promising to take, she who must be obeyed bear hunting. Any bears where you live? The last time I took her bear hunting, she shot 3 bears and some kid named Goldilocks, she mumbled something about porrige and I had no idea what she was talking about. sincerely, one-over aka Bill
krysto: Bill, I wish I could help you, but me team really needs me to win. So, that barn is about to be cleaned on Monday, it's a matter of destiny. However, I'm sure we'll have a tough and long game, she might take that in consideration. Anyway, the good thing is that you'll have a nice, clean and healthy enviroment on thursday morning. Sorry about the bears.
An agreed time has been posted of Monday, November 29th 2010, 20:00
one-over: Hello Mr. Krysto, In order to give myself an edge in our game and to avoid cleaning the barn, I will have to resort to my tricky board setup. You will notice that I will have 3 rooks and 7 pawns. She who must be obeyed, says that it is in her rules for chess. My team captain noticed that I was using the same excuse, winders and curtins, that I used in my last game. He will be impressed with my choice of using 3 rooks. Sincerely, one-over aka Bill
krysto won the game and one-over had to do the winders and curtins AND the barn.

Positional Masterpiece

When you think of the 1800's you expect slashing attacks. But Stenitz, the first World Champion, had a different approach.

A Chess Lesson

A must see. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OeIVkQgHcg

April Fools!

No we're not changing the names, although I do like Chickenium. In fact we may be adding one or two new teams. If you know someone who wants to play or if you're a reader of this blog and want to join an Element team, send a message to Paulkov on ICC.

What's Your Move for Black Solution

No brilliancy here. You simply play ..d3 where Black wins a piece. White has some compensation but a piece is a piece. The same position occurred in a Frank Marshall game from 1927.

New Team Names

April 1, 2011 After extensive discussions with all the Captains, it has been decided to change the team names effective in T49. We still wish to keep to a general theme for the names so they will be named after barnyard animals. Therefore Rhenium will now become Cows, Tellurium: Chickens, Selenium: Sheep, Niobium: Pigs, and Rubidium: Horses. There was some thought of adding a "ium" to the end, for example, Cowium and Chickenium, but that would just be silly. Please feel free to comment on this change.