Author Archives: chessmusings

Puzzle Worthy Position 4

What is black’s best move?    

Multi-Site Chess Tournament Comes to Fremont

   Dear Chess Players, This Saturday (4/9) there will be a very special chess tournament at the Achiever Institute in Fremont. This tournament will simultaneously connect participants in Chess Centers across the country. Participants will compete online and onsite in this innovative new format at Brooklyn, Long Island, and Silicon Valley.    You can RegisterContinueContinue reading “Multi-Site Chess Tournament Comes to Fremont”

Latvia vs USA Chess Match 2015

    Team USA will be winning the Latvia – USA Correspondence Chess Match of 2015 and I helped lead the way as our highest board with a perfect result. My advice is simple, “Keep Calm and Take Your Time.” LAT-USA 2015 TD Kracht, Jörg (IA) Latvia White Black White Black USA Board 1  SIM Roze, Andris  2513 ½ ½ContinueContinue reading “Latvia vs USA Chess Match 2015”

Best State Meet Ever for MSJE!

Coach Joe’s Report on the 2016 Calchess Scholastic State Championships The 2016 Northern California Scholastic Chess Championships were held the weekend of March 19th and 20th at the Santa Clara convention center. Over 900 students and more the 50 schools competed in these championships. Mission San Jose Elementary school (MSJE) of Fremont was the big winnerContinueContinue reading “Best State Meet Ever for MSJE!”

The Chess Engine that Died So AlphaGo Could Live

   AlphaGo, a computer program designed by Google DeepMind, has just one more game to go against top-ranked Go player Lee Sedol in Seoul, South Korea, in a five-game match reminiscent of the 1997 showdown between Deep Blue and Garry Kasparov…. Read the full article via http://ift.tt/1U0Knqe

Final Reminder to Register Your Child for the SPFNO Chess Championship

Dear Fellow Chess Parents,   Do children who play competitive chess develop skills that will give them advantages over their non-chess peers?    Yes, I certainly believe so!   My name is Chris Torres and I am the Organizer for the Susan Polgar Foundation’s National Open for Girls and Boys. If you sign your childContinueContinue reading “Final Reminder to Register Your Child for the SPFNO Chess Championship”

Harold Dondis, 93; Globe chess columnist beat Bobby Fischer

In March 1964, Harold Dondis was carried out of the Wachusett Chess Club in Fitchburg on the shoulders of his peers after he defeated future world champion Bobby Fischer. At the time, Mr…. Read the full article via http://ift.tt/1TKMlXR

Upcoming Chess Tournament

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Winter Scholastic January 9, 2016 @ BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, 1290 Parkmoor Ave, San Jose, CA 95126 (9:30am-5:30pm; please check in by 9am) Two Sections: Non-Rated and USCF Rated Non-Rated Section ($35/player) – Open to players who have played either 1 USCF Rated tournament or never played a tournament before. NoContinueContinue reading “Upcoming Chess Tournament”

It’s Your Move: daily chess puzzle # 157

Examine all biffs yet again works. 1…Bf2+! wins a pawn after 2 Qf2 Qc4; so instead 2 Kf2, when 2…Qc5+ 3 Kf1 Ng4! and the threat of 4…Nh2 mate means that White can’t move his Bc4, so that Ne3+ next move captures it. Or 2….Ng4+ is probably stronger, with 3 Kg1 being met by 3…Qc5+ContinueContinue reading “It’s Your Move: daily chess puzzle # 157”

#HappyNewYear from the Torres Chess and Music Academy

2015 was a banner year for scholastic chess in Northern California! One of the high points was undoubtedly the California premier of the Susan Polgar Foundation National Open for Girls and Boys. The feedback we received about the tournament was overwhelmingly positive with some very insightful suggestions as to what parents and coaches would likeContinueContinue reading “#HappyNewYear from the Torres Chess and Music Academy”

A crafty stalemate

From page 57 of Hendricks Move First, Think Later, Chapter 6 Pattern-like Knowledge. The following position is a good example of how we look for patterns in chess and fail to see solutions that do not fit into those. See if you can find the draw for white here, I know I certainly couldn’t…. Read the fullContinueContinue reading “A crafty stalemate”

Remembering Emory Tate on the Occasion of his Birthday

  Tomorrow, 12/27/2015, would have been Emory Tate’s 57th birthday. Emory left chess enthusiasts with so much to remember him by that he will truly never be forgotten. Below, I am sharing Emory’s account of his victory in a blindfold simul held just one week before his untimely passing. All of the colorful annotations areContinueContinue reading “Remembering Emory Tate on the Occasion of his Birthday”