Daily Chess Musings wrapped up its 2022-23 school year in style with a free chess tournament on Saturday, June 3. My students took this opportunity to show off their chess skills at A Very Sunny Academy in Foster City, California. Titled “A Very Sunny Chess Tournament” this event was was the culmination of another year’sContinue reading “A Very Sunny Chess Tournament”
Tag Archives: Bay Area chess
2023 CalChess K-8 Scholastic State Championship
The CalChess K-8 Scholastic Championship is truly one of the most special and memorable events on the Bay Area Chess tournament calendar. I took a stroll around the 2022-23 CalChess K-8 Scholastic State Championship and was quickly reminded why this tournament is commonly referred to as the “Super States!” Enjoy the photos below and lookContinue reading “2023 CalChess K-8 Scholastic State Championship”
The CalChess Journal: Winter 2022-23
Perhaps you’ve heard that the chess scene in Northern California is amazing! See what makes our region special by checking out the Winter 2022-23 Edition of The CalChess Journal. https://www.flipsnack.com/calchessjournal/calchess-journal-winter-2023.html
Photos from the 2023 CalChess K-5 Scholastic State Championship
This past weekend I was in attendance for the historic 2022-23 CalChess Scholastic State Championship and there was no place I rather be! Bay Area Chess put on a great tournament and as the CalChess Scholastic Coordinator I had the pleasure to review dozens of chess games and saying “hi” to hundreds of friends. BeingContinue reading “Photos from the 2023 CalChess K-5 Scholastic State Championship”
Photos from the 2023 US Amateur Team West Championship Scholastic Chess Tournament
The US Amateur Team West Championship is one of the most enjoyable California chess traditions. A team event, the US Amateur Team West attracts all the usual faces and their friends to compete in a weekend long celebration of chess. Each year there is also a USATW Scholastic Tournament. As a chess coach, Editor forContinue reading “Photos from the 2023 US Amateur Team West Championship Scholastic Chess Tournament “
California Chess Players Come Together to Support Scholastic Chess in Africa
The Eade Foundation is sending support for scholastic chess in Capetown, South Africa thanks to some help from the fine young chess players of Mission 360. Readers of this blog will recall an article entitled “NorCal Chess Organizations Working Together in Support of Building Chess Communities in South Africa.” In that post, I described howContinue reading “California Chess Players Come Together to Support Scholastic Chess in Africa”
NorCal Chess Organizations Working Together in Support of Building Chess Communities in South Africa
Join The Eade Foundation, Mission 360 and Bay Area Chess in San Jose, California to play chess and raise funds for Defying the Oddz Chess (South Africa). Chess holds the power to unite continents while giving communities opportunities to learn and grow. Bay Area chess players are invited to further this cause in South AfricaContinue reading “NorCal Chess Organizations Working Together in Support of Building Chess Communities in South Africa “
Chess Photos from the 2022-23 CalChess Grade Level Championship
I had a blast attending the 2022-23 CalChess Grade Level Championship hosted by Bay Area Chess. From the enthusiasm of the young competitors to getting to hear from many fans of my Daily Chess Musings YouTube Channel, I could not have ask for a better way to spend my birthday weekend. I look forward toContinue reading “Chess Photos from the 2022-23 CalChess Grade Level Championship”
Winning Chess Moves: Caruana vs. Lenderman, 2018
The 2018 US Championship was an action packed event. The San Francisco Bay Area’s own Grandmaster Sam Shankland stole the spotlight by taking first place over such pre-tournament favorites such as Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So and Hikaru Nakamura. Norcal chess enthusiasts weren’t exactly shocked by GM Shankland’s championship run as we have long since grownContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Caruana vs. Lenderman, 2018”
Highlights from the 2022 Meltwater Champions Chess Tour Finals in San Francisco
Chess fans around the globe were excited to watch some of our game’s biggest stars competing in the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour Finals in San Francisco. The prestigious event took place on November 14-20, 2022. The format was a round-robin featuring eight elite chess competitors (GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda, GM Arjun Erigaisi, GMContinue reading “Highlights from the 2022 Meltwater Champions Chess Tour Finals in San Francisco “
CalChess Journal Fall 2022
The Fall 2022 issue of the CalChess Journal is a whopping 33 pages filled with California chess news, Bay Area chess results and annotated games from NorCal chess players.
Plenty of Real Chess Drama at the Real Bay Area Championship
Chess players from around the San Francisco Bay Area showed up to battle for a share of the $10,000 prize fund at The Real Bay Area Championship this weekend in Milpitas, California. I took a break from analyzing games to capture photographs of the over-the-board chess drama. Look for a full report on this excitingContinue reading “Plenty of Real Chess Drama at the Real Bay Area Championship “
The CalChess Journal Spring/Summer 2022
The CalChess Journal is the official news magazine for Northern California chess. In the Spring/Summer issue you can read about the most important California chess events of the last several months and see the games of Norcal chess’ top players. Special thanks to Bay Area Chess, The Berkeley Chess School, The Eade Foundation, Mission 360,Continue reading “The CalChess Journal Spring/Summer 2022”
Francisco Friday for 6/10/2022
When it comes to attacking in chess, the stronger, the faster and the more difficult to deal with, the better. In today’s game, attacking maestro Francisco Anchondo uses a well conducted early pawn storm to penetrate his opponent’s defenses with brute force. [Event “Casual Blitz game”] [Date “2022.03.12”] [White “Anonymous”] [Black “Francisco Anchondo”] [Result “0-1”]Continue reading “Francisco Friday for 6/10/2022”
Francisco Friday for 6/3/2022
Popular with beginners who strictly follow the time honored opening principles they have been taught, The Four Knights Opening has a reputation of leading to a rather dull positional game. However, Francisco Anchondo makes a habit of taking an opening with a dull reputation and running it through a metaphoric knife sharpener until it canContinue reading “Francisco Friday for 6/3/2022”
Francisco Friday for 5/20/2022
First debuted by Adolf Albin against Emanuel Lasker in 1893, the Albin Counter Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5) is a good surprise weapon for attacking chess players who seek to take a Queen’s Gambit player out of their prep. Decades ago, Francisco Anchondo taught a masterclass in the San Francisco Bay Area on this hyperContinue reading “Francisco Friday for 5/20/2022”
IM Invitational Norm Tournament 2022 Standings
Mission 360 and Bay Area Chess have teamed up for another IM Norm Tournament in San Jose, California. These prestigious FIDE rated tournaments give much needed opportunities for California’s rising chess stars to earn internationally recognized chess titles. Below is the cross table after the fourth round. As you can see, this event is talentContinue reading “IM Invitational Norm Tournament 2022 Standings”
Francisco Friday for 5/13/2022
Long established San Francisco Bay Area chess instructor Francisco Anchondo turns the tables on the Fried Liver Attack by using the good old Traxler Variation. [Event “Casual Blitz game”] [Date “2022.03.04”] [White “Anonymous”] [Black “Francisco Anchondo”] [Result “0-1”] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kf1 Qe7 7.Nxh8 d5 8.exd5 Nd4 9.c3Continue reading “Francisco Friday for 5/13/2022”
Francisco Friday for 5/6/2022
Attacking maestro Francisco Anchondo had the black pieces in the chess game below. As for white, “Le fue como a los perros en misa.” [Event “Casual Blitz game”] [Date “2022.03.02”] [White “Anonymous”] [Black “Francisco Anchondo”] [Result “0-1”] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 f5 4.d3 Nf6 5.Qc2 Bc5 6.Be2 Bb6 7.Na3 a6 8.b4 d6 9.Bb2 f4Continue reading “Francisco Friday for 5/6/2022”
Francisco Friday for 4/22/22
There’s not a lot of crossover between groups of chess and boxing aficionados despite the two activities sharing many similarities. For example, watching white’s queen movement at the end of this game brings to mind the famous Muhammad Ali quote, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” Also, perhaps the best way to describeContinue reading “Francisco Friday for 4/22/22”