This week’s submission comes from a student in Fremont California and deals with the age old question of which is better, a queen or two rooks. Generally a queen is stronger against uncoordinated rooks and especially so with pawns on both sides of the board. However, in our feature position, black’s rooks are already workingContinue reading “Viewer Requests: Position of the Week 2”
Tag Archives: chess analysis
Viewer Requests: Position of the Week 1
Chess Dad & Coach Arun from Fremont California asked me to break this complex endgame down for his students. Watch below to see how this position plays out.
Available Now: Private Lessons with Chess Coach Chris Torres
Dramatic checkmating combinations and vast tactical complications, a thick forest of opening trees and the esoteric plans of the ancient masters – the chessboard is a place of stunning creativity and eternal curiosity. Through it we can escape into a world of untamed gambits, beautiful sacrifices and fascinating storylines. Sign up for a customized oneContinue reading “Available Now: Private Lessons with Chess Coach Chris Torres”
Chess Think
If a picture can be worth a thousand words than I suppose it’s justifiable that I used two YouTube videos to explain a single chess position. These two episodes are part of a series dedicated to describing thought processes that will lead you to making better decisions during your chess games. Episode One andContinue reading “Chess Think”
The Best Chess Analysis
Chess games are a lot like feature movies. For instance, the chess moves can be thought of as the dialogue, strategic themes are the plot, and tactics are the fight scenes. Sometimes endgames are the final battle and other times just an epilogue. The average movie goer, much like an amateur chess player, often catchContinue reading “The Best Chess Analysis”
Carlsen vs Anand 2014 World Chess Championship: Game 8 Analysis
After an epic battle of 122 moves in round 7, both contestants returned to the chess board in round 8 looking a little worse for the wear. Carlsen, in a World Championship first, even fell asleep in his chair during the early going of the game. Being a point down in the match, Anand returnedContinue reading “Carlsen vs Anand 2014 World Chess Championship: Game 8 Analysis”
Carlsen vs Anand 2014 World Chess Championship: Game 7 Analysis
The best chess education available comes from attempting to grasp the work of the greatest masters. In game 7 of the 2014 FIDE World Chess Championship Match between Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand, students of the game are treated to a battle between the great master of maneuvering and the great master of the fortress.Continue reading “Carlsen vs Anand 2014 World Chess Championship: Game 7 Analysis”
Carlsen vs Anand 2014 Word Chess Championship: Game 3 Analysis
Viswanathan Anand was in a desperate search for a victory in Round 3 and he found it! A large portion of today’s game followed established Queen’s Gambit Declined Theory. On move seventeen, it was obvious by Magnus Carlsen’s agonized expression and long pause that he was unprepared for Anand’s Ng5. What followed was a brilliant displayContinue reading “Carlsen vs Anand 2014 Word Chess Championship: Game 3 Analysis”
Carlsen vs. Anand 2014 World Chess Championship: Game 2 Analysis
Game 2 of the 2014 Fide World Championship between Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand will likely set the tone for the rest of the match. Magnus Carlsen chose to begin with 1) e4 and Anand attempted to steer the game into an early endgame by way of the Berlin Defense. (Those who followed last yearsContinue reading “Carlsen vs. Anand 2014 World Chess Championship: Game 2 Analysis”
An American in Tromso
Sam Shankland is sensational in his Chess Olympiad debut. After eight rounds against a difficult international field, Grandmaster Sam Shankland of the United States remains undefeated in Tromso, Norway. Those of us from the United States and especially California couldn’t be prouder of our representative at the 41st Chess Olympiad. Below is my personalContinue reading “An American in Tromso”
What is the Best Sacrifice in the History of Chess?
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” Helen Keller My answer to “What is the Best Sacrifice in the History of Chess?” as asked on Quora. Before I explain my choice for the best sacrifice in the history of chess,Continue reading “What is the Best Sacrifice in the History of Chess?”
Anand-Gelfand 2012: Round 6
Game six of the 2012 World Chess Championship between Viswanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand began in exactly the same manner as games two and four. By move six, Boris Gelfand decided to try a different line against Anand’s Semi-Slav. The real fun began when Anand decided to gambit a pawn on move 14. Unfazed by his opponent’s ingenuity, GelfandContinue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: Round 6”
Anand-Gelfand 2012: Round 1
Round 1 of the 2012 World Chess Championship between Viswanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand was a spectacular contest. My only disappointment with the game is that it did not last longer. Anand, as I had predicted, played 1. d4 to kick things off. It was Boris Gelfand’s choice of the Grunfeld Defense which surprised chess enthusiasts the world over. Gelfand,Continue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: Round 1”
2009 Tal Memorial: Round 6
Today Kramnik was able to win his game multiple times do to inaccurate play on both his and Ponomariov’s part. I am in shock that the same Kramnik that missed 19.Qxh7+ played such a precise endgame. Thanks to Ponomariov, Kramnik was able to pull ahead of Anand and is now in first place all byContinue reading “2009 Tal Memorial: Round 6”