This month’s chess combination comes from a nice win I had over “Flash,” the number two ranked player on VelocityChess.com. Each Month I will select one combination that I played in a real game to examine in detail for the benefit of my students and readers. When it is your turn, the first thingContinueContinue reading “April’s Chess Combination of the Month”
Tag Archives: chess
Oops She Did It Again!
To most fans of college athletics, a coach fails unless he/she wins it all every time. To Susan Polgar, the head coach of Webster University’s Chess Team, success and failure are connected like cause and effect. Still, her unique philosophy on coaching chess has allowed her to set a record that even the harshestContinueContinue reading “Oops She Did It Again!”
Susan Polgar Explains Her Coaching Philosophy
Susan Polgar is, in my humble opinion, the best chess coach in the United States. Her achievement of coaching two different division 1 colleges to National Chess Championships on several occasions speaks volumes as to her abilities. I believe Susan’s coaching philosophy should prove useful for coaches of any discipline. Obtained from http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2014/04/my-coaching-philo<a href="http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2014/04/my-coaching-philosophy.html?m=1 ManyContinueContinue reading “Susan Polgar Explains Her Coaching Philosophy”
Calchess Scholastic Super State Championship: Preview 2
Throughout its 39 year history, there have been many great leaders who organized the Calchess Scholastic State Championships. Each of them has led with unique talents and in different circumstances. Tonight I present to you my brief interview with one of the best chess promoters in the history of California chess, Salman Azhar. (For easeContinueContinue reading “Calchess Scholastic Super State Championship: Preview 2”
Who are playing in the 2014 College Chess Final Four?
Who are playing in the 2014 College Chess Final Four?. Susan Polgar has the answers. Webster University Ray Robson Georg Meier Wesley So Le Quang Liem Fidel Corrales Jimenez Anatoly Bykhovksy Head Coach: GM Susan Polgar UMBC Niclas Huschenbeth Akshayraj Kore Levan Bregadze Nazi Paikidze Sabina Foisor Head Coach: GM Sam Palatnik University of IllinoisContinueContinue reading “Who are playing in the 2014 College Chess Final Four?”
Calchess Scholastic Super State Championship: Preview 1
Without a doubt, the best scholastic chess tournament in Northern California for the past six years has been the Calchess Scholastic State Championship. Every Spring, nearly one thousand school aged chess players compete in a single weekend of matches to determine who the best chess players and school chess teams are in Northern California. InContinueContinue reading “Calchess Scholastic Super State Championship: Preview 1”
My First Impressions of Velocity Chess
After arriving at velocitychess.com, I signed up through my Facebook account and was up and running in less than a minute. Immediately, the site will take new users on a “tour” that demonstrates some of Velocity Chess’ unique offerings. Some items on the tour that I found worthwhile were: 1) Free chess play for everyoneContinueContinue reading “My First Impressions of Velocity Chess”
March’s Chess Combination of the Month
“Chess is 99% tactics” – Richard Teichmann Richard Teichmann (24 December 1868 – 15 June 1925) was an excellent chess teacher and a powerful chess player from Germany. This month tactical shot is dedicated to him. Below is the entire game. The answer to the puzzle is in bold font. [Event “Training Game”]ContinueContinue reading “March’s Chess Combination of the Month”
Crime and Punishment on the Chessboard (Tijuana Style!)
Francisco Anchondo showed me another example of why players throughout Mexico revere his chess skills. [Event “Blitz”] [Site “Tijuana, Mexico”] [Date “14.1.26”] [Round “”] [White “Anchondo, Francisco”] [Black “Morales, Juan”] [Result “”] [Eco “D00”] [Annotator “Chris Torres”] {[Blackmar-Diemer Gambit,D00]} 1.d4 d5 2.e4 {!} {Francisco is usually happy to gambit a couple pawns toContinueContinue reading “Crime and Punishment on the Chessboard (Tijuana Style!)”
The Future of Chess has Arrived at River Islands Technology Academy in Lathrop, California
The Torres Chess and Music Academy brings chess instruction to the twenty-first century classroom. Parents in Lathrop, California are growing accustomed to seeing their kindergartener’s eyes glued to the screen of an iPad. Often times their child isn’t watching a movie or playing a kid’s game. Instead, kindergarteners around town are turning to the iPadContinueContinue reading “The Future of Chess has Arrived at River Islands Technology Academy in Lathrop, California”
Fork Trick or Treat
“One way to find food for thought is to use the fork in the road, the bifurcation that marks the place of emergence in which a new line of development begins to branch off.”-William Irwin Thompson “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”-Yogi Berra Had it not been for the President’sContinueContinue reading “Fork Trick or Treat”
Fremont Girls Dominate Calchess Championship
On February first, girls from all over Northern California headed to Saint Marks School in San Rafael for the annual Calchess Girls’ Championship. The talented few who finished in first place were awarded the title of Calchess State Girls Champion and given fabulous trophies to commemorate their achievement. Once again, girls from Fremont, California dominatedContinueContinue reading “Fremont Girls Dominate Calchess Championship”
An Open Letter to Mr. Albert Garibaldi, Superintendent: Banta School District
Mr. Albert Garibaldi, Superintendent: Banta School District First of all, let me congratulate you on the success of Banta Elementary School District’s charter with the River Island Technology Academy in Lathrop. I have been involved in education for 16 years and have never witnessed the birth of such an ambitious undertaking. Under the leadership ofContinueContinue reading “An Open Letter to Mr. Albert Garibaldi, Superintendent: Banta School District”
2014 USCF Absolute Championship
Since 1976, the USCF Absolute Championship has provided only the strongest correspondence chess players in the United States with a chance to compete in a closed USCF correspondence chess championship. It is my honor and privilege to be participating in this event for the second time. Below is the official table with the participants namesContinueContinue reading “2014 USCF Absolute Championship”
Two Chess Books to Rule Them All
Quora answer to: “What is the best chess book for learning chess?” Empirical methods of training in chess have rapidly improved over the last century and a half. In the mid nineteenth century, only a few good chess manuals were available to learn strategies from and students of the game really had to live inContinueContinue reading “Two Chess Books to Rule Them All”
Calchess Grade Level State Championship 2014
On January 11-12, several hundred of the most talented young chess players in Norther California attended the Calchess Grade Level State Championship at the SFO Airport Hyatt Regency. Students from the Torres Chess and Music Academy’s school program at Mission San Jose Elementary School once again dominated every grade they fielded a team in. TheContinueContinue reading “Calchess Grade Level State Championship 2014”
Happy New Year: The Best of my Chess Musings for 2013
As I look back on the past 12-months, I can say it has been quite a year for chess! With a new World Chess Champion and business for my nonprofit booming, I anticipate another fun and exciting year in 2014. To end 2013, I have chosen to recap my most popular chess posts of thisContinueContinue reading “Happy New Year: The Best of my Chess Musings for 2013”
World Chess Championship 2013: Anand Drops His Sword in Round 9
Behind by two points with a maximum of four rounds left, Anand had to attack with the white pieces in round 9 because he faced the grim prospect of never having another opportunity to make the first move as a World Champion again. Vishy chose “pawn to d4” as his first move in, what willContinueContinue reading “World Chess Championship 2013: Anand Drops His Sword in Round 9”
World Chess Championship 2013: A Flawless Draw in Round 8
I actually really enjoyed round 8 of the 2013 Fide World Championship Chess Match. First off, Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand played an opening variation of the Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense that has not been used in World Championship play since 1886! Secondly, Carlsen and Anand played a flawless chess game and continued toContinueContinue reading “World Chess Championship 2013: A Flawless Draw in Round 8”
World Chess Championship 2013: Anand Stops the Bleeding in Round 7
After two difficult losses in game 5 and game 6, Viswanathan Anand was able to regain his form and create a draw in round 7. To his fans, this was seen as a disappointing result. Anand’s many critics seem unable to comprehend that, “Sometimes, in order to win the war, you must first stop theContinueContinue reading “World Chess Championship 2013: Anand Stops the Bleeding in Round 7”