Last night after a long day teaching chess which culminated with a private lesson for chess prodigy Ben Rood, I came home and decided to relax by playing a couple blitz games on FICS. As usual, I won a couple and lost a couple. In the past I have noticed that I have more creative ways of handling routineContinueContinue reading “Teaching Chess Improves Chess Creativity”
Tag Archives: chess
Help Send Ben Rood to Slovenia
To the Supporters of Northern California Chess, On November 2, 2012 California chess super-star Ben Rood will leave for Maribor, Slovenia in order to compete in the FIDE World Youth Chess Championships. Ben Rood asked his family to attend for support as he battles the best eight-year-olds from around the globe. A family trip toContinueContinue reading “Help Send Ben Rood to Slovenia”
A Variation on a Theme by Morphy
Todays lesson examines the Morphy Variation of the Two Knights Defense (Fried Liver Attack.) Adi Kisieu is a talented young chess player from Oakland, California who, in this game, invented an interesting theoretical novelty on move 15 of a very frequently played opening. Unfortunately for his novelty, Adi used unfocused aggression and ended up giving his teacher a niceContinueContinue reading “A Variation on a Theme by Morphy”
Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012: Round 1
White had all the fun in round 1 of the 2012 Mikhail Tal Memorial chess tournament. Four games were won by players with the white pieces and black managed no better than a draw on the remaining board. This is a dramataic turn of events for the chess fans of Moscow. After being treated toContinueContinue reading “Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012: Round 1”
Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012: Round 1 Preview
Round 1 of the 2012 Mikhail Tal Memorial Chess Tournament is about to begin. After a hard fought 9 round blitz tournament, we now have a clearer picture of what to expect in the main event. First off, Alexander Morozevich surprised his Russian fans by winning the blitz tournament on his home turf in Moscow.ContinueContinue reading “Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012: Round 1 Preview”
Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012
It’s almost time for the most exciting chess tournament of the year to begin. The seventh annual Tal Memorial Chess Tournament in Moscow will have its opening ceremonies on June 7. It is important to clarify the distinction between the main tournament and the blitz tournament do to the fact that the same 10 players will battleContinueContinue reading “Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012”
It’s a Great Time to Play Correspondence Chess in the United States
The United States is truly becoming one of the greatest countries in the world of correspondence chess. Our Olympiad team has made the world finals in every Correspondence Chess Olympiad from the thirteenth to the eighteenth in 2012. Since the year 2000, the ICCF has awarded 80 international titles to correspondence chess players living in theContinueContinue reading “It’s a Great Time to Play Correspondence Chess in the United States”
Anand-Gelfand 2012: Blogs for Game 12
As the world awaits game 12 of the 2012 World Chess Championship Match between Viswanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand, I thought I might mention the best chess blogs that are providing coverage of the event. Below is a list of 12 Blogs I have been visiting to read more about the Anand-Gelfand match: Alexandra Kosteniuk’s blog on Chess news.ContinueContinue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: Blogs for Game 12”
Anand-Gelfand 2012: Game 11
Game 11 of the 2012 World Chess Championship match between Anand and Gelfand was nearly decided by the clock. Inexplicably, Boris Gelfand became uncomfortable with the position and used 40 minutes of his time to choose a relatively routine move early in the game. Gelfand is truly lucky that his clock management issue in game 11 did not end up becoming theContinueContinue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: Game 11”
Anand-Gelfand 2012: Game 10
Before the start of the 2012 World Chess Championship, many notable experts on chess considered Boris Gelfand to be a weak contender and a huge underdog against Viswanathan Anand. Now that ten hard games have been fought, the underdog has proven himself to be the equal of the world champion. Perhaps Boris Gelfand will surprise the world again by demonstrating hisContinueContinue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: Game 10”
Anand-Gelfand 2012: Game 9
Game 9 of the 2012 World Chess Championship match between Viswanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand was a very exciting affair. Boris Gelfand came close to a win but in the end Viswanathan Anand defended like a world champion. Scholastic chess players would be very wise if they try to comprehend the method in which Anand avoided a lossContinueContinue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: Game 9”
Anand-Gelfand 2012: The World Awaits Game 9
They were dancing in Tel Aviv after Anand confused himself to a loss in game 7 with moves like 7… b6 and 21… Ne4. A similar dance party took place in Mumbai when Gelfand tricked himself with 8… Bf6 and then blundered his queen with 14… Qf6 in game 8. It certainly seems that the contestants have been beating themselvesContinueContinue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: The World Awaits Game 9”
Anand-Gelfand 2012: Game 8
Round eight of the 2012 World Chess Championship saw reigning World Champion Viswanathan Anand return to form and deliver a stunning knock-out blow to his opponent Boris Gelfand. Anand’s decisive plan began with the deceptively quiet move of “10 Qd2” and finished with Boris Gelfand’s queen being trapped on move 17. After Boris resigned, chess enthusiasts realised that thisContinueContinue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: Game 8”
Anand-Gelfand 2012: Game 7
Boris Gelfand wins! Want to know why Anand lost? Check out the best analysis of Anand-Gelfand game 7 below: (For ease of reading try pasting the text below into your favorite chess program.) [Event “Anand-Gelfand World Chess Championship”] [Site “Moscow, Russia”] [Date “2012.05.20”] [Round “7”] [White “Boris Gelfand”] [Black “Viswanathan Anand”] [Result “1-0”] [ECOContinueContinue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: Game 7”
Anand-Gelfand 2012: The World Awaits Game 7
Chess fans the world over are eagerly awaiting the start of game 7 in the 2012 Anand-Gelfand World Chess Championship. Many visitors to this site from India are becoming more concerned that their national hero’s best years are behind him and he may not have enough desire to keep the world chess championship in an Indian’s hands. Likewise,ContinueContinue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: The World Awaits Game 7”
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, GelfandContinueContinue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: Round 6”
Anand-Gelfand 2012: Round 5
Game 5 of the 2012 World Chess Championship between Viswanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand began with 1 e4. Gelfand, as was expected, opted for a Sicilian Defence. This game, like its four predecessors, was incredibly well-played and ended in a draw. Anyone who was hoping this match would be a blood sport must be disappointed. Chess purists, onContinueContinue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: Round 5”
Anand-Gelfand 2012: Round 4
The World Chess Championship of 2012 saw yet another draw in round 4. As in game two, Boris Gelfand played 1. d4 and Anand opted for another Slav style defense. The key point on this game came on move 16 for black. Viswanathan Anand played Re8 instead of Rc8 and thus avoided whatever diabolical plans his opponent had in store for him. AnotherContinueContinue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: Round 4”
Chess Players in Fremont, California are the Best in the United States
Two Schools in Fremont, California won National Championships at the recent United States Chess Federation’s National Elementary (k-6) Championships in Nashville, Tennessee. Both Mission San Jose Elementary School and Weibel Elementary School have reputations of excellence in chess due to being the dominate teams at both state and national events. After their incredible results at the 2012 NationalContinueContinue reading “Chess Players in Fremont, California are the Best in the United States”
Anand-Gelfand 2012: Round 3
Game three of the 2012 World Chess Championship began with Anand playing 1. d4 and Gelfand playing a Grunfeld as in round 1. As we would expect, Anand’s team has done some preparation with the current world champion on how to counter Boris Gelfand’s new-found strategy. Their strategy of playing 3. f3 nearly produced the first decisive result of the match. Fortunately for Boris Gelfand,ContinueContinue reading “Anand-Gelfand 2012: Round 3”