The 2012 USCF Absolute Chess Championship is in full swing. Founded in 1976, this annual tournament’s stated purpose is to determine who is the “absolute” best correspondence chess player in the United States. The USCF Absolute Chess Championship is only open to the strongest thirteen correspondence chess masters who respond to USCF Correspondence Chess DirectorContinueContinue reading “An Absolute Pleasure”
Tag Archives: chess
MSJE Chess Team Wins Big At State Championships (By Coach Joe)
MSJE Chess Team Wins Big At State Championships Over 1,000 Northern California students competed in the Scholastic Chess Championships at the Santa Clara Convention Center the weekend of April 22nd and 23rd. Mission San Jose Elementary School (MSJE) was the big winner in the Elementary School Section. MSJE teams won all of the elementary schoolContinueContinue reading “MSJE Chess Team Wins Big At State Championships (By Coach Joe)”
Mission San Jose Elementary Dominates the Calchess Scholastic State Championship
The Mission San Jose Elementary School chess dynasty was extended another year at the 2012 Calchess State Scholastic Championship. MSJE, again, swept all the championship sections for elementary school aged children. Several of the Mission San Jose Elementary players also won individual State Championship titles or finished in the top ten of their section. TheContinueContinue reading “Mission San Jose Elementary Dominates the Calchess Scholastic State Championship”
Eight Year Old Wins Grade 4-5 Chess Championship in California
Chess history was made on April 22, 2012. Ben Rood, while still only eight years old, won first place in the grade 4-5 section at the Calchess Scholastic State Chess Championship. California has been home to many youthful chess prodigies since I started attending the Calchess Scholastic State Chess Championship. A few that comeContinueContinue reading “Eight Year Old Wins Grade 4-5 Chess Championship in California”
2006 Golden Knights Chess Championship: The Finals
Its been a while since I have posted about my correspondence chess exploits. So far, my most notable achievement is making the Finals for the 2006 Golden Knights Chess Tournament. The Golden Knights Chess Tournament is the USCF’s open correspondence chess championship. During the preliminary round, contestants are broken into seven player sections. Those who score 4.5/6 orContinueContinue reading “2006 Golden Knights Chess Championship: The Finals”
Tal Memorial 2011: Round 3
Black Friday came early this year for fans of chess. Three games in round three of the 2011 Tal Memorial were won by black with the remaining two games being drawn. For the uninitiated, playing white in chess is akin to having the serve in Tennis. It is an extremely rare occasion to have blackContinueContinue reading “Tal Memorial 2011: Round 3”
National K-12 Chess Championship 2011, Day 1
The first day of the National K-12 Chess Championship is in the books and more than half the field of players can no longer contend for a National Championship. Two California six-year-olds are still in contention to bring home the ultimate prize. Both Rishith Susarla and Milind Maiti scored a perfect two wins out ofContinueContinue reading “National K-12 Chess Championship 2011, Day 1”
World Youth Chess Championship 2011: Round 1
Play got underway today at the 2011 World Youth Chess Championship in the resort town of Caldas Novas, Brazil. Over a thousand of the world’s best young chess players took to the playing hall before 4:00 p.m. to make the first move toward winning a World Championship. For many of these young prodigies, this isContinueContinue reading “World Youth Chess Championship 2011: Round 1”
Tal Memorial 2011: Round 2
Round 2 of the 2011 Tal Memorial demonstrated exactly why the majority of the world views chess as a dull game. Considering the number of stars in the event, I had hoped to see new ideas tested and inspiring play. Instead we are getting an Anand who wants to save his best ideas for aContinueContinue reading “Tal Memorial 2011: Round 2”
Women’s World Chess Championship 2011: Round 2
The struggle continued in Tirana, Albania with Hou Yifan and Koneru Humpy playing to a second draw in as many rounds. In round two, Koneru Humpy was once again on the attack but Hou Yifan was able to simplify into an early endgame. Even when the position looked equal, Koneru Humpy tried in vain toContinueContinue reading “Women’s World Chess Championship 2011: Round 2”
National K-12 Chess Championship 2011
Dallas, Texas is being bombarded by young chess players with dreams of national championships. Texans should not be alarmed by children armed with weighted chess pieces because November 18 – 20 is the 2011 United States Chess Federation’s National K-12 Chess Championships. The USCF National K-12 Chess Championship is the premier grade-level chess tournamentContinueContinue reading “National K-12 Chess Championship 2011”
Tal Memorial 2011: Round 1
The first round of the 2011 Tal Memorial featured two decisive games and plenty of hard fought draws. Ian Nepomniachtchi, the lowest rated player in the tournament, used the black pieces to secure a win against the former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik. Vassily Ivanchuk started another tournament with a win by punishing Peter Svidler’s inaccuraciesContinueContinue reading “Tal Memorial 2011: Round 1”
Women’s World Chess Championship 2011: Round 1
Game one of the 2011 Women’s World Chess Championship concluded in a draw. Koneru Humpy played the Catalan with the white pieces and demonstrated a great understanding of a Catalan middle game. Hou Yifan blunted Humpy’s attack by sacrificing a pawn at the perfect moment to reach an endgame she could play into a draw.ContinueContinue reading “Women’s World Chess Championship 2011: Round 1”
Women’s World Chess Championship 2011
The 2011 Women’s World Chess Championship is taking place from November 14 – 30 in Tirana, Albania. 17-year-old Grandmaster Hou Yifan of China is defending her title against Grandmaster Koneru Humpy of India. The winner of this ten game match will be the first woman to reach 5.5 points and the new Women’s World ChessContinueContinue reading “Women’s World Chess Championship 2011”
Tal Memorial 2011
The 2011 Tal Memorial is taking place in Moscow, Russia from November 16 – 25. For the first time in history four chess players with ratings over 2800 will be competing in the same tournament. The format for the 2011 Tal Memorial is a ten-player round robin which assures that chess enthusiasts will get toContinueContinue reading “Tal Memorial 2011”
World Youth Chess Championship 2011
This November the world’s most talented players who are eighteen years and younger will converge upon Caldas Novas, Brazil in order to compete in the 2011 World Youth Chess Championship. These extraordinary chess talents will do battle for nine rounds in hopes of placing in the top three for their age group. Those fortunate enoughContinueContinue reading “World Youth Chess Championship 2011”
Ben is the Best at Chess
On 10/30/2011 Ben Rood again proved that he is the best chess player under the age of eight by producing a perfect score at the 2011 U.S. National Junior Chess Congress in Santa Clara, California. Ben was the overwhelming favorite in the 2011 U.S. Junior Chess Congress and he did not disappoint his fans. InContinueContinue reading “Ben is the Best at Chess”
Maiti is Magnificent at Chess
Milind Maiti achieved another perfect score in a chess tournament at the 2011 U.S. National Junior Chess Congress. Milind, who is only 6, bested a field comprised of 8 and 9 year olds. The victory was extra sweet for Milind Maiti do to the fact that he won his first national chess title in SantaContinueContinue reading “Maiti is Magnificent at Chess”
United States G/30 National Chess Championship: Francisco Anchondo
Francisco Anchondo demonstratated his usual tactical bravado in the fourth round of the 2011 National G/30 Chess Championship. His opponent, Eric Schiller, attempted to play a rather dull carro-kann but Francisco steered the game into a violent fantasy variation. I was glad to see such an exciting game take place in the open section andContinueContinue reading “United States G/30 National Chess Championship: Francisco Anchondo”
Eric Schiller vs Ted Castro
Eric Schiller had a rough time of it at this year’s U.S.C.F. National G/30 Chess Championship. Because he is a gentleman and a scholar, I felt bad about publishing one of his losses. I hope reposting this win over Ted Castro will improve his mood. [Event “St. Amant Memorial”] [Site “San Francisco CA USA”] [DateContinueContinue reading “Eric Schiller vs Ted Castro”