tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60692563283150849472024-03-04T23:33:07.997-05:00The Weak SquareThe Ramblings of an Enthusiastic Chess NoviceUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-82718436352914230112012-04-16T10:51:00.000-04:002012-04-16T10:51:04.830-04:00Chess is Combat Against Self<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJWobNotMh7DQIvk6VpHIF8jhN5MsFwXUXBVuvPnilhgPRDzkr33aXyIJtS7w8H9S2uXoLAKErWS3B0jiU7XSNRmGqzaRUWDjnCPlrSA6ui4prs40WZz3fP_7gUfbMtFqzQmxX1_HciY/s1600/wolverineVWolverine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJWobNotMh7DQIvk6VpHIF8jhN5MsFwXUXBVuvPnilhgPRDzkr33aXyIJtS7w8H9S2uXoLAKErWS3B0jiU7XSNRmGqzaRUWDjnCPlrSA6ui4prs40WZz3fP_7gUfbMtFqzQmxX1_HciY/s320/wolverineVWolverine.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wolverine vs. Wolverine</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3869275660254061"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I began playing chess almost four years ago to the day. I got into chess for a number of reasons but the main one being that my competitive tenacity is insatiable. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than crushing an opponent. In this regard, I am pretty sadistic I admit. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It took me playing for about three years to finally realize that your biggest opponent in a game of chess is yourself. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I sit across from my opponent, combat begins. But the biggest and nastiest opponent of them all is me and my bad habits. My own self is way more prohibitive of my success than the skills of my opponent. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are several mental landmines hanging around during a game of chess but a few of them are distractions, hunger, discomfort, annoyance, fear, thirst, anticipation, daydreaming, excitement, fatigue, anger, forgetfulness, and something else I forgot. Despite having to come up with good moves, you have all of these things to worry about hanging over your head too. It’s a wonder we can complete a game of chess at all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The lessons I have learned from playing chess for the four years I have played have as much, or more to deal with how I manage myself during a game than actual poor moves. Or to put it another way, the reasons I lose games is usually because of a lack of discipline, not a lack of knowledge. Everyone can identify when they make a colossal blunder, but the real art is understanding why you made the blunder.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There have been many instances in the last four years where I have flat-out dropped a piece. But in each case I identified the reason why and now I am aware of the conditions being present that frequently lead me to making a huge error. The two most frequent times when I make colossal mistakes is when I am clearly winning and when I am tired. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the first two years of my tournament chess foray, every time I was clearly winning a game, I shut down mentally and thought, “I can just cruise to a win from here” or “I wish my opponent would just resign”. National Master Dana Mackenzie once said, “when you start thinking things like ‘I wish my opponent would just resign’ you had better open your eyes, you are about to blunder a piece”. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I found this to be true but learned it the hard way in one of my games when I was up a piece against my opponent, whom I had done some preparation at home against. Twenty moves in and I not only was I up a piece, I had three connected, passed pawns. Easy win right? Wrong. He kept playing the best moves he possibly could. I cannot adequately express to you how aggravated I was that he did not just tip his king over, he was clearly lost.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In my annoyance, I dropped a Rook late in the game and went from completely winning to completely lost in one swift stroke. That game taught me a huge lesson. Now in the rare events that I am clearly winning, the celebration does not begin until the other person resigns or tips the king. Clearly a defining moment in my chess play.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Often times when I am very tired, I try to conserve mental energy by going very lazy. I do not do this on purpose. However, subconsciously my thinking is lazy, fragmented, and chaotic. The sad part is I’m usually not aware of it until I drop my first pawn or so.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A few years ago I played at the Land of the Sky chess tournament in Asheville, NC. The night before the games started I only got about four hours of sleep. My first opponent was a kid who played notoriously fast (but very strong! he was rated over 1900). His fast play kind of sucked me into an autopilot mode where I was, without realizing it, matching him move for move in terms of speed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About nine moves into the game I totally missed a desperado move that won him a pawn and eventually the game. I was playing thoughtlessly and robotically without even realizing it and it cost me my king’s head.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am convinced that mental traps like these can only be overcome in two ways; one is by recognizing that mental traps exist, and two is by experience only. Now that you are armed with the knowledge that there are mental traps all around while you are playing, go forth and gain your experience!</span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-45653112965103816212012-01-17T18:46:00.001-05:002012-01-17T18:48:56.365-05:00Making Steinitz Make Sense<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYBZmcB9Q2a5_8cZXI9EDNPdeayG_g1Ikip-Tn4oEX7xdXBx59J0fP3Z5N8l1GjGzBqlae0Or60ImAJKYI3ltr4E1uR31XPZwDQvqhwF61Fz3cC2GS5F67qV6yjehboKnjV3xUYU4yMs/s1600/steinitz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYBZmcB9Q2a5_8cZXI9EDNPdeayG_g1Ikip-Tn4oEX7xdXBx59J0fP3Z5N8l1GjGzBqlae0Or60ImAJKYI3ltr4E1uR31XPZwDQvqhwF61Fz3cC2GS5F67qV6yjehboKnjV3xUYU4yMs/s1600/steinitz.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wilhelm Steinitz... bad ass.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span id="goog_865156592"></span><span id="goog_865156593"></span>Austrian-born, chess genius Wilhelm Steinitz was the first undisputed world champion and is the father of modern chess theory. Aside from his world championship reign, Steinitz is best known for his work and discovery on chess theory on which modern chess strategy is based!<br />
<br />
<b>Before 1873</b><br />
<br />
When anyone thinks of the years prior to 1873 they always imagine a wild, reckless, culture filled with frivolity and party-times. Designated drivers were unheard of prior to 1873 and operating a horse and carriage while intoxicated was dangerous business. <br />
<br />
At this time, chess also reflected the wild, partying society. Players such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Anderssen" target="_blank">Adolf Anderssen</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_morphy" target="_blank">Paul Morphy</a> reigned supreme with their unrelenting and fearless attacks. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera_game_%28chess%29" target="_blank">Chess was filled with wild attacks</a>, wicked sacrifices, and was very much a spectator sport because of its blatant (but exciting) disrespect for material.<br />
<br />
Steinitz himself was very much a part of this style of wild chess play, but in 1873 he ruined everything. Steinitz introduced a new style of play which included numerous boring elements such as pawn structure, space, and king safety. Steinitz introduced this new style of play, even though he was already a very strong chess player, and was ferociously criticized by his contemporaries as being boring, cowardly, and worst of all, inaccurate!<br />
<br />
The reason Steinitz was met with such disdain by his peers is because he was suggesting a complete overhaul to the way a game of chess should be approached. Many players took this assertion as changing chess for the worst. It no longer was a romantic, swashbuckling, attacking game. It instead transformed into a boring, positional treatment which many attackers considered cowardly. Furthermore, many argued that there was no proof for Steinitz’ wild assertions about the game of chess, and therefore making such staunch claims about the game were both damaging and irresponsible.<br />
<br />
Despite all of the seething opposition Steinitz received, the proof was in the pudding. Steinitz became the first undisputed world champion in 1886 and from that time until 1894 he was almost unbeatable. Up and coming chess players began recognizing Steinitz’ contribution to chess theory as correct. Most notably, Emmanuel Lasker recognized Steinitz’ ideas for being the basis for all chess theory. Thus, Steinitz’ contributions to chess theory had become globally recognized the birth of modern chess theory.<br />
<br />
<b>Steinitz’ 7 Chess Principles</b><br />
<i>1-At the beginning of the game, the forces stand in equilibrium.<br />
2-Correct play on both sides maintains the equilibrium and leads to a drawn game.<br />
3-Therefore, a player can only win as a result of an error made by the opponent (there is no such thing as a winning move).<br />
4-As long as equilibrium is maintained, an attack, no matter how skillfully executed, cannot succeed against correct defense. Such a defense will necessitate the withdrawal and regrouping of the attacking pieces and the attacker will inevitably suffer disadvantage. <br />
5-Therefore, a player should not attack until he already has an advantage, caused by the opponent’s error. That justifies the decision to attack.<br />
6-At the beginning of the game a player should not seek to attack, instead a player should seek to disturb the equilibrium in his favor by inducing the opponent to make an error-a necessity before attacking.<br />
7-When a sufficient advantage has been obtained, a player must attack or the advantage will be dissipated.</i><br />
<br />
Whoa! There are some awfully bold assertions in these seven principles. Chess is a forced draw? What? Computers have not verified this, how can some fellow in 1873 make such a stupid claim? Now, imagine being a really strong chess player in the late 1800’s and someone comes out with this trash. You are talking a complete changing of the landscape and understanding of the game of chess. No wonder Steinitz was met with such fierce resistance.<br />
<br />
Most club-level players struggle with Steinitz’ claim that the game is a forced draw. Steinitz never said having the first move was not an advantage, because it certainly is. He only claimed that black has a correct defense (no matter how hard it is to find) that will maintain the equilibrium. That is providing, of course, that he maintained the equilibrium on the move prior, because a decisive mistake is a decisive mistake. The only way to regain equilibrium after that is by an opponent’s error.<br />
<br />
I concede that it is quite an amazing claim without sufficient proof. I cannot say what the percentages are, but I suspect most chess theoreticians agree that chess is probably a forced draw. <br />
<br />
So how can chess be a forced draw and white has an advantage by going first? The advantage is mostly due to the imperfect play of humans. White gets to decide the opening move, and thus pawn structure, etc. That means that white should be more familiar with the middlegame position than his counterpart (should be). <br />
<br />
Also, having the first move means completing your development first (again, should anyway). Completing your development first means having the luxury of placing your pieces for future attacks, instead of developing them for defense as black is sometimes forced to do.<br />
<br />
Here is another way to look at it. Most computer engines evaluate the position after 1.e4 to be about .33 in favor of white, thus recognizing the initiative as being a small advantage. This makes perfect sense because white is up a tempo and three tempi is worth about one pawn. Thus, one tempo equals about one-third of a pawn or .33.<br />
<br />
In grandmaster play, a one pawn advantage (or an evaluation of 1.0) is generally a decisive advantage. So Steinitz claims that with correct play, black will maintain a positional score of .33 for the entire game, which will result in a draw. Ergo, white has an advantage by moving first, but not a decisive one.<br />
<br />
But here is why going first is advantageous for humans. For the sake of argument, let’s say that a positional (not tactical) mistake is worth about one-third of a pawn. If black makes only two positional mistakes, suddenly the evaluation is 0.99 in favor of white, almost decisive victory! However, white can make up to four positional mistakes before the positional evaluation shifts to from +0.33 to -0.99. Black must walk a very fine line during the game not to lose. However, Steinitz claimed that black is capable of finding correct moves that leads to a drawn game, even if he fails to do so. Therein lies the rub; Steinitz basically says the opportunity is there, even if the ability is not.<br />
<br />
Also I would like to take this opportunity to dispel a misconception someone hit me with the other day. When I was sharing Steinitz’ principles he claimed, “that’s a load of garbage, moving first is always advantageous!” <br />
<br />
Not so.<br />
<br />
Steinitz may not be correct. Maybe black has a forced win. I know it’s weird to think about but maybe white is in zugzwang at the beginning of the game. It’s certainly possible. Chopsticks, Othello, and Sim are all forced wins for the second person to play. So there you go, three cases in which having the first move is not advantageous. Maybe everyone’s wrong and black wins by force! Wouldn’t that be something?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-74206115881330746952012-01-09T11:34:00.002-05:002012-01-09T11:39:55.331-05:00Tactics Should Never Take a Backseat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-tI1MuW5SLZLB6srTo4iQ39TpWJj31KO47hhYZ40VfC3JQq8SfjjZqH8FF50n6-R1yIf7zHGrNZ5us9fq8NWR7UOgGwEZCGGjFMfF5-1Sb3Ce7J-9YYaEElM_UvehULs7QRRxh7Nktf4/s1600/chess+memory+brain+with+board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-tI1MuW5SLZLB6srTo4iQ39TpWJj31KO47hhYZ40VfC3JQq8SfjjZqH8FF50n6-R1yIf7zHGrNZ5us9fq8NWR7UOgGwEZCGGjFMfF5-1Sb3Ce7J-9YYaEElM_UvehULs7QRRxh7Nktf4/s320/chess+memory+brain+with+board.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><i>“Chess is 99% Tactics” – Teichmann</i><br />
<br />
Last year I wrote a well-received article on <a href="http://weaksquare.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-i-gained-434-points-in-one-year.html" target="_blank">how I gained over 400 USCF rating points in one year</a>. The bulk of my hard work during that year span was related to intense tactical training. My tactical acumen got sharp, really sharp. I showed a few of my games to an International Master who told me that my tactical ability was equal to an expert.<br />
<br />
Since that time I started focusing on improving other parts of my game. I began some intense endgame training, as well as trying to improve my middlegame play. I have been studying <i>Capablanca’s 60 Best Chess Endings</i> as well as <i>100 Endgames You Must Know</i>. I have also been reviewing hundreds of annotated Grandmaster games throughout history.<br />
<br />
My understanding of chess has reached a level I never imagined, and my rating has plummeted over the last six months. In my last 30 rated, long games I am 8 wins, 17 losses, and 5 draws. At one point during the last six months, I realized a span of six losses in a row. This of course is very frustrating to someone who is as intensely competitive as I am. Not to mention considering the amount of work I put into chess, the results are very disappointing.<br />
<br />
A worse fate than constantly losing, is not being able to accurately pinpoint the problem. So it finally occurred to me in one of my recent losses that just about all of my 17 losses in the last six months have been due to miscalculating a combination, not seeing a line that gives my opponent an out, or underestimating the strength of my opponents possible response. In short, my tactical vision has gotten soft.<br />
<br />
What used to be a strength in my game, that forged the way for me to experience a 400+ point surge, is now contributing to my dwindling rating. Yes, it’s true, I have not done any tactical study or exercises in nearly a year.<br />
<br />
I foolishly thought that my tactical ability had reached a strong place and that effort in other parts of my game was now required to improve. I made the mistake of putting a sharpened knife in a case, and leaving it there to rust. I realize now that endgame study, middlegame study, <b><i>and continued</i></b> tactical study was required to improve.<br />
<br />
At the beginning of this rant, I reference the Teichmann quote that <i>“Chess is 99% tactics”</i>. It seems silly to me now that I forgot about the 99% and started focusing solely on the other 1%. I truly believe that the 99% that Teichmann references separates 2400 from 400. The other 1% separates 2400 from 2800.<br />
<br />
There's nothing wrong with spending some time, learning about the other 1%, but not at the expense or detriment of the 99%. <br />
<br />
So here’s another quote for you: <br />
<br />
<i>“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm”</i> – Sir Winston Churchill<br />
<br />
This article’s purpose is two-fold. One is to let others know about an easy mistake to fall into, and to hopefully avoid themselves. And secondly, this article serves notice to all of my future opponents, that when you sit down across from me over the board, no opponent you have faced will have worked harder at tactical study than me. You had better be prepared, because I certainly will be!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-37656201948155829222012-01-06T14:50:00.003-05:002012-01-06T14:53:36.859-05:00Hyper-Accelerated Dragon Video #8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='580' height='482' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3eqrbyxDC9Y?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-85466607871925679162012-01-04T15:56:00.002-05:002012-01-04T15:57:00.386-05:00Wallpaper: Old School<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvraCm5ZMiZz9K2JzfDCpnlQxPXiP0EoC1uP175n3Xn7KJfG9-nMmv-qhHSzyDNHL1FrLKnfXqO7pNdUUlVltChosubKXfPKd0xr1ij_1z_NCDCGvy9967uV7XbqZmf2vH4ZrkN8TTHl8/s1600/Old-School-1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvraCm5ZMiZz9K2JzfDCpnlQxPXiP0EoC1uP175n3Xn7KJfG9-nMmv-qhHSzyDNHL1FrLKnfXqO7pNdUUlVltChosubKXfPKd0xr1ij_1z_NCDCGvy9967uV7XbqZmf2vH4ZrkN8TTHl8/s400/Old-School-1600.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click on the image for a larger version</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-38244999483239398962011-12-21T18:04:00.000-05:002011-12-21T18:04:32.834-05:00Wallpaper: Chessellation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0k1w44KyMmqd6uK6YWfFWZ6uum0xsh77cA66gkNhgyjKSWsGF9-RZMguVSXkfXpwoZptiPvIel4U1XgY5XWAwYWcPaPkszaXwwfJTcGpmjvPt0Jtx6Ojk5UNPy3wXku4LhIPXyzgUL3o/s500/chesselation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0k1w44KyMmqd6uK6YWfFWZ6uum0xsh77cA66gkNhgyjKSWsGF9-RZMguVSXkfXpwoZptiPvIel4U1XgY5XWAwYWcPaPkszaXwwfJTcGpmjvPt0Jtx6Ojk5UNPy3wXku4LhIPXyzgUL3o/s500/chesselation.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-76581563218855676512011-12-19T10:31:00.001-05:002011-12-19T10:34:25.961-05:00Interview with a Hottie ('Hade) - Jennifer Shahade<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RXFWnt2pBCHfF62Z1YjSoh5HFYXAvvcNTHwwaBap1NMgRYykIXUEdDvj-OkNzgB83i4yJaC66ti1b09YfOF6PqFSMP5V4xp_jFvLLDrwRmPiuOMZOG_YQmwYGF_R_IzC7lpdT7zDvuU/s1600/Shahade-Naked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RXFWnt2pBCHfF62Z1YjSoh5HFYXAvvcNTHwwaBap1NMgRYykIXUEdDvj-OkNzgB83i4yJaC66ti1b09YfOF6PqFSMP5V4xp_jFvLLDrwRmPiuOMZOG_YQmwYGF_R_IzC7lpdT7zDvuU/s320/Shahade-Naked.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naked Chess Exhibition - Max Euwe Memorial</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Weak Square: </b> Recently you participated in a "naked chess" exhibition to raise awareness and attention for chess. Is there a particular reason why I was not asked to participate?<br />
<br />
<b>Jennifer: </b>It was all the way in Amsterdam. We'll have to do the next version in your hometown or at least on Twitter.<br />
<br />
Seriously, it was a lot of fun. Naked chess started out as video promotion for a book I co-authored on Marcel Duchamp and chess. Duchamp played chess against a naked woman in a famous photograph, so we reversed that. The Amsterdam piece, which coincided with the closing ceremony of the Max Euwe Memorial took it one step further by comically showing how one of the most typical chess exhibitions, the simultaneous, is a lot about showcasing dominance.<br />
<br />
<b>Weak Square: </b>Cool! When did you first realize your passion for chess or desire to become a master? <br />
<br />
<b>Jennifer: </b>In high school, I developed a very intense passion for chess. Prior to that, I had mostly tagged along with my brother and father, both master players, to major chess tournaments. <br />
<br />
At that point, I began to study on my own, especially endgames, openings and tactics. I also played a lot of blitz, especially with stronger players.<br />
<b><br />
Weak Square: </b>You describe yourself as a professional games player and have had success in both chess and poker. Are there any other games you are equally passionate about?<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mK9Hq4BzeQnfrQsL82ZOTK76HO_ffx71Z3fMRPdMf89aRJkgxVKYlRWeF5xJ8bpEy6wKsllLKQ1t0GzEYhS525-JbruA8jdgNBEEcLWWgAwL2K1HVXlwsNMl1KJGGC7iWdlpRuoKKNY/s1600/Shahade-Hula.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mK9Hq4BzeQnfrQsL82ZOTK76HO_ffx71Z3fMRPdMf89aRJkgxVKYlRWeF5xJ8bpEy6wKsllLKQ1t0GzEYhS525-JbruA8jdgNBEEcLWWgAwL2K1HVXlwsNMl1KJGGC7iWdlpRuoKKNY/s200/Shahade-Hula.JPG" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hula Chess</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"></div><b>Jennifer:</b> The ones I came up with! For instance, hula chess, a video installation I made with Daniel Meirom which combines the intellectual vigor of chess with the constant movement of hula-hooping. You can see that piece and our other game-related video work on <a href="http://www.pokerfairytale.com/" target="_blank">pokerfairytale.com</a>. <br />
<br />
There's also roulette chess, which I developed with Larry List, and combines chess with the luck element of games like poker, you spin the wheel to see which piece you move.<br />
<br />
Otherwise, I am highly intrigued by games like Scrabble and Go but don't currently have the time to delve too deeply into them. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTp5SVNx6zVhAQnYj8sBCu0BjibeekJ2bdxaBFqaZbePR2F-bO6ZL9LxwQVOI31iGP2JtNWn4jtGOzrYyqizYtVS4JqThrdnxuALAcGSku4kvBYNz7NoVBtdsZT40cVoTPfxy0wGmi63g/s1600/Shahade-Roulette.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTp5SVNx6zVhAQnYj8sBCu0BjibeekJ2bdxaBFqaZbePR2F-bO6ZL9LxwQVOI31iGP2JtNWn4jtGOzrYyqizYtVS4JqThrdnxuALAcGSku4kvBYNz7NoVBtdsZT40cVoTPfxy0wGmi63g/s200/Shahade-Roulette.jpg" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roulette Chess</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Weak Square:</b> I wish I had known about Roulette Chess before I wrote an article on <a href="http://weaksquare.blogspot.com/2011/12/chess-variants-fun-and-challenging.html" target="_blank">chess variants</a>, I probably would have included it. Although naked chess sounds like a fun variant which I've tried to talk my wife into several times but she just rolls her eyes. Anyways, what is your favorite beer?<br />
<br />
<b>Jennifer:</b> I'm more of a cocktail person. Lately I've been going for vodka martinis with extra olives. So when I order beer I usually just improvise. I also like wine. Once I played chess with GM Pascal Charbonneau on an all wine chess set, by Fluxus artist Takako Saito, at an all-night art festival in Toronto. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUqYaT8nlVVC52S-4F2n5tzetfYIP7kA_9lEd0dnrv1P4WeFXw-SOe2FSPtMCpNm1O5boLNRwiC4pwZ7gpKmt6kIyHTtd1jU3oatm7JRLoTsAWCqnw0japVgmGPrJhyJFsaak8byyQHas/s1600/Shahade-Wine.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUqYaT8nlVVC52S-4F2n5tzetfYIP7kA_9lEd0dnrv1P4WeFXw-SOe2FSPtMCpNm1O5boLNRwiC4pwZ7gpKmt6kIyHTtd1jU3oatm7JRLoTsAWCqnw0japVgmGPrJhyJFsaak8byyQHas/s200/Shahade-Wine.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wine Chess</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b>Weak Square:</b> Granted there are not a lot of good ones out there, and every time I see one there is invariably a chess board set up incorrectly, but in your opinion what is the best chess movie out there?<br />
<br />
<b>Jennifer:</b> I wish there were more to choose form. I enjoyed "Searching for Bobby Fischer" and the recent "Bobby Fischer Against the World". I am also looking forward to "Brooklyn Castle".<br />
<br />
On the TV tip, I am very excited about the new made for chess TV show, the Extreme Chess Championships, which I created with my brother Greg and Daniel Meirom. You can follow the progress of that on <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/Xchesschamps" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/XChessChamps" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. We also have a preview on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH22yba0Zr4" target="_blank">YouTube</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Weak Square:</b> And best Poker movie?<br />
<br />
<b>Jennifer: </b>Rounders. I also enjoy watching a lot of livestreams from tournaments like the World Poker Tour and the European Poker Tour. My favorite poker show is "The Big Game" on PokerStars. Watching a lot of poker on TV and online has inspired me to think of the most effective way to promote chess to the mainstream, as poker has done so effectively. <br />
<br />
<b>Weak Square: </b>Ah, true! Rounders was good. Ed Norton's character was such a tool in that movie. So, I'm not going to lie, you are kind of intimidating. Have you ever beat up a boy before?<br />
<br />
<b>Jennifer: </b>Physically? Not yet. Over the chess board or poker table? Plenty of times.<br />
<br />
<b>Weak Square: </b>Cool. Do you have an all-time favorite win or tournament?<br />
<br />
<b>Jennifer: </b>Winning the US Women's Championship in 2002 was very special to me because I also had such a strong tournament performance and was feeling great about life and my game.<br />
<b><br />
Weak Square:</b> What is one of your biggest pet peeve's?<br />
<br />
<b>Jennifer:</b> Excessive Negativity.<br />
<br />
<b>Weak Square:</b> Same here. And finally, I always ask this of every person I interview, because I think it's an important question for novice players such as myself to hear the answer to: did you ever experience a loss in chess that was so devastating that you considered quitting chess completely?<br />
<br />
<b>Jennifer: </b>Not really. If anything, when I used to play super-seriously, losses often motivated me to work harder. Thanks for interviewing me!<br />
<b><br />
Weak Square: </b>You're welcome! Thanks for taking the time to make yourself accessible for interview!<br />
<br />
<b>Jennifer:</b> I really enjoy your Twitter feed and blog.<br />
<br />
<b>Weak Square:</b> Ha! Cool! Thanks so much for the kind words. Best of luck with all of your projects.<br />
<br />
You can keep up with Jennifer at <a href="http://www.uschess.org/clo">http://www.uschess.org/clo</a> , her personal website <a href="http://www.jennifershahade.com/">http://www.jennifershahade.com</a> and her Twitter feed <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jenshahade">http://www.twitter.com/jenshahade</a>.<br />
<br />
You can follow me, the Weak Square, on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/weaksquare">http://www.twitter.com/weaksquare</a>. You can also check out my other interviews with chess stars <a href="http://weaksquare.blogspot.com/search/label/Interview" target="_blank">by clicking here.</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-84665553206856491192011-12-14T11:49:00.000-05:002011-12-14T11:49:47.064-05:00Wallpaper: Chess NationThis image is 100% photoshop. Everything from the satin texture to the waves to the actual image on the flag.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGwYHX63wOZeSXryHXF_JvxZP6er_zQxewgQwWDA9KYVAzRAu13_GeVuGutT-KajVAP_EX0W960sMT4RDUv_SBxW0lJtushLP8H4LhnnjUK61J6o0yMU3ShlxYwv3Mk0qnCei2wU6BX8/s1600/ChessNation1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGwYHX63wOZeSXryHXF_JvxZP6er_zQxewgQwWDA9KYVAzRAu13_GeVuGutT-KajVAP_EX0W960sMT4RDUv_SBxW0lJtushLP8H4LhnnjUK61J6o0yMU3ShlxYwv3Mk0qnCei2wU6BX8/s320/ChessNation1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1024 x 768</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBC_cxJ4eXTTIK4YrDCyPtQQpJjtuYhu7fwl_Z2C487uwB0jBnlFo3DULuWOI5AgV1bnO6ftKgxYDgxtMc1PB_2y6Bc0WMsNwOpZJrX4OxGAdjwYzat06eFXbnJKB3ZLxEt3tOvypyts/s1600/ChessNation1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBC_cxJ4eXTTIK4YrDCyPtQQpJjtuYhu7fwl_Z2C487uwB0jBnlFo3DULuWOI5AgV1bnO6ftKgxYDgxtMc1PB_2y6Bc0WMsNwOpZJrX4OxGAdjwYzat06eFXbnJKB3ZLxEt3tOvypyts/s320/ChessNation1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1280 x960</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANvl0e-aAFYSY-C5K53wN5JKiNI-1jBwlLcF5zqGroFmOl6xaZjOf9ao0lKjzidE77sRlCEoEmOe9unaJGVHFMJomkAmOeZGt24v-4oI4_xsNs-ODoThyphenhyphenFFqFEc5X9y7Qep_UnMZ8ILw/s1600/ChessNation1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANvl0e-aAFYSY-C5K53wN5JKiNI-1jBwlLcF5zqGroFmOl6xaZjOf9ao0lKjzidE77sRlCEoEmOe9unaJGVHFMJomkAmOeZGt24v-4oI4_xsNs-ODoThyphenhyphenFFqFEc5X9y7Qep_UnMZ8ILw/s320/ChessNation1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1600 x 1200</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-38704265381279045852011-12-12T16:01:00.000-05:002011-12-13T16:19:57.869-05:008 Cool Gifts for a Chess Enthusiast <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYg2pDiL7z5vLMpdPA_V9biF1hTO02shg77iAu3mm9-w3XkT4NoTbeYiI744kXXUtvqxOkL_xECi_S8FCLcpyweueaFHS-z0x4eBrUMTuL9KKBvy8t1pPnNtjIUmrnT9dP7rL7bl8IWM/s1600/ipadHiarcs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYg2pDiL7z5vLMpdPA_V9biF1hTO02shg77iAu3mm9-w3XkT4NoTbeYiI744kXXUtvqxOkL_xECi_S8FCLcpyweueaFHS-z0x4eBrUMTuL9KKBvy8t1pPnNtjIUmrnT9dP7rL7bl8IWM/s200/ipadHiarcs.jpg" width="177" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Better for Chess than Deep Blue</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
So you know someone who is really into chess? That automatically makes them an awesome human being and therefore deserves nothing less than the best money can buy. So here is a list of ideal holiday items for a tournament chess player.<br />
<br />
<strong>iPad</strong> - My top recommendation is an iPad. Not only will they love you forever because an iPad is better than having food on the table, but it is actually the most ideal chess machine out there. First of all, you can download fantastic chess software like Shredder, Fritz, Hiarcs, etc. for the iPad. All of these programs have .pgn support, email capability, analysis, puzzles, and so on.<br />
<br />
Your player can also have gobs of chess books at their fingertips loaded onto the iPad in ebook or PDF formats. Lugging around 500 books when you go to a tournament is an annoyance. But lugging around an iPad with 500 chess books stored on it is a cinch.<br />
<br />
But best of all, your chess enthusiast has a permanent, customizable opponent at his fingertips. The aforementioned programs allow a player to set a time control and an opponent of their preferred playing strength. Then they can play a game to their heart’s content, even when they cannot make it to chess club that week for some reason.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikONTF85IAGJzb7SVUQVKjswWKVyqMNzhRxTJ0h_mNqssmSUz1SWUB03bAYX8n6mEQtuW0N12aDD7BncdmTp-Qw_rv5k4ddd4RTH6zmBRFjRyOKc3EEWWOR3WFMLj2Co3vSmc-OKru-zA/s1600/EndgameT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="183" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikONTF85IAGJzb7SVUQVKjswWKVyqMNzhRxTJ0h_mNqssmSUz1SWUB03bAYX8n6mEQtuW0N12aDD7BncdmTp-Qw_rv5k4ddd4RTH6zmBRFjRyOKc3EEWWOR3WFMLj2Co3vSmc-OKru-zA/s200/EndgameT.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <strong>A (cool) Chess T-Shirt</strong> - Ok, you want to support your chess enthusiast with a t-shirt, fine. But please do not buy him a t-shirt that's going to get him stuffed in a locker or made fun of by cheerleaders. The <em>only</em> place to get a respectable chess shirt is <a href="http://www.endgameclothing.com/" target="_blank">Endgame Clothing</a>. <br />
<br />
What's great is, their shirts are not respectable, they are downright awesome. Their designs are impressive and reasonably priced. So, I repeat. Do not buy purchase a chess t-shirt for a chess player unless it comes from Endgame Clothing. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Zmartfun (Blue) Digital Chess Clock</strong> - Every tournament player needs their own chess clock. Trust me, as a guy who has organized and run several chess tournaments, you do not want your chess enthusiast to be “that guy” who bugs the tournament director for a clock when he is trying to re-pair a round or trying to fix accidentally giving someone a bye when they did not request it. The last thing we need is a snot-licking kid asking if he can borrow a chess clock.<br />
<br />
The Zmartfun Digital chess clocks have everything that a chess clock requires; elegant, touch-sensitive buttons, digital display, easy customizable times, increment, delays, and separate time controls.<br />
<br />
However, the thing that sets it apart from all other chess clocks is by far the most important feature.<a href="http://www.uscfsales.com/product_p/clkzmrt-bl.htm" target="_blank"> It glows blue,</a> and that is more awesome than Chewbacca playing an electric guitar.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblPOV0GeKswUrfq2OtMms_unAIQR-9hCpOQc6SYAyFe7IFwgEpaRlDFBru7I0XpwmoT-c2JQwY7lvI0BSUpvYV75KTnuq3w02iEK795WiqSFHxlrVCGqb_KGfG9Tgdgcg7uapVzzNh9U/s1600/fritz13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblPOV0GeKswUrfq2OtMms_unAIQR-9hCpOQc6SYAyFe7IFwgEpaRlDFBru7I0XpwmoT-c2JQwY7lvI0BSUpvYV75KTnuq3w02iEK795WiqSFHxlrVCGqb_KGfG9Tgdgcg7uapVzzNh9U/s200/fritz13.jpg" width="140" /></a></div><strong>Fritz 13</strong> - <a href="http://weaksquare.blogspot.com/2009/04/you-suck-at-chess.html" target="_blank">Fritz is the smack-talking chess software</a> for a PC that is worth its weight in salt. It is loaded with features like the ability to analyze games, comment on where a player could improve, analysis training, opening training, chess variants, famous games through history, exhaustive opening book resources, and more.<br />
<br />
Another really nice feature about Fritz is the ability to purchase instructional DVD’s that run inside the Fritz program. These DVD’s are available through just about any online chess store and are frequently taught by grandmasters. These grandmasters talk, and the pieces on the board inside Fritz move. It’s magic!<br />
<br />
<strong>Heavy Chess Pieces</strong> - Believe it or not there is a hierarchy of coolness among tournament chess sets. While most tournament sets are far better than the 9 dollar glass set at Wal-Mart or the Civil War set your weird Aunt Pepper bought you, really the best way to go is with a heavy set of Staunton pieces. Any online chess store will have a multitude of sets to look through. What you are looking for is double and triple weighted tournament sets.<br />
<br />
These “heavy” pieces add some quality to your army and allows for your player to not accidentally knock over his king five times per game, then there’s that awkward moment where your opponent smirks like you just intentionally resigned. Then you slap him.<br />
<br />
But, I digress. Triple-weighted tournament pieces are the jam.<br />
<br />
<strong>Giant Chess Set</strong> - A giant chess set is awesome. You can pick one up at <a href="http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12237754" target="_blank">toysrus.com for 25 clams</a>. Why a giant chess set? Well for one thing having an 8-inch tall King is freaking awesome. There’s enough room to draw a little Chuck Norris face on him with a Sharpie and everything. The real reason you want it though is to inspire imagination in young people and conversation in older folks.<br />
<br />
“I am a tournament chess player” is usually a good way to start a sentence if you are trying to scare off a chick. However if someone is ever at your home and sees this magnificent giant chess set and they say, “Wow, this is cool! Do you play?” Then you can respond with, “yeah I compete in chess tournaments.” That sounds a lot more awesome than trying to start a conversation about your chess skills, or that weird eyeball trick you do.<br />
<br />
<strong>Restaurant Gift Cards</strong> - This sounds bizarre but every time I go to a chess tournament I find myself rushing to McDonalds (which I loathe by the way) to get a quick, greasy fix between rounds.<br />
<br />
It is a thoughtful and practical gift which will come in handy for out-of-town tournaments.<br />
<br />
<strong>Chess Lessons</strong> - Chess lessons would be a fantastic, and unexpected gift. Ideally, you would want to enlist the services of someone rated at least 400 points higher than your chess player, and someone who has experience teaching. A little bit of a secret to chess lessons is this; a good teacher is more important than a great player.<br />
<br />
Let me give you an example. Who knows more about math; an aeronautics engineer at NASA or an elementary school math teacher? The engineer of course. Who would you rather teach your 8-year old basic math? The school teacher! The reasons is because the teacher is skilled at teaching, the engineer is skilled at excelling at math.<br />
<br />
Likewise, you do not need to shell out hundreds of dollars per hour so that a Super Grandmaster could teach your up-and-coming chess player what an expert player is capable of teaching. There are several excellent teachers out there who are national or International masters who know more about chess than a room full of club players combined, but have the teaching experience necessary to convey important ideas. A few that come to mind are <a href="http://www.kopecchess.com/" target="_blank">Danny Kopec</a> and <a href="http://www.danheisman.com/" target="_blank">Dan Heisman</a>. They all have reasonable rates and scads of experience teaching novice players.<br />
<br />
<strong>Things to Avoid Getting your Chess Player</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Any book written by Bruce Pandolfini</strong> - Bruce Pandolfini is a national master who cashed in on his fame from “Searching for Bobby Fischer”. I’ve never met Mr. Pandolfini, and no disrespect intended, but there’s a reason those books are sold at Books-A-Million. They are geared more towards a beginner. If you know someone who competes in chess tournaments, then they are probably beyond the skill level offered in those books. So if you want something more than a courtesy “wow. thanks”, then avoid Mr. Pandolfini.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHQw4tbqGUvynqUV1HKKtAUpV9uotGftbZFXHRd6fnFPUQokOFoJVPrSvsnD9BGrBd3ydaGnhht0nUaVa_CCSXssFtE1Wt9Kkxz9C87wzp99pYeTp_5nEN4hwxUbuh_0aw758RZgians/s1600/glassChess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="118" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHQw4tbqGUvynqUV1HKKtAUpV9uotGftbZFXHRd6fnFPUQokOFoJVPrSvsnD9BGrBd3ydaGnhht0nUaVa_CCSXssFtE1Wt9Kkxz9C87wzp99pYeTp_5nEN4hwxUbuh_0aw758RZgians/s200/glassChess.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lame.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><strong>A Themed Chess Set</strong> - These chess sets include glass sets, shot-glasses, Civil War, Harry Potter, Mario and Friends, so on and so forth. I seriously have a collection of frosted/glass chess sets that people have bought me over the years. I don’t have the heart to tell them, “thanks, now I have a backup in case my other 12 break.”<br />
<br />
Also, sort of in this category are the little travel sets, they are kind of annoying to be honest. I mean, I want to like them I just do not. The magnetic pieces are too tiny, you knock all the other pieces out of the way when you are playing. But what makes them really impractical for me is the fact that a full-sized tournament board and pieces can condense down to the size of a ziplock freezer bag.<br />
<br />
Unless your chess player is a collector of chess sets, avoid these, they are not practical. If they do collect sets however, these themed sets may be ideal. However, the ones I mentioned are pretty common and he/she may own them already.<br />
<br />
<strong>A Chess DVD</strong> - There are a lot of cool chess DVD’s out there. However if someone got me a DVD on the Budapest Gambit, it would be useless to me. I don’t play 1.d4 or 1... d5 in response to 1.d4 (or 1.e4 d5 2.d4?!) and therefore will never see the Budapest Gambit. What I’m telling you is while these DVD’s are high quality, they are kind of a shot in the dark. A better idea would be an Amazon.com gift card, that way they can purchase the chess resource they want, and more importantly, need.<br />
<br />
Truth be told, your chess enthusiast is easy to please. Stick with my recommendations and you will not go wrong.<br />
<br />
Follow me on Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/weaksquare" target="_blank">@weaksquare</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-24493148123240986422011-12-07T14:38:00.000-05:002011-12-07T14:38:07.217-05:00Wallpaper: Hip-Hop Chess FederationWicked respect to the Hip-Hop Chess Federation whose works combines music, chess, martial arts, and targets at-risk American youths. The president of the hip-hop chess federation, Adisa Banjoko, frequently talks about a revolution in which we embrace love, patience, education, discipline, respect, honor, perseverance, and commitment. It's a message that should resonate with any lover of peace regardless of race, creed, wealth, or religion.<br />
<br />
In honor of that message, I wanted to gift the Hip-Hop Chess Federation with a wallpaper that I believe captures the spirit of their mission.<br />
<br />
You can follow Adisa Banjoko on Twitter @hiphopchess. There is also a link to their website under my links on the right side.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXD-YOa0IzrUQ5-ceqA0aK1HzKMn78pZ-jJPCI54C7a7Q7lEtxL6ETqtCXpd__DarUheem3KF9lO3tNgkU3scN66c7oaMrVWtakUVlASz0BC-tbLjEgCnfQMrQH1W2eHfqaeExmEY4Y4/s1600/HHFC1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXD-YOa0IzrUQ5-ceqA0aK1HzKMn78pZ-jJPCI54C7a7Q7lEtxL6ETqtCXpd__DarUheem3KF9lO3tNgkU3scN66c7oaMrVWtakUVlASz0BC-tbLjEgCnfQMrQH1W2eHfqaeExmEY4Y4/s320/HHFC1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1600 x 1200</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwv1a8k3WZIsiFCJhGDYBu6TGb3wWiwpqbuOncwQ4__Y5PJ1Qz3prYQkr19mMqKt-dqeL1jitmWb-jI86IwCW-KbH71zmueLkaNXI7qgBeHoc2x_oGYm0WseckI0tPK-Uo_XIhXF5qDuY/s1600/HHCF1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwv1a8k3WZIsiFCJhGDYBu6TGb3wWiwpqbuOncwQ4__Y5PJ1Qz3prYQkr19mMqKt-dqeL1jitmWb-jI86IwCW-KbH71zmueLkaNXI7qgBeHoc2x_oGYm0WseckI0tPK-Uo_XIhXF5qDuY/s320/HHCF1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1280 x 960</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAvXkjM07HwNTs9MhF-5O0S__QQ3LKo6dqshM4U4MoDyslpEbdI6Al0_EkuLq_EUZQWh_nJNAB_xbudKZmpk1EgYU8BOvoCxLaz5nbFOy0ln0g-OJgXb3gbH3JbVi0np7Nan1dLl8aMY/s1600/HHCF1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAvXkjM07HwNTs9MhF-5O0S__QQ3LKo6dqshM4U4MoDyslpEbdI6Al0_EkuLq_EUZQWh_nJNAB_xbudKZmpk1EgYU8BOvoCxLaz5nbFOy0ln0g-OJgXb3gbH3JbVi0np7Nan1dLl8aMY/s320/HHCF1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1024x768</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-42411109411725064332011-12-05T14:05:00.001-05:002011-12-05T15:55:30.505-05:00Chess Variants - Fun and Challenging<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbmRQ0iHvTGVK5TKIPFIcR3eoAmIDwKfPQvwQXvoZyrG_l4tvNdZ1_cXgWUZmSzoi4J9QvdmgLOVVKmd9aVPlsFrdQVZn6HMHGsubzYqzWmfUr6iIkt8ZOtaqWmeDwWUots-U9BKmhT8/s1600/chessVariant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbmRQ0iHvTGVK5TKIPFIcR3eoAmIDwKfPQvwQXvoZyrG_l4tvNdZ1_cXgWUZmSzoi4J9QvdmgLOVVKmd9aVPlsFrdQVZn6HMHGsubzYqzWmfUr6iIkt8ZOtaqWmeDwWUots-U9BKmhT8/s320/chessVariant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It is a given that chess players enjoy chess. But not all chess players enjoy chess variants, but they should. Chess variants can be fun, challenging, and rewarding. Besides, your chess experience should be, above all else, fun. Why not let loose and allow yourself to enjoy some of these variations? These specific variants were chosen because they require no special boards or equipment, with the exception of Vegas Chess.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Chess960 (Fischer Random)</strong><br />
Chess 960 was invented by Bobby Fischer and it was his answer to what he believed was a fundamental flaw in the game, and that was too much focus on the opening stage of the game. Chess 960 allows for a semi-random arrangement of pieces on the back rank, but allows normal castling so that the middlegame looks very much like a legitimate chess position. This cuts out the need for hours of study, opening traps, and prearranged draws. You simply play chess. <br />
<br />
<strong>Giveaway Chess</strong><br />
This is a chess variant where the object of the game, as the name indicates, is to literally give away your entire army to your opponent. When you present a capture to your opponent, he is obligated to take it. The king has no special value and can be captured like any other piece. <br />
<br />
The first player to clear the board of all of his pieces is the winner. Fritz comes with both a Chess 960 and Giveaway chess playing mode.<br />
<br />
<strong>Vegas Chess</strong><br />
Each side sets up normally and moves normally. The only difference is each player is outfitted with two-specialized 6-sided dice featuring the chess pieces instead of dots. When it is your turn you roll the six-sided dice and you may only move the piece that is indicated on either die face. If there are no legal moves, you pass your turn.<br />
<br />
<strong>Rotation Chess</strong><br />
You and your opponent rotate the board every ten moves. <br />
<br />
<strong>Pawn Storm Chess</strong><br />
Each side begins the game with all of their pawns on their own fourth ranks. Every pawn on the board is in a state of mutual tension from the very start. <br />
<br />
<strong>16-pawn chess</strong><br />
One player begins the game with no queen but eight extra pawns. The opponent is set up as normal. <br />
<br />
<strong>Scotch Chess</strong><br />
Set up and moves are as in a normal game. White gets one move, the black gets two. Then white gets three moves, then black gets four. The game rarely lasts more than 3 or 4 turns.<br />
<br />
<strong>Double-Move Chess</strong><br />
The setup and moves are the same as normal chess but each player gets two moves each turn. If the first move is a check, they do not get a second move. <br />
<br />
<strong>Bughouse</strong><br />
Bughouse is a ton of fun and should never be taught to children or they will never want to play normal chess again. It requires four players forming two teams of two. You sit beside your teammate who plays an opposite color than you. When you capture an opponent's piece, you place it in front of your teammate (who is playing the same color as your opponent in a different game). On your turn, you can either move a piece on your board, or place a piece that your teammate has given to you. The game is won when either you or your teammate checkmate the opponent. <br />
<br />
Give one of these variants a try some time. They are challenging, fresh, and most importantly... fun! If you are interested in more extensive rules on any of these games, <a href="http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=chess+variants">follow this link.</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-12834448417458900212011-11-30T10:31:00.000-05:002011-11-30T10:31:06.967-05:00Wallpaper: Coat-of-ArmsYeah sweet! Coat-of-arms. Interestingly enough, I've never done a coat-of-arms graphic before.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTU959ozIwqdtmAPA6RR4obio_ax_1-6c2Ph3paiiRcLa_YMNsvZoJLwkwGM0dkqmXQJ_rdSsRNJ4RuibOypPPzt-S2B0grceyC2Fj_j2MsVkV3GDg8-WlMG18B3YHeHGC1RprQGp75ik/s1600/CoatofArms1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTU959ozIwqdtmAPA6RR4obio_ax_1-6c2Ph3paiiRcLa_YMNsvZoJLwkwGM0dkqmXQJ_rdSsRNJ4RuibOypPPzt-S2B0grceyC2Fj_j2MsVkV3GDg8-WlMG18B3YHeHGC1RprQGp75ik/s320/CoatofArms1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1024x768</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBI1wRCqltkMmNnQl-rZu0qBXjA0_QWoNs7cUF-9BD7kfiJ2g5MQsh6pyfgKCSXxuz1SFddCl4NGh2qAGwukmAJO5X0dLVuy6CdP6N_pLcVC5P-R-JMwcmVFqke4h3FOjiQlLkvPVGry0/s1600/CoatofArms1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBI1wRCqltkMmNnQl-rZu0qBXjA0_QWoNs7cUF-9BD7kfiJ2g5MQsh6pyfgKCSXxuz1SFddCl4NGh2qAGwukmAJO5X0dLVuy6CdP6N_pLcVC5P-R-JMwcmVFqke4h3FOjiQlLkvPVGry0/s320/CoatofArms1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1280x960</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RHQhnpD3nLzC8HrohsSg6jWq79hGcN-I5s36L5n12RO6b2W9fQ2p3-77oEQMlJ3gpO9tlABo7eV0MfOyOhcbUUqYlvaxyoZB2Z9vRWRZIkEmRJgcwepEK-K2D35oRMzwjx0wu8zmpWI/s1600/CoatofArms1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RHQhnpD3nLzC8HrohsSg6jWq79hGcN-I5s36L5n12RO6b2W9fQ2p3-77oEQMlJ3gpO9tlABo7eV0MfOyOhcbUUqYlvaxyoZB2Z9vRWRZIkEmRJgcwepEK-K2D35oRMzwjx0wu8zmpWI/s320/CoatofArms1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1600x1200</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-61101816330374433952011-11-28T17:28:00.001-05:002011-11-30T10:40:15.463-05:00The Waves of Success and Failure: 5 Way to Handle Ups & Downs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszDWck9pnW9vthK7Ko41MsgK_nSquzQOD_LBoWklIe2LNrP_FS_XE9HJ6ghyphenhyphen4HhtH96hMu5YJ_CcGBhbUY2VX2pDBEWLacJ-MX3KuFxxnECQSxCfkMqdbExExEQDR0J6SZlOo9dfsDJQ/s1600/wipeout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszDWck9pnW9vthK7Ko41MsgK_nSquzQOD_LBoWklIe2LNrP_FS_XE9HJ6ghyphenhyphen4HhtH96hMu5YJ_CcGBhbUY2VX2pDBEWLacJ-MX3KuFxxnECQSxCfkMqdbExExEQDR0J6SZlOo9dfsDJQ/s320/wipeout.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Every competitor, regardless of the sport of choice, knows the feeling of riding the waves of success and getting crushed by the torrent of failure. Most chess players I know have the tournament experience where they can seem to do no wrong. Moves come smoothly and fiercely. Your vision is unparalleled, every tactical trick seems like it jumps out at you. <br />
<br />
<br />
Then there are tournaments where you can easily play 1,000 points below your rating. <br />
<br />
Success and failure comes in waves. The people who get frustrated with a lack of improvement are those who cannot handle the downswings in the natural performance cycle. They get frustrated that improvement is not a smooth, steady climb. Rather it’s an uncomfortable, herky-jerky ride that can be absolutely maddening at times.<br />
<br />
<b>Develop a Short Memory</b><br />
The best advice I think I have ever heard given to competitors is to develop a short memory. If you win a great game, you need to enjoy it for a time, then forget about it, move on and prepare for the next one. If you lose a tough game, you need to learn from it, then shake it off. Forget about it and then move on to the next one.<br />
<br />
You frequently hear this advice about quarterbacks especially. If you throw a touchdown, great, you need to forget about it, keep your head screwed on straight and keep performing well. There’s a whole lot of football left to be played, don’t get too excited. If you throw an interception, that sucks, but move on. Don’t let the last play affect the next one. Same with your chess. If you screw up and lose a pawn, keep your head screwed on straight, the pressure is now all on your opponent to convert to a win.<br />
<br />
<b>Learn How to Handle all the Non-Chess Factors</b><br />
The longer I have played, the more I’ve learned that competitive chess is about 20% chess knowledge and about 80% how well you handle fear, excitement, anguish, your clock, uncomfortable positions, noise, heat, fatigue, diet, distractions, etc., etc. The human element is the most unpredictable in chess and is probably the reason for the vast swings in quality of play from one competition to the next. <br />
<br />
There’s no way you can prepare for the moments you are going to be hungry mid-game, you just have to learn these things from experience.<br />
<br />
<b>Identify the Conditions that Lead to Mistakes</b><br />
It took me about four games to realize any time I get up in material, I have a tendency to shut-down and think “it doesn’t matter what move I make, I have the win in the bag.” Huge mistake.<br />
<br />
Now every time I play, I give every move all I’ve got until one of us tips our king over. Also, I knew a player whom, when he got hungry, he was not able to calculate effectively and would frequently drop pieces. So he learned to keep snacks in his chess bag. <br />
<br />
When you are aware there is a giant bear trap somewhere in your path, you are far less likely to step on it. Be aware of when you are likely to make mistakes and you will see a reduction in them.<br />
<br />
<b>Don’t Sweat Your Rating</b><br />
I know you are proud of your rating and have worked really hard to get it. I know you don’t really want to do anything to damage your shiny rating. Listen, here's the deal, your goal is not to obtain a strong chess rating. Your goal is to become a good chess player. If you accept a draw because you are scared of losing rating points, then you may in fact be losing rating points by missing a valuable endgame lesson. Generally speaking, I refuse draws unless the position is dead-drawn (or I'm losing!)<br />
<br />
A few years ago I put a ton of work into "Reassess Your Chess" by IM Jeremy Silman. For two straight months my rating steadily slipped from 1480 to 1430 after I finished the book. The weird thing was, I could tell I was becoming a stronger chess player even though my rating was not reflecting it. I kept at it. Before the year was out, my rating shot up to 1630. The funny thing is not once did I care about my rating slipping. I could tell my chess was improving even if the results were not yet showing.<br />
<br />
<b>Work Hard, but Have Fun</b><br />
Chess like anything else is going to be reflective of the amount of work you put into it. Do not expect results if you never work at improving. You cannot keep doing the same things you are doing and expect to improve. That being said, never lose sight of the fact that chess is fun and should always remain so. Practice, play, study, and reviewing games should all be fun. When you stop having fun and approach chess as if its a job, then you will get burned out and will begin to loathe the work instead of loving it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-76392992706591426722011-11-23T11:03:00.000-05:002011-11-23T11:03:01.764-05:00Wallpaper: Future Chess<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGd2nSLD38JIUVGOolwAf0R_TB4bGYR2u_mI7JH9eHv51rcoIk2P6T8lqtvPQnItdBDq1-HStP_pzFhMjeKoFHq-iO-9etBwiZIL7bUNOcZMeUyXnZ3sKyCbGzi6cPW99d3dJrDL92nhI/s1600/FutureChess1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGd2nSLD38JIUVGOolwAf0R_TB4bGYR2u_mI7JH9eHv51rcoIk2P6T8lqtvPQnItdBDq1-HStP_pzFhMjeKoFHq-iO-9etBwiZIL7bUNOcZMeUyXnZ3sKyCbGzi6cPW99d3dJrDL92nhI/s320/FutureChess1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1024 x768</td></tr>
</tbody></table> I don't know what made me think of this but it looks cool.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTDarvNe4sTR1OyGXZaGYpTrGiwygpzTEyO4_I2CXdhePih2wfb2bjAzD69EVUxr9_PDSdaffPtl6s2QdYYnmzIN3P2kaQTC0vUj6KWdz-9MAmW-xnvzIrXSWp6CYGm1hBC82kKasGbA/s1600/FutureChess1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTDarvNe4sTR1OyGXZaGYpTrGiwygpzTEyO4_I2CXdhePih2wfb2bjAzD69EVUxr9_PDSdaffPtl6s2QdYYnmzIN3P2kaQTC0vUj6KWdz-9MAmW-xnvzIrXSWp6CYGm1hBC82kKasGbA/s320/FutureChess1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1280 x 960</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XrMgYwfM9186HGHJJXRhTvdRZwSnnjD7JPDU_Pvau3525I4GNC4kTQvizUM_stiFbHU-T74ArIKbP6lJwwW0cp8rNVQ9RqxxpbOZS5JTtONZRsrMSlD85vb3s0hu-hJbr6zuqyadlIg/s1600/FutureChess1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XrMgYwfM9186HGHJJXRhTvdRZwSnnjD7JPDU_Pvau3525I4GNC4kTQvizUM_stiFbHU-T74ArIKbP6lJwwW0cp8rNVQ9RqxxpbOZS5JTtONZRsrMSlD85vb3s0hu-hJbr6zuqyadlIg/s320/FutureChess1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1600 x 1200</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-12109538106550416372011-11-21T09:45:00.003-05:002011-11-21T10:07:33.722-05:00Learning Lessons from Losses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mikeonmoney.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/checkmate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://mikeonmoney.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/checkmate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I am a big fan of being disciplined enough to learn from your losses. While nothing gives me greater pleasure than flipping over tables and throwing a colossal hissy fit when I lose, I keep it in check and always review the game with my opponent. Thus, I have learned more after my games than during them.<br />
<br />
Humans have an amazing capacity to learn from other people’s mistakes, but we also have an equal disinclination to do just that. Your parents can warn you that the boiling pot of water is hot. You can either take them at their word or stick your hand in it and decide for yourself.<br />
<br />
In the same regard, I urge you to learn from my silly mistakes. They will save you headaches. Here are some lessons I have learned, the hard way, through my losses as a chess player.<br />
<br />
<b>Lesson 1 - Pawn Structure is overrated until you are a master</b><br />
Once I got paired against a dude rated around 1200. At the time, I was rated 1650. He was still provisionally rated as this was only his 9th tournament chess game. I played a gambit opening that gives people trouble who are not well-versed in its intricacies. As I expected he got into some trouble in the opening and had a shattered pawn structure. I calmly and thoughtlessly traded down into an endgame so I could “take advantage” of his wrecked pawn structure.<br />
<br />
It turns out that his Rooks had two more half-open files to work with than I did. He willingly let me control an open file while he doubled up on a half-open file. I was kind of powerless to stop him. His rooks zipped all around the board because his own pawns were not standing in his way.<br />
<br />
Long story short, his rook mobility became the decisive factor in the game and he ended up winning. But for the record, this guy regularly beat Class A players in speed games, so he was no pushover. But the spirit of the story remains.<br />
<br />
<b>Lesson 2 - Always Expect your Opponent to Refuse a Sacrifice</b><br />
Sacrificing material is so much fun. I absolutely love doing it. I have many thrilling wins where I have sacrificed material for a very satisfying mating attack. I also have numerous devastating losses that all seem to have one thing in common, my opponent refused my sacrifice.<br />
<br />
Most chess players are capable of finding fun sacrifices that lead to annihilation when accepted. However, I have come to learn that when my opponents get startled by a sacrifice, they will most often find that accepting my sacrifice comes at a high price. Most of the time, they will look for, and often find, a clever resource or a decisive in-between move that causes my sacrifice to fail.<br />
<br />
Early on in my chess playing days, it was nothing for me to throw a bishop at a pawn on h7 and go for the kill. I have come to learn that your opponent certainly does not have to accept your Greek gift and when they are given time to work out the problem, good moves are available. Be careful when sacrificing material and always ask yourself, what if they refuse my sacrifice?<br />
<br />
<b>Lesson 3 - Inferior Openings do not yield a winning advantage</b><br />
I used to roll my eyes when someone played some weird opening. Luckily this was not a tournament game, but I lost an online game to a kid from my club who played 1.g4 as white. I had never seen it before, but totally scoffed at it and played whatever I wanted to because anything will beat this opening. My little buddy knew all of the traps in this opening and he was up a Rook and pawn for a Bishop very quickly.<br />
<br />
Offbeat openings are to be regarded with caution and respect, not laughter!<br />
<br />
<b>Lesson 4 - Sleep is Important</b><br />
For whatever reason I seem to be plagued with a poor night of sleep before tournament games. It’s really obnoxious and I don’t have trouble sleeping. However, it always seems to work out that I get a miserable night of sleep before an important game. It could be something as simple as a neighbor’s dog barking all night long, or obnoxious roommates drinking beer, playing blitz, and laughing to the top of their lungs until 3 a.m. while I’m clearly trying to sleep, you jerks!<br />
<br />
Anyways get a good night’s sleep before games.<br />
<br />
<b>Lesson 5 - When an opponent spends more than 10 minutes on a move then offers you a pawn, don’t snatch it.</b><br />
<br />
This means he has spent a very long time figuring out what to do if you do take the pawn. Giving the pawn grab a glance and saying, “I think I can hold this pawn” then taking it is a poor decision. I could almost expand this section to include, be wary of taking any material without exhaustive analysis first!<br />
<br />
There you have it, take it from me. Following my advice will earn you at least 1000 rating points. Maybe not, but it will certainly help you avoid some heartbreak.<br />
<br />
Follow me on Twitter: @weaksquareUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-33762519742241605012011-11-17T16:19:00.004-05:002011-11-21T16:43:55.609-05:00Solving Chess<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0EE_af6RtTSS8ghq3Nj-cSkj_hhJyWipGc2d7nOca2WImftVMgyqGDpvFMbjp2mPz5zhwpR6HxN6oNsd2n7F8JpimAbyw6NX4R1RwbgqdZUYk7kCCsGUR06tqo5Hf4ys9QJPMRn8z38/s1600/computerChess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0EE_af6RtTSS8ghq3Nj-cSkj_hhJyWipGc2d7nOca2WImftVMgyqGDpvFMbjp2mPz5zhwpR6HxN6oNsd2n7F8JpimAbyw6NX4R1RwbgqdZUYk7kCCsGUR06tqo5Hf4ys9QJPMRn8z38/s320/computerChess.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The beauty and complexity of chess has drawn admirers from all walks of life for centuries. Even with over 50 years of computer-aided study, new mysteries are discovered about chess on a daily basis. With all of its rich complexity, chess is still on the radar to be solved by computers, maybe sooner than we think.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Endgame Tablebase</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">An endgame tablebase is a computer database which contains precalculated, exhaustive analysis of a chess endgame position. For example, you can place a black king on a8, black rook on h7, black knight on b8, white king on b2, white queen on b6 and the endgame tablebase will demonstrate that Qd8 is a forced checkmate in 26 moves. It is able to do this because it already contains information on all of the possible moves and subsequent responses by the opponent, all the way to checkmate. No analysis or thinking on the part of the computer is required. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">An endgame tablebase contains information on all positions with three, four, and five pieces in any configuration and all positions with six pieces except those which are five pieces versus one lone king. The endgame tablebase is approximately 1.2 Terabytes of digital information. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">An Entire Game Tablebase</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If this feat is possible with only six pieces, is it possible with 32? Could an entire game be conclusively solved before the first pawn is pushed? Absolutely. There are a finite number of legal positions possible that can arise from a game of chess. It is estimated that there are somewhere around 10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 6.6pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">43 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">number of positions that can appear on a chess board after the clock is pressed.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Just how big is 10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 6.6pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">43</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">? Well by comparison, it is estimated that there are less than 10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 6.6pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">24</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> number of stars in the sky, everywhere, period. Also don’t make the mistake of thinking that 10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 6.6pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">43</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is about double the amount of 10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 6.6pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">24</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, actually 10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 6.6pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">25</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is exactly ten times larger than 10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 6.6pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">24</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, if that gives you some idea of what a colossally large figure we are dealing with.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So that begs the question, exactly how long would it take to put 10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 6.6pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">43</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> number of positions into a comprehensive database such as the endgame tablebase that we already have? The endgame tablebases account for about 10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 6.6pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">14</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> number of possible positions solved, so we can reduce 10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 6.6pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">43</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> to 10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 6.6pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">29</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> number of positions we have to account for. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The fastest chess engine can execute about 2 million positions per second. But let’s say for the sake of argument that computers could process 1 billion positions per second. If we hooked up 1 billion computers that could each compile 1 billion unique positions per second into a database, it would still take 3,170 years to compile into a database that would be about 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 terabytes.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This method of solving chess will not be done anytime soon.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sandwich Method</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There is already a 7-piece Nalimov endgame tablebase near completion. Endgame tablebases are a method of solving chess starting from checkmate going towards the beginning. Chess opening theory, which humans have been doing for over 250 years, is solving chess from the beginning towards the back end.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At some point probably in the next 100 years, these two methods of solving chess will get close enough to be bridged together by computer analysis. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Checkers was solved in a similar fashion. The checkers playing engine Chinook sticks with an opening book that gives it the highest probability of victory when moving first (the fewest moves available to its opponent that leads to a forced draw). Chinook prunes all other opening families when moving first and plays the lines which gives it the shortest path to a draw versus every opening when moving second. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, you cannot input any checkers position into Chinook and it will spit out a definitive result like an endgame tablebase will. Here is an example in chess terms. Let’s say there was a chess playing machine similar to Chinook called, of course, weaksquare. The sandwich solving of chess determined that 1.e4 and 1.d4 lead to victory for white, and all other moves lead to a draw. Therefore, weaksquare will only play 1.d4 or 1.e4 as white, ignoring all other opening moves as a possibility. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Weaksquare would not be complete without an adequate defense to every opening move by white when playing black. Let’s say whenever someone plays the Bird Opening, the fastest route to a draw is the response 1... g6. Weaksquare ignores all other responses to 1.f4 and only plays 1... g6, even though others may also draw. If weaksquare were playing white and the game were to somehow begin 1.f4 e5!? (From’s Gambit) then the perfect chess playing machine would have absolutely no clue what to do on move 2 because this position is literally not in its database of moves. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Chinook has the same drawback, it is not a brute-force solving of checkers. You cannot input any position into Chinook and it cannot give you a conclusive outcome. But as long as Chinook controls the game from the beginning, it will never be defeated (because checkers is a forced draw with best play). </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The creation of weaksquare, the perfect chess-playing machine, is inevitable. The gap between endgame tablebases and opening theory is astronomically vast. However, with improving computer hardware and improving computer chess analysis, this gap will get exponentially smaller until it disappears completely and chess is solved.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Follow me on Twitter: @weaksquare</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-75445701726043392302011-11-16T11:41:00.000-05:002011-11-16T11:41:17.158-05:00Wallpaper: EquilibriumAbout two weeks ago I, quite by accident, stumbled across Steinitz' 7 governing principles of modern chess strategy. I have been playing and studying chess for four years and was amazed that I had never encountered such a crucial piece of chess theory as this before now. I was fascinated by Steinitz' theory of equilibrium and it kind of put the game into a new perspective for me. <br />
<br />
So I decided a wallpaper would be nice. If you enjoy it, please share with your friends.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDM58HWE4bcopR2DSGgO-YlqYPcjZ0K52Mh7XNM3ObDEXbRD6tQNEHBBs95akhLL7dUsjrS6P1TaBNggHpXfdaCHZs7ZQ26mIXs_LIQ-majOEJhH9PIhigLkR1iPRYb_7BjYsR7wphZ60/s1600/equilibrium1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDM58HWE4bcopR2DSGgO-YlqYPcjZ0K52Mh7XNM3ObDEXbRD6tQNEHBBs95akhLL7dUsjrS6P1TaBNggHpXfdaCHZs7ZQ26mIXs_LIQ-majOEJhH9PIhigLkR1iPRYb_7BjYsR7wphZ60/s320/equilibrium1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1024 x 768</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYjTTeuatWskjzC1qrLY6ByKAUnkHCLg1lA5LFpJ5O9cRqNNYJDL6vBXdrE5d34rTM44pfXc0zKtm-3WdfO6WG0lsAjajLOTqWRqW_hj1SkXGVsuNznHZum0rx60_SDtjp7eFkKreu64/s1600/equilibrium1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYjTTeuatWskjzC1qrLY6ByKAUnkHCLg1lA5LFpJ5O9cRqNNYJDL6vBXdrE5d34rTM44pfXc0zKtm-3WdfO6WG0lsAjajLOTqWRqW_hj1SkXGVsuNznHZum0rx60_SDtjp7eFkKreu64/s320/equilibrium1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1280 x960</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRgGn6x9wqRdd-6yZMAXAoF9o31HWXCXCM3uetq2j40La07ewydf59vTPm3GdiPPL70i-qZ0nSxFWJSF-NxNO34bqIyOPRA9r-VO9OP4xartpCfFeLwvR2FsQPnc8e-dDenu2TV3Kxko/s1600/equilibrium1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRgGn6x9wqRdd-6yZMAXAoF9o31HWXCXCM3uetq2j40La07ewydf59vTPm3GdiPPL70i-qZ0nSxFWJSF-NxNO34bqIyOPRA9r-VO9OP4xartpCfFeLwvR2FsQPnc8e-dDenu2TV3Kxko/s320/equilibrium1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1600 x 1200</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-22442004793991795412011-11-09T11:54:00.000-05:002011-11-09T11:54:05.082-05:00Wallpaper: OppositionThis idea popped in my head the other day for a wallpaper on some kind of metal grate. I was worried about the holes making the image indistinguishable but I'm glad it turned out ok.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7JLqCbaplCC4-ElU23zkebfAwJQNnxlvDla8zutGEGI0lONvclf5v-L36KBxDGUC6vC_fsX1hwU1avHn00jpuPJI6N3fCfkpYOXs3QtWBKoJkgkleRMauzck0emeQ_itvqfdoZuUMOs/s1600/Opposition1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7JLqCbaplCC4-ElU23zkebfAwJQNnxlvDla8zutGEGI0lONvclf5v-L36KBxDGUC6vC_fsX1hwU1avHn00jpuPJI6N3fCfkpYOXs3QtWBKoJkgkleRMauzck0emeQ_itvqfdoZuUMOs/s320/Opposition1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>1600x1200<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7r1vxb0Bb_3KO6vUFhyphenhyphencxXy-cUR95w-Owqng7ZBfC2G9kazoVhKsSu4NN2_KnZm7-cOLOVy51QxGxj-Fy_NaAZIcdhX6e1YyeU-6wZavZ3mBpntSrPe59OoOWDbPcCJe6Y9BQ4JSAbkY/s1600/Opposition1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7r1vxb0Bb_3KO6vUFhyphenhyphencxXy-cUR95w-Owqng7ZBfC2G9kazoVhKsSu4NN2_KnZm7-cOLOVy51QxGxj-Fy_NaAZIcdhX6e1YyeU-6wZavZ3mBpntSrPe59OoOWDbPcCJe6Y9BQ4JSAbkY/s320/Opposition1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>1280x960<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKOEIxiQmQ2nshJXSo1xl7mXTOVRQwb1f8d5wpJeaZ4znGshYJoO7KiW1ezjQziQcgP291rt371DtiDHQUUP4hIQIh5qfZ1btOs5suDxPSGnjEw8zd1_cE-vfiXMz3IFVTT1-gsSp0Jg/s1600/Opposition1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKOEIxiQmQ2nshJXSo1xl7mXTOVRQwb1f8d5wpJeaZ4znGshYJoO7KiW1ezjQziQcgP291rt371DtiDHQUUP4hIQIh5qfZ1btOs5suDxPSGnjEw8zd1_cE-vfiXMz3IFVTT1-gsSp0Jg/s320/Opposition1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>1024x768Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-79531972654205777692011-11-07T14:40:00.000-05:002011-11-07T14:40:58.173-05:00My Best and Worst Wins<b>My Worst and Best Wins</b><br />
<br />
Usually it's the losses that are miserable. However, in addition to some exciting wins, I have a few miserable ones. I thought I would share them with you. Here is a fun collection of my best wins as a tournament chess player, and certainly my worst. I hope you enjoy.<br />
<br />
<b>#3 All-time worst win</b><br />
Once I was playing this kid rated about 600 points lower than me. I was playing white and from about move 12 was completely winning. I was up a piece, maybe two and I had mate threats all over the board. I spent all this time aggressively pursuing his king, for about 4 moves in a row he had a forced mate in 2 on the board that both of us missed. I was so angry with myself for playing so lazy and sloppy that when the game was over, I shook hands with him, packed up my gear and stormed out of the building. I was so angry with myself I could punched a hole in the space-time continuum. Well I can do that anyway because I’m so awesome, but I’m just sayin’ I was mad.<br />
<b><br />
#2 All-time worst win</b><br />
I was playing a gentlemen in our club whom I really respect as a person. He’s an older fellow rated about 400 points or so lower than me. On a whim I decided to whip out the King’s Gambit, an opening I have never studied or looked at any lines against. It just looked fun to play so I played it. I got in trouble pretty fast, real fast in fact. He had me clobbered. I was down at least 2 pawns but even worse than that was that I was totally and completely passive and had absolutely zero chance of making any threats.<br />
<br />
My opponent incorrectly started trying to trade pawns, which allowed me to get a passed pawn by refusing a pawn trade. So I had one passed pawn, literally the only beacon of hope in a completely hopeless position. Ten moves or so later my opponent could have even sac’ed a piece for my passed pawn and he would have still been winning.<br />
<br />
I traded a knight for three pawns, so I was up a pawn but down a piece, still losing. He threatened my passed pawn with his king, I guarded with a rook and then he jumped a knight in my rook’s path, also guarded by his king. When he made the move, I felt really bad for him. I sac’ed my rook for his knight. If he retook with his king then my pawn promoted. I was up a pawn and now had a passed pawn on the 7th in a rook and pawn endgame. He sat quietly for a second then his lips started quivering. Finally he mustered, “that was a good move” then tipped his King over. I felt pretty awful.<br />
<br />
<b>#1 All-time worst win</b><br />
I was playing a very good player and a friend of mine. We are about equal in rating strength and naturally had a really hard fought game. We were in an endgame with one set of rooks and one set of minor pieces. I totally missed a tactic and he played a combination where he “sacrificed” his rook for a pawn and then followed up with a knight fork hitting my rook and king, essentially winning a pawn.<br />
We were the last game in the last round of a major tournament. Everyone in the room was waiting for us to finish and numerous people were watching our game winding down. My opponent took my pawn with his rook with check. I thought for several minutes and saw the coming knight fork.<br />
<br />
Trying to figure out what I should do, I lost sight of the fact that I was in check. So I moved proudly picked up my rook and moved him to the back rank with check, escaping the knight fork, forcing my opponent to lose his rook. The only problem was, I was in check and could not move my rook.<br />
<br />
My opponent grabbed his head and screamed, “OH MY GOD! I resign.” He disgustedly tipped his king over over and outstretched his hand. Everyone standing around us said, “Adam, NO!”<br />
Then Adam said, “Oh. Wait. NO!”<br />
<br />
We both realized our mistakes. Unfortunately, it was too late. The tournament director was observing and declared via the rules, once you resign, the game is over, period. No going back. I felt like I was scheduled to be executed and then someone stepped in and said, “No! I’ll be executed for him!” I had that pit in your stomach like when you should have been in a fierce car accident but just missed it.<br />
<br />
<b>#3 Best Win</b><br />
My opponent was a pretty sharp kid, and won the state high school championship the following year. He was rated about 200 points higher than me at the time of the game. At the beginning of the game, he asked me if I wanted to use a time delay clock or not. I told him I did not care, I would leave the decision to him since he was playing black. He opted for no time delay.<br />
<br />
I played a really fierce attacking game and even sacrificed a piece for an attack. He’s a good player and put up a stiff defense. But my position was so strong I even overlooked a king and queen fork to a knight. I was angry for a second and then said, “Oh I’m still winning.” And it was true! Two moves later he had to sacrifice his queen or I was going to queen a pawn.<br />
<br />
The dust settled and I was up two pawns and easily winning. He was in serious time trouble. With about two minutes to go, he stopped the clocked and said, “I’m going to ask the tournament director for a time-delay clock.” I calmly said, “You can’t do that but whatever, go ahead ask.”<br />
<br />
The T.D. came back and ruled against his request, which I knew he would. My opponent got annoyed and resigned two moves later. At the time, he was the highest rated opponent I had ever defeated.<br />
<br />
<b>#2 Best Win</b><br />
I was playing a Class 1925 Class A player and was rated about 1750 or so. I did some opening preparation. On move 6, he played a move I knew was dubious and led to an advantage for me, but I did not know the tactical justification for it. I spent several minutes on move 7 and finally found it. A knight sacrifice! So I played a knight sacrifice on move 7 which led to an amazing advantage for me by force. In order to save his king and queen he had to sacrifice a rook, and even then he was still in trouble. He resigned on move 22. It was my first win over a class A player, and I did it in exciting fashion. Several people told me afterwards they almost fell over when I sacrificed my knight. Really cool feeling.<br />
<br />
<b>#1 Best Win</b><br />
I organized a team tournament in February of 2010. People from all over the state came to play as teams. The entire week prior to the tournament I had the stomach flu. I had lost about eight pounds in the last week and was feeling like death.<br />
<br />
The day of the tournament came and I was going to tell my teammate that I was not going to play, I felt horrid. However, upon his arrival the first thing out of his mouth was, “I am so excited about this tournament, I have been looking forward to it for weeks!” I could not let him down, so I made the decision to play.<br />
<br />
My first round game I got paired against a guy rated in the 1400’s who was kind of a shark. I had played him before and knew he was a pretty strong player despite his deceptively low rating. It goes without saying, I was not into the game at all. I had no desire to play, no desire to be there. I just wanted to sleep.<br />
<br />
Around move 25 or so I walked right into a skewer of my King & Queen to a bishop. In most cases I would have resigned, especially not feeling well, but my opponent picked up his Bishop and slammed it fiercely onto its square. Then he sat back in his chair and folded his arms and crossed his legs and just kind of looked at me. <br />
<br />
Whatever zombie was sitting across from my opponent instantly became a demon.<br />
Whatever lack of desire I had fled at that moment. As far as I was concerned, my sole reason for God putting me on this Earth became winning this chess game. I took his Bishop with my queen, he retook with a pawn.<br />
<br />
I played furiously. Every move I made from that point forward had an extremely complex tactical plan behind it. Each move carried multiple threats and flowed with ideas. Every move I made was carefully crafted, rich, complex, and fierce! He spent a lot of time solving my problems. All of my pieces were slowly moving up the board, creeping into his position, and he spent every move since he won my queen defending, and trying not to lose.<br />
<br />
The pressure was mounting for him. I had nothing to lose. On move 42, I calmly leaned over to him and said, “You are out of time. Good game.” He had clocked. I was still in an inferior position and probably should have lost but oh well. I ended up playing like a man possessed the rest of the tournament and ended up gaining 60 rating points.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-7389303437719060782011-10-20T15:35:00.003-04:002011-11-09T11:59:29.501-05:00New Wallpaper: Knight MovesThis idea popped in my head this morning. Luckily my photoshop skills are good enough to transfer what's in my mind to a digital representation. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvyCYYBgaDMMwTHbwyaCbGHRSTT7AorVgL6K_glVPKyS4zdNcxgfE-dgGBiqnfiJQlftmVtVo71b9RuQJ_olqn28T9h8EMJglMj7J-EzePPEH8xoQexPXcixVBmj6Rxp6n9Qo5vT5cYo/s1600/knightMoves1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvyCYYBgaDMMwTHbwyaCbGHRSTT7AorVgL6K_glVPKyS4zdNcxgfE-dgGBiqnfiJQlftmVtVo71b9RuQJ_olqn28T9h8EMJglMj7J-EzePPEH8xoQexPXcixVBmj6Rxp6n9Qo5vT5cYo/s320/knightMoves1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click picture for 1024x768</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEircfXwCh9Anm6fXKxFRQIlBWWZWS3aIrxvMUsQmYvF3DxDIpJ_q6TN70dAgxNLlDIqldFgMBszPeG95JF33SxojHooNxRDqLgLR0tGwjio4BeRMs9XFu2D8BTnmCLcB2vA1wmrsudi9FU/s1600/knightMoves1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEircfXwCh9Anm6fXKxFRQIlBWWZWS3aIrxvMUsQmYvF3DxDIpJ_q6TN70dAgxNLlDIqldFgMBszPeG95JF33SxojHooNxRDqLgLR0tGwjio4BeRMs9XFu2D8BTnmCLcB2vA1wmrsudi9FU/s320/knightMoves1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click Picture for 1280x960</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2U1Q8yMnrsBZyGJqPXXZnxRYcSu5J5w8AYaPuB8lPQYLizh1QcrO54gH_L827W96vbMwm75j1n5uOEKaq0nN7CSYmQERfPHDlDOi79lBOS_EWrNagDAJGUKjxTHhGOEsv7LWivyHMM4/s1600/knightMoves1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2U1Q8yMnrsBZyGJqPXXZnxRYcSu5J5w8AYaPuB8lPQYLizh1QcrO54gH_L827W96vbMwm75j1n5uOEKaq0nN7CSYmQERfPHDlDOi79lBOS_EWrNagDAJGUKjxTHhGOEsv7LWivyHMM4/s320/knightMoves1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click Picture for 1600x1200</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-66079620203379448152011-08-12T07:58:00.002-04:002011-08-12T07:58:46.388-04:00Mate in 3 - 8/12/11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pFCyY3fWFHTmwSyob33OS3siuvbelUg2ScXf6FEgJvybaPsC64wL60w7ekiJ29VlZV_6jF3W6Ll8I7aiVCB11dfTNmt2goC5jeMQcV86o52jEXWa2NazqMjwfCSieBfOdnVF8uwpn24/s1600/matein3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pFCyY3fWFHTmwSyob33OS3siuvbelUg2ScXf6FEgJvybaPsC64wL60w7ekiJ29VlZV_6jF3W6Ll8I7aiVCB11dfTNmt2goC5jeMQcV86o52jEXWa2NazqMjwfCSieBfOdnVF8uwpn24/s1600/matein3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-1593905500259200022011-08-11T08:45:00.000-04:002011-08-11T08:45:02.116-04:00Daily Mate in 3 - 8/11/11Black has two reasonable choices on move 2. See if you can figure out both before reading the solution. This one is probably a little tough.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZU7yikBaOBDrWAE8W46ETl1LhxKnGsahIxA5GErN5JlQs7L7lJdJI6ziEIt0yWH2TU6L6PWx9YIBJMrmeii5R8t9cwidzJ1kupMKt0gMSHd54_Xw7TTFOtJwE0TK2jtxaF6I3-3A0rE/s1600/matein3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZU7yikBaOBDrWAE8W46ETl1LhxKnGsahIxA5GErN5JlQs7L7lJdJI6ziEIt0yWH2TU6L6PWx9YIBJMrmeii5R8t9cwidzJ1kupMKt0gMSHd54_Xw7TTFOtJwE0TK2jtxaF6I3-3A0rE/s1600/matein3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-29467284021288850562011-08-10T08:46:00.000-04:002011-08-10T08:46:45.205-04:00Daily Mate in 3 - 8/10/11This one is cool!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapBb3EtB0M5uO-wIpfyubuvUdA1tYUn6H5BobWFVsxqfmkTVOBvPBRfcKLvi8p5J2_SrLZWYY1nAr8lMlsG1ifQh6j4L-sEEMrujGIsTVqxQzrOK-OO77HQym97vDmPatMYVOjO_u21M/s1600/matein3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapBb3EtB0M5uO-wIpfyubuvUdA1tYUn6H5BobWFVsxqfmkTVOBvPBRfcKLvi8p5J2_SrLZWYY1nAr8lMlsG1ifQh6j4L-sEEMrujGIsTVqxQzrOK-OO77HQym97vDmPatMYVOjO_u21M/s1600/matein3.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-16058722233545941932011-08-09T13:51:00.000-04:002011-08-09T13:51:05.236-04:00Daily Mate in 3 - 8/9/2011When preparing this one, I was surprised to learn I had the incorrect solution when I worked it out! I wonder how many others I've gotten incorrect along the way.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxTN_OOum4FNHzdnMxYOA70xwXYBBRq2pC-_04ppv44WVWOzFMguyxT6EIKbFVnO_y9D5bO4hMMUNfTrZj7aP9-hdpTXNlVr2hoNKC5vfdVVXZkioZ3M_C1WghY2YVYo64gJbdMRnpzM/s1600/matein3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxTN_OOum4FNHzdnMxYOA70xwXYBBRq2pC-_04ppv44WVWOzFMguyxT6EIKbFVnO_y9D5bO4hMMUNfTrZj7aP9-hdpTXNlVr2hoNKC5vfdVVXZkioZ3M_C1WghY2YVYo64gJbdMRnpzM/s1600/matein3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The original solution I came up with was 1. Qg6+ hxg6 2. h6+ Kxh6 3. Nf5# But in my analysis I missed gxf5. So I was surprised when I put the position into the computer. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6069256328315084947.post-38226219841833117122011-08-08T17:16:00.003-04:002011-08-10T08:47:48.240-04:00Loser - 7 Rules for Dealing with LossesLet’s establish an axiom of competition right off the bat; no one likes losing. Sure there are some people who “don’t mind” or “it doesn’t bother them” to lose. But no one likes it. That being said, if there is an emotion stronger than hate, it might begin to describe my feelings towards losing. And I do mean losing anything whether it’s chess or Hungry-Hungry Hippo. The other day my 4-year-old beat me at Wii Bowling. I put her on restriction for 12 years.<br />
<br />
Once I was clowning around playing my dad in a casual game of chess. I always talk trash to him because he hasn’t beaten me in about 15 years. He was down 2 minor pieces to me, I was easily winning. So I started watching the Three Stooges instead of paying attention to the game.<br />
<br />
I look down and see that he hung a Rook with his last move and confidently snatched it. My dad said, “you’re joking right?” I looked back at the board and realized I left my back rank wide open and he thundered down with a checkmate. I about flipped the table over and then turned into the Incredible Hulk right then and there.<br />
<br />
I tell the following stories frequently but they bear repeating.<br />
<br />
<b>Weaksquare’s 3 Worst Chess Losses</b><br />
<i><br />
#3 – An Easy Win Goes Wrong</i><br />
<br />
I did some home preparation against the Najdorf Sicilian as white and found some excellent attacking lines that involved a piece sacrifice. My very next game my opponent plays the Najdorf and I execute a pretty stunning piece sacrifice on move 9. My opponent was in a completely and totally locked position and had nothing but land mines all around him. Within 6 moves I had gone from down a piece to up a piece! I was easily winning.<br />
<br />
I played the next 15 moves or so on auto-pilot. Every move I made was preceded with the thought, “I wish he would just resign”. A quick lapse in thinking and I dropped in entire rook. Now I was simply losing. I resigned four moves later.<br />
<br />
Rage does not even come close to describing how I felt. I could have ripped a manhole cover in half. I left and went out and found a midget to beat up and it made me feel better.<br />
<br />
<i>#2 – The Four Move Wonder</i><br />
<br />
I had been having an amazing tournament. I had 3.5 points out of 4, all against stronger opponents. It was round 5 and I was playing an expert and former state champion. I had psyched myself up several hours before the game telling myself that I was taking down my first expert player today. The game was on board 1, being broadcast live on the Internet!<br />
<br />
I lost in four moves. This time I was not sent into a frenzied rage, but it was honestly one of the most horribly embarrassing moments of my life. I was playing black. In case you were wondering, <i>1.c4 e5 2. Nc3 f5 3. e4!? fxe4?? 4. Qh5+!</i> Devastating.<br />
<br />
<i>#1 – Miniature from a miniature.</i><br />
<br />
As awful as #2 sounds, try getting checkmated in 9 moves by a 10-year-old. See how that does your ego. We were playing in a team tournament and I was fairly new to chess playing on board 3 for my team. I was steadily improving and playing a half-pint about 300 points below my rating. Again, I was playing black. About 6 moves in my teammate from board 1 comes over and looks at my board. I make eye contact with him and he starts shaking his head at me.<br />
<br />
I looked at him with a rather puzzled look. Little did I know I was going to get mated in 3 moves, but he saw it coming. I was so embarrassed I wanted to cry. I was so angry I wanted to punch a hole in a brick wall.<br />
<br />
<i>1.e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bb4+?! 5.c3 dxc3 6.bxc3 Be7? 7. Qd5! d6? 8. Qxh7+ Kd7 9. Be6#</i><br />
<br />
What is the point of me sharing these stories? Each of these experiences gave me the opportunity to close up shop and quit. Or worse yet, forget they ever happened and keep playing the way I always have.<br />
<br />
But, I didn’t do that. Each experience gave me valuable, irreplaceable lessons about competition and the game of chess. I took each of these losses and learned from them, greatly. After each devastating loss my rating surged forward. Why? Because these losses conferred hard lessons that I would never forget because they hurt so badly.<br />
<br />
Losing sucks, but failing to get the important lesson from the loss is nothing short of a tragedy. Growth can only come from failure.<br />
<br />
I’d be willing to bet you Garry Kasparov has 100 similar stories he could share. Did you know Babe Ruth struckout 1,330 times in his baseball career? Do you know how many times I’ve struck out in Major League games? Zero! Am I a better baseball player than Babe Ruth because I have no strikeouts? I think you get my point. Could Ruth gotten 714 home runs without striking out over 1,000 times? Not likely. Achievement is not winning 100% of the time, achievement is learning from losses to make you a tougher competitor. <br />
<br />
Loss is to be expected. It happens. So have a plan to deal with losses in a healthy way that will contribute to your continued success.<br />
<br />
WeakSquare's 7 Rules for Handling a Loss<br />
<br />
1. Go over the game with your opponent. You cannot get inside your opponents head during the game, but you sure can afterwards. Ask her what she was thinking at key moments, what her plans were, why she did or did not do something you expected at this point. Getting commentary from an equal or greater opponent is like having a free personalized lesson! Also remember that talking with your opponent, forming relationships, and being polite is within the true spirit of the game.<br />
<br />
2. Take some time to cool off if you need to. You need to review the game with your opponent but not while you’re foaming at the mouth with rage. Tell them you want to look at the game but ask them if they want to ride with you to a nearby coffee shop or the like to get away from the tournament hall. The ride will probably do you some good and your casual talk will cool you down some.<br />
<br />
3. Making a snap decision on why you lost is usually a bad idea. Never say, “I don’t need to review my game, I know why I lost” is one of the worst things you can do. Sure, you made a tactical error that lost your queen, yeah that’s why you lost. However, what were the conditions that led to that error? Were you distracted? Thirsty? Hot? Tired? Winning? First 20 moves? Second time control? Being cognizant of the conditions surrounding your error will help you be aware of their presence in the future. Also you might have been in a horrible position to begin with. Tactics may not be your problem but poor positional judgment. Think about it.<br />
<br />
4. Rip through the game with a computer, and then on your own. Let me qualify this by saying most coaches will tell you, “don’t use a computer for your first analysis”. I respectfully disagree with this advice and believe it should be refined. I would say, “don’t RELY on the computer for your first analysis”. What I usually do is throw my game in a computer and just run through it in about 1 or 2 minutes paying particular attention to the evaluation changes. I want to make sure I played a good game up to the point of my mistake. If I see problems before my game losing mistake, I’ll notate them on my scoresheet. Once I plow through the game right quick, I close the computer down and start playing over the game with a carbon analysis (my own self!) Only after you do a thorough analysis on your own should you be free to open the computer back up and use it to help you find improvements.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKa-zu0YPWg1xo3mJrxPq4j0BFK1FbODQhpwZ4tWOZ-brjCAqRU9CbAwB_JfJAdSiOj5HIA-FJ_pcZP-_EGrFMNbvTgnLqWHXMOKYJ4ukIW-hUyk8T-Oa8Ua1XK7akG0BuN4FjLyVlYss/s1600/e%2526h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKa-zu0YPWg1xo3mJrxPq4j0BFK1FbODQhpwZ4tWOZ-brjCAqRU9CbAwB_JfJAdSiOj5HIA-FJ_pcZP-_EGrFMNbvTgnLqWHXMOKYJ4ukIW-hUyk8T-Oa8Ua1XK7akG0BuN4FjLyVlYss/s1600/e%2526h.jpg" /></a></div>5. Keep things in perspective. As much as I hate losing, and I HATE IT, chess is a game. Life goes on. I have 2 healthy children, a freaking hot wife, a good job, good friends, a great church, good family, etc. I have a place to sleep and food to eat. If losing a game of chess is the worst thing that happens to me today, then I’m doing just fine.<br />
<br />
6. Be polite, even when you're angry. There's no need to be rude. Even the rare occasions when your opponent is rude to you, don't sink to their level. Surprise them by reciprocating kindness, it may be the only time in their life someone is kind to them.<br />
<br />
7. If all else fails, alcohol solves everything. Joking, joking!<br />
<br />
Play well! But also win well, and lose well!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com