Saturday, March 31, 2007
Is Chess a Sport? The Debate Goes On
  Is Chess a Sport? The Debate Goes On. By: Raymond Roy Many people do not feel that chess is a sport, they consider chess a board game, and large segments of our culture do not currently view chess as a sport. Why is this? According to Dictionary.com sport /spɔrt, spoʊrt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[spawrt, spohrt] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun 1. an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc. 2. a particular form of this, esp. in the out of doors. 3. diversion; recreation; pleasant pastime. Not all definitions were included for brevity. So yes, by definition chess is a sport. And this is interesting, the International Olympic Committee recognizes chess as a sport. The ancient Greeks greatly valued activities of the mind and included a variety of intellectual performances, including poetry reading in their sporting events. Many people consider chess the national sport of the former Soviet Union. Chess plays a significant role in many athletic departments, but various Internet Directories exclude chess in the category Sport; instead, referring Chess to Hobbies, Leisure, or Games/Board Games. This is only an example, there are many media formats that have not yet found a home for chess. Hum, why is this? So, I look at the orgin of the noun sport. The noun sport comes from French and Latin as a contracted form of the verb disport, which means to make merry. Would not that imply that the core meaning of sport is simply a pastime, diversion, or form of recreation? Chess, like many other sports, is also a game; A competitive activity governed by rules. Chess is also a competition; A rivalry involving the demonstration of skill or ability. Typically, (unlike other sports such as gymnastics or figure skating), chess is an adversarial sport; The outcome of each chess game is profoundly affected by the opposing interaction of the players. I have read that a study at Temple University reported that tournament chess causes physical changes similar to a comparable session of boxing or football. Chess requires extreme physical demands in tournament play; A single game might last six hours or more, and several such games might be played in one weekend. It is not uncommon for a chess player to loose 10 - 15 pounds during tournament play. For these reasons, chess competitors undergo extensive physical training for stamina, because physical conditioning can affect match outcomes. Stamina, can and will make all the difference in compitition play. Though chess is not a physical contact sport, (With the exception of a few fist fights that occure from time to time.) people react to chess as they do to any sport. These chess fans follow their favorite player or team(s), they discuss the personalities of players, argue intricacies of the rules, recite statistics, quote books, and compare the ratings and rankings of players. What do you think? Is Chess a Sport? Is Chess a Game? or, is Chess both a Sport and a Game? Please take a few minutes to voice your opinion.
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Thursday, March 29, 2007
Chess Opening Play
 Chess Opening Play - How To Get It Right By: Lee Dobbins There are a number of chess theories available relating to chess opening play and these are practiced almost everywhere around the world although you will also find there are a number of variations to these Chess Opening plays available. Because of the large number of opening play variations in the game of chess it only goes to prove just how complex the game is. In fact there are some chess opening plays that are considered equally good for both the White and Black player, unfortunately these opening plays can not be learnt and only come through experience. It is important that you use logical and healthy thinking when playing the game of chess. Each opening play has a name of its own so to classify any game of chess you will need to know the move which characterizes a particular opening. Unfortunately each opening play has a number of different variations to them and they also have names of their own as well. Many opening plays which are similar will lead to positions which also have similar features. In any opening move, you can move your pawns either 1 or 2 squares forward. Before deciding which piece to move, however, you must think ahead to your main objective and how you want the game to play out. Then, move the piece that will help you move towards that plan. The classification of any opening play depends greatly on the first move made and it can either be an open, semi or closed opening. An opening play is called Open if the white starts with the move of 1.e4 and black responds move 1.e5. Whilst a semi-open opening play is if the white starts with a move of 1.e4 but the black does not respond with the move of 1.e5. Then we come to an opening play which is called closed and this is when the white does not start with the move 1.e4. There are wide variety of opening play open moves around from the Italian game through to the Spanish, Scotch, Four Knights Game to Phillidor's Defence the Russian Game, Bishop's Opening and King's Gambit. Whilst such games as French Defence, Caro-Cann Defence, Scandinavian Game, Alechkin's Defence and the Sicilian Defence are the more common semi-open opening plays used. Then finally there are the closed opening play moves used in such games as Queen's Gambit, English Game, King's Indian Defence, Dutch Defence and Slav Defence. However any good player should know about all openings and be able to play them accordingly, it is important that you should gain experience and knowledge about these opening plays. Remember each opening play possesses a key idea and this becomes easier to implement once you are able to understand it.
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Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Te queda un Peon - You Have Left a Laborer
 Te queda un Peon You meet some really nice people interested in chess and yesterday I had the pleasure of corresponding with Te queda un Peon a site in Spanish, which means, "You have left a Laborer." Now, my Spanish is not that good. I need to rely upon translation tools, so I am not sure if that is a question or a statement, however, if I understand my Hispanic friends correctly, it is more of a humorous statement, kind of a jab, poking fun in jest at an opponent. Te queda un Peon is a new blog that is forming a Chess Club. I am not sure how many members they have, I believe it is a small group at the moment comprised of mostly local friends. However, this being the Internet, at the moment I believe they have plans to add translation tools to their blog which I beleive will attract many more guest. Te queda un Peon is a very good looking site, much nicer than our site, lol, easy to navigate, and have some chess problems rated by difficulty. If you like improving upon your chess strategies visit their site and tackle their chess problems. Like I said earlier I have been in corrispondance with them and enjoyed my conversations, and visits to their site. If you do not understand Spanish you can translate the page at Google Translation of Te queda un Peon.
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Why Blog About Chess?
Why Blog About Chess? By: Raymond Roy Chess has been a hobbie of mine since I was a young boy that has grown into a passion. This passion is fueled by the many people I meet, and the friends I have made through playing chess and hanging around places where there are chess players. For a long time I had been hearing this hype about blogs, and did not have a clue to what a blog was. So one day not long ago I did a Google search to find out what a blog was, and once finding out what a weblog is, decided to start a blog about something I enjoy, "Playing Chess." The focus of this blog is to show the positive attributes a person can receive learning and playing this fun, entertaining, and time honored board game. Being who I am, a person who enjoys helping others, I truly enjoy seeing the happiness on the face of someone I have done something special for. This is something in my nature I will not change. Chess offers me an opportunity to meet people, and for me is one form of social networking. I blog for the same reason that I enjoy playing chess. It is a form of social networking for me and an easy, "Ice Breaker" for meeting new people. The Internet offers lot of the same social networking experiences that chess offers of meeting new people, developing relationships, while also being a form of entertainment. Early in the development of the blog I attracted the attention of of a few chess writers in rather highly published circles, and they have contacted me, encouraged me, and given me some great advice. The correspondences with these people have developed into mutual relationships of respect, and has opened doors I would not have considered otherwise. My sources for material vary from books on the subject, articles submitted to me, public domain resources, Internet resources, family, friends, correspondence, and of course my own writings. I try to blog daily for a couple of reasons. One, I know that there are some influential individuals keeping an eye on my blog so I try not to disappoint them by missing a day. And secondly, it is also a good practice to stay tuned in to your readers and posting often provides me this opportunity. Much to my surprise this blog attracts lots of foreign visitors. Asian, Eastern, European, South America, Canada, just about everywhere in the world. While our cultures may differ, this has opened my eyes to many of common interests we all share as a people in a general sense. I a much broader sense we share more than interests, we all share the same planet. It is another example that as a race of people we are more alike than dislike. Now, let me back up some. At one time I was heavily involved in the Internet industry and had made a good income doing so. In the beginning of creating this blog one of my goals was to test the waters so-to-speak, to get my Internet water-wings back on, one might say. Having once been in the highly competitive Internet SEO Industry, I wanted to see if I still had the basic fundamental skills. Also, to learn what changes had been implemented, and to get back into the loop of things. Now, after only 6 weeks of being back into the Internet arena, my stats are showing almost 60% of my guests are from searches, and this is rising daily. Combine all these things; The number of daily visitors and the networking through the correspondence with those established within the Chess Industry; plans are being developed to take this blog to the next level with a full feature Internet website. It is an interesting adventure from a lonely blog new to the Internet, to a full featured website filled with the ups and downs of happiness and heartache. Well my friends, this a brief history detailing the beginning saga of a blog named, "Chess Strategies 101." Stay tuned...
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Monday, March 26, 2007
Free Chess Composition eBooks
 Free Chess Composition eBooks Chess Strategies that Work! This is a wonderful collection of Chess Composition ebooks for the chess problem enthusiast. Reading and studying these chess problem ebooks will help you in many ways to improve your chess strategies while learning chess theory, and to solve and creating chess problems. All in PDF - Adobe Acrobat, all in English. English Chess Composition eBooks J. W. Abbott: 121 Chess Problems A collection of two-move, three-move, four-move, and five-move chess problems and solutions. J. W. Abbott: 121 Chess Problems (1887) pdf (113kb) C. A. Gilberg: Crumbs from the Chess-Board (1890) An 80 page selection from the problems composed by Charles A. Gilberg 1890. C. A. Gilberg: Crumbs from the Chess-Board (1890) 2.1 pdf (387 kb) F. Healey: 200 Chess Problems (1866) A collection of two hundred chess problems composed by Frank Healey 1866. F. Healey: 200 Chess Problems (1866) 2 pdf (168kb) Löwenthal: Era Problem Tourney (1857) A 30 page collection of chess problems; Era Problem Trournament. Löwenthal: Era Problem Tourney (1857) 1 pdf (113kb) J. Pierce & W. T. Pierce: English Chess Problems (1876) A collection of chess problems to improve chess strategy. J. Pierce & W. T. Pierce: English Chess Problems (1876) 1 pdf (281kb) C. F. Stubbs: Canadian Chess Problems (1890) A 160 page collection of Canadian Chess Problems. C. F. Stubbs: Canadian Chess Problems (1890) 2.1 pdf (138kb) C. F. Stubbs: Globe Problem and Solution Tourney No. 2 (1888) A visit into the past with "The Globe" Problem and Solution Tourney in 1886. C. F. Stubbs: Globe Problem and Solution Tourney No. 2 (1888) 2 pdf (108kb) Taverner: Chess Problems Made Easy (1924) An informative "How To Guild" to solve and compose chess problems. Well writen and illistrated. Taverner: Chess Problems Made Easy (1924) 1.2 pdf (290kb) John Thursby: Seventy-Five Chess Problems (1883) John Thrusby has 75 chess problems and solutions for further chess strategy and theory studies. John Thursby: Seventy-Five Chess Problems (1883) 2 a pdf (70kb) Just in the off chance you do not have a pdf reader, download Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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Friday, March 23, 2007
Introduction to Chess
 Introduction to Chess By: Raymond Roy What is Chess? Chess is an interesting game, requiring skill and mental prowess. It can be played indoors or outdoors, that can be played by either two people or one person and a computer. Chess is played on a chess board using chess pieces, also know as chessmen. The chessboard is a square with 64 squares drawn across. The squares are of alternate colors; generally black and white, or can be any other contrasting colors. The chessmen total 32 in number; 16 chessmen for each player, comprising of eight pawns, two knights, two bishops, two rooks, one queen and one king. Each player has one set of these sixteen pieces, which are all of the same color – either black or white. Objective The main objective in a chess game is to eliminate as many of the opponent\'s pieces as possible. The game ends when the king is eliminated. However, the game can also end in a draw. A piece is eliminated when it comes in the way of the opponent\'s piece. Each kind of piece has a unique movement: the rooks can move any number of spaces vertically or horizontally; bishops can move any number of spaces in any direction diagonally; the queen can move any number of spaces diagonally, horizontally, or vertically; the king can move only one square horizontally, vertically, or diagonally; Knight can move in L shape, i.e. two spaces horizontally and one space vertically – they can jump over occupied squares and moves. When one piece comes in the way of another, it is removed from the board. Each player has to protect his/her pieces and also aim to eliminate the king of the opponent. Online Chess Now, chess games can also be played online. They can be played with the computer or with another live opponent located anywhere in the world. Online chess games can be played by visiting specific sites that have chess playing servers. These games can be played online or downloaded onto the PC. There are many versions of online chess: blitz chess (timed by a chess clock), bullet chess/lightening chess (very fast); correspondence chess (by mail), and computer chess (played with the computer). Some popular online chess games are: Grandmaster Chess, Kasparov Chessmate, Net Chess and Chessmaster Challenge. They also come with attractive graphics and animation options. These games also have multiple levels of difficulty. There are many websites that provide access to online chess games, for free. All they need is a registration on the website as a member. Now that we have a brief introduction to the game of chess, next we have the Basics of Chess Related Article: Brief History of Chess
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Understanding The Game of Chess
 Understanding The Game of Chess By George Wood Chess is an interesting game and learning it is not difficult. There are three phases of the game. The first ten to fifteen moves make the opening phase, then there is middle game and lastly the end game. However it is not necessary that the game lasts through the tree phases. It can end before hand also if someone makes big blunders initially. All the three phases are played differently. One needs to develop the forces in the opening phase. This is done so that the player becomes ready for the middle game. To make yourself perfect in the game, you need to follow some basic steps. These steps are offered by the world class chess players. Of course you need a lot of experience to master the art of playing chess. When you move a piece from one position to another, it is said to have developed. So, development is the most essential principle that is applied initially. When a piece is developed, its mobility as well as the number of squares it controls increases. You must complete the development before you put any plan to work. Development is essential as it may also develop pressure on your opponent by threatening one of his pieces. Complete the development for it can lead to bad times ahead! Controlling the center is very important as this is the place where most of the strategic battles take place. A piece which is placed in the centre exerts big pressure as it controls a number of squares, so it has to be nicely placed. Central pawn moves are preferred in comparison to side pawn moves because the centre is controlled by the movement of the pawn. Regular piece development may also help in controlling the centre. You should never postpone castling because king safety is very important. It increases the safety of the king and also helps in development of the rook. To be on the safer side, you should go for short castling. You are giving an opportunity to your opponent to attack your king in case you dont castle. However there are cases, when you should not castle. Planning is the most important step. Make a plan in your mind and play accordingly. You plan should include where the development of pieces will take place. How the pawn moves should also be included in your plan. Importance should also be given to Move Order. Usually, the pawn moves first, so that the centre is controlled properly. The knight moves next as they have a less number of squares to develop. Bishop moves last as they can be developed at a number of squares. Castling should not be postponed. Do not move your queen initially. By doing this, you are actually giving a chance to your opponent to threaten your queen. Develop the heavy pieces also. When playing the opening game, you should keep certain things in your mind. Lets take an example if White moves first. In total there are 8 pawns, and they can advance up to 2 squares. Other than the two knights, the rest of the pieces cannot be moved. The knights can advance to two squares each. White needs to remember the basic principles- first the development, then controlling the centre and finally formulating a plan. To start the development one may also move the knight. 1.Nc3 and 1.Nf3 are also good moves. However do not place your knight on h3 or a3 as it is far away from the centre. Move the pawns first, so1.e4, 1 .d4 and 1.c4 is good choices. Though 1.f4 move is suitable but it weakens the king slightly. Dont move the pawns a, b, g or h as they do not control the centre. Moves like 1.d3 and 1.e3 are acceptable but they should not be usually made. White has more options if white plays with 1.e4 and BLACK respond with 1.e5. The White is queen and its bishop that is placed at f1 can also move now. Next, White should include all the basic moves like 2.d4, 2.Nf3, 2.Nc3, 2.Bc4. though there are some other good moves also; these are considered the best ones! White should not move 2.Bd3 as it has some limitations. It prevents the pawns from making advances and bishops mobility is not increased. The pawn needs to move so 2.Bd3 should not be moved. This is just an example to show as to how you can play chess by following some basic rules and using your own logic and judgment. These basic principles are not universal but you can use them to be on the safer side!
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Win More Chess Games
 Win More Chess Games by Giving Your Brain More Oxygen By Richard Stooker Your brain needs oxygen -- and lots of it. Your brain uses up 20% of all the oxygen you breathe in. To play your best game of chess, you need lots of oxygen freely flowing to your brain. 40% of your body's energy is burned in your brain -- probably a lot more while you're playing a game of chess. Oxygen is the chief fuel for your body's energy. If a chess tournament were the Indianapolis 500, would you rather drive a car running on low octane fuel -- or high octane? Yet most people take in only 20% of air they could be inhaling. Do some research on oxygen and you'll find that it will also help you lose weight, fight infections and lower your chances of getting cancer. Good stuff, but this article is about winning more games of chess. Good systems of exercise and health include breathing exercises, for the benefit of your body and mind. Yoga and pranayama. Tai chi and chi kou. And Pilates incorporates breathing exercises. When you take a series of deep breaths before the game starts, then remember to breath deeply and slowly at intervals during the game . . . you're giving your brain the high octane fuel it needs to play your best game of chess. First, you must learn how to breath properly. You must unlearn what you think you know. Chances are, you've been taught that "deep breathing" means sucking in air through your mouth while sticking out your chest. Forget that. Your mouth is primarily for eating, not breathing. Breathing is the job of your nose. Plus, your lungs are much larger at the bottom than the top. So you want to breath slowly through your nose while gently expanded the bottom of your rib cage so you fill your lungs with air, starting at the bottom. Inhale gently for a count of 4. Hold for 16. Exhale slowly through your nose for a count of 8. Exhale completely. That means slowly contracting your rib cage from the bottom to the top. Inhale and fill up your lungs as though they were a pitcher -- from the bottom up. Exhale and empty your lungs as though they were a pitcher -- from the top down. When that feels easy, start increasing the times, in the same ratios. That is, inhale for 5 seconds, hold for 20, exhale for 10. And so on. Do ten of those deep breaths three times a day, every day -- and you'll feel better, have more energy and play more focused chess. During a game of chess, tension and stress are your enemy. So is a brain starved by oxygen. Deep breathing just happened to relax your entire body, making you better able to concentrate on the game itself. Plus it obviously sends more oxygen to your brain, so you can think better and faster. Just before beginning a game of chess, you can really improve your concentration through an ancient breathing exercise where you breathe through only one nostril at a time, alternating each nostril. Cover your right nostril. Inhale through your left for a count of 4. Hold for a count of 16. Cover your left nostril and exhale through your right nostril for a count of 8. Then inhale through your right nostril. Hold for a count of 16. Cover your right nostril again and exhale through your left nostril for a count of 4. Repeat 3 times -- or until you feel relaxed yet mentally focused. Yes, it's more complicated than simple breathing. That's why it's so effective. It's certainly not complicated compared to playing chess, but it does force you to concentration on your breathing, the count and the pattern. If your opponent watches you and thinks you're crazy -- so much the better. Give your brain the oxygen it needs to perform at its best, and it'll reward you with the best game of chess you're capable of.
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Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Computer Chess
Computer Chess This is a fun computer chess program and it will help sharpen you skills and improve your chess tactics and strategy. Install Java or Check your Java installation. This game require Java allowed in your browser. If you are having trouble with this program you may need to do something with your java installation. It is not difficult. Your browser may not support Java or supports an outdated Java version. It is possible that Java Support is either not installed or turned off. For Internet Explorer users: Select Tools/Internet Options..., Select Security / Custom Level In the resulting list find Microsoft VM or Java VM. Select any value except 'Disable'. If you can't see it, VM is not installed - you'd have to install Java VM. Internet Explorer users can install Sun Java. Sun Java Virtual Machine can be downloaded & installed from www.java.com. Close and re-open your browser after Java installation. If you installed Sun Java make sure, that it is switched on. In Internet Explorer go to Tools menu, - Manage Add-ons, - Enable or Disable Add-ons... and check, that Java Plug-in has "Enabled" status. For Firefox users: Install Sun Java Plug-in - it can be downloaded & installed from www.java.com. Close and re-open your browser after Java installation. Warning: As far as I know this will only work in Internet Explorer. I personally have had trouble opening this program with Firefox, and having Firefox lock up and having to use ctrl/alt/delete to close Firefox. You have been warned.
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Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Back Rank Chess Puzzles 7 - 9
Back Rank Chess Puzzles 7 - 9 A series of combination chess puzzles based on the vulnerable back rank. Attacks are made possible by the targeted King being hemmed in by his own pieces. Study these examples to avoid these simple combinations attacks when the back rank is left without the Queen or Rook helping to defend their King. These examples will show that even an apparently well-guarded back rank can, and is often exploited with a combination of moves that a skillful attacker can bring. Explanation of Notations. 1. White to Play and Win. 1... Black to Play and Win. ! Strong Move !! Very Strong Move ? Weak Move ?? Blunder + Check +-+ Double Check # Checkmate e.p. Captures En Passant x Captures Answer to, Back Rank Chess Puzzle 4. !... Qd6! 2. Rxd6 Re1+ 3. Kh2 Rh1#. Answer to, Back Rank Chess Puzzle 5. !... Qxe4! [If 2. Qxd6, then 2... Qe1#, while 2. dxe4 allows 2... Rd1+ and mate next.] Answer to, Back Rank Chess Puzzle 6. !... Qe4! [If 2. Qe2, then 2... Qxe2 3. Rxe2 Rxd1+ and mate next, or, if 2. Qxe4 then 2... Rxd1+ mates. Review Back Rank Chess Puzzles 4 - 6 Knight Fork Chess Puzzles 7 - 9 Knight Fork Chess Puzzle 7 of 9 
Knight Fork Chess Puzzle 8 of 9 
Knight Fork Chess Puzzle 9 of 9 
Feed Viewers, Visit: Chess Strategies 101 A blog with a focus on chess and chess strategies for beginners, kids, and teens.Articles for parents on the benefits of chess for kids.
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Monday, March 19, 2007
The Basics of Chess - Chess 101
 Welcome to the world of chess. By: Raymond Roy You are about to enter into a realm of fun and strategy. Chess has many benefits beyond the fun and the challenge that the game offers. Chess also aids in improved thinking, reasoning, and judgment, just to name a few of the positive attributes this game will bring. With that said, this outline is a brief tutorial aimed at the first time player, or for those individuals who are just learning the basics of the game. So, lets start of with the basic information you will need to know before you start playing chess, and describe what that information is. The Basics of Chess Chess is a board game that is played with 32 pieces, 16 pieces for each player, on a checkerboard that has 8 rows of alternating colors going in both, a horizontal direction, and a vertical direction. This is often referred to as an 8 x 8 checkerboard. Usually the squares on a board are white and black, but often a chess board of two different distinct colors will be used in this checkerboard pattern. The diagram below shows what a chess board looks like.  Chess is a game for two players. The chess board is laid out with the outer most light-color square towards each players right side. The darker-color square would then naturally be at each players left side. The vertical columns are called "Files," while the horizontal columns are called "Ranks". Files are lettered a - h with each file having a different letter. The letter for each file is always the same, it never changes. The diagram below shows black pawns on the B file.  Ranks are numbered 1 - 8 with each rank having a different number. The number for each rank is always the same, it never changes. The diagram below shows white pawns on the Second rank.  The files and rank are important to learn and understand. Learning the files and ranks will help you to read and understand Chess Speak, or what is referred to as "Notations." Notations are a subject which we will learn later on. Chess is played by two opponents, with White, or light-colored pieces, and Black, or dark-colored pieces. Each player alternates, taking turns to move their chessmen across the board. White always makes the first move. In the beginning of the game, each player has 16 chessmen. Remember, White always takes the light-colored chessmen; Black always takes the dark-colored chessmen. The White and Black reference is use in the notations, or annotation of a game regardless of the actual color of the pieces that are being used. The Opening Position Before you begin playing chess you need to set up the chess board with the chess pieces in the following manor. Black pieces on one side of the board and the white pieces on the opposite side of the board. Shown below is the standard opening positions for each player.  Each of the two players has control over its own army of pieces, or chessmen. Who plays White and who plays Black is determined before the game starts. The player who controls the White pieces always makes the first move in chess. Setting up the Board Starting with the dark-colored pieces with the names of the pieces, and the notation for each piece starting on the letter A File and number 8 Rank. Castle 8a, Knight 8b, Bishop 8c, Queen 8d, Kink 8e, Bishop 8f, Knight 8g, Castle 8h. On the seventh rank, again starting on the A File you have the dark-colored Pawns. The notations for the Pawns are; P7a, P7b, P7c, P7d, P7e, P7f, P7g, P7h. The light-colored chessmen on the opposite side of the board have the same names as the dark-colored pieces but with different notations. Lets go over the names and notations for the light-colored pieces starting with the number One Rank on the A File. Castle 1a, Knight 1b, Bishop 1c, Queen 1d, King 1e, Bishop 1f, Knight 1g, and lastly, Castle 1h. The following are the light-colored pieces on the second Rank, again starting on the A File. The notations for the Pawns are; P 2a, P 2b, P 2c, P 2d, P 2e, P 2f, P 2g, P 2h. Lets review the Opening Position and Notations  Please note that the Queen for each player is placed opposite each other. The light-colored Queen is placed on the light-colored square, while the dark-colored Queen is placed on the dark-colored square. The goal in the game of chess is to capture the opponent's King. This capture is called "Checkmate". Checkmate happens once a king has been attack, cannot move, nor cannot be helped by any of its own army of chessmen, meaning that the King cannot move out of check. We have now covered the basics of the chess board, what the files and ranks are, and the opening position. We have briefly learned the notations and the names of the chessmen, as well as setting up the board. Next, we will talk more in-depth about the rules of chess, and touch base on each of the chess pieces and how they move.
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Blogging About Chess - The First Month
 Blogging About Chess - The First Month By: Raymond Roy Being a novice chess player with a passion for the game of chess since I was a young boy, inspired me to start this blog. The question for me was, "Where to begin?" Below, is just a little glimpse into the thought process of the guy named Ray. Where to Begin? In the beginning, when first starting off, my intentions were twofold; opening awareness of the game of chess to both parents and children, while becoming more active in the promotion of the game. In a simplistic way, I just wanted to share my passion for the game. As a result, my thinking has broadened as well as improving many aspects concerning how I play the game. But not only how I play the game, in addition, how I approach and view situations in my everyday life. These have proven to be wonderful benefits, or side effects for lack of better words, that I enjoy everyday. Admiringly, not being much more than a novice player, I do enjoy playing the game. I would have to say that the number one reason I play, is the people I meet, and I do enjoy meeting people. Chess is a great icebreaker and will open up conversations extremely fast. Seldom will I go to a coffee shop, or outdoor cafe where I do not have my chess board set up, and ready to play. Throughout the years I have met some wonderful people playing this simple board game, many of whom have become close friends. Back to the question, "Where to Begin?" That was a good question to ask myself. My experience told me to let the blog evolve somewhat like a game of chess evolves, making slow and deliberate moves. However, also being an experience Internet player, I knew that the success of anything published on the Internet is content. So, during the first month of this blog the focus has been on content, and getting listed in the various search engines with good placement. This had one drawback, I was not really blogging, sharing stories, views, or my passion for the game. What was accomplished though was not wasted effort. The site is, for the most part, on maintenance now. Categories have been developed, and an outline for future categories has been drafted. The Second Month Today begins the second month of Chess Strategies 101. This blog will always have a focus on content for our visitors to enjoy. As time goes on and this blog evolves, the left hand column will be dedicated to our site categories and navigation. The right hand column will be dedicated to chess related information, and other things of interest. In ending, as we enter our second month of infancy, the focus will continue to be on providing good quality content. I make no excuse for this because I know the sacrifice will benefit others as time marches on. However, I will put forth more of an effort to communicate with you, our reader, and do what a blog should do, "BLOG." I love ya' all... Best Regards, Ray
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Knight Fork Chess Puzzles 4 - 6
Knight Fork Chess Puzzles 4 - 6 The Knight is often the source of intriguing tactical play as it leaps and bounds unexpectedly into the thick of things. Its singular ability to hop over chess pieces, both friend and foe, set it apart from the other chess pieces. The Knight has the potential to attack up to seven pieces at once, however it is seldom the case to encounter a Knight fork against more than two enemy chess pieces. Watch out! The Knight fork is often prepared by a preliminary sacrifice, or diversionary move. Explanation of Notations. 1. White to Play and Win. 1... Black to Play and Win. ! Strong Move !! Very Strong Move ? Weak Move ?? Blunder + Check +-+ Double Check # Checkmate e.p. Captures En Passant x Captures Answer to Knight Fork Chess Puzzle 1. 1. Qxc6 Qxc6 2. Nxe7+ Kh8 3. Nxc6 and wins! Answer to Knight Fork Chess Puzzle 2. 1. Bxe6+!! and wins! [If, 1... Bxe6 2. Qf8+! 2. Kxf8 #. Nxe6+ Ke7 4. Nxc7 Kd6 5. Ne8+] Answer to Knight Fork Chess Puzzle 3. 1. Ne4!! Be8 [1... Rxh5 2. Rxd7+!] 2. Bg5! and wins! Review Knight Fork Chess Puzzles 1 - 3 Knight Fork Chess Puzzless 4 - 6 Knight Fork Chess Puzzle 4 of 6  Knight Fork Chess Puzzle 5 of 6  Knight Fork Chess Puzzle 6 of 6  Give Up? Answers in, "Knight Fork Chess Puzzles 7 - 9. Viewers; Visit: Chess Strategies 101 A blog with a focus on Chess and Chess Strategies.
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Sunday, March 18, 2007
Knight Fork Chess Puzzles 1 - 3
Knight Fork Chess Puzzles 1 - 3 The Knight is often the source of intriguing tactical play as it leaps and bounds unexpectedly into the thick of things. Its singular ability to hop over chess pieces, both friend and foe, set it apart from the other chess pieces. The Knight has the potential to attack up to seven pieces at once, however it is seldom the case to encounter a Knight fork against more than two enemy chess pieces. Watch out! The Knight fork is often prepared by a preliminary sacrifice, or diversionary move. Knight Fork Chess Puzzles 1 of 3 Knight Fork Chess Puzzle 1 of 3 
Knight Fork Chess Puzzle 2 of 3 
Knight Fork Chess Puzzle 3 of 3 
Feed Viewers, Visit: Chess Strategies 101 A blog with a focus on chess and chess strategies for beginners, kids, and teens.Articles for parents on the benefits of chess for kids.
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Back Rank Chess Puzzles 4 - 6
Back Rank Chess Puzzles 4 - 6 A series of combination chess puzzles based on the vulnerable back rank. Attacks are made possible by the targeted King being hemmed in by his own pieces. Study these examples to avoid these simple combinations attacks when the back rank is left without the Queen or Rook helping to defend their King. These examples will show that even an apparently well-guarded back rank can, and is often exploited with a combination of moves that a skillful attacker can bring. Explanation of Notations. 1. White to Play and Win. 1... Black to Play and Win. ! Strong Move !! Very Strong Move ? Weak Move ?? Blunder + Check +-+ Double Check # Checkmate e.p. Captures En Passant x Captures Answer to, Back Rank Chess Puzzle 1. 1. Rxc8! Rxc8 2. Rd8+ Re8 3. Rxe8 Rxe8 4. Nd5! Rc8 [4... Kf7 5. Nb6 and 6. c8=Q] 5. Ne7+ wins. Answer to, Back Rank Chess Puzzle 2. 1... Qb2! 2. Rd3 [if 2. Qd3 Qa1+ and wins, but not 2... Rxd3 allowing 3. Rc8+ mating. Also if, Qxb2 Rd1#] 2... Qb1+ and wins. Answer to, Back Rank Chess Puzzle 3. 1... Nxe3! 2. Re4 [if 2.fxe3 Qxe3+ 3. Kf1 Rd2 4. Wc5 Rf2+ 5. Kg1 Rxf3+. wins. Also if, 3. Kh1 Rd1+ mates] 2... Qxe4! #. Qe2 [if 3. Bxe4, then 3... Rd1+]3... Qxf3! 4. gxf3 Rd1+ 5. Rxd1+ 6. Qxd1 and Black wins a piece. Review Back Rank Chess Puzzles 1 - 3 Back Rank Chess Puzzles 4 - 6 Back Rank Chess Puzzle 4 of 6 
Back Rank Chess Puzzle 5 of 6 
Back Rank Chess Puzzle 6 of 6 
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Thursday, March 15, 2007
Cha-Cha-Cha Changes - A Website Face Lift!
 Website Face Lift Tired of the dull and unexciting? Well we are too! Chess Strategies 101 has undergone a major website face lift, and improved navigation. We have also made changes to the fonts, making them just a tad darker, and justifying the article content for easier reading. We didn't stop there, deep within the bowels of the source code a lot of changes were made to increase loading time, by removing unnecessary scripts, and excess document weight. We have gone on a diet, and are trimming the fat. These are not the only changes we have made, in addition we have removed over 50% of the advertising, "Hooray!" This is due in part to celebrate our first month live, but more importantly, to help our visitors view and navigate our site with ease. It is hard to believe that in less than one short month we have received more than 500 first time visitors, got index into Google, and are currently receiving very decent search results for some highly coveted keywords. Alexa.com, picked us up, and our traffic ranking at Technorati is currently under 500,000 from a start of almost 3,000,000.  On to the good news. In our article Chess Strategies 101 - Update we announced the purchased a dot com domain, and that we have been testing different chess programs to run our very own chess server. This is a very exciting project for us, and we have what we believe will be a new vision for a online chess community. We will keep everyone in the loop as to our progress.We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our visitors for their support, all the bloggers out there that have taken the time to do reciprocal linking to us, to everyone that has helped us in our endeavors this first month, and lastly, the helpful folks at the Bloggerforum.com. If you have any question or comments, please do not hesitate to reply here, or email us using our contact information. Best regards. Your Host, Ray a.k.a. CousinIt P.s. As alway, we are interested in resiprocal link exchanges.
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Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Tool to Develop Our Children’s Minds
 The Case for Chess - Tool to Develop Our Children’s Minds By Dr Peter Dauvergne University of Sydney - July, 2000 Is chess an art? A science? Some claim it’s both. Yet let’s be honest, it’s really just a game. Fun, challenging, creative: but still a game, not much different from tennis, cricket, football, or golf. But there is one striking difference to these other popular games. While learning to play almost any game can help build self-esteem and confidence, chess is one of the few that fully exercises our minds. Many of us could probably use this exercise, although it may be a bit late for some. (At least for those of us old enough to read an article like this voluntarily!) It’s not, however, too late for our children. Chess is one of the most powerful educational tools available to strengthen a child’s mind. It’s fairly easy to learn how to play. Most six or seven year olds can follow the basic rules. Some kids as young as four or five can play. Like learning a language or music an early start can help a child become more proficient. Whatever a child’s age, however, chess can enhance concentration, patience, and perseverance, as well as develop creativity, intuition, memory, and most importantly, the ability to analyse and deduce from a set of general principles, learning to make tough decisions and solve problems flexibly. This is undeniably a grand claim. The remainder of this paper outlines some of the arguments and educational studies to justify and support this. Concentration, Patience, and Perseverance To play chess well requires intense concentration. Some of the world’s top players can undeniably look distracted, sometimes jumping up between moves to walk around. A closer look, however, reveals that most of these players are actually in deep concentration, relying on strong visual recall to plan and calculate even when they are away from their game. For young, inexperienced players, chess teaches the rewards of concentration as well as provides immediate penalties for lapses. Few teaching tools provide such quick feedback. One slip in concentration can lead to a simple blunder, perhaps even ending the game. Only a focused, patient and persistent young chess player will maintain steady results – characteristics that are equally valuable for performing well at school, especially in school exams. Analysis, Logic, and Problem Solving Playing chess well involves a combination of aptitudes. A 1973-74 study in Zaire by Dr Albert Frank (1974) found that good teenage chess players (16-18 years old) had strong spatial, numerical, administrative-directional, and paperwork abilities. Dr Robert Ferguson (1995, p. 2) notes that “This finding tends to show that ability in chess is not due to the presence in an individual of only one or two abilities but that a large number of aptitudes all work together in chess.” Even more significantly Frank’s study found that learning chess, even as teenagers, strengthened both numerical and verbal aptitudes. This occurred for the majority of students (not just the strong players) who took a chess course for two hours each week for one school year. Other studies have added that playing chess can strengthen a child’s memory (Artise). A 1990-92 study in New Brunswick, Canada, further shows the value of chess for developing problem solving skills among young children (Gaudreau 1992). By integrating chess into the traditional mathematics curriculum teachers were able to raise significantly the average problem solving scores of their students. These students also scored far higher on problem solving tests than ones who just took the standard mathematics course. Primary school chess has now exploded in New Brunswick. In 1989, 120 students played in the provincial school chess championship. Three years later over 19,000 played (Ferguson 1995, p. 11). Chess has also been shown to foster critical and creative thinking. Dr Ferguson’s four-year study (1979-83) analysed the impact of chess on students’ thinking skills in the Bradford Area School District in the United States (grades 7-9). These students were already identified as gifted, with intelligence quotient (IQ) scores above 130. Using two tests (Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, Form-S for education majors.: An article from: Journal of Instructional Psychology  and the Torrance tests of creative thinking ) Ferguson (1995, pp. 4-6) found that after spending 60-64 hours playing and studying chess over 32 weeks students showed significant progress in critical thinking. He further found that chess enhances “creativity in gifted adolescents.” He concluded that “it appears that chess is superior to many currently used programs for developing creative thinking and, therefore, could logically be included in a differentiated program for mentally gifted students”.Playing chess, however, is not only valuable for developing the skills of gifted children. Average and even below average learners can also benefit. Chess teacher Michael Wojcio (1990) notes that “even if a slow learner does not grasp all of [the strategies and tactics in chess], he/she can still benefit by learning language, concepts, and fine motor movement.” During a program run by Dr Ferguson from September 1987 to May 1988 all members of a standard sixth grade class in rural Pennsylvania were required to take chess lessons and play games. This class had 9 boys and 5 girls. At the start of this study students took IQ tests, producing a mean IQ of 104.6. Students then studied chess two or three times per week while playing most days. They were also encouraged to participate in tournaments. After this intensive chess instruction a group of seven boys managed to finish second in the 1998 Pennsylvania State Scholastic Championship. Significantly, at the conclusion of the study tests showed a significant increase in both memory and verbal reasoning skills, especially among the more competitive chess players (Ferguson 1995, pp. 8-9). Chess has even been shown to raise students’ overall IQ scores. Using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children a Venezuelan study of over 4,000 second grade students found a significant increase in most students’ IQ scores after only 4.5 months of systematically studying chess. This occurred across all socio-economic groups and for both males and females. The Venezuelan government was so impressed that all Venezuelan schools introduced chess lessons starting in 1988-89 (summarised in Ferguson 1995, p. 8). Solving Problems and Synthesising Information in a Globalising World The internet, email, and computers are rapidly changing the skills essential to succeed at school and work. As globalisation accelerates, information is pouring in faster and faster. Information that took months to track down a few years ago can now spin off the internet in just minutes. With such easy access and tremendous volumes, the ability to choose effectively among a wide variety of options is ever more vital. In this world students must increasingly be able to respond quickly, flexibly and critically. They must be able to wade through and synthesise vast amounts of information, not just memorise chunks of it. They must learn to recognize what is relevant and what is irrelevant. They also need to acquire the skills to be able to learn new technologies quickly as well as solve a continual stream of problems with these new technologies. This is where chess as a tool to develop our children’s minds appears to be especially powerful. By its very nature chess presents an ever-changing set of problems. Except for the very beginning of the game — where it’s possible to memorise the strongest lines — each move creates a new position. For each of these a player tries to find the ‘best’ move by calculating ahead, evaluating these future possibilities using a set of theoretical principles. Importantly, more than one ‘best’ move may exist, just as in the real world more than one best option may exist. Players must learn to decide, even when the answer is ambiguous or difficult. These thinking skills are becoming ever more valuable for primary and secondary school students constantly confronted with new everyday problems. If these students go to university it will be especially imperative to understand how to apply broad principles to assess new situations critically, rather than rely on absorbing a large number of ‘answers’. Far too commonly my own university students do not have these skills. As a result they become swamped by information, vainly searching for the right answer to memorise rather than the various best options. Conclusion The case, then, is exceptionally strong for using chess to develop our children’s minds and help them cope with the growing complexities and demands of a globalising world. More and more schools around the world are recognising the value of chess, with instruction now becoming part of standard curriculums. It’s of course just a game. Yet it has fascinated and challenged some of the greatest minds of the last century, sparking enough books about how to play to fill an entire library. Chess is an especially effective teaching tool. It can equally challenge the minds of girls and boys, gifted and average, athletic and non-athletic, rich and poor. It can teach children the importance of planning and the consequences of decisions. It can further teach how to concentrate, how to win and lose gracefully, how to think logically and efficiently, and how to make tough and abstract decisions (Seymour and Norwood 1993). At more advanced levels it can teach flexible planning since playing well requires a coherent plan, yet not one that is rigidly followed regardless of the opponent’s response. Chess can also build confidence and self-esteem without overinflating egos, as some losses are inevitable, even for world champions. Chess can potentially help teach underachieving gifted children how to study, perhaps even leaving them with a passion for learning. Chess tournaments can, moreover, provide a natural setting for a gifted child to interact with other children of all ages, as many tournaments are not divided by age but by ability (unlike most school activities and many other sports). It’s common to see a six-year-old playing a twelve-year-old, or a ten-year-old playing a seventeen-year-old. Young players can also perform remarkably well in adult chess tournaments. In 1999-2000 in Australia, for example, a thirteen-year-old won the New South Wales championship, a fourteen-year-old won the South Australian championship, a fifteen-year-old won the Queensland championship, and a thirteen-year-old tied for second in the Australian championship. Studying chess systematically (The Chess Digest : Containing the Opening Moves of Over Fifteen Thousand Games Systematically Arranged under the Various Openings, Practically Including all Games Played in the Leading Tournaments and Matches from the Year 1850 to 1901. Volume 1  ) has also been shown to raise students’ IQ scores, academic exam scores (Dullea 1982; Palm 1990; Ferguson 2000, p. 3), as well as strengthen mathematical, language, and reading skills (Margulies 1991; Liptrap 1998; Ferguson 2000, pp. 3-4). Tournament chess games, which involve clocks to limit the total time each player can use, are also a fun way to provide practice at making fast and accurate decisions under pressure, a skill that can help students cope with the similar pressures of school exams. This is also a fun way to practise how to put the mind into high gear, where intense concentration increases alertness, efficiency of thought processes, and ultimately mental performance.Perhaps most importantly chess is a fun (Kids like it 'cause it's fun.(Canadian native children learning chess)(Brief Article): An article from: Wind Speaker  ) way to teach children how to think and solve an ever-changing and diverse array of difficult problems. With millions of possibilities in every game, players must continually face new positions and new problems. They cannot solve these using a simple formula or relying on memorised answers. Instead, they must analyse and calculate, relying on general principles and patterns along with a dose of creativity and originality – a skill that increasingly mirrors what students must confront in their everyday schoolwork.In June 1999 the International Olympic Committee officially recognized chess as a sport. This is welcome news for the world’s six million registered chess players as well as countless more unregistered players. With such recognition hopefully even more of our children will turn to chess, striving for sporting dreams that will leave them smarter, and ultimately able to cope better in the real world of perpetual problems. About the Author Peter Dauvergne is a Canadian chess master (FIDE rating 2250) and Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Sydney, Australia. He is the editor of the journal Global Environmental Politics (MIT Press) and the author of numerous books and articles on environmental management in the Asia-Pacific. He can be reached at peterd@econ.usyd.edu.au. Paths to a Green World: The Political Economy of the Global Environment  Handbook Of Global Environmental Politics: Edited By Peter Dauvergne (Elgar Original Reference)  References* * These and other chess and education research studies are available from the United States Chess Federation. United States Chess Federation's Official Rules of Chess, Fifth Edition (Chess)  Artise, John. “Chess and Education.” Dullea, Gerard J., 1982. “Chess Makes Kids Smarter,” Chess Life, November. Frank, Albert, 1974. Chess and Aptitudes, Doctoral Dissertation. Translation, Stanley Epstein. Ferguson, Robert, 1995. “Chess in Education: Research Summary.” A Review of Key Chess Research Studies. For the Borough of Manhattan Community College Chess in Education ‘A Wise Move’ Conference. Ferguson, Robert, 2000. “The Use and Impact of CHESS,” in Section B, USA Junior Chess Olympics Curriculum, copy emailed by the author. Gaudreau, Louise, 1992. “Étude Comparative sur les Apprentissages en Mathématiques 5e Année.” Liptrap, James, 1998. “Chess and Standard Test Scores,” Chess Life, March. Margulies, Stuart, 1991. “The Effect of Chess on Reading Scores: District Nine Chess Program Second Year Report.” The American Chess Foundation, New York. Palm, Christine, 1990. “Chess Improves Academic Performance,” derived from “New York City Schools Chess Program.” Seymour, Jane, and David Norwood, 1993. “A Game for Life,” New Scientist 139 (September, no. 1889), pp. 23-26. Wojcio, Michael David, 1990. “The Importance of Chess in the Classroom,” Atlantic Chess News. Kids' Book of Chess and Chess Set  Chess for Kids  Author: Michael Basman Winning Chess Strategy for Kids  Chess for Kids  Author: Daniel C. Macdonald, Kelvin F. R. Smith Winning Chess Puzzles for Kids  |
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Fischer Random in 1875
 Fischer Random in 1875 Even Bobby’s " Fisher Random " Play Stronger Chess by Examining Chess960: Usable Strategies of Fischer Random Chess Discovered  is not without precedent in standard chess. It is well known that Fischer is a great admirer of Wilhelm Steinitz, and has studied extensively the 1st World Chess Champion’s games and writings. As a teenager Fischer was seen reading the THE INTERNATIONAL CHESS MAGAZINE: VOL I: 1885. , while as recently as 1996 he was observed buying a collection of Steinitz games The Games of Wilhelm Steinitz from a chess shop in Argentina.One may guess whether Fischer was aware of the following chess game, played in the winter of 1875 between Blackburne and Potter - or of others like this one. It would be interesting to collect pre-Fischer examples of Fischer Random chess games, to see if other piece arrangements were practiced. The game itself is worth reproducing on several counts, beyond being a possible precursor of Fischer Random; for the unusual combat between two strong players, and the commentary by Steinitz are very fine - although the 1st World Champion was still discovering his "voice" in this early column in The Field. Unless we are mistaken, a rare slip creeps into his note to Black’s 21st move where the dismissed 21...b6 does NOT lose the Exchange to 22.Ba6+ Kb8. The idea is valid, however, say if White’s Rooks were doubled. Perhaps another strange irregularity in an altogether irregular game. The voice of Wilhelm Steinitz: The interesting game published below was played at the West End Chess Club between Messrs. Blackburne and Potter a fortnight ago, for a small prize offered by Mr. Ballard. Both parties agreed to a displacement of the pieces, in order to waive all advantages from the knowledge of the openings, and it was therefore arranged that on both sides the Bishops should be placed on the Knights' squares, and the Knights on the squares of the Bishops. We have adopted the usual notation, as if the pieces had been placed in the ordinary way. The FieldWhite: Joseph Henry Blackburne Annotated by W. Steinitz  1.Ng3 The opening moves seem to defy analysis, and it is, therefore, next to impossible to pronounce a decided opinion on this mode of opening. The Knight threatens to menace the g-pawn by being played to f5 or h5, and thus to force the adversary to block the Bishop still more by ...Ne6; but, since White's Knight will have to retreat ultimately, the advantages of this course do not appear very certain. 1...d5 2.c4  The interest in the struggle between the two masters is much enhanced by their fighting on unknown ground. Mr. Blackburne proceeds at once in his usual lively and spirited style. 2...dxc4 3.Nf5 Ne6 4.b3  4...c3 Mr. Potter, on the other hand, exhibits his usual caution and sound defensive power; and perhaps this was the surest mode to avoid all difficulties, though we believe that the pawn might have been safely taken by 4...cxb3. 5.d4 g6 White's attack is now completely frustrated, and the opponent comes out of the affray with two pawns to boot, which ought to have proved more than an equivalent for his position being somewhat depressed. 6.d5 gxf5 7.dxe6 Qxd1+ 8.Kxd1 fxe6 9.Nd3 c6  10.f4 Merely threatens to win a clear Rook by 11.Bd4. 10...Bf7 To advance 10...e5 looked well, but it would have only led to an even game, e.g. 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.fxe5 Bd5 13.Bd4 Bxg2 14.Rg1 Be4 15.Bxe4 fxe4 16.Kc2 Nb6 17.Bxb6, etc. 11.Bd4 Rg8 12.g3 Nd6 13.Bxc3  13...Bc7 Here we should have preferred 13...Ne4 at once, which we believe would have gained a move, since White could not well support the Bishop with 14.Kc2 without now obstructing the other Bishop. As will be seen later on (the 16th move), when Black played the Knight as suggested, White's King's Bishop was already developed, and the other Bishop defended by the King. 14.Ne5 Bh5 15.Bd3 0-0-0 Both parties are now out of the wood, and the open battle assumes an ordinary aspect. 16.Kc2 Ne4 17.Bc4  Well played, and much stronger than taking the Knight. Black is now subjected to a troublesome defense. 17...Rd6 18.Rhd1 Rgd8 19.Bb4 White most judiciously forces the advance of the opponent's c-pawn, in order that his King's Bishop should be safe from all molestation of the hostile b-pawn. 19...c5 20.Be1 Nf6 21.Bf2  21...Bb6 Best. Had he supported the pawn by 21...b6 he would have lost the Exchange by the answer of 22.Ba6+ Kb8, followed by Nc6+. 22.Rxd6 Rxd6 23.Rd1 Nd5 24.a3 a6 25.Kb2 Nc7 26.Rc1 Rd2+ 27.Kc3 Rd6 28.Kb2 Rd2+  29.Kc3, ½-½ Drawn game. The two players, considering their respective chances of success most dubious, elected to play for a draw by repeating their moves; but it strikes us that White might have retreated the King to 29.Ka1 with the better prospect of victory, though he was one pawn behind; for if then Black took 29...Bxe2 the game might have gone on thus: 30.Be3 Bxc4 31.Bxd2 (better than 31.Nxc4, in which case Black would retreat the Rook 31...Rd6 with a good game) 31...Bxb3 32.Be3, and White would recover one pawn, remaining with Exchange ahead, and virtually only one pawn minus, for the opponent's doubled e-pawn would not count for much. Books by: Wilhelm Steinitz The Modern Chess Instructor (Classic Chess)  The Games of Wilhelm Steinitz Joseph Henry Blackburne Blackburne's Chess Games  Invitation Chess Tournament of the City of London Chess Club, London 1900 (Caissa Limited Editions, Volume II)  Mr. Blackburne's games at chess, selected, annotated and arranged by himself;: Ed. with a biographical sketch and a brief history of blindfold chess,  |
Playing the Playbook - Jose Capablanca - David Janowski
 Playing the Playbook White: Jose Capablanca Black: David Janowski New York, 1918 (October 29), Round 6 Manhattan CC Masters Annotated by J. R. Capablanca 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 c6 6.Nbd2  I believe this is my own invention. In this position it is probably the best move. The object is to retake with the Knight when Black plays ...dxc4 later on, and thus have two Knights controlling the square at e5. 6...Be7 7.Bd3 dxc4 8.Nxc4 0-0 9.0-0 c5 10.Rc1 b6 11.Qe2 Bb7 12.Rfd1 Nd5  13.Nd6! In order to drive the Bishop to c6 where it will be in the line of White's Rook. Later on it will be seen how this little advantage now acquired is largely the cause of Black's defeat. 13...Bc6 14.Ne4 f5 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.Ned2 Back again, but there is now a "hole" at e5 and it threatens to go there via c4, which influences Black's next move. 16...e5 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 Qxe5 19.Nf3 Qe7  Black considered this move a long time. Had he retreated the Queen to any other place, then 20.Bc4 combined in some cases with e3-e4 would have yielded White at least a pawn. This game is remarkable because it would be hard to say which move lost the game, though it is probably 16...e5 or 14...f5, and most likely the former. 20.Nd4! cxd4 21.Rxc6 Nb4 There was nothing better as White threatened 22.Bc4. 22.Bc4+ Kh8 23.Re6 d3 24.Rxd3 Qc5 25.Rd4 b5 This only makes matters worse, but the fact is that Black, besides being a pawn behind, has the inferior position as well. 26.Bxb5 Nxa2 27.Bc4 Nb4 28.Qh5  28...g6 White threatened 29.Rh4. 29.Rxg6 Rad8 30.Rg7, 1-0 Black resigned, for if 30...Kxg7 31.Qg5+ Kh8 32.Rxd8 and mate follows unless Black gives up the Knight. This is one of those very neat games, very simple in appearance, but very difficult in reality, and only the expert can fully enjoy it. There is no wasted effort, and every move seems to fit in naturally with the previous one and the next. Want to learn more chess strategy and chess theory by Capablanca? Chess Fundamentals (Algebraic)  Capablanca's Best Chess Endings  Jose Raul Capablanca, Games 1925-1939 (Volume 2)  |
Playing the Playbook - Alekhine Defense
 Playing the Playbook - Alekhine Defense White: Schroer, Jonathan Black: Sawyer, Timothy E ICC simul, 2002 Annotated by Tim Sawyer 1.e4 White is an International Master and a skilled attacker. He is much stronger blitz player than I am. Here he is playing one of his many online simultaneous exhibitions. I do not know how many other boards he was playing. 1...Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 c6 6.c4 Nb6 7.Nbd2 dxe5 8.Nxe5 Bf5!  Up to this point he was playing fairly rapidly against me. This 8...Bf5 variation is given in my Alekhine Defense Playbook. White seemed to be surprised by this move. He used about 30 minutes for his next two moves. In his recent book on the Alekhine Defence, Nigel Davies only considered 8...Bxe2 9.Qxe2 Qxd4 10.Ndf3 when White has a strong attack. 9.c5 A novelty. The line given in my book continues: 9.Nb3 e6 10.0-0 Be7 11.a4 N6d7 (It usually is in Black's interest to challenge any White piece on e5 and swap it off if possible.) 12.f4 Nxe5 13.fxe5 Bg6 =, 0-1/30. Popovych-Szmetan, World Open 1999. 9...Nd5 In view of the fact that I am behind in development I aim for safety and happily return to the hole he has left on d5. Since White spent so long on this 9th move, he must have been prepared for the obvious 9...Qxd4 10.Nxf7 Kxf7 11.cxb6 Qxb6, when clearly White has a lot of compensation for the sacrificed pawn. It will take a few moves for White to complete his development, but the Black weaknesses of his e-pawn and King cannot be covered up that quickly. 10.Ndf3 Nd7 11.Nc4 e6!?  This is a risky continuation because it leaves a big hole on d6. I decided to risk it so as to complete my development. At least this way my Bishop covers d6. 12.0-0 Be7 13.Re1 0-0 14.Bd2  14...Qb8!? 14...b6! seems to be the most aggressive continuation. I considered it, but decided not to mix it up with an IM whose tactical skills exceed mine. He had less than two minutes left on his clock while I had about 30 minutes, but there is a 35 second increment. I decided that I would force White to come up with a plan and a combination while his clock was ticking. 14...Qc7 is the most natural move. 15.Rc1 Bg4 16.h3 Bxf3 17.Bxf3 Re8 18.Qb3 Qc7 19.Red1  White waits for Black to force the issue and create a weakness that he can attack without deep thought. We both decide to wait for a mistake and repeat the position three times. 19...Rac8 20.Re1 Ra8 21.Rcd1 Rac8 22.Rc1 Ra8, 1/2-1/2 Game drawn by repetition. Want to learn more about The Alekhine Defense? Click here to get more information on Tim Sawyer's comprehensive Alekhine Defense Playbook. More Reading: Alekhine's Defense As White: The Four Pawns Attack  Alekhine's Defense  New Ideas in the Alekhine Defense (Batsford Chess Library)  A full list of books covering the Alekhine Defense can be found here. Alekhine Defence at Amazon.com |
Monday, March 12, 2007
Chess Strategies 101 - March Update
 In less than a month of service, our readership and site statistics are looking very promising. so we have purchased a .com domain to host our very own chess server. Currently, Chess Strategies 101 is testing different chess programs on our server, and as soon as possible will be launching this service. It is our intention to provide different skill levels so that all ages will enjoy the benefits of playing chess on the chess server. Plans to include a kids chess program, and teen chess program are also being developed. Our chess server will be both, a free chess server, as well as a yearly subscription chess server for a modest yearly fee, and several member benefits. Chess Strategies 101 will keep you informed to our progress. Best regards. Ray a.k.a. CousinIt |
Friday, March 9, 2007
Chess - Best Thing this Side of Heaven
 Chess - Best Thing this Side of Heaven Why Offer Chess in Schools? By Chessmaster Jerry Meyers Brief History Chess is a classic game of strategy, invented more than 1500 years ago in India. Legend has it that the ruler of India asked his wise men to devise a way to teach the children of the royal family to become better thinkers and better generals on the battlefield. Chess was the result. In the centuries since its invention, chess has spread to every country in the world. While countless other games have died out, chess lives on. In the United States, it has received endorsements by many educators, ranging from Benjamin Franklin to former U.S. Secretary of Education, Terrell Bell. In Western Pennsylvania, more than 70 schools and a dozen libraries offer chess programs, reaching several thousand students each year. Academic Benefits We have brought chess to the schools because we believe it directly contributes to academic performance. Chess makes kids smarter. It does so by teaching the following skills: Focusing - Children are taught the benefits of obseerving carefully and concentrating. If they don't watch what is happening, they can't respond to it, no matter how smart they are. Visualizing - Children are prompted to imagine a sequeence of actions before it happens. We actually strengthen the ability to visualize by training them to shift the pieces in their mind, first one, then several moves ahead. Thinking Ahead - Children are taught to think first, then act. We teach them to ask themselves "If I do this, what might happen then, and how can I respond?" Over time, chess helps develop patience and thoughtfulness. Weighing Options - Children are taught that they don't have to do the first thing that pops into their mind. They learn to identify alternatives and consider the pros and cons of various actions. Analyzing Concretely - Children learn to evaluate the results of specific actions and sequences. Does this sequence help me or hurt me? Decisions are better when guided by logic, rather than impulse. Thinking Abstractly - Children are taught to step back periodically from details and consider the bigger picture. They also learn to take patterns used in one context and apply them to different, but related situations. Planning - Children are taught to develop longer raange goals and take steps toward bringing them about. They are also taught of the need to reevaluate their plans as new developments change the situation. Juggling Multiple Considerations Simultaneously -Children are encouraged not to become overly absorbed in any one consideration, but to try to weigh various factors all at once. None of these skills are specific to chess, but they are all part of the game. The beauty of chess as a teaching tool is that it stimulates children's minds and helps them to build these skills while enjoying themselves. As a result, children become more critical thinkers, better problem solvers, and more independent decision makers. Educational Research These conclusions have been backed up by educational research. Studies have been done in various locations around the United States and Canada, showing that chess results in increased scores on standardized tests for both reading and math. A study on a large scale chess program in New York City, which involved more than 100 schools and 3,000 children, showed higher classroom grades in both English and Math for children involved in chess. Studies in Houston, Texas and Bradford, Pennsylvania showed chess leads to higher scores on the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. Social Benefits In the schools, chess often serves as a bridge, bringing together children of different ages, races and genders in an activity they can all enjoy. Chess helps build individual friendships and also school spirit when children compete together as teams against other schools. Chess also teaches children about sportsmanship - how to win graciously and not give up when encountering defeat. For children with adjustment issues, there are many examples where chess has led to increased motivation, improved behavior, better self-image, and even improved attendance. Chess provides a positive social outlet, a wholesome recreational activity that can be easily learned and enjoyed at any age. Note: I really enjoyed reading this article. It opened my mind to many different aspects of the game and social relationships.
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Ten Reasons Why Kids Should Play Chess
 Ten Reasons Why Kids Should Play Chess By: Raymond Roy The game of chess has been captivating peoples minds the world over for the past 1500 years. What is the reason for this you ask. Simple, chess is fun... So, the first reason kids should play chess is that chess is fun. In recent years there have been scores of educational and psychological studies that examine the benefits of playing chess for children. Dr. Peter Dauvergne of the University of Sydney wrote an article called, "The Case for Chess as a Tool to Develop Our Children's Minds." This list of benefits is taken directly from his article and are fact. Chess helps to: 1.) Raise intelligence quotient (IQ) scores. 2.) Strengthen problem solving skills; teaching how to make difficult and abstract decisions independently. 3.) Enhance reading, memory, language, and mathematical abilities. 4.) Foster critical, creative, and original thinking. 5.) Provide practice at making accurate and fast decisions under time pressure, a skill that can help improve exam scores at schools. 6.) Teach how to think logically and efficiently, learning to select the 'best' choice from a large number of options. 7.) Challenge gifted children while potentially helping underachieving gifted students learn how to study and strive for excellence. 8.) Demonstrate the importance of planning, concentration, and the consequences of decisions. 9.) Reach boys and girls regardless of their natural abilities or socio-economic backgrounds. 10.) Chess is fun, and a great form of social development. I am certain you can see the benefits, as well as add to these benefits, why kids should play chess. Get active, start a chess program at your local school, or community center. Ray
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Thursday, March 8, 2007
Win At Chess With These Special Moves
 Win At Chess With These Special Moves By: Lee Dobbins En Passant, Castling, and Pawn Promotion The game of chess has many interesting moves and some that can only happen under certain circumstances. In order to play the best game you can, it is wise to know about all the moves so that you can best outwit your opponent. In order to effectively talk about chess a special method of notation has been devised. This helps identify the squares and positions without having to have a board and pieces always in front of you to illustrate. In this notation the columns (or files as they are called in chess) are identified with a letter and the rows (or ranks) are identified with a number. If you are looking at a chessboard from the perspective of the white player, the leftmost file is 'a', the one next to it 'b' and so on until the last file which is 'h'. The back or closest rank for white is 'rank 1', the next one (the one the pawns are on) is 'rank 2' and so on until the last rank, which is the back row for black and is 'rank 8'. So the when using chess notation, the leftmost back square for white would be called 'a1', the square directly above 'a2' an so on. See how easy that is? Now that you know how chess notation works and you have a chess board visualized in your head, we can talk about some of the special chess moves. En Passant If you have played even only 1 game of chess you know that pawns have some special rules. For example, they can only capture a piece that is placed diagonally in front of them. Also, on it's initial move, a pawn can move up two squares instead of just one. However, there is a special case for this - if an enemy pawn could have captured it had it only moved 1 square, the enemy is still able to capture. This move is called 'en passant' and can only be used on the very next move after the pawn is advanced 2 spaces - if you do not capture then, you cannot do it at a later move. Here's an example - BLACK has a pawn at d4; WHITE moves his e2-pawn to e4; had WHITE moved to e3m the BLACK d4 pawn would have been able to capture so now he can capture en-passant on his next move. But if BLACK decides to make another move instead, he gives up his right to capture. Castling The King can make a special chess move called 'castling' and it is, in fact, recommended that you do this during the opening phase of the game. This is a defensive move which increase thesafety of the King. Castling has two forms - 'short' and 'long'. Here's how it works: Say the white King is on e1 with the white Rook on h1 (this is the initial setup at the start of the game). You can make the move called short castling by moving the King to g1 and the Rook to f1. This move does have some restrictions - the squares in between the Rook and King must be empty, neither the Kind or Rook can have been moved before and the King cannot be in check. Note that even though you move two pieces, this is considered to be one move. Long castling has the same rules and is a similar move but uses the Rook on the a file instead. In this scenario, the King ends on c1 and the Rook ends on d1. Pawn Promotion You might think the pawns are not very useful but if you can get your pawn to the other side of the board he can be promoted. This means the you can replace the pawn with any same colored piece you want with the exception of a king or pawn. Needless to say most people choose to replace the pawn with a queen. There are some other situations in chess that novice players might not be aware of. For instance, a game can very easily end in a draw. This can happen when neither side has enough material to checkmate the opponent. This would happen if one player had a Bishop and King while another had only a King - no matter how many times you try you cannot get the opponent into checkmate so the game ends in a draw. The chess game might also end in a draw if you have to repeat the same move 3 times as their are no other choices, if no advance or pawn capture has happened in the last 50 moves or stalemate. Stalemate can happen when a player who is not in check has no valid moves. If a player can continuously checkmate another player any time he wishes then he can claim a draw by "continuous check".
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The Politically Incorrect Reason I Want My Children to Learn Chess
 The Politically Incorrect Reason I Want My Children to Learn Chess By Richard Stooker Yes, sure chess is good for developing the ability to think, to reason, to ponder, to calculate and analyze. Sure it develops the ability to read and remember. To look and think ahead, to carefully reason out and foresee the consequences of actions and to make the optimum move. All that's fine and dandy. And I guess I wouldn't object if I had a chess prodigy child who'd grow up to be a world champion and rake in big bucks. Though, to tell the truth, if I wanted to make money off my children they'd make more money as successful models/actors or tennis players. (And given the strange psychological relationships between some famous chess prodigies and their parents -- such as Bobby Fischer and his mother, Gata Kamsky and his father -- I'm not sure I'd want to be the parent of a chess prodigy.) To tell the politically incorrect truth, I want my children to learn chess because despite political correctness it is still what it started out as -- a nonviolent form of war. Peaceniks want to gloss over the history of chess, but there's no doubt that it began as a pastime for rajahs in India who had to be prepared to fight to defend their territory and developed as a evening activity for kings in Europe who had to be prepared to fight to defend their territory. I'm not in favor of war, but it's obvious that the world is still full of violent people and if you're not prepared to defend your family and your country, you'll lose them. On a lesser scale, this is just as true of everyday life. It's too much of a cliche to compare chess to life -- but whether you're a businessperson strategizing a new marketing tactic or an engineer designing a car that runs on hydrogen . . . you need the skills and attitude of chess. Yes, sometimes your "war" may be against a technical problem rather than another person. Fine, you still need the attitude that there's an optimum move you can make to take advantage of the properties of the metal you're working with. The great thing about chess is that it's all out in the open. Your opponent sees the same board you see. Unlike another great game -- poker -- nothing is hidden. Unlike poker and life itself, chance plays no role in chess. Your advantage is only between your ears. It's your ability to think more clearly and farther than your opponent. To some extent face to face chess is like poker in that it can help to "read" your opponent's body language. Do they appear confident because they're "bluffing" -- or just because don't want you to know that they just made a bad move? Chess is a great game, but it's a game. Beyond the game is something called "real life." You win in real life to the degree that you can shape your world to make you happy. This often calls for intellectual thinking and knowledge, but you must know how to go beyond that. You must know how to compete for the money and career goals you desire. You must be willing to defend your home, your family, your job -- yourself. Hopefully violence won't be necessary -- but an attitude of competition is. An attitude that says that learning every variation of Ruy Lopez is important not as an intellectual exercise but because it increases your chances of checkmating your opponent's king. Those old time rajahs and kings understood. Chess was an entertaining way to practice warfare when you weren't actively chopping off heads.
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Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Learn To Play Chess Today
 Learn To Play Chess Today By Lee Dobbins Have you ever watched a chess game and wondered how the heck the game works? On one level it looks kind of like checkers, but not all the pieces are shaped the same and they move in strange and mysterious ways. If you've ever wanted to be one of those intelligent looking folks sitting on either side of the chess table, then this guide can help you learn how to play. It's not that difficult and you can even be playing your first game by the end of the day! To make it easier to talk about chess pieces and moves on the board, a special method of notation has been devised. In chess the rows on the board are called ranks and the columns are files. In this notation the files are identified with a letter and the ranks are identified with a number. So when looking at a chessboard from the "white" side, the leftmost file is 'a', the one next to it 'b' and so on until the last file which is 'h'. The closest rank for white is 'rank 1', the next one is 'rank 2' and so on until the last rank, which is the back row for black and is 'rank 8'. So the when using chess notation, the leftmost back square for white would be called 'a1', the square directly above 'a2' an so on. Isn't that easy? A game of chess has 3 basic phases - the opening, midgame and endgame. The opening begins the game and is the first 10 or 15 moves. During the opening you should concentrate on getting your pieces into a good position (called promotion). But what is a good position? Typically it is good to control the center of the board and of course you want to be sure your king is protected. You should have some sort of general plan in mind when promoting your pieces - don't worry as you get more experience playing it will be easier to come up with these "plans". The middlegame is when you play your battles and try to take more of the opponenets pieces than he takes of yours. The endgame comes when there are only a few pieces left to play with and eventually ends in either a draw or checkmate. Not all the chess pieces behave the same. Each one moves in a different way and has different rules. A piece may capture an opponents piece by landing on the square of the opponents piece - the captured piece is then removed from the board. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponents king so this piece must always be protected. The King can only move 1 square at a time but he can go in any direction, vertically, horizontally or diagonally. The only restriction is that he cannot move into a square that would allow him to be captured (or checkmated) by the opponenet as this would be a huge blunder that would end the game. So, looking at an empty board with a king on e4, he can move to e3,e5, d4, f4, d3, f3, d5, f5. Th Queen is the most powerful piece and can move in all directions but unlike the King can move any number of square without having to "jump over" another piece. A Queen that is on d4 has 27 possible moves and can move to any square on the d file, any square on the 4th rank all 7 squares on the a1-h8 diagonal as well as all 6 squares on the 'b7-g1' diagonal. The Bishop is initially placed on either side of the King and Queen and can only move on diagonals but can move as many squares as he wants. Because of this, the Bishops will always stay on same colored squares. He is slightly more valuable than a Knight. The Knight is placed next to the bishop and is the piece that looks like a horse on a typical chess set. This piece moves in a strange way - the movements form an L. It can move in any direction and is the only piece that can skip over other pieces. Namely it moves two squares horizontally and one vertically or vice versa. Therefore, a Knight on d7 (Nd7) can move to b8, b6, c5, e5, f6 or f8. The Rook is placed on the end squares next to the Knight which often looks like a castle. It can move along files and ranks as many squares as it wants. The Rook is the second most valuable piece. A Rook placed on b5 can move to all 7 squares on the fifth rank, as well as all 7 squares on the b file. The Pawns are the smaller pieces that are in the front row and have the simplest moves as they can move only one square forward. There is one exception - on the pawns initial move, it can move two squares forward. Unlike other pieces it cannot capture a piece directly in front of it but can only capture on a diagonal. The pawn is the least valuable piece but it does have the distinction of being able to be "promoted". If a pawn reaches the opposite end of the board it can be replaced with any same color piece of the players choice which is most usually the Queen.
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Chess 101 Welcomes Amazon.com
Chess 101 Welcomes Amazon.com Our newest affiliate member to meet the standards of Chess Strategies 101, is Amazon.com. Amazon.com has joined our affiliate program. This means Chess Strategies 101 believes in their ability to offer quality merchandise and customer support. By screening our affiliates, their services, reviewing their privacy policies first, offers our visitors confidence, with a secure feeling our sponsors are worth taking a look at. Below is an Ad-link for Amazon.com. This is a good opportunity for guest to evaluate their services, and to report their experience to Chess Strategies 101 and the Chess Strategies 101 community. Chess Strategies 101 - Chess Apparel  Ray |
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Tips On Getting The Perfect Chess Set
 Tips On Getting The Perfect Chess Set By John Morris The are so many chess sets on the market today that it can be very confusing when you are trying to buy one. Chess sets are either used in playing or as a decoration in the living room or den. Chess sets are even used as centerpieces for libraries and studies. Some chess sets are even considered as heirlooms and are valued for their collectible quality. 1. Determine Your Reasons Are you going to play with it or you going to use it for decorative purposes only? If you are going to play with it then look for a practical looking set. It should also fit your personal taste in the style. 2. Price It is advisable to buy the best quality chess set that your budget can afford. A good chess set can last a lifetime and can even become an heirloom. You will definitely be admired by your friends when you take out a beautiful chess set. Of course, a finely crafted chess set can enhance every chess players' playing experience. 3. Tournament Guidelines Unless you are using the chess set for official tournament use, you can do away with considering the size of the chess pieces in relation to the board. Nevertheless, the general guideline is that the King's base should be 78% of the width of a square. To get this, divide the King's base diameter by 0.78 and you get the proper square size. You can increase the square size by 1/8, but the square size should not be any smaller. This info is valuable if you are buying the pieces separate from the board. 4. Durability Choose an extremely durable chess set if you are planning to use your chess set daily and take it to tournaments and clubs. A weighted plastic chess set would be a good choice. If you need a handy chess set that you could carry anywhere then it is advisable that you get a travel chess set which are small and compact. These kind of chess is usually magnetic or pegged to protect against bumps and jolts. The boards can be folded and the pieces and pawns can be kept inside. Travel chess sets ara available for for somewhere around $20 A very basic one can even be had for $10 or less. You may even find miniature ones sold in most dollar stores. 5. Special Considerations For Wooden Sets If you are buying a chess set that is made from wood then choose good quality wood. Wood is definitely a good material for a chess set. They are very impressive to look at and the pieces feel very solid. The only disadvantage is that they can be really heavy and are therefore not ideal for traveling. Wood chess sets will definitely be a great addition to your home or office. Wood sets and the prices can range from 50$ to as high as $5,000. In general, ebony is more expensive than rosewood, which is, in turn, more expensive than boxwood, etc. Exotic woods are more expensive still. There are less expensive sets that are made from oak, pine or walnut. In buying a wooden chess set let your budget be your guide. 6. Check For Uniformity When buying a chess set check out the pieces, particularly the knights which can represent up to 50% of the total cost of all the chess pieces. The quality of the turnings, the finish and the uniformity also add to cost of the set. You must also check the craftsmanship of the King's crown that is usually decorative. Keep in mind that the King and the Knight are two of the most important pieces of a chess set. 7. Decorative Sets Chess sets that are made from crystal or bone china are generally termed as Glass. These sets are commonly used for decorative purposes but you can also find glass sets that are practical. Crystal pieces are generally heavy while china pieces will feel a bit light unless they have weighted bases. These kinds of chess sets are definitely nice to look at but they are very fragile and will break once they are dropped. They are also easily dirtied by dust and fingerprints. Although beautiful to look at, the pieces will break if dropped and fingerprints can become a problem on some models. They're dust collectors too. Many people keep a glass set for looks and another type for actual play. Glass chess sets average in the $300 to $2,000 range.
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Chess Lessons
 Chess Lessons Discovering the Amazing World of Chess By: Rick Martin Chess is one of the world’s most popular sports, played by millions of people worlwide in clubs, online, by e-mail, amateur and professional tournaments. The current form of the game emerged in southern Europe in the second half of the 15th century after evolving from similar much older games of Asian origin. The game is a wonderful blend of art and science and people who play chess know that it is a good way to enhance mental prowess. In ancient times, chess was often used as a basis of sermons on morality. To the Age of Enlightment, chess appeared mainly as a way of self-improvement. It was often depicted in arts and used for example as a metaphor of a struggle of two, as a symbol of cold logic. During modern times, it was decided to promote the game of chess as a game for the masses and not just for the intellectual elite. Today, people who play chess are known to improve their communication skills and also their confidence. They discover the power of fair-play and they use the skills learned while playing chess in real life as well. When you play chess you get better at thinking more moves in the future, you come up with various planning strategies and you do your best to defend your pieces as well as capture the opponent’s pieces. Chess is a competitive strategy game that requires a lot of dedication. You cannot play chess without learning all about strategy, tactics, technique and discipline. You must study carefully the competition, how she/he thinks and most importantly how to constantly think of the next move ahead of anybody else. The strategy of chess consists of setting and achieving long-term goals during the game, while tactics concentrate on immediate maneuvers. Strategic goals are mostly achieved by the means of tactics, while the tactical opportunities are based on the previous sound strategy of play. When you play chess, the main concern regards the chess positions. Players must take into account the value of pieces on board, the pawn structure, the king’s safety and the control of key square. Every day there are more and more who decide to play chess and are willing to take chess lessons in order to learn the secrets of the game. Before taking up the game of chess, there are some basics of the game that one must be aware of. To become a really good player and play chess with the very best, one must put in an enormous amount of time into botht the study of the game and play as well. Chess lessons start with the game’s descriptions. It is a game played on a board, there are two colors in chess meaning white and black and the player in control of the white pieces is the first to start. In chess, the rows on the board are called ranks and the columns are files. In this notation, when you play chess the files are identified with a letter and the ranks with a number. Theoreticians have developed extensive chess strategies and tactics since the game’s inception. When it comes to chess lessons, one must also learn the basic phases of the game: the opening, the midgame and the endgame. Moreover, it is crucial to understand that not all the chess pieces behave the same. Each one moves in a different way and has different rules. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponent’s king so this piece must always be protected. Chess lessons can sometimes be tiresome but it is worth the pain to learn chess tactics and strategies. The King can only move one square at a time but he can go in any direction. The only restriction is that he cannot move into a square that would allow him to be captured. The Queen is the most powerful piece and can move in all directions. All chess lessons will teach you that unlike the King, the Queen can move any number of squares without having to jump over another piece. The Bishop is placed on either side of the King and Queen; can only move on diagonals but as many squares as he wants. The Knight moves in any direction and is the only piece that can skip over the pieces. His movement form an L. The Rook is placed on the end squares next to Knight. It is the second most valuable piece. The Pawns are the smaller pieces and have the simplest moves. It cannot capture a piece directly in front of it but can only capture on a diagonal. Though the least valuable piece, it has the distinction of being able to be promoted. These are basic things to be known about the game’s pieces, presented in almost all chess lessons. Another important aspect introduced by well-organized chess lessons is that the games do not have to end in checkmate as either player may resign if the situation looks hopeless. Also, a draw can occur in several situations including draw by agreement or stalemate. |
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Chess for Kids: How to Play Chess Against Kids
 How to Play Chess Against Kids By Raymond Roy This article focuses on how to best play a child fairly. The age group for children would range from preschool through the sixth grade. Before we get started I would like to say that chess is a game of spotmanship, and to teach children and novice alike the basic sportmanship of the game. It is important that students learn that in every game played, the game of chess in a learning experience. Oftentime, chess is a game where losing, has far greater benefits than winning. It is not uncommon while playing a game of chess, one player will say to another, "Good Move," usually by a player when realizing that an opponents move has provided their opponent a decisive advantage. When a game ends no matter who the winner is, a game concludes with a handshake, and the customary gesture of saying, "Good Game." The first rule to keep in mind when playing chess with kids it to, "Keep the Game Honest." It is important to keep the game fun for any child, so never deliberately lose a game when playing kids. Once a child realizes you are losing deliberately, they will soon catch on to what you are doing. The most common result being, a lose of interest in the game because you have taken the fun, as well as the challange out of the game. There are several opportunities to approach this issue while keeping the game fun and intertaining. Tips to play chess fairly against kids. These tips can be as much fun for an adult as for a child. Use your imagination and develope your own methods. Number one tip in my book is time odds, using a chess clock. This is a creative example of the technique many Grandmasters (GM's) and International Masters (IM's) use with students. Give the child somewhere between 5 and 7 minutes to play while giving yourself much less time to play, something like 1 minute or less. This keeps the game extremely fair and honest, while providing fun, intertainment, and a challenging environment for both players. The game becomes intertaining as you will make natural mistakes when rushing through your moves, something both you, and the child you are playing will enjoy. It is not very difficult to imagine how much fun these type of games can be, providing many laughs, and encouraging both players to think longer and harder about thier moves. Another form of fair play is to give piece odds. An example of piece odds are games where a more experienced player may take a piece like a Queen off the board and play the game without that Queen. These type of games are not as much fun for older kids to play unless they happen to be the more experience player where they are teaching a younger, or novice player the game. Keep in mind that kids enjoy teaching other kids new games they have learnt too. Find other children at about the same level of play, to play with, letting each of them play against you. Keep the group small in numbers to avoid arguments, no more than 4 or 6 kids in any one group. Kids will have fun seeing how their brother, sister, or friends can do against you. This is good in the family environment, getting the kids together to play against you, or when kids come over to visit your kids. There is seldom more fun for kids than being able to gang up on a parent. Here is another example of using time odds that a lot of GM's and IM's will do with their students. It is much more effective in teaching chess than piece odds, while providing a lot of fun, and consintration. Turn the board around mid-way through the game. Here you can use your imagination to let the child set the rules for the turn around, having the child decide at the given points during the game when they will change sides. Use different variations on the theme by truning the board around 2 or 3 times during a game, i.e. after 10 moves and 20 moves. but keeping a golden rule in the game, that the child cannot change or turn the board around when checkmate in one move is going to occure. These type of game are fun and interesting for each player. Next, we will talk about playing simple chess games. There are many puzzle games you can play with children. One puzzle game that is a good confidence builder for kids is setting up the board with the child having two Rooks and a King while you have only a King. The child has a requisite of moves between 30 to 50, to checkmate your King. This is a lot of fun for everyone involved, while providing challenge, self-confidence, and boosting self-esteem for a child. Use your imagination to think of other puzzle games to play, as well as getting a simple tactics book to do puzzles games together with a child. Often recommended is to play the pawn game. You do this by setting up the pawns in their normal starting positions on the board, NO other pieces are used in the game. All pawn moves, including en passant, just as in a regular game. There are three ways a person wins the game: 1.) Capture all of your opponent's pawns. 2.) Someone gets a pawn across the board to a queening square. 3.) Either you or your opponent has no legal moves and the other player still has a legal move. The game is called a drawn if: 1.) Both players agree to a draw. 2.) Both players do not have a legal move, that is, all pawns are blockaded and cannot move. This pawn game sounds simple but happens to be more challenging than it appears, and is a lot of fun to play. As I have already said, "Use your imagination and think of new games you can play." There are some great books available to help young people learn chess, and learn chess puzzles. One highly recommend book is Fritz and Chester. Soon, we will talk more about books, and include chess video games, and computer chess, geared for the child's learning, and developement. Enjoy the adventure into playing chess with kids. Ray |
Friday, March 2, 2007
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