A Benko Classic

2K5/4N3/p4P1k/P7/4r3/8/8/8 w - - 0 1

White to move and win.

NOTE: It is VERY tricky!

Benko, 1997

Indonesian Open LIVE!

Live chess broadcast powered by ChessBomb and Chessdom

SPICE Cup round 2 pairings

There was a slight change. Therefore, please make sure you double check your pairings.
 
Round 2 pairings

1 GM Quang Liem Le (2712) - IM Kayden Troff (2431)
2 GM Alexander Ipatov (2625) - IM Priyadharshan Kannappan (2425)
3 GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez (2575) - IM Raja Panjwani (2422)
4 GM Aleksandr Lenderman (2539) -  IM Keaton Kiewra (2404)
5 GM Alexander Shabalov (2520) -  FM Samuel Sevian (2393)
6 FM Joel Banawa (2367) - GM Alex Yermolinsky (2516)
7 FM Kostya Kavustkiy (2272) -  GM Mackenzie Molner (2493)
8 GM Ben Finegold (2482) - FM Jeffrey Xiong (2345)
9 Daniel Gurevich (2258) - GM Ray Robson (2628)
10 IM Vitaly Neimer (2378) - GM Anatoly Bykhovsky (2521)
11 GM Denes Boros (2494) - WIM Diana Real Pereyra (2100)
12 FM Eric Rodriguez (2307) - IM Leonid Gerzhoy (2478)
13 WIM Altanulzii Enkhtuul (2247) - GM Andre Diamant (2461)
14 IM Joshua Ruiz (2399) - FM Awonder Liang (2207)
15 Andrew Tang (2174) - GM Aleksandr Rakhmanov (2603)
16 Nolan Hendrickson (2178) - FM Akshat Chandra (2318)
17 WIM Inna Agrest (2154) - FM Robby Adamson (2278)
18 Spencer Finegold (2132) - FM Renan Reis (2266)
19 Manuel Valerio Waldo Nieto (2014) - FM Doug Eckert (2247)
20 WFM Sarah Chiang (2102) - CM Ruifeng Li (2246)
21 Joshua Colas (2242) - FM Hans Jung (2122)
22 James Voelker (2186) - Guillermo Liugui Ubaldo Nieto (1978) 

½ Manuel Guillermo Nieto (1909) BYE
½ FM Jouaquim Banawa (2305) BYE
½ GM Manuel Leon Hoyos (2552) BYE

World chess elite gathering on Rhodes

With the conclusion of the Russian Superfinal, Bilbao Masters and Kings Tournament, the world’s chess elite will move to Rhodes, Greece, appropriately nicknamed ‘The island of the Knights’ and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe.

The island will host the European Chess Club Cup from 19-27th October in the conference center of the 5-star Rodos Palace Convention Resort which is regarded as one of the finest deluxe hotels on the island of Rhodes.

The 29th European Club Cup 2013 will feature 95 Grandmasters, 75 International Masters and 43 FIDE Masters.

Top rated stars are Caruana Fabiano 2779, Topalov Veselin 2771, Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2759 (SOCAR), Grischuk Alexander 2786, Karjakin Sergey 2762, Morozevich Alexander 2734 (Malachite), Dominguez Perez Leinier 2753, Svidler Peter 2740 (Saint-Petersburg), Nakamura Hikaru 2783 (O.R. Padova) and Vachier-Lagrave Maxime 2742 (Clichy Echecs 92).

The 18th European Club Cup for Women 2013 will see 22 Grandmasters and 16 International Masters.

The elo chart is headed by the reigning World Champion Hou Yifan 2621, former WCC Challenger Koneru Humpy 2607, Muzychuk Anna 2560, Cramling Pia 2515 (Cercle d’Echecs de Monte-Carlo), former World Champions Ushenina Anna 2497 (Ugra), Lagno Kateryna 2534 and Cmilyte Viktorija 2505 (CS Politechnica-Antibiotice Iasi)

More information on the tournament website

Smith-Morra Gambit with GM Ronen Har-Zvi ... and more

Winning Chess Tactics for Beginners by GM Damian Lemos



Winning Chess Tactics for Beginners by GM Damian Lemos
Posted on October 14,2013 By William in Strategy & Game Review, All Articles w/ Videos, Classic Games (Pre 2010), Beginner's Corner. Chess tactics are extremely important players of all levels, but most relevant to beginner chess players. At the higher levels of chess, tactics are often very complex and combine different positional, strategic themes with an immediate tactical way of solving a problem. However at the beginner level in chess, tactics often decide a game immediately. For example if you are dropping a piece (or catching your opponent hanging a piece!) that should [...]

FM Alisa Melekhina Explains the King's Indian Defense
Posted on October 11,2013 By William in Strategy & Game Review, Chess Openings, All Articles w/ Videos. The King's Indian Defense is one of black's most aggressive openings against 1. d4 as it nearly always leads to double-edged play and decisive results. The underlying themes and plans in the opening and middlegame are very consistent and clear - white tries to gain space in the center and open up play by attacking on the queenside, while black responds by gaining space on the kingside and pursuing a deadly attack against white's king. This chess [...]

Smith-Morra Gambit with GM Ronen Har-Zvi
Posted on October 07,2013 By William in Strategy & Game Review, Chess Openings, Beginner's Corner. The Sicilian Defense is one of the most extensive chess openings and the amount of theory is downright incredible. The best study routine for beginner and intermediate chess players does NOT focus exclusively on studying openings, rather it should include a comprehensive regimen targeted at improving all phases of your game. In the below chess video excerpt from the Empire Chess DVD ¨Smashing the Sicilian Defense with the Smith-Morra Gambit¨ Gran[...]

Beginner Chess Opening Traps by GM Susan Polgar
Posted on October 03,2013 By William in All Articles w/ Videos, Beginner's Corner. Many beginner chess players feel lost in the opening and can easily fall into typical traps. In the following chess video, 5-time Olympic Chess Champion GM Susan Polgar reviews one of the most common traps seen at the beginner chess level - Scholar's Mate! The Scholar's Mate set-up with an early e4, Bc4, Qh5, and Qxf7# is not a good opening at all if black is paying attention and responds logically to white's threats. However if you have never se[...]

OnlineChessLessons.net is a producer of thousands of free chess articles and free chess videos by FIDE chess masters. They recently released the renowned Empire Chess series that has been taking the chess world by storm. Please consider checking out their chess blog and chess shop with tons of free updated previews.

SPWO with over $100K in chess prizes (including iPad Mini) and scholarships

Susan Polgar World Open for Boys and Girls
www.polgarworldopen.com
November 2 – 3, 2013

Special 3 hour Camp – November 1, 2013

Crowne Plaza Hotel – Northbrook, IL (near Chicago)

Over $100,000 in Chess Prizes (including iPad Mini) and Scholarships to Webster University (Home of the #1 ranked College Chess Division 1 team in the nation!)

The winners of the Girls K-3, 4-5, 6-8 and 9-12 will receive automatic invitations to the Susan Polgar Foundation Girls’ Invitational

(late July 2014 at Webster University in St. Louis), which includes free room and board.

All winners from the 2012 SPWO (Boys and Girls) receive free entry to the 2013 SPWO

6R-SS in 8 sections: (K-3), (4-5), (6-8), (9-12)

Time Control (all sections): Game-45 w/5-sec delay

Round Times (all sections): Sat & Sun: 11:00am, 1:30pm, 4pm

Side Events:

Puzzle Solving – Saturday 6:00pm
Simul * – Saturday 7:00pm
Blitz – Sunday – 9:00am

*Simul is limited to 30 participants with maximum 10 adults as available

Book Signing with GM Susan Polgar: Saturday 3:00pm

Q&A with GM Susan Polgar: Saturday 12:30pm

Special 3 hour chess camp with GM Susan Polgar: Friday 11/1 – 5:30pm – 8:30pm

Unrated Tournament*: Must be unrated, No USCF membership required

K-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-12 sections
 
Boys and Girls together

4R-SS Game-45 w/5-sec delay

11am, 1:30pm, 4pm, 6:30pm

Trophies 1st thru 5th per section and top 2 teams

Prizes (Boys and Girls - rated sections)

9th-12th Grade Section

1st – Webster University Scholarship
2nd – $150 value of chess prizes
3rd – $100 value of chess prizes
4th – $75 value of chess prizes

4-5, 6-8

1st – iPad Mini
2nd – $150 value of chess prizes
3rd – $100 value of chess prizes
4th – $75 value of chess prizes

K-3

1st – $250 value of chess prizes
2nd – $150 value of chess prizes
3rd – $100 value of chess prizes
4th – $75 value of chess prizes

Trophies (in all rated sections)
Trophies to Top 10 individuals
Trophies to Top 3 school teams

Tournament Entry Fees:

$40 by October 12, 2013
$50 by October 26, 2013
$60 thereafter and onsite

Side events – $15 each or $40 for all three if purchased by 10/26; $20 each thereafter and onsite
1/2 day camp – $40 in advance, $60 onsite – camp limited to 40 participants

Unrated Tournament Entry Fee

$10 by October 12, 2013
$15 by October 26, 2013
$20 thereafter and onsite

Questions: sevan@nachess.org or call 847.423.8626 and mention Polgar tournament in your message.

Chess Vendor Onsite with Huge Selection!

Payments to be mailed to (payable):

North American Chess Association
4957 Oakton Street Suite 113
Skokie, IL 60077

All equipment will be provided (boards, sets, clocks). Organizer provided equipment must be used

Crowne Plaza Chicago-Northbrook Hotel
2875 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Northbrook, IL 60062
847.298.2525

$99 room rate; must call hotel directly and ask for CHESS rate.

Chess novel “Lisa” by GM Jesse Kraai

Jesse Kraai returned to chess in 2002, at 30 years old. By studying his own games he was able to reach his goal of Grandmaster in 2007. You can read more about him and his chess novel at jessekraai.com. His novel may be purchased on Amazon, http://amzn.to/1chwP0U

Excerpt below kindly provided by Jesse:

Lisa ditched her last couple classes on Thursday. They were pointless anyway. The shuttle wasn’t there to take her, but it was easy to walk the four blocks to the train-even though they always told the kids it was so dangerous. No one tried to stop her; she was invisible and free.

Lisa had lost to Ruth the day before, once again brutally. And she dreaded her punishment. He’s probably going to make me do something like Bikram yoga, Lisa thought. He’ll turn me into a puddle of sweat.

Lisa wanted to be admitted into the temple, to be accepted and enjoy a warm and carpeted conversation. But Ruth would always squish her. And Igor would never let her in. So she would take her revenge. She would sneak into the Berkeley Public Library without permission.

The outside walls of the building looked like a boy had poured his green Gatorade all over it twenty years ago and no one had ever bothered to clean up the sticky mess. The fungi and bacteria of the street had eaten the brightness away, leaving a matte puke color. But underneath all of that there were outlines of athletic women wrapped in tight cloth, climbing staircases up into the emptiness. The images were faint; the fineness of their lines had been lost.

Inside, hairy men with enormous black trash bags casually dragged their life’s belongings across broad granite floors. The old socks of homelessness pinched Lisa’s nose as she watched a man play blitz chess on one of the public internet portals. This library wasn’t a temple. It was just another adult scam, like the way they used chess to trick kids into concentrating.

Lisa left the library at 3:30, a half hour before she was supposed to meet with Igor. She was sneaky like that; Igor would never know that she had gone in without his permission. Fooling adults was easy. To kill time, she laid herself out on the Peace Wall as Igor had and did chess problems, using the photocopies Ruth had made for her. Then she walked back to the library, as if she hadn’t already been there, to wait for her teacher.

Igor took the record of her game into his big hands and looked down at her with a questioning smile, as if asking, “Have you failed again?” Lisa knew that Ruth had emailed him and described the game. But he needed to see the moves. Lisa had carefully noted on her scoresheet how much time she and Ruth used on each move. She had tried to follow his principles. In his own world, the Russian softly spoke, “tak, tak, tak,” quickly reconstructing the game in his mind to a metronome beat. Then he looked up at the mountain, his big stone, his personal gym. “We go inside,” he said.

Igor led Lisa up to the third floor of the Berkeley Public Library, the children’s floor. He said they would take advantage of Lisa’s age and use the ample space there. From behind a bookshelf of Dr. Seuss and Where the Wild Things Are, Igor pulled out a magnificent wooden set that he had hidden. Until then, Lisa had never played on anything but plastic. Igor told her the history, how he had the set made after he became a grandmaster, to commemorate his passage. He said it was his one item of physical beauty, of decadence.

For his black pieces and squares, Igor had found a block of Indian rosewood, called sheesham, while playing a tournament in Punjab. Dark swirls wound their way through the wood, like a slowly moving mist that covers a distant light. For his white wood, Igor went back to Cuba. He told Lisa about his fateful tournament there, the Capablanca Memorial, and about his escape in Gander. He told her about the need to go back, to play well. There he had acquired a piece of boxwood, as if it were a trophy. To Lisa, its pure and unchanging light suggested truth.

Igor said that he had packed these two tropical treasures into a deep suitcase, neglecting his clothes, and brought them to the Estonian master carver Kalju Muutnik. Kalju’s hands had only ever known the hearty woods of the coldest north, forests reaching back to the time of Neanderthal spears. There in Estonia, Kalju gave the exotic southern woods an Eastern European modesty and grace.