Chess thread

[Tal]

Right-ho then.

Overall impression is that you played patiently throughout. Your rook sac was a nice idea, although it shouldn't really have been enough to win. The rook should have been able to hold the advancing pawn and the White king shouldn't have run away screaming! Probably a draw from that point.

There are a few specifics I hope might help.

10...Nb4 would be better than Ne5, as it forces White to play Kd1 and be unable to castle or Na3 and have it stuck there as a spectator.

After 10.Nfd2, you have a great chance to open up the position. White has poor development and his queen is out of action. The king can't escape for now and you might have time to play d5 quickly. That has to be your plan: open the centre.

33.Qf4 is a mistake. I think you're ok to take the queen with the rook on f8.

You take good advantage of the mistakes the villain makes after that and I really like the king march to hide behind the d-pawn. As suggested above, using the king is crucial in the endgame, in both attack and defence.

Nicely done, Tighty

[Tal]

http://www.chessbase.com/Home/TabId/211/PostId/4009877/chess-magazine-cheats-are-prospering-210513.aspx

Concern from the British press that cheating in chess is prevalent and on the increase, particularly thanks to technology.

The rules currently forbid portable communication devices to be on during play, so  that does the trick...provided the villain doesn't check the opening theory on frequent toilet visits.

[theprawnidentity]

Thinking of getting back into chess.  Any advice on sites to play on / software to use?

[Tal]

I hope TightEnd won't mind me saying his game highlights how important aggression can be in chess. Yes, it has to be controlled aggression but an attack has to be meaningful to have merit.

Don't attack with one piece; get the army ready to go and then go hard.

Black made a lot of moves with one knight and then a lot of moves with the other knight. That's a sign that something wasn't quite right. The artillery was almost ready - certainly better prepared than the oppo - to blast through the centre but the moment never came.

In the endgame, Black played assertively and with pieces working together. That is why he won.

[Tal]

Thinkinf of getting back into chess.  Any advice on sites to play on / software to use?

Shredder app for your phone/tablet is a given. Has a nice tactics feature.

I use PlayChess for an online game but there are others - chess.com is a good one.

Chessbase has an app and is a database of master games, regularly updated.

[theprawnidentity]

Im sure Shredder will be more than enough thanks.  I will be back ITT long before im comparing notes with grandmasters!!!!!

[Tal]

Im sure Shredder will be more than enough thanks.  I will be back ITT long before im comparing notes with grandmasters!!!!!

Tbf I don't play that much online.I'm sure there are a few lurkers and posters on here who do, though. Hopefully you'll get a few suggestions.

[Tal]

The latest Grand Prix is happening in Thessaloniki, Greece and there have been three decisive games in each of the first two rounds. If you fancy a punt, here's a market for tomorrow's games:

http://www.marathonbet.com/en/betting/Chess/

I really like Caruana against Svidler. Svidler has been his usual erratic self; a gifted player but capable of going bananas at any moment. Today, he launched a bizarre attack, which Morozevich gave short shrift to, punishing his opponent.

Openings have been very strange, with half the field doing very well and the other half not doing very well at all. Ivanchuk, Bacrot and Svidler have not found their rhythm as yet. Reports of round 2:

http://www.chessbase.com/Home/TabId/211/PostId/4009906/three-white-victories-in-thessaloniki-again-230513.aspx

[cambridgealex]

Feel this needs to be posted here too

Click to see full-size image.

[Tal]

Good man

[Tal]

There have been some head-scratching games already in Thessaloniki, but today saw one you would barely believe if it weren't there in black and white.

Ivanchuk is a genius. He is a man gifted with the ability to retain an almost unparalleled encyclopaedic knowledge of opening theory. He can make complex positions look like two move checkmates.

He can also snatch defeat from the jaws of victory like no one I've ever seen play.

Today, it was a lot of option A and then a spectacular display of B. Play through the game here:

http://www.chessbase.com/Home/TabId/211/PostId/4009931/thessaloniki-r03-ivanchuks-tragedy-240513.aspx

I played through the game just after it finished. I genuinely though it was an error with the sensors on the board and a move had been missed somewhere. Nope.

Click to see full-size image.

What?!

[Tal]

Chucky lost again yesterday against Topalov. The bookies were aware of Ivanchuk's penchant for the erratic after a defeat and priced Topalov up short. They were right to so so.

Dominguez upset the form book with his second win in a row, this time beating Svidler in a tough game.

Morozevich v Nakamura was a Froch v Kessler job; fireworks galore and two warriors going toe-to-toe, pulling no punches and going all out (any other metaphors you want to add, feel free). It somehow fizzled out into a game neither could win and the point was shared.

Games, pics and reports are here:

http://www.chessbase.com/Home/TabId/211/PostId/4009936/thessaloniki-r04-dominguez-strikes-again-250513.aspx

The table, with today being a rest day, looks like this:

Click to see full-size image.

Just the seven players in joint first.

[curnow]

played in simulation saterday against Cornwalls top player , did ok until blundered , he was telling us he is playing in the 10th South Wales International Open , Sunday 14th July - Friday 19th July 2013 . Penarth, nr Cardiff
several top british players playing

http://www.southwaleschess.co.uk/


also in July/august is the 100th British Chess Championships at Torquay , 28 July - 10th August
http://englishchess.org.uk/BCC/world-record-to-be-set-at-the-100th-british-chess-championships/

[Tal]

Thank you, curnow.

I happily reinforce what you have suggested: find a tournament near you just to see what it looks like. The British Championship is like a mini-WSOP. There are loads of side events for players of all ages (starting at Under 7) and abilities (starting I think at under 1400).

The main event is a qualification-only 11 round tournament, with something between 60 and 100 players, about a third of whom are titled (GM, IM or FM) and the rest either top juniors or county standard players who have qualified through strong performances in local comps.

Torquay and its neighbours must be one of the most picturesque places on these fair isles to spend a few days (or a couple of weeks, if you're there for the duration).

I haven't played at the British for a few years, but worth a visit if you're local.

[MintTrav]

Before this thread started, I had the impression that these chess GrandMasters prepared for months for each titanic match, so I am really surprised to discover that they are playing another tournament nearly every week.

The results of some of the best players lately have been suggesting that they could really do with a break. Why do they keep playing week-in, week-out? Is it to keep their ranking? If so, it's not working in some cases. Do they have contracts that oblige to play so often? Do they need to keep playing to earn enough to get by?