Chess thread

[Ant040689]

Super System isn't a beginners book really as you have to have a fair amount of basic knowledge before the chapters really make sense. The equivalent of that is My System by Aron Nimzowitsch. Again, not a beginners book but I'd pitch it at about the same level.

Ant, I should just say my support of this book has drawn criticism - perhaps meritoriously - on this thread from some who believe some of the concepts are a little too advanced for developing players.

If you are learning the very basics, there are plenty of perfectly decent books about that will explain the essentials (equivalents of say Cloutier and McAvoy's books). There is a Chess for Dummies book that is much the same as any other in the series.

No one book I would recommend over another, other than to suggest you have a look in Waterstone's or at reviews online and see whether any take your fancy.

The London Chess Centre (the shop is called Chess and Bridge) is one of the best vendors around and, if you give them a call, they will talk you through what they think might be most helpful. They only recruit (at least this was the policy a few years back and not aware of it having changed) who have a certain level of chess knowledge and that is rather useful.

Thanks!

I will be inquiring about it and getting on with it shortly. Always wanted to play a game other than poker for a while and hopefully this fills the void. COD/FIFA doesn't do it for me!

[Tal]

...and rightly so!

Neither are Street Fighter 2 Turbo.

[Ant040689]

If we still did have a super nintendo though, Chess goes out the window. That console raised me.

[Tal]

Been a little while since I did a tourney report and this will only be a little one. We have the London Chess Classic to look forward to this coming weekend.

Two of the runners were in action in Mexico to play a sort of exhibition as part of a bigger tournament going on at the time.

Magnus Carlsen and Judith Polgar were two of the four invited to play a rapid play/blindfold tournament. Both put away their opponents and met in the final. The idea is they play one game with a short amount of time on their clock and another game afterwards where they cannot see the board at all.

The shock was that Carlsen was beaten by Polar in their rapid play game but he reset the balance with a masterly blindfold game. He then went on to win the blitz playoff comfortably, although the hosts have failed to give us the details of the final games.

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=8657

So Magnus heads to London with another trophy for the cabinet.

[millidonk]

'A little chess story'

So.. I was kicked out by my mum at 16 for being a bit of a wrongun. Didn't speak to her for a couple of years then at 18 decided to visit her again.. had a massive bust up and didn't step foot in her house again until the weekend before last at the tender age of 28. (fwiw had spoken a few times and seen each other twice at neutral venues during these 10 yrs) I digress.

I thought during this time any memory of me would have been burned or tossed away but to my surprise there was a few boxes of my stuff from when I was a wee nipper.

First photo I stumble across is this one of me below: not only am I sporting the jacket tied across the chest look like a complete 10 year old balla but I also happen to be playing a game of chess vs my second best friend Matthew Chiu, someone I regularly destroyed, who later went on to study at Cambridge and became a doctor whilst I discovered a love for white lightening and girls with loose or no morals.

Click to see full-size image.

Lets see your chess photos peoples.

[kinboshi]

Haha, will have to see if my dad has any of me.  Bound to somewhere...

[Acidmouse]

Haha, will have to see if my dad has any of me.  Bound to somewhere...

got any from times in leeds?

[kinboshi]

Haha, will have to see if my dad has any of me.  Bound to somewhere...

got any from times in leeds?

Will ask.  I was only a few years old when we left Leeds though, wasn't playing chess until I was three

[titaniumbean]

Sick jumper tekkers Millidonk!

[Tal]

http://www.chess.com/article/view/beginner-mating-patterns-part-1

Thanks for sharing that window to the early nineties, Milli.

I hope that something more basic than my usual posts will be of use and interest to those who read but don't post (much) - shall we call them kibitzers?

Above is an article on chess.com's website about the basic ways to deliver checkmate in a game. These are the shapes and patterns we all use when mounting an attack.

[Tal]

A press release for the London Chess Classic, which starts this Saturday.

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=8665

I cannot recommend a visit highly enough, whatever level you are.

The tournament site also points out:

 
   
The 4th London Chess Classic 2012 will again offer free admission to children for the duration of the event which runs from December 1st to 10th.
 
Once again we are offering a comprehensive program of schools activities.
 
Adult and junior ticket holders receive admission to the tournament, which is being staged at London's prestigious Olympia Conference Centre, plus a guaranteed seat in the auditorium and access to the Commentary Room where some of the UK's leading Grandmasters will give insights into the play and answer questions.
 

[skolsuper]

Hey Tal, quick question: Is an endgame of rook+pawn vs bishop+3 pawns decided one way or the other or is it still all to play for? Is there a favourite? All 4 pawns are in their own half of the board, i.e. not close to promoting.

[Tal]

Hey Tal, quick question: Is an endgame of rook+pawn vs bishop+3 pawns decided one way or the other or is it still all to play for? Is there a favourite? All 4 pawns are in their own half of the board, i.e. not close to promoting.

Ooh tough one to give you a straight answer. The further back and less connected the pawns are, the more you favour the rook.

If the pawns are well connected and the bishop and can look after the opposition pawn, there are good drawing chances.

Rare for the bishop+3 to be winning against rook+1.

[skolsuper]

Hey Tal, quick question: Is an endgame of rook+pawn vs bishop+3 pawns decided one way or the other or is it still all to play for? Is there a favourite? All 4 pawns are in their own half of the board, i.e. not close to promoting.

Ooh tough one to give you a straight answer. The further back and less connected the pawns are, the more you favour the rook.

If the pawns are well connected and the bishop and can look after the opposition pawn, there are good drawing chances.

Rare for the bishop+3 to be winning against rook+1.

OK cool, I thought as much and offered a draw since I couldn't really see a way forward, but after my opponent accepted I put it in a computer and discovered I was +1.5 . Villain's pawn was on one edge, my pawns were 1 in the centre and 2 connected on the opposite edge. My bishop was the correct colour for the pawn's promoting square. Last time I offer a draw, thinking about it now, it's a negative freeroll right?

[Tal]

Hey Tal, quick question: Is an endgame of rook+pawn vs bishop+3 pawns decided one way or the other or is it still all to play for? Is there a favourite? All 4 pawns are in their own half of the board, i.e. not close to promoting.

Ooh tough one to give you a straight answer. The further back and less connected the pawns are, the more you favour the rook.

If the pawns are well connected and the bishop and can look after the opposition pawn, there are good drawing chances.

Rare for the bishop+3 to be winning against rook+1.

OK cool, I thought as much and offered a draw since I couldn't really see a way forward, but after my opponent accepted I put it in a computer and discovered I was +1.5 . Villain's pawn was on one edge, my pawns were 1 in the centre and 2 connected on the opposite edge. My bishop was the correct colour for the pawn's promoting square. Last time I offer a draw, thinking about it now, it's a negative freeroll right?

Hang on. You're the bishop + 3? Remember I said that it might favour the rook, so a draw could be good for you. Never any harm in playing on in these spots. Two ways you can win:

1. Lose win rook because the bishop checks him and attacks the rook at the same time;
2. You queen one of the pawns

The kings help in endgames more than people realise. A strong, active king is worth as much as a pawn of itself, because you can seize the initiative and keep the opposing king from coming forward to help out.