- US Chess Champs Recap After Eight Rounds [VIDEO]
- Champions Crowned in Nashville
- Zatonskih, Kamsky Draw Even with Leaders in U.S. Champs
- Nakamura Still Leads, Krush Inches Ahead at U.S. Champs
- Cautious Start to World Championship in Moscow
- Nakamura Leads U.S. Champs, Three-Way Tie Atop U.S. Women's
- US Chess Champs Recap after Two Rounds [VIDEO]
- Decisive Results Abound in Round 1 of U.S. Championships
- A Couch Potato’s Guide to the 2012 World Championship
- Largest Chess Piece in the World Unveiled in Saint Louis
A Morphy Masterpiece
Published March 29, 2012 | 
by National Life Master Loal Davis
Paul Charles Morphy (June 22, 1837 – July 10, 1884) was an American chess player. He is considered to have been the greatest chess master of his era and an unofficial World Chess Champion. He was a chess prodigy and called “The Pride and Sorrow of Chess”; pride because he had a brief and brilliant chess career; sorrow because he retired from the game while still very young.
Many think of Morphy as a dazzling combinative player, who excelled at sacrifices and brilliantly checkmating his opponent, but it was not the basis of his chess style.
Morphy treats chess with the seriousness and conscientiousness of an artist … For him a game of chess is a sacred duty.
- Adolf Anderssen
A popularly held theory about Paul Morphy is that if he returned to the chess world today and played our best contemporary players, he would come out the loser. Nothing is further from the truth. In a set match, Morphy would beat anybody alive today.
- Bobby Fischer
To this day Morphy is an unsurpassed master of the open games. Just how great was his significance is evident from the fact that after Morphy nothing substantially new has been created in this field.
- Mikhail Botvinnik
Morphy was probably the greatest genius of them all.
- Bobby Fischer
On September 27, 1858, Morphy gave an 8-board blindfold exhibition, winning 6 games and drawing 2 games. It was held at the Café de la Régence. The owner of the café wanted to charge a spectator fee of 5 francs for the exhibition, but Morphy said he would not give the exhibition unless the café was open to anyone who walked in. So the event was free for anyone who could get inside the establishment. His opponents were Baucher, Bierwith, Borneman, Guibert, Lequesne, Potier, Preti, and Seguin (and 50 other players in the room to give advice to Morphy’s 8 opponents). Morphy was seated in the billiard room of the café, with his back to the chess table in the other room . The blindfold exhibition lasted for 10 hours, without anything to eat or drink for Morphy. When the event was over, it took 30 minutes for Morphy to get outside of the café after being congratulated by everyone inside. However, the crowd outside was greater than the one inside the café, and the shouting was more deafening. French Imperial guards, not knowing what was going on, thought a new revolution in Paris had broken out.
The next morning for over two hours, Paul dictated all the moves (and hundreds of variations) of his 8 blindfold games from the previous night.
The following was the longest game of the exhibition, finishing last. It is a masterpiece and worthy of anyone playing it over the board, much less blindfolded.
For the complete annotated PGN file, please see Comments
A Magical Tal Game
Published March 23, 2012 | by National Life Master Loal Davis
.
Mikhail Tal
.
Before I/we become enmeshed in some Tal magic, there is a MUST READ.
.
Tal’s wife describes the personality of her husband.
See Comments.
.
.
Tal versus Skuja Latvian Championship 1955
.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 Nbd7 7. O-O e5 8. Qc2 Re8 9. Rd1 c6 10. b3 Qc7 11. e4 a6 12. Ba3 c5 13. dxc5 Nxc5 14. b4 Ne6 15. c5 dxc5 16. Nd5 Nxd5 17. exd5 cxb4 18. Qa4 Bd7 19. Qxb4 a5
.
The First Magical Moment
.
White To Play
.
20. dxe6
Tal spies ‘f7′ and a glorious material imbalance.
axb4 21. Rxd7 Qc3 22. exf7+ Kf8
Black’s step towards the center is understandable as he is concerned about
the material situation and wants his King attacking a Rook.
However
22… Kh8 23. fxe8=Q+ Rxe8 24. Rc1 Qxa3 25. Rcc7 b3
(25… Rg8 26. Nxe5 h6 27. Nxg6+ Kh7 28. Be4)
26. Rxg7 bxa2 27. Rxh7+
appears to lead to a perpetual check.
23. fxe8=Q+ Kxe8 24. Rad1 Bf6 25. Bc1 Rxa2 26. Ng5 Qc2 27. Ne4 Be7
.
What would you do as White?
.
28. Rxe7+
Maybe I should have asked, “What would Tal do?”
Kxe7 29. Bg5+ Kf8 30. Rd8+ Kg7 31. Rd7+ Kh8
(31… Kg8 32. Nf6+ Kh8 (32… Kf8 33. Bh6#) 33. Rxh7#)
(31… Kf8 32. Bh6+ Kg8 (32… Ke8 33. Nf6#) 33. Nf6+)
32. h4
I believe the reason behind this is not to attack the King with the Pawn
or use it to disrupt the Kingside Pawns. This move supplies luft and allows
White to not respond to a first rank check by interposing with the Bishop.
A pinned Bishop is passive and Tal wants activity from all of his pieces.
Ra1+ 33. Kh2 Rd1 34. Nd6
Although this works out 34. Re7 may well have been a better move.
34… Qxf2
Whoops – Blunder; probably provoked by the fact that
White wants to do some attacking too.
With 34… Kg8 White is still better, but Black lasts longer.
35. Nf7+
Black’s Rook is hanging to an exposed attack and unless
Black wants to part with his Queen,
White’s Knight is immune to capture both now and later.
Kg7 36. Bh6+ Kf6
(36… Kg8 37. Rxd1 Qxf7
(37… Kxf7 38. Rf1 is similar to the game.)
38. Rd8+)
37. Rxd1 b3 38. Rf1 Qxf1 39. Bxf1 e4 40. Bc4 b2 41. Ba2 b1=Q 42. Bg5+ Kg7 43. Bxb1
1-0
.
For the PGN file – See Comments
Rd1 Kabanov – Caruana {European Individuals 2012 }
Published March 21, 2012 | The 13th European Individual Championship takes place in Plovdiv, Bulgaria from the of 20th March – 31st March 2012. r2r2k1/4bppp/1q2p3/p1pnP2b/P1R5/1P2BN1P/3NQPP1/3R2K1 b KQkq – 0 231. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nc6 4. Bxc6+ bxc6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 Bh5 7. e5 e6 8. d3 d5 9. Nc3 Ne7 10. Re1 Nc8 11. Qe2 Nb6 12. b3 Be7 13. Bb2 O-O 14. Nb1 a5 15. a4 c4 16. dxc4 dxc4 17. Rd1 Qb8 18. Nbd2 cxb3 19. cxb3 Nd5 20. Rac1 Qb6 21. Bd4 c5 22. Be3 Rfd8 23. Rc4 Rd7 24. Rdc1 Rad8 25. Bxc5 Bxc5 26. Rxc5 Nf4 27. Qf1 Bxf3 28. Nxf3 Qxb3 29. R5c3 Qb2 30. R3c2 Qb3 31. Rc3 Qxa4 32. Rc4 Qb3 33. Rxf4 Rd1 34. Rxd1 Rxd1 35. Ne1 Qb1 36. Qa6 Rxe1+ 37. Kh2 h5 38. Qxa5 Rh1+ 39. Kg3 Qg6+ 40. Kh4 Qxg2 41. Qd8+ Kh7 0-1450noc1c4Coming off his big victory in Reykjavik, Fabiano Caruana has some momentum going into this year’s tournament
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nc6 4. Bxc6+ bxc6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 Bh5 7. e5 e6 8. d3 d5 9. Nc3 Ne7 10. Re1 Nc8 11. Qe2 Nb6 12. b3 Be7 13. Bb2 O-O 14. Nb1 a5 15. a4 c4 16. dxc4 dxc4 17. Rd1 Qb8 18. Nbd2 cxb3 19. cxb3 Nd5 20. Rac1 Qb6 21. Bd4 c5 22. Be3 Rfd8 23. Rc4 Rd7 24. Rdc1 Rad8 25. Bxc5 Bxc5 26. Rxc5 Nf4 27. Qf1 Bxf3 28. Nxf3 Qxb3 29. R5c3 Qb2 30. R3c2 Qb3 31. Rc3 Qxa4 32. Rc4 Qb3 33. Rxf4 Rd1 34. Rxd1 Rxd1 35. Ne1 Qb1 36. Qa6 Rxe1+ 37. Kh2 h5 38. Qxa5 Rh1+ 39. Kg3 Qg6+ 40. Kh4 Qxg2 41. Qd8+ Kh7 0-1
Rubinstein’s Immortal Game
Published March 17, 2012 | by National Life Master Loal Davis
Akiba Rubinstein (1882-1961) was a famous Polish Grandmaster at the beginning of the 20th century. He learned to play chess when he was 16. Between 1907 and 1912, Rubinstein established himself as one of the strongest players in the world. He defeated many famous players, including Lasker, Capablanca and Alekhine. He was scheduled to play a match with Emanuel Lasker for the world championship in 1914, but it was cancelled because of the outbreak of World War I.
In 1907 Rubinstein played a brilliancy with the black pieces against Rotweli in a chess game that stunned the chess world.
Rotlewi vs Rubinstein
Lodz, 1907
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 c5 4. c4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6
The ‘Normal’ variation of the Tarrasch Defense.
6. dxc5 Bxc5 7. a3 a6 8. b4 Bd6 9. Bb2 O-O 10. Qd2 Qe7 11. Bd3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 b5 13. Bd3 Rd8 14. Qe2 Bb7 15. O-O Ne5 16. Nxe5 Bxe5 17. f4 Bc7 18. e4 Rac8
Black completes mobilization first.
19. e5 Bb6+ 20. Kh1 Ng4 21. Be4
Trying to interfere with the Black’s impending forces.
Qh4 22. g3
(22. h3 Rxc3 23. Bxc3 Bxe4 24. Qxg4
(24. Qxe4 Qg3 25. hxg4 Qh4#)
24… Qxg4 25. hxg4 Rd3 with a mate threat on ‘h3′.)
22… Rxc3 !
Exquisite.
23. gxh4
(23. Bxc3 Bxe4+ and mate follows.)
23… Rd2 ! !
One of the most beautiful sledge hammer blows in chess literature.
24. Qxd2 Bxe4+ 25. Qg2 Rh3
Rubinstein’s Immortal Game.
0-1
(For PGN file – See Comments)
Gunnarsson – Hess (Reykjavik Open)
Published March 11, 2012 | March 6th-13th, 2012 Reykjavik, Iceland System 9-round Swiss..90 minutes for 40 moves followed by 30 minutes to finish the game, with 30 seconds increment from move 1 r4rk1/pbqnbppp/2p2n2/1p2pP2/1P2P3/P1NBB3/2PNQ1PP/R4R1K b KQkq – 0 151. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. f4 Qa5 5. Bd3 e5 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. f5 Bc5 8. Qe2 Qb6 9. Nf3 Nbd7 10. a3 O-O 11. b4 Be7 12. Be3 Qc7 13. O-O b5 14. Kh1 Bb7 15. Nd2 a6 16. Nd1 a5 17. Rb1 c5 18. c3 axb4 19. axb4 c4 20. Bc2 Ra2 21. Rc1 Rfa8 22. Nf2 Ne8 23. Bb1 Ra1 24. g4 Nd6 25. Qf3 Bh4 26. g5 Bxf2 27. Bxf2 Rxb1 28. Rxb1 Ra2 290nof3d2
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. f4 Qa5 5. Bd3 e5 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. f5 Bc5 8. Qe2 Qb6 9. Nf3 Nbd7 10. a3 O-O 11. b4 Be7 12. Be3 Qc7 13. O-O b5 14. Kh1 Bb7 15. Nd2 a6 16. Nd1 a5 17. Rb1 c5 18. c3 axb4 19. axb4 c4 20. Bc2 Ra2 21. Rc1 Rfa8 22. Nf2 Ne8 23. Bb1 Ra1 24. g4 Nd6 25. Qf3 Bh4 26. g5 Bxf2 27. Bxf2 Rxb1 28. Rxb1 Ra2
Grandmaster Alexei Shirov / Simultaneous Exhibition
Published March 9, 2012 | by National Life Master Loal Davis
The US Championship 1978 / A Battle Of The Kings
Published February 24, 2012 | By National Life Master Loal Davis
.
|
United States Championship 1978 .
|
|
|
Larry Christiansen |
Yasser Seirawan |
|
Larry and Yasser are two of my favorite U.S. Champions who have both won the title multiple times. . In 1978 they had a ‘Battle Royal’ – a confrontation fit for two Kings. . |
|
|
See Comments For The Annotated Game (PGN File). .
|
|
|
Larry demonstrating his tactical prowess. |
Yasser absorbing the Peter Falk / ‘Columbo’ Consciousness |
The Most Beautiful Move Ever Played
Published February 16, 2012 | By National Life Master Loal Davis
| |
|
| Frank James Marshall (August 10, 1877 – November 9, 1944), was the U.S. Chess Champion from 1909–1936, and was one of the world’s strongest chess players in the early part of the 20th century. He was one of the five individuals who placed into the Finals of the St. Petersburg Tournament of 1914. This honor granted him a ‘grand’ title; International Grand Master. St. Petersburg 1914 marks the origin of that title. | |
|
The original Grandmasters of Chess (left to right) Lasker, Alekihine, Capablanca, Marshall, Tarrasch |
|
| |
|
| In 1936, after holding the U.S. championship title for 27 years, he relinquished it to the winner of a championship tournament. The first such tournament was sponsored by the National Chess Federation, and held in New York. The Marshall Chess Club donated the trophy, and the first winner was Samuel Reshevsky. Marshall was best known for his great tactical skill. One aspect of this was the “Marshall swindle”, where a trick would turn a lost game around. Andrew Soltis writes that, “In later years his prowess at rescuing the irretrievable took on magical proportions”. Not so well known now, but appreciated in his day, was his endgame skill. | |
|
‘The Most Beautiful Chess Move Ever Played’ |
|
| “Perhaps you have heard about this game, which so excited the spectators that they “showered me with gold pieces!”. I have often been asked whether this really happened. The answer is – yes, that is what happened, literally!” | |
|
Click on the board to step through this annotated game. |
|
| As ‘another’ story goes, the Leningrad master Levitsky was accompanied by another Russian, P.P. Saburov, a well-to-do patron of the game. Another visitor was Alexander Alekhine, a dapper, prosperous aristocrat who was on his way from Stockholm (where he had won 1st prize) to a tournament in Vilna. Saburov, Alekhine, and a few other Russian guests made it their duty to place a wager on Levitsky’s win over the “played-out American”. However, Marshall upset their patriotic predictions and the bettors tossed over their pledges. Rubles, marks, Austrian crowns, and similar coinage of the period were minted partly or fully in gold. |
| Regardless of the story/tale/perception – This is certainly the game/move of a lifetime. |
Samisch vs. Nimzovich, 1923 Copenhagen
Published February 15, 2012 | Aron Nimzovich(7 Nov. 1886 -16 Mar 1935) was a Latvian-born Danish unofficial chess grandmaster and a very influential chess writer. He was the foremost figure amongst the hypermoderns in showing how games could be won through indirect control of the center, challenging some of Tarrasch’s dogmatic views that the center had to be occupied by pawns. Nimzovich advocated controlling the center of the board with distant pieces rather than with pawns, thus inviting the opponent to occupy the center with pawns which can then become objects of attack. However, this was only part of the Hypermodern framework which Nimzovich encapsulated in the seminal chess work called “My System”.
rn1q1rk1/1b2bppp/pp2pn2/3pN3/3P1B2/2N3P1/PP2PPBP/2RQ1RK1 b KQkq – 0 111. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. Nc3 O-O 7. O-O d5 8. Ne5 c6 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. Bf4 a6 11. Rc1 b5 12. Qb3 Nc6 13. Nxc6 Bxc6 14. h3 Qd7 15. Kh2 Nh5 16. Bd2 f5 17. Qd1 b4 18. Nb1 Bb5 19. Rg1 Bd6 20. e4 fxe4 21. Qxh5 Rxf2 22. Qg5 Raf8 23. Kh1 R8f5 24. Qe3 Bd3 25. Rce1 h6 0-1210noa1c1 Chessmetrics places him as the third best player in the world from 1927 to 1931, behind Alexander Alekhine and Jose Capablanca. His Record [290 wins 105 loses 212 draws]..
Rd 9 GM Eljanov (2690)-GM Korobov (2660){Aeroflot Open}
Published February 13, 2012 | The 11th Aeroflot Open taking place in Moscow (Feb.7th – Feb.15th)
|
|
|
- Announcement on Grand Prix
- FIDE President at "Maribor for Peace"
- FIDE World Chess Championship Match - Round 5
- FIDE President's working visit to Astana
- Art at the World Chess Championship Match
- "Chess in Schools" in Dharamshala
- U. N. Women meets with FIDE
- Meeting of Dalai Lama the 14th with Kirsan Ilyumzhinov
- Olympiad and Congress Invitation
- Meeting with the President of Bulgaria Mr Georgi Parvanov