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Arpad Elo Interview

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:22:00 GMT

We continue with our plundering of Wisconsin chess history by reaching back into the longest-published of all the local chess periodicals, Badger Chess, for this interview with Arpad Elo, conducted by Dave Brimble

Killing Chess

Fri, 07 May 2010 17:30:00 GMT

Someone at FIDE has (re)discovered the ultimate way to kill off chess or at least any chance of it gained public attention.

From the mouth of the latest FIDE “Cheif Executive Officer – Development” has come the absolutely silly idea “…free data broadcasting, which is not always precise and correct, will never help the development of interest towards chess and its commercial success.”

Organizers to World Champion: Sod Off

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:29:00 GMT

It's not enough to defeat his challenger Topalov. World Champion Viswanathan Anand now has to be able to control volcanoes as well, it seems.

The volcanic ash blanketing Europe grounded air travel, so what was to have been a flight of a few hours has turned into a multi-day automobile trip. So the World Champion asked, please, if he could get the preparation days the extra travel time was going to cost him back, by delaying the start of the match by three days.

Chess And Poker

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 09:06:37 GMT

Chess and gambling have always been related. More than a century ago you could find a major chess tournament at a casino, and over the years the trend continued. Even today, From Foxwoods to Monte Carlo, you can find them together.

So why hasn't chess learned from poker?

Vale, Vasily

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:34:27 GMT

Vasily Smyslov has died

Age finally has caught up to the ageless wonder. He made his first challenge for the world championship in 1948 in the match-tournament held to replace Alekhine after his death. He finished second to Botvinnik then. Later he played three matches with Botvinnik, tieing the first match in 1953, winning the next one in 1956, and finally losing the third in 1957. Over that three-match stretch, he compiled a +1 margin over Botvinnik.

Chess And Life

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

[I was reorganizing my shelves, thinning out my collection, and I ran across the following piece, from Badger Chess (Nov/Dec 1994). The words aren’t mine, but I wish they were.]

An angry mother asked the directors of the Wisconsin Junior Championship why lower rated players had to play higher rated players when they must surely lose. Couldn’t players of similar ratings play one another; why should anyone want to humiliate a child?

E=mc^2

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:59:00 GMT

Sacrifices in chess are the “nuclear weapons” of the game. Think about it: When an atomic bomb is exploded, matter is converted to energy, according to the famous formula in the title above, and the newly-created energy is released on the real-world target.

In chess, the sacrifice converts material (the “matter” of the chessboard) into energy, which is then released on your opponent’s position. But what’s the equation it follows?

Spielmann's Legacy

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:58:00 GMT

I gave a lecture at the club a while ago about Rudolf Spielmann, chessplayer from the early 20th century who, flawed as he was, has always been a role model for me. (In fact, when you consider that the two biggest influences on my chess style have been Spielmann and Bronstein, perhaps you will understand better why I play the moves I play.)

But one thing I never got around to mentioning was an often overlooked portion of his legacy to modern-day players. I’m speaking of Vladimir Vukovic.

Computers Play The Darnedest Things

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:50:00 GMT

A 1977 game between Duchess and Kaissa at the World Computer Chess Championship proves the value of memorizing checkmate patterns. Late in the game the following position was reached (Duchess was White):

Dvoretsky On The Road To Improvement

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:48:00 GMT

(linkablez.info likes to steal material from here and claim someone else wrote it, so expect this to be showing up there, soon.)

“Don’t believe it if someone tries to convince you that they know the only correct method of improvement. Such a method does not exist, and such claims are at best self-deception and at worst a deliberate attempt to delude pupils or readers.” Mark Dvoretsky, 2009 in “Controversial Thoughts”

Strong words, but if any chess instructor has the “street cred” to back them up, it’s him.

And The Winner Is ...

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:45:00 GMT

I’ve written a couple of times comparing the merits of Chess Assistant and ChessBase. Since I’m no GM and so don’t get my copies for free, I can only afford to keep one database going and up to date, so which one will it be?

(drum roll, please)

Chess Assistant.

What Don't You Know?

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:44:00 GMT

A story that’s always impressed me is the one about how Richard Feynmann prepared himself for an Exam. He bought a blank notebook, entitled it “What I don’t know” and over the next few weeks completely organized everything he knew about physics. He reconstructed it, reconnected the parts of it into the whole. When he was done, he had a complete outline of what he knew about physics.

Then why the title? Because you can’t begin to identify what you don’t know, until you have identified what you do know.

So here’s your challenge: over the next few weeks, re-create this notebook, but about chess. Document what you know.

Don't Get Comfortable

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:42:00 GMT

How do I get better? That’s the question students ask more often than any other question. And then wait with bated breath, expecting me to reveal the secret move or idea that will guarantee good results. They know there’s a simple secret that will win game after game for them.

And my answer always disappoints.

Retirement

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:36:00 GMT

The Popeye moment has arrived: “That’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more!”

All things must pass. This decision wasn’t easy for me to make; in fact it’s overdue. I feel like I’m letting Fred and Marshall and Pearle down. But I just can’t do it anymore. The game has changed. The players have changed. I’ve changed. I would hope they would understand.

True, But Useless

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:21:00 GMT

p>We've all heard the saying, "No combination exists without a positional advantage." I've struggled with implementing that for years, and I've given up. While the statement is quite probably true (at least I'm not going to dispute it) I've come to the conclusion it's also quite useless as advice.

It's a lot like the adage "there's no smoke without fire." The fire may not always be visible, so looking for it doesn't help you find the smoke. And just as some fires burn without smoke, sometimes there are positional advantages without a combination available at the moment to exploit them.

You Be The TD

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:11:00 GMT

Players A and B are playing in a tournament. A gets up, takes a step back from the board and leans against the wall behind his chair. He's farther away from the board than he would be while playing, about where a spectator would be standing, maybe just a little closer. Other than that, he's not moving. B complains about his behavior and insists he has to sit down or walk away from the board.

What would be your ruling?

The Burden Of Youth

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 20:08:00 GMT

Recently I'm told one of our top players made some disparaging remarks about a predecessor. It wasn't the first time it happened nor, I'm sure, will it be the last.

Youth often feels a burden when they mature under the shadow of those who have gone before. It's only human nature. We feel a need to assert ourselves, and grow weary of the tales of past giants.

The player in question is certainly an excellent player: In anyone's list of the best players to have called the state home over the past century, he should certainly figure to be in the top 20, perhaps even top 10. I mean no disparagement of him. But the problem is, the other player would be on the same list.

A Cult Classic?

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 20:05:00 GMT

Been spending some time in some older books, and revisited one I think is vastly underrated: The Soviet Chess Conveyor, by Mikhail Shereshevsky. The translation is terrible, but there’s a lot of good material there just waiting to be dug up.

Recommendation: This book is not for beginners. It has philosophical advice that is excellent for coaches/teachers, and has some interesting analysis of opening/middlegame positions that I suggest you double-check before you playing. (You do double check all analysis before you play it, don’t you?)

The Stirring Continues

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 20:04:00 GMT

Knowledge of How Things Used To Be doesn’t prevent me from acknowledging changes in How Things Are. Some recent postings on Craig’s List reveal that not only are there two local organizations teaching chess to scholastics in the area, along with a couple of Illinois organizations expanding northward, but there’s an Arizona organization moving in as well.

Tactical vs Positional Player

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 20:00:00 GMT

How many times do you hear that sort of contrast being drawn? “I’m a positional player.” “I’m a tactical player.” We put ourselves in boxes that we then have trouble climbing out of. “I didn’t want to play that line because it was too tactical.” “That line is too quiet.”

The First Question

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 19:57:00 GMT

The tactics portion of my coaching notebook is coming along.

I’ve been working with a lot of younger kids this year, and they’ve been highlighting the need for some sort of methodical instruction in those areas, and all of my usual teaching aids are too advanced for them. The first thing I need to work with them on is simply seeing the pieces they can capture. I’m starting to drill into them that the first question they should ask themselves is, “What can I capture?”

Can't Anyone Read A Spec?

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 19:54:00 GMT

Started working with HTML files generated by Chessbase. I have never in my professional career seen such absolute shoddy workmanship. Period. The HTML and javascript it generates should be taken out and shot, just to put it out of our misery. Just because I’m sick and twisted, I popped it into the W3C’s HTML validator. 30 errors. And the structural markup is even worse than that reflects.

On A More Personal Note ...

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 19:52:00 GMT

I don’t intend for this blog to become a personal journal, but I can’t resist the urge to note here that this week I won my very first “normal” time control event. First place clear by a full point, no less. Hooo-hah. Ain’t it fun when work pays off?

We now return you to your regularly scheduled content.

The Futility Of Books

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 19:49:00 GMT

No, I don’t mean all books, or even all chess books. Just the majority of them. You know the ones I mean. Khalifman’s leventy-seven volume set on the opening for turquiose according to Rex Reed. The umpty-leven page tome on the latest variation on move 23 of the Ruy.

Seems like everyone writes chess books for people other than the club players who actually might want to improve (of course, as Norwood observes, there are a goodly number of them who don’t).

First Results In ...

Sun, 24 Dec 2006 05:30:00 GMT

… on the tournament with the BAP scoring system. (OK so it took me a while to find the event.)

Oh Great. Another Slate

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 05:27:00 GMT

Just what I needed to hear.

First let me say I like Susan Polgar and think she’s got a good heart and sincerely wants to improve things in the USCF. While I’ve met the rest of her slate, the only other member I have any personal knowledge of is Randy Bauer, and probably the best way to indicate how I feel about him is to point out I’m already on record supporting him, and that I voted for him every time he ran.

Skinning The Draw

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 05:24:00 GMT

The fact that a chess game might have no winner is not a hindrance to its being televised. Boxing allows for draws, and it has no problem being televised. It's not the fact they can occur, but rather the frequency with which they occur that causes the problem.

Chess As TV Attraction

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 05:20:00 GMT

Over on The Chess Mind there has been some discussion of the BAP point system and other means for promoting chess. In the discussion Clint Ballard proposed 6 points for Chess on TV. Dennis Monokroussos has since closed his blog, so I couldn't add my two cents to the discussion there, so I pick it up here, by quoting Mr Ballard's points and commenting on them.

On The Importance Of Rules

Fri, 20 Oct 2006 05:17:00 GMT

We’ve watched with enjoyment and amusement the argument between Jacob Aagard and John Watson, and along the way we’ve learned a thing or six. But in all the dust the two have kicked up, the fact that they’re not always arguing, but instead telling each other the same thing using different words, may get lost from the view of the improving player. So we’ve decided to point out something: Rules, or “general principles” as we prefer to think of them, are important (even vital) to the improving player.

Which Opening?

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 05:15:00 GMT

I’ve been getting that question in my classes quite often. Most of the time, the player is just wanting me to validate a choice already made. The question I always ask back is, “What are you wanting?”

Things I'll Write Someday

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 05:11:00 GMT

The previous story about the BDG is part of a much larger piece I should really write sometime. The reason I was doing the computer work on the BDG is because nearly every book ever written about it (or even just mentioning it) is either wrong, dishonest, or both.

One Effect Of Computers On Chess

Sun, 03 Sep 2006 04:53:00 GMT

“Thus the computer doth make cowards of us all.” So might William Shakespeare write if he were to view the current chess scene. We sit down with our silicon friend to select strategies and openings, and we close doors.

The (F)utility Of GM Writings

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 04:50:00 GMT

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and research lately on the idea of teaching chess, and I’m rapidly coming to the conclusion that there are few things more generally useless to the developing player than books written by GMs. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but the exceptions are very few indeed.

Betaneli Walks Away

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 04:55:00 GMT

NM Alex Betaneli was too strong for the field, as he walked away unscathed from the field with clear first place. Second place went to former Junior Champion Anthony Parker. Steffen Thieme and Niel Gleason tied for third.

Roman Levit Memorial, Home Stretch

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 04:46:00 GMT

NM Betaneli holds a full-point lead over Anthony Parker going into the final round of the Roman Levit Memorial.

Behind the Scenes at the Levit

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 04:45:00 GMT

…in case anyone is interested. Posting current crosstables for events I’m running takes me about 5 minutes, now that I’ve worked out the kinks. This would extend only incrementally if the crosstable were several hundred players long.

Ain’t technology grand?

The Beat Goes On (Levit, Rd 6)

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 04:43:00 GMT

NM Betaneli continued undefeated, but not without a scare from Gary Aronovich. Including this round’s pairing against Patrick McElwee, NM Betaneli will have played all five of the players currently closest to him in the standings.

Roman Levit Memorial, Round 4

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 04:41:00 GMT

NM Alex Betaneli is in firm control of this year’s edition of the Roman Levit Memorial, with the only perfect score after 4 rounds. Gary Aronovich is a half-point back, while Steffen Thieme, Anthony Parker, David Cardenas, and Sou Her are all tied for 3-6.

This year’s Levit is experimenting with shorter time controls and more games (seven rounds at SD/60 time controls) in response to some player’s requests for longer rounds. (More games means a single mistake is no longer enough to take a player out of contention, because there will be ample opportunity to regain form.)

The Terrible Draw

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 04:37:00 GMT

Clint Ballard is on a campaign to end draws. While we sympathize with his goal, and hope he finds a way, his current system isn’t it.

He’s created yet another scoring system that eliminates the zero-sum aspect of chess. In this system Black wins are worth 3 points, Black draws are worth 1 point, White wins are worth two points, and every else, including White draws, are worth nothing. The aim of the system is to encourage White to play for a win (note, it does nothing much to encourage Black to do so, but that’s not relevant to my point).

New Top 100

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 04:36:00 GMT

A new top 100 list for the state is now available. It appears yr humble srvt has been underselling himself lately, having risen almost into the top 50. This should not yet be taken as a sign of the apocalypse, but it may not be far away.

Irony, Thy Name Is USCF

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 04:34:00 GMT

Well, the Delegate’s meeting has come and gone with (surprisingly) no more than the usual amount of fuss and bother. Some rule changes were hotly debated (more on this later) but I feel I have to lead with the laugh, as always.

Why I Won't Run Big-Money Events

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 04:31:00 GMT

Chessbase knows why I won’t run large prize tournaments. I don’t care to play hi-tech detective against the cheats those sort of events bring out of the woodwork.

It's Just Chess

Sat, 12 Aug 2006 04:32:00 GMT

Got involved in a debate last night where I was accussed of dismissing the bill of attainder the USCF was contemplating passing by saying “It’s just chess.”

Trials of a Chess Organizer

Sun, 09 Jul 2006 04:27:00 GMT

I’ve read some things (from Susan Polgar and by extension Jeremy Silman (can’t find his original comments on the web, so no link). While completely wrong on some of the more minor points (Mr Silman, for example makes much of forcing GM’s to pay for the opportunity to make a living — as in entry fees — yet his exact description of them fits almost any independent businessman just as precisely as a GM, yet we indies also have to pay fees for the opportunity to make our living, so that dog just won’t hunt) they do have justice on their side in the major points.

Why Do I Do This?

Wed, 05 Jul 2006 04:24:00 GMT

There are days I really wonder why I do this. The following story is true (I have the documentation to support it). But I’m removing all identification because, well, you’ll see why.

Cinderella Dropped A Slipper

Mon, 03 Jul 2006 04:18:00 GMT

It was shaping up to be a real Cinderella story. Young Erik Santarius was standing toe-to-toe with the best in the region, and hadn’t blinked.

Western Open R2.5 Bulletin

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:17:00 GMT

The leaders ‘in the barn’ for this year’s Western are IM Stas Smetankin and NM Alex Betaneli, both with 2.5 points. Two other players, including IM Angelo Young have a chance to overtake them with decisive results in this round. NM Steven Szpisjak and Rene Glen Ancheta are the others in the field still playing with a perfect 2 points, while former Turkmenistan Champion FM Ruslan Ahundov, who is also still playing, is following closely with 1.5 points.

"Income Negotiation"

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:15:00 GMT

Here I sit between rounds at the Western Open, watching the same scene play out once again. Short, quick draws as the players jockey themselves into position to share out the prizes.

It’s a problem in chess, but it’s a problem that really cannot be solved with any practical effect. Banning draw offers simply opens the door to repeated positions, such as the known line in the Austrian Attack that leads to a forced draw. Refusing to divide cash prizes and instead awarding them on tiebreaks, like trophies, simply creates another problem: no tiebreak system is completely fair, and there’s nothing to stop the players involved from redistributing the money on the way out the door, anyway.

USCF Politics

Sun, 25 Jun 2006 04:07:00 GMT

The new USCF ballots are mailed, and we received ours a little while ago. USCF still can’t figure out how to count. (WI gets two delegates, yet the ballot says ‘vote for four.’)

Chess Cafe Correction

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:04:00 GMT

I normally don't note things like this here, but since Chess Cafe provides no way to either:

Link directly to the review for more than a month
Post a comment to the article or forum

I'm not left with many alternatives.