The Chess Thread! (not the record label!!!)

[Jazz]

Conn,

I now invite you (and anyone else ) to expound on some o that chess theory!

I believe we were last talking about the properties and values of the sicilian, and other more risky (daring!) openings. Personally, I haven't found an opening for black that I like as much as the sicilian classical dragon. The first one you mentioned though, was the richter-rouzer. Do you prefer the RR over the Dragon? I noticed in my theory book that there are a ton of other popular variations as well. Do you have any suggestions of what to look at first?

Feel free to mention any other openings or strategies you like, I am an empty chalice awaiting cool refreshing knowledge.

P.S. - any Go players on the board? Hee hee, Go/Chess players, board....

[connoisseur series500]

Nothing wrong with the sicilian dragon. Downside is your opponent is likely to be somewhat familiar with it as it is quite popular.

Richter-Rauzer is very solid. The grandmasters play it and it is hard to crack for white. But for us amateurs...got to study it good first. There is some subtle and slow maneuvering in the back ranks; plus sometimes black doesn't castle and leaves his king behind a phalanx of center pawns.

I have discovered that many club players do not necessarily play openings systems which suit their style. This may sound dumb, but it is completely true. First thing you've got to do I identify the type of positions you do well in. Then you steer your opening systems towards those types of positions. As mentioned before, I like piece play so I favor dynamic openings which entail risk on both sides. There is often material imbalance and one has to have solid nerves for this.

Today, there is a tournament being held in Ann Arbor, Mi. I live in Toledo, Oh which is 45 minutes away. I think I'm going to go over there to watch the last round.

I'm planning to play in the Cleveland Open on June 13 and 14th. I've had some success in that city before as I won my section of the Cardinal Open (Under 2000) in January. My current rating is 1925 and I've been slowly moving up the rating ladder. I first "retired" from chess at the age of 17 when my rating was 1817. As you can see, I haven't moved my rating up much since, yet I am a much superior player today. I think there's a lot of upside left in my case. Just got to go out and do it.

[Jazz]

Ha! In my book, it has the key position for RR sicilian as uncastled. Of course, this book is from '64. Maybe when I start playing again, my opponent will say "ah, I see you fight in the old style, Jazz-san". That would rock.

Wow, this is really making me want to study chess again. Maybe when I feel confident enough we could play a game o'er the net? You'd prolly hand me my butt, tho.

I think its interesting that you've noticed players going against the grain of their style. Imo, this would indicate that maybe they are over-intellectualizing, or over thinking their approach to their disadvantage. I think the same danger applies to playing jazz as well!

As far as material imbalance, I think that is the whole fun of the game: finding strategies that transcend the ol material advantage spiel. Otherwise you just end up playing slight variations on the same games that have been played a million times.

Hey if you end up playing real soon, keep me posted, pun fully intended thank you very much. I guess I don't have much more to add to the chess thread just yet, but I will do my homework and maybe ask you some questions.

[connoisseur series500]

My favorite defense against a d4 opening was the Benko Gambit.

I played that a few times when I was a junior. Doesn't mean it is inferior or anything. I just figured that the Benoni is the Benko only you don't give up a pawn!

[connoisseur series500]

I'm planning to play in the Cleveland Open on June 13 and 14th.

I will be leaving for Cleveland in a few hours and I will return late on Sunday, July 15. First round begins this evening; there will be two games on Saturday and two on Sunday. Each game is scheduled to last 5 hours. Wish me luck! I'm gonna go get em!

[connoisseur series500]

BTW, in an effort to show you guys that competitive chess has changed a lot over the years and it's not a game for stodgy old people. Here's a link from the European Championships currently being held in Turkey. Check out these chess babes:

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=1000

also: http://www.chessbase.come/newdetail.asp?newsid=994

Of course, they don't all look like models, but these are brilliant ladies. Many of them are geniuses.

And for you female readers, here are some pictures of the male players:

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=992

Again, many of these guys are geniuses, particularly Vassily Ivanchuk and Alexander Grischuk.

Edited June 13, 2003 by connoisseur series500

[connoisseur series500]

I'm planning to play in the Cleveland Open on June 13 and 14th. I've had some success in that city before as I won my section of the Cardinal Open (Under 2000) in January. My current rating is 1925 and I've been slowly moving up the rating ladder. I first "retired" from chess at the age of 17 when my rating was 1817. As you can see, I haven't moved my rating up much since, yet I am a much superior player today. I think there's a lot of upside left in my case. Just got to go out and do it.

Just came back from Cleveland last night and I'm bushed.

I won first prize in the U2000 section with a 5-0 score. The last game was full of adventures as bad mistakes were made on both sides. We were fatigued.

According to the USCF ratings calculator, I should have picked up around 55 points; so I should now be 1980. Looks like my U2000 days are numbered. It was my goal to reach 2000 points by the end of the year. Looks like I'll achieve that. Have to then shoot for 2100 in another year. And then maybe 2200. Don't know if it is really feasible. At 43, I'm getting "old" by chess standards. I'm improving to some extent, but the rating jump is really due to the fact that my rating never reflected my playing strength.

First place was $300. The hotel for two nights was $150 and the entry fee was $60. Can't make money at these events! Anyway, I feel good right now.

[Joe G]

Well done mate!

[chris]

No, no! I have to stay far away from chess, which was an obsession of mine for a few years. Argh, I can't believe I am being tempted here too In fact, I keep contemplating giving away my chess library just so I won't get sucked back in!

[connoisseur series500]

Well done mate!

Thanks, Joe!

[connoisseur series500]

In fact, I keep contemplating giving away my chess library just so I won't get sucked back in!

It's so funny.

I sold much of my chess library right before making my "comeback." I figured I had given up chess forever, then I decided to get my 10 year old son involved in the game. In the end, I got hooked and he shows no extraordinary interest in the game.

Wouldn't mind buying back my library, but I would have to pay 3-4 times the amount. Not worth it. Don't give up the library! I wish I still had those books.

[Swinging Swede]

With the big boxing match coming up tonight it is interesting to note that both Lennox Lewis and Vitaly Klitschko (as well as his brother Vladimir) are avid chess players! Wouldn’t it be great if they stunned the audience by playing a game of chess about the title?

The Klitschko brothers playing each other

The Klitschko brothers with former World Champion Garry Kasparov

Vladimir Klitschko playing the current BGN/EG World Champion Vladimir Kramnik

Lewis, when asked about his chances in a chess game against Tyson, laughed and was certain about the outcome: "Oh, I would definitely win. He would eat the pieces and be disqualified."

[connoisseur series500]

Isn't it amazing? Championship boxers playing chess. Lennox has been a chess fan for many years.

The Klitschkos seem to have chess pals in high places!

It's funny, I sometimes play young people in chess tournaments and they all see so well trained. They all write down their moves on the scoresheets before they actually make their move.

Back in my day, we were all inspired by the solo efforts of Bobby Fischer and we took a solo approach to chess improvement and the like. Obviously, today's ways are better.

[Big Wheel]

You learn something new every day with AMG's "factoids"...

"Dutch avant-garde pianist Misha Mengelbergand American composer/multi-instrumentalist Anthony Braxtonare both intense and devoted chess players. Braxton even made a living, briefly, as a chess 'hustler' prior to joining Circle."

Edited July 22, 2003 by Big Wheel

[connoisseur series500]

Actually, there is a lot of literature about how chess and music are connected.

Many great chessplayers were also outstanding musicians and vice versa.

I am not a musician so I cannot explain it well, but there are a lot of similarities between the two disciplines. For example, both chessplayers and musicians work out variations on a theme. It was all explained in the book ,"grandmaster of Chess," by Harold Schonberg.

I quote from the book:

"There is indeed a strong relation between chess and music. The three standard elements of a chess game-opening, middle game, and end game-bear a certain relationslhip to the three elements of a sonata movement-exposition, development, and recapitulation. Chess, like music, is basically an art of development, combination, and continuation."

Edited July 22, 2003 by connoisseur series500

[Swinging Swede]

Many great chessplayers were also outstanding chessplayers and vice versa.

Very true!

[Big Al]

I gotta admit, I am completely lost in this thread. I've only been playing chess for a little over a year (and that's only because my son got interested in it after watching Harry Potter about a zillion times), and am so much of an amateur that I still lose regularly to my son (and I'm not just letting him win, either. He's got me cold!)

Maybe if I watch this thread a while longer, do some studying on the various moves & strategies..... well, maybe I'll only lose half the time!

[connoisseur series500]

Many great chessplayers were also outstanding chessplayers and vice versa.

Very true!

ooops! It's late at night over here. I meant chessplayers and musicians. Will edit that post.

[connoisseur series500]

I gotta admit, I am completely lost in this thread. I've only been playing chess for a little over a year (and that's only because my son got interested in it after watching Harry Potter about a zillion times), and am so much of an amateur that I still lose regularly to my son (and I'm not just letting him win, either. He's got me cold!)

Maybe if I watch this thread a while longer, do some studying on the various moves & strategies..... well, maybe I'll only lose half the time!

Yeah, and one other thing I forgot to mention: prodigies have been identified in three main disciplines: mathematics, music, and chess.

Seems to suggest some kind of kinship between the three.

Don't look at me though, I can't play music and I suck in math. Like a kid, I'm just good at games. Somehow games seem to justify the expenditure of intense concentration.

I beat up on my kid!! Can't give them an inch; otherwise, they'll take a mile. (Actually, I allow him to draw a couple of games.) At 10 years old, he has displayed no particular talent for the game. As a parent, I'm too lazy to pass on all my knowledge: "Go outside and leave me alone. Can't you see I'm studying chess???" "Teach you some chess openings?" "Hell, no, all kids are brain dead; you know why? Cause they can't look ahead! They do dumb things. Just like I can see way ahead the way you're lifting that big bottle of fruit punch out of the fridge that you are going to mess up that floor that I just cleaned three months ago."

Edited July 22, 2003 by connoisseur series500

[Big Al]

Yeah, and one other thing I forgot to mention: prodigies have been identified in three main disciplines: mathematics, music, and chess. 

Seems to suggest some kind of kinship between the three.

Not to brag about my son, but he can play a killer set of drums (by that, I mean he can keep a steady beat and do some things on the toms that most guys in actual bands seem to have trouble doing).

The chess set we got is a great learners set: it has all the possible moves that a particular piece can make, imprinted on the piece itself. This was VERY helpful for me. I still lose a lot, but that's only because my son learns this stuff quicker than me. He'll either be an accountant or a bass player (or both, like me!). Or (shudder!) an engineer like his Grampa!

Can't give them an inch; otherwise, they'll take a mile. 

You got THAT right!!!

  (Actually, I allow him to draw a couple of games.)

As every good father should! I just wish I could use that excuse!

[connoisseur series500]

It's tough for kids.

I've seen my kid play other kids when I take him to the chessclub every Tuesday evening. He seems to play pretty much immediately. I tell him, "Don't play with your hands; sit on them!"

One of the local kids is ranked pretty high in the State rankings for kids of his age (he's 10.) He plays in some of the local tournaments I play in. He'll make his move then run around noisily in the halls between moves. They're just bursting with energy.

Chess should be banned to all kids under the age of 13! B) No, seriously, now there are grandmasters that age!

As an adult you hate to play a junior in a tournament. You never really know whether this is the second coming of Bobby Fisher or not. The kid could be in a middle of a big growth spurt of something.

Then there's the annoyance of the chess Moms and chess Dads. Anyone who played Little League baseball would know what I'm talking about here.

I played a 16 year old that last tournament in Cleveland in the first round and that father was scowling at me from the back of the room. He would come up to the board during the game whenever it was my turn to whisper loudly to his son, "Do you want a banana? A banana? You sure you are okay?" He never did it unless I was on the clock. Of course, I could have complained, but my psychology is not to sweat the small stuff and just beat my opponents, which is exactly what I did. During the game, I walked over to the Dad when his kid was on the clock, and idly said, "Must be tough to be a chess Dad."

"Whaddya mean?" he asked as if offended.

"Well, I dunno, I've got a son and I don't encourage him to play tournaments yet. I'd imagine it would be hard on a parent. How could I concentrate on my game?"

"It's good for him; you should push him to reach his full potential."

Anyway, the guy was one of those pushy parents. He has his right to be. But I won't be that way.

[Swinging Swede]

Clifford Brown was supposedly a good chess player. And we have Wayne Shorter’s The Chess Players, which opens Blakey's "The Big Beat".

Shelly Manne must have had a thing for chess too:

The Gambit

Checkmate

The last album includes a tune called The Isolated Pawn! That’s pretty cool. One must know a bit about chess to be familiar with that term.

[connoisseur series500]

The last album includes a tune called The Isolated Pawn! That’s pretty cool. One must know a bit about chess to be familiar with that term.

Indeed!

[Swinging Swede]

Chess should be banned to all kids under the age of 13!  B)  No, seriously, now there are grandmasters that age!

Yup. Sergey Karjakin became the youngest grandmaster ever last year at the age of 12!

Actually many of the great chess players have learned chess at a very early age. Capablanca, Karpov and Kasparov (all World Champions) have it in common that they learned chess at the age of 4. Capablanca learned the rules by watching his father play a friend. The father was very surprised when his son challenged him, because he didn't think his son knew the rules. But in his first game ever the young Capablanca beat his father! Kasparov has called Capablanca the purest natural talent ever. Those who have learned the game at an early age seem to have the game engraved in their spine. It comes so natural to them.

There are however players that started late and became good. The most notable example is Akiba Rubinstein, who only learned the game at 18, but became one of the top three players in the world. But he didn’t become a World Champion.

Myself I learned the game at 10 and … well, sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had learned it at 4!

[connoisseur series500]

I learned the moves at an early age, perhaps around 8 or 9, but didn't show any aptitude for the game until I was first able to beat my father (who is a good player) at the age of 12.

I am much stronger than he ever was and it would be nice if my son would become stronger than me. He's got a tougher road, though because I'm pretty good.

I'm sure my father was willing to show me the moves at 4, but I can only recall preferring the game of war with his pieces. I had them fighting each other as a boy and broke up his antique wooden pieces. He seemed to take that in good spirit. Either that or that beating was lost in the multitude of beatings I took throughout my career as a child. No hard feelings though.

Edited July 22, 2003 by connoisseur series500