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

[T.D.]

Actually, From London to Elista is published by NiC.

I really should buy it, as I've also long been a Bareev fan, because of his ironic wit and because he plays the Caro-Kann...

One of the main reasons I haven't is that I watched so many of the games on the Internet, and saw so many "annoFritzations," that I might not like the pure chess part so much.

[connoisseur series500]

Actually, From London to Elista is published by NiC.

I really should buy it, as I've also long been a Bareev fan, because of his ironic wit and because he plays the Caro-Kann...

One of the main reasons I haven't is that I watched so many of the games on the Internet, and saw so many "annoFritzations," that I might not like the pure chess part so much.

Yes, but with a limited budget one has to prioritize. I played three games in a tournament on Saturday (2.5/3 pts) and two of the games involved the Caro Kann. I played it as black in one game, and faced it in another. It is one of my defences to 1. e4.

Here are the last few books I bought from NiC publishers.

http://www.newinchess.com/Shop/Images/Products/388_s.jpg

Can't say enough good things about this one. Plus the paper and type are top notch.

http://www.newinchess.com/Shop/Images/Products/336_s.jpg

I'm hooked on this series. Some of the openings are junk, but there's enough good stuff which allows you to avoid main theory.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/515k...L160_AA115_.jpg

This one is published by Russell Enterprises, but you wouldn't believe how instructive the examples are. These are positional puzzles as opposed to tactical ones.

Edited October 14, 2008 by connoisseur series500

[connoisseur series500]

This game was played today. A 2700+ GM gets blown away in the Caro Kann.

[Event "ch-RUS"]

[site "Moscow RUS"]

[Date "2008.10.13"]

[Round "9"]

[White "Timofeev, Arty"]

[black "Svidler, P."]

[Result "1-0"]

[ECO "B14"]

[WhiteElo "2670"]

[blackElo "2727"]

[PlyCount "37"]

[EventDate "2008.10.03"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Bb4 7. Bd3 dxc4 8.

Bxc4 O-O 9. O-O b6 10. Bg5 Bb7 11. Re1 Nbd7 12. Rc1 Rc8 13. Qb3 Bxc3 14. Rxc3

Rc7 15. Ne5 Kh8 16. Rh3 Qa8 17. Nxd7 Rxd7 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Rxh7+ 1-0

[T.D.]

Anand draws first blood in WCh, wins Game 3 with Black. It looked like Kramnik played into a prepared variation in the Meran.

Anand's definitely had the better of play so far (duh)...equalized easily in Game 1, had some pressure and advantage in Game 2 but bailed out and accepted a draw offer in Zeitnot.

Edited October 17, 2008 by T.D.

[T.D.]

The WCh match has turned into an ugly rout. At the (nominal) halfway mark (can't imagine the "full" 12 games being played) it's essentially over: Anand +3 with 3 draws. I won't bother to watch any of the remaining games.

Edited October 21, 2008 by T.D.

[connoisseur series500]

Congratulations to Vishy Anand! I have been enjoying the games. Vishy has been outplaying Big Vlad in every facet of the game. Vlad's time is over. He has been surpassed by a few chessplayers over the last few years and is no longer one of the top 3-4 players in the world. Morozevich, for example, has been beating him consistently in their matchups. Carlson is destined to be the next world champion, though I can see Vishy successfully defending his title perhaps one more time. Topalov will be the next likely challenger, and I rate Vishy a slight favorite. The games will be exciting for sure! In the meantime, I think there is still a lot of good chess still ahead for the remainder of the current match.

[T.D.]

Congratulations to Vishy Anand! I have been enjoying the games. Vishy has been outplaying Big Vlad in every facet of the game. Vlad's time is over... In the meantime, I think there is still a lot of good chess still ahead for the remainder of the current match.

Agreed on all but the last point. Anand has been totally dominant, to the point where it's painful to watch. It is over for Vlad, and his playing style has become so dry that I can't conceive of him reascending to challenger status.

I don't expect much interesting chess for the rest of the match. Maybe one more excellent Anand win. Vlad needs to just draw a couple of games to stop the rot and avoid a historic thrashing (Lasker-Marshall ugliness territory).

[Templejazz]

So I got Ultimate Chess 3D on my phone a while back and have yet to be able to solve this 2 move problem. White to mate Black in 2 moves.

I swear I've tried every combination 'cept for the one that works!!! Is there a solution?

I figured this might be the place to get a hint

Edited November 10, 2008 by Templejazz

[Swinging Swede]

A hint? OK:

Move the Queen.

[Templejazz]

A hint? OK:

Move the Queen.

Queen sacrifice!! I got it! Qd2

c3 pawn x Qd2

Rd7 Mate

Thank you!!

[connoisseur series500]

Hey! I just got back and missed the fun!

Let me see if I can donate a problem or two. The only problem with your problem is that the pieces are all over the place and it is obviously composed (as opposed to having occured in a real game.) I prefer problems that come from real games. Endgame studies can be fun because they can occur in real games. Let me see if I can find one with diagram and such.

How were you able to copy the diagram?

[connoisseur series500]

These endgame studies are not easy so don't be alarmed if you struggle solving them. White is always to play first.

[T.D.]

I think I see the solution...

Here's a pretty real-life puzzle (courtesy Tim Krabbé's excellent site):

Kamsky-J. Polgár, Buenos Aires 1994

Black to play and win

[connoisseur series500]

I think I've got the answer. I didn't set up the pieces but worked from the diagram.

1...h5! and mate is unavoidable. For example: 2. d8=Q+ Kh7 and white's extra material cannot stop the dual mating threats of ...Qf8+ or Qf5+.

I haven't checked out Krabbe's website in a long time. Was this from his greatest moves of all time? I once printed them all out, but went over only about a dozen of them.

I think I'll go the website and check my answer.

(Notice that I didn't give the website of my endgame study?)

[connoisseur series500]

Yup, I was right! hehehe! Took me about 2-3 minutes to solve it. Everything is pretty forced. Endgame studies are a lot tougher, I think.

[T.D.]

Yeah, forced but I liked the "combine offense and defense" theme.

Endgame studies are definitely tougher and more aesthetic, but I like "combination" puzzles because I study them a lot ; chessgames.com has a good one every day, for instance.

[connoisseur series500]

Yeah, forced but I liked the "combine offense and defense" theme.

Endgame studies are definitely tougher and more aesthetic, but I like "combination" puzzles because I study them a lot ; chessgames.com has a good one every day, for instance.

chessgames.com is a great site. I play "guess the move" a lot. Great for building up your skills.

[T.D.]

Here's my guess at the endgame study:

White needs to get the Black bishop off the g1-a7 diagonal to promote his a-pawn, so forcing a bishop swap with 1. Bf2 is an obvious try. This seems pointless after 1...K:d5, but then I think that the subtle 2. a6! might win.

[connoisseur series500]

Here's my guess at the endgame study:

White needs to get the Black bishop off the g1-a7 diagonal to promote his a-pawn, so forcing a bishop swap with 1. Bf2 is an obvious try. This seems pointless after 1...K:d5, but then I think that the subtle 2. a6! might win.

Not the answer, but the problem is a bitch to solve.

I'll leave it open for the night crew to have a chance at it before posting the answer.

Again, endgame studies are pretty, but they are extremely difficult to solve. Usually, you have to spend up to 1/2 hour on the problem, and who tends to do that?

[Templejazz]

Hey! I just got back and missed the fun!

Let me see if I can donate a problem or two. The only problem with your problem is that the pieces are all over the place and it is obviously composed (as opposed to having occured in a real game.) I prefer problems that come from real games. Endgame studies can be fun because they can occur in real games. Let me see if I can find one with diagram and such.

How were you able to copy the diagram?

I found this online editor that lets you save the images Apronus Chess Generator

[T.D.]

The FIDE Chess Olympiad in Dresden has started (now three rounds in). As usual, chessbase.com is posting updates, including many chess babe shots. [i posted this here so as not to monopolize the chess babe thread. ]

[T.D.]

Corus tournament, Wijk aan Zee (NL) starts today. Already some good games. There are three sections, A/B/C in declining order of ratings. A will receive most attention (Carlsen), but the B lineup is very interesting IMO.

[T.D.]

Funny pic of Ernesto "Che" Inarkiev wearing a wristband picturing his namesake:

[T.D.]

This just in:

New K-K match scheduled

Garry Kimovich and Anatoly Evgenievich are going to tee it up again!

[connoisseur series500]

This just in:

New K-K match scheduled

Garry Kimovich and Anatoly Evgenievich are going to tee it up again!

Nice to see Kasparov return to chess even if it involves a few rapid and blitz games. Poor Karpov is a shell of what he used to be, but we have to be happy to see these two go at it again.