tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18595424469316333782024-02-20T15:44:37.052-05:00The Pied Chessmana blog about chess in a mottled patchwork of black and white with a splash of color here and thereBob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-16087196093094309872012-01-31T01:43:00.000-05:002012-01-31T01:43:31.237-05:00Pruess on Polgar and AdamsThanks to Chess.com for this free video showing recent interesting positions played by GM Judit Polgar and GM Michael Adams with analysis by IM David Pruess.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/C2tZ0i5PeY8" width="560"></iframe>Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-38854906930429858692012-01-03T13:29:00.002-05:002012-01-04T03:19:59.457-05:00Bobby Fischer - CheckmateI recently discovered that Bobby Fischer's Checkmate columns for Boy's Life magazine could be viewed online via Google Books. I do remember seeing copies of Boy's Life when I was young, though I was never a scout myself. Here is Fischer's very first column from December 1966:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="http://books.google.com/books?id=XrAMXeyC9SAC&lpg=PA1&dq=Boys%20Life%20December%201966&pg=PA87&output=embed" style="border: 0px currentColor;" width="500"></iframe><br />
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Here's the problem featured in this first column:<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="allowtransparency" border="0" frameborder="0" height="600" src="http://www.chess.com/emboard.html?id=786818" width="585"></iframe>
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You can find a detailed solution to the problem at <a href="http://www.yacpdb.org/?id=138031" target="_blank">YACPDB</a>.<br />
You can find links to Fischer's other columns <a href="http://chess-bookcase.blogspot.com/2010/07/fischers-chess-columns-boys-life.html" target="_blank">here</a>.Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-32474036914394286532011-12-06T19:09:00.001-05:002011-12-06T19:20:28.577-05:00Nakamura Beats the World Champion!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgju9IfauH7yPpndG_WG49b3elt9ahz6lLy2NuBQswUzNST2PH1sJ2OIQ7wc5ZD4Vyc0K9FlJbuycQfDoj7q3eIxrXyTlTGKAkDGxYbF3Jx-_-REy-K7lRU18qSsCoSDO5byHXvDFxY2o/s1600/London%252520Chess%252520Classic%2525202011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgju9IfauH7yPpndG_WG49b3elt9ahz6lLy2NuBQswUzNST2PH1sJ2OIQ7wc5ZD4Vyc0K9FlJbuycQfDoj7q3eIxrXyTlTGKAkDGxYbF3Jx-_-REy-K7lRU18qSsCoSDO5byHXvDFxY2o/s320/London%252520Chess%252520Classic%2525202011.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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Hikaru Nakamura defeated Vishwanathan Anand in the 4th round of the <a href="http://www.londonchessclassic.com/" target="_blank">3rd London Chess Classic</a> to become the first American to defeat a world champion in 19 years. Here's how he did it:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6X24pbzNuLmAsCswTm04FKRLstQqnoC778vEtBtPJtJWX-InNn_WRGQ8DShCyi2CwWKmHlds15l0yyMsrx9jaeBYM7h6w7ojfmyTFEwpRUYpBdMqfEzgSaf1SeJZTw0wSjtSE_h1k1SA/s1600/LCC-111206-1256-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6X24pbzNuLmAsCswTm04FKRLstQqnoC778vEtBtPJtJWX-InNn_WRGQ8DShCyi2CwWKmHlds15l0yyMsrx9jaeBYM7h6w7ojfmyTFEwpRUYpBdMqfEzgSaf1SeJZTw0wSjtSE_h1k1SA/s320/LCC-111206-1256-M.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" border="0" frameborder="0" height="434" src="http://www.chess.com/emboard.html?id=771887" width="574"></iframe>Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-10652797729392714462011-11-24T15:45:00.001-05:002011-11-24T15:49:13.181-05:00Hou Yifan Wins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHJWxwnmIXtNnjIG5fULsYj-trbNiNnscMPdi4unAGJU9GrmKjSU5e5_cBSpsYfmBXH4aBsTrz2H3g6G21TlpZT5kGT5ODu5YT0wkBoCQsaUhevjAsuWeC-dgGG_3zO4Gtogksu8_C1M/s1600/news_1_13869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHJWxwnmIXtNnjIG5fULsYj-trbNiNnscMPdi4unAGJU9GrmKjSU5e5_cBSpsYfmBXH4aBsTrz2H3g6G21TlpZT5kGT5ODu5YT0wkBoCQsaUhevjAsuWeC-dgGG_3zO4Gtogksu8_C1M/s1600/news_1_13869.jpg" /></a></div>
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Hou Yifan has defeated Humpy Koneru with a score of 5.5-2.5 to retain her title as the Women's World Chess Champion.<br />
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Find out more at the <a href="http://www.wwcc2011tirana.com/template.php?pag=1&tongue=ENG" target="_blank">official match website</a>.Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-84820595816321334632011-11-15T23:47:00.001-05:002012-01-03T14:46:31.138-05:00I Need Help!<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfO3bFA4tIzUrmQPjmZ-5n7emGExppEOe4OfGXsjp0glaRTKnshz1piG3l2I7OHV8ReqMnTHnHZ_djqvNCT6QLhDtWyMHtZbuvM6TJgFWf3MrAZj5MpGqSm0PBtkt04ZwxK9A7n9OYSNg/s1600/israelalberthorowitz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfO3bFA4tIzUrmQPjmZ-5n7emGExppEOe4OfGXsjp0glaRTKnshz1piG3l2I7OHV8ReqMnTHnHZ_djqvNCT6QLhDtWyMHtZbuvM6TJgFWf3MrAZj5MpGqSm0PBtkt04ZwxK9A7n9OYSNg/s1600/israelalberthorowitz.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I.A. Horowitz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1oNtDmCy_Al_VuM8ihicoRb7qyIiXzoBcOc6Msu7MXejZFntFtq7UivBh5fxuT0AQ8ay358qcqOCzAqiL71V1jEetmdWzZb5i_SbPehrYiPSKVHpFOdiZrb9qJ6-Qi8e3bWm9NVxBSM/s1600/465px-Chess_Review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1oNtDmCy_Al_VuM8ihicoRb7qyIiXzoBcOc6Msu7MXejZFntFtq7UivBh5fxuT0AQ8ay358qcqOCzAqiL71V1jEetmdWzZb5i_SbPehrYiPSKVHpFOdiZrb9qJ6-Qi8e3bWm9NVxBSM/s320/465px-Chess_Review.jpg" width="248" /></a><br />
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I've been putting together all of the game scores from the Chess Review
series called Solitaire Chess by Horowitz. I am missing 3 issues (or the
relevant pages from those issues) and so don't know the gamescores for those.
Could anyone please help me to find which gamescores were used, or even better,
a copy of the column?<br />
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April 1945 (probably Yates and MacDonald) <br />
February 1948 (probably
Nimzowitsch and Stahlberg) <br />
November 1948 (probably Colle and Tartakower)
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Any help would be greatly appreciated.<br />
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<br /></div>Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-56318190776115425022011-11-06T15:40:00.000-05:002011-11-06T19:14:56.008-05:00Get Ready for T4545<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4s-0mDRBFy-omzRjkjl49UVlgNj5SKB3BoHUWzYWkaTEen4FaFDko8Xqjmlf2WbHm-ekgoFpaZptfmvJwRClHEEi6h85y2CDFgJnv8wrmvZw_dUJRd39_R2kB2gaCDbQ_df3Rt-pX3M0/s1600/t45l.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4s-0mDRBFy-omzRjkjl49UVlgNj5SKB3BoHUWzYWkaTEen4FaFDko8Xqjmlf2WbHm-ekgoFpaZptfmvJwRClHEEi6h85y2CDFgJnv8wrmvZw_dUJRd39_R2kB2gaCDbQ_df3Rt-pX3M0/s400/t45l.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's time to get ready for <a href="http://team4545league.org/index.html" target="_blank">T4545 league chess</a> on the <a href="http://www.chessclub.com/" target="_blank">ICC</a>! T51 will begin on Tuesday night, November 8, at 10pm with the posting of pairings for the first round.<br />
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I'll be playing regularly on 2 <a href="http://team4545league.org/tournament/t51/t51teams.html" target="_blank">teams this season</a> as well as substituting when needed on another. My under-1600 team is Knights of Ni, the team that I began the league with. I'm playing 3rd board again this season. I've also started a new team in the under-1400 league: Knights of the Square Board. I'll be captain and playing the 1st board. When needed, I'll also be playing again as a substitute on the under-1800 team: Don't Throw in the Tal.<br />
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Two of my Saturday study partners are also playing this season. Sir-Sinister will be playing 1st board on the under-1800 team: Masakatsu Agatsu. And nosir will be playing on two teams, as 3rd board on the under-1600 team: The Untouchables, and as 1st board on the under-1400 team: Golden Pawns F. Our under-1400 teams are in the same division so we will likely play 2 games against each other this season!<br />
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If you haven't joined the league yet, then get in there! But if you'd rather watch, that's great fun too! Find the games available to see each week <a href="http://team4545league.org/tournament/games.html" target="_blank">here</a>.
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<center>
<a href="http://www.chessclub.com/">
<img src="http://www.chessclub.com/images/ICC-banner.gif" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.chessclub.com/">
<b>Serious chess. Serious fun!</b></a>
</center>Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-9188206388999711442011-11-06T15:12:00.002-05:002011-11-06T15:14:23.812-05:00The 3-1/2 Minute King's GambitWant to get started with the King's Gambit in just 3-1/2 minutes? <a href="http://www.chessgames.com/player/david_pruess.html" target="_blank">IM David Pruess</a> gives it a go!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Of44HLmqRgI" width="420"></iframe>
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Check out other <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/wwwChesscom" target="_blank">free videos from Chess.com</a>. You can subscribe, or watch for the latest in the right-hand column at the Pied Chessman.Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-68481282657205982652011-10-26T20:01:00.000-04:002011-10-26T20:01:43.848-04:00Maroczy and Vidmar follow Morphy and Max Lange<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAirrw_MGophePTj5_9wxiEgBajtPyOIKe1vvSjdYdWmObfhLUJGp3mwpQJnm8hBHbCKl2tNFINkEKZP2y2aYyPKBk3Nj0iyT6w5Twy-ejxKZEfam8JKjO6t8weuxTHlpAbsLfgAZOfp4/s1600/Gezamaroczy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAirrw_MGophePTj5_9wxiEgBajtPyOIKe1vvSjdYdWmObfhLUJGp3mwpQJnm8hBHbCKl2tNFINkEKZP2y2aYyPKBk3Nj0iyT6w5Twy-ejxKZEfam8JKjO6t8weuxTHlpAbsLfgAZOfp4/s1600/Gezamaroczy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Geza Maroczy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDl5eRrj2356OfleY9wDB5wMCCV1ze2tolSIMgaO2tHW3OBTn3ezvcKLWV4HoFnvSygyT2i2ZM8SvJq7Cu3MfPZAUU2FtZ12tDQ-wDevS_dUwGXpnaWT16lNOwKMERc90ywboNd8rZdg/s1600/220px-Milan_Vidmar_1930s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDl5eRrj2356OfleY9wDB5wMCCV1ze2tolSIMgaO2tHW3OBTn3ezvcKLWV4HoFnvSygyT2i2ZM8SvJq7Cu3MfPZAUU2FtZ12tDQ-wDevS_dUwGXpnaWT16lNOwKMERc90ywboNd8rZdg/s1600/220px-Milan_Vidmar_1930s.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milan Vidmar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today's puzzle on Chessgames.com came from <a href="http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1269059">this interesting game</a> between <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A9za_Mar%C3%B3czy">Geza Maroczy</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan_Vidmar">Milan Vidmar</a>. A straightforward Italian Game opening is answered
with a Two Knights Defense and Morphy's push with d4 leads to the standard
starting position of the Max Lange Attack. Classic stuff. Accurate play is
absolutely necessary for Black to hang in, and Vidmar's 11...Bf8 leads to ruin. Follow along with the gamescore below:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXLttpO0ZEorqNVUlmAK3BVXPWcRyGeN5XXtM3unyATCZwBhJdMwA0iypXD-_IPnTrrNsYxNXWugPpCo3QlGTfIyd1aI03GAsAqQfAGMQAaOzlFiU1LTFqg11Spzl8qbGhZt37Ov3GUg/s1600/PaulmorphyHair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXLttpO0ZEorqNVUlmAK3BVXPWcRyGeN5XXtM3unyATCZwBhJdMwA0iypXD-_IPnTrrNsYxNXWugPpCo3QlGTfIyd1aI03GAsAqQfAGMQAaOzlFiU1LTFqg11Spzl8qbGhZt37Ov3GUg/s1600/PaulmorphyHair.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul Morphy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkj4R1-5hdWgK9tS20ZKq0dyH_95X91qVN8q2cD0O2EW3S-u3ZUqkKC8N7lSNVuuB0X_dV764Hod5LCDXKR_Lr16T19v8gvKdxZ9THwG2m19YG_AX8cubUSRnFNyzKuoxS_u6HVvF6ds/s1600/220px-Maxlange.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkj4R1-5hdWgK9tS20ZKq0dyH_95X91qVN8q2cD0O2EW3S-u3ZUqkKC8N7lSNVuuB0X_dV764Hod5LCDXKR_Lr16T19v8gvKdxZ9THwG2m19YG_AX8cubUSRnFNyzKuoxS_u6HVvF6ds/s320/220px-Maxlange.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max Lange</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" border="0" frameborder="0" height="519" src="http://www.chess.com/emboard.html?id=748349" width="574"></iframe>Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-57489698251603794492011-10-26T09:00:00.000-04:002011-10-26T09:00:00.338-04:00Chess From EuropeGet a European perspective on chess with weekly videos from <a href="http://chesstv.eu/">ChessTV.eu</a>.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_iGPbFwGIYs" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Get the latest tournament news, explanations of the chess openings, chess puzzles, and a look at the historical side of chess (the last in Swedish with English subtitles). Find all the latest episodes listed here at the Pied Chessman, or subscribe for yourself to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/KrzymowskiProduction">their channel on YouTube</a>.Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-36344630540974585672011-10-25T16:19:00.000-04:002011-10-25T16:41:11.015-04:00Can I Have That Chess 2 Go?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0OA0pJaiEeO8G6IJtHiTkVPSsKb3C6HlJDoZJBovMz3lrnO3Fn0cqZkb8kqLXWmCgiyuJwupMZajIHNQSBRoSHQ2D0LPD21_4mO1YNVSFblhJHNsV1ObMpPKPnRMLhl_jIwJkAb2wyE/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0OA0pJaiEeO8G6IJtHiTkVPSsKb3C6HlJDoZJBovMz3lrnO3Fn0cqZkb8kqLXWmCgiyuJwupMZajIHNQSBRoSHQ2D0LPD21_4mO1YNVSFblhJHNsV1ObMpPKPnRMLhl_jIwJkAb2wyE/s320/005.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />
Did you know that The Pied Chessman is mobile-friendly now?<br />
<br />
Yep. You can check out the blog from your mobile device such as an iPhone or Android and it is automatically formatted for the smaller device.<br />
<br />
Blogger is still working on getting features such as our video links in the right-hand column to work, but reading our posts is easily done now.<br />
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So when you are on the go, take The Pied Chessman with you!Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-64388081290028153932011-10-25T15:48:00.000-04:002011-10-25T16:40:09.979-04:00Free from Chess.comHave you checked out our video links? One of the great finds there is a new series of free chess videos from <a href="http://chess.com/">Chess.com</a>.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/v0Fhj9Qvm58" width="560"></iframe>
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You don't have to be a member to see these (not even a free member). You can go right to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a> to see these. The easiest way is to go right to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/wwwChesscom">their channel</a>. Make it easy on yourself and use the Subscribe button there to keep up to date with all of their latest videos. Or you can just keep a check on the list here at The Pied Chessman. You'll find grandmaster games, quick tutorials on openings, basic tactical ideas, and much more.Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-63998087243095008362011-10-25T15:34:00.000-04:002011-10-25T16:41:11.083-04:00Get In There!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKP642FcPxjMVS0BFV8GarqpBdJDDiKGwO168kHNcsb_NDdxLnQtVTbghDH-qPhR0ZAJNEMvKDEKlX4YjLsT52zOgLhjO3Z0SmkKTRY3rD1AnE7amREme_D_HBxJ1EwFzn4xvQNno94s/s1600/tllogo144.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKP642FcPxjMVS0BFV8GarqpBdJDDiKGwO168kHNcsb_NDdxLnQtVTbghDH-qPhR0ZAJNEMvKDEKlX4YjLsT52zOgLhjO3Z0SmkKTRY3rD1AnE7amREme_D_HBxJ1EwFzn4xvQNno94s/s1600/tllogo144.png" /></a></div>
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Did you know that in the last <a href="http://team4545league.org/index.html">T4545 League</a> tournament there were 469 players from 48 countries playing on 124 teams? Did you know that there are no entry fees? Did you know that there are sections for every skill level from beginner to expert? Did you know that you only have to play one game per week? Did you know that you get to schedule your games when it is convenient for you? Get in there!Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-37105740265323240942011-10-24T13:38:00.000-04:002011-10-25T16:41:11.056-04:00A Team is BornWell, I've taken the plunge and decided to start a new team for the <a href="http://team4545league.org/index.html">T4545 league</a>. I've discovered that the limiting factor in the number of under-1400 teams is the availability of lower rated players, and so players in the 1500+ neighborhood are abundant, but are seldom asked to join a team. The solution? Start a new team!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA99swQ-qk1-ah5tRKWc2ZM3ccKod2a9KhROeyB67vg8m7gKCOjDODUMn-xHZZafEA5A898SLvDiiEfUzlGfZymWTDqU3JItSPTVv5zcv0AIdeIY5IzvckP8YrzVQSU6YUQeEuHMvpgRI/s1600/690px-King_Arthur_and_the_Knights_of_the_Round_Table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA99swQ-qk1-ah5tRKWc2ZM3ccKod2a9KhROeyB67vg8m7gKCOjDODUMn-xHZZafEA5A898SLvDiiEfUzlGfZymWTDqU3JItSPTVv5zcv0AIdeIY5IzvckP8YrzVQSU6YUQeEuHMvpgRI/s320/690px-King_Arthur_and_the_Knights_of_the_Round_Table.jpg" width="320" /></a>The team is called Knights of the Square Board and the core 4 players are now in place. The line-up looks like this:
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Board 1 - <a href="http://www.chessclub.com/activities/finger.php?handle=sirivanhoe">SirIvanhoe</a><br />
Board 2 - <a href="http://www.chessclub.com/activities/finger.php?handle=leansixsigma">LeanSixSigma</a><br />
Board 3 - <a href="http://www.chessclub.com/activities/finger.php?handle=drsigmund1">drsigmund1</a><br />
Board 4 - <a href="http://www.chessclub.com/activities/finger.php?handle=lawth3">lawth3</a>
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Our team is rather international and represents 3 countries: the U.S., Brazil, and Argentina. I will still be playing as the 3rd board on my original team in the under-1600 section, Knights of Ni. I will also be available as a substitute player for Don't Throw in the Tal in the under-1800 section and will be playing the first week. Games begin on November 8. It's going to be a busy season!!!Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-52479798371750084012011-06-23T19:45:00.001-04:002011-06-23T19:54:13.784-04:00Opponent vs SirIvanhoe - Team 4545 League Play<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQ4nxxUnq2GEwG31JUSb_tcwAJ1XfmDVy43LGEQ4gUQyPN4ADmFTagVQXKXL7ImAMEIyYXX3RzCEeQ0MCGPQJwPy7SpPynaFKsPq-mAtZr-MihLzLSCwXXh7cqdlFsIjNT8p0xXHitw4/s1600/428px-Codex_Manesse_081_Walther_von_Klingen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQ4nxxUnq2GEwG31JUSb_tcwAJ1XfmDVy43LGEQ4gUQyPN4ADmFTagVQXKXL7ImAMEIyYXX3RzCEeQ0MCGPQJwPy7SpPynaFKsPq-mAtZr-MihLzLSCwXXh7cqdlFsIjNT8p0xXHitw4/s320/428px-Codex_Manesse_081_Walther_von_Klingen.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joust enough for a draw</td></tr>
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I drew the black pieces for round 6 of the T49 tournament and decided to try the Caro-Kann again against my opponent, especially as he had recently played the Classical Variation at least twice, and I rather fancied that. I was delighted when my c6 was met with a standard d4, but was surprised when my opponent offered the Advance Variation, not only because I knew he had played the Classical Variation, but also because I had played the Advance Variation twice before in this season earning a win and a draw, a fact which I expected that my opponent might have discovered. But the good news for me was that I was comfortable with the line and was ready to play. My team already had one loss against it in the round and needed to score 2 points in the last 3 games to assure a playoff berth. Check out the game score with my analysis below.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" border="0" frameborder="0" height="519" src="http://www.chess.com/emboard.html?id=673825" width="574"></iframe>Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-34131279148042345862011-06-13T12:51:00.000-04:002011-06-13T12:51:02.112-04:00Sir Ivanhoe vs Opponent - Team 4545 League PlayRound 5 of T49 has found the Knights of Ni in a position to win a playoff spot with any match points earned in the last 2 rounds of regular play. My teammate had been thwarted in our first game of the round, so I especially had an incentive to pitch hard for a win in my matchup.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik24ZuSviTx-BH1YfIKDtsvuWvhWsFl6HyfuaEm4vhD3aJQWASdsoSG1pbeZYS5Q0uJcdmf0kLVvnzmfZ3cdW9SfEk7ET5z2npKbim4fil8VATi6BMELWI4VKDYIE7AhX5XsEKEuKuleY/s1600/767px-Louvre-peinture-francaise-paire-de-chevaliers-romantiques-p1020301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik24ZuSviTx-BH1YfIKDtsvuWvhWsFl6HyfuaEm4vhD3aJQWASdsoSG1pbeZYS5Q0uJcdmf0kLVvnzmfZ3cdW9SfEk7ET5z2npKbim4fil8VATi6BMELWI4VKDYIE7AhX5XsEKEuKuleY/s320/767px-Louvre-peinture-francaise-paire-de-chevaliers-romantiques-p1020301.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Knights </em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duel" title="Duel"><em><span style="color: #0645ad;">Duelling</span></em></a>, by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Delacroix" title="Eugène Delacroix"><span style="color: #0645ad;">Eugène Delacroix</span></a></td></tr>
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I thought that I might try and offer an Urusov Gambit via Ponziani's 3.d4 in the Bishop's Opening for the first time in slow play and put up with Two Knights Defense lines if my opponent went that way. I had observed that my opponent was practicing Philidor lines against 1.e4 in recent games, so I made a point of researching and analyzing positions involving setups with d6, especially the night before the game.<br />
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I was rewarded with 3... d6, a move which I knew to be a mistake and that I knew how to take advantage of. But having secured extra material, I was reminded that league players usually play their toughest when they are down material. And so I kept my eye open for another tactical opportunity, hoping to avoid a long slog through an endgame.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" border="0" frameborder="0" height="519" src="http://www.chess.com/emboard.html?id=667987" width="574"></iframe>Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-40442323710199470422011-06-08T13:43:00.000-04:002011-06-08T13:43:25.811-04:00Nakamura Blitzes the ICC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdXJwnZJ4xDHw_oWyeXpXZfH-elatW4-Jn5-41EmY20pNZPsI2gt_GrlLlAPw_Tv0U7UOq59eZdqGwKmwZDSdcEcgiW_OtS1LOHhMvthMR4kwAK4pgTrhDoiwAZX0dnrueFiUjk1kvEc/s1600/portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdXJwnZJ4xDHw_oWyeXpXZfH-elatW4-Jn5-41EmY20pNZPsI2gt_GrlLlAPw_Tv0U7UOq59eZdqGwKmwZDSdcEcgiW_OtS1LOHhMvthMR4kwAK4pgTrhDoiwAZX0dnrueFiUjk1kvEc/s320/portrait.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.chessclub.com/finger/CapilanoBridge">GM Hikaru Nakamura</a> got online in Madrid, Spain to claim the win and the $600 top prize at the <a href="http://www.chessclub.com/activities/ICCopen2011/">1st ICC Open</a> from June 3-5, 2011. Check out the link for results and PGNs.Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-46288967249131749682011-06-06T12:48:00.002-04:002012-01-03T14:32:17.764-05:00Timely Tactic #11 - SirIvanhoe vs. Opponent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://team4545league.org/index.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7DANy946vAnXhUpta3PxOoT9fc7IujY_Z2Xgg6UhF5oIXcugmzoHsJJj7TsE2O85pRtv9V4jm26G_P_c2fHXJqDDoOPwVpEM7dHos5nS91a5lSaCzM9CPJsYx1Z9LK8PaaBZmSOFldw/s1600/tllogo144.png" t8="true" /></a></div>
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This position is from my latest game in the Team4545 league. My opponent has just played 42... Qf6 blocking the check, probably the only move that doesn't lead immediately to a forced mating line. To be sure, White has an overwhelming advantage here. But of course, it doesn't matter if you don't know how to execute the win. What single motif tactic is the best move in this position? <br />
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You can see the full game score after the break.<br />
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See all the Timely Tactics from the Pied Chessman <a href="http://piedchessman.blogspot.com/search/label/Timely%20Tactics">here</a>.Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-14888594588098201152011-05-25T18:31:00.002-04:002011-05-25T19:04:57.560-04:00Nakamura Defeats Ponomariov<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphogU10zKdJaZLcDULgWSDX_gm4Goi6AwnYxLaQIce_qg8I-g9V2CcVFz3JmmBaCHrbPJVHWu5eoAjXEU09wBbq0jW-FbstwdoRyLOnid5sEBQ1PECw1rSip3I8OoXWVQZo5DI6t7NFg/s1600/robson_pono03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphogU10zKdJaZLcDULgWSDX_gm4Goi6AwnYxLaQIce_qg8I-g9V2CcVFz3JmmBaCHrbPJVHWu5eoAjXEU09wBbq0jW-FbstwdoRyLOnid5sEBQ1PECw1rSip3I8OoXWVQZo5DI6t7NFg/s400/robson_pono03.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div about="http://saintlouischessclub.org/gallery/may-2011-matches/waiting-begin" xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"><span property="dct:title">Waiting to Begin</span> (<a href="http://saintlouischessclub.org/user/506" property="cc:attributionName" rel="cc:attributionURL">jstrand</a>) / <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/" rel="license">CC BY-SA 3.0</a></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>GM Hikaru Nakamura came through with a brutal win with the black pieces in the 3rd rapid round to defeat GM Ponomariov in their match in St. Louis. Having previously won the regular match (3.5-2.5), this win seals the victory in the rapid match (putting the score out of reach at 2.5-0.5) and makes a clean sweep for the full meeting. The players may yet face off in one last rapid game which had been scheduled for today. Tornado warnings have delayed the action today.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" border="0" frameborder="0" height="434" src="http://www.chess.com/emboard.html?id=656873" width="574"></iframe>Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-2348982567744309822011-05-25T12:22:00.001-04:002011-05-25T13:53:04.704-04:00Gelfand Will Face Anand for Title<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tZ6sW2Ge_dEoiNgM25erY_1S1oKLYNDPNecs7VDNkBuUlV0npc7dZM8HIjZU4Hc6LYUe-7gSymgawJbeT9PX5REiwSfuTufECf3ZakGE1DT9tkVOTlS-57er4zSdLTZ5RyUJ_w_I5DY/s1600/boris_gelfand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tZ6sW2Ge_dEoiNgM25erY_1S1oKLYNDPNecs7VDNkBuUlV0npc7dZM8HIjZU4Hc6LYUe-7gSymgawJbeT9PX5REiwSfuTufECf3ZakGE1DT9tkVOTlS-57er4zSdLTZ5RyUJ_w_I5DY/s320/boris_gelfand.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br />
GM Boris Gelfand won with the white pieces against GM Alexander Grischuk in today's final round of the 2011 Candidates Matches to earn the right to face GM Viswanathan Anand next year for the world title. After 5 straight draws, the win in the 6th round sealed the deal for Gelfand.<br />
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After drawing twice with the opening move 1.Nf3, Boris switched to 1.d4 when a Grunfeld ensued and revealed a chink in Grischuk's armor. It was an interesting strategy as Grischuk had opened with d4 on all 3 occasions himself. Alexander chose the move 11... Bg4, a favorite of Fritz but not so popular in practice. The game seemed to be in reach for both players until the fatal 32... Qc7. And then the panicked 33. Nxc6 left Gelfand all alone in the driver's seat.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" border="0" frameborder="0" height="434" src="http://www.chess.com/emboard.html?id=656657" width="574"></iframe>Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-8973040082587485452011-05-21T00:21:00.000-04:002011-05-21T00:21:21.958-04:00I'm Back!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXn0pCgTmTSKsAoIooPFNrckZiTi6Cgk9Ggr5bggQ_tlt8evIvqkPvGWXqsh2LQe7hrGRqmIZ-F8Tp4n8plS0CRXfx7dtAGIuirdwqDh-oSMVslKfFgWgz30KEcV7o-o8HUXI7z6HWzw/s1600/045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXn0pCgTmTSKsAoIooPFNrckZiTi6Cgk9Ggr5bggQ_tlt8evIvqkPvGWXqsh2LQe7hrGRqmIZ-F8Tp4n8plS0CRXfx7dtAGIuirdwqDh-oSMVslKfFgWgz30KEcV7o-o8HUXI7z6HWzw/s400/045.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from my daughter's deck!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I've been away: company, back and forth to the hospital (not for me), and a vacation to see my daughter. But now I'm back! Stay tuned ....Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-70671605088757207542011-05-05T14:55:00.000-04:002011-05-05T14:55:40.489-04:00Day One Is Drawn Out<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjB7maJgFa1wd5wdxHSiP-XM3skDEd4yWn2E0L9x7-pdTsEUrdIkL1XnogLrGoLF3RViTDgKdwxCIQ5kbJiAP9oVcCq6n7K6ppqgewEaf067hXlnhm0eSSONqcuZogM0RQqHO7sLwcsA/s1600/Firinat_xalikov_internal_kazan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjB7maJgFa1wd5wdxHSiP-XM3skDEd4yWn2E0L9x7-pdTsEUrdIkL1XnogLrGoLF3RViTDgKdwxCIQ5kbJiAP9oVcCq6n7K6ppqgewEaf067hXlnhm0eSSONqcuZogM0RQqHO7sLwcsA/s320/Firinat_xalikov_internal_kazan.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of Kazan from the middle ages.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The first day of play at the <a href="http://kazan2011.fide.com/">2011 Candidates Matches</a> being held in <a href="http://www.kzn.ru/eng/kazan/about">Kazan, Russia</a> for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championship_2012">2012 World Championship cycle</a> ended in draws all around. Notable was the fact that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Kramnik">Vladimir Kramnik</a> played only 24 moves with the black pieces in his game against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teimour_Radjabov">Teimour Radjabov</a>! America's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gata_Kamsky">Gata Kamsky</a> drew against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veselin_Topalov">Veselin Topalov</a> while <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakhriyar_Mamedyarov">Shakhriyar Mamedyarov</a> drew against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Gelfand">Boris Gelfand</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levon_Aronian">Lev Aronian</a> drew against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Grischuk">Alexander Grischuk</a>.<br />
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Replay the day's other scores after the break.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="allowtransparency" border="0" frameborder="0" height="434" src="http://www.chess.com/emboard.html?id=645075" width="574"></iframe>Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-29043723129134985632011-05-05T13:51:00.001-04:002011-05-05T14:09:10.122-04:00Endgame Study #15 - Kubbel 1937<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgts1Xhkb1T5RSX-oarXw9m51rHnFI0r8RRw4Iay5hyCuX0Ne2SIVujdObwx-X40hJDKdOZw92hXQ2IB30aDhHuh4yI9Y1zjxmCf2ymyM23DeOjpMurWvp3CneiXYBDcg1iI3Hj140x0_c/s1600/Leonid_kubbel-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgts1Xhkb1T5RSX-oarXw9m51rHnFI0r8RRw4Iay5hyCuX0Ne2SIVujdObwx-X40hJDKdOZw92hXQ2IB30aDhHuh4yI9Y1zjxmCf2ymyM23DeOjpMurWvp3CneiXYBDcg1iI3Hj140x0_c/s200/Leonid_kubbel-2.jpg" width="140px" /></a></div><br />
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This study by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonid_Kubbel">Leonid Kubbel</a> comes from <em>200 Brilliant Endgames</em> by Irving Chernev. This is the sort of study which I like as it has an uncluttered board and it depends on the solver's knowledge of simple technical endgames (where the result is known). Here you must know what is mating material, and what is insufficient. Can you find the drawing line?<br />
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Find all of the endgame studies posted on The Pied Chessman <a href="http://piedchessman.blogspot.com/search/label/Endgame%20Study">here</a>.Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-53212086550642089892011-04-28T17:35:00.000-04:002011-04-28T17:35:35.138-04:00Zatonskih Wins 4th Title!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBhTRvmW-m4z6umKhtQytV1x-OIH3D7cVRZEAs3NDOp6dFiRVUm-leNZxSbrmNG96HPgkDlZ3Oace0d3FnwUetC70SS-vUn6R5WjWM4Y9XAeg5bv0l-kcCeq24G7hSSvEK-SrtHxFVcY/s1600/uscc_finals_r103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBhTRvmW-m4z6umKhtQytV1x-OIH3D7cVRZEAs3NDOp6dFiRVUm-leNZxSbrmNG96HPgkDlZ3Oace0d3FnwUetC70SS-vUn6R5WjWM4Y9XAeg5bv0l-kcCeq24G7hSSvEK-SrtHxFVcY/s320/uscc_finals_r103.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div about="http://saintlouischessclub.org/gallery/us-championships-10k-blitz-and-finals/uscc-finals-r103" xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"><span property="dct:title">Uscc finals r103</span> (<a href="http://saintlouischessclub.org/user/506" property="cc:attributionName" rel="cc:attributionURL">jstrand</a>) / <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/" rel="license">CC BY-SA 3.0</a></div></td></tr>
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IM Anna Zatonskih earned a draw in the Armageddon tiebreak against WFM Tatev Abrahamyan to win her 4th Women's U.S. Chess Championship. At the end, Anna built a fortress that Tatev just couldn't break. See the score below.<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" border="0" frameborder="0" height="434" src="http://www.chess.com/emboard.html?id=641141" width="574"></iframe>Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-92218218333564062252011-04-27T22:21:00.003-04:002011-05-01T19:18:14.326-04:00Kamsky Repeats As U.S. Champion<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XYgvPfUroLFe8JQYEjwQS7q0-sMHSQO8z4tHUgp32ZbZJ68cIggI6kdu3DAFl29-CnlOjkUiADaa1nuNCEBp3631g1DG33gookXjdGC0qf1EkyfIqyzlER0PDQWl82h-YxbTUMShdz8/s1600/uscc_finals_r105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XYgvPfUroLFe8JQYEjwQS7q0-sMHSQO8z4tHUgp32ZbZJ68cIggI6kdu3DAFl29-CnlOjkUiADaa1nuNCEBp3631g1DG33gookXjdGC0qf1EkyfIqyzlER0PDQWl82h-YxbTUMShdz8/s320/uscc_finals_r105.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uscc finals r105, by jstrand</td></tr>
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GM Gata Kamsky successfully defended his U.S. Championship title today with a draw against GM Yuri Shulman after a win in the first match game yesterday. The same two players came down to an Armageddon game last year before Kamsky took the title with a draw in a draw-odds game. GM-elect Sam Shankland had to win in an Armageddon game to secure 3rd place after drawing the 2nd match game against GM Robert Hess.<br />
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The 2011 Women's Championship is still undecided as IM Anna Zatonskih and WFM Tatev Abrahamyan drew again. They will play an Armageddon game tomorrow to settle the title. IM Irina Krush held for a draw today against WGM Camilla Baginskaite which was good for a 3rd place finish after her win yesterday.<br />
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See today's other games after the break.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" border="0" frameborder="0" height="434" src="http://www.chess.com/emboard.html?id=640590" width="574"></iframe>Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859542446931633378.post-12147615593229855282011-04-26T21:33:00.003-04:002011-04-27T01:10:27.509-04:00Kamsky and Krush Win First Games<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNQ9w-eUhkpRA4IGEcZZuPCSx5WSdvt5THNGbstbuE9XT37nZHbS48MuxMc-bgH_hiWwgBMsQcEUSMIh7cBYynOiytTTh7HMOp6UR9crgdb1ayfHJbQXlEMGgjut4scOZpW-5jctJfpk/s1600/uscc_finals_r102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNQ9w-eUhkpRA4IGEcZZuPCSx5WSdvt5THNGbstbuE9XT37nZHbS48MuxMc-bgH_hiWwgBMsQcEUSMIh7cBYynOiytTTh7HMOp6UR9crgdb1ayfHJbQXlEMGgjut4scOZpW-5jctJfpk/s320/uscc_finals_r102.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div about="http://saintlouischessclub.org/gallery/us-championships-10k-blitz-and-finals/uscc-finals-r102" xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"><span property="dct:title">Uscc finals r102</span> (<a href="http://saintlouischessclub.org/user/506" property="cc:attributionName" rel="cc:attributionURL">jstrand</a>) / <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/" rel="license">CC BY-SA 3.0</a></div></td></tr>
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Defending U.S. Champion GM Gata Kamsky won with White against GM Yuri Shulman to take a lead in their match. Kamsky won the title last year against Shulman in an Armageddon match. The first game in the battle for third place between GM-elect Sam Shankland and GM Robert Hess ended in a draw.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCD4q0AsGWdMnfDCi9wL4jTcdHprpHbYlKxAN9UNuxF-toyC533D6Wfgn6ezZqlMgtkRXNa7MqInDNirMpuyzDWWvFvDtokBab81XxfWq4kw-iTuiedkmxD2U-3a9nIhEG2dWrUI3hQU/s1600/uscc_finals_r101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCD4q0AsGWdMnfDCi9wL4jTcdHprpHbYlKxAN9UNuxF-toyC533D6Wfgn6ezZqlMgtkRXNa7MqInDNirMpuyzDWWvFvDtokBab81XxfWq4kw-iTuiedkmxD2U-3a9nIhEG2dWrUI3hQU/s320/uscc_finals_r101.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div about="http://saintlouischessclub.org/gallery/us-championships-10k-blitz-and-finals/uscc-finals-r101" xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"><span property="dct:title">Uscc finals r101</span> (<a href="http://saintlouischessclub.org/user/506" property="cc:attributionName" rel="cc:attributionURL">jstrand</a>) / <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/" rel="license">CC BY-SA 3.0</a></div></td></tr>
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In the women's tournament, WFM Tatev Abrahamyan drew against IM Anna Zatonskih in their first game in the title match. But IM Irina Krush pressed hard to win with the black pieces in her bid for third place against WGM Camilla Baginskaite.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj730jqUkjb7lr9ij50aQteA7s9FTJNmkWPpBn0Xrht5FEQLX7wPuctlpAcXqIUpKWVe9HEln_SjBgVXJ5VoDkzHo28VNCq-68yGRu-sWV5zqHpfUCM-umfvroBspkGegcUU8fYUiLbi0Y/s1600/2011_10k_blitz_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj730jqUkjb7lr9ij50aQteA7s9FTJNmkWPpBn0Xrht5FEQLX7wPuctlpAcXqIUpKWVe9HEln_SjBgVXJ5VoDkzHo28VNCq-68yGRu-sWV5zqHpfUCM-umfvroBspkGegcUU8fYUiLbi0Y/s320/2011_10k_blitz_07.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" about="http://saintlouischessclub.org/gallery/us-championships-10k-blitz-and-finals/2011-10k-blitz-07"><span property="dct:title">2011 10k blitz 07</span> (<a rel="cc:attributionURL" property="cc:attributionName" href="http://saintlouischessclub.org/user/506">jstrand</a>) / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/">CC BY-SA 3.0</a></div></td></tr>
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Yesterday saw World #8 GM Hikaru Nakamura take top honors at the $10,000 Blitz Open played at St. Louis University's Busch Student Center. Hikaru reprised his win from last year.<br />
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Replay the other scores from today after the break.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="allowtransparency" border="0" frameborder="0" height="434" src="http://www.chess.com/emboard.html?id=639999" width="574"></iframe>Bob Lenninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11104927390474278054noreply@blogger.com0