Quickplay Finishes and an Old Incident by Geurt Gijssen Question: Hi Geurt. I refer to the Quickplay Finishes rules now defined in the Appendix G, and in particular to the Article G.4: If the player having the move has less than two minutes left on his clock, he may request that a time delay or cumulative time of an extra five seconds be introduced for both players, if possible. This constitutes the offer of a draw. If refused, and the arbiter agrees to the request, the clocks shall then be set with the extra time; the opponent shall be awarded two extra minutes and the game shall continue. In Italy some problems occurred with it. On occasion in rapid games (15 minutes without … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2015
Chess in 1865 and 1915
Chess in 1865 and 1915 by Tim Harding As usual at the start of a new year, the Kibitzer looks back to chess a century ago but, because of the First World War, 1915 was not a vintage year for chess. So, as with the column 12 months ago, I also look back 150 years. Unfortunately 1865 also was not especially memorable. As I noted in my article about 1864 and 1914, the only long-lived player of note who was active in both years was Joseph Henry Blackburne, whose biography by me is now with the publisher (McFarland). Apart from a few simultaneous exhibitions, he did little in 1915 while in 1865 he was not yet a full-time chess professional. The American Civil War ended in the Spring of … [Read more...]
Exchange at f6: A Standard Structure
Exchange at f6: A Standard Structure by Mark Dvoretsky In a lot of openings we get a standard structure with Black pawns at e6, f7, g7, and h7, and the knight at f6. Sometimes, White is able to carry out a trade of minor pieces such that his opponent must recapture with his g-pawn, creating a weakness in his camp. Most often, these weaknesses can be exploited; but it also happens, conversely, that Black can whip up dangerous counterplay along the opened g-file - as, for example, in the following. Peterson - Skuja Riga, 1950 1...? The rather simple tactical stroke 1...Qxf3!! forced an immediate capitulation, since after 2.gf ed (with the threat of 3...Bh3#), White would be a … [Read more...]
Hours of Chess Fun
Hours of Chess Fun by Steve Goldberg First Steps in Pawn Structures, by Andrew Martin, 2014 ChessBase, DVD, approx. 4 hours playing time. $29.95 (ChessCafe Price $22.46) Andrew Martin gets right to the point in explaining his purpose in producing First Steps in Pawn Structures: "The purpose of this DVD is to focus on pawns, pawn structure, and to demonstrate exactly how pawns can play a pivotal role in our favorite game ... Pawn weaknesses don't necessarily lose, but you have to know how to handle them. Pawns are important because they facilitate the proper development of the pieces." There are several aspects to this DVD. The primary segment consists of analysis of 22 … [Read more...]
Smorgasbord VI: Winter Games
Smorgasbord VI: Winter Games Another year behind us. The future just around the bend. Like a downhill racer, time keeps speeding by. And along the way, a few idle moments at the Chess Cafe. This smorgasbord features our usual fare: a varied selection of puzzles for your amusement and solving pleasure. Plus some random facts about my favourite "winter game". 1. Triple Loyd 41 Place the black king on the board so that: A. Black is in checkmate. B. Black is in stalemate. C. White has mate in one. Bobsleds originated in Switzerland during the 1860s. They were constructed by connecting two sleds and adding a steering mechanism. 2. Proof Game 41 (4.0 moves) This … [Read more...]
Carlsen: Move by Move
Carlsen: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala Each world champion brings forth new wonders of his mind. When we examine the games of a great player, what we really desire is to share in the flow of genius, from his mind to ours. We crave the paradisiacal taste of beauty, which most of us try and produce, and so rarely do in our games. When we arrive in critical situations in our games we come close to being Rembrandts and da Vincis, close to producing a masterpiece, if only we achieve that rapturous final touch of colour, but we just can't seem to get it right. We all have our favourites, and seek to play like replica Morphys, Laskers, Alekhines, Capablancas, Tals, Fischers, Kasparovs or … [Read more...]
One More Thing
One More Thing by Gary Lane Can the Closed Sicilian be an attacking opening? This is the question posed by the Australian Jonathan Adams who helpfully e-mails a great game where he wins in style. The potentially aggressive line (1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.d3 e6 6.Be3) adopted by Adams has been tested by some famous names such as Michael Adams (no relation), Nigel Short, Boris Spassky, and Alexander Stripunsky. I noticed that their high level opponents tended to put up firm resistance but when the position was played at a lower level the defence was more flimsy. I should add that World Champion Magnus Carlsen also gave his seal of approval to the opening by employing it … [Read more...]
ChessBase and the Mega Database
ChessBase and the Mega Database by Jim Rizzitano Reviewed this Month ChessBase 13 by ChessBase Mega Database 2015 by ChessBase This month I will review two software titles from ChessBase: ChessBase 13 and Mega Database 2015. This software is useful for both master level and club players. Chess software has become an essential tool for efficient chess study. The majority of chess players utilize software to record games and prepare openings – chess software is also indispensable for writing chess books and publishing to the web. The ChessBase software program is the industry-standard tool utilized by both professional and club players to record and study their own games. A … [Read more...]
Chess Mazes #379
Chess Mazes #379 There are two types of chess mazes: checking and mating. For bishop, rook, and knight mazes the play is to check the black king. For queen, pawn, and king mazes the object is to checkmate the enemy king; here checks are not allowed. The rules in common for each type of maze are as follows: Black never moves. Only the maze piece (in the case of pawns – the maze units) may move. A maze piece may never move to a square where it can be captured by enemy forces. A maze piece may capture undefended enemy forces. Plus we look for the shortest solution. Helpers in queen and king mazes are frozen to the diagram position, unable to move or be removed. In pawn mazes … [Read more...]
The Nimzovich Defense [B00]
The Nimzovich Defense [B00] by Abby Marshall The Nimzovich Defense, 1.e4 Nc6, is the subject of this month's column. It bears a strong resemblance to the themes of the Chigorin Defense 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 even though the former is a king-pawn opening. Besides the obvious early ...Nc6, the two openings also have cramped space, pawn pushes like ...e5 in the center, and concede the bishop-pair to take advantage of a lead in development in common. 1.e4 Nc6 In April 2013 I covered a similar offbeat system, 1...b6, from White's perspective. 2.d4 This is the most natural, but actually gives Black a couple of interesting choices. To cut down on Black's options, it might be better to … [Read more...]