Make Your Own Database by Bo Bredenhof During the weekends I set aside some time now and then to build myself a new up-to-date database (DB) for CC searches. I seldom use a DB package, outside of what comes bundled with other software, but make my own every few years. Maybe it is because I am stubborn; or more likely because I want to create something myself. This time I started with the best chess engine DB I had: the Houdini4 Pro DB from 2013. It contained games from late fall 2012. In order to update the OTB part of it, I went to the website "The Week In Chess" (TWIC). They are kind enough to have an archive of weekly OTB files covering all important games played in tournaments … [Read more...]
Tarrasch’s Tempo
Endgame Corner #161 by Karsten Müller Tarrasch's Tempo Ronald Wieck wrote in to say, "I believe you will be interested in a discovery by IM Bernard Zuckerman." Of course I was very interested, as an old and famous rook ending was concerned. He had talked to Bernard Zuckerman on the phone: "Bernard and I were talking about rook endings and right before we hung up, he asked me if I was familiar with Rubinstein's draw with Tarrasch at San Sebastian, 1911. Proudly, I announced that I was. He pressed on with, "but did you ever wonder what happens if Tarrasch gains a tempo?" And indeed Zuckerman, who did not use a computer, seems to be right. Tarrasch could have won: 161.01 … [Read more...]
The Return of Robert James Fischer!?
Inside Chess, 1992/16 The Return of Robert James Fischer!? by Yasser Seirawan Fischer Signs for Match in Yugoslavia Sensational news reports from Belgrade, Yugoslavia confirm that the legendary chess player Robert James Fischer – winner of the 1972 World Championship match has signed a contract to face Boris Spassky in a rematch. Wow! What is one to make of this report? First, a little personal history. I was born March 24,1960. A Child of the Sixties, as it were. It was this generation – born into the "Age of Aquarius" – that was supposed to right the sins of the previous generations. A heady responsibility to be sure. Nonetheless, this generation grew up fully expecting to … [Read more...]
Knight Tricks Bishop
by Bruce Pandolfini There is that silly opening principle/maxim "knights before bishops." And everyone knows that bishops are better than knights, right? Well, not always, for either truism. Now it is generally considered to be an easier task for a bishop to trap a knight, say by corralling it, than for a knight to snare a bishop. Perhaps. But knights also have their strengths. They can jump over things, though not tall buildings in a single bound. They can, however, do their special prancing, and that can lead to all kinds of insidious forks. The latter class of stratagem is mainly what happens in this present pack of ten. Just when the bishop thinks it is safe to take a swim, it forgets … [Read more...]
A Microcosm of Life: Knowledge vs Intelligence
A Microcosm of Life: Knowledge vs Intelligence by Dan Heisman Quote of the Month: Never confuse ignorance with stupidity. That was one of the many pieces of advice given to me by NM Richard Pariseau when I started working for him at the simulation lab of the Naval Air Development Center in the early 1970s. The corollary, of course, is “Never confuse knowledge with intelligence.” ...a mistake often made not only by the public in general, but chess players as well. This is a very important distinction for those trying to improve at chess. Advancing your chess knowledge is important, even crucial, but it doesn’t replace honing your skills, e.g., properly using your … [Read more...]
Wading in the Baltic
by Tim Harding The Baltic Defence to the Queen's Gambit (ECO code D06) gets its name from its adoption by players from north-east Europe, specifically GM Igors Rausis and his wife, correspondence GM Olita Rausis. It arises by 1 d4 d5 2 c4 Bf5 or sometimes via 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Bf5 3 c4. Although the latter move order excludes two of White's sharpest responses, they are the lines most typical of the Baltic Defence. Sometimes the Baltic transposes into a variation of the Slav Defence; those lines will only be cursorily treated here. The "true" Baltic Defence initiates very sharp play from a very early stage and there are some gambit lines with an affinity to the Albin Counter-Gambit. It … [Read more...]
At the Crossroads
by Mark Dvoretsky In a very old classic game, after all of thirty rather boring moves, an interesting position arose, which shall become the subject of our discussion. Fine – Shainswit U.S. Championship, New York 1944 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. d4 d5 4. Nc3 dc 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8. g3 e5 9. de Nxe5 10. Bf4 Nfd7 11. Bg2 Be7?! To cite Garry Kasparov in My Great Predecessors, Part 2: “Later on, players would prefer 11...f6 12. 0-0 Rd8, or 11...Rd8 12. Qc1 f6. 11...g5!? is the fashion these days.” 12. 0-0 Be6 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. a5 14. Qc2! Rd8 (14...Qa5 15.Nb5; 14...0-0 15. Nb5 Qb8 16. Nd4) 15. Rfd1 0-0 16. Nb5 is probably stronger, as was played in the 1st game of … [Read more...]