White squares and diagonals...
13.11.2009 – ... were the issue in this position where the first player had sacrificed an exchange to occupy the 7th rank and drive the black king to g6. Yet after 25...Rad8 an idea was required. What do you think, is the best continuation a move...
A) with the queen;
B) with a bishop;
C) or with a pawn?
The solution is here, but first ponder over it with a larger version of the diagram.
White to move after 25...Rad8
Knight in the corner
11.11.2009 – "A knight on the rim is dim" - there is no aphorism which is known more widely to amateur players than this one. And although there are more than enough exceptions to this rule, the phrase naturally is also fully justified. All the more so when the case involves not just a knight on the edge of the board, but that rarely spotted example of the species: a knight in the corner. Recently, one such example caused Ivan Cheparinov all sorts of problems, when the sad-looking steed was corralled in the corner with the help of a bishop. GM Karsten Müller analyses the ending Cheparinov-Caruana for ChessBase Magazine Online.
Position after 45... Ba5
Su valoración, por favor
Cinco piezas en fila en la columna h: eso es lo primero que salta a la vista en esta posición, donde las negras acaban de jugar ...Cg6-f4, atacando a la dama y la torre de las blancas. ¿Cuál sería su veredicto sobre este panorama?
A) La horquilla es ganadora para las negras;
B) Las blancas podrán salvar el cuello con jaque continuo;
C) Efectivamente las blancas pueden dar mate.
La solución está aquí, pero antes de mirarla le sugerimos que reflexione sobre el problema
Juegan las blancas:
A rook ending worth its weight in gold
05.11.2009 – The European Team Championship in Novi Sad witnessed an exciting final round in which the decision as to who would win the gold medal came as the result of a rook ending. Vugar Gashimov, White, absolutely had to win in order to secure the title for the Azerbaijani team. Daniel Stellwagen, Black, was fighting for a draw. In the position shown in our diagram, which move would you have chosen as Black? Think carefully.
GM Karsten Müller has analysed the decisive phase of the endgame Gashimov-Stellwagen for ChessBase Magazine Online.
"Think fast. Think under pressure. Think strategically. That’s how you win in business... and in chess. Our chess tournaments were certainly one of the most prestigious business events of 2007 and 2008." That is the motto of Your Next Move.
On October 13th 2009 Your Next Move organized a chess event in Antwerp, Belgium, for business executives, politicians and children. It was held for the third time, and for the third time it centered aound Garry Kasparov, former World Chess Champion (1985-2000). Kasparov played a simultaneous exhibition against 26 opponents – business executives nominated by the different companies partnering with and sponsoring the exclusive business event. But not just them. The organisers invited chess clubs and primary school to take part in a pre-tournament held in various locations on October 4th. In the weekend prior to the chess event a further selection is made during a simultaneous game against English GM Nigel Short. The winners got seats in the simultaneous exhibition of Garry Kasparov, along with the business personalities.
The event was filmed by EXQI TV in Belgium – in extraordinary quality. It was recently posted on YouTube. The following videos show highlights from the event. The videos feature comments by Nigel Short. Special attention is payed to the game of Chris Lanckriet (BNP Paribas Fortis IS Development Officer) who survived for 48 moves against Kasparov before resigning. Each of the following three segments are ten minutes long. If you do not have the time or patience to watch thirty minutes of video then there is a link at the bottom of the page to a number of smaller sequences.
Note that the videos are in High Definition. There is a small "full screen" button at the bottom right of the YouTube player, which plays the video in the maximum resolution of your monitor. Lucky you if you have a 24 inch HD screen – 1920 x 1080 pixels of resolution.
"Ultimately, what separates a winner from a loser at the grandmaster level is the willingness to do the unthinkable. A brilliant strategy is, certainly, a matter of intelligence, but intelligence without audaciousness is not enough. Given the opportunity, I must have the guts to explode the game, to upend my opponent's thinking and, in so doing, unnerve him. So it is in business: One does not succeed by sticking to convention. When your opponent can easily anticipate every move you make, your strategy deteriorates and becomes commoditized. " – Garry Kasparov, FastCompany.com, September 2004.
Position after 74.Rg6
Su valoración, por favor...
Un movimiento intermedio puede cambiar por completo la evaluación de una posición al instante. Aquí se acaba de realizar el movimiento 34.Cc4xe5 y ahora las negras plantean 34....g3 (véase en el diagrama) intentando desviar la dapa blanca para evitar que se le coma su peón d4. ¿Qué opina Ud.? A) Es una buena idea, obliga a 35.Dxg3 fxe5 reduciendo así cualquier inconveniente de las negras a un mínimo. B) Las blancas guardan un truco con un ataque camulfado en la columna e. C) Las negras saltan de la sartén directamente al fuego porque d4 está cayendo en todo caso. La solución está aquí, pero antes de mirarla le sugerimos que reflexione sobre el problema
Juegan las blancas tras 34...g3
According to the author this game was created with two purposes in mind: "First, for those who already play chess, it is a fresh, exciting take on the classic game while maintaining the principles of movement and strategy that made the original so beloved. And second, for anyone who may have been intimidated by the original game, Conquer the Kings allows for learning to be had in a friendlier, perhaps more easily digestible manner. What's most intriguing is that neophytes and experts alike can sit at the same table and, at times and when necessary, join forces to reach the ultimate goal: Conquer the Kings!"
While you are contemplating Johnny Wahl's words and perusing the images below, you may want to listen to the Conquer the Kings theme song in the background. Click on the Play button to listen.
There are also two videos at the end of this report that demonstrate the game and its rules in vivid, enthusiastic fashion.
Conquer the Kings – basic equipment and setup
Each player starts behind their respective "Front Line" (the four rows closest to the player). Each has 16 pieces, exactly like in chess, and is allowed to place these on the 18 spaces provided anyway he or she likes. This allows setup strategy to be player specific and not board specific (as in chess).
Basic starting position for one side
Starting a game with the Basic Setup on all four sides
the "King's Defense" strategy setup
The "Chaos Left" starting setup
Starting strategy for "Arrow" formation
The object of the game is to conquer the other player's king, remove him and his army from the battlefield and continue until only one king and his army is left standing. Optionally once a king is captured and removed, the conqueror takes over the remaining pieces on the board as his own army to continue. A third variant leaves the remaining pieces on the board to be used as cannon fodder for the other players – they are obstacles that have to be cleared to open the board game up for play.
Kids take to the game quickly and with enthusiasm
Experimenting with Conquer the Kings at Hobby Town USA in Kennesaw, GA in June 2008.Hobby Town USA purchased five games in December 08 and has, so far, only sold one. But the game is on the shelf!
The game is displayed in the World Chess Hall-of-Fame & Sidney Samole Chess
Museum located in Miami Florida – it is also on sale there in the Gift Shop
The the following clips Johnny M. Wahl explains how Conquer the Kings works.
Conquer the Kings – Part 1 (6 min 38 sec)
Conquer the Kings – Part 2 (6 min 15 sec)
The hanging bishop...
22.10.2009 – ... was only one of White's problems here after 21... Qxg2, since Black not only threatens 22...Qxe2, but also to take the whole kingside apart.
What is the best continuation for the first player?
A) 22.Nxe6
B) 22.Rd8
C) 22.Bf1
The solution is here, but first ponder over it with a larger version of the diagram.
