I should begin by disclosing that I am a feminist. However, I am by no means someone who denigrates
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Men Who Hurt the World
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Through the Looking-Glass: Chapter 2 - The Garden of Live Flowers
Now that Alice has gotten into Looking-Glass House through the sitting room mirror, she decides to e
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Jersey Girl Organizes All-Girls Chess Camp
Alice Dong, a 2044-rated sixteen year old junior at Princeton (NJ) High
School, organized an all-girls chess camp to motivate more girls to stick with the game.
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World Chess Hall of Fame Call for WW2 Artifacts
In the summer of 2015, the World Chess Hall of Fame present
an exhibition exploring the history of chess during World War II. We
are seeking material related to the effect of war on the world of chess.
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WCCM Game 8: Draw
Game 8
The eighth game of the Carlsen-Anand Match ended in a draw.
The overall score after the eighth game is Carlsen 4.5 - Anand 3.5.
Game 7
The seventh game of the Carlsen-Anand Match ended in a draw.
The overall score after the seventh game is Carlsen 4 - Anand 3.
The seventh game of the World Chess Championship match between Magnus Carlsen (Norway) and Viswanathan Anand (India) was played on November 17th in the Main Media Center in Sochi. This game started a second half of the match, and, according to the regulations, the players played with the same color as in the sixth game. Thus, the World Champion had White.
For the fourth time in this match Magnus opened the game with е2-е4. Vishy Anand rejected the Sicilian defence, in which he had suffered a loss two days before, and replied by 1…е5. The Ruy Lopez had already occurred in the Sochi match, but this time Carlsen did not avoid the principled theoretical discussion in the Berlin Variation. For the first 25 moves the players followed Giri-Radjabov game, played just two weeks before at the FIDE Grand Prix in Tashkent. That game ended in a draw, however, the computer shows that White's play could be improved. We did not have a chance to see what Carlsen prepared, because the ex-World champion was first to deviate.
However, the game tempo did not slow down even after Anand's novelty – clearly such course of events did not surprise Carlsen. White sacrificed a pawn, obtaining very active pieces in return – his rook was on the 7th rank, and the knight settled on f5. Anand thought for 35 minutes on his 31st move and made a very committal decision to sacrifice his bishop for two pawns, intending to set up a fortress. Later at the press conference the former World Champion said he found this plan at the board, although he had seen similar positions successfully defended before.
Carlsen's task was to trade the rooks and keep his two pawns from exchanges. However, it was hard to achieve, as the black rook was not allowing the white knight settling in the centre, while supporting с2-с4 would expose the white king. Eventually Carlsen was forced to put a pawn on c4, because he could not make progress otherwise, but Black advanced his pawn to b5 and activated the king, threatening to exchange all the pawns. Soon Anand managed to simplify the position, achieving a book draw with a rook against a rook and knight.
The World Champion kept playing, trying to utilize minimal practical chances for a win. However, Anand demonstrated the required accuracy, and the game ended in a draw on the 122nd move, just three moves short from breaking the record for the longest World Championship game. The fifth game of the match between Anatoly Karpov and Victor Korchnoi in Baguio, 1978, ended in a draw in the 124th move.
Magnus said at the press conference that he was convinced that there would be a way to win the endgame after black's sacrifice. However, soon he realized that he could not make progress without pushing c4, which gave Black counterplay.
Vishy Anand was asked if it was frustrating to defend for so long. “It is not frustrating if I get a draw in the end”, replied the ex-World Champion.
The score in Carlsen-Anand match is now 4-3 in Carlsen's favor. The eighth game is played on Tuesday, November 18th, at 15:00. Anand has White. Admission is free of charge. The official website of the championship http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/ broadcasts live grandmaster commentary in Russian and English.
Game 6: Carlsen — Anand 1 - 0
The overall score after the sixth game is Anand 2.5 - Carlsen 3.5
The sixth game of the World Chess Championship match between Magnus Carlsen (Norway) and Viswanathan Anand (India) was played on November 15th in the Main Media Center in Sochi. The World Champion had White.
Carlsen was true to himself and opened the game with е2-е4. Anand went for the Sicilian defense with 2…е6, like in the game four. This time Carlsen did not deviate from the main theory, and soon the players arrived at the fashionable position of the Kan Sicilian. White can handle it in many different ways – either launch a direct attack, or use a more positional approach. The World Champion opted for the latter, allowing Black to develop his minor pieces quickly and create some pressure against White's center.
As it often happens in games with early tension, it continued with multiple exchanges, and transposed to an ending with a small advantage to White. Anand maneuvered skilfully and created a tricky defensive setup: White could win a pawn on almost every move, but Black would gain sufficient counterplay every time.
Carlsen continued to strengthen his position, but suddenly committed a blunder on the move 26, giving Anand a chance to deliver a simple tactical blow, collecting two pawns. Anand, however, did not notice this chance and made an indifferent move fairly quickly. The World Champion lifted his head, found that his blunder was forgiven, and lowered his head again for about 10 seconds. At this very moment Anand realized their mutual errors, and it was a tough mental blow for him.
The rest of the game was played very accurately by Magnus, while Anand did not defend perfectly, and his position was ruined even before the time control. The World Champion won the game and took the lead in the match.
Vishy Anand: “When you don't expect a gift, you don't look for it”.
According to Magnus Carlsen, if 26…Nxe5 was played, the World Championship match might have been lost for him. After the blunder Anand started to play less confidently – the missed chance clearly affected his morale. The ex-World Champion agreed with this assessment.
Thus, the score in Carlsen-Anand match is now 3.5-2.5 in Carlsen's favor. Sunday, November 16th is a day off. The seventh game is played on November 17th at 15.00. According to the regulations, the players don't change color of their pieces in the 7th game, so Magnus Carlsen once again plays White. Admission is free of charge. The official website of the championship http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/ broadcasts live grandmaster commentary in Russian and English.
www.sochi2014.fide.com/
Game 5
The Fifth Game of the Carlsen-Anand Match Ended in a Draw.
The Match Score Remains Tied – 2.5-2.5
The fifth game of the World Chess Championship match between Magnus Carlsen (Norway) and Viswanathan Anand (India) was played on November 14th in the Main Media Center in Sochi. The Indian grandmaster had White. 
Arkady Dvorkovich, the Russian Deputy Prime Minister and the chairman of the organizing committee made a symbolic first move. Later during the press conference Mr. Dvorkovich expressed his gratitude towards those who prepared and carried out the match. “We are grateful to the Russian Chess Federation, the leadership of Krasnodar Krai, and our business partners – Summa Group, Gazprom, Fosagro company, Togliattiazot and others. We also thank our information sponsors and all media covering the match”, underscored the Deputy Prime Minister.
For the third time in this match Vishy Anand started the game with a queen's pawn advance. Magnus Carlsen changed his opening again, this time opting for the Queen's Indian defense. Interestingly, we are yet to see the same opening twice in this match.
The opening moves were played quickly – obviously, both players paid close attention to this line during the preparation. The first critical moment arose on the move 17, when Anand had a choice: to push his passed pawn forward or to exchange it. The former is riskier, because an advanced pawn can also turn into a weakness. The ex-World Champion decided to exchange it, aiming only at a minimal advantage. He indeed obtained a slight plus, because his bishop was superior to the opponent's knight. However, the material was very limited, so a draw looked very likely.
On the move 27 Anand could avoid further simplifications, maintaining slight pressure. However, after serious thought he decided that his winning chances are negligible in any case, and went for a quick draw.
The score of the Carlsen-Anand match remains tied – 2.5-2.5. The sixth game is played on Saturday, November 15th at 15:00 local time. Magnus Carlsen has White. Admission is free of charge. The official website of the championship http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/ broadcasts live grandmaster commentary in Russian and English.
Game 4
Magnus Carlsen 0.5 - 0.5 Viswanathan Anand
The match score is still even – 2-2
The fourth game of the FIDE World Chess Championship match between Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand was played in the Main Media Center in Sochi on November, 12th. The World Champion had White.
Carlsen started the game with 1.e4, same as in the second game of the Match. Anand deviated from the Ruy Lopez and went for an opening considered more aggressive – the Sicilian. Judging by the speed of White's play, Magnus was prepared for this course of events. On the move 3 he opted for a modest, but poisonous plan with the kingside fianchetto. With this move White does not claim an opening advantage, putting more emphasize on the middlegame. Such strategy often brought success to the World Champion, who is justly considered one of the best technicians of modern chess.
The opening choice of his opponent did not surprise Anand. Black had a wide choice of plans, but the former champion quickly made up his mind. A standard situation with an isolated pawn on d5 arose, in return Black obtained good piece play. In a few moves in a dynamically equal position Anand faced a choice: a more active move, trying to seize the initiative, or a more passive one, leading to a slightly worse position. He went for the latter.
After multiple exchanges Black was left with weak pawns on the queenside, but utilizing it was difficult for White, because his own king needed protection. As usual, the World Champion kept playing as long as he had the slightest chance, but Anand was accurate, and the players agreed to a draw on the move 47. 
At the press-conference Magnus Carlsen said that the last two games have been pretty bad and he has to improve. Answering about differences between this match and their first match in Chennai, he joked: “In Chennai after four games the score was 2-2, here also the score is 2-2, so there is no difference”.
Vishy Anand: “The position was very complex, but I was not worried at any particular moment, except when I had to find 41...Qd2”.
The match score remains even – 2-2. Thursday, November 13th is a day off. The fifth game is played on Friday, November 14th, Anand plays White. Admission is free of charge. The official website of the championship http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/ broadcasts live grandmaster commentary in Russian and English.
The World Chess Championship match consists of 12 games with a classical time control: 120 minutes for 40 moves, then 60 minutes for 20 moves, and then 15 minutes plus 30 second per move until the end of the game. If the match is tied, a tie-break will be played on November 27th.
Tomorrow the V. Dvorkovich Saloon in the Main Media Center in Sochi hosts the Tal Memorial blitz tournament. It is a two-day double round round-robin with $100,000 prize fund, attended by 12 super grandmasters: Vladimir Kramnik, Sergey Karjakin, Peter Svidler, Alexander Grischuk, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Evgeny Tomashevsky, Alexander Morozevich, Ernesto Inarkiev, Alexandra Kosteniuk (all – Russia), Boris Gelfand (Israel), Peter Leko (Hungary), and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan). The live broadcasting can be found at the official site http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/.
Game 3
The score is now tied 1.5-1.5
The third game of the World Chess Championship match between the World Champion Magnus Carlsen and former World Champion Vishwanathan Anand was played in the Main Media Center in Sochi on November, 11th. The Indian grandmaster had White.
Magnus Carlsen decided not to continue the opening discussion in the Gruenfeld defense and went for the classic Queen's Gambit. The players entered a fashionable line, in which White develops his bishop to f4 and advances a pawn to c5 rather early. The former World Champion Alexander Khalifman commented the opening stage as follows:
– The 7…Nh5 is considered a safer continuation, planning to get rid of the dark-squared bishops. 7…с6, as Magnus played, allows a dangerous forced line: White sacrifices a pawn and creates a strong passed pawn on c7. I analyzed this variation extensively, and concluded that Black barely holds, often on various tactical tricks.
The first 16 or 17 moves were played very fast, but then the champion slowed down considerably. Clearly, he mixed up something and could not demonstrate his home analysis properly. The time on his clock was running out, and his position kept deteriorating. Anand played very precisely and obtained a significant advantage. His 26.Rc6! was particularly strong. After this move Carlsen started to worry about losing the game. He tried to complicate things, but Anand avoided all the traps and converted his advantage into a full point. This is a first victory of Anand against Carlsen in a classical game in the last four years.
Peter Svidler shared his thoughts about this game:
– Vishy got an advantage and very accurately turned it into a victory. It was noticeable that he tried hard not to rush things and not to look at the clock at all. A very important victory by Anand! The match basically starts over.
The match score is now tied – 1.5-1.5. The fourth game is played on Wednesday, November 12th, the World Champion has White. Admission is free of charge; spectators have an opportunity to follow a live grandmaster commentary or to play speed chess with a unique chess robot, developed by Konstantin Kosteniuk. The official website of the championship http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/ broadcasts live grandmaster commentary in Russian and English.
Official website
Game 2
Magnus Carlsen 1 - 0 Viswanathan Anand
The second game of the World Chess Championship match between the champion Magnus Carlsen and the former champion Vishwanathan Anand took place in the Main Media Center in Sochi on November 9th. The Norwegian grandmaster played White.
In the opening Magnus Carlsen showed a new idea aimed against the Berlin variation, which is currently the most dreadful line for those who like to start the game with е2-е4. Vishy Anand successfully rearranged his pieces and obtained a solid and safe position. However, such course of events apparently made Anand too relaxed, as later the Indian started making superficial and inaccurate moves. The World Champion found a very energetic plan – he transferred the queenside rook on the kingside and created a direct attack against the king.
White's strategy looked very straightforward and obvious, but it turned out difficult for Black to parry the threats. At the press-conference Anand blamed his 18th move and suggested 18…Qf7 instead, pushing the opponent's queen away from its strong position. Carlsen agreed with him, saying he did not obtain much out of the opening apart from slight initiative. However, after 19.Rg3 he already was quite optimistic.
The computer considers Black's 20th move a nearly decisive error, as after it Anand was forced to defend a hopeless position. However, the only defense (20…Kh8) looks very unnatural for a human player. During the subsequent game Anand could defend more tenaciously, but the problems he had to solve were severe in any case. The World Champion converted his advantage in a calm manner, without forcing the events.
The match score is currently 1.5-0.5 in Carlsen's favor. Monday, November 10th is a day off. Both players said they will relax and do some sport. 
The third game is played on Tuesday, November 11th. Vishy Anand has White. Admission is free of charge; spectators have an opportunity to follow a live grandmaster commentary or to play speed chess with a unique chess robot, developed by Konstantin Kosteniuk. The official website of the championship http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/ broadcasts live grandmaster commentary in Russian and English.
The World Chess Championship match consists of 12 games with a classical time control: 120 minutes for 40 moves, then 60 minutes for 20 moves, and then 15 minutes plus 30 second per move until the end of the game. If the match is tied, a tie-break will be played on November 27th.
Official website
Game 1
Magnus Carlsen 1/2 - 1/2 Viswanathan Anand
The first game of the World Chess Championship between the World Champion Magnus Carlsen and the contender and former World Champion Viswanathan Anand was played in the Main Media Center in Sochi on November 8th, 2014. The Indian grandmaster played White. Igor Levitin, the adviser of the Russian President, made a symbolic first move.
Facing the queen's pawn advance, Magnus Carlsen opted for the double-edged Gruenfeld defense, which often leads to very sharp positions with active piece play. Vishy Anand, however, preferred a quieter plan, playing a modest, but rather poisonous continuation, where he prepared a new idea. The World Champion consumed a lot of time, but was unable to completely equalize in the opening.
As usual, Carlsen defended very tenaciously and successfully rearranged his pieces. Trying to maintain the evaporating initiative, Anand rejected trading the queens with an equal ending, but overestimated his chances. Black managed to trade White's strong bishop and got an advantage – Carlsen had a better pawn structure, and his king was safer.
As Anand confessed at the press conference after the game, he even started to worry about losing. White's position was getting worse, and on the 42nd move Carlsen had a strong maneuver that could create White serious problems. However, the World Champion missed it. Anand secured his king, transferred the queen to the center and forced a draw with a perpetual check.
The second game is played on Sunday, November 9th. Magnus Carlsen has White. The admission is free of charge; spectators have an opportunity to follow a live grandmaster commentary or to play speed chess with a unique chess robot, developed by Konstantin Kosteniuk. The V. Dvorkovich Saloon is already open, too; today it hosted the first round of the junior Tournament of champion and a simul of the Olympiad champion Olga Girya.
The official website of the championship http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/ broadcasts live grandmaster commentary by Sergey Shipov and Alexandra Kosteniuk (in Russian) and Peter Svidler and Sopiko Guramishvili (in English).
The World Chess Championship match consists of 12 games with a classical time control: 120 minutes for 40 moves, then 60 minutes for 20 moves, and then 15 minutes plus 30 second per move until the end of the game. If the match is tied, a tie-break will be played on November 27th. 
The 2014 FIDE World Championship Match between Magnus Carlsen and Vishy Anand started today at the Olympic Media Center in Sochi.
The ceremonial first move was made by the adviser of the Russian President Igor Levitin, in the presence of FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.
Official website
The official opening ceremony of the World Chess Championship match between the reigning champion Magnus Calsen (Norway) and the challenger and former World Champion Viswanathan Anand (India) took place at the Congress Hall of the Radisson Blu hotel in Sochi on November 7th, 2014.
The ceremony was attended by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the Russian Chess Federation President Andrey Filatov, the adviser of the Russian President Igor Levitin, former World Champions Boris Spassky, Nona Gaprindashvili, Anatoly Karpov, Alexander Khalifman, Zhu Chen, Antoaneta Stefanova, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Russian deputy minister of sports Pavel Kolobkov, and other officials and famous chess players. Russian People's Artist Sergey Makovetsky and Alexandra Kosteniuk were hosts of the ceremony. 
Igor Levitin read out the welcome address of the Russian President Vladimir Putin:
“Russia deserves the honour of holding this important and prestigious event. Our country has won wide recognition for its chess school and has extensive experience at holding events of this level, all the more so as this championship match is taking place in Sochi, which hosted the Winter Olympics earlier this year.
I am confident that Sochi’s developed sports, transport and tourism infrastructure and the traditional hospitality of its residents will ensure that this event takes place at the highest standard and will enable the competitors – Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand – to demonstrate the full measure of their skill and ability to find original solutions to the most complex tasks and show that they are worthy rivals in this battle for the chess world’s crown.”
Read full welcome address of the Russian President Vladimir Putin (RUS)
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov on behalf of the FIDE Presidential Board (the International Chess Federation unites 181 countries) sent greetings to the guests of the championship. He revealed a rich competitive and cultural agenda during the championship – the Tal Memorial grandmaster blitz tournament, junior Tournament of champions, master-classes, simultaneous displays, etc. In the end Mr. Ilyumzhinov wished good luck to the match participants and expressed hope for brilliant and exciting games.
Igor Levitin awarded the Russian players with state decorations. The order “For Merit to the Fatherland” of the 1st class was given to Alexandra Kosteniuk, Natalia Pogonina received this order of the 2nd class. Olga Girya and Sergey Rublevsky received Honorary Mentions of the Russian President. These players and the Russian women's team coach got their awards for winning the 2014 Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway as well as for their contribution to chess development in our country.
After the mime show “Dance of chess queens” the Chief Arbiter of the match Andrzej Filipowicz (Poland) called for the drawing of lots. Vishy Anand will have the white pieces in the first game. The first move of the World Chess Championship match will be played tomorrow, November 8th, at 3 pm local time. 
The grandmasters will play 12 games with classical time control: 120 minutes for 40 moves, then 60 minutes for 20 moves, and then 15 minutes plus 30 seconds per move for the rest of the game. If the match is tied, the tie-break with quick time controls will take place on November 27th.
The ceremony was concluded with the concert of a singer Tina Kuznetsova and the Jazz Quartet of People's Artist of Russia Igor Butman.
More photos from the opening ceremony
Official website
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Saving Energy
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83rd Ukrainian Individual Men’s Championship 2014 LIVE!
The 83rd Ukrainian Individual Men’s Chess Championship is taking place on 10-22nd November 2014 in the city of Lviv, Ukraine. The event is 12-player round-robin tournament, including five players from “Club 2700+” The finalists are GM Vassily Ivanchuk (2726), GM Pavel Eljanov (2719), GM Ruslan Ponomariov (2711), GM Yuriy Kryvoruchko (2706), GM Alexander Moiseenko (2701), GM Anton [...]
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Kostya on Norm #1: Staying Present
Kostya Kavutskiy writes about the long road to his first IM norm, which he earned at the SPICE Cup last month in Saint Louis.
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Tourney at Washington Avenue School
[mural by art teacher Kenji Hasegawa]
The tournament finished in a tie for first and second places between Alexander Coutras and Liam Kirby. When their playoff match was drawn, the two were declared co-winners of the tournament. Third place went to Lily Hekmat, who won her playoff game against Noah Gicas.
The top three players received trophies, in addition to the chess medals that were awarded to all ten students.
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Sharjah – Capital of Islamic Culture Women 2014 LIVE!
The UAE Chess Federation & Sharjah Chess and Cultural Club, on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and FIDE organize the 2014 Sharjah – Capital of Islamic Culture Individual Women Chess Tournament on 14-24th November 2014 in Sharjah, UAE. The event is a 9-round Swiss tournament with first prize in the amount of 3.000 $. Top [...]
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Sharjah – Capital of Islamic Culture 2014 LIVE!
The UAE Chess Federation & Sharjah Chess and Cultural Club, on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and FIDE organize the 2014 Sharjah – Capital of Islamic Culture Individual Chess Tournament on 14-24th November 2014 in Sharjah, UAE. The event is a 9-round Swiss tournament with first prize in the amount of 5.000 $. [...]
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2nd Behin Bazafarin Cup 2014 LIVE!
The 2nd Behin Bazafarin Cup 2014 is taking place on 15-22nd November 2014 in Tehran, the capital of Iran and the largest city in Western Asia. The event is organized by the Iranian Chess Federation in a 9-round Swiss format with time control 90 minutes for 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of [...]
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Stockfish maintains the lead in TCEC – Stage 3
The reigning TCEC Grand champion Stockfish , modification 091114, maintains the lead in TCEC Season 7 – Stage 3. The leader scored 7.5/10 points, leaving the nearest follower Komodo, variation 1324, full point behind. Stockfish and Komodo are yet unbeaten. The game between them in round 10 finished equal after 58 moves. Houdini 4 and Critter 1.6a [...]
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SPF National Open for Boys and Girls in Northern California (A World Youth Qualifier - Over $100K in prizes)
Dear Chess Parents,
We have officially opened registration for the 2015 Susan Polgar Foundation's National Open Championship for Girls and Boys. We sincerely invite you to join the SPFNO on February 27th - March 1st, 2015 in San Mateo, California.
In the course of the three-day chess festival, the SPFNO will award qualifications for:
The Prestigious Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls
The FIDE World Youth Chess Championship 2015 in Porto Carras, Greece.
As well as $100,000 in prizes.
In addition to the main event, youth chess players are cordially invited to participate in a simultaneous exhibition against Grandmaster Susan Polgar, a blitz chess championship, A puzzle solving competition and a special breakfast with Susan Polgar. It is our expectation that through the Susan Polgar Foundation's National Open for Girls and Boys, your child will receive personal inspiration as well as lasting memories that will enhance his or her love for chess.
Please mark your calendars now and join us this February 27th - March 1st. We look forward to seeing you in San Mateo.
SUSAN POLGAR FOUNDATION NATIONAL OPEN FOR GIRLS AND BOYS
FEBRUARY 28th AND MARCH 1st
http://www.chessandmusic.com/susanpolgarfoundation
The prestigious annual Susan Polgar National Open Championship was created in 2006 and is sponsored by the Susan Polgar Foundation to give more opportunities to young chess players in the United States. The SPNOGB is an official qualifying event for the: The Prestigious Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls, and the FIDE World Youth Chess Championship 2015 in Porto Carras, Greece.
WHEN: 2/28 & 3/1/2015
WHERE: SAN MATEO EVENT CENTER – Free Parking
1346 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo, CA 94403
MAIN EVENT SECTIONS:
U8, U10, U12, U14, U16/18* in separate sections for Girls and Boys
Age Cut-Offs
To qualify for an age section the player cannot have reached the age of that section before January 1, 2015.
Example - to qualify for the U14 section the player cannot have reached 14 years of age before January 1, 2015, in other words he/she must be born in 2001 or later.
To qualify for the World Youth places your federation under FIDE must reflect USA otherwise the qualifier spot will go to the next player in line.1st place in each age category will be a wild card representative for the SPICE World Youth Team.
ROUND TIMES: All sections will be G/60 – All players MUST be current USCF Members
2/28/15 * Round 1 @ 9am * Round 2 @ 12:15pm * Round 3 @ 3:30pm
3/1/15 * Round 4 @ 9am * Round 5 @ 12:15pm * Round 6 @ 3:30pm
AWARDS: 3/1/15 @ 6:45pm
Over $100,000 are awarded in prizes, which include trophies, computers, chess prizes and scholarships. Trophies go to the top 20 players and top 3 teams in all sections. All other participants will get medals. Trophies will also be awarded to the top players rated under 800 in the U8 sections, the top players rated under 1000 in the U10 sections, the top players rated under 1200 in the U12 sections. the top players rated under 1400 in the U14 sections, the top players rated under 1600 in the U16 sections, and the top players rated under 1800 in the U18 sections.
The first place winner in the girls sections will qualify for The Prestigious Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls. The first place winner in sections U8, U10, U12, U14, U16/18 will qualify for the World Youth Chess Championship 2015 in Porto Carras, Greece. Triple Crown Winners (main event, blitz, and puzzle solving) will receive $1,000 scholarship to help defray expenses to the 2015 World Youth (if participating*)
* After flight ticket has been purchased, a $1,000 reimbursement check will be sent to the winners.
Team Rules: Minimum 2 players in same section from same school or feeder school (if feeder school parent / coach must provide proof). Top 3 (or 4?) scores count if more than 2 players on a team. A single school with many players cannot create additional teams in the same section. 1 team per section per school.
SIDE EVENTS:
2/27/15 – 6:30 pm Q & A and 25 board Simul against GM Susan Polgar
2/28/15 -- 5-5:30 pm Puzzle Competition (one section). Top 10 will get trophies
– 5:45pm Blitz Tournament (one section). Top 10 will get trophies
HOTEL: Sofitel San Francisco Bay * Special Room Rate for this tournament $129
Call (650) 598-9000 for reservations 223 Twin Dolphin Dr, Redwood City
REGISTRATION FEES:
Main Event – ONLY $45 if registered by 12/10
$60 if registered by 2/1
$80 after 2/1
Polgar Simul - $25 if registered by 12/10/14
$40 if registered by 2/1
$50 after 2/1
Puzzle Competition - $10 if registered by 12/10/14
$15 if registered by 2/1
$20 after 2/1
Blitz Tournament - $10 if registered by 12/10/14
$15 if registered by 2/1
$20 after 2/1
Event Application
Please click on the links to register for each event
Main Event * We do have a sibling discount for multiple children participating in this event, however, we are unable to process automatically process the discount at this time. Please go here to pay online with the sibling discount included
Susan Polgar 25 Board Simul and Q & A Session
2/27/15 – 6:30 pm Q & A and 25 board Simul against GM Susan Polgar
Puzzle Competition
2/28/15 -- 5-5:30 pm Puzzle Competition (one section). Top 10 will get trophies
Blitz Tournament
2/28/15 – 5:45pm Blitz Tournament (one section). Top 10 players will get trophies
Commemorative T-Shirt
If you would rather print out the application, click here. You can mail the application and check to:
The TCAMA
16691 Colonial Trail
Lathrop, CA 95330
The prestigious annual Susan Polgar National Open Championship was created in 2006 and is sponsored by the Susan Polgar Foundation to give more opportunities to young chess players in the United States. The SPNOGB is an official qualifying event for the: The Prestigious Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls, and the FIDE World Youth Chess Championship 2015 in Porto Carras, Greece.
WHEN: 2/28 & 3/1/2015
WHERE: SAN MATEO EVENT CENTER – Free Parking
1346 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo, CA 94403
MAIN EVENT SECTIONS:
U8, U10, U12, U14, U16/18* in separate sections for Girls and Boys
Age Cut-Offs
To qualify for an age section the player cannot have reached the age of that section before January 1, 2015.
Example - to qualify for the U14 section the player cannot have reached 14 years of age before January 1, 2015, in other words he/she must be born in 2001 or later.
To qualify for the World Youth places your federation under FIDE must reflect USA otherwise the qualifier spot will go to the next player in line.1st place in each age category will be a wild card representative for the SPICE World Youth Team.
ROUND TIMES: All sections will be G/60 – All players MUST be current USCF Members
2/28/15 * Round 1 @ 9am * Round 2 @ 12:15pm * Round 3 @ 3:30pm
3/1/15 * Round 4 @ 9am * Round 5 @ 12:15pm * Round 6 @ 3:30pm
AWARDS: 3/1/15 @ 6:45pm
Over $100,000 are awarded in prizes, which include trophies, computers, chess prizes and scholarships. Trophies go to the top 20 players and top 3 teams in all sections. All other participants will get medals. Trophies will also be awarded to the top players rated under 800 in the U8 sections, the top players rated under 1000 in the U10 sections, the top players rated under 1200 in the U12 sections. the top players rated under 1400 in the U14 sections, the top players rated under 1600 in the U16 sections, and the top players rated under 1800 in the U18 sections.
The first place winner in the girls sections will qualify for The Prestigious Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls. The first place winner in sections U8, U10, U12, U14, U16/18 will qualify for the World Youth Chess Championship 2015 in Porto Carras, Greece. Triple Crown Winners (main event, blitz, and puzzle solving) will receive $1,000 scholarship to help defray expenses to the 2015 World Youth (if participating*)
* After flight ticket has been purchased, a $1,000 reimbursement check will be sent to the winners.
Team Rules: Minimum 2 players in same section from same school or feeder school (if feeder school parent / coach must provide proof). Top 3 (or 4?) scores count if more than 2 players on a team. A single school with many players cannot create additional teams in the same section. 1 team per section per school.
SIDE EVENTS:
2/27/15 – 6:30 pm Q & A and 25 board Simul against GM Susan Polgar
2/28/15 -- 5-5:30 pm Puzzle Competition (one section). Top 10 will get trophies
– 5:45pm Blitz Tournament (one section). Top 10 will get trophies
HOTEL: Sofitel San Francisco Bay * Special Room Rate for this tournament $129
Call (650) 598-9000 for reservations 223 Twin Dolphin Dr, Redwood City
REGISTRATION FEES:
Main Event – ONLY $45 if registered by 12/10
$60 if registered by 2/1
$80 after 2/1
Polgar Simul - $25 if registered by 12/10/14
$40 if registered by 2/1
$50 after 2/1
Puzzle Competition - $10 if registered by 12/10/14
$15 if registered by 2/1
$20 after 2/1
Blitz Tournament - $10 if registered by 12/10/14
$15 if registered by 2/1
$20 after 2/1
Event Application
Please click on the links to register for each event
Main Event * We do have a sibling discount for multiple children participating in this event, however, we are unable to process automatically process the discount at this time. Please go here to pay online with the sibling discount included
Susan Polgar 25 Board Simul and Q & A Session
2/27/15 – 6:30 pm Q & A and 25 board Simul against GM Susan Polgar
Puzzle Competition
2/28/15 -- 5-5:30 pm Puzzle Competition (one section). Top 10 will get trophies
Blitz Tournament
2/28/15 – 5:45pm Blitz Tournament (one section). Top 10 players will get trophies
Commemorative T-Shirt
If you would rather print out the application, click here. You can mail the application and check to:
The TCAMA
16691 Colonial Trail
Lathrop, CA 95330
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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It was evident that Carlsen and his team had prepared well
World Chess Championship: Magnus Carlsen Draws Game 8 vs Viswanathan Anand, Retains One-Point LeadViswanathan Anand, playing white pieces, drew game 8 of the World Chess Championship against Magnus Carlsen of Norway on Tuesday. Carlsen continued to lead by one point.
Reported by: Indo-Asian News Service
Last updated on Tuesday, 18 November, 2014 22:08 IST
Sochi: Belying expectations of chess fans across the world for a positive result, Norwegian world chess champion Magnus Carlsen and title challenger Viswanathan Anand on Tuesday decided to split points in 41 moves in the eighth round of their title match at Sochi in Russia. (Highlights | Full Coverage)
It was a very good preparation by Carlsen and his team, who introduced a new idea and the game quickly fizzled out into a dull position which Carlsen held very easily," World No.7 and Grandmaster Anish Giri summed up.
Playing white, Anand opened the game pushing his queen pawn two squares. The game progressed to what is technically called Queen's Gambit Declined.
Making his moves pretty fast, Carlsen made it clear that he was well prepared in this line.
"Carlsen played one of the rare lines in the main line with the move Re8 on his 9th move," World No.23 and Indian Grandmaster P. Harikrishna told IANS.
It was evident that Carlsen and his team had prepared well as the champion was playing fast even till the 25th move, Harikrishna said.
When Anand realised that he walked into Magnus' home preparation, he took his time and got a decent position. But it was just not enough to convert," Susan Polgar, a four-time women's World chess champion, told IANS.
...To a query whether Anand should have tried hard, Polgar said: "He knows himself best. He knows his body better than anyone else. But if I was white, I would have pushed on, even with just 0.01 percent chance. White's position was slightly better and black has to aim for draw. It was a no risk push and it could give Magnus a psychological message. But Anand has to do what is best for him, not the fans."
At the end of this round, Carlsen leads the 12-round match with 4.5 points to Anand's 3.5 points.
The match would resume Thursday after a day of rest.
Full article here: http://sports.ndtv.com
Reported by: Indo-Asian News Service
Last updated on Tuesday, 18 November, 2014 22:08 IST
Sochi: Belying expectations of chess fans across the world for a positive result, Norwegian world chess champion Magnus Carlsen and title challenger Viswanathan Anand on Tuesday decided to split points in 41 moves in the eighth round of their title match at Sochi in Russia. (Highlights | Full Coverage)
It was a very good preparation by Carlsen and his team, who introduced a new idea and the game quickly fizzled out into a dull position which Carlsen held very easily," World No.7 and Grandmaster Anish Giri summed up.
Playing white, Anand opened the game pushing his queen pawn two squares. The game progressed to what is technically called Queen's Gambit Declined.
Making his moves pretty fast, Carlsen made it clear that he was well prepared in this line.
"Carlsen played one of the rare lines in the main line with the move Re8 on his 9th move," World No.23 and Indian Grandmaster P. Harikrishna told IANS.
It was evident that Carlsen and his team had prepared well as the champion was playing fast even till the 25th move, Harikrishna said.
When Anand realised that he walked into Magnus' home preparation, he took his time and got a decent position. But it was just not enough to convert," Susan Polgar, a four-time women's World chess champion, told IANS.
...To a query whether Anand should have tried hard, Polgar said: "He knows himself best. He knows his body better than anyone else. But if I was white, I would have pushed on, even with just 0.01 percent chance. White's position was slightly better and black has to aim for draw. It was a no risk push and it could give Magnus a psychological message. But Anand has to do what is best for him, not the fans."
At the end of this round, Carlsen leads the 12-round match with 4.5 points to Anand's 3.5 points.
The match would resume Thursday after a day of rest.
Full article here: http://sports.ndtv.com
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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Kostya on Norm #1 - The road to IM title
Kostya on Norm #1: Staying Present
By Kostya Kavutskiy
November 18, 2014
"The first norm is always the hardest." - If I had to count the number of titled players who've said this to me over the past few years, I'd run out of fingers. Fortunately, I recently earned my first IM-norm at the 2014 Spice Cup Open (October 21-26), organized by Susan Polgar and Paul Truong, who run the wildly successful SPICE program at Webster University.
I hope the above sentiment turns out to be true as I've been chasing this first norm for a couple of years now. There were a few close calls, but the closest was the 2013 Spice Cup, where I posted a performance above 2450 yet missed the foreign player requirement by exactly one. Honestly, I had completely forgotten about last year's "tragedy", gripped by the notion that if I should continue to play at IM-level, the norms would come eventually.
Moreover, my unabashed goal is to become a Grandmaster, meaning short-term results aren't as important to me as the long-term process itself - learning from mistakes, expanding my knowledge, and working to reach my full potential. Nevertheless, I was thrilled and relieved to finally get this first norm, a stubborn road block. The praise I received from both chess playing friends and non-chess playing friends was lovely as well, so I'm grateful for that.
Ironically, after writing the well-received piece "Breaking 2366", which was about breaking out of my first chess slump (and earned #3 in that year's Best of CLO honors), I fell into yet another chess slump!! This one was different - previously my issue was failing to realize that improvement would become exponentially more difficult as I got better and faced stiffer competition. This time (meaning the last few years), my play became inconsistent, to put it mildly. My level of play in any given tournament ranged from 2000-2500, often starting strong and finishing poorly. I'd blown a lot of games with silly blunders, and rating points gained in one tournament were lost in the next.
My performance at the Spice Cup seems like a fairly peachy sign for the future. I'd describe my play as solid, but unspectacular -- My final score was 5/9, good for a performance of 2474. Here are two wins that contributed to my result. I didn't have to do anything special to win either, it was rather a case of my opponents not playing their best:
The organization at the Spice Cup was fantastic, and I would strongly recommend the tournament for any norm-seekers out there. Susan and Paul put in a lot of effort to run the event.
Full article here: http://www.uschess.org
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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BCC PRESENTS: THE GREG HAGER MEMORIAL // SATURDAY / NOVEMBER 22 2014 // 60/SD // PRIZE MONEY // CONNECT: PAST / PRESENT / FUTURE //
BOYLSTON CHESS CLUB PRESENTS
THE GREG HAGER MEMORIAL
SATURDAY: NOVEMBER 22, 2014
GREG HAGER 1949-2007
Greg Hager, BCC August 23, 1995
YWCA, Boston
A man of kindness and dignity
GREG HAGER MEMORIAL: 2013
WINNERS!
OPEN SECTION
FM Chris Chase, (right) 3.5 points,
sharing 1-2nd place with NM Farzad Abdi.
NM Farzad Abdi (left) 3.5 points,
sharing 1-2nd place with FM Chris Chase.
U1950/U1650 SECTION
Terrence Fricker (left) scored 3 points to share
1-3 with Ames Abbot and David Martin
Ames Abbot (left) scored 3 points to share
1-3rd with Terrence Fricker and David Martin.
David Martin (left) scored 3 points to share
1-3rd with Terrence Fricker and Ames Abbot
32 PEOPLE PLAYED IN THE HAGER MEMORIAL 2013
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BOYLSTON CHESS CLUB: A PLACE OF MEMORIES
32 PEOPLE PLAYED IN THE HAGER MEMORIAL 2013
COME ON OVER: BE A PART OF CHESS HISTORY
CHESS FOR THE KIDS
BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY
GREG HAGER
1949-2007
THE FUTURE OF CHESS
IS IN YOUR HANDS
BOYLSTON CHESS CLUB
PREMIER EVENT
PRIZE MONEY AVAILABLE
PS
CHECK OUT THE PROMO BELOW!
FOR FREE TOURNAMENT!
CHECK OUT THE PROMO BELOW!
FOR FREE TOURNAMENT!
BCC@Google
Rapid Quads 11/19
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Questions from parents and coaches
Questions from parents and coaches
Susan Polgar
1. My son started learning chess about 6 months ago. He is still a novice player. What is the best way for him to improve at chess? (Mary from Atlanta, Ga.)
This is a very good question. One of the most important things to learn is middlegame tactics. Basic endgame is also very important. They are part of the foundation of chess.
What you can do is start with basic middlegame tactics such as: Checkmate in one, fork, pin, skewer, discovery, etc. Slowly increase the level of difficulties from one move to two moves, then three and so on.
In addition, what I recommend is to record the time it takes your son to solve each puzzle. Go back to the same puzzles 2-3 months later and see if he would be able to successfully solve the same puzzles faster than the first time. If he does, it shows that he is able to recognize the important positions and patterns.
The same thing can be done with endgames. Start with checkmate with King and Queen versus King, King and Rook versus King, King and two Rooks versus King, King and two Bishops versus King, etc. Be patient, work on one thing at the time. Don't expect him to be able to solve everything the first time. Make it fun and exciting. Reward him for job well done and give him the encouragement he needs if he makes mistakes. Good luck!
2. Is it good to allow young players to play a lot of Blitz? (Bill from Red Banks, N.J.)
Yes and no. Blitz is good but only with moderation. There are pluses and minuses when it comes to Blitz.
Some of the good things are they get to play more games and gain more experience. It also helps them to think and react quicker. Some of the bad things are they may follow the same bad habits in Blitz in regular games.
My recommendation is to keep blitz at around 25-30% of their chess activities.
3. What is the best age to teach children chess? (Jill from Chicago, Ill.)
This is a very commonly asked question. In my opinion, the best age is anywhere between 4-6 years old, depending on the child. Some kids are more mature faster and can start at 4. Some would be better off at 5 or 6. My children started to learn the rules of chess before they were 5. However, they were not really into chess until many months later.
No matter if it is 4, 5 or 6 years old, you have to make it fun, exciting and motivating for the children. That's the most important thing. If they do not enjoy it, they will not stay with chess.
4. My son is 7 years old. He is rated about 1,000. What is a good opening for him to learn? (Joaquin from Miami, Fla.)
I am not a big fan of spending too much time teaching openings to beginners and novices. In my opinion, one should not spend so much time learning openings until at least 1800 and above. I always try to focus more in middlegames and endgames. I would recommend choosing openings that do not require so much time memorizing the lines and new theories. Therefore, something like the King's Indian Attack or the Colle may be ideal.
5. Do you recommend Internet play? Which is a good Internet chess server? (Mike from Salt Lake City, Utah)
I do. I think the Internet can be very helpful. However, parents do need to make sure to monitor the environment. There are many good servers out there. Each has pluses and minuses. It comes down to personal preference.
Some of the well known servers include: SimpleChess (www.SimpleChess.com), ICC (www.ChessClub.com), Play Chess (www.PlayChess.com), Chess (www.Chess.com), etc.
6. I have two chess playing children at home. My wife and I do not play chess very well. Can chess software help my children? (Vinay from Toronto, Canada)
Absolutely! This is a great thing about chess in the 21st century. There are many chess software out there that can play 2600-3100 level. It is like having a grandmaster at home 24/7.
However, there are things you should be aware of. Chess programs do not understand certain chess position very well even though they are nearly flawless in tactics and combinations. Therefore, you may want to find a local, qualified coach when your children reach a certain level in chess.
7. Which chess software do you recommend? Stockfish, Komodo, or Houdini? (B. Castilla from Tampa, Fla.)
To be honest, you can hardly find the difference between them, especially for amateur or hobby chess players. They are all very strong. I think it is just a matter of preference. Chessmaster is just a small notch lower in strength but it compensates with cooler graphics. The strongest would be Houdini, Stockfish, and Komodo. Any of them can be great playing partners.
8. Can you recommend good books on chess tactics? (Anonymous from Brooklyn, N.Y.)
It actually depends on the level of the players. For beginners, I recommend World Champion's Guide to Chess. It has all the most important tactical motifs. The next one up would be Chess Tactics for Champions. I wrote both of these books based on my personal learning and teaching experience of over 30 years. They are also very affordable at only $17.95 each.
9. Should I enter my 6 year old daughter in an all-girls chess tournament? (Judith from Sacramento, Calif.)
Sure. If your daughter is not intimidated playing against boys her age or a little older, let her play in both: mixed tournaments and all-girls. If she has a confidence problem, start her out in all-girls event so she can feel more comfortable with the environment.
10. How do I start a scholastic chess club in my area? (Javier from N.M.)
This is a very good question. You can contact your school to see if you can have an after-school scholastic chess club. This is what many parents have done. It can be done at the cafeteria or library after school. Some parents started a scholastic chess club at a local café, restaurant or book store. If you need further help, you can send me a private email. I may be able to give you a hand with more ideas.
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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Anand: “I didn't get much from this one, but there are still two games with white pieces.”
The Eighth Game of the World Championship Match Ended in a Draw. Magnus Carlsen Leads 4.5-3.5
The eighth game of the World Chess Championship match between Magnus Carlsen (Norway) and Viswanathan Anand (India) was played on November 18th in the Main Media Center in Sochi. The former champion had White.
So far the players demonstrate exceptional devotion to their first move – Magnus Carlsen begins all his games with the king's pawn advance, while Vishy Anand prefers to push the queen's pawn. This time the Norwegian grandmaster responded by the Queen's Gambit, but on the move 6 deviated from the variation that occurred in the third game. In that game Carlsen failed to solve his opening problems, and Anand eventually won.
The line played by Magnus is considered quite risky and did not occur at the highest level for a while. However, the World Champion prepared a strong novelty that will probably lead to a re-evaluation of the whole variation. Anand consumed a lot of time in the opening, but did not find obvious flaws in Black's setup, and rejected the most ambitious plan connected with castling long. In the subsequent game he also went for the safest options without creating too much trouble for his opponent. Naturally, Anand took for granted that his opponent carefully analyzed everything at home. During the early phase of the game Carlsen almost did not think on his moves. For most of the game White had an hour less on the clocks than Black.
Following mass exchanges, a minor piece opening with a symbolic advantage to White arose. Magnus Carlsen demonstrated a certain degree of accuracy, and a draw was agreed on the move 41.
Vishy Anand: “I didn't get much from this one, but there are still two games with white pieces.”
According to Magnus Carlsen, he was not in the best physical shape early in the game, but got some energy later. Answering about the doping test (that takes place today), the World Champion was sarcastic: “Doping control is always a nice surprise.”
The score of Carlsen-Anand is now 4.5-3.5 in the champion's favor. Tomorrow, November 19th, is a rest day. The ninth game is played on Thursday, November 20th, at 15:00 local time. Magnus Carlsen has White.
Admission is free of charge. The official website of the championship www.sochi2014.fide.com broadcasts live grandmaster commentary in Russian and English.
The World Chess Championship match consists of 12 games with a classical time control: 120 minutes for 40 moves, then 60 minutes for 20 moves, and then 15 minutes plus 30 second per move until the end of the game. If the match is tied, a tie-break will be played on November 27th.
The 2014 Chess Championship match between incumbent champion Magnus Carlsen and challenger Vishy Anand will take place between November 7 and 28 in Sochi, Russia. The World Chess Championship is the most followed event in the world of chess. There are about 600 million chess players all over the world, with such well-known enthusiasts as Sergey Brin, George Soros, Bill Gates and Mikhail Gorbachev.
Tickets for the match can be booked at sochi2014.fide.com.
For more information:
Masha Kunica
Media, World Chess Championship
media@agonlimited.com
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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Win Probabilities After Game 5
Another draw after Game 5 and we are still tied when nearing half way through the match. Carlsen is
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