Here's another cool opening video. This one is on the Danish. Black's Queen sac was memorable when I first saw it and it sticks with me to this day.
http://www.jacklemoine.com/2010/01/danish-gambit.html
Friday, January 22, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Chess Blogging: Why So Little?
The Georgia Society of CPA's launched a blog last week and I contributed a few posts to help them get started. This one was about blogging versus chatting and I used the USCF's activities as an example of the behavior. As you can see, while USCF politics was discussed therein, it really wasn't about that. Rather, I addressed this question: why is it so hard for people to blog?
I think that this is especially of interest to the chess community. Chess in the US needs all the promotion that it can get.
Here's the link to the CPA Society's post: GSCPA
And don't forget about the Chess Blog Carnival coming up at the end of this month. (Plug!)
Footnote: While I did not mention names in that post, the chess community will recognize the references to Brian Lafferty and Brian Mottershead. Not important to the point of my posting, just FYI here in this forum.
I think that this is especially of interest to the chess community. Chess in the US needs all the promotion that it can get.
Here's the link to the CPA Society's post: GSCPA
And don't forget about the Chess Blog Carnival coming up at the end of this month. (Plug!)
Footnote: While I did not mention names in that post, the chess community will recognize the references to Brian Lafferty and Brian Mottershead. Not important to the point of my posting, just FYI here in this forum.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
The English Opening
- Here we go again. . .
Get ready to play in a chess tournament this weekend.
Here's a little video to help you get your engine started. (-or to just learn a little more about the game.)
http://www.jacklemoine.com/2010/01/english-opening.html
(sorry, I couldn't get the window to fit onto the column width, so I just left a link.)
The English (1.c4) is another flexible opening. This means that an immense number of variations occur quickly. This video covers the 1. ... e5 response with an early ... Bb4. Be leery of the claims of "book move" and so on as there are so many other good choices for both Black and White.
Notice that after White occupies c4, d4, and e4 with his pawns, Black can capture e5 x d4 and when White's Queen responds Q x d4, Black can develop his Knight to c6 and gain time. While his center pawn has to lay back at d6, White's trio of pawns is busted up and Black has the e file to attack down after castling. So, things aren't as cut and dried as the pundit makes it look.
Chess events in your area . . . and visit jrobi who created these wonderful videos.
Get ready to play in a chess tournament this weekend.
Here's a little video to help you get your engine started. (-or to just learn a little more about the game.)
http://www.jacklemoine.com/2010/01/english-opening.html
(sorry, I couldn't get the window to fit onto the column width, so I just left a link.)
The English (1.c4) is another flexible opening. This means that an immense number of variations occur quickly. This video covers the 1. ... e5 response with an early ... Bb4. Be leery of the claims of "book move" and so on as there are so many other good choices for both Black and White.
Notice that after White occupies c4, d4, and e4 with his pawns, Black can capture e5 x d4 and when White's Queen responds Q x d4, Black can develop his Knight to c6 and gain time. While his center pawn has to lay back at d6, White's trio of pawns is busted up and Black has the e file to attack down after castling. So, things aren't as cut and dried as the pundit makes it look.
Chess events in your area . . . and visit jrobi who created these wonderful videos.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Najdorf Sicilian
Get ready to play in a chess tournament this weekend.
Here's a little video to help you get your engine started. (-or to just learn a little more about the game.)
I notice that this blog's column width isn't large enough to accommodate the YouTube video - that pesky Google ad which can be turned off, only the button is to the right of the column's cutoff pixel.
Here's a link to Jack Le Moine's Blog where you can watch it, together with a few remarks of my own.
Here's a little video to help you get your engine started. (-or to just learn a little more about the game.)
I notice that this blog's column width isn't large enough to accommodate the YouTube video - that pesky Google ad which can be turned off, only the button is to the right of the column's cutoff pixel.
Here's a link to Jack Le Moine's Blog where you can watch it, together with a few remarks of my own.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
2010 Chess Blog Carnival
A new year is upon us. Even if it is not regular, an occasional carnival showcasing the chess blogging talent out there is a good thing.Here's the chess carnival's page. It also lists past chess carnivals. If you blog on chess, then showcase your work in the carnival. It will publish on 2/1/10.
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On a related topic:
If you blog on other subjects, then check out the many blog carnivals out there. These carnivals cover a broad range of areas of interest. Blog Carnivals have become one of the many resources for bloggers to promote their work and for the public to search for quality blogs.
I began the Chess Blog Carnival 2 years ago when I discovered that there was none for chess.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Is Settlement on the Horizon?
USCF's attorneys in the Texas case have filed a paper with the court curiously entitled NOTICE TO THE COURT OF TENTATIVE, POSSIBLE, PARTIAL SETTLEMENT. (I am not sure guys, but could you put a few more qualifiers in that title?) The settlement would resolve all claims in the TX, CA, and IL actions except USCF v. Gregory Alexander (formerly in CA, but transfered to Texas) and Polgar v. Sloan (in Texas). The settlement would not have any effect on the Alexander criminal case. The document does not discuss terms.
For information about settlement, we need to turn to a bizarre filing by Sam Sloan. While Sloan's filing itself is hardly a reliable source of information, the emails between Sloan and the mediators indicate that the parties are agreeing to a mutual dismissal of the claims, without payment by either party. An email to Sloan from the mediators states:
Sam, in his inimitable fashion, has reacted to a proposed settlement by throwing a public snit fit. A less charitable mind than mine might form the opinion that Sam was trying to cause trouble in the hopes that one side or the other would pay him money to shut up and go away.
As to the settlement terms, as far as known, do not seem unreasonable under the circumstances. USCF has claims against Polgar which, if reduced to a judgment would be, at a minimum, very difficult to collect. Polgar's claims are flimsy and unlikely to prevail. Of course, the precise details of the settlement are unknown at this point.
There has been some speculation about possible settlement terms that do not strike me as reasonable. Sloan has claimed that Polgar and Truong would be restored to the board. Not bloody likely. First of all, I don't think the EB has the power to do that. Secondly, from USCF's point of view, the entire goal has been to eliminate potential liabilities arising from the FSS affair. Restoring Polgar and Truong to the Board would completely frustrate that goal. I just don't see any reasonable scenario where that could fly.
Some have made a claim about our FIDE affiliation. I don't see that as being realistically involved. Our FIDE affiliation is not ours to give. FIDE's affiliation belongs to FIDE, and FIDE can give it to whoever it wants to.
In all, it would prove to be a tragic waste of time, money, opportunity and potential, but, at least, it would all be over.
For information about settlement, we need to turn to a bizarre filing by Sam Sloan. While Sloan's filing itself is hardly a reliable source of information, the emails between Sloan and the mediators indicate that the parties are agreeing to a mutual dismissal of the claims, without payment by either party. An email to Sloan from the mediators states:
You'll be surprised, and hopefully pleased, to know that the USCF & Susan Polgar have agreed to settle all of the current cases. Basically, both sides agreed to walk away & provide mutual releases back and forth.
Sam, in his inimitable fashion, has reacted to a proposed settlement by throwing a public snit fit. A less charitable mind than mine might form the opinion that Sam was trying to cause trouble in the hopes that one side or the other would pay him money to shut up and go away.
As to the settlement terms, as far as known, do not seem unreasonable under the circumstances. USCF has claims against Polgar which, if reduced to a judgment would be, at a minimum, very difficult to collect. Polgar's claims are flimsy and unlikely to prevail. Of course, the precise details of the settlement are unknown at this point.
There has been some speculation about possible settlement terms that do not strike me as reasonable. Sloan has claimed that Polgar and Truong would be restored to the board. Not bloody likely. First of all, I don't think the EB has the power to do that. Secondly, from USCF's point of view, the entire goal has been to eliminate potential liabilities arising from the FSS affair. Restoring Polgar and Truong to the Board would completely frustrate that goal. I just don't see any reasonable scenario where that could fly.
Some have made a claim about our FIDE affiliation. I don't see that as being realistically involved. Our FIDE affiliation is not ours to give. FIDE's affiliation belongs to FIDE, and FIDE can give it to whoever it wants to.
In all, it would prove to be a tragic waste of time, money, opportunity and potential, but, at least, it would all be over.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The Reti Opening
Get ready to play in a chess tournament this weekend.
Here's a little video to help you get your engine started. (-or to just learn a little more about the game.)
Flexible, versatile - okay, got it. B to g2. Got that, too. And possible c-4 for White. Too, bad he didn't show Reti's very odd looking Na3 and the long term plans that result from that.
This is the opening I used for both White and Black when I started tournament play years ago. It is still good. With this kind of opening set up, it is very hard for superior players to wipe you out in the first few moves. - Though I've seen beginners try it but forget to castle and get wiped out, anyway. Be sure to castle and also watch out for those rook pawn advances.
Chess events in your area . . . and visit jrobi who created these wonderful videos.
www.jacklemoine.com/
Here's a little video to help you get your engine started. (-or to just learn a little more about the game.)
Flexible, versatile - okay, got it. B to g2. Got that, too. And possible c-4 for White. Too, bad he didn't show Reti's very odd looking Na3 and the long term plans that result from that.
This is the opening I used for both White and Black when I started tournament play years ago. It is still good. With this kind of opening set up, it is very hard for superior players to wipe you out in the first few moves. - Though I've seen beginners try it but forget to castle and get wiped out, anyway. Be sure to castle and also watch out for those rook pawn advances.
Chess events in your area . . . and visit jrobi who created these wonderful videos.
www.jacklemoine.com/
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