GM Shabalov repeats as U.S. Open champion | GM Soltis on GM chatter
SO’s SINQUEFIELD SEQUEL GM Wesley So goes from worst to first at the 2016 Sinquefield Cup
November 2016 | USChess.org /$#'!",, (+%0%3+, +#'(0+",,/+'(!'#.(' $'(&/&-("!##)*&/('&0(&-(''&%%*) &( 2&/)<&+)!%* !# $ +&' +((-' EGD( *=BDJ8JG +-"0+1'02-+#'! 256 pages – $24.95 ; )''+&0)!+*/)2&+)+!&!& $26*')!& + ''#!* ; !/*2'.+ /)2($*&+$!& '$)&!& &0+ !& * )$"'28< 0!+ '.+*(&!& +''%. ')+4< !(" - 4& -(&' 3!% , 0#(4-* &(&6 ))&(!7 ;$$= '*&1%($*&$)1($&,'&*)()*&+ ; +!*/)2%.*!& $20)!-&&!+0!$$*!$2!%()'/ + )'. '.++ ''#8< 2'.) **8< %*(%+&%#)*( & %&%#)&% !(" - 4& -(&' 3!%
"(2+( 2', "#!(($( (+%",,"&*#(',"#*, Chess Structures Fundamentals for Post-Beginners =>!*#! *)9(&$*!%!*3*&(#)% )+! #$% CJD( *>BCJ8JG '+"0%4 352 pages – $24.95 ; (+)&*+ *+).+.)*61($!&*+ +2(!$ $!/+ % !'($&6$# !&6'+/!&&!#6$6 )+)!*,*&* '0*+ ($&*')'+ !+&$#8< )('/6*()'/6'2 !* )&+ '+ )*4 ((2 "4 $ 3!% ; $!#+ *$,'&'+ %*&+ 1($&,'&* ; ))$'+*'/$.$+)!&!& $**'&*6!&(),.$)!& )*2+'.&)*+&8.++ *+()+!* '0+ *+')2 )*0 ) **& !&*')&' $(8< !*+'$6'%($+0!+ !*+')!$# )'.&*&$'+*' (#!*34 3!%>= &'+*8<9 ()*%.##(
3 #+,-",,*'#'!*+-(#+ (+"#- "43'5,##%#' 28*&8 &" &($!+&-) !%%() ,"%-('(!) !*0!* * )$%8#(!+&% #''-(+- CIH( *>BDC8JG %+#+('4'#$6-1 ##', 208 pages – $22.95 ;!%($*2*+%*') !+'.+0 ! + .+ ')1($!&* .)()!*!& 6 )**!/&*2+'$)&7)+ &')%$ %&2!*6*+).+.)*&+2(!$%&'./)*8< %'/*C8FGD8EHE8F1FF81F$#$* *'.+ #&(!% &)41-0%*($)*($ 0!+ F888G48 $')($2)*0 ''&:+ /%. ,% ;)$,/$2*2+'$)&2+)*'&$2* )(*+'$!&* +'*+.2+ ')2?'))&'++'''&' )0')#@8 0 ! '.$)+!&$2,/+$.$/$8< ;/)2 ''''#0 ! ')*)$,/$2*!%($!!$!& %() 4 3!%: ; *2*+%8<> !(" - 4& -(&'
#,$6%0 #'",, ",,*'#'!*+-(#+ (+%#-4'*# The Art of Taking Calculated Risks ('4-('(!)!% %&(!% !%)&(#"% !* Vladimir Tukmakov 224 pages – $26.95 1!'36%#+1,"'#$(1FCH( *>BDJ8JG )*+.2!& + !*''#62'.0!$$+ !+0!') )()+'!)')$.($2)*+ +!*')!& 6'+ &))'0& 0*,& &'((')+.&!+2+''0 ++ )+*+($2)*'7 (6& )**!/8 $.2'.)02+'/!+')24 ; )!*$'+*'&$2!* $'+*'1($&+')2+1+8< ;!*#A$.!*&+*,<>Jeremy Silman %%!)&%&"(&-))&)4 ))!% ;)'$2+ %'*+)'%%&$%!$ %''# ; 0 '$()'"+!**. $/)!7 2 &:+&2'& '+ 2)8<>(!+) )) 3!% $*+ '. +'+ !*')5<> #%%#(
3'",,-+-!3 (%(!'5,03(*4 (+%$ 1*%<'*!+&% &0*&(!% !%)** '%!) '%!% #"#0 208 pages – '&$2BCD8JG #-(+(%(!' 544 pages – $34.95 ;. ''#'&*+)+ 2 *&'+&0)!-&*!& ;* ')+.++'*.** !&*++ .2'(38< !%3'0!+* 8<> -!%%*) (2%4 ))&/) 3!% ;)*+=)+)0!+ ($&+2'!&*+).,'&$%+)!$8< ; **&,$)!& 8<> %0# +4 3!% %*(%+&%#)*( & %&%#)&% ;&+*,''#6".*+*9'$' &:*$#('&*:0*8 ;$&%)#!& **(.$!* !& 8*)$/&+&.&&2* '%($+)()+'!).$$'*.)()!*!& !*8< !+0*$%'*++0&+22)* '8<9(%#4 ))!) ! ((4 "()5!%& 2016 NATIONAL K-12 GRADE CHAMPIONSHIPS DECEMBER 16-18, 2016
GAYLORD OPRYLAND RESORT & CONFERENCE CENTER, 2800 OPRYLAND DR., NASHVILLE, TN 37214 $148 single/quad
OPENING CEREMONY 7SS, G/90 D5 13 SECTIONS Play only in your grade. December rating Friday: 12:45 pm supplement will be used. Team Score = total of top three (minimum two) finishers from each school per grade. First place individual and team, ROUNDS including ties, will be national champion for their grade. Friday: 1 pm, 6 pm AWARDS Trophies to top individuals & top teams in each grade. Every Saturday: 10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm participant receives a commemorative item! Full list of trophies on Sunday: 9 am, 1 pm tournament info page. AWARD CEREMONIES BLITZ Trophies in K-6 and K-12 sections. Full list of trophies on Sunday: 4:30 pm (K-1) approx. tournament info page. & 5 pm approx. BUGHOUSE Top five teams. SPECIAL ROUND TIMES FOR K-1 SECTIONS Friday: 1:30 pm, 5:30 pm SIDE EVENTS Saturday: 9:30 am, 1:30 & 5:30 pm Sunday: 9:30 am, 1:30 pm BUGHOUSE Thursday: 11 am Reg. onsite only Thurs. 9-10 am. $25/team.
ON-SITE REGISTRATIONO BLITZ Thursday: 5 pm Reg. onsite until 4 pm. Entry in advance $15 12/15: 9 am-9:00 pm by 11/23, $20 after or at site. Register at https://secure2.uschess.org/ 12/16: 8 am-11:00 am webstore/tournament.php
Players register or change sections late (after 11 am Friday) will not be paired for round 1, will receive a half-point bye, and will begin play with round 2. Team Rooms are limited! Contact Susan Kantor 931-787-1234 ext. 136 or by e-mail: [email protected]
NAME ______USCF ID #______RATING ______
ADDRESS ______CITY______STATE ______ZIP______
E-MAIL ADDRESS______REGISTRATION INFORMATION: US Chess membership is required and must be SCHOOL ______GRADE ______current. You may pay US Chess membership with your entry. Adult: Please check our website BYE REQUESTED: Rd. 1 2 3 4 5 6 1/2 -pt bye available if requested in advance (except rd. 7) (uschess.org) for Adult and Young Adult options. USCF MEMBERSHIP DUES: Please go to www.uschess.org for appropriate membership category and rates. Advance entries must include player’s name ENTRY FEES: $50/participant postmarked by 11/21, $70/participant postmarked by 12/5, $85 after 12/15 or $90 on site. and all fees to be accepted. Roster changes are considered new entries and will be charged (Add $5 for all phone registrations.) Blitz entry: $15 until 12/5, $20 after or at site. according to date received. List name, address, phone, section, grade, school (even if no team), AMOUNT ENCLOSED: Entry Fee $ ______Blitz $ ______USCF Dues $ ______TOTAL ENCLOSED $ ______coach’s name, e-mail, birth date, US Chess ID #, USCF expiration (enclose USCF dues if In advance: Make checks payable to: US Chess. On site: Make payments in cash, by money order, or credit card. necessary) and rating. Players must be eligible to play in accordance with US Chess Scholastic MASTERCARD DISCOVER AMEX VISA NUMBER ______Regulations. Please bring clocks. Ent: “K-12 Championship,” c/o US Chess, PO Box 3967, EXPIRATION: ______/______V-CODE (last 3 digits on the signature line) ______Crossville, TN 38557-3967. For more info orto register online: www.uschess.org. Please make all checks payable to US Chess. SIGNATURE: ______Main office: Crossville, TN (931) 787-1234
Advertising inquiries: (931) 787-1234, ext. 123
Tournament Life Announcements (TLAs): All TLAs should be e-mailed to [email protected] or sent to P.O. Box 3967, Crossville, TN 38557-3967
Letters to the editor: Please submit to [email protected]
Receiving Chess Life: To receive Chess Life as a Premium Member, join US Chess or enter a US Chess tournament, go to uschess.org or call 1-800-903-USCF (8723)
Change of address: Please send to [email protected]
Other inquiries: [email protected], (931) 787-1234, fax (931) 787-1200
US CHESS Chess Life EXECUTIVE EDITORIAL STAFF BOARD Chess Life Editor and Director of Publications, Daniel Lucas [email protected] President Senior Digital Editor, Jennifer Shahade Gary Walters [email protected] Walters & Wasylyna LLC Shaker Finance Chess Life Kids Editor, Glenn Petersen PO Box 20554 [email protected] Cleveland, OH 44120 Senior Art Director, Frankie Butler [email protected] [email protected] Editorial Assistant/Copy Editor, Alan Kantor [email protected] Vice-President Randy Bauer Editorial Assistant, Natasha Roberts 10990 NW 115th Avenue [email protected] Granger, IA 50109 Technical Editor, Ron Burnett [email protected] TLA/Advertising, Joan DuBois [email protected]
VP Finance Allen Priest US CHESS STAFF US Chess Membership Rates: 220 West Main Street Executive Director, Jean Hoffman Suite 2200 ext. 189 [email protected] Premium (P) and Regular (R) Louisville, KY 40202 [email protected] Director of Events, Francisco Guadalupe (U.S., CANADA, MEXICO) 713-530-7820 [email protected] Assistant Director of Events, Boyd Reed Type 1 yr 2 yr Secretary 931-787-2244 [email protected] Mike Nietman FIDE Titles and Ratings, Tracey Vibbert 2 Boca Grande Way [email protected] Adult P $49 $95 Madison, WI 53719 FIDE Youth Events, [email protected] Adult R $40 $75 National Education Consultant & Special Projects, Jerry Nash Senior (65+) $40 $75 ext. 137 [email protected] Member at Large Scholastic Associate & Clubs, FIDE Young Adult P (U25)* $35 $65 Anjelina Belakovskaia Susan Kantor 6890 E. Sunrise Dr. Associate and OTB Ratings, [email protected] Young Adult R (U25)* $26 $48 Ste. 120-118 ext. 136 Tucson, AZ 85750 Computer Consultant, Mike Nolan Youth P (U16)* $30 $55 [email protected] [email protected] Youth R (U16)* $22 $40 Director of Administration, Judy Misner ext. 126 [email protected] Scholastic P (U13)* $25 $45 Member at Large Affiliate Relations Associate, Joan DuBois Mike Hoffpauir ext. 123 [email protected] Scholastic R (U13)* $17 $30 US Chess Attn: Mike Hoffpauir Senior Accountant, Debra Robison PO Box 3967 ext. 130 [email protected] Premium membership provides a printed copy of Chess Life Crossville, TN 38557- Membership Services Supervisor, Cheryle Bruce 3967 (monthly) or Chess Life Kids (bimonthly) plus all other benefits ext. 147 [email protected] [email protected] of regular membership. Regular membership provides online- Mailing Lists/Membership Associate, Traci Lee only access to Chess Life and Chess Life Kids. Youth provides ext. 143 [email protected] bimonthly Chess Life, Scholastic bimonthly Chess Life Kids, Member at Large Administrative Assistant, Kathleen Collins others listed above monthly Chess Life. See www.uschess.org Chuck Unruh ext. 131 [email protected] for other membership categories. Dues are not refundable and PO Box 340 Correspondence Chess, Alex Dunne may be changed without notice. *Ages at expiration Collinsville, OK 74021 [email protected] [email protected] Tournament Director Certification, Judy Misner/Jerry Nash [email protected]
2 November 2016 | Chess Life Celebrating 5 Years in Saint Louis
www.uschess.org 3 Chess Life NOVEMBER
COLUMNS
12 LOOKS AT BOOKS / LONDON SYSTEM ++++++++++++++)')'+##('" By John Hartmann
16 CHESS TO ENJOY / ENTERTAINMENT ))%*+(% By GM Andy Soltis
18 BACK TO BASICS / READER ANNOTATIONS ++++++++++++++$*+ !&+)+(&**!('" By GM Lev Alburt 20 COVER STORY / 2016 SINQUEFIELD CUP 46 SOLITAIRE CHESS / INSTRUCTION +++++++++++++++++++ )%+ ('*(*#+ **# ++++++++++++++'*+ )'"+ ( Wesley So goes from worst to first at the Sinquefield Cup By Bruce Pandolfini +++++++++++++++++++BY GM Robert Hess
48 THE PRACTICAL ENDGAME / INSTRUCTION 30 US CHESS NATIONAL EVENTS / U.S. OPEN ++++++++++++++)('"+ "('%&+&$*+#) +++++++++++++++++++ +)&()'+ (&!*+ By GM Daniel Naroditsky +++++++++++++++++++$*+("$#("$&+**#+)+&$*+ +*' +++++++++++++++++++BY Pete Karagianis DEPARTMENTS GM Alexander Shabalov repeats as U.S. Open champion; we also cover the Denker, Barber, and National Girls’ 6 NOVEMBER PREVIEW / Tournament of Champions events. THIS MONTH IN CHESS LIFE AND US CHESS NEWS 42 LOOKS AT BOOKS / THE ROOKIE +++++++++++++++++++$*%%+(%+)&+!**) COUNTERPLAY / READERS RESPOND 8 !+ #* *+))&+ interviews S&*$*'+)%%, author 10 FIRST MOVES / of The Rookie: An Odyssey through Chess (and Life) and a feature CHESS NEWS FROM AROUND THE U.S. writer for The Guardian. The Rookie alternates chapters about Moss’ own chess-playing experiences with chapters of 11 FACES ACROSS THE BOARD / interviews with top chess players and chess history. BY AL LAWRENCE 14 US CHESS AFFAIRS / NEWS FOR OUR MEMBERS Above and below: 10 of the world’s strongest players convened at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis for the 2016 edition of the 52 TOURNAMENT LIFE / NOVEMBER Sinquefield Cup, won this year by GM Wesley So. 71 CLASSIFIEDS / NOVEMBER 71 SOLUTIONS / NOVEMBER 72 MY BEST MOVE / PERSONALITIES THIS MONTH: ALEKSANDR LENDERMAN
ON THE COVER GM Wesley So certainly showed championship mettle in his rebound from last year’s Sinquefield Cup when he scored four losses against one win, finishing at the bottom of the crosstable. This year he finished in clear first; GM Robert Hess writes about the turnaround beginning on page 20. PHOTO BY AUSTIN FULLER, COURTESY OF THE CHESS CLUB AND SCHOLASTIC CENTER OF SAINT LOUIS
4 November 2016 | Chess Life 129 BIG CAATT
888.51.CHESS (512.4377) www.USCFSales.com November Preview / This month in Chess Life and US Chess News
US CHESS NEWS PREVIEW NOVEMBER
CONTRIBUTORS
GM ROBERT HESS (Cover Story) is the coach of the U.S. Women’s Olympiad Team and the 2010 Samford Fellow. A 2015 graduate of Yale University, Hess is the chief operating officer of The Sports Quotient and serves as director of business development for Chess.com.
PETE KARAGIANIS (U.S. Open) is a chess instructor and writer from Bloomington, Illinois. He can be contacted at [email protected] or via his blog nmpetek.blogspot.com.
DR. ALEXEY ROOT, WIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN (Moss Interview) is the author of seven books, including Prepare with Chess THE BIG APPLE Strategy (Mongoose Press, Newton Highlands, Massachusetts, 2016). She The Magnus Carlsen-Sergey Karjakin World teaches college credit courses, available worldwide via UT Dallas eLearning, Championship goes down in New York City from about chess in education. November 11-30, marking the first match of its kind in New York City since Kasparov-Anand in 1995. Look for round-by-round coverage on US Chess, including an early-rounds editor’s notebook from Chess Life Editor Dan Lucas and social media coverage on our Twitter and Facebook @USChess from Digital Editor Jennifer Shahade.
SO MUCH CHESS IN LONDON Wesley So is the big frontrunner as the Grand Chess Tour heads to its final stop of the 2016 season, the London Chess Classic (December 9-18). Follow along as So (top right) is joined in the elite competition with the other members of our “Big Three,” Fabiano Caruana (middle) and Hikaru Nakamura (left).
CRASH COURSE ON MATCH HISTORY In a special edition of our regular articles on the US Chess School, get an inside look into a special New York session from young reporter Vanessa Sun. The camp, featuring a diverse selection of our top junior players, is concurrent with Magnus Carlsen-Sergey Karjakin and will cover historical world championship matches.
THANKS FOR CHESS DECEMBER/JANUARY CHESS LIFES As we report on big Thanksgiving Opens Over the next two months, we’ll be celebrating the incredible successes around the country including the American of our players on the international stage. In our December issue, GM Open in the Los Angeles area and the Jeffery Xiong writes about his gold medal at the World Junior Under-20 National Chess Congress in Philadelphia, championship. In January, FM Mike Klein will cover the story of our share your own experiences on social media. U.S. team’s historic gold medal at the 2016 Olympiad in Baku, Russia.
6 November 2016 | Chess Life
Counterplay / Readers Respond
“I will ... get more girls into chess.” ~IM NAZI PAIKIDZE
GM Naroditsky responds: I want to thank you for the August issue I was reading through the August 2016 issue Thank you for the kind words. I would argue, featuring IM Nazi Paikidze. I began a chess and something is confusing me. It says on the however, that the position after 48. ... Na8 49. Bxd8 club for homeschoolers around Plainview, cover that Nazi Paikidze is an IM. However, is completely winning for White, and the rest is Texas back in May. Of the 25 kids that have in one of her games, it says she is a WGM. simply a matter of bringing up the king (hence GM been participating, there are a couple of very Which one is it? Could you clarify that for me, Dmitry Jakovenko's rapid resignation). As you point talented young ones, including a nine-year- please? out, 45. Be7 Nc6 46. a5 would be winning as well. I old girl named Eowyn Thornhill. When the Lawrence Lepes rejected this continuation due to 46. ... Nc3! 47. a6 September Check with Tech scholastic via e-mail Nb5 when Black does stop both pawns. However, tourna ment put on by Texas Tech Chess was following 48. d8=Q Nxd8 49. Bxd8 White’s bishop an - nounced, I asked Eowyn if she wanted We use titles at the time of the game. At the time moves to b6 and the knight is lost. to go, but she was less than enthusiastic. She of that game, she had not yet achieved the IM title, In sum, you are absolutely correct; 45. Be7 was had not had a good experience at a but held the WGM title. ~Editor objectively stronger. But having seen the forced line tournament when she first started playing after 45. a5, I did not want to risk a miscalculation. back in February because she was one of only two or three girls. Seeing her reluctance, I took her the August issue and told her a little about Nazi’s story and Corrections I enjoyed the August 2016 issue of Chess Life let her have the issue. Later that week, she told as I always do. her parents that she wanted to go to the In our 2016 Annual Report, we I have a question about Problem I in GM tournament. She ended up placing third in the incorrectly only listed Vignesh Naroditsky’s excellent column, “The Practical unrated K-5 division out of 22 kids with three Panchanatham as the 2016 National Endgame.” wins and a draw and led our team of two kids High School Champi on. In fact, to a second place team finish at our first team there was a five-way tie for first event. All she could talk about was how much between Vignesh Panchanatham, fun she had and how she felt like Nazi because Kesav Viswanadha, Andrew Tang, she didn’t know if she should play chess but Justus D. Williams, Kyle Haining, now she loves it. and Bryce Tiglon. If there is an opportunity, please thank Ms. Paikidze for us for sharing her story. Thanks In the June 2016 “Chess to Enjoy,” to her story and your publishing of it, we have in the final game titled “Smothered,” a very excited young girl passionate about chess. we inadvertently had the colors reversed. Kasparov should have been Robert Moore listed as white and Karpov as black. via e-mail In the 2016 Delegates Call, in the WHITE TO PLAY “Womens’ Committee report,” a Send your letters to tourna ment in northern California was He states that 45. a5! Nf6 46. a6! Nxd7 47. [email protected] or post referred to as the California Women’s a7 Nb6 48. Ba5! is better than 45. Ba5?!. I agree, Championship. Because for US Chess on the US Chess Facebook but White still has work to do after 48. … govern - ance purposes California is group or the uschess.org Na8. Wouldn’t 45. Be7! Nc6 (similarly for other divided into northern and southern Issues Forum. Letters are knight moves) 46. a5!, etc. result in promoting California, and so this event should either the a-pawn or the d-pawn? subject to editing for style, be referred to as the Northen California Women’s Cham pionship. length, and content. Imre G. Toth, MD via e-mail
8 November 2016 | Chess Life CHESSBASE 14 Everyone uses ChessBase, from the World Champion to the amateur next door. Start your personal success story with ChessBase 14 and enjoy your chess even more. Available on DVD- ROM or as download. CHESSBASE ACCOUNT: Access the world of ChessBase from wherever you are 24/7!
PLAYCHESS From “A” for analysis to “Z” for zugzwang: THE NEW CHESSBASE 14 PACKAGES* The ultimate chess there are in the new ChessBase 14 program STARTER PACKAGE $215/189,90 € experience a whole heap of improvements which make the entry and analysis of games all the more • ChessBase 14 Program with access to easy, as they do the production of training the Live-Database (8 million games) LIVE DATABASE or practice material. The new function “As- • Big Database 2017 Professional research: sisted Analysis” is an outstanding example: • CBMagazine subscription for half a year 8 million games online as you enter a game, whenever you click on (3 issues) a piece an evaluation is produced for all its • Database-Update-Service through end of 2017 possible target squares and this is highlight- • Six months Premium membership for MY GAMES CLOUD ed on the board in colour. Thus even before playchess and for the ChessBase Accounts Your one-stop you play it you can see whether there is a cloud storage area better move than the one you planned. This MEGA PACKAGE $315/279,90 € not only makes entering moves easy, but it • ChessBase 14 Program with access to also invites you to participate in subtle and FRITZ ONLINE continuous calculation training. the Live-Database (8 million games) Your browser-based • Mega Database 2017 chess engine Also new in ChessBase 14 is the access to • CBMagazine subscription for a full year annotated games in the Live Database. In (6 issues) conjunction with a Premium Account you • Database-Update-Service through end of 2017 VIDEOS can even find complete analysis of many • Full year Premium membership for playchess Private topical games from the elite tournaments. and for the ChessBase Accounts Masterclasses And because the Live Database has become more and more important in the search for comparable games, now as you play through PREMIUM PACKAGE $430/379,90 € OPENINGS a game ChessBase 14 updates the search re- • ChessBase 14 Program with access to Welcome to modern sults automatically on every move. the Live-Database (8 million games) opening preparation • Mega Database 2017 Other improvements: new game notation • CBMagazine subscription for a full year with diagrams and coloured highlighting (6 issues) TRAINING in encapsulated variations, one login for all • Database-Update-Service through end of 2017 Calculate, sacrifice, ChessBase servers (playchess, ChessBase mate Cloud, Let’s Check, ChessBase Accounts), • Full year Premium membership for playchess analysis of a whole game with rapid error and for the ChessBase Accounts search, saving of the search mask, export of • Corr Database 2015 ENGINE CLOUD the diagram list as a Word document pro- • Endgameturbo 4 Top engine on the duces training material in a jiffy, automatic best hardware analysis jobs from correspondence games, UPDATE FROM CHESSBASE 13 simplified production of training questions, TO CHESSBASE 14 $112/99,90 € the search for similar structures now made • ChessBase 14 Program with access to LET‘S CHECK interactive, replacing games in big databases Knowledge is mate: considerably speeded up, improved search the Live-Database (8 million games) 200 million analyses for doubles, easy use of tool to activate • Three months Premium membership for Fritz-Trainer and Engines, and much more. playchess and for the ChessBase Accounts
CB NEWS CHESSBASE GMBH · Osterbekstr. 90a · 22083 Hamburg · Germany The world-renowned E-Mail: [email protected] · www.chessbase.com *Available middle of chess news portal ChessBase Online-Shop: shop.chessbase.com November 2016 First Moves / Chess news from around the U.S. Chess Pets We all deal with stress in different ways. For some players, their pets make all the difference.
By DR. ALEXEY ROOT, WIM PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUBJECTS
10 November 2016 | Chess Life First Moves / Chess news from around the U.S.
elebrated in the first full week of November (this year, November 6-12), National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week recognizes the approximately 3,500 FACES Canimal shelters across the United States which serve six-eight million homeless animals each year. The appreciation week was established by The Humane Society of the United States in 1996. For the week’s 20th anniversary, I asked chess players about their pets. ACROSS Several were from shelters or were rescues. Their pets provide companionship and inspire writing and philanthropy. THE BOARD U.S. Women’s Champion IM Nazi Paikidze adopted her cat Mark from an animal shelter in By AL LAWRENCE Baltimore. Nazi said, “He was only five months old when I adopted him and he had been at the shelter for a couple of weeks already. Due to over capacity and a lot of sick animals around the shelter, the shelter would have euthanized him soon.” Mark has become Nazi’s loving MICHAEL companion. She added, “Mark also ‘helps’ me study chess. He wants attention 24/7, so anytime CAREY I am busy working on chess, he jumps into my lap, curls up, and starts purring, which helps me stay relaxed and saves me from getting bored. I really love coming home to him and miss PROVIDENCE, him enormously when I leave for tournaments.” RHODE ISLAND Nazi wrote her first Chess.com blog posting about pets and chess and included a photo of Chess was his Mark. Although I hadn’t seen Nazi’s posting, I also wrote about chess and pets (and included a photo of my rabbit Denis, adopted from the Humane Society of North Texas) for my first passport Chess.com blog posting. I asked IM Danny Rensch, Vice President of Content & Professional These days Michael Carey, Ph.D. and clinical psy- Relations for Chess.com, what he thought about two U.S. women’s champions writing their chologist, directs a behavioral-medicine research first blog postings about chess and pets. Danny replied, “I thought it was fun and was sure center with a combined faculty and staff of 100. lots of members, especially pet lovers, would appreciate it. And I was right!” Danny would The center, housed at The Miriam Hospital, partners like to get a dog, but told me, “My wife says we aren’t getting a dog until our youngest child with Brown University, where Carey also ranks as a is no longer a baby ... so I have to wait!” full professor, to find ways for patients to prevent and cope with some of the most disabling conditions Danny’s colleague FM Mike Klein has a cat. Mike reported, “We found her in the woods at of our day, like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and about three-four weeks old by herself. We had to bottle feed her for the first few weeks.” chronic pain. Now Mike’s cat Ipso Facto “is often sleeping on my desk or in my lap while I work for Chess.com or while I play online.” But back in sixth grade, when a friend taught him the basic chess moves, he was just Mike, who GM Wesley So said that his two cats “belong to my mother Lotis (but I consider them mine). wanted to catch for the New York Yankees, and, They make me happy. They keep me company during my long hours of study and are always given his Troy, New York, neighborhood, could easily ready to cuddle. At the end of a long day we watch a movie together. They don’t mind if I win find ways to get into a scrape or two. Sidelined by a or lose, they just like the fact that the board keeps me in one place.” football injury in 1971, he played in a rated tourna- ment. He lost all five games and recalls someone Chess Without Borders (CWB) Founder Rishi Sethi’s dog inspired his efforts in chess and telling him, “You know, there are books you can read philanthropy. CWB Board of Directors member Kiran Frey wrote, “When Rishi started the to get better.” He went to the public library and sys- chess program combining chess and philanthropy, his dog Toby and his grandparents were tematically went through them all. “I learned how constantly present as his supporters. Rishi was the only one doing chess in his school in 1999. to research and how to study through chess,” he Rishi thought that if he brought his pet Toby to school he could enlist more students into the said. Mike won the New York High School Champi- chess program. The strategy worked! From then on, Toby was present at every chess activity onship in 1973 at 15. “Chess rescued me from get- organized by Rishi and his friends.” GM Yury Shulman joined CWB in 2006. CWB has ting into trouble.” donated money to many causes, including a dog shelter ($100 donation in 2009) and a pet “No one in my family had gone to college, and my therapy organization ($500 donation in 2012). For the latter fundraising tournament, “a pet parents couldn’t afford to send me.” He applied therapy dog came in to be part of the tournament.” only to St. Lawrence University because a friend mentioned it. Mike hitchhiked three hours for an in- Ph.D. Christopher F. Chabris’ cat Lolita is named after the famous novel by Vladimir Nabokov. terview and wound up with a full scholarship. He Chris wrote, “Nabokov was a skilled amateur player and a composer of chess problems, many had good grades but later found out it was his en- of which he published in a volume along with his poetry.” Lolita sits in Chris’ lap when he thusiasm for chess that had distinguished him from plays chess online. Chris added, “While en route to my lap, she sometimes stops at the other hopefuls. At St. Lawrence, he became its only keyboard and plays a move or two.” student ever to win the prestigious Fulbright Schol- arship. He arched a few academic eyebrows by turn- Though Chris is the co-author of a book titled The Invisible Gorilla, he declined to comment ing it down. Instead, he had created his own program on whether having a pet helps one become a better chess player. Research on the human- through the Thomas J. Watson Foundation to fund animal bond has shown that pets can be beneficial to health (for example, improving outcomes eight months in Europe playing chess as a “cultural for autism, cancer, and heart disease). While there has not been peer-reviewed, chess-specific exchange.” He came home master strength and pet research, the anecdotes shared by the players in this article certainly suggest that chess earned his doctorate at Vanderbilt, where, once players may benefit from having pets. again, his chess background helped separate him from 400 other applicants. Busy Dr. Mike still finds Clockwise from far left: Christopher Chabris’ cat Lolita is a fan of “The Practical Endgame” column. U.S. Women’s time for what he acknowledges was his passport to Champion IM Nazi Paikidze and Mark. GM Wesley So with one of his two cats. The author, a former U.S. women’s higher education and travel. “I absolutely love the champion herself, with one of her rabbits. Sinquefield Cup and the Hall of Fame!” Send us your chess pet photo and story! Write to [email protected]. Write to [email protected].
www.uschess.org 11 Looks at Books / London System
London Calling No longer just a shortcut to opening study, the London System is now used at the highest levels. By JOHN HARTMANN
he opening theory arms race never ends. ChessPublishing.com and Sverre Johnson and for the Londoneer. Sedlak’s book is an optimistic It used to be that a novelty played one Vlatko Kovačević in Winning with the London call to arms, quite suitable for new London Tday could be used for weeks; now, with System, today’s Londoneers play 2. Bf4 first, players. the transmission of games via the Internet, keeping Ng1-f3 in reserve. This allows them to It might be argued that the only drawback today’s hot new move is almost instantly in avoid a few problematic lines, but it does not to Sedlak’s book is his optimism. Sometimes tomorrow’s databases. So increasingly we find solve the problem of what to do against the King’s he sees advantages for White where none exist. even super-grandmasters “opting-out,” prefer - Indian, a traditional bugbear for London players. Take, for instance, one of the current main ring to play less studied variations instead. Sedlak so fears the King’s Indian that, in his lines of the London—and one recommended Nowhere do we see this phenomenon more Preface, he explains he can only recommend by Boris Avrukh in Grandmaster Repertoire 11: clearly than with the explosion of interest in the London after 1. d4 d5. This seems slightly Beating 1. d4 Sidelines. the London System. Once considered suitable overwrought to me. The standard London setup After 1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. c3 only for amateurs with little time to study, is no worse against the King’s Indian than other c5 5. Nd2 Nc6 6. Ngf3 Bd6 7. Bg3 0-0 8. today the London is being played at the highest variations, and changing plans with an early Bd3 b6 (the key tabiya) 9. Ne5 Bb7 10. f4 levels, with Magnus Carlsen, Vladimir Kramnik, Nc3 could transpose to the Barry Attack or the Ne7 11. Qb1 Sedlak says this is White’s only and Gata Kamsky (among many others) cham - Pirc. Both options are covered in The Agile chance for an advantage, but there are options. pi oning its cause. London, along with heterodox lines like the Most notably, White can play 11. Qf3 Nf5 12. That the world’s elite are playing the London Jobava and Pereyra Attacks. Bf2 Be7 when Romero Holmes improves on has not escaped the notice of chess publishers. Here we see one of the main differences Sedlak’s 13. g4 with 13. 0-0!? Nd6 14. dxc5 N No less than three books and one DVD devoted between the two books. The Agile London is (Avrukh only gives 14. Rad1) 14. ... bxc5 15. to the London have appeared recently, leading encyclopedic in scope, offering readers a Qh3 Qc7 and the position is equal. one sly wag at chesspub.com to “win the Internet” complete London-style repertoire, and often 11. ... g6 12. Bf2 cxd4 when he proclaimed: with multiple options. It consists of 71 densely annotated games leavened with both game and 12. ... Nf5!? looks reasonable, and Romero ... I can no longer keep up with the deluge of chapter summaries, making the intimidating- Holmes says 12. ... a5 13. 0-0 Ba6 is equal, while dense theoretical material published on the London looking analysis slightly less frightful. 60 tactical Sedlak prefers White. System on a weekly or monthly basis. ... I have and strategic puzzles are also included. decided to cut my theoretical workload by switching 13. exd4 Nh5 14. g3 f6 15. Nef3 Winning with the Modern London System is a to the Ruy Lopez. breezier, more personal book. Sedlak plays the Following Alexander Grischuk-Wang Hao, This month we look at two of these new London regularly and advocates for it here, Beijing, 2014. This position is evaluated as equal London titles: The Agile London: A Solid but using many of his own games along the way. in The Agile London; Sedlak gives the moves Dynamic Chess Opening Choice for White by GM Each chapter begins with a summary of reper - but no evaluation. Either way, it's hard to see Alfonso Romero Holmes and Oscar de Prado, toire choices, and the analysis is presented how 11. Qb1 leads to an advantage. and GM Nikola Sedlak’s Winning with the through complete games that are followed by Holmes, Alfonso Romero & Oscar de Prado Rodriguez. The Agile Modern London System: A Complete Opening “lessons to be learned.” London System: A Solid but Dynamic Chess Opening Choice Repertoire for White against 1. d4 d5. While I think both books good and useful, I for White. New in Chess: 2016. ISBN: 978-90-5691-689-3. Paperback. Some might wonder how the stodgy old suspect that different players might gravitate (Available from uscfsales.com, catalog number B0147NIC, $29.95) London could rightly be described as agile or towards one or the other. Romero Holmes and Sedlak, Nikola. Winning With the Modern London System: A Complete Opening Repertoire for White Against 1. d4 d5. Chess modern. The answer lies in the move order. de Prado Rodriguez have written an objective Evolution: 2016. ISBN: 9788394429096. 224 pages. Figurine (FAN). Following pioneering work by Eric Prié at book that maps out numerous paths forward (Available from uscfsales.com, catalog number B0022EV, $27.50)
12 November 2016 | Chess Life 8th Annual Thanksgiving Open
Research and evidence show that playing chess as a child has a positive correlation with academic achievement, particularly in non-cognitive areas.
to our Scholastic Chess Initiative. Please go to
Be a US Chess Benefactor! Benefactor Membership includes Life Membership, a special membership card, and recognition on a benefactor page of our website and periodically in Chess Life. The cost is $3,000, or $1,500 to existing Life Members. Half the funds collected will go to US Chess Life Member Assets Fund and half to assist US Chess operations. Become a Benefactor at uschess.org, by phone at 1-800-903-8723, or by mail to US Chess, PO Box 3967, Crossville TN 38557. SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR BENEFACTORS!
US Chess Benefactor Members as of October 4, 2016: *#.+%+(, ' | *#.&,))% | ) +'.)$&+ | )'(.!.-+(%+& | ,*%.!.,-"+- ,*,().,-,(, | )(,"',(.-#*&&+- | +-+$. ,*% )( | ,-"*(. +,( | +((+"'. $ *&&.)*'+- | )+-".!. | (.+#)-$.. ,*%.,&,( | ,*%.)'#,( '-* ")'+-. +* | ,*%.!.*&&+- | ,-+-.)(" )#+-$ | *&&*,#.!.+--$. ,*%.!. ,$#)(% | *#)"'$.!. ,$*+- | '*&&*. #*"' | '-* ")'+-.!. (+&& | +(-$. !.+--*+ ')#, .!.'- ' | ,-)&%.)--,(+ | ',-&+ .(-' | %,-%. $) HELP PROMOTE AMERICAN CHESS
www.uschess.org 13 US Chess Affairs / News for our Members
US CHESS Empowering people through MISSION chess one move at a time.
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
The US Chess Federation (US Chess) will (5) states. The petition to nominate a candi- available on the US Chess website. hold an election in 2017 for three at-large date and the filing fee must be postmarked Candidates must consent to be on the positions on the US Chess Executive Board by Saturday, December 31, 2016. (Send ballot, either by signing their own nomination for a term of three years, expiring in 2020. petitions and the filing fee to: Cheryle Bruce, petition or by separate notice to US Chess. Any current US Chess member who is not US Chess Federation, P.O. Box 3967, A voting member for this election is any a current US Chess employee or designated Crossville, TN 38557-3967.) current US Chess member (active as of May contractor (as defined in the US Chess The nomination petitions must contain the 4, 2017) whose membership expires on or bylaws) may be nominated for election to dated signature, printed name, and US Chess after June 30, 2017, who will be age 16 or older the Executive Board. ID number of each signer, and should contain by June 30, 2017, and who registers to vote Nominations must be made by petition the following text: by May 1, 2017. Members with memberships containing the signatures of fifty (50) or “We, the undersigned members of the US of less than one year duration at their start more members of US Chess who are either Chess Federation, nominate _(candidate are not eligible to become voting members. registered or eligible to register to vote, and name goes here)_ as a candidate for election Ballots will be distributed to voting by payment of a filing fee of $100 to the US to the US Chess Executive Board in the 2017 members who are registered to vote as of Chess Federation. election. We also consent to having our May 1, 2017. Ballot distribution will occur The members signing the nomination names and US Chess ID numbers published around June 10th, and returned ballots will petition must include at least fifteen (15) US as having signed this petition.” be counted in July. The terms will begin at Chess delegates representing at least five A sample nomination form will be made the conclusion of the 2017 delegates’ meeting.
US CHESS LIFE MEMBERS
All US Chess life members have been sent a letter asking them to verify their Life Member benefits choice of “Printed” or “Green” by February 28, 2017. “Printed” benefits include a paper copy of Chess Life magazine each month. “Green” benefits are completely paperless. Both choices allow online access to Chess Life magazine at uschess.org. Choices may be changed at any time by contacting the US Chess office at (800) 903-8723 x 4.
Life Member benefit choices may be verified in any of these ways: