A Conversation with a Ten Year Old Author
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YOUNG GUNS Oliver Boydell came up with a simple plan: language because my goal was to teach the 1. Pick exciting games from the past important chess concepts 2. Make the notes breezy and brief and this is best done when 3. Use lots of diagrams the language is clear and 4. Have questions for the reader with answers everyone – kids and adults – in the back of the book can understand. 5. Have a “lesson” or two, a concept, to take with them that they should remember How do you go through a about playing good chess game? Do you take notes? 6. Give a favorite move – one that might Do you use a chess engine stick with the reader. as you go? I take notes on what I think For the miserable types that give a is interesting. I might go disapproving “harumph” to all this, you’ve over it several times to By Pete Tamburro forgotten what it is to be a kid. make sure I didn’t make any mistakes, like missing an Our chat was fun and we share it here. obvious tactic. I would use the engine several times, even different engines, to make sure I agreed with ack in 2010, I was assigned to How does it feel to be an the evaluation. I also look write a review of a 14-year- author? for certain ideas I can write old boy’s first chess book, I’m proud of myself and am about, like doubling rooks Mastering Positional Chess. really excited. I had never attacking games. Then I and controlling open lines. With a certain degree of done anything like it before began to like more positional skepticism I asked for his and now I know I can. games. Still, my favorite Do you go over the game phone number so I could games are those that show to play over games quickly. you just played with your B interview him and get a feel When did you start playing an active style. More modern I can see more games that opponent? for who this kid was. Certainly, over games? Where did you games are about exploiting way, and my moves then Usually, I go over some readers might ask if find them? weaknesses. become more natural. tournament games I’ve he actually wrote it without I’ve always played over played with my coaches, help. After talking with young Daniel games. I started with books How should the average Should kids look at those like the games I play at Naroditsky, I was much impressed. and online. Then I found kids your age go about kinds of games? the Marshall. At certain Because I taught advanced students A CONVERSATION WITH many games on Chessbase. learning from your book? If they can, and if they tournaments, I get my in history my entire professional I also saw some of them in They should play through all enjoy it, yes. But they don’t games analyzed in team career, I noticed that Daniel’s traits A TEN YEAR OLD AUTHOR: the lessons I had with my the games, going over every have to spend a lot of time rooms, like by the Speyer – quick responses, an excellent chess teachers. Once I liked a single move. Play each game on every single move to coaches. Or sometimes I just command of language, no short particular player, I’d look up over several times. Do it the learn how to become better go back to my Stockfish and grunts of yes and no, well-developed his games and play them over. first time just for fun, to see players. Some moves are see what it thinks I did right ideas and a real love of his work ethic what you like. When you more important than other and wrong. (he had a handwritten notebook that How would you know which find a style or player you moves. In fact, spending too he kept on all his games) – were those ones to look up? like, try to play that way, much time analyzing every What influenced your my students exhibited as well. OLIVER I started with the World in the style of the winning move could become boring progress the most? Thus, when Bruce Pandolfini and I Champions. I already knew player. Another thing I’d and confusing. Besides, it Unrated to 1300 was my were recently chatting on the phone, Capablanca and many others, like readers to get from will give you a different biggest jump. I learned some he mentioned that I should talk but when I found Chessbase, these games is how to make problem – time trouble. things from books. I tried to to a ten-year-old lad that had now I think the second name I plans. You should always solve puzzles and tactics for written a book on the great masters’ searched was Anand. I went try to play with a plan. Kids Did you make your notes different levels. I would go games! He had the mom send me the BOYDELL through a lot of games, some should try to understand very brief because kids over tactical problems and book. Then, I talked to the author, had bad or questionable play, winning plans and see how won’t read much more than combinations every day. I Oliver Boydell. The title – He’s Got then I’d find a game I liked. It GMs make those plans that? would also play chess games Moves, 25 Legendary Chess Games work. He’s played through hundreds, if not thousands, of games (there’s the seemed that I played over a work. I went for short, online. You can’t get too as Analyzed by a Smart Kid – pretty work ethic for you!) and decided to do a service to kids his age. hundred bad games before I’d entertaining, funny notes, much of puzzles, openings, much sums it up. Anyone who has taught chess will tell you that they encourage their find one I really liked. Do you look at more deeply trying not to be boring, since endgames, and middlegame Olive is an engaging young fellow students to play over games. Anyone who has been around primary and annotated games now? kids, and adults as well, play. It’s all good. Whether with an excellent vocabulary, very secondary students will tell you that deep notes will not attract them, and What attracted you to certain Yes and no. Sometimes I need a little bit of laughter using an app, or playing on quick with answers and explains heavy positional struggles will bore them. Education has to have a level of games over others? do, especially if the game when learning. I chose Chess.com, I tried to learn all the why’s and wherefore’s of his entertainment. At first, I liked mostly is really good. But I prefer simple, easy to understand from my mistakes and 32 AMERICAN CHESS MAGAZINE #20 I 2021 AMERICAN CHESS MAGAZINE #20 I 2021 33 YOUNG GUNS correct them. For some positions I using it and would record my games The original document you sent me 5.d4 Trying to create a kingside pawn 12...b6 Capablanca wants to flank his 20...¢f7 Capablanca expects action on didn’t understand right away, I would by hand. It helped me learn faster. had 30 games. Why did you drop five majority. queen–bishop. But the bishop is better the g–file, sooner or later. So, he moves go back and try to figure out what I would then enter those games in and why those in particular? 5...exd4 6.£xd4 placed if it guards e6. the king to the f–file. I had missed. Again, there’s always Chessbase and make all kinds of notes. The publisher said it took up too much 13.¥f4! What? Is Lasker now 21.a3 Guarding b4, so he doesn’t have to Stockfish. Sometimes I would print out diagrams space. I loved them all. Some of the QUESTION threatening to help Capablanca out by think about defending it later. of the important positions. I’d create games simply had to be dropped. It Why does White play 6.£xd4 instead of undoubling his pawns? 21...¥a8? Black is trying to get play What are the most important things files of nice positions and ideas. was very hard to decide which ones to 6.¤xd4? 13...¥b7 It turns out, 13...¥xf4 was by opening the a–file. This turns against your coach(es) have told you to help take out. In the end, I got rid of some of better for Black. him. you get better? Do you write anything down to try to the longer games. I think most readers 6...£xd4 7.¤xd4 14.¥xd6! Yes! Lasker undoubles the 22.¢f2 Each side activates the king for Coaches were very important. They’ve remember? prefer shorter games anyway. They XIIIIIIIIY black c–pawns! Why? Because it’s easier the endgame. helped me a lot. The one thing they’ve Once my games are entered in usually are more exciting. to attack the healthy pawn at d6 than it is 22...¦a7 Preparing to advance the a–pawn. all stressed is learning how to analyze Chessbase, I add my variations and 9r+l+kvlntr0 to attack the doubled pawn c7. 23.g4 Activity on the g–file proceeds. without moving the pieces. You thoughts, sometimes even in words. I What are your favorite chess books 9+pzp +pzpp0 14...cxd6 Black has “healthier” pawns 23...h6 To stop g4–g5.