June 2012 uschess.org Golden Knight! Abe Wilson is the latest champion of the USCF’s premier open correspondence event IFC_Layout 1 5/4/2012 1:21 PM Page 1 $$ %% 162 62 274 74 -/7&73/7&73 -07&7307&73 ( !!# ( !!# ( ! '!" # ! ! " # " #! &)" #! &) ! !&!!&)& !!&) !& ! & ( )) "" 050 50 /4. 4. -02&7302&73 -/4&73/4&73 (( % #** # ! % #** # ! ( $ ( $ % #! %% #! ! & " &)& " &) !+" *# , !+" *# , & & &) &) #$' #$' &"&" "$ CL_05-2012_us_open_ad_AK_r5_chess life 5/11/12 4:00 PM Page 4 113 th Annual United States Open AUGUST 4 –12, 7–12 or 9–12, 2012 HILTON VANCOUVER,WASHINGTON HOTEL RESERVATIONS PRIZE FUND 301 West 6th Street, Vancouver, WA 98660 $50,000 in prizes based on 500 paid entries, else proportional, 360-993-4500 $40,000 (80% of each prize) minimum guaranteed: A one section HR: $110 single/quad, reserve by July 12 or rate may increase tournament with class prizes. PROJECTED PRIZES MANY SIDE EVENTS AND OTHER CHAMPIONSHIPS: Top places $8000-4000-2000-1500-1000-700-500-400, SEE TOURNAMENT LIFE clear winner OR PLAYOFF $200 bonus 2012 Women’s U.S. Open, U.S. Open Scholastic, U.S. Open Quads, U.S. Open G/15 Championship, U.S. Open Bughouse, CLASS PRIZES Top Master (2200-2399) $2,400 -1,200 - 600 - 300 16th Annual Golf Tournament for the U.S. Open Chess Players Expert (2000-2199) $2,400-1,200-600-300 • Class A (1800-1999) BLITZ! $2,400-1,200-600-300 • Class B (1600 -1799) $2,400 -1,200- U.S. Blitz Championship: Saturday, August 11, 12 noon 600-300 • Class C (1400 -1599) $2,000-1,000-500-300 • Class ENTER NOW! D (1200-1399) $1,500-700-400-200 • Class E or below (under https://secure2.uschess.org/webstore/tournament.php?wkevent=2 1200) $1,200-600-400-200 • Unrated $700-400-200 012USOPEN Phone entry: 800-903-8723 Tournament website: USCF DELEGATES MEETING August 11-12 http://www.uschess.org/tournaments/2012/usopen/ MANY MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS, SCHOLASTIC EVENTS INCLUDING: USCF COMMITTEE MEETINGS August 8-10 2012 Trophies Plus U.S. Girls Junior Open Championship USCF AWARDS LUNCHEON August 11 at noon 2012 Denker Tournament of High School Champions 2012 Barber Tournament of K-8 Champions SEE TOURNAMENT LIFE NATIONALS ON PAGE 50 FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION CL_06-2012_masthead_JP_r1_chess life 5/11/2012 9:36 AM Page 2 Chess Life Editorial Staff Chess Life Editor & Director of Publications Daniel Lucas [email protected] Chess Life Online Editor Jennifer Shahade [email protected] Chess Life for Kids Editor Glenn Petersen [email protected] Senior Art Director Frankie Butler [email protected] Editorial Assistant/Copy Editor Alan Kantor [email protected] Editorial Assistant Jo Anne Fatherly [email protected] Editorial Assistant Jennifer Pearson [email protected] Technical Editor Ron Burnett TLA/Advertising Joan DuBois [email protected] USCF Staff Executive Director Bill Hall ext. 189 [email protected] Chief Operations Officer Patricia K. 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BD:08/03 a USCF 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 2 Chess Life — June 2012 uschess.org CL_06-2012_CLO_AKF_r6_chess life 5/11/12 4:49 PM Page 3 Contributors June on uschess.org Jamaal Abdul-Alim (“First Moves,” p. 8; and “College Back on the Strip Chess,” p. 22) is a Washington, with Karpov D.C.-based freelance writer who covers higher education The National Open in Vegas returns to and chess. He is also a coach its traditional location, the Riviera on the for Chess Challenge in D.C. Strip from June 15-17. The exciting ros- at The SEED School of ter of side events includes the Game/10 national championship on June 14 and Washington, D.C. a simul and lecture by former World Champion Anatoly Karpov. Look for GM Ben Finegold CLO coverage from the scene. (“Looks at Books,” p. 10) is Young Talents Meet in currently the grandmaster- Saint Louis in-residence of the Chess Ten of the top young American Club and Scholastic Center players face off in a round-robin of Saint Louis. closed tournament at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint FM Alex Dunne Louis. The winner receives an automatic bid to the 2013 U.S. (“Cover Story,” p. 16) is the Chess Championships. correspondence chess director MIG GREENGARD of the USCF and a frequent contributor of correspondence Norm Tour Hits New York chess features to Chess Life. and Philly His “Check is in the Mail” column appears monthly Summer norm-fishing gets underway on uschess.org. with the New York International from June 20-24, sponsored by the Marshall Chess Club and held at Dr. Gerald Levitt St. John’s University. A week later, (“History,” p. 32) the author the Philadelphia International is of The Turk, Chess Automaton set for June 29-July 3, directly (McFarland 2000, 2006) and preceding the World Open. Look for U.S. Chess Scoop videos from both has written articles for Chess locales on uschess.org/clo. Life, New In Chess, FloridaChess, Greg on Chess and other publications. Browse through IM Greg Shahade’s popular monthly articles on Jeff Peterson (“Chess Clubs,” CLO, always with a touch of p. 36) is a freelance writer controversy and spirited reader based in Fairfield, Connecticut. responses. Subjects include vdraws, norms, designing an opening repertoire and more. Follow Chess Life and Chess Life Online on Facebook®! Get regular updates as part of your newsfeed, post comments, and easily communicate directly with the editorial staff. uschess.org Chess Life — June 2012 3 CL_06-2012_TOC_AKF_r6_FB_DL_chess life 5/11/12 4:32 PM Page 4 June Chess Life Columns 10 LOOKS AT BOOKS Magnus, From the Beginning By GM Ben Finegold 12 CHESS TO ENJOY Let Man Lead By GM Andy Soltis 14 SOLITAIRE CHESS The Man Who Should Have Been World Champion By Bruce Pandolfini 42 BACK TO BASICS The Wrong Turn Abe Wilson has the By GM Lev Alburt aloha spirit: He is 44 ENDGAME LAB now a two-time Golden Surprise! Knights champion.