Chess E-Magazine Interactive E-Magazine Volume 2 • Issue 3 May/June 2011 Money & Chess CHESS Stamps Famous Artists and Chess Keeping the Score -Understanding Chess Notation Ben Franklin and Chess White Knight Review May/June 2011 White Knight Review My Move [email protected] Chess E-Magazine editorial -Jerry Wall Chess is about stratagy and not luck. Perhaps that’s why it is so beloved by many. Unlike other games with which the roll of Table of Contents the dice or the spin of a spinner often dictates the results on a contents measure of luck or fate, chess is EDITORIAL- “My Move” 3 based wholly upon skill, intellec- tual ability and strategic forsight. White Knight There is no luck at all that factors 4 into the results. Its true mono a mano (hand to hand) war- ARTICLE- Money and Chess INTERACTIVE fare between two skillfull opponents. Review CONTENT One of my favorite movies is called “The Last Castle” Chess E-Magazine where Robert Redford plays a court martialed general sent FEATURE- Chess Stamps 6 to Military prison. There he has to deal with a corrupt Warden with no real military experience. The only way to Executive Editor/Writer ________________ stop his corruption is by taken over the prison, a seemingly BOOK REVIEW-“How to Reassess Your Chess” impossible job. One character in the movie is a guy named Bill Wall 14 [email protected] • Click on title in Yates who is a gambler and will gamble on anything. even by Jeremy Silman on how long the general will last in the prison. At one point Table of Contents after Redford confronts the Warden, Yates told the general to move directly to “You really did bluff Winters (the warden). The problem is Publisher /Editor/ Creative BEGINNER’S CORNER- “Keeping the Score” 16 page. his flush beats your straight.” Then Redford said my favorite line in the movie: “I don’t play poker, Mr Yates. I play chess.” Director Understanding Chess Notation • Click on “White For the general to stop the warden he knew he didn’t Gerald Wall Knight Review” on need luck he needed a strategy. He went on to tell Yates: [email protected] the top of each “In chess, you play with somebody long enough, you come NEWS - Chess News around the World 19 page to return to to realize that their first three moves are usually the same.” Table of Contents. Redford had studied his opponent and saw his predictability and used it to his advantage. For every move the Warden Production/ Marketing FEATURE- Famous Artists and Chess 20 • Click on red type to made, he had a counter move and knew in the end there could only be one king standing. Steve Wall continue to next Sometimes when you think its over and you should quit [email protected] page you might just find the way out. In one scene the Warden HISTORY- Ben Franklin and Chess 26 comes to the generals cell where the general is playing chess • Click on ads to go with an inmate. He looks down at the board and says “You For Subscription to their websites have checkmate in five moves.” [email protected] HUMOR- Chess Players Horoscope 28 “Looks that way, sir.” replies the general. • Click on email to “Why you movin’ if I have checkmate in five moves?” says the inmate. open For Advertising Rates ANNOTATED GAME - Castled players 30 up email program Redford smiles and says: “‘Cause I have checkmate in three.” [email protected] • Click up URLs to COMMENTARY- “Ask Bill” 31 go to websites. Jerry Wall Editor © Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved. Let us know what you think of the magazine. Perhaps you have Unauthorized reproduction, some suggestions for future articles or have other comments. in any manner is prohibited Let us know and drop me a line at: without expressed permission [email protected] from the Author or Editor. www.offthewallchess.com May/June 2011 3 White Knight Review May/June 2011 White Knight Review May/June 2011 will offer $40,000 to the ($1020 in today’s money). Vegas, he won $140,000 at winner. The total prize fund In 1948, first place in the a poker tournament. Poker is $166,000. Promoters of 1948 Interzonal was $550. is a strategy game, just like the Soyinka International Mikhail Botvinnik received chess, so strong chess players chess tournament scheduled $5,000 for winning the 1948 are easily accustomed to for July 10-17, 2011, are world championship. First the game. There is more projecting prize money of place in the 1964 Interzonal money to be made in poker $50,000. in Amsterdam was $250 after than chess and easier to get The top 20 chess players in a month’s work. sponsorship. the world make $100,000 to In 1957, Fischer won $750 Chess-related professions a million a year. The top 20- after winning the US Open are not very profitable, and 100 (with a rating of 2600 or in Cleveland. Fischer earned the situation is unlikely to greater) make about $60,000 $750 for his 1st place money change in the future. There a year. at the 1962 Interzonal. In just is not enough interest and Source of income for chess 1966, Bobby Fischer got sponsorship to support chess. players include tournament $2,500 for his 1st place finish It is difficult to promote the and match earnings, teaching, in the US Championship. game on television or other writing books, articles In 1966, Petrosian got media. For most chess software, and sponsorship $2,000 for winning the players, chess is art and not a Grandmaster Maurice world championship high paying sport. Most play Ashley, makes over $100,000 against Spassky. Fischer for the fun of it and only a teaching chess and selling got $153,240 for winning very few try to make a living chess, books, and CDs/ the world championship in at it. Checkmate. DVDs. 1972, and another $40,000 Street hustlers who are in royalties. Bobby Fischer good at chess can usually received $3.65 million for Jerry Wall make $100-$200 a day defeating Spassky in 1992. By Bill Wall playing blitz chess in the big Spassky receive $1.5 million. CHESS through travel expenses the winner (Vishy Anand cities. Professional chess In 2002, Kramnik got There is not too much to chess tournaments, of India) got 1,200,000 hustlers are skilled blitz or $800,000 for playing Deep money in chess unless you tournament entry costs (free euros ($1,693,800). The bullet (1-2 minutes a game) Fritz in a match. The HB QUOTE are one of the top 50 players for Grandmasters), club loser (Veselin Topalov) got chess, and bet money on each Global challenge in 2005 in in the world. Perhaps membership costs, 800,000 euros ($1,129,200) game, usually $5-$10 dollars. Minneapolis had a $50,000 the average salary of purchase of chess Top chess events may offer These players can be stronger first place prize and prize 0 “You can only a professional chess books and software, and $100,000 for a first place than masters or International fund of $500,000. player is around perhaps coaching costs. prize. Top open chess events Masters in their specialized Some top players get paid $35,000 a year. This Professional chess might offer $20,000 for first time limit. for playing on chess teams. get good at would include chess players are most place. For example, the Chess has never been a The Bundesliga in Germany teachers and coaches in applicable in countries World Open chess tournament high paying occupation. In is the strongest team chess Chess if you schools or clubs.. The with a large chess offers $8,000 for 1st place. 1845, the first place prize for tournament in the world. average chess salaries presence such as The US Open only offered the US championship was Top GMs are paid $50,000 to love the game.” can vary greatly Russia, China, and some $8,000 for 1st place. The $1,000. 115 years later, in play in it. due to title (rating), European countries. total prize fund $40,000. The 1960, the first place prize for The USA has a Samford 0 location and experience. And If you are one of the top 10 2011 US chess championship the US Championship was Chess Fellowship worth -Bobby Fischer if you are not winning chess players in the world, perhaps still $1,000. $36,000 for top young chess tournaments, your income you can make a million In 1857, 1st place in players. may not be steady. dollars or more. For example, the First American Chess Many top grandmasters For more than 99% of the winner of the world chess Congress was $300 ($7,000 now play poker to make players, chess will not be a championship gets between in today’s money). In 1901, money. In 1983, when http://www.chessquotes.com profitable venture. Most chess $1 and $2 million. For the 1st place at the New York Ken Smith was playing in players actually lose money 2010 world championship, chess championship was $40. the national Open in Las 4 5 White Knight Review May/June 2011 White Knight Review May/June 2011 Chess Stamps (continued) Rizal and another player playing commemorate the 1st International Feature chess. Chess Grand Prix in Monaco, un- Euler (1707-1783) and the Knight's On May 18, 1963 the USSR der the patronage of Prince Rainier. Tour. issued three chess stamps to com- The stamp depicted a chessboard, a On November 30, 1957 Switzer- memorate the 25th World Cham- few pieces, and a view of the Monte land issued a stamp depicting Euler pionship match being played in Carlo harbor.