Chess World Pty. Ltd. (Incorporating Chess Kids) ABN 76 087 995 364 Volume 6 Issue 1 Editor: David Cordover May 2006 Editorial Some exciting developments for Chess Kids in the first part of 2006 with a company restructure and revised busi- ness plan focusing on nation-wide growth. The Chess Kids goal has always been to provide an opportunity for every child in Australia to learn and play chess. This year we have taken some big steps in that direction (ie. away from the south-eastern states) by taking on some of the most challenging areas of growth - Western Australia and North- ern Territory. Because of their geo- graphic isolation the opportunities in these remote areas for children to play chess have been virtually non-existent. Brand New “DGT easy” For me this has been an exciting time— Comes in Red, Yellow, Green or Blue! not just seeing how quickly chess is be- ing embraced by kids in these areas. But FFFinally,Finally, an affordable Chess Clock! also the travel through Broome, Perth, Albany, Darwin, Alice Springs, Kakadu Since the introduction of Digital Clocks prices have never been under as well as the Tasmanian areas of Strahan, Ulverstone, Forth, Burnie, $100 each, leaving them beyond the reach of most individuals. Hobart and Launceston. Now that has changed! DGT Projects (manufacturers of the well known We look forward to 2007 when we will finally be offering programs in every $145 digital clocks) has come out with the NEW “DGT easy”easy”. With basic state and territory. functionality the same as current clocks you can expect to see these be- To enable us to continue to offer quality ing phased in at all interschool and individual events over the next year. chess coaching and tournaments around Australia we have developed a very re- We have been allocated just 200 of these Clocks which we expect will warding franchise system. We have lim- ited opportunities available NOW for sell out very quickly. They arrive in May and we have been warned that anyone who has an interest in teaching our next allocation could be a long way off (European orders are huge!). chess, either working as an employee or running their own Chess Kids franchise. RRP will be $55 - but for the first 200 orders JUST $47.95 each ***!* To find our more please contact us on 1300 424 377. *Offer available for individuals or schools only. Maximum 8 per order at this price. Includes GST. Orders by fax 03 9576 8152 or [email protected]. Ph: 1300 424 377. -David Cordover Inside This Issue Chess Kids Elite Page 2 Puzzle Page Page 3 Smothered Checkmates Page 4 Australian Chess History Page 5 Victorian News Page 6 National Interschool Finals Page 6 Northern Territory Page 7 Sick Of Your Job? Page 8 Page 2 Chess Kids Chess Kids Elite The Chess Kids Elite program is for Endgame Homework junior players who demonstrate their talent for chess in competition play. XABCDEFGHY Having done so, we try to provide them with a structured pathway and support 8-+-+-+k+( for any wishing to attain National or 7p-+-+-+-' International success. 6-p-+-+pp& The general rule is that anyone who can finish in the Top 10% of players in their 5+-+-Pp+-% region will be accepted for the program. 4-+Pr-+-P$ Chess Kids Elite provides additional coaching programs with Master 3+-+-+-+-# Coaches as well as chess training camps 2PP-+-RP+" and support to play in Open (adult) events. 1+-+-+-+K! Eventually comes selection and qualifi- xabcdefghy Group A cation to State and National Individual White to move Seed Names Surname Points Zone 1 Adrian Hutchinson 6.0 Hobart East Championships. 2 Rhys Kilpatrick 6.0 Hobart Nth Planning is underway for our trip to the Play this position out for yourself at 3 Dylan Moores 6.0 Hobart SC 2007 Australian Junior Championships home. Play against yourself, a friend, a (January 14-26, 2007) in Canberra. family member or even your computer. 4 Jem Thain 5.5 Hobart Sth Chess Kids can only take 40 players Think carefully about each move and 5 Max Rintoul 5.0 Hobart Nth from around Australia and there are al- what you should play. 6 Cody Nelson 5.0 Hobart Nth ready over 200 in the Elite program. After you’ve done that take a look at the Group B Study hard, practice plenty and I wish way the game actually ended. Was your Seed Names Surname Points Zone you good luck getting selected for the plan of attack close to that which the 1 Dion Philips 6.0 Hobart East 2007 Canberra team! Grandmasters played in 2 Ella Thain 5.0 Hobart Sth Zones Players TOTAL Average their game? 3 Luke Bombardieri 5.0 Kingston 4 Reo Dante Lazaro 4.5 Hobart Nth Boroondara 2 11.5 5.75 Actual continuation of 5 Olivia Hay 4.0 Kingston Monash 8 32.5 4.06 the game as follows: 8 Olivia Deconinck 4.0 Kingston Glen Eira 15 54.5 3.63 1.h5! Rh4+?! 2.Kg1 Players in the Hobart Elite Program Whitehorse 4 12.5 3.13 Rxh5 3.Rd2 f4 4.Rd7 Dandenong Ranges 1 3.0 3.00 Rxe5 5.Rxa7 g5 6.b4 g4 Brimbank 1 3.0 3.00 7.Kf2 Re3 8.a4 g3+ 9. Gippsland 7 20.0 2.86 Kf1 Re4 10.Rc7? If 10.a5 bxa5 11.b5 Rxc4 Geelong 6 17.0 2.83 12.b6 Rc8 13.b7 Rb8 14. Manningham 13 34.0 2.62 Ra8 Whittlesea 1 2.5 2.50 10...h5 11.a5 bxa5 12. b5! h4 13.b6 h3 14.gxh3 Bayside 5 10.5 2.10 f3 15.b7 g2+ 16.Kf2 Stonnington 6 12.5 2.08 Re2+ 17.Kxf3 g1Q 18. Maroondah 4 7.5 1.88 b8Q+ Re8 19.Qxe8# 1-0 Mornington 7 13.0 1.86 Kingston 1 1.5 1.50 Yarra Ranges 2 2.5 1.25 Darebin 8 8.0 1.00 Mildura 2 2.0 1.00 Left: 2005 Victorian Casey 4 2.5 0.63 zone-by-zone rankings Chess Kids Page 3 Need some Brain Exercise? (Answers on Page 7) 1. 2. 3. XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY 8-+r+r0k-+( 8-+-+-+r0k( 8r+l+ -0k-r( 7pp1ql+p4l-' 7+q+n+prp' 7pppp1q -+-' 6-+-ppPp+& 6p+ -+p6N-1Q& 6-+-+-6N -p& 5+-+-+-+-% 5+p+l+ -+-% 5+ -+-P-+Q% 4-+-+P+-1Q$ 4-+-+-+R+$ 4-+-+PP -+$ 3+-+-6N-+R# 3+ -+-+-P-# 3+L+ -+-+-# 2PPP+-+PP" 2PP -+PP-P" 2PP -+-+-P" 1+-+R+-0K-! 1+ -+R+-0K-! 16n -+K+-R-! xabcdefghy xabcdefg hy xabc defghy White to play and mate in 2. White to play and mate in 2. White to play and mate in 2. 4. 5. 6. XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY 8-+-r-rk+( 8r+l+ -1qr0k( 8-+-rk4l -r( 7pp+-+ppp' 7pp+ -+p+p' 7p -Rnpppp' 6-+-pn+-+& 6-+-+pPp1Q& 6-+-+-+-+& 5+qpN+-+-% 5+ -+-+-+-% 5+ -+-+-+-% 4-+-+-PP+$ 4-+-+-+-+$ 4Q+ -4LP+-+$ 3P-+-+-PQ# 3+ -+-+N+-# 3+ -+L+-+P# 2-PP+-+-+" 2P+ -+-PPP" 2P+P1q -PP+" 1+K+R+-+-! 1+ -+R+-0KR! 1+ -+-+R0K-! xabcdefghy xabcdefgh y xabcde fghy White to play and mate in 3. White to play and mate in 3. White to play and mate in 3. 7. 8. 9. XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY 8r+l+k4l-r( 8r+ -+-+-+( 8r+ -1qk+-+( 7+-+p6nppp' 7pp+lpk6n -' 7+ -+-+p+p' 6p+p+-+-6n& 6-+-p -rp1Q& 6p+ -+-+-1Q& 51qp+-+-6N-% 5+ -pP1q-+-% 5+N+ -pP+-% 4-+-+P+-+$ 4-+P+P+ -R$ 4-+-6n -+-+$ 3PQ+-+-+-# 3+ -6N-+-+-# 3+ -+L6N-+-# 2L+-+-PPP" 2PP -+L+P+" 2lPP+ -r-P" 1+-1qR+-0K-! 1+ -0K-+-+R! 1+ -0KR+-+R! xabcdefghy xabcd efghy xabcdefghy White to play and mate in 3. White to play and mate in 4. Black to play and (smother) mate in 2. Page 4 Chess Kids Chess Kids Coaching “Smothered Checkmate” • The enemy King looks safe • The enemy King is surrounded by his own soldiers • Usually a Knight delivers the Smothered Checkmate because he can ‘jump’ the defences • This is the most surprising (and rarest) of all checkmates! Smothered Checkmate #1 XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY An unusual smothered mate because it uses a Queen and not the Knight. 8r6nl+k4l-r( 8r+l1qk4l-r( This was the shortest game ever played 7pppp+ppp' 7pp+npppp' between 2 Grandmasters. It is possible 6-+-+-+-+& 6-+p6N-6n-+& to finish a game in as little as 2-moves, or use the 4-move checkmate. Of course 5+-+-P-+-% 5+-+-+-+-% a Grandmaster will never fall for any- 4-+-+-+-+$ 4-+-P-+-+$ thing like that though. 3+-+-P-1qP# 3+-+-+-+-# 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nd2 2PPP6NP+-+" 2PPP+QPPP" This looks like a good move, it keeps the King safe, develops a piece and 1R-4LQ0KL6NR! 1R-4L-0KL6NR! helps to control e4 (the centre). But... xabcdefghy Xabcdefghy 2...e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 4.h3 Final position #1 Final position #2 On face value this looks fine, white at- tacks the Knight and chases him back. But... Smothered Checkmate #2 Smothered Checkmate #3 4...Ne3! This opening is known as the Caro- I am proud of this because it is one of XABCDEFGHY Kann defence. my very few smothered checkmates! 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 1.e4 c5 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 Nf6 4.Bc4 8r6nl1qk4l-r( Nbd7 Black sets up a Pawn Chain into the 7pppp+ppp' centre, while white goes for a more at- Notice anything yet? tacking Pawn Wall. 6-+-+-+-+& 5.dxc5 Qa5+ 6.Nc3 Qxc5 7.Qe2 Qc7 8. 5+-+-P-+-% 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 Nb5 Qa5+ 9.Bd2 Qd8 Looks good, he wanted to develop the Black is sick of his Queen being at- 4-+-+-+-+$ knight of the back rank, but didn’t want tacked so decides to retreat home.