Monthly Archives: December 2012

Chess Comedy

Found this today

US Trust Scholar of the Year 2012-Andrew Ng

Here is another one of the US Trust Scholar of the Year recipients, Andrew Ng

Andrew Ng, 2012 Scholar-Chessplayer Award Recipient
Photo and story USchesstrust Andrew-Ng

Profile
‘…Although my success in chess has contributed significantly to my leadership abilities, I cannot thank the game enough for revealing to me a means to success. Few experience early on in their life such fulfilling accomplishments, and I consider myself fortunate to have achieved so much in chess. Since I started playing the game, I had to mold my work ethic into a model of efficiency, for competition at the higher levels requires a dedication of a significant amount of time and effort.

Thankfully, this quality exhibited itself also in my academics – I realized that chess has had a strong correlation with the improvement of my problem-solving and logical faculties, essential traits for one who wishes to become an engineer.

On a more personal note, chess has allowed me to meet incredible new people that have assisted in my academic progress. One of these people, Jennifer Shahade, introduced me to the founder of the Adventures of the Mind program, Victoria Gray in 2009.

At Princeton University, I had the opportunity to meet eleven Nobel Prize winners in the fields of chemistry and physics, the CEO of Mozilla Firefox, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, and two former Poet Laureates of the United States. Such a contingency would have been impossible without the guiding hand of chess by my side, turning the handles towards opportunity in every direction.(more)’

Chess Achievements
Scholarship
■2008 Super Nationals Chess Tournament Scholarship ($500)

Awards
■Member of the United States National Team at the 2009 World Youth Chess Championship in Turkey
■Will be a member of the United States National Team at the 2012 Pan American Chess Championship in Peru
■2011 North American Chess Champion U18
■5-time United States National Chess Champion
■Nationally Ranked Top 10 Chess Player for Age Group since 2005, currently ranked #2 in the nation for 16 year-olds
■Full 4-year college scholarship to the University of Maryland in Baltimore County and unrestricted $500 scholarship for winning the 2009 United States U16 Cadet Championship (valued at $79,480)
■2011 United States Chess Federation Scholar-Chessplayer Award ($1,500)
■2010 Rentscheler Foundation Chess Scholarship ($1,750)
■2008-2010 Recipient of the Holly Heisman Foundation Scholarship ($1,500)
■2009 National Denker Tournament of High School Champions Scholarship ($500)
■United States National Chess Master (Title)
■Member of the New Jersey Knockouts 2008-2011, a State Chess Team that competes in the United States Chess League
■4-time New Jersey High School Chess Champion
■6-time New Jersey Scholastic Chess Champion
■6-time New York State Scholastic Chess Champion

Chess Service
■Promoted chess in Marlboro Memorial Middle School by creating a state competing Chess Team. Lead team to multiple New Jersey State Championships in 2006 2007 & 2008. MMMS won the NJ State Championship for 3 straight years. In 2008 MMMS won the NJ High School Booster Championship.
■Helped create a chess club at Lincroft Elementary School. Has taught the chess club since 2009 and continue to do so today; the current membership of the club is over 70 students.
■Volunteer to give simultaneous exhibitions at the annual Chess Fest sponsored by Prevention First held in Asbury Park, New Jersey since 2007
■Volunteer at the Monmouth County Chess School and Club, raising money for the local YMCA by giving simultaneous exhibitions
■Keynote motivational speaker at the 2009 Chess Fest sponsored by Verizon Wireless

Canadian Jr Ch 2012 Rd1 Results

Results Rd1
Kleinman won and the rest were drawn.

FM Kleinman Michael
Photo Cjcc 2012

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Rtg Name Result Name Rtg
2449 Qin Zi Yi (joey) ½ – ½ IM Wang Richard 2454
2322 Song Michael 0 – 1 FM Kleinman Michael 2368
2300 Preotu Razvan ½ – ½ Szalay Karoly 2392
2440 FM Sapozhnikov Roman ½ – ½ Kraiouchkine Nikita 2351
2406 FM Jiang Louie ½ – ½ Chiku-Ratte Olivier Kenta 2187

Groningen 2012 Rd5 Partial Standings

Standings(Partial)
GM Kampen van, Robin(NED) takes the sole lead with 4.5/5. GM Hansen,E(CAN) drew and IM Piasetski(CAN) lost and both have 3/5.

GM Kampen van, Robin

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Rank Name Score Fed. M/F Rating TPR W-We 1 2 3 4 5
1 GM Kampen van, Robin 4.5 NED M 2570 2728 0.78 ½ 1 1 1 1
2 GM Andriasian, Zaven 4 ARM M 2605 2651 0.29 1 1 ½ 1 ½
3 GM Kovchan, Alexander 4 UKR M 2579 2641 0.39 1 1 ½ ½ 1
4 GM Ernst, Sipke 4 NED M 2562 2639 0.47 1 1 ½ ½ 1
5 IM Bok, Benjamin 4 NED M 2522 2597 0.46 1 1 ½ ½ 1
6 IM Pancevski, Filip 4 MKD M 2512 2619 0.65 1 1 ½ ½ 1
7 GM Michalik, Peter 4 SVK M 2508 2654 0.92 1 1 1 1 0
8 IM Burg, Twan 4 NED M 2498 2545 0.38 1 1 1 0 1
9 GM Gormally, Daniel W 4 ENG M 2495 2571 0.59 1 1 1 0 1
10 IM Hovhanisian, Mher 4 ARM M 2477 2578 0.7 1 1 ½ ½ 1
11 IM Roy Chowdhury, Saptarshi 4 IND M 2441 2661 1.41 1 1 ½ 1 ½
12 GM Barua, Dibyendu 4 IND M 2410 2595 1.17 ½ 1 1 ½ 1
13 GM Deviatkin, Andrei 3.5 RUS M 2569 2427 -0.64 ½ 1 1 0 1
14 IM Hausrath, Daniel 3.5 GER M 2483 2542 0.47 1 1 ½ 0 1
15 IM Breder, Dennis 3.5 GER M 2438 2364 -0.36 0 ½ 1 1 1
16 IM Wallace, John Paul 3.5 AUS M 2398 2402 0.19 1 ½ 1 0 1
17 FM Beukema, Stefan 3.5 BEL M 2262 2446 1.19 0 1 1 ½ 1
18 GM Brunello, Sabino 3 ITA M 2583 2346 -1.26 0 1 1 0 1
19 IM Hansen, Eric 3 CAN M 2539 2352 -1.08 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½
20 IM Naroditsky, Daniel 3 USA M 2483 2484 0.09 1 1 ½ ½ 0
21 IM Plat, Vojtech 3 CZE M 2483 2293 -1.05 0 1 ½ 1 ½
22 IM Das, Arghyadip 3 IND M 2476 2454 -0.01 1 1 ½ ½ 0
23 IM Pacher, Milan 3 SVK M 2436 2313 -0.72 ½ 1 0 1 ½
24 IM Nestorovic, Nikola 3 SRB M 2429 2409 -0.05 1 1 0 1 0
25 FM Drozdowski, Kacper 3 POL M 2426 2397 -0.14 ½ ½ 1 1 0
26 IM Donchenko, Alexander 3 GER M 2401 2319 -0.44 ½ 1 0 ½ 1
27 IM Matnadze, Ana 3 ESP F 2401 2351 -0.16 1 1 0 1 0
28 IM Baghdasaryan, Vahe 3 ARM M 2388 2259 -0.68 1 1 0 ½ ½
29 FM Schoorl, Rob 3 NED M 2366 2384 0.18 1 0 ½ 1 ½
30 IM Berkovich, Mark 3 ISR M 2359 2263 -0.52 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½
31 Pijpers, Arthur 3 NED M 2351 2264 -0.47 1 0 1 0 1
32 IM Piasetski, Leon 3 CAN M 2310 2415 0.72 1 0 1 1 0
33 Ben Artzi, Ido 3 ISR M 2297 2280 0 1 0 1 0 1
34 WGM Mamedjarova, Turkan 3 AZE F 2277 2147 -0.65 0 1 ½ 1 ½
35 Overdam van, Julian 3 NED M 2268 2239 -0.03 1 0 1 0 1
36 Bosker, Peter 3 NED M 2170 2405 1.49 0 1 1 ½ ½
37 Maatman, Nick 3 NED M 2167 2404 1.49 0 1 1 1 0
38 Lee, Kai Jie Edward 3 SIN M 2165 2377 1.36 0 1 ½ 1 ½
39 Dehn, Marcus 3 GER M 2105 2333 1.46 0 0 1 1 1
40 Maris, Ivo 3 NED M 2086 2491 2.37 1 1 0 1 0
41 IM Assendelft van, Floris 2.5 NED M 2403 2120 -1.66 1 0 ½ 0 1
42 IM Arslanov, Shamil 2.5 RUS M 2386 2255 -0.81 ½ 1 0 1 0
43 IM Estremera Panos, Sergio 2.5 ESP M 2367 2245 -0.77 0 1 ½ 1 0
44 FM Goudriaan, Etienne 2.5 NED M 2366 2215 -0.92 1 0 0 ½ 1
45 WGM Mammadova, Gulnar 2.5 AZE F 2363 2284 -0.47 1 0 1 ½ 0
46 FM Eggleston, David 2.5 ENG M 2352 2260 -0.55 1 0 ½ 1 0
47 IM Afek, Yochanan 2.5 ISR M 2311 2195 -0.75 1 0 1 0 ½
48 FM Schiffer, Kai Uwe 2.5 GER M 2300 2306 0.06 1 0 1 ½ 0
49 FM Pel, Bonno 2.5 NED M 2288 2058 -1.38 0 ½ 1 ½ ½
50 Mostertman, Milan 2.5 NED M 2250 2415 1.01 ½ ½ ½ 0 1
51 Ruiter de, Danny 2.5 NED M 2226 2293 0.4 0 1 ½ 0 1
52 Schoehuijs, Erik 2.5 NED M 2160 2298 0.85 1 0 0 1 ½
53 Henseler, Jorgen 2.5 NED M 2076 2252 1.12 0 ½ ½ ½ 1

Groningen 2012 Rd3 GM Hansen,E(CAN)

Here is GM Hansen,E’s rd3 win against Brunello,M.

Brunello,Marina

  

Brunello,Marina(2257)-Hansen,Eric(2539)
Sicilian Bind[B38]
SFG 2012 Groningen(3),23.12.2012

Position 1
White has completed development but black is theatening …a3 to undermine Nc3. How should white respond?

White to Play

20…Qa5

Position 2
Black has the advantage with two pawns and a useful knight for the exchange and a passed b-pawn. The only question remaining is what the most precise path is. How should black convert the extra exchange?

Black to Play

37.Qg5

Grunfeld Trends 2012 TWIC 946;Verifying Schandorff 1.d4 The Indian Defences

Schandorff proposes the following line in Playing 1.d4 The Indian Defences(Quality Chess 2012).

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0–0 7.e4 a6 8.e5 b5 9.Qb3 Nfd7 10.Ng5!?

10.Ng5

Here is a recent(TWIC 946) game played in this line. Scandorff bases his idea on a 2010 Carlsen game where black played 12…Bf5 but now the trend is to 12…Na5 and other moves.

I found improvements for both sides in this game with black’s coming before white’s. My overall conclusion is that 10.Ng5 leads to equal but complex play.

Korobov,A(2702)-Gupta,Ab(2662)
Grunfeld Russian System 7…a6[D97]
AICF-AAI Cup 2012 New Delhi IND (2.2),22.12.2012

Position 1
In the early middlegame white seems to have nothing special going on. What do you suggest?

White to Play

14…Bb7
Position 2
Black must make a key decision in this RRB-RRB ending. What do you suggest for black
  • 24…Rfc8(as played in the game) activating the rook at the cost of a pawn. After …Rc2, the active rook fully compensates for the pawn.
  • 24…Bf6 defends both pawns but black is no closer to full mobilization
  • Something else
 Black to Play
24.Rxe4

Karácsonyi Open-Budapest 2012.12.27-30

Karácsonyi Open-Budapest 2012.12.27 – 2012.12.30
PDF info here-Chess.hu Xmas Open

The last tournament of the season starts tomorrow!

  • 7 Rounds Swiss
  • 90 min/G FIDE quickly finish
  • Nice cheap entry fees
  • Must be under 2200 FIDE

Please someone bring a camera and take some pictures for the blog. Thanks in advance.

Kosteniuk in Xmas spirit

Budapest TCh 2012 Rd5.2 RAC

Here the Rd5 board 2 game from my RAC team match.

Bea,Boglarka playing in Germany

Black sacrificed her queen for three minor pieces as part of the opening and the game followed a fairly typical course.

Szajbely,Zsigmond(2261)-Bea,Boglarka(2141)
Sicilian Taimanov 6.Ndb5[B47]
BUD tch Lilienthal 12/13 (5.2), 09.12.2012

Position 1
White has queenside passed pawns and black has a mass of minor pieces ready to jump into action. Is black ready to break on the kingside? or is it white who will roll on the queenside? What should black do now?

Black to Play

30.Re1

Budapest TCh 2012 Div I RAC Rd5

Here is a game from rd5 board one, in a close match won by my team RAC.

Emodi,Gyula(2265)-Halasz,Tamas(2364)
1.b3 e5[A01]
BUD tch Lilienthal 12/13 (5.1), 09.12.2012

Position 1
There is some action on the kingside. How should white continue?

White to Play

22…h6

Position 2
The kingside has been closed. How should black continue?

Black to Play

25.Re3
 

TCh-SVK Extraliga 2012–13

Here is a nice positional game from TWIC 946 played by GM Zoltan Varga(HUN). Black chooses a QGA sideline and wins seemingly without much effort. Black gives the bishop pair up and then plays against the IQP.

Varga,Zo
Photo chessdom

Straka,Joz(2348)-Varga,Zo(2455)
QGA 3..c6 4.e3 Be6[D21]
TCh-SVK Extraliga 2012–13 Slovakia SVK(3.2),24.11.2012

Position 1
White has just created a weakness with 30.b6. But what is the correct procedure to exploit this?

Black to Play

30.b6