GATA KAMSKY - US CHESS CHAMPION!

So the 2010 edition of the U.S. Chess Championship came down to the following tie break game! Kamsky had 25 minutes on his clock against Yuri Shulman who had 6o minutes - both with a five seconds delay. Talk about an exciting finish to this year's event!

Odd time control, eh? It certainly is - but this was a tie break game to determine who alone would claim the title of United States Chess Champion as both players were tied on 6.5 each. This format of tie break is known as an "Armegodden" game - where the player of the White pieces gets more time and MUST win the game to win the match while the player of the Black pieces will get the "draw odds" which is to say that if they should draw it is treated as a win.

This year both players had to place a secret bid - the amount of time that they would be willing to accept as black - in order to get the Black pieces. The draw odds is a significant advantage! So both players wanted the Black pieces for this game... but Kamsky's bid was far lower than Shulman's and so he won the Black pieces.

Please make note - this is not a "normal" tournament chess game but a tie break. Normal chess would never feature such rules and the only reason why anyone would use such a tie break format is to balance the need for the event to finish up in a timely manner while still allowing both players to battle it out for first - winning it upon their own merits.

Here now is this exciting game!

In the final position Gata Kamsky achieved a well known draw - that neither player felt the need to play out as it was too obvious for both of them. Gata managed to do this with only seconds remaining upon his chess clock! Next time - don't bid so low Gata!

This is the second time that Gata Kamsky has become US Champion - the last time was 19 years ago when he was still a teenager! Congratulations Gata Kamsky!

- Chess Coach Sean Tobin.

ONLINE LESSON : TACTICAL UNDERSTANDING for QUEEN & KNIGHT to win a pawn vs KING & KNIGHT.

TACTICS - HOW TO RECOGNIZE THEM but MORE IMPORTANTLY HOW YOU CAN SET THEM UP!

Here is a good straight forward tactic that anyone can use... you just have to be able to recognize the possibility of this pattern during a game - that is see it - and be able to set it up in order to pull the wool over the eyes of your opponent. What makes a really strong player such a good player is just how well they know the basics of chess... for example:

FISCHER vs O'KELLY

WHITE TO PLAY

If you are unable to find the tactical stroke that fetched Fischer a fine advantage in the above position then please do feel free to play through the game that this tactical puzzle is taken from. Even IF YOU DID SOLVE IT... feel free to enjoy a Bobby Fischer game!

ADVISORY: Peter will NOT LIKE the following opening featured in this game... ah-hem! Or rather he will pretend to not like it just to keep Coach Sean on his toes - but it is going to become his new best friend!

THE GAME WHERE OUR FEATURED TACTIC COMES FROM :

GM Susan Polgar vs Coach Sean Tobin.

COACH SEAN TO PLAY AND USE OUR NEW TACTIC!

What makes a GRANDMASTER so GRAND in chess is that they know many things about chess and they make far fewer mistakes than other chess players do. But what they know and how they use that knowledge is something that we can learn from... and then make it our own. It isn't magic... it's CHESS folks!

Enjoy this, our latest, mini lesson on tactics!
Chess Coach Sean Tobin.

GATA KAMSKY TO GO INTO PLAYOFFS TO DETERMINE THE 2010 US CHAMPION!

Go get him Gata! It will be tough as Gata has the Black pieces - so here is hoping for a dynamic and attacking game of chess!

Enjoy this game - Chess Coach Sean Tobin.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALEX AND BENNETT - Way to go at the 2010 BERT LERNER ELEMENTARY NATIONALS!

BENNETT - 2nd PLACE K-5 U900!

Out of 371 players - whoa!

ALEX - 19th PLACE in K-5 U900!

Both in the top twenty out of 371 competitors!

Meditation was a vitally important ingredient for their success at the 2010 Edition of the Bert Lerner Elementary Nationals held in Atlanta Georgia from May 7th till the 9th!

GETTING READY TO "RUMBLE"

- at the start of one of the rounds!

With 2,059 Scholastic players in attendance for this event this was one of the biggest events of 2010 and definitely a high light for all Scholastic players. Both Bennett and Alex had a phenomenal tournament. At next year's edition they shall have to play in the Champ!

Enjoy the photo essay.
Chess Coach Sean Tobin.

Chess Lesson on FORCING MOVES & THE RULE OF THREE!

I had a lot of fun playing this game against the chess computer - I hope all of you enjoy it too!

The computer that I played against - the NOVAG STAR RUBY - is one fun little machine. It is definitely not as strong as some of the computer software out there - in fact it is a lot less powerful than what is readily available just in terms of the Chessmaster Series and never mind the Rybka or Fritz chess software that is out there. But at it's highest settings it is rated at 2330 and so gives a much better game than let us say the Mephisto Maestro which is rated at 1750 and is a totally useless unit for me at least when it comes to looking for a strong computer opponent. Fun to play but I need something that can fight back at me and the Novag Star Ruby fits the bill!

Here is a website produced by a collector of chess computers - Brian Barnett - so enjoy his informative efforts there! The first link directly leads to the page on the NOVAG STAR RUBY while the second just leads to his main page.

http://www.chessenthusiast.net/chess/ruby.htm

http://www.chessenthusiast.net/chess/chesscomp.htm

Enjoy - Coach Sean Tobin.

Do your best to sting your opponent's King with your BEES!

Enjoy the following lesson on the DANISH OPENING - and how to meet it in combat! Ideally I would like for all of our players to be able to play it from EITHER SIDE of the board.

Remember to always be your BEST by trying to sting your opponent's King with your BEES! B = Best, E = Exciting, E = Excellent and S = Strategy!

There will be a blitz chess quiz again on this opening for our players at our next Super Group meeting! Right now the score is 6 - 3 in favor of Coach Sean at the time control of one minute for the Coach and five minutes for each of my CHAMP players! I was playing the "Devil's advocate" for the Danish and even played some questionable lines for our players to tackle. Alex and Ian won with sparkling tactics - Ian being the first to score a victory for team CHAMP. I got punished tactically in two of these games and in another I was ganged up upon by all members of the Super Group who sought to distract me with questions about the opening and animated antics and discussion during my game with Aman - which contributed to my loss on time against him. I knew something was up when they were all suddenly quiet and when they all had extremely BIG smiles upon their faces AND also extremely focused upon my clock - but by the time I noticed that I had "forgotten" to hit the clock I had six seconds left! I have never heard such cheering for a blitz chess game victory as when Aman won on time against me. I HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR YOU GUYS - YOU ARE ALL TOO SMART FOR ME!!!!!!!!

Make today and every day your Best day possible!
Chess Coach Sean Tobin!