Morelia-Linares tournament is over! Yahoo!!!

14 round tournament is over! Following it took much more energy than any other recent event. First of all, because games from the first part started too late. Secondly, because second part of the tournament was rich in interesting games.

I am happy that my prediction about Morozevich play fullfiled. And we have seen his outstanding performance in Linares. A man who finished last in Mexico and first in Spain probably will be invited to many more tournaments if this level.

Anand has showed his class by taking use of each and all opportunities given by his opponents. Unfortunately, he looked quite tired on photos. I am afraid that his results may decline in the future.

Carlsen has surprised everyone with his heroic result. Unfortunately, I suspect that not everything is clear. He has defeated players who used risky moves (Ivanchuk, Morozevich)... I don't know. Just a feeling that no one can jump from last place to second just in few weeks... Next tournaments will prove whether it was a logical result of young Norwegian or not.

The rest of the players simply can't be happy of their result. Especially Aronian who won last years event...

To be continued

Missed Opportunity in Round 3 by Morozevich!

Currently the chess world is following Morelia-Linares tournament.
In the round 3 a golden treasury of chess could become bigger if GM Alexander Morozevich didn't miss a wonderful combination in this position.


38.Qd8! Kg7 (forced)
39.f6 Kh6 (also forced)
40.Kh4!! a pointe of combination

when we arrive to position shown on the next picture:


Black would have no defence against a terrific threat - Qf8 with mate! E.g. 40... Qxd4 41.g4! Qb4 (covering square f8, but now) 42.Qf8!! Qxf8 (forced) 43.g5 mate! Final position deserves a diagram.


Also, one move later Russian grandmaster could force a similar victory.

In position on the first diagram White has played: 38.Rf3? Rf1 and now once again:
39.Qd8 Kg7 40.f6 Kh6 41.Kh4!! when 41... Qe1 is answered by 42.g3 Qe4 43.g4 Qe1 44.Rg3 and Black position is hopeless.

Missing a magnificent combination which could crown very well conducted middlegame hurts a lot. No wonder that Alexander Morozevich has lost his next game to Vishawanatan Anand.

In any case, we hope that in the second part of the tournament he will heal his wounds and create true masterpieces!

Some Thoughts on Rising Popularity of Poker in Chess Circles

Long time I didn't post on here :)

A short remark about chess and poker...


Already for several years you can find an advertisement of poker servers in chess media. Even a popular "The Week in Chess" web site includes an Online Poker Room Directory.

During chess tournaments many known GM's are spending more time playing poker on the net, than preparing for the next round game.

The poker phenomenon is sweeping world, and the World Wide Web. Thanks to its glitzy presentation on TV, and the millions in prize money, it's the pastime of choice for many Caissa Adepts. Like a known proverb goes: Chess players "are too lazy to work and too honest to steal". Poker seems to be a simple way for easy money. Playing no limit Texas hold 'em among chess players is probably the number one form of gambling today. Availability of poker tournaments on the Internet makes it easier than ever to play.

Personally, I know several very good players (ranging from FIDE Master to Grand Master) who are advocating online poker. Trying to turn me into their new "religion" they used different arguments. Just to name few of them:

• Poker is easy to learn and play
• Much less theory compared to chess
• One needs to know just odds... It's all mathematics
• Better player will win on a long run. Luck isn't playing so big role compared to other card games
• Skills acquired in chess are helpful in poker.
  
• Good chess player can be even poker player...
• Read books, learn odds... it's just stratatactics (strategy+tactics)...
  
• There are many bad players who play over the internet. They don't read books while chess players do study the game seriously :)
  

In Poker usually "The Winner Takes It All" situation takes place.
In real-life tournaments all players pay expensive starting fee and from that sum winner receives usually about 35-40%. On internet sites people tend to play until only one person has any chips left. And others? What looks like a perfect solution may turn out into a financial nightmare.

Also, poker like any other card game is based much on luck. Gambling might convert into strong addiction. What can be more frustrated than receiving a bad card or blundering a Queen. In last situation we can blame ourselves. And with cards?

Many of us are addicted to chess, but we don't risk to lose money... Chess can't ruin us financially or not? ;)

Well, I am not against that. I support it. More strong players go for poker, - easier for players like me to fight them on a chess board. The only thing I want to achieve with this post is to draw attention of new poker players to the dangers of this card game.

Good luck and have fun! :)

How YouTube Can Help with Pregame Preparation

A video on youtube where Mamedyarov analyses with Polgar Breyer variotion... A must to watch if you play this line. It seems to me that Shirov didn't see this video before his game against Shakriyar from Tal Memorial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUbZmqrufc8

How to Improve Your Chess?

Well, being just a King's Bishop I am asked on a regular basis: how to improve your chess.
Answer is simple:
1) Play and analyze your games
2) Solve chess excercises (tactics and endgame)
3) Study games of the greatest master of the past

Let's study it deeper:

1)
You play hundreds of games each week. No matter where: www.chessclub.com www.worldchessnetwork.com www.uschesslive.com www.chessplanet.ru www.playchess.com (fritz.de) www.chesspark.com www.bereg.ru/chess www.fics.org www.blitzchessclub.com your local club or a bench in the park... Or a Linares supertournament.
You play a game. But do you look at it after the game? Or you start next game immediately?

I like notepads. Old, good, paper notepad. I write down after most of the games my thoughts and possible improvements, mistakes, reasons why I won or lost. After that I switch on a chess playing engine (Rybka, Fritz, Hiarcs, Shredder, Junior...) and check my game for serious blunders and some missed combinations. You can say that any of abovementioned programs costs money. Don't forget, there are engines that you can download for free (e.g. Fruit or Toga which are as good as Shredder or Junior... and, even Fritz 9).

To abovewritten notes in notepad I add with a different colour newly discovered (thanks to, let's say Rybka 2.1) variations and conclusions.

Analyzing your games is a crucial point of building up an opening repertoire. Don't you agree?


2) You can ask me. Why one should solve excercises?
Why not? By solving puzzles you get acquainted with themes (ideas, drilles, tricks). You sharpen your vision and calculating skills. You train your memory.
After you have solved entire books like M.Blokh "Chess Tactical Art" (also known as a ChessAssistant training program CT-Art 3.0) you will see positive effect.
The same goes to other parts of the game.
Solve just 5 positions per day. But every day. From day to day. From week to week. From months to months... In one year that would be more than 1800 positions! Be consistent and systematic. You will see payback from it.


3) And, what can give me the study of classical games? What old masters can teach me?

First of all study commented classical games. Usually you can find them in old books. Published in pre-computer era. Don't waste your time and money on uncommented collections of games. Or commented just with variations and without words.
Good comments show the reader plans. Poor comments just judge the strength of the move(s).

Studying well commented games you learn what a game of chess really is. In all it's beauty. In it's dynamical development from the beginning till the end.

For now, I have to go.
In future posts I shall give concrete chess examples.
Also, a list of recommended chess books will be given.

Fianchetto...

Once you have moved to g3, you are committed to a fianchetto... This is your destiny!