tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169356602009-10-20T07:54:50.900+08:00clueless in the Opening, struggling in the Middle, and hardly realized it's the Endtoguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.comBlogger55125http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.gifblogspot/ZofGhttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-35123081022983883182009-09-29T21:22:00.005+08:002009-09-29T22:25:16.832+08:00

This match is significant, even symbolic, for several reasons. For one, it shows how chess has gone down in popularity after these so many years. Yahoo! didn't even consider it worthy of an article, featuring it only as several pictures in its Yahoo! In Photos section. Next, Googling the event will land you in several regional internet news agency like this one, not really big at all

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-18176586746564443672009-05-07T11:16:00.011+08:002009-05-07T12:44:22.688+08:00

Now, what has this got to do with chess? Well, if your regular OTB meetings experience a decline in attendance especially in the teens bracket, you may have a suspect here. Or this is simply just one of those things that one can get excited with side by side with chess. Blizzard is set to give beta test accounts a few weeks from now. You can find the full mechanics on how to get one on their

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-55681983905264434452009-05-06T10:54:00.002+08:002009-05-06T10:56:20.475+08:00

No, it's not another movie review. This is about games that computers play. You read that right. The International Computer Games Association (click pic to get to the site) started out as the International Computer Chess Association, which holds regular championship events for computer vs. computer matches. It has been renamed in 2002 as ICGA, and now caters to other computer games and game

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-24362378567921680312009-03-08T18:45:00.002+08:002009-03-08T20:35:25.888+08:00

Good things comes in threes. And what chess federations stand for is no exception. The Hip-Hop Chess Federation goes by the same trilogy of ideals. One look at their website (click pic for the link) will quickly give you the impression they are reputable enough that they gather considerable attention in major news outfits. And I really like the logo. It says a great deal about fusing chess

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-34439015659907335302008-10-22T23:14:00.000+08:002008-10-22T10:28:10.354+08:00

I find it really professional and classy for a film company to actually consult for the services of an International Master of chess in preparing for a chess position or scene in a movie. Especially one where the moves can become the subject of much scrutiny long after the movie has been replaced in the theatres and the DVD copies have been neatly filed in the cabinets at home. But then again,

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-6200235148876918882008-10-12T01:01:00.001+08:002008-10-12T01:01:00.864+08:00

Like Chess Tempo which I featured earlier, Chess Tactics Server is also an interactive site to hone your chess skills especially in the middlegame. For each position that you are presented with, you are subsequently rated and the next problem shown will be within the range of your perceived strength. The problems have time limits in which to make the correct move. Interactive chess sites like

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-7616623938175769982008-10-05T01:08:00.001+08:002008-10-05T01:08:00.386+08:00

A friend of mine recently told me that he has been using Chess Tempo to improve his skills in chess tactics. He happened upon this site from one of the Google ads in my blog. As I have discussed recently, your performance in the middlegame can be considerably improved if you can recognize patterns intended to take advantage of your pieces or position. One of the ways to improve recognition of

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-24692482463921491382008-10-01T00:01:00.001+08:002008-10-11T13:18:09.441+08:00

Being considered one of the predecessor of modern chess, I am a bit reluctant in calling Shatranj a variant. Because it sounds like saying you were born before your mother! Then again, for the casual observer, that's the way this game would look like at first glance. But a few minutes into the game and you would get the feeling that indeed this game isn't a variant after all. Rather, it could

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-45507931042352136182008-09-28T05:04:00.000+08:002008-09-28T05:04:00.846+08:00

After my stint as a Team Captain of Team Philippines in Schemingmind, I agreed to take on the role of an assistant League Manager for league games in the site. It seems that there would be a need for somebody to fill in the shoes of the current League Manager soon. There wil be two of us assisting him for the rest of the season, and then one of us would assume the post eventually. It is an honor

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-50999620217575146472008-09-24T01:59:00.001+08:002008-09-24T01:59:00.474+08:00

Here's one way to get the young ones to try the royal game. Crazychess is a simple arcade-style game that features the Knight and Pawn as the main pieces. The game has a simple objective: not allowing enough Pawns which spawn from the other side of the board to reach your side by using the Knight to attack and take them out. Also, when there is no pawn on the board, gold coins appear which the

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-2027410558320001572008-09-21T07:01:00.002+08:002008-10-11T13:27:47.920+08:00

Here's the latest Suicide Chess game I played...and lost! I mean, won, so I lost! I mean...well, just watch it...Learn more about Variants! Click HERE!

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-1145720149365399462008-09-17T06:01:00.002+08:002008-09-17T06:01:00.634+08:00

Continuing our topic on the middlegame, I think it's worth mentioning here two aids that can help in improving one's game.Chess tactics resources - this can come in the form of instructional materials that describe and illustrate moves and positions aimed at weakening your opponent, either by loosening his defense or capturing a major piece. Or it can be interactive materials, like simulated

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-32885750931571917692008-09-14T04:01:00.004+08:002008-09-14T04:01:00.439+08:00

For as long as I can remember, I felt it awkward to have a Queen piece in chess. Not only is she the only piece with the connotation of being female, it just doesn't feel "right" that she is the most powerful. Add to that the connotation that she is "the queen" leads to the question: then what is the King?I don't know how much others are preoccupied with this, but I found a site that actually

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-74715634360619552832008-09-10T07:01:00.003+08:002008-09-10T07:01:00.890+08:00

The opening part of the game, if played "by the book", will eventually lead to the middlegame. Personally, I still feel kind of lost when I reach this part of the game. Usually, this is the part where the board is still pretty much filled up and cramped. Since opening theory was followed, each piece and position is usually poised to exploit any weakness in the other side. And for a beginner, the

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-9491102299185415942008-09-07T06:01:00.000+08:002008-09-07T06:01:00.811+08:00

I was watching Death Note a couple of nights before and I don't remember now if it's at the end of the first movie or the start of the second (I was watching it back-to-back) that the bitter rivals of the movie, L and Light, sat down for a game of chess. It made me wonder what are the reasons for putting chess in a movie. What character or atmosphere does it lend to the movie? Does it make it

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-85578370594788122572008-09-03T05:01:00.002+08:002008-10-11T13:22:48.988+08:00

Whoever said winning is hard should try losing in this chess variant. Here, the objective is getting all your pieces taken by your opponent. There is no checkmate, the King is just another piece, and castling is not allowed. You start with either the board set up as in standard chess or in chess960, and then proceed to have your pieces taken. You must take your opponent's piece if you are allowed

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-8163574851938795672008-08-31T07:01:00.001+08:002008-08-31T07:01:00.988+08:00

It has been a month or so since I've gotten back into the habit. I am almost finished with the mini-tournament I joined in Schemingmind (the remaining ones are pretty much decided). If ratings are any indication, my efforts in improvement has paid off. I have made considerable increase in my ratings after the month-end calculation, which unlike this month, did not include any defaults on time. I

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-21677906653898706362008-08-27T06:01:00.002+08:002008-08-28T11:17:43.941+08:00

As I have beeen discussing opening theory lately here and here, let me just point you to an internet resource that I have used extensively. Chessops is a free internet resource that allows you to explore various openings. In their own words:An interactive series of +8,000 unique board positions, from first moves through to full development of pieces, covering all major openings, defences and

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-86352326560835415752008-08-24T06:01:00.002+08:002008-08-24T06:01:00.963+08:00

The Pinoys in Schemingmind have started our 2nd team-exclusive tournament. I wrote about the first one here. Planned as a "monthly" event, it's very likely that we won't be having the next one soon enough, as the first one took a year to finish. Much as we would like to open up a new one every month, it would limit the standard (free) members of the team from joining the other mini-tournaments in

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-81298310201994961012008-08-20T05:01:00.002+08:002008-08-20T06:24:34.614+08:00

A few posts ago, I mentioned about the value of utilizing opening books/databases to improve one's performance in chess. Understanding opening theory is a necessary part of growing in chess because whether we like it or not, the initial position of any standard chess game will always be the same, and it would be a good idea to learn early on the basic principles of chess.The ideal scenario is

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-49336435071776341692008-08-17T05:01:00.002+08:002008-08-19T23:01:53.735+08:00

The 1st Team Philippines Monthly Knockout Tournament in Schemingmind has just recently concluded. What should have been monthly took a year to finish! And so I think we need to reconsider the time controls we use on this one. The championship round is between two of our higher-rated players (as expected). Below are the two championship games played.

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-65504891133167770542008-08-13T04:01:00.006+08:002008-08-28T11:20:49.777+08:00

Most correspondence chess sites allow the use of opening books/databases as part of the resources available to a player during a game. This resource is often ignored or underused by most players, especially those new to the game or have only begun to take chess a bit more seriously. A variety of reasons account for the neglect of opening books and resources. For some, they simply don't know that

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-39397349858447327482008-08-10T04:01:00.002+08:002008-08-10T04:01:01.528+08:00

A Song of Ice and Fire is a series of four novels by George R. R. Martin. It's set in a medieval fantasy land of warring kingdoms with the usual cast of royalty , knights, lords, wizards, dragons, and some more that are not commonly found in other medieval fantasy epics. The titles in the series are "A Game of Thrones"; "A Clash of Kings"; "A Storm of Swords"; and "A Feast for Crows. I am

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-66733337799385029982008-08-06T03:01:00.008+08:002008-10-11T13:25:02.074+08:00

I first came across Chess 960 in Schemingmind. What attracted me to it is the way it was being promoted as an approach to chess that does not require a deep knowledge of opening theory. The timing couldn't have been more perfect, as I just emerged from being floored in several of my games in standard chess (I think I researched variants precisely because I got so depressed about standard chess).

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16935660.post-66335807506428544762008-08-03T02:01:00.003+08:002008-08-03T02:01:01.023+08:00

In a game steeped in history and tradition, characters can take on a mythical or personal meaning for players. And I get to wonder if current chess players have a particular piece they associate themselves with more than the usual attention. A piece whose every move is more important for you than any of the other pieces. Or one that you would probably forego sacrificing for no sane game-related

toguintshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666815185497779148toguints@yahoo.com0