Chess from Pixar

We all know the Pixar movies like Toy Story and Finding Nemo. Did you know Pixar made a short movie about chess? It is true! You can watch Geri's Game and then learn about it at Wikipedia. Enjoy!

Karpov's Rapid Wizardry - Solution

Portisch-Karpov, 2006

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 b6 4. e3 d5 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. b3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. Bb2 Nbd7 9. Nc3 a6 10. Rc1 Qe7 11. Na4 dxc4 12. bxc4 c5 13. Ne5 Rfd8 14. Qc2 h6 15. h3 Rac8 16. Qe2 Bc7 17. Rfd1 cxd4 18. exd4 Nxe5 19. dxe5 Nd7 20. f4 Bc6 21. Nc3 Nc5 22. Bb1 Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 Rd8 24. Ba3 Rxd1+ 25. Qxd1 Qh4 26. Qd2 Qg3 27. Bxc5 bxc5 28. Ne4 Bxe4 29. Bxe4 g5 30. fxg5 hxg5 31. Qf2 Qxe5 32. Qe2 Qd4+ 33. Kf1 Bg3 34. Qc2

This brings us to our test position. What is the best move? 34... Qe3

Mate is forced because White cannot protect c1, e1, and e2 all at once from occupation by the Black Queen. Portisch resigned after this move.

Karpov's Rapid Wizardry

Anatoly Karpov has been one of the greatest chess players of all time, but sadly is mostly remembered for winning the world championship by default when Bobby Fischer refused to defend and then losing his matches with Kasparov. Even today Karpov is still worth watching. He is not very active on the chess scene, but still plays at a very high level in rapid chess. Right now he is playing a match with Peter Leko. Here is a position from earlier this year in a rapid tournament against another old great, Lajos Portisch. Karpov is Black and has the move. What is the best move here?

Test Your Tactics!

Here is analysis position from a recent game I played. Black is to move and win. What is the move?

Chess without Sight of the Board

As much as we chess players enjoy our wonderful game, every once in a while we must step back and think about what a special game it is. India is just completing a national chess championship for blind kids! Chess transcends handicaps. All you need is a mind. This is also a good training reminder for improving players -- practice your blindfold chess! When you read a chess book (or newspaper column) try as hard as you can to follow without having to move the pieces on the board (or computer screen). Your visualization skills will improve!

Chess and Politics

Writers love to use chess as a metaphor, especially for politics. I do not closely follow American politics, and don't want to endorse any agenda, but this Boston Herald article did something I have not been seeing before this. The writer used suicide chess as a metaphor! Now I just wait to see Fischerandom/Chess960 in an article!

Endgame Study Solution

If you haven't been following, check out the previous post to see the endgame study we are examining. I previously showed you that I followed one of the recommended lines 1. c7 Qg8 2. Ra1+ Kb5 3. Rb1+ Kc5 4. Rb8 Qc4+ 5. Kd2 Qd4+ 6. Ke2 Qc4+ 7. Kf2 Qd4+ 8. Kg3 Qg1+ 9. Kh4 Qh2+ 10. Kg5 Qg3+ 11. Kf6 Qh4+ 12. Kg6 and found a new variation at this point. Here is my deviation from the move suggested in ChessCafe Endgame Study 500: 11... Kd6! [attacking the pawn] 12. c8=Q [forced] Qf6+!! [diagram] so if White takes the Black Queen then it is stalemate! Otherwise, it appears that White has no escape from perpetual checking by Black. Is it so? Have I made error? Let me know!

Endgame Study Diagram

ChessCafe has updated their Endgame Study to #501, so I'll add a picture here of the starting position for endgame 500, which we are studying. White to move and Win, but I think Black may have a drawing variation. Good luck!

Endgame Study Hint

In an earlier post today I promise you a hint for drawing Endgame Study 500 from ChessCafe. Black seems to have very clever resource for draw. Follow this line given in ChessCafe solution

1. c7 Qg8 2. Ra1+ Kb5 3. Rb1+ Kc5 4. Rb8 Qc4+ 5. Kd2 Qd4+ 6. Ke2 Qc4+ 7. Kf2 Qd4+ 8. Kg3 Qg1+ 9. Kh4 Qh2+ 10. Kg5 Qg3+ 11. Kf6 Qh4+ 12. Kg6

Now look for better move for Black than one given in their solution! My answer tomorrow. Of course, maybe you can find something wrong with my move and then ChessCafe has it right that the position is a win for White! Let's see!

Endgame Studies

ChessCafe is a very good place to help you improve your chess. I do not like some of their columns, but most are excellent. Every week you should to try and solve their endgame studies. In Study #500 I think I have found way to draw for Black, even though study is claimed win for White. Look for yourself and see if you can find. Later I will publish a hint for you. Then later again I will publish my line and you can leave comment if you think I am right.

Is it All about Calculation?

An article by GM Rashid Ziatdinov has been brought to my attention. In his writing, he points out that generalities (like "pressure in the center") are completely useless in assessing a chess position and that only concrete variations matter. GM Ziatdinov is wrong.

Perhaps he is using hyperbole to make a point, because many amateurs immediately assess positions by their general features, and you must use concrete analysis to see the underlying potentials of a position. But at the end of your calculated variations, you have a variety of positions that you must evaluate and compare.

Does GM Ziatdinov carry out all calculations to checkmates or forced draws? Even from opening positions? Maybe he is much better player than am I, but I doubt he is doing this. At the end of all calculated variations lie positions that must be evaluated based on our chess principles.

First Post

Welcome to inauguration of Chessology Blog. I am Boris your host. Soon here you will see annotations to recent games, coverage of chess happenings, chess problems and studies, reviews of books and maybe DVDs/software, and discussion among members of chess community. I hope very much to update this blog very often, never missing more than a day or two. Please visit again soon! Thank you!