Week 43a 2013 Had 17 Players – and Chess 960 Tourney Next Week!

We had a great crowd of seventeen fun people at the club on Monday. We welcomed new player Joshua T also. Great to see you here!

Some ladder games were played also. Mike N held off a challenge and his other game was postponed until later.

Now for the tournament news for next week:

Get to the club at 6pm on November 4!

We are holding a Chess 960 or if you prefer - a Fischer Random Chess tournament!
It's free - so just bring your set, club spirit, your sense of adventure - and a sense of humor.

It will be a Swiss System tourney - 4 rounds - 2 rounds a night, and played on two Mondays - the 4th and will finish on the 11th.
Maybe the tie breaks will be on the 25th. Who knows?

Fischer Random or Chess 960 is where the back row chess pieces start on different squares than their usual location! So it can lead to some crazy games and positions.
But here is your chance to try it out. It's fun!

The chess position you will start at will be drawn after you and your opponent have sat down at your assigned board.

We will play two 30 minute games each night.
1st round will start at 6:30 and the last round by 8pm, if not sooner.

We already have 20 players signed up, so get there at 6pm - 6:15pm to get your spot in the tournament.

The winner will get his name on the blog as LCCC's 2013 960 Champion!
The Tournament Directors Mike and Ken T are looking forward to this fun event! Come on down to the club and play, especially if you are looking to get back into chess. This is a fun way to get back to the game.

2013 League Round 3 Finished, and Fischer’s #2 GM - Howard Staunton

The standings and next scheduled round are now posted on the right side of the blog. It would have been up there sooner, but the main Blogger site has been having issues. But its currently working - for now – so it’s there.

We have a lot of exciting things happening – or trying to happen – at LCCC. We will have a Fischer Random Swiss tournament – running on two nights – Nov 4 and Nov 18.

Fischer Random is where the pieces are randomly placed behind the pawns, so the opening books are thrown out the window. It’s different and fun, and we are planning on a real loose atmosphere for this thing. Please sign up at the club, by email or join by comment on this blog. That’s what the blog is here for.

Also, on December 9, FIDE Master Seth Homa will be at LCCC for a simultaneous exhibition. This will be a fun event and a chance to play one of the players in the state.

Register as soon as you can as seats are limited.

And now Bobby Fischer’s number two grandmaster on his 1962 list.

“Staunton was the most profound opening analyst of all time. He was more theorist than player, but nonetheless, he was the strongest player of his day.

Playing over his games, I discovered that they are completely modern; where Morphy and Steinitz rejected the fianchetto (bishop), Stanton embraced it. In addition, he understood all the positional concepts which modern players hold so dear. So, he must be considered the first “modern” player.

Besides his standardization of the chess set, Staunton’s fame rests with four important textbooks he wrote: The Handbook, The Chess Companion, The Chess Tournament, and Chess Praxis.

Staunton appeared to have been afraid to meet Morphy over the board. And I think his fear was well-founded. Morphy would have beaten him, but it would not have been the one-sided encounter many chess writers envision. It would have been a great struggle.

Staunton did not beat weaker players as easily as his contemporaries did, and few games show brilliancies. But when Staunton would fianchetto his king’s bishop playing the black side of a closed Sicilian Defense, his opponents had no concept of what he was doing – so, consequently, were generally wiped off the board.

These were not just “fish” but the best players of his day.

Staunton deserves to be on the Top Ten list of the greatest players of all time because of his insight, especially in the opening and the great wealth of book knowledge that was his.”

Round 3 of the LCCC Chess League 2014

Another great night and round of chess at the LCCC.

League action gets underway!

Three games went right down to the wire. This means the stressed and tired players had to also finish their games with a throng of onlookers waiting to see the exciting time control scramble, the brilliant tactical shot…..or the pressure blunder!

 The Rabid Squirrels beat the 49’ers by the score of  3 - 1. This means the Rabid Squirrels have assured themselves to be in 1^st place!

The Tigers still have one game left to play with the Flames. If they win it, they can only draw their match, but it will give them 2^nd place all by themselves. If the Tigers lose or draw that game, the Flames are in 2^nd place alone. It’s a biggie folks.

The top boards battle.

The Sonics defeated the Thunder 3 – 1, giving them at least a tie for 3^rd place.

The winners were:

Sonics: Mike S, Dave S, Tom H.

Thunder: Luca M.

Rabid Squirrels: Scott M, Ken T, Zach R.

49’ers: Sam T.

Flames: Gene M, Zade K.

Tigers: Paul M.

In other (great) news, a new player joined the LCCC tonight, Gabe T. Welcome Gabe! Hopefully his brother, sister and even Dad will join also.

The Rabid Squirrels (L) vs The 49'ers

We also welcomed back Tim P and Ernan P. The club missed you guys.

The posting of the standings will be done as soon as the final game is played. Our next league night is November 18, 2013.

We are working on a Team Match vs Port Huron CC for November 25. We are waiting to hear if we can get the neutral site venue.

While league action is going on, others practice and wait for the call up to the Big Show!

 

Week 41-13 – Good Nights of Chess Action



Terry G instructs the Milani twins and dad looks on.

41a – Monday - We had a thirteen person turnout on a non-league night. It was very nice to see so many people here. Some casual games and blitz games were played, but a lot of chess lessons were given to our less experience members.

Terry G, Ken L, Scott M and Jason M all contributed to helping our young chess players get instruction on virtually every phase of the game.

 

This instruction is here at LCCC for all who want it – free of charge. Come on by and check out the world’s greatest game.

Scott (left rear) and Ken L (left front) instruct the other Milani twins!

41b – Thursday – Only three ventured out on a rainy Tigers playoff game night. But some speed chess was played and some nice discussion of the current sports scene.

 

Next week is our League Night. As expected, we have a real tight race forming. It’s always an exciting night of chess. Visitors welcome.

 

In other news:

Its official. Seth Homa has agreed to do a simultaneous exhibition at LCCC on December 9, 2013. It will be a chance for anyone interested to play one of the highest rated players in Michigan!

 

Be sure to email us or sign up on line with the link on this website. More details to follow but there is a limited number of spots available. So sign up early!

LCCC League Week Two Ends in All Drawn Matches

I guess this result would always be true - if the ratings always hold true to form. But in actuality, it was a trade of mild upsets most of the way thru the pairings that got us to this result. That’s why we play’em.

The winners were;

Mike S

Dave S

Paul M

Dave L (Forfeit)

Vince V

Don J (Forfeit)

Mike G

Marcello M

Scot M

Ken T

Americo M

Zade K

So the standings remained the same, with only the point totals changing.

Tigers – 3 match points, 5 team points

Rabid Squirrels – 3, 4.5

Flames – 2, 4

49’ers – 2, 4

Sonics – 1, 3.5

Thunder – 1, 3

 

The next round is Monday, October 21 at 7pm. The schedule is (1^st team listed has board one as white);

Thunder vs Sonics, Boards 1 – 4

Flames vs Tigers, Boards 5 – 8

49’ers vs Rabid Squirrels, Boards 9 – 12

In other news, the Port Huron Chess Club is working on submitting some dates to LCCC that might work for another club match. Hopefully a Home and Home series. Stay tuned.

 

Bobby Fischer’s 1962 List of the Ten Best GM’s - #3 Wilhelm Steinitz

Wilhelm Steinitz

Here are Bobby Fischer’s comments on a World Champion:

“Steinitz was the first chess player to be called World Champion. He was given the title after his 1865 match against Anderssen. He is the father of the so called Modern school of chess.

Before Steinitz, the King was considered a weak piece. Steinitz claimed that the King was well able to take care of himself, and ought not to be attacked until one had a positional advantage.

Pawns ought to be left back. Steinitz claimed that since they cannot move backward once they are forward, they cannot protect the squares behind them.

Steinitz was only one year older than Paul Morphy and the two only met once – in New Orleans. But records indicate they never played chess or even discussed it.

Steinitz book knowledge did not compare to Morphy’s and where Morphy would play a book line, Steinitz was always looking for something completely original. He was a man of great intellect – an intellect he often used wrongly.

He understood more about the use of squares than Morphy and contributed a great deal more to chess theory.

Unlike many other players, Steinitz didn’t mind getting himself into cramped quarters if he thought that his position was essentially sound.”

Just a note to say that the league standings and results will be posted Friday. We have some make up matches to be played Thursday.

Also, one team did request a name change. So watch to see what place the Rabid Squirrels are in.

Week 39B-2013 Had Eight Players – and Fischer’s #4 Grandmaster

Siegbert Tarrasch

Lots of casual games played and some nice conversation - over coffee too at Teekos! If you have not been to our Thursday location, come by and give yourself a treat. It’s a beautiful location with great coffee and tea drinks.

Now we continue with Bobby Fischer’s 1964 list of his top ten grandmasters of all time:

#4 - Siegbert Tarrasch

Chess players generally fall into two main divisions: the ones with rules, axioms and master plans and stick to them dogmatically; and the ones that know the rules and axioms but who are quick to take advantage of unforeseen developments on the board.

The best chess players are a combination of the two.

Tarrasch was much closer to the first category. He was a rule of thumb player; Knights should only be on c3, f3, c6 and f6; Bishops are always better than Knights; etc.

Tarrasch followed the rules so strongly, that he is among the greatest players of all time.

His play was razor-sharp and in spite of his devotion to this supposedly scientific method of play, his game was often witty and bright.

 He was a great opening theorist. Vastly superior to Emanuel Lasker for example.

 

LCCC League and Schedule Set for 2013-14

Gene M in action

Eleven players were in attendance on this non-league Monday night. It was great to see Jason M back at NPP.
Tim R won his make-up league game to finish the first round. So now the schedule is set.
Here is next week's schedule:
Sonics vs Tigers
Mike S (W) - Matt T (B)
Dave S (B) - Ken L (W)
Tom H (W) - Paul M (B)
Alex D (B) - Dave L (W)

Thunder vs 49'ers
Vince V (W) - Tim Ritter (B)
John R (B) - Don J (W)
Mike G (W) - Sam Thompson (B)
Luca M (B) - Marcello M (W)

Flames vs Sixers
Aaron J (W) - Scott M (B)
Gene M (B) - Ken T (W)
Americo M (W) - Luigi M (B)
Zade Koch (B) - Zack R (W)

Here are the standings (match points - team points):
Tigers 2 - 3
Sixers 2 - 2.5
Flames 1 - 2
49'ers 1 - 2
Sonics 0 - 1.5
Thunder 0 - 1