Nine Players on Casual Night 062015 - Fischer Random Tourney Starts Next Week!

Miss Kosteniuk is the starlet of the chess world.

We had nine players at the club (moved to an alternate room) this evening.

We welcomed a new player - Patrick - to our club tonight. And a player we had not seen for a while - but Sam found our back-up room.

The exciting news for the Club has two parts:

One: FIDE Master Seth Homa will be at LCCC on Monday August 22nd to hold a simultaneous exhibition! It was a fun event a few years ago when he was here last time. Seth will take on all participants at the same time!

Seats will be $20 a board. Space is limited so sign up as soon as possible.

Two: The annual Fischer Random 960 tournament starts next week. We will hold a round every other week. Now the exciting thing about this tournament is the 'start' of the game.

The back rank pieces are randomly placed before the start of the game! This means that all the standard opening chess knowledge is useless! You have to start playing "chess" right from the first move!

If you have never played this style of chess before, here is your chance! Entry fee is free and the '960' rounds are only held every other week.

Be at the club by 6pm to be sure to get in this exciting event!

Just to give you an idea of what '960' action looks like, here is a game from this event two years ago:

The board has the back rank pieces in this layout from left to right: RBBNNKQR. Notice the King is still in between two rooks, so regular castling rules are still in effect.

1. b3           d6
2. Bb2        e4
3. c4           a6
4. Nc3        Ba7
5. Nf3       Nf6
6. h3         Nc6
7. e3          Be6
8. Ng5       Bd7
9. g4          h6
10. Nf3      O-O-O
11. a3        Be6
12. Bf5      Nd7
13. Nd5      Nc5
14. b4         Bxf5
15. gf         ..........

The game is rated even at this point by Igor3000. Igor now suggests a move against the law of chess that states "a knight on the rim is grim" with 15. ....... Na4 to keep the game even.

Black must have been painfully aware of this usually correct edict. But in some situations - and especially in 960 games, standard ideas don't always lead the way.

Black still likes the idea of attacking White's dark squared bishop, but the text allows him an escape square - and a better square to boot. White is now up (+1.5 - which is a pawn and a half positionally).

15.  .......        Nd3?
Needed was ......Na4, 16. Bc3, Kb8 and the game stays manageable for Black.

16. Bc3         Qh7?

Black delays protecting his knight with ......e4. Sure he develops his sleeping queen, but White gets to make defensive moves that better is position at the same time. (+2.1)

17. Qg4       f6?!
18. Qe4       Rde8?

Taking the f2 pawn now was a better plan for Black. Now White eyes the unguarded g6 square for his knight. Black's game is starting to unravel (+4.4).

19. Nh4!      Nxf2
20. Kxf2      Nd8
21. Ng6       Rhg8?
Black needed 21. .....c6 to stop the next text move by White, but it would have made no difference anyway as ......c6 22. Nde7+, Kd7 23. Nxh8, Qxh8 24. Ng6+

22. b5      Kd7?
Now it is over as Black cannot save is queen side or his King.

23. bxa       Resigns

Fischer 960 chess is a great way to play - what is already the best board game in the world. Be here Monday June 27 at 6pm to try it for yourself!