Round Two of the 2016 960 Tournament Grows

Chess is a game for gentlemen......and ladies!

Our fun and very exciting 960 tournament grew as several players entered late.

The new tournament results and the pairings for the July 25 Round 3 will be published soon.

Open chess will be held on July 18.

We had two new members join NPP this week as Shan G and Paul G got involved in the 'regular' casual chess also played this evening. Welcome to both of you.

We also had a visitor from Chicago who stopped in to get his chess fix. That gave us a total of 17 players to the club. This means that if you stop by, you will always find a player to play.

This different type of chess - called 960 - makes you play chess from the first move due to the opening book moves are not available.

This makes you start planning immediately. John Nunn, a grandmaster and one of the world's most respected chess writers, gives some tips on chess planning in his book "Secrets of Practical Chess."

Being 'practical' is certainly a requirement of Fischer Random 960 chess. Here are GM Nunn's tips:

1. Make sure your plan is beneficial. There is no point aiming for a target which does not enhance your position. Like swapping your 'active' pieces for your opponent's 'sleeping' pieces.

2. Make sure your plan is realistic. There is no point in embarking on a five-move plan if your opponent can wait for four moves and stop your plan on move 5, then start his own.

3. Make sure your plan is not tactically flawed. Even if your plan is worthwhile, it's no good if your opponent can mate you first!

Nunn also points out that you must be willing to change your plan or make adjustments if you discover new information or your opponent finds a move you missed.

Now for a puzzle:

White to play and win. Find the move.