Meet the USA World Champ Contender - Fabiano Caruana

USA born Fabiano Caruana

LCCC still rolling along with great chess action and friendly banter every Monday night. We average 8 to 10 players a night, so there is always someone new to challenge.

Let's take a minute to meet the man that will play for the World Chess Championship against the current title holder - Magnus Carlsen of Norway - this November, 2018.

In November, Fabiano Caruana will be the first American to play for the Chess World Championship since the late Bobby Fischer back in 1973. And very few people know anything about him. Well, this post is here to change all that.

Part of the reason even chess players don't know him well is because as a young teen, he was an American, living in Italy and playing under the Italian flag.

But as an adult, he returned to the United States and joined the National Chess team. This team now boasts three of the top ten players in the world on it’s 4 boards! That is quite a strong starting line up, And of the 3, Fabiano is the only one actually born on US soil

Caruana was raised in the United States until the age of 10 before moving to Madrid, Spain in search of chess coaches for Fabiano.

They moved from there to Budapest, Hungary, for a change of coaching

Then on to Lugano, Switzerland, and then back to Madrid – while still representing Italy in international chess during all these moves.

Now Caruana has settled in St. Louis, Missouri and represents his native country.

To further solidify his return to his homeland, Fabiano played 1^st board for the United States Chess Team in the Chess Olympiad on Baku, Azerbaoijan.

The USA Team was triumphant, winning the Gold Medal and Caruana won the Bronze Medal for his individual play!

On the “inside the man’ aspect, Fabiano Caruana is addicted to video games, likes rapid or speed chess, not a fan of Chess 960, loves the band Led Zepplin, and Bobby Fischer is a past player’s play he is most impressed with.

We at LCCC wish Fabiano luck against the Norwegian chess superstar in November!

LCCC at the Michigan Open - and the Club is Still Rolling Monday Nights

Chess is great with friends! Here are two burning the midnight oil.

Forgive the lack of posting recently. Your humble scribe was preparing for the Michigan Open and also ....end of year golf outings!

With the chess season officially starting (we usually call the start of the school year as the beginning of Chess Season), we want to again invite everyone to visit the Chess Club. As the weather turns cold on the outside, the chess action will heat up on the inside of our comfortable and cozy playing area.

The Michigan Open was held in Cadillac, Michigan this year. The playing conditions were fantastic and the rounds ran on time.

LCCC had two participants in the tournament. There were 3 sections of the tournament: Open, Reserve and Booster. 

Both Sam Thompson and Mike Nikitin were in the Reserve Section. Both players won their division in the Reserve Section!

Sam won the Under 1200 section, with a 3-1-3 = 4.5 points out of 7, boosting his rating over 200 points! He also scored a draw against the winner of the Reserve Section for the only non-win for the winner. This will move his rating high into the next section.

Sam also won the Under 1200 Speed Chess section - which is a separate tournament! Great job Sam!

Mike won the under 1600 section with a 4-1-2 = 5 points, and also finishing in a 3 - way tie for second in the Reserve Section overall. This was his 3rd title in this division.

 The message here is clear; practice, learn and play at LCCC and you will win some tournament titles too! Plus have a whole lot of fun doing it.

 

Now for an look at an interesting endgame. This was an online Chess 960 game played by Mike Nikitin We will pick up the action on move 38, where Black has just offered his opponent a draw.

Black just offered White a draw after his 33rd move, Ra8.

White has a decision to make. We humans try to decide if taking a draw offer means our opponent is:

A) thinks the game is actually even and is afraid pushing his luck would lead to a loss.

B) thinks he is winning slightly but doesn't think there is enough of an edge to continue 'grinding' it out 

C) OR sees a loss on the horizon and is hoping his opponent doesn't see it and will accept the offer.

Black actually was thinking B when he offered the draw.

Igor3000, calculating at 2 million moves a minute and having worked for 5 minutes, declared the game virtually EVEN.

White clearly thinks C, as he now will blunder trying to push a win here. Sometimes intangibles outside the board decide the outcome. Black, quite by accident, asked for the draw at exactly the correct instance. White, by turning down the draw offer, now will feel the subconscious pressure to actually show that win he thinks he has. That sometimes causes blunders.

White thinks he c-pawn is going to queen after the future move of cxd, with all his pieced already close by to support him home. But he first needs to A) save his queen, B) protect his unprotected rook at C1 and pawn at A2 and C) get his king closer to his f,g and h pawns and centralized in the center of the board with Ke2.

34. Qb3               Bf5+

35. Kf1               .........

Already starting to push too much. 35. Kg2 was better as White is underestimating the power of Black's center pawns. Black is now up a third of a pawn (-.3).

35. ........              Be3

A powerful post that White may have overlooked as being possible to place so quickly.

36. Rc2                d4

37. Ke2?              e4

38. fxe4??           Qxe4!

White accomplished all his objectives to prepare for cxd, but he is completely lost now. 

39. Rd1               Qg2+

40. Kd3               Qxh3

41. c5+                Kf8

42. Nc7               Qxg4

43. Rb1               Qxf5+

44. Kc4               Qf7+

45. Kb5               Qxc7

46. c6                  Ra5+

47. Kb4               Qd6+

48. Kc4               Rc5+

49. Kd3               Qg6+

50. Ke2               Rxc2+

Resigns

Kids Night 081318 Had Six Attendees

Ladies can play chess very well also.

A very nice evening of chess, even though attendance was down. But with a beautiful summer night outside, it is to be expected sometimes. But the air conditioned LCCC chess hall was comfortable also.

Here is a game played by Don M with Black and on line. Don has a conservative style that lulls his opponent into a false sense that there is no danger in the position. Then....the trap springs with one misstep.

1. d4              d5
2. c4              e6
3. Nc3           Nf6
4. Bg5           Be7
5. Nf3            O-O
6. e3              Nbd7
7. Bd3           dxc4
8. Bxc4          c5
9. O-O           a6
The last opening book move. White has a half pawn advantage says Igor3000. It looks even to us mere mortals.

10. Rc1           b5
11. Bb3           Bb7
Don just continues normal development. White is up (.4).

12. dxc5          Nxc5
13. Bc2           Qxd1
14. Rfxd1        Rfd8
15. Nd4           h6
16. Bh4           Rd7
17. Rd2?         ........
It was time for White to do something with this sleepy bishop. Trading it off was the best option. Re-routing would be too slow, so 17. Bxf6 was the play. Black now has a slight advantage (-.3).

17. ......            Rad8?
18. Rcd1?        .........
Igor3000 sees the error of their ways. White could have equalized with 18. Rdd1, g5 19. Bg3, Nd5 20. Nxd5, Bxd5 for an even game.

18. ........          g5
19. Bg3           b4

 Don threatens to win material here, as you will soon see (if you don't already). White apparently just accepted to lose an exchange and didn't work to find the saving reply:
20. Na4, Nce4 21. Nb6, Nxd2
22. Nxd7, Rxd7 23. Rxd2 and White is only down a half pawn (-.5). Instead,

20. Nce2??        Nfe4
21. Bxe4           Nxe4
22. Rd3             Nxg3
23. Nxg3           e5
24. Ndf5?          Rxd3
White is accepting his fate. 24. Ngf5, Bf8 25. f3 and White is down (-3) instead of (-6). Don finishes it easily.

25. Nxe7           Kf8
26. Rxd3           Rxd3
27. Nef5            Rd1+
28. Nf1              Be4
29, N5g3?         Bd3
30. f3                Rb1
31. Kf2             Rxb2
32. Ke1            Bxf1
Resigns

Come on down to the Chess Club on Monday nights!

Chess Club Rolling Along and How to Analyze a Chess Position

The player on the right is working on a plan!

The Chess Club is still rolling along. Sorry for the delay in posting. 

Join us for our Kid's Night this evening!

Now for some practical advice:

The question facing us in a chess game is “what shall I do in this position”?

To answer this question, we have to first ask, “How do you evaluate a position”? There are three fundamental principles in analyzing a position; force, mobility and King safety.

Mobility is broken into two parts; pawn structure and freedom of pieces.

Add the tactical situation at any moment and we have five basic questions:

1.      Who is ahead in material?

2.      Are my pawns well placed compared to my opponent?

3.      How much freedom of action do my pieces have and is my mobility better than my opponent?

4.      Are the Kings safe or exposed to attack?

5.      What are the threats for me and my opponent?

Once these questions are answered, we can evaluate the position as superior, equal, or inferior, form plans and proceed accordingly.

Advantages are either permanent or temporary. A permanent advantage is usually in pawn structure, but they can change with incorrect play.  

A mobility advantage is usually more temporary.

A player must often decide if he wants to stay in a middle game or go into an endgame (usually by trading queens).

Who has what advantages and how strong or permanent those advantages are, will make your decision on which road to take.

Kids Night 070918 was a Fun Night - and an Expert's Game

Kid's night was a fun night of chess with 14 players in attendance on a very hot night outside. But it was cool in the LCCC chess club.

Stop by for the chess action this summer.

Here is a a tactics filled Expert level game played at a 5 minute time limit and submitted by our hero - playing White - Jason Morris.

1. e4            c5
2. Nf3          d6
3. Bb5+       Nd7
4. O-O         e6
5. d4            cxd4
6. Nxd4        a6
7. Bd3           Ngf6
8. c4             Be7
9. Nc3           Qc7
10. Qe2         O-O
11. Kh1          b6
Here is the first little mis-step by Black. 11. ...Ne5 12. f4, Nxd3 13. Qxd3, Nd7 was slightly better. Black is now a little cramped.

12. f4            Bb7
13. f5            Nc5
14. Bg5?!      .......
Not the best, but this is a speed game remember? 14. fxe6, fxe6 15. Bc2 was better as Black will now equalize.

14. .......          e5
15. Bxf6         Bxf6
The game is positionally even here at the diagram below:

16. Nc2          Bc6
17. Ne3          Qb7
18. Ncd5        Bxd5
19. Nxd5        Nxd3?
Better was 19. ....Nd7 with only a half-point disadvantage instead of the (+1.1) lead for White.

20. Qxd3        Kh8??
Black crumbles in time pressure - needing 20. Rfc8. White has a commanding (+3.4) advantage.

21. Rf3 ?        Rad8?
Again, this is a speed game. If White played 21. Nxf6 it was over. Black, given life, needed 21. ...Bg5. Still, White's advantage has shrunk to only (+1.8). But another blunder by Black ends the game quickly.

22. Rh3           Rg8??
23. Rxh7+ !!     Kxh7
24. Qh3+          Bh4
25. Qxh4 mate  

Chess Club Still Open During the 2018 Summer

It may be hot outside, but it is air conditioned in the Chess Club. The only thing hot in the chess action.

We are still open Mondays 6 to 9pm. And Kid's Night is next week. The following week, our speed tournament starts! So be sure to stop by.

Now here is an entertaining game played by two members of a chess club in the United Kingdom.

Opening: B40 - Sicilian Defense

1. e4             c5
2. Nf3           e6
3. c3             d5
4. e5             d4
5. cxd4         cxd4
6. Bb5+        Bd7
7. Nxd4        Bxb5
8. Nxb5        Nc6
9. O-O          a6
10. N5c3      Nge7
11. Re1        Ng6
This was the last "book" move. These UK players take the chess opening books seriously I guess.

12. Na3 !?        Bxa3
13. bxa3           O-O
14. Rb1            b5
15. Qh5 !?       Qd3

With two less than stellar moves out of the last four by White, Black had 15. ….Nf4 16. Qf3, Nd3 17. Re3, Ncxe5 18. Qg3 and Black would have a pawn lead (-1.1), instead of just a near half pawn (-.4).

16. Rb3          …….
Better was 16. Bb2.

16. …….         Nd4
17. Rb2           Rac8
18. h4?           ……..
White's first real blunder as it weakens the king-side. 18. Re3, Qc4 19. Rb1 was better. Black is up (-1.8).

18. ……         Nc2
19. Rf1           Rc4
20. g3??         …….
White falls apart (-3). 20. Qe2, Qxe2 21. Nxe2, Nxe5 was better.

20. …….        Nd4
21. Kg2          Nf5
22. Qe2??      ………
The final nail but there is not much anyway.

23. Kh1         Qf5
24. Kh2         Nf3+
25. Kg2         Ngh4+!
26. Kh1         Qh3#

3 Way Tie for the 2018 LCCC Club Championship – and GM Gareyev Sets World Record

Chess is always classy!

Two huge accomplishments are the content for this article. First the BIG one!

We had a three-way tie for the Club Championship!

Don Mason, Ken Tack and Vince Valente all tied for 1^st place with 3 points out of 4.

In the K-12 Division, the top 3 finishers were:

1^st – Justin D. (trophy)

2^nd – Ethan J. (medal)

3^rd – Brandon D. (medal)

Congratulations to all the winners!

The other big accomplishment is that GM Timur Gareyev, an Uzbekistan born GM, set a new chess world record by playing 48 people at the same time – Blindfolded! Timur scored an 80 percent winning percentage. The match took 19 hours to complete!

The event was held at the University of Las Vegas Nevada (UNLV) and was sponsored by OFF da Rook, a chess organization that runs scholastic chess events and has a chess site – offdarook dot com.

Most of the players came from locals at the Las Vegas Chess Center, but featured players that came from as far away at Tennessee and there were even 4 out of the country players that played via internet.

Over half of the players in the event were rated 1700 or higher. For those who don’t know what that means, it means over half the players were in the top 5% in the world. That is what that means! Congratulations to GM Gareyev on his amazing achievement!

Your humble scribe went back and forth as whether or not to mention this world record. Chess already has the reputation that it is a game for geeks and the super intelligent. I did not want to highlight that stereotype.

The way to look at chess is the same way you look at any other endeavor. Let’s say you don’t try chess because you think you are not smart enough. Let me let you in on a little secret:

I played high school and league baseball when I was never going to be good enough to be in the Major Leagues.

I played very competitive softball, but was not good enough to make the Michigan Softball Hall of Fame like many of my teammates have.

I played high school and league football when I was never going to even get big enough (let alone fast or strong enough) to play in the NFL.

I played league hockey when I was never going to be a good enough skater to be in the NHL.

I played league and tournament golf, and I have no shot of making any Tour of any kind.

I have played poker for serious stakes in casinos and casual stakes at home games, and I have no shot of ever being a professional poker player.

I have been in a target and self-defense shooting league and finished no where near the scores that the sharpshooters there could achieve. 

Other people run in races, bowl, fish, play soccer, tennis, basketball etc., all against others that enjoy that activity also. Others run marathons, even though they will never compete in the Olympics.

I also play chess. Casual and Tournament Chess. But I am never going to be a Grandmaster. Nor will I ever even try to play ONE chess game blindfolded.

Chess is like all the other activities I mentioned. You can learn chess. You may never be the best at it. You may never even be good at it (where ever that “GOOD” line actually is), but you will never be the worst at it and you will still have fun playing it!

Learn to play chess. You will not regret it and your mind will thank you for the exercise. Your eyes will thank you for the beauty you will create with your games. Trust me. You will have some stunners - both winning and losing! No two chess games are ever the same.

As your humble scribe blogs from the Club this hot casual chess Monday night, we were glad to see Zade K. back from West Pointe to play tonight and also Sam T.- who also returns after a stay at college.

Welcome back guys!

Zade promises to supply us with an article about his participation in various Armed Forces tournaments!

Casual chess continues next Monday. See you there.