Chess

Recovering from a chess hangover. Played about 5 hours of almost nonstop blitz (5m) games last night with a group of fish - OD'd on lattes and girl scout cookies and didn't lose a single game. They kept repeating their dubious pet lines over and over and by the end of the night I was practically on autopilot. Finished +$19.

I know that kind of chess doesn't do anything for my slow game. It may even mess it up. I probably could have improved my game by reviewing rook endings at home instead. But it would have been a lot less fun.

An interesting issue raised by GM Maurice Ashley on his blog:

MILLIONAIRE CHESS > WHY SHOULD CHESS EXIST AT ALL?

A few days ago, I posted a simple comment and question on my Facebook page:
I heard an opinion from a fellow GM that amateurs should not win the kind of money that the Millionaire Chess Open is giving away in prizes. Do you agree?

I was surprised at the firestorm it set off, as it really seemed to touch a raw nerve in the chess community. While most of the amateurs felt it was fair that they get a shot at big prizes, all of the GMs who replied felt precisely the opposite and vociferously said so. The responses speak to a deeper issue about how to spread the game to a broader fan base, and about just how we incentivize the existing fans to help promote chess in a way that attracts big-name sponsors.

I’ll need a much longer essay to truly explore all the relevant issues, but I wanted to touch on a couple of points that I feel need to be said right away.

[Continued at link below.]

http://millionairechess.com/blog/why-should-chess-exist-at-all/
 
icarus618 said:
...
An interesting issue raised by GM Maurice Ashley on his blog:

MILLIONAIRE CHESS > WHY SHOULD CHESS EXIST AT ALL?

A few days ago, I posted a simple comment and question on my Facebook page:
I heard an opinion from a fellow GM that amateurs should not win the kind of money that the Millionaire Chess Open is giving away in prizes. Do you agree?

I was surprised at the firestorm it set off, as it really seemed to touch a raw nerve in the chess community. While most of the amateurs felt it was fair that they get a shot at big prizes, all of the GMs who replied felt precisely the opposite and vociferously said so. The responses speak to a deeper issue about how to spread the game to a broader fan base, and about just how we incentivize the existing fans to help promote chess in a way that attracts big-name sponsors.

I’ll need a much longer essay to truly explore all the relevant issues, but I wanted to touch on a couple of points that I feel need to be said right away.

[Continued at link below.]


http://millionairechess.com/blog/why-should-chess-exist-at-all/
More...

That is absoltely incredible if true. $40,000 prize funds for amateur players!!! It will change the face of chess overnight. Cheating will go to new heights, with people being ever more creative to have a seamless computer/brain interface.

My only comment is that it should be nine rounds, not seven, although I see they have some sort of speed chess to break ties. That is inline with modern professional tournaments, but is too heavily weighted for speed imo. With two more rounds, the best player should shine through without the need for speed tie-breaks.
 
nitro said:
That is absoltely incredible if true. $40,000 prize funds for amateur players!!! It will change the face of chess overnight. Cheating will go to new heights, with people being ever more creative to have a seamless computer/brain interface.

My only comment is that it should be nine rounds, not seven, although I see they have some sort of speed chess to break ties. That is inline with modern professional tournaments, but is too heavily weighted for speed imo. With two more rounds, the best player should shine through without the need for speed tie-breaks.
More...

I'm waiting until end of March to see if it's still on. I'll see you there if it is and if you go. This will be my last post to this site, so drop me a PM if you will be in Vegas. We can meetup.
 
Anad wins the first game in beautiful positional style. Very instructional video by Daniel King.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/YWTxLpoiVJI?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Chess in the US, and the world for that matter has probably never seen a time like these days. Two of the current top ten players are from the US. In addition, the number three player in the world Fabiano Caruana will take the American flag. Coupled with one or two young talents coming up, the US will be a powerhouse at the Chess Olympiads.

St Louis is fast becoming the chess capital of the US. This is due to one man, Sinquefield. He has literally single-handedly backed chess at the international level in the US. This year's Sinquefield Cup in August/September:

http://saintlouischessclub.org/blog/inaugural-grand-chess-tour-unveiled-saint-louis

will have many of the world's strongest players playing in this event. I can't remember the last time we had eight players of this caliber on US soil. I am hoping that the tournament grows into a top 16 in the world event, with 15 rounds. I will almost certainly be there to watch some of the Sinquefield Cup live, as it is a great deal of fun to be part of it.
 
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I play mostly on Chess24 because I think there is almost no cheating there. I also play on playchess.com, but I think the cheating there is rampant. Cheating meaning using computer help, or submitting yourself as a human being but it is actually an engine playing. I also help my students on chess.com and chesskid.com, but mostly I try to let them play and use the games for discussion. Eventually, I try to graduate them to Chess24. Occassionally when I see they are about to step on a mine, I can't help myself and I step in, but I shouldn't.

I only play 3m 0d
 
My third favorite game in the world (Chess and Bridge are on par with each other in my taste). If anyone thinks that Bridge is not a game that is on par or nearly on par (some say superior to) Chess, please read (and this is just one of three equally complicated dimensions of Bridge)

http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Ca...55240&sr=8-1&keywords=Adventures+in+card+play

1/2. Chess
1/2. Bridge
3. Minesweeper

http://minesweeperonline.com/

I can spend hours playing minesweeper. Minesweeper is a great way to introduce kids to Computer Science:

http://www.bluevincent.com/2011/04/minesweeper-as-introduction-to-computer.html
 
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