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For the Love of the Game: Joseph Zeltsan of SAR and his Coach Vitaly Zaltsman BY DANIEL TAUBENBLAT | ||
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The last time I remember seeing it was at a tournament in NYC four years ago. It was during the medals ceremony after a full day of very intense matches. Students were collecting their medals and trophies and I came over and chatted with a top student player. His dad came over and joined us and suddenly the student looked at his dad and said “Hey Dad how about a game of chess. Just for fun.” And so at the end of a full days tournament, after finishing in the top three of his section, a game started at the rear of the final trophy ceremony “just for fun”. “Wow”, I thought as I watched the two set up and play, “that kid really loves chess.” — CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 — | ||
Magnus Carlsen, The Mozart of Chess? BY DANIEL TAUBENBLAT With a first name that means “great” and is shared among 6 Norwegian Kings, Magnus Carlsen, the world’s number one highest ranked chess player is only 22. In a sport where child prodigies and genius at a young age occurs more often than in other sports/games, Carlsen continues to break age-related chess records.
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Reti’s Endgame Problem: Chess“Multitasking” BY DANIEL TAUBENBLAT 91 years ago the great Jewish Hungarian chess player Richard Reti published one of the most famous chess puzzles ever created.Known as the “Reti Endgame Study,” the problem is set up simply with single pawns and kings on the board. Though it looks easy, Reti’s ideas are complex. His puzzle is one of the best examples of how pieces can become extremely powerful — CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 – |  Richard Reti 1889-1929
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when they “ multitask” or can be used in two or more different strategies. As shown on the left, the problem is for white to move first and draw. The solution here is based on the idea that the white King can multitask well or be used for two purposes at the same time. White moves .rst its king and depending on black’s reaction, stays on a diagonal path that allows it to EITHER defend its pawn on c6 allowing it to promote or prevent the black pawn on h5 from promoting. The three main paths both players can choose are shown below. |
In all of these solutions, white moves first and then follows a diagonal so that it can when necessary, cause a draw. Traveling along diagonals, the white King can easily access the area on the board involving promotion of his queen, and at the same time police the area in the opposite corner to prevent black’s pawn from promoting.
For example in the first solution “Race to the End”, white still addresses both issues of protecting his pawn and preventing
the black pawn from promoting, by staying on the diagonal until his third move when he abruptly breaks off to promote his own pawn and achieve the draw.
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The Famous Giuoco Piano Trap BY MARK KURTZMAN |
Opening traps are fascinating because they require very little knowledge, yet they can enable you to win quickly against a much stronger player…provided they don’t know the trap also.
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Here we have the standard opening moves of a basic Giuoco Piano opening. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nd4 Black makes a very strange move violating the opening principal of moving the same piece twice. Black’s e pawn is hanging as well…or is it? |
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4. Nxe5? White goes for the free pawn and falls immediately for the trap! This move looks so good for white
because it wins the center pawn and attacks the f7 square for a second time. If you have never seen this trap, it
is very easy to fall for.
4. …. Qg5 Black violates another opening principle of moving the queen out early, but traps have a life of their
own! The queen makes a double attack on the Knight on e5 and the pawn on g2.
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If 5. Ng4 then black plays 5. … d5 with discovered attack against the knight on g4 and white must lose the knight or the bishop on c4. 5. Nxf7 Qxg2 |
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7. …Nf3# White’s bishop on e2 is pinned and white is checkmated in a commonly known checkmate called the
smothered mate! 7. …Nxc2+ was winning also, but not as strong as checkmate.
Of course, white could have traded knights on move 4 and black would have had nothing to show for his play. But
traps are based upon greed. Players love to steal the material…the juicy pawn on e4 in this case. Don’t be greedy…
and you will not lose quickly!
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“> The Oldest Game BY DANIEL TAUBENBLAT |
Though newspapers and TV news can be full of scary stories, this summer the news changed as writers and reporters
covered the summer Olympics in London. How is it possible, I thought while watching Usain Bolt set a world record
in the 100 meter sprint, that runners keep getting better and better each Olympics as the winning times continue to fall?
Of course the athletes get better by working harder and putting their discipline to the goal of an Olympic medal every
four years but also technology is a big help. From the shoes to the types of body suits swimmers wear, to the design
of the tracks and pools, new technology allows players of the same ability to stand out, win, and set new records every
four years.
Chess is similar in that technology has helped child prodigies become grandmasters at a younger age. The internet
has had a tremendous effect on top level players but also on newcomers to the game as information on recently played
games and on how to improve is easily available almost everywhere and at any time. Games played by top players
today are much more complicated than those played one hundred years ago.
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Going even further back, the very first chess games (following mostly modern rules) were fairly simple as higher level strategies and even many common tactics were unknown. We see this in the earliest recorded chess game nearly 550 years ago, a match explained by Francesc de Castellvi, Bernat Fenollar, and Narcis de Vinyoles. These three men recorded a chess game which follows most of our major current rules on how the pieces move. They were poets and chessplayers, with their poetry published in the first printed book in Spain by Lambertus Pamert, printed in 1474. In 1475 Castellvi, Fenollar, and Vinyoles wrote a poem called Scachs D’Amour (Chess of Love} which has the earliest game in its words and as part of its 64 verses. 
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The game, shown below in its final position (Checkmate just delivered), has many errors and would today be considered a beginner’s game as both sides fail to castle, and black is forced \to exchange knights for bishops and rooks.
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Joseph Zeltsan ( (Continued From Previous Page) We saw how the game was won. We really focused on how.” He was here joking about Wang Hao (pronounced HOW) the young prodigy who won the grandmaster section of the tournament against players like Carlsen and Nakamura. “Joseph is a special player. But he has holes and these need to be filled in.” I had to ask a question about tournaments, after all Zaltsman knew and had played in tournaments himself against a wide range of famous players like Korchnoi, Reshevsky, and Benko. But I did not see a clock. “What about tournaments. Do you use and teach with a clock?” “No, he is not really ready” was the reply. “So we look at games then we play each other, slowly, very slowly, move by move and then we focus on the endgame-you know both Tal and Kasparov had weaknesses in the endgame.” “We do exercises, King vs. Queen, King with Rooks and Pawns. We practice and it is hard work.
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Perhaps continuing the comparison in this way doesn’t really help decide whether the comparison is just. But the core of what makes chess special and what makes music too so powerful, what makes both of them art, are simply the great ideas. And here the comparison is a good one. Kavalek made the Mozart remark after after looking at Magnus’ amazing endgame from the 2004 game Carlsen vs.
Standard rates for one of our instructors to come to your home for a weekly one hour lesson start at $80. Senior instructors We o.er special rates of $60/hr. for students who take the lesson in our store in Manhattan at It is not necessary to sign up for a package of lessons in advance. You can try out a lesson and see if you like it and pay as you
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The Angry Bird
By C.K. Damrosch
The angriest bird is named Henry Edward Bird. Why is Mr. Bird so angry? Well, 150 years after he developed his unique opening 1.f4, people call it “The Bird.” Yes, there is a tradition in Chess openings for naming them after animals (The Orangutang comes to mind), but the proper name for this opening is “Bird’s Opening.”
Here is the unique and funny story of Mr. Bird’s “invention.”
Henry was a hero before even stepping to the board, for he is one of the few chess luminaries that actually held down a day job. He took 15 years off from high level chess to earn a degree in Accountancy and write a book about the railway system in his native England.
When he returned to competitive play, he was quite nervous. He sat down to his first game, and hand shaking, he accidentally moved his f pawn instead of his e pawn! Rather than admit to his opponent that he had made such a hideous mistake, Bird continued the game with the moves e3, nf3, b3, and Bb2 and Bird’s Opening was born. Henry liked the position he obtained so much, he would play it for much of his career.
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By C.K. Damrosch
Kibbitzing is a great word that comes to us from Yiddish, from a Hebrew version of the German word kiebitzen.
Originally it just meant being an onlooker or a spectator, but over time it developed a negative connotation of being a busybody or giving intrusive, meddlesome, or unwanted advice.
Originally it just meant being an onlooker or a spectator, but over time it developed a negative connotation of being a busybody or giving intrusive, meddlesome, or unwanted advice.
Similarly in the Chess word, at one time it was a terrible insult to be called a kibbitzer, that is one who watched someone else’s chess game and made comments. In certain settings, like say Central Park on a sunny summer day where 4 players are sharing a chess table and two park benches playing blitz, a little kibbitzing just makes everything more fun.
But there has to be rules, for it can be the worst thing in the world to be playing a tough enough game against one player, only to have him peppered with moves from the peanut gallery. From giving a lot of siumuls, I can tell you its easier to beat 20 students all quietly playing their own boards than 20 students all playing one board and talking out their moves.
That being said, here are some rules for being a “good” kibbtitzer.
1. Never discuss a move that can be played. Discuss moves that are no longer possible.
example: “If you hadn’t of let him take your knight, you could have forked his king and queen on f7 with it.”
15. If you are with several kibbitzers, communicate with knowing looks, rolling eyes and don’t be afraid to whisper in someone’s ear, “do you think he sees the mate in 2?”
Never tell someone to resign. Its their game
General comments about a position are generally allowed–a little humor never hurts–
examples: “My kingdom for a white bishop.” “Black is spiny like a porcupine.” Or quietly humming the Imperial Death March from Star Wars as one player mounts an attack….
My favorite kibbitz story involves a famous African American player who was playing a tournament game against a Russian. Actually two Russians, because his opponent had a friend who was openly kibbitzing about the game in Russian–at the board! Our hero allowed this to continue for the entire game, until finally he pronounced in his own fluent Russian, “no, even if he moves his rook, I play h7 and you are lost.”
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By C.K. Damrosch
One the great benefits of being a chess player and living in the New York area are the numerous opportunities you have to actually meet face to face with a living Grandmaster. Although the title has gotten somewhat easier to get in recent years, there are still only a few hundred GM’s in the world.
Somedays, it seems like they all live in New York!
On one such day recently I went to hear newly minted GM Robert Hess speak at the Jewish Community Center on the upper west side. Robert was addressing a contingent of the Cross Generation Chess program started by Renee Yarzig.
“One of the easiest moves I’ve had to make in my career has been to continue my education.” Hess continued that it was no decision at all if he should go to Yale or pursue Chess full time, “Chess will always be there.”
After his talk, Hess took on all comers at blitz. After the crowd had been defeated (myself included), GM Lev Alburt took over and we were treated to several rounds of Grandmaster Blitz.
Here’s a photo of the two hard at work:
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The Classic Bird Formation
Actually far from angry, Bird was known as a rotund, jovial fellow always up for a game.
He suffered from ill health in his later years, prompting a colleague to remark, “His play is the same as his health,
its always alternating between being dangerously ill and being dangerously well.”
Here are some examples of Bird being dangerously well:
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WHITE TO MOVE AND MATE IN 3 Bird vs. Amateur, London 1886 
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BLACK TO MOVE AND MATE IN 3 William Steinitz vs Bird, London 1866 
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Bird could also play black, and in fact has another opening named after him, Bird’s Defense, a response to the Ruy Lopez. Here he uncorked a potent attack on Steinitz: Finally, for the advanced class, check out this crazy position. Somehow Mr. Bird and Mr. Pitschel have managed to obtain a pawn structure so bizarre, it had to trigger a fabulous finish. |
1.f4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. b3 e6 4. Bb2 Be7 5. Bd3 b6 6. Nc3 Bb7 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Ne2 c5 10. Ng3 Qc7 11. Ne5 Nxe5 12. Bxe5 Position after 14 …. Nxh5–let the fireworks begin!!! 15.Bxh7+ Kxh7 16. Qxh5+ Kg8 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. Qg4+ Kh7 19. Rf3 e5 20. Rh3+ Qh6 21. Rxh6+ Kxh6 22. Qd7 Bf6 23. Qxb7 Kg7 24. Rf1 Rab8 25. Qd7 Rfd8 26. Qg4+ Kf8 27. fxe5 Bg7 28. e6 Rb7 29. Qg6 f6 30. Rxf6+ Bxf6 31. Qxf6+ Ke8 32. Qh8+ Ke7 33. Qg7+ Kxe6 34. Qxb7 Rd6 35. Qxa6 d4 36. exd4 cxd4 37. h4 d3 38. Qxd3 Black Resigns. (continued on page 7 ) |
Lasker/Bauer Amsterdam 
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(continued from page 6)
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WHITE TO MOVE AND MATE IN ONE
WHITE TO MOVE AND MATE IN TWO
MATE IN THREE
Black to move 
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White to move 
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By Mark Kurtzman
Black played Rg2+ in this position. White replied with Rf2 hoping for a rook trade, but black played his rook back to g7. The position continued with similar rook moves being played by both sides leading nowhere. White, realizing he would lose the game on time if this would continue, started saying “draw, it’s a draw.” Black said nothing and did not acknowledge his opponent. The Chief Tournament Director then appeared to observe the final moves of the game. They continued to play and when white realized he had only seconds left, he started to scream, “Draw, you can’t win this position. It’s a draw!” The opponent continued to play and the White player turned to the tournament director expecting him to intervene, but he did not. Everything seems equal, except White had 1 minute left on the clock in sudden death and black had almost 2 minutes.
27th National Chess Congress Once the clock is stopped, the player can then make a claim to the tournament director, and the director will then rule on whether or not the claim will be upheld. Since White never stopped the clock, he never officially made a claim, and had to watch the final seconds slip away on his clock without any recourse.It was an expensive lesson!
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© Tri State Chess, All Rights Reserve
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The Chess Exchange store at 325 E. 88 Street
between 1st and 2nd Ave. New York, NY (212) 289-5997
For every section of each tournament the top five finishers will get the following “Grand Prix” points:
| Awarded Grand Prix Points /Tournament | |
| 1st place | SECTION RANK (Finish) |
| 2ndt place | 6 |
| 3rd place | 4 |
| 4th place | 2 |
| 5th place | 1 |
If players are tied in rank they will evenly split the total points for the tied finish.
For example, three players tied for first would split the total points for 1st-3rd place (20) and each would get 6.7 points.
Top 10 Grand Prix point leaders will be listed in each newsletter. Grand Prix Point Standings can always be
found online at our website. At the end of the season, the top five players with the most Grand Prix points will
GIANT $$-CASH-$$ certificates to be used at Tri-State stores in the amounts of:
– 1st $500 BONUS Certificate
– 2nd $350 BONUS Certificate
– 3rd $250 BONUS Certificate
– 4th $150 BONUS Certificate
– 5th $100 BONUS Certificate
PLUS
A special personalized Grand Prix engraved plaque. Plaques and a book prize of the players choice
also will be awarded for 6th – 10th place finishers
So if you are finishing in the top 5 of your section keep track of those Grand Prix points. They add up
quickly and might become serious cash to get you some great chess stuff at the end of the season!!
GRAND PRIX WINNERS
2010-2011
| 1st Place |
Sean Sookram M.S. 15 Bronx |
$500 + 1st Place Plaque | 52.92 POINTS |
| 2nd Place |
Adam Avnet Rodeph Sholom NYC |
$350 + 2nd Place Plaque | 20.71 POINTS |
| 3rd Place |
Ottavio Pasquini Lycee Francais de NY |
$250 + 3rd Place Plaque | 18.00 POINTS |
| 4th Place |
Ericbern Martinez P.S. 279 Bronx |
$150 + 4th Place Plaque | 16.25 POINTS |
| 5th Place |
Benjamin Cole Ramaz Lower School NYC |
$100 + 5th Place Plaque | 15.91 POINTS |
| 6th Place |
Kenneth Rodriguez P.S. 226 Bronx |
Book+Plaque | 15.17 POINTS |
| 7th Place |
Michael Levinson IS 278 Brooklyn |
Book+Plaque | 14.67 POINTS |
| 8th Place |
Meyer Levinson-Blount SAR Academy Riverdale |
Book+Plaque | 14.08 POINTS |
| 9th Place |
Eitan Genger Heschel School NYC |
Book+Plaque | 13.33 POINTS |
| 10th Place |
Angel Mejia P.S. 226 Bronx |
Book+Plaque | 13.00 POINTS |
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