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Dec.2,2011The Newsletter of NYC Scholastic Tournament Chess
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First Edition: Volume 1, Number 1, November 2009 Individual Copy Newstand Price – $1.28 |
Published by:
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HOW TO LOSE A TOURNAMENT GAME:
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RUSSIAN ROOKS:
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Page 2
THE THREE MINUTE TOURNAMENT ROUND:
Scholar’s Mate at Tournaments
Have you ever been to a tournament where round 1 begins and then after a few minutes the game next to you and a few other games are over and the players are done with the round? How can they be done so fast?
Usually these games are over because of “Scholar’s Mate” or a type of checkmate that is possible in only 4 moves. White brings out the queen early and attacks Black’s pawn in front of its bishop on the kingside (f7)a weak pawn only defended by Black’s king. White then brings out their bishop and also focuses it on f7. In only four moves White then takes the f7 pawn and since it is protected and the king has no way to escape so early in the game, it is checkmate as shown in the diagram below.
Don’t worry if you are Black. Scholar’s Mate can only happen if Black makes mistakes and/or doesn’t 8 protect itself. It’s actually easy to stop this “instant checkmate”. After playing Nc6, Black can attack 7 the queen on h5 BY MOVING ITS PAWN IN FRONT OF ITS KNIGHT (g7) ahead one square. The attacked queen must retreat back to f3 where it again attacks f7 and threatens checkmate. But seriously, DON’T WORRY.
You can then as Black, develop your knight on g8 4 and move it out to f6. You have then completely blocked this tricky mate and the game continues. Since White has been trying to deliver checkmate, White’s position is not so great and Black can try to use their small advantage by playing Nd4 at some point.
How do you know when someone is trying to trick you with “Scholar’s Mate?” As soon as you see a bcdef g h White’s queen out so early your alarm bells should go off and your chess antennas should go up. Bringing out your queen so early is usually not such a good idea.
In general, you want to keep your queen in its
starting position until you figure out a plan and after you have developed your important pawns, knights, and bishops.
As Black, Scholar’s Mate can cause you to lose too quickly. But knowing about it and then making a few defensive moves will stop it and keep your game alive. Scholar’s Mate is a neat
trick but you can avoid it easily. Make your game a good one that lasts longer. BUT WATCH OUT FOR SCHOLAR’S MATE.
Page 3
TIMING STRATEGIES:
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RUSSIAN ROOKS— Continued from page 1 — Russian Tradition For most Russian kids chess is viewed more as an after-school-like enjoyable activity and has been taught for many years in a YMHA/YMCA setting. The instructors at these locations are often famous chess players themselves. One of our instructors remembers being taught at a “Y” when he was 5-6 by one of Anatoly Karpov’s (world champion 1975-1985) assistants. In Russia, people that lived in smaller towns remember seeing family and friends playing outside on the steps of buildings. Today on the Upper Westside or in Brooklyn in an area like Park Slope, both with many beautiful buildings, you don’t really see people playing outside on the steps. In these countries, chess is seen often as more of a sport than a game. People get excited about chess championships and tournaments. The chess writer Lev Khariton describes the 1960 world championship match between the two players Tal and Botvinnik in Moscow: –Continued on page 4 — |
Page 4
HOW TO LOSE A TOURNAMENT GAME — Continued from page 1 —
This is not how good chess players behave and it is not in the spirit of the game. You should not brag after winning instead when you win or lose try the following:
How to Win or Lose in 3 easy steps:
1) SHAKE HANDS: All players do it after a game no matter what happens
2) SAY “NICE GAME” or “THANKS FOR THE GAME”: After all many games are long and tough and
the person you play may be on your level or better than you but lost because of mistakes.
3) BE MODEST: All of us have a long way to go before becoming Kasparov or other great players. Even if your game was your best ever, don’t get too excited – there is more to learn!
RUSSIAN ROOKS— Continued from page 3 —
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TIMING STRATEGIES— Continued from page 3 — Also, some players try to give themselves an extra buffer of time by moving very quickly at the start of the game, if they know their opponent is slower. By moving so quickly they only use a few seconds, widening the number of minutes ahead they are and adding to their buffer. If you are planning to use a clock for the first time in a tournament, practice first with a chess teacher or relatives or friends outside the tournament. Using a clock can make a game much more exciting, as how long it takes you to play becomes an important part of the game. If you are using a clock more often you will soon be very comfortable as it becomes second nature. Like riding a bike, you will shortly be using a clock, winning games as if you always played chess this way. As you become a better player you will see that anyone serious about chess uses a clock. From very young students to the world champion-all of them, use clocks. You can use one TOO!! |
Page 5
TRI-STATE CHESS INTRODUCES GRAND PRIX PRIZES:
Huge Bonus Certificate ($1,350 TOTAL) Prizes for Top Tournament Winners
To promote tournament chess in the New York City area, Tri-State Chess will introduce new “Grand Prix” prizes where top 5 finishers in ALL sections of Tri-State Chess tournament receive special “Grand Prix” points. At the end of the season players can turn their Grand Prix points into prizes as if they were cash at Tri-State’s concession stands at tournaments or at the Chess Exchange store at 288 3rd Avenue (Between Carroll and President Street) in Park Slope Brooklyn (718) 645-5896.
For every section of each tournament the top five finishers will get the following “Grand Prix” points:
| Section Rank (Finish) | Grand Prix Points Awarded/Tournament |
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| 1st Place | 10 |
| 2nd 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 25 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 be presented with:
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 -1Oth place finishers
These awards will be presented at the first 2010-11 tournament
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!!
Page 6
THE CHESS EXCHANGE PUZZLERS {Solutions in the next issue!}
| MATE IN ONE: White to Move | MATE IN TWO: White to Move |
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| MATE IN THREE: White to Move | |
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(from 202 Checkmates for Children. Fred Wilson and Bruce Albertson)
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THE CHESS EXCHANGE SCHOLASTIC TOURNAMENT CALENDAR
November 2009-January 2010
NOVEMBER 2009SAT 14 Horace Mann Chess Tournaments SUN 15 PS 158 CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP XI Hunter College Elementary School FRI 20 National Youth Action Championships Columbia Grammar & Preperatory School Friday Chess Tournaments SAT 21 National Youth Action Championships SUN 22 National Youth Action Championships PS 6 Chess Tournaments DECEMBER 2009SUN 6 Hunter College Elementary School FRI 11 Grade School National Championships |
DECEMBER 2009 CONTINUEDSAT 12 Grade School National Championships Browning School Chess Tournaments SUN 13 Grade School National Championships SUN 20 PS 116 Chess Tournaments JANUARY 2010FRI 8 Columbia Grammar & Preperatory School Friday Chess Tournaments SAT 9 Browning School Chess Tournaments SUN 10 Hunter College Elementary School MON 18 PS 116 Chess Tournaments SUN 24 SAR ACADEMY CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP VIII PS 6 Chess Tournaments |
FUTURE ISSUES OF THE CHESS EXCHANGE WILL LIST:
TOP 3 FINISHERS IN EVERY SECTION OF ALL NYC TOURNAMENTS
Page 8
SPEAK YOUR MIND
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UPCOMING TournamentsSAR ACADEMY CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP VIII RODEPH SHOLOM CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP III CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP XII SAR ACADEMY CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP IX |
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