A Reunion and a Paradox

by | Aug 13, 2018 | chess clubs, endings, people, positions

Three posts in three days! Woo-hoo! I’m not promising to make it four for four, though. Last night I had a reunion with a former student of mine named Cole Ryan. He was one of the few kids who stuck with the Aptos Library Chess Club all the way through high...

The Statute of Limitations

by | Aug 12, 2018 | endings, games, openings, positions

Two posts in one weekend! Just for fun, here is another game between me and my computer. It’s a King’s Gambit that goes a little bit haywire, but most unexpectedly goes all the way down to an opposite color bishops endgame. I find it fairly hard to beat...

Master of Improvisation

by | Aug 11, 2018 | chess clubs, current news, games, positions

Master of Business Administration, Master of Chess, … All of these titles describe Mike Splane, but I would like to add a new one to them: Master of Improvisation. Mike sent around an e-mail yesterday with a game he had just played at the Kolty Club on Thursday night....

Sacrificing Your Opponent’s Pieces

by | Jul 28, 2018 | chess clubs, games, positions

Almost two weeks ago, Mike Splane hosted his latest chess party. This one was a special occasion, because we had a chance to welcome back Steven Zierk, whom Mike introduced as “the first GM ever from the Kolty Chess Club.” It’s a bit of a stretch,...

Disappointing Finale

by | Jul 21, 2018 | chess clubs, current news, positions, tournaments

Before I started playing in the Tuesday Night Marathon, I told myself that I wouldn’t care too much about my result. The goal was simply to get back into form after two years of no tournament chess, and I didn’t really know how I would do. For the first...