by scribe | Jun 14, 2020 | Chess Life, endings, games, literature
In the past I’ve mentioned the “Four Endgames of the Apocalypse,” the four supposedly “elementary” yet ferociously difficult endgames that even grandmasters screw up sometimes: K+Q versus K+R; K+B+N versus K; K+R+B versus K+R; and K+Q+RP...
by scribe | May 9, 2020 | Chess Life, endings, games, positions
Old-timers like me can remember when every issue of Chess Life came with a Larry Evans column called “What’s the Best Move?” Evans would give you positions with three choices of possible moves. The idea, I think, came from a book of the same name...
by scribe | Jan 27, 2019 | Chess Life, current news, literature, people, PRO Chess League, ruminations
Daniel Naroditsky (right) chatting with his opponent, Cemil Marandi of Turkey, earlier this month at the Bay Area International. Today’s post is about two players on the San Francisco Mechanics who are both coming to a turning point in any young chess player’s...
by scribe | Feb 28, 2018 | Chess Life, openings, people, positions, PRO Chess League
… of my favorite tactic. Position after 22. … Qd2. White to move. FEN: r2r2k1/2p2pp1/p6p/1p2R3/8/1PQ5/1PPq1PPP/R5K1 w – – 0 23 Black (Olav Sepp, 2436) has just played 22. … Qd2, obviously hoping for a queen trade with good drawing...
by scribe | Jan 31, 2018 | Chess Life, games, literature, positions
Position after 21. … Rc4. White to move. FEN: 3q1r2/pb3pp1/1p4k1/3pP1N1/2r2Q1P/8/Pn3PP1/3RR1K1 w – – 0 22 Last time I left you with this quiz position, from the classic game Polugaevsky-Tal, Soviet Championship 1969. What should White play? Even if...
by scribe | Oct 27, 2017 | chess clubs, Chess Life, current news, people, PRO Chess League, tournaments
The great experiment known as the Professional Rapid Online Chess League is about to return to an Internet near you! The world-wide chess league debuted last January with 48 teams, and ultimately came down to a thrilling match between Wesley So’s St. Louis Arch...
