Hi Cubers!

We’re excited to let you know that ChessCube V5.04 has been launched, and with it comes a a few great updates:

Minimize your Friends Bar:

The Friends Bar can now be minimized at any time while on ChessCube. With the Friends Bar minimized, you still have access to the Tournaments, Watch, Play, Chat, Shop and Leaderboard buttons. You can also show the friends bar in its normal size at any time to see how your friends are progressing through the levels and ratings.

Choose to hide or show your Friends Bar

Bigger chessboard:

With your Friends Bar minimized, you can now play on the biggest chessboard we’ve ever had on ChessCube. When watching a live game in progress, sit back and enjoy an even bigger board in full screen mode!

Unified user and profile settings:

We’ve unified all your profile, interface, playing, and community settings in the new “Settings” box. To find this box, simply click on the cogwheel above the Tournament and Watch button.

We hope you enjoy this release!

Regards,
The ChessCube Team

Why Be Better at Chess?

As chess players, a great deal of our time is devoted to the subject of how to be better at chess. We live in hope of that Damascean moment when the secrets of chess excellence will revealed to us and the tyranny of the bell curve distribution will be overthrown. We will, like Bobby Fischer, “just get good”. To this end we study, practice and reflect. We join clubs. We sign on with online chess sites. Some go so far as pay for personal coaching. And we buy books about chess – a lot of books! Now, things being as they are, I am not the person to give anybody advice on how to become excellent at chess. But the thought strikes me that it may be helpful for us all to consider why it is that we strive to do so.

Dr Siegbert Tarrasch once remarked that “Chess, like love, like music has the power to make men happy” [1] which is certainly true as far as it goes but the “Teacher of Germany”[2] does rather gloss over why it is that chess has that power to make people happy. But perhaps chess computers like Deep Blue, Fritz and Rybka, which have made a number of important contributions to technical chess theory, can offer us a clue to this distinctly human concern too. Consider; very few of us endeavour to become good at chess because we wish to be able to beat chess engines. We wish to play against other human beings! Quite clearly, chess is a social occupation.[3]

Returning to the question why be better at chess? It seems reasonable to conclude that proficiency at the game gives us a sense of status and belonging in a community which shares our values and an affirmation that the community values us. It is in this respect that ChessCube is unique in online chess; ChessCube recognises that the social component of the game is as important as any other element of it and provides a community where this aspect is actively nurtured. And come to think of it, this social dynamic seems likely to better any player’s game.

We would love to hear from you – what are you in it for? Hopefully an interesting and fruitful conversation will arise and in future blogs we can develop it further.

[1] http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Chess
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarrasch
Praeceptor Germaniae
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_animal

“A social animal is a loosely defined term for an organism that is highly interactive with other members of its species to the point of having a recognizable and distinct society.”

The Nkandla community in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, had a great day when SA President Jacob Zuma arrived to take part in a chess tournament between surrounding schools. Nonkulueko Sithole was thrilled to play President Zuma, even though the President checkmated her in fewer than 10 moves. “This is the best day of my life. I never thought I would ever sit this close to the President and play a game of chess with him,” said the 14 year old.

Zuma brings his Bishop into the game against Sithole

In an interview after the game with City Press, Zuma said, “Chess is very important as it makes you a better and knowledgeable human being. I like games like chess and bridge because they stretch your brain to the limit. They make you think strategically”. President Zuma also challenged local businesses to support the sport financially. “Next year we must host a fundraising dinner party for chess right in the hall,” he said.

Kwazulu Chess Association President Sandile Xulu, one of the tournament organisers, said chess gave “young people the opportunity to compete, regardless of race or social standing”. “It provides a field of ideas, concepts and strategy for young growing minds,” he said.  In an interview with ChessCube Community Manager, Sean Wyngaard, Xulu said that KwaZulu Chess’ aim is to take chess into all schools, as well as to introduce it as a sport. Future plans would then involve working with the Department of Education to consider it as a subject in school in Kwazulu-Natal and particularly rural areas and all of South Africa. “This is exactly what President Zuma and I shared and want to see happen.” said Xulu. Speaking of President Zumas’ desire to have all children take part in chess tournaments, Xulu noted, “This (the Nkandla tournament) was our “OPENING MOVE”, which we hope will get supported and start rolling”.

Sandile Xulu, President of the KZChess Association

ChessCube supports President Zuma’s vision, and will be launching an online schools chess initiative in South Africa and other countries from early 2010. The South African government, a number of NGOs and large corporations are doing a great deal to improve Internet and computer services in schools. ChessCube will be working with all providers to ensure that schools in South Africa can connect to ChessCube’s classroom service.

“ChessCube will provide facilities for children to play chess online and to receive online video training”, explained Mark Levitt, ChessCube CEO. “The basic service will be free to all schools in South Africa, and we will be working with big business to sponsor additional opportunities for South African youth.”

ChessCube’s classroom service will be at the forefront of a modern trend to popularise chess. Along with Venezuela, which has recently included chess in it’s official school curriculum, ChessCube considers the personal and societal benefits of chess to be of immense value. What are these benefits precisely? David MacEnulty, a famed chess teacher (the subject of a movie “The Knights of the South Bronx”) had this to say in a recent exclusive interview with ChessCube:

“One of the things you learn from playing chess is how to control yourself. You learn to have delayed gratification. You learn tremendous discipline and above all you learn to trust your own judgment. Once a child learns that he or she is smart enough to play chess, there’s not going to be any holding them back from anything else.”

“The biggest benefits come when children actually sit down and play tournament chess. Once you’ve played tournament chess for a couple of years, major transformations take place in a child. The question of relying on your own judgment really comes out.”

“When the children on my chess team in the Bronx went to junior high school they were much better prepared than many of their peers. In fact, the Principal of the junior high school once told me that the chess kids seemed to be a different breed altogether. You can tell the chess kids from the way they walk down the hall – there’s just more confidence in the way they walk. There’s more confidence in the way they interact with the teachers in the classroom. They don’t get into trouble because one of things that chess teaches us is to see danger ahead of time.

“One of the things that’s overlooked frequently is the social component of being on a chess team or just learning to play chess. When children work together on a team, even though chess is one person against one person, whatever is good for anybody on the team is good for everybody on the team.”

“Now when one of the kids from a place such as where I taught in the South Bronx wins a game against a very privileged child, that changes everybody’s attitudes. The recognition, that there, on the other side of the board, is my intellectual equal, that’s an amazing transformation that happens on both sides of the board. I think that’s a really critical thing that we should introduce to society everywhere, not just South Africa.”

President Jacob Zuma contemplates his next move

Sources:

Times Live (Article)
City Press, 27 December 2009

Useful links
ChessCube Facebook Application: http://apps.facebook.com/chesscube/
ChessCube website: www.chesscube.com

“Don’t forget this fact, you can’t get it back, cocaine” (JJ Cale ~ Cocaine)

Unlike Chesscube. If the appended article is correct it would seem that Chesscube is GOOD for your brain from both a cognitive exercise and social interaction point of view -in moderation of course. Online life should nor entirely replace real-life interactions.

http://www.ioltechnology.co.za/article_page.php?iSectionId=2891&iArticleId=5300658

How the web alters brains
Anastasia Stephens
04 January 2010 at 06h00

Most of us in the developed world now have relationships with computers that we could not have dreamt about even a decade or so ago. We spend our days sifting e-mails and browsing the Internet, then relax by tweeting or networking online and playing computer games, sometimes all at the same time.

All this, says Dr Gary Small, professor of psychiatry and biobehavioural Sciences at the Centre on Ageing at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), is changing us.

Small, one of America’s leading neurologists, has written a book, iBrain – Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind, that describes what he believes is the profound impact of new technology on our brains and behaviour.

Repeated daily actions such as web research and browsing direct the growth of neurons and connections within the brain, affecting thinking and behaviour.

“As our brain is plastic and remoulds itself in accordance to our daily activities, prolonged computer use can have a profound effect on the way we think, feel and behave,” says Small.

“We can learn to react more quickly to visual stimuli and improve many forms of attention. We develop a better ability to sift through large amounts of information rapidly and decide what’s important and what isn’t.”

However, some researchers fear prolonged computer use could damage social skills. A study from Stanford University in the US found that for every hour we spend on our computers, traditional face-to-face interaction time with other people drops by almost 30 minutes. With less face-to-face contact and body language, we may begin to misinterpret others. Decision-making may suffer, too.

“Qualitatively, high-speed decisions are not the same as the type of decision that you slowly contemplate and make over time,” says Small. More pondered decision-making has “a depth that speedy thinking cannot grasp”.

“It’s common sense. You should aim to balance Internet time with real social time as much as you can. If you work all day at a computer, make sure you mix with real people in the evening, rather than using social-networking sites on the Internet or playing computer games.”

Internet research

What it does: boosts the ability to integrate and process information as well as enhancing decision-making skills.

Using rapid spurts of directed concentration for Internet research enhances our ability to focus our attention, analyse information and make instant decisions.

Small compared the brains of middle-aged people who rarely use the Internet to those of experienced Internet users, as they conducted web searches for an hour each day.

With the inexperienced users, “After five days, areas of the prefrontal cortex that control our ability to make decisions and integrate complex information had become markedly more active,” says Small. “These areas were fairly inactive at the beginning of our experiment. But after five days they were as active as regular Internet users. This indicates that brain function can change and improve with Internet use quickly, even when you are older.”

General browsing

What it does: encourages the use of continuous partial attention and multi-tasking, which can impair cognition and cause irritability

Hopping from one subject to the next on the web without a specific goal can be both stimulating and engaging – but also stressful and may lead to “computer fatigue”.

“As a result, many people who have been working on the Internet for several hours report making mistakes and feeling fatigued, irritable and spaced-out. Over time, we know that continual exposure to stress hormones can impair cognition and alter neural circuitry in brain regions that control mood and thought,” he explains.

To counteract all this, Small recommends taking regular breaks away from the screen. Looking at people who are suffering from such computer fatigue, researchers at Harvard University found that a quick 20-30-minute nap had the effect of improving computer performance significantly.

Playing computer games

What it does: may improve multi-tasking skills, memory and peripheral vision. Can lead to antisocial behaviour.

Previous research has convincingly shown that excessive use of computer games can cause stress, and even lead to violence, by causing adrenalin surges. It has also been shown that in young people it can impair the development of the frontal lobe, which is the part of the brain that usually inhibits anti-social behaviour.

But not all games are equal, and the news is not all bad. Looking at volunteers who played computer games for eight hours a week, neuroscientist Paul Kearney at Unitec, New Zealand, found that multi-tasking skills were enhanced two-and-a half times.

Meanwhile research at Rochester University in the US found that video-game playing, can improve peripheral vision.

“Computer games exercise a range of neurological functions, such as performing goal-oriented tasks, using spatial awareness and engaging reflex reactions,” explains Small. “Played regularly, all these functions are likely to improve.”

Specialised computer games, such as Nintendo’s Brain Age and Brain Fitness Program, have been specifically designed to enhance memory and cognition which can help to stave off age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Building a blog or website

What it does: building a blog or your own website improves frontal lobe function, reasoning and memory.

“As you learn to build a site or blog, brain areas that are needed for making logical connections as well as medium to longer-term functional memory are challenged and enhanced,” explains Small.

“Your memory is improved by learning and remembering how to construct a site or blog ,and will be enhanced the more you actually use and update your site,” he adds.

Sorting e-mail

What it does: boosts information-processing functions in the brain’s frontal lobe. Can also cause stress.

“By sorting through e-mail on a daily basis we develop a better ability to sift through large amounts of information rapidly and decide what’s important and what isn’t,” says Small.

While this helps with information processing, we are also at risk of e-mail burnout – a state of stress triggered by feeling overloaded. “This is similar to computer fatigue and can be prevented by taking regular breaks,” says Small.

Using emoticons

What it does: exercises brain centres linked to emotion and social connection; particularly beneficial to those who use computers for long periods.

Using abbreviations or smiley faces in e-mail correspondence has been found to stimulate the gyrus – the same area of the brain that is activated by one-to-one emotional contact.

Sending and receiving emoticons can help to offset feelings of isolation that can be caused by excessive computer use. Using emoticons may also help to keep areas of the brain that need emotional connection active and healthy.

Tweeting and chatrooms

What it does: enhances peripheral attention, helps to boost self-esteem and protects the hippocampus.

Using virtual chatrooms, tweets or instant messaging to keep up with friends, virtual friends and virtual lovers keeps us feeling connected, which in turn bolsters self-esteem.

“Neuro-imaging studies suggest that this sense of self-worth may protect the size of the hippocampus, an area of the brain which allows us to learn and remember new information,” says Small. “However at some point the sense of control and self-worth generated through virtual relationships breaks down.

“Firstly, Internet relationships seem intimate but they are not, and people can suddenly cut you off. Also our brains are not built to maintain connections for extended periods via computers.”

The key to maintaining true connection and self-esteem, he says, is balance. “Be careful not to use virtual relationships as a substitute for real-life experiences.” – The Independent

Bookends of the decade are Kasparov and Carlsen. In between them the probably most prominent have been Anand, Kramnik and Topalov.

At the end of this, the decade in which Bobby Fischer died, an prodigous new talent has emerged: Magnus Carlsen. Dubbed by GM Lubomir Kavalek as The Mozart of Chess, few doubt that the new decade will soon become his exclusive feifdom.

Carlsen won The 2nd Nanjing Pearl Spring Tournament with a score of 8/10 becoming, at the age of 18 years, the youngest player ever to cross the 2800 Elo barrier. He went on to place second at the Tal Memorial Tournament (won by Vladimir Kramnik), to win the London Classic Tournament and then the World Blitz Championship.

Take a look through some of the games of the decade below.

1999:

[Event "Hoogovens A Tournament"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "1999.??.??"]
[Round "04"]
[White "Garry Kasparov"]
[Black "Veselin Topalov"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2812"]
[BlackElo "2700"]
[ECO "B06"]
[EventDate "?"]
[PlyCount "87"]

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be3 Bg7 5.Qd2 c6 6.f3 b5 7.Nge2 Nbd7 8.Bh6 Bxh6 9.Qxh6 Bb7 10.a3 e5 11.0-0-0 Qe7 12.Kb1 a6 13.Nc1 0-0-0 14.Nb3 exd4 15.Rxd4 c5 16.Rd1 Nb6 17.g3 Kb8 18.Na5 Ba8 19.Bh3 d5 20.Qf4+ Ka7 21.Rhe1 d4 22.Nd5 Nbxd5 23.exd5 Qd6 24.Rxd4 cxd4 25.Re7+ Kb6 26.Qxd4+ Kxa5 27.b4+ Ka4 28.Qc3 Qxd5 29.Ra7 Bb7 30.Rxb7 Qc4 31.Qxf6 Kxa3 32.Qxa6+ Kxb4 33.c3+ Kxc3 34.Qa1+ Kd2 35.Qb2+ Kd1
36.Bf1 Rd2 37.Rd7 Rxd7 38.Bxc4 bxc4 39.Qxh8 Rd3 40.Qa8 c3 41.Qa4+ Ke1 42.f4 f5 43.Kc1 Rd2 44.Qa7
1-0

2000:

[Event "EUCup 16th"]
[Site "Neum"]
[Date "2000.09.24"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Peter Svidler"]
[Black "Michael Adams"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[ECO "C78"]
[EventDate "?"]
[PlyCount "67"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Bc5 6.c3 b5 7.Bc2 d6 8.a4 Bg4 9.d3 0-0 10.h3 Bh5 11.Nbd2 b4 12.a5 Rb8 13.Qe2 bxc3 14.bxc3 d5 15.d4 exd4 16.Qxa6 dxc3 17.Qxc6 cxd2 18.Nxd2 Bd4 19.Ra4 dxe4 20.Nxe4 Nxe4 21.Bxe4 Be2 22.Bxh7+ Kh8 23.Bc2 Re8 24.Re1 Re6 25.Qxe6 fxe6 26.Rxe2 e5 27.a6 Qd7 28.a7 Ra8 29.Rxe5 g6 30.Re4 c5 31.Ra6 Rxa7 32.Rxg6 Bg7 33.Bb2 Qb5 34.Bc3
1-0

2001:

[Event "Politiken Cup"]
[Site "Copenhagen DEN"]
[Date "2001.07.20"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Thomas Bach Nielsen"]
[Black "Thormod Furu"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2025"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[ECO "A11"]
[EventDate "2001.07.16"]
[PlyCount "30"]

1.c4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 dxc4 4.a4 e5 5.d5 Bb4 6.e4 Nf6 7.Bg5 Qa5 8.Bd2 cxd5 9.exd5 Bg4 10.f3 Bh5 11.Bxc4 0-0 12.Nge2 Nbd7 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.fxe4 Nc5 15.Ba2 Nd3+
0-1

2002:

[Event "Israeli Championship"]
[Site "Tel Aviv"]
[Date "2002.11.30"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Emil Sutovsky"]
[Black "Ilya Smirin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2657"]
[BlackElo "2683"]
[ECO "B23"]
[EventDate "?"]
[PlyCount "47"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 e5 4.Bc4 d6 5.d3 Be7 6.0-0 Nf6 7.Ng5 0-0 8.f4 exf4 9.Bxf4 h6 10.Nf3 Be6 11.Nd5 Bxd5 12.exd5 Na5 13.Nh4 b5 14.Nf5 bxc4 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.Nxh6+ Kh7 17.Nf5 cxd3 18.Qxd3 Kh8 19.Rae1 Qb6 20.Qh3+ Nh7 21.Rxe7 c4+ 22.Kh1 Qxb2 23.Re4 Rg8 24.Qxh7+
1-0

2003:

[Event "Torneo Continental Americano"]
[Site "Buenos Aires, ARG"]
[Date "2003.08.27"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Gennadi Sagalchik"]
[Black "Hikaru Nakamura"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[ECO "C12"]
[EventDate "2003.08.17"]
[PlyCount "74"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 e6 4.e4 Bb4 5.Ne2 dxe4 6.a3 Be7 7.Bxf6 gxf6 8.Nxe4 f5 9.N4c3 c6 10.g3 b6 11.Bg2 Bb7 12.Qd3 Nd7 13.Nd1 Qc7 14.c4 0-0-0 15.Ne3 Kb8 16.Qc2 Bd6 17.f4 h5 18.h4 Nf6 19.0-0-0 c5 20.d5 Rhe8 21.Nc3 a6 22.Rhe1 Rg8 23.Nf1 Rxg3 24.Nxg3 Bxf4+ 25.Kb1 Bxg3 26.Re2 Bc8 27.Rd3 Be5 28.Na4 Ka7 29.Rb3 Nd7 30.Bf3 Rg8 31.Bxh5 exd5 32.cxd5 b5 33.Nc3 c4 34.Rxb5 Bxc3 35.d6 Qxd6 36.Rxf5 Rg1+ 37.Ka2 Qxa3+
0-1

2004:

[Event "Torneo Continental Americano"]
[Site "Buenos Aires, ARG"]
[Date "2003.08.27"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Gennadi Sagalchik"]
[Black "Hikaru Nakamura"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[ECO "C12"]
[EventDate "2003.08.17"]
[PlyCount "74"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 e6 4.e4 Bb4 5.Ne2 dxe4 6.a3 Be7 7.Bxf6 gxf6 8.Nxe4 f5 9.N4c3 c6 10.g3 b6 11.Bg2 Bb7 12.Qd3 Nd7 13.Nd1 Qc7 14.c4 0-0-0 15.Ne3 Kb8 16.Qc2 Bd6 17.f4 h5 18.h4 Nf6 19.0-0-0 c5 20.d5 Rhe8 21.Nc3 a6 22.Rhe1 Rg8 23.Nf1 Rxg3 24.Nxg3 Bxf4+ 25.Kb1 Bxg3 26.Re2 Bc8 27.Rd3 Be5 28.Na4 Ka7 29.Rb3 Nd7 30.Bf3 Rg8 31.Bxh5 exd5 32.cxd5 b5 33.Nc3 c4 34.Rxb5 Bxc3 35.d6 Qxd6 36.Rxf5 Rg1+ 37.Ka2 Qxa3+
0-1

2005:

[Event "Mtel Masters"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2005.05.12"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Viswanathan Anand"]
[Black "Veselin Topalov"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2785"]
[BlackElo "2778"]
[ECO "B90"]
[EventDate "2005.05.12"]
[PlyCount "120"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.f3 b5 8.g4 h6 9.Qd2 b4 10.Na4 Nbd7 11.0-0-0 Ne5 12.b3 Bd7 13.Nb2 d5 14.Bf4 Nxf3 15.Nxf3 Nxe4 16.Qd4 f6 17.Bd3 Bc5 18.Bxe4 Bxd4 19.Bg6+ Kf8 20.Rxd4 a5 21.Re1 Be8 22.Nh4 e5 23.Rd2 a4 24.bxa4 Kg8 25.Bg3 d4 26.Rd3 h5 27.Bxe8 Qxe8 28.g5 Rc8 29.g6 Rh6 30.Rxd4 Rxg6 31.Nxg6 Qxg6 32.Rd2 Rc3 33.Red1 Kh7 34.Kb1 Qf5 35.Be1 Ra3 36.Rd6 Rh3 37.a5
Rxh2 38.Rc1 Qe4 39.a6 Qa8 40.Bxb4 h4 41.Bc5 h3 42.Nd3 Rd2 43.Rb6 h2 44.Nf2 Qd5 45.Be3 Re2 46.Rb3 f5 47.a7 Rxe3 48.Rxe3 Qb7+ 49.Rb3 Qxa7 50.Nh1 f4 51.c4 e4 52.c5 e3 53.c6 e2 54.c7 Qxc7 55.Rxc7 e1=Q+ 56.Rc1 Qe4+ 57.Ka1 Qd4+ 58.Kb1 Qe4+ 59.Ka1 Qd4+ 60.Kb1 Qe4+
1/2-1/2

2006:

[Event "Corus Wijk aan Zee"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee"]
[Date "2006.01.14"]
[Round "Round 1"]
[White "Sergey Karjakin"]
[Black "Viswanathan Anand"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[ECO "B90"]
[EventDate "?"]
[PlyCount "74"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Be7 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 Nbd7 11.g4 b5 12.g5 b4 13.Ne2 Ne8 14.f4 a5 15.f5 a4 16.Nbd4 exd4 17.Nxd4 b3 18.Kb1 bxc2+ 19.Nxc2 Bb3 20.axb3 axb3 21.Na3 Ne5 22.h4 Ra5 23.Qc3 Qa8 24.Bg2 Nc7 25.Qxc7 Rc8 26.Qxe7 Nc4 27.g6 hxg6 28.fxg6 Nxa3+ 29.bxa3 Rxa3 30.gxf7+ Kh7 31.f8=N+ Rxf8 32.Qxf8 Ra1+ 33.Kb2 Ra2+ 34.Kc3 Qa5+ 35.Kd3 Qb5+
36.Kd4 Ra4+ 37.Kc3 Qc4+
0-1

2007:

[Event "Linares-Morelia"]
[Site "1:03:33-1:06:33"]
[Date "2007.02.22"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Levon Aronian"]
[Black "Viswanathan Anand"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[ECO "D23"]
[EventDate "2007.02.17"]
[PlyCount "95"]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Qc2 dxc4 5.Qxc4 Bf5 6.g3 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e6 8.Bg2 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Re1 Ne4 11.Qb3 Qb6 12.Nh4 Bxh4 13.gxh4 Nef6 14.e4 Bg6 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.Bf4 Rfe8 17.Rad1 b5 18.Bd6 e5 19.d5 Nh5 20.Bf1 f6 21.b3 Nf4 22.a4 bxa4 23.bxa4 Bf7 24.Rb1 Ra7 25.Red1 Rc8 26.Ne2 Nxe2+ 27.Bxe2 cxd5 28.exd5 Nf8 29.Bb5 Raa8 30.Be7 Ng6 31.d6 Nxe7 32.Bd7 Nc6 33.Rxb7 Nd4 34.Bxc8 Rxc8 35.Rdb1 Rf8 36.Rb8 Be8 37.a5 Nf3+ 38.Kf1 Nd2+ 39.Ke1 Nxb1 40.a6 Bc6 41.a7 Kf7 42.d7 Ke7 43.Rxf8 Kxd7 44.a8=Q Bxa8 45.Rxa8 h5 46.Ra7+ Ke6 47.Rxg7 Kf5 48.Rg3
1-0

2008:

[Event "Anand-Kramnik World Championship Match"]
[Site "0:02:33-0:03:33"]
[Date "2008.10.17"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Vladimir Kramnik"]
[Black "Viswanathan Anand"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[ECO "D49"]
[EventDate "2008.10.14"]
[PlyCount "82"]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a6 9.e4 c5 10.e5 cxd4 11.Nxb5 axb5 12.exf6 gxf6 13.0-0 Qb6 14.Qe2 Bb7 15.Bxb5 Bd6 16.Rd1 Rg8 17.g3 Rg4 18.Bf4 Bxf4 19.Nxd4 h5 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Rxd7 Kf8 22.Qd3 Rg7 23.Rxg7 Kxg7 24.gxf4 Rd8 25.Qe2 Kh6 26.Kf1 Rg8 27.a4 Bg2+ 28.Ke1 Bh3 29.Ra3 Rg1+ 30.Kd2 Qd4+ 31.Kc2 Bg4 32.f3 Bf5+ 33.Bd3 Bh3 34.a5 Rg2 35.a6 Rxe2+ 36.Bxe2 Bf5+ 37.Kb3 Qe3+ 38.Ka2 Qxe2 39.a7 Qc4+ 40.Ka1 Qf1+ 41.Ka2 Bb1+
0-1

2009:

[Event "London Classic"]
[Site "0:57:33-0:48:33"]
[Date "2009.12.08"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Magnus Carlsen"]
[Black "Vladimir Kramnik"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2801"]
[BlackElo "2772"]
[ECO "A29"]
[EventDate "?"]
[PlyCount "85"]

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Nb6 7.0-0 Be7 8.a3 0-0 9.b4 Be6 10.Rb1 f6 11.d3 a5 12.b5 Nd4 13.Nd2 Qc8 14.e3 Nf5 15.Qc2 Rd8 16.Bb2 a4 17.Rfc1 Nd6 18.Nde4 Ne8 19.Qe2 Bf8 20.f4 exf4 21.gxf4 Qd7 22.d4 c6 23.Nc5 Bxc5 24.dxc5 Nc4 25.Rd1 Qc7 26.Bc1 Na5 27.bxc6 bxc6 28.Nxa4 Rxd1+ 29.Qxd1 Rd8 30.Qc2 Qf7 31.Nc3 Qh5 32.Ne2 Bf5 33.e4 Bg4 34.Ng3 Qf7 35.Bf1 Be6 36.Qc3 Ra8 37.Rb4
Qd7 38.f5 Bf7 39.Bf4 Qd1 40.Kf2 Nb3 41.Be2 Qb1 42.Bc4 Rxa3 43.Ne2
1-0

Bonus:

[Event "Pearl Spring Chess Tournament"]
[Site "0:52:33-1:03:33"]
[Date "2009.09.29"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Magnus Carlsen"]
[Black "Veselin Topalov"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[ECO "E90"]
[EventDate "2009.09.28"]
[PlyCount "81"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.h3 Na6 7.Be3 e5 8.d5 c6 9.g4 Nc5 10.Nd2 a5 11.a3 Nfd7 12.Rg1 a4 13.Qc2 Nb6 14.0-0-0 Bd7 15.Kb1 cxd5 16.cxd5 Rc8 17.Bb5 Bxb5 18.Nxb5 Qd7 19.Nc3 Bf6 20.g5 Bd8 21.h4 Na8 22.Bxc5 Rxc5 23.Qxa4 Qc8 24.Rc1 Nb6 25.Qd1 Qh3 26.Qf3 Qd7 27.Qd3 Kg7 28.Rc2 f6
29.gxf6+ Rxf6 30.h5 Rxf2 31.hxg6 h6 32.Nd1 Rxc2 33.Nxf2 Rc8 34.Ng4 Bg5 35.Nf3 Nc4 36.Nxg5 hxg5 37.Ne3 Nxe3 38.Qxe3 Qa4 39.Qxg5 Qxe4+ 40.Ka1 Re8 41.Rc1
1-0

Jorge Luis Borges – Selected Poems
Edited by Alexander Coleman,
Copyright 1999
Published by Viking, New York, Ny.
Page 103

Chess

1
Set in their studious corners, the players
move the gradual pieces. Until dawn
the chessboard keeps them in it’s strict confinement
with its two colors set at daggers drawn.

Within the game itself the forms give off
their magic rules: Homeric castle, knight
swift to attack, queen warlike, king decisive,
slanted bishop, and attacking pawns.

Eventually, when the players have withdrawn,
when time itself has finally consumed them,
the ritual will certainly not be done.

It was in the East this war took fire.
Today the whole earth is its theatre.
Like the game of love, this game goes on forever.

11

Faint-hearted king, sly bishop, ruthless queen,
strraightforward castle, and deceitful pawn -
over the checkered lack and white terrain
they seek out and begin their armed campaign.

They do not know it is the players hand
that dominates and guides their destiny.
They do not know an adamantine fate
controld their will and the battle plan.

The player too is captive of caprice
(the words are Omar’s) on another ground
where black nights alternate with whiter days.

God moves the player, he in turn the piece.
But what god beyond God begins the round
of dust and time and sleep and agonies?

The London Chess Classic begins in Kensington, London on the 8th of December, 2009.

“The London Chess Classic 2009 will be the highest level tournament in London for 25 years and will be the first in a series of events designed to increase enthusiasm for chess in the UK and promote the game and its undoubted educational benefits in schools and communities.”

http://www.londonchessclassic.com/

A star studded event. Magnus Carlsen (2801), Vladimir Kramnik (2772), Hikaru Nakamura (2715), and Ni Hua (2665) will compete against England’s four leading grandmasters Nigel Short (2707), Michael Adams (2698), Luke McShane (2615) and David Howell (2597).

It was not all that long ago that England had no grandmasters at all.

Tony Miles (1955-2001) became England’s first grandmaster in 1976, narrowly beating Raymond Keene and William Hartston for the 5000 Pound prize on offer for this achievment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Miles

Miles was a phenomenon in English Chess. He fearlessly demonstrated that the (at the time) overwhelmingly dominant grandmasters of the Soviet School of Chess were no less subject to error and defeat than other mortals. He beat, for instance, Bronstein, Geller, Smyslov and Spassky.

More importantly, he brought about a paradigm shift in English chess culture from that of an introspective searching-for-truth-in-chess to one of an uncompromisingly pugnacious quest for victory.

Indicative of this transformation of English chess culture is the evolution of the name of a well known chess variation; the Byrne variation. Byrne was the first to play the very aggressive 6.Be3 against the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defence and the variation was named after him. But so prolific were the successes of Miles’ Caissic descendents (Short et al) with this move it is now more widely known as The English Attack.

Here is Miles’ most famous game featuring what he named “The St. George Defence”. *

Anatoli Karpov – Anthony Miles [B00]

EU-chT, 1980

Notes by Tony Miles, edited by Ray Keene.

Engine Analysis Rybka 3(30s)

B00: Queen’s Fianchetto Defence, Nimzowitsch Defence

1.e4 a6!

After a few moments hesitation. I watched Karpov’s face as he returned to the board – there was no reaction at all. The audience, though, was another matter. Conditions for spectators were not wonderful so at first only a few noticed, but after some nudging and pointing a general hushed sniggering broke out. Mutters of “I thought the Skara Schools Championship was not until next week…” I tried to look serious. Miles is the only grandmaster to have espoused this weird defence in a serious game. This extraordinary move is hardly ever played since it does little to challenge White’s domination of the centre. Miles chose it primarily to sidestep the then world champion’s superior knowledge of opening theory.

2.d4

If White is prepared to admit taking this opening seriously than 2 c4 comes into consideration.

2…b5

Several atrocities have also been committed at this point. Whilst they may find their way into the general heading of 1…a6 they certainly do not qualify as the “Birmingham Defence”. However, since this is supposed to be a theoretical magazine, a brief survey:

(a) For historical interest 2…d5? 3 exd5 Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 Nf3 e6 6

Bd3 c6 (it would seem more consistent to allow the queen to retreat via b6 to a7) 7 O-O +/- Rubinstein-Gunsberg, St. Petersburg 1914.

(b) 2…g6 3 g3 d5!? 4 Nc3 dxe4 5 Nxe4 Bg7 6 Be3 Nc6 7 c3 e5 8 d5 Nce7 with an excellent position for Black (a distinct improvement on Gunsberg’s play). Patterson + Williams – Keene + Eales, consultation game 1969, continued 9 d6 Nf5 10 Bc5 cxd6 11 Nxd6+ Nxd6 12 Bxd6 Ne7 13

Qa4+? Bd7 14 Qa3 Bc6 15 f3 Nf5 16 O-O–0 Bh6+ 17 Kb1 Bf8 18 c4 Nxd6 19

c5 Ne4! 20 Rxd8+ Rxd8 21 Nh3 Bxc5 22 b4 Be7 23 Bg2 Rd4 0–1.

Several games have continued with 2…d6 or 2…g6 leading to a Modern Defence, where 1…a6 has little more than psychological value. One of slight independent value: 2… d6 3 f4 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 c3 d5 6 e5 h5 7

Qb3 Nh6 8 c4?! dxc4 9 Bxc4 b5 10 Bd5 c6 11 Be4 Be6 12 Qc2 Nf5 with a good position, Bellin-Keene, Norwich 1969. Oddly enough, when I consulted the relevant reference works after the game to discover the official refutation, I could discover no lines that conferred a tangible White advantage. The game Rubinstein-Gunsberg, St. Petersburg 1914, continued instead 2…d5 3 exd5 Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 Nf3 e6 6 Bd3 c6

7 O-O with evidently better chances for White. The Miles strategem of expanding on the queenside is considerably more rational.

3.Nf3

As far as I know, the only person to play 1…a6 (or 1 d4 b5 2 e4 a6) with the same idea as myself is Michael Basman (not completely surprising as we both ‘invented’ the idea as an improvement on 1…b6). However, I only have the score of one game, Chandler-Basman, London 1979, which went 3 a4(?!) Bb7 4 axb5 axb5!? (simple and good is 4…Bxe4 5 bxa6 Bb7 or even 5…Nxa6) 5 Rxa8 Bxa8 6 Nd2 e6!? 7 Bxb5 f5 8 Qe2 (8 Qh5+ g6 9 Qe2 seems preferable) 8…Nf6 9 Bd3 c5 10 Ngf3 c4!

11 Bxc4 fxe4 12 Ne5 Bd6 with good compensation for the pawn. Black soon had an excellent position but later went astray. White could try

3 f3 when …Bb7 would reach a position which has seen before via the move order 1 d4 b5 2 e4 Bb7 3 f3 a6, e.g. 4 Be3 e6 (or 4…Nf6 5 Nh3

e6 6 Nd2 d5 7 e5 Nfd7 8 Bd3 c5 9 c3 Nc6 with a decent position, Tatai-Ljubojevic, Palma de Mallorca 1971) 5 Nd2 d5 6 Bd3 Nf6 7 e5 Nfd7

8 f4 += Portisch-Ljubojevic, Vrsac 1971. These games illustrate the possibility of transposing to a French type set-up, but if Black wishes, he might well defer …d5.

3…Bb7 4.Bd3

Murray Chandler has suggested the odd-looking 4 e5!? (gaining space and preventing …Nf6) 4…e6 5 c4 bxc4 (Basman would doubtless gambit this pawn) 6 Bxc4 Bb4+ 7 Nc3 striving for control of d5, though after 7…Ne7 Black’s position looks OK.

4…Nf6

Attacking e4 before White has the chance to defend with Re1. ECO mentions (by transposition) 4…e6 5 Nbd2 c5 6 dxc5 Bxc5 7 Nb3 Bb6 8

a4 += Spielmann-Hartingsvelt, 1914. Remarkably similar to the present game!

5.Qe2 e6 6.a4!?

Premature perhaps? Of course normal moves – O-O, Bg5, Nbd2 – are playable.

6…c5!?

A sharp reaction, but the natural 6…b4 is quite a reasonable alternative. Note that White was threatening to win a pawn by 7 e5.

The text still offers the pawn, but only in return for the bishop pair and an initiative. While playing …c5 I felt sure Karpov would avoid such tactical lines.

7.dxc5

After 5 minutes thought. If 7 axb5 axb5 8 Rxa8 Bxa8 9 e5 c4 and now:

(a) 10 exf6 cxd3 11 fxg7 Bxg7 12 Qxd3 when with such an open position the bishop pair, particularly the one lurking on a8, give excellent value for the pawn. Black might continue quietly with 12…Qb6, or maybe 12…Qa5+!?, for example 13 Bd2 Qa1 14 Qxb5!? Qxb1+ 15 Ke2 Bxf3+ 16 gxf3 Nc6! 17 Qxc6 Qxh1! and the black king runs to safety. (b) 10 Bxc4 bxc4 11 exf6 gxf6(!) and if 12 Qxc4 Rg8 with a fierce initiative. 7 c3 looks more vigorous.

7…Bxc5

[Rybka 3] 7…b4!?.

8.Nbd2

Again choosing the quietest path. 8 e5 was certainly worth considering. If 8…Nd5 just 9 axb5 and 8…Ng4 9 O-O leaves Black a bit out on a limb, e.g. 9…b4 10 h3 h5!? 11 Nbd2 followed by Ne4 or Be4. White reinforces his pawn on e4 which would be undefended after a series of captures on b5.

8…b4 9.e5

Less critical now as the knight can safely go to d5.

9…Nd5 10.Ne4 Be7 11.0–0

After this, yet another peaceful move, Black’s position is very comfortable. The last chance to try for an advantage was 11 Bg5. Then 11.. .f6?! 12 exf6 gxf6?? would lose disastrously to 13 Ne5! and

12…Nxf6 is also uncomfortable. I intended 11…O-O and if 12 Nd6 Bc6 when 13 Qe4 is met by … f5 and White must look after the N(d6).

Probably White is a little better, but Black has chances for counterplay based on the a8-h1 diagonal, the f4 square and the break …f6. More active is 11 Bg5.

11…Nc6!

Much more accurate than 11. ..O-O. Now if 12 Bg5 f6! 13 exf6 gxf6!

followed by …Qc7 and …O-O–0 with a tremendously active position and automatic kingside attack.

12.Bd2N

[Rybka 3] White has an active position [12.Bg5 f6 13.exf6 gxf6 14.Bh6

Qc7 15.g3 Rg8 16.Rfc1 Ne5 17.Nxe5 Qxe5 18.Nd2 Nf4 19.Bxf4 Qxf4 20.Bxh7

Rg5 21.Be4 d5 22.Bg2 Re5 23.Qd3 Qh6 24.Nf3 Re4 25.c4 Rc8 26.Nd2 Re5 Westerinen,H (2470) -Schulz,W/Hamburg 1980/MCL/1–0 (39); 12.Bg5 f6

13.Bh4 0–0 14.exf6 gxf6]

12…Qc7 13.c4

As expected, still playing quiet moves. The only alternative to defend the d-pawn was 13 Ng3 when Black could either challenge in the centre with …d6 (simplest) or …f6 (sharper), or as his king is still uncommitted, even consider …h5!?.

13…bxc3 14.Nxc3 Nxc3

[Rybka 3] 14…Ndb4 15.Be4=

15.Bxc3 Nb4!

Opening the long diagonal and putting the knight on its best circuit.

Black has comfortably equalised.

16.Bxb4

Understandably, White did not want to part with his light-squared bishop, and since 16 Bb1 is scarcely palatable, this was the only move. Karpov later regrets his decision to part with the bishop pair, but after 16 Be4 White would have no means of challenging the future impregnable establishment of a black knight on d5.

16…Bxb4

[Rybka 3]Black has the pair of bishops

17.Rac1

[Rybka 3]White threatens to win material: Rc1xc7

17…Qb6 18.Be4

To counteract Black’s powerful queen’s bishop.

[Rybka 3]18.Rfd1 Be7=

18…0–0!= 19.Ng5!?

After half an hour’s thought. 19 Bxh7+ was interesting – though again I was sure that Karpov wouldn’t play it! On 19…Kxh7 20 Ng5+ of course not 20…Kg8?? because of 21 Qh5, but 20…Kh6 also fails to 21 Rc4! threatening Rh4+ and if 21…g6 22 Qg4 and Black loses the B(b4).

Correct is 20…Kg6 and if 21 Qg4 either 21.. .f5 22 Qg3 (22 exf6

Kxf6) 22…Qd4!? to block on g4 (23 h3? Kh5! winning) or even 21…f6!?. Afterwards it was established that 19 Bxh7+ is quite dangerous but Miles was confident that Karpov would regard it as speculative and avoid it.

The commencement of an artificial manoeuvre which ultimately loses the game for White. The simple 19 Bxb7 Qxb7 20 Rfd1 is perfectly adequate for equality, whilst a further superior alternative to the text is the complicated attacking variation 19 Bxh7+ Kxh7 20 Ng5+ Kg6 21 Qg4 f5 22

Qg3 when Black’s king is in considerable danger.

NOTE: checking with the computer – 19. Bxh7+ Kxh7 20. Ng5+ Kg6 21. Qg4

f5 (21…f6 looks inferior, and 21. Qd3+ f5 22. Qg3 avoids it anyway) 22. Qg3 and now:

(a) 22…Kh5 is Fritz’s first choice (intending 23 Rc4 f4!), but give it White and it soon comes up with 23 Nh3! which looks to win, e.g.

23…Bd2 (only move) 24 Rc4 g5 25 Qd3 g4 26 Qxd2 gxh3 27 Qxd7 Kg6 28 Rc3, while 25…Bxg2!? (Fritz) 26 Kxg2 Qb7+ 27 Kg1 g4 28 Qxd2 gxh3 fails to 29 Rh4+!.

(b) Fritz’s second choice is 22…Rg8, but it then finds the very attractive 23 Rc7! Bc6 24 Nxe6+ Kf7 25 Qb3! and if 25…Ke7 26 Ng5

Qxc7 27 Qf7+ wins – capture Rg8 and Pg7, play Qf6+ …Ke8, Rd1 with the decisive threat Qf7+ …Kd8, Nf7+.

(c) Miles’ 22…Qd4 (Fritz’s fifth choice) probably deserves “!”.

White seems to have nothing better than 23 Nxe6+ (23 h3 f4! 24 Qg4 Kh6

25 Qh4+ Kg6 is a draw) 23…Qg4 24 Qxg4+ fxg4 25 Nxf8+ Bxf8 and Black is fine, e.g. 26 Rfd1 Bc6 27 e6 Ra7! 28 Re1 Kf6 29 Rc4 g5/Bd6.

19…h6 20.Bh7+ ?!

Distinctly artificial. I expected 20 Bxb7 Qxb7 21 Qe4 though Black is certainly not worse in the resulting ending. I suspect the text was rather due to the psychological effect of 1…a6. Karpov, having got nowhere from the opening, felt he should be doing something forceful.

This is too optimistic and White should prefer the simple 20 Bxb7.

20…Kh8 21.Bb1 Be7

Of course not 21. ..hxg5? 22 Qh5+..

22.Ne4

Or 22 Qd3 g6 =+.

[Rybka 3] 22.h4 g6 23.Nf3 Bxf3 24.Qxf3 Bxh4

22…Rac8 23.Qd3?

A ridiculous oversight, though Karpov played it very quickly. However, Black’s bishops already give him the edge. The battery looks dangerous, but it never gets the chance to operate. This looks dangerous since White is lining up his queen and bishop as a battery against the black king. However, Miles was never one to be scared of phantoms and he demonstrates that White’s threats are in fact hollow.

[Rybka 3] 23.Rcd1!? should not be overlooked 23…Rc7 24.Rd2=

23…Rxc1 24.Rxc1 Qxb2

Gullibly taking the pawn(s). White’s back rank weaknesses prevents any serious counterplay..

25.Re1?

This doesn’t help. On 25 Rc7 Black has a pleasant choice between …Rc8, …g6 and …Bc6, and on 25 Rd1 g6 26 Qxd7 is impossible because of 26…Rd8.

[Rybka 3] 25.Rd1 g6 26.Nd6

25…Qxe5–+

Pinning the knight against the rook. White has nothing to do but take back one pawn, but the game is over.

26.Qxd7

[Rybka 3] 26.Rd1 f5 27.Nd2 Qc5–+

26…Bb4 27.Re3

[Rybka 3] 27.f4 is not much help 27…Qxf4 28.Rf1 Qe3+ 29.Nf2 Qb6–+

27…Qd5

Simplest. It is obvious after this move that any vestiges of a white attack have totally evaporated and that the world champion faces a hopeless ending, where he is material down and his pieces lack coordination.

[Rybka 3] 27…Qb2 and Black wins 28.Qd1 Rc8–+

28.Qxd5 Bxd5

[Rybka 3] Inferior is 28…exd5 29.Ng3–+

29.Nc3 Rc8

The liquidation has left the world champion with a hopeless position.

He is a pawn down, his a-pawn remains weak, his opponent possesses the bishop pair in an open situation and, to cap it all, White has problems with his own back rank. The remainder of the game is a mere technical exercise for one of Miles’ strength.

30.Ne2 g5 31.h4

[Rybka 3] 31.Bd3 a5–+

31…Kg7

[Rybka 3] 31…gxh4 and Black can already relax 32.Rh3 Be7 33.Rc3–+

32.hxg5 hxg5 33.Bd3 a5 34.Rg3 Kf6 35.Rg4

[Rybka 3] 35.Bb5 Rc2 36.Kf1 Ra2–+

35…Bd6

[Rybka 3] 35…Rc5 seems even better 36.Bb5–+

36.Kf1 Be5 37.Ke1 Rh8 38.f4

[Rybka 3] 38.f3 Ke7 39.Rxg5 f5 40.Bxf5 exf5 41.Rxf5 Kd6–+

38…gxf4 39.Nxf4 Bc6

[Rybka 3] 39…Rh1+ makes it even easier for Black 40.Kf2 Bc6 41.Ne2–+

40.Ne2

[Rybka 3] 40.Bc2 Rh1+ 41.Ke2 Rg1–+

40…Rh1+ 41.Kd2

[Rybka 3] 41.Kf2 Ra1 42.Bc2 Bd5–+

41…Rh2

[Rybka 3] 41…Ke7 might be the shorter path 42.Nd4 Bxd4 43.Rxd4 Bxg2 44.Bb5–+

42.g3 Bf3

[Rybka 3] 42…Bd6 43.Bb5 Bxb5 44.axb5–+

43.Rg8 Rg2

[Rybka 3] 43…Bd6 44.Ke3 Bb7 45.Bb5–+

44.Ke1

[Rybka 3] 44.Ke3 Bd5–+

44…Bxe2

[Rybka 3] 44…Bd6 45.Bb5–+

45.Bxe2 Rxg3 46.Ra8 I now sealed

[Rybka 3] 46.Rxg3 Bxg3+ 47.Kd2 e5–+

46…Bc7 but Karpov resigned without resumption. 0–1

Reference to the St. George Defense – Wikipedia

Chess Publisher lets you publish any PGN or FEN to your wall, so you can share your chess games with your friends. To use Chess Publisher, you just need to install ChessCube’s Facebook Application. Login to Facebook, and find it by clicking here.

Using Publisher

Once you’ve added the ChessCube Chess App, you can use Chess Publisher. After every game you play on ChessCube, you will have the option to share the game on Facebook. This uses the Chess Publisher.

Share your game via Facebook

Publishing Any Game

You can also publish other chess games to your wall. You just need the PGN or the FEN. Type in a message, then use the arrow to attach a game via the Chess Publisher. After adding a message, paste either a FEN position or the PGN from a game. Press share, and you’ve posted a game for your friends to see!

Choose the Chess Publisher from the status update menu

Chess Publisher lets you add a FEN or a PGN as well as your own text.

Add your own text and paste in the PGN

Click share, and your friends will see your note.

If you click on the play button, you can see the game as it progresses

As the London Chess Classic prepares to get underway, there is a growing interest in Chess in the UK. A recent article in the Telegraph (read it here: London Chess Classic: the chess set come to Britain – it’s worth it) comments on the stirrings of a growing popularity of chess clubs at schools around the UK, and renewed interest in chess in the UK in general.

As Marie Gallagher comments in the article: “there is a growing recognition that chess has an invaluable role to play in education. It is a brain-accelerator, like music.”

We couldn’t agree more, and were even more pleased to read the following in the article:

“Far from killing chess, the internet has given it a shot in the arm. As a spectator sport, chess has never made great television: the time taken between moves is too long. But on the internet, with chess fans around the world able to follow a match through online forums, a slow sport has suddenly become lightning-fast, with the merits of different moves sparking feverish debate.”

This seems almost like a description of ChessCube itself, with popular short games taking place between players from around the world, complete with frequent spectators and energetic comment from the ChessCube community. Chess may be a game of war, but it’s a game that pulls people together.

Image credit: hugrakka on Flickr

Photo credits: Joe Botha

The inaugural Silicon Cape networking event was held at The Old Biscuit Mill in Cape Town last night, and we were certainly thrilled that our CEO, Mark Levitt, was the speaker for the event.

The vision of Silicon Cape is concise and clear:
“The Silicon Cape vision is of an ecosystem in the Western Cape of South Africa, that serves to attract and bring together local and foreign investors, the brightest technical talent, and the most promising entrepreneurs, to foster the creation and growth of world-class global IP start-up companies in an environment that competes with other similar hubs around the world against the backdrop of one of the most beautiful settings and pleasant places to live, work and play on the globe”.

Silicon Cape Event at The Old Biscuit Mill

Having been both an investor and an entrepreneur, Mark was well positioned to give a thought-provoking and useful talk to the 400 strong crowd. With so many entrepreneurs in the room thinking about investment, Mark had several salient points – most of which were tweeted as he spoke (including a rather dubious Chess t-shirt suggestion)

• Don’t quit your day job, build on the side.
• Fail fast, or succeed fast.
• Advisors are important in your business plan.
• Align yourself with the right people and advisors.

Mark also had the opportunity to announce ChessCube’s first Facebook App (to plenty of applause).

ChessCube investors InVenFin were among the sponsors of the event, and the ChessCube crew put in a good appearance. Having  Mark as the inaugural speaker giving his insight into the starting the business and entrepreneurship advice was great for future CEOs of start-up companies. From a ChessCube perspective, it was fantastic seeing our CEO offering his words of wisdom to all in attendance, including our staff and investors.

Mark Levitt speaking at the Silicon Cape event

Richard Wooding at the event