Online Chess Guide

Chess Strategy Tips

2011-10-23T11:51:00.000-07:00

Chess is an amazing game that requires skill and concentration. Many people play chess just for the fun of it but others play for the competition. There are many chess tournaments designed to give players a chance to show off their skills. The game looks simple and is played on a square chessboard with an eight-by-eight grid containing 64 squares.

Each player has sixteen pieces to play with at the beginning of the game. Normally, one set is white and the other is black to keep them separated. The goal of the game is to get the opponents king in what is called "checkmate", which means it is under attack and there is no where to move to be safe.

It sounds simple but without the right strategies you can find yourself in checkmate more often than being the one who wins the game. Here are a few tips and strategies that can help you win more often.

· Take the time to learn what the pieces are and how much each one is worth. Sometimes you have to give up men in order to take men and if you give up men of lesser value than what you take you will be ahead of the game.

· Plan out your strategy in order to protect your king. The goal of the game is to protect your king and get checkmate on your opponent's king. If you keep this in mind from the beginning it will help you plan out your moves better.

· Watch each move that your opponent makes and think about how each one will benefit them. This will help you to counter their moves because you will be able to see through their strategy.

· You can get an upper hand on the game if you take control early in the chess game. Controlling the center four squares will usually prove to be very beneficial. Keep this in mind when planning out your strategy.

· Learn when it will be beneficial to loss pieces for the good of the game. For example, if you can give up a piece in order to take one from your opponent that is worth more in value, it would be worth the sacrifice.

· Before moving any piece consider how moving it will affect that particular piece later in the game. If the piece is already in a good position, then you may want to reconsider and move another piece.

· Be alert and pay attention to the game at all times. If you get careless it could cost you the game. Sometimes it only takes one bad move to give your opponent the advantage.

Using these chess strategy tips can help to improve your game and give you an advantage over your opponent. Of course, nothing beats practice so, play every chance you get and you will see a big improvement in your game.

Lisa is a freelance writer with a specialty in Internet content and SEO articles. She has written thousands of articles, hundreds of ebooks and thousands of website pages and related content. She has also authored her own books and works as a consultant to other writers, Internet marketers and Internet businesses. Professional wordsmith for hire: gamer, wife, mother, entrepreneur, published poet, co-owner of game guides company, public speaker and Internet business consultant. You can learn more or follow Lisa's blog from her website: http://www.freelancewriter4hire.com

Everyone Has an Inner Saboteur - Making Your Saboteur Your Chess Partner, Part 2

2011-10-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

If you didn't read my previous article about the Shadow/Saboteur, then I recommend you do so. This way, the coming paragraphs will make a lot more sense. I hope that you were able to watch a few Star Wars movies and take down some inner notes on this notion of having a "shadow" or "saboteur." What I want to talk about here is the HOW TO --of making your saboteur your chess partner! You see, you cannot run from you shadow, and if you try to do so, as Anikan did (he thus became Darth Vader)--it only grows stronger and stronger until it can overpower you completely to the point where you lose everything of true value to you! Anyone who has ever experienced an addiction at one time or another can completely understand what it is to feel powerless in their lives. But when you fully understand the saboteur archetype and learn to use it as a friend, ally and what I have heard it called before..."chess partner," you will be able to make decisions clearly and with conviction. This in turn will bring much happiness and peace of mind to your day to day life!

Again, remember, your Saboteur is synonymous with your RELATIONSHIP to the World! It will always bring up issues related to low-self esteem, as well as fears that block you from your own Empowerment and Success! Here a few ways to make your saboteur your "chess partner:"

1. Your saboteur is mirror that reflects your fears of taking responsibility for yourself and what you are co-creating. It is most connected to your ability to survive in the physical world. One way to silence this archetype is through acts of COURAGE. For example, lets say you have been a lawyer for over 25 years but deep down you always knew you wanted to be a an Entrepreneur; the courageous next step is to JUST DO IT! Don't delay any longer. This is one sure way to make your saboteur your ally.

2. Another way to make your saboteur your 'chess partner' is to always follow your Intuition. Now, some of you may not fully get what that means but think of it this way, when your mind is telling you one thing out of fear or worry but your heart tells you something different, like leaving LAW to pursue your passion for being your own boss...that's your intuition speaking. I am a professional marketer, and i have learning to use my intuition in my field every day and this is extremely powerful! When I place an ad with conviction and with intuition...it always pulls! Your intuition is never wrong.

3. Another core problem with the saboteur--when you see it negatively in your life is in the fear of change. When you fear change your feel it deep in your gut, called your solar-plexus. This is not just about changing your home or car, its about those BIG changes like firing your boss to go create your own product, or getting married to the man/woman of your dreams! Changes that will effect you for the rest of your life! Change that requires you to respond in a more positive way to new opportunities that will help create and deepen your life and spirit for living! The key here is to learn to EMBRACE change, and invite it into your life. Now most people will not do this until their back is up against the wall-- which is why most people run the other way and try to hide from their shadow.

Change is like hope, it is a very good thing--and it is one of the most powerful ways to make your saboteur your chess partner. NEVER ALLOW YOUR FEAR OF CHANGE TO STOP YOU FROM REACHING YOUR GOALS!

Now, go forth and conquer, be determined not to stand in the way of all that being a leader, husband, wife, sibling, lover, believer, daughter, son, has to offer you and others! Make your saboteur your chess partner, sitting right across the table from you.

Cheers,

Cynthia Farsadi retired from the Makeup Industry in Hollywood, CA at the age of 28. She now teaches others how to set up their own businesses, working part-time from home and making more in a month what most people make in a year!

To Find out MORE go to: http://www.ARealOpportunityForWealth.com

Book Review of the Tao of Chess by Peter Kurzdorfer - Reveals Tournament Poker Principles

2011-10-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

Peter Kurzdorfer has been a Chess Master since the early 1980s. He is the coauthor of The Everything Chess Basics Book with the U.S. Chess Federation and is the former editor of Chess Life magazine. In The Tao of Chess: 200 Principles to Transform Your Game and Your Life, Kurzdorfer shows how the complex game of chess can reveal underlying truths that one can adapt from the chessboard to every aspect of life, even to the no-limit hold'em tournament poker table.

Here are a few of Kurzdorfer's competitive thinking insights, with each followed by my poker tournament translation:

1. "Attacking a well-prepared opponent on the fly will rarely work in any sport or game." Page 57.

In a no-limit tournament, the all-in bet provides a player with a significant advantage. But, sometimes this advantage can be overused, leading to a false sense of security or superiority. If you repeatedly attack a smart, observant opponent, that opponent will adjust. It is then only a matter of time before an ill conceived all-in bet will lead to big trouble.

2. "The initiative is an advantage. Take it whenever you can, and take it back when you don't have it, if at all possible." Page 60.

"We know that if you want something to happen, you need to make it happen. And the way to make something happen is to go after it aggressively." Page 102.

"The best way to psych out an opponent is to always play the strongest moves." Page 213. And,

"Fortune favors the brave...At least one reason why this is so is that defending is such a distasteful activity for most players." Page 219.

In practically every situation in hold'em poker, the aggressor is favored to win the pot. Thus, it is almost always preferable to bet or raise rather than call. When betting or raising are not feasible options, then the best next option is to fold. Becoming the table captain, or alpha player, is the goal. This position is achieved through relentless aggression.

3. "Completing a hugh task becomes possible when it is broken up into many connected little tasks. In other words, a journey of a thousand miles is carried out one mile at a time." Page 129.

Playing in a poker tournament is an undertaking of mammoth proportions. There are literally thousands upon thousands of considerations about factors such as hands, opponents, odds, levels, and more. These many factors intertwine to create an endless stream of situations. And, each situation then requires the selection, from a menu of several, of the one best option. This is indeed an elephant way too big to eat in one bite. Even just the thought of winning a tournament can be overwhelming.

When overwhelmed, there is a mental fallback position. Remember that poker is a game of decisions. Winning poker is achieved by making one good decision at a time. And, that is all that is required. One good decision at a time, time after time.

4. "Every dog has his day. Don't ever think you can win without effort." Page 160.

We all know about dogs in poker. They are the hopeless, longshot hands held by an opponent. Hands that probably should never have even been played. But, there they are, anyway. Sucking-out on the river to win our rightful pot. It is maddening. It is the stuff that puts otherwise sound players on tilt.

And, therein is the challenge. And, therein is the meaning of winning against all odds, too. Or, at least against all hardships. This is not a time for whining and self pity. This is a time for redoubling our committment to winning.

5. "Be on the alert at all times for opportunities in any game that you play. They come up when least expected." Page 173.

The windows of opportunity in a poker tournament occur during the play of a hand. These windows open unnoticeably, and close quickly and permanently. If a player is not informed, observant, and decisive, the opportunity will be missed. The lost opportunity might take the form of failing to raise against weakness, and thereby winning a pot right then, as opposed to losing it later. Or, many of the other moves in poker that are timing dependent.

6. "The hardest game to win is a won game." Page 192.

The greatest disappointment in tournament poker: to become the bubble boy, after being chip leader. And, the second greatest: to place second, after being chip leader. Indeed, winning a won tournament seems to be a major accomplishment in and of itself. I suggest that you read Kurzdorfer's book to learn how to overcome this hurdle.

7. "Anything that does not pertain to the position in front of you is extraneous thought: eliminate it." Page 205.

Distractions. There is no room in any form of competition for mental distraction or loss of focus. Of course, to maintain one's focus for hours at a time during a tournament while under pressure and duress is one huge objective. Especially, when you are competing on-line at home. So, learn the art of concentration. And, enlist any necessary aids, like disabling your email while you play.

8. "Think along strategic lines when it is your opponent's turn and along tactical lines when it is your turn." Page 207.

In other words, always pay attention to the action. Especially when you are not in the hand. The information you gain will help to shape your strategic plan. Then, as opportunities present themselves during the play of a hand, you can execute the tactical moves to advance your strategy.

9. "Patience...All strong players possess this virtue in abundance...", page 214.

Every poker player has had the importance of patience drilled into their heads, over and over. For some players, patience is synonymous with self denial. For others, patience is an exercise in self discipline. Regardless of how you define patience, the result is the same. Patience is the ability to wait, and wait, and then wait a whole lot longer, to play only the right hand at the right time.

There is to be discover in Kurzdofer's book an important universal truth about competitive thinking. It is this: regardless of the sport, whether it is chess, bridge, poker, martial arts, video games, or whatever, there are only a few fundamental rules for achieving a winning mind set. And most, if not all, of those rules can be found in his book.

R. Steve McCollum is a long time hold'em player. You may read many more of his sit 'n' go tips, tactics, secrets, and strategies at http://www.SitnGoHoldemPoker.com And, his poker book reviews at http://www.PokerBookReviews.info

6 Tips on Building a Chess Strategy

2010-12-28T05:25:00.000-08:00

When coming up with a strategy to playing any game you need to keep important things in mind. This includes knowing where each piece can and cannot move to and many other key things. In this article I will give you key things to note when coming up with an effective chess strategy.

When the game starts, do no hold back and save your pieces for the end. Get them out aggressively keeping in mind the reason behind that move. As you play, keep on developing your pieces to reach your goal which could be cornering a king or queen.

The pawns are your guards in chess; they protect your queen and other important pieces therefore if you don't protect them you will lose all of them. When this happens you have no security and you end up losing the game. With this in mind, protect these weak pieces which in turn will keep your queens safe because two queens are stronger than a single queen.

To be able to move and capture most pieces, take control of the four centermost spaces. If your pieces are in this area you have an advantage over your opponent and you can easily move to his side and attack his Queens or Kings.

In a tricky game like chess you will need to plan ahead of your opponent. Even before it's your turn to play ask yourself what if my opponent moves here? What will be my next move? Make sure you also have a plan B in case he goes the other way. Analyzing the game ahead of time and remembering his previous moves will keep on top of the game.

When playing, you have to know which pieces are most valuable in terms of points. The pawns which hold the least value are equivalent to 1 point. Bishops and knights are equivalent to 3 points each. The rooks are 5 points while the most valuable Queen is equivalent to 9 points. In this game the king does not hold any point because he cannot be sacrificed.

Most people usually focus on getting the opponents piece. Little do they know that it is a set up, or that move will give your opponent an advantage. To avoid this, search the whole board while analyzing why he left that piece for you to take. If you notice the trap he has set, leave the piece where it is because it is not worth it.

If you realize you are doing well and all your pieces are in good position or you have been cornered in every possible way do not relax. For you to eventually win you will need to move those pieces from the good position to the end therefore you need to think. Relaxing and thinking you are in control is a recipe for losing. Think of where you could move because when you relax the mind cannot spot opportunities.

As you play chess, the key is to stay alert and remember these basic ways and improve your strategy.

For more tips and tricks about Chess please visit http://www.mychessblog.com

Chess Player Joke

2010-10-09T01:09:00.001-07:00

Paul was a passionate chess player. He was reading a lot of chess books and analyzed his own games at home, which he had played in the chess club before. He hoped to improve his game by learning new chess strategies.

One day he was again deeply immersed mentally in a chess position, which originated from a club game.

Suddenly somebody knocked at his door. He did not expect any visitors, went slowly to the door and opened it.

In front of him stood a woman of a religious sect. He saw that right away as she had a bible in her hands and looked at him a bit strange. Then the woman asked him. "Brother! Are you saved?"

The chess player has been deeply immersed in thought and was shocked at first, but recovered fairly fast and said with a glorified smile.

"Oh, yes, oh, for sure, of course I am saved!" Paul answered. "I wanted to castle one move later, but my opponent had a surprising move. His knight hit f7 and attacked my queen and the rook at the same time. I lost the exchange and a pawn after that and thought that I was lost. But after that, my opponent played too risky, made a mistake and blundered away his rook. The game finally was a draw and I was saved. It was like a miracle! Yes! I was saved!"

The woman had a very confused expression on her face and didn't understand what he was talking about. She turned around and left him utterly confused.

Become a Chess Player at http://www.expert-chess-strategies.com

Chess Rating Calculation in FIDE (World Chess Federation)

2010-10-09T01:07:00.000-07:00

You may know the name of the famous chess player Garry Kasparov who hit the highest rating in the history of FIDE at 2849. You may also know that the FIDE rating is calculated by the Elo system. But do you know how?

The Elo System

The system is named after Dr. Arpad Elo who improved the original one developed by Kenneth Harkness. It has been in use in the USA since 1960 and was taken on by FIDE in 1970. The system is twofold:

1. It shows how strong the player is: Player A rated 2400 is stronger than Player B rated 2300.
2. It also calculates the results of a game, tournament, or event as numerical Elo results. Originally designed as a chess rating system, nowadays it is also being used in a number of other sports and computer games.

The Main Elo Idea

Each chess player has chance to win a game. The stronger player, the more chances to win. FIDE uses a special winning probability table for a game which is based on the rating difference between the two opponents. If the rating difference between the two is 0, each player has equal chances to win, and his or her winning probability is 0.50. If the difference is 100, the stronger player has the winning probability 0.64 while the weaker 0.36. Please remember 100, 0.64, and 0.36.

Let's imagine that Player A rated 2400 and Player B rated 2300 are to officially play 100 games. The rating difference being 100, the expected result for Player A is therefore 0.64 and for Player B 0.36. And now the main idea... If Player A is really playing as strong as 2400 and Player B as 2300, at the end of the event Player A will score 64 and Player B 36 for sure. If Player A scores only 55 (but not expected 64) and Player B 45 (more than expected 36), the Elo system will change their new ratings. The system uses the K-factor which is necessary for rating calculation.

The K-factor

The K-factor is assigned to the player, and its possible values in FIDE are 10, 15, and 25 as follows:
- 25 for players new to the rating list, until they have completed events with a total of at least 30 games.
- 15 for players with a rating under 2400.
- 10 once the player has reached 2400 and been registered for at least 30 games. Thereafter it remains permanently at 10, even if the player's rating is under 2400 at a later stage.

Calculating the Rating Change

The current rating of the chess player changes after each game. The one-game Rating Change depends on:
- The player's K-factor.
- The player's score (1, 0.5, or 0).
- The player's Expected Result for a game.

Example 1. With the K-factor 10, Player A rated 2400 defeated Player B rated 2300.
The Rating Change for Player A is therefore calculated as this:
K-factor x (Result - Expected Result)
10 x (1 - 0.64) = 10 x 0.36 = 3.6

Example 2. With the K-factor 10, Player A rated 2400 lost to Player B rated 2300.
In this case, the Rating Change for Player A is calculated as this:
K-factor x (Result - Expected Result)
10 x ( 0 - 0.64) = 10 x (- 0.64) = - 6.4

Example 3. With the K-factor 10, Player A rated 2400 made a draw with Player B rated 2300.
The Rating Change for Player A is now calculated as this:
K-factor x (Result - Expected Result)
10 x (0.5 - 0.64) = 10 x (- 0.14) = - 1.4

Conclusion

The new rating of the chess player is calculated based on the rating change. Updated, the FIDE rating list is available online on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, and 1 October.

Bohdan Vovk is a chess supporter, and chess rating calculation is one of his hobbies. He runs a handful of websites and is the Author of an elo calculator and some other products.

Chess For Beginners - Chess Strategy and Tactics Using the Middlegame

2010-09-04T06:30:00.000-07:00

Many beginners put too much emphasis on learning chess openings, only to be frustrated when their opponent doesn't follow the book moves. Others will spend time studying the Endgame only to find they rarely get there. More often the Middlegame in chess is overlooked, but is one that can help make up for a lack of openings knowledge and give you the edge in the Endgame.

How do you define the Middlegame in Chess?

The Middlegame is typically the part of a chess game after the Opening has been completed. For example, once you have developed your pieces, Bishops and Knights, the King has castled and your Rooks have line of sight on the back row. You now have a solid foundation on which to position your pieces for attack, or defense, if you prefer.

The careful positioning of pieces to restrict the movement of your opponent or force them into making an error will give you the edge. This is where chess strategy really comes in.

You can practice the Middlegame in chess by playing against a computer, set to a low skill level. You can either start from the beginning of the chess game. Or, if you're using a program such as Fritz, start from the end of a chess Opening from its database.

Now you should focus on a single chess square, somewhere near the opponents King. Your objective is to control this square either by occupying it or by threatening it with at least two of your chess pieces.

Whilst at the same time not allowing your opponent to attack or occupy the square.

When moving your pieces try to ensure that no chess piece is left unprotected and try to not be drawn from your objective by taking an opponents piece unnecessarily.

This will get you in the habit of planning how to maneuver you chess pieces with a set objective in mind. Getting you over the beginner's habit of reacting to your opponents move without a solid plan in mind.

The goal in chess is to checkmate the opponents King but before getting to this point there are many mini goals that need to be reached. Also reaching this goal can be done in a variety of ways, this is why chess strategy and tactics are so important. If we played in the same way each time, our chess game would be predictable and we would be beaten easily. Therefore we need to vary how we play. To consciously achieve this we need to have a plan. It doesn't need to be complex, but the method above will help you see how you can create these plans simply and easily before each chess game.

Once you learn how to successfully control a single square, without being distracted, try the same but controlling two squares on the chessboard. From this point you will then be able to move to controlling a square from where you can attack the King. Passing into the Endgame in control of the chessboard and a decisive advantage.

Sean Clark is a Vice President of the British Federation of Correspondence Chess and runs the Learn to Play Chess with Fritz chess blog which has many more tips and tactics on chess for beginners.

Learn Chess Strategies With Chess Books

2010-08-04T05:23:00.000-07:00

Chess is a wonderful game and if you are not already an avid player then there are a multitude of chess books available to suit any beginner. There are chess books for children to teach them the fine art of the game of chess, or perhaps a chess book about the history of chess itself, books relating to strategy, books relating to chess boards and types of chess pieces. There are a multitude of books about how to improve your chess game and these are sought after by seasoned players.

The chess books for children you will find are written in such a way that it is very easy for children to follow. The books will give information start from setting up the chess board to placement of the pieces and the starting moves of the game. There will generally be listings included of the names of each piece and their relevance to the game as well as the moves that are allowed by each piece. Then the books will follow through to the basic moves and strategies that a child can quickly and easily pick up until they are ready to move on to more advanced practices of the game.

There are various studies that have been conducted in numerous countries that show that the game of chess builds various skills in children such as their concentration among many others. The game of chess for children is often initially thought to be difficult but many children get great enjoyment from the game. It is found in many cases that when they can follow a good chess book and understand the principles deployed in playing the game they find that they enjoy the game much more. The strategies they learn improve and their ability to think and plan improves as their knowledge of the game is raised. Parents of course will find that when their child does play the game of chess they often have improved thinking and planning skills. Children learn to think more logically at least in relation to the game as well as planning their game more efficiently as they gain more knowledge. Despite the fact that they are learning new skills, when they learn from a chess book they are also using their reading skills and there are many times when children do not read enough. Purchasing a good book for your child to learn chess has multiple benefits. Chess for children is a great idea as it is something that can be played anywhere and think of the fun you can have with your child if you are able to sit together and enjoy the game.

There are other books designed for advanced players that will go through very specific formats for trying out new chess strategies with reference on defensive and offensive moves that are possible to attempt. As well as going through previous chess games to show strategic play that others have already found and mastered and these books offer a great insight to the player into ways they can change their game. There are of course no books that will ensure you are a winner every time but there are many chess books that give great tips and insights into the ways others may be planning their moves and this of course assists the players in planning well in advance for basic and even often not so basic strategies their opponents are playing.

Some chess books are written solely in relation to the tactics that can be used in the game. When a seasoned player, who is having difficulty being the victor, can learn a new skill such as identifying frequently-occurring tactical moves they are more likely to succeed in defeating their opponent. There are many books that help in this regard and serious players find these chess books very useful in improving their overall victory count. Whatever your requirement if it is for yourself or your children you will find there is a suitable chess book out there that covers the task you are trying to complete.

Michiel Van Kets writes articles for Regency Chess Company, formed in 2008 by Julian Deverell and Darren Whiteman and based in Bath, United Kingdom. Regency Chess is a specialist chess retailer that supplies high quality chess products at a reasonable price that reflects the materials and craftsmanship used to make them and presents them on the Internet in a form that customers can easily understand and compare. Find information on chess boards chess pieces and chess books.

Choose the Perfect Chess Board For You

2010-08-04T05:16:00.000-07:00

For those of us that play chess when we are required to purchase a new or even spare chess boards it is very important to take the time to select the right board and the right pieces to match.

There are many different places to buy chess boards but choosing the right one is always difficult as it is something that you will cherish and use for a long period of time. This should not be a decision taken lightly especially if you are a regular player because you will be using the board frequently and choosing a board that has a great style can only add more pleasure to the game of chess itself, both to you and to your opponent.

If you are searching purely for its decorative or display attributes rather than for functionality for game play then there are a multitude of options available as well as a huge range of chess pieces. You will find there are all forms of novelty and unique pieces available that will suit almost every kind of chess board. Therefore the decision as to whether you plan to use it or whether you just want a chess board for decoration needs to be decided from the outset.

The boards come in all types of materials, wood such as elm and maple are very common choices. You can also find chess boards made from alternative materials such as plastic, glass and marble however you want to pick a board that best suits your needs and your style. The prices will vary depending on the size of the chess board as well as the materials so the consideration of what material you would like is a big factor in the relation to cost. Once you have made your decision regarding the material within this general quality and price range that you will begin your search.

When purchasing a board you also need to consider whether the chess pieces you currently have will fit the new chess board that you buy. The size of your existing chess pieces and the impact the pieces will have on your new chess board need to be considered, for actual game play and for the way the two will look when set up. The size of your new board is generally just related to your preference unless you are planning to use the board for tournaments and in that case you need to be looking for exact sizes of board and pieces.

You do of course want to choose a board of the best quality that you can afford as the board should last you a great deal of time and you want to be happy with your final decision when making your purchase. In many cases a chess board and pieces can be passed down through a family so keep this in mind when making your selection. You want a chess board that is sturdy and will be long lasting as well as appealing to the eye. If you are planning to use the chess board on a fairly regular basis then you need to ensure you spend the time to find a board that is long lasting.

There are of course other options for chess boards such as folding sets and travel sets and if you are looking for something that may be more portable then perhaps one of these options may be a better choice selection. There are various designs available in the folding or travel sets as well and of course varying price ranges to match. Some of these sets are made from very functional materials and are very versatile for taking away on holiday with you so you can play anywhere.

Whatever the chess board it is you are looking for, there are many options for finding the board that suits you best all that is required is your initial plan as to the main reason you will purchase the new board and then your research into finding the chess board that suits you best. It is not as difficult a task as you might think, in fact there may be too many options available to you and that may be your most difficult task, finding the chess board that suits you.

Chess Puzzles Can Help You and Children in Many Positive Ways

2010-07-15T06:43:00.000-07:00

According to various studies conducted in different parts of the world, it has been seen that playing chess games and solving chess puzzles actually increases the person's concentration, perception as well as self-discipline, and also helps a person to plan ahead and do many more good things. They are good for the development of kids who can then combine development of their thought processes with better enjoyment that they experience by solving puzzles.

Increases Kids' I.Q.

Kids are prime candidates for solving chess puzzles as it seems to increase their intelligence quotient, and also help kids in becoming more adept at solving problems as well as helps them to make difficult as well as abstract decisions without depending on their parents. They have shown to be instrumental in teaching children how to think in a more logical way as well as to think efficiently.

In the process of solving puzzles, they will learn the advanced techniques and they will also be encouraged to read, which is a most desirable attribute for children to develop and have.

With the help of chess puzzles, children will also be able to develop their game skills through practice as well as experience. There are online chess puzzles as well that kids can use, which provides them with the fastest method as well as the most enjoyable one to further their chess skills. Playing against a computer is also possible using different software packages.

It really does not matter what the level of skill of the player is, as chess puzzles can help beginners as well as advanced level players. Even parents are realizing the benefit of giving their children chess puzzles so that they help to advance their knowledge about the game as also develop latent skills. Each piece on the chess board has a value, and kids must learn which have more value and thus will help them win, and which are of lesser value and not so important to winning.

Chess puzzles are also wonderful for the betterment of brain functions and trying out things like checkmate in four moves puzzles will require that the player solve the problem in quick time. Solving such puzzles will also help in real life games as you will learn to become a problem solver, and in the process be able to come up with more solutions.

There are many chess puzzles and they address different levels of competence having something for beginners, intermediate as well as advanced players. All you need to do is to try one level, and having mastered it, progress on to the next level.

Where did chess come from? What materials make a good chess set? How do you become a better chess player? Can chess really improve my health and well being? What does it mean to have a chess set in my home or office? Find out the answers to these questions and more at http://www.unique-chess-sets.com where chess is more than just a game.

Playing the Stock Market - It's Chess Not Checkers

2010-07-15T06:41:00.000-07:00

In playing the stock market, it is imperative that you strategize first about picking stock. This is an art based on set criteria with the aim of achieving a rate of return that is greater than the market's overall average. These criteria may include, but are in no way limited to risk and risk tolerance. These criteria should also be personalized, based on your wealth and expectations of the company under consideration. However, it is important to understand that there is no foolproof method of picking stock, risks are always involved. Strategizing just makes your chances more favorable.

In investing, there are many different approaches. Two basic approaches are fundamental and technical. Fundamental approach refers to analyzing companies by their financial statements, business trends and general economic conditions. The Technical approach focuses on price actions in markets through the use of charts and quantitative techniques to attempt to forecast price trends regardless of the company's financial prospects. Other investors choose a blend of technical, fundamental and environmental factors to influence where to invest and the timing of the investment. These strategies reject the chance theory of investing and attribute their higher level of returns to insight and discipline.

When strategizing, it is important to know that there is never going to be a perfect time or product to invest in. Your strategy should take into account the time you are prepared to devote, whether you are investing for use after or before retirement and other personal factors. Your investment should be with your expectations of future earnings in mind.

Even the best companies, industries and sectors fall out of favor from time to time. A fully informed investor can enter a turbulent market and purchase of these struggling companies at a fraction of their intrinsic value. This is the bad news strategy. Insider trading strategy makes use of a company's director, manager or employee to compute the percent of stock held in a company. Most investments using this outlook are based on changes in insider holdings.

Finally, the most widely used strategy is bottom buying. Individuals buy stocks that look cheap because they are down a lot in price or selling near their lows. Then, when these stocks recover, they can be sold for more than they were bought for. It should be noted that what seems too high and risky usually goes higher and what seems low and cheap usually goes lower.

These strategies should be combined to better your chances of favorable returns while playing the stock market.

It has been years in the making but it's finally here! Myself, along with a team of programmers have work diligently to bring S.M.A.R.T to the world. This Stock Market Software will change the way traders pick, buy, sell, and manage their portfolios. Visit http://www.picksmart.org today to find out more!

Turning the Chess Board Upside Down - Always an Option But Never the Best Choice

2010-07-03T01:47:00.000-07:00

Many people fail to realize all the possible options when making a decision. Often they are stuck between choices, and yet, not realizing that not making a choice is a third choice. But did you know there's a fourth choice that you probably have never considered. Of course, if you've ever watched a frustrated child try to play a game of chess, you will quickly realize how silly it is that you missed it.

You see, turning the chess board upside down is an option too. Of course, it is just like choosing not to play. But it isn't exactly choosing not to play. Rather it is reneging on your previous word of honor and agreement to play. Walking away is one form of this option, but turning the entire chess board upside down is completely another option.

It's very similar to what the Russians, who pounded their fists on the table when trying new to negotiate with Ronald Reagan and his team in the SALT II treaties to disarm nuclear weapons. The Russians pounded their fists on the table and left the room. Ronald Reagan didn't know what to do, he just said; "What was that all about?"

When someone does this to you in a negotiation, or playing a game or even in a business situation it actually gives you the upper hand if you will simply observe and just let it play out. The Chinese are very good at simply observing this without making any facial expressions or letting the other party know what they are thinking, as they turn the board upside down and walk away. They just sit there emotion-less, and wait to engage in negotiation at a later date.

Kim Jong ill of North Korea, basically did the same thing when he left the six party talks, and said he would never sit down to discuss nuclear weapons disarmament again. At that point he had the upper hand and he was putting a challenge to the rest of the world and the United Nations, in saying; "I refuse to talk to you!" and he also was telling the others that; I'm good at doing this negotiation thing, but either way, you can't stop me. Basically saying; "I don't want to play your game, I can't win playing your game, and thus, I don't want to play, so I'm destroying the negotiation."

He turned the chess board upside down. This means that six party talk negotiations are completely off the table, and will not work, nor will Kim Jong-Il of North Korea rengage in that game of chess. I hope you will please consider this, and not be too surprised in your life with someone childishly turning the chess board upside down. It is indeed an option, one that is often used to gain the upper hand, still, it tells you that the other party, as they realize what you are doing and that they are clearly out matched. Please consider all this, as it will help you hone your negotiation skills.

Lance Winslow - Lance Winslow's Bio. Lance Winslow is also Founder of the Car Wash Guys, a cool little Franchise Company; http://www.carwashguys.com/history/founder.html/.

Twilight Games - Werewolf vs Vampire Chess Set

2010-07-03T01:39:00.000-07:00

Care for a game of Chess? A Twilight Game of Chess that is. I've found the Ultimate Twilight party game and decoration combination with this unique chess board set. Vampire vs Werewolf Chess set has all the same pieces as your regular chess set at home...it's just that instead of knights, queens and kings, there are vampire players on one side and werewolf chessmen on the other. It's not your everyday party game, but then, this isn't your everyday party theme.

I don't think this board game was made with Twilight in mind, but it certainly fits in with the novel's theme of two supernatural life forms battling. Won't your friends be truly amazed to see this unique game, heck, I was amazed when I saw it! Oh, didn't I admit it? I am a big Twilight fan myself, so of course I know what I would like to have at my party and this is definitely one of the big items on my list. Another great thing about this chess set is that it's on sale. So you get a great party game that is challenging to play and looks great...almost as if it were personally made for your party...and it's cheap! Not a bad deal.

Add some black and red balloons, a couple dozen vampire cupcakes, one difficult Twilight trivia quiz and a movie DVD. While some of your guests "sink their teeth" into your vampire cupcakes, and others test their knowledge of the film and books, a few more will be watching the challenge happening at that chess set. I'll bet this is the item you get comments on all night long, "where did you ever find this?" or "I am dazzled by your chess pieces", a comment usually reserved for Edward Cullen, that dazzling teenage vampire who feel for Bella Swan in the Stephanie Meyer Saga.

The Vampire vs. Werewolf Chess Set can answer that old question...Who will win this ultimate battle for control in the war between Vamps and Weres? Now the fate of their kind is dependent on your chess skills and those of your opponent. This fantasy set will provide hours of skillful fun and strategic challenges for you and all the rest of the Twilight fans in your life. Whatever the reason for your party, all your guests are going to enjoy the challenge of this beautiful, unique chess set.

A Vampire vs Werewolf Chess Set is the perfect game for any kind of party...This great chess game is also on sale, so it's priced so you can afford it. Get your unique party game today.

Ms. Party Ideas is Jillian Gallo and she writes about fun party stuff! Find all the unique party ideas and cheap party supplies at http://www.partyideasparade.com

Jillian enjoys swapping good party ideas with you, so if you have a great party idea...please let her know! You can find some great tips for a Halloween party or the Twilight theme that is so popular today at http://www.partyideasparade.com/twilight-party-ideas.html She also enjoys a challenging game of chess and is crazy about anything Twilight! This chess board with vampire and werewolf playing pieces is perfect for her!

You can learn how to plan and organize your party ideas....all kinds of kids creative party ideas, delicious and easy party menu recipes and of course, fun party games is what you will find along with some great cake and cupcake decorating ideas! Make it yourself party food, invitations and decorations.

Chess Tactics For Better Living

2010-06-17T01:29:00.000-07:00

Chess teaches organized thinking, patience, planning, damage control, and losing gracefully. These skills can be practically applied for better living.

To start off with an example of organized thinking, try to open a doorknob with both hands full: One must first free a hand by laying down an item. Then, after opening the door, one can collect the item again. Similarly, in chess one must launch a particular move, in order to setup another move. A plan is faulty, unless it opens up in an organized fashion, with sequential steps.

Next, chess teaches patience. A reality example is traffic, where everyone is usually impatient, especially at a stop sign. People are restlessly waiting until they're next in line. At last, someone attempts to move forward, but another steals their turn, and forces that person to stop. Subsequently, if both cars were to continue forward, their doomed plans would result in an accident. Likewise, patience is inherent in chess, because it's a turn-based game. Each contender is forced to wait until the other proceeds, or moves.

Furthermore, patience in chess involves waiting for the perfect time to strike. A shrewd tactic, in chess, is to become proficient at using the other player's move against them. Should the other player's move compromise a position, one can then exploit the weak area, striking with some controlling pieces. Just as in life, one can capitalize on a weakness or mistake, to get ahead. Patience is the key.

Moving along, chess is also about learning to predict, see ahead, and plan. Before it's carried out, a plan is good if it already seems successful. Advancing this idea, a player plots those empty squares they might control later in the game. Choosing which pieces are the best for maneuvering is like in life, when devising the most beneficial use for the materials at hand. This planning is all for the advancement of a unique objective or goal.

Damage control, in chess, is essential for future successes. Should one lose a piece or position in chess, one must make an overview of remaining pieces. Since there's less remaining resources, then one should begin to use the pieces as efficiently as possible, while taking every opportunity to gain a better position.

Life and chess contain loss and disappointment, as well. One can save time and resources if one acknowledges losing. Someone defeated should bow out gracefully, keep composure, and be confident that there's another day to fight. As in life, others will respect someone who doesn't waste their time, or hurl at them insults.

Finally, the most useful advice, for successes in chess and life, is remembering and learning from mistakes. This is also part of losing gracefully and damage control. Find out what the opponent does to defeat defenses. Explore personal weaknesses that allow victory to slip away. Focus on these blind spots and weaknesses, to revamp future deployments. Also, the balance, in chess, is a player's movement, that can upset the opponent's own planned movements.

Similarly in life, make lemonade out of lemons, use badness for good, and take advantage of opportunities that arise. The main path toward success is to remember what not to do, or how to do things differently. Even losses in chess and life, can eventually give rise to a winner.

by Scott LeMot
Learn Easy Music Theory
Curious Reason blog

Chess Benefits For Kids and Parents

2010-06-17T01:25:00.000-07:00

Not only are chess sets fun to play with but chess as a game is really great tool that helps a child's mind and teaches vital skills for life. To name a few playing chess helps to bring about concentration, imagination and visualization abilities. Theme chess is even better because it makes playing chess more enjoyable for a child because now they can learn the game with themes that interest them for example Sponge Bob, animals or basketball.

When kids play a game of chess there is a lot of planning and strategizing involved that causes them to think ahead which is such a great skill to have. This way instead of jumping in to things in their life they will be more likely to think things through and with practice they can make really good decisions very quickly.

Learning how to play chess can increase confidence because the better they get the better they will feel about their abilities. Not only will a child become better at chess but will get better in school as well because they will have better concentration, have more creativity and be better problem solvers.

Learning how to play chess will also teach you as as a parent a lot about your child. For example does your child make moves quickly or really thinks them through before making a move. Does your child like his/her pieces to be in even positions across the board or does he/she put them all over the place. Does your child like the board to be open with a lot of freedom and room to maneuver (likes to play with bishops) or does he/she like more confined closed positions (likes to play with knights). Just watch your child play and you will be surprised how much you grow to know about them.

What is great is that through chess you can spend some quality time with your child. Play a game of chess learn together. You can spend this time to talk about school and friends and what they have been up to. However I do caution you to not voluntarily let your child win, not all the time anyway, because then your child will learn how to be graceful looser and understand that just because they loose doesn't mean that they should stop playing. One thing to say here is that if your child gets angry when he/she looses then let him/her now that the only way they will get better is if they keep trying and that maybe one day he/she will win against that person and that will be a true victory. After all even the greatest of chess players lost sometimes.

Tasneem is an avid chess player, chess collector and the creator of Theme Chess - theme chess, chess pieces. A site dedicated to provide quality theme chess pieces and sets for low prices.

A Chess Set For Dad on Father's Day

2010-05-14T06:34:00.000-07:00

A lot of us have a hard time figuring out what to get our fathers for Fathers' Day. What do you get the man who has everything? Fathers know best, they've been there for us through thick and thin, our entire lives. We need to show him that we are thinking about him, and that we care enough to put some thought into a gift for him.

What about a nice chess set for fathers' day? Chess is a game of cunning and skill, and is made up of sixteen pieces for each player. On each side of the board, you will find the ever important king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and of course two pawns. The object of the game is to move your pieces strategically around the board in such a manner that in the end, your king is in attack position, and can not be forced out of that position. Thereby declaring a check mate, and ending the game. Some games can take only minutes to play, while others can take days, weeks, and even sometimes months. There are sometimes players who will play through the mail, sending their movements via letters, and a game can go on for years.

You have many options when it comes to what type of board you would like. The most common material for the board is wood. However, you can also find the boards made of glass, ivory, and marble. Equally as diverse in materials used to make the boards, are the chess pieces themselves. The chess pieces are available in glass, ivory, bone, marble, and of course wood. These chess pieces can be found in an immeasurable number of themes and characters. Star wars, Star Trek, dragons, wizards, dogs, and cats, if you can imagine it, you can most likely also find it in a chess game.

Millions of people all over the world, from all walks of life, play chess. It is a game that knows no boundaries, everyone can play, but of course some are better skilled at it than others. Some would even say that the game of chess can mimic life, in that you need the skills to survive, and make it though the day to day stressors of life, without being pushed off of your position.

Show dad that you appreciate all the lessons he taught you in life, with a new beautiful chess set, and hopefully even sit down with him, spend some time with him, and maybe even let him win a game or two, after all, it is his day.

The Staunton chess sets are the standard used in tournament play worldwide.

Computer Chess Games Are Wonderful to Help You Learn

2010-04-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

Computer chess has become a wonderful learning tool for many of the top level players by helping them study while not being around other players. Many of the programs that are available are even great for players that have never played before because of the teaching tools that are available on the games and the wide variety of strength that the game can be set to which will keep many people from getting discouraged. Here are some of the benefits that I have found from playing these games on my computer.

The first wonderful benefit that I have found of playing chess games on my computer with the software that I have to install, not the internet version I have managed to learn more about the various moves that the pieces can make. Mind you I had never played chess before in my life prior to my husband getting me to try the game out on his laptop. Now I am learning more about this game than what I ever realized and I have discovered just why it is so addicting of a game to be playing on your computer and have even ventured into playing online as well.

The second great benefit of that I have found of computer chess is that the levels of play are variable and you can choose the level that you want to play on. I know the game that I use will restrict the level that you can play up to so that you do not get discouraged while you are playing. Which is nice because some of the games only have one level to play on and that can cause you to get discouraged and stop playing the game all together.

While you might not realize that the games that you play can be used as a learning tool if you play chess on your computer you can learn quickly. Not only can you learn quickly you can also learn to set the level so that you will not get discouraged in your playing and quit the game which could happen easily if it wasn't for the ability to adjust the level of play.

Kim has recently discovered the joys of being able to play chess on here computer for the great learning experience and competitive ever changing game. If you would like to learn more about Kim's favorite computer chess game you will want to read Computer Chess Game reviewed.

To Play Chess is Good For Kids

2010-04-17T01:02:00.001-07:00

Teaching kids to play chess is beneficial for them and chess should be integrated in education. The benefits of chess are being recognized internationally slowly, but surely. More and more schools offer chess and in ghettos chess is often the last chance to keep the kids away from drugs and criminals.

Tests have shown that children, who play chess regularly, improve faster in math and reading than children who don't play chess. Chess improves writing as well because games have to be written down on chess scoresheets.

Chess raises intelligence and improves the ability to solve problems. Children, who play chess regularly develop certain skills. The ability to solve problems increases and reasoning is based more and more on logic and less on emotion. Playing chess over a long period of time raises self-confidence in children, improves math skills and the ability to recognize complex patterns.

They learn to handle unexpected changes in life and gain faith in the ability to control circumstances affecting themselves.

Tests have shown that the ability to concentrate and the attention span improves. While playing chess the kids evaluate various positions and chess variations and have to develop a strategy. They have to react to unforeseen situations on the chess board in a flexible way, because in chess surprize moves occur quite often. They learn to react flexible and to wait patiently for their chance to make a good move or execute a plan. They develop strategic thinking and determination.

Children who play chess in teams and tournaments learn to interact socially and to communicate with others. Chess brings kids together who do not normally interact with each other because of different social backgrounds. This way chess increases tolerance levels and understanding of others. The kids learn to respect their opponent as every game begins and ends with a handshake.

Because they have to respect the rules of the game, the behaviour of children does improve in school and life. Kids who are hyperactive learn to sit still while thinking over chess moves and become aware of their responsibility to find the best moves to play a proper game.

Even children who have difficulties in learning, reading and writing can still be very strong chess players which can increase their self-confidence remarkably as their chess playing skills are recognized by other children.

Shy and isolated kids can join a chess team, sharing ideas, taking part together in different competitions thus gaining confidence and learn to express themselves. Especially the quiet kids, who are often shy and less respected by others, gain by acquiring admired chess skills.

As chess skills increase the student may travel to various chess tournaments and shares his knowledge with some great people who may affect his future life in general.

Learn to play chess at http://www.expert-chess-strategies.com

Choosing the Right Chess Board

2010-04-17T00:58:00.000-07:00

If someone asked you what a chess board looks like, you'd probably think of the cardboard fold-up board you used for checkers and chess as a child. But these boards come in a wide range of textures and finishes, and they are designed to be used in many different locations.

The Perfect Board For Beginners

If you are new to chess and you want to try it out before committing to a more expensive set, a good quality thick cardboard fold up board is your best option. You can either buy a basic chess set on its own, or buy a games compendium that has chess as one of the components. In this case the chess board will probably have a backgammon board or similar game board printed on the reverse.

What About More Advanced Chess Players?

If you enjoy and play chess on a regular basis, you'll want to invest some money in a better quality board with better and more heavily weighted pieces. Some chess sets are designed to be seen, and many expert chess players display theirs as an ornament.

A luxury chess board can be made from many different materials. Two opposing shades of wood - walnut and oak for example - can be made into a chess board which usually has a highly polished finish. Other materials commonly used are glass, metal and ivory.

What If You're Going On Holiday?

If you enjoy playing chess on the move, you might like to invest in a chess board with built in storage for all your chess pieces. You could try something completely different and buy a travel chess set. These are usually magnetic and ideal for the beach.

Alternatively, how does the idea of rolling up your chess board sound? As strange as it may seem, this is now possible with new wipe clean nylon boards. These are perfect for travelling as they can be stored easily in a convenient space.

The other alternative is to buy an electronic chess game. These are programmable to play at several different levels of difficulty, and the pieces usually take the form of pegs which slot into their places on the chess board and indicate your move to the computer.

As you can see, buying a chess board is not a decision to make lightly. Consider how often you play the game and how much you are willing to spend. Once you know the answers, you will be able to buy the best board for you and your needs.

Have Fun With Chess - Throw a Chess Party!

2010-04-10T04:51:00.000-07:00

I confess, I'm not much of a party animal. I suppose in general that people suppose that persons who are interested in chess aren't really so much interested in parties. However, such a supposition is not only somewhat prejudiced, it is also downright wrong!

Ever heard of a chess party? The truth is that until recently, neither did I - but they do exist - and not in tiny numbers either.

One day recently, just for fun, I decided to combine the two words "chess" and "party" and to toss them into my browser just to sit back and watch the computer cry foul. But, to my surprise - the computer was two full steps ahead of me - turning up a huge heap of indexes and beating me at my own game.

Chess parties aren't a new fad. They've been around for a long time, and are usually offered as part of a club or chess themed entertainment package. But, there are an equal number of private chess parties - where private folk like you and me buy up a lake of beer and invite friends over to play chess. Now THAT's entertainment!

Okay, maybe chess parties is not for every chess enthusiast - but you've got to admit that it does the heart good to know that people out there are actually having fun playing our favorite game. Usually, the whole competition thing requires the chess aficionado to be all too serious. And - it is inexpensive fun too.

If you want to throw your own chess party, all you'll need is some chess boards and pieces, some tables, some chairs and - of course - plenty of drink. The theme of the party is up to you. It will add spice to the party, for example, to have the players to compete for a prize. Something in keeping with the theme of chess - of course.

After poking around on the Internet, I discovered these things are everywhere. YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, you name it. Why some folks even throw such events as a birthday party. Go figure.

For some reason - that even I can't explain - this excites me - enough to write this article on the subject. Usually I am always extolling the benefits of training - but here is a chance to point out that chess can be fun, too!

Chess has to be as much about fun as it is about brains. This seems like a truly novel approach to mixing your business with your pleasure. So, the next time you are in a partying mood - you might consider a chess party. You'll find videos, articles and whatever else you need on the net to help you to plan one.

You chess will show improvement - after you sober up - and if not - think of the years of fun you'll have trying to push your chess rating into the zone.

Mason is a professional Engineer who administrates the onsite chess training gymnasium at http://www.chessmemoryaids.com. The site provides training tools, exercises and advice for chess players who wish to improve their chess expertise by training their mind - as opposed to by studying chess books alone. The site is also a one-stop-shop from which other chess and self-help resources can be reached.

Chess Players Are the Villains

2010-04-02T05:34:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine offered me several books this past week. I have a lot of books but there always seems to be room for more. So I took a look -- these were detective novels. Generally, I don't read a lot of detective stories although I admit to a great weakness for Stacy Keach's portrayal of TV detective Mike Hammer, and of course Sherlock Holmes. Nevertheless, I took one along for some potential summer reading. The moment got me to thinking about how chess players are portrayed in detective novels, and wondering why. Here is a little history to explain how the current image of chess players in modern detective novels evolved.

Edgar Allen Poe is reputed to have written the first detective story in the modern genre with The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841). Poe uses the chess motif in some of his works, but clearly with little technical expertise and not much liking. He referred to the game as "frivolous" and compared it unfavorably with checkers. It was Edgar Allen Poe who began the image of the chess aficionado as the nearly-machine-like semi-human villain with many schemes and few emotions.

The first Grandmaster of modern detective fiction would have to be Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, writing his famous Sherlock Holmes stories some fifty years after Poe's works. While Doyle's personal opinion of the game of chess is not known, he plays to his readers' prejudices and confines his chess references to his villains and scoundrels. In "The Adventure of the Retired Colourman" (around 1898), the title hero is an avid chess player who murders his unscrupulous chess partner. While Doyle uses the moves of the chess matches in the story to foreshadow the action in the story, Holmes also uses the chess games as a clue to solving the murder. Holmes declares that an interest in chess is "[a] mark, Watson, of a scheming mind."

One of the more technically proficient recountings of a game of chess in a detective novel was penned by Agatha Christie in The Big Four (1927). In this story, a chess master was murdered by a strong electrical shock dealt him in the third move of his Ruy Lopez opening. In anticipation of his opening, the electical connection was rigged to the square on the board through the floor from the apartment below. Unlike the other two stories mentioned here, Agatha Christie's chess player is the victim, not the scheming villain.

Ian Fleming portrays one of his villains in From Russia with Love (1957) as a Russian Grandmaster but the description of the actual chess play is nonsense and incidental to the story.

So it appears that chess players really do have a negative image in modern detective novels. Chess players are the villains, more often than otherwise, although I suspect the reputation is unwarranted. It remains curious to me that Sherlock Holmes was not portrayed as a chess player himself, given his penchant for logical thinking.

Ann Wamack is a freelance writer with ChessRight. Please visit the site at http://www.ChessRight.com to purchase a chess set that is just right for your game. Website sells traditional and decorative chess sets, as well as chess boards and other chess supplies. Let's play chess!

Improve Your Opening Chess Moves

2010-04-02T05:28:00.000-07:00

If you want to improve your opening chess moves, be aware that there are no secret Russian training methods, variations or openings, that will help you to win more games. There is no magic formula for improvement. It is just a lot of hard work. This is probably not what you want to hear.

If you like to improve seriously, you should play mainline opening chess moves that are reputable and respected. Once learned you can use this knowledge well for years to come, you just have to keep up to date on the theory of those. Play what chess grandmasters play, because they don't play bad opening stuff.

After all they play for money, Elo rating points and prestige. If you play some bad lines, dubious gambits and other weak stuff, this will not be beneficial for you in the long run.

A lot of players think, that they are "attacking players" and sacrifice a pawn right away in the opening, playing a dubious gambit. But after that they spend the rest of the game trying to justify the loss of this pawn, because they don't know how to keep the initiative and their compensation they might have had, just deteriorates and then they lose the endgame having a pawn less and have to resign.

Many dubious chess openings can't be refuted outright, but there are reasons why they are not played by grandmasters.

Ordinary players will try to refute unusual and dubious-looking opening setups, but grandmasters will just play good, strong chess as always and accumulate just slight advantages and after that, they win with their superior technique.

Learn opening chess moves at http://www.expert-chess-strategies.com

Basic Chess Tactics to Improve Your Game

2010-03-24T02:31:00.000-07:00

Chess game is all about creative strategies and good tactics above all. Both of the players command an army of 16 chess pieces each. Each player maneuvers the 16 pieces to carry out an attack, defense, and counterattack. Coming up with tactics and strategies to improve your game is very important especially when your goal is to win.

When the game begins, do not hold back your pieces nor think of saving them in the end. You need to aggressively get them out providing that you are keeping in mind the reason of that movement you did. As the game progresses, keep on advancing your pieces to reach your goal such as cornering your opponent's king or queen or performing a checkmate which will end the game making you win it. There are few tactics that can help you improve your game of chess. So, move on reading below if you want to know them.

The first basic tactic is planning. Every step you will take needs proper planning. Planning every movement of your pieces will help you stay on track and improve your chess game. Each of your pieces must work together as a team and you as their coach so that their strengths can support one another.

Next basic tactic is by knowing each piece's worth. You should always consider the value of your pieces that you are sacrificing or giving up to your opponent. Remember that the player who has the most number of great value pieces has the most significant advantages to win too.

Another one is that you should always consider and think carefully your opponent's move. Their strategy will somehow be revealed to you base on his or her movement. You need to think carefully why your opponent move his or pieces that way. In this way, you can know and anticipate his or her next move.

You should also develop and advance well in a fast manner. Your pieces should always be ready for action. In this way, they can be able to control the course of the game quickly. You need your pieces to be positioned strategically as soon as possible so that you could execute your plan quickly before your opponent.

At all times, you should always look out for your king. You need to always keep your king safe. The game's objective is to capture or checkmate your opponent's king. So if your king is captured, you lost the game. Make the best possible movement available for your pieces too. You should always keep in mind that whatever movement you will execute, can help you improve your position in the game and will not endanger valuable pieces as well.

Be very extra alert, no matter what. Never relax even though you have strategically positioned your pieces. Keep yourself calm when presented by unexpectedly hard problem. Observe and study your opponent's movements and threat so you can anticipate his or her next move.

In addition to the above mentioned tactics, controlling the four centermost spaces is also very useful especially when moving and capturing the most pieces. You can have a better control of the game by doing this.

So, happy playing of chess and enjoy your every movement.

Everything you want to know about Chess can be found at chess blog including chess tactics and chess strategies.

Check Your Chess Moves

2010-03-24T02:30:00.000-07:00

Bad chess moves, that lose outright on the spot, are called blunders - To blunder horribly and lose. This is the most terrible experience for a chess player and quite painful. For some players it's like a nightmare. It happens to all of us, even to the best. After it happened again and you have lost a game like this, you go home thinking about your position and asking yourself all the way back home: Why did I make such a horrible mistake?

Why did your brain not work properly this very moment when you made this awful move? After I blundered I have asked this question many times myself, but still have no answer. I doubt, that there is one. Why, why, why? Why did I make this idiot move?

You need to check every chess move before you execute it, to avoid blunders.

You probably know all that already, but it doesn't help! Before you move a piece, you have to check for possible captures, forks, checks and threats that can happen after your move is executed. But still you can't seem to do it every time. Sometimes you just forget to do it. Why? I wish I knew. There are many players who feel like this. You are not alone. Join the club!

The mind processes work mysteriously and it appears that the mind is hard to discipline. You can tell your mind a hundred times it should do this and that, but still it doesn't do it.

Yes, you do improve over the years, but this is still not good enough I know. You want to be perfect. Your mind is supposed to run smoothly, making no mistakes at all and playing chess perfectly. But this seems to be impossible to achieve and it is very frustrating to accept this fact.

I do check the last move of my opponent every time, but on bad days my mind sometimes just doesn't notice good moves that my opponent can make. And then it happens. Blundered again! Jesus help me! If you play a lot of chess you do get better. But still, the problem remains.

All your book studies won't help you to get better at chess, if you can't handle this single problem and train your mind to blunder-check every move, before you make it. I mean you have to make your move in your mind first and look at the future position mentally, to detect any strong chess moves that your opponent can do after you have made your move. This should be automatic and instinctively done mentally before each move.

In the beginning you have to force your mind and tell yourself mentally to look at each chess piece of your opponent to check its potential. But after some time this becomes second nature.

Learn good Chess Moves at http://www.expert-chess-strategies.com

Decline Chess Draw Offers

2010-03-06T03:31:00.002-08:00

There are chess players who have not reached master level yet or are beginners who accept a chess draw, when offered, nearly always. Even when the position is still rich in tactical and positional possibilities or just after the opening has finished. Draw agreed.

They just don't like fighting. Or they hate losing so badly that they rather accept a draw prematurely than running the risk of losing.

This is not the way how to learn chess. Play a game until the end. If it is a draw, so be it. But you may be able to win equal positions because of your superior tactical or positional skills, if you have them. If you don't have them, you need to play on to acquire them. How can you improve if you don't play well balanced strategically complex positional games right to the end. Don't play for points in the beginning while still learning the game. Play chess to learn how to play properly in the first place, the points will come when the time is right and you have evolved to a certain level.

What's the point to give a draw after ten moves or even before the game has even started. This does sometimes happen in chess clubs where a draw is agreed before players even sit down to play. They fear each other and don't like to fight. If you accept a draw a lot of times before the game reaches high risk positions and starts to get interesting or before you reach the endgame, you will never acquire good technical skills and you don't learn how to play the endgame properly because you never get that far. Draw agreed again.

Avoid Chess Draw play at http://www.expert-chess-strategies.com

How to Master Chess Through Personal Development - Part 3

2010-03-06T03:31:00.001-08:00

Phase 3 - Building a Task List

Welcome back!

When last we met, we discussed constructing two lists with the end purpose to reduce those lists to Listof flaws which we now need to go off and fix.

All-righty, then. You currently have one single list - and its contents attest quite loudly as to why you are not the demon of a chess player that you would like to be. The items on this list are - and have always been - barriers to your progress.

But cheer up - because the list of the issues before you offer up a choice. You can play ten thousand games of chess per year - for many years - and get past these problems. Trouble is - unless you are a budding grand master - you've got a life!

Or, you can take a short cut and conclude that - if you haven't the time to fix your chess - you'll have to make some time to fix your self. Hence, the purpose of this article. We'll talk later about just how EASY this is - but for now - we've got a task list to develop.

Your task list will clearly spell out the required tasking you'll need to commit to, in order to erase your flaws and to approach the chess board with confidence. Don't let this frighten you too much, though. I promise that the process is simplicity itself.

Let us begin by understanding the value of the work you've completed so far. The list that you constructed has only those items on it which either are a problem, standing between you and a great chess game - OR - that you FEEL are a problem, standing between you and a great chess game. Every attribute that compliments your ability to play chess like a master has been extracted from the list. Only the flaws - in need of repair - have been retained.

Of course - some of the items now on this list are imaginary - and some are quite real.

Either way - the problem is the same. If you perceive it as a problem, it is as great a barrier as the real thing - maybe more - since it is in your mind and cannot be as easily confronted as a real world problem can.

To illustrate that statement, let us consider a fear of heights. This is not the same as the fear of falling - even though the two concepts are closely.

Anyone who works in the heights knows that the fear of falling is quite real. What do they do? They take precautions. They undergo special training. They wear safety harnesses. They wear parachutes if necessary - but because the fear is real it can be addressed using real tools from the actual world.

HOWEVER - the fear of heights is all in the mind. True - the plane might fall - or your harness might break, but that hasn't happened yet, and in general it NEVER happens (planes and harnesses are designed to be safe) - so the fear is an irrational one.

A harness will not put such a person at ease. Nor will a parachute calm their fears. That's because neither of these addresses the root of the problem - which is of course - that the plane is in the heights! To address this problem, you've got to put the plane down - or to get the patient to change his mind about how he feels about heights! In other words, you've got to change the patient - NOT change the conditions.

That's precisely where we are with your problems, you see. If you are timid, or confused, or lack confidence during chess play - there certainly is no reason to be. Nobody is going to shoot you at dawn if you lose. Fortunately, you can change the way you respond to the chessboard simply by changing YOU.

That this is doable is not even open for debate. It has BEEN doable for many decades now. The job before you now - is to decide what areas MUST be fixed immediately - and what areas can wait till later. What areas will give you the most bang for your buck?

By properly organizing your list - the answer will be clear. So, set the list into four separate categories. Let these be named:

Critical
High
Medium
Low

Once you have indicated severity for each item on your entire list, this step will be finished. Sort the list according to severity and store it safely away. It is now time to take stock of where we are.

You have all of the requirements to make the repairs on yourself. You know what's broken about yourself- and you know the nature of the problem. You know what's of critical priority - and what is of low priority. Now, you can now research some tools that have a targeted ability to fix each problem and you can begin preparations to make the repairs.

So - grab the utmost serious deficiency from the top of your list and meet me in part 4 - the final installation of this article. That's where we will discuss how to deal with this problem.

Themed Chess Sets - Woodland Fairies

2010-02-25T04:51:00.002-08:00

The woodland fairies themed chess set is mythological and magical little creatures that live in the forest appear only at night according to folklore. Fairies are delicate little creatures with long loose hair, and with clothing that included feathers that enable them to fly. It is believed that these fragile little nymphs can control the elements of the wind, and when they appear there is a gust of wind that comes with them. Some consider them to be ghostly in their appearance.

While they appear tiny and harmless, they are very protective of their dwellings. People would not venture into the dark places of the woods at night as these blackened nooks of the forest are where these little fairies lived. At night they would appear and head to ponds and lakes to wash their shadows and hand them on the moon to dry.

Like the famous fairy Tinkerbell, they create an image of light and airy little figures that flit and fly around the woods. They are not a threat to people, they will however cause trouble if their homes are invaded and if someone kidnaps a fairly, look out! Horrible things could come their way. Typically the notion of a fairy is one of pleasant and romantic notions. The chess set that is crafted in the Fairy theme is one that will also conjure up these same pleasant and happy thoughts. Adorable little nymphs, so delicate and colorful, this chess set is really a distinctive piece of work. A gift for a little girl just learning the game of chess, or a unique statement for anyone that wants to play.

Themed chess sets are the perfect gift idea for chess fans who are history & fantasy buffs.

For the Love of Golf - The Golf Chess Set

2010-02-25T04:51:00.001-08:00

While there is some debate over 'who' really invented the game of Golf, the game as it exists today does date back to the 15th century. However it is said that in the 12th century Scotsman who were herding sheep used crooked sticks to bat stones with in the same fashion into rabbit holes. There are even theories that have this style dating back to the 1st Century BC. Golf was played on any flat land but with rough grass and no greens and makeshift holes cut into the landscape. The first known formal organization for the game was in 1744 and called the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.

It's a game of history, of patience and a game where you need to be precise. Now this game has evolved in a billion dollar industry. Golf professionals making a career out of teaching people how to improve their games. Golf clubs, shoes, balls, gloves, tees, clothing and every possibly item you can imagine needing for the game available for those working on any kind of budget. There are books, magazines and TV channels dedicated to the sport exclusively.

For anyone that is an enthusiast, there are so many novelties, items with logos or images that can work as gift ideas. What about a game within a game? A beautifully crafted golf chess set devoted to all the items and images you would see on the course. The pewter finish gives the set an air of class, much like the game denotes. So tee up with your partner, golf buddy, kids, friends, and family and enjoy a game of thought and strategy trying to outmaneuver your opponent. Unlike golf there is not counting the moves or strokes that will determine the outcome. Take all the time you like and you can still enjoy the 19th hole if you choose.

Themed chess sets are the perfect gift idea for chess fans who are history & fantasy buffs.

Themed Chess Sets - The Hundred Years War

2010-02-25T04:50:00.000-08:00

These Hundred Years War themed chess sets recreate history spanning over 100 years, this war that was associated with control over France was spotted with periods of peace before it came to it's finally in 1453. Under King Henry II, England held as much land in France as the French King had control over. However this was changing and the French were claiming more and more territory and English were fleeing to the England they were loyal to.

One of the most significant figures of the war was Frances own Joan of Arc. She was only sixteen years old but insisted that she saw visions heaven. Her leadership was quite powerful and under her influence the French were able to take back portions of their land from 1429 to 1430. The English troops were pulling back and retreating. In 1430 Joan was captured and held captive in the Tower of Rouen awaiting her trial. She attempted to escape several times from her prison. Typically, prisoners of war are typically held for ransom; however Joan came from a poor peasant family. The King was criticized for not stepping in to assist. Joan was then tried and executed. Her crime was 'heresy' or an unorthodox change to a belief system. Joan was executed for dressing as a man in 1431.

The Hundred Years War chess set comes complete with Joan of Arc in a mans battle gear acting as the queen for the French side. The knight wore armor and carried shield complete with their coat of armor on their shields. This collectable set includes castles with towers like the one that served as Joan's prison, the Kings of their countries in Royal robes and men on horseback ready to go into battle. It's a step back in time, to the medieval times, and a war that changed the face of Europe. Enjoy a piece of history in your home with this beautiful themed chess set and all its rich history.

Themed chess sets are the perfect gift idea for chess fans who are history & fantasy buffs.

Content Saturated Chess Websites

2010-02-25T04:47:00.000-08:00

Chess, a simple game with infinite depth, has enjoyed a long and rich history. With origins in India, it slowly made its way westward, and eventually the Arab version of the game was picked up by Europeans around 600 AD. It was part of noble culture in the Middle Ages. And, during the Age of Enlightenment--statesmen like Benjamin Franklin regarded it as an integral part of strengthening one's personal character. With the Information Age upon us, chess has taken on a new role; becoming the manifestation of a scale that measures man's intellect against the machines he has built. Deep Blue, a program designed by IBM, gained fame and notoriety world wide when it defeated Chess Grandmaster (GM) Gary Kasparov in 1997. It was also around this time that most of the big chess websites made their debut on the internet.

The Status Quo

As you can imagine the "back-end" of an interactive online chess community is expansive and complex. Databases perform multiple tasks, such as tracking: Users, Games, Tournaments, Annotations, Puzzles, Openings, and Endgame Scenarios. Combine this with the insatiable appetite to play chess, that consumes most online users; and it becomes easy to see how the elementary designs of the "front-end" portions of very popular websites have persisted into the year 2009.

On page after page, users are assaulted with everything a website has to offer, leaving little room to show off the elegance of the game. Elegance? Yes, through photography, movie productions, through the creativity and imagination that fuel the minds of GMs. Where do you find that? In my personal search, I have had success finding this aspect buried in sites like YouTube, Flickr, QuoteDaddy, and every now and then as an afterthought on a chess blog. Perhaps, part of the answer also lies in the fact that due to the popularity of this game online, chess presents an easy opportunity to monetize through advertising. Google's AdSense litters the 'webscape' of most sites, and even the more engaging "flash" advertisements are counterproductive to creating a relaxed and distraction-free environment. And this in my opinion is something that we the consumers are yearning for.

Moving Forward

Filtering through all the different chess related web content, I am steadily finding undiscovered gems. And through this I have hit on a strategy for taking the idea, of bringing some class back to online chess, to new levels. Collaboration! If anyone is to have a chance at impacting the online chess community, an individual effort will fall short in achieving real change. However, I think it is easy to see that partnered with like minded people, an opportunity exists to right an oversight that has endured far too long. The solution in my opinion is to form a counter culture, to organize rich chess themed content in one place, and in that way--to give the user a choice.

I invite you to join with me in forming a counter culture to the status quo of online chess communities. Visit my website http://www.mychesseveryday.com, get inspired, and pass it on to people who need more beauty in their lives. What does the online chess user really want? Let's find out together.

Blindfold Chess

2010-02-16T23:08:00.001-08:00

In Blindfold Chess the chess player plays chess at the same time (simultaneous) against many other chess players but has no sight of the chess boards. He can't look at the chess positions as he is blindfolded and he is being told the moves by another person. This forces the player to keep an accurate mental image of each chess position on all boards at the same time.

The blindfolded player is usually a chess grandmaster and his opponents are local amateur chess players from chess clubs. Today any strong chess player can at least play one game blindfolded.

Buzzecca played 1266 blindfold chess against 2 strong players in Florentine. In the 18th century François-André Danican Philidor played blindfold against three players. In the 19th century the american chess genius Paul Morphy played 8 blindfold games at the same time. Others followed like Louis Paulsen, Joseph Henry Blackburne and Johannes Zukertort.

In the 20th century the number of games increased. Harry Nelson Pillsbury (20 games), Richard Réti, Gyula Breyer, Alexander Aljechin (26 games) and Miguel Najdorf (40 games) gave blindfold exhibitions.

The highest number of blindfold games were played 1961 by George Koltanowski who played blindfolded 56 chess players at the same time . He won 50 games and 6 were drawn, but his opponents were beginners.

János Flesch gave a blindfold exhibition on 17. October 1960 in Budapest. He played 52 opponents. (31 wins, 3 losses, 18 draws). 1930 blindfold chess exhibitions were considered as harmful for mental health and were officially banned in the USSR.

It is known that after the blindfold exhibition, the chess positions of all games still rest in the grandmasters mind for some hours or even days. This is quite uncomfortable. It is sensible to refrain from playing too many blindfold games to avoid mental disorders as this requires tremendous visualization abilities which put a lot of strain on the mind.

Train Blindfold Chess at http://www.expert-chess-strategies.com

Luxury Chess Sets

2010-02-16T23:07:00.000-08:00

There no better way to show your appreciation for that chess player in your life than to get them a beautiful luxury chess set. These luxury games are just the thing for that player who would like to enjoy his or her favorite game in a whole new light. Chess lovers both young and old will certainly applaud the gesture, because these sets are a sight to behold. What makes these sets so special? Well, let's take a look at some of the options you have available to you when choosing one of these lovely sets and find out for ourselves.

Perhaps the most intriguing thing about choosing a luxury set is just the sheer number of materials that you can choose from. One of the materials that you may want to consider is marble. Marble sets have a very polished and stylish look to them, and gazing at the swirl of the colors in the marble can be mesmerizing. Another type of material that you may choose is alabaster. Alabaster also looks just as nice as the marble finish and has a beautiful shine when the light hits it also. Glass is a very clean and beautiful material to use as well, and the different shades of the glass that is used provides a very different look. All of these are excellent choices for materials for chess sets, and they all offer a different spin on the standard game of chess that players are accustomed to.

Luxury chess sets can also come in different varieties of metals such as brass and steel. Besides all of the different materials that may be involved, there are other things that can factor into making these sets stand out from the rest. The shapes and sizes of the pieces can also be very unique. If you are looking for a certain theme for your chess experience, you may very well be able to find it. Different themes ranging from movies, television shows, and even real life battle scenes can be incorporated into these very unique sets. Whichever type of theme you are looking for, odds are there is one that will perfectly suit you or that special chess player in your life.

Staunton luxury chess sets make the ideal gift for the chess fan!

Themed Chess Sets - The Crusades

2010-02-13T02:30:00.001-08:00

Throughout Europe there had been holy wars that had been going on for centuries. The time period that was labeled 'the Crusades' referred to eight battles that were waged in the Holy Land between the years 1096 and 1270. A 'crusade' had to be sanctioned by the Pope and carried about against people who were seen as rivals to Christianity.

The motivation for crusading came from many sources. It is a belief that the common motivation was devoutness to upholding religious beliefs. To go on a crusade was essentially to go on a holy journey in search of personal rescue. This true definition was blurred a bit as it seem to come to mean giving up their lives to potentially face death by perhaps giving into pressures of their family or peers. Were they in 'search' of or forced into it?

History notes that people from all classes would engage in the crusades. Peasants, laborers and even kings and queens would participate. The women were guided to give financial donations and stay away however some did not heed this advice and went on the crusade. There would be noblemen crusading and with them came an entourage, with men that may not have been there out of desire, but forced into it. These crusades were a costly affair, and it's a belief that lords and their older sons were seen as the most likely to engage in this activity.

With one side proudly displaying the cross on their uniforms, on horseback with shields up for protection the playing pieces of the Crusades themed chess set are crafted exactly as the two opposing sides would have appeared during these conflicts. The crusaders would have been noblemen with the funds to have the best in armor and uniforms. It's a step back to the Dark Ages and a battle of beliefs. A battle with these unique and colorful chess set will allow you to engage in a crusade based in the belief of your chess playing skills.

Themed chess sets are the perfect gift idea for chess fans who are history buffs.

Themed Chess Sets - The Renaissance Period

2010-02-13T02:29:00.000-08:00

The term Renaissance is a French word that means 'rebirth'. The Renaissance Period was a time that spanned the 13th through to the 17th century where there was a 'rebirth' in culture and the ways of thinking. Rather than religion being the sole source of knowledge, now philosophy, science, politics and the arts would have a marked impact on how people perceived their world. This new school of cultural sprouted in Florence Italy and spread throughout Europe. It was a time when there was a huge shift in thinking and a Modern world was emerging.

The Renaissance Period marked many milestones that make up very important and significant milestones in history. Gutenberg perfected the printing process. Can you imagine a world today with no newspapers, flyers or magazines? Christopher Columbus discovered America, now if that hadn't happened we'd all be crammed into various places in Europe still. Copernicus made the scientific discovery that the earth revolved around the sun. Michelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel and William Shakespeare was writing plays that would be performed all over the world into the current century. Music was breaking out of the Churches and now a popular secular music with instruments and dancing was emerging. These are just a few samples of all that was happening during the middle ages.

In the world of Art, there was move to a highly realistic linear perspective. They were able to create images that were highly realistic and studied lights and shadows to enhance their techniques. The beautifully crafted pieces of the Renaissance themed chess set reflect the detail in the art of this time period. Using rich metals and imagery from this golden era the pieces will come to life as works of art on display in any home. Perhaps you could encounter a rebirth in strategy in your chess game. Your skills could evolve with practice and using some new thinking, whether scientific or philosophical as well!

Themed chess sets are the perfect gift idea for chess fans that enjoy history.

Themed Chess Sets - Army Vs Navy

2010-02-13T02:24:00.000-08:00

The ongoing rivalry dates way back in time for the members of the Army and Navy. It was in 1890 that the teams from the Naval Academy and Army Academy met on the playing field of the football stadium at West Point. When these two teams meet on any playing field it is a true test of endurance, strength and strategy. Games played with cramping muscles and injuries that don't slow them down, it just makes them that much more thirsty for a victory. Both teams will give it their all. At the end of play they had nothing left, their tanks were now running on empty. They have won their battle that day and the team that was victorious was enjoying the sweet taste of success and the all honor and prestige that goes along with it.

One fact some are not aware of, the song played at these games "Anchors Away" is a song about an Army/Navy football game. It was written at the Naval Academy for the graduating class of 1907 by Bandmaster Zimmerman and was first played in 1906 at an Army Navy football game. During this game the Navy did 'hoist true Navy Blue' and 'sank the army grey' with a score of 10 to 0.

During the 20th and now 21st century they sought some 'neutral' ground for these games. As this rivalry has moved into the new century the games have moved to Philadelphia. The games continue to be packed with fans anticipating a win for the team they are cheering for. The players are pulling out all the stops wanting that win.

The themed chess set depicting the Army and Navy in actual uniforms with seals and weapons makes chess playing a new adventure. Carrying on the longstanding competition using your own strategy, mental strength and enduring the test of time you too can enjoy that sweet taste of success. Enjoy the prestige of the victory, until you play again, then you have to launch your best moves again to see that your team remains victorious.

Themed chess sets are the perfect gift idea for chess fans that enjoy history and rivalry.

Themed Chess Sets - Cops and Robbers

2010-02-02T03:30:00.000-08:00

Both sides of the law exist in this confrontation. Images of the law verses their arch enemies date back to early film and writings. It could be the Jesse James gang holding up trains on horseback, or Bonnie and Clyde making a getaway in their 1934 Ford Deluxe Sedan. It could also be kids playing in the street with sticks for guns and bicycles for their fast getaway. As long as we have laws, we will have those that operate outside the law. This has turned into a billion dollar form of entertainment. We see the matchups in television shows daily, in blockbuster movies with unexpected twist and turns but ultimately it seems that the law will 'get their man'. However, if they get away, then there is always room for a sequel or round 2.

Dating back to the earlier 1900's however the style of clothes, cars they drove and weapons of choice really symbolize what we envision when we think of the old school 'cops and robbers'. The long double breasted jackets, trench coats, women in pencil skirts and fedoras or berets on their heads are representative of the way they dressed for this time period. The history of the infamous robbers from this time period has been depicted in many movies, books, video games, and now in board games too.

The themed Cops and Robbers chess set has all the classic dress, uniforms, and props of the early 1900's ongoing altercation between these two sides of the law. Whether the good wins out over evil in your meeting of the minds, remember there is always room for a rematch, or if you prefer a sequel.

Themed chess sets are the perfect gift idea for chess fans that enjoy history.

Themed Chess Sets - The Samurai Warrior

2010-02-02T03:29:00.000-08:00

Japanese History tells the tale of the Samurai Warriors, also known by some as the Bushi. These members of the military were committed to living lives set out in the code of the Bushido, 'the way of the warrior. These guidelines meant a strict loyalty to ones master, extremely self-disciplined, showing a great deal of respect and always exhibiting ethical conduct.

Samurai warriors were skilled at using a range of weapons including bows, arrows, spears, and guns but most historical images of these warriors will show them with their most notorious weapon, the Samurai Sword. These swords would be worn by the warriors, thrust through their belts on their left hand side. This was for ease of drawing as most would be right handed. Indoors the Samurai may not have his sword but was never without a weapon. Upon closer examination one would find even a small simple dagger.

The Samurai's traditional outfit would be a kimono, belted naturally to accommodate their swords. They always had another layer below, in the form of a style of loincloth. One style we see in images of traditional Samurai fighters and consisted of a wrap that formed what looked a lot like a giant diaper. The other was traditionally for under armor which looped from the neck around to the abdomen.

The themed chess pieces in the Samurai Warrior set shows the fighters suited up in armor and short kimonos with a geisha for the queen. Complete with swords at their sides they are ready for the confrontation. Enjoy some fun carrying out the battle of the two sides of warriors and see who reigns victorious in the encounter.

The Samurai warrior is featured in these Oriental chess sets.

Themed Chess Sets - Revolutionary War Era

2010-01-30T04:38:00.002-08:00

In 1775 the conflict was under way between the existing 13 British Colonies in North America and their home land, Great Britain. In the early part of the 1700's the population in the colonies was reported to be approximately 250,000 people. By the year 1770 this number had escalated to 2.5 million. This increase in population included the population shifting to a higher percentage of other immigrants including groups from Ireland, Scotland and Germany who tended to settle in their own groups along the area of the Atlantic shores. This growth was the key to launching the colonies into a successful bid for their independence.

Eight years of fighting this American War for independence, the Colonies were victorious. Within four years there was a government established. These newly formed United States were under a republican government where the power resided with the people.

The War had soldiers that presented themselves in some cases like a rag-tag army. With uniforms in a kaleidoscope of colors and some uniforms put together like grandma's quilt. Other soldiers came from wealthy backgrounds and had the best of everything. There was no consistency, and this carried throughout most all of the battle. Despite the patriots deciding on browns as the official uniform color, the various groups of states still did their own thing.

For example; Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut wore white. Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia wore red. North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia wore blue with buttonholes edged with white, narrow tape or lace.

The head gear worn.

Brigadier Generals would have a white feather in their hat, while Majors would have a half black, half white feather. The epaulettes on the uniforms would also tell your rank by the number of stars you wore.

These unique Patriot uniforms are complete with stars, and various hats make up the collection of pieces and the 'sides' of the revolutionary war themed chess set. Extraordinary detail in these pieces will allow you to enjoy a game of chess complete with memorabilia from a historic event that changed the face of the country we live in.

Themed chess sets provide entertainment for fans of various era's in history.

Theme Chess Sets - The Tang Dynasty

2010-01-30T04:38:00.001-08:00

Throughout recorded history the Tang Dynasty is continuously referred to as the 'most glistening' or glorious period in Chinese History. The period of this Dynasty was founded in 618, when the Sui Dynasty ended. The Tang rule continued into 907 and during existence of this Tang Dynasty, China became a very prosperous and powerful country. The strength of the Chinese military was unmatched to any time during this period. The economy, commerce and political power flourished at this time, reaching new heights, ever achieved before. The era of these rulers allowed China to thrive and gain wields power nationally after the previous Sui Dynasty left the country in a weakened state. At the end of the Sui Dynasty the whole country fell into chaos due to the oppression of Emperor Yang. Rebellions were stirred by peasants everywhere.

The government ran harmoniously, with no corruption existing and borders being opened to foreign countries. It was a period when all dealings within the country and in conjunction with other countries seem to be amicable.

The harmony reflected at this time is represented in the figures of the Tang Dynasty themed chess set with the traditional garb in bright and cheerful colors. It is a true reflection of a positive time with symbols of the Tang used to represent the various players. Naturally when trying to outplay, and strategize your moves to overtake your opponent you will have to put this amicable theme aside if you want to win! This era is certainly going to please the fans of Oriental chess!

An Oriental chess set is an ideal gift idea for fans of the Tang Dynasty era.

Civil War Themed Chess Sets

2010-01-30T04:37:00.000-08:00

The Civil War has also been known throughout history as the War for Southern Independence or even the War between the States. This conflict erupted in April of 1861 after the Election of Abraham Lincoln as 16th President to the United States.

Lincoln was very vocal about his opposition to the expansion of slavery. Since the southern states were highly dependent on slavery to support their economy, they viewed Lincoln's election as President as a huge threat to their economic survival.

Just after his election the slave states who opposed his views launched an attack on the Union Troops at Fort Sumner. This was the event that initiated the war efforts, a war that would continue for almost four years until the last Confederate Troop surrendered in 1865.

The Emancipation Proclamation was put into effect in 1863, and this freed slaves that were not in territories under the Union control. As Union solders advanced into the Confederate States, more and more Slaves were freed.

Lincoln and the Civil war put an end to slavery. Naturally a riveting game of chess played with Union and Confederate soldier pieces won't change the face of history but can add some interesting elements to the challenge. When the war erupted in 1861, uniforms for soldiers were provided by a number of different sources, like wealthy families, towns or the state. This left the soldiers with a hodge podge look to their united front. In time, guidelines were put in place and the Union was represented in blue, and the Confederates of the south in grey. The playing pieces in the themed Civil War chess set reflect the color schemes and styles as set out by the Confederate and Union Armies.

Civil War themed chess sets display realistic uniforms of the era.

What Are the Benefits of Membership in the US Chess Federation?

2010-01-21T03:20:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Chess Federation is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the study of the game of chess in a number of ways. The group strives to provide information, knowledge and support to all chess players regardless of age or skill level, from novices to professional players. They view chess as an enjoyable pastime, as an art form, and as a means of improving society.

The USCF supervises a number of chess tournaments every year, including the US Chess Championship and other national events. The group also participates in international events, linking US chess players with players from around the world.

One of the most visible benefits of membership in the U.S. Chess Federation is a subscription to their monthly magazine, "Chess Life." The organization also publishes a bi-monthly magazine called "Chess for Kids." In both publications, the USCF offers current articles and information which are of interest to chess players. The 110th US Open was held in Indianapolis in early August; so the current edition of "Chess Life" contains stories about the competition, the players, and the winners as well as upcoming events and articles about improving your own chess play.

According to the organization's website, there are over 80,000 current memberships, and about half of their members attend some kind of school. So the USCF is very interested in supporting chess programs in schools, from pre-school programs to college level. The group encourages the proliferation of the game, with thousands of affiliated local clubs and organizations across the U.S. The USCF website offers official rules of the game, a glossary of chess terms and a brief chess history available to all, as well as various books and services for their members.

The organization also offers to pair members for correspondence chess matches, either by mail or email. To get started, players are asked to rate themselves into the following scale:

Class D / Novice (rating of 1399 and below)
Class C / Intermediate (rating of 1400 to 1599)
Class B / Strong (rating of 1600 - 1799)
Class A / Very Strong (rating of 1800 - 1999)

Of course, the more honest the self-assessment, the better the group can match up an opponent of similar skill levels. Through playing in rated matches, a chess player may increase his rating to:

Candidate Master (rating of 2000 - 2199)
Master (rating of 2200 - 2399)
Senior Master (rating of 2400 or higher)

Chess Right Chess Store is offering a number of free memberships in the USCF with qualifying purchases. Please look for these great premium offers on selected chess sets in our store. We are also offering a great price on the US Chess Federation Official Rule Book (look in category "Books, etc." for the yellow king piece on the cover).

Teaching Chess to Children

2010-01-16T01:41:00.000-08:00

An interesting aspect of chess is that it can be played equally well by adolescents and seniors alike. Famously, Bobby Fischer shot to stardom at a young age and even played a game touted as "the game of the century" at age 13. There are many concepts though that young children find hard to grasp including consequence of action, tactics and thinking several moves ahead. Luckily though these skills find their way into the game automatically with practice and time. Like many things in life, if chess is learned early it will remain entrained in the memory of the player and will only continue to progress and mature. Learning chess can be a long and arduous endeavor for many children and therefore to enhance the level of succes, chess should be taught incrementally and must (and I mean must) remain fun and exciting at all times. The remainder of this article is devoted to explaining tried and tested methodologies used to teach chess in phases by progressively introducing piece recognition, board configuration, piece movement, piece capture and finally chess itself.

Piece recognition can be taught with a game I like to call Shout Chess. The aim of the game is to simply pick a piece, shout it's name and move the piece to an unoccupied square anywhere on the chess board. The game starts with the board configured as if you were about to play a game of chess. Players take turns in moving. Pieces are removed from the board (captured) when they are surrounded by two or more opponent pieces on adjacent squares. If a player moves out of turn, incorrectly names a piece or plays an opponents piece, the move is forfeit and the piece is returned. The game is won when the king is taken, or the king is the only piece remaining. This simple game has few rules but does require forethought and simple strategy. For example, pieces may be safely captured by first placing a guard piece. The introduction of strategy is by design as the child will progressively realize that some strategy is required. This game is designed to teach piece recognition, taking turns, the concept of capturing and simple strategy.

Once the child is comfortable with Shout Chess, introduce a means of picking the player to move first by initially playing a quick game of Speed Board. Speed Board simply involves the act of taking one turn each to setup the chess board as quickly as possible. While one player configures the board the other player counts 60.The winner is the player who configures the board in the least possible time or was not the player who failed to configure the board within 60 seconds. The winner of this prestigious game will have the honor of moving first in the next game of Shout Chess.

The next variation of Shout Chess may be introduced after the child is confidently familiar with the rules of Shout Chess. This variation inherits all the previous rules of Shout Chess with the exception that pieces can no longer be placed anywhere on the chess board, but must now instead be moves as per the rules of normal chess. Depending upon the age of your child, you may need to introduce this rule progressively by first allowing pieces to jump each other or move only like a bishop or a rook. Slowly introduce the moves of each piece and ultimately end by teaching your child that knights are the only piece that can jump and that the pawn can move two squares on the first move. This is the most complicated step in the learning process and care must therefore taken to ensure your child enjoys this phase. Measure your child's enjoyment levels and slow the introduction of new moves if the fun factor diminishes. Patience and perseverance are necessary requirements.

The final phase is to introduce the concepts of piece capture, check and checkmate. At this point, your child should fully understand what it means to capture a piece. Here we tweak the rules of Shout Chess by explaining that you no longer need to surround a piece to capture it, but instead knock them off the board when you land on the same square as them. We may also remove the mandatory requirement to shout the name of each piece as it is played and may even start calling the game chess. Wait a few matches before explaining the diagonal capture rule of pawns. Explain check as a warning the your king may be captured on the next go. Protection of the king is a crucial part of Shout Chess and therefore should not be a foreign concept to your child. Eventually introduce the more advanced concepts of castling, pawn promotion and en passant as your child's confidence levels increase.

At this point, your child is now able to understand the rules of chess and can play chess at a basic level. Using incremental techniques the process has remained fun and exciting and your child has therefore enjoyed the learning process. Good luck and happy memory building.

Mark Beljaars writes articles about helping people of all ages to learn chess and regularly contributes to http://beginnerchess.org

10 Principles Found in the Game of Chess Needed to Propel Any Business Into Success

2010-01-04T05:42:00.001-08:00

In the game of chess, there are several principles that apply to what it takes to achieve explosive success in any business, and here they are:

1. Begin with the end in mind: You can't launch out into business without first knowing exactly what you want the end result to be. You must see the end as you want it, and then work backwards from there with your planning. Once you have this in place, you can now make your first move.

2. Move with a purpose: Don't ever book an appointment, sign a contract, buy a resource, or invest any time or money into anything unless you know FOR SURE why you're doing it. You must understand in advance the pros and cons of every move you make and it must contribute to the end result. Otherwise, don't make the move.

3. Stay even or ahead at all times: Each move you make, at a minimum, must contribute to sustaining your current growth position, or advance it forward. Don't get behind on your daily income producing activities or the maintenance of your business. You may not be able to recover once you're behind, so stay even or ahead.

4. Think several moves ahead: Making moves "on an island" is foolish and dangerous to the success of your business. Each move you make must be connected to all the previous and future ones, so meditate on how the moves you make impact the next several decisions.

5. Anticipate the moves of your opponent: Your competition is watching every move you make so that they can counter; you must do the same thing. Be aware of market trends, shifts in consumer behaviors, and any innovations in the marketplace and start utilizing this information BEFORE your competition does. If you see it coming, respond quickly and with deadly precision.

6. Document every move: Great chess players write down every move they make as they are making them so that they can review their moves later. This is necessary to identify which moves were good and which ones were bad. By knowing where you made mistakes, you can correct them when presented with the same position in the future.

7. Develop several strategies for attack: In your marketing efforts, it is important to construct multiple strategies to generate leads. Don't rely on just one approach even if you are very good at it; think like the US military and unleash the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard onto the marketplace with your marketing. You want to make MASSIVE impact.

8. Protect your King at all cost: Make sure that you have all the proper insurance and reserves in place to guard yourself from suffering loss. Don't open yourself up to "attacks" by leaving your business vulnerable.

9. Be willing to make sacrifices: Sometimes you have to let go of valuable pieces in order to improve your position. So, don't be afraid to make calculated risks or even give up something of value in order to get closer to the goal. Remember step #1: You're playing the game to win so always keep that in the forefront of your mind.

10. Learn from your mistakes: You will lose sometimes, and that's ok. You must be dedicated to your education to master your craft. Commit to studying the areas where you are weak so that you can avoid unnecessary losses.

You can win the game when you master the fundamentals. All the great chess masters are respected not for their flash or spectacular moves, but for the small moves that keep them winning. Think of your business as a game that you want to master and it will be both fun and profitable in the end.

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Theme Chess Pieces Make an Excellent Gift Idea

2010-01-04T05:41:00.001-08:00

For the most part the youth of the current generation has become infatuated with video games, and so much so that many have never experienced the thrill of learning and playing some of the more classic types of board games. If you have children who wish to spend their every waking hour glued to a video game console, then the task of drawing them away from it may seem like an impossible one. However, the truth of the matter is that at the heart of all the flashy graphics and tricky controllers lies a game just like any other game. If given the chance to play and enjoy a classic board game like chess, the odds are they may take to it very quickly. Themed chess pieces can add to the attraction of the game by incorporating some of the other many different interests that the child may have. This is just one of many reasons why themed chess pieces make excellent gift ideas.

Obviously these themed chess pieces are not only for children who are new to the game, but they also make excellent additions to any true chess fan's collection and also those who just enjoy having ways to keep the game fresh and interesting. They also can add a touch of class to any environment they are placed in, and show that you appreciate a classic meeting of the minds. There are many different styles of themed chess pieces available ranging from animal sets such as cats and dogs, various war themed sets, sports themed sets, and even different sets crafted after popular book and movie characters. There truly is something for everyone, which makes this a very easy gift to buy for a chess fan. The different pieces can add a whole new excitement to the game, especially for those young players who can identify with the pieces and add a bit of role play to the game.

Regardless of what type of chess player is in your life, it's easy to find a type of themed chess piece that will suit them. There are even different chess pieces that represent the different types of military, something that will make a perfect gift for that special person in your life who has chosen to proudly serve their country. Themed chess pieces make a great gift for the young and old as well as the experienced and inexperienced, and is a great way to help pry the young crowd away from the television and show them that a classic game like chess can be just as thrilling or even more so than today's video games.

Need a gift idea for a chess fan? Consider themed chess pieces, they make an excellent addition to the game room.

Chess Strategies You Need to Know

2010-01-04T05:40:00.000-08:00

Chess is a fantastic game that can go in any direction. In fact, it is unlikely that you will ever play the exact same game twice as the possibility for variation is virtually endless! Having said that though, there are some chess strategies that you should keep in mind as you develop you skills as a player.

Firstly, when starting your game focus on developing your pieces so as to take control of the center of the board and free up your bishop's lines of attack. This means you will not move an A or H pawn on the first few moves. If you do start your game by moving an edge pawn, your opponent will know you are an amateur.

Secondly, always remember the importance of tempo and beat. No, this isn't a music lesson. To understand this concept better, consider this: How would you feel if your opponent got to do 2 or 3 moves in a row? Besides being totally unfair and against the rules, he could inflict some serious damage! Therefore, if you waste moves by moving pieces ineffectively, you will lose tempo and beat, allowing your opponent to get ahead of you in development. This concept of tempo and beat is so important that professional players will happily sacrifice a piece in order to get ahead of their opponents in this regard.

Another important chess strategy is to consider your opponent's reasons for moving certain pieces. Never allow yourself to become so absorbed in your own development that you forget to protect yourself from your opponent's advancement. It is important to defend and attack at the same time.

Many professional players try to take the initiative in attacking, rather than defending. The player who is attacking is the leader and dictator of the game. It isn't a nice feeling to be on the defensive all the time! Once you gain the initiative in attacking, do all you can so as not to lose that advantage - even if you have to sacrifice a piece or two. All things are relative though, and it is important to make sure that any sacrifice is worth it.

A final piece of advice is that if you want to improve your chess game, borrow a couple of chess books from the library and learn some of the well-known openings. Even if you are a newbie, you can give the impression that you are a seasoned professional (initially anyway!) if you can follow through on the first 4-8 moves of an established chess opening.

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Chess Strategies

Introduction to Chess Sets

2010-01-04T05:39:00.000-08:00

To play chess you need a chessboard and a set of chess pieces. They can be purchased together or separately. Buying a set containing a chessboard and pieces ensures that pieces will be the right size for the board. If you buy your pieces and board separately, make sure that their sizes are compatible. Too small pieces might make the set look silly and assessing the position on the board difficult, but they won't make the game unplayable. If the piece base diameter is bigger than size of a single square, it will make the game impossible to play. It is suggested that base diameter of the piece should be about 75% of square size.

The chessboard is a square. It contains 64 smaller squares, positioned in 8 rows with 8 squares each. Each of the 64 squares is alternately "dark" or "light". Traditionally it is black and white, but these terms are rarely used in reference to squares. The reason for that seems to be the terminology used for game analysis. Sides (and pieces) are referred to as "black" and "white", and squares as "dark" and "light", probably in order not to create confusion with terms like "black white-squared bishop". Instead there is a "black light-squared bishop", which indicates a bishop piece belonging to the black player, which moves on light squares.

The board is characterized by square size and board size. Board size isn't simply square size times 8, because it also takes the frame into account. When looking at the sizes, make sure not to confuse inches with centimeters.

Each one of 8 horizontal lines of squares is a "rank" and each vertical one is a "file". Files are lettered a to h, ranks are numbered 1 to 8. Not all boards have these letters and numbers written on them, but if they do, remember that "a1" square should be dark, otherwise the board is incorrect. It may seem unimportant to the casual player, but when one tries for example to follow an annotated game, he might get confused if the piece referred to as a "dark-squared bishop" is actually on a light square.

A set of pieces should contain 32 pieces: a king, a queen, 2 rooks, 2 knights, 2 bishops and 8 pawns for both "white" and "black". White and black sometimes are not exactly these colors, but it doesn't matter much. Some sets include an extra queen for each side. However, it is rare for a player to have two queens on the board, and a second queen can be improvised by an upturned rook. Therefore an extra queen isn't a must, although certainly is nice to have. If a set contains extra queens, it will be explicitly stated. If it isn't stated, you should assume it does not.

A set is usually described by king height and king base diameter (king is used because it is the largest piece) with values in inches and/or centimeters. Also mentioned is weight of the set.

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Benefits of Teaching Chess to Children

2009-12-29T05:50:00.001-08:00

The game of chess is a real test to the mental capabilities of a person. By testing and training the mental capabilities, the game refines the character of the person who plays chess on a regular basis. It is this special quality of the game of chess that made it withstand the travails of time and technology for the past 1500 years and still fascinates people. It is no doubt true that the game of chess will be there for many more centuries to come as long as this humankind, in its present form, exists in the world.

Teaching chess to children and encouraging them to take up the game seriously is one of the best gifts that as parents and well-wishers we can give to our children. It is not an exaggeration, but a well-researched and proven fact. Students who were taught to play chess as part of their curriculum in their schools performed extraordinarily in comparison with other students who were not playing chess or not exposed to the game in their schools.

By taking up chess as a sport or a favorite pastime in the young age and practicing the game frequently, children cultivate very good habits that will not only help them gain expertise in the game of chess, but also guide them for a better, brighter and prosperous life qualitatively.

Children have the unique capability of learning things quickly and grasping them. Once a child is taught the basic elements of chess and encouraged to play the game, he or she will develop an interest for the game and try to go up the ladder of growth in chess. In his pursuit to learn more about the intricacies of the game, he will be anxious to read more about the grandmasters, the different types of games, tactics and strategies. This curiosity will lead him to read more books related to chess, and in the process, he, without his explicit knowledge, cultivate the habit of reading.

One of the things a chess player should do while playing games is to note down the moves or record the notations, which will be useful for later analysis to find out the flaws or mistakes in the concluded game. Children playing chess will be interested in recording the notations. This exercise not only helps improve the understanding of the various squares, but also makes them write, which will ultimate improve their writing skills.

In the game of chess, each of the pieces has a set value and identity relative to their capabilities and utility. The Queen is given 9 points, the rook gets 5 points, the bishop and the knight are assigned 3 points each and the pawns are given 1 point. Knowing the value of the pieces and their importance is very essential in the game of chess so that some sort of balance or equilibrium in terms of the pieces on the board is maintained. This analytical ability and assessment of values will be of much help to the people while they learn the skill of mathematics or such other analytical skills.

Children learn the most important trait of decision-making skills right from the tender age as they gain expertise in the game of chess. Planning, analyzing, assessing different options, taking the right decisions and making the right moves are all developed as one plays the game of chess with passion and love. These virtues are very essential for success in life.

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How to Play Chess and the Reasons Why

2009-12-29T05:49:00.000-08:00

How to play chess is being researched more than ever these days and one of the reasons for it is the benefits that learning how to play chess can provide for our brain.

Chess is a strange game that was invented way before anyone could really record it. The written history only can show some proof of the chess game about 600 A.D. However, it could well have been invented a lot earlier.

The idea is a fairly simple one where two opposing armies battle for their kingdom. The pieces represent the people from each kingdom and the players are the generals who command the kingdoms to victory or defeat. It is a strategic game that benefits the player's way beyond their expectations.

Studies have shown that learning and playing the game can increase your IQ and surprisingly give your self-steam a boost. Not to mention your spatial, numerical and administrative-directional abilities that will be maximized in great proportions.

The beauty of the game is that you will develop strategic abilities that could be used in your everyday life allowing you to be more precise in your decisions and in your ability to foresee possible outcomes judging different moves you can take in real life.

The ultimate objective of the game is to capture the opposing king. Once you achieve this goal the game ends and you as a general have the victory. But to get to this stage you need to learn the moves of the six kinds of men who have many varieties of moves. This will bring great benefit to your memory and the good thing is it requires very little practice in order to learn the different moves.

The combination of these moves is so deep and powerful that many professional players say that from the depth and wealth of those combinations lays the pleasure of this game.

Learn how to play chess is a magical experience that can only enhance our ability to think and perform better in life.

Enter this magical world and learn how to play chess in no time at all. If you already know how to play the game then you can develop more strategies than you ever thought possible.

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Jack Daniels Chess Set - Coolest Chess Set on the Planet?

2009-12-29T05:47:00.000-08:00

Jack Daniels Chess Set - What's In A Jack Daniels Chess Set?

This exclusive Jack Daniel's Chess Set is named after Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel who founded the famous Jack Daniel's brand of Tennessee Whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors and is recognized for its square bottles and black label. The rich history of the Jack Daniel's brand is put on view beautifully with this set. This high-quality Jack Daniels chess board features pieces that are themed around the ingredients that constitute this famous whiskey, and of course Mr. Jack as the king. One side is known as "White" and the other as "Black". To differentiate between the two, the black pieces are darker with a black base while the white pieces are lighter with a white base. The movement of each piece is similar to the usual chess game and so the standard rules of chess apply. What sets this chess set apart from others and perhaps makes it the coolest chess set on the planet are the highly detailed, sculpted and painted chess pieces complemented by a top-quality wooden board branded with the iconic Jack Daniel's logo. Also, the solid wood of high quality Jack Daniels branded wooden board doubles as a carrying case for game pieces. This serves as protection to each piece which makes this set very durable. This is a "top-shelf" set measuring (W) 394mmx (D) 394mm x (H) 57mm that features a collectible wooden case with brass accents. The Jack Daniel's Set is a very classic piece that is not just for the eyes but is highly functional as well.

Jack Daniels Chess Set - The Players

The Jack Daniel's Set features thirty-two pieces that are intricately created through hand sculpture. The hand painted resin pieces are sculpted into interesting miniatures. Because these are hand made, they are highly detailed. The pieces are based on the chief ingredients in Jack Daniel's whiskey. Similar to the common chess set, it contains 2 kings, 2 queens, 4 bishops, 4 knights, and 16 pawns. What makes it special is that each piece of the Jack Daniel's Chess Set is finely crafted into an variety of designs. Jack Daniel's is made as King of course. Before 1871, the area that covers Lynchburg and parts of Moore County was part of the larger Lincoln County, and "Belle of Lincoln" was one of the original names Jack Daniel sold his whiskey under. Mr. Jack was a lifelong bachelor but carried the repute of being quite the "ladies man". At least twelve or more bereaved women claimed to be the "Belle" after his death. That is why in this chess set, The Belle of Lincoln Decanter, as Jack Daniel's Whiskey was first known, serves as queen. Corn, the primary grain used when making Jack Daniel's whiskey takes part as Bishop. He kicked a safe in frustration at the age of 61, and broke a bone in his foot, which then became gangrenous and eventually killed him. This famed safe, kicked by Jack and leading to his untimely death, is Knight. Tennessee whiskey is filtered with the use of sugar maple charcoal in large wooden vats before proceeding to aging. A rick of hard sugar maple wood normally burned to create the charcoal for mellowing, acts as Rook. The popular Jack Daniel's Black Label Bottles are the Pawns. The Jack Daniel's Black Label is said to be the world's favorite whiskey. These unique pieces make this set all the more exciting and also an all time favorite.

Jack Daniels Chess Set - A blend of chess and whisky

The Jack Daniel's Chess Set is not the typical chess board game that is commonly used by everyone as it is the fusion of two famous things traced back from history. This chess set is where the mixture of chess and whiskey comes about. Chess originated from India 5,000 years ago with the Buddhists, who believing war to be wrong, devised the game of chess as a peaceful substitute. It is said to be the oldest game in the world and since then, the game of chess has been a past time for many gentlemen and ladies through the years. The Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, on the other hand, was founded in 1875 and has been one of the world's favorite since then. Chess and Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey make a perfect combination that adds a touch of class when playing the game. This chess set gives a new twist on a timeless game as it also provides an interesting piece of American history. Its distinction from the usual chess pieces adds a dash of excitement and a refreshing deviation from the all too common chess game. The Jack Daniel's Set is truly one of a kind and is a perfect blend of two classics.

Jack Daniels Chess Set - One of a kind

The Jack Daniel's Chess Set is an exceptional board game with exquisite craftsmanship and has a unique approach to the game. The elaborate pieces make it impressive yet still not intimidating to play with. It appears to be delicate but is actually resilient as it is made from resin. The 32 pieces of this game set have been hand sculpted to high-quality miniatures that are not too fragile to handle. This chess set takes the boredom away from the usual 32-piece chess set. The intricate pieces based on everything whiskey will bring a little class to what is otherwise a chess set of debauchery. This awesome set is one of its kind and it attracts both men and women, old and young. Since chess is already a favorite among many, this unique set makes the game even more fascinating even to those inept when it comes to the game. It serves a dual purpose as it is used to play a great game as well as a beautiful display since its case is made with high quality solid wood. The pieces are striking and they look fantastic all laid out in the board.

A good game of chess is hard to find, but the special features of the Jack Daniel's Chess Set make it a certainty.

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Chess Set Combinations - Gift Ideas

2009-12-14T23:29:00.001-08:00

Finding the perfect chess set combination is not always the easiest thing to do. You want to create a set that is appealing to the eye as well as practical for playing the game. When you have either of the two required items, either the board or the pieces, and must match them to their mate then the job becomes a little more difficult. Of course if you are only going to be using the set for display then the chess set combination is not such a major factor relating to the actual play of the game.

If you are going to be playing the game and you have the chess board but are searching for the right pieces then you need to consider the size of the board itself relative to the size of the pieces you will be purchasing. Also look at the materials that the board itself is made from and match that to the type of pieces. Chess set combinations can be anything that you want as long as the feel and play of the game is fluid. For example you don't want to purchase pieces that are too big for the board itself this will only create problems during the play of the game. If you are searching for pieces that are tournament size then you need to ensure you get the correct sizing, also make sure that the board is capable of the same before you start making an impossible combination try to work.

There are pieces in so many different materials available with intricate design patterns, all of which will alter the prices of the items. There will be inexpensive options on offer or the more expensive and higher quality designed chess pieces you just need to decide what is best for your needs.

On the other hand if you have the chess pieces already and are searching for the board to create the perfect combination then you need to ensure that, as with the above, the squares on your new board are big enough to facilitate play with your existing chess pieces. As well as the type of board itself you want to make sure that the board will compliment your chess pieces and as there are so many different options available you need to ensure that you get the one that is right for you. As with the chess pieces, the boards come in a variety of different materials and again vary depending on the style and the quality of the board you choose. Your budget will be a big factor and this you need to have clear from the beginning otherwise you will find you get caught up in the beauty of the boards and the chess pieces in so much that your chess set combination becomes a drain on your pocket.

Perhaps you have a friend or relative that you just can never think of what to buy for them? Then perhaps you are looking for a complete chess set combination as a gift for birthday or Christmas. Whatever the occasion the chess set is an excellent choice as even if they are not a player you can purchase a set based on the visual appeal rather than the playing attributes required. The best part about buying a combination as a gift is that there are a variety of options available. As you don't have to match pieces to board so much then you can look at the novelty options on offer as well as the more traditional sets that are available. You will know yourself the person you are buying for and which kind of set is more likely to be the best option for them.

Whatever the reason that you are searching chess set combinations whether it is to complete your set or if you are starting out from the beginning with no existing parts of the combo you will find that there are a multitude of options available. Have a budget in mind before you get started and perhaps a style. If you are buying for yourself having these factors in mind before hand will be much easier on your pocket. On the other hand, if you are buying for someone else then you can start with just the budget and see where you get to. You will be surprised at how many different chess set combinations are out there.

Improve Your Chess Games With Chess Tricks and Traps

2009-12-04T00:07:00.001-08:00

Everyone who plays chess wants to get better at it, and usually, if you are new to chess or just a weaker player, then there is one specific person whom you wish to beat. However, each time you play that person you end up losing, always falling for this or that trap or making a bad move. You fail to see when it is that you are vulnerable and you can't seem to capitalize on your opponent's mistakes either.

Once you establish a good base strategy, you need to learn how to recognize dangerous situations and potentially advantageous moves. You need to learn how to take advantage of your opponent while not succumbing to him. Below I list a number of traps that you can lay in chess. Use them yourself, and try to recognize them as your opponent uses them.

The Fried Liver Attack is a classic that is played:

1. e4 e5,
2. Nf3 Nc6,
3. Bc4 Nf6,
4. Ng5 d5,
5. ed NxP,
6. Nxf KxN,
7. Qf3+ Ke6,
8. Nc3.

A pretty trap is quite rare but is played:

1. e4 e5,
2. Nf3 d6,
3. Bc4 Bg4,
4. Nc3 g6?,
5. Nxe5 BxQ,
6. Bxf7 Ke7,
7. Nd5#.

There is a chameleon variation to the Sicilian defense, which works as a trick that makes use of the trapping pattern. It plays:

1. e4 c5,
2. Nc3 Nc6,
3. Ne2 3. ... Nf6,
4. d4 4. ... e6,
5. d5 ed,
6. ed Ne5,
7. g3v 7. ... Nf3#.

The Caro Kann Defence is a standard trap that follows as:

1. e4 c6,
2. d4 d5,
3. Nc3 de,
4. NxP Nd7.

An infamous trap called the Albin Counter Gambit plays:

1. d4 d5,
2. c4 e5,
3. de d4,
4. e3 4. ... Bb4+,
5. Bd2 dxe3,
6. Bxb4.

When some players see this next defense called the English Defense, they try to move the game into a calmer setting. It usually starts with:

1. c4 b6,
2. Nc3 Bb7,
3. e4 e6,
4. Nf3 Bb4
5. Qb3 and then has several variations from that point on.

Those are some basic traps and tricks to be aware of to defend against as well as to try out and use in a chess game. Don't be afraid to try a new trap and learn from your mistakes.

John Skelly is the owner of Quality-Chess.net, an online chess store found at http://www.quality-chess.net, where you can browse for a variety of fine chess products, including a wide array of chess sets, chess pieces, and chess boards.

Chess Books For Christmas

2009-12-04T00:06:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for a Christmas gift (or birthday or other holiday gift) for a chess-playing friend or relative, you can hardly go wrong in giving him or her a good chess book. The aspiring chess master is always looking for additional sources of education and inspiration to improve his game.

You should discretely find out what books your chess-lover already has. This should be fairly easy, as devoted chess players are generally proud of their libraries and anxious to show them off. You might as what books they need to fill in the gaps of their library. The missing volume of an opening series or a particularly coveted book on tactics will be sure to please.

If you want some recommendations, here are some of the old tried and true chess books that have stood the test of time.

Openings

The ideas Behind the Chess Openings, by Reuben Fine. Fine was one of the strongest American masters from the middle of the 20th century, and was considered a likely contender for the world championship in the 1940's. His book on the openings is a classic. And while it does not have the extensive analysis of modern opening "encyclopedias," it has useful treatments of the broad ideas behind the major opening systems.

For the latest on opening theory, most tournament players will want to have the 15th edition of Modern Chess Openings, by Nick DeFirmian. "MCO-15" is a modern (published 2008) and more extensive treatment than Fine's Ideas. While no book can cover every opening line, this one covers most of the important ones, and has extensive footnote references.

Tactics

There are two classic works on tactics that every amateur chess player should have: 1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices and Combinations, and its companion volume, 1001 Brilliant Ways to Checkmate, both by Fred Reinfeld. Many of today's masters have learned their tactics from these books.

Endings

Another of Reuben Fine's great works is his book on the endings, Basic Chess Endings. this is a fairly comprehensive work on the endings. The book has been criticized for its inaccuracies, but these are mostly minor. It is still extremely valuable for Fine's teaching of the principles of endgame play.

Another great book on the endings is A Guide To Chess Endings, by former world champion Max Euwe and David Hooper. This book focuses on practical endings with pawns. As such it is extremely valuable for the practical tournament player.

These are just a few of the many good books available on the game of chess; enjoy looking around to find just the right book for your chess-playing friend.

Steve Coffee has been playing chess for over 5 decades, and has loved every minute of it.

Visit Steve's website about chess strategies for chess players of beginning and intermediate skill levels.

Learning Chess - Chess Game Piece Roles

2009-11-26T22:53:00.000-08:00

Whether you are brand new to playing chess or if you have been a chess player for awhile now, knowledge is power when it comes to improving your game. Therefore, having a true understanding of both the names and the proper usage of each chess game piece is very important. To win a game of chess, you need to carefully come up with a great strategy in order to beat your opponent. Therefore, playing chess is not only a great way to keep your mind sharp but it is also a lot of fun!

As you are probably already aware, the game of chess is played between two people. As with most any board game, you both alternate taking turns. One player will use all the white pieces, and the other player will then use all of the black pieces. The way the game of chess then works is that you each take turns moving one game piece at a time, and the person that manages to capture the enemy king is declared the winner of the game.

Next, let us take a look at each individual piece. First, there is the bishop. The bishop game piece can only be moved in a straight line diagonally. However, there is no limit to how many numbers of squares it can be moved. The rook game piece most often looks a lot like a small tower. You can move the rook either vertically or horizontally. As with the bishop, there is no limit to how many number of squares the rook can be moved.

The queen is considered by many to be the most powerful piece in chess because the options with the queen game piece are practically limitless. You can move in any direction you choose with the queen game piece whether that be diagonally, vertically or horizontally, and you may also move the queen any number of squares that you would like. As with the queen, the king game piece can also be moved in any direction. However, the king piece is somewhat limited as it can only be moved one square at a time.

The knight is usually easily recognized because it often looks like a horse. The knight piece moves in a rather strange pattern. This pattern is somewhat difficult to explain, but some say that it can best be described as making an L-shape. The knight is also the only game piece that is allowed to jump over other game pieces.

Last but certainly not least, there is the pawn. In the game of chess, pawns are commonly referred to as the weakest game pieces. One reason for this is they are somewhat limited in their movement, as one is only allowed to move a pawn piece forward and not backwards.

Best of luck, and I hope that you enjoy learning how to play chess!

Chess Game Pieces is a chess resource that provides information on various types of chess pieces. If you are looking for a new chess set or pieces , wooden chess pieces or staunton chess pieces are a good place to start for beginners.

Themed Chess Sets - The Civil War Era

2009-11-26T22:47:00.000-08:00

Whether you are purchasing a chess set for yourself, or gifting one to a particularly special person, you often need to think about what that person's hobbies and interests are. Everyone seems to have some hobby, or perhaps they enjoy a certain style of movie or literature you can turn into a unique gift idea. If you are trying to find the perfect gift for an American history buff that is a chess player, you may want to take a look at a themed chess sets, particularly the Civil War era.

This beautifully detailed game is a fine representation of the North and the South. The players are painted in the colors that represented both sides during that war, and the figures represent the two sides in dramatic detail. The Confederate Queen is a beautiful southern belle with her full skirt, simply ready for a ball. The Confederate King is a wonderful symbol of the personification of the confederate army dressed in a grey suit to match his Queen, his generals, and his soldiers. He appears ready to send his soldiers into battle. The soldiers dressed in their grey uniforms, carrying their arms at their sides prepared to face their foes. With golden bases to each figure, they cut a stunning collection all on their own. Even the Confederate flag is represented as a playing piece.

The other side of the match up is the Union army, commonly referred to as Yankees. With the dark blue uniforms, and each piece set on a silver-tone base, they each make a striking figure. Each figure shows the features in exquisite detail from the details on the uniforms to the arms they carry. The union flag still flies, bearing the stars and stripes of that time period.

Themed chess sets such as the Civil War Era set can inspire long history chats and children to read and learn more about American history. This skillfully created chess sets will make history come alive and show the thought you put into your gift giving. While enjoying a match up you may even find you have a different winner than what you read in the history books.

When it comes to history, themed chess sets can be educational. http://www.thegamesupply.com/

Choosing From Among the Various Types of Stone Chess Sets

2009-11-26T22:46:00.000-08:00

Chess is a game that many people from every walk of life enjoying playing. Because of this, game pieces are created from many different materials, ensuring that there is one suitable for everyone. The various types of stone chess sets that are available for purchase vary nearly as widely as there is stone capable of being carved. The most popular of these are marble and alabaster.

Of all the various types the most common would have to be the marble sets. They come in many colors, limited only in the color of marble that is available. Painstakingly detailed, these beautifully carved pieces lend an air of grace and sophistication to any room, particularly when combined with a marble chessboard. Each piece is exquisitely handcrafted, taking hours to complete just one piece to the artisans' satisfaction.

After shopping the various types many people naturally gravitate to the marble chess sets. They have a wonderful tactile impression. They carry more weight than other stone chess pieces, and they stay cool in your hands. The extra weight makes them a bit more stable and easier to place in strategic locations. The simple beauty is another reason for their purchase. A good artisan can give each piece such intricate detail that it is nearly impossible not to notice the swirls from the grain in the marble as it runs through your fingers.

Of the other various types of boards and game pieces the alabaster are some of the most beautiful. They have a translucent quality to them that many people find appealing. When carved into beautiful chess sets, they bring a warm look to any décor with their intricate detailing and fine shiny surface.

Since alabaster can be notorious for shipping and marring, it is important to know what, if any, treatments the alabaster set you are purchasing has had. Care must be taken if you are planning on keeping the set as a treasured heirloom or even an investment. As any frequent chess player will tell you, taking care of any chess set properly is important.

No matter which of the various types of stone chess sets that you purchase, you will be pleased with the craftsmanship involved, the beautiful detailing, the weight of the pieces, and the beauty they shed to any home. Simply do a little research before purchasing and you will be happy for many years to come.

Marble & stone chess sets are individually handcrafted pieces with the utmost attention to detail. These sets come in an array of colors and the character of marble is brought out in the fine grains, and swirls of rich colors. http://www.thegamesupply.com/

Chess Sets - Prices, Sizes, Materials

2009-11-17T05:41:00.001-08:00

Chess sets can be divided according to size, price and material.

Most common material used for chess pieces is wood. Wooden chess sets are the classical approach. They are used in all top-level tournaments.

Wooden pieces come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Apart from the standard design, there are pieces that replicate sets used a long time ago, and also some unusual, modern designs. For beginner, the standard design would be the best idea. If the set is going to be used in tournaments, the standard design is a must.

Plastic chess sets are a cheaper alternative to wooden sets. They are particularly useful if you are on a budget, or looking to purchase a large amount of sets for a chess club or a tournament. Some sellers offer discounts on bulk purchases. Also plastic is a better choice than wood if you think that your set might get damaged, because it would be cheaper to replace.

Other used materials include glass (crystal, porcelain) and metal (including precious metals). Most of them should be considered luxury sets, more suitable for decoration or collecting than for actual play.

King heights of the most common sets are between 3 and 6 inches (7.5 - 15 centimeters). The rest of the pieces is appropriately shorter. Of course other sizes can be found too, from miniature travel sets to giant human-sized pieces that can be used for outdoor exhibition play.

Prices range from below $10 for some very small sets or cheap plastic ones to over $10000 for unique luxury ones. Wooden sets usually cost somewhere between $40 and $1000, depending on size and wood type used.

Standard-sized chessboards have square sizes from 1.75 to 3 inches (4.5 - 7.5 centimeters). Smaller or larger than that are usually sold with small or giant size chess sets. Vinyl boards are the cheapest, prices range from $5 to $15. Perfect for tournaments, not so good if one wants his set to look nice. Quality wooden boards may cost from $40 even up to $1000, depending on size and type of wood used.

If you want to learn more about chess sets, visit ChessSetHQ - your place for chess resources!

Chess Clocks - Types and Usage

2009-11-17T05:38:00.000-08:00

Chess clock is a device used to measure time remaining for each player to complete his or her moves. Although originally created for chess, such a clock can be used in every two-player turn-based game.

The premise is simple: after a player makes a move, he presses the button located on his side of the clock. Pressing this button stops his clock and starts the clock of his opponent. Then the opponent makes his move and presses his button, which stops his clock and starts the first player's clock again. The process is repeated until the game is finished or one of the players runs out of time.

There are two main types of chess clocks: analog and digital.

An analog clock consists of two clock faces and two buttons (one for each player). Each clock face contains a small plastic "flag" near the number 12. This flag rises as the hand approaches 12 and then falls to indicate that the player ran out of time. Because of this, chessplayers often use a verb "to flag", which means the same as "to lose on time".

A digital clock has electronic displays instead of clock faces. It is programmable, allowing for easy set up of different time controls. Digital chess clocks offer more accuracy than the analog ones, and display exact time remaining to the player.

Games are played with different "time controls", from extremely fast to very slow. Some examples:

The "classical" one, currently used for World Championship matches and many top-level tournaments is as follows: "120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes for the rest of the game plus an additional 30 seconds per move starting from move 61".

The "FIDE" time control, used for many events organized by FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs) and in many tournaments is "90 minutes for the first 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an addition of 30 seconds per move starting from move one".

Time control for "rapid" World Championship is "25 minutes for the game plus 10 seconds per move".

Time control for "blitz" World Championship is "3 minutes for the game plus 2 seconds per move".

Time controls containing "increment", which is an amount of time added to the player's total time before every move, are only possible with digital clocks. Analog clocks have no such option.

Both types of clocks support "time odds", which means that players start the game with a different amount of time. This is sometimes used to offset the strength difference between the players.

The clock is typically placed on the left side on the board (so white player has it on his left side, and black player on his right side). During the game, the clock must be handled with the same hand which is used for executing the moves. Moving the pieces with one hand while keeping the other one on the clock is not allowed. Also not allowed is pressing the button with excessive force.

When one of the players runs out of time, he loses the game. The only exception is running out of time when the opponent has no means to win on the board, in which case the game is declared drawn. For example, if white has king and queen and runs out of time, while black has only a lone king, the game is drawn.

Detailed regulations concerning time controls and clock handling during tournaments can be found in the FIDE handbook.

If you want to learn more about chess equipment, visit ChessSetHQ - your place for chess resources!

Betting soccer UK live on Friday plus Chess superbets: L?k?

2009-11-11T00:28:00.000-08:00

Betting Highlights on tricky bets of the day and the valuebets on Friday, 24 of February.

Let's fund the super soccer bets weekend football gambling on Friday winner picks! Supersoccer in Italy Serie B, Bologna v Torino, without goals, under 2.5 live. Also the same bet seems OK in Portugal, Gil Vicente v Boavista. Bet it livebetting, football adrenalinbets. If you like boring wins, maybe you are right in France Ligue2, where UNDER 2.5 generally the winner soccer pick. But playing OVER 2.5 in Bundesliga2 has the same chanvce of winning.

Torino 2006. continues. Hockey Tournament semifinal are must bet! Bankerbet Russia, yes daragije tov?risi.

Chess supertournament, Linares in Mexico, and if chess the most likely result is draw! Almost sure wins, if you play draws (only) among the specials. L?k? P?ter, the Hungarian chess genious (sakk g?niusz) has 3 wins, and leading the ladder.

European Basketball betting: Euroleague Women second matches of best-of-three series, seems to me that only Brno will end with the second win. Also a good game expected in Italy, Seria A or Lega1. But the main event takes place in Australia, the Grand Final starts in National Basketball League, NBL. This is best-of-five serie, but hardly imagine that 3 matches will decide! Sydney Kings v Melbourne Tigers and ecobika is almost sure: Kings wins the first match (beginning: 09.45CET).

Tennis betting around the Globe, after the rain delay, Dubai Open WTA tennis continues! The picture is clear, worth to bet tennis on favorites from Brazil to Holland.

However, the ball is round, good luck with your soccer picks. Bet with confidence, bet with gamebookers ecobika do the same. live soccer betting

live soccer betting

The History Of Chess

2009-11-11T00:27:00.001-08:00

Chess is widely considered to be the oldest of all board games as it is a sport in more than a few countries, and a test of skill played by millions the world over and it is gaining popularity day by day. The Modern chess sets have 32 pieces, 16 black and 16 white, on a board comprised of 64 squares and with this finite arrangement of figurines and playing surfaces has led to a wide variety of chess sets over the years.

Chess and history:

The history helps one to learn the history and mythology of the Vikings as you sail your ship to far-off lands, conquering countries and winning treasures. Due to its historical significance it is seen that there are a lot of historical attributes that add to the kind of quality it has with a different set of rules and the game is played differently. In the western countries the extension of the powers of the queen made it easier to enforce checkmate in the endgame and the set of rules differ from place to place and so does the history.

Chess sets and cartoon characters:

The best example is the hand painted and that gives it an artistic look to it with features all of the endearing characters from the wonderful world of Winnie the Pooh. It is a great opportunity to Capture memories of childhood or introduce your children or grand children to these timeless characters as the children are fond of them. The fine details such as noses, horses ear's, swords, daggers and flag staffs could be snapped of if treated too roughly. There is a great variety of other themes chess page where there is a great collection of marble, onyx, fossil coral and soapstone chess sets together to create an interest for chess among the players who intend to play chess.

Lisa Sparillo for http://www.chess-resource.com

A Chess Set Will Give You Many Years Of Enjoyment

2009-11-02T23:13:00.000-08:00

When you're ready to buy a chess set, make sure you get one you will be happy with. A chess set is a special kind of purchase. You should never go cheap. Having a chess set that you can be proud of and that you feel good about will add to your enjoyment as you play. It really makes you feel connected with all the grand traditions of the game of chess.

Here are a few things to consider when buying a chess set.

**Looks are important

Chess sets are available in a wide range of styles and quality levels. You can buy anything from a very cheap plastic set to a stunningly beautiful set carved from pewter, rosewood, onyx, camel bone, and many other materials. Whether you are looking for a future family heirloom, a personal set for yourself, a set to start the kids playing or a gift for that chess enthusiast in your life, look for something you are impressed with, something you will be honored to use or give as a gift.

When looking for the quality of the carving, look closely at the Knight. The Knight is the piece that allows craftsmen to best show their skill. After you compare Knights from a few different sets you'll realize that the better sets have Knights that show detailed eyes, nostrils, teeth and manes.

**Weighting is important too

A well made chess piece is properly balanced so it acts and feels right when you move it, or as it is sitting on the board. Chess pieces should move with elegance, and they should not be easily knocked over. Accidental spills happen. But proper weighting can avoid ruining a game over a simple nudge of the board. Double and even triple weighted pieces are available.

**Get the right size board

Choosing the right size board takes a bit more thought than you might realize. First, it must fit the space where you most often intend to use it. Second, it has to work with the size of your chess set. Third the colors and materials of the board should complement your chess set. And fourth, it should be large enough to allow some room for putting down your captured pieces.

Start by measuring the diameter of the base of your King. Make sure the squares on your board are a bit larger than this diameter. Say, for instance, the base of your King is 1 7/8". Then make sure your board squares are at least 2" square.

Since the board has 8 squares across, that means your board will have to be 8 x 2"= 16". Then add about 2" all around to give you some space for placing captured pieces. That means to accommodate your pieces you would need a board that is at least 20" square.

Put a bit of thought into your chess set purchase and it will give you many years of enjoyment.

Rick Hendershot publishes Linknet News | Over 100 Chess Set Designs from ChessBaron - Chess Seet tradition with innovative design flair | Prepaid phone cards

Tips On Getting The Perfect Chess Set

2009-11-02T23:12:00.000-08:00

The are so many chess sets on the market today that it can be very confusing when you are trying to buy one. Chess sets are either used in playing or as a decoration in the living room or den. Chess sets are even used as centerpieces for libraries and studies. Some chess sets are even considered as heirlooms and are valued for their collectible quality.

1. Determine Your Reasons

Are you going to play with it or you going to use it for decorative purposes only? If you are going to play with it then look for a practical looking set. It should also fit your personal taste in the style.

2. Price

It is advisable to buy the best quality chess set that your budget can afford. A good chess set can last a lifetime and can even become an heirloom. You will definitely be admired by your friends when you take out a beautiful chess set. Of course, a finely crafted chess set can enhance every chess players? playing experience.

3. Tournament Guidelines

Unless you are using the chess set for official tournament use, you can do away with considering the size of the chess pieces in relation to the board. Nevertheless, the general guideline is that the King?s base should be 78% of the width of a square. To get this, divide the King's base diameter by 0.78 and you get the proper square size. You can increase the square size by 1/8, but the square size should not be any smaller. This info is valuable if you are buying the pieces separate from the board.

4. Durability

Choose an extremely durable chess set if you are planning to use your chess set daily and take it to tournaments and clubs. A weighted plastic chess set would be a good choice. If you need a handy chess set that you could carry anywhere then it is advisable that you get a travel chess set which are small and compact. These kind of chess is usually magnetic or pegged to protect against bumps and jolts. The boards can be folded and the pieces and pawns can be kept inside. Travel chess sets ara available for for somewhere around $20 A very basic one can even be had for $10 or less. You may even find miniature ones sold in most dollar stores.

6. Special Considerations For Wooden Sets

If you are buying a chess set that is made from wood then choose good quality wood. Wood is definitely a good material for a chess set. They are very impressive to look at and the pieces feel very solid. The only disadvantage is that they can be really heavy and are therefore not ideal for traveling. Wood chess sets will definitely be a great addition to your home or office. Wood sets and the prices can range from 50$ to as high as $5,000. In general, ebony is more expensive than rosewood, which is, in turn, more expensive than boxwood, etc. Exotic woods are more expensive still. There are less expensive sets that are made from oak, pine or walnut. In buying a wooden chess set let your budget be your guide.

7. Check For Uniformity

When buying a chess set check out the pieces, particularly the knights which can represent up to 50% of the total cost of all the chess pieces. The quality of the turnings, the finish and the uniformity also add to cost of the set. You must also check the craftsmanship of the King's crown that is usually decorative. Keep in mind that the King and the Knight are two of the most important pieces of a chess set.

8. Decorative Sets

Chess sets that are made from crystal or bone china are generally termed as Glass. These sets are commonly used for decorative purposes but you can also find glass sets that are practical. Crystal pieces are generally heavy while china pieces will feel a bit light unless they have weighted bases. These kinds of chess sets are definitely nice to look at but they are very fragile and will break once they are dropped. They are also easily dirtied by dust and fingerprints. Although beautiful to look at, the pieces will break if dropped and fingerprints can become a problem on some models. They're dust collectors too. Many people keep a glass set for looks and another type for actual play. Glass chess sets average in the $300 to $2,000 range.

For more great chess set related articles and resources check out http://chesssets.rechq.com

The Rules of Chess: A Beginner's Guide

2009-10-21T05:20:00.000-07:00

The Board

A game of chess is played by two opponents on a square board consisting of sixty-four White and Black squares arranged alternately. The forces on each side comprise sixteen units, namely a King, a Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, and eight Pawns. All units move according to different laws, and the difference in their mobility is the criterion of their relative value and of the fighting power they contribute towards achieving the ultimate aim, namely, the capture of the opposing King. Before I can explain what is meant by the capture of the King, I must set out the rules of the game in full.

This site http://www.direct-print.com/Image64.gif shows the initial position of the board. The board is so placed that there is a white square at the top left-hand corner. The Rooks take up their positions at the corner squares, and next to them the Knights. Next to those again are the Bishops, and in the centre the King and Queen, the White Queen on a White square, and the Black Queen on a Black square. The eight pawns occupy the ranks immediately in front of the pieces. From this initial position, White begins the game in which the players must move alternately.

How the Pieces Move

The pieces move in the following way: The Rook can move from any square it happens to be on, to any other square which it can reach in a straight line, either perpendicularly or horizontally, unless there is another piece of the same color in the way, in which case it can only move as far as the square immediately in front of that piece. If it is an opposing piece which blocks the way, he can move on to the square that piece occupies, thereby capturing it. The piece thus captured is removed from the board. The Bishop can operate along either of the diagonals of which the square on which he is standing forms part. A Bishop on a White square can there fore never get on to a Black one.

The Queen commands both the straight and the diagonal lines which start from the square she stands on, and therefore unites the power of both Rook and Bishop in her movements.

The King has similar powers to the Queen, but curtailed, in as much as he can only move one step at a time. He therefore only controls one neighboring square in any direction.

The Knight plays and captures alternately on White and Black squares, and only reaches such squares as are nearest to him without being immediately adjacent; his move is as it were composed of two steps, one square in a straight line, and one in a diagonal direction.

The pawns only move straight forward, one square at a time, except at their first move, when they have the option of moving two squares. In contrast to the pieces, the pawns do not capture in the way they move. They move straight forward, but they capture diagonally to the right and left, again only one square, and only forward. Therefore a pawn can only capture such pieces or pawns as occupy squares of the same color as the square on which it stands. If, in moving two squares, a pawn traverses a square on which it could have been captured by a hostile pawn, that pawn has the right to capture it, as if it had moved only one square. This is called capturing EN PASSANT. However, this capture can only be affected on the very next move; otherwise the privilege of capturing en passant is lost.

If a player succeeds in reaching the eighth rank with one of his pawns he is entitled to call for any piece of higher grade, with the exception of the King, in place of such pawn.

The King

Each move in a game of chess consists of the displacement of one piece only, with the exception of what is termed "castling," in which the King and either Rook can be moved simultaneously by either player once in a game. In castling, the King moves sideways to the next square but one, and the Rook to which the King is moved is placed on the square which the King has skipped over. Castling is only allowed if neither the King nor the Rook concerned has moved before, and if there is no piece between the Rook and King.

Castling is not permitted if the King in castling must pass over a square attacked by a hostile piece. A square (or a piece) is said to be "attacked" when the square (or the piece) is in the line of action of a hostile unit. A square (or a piece) is said to be covered or protected if an opposing piece occupying that square (or capturing the piece) could itself be captured.

When attacking the King it is customary to call "check," to notify the opponent of the fact; for the attack on the King must be met in some way or other. This can be done by capturing the attacker or by interposing a piece (this is not possible in case of attack by a Knight or a pawn), or lastly by moving the King to a square which is not attacked. The latter must not be done by castling. If it is impossible by any of the three methods above mentioned to avoid the attack upon the King, the King is said to be checkmated, and the game is ended.

If a King is unable to move, though not attacked, and none of his remaining pieces can move, the King is said to be stale-mated, and the game is drawn. A game is also drawn when neither side has sufficient material left to enforce a mate.

Game Rules

If a player resigns his game before he is actually mated, he acknowledges that in the end mate is unavoidable, and the game is counted as a loss to him.

A game is null and void if it is shown that a mistake was made in setting the board or men. The same applies when in the course of the game the position and number of pieces have been altered in a manner not in accordance with the proper course of play, and the latter cannot be re-constructed from the point where the error was made.

If a player having the move touches one of his pieces he is under compulsion to move it; if he touches a hostile piece he must capture it, provided that the piece can be properly moved or captured in either case. This rule is of no effect if the piece so touched cannot be moved or captured, as the case may be. So long as the hand has not left the piece to be moved, the latter can be placed on any accessible square. If a player touches a piece with the sole object of adjusting its position, he must apprise his opponent of his intention by saying "J'adoube" beforehand. It is best to move the King first when castling. If the Rook is moved first, and unless the King is played almost simultaneously, a doubt might arise whether castling or a Rook's move only was intended.

If a player has castled illegally, Rook and King must be moved back, and the King must make another move, if there is a legal one. If not, any other move can be played. A player who makes an illegal move with a piece must retract that move, and make another one if possible with the same piece. If the mistake is only noticed later on, the game should be restarted from the position in which the error occurred.

Marcsto is the author of Kasparov vs the World Chess Page. He also created a page called Play Chess Against Computer Programs.

The Politically Incorrect Reason I Want My Children to Learn Chess

2009-10-21T05:19:00.001-07:00

Yes, sure chess is good for developing the ability to think, to reason, to ponder, to calculate and analyze. Sure it develops the ability to read and remember. To look and think ahead, to carefully reason out and foresee the consequences of actions and to make the optimum move.

All that's fine and dandy. And I guess I wouldn't object if I had a chess prodigy child who'd grow up to be a world champion and rake in big bucks. Though, to tell the truth, if I wanted to make money off my children they'd make more money as successful models/actors or tennis players.

(And given the strange psychological relationships between some famous chess prodigies and their parents -- such as Bobby Fischer and his mother, Gata Kamsky and his father -- I'm not sure I'd want to be the parent of a chess prodigy.)

To tell the politically incorrect truth, I want my children to learn chess because despite political correctness it is still what it started out as -- a nonviolent form of war.

Peaceniks want to gloss over the history of chess, but there's no doubt that it began as a pastime for rajahs in India who had to be prepared to fight to defend their territory and developed as a evening activity for kings in Europe who had to be prepared to fight to defend their territory.

I'm not in favor of war, but it's obvious that the world is still full of violent people and if you're not prepared to defend your family and your country, you'll lose them.

On a lesser scale, this is just as true of everyday life. It's too much of a cliche to compare chess to life -- but whether you're a businessperson strategizing a new marketing tactic or an engineer designing a car that runs on hydrogen . . . you need the skills and attitude of chess.

Yes, sometimes your "war" may be against a technical problem rather than another person. Fine, you still need the attitude that there's an optimum move you can make to take advantage of the properties of the metal you're working with.

The great thing about chess is that it's all out in the open. Your opponent sees the same board you see. Unlike another great game -- poker -- nothing is hidden. Unlike poker and life itself, chance plays no role in chess.

Your advantage is only between your ears. It's your ability to think more clearly and farther than your opponent. To some extent face to face chess is like poker in that it can help to "read" your opponent's body language. Do they appear confident because they're "bluffing" -- or just because don't want you to know that they just made a bad move?

Chess is a great game, but it's a game.

Beyond the game is something called "real life." You win in real life to the degree that you can shape your world to make you happy.

This often calls for intellectual thinking and knowledge, but you must know how to go beyond that. You must know how to compete for the money and career goals you desire. You must be willing to defend your home, your family, your job -- yourself.

Hopefully violence won't be necessary -- but an attitude of competition is.

An attitude that says that learning every variation of Ruy Lopez is important not as an intellectual exercise but because it increases your chances of checkmating your opponent's king.

Those old time rajahs and kings understood.

Chess was an entertaining way to practice warfare when you weren't actively chopping off heads.

c 2006 by Richard Stooker Read more about the world's greatest game at Richard's Chess Theory PDF blog

How to use the Internet to improve your chess.

2009-10-21T05:18:00.001-07:00

How to use the Internet to improve your chess.

By Jonathon Rowlink

If you are a serious chess player you will probably already have looked at how the Internet can help you improve your game.

Below are some simple guidelines about what to look for in a chess web site and how they can help you play better chess.

Where do I start? The first thing is not to expect too much. Quite simply because there IS too much out there. Instead for the first few times simply look about the web and get to know what sites you like the look and feel of. The best looking sites don?t always give the best or most enjoyable time online though so watch out for this.

Research the author. Remember on the Internet not all is how it would seem. Authors, instructors and so called ?experts? are sometimes only experts in their own eyes. That having been said there are some great advisors who don?t have any qualifications at all. It depends on what you are looking for in the first place.

Go to some forums. The best thing in my mind about the web is that it is a great place to talk to like-minded people. People who play chess like to discuss opening moves or how to avoid getting trapped. The chess community is quite close knit but a lot of great discussions about chess are going on right now, so check out some chess forums.

Here you will also find some great resources to help you improve your chess game.

Chess Software. Nothing beats human opponents but in the absence of a fellow chess fanatic you can download some superb chess software to play against. Again, this is so varied that it can be quite confusing. The best advice again, is to know what you are looking for, then browse the web till you get it. Don?t pay for a subscription service till you have tried free resources first. You might find you ideal chess opponent is a computer, you never know.

Get a coach online. You can get an online chess coach to help you improve your game. They are varied in their approach, usefulness and simple enjoyment level.

Ask about in the chess forums and you will soon find out the best one for you.

The bottom line is. Know what you want from the Internet to improve your game. Look for it and do some research. Find a great chess site like http://www.chessclubs.inbritain.info and look at what?s on offer there. Don?t forget, know what you want first then look for it. Enjoy your quest and improve your chess game.

Does Communism Produce Better Chess Players?

2009-10-12T04:11:00.000-07:00

On the face of it, the answer is obviously yes. Except for the brief period when Bobby Fischer held the title, the World Championship was in the hands of Soviet players from the first tournament following the end of World War 2 until the collapse of the Soviet Union.

After Fischer gave up the title without a fight to Anatoly Karpov in 1975, it has been in the hands of Russians or former Soviet empire citizens -- except for 2000-2002 when Viswanathan Anand of India held the title.

The current picture is unclear. The FIDE World Champion is Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, which was technically not part of the old Soviet Union but certainly a part of its empire. The PCA World Champion is Vladimir Kramnik, a Russian.

In chess for only women, Xu Yuhua of China is the new Women`s World Champion. She beat out the Russian Alisa Galliamova. Two other Chinese women, Xu Jun and Zhu Chen, have held that title.

From the end of World War 2 until the end of the Soviet Union, the Women's World Championship title was held by a Soviet woman. Since then it's gone back and forth between Chinese women and Susan Polgar of Hungary (one of a famous family of 3 chess champion sisters) and Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria.

America is represented by one loony tunes genius who defaulted his title.

This does tell us that communism decided soon after consolidating power in the Soviet Union in the early 1920s to use chess for propaganda.

First, it encouraged the widespread playing of chess among average people and their children. Before, it was not a game for the Russian workers and peasants.

The more people who play a game in a country, the greater depth of talent that trainers will have to choose from. American kids universally play baseball. 99.99% are not good enough to play in the major leagues, but the ones who do make it to the major leagues are outstanding.

In a country where every kid is encouraged to play chess, the ones with the most talent will stand out from the rest. Then the government can teach and coach them them to perform even better. Much the same system was done with athletes.

In America, really smart kids can become doctors, scientists, engineers, inventors, economists etc. All of these professions pay more money than chess champion -- and some of them offer the opportunity to become quite wealthy. Many such smart kids play chess, but as they grow older it normally remains a hobby.

In communist countries, really smart kids can become doctors, scientists and engineers, but those professions don't pay much and there's no chance to become wealthy. The privileged elite are the Communist Party members and successful athletes who bring propaganda victories to the country.

So if you live under communist and you're a really smart kid and not a natural athlete, what would you do if you wanted to live a life of privilege and respect?

Especially if you did exhibit any natural talent for the game of chess?

You'd concentrate on improving your game so you could have a nice apartment of your own, a government stipend to support your study of chess and the opportunity to travel outside your country.

If you're not smart enough to see the advantages of becoming a great chess player under such a system, you're too stupid to be successful at it anyway.

You get more of what you reward.

Reward the channeling of high intelligence into a board game, you get great board game players.

Reward the channeling of high intelligence into scientific research, applied engineering and entrepreneurship -- and you get a wealthy country.

Communists win World Chess Championships.

The free world won the Cold War.

c 2006 by Richard Stooker Read more about the world's greatest game at Richard's Russian Chess Masters blog.

4 Ways Computers Can Help Improve Your Chess Game

2009-10-12T04:10:00.000-07:00

Although the famous Man Versus Machine matches of Garry Kasparov against IBM's Deep Blue supercomputer and the upcoming match of Vladimir Kramnik against Deep Fritz coming November 25, 2006 get the media attention, this article is more about how computers have helped people play better chess.

You can find articles on how to beat chess playing computers. Personally, unless you're a famous chess star playing a famous chess computer for lots of money, I don't see the point. I don't want to beat computers -- I want to beat people.

For example, one tip for playing computers is to open with a highly unusual move. Computers know all the common openings and if you open with Your Own Silly Unorthodox Suboptimal Invented opening instead of Ruy Lopez or the Caro-Kann, it's forced to use up processing time to calculate the optimum response instead of saving that for the mid-game.

But if you want to use the Sicilian Defense or The Queen's Gambit Accepted when you play a real person, then why practice something you made up just to trick the computer? What use is it in a real game or tournament?

Of course, if you've discovered a brand new super-opening and want to test it out against a computer, then more power to you.

Fortunately, computers can help you do that, and analyze the game at any point.

1. As a training tool.

2. As a resource to make it easier to learn from past games

3. To analyze the game

4. To practice and play with when no person is available.

There're a wide range of chess computers and software you can buy. And these functions overlap, of course. The same computer you play when you have nobody else to play with can also teach you what you're doing wrong.

1. If you're a beginner or novice then of course a good chess computer or software program can help you. They'll play against you and point out your errors.

You need to learn the basics. That includes learning from the best books, playing other people and playing with a computer that provides good feedback.

If you're already a grandmaster, you don't need me to tell you that you need computers to support your strategies against your opponents, not to teach you.

In Mortal Games: The Turbulent Genius of Garry Kasparov, Fred Waitzkin relates how part of Garry Kasparov's team during the world championship tournament of 1990 against Anatoly Karpov was a database of past chess plays and someone who constantly scrolled through to research them.

If Karpov opened a game with the Zaitsev, then that night they would research that opening on the assumption (possibly false) that he would open with it again. And of course he and his team thoroughly researched his King's Indian defense.

Naturally, computers have been used to analyze chess theory and positions. Although chess is too complicated for them to have yet to come out with a totally optimum start to finish guide (the way they have come up with a Basic Strategy for blackjack), they have analysed the end game. Chess computers have databases of all 3, 4 and 5 piece endgames.

Chess computers include: Excalibur, Novag and Saitek.

There're three types of chess computers: hand-helds, portable chess computers and desk-top chess computers.

Chess software includes Shredder and Fritz.

c 2006 by Richard Stooker Read more about the world's greatest game at Richard's Play Chess Online blog.

How to Choose a Chess Set

2009-10-05T01:44:00.000-07:00

Chess is one of the oldest board game and is also one of the most popular games worldwide. It is an easy game to play, with simple equipment, straight forward rules and virtually unlimited combinations. The game is considered an intellectual game and is considered a test of concentration as well as memory.

It is believed that chess was first played in India many centuries ago and was known as "Shatranj". The major rules and attributes of the game are still the same while some new moves and minor changes have been added over time. A chess set consists of the standard chess board and 32 pieces of chess pieces. Chess sets consist of 16 black pieces and 16 white ones. The chess board is comprised of 64 squares. There are a variety of chess sets available, which differ in the playing surfaces and arrangements. The chess sets range from cheap plastic sets to expensive sets with hand-made artwork.

When children initially start learning the game, it is advisable to go for plastic chess sets which are not only cheap but also durable and unbreakable for children to handle with ease. These chess sets are manufactured by toy companies and are available in many toy shops.

Chess clubs usually prefer cheaper varieties of chess sets. The clubs prefer vinyl boards, which can be very easily rolled and can be taken anywhere. The choice of the chess pieces is generally plastic. The idea is that this type of chess sets are easily portable and the game can be played in any location of your choice.

If you have decided to invest in a good quality chess set, your choice is indeed unlimited. The chess boards and chess pieces come in various styles and materials. The different types of chess sets available include marble sets, glass sets, leather sets and all custom designed sets where imagination is the only limitation you run into. There are also chess sets made of precious stones and metals. Chess sets are also available with magnetic pieces that stick to the board. These kinds of chess sets can be used while traveling to ensure that the game does not get disturbed by pieces moving or falling. As far as the style of the chess sets are concerned, the Staunton chess sets are considered most popular and are widely used in tournaments. The style of the pieces in this chess set is such that they are recognized by people easily. There are chess sets that depict the armies, some movies, and TV characters.

These days, chess can also be played on computers at home or on-line. While playing on a computer, players can easily choose the kind of chess set that they want to play with. Many games offer the choices of colors, models as well as many other options. It is easy to choose different levels of difficulty as required such as novice, intermediary or expert. These also give you a chance to practice play strategies many times to learn the moves of experts.

We present a wealth of resources and products. Find out more about chess sets.

Win More Chess Games by Giving Your Brain More Oxygen

2009-10-05T00:35:00.000-07:00

Your brain needs oxygen -- and lots of it. Your brain uses up 20% of all the oxygen you breathe in. To play your best game of chess, you need lots of oxygen freely flowing to your brain.

40% of your body's energy is burned in your brain -- probably a lot more while you're playing a game of chess. Oxygen is the chief fuel for your body's energy.

If a chess tournament were the Indianapolis 500, would you rather drive a car running on low octane fuel -- or high octane?

Yet most people take in only 20% of air they could be inhaling.

Do some research on oxygen and you'll find that it will also help you lose weight, fight infections and lower your chances of getting cancer. Good stuff, but this article is about winning more games of chess.

Good systems of exercise and health include breathing exercises, for the benefit of your body and mind. Yoga and pranayama. Tai chi and chi kou. And Pilates incorporates breathing exercises.

When you take a series of deep breaths before the game starts, then remember to breath deeply and slowly at intervals during the game . . . you're giving your brain the high octane fuel it needs to play your best game of chess.

First, you must learn how to breath properly. You must unlearn what you think you know. Chances are, you've been taught that "deep breathing" means sucking in air through your mouth while sticking out your chest. Forget that.

Your mouth is primarily for eating, not breathing. Breathing is the job of your nose. Plus, your lungs are much larger at the bottom than the top.

So you want to breath slowly through your nose while gently expanded the bottom of your rib cage so you fill your lungs with air, starting at the bottom. Inhale gently for a count of 4.

Hold for 16.

Exhale slowly through your nose for a count of 8. Exhale completely. That means slowly contracting your rib cage from the bottom to the top.

Inhale and fill up your lungs as though they were a pitcher -- from the bottom up.

Exhale and empty your lungs as though they were a pitcher -- from the top down.

When that feels easy, start increasing the times, in the same ratios. That is, inhale for 5 seconds, hold for 20, exhale for 10. And so on.

Do ten of those deep breaths three times a day, every day -- and you'll feel better, have more energy and play more focused chess.

During a game of chess, tension and stress are your enemy. So is a brain starved by oxygen.

Deep breathing just happened to relax your entire body, making you better able to concentrate on the game itself. Plus it obviously sends more oxygen to your brain, so you can think better and faster.

Just before beginning a game of chess, you can really improve your concentration through an ancient breathing exercise where you breathe through only one nostril at a time, alternating each nostril.

Cover your right nostril. Inhale through your left for a count of 4. Hold for a count of 16. Cover your left nostril and exhale through your right nostril for a count of 8.

Then inhale through your right nostril. Hold for a count of 16. Cover your right nostril again and exhale through your left nostril for a count of 4.

Repeat 3 times -- or until you feel relaxed yet mentally focused.

Yes, it's more complicated than simple breathing. That's why it's so effective. It's certainly not complicated compared to playing chess, but it does force you to concentration on your breathing, the count and the pattern.

If your opponent watches you and thinks you're crazy -- so much the better.

Give your brain the oxygen it needs to perform at its best, and it'll reward you with the best game of chess you're capable of.

c 2006 by Richard Stooker Read more about the world's greatest game at Richard's Play Chess blog

Win More Chess Games by Using Your Entire Brain Capacity -- A Secret Technique

2009-09-23T05:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a frightening fact regarding chess players: You know much more than you think -- yet you use far less than you know.

What if you could play a game of chess using EVERYTHING you've ever learned?

How many chess books have you read? Games played on a computer to develop your skill? Games played against other people? How many great chess games have you analyzed? How many chess problems have you pondered and solved.

If you're serious about chess, you've read and done a lot.

Yet, haven't you ever made a move that you knew right after was far less than your actual knowledge, ability and experience? Maybe a move that was downright stupid. You gave away your queen for no good reason.

Odds are good you made such a move in your last game. The games of world championship tournaments contain such moves -- by the greatest names of chess from Bobby Fischer to Garry Kasparov. Who certainly know better.

What's even more important, during a chess game you need to think about more than the board and the positions of the pieces. You have an opponent (I'm ignoring chess against computers here -- who cares what computers think, anyway?)

A large part of winning chess is defeating your opponent. Yes, that involves chess moves. But it also involves understanding and playing against that particular person. Bobby Fischer was not kidding when he said the goal of chess was to crush your opponent's ego.

What if you could not only play the best game of chess you're capable of, but you can "read" your opponent's state of mind. Important tournaments have been won and loss by one player understanding when their opponent could be manipulated into making a mistake.

They don't tell you in words -- but it's in the muscles of their faces, the expressions in their eyes, in the slump of their body posture.

According to science, our conscious minds can detect up to 126 bits of information per second. However, our senses take in thousands more bits of information. The feel of your right buttock against your chair. The ambient room temperature. The honk of a horn two blocks away.

Your brain takes all this information in and processes it. Yes, consciously, you are thinking only about whether sacrificing your bishop will gain you an advantage 5 moves in the future. Your unconscious mind hears your opponent's breathing. Registers the tenseness of their shoulder muscles. No matter how much deodorant they're wearing, your nose detects pheromones of fear or confidence.

How can you consciously take advantage of this overload of subconscious information? What does it all add up to and mean to the game of chess you're playing?

Win Wenger, co-author of THE EINSTEIN FACTOR, invented a technique called imagestreaming.

When you practice imagestreaming, you learn to understand and access your databases of stored but subconscious information -- about chess and about your opponent. You do this by reinforcing and describing

The basic technique is simple. Get a voice-activated recorder or a person who can listen to you without talking or reacting in any way (I prefer the voice-activated recorder). Close your eyes. Start talking. Describe what you see. Don't judge or evaluate or rationalize. Just describe in concrete terms what you see. And hear. And taste. And smell. And feel.

This activity engages just about every section of your brain. It bridges not only the well-known "right brain, left brain" aspect of your brain, but the more specialized sensory cortex, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, Wernicke's Area, auditory cortex, temporal lobe, olfactory lobe and Broca's area.

Once you're practiced imagestreaming on whatever images just happen to come into your mind, you can set an intention to imagestream to learn something specific. If you learn a new chess technique today, imagestreaming about it will help install it into your memory and your game.

Before a tournament, imagestream on what parts of your chess game you most need to review. Or on your opponent or opponents. During a break or at the end of the day, imagestream on an ongoing game or your opponent. You'll be amazed at the insights that pop into your brain.

Maybe you'll remember a chess technique you read in a book 5 years ago -- and it's just what you need to win. Maybe you'll realize that your opponent is over-confident. They're unprepared and if you attack you'll throw them off balance.

Take Win Wenger's challenge. Try imagestreaming for 10 minutes a day for 10 days -- I guarantee that if you do this, you will notice changes in your ability to think, visualize and remember. It will improve your chess game and the rest of your life.

Richard Stooker Read more about the world's greatest game at Richard's Online Chess blog

Win More Chess Tournaments Through an Optimal Exercise Program

2009-09-23T05:29:00.000-07:00

For years, world class chess players have prepared for important tournaments by exercising. But few chess players do so in an optimum way.

Serious chess players are certainly very intellectual, and not inclined to keep up a regular regimen of exercise. I believe that's one of the reasons few chess players stay world-class into age 40 and up.

Yes, they get older. But it's important to realize that with a healthy diet and exercise program, you can stay physically fit and healthy far into old age.

Chess players who do understand the need to get and stay physically fit, especially for important matches, will do better if they fit their exercise program into their chess goals.

Often, when I read how a grandmaster exercised before an important tournament, it's a hodge podge. They hire chess coaches and trainers, but how many hire a physical trainer who understands their purpose in exercising? After all, most people exercise to increase their capacity to exercise.

Chess player exercise to increase their capacity to sit still for a long time. That's not what physical trainers and coaches are used to!

Why should a serious chess player exercise?

To increase your brain's ability and energy to concentrate, remember, focus, visualize and plan ahead. This means your brain needs a high level of oxygen. This means you need your blood to flow freely.

So you want to increase your cardiovascular capacity.

To increase your body's ability to sit still and stay comfortable enough so that it does not distract your mind from concentrating on the game.

So you also want to increase the flexibility of your joints and the general strength and firmness of your muscles.

The 4 best ways to increase your cardiovascular capacity are:

Walking Jogging Swimming Cycling

I suggest that whatever you choose, you eliminate as much as possible all distractions. That allows you to let your mind wander without dealing with interruptions in your environment.

Therefore, walk around a park or a quiet residential area instead of a busy street or a busy mall -- so you don't have to watch out for traffic.

Same with jogging. Use a track or jogging trail if you can, instead of a street where you must watch out for cars.

If you swim, try to choose a time when you have the pool to yourself.

If you cycle, stay on a track or in a park. Or, even better, use a stationary bicycle.

I suggest you stay away from playing such games as golf and tennis. There's nothing wrong with them but the exercise benefits are uneven (if you ride a golf cart instead of walking, they're almost nonexistant) and they involve their own set of skills. If you play tennis your competitive nature might tempt you to practice your backhand instead of your chess endgame.

To improve your flexibility, energy level and overall tone and health, take your choice of:

Yoga Tai Chi Pilates

Yoga has been used for 1000s of years to keep the bodies of yogis free of any disease that might distract them from their pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. You think it's tough to sit for 8 hours during a chess tournament. They meditate for days on end by sitting cross-legged on cave floors. The yoga headstand is the perfect exercise to keep your brain healthy. You should do it every morning and night during a chess tournament.

Tai Chi is a Chinese exercise system that is also great for developing flexibility and internal health.

Pilates is a set of exercises developed by Joseph Pilates. It incorporates what he learned from yoga and other sports disciplines.

You can learn the above three by taking local classes, through books and audio and video tapes.

Weight training is essential for athletes, but chess players need just enough to maintain muscle strength and mass as they grow older. If you get enough aerobic exercise and regularly do yoga, tai chi or Pilates, you're doing well. You can always do a few pushups every day to keep your upper body strength up.

One important thing to remember -- physical fitness repays the time you put into it.

That's because you will sleep better and therefore need less sleep.

Leaving you with plenty of time to study chess itself.

During chess games tournaments you will find it easier to:

Maintain your emotional aggressiveness and competitive zeal.

Focus on the chess game for hours upon hours.

All chess champions exercise, but few know how to get the most from their efforts. Doing that will give you one more important edge over your opponents.

Richard Stooker Read more about the world's greatest game at Richard's Internet Chess blog

Win More Chess Games by Meditating

2009-09-15T04:57:00.000-07:00

This article is for chess players who want to use their brains and knowledge at peak levels, to win more games, matches and tournaments.

Therefore, you don't have to worry that I want you to find satori, enter nirvana, learn to levitate or develop your ESP. Fortunately, meditation does not have to be anything mystical at all. Instead, it's a tested and proven way of helping your mind to function at its best. Which is what you need to win chess games.

I want to make clear that meditation is NOT thinking over your next chess move, remembering your first kiss, worrying about your bills or thinking about the meaning of life.

It's relaxing and focussing your mind so that your brainwaves are primarily cycling at the alpha rate.

Many years ago, brain researchers found that the electrical impulses of our brains cycle as waves as various intervals, as measured by an EEG. The speed of these waves help determine our states of mind. Alpha is brain going at the rate of about 7 to 14 cycles per second.

This feels relaxed and dreamy. You can easily visualize and concentrate.

You can practice entering alpha simply by relaxing (you can sit on the floor or in a chair or lie down if you wish), closing your eyes, look up at a 45 degree angle and slowly count from 100 to 1.

With practice, reduce this count to 20 to 1 and then 10 to 1.

You can also take courses to learn this in more detail or by audio CDs that will help you to induce this state while listening with headphones.

Once relaxed and in alpha, what do you think about? Nothing, that's the point. Do focus your attention on one thing. That could be your breathing (take deep, long and slow relaxed breaths), a word or sound or an image.

I think it's fun to imagine myself just sitting on a tropical beach. I feel the sun on my skin, see the blue sky and listen to waves crash. You can think of yourself in any place you find relaxing. A mountain, a palace or a space ship.

Stay like that for about 20 minutes, then go about the rest of your day. Or go to bed -- meditating just before you go to bed is a great way to go right to sleep.

If you want mystical benefits, be my guest. But all I'm claiming is that the regular practice of such meditation will improve your ability to think, concentrate and relax under stress.

Regular practice of meditation helps quiet your mind so that you are more open to insights or intuition which can help you in many ways, including your chess.

Once you can slip easily into the alpha state, put the tips of your thumb and first two fingers of your right hand together as you do so. Once you've done this a few times, your mind learns to go quickly into an alpha state whenever you put these three fingers together.

Then you can use this during a chess game. One of the biggest challenges in playing chess is to stay calm despite the pressure. If you allow yourself to get tense and worried, you are not going to play your best game of chess.

Chess requires mental concentration. That's concentration and focus -- not tension and worry.

When you tense up and worry, you aren't in the mental state when you focus on the pieces and the game. That's when even World Champions make stupid moves.

When you catch yourself thinking about how much time you have left, how your opponent is glaring at you, how much you need to win this game etc -- put your 3 fingers together, take a deep breath to relax . . . and then focus on the board and the pieces and what you next move should be.

When you're playing chess and in the rest of your life, meditating help relieve your stress and improve your mental functioning.

c 2006 by Richard Stooker Read more about the world's greatest game at Richard's Chess Sets blog

Chess - Its Origins And Development

2009-09-15T04:56:00.000-07:00

Chess is one of the world's great board games. For centuries chess players around the world have been mesmerized by its challenges, and its great masters have been revered as superstars of a different order -- superstars with brains.

** Origins and background of chess

Like many of our popular board games, such as checkers (draughts) and backgammon, chess originated sometime in the first millenium AD, somewhere along the Silk Road that ran between Europe, Egypt, India and the Orient. Most historians trace its origins back to northern India or Afganistan sometime around 600 AD.

As one might expect, there is a good deal of controversy among chess historians about both the date and place of the origin of chess. While some place its origins in China, the most common theory is that the version of chess we are familiar with evolved from a game played in northern India called ashtapada. This game used an 8x8 board (like ours), but had 4 players, and moves were determined by the throw of dice.

As some historians point out, the unique features of ashtapada, and its successor called chataranga, were deeply embedded in Indian culture of the time. The fact that it was a "four-handed" war game was consistent with the division of the country into many kingdoms. And the use of dice to determine moves was a reflection of the importance of Karma in Indian religious thought.

** Evolution into modern chess

The gradual appearance of different types of Indian military forces in the Indian board game known as chataranga -- elephants, chariots, cavalry and infantry -- was consistent with the transition of the game from a relatively simple "race" game to that of a war game.

In a race game players do not capture or extinguish their opponents. If a player lands on the same square as an opponent, the opponent would simply have to go back to the beginning and start over.

But when the principle of capture or extinction was accepted -- where the captured opponent's piece is taken off the board -- this involves a different game concept -- a different "mind set". And it was then just a matter of time before different types of military forces, with different powers and values would be introduced.

This transition from race game to war game is important. But perhaps the most significant evolutionary step -- and the one most difficult to explain -- was the elimination of the dice as the means of determining moves. As Yuri Averbakh, a Russian chess historian, points out, this was not something that would happen "naturally" within a pure Indian context.

As he says, "To change the Indian war game into chess it was necessary to throw away the dice. Unlike the previous stages which were typical for the evolutional way of the game`s development and were not contrary to the customs of the Indians and their religious beliefs, giving up dice was a radical, a revolutionary step forward that not only changed the game itself but also its philosophy. In fact, that step meant the withdrawal from the principle of Karma - the basic principle of the Indian philosophy. Now the result depended entirely on the players' will, on their choice. They became complete masters of their destiny."

According to Averbakh this would not have happened without the influence of Greece upon northern India. This influence stretched back to Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC and developed even further within what historians call the Indo-Greek Kingdom. This was a large area including much of Afganistan and northern India which was conquered by the Greco-Bactrian kind Demetrius in 180 BC.

This kingdom lasted for about 200 years in which time the region underwent a profound synthesis of Greek and Indian religion, culture, languages and symbols. As Wikipedia says, "The Indo-Greek kings seem to have achieved a level of cultural syncretism with no equivalent in history, the consequences of which are still felt today."

The Greek influence was felt for hundreds of years after the demise of the Indo-Greek Kingdom. According to Averbakh it was this Greek influence that "helpd the Indians to make the final step for chess to appear." In particular, he mentions that Greeks brought with them the war game petteia. Although it was a simpler game, it had two of the features that chess would eventually gain -- players could "kill" each other, and there were no dice. "It was the player himself who decided where and which pieces should move. He had complete freedom of choice."

** Chess in the Kushan Kingdom

Another writer goes even further in placing the origins of modern chess in the Afganistan/Northern India region, but places that development much earlier than 600 AD. Gerhard Josten, in his article "Chess - A Living Fossil" claims that modern chess is an amalgam of a number of different games. We know this, Josten claims, because of its completely unique feature of having three different types of characters:

1. A relatively immoble center piece -- the King -- the capture of which is the object of the game.
2. A number of pieces that can make varying long moves -- moves that cover more than one space.
3. A number of pieces that can only make short moves -- moves that cover only one space.

Josten claims these different pieces originated in different games, and were amalgamated in what we know as modern chess. He claims type 1 pieces originated in Chinese games, type 2 pieces originated in Mesopotamian divination rites -- in particular, the Babylonian astrolabe, and type 3 pieces originated in Indian race games.

According to Josten, chess did not spring fully developed into existence in 600 AD but evolved over the first two or three centuries of the first millenium -- in particular between 50 BC and 200 AD. This development took place in a number of places -- India, China, and all along the Silk Road to Europe -- and each of the areas would have influenced the others.

But the most likely place where it all came together was the Kushan Empire, the eventual successor to the old Indo-Greek Kingdom. This was the central Asian area encompassing much of northern India, Pakistan, and Afganistan.

As we saw with the Indo-Greek Empire, this area stood at the crossroads of Europe, India and the Orient, and was deeply influenced by Greek culture. Most importantly, the Kushans were cultural, religious and linguistic synergists. They took elements from various cultures and forged these elements into something new and different.

This, according to Josten, is exactly what happened to the game of chess in the early centuries of the first millenium. It is also why we have so few hard facts about this influential period. As he says,

"Following the gradual disintegration of the Kushan Empire, the neighbouring conquering states each claimed to be the intellectual authors of chess, with no mention of the losers of the battles, the Kushans.... The fall of the Kushan Empire may thus be the main reason why so many facts have been lost and so many unbelievable legends have arisen around the genesis of chess..."

Rick Hendershot publishes Linknet News | Over 100 Chess Set Designs from ChessBaron - Staunton based Chess Sets | Philippine phone cards, India phone card

Eat to Win More Chess Games and Tournaments

2009-09-08T23:57:00.000-07:00

Bobby Fischer ate meat, cheese, hardboiled eggs and herring. Drank ice water, tomato juice and cola.

Boris Spassky ate sandwiches and drank coffee and orange juice.

Therefore, during their epic World Championship Chess Tournament in Iceland in 1972, Spassky probably consumed more carbohydrates than his American challenger, from eating two slices of bread along with whatever was in the middle of his sandwiches. He spiked his blood sugar level with a high glycemic index drink and squeezed his energy reserves with caffeine.

Depending on how much tomato juice and cola he drank, Fischer may have eaten more carbohydrates than the optimum, but at least he ate a lot of high protein foods to balance the carbs.

Is it possible that Spassky would have given Fischer a better fight for the chess title if he'd eaten few carbohydrates?

Chess tournaments are a physical as well as intellectual and emotional strain. To win, you need any and every edge.

Many world class chess players realize they have to exercise before a high level tournament. They understand that although chess is a mental game, our minds function better in brains inside healthy bodies. Especially those with good blood circulation and oxygen utilization.

Not enough chess players realize that what they eat both before and during the tournament has a lot to do with their performance. They can either support or undercut their physical hard work.

Yes, there're thousands of books out there on how to eat healthy. For my money, the most scientifically based in the Zone by Dr. Barry Sears, who's written many bestselling books on the Zone diet.

Dr. Sears has worked with the Los Angeles Rams, Stanford University's swimming teams and many other athletes. In 3 Olympics, athletes he's worked with have won twenty-one gold medals.

You're a chess player, not a swimmer or football player, but to be at your best through a long chess game or tournament, you need to have your hormones in balance. That provides you with the solid, continuing energy you need to focus, think and play your best.

That requires eating a proper balance of healthy carbohydrates (most fruits and vegetables), low-fat protein (low fat meat, fish, cheese and eggs) and health monosaturated fat.

If you do nothing else -- eat protein and healthy carbs at every meal. That does mean eliminating all but very small quantities of sugar and grains. No bread. No cake. No rice. No candy. And so on.

Also, eat small quantities at intervals so you do not get hungry, but do not overeat. When you eat too much your body sends lots of blood to your digestive system. During a chess match, you want your blood available to carry lots of oxygen to your brain. But you need to eat enough to keep your blood sugar level high enough for your brain to function well.

One more way to eat to win more chess games and tournaments -- Omega 3 oils.

This is "brain food" at its finest. Omega 3 oil, best taken through capsules of pharmaceutical grade fish oil, is the best "smart drug" available. It's a secret weapon for chess players.

Omega 3 is an essential oil that we normally can get from our diets, but unless you eat huge quantities of fish, you don't get enough of it through your meals. It contains docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a long-chain fatty acid that is critical to the brain for synapses (which transfer information) and the mitochondria, to make ATP. Your brain cannot perform at its peak level during a chess tournament without adequate DHA.

Omega 3 oils supplies that DHA. Plus encourages the flow of blood to your brain. It reduces inflammation, the loss of neurotransmitters and excess cortisol (the stress hormone). Also, high-dose fish oil increases dopamine levels, which enables greater concentration for your chess matches. And increases serotonin, which increases your threshold to stress.

Active tournament entering chess players should take 8 capsules a day of pharmaceutical grade fish oil.

To learn more about how you can improve your chess game with the Zone Diet and Omega 3 oils, read Dr. Sears' two latest books, THE OMEGARX ZONE and THE ANTI-INFLAMMATION ZONE.

Of course they don't replace the study and practice of chess itself. But they'll help you play your chest.

Your carbohydrate-bloated, brain DHA-deficient chess opponents will wonder how you got so good.

Richard Stooker Read more about the world's greatest game at Richard's Chess Rules blog

Win More Chess Games Using the Ancient 36 Strategies

2009-09-01T05:59:00.000-07:00

Chess is a game of substitute war, so you will win more chess games by taking advantage of the ancient wisdom distilled from the art of military strategies. This includes a collection of strategies compiled in China at least 1,500 years ago.

These strategies are taught to school children all over China, Japan and probably much of the rest of Asia even today.

If you think Chinese children learn the 36 Strategies as "classic literature" the same way American children must read Mark Twain . . . you are too foolish and naive to be allowed near a serious chess tournament.

You also should never try to do business in Asia, but that's another article.

You must first of all understand that the essence of warfare is deceit. This is challenging in chess, because both players can see the entire board and all the pieces.

You must learn to make moves that advance your strategies and tactics without revealing them to your opponent until it's too late. Of course, this is easier to write than to pull off in an actual chess game.

And it does require you to work, study and plan.

Your opponent can see the chessboard -- but not what's going on inside your mind.

You must learn to use that to your advantage. It requires a mental attitude and preparation which studying the 36 Strategies can help you acquire.

Some of the strategies to adapt to your chess game include:

Surrounding Wei to Rescue Zao -- do not attack your enemy where and when he is strong. Avoid direct confrontation. Aim for their weak points.

Make the Enemy Work While You Wait at Leisure -- when you are in a weak position, delay the confrontation.

Watch the Fire Burning Across the River -- Exercise patience and allow favorable events to progress.

The Plum Tree Sacrifices for the Peach Tree -- this is an ancient stress tactic. Sacrifice a piece for the greater good of your game.

Walk the Sheep Home Just Because It Is There -- take advantage of all opportunities to gain an advantage.

Trade Your Brick for a Piece of Jade -- if you want to trade pieces to your advantage, convince your opponent your brick is worth more than their piece of jade.

Pretend to Be a Pig to Eat the Tiger -- make your enemy believe you are weak so they will attack and fall into your trap.

Be Wise But Play the Fool -- make your enemy underestimate you.

Provoke Strong Emotion -- upsetting or angering your opponent can encourage them to make mistakes. You must learn to remain calm so that you don't fall into this trap.

The Empty City -- when you are in a weak position, emphasize your vulnerability, to confuse your opponent.

Chain Links -- this simply refers to using a chain of interlinked strategies to attain your goal.

Of course, real chess masters apply tactics against their enemies away from as well as on the chess board. Boris Spassky was reportedly a master at keeping a poker face during games, so that his opponents didn't know whether he was feeling good or bad about his moves, his position or his plans. However, Bobby Fischer made so many demands during their famous tournament that he was able to Provoke Strong Emotion.

In MORTAL GAMES: THE TURBULENT GENIUS OF GARRY KASPAROV Fred Waitzkin relates how during one of his world championship tournaments against Anatoly Karpov, Kasparov's business partner Andrew Page played a "dirty trick" to upset Karpov.

They were all flying from New York City to Lyon France. The tournament organizers had given First Class tickets to both Kasparov and Karpov and Economy class tickets to their trainers. Page bought Business Class tickets for Garry's grandmaster trainers, paying for them out of his own pocket. Karpov's group was made to feel angry and resentful of their inferior accomodations.

Later, Karpov may have gotten a blow of his own in. Gata Kamsky proposed that their chess organization change the rules so that defending world championships would have to compete to play in the world championship tournament just like all other contenders, instead of simply defending their title against the winner of the playoffs.

It was designed to make defending champion Kasparov angry, and one of his people told Waitzkin the idea probably came from Karpov who was friends with Kamsky. Gata was a teenager at the time and not likely to propose such a major rule change on his own. But if Karpov had proposed it directly, it would just have made him look bad, since he was the world's number two player and would therefore most benefit from it.

Bottom line: learn the 36 Strategies if only to recognize when your opponent tries to use one of them against you.

c 2006 by Richard Stooker Read more about the world's greatest game at Richard's Chess Games blog

Chess Sets Make You Look Intelligent Sophisticated, And Brave

2009-09-01T05:58:00.000-07:00

Chess is a game of mystery to the many people who don't know its rules. Often even the most intelligent will remark that they don't really know how it's played, or never really understood it. For them the existence of a chess board in a setting is a constant challenge which they cannot meet. If it is your chess set, that challenge is being made by you, and it puts you in a subtle position of dominance over the other person.

For those who do play chess, there will be a sense of respect. Chess is a challenge which pits two minds against one another in a struggle for superiority. Your chess set leaves you as open to an invited game as it does your guest. In that game you could win gloriously, or you could lose, humiliatingly. A chess set shows that you are willing to take that risk, and that you are confident enough in your own abilities to handle anyone who enters that room.

A chess set does not necessarily guarantee a challenge every day, but the eventual invitation to battle will arise, and when it does the worst thing you can do is be bluffing. Answering that you "don't really know how to play" or that you "just keep it around for show" will make you look week, and even phony. While including a chess set in a setting doesn't require you to be Bobby Fischer, it does help to have a working knowledge of the game for when contests do arise.

When you walk into a room and you see that someone has chosen to display a chess set, your subconscious mind will probably give them a few extra points of respect for their audacity and fearlessness at displaying this open challenge. You may also attribute qualities of strength or intelligence to them, whether they possess these or not, merely because of the possibility presented by that game. These effects are usually very subtle, but by knowing what they are you can use the space around you as a tool to increase perception others have of you.

The author of this article, Joey Lewitin, has designed several chess sets using natural stone including the pebble people chess set, the geologic chess set, and the illuminated onyx chess set which can all be seen at http://pebblez.com/stone-chess.htm

Play Chess Online with Free Web Games

2009-08-26T03:50:00.000-07:00

The game of chess has come a long way with computers and software programs getting an upper hand over amateur players and even experienced grandmasters. It was a dream of some chess enthusiasts to have a machine play this game which represented pure thinking in action. It seemed like only a human could play meaningful chess and win.

The advances in software and computer hardware have made chess playing machines commonplace, so much so that now one can play the game on small handheld devices as well.

Another aspect of chess playing software is the use of Internet for playing the game. The Internet has made the world a close-knit community, with real time chatting and emails widely used everyday by millions of people around the world.

It is now possible to play the game of chess sitting at home or your office with people located anywhere in the world with an internet connection. This is a marvelous thing that has happened to the game of chess, and gaming in general. For before the internet, one could hardly imagine anything like this happening in the future.

What is it like to play chess online? Simply find out the website that allows you to play the game, and register with a username. Download some files and log in. Locate a player and start the game. Invite the player with some introduction.

The game software allows choosing time and colors, and takes care of most of the rules of the game. You may offer draws or resign at any point. The way to move pieces may differ from site to site, but the usual way is to drag and drop the pieces, or simply click the piece and the desired location in sequence. The rest is taken care of by the software.

Some sites like the gaming zone at msn also conduct tournaments. They also have a rating system to rate your performance and awards points just like grandmasters have their ratings.

For more information on free web games visit - free web game

Chess Game

2009-08-26T03:48:00.000-07:00

Chess is a game that requires a lot of mental skill and concentration. It is a game for two people who try to adopt different strategies to defeat the other player. It is a very complex game that has infinite possible moves and tactics. Almost every move depends on the other person?s moves. The earliest chess games were traced to the 2nd century BC although there is no evidence to its exact existence. There is evidence of a type of chess game being played in India in the 6th century AD; some modern versions were found in Persia.

The main equipment required for playing chess is a chess board and chess pieces. The board is square with 64 equal-sized squares drawn across. The squares are of alternate colors- generally black and white or any other contrasting colors. The chess pieces are totally 32 in number: 16 for each player, comprised of eight pawns, two knights, two bishops, two rooks, one queen and one king. Each player has one set of these sixteen pieces, which are all of the same color ? either black or white.

There are unlimited moves in chess, each depending on the strategies of the opponent. The openings or the first moves a very important part of the game, and so are the rest of the moves. Each piece moves differently: the rooks can move any number of spaces vertically or horizontally; bishops can move any number of spaces in any direction diagonally; the queen can move any number of spaces diagonally, horizontally, or vertically; the king can move only one square horizontally, vertically, or diagonally; Knight can move in L shape, i.e. two spaces horizontally and one space vertically ? they can jump over occupied squares and moves. When one piece comes in the way of another, it is removed from the board. Each player has to protect his/her pieces and also aim to eliminate the king of the opponent. When the king is eliminated, the game is over. However, the game can also end in a draw, with neither player defeating the other.

There are many variations in chess: blitz chess (timed by a chess clock), bullet chess/lightening chess (very fast); correspondence chess (by mail), computer chess (played with the computer) and Internet chess/online chess (played online with another player or the computer).

Chess games can be bought from any games store. They can also be downloaded from the Internet. There are hundreds of free chess games that can be played online or downloaded for free. Some have to be purchased.

Winning Chess Strategies

2009-08-21T04:52:00.000-07:00

Chess may seem like a complicated game, but can actually be learned quite easily. Once you learn the basics of the game you will want to start practicing new strategies so your game is always fresh.

It is important to make an awesome first move. Move the pawn in front of your king forward. While this may seem like it is leaving the king in a vulnerable position, it is also freeing up the queen and bishop to wreak mayhem on your opponent!

Getting them in checkmate in 4 moves sounds impossible but it can be done. In this series of moves, the bishop and queen are used to get your opponent into checkmate in just 4 moves. For your first move, move the pawn in front of the queen forward by 2 spaces. Your opponents move is next. Then move the bishop diagonal 3 spaces. After the next turn of your opponent, move your queen to the diagonal 2 spaces and let it sit in front of the pawn. Now, depending on your opponent's next move, you can zip the queen straight up to his pawn, capture it and get the king in checkmate! Then king cannot capture the queen as he will then be captured by your bishop, he cannot move away from the queen as he is blocked by his own pieces.

It's hard to let go of key pieces in the game, but to win sometimes you have to sacrifice. When your opponent is in a spot you need to be in, taking one of your pieces to get him to move to take that piece out will get you where you want to be. Just be sure that sacrificing your piece will get you what you want.

Don't be afraid to move you powerful pieces. Put them into play and create your strategy around moving those key pieces around. In no time you will checkmate.

To find additional information like this or about fun and games visit - http://funandgamessite.com

http://funandgamessite.com was founded Jakob Culver. Jakob has a background and large knowledge in and about games.

I Love My Father's Chess Board

2009-08-21T04:51:00.000-07:00

My father was one of my favorite people in all of the world. I have so many great memories of times with him and I loved having him as a father. He was never too busy with work to play with me and my siblings, and he always took time off for a family vacation each summer. He would come home after work each night and spend at least an hour playing with all of us outside. If we were building a fort, he would join us. If we wanted to practice basketball or baseball, he would change his clothes and quickly become our coach. As we got older my dad made himself available for talks about life and for teaching me about being an adult. One of my most distinct memories of my father, however, is how much he loved his chess board.

Apparently, my dad grew up playing chess with his dad and his brothers, so he loved the game from the time of his youth. My mother told me that when they got married, my dad's only request was that he get to place his lucky chess board in their house and that she would allow him to teach her the game. It gave him great joy to use his chess board and to teach his wife and eventually their children how to play the game.

I have many memories of afternoons spent in my dad's den trying to learn the game of chess on his special chess board. He would sit patiently for as long as I would listen to him talk about the rules and give me pointers on my strategies. I was never very good at chess, and I am still no expert, but I remember that I learned to love chess as much as my dad did simply because he was my hero and it was something he loved.

When my dad passed away not too long ago, I was more than happy when my siblings decided that I should keep dad's chess board in my house. None of my siblings had enjoyed the game as much as I had, so I was so grateful for their generosity in giving me the chess board that symbolized so much about my father and about our relationship.

I don't use the chess board to play chess anymore. In fact, it is used as my nightstand by my bed. I use it to hold a lamp, whatever books I am reading, and a photograph of me and my dad when I was young. I love that chess board so much. As a parent, I can only hope that I am building a strong legacy like the one my dad left from his life. I am looking for ways to spend special time with each of my children just like my dad looked for time to teach me chess on his special chess board.

Analeese Burnabaker loves her dad's chess board more than any other item in her home. As a counselor, she encourages people to maintain relationships with parents and to cherish memories of their childhood years. See www.chessbboardhelp.info for more.

Historical View of Chess

2009-08-11T04:01:00.001-07:00

Chess, the game of kings, has its origins appropriately shrouded in mystery.

The chess board and it's pieces are indicative of medieval life. The six different chess pieces on the board represent a cross section of medieval life with its many ceremonies, grandeur, and wars. The castle piece on a chess board is the home, or the refuge, just as it was a home in medieval times. The pawns on the chess board represent serfs, or laborers. The is a bishop in the game of chess, who represents the church. The king is the tallest piece on the board, and is as well defended on the chessboard as in medieval life. The king is the most important, but not the most powerful piece in chess.

The squares on the chess board were all the same color until the 13th century. This afforded the players the illusion that the chessmen were floating across the board. Europe was ultimately responsible for chess' move to a checkered board.

The laws of chess and the rules governing movements of the pieces have been standard since the sixth century. It was during the 8th century in India, considered the birthplace of Chess, that the game evolved to sixteen pieces on a side. In the eighth century, the Moors invaded Persia and, as the two cultures intertwined, chess became popular with the Moorish soldiers. The Muslim world, on the threshold of its greatest scientific and cultural accomplishments, welcomed chess with unbounded delight. As the Muslims expanded their empire, in the seventh through eleventh centuries, again, chess traveled with them.

When the Moors later invaded Spain, the soldiers brought the game of chess with them. The Spanish were soon also playing chess, and from there, it quickly (in historical terms) spread throughout all of Europe.

About the middle of the 15th century, the French made the single most profound change in the evolution of the game of Chess, two hundred years after Arab conquerors brought chess to southern Europe, a chess queen appear on the board. In the 16th and 17th centuries the evolution of chess took a quantum leap; the queen became the most powerful piece on the board. The queen, the only piece to represent a woman in the game of chess held a powerful yet precarious position.

From 1600-1850, it was believed that chess originated from Persia. but evidence clearly shows that chess did originate in India,rather than China or Persia as some have claimed. So by the eighteenth century chess had completely broken away from its medieval inheritance.

Since the late eighteenth century the popularity chess has increased dramatically, especially with the introduction of matches and tournaments. The current rules of chess were finalized in the early 19th century, except for the exact conditions for a draw and today it thrives as an intellectual game.

Why Kids Who Play Chess Outperform Their Classmates - Part III

2009-08-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

This is the third part of a three part article investigating scientific research into the value of chess as a tool to aid cognitive development. This article will summarize the results of a study about the positive value of chess in kids' education, by Ferguson (Ferguson, Robert, 1995. "Chess in Education: Research Summary. A Review of Key Chess Research Studies." For the Borough of Manhattan Community College Chess in Education 'A Wise Move' Conference.)

Ferguson Study

The most compelling evidence that instruction in chess aids learning comes from a four-year project (1979-1983) directed by Robert Ferguson. Ferguson implemented an enrichment program for gifted students in grades 7-9 in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Enrichment activities including chess, Dungeons and Dragons, "Olympics of the mind", problem solving with computers, creative writing, independent study, etc., were used to stimulate thinking. The impact of these activities was measured by administering the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking at the beginning of the program, and at the end of each subsequent year.

The results were astonishing. Non-chess enriched students showed an average annual increase of 4.6% on the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, while the average in increase for chess-enriched students was 17.3%. On the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, non-chess to chess group comparisons averaged; fluency 6.0/19.9; flexibility 9.5/22.8; originality 34.8/70.0. Even though this program was administered to gifted students, the logical conclusion that chess is a positive factor in the cognitive development of children in general is indisputable.

The preceding studies represent most of the scientific evidence currently available. Their emphasis is on measuring cognitive attributes without much weight given to social and emotional considerations. However, a substantial amount of material describing the positive social and emotional effects of chess programs is available from a wide array of publication. A growing body of evidence shows that chess promotes greater levels of self-esteem and confidence, comradeship, and a healthy competitive rivalry among its participants.

To conclude, chess is a beneficial activity for children. Both scientific and practical evidence suggest that chess improves a wide array of thinking and reasoning skills, as well as social and motivational factors. Chess develops memory, improves concentration, develops logical thinking, and helps develop imagination and creativity. Best of all, it is fun to play, and can be enjoyed by students of all ages.

Robert is a chess coach with over 20 years of teaching experience and has been master ranked chess player for even longer. To learn how to play chess and more about this intellect-enriching board game please visit Rules of Chess.

Why Kids Who Play Chess Outperform Their Classmates - Part II

2009-08-03T05:48:00.001-07:00

This is the second part of a three part article series investigating scientific research into the value of chess as a tool to aid cognitive development. In this part, the Fried and Ginsburg study will be discussed (The Effect of Learning to Play Chess on Cognitive, Perceptual, & Emotional Development in Children. Unpublished paper available from U.S. Chess Federation).

Fried and Ginsburg Study

A subsequent study by Steven Fried and Norman Ginsburg expanded on Christiaen's study by attempting
"... to identify specific cognitive, perceptual-motor, and emotional gains produced by learning chess and which may account for improved performance as demonstrated in Christiaen's study."

The Fried and Ginsburg study used three measures for assessing cognitive skills: the block design subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), the picture completion subtest of the WISC-R, as an indicator of visual awareness to detail; and the Survey of School Attitudes, as a measure of regard for school. The study design used three treatment conditions: one group received chess instruction twice a week for eighteen weeks, another attended a biweekly 'rap' session for the same period, while the third group acted as a no-contact control group.

The results of the study failed to clearly identify any specific area of significant differentiation between groups. The picture completion tast, however, showed a trend in the predicted direction with the chess group scoring highest, the counseling group next, followed the no-contact control group. In the other two test categories significant gender related differences within the chess group was noted. The authors hypothesize that gender related factors such as male competitiveness and aggressiveness are involved, but admit that further research is require to explore these factors.

The "Value of Chess as a Learning Aid Part III", will discuss another study which provides compelling evidence that chess makes your kids smarter! It will be available shortly on this website.

Why Kids Who Play Chess Outperform Their Classmates - Part I

2009-08-03T05:47:00.000-07:00

Success at the strategy board game chess has long been considered an activity requiring superior mental abilities. What is becoming increasingly clear, however, is that chess can be used as a valuable tool to help develop various cognitive skills, especially in school-aged children.

This is the first in a three-part article that will present some scientific research about the value of chess in improving skills in traditional educational fields such as mathematics, science and language.

Several scientific studies have been published investigating the area of pattern recognition and recall between individuals of varying chess ability, ranging from master to novice. Evidence has shown that chess playing ability correlates strongly with recall of typical chess positions. When the chess pieces are arranged in random order, no such correlation exists. This indicates that memory is closely linked to the structure and relevance of the subject being recalled, and that the experienced chess player searches for familiar patterns and ideas.

Other studies have dealt with the more important issue of skill transference and the use of chess in facilitating the development of thinking and reasoning skills in children.

Christiaen Study

A study performed in Belgium in 1975 (later translated into English) was part of the doctoral thesis of Johan Christiaen ("Chess and Cognitive Development", 1976). He studied a group of 40 students for a two year period as they progressed through grades five and six to determine if chess playing could enhance their cognitive development. Much of this study focused on testing the theories of renown child psychologist Jean Piaget - in particular, his theories on cognitive development. Piaget holds that an intellectual maturation occurs between the ages of approximately 11 and 15. During this stage, the child moves beyond physical trial and error and begins hypothesizing and deducing, developing more complex logic and judgment. In Piaget's terms, the youngster moves from the "concrete" stage to the "formal" stage of intellectual development.

In Christiaen's study, half of the students were given chess instruction after school, while the other half received none. Several tests were conducted to evaluate the cognitive transition to formal operational thought processes from the preceding level of concrete operational thought processes. When the students were tested for this transition, slight but not significant improvement was seen in the group receiving chess instruction. However, significant improvement in academic performance at the end of each of the two years of the study (end of grade 5 and grade 6) was noted for the chess group in comparison to the non-chess group. Clearly, the group receiving instruction in chess had somehow gained an academic advantage over the control group not receiving chess instruction.

To read about more evidence on how chess can improve your children's scholastic abilities, check out the next part of this article series, entitled "Why kids who play chess outperform their classmates - part II".

The Wonders Of Online Chess

2009-07-28T06:46:00.000-07:00

The internet has effected us all, the whole world is changed by the internet and its power of communication, one of the most amazing examples of the power of the internet is the change it has brought to the game of chess, and the changes that are about to shake the old world traditional games is just beginning to emerge out of the turmoil that the internet gaming culture has created.

Chess has always been known to be a game of minds, the power of mathematical thinking and the understanding of the enemy strategy and future moves was in the heart of the game that was invents in ancient Persia and played by millions of people around the world for centuries. In modern times society has decided to promote chess as a game for the masses and not as it was portrayed for many year as a game for the high society and intellectual elite, this has created an overwhelming passion for chess and has indeed made chess a global game that can be played by all without relation to social standings and educational pedigree. The same technique was used for promoting tennis and later golf to the weaker levels of society, as a way of distancing the stigma that an activity acquires and making it possible for all to enjoy and compete equally.

The game of chess however is very different to other sports and activities, it can be played over long periods of time and playing partners can play against others while their board at home still holds a very delicate chess situation with a completely different competitor. There was a time in which it was very popular for movies to show how friends play chess one against the other on the phone, when they are actually miles away or even in different continents, and the reality today is that the same thing has actually happened, now people can play against anyone, anyone in the whole world.

By logging into mass chess playing rooms in the internet one can find competitors and play against them, learn new tactics and make friends from all over the world, what was once done only in chess conventions and meetings is being done right now all over the world, by using the internet as a immediate chess playing tool. This new opportunity for the ancient game is another landmark on its ever-growing popularity in the world, now chess is heading for a completely impersonal era where players will compete without shaking each others hands before the game, they will be physically apart.

Visiting the chess rooms online will reveals a whole new chess community that is thriving in the cyber world, one should experience the passion of online chess if only to whiteness players playing around the clock with others like them on different time zones around the world. Like the legendary sand bird the game of chess rises to the technological challenges over and over again, making chess played over and over again in different centuries by different people in all so many different ways, chess is truly the king of games.

David Evermon has been involved in many environment related projects, writing on many subjects related to the environment and his hobbies, David writes articles about Chess For http://advice-tips.com

Why A Chess Game Has So Much To Offer

2009-07-21T06:28:00.000-07:00

The ancient game of chess requires skill and strategy, and is only the pursuit of choice for the intellectually advanced or downright boring. Think again! Yeah, a chess game is a tough prospect, but it's really fun once you learn how to play, and get that little bit competitive with your wife or your buddy. Hear me out. Now I know when you hear the word 'chess' you automatically think of teenage grandmasters from eastern Europe, and bright sparks that can play more than one chess game at a time and still win. But there's a lot more to the game than you think.

The game of chess can be traced back to India around the 2nd century BC, and is one of the worlds most popular strategic thinking games. Widely played across all continents, the chess game today is considered the most challenging and intellectually stimulating games out there - not to mention, it's also great fun.

Many people before they understand the rules of chess see the game as overly complicated, although when you start to delve that little bit deeper, you find that it's not so bad. Firstly, all those strange little pieces - no problem. When set up, the pieces are arranged largely symmetrically, so that halves the number of unique pieces straight away. Then you end up with only a few different pieces to play with: pawn, rook, knight, bishop, Queen and King. The game progresses by moving the pieces, in alternating turns piece at a time, around the board, with each piece allowed a prescribed range of movements. An example of this would be the rook, which can move any number of squares vertically or horizontally, but cannot move diagonally, or the knight which can move in any L-shaped pattern (with ratio 3:1). The aim of the game is to make it impossible for the opponent to move without leaving his King (the King of opposing colour) in check, i.e. ensuring that whatever move your opponent makes, you would be capable of taking his King in the next move, which ends the game. If the opponent is unable to move without this occurring, he has lost, and his King is said to be in check mate.

There are loads of variations of chess games played around the world, although this standard method, or International Chess, is by far the most common. The game is a way of life for many of its dedicated participants, who play in clubs and tournaments regularly.

So now you've hopefully got an insight into the rules, you can consider giving it a go. To start with, it's always a good idea to play with someone who knows what's going on to avoid confusion, and ultimately improve your abilities. As with anything, practice makes perfect, and so you can't expect to be a grandmaster just yet! When you develop to the stage where you continually win, and where you think about strategy several moves in advance, it is perhaps an idea to join a club where you can play with like-minded individuals regularly to improve your chess game, and have a lot of fun in the process.

Clive Jenkins recommends the Chess Clock website which provides comprehensive information on all aspects of the game of Chess. To find articles, tips and free information and advice check out the site here: http://www.chessclocksite.com

The Chess Challenge

2009-07-14T01:11:00.000-07:00

On the day that I was old enough to understand the importance of strategic maneuvering when playing a game, my father decided that it was time for me to learn chess. Within a couple of months, I was carrying the chess board everywhere I was going, inviting friends to challenge my new game abilities. I still remember the reactions of those who have never been introduced to chess. They used to look me straight into the eyes asking me why they should waste their time playing such a difficult and boring game. I do not know even where to begin in order to describe what a beautiful game chess really is. With its variety of sacrifices and combinations, those who are eager to learn how it feels to belong to the winner's side can advance their gaming experience through chess. Having the opportunity to outwit your opponent either on the tactical or on the positional level, chess is in fact a game that requires a constantly working mind. Perhaps it is a "difficult" game, but this is the only way one can really be proud of the attained goal of winning a worthy opponent. Now in relation to the accusation of chess being boring, after playing chess frequently for more than ten years in a row, I really cannot describe how far away from the truth this statement really is.

First of all, if you are up to the chess challenge, you have to begin by learning the rules of the game. Being an abstract strategy board game, chess is played by two players on a square board that combines eight rows-called ranks -and eight columns- called files. Its simple design creates sixty-four squares of alternative color: one darker than the other. Each of the players is assigned to sixteen pieces (units) at the beginning of the game, which as the game progresses they are eliminated by the opponent's movements on the board. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponent. This practically means that one of the players has successfully managed to perform all the appropriate strategic movements so as to threaten the opponent's king from moving. It has to be stressed that due to the variety of the chess pieces and their distinct abilities on the game's board, chess has successfully become one of the world's most popular games.

Garry Kasparov and Robert Fischer-or Bobby-have been famous chess players worldwide, due to their exceptional abilities in combining the art of chess with the strategic maneuvering entailed in disciplines of science. Considered by many funs to be a "mental martial art," chess has gained its popularity among the nations of Asia, Europe and the Americas. Generally known as Western Chess or International Chess, to be distinguished from its many variations, the chess I was taught by my father is currently being played in a number of counties, some of which claim to have invented its original form. The most commonly held view is that chess originated in India, since the Arabic, Persian, Greek, Portuguese and Spanish words for chess all come from the Sanskrit game Chaturanga.

Currently, chess funs can be found anywhere from Japan to Sweden and chess players can locate their future opponents on the online forums and websites specifically designed to the pleasure of playing chess. If you are considering taking up the chess challenge, visit your local chess listings and you will be surprised of how many people are daily committed in exercising their mental abilities via a fun and instructive game like chess.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Games, Boating, and Tennis.

Chess Clock - How We Use One In A The Modern Game Of Chess

2009-07-06T02:51:00.000-07:00

An increasingly popular variation on the standard 'International' chess is known as speed chess. The game involves the use of a chess clock to measure a set period of time in which each player has to make their move, and if the chess clock runs out on a player, they automatically forfeit the match. Not for the feint hearted, speed chess is only recommended for advanced players with an in-depth knowledge of the game, etiquette and strategy of chess.

Speed Chess takes its origins in standard chess, and is a more convenient way of squeezing in a game in your coffee break, or whenever you have spare moment. All you need is a standard chess board and set, a chess clock (which will have two independent clocks and the ability to singularly stop each clock as they count down) and a willing opponent. All the normal rules of chess apply, except in a few specific instances when they are overridden by new rules to regulate such speedy play.

An interesting twist on the rules of speed chess as opposed to standard International Chess rules, is that it is the players obligation to watch both his and his opponents chess clock. If the either clock runs out, the player with the active clock automatically wins, although it is up to him to call his victory, and if he fails to take notice, the game may continue until he does take notice. Having said that, the status of the clocks outweighs any positioning on the board, so even if a player would have won a standard game, if his clock runs out he forfeits. Additionally, in speed chess, if a player makes an illegal move at any stage in the game, regardless of the chess clock, he again forfeits to his opponent.

In speed chess, the chess clock may be set to either 3 or 5 minutes, although rarely other timings can be used. It is a fast-paced, entertaining game, which is both riveting and inspiring to watch, and arguably would draw more attention than an ordinary standard match. Before learning or playing speed chess as a separate entity, it is vital to master the fundamentals of standard International chess, as many of the same foundational rules apply, as well as allowing you to get a grip on the various pieces and their uses. Speed chess is only really recommended for the more accomplished player, as it demands lightening fast reactions to avoid the chess clock, although for the beginner to intermediate, it is also great fun. It is also advisable to get a full run down on the rules which can easily be located online, to avoid the potential for any disputes which may arise from this great variation on the standard game of chess.

So if you have the time, why not give speed chess a go? There's a fair chance if you go to your local chess club, someone will be game for a match, or why not try teaching a friend how to play? The best idea for improving at speed chess is practice, and in no time at all, you'll realize a startling improvement to both your speed chess and your understanding of the game as a whole.

Improve Your Game At Chess

2009-07-06T02:49:00.000-07:00

Chess is more than just a game, it's an art. No matter how good you are at it, and no matter how many strategies, openings, endings and techniques you know in it, there is always something new you can try. It is all about planning, good observation, quick and calculated thought and predicting the opponent's moves. The game of chess is probably the only game where there is no such thing as luck.

To become a good chess player, you need understand yourself. Understanding how you make your decisions and how you go forth to achieve your goals.

If you are one of those people who take every step with caution, avoid taking risks and not ready to lose anything you have to gain something new, then play defensively. Playing defensive has its advantages especially if your opponent is someone who plays very aggressive. What you need to concentrate on is you pawn positioning. Play defensive and avoid exchanging pieces, keep blocking the opponent from breaking through and wait for a mistake or opening to go on the attack.

If you believe in taking risks without losing too much, then play aggressive by reinforcing all your pieces by one another. The key pieces for you in this kind of strategy are the knights. Position your bishops and queen to target an area on the board and then use your knights to create an opening for them. Use your pawns as distractions by attacking with them the area you do not plan to exploit. Most expert chess players use this strategy.

If you are an adventurous and aggressive personality, who lives dangerously and loves taking risks, then play exactly the way your personality is. Make an aggressive opening and try to reinforce the center of the board. Do not mind exchanging pieces but save your rooks and queen for the later game. This strategy of exchanging pieces mercilessly is called the 'Butcher method'. Force the opponent to move his king and then capitalize on it by attacking the area where his king is.

Learn the basics of chess to perfection then improve your game by playing more often and better players. See the famous games played by the grandmasters of chess and learn to think how they think. However, once you have become good enough by learning from others, then its time to get even better by making your own moves and strategies. Keep in mind, self belief and knowing who your opponent is, is the key to victory in chess.

Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Games, Boating, and Football.

Basic Strategies And Tactics On Chess

2009-06-29T01:46:00.000-07:00

Improving your Chess Strategy

Chess is a game about strategy and tactics above all. Each player commands an army of 16 chess pieces. In the opening, the players bring up their forces as they prepare for battle. Players maneuver for strategic positions and carry out attacks and counterattacks in the middle game. During the endgame is when, with fewer pawns and pieces left on the board, it's finally safe for kings to come out and join the combat. Here are some ways to improve your chess strategy.

1. Plan. Your chess pieces need to work in harmony as a team with you as a coach. You need to work all your pieces together so that their strengths support one another. Your opponent will have an easy time defending themselves if your strategy appears to be haphazard.

2. Know what each piece is worth. Consider the value of your pieces when thinking about giving up pieces for some of your opponents. The player who has the most pieces of great value usually has a significant advantage.

3. Consider your opponents move. Every time your opponent moves stop to consider what might be their strategy. Ask yourself why that move was chosen. Are one of your pieces in danger?

4. Develop quickly and well. One most important elements of chassis timing. Your pieces should be ready for action and then they will be able to quickly control the course of the game. You need to be able to get your pieces into key strategic positions as quickly as possible.

5. Keep your king save at all times. The object of this game is to capture the opponent's king. If you forget this you have lost.

6. Make the best possible move by asking yourself a few questions. Will I improve my position by making this move? Will this move put my pieces in danger?

7. If it is a pawn you are about to move consider if you can keep it protected from attack.
8. If it is another piece consider whether the enemy can drive it away.

9. Be alert. Once you've reached a good strategic position in the game do not relax. Be on the lookout for your opponents threats.

10. Know when to trade pieces. The best time to trade pieces is when you can capture pieces that are worth more than the one you will be giving up.

11. Think about the endgame. You should remember that every time you make a move it might affect your chances in the endgame.

12. Control the center. The player who controls the four squares that are in the middle of the board will have a better game in many cases the victory.

Use these tips to help you improve your chess strategy. Now go practice and have fun.

Robert Michael is a writer for Ray Chess which is an excellent place to find chess links, resources and articles. For more information go to: http://www.raychess.com

Chess Rules - do you know how to play?

2009-06-22T04:15:00.000-07:00

Chess' rules are legendarily complicated, to the point where many people don't play simply because they claim not to be able to remember how all the pieces move. Once you get to grip with what everything is and what it can do, however, the rules don't look so complicated after all.

There are only six different pieces in chess: the king and queen, bishops, rooks, knights and pawns. The king is the piece with a cross on the top, while the queen has a crown. The ones with pear-shaped tops are bishops, and the ones with round tops are the pawns. Finally, the horse is the knight and the little castle is the rook - calling them 'horsey' and 'castle', while fun, is likely to annoy serious chess players.

When you set up a chess board, one side is white and the other is black. Each side gets a rook, a knight, a bishop, a queen, a king, a bishop, a knight and a rook on its back row, in that order. The second row is all pawns. Players can move any piece at any time, and landing on one of the other player's pieces will capture that piece, removing it from the board.

How chess pieces move can be difficult to remember, but don't worry too much - there are only six different pieces, after all. Here goes. The queen can move any number of spaces in any direction. The rook moves the same way, but can't move diagonally, while the bishop moves the same way but only diagonally. The king can move in any direction, but only one space at a time. Pawns can only move one or two spaces forward, or diagonally to capture a piece. Finally, the knight can move two spaces in any non-diagonal direction, and then one space in another (but not back where it came). Simple, right?

The ultimate object of the game, however, is more complicated than you might expect. Instead of simply removing all the other player's pieces from the board, as in checkers or draughts, you must checkmate the king, which means make it impossible for the king to escape capture. If you have few pieces left, this could be difficult, or even not possible.

John Gibb is the owner of Chess resources , For more information on Chess check out http://www.chess-resources-and-info.info