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2013 Tata Steel Chess (Wijk aan Zee)
In a week’s time, Wijk aan Zee will host the its silver 75th edition of the Tatat Chess Chess Tournament. The average rating is 2732 is not quite as strong as last year’s 2754, but nevertheless a strong one indeed. The highest-rated player ever in Magnus Carlsen and world number…
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Endgame Survival Training #4
A Saving Grace?? There are a number of endings that look totally hopeless and many times, endings come down to the strength of the pawns. In the following position, the lone white bishop is trying to stop three healthy, connected passed pawns. Ironically, if the black pawns were weaker and…
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Drum Majors
Morris Giles, Chicago Legend: 1953-2012
FM Morris Giles Most people remember the old “lion and the lamb” fable. While these two animals are polar opposites in strength and character, their traits can sometimes be complementary… as the fable (and many like it) has shown. One can have the strength of a lion and the humility…
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FIDE
January 2013 FIDE Ratings
Magnus Carlsen broke the all-time rating record of Garry Kasparov. He now tips the scales on the live chart at 2861. Photo by Ray Morris-Hill. The well-anticipated rating list has been released and atop the chart is Magnus Carlsen at 2861, a new record has been birthed. After a sterling…
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Endgame Survival Training #3
Battle of Kings! After this pawn ending we will move onto other themes. Ending with few pieces on the board are often the hardest because a slight mistake results in the loss of a half- or full-point. In this position white has a chance to win this position, however there…
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The Chess Drum
The Chess Drum’s Highlights of 2012!
The year of 2012 was supposed to be a magical year with all the Mayan calendar prophesies and such. In the year of the Olympics, a World Championship match, the Chess Olympiad and Kasparov’s record falling, there was quite a bit happening in the chess world. The Chess Drum was…
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Media Stories
UTD on top in 5-way tie at Pan-Ams
University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) won yet another Pan-Am Intercollegiate tournament. This makes the ninth time in history that the satellite campus has won the tournament tying the record with University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC). While rated behind Webster’s powerful “A” team, UTD showed a bit more consistency and…
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Interviews
Chess at Washington Square Park, Part #2
Washington Park’s legendary hustlerVincent Livermore National Master Miro Reverby produced an interesting video documentary on a partial history of Washington Square Park. He includes footage of legendary figures in the chess hustle game in New York and provides a candid view inside the life of a small family of chess…
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Media Stories
A Diamond in Chess Mecca
Diamond ShakoorPhoto by Laurie Skrivan. A month ago, the St. Louis Dispatch ran a story about chess families moving to St. Louis to help their children with their chess endeavors. We have heard of stories like this before including the most being Fabiano Caruana’s move to Europe where he grew…
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Endgame Survival Training #2
“It should be noted that current opening variations come and go, and the evaluation of certain positions change. But the value of knowing how to play endgames well remains constant.” ~ANATOLY KARPOV, Former World Champion~ * * * Here is a common ending that may look easy, but it has…
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