Basman in action again

Basman in action at the 5th London Chess Classic Weekend A Open 
Games wanted.

A new DVD on the St. George Defence by IM Martin

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     Old St. George Defence's material

Link to Basman's tapes 

Leeds Chess Congress 2013

You know that this Blog's author likes Mike Surtees' chess so, we are happy to announce that he was co winner of the Leeds Chess Congress 2013

And here you can download the tournament games.

Winning in chess....and not only!

A tool to help us win more in chess...and...why not...in our life too:
http://www.brainsync.com/winning.html

FM Barlocco - Santarelli 0-1, Legnano 2013

My chessfriend Sabatino Santarelli (Fide rated 1655) has shared a game where he has won a non fide rated club tournament game against FM Carlo Barlocco (Fide rated 2148). Here it is:

Basman in action again!

In August 2013 we reported that Mike Basman played a chess tournament.
Now my chessfriends pointed out that Basman has been playing again, for the second time in a short timespan.
It was a rapidplay event: 4NCL in Daventry, Oct. 6th 2013.
At this link you can download all the games (pgn format) including Basman's.
http://www.saund.co.uk/britbase/20134nclindivrap.html

I've Got a Secret - Bobby Fischer

Bobby shows up at the beginning and at 17'40"

Missed chess tactic

At the Bratto International Chess Tournament I saw this position arising from a game played between two strong Class B players (Fide rating between 1700 - 1800). 
Black has just played Qf7.
Now White can win simply by playing 1.Qd8+  Kh7 2.Ng5.
But he played 1.Qg7 and the game ended in a draw. :-((

The right time to resign a game

At the Bratto International Chess Tournament I saw this position arising from a game played between two strong Class B players (Fide rating between 1700 - 1800). Black has just played 26...Qf1+ ...... and you know what happened..........

White  resigned (???) 
After 27.Kc2 Be4+ (if 28.Kb3 Qb5 draws by repetition) 28.Qxe4 Rxe4 29.Rxf1 Kh8 the game is still open.

IM Aleksic - Tagliaferri 0 - 1, Crema 2013

It is a pleasure to report that recently Valerio Tagliaferri (Fide rated 1862) has beaten IM Nenad Aleksic (Fide rated 2357)  in a Fide Rated Tournament Game
Source of the game http://www.cremascacchi.org/2013/08/memorial-ravaschietto-2013-giorno-2.html

There you can find a picture of Valerio Tagliaferri as well.

[Event "Open Crema"]

[Site "?"]

[Date "2013.??.??"]

[Round "?"]

[White "Aleksic, Nenad"]

[Black "Tagliaferri, Valerio"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "B18"]

[WhiteElo "2357"]

[BlackElo "1862"]

[PlyCount "106"]

[EventDate "2013.08.31"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. Nf3 Nd7 7. Bc4 e6 8.

O-O Ngf6 9. Qe2 Qc7 10. Bb3 Be7 11. c3 O-O 12. Nh4 Nd5 13. Nxg6 hxg6 14. Ne4

Rfe8 15. Qf3 b5 16. a3 N7b6 17. Ng5 Bd6 18. g3 Nf6 19. Ne4 Nxe4 20. Qxe4 Nd5

21. Bd2 a6 22. Rfe1 Kf8 23. Rac1 Nb6 24. c4 bxc4 25. Bxc4 Qb7 26. Ba2 Nd5 27.

Rc2 Rec8 28. Rec1 a5 29. Bc4 a4 30. Qf3 Kg8 31. h4 Qd7 32. Bg5 Qe8 33. Kg2 Rab8

34. Rh1 Be7 35. Bd2 Bf6 36. Qe4 Qd8 37. h5 gxh5 38. Rxh5 g6 39. Rh1 Qb6 40. Be3

Qd8 41. Rhc1 Nxe3+ 42. fxe3 c5 43. Ba6 Rc7 44. Rxc5 Rxc5 45. Rxc5 Rxb2+ 46. Kf3

Kg7 47. Rc8 Qa5 48. Be2 Qh5+ 49. Qg4 Qh1+ 50. Kf2 Qh2+ 51. Ke1 Qg1+ 52. Bf1

Qxe3+ 53. Be2 Rb1+ 0-1 

Mike Surtees: contact request

I had Mike Surtees' e-mail address but I can't find it now.

If you know him please can you tell Mike if he can contact me privately at ricettario@fastwebnet.it ?

 Thank you.
DR

Appreciation

I want to thank IM Gerard Welling for being such a great source of chess inspiration for the blog.

UON 32

Another great UON has been published!

You can download it for free following this link
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Chess-Unorthodox-UON/

The importance to study chess endgames

In these days I am following the Bratto International Chess Tournament. Yesterday I saw this endgame played between two Class A players (Fide rating between 1800 & 2000). White to move. 

White played 1.h4?? [1.h3 draws h4 2.Kd4 Kd6 =] Black replied1...gxh4??= [Black would have won with 1...Kf6!!+-] 2.Kxf4 draws

Another reminder of the importance to study chess endgames!

Mike Basman in action!!

 Sept. 01st 2013 update:
Mike Basman Returns: Atkins, round 1
Basman Returns! round 2
Basman Returns! round 3
Basman Returns! round 4
Basman Returns! round 5 
********************************
http://www.britishchessmagazine.co.uk/elsewhere-in-the-riviera-centre-torquay/
Recently Mike Basman played and won a weekend tournament, the "Atkins", in Torquay.
Of course he played his openings (!!) such as : 1.g4, 1.e4 h6 2.d4 a6 and 1.c4 g5
[Event "Atkins"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2013.08.02"]
[Round "1.1"]
[White "Bartlett, Simon"]
[Black "Basman, Michael"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B00"]
[WhiteElo "1947"]
[BlackElo "2329"]
[PlyCount "48"]
[SourceDate "2013.08.04"]

1. e4 h6 2. d4 a6 3. Bd3 e6 4. f4 b5 5. Nf3 c5 6. c3 Bb7 7. O-O Nf6 8.
Nbd2 Nc6 9. Qe2 Qb6 10. Kh1 cxd4 11. cxd4 Nxd4 12. Nxd4 Qxd4 13. Nf3 Qb6
14. f5 Bc5 15. fxe6 dxe6 16. Ne5 Rd8 17. Nxf7 Kxf7 18. e5 Qc6 19. Bc2 Ke7
20. exf6+ gxf6 21. Bf4 Rhg8 22. Bg3 Qxg2+ 23. Qxg2 Bxg2+ 24. Kxg2 Rd2+ 0-1

[Event "Atkins"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2013.08.03"]
[Round "2.1"]
[White "Basman, Michael"]
[Black "Pleasants, Allan J"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A00"]
[WhiteElo "2329"]
[BlackElo "2038"]
[PlyCount "45"]
[SourceDate "2013.08.04"]

1. g4 d5 2. h3 h5 3. g5 e5 4. d4 exd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Qa4 Nge7 7. Nf3 Bd7
8. Nc3 Ne5 9. Qb3 Nxf3+ 10. exf3 Bc8 11. Be3 c6 12. O-O-O Qc7 13. Bd3 Be6
14. Qa4 g6 15. Bf4 Qb6 16. Be5 Rg8 17. Rhe1 Bg7 18. Bf6 Qc5 19. Qf4 Rd8
20. Na4 Qd6 21. Qd4 Kf8 22. Nc5 Bc8 23. Rxe7 1-0

[Event "Atkins"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2013.08.03"]
[Round "3.1"]
[White "Carleton, John J"]
[Black "Basman, Michael"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B00"]
[WhiteElo "2254"]
[BlackElo "2329"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[SourceDate "2013.08.04"]

1. d4 h6 2. e4 a6 3. c4 c5 4. dxc5 e6 5. Be3 Qc7 6. Nc3 Bxc5 7. Bxc5 Qxc5
8.Nf3 Nc6 9. Be2 Nf6 10. O-O g5 11. a3 g4 12. b4 Qh5 13. Ne1 Qe5 14. Qd3
b6 15. f4 Qd4+ 16. Qxd4 Nxd4 17. Bd3 a5 18. Nc2 Nxc2 19. Bxc2 d6 20. Rad1
Ke7 21. Nb5 axb4 22. axb4 Ra2 23. Bb1 Rb2 24. Nxd6 Nd7 25. e5 f5 26. exf6+
Nxf6 27. Rfe1 Bd7 28. Nf5+ Kf7 29. Nd4 Rc8 30. f5 e5 31. Rxe5 Rxc4 32. Ne6
Ba4 33. Bd3 Rc3 34. Ree1 Bxd1 35. Rxd1 Nd5 36. Bb5 Ne3 37. Be8+ Kg8 38. Re1 Rxg2+ 39. Kh1 Rd2 0-1

[Event "Atkins"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2013.08.04"]
[Round "4.1"]
[White "Basman, Michael"]
[Black "Fletcher, John T"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2329"]
[BlackElo "2037"]
[PlyCount "45"]
[SourceDate "2013.08.04"]

1. g4 d5 2. h3 e5 3. Bg2 Bc5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d4 6. Ne4 Nxe4 7. Bxe4 O-O
8. d3 c6 9. Nf3 f5 10. gxf5 Bxf5 11. Ng5 Bb4+ 12. Kf1 Be7 13. h4 Bxe4 14.
Nxe4 Bxh4 15. Qb3 Nd7 16. f3 Qe7 17. Qxb7 Rfc8 18. Qa6 Bf6 19. b4 Qxb4 20.
Ba3 Qb6 21. Qa4 Rab8 22. Nd6 Rd8 23. c5 1-0

[Event "Atkins"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2013.08.04"]
[Round "5.1"]
[White "Farrand, Tom"]
[Black "Basman, Michael"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2146"]
[BlackElo "2329"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[SourceDate "2013.08.04"]

1. c4 g5 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 h5 4. d4 g4 5. h4 c5 6. e3 Nc6 7. Nge2 Nh6 8. Bg2 Nf5 9. dxc5 Qa5 10. O-O Qxc5 11. Nb5 Kf8 12. e4 Nh6 13. Nf4 Ng8 14. Qe2 a6 15. Be3 Qb4 16. Nc7 Rb8 17. Rab1 e6 18. Nd3 Qa5 19. Bc5+ Nge7 20. Nd5 b5 21. b4 Qd8 22.Nxe7 Nxe7 23. Bd6 Rb7 24. f3 bxc4 25. Nc5 Rb6 26. e5 Rxd6 27. exd6 Nf5 28. fxg4 Nxg3 29. Rxf7+ Kxf7 30. Qf3+ Kg8 31. Qxg3 hxg4 32. Qxg4 Qxh4 33. Qxh4 Rxh4 34. Rd1 c3 35. a3 Bh6 0-1

The Steps Method - Workbook 6 Extra

Good news for the 1st category player who wants to work in his/her chess in order to become Candidate Master.
At http://www.stappenmethode.nl/en/step6.php we read:

Workbook Step 6 extra

Read more about the Extra books in info.

In the extra workbook there are 111 pages with exercises, which means as many as 111x12=1332-36 (drawings)= 1296 puzzles.There have been three changes in comparison with the other extra workbooks. This one is the first extra workbook with a co-author, Erwin l'Ami (the Dutch grandmaster). The book has 112 pages (like the basic workbook of Step 6) and the book is 4 languages. That will not really bother because there is almost no text and multilingualism is limited more or less to the headings of the exercises.

The themes of the exercises are those from Step 6. It is important for chess players of all levels to repeat the material. It is tempting to learn new things again and again but if these are repeated then the practical effect in the long term is negligible. For this reason alone the extra workbooks are an indispensable supplement.
The level of difficulty is higher than in the basic workbook of Step 6. That certainly applies to the tactical exercises. Meanwhile, there are so many players who have gone through all workbooks of all the steps that tougher exercises are just welcome. Are the puzzles too difficult? Returning to Step 4 or 5 is no shame (and no one else has to know!).
The last 26 pages contain tests.
***************************************
As I have stated elsewhere on this blog, "The Steps Method" is an excellent tool to learn chess!

The beginner's game by Pafu

The book "The beginner's game" by Pafu can be downloaded for free at http://www.beginnersgame.com/TheBeginner%27sGame.pdf

Solution of the position shown in the previous post

White to move:

The solution is: 1.Qa7 followed by 2.Qa2+ with a double attack either on the King or on the Bc.2

A position taken from the "Step 4 Workbook"

A position on which  I have spent 15 minute without finding the solution. :-((  White to move. The topic is "chasing or aiming".
The position is taken from the Step 4 Workbook" of The Steps Method.

The answer will follow in the coming days.

Best Play: A New Method to Find the Strongest Move by Alexander Shashin

May 23rd update:
The book should be really available in  June 2013.
*******************************************
http://theamazingchessworld.blogspot.it/2012/03/upcoming-book-by-alexander-shashin.html

it is a real pity that the publication of this book 
http://www.mongoosepress.com/shashin.htm

initially planned to be released in September 2012, has been postponed again.
 
Are there problems in the translation process?

What's happening???

Loris Cereda discharged of the alleged accusations of cheating at chess

As it often happens....the bad news spread easily in the net.... in January 2013, the italian master Loris Cereda was banned due to cheating...
Cheating in chess – it's all in the news
but the good news, that later he was fully discharged has not been published with the same readiness :-((
http://www.federscacchi.it/doc/notcom/d20130418084708_dispositivo.pdf
http://www.federscacchi.it/doc/notcom/d20130503031251_commissione_giustizia_disciplina_appello_cereda.pdf

Update on my working through "The Steps Method" - Step 4

http://theamazingchessworld.blogspot.it/2012/10/the-steps-method_10.html                                                                  I have completed 50% of the "manual for Chess Trainers" and "Step 4 Workbook".

going through 247 exercizes while making 14 mistakes. That means a 94,3% hit ratio. I liked the quizzes and I find some of them quite challenging.
Just to give you an idea, here you will find a position that I liked under the topic "The magnet". Black to move:

As White threats Qxg7 mate, Black needs to hurry up.....

Solution:  1...Qh1+ 2.Kxh1 Bf3+ 3. Kg1 Rd1 mate

While here's a position where I went astray :-(    White to move.



I chose 1.Bg5 but 1...g6 keeps Black position. 
The right move is 1.Ng5 if fxg5 2.Qh5+ and double attack on the rook as well. While 1...g6 2.Qh4+ and mate in 3 to follow.