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New Kid Chess Locations |
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Chess is very excited to announce that we will be offering classes in three
additional Fulton County schools. Alpharetta ES, State Bridge Crossing ES,
and Medlock Bridge ES will now offer the same high standard, fun chess
instruction that so many other Fulton County schools already offer. Classes at
these new schools will begin immediately following the release bell at 2:30 p.m.
For further details, see www.kidchess.com
or call Gale Elfer at (404) 875-7137, but hurry – our classes tend to fill up
fast!
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Keep Warm with
a
Kid
Chess Class this Winter
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Expert Chess instruction is now available for
your children. Apply now for Winter/Spring 2003.
(Space is limited.)
 articipation in Chess has been shown to increase test scores in reading and math. Chess helps develop critical thinking, problem solving abilities, memory, attention span, patience, and sportsmanship.
Kid Chess classes feature tournaments with trophies, laser-pointer and computer-guided instruction, chess clocks, large boards and pieces, blindfolded chess, and 4-way
chess.
Kid Chess classes are fun for kids and over 90% choose to re-enroll.
Each class professionally taught by one or more of our master-trained Kid Chess instructors.
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This Month In
Kid Chess News
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Kid Chess
Advanced Classes
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Kid Chess is pleased to announce a regular
schedule of Advanced Classes. Taught by either International Master
Carlos Perdomo or FIDE Master Stephen Muhammad, the 2002 Georgia
state co-champions, there is a class available almost every day of
the week.
| Monday: |
East Cobb or Dunwoody |
| Tuesday: |
West Roswell |
| Wednesday: |
East Roswell |
| Thursday: |
Dunwoody or East Cobb |
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Friday
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Alpharetta
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| Saturday |
Alpharetta |
Please contact Alexis
Fairweather (678-355-0495) for more information.
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Where
to Buy your Chess Supplies |
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KidChess.com has
arranged with Cajunchess
to make chess shopping easy for you. You can easily order chess
merchandise through the Kidchess.com link to Cajunchess.
If you are not comfortable ordering
online or if you just like to handle merchandise before you buy it,
Kid Chess recommends the Atlanta Chess Center, 3155A E. Ponce de
Leon Ave in Scottdale. Call 404-377-4400 for ACC details.
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The
World's Newest
International Master:
Stephen Muhammad |
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Chess Advanced Class instructor Stephen Muhammad has just completed
play at the US Championship in Seattle, held January 9-18 in
Seattle, Washington. Chess writers will now have to change how they
write his name. Muhammad is no longer FIDE Master Stephen Muhammad,
he is now International Master Stephen Muhammad.
 IM
Muhammad finished with 5 points, more than enough points to meet the
norm requirements. (A “norm” is a certain number of points
against opponents of a certain level. A player must achieve three IM
norms in seven years to get the title.) In fact, he finished within
a 1/2 point of his first Grandmaster norm. Muhammad has stated that
the GM title is his ultimate goal. Considering how he played in
Seattle, it is certainly a realistic goal. Consider this win over GM
Sergei Kudrin:
Muhammad,S (2368) - Kudrin,S (2542)
United States Championship 2003 SEATTLE USA (5), 13.01.2003
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.e3 0–0 5.Be2 d6
6.h3 c5 7.Nbd2 cxd4 8.exd4 Nc6 9.c3 Be6 10.0–0 Qb6 11.Qb1 Nd5
12.Bh2 Bf5 13.Qc1 Rac8 14.Nc4 Qd8 15.a4 Na5 16.Nxa5 Qxa5 17.Qd2 Bd7
18.Rfe1 Nb6 19.Bd3 Rfe8 20.Qe2 Qh5 21.a5 Nd5 22.Qd1 Bh6 23.Be2 Qf5
24.Qb3 Nf4 25.Bxf4 Bxf4 26.Qxb7 Bc6 27.Qa6 g5 28.Bd3 Qd7 29.Be4 Bb5
30.Qb7 Rc7 31.Qd5 e6 32.Qb3 f5 33.Bc2 Kh8 34.g3 Bc6 35.Nh2 Rb7
36.Qa2 h5 37.b4 h4 38.Nf1 Qf7 39.Ba4 Bxa4 40.Qxa4 Rc8 41.Qb3 d5
42.gxf4 Qg6 43.Nh2 Rg7 44.Kh1 g4 45.hxg4 fxg4 46.Qb1 Qh6 47.f5 g3
48.Rxe6 Qf4 49.f6 Rg5 50.Re7 Rf5 51.Qc1 gxh2 52.Qxf4 Rxf4 53.f7 Rxc3
54.Rxa7 Kg7 55.a6 Rxf2 56.f8Q+ Kxf8 57.Rh7 Kg8 58.Rxh4 Rfc2 59.b5
Rc1+ 60.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 61.Kxh2 Ra1 62.Rh6 Ra5 63.Rb6 Kf7 64.Rb7+ Ke6
65.a7 1–0
In this game, 47.f5 struck
me as an incredibly brave move. Kudrin has a mating attack with the
g– and h– pawns: not only are they marching down the open files,
but also the rook and queen are sitting directly behind them.
Muhammad’s answer to this threat? Start an attack of his own!
This was his one of two wins for Muhammad. His
other was against IM Michael Mulyar. The final move of the game must
have come as an unpleasant shock for black:
Muhammad,S (2368) - Mulyar,M (2446)
United States Championship 2003 SEATTLE USA (3), 11.01.2003
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 dxc4 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.Qe2 a6 7.dxc5
Bxc5 8.0–0 b5 9.Bd3 Nbd7 10.e4 e5 11.Bg5 0–0 12.Nc3 h6 13.Bh4
Bb7 14.Rfd1 Qe7 15.Nd2 Ba7 16.Nf1 g5 17.Bg3 b4 18.Na4 Bc6 19.b3 h5
20.h4 Ng4 21.hxg5 Qxg5 22.Qd2 Qf6 23.Nh2 Nxh2 24.Bxh2 Kh8 25.Qe2 Qg5
26.Qd2 Qf6 27.Qe2 Qg5 28.Rac1 Rg8 29.Qf3 Bxa4 30.bxa4 Nf6 31.Rc7 Rg7
32.Qh3 Ng4 33.Bg3 Bd4 34.Be2 Rh7 35.Qh4 Qg6 36.Rd7 Rf8 37.Qe7 Qh6
38.R1xd4 exd4 39.Bf4 Qg7 40.Bxg4 f6 41.Qc5 1–0
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Muhammad’s only loss in the event was against
last year’s US Champion Larry Christiansen. His remaining six
games were all draws, but except for one, they were fighting draws,
including this slugfest with former US Champion Joel Benjamin:
Benjamin,J (2587) - Muhammad,S (2368)
United States Championship 2003 SEATTLE USA (2), 10.01.2003
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 b5
6.Bb3 Bb7 7.d3 Bc5 8.a4 b4 9.a5 0–0 10.Nbd2 d6 11.c3 Rb8 12.Nc4 h6
13.Re1 Ba7 14.h3 Bc8 15.Ba4 Ne7 16.d4 exd4 17.cxd4 d5 18.exd5 Nfxd5
19.Nce5 Qd6 20.Bd2 c5 21.dxc5 Qxc5 22.Qe2 Qxa5 23.Bd7 Qd8 24.Bxc8
Rxc8 25.Rxa6 Qc7 26.Qe4 Ra8 27.Rc1 Qb7 28.Rd6 Rad8 29.Rxd8 Rxd8
30.Re1 Qb6 31.Re2 Qa6 32.Re1 Qb6 33.Kh1 f5 34.Qc4 Rc8 35.Qb3 Kh7
36.Nd3 Qb5 37.Re6 Rc4 38.Nfe5 Rc7 39.Kh2 Bd4 40.Nf3 Ba7 41.Kg1 Nc6
42.Rd6 Nce7 43.Bg5 Bc5 44.Bxe7 Nxe7 45.Rd8 Bb6 46.Rf8 Qc4 47.Qd1 Rc6
48.Nfe5 Qc2 49.Qxc2 Rxc2 50.Rf7 Bd8 51.b3 Rc3 52.Nf4 Nc6 53.Neg6 Bg5
54.h4 Bxf4 55.Nxf4 Ne5 56.Rxf5 Ng6 57.Ne6 Rxb3 58.h5 Nh8 59.Rf8 g6
60.g4 gxh5 61.gxh5 Rh3 62.Rf5 Rh4 63.f4 Kg8 64.Rf8+ Kh7 65.Rf5 Kg8
66.Kg2 b3 67.Kg3 b2 68.Rf8+ Kh7 69.Rb8 Rxh5 70.Rxb2 Ra5 71.Rb7+ Kg6
72.Nf8+ Kf6 73.Rb6+ Ke7 74.Ne6 ½–½
You can download all the games from the event
from the official site: http://www.af4c.org.
 Stephen
Muhammad's complete games from the 2003 US Championship! Click
Here
Although Muhammad has now met the International
Master title requirements, he will not be officially declared an IM
for awhile yet. The USCF must submit the paperwork to FIDE, which is
the title-granting authority in chess. FIDE is a French acronym
standing for World Chess Federation. Muhammad’s FIDE rating must
also be above 2400, but considering his 2500+ performance rating at
this event, his current 2368 rating will now be comfortably over
2400.
Kid Chess offers our congratulations to one of our top
instructors and the world’s newest International Master! |
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Georgia
Association
Tournaments
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January 18-19: MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY SCHOLASTIC
5-SS, G/60, USCF Rated. AT&T Building, 1200 Peachtree
Street, Atlanta, Georgia. In 4 Sections: High School: open to K-12. Middle
School: open to K-8. Elementary: open to K-6. Primary: open to K-3. Trophies to
top 10 each section and top 3 teams. Team scores based on the top 5 scores of
members from the same school each section. There must be at least 3 players to
compete for a team trophy. 60% of entries get trophies. Entry Fee: $20 if
received by 1/09; $25 by 1/16, NO ON-SITE ENTRIES! GCA membership required for
Georgia residents, $10 junior or $1 scholastic. USCF Membership required.
Check-in: 8:30-10 AM 1/18. Rounds: 10:30-1:30-4:30; 10-1. Awards ceremony: 4 PM
1/19. Hotel/Info: Call Atlanta Chess Center (404)-377-4400. Enter: Georgia Chess
Association, 3155A East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Scottdale, Georgia 30079. NS. NC.
W.
January 25: REGION 1 STATE QUALIFIER
Saturday, 4 to 5 rounds, G/30 time control, at Summerour
Middle School in old Norcross near Beaver Ruin Road and Buford Hwy. Address: 585
Mitchell Road, Norcross, GA 30071. This non-rated tournament is a State School
Team Championship qualifier for schools in CITY of ATLANTA, DEKALB, SOUTH FULTON
and GWINNETT counties.
K-6 Elementary and Primary sections only -- NO Middle and High Schools. K-3
Primary section is Team Format with individual pairings--top 5 results count as
team score. K-6 Elementary section is 5-board Team format. Team entry fee of $35
for up to a 5 student team. Additional teams of 5 at $30 each. GCA scholastic or
junior membership required. USCF membership NOT required. Important: Minimum 3
students from the same school in a section required to enter this TEAM
tournament. Registration check-in 8:30 to 9:30am. Team trophies only.
Participation ribbons for all.
February 8: REGION 2 STATE QUALIFIER
Saturday, 4 to 5 rounds, G/30 time control, at Davis
Elementary in Cobb County. Advance registration required. Check-in from 8:30 to
9:30am. This non-rated tournament is a State School Team Championship qualifier
for schools in COBB and NORTH FULTON counties, as well as others outside of
metro Atlanta as designated by the GCA. K-6 Elementary and Primary sections only
-- NO Middle and High Schools.
Both K-3 Primary and K-6 Elementary sections will be TEAM tournaments with
individual pairings --top 5 individual results count as TEAM score. Entry fee
for a school team of 5 is $35, additional players at $7 each. GCA scholastic or
junior membership required. USCF membership NOT required.
Minimum 3 players from a school in same section required to
enter this TEAM tournament. Team trophies only. Participation ribbons to all.
March 1: GEORGIA SCHOOLS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
Saturday, 5 rounds, Shamrock Middle School northeast of
Atlanta. K-6 Schools must qualify for State via one of several regional events
including January 25th Central Metro Atlanta regional (Region 1), February 8th
Greater Metro Atlanta regional (Region 2), as well as regional events held in
Southeast Georgia (Brunswick) and Southwest Georgia (Columbus).
Given their lesser numbers, High School and Middle School
teams will come directly to this state tournament.
GCA Scholastic Coordinator, Alexis Fairweather, can answer questions at
678-355-0495. Primary K-3 Section individually paired, while Elementary, Middle
School and High School Sections are 5-board Team format. Time controls for
Primary and Elementary G/30, for Middle and High School G/45.
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Metro
Area
Tournaments |
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The following tournaments are not associated with Kid Chess and may be run differently than our events. Please contact the organizer to discuss details.
2/9: Atlanta Chess Center Scholastic Tournaments:
Atlanta Chess Center, 3155 E. Ponce de
Leon Ave., Scottdale, GA 4-SS, G/30. Sections: K-3, K-6, K-8, 9-12.
Entry fee: $10. GCA membership required for Georgia residents ($10
junior or $1 scholastic). Trophies to top 4 in each section (if at
least 10 in each section). Registration: 12:15-1:00. Rounds:
1:30-2:45-4-5:15. Awards ceremony at 6:30. Contact: David Spinks,
(404)377-4400.
2/9, 3/23, 4/27, 5/18: Sarah
Smith Elementary Tournaments:
On the above Sundays, starting at noon at Sarah Smith Elementary
School. Sarah Smith is located in North Buckhead. The address is 370
Old Ivy Rd. N.E. Atlanta, GA. 30342 Contact Information: Richard
Benjamin (770) 953-6916
2/8: GACS Spartan
Rated Scholastic:
NE Atlanta Location: In the Campus Ministries Building on the
Campus of Greater Atlanta Christian School at 1575 Indian Trail Rd.
(Take the Indian Trail Rd Exit of US 85 Northeast of Atlanta. Go
three blocks South and the School/Church is on
the right)
5-SS, Game/45 in 5 sections: 4 USCF rated - K-3,
4-5, 6-8 & 9-12; and one unrated for all grades. Entry Fee: $7
if check received by mail by 4/12, $10 if emailed registration by
4/17 and $15 at the door. Trophies to top 10 based on 25 per
section, plus awards for all who win 3 games. Registration 8:30-9
Rds. 9:30, 11, 1, 2:30 & 4. Awards at 5:30.
More information and register at gacschess.homestead.com.
Mail: Ken Townsend/GACS, P.O. Box 4277, Norcross GA 30091-4277.
2/15: Knight For Knight Scholastic:
Elementary Chess Tournament at our school cafeteria on Saturday,
February 15, 2003. K-8 may participate. There will be sections set
up by grade DOE. This is not a rated tournament.
Pre-registration by February 8 fee is $12.00 per player. On site
registration is $15.00. Trophies and prizes will be awarded. On site
registration begins at Noon. First Chess matches will begin about
12:45 p.m. Trophies will be awarded at approx. 5:30 p.m. First ,
second, and third prizes will be given out to K-1 kids who come
dressed as a chess piece. Concessions will be available on site.
Questions: call Donna Turman at : 770-9465-7272 W. or 706-765-9110
H.
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Kid
Chess and Georgia Players
at the National K-12 |
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National Scholastic K-12 Grade Championships, held at the Downtown
Atlanta Hilton from December 13-15, were a resounding success with
2117 participants from 41 states competing. Fully 25% of the
players were from Georgia, and many of those were Kid Chess
students. Kid Chess employees also volunteered their time to help
the USCF, and Kid Chess Advanced Class instructors FM Stephen
Muhammad and IM Carlos Perdomo were on hand to provided free game
analysis to interested students.
A number of Kid Chess players
did exceptionally well.
In the kindergarten section, Griffin Garratt, who attends
Crabapple Crossing and who has also been coached by Roy Towns,
scored 4 points in the six-round event to finish in 7th-17th
place. Paul Taylor, a student at Big Shanty, had a perfect
5.0 going into the last round and had a chance to tie for first
place. Despite his last round loss, he still tied for 3rd-10th
place. Third grader Sam Kallman of Davis Academy also
scored 5 points to finish in 5th-22nd place.
Other Georgia residents won
national championships as well. 5th-Grader Adam Kostrinsky’s
score tied for first
place! This high score also helped lead Ocee Elementary to a
national team championship in the 5th-grade section. 7th grader Xiao
Cheng tied with two others for the 7th grade
championship. 9th Grader Kazim Gulamali won the
blitz championship for the second time (he is also is the former
national 6th grade champion) and teamed with William
Stewart to win their second consecutive national bughouse
championship. Just like last year, the pair swept the event with a
perfect 12 points.
The list that follows shows all of Georgia’s
top performing players. Additional names and results can be found
on the USCF
website.
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Chess
Essentials and Tactics Corner |
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favorite baseball story involves the great St. Louis Cardinal Stan Musial.
Once when he was up to bat he struck out. However, the catcher missed the
ball, and in accordance with baseball rules that allow you to try to reach
first when the catcher either drops or misses the ball on strike three,
Musial ran to first base. A throwing error then let Musial eventually
reach second base. “That guy Musial is so good,” the opposing team’s
manager said, “that even when we strike him out, we’re lucky to hold
him to just two bases.”
Chess is a little like the Musial story: One mistake,
such as dropping a pawn or even a piece, is not always fatal. In fact,
those who essentially give up when they lose a piece are forgetting one
basic truth about chess below the expert level; the loser of a chess game
is usually simply whoever makes the last mistake. Strike out, but run to
first; drop a piece, see if your opponent’s queen is hanging.
In the following game taken from the recent Atlanta Open, there are a
number of mistakes throughout the game, but I am only going to focus on
the major ones and show how hanging in there can let you eventually
triumph.
Lucas,D (1497) - Shaw,E (1658) [B21] Atlanta
Open (1), 20.12.2002
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 The Smith-Morra Gambit against the Sicilian
Defense. Dangerous for Black if he doesn’t know how to play against it;
White is simply a pawn down if Black does know what to do. 3.c3 dxc3
4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Bc4 e6 6.Nf3 a6 7.0–0 b5 8.Bb3 Bb4 9.Bf4 Qf6 10.Bg5 Qg6
11.Bc2 f6 12.e5 f5 13.Qe2 Nh6 14.Rfd1 Nf7 15.Bf4 Qh5 16.Qe3 White’s
major mistake number one. This allows Black to roll his kingside pawns
forward for free and destroy White’s castled position. h6 17.h3 g5
18.Bh2 Rb8 19.Rd2 g4 20.Nd4 Nxd4 21.Rxd4 White’s major mistake
number two: White gives up the exchange to a simple tactic for close
to zero compensation. White’s position is very bad, but when low ratings
are involved, one should never give up. Bc5 22.Rad1 gxh3 23.Qxh3 Qxh3
24.gxh3 Rg8+ 25.Kf1 Bxd4 26.Rxd4 Bb7 Tactics question number 1: White
can win a pawn here, do you see how?
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White to play and win a pawn.
Hint: Notice that the b8 rook has no piece defending it.
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27.Bxf5 b4 If 27...exf5, then 28. e6
dxe6 29. Bxb8 wins back the exchange. 28.Ne2 Bg2+ 29.Ke1 Rb5 30.Bd3
Nxe5 31.Bxe5 Rxe5 32.Rxb4 Ke7 33.Bxa6 Bxh3 34.Rh4 Rg1+ 35.Kd2 Rh1 Tactics
question number two and Black’s major mistake number 1: This allows
White to win a piece via trapping. Try to work out how.
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White to play
and win a piece. |
36.Nf4 Rf5 37.Rxh3 Rxh3 38.Nxh3 Now
the tables are turned and it is Black who is struggling to hold the game.
Two minor pieces vs. a rook is usually a winning advantage for the side
with the two pieces. 38...Rf3 39.Bf1 d5 40.Ke2 Rf8 41.Kd2 Ra8 42.a3 e5
43.f3 Kf6 44.Nf2 h5 45.Bb5 h4 46.Ke3 Rc8 47.Kd2 Rg8 48.Ng4+ Rxg4 Black’s
major mistake number 2, and the last mistake. Black thinks he can run
the h-pawn home, but he has miscalculated. 49.fxg4 h3 50.Bf1 h2 51.Bg2 This
is the resource Black missed. 51...e4 52.a4 Kg5 53.a5 Kxg4 54.Ke2 Kg3
55.Bh1 Kf4 56.a6 d4 57.a7 1–0
Lesson to be learned: It is natural to feel let down when you make a
major mistake. But the side with more material often feels pressure to
find a quick win. A tenacious defense can yield a win.
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Newsletter designed and produced by Daniel Lucas, danluc@mindspring.com, 770-338-5803
Web-based newsletter rendered by Bill
Noyes |
Mar
2003