What are the Advantages/Disadvantages of Castling in Chess?

My answer as posted on Quora here: http://qr.ae/DyzTt

Castling is the only time in chess when a player is allowed to move two of his/her own pieces simultaneously. The rearrangement that occurs when a player castles is beneficial because the king usually finds increased safety away from the dangerous center files while the rook boosts its attacking potential by moving out of the corner. Some common reasons to avoid castling include:
1) If castling will expose your king to greater danger.
2) If your opponent’s most threatening pieces (especially the queen) have already left the board.
3) If your rook is supporting an important advance of a flank pawn.
4) If you have powerful tactics available immediately and castling will cost you the initiative.

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Why is Fabiano Caruana Dominating the Strongest Chess Tournament Ever?

Fabiano Caruana’s dominating performance in the 2014 Sinquefield Cup is made possible by a combination of his rare talent, passion for the game, hard work and experience.

 

Yesterday in chess class, one of my students asked me, “How is it possible for Fabiano Caruana to play chess so well?” I answered her by saying that it is a,”Combination of talent, passion for chess, hard work and experience.” When another child asked me about his experience, I explained that, “It takes learning from thousands of losses to become any good at chess.” I then set up the position below in which Torres Chess and Music Academy coach Emory Tate provides a valuable learning moment to the young Fabiano Caruana.

 

Position from Fabiano Caruana vs Emory Tate. Black to move and win!

 

Here is the game in its entirety:

 

[Event “Tournament ‘New York Masters'”]
[Site “New York (USA)”]
[Date “2003”]
[Round “1”]
[White “Caruana Fabiano (ITA)”]
[Black “Tate Emory (USA)”]
[Result “0-1”]
[Eco “B22”]
[Annotator “Chris Torres”]
[Source “Chris’ Portable Treasury of Chess Games”]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 exd5 5.d4 c4 {Emory Tate chose a different path in his fine victory over Mechem.}
( 5…Nc6 6.Nbd2 Be6 7.Bd3 c4 8.Bc2 b5 9.Nf1 Bd6 10.Ng3 Nf6 11.Nf5
Bxf5 12.Bxf5 Qe7+ 13.Qe2 Ne4 14.Ng5 Nxg5 15.Bxg5 f6 16.Be3 g6
17.Bc2 O-O 18.Qf3 Qf7 19.O-O b4 20.Bf4 Bxf4 21.Qxf4 bxc3 22.bxc3
Rab8 23.Rab1 Rxb1 24.Rxb1 Qe6 25.Kf1 {…0-1, Mechem P – Tate Emory (USA) 2370 , Illinois 1996 It (open)}
) 6.Be2 ( 6.b3 cxb3 7.axb3 Bd6 8.Bd3 Ne7 9.Nbd2 Bf5 10.Nf1 O-O
11.Ne3 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 Qd7 13.O-O Nbc6 14.Ba3 f5 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.c4
f4 17.Ng4 Ng6 18.Rfe1 Rae8 19.h4 Qd7 20.Rxe8 Rxe8 21.h5 Nge7
22.Nge5 dxc4 23.bxc4 Nxe5 24.Nxe5 Qf5 25.Rxa7 Qxh5 {…1-0, Rublevsky Sergei (RUS) 2683 – Simonian Hrair (ARM) 2473 , Warsaw 12/18/2010 Ch Europe (active)}
) Bd6 7.O-O a6 ( 7…Ne7 8.b3 cxb3 9.axb3 Nbc6 10.c4 O-O 11.Nc3
Be6 12.Bg5 Qd7 13.Bh4 Rfe8 14.c5 Bc7 15.Nb5 Bg4 16.Nxc7 Qxc7
17.Bg3 Qd7 18.Ne5 Bxe2 19.Qxe2 Nxe5 20.dxe5 Nc6 21.f4 d4 22.Qc4
Qe6 23.Qxe6 fxe6 24.Rfd1 Red8 25.Ra4 a6 26.Rd3 Rd5 27.b4 {…0-1, Chakurira S (ZIM) 2171 – Lautier Joel (FRA) 2365 , Adelaide 1988 Ch World (juniors) (under 20)}
) 8.Ne5 {+0.07 CAP} ( 8.b3 cxb3 9.axb3 Ne7 ( 9…Nf6 10.Bb5+
{+0.48 CAP} ) 10.Re1 O-O 11.Ba3 Nbc6 12.Bd3 Ng6 13.Bxd6 Qxd6
14.Bxg6 hxg6 15.Ra2 Bf5 16.Rae2 Rac8 17.Re3 a5 18.Nbd2 b5 19.Ne5
b4 20.Nxc6 Rxc6 21.c4 a4 22.c5 Qf6 23.bxa4 Qxd4 24.Nb3 Qxd1 25.Rxd1
Ra8 26.a5 Bc2 27.Rxd5 Re6 {…1/2-1/2, Timmermans Ivo (NED) 2247 – Pavlovic Milos (SRB) 2531 , Vlissingen 8/ 6/2011 It (open)}
) ( 8.Re1 Ne7 9.b3 cxb3 10.axb3 Nbc6 11.Bd3 O-O 12.Ng5 g6 13.h4
h5 14.Nd2 Bg4 15.Qc2 Rc8 16.Qb2 Qd7 17.Ngf3 Nf5 18.c4 Rfe8 19.Ne5
Bxe5 20.dxe5 Nxh4 21.cxd5 Qxd5 22.Ne4 Qxd3 23.Nf6+ Kh8 24.Nxe8
Be6 25.Nd6 Nd4 26.Be3 Ndf3+ 27.Kh1 Nxe1 {…0-1, Flaquer Luis (DOM) 2274 – Stanojoski Zvonko (MKD) 2485 , Khanty Mansyisk 9/23/2010 Olympiad}
) Ne7 {This move deserves more attention and is yet another invention by Emory Tate.}
9.Bf3 Nbc6 10.Re1 O-O 11.b3 cxb3 12.axb3 Be6 13.Bg5 Qc7 14.Bxe7
Nxe7 15.Qd2 Rac8 16.h3 {This move unnecessarily creates weakness around white’s king.}
Ng6 {The only thing Emopry doesn’t like about his position is Fabiano’s knight on e5, so he is fixing that.}
17.Nxg6 hxg6 {Black’s position is now better.} 18.Qg5 {?} {
Fabiano makes a strategic and tactical error. The strategic mistake is
attacking when he is not in a superior position. Emory will show us how to
punish the tactical mistake of placing the queen on g5.} Bf4
{!} {The queen is a dead woman walking.} 19.Qh4 g5 {!} 20.Qh5
g6 21.Qh6 g4 {!} {And that my friends is how it’s done! Once again, Emory Tate uses creativity and precise tactics to bust his opponent.}
0-1

 

Solution: After Emory plays 18…Bf4, Fabiano’s queen is a, “Dead Woman Walking!”

Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 3

The Torres Chess and Music Academy is constantly at work making sure the events we offer your children are the very best in California. Below are some images from week 3 of the 2014 Fremont Summer Chess Camp. There is still one more week left in our chess camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School which will feature instruction from International Master Emory Tate and Grandmaster Susan Polgar.

 

Click here to register for week 4!

 

Our camp is filled with a diverse group of students who all love chess.

 

 

Joe Lonsdale is a legendary chess coach who brings decades of teaching experience to our camp daily.

 

 

International Master Emory Tate enjoys teaching as much as his students enjoy learning.

 

 

The Fremont Summer Chess Camp features a USCF rated chess tournament with prizes so that our star students have an opportunity to shine.

 

 

When the kids finish their rated games they are treated to personalized analysis from the best minds in the business.

 

 

Famed chess author Eric Schiller stopped by on Thursday and presented seven of his best chess games to our students.

 

 

After his brilliant performance, Eric graciously handed out our weekly awards and signed autographs.

 

 

Our Fremont Summer Chess camp even had its own book fair.

 

Take a moment to check out my report on weeks 1 and 2.

Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 1

 

Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 2

Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 1

The first week of the Torres Chess and Music Academy’s Fremont Summer Camp was a smashing success. One parent even asked me why our camp was so much better than the other chess classes in the Bay Area. I answered, “The real secret is in enthusiasm. It is the magic we use to transform challenges into accomplishments.”

 

Students learn more when they are having fun.

 

 

 

TCAMA Director of Instruction, James Paquette, teaches his students the secrets to Paul Morphy’s success.

 

 

 

Tans Hylkema taught our youngest campers how to play chess and notate their moves.

 

 

 

Students at the Fremont Summer Chess Camp were constantly challenged.

 

 

 

Joe Lonsdale has been overlooking chess games at MSJE for nearly thirty years!

 

 

 

Francisco Anchondo teaches his students how to turn chess advantages into stunning combinations.

 

 

 

Our campers learn first hand why International Master Emory Tate is a chess teacher of the highest quality.

 

 

 

After just one week, our youngest players understand the most important endgame positions.

 

 

 

Every game played at our camp is turned into a custom lesson for the children who played it.

 

 

 

All of our hard work pays off during the next school year.

 

 

How important are chess ratings for children?

A chess rating is just a number used in chess to estimate the strength of a player based on his/her past performance. For years, I have been advising chess coaches, parents and kids to avoid becoming preoccupied with ratings as doing so creates unnecessary problems for children. Some common problems I see regularly from over emphasizing chess ratings are: 

1) Avoidance of tournaments for fear of losing rating points

2) Avoidance of tournaments out of embarrassment from having a low rating

3) Being overly confident because his/her rating is higher than his/her opponent’s

4) Playing in a self-defeating mindset because his/her rating is much lower than his/her opponent’s

5) Dropping out of chess because of too much pressure to maintain a high rating.

 

So it was a real pleasure when I read a recent blog post by Susan Polgar where she offered her wisdom on chess ratings for scholastic players:

Q: How important are chess ratings for children?

A: My answer may be unpopular but ratings are not very relevant at an early age. The problem is that many parents are so concerned about the ratings their children become too timid to play “proper” chess in order to improve. They are so afraid of losing that they play not to lose instead of playing to win and this can seriously hinder the development of their children.

While in the short term ratings can satisfy one’s ego, it is better to look at the long term outcome.

Source: http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2014/05/some-important-questions-about-chess.html

 

I will be teaching with Susan this summer at the MSJE Fremont Summer Chess Camp.

 

Sign up today!

 

The Tenth Rank

The Top Ten Chess (CC) Players in the United States for May 2014.

Source: United States Chess Federation

1	Menke, John R	IL	USA	2489
2	Buss, Michael	IN	USA	2430
3	Brandhorst, Wesley	FL	USA	2416
4	Ingersol, Harry Walter	IA	USA	2415
5	Tracz, James G	OH	USA	2405
6	Tseng, Wilbur	IL	USA	2403
7	Kain, Anthony James	SC	USA	2398
8	Mcgregor, Stephen Dean	TX	USA	2391
9	Sogin, David Warren	KY	USA	2386
10	Torres, Chris	CA	USA	2375

 

Of course it was never about rank or rating but rather the happiness and enjoyment that I derive from playing chess at a high level. Still, it is nice to be ranked in the top 10… Although, I still have work to do as there is no tenth rank in chess.

 

 

Calchess Super States 2014

The first day of the 2014 Calchess Super States is complete. Tournament directors, players, coaches and parents can relax for a few hours before chess battles starts again in the morning. Below, I give my readers a brief recap of the day’s highlights as well as some photographs I took when I wasn’t analyzing students’ chess games.

For the first time ever, the Calchess Scholastic State Championships was run by a woman and she did the best job I have ever witnessed in my sixteen years of attending. Congratulations Judit Sztaray on a job well done and good luck with tomorrow’s rounds.

Mission San Jose Elementary School dominated the field in all the elemnetary aged sections on day one of the Joe Lonsdale(k-6) Championship. MSJE is again proving itself to be the best program in Norcal chess.

“Analysis is the breakfast, lunch and dinner of champions.” -Chris Torres

 

 

The Fremont Summer Chess Camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School is a once in a lifetime opportunity for your child to take classes with the best chess teachers in the United States and train with the 2013 National Elementary Chess Champions. This year, our camp will also feature instruction from GM Susan Polgar as well as many other distinguished special guests. The Fremont Summer Chess Camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School is filling up quickly, so be sure to sign up soon to ensure a spot for your child.

Oops She Did It Again!

Susan Polgar continues to shatter the glass ceiling by coaching her fourth straight Division I Men’s Team to a National Chess Championship!

 

To most fans of college athletics, a coach fails unless he/she wins it all every time. To Susan Polgar, the head coach of Webster University’s Chess Team, success and failure are connected like cause and effect. Still, her unique philosophy on coaching chess has allowed her to set a record that even the harshest college sports fans couldn’t diminish. After her team from Webster University took first place at this year’s Final Four of Chess, Susan has coached four consecutive National Championship teams in a streak that spans two different universities.

Susan’s chess career began at an early age under her father, Laszlo’s guidance.

 

Susan’s chess career began at an early age under her father, Laszlo’s guidance. At age 4, Susan Polgar won her first chess tournament, the Budapest Girls’ Under-11 Championship, with a 10–0 score. Despite restrictions placed on her international tournament play by a communist regime, Susan became the top rated female chess player in world by the age of 15. Later, in 1991, Susan became the first woman ever to be awarded the GrandMaster(non-gender biased) title by FIDE. An eventual world champion in blitz, rapid and classical chess, Susan single handedly forced FIDE(World Chess Organization) to allow women to achieve the same titles and play in the same competitions as men. Susan’s role as an empowering female leader did not stop when she retired from playing competitive chess.

As a coach, Susan has shattered the glass ceiling as well. Her college chess coaching career began in 2007 as the head coach of Texas Tech University’s chess team. By 2010 she had raised their team to division I status and a third place finish in the Final Four. The following year, Susan’s team, despite being the lowest rated, finished in First Place. This victory made Susan Polgar the first woman in NCAA history to coach a men’s division I team to a national championship. After winning this year’s NCAA Final Four for Chess with her team from Webster University, Susan Polgar has now coached four consecutive National Championship teams at the division I college level.

Susan Polgar incredible talent and drive have made her one of the most sited examples of chess success and women’s achievements in intellectual pursuits during the last 100 years. I am excited to have Susan Polgar join the Torres Chess and Music Academy for our Fremont Summer Chess Camp and look forward to allowing my own daughters to gain from her inspirational character.  Your daughters and sons can too!

 

To book your child for our Summer Chess Camp featuring Susan Polgar please visit: http://chessandmusic.com/onlineregistration/

 

 

For more information on Susan Polgar please visit these fine sites:

http://www.susanpolgar.com/

 

http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/

 

http://www.webster.edu/spice/

 

 

“Win with grace, lose with dignity.”-Susan Polgar

 

 

Susan Polgar Explains Her Coaching Philosophy

Susan Polgar is, in my humble opinion, the best chess coach in the United States. Her achievement of coaching two different division 1 colleges to National Chess Championships on several occasions speaks volumes as to her abilities. I believe Susan’s coaching philosophy should prove useful for coaches of any discipline.

Obtained from http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2014/04/my-coaching-philo<a href="http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2014/04/my-coaching-philosophy.html?m=1

Many people have asked what is my coaching philosophy when it comes to team events? There are four main issues which I stressed. We may or may not be the best team (depend on the year), but our approach is always the same:

1. Come to each match fully prepared: Physically, mentally, and chess-wise. Players have to be fully focused. We have fun after, not before or during important events.

2. Play with complete discipline: We are prepared to fight hard every game, and play all games with complete discipline, just as the prepared game plan for each match.

3. Team work: We prepare as a team, fight as a team, and celebrate as a team. There is no I in team. We are one family.

4. Win with grace, lose with dignity: This has long been my motto. I will not tolerate any hot-dogging or in your face nonsense. Self control and be gracious, win or lose.

Here is to hoping Susan Polgar’s chess team at Webster University wins this weekend’s College Final Four of Chess.

Don’t forget that Susan Polgar will be visiting the 2014 Fremont Summer Chess Camp.

Calchess Scholastic Super State Championship: Preview 2

Throughout its 39 year history, there have been many great leaders who organized the Calchess Scholastic State Championships. Each of them has led with unique talents and in different circumstances. Tonight I present to you my brief interview with one of the best chess promoters in the history of California chess, Salman Azhar.

One of the best chess promoters in the history of California chess, Salman Azhar.

 

(For ease of reading, Salman’s answers to my questions are in bold)

When did you first learn how to move the chess pieces?

I first learned to move the pieces when I was four. My father and brother taught me how to play chess.

Why did you decide to get your boys involved in chess?

My oldest son started to learn chess Weibel and at a class taught by you. He was inspired by you and his other teachers and joined Weibel Chess team and went on to win many state championships for himself and help Weibel keep its winning streak alive in 2004.

Congratulations on Aamir(Salman’s oldest son) being recently accepted to Duke, Berkeley, and other schools. Do you feel chess has helped him in his scholastic career?

Chess has definitely helped him develop his analytic skills and logical thinking. He lost interest in competitive chess some time ago because he was targeted by some parents and coaches due to local chess politics.

Who first convinced you to start organizing tournaments?

Dr. Alan Kirshner hand picked me to run tournaments and was instrumental in my success. I owe much of what I have learned about organizing tournaments to Dr. Kirshner.

Why do you think Alan chose you?

I believe he said I was a, “combination of someone who is thorough and also who can interact with the people in a professional way.” I am honored to be his protege. 

A happy Alan Kirshner standing with Salman Azhar at the 36th Calchess Scholastic State Championship.

This will be your seventh consecutive year organizing the Calchess Scholastic State Championships . What have you learned from running this tournament?

<smiling> As Richard Shorman said, “You will know the true nature of people.” I have learned a lot about human psychology and behavior and also developed the courage to do the right thing regardless of personal gain, external threats, financial temptations, and other things that cause many good people to lose your integrity.

Your name has become synonymous with quality tournaments. How has that changed your life?

There are many excellent organizers all over the world and I have a lot to learn. However, I do enjoy people coming up to me in restaurants, grocery stores, business meetings, and other places to express their appreciations. It helps me sleep better at night that I have given something back to the community that has given me so much.

One of your detractors was an individual who used to be your mentor and most vocal supporter. Why do you think that is?

I cannot speculate on someone else’s intentions but I have a lot of respect for him and have learned from him. I hope some day we overcome local adult politics and realize that scholastic chess is about children.

What is your advice to parents who have children who are currently attending Weibel Elementary School?

I don’t like to advise people who don’t ask for advice but I have always welcomed Weibel players and their parents at my tournaments. They should rise above the local chess politics and do what is best for their child(ren).

Why have you decided to rename the Calchess Scholastic State Championships the Calchess Super States?

This is patterned after National Super States indicating that it is a championship sections encompassing all grade levels. Many other states have separate elementary, junior high, and high school champions or Super States where all sections are in the same tournament.

Why do you think that you have become the most popular tournament organizer in the history of California chess?

You are a great danger to my desire to be humble, aren’t you? I see many shortcomings in every tournament I run and perhaps recognize them with humility so that I can improve the next time. This pholosophy has made me get better.

I am honored to be respected by this community and feel that honor is largely due to heeding Dr. Richard Feynman’s advise: “So I have just one wish for you – the good luck to be somewhere where you are free to maintain the kind of integrity I have described, and where you do not feel forced by a need to maintain your position in the organization, or financial support, or so on, to lose your integrity. May you have that freedom.”

What is the funniest moment you have ever experienced while running a chess tournament?

Most of them center around children trying to get out of touch move rule but the funniest was a child whose excuse was that he accidentally picked up the King to dig his nose.

What advice would you give to someone who plans on running their first large chess tournament?

Run small tournaments first and have a person who has run large tournaments watch your back when you run your first one. That his how my mentor and friend, Dr. Alan Kirshner, taught me.

You are also heavily involved in the High-tech industry? How do you think technology will change scholastic chess tournaments? What will a chess tournament look like in 20 years?

Yes, I am. I think computer analysis has already influenced the development of players. I think it is changing interactive teaching as well. Coaches like you are using iPads in their class. All this will help players get stronger much faster. However, I am concerned about taking the fun out of the experience of learning. 

I also think we will also see more online play but nothing can replace the social aspect of coming together physically for a tournament or a class.

For more information on this years tournament, please refer to “Calchess Scholastic Super State Championship: Preview 1.”