November 26, 2006

Thoughts upon a position: 7. A Greek gem

Today’s position cannot be found in any commercial database. It comes from a Greek book, "The Greek book", since for decades the two volumes of "Chess" by Triantafyllos Siaperas were the only serious chess manual in the Greek language. The writer was the first Greek player to become an International Master in 1968 and twice a Greek champion in 1956 and 1972.
The player with the White pieces is Dimitrios Papantoniou. He was a District attorney in the city of Thessaloniki and the first Greek champion in 1934. I have no information about his opponent Mr. M. Koutilin. According to Greekbase, the on-line chess database with games collection from my homeland, it is one of the oldest games still surviving today, though it took place not earlier than 1935. The combination was published in many books including one by German master Kurt Richter. (The master who introduced the B60 Richter-Rauzer variation of the Sicilian)

black Rook on a8 b8 c8 d8 black Rook on e8 black Knight on f8 g8 black King on h88
a7 black Bishop on b7 black Queen on c7 black Knight on d7 black Bishop on e7 f7 black Pawn on g7 black Pawn on h77
black Pawn on a6 black Pawn on b6 black Pawn on c6 d6 e6 black Pawn on f6 g6 h66
a5 b5 white Pawn on c5 d5 e5 white Pawn on f5 g5 h55
a4 b4 white Bishop on c4 white Pawn on d4 white Queen on e4 f4 g4 white Knight on h44
white Pawn on a3 b3 c3 d3 white Pawn on e3 white Rook on f3 g3 h33
a2 white Pawn on b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 white Pawn on g2 white Pawn on h22
white Rook on a1 b1 white Bishop on c1 d1 e1 f1 white King on g1 h11
a b c d e f g h  

White to play.

I can tell you that chess engines can find the solution in seconds. If you use them, you’ll probably know the answer, but you won’t be able to express in your own words the idea behind the combination. I am waiting for your comments.

Have fun…

Important notice
This article is not available for new comments anymore, since it has been discovered by blog robots which managed to post comments with inappropriate content. Many thanks to all of you who contributed your own opinion.


Posted by Michalis Kaloumenos at 05:54 PM | Comments (12)

November 12, 2006

Thoughts upon a position: 6. Strong Combinational Vision

Michail Botvinnik himself has often blamed his “old illness” – weak combinational vision – for many lost games of his late career. As a matter of fact we do admire Botvinnik for his positional play, yet when he was younger he was able to produce beautiful combinations as the one I ask you to find. The game was played in 1930. The move is not important. The idea behind it, is what offers great enthusiasm. More than that, it comes from my childhood memories and my uncle, who was Botvinnik’s admirer. I asked him recently “Why a Botvnnik’s combination?” and he replied: “When you are ten, you don’t understand much about strategy, don’t you?”

a8 b8 black Bishop on c8 black Rook on d8 e8 black Rook on f8 black King on g8 h88
a7 black Pawn on b7 c7 d7 black Bishop on e7 black Pawn on f7 black Pawn on g7 h77
black Pawn on a6 b6 black Pawn on c6 d6 e6 black Knight on f6 g6 black Pawn on h66
black Queen on a5 b5 c5 d5 white Knight on e5 black Pawn on f5 g5 h55
white Pawn on a4 black Knight on b4 white Bishop on c4 white Pawn on d4 white Pawn on e4 f4 g4 h44
a3 b3 white Knight on c3 d3 e3 f3 white Bishop on g3 h33
a2 white Pawn on b2 c2 d2 white Queen on e2 f2 white Pawn on g2 white Pawn on h22
white Rook on a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 white Rook on f1 white King on g1 h11
a b c d e f g h  

I’m waiting for your comments.

Important notice
This article is not available for new comments anymore, since it has been discovered by blog robots which managed to post comments with inappropriate content. Many thanks to all of you who contributed your own opinion.


Posted by Michalis Kaloumenos at 10:06 AM | Comments (4)

November 11, 2006

October 2006 - Spotlight on Class A

Most Games
The following people have played the most games:   kali (Class A, 1395 games) ,   bossjos (Class A, 1254 games) ,   taroak (Class A, 1154 games) ,   GCP (Class A, 902 games) ,   baggur (Class A, 753 games) .

Recently Ranked


These players have just qualified for the ranking list by completing at least 10 games:   todwag (Class A, 17 games, joined 2006.01.27),   zoli (Class A, 19 games, joined 2006.06.06),   mosaik (Class A, 20 games, joined 2006.08.24),   swampdog (Class A, 20 games, joined 2006.08.04).

Tournament Wins


Here are players who have the most tournament wins:  bossjos ( 39 wins, class A),  JMD ( 33 wins, class A),  baggur ( 29 wins, class A),  kali ( 28 wins, class A),  Wernswig ( 27 wins, class A).

Game Wins


Here is a list of those who have the most game wins:  bossjos ( 541 wins, class A),  kali ( 513 wins, class A),  taroak ( 442 wins, class A),  GCP ( 422 wins, class A),  JMD ( 363 wins, class A).

Highest Winning Percentage


The following players have the highest percentage of games won:  mane_twice ( 83.33%, 24 games, class A),  cavargas ( 78.26%, 46 games, class A),  zoli ( 68.42%, 19 games, class A),  vangogh ( 67.86%, 28 games, class A),  alexII ( 65.79%, 76 games, class A).

Longevity


Here are those who have been on playChess.de the longest:  xerxes2u (Joined 2000.11.20),  Herb_CN (Joined 2000.12.06),  scylla (Joined 2001.03.06),  k_a_n_i_b_a_l (Joined 2001.03.29),  kali (Joined 2001.04.05),  talewisx (Joined 2001.05.15),  Excessive_Force (Joined 2001.05.19),  Bob-O (Joined 2001.07.21),  bossjos (Joined 2001.11.21),  ksterleu (Joined 2001.12.23).

Posted by Lon Thomas at 01:22 AM | Comments (0)

November 04, 2006

October 2006 - Recognition

Anniversaries


The following people have attained or are approaching significant anniversaries

6 Years completed recently

ddddale  joined 2000.10.29.  Goofy  joined 2000.10.28.  Matu  joined 2000.10.28. 

Approaching 6 Years

Bill joined 2000.11.07.  xerxes2u joined 2000.11.20.  JRockne joined 2000.11.13. 

5 Years completed recently

aadje  joined 2001.10.16.  ciran  joined 2001.10.26.  daveboy6968  joined 2001.10.05. 

Approaching 5 Years

ETC_Chess joined 2001.11.16.  Marius_sah joined 2001.11.26.  bossjos joined 2001.11.21. 

4 Years completed recently

pionier  joined 2002.09.27.  BigAl  joined 2002.11.05.  Abra  joined 2002.10.20.  froilo  joined 2002.10.31.  guitran  joined 2002.11.02.  Handkaes  joined 2002.10.18.  Jule  joined 2002.10.05.  epenz  joined 2002.11.05. 

Approaching 4 Years

baggur joined 2002.11.27.  MimiSiku joined 2002.11.29.  BigAl joined 2002.11.05.  JMD joined 2002.11.23.  epenz joined 2002.11.05. 

3 Years completed recently

jonaslo  joined 2003.10.22.  PieceSeeker3  joined 2003.10.26.  ocluanain  joined 2003.10.04. 

Approaching 3 Years

Spotsychess joined 2003.11.23.  knightprancer joined 2003.11.23. 

2 Years completed recently

genyes  joined 2004.09.29.  Harijs  joined 2004.10.03.  PLAYCHESS1963  joined 2004.09.24.  organic  joined 2004.10.30. 

Approaching 2 Years

Vince joined 2004.11.11.  Gilt joined 2004.11.17.  Varaboca joined 2004.11.18.  garden joined 2004.11.18. 

1 Year completed recently

Pillsbury  joined 2005.10.23.  vangogh  joined 2005.10.21.  xmen  joined 2005.10.24.  manifold  joined 2005.09.21.  Veltliner  joined 2005.10.30.  maus  joined 2005.10.07.  RUDI  joined 2005.10.21.  Kelthek  joined 2005.10.14. 

Approaching 1 Year

docjan joined 2005.11.14.  Niedermayr joined 2005.11.19.  Roberto_Sammi joined 2005.11.19.  Frost666 joined 2005.11.17.  IRONMAIDEN joined 2005.11.06.  albertopv joined 2005.11.07.  Viking joined 2005.11.25.  Skipper_Robert joined 2005.11.21. 

Games Played


What's special about these folks? They have played the most games:   mrchess (Class A, 2704 games) ,   hal1958 (Class A, 2649 games) ,   epenz (Class B, 2338 games) ,   ama49 (Class B, 1811 games) ,   Matu (Class E, 1678 games) .

Recently Ranked


These players have just qualified for the ranking list by completing at least 10 games:   half (Class E, 10 games, joined 2006.02.04),   hebo (Class B, 11 games, joined 2006.08.13),   Domi (Class A, 12 games, joined 2006.02.15),   Vord (Class B, 12 games, joined 2006.06.04),   Bo (Class C, 12 games, joined 2005.12.24).

Tournament Wins


These folks have the most tournament wins:  hal1958 ( 92 wins, class A),  ETC_Chess ( 76 wins, class M),  Goofy ( 74 wins, class E),  luciano59 ( 63 wins, class M),  ama49 ( 63 wins, class B).

Game Wins


In this area, we list those who have the most game wins:  hal1958 ( 1131 wins, class A),  mrchess ( 1066 wins, class A),  epenz ( 805 wins, class B),  ama49 ( 766 wins, class B),  Matu ( 708 wins, class E).

Highest Winning Percentage


Here are those who have the highest percentage of games won:  stahlmichel ( 93.33%, 75 games, class E),  Eragon ( 93.33%, 15 games, class A),  LopesI ( 93.10%, 29 games, class M),  Pillsbury ( 91.67%, 36 games, class M),  RamsesXII ( 85.71%, 21 games, class M).

Longevity


Here are the players who have been on playChess.de the longest:  Jeroen (Joined 2000.06.18),  lostpawn2000 (Joined 2000.06.30),  cabe (Joined 2000.07.08),  mrchess (Joined 2000.07.10),  NOHAU (Joined 2000.08.27),  suffix (Joined 2000.08.28),  Goofy (Joined 2000.10.28),  Matu (Joined 2000.10.28),  ddddale (Joined 2000.10.29),  Bill (Joined 2000.11.07).

Posted by Lon Thomas at 02:28 PM | Comments (4)

November 02, 2006

Thoughts upon a position: 5. The River between us

There are many chess writers who often compare chess, strategy and tactics to the real warfare. I am not a supporter of such arguments, but for those who enjoy the resemblance, I have found a position that looks like two armies ready to battle.

Just take a look: The soldiers are lined-up on the banks of a river. Swallow waters on the Queenside allow the cavalry to cross the river. Three squadrons are already there. Another one is pretty close. The heavy artillery and the Kings are way behind in safety, while the Queens are ready to provide support to the weak units.

The position comes from a game for the Polish championship of 2002 between Lagowski and Tomczak. It’s White’s turn to play. Assess the position. What do you think? Are there any weak squares or weak pieces? Should White strike immediately or there is need for some preparation?

black Rook on a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 black Rook on f8 black King on g8 h88
a7 b7 black Queen on c7 d7 black Knight on e7 f7 black Bishop on g7 h77
a6 black Knight on b6 black Pawn on c6 black Pawn on d6 black Bishop on e6 f6 black Pawn on g6 black Pawn on h66
a5 b5 c5 d5 black Pawn on e5 black Pawn on f5 g5 h55
a4 white Knight on b4 white Pawn on c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h44
a3 b3 white Knight on c3 white Pawn on d3 e3 f3 white Pawn on g3 h33
a2 b2 white Queen on c2 white Bishop on d2 white Pawn on e2 white Pawn on f2 white Bishop on g2 white Pawn on h22
a1 white Rook on b1 c1 d1 e1 white Rook on f1 white King on g1 h11
a b c d e f g h  

Enjoy…


Important notice
This article is not available for new comments anymore, since it has been discovered by blog robots which managed to post comments with inappropriate content. Many thanks to all of you who contributed your own opinion.

Posted by Michalis Kaloumenos at 05:43 PM | Comments (1)


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