Chess, anyone?

[cajunguy]

No, I'm not talking about the play, although One Night in Bangkok is an awesome song. I was wondering if anyone here enjoys the game or considers it a serious hobby. After a few years, I've finally returned to the game, studying matches, and trying to improve my horrible technique. :crazy:
Any favorite games you've watched/studied? How did you get interested in the game? Funny stories? It's not a topic I've seen written about except in passing in other threads. Maybe this can be the official chess thread!
I started playing seriously in high school. My father actually taught me the game when I was eight, but I realized in HS there was a club where you actually competed in chess tournaments. Sadly, I wasn't good enough at the time to make the team, and I had too much other crap on my plate. But I made good friends who remain friends to this day, people who mercilessly kicked my ass and then kindly explained why it got kicked. It's been a love of mine ever since.

 

[eaglerico]

I love chess but I have never been into it enough to watch matches nor had the luck of having a club to participate in. An uncle, whole I was very fond of, taught me how to play. He has since passed. He told me of stories of how a Korean guy in the army taught him how to play. He lost 200 matches before beating him. He tried to do the same to me. Lol. I got to 50 before I beat him. Other then my uncle I have never had anyone else I could sharpen my skills with.

 

[numbersix]

Ah! Chess - I haven't played in years. I never was great, but I did enter a group exhibition once and played grandmaster Edmar Mednis. I am happy to say I was the last man standing - not because I was such a great player but because I played extremely safe, by the book responses to his moves and he responded with very safe moves too.
My friend Kirk was an expert, A-rated player (just below a master) who had dreams of beating Mednis. He played aggressively thinking Mednis was handicapped playing so many people at once. He was out in 10 moves. He's since passed away, but he taught me everything I knew.
My favorite story was about Bobby Fischer - who for me will always be the best, regardless of his antics. He was in a match (forget with whom). The game appeared to be going south for Fischer - the game was being commented on over the radio by seasoned grandmasters who said it didn't look good for Bobby.
Fischer made one key move. HIs opponent studied Booby's move and extended his hand. The grandmaster's thought he was signaling to Bobby to give up. Instead, Fischer's opponent was able to see that 20 moves down the road Fischer would win and he realized that Fischer knew it too.
One other story I heard was that Fischer played 50 players simultaneously while drunk, and blindfolded at a party and beat them all. And as crazy as that sounds, he really was *that* good.

 

[pstlpkr]

I used to play almost every day, and a lot while I was on active duty. I have an old 17 level Computerized Chess game from Radio Shack (#1850) programmed by Gary Kasparov...

I can give it a pretty good game up to level 4... Then it'll KMA. :D And yes.... I still notate in the old manner. None of this B2 to B3 garbage... Give me the old N-B3.

Like many of us we don't see many folks that have either the time or inclination to sit quietly for a couple-three hours to play a "good" game...

To me it's in the category that Cribbage falls into... Great games that have just lost their luster to the likes of Angry Birds, and World of WarCraft. :crying:

Here's some of the rules that I keep in mind when playing.

My "Dirty Dozen". :twisted:

01) When playing Chess one must be BRUTAL!

02) Don't just knock on the door; KICK IT DOWN!

03) Kick a man when he's down.

04) Attack on over worked piece; and the defense will fall away.

05) A King is a poor defender.

06) A spade is a spade is a spade.

07) The knight is the delight of the mathematician, and the terror of the chess novice.

08) Examine every capture and check, no matter how outrageous.

09) Castle early and often.

10) A past pawn must be pushed.

11) Even the most stubborn King will flee in the face of a Double check.

12) Hit him again! Harder! Harder!

::

 

[bentmike]

Cool thread cajunguy! I can't remember exactly when I first started playing, 8th grade or even before that maybe. In my first year of high school I built the board in the photo. As a freshman I did join my school's chess club with a buddy. I learned a bunch about the game but never made the cut to even get to a tournament. Building that chess board was one of the first things I made with wood and started me on the path of a woodworker.
My dad and I would play on summer afternoons and evenings during my high school years. While I was in the military I picked up the wood pieces (also shown in pic) and have been dragging them around ever since. A couple years ago I taught my son to play then we forgot about. So thanks cajun for the idea. I think I'll try to drag him away from his Xbox and see If I can get him back into it.
@lawrence -Great Advice
I can't think of a better game to pair with a pipe. ::

 

[cajunguy]

I'm happy to see so many responses! I think one of the reasons I moved away from the game (besides the business of life) was because most of my chess-playing friends went on to things that completely occupied their time. One is finishing med school, his brother went on to become a physicist. Honestly, I never won a game against either of them -- but each time I played them, I learned something new. For them, it came instinctively. I have to work at it.
As for Bobby Fischer, yes he was amazing. A total crackpot in the end, but no one can deny is godlike presence at a chess table. His games against Boris Spasky were among the first I really tried to understand (yeah, I know -- great place to start, eh?).
And Lawrence, I too am an attacker. I spend only a few moves setting up my defenses, and then I attack. Unfortunately, in my case, it's never very artful, and many times I get overzealous in my bloodlust. :rofl:

 

[numbersix]

@bentmike awesome chess board
@Cajunguy Yeah, for me Fischer was a true artist and genius - and that often equals = crazy. :crazy:
HIs games were honestly works of genius.
Many say Kasparov was better and if they had a match, K would win. I think that's possibly true since Fischer was so flighty - but Kasparov played like a machine, and Fischer played like an artist.
I'd rather study Fischer's games over Kasparov's any day. He would come up with combinations that were just stunning, whereas Kasparov would move slow and steady - like an unstoppable tank. Winning but boring.

 

[mlaug]

I love to play and don't pretend to be any good at it, but I love the game. Like my pipe smoking passion, I'm the only one I know that likes to play.
I started a chess club in high school during the chess crazy days of the Fischer heyday. I remember lots of guys learning to play, but once chess faded from the popular culture, so did everyone's interest. The club didn't last more than a year or two.
My wife bought me a chess computer for Christmas one year and since then I've bought several more.
Storient's Instantchess looks interesting.

 

[chopz]

i used to read games and books on chess players. there's one famous game by morphy where he sacrifices all his pieces and wins with almost nothing on the board.
i'm sure it's in here somewhere: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=16002 maybe i'll find it.
i used to be a uscf member but didn't keep up with it.

 

[antipodesman]

I organized a tournament last weekend at the Enrico Winery on Vancouver Island. One of our players was seven-year-old Rowan James, winner of the 10 and under section at the US Open. Another Jason Cao was winner of the 10 and under section at the world competition in Greece a few years ago. He is now eleven. Rowan lost to another seven-year-old prodigy Patrick Huang.

Rowan James winner of 2012 US Open in 10 and under section.

Jason Cao world champion 10 and under section (rated over 2000)

Patrick Huang

 

[sorringowl]

Hey Cajun,

Funny you brought this up. I taught myself to play Chess when I was about 8 years old, played for about a year, and then, didn't touch a chess board until just recently (about a week ago--and I'm 45 now). Actually, I still haven't touched a chess board (or chess piece) because I started playing again on my iPhone! Haha.
Now, my girlfriend says I'm Chess crazy. After two days of playing, I was looking up vintage chess boards on eBay (instead of pipes, or, in addition to); especially, some of those vintage Russian chess sets (very cool!)
But, now, more and more, I'm thinking of making my own chess set. I really like your chess set, Bentmike! Very cool. And I especially like the frame around the board. Looks like walnut, oak and maple squares? Did you turn the pieces yourself? or buy them after? I'm thinking about turning the pieces but seems like an awful LOT of work!

 

[mrenglish]

I used to play a lot but never made it past a C level player. Every so often I play with an app on my iPhone. Been thinking about getting into it again. If anything, it certainly helps to relax and I totally agree, it's a great game to play with a pipe.
My best memory was playing in a yearly tournament. I had one game when the wife and I were first dating. We had agreed to meet at a local diner and I figured I would lose quickly b/c I was matched with an A rated player. I was barely above 1000 USCF at the time. I ended up beating him, but it took two hours to do so. They kept asking my wife if they thought I was going to show up. Oddly, when we would play again at the club meetings, I would still beat him but I think this is due to the psychological effect rather than my brilliant play.

 

[numbersix]

@antipodesman Wow-that is awesome!
@mrenglish I was never officially rated, but my guess was that I was a C-rated player as well. I wasn't a natural at it though. I only got as good as I got by learning from my friend who could beat me in his sleep and studying lots of books on opening games, middle games and closing games.
Bu that was a lifetime ago. Now I probably couldn't even beat my 10 year old daughter.

 

[simnettpratt]

The original Boden's mate is my favorite game. The pattern you're looking for is Queen side castling and a bishop covering the important flight squares in front of and besides the King. Then all you have to do is move that dratted B7 pawn, if you're white (usually done with a Queen sacrifice to A6), and the second Bishop comes down for the mate with two Bishops.
If he suddenly sees his danger, you next move the Queen over to A6+ and force the B7 pawn to move. If he moves on the other side of the board, your Queen does a QxA7 and she's coming round the back. It's a beautiful mate that comes out of nowhere with only two Bishops.
My favorite player was probably Alekhine; like Kasparov, the ticking of a clock. If you want a good chess book, get How to Beat Your Dad at Chess by Murray Chandler. Contrary to what you'd think, grandmasters don't see way more moves ahead than you. What they excel at is recognizing positions, like Bobby Fischer's book that showed you a position and asked on every one, 'Where's the checkmate here? Where's the checkmate here?'
bentmike, that's a gorgeous chess set. I should tell you though, 100% of good players turn their Knights sideways, and your pieces are on the wrong two ends of the board. The square closest to you on the far right is white (think white on right), and the Queens go on their own color, not the Kings - white Queen on the white square, black Queen on black. Beautiful chess set though.

 

[macattack]

I first started playing when I downloaded a chess app on my phone a week ago. The only time I win though is when I'm smoking a pipe.....wierd.

 

[sasquatch]

I am a decent recreational/semi-serious player.
Learned a LOT from an old book by Chernev called "Logical Chess Move by Move" where he just breaks down each move in game after game, and really highlights the strategic elements which lead to tactical victories. Really a good book.
Also the Smyslov-Bottvinnik games of the 50s were CRAZY. Just balls-to-the-wall crazy. Well worth a look.

 

[bentmike]

Ha Ha! Thanks simnett, I kept looking at my pic and thinking something wasn't quite right. I couldn't remember that the Queens go on their own color. It's been years since I set up a board.
@sorringowl -Correct oak border and maple and walnut squares. No I didn't turn the set I bought it but I've always wanted to turn a set on my lathe. The only thing holding me back is the knights. I'm not too good at carving animals. Someday I'd like to take a crack at it though.
edit: Here's an interesting piece of chess trivia I bet most people don't know about: Decades before the internet was around chess fans who also happened to be ham radio operators would use chess notation over their high frequency radios playing an opponent on the other side of the planet.

 

[bentmike]

My son and I have played 4 games since my last post on this thread. His mind is sharp and he is quickly catching on. For a while early on he was leading the last game in captured pieces until I turned it around. He's got a good grasp on the opening game and not leaving pieces out undefended. He loves the game and told me his school issued laptop has a chess program on it so I said "great, practice up". I look forward to him developing and becoming a real challenge between us. I don't think it will take long as he is already making me work for each piece.
Thanks again cajunguy for reminding me of this great game.

 

[lankfordjl]

Chess is a great game for developing strategy skills, unfortnately my brain is lacking in chess ability. When I taught HS science, I had some students who were interested in playing chess, so we started a chess club at lunch. I wasn't good at winning, but I could teach others how to play. I remember those JH boys soak it up and were cut throats are the game.

 

[antipodesman]

Great photo of your son BentMike. Chess photography works best with a small unobtrusive camera such as a cell phone placed on the table. Different methods to reduce the background can help such as telephoto or flash effects can help. Good to see you getting back into chess.