Update and New Book Review: The Genius and the Misery of Chess

Hi all - just a quick update. I have been fighting off a nasty chess cold (and continuing to work throughout) going on a week and a half now. While talking has been a challenge, it has given me an opportunity to read some chess books. I have placed a new review on http://www.jrobichess.com in the review section for a book called "The Genius and the Misery of Chess" by Zhivko Kaikamjzov. The book was amazing!

I thought I knew a fair amount about the life stories of the most famous chess grandmasters, but I was in for a surprise! Check out the review section on the main site for more information and the full review.

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

New Chess Video: Kasparov vs Karpov 2009 - Game 1

Karpov (2644) - Kasparov (2812)
Valencia, 22.09.2009

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nb6 7.Ne2 c5 8.d5 0–0 9.0–0 e6 10.Nbc3 Na6 11.h3 exd5 12.exd5 Nc4 13.b3 Nd6 14.Bf4 b6 15.Qd2 Bb7 16.Rad1 Nc7 17.g4 Qd7 18.a4 f5 19.g5 Rad8 20.Bg3 f4 21.Nxf4 Nf5 22.Nb5 Nxb5 23.axb5 Nd4 24.Ne6 Black wins 0–1

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

New Chess Video - King's Indian Attacks!

[Event "Linares"]
[Site "Linares ESP"]
[Date "2009.03.02"]
[EventDate "2009.02.19"]
[Round "10"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Teimour Radjabov"]
[Black "Levon Aronian"]
[ECO "A07"]
[WhiteElo "2761"]
[BlackElo "2750"]
[PlyCount "111"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Bg4 3. Bg2 e6 4. O-O Nd7 5. d4 c6 6. Nbd2 Ngf6
7. Re1 Be7 8. e4 dxe4 9. Nxe4 O-O 10. c3 Re8 11. Nxf6+ Bxf6
12. h3 Bh5 13. Qb3 Qb6 14. Nd2 e5 15. d5 Qc7 16. d6 Qb8
17. Ne4 Bd8 18. Be3 Bb6 19. h4 h6 20. Bh3 Qd8 21. Bxh6 Nc5
22. Nxc5 Qxd6 23. Nd7 Qxh6 24. Nxb6 axb6 25. Qxb6 Bf3 26. Qe3
Qh5 27. Bg2 Bxg2 28. Kxg2 Ra4 29. Qg5 Qxg5 30. hxg5 Kh7 31. a3
Kg6 32. Rad1 Re6 33. Rd7 b5 34. Red1 Rc4 35. Rc7 e4 36. Rdd7
e3 37. fxe3 Rxe3 38. Rxf7 Rg4 39. Rxg7+ Kh5 40. Rh7+ Kg6
41. Rcg7+ Kf5 42. Rf7+ Kg6 43. Rhg7+ Kh5 44. Rf3 Re2+ 45. Kh3
Rxg5 46. g4+ Kh6 47. Rxg5 Kxg5 48. b3 Kg6 49. Kg3 Ra2 50. Kf4
Rxa3 51. b4 Kf7 52. Ke5+ Ke7 53. Rh3 Kd7 54. g5 Ra1 55. Rh7+
Ke8 56. Rc7 1-0

[Event "Sousse izt Rd: 3"]
[Site "Sousse izt Rd: 3"]
[Date "1967.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Robert James Fischer"]
[Black "Lhamsuren Myagmarsuren"]
[ECO "C00"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "61"]

1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. g3 c5 5. Bg2 Nc6 6. Ngf3 Be7
7. O-O O-O 8. e5 Nd7 9. Re1 b5 10. Nf1 b4 11. h4 a5 12. Bf4 a4
13. a3 bxa3 14. bxa3 Na5 15. Ne3 Ba6 16. Bh3 d4 17. Nf1 Nb6
18. Ng5 Nd5 19. Bd2 Bxg5 20. Bxg5 Qd7 21. Qh5 Rfc8 22. Nd2 Nc3
23. Bf6 Qe8 24. Ne4 g6 25. Qg5 Nxe4 26. Rxe4 c4 27. h5 cxd3
28. Rh4 Ra7 29. Bg2 dxc2 30. Qh6 Qf8 31. Qxh7+ 1-0

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

New Chess Video: King's Indian Attack Opening

[Event "Chess Opening King's Indian Attack"]
[Site "www.jrobichess.com"]
[Date "2009.09.06"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "A08"]

1. e4 (1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c5 4. O-O Nc6 5. d3 e6 6. Nbd2 Be7 7. e4 O-O
(7... dxe4 8. dxe4 O-O 9. e5)8. Re1 b5) (1. d3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c6 4. Nf3
Bg4 5. O-O Nbd7 6. Nbd2 e5 7. e4 dxe4 8. dxe4 Bc5 9. h3 Bh5 10. Qe2 O-O 11. Nb3
Bb6 12. a4 a5 13. Bd2 Bg6 14. Nh4)(1. g3 d5 2. Bg2 Nf6 3. Nf3 c6 4. O-O Bg4 5.
d3 Nbd7 6. Nbd2 e5 7. e4 dxe4 8. dxe4 Bc5) 1... c5 (1... e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6
4. Ngf3 c5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Be7 7. O-O)(1... c6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 e5 4. Ngf3 Bd6
5. g3 Nf6 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O) 2. Nf3 e6 3. d3 d5 4. Nbd2 Nc6 5. g3 Nf6 6. Bg2
Be7 7. O-O O-O *

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Chess Grandmaster Nigel Short - Experiences in Chess

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Do you wanna date my Avatar?

These guys created an original comedy sketch on YouTube called "Watch the Guild" and it's a parody of a group of online gamers interacting both in-game and in real life.

They are entering into season 3 now and the show got sponsored by Microsoft. Not too bad at all considering it all started off as a fun YouTube series!

Note: Press the full screen button on the lower right-hand side of player to get full screen.



Original "Watch the Guild" Season 1 - Episode 1



Watch the Guild YouTube Channel

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

New Chess Video: US Chess Phenom - IM Ray Robson

[Event "Arctic Chess Challenge 2009"]
[Site "Scandic Hotel, Tromsø"]
[Date "2009.08.01"]
[EventDate "2009.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Ray Robson"]
[Black "Vadim Malakhatko"]
[ECO "B18"]
[WhiteElo "2491"]
[BlackElo "2570"]
[PlyCount "81"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6
7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bd2 Ngf6
12. O-O-O Be7 13. Qe2 O-O 14. Nf1 c5 15. g4 cxd4 16. g5 hxg5
17. Bxg5 Nd5 18. Bxe7 Qxe7 19. Rxd4 Qf6 20. Kb1 Qh6 21. c4
Rac8 22. Qd1 N5f6 23. Ne3 Nc5 24. Ne5 Nce4 25. Qf3 Qh7 26. Ka1
Rcd8 27. Rxd8 Rxd8 28. h6 Rd2 29. N3g4 Qf5 30. Nxf6+ Nxf6
31. Qxb7 Qh5 32. a3 Rd1+ 33. Rxd1 Qxd1+ 34. Ka2 Qh5 35. Qa8+
Kh7 36. hxg7 Kxg7 37. f4 Qf5 38. Qxa7 Nh5 39. Qd4 Qxf4
40. Qxf4 Nxf4 41. a4 1-0

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Gaming Addict Talks about Losing Family

This is a very deep video. This man lost his family because of his hobby, and shares the experience and gives some very important advice. A person doesn't have to be married with children to get something out of this; anyone who has a strong passion for a hobby has relationships that are important, whether it's immediate family, or friends.



NOTE: This isn't anyone affiliated with the blog (or even chess as far as I know) but it's a powerful video nonetheless. The man who created the video has his YouTube channel located HERE.

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

New Chess Video: Chess Tactics #6

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Time Travel Possible?

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Kasparov vs. Karpov 2009 - Clash of the Chess Immortals!

These two chess greats are scheduled to clash once again over the 64 square battlefield in a 12 game match (4 rapid - 8 blitz) in Valencia September 21-24, 2009. This match will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the first time these men squared off against each other in Moscow in 1984. Karpov won the last match in NY City by the score of 2.5 - 1.5.

You can safely bet that Kasparov will be looking for revenge for his 2002 performance.

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

New Chess Book from Gary Kasparov - Garry Kasparov on Modern Chess Volume 3

Garry Kasparov is, of course, one of the all time greatest chess players in history. Given that, any book he writes is bound to be good. I haven't read this one yet, but his new book is hot off the press (published just this month) so if you're interested here is the link to the publisher's main site. Maybe I will get a chance to review it at some point for http://www.jrobichess.com if time permits.

Garry Kasparov's New Book
Garry Kasparov on Wikipedia

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Happy Birthday to Judit Polgar - The Reigning Queen of Chess

Judit Polgár (born July 23, 1976) is a Hungarian chess grandmaster. She is by far the strongest female chess player in history, and remains the world's number 1 women's chess player. In 1991, she achieved the title of Grandmaster (GM) at the age of 15 years and 4 months. She was, at that time, the youngest person to do so.

Judit has won many important chess games, including a victory over one of the all time chess greats Gary Kasparov:

Judit Polgar vs. Gary Kasparov - Russia vs. The Rest of the World (Moscow 2002)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 h6 10.Rd1+ Ke8 11.h3 Be7 12.Ne2 Nh4 13.Nxh4 Bxh4 14.Be3 Bf5 15.Nd4 Bh7 16.g4 Be7 17.Kg2 h5 18.Nf5 Bf8 19.Kf3 Bg6 20.Rd2 hxg4+ 21.hxg4 Rh3+ 22.Kg2 Rh7 23.Kg3 f6 24.Bf4 Bxf5 25.gxf5 fxe5 26.Re1 Bd6 27.Bxe5 Kd7 28. c4 c5 29.Bxd6 cxd6 30.Re6 Rah8 31.Rexd6+ Kc8 32.R2d5 Rh3+ 33.Kg2 Rh2+ 34.Kf3 R2h3+ 35.Ke4 b6 36.Rc6+ Kb8 37.Rd7 Rh2 38.Ke3 Rf8 39.Rcc7 Rxf5 40.Rb7+ Kc8 41.Rdc7+ Kd8 42.Rxg7 Kc8 1-0

Source: Wikipedia

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Underwater Chess?

Yes, you read the title right - it's some underwater chess! According the video poster:

"Dutch chessmasters 'Hans Böhm' and 'Robin Swinkels' take up a chess match 4 meters below sealevel having stingrays and fish as their spectators!"

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Judit Polgar on Bobby Fischer

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Four Drawn Rook vs Rook+Pawn Endgames

Check out Jeremy Silman's Complete Endgame Course. Also: I missed the fact that Black's got a win at one point if White's careless enough to oblige. My apologies! And: I say "recapture" when I meant to say "recapitulate".

New Chess Video: jrobi (1543) vs Yaughan (1602)

[Event "rated standard match"]
[Site "Free Internet Chess Server"]
[Round "?"]
[White "jrobi"]
[Black "Yaughan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[BlackElo "1602"]
[ECO "C02"]
[TimeControl "1800"]
[WhiteElo "1543"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Qb3 Qxb3 6. axb3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nc6 8. Bb5 Bd7 9. Bxc6 Bxc6 10. Ne2 Ne7 11. Nbc3 Nf5 12. O-O Be7 13. Be3 O-O 14. Ng3 Nxg3 15. fxg3 Rfc8 16. Na4 h6 17. h4 b5 18. Nc5 Bxc5 19. dxc5 b4 20. Rf4 a5 21. Rg4 Kh7 22. Rf4 Kg8 23. g4 Rf8 24. g5 h5 25. g4 hxg4 26. Rxg4 g6 27. h5 gxh5 28. Rh4 Kg7 29. Rxh5 Rh8 30. Rxh8 Kxh8 31. Rf1 Kg7 32. Bd2 Rc8 33. Be3 Ra8 34. Ra1 Kg6 35. Rf1 Kg7 36. Kf2 Rh8 37. Kg3 Kg6 38. Ra1 Ra8 39. Kf4 Kg7 40. Kg3 Kg6 41. Kf4 Kg7 42. Kg3 a4 43. bxa4 Rxa4 44. Rxa4 Bxa4 45. Kh4 b3 46. Kg4 Kf8 47. Kh5 Ke7 48. Kh6 Ke8 49. Kg7 Ke7 50. g6 fxg6 51. Kxg6 Kd7 52. Kf7 Bc6 53. Kf8 Bb5 54. Bd4 Bc6 55. Kf7 Bb5 1/2-1/2

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Miss Universe Chess a Joke? - Update

The "Miss Universe of Chess" website has now added Judit Polgar into the category listing for voting, but the poll itself hasn't been reset. Hopefully they will reset the vote now that the overall options have changed - seems to be the fair thing to do.

Miss Universe Chess Official Site
Miss Universe Chess Official Twitter Page
FIDE Top 100 Women Chess Players

Miss Universe Chess a Joke?

While having morning coffee and analyzing a personal game I am posting on video today, I came across a message on Twitter announcing an online forum to vote for Miss Universe Chess. Obviously interested, I took a look at the link thinking I would see a lot of the best in women's chess. Curiously, in the slide show hosted on the site from which people vote from, there was a huge amount of Alexandra Kosteniuk pictures, and even the Twitter page created for the contest (as of the posting of this article) had a Kosteniuk icon. Interesting!

Notably absent from the contest was the world's highest rated women's chess player, Judit Polgar. Susan Polgar is also not listed, but she hasn't been active in competitive chess for awhile, focusing mostly on promoting chess to the next generation, so that might be the reason why. But no Judit? Here is a picture of Judit Polgar:



As to why the world's strongest women's chess player (who also happens to be quite beautiful) isn't on this list is completely beyond my understanding of how the world works. Somethings off in my opinion.

There are some interesting comments posted about the competition and these oddities on the Miss Universe Chess site.

For those interested, here's the FIDE list of the top 10 women chess players in the world as of July 2009:

Rank Name
1 Polgar, Judit
2 Koneru, Humpy
3 Hou, Yifan
4 Zhao, Xue
5 Muzychuk, Anna
6 Kosintseva, Tatiana
7 Dzagnidze, Nana
8 Stefanova, Antoaneta
9 Sebag, Marie
10 Cramling, Pia

I don't know who is hosting this competition, but there definitely seems to be a little bit of bias to the whole thing. Feel free to post your thoughts or go to the official site page and voice them there.

Miss Universe Chess Official Site
Miss Universe Chess Official Twitter Page
FIDE Top 100 Women Chess Players

jrobichess on Blip.FM

It's no secret that I really enjoy music (pretty much of all kinds) so when I found out about Blip.FM I was all over it. Basically what the website lets you do is listen to your favorite songs, create a playlist, and share them with your friends who can just listen to them all from your personal page on Blip.FM. In other words, you basically can DJ whatever you want and have people share your music with you from wherever they are provided they have internet access. It also has integration into twitter which is nice.

If you check out my page there, you will notice a pretty big variety in musical taste - I don't concern myself with labels, I just go with what sounds good to me. If you sign up there (it's free of course) let me know so I can check out your tunes.