Comments for IM Mark Ginsburg Presents A Personal Chess History http://nezhmet.wordpress.com Chess History, Opening Theory, and Anecdotes by Dr. Mark Ginsburg Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:14:52 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on The Fabulous 00s: Where is the Caro Complaint Department? by nezhmet http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/the-fabulous-00s-do-i-complain-to-nigel-short-or-to-new-in-chess-or-is-just-luck/#comment-1467 nezhmet Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:14:52 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2544#comment-1467 It still looms large; influencing and contributing to big scores - other team has to basically hara-kiri... I think it's too big an odds, period in only a four board match. There must be better ways to assign a small, yet significant, edge to the higher seed. One good idea, that I saw elsewhere in the blogoverse (I think SF's site comments) is a *five* board match in the playoffs - more chess is better - and give the higher seed 3 whites. That's a much more sensible idea. It still looms large; influencing and contributing to big scores – other team has to basically hara-kiri…

I think it’s too big an odds, period in only a four board match.

There must be better ways to assign a small, yet significant, edge to the higher seed. One good idea, that I saw elsewhere in the blogoverse (I think SF’s site comments) is a *five* board match in the playoffs – more chess is better – and give the higher seed 3 whites. That’s a much more sensible idea.

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: Where is the Caro Complaint Department? by John Fernandez http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/the-fabulous-00s-do-i-complain-to-nigel-short-or-to-new-in-chess-or-is-just-luck/#comment-1466 John Fernandez Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:10:21 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2544#comment-1466 Draw odds didn't help much this year... the team with draw odds, when they won, won 3-1 or bigger. The team without draw odds won 3 of the 6 matches. Draw odds didn’t help much this year… the team with draw odds, when they won, won 3-1 or bigger. The team without draw odds won 3 of the 6 matches.

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: The end of the 2009 USCL Season for the Arizona Scorpions by The Fabulous 00s: Where is the Caro Complaint Department? « IM Mark Ginsburg Presents A Personal Chess History http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/the-fabulous-00s-the-end-of-the-2009-uscl-season-for-the-arizona-scorpions/#comment-1460 The Fabulous 00s: Where is the Caro Complaint Department? « IM Mark Ginsburg Presents A Personal Chess History Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:52:42 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2526#comment-1460 [...] IM Mark Ginsburg Presents A Personal Chess History Chess History, Opening Theory, and Anecdotes by Dr. Mark Ginsburg « The Fabulous 00s: The end of the 2009 USCL Season for the Arizona Scorpions [...] [...] IM Mark Ginsburg Presents A Personal Chess History Chess History, Opening Theory, and Anecdotes by Dr. Mark Ginsburg « The Fabulous 00s: The end of the 2009 USCL Season for the Arizona Scorpions [...]

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: The end of the 2009 USCL Season for the Arizona Scorpions by Nick http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/the-fabulous-00s-the-end-of-the-2009-uscl-season-for-the-arizona-scorpions/#comment-1458 Nick Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:25:37 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2526#comment-1458 here are a couple (more practical) suggestions as replacements for draw odds.. 1) higher seed gets to field 3 white boards and 1 black board (if higher seed is 2+ seeds up they can play all 4 boards as white) 2) if initial match is drawn, a 10 minute match will follow, with higher seed retaining draw odds. 3) lower seed must announce a comprehensive opening tree for the first 2 moves on one or more boards. Thus higher seed will know lower seed's first 2 moves, but lower seed will not have this advantage. 4) allow higher seed a one-time per game "ask a GM for advice" privileges. <em>I got a good chuckle on #4 but that one is simply cheating. :) I think I saw a good idea somewhere else in the blogoverse: have the playoff match be 5 players (teams can feel free to field on their alternates at this juncture, with the usual average rating rules applying) and the higher seed has white on 3 of the boards. That makes sense and leads to more chess, always a good thing. </em> here are a couple (more practical) suggestions as replacements for draw odds..

1) higher seed gets to field 3 white boards and 1 black board (if higher seed is 2+ seeds up they can play all 4 boards as white)

2) if initial match is drawn, a 10 minute match will follow, with higher seed retaining draw odds.

3) lower seed must announce a comprehensive opening tree for the first 2 moves on one or more boards. Thus higher seed will know lower seed’s first 2 moves, but lower seed will not have this advantage.

4) allow higher seed a one-time per game “ask a GM for advice” privileges.

I got a good chuckle on #4 but that one is simply cheating. :)
I think I saw a good idea somewhere else in the blogoverse: have the playoff match be 5 players (teams can feel free to field on their alternates at this juncture, with the usual average rating rules applying) and the higher seed has white on 3 of the boards. That makes sense and leads to more chess, always a good thing.

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: The end of the 2009 USCL Season for the Arizona Scorpions by Elizabeth Vicary http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/the-fabulous-00s-the-end-of-the-2009-uscl-season-for-the-arizona-scorpions/#comment-1456 Elizabeth Vicary Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:07:20 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2526#comment-1456 awesome. can't wait!!! awesome. can’t wait!!!

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: The end of the 2009 USCL Season for the Arizona Scorpions by Russ Mollot http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/the-fabulous-00s-the-end-of-the-2009-uscl-season-for-the-arizona-scorpions/#comment-1455 Russ Mollot Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:32:02 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2526#comment-1455 I am willing to entertain the thought that giving Draw Odds to the higher seed may be too great and edge. But the Armageddon solution is too drastic. I propose that playoff matches be conducted as follows. All games to be played on boards of 8 files and 12 ranks. The higher seed player gets to move TWO PAWNS on move one. The advantage thus obtained by the double first move is mitigated by the additional four ranks of "buffer zone". To make up for the diminished edge, the higher seed player is allowed to slap the opponent if checked by him or her. To prevent abuse, a thrice-slapped player may, optionally, convert any knight to a bishop. This may be his or her own knight, or the slapper's knight; this may be done only once in the game. The conversion, if made, is considered to be the slapped party's move, and is annotated as: "N/c6->B". It is easy to see that the result is a playoff game where the advantage to the higher seed is tempered, counter-tempered, and counter-counter-tempered to create a fair battle. These simple adjustments should satisfy even the most conservative chess aficionados. <em>Can you believe I worked in Brooklyn with this guy?</em> I am willing to entertain the thought that giving Draw Odds to the higher seed may be too great and edge. But the Armageddon solution is too drastic. I propose that playoff matches be conducted as follows. All games to be played on boards of 8 files and 12 ranks. The higher seed player gets to move TWO PAWNS on move one. The advantage thus obtained by the double first move is mitigated by the additional four ranks of “buffer zone”. To make up for the diminished edge, the higher seed player is allowed to slap the opponent if checked by him or her. To prevent abuse, a thrice-slapped player may, optionally, convert any knight to a bishop. This may be his or her own knight, or the slapper’s knight; this may be done only once in the game. The conversion, if made, is considered to be the slapped party’s move, and is annotated as: “N/c6->B”. It is easy to see that the result is a playoff game where the advantage to the higher seed is tempered, counter-tempered, and counter-counter-tempered to create a fair battle. These simple adjustments should satisfy even the most conservative chess aficionados.

Can you believe I worked in Brooklyn with this guy?

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: No Computer Allowed Quizzes by Coelacanth http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/the-fabulous-00s-no-computer-allowed-quizzes/#comment-1448 Coelacanth Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:00:29 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2493#comment-1448 Back to the first position--what about 5. Bd6 with the idea of maintaining the WK on e5? After 5.... Rb5 6. Bc5 it still looks like a fight. <em>5. Bd6 e3 6. fxe3 Rxe3 7. Kf4 Re4+ wins the d4 pawn.</em> Back to the first position–what about 5. Bd6 with the idea of maintaining the WK on e5? After 5…. Rb5 6. Bc5 it still looks like a fight.

5. Bd6 e3 6. fxe3 Rxe3 7. Kf4 Re4+ wins the d4 pawn.

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: No Computer Allowed Quizzes by Andres D. Hortillosa http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/the-fabulous-00s-no-computer-allowed-quizzes/#comment-1447 Andres D. Hortillosa Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:12:38 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2493#comment-1447 On Position 3, I thought the win there was much simpler as you pointed out. The key winning idea is to force the exchange of the minor pieces. In this instance, the black queen cannot protect the weak g6 so the bishop must take on h4. The white queen then will shepherd the c-pawn one square at a time to coronation. Black's king will not be able to catch the c-pawn if black decides to exchange queens, which is suicide. The resulting outside passer is the killer. I thought Position 1 is a harder puzzle. <em>Humans are usually allergic in puzzles to Q&P endings, preferring instead to solve things with the knight on the board or to win somehow with the c&b passers. That's what makes the solution so counter-intuitive for most. Try the killer Position 2.</em> On Position 3, I thought the win there was much simpler as you pointed out. The key winning idea is to force the exchange of the minor pieces. In this instance, the black queen cannot protect the weak g6 so the bishop must take on h4.

The white queen then will shepherd the c-pawn one square at a time to coronation. Black’s king will not be able to catch the c-pawn if black decides to exchange queens, which is suicide. The resulting outside passer is the killer.

I thought Position 1 is a harder puzzle.

Humans are usually allergic in puzzles to Q&P endings, preferring instead to solve things with the knight on the board or to win somehow with the c&b passers. That’s what makes the solution so counter-intuitive for most. Try the killer Position 2.

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: No Computer Allowed Quizzes by Andres D. Hortillosa http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/the-fabulous-00s-no-computer-allowed-quizzes/#comment-1446 Andres D. Hortillosa Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:03:25 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2493#comment-1446 Hi Coelacanth, You are forgetting that after Rxf2, the e-pawn passer will cost White at least a piece. <em>Nope, after the lemon 3. Kf4 Rf3+? 4. Ke5 the B/d5 is attacked and there's no time for taking on f2. In fact black must adjust his play to this other white try. See the comment I added to his suggestion for the right way for black to play.</em> Hi Coelacanth,
You are forgetting that after Rxf2, the e-pawn passer will cost White at least a piece.

Nope, after the lemon 3. Kf4 Rf3+? 4. Ke5 the B/d5 is attacked and there’s no time for taking on f2. In fact black must adjust his play to this other white try. See the comment I added to his suggestion for the right way for black to play.

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: No Computer Allowed Quizzes by Coelacanth http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/the-fabulous-00s-no-computer-allowed-quizzes/#comment-1445 Coelacanth Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:52:17 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2493#comment-1445 Hmmm. In the first position, 2. Bxc7 seems stronger. For example, 2...Rb3 3.Kf4, Rf3 ? 4. Ke5, and White is the only one with any winning chances. <em>This is a legitimate and tricky try for white. Black should play 2....Rb3 3. Kf4 Bb7! guarding a6. If 4. Ke5 Kf7! black will be able to repel the white king. For example, 5. d5 Rd3 6. d6 (6. Ra5 e3!) 6...Rd5+ 7. Kf4 Ke6 and black keeps good chances. Note that 5. Kd6? is met by 5...f4!. </em> Hmmm. In the first position, 2. Bxc7 seems stronger. For example, 2…Rb3 3.Kf4, Rf3 ? 4. Ke5, and White is the only one with any winning chances.

This is a legitimate and tricky try for white. Black should play 2….Rb3 3. Kf4 Bb7! guarding a6. If 4. Ke5 Kf7! black will be able to repel the white king. For example, 5. d5 Rd3 6. d6 (6. Ra5 e3!) 6…Rd5+ 7. Kf4 Ke6 and black keeps good chances. Note that 5. Kd6? is met by 5…f4!.

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