The National Co Center (NGC) teamed up with the National War College (NWC) on May 31 for a Go teaching event as a fun end-of-term activity. The NGC team was composed of Bin Duan, Richard Duan, Laurie Ensworth, Ed Shu and Gary Smith. The program was a 30-minute talk on the game of Go, including rules of play, followed by an hour or so of 9×9 play by NWC students and staff. The NWC provides a year-long advanced degree program for senior US military, US State Department, and international military. Host Colonel Thomas Stevenson was delighted by the success of the program and invited all for an after-action debrief in the basement of Roosevelt Hall at a bar called Teddy’s.
Casual Elegance. Wake up with a hot cup of coffee at Teddy’s Café in our hotel’s Grand Lobby. Discover local favorites like café au lait and beignets, and indulge in a soft slice of our signature Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake while surrounded by an elegant and welcoming space made for casual dining. Opening Hours: Daily from 6:00AM – 5:00PM
Photos: (top left, by Bin Duan) Bin Duan, Laurie Ensworth, Ed Shu, Richard Duan, Gary Smith; (top right, by Col. Thomas Stevenson) NWC students and staff enjoying exploring Go; (bottom right) Gary Smith’s presentation; (bottom left, by Col. Thomas Stevenson): Laurie Ensworth teaching; (middle left): Bin Duan, Col. Thomas Stevenson, Gary Smith, and Laurie Ensworth (https://www.usgo.org/content.aspx?page_id=5&club_id=454497&item_id=102613&)
A few daze ago the idea was to write a post concerning the latest cheating scandal after reading an article at Chess.com. As often happens, life intervened, and new comments kept appearing at the Chess.com website (https://www.chess.com/news/view/2024-player-caught-cheating-in-chicago-open), so writing was delayed.
After resting and making the second cuppa Joe of the day I returned to Chess.com to read the newest comments where this was found:
The USCF website shows David to be from Georgia. Although I know David I do not know him well enough to know where he was born, but do know he currently resides in the Great State of Georgia, as does this writer. I have not forgotten the time many years ago when I asked David Hater, the director of the Emory Castle Chess Tournament, if I could post flyers concerning this blog, which was just beginning, and was given permission to do so. The man who was President of the Georgia Chess Association Board at the time, Fun Fong, did not want the flyers allowed. Years ago Fun Fong renounced Chess, (https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/gca-president-renounces-chess/) later changing his mind and obtaining a spot on the USCF Executive Board. After losing an election and leaving the board Fun Fong returned to the GCA Board and is currently again the POTGCA Board because no one else wanted the position.
From the above you can understand my trepidation about writing anything that could be perceived as negative about David Hater, a former Colonel in the US Army, who admirably served his country. Nevertheless this writer must write truthfully or lose credibility.
There were problems at the most recent Georgia Chess Championship which was directed by Colonel Hater. I do not know all the details but do know that after the tournament ended there were myriad problems with the distribution of prizes to the prize winners. From what I have gleaned initially everyone due a prize was in a good mood while awaiting the distribution of the prize checks. Things changed after about an hour of waiting. Voices were raised as was the blood pressure of those tired of waiting. Tempers flared and at least one person snapped. There was a shouting match between the snapper and the Director. By that time everyone left waiting was disgruntled and there were no happy campers to be found. There have been reports of some kind of authorities in uniform to quell the situation. There have been reports of some players obtaining more prize money than they should have received. It is a BIG and ongoing MESS, which is about par for the GCA.
From the comments left to the article the director(s) have unfortunately come out smelling like excrement.
Forgelord648 What was the arbiter doing that hole time?
rivuchess
Horrible that these tournament directors can’t even pay heed to cheating complaints. If they don’t perform this basic duty, are they there to film the tournament? A bunch of careless people…
Obviously this is not good for the game of Chess as it is yet another nail in the Chess coffin.
Rbeast
Shows how rampant the cheating is now…they do it so openly and brazenly, don’t even bother to go to the bathroom
It’s rampant on this site too, and seems to be increasing…I’m playing too many people these days who are playing far too perfectly and accurately, for their rating and performance history…and I believe only a small fraction of them are getting caught by chess.com sniffers
The Continental Chess Association has been rocked by several punches to the head.
chika-lily of course continental chess association declined to comment… 😂😂😂
wlycdgr
Novaraga wrote:
How does one you a phone in the hall without being caught, honestly, shouldn’t his opponent have noticed him looking down too often and checked
I agree with you it’s odd that he wasn’t caught earlier by one of his opponents, but ultimately, it is not the players’ responsibility to ensure their opponents aren’t cheating. It is the responsibility of the tournament organizers and arbiters.
ilovesteelydan
Stan Halstead is the name of the cheater, he’s a graduate student in the mathematics department at Michigan State University. I don’t know why his name isn’t being included in this article or any of the discussion on this topic. He cheated and stole thousands of dollars in prize money and it doesn’t seem like he’s facing any severe consequences other than a temporary ban from playing in USCF events. When you google his name I think the first thing that should come up is stories about how he got caught cheating at chess and stealing prize funds.
There I was minding my own business while reviewing games at lichess.org when the VII Festival Salamanca Cuna del Ajedrez Moderno was spotted. It was surprising to see the women were playing in the same event with the men. It was also surprising to see there were only forty minutes for the entire game. I almost clicked off to check out the “serious” Chess, but what goes for “serious” Chess these daze is not what it used to be…
I check out the games of players known and check out the openings looking for what can be called “offbeat” openings, which are being played much less often these daze than they were ‘back in the day’. The vast majority of openings currently played by the top players could be described as “same ol’, same ol’, openings. The variety is no longer there, and if I earned my living by playing Chess, I, too, would probably be forced to resort to the ol’ tried and true openings given the Stockfish seal of approval. The fact is that there has become a dull, boring, sameness to the opening of the games by the best players. For variety one must look to other, lesser, tournaments, such as Open and Senior events, which is where one can usually find the AW.
was the first board shown at lichess.org. It featured 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6. The second move of 2…a6 has been all the rage recently, but I wondered if that was only after 2 Nc3. Oh well, this old Nadjorf player was pleased to see Stockfish says 2…d6 is the best move. The real GM played the SF approved 3 Bb5. Stockfish says 3…g6 is best, but 3…e6, d6, and e5, all score the same +0.4. The Expert rated Woman Grandmaster essayed 3…g5!??!! I kid you not…
Position after 3…g5
This move reminded me of some of the moves seen in the skittles room at the old Atlanta Chess and What Other Game Center, aka, The House of Pain. I can hear Dauntless Don Mullis, after an opponent played a move like this, loudly announcing in his deep baritone voice, “Now there’s a Chess move!” That would be about a nanosecond before the Dauntless one would take that pawn offa the board. Don knew that if he did not take the pawn the response would be an immediate something about not having a hair on his derriere. Or maybe something about taking up a new game:
Kirill Alekseenko somehow managed to make it into the Candidates tournament before the pandemic. If memory serves, he was the lowest rated player who was given a wild card into the prestigious Candidates tournament in which a challenger for the World Chess Championship was chosen. From FIDE:
Alekseenko’s real breakthrough came in 2019 – his rating crossed the 2700 mark thanks to an excellent performance at the FIDE World Cup and to a third-place finish in the 2019 Grand Swiss, the strongest ever Swiss tournament. The latter result made him a possible participant of the Candidates Tournament. Upon completion of all the qualifying competitions, the President of the Chess Federation of Russia (the country-host of the Candidates Tournament) Andrey Filatov announced that Kirill Alekseenko has been granted a wild card. (https://www.fide.com/news/352)
Considering Alekseenko was the lowest rated player, by 64 points, a nice Chess number, he did well to finish out of last place, thanks to the man from China, Wang Hao, who finished one half point behind Alekseenko. Not much has been heard from Wang Hao in the past few years. What’s up with that?
GM Kirill Alekseenko, now know as, “No guts, no glory,” did not take the pawn.
I cannot make this stuff up, folks. I will not speculate why the gift was eschewed. It may give Alekseenko solace to know he is not the first player to refuse the gift.
This is being mentioned because of an article seen at chess.com earlier, When Bull Riding Meets Chess: Game Makes Its Move At 2024 PBR World Finals, by Leon Watson.
I cannot make this stuff up…
Brady Fielder (left) and Callum Miller play chess on the big screen at the PBR World Finals. Photo: PBR.
When Bull Riding Meets Chess: Game Makes Its Move At 2024 PBR World Finals
Leon Watson May 20, 2024 Chess.com News
Unleash the beast! Chess played its part at an unlikely event over the weekend—the 2024 Professional Bull Riding World Finals.
As PBR celebrated its most prestigious event of the year at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, two cowboys playing the game flashed up on the big screens.
Brady Fielder, world number eight, took on his fellow Australian bull rider Callum Miller for a promo clip announcing PBR’s forthcoming collaboration with Chess.com.
Both are known fans of the royal game, with Fielder especially being a regular presence on Chess.com. According to the promo, it was he who came out on top.
Fielder also performed well in the bull riding on the final championship Sunday of the season. He went 2-from-4 and collected a third-place aggregate finish, winning $178,600. Miller finished 42nd in the overall season standings and picked up $21,500.
Brazil’s Cassio Dias was crowned 2024 PBR World Champion for the first time and Rookie of the Year, becoming just the second rider in history to win the two coveted honors in the same season.
But wait…there’s MORE! When doing my due diligence by going to DuckDuckGo and typing the words “chess” and “bull riding” into the search engine this was regurgitated:
Kings or Pawns? Top Riders Go Unprotected in PBR’s Expansion Draft Chess Game
The ping pong balls will be flying at the league’s first Expansion Draft on April 10
Andrew Giangola Mar 21, 2024
It’s pro bull riding, but with an expansion draft coming up, PBR teams’ front offices are now sitting down to play some serious chess.
It is a long article so I will cut to the chess…
Here’s what turns checkers into chess: each rider who is now Expansion Draft eligible was assigned a draft valuation. If drafted by one of the two expansion teams, the team to which the rider was initially signed will receive that many lottery balls, which will be used to determine the No. 1 overall pick in an upcoming 2024 New Rider Draft.
Could it be General Managers Tina Battock of the Stampede and Casey Lane of the Ridge Riders are playing “call-my-bluff” with moves worthy of Fischer-Spassky level chess?
Stampede GM Tina Battock willing her team to a title. Bull Stock Media
That GM is for General Manager, not Grandmaster. The article concludes with:
I do not know about you but I am still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that out of all the Chess World Championships contested in the last half-century or so Andrew chose the Fischer vs Spassky match.
But wait…there’s MORE! Remember that due diligence mentioned earlier?
A curious reader asked if I still followed the happenings in the world of Chess. The answer was “yes”, with the caveat that I am very selective of what I watch. These daze the focus is on Senior Chess, and players I know, or enjoy watching because they play to win, which should be the only reason to play. With that in mind I would like to present two games by the man Senior Master Brian McCarthy (https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2021/04/24/brian-mccarthy-r-i-p/) spoke highly of, IM Jay Bonin.
The fact is that I had considered turning the first game presented into a post because who plays the Gunderam defense? When was the last time you saw a game with the Gunderam? Maybe I should have added “offbeat” to the above concerning the games I choose to view…
The decision to sit down and write this post after seeing a game featuring the “IRON MAN” of CHESS, in the most recent The Marshall Spectator, May 15, 2024 edition.
Writing about Chess games takes much time, especially inserting diagrams into the post. Since all I needed to do was cut and paste the decision to write the post was easy.
The thing about playing against the Gunderam is that you know you should win. Even a draw is a loss because there goes a sure one half point. The onus is on the playing making the first move. If you do not win you are a failure, which puts the pressure on the player facing such a poor opening.
Why would The Bone play such a poor opening? Because Jay plays for the love of the game, and possibly because he would prefer to play an opening getting the youngsters our of the book.
Jonathan Sigfredo Subervi vs IM Jay Bonin Marshall Chess Club FIDE Premier April 2024 ECO: C40 Gunderam defence
The following game recently arrived in the inbox when May 15, 2024 edition of The Marshall Spectator. TMS is absolutely FREE and anyone can receive it, so what are you waiting for?
FIDE Premier Games Analyzed, by GM Aleksandr Lenderman
You can play through the games with the notes from this article here.
Round 5: Bonin, Jay – Klenoff, Caleb
Prior to this game, Jay Bonin was riding a 15 game winning streak, and was currently tied for first with IMs Gus Huston and Mykola Bortnyk. However, his opponent, the young Caleb Klenoff likely had ambitions to win the game, since the win would not only get him potentially a share first by leapfrogging Jay, but also, prior to the tournament, he was extremely close to the NM title (2200 USCF rating), and quite possibly, he might’ve needed a win to get the title. So, despite being black, Caleb Klenoff chose the sharp Benoni defence, an aggressive opening, playing for a win.
We reach the climax point of the game. Caleb’s pawns are very menacing, while Jay is going all in, trying to create some sort of counterplay against Black’s king. Now, we reach a critical moment, where Caleb still has 46 minutes. He ended up spending about 5 minutes, and sort of bailing out into a draw. However, perhaps if he calculated deeper, he might’ve come to the right conclusion that Black’s pawns will matter more and White’s counterplay falls just a bit short. Since this position would likely be the last very critical moment of the game, I would most likely recommend spending at least half of the remaining time here. As it was, a narrow win was missed, and Jay was able to share first in the end, after Gus and Mykola made a draw, thus maintaining his undefeated streak.
36… Bc3?? Blunder. c3 was best.
A bail-out since now, White can sacrifice their two pawns for a piece, leaving Black without enough to create serious winning chances. (36… c3! Was winning! Now White has several tries, but they all lose.
37. f6+!? The best practical chance, and most likely, the move that Caleb feared. (37. Rxf7+ Isn’t the most challenging. 37… Kh8 (37… Kg8!? $19) 38. Rc7 c2 39. Nf7+ Kg7 40. Ne5+ Kg8 41. Nd3 Ba3 42. e4 c1=R 43. Rxc1 Bxc1) (37. Nxf7 Is toothless 37… c2 38. Ne5+ Kg8 39. f6 Bxe5 40. fxe5 c1=Q)
37… Kg6!! The key move/idea. Without this move, Black is not winning.
(37… Kh7?? 38. Nxf7 Here, White even creates a mating net.
(37… Kxf6?? 38. Rxf7+ Kg6 39. f5# Leads to mate for White. )
(37… Kh8?? 38. Nxf7+ Also, leads to mate. )
(37… Kg8? Objectively a mistake, but even this line could’ve been a safe bailout option for Black in case he didn’t see Kg6, since here Black doesn’t risk anything, and White has to find only moves to make a draw at best. 38. Nxf7!(38. Rxf7? Rf8! 39. Rg7+ Kh8 40. Nf7+ Rxf7 41. Rxf7 c2) 38… Rf8!? (38… c2 39. Nxh6+ Leads to perpetual check.) 39. Ne5!! The only move to draw! 39… Rxf6 40. Rb7! c2 41. Nd3 And White holds a draw.) (37… Kf8? Leads to an easy perpetual after 38. Rxf7+ Kg8 39. Rg7+ Kf8 40. Rf7+) 38. f5+ (38. Rxf7 h5+! The key, to free the h6 square with tempo. 39. Kf3 (39. Kh4 c2 40. f5+ Kh6) 39… c2) 38… Kxf6 Now, because White has played f5, that opened the escape e5 square for the black king!! 39. Rxf7+ (39. Kf4 Is an interesting try, but Black wins in several ways. 39… Rf8 (39… Rb4+ 40. e4 (40. Ne4+ Kg7) 40… Bc1+) (39… Kg7!? Even this is enough.)) 39… Ke5
37. Nxc4 b2 38. Nxb2 Bxb2 Now, this is more or less a draw. 39. e4 Rb4 40. Kf3?! Inaccuracy. Ra2 was best. (40. Ra2 Bc1 41. Rg2 Rd4 42. Kf3+ Kh7 43. Rc2 Bd2 44. Rc7 Kg7 45. d6 Bb4 46. e5 Bxd6) 40…Rb3+?! Inaccuracy. Bc1 was best. (40… Bc1 41. d6)
A regular reader in another country posed the question, “Do you still chess?” Thank you sir for putting a smile on my face!
The answer is “Yes.” I just do not “Chess” as much these daze, but it is still part of my life. Your question reminded me of something recently read in an EXCELLENT book by GM Larry Kaufman, Chess Board Options. There will be more written about Larry’s book in the future.
On the last page, 219, in chapter 32: The future, Larry writes, “As for myself, although I’m generally in good health, I don’t know if I’ll resume serious over the board play once that is possible, as back trouble and poor vision make this problematic.”
Like Larry this writer also has a problematic back. Sitting for many hours can be injurious for anyone with a bad back. It is simply no longer possible for me to play two games a day, unless at a dramatically reduced time control. If, for example, the time control were G/2 and there was a break of at least one hour between rounds, and only two games were played that day, I might consider playing. Think about it for a moment… If there were two rated games played each day, and each game went the distance, that would mean two four hour games, which would be like working an eight hour job. ‘Back in the day’ I once played Chess beginning on Saturday morning at ten am. The third round game ended the NEXT DAY at two am, Sunday. My losing the fourth round game, which began at ten am, horribly and withdrawing will come as no surprise.
Most of my Chess these daze is watching games on Lichess.org, such as the recently completed Candidates tournament, which was again marred by having an unqualified player in the tournament, just like the last Candidates tournament. If Abasov, a player with whom I was completely unaware, had not participated Nepo would have finished with 71/2 points, a half point more than Gukesh, Nakamura, and Caruana. Nevertheless, I watched some of the action because two Americans, Fabby and Naka, were playing for what possibly would be there last chance to become World Champ, even if they would not be the best Chess player on the planet.
I do, though, enjoy reading about Chess. Occasionally I will check out the action around the world, with a focus on Senior events, and players with which I am familiar, and openings, many now discredited, such as the following game, played in the Grenke Chess Open 2024, which featured the Dutch opening, which has rapidly fallen out of favor, especially at the top, so it is invariably nice to see the opening played by a player the caliber of Gata Kamsky.
After replaying the game rather quickly I returned to Lichess.co and the real time game…learning the game had been agreed drawn at the very spot I had left to check out the opening at 365Chess.com. The so-called “game” and I use the word loosely, can be located here: (https://lichess.org/broadcast/grenke-chess-open-2024–boards-1-60/round-7/kEy29TXZ/j7agjk3e)
After seeing the truncated game I will admit to having wondered why my time had been wasted watching Chess.
Chess.com is proud to announce our partnership with the Charlotte Chess Center! Founded in 2014, one of the most influential centers in the US is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. We are ecstatic to work with an incredible over-the-board organizer like the Charlotte Chess Center and bring the best of online chess to the impactful experiences of in-person events.
The first over-the-board partnership between the CCC and Chess.com will be the upcoming 8th Annual Carolina Classic, June 7-9, at the Hilton Charlotte University Place Hotel where legends and trainers like GMs Judit Polgar, RB Ramesh, Vesalin Topalov, and Daniel Naroditsky will grace the halls with a book signing and autograph session.
One can only speculate what a victory by Judit would have done for women’s Chess. Surely there would have been a large increase in the number of females coming into the game. Therefore Kasparov not only cheated Judit, he also cheated Caïssa.
There can be absolutely no doubt that when it comes to the South, Charlotte, North Carolina is the capital of Southern Chess. I will admit this has been written with envy. The fact is that when it comes to the Royal Game, Atlanta has been left behind. It is an open secret that the Georgia Chess Association is dysfunctional. The fact is that there are much better Chess people in the Queen city. Is that an appropriate nickname, or what?! Plaudits to the people of Charlotte, North Carolina.
The best illustration for the state of Chess in my home town would be the following picture:
Yes
“I’ve Seen All Good People”
[I Your Move]
I’ve seen all good people turn their heads each day So satisfied I’m on my way I’ve seen all good people turn their heads each day So satisfied I’m on my way
Take a straight and stronger course to the corner of your life Make the white queen run so fast she hasn’t got time to make you a wife
‘Cause it’s time, it’s time in time with your time and its news is captured for the queen to use! Move me on to any black square Use me anytime you want Just remember that the goal Is for us all to capture all we want (Move me on to any black square)
Don’t surround yourself with yourself Move on back two squares Send an instant karma to me Initial it with loving care (Don’t surround yourself)
‘Cause it’s time, it’s time in time with your time and its news is captured for the queen to use!
Don’t surround yourself with yourself (Don’t surround yourself) Move on back two squares Send an instant karma to me (Send an instant karma to me) Initial it with loving care (Don’t surround yourself)
‘Cause it’s time, it’s time in time with your time and its news is captured for the queen to use!
Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda (All we are saying) Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda (Is give peace a chance) Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda (All we are saying) Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda (Is give peace a chance
‘Cause it’s time, it’s time in time with your time and it’s news is captured…
[II All Good People]
I’ve seen all good people turn their heads each day So satisfied I’m on my way
Armchair Warrior 