News & Updates
Ever wondered what sort of historical chess events occured in 1969? This information was compiled by Bill Wall.
In 1969, the top U.S. players were Bobby Fischer (2745), Sam Reshevsky (2604), Larry Evans (2587), Pal Benko (2583), and Robert Byrne (2530). There were 12,580 members of the United States Chess Federation (USCF).
In November, 1969, Chess Review merged with Chess Life, to become Chess Life and Review.
In 1969 the chess Oscar went to Boris Spassky, who also won it in 1968.
In April, 1969, the first U.S. High Read more �
The following post about chess masters was compiled by Bill Wall
Most chess masters become masters by learning the game of chess at an early age. Seldom does a player become a master after learning the game later in life. There are a few exceptions. However, most strong masters began at a very early age.
Former world champion Jose Capablanca began to play chess at the age of four. He wrote that he learned chess by watching his father play when he had just passed his fourth birthday. He even beat his father in his first game at age four.
Former world champion Anatoly Karpov was taught the moves of chess when he was Read more �
The following list of possible reasons why you lose at chess was compiled by Bill Wall:
2006 is what he said; I thought he was talking about the year, not his rating
adjourned move missing; I forgot to put it in the envelope and left it on table
after the game, I noticed my opponent had two bishops of the same color
as Black, forgot which way the pawns were moving in the endgame
attempted to checkmate, but blocked by one of opponent’s pawns, which was
hidden from view behind his queen! Chair was too short to see over
the pieces (contributed by Daniel McCandless)
backward pawns
bad bishop or bad bishops (locked in)
bad move in a bad position
bank rank mate was overlooked
beans and bananas for breakfast
boss came in while you were playing on the Internet at work
castled into it
check was overlooked
checkmate threat was overlooked
confused MCO column 12, note 6 with column 21, note 9 and lost queen
counterplay was overlooked
created holes
developed my pieces too slowly or not at all
diarrhea during the end game
doubled pawns
drawn game repeatedly declined by my opponent at least a dozen times
endgame ruined my superior opening preparation
endgame technique is weak
en passant move was forgotten
everyone watching my game agreed I was winning except my opponent
exposed king
faulty exchange
forgot to say “J’adoube” and lost Queen while adjusting it
forgot to stop chess clock while looking for the TD to ask what the time control was
full moon
glass chess set pieces opponent brought looked the same, lost Queen
got too fancy
greed
hallucinated or ghost affect
heart attack or stroke
hypnotized by opponent and a spectator named Dr. Zukar
I was winning on time until my opponent checkmated me
knocked king over while I tried to shake my opponent’s hand in a draw offer
long diagonal threat was overlooked
lost on time while I considered my opponent’s draw offer
lucky checkmate my opponent found before I could checkmate him
mishandled chess pieces
missed opportunity
neglect of center
noise
opening preparation poor
opponent did not follow my opening preparation that led to mate
opponent had beaten a master the round before – with an iron bar
opponent had no bra and bent over the pieces too much
opponent sneezed on the chess set; said he had a contagious disease or bird flu
opponent spent too much time in the book stalls during the opening
opponent would not resign when he was in a lost position
opposition of kings by my opponent
perpetual check didn’t last very long to avoid the 50 move rule
played the King’s Gambit Accepted and lost a pawn early on move two
poison pawn or piece was grabbed
positional errors
queen and king looked too much alike in this East European chess set; lost Queen
removed a defender and dropped a piece
right moves were made, but not in the right order
rook sacrifice failed when he took my Queen instead
sacrifice overlooked
sacrificed a piece, but then forgot why
stalemate avoided
stopped analysis one move short
studied How to Beat Bobby Fischer and was unprepared for other opponents
sunglasses by my opponent blinded me from the glare
tactical error; faulty tactics
team captain said a draw was no good for the team, so I resigned
tempo loss
theoretical draw doesn’t work in practice
thought rook and pawn ending was a draw; he had the rook and I had the pawn
time control must have changed; thought it was 40 moves in 5 hours, not 40 in 2
time pressure by my opponent; too much distraction watching the flag rise
toilet break was too long; shouldn’t have eaten 4 burritos and tacos at once
transposed opening moves
tried for too much
uncoordinated pieces
underestimated my opponent
unjustified attack
unlucky pairing with Walter Browne; played blitz chess and lost
weakened castled King’s position
went out for a walk in the fresh air, forgot about tournament, kept walking
wrong rook
zugzwanged my opponent, but then he found a way out
Ready to Learn Chess? Here’s a few quick chess principles to help you get going. This list was created by Bill Wall. Enjoy the list! Any you would add to the list? Make your comment below!
01. Develop your chess pieces quickly.
02. Control the center.
03. Try to put your pieces on squares that give them maximum space.
04. Try to develop your knights towards the center.
05. A knight on the rim is dim.
06. Don’t take unnecessary chances.
07. Play aggressive.
08. Calculate forced moves first.
09. Always ask yourself, “Can he put me in check or win a piece?”
10. Have a plan. Every move should have a purpose.
11. Assume your opponent’s move is his best move.
12. Ask yourself, “why did he move there?” after each opponent move.
13. Play for the initiative and controlling the chess board.
14. If you must lose a piece, get something for it if you can.
15. When behind, exchange pawns. When ahead, exchange pieces.
16. If you are losing, don’t give up fighting. Look for counterplay.
17. Don’t play unsound moves unless you are losing badly.
18. Don’t sacrifice a piece without good reason.
19. If you are in doubt of an opponent’s sacrifice, accept it.
20. Attack with more that just one or two pieces.
21. Do not make careless pawn moves. They cannot move back.
22. Do not block in your bishops.
23. Bishops of opposite colors have the greatest chance of drawing.
24. Try not to move the same piece twice or more times in a row.
25. Exchange pieces if it helps your development.
26. Don’t bring your queen out early.
27. Castle soon to protect your king and develop your rook.
28. Develop rooks to open files.
29. Put rooks behind passed pawns.
30. Study rook endgames. They are the most common and most complicated.
31. Don’t let your king get caught in the center.
32. Don’t castle if it brings your king into greater danger from attack.
33. After castling, keep a good pawn formation around your king.
34. If you only have one bishop, put your pawns on its opposite color.
35. Trade pawns pieces when ahead in material or when under attack.
36. If cramped, free your game by exchanging material.
37. If your opponent is cramped, don’t let him get any freeing exchanges.
38. Study openings you are comfortable with.
39. Play over entire games, not just the opening.
40. Blitz chess is helpful in recognizing chess patterns. Play often.
41. Study annotated games and try to guess each move.
42. Stick with just a few openings with White, and a few openings with Black.
43. Record your games and go over them, especially the games you lost.
44. Show your games to higher rated opponents and get feedback from them.
45. Use chess computers and databases to help you study and play more.
46. Everyone blunders. The champions just blunder less often.
47. When it is not your move, look for tactics and combinations.
48. Try to double rooks or double rook and queen on open files.
49. Always ask yourself, “Does my next move overlook something simple?”
50. Don’t make your own plans without the exclusion of the opponent’s threats.
51. Watch out for captures by retreat of an opponent’s piece.
52. Do not focus on one sector of the board. View the whole board.
53. Write down your move first before making that move if it helps.
54. Try to solve chess puzzles with diagrams from books and magazines.
55. It is less likely that an opponent is prepared for off-beat openings.
56. Recognize transposition of moves from main-line play.
57. Watch your time and avoid time trouble.
58. Bishops are worth more than knights except when they are pinned in.
59. A knight works better with a bishop than another knight.
60. It is usually a good idea to trade down into a pawn up endgame.
61. Have confidence in your game.
62. Play in as many rated events as you can.
63. Try not to look at your opponent’s rating until after the game.
64. Always play for a win.
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