The Kenilworthian

Chess Mates in the News

2010-03-20T17:14:00.000-04:00

Kenilworth Chess Club Champion Arthur Macaspac, who expects to open his Chess Mates cafe soon, is featured in an article in Central New Jersey's Home News & Tribune titled "Chess lover opens cafe in Rahway."

IM Dean Ippolito at SPICE

2010-03-19T13:33:00.000-04:00

New Jersey IM Dean Ippolito came very close to gaining a GM norm at the 2010 SPICE Spring Invitational in Lubbock, Texas. But his loss to IM Gergely Antal in Round 8 (see video above of his resignation) ended his title chase in this tournament -- though it gave Antal a shot at his own norm. Dean did score a couple of nice wins along the way, though, including a tactically sharp victory against celebrated youngster Darwin Yang (see below).

Come out and support Dean and New Jersey chess this weekend at the 1st "Only New Jersey" Championship at the Dean of Chess Academy.

BBC's "How to Win at Chess"

2010-03-19T11:40:00.000-04:00

The BBC has produced a wonderful hour-long documentary titled "How to Win at Chess," most of which has been posted at zaphod319's YouTube channel. It is also widely available for download, though not yet available for sale. Structured rather like David Shenk's The Immortal Game, it follows an arranged game between British chess personalities Ray Keene and Daniel King (which the two players use as a vehicle for instruction) while jumping off into various aspects of chess history, culture, and competition. Highly recommended.

Hat tip to Mark Weeks, who often posts about videos on Friday.

Left Hook Grand Prix Videos

2010-03-16T12:02:00.000-04:00

Matt Pullin put together a great two-part series on what I like to call the Left Hook Grand Prix against the Sicilian. I think he pinpoints some of the critical Black defenses, though he says he has played it from both sides. Since my most recent Left Hook outing at USATE, I have been moving toward a different repertoire as White, including the Open Sicilian and even the Smith Morra (gasp! -- more on that in upcoming articles anticipating IM Marc Esserman's Smith-Morra lecture at the KCC on April 15th). The Left Hook is a lot of fun in blitz, though, but I suspect it will become less fun now with everyone following Pullin's excellent recommendations! For those who want to learn more about the line, here is a complete webliography:

The Left Hook Grand Prix with a3
The Left Hook Grand Prix Revisited
More Left Hook Grand Prix Games
Fun with the Left Hook Grand Prix
Killer Games
Grand Prix with a3
Billy Colias Plays the Grand Prix
Note: Colias played against the line as Black....
Grand Prix Attack, Explained
Grand Prix Attack Bibliography (Updated)

I think Pullin is right that White might prefer the center gambit 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.a3 e6 6.d4!? over the wing gambit 6.b4!? -- though that does raise the question of why 5.a3 in the first place. If anyone can suggest a better waiting move after 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 looking to meet 5...e6 with 6.d4! I'd like to hear it. The move 5.Be2 does not look like much, as Welling - Ree 1984 and Romanishin - Polugaevsky, Tilburg 1985 demonstrate. Maybe 5.h3 is worth a go, as in Novikov - Korotylev, Moscow 2007. I would also mention Nigel Davies's fun Gambiteer II, which covers the reverse line 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 f5 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.e3 d5! which I have had great success with as Black.

Hat tip to Katar for alerting me to these videos.

Der Spiegel Interviews Magnus Carlsen

2010-03-15T10:26:00.000-04:00

"I am Chaotic and Lazy" is Magnus Carlsen's headlining self-description in a recent Der Spiegel interview reprinted by ChessBase. It is a remarkable interview, most for the self-deprecating comments of the World Number One and for the insight into his own quite level-headed attitude toward the game. One exchange amused me:

Carlsen: What is important is that I have a life beyond chess.

SPIEGEL: Why?

Carlsen: Chess should not become an obsession. Otherwise there’s a danger that you will slide off into a parallel world, that you lose your sense of reality, get lost in the infinite cosmos of the game. You become crazy. I make sure that I have enough time between tournaments to go home in order to do other things. I like hiking and skiing, and I play football in a club.

    SPIEGEL: Do you have a favourite club?

Carlsen: Real Madrid, the royals.

    SPIEGEL: Many football players use music to get in the mood before a game. Do you do that too before sitting down in front of the board?

Carlsen: Oh, yes. If I am feeling gloomy before a game, I listen to gloomy music.

    SPIEGEL: Such as?

Carlsen: You probably won’t know it, a song by Lil Jon. A silly rap song, but it does me good, I loosen up. I listen to music on the Internet, but don`t download any songs. It’s all totally legal. Many people may find that boring, but I think it is important.

I am sure many will speculate about the song that inspires the best chess player in the world, if only to add it to their own playlists.... Perhaps it's Give It All U Got?

First "Only NJ" Championship, March 20-21

2010-03-14T20:46:00.002-04:00

On March 20th and 21st, the Dean Of Chess Academy (3150 U.S. Route 22 West in Branchburg, NJ) will be hosting the First "Only New Jersey" Championship (see USCF for official details). You can enter online at http://entryfeesrus.com or by mail, sending checks (payable to NJSCF) to Ken Thomas, 115 West Moore Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840-2233 or by making an on-site cash payment from 8:00-9:45 a.m. on Saturday 3/20. Due to space limitations, only the first 100 paid entries (total, regardless of section) will get to play. The Masters-Experts (rated 2000 or higher) is a 4 Round Swiss, 40 moves/120, SD/60, $70 entry (half price for former NJ State champs). Prizes : $500-300-200-100 (for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th), $100 to Top Expert, plus trophies to 1st, 2nd, 3rd & Top Expert. Rounds : Saturday 3/20 @ 10 a.m. & 4:30 p.m., Sunday 3/21 @ 9 a.m. & 4 p.m. Entries so far include current NJ champ Dean Ippolito, former champ Steve Stoyko, Jim West, and Anna Matlin.

Class A-B (For those rated 1600-1999) and Class C (For those U1600 & unrated) are 5 Round Swisses, G/100, with $65 entry fee. Rounds at Saturday 3/20 @ 10 a.m., 2 p.m. & 6 p.m., Sunday 3/21 @ 11 a.m. & 3 p.m.

For more information, contact Ken (the Tournament Director), at acn@goes.com or (908)763-6468.

Support "Chess Movie"

2010-03-11T10:37:00.000-05:00

I.S. 318 at NY State Championships

Katie Dellamaggiore, an independent documentary filmmaker from Brooklyn, is raising money for her Chess Movie, about the award-winning I.S. 318 team. Visit her "Kickstarter" page to learn more about the project and to pledge your support. Though they have already met their minimum goal of raising $4,000, they definitely need a lot more than that to finish this important documentary, which I think could do for scholastic chess what Mad Hot Ballroom did for kids' ballroom dancing. Here is Katie's appeal:

Over the last 2 years I have been producing and directing a documentary about scholastic chess with my company Rescued Media. Chess Movie (working title) goes inside one of the best junior high chess program in the nation, Intermediate School 318 in Brooklyn, New York. Many students at 318 come from difficult circumstances and 60% are from low-income families, but being part of a winning chess team gives them a unique opportunity to experience success at a young age. Justus, Patrick, Alexis, Pobo & Rochelle are 5 of 50 team members that are learning on the chessboard the skills they need to face challenges of adolescence and their working class circumstances.

In April 2009 we embarked on our first trip with the team to Nashville, Tennessee, to the USCF Super Nationals. Once we witnessed how big the scholastic chess world was, we were hooked. Over the next year we embedded ourselves with the team-- at home, at school and away at tournaments -- and slowly, the kids' individual stories began to take shape. Please view our five minute teaser for an idea of where the film is now headed. It’s our ultimate goal to secure a national television broadcast for Chess Movie and maybe even a small theatrical release. We also plan to build a strong community outreach campaign in the hopes the film will build support for scholastic chess programs in under served communities as we have witnessed firsthand the profound effect the I.S. 318 chess program has had on its students.

Right now we have a fundraising campaign underway at Kickstarter.com. Kickstarter is an online funding platform for artists to engage with their audiences and build support for their projects. Our Kickstarter campaign has been pretty successful so far, reaching our initial goal of $4,000 in just a few short weeks. But we still have 50 days to go and we need more than 4k to finish this film. When you log onto Kickstarter you will see that we are offering some really cool rewards and incentives for backers. For example a $10 donation gets you exclusive access to video updates and deleted scenes and a $55 donation secures you a "Special Thanks" credit in our film. We also offer chess-centric rewards like free memberships to WORLD CHESS LIVE and CHESS.COM but at the end of the day I hope you are most inspired to give because you love chess and are moved by the kids and their stories. We believe this film has the potential to breakdown false stereotypes about chess and present a new and fresh perspective to one of the world's oldest and most beloved games.

CHESS MOVIE (working title) from Rescued Media on Vimeo.

Moving from Blogger FTP to WordPress, Part 1

2010-03-08T13:14:00.000-05:00

Life was easy when I set up this blog (and others) way back in May 2005 using Blogger's friendly FTP service. Then in January 22 of this year, Blogger announced that they are shutting down FTP access in March -- since pushed back to May 1, 2010 -- and had set up a blog and some migration tools to help users shift to other Blogger-supported methods. It's good to know that switching to a simple blogging method would be easy and painless -- but I don't trust Blogger now and want to maintain some of our traffic. So I have decided to switch over to WordPress (which I've been admiring for a while anyway) and see if I can continue to maintain the same web addresses for our blogs. Some things may change -- such as the RSS feeds (from what I have read) and certainly the blogging interface -- but I hope to pull off the switch with a minimum of downtime and no change to our link structure (fingers crossed). Here are some guides I have been reading on the subject, in case you are in the same boat:

FTP Publishing on Blogger to WordPress: Migration Guide by Ravi
Migrating from Blogger to WordPress (FTP Blogs) by Ben Frain
Be sure to check the comments area here, which suggests it may actually be easier than he says.
Move from Blogger to WordPress without Losing GoogleRank by Jason Fitzpatrick at Lifehacker
Migrate Your Blog from Blogger to WordPress with All the Google Juice by Amit Agarwal at Digital Inspiration
Move from Blogger to WordPress and Maintain Permalinks and Traffic by Arpit Jacob

These seem pretty helpful, but I get the sense that WordPress may be working behind the scenes to make the process even easier. Just wish they would do more to announce what they are up to. Seems like a great opportunity for them to gain customers. I have backed up our site and started experimenting with The Center Square blog to see how this will go. I'll keep you posted on my progress and welcome reader advice.

USATE 2010 Games

2010-03-02T02:50:00.000-05:00

The Week in Chess has posted TWIC #799 with USATE games, which I have collected in a USATE 2010 PGN for convenience. The NJSCF or NJoyChess usually posts a cleaned up version that includes team names and accurate ratings.

The Albin Counter-Gambit in Question

2010-02-28T22:56:00.000-05:00

The Albin Counter-Gambit by Dorian Rogozenco at ChessBase (from CBM #134) offers everything you need as White (including full games and analysis) to learn how to put the onus on Black in this line with 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Nbd2! (see diagram). As I indicated in The Albin Counter-Gambit with Nge7: Morozevich-Mengarini Variation and Albin Counter Gambit Bibliography, 5.Nbd2 is definitely the most difficult move for Black to meet since it prepares to assail the d-pawn by Nb3 and allows White to meet the fashionable 5....Nge7 (preparing to defend by Nf5) with the forceful 6.Nb3 Nf5 7.e4! dxe3 (7...Nh4!? may be a better try) 8.Qxd8+ Nxd8 (8...Kxd8 9.Bxe3! Nxe3 10.fxe3 += Bilguer!) 9.fxe3 += with an easy endgame advantage as proven in many games. Interestingly, Rustam Kasimdzhanov fails to mention this possibility in discussing this line on video. But I think the ball is back in Black's court and I don't see a very good way to proceed.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 White Repertoire Webliography

2010-02-26T15:13:00.007-05:00

I have been developing a 1.e4 e5 White repertoire based on the Italian Game or Giuoco Piano (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4) where White blows open the center with an early d4 (after 3...Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 or the gambit 3...Bc5 4.d4!?) rather than play the "quieter" Giuoco lines with 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 (which will feature in a repertoire book by John Emms titled Beating 1.e4 e5 due in May from Everyman Chess). The repertoire also features the aggressive "Duffer's Attack" against the Two Knights (with 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 -- which Seigbert Tarrasch famously labeled a "duffer's move"). I realized the other day that my repertoire could be learned from web sources alone, so I thought I'd take on the challenge of putting together a "1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 White Repertoire Webliography" for anyone who is interested. I have also listed a few books and other materials for those who want to study these lines more deeply.

I present the repertoire as a 14-part webliography of sources. Even if you are not interested in the Giuoco Piano, you may benefit from the recommendations and online resources against the Petroff, Philidor, Latvian, Elephant, and other lines at Black's disposal. As always, I invite reader comments and additions.

1. Giuoco Piano Overview (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5)

I recommend learning a few different Giuoco Piano lines to get the maximum enjoyment from the repertoire. I am personally most interested in the Steinitz-Sveshnikov Attack (4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5!?), but I have also enjoyed trying out the Moeller Attack (4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3), Rossolimo Variation (with 7.Bd2), and Max Lange Attack and Gambit (beginning 4.d4!?). All are lots of fun to play for amateurs and well supported by online sources. Some of these lines are regarded as "suspect" by GM theory, but all have been used with success by GMs, while amateurs will find them simply deadly against their level of competition. Those interested in exploring the world of the Giuoco Piano or Italian Game in greater depth might pick up Jan Pinski's Italian Game and Evans Gambit (Everyman 2005) or Jude Acers and George Laven's The Italian Gambit System (Trafford 2003)--the latter of which has a surprising amount of good opening advice to offer amateur players. I also have Reinhold Ripperger's ChessBase CD on The Giuoco Piano, which has some annotated games and exercises but is probably not worth the investment. As usual, the web offers everything most amateur players will need to get started:

Beginner's Repertoire at Chessgames.com
The link presents a game collection from Chessgames.com with great classic games showing you how to crush people with the Moeller and other Giuoco lines. It's essentially a complete repertoire in games -- just click your way through them and you get the basic theoretical ideas and tactics.
"Don't Shoot the Piano Player!" by Leviathan at Chessgames.com
Another great games collection that serves as an excellent introduction to Giuoco Piano themes and ideas.
Exeter Chess Club's The Italian Game for Beginners by Dr. Dave (e-book in PDF)
Tricks, traps and tactical ideas in the Italian lines, including the Evans, Moeller Attack, and others. This little e-book makes a great beginner's introduction to Giuoco Piano themes.
Swansong of the Giuoco Piano, Part 1 (Kibitzer #64 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding
The Giuoco Piano, Part 2: The Case for the Defence (Kibitzer #65 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding
The Giuoco Piano on Trial, Part 3: The Summing Up (Kibitzer #69 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding
The Giuoco Piano on Trial: White Wins the Case (Kibitzer #70 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding
The Giuoco Piano Revisited (Kibitzer #118 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding
This five part series of articles on the Giuoco Piano lines with c3 and d4 for White -- mostly focused on the Moeller Attack and Rossolimo's Bd2 line with only some discussion of others -- gives a great overview to the Giuoco Piano theory and is remarkably pro-White in the final analysis. In the last article, Harding returns to the Giuoco by way of reviewing Pinski's book, focusing on the critical lines vs the Moeller Attack and the Rossolimo Variation.

1A. The Giuoco Piano, Steinitz-Sveshnikov Attack, a.k.a. "Anderssen Attack" (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5!?)

The advance with 6.e5!? secures a space advantage for White and creates opportunities for controlling the dark squares and attacking on the kingside. First played by Adolf Anderssen, the line was adopted by Wilhelm Steinitz in a few World Championship match games with Lasker (though he later rejected the line in favor of the Moeller Attack), and much later revived with success by the great theoretician Evgeny Sveshnikov. There really is not much good "book" material on this line, though Pinski or Acers & Laven offer coverage. Currently I am analyzing Ni Hua's games based on his notes in Mihail Marin's excellent book on the Reggio Emilia tournament. I think this line is typically underestimated by theory and can be deadly at amateur level. It also does not risk as much as the gambit lines and is more fun than the Rossolimo.

Giuoco Steinitz-Sveshnikov Variation from the Fayetteville Chess Club
A very useful two-page "quick-start guide" which will introduce players to the line.
The Steinitz - Sveshnikov Attack in the Giuoco Piano by Michael Goeller
An introduction to the opening for amateur players, focusing on the many ways that Black can and will go wrong in these lines.

1B. The Giuoco Piano, Moeller Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3)

This is a risky line and Black probably keeps a pawn with best play, but you are not going to find too many opponents below 2000 ELO who can prove that over the board. Besides, these lines are a lot of fun and Black has lots of ways to go wrong. If an amateur player asked my advice on learning the Moeller Attack, I think I would recommend hunting down a copy of Andy Soltis's fun little book Winning with the Giuoco Piano and the Max Lange Attack (Chess Digest 1996), which presents the material wonderfully for non-experts (though John Nunn questions some of the analysis in his Secrets of Practical Chess). Due to its historical significance and continuing interest among beginners, there is plenty of material online, especially Tim Harding's articles (cited above) and the following links:

Giuoco Piano: Möller Attack (2002) by Steven Craig Miller
A very useful quick-start guide for beginners and anyone just learning this complex line.
Massey's Moeller Attack by Michael Goeller
Presents a fun game won by NM Scott Massey at the US Amateur Team East 2010 with notes on the opening. Definitely the sort of game that might inspire you to take the Moeller seriously as a potential weapon for over the board play.
Stardust (Opening Lanes #109 at ChessCafe, January 2008) by Gary Lane
Covers the critical 9...Ne5 against the Moeller Attack and the drawing line 10...Na5 vs. the Rossolimo line with Bd2.
Apertura Italiana, ataque Möller moderno (C54) at Hechiceros del Tablero
Apertura Italiana (C54) Ataque Möller antiguo at Hechiceros del Tablero
A very useful unsigned two-part series on the Moeller from the old Hechiceros site, in Spanish. Be sure to download the PGN files at the end of each to do your own analysis. From the Internet Archives.
Giucio [sic] Piano Reference by Craig Sadler
Despite the poor spelling, this is a useful reference chart to main variations.
Lange-Lampert, 1903 annotated at the Farragut Chess Club website
Steinitz - von Bardeleben, Hastings 1895 at Chessgames.com
Steinitz - von Bardeleben, Hastings 1895 annotated by John Hillery
Steinitz v von Bardeleben by Edward Winter
Clears up some of the mystery about how the game ended.

1C. Giuoco Piano, Rossolimo Variation (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2)
The idea of playing the safe 7.Bd2 was revived by U.S. players Nicolas Rossolimo and Edmar Mednis and recently advocated by Roman Dzindzichashvili in some videos and in Chess Openings for White, Explained. The game Rossolimo-Reissmann, Puerto Rico 1967, is rather inspiring. Though the resulting trade of Bishops generally eases Black's task, the line still leads to wide open positions with plenty of piece play and chances for both sides. White accepts an isolated pawn, but this gives him control over the center, especially the c5 and e5 squares. You will see that theory finds two methods of achieving equality for Black, but that is never the end of the story in amateur games.

Stardust (Opening Lanes #109 at ChessCafe, January 2008) by Gary Lane
Covers the critical 9...Ne5 against the Moeller Attack and the drawing line 10...Na5 vs. the Rossolimo line with Bd2.
Have the Giuoco's Fangs Been Pulled? by Jeremy Silman
Silman analyzes the lines following 7...Nxe4!? 8.Bxb4 Nxb4 9.Bxf7+ as leading to equality for Black.
Rossolimo-Reissmann, Puerto Rico 1967 annotated at Vejen Skakforening
Khachiyan-Lenderman, Golden State 2010 annotated by Michael Aigner
Evidence, if any were needed, that this line is still viable at the GM level even today.

1D. Max Lange Gambit and Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d4)
There has been a revived interest in the Max Lange Attack and Max Lange Gambit, due mainly to some excellent analysis published by Lev Gutman and Stefan Bücker in the German chess journal Kaissiber (volumes 22-25 especially). Most of Gutman and Bücker's analysis is neatly summarized by John Emms in the recent Dangerous Weapons: 1.e4 e5 (Everyman 2008), which I have reviewed in these pages and think is excellent. You can also find lots of material online, including by yours truly:

Max Lange Gambit Revived by Michael Goeller
Poirot Investigates (Opening Lanes #103 at ChessCafe, July 2007) by Gary Lane
The Magic of Move Orders (Over the Horizons #14 at ChessCafe) by Stefan Bücker
The Modern Horowitz Variation of the Max Lange Attack by Michael Goeller
An Old Giuoco Worth Repeating by Michael Goeller
Lost Variations (Hard Chess column at The Campbell Report, September 1999) by Mark Morss
The Openings Explained #6 by Abby Marshall
A useful overview of the classical way of playing the Max Lange. But the analysis here is based on older sources and therefore mistaken regarding the line I recommend here.

2. Rousseau Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 f5!?)

This counter-gambit is much trickier than you would expect and must be met vigorously by 4.d4! See the second part of the McGrew analysis for details.

Giuoco Fortissimo: The Rousseau Gambit, Part One by Tim McGrew
Giuoco Fortissimo: The Rousseau Gambit, Part Two by Tim McGrew
Gambits in Many Dimensions (The Gambit Cartel #13 at ChessCafe) by Tim McGrew
Despite playing the Black side of this complex line, McGrew offers some excellent and objective analysis demonstrating White's advantage after 4.d4! -- returning to the subject later to add analysis and some philosophical reflections on the value of even "unsound" gambits that create many opportunities for opponents to go wrong. You actually will not find anything as detailed or useful in the "books" that mention this line.

3. Blackburne Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4?!)

Black's idea resembles the Bird Defense to the Ruy Lopez, except that White's Bishop is much better placed on c4 than on b5 once the Knight goes to d4. White should probably play 4.Nxd4! exd4 (White is up two tempi on the Bird) 5.c3! with a clear advantage. The quiet alternative 4.c3!? Nxf3+ 5.Qxf3 Qf6 yields White little. You may be amused, as I was, by the idea of "falling for" the trap after4.Nxe5?!? Qg5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.O-O! and Tim McGrew does the best job of demonstrating White's chances for attack.

Blackburne Gambit -- 3...Nd4?! by Adam Bozon
Best for beginners to know what to do against this, since they will see it sometimes
Two Wild Black Systems by Jeremy Silman
The second part of this article covers 3...Nd4 very well from the White perspective..
A Shilling in the Mailbag (The Gambit Cartel #26 at ChessCafe) by Tim McGrew
Analyzes the response 4.Nxe5(?) Qg5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.O-O! and 5.O-O!? as providing White plenty of interesting play for his piece -- a surprising and fun way to turn the tables on the gambiteer.
Reader's Showcase (The Gambit Cartel #25 at ChessCafe) by Tim McGrew
Maybe the only article I've ever seen to take 3...Nd4 seriously.

Two Knights, Duffer's Attack Overview (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5)
Seigbert Tarrasch may have called it a "Duffer's Move," but 4.Ng5 clearly forces Black to surrender a pawn or suffer a dangerous attack. In "Duffer's Delight," a writer at the Streatham & Brixton Chess Blog describes some of the reasons why 4.Ng5 is being seen more frequently in GM practice, as computers have helped analysts recognize that even odd-looking ways of winning or holding an extra pawn are difficult to meet.

4.Two Knights, Duffer's Attack, Traxler Counter-Gambit (4.Ng5 Bc5!?)

This may well be the toughest thing Black has against the Duffer's Attack with 4.Ng5, but I feel safe with the unusual 5.d4!? This is the rarest line for White, the easiest to study, and offers some safe bail-out options (like 5.d4 d5! 6.dxc4 dxc5 7.Qxd8+ etc). Pinski does not think much of it, but other authors think it may be best. If you disagree, check out the webliography for more links -- including the complete set of articles by Maarten de Zeeuw from New in Chess Yearbook available online for download.

Traxler Counter Attack (Wilkes-Barre) Webliography by Michael Goeller
Seven Ways to Refute the Traxler (Over the Horizons #23 at ChessCafe) by Stefan Bücker
Another Look at the Traxler by Maarten de Zeeuw (NIC Yearbook #63)

5. Two Knights, Duffer's Attack, Amazing Counter Attack (4.Ng5 Nxe4?!)

Tim Harding explored this wild line (based on the idea that 5.Nxe4?! d5 is good for Black), returning to the subject later with the best ideas for White. Best to be prepared so you are not amazed.

Some Opening Topics Revisited (Kibitzer #33 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding
Two Knights Defence: The Amazing Counterattack (Kibitzer #5 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding

6. Two Knights, Lolli Attack or Fried Liver (4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.d4! or 6.Nxf7!?)

This is actually a bit of a disputed territory of late, thanks to the use of computers. And some players (most notably Dan Heisman) have made a very deep study of these lines, concluding that Black might be able to hold or reach an unclear position. However, at the amateur level, you can be pretty certain that if your opponent plays into this line he has done so unwittingly and is going to be defeated swiftly. The Lolli Attack (with 6.d4!) seems like the way to get the most out of the position compared to the traditional Fried Liver continuation (with 6.Nxf7!?), but both are very effective at the amateur level. Hat tip to The Bishops Bounty for pointing me to some sources.

The Lolli Attack by Michael Goeller
The Lolli Attack at Chess Teaching and Lessons
Back to Basics (Opening Lanes #121 at ChessCafe, January 2009) by Gary Lane
Covers the Lolli and Fried Liver attacks.
Giuoco Piano, Two Knights, Fried Liver (C57) by Richard Westbrook (Farragut Chess Club 2006) -- see also Paul Morphy Fried Liver Attack.
A useful article on how to win the Fried Liver Attack.
Fried Liver Attack, Pratt-Wolford 1976 by John Pratt
A useful introduction to the Fried Liver for beginners.
The Fegatello Attack (Unorthodox Openings Newsletter #2) by Paul Valle
Available in the archive or download the issue of UON. Offers some deep analysis showing how Black might survive the traditional Fried Liver with 6.Nxf7.
The Fried Liver Attack, Part One by Boris Alterman (June 1, 2008)
The Fried Liver Attack, Part Two by Boris Alterman (June 6, 2008)
The Fried Liver Attack, Part Three by Boris Alterman (June 13, 2008)
The Fried Liver Attack, Part Four by Boris Alterman (June 16, 2008)
The Fried Liver Attack, Part Five by Boris Alterman (June 19, 2008)
The Fried Liver Attack, Part Six by Boris Alterman (June 29, 2008)
A useful presentation for amateur players focused mostly on the 6.Nxf7 lines, culminating in the annotated game Morphy - NN, New Orleans simul 1858 which features the Lolli Attack.

7. Two Knights, Duffer's Attack, Gunsberg Variation (4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3!?)

Daniel Stellwagen's article in SOS #9 on the surprising 8.Bd3!? (securing e4 for the Knight's retreat, as in Stellwagen - de Jong) seems to have inspired a number of GM games, including Nakamura-Friedel, Short - Sokolov, and Conquest-Howell. Nakamura's use of the line to win the 2009 US Championship certainly gave it excellent publicity. White gets a very dynamic and complex game with an extra pawn and solid position. The pressure is on Black to show what he has got.

GM Nick DeFirmian's Game of the Day - US Championship - Round 9 by Nick DeFirmian from ICC/ChessFM
Generally these video commentaries are only available by subscription, but ICC decided to make them freely available for the championship.
SOS Game of the Month (June 2009): Nakamura - Friedel by Jeroen Bosch
Excellent notes in zipped ChessBase format on the game and the opening, from NIC.
Nakamura Wins 2009 US Championship by Michael Goeller
Analyzes the game Nakamura - Friedel.
Behold, Once Again, the Two Knights! by Mark Ginsburg
Excellent commentary on Nakamura - Friedel with improvements for Black.
Nakamura Wins Second US Championship by Dylan Loeb McClain
Includes light notes on the game in a java viewer.
Short and Timman Shine in Staunton Memorial at ChessBase
Analyzes the game Short - Sokolov.
UK Take the Lead in Round 3 by Malcolm Pein
Analyzes the game Short - Sokolov.

8. Two Knights, Duffer's Attack, Fritz-Ulvestad (4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nd4 or 5...b5)

This is another tricky territory for White, but some recent games suggest that White looks good after 5....b5 6.Bf1 Nd4 7.c3 Nxd5 8.cxd4 in the Fritz-Ulvestad. I am looking for more analysis to support this section.

The Fritz and Ulvestad Variations by Steven Craig Miller for the Renaissance Knights Club
A very useful quick-start guide on these critical lines.
Open Games Revisited: The Two Knights (November 2005, Kibitzer #114) by Tim Harding
Covers both the Fritz/Ulvestadt and main lines after Ng5.
Charbonneau - Schneider, USCL 2009 without notes -- I hope to find some material on the web analyzing this game.
Death of the Main-Line Ulvestad by Mark Ginsburg
A very pro-White analysis refuting the Ulvestad. See also his comments on Zierk - Friedel, embedded.
Vallejo-Pons vs Naiditsch, European Teams 2007
New Investigations in the Two Knights Defense (September 2008, Kibitzer #148) by Tim Harding
Friedel's Fritz-Ulvestad Wins Again by Michael Goeller
GM Josh Friedel Plays the Ulvestad by Michael Goeller
Two Knights Defense, Fritz-Ulvestad Variation by Michael Goeller
Two Knights, Ulvestad by Katar at Chessvideos
Two Knights Fritz Notes by Pete Tamburro (forum only requires free registration to access).

9.Hungarian and Closed Defenses (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4)

Besides the traditional Giuoco Piano with 3...Bc5 and the Two Knights Defense with 3...Nf6, Black can also play several moves leading to a more closed position with 3...Be7 (the Hungarian Defense), 3...Qe7 (Euwe's traditional Closed line), 3...d6 (Mihail Marin's recent favorite) or 3...g6 (my own preference as Black). Jan Pinski's book on the Italian Game and Evans Gambit (Everyman 2005) probably offers the most objective coverage of these lines. None of these lines is something White needs to fear. The simplest general policy is to play as you would against the closed Philidor with c3, d4, h3, and a4, restraining Black and holding onto more space. I would say that you will rarely encounter these lines at the amateur level.

Avoiding the Fried Liver: The Hungarian Defense by Eric Schiller
Weeramantry - Bisguier, USATE 2008 by Michael Goeller
A Black Fianchetto System in the Open Games, Part One: White Plays c3 and d4 by Michael Goeller
A Black Fianchetto System in the Open Games, Part Two: White Plays a Gambit with d4 and c3 by Michael Goeller
Mihail Marin reaches these lines via the 3...d6 move order and has written about that in ChessBase Magazine. My own preference is 3...g6, though I grant that White definitely has some play against that move order, both with the d4 and c3 gambit and with d4 followed by Bg5 (which I hope to cover in a future installment on this system).

10. Philidor's Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4)

Since my bibliography, Christian Seel's The Philidor: A Secret Weapon and a new edition of Van Rekom & Jansen's The Black Lion have come out to supplement Christian Bauer's book (which I now see has plenty of flaws). But the bibliography is still useful and offers the best "refutation" of Jim West's favorite Philidor Counter-Gambit with 3...f5: 4.exf5! as seen in Dvoirys - West, New York 2000.

Philidor Defense Bibliography by Michael Goeller
Offers some useful links, in case you want to go your own way.
Philidor Defense, Part One and Philidor Defense, Part Two by IM Attila Schneider
Though dated, these two articles offer an excellent overview of basic Philidor Theory.
Anti-Antoshin by Michael Goeller
This analysis expands on my notes on this line from the Urusov Gambit. But I'm not sure I'd recommend this line for everyday use.

11. Petroff (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4!)

I think the best way to achieve an unbalanced position against the Petroff is by 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 which also has the advantage of getting many amateur Petroff players out of their comfort zone. If you are serious about finding an antidote to the Petroff, you might consider tracking down The Petroff Defence by GM Artur Yusupov (Olms 1999) which may still be the best reference on the 3.d4 lines I recommend.

Anti-Petroff Repertoire with d4 by Michael Goeller
Recommends 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 (3...exd4 4.e5 Ne4 5.Qe2!?) 4.Bd3 d5 6.dxe5 with a complete repertoire for White built around this approach.
A Crown for Kosteniuk by Malcolm Pein

12. Latvian (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5!? 3.Nxe5! Qf6 4.Nc4!?)

If you are somebody who likes to have a book to study an opening, you might consider picking up Tony Kosten's The Latvian Gambit Lives! (Batsford 2001), but online analysis has gone much further than Kosten. Though there is an intimidating amount of analysis on the line, I recommend the Leonhardt Variation, which I first encountered looking at the game Trifunovic - Apsenieks, Stockholm 1937. The line is recommended by a number of books, including Chess Openings for White, Explained.

Latvian Gambit, Part One by John Watson at Jeremy Silman's website
Another Look at the Latvian Gambit, Part Two by Jeremy Silman
Two Wild Black Systems, Part Three by Jeremy Silman
Splat the Lat, Part Four by Jeremy Silman
More Splat the Lat, by Jeremy Silman
Some encouraging analysis of the Leonhardt lines, leading to a debate that puts the question of a true White advantage up for grabs, only to eventually resolve it in White's favor.
Splat the Lat? Not Quite! by Jeremy Silman
Silman returns to the Latvian problem at Chess.com.
La Refutacion del Gambit Leton, Part 1 by Alejandro Melchor
La Refutacion del Gambit Leton, Part 2 by Alejandro Melchor
The Latvian Gambit Revisited by Nagesh Havanur at Chessville
The Latvian Gambit Revisited, Part Two by Nagesh Havanur at Chessville
See also forum discussions at Openings for Amateurs and ChessPub.

13. Elephant Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5!? 3.exd5!)

The best analysis of this tricky line is probably on the web, especially now that you can download an excellent chapter from Watson and Schiller's Survive & Beat Annoying Chess Openings. I have never encountered this opening in a game, but it pays to be prepared.

"The Elephant Gambit" (also available here) from Survive & Beat Annoying Chess Openings by Eric Schiller and John Watson
Excellent coverage of White's best option (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5!) from Schiller and Watson's surprisingly good book. Free PDF.
We're Going on a Elephant Hunt, Kibitzer #15 by Tim Harding
Elephant Gambit 2 by Paper, Jensen and Purser (Blackmar Press 1997) from Chess.com
Free e-book download of 2nd edition of Elephant Gambit book. Useful reference.
Elephant Gambit Miniatures by Clyde Nakamura at Chessville
Keres - De Agustin, Madrid 1943
Tal - Lutikov, Tallinn 1964
Short - Corbin, Simul
See also excellent discussion at the ChessPub forum.

14. The Damiano (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6?)
Does this really need commentary? Well, with Sam Sloan on the loose playing this move against unsuspecting youngsters, it at least deserves mention.

Chess (Washington Post, May 25, 2009) by Lubomir Kavalek
Perhaps the most useful and extensive GM commentary on 2...f6? ever recorded.
Life on the Edge (Gambit Cartel #12 at ChessCafe, August 2003) by Tim McGrew
Returns to the Damiano and discusses some other problematic gambit ideas.
Tactics of Mistake (Gambit Cartel #11 at ChessCafe, July 2003) by Tim McGrew
Considers the Black side of Damiano's 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6!?? with the idea of either challenging White to prove he knows the refutation or meeting 3.Nxe5 with 3...Qe7.

Conclusion
I hope you have enjoyed this repertoire and the number of excellent online resources that support it. There are many other resources out there, but not everyone has access to them. I have most enjoyed Boris Alterman's videos at ICC/Chess FM and look forward to his forthcoming Alterman Gambit Guide from Quality Press devoted to White Gambits. And I wish Chess Commander would stop ripping off my stuff.

Snow Closes Kenilworth Chess Club Tonight

2010-02-25T15:33:00.002-05:00

The Kenilworth Chess Club will be closed tonight due to expected snow, and the Garden State League match between the Kenilworth Kramniks vs Hamilton has been rescheduled to March 4th at Kenilworth. The Kenilworth Quads will start March 11th and finish up on the 18th and 25th. It will be USCF rated.

Tobey Maguire Considers Bobby Fischer Role

2010-02-24T23:38:00.007-05:00

A passing reference in a Deadline Hollywood article notes that Steven Knight recently completed work for Columbia Pictures "on Pawn Sacrifice, a drama about Bobby Fischer's unlikely victory over Russian chess champ Boris Spassky. Tobey Maguire is producing and eyeing the Fischer role." This may be the same project mentioned here last May (see Bobby Fischer on Film) based on Bobby Fischer Goes to War which had been optioned by Universal Pictures but later dropped.

Chess Mates Chess Club Opening Delayed

2010-02-23T09:49:00.002-05:00

The Chess Mates Chess Club, located at 1523 Irving St. in Rahway, N.J. and owned/managed by 2010 Kenilworth Champion Arthur Macaspac, ~~will have its Grand Opening at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 1st~~ has postponed its grand opening due to construction delays caused by recent snow storms. A new date should be announced soon.

The facility, conveniently located near the Rahway train station, is expected to be open 7 days & 4 nights per week. Some 20 USCF-rated events will be run every month:

Sundays 5-SS, G/45
Mondays 4-SS, G/25 (1st & 2nd weeks of the month)
Tuesdays 3-Round Quads, G/30
Wednesdays 4-SS, G/30
Friday 4-SS, 30 moves in 90 + SD/60 (one game per week)
Saturday 4-SS, G/60 for U2400s

There will be monthly lessons & simuls by Yudasin, plus weekday afternoon skittles (Monday-Thursday) for seniors (12:30-2:15 p.m.) & children (2:30-4:15 p.m.).

For details about lessons, calendar, more detailed directions, membership, and other information visit the Chess Mates website.

USATE 2010 Crosstables

2010-02-22T19:20:00.002-05:00

Fun and Names at the US Amateur Team East by Jennifer Shahade offers some games and commentary on last week's USATE, including Joe Fang's crucial victory over Kenilworth's Scott Massey in the last round on Board 1 (which also received mention in The New York Times). You can also now check out the official tournament crosstable at the USCF website (including ratings adjustments) or download the full wall chart in PDF or final team standings from the NJSCF site. Keep an eye out for the games.

Unorthodox Openings Newsletter

2010-02-20T07:41:00.000-05:00

If you are serious about unorthodox openings, then you will definitely want to check out some issues of the Unorthodox Openings Newsletter. The early ones are simply a collection of various (often amateur) games featuring oddball openings. But the more recent issues typically feature analysis, annotated games, and history. You will even find some book-length issues devoted to the Zilbermints Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 e6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.O-O?!?! Nxd4 9.Kh1!?), the Grob (1.g4?!?), and the Halloween Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5?!?!) Lots of ideas for the adventurous chess player out to have fun.

Mission Impossible, "A Game of Chess"

2010-02-19T10:26:00.000-05:00

Ah, "Mission Impossible"! One of my favorite shows as a kid. This YouTube posting is a great find by Mark Weeks, in five parts. You should be able to see the mate before the computer does near the end of the first part.

A Game for Two

2010-02-16T15:05:00.001-05:00

A Game for Two (english subs, full movie) from Stelios Koukouvitakis on Vimeo.

Ah, the trouble a chess player will go through for a woman who has read Art of Attack....

USATE 2010 Wrap-up

2010-02-16T14:26:00.001-05:00

Round Five at Board 1

Well, it was fun while it lasted and definitely feels better than 2008 when we lost only to the infamous GGGgs to finish 5-1 or 2007 when we made it to Board 1 in Round 5 only to lose to Beavis-and-Buttvinnik. We played on Board #1 the last two rounds, entering Round 6 with the only 5-0 record, but we lost to the excellent Cambridge Springers, a perennial top team with the deadly Joe Fang going ~~6-0~~ 5.5 on Board 2 (alone winning the second board prize after winning a nice ending against our Scott Massey). Bob Rose won on Board 4, so we definitely had a shot at it. But Ed Allen drew his lower-rated opponent on Board 3 and Steve Stoyko lost a difficult but drawable ending against Bill Kelleher on Board 1 (getting distracted by his cell phone buzzing in his pocket, which resulted in a critical 10-minute penalty -- though, of course, at any other tournament he probably would have been forfeited....) With a host of 4.5 teams behind us -- several of whom won their matches to go to 5.5 -- we got knocked out of the prizes entirely. Updated: For complete team results, see the NJSCF website with final standings and complete results.

I'll update as more news or links roll in. Meanwhile, here are some good blogs with USATE coverage (if I've left one out, let me know via comments):

Kenilworth 5-0 Heading into Round 6

2010-02-15T23:36:00.000-05:00

Goeller - Hellenschmidt
Black to play and win (he missed it)

In Round 5 of the US Amateur Teams East, our Kenilworth team made it to Board One with a perfect record. I was able to win my game (see "Board One Blunder-Fest" for details) and I thought at the time it was rather well-played. The rest of the team drew, so we won the match and they will play for the championship in the final round (the only team at 5-0, with Bob Rose on Board Four this time). Though I'm still happy with the result, I'm none too happy with the game, which looks like a blunder-fest under the harsh glare of the computer. But that's what late round games can be like.

I had to go teach a class (can you believe Rutgers has classes on Presidents Day?), so I wasn't able to find out what happened in the last round. If anyone knows results, please post them in comments.

USATE 2010, Round 2: Massey's Moeller Attack

2010-02-15T02:44:00.001-05:00

Massey - NN, after 14...Kf8
White to play and win.

Massey - NN, after 23...Kf6
What's the fastest win?

After the third round of play at the US Amateur Teams East in Parsippany, the "Kenilworth A" team was 3-0 and sitting behind the rope in contention for the title. I'll find out shortly how we did in Round 4 and if we are playing up or down in Round 5 today. Meanwhile, I have a little gem of a game that NM Scott Massey played in Round 2 (PGN here) on Saturday that is sure to amuse you, featuring the Moeller Attack of the Italian Game or Giuoco Piano. Scott, who was 3-0 himself after three rounds, says he figured all of this out at the board, having only the vaguest recollection of theory. However, he did miss the quickest win in the second diagram: can you find it?

USATE 2010, Round 1

2010-02-14T07:16:00.000-05:00

Vicary - Massey
Black to play.

Stoyko-Katz
White to play and win.

Moore - Goeller
Black to play and win a pawn.

I got to meet the lovely Elizabeth Vicary (whose chess coaching at Brooklyn's IS 318 I've long admired) when our teams were paired in the first round of play at the US Amateur Teams East in Parsippany. I have posted three of the games from our match with notes (also in PGN). The games were relatively short and we won the match 4-0.

On Board 1, FM Steve Stoyko played the odd 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Bd3!? idea in the French that was featured in an SOS article. Looking at his game almost convinces me to give it a try and the concluding attack (see diagram) was very attractive. On Board 2, NM Scott Massey played Ms. Vicary and I joined them for the post-mortem (where I wish I had more interesting things to say). Scott got excellent counterplay on the queenside in a Dragon-like Pirc and won a pawn--though it should have been two says Fritz--with a nice shot (see diagram). I would have liked to get Ed Allen's score as well, since it featured a classic Nd5 sac in the Sicilian (all book likely), but he had gone. My own game was essentially over on move four (see diagram).

I think the team is in very good form and I look forward to play today. (Oh, and the Hilton has admirably anticipated my fears of a general stomach flu outbreak by supplying plenty of hand sanitizer).

USATE 2010

2010-02-12T10:55:00.002-05:00

Like many of you, I will be playing in the Teams this weekend: "The 40th Annual World Amateur Team & U.S. Team East - Ruby Anniversary" at the Parsippany Hilton to be precise. I will be the alternate on my usual team (as in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009), which I am hoping will be called "Kenilworth A," though team captain Steve Stoyko threatened to enter us as "Grumpy Old Men." He was grumpy about the club no longer sponsoring teams, but equally grumpy that my age made it impossible for us to qualify for the ~~Grumpy Old Men~~ "Seniors" prize. I may just bow out for someone older next year.

The US Amateur Teams East (or USATE) is the only event I play in each year, but with young kids (ages 3 and 7) at home it's tough to make it even to this "Tournament for the Rest of Us" without some guilt. My team has always been among those in the chase for the title, and I think that's what draws me back every year. Plus, it is just such a great event and all my chess friends will be there. But next year I might just visit and take my kids.

One note of warning: there have been several local reports of Norovirus (a.k.a. Norwalk virus or "stomach flu") affecting people at the same location -- including at the New York Times company cafeteria and a Rutgers dorm where 55 students got ill a couple weeks ago. I'm sure these stories are just the tip of the iceberg (the Rutgers one was just in the campus paper so you are not going to hear about it online and most people just suffer in silence). At USATE a few years back, there was clearly a similar outbreak. I think it's about time that the tournament directors followed the example of many public institutions and made hand sanitizer available for everyone. After all, who knows who has been touching that piece you just captured....

Update: The USCF website offers a nice preview of US Amateur Team events: see "Amateur Team Weekend Approaches."

Chess Rhapsodies Redux

2010-02-11T14:29:00.001-05:00

Back in May 2009, I directed readers to the "chess rhapsodies" of Lucio Etruscus, which set clips of cinematic chessplaying to music. Today ChessVibes offers up a complete rhapsody filmography in "Chess in cinema -- the ultimate collection" for anyone who wants to track down the films referenced in these videos.

Chess appears with incredible frequency on film because it provides an instant and visually attractive marker of distinction, intelligence, or cunning in the characters with which it is associated. To get a good sense of the sheer number of films in which chess appears, check out the website Citazioni scacchistiche nei media; the blog Echecs, cinéma, TV...léger; Bill Wall's list of Movies with Chess Scenes; and the website Chess in Cinema. For the truly obsessed, I recommend Bob Basalla's excellent Chess in the Movies.

Chess Playing New Jersey Devil

2010-02-08T19:41:00.001-05:00

A chessplaying New Jersey Devil from Paranominal's Cryptozoology. Why is it that the devil is always up for a game?