DEC 3 TOURNAMENT RESULTS

 Name   1 2 3 4 5 Chg Rating Merit

 Thomas L L D L W +12   236   2.5

NEXT TOURNAMENT -JAN 7 

TOURNAMENT

WHAT: Play 4 or 5 games of chess against students from other schools, hang out with friends, eat pizza, have fun, compete as a team

WHEN Sat Dec 3 8:00 a.m. to about 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: Diamondhead Education Center in Burnsville - approach the building from Burnsville Parkway

WHO: Anyone can sign up, but I don't recommend it if your rating is not over 200.  I would really like to see the following 5th graders give it a try: Cavan, Simon, Logan, Lucia, Thomas. Our goal will be to get some experience and improve so that by May we have a chance to do well at the State Championship.

Thomas is signed up.

WHY: Have fun, improve at chess, get extra coaching (I will be there to coach you, but I cannot be in the playing area when you are competing.)

HOW DO I SIGN UP: Go to SchoolChess.org and sign up.

HOW much does it cost? It's about $24 plus about $5 or $6 for lunch

DO WE HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN?  If you think hard and have fun thinking, you have met my expectations. Round 1 will be difficult - you will be playing someone who is expected to win 3 games. For the rest of the day you will be paired against someone with a similar record.

Bring a chess set. Wear a mask (because of the extended time in close contact)

COACH'S TIPS

1. If you ever have a question or a concern during the tournament, raise your hand. An experienced high schooler or adult will answer your question.

2. You have a whole hour to complete your game. Use the time well. When it's your opponent's turn, you should be thinking.

3. If your game hasn't finished after 30 minutes, you will be given a chess clock with instruction how to use it. This will insure that the game is done on time. If a player runs out of time he loses.

4 Sit on your hands! By the time you pull your hand up to move, that move might not look so good. Never think with your hand dangling over the board - you might touch a piece and have to move it. Also, your hand will block a clear view of the board.

5. Be a good sport - win or lose, congratulate your opponent on a good game.

6. Why are some kids writing in a booklet? They're writing down their move so they can replay their game with their coach. I highly recommend this - especially in round 1. I'll bring pencils and paper.

7. When planning your move always figure out what your opponent is up to. Why did he make that last move? Where is it going next? Did he open a new path for some other piece with that last move?

FINAL FALL RATINGS

Today we went over the checkmate worksheet. We. learned the technique of undermining (also called "removing the guard") and solved some problems on a worksheet. Congratulations to Cavan who scored 10 points on his worksheet. Also he won the quad tournament.                                                                                

Here are some problems and answers from today's worksheet:

PROBLEM 1. White's turn. How does he win?

Answer to Problem 1: Qxf7+ Kxf7 2. Rxd5 (I hope you remember how to checkmate with just a King and Rook!)

Problem 6. The solution is Rxg6 (undermining the support for the Bishop) After black takes the rook with either pawn, White plays 2.Qxe7 

However one of my students pointed out a better solution. Get out your chess set and follow along.

1.Qxe7!! Nxe7

2.Rxg7+ Kh8

3.Rxf7+ Kg7 (do you recognize the windmill from last week?)

4.Rg7+  Kh8

5.Rxe7+ Kg8 (Rf6 loses immediately to Rd8#)

6.Rg1+ Qg2 (only move)

7.Rxg2#

TOURNAMENTS 

Sat Nov 19 at Plymouth Middle School Register on-line at www.schoolchess.org and be there at 8:30 or show up at the door by 7:45. You'll play 5 games in either the 3rd-5th section or 6th - 8th. Questions -call me at the number listed on the school website. Also there is a special girls section.

Sat Dec 3 Diamondhead Education Center in Burnsville. Play only other students in your own grade.

Sat Jan 7 Diamondhead Education Center (sections for K-2,3-5,6-8)

Sat Jan 21 Plymouth Middle School (sections for K-2,3-5,6-8)

Sat Feb 18 Diamondhead Education Center (sections for K-2,3-5,6-8)  (We'll be back in session by then.)

FINAL RATINGS FROM THE FALL SESSION 

Cavan	367
Warren	335
Simon	262
Logan	242
Lucia	241
Thomas	224
Alex	144
Sean	139
Jack	124
Zion	115

 LESSONS

We went over the fun sheet on discovered attacks and double checks,

Today we looked at how to find checkmates. Examine the board carefully to se where the opponents king can move. Then see if you can check the king while also guarding any escape squares.

TOURNAMENT

Next tournament is at Plymouth Middle School. Section are K-2, 3rd-5th, 6th - 8th

Then Dec 3 at Nicollet (a little closer to home) for a grade level tournament.

PROBLEM

See if you can find the one move which is NOT checkmate.

RATINGS

Warren	371
Cavan	326
Simon	244
Logan	229
Thomas	224
Lucia	206
Sean	147
Alex	144
Jack	124
Zion	123

ANSWER to problem: Rc6 allows Black to play Rxh7

LESSON

Today we went over the battery worksheet. we had a lesson on discovered attacks and learned, among other things, what the "blind pig" checkmate is and what a double check is. 

TOURNAMENT

Thomas is signed up for the tournament this Saturday. Join him by signing up on-line at www.schoolchess.org . You will play 4 or 5 games against others in your same grade from across the Twin Cities. If you register on-line and pay on-line show up by 8:30. If you register on line, but pay on-site, show up before 8. Or if you show up at 7:45 you can register at the door. Lunch is available there. Bring a chess set. Because there will be a lot of children in one place, masks are required.

      Some of the players have been playing in tournaments since they were 5 yrs old and are very good now. New players ususally show up in January. So this will be difficult. Learn from your first few losses and try hard in you're last two games and maybe you can win one.

     Unfortunately I will not be able to be there. (My son-in-law's cross-country teams qualified for state and Gail and I are the baby-sitters.

RATINGS

Gr Merit Name      Rating

6	1.5	Warren	341
5		Cavan	326
5		Thomas	230
5		Simon	229
5		Logan	197
6		Lucia	186
5		Alex	144
5		Zion	132
5		Sean	126
6		Jack	103

Correction from last week: it was Warren who got the highest score on the worksheet. Today we reviewed pins by going over the worksheet. This week Simon got the top score! We learned a new tactic call the battery where we batter down the opponents protective walls. 

Next week we'll learn about the blind pig checkmate and we'll learn about discovered attacks.

TOURNAMENT  opportunity coming up on Saturday Nov 5 at Highview Middle School in New Brighton. Play 5 games against other students in your grade. The competition will be fierce. There are a lot of very good chess players in Minnesota. Each round you will be paired with someone who has approx. the same record as you. So it will get easier as the day goes on. In your first tournament, your goal should be to try to win one game. Then each tournament try to improve. Three players in one grade make a team and there are team awards in addition to the individual awards. See schoolchess.org to register or to get more information. Call me if you want to discuss this.

I think it would be fun if we had our top 3 fifth graders there.

RATINGS 

Gr	Merit	Name	26-Oct
6	1.5	Warren	326
5		Cavan	303
5		Simon	220
5		Thomas	207
5		Logan	170
6		Lucia	165
5		Alex	148
5		Zion	144
5		Sean	128
6		Jack	110

LESSONS   Today we went over hurdles and skewer. Congratulations to Jack who got the highest score in the class with 4 correct answers out of 8 problems. We learned a new tactic - the pin - and worked out some problems involving pins.

A little review of chess symbols

+ check

#checkmate

! good move

? not so good

x captures

B bishop (remember pieces are indicated by CAPITAL letters)

b the pawn on the b-file

PUZZLE 1  This position is reached in the "garbage gambit" after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxe5? (correct is Nxd4) Qg5 5.Nxf7 Qxg2 6.Rf1 Qxd4+ 7. Be2

It's Black's turn. What's his best move? (Hint a pin is in the solution)

PUZZLE 2. It's White's turn below. What are the next two moves for White that will lead to a win?

Answers below.

RATINGS

Name	19-Oct
Warren	340
Cavan	278
Thomas	212
Simon	186
Logan	161
Lucia	156
Zion	144
Alex	141
Sean	123
Jack	103

Answers

Puzzle 1: 1. Nf3# (the bishop is pinned!)

Puzzle 2: 1. Re1 (pin!) f6 (defending the pinned bishop) 2. f4!

Remember "After you pin a piece, attack it!" Preferably with a smaller piece - like a pawn.  Now we will win the bishop, the pawn, and the game!

Today we went over the answers to the fork worksheet.

We learned another tactic called the hurdle, and the similar skewer. I hope you remembered the poem:              "Two big pieces on a line? Look Out, it's hurdle time!"

Next week we'll go over the problems we solved today. Congratulations to Logan and Thomas who solved 5 of the 8 problems. Here's a problem from today: What's White's winning move?

Tournament on Saturday if you're interested. See SchoolChess.org to register and to get more information, or call me to discuss what to expect.

RATINGS

Name	12-Oct
Warren	349
Owen	269
Cavan	247
Thomas	185
Logan	166
Lucia	161
Simon	159
Zion	133
Alex	130
Jack	105
Sean	100
Zahra	100

Answer: 1. Rh8 Rxa7 2. Rh7+ winning the rook and the game!

Today we reviewed the checkmate/stalemate worksheet.

We also spent a lot of time on the knight and forks and other types of forks. We did a fork worksheet.

Practice Problems

Here are some problems from the Junior High League in which we participated in 2020.

PROBLEM 1 Black just moved Kb5 attacking our pawn. White's turn. What's the best move?

PROBLEM 2 Black has just played Nd4, Now it's White's turn. What's a good move? 

ANSWERS. 

Problem 1. Nd4+ winning the rook

Problem 2.  Notice that your queen is attacked. Also note that Nxd4 results in Bxe2. So you must move your queen. In the actual game,  White played Qe3 and lost his queen - do you see how? (Qe3 lost the Queen when Black played Nxc2+ forking the King and Queen.) Qd2 isn't any better - after 1. Qd2 Bxf3 2. gxf3 Nxf3+ once again forking the K and Q. This is a beautiful illustration of the problem of putting the Queen on the same color square that the King is on when a knight lurking nearby. The correct move is to move the queen to a light square - Qd1! (Qc1 loses a Rook after Nxe2+)

TOURNAMENT OPPORTUNITY

There will be a chess tournament held on Saturday Sept 15 at Zachary Lane Elementary in Plymouth.  All players will play all 5 (4?) rounds. Divisions are K-2, 3-5, 6-8. ssFor details and registration see Schoolchess.org Questions - call me.

If this is you first tournament, make it a goal to try to win 1 game

RATINGS

Name	5-Oct
Warren	349
Elliot P	273
Owen	269
Cavan	221
Thomas	188
Zion	139
Logan	136
Lucia	134
Simon	133
Alex	130
Jack	110
Sean	106
Zahra	100

 

Today we reviewed how to checkmate with just a king and queen vs a king.

We learned how to checkmate with just a king and rook vs a king.

We learned that K and N vs K or K and B vs K is a draw.

We learned that a King and 2 bishops can force a checkmate.

We learned that K, N, and B can win against a King is possible, but very difficult.

We reviewed checkmate and stalemate and worked out 18 problems on a worksheet which we'll go over next week.

RATINGS

Keep in mind that the goal is for you to learn and be a better chess player at the end if this course that you were at the beginning,

Warren	330
Elliot P	273
Owen	269
Cavan	190
Thomas	153
Logan	136
Alex	127
Simon	126
Lucia	124
Zion	119
Sean	106
Jack	100
Zahra	100

Today we learned: 

1) chess notation so we can read chessbooks and websites and we can record our own games for analysis later. 

2) all the rules about castling. 

3) the difference between checkmate and stalemate. 

HERE'S A QUICK GAME

1. e4     Nc6

2. g3     Ne5 

3. Ne2  Nf3# (0-1)

HILARIOUS GAME Get out your chess set and play this game out! Why is it over after move 12? 

1. d4     d6 

2. Qd2  e5 

3. a4.    e4 

4. Qf4   f5 

5. h3     Be7 

6. Qh2  Be6 

7. Ra3   c5 

8. Rg3   Qa5+ (Can you figure out what the plus sign means?)

9. Nd2   Bh4 

10. f3    Bb3 

11. d5    e3 

12. c4    f4 (1/2-1/2) this means a draw - each player gets half a point.

RATINGS 

Name     21-Sep 

Warren  316 

Elliot  273 

Owen    269 

Thomas  126 

Cavan   125

Nikolai 118 

Zion    117 

Alex    110 

Simon   110 

Lucia   110 

Sean    101 

Jack    100 

Logan   100 

Neo     100 

Zahra   100

Hilarious Game Answers

Answer to question 1: A plus sign after a move means "check". Your opponent's King is in check and must either capture the checking piece, block the check, or move the king out of check.

Answer to question 2: The game has ended in a stalemate! Although White still has all 16 pieces, none of them can make a legal move. It may look like one of the knights can move, but it would put his king in check.



THIS WEEK: First meeting of chess club went well. We learned how all the pieces move and the value of each piece.

We learned a general strategy for finding good moves: the more choices your piece has,  the more powerful it is. So move your pieces to where they have more choices.

We learned how to set up the board and how the squares are named. We also tried checkmating with just a queen and king and trying to avoid stalemate

NEXT WEEK we'll take a closer look at checkmate and stalemate. We'll also learn about castling.

Name	14-Sep
Warren	302
Elliot P	273
Owen	269
Nikolai	118
Alex	105
Simon	105
Cavan	105
Jack	105
Logan	105
Lucia	105
Sean	105
Thomas	105
Zion	105
Neo	100
Zahra	100

Chess club will be 10 sessions beginning Sept 14 2022 thru Nov 16 

We meet every Wednesday after school until 5:00 in Room 161

There will also be a spring session of 10 weeks Feb 16 - Apr 30.

You will have to enroll and pay through community ed.

I will teach lessons for both beginners and more advanced players.

There will be opportunities to compete in tournaments throughout the year

I would encourage players to participate in both session for several years as chess gets more fun the better you get.

Call Bill Heinemann 651-451-8412 if you have any questions.

The Instructor has taught chess for 30 years in the district as well as at Farnsworth, Capitol Hill, Salem Hills, Moreland, Friendly Hills, Somerset, and Mendota. His teams have won State Championships and National Championships. He has been named Minnesota Coach of the Year 3 times including 2022. He is also in the computer game hall of fame as creator of the popular Oregon Trail game.

 Last Tournament of the year Saturday May 28 at Zachary Lane Elementary in Plymouth.

I'm not planning on being there, but if you go, I'll update your rating based on the results.

We capped of the year with a tournament and then learned a. variety of chess called double-bughouse.
Here are the results:

Gr Seed Name   Rd1 Rd2 Rd3 Rd4  Tot TBk Award

8th 2  Leo      W8  W5  W3  W4  4.0 7.5 1st Place (Heritage champion)
7th 5  Saakar   W12 L2  W6  W3  3.0 9.0 2nd place
5th 4  Warren   W11 D1  W9  L2  2.5 7.0 3rd place
7th 12 Nikolai  L5  D9  W8  W11 2.5 5.5 Top 7th grader
7th 7  Elliott  H   F   W11 W6  2.5 2.0
7th 6  Elliott  D1  W3  L5  L7  1.5 8.0
6th 1  Ben      D6  D4  H   F   1.5 4.0 Top 6th grader

6th 3  Owen     W9  L6  L2  L5  1.0 9.5

5th 8  Henry    L2  D11 L12 D9  1.0 8.0 Top 5th grader

7th 9  Evan     L3  D12 L4  D8  1.0 7.0

5th 11 Molly    L4  D8  L7  L12 0.5 8.5
5th 10 Victor   H   F   F   F   0.5 0.0

RATINGS

Leo	403
Ben	358
Saakar	298
Warren	297
Owen	269
Elliot P	245
Elliot D	225
Henry	137
Nikolai	136
Victor	132
Evan	116
Molly	100

 LESSON

We went over the pins worksheet

We started our year-end tournament. We learned how to use a chess clock and played two games with a clock. Awards next week. Top 3 plus top in each grade except 8th.

TOURNAMENT STANDINGS

Seed Name     Rd1 Rd2 Tot
2.   Leo      W8  W4  2.0

4.   Warren   W11 D1  1.5

6.   ElliotD  D1  W3  1.5

1.   Ben      D6  D4  1.0

3.   Owen     W9  L6  1.0

5.   Saakar   W12 L2  1.0

7.   ElliotP  H   F   0.5

8.   Henry    L2  D11 0.5

9.   Evan     L3  D12 0.5

10.  Victor   H   F   0.5

11.  Molly    L4  D8  0.5

12.  Nickolai L5  D9  0.5

RATINGS

Name	11-May
Leo	377
Ben	358
Warren	300
Owen	298
Saakar	266
Elliot D	257
Elliot P	217
Henry	155
Victor	132
Evan	126
Molly	113
Nikolai	102