Good turnout today - eleven. We had a quick lesson on checkmate with just a king and queen, or just a King and Rook. Often stalemates result from carelessness on the part of the players who is ahead, but sometimes a clever move by the person who is behind can force a stalemate. 

What is Black's best move?

Problem #2 Harder. Again, what is Black's best move?

RATINGS

Cavan	410
Quillan	316
Warren	309
Simon	300
Owen	299
Thomas	258
Lucia	241
Grant	233
Luke	215
James	117
Alan	116
Jack	112
Kellen	105

Answers: Problem #1. Bg3+ forces either a stalemate if the Bishop is taken (by either piece) or a draw due to insufficient material if the King flees allowing you to capture his queen.

Problem #2. Rxg3+ White cannot capture because of stalemate, so he must play Kh2, but now Rg2+. White cannot capture, but then he cannot get out of check, so the game is a draw.

 LOOKING WAY FORWARD TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT MAY 6-7

I've done a very cursory analysis of the competition at state. Here are my predictions based on performances in the last few tournaments. But I think we are in the mix for the top 10, maybe even top 5 if Pinewood doesn't have a full team. Note how close teams 6-10 are. If we work hard - paying careful attention, working hard on the worksheets, and playing each game seriously, and doing some extra playing or studying or online - we have a chance to improve our score.

ERACS	15
OAKGR	15
MJDS	14
BRECK	13
PINEM	13
RSI	10.5
OLSON	10.5
HERITAGE	10
OAKPT	10
GRACE	10

Snow day homework 

Solve these problems. White's turn in all problems

PROBLEM 1

,

PROBLEM 2

PROBLEM 3

 TOURNAMENT RESULTS

Cavan - The three games you lost were to players rated much higher than you. In the two games where the rating were equal, you prevailed.

Thomas - you somehow managed to get paired against strong players (all over 800) and I thought you would be able to win the last round when you played someone with a 1 and 3 record, but your opponent was rated 1295 !  So your rating went down only 4 points.

                                 bef   aft   chg

Cavan   L W L W L 384  410  +26

Thomas L B L L  L  254  250    -4

Cavan	410
Quillan	331
Warren	325
Simon	313
Owen	275
Thomas	250
Lucia	241
Luke	184
Jack	124
Grant	121
Kellen	100
Alan	100
James	100

Here's a position from Thomas' round 4 game. Can you find the 3-move checkmate for white? Thomas found the first move, but made a mistake on the second move.

f

Answer:

1. Qf8+ Qg8

2. Qf6+ Qg7

3. Qxg7#

The first session went very well. We have a number of new players who play well. We learned a few opening principles and reviewed some of the basics for the new players.

Tournaments 

For more information or to register, go to www.schoolchess.org

I've highlighted the tournaments I'd like to see a big turnout at - put them on your calendar if your rating is getting near 300.

Feb 18 This Saturday at the Diamondhead Center for Education in Burnsville.

Mar 11 Sat at the Diamondhead Center in Burnsville

Mar 25 Sat at Plymouth Middle School. Grade Level Individual and Team (I think we can put a competitive 5th grade team together. We need 3 or more players to increase our chances. Top three scores added together is your team score so if, for example, we have 5 players we simply don't count the bottom two - so you can only help our team, not hurt it, if you come.

April 8 Sat Diamondhead Center, Burnsville. Middle School team championships.

May 6-7 Sat-Sun Robbinsdale Middle School K5 Championships Team and Individual

May 20 Sat Zachary Lane Elem in Plymouth

 RATINGS

Cavan	384
Quillan	331
Warren	325
Simon	313
Owen	275
Thomas	254
Grant	121
Kellen	100

Here's a puzzle to get some practice moving the knight. Black never moves his pawns for this puzzle.  How many moves does it take your knight to capture all 7 black pawns? Are you sure you can't do it in fewer moves?

Jan 7 Tournament Results 

Rating                 Bef Aft Chg

Cavan L L W W 367 403 +36

Simon W L L W 262 309 +47

Another tournament is coming up this weekend - Saturday Feb 18 at the Diamondhead Education Center in Burnsville. To sign up go to school chess.org

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?