I’m always interested in experimenting, and trying new ideas. In this case I’d like to review a book, while giving some of the actual content which can interest the chess die-hard fans like me! Or at least benefit the amateurs, who are interested in chess improvement. So I thought of coming up with a series
One of the myths of the chess world is that knowing by heart a series of games, like in Ziyatdinov work, or a series of chess positions like one of Caruana’s trainers mentioned, will bring us to master level. We also have the myth that by doing over and over some positions we will reach
Life like chess, or Chinese Chess, is always doing the opposite of what we hope, of what we wish in our hearts would happen. There is definitely no happy ending… generally the ending if one doesn’t have a massive stroke or heart attack, is in a diaper full of… well you can imagine… Today I
I’m trying to train for the 17th Chinese Chess World Championship, and since in chess we all know the saying: “Openings teach you openings, Endgames teach you chess” I began with very simple endgames, like King and Knight vs King and Elephant (in XiangQi the elephant is a kind of proto-bishop, like the queen today
In Chess, as well as in Chinese Chess, there are some positions which are difficult to conquer. As always they defy our visualization in many ways. Let’s take the following position found on a beginner’s book of over a quarter of a century ago! Here I spent a good amount of time analyzing the knight
In October there will be the 17th World XiangQi Championship, generally the true World Champion is the guy who wins the Chinese Championship, but also for this tournament, I don’t remember it to be won by a non-Chinese. Since it will be in Malaysia, a beautiful country, I’m thinking of participating… obviously some preparation is
Joël Lautier was one of the French chess’ biggest hopes until 2006. Then he dedicated himself to the world of finance in Russia, and now he lives in Barcelona. The United States recently added this great French chess player, to the list of people who have been subjected to sanctions by the occupation of Ukraine,
Few years ago another chess author made the case for studying all of the World Championship games, in order to improve as players. I found the idea intriguing, but when I tried to do it, then I discovered I didn’t have a method to learn, and maybe I wasn’t even at the level I could
(Marte e Venere giocano a scacchi…) This painting from circa 1630 is showing Mars and Venus who are playing chess. The painting is located in the Augusteum in Oldenburg, Lower Saxony. It’s titled, “Marte e Venere Giocano a Scacchi” (“Mars and Venus Playing Chess”), painted by Alessandro Varotari (Il Padovanino) is in the Baroque style.