GATA KAMSKY - The 2010 US CHESS CHAMPION!

So the 2010 edition of the U.S. Chess Championship came down to the following tie break game! Kamsky had 25 minutes on his clock against Yuri Shulman who had 6o minutes - both with a five seconds delay. Talk about an exciting finish to this year's event!

Odd time control, eh? It certainly is - but this was a tie break game to determine who alone would claim the title of United States Chess Champion as both players were tied on 6.5 each. This format of tie break is known as an "Armegodden" game - where the player of the White pieces gets more time and MUST win the game to win the match while the player of the Black pieces will get the "draw odds" which is to say that if they should draw it is treated as a win.

This year both players had to place a secret bid - the amount of time that they would be willing to accept as black - in order to get the Black pieces. The draw odds is a significant advantage! So both players wanted the Black pieces for this game... but Kamsky's bid was far lower than Shulman's and so he won the Black pieces.

Please make note - this is not a "normal" tournament chess game but a tie break. Normal chess would never feature such rules and the only reason why anyone would use such a tie break format is to balance the need for the event to finish up in a timely manner while still allowing both players to battle it out for first - winning it upon their own merits.

Here now is this exciting game!

In the final position Gata Kamsky achieved a well known draw - that neither player felt the need to play out as it was too obvious for both of them. Gata managed to do this with only seconds remaining upon his chess clock! Next time - don't bid so low Gata!

This is the second time that Gata Kamsky has become US Champion - the last time was 19 years ago when he was still a teenager! Congratulations Gata Kamsky!

- Chess Coach Sean Tobin.

An interesting game from GATA KAMSKY!

CHESS PLAYERS AT ASCF's TWISTER!

Hello Parents!

We had three players at the ASCF's TWISTER held on Saturday April 3rd 2010. Our BULLDOG PLAYERS for this event were:

Jack
Joe
Dominic

Congratulations to all three players - they will have learned even more about chess from their participation in this event and I am sure this will be seen in their future chess games played at our club meetings. I am proud of all three of them!

Make it great day - today and every day!
St. John Bosco Bulldogs Chess Coach
Chess Coach Sean Tobin.

DIRECTIONS TO ALTADENA MIDDLE SCHOOL from St. JOHN BOSCO

If you have any questions please feel free to call me - let's saddle up and go have some fun this Saturday!

- Chess Coach Sean Tobin.

UPDATED TWISTER FLIER * NEW VENUE *

************SPECIAL NOTICE************

PLEASE NOTE - The venue has changed FROM AKIMAL A-Al MIDDLE SCHOOL on 2720 E. LIBERTY LANE TO ALTADENA MIDDLE SCHOOL at 14620 S Desert Foothills Pkwy1, Phoenix, AZ 85048-4607 (Kyrene Altadena Middle School)

TODAY'S LESSON - Weak Diagonals and the power of the annoying Queen Check!

First let us take a look at a game that is over in two moves! And all because of a weak diagonal and the POWER OF THE ANNOYING QUEEN CHECK!

Now for a three mover...

Annoying Queen checks can not only be used to deliver checkmate but they can more often be used to win unprotected pieces. L.P.D.O. = Lose Pieces Drop Off! As in the following example:

These were three of the many puzzles that we worked through today during our chess lesson. And now these three examples are here for all of our players to use as a review about the POWER OF THE ANNOYING QUEEN CHECK!

Enjoy - Chess Coach Sean Tobin.

THE NEXT TWO ASCF EVENTS...

...are qualifiers for "THE GOVERNOR'S CUP" at the end of this April. Here are the fliers for those of you who have yet to see them. If you have any questions about these chess tournaments please feel free to either call or email me. There will only be four qualifiers for the Governor's Cup this year and these are the first two.

Chess Coach Sean.