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In complete secrecy chess star Magnus Carlsen, 18, has engaged the history’s greatest chess player, Garry Kasparov, as a personal trainer. The goal is to make the Norwegian, who currently ranks as the fourth-best chess player in the world, the world’s best during the course of the coming year. In addition, Magnus Carlsen of Lommedalen will be built up to become the strongest brand in international chess.

“You will not find a bigger name than Kasparov,” says former Carlsen mentor GM Simen Agdestein, “nor a more competent coach.” When Kasparov retired in 2005 he had been an undisputed world number one from 1985 to 2000.

The collaboration, which until now has been kept secret, has been under way for six months, confirms Magnus Carlsen himself. He will not reveal what the training program costs, but confirms that it is expensive.

Now the former director of the Hjemmet Mortensen, Espen Agdestein, is working full time to find sponsors for Carlsen. “This is the king training his crown prince,” said Espen Agdestein. “While Kasparov is a living legend, Carlsen is the biggest attraction that exists in the chess world today. This is the Dream Team.”

Cooperation with Kasparov is initially intended to last throughout the coming year, with a possibility of extension. On September 15 Kasparov will be coming to Norway for another training session with Carlsen, who has been twice to Moscow visiting Kasparov. This summer Carlsen spent 14 days at Kasparov summer residence in Croatia. (more…)

Think back to when you first learned to play chess. Did your mother or father teach you? Maybe a grandparent? Over the years I’ve heard many wonderfully warm stories about people’s first introduction to chess. Those memories are cherished through adulthood, as chess is truly a bonding experience.

My father taught me to play when I was 9 years old. I was fascinated by the boards set up all around the living room, each displaying a different position. I was so eager to learn. My father loved something called postal chess, where he would play people from far away exotic lands through the mail. Most of his opponents lived in Russia, so it took months for each move to arrive. It was always an exciting day when that postcard arrived with its intriguing stamps. It held the mysterious code known only to chess players, informing my father of the next move.

I quickly fell in love with the game and when I beat my father for the first time I quickly made the decision to try out tournaments. Although Dad was more interested in postal chess than over the board play, he joined me in my first tournament, so that I wouldn’t be alone. Now the first thing I noticed, in that small Connecticut tournament, was that I was the only girl and the only child. A little intimidating, but Dad was there, so it was okay. I soon became engrossed in my games, throwing myself into the battle, eager to conquer my opponent, forgetting that the odds were stacked against me. I’m not sure who was more surprised and excited, my father or I, when I won second place.

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I am often asked by parents and coaches at various chess tournaments about chess etiquette, especially at tournaments. Here are some of the things parents and coaches should know:

• Once the game has started, you may not interrupt, interfere, or talk to your player.

• You may never directly assist any player during a game. If a player raises a hand for assistance, you should immediately summon a tournament director.

• If you witness an illegal move or position, say nothing. It is the responsibility of the players to bring any complaint to the attention of a tournament director.

• You are not permitted to say anything if a player oversteps the time limit on his chess clock. Only the players themselves can claim a win on time.

• When a player loses a game, you must refrain from getting upset or angry or showing negative emotions. Young players need support and encouragement more than ever after a loss. They do not need scolding. Help your player stay calm and relaxed for the rest of the tournament.

• You may help your player find their correct table and board before each round.

• You should supervise your player between rounds. It is not the responsibility of the tournament director or organizer to mind your children between rounds. (more…)

Use the red arrows to scroll through the game.  Leave a comment – predict a winner.
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I recently came across this article in the Inquirer.net written by Laura Sherman.

When we say “OK! That’s the end of today’s chess class,” and hear a room full of young voices saying “No, we want to stay!” that’s when we know a definite connection has been achieved.

Parents and teachers around the globe are very proud when their children learn to play chess. They know it’s good for their kids. But why? Why is excellent chess instruction so beneficial to educational growth?

Let’s start with some basics. Kids do not get smarter when they’re forced to learn things that don’t interest them. They lose interest when they are not challenged. They also lose interest when they don’t understand what is being taught.

The best chess teachers are challenging and fun, while smoothly increasing the level of skill and understanding of each student. When teaching chess is approached that way, the kids remain interested and they improve. Studies done around the world prove that teaching chess to children has a very positive impact on their lives.

Read the entire article

Laura Sherman founded Your Chess Coach (www.YourChessCoach.com) with her husband, Dan Sherman. The couple’s full-time profession is teaching children to play chess. Along with Bill Kilpatrick, founder of several professional specialty schools, they provide consulting around the globe helping improve the ability of coaches, parents and educators to teach chess to children.

President of Bolivia Chess Federation praised the high level of chess players in Cuba

CAMAGÜEY, Cuba, April 20 (Cuban News Agency) – Bolivia’s Chess Federation president Alfonso Ferrufino Hurtado, praised the high level of chess players in Cuba, and noted he hopes the island contributes to the development of this sport in his country.

Our young players have never faced such strong counterparts and they are learning a lot, said the official in relation to the performance of Bolivian players in the third ALBA Games, underway in this central province of Cuba.

Ferrufino, who is heading his country’s women’s and men’s chess teams to the tournament, told the press Cuban chess trainers are expected to travel to Bolivia for a cooperation project.

The Bolivian official said the Cuban chess trainers’ quality is very high, and that they have a different preparation and very efficient teaching methods.

The Bolivian teams which have made a modest performance so far in matches against Cuba and Venezuela, as well as against Camagüey, which participated as a guest in the classifying round of the tournament.

Ferrufino announced that Bolivian players will take part in coming events in Cuba like the Moncada chess tournament, in Santiago de Cuba, the Guillermo Garcia In Memoriam, in Santa Clara, and the Capablanca In Memoriam, in Havana.

He also said that his government is working on a project to expand the practice of this discipline in all the country, just as was done in Venezuela.

We have talked briefly about the “draw” skill.  It is certainly one of those skills that most GM/IM/SM possess.

The next skill we will talk about is the skill of “tactics.”  This is an easy skill to talk about since it is the one that gets most male chess players interested in the game.

First let’s discuss the bad side of tactics. Chess is not all grenades and fireworks, but some people just can’t get away from the noise makers.  Players who play just for tactics tend to be impatient players.  They will make mistakes trying to create sensationalism in closed positions.

I confess to learning chess this way. I grew up in chess looking for sacrifices and for ways to give my queen away for exciting positions.

The good side of the tactical tool is that it can save you often.  I read somewhere that the amateur player can make it to the master level just on tactics alone.

Tactics go hand in hand with opening preparation.  However, you can play one without the other, but not with the optimum success rate.  Tactics will help you recover from bad openings and also help you punish your opponent when they make mistakes in the opening.

Tactics are also prevalent in the end game.  When things seem to calm down and you have just pawns and maybe a minor piece, tactics can still occur.

Every player should make tactics training a part of their regular preparation.  The tactics trainer here on chess.com as well as trainers on other website are a must for the serious player.  One trick for finding tactics in a position is by looking for unusual responses to your opponents moves.

For those players who prefer the old fashioned books, I recommend two.  One is called 300 Essential Positions by Lev Alburt. I believe this book is now in its 2nd edition.  The other book for advance players is the Anthology of Chess Combinations.  I know several International Masters who train with this book on a regular basis.

Tactical training might be the magic bullet of chess for the lazy player.  Tactics will probably get you past most of your neighborhood players, school peers and local club players. However, tactics alone will not make you a national competitor.

There have been more books written on tactical play than any other subject within chess.  Minatures, swindles, traps and pitfalls all have been well talked about.  Tactics are the glue of chess.

In Part III we will talk about “tactics’” little brother.   Take a look a the tactics trainer here and see if you can advance your rating about 1800.