These days I do all my chess writing/editing/type setting with Open Office. I find it just as easy to use as Word, and most importantly, I'm not locking my data into a proprietary format that may become redundant at some future time.
However there are a couple of gotcha's that are worth noting if you plan to shift away from the evil empire that is Microsoft.
The first is spell checking. You can specify which language you are writing in, including English(Australian). However if there isn't a dictionary that matches the language (and I haven't been able to find an Australian dictionary), the spell checking doesn't work. You need to choose English(British) instead. And more importantly, in the tools->options->language settings->writing aids section, make sure you leave the "Check in all languages" unchecked, otherwise the program grinds to a halt while checking words in Swahili, Esperanto etc
The other trap is page numbering. If you want to start page numbers from something other than 1 (which I often have to do with ACCQ), the obvious "Page Offset" when formatting your page number fields doesn't work as advertised (it does something completely different). Instead use the Format->paragraph->text flow option on the first paragraph of the document and insert a page style. This does the trick.
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
A very quick CC game
Regular blog readers will notice that I've added a couple of extra icons on the left hand side of the page. I've already discussed chessgames.com in an earlier post, but I haven't talked about the other one, until now.
chessworld.net is an online turn based chess server (as opposed to a real-time chess server). This means that is more akin to correspondence chess (in that the time between moves is measured in days rather than seconds) than OTB chess. It follows the same membership model as most online chess servers these days (free to join, paying members get more features), and it seems to be a pretty vibrant set up. Indeed I only joined last Thursday, received 5 game invitations by Saturday, and even completed one game by this morning ( lasting a total of 6 days).
Tikhachon - Press,S [C63]
Chessworld, 04.2008
[Press,Shaun]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5 Qd4 6.Nf3 [ 6.Qh5+? g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 is a trap that my opponents often walk into. The rook on h8 is guarded by the queen on d4!] 6...Qxe4+ 7.Qe2 Nf6 8.Qxe4+?! [ 8.Nc3 Qxe2+ 9.Nxe2 Bd6=] 8...fxe4 [ 8...Nxe4 was played in the only other game I could find that reached this position, but the pawn on e4 cramps White's position.] 9.Nd4 Bc5 10.Ne2? Ng4 (D)
11.d4?? White's position just falls apart. [ 11.0-0 Nxf2 looks good (and I would have played it) but 12.b4! ( 12.Rxf2 Rf8-+) 12...Bb6 13.c4 is messy, although Black is still better. 13...Nd3+ 14.c5 Nxb4 15.cxb6 Nc2 16.bxc7 Nxa1 17.Na3] 11...exd3 12.cxd3 Bxf2+ 13.Kf1 0-0 14.h3 Ne5 15.d4 Bxd4+ [ Turns out the following variation was stronger 15...Be3+ 16.Ke1 Nd3+ 17.Kd1 Bxc1] 16.Ke1 Bxb2 Now I'm just cleaning up pawns. 17.Bxb2 Nd3+ 18.Kd2 Nxb2 19.Na3 Na4 20.g4 Be6 21.Rhe1 Rad8+ 22.Kc2 Rf3 Setting up a mating net. 23.Nb1 [ 23.Nf4 Rc3+ 24.Kb1 Rd2 mates] 23...Rxh3 24.Nf4 Rh2+ 25.Kc1 Bxg4 26.Rg1 Bf5 27.a3 [ 27.Ng2 Be4] 27...Rc2# 0-1
Of course not all games are going to be like this (it was a bit of a massacre after move 15), but if you are looking for CC style chess that is a rung down from seriousness of the ICCF Webserver, then chessworld.net isn't a bad choice.
(BTW To the best of my knowledge there is no connection between the server and similarly named Australian chess businesses)
chessworld.net is an online turn based chess server (as opposed to a real-time chess server). This means that is more akin to correspondence chess (in that the time between moves is measured in days rather than seconds) than OTB chess. It follows the same membership model as most online chess servers these days (free to join, paying members get more features), and it seems to be a pretty vibrant set up. Indeed I only joined last Thursday, received 5 game invitations by Saturday, and even completed one game by this morning ( lasting a total of 6 days).
Tikhachon - Press,S [C63]
Chessworld, 04.2008
[Press,Shaun]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5 Qd4 6.Nf3 [ 6.Qh5+? g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 is a trap that my opponents often walk into. The rook on h8 is guarded by the queen on d4!] 6...Qxe4+ 7.Qe2 Nf6 8.Qxe4+?! [ 8.Nc3 Qxe2+ 9.Nxe2 Bd6=] 8...fxe4 [ 8...Nxe4 was played in the only other game I could find that reached this position, but the pawn on e4 cramps White's position.] 9.Nd4 Bc5 10.Ne2? Ng4 (D)
11.d4?? White's position just falls apart. [ 11.0-0 Nxf2 looks good (and I would have played it) but 12.b4! ( 12.Rxf2 Rf8-+) 12...Bb6 13.c4 is messy, although Black is still better. 13...Nd3+ 14.c5 Nxb4 15.cxb6 Nc2 16.bxc7 Nxa1 17.Na3] 11...exd3 12.cxd3 Bxf2+ 13.Kf1 0-0 14.h3 Ne5 15.d4 Bxd4+ [ Turns out the following variation was stronger 15...Be3+ 16.Ke1 Nd3+ 17.Kd1 Bxc1] 16.Ke1 Bxb2 Now I'm just cleaning up pawns. 17.Bxb2 Nd3+ 18.Kd2 Nxb2 19.Na3 Na4 20.g4 Be6 21.Rhe1 Rad8+ 22.Kc2 Rf3 Setting up a mating net. 23.Nb1 [ 23.Nf4 Rc3+ 24.Kb1 Rd2 mates] 23...Rxh3 24.Nf4 Rh2+ 25.Kc1 Bxg4 26.Rg1 Bf5 27.a3 [ 27.Ng2 Be4] 27...Rc2# 0-1
Of course not all games are going to be like this (it was a bit of a massacre after move 15), but if you are looking for CC style chess that is a rung down from seriousness of the ICCF Webserver, then chessworld.net isn't a bad choice.
(BTW To the best of my knowledge there is no connection between the server and similarly named Australian chess businesses)
Monday, 28 April 2008
Video Blogging
Late last year I posted a very grainy ("Look, it's Bigfoot!") quality video from Street Chess. Well now I've got some new toys I'm able to produce a slightly higher quality product. My first effort was filmed a couple of weekends ago and features the end of the game between Emma Guo and Endre Ambrus. The video is hosted on Youtube and can be accessed via this link.
Sunday, 27 April 2008
The Schliemann
The Schliemann variation of the Ruy Lopez is one of those openings that sits just on the wrong side of acceptability. It occasionally pops up as a suprise weapon (Speelman's win over Short in a Candidates match being an example) before slipping back to obscurity.
The latest super GM to bring it out into the open is Teimour Radjabov who has played it twice so far in the FIDE GP in Baku. In round 4 he drew with Peter Svidler, and in Round 6 he tried it again aginst Shakhiryar Mamedyarov (a game still in progress as I write this).
I have a soft spot for this opening as it is one of my choices against the Lopez. Although I must confess I also shelved it for a number of years (playing "serious" openings instead), but of late have used it once more (including one online CC game which may, when finished, be my quickest CC game yet played).
Here is the Svidler v Radjabov game, which is interesting in that Svidler decided not to challenge the opening "head on", but instead went for the solid but unambitious 4.d3.
Svidler,P (2746) - Radjabov,T (2751) [C63]
FIDE GP Baku AZE (4), 24.04.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.d3 fxe4 5.dxe4 Nf6 6.0-0 Bc5 7.Qd3 Nd4 8.Nxd4 Bxd4(D) 9.Nd2 N (9.c3) a6 10.Bc4 Qe7 11.Nf3 Ba7 12.Nh4 d6 13.Bg5 Be6 14.Nf5 Bxf5 15.exf5 0-0-0 16.Be6+ Kb8 17.c4 h6 18.Be3 Bxe3 19.fxe3 Nh7 20.Rad1 Ng5 21.Bd5 c6 22.Be4 Rd7 23.g3 Nxe4 24.Qxe4 Rhd8 25.Qf3 d5 26.cxd5 Rxd5 27.Rxd5 cxd5 28.f6 gxf6 29.Qxf6 Qxf6 30.Rxf6 d4 31.exd4 exd4 32.Kf1 d3 33.Ke1 Re8+ 34.Kd2 Re2+ 35.Kxd3 Rxh2 36.Kc3 h5 37.Rg6 h4 38.gxh4 Rh3+ 39.Kc2 Rh2+ 40.Kc3 Rh3+ 41.Kc2 Rh2+ ½-½
The latest super GM to bring it out into the open is Teimour Radjabov who has played it twice so far in the FIDE GP in Baku. In round 4 he drew with Peter Svidler, and in Round 6 he tried it again aginst Shakhiryar Mamedyarov (a game still in progress as I write this).
I have a soft spot for this opening as it is one of my choices against the Lopez. Although I must confess I also shelved it for a number of years (playing "serious" openings instead), but of late have used it once more (including one online CC game which may, when finished, be my quickest CC game yet played).
Here is the Svidler v Radjabov game, which is interesting in that Svidler decided not to challenge the opening "head on", but instead went for the solid but unambitious 4.d3.
Svidler,P (2746) - Radjabov,T (2751) [C63]
FIDE GP Baku AZE (4), 24.04.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.d3 fxe4 5.dxe4 Nf6 6.0-0 Bc5 7.Qd3 Nd4 8.Nxd4 Bxd4(D) 9.Nd2 N (9.c3) a6 10.Bc4 Qe7 11.Nf3 Ba7 12.Nh4 d6 13.Bg5 Be6 14.Nf5 Bxf5 15.exf5 0-0-0 16.Be6+ Kb8 17.c4 h6 18.Be3 Bxe3 19.fxe3 Nh7 20.Rad1 Ng5 21.Bd5 c6 22.Be4 Rd7 23.g3 Nxe4 24.Qxe4 Rhd8 25.Qf3 d5 26.cxd5 Rxd5 27.Rxd5 cxd5 28.f6 gxf6 29.Qxf6 Qxf6 30.Rxf6 d4 31.exd4 exd4 32.Kf1 d3 33.Ke1 Re8+ 34.Kd2 Re2+ 35.Kxd3 Rxh2 36.Kc3 h5 37.Rg6 h4 38.gxh4 Rh3+ 39.Kc2 Rh2+ 40.Kc3 Rh3+ 41.Kc2 Rh2+ ½-½
Saturday, 26 April 2008
The Prisoner
Without a doubt, the finest television show ever made was "The Prisoner". Ostensibly a spy thriller, on another level it was a sociological tract on conformity and rebellion in society, and on an even deeper level, an allegory on the suppression of Welsh culture by the English.
But apart its deep intellectual underpinnings, it also had an episode dealing with chess. "Checkmate", as it was imaginatively named, began with a chess game using living pieces, and explored the themes of who controlled who in society. As part of the series it was one of the better episodes, only ley down by the rather cavalier approach to representing the chess game itself.
Despite starting off with the correct "Pawn to King 4, Pawn to King 4, Knight to Queen's Bishop 3" it soon fell in to the trap of assuming that these terms could be used interchangeably, resulting in such moves as "Bishop to Knights Pawn 4". And due to the editing of the episode, attempts at discerning a real game failed due to the fact that the board seemed to switch back and forth between having almost all the pieces in play, to very few pieces, and back to an almost full board etc
Of course this is just nit-picking by a chess player and doesn't detract from the quality of the series itself. And if you are interested in seeing the series, I've seen DVD box sets for under $50 around the traps.
But apart its deep intellectual underpinnings, it also had an episode dealing with chess. "Checkmate", as it was imaginatively named, began with a chess game using living pieces, and explored the themes of who controlled who in society. As part of the series it was one of the better episodes, only ley down by the rather cavalier approach to representing the chess game itself.
Despite starting off with the correct "Pawn to King 4, Pawn to King 4, Knight to Queen's Bishop 3" it soon fell in to the trap of assuming that these terms could be used interchangeably, resulting in such moves as "Bishop to Knights Pawn 4". And due to the editing of the episode, attempts at discerning a real game failed due to the fact that the board seemed to switch back and forth between having almost all the pieces in play, to very few pieces, and back to an almost full board etc
Of course this is just nit-picking by a chess player and doesn't detract from the quality of the series itself. And if you are interested in seeing the series, I've seen DVD box sets for under $50 around the traps.
Friday, 25 April 2008
The country circuit
One new thing I learnt while playing at Dubbo this year was the existence of the NSW Country Chess Circuit. The idea of Gary Losh, it is the informal collection of NSW Country Weekenders that are also part of the Myer Tan Grand Prix Series. There are 8 tournaments in total, although 3 (Toukley, Newcastle and Dubbo) have already been completed. The next 2 events in the series are Laurieton (3 May 2008) followed by Mingara (17 May 2008).
The Mingara event is already looking good, with extra money going into the prize pool. There are also plans to have an extra prize event following the last round, and hopefully I'll have more details soon.
While for this year the Country Circuit is mainly about coordinating publicity for NSW Country chess events, next year may even see the addition of prizes for the best scoring players in the series.
The Mingara event is already looking good, with extra money going into the prize pool. There are also plans to have an extra prize event following the last round, and hopefully I'll have more details soon.
While for this year the Country Circuit is mainly about coordinating publicity for NSW Country chess events, next year may even see the addition of prizes for the best scoring players in the series.
Thursday, 24 April 2008
chessgames.com
www.chessgames.com is quite a useful online reference for chess players. Using the sensible model of free to access (and join) but an extra charge for premium services, chessgames is basically an online database and discussion board. Extra features include additional search tools, guess-the-move functions and additional opening/ending resources.
One feature that is free (even to non-members) is the ability to search by player name. And when you do this you even get a little biography of the player concerned. However in most cases (especially for Oceania players) this information is very sparse. So I've had a request for help from on of the biographers there. He is interested in getting up to date information about Australian/New Zealand/PNG/Fiji players. The sort of information he is after is mundane things like date and place of birth, country of residence, but also more significant information like notable tournament victories, representative honours and dates of title and norms.
So if you are able to help feel free to email James at duobirds@gmail.com
One feature that is free (even to non-members) is the ability to search by player name. And when you do this you even get a little biography of the player concerned. However in most cases (especially for Oceania players) this information is very sparse. So I've had a request for help from on of the biographers there. He is interested in getting up to date information about Australian/New Zealand/PNG/Fiji players. The sort of information he is after is mundane things like date and place of birth, country of residence, but also more significant information like notable tournament victories, representative honours and dates of title and norms.
So if you are able to help feel free to email James at duobirds@gmail.com
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