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Greetings! Last months column received a request from reader Jim Morrison for tournament games such as the Electronic Knights, and so this months column is dedicated to games from the 2022 Electronic Knights tournament, with gratitude to Jim for reading.

The Electronic Knights tournament is a large Round Robin tournament in which contestants are paired up in groups of seven, and they play one game each against every other player in the group (three as White and three as Black). The tournament consists of three stages: the preliminaries, the semi-finals and the finals. Those players who score 4/6 or more points in a section will advance to the next round. The competition is fierce, and getting past the first round isnt easy. All play is via email. More information about the Electronic Knights can be found on the list of Correspondence Chess Events Offered by US Chess | US Chess.org.

Our first game, Chirillo Civan, shows John Chirillo tearing apart the Dutch Stonewall quickly and effectively. Ethan Civan is no weak player, so this game had to be an eye-opener! Black either sacrificed a pawn or hung one, but in either case White made the most of it, bringing home the point in only 23 moves.

I am not a fan of system openings, even though, I am also no fan of memorizing a gajillion book moves for each opening I choose to play. I find system openings (like the London System or the Colle Opening) to be a kind of shortcut to opening theory, and shortcuts can be unreliable or even dangerous. Systematic approaches take the thinking out of your moves, and you need to be able to explain each move you make. Of course, Magnus Carlsen makes me look a fool in writing these words, as he has beaten some of the worlds best with the London System, and so I should just sit in the corner with my mouth shut. But first I want to show you all a merciless takedown of the London System in our second game, McGroarty Hilburn.

Our third game is one of my own. I have played in several sections of the Electronic Knights tournament, starting eight or nine years ago, and while I have played some good games, I rarely get close to the top. Last year I was able to win my section with a perfect 6/6, and so I am going to be playing in the semi-finals later this year. In the preliminaries, Anthony Gold tested my mettle in the Carlsbad structure, but his attempts to mix things up backfired. In the end, Whites pieces that werent pinned were too far away to help.

The preliminary rounds often find players who try to avoid opening theory, and those players are not to be taken lightly! Our fourth game, Miller Hilburn, has White refusing a standard French Defense. Instead, both players are left to their own resources on move two! Both players struggled through the opening and into the middlegame, each overlooking small ways to make their positions stronger, with the position remaining close to equality until move 21. Whites 21st move permits a continuation that results in a significant endgame advantage for Black, but Black misses the chance, and the game peters out to a draw.

In Hilburn Strobehn, Jerry Hilburn plays a form of the Scotch Gambit that I am unfamiliar with, and for which there are no games in my database. The fight was fairly level throughout, but Black first captured the d-file for his rooks, and then used the file to double his rooks on the second rank. Whites first move after that drops a piece.

Patrick Walsh, the winner of our sixth game, has forced me to turn over my king more than once. In this game, John Finnegan is his prey, and Whites knights run roughshod over Blacks bishops. In the end it is the White pawns that are the biggest threat.

In our final game, Finnegan Hutson, Black plays for the Grunfeld Defense while White develops his kingside knight first. The simple pawn exchange in the center works better for White since Black is denied the knight exchange on c3. The advantage changes hands during the middlegame, but after the queens come off the board Black makes his final mistake, and he gives up the ship ten moves later.

I intend to make the Electronic Knights games a regular part of the column, and I would like to include games from the Golden Knights (correspondence) tournaments as well. However, I cannot get the scores of those games unless they are sent to me. So, I invite you all to send me your games (correspondence_chess@yahoo.com), analyzed or not, in pgn format or typed into an email, to be included in future columns. I also invite readers to suggest column ideas.

Stay safe, and good skill in your games!

Robert

Paul O. Flueckiger of Navasota, Texas passed away on December 2, 2022. He had a 1618 CC rating.

William H. Hutchinson of Palmer, Alaska passed away on February 13, 2023. He had a 1478 CC rating.

Craig W. Ellyson of Morehead City, NC passed away on April 16, 2023. He had a 1589 CC rating.

Walter Muir E-Quad

22W22, Kevin Buswell 5-

23W03 Michael McCaffery 5-1

Victor Palciauskas

22VP12, Josh Pruett 6-0

John W. Collins Memorial

22C04 Craig Faber 6-0

Continue reading here:
Check is in the Mail: Join the Electronic Knights! - uschess.org

Are you ready to take down an old elementary school chesschampion? Think you can go head-to-head with a notorious chess hustler? These local legends with classic chess player personality tendencies are eager to accept your challenge!

Meet the Chess Club Regulars: Gavin, Lauren, Freddy, Grandpa Gambit, and Maya. The chess club closes next month, so play some games with them before they're gone! Just click the button below:

Strength: 650

Gavin was his schools 3rd grade chess champion over twenty years ago, and he wont let you forget it. Can you beat this former elementary school legend?

Strength: 1000

Lauren is the self-proclaimed "Office Queen of Chess." She plays on her lunch break and during boring meetings. Can you win quickly before she gets in trouble at work?

Strength: 1325

Freddy is a chess hustler from New York City. He makes his living hustling in the parks but runs away when he loses a big bet. Thats why he always wears his favorite tracksuit.

Strength: 1650

Grandpa Gambit is a lifelong chess player known to regale his opponents with a chess anecdote of his pastor two. Ready to take a trip down memory lane?

Strength: 2050

Maya is a child prodigy who commands a crowd any time she plays a game. She sits across the board, adjusts her pieces, and opens her fruit snacks. Youre in big trouble.

These bots are only here for the month of May, so play them before it's too late. And let us know who's your favorite in the comments section below!

Read the rest here:
Play Chess Against The Chess Club Regulars - Chess.com

Days before he officially abdicates his title, GM Magnus Carlsen shared some fascinating thoughts about the 2023 FIDE World Championship.

While GM Ian Nepomniachtchi and GM Ding Liren have been battling it out in Astana to decide who succeeds him as world champion, Carlsen in contrast has enjoyed the good life showing off his skills in celebrity poker.

I really need money to fund expensive habits like drinking, so I should probably take it pretty seriously, Carlsen joked, according to the Wall Street Journal.

He then appeared on the red carpet as he handed out an award at the Breakthrough Prize ceremony in Los Angeles. The 9th edition of the show was hosted by James Corden and honors scientists changing the world. The Norwegian entered the stage to hand out an award along with "Emily in Paris" star Lily Collins in front of a crowd of Hollywood stars such as Kristen Bell, Danny DeVito, Robert Downey Jr., Gal Gadot, Ashton Kutcher, Brie Larson, Edward Norton, Leslie Odom Jr., and Chris Pine.

Watch the clip from the ceremony below.

His appearance on the Botez sisters' Twitch channel also drew some attention among chess fans as he stayed silent for a whole Titled Tuesday before missing out on first place after a draw with Alireza Firouzja and joking:

"I quit the f****** world championship for this?"

Since returning to Norway, the five-time world champion announced a new company and launched a Fantasy Chess app along with Norway Chess andappeared on Sjakksnakk, a Norwegian chess podcast hosted by his friends Askild Bryn and Odin Blikra Vea.

In the one-hour conversation, the soon-to-be former world champion shared his insight on a variety of subjects that will be covered in a follow-up article, but another highlight is his thoughts on the ongoing world championship match.

"I didn't follow any games live, but I went through the games, so I know how it's been going." Carlsen said before Ding's 6-6 equalizer.

He followed up by discussing his thoughts on why so many games in Astana have been decisive games, in stark contrast to his matches in 2016 and 2018, where 24 out of 26 games were drawn.

"I think a lot actually depends on what type of positions you get from the opening. If you get very complicated games, there will also be more mistakes. To a large extent that is what has happened. To get exciting games. I feel like in previous matches you have seen that my opponents, with Black especially, have chosen the absolute most solid lines, trying to kill the game and achieve as little play as possible, which is very fair and probably the best strategy you can have against me. "

"In addition, with White people have played relatively solid as well, not taking too many risks and putting the emergency brake on if there are any risks, with the exception of my match against Caruana, where my games with Black were very exciting. I think it's a lot about that. I think they feel to a greater extent that you can take more risks. I think all my opponents have felt that if I take the lead, they are in big trouble in the match. If I have a repertoire as Black that I know well, which I've had in the matches, it's extremely difficult to get a chance without taking huge risks. And if I lead and play with White, I won't take any chances. But here you have seen that none of them have been able to defend, so you can also take more risks."

Carlsen gave an example from game two of the match, which led to Ding's first loss.

"You can even risk... when Ding plays 4.h3 with White in the Queen's Gambit, he's saying, 'Ok, I want to play a completely unknown position, absolutely not better for me; it's not a safe position either, but just a complicated position that I hopefully will know better than my opponent.' It's a bit early to deviate like that. And it went very, very poorly in that game, but stuff like that you haven't seen much in my matches."

"It's been exciting to follow. I think it's about how complicated it is. I expected a higher defensive level, but I am very impressed by how they managed to create chances and how little they were able to or wanted to flatten the games as early as possible."

Carlsen also mentioned Ding's win with White in game six.

"It was quite shocking that Ding played the London. He was just better because Nepo played a line he didn't know. What happened with that? Quite strange."

Carlsen went on to talk about his strategy in his 2016 match against GM Sergey Karjakin, which ended with him winning 3-1 in the rapid playoff after 6-6 in classical.

"I've had matches myself, especially against Karjakin, where I thought I was so much better than him, that I should just try to push in every game as White or Black, to create a fight as much as possible. It increases the chance that I would lose some games, but I thought I would create more than enough chances that I would win the matches anyway. In the end, I didn't go for that strategy, and ended up like in my other matches: 'I am really solid with Black, good luck beating me with White.' And I was hoping that I would create chances with a few games as White at least. It wasn't very successful, so it's a lot of fun to see others going for a different strategy."

Carlsen, however, is clearly not a fan of classical chess and came out against the idea that "classical chess is doing well" due to the decisiveness of the match.

"There is a lot of talk now that this WC match proves that 'classical chess is doing well' and all that. I have to admit that I don't buy that at all. What you see here is that people don't try to be destructive to the same extent."

By "destructive," Carlsen refers to openings that give little room for risky play.

"It's something completely different when you try to be destructive. And you also see more and more how deep people have to dig to find playable ideas at all. Yes, to a certain extent we can still play classical chess, even on the world-championship level, but why should we be doing that when you have to dig so deep to make a game playable at all? Why not do something else that... how I see it, makes it more exciting and gives you more chess. Because you do in fact want to find the best chess player. The current format doesn't give you enough room for that. It's great that you have a match now where the players are not as destructive, which is good, but as I see it that doesn't mean the structural problems have been solved."

In part two of this article, we'll hear Carlsen's thoughts about his new identity without the title, some insight into the discussions with FIDE in Madrid, the winning formula in Dubai, his time with an A-list Hollywood star, his new focus on playing speed chess, his thoughts on young talents GMs Gukesh D, Praggnanandhaa R, Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Alireza Firouzja, his personal life, and much more.

More:
World Champion Carlsen On 'Shocking' Ding Choice, Risky Play ... - Chess.com

To some a board game means a lot more than just beating your opponent. Its also about a sense of community.

And this community loves chess.

I would say Im pretty good at it, said Urial Valentim, an asylum seeker from Angola. Yeah, Im pretty good at it.

Valentim is staying at the Howard Johnson Hotel in South Portland, which has become an emergency shelter.

The group Gift of Chess meets there every Saturday, spreading their love of the game and connecting young Mainers with young asylum seekers.

A lot of the kids are just kind of hanging out with their friends, said Jacob Holden, Portlands director of Gift of Chess. Which is great, but we want to give them a drive and reason to play the game.

Holden sees the tournaments as an opportunity for these children seeking asylum to learn and acclimate.

Chess at the end of the day promotes critical thinking, promotes decision making, Holden said.

The best part is when you find someone competitive and the game takes long to end, Valentim said.

Maria Marta, who is also from Angola, has found a new appreciation for the game.

When I was a kid, I didnt like chess, Marta said. I felt like it was so boring.

This group has helped redefine the game of chess for Marta. She loves the challenge and the friends shes made along the way. Thats something many of these kids share.

It has made it more fun, and it has made me a better player in chess, Valentim said.

These volunteers said its not just about winning or losing, but how you learn and grow from the game.

More articles from the BDN

View original post here:
Maine asylum seekers find community in chess group - Bangor Daily News

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This classic Southern dessert is a delicious combination of sweet, tangy, and buttery flavors all wrapped up in a flaky crust. Its custard-like filling has a smooth and creamy texture that will have you hooked. And the best part? Chess pie is super easy to make and only takes 10 minutes of prep!

With the weather being nice and warm, Ive been wanting to break out my favorite summer desserts. I feel like pie is a must-make for any summer barbecue! Channel your inner Southern baker and try out this chess pie, or make a lemon or peach pie from scratch! Lemon chess pie is another great option if you want a little extra flavor.

Chess pie is a dessert that has its roots in the South, particularly in states like Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. The exact origin of the name is uncertain, but there are a few theories out there. Some say it comes from the saying just pie. Others believe that it comes from the term cheese pie, as the custardy filling has a similar texture to cheese. No matter what you want to call it, one thing is for sure! This pie is extremely delicious and easy to make.

The filling consists of just a few ingredients sugar, butter, eggs, cornmeal, and vinegar that are mixed together and poured into a pie crust. The result is a sweet and tangy filling that has a lovely golden brown, caramelized outside once its baked. Its the perfect dessert for when youre short on time or dont want to spend hours in the kitchen. Plus, its versatile you can enjoy it on its own, with a dollop of whipped cream, or with a scoop of ice cream. No matter how you choose to serve it, I know youll love its custard-like texture and sweet flavor!

This is a popular dessert recipe because it uses so many simple, pantry staple ingredients. Pick up a refrigerated pie crust from the store, and youll probably have everything else you need ready to go at home! (If youre feeling ambitious, you can also make your own crust! Its a lot easier than youd think.)

Only 10 minutes of prep and then its off to the oven! With how easy chess pie is to make, youll see why its such a popular Southern dessert! Sweet, creamy goodness made with minimal effort.

Chess pie is delicious on its own, but here are a few ways to make it even better! No matter how you customize it (or if you leave it as-is) this dessert is sure to please!

When it comes to storing leftover chess pie, the hardest part is resisting the urge to eat it all in one sitting! But if you manage to save some for later, simply cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and pop it in the fridge.

With potluck season ramping up again, here are a few classic desserts to share with friends and family! You can never go wrong with a sweet homemade pie. Whether youre wanting something fruity, citrusy, or chocolatey, here are a few of my favorite pie recipes to try!

Melt the butter in a saucepan or in the microwave then allow it to cool.

In a small mixing bowl whisk the eggs until blended well and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add the granulated sugar, cornmeal, flour, and salt. Stir until combined.

Add the milk, vinegar, vanilla, and whisked eggs to the bowl of dry ingredients. Whisk together until incorporated.

Mix in the cooled butter until smooth and combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared crust. Carefully place the pie on a baking sheet and into the preheated oven.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or the until edges are set. It's normal for the center to wiggle slightly. Cover the pie with foil for the last 10 minutes if the edges of the crust are getting too brown.

Allow the pie to cool for 1 hour before slicing and serving. Dust powdered sugar on top of the pie before serving if you desire!

Cover and store leftover pie in the refrigerator.

Serves: 6

Calories525kcal (26%)Carbohydrates68g (23%)Protein6g (12%)Fat26g (40%)Saturated Fat13g (65%)Polyunsaturated Fat2gMonounsaturated Fat9gTrans Fat1gCholesterol151mg (50%)Sodium381mg (16%)Potassium101mg (3%)Fiber1g (4%)Sugar51g (57%)Vitamin A641IU (13%)Vitamin C0.02mgCalcium39mg (4%)Iron1mg (6%)

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chess pie, chess pie recipe

Original post:
Classic Chess Pie Recipe - The Recipe Critic