October 7, 2007
Tom Murphy, chess guru of DuPont Circle
A while back I had visited Washington, D.C. and I remember DuPont circle as my most memorable experience at our nation's capital. I also remember Mr. Tom Murphy, the resident chess master and teacher. I had the chance to play Tom in a 5-minute blitz game. He was very strong -- especially in the opening. He had me good, and being a chess hustler like him, I decided to bring him down on time. Even though I won the blitz game, I still had to pay him. But I'll never forget this experience...
So I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Tom is still very much active in chess. And here's an interesting video from the washingtonpost.com:
Posted by rene on 10:08 AM
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June 21, 2007
Is chess a sport?
 In my humble opinion — yes!
The definition of sport (n.) is: "a physical activity involving large muscle groups, requiring strategic methods, physical training and mental preparation and whose outcome is determined, within a rules framework, by skill, not chance." I just love those words: skill, not chance.
That's right! Chess is all about skill with no chance involved. Maybe a little luck, but dumb moves are made by woodpushers and patzers!
Major sporting events take concentration and and strategy, kind of like, um, uh, chess — but with just a few differences. With baseball there's a lot of running; with chess there's pacing. Wiith basketball there's the 24-second shot clock. With chess there's staring...and staring at the chessboard, and the game can go on for over six hours! With NASCAR there's a cheering crowd. With chess, there's silence. With golf, well, I don't have any analogies for that sport.
So, is chess a cool sport or what?
Posted by rene on 3:47 PM
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May 31, 2007
Chess in the media — again!
 One thing I hate most is the bastardization of Chess in the media. This is very humiliating for me personally, since I consider myself a chess purist. I'm open to the use of Chess in the media, when used properly — especially when used for educational purposes. Instead, advertisers and marketers use the idea or concept of Chess merely as a "selling" tool, and because Chess is commonly associated or stereotyped with words like smart, witty, clever, intelligence, cunning, and the brain. It can only be an easy device to personify the idea of being ingenious, as in "an ingenious drug for the sleep-deprived!"
Rozerem, the popular prescription sleep medicine, which features honest Abe in a top-hat and a talking beaver as their "mascots," uses chess to promote the drug! I'm excusing Nozerem a little for their clever use of chess in their promotion. On their website they feature a cute AI chess-playing program that is very hard to lose. Choose between two levels: beginner or advanced. I would guess that its rating strength is in the range of 1100 or 1200, basically C-level.
Play against the Beaver and see how you fare
(Give it a try, it's easier than beating your dad!)
Note: not to worry, the AI engine doesn't have a book opening database. Even if you're a "wood pusher," you'll manage to beat the beaver by the middle game. Enjoy!
Posted by rene on 4:57 PM
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May 30, 2007
From Kalmykia to Mexico City
The Candidates Matches is under way in Elisa, Kalmykia. There are sixteen players currently vying for the chance to play at the World Chess Championship, which will take place in Mexico City later this year (Sept. 12 - Oct 1, 2007). The grand prize fund for this match is a cool $1.3 million!
From the Candiates Matches only four players will participate in the September 2007 World Chess Championship. And the competition is fierce! The A-list grandmasters include the young prodigy Magnus Carlsen of Norway, the only woman Judit Polgar of Hungary, the veteran Boris Gelfand of Israel, and Gata Kamsky representing the U.S.A.
During the final phase of the Candidates there will also be a Computer Challenge match between the top programs Deep Junior and Deep Fritz.
Who will win? Watch the Elista games live at the official site.
For more information on the WCC click here.
Posted by rene on 12:22 PM
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