WEAK DIAGONALS AND THE ANNOYING QUEEN CHECK!

Here is a sampling of what we covered during our lesson today... I introduced all of our players to the them with the first two examples given below while the third example was used later when we were looking at how to win undefended pieces. 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.

"I'm on top of the World, I'm on top of the World... Ole, Ole, Ole..."

I love to play warm up games online. Today was a good day and I would like to share one of my games with you. If you care to learn even more about this opening then feel free to watch the sub-variations by clicking on them with your pointer and the click the play button. This will allow you to follow any line out to it's natural conclusion. Enjoy - Coach Sean.

AND THIS IS HOW I FELT AFTER WINNING THIS GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE NEXT TWO ASCF EVENTS...

These two events are the first two of four qualifiers for the Governor's Cup.
Chess Coach Sean Tobin.

GAMES from our 3/24/2010 Meeting

Enjoy the games - Coach Sean.

PRATEEK - Quick moves at the POLGAR BLITZ CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP held on SATURDAY MARCH 6th, 2010

PRATEEK does battle with GM POLGAR!

Prateek - in action at the POLGAR NATIONAL OPEN!






Our very own Prateek Pinisetti faced ultra tough competition in the SUSAN POLGAR BLITZ CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP held on Saturday the 6th of March as well as fighting hard in every game of the main event "THE SUSAN POLGAR NATIONAL OPEN FOR BOYS". But this was not the limit of his chess activities for his past weekend! The 2010 edition of this fine event was held up at the CARE FREE RESORT from the 5th until the 7th of March.

Prateek played in the BUGHOUSE tournament side event on Friday night where he and his teammate Anthony Blackledge finished in fourth place - winning a trophy. But this would not be the only trophy for Prateek from this past weekends' celebration of chess! He also won the 9th place trophy in the POLGAR BLITZ CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP, got to play Grandmaster Susan Polgar in her Chess Simul and played in the main event. That is a lot of chess - for anybody!

How did Prateek do?

9th place BLITZ CHAMPIONSHIOP
4th place BUGHOUSE CHAMPIONSHIP
11th place in the K 3-5th Grade section of the NATIONAL OPEN - out of 123 players in this one section alone.
Prateek was also the last player standing against the formidable might of GM Susan Polgar during her chess simul on Sunday! Next time Prateek will get her! I hope to play as well so perhaps we can both take down the GM when she makes her next appearance here in Phoenix Arizona. Anyone else want to jump on the "let's defeat the GM in her Simul" bandwagon? : P

Enjoy the photos of our number one player in action at the Polgar.
- Chess Coach Sean Tobin

With 2 out of 3 trophies earned! The sidekick is me - coach Sean.

Photo op for the 4th place BUGHOUSE team!

Arriving for the Trophy... after a little awards ceremony blooper!
or "WHERE IS MY TEAM'S TROPHY!" - coach Sean.

Mid battle during the main event!

"IS THIS A GOOD MOVE OR NOT?"
Prateek deep in thought during his 6th round game.

GAMES from our 3/3/2010 meeting of the GECKOS CHESS CLUB!

All games were from round one today - enjoy these three games from our Ladder!

Some coaches will not allow their players to play for any of the various variations upon the theme of the four move checkmate. I do however! Why you might ask? If one of my players should be reluctant to give up this weapon he or she will test all of their fellow club members with this trap - time and time again. If someone falls for it then I have to teach them how to defend against this trap - which means once no one falls for it we have now reached a point in time where the four move trap test giver will have to move on to greener openings! So having some players spring this on their club mates does everyone a bit of good because once all of their teammates stop falling for it they will have past the "test" - at least that is the way I feel about it!

GECKOS at "KNIGHT'S JOUST" ASCF CHESS TOURNAMENT.

Prateek - a study in concentration!
While at the tournament and at the chess board!

We had 3 players in the K-3 UNDER 600 section of the ASCF's "KNIGHT'S JOUST" held over at Jacobson Elementary on the 20th of February. They came in 6th out of A LOT of teams - and should we ever have all of our tournament players all attend the same event, all of them at the very same time then we will do even better - tis a sure thing! As it was Thomas P., Chris and Daniel all had fun at this event. Chris scored 3 points coming in 13th while Daniel scored 3 points and coming in 17th place. Thomas scored 2 points in this event proving that he is a solid player. I look forward to helping all three of them to play even better chess and to seeing how they progress as players in all of their future events.

Prateek was in the K-6 CHAMP section and scored 2.5 points in a very tough field. We can't always sweep them all up four and "o" but Prateek is our best player - and shall win many other events in the future. A lot of them with perfect scores - of this I am sure!

Spencer Pote took part in our vote to play and competed in the K-6 Under 700 section. He scored two out of four points for a solid fifty percent score. He did it the old fashioned way - he had to bang off some "ring rust" in rounds one and two - having lost both of these games - then he won the next two to score his two wins in this event. Spencer is a solid player and the more he plays the sooner he will get into the ASCF's CHAMP category. Which is as it is for all of our players - the more they play the better they will become.

For the full listing of all sections to both the "MIRAGE" and the "KNIGHT'S JOUST" please visit HERE.

Your Brisas Geckos Chess Coach
Chess Coach Sean Tobin.

PRATEEK - The Gecko Lion King!

Coach Sean with Prateek and Chris at "MIRAGE"
- These trophies are no mirage!

On the 14th of February we had a team represent Brisas at the local ASCF (American Scholastic Chess Federation) event "The Mirage" which was held at SETTLER'S POINT ELEMENTARY. This fine one day event was held on Saturday and some of our best players attended that day while are other really talented players were missed. Given the field that showed up our team could have placed very highly in the final team standings.

In the K-3 UNDER 600 Chris took 12th place while Thomas P. took 2 out of 4 points in this event. 115 total players competed in this one section of the "MIRAGE". Both players have improved even more since this event - see my other postings and look for their future games here. Thomas is not pictured in the photo as he could not stay for the end of this event because of a prior sporting commitment.

In the K-6 CHAMP section Prateek took first place with a perfect four and zero! Having swept the field he won first place. Prateek has been on the wrong end of tie-breaks before but this time he took first and this result is in the history books Ladies and Gentlemen! Prateek really played some powerful chess during this event and you may not be able to tell based upon what is offered in this photo but he is sitting on a lion! Don't worry though as it is only one made of stone!

Congratulations to all of our players who participated in this fine event. Let's get our players ready for the GOVERNOR'S CUP!

- Coach Sean Tobin.