Shapes in Chess

In chess, shapes and geometry play a big part in the game. In the following position, white can win a pawn by force starting with the next move. I will put the answer below the diagram so you can try to solve it; keep in mind that the word "triangle" is the clue.

In other chess news, Vladimir Kramnik won the world championship against Veselin Topalov. This match was soiled by the accusations of cheating leveled against Kramnik by Topalov after Kramnik went to the bathroom 60 times in one game. We will look at a game in a future column. To see the entire match, you can go to www.askthechessmaster.com.






The answer is Qa5+. The black queen attacks the white king and the pawn at e5.

Eliminating Mistakes

Winning is often achieved through the elimination of major mistakes. Even at the highest level, minor mistakes can be reduced but rarely eliminated completely.

What steps can we take to minimize the mistakes we make?

Since there are so many ways to reduce mistakes, we will focus on several key ones.

Be careful
This means examining pitfalls, looking at every angle, and determining the cause and effect of the move. While it also means not making inordinate risks, being careful does not necessarily mean eliminating risk all together.

Be thoughtful
By looking at the whole picture, many hazards and pitfalls will become apparent and can then be avoided. Reflection will often give you insight into your opponent's intentions and to your best options. You can then choose the right move, again taking into account all new information and being thoughtful to the specific attributes of the position faced.

Be fearless
Giving in to fear is often a mistake. Being fearful and being careful are not the same. When an opponent makes a bold move, it is often a mistake to be scared into passivity or into abdicating.

Be interactive
Most of the time a game involves two or more players who are trying to achieve their own aims. While at times your opponent's moves can be ignored, ignoring your opponent's aims and failing to intermingle preventive moves against their aims is one of the most common class of mistakes.

Be mindful
By being relaxed and aware of your own body, mind, and surroundings, and then equally mindful of the game, your opponent, and other important information can increase your chances for overall perception and reduce the opportunity for mistakes.

Be aggressive
By being aggressive, we can keep our opponent on the defensive and keep from being in a position to have to decide how to defend. Sometimes an aggressive play is called for. If you are reluctant to make aggressive moves, you may be routinely making the mistake of not making the best move.

Double-check
Redundancy is considered crucial in any quality-control system, so you should check each move twice and/or devise alternative or triangular methods for making sure you do not make an avoidable mistake.

Focus on your objective
By keeping an eye on your ultimate objective, many mistakes became obvious. Strategically, any play that does not further your goals has to be questioned.

Have a checklist
Knowing the key elements to check for in the game you are playing and then going through your mental checklist can greatly reduce the amount of strategic and tactical errors.

Sopranos Video Game Coming Soon (or I will break some knees)

Cast Members Lend Voice Talent and Likenesses for Videogame Re-creation of HBO's Award-Winning Series

AGOURA HILLS, Calif. (May 4, 2006) -- THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced its upcoming videogame based on HBO's critically acclaimed series The Sopranos. Currently under development, the game will evoke the atmosphere, action and conflicts that are the cornerstone of the hit show . . . The game is backed by key members of the all-star cast who will lend their voices and likenesses, including James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano. The Sopranos game is scheduled to release for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system this holiday season. . . .

"We're excited to work with HBO on creating a game that captures the spirit of the groundbreaking series - a modern classic that redefines the life of crime genre," said Kelly Flock, executive vice president, Worldwide Publishing, THQ.

Trying

Without trying, we cannot achieve anything. The announcers at basketball games often talk about one team “wanting it more" and of how the winning team tried harder and was rewarded for its effort. Players that "want it more" are chosen over similarly skilled players because their efforts often translate into victory.

Where is this going?

One of the main themes running throughout this blog is that trying is important and can help win games.

But let's consider that every proverb has an opposite proverb.

The same announcers will often say things like "She tried to hard" or "He wanted the game too badly." Bjork, the Icelandic singer, sang "You are trying to hard."

When I heard this, it rang true. I was playing a lot of games, trying to get ahead, trying to play perfectly, trying, trying, and trying some more. Trying is commendable, but it is not enough. Thinking and using your skills efficiently are important, as is having fun. Letting your play flow naturally is crucial to achieving the results you deserve.

In closing, try to play your best, make sure you have fun, and spend your energy on the game itself.

Win or Lose, the Choice Is Yours

As you walk into a tournament, it is amazing
how much you can tell as you observe the
other players. Often it is easy to spot the
top players simply by the way they hold
themselves; winners and losers both give off
evidence of how well they expect to do.

To be a "top player," you need to be
confident. Part of this confidence should
come from knowing that you are prepared, and
the rest from being committed to making good
decisions. To play well, it is important to
be confident and committed every time you
sit down and play. As noted Poker teacher
Mike Caro said, “It is okay to play your
best game all the time.”

Somehow the expectation of winning or losing
seems to affect the results of many games
and tournaments. Our minds will find ways to
follow through on our strategic visions and
on our expected results. Knowing this makes
it obvious that we must strive to program
our minds into believing that we will win
every time we play a game.

Considering all of the unique factors of the
game and of your opponent(s) is an important
part winning. Maybe there is some factor
that will help you prevail; maybe your
opponent is weak in an area you can exploit.
At any moment, any one of the winning habits
may win for you. What an exciting and
motivating reason to keep a winning mindset
and to stay observant!

Being rested, showered, fed (but not too
well fed), and exercised are all important
factors in being successful. World chess
champion Bobby Fisher walked several miles
from his hotel to the tournament site before
each game of his famous 1972 World
Championship match against Boris Spassky.

On closing, feel your best, play your best,
and expect to win, and success may come more
easily than you imagined.