These have been strange times which are hopefully coming to an end. With no chess tournaments being played face to face many players have started playing online, with the usual issues of cheating or the suspicion of such. I personally have not played a single online game, though when my son Sam is over we … Continue reading "Lockdown Strategy" The post Lockdown Strategy appeared first on...

Μια γυναίκα, σύμβουλος έκτακτων καταστάσεων (δυστυχώς δεν είναι η “κακιά”), βαδίζει στη μέση μιας πλατείας που είναι διακοσμημένη με κομμάτια σκακιού. Η σκηνή προέρχεται από την ταινία Shooter (ελληνικός τίτλος: ο...

Ο Γιάννης Νικολαΐδης και ο Βασίλης Κοτρωνιάς κατά τη διάρκεια του τάντεμ-σιμουλτανέ αντιμετωπίζουν τον Δημήτρη Λαδόπουλο, ο οποίος φορά ακόμη το καπέλο του αξιωματικού από τη συμμετοχή του στο ζωντανό σκάκι λίγο...

“All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.” Sun Tzu This is an important game in our online club championship. The seesaw battle for the point in play was and continues to be as expected. However the opportunities presented along … Continue reading "Planning for Victory" The post Planning for Victory...

To celebrate the first International Chess Day, on 20 July (10:00-12:00 EST), Chess players, United Nations and governments officials, permanent missions to the UN, representatives of civil society, academia and other relevant stakeholders will attend and participate in a High-Level Virtual Event – “Chess for Recovering Better”. Chess is one of the most ancient, intellectual [...]

Our next match was a cup tie against Harrow, who currently field weak teams in the league but strong teams in the cup. I’m not always required for cup matches, but on this occasion I was asked to play. I was paired with the white pieces against a slightly higher graded opponent, former Drunken Knights … Continue reading "2019-20 Season (7)" The post 2019-20 Season (7) appeared first...

Ο πολυπρωταθλητής Ελλάδας Β. Κοτρωνιάς (αριστερά) νίκησε στον τελευταίο γύρο, ύστερα από μακρά παρτίδα 72 κινήσεων, τον Κ. Γεωργίου και κατέκτησε την πρώτη θέση!Ολοκληρώθηκε με επιτυχία το Ανοιχτό Διεθνές Πρωτάθλημα...

While beginners rarely enter the endgame early in their playing careers (due to early checkmates) when they do, they end up in trouble. Too often, novice players don’t consider the endgame until they’re in it and by that time their position going into this game phase is dreadful. The reason this happens is because beginners … Continue reading "Endgame Preparation Revisited" The...

Ολοκληρώνεται το βράδυ της Πέμπτης το Ανοιχτό Διεθνές Πρωτάθλημα Αιγαίου «Ίκαρος 2020». Επικρατέστεροι για τις πρώτες θέσεις εμφανίζονται οι τέσσερις γκραν μετρ Ντέιβιντ (Ιταλία),  Κοτρωνιάς, Νικολαΐδης και Μπανίκας...

Q: “In a riddle whose answer is chess, what is the only prohibited word?” A: “Chess” “The Garden of Forking Paths” by Jorge Luis Borges This past week I stumbled over the below puzzle. It said “White to move. Who will win?”. Please give it a shot before moving on. How successful were you? Did … Continue reading "Chess Riddles (2)" The post Chess...