Newsletter - February edition
Dan Heisman Learning Center
Contents
Welcome!
News
Dan's Corner
Puzzles of the Month
Easy Links
Want to get in touch with the newsletter crew? Write to them at DHLCNewsletter@gmail.com
WELCOME!
Newsletter February edition, volume 24
Welcome to the Dan Heisman Learning Center!
All members of the DHLC share a common interest and we all have the strong desire to improve our chess playing. We are truly a group BY the members FOR the members. No matter if you are a master or completely new to the game, we welcome you. Please do take a look around the forums to see where other members can help you improve or you can help others as well.
We at the DHLC encourage active participation, good sportsmanship and above all, fun in learning this wonderful game. Whether your preference is for live chess, longer correspondence (“online”) games, some vote chess or working your way through the instructional articles written by some of our stronger members, there is something for everyone at DHLC.
New to our events?
-
QUALFIER 29 SIGN UPS ARE OPEN!
-
Be Part of DHLC History in the making!!!
-
This is the event that all new league players MUST compete in successfully to qualify to enter regular tournaments in the DHLC Slow Chess League.
This is a 3 round event with games played at a time control of G/45+45. In order to qualify you must participate in all 3 rounds, observe all league rules, and complete at least 1 game.
Before signing up below, read our rules here. Use this time zone converter to help with scheduling your games. (Enter New York in the converter to get ET. Tournament #29 will begin on Monday, February 9th.
Invitations to the playing group will be sent during the week before the tournament start. This will be the first Qualifier to be organized on our new website --www.slowchessleague.com !
Add your comment at http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/dhlc---slow-chess-league-qualifier-sign-up to signup up for this tournament. Veteran or qualified league players MAY NOT sign up for this tournament.
If you haven't yet joined our Slow Chess League headquarters sub-group, go here to get started--
http://www.chess.com/groups/home/slow-chess-league
-
What? How is this going to work? -----
-
Final Standings for Swiss 20 Rated/Unrated
Congratulations to
JediMasterRVA - 1700+
udb_1993 - U1700
Froshiak - U1500
Romanic666 - UNR
Swiss 21 Teams Only
The Swiss 21 is now underway!
We are thrilled at the turnout for this event --
12 Teams
71 members
68 players (and 3 non-playing captains)
Our hope is that this event will a team-building springboard to future events. Those future events will feature team competition by rating class (now that we have enough teams) and head-to-head team competition.
| Art of War | ||
| Slow Swiss 21 - Roster for Team AOW | 1570.83 | Team Avg |
| 1. Dr_Cris_Angel-AOW | 1171 | |
| 2. Gunners2004-AOW | 2068 | * |
| 3. hreedwork-AOW | 1424 | |
| 4. JRTK73-AOW | 1682 | * |
| 5. kskonge-AOW | 1410 | |
| 6. Okieman888-AOW | 1670 | * |
| Blue Circle Society | ||
| Slow Swiss 21 - Roster for Team BCS | 1708 | Team Avg |
| 1. Chessmo-BCS | 1536 | |
| 2. chessprentice-BCS | 1523 | |
| 3. donjova-BCS | 1595 | |
| 4. kamini12-BCS | 1946 | * |
| 5. onurbruno-BCS | 1872 | * |
| 6. torrionefunesto-BCS | 1776 | * |
| Backward Pawns | ||
| Slow Swiss 21 - Roster for Team BP | 1679.4 | Team Avg |
| 1. Birgis-BP | 1411 | |
| 2. BubbaLouie-BP | 1772 | * |
| 3. isaiahjhonson-BP | 2039 | * |
| 4. le_bon_fou-BP | 1453 | |
| 5. RandomJeff-BP | 1722 | * |
| Cloudy Knights | ||
| Slow Swiss 21 - Roster for Team CK | 1691.8 | Team Avg |
| 1. calsal-CK | 1675 | * |
| 2. dblackw2-CK | 1709 | * |
| 3. J-Chris-Lane-CK | 1579 | |
| 4. JimbobJones-CK | 1909 | * |
| 5. Rapter_Michael-CK | 1587 | |
| Chess Vikings | ||
| Slow Swiss 21 - Roster for Team CV | 1602.33 | Team Avg |
| 1. ers1l1a-CV | 1246 | |
| 2. jimmie_cecil-CV | 1702 | * |
| 3. PizzaRacer-CV | 1584 | |
| 4. TAOS227-CV | 1860 | * |
| 5. thomaslfc-CV | 1391 | |
| 6. WRobertThompson-CV | 1831 | * |
| Fischer Bobbies | ||
| Slow Swiss 21 - Roster for Team FB | 1205.2 | Team Avg |
| 1. Alumpalumpa-FB | 1151 | |
| 2. FakieB-FB | 1275 | |
| 3. hudman653-FB | 1297 | |
| 4. LightoftheNightStars-FB | 1081 | |
| 5. Vikkelsoe-FB | 1222 | |
| Kings in Action | ||
| Slow Swiss 21 - Roster for Team KIA | 1674.5 | Team Avg |
| 1. CirrusStratus-KIA | 2281 | * |
| 2. htesligte-KIA | 1508 | |
| 3. jpokerflat-KIA | 1467 | |
| 4. kclee2172-KIA | 1437 | |
| 5. kikienpassant-KIA | 1738 | * |
| 6. Lumper001-KIA | 1616 | * |
| Passed Pawns | ||
| Slow Swiss 21 - Roster for Team PP | 1762.8 | Team Avg |
| 1. MrRistretto-PP | 1860 | * |
| 2. Pawnslinger1-PP | 1505 | |
| 3. St3in-PP | 1556 | |
| 4. Vibhav_G-PP | 1648 | * |
| 5. Warrior200-PP | 2245 | * |
| Spotless Stars | ||
| Slow Swiss 21 - Roster for Team SS | 1512.33 | Team Avg |
| 1. Al86a-SS | 1183 | |
| 2. ChessFanaticStar-SS | 1321 | |
| 3. ciprianmz-SS | 1672 | * |
| 4. lrmall01-SS | 1495 | |
| 5. TheBlueRook75-SS | 1699 | * |
| 6. YtterbiJum-SS | 1704 | * |
| Team AnyBody | ||
| Slow Swiss 21 - Roster for Team TAB | 1458.67 | Team Avg |
| 1. Gnomewaiter-TAB | 1408 | |
| 2. majok51-TAB | 1752 | * |
| 3. milatin-TAB | 1607 | * |
| 4. pbpostma-TAB | 1331 | |
| 5. stantheman59-TAB | 1419 | |
| 6. wand_maker-TAB | 1235 | |
| Team AniMaters | ||
| Slow Swiss 21 - Roster for Team TAM | 1673.17 | Team Avg |
| 1. Balramraj-TAM | 1158 | |
| 2. CjAlekhine - TAM | 2219 | * |
| 3. mikenay-TAM | 1571 | |
| 4. ModernTiger-TAM | 1822 | * |
| 5. rachedid-TAM | 1517 | |
| 6. SVS1234 - TAM | 1752 | * |
| Team TeamLess | ||
| Slow Swiss 21 - Roster for Team TTL | 1344.67 | Team Avg |
| 1. bethrjacobs-TTL | 1035 | |
| 2. niranja_18-TTL | 1600 | * |
| 3. opposition62-TTL | 1200 | |
| 4. Pkraus-TTL | 1396 | |
| 5. Sjaakie76-TTL | 1195 | |
| 6. themirrortwin-TTL | 1642 | * |
Newly Qualified Players
Eternal_Patzer
Congratulations to the newly qualified members of our Slow Chess League!
ModernTiger CjAlekhine
Rapter_Michael JimmyBorg
mikenay Jwwheeler
gmoguel_jjc Sjaakie76
themirrortwin receipt1
MTIGER1 opposition62
pbpostma jinman2718
Phantom567456 Jesuswantsyou
Niranja_18 Gnomewaiter
warchesky Pawnpunter
ers1l1a Elwinraj
13rincewind13 bigteddy96
Waruk77 bushwe
Dan's Corner
NM DanHeisman
The Costigan twins were both tough. Rich became an IM and Tom and FM but I think Tom was just as good. Here is a crazy draw with Rich at the 1977 Gr Phila Invitational Championship, where I was the lowest rated player by far, and the only one who did not go on to get at least an FM ("just" a CM):
Want more tips? Turn to Dan's Tip of the day!
http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/dans-tip-of-the-day
Puzzles of the Month
Gunners2004
With the 77th Tata Steel tournament just ended the puzzles this month are from previous Wijk Aan Zee tournaments, all involving past and present greats of the game - Can you solve them?
Puzzle 1: Aronian vs Anand, 2013
Vishy Anand has always been known for his attacking prowess, and this game was one of his finest. Against the World No.2 (at that time) Anand looks like he is about to lose material, the c5 bishop, g4 knight and f8 rook are attacked. However, Anand now launches a blistering assault which secures the win quickly. Can you see the sequence?
Puzzles 2 & 3
Kasparov vs Ivanchuk 1999
Probably the most fearsome attacker in the history of chess must be Garry Kasparov (though fans of Alekhine and Tal may disagree). His knack of maintaining ferocious assaults on the opposition often makes one think he must have extra pieces on the board! But of course he didn't, he had tremendous powers of calculation, which wowed many a world class player.
This game, from the 1999 Wijk tournament, must rank as one of his best. His opponent, Vasily Ivanchuk (a terrific player in his own right) seems to have the game under control - white does not seem to have any obvious points to attack. How did Kasparov proceed?
Puzzles 4 & 5
Even the very best mess up - Wijk Aan Zee has seen it's fair share of famous players blundering horribly, I leave you with 2 of the more famous examples:
Christiansen vs Karpov, 1993
Ex-World Champ Karpov has just played Bd6 initiating some action on the kingside. However, after Christiansen's next he was forced to resign! What move was played?
Korchnoi vs Portisch, 1968
Maybe not as obvious as the last example, but still a game the shows that even the best can blunder - in this case Viktor Korchnoi. He's just played Nd5 to block the attack on his queen. How did Portisch continue?
EASY LINKS
NEW! Slow League chess league website
Past newsletters
http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/dhlc-newsletters
All the DHLC newsletters, linked in one convenient place.
Game Analysis Department
http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/game-analysis-department3
A forum where any DHLC member can post a game for others to help out with ideas, analysis and advice. It is not meant as a showcase of brilliancies or only winning games. You learn much more from your losses so those are probably the best options for anyone who is serious about improving.
Find a Study Buddy
http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/find-a-study-buddy
Use this forum to find someone to work with to improve your skills.
I Want to be a Slow Chess Friend
http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/i-want-to-be-a-slow-chess-friend
Post to get other DHLC members who have a similar interests and a "study buddy".
My Last Lesson With Dan
http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/my-last-lesson-with-dan
We can all benefit from members' lessons.
The DHLC Store
Not just a place to get cool DHLC gear, 100% of the profit goes directly to Dan's charity, the Dan Heisman Chess Support Fund. Find out more about it here:https://www.facebook.com/ChessSupportFund
DHLC Suggestion Box
http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/-suggestion-box
Use this for any suggesitons for improving our DHLC.
Slow Chess League
http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/slow-chess-league2
The place to meet for the players of the DHLC.
Online Chess League
