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Hi Students of Chess! Welcome to the Word Association! In this fun game, you post connecting words forever and ever. For example, 1. chesskingboy posts "chess". The next word needs to be related to chess! 2. The_Chess_Ninja replies with the word "pawns". Now, the next comment should have something to do with pawns! I hope you take appeal to this forum game. Have fun! -TCN

Today we will discuss about the most basic but one of the most important ideas of chess: king safety! Without it, you are pretty much toast , but if your king is safe, you can have a regular game and have a chance at winning. As we all know, or should know, that castling is one of the main ways to protect your king, and it also develops a rook . There are 2 type of castling, king-side and queen-side castling. Each has their benefits and disadvantages, and I will go over them. What are the benefits of castling? It protects your king with having connected pawns and isolates your king in the corner for further protection. It also develops one of your rooks into the game, which is helpful since rooks are usually the last thing developed. What are the benefits of king-side castling than queen-side castling? It usually is more quicker since you only have to move 2 pieces out of the way. Your king has protection of all the king-sides pawns What are the benefits of queen-side castling? Your rook is closer to the center now than doing king-side castling Your opponent can get out of their comfort zone Now to sum it up here is a game in which black wouldn't castle:

Stand Strong in Liberty bystevec828 When I was a kid I was taught in school the song “My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty”, yes the patriotic song ‘America’. Little did I realize the depths of that song, but as we look back at the framers of our country and constitution as adults we can see the intent that all people should be free. It took nearly 100 years and a civil war to make that the law of the land to free those in slavery, 60 more years to give women the right to vote and then another 50 years for congress to pass the equal rights amendment. So today we should be able to sing ‘America’ all the more, knowing that the law of the land islibertyfor all. “Stand fast therefore in thelibertyby which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” – Galatians 5:1 NKJV Any student of American history can see that the principles upon which our country was formed come from the Bible. Just go into the Supreme Court and see the Ten Commandments on the wall, not to mention the use of swearing on the Bible in all courts. We are a country founded on the principle oflibertyfor all, just like we (hopefully) practice in our lives and in our churches. And thatlibertyis worth standing up for and fighting for. We are one nation, under God, made free. And we should stand fast, or in other words, we should not be moved from the proposition thatlibertyis our God-given right. But let’s use good judgement in this proposition. Not only should we defend our own freedom, we should defend the freedom of all people. Just look what the Bible has to say: “Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight—every man proclaiminglibertyto his neighbor; and you made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name.” (Jeremiah 34:15 NKJV). It is right in God’s eyes that we should proclaimlibertyto our neighbor, who is everyone. And we should stand against those who seek to bring the American people into subjection, both abroad and domestically. Let’s remember that the hard work and sacrifice required to make this the sweet land oflibertyhad only begun on July 4th. And the work goes on today. Let’s also remember thatlibertyfor all is what God intends, so let’s stand strong in theperfect law of libertywe find in the Bible and in Jesus Christ.

Hello Students! I know that RyanGarner and M-W-R's seminars are getting a bit "old" and inactive, so I will contribute to the seminars with this one! These seminars are targeted to people rated around 0-1400. Sorry to the higher rated members about this, but our seminar writers aren't very high rated. So with this seminar, I will talk about advantages for white. Chess players normally don't really care if they play chess playing black, or white! But, the people who do care found out that white gets an advantage right from the start of the game. Because white moves first, white gets the first-move advantage right away. Statistics state that white's winning percentage is slightly higher than black's. White's extra tempo forces Black to adjust to the opponent's move. But, this advantage isn't a big one, it's just a minor advantage that might help. Since chess games end up in a draw most of the times, neither side has a true advantage. The only minor advantage white has is to move first, which only chooses the opening black will probably have to play. This advantage doesn't really affect lower rated players, so you don't really need to depend on openings as much, meaning that the color you play doesn't matter. Although, if you play white 100% correct (which means you are probably cheating), you will be able to win or draw. Other than the first-move advantage, white doesn't really have any other advantage in chess. Black doesn't have an advantage, but many players think there is one. Thanks for listening to the seminar, and if you have any complaints, issues with the seminars, etc, please post it in this forum so we can make it better! -TCN

Welcome back Students! Today I'll be giving you guys a brief overview on the Common defenses from Black! This week will be on common defenses against 1. e4. Let's get started! 1) Sicilian Defense Argueably the most popular defense against 1. e4 on the grandmaster scale, this defense has LOTS of strong line guaranteed to give you a good game...well only if you play it right . Here is the mainline: Now there are many variations: The Najdorf, Dragon Variation (Classical, Accelerated, Hyper-Accelerated), Open Sicilian, Closed Sicilian, and more. Since I'm not an expert on these, I will give you guys a link to some videos about them. Overview- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzydxPgPKzs Classical Dragon- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esbm4nL5G-A The Najdorf- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfLYXrMoxT0&feature=fvwrel Open Sicilian- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV1kGkMQjJw Closed Sicilian- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU9iOKsYitk 2) French Defense The French Defense is a very solid and passive opening. Many people (like me) think it's too cramped and somewhat easy for Whote to exploit that weakness, but if you know all of White's tricks, you can have a great game! Overview- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTNN7-Wwpzs ---Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_oJEi-tGHo&feature=relmfu ---Part 2 3) Caro-Kann This is another passive opening and creates a lot of pressure on White before you just break open! Overview- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLfrt7Atldo&feature=relmfu There are tons of more openings, and I'll post them later on in the week! So adios for now!

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Welcome back students! This week we will be looking at common openings played by white! Feel free to try these openings out! Opening #1- English Opening The main goal of the first moves of the English is to create many attackers on the d5-square The following diagram is the Botvinnik Formation, a formation that can be transposed from the English Opening. Opening #2- King's Gambit The main goal of the King's Gambit is to sacrifice his f-pawn (which will be gained back later in the game) to create a open file for his rook and to have a lead in development. Opening #3-Queen's Gambit Opening #4- The Evans Gambit The Evans Gambit is just a variation of the Italian Game Be7 Variation Bg5 Variation Bishop back to c5 will just end up like one of these positions. There are countless others. During the following days, I will add more openings, and so on Monday, you guys will have 10 amazing openings from White. See you soon!

Welcome back Students, hope you had a great Independance Day! This week is the start of our second course which focuses on openings. This week I will give you basic information on the opening stage of the game, the part where the battle erupts! So if you're playing white, there is a tiny,tiny edge that you have when you begin a game. Since white moves first, you have an extra tempo, or time. That is something to consider if you are playing white or black. According to statistics, in tournament games between humans and computers, white wins 52-56% of the time. However, there are many defenses in Black's arsenal that can hope to equalize or give the advantage, which will be covered later. White is said to have the advantage since s/he gets a lead in development, as in this example: As you can see, white has the upper hand. This can be easily prevented by some openings like the French Defence. Now the thing is, white only has the first-move advantage if he plays reasonable moves. This example is white making bad moves: Now a good white player would make moves like this: So that's it for this week. Now I will post some great openings for both white and black that can give your opponent a hard game! White

Hey Students! This is our last seminar in the 1st course, and I am super excited for this! After I post this, I will set up a team match, were we all get to exercise what we have learned. As promised, the links follow with a quick description of the seminar. Seminar #1- Fork, Pin, Skewer Link: http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/seminar-1--basic-chess-tactics Seminar #2- Development Link: http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/seminar-2-development--quotget-those-piece-outquot Seminar #3- Casteling (sorry, it's misnamed) Link: http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/seminar-4--all-about-castling-king-side-and-queen-side Seminar #4- Undermining and Overworking Link: http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/seminar-4-sorry-about-the-last-one-its-3--undermining-and-overworking Seminar #5- Point Values Link: http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/seminar-5--point-values--quothow-much-am-iquot Here are the seminars in order. Fill free to reread them, and be on the look-out for that new team match! As always, keep studing, and happy chessing! -Ryan

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A skittles game from earlier today against Chess.com's computer. I had the black pieces, and the computer was set to Hard mode which is supposedly 2000+ level...not sure if I buy that.

Hey guys and gals! We need some more people rated 1600-1410 in this match! http://www.chess.com/groups/team_match.html?id=140552 Anyone rated 1800-1430 in this one. http://www.chess.com/groups/team_match.html?id=119333 And anyone rated 1750-1550 in this one. http://www.chess.com/groups/team_match.html?id=119335 Thanks for the help! We need to win!

Hey students! Today's lesson is on point values. We decided to do a quick lesson on this, so everyone will be up-to-speed (or hopefully will be), so we can move onto the second course. Following, is a list of the pieces, and their value. Pawn - 1 Knight - 3 Bishop - 3 Rook - 5 Queen - 9 King - Has no value Now that you are familliar with the points, we are going to be studing some key points with this concept. First, the king has no value because you can never "take/capture" the king. "Checkmate" is the best possible outcome with it. Second, the queen and rooks are considered "heavy" or "large". This is because they have more power if left alone until the endgame. Also, because they have the higher values. Lastly, the knights and bishops are 3 points. But, some people like the think that one of them is 3.5 or 4, depending on the one they favor. Pawns, aren't considered pieces, so that is why they are only one point. There isn't a ton of material to go over with point values, so that is why this is such a short lesson. Sorry about that. *Be looking foreward to a sneak peak of the 2ed course coming this week! **Also, the tournament will be set-up soon, it will be a team match, but the ones that have attended the seminars are the ones that it is for. I have the list, so I will make it a 1-(insert last # here) match. There you have it! Hope you all enjoyed, and remember, that the last seminar in out 1st course will be 6-25-12, and then I will post the new schedule, and then start the 2ed course. Happy chessing! -Ryan

Guess our national leaders didn't expect this, hmm? On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton , Colorado , was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful. They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. The following is a portion of the transcript: Since the dawn of creation there has been both good &evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers. The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart. In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death.. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. Your laws ignore our deepest needs, Your words are empty air. You've stripped away our heritage, You've outlawed simple prayer. Now gunshots fill our classrooms, And precious children die. You seek for answers everywhere, And ask the question "Why?" You regulate restrictive laws, Through legislative creed. And yet you fail to understand, That God is what we need! Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts. As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge.. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone! My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!" ..........Darrell Scott

Hello students! This is the next installment of the seminars! Today is about overworking, undermining, and how to prevent them. Some definitons to start. Overworking: When a piece has to do several jobs at once. Undermining: A defending piece is removed where the defended piece is voulnerabe, or just left alone. There will be 4 digrams describing all of these situations, and how to prevent them. First, overworking. Next, how to prevent overworkage. Here is undermining. Next, the prevention. This is it! Sorry if this was a little fast, I wasn't feeling well at the time I posted it. I know this was a little fased pased, so you probably will need to review it. Soon, we will be posting a sneak peak of the next course, and the schedule! So, be looking foreward to that. Sorry, again, that it's so short, but it's to the point. Thanks, and until next time!

so basically, all you have to do is rate the person's avatar above you on a scale of 1 to 10, and provide a little comment has to why you say that ^^ simple, right? go :P

Hello all! Today's lesson is about development. Most to all of you probably know what this is, and I am certain all of you do develop, you just don't know it! So, without further ado, here is a quick definition, and some diagrams refreshing your memory about development. Develop: To move a piece from it's original square, with the exception of the king and pawns. Here is a quick diagram about how the pieces develop. If you got lost, please review the diagram, until you feel you have got the concept. Okay, here is a recap of the pieces' development. Knight: Develops off the back row, always in a "L" position Bishop: Develops off the back row, after a pawn is moved, enabling it to move. Rook: Develops off its starting square, into the center, either by castling, or a move. Queen: Develops off her square, by moving her to an availible square. **Remember!!!** The king and the pawns never develop! There are two kinds of development (more like two ways to describe it). You either have the "lead", or you are "lacking" development. Here is a diagram displaying a "lead". In this diagram, a "lack" of development is displayed. Okay, this just about does it! If this was any way trivial or too basic, please contact me. Again, this was a refresher seminar, so everyone will be up-to-speed when we start our next course. Thanks!

Many of you have been asking me to post a schedule of the seminars in the first course. This specific course is "Understanding Chess Basics: The In's and Out's". Every course will have a name. At the end of each course, the last (6th) seminar will be a review, with all the links posted in that seminar, with a quick recap of all the major points. The Forum Team and I have came together, and finished the schedule. The seminars will be below with the assigned airing dates. 1. 5-21-12: Basic Chess Tactics 2. 5-28-12: Development- Get the Pieces Out! 3. 6-4-12: All About Castling- King-side or Queen-side? 4. 6-11-12: "Removing the Guard" (Undermining), and Overworkage- "Give Me a Break!" 5. 6-18-12: Point Values 6. Review of the Major Points, w/ the other seminar links So, here it is! I will post the other schedule, when I post the last seminar. Thanks! -Ryan

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