Wednesday, 28 April 2010

If I pray hard enough, will I get better at chess?

If you pray hard enough you won’t necessarily get better at chess, but you are on the right path! Keeping your mind in the game is always a good method to roll onto greatness, simply place your pieces and not only pray for the best, but practice, practice, practice! You can research other methods people have used, or come up with your own. Often times people use self training and find ways to play on their own for training purposes, or get a close friend to train with you. Now we even have technology to play online against random opponents, so you can get a different challenge each time!

Sunday, 25 April 2010

A kids guide to chess, by Caroline Turner.

Chess is an enjoying game that gets you thinking. I am a 9 year old girl. I live in the UK and my dad is very fond of chess. Although I might want to watch TV or play games on my computer, chess is a much better way to spend your free time. My dad is teaching me chess, I love it. My brother and sister like chess too. So, in your free time, play a game of chess, its easy and fun and you'll love it.

Saturday, 27 March 2010

Can a chess computer beat the best chess players?

 Most often, chess played on a square checkered board, be it, a very simple one or a very expensive, classy and handcrafted one, gives a player immense satisfaction. It is almost always said that what can be seen, heard, touched and felt is for real and gives your senses ultimate pleasure. But it is often not so, many computer fans or even expert chess players prefer computer chess. We or even the whole world watch live the performance of the players playing chess for real and not on the computer. So if one is a stickler for popularity or wants to become famous playing chess might think twice about his idea of playing chess on the ‘screen’.

Ever since the advent of digital computers in 1950’s chess enthusiasts and computer engineers have come together to build chess playing machines or computer programmes. “Programming a computer for playing chess”-was the ground breaking paper by Shannon in 1950.Many statisticians are of the belief the though computers might be able to beat even Grand Masters but not incessantly.

Monday, 1 March 2010

What is being involved in a chess club?

 A club means having people to play chess with. But it doesn’t mean just that. To many devotees of chess it is like their cult. They meet maybe once a week or during weekends…. and theses chess clubs usually have Speed Tournaments on weekends or lectures, casual games, simuls etcetera. There are millions of clubs like these all around the world- USA, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New-Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United-Kingdom, Uruguay. Chess is not just for experts, but also for beginners who want to learn the game.

The essentials of a chess club firstly are, Grand masters working full time, paying equal attention to each student. Chess related Tournament quality-sets of chess clocks, demo boards and a comprehensive chess library. Quiet comfortable classrooms with healthy atmosphere and individual chess sets.

Maybe if luck is on your side you could find yourselves a billionaire philanthropist, with extreme passion for chess to fund your club and donate a small fortune for it. If not, look for smaller sponsors you can be sure of. Students too, in your club need to be as enthusiastic and happy to be able to play chess, as the trainers or the Grand masters (if you are lucky enough to hire one, that is,) are to teach or guide them.

There are various stages to build a quality chess club:
-Start-up: No matter how fund-“less” or member “less” your club is, just go for it. Don’t sit at home and sulk about it.
-Recreational play: Creating a healthy and fun environment for kids and new beginners and to enthuse them to know more about chess and how to play it better.
-Club and Tournament Competitions: After the initial stages are done and over with successfully, there should be mini competitions and Tournaments between other clubs and yours, to stimulate and encourage interest in chess.


It might sound a bit difficult but once you get started, it’ll prove to be a marvelous investment of your time, energy and brain for sure!

Sunday, 7 February 2010

Why are Chessmen best weighted?

Wood has been the most abundant material in the product of the greatest variety of chessmen over the last few centuries. These chess pieces are abound in various shapes, sizes and different types of wood. For example, dark ebony wood is the costliest material for quality and the finest pieces of chessmen available and also the most desirable.

For most chess players, weight adds to the desirability of the set of chess pieces. They enthuse the player to play better, give them a massive feel and also tend to tip over less. Not that they have to so weighty that they become difficult to handle but just enough to give the professional feel and touch to it. Many expert chess players purchase these chessmen over the net, and they are available in various types and of a variety of prices and material. Like, Golden Rose wood chess pieces, consisting the most  elegant chess pieces in beautiful Golden Rosewood with extra queens. Or the Ebonized Box Wood chess pieces. Jet-black pieces contrasting well with the light-yellow boxwood. Standard Staunton chess pieces- a simple Staunton set of playable chessmen, a tad bit smaller than the standard club size, solid, very playable, weighted and works wonders for any game of chess.

These chess pieces are priced anywhere between £62.95 to £75.95,going down to £28.95 for the Standard Staunton pieces. For chess players, looking for chess pieces a bit more expensive and sophisticated, the 3 3\4”Ebony and Kari Wood fits the bill perfectly. Costing one a neat £159.95 it is hand-polished, triple weighted with leather bottoms, and crafted from select Ebony and Kari wood and is definitely worth the money. So all you players out there what are you waiting for? To own a set of chessmen like these, one of a kind, is every chess players dream come true. So go get yours fulfilled.

Tuesday, 5 January 2010

Why do school teachers like kids playing chess?

Teachers, the second parents play an important role in child’s life. Chess one of the cool game liked by all always remained to be the famous sporting event not only at the international level but also in the primary levels. In order to make the dedication of teachers towards children a valuable one, technical skills should be imparted to the students. Teaching may not be the only way to impart the same. There must be external sources that make the children brainy and cheeky. The Masters game Chess plays a vital role in achieving the same. Teachers always like the inclusion of chess as the sporting event or competition in the school level. They like it being implemented in the schools from junior to senior levels especially among the kids to synchronize the growth of their brain to the growth of the ethical, competitive world.

Chess is correlated with the growth of the child nowadays and the research over it is done. It enhances creativity among the children and simulates their brain at the critical situations. Thus the problem solving skills gets developed among kids right from their young age. Thinking process of the children is active here and increases their concentration power by not allowing them to distract from the game. This art and elegancy of the game makes the kids to improve their reasoning skills. It teaches the importance of observation and adherence over any activity or towards the game.

Studies are conducted all over the world in making the above specified attributes to function more efficiently. Intelligence among the kids is significant in this intellectual world. The teachers strongly believe that the intelligence can be incorporated by making the kids play chess rather than any other games. Being an extra curricular activity it enables kids to improve towards their curriculum. These attributes makes the teachers like kids playing chess and recommend the same.

Tuesday, 29 December 2009

What makes for a quality chess set?

Chess, the best of the games in the world plays a vital role in imparting perfection among the humans. So the need for a quality chess set is necessary in order to make the player a quality producing player. The chess board must be of top quality which is an aesthetic that attracts the players towards the game. The chess board should be highly reliable and must produce a long life. The dimensions of the squares inscribed in the board should be standardized and should be perfectly designed during manufacture. It adds the beauty to the aesthetic game. The material to be incorporated to produce the board must withstand the adverse effects to the board. In case of wooden boards it should be highly polished and varnished.

Chess pieces should be stable, light weight and modern too. The design should add beauty to the pieces such that it attracts. The pieces should be highly distinguishable in their features based on their rank in the war of game. An easy identification to the players is necessary in case of chess pieces based on the ranks in the Warfield. The lowest or the eighth ranked pawns must be of same size and it should be the shortest of all the pieces available. Moreover the differentiation to the King and Queen pieces is important. The inclusion of manual about the pieces adds quality to the set as it may be used even by the budding artists of the game.

These are the attributes to be added in the manufacture regarding the pieces of the set and the board. Moreover an adherence to the international standards is an added advantage while manufacturing the chess set. Adherence to the international shapes with the above specified secondary attributes in higher proportion is an important feature of quality associated with the chess set. Thus the clear picture of the quality chess set is above specified attributes and nothing more than that. Manufacturers can be ethical for this ethical and the perfectionist’s game. 

Thursday, 24 December 2009

Improving Ones Chess Game

If you are a newbie, this article would help you win through a game of chess. Basically one needs to get a better understanding of the game and the wise moves to make.
There are three stages of a chess game:

  • ·        First is the opening stage. Here you need to be prepared to make wise moves regardless of the coins you get to play with-black or white. The general rule however is: if you get to play black, do not go on to attack until you get an opening, just play a defense game. The aim of this stage is not to move all the forces out immediately. For instance, forcing ahead all your pawns is stupid. Save one or two to block your opponents.
  • ·        Next is the middle stage. Playing this stage involves a deep analysis of the coins on the board (a king and a pawn combinations works well most of the time). Your position of coins too plays an important role. Place and move the coins such that you target either more than one force of your opponent at a time or aim for a checkmate.
  • ·        Next is the end stage. What you are likely to (lose or win) should decide your moves. If you have more no. of pieces than your opponent, it doesn’t mean that you can win. A pawn reaching the end of the board on your side can well be a crucial checkmate while your powerful coins might be blocked from movement. So be careful. If you have pieces and are losing by position, try to aim multiple checks at your opponent which might force the game to a draw.

These strategies will certainly help but it is wise to play the game according to the concepts and adopt the strategies with the progress of the game.

Sunday, 22 November 2009

Power of Chess

It’s all right for man to play God with  the name Scientist and penetrate the secrets of life, but I am supremely confident that the awareness response of two people quietly sitting will not be labelled or tampered with.

Take for example, silence which can be explosive and loud with possibilities.

This takes form in say, a nose twitch, or eye contact. Which is stronger? Well that depends... I clearly remember my brown eyes transfixed on sky-blue eyes, so much so I nearly had vertigo and with great difficulty I moved my Rook in the winning position.

Not a word was spoken.   Chess has taken me over ever since.

Friday, 16 October 2009

Filipino GrandMaster, Eugene Torre

I myself am a big fan of chess. I was in 3rd grade when I learned this interesting sport. One of the figure I really look up to at that time was my older brother, Byron. He used to be a chess whiz and a champion himself. He used to compete in schools. When I was learning chess at that time, my brother introduced a very important person in the world of chess- none other Eugene Torre. Torre is one of the respected players of all time, being the first Asian GrandMaster. Many watched his games and even learn techniques from them. He is considered as one of the strongest and best-produced chess player in the Philippines!He marked the 80's-90's era in our history. By beating chess champions by champions, Eugene Torre brought us fame and created a name in the world history. We can proudly share our story that one of the greatest chess players in the world live in our country and in our hearts. We owed our love of the game from Torre.

Monday, 7 September 2009

Chess Sets like the X2028 Earl Anthony


When we first looked at the design prototype of the Earl Anthony chess set for inclusion into our product line - we were astonished with the quality and it's almost live appearance. Funny - just a chunk of wood - but the skill and dexterity our artisan carvers have is admirable. We hoped that the result of the prototype would be something excellent and of course, we were not disappointed.

It's interesting how the market for chess design has changed in the last few years. The UK used to be just a market for standard staunton style chess pieces - but now the idea of staunton with a flair - a staunton piece with something extra is very popular. Deservedly so.

Tuesday, 1 September 2009

G2004 Learn to Play Chess with Fritz and Chesster 2 Chess Software

If you loved Fritz and Chesster 1, you'd love this too. The theme is King Black's Castle. The mission - to rescue Chesster. The aim of ChessBaron - to  as a winner with this new product too that has 20 mini games all set to create magic and make planning, challenging, and attacking come alive to engross you in an ultimate chess battle. The programme delivers instructions and chess lessons in simple, easy to understand language and makes the game and learning about the game fun with the cute animations used. A creative and effective way to instill in children the values of thinking ahead, analyzing other's moves and protecting themselves. The best part is that every skill sharpens your skills so that you are well prepared for the final showdown.

G2003 Learn to Play Chess with Fritz and Chesster 1 Chess software

If you think that your children should be introduced to the world of chess so that they can start young or if you, since childhood had an inclination towards being part of the royal kingdom and do what kings do best, choose this chess software. It's not only fun and magical but helps you relive your childhood with your children. The animation is really cute and yet does not take the focus away from the game itself. There are 7 games for 1 or 2 players. If you play right and get your moves in place, you could have an exciting match with King Black himself. This could prove to be a good tool for parents who want to teach their children to analyze, plan, think clearly and to think ahead.

Sunday, 30 August 2009

Why do some chess men's wood crack?

It's all in the environment - as Greenpeace might agree. But this environment is the one inside your home in most cases. The average home humidity in the country of origin (which for most good, fine chess sets is India) is high. The average home humidity in, say, North Dakota, USA is low, as they seal their homes against draughts, heat them up and inadvertantly deprive the home of moisture, or humidity. Same with the average home in Toronto, and oddly enough, even California, where the reverse is true - moisture is kept repelled by cooling rather than heating.
But in Europe it's more of a mixed picture  since some countries are cold, some not so cold. Chess pieces rarely crack in the UK where there is a constant weather change with little build up in dryness. The alloy in the bases expands and contracts, and if there is no 'give' in the wood, or a layer that expansion can occur - the wood is the weakest link - and cracks. Good manufacturers allow for this by inserting a layer of softer material between the alloy and the wood to allow the expansion. All of ChessBaron's range for example has this architecture.

Wednesday, 19 August 2009

How Do Chess Grandmasters Think Differently Than The Rest

Chess Grandmasters have been thought to think differently than others for quite some time, but after a recent study conducted that compared Grandmasters to amateurs, there is actually some truth to the thought.
According to research, Grandmasters are able to use a part of their brain that is not commonly used by amateur players of chess. Usually during a game of chess, the regular player will use the middle section of their brain. However, with Grandmasters, they use the frontal section. The difference between the two sections is that the frontal part of the brain can process thoughts and actions at a much faster rate and can also store more information than the middle section.
If anyone has ever seen a Grandmaster play in chess, they know that the skills the Grandmaster has when it comes to processing moves and figuring out the best approach to the game comes at a very fast speed. Now we know why – it is because Grandmasters are able to use a different part of their brain which allows them to process their skills at a much faster rate. Not to mention that almost all Grandmasters have a rather high IQ compared to the average person.

Monday, 17 August 2009

ST2026 Sea Life Chess Set

If you know anything about me, you are probably expecting me to say something about the queen's naked boobs in this chess set (or, if you haven't seen the pictures of this set yet, and your a man, you are currently going to the product page in anticipating excitement) but I decided to hold myself back from the trap of male preverstion and talk about something different......um....um...the pawns are kinda nice. (See, this is what guys would be like with out girls. Thanks ladies.)

ST2025 George and the Dragon Theme Chess Set

This is a pretty silly set here. Some interesting pieces. I love the kings nose, and I especially love the queens boobs. I mean come on! Those are massive. That shirt has got to be on the edge of ripping right off from the strain. And that's what annoys me in real life. How do girls think that's attractive? There is a firm line inwhich boobs go from hot to 'what the hell is that?'. O, but I loved it in high school were every once and a while 2 girls would get into a fight and start ripping their clothes off, then they realize they arn't really mad at eachother, but love each other, and start kissing naked in the middle of the hall. (YA! You all jealous of America now? we might outsource everything, but we got all the hot chicks over here!)

ST2016 American Independence Chess Set

This American Independence chess set is very interesting in the pieces. So many layers of clothing and detail on all the characters. I don't even know how they get the pieces like this. For example, check out this queen. Look at that massive dress! That's ridiculous. How in the world did they do that without screwing up 75% of the ones they tried? And it doesn't look like a mold either because I wouldn't think a mold could do that many layers with out cracking and ripping the figure. Some things I'll never understand.

ST2015 Christopher Columbus Chess Set

Eh, this set is alright. Nothing to special to talk about. It does have some nice features though. The set is about a man names Christopher Columbus, who was a famous explorer who explored tons of American land. I don't see much of the relationship between his expeditions and the characters in this set though. It has him as the king, but not much of the other pieces make much sense to me. But oh well, can't like 'em all can I?

ST2014 Range Wars Chess Set

Great set here! I love all the pieces. It's based from the American range wars, but that's not what interests me. I usually don't pay much attention to the story. Just the pieces. It's like playing a first-person shooter game on your xbox - there is a reason why this guy is in an Iraqi jail, but nobody cares enough to listen to the story of the game. They just want to shoot things. So with chess - I usually just look at the pieces. And these look pretty interesting to me. Cowboys, sheriffs, ranchers, ect, ect. Pretty neat.