The U.S. Amateur Team Championship—West (USATW) was first held in February of 1984, attracting 29 teams. This year, the USATW was hosted by the Mechanics’ Institute, the oldest chess club in the U.S. For the first time, the chess teams played online rather than in-person. Three more U.S. Amateur Team Championships are coming up online, on the last three weekends in February. More 🡢
In the 60 U.S. Women’s Chess Championships held between 1937 and 2020, there have been 148 competitors. Of those, 29 have earned the title of U.S. Women’s Champion. This article provides some facts and graphics about those participants and champions, plus a link to crosstables. More 🡢
If your eyes are usually in front of a screen, switching to reading a paperback book helps your vision. If you choose the book 600 Modern Chess Puzzles by Grandmaster Martyn Kravtsiv, your chess vision improves too. More 🡢
There was a triple dose of Sherlock Holmes and chess at US Chess in December of 2020. On December 10, 2020, the 2017 U.S. Women’s Chess Champion Sabina Foisor appeared in the Girls Club to discuss Sherlock’s Method: The Working Tool for the Club Player, written with Grandmaster Elshan Moradiabadi. The December Ladies Knight podcast featured Maria Konnikova, author of Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes. On December 18, The Madwoman’s Book Club discussed Konnikova’s book, with Konnikova herself appearing in the first 10 minutes, and retrograde analysis. More 🡢
Up through November 30, you can get a free ticket to attend ChessTech2020, which happens December 5-6. From December 1, 2020 onwards, ChessTech2020 tickets will cost money. BotezLive is free to watch, 24/7, as the Twitch channel is either live or provides videos of past broadcasts. This article discusses how chess players around the world can connect via ChessTech2020 and BotezLive. More 🡢
In the pre-COVID era of in-person university classes, the “Freshman 15” referred to the 15 pounds that many freshmen gained during their first year of living on campus. Now most freshmen, along with the rest of us, are living at home. Yet home life has also led to weight gain for many people. More 🡢
The U.S. Women’s Championship was held online October 21-24, 2020. Organized by the Saint Louis Chess Club, the time control for the 12-player round robin was Game in 25 with a 5-second increment. Grandmaster Irina Krush won the tournament with 8.5 points scored in 11 rounds. It was Krush’s eighth time to win the U.S. Women’s Championship. More 🡢
I first read The Queen’s Gambit when I was a teenage chess expert, a lesser prodigy than the book’s main character, Beth Harmon. I noticed that what happened to Beth had happened to me too. Like Beth, I had been told that “Girls don’t play chess.” More 🡢
Learning the rules of chess can be accomplished in one day. There are six different chessmen. Master how each moves and captures, and use them to checkmate your opponents, to succeed in your chess games.
The best way to learn is by playing! Right here on SparkChess you can play against different computer personas (start with Cody if you never played before). The game will highlight all valid moves for a piece, so it's easy to understand and learn the rules. Then you can move to learning strategies and openings with SparkChess Premium, which features an Opening Explorer with over 100 opening variations, 30 interactive lessons and even an AI coach.
While learning chess online is efficient, since software corrects illegal moves, playing chess with others in person can be satisfying. You and a friend or family member could tackle chess together, perhaps reading the rules in a book. Playing on a three-dimensional chess set can be a fun break from our online lives. When in-person chess is not available, SparkChess has online multiplayer for playing with friends (and making new ones).
While learning chess rules takes one day, becoming good at chess takes longer. One proverb states, “Chess is a sea in which a gnat may drink and an elephant may bathe.” With intense efforts, chess greatness can be achieved.