Holiday gift idea - chess sets available.

Looking forward to winter session at Salem Hills.

With my bulk discount and frequent shopper discount and group saving on shipping, I've ordered chess sets and bags - available for only $12. (Normally you'd pay $25+)
If you'd like one, call me at 651-451-8412 and arrange for pick-up. Indicate green or black, and I'll set one aside for you.

Adjusted ratings

New ratings based on the 11-16-13 tournament.

Salem Hills By Rating

Last Name	First Name	Rating
Hassing	Connor	843
Klancher	Simon	674

Answers for the last two weeks plus final ratings

Answers and who got it right!
1. Bxh2+! Jared, Connor, Tate, Simon, Bella, Max, Arush
2. Bc7!  Connor, Tate, Simon, Bella, Max, Arush
3. e6!  Connor, Tate, Simon, Bella, Max, Arush
4. Rxg7+ Jared, Connor, Tate, Simon, Bella, Max, Arush
5. Ngf6+ Jared, Connor, Tate, Simon, Bella, Max, Arush
6. Rb2!  Connor, Tate, Simon, Bella, Max, Arush
7. Rxd3!! No one got it. Most of you said Rf1+ But after RxR BxQ KxB it's even point-wise.
8. Bxd3 and the queen dare not take back! Jared, Connor, Tate, Simon, Bella, Max, Arush

1. Bg6+ Jared, Connor, Tate, Simon, Bella, Max, Shiraj
2. Bf4!  Connor, Tate, Simon, Bella, Max, Shiraj
3. Ne6+! Jared, Connor, Tate, Simon, Bella, Max, Shiraj
4. Re8+ Jared, Connor, Tate, Simon, Bella, Max, Shiraj
5. d5 wins the knight! Jared, Connor, Tate, Simon, Bella, Max, Shiraj (although 3 of you wrote D5 instead of d5 and lost one point)
6. Bxb2 Rxb2 0-0-0+!! No one got it.
7.Nxd3 Qxd3? Bxh2+! wins the queen. Connor was the only one who submitted a correct answer.
8. 1. ...Rxe1 2. Rxe1 Re2!!! Threatens mate on f2 and QxQ. If black plays QxQ then RxR+ (zwishenzug!) followed by gxf6 leaving black with a rook and white with no pieces except pawns. No one figured this one out.. Even I couldn't figure this one out in class.

Salem Hills ByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating
Hassing	Connor	860
Klancher	Simon	711
Engleson	Tate	691
Mens	Isabella	652
Iyer	Arush	586
Chowdhury	Shiraj	324
Hansen	Max	316
Geschwill	Jared	292

Ratings After May 17, 2013

Salem Hills ByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating
Hassing	Connor	843
Klancher	Simon	698
Engleson	Tate	674
Mens	Isabella	639
Iyer	Arush	571
Hansen	Max	316
Chowdhury	Shiraj	311
Geschwill	Jared	292

#7 fooled everyone - even me for a while."There's got to be a better answer" since the best answers still left the game dead even. After not coming up with anything I remembered that I had made an answer key.
Aha! Brilliant and clear move! I'll show you next meeting.

Salem Hills ByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating
Hassing	Connor	818
Klancher	Simon	685
Engleson	Tate	657
Mens	Isabella	634
Iyer	Arush	571
Hansen	Max	305
Chowdhury	Shiraj	298
Geschwill	Jared	280

Ratings after May 3

I had to take away a lot of points for bad notation.
If it's check, you must put a + after the move
If it's a capture it's Bxa2, not Ba2x
Pieces are always capital letters
Squares are always lower case letter

Scores: at 2 points per problem 8 problems maximum 16 points
 Simon  and Connor 13
 Max and Bella 10
Arush 7, Shiraj 6, Jared took his home to finish      

Salem Hills ByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating
Hassing	Connor	799
Klancher	Simon	653
Engleson	Tate	638
Mens	Isabella	611
Iyer	Arush	566
Hansen	Max	295
Chowdhury	Shiraj	293
Geschwill	Jared	268

Ratings after 4-26

Salem Hills ByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating
Hassing	Connor	774
Engleson	Tate	638
Klancher	Simon	619
Mens	Isabella	612
Iyer	Arush	556
Hansen	Max	286
Chowdhury	Shiraj	283
Geschwill	Jared	262

Ratings April 20, 2013

Salem Hills ByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating
Hassing	Connor	774
Engleson	Tate	625
Klancher	Simon	602
Mens	Isabella	573
Iyer	Arush	550
Chowdhury	Shiraj	269
Geschwill	Jared	247
Hansen	Max	244

Updated ratings from APR 12.

This list includes all worksheets turned in today.

Salem Hills ByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating
Hassing	Connor	752
Klancher	Simon	624
Engleson	Tate	612
Mens	Isabella	573
Iyer	Arush	537
Chowdhury	Shiraj	264
Geschwill	Jared	247
Hansen	Max	221

Ratings after Apr 5

Today's tip of the day:

We had two games today that ended in stalemate.
If your move at the end of the game is not check, make sure your opponent has a move.
Better yet, if you put your opponent check, it can't be stalemate.

Salem Hills ByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating
Hassing	Connor	734
Klancher	Simon	600
Mens	Isabella	573
Engleson	Tate	569
Iyer	Arush	536
Chowdhury	Shiraj	264
Geschwill	Jared	244
Hansen	Max	203

Tournament Results

Congratulations to Simon Klancher who earned his silver medal at the State Tournament.

Name..W L D Chg Old New
Simon 2 5 0 -18 604 586

Explanation of why Anna Ushenina resigned

Today we were looking at a game between Irina Krush of the U.S. (White) and Women's World champion Anna Ushenina of the Ukraine (Black). Black resigned in this position a few days ago, and we wondered why she didn't try Qf7.

She could have tried, but Irina would have won by playing:
42. Qxg8+  Qxg8
43. Nxf6+   Kh8
44. Rxg8#

This mate with the rook and knight is a common checkmate called the Arabian mate. Get that pattern in your head. Isn't it nice the way the knight guards both the rook and the escape square while the rook guards the two dark squares.

Tournament for those interested on March 23-24 ( Sat.-Sun.)

Everyone plays 7 rounds (games) against children in your own age group (K-3) or (4-6).
 It's the State Championship - but don't be afraid - it's actually easier than most tournaments. There will be some super-good players and some beginners. You always play someone with the same record as you, so if you lose your first three games, you'll be playing someone else who lost their first three games. So by the 3rd round you've got a good chance at winning or losing.

Show up before 8:00 on Saturday to register. You can find more information at www.schoolchess.org
Questions - call me, Bill Heinemann, at 451-8412

Also, if anyone is interested in getting a chess set like the ones we use - pieces with extra queens, board, and case with zipper, handles, and sleeve for board - let me know. $10

Salem Hills ByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating
Hassing	Connor	726
Klancher	Simon	604
Mens	Isabella	578
Engleson	Tate	558
Iyer	Arush	536
Chowdhury	Shiraj	255
Geschwill	Jared	223
Hansen	Max	203