State Grade Level Championship Saturday Feb 26

The SCA State Grade Level Chess Championships will be held February 26th at Capitol Hill School at the SE corner of I94 and Dale in St. Paul.

We need at least 3 players per grade. We should be able to field excellent 4th and 5th grade teams and maybe even a 2nd grade team. Even if we can't have a team, it's also individual competition, so you want to do your best and you also want your teammates to do their best.

Everyone needs to take enough time on each move to consider the following:
1. What was my opponents last move - what is the threat? What would I do next, if I were on the other side of the board?
2. How many ways can I stop his good move? Which defense is best.
3. If I can't find a terrific move for my opponent, I'll look for a good move of my own.
4. Look for weaknesses in your opponents position -like two big pieces on a line, K & Q on same color square, a nice outpost for your knight, a chance to undermine (we'll learn that Friday)
5. If you're ahead trade pieces. If you're behind try to avoid trading pieces.
6. Don't weaken your position with a bad pawn move. Look for pawn moves that open highways for your pieces and close highways for your opponent's pieces.
7. Toward the end of the game, get your King out and use it as a fighter. Experience will eventually tell you when it's time to get the King out, but a good rule of thumb is if your opponent has less than 10 points in pieces left (not counting pawns), it's time to get the King out.
8. When you are in trouble take extra time - find a way out.
9. When you have your opponent in trouble take extra time - finish him off.
10. When ahead never get overconfident. When behind never give up - even when you're down to just a King, try to maneuver your King into a position where your opponent could easily stalemate you.

Test Results and Latest Ratings

Perfect Score was 1000. I expected your test score to be about the same as your rating. Most of you scored a little better than your rating and raised your rating. Here are the results:

Name___Rating_Test Adj
Robert----896-1000 +8
Ethan-----821--700 -8
Addison---775--650 -10
Michaela--773--825 +4
Jules-----709--930 +16
Jack------640--630 =
Chase-----604--720 +8
Joseph----559--600 +2
Charlie---556--780 +16
John Paul-535--690 +12
Donald----509--750 +18
Joshua----503--550 +2
Archit----445--300 -10
Connor----401--530 +10
Cole------345--350 =
Rishab----197-----
Tate------194--450 +20
Isabella--181--380 +14
Ayden-----159--370 +16
Julia-----159--470 +24
Miranda---152--100 -4
Gabe------123--240 +8
Eryn------100--150 +4

RATINGS AS OF TODAY (SUN FEB 20)
Name Rating
Robert----909
Ethan-----818
Michaela--782
Addison---747
Jules-----730
Jack------645
Chase-----617
Charlie---600
Joseph----566
John Paul-552
Donald----532
Joshua----510
Archit----440
Connor----416
Cole------350
Tate------219
Isabella--216
Rishab----202
Julia-----188
Ayden-----179
Miranda---153
Gabe------121
Eryn------109

Latest Ratings

No one got the first problem correct. I gave partial credit (+1) if you said Bxd5, but I had another move in mind. The problem with Bxd5 is that Black plays Rad8 and pins our bishop to our queen. You still come out a little ahead if you keep playing accurately, but why not avoid all the complications. My computer using Fritz says my move is the best. So see if you can find it.


Name Rating
Robert----896
Ethan-----821
Addison---775
Michaela--773
Jules-----709
Jack------640
Chase-----604
Joseph----559
Charlie---556
John Paul-535
Donald----509
Joshua----503
Archit----445
Connor----401
Cole------345
Rishab----197
Tate------194
Isabella--181
Ayden-----159
Julia-----159
Miranda---152
Gabe------123
Eryn------100

Tournaments

Congratulations to Michaela Long who earned a golden knight award at the last tournament. I think she also just earned her gold medal!

Plan on being at the State Grade Level Championships on Feb. 26th at Capitol Hill.
We should have very good teams for 4th and 5th - maybe even some others.
5th grade - Addison, Charlie, Jules, Jack
4th grade - Michaela, Robert, Chase, Ethan, Joseph, Julia, J.P.

Feb 4 News

Congrats on perfect papers today from Michaela, Joseph, and Donald!

Problem 7 was the most often missed. If you play 1.a8(Q)+ Kb3 then 2. QxQ it's stalemate!
Therefore 1. a8(R)+! Kb3 2.RxQ









Things you should have learned today:
TACTICS (HURDLE)
1.Two big pieces in a line?
Look Out! It's hurdle time!
2. Instead of looking for your own moves first, look for weaknesses in your opponent's positions - in particular, look for two big pieces in a line.
3. When planning a move, first figure out where your opponent wants to move, then DON'T LET HIM DO IT! If he can never make the good move he wants to make, it's going to be hard for him to beat you.

STRATEGY (PAWNS MOVES)
4. Pawn moves can never be retracted, so be careful when advancing pawns.
5. Every pawn move opens and closes highways on the board. Make sure you open highways for your pieces and close highways for your opponent's pieces.
6. Don't put all your pawns on the same color square - there are weaknesses on the other color.

Name - - - - - Rating
Robert----874
Ethan-----808
Michaela--773
Addison---725
Jules-----709
Jack------623
Chase-----604
Joseph----531
Charlie---551
John Paul-524
Donald----496
Archit----436
Joshua----488
Connor----420
Cole------332
Ayden-----179
Isabella--156
Julia-----151
Miranda---144
Rishab----152
Tate------133
Gabe------115
Eryn------113

Tournament tomorrow - I won't be there but I'll be checking the results. - Mr. H.

Congratulations!

The Salem Hills Chess club had an excellent combined record of 9 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses.

All three players performed above their rating and gained points.
Addison finished with 4 wins and a 3rd place trophy.
Charlie won the novice trophy despite a loss in round 5.
Michaela won her first three games but then lost to two of the top players.

Latest Ratings

Robert----	846
Ethan-----	781
Michaela--	754
Addison---	719
Jules-----	687
Jack------	615
Chase-----	573
Joseph----	551
Charlie---	528
John Paul-	521
Donald----	474
Archit----	440
Joshua----	432
Connor----	404
Cole------	317
Ayden-----	169
Isabella--	146
Julia-----	137
Miranda---	129
Rishab----	123
Tate------	116
Gabe------	100
Eryn------	100

Tournament on Jan 29

I will be at the tournament on Jan 29 and will not have a lot of children from other schools to look after. So if you come, you'll be able to get some individual attention from me.

For info about the tournament see www.schoolchess.org