A GAME TO REMEMBER!

Recently one of my students, from a different club, played the following outstanding game. I was so impressed by his control over the squares and with the patience that this student used in constructing this positionally won game that I felt compelled to share this amazing little gem with the entire Santan Elementary Chess Club.

Last week we discussed FORK tactics. So this week was FORKS 2.0! I gave a nice example of a standard forking technique that all of our players should know. Theo really remembered it too - of this I know for sure as he was busy reconstructing the position from memory at the end of our meeting today while I spoke with his mother! But before that fine example I had to give the following game:

YOUNG SCHOLASTIC STAR!

My student was commanding the white pieces! His adult opponent resigned after having lost another piece. In the final position our Scholastic hero was up a Rook, a minor pieces, the Bishop and he was up a pawn. His opponent had had enough and resigned. However we never should resign at Scholastic tournaments and should always play out our games as our opponent may yet make a game altering mistake.

Now you have this game to review with your young scholastic player or if you are a member of the Santan chess club you can play over this game whenever you want to! I was very happy to include this fine game as part of today's lesson. I had even incorporated our review of the previous lessons into the lead up to the final tactical position. When and where was it played? At the Tuesday night Standard Open held at the Chess Emporium - just last night!

The beauty of this game is that:

1.) It was from an Adult tournament - my student defeated an adult player. Actually this was two in a row for him - he beat a chess coach last week during round two of this event!

2.) It was played at the time control of 45 moves in 2 hours and Sudden Death in 1 hour.

3.) It is such an amazing game coming from a nine year old boy as it features logical piece development, excellent control over the lines of play and some fantastic tactical vision.

4.) And the thing that all of my players who are new to chess should be able relate to from the story behind this game is this - that this game was created by a young boy who learned all the moves from square one. Just like me and just like all of our chess club members - including our star players as well. We all start off on square one but when we are ready to we can create our own chess art!

Let's help our players practice at home Parents - so they too can have fun playing the game, while exercising their brains and solidifying their chess understanding! Meeting once a week and only playing once a week at chess club is not enough time for them to build a solid foundation - they should be practicing at home. It is after all like taking up a musical instrument... you need to practice before the recital!

Make it a great day - today, tomorrow and every day you have open to you!
Your Santan Storm Chess Coach,
Chess Coach Sean Tobin.