By Chad Kimball

“Notation” is a method in chess strategy books that is used to describe the movement of pieces on the chess board, without needing a visual diagram of the chess board for each move. It greatly increases a chess author’s ability to describe a large number of chess games in compact form, leaving more room for game analysis. It also allows the author to concentrate on chess strategies and tactics, rather than requiring hundreds and hundreds of cumbersome diagrams of the chess board for each move.

If you are a chess player, aspiring to improve through strategy books, understanding the two chess notation styles is crucial to your improvement. Most chess strategy books are either written in “Descriptive Notation,” or “Algebraic Notation.”

Descriptive Notation, in general, was used in older chess books and magazines, although it is possible to run into more current chess literature using this notation style as well. There are a huge number of valuable chess books written in this style. I’ve posted a visual diagram of a chess board describing descriptive notation on my chess strategies site http://www.chessvictory.com. Scroll to the bottom, and click on the resources link to access the diagram.

In chess literature, the term “rank” refers to the rows of the chess board. “File” refers to the columns. If a chess book talks about the “1st rank” it means the “first row.” The “a file” refers to the “a column.”

In Descriptive notation, the files are named according to the chess piece on that file in its initial position. For instance, QR means “queen’s rook” and KB means “king’s rook.” The diagram on my website mentioned above also shows how the squares have different names/notations depending on if we’re describing the white side or the black side. Each square is also described with a number, describing the rank of the square, for instance, QR7 means the queen’s rook file in the 7th rank.

The movement of a piece is described by the name of the piece, then a dash, then the name of the square to which it is moving. For instance, Q-QB8 means that the queen is moving to square QB8. Sometimes the square names are shortened a bit if it is obvious which square is being described. Both “KT” and “N” are used to describe a knight.

Important notes: Check is described with a “+” or “ch”. A capture is noted with a “x” followed by the piece being captured. If the game has become complicated and it is unclear which piece is being referred to, the description will sometimes note whether it is the kingside or queenside piece being moved. Instead of R-K7, the clearer description would read QR-K7. P-K7=Q means the pawn moves to K7 and is then promoted to a queen. Castling is noted as O-O or O-O-O.

The best way to become familiar with descriptive notation is to go to my chess tactics and chess strategies site http://www.chessvictory.com, scroll to the bottom, and click on the resources link. On that page I’ve posted diagrams for the chessboard in descriptive notation, as well as a sample game written in descriptive notation, along with clear diagrams of the chess board so you can easily see which piece is moving.

Chad Kimball has been playing chess since he was a young boy, and is now an editor and publisher, publishing chess instruction books and courses on the Internet. He is responsible for bringing an exciting resource to the Internet: “The Grandmaster Strategy Training Library.”

This 14 Volume Set of Training Books contains 2,213 Pages of Winning Chess Strategies for the price of a single chess tips book at the bookstore. These 14 books enable you to confidently sit down at the chessboard, knowing that you are prepared with years of tested strategies to DEFEAT your opponent. Click here for more information about this exciting chess resource: http://www.chessvictory.com.

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A revolutionary book on chess endgames, designed to ensure that players understand everything they need to know at their rating levels, and prepare them to advance to the next.

For more than 100 years, the world’s leading chess players and teachers have told their students to study the endgame. Now, for the first time, a revolutionary, richly instructive endgame book has been designed for players of all levels. Silman’s Complete Endgame Course, by famed writer and player Jeremy Silman, is the one and only endgame book you’ll need as you move up the ladder from beginner to strong tournament player and finally to master.

Designed to “speak” to a player in a very personal way, Silman’s book teaches the student everything he or she needs to know at his or her current rating level, and builds on that knowledge for each subsequent phase of the player’s development. Starting at the beginner’s level, all basic mates are clearly and painstakingly explained. After that, the critical building blocks that form the endgame foundation for all tournament hopefuls and experienced tournament competitors are explored in detail. Finally, advanced endgame secrets based on concepts rather than memorization are presented in a way that makes them easy to master.

The basic keys to a well-rounded endgame education — Opposition, the Lucena and Philidor Positions, Cat and Mouse, Trebuchet, Fox in the Chicken Coup, Triangulation, Building a Box, Square of a Pawn, Outflanking, the Principle of Two Weaknesses, etc. — are vital. But equally important is creating a love of the endgame, which is addressed at the end of the book with a look at chess tactics, minor piece domination, and a discussion of the five greatest endgame players of all time — all things that every fan of chess at every level can enjoy.

If you have found the endgame to be a mystery, if you have found that your confidence plummets once you reach an endgame, if you have searched for an instructive endgame book that will turn your weakest link-your endgame-into your personal field of power, your search is over. Silman’s Complete Endgame Course is the key to a world of essential ideas, startling beauty, and stunning creativity.

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You can increase your IQ (intelligence quotient) in the next ten minutes. There are many brain power exercises and techniques designed to help you long-term, but what if you need a quick brain fix right now? What if there is an important meeting coming up, or a crucial test, or just a chess game you don’t want to lose? Can you really boost your IQ quickly? If what you want is results, and not an argument about the definition of intelligence, the answer is absolutely yes.Try some of the following.

Breath To Increase IQ

Breath deep. This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve the functioning of your brain immediately. By breathing deeply we relax and put more oxygen in the blood (therefore in the brain), both of which help. Relaxation has been proven to improve brain function. Low oxygen levels in the blood have been shown to decrease it. Since most of us are in the habit of breathing too shallowly, this is a quick way to increase IQ. By the way, if you breath through your nose, you are more likely to breath deeply.

Meditating also helps, primarily because of the deep breating aspect. The state of mind achieved through a simple breath-watching meditation allows true relaxation, and is conducive to creative problem solving. Just close your eyes and breath through your nose, deeply at first, then in whatever way is comfortable. As thoughts arise, dismiss them and return your attention to your breath. Do this for at least a few minutes.

Move Your Body To Increase IQ

Sit up straight, and close your mouth. Good posture affects our state of mind, and helps us to think more clearly. Try an experiment to prove this to yourself. Do math problems in your head; first while slouching, with your mouth open; then while sitting up straight with your lips together. You’ll get the point.

Exercise a little. Physical activity-just enough to get the blood pumping-can “wake up” your brain enough to help you think better. Walking seems to work best, but any aerobic activity can help increase your IQ.

Sleep well. You knew this one, right? Just remember, the evidence shows us that the quality of sleep is very important, not just the quantity.

What You Eat Can Increase Or Decrease your IQ

Consume ginkgo biloba. Whether in capsules or tea or off a neighbors tree, ginkgo leaves have been shown to increase blood flow to the brain, helping memory and concentration. The effect is quick, and doesn’t seem to diminish with regular use.

Drink coffee. Everything from test scores on college exams to chess games have been shown to improve after a cup of coffee or other drink containing caffeine. It is a temporary effect, however, and caffeine may have adverse long-term effects for regular users.

Avoid Sugar. Actually any simple carbohydrates taken in large quantities can give you that sluggish feeling that makes it difficult to think. This is due to the insulin that is dumped into your veins after the sugar is. Don’t eat white flour, sugar, potatoes, and other carbs before an important meeting.

Results - Not Definitions

Let the “experts” argue about whether you can increase IQ or not, in any absolute sense. We know the tests measure your IQ at a moment in time, and you know that there are times when you would score higher or lower. What you want is a real improvement in brain function. If you slept well, exercised, drank coffee and ginkgo tea, then sat up straight and breathed deeply as you took the test, don’t you think you would score a few points higher on an intelligence quotient test? More importantly, wouldn’t you be better prepared for whatever mental tasks you faced?

–About–

Steve Gillman has been studying brain improvement, concentration, creative problem solving, and related topics for years. You can visit his website, and subscribe for free to his Brain Power Newsletter at: http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com/newsletter.html

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Many people don’t take game playing seriously. That’s perfectly fine; unless you want to win. There are also people that want to win AND have fun. If you’re one of those people, or if you want to be one of those people, this article can help. Without further ado, here are five tips to winning more games:

1. Concentrate. Learn to focus on the game and on the important information within the game. You will probably have to learn to fully concentrate. The best way to learn is to try concentrating on one thing and shutting out all other disturbances. You should be able to concentrate more fully if you practice every day. Chess is an example of one game that requires good concentration.

2. Give your brain more oxygen. Don’t hyperventilate. Just breathe slowly and steadily to maintain high oxygen to the brain. Your brain uses about 20% of the oxygen you breathe. If you don’t breathe correctly, it’s like running a race car on low-octane fuel. See “BREATHE for your own good…”.

3. Calculate chances. In many board games, dice games, and other chance games, it can be beneficial to learn some basic laws of probability. In games such as Yahtzee!, this knowledge can make a huge difference. Check out the Wikipedia article on probability.

4. Narrow your choices. Almost all games have choices you must make on every turn. If you weed out all the poor choices quickly, you can spend more time deciding between good moves, and you can find the best move. (If that is possible in your game.)

5. Research specific strategy on your own game. There are articles on the Internet about strategies and tactics for almost any game. A search for ‘chess strategy’ in major search engines yields millions of results. You might also consider looking up Wikipedia articles on the subject or getting books from your towns’ library.

–About–
Jon Hartford is the webmaster of http://computergames.awardspace.com, a free online gaming site.
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Have you ever used your intuition to solve problems? Can you trust your intuition? Can you improve it?

What Is Intuition?

Intuition is simply a feeling , sense, or hunch based on information not available to your conscious mind. Some say this comes from the ether or wherever, but I’m content to believe that our minds have a lot more going on in there than we know.

How can Gary Kasparov win a chess game against a computer that can calculate positions many moves further ahead than he can? By using his intuitive grasp of the game. His experience allows him to combine analysis with a “sense” of which move is best.

Intuition can also warn us. My wife and I felt we shoudn’t get on that bus in South America. We knew crowded busses were prime hunting grounds for pickpockets, and we saw the drunk man bumping into people. We didn’t think about these things consciously, but they registered in our minds, and warned us. We ignored our intuition, and I was robbed.

Of course, you can have a hunch for irrelevant reasons too. If you were hit by a taxi as a child, you might have “intuitive” hunches not to get into taxis for the rest of your life. So how do you know when to trust your intuition?

Three Simple Steps To Better Intuition

1. Watch for it. You’ll have hunches and ideas more often. I bought a conversion van, and now I see them all over. Have you had a similar experience? The same process will happen if you watch for your intuition - you’ll start to see more of it.

2. Question it. If I had asked myself why I felt bad about that bus, I might have thought, “Oh yeah, crowded busses are a bad idea. I know that.” Try to see in which areas your intuition works best, or not at all. If, for example, your hunches about people are always wrong, don’t follow them.

3. Give it good information. Your skill, knowledge and experience determine the potential effectiveness of your intuition. A weak chess player will never intuitively beat that computer. So learn enough about a subject, before you expect any good hunches. Remember the programmer’s maxim: garbage in - garbage out.

Do these three things and you’ll have more useful intuition more often.

–About–

Steve Gillman writes on many self help topics including boosting brainpower, losing weight, meditation, habits of mind, creative problem solving, learning gratitude, generating luck and anything related to self improvement. You’ll find more at http://www.SelfImprovementNow.com

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By Eddie Tobey 

Studies carried out in different countries have clearly shown that chess games build up concentration, perception, self-discipline, planning and much more. In other words, chess games for kids combine developmental thinking and enjoyment.

Kids’ chess games undoubtedly raise the intelligence quotient (IQ) scores of kids. They strengthen problem solving skills and the ability to make difficult and abstract decisions independently. Chess puzzles teach children to think logically and efficiently. As they learn advanced techniques from chess books and tutorials, children also pick up the good habit of reading.

Chess games are won or lost due to a tactics mistake. Identifying frequently-occurring tactical ideas is very important to success. Online chess games, chess instructive books, chess puzzles, etc, help kids practice and learn the game. An online chess game is one of the fastest and most enjoyable ways to improve at chess. It provides interactive chess lessons, quizzes, games and puzzles for kids. The kids can play chess against the computer with a variety of chess software packages.

Kids of all levels, from beginners to advanced tournament players, can find many instructive books in the market. In a simple, easy-to-understand format, these books explain different topics such as how to play, basic strategies and advanced tactics. Players can select from these sections according to their needs. For beginners, the first two sections are helpful to understand basic concepts, such as how to utilize a fork, pin, or skewer. The advanced tactics section gives additional information on opening, middle game planning, endgame strategies, piece activity, pawn structure and weak squares.

Many parents are beginning to learn that chess helps to develop the latent skills in children. Every piece on the chess board has a value and some have greater value than others. Losing stronger pieces for lesser ones may cost a player the game. Thus chess brings into focus ideas of mathematics for kids. Chess games for kids thus boost reading, memory, language and mathematical skills.

Chess Game provides detailed information on Chess Game, Free Chess Game, Online Chess Games, Free Chess Game Downloads and more. Chess Game is affiliated with Glass Chess Sets.

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During the last six years, I’ve contributed interviews, fiction, and opinions to a variety of state, national, and online chess magazines. This book, a complete collection of my chess writing, is the culmination of that work. Its title, Engaging Pieces, describes both the art writers strive to create and the medium with which chess players strive to create art.

I compiled this book for the same reason I began writing about chess in the first place: I wanted to share my curiosity about the cultural, social, and competitive nature of the game. Thus, the topics running through these pages include complex, contemporary issues that I wanted to make accessible to the public. Some of these topics include the details of chess rating systems, the interaction of artificial intelligence with chess computers, the relationship between feminism and women’s chess, the marketing and promotion of chess, and the question of whether or not chess is a sport. Simply put, I’m a chess fan. Each article and story represents the type of in-depth and entertaining chess writing that I, and other chess fans, deserve to read.

After reading this book, it will become evident that chess players and those surrounding the game are dynamic and passionate people. For example, my first interview, a profile of Michael de la Maza, was written because I was curious about his obsession with chess tactics, and I was fascinated by his rapid rating ascension; Maurice Ashley’s vision of chess promotion prompted my essay about the HB Global Chess Challenge; the humble yet impudent personality of a young Hikaru Nakamura inspired a conversation with him right before he won the U.S. Championship in 2005; and a brash, chess-playing homeless man panhandling in Harvard Square became the archetype for a character in the short story “When the Balance be in Your Favor.”

It is rare to see both fiction and non-fiction published in one volume. Yet having all of my chess writing collected in one place ties my work into a convenient package, and helps bring closure to one stage of my writing career. In the future, I’d like to spend more time improving my chess ability and pursuing other literary interests.

Lastly, many of the pieces here contain a postscript. These are brief, one hundred to seven hundred word updates about related events that have transpired since an article was originally published. These postscripts add a current perspective to each article, and, if necessary, they will help bring the reader up to date.

I hope these articles and stories prove to be as enjoyable to read as they were to write.

Howard Goldowsky

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