The most captivating, entertaining chess movie since Searching for Bobby Fischer!

You’ll be thrilled. It’s inspirational.

I watched the entire movie at one time and throughly enjoyed it…

A business man decides that he wants to teach school in the inner city and chooses a tough school in the South Bronx. He teaches the children how to play the game of chess, and along the way they learn a lot about life.

Richard’s entire class is lifted out of nothingness and boredom to fight for life, success, and the thrill of achievement! He helps his entire class discover chess one day, much to the dismay of school authorities. Richard’s mind is torn as even his wife disapproves when he turns down a lucrative job offer to stay with low-paying job… “his kids” and his class. But Richard cannot be swayed from helping the kids find new hope in life. When Richard’s class is reaching new levels of achievement in their studies the tide is turned, his wife comes to his side, and his Knights of the South Bronx battle their way to winning championships and battling all signs of defeat… often from within their own minds and ranks - their classmates. But they encourage one another and overcome, inspired by the game of chess.

Running Time: 86 minutes

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No other program in the past years was able to win as many world championship titles as Shredder. The new version, Shredder 11, is stronger than any previous version, with its performance improved by about 100 Elo points. This was achieved by implementing more effecient search techniques and a new evaluation function which delivers more realistic assessments. Shredder still likes to go on the attack, but is not as speculative as previous versions. The evaluation of passed pawns has also been greatly improved. All of this leads to more reliable and realistic results during your analysis with the computer. A completely new feature is the “Opening Advisor”, which allows Shredder to handle opening lines much better without the help of an openings book.

Included:

* Original Fritz 10 interface: Included in the Shredder 11 package is the latest Fritz interface with extensive training and entertainment features for beginners, club players and grandmasters.
* Shredder 11 also gives you full and free access to the ChessBase Playchess server (1 year), where you can play games against people all over the world. Naturally the Shredder 11 engine runs under the Fritz interface.
* Tournament openings book: The enhanced and extended Shredder openings book gives you full statistical information for every move that has been played in the current position. In addition you get a database with 1 million historic and current games.

Shredder’s world championship titles:

* Jakarta 1996: World micro-computer chess champion
* Paderborn 1999: Computer chess world champion
* London 2000: World micro-computer chess champion
* Maastricht 2001: World micro-computer chess champion
* Maastricht 2002: Computer chess blitz world champion
* Graz 2003: Computer chess world champion and blitz world champion
* Tel Aviv 2004: Computer chess blitz world champion
* Reykjavik 2005: Computer chess blitz world champion
* Mainz 2006 Chess960 Computer chess world champion
* Amsterdam 2007: Computer chess blitz world champion

System Requirements: Minimum: Pentium 300 MHz, 64 MB RAM, Windows Vista or XP (SP 2), DVD ROM drive, Windows Media Player 9. Recommended: Pentium IV 2.2 GHz or higher, 256 MB RAM, Windows Vista, GeForce5 or compatible graphics card with 64 MB RAM or higher, 100% DirectX compatible sound card, Windows Media Player 9, DVD ROM drive.

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By Bradford Roegner

When looking for a chess set, one must consider the benefits of owning an electronic chess set. An electronic game provides a playing option where a player has the benefit of being able to face an increasingly difficult opponent while being able to have the ability to learn from your mistakes. But, within this category, there are two options that can be purchased. On the one hand, table-top electronic chess sets are the only option that allows a player to play against another human, or against the computer itself. The other option to have a hand held version that gives the flexibility of playing whenever the time permits.

Table-top Electronic Chess Sets

Electronic Chess Sets that fit on table-tops offer the best of all worlds for chess players. Players are able to get a Staunton design set that allows them to play a match against a human opponent with the tradition and feel for the game that they have always known.

Additionally, the electronic chess set will have an sensory board that tracks a player’s moves and respond accordingly. Chess computers are also able to be set at different levels (some times, up to 100 levels) allowing the chess player to play at a beginner’s level all the way to an advanced level of a rating as high at 2100.

Because these electronic chess sets have a more powerful computer with in them, there is a larger amount of features that they provide. They have game recording features, threat analysis and several openings programmed for analysis and practice. A table top electronic game certainly provides the widest breadth of playing features for a chess player.

Hand Held Electronic Chess Sets

With hand held chess sets, every location becomes an opportunity for a match. Never much larger than an adult hand, these options are capable of packing quite a chess playing punch, with some games having an estimated rating of up to 2000. If the experience is not there by the chess player to take on that level, there are also hand held chess sets that are designed for beginner and intermediate players in mind. Hand held chess sets have games played via an LCD screen and stylus.

While not as powerful as their table top counter parts, hand held chess sets still have several worthwhile features. These include the ability to record games and the ability to take back several moves at a time. Additionally, hand held games also come with several openings to study as well as puzzles to increase playing abilities. Additionally, there are several products that will rate a played match and provide feedback as to whether or not any improvement has been made.

Whether a hand held or a table-top game is chosen, a chess player that is serious about learning the game or improving upon it will certainly benefit from the teaching capabilities that exist from owning an electronic chess set like this.

Bradford Roegner is a resource for purchasing for Electronic Chess Sets. He is available to help provide people with the tools to bring chess into their life. You can contact him Bradford@braroechess.com any time with question.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bradford_Roegner

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Fritz is the PC chess software program that for many years now has fascinated the chess world. It played against the legendary Garry Kasparov in New York and in 2006 beat world champion Vladimir Kramnik 4:2 in a big public match in Bonn, Germany. Millions of fans followed these great duels between man and machine and were delighted by the world class games that they produced. But don’t be afraid – Fritz has a different side to its personality. The program will help you along during the game, with numerous sophisticated coaching functions, adjusting its playing strength to exactly match that of any opponent. It graphically displays threats and plans, and provides full opening statistics.

For beginners Fritz will explains moves and positions, or warn you of dangers and of errors you are committing. It has instructive training modules and amusing handicap levels. For club and tournament players Fritz has long become a trusted friend and indispensable advisor, helping them to study their games and find new opening ideas for their next tournaments. A database with more than a million games provides the basis for state-of-the-art analysis. Even Garry Kasparov has used Fritz on a regular basis.

How often have you attended personal grandmaster lectures or training sessions? With its Chess Media System Fritz brings the world’s greatest chess players into your living room, in full high resolution video and sound and a synchronised graphic chessboard. Listen to Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik, Viktor Korchnoi, Alexei Shirov or (former world champion) Rustam Kasimdzhanov while they explain important openings and ideas that lead to success. A host of famous chess teacher provide instruction in more mundane subjects, like opening traps, middlegame strategy, or endgame skills. Video running time: more than 14 (!) hours! Fritz makes it easy for you to play against other human beings, at any time, day or night. It provides you with a one-click connection to the largest chess community in the world, Playchess.com (1 year access). You can play quick and informal games at any level, take part in tournaments, or attend live lectures and training sessions. You can also watch great international events, which are broadcast live on the server, and you can discuss the moves with players and Grandmasters from all over the world. It is an experience you will not want to miss.
Available from 22. November

New in FRITZ11:

* new, dramatically improved chess engine (about 80 Elo points stronger)
* upgraded database with over one million games, from 1625 to 2007
* improved openings book
* new training function to practice the calculation of variations, new section on the chess server with
tactical puzzle solving competitions
* “the magic eye” which scans the 3D board, making the search visible for the user

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By Joe E. Lawrence

Every one on a team must fill a unique role if it is to succeed. One of the most difficult problems of being on a team is filling a different role than what we think we deserve. It is extremely difficult to lead a team that has members conflicting over their roles. Unfortunately, this is human nature but there is a way to make life easier for all.

To explain this I am going to liken the team to a game of chess. Many people know how to play the game and even those who do not are somewhat familiar with this game of skill. The pieces on the chess board make up the ultimate team that has a common goal. Each piece has a very unique role and each is willing to lay down its life to protect another piece that possesses a higher point value.

For starters there is the pawn. The pawn moves one space at a time and in a straight line. There is no backing up and no retreat. His mission is to block the paths of the enemy’s pieces and to form as line of defense to his own pieces. There is no glory at all in this piece’s role. It is rare that a pawn will save the day and very common for him to be sacrificed so that another piece is not captured.

Many roles on a team are just like this pawn’s. Sometimes we have to do things that we do not want to, like clean up after an event or file paperwork. You know that you are more capable than this and could do something that would really benefit the team. On your last team you ran the show and performed the high profile tasks. Why on earth are my talents being wasted like this? You even think to yourself that your leader clearly has it out for you and you will show him by doing this work fast and sloppy!

Think from the leader’s perspective for a second. You have a new member to the team. You are not sure of their capabilities or quality of work. They came highly recommended and the last leader had great things to say about them. In order to get a feel for their dedication and abilities you give him some papers to file. If he does this well then we can move him up to a better position until we find where his strengths are.

Now if you do your job sloppy it will be perceived that you are not a true team player. Why would a leader put you in a position of authority if you have a bad attitude? That attitude will spread to those beneath you very quickly. Makes sense to the leader, but to you it may be a difficult concept until you walk in the leader’s shoes for a moment.

Let’s go back to chess for a moment. The entire focus of the game is to capture the other team’s king all the while protecting yours. Each of the other pieces has a signature movement style that provides a very valuable asset to the team. The bishops move on diagonals in any direction and for as many squares as they desire. Rooks or castles travel in straight lines. Then there are the knights that have an interesting “L” pattern movement that is difficult to defend against. Queens are the treasured pieces that combine the movements of the rooks and bishops.

These pieces are like the members of the team. Each member has his or her own specialty or strength. This role is learned through training and perfected through practice. To get the opportunity to showcase your strengths you need to first show that you want the team to succeed at any cost. More often than not this means that you have to wait your time and prove to your leaders that you are willing to do the menial tasks to ensure success of your team.

Finally, let’s talk about the king. The king is the focus of the entire game. Every piece of yours is willing to lay down its life to protect the king. Each piece on the other team is itching to be the one to capture your king. The king himself can only move one space at a time. He can not move into danger but can move in any direction. He holds no value to the team’s ultimate goal and yet they all protect him. The king’s role is to lead his kingdom not capture pieces.

The pawn on the other hand is extremely valuable to the king. He must be the frontline defense to protect the king. He marches valiantly on a straight path in to danger. He is to stand firm in the face of destruction to hold the line for the others. He is to be the foundation for all the other pieces to build upon. If there was no pawn every other piece would be exposed and the king would be captured very quickly. In fact, try to play a game of chess where you have no pawns and the other team does. You will get crushed!

Every team has unique roles that need filled. Every team needs a pawn. Just because there are roles that you would rather fill does not change the fact that each role needs to be filled. No one starts at the top. They have to earn that spot by proving themselves as pawns. Once a new position opens the leaders will pull from the pawns to fill it and then upwards from there. If you truly are as good as you think you are then your talents are sure to be notices and you will advance very quickly.

Joe Lawrence is the creator and president of InspireTomorrow.com. He is a true student of life and is a firm believer in the whole person concept. If you spend five minutes on his site you will come out inspired! http://www.inspiretomorrow.com/Index.html

Get his new book “Inspire Tomorrow” today!! http://www.lulu.com/content/1280805

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The Carnelian II looks amazing with beautifully carved Shishamwood chessmen! Now you can play an affordable, advanced chess computer with real wood chess pieces. Strength rated at 1900 USCF for a standard speed game, you have a relatively strong tournament level opponent perfect for your casual evening games at home.

As a casual player at nominal to good playing ability, you’ll appreciate the feature-set built into this attractive wood chess computer. You won’t have to rely on battery power along (6 AA batteries) since you can ADD the A/C adapter option and forget about replacing batteries from time to time!

Make your move by pressing lightly on the squares where you are moving the piece. The computer displays it’s move on the 16 light LED coordinate system as well as on the LCD display.

Enjoy advanced features such as…

Random generator
Hint, Referee, Training modes
Opening book with >8500 positions
25 move takeback
setup your own position

Specifications

Solves most 6 move checkmates
100 Hours of play on 6 AA batteries
Optional A/C Adapter available separately
Measurements: 10 3/4″ x 11 3/4″ x 1 1/8″
Weight: 15.65 lb

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By Esther Andrews

Many people still think that the game of chess is appropriate for old people. In their mind’s eye, they see 2 elderly people sitting across from each other in the park, playing a game of chess.

Well, it might sound surprising to you, but you can teach a baby to play chess. It has shown to be extremely beneficial for children of all ages to learn to play chess, and in addition, it is very entertaining. It is impossible to describe how much value a child gets from playing chess.

When my son Eric was about 2 or 3, he showed interest in board games, so I asked my husband if he knew how to play chess. I didn’t know how to play Chess at the time, but luckily my husband knew the basics, and volunteered to teach little Eric. Eric took to it immediately. One day, my husband and I walked into a computer store, to buy a piece of hardware, and in the back room, we saw a person sitting in front of the computer, playing Chess. We started a conversation with him, and found out that he was a Chess teacher. When we came home, we asked Eric if he would like us to find a teacher for him, and he was very excited about it.

After some looking around and making some phone calls (now I know exactly who to call and where to look) we found a new immigrant from Russia who was a gifted Chess teacher. Some of his students became very famous grandmasters. So we made an appointment with the teacher, and he played a game of Chess with our baby. He looked at us after the game and said, a little bit amazed: “he is making all the right moves, it is amazing”. Eric was 4 at the time, and the teacher took him on as a student.

Since then, Chess has been a part of our life. Chess has enriched our lives a great deal. Thanks to Chess, we have traveled and seen some parts of the world and the country we would have never traveled to otherwise. Whenever we visited a new place, we always looked for a street corner or a coffee house where people play chess, and always met interesting people and made new friends. There is always something new to learn, and avid players spend a significant amount of time learning and practicing. Many people find enjoyment in participating in tournaments.

All over the country there are many chess clubs that encourage the participation of children, and many scholastic tournaments are taking place all over the country. Players of all skill levels are encouraged to play in tournaments, and players of similar skill levels are paired to play with each other.

What will your child learn from playing Chess?

- He will learn how to put together a plan, and follow up on it.

- He will learn to calculate a few moves ahead of time, based on memory and imagination.

- He will learn how to concentrate.

- He will learn the difference between strategy and tactics.

- He will learn to think before he acts. That every move has consequences.

- He will learn to play fair and to be courteous.

- He will improve his visual memory and visual discrimination.

- He will learn how to follow the rules.

- He will learn to take responsibility.

- He will learn to have patience.

- He will develop his creativity.

There are so many more benefits to studying and playing chess, that you will have to discover for yourself.

When we started taking little Eric to a kids’ Chess club, we met some kids that were highly gifted. I will never forget a little boy, 8 years old, who played a game of “blindfold” chess with the teacher, who was a master. “Blindfold” means that the player is not looking at the board, and has to play the game out of memory. The little boy played a whole game out of memory, and beat the master.

The most successful children were the ones who started very early. Children who had an older sibling who played Chess, or a parent who played Chess, and had the opportunity to watch the game when they were babies.

If you have a baby, if possible let the baby watch people playing Chess. Do you play Chess? Wonderful! Let the baby watch. If you do not play Chess, find a Chess club in your neighborhood, a park or a coffeehouse and let the baby watch the games as long as the baby is interested.

Some babies will be fascinated and watch the game for a long time, some will watch just for a few minutes. No problem! Let the baby watch as long as it wants. Even a few minutes will do. Do it as often as possible.

At home, have a Chess board around, and occasionally just show the baby the different pieces, and mention their names. Do it a few times a day. This is a good start for a baby, to get acquainted with the Chess pieces.

When your child is ready (and the parents know best!), you can show him how to move the pieces. A little bit a day will do. Make sure that the child spends some time around Chess players and gets the opportunity to watch some games.

For school age children, the best thing to do is to sit with them, explain the game and play with them. If you don’t enjoy Chess or don’t know how to play, you can find a teacher, or a Chess club that accommodates children.

Here is a special word about girls and Chess: some of the best chess players are girls! Just look at the sisters Polgar, and many other female chess players. If you have a girl, encourage her to play chess, it is a most beneficial activity for girls, as well as boys.

There are many Chess computer games on the market, starting from very affordable programs, like Chessmaster, and up to very expensive software and dedicated Chess computers. They are all fine, but remember - when your child plays with human beings, he learns much more and enjoys himself a lot more. It is a completely different experience. So take my advice, let your child play with other children, or even adults. Computer games can be a good addition.

A good place to start is the Chess Federation of your country. Here, in the US, we are lucky to have a very active Chess federation, and many Chess activities for young children. Here are some helpful links and resources:

www.uschess.org/beginners - Ten Tips for Winning Chess

www.uschess.org - The US Chess Federation

www.fide.com - The World Chess Federation

For the last 26 years, Esther Andrews has studied, researched and practiced the ways to develop a child’s intelligence. She also served as the principal of the School for Gifted Education. As a result of this experience, she developed her own method and philosophy, that proved to be extremely successful with her own 2 highly gifted children. In her web site, http://www.all-gifted-children.com , she helps parents develop their child’s genius, and provide for their kids the opportunity to achieve their maximum potential.

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