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1500 questions
13
votes
5 answers
Joke Annotations
I have run into two examples of hilarious annotations of games over the years.
One is the "annotation" of the fake "Immortal Overprotection Game" Nimzowitsch-Systemsson, written by Hans Kmoch as a parody of Nimzowitsch's rather arrogant…
David Spencer
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What are some helpful chess tactics training websites?
I like Chesstempo and chess.emrald.net[1].
Are there any others?
Edit (25.12.2020): Since at least 2018, chess.emrald.net has often not been responsive.
xaisoft
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Resigning (Inevitable Checkmate)
I am a relative beginner to chess but have noticed particularly playing online a lot of players will resign if they lose a strong piece, for example, their queen.
Is this sportsman like? I wouldn't have thought so, but I read a thread on here that…
Paul Young
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12
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2 answers
What happens after two kings stay on the board?
A lot of times my sibling and I have played chess and have ended up with just two kings. We have never known what would happen next. Two kings on the board would somehow result in an infinite game, as each can move forever wheresoever they like…
Veo
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4 answers
Looking for a chess variant with a circular board
I am looking for a certain chess variant played on a circular board.
The variant is played with the usual chess pieces (no fairies involved) on a peculiar circular board. The central part of the board is filled with triangles (alternating black and…
Sir Cornflakes
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12
votes
8 answers
Bishop vs Knight
I read in a book written by Fischer about piece values, and he said that a knight is worth 3 pawns, and a bishop is worth 3,25 pawns. I know that in closed positions knights are better, and I have also read in a Nimzovich book that a centralized…
Ghita Tomoiaga
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5 answers
Equalize - What does it really mean?
We often read or hear in books or video tutorials the following: "With this move, Black can equalize!". Some authors give 15-move or 20-move variations of some openings (e.g. Caro-Kann, Slav, Semi-Slav), then suddenly stop the explanation saying…
user1764381
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2 answers
Did any authors ever try to adopt Hans Kmoch's pawn structure terminology?
In response to an earlier question, I mentioned the 1959 book Pawn Power in Chess by IM Hans Kmoch. One of the book's most well-known aspects it that it introduced a glut of less-than-useful terminology that is rather more encumbering than…
ETD
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12
votes
11 answers
Moving the queen early in the game - beginner
Ok, I know this will be a vague question... I recently played against a friend three games, and lost all of them, and the problem was that he played his queen very early in the game (second move). I was told that this isn't a very good strategy, but…
J.L
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2 answers
Why not 4.Bd2 in the Nimzo-Indian?
After the initial moves of the Nimzo-Indian 4.Bd2 is rarely played and it gets poor results according to databases.
[FEN ""]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2
It looks like the most natural move to me, because:
After Bxc3 Bxc3 White keeps the…
user3671618
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12
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3 answers
What motivated Kasparov's comments on the Anand-Gelfand match?
I was watching an interview with Kasparov which occurred before the Anand-Gelfand match was played, and he said:
"Nobody should be offended, it is just a fact, but it's the first time in a long period of time that a World Championship match, with…
EPN
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12
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1 answer
Is the 50-move rule ever used in grandmaster games?
The 50-move rule states that if no capture or pawn move occurs for 50 consecutive moves, then either player may claim a draw. It seems like the 50-move rule is never truly necessary to determine that a game between two sufficiently competent human…
Zubin Mukerjee
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votes
5 answers
What alternatives are there to Chess Position Trainer?
CPT is software for testing (among other things) one's opening repertoire knowledge.
I'm wondering if there are any other similar pieces of software I should consider.
user1205901 - Слава Україні
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1 answer
About how to compose retrograde analysis problems
Are there any books or articles devoted to composing retrograde analysis problems? It seems that you would need some techniques beyond ones for standard problems.
Christopher Heckman
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12
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1 answer
Anand - Carlsen Game 1 WCh 2014, why not 12.Qc3+?
In game 1 of the World Championship 2014 between Carlsen and Anand, Anand chose 12.gxf3. Why not play 12.Qc3+ instead? It takes control over the a1-h8 diagonal and prevents the black Nc6 to jump to d4 or e5. In addition, it gives white the option to…
user2001