Category Archives: CHESS PARENTING

THE IMPROVEMENT HABIT

January 1, 2019 NigelD

We are at that time of year when many people are trying New Year resolutions. Most of these will have been abandoned by January 12th, including the chess ones, which will not help too much towards getting any better. Goals and resolutions are all very well but do they help people put the time in that is required for real progress? Usually not, no matter how lofty their initial aims.

Here at Tiger Chess HQ we have a different approach. Goals are downplayed and broken down whilst the emphasis is placed on a steady work rate over a long period of time. What is doable on a daily basis which can also be monitored? With my son Sam I have found that Chessity works very well as it keeps great records as to how much you have really done. We also try to study together for 3 hours on a Sunday and also on Mondays and Tuesdays when he is not at college. Over time it adds up and helps put in place the necessary skills, as you can see below he has now solved over 40,000 positions on Chessity and is in the top 20 for the number of puzzles solved. Note also that I call him Jedi so as to turn him away from the dark side offered by his favourite Star Wars character, General Grievous:

Recently he has been going through many of the videos here at Tiger Chess, which again can be done on a regular basis. With his other commitments he certainly does not do thousands of hours every year but it could be around 500. If he keeps this up for another decade or so he will become very strong.

What about the old guy? Well I am also in the process of dusting myself off with daily tactics practice and studying some new openings. A few thousand hours on top of the 45,000 or so I have already put in should help me get back in shape for when I finish my University studies (currently in year 2).

Nigel Davies

CHESS PARENTING, ENDGAMES, OPENINGS, TACTICS

THE PRESTON CONGRESS

December 2, 2018 NigelD

The Preston Congress is traditionally the last in the year for my son Sam. This time round he got a grading prize and we think that both his rapid play and long play grades may hit new highs. Sam is pictured below with Open winner Adam Ashton in what is a very pleasant venue, the Harrington Building at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN).

Sam's play with Black against 1.d4 has been going well of late, largely due to the amount of time we have been spending on it. He still needs some work as Black against 1.e4, which we have planned in the seven weeks we have before his next event. This in itself should produce a nice improvement in his results as in general we have focussed far more on endgames and tactics than openings. Here's the finish to his last round game.

White to play had just played 38.Nd3-c1, attacking the rook on b3. Sam replied with 38...Rb1! with the point that 39.Rxa3 Rxc1 40.Rc3 is met by 40...Rh1, which would skewer White's rook after 41.Rxc2 Rh2+. In the game White played 39.Nd3 but after 39...Rd1 40.Nc1 Rxc1 threw in the towel (0-1).

Nigel Davies

CHESS PARENTING, TOURNAMENTS

THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A CLEAR HEAD

October 21, 2018 NigelD

Today I took Sam to the Birmingham and District Chess League Rapid Play. He had an OK tournament, which was more or less around his current grade, but he clearly was not at his best. I had kind of expected this as he had a tough week at his sixth form college. Such matters undermine your focus even if you are not consciously aware of it. This is why one of a chess player's primary goals should be to have a clear head and for this reason it is often better not to over prepare and clear away possible distractions.

This year's Birmingham Rapid Play also featured an 8 player all-play-all invitational tournament in which three Grandmasters (Keith Arkell, Mark Hebden and Matthew Turner), one International Master (Ameet Ghasi) and four aspiring youngsters took part. As the cross table shows, the youngsters had a tough learning experience though Louise Head finished well after beating Ghasi and two of the other aspirants.

As usual Sam and I enjoyed hanging out with the other players, Sam pictured here with an eminent group:

Left to Right: Mark Hebden, Ameet Ghasi, Sam Davies and Keith Arkell

As always this tournament was well organized and there was a good turnout in terms of numbers. Probably we will be back next year and perhaps I might get to play.

Nigel Davies

CHESS PARENTING, TOURNAMENTS

WHY YOU SHOULD NOT WATCH!

October 14, 2018 NigelD

Some time ago my son Sam told me that I shouldn't go in the playing room unless I am playing myself. He just didn't like me looking at his games when they were in progress, usually because I looked so worried. This has certainly made my life easier as a chess parent, now I just don't get nervous. I was even oblivious when Sam played an opponent who objected to the slight crinkle of his water bottle when Sam took a drink, made a big thing of it and a lot of tension and anger ensued with Sam's opponent finally being kicked out of the tournament! It was quite interesting to find out what happened later and all the time I had been getting on with some work in the analysis room.

Yesterday there was another case where it was better not to watch, though I did take a quick look at Sam's position when he left the playing room for a few minutes. I saw the following position which looked like it should be a draw:

Here Black had just played 41...Qh5+ after which I figured it would be a draw, with both sides having the chance to deliver a draw by perpetual check. I got out before Sam returned so as not to get into trouble and waited for him to finish. Some time later he found me and announced that he had won, but it was not a very good game.

What had happened? Well in the game there followed 42.Kg1 e5 43.Rd7+ Ke6 44.Re7+ Kd6 45.Rxe5 Qd1+ 46.Kh2 Qe2? (Black should draw with 46...Qe1) 47.Rd5+ Kc7 48.e5 c4 49.e6 b5 50.e7 Qe1 51.Re5 Qh4+ 52.Kg1 Qd4+ 53.Kf1 Qf4+ 54.Ke2 Qh2 55.Kf3 Qg1 56.e8=Q Qd1+ 57.Kg3 Qd3+ 58.Re3 Qd6+ 59.Be5 1-0 but this was not the only drama. Apparently Sam lost his queen earlier in the game and had a position he could easily have resigned.

This is why parents should stay out of the playing room, it just saves them a lot of stress! In the end Sam got another good result of 3.5/5 and a share of second place but it could all have been very different. Here is the top of the final cross-table:

Below is a picture of a smiling Sam outside the Ibis Styles Hotel where the tournament was played, another very nice venue:

Nigel Davies

CHESS PARENTING, TOURNAMENTS

HE ATKINS MEMORIAL RAPIDPLAY

October 7, 2018 NigelD

Today I took my son Sam to the Atkins Memorial Rapidplay, which was one of the most distant tournaments we have been to in a single day. It was worth the trip though because it was very well organised and had a really excellent venue at the Leicester Grammar School. Here is view from the outside:

Sam had another good rapid play performance, finishing equal third in the Major and looked very much as if he has the potential to win such events in the very near future. He was half a point behind the joint winners and this could have been very different had he not made a bad slip in round 4. Here is the top of the cross-table:

It was also good to meet up with legendary GM Mark Hebden for the second weekend running, and also good to see Mark winning the Open with considerable ease. Rapid play seems to be his strongest discipline as it showcases his very well worked out opening repertoire, great intuition and excellent technique. Mark is pictured below with Sam:

I will take Sam to two more tournaments on the next two weekends after which he will have a few weeks break. Fortunately the next ones are not quite as far!

Nigel Davies

CHESS PARENTING, ENGLISH CHESS ACADEMY, TOURNAMENTS

THE TREND TOWARD BETTER VENUES

September 30, 2018 NigelD

When I started playing tournament chess in the 1970s the venues might well have been described as 'basic'. Typically players would be huddled together in some school or community centre, one of the worst I remember being a workshop with benches to sit on and a vice in my back. The toilet facilities were just as basic, and if someone had the forethought to arrange refreshments it would be tea with stale sandwiches and maybe (just maybe) a packet of digestives. During one school match we were given tuna sandwiches (at least I think it was tuna), which successfully discouraged me from eating tuna for the next couple of decades.

How times have changed! These days organizers have recognized the value of having good venues in order to make chess tournaments more pleasurable for the players. I think this certain helps to encourage parents to bring their kids to chess events so they can enjoy more pleasant surroundings while waiting for them to finish. I think it also encourages more women to play as they tend to be a bit more picky than men with regards to where they spend their time.

Amongst the UK tournaments with the best venues are the 4NCL events, which emerged as an offshoot of the 4NCL team competition. These events are invariably held at very decent hotels with Bridge Overseas liasing with hotel chains so as to provide good value venues. The English Chess Academy has also been using Bridge Overseas as a result of which I have been spending a lot of time in this place, The Park Inn Hotel in Nottingham:

In my chess parent role it is certainly nice to be able to sit in comfort whilst my son Sam is playing. Grandmasters get their hotel room paid for which brought Keith Arkell and Mark Hebden to this latest event (September 28-30). Pictured below (from left to right) we have my son Sam Davies, legendary GM Mark Hebden and Ukken Somton (father of Anita, one of the UK's young stars).

Sam Davies (left), Mark Hebden (centre) and Ukken Somton (right)

Keith Arkell won the Open with four wins and a draw. When I caught up with him in the bar he was in his usual jovial mood, ascribing his win to having an easy day on the Saturday with a win by default in the morning and then a thirteen (!) move win in the afternoon against IM Antanas Zapolskis. Keith is pictured below:

In case you are wondering how he won in just thirteen moves, the first twelve were 1.d4 b5 2.Nf3 Bb7 3.Bg5 c5 4.c3 h6 5.Bh4 Qb6 6.e3 e6 7.Nbd2 Ne7 8.a4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 a6 10.axb5 axb5 11.Nxb5 Rxa1 12.Qxa1 Nf5 reaching the position in the diagram below. Can you see the killer blow:

Arkell-Zapolskis: Position after 12...Ne7-f5

White to play uncorked 13.Qa7! which wins on the spot because 13...Qxa7 is answered by 14.Nc7 mate. A very neat finish which meant he could have the rest of the day off!

Nigel Davies

CHESS PARENTING, EXERCISE

HOW TABLE TENNIS HELPS YOUR CHESS

September 17, 2018 NigelD

Playing table tennis can help your chess. It's not just a question of getting some exercise and thus facilitating the flow of blood to your brain. There are habits and attitudes that are very useful for chess players and having a second activity can help console you if the first one goes badly. As Mark Taimanov said after he was battered 6-0 by Bobby Fischer: "I still have my music."

My son Sam has been playing table tennis for around 18 months and it has helped him a lot in many ways. We started by having a knock about on a table at a shopping mall and then progressed on to having some games in a bar with a table tennis table in it. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) he was asked his age after a few visits and it turned out that he was not allowed in there. So we needed to come up with an alternative and found that we could hire a table at a local leisure centre.

Never one to do things by halves I suggested we find a coach and started taking lessons. After a couple of months of lessons, and dedicated practice of everything we were taught, Sam was good enough to play at a club. This is now a regular Monday night activity, he's playing in a League team some other evenings and we are doing tournaments! From a parenting point of view this is a bit like going to chess tournaments, though your offspring needs a bat instead of a pen and the parents do not usually get a quiet place to sit. After being pelted with table tennis balls on a few occasions I now retire to the car. Sam is pictured below playing at his club:

So how does table tennis help your chess? First of all there are no draws, so you get used to playing a game with just two outcomes, a win or a loss. The practice ethic is similar to chess but when people see its importance in a second activity it becomes a universal rule of excellence. The psychological aspects are also similar, but in table tennis you have to play the ball when it comes to you, there is no time to delay or think about it. This in turn makes the possibility to think into something that is valued. I could go on but the most important point is this; Sam's chess has been transformed of late so that he is now far more pugnacious and more willing to take calculated risks.

Of course it does not need to be table tennis or even any kind of sport, there are other activities which have great value. Since taking up tai chi over a decade ago I have found it to be a wonderful way to get away from the stress of competition and I would not want to be without it. Though I should mention that to go deep into any activity needs time, and this in turn means that you should not try to do too many of them. I know of many children who are encouraged to try a vast range of activities, never practice any of them (there simply is not time) and do not progress at any of them. I would say that two or three is enough for most people, and perhaps just one if time is very limited.

Nigel Davies

CHESS PARENTING, TOURNAMENTS

DARNALL & HANDSWORTH RAPIDPLAY 2018

September 13, 2018 NigelD

For the last 8 years I have been going to lots of tournaments, but taking my son Sam rather than playing myself. The most recent of these was the Darnall & Handsworth Rapidplay in Sheffield, which took place on September 1st. Sam had another pretty good result, finishing 4th= in the Major with an 1878 Elo performance. This seems to be more or less in line with his current strength, though his rating is lagging behind at the moment.

A few people who have watched Sam's steady progress from unspectacular beginnings wonder about our training regime. Essentially it's all here on Tiger Chess, with a strong emphasis on endgames and strategy rather than the standard junior fare of openings and sacrificial attacks. His openings could certainly be better, and this is something we've been working on of late. But it takes time to develop a sophisticated repertoire that is dependent on understanding and concepts rather than rote learning and tricks.

From a chess parenting perspective one of the great things about the chess circuit is how Sam is making friends with other chess playing youngsters, and in his case adults too. Below he is pictured on the right together with Anita Somton and Armaan Gogia. Anita was 4th= in the Open with a 2066 performance whilst Armaan also did well in the Open with a 1944 performance. Both Anita and Armaan are coached by Anita's father, Ukken Somton, who has a strong focus on endgames and has been very successful in developing young players.

Where are we going next? Probably to a tournament in Nottingham at the end of September and then on from there. What's the goal? Our provisional aim is that he should be around 2200 strength at 18, at which time we will be reviewing the situation.

Nigel Davies