The strong Scottish player Andy Burnett, who played and posted on here a few times as User 445860 has started a new monthly magazine called Streetfighting Chess.
The first issue is free and can be downloaded from here:
http://www.streetfightingchess.com/immortal-game/
The second issue costs £1.50 / 2 euros / $2.50 and can be bought from here:
http://www.streetfightingchess.com/ez-shop-2/
I really liked the free issue and have bought the second already. Both issues are stuffed with games played by "club" players (up to about the level of Fide Master) and the annotations are excellent and thankfully Fritz-free. I always feel that I get more out of going over games played by people of my sort of level rather than GM/IM games. I admire the Masters, but I can't play like them and never will.
It seems to be common nowadays to compare prices to a pint of beer, but this magazine is even cheaper than a pint of Ruddles in your local Wetherspoon's. So just stick to nine pints instead of your usal ten this evening and with the money you save buy issue 2 of Streetfighting Chess Magazine!
Originally posted by Fat LadyI think anything that will make studying chess more interesting is always a good thing, and yes, there are many good ideas to be learned from games at this level, one must ask however, are the ideas learned from studying weaker players of the same quality as the lessons learned from studying the masters? I'm just not sure. One thing I am sure of though. The chess world needs more of this kind of literature, these are games most of us can relate to more closely than master level chess.
The strong Scottish player Andy Burnett, who played and posted on here a few times as User 445860 has started a new monthly magazine called Streetfighting Chess.
The first issue is free and can be downloaded from here:
http://www.streetfightingchess.com/immortal-game/
The second issue costs £1.50 / 2 euros / $2.50 and can be bought from here:
...[text shortened]... usal ten this evening and with the money you save buy issue 2 of Streetfighting Chess Magazine!
Hi Bill,
"....are the ideas learned from studying weaker players of the same quality
as the lessons learned from studying the masters? "
Tartakower says in his book of Best Games:
"Masters can always learn something from amateurs!" (Marshall - Tartakower, Leiger 1930)
The more I thumb through and play out the games in this book it is
rapidly becoming in my opinion the best ever book on chess at an intermediate level.
I am a better player now then when I first went through the games
in the late 70's. I now realise I owe this book quite a lot even though
I skipped the endgames positions and in some cases the 1.d4 d5 openings.
Started doing it again from scratch a few days ago.
Honestly I'd never give you a bum steer. If you don't have it - get it.
If you have it. Read it. Devour it. (...and no skimping.)
You will get entertained, laugh, cry, gasp, applaud and the book is loaded
with anecdotes about all the games greatest players.
It is written for the average player and is simply bursting with ideas and instruction.
----------
"....are the ideas learned from studying weaker players of the same quality
as the lessons learned from studying the masters? "
Often the notes of GM games are never down graded enough to be of any practical use.
"13...h6 gives White a target for a pawn storm" End of note.
Unless the reader is fully versed in what is required of him to carry such
an attack this note is lost on him.
Sometimes (infact very often) an interesting move or a forced moved
is slipped in without a note. To me it seems the writer is saying;
"This is a GM game, if you don't understand why that move was played
then you should not be looking at it because I ain't going to tell you."
I think you need to study games played by your peers so you see the kind
of blunders (sometimes very slight) they make and how they get punished.
-----
On a lighter note. The Scottish Blitz Championship is taking place right
next to the shop Mrs Greenpawn runs.
She has called me to say 20-30 chess players (street fighter, Andy Burnett, included)
have been in to 'stare at her.' and ask her if she really is my wife.
All the years of using jokes about her to kick off an article are bearing fruit.
She will soon be signing autographs.
Some recent examples.
Outside the after getting married church I lifted her veil and people started booing.
She started crying, except in her case the tears where running up her face.
At the honeymoon hotel the bell boy took one look at her and gave me a tip!
Then you mix in the Chess.
She has the kind of face that could uncastle a King.
One eye has taken the other eye en passant.
When God was making up her face he forgot to say "j'adoube".
Originally posted by greenpawn34Gracious GP! That had me in tears of laughter. J'adoube. :-)
[b]Hi Bill,
"....are the ideas learned from studying weaker players of the same quality
as the lessons learned from studying the masters? "
Tartakower says in his book of Best Games:
"Masters can always learn something from amateurs!" (Marshall - Tartakower, Leiger 1930)
The more I thumb through and play out the games in this book it is ...[text shortened]... n the other eye en passant.
When God was making up her face he forgot to say "j'adoube".[/b]
Hi Dubalot,
I now have both books combined in one but it will be in the Old Book One. Game number 101.
After the moves 1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 g6
Tartakower writes:
""Masters can always learn something from amateurs!
The idea iof the text move (3..g6) Instead of the ordinary continuation
3...Nf6 is due to that excellent British player Dr. Duncan (who he?).
Black gives back the pawn of his own accord to accelerate his development.
here is the full games, some sparse notes mostly based on
Tartakowers comments who goes into the game in much more detail
Originally posted by greenpawn34I must say I am very impressed with this magazine. The comments are instructive and entertaining, and I may just subscribe if it's possible to obtain it in the USA.
[b]Hi Bill,
"....are the ideas learned from studying weaker players of the same quality
as the lessons learned from studying the masters? "
Tartakower says in his book of Best Games:
"Masters can always learn something from amateurs!" (Marshall - Tartakower, Leiger 1930)
The more I thumb through and play out the games in this book it is ...[text shortened]... n the other eye en passant.
When God was making up her face he forgot to say "j'adoube".[/b]
Two things I've noticed that's a bit different with chess in Europe is: 1. A larger percentage of female players, perhaps 5-15%. In America it's closer to 2%. 2. A higher percentage of adults in Europe play tournament chess. In my city (Seattle) there are about 3 million people in the city and surrounding area, yet the Seattle chess club has a maximum of 45 adult members. Oh well, I always said the Europeans were smarter. Thank God for Red Hot Pawn.😏