Nine-year-old girl becomes youngest US chess 'expert'

A nine-year-old girl is aiming to become a chess "master" after being named the youngest American player ever to reach the level of "expert" in the game.

Carissa Yip's 2000 rating from the US Chess Federation places her in the top two per cent of American women and the top seven per cent of all players registered with the organisation 

By Agencies

11:41PM BST 29 Jul 2013

Carissa Yip, of Massachusetts, has joined the ranks of the country's best players just three years after completing her first match, and will compete in the world youth championships in December.

Her 2000 rating from the US Chess Federation places her in the top two per cent of American women and the top seven per cent of all players registered with the organisation.

"This was not a record she won by a few days," said Nathan Smolensky, the president of the Massachusetts Chess Association. "It was a significant margin. So it's very impressive." Carissa must reach a rating of 2,200 to be ranked a master, and has three years to do this as the youngest ever. Irina Krush, the US women's number one, currently holds the record, having become a master at the age of 12.

Carissa's father, Percy, who taught her until she became too good for him, said she could reach master level in a year. Yet she appears unfazed by her success. "It's not like the rating matters," she said.

U.S. girl, 9, becomes youngest-ever chess expert as she inches closer to becoming ‘master’

Grant Welker, Associated Press | 13/07/29 4:35 PM ET
More from Associated Press

Julia Malakie / APIn this July 9, 2013 photo, Carissa Yip, 9, waits for her father Percy Yip to make a move during a chess match at their home in Chelmsford, Mass. Only three years or so since first picking up the game, Carissa has risen so far up the rankings that she has reached the expert level at a younger age than anyone since the chess federation began electronic record-keeping in 1991.

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CHELMSFORD, Mass. — Only three years or so since first picking up the game of chess, 9-year-old Carissa Yip can already look down at 93 per cent of the more than 51,000 players registered with the U.S. Chess Federation.

She has risen so far up the rankings that she has reached the expert level at a younger age than anyone since the chess federation began electronic record-keeping in 1991, a new level she reached in recent weeks.

Julia Malakie / APCarissa Yip, 9.

Her father, Percy, who taught her until she began beating him within a year, said she could reach master level in as soon as a year.

“Some never reach master level,” he said. “From expert to master, it’s a huge jump.”

But Carissa, who will be a fifth-grader at McCarthy Middle School this fall, has improved by leaps and bounds.

She first played competitively at the MetroWest Chess Club and Wachusett Chess Club, at the latter of which she’s the top-ranked player. Last fall, she competed in an international competition in Slovenia, and in December, she’ll play the World Youth Championships in the United Arab Emirates.

Carissa is hesitant when asked about her accomplishments, saying she doesn’t spend much time thinking about them.

But she also set a goal for herself this year to reach 2,100; an expert is anyone over 2,000. Anyone at 2,200 is a master. She also wants to one day become the first female to win the overall championship — not just in the female category, her father said.

“It’s not like the rating matters,” Carissa said.

She later demonstrated her ability by playing with her back to the board, reading her moves to her father and keeping track of the whole board in her head. She has been called an intimidating player in an ironic way, because she’s far short of even 5 feet tall.

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Her U.S. Chess Federation ranking places her in the top 7 per cent of all players registered with the group and the top 2 per cent of female players.

Closer to home, Carissa has impressed others who have been playing chess for far longer than she has been alive.

“This was not a record she won by a few days,” said Nathan Smolensky, the president of the Massachusetts Chess Association. “It was a significant margin. So it’s very impressive.”

Among other younger stars at the Boylston Chess Club in Somerville, where Yip has played, most are in their teens and are boys, Smolensky said.

“Even they say they were nowhere near this strength when they were that young,” he said.

Carissa also has three years to reach the next level, that of master, in time to set the record for youngest to reach that step as well, Smolensky said. Five-time U.S. women’s winner Irina Krush has the record for becoming a master at age 12.

George Mirijanian, program director for the Wachusett club and past president of the Massachusetts Chess Association, said Carissa and Percy Yip, both Wachusett members, both got a standing ovation when they arrived at the club last week after Carissa reached expert level.

“In my more than 50 years with the club, I had never witnessed such an exuberant outburst from club members,” Mirijanian said. “They are really proud of Carissa and what she has accomplished.”

Blazing bishops

Malcolm Pein reports on the challenge match between China and America

By Malcolm Pein, Chess correspondent

5:36PM BST 22 Jul 2013

Comment

A challenge match between the USA and China is under way in Ningbo, China, but neither country is fielding its big guns. In this game, Sam Shankland maintains strong piece activity in the face of an imposing centre and he secures half a point with a clever combination:

Lu Shanglei - S. Shankland
Vienna with g3
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 Bc5 5.Nge2 a5 6.h3 d6 7.0–0 0–0 8.d3 Nd4 9.Kh1 c6 10.f4 exf4 11.Bxf4 Ne6 12.d4 Nxf4 13.gxf4 Bb6 14.Qd3 Nh5 15.Qf3 Qh4 16.Nd1 Re8 17.c3 Bf5!

Position after 17...Bf5

18.e5 (18.exf5 Rxe2! 19.Qxe2 Ng3+, or 18.Nf2 d5) 18...Re6 (18...f6!? seems consistent) 19.Qf2 Qxf2 20.Nxf2 dxe5 21.fxe5 f6 22.Bf3 Bg6 23.Bxh5 Bxh5 24.Nf4 Bf3+ 25.Kh2 Re7 26.exf6 Re3! 27.f7+ Kxf7 28.Ng4 (See board above) 28...Bc7! (28...Bxg4 29.Nd5+ Kg8 30.Nxe3 is better for White) 29.Nxe3 (29.Kg3 Bxg4+ 30.Kxg4 Kg8 is rather better for Black) 29...Bxf4+ 30.Kg1 Bxe3+ 31.Kh2 Bf4+ draw The pin on the ‘f’ file obliges Black to keep checking.

Position after 28.Ng4

The position below is a technical win and the plan of Ra6 and Ke5 will be decisive. Today’s puzzle is: does it matter in which order White plays these two moves?

White to play

For live updates, please follow my Twitter feed @telegraphchess.

Answer:
Yes it certainly does. In Pisu-Dicu FISCA Open, 2013 disaster struck after 50.Ke5?? Rf8! 0-1, as Rf5 will be mate. 50.Ra6 Kd7 51.Ke5 wins, but of course not 50.Ra6 Rf8+ 51.Ke5?? but 51.Ke3 and bringing the king to the queenside wins.

Access thousands of puzzles at puzzles.telegraph.co.uk

Playing chess helps children excel in maths www.http://www.mychessblog.com/

Chess is a thinking game. It is a fair game in that the player is responsible for the fate of the game and there is no other thing intervention in the game either in the form of luck or in the form of chance. One thing that can be said to be a chance or luck is nothing but the mistake of the opponent. In general, the player needs to think, analyze, visualize, plan, decide and execute a series of moves applying tactics and strategies to say “checkmate” to the opponent.

If children were taught this noble game at their tender age and encouraged to play the game, they will perform better in their academic career and outshine others – this is a finding of a research study. Many countries have introduced the game of chess as part of their school curriculum and have made it a subject or game that each child should learn and play regularly.

How the game of chess will help children perform well in mathematics? Read on….

One of the important subjects that a child is taught in his schooling days is the subject of mathematics. This is a very important subject and one needs to master it to have a better score in the examinations and also to pursue higher studies.

The importance of the subject of mathematics is that it cannot be learned by memorizing it by heart. If you are learning a subject like history or literature, then it is easy to memorize the lessons, reproduce the things memorized in the examination hall, get enough marks to promote to the next grade. You can safely forget about that subject, because history is not going to help you lead a life unless you want to choose to become a historian or an archeologist.

But that is not case with maths. You cannot just memorize the formulas of algebra, reproduce it in examination and get away. The basics of mathematics such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division needs to be understood thoroughly and will be of use during your lifetime. Memorizing the nuances of mathematics and making use of the same at times of necessity is next to impossible. One needs to understand the concept thoroughly and apply thinking to solve the problems of mathematics.

Thinking, concentration, problem-solving and analytical abilities are the pre-requisites for the game of chess as well. And the good thing is that these good skills are taught in a fun way. Children enjoy the game and as part of their play, they learn these good skills.

Understanding the concepts, applying concentration, attention and analyzing the various types of problems is what is required in mathematics.

Playing chess will not only help children perform better in mathematics, but also teach very important and invaluable lessons to the children. According to research, it has been found that playing chess helps children to develop and enhance their:

• visual memory

• attention span

• spatial reasoning skills

• capacity to anticipate events

• capacity to predict events

• ability to use analytical skills to make decisions, and

• ability to evaluate alternatives.

Most of these things are used to learn and excel in the subject of mathematics and also to face the problems with confidence and lead a successful life.

Now, teaching children the game of chess and encouraging them to play the game with fun has become much easier, thanks to the advancement of technology and the increased use of the Internet. Online chess helps children learn the game in a playful way with innumerable puzzles and tutorials.

It is true that children would live to play a lot in their young age. Involving in physical exercises, games, and sports activities make their body stronger and healthier. If the game of chess is also taught to the children, their brain would also be exercised and the children will become a healthy one – both physically and mentally, filled with confidence.

Other Interesting Related Posts you should read:

1. Online chess helps improve the skills quickly
2. 20+ ways Chess is beneficial for You and Your Children
3. 5 Ways Of Playing Safe In Chess
4. Surefire Reasons Why You Should Play Chess
5. 7 ways chess is beneficial to your mind

Check mate – clever chess charity bags innovation award

Wednesday, 10 July 2013 08:19

Malcolm Pein receives the Innovative Project Award at the Community Sport and Recreation Awards 2013 from HRH The Earl of Wessex and sponsor of the award Sam Franks from Hiscox. Check mate – clever chess charity bags innovation award A charity which brings chess into schools and communities has won a prestigious award at the Sport and Recreation Alliance's Community Sport and Recreation Awards. Chess in Schools and Communities was presented with the Innovative Project Award sponsored by specialist insurance company Hiscox. The award was presented to the charity’s Chief Executive, Malcolm Pein, by HRH The Earl of Wessex at St. James’s Palace in London today after the charity impressed the judges with their ground-breaking initiative over the past year. With studies showing a clear link between kids who play chess and improved concentration and educational attainment, Chess in Schools and Communities has doubled in size in the past year and is now operating in 200 schools up and down the country. Earlier this year the charity launched a unique project aiming to teach 20,000 children how to play chess in the London Borough of Newham and it has already advanced into many primary schools across the borough. Tim Lamb, chief executive of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, said: “This award recognises the blue-sky thinking that Chess in Schools and Communities has shown over the past year. “Chess is a cerebral activity and the people behind Chess in Schools and Communities have really thought big to take the benefits that chess brings to thousands of children up and down the country. “The judges were amazed at the scale and ambition of the project and it really is an inspiration to all other sport and recreation organisations in the UK”. Malcolm Pein, Chief Executive of Chess in Schools and Communities, said: “We are delighted to receive this award at the Community Sport and Recreation Awards – it’s proof that chess, the most enduring of games, first played 1500 years ago, remains a fun and stimulating pastime for the young generation even in the modern age." “With the £1000 prize money from the award we plan to give 500 of our most talented young chess players their very own set so they can continue to develop their skills.” David Sedgwick of the English Chess Federation said: “Chess in Schools and Communities is far and away the most important initiative in English chess in the last 15 years. “I’m delighted that their hard-work has been recognised outside the chess community and I am sure that this will spur them on to even greater success”.

BE WARNED OF TICKING

Storm in a briefcase

Malcolm Pein reports on the unique security issues chess clocks can cause, and an explosive game from the Georgian chess championship

By Malcolm Pein, Chess correspondent

11:38AM BST 02 Jul 2013

Comment

About thirty years ago your correspondent got into difficulties at the El Al airline security check with a ticking mechanical chess clock in his bag. The panic was over in just a few moments, as the man in charge was a chess player. In America, it seems some law security personnel are not as familiar with the game, as illustrated by a bomb scare last week.

Police in Mandeville, Louisiana evacuated residents and closed roads when an unidentified briefcase was left on the doorstep of a recently retired IRS agent. The bomb squad was called in and an X-ray taken, which according to a local police chief, appeared to be a “classic pipe bomb’’.

They don’t do things by halves in Louisiana. The police issued the following statement: “After thorough investigation, the suspicious case was determined to have contained a chess set. Preliminary X-ray images of the contents of the case gave investigators reason to remotely open the case with a water cannon, which was mounted to a robot. It was then, after further remote and physical inspection of the contents by a St Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office bomb technician, that the case was determined to be harmless.’’

In this game from the Georgian championship, White’s passive play leads to Black detonating his position:

D. Lomsadze - G. Nigalidze
Georgian championship
Pirc Defence in reverse
1.g3 e5 2.Bg2 d5 3.d3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.0–0 Be7 6.c3 0–0 7.Nbd2 Be6 8.Qc2 Qd7 9.b4 a6 10.Bb2 h6 11.Rfe1 Bh3 12.Bh1 Qf5 13.Rac1 Ng4 14.a3 Rad8 15.c4 d4 16.b5 Nb8 17.a4 Nd7 18.Nb3 Bg5 19.Rb1 Ndf6 20.Bg2 Bxg2 21.Kxg2

Position after 21.Kxg2
Black to play and win

The Russian Higher League is always fiercely contested:

S. Voitsekhovsky - I. Khairullin
1.e4 c6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Qc7 4.Ngf3 Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.0–0 Nd7 7.b3 Ngf6 8.Bb2 Bd6 9.h3 Bh5 10.Re1 0–0–0 11.Rb1 (11.Bf1 dxe4 12.dxe4 Bh2+ 13.Kh1 Ne5 is good for Black) 11...dxe4 12.dxe4 Bf4 13.g3 13...Bxg3 14.fxg3 Qxg3+ 15.Kh1

Black to play and win

Answer 1:
21...Nxf2 0–1 22.Kxf2 Ng4+ 23.Kg1 and Qh3 and mates or wins the queen.

Answer 2:
15...Nc5 16.Be5 Bxf3+ 0–1

blind championship Kolkata

Kolkata hosts chess championship for the blind
Friday, Jul 26, 2013, 16:23 IST | Place: Kolkata | Agency: IANS

The one-day tournament spread across five rounds, was open to players across all ages, and included many former all India champs.

A chess championship for the blind started off here Friday, proving that the visually impaired are just as talented as the privileged and promising exciting close finishes and hitherto unseen talent. In its second edition, the All Bengal Chess Competition for the Blind, has drawn skilled chess players from several districts of the state to prove their mettle.

"Society is not aware that blind people are equally adept at doing a lot of things. They are equally talented. This championship is a way to create awareness that they are not behind anybody in talent," Debajyoti Roy, secretary National Institute of Professionals (NIP), the organisers explained.

"It also helps in confidence building and strategesing," said Roy, adding that there has been a surge in number of participants since the first leg last year.

Roy said the one-day tournament spread across five rounds, was open to players across all ages, and included many former all India champs. While the rules were the same, minor modifications of the chess boards were necessitated to aid the sightless in the matches.

The participants are allowed to feel the opponent's chess pieces to locate their positions on the board, that has got depressions and elevations to indicate positions of the black and white pieces respectively.

"Moreover, the pieces do not fall off or scatter away as there are tiny nails at the bottom through which they can be placed at appropriate squares that in turn have holes to fit in the nails," said Mishra.

To take it a step forward, Mishra said the organisation is collaborating with the apex chess body of the state - West Bengal Chess Association - to get the winners of the blind chess championships to match their skills with the mainstream players.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com

Chess in Schools and Communities Wins Innovative Project Award - Chess.com

Chess in Schools and Communities Wins Innovative Project Award - Chess.com

Chess in Schools and Communities Wins Innovative Project Award

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• on 7/13/13 12:22 PM.
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On 9th July 2013 Chess in Schools and Communities (CSC) was presented with the Innovative Project Award at the 2013 Sport and Recreation Alliance Awards sponsored by specialist insurance company Hiscox. The award was presented to the charity’s Chief Executive, Malcolm Pein, by HRH The Earl of Wessex at St. James’s Palace in London after the charity impressed the judges with their ground-breaking initiatives.

(Press release)

With studies showing a clear link between playing chess in primary school and improved concentration and educational attainment, CSC has doubled in size in the past year and is now operating in over 200 schools across England and Wales. In March 2013 CSC launched its first Charity-Public-Private initiative to teach 20,000 children how to play chess in the London Borough of Newham. Working with Newham Borough Council, and East Village, the charity now teaches chess in 14 primary schools in the borough, and aims to extend its programme to the remaining 50.

Tim Lamb, chief executive of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, said:

“This award recognises the blue-sky thinking that Chess in Schools and Communities has shown over the past year. “Chess is a cerebral activity and the people behind Chess in Schools and Communities have really thought big to take the benefits that chess brings to thousands of children up and down the country. The judges were amazed at the scale and ambition of the project and it really is an inspiration to all other sport and recreation organisations in the UK”.

Malcolm Pein, Chief Executive of Chess in Schools and Communities, said:

“We are delighted to receive this award – it’s proof that chess, the most enduring of games, first played 1500 years ago, remains a fun and stimulating pastime for the young generation, even in the modern age. With the £1000 prize money from the award we plan to give 500 talented players from deprived areas their own chess set so they can continue to develop their skills.”

Malcolm Pein receives the Innovative Project Award at the Community Sport and Recreation Awards 2013
from HRH The Earl of Wessex and sponsor of the award Sam Franks from Hiscox

David Sedgwick of the English Chess Federation, said:

“Chess in Schools and Communities is far and away the most important initiative in English chess in the last 15 years. “I’m delighted that their hard-work has been recognised outside the chess community and I am sure that this will spur them on to even greater success”.

The Sport and Recreation Alliance is the umbrella body and trade association for the governing and representative bodies of sport and recreation in the UK. It represents more than 300 members – organisations like The FA, the Rugby Football Union, UK Athletics, the Ramblers, British Rowing and the Exercise Movement and Dance Partnership

The Sport and Recreation Alliance’s Community Sport and Recreation Awards (formerly known as the Sports Club of the Year Awards) have been running for more than 20 years and embrace the wealth of sports and recreational organisations that carry out excellent work in their local communities. The awards are decided by a panel of independent judges drawn from across the sports world, chaired by BBC Radio Five Live’s Eleanor Oldroyd.

The Innovative Project award is sponsored by Hiscox, an international specialist insurance and reinsurance company with offices in 11 countries, 1,400 staff and customers around the world. With over 100 years of underwriting expertise, they work with businesses, not-for-profit associations and individuals to provide insurance that is tailored to suit often complex and unusual insurance needs – including the needs of sports and recreational clubs and sporting events. Hiscox are delighted to be involved in this year’s Community Sport and Recreation Awards and support the wealth of recreational organisations and bodies that work hard to make a difference in their local communities.

Chess in Schools and Communities has trained more than 200 accredited chess tutors to go into schools up and down the country. They provide 10 lessons per term during class time as well as putting on inter-school events and competitions. Links to research showing the ability of chess to improve educational attainment can be found here.

Explanation: How Brain Training Can Make You Significantly Smarter | How Life Works

Explanation: How Brain Training Can Make You Significantly Smarter | How Life Works

Last Updated: 7/19/2013 11:45 PST

 

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Explanation: How Brain Training Can Make You Significantly Smarter

As many people hit middle age, they often start to notice that their memory and mental clarity are not what they used to be.  We suddenly can't remember where we put the keys just a moment ago, or an old acquaintance's name, or the name of an old band we used to love.  As the brain fades, we euphemistically refer to these occurrences as "senior moments."

While seemingly innocent, this loss of mental focus can potentially have a detrimental impact on our professional, social, and personal well-being. 

It happens to most of us, but is it inevitable? 

Neuroscientists are increasingly showing that there's actually a lot that can be done.  It turns that the brain needs exercise in much the same way our muscles do, and the right mental workouts can significantly improve our basic cognitive functions.  Thinking is essentially a process of making neural connections in the brain.  To a certain extent, our ability to excel in making the neural connections that drive intelligence is inherited.  However, because these connections are made through effort and practice, scientists believe that intelligence can expand and fluctuate according to mental effort.

Now, a new San Francisco Web-based company has taken it a step further and developed the first "brain training program" designed to actually help people improve and regain their mental sharpness.  Called Lumosity, it was designed by some of the leading experts in neuroscience and cognitive psychology from Stanford University.

Lumosity, is far more than an online place to exercise your mental skills.  That's because they have integrated these exercises into a Web-based program that allows you to systematically improve your memory and attention skills.  The program keeps track of your progress and provides detailed feedback on your performance and improvement.  Most importantly, it constantly modifies and enhances the games you play to build on the strengths you are developing--much like an effective exercise routine requires you to increase resistance and vary your muscle use.

Does it work?

Apparently it does. In randomized, controlled clinical trials, Lumosity was shown to significantly improve basic cognitive functions. One study showed students improved their scores on math tests by 34 percent after using Lumosity for six weeks, significantly greater gains than those made by other students in the same class, who were not training with the Lumosity program.

The company says its users have reported clearer and quicker thinking, improved memory for names, numbers, directions, increased alertness and awareness, elevated mood, and better concentration at work or while driving.

While many of the games at Lumosity are free, a modest subscription fee is required to use the full program over the long term.

However, Lumosity is currently offering a free trial of their program to new users so that you can see how well it works before you decide to subscribe.  The trial is completely free (no credit card required) and the company believes the results will speak for themselves.