Tag: lichess.org

  • Chess.com Is Lost

    Chess.com Is Lost

    I’ve been openly critical of major chess websites before. ChessBase and Chess.com regularly receive praise here on Campfire Chess when they do things that further the development and promotion of the game, but they also get flamed when I believe that its necessary. This week, Chess.com went far beyond the necessity for a simple commentary. They’ve crossed into territory that should be unsettling for anyone who values our game. In fact, it’s my opinion that Chess.com has become so lost and has moved so far away from actual chess that I’ve made the unfortunate decision to stop playing and contributing to it for the foreseeable future.

    Wasted Opportunities

    Over the years, I’ve watched as Chess.com focused its attention on hideous endeavors like POG Champs and promotions that were designed to drive Twitch views more than actually promote the game in way that focused on longevity. Short-term exploitation of the Queen’s Gambit boom has led to negligible increase in the game’s long term interest. Then, they spent extraordinary amounts of money to house the Botez sisters in a Big Brother-like mansion in the name of (somehow) promoting the game. Yet, we haven’t really heard anything about it since. Why? Most likely because it doesn’t appeal to the wider chess audience and it’s a ridiculous waste of funds generated by site memberships.

    And what did they learn from the fizzling of these activities? Absolutely nothing…

    Selling Their Souls for NFTs

    I have to admit that I was beyond furious when Chess.com announced its new NFT website, Treasure Chess. Now YOU TOO can mint your special 300 ELO Scholar’s Mate and charge $3000 on Chess.com for people to “own” it. No other technology available today infuriates me more than the peddling of cryptocurrency garbage like Non Fungible Tokens (NTFs). Or, as I prefer to call them, No F**king Thanks. This could be the first foul language moment in this blog’s history, but that’s okay. It’s time.

    NFTs are one of the greatest pyramid schemes to emerge (so far) in the 21st Century. It’s a technology that prays on people’s lack of understanding of blockchain and cryptologic technology to get them to buy art, music, and now…chess games. These sites promise ownership of the purchased item, but all you own is a digital receipt or hyperlink to a receipt identifying you as the owner. Nothing stops other users from screenshotting the art, downloading the music, or retrieving a chess game from a database and posting it in another place. In essence, you own nothing.

    On top of the fact that NFTs promise the future but deliver nothing, the power required to generate the crypto receipts for NFTs is enormous. It’s contributed to the insane price of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) these days and the increased energy consumption is detrimental to the health and wellbeing of our planet.

    Done for Now

    I realize that Chess.com is not an airport and there is no reason for my to announce my departure. However, I have been blogging about chess for 8 years now and a majority of the games, analysis, and stories have come from Chess.com. I’ve watched the site evolve from a competent and inviting community for people to grow, learn, and connect through chess…into a monstrosity. I have hope that one day Chess.com will find its away again, but until then, I simply cannot continue to support the site through a premium membership or paid verification. Until the insanity is reigned in at Chess.com, you’ll find all of my future content here on the blog and at lichess.org.

    Game on, campers!
    Ex

  • Happy International Chess Day

    Happy International Chess Day

    Good morning, campers! Today is International Chess Day and there are celebrations going on all around the world to honor our game! Not sure how to celebrate the day? Here are a few suggestions to get you going:

    • Play chess online via Chess.com, lichess, chess24, or any of the myriad of online platforms available.
    • Join your local chess club. If you’re not sure how, just do a Google search for your city/town + “Chess Club” and you’ll most likely find something to get you started.
    • Play in a local over-the-board tournament.
    • Play with a friend.
    • Watch a chess movie! Pawn Sacrifice, Dangerous Moves, Searching for Bobby Fischer, or the Knights of the South Bronx come to mind.

    Whatever your passion, there’s plenty to do today to celebrate chess!

  • A Solid Blitz

    A Solid Blitz

    I’ve been carving regular time out of my day to do chess studies and they have started paying off. Despite all of the mistakes and blunders, I believe that my fundamentals are improving steadily as a result. Here’s a solid game I played recently on lichess.org that I felt was worth annotating.

    [pgn]
    [Event “Rated Blitz game”]
    [Site “https://lichess.org/WxA0I30F”]
    [Date “2019.02.05”]
    [Round “-“]
    [White “Wesley Surber”]
    [Black “Internet Opponent”]
    [Result “1-0”]
    [UTCDate “2019.02.05”]
    [UTCTime “04:02:41”]
    [Opening “Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Caro Variation”]
    [WhiteRatingDiff “+12”]
    [ECO “C70”]
    [BlackElo “1160”]
    [WhiteElo “1113”]
    [Variant “Standard”]
    [TimeControl “300+0”]
    [Termination “Normal”]
    [BlackRatingDiff “-34”]

    1. e4 {[%clk 0:05:00] [%eval 0.12]} e5 {[%clk 0:05:00] [%eval 0.37]} 2. Nf3 {[%clk 0:04:58] [%eval 0.23]} Nc6 {[%clk 0:04:58] [%eval 0.15]} 3. Bb5 {[%clk 0:04:56] [%eval 0.14] The Spanish (Ruy Lopez) opening.} a6 {[%clk 0:04:57] [%eval 0.26]} 4. Ba4 {[%clk 0:04:55] [%eval 0.4]} b5 {[%clk 0:04:55] [%eval 0.36]} 5. Bb3 {[%clk 0:04:54] [%eval 0.27] The Morphy Defense. Creates a balanced position for both sides.} Bb7 {[%clk 0:04:54] [%eval 0.58]} 6. O-O {[%clk 0:04:53] [%eval 0.46]} f6 {[%clk 0:04:53] [%eval 0.9]} 7. Nc3 {[%clk 0:04:51] [%eval 1.43]} Nd4 $5 {[%clk 0:04:50] [%eval 2.18] The first inaccuracy of the game. Black misses Na5 to put pressure on the b3 Bishop.} 8. d3 $2 {[%clk 0:04:43] [%eval 0.52] I followed up with a mistake of my own. The better option was to take the Knight on d4.} Nxb3 {[%clk 0:04:46] [%eval 0.53] Losing my light square Bishop was a consequence of missing Nxd4.} 9. axb3 {[%clk 0:04:40] [%eval 0.57]} Bb4 {[%clk 0:04:43] [%eval 1.04]} 10. Bd2 {[%clk 0:04:37] [%eval 0.16] This move was simply a result of me not taking enough time to consider my position. The Knight was already defended by the b-Pawn. Stockfish preferred pushing d4.} Ne7 {[%clk 0:04:41] [%eval 0.44]} 11. Qe2 {[%clk 0:04:31] [%eval -0.37] The intent was to strengthen the e-File and connect my Rooks, but Nh4 was a better option.} c5 {[%clk 0:04:36] [%eval 0.42]} 12. Qe3 {[%clk 0:04:14] [%eval -0.44]} d6 {[%clk 0:04:31] [%eval -0.36]} {This was one of the few moments in the game where I was genuinely confused and unsure what to do. Nd5 to meet was a way for me to threaten d7, but not much else. Not the best of moves but it gave me some additional pressure on Black’s position.} 13. Nd5 $5 {[%clk 0:03:55] [%eval -1.49]} Bxd5 {[%clk 0:04:28] [%eval -1.06]} 14. exd5 {[%clk 0:03:54] [%eval -1.21]} Nxd5 {[%clk 0:04:27] [%eval 1.32]} 15. Qe4 {[%clk 0:03:45] [%eval 1.41]} Bxd2 {[%clk 0:04:25] [%eval 1.45]} 16. Nxd2 {[%clk 0:03:43] [%eval -1.43]} Ne7 $5 {[%clk 0:04:20] [%eval -0.57] The trade is complete and the Bishops are off the board. This works well for me because of the closed position on the board. The Knights are better in these situations and will come in very handy shortly.} 17. Rfe1 {[%clk 0:03:37] [%eval -1.43] Solidifying my position on the e-File.} Qc7 $4 {[%clk 0:04:13] [%eval 8.09] A major mistake that I MISSED!} 18. c4 $2 {[%clk 0:03:31] [%eval -1.42] A very bad move that missed capturing the a8 Rook.} Qc6 {[%clk 0:04:11] [%eval 0.67]} 19. Qg4 {[%clk 0:03:21] [%eval -0.83] Preparing an attack on e6.} Ng6 {[%clk 0:04:03] [%eval 0.6]} 20. Qe6+ {[%clk 0:03:19] [%eval -0.94] Unless black makes a serious counter move, it’s over.} Ne7 {[%clk 0:03:59] [%eval 1.16]} 21. cxb5 {[%clk 0:03:16] [%eval 0.18] Forcing the Queen away.} Qxb5 $2 {[%clk 0:03:56] [%eval 3.5] Black should have traded Queens, but missed the exchange and loses the game.} 22. Ne4 {[%clk 0:03:13] [%eval 3.32]} Qxd3 {[%clk 0:03:54] [%eval 10.25]} 23. Nxd6+ {[%clk 0:03:12] [%eval 9.97] Black’s only real move is Qxd6.} Kf8 {[%clk 0:03:52] [%eval #1]} 24. Qf7# {[%clk 0:03:11] Overall, I believe that this was a much more solid game than I’ve been playing. I hope that it’s a sign that my studies are paying off.} 1-0
    [/pgn]

  • The Awesomeness of lichess.org Studies

    The Awesomeness of lichess.org Studies

    Chess has a reputation for being a game of intellgience both on and off the board. In recent years, this has manifested heavily in the realm of information technology development. Chess engines continue to get stronger by the day and programmers of all skills are constantly developing new tools to help players analyze, sort, annotate, and improve their games. One such recent development is a growing feature on the popular [lichess.org](http://www.lichess.org) website called [studies](http://www.lichess.org/study).

    The study system on lichess is, at its core, a highly advanced PGN creator and annotator. It allows a user to create a new *study* that can be public or private. New moves, annotations, and other elements are automatically synced with the lichess server and between all of the users with access to the study. This makes studies an excellent utility for chess teachers and exhibitions since users can see, follow, and even provide collaborative comment on a game or position. To use the study utility, simply select **study** from the **Learn** menu on the lichess website. A list of available public studies will appear for you to choose from.

    If these public studies do not suit your tastes, there are options on the side of the page to create your own studies. This is where I found the study function to be most useful for me.

    Using the study tool, I am able to create a *private* study where I can create an individual *chapter* for each part of a video series I am following or game I am studying. This way I am able to make annotations, draw arrows or circles, and then share those studies with a highly limited audience if I want. Additionally, the study tool provides the user with an option to download each chapter as an individual PGN file in the format of an annotated game. Or, you can download the entire study as a PGN database to be opened in most chess database programs.

    For me, the best part of this system is the collaborative elements. It opens up a world of possibilities for digital interaction between teachers, students, and general chess enthusiasts in an intuitive and easy-to-use way. If you have not tried it out, visit [lichess.org](http://www.lichess.org/study) and check it out.

  • Victory and Destruction in Blitz

    Victory and Destruction in Blitz

    The following games were blitz games played on [lichess.org](http://www.lichess.org) in the past few weeks. I decided to annotate and share them because they show some of my continued progress (and regression) over the past few weeks. I continue to read, study, and play as much as possible, so I hope that these games reflect *some* improvement in my overall play style.

    The first game is a very nice win with some cool tactical elements. There were moments where I felt like I just got lucky, but others where I felt like concrete principles were starting to sink in for me.

    [pgn]
    [Event “Rated Blitz game”]
    [Site “https://lichess.org/sPR0hG0h”]
    [Date “2019.01.24”]
    [Round “-“]
    [White “Internet Opponent”]
    [Black “AmishHacker”]
    [Result “0-1”]
    [WhiteElo “1169”]
    [BlackElo “1148”]
    [TimeControl “300+0”]
    [Termination “Normal”]
    [UTCDate “2019.01.24”]
    [UTCTime “04:11:51”]
    [Variant “Standard”]
    [ECO “C44”]
    [Opening “King’s Knight Opening: Konstantinopolsky”]
    [Annotator “https://lichess.org/@/AmishHacker”]

    1. e4 { [%clk 0:05:00] } e5 { [%clk 0:05:00] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 0:04:58] } Nc6 { Whenever I focus heavily on my opening it ends up being a Kings Indian or Sicilian Defense of some semi-random variation. I have noticed that when I am feeling more anxious than usual, my openings (especially with Black) tend to be some variation of the Kings Knight with mixed results. } { [%clk 0:04:57] } 3. g3 { [%clk 0:04:53] } d5 { Trying to avoid a pawn buildup in the center and hoping to force White into an immediate exchange. } { [%clk 0:04:54] } 4. exd5 { He goes for it. } { [%clk 0:04:48] } 4… Qxd5 { [%clk 0:04:53] } 5. Bg2?! { Inaccuracy according to Stockfish. } { [%clk 0:04:46] } (5. Nc3 Qd6 6. Bg2 Bg4 7. h3 Bf5 8. g4 Bg6 9. d3 O-O-O) 5… Qd8? { Stockfish listed this move as a mistake and recommended Qe4+ as the viable alternative. } { [%clk 0:04:50] } (5… Qe4+ 6. Kf1 Nf6 7. Nc3 Qf5 8. h3 Bc5 9. g4 Qe6 10. Ng5) 6. O-O { [%clk 0:04:39] } Bg4?! { Stockfish listed this as an inaccuracy and it is certainly correct. In this position I was trying to put pressure on the f3 Knight and keep it pinned to the Queen for as long as possible. } { [%clk 0:04:48] } (6… Nf6) 7. b3 { White prepares to fianchetto his light squared Bishop. } { [%clk 0:04:29] } 7… Nf6? { Stockfish prefers Qd7 in this position to boost the g4 Bishop and open space for potential O-O-O. } { [%clk 0:04:47] } (7… Qd7) 8. Bb2 { White tries to gain counterplay by putting pressure on the d5 pawn. } { [%clk 0:04:27] } 8… Bd6 { Defending the pawn. } { [%clk 0:04:41] } 9. d3 { [%clk 0:04:25] } O-O { Castling to safety, for now. } { [%clk 0:04:40] } 10. Nbd2 { [%clk 0:04:24] } Qd7 { The move that Stockfish wanted me to play from earlier. Strengthening the g4 Bishop and preparing to break through White’s King defense. } { [%clk 0:04:25] } 11. Re1 { The fight is brewing in the center over the e5 pawn. White adds an additional attacker to the mix. } { [%clk 0:04:19] } 11… Rae8 { In keeping with the buildup against the e5 pawn, I moved my a8 Rook to provide additional defense. Unfortunately, I did not have a clear plan of action at this point. I was playing rather passively and “hoping” for something good to happen, which is a terrible way to play chess. } { [%clk 0:04:24] } 12. Ne4?! { Stockfish recorded this as an inaccuracy. My opponent should have gone Nc4, which would have put much more pressure on my King’s position. Now, I have a little bit of room to play. } { [%clk 0:04:03] } (12. Nc4 Nd4 13. a4 h6 14. Nxd6 Nxf3+ 15. Bxf3 cxd6 16. c4 Bxf3 17. Qxf3 b6 18. Kg2 Rc8) 12… Nxe4 { Offering the Knight trade. } { [%clk 0:04:19] } 13. Rxe4 { [%clk 0:03:57] } f5 { This is a main reason that capturing with the Rook as opposed to the d3 pawn was not a good idea. White faces a threat that is getting harder and harder to stop. } { [%clk 0:04:14] } 14. Re1 { [%clk 0:03:47] } e4? { A mistake on my part. I was trying to push my pawn forward to increase pressure on the e-file when I should have been doing so on the f-file. The best move in this postiion was f4. Yes, White would have tried to trade Rooks on e4 and open the position, but Black would have emerged with a slightly better position. } { [%clk 0:04:09] } (14… f4 15. Re4 fxg3 16. hxg3 Bc5 17. b4 Bxb4 18. c3 Bd6 19. Qb3+ Kh8 20. Re3 Bc5 21. d4) 15. dxe4 { [%clk 0:03:45] } fxe4 { [%clk 0:04:08] } 16. Bxg7?? { A curious move. White seems to ignore all of his previous development for this brazen attack on my castled position. Black now has excellent control of the board. } { [%clk 0:03:32] } (16. Qd5+ Be6 17. Qxe4 Bxb3 18. Qh4 Rxe1+ 19. Nxe1 Be6 20. Nd3 Qf7 21. a3 Bf5 22. Nf4 Ne7) 16… Bxf3? { I noticed Kxg7 immediately after I made this move. It is not that I was ignoring the move or thought it was bad, I just felt that capturing the Knight and putting a little pressure on the Queen would be a better option before continuing. } { [%clk 0:03:58] } (16… Kxg7 17. Qd5 exf3 18. Rxe8 Qxe8 19. Bf1 Qe5 20. Rd1 Bf5 21. Qxe5+ Nxe5 22. Rd2 Bg6 23. Bb5) 17. Qb1?? { White misses two opportunities here. One is to capture the Bishop on f3 and the other is to play Qd5+. Instead, he abandons both pieces. } { [%clk 0:03:19] } (17. Bxf3 Rxf3) 17… Qxg7 { Variation of the move I should have made earlier. } { [%clk 0:03:54] } 18. c3 { [%clk 0:03:05] } Bxg2 { [%clk 0:03:45] } 19. Kxg2 { [%clk 0:03:03] } Qxc3 { Definitely not the best move out there, but it got the job done. White has opportunities for counterplay, but these never manifest. } { [%clk 0:03:27] } 20. Rxe4?! { Checkmate is now unavoidable. Best move was Qd1. } { [%clk 0:02:59] } (20. Qd1 Nd4) 20… Qf3+ { The final assault begins. } { [%clk 0:03:22] } 21. Kg1 { [%clk 0:02:52] } Qxf2+ { [%clk 0:03:21] } 22. Kh1 { [%clk 0:02:49] } Bxg3?! { Not good! There was a #5 forced sequence that I broke with this little inaccuracy. } { [%clk 0:03:07] } (22… Qf3+ 23. Kg1 Bc5+ 24. Re3 Bxe3#) 23. Rg4+?! { White does nothing to help his position at this point. } { [%clk 0:02:35] } (23. Qg1 Qf3+) 23… Kh8 { The only option. } { [%clk 0:03:03] } 24. Qb2+?! { [%clk 0:02:27] } (24. Rxg3 Re2) 24… Be5?! { Another lost checkmate sequence, but my intention was to do whatever I could to get my Queen to h2. } { [%clk 0:02:56] } (24… Qxb2 25. Rxg3 Re2 26. Rg2 Rxg2 27. h3 Rh2+ 28. Kg1 Qf2#) 25. Rag1?! { White missed a big chance to win the game by trading Queens. Instead, he opted to reinforce the attack on my Kingside with an additional Rook. This will cost him his Queen. } { [%clk 0:02:15] } (25. Qxf2 Rxf2 26. Kg1 Rxh2 27. Rf1 Rxa2 28. Rg2 Rg8 29. Rxg8+ Kxg8 30. Rf3 Rb2 31. Kf1 Nd4) 25… Qxb2 { A devastating blow for White. The game is lost. } { [%clk 0:02:53] } 26. Rg8+ { [%clk 0:02:12] } Rxg8 { [%clk 0:02:50] } 27. Rxg8+ { [%clk 0:02:12] } Rxg8 { 0-1 White resigns. } { [%clk 0:02:49] } 0-1
    [/pgn]

    This next game is a devastating loss. It is no good for a chess player to only share his/her winning games. As [Chess Coach](http://www.chess-coach.net) likes to say: *losing is learning*. Well, this is a *painful* loss, so check it out:

    [pgn]
    [Event “Rated Blitz game”]
    [Site “https://lichess.org/44ajhEWH”]
    [Date “2019.01.25”]
    [Round “-“]
    [White “AmishHacker”]
    [Black “Internet Opponent”]
    [Result “0-1”]
    [WhiteElo “1147”]
    [BlackElo “1089”]
    [TimeControl “300+0”]
    [Termination “Normal”]
    [UTCDate “2019.01.25”]
    [UTCTime “15:30:39”]
    [Variant “Standard”]
    [ECO “C65”]
    [Opening “Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense”]
    [Annotator “https://lichess.org/@/AmishHacker”]

    1. e4 { [%clk 0:05:00] } e5 { [%clk 0:05:00] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 0:04:58] } Nc6 { [%clk 0:04:49] } 3. Bb5 { [%clk 0:04:56] } Nf6 { I do not recall playing many games < 1200 blitz that enter into the Berlin Defense. } { [%clk 0:04:45] } 4. d4 { [%clk 0:04:53] } exd4 { [%clk 0:04:41] } 5. Nxd4?! { An early mistake for me. I should have pushed the e4 pawn forward to attack the f6 Knight, but I was too focused on recapturing the immediate material that I failed to see the coming loss of more material on my side. } { [%clk 0:04:51] } (5. e5 Ne4 6. O-O a6 7. Bxc6 dxc6 8. Nxd4 Bc5 9. c3 O-O) 5... Nxe4 { Black is looking pretty good at this point. } { [%clk 0:04:38] } 6. O-O { Castling to safety. } { [%clk 0:04:47] } 6... a6? { A mistake. Black should have captured the Knight on d4, but instead opts to attack the Bishop with little in sight for return on the move investment. } { [%clk 0:04:33] } (6... Nxd4 7. Qxd4 Nc5 8. Re1+ Ne6 9. Nd2 c6 10. Bd3 d5 11. Bf5) 7. Ba4? { Stockfish preferred that I capture the c6 Knight. In hindsight, I agree. } { [%clk 0:04:42] } (7. Bxc6 dxc6) 7... Nxd4 { [%clk 0:04:26] } 8. Qxd4 { [%clk 0:04:37] } Qe7?? { Blunder. Best move was Nc5. } { [%clk 0:04:24] } (8... Nc5 9. Re1+ Ne6 10. Bb3 c6 11. Bh6 Qe7 12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. Nd2 d6 14. Bf4 e5 15. Bxe5) 9. Re1 { Pinning the Knight and Queen to the e-file for the moment. } { [%clk 0:04:34] } 9... f5 { Black tries to defend the Knight, but it is not my ultimate goal, so the attack does nothing to improve the position. } { [%clk 0:04:17] } 10. Nc3 { Adding an additional threat to the e4 Knight. } { [%clk 0:04:27] } 10... c5? { Mistake. Best move was Qf6. } { [%clk 0:04:11] } (10... Qf6 11. Qxf6 gxf6 12. f3 b5 13. Bb3 Bb7 14. fxe4 O-O-O 15. exf5 Bd6 16. Bd2 Be5 17. a4) 11. Qd5 { [%clk 0:04:10] } Qd6?? { I would trade Queens if I were desperate, but that’s not the case in this instance. } { [%clk 0:03:51] } (11... Qf7) 12. Qxf5 { [%clk 0:04:06] } Be7 { [%clk 0:03:42] } 13. Qxe4 { Another free piece. This was reminiscent of a tactics puzzle. } { [%clk 0:04:02] } 13... O-O { Black seeks safety, but it doesn’t help the position. } { [%clk 0:03:36] } 14. Bb3+ { [%clk 0:03:46] } Kh8 { [%clk 0:03:32] } 15. Rd1? { A big mistake. The Rook should have stayed where it was. Very bad things are coming. } { [%clk 0:03:33] } (15. Qxe7 Qxe7 16. Rxe7 d6 17. Ne4 Bf5 18. Nxd6 Bg6 19. Nxb7 c4 20. Bxc4 Bxc2 21. Be3 Rae8) 15... Qf6 { #-3 is coming if I fail to see Be3 defending the f2 pawn. } { [%clk 0:03:24] } 16. Nd5?? { And yes, I failed to see the move. So, in a single move I went from dominating this game to losing #-2. Be3 was the saving move that doomed me. } { [%clk 0:03:10] } (16. Be3) 16... Qxf2+ { There is no escape. } { [%clk 0:03:18] } 17. Kh1 { [%clk 0:03:05] } Qf1+ { [%clk 0:03:15] } 18. Rxf1 { [%clk 0:03:03] } Rxf1# { A few choice words were yelled out in my house at the conclusion of this game, but I think it is a nice little tactical blitz game that demonstrates an important part of chess. The last person to make a mistake loses the game, no matter how good they are. } { [%clk 0:03:14] } 0-1 [/pgn]

  • Today is National Chess Day!

    Today is National Chess Day!

    Good morning, Campers! Today is National Chess Day in the United States! Established in 1976, the holiday recognizes the benefits of chess to mental and social development as well as it’s links to improved quality of life. Clubs and individuals across the country will be setting up their boards to play the royal game in celebration of its national recognition.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFHy2D30avc]

     

    Here are just a few things you can do today to participate:

    • US Chess Events: A comprehensive list of all US Chess sponsored events throughout the nation.
    • In Dallas, the Dallas Chess Club is hosting its 2017 National Chess Day FIDE Weekend Open Tournament.
    • In Dayton, Ohio (my hometown), the Dayton Chess Club is hosting the 5th Annual Wright Brothers Open.

    In addition to these events and the myriad of chess activities available on lichess.org, Chess.com and others, I have curated a small playlist of chess videos for you to enjoy on YouTube. Check out the Campfire Chess YouTube Channel for more information.

  • lichess.org on iOS Is Mobile Chess At It’s Finest

    lichess.org on iOS Is Mobile Chess At It’s Finest

    Editor’s Note: This review focuses exclusively on the iOS (iPhone/iPad) version of lichess, but the Google Play version contains all of the same features as it’s Apple counterpart. Performance and compatibility will vary depending on the device used.

    Not long ago you could find me singing praises of the Chess.com app on iOS. The app received a major update a few months before the site’s V3 design went live. But this entry is not about Chess.com or it’s mobile app. This is about an app that has emerged as a serious competitor to the largest chess website on the internet: lichess.org.

    lichess.org is a 100% free and open source chess platform that offers many of the same features you would find on major competitors, but with some noteworthy differences.

    • Zero advertising! In an age where the internet seems more saturated with advertisements than meaningful content, lichess strips away the advertising model and relies on user donations to fund its operations. There are no premium or exclusive memberships although certain donation levels can get you a special identifier showing that you sup port the site.
    • Unlimited free access! In keeping with the earlier line about advertising, all of lichess’s puzzles and training aids are free to all users. This is definitely an attractive feature for players not wanting to pay for tactics and puzzles.

    These are great features, but lichess really shines in its mobile offering, especially on iOS. The lichess iOS app is one of the most polished and useable chess apps out there!

    The home screen displays a random Puzzle of the Day along with quick options to start a new game. Simply click the board to access the lichess puzzle repository and begin your training with access to thousands of free tactics.

    Clicking the Create a Game button brings up a mobile version of the lichess game creation screen. Users can then link up with thousands of other lichess members and try their skills against more than a dozen different chess variations.

    Bullet and Blitz seem to be very popular with many of lichess’ higher-rated players. Personally, I enjoy the 15+15 classical (rapid) time control because it has a nice balance of requiring chess experience while allowing for some time to conduct a deeper positional analysis. Regardless of your personal preference, the lichess app has nearly endless options for setting up the chess game of your dreams.

    The lichess app also comes with an analysis board and local engine analysis for reviewing your games. I have also found this helpful for playing the game on the app with a person sitting next to me. Additionally, the Openings Explorer is a feature you will find on most chess websites, but I love how lichess’ version is almost seamlessly integrated into the analysis board. This way a user can easily switch back and forth between local Stockfish engine analysis and the Openings Explorer. This is an invaluable tool when conducting post-mortem game evaluations.

    Final Verdict

    These days it seems like the world of internet chess is growing faster and faster. New services crop up regularly and existing ones continue updating and refining their products. lichess is not new, but it is one of the more recent services to make a splash in the digital chess world. In my opinion, lichess is set apart from others in that it is a labor of love for its developer and those who maintain it.

    Combine these small differences with the depth of features and the price (free), lichess’ mobile app is easily the gold standard for playing the royal game on the go.

    Campfire Rating: ♟♟♟♟♟

    Download the lichess mobile app from the App Store or Google Play.

  • Game Analysis: Balance of Power

    The balance of power in a chess game can change with a single blunder or amazing move. Although, in my case it is usually the former. This game was played last night on lichess and while it was heartbreaking, I found it to be a worthy educational experience.

    [pgn]
    [Event “Rated game”]
    [Site “https://lichess.org/0ihX4xUK”]
    [Date “2017.02.19”]
    [Round “?”]
    [White “Internet Opponent”]
    [Black “Surber, Wesley”]
    [Result “1-0”]
    [ECO “C44”]
    [WhiteElo “1281”]
    [BlackElo “1206”]
    [Annotator “Surber,Wesley”]
    [PlyCount “85”]
    [EventDate “2017.??.??”]
    [Source “Campfire Chess”]
    [SourceDate “2014.10.11”]
    [SourceVersion “1”]
    [SourceVersionDate “2015.09.13”]
    [SourceQuality “1”]
    [TimeControl “900+10”]

    {This game shows how fast the balance of power can switch during a chess game
    and serves as a reminder that although the balance might tip in your favor,
    the game is not over until its over.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 f6 {Clearly,
    this was not the best option in this position, but having not played online
    chess in awhile I was hesitant to play aggressively and did not take the pawn
    on d4.} 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. d5 {White’s aggressive style was anxiety provoking, but
    threatened to undermine his development at several points in the game.} Nce7 6.
    Bd2 a6 7. Be2 f5 {Stockfish hated this move and clearly gave the advntage to
    White, but I needed a way to break through the central pawn structure and
    dislodge the Knight threat.} 8. Nxe5 $1 {I missed this move and prayed that I
    would not pay for it later.} Nf6 9. Bg5 {Fortunately, White’s counterplay was
    not perfect and the position equalized for a bit.} h6 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. Bh5+
    Kf8 {A quick trade put White back on top and eliminated any chance I had of
    castling.} 12. d6 {At this point, White went from clearly winning to being
    slightly better in the position. Obviously, he wanted to bring the pawn closer
    to the first rank to threaten my King and to bring another Queen to the board.
    This created additional dilemmas for me as there was already a Knight and
    Bishop pair bearing down on the King and his defenders as well.} fxe5 13. dxe7+
    Qxe7 14. exf5 Bc5 15. Qf3 d6 16. f6 Qe6 17. Ne4 Qc4 {Not the best move, but my
    intention was to put additional pressure on White’s King and prevent any
    last-minute attempts to short castle. I also wanted to be in position in case
    he blundered with a Knight or Queen move.} 18. f7 {White pinned my King to the
    back rank with the threat of adding a new Queen to the board.} b5 19. Nf6 {
    White added an additional attacker and essentially immobilized my King.} Bb4+
    20. c3 Bxc3+ 21. bxc3 Rb8 22. g3 $2 {White gave up a clearly winning position
    at this point to allow a deadly skewer of the Queen-Rook combination.} Bb7 $1 {
    This was a very nice move in that White loses a large amount of material.} 23.
    Qe2 Bxh1 $1 {For the first time in the game, I had a small advantage.} 24. Kf1
    Qc6 25. f3 b4 26. Bg4 $4 {With this move, I went from a slightly better
    position to having a decisive advantage in the game. Yet, this is where things
    became tricky.} bxc3 27. Nd7+ Kxf7 28. Nxb8 Rxb8 29. Bh5+ Kg7 30. f4 {White
    made several attempts to force me into a Queen sacrifice with no success. At
    this point, the position was clearly in my favor.} Rb2 $6 {A move designed
    purely to force my opponent to move his Queen.} 31. Qg4+ {I got my wish but
    opened myself to a trap!} Kh8 32. Qc8+ Kg7 33. Qg4+ Kh8 34. Ke1 {Mate in 5 if
    I played with care.} Qe4+ 35. Kd1 $4 {A devastating blunder! Mate in 2 for me..
    .if only…} Bf3+ 36. Qxf3 Qc2+ $4 {And then things turned ugly. My own
    blunder handed control of the game back over to my opponent and #2 was
    suddenly no longer a possibility.} 37. Ke1 Qd2+ 38. Kf1 c2 39. fxe5 dxe5 $4 {
    This was my own death knell. After this, there was no escape from my
    opponent’s corner trap.} 40. Qf6+ Kg8 41. Bf7+ Kh7 42. Qg6+ Kh8 43. Qg8# 1-0
    [/pgn]

  • Daylight Gameplay and Suffering

    Daylight Gameplay and Suffering

    I played the game above on [lichess](http://www.lichess.org) late last night. The site itself is quickly becoming my *go-to* place for online chess for many reasons I will cover in a separate post. What surprises me the most is that this was the second game in a row where I had a excellent tactic that brought a win. In this case, my **29…Qc1+** brutalized my opponent and snatched his Queen after the forced King move. Then, it was followed by this little *gem* earlier today…

    I had an unbelievably easy winning position that I was unable to convert in two rapid games today that made my games from last night seem like complete enigmas. In fact, I was hard pressed to imagine myself actually playing those games from last night, but I did…which makes me wonder why there is such a dichotomy in the quality of my games played later at night versus those I play during the daytime.

    This is the other game played at night and although there are some mistakes, the number of serious blunders are greatly reduced compared to the ones I played earlier in the day… Not sure where I’m going with this, but have to wonder if there is something that happens throughout the day where my concentration is off-centered and has to find balance. Too bad it tends to happen around 2200-2300 at night…