October 25. 2013 8:14PM
Chess Stephen Dann
www.telegram.com/article/20131027/NEWS/310279974
New England and Connecticut compete Tuesday for the Northeast Division title of www.uschessleague.com. They have already qualified for the quarterfinals, and will be meeting again on Nov. 5 with live commentary at www.chess.com. Last week’s round 9 saw New England tie Boston, and Connecticut rout Baltimore. New England has a half-game edge in the division, one of four in the 16-team league.
Semifinals are on Nov. 16 for the Eastern Conference title, and it’s East versus West for the league championship on Nov. 23. Results and games for the first nine seasons are on the league website.
Yet another chess movie, “Pawn Sacrifice,” is now being filmed in Reykjavik, Iceland, and Montreal, Canada with the 41-day shoot to wrap up on Dec. 11 in Los Angeles. Tobey Maguire stars at Bobby Fischer in the 1972 Cold War epic match, based on a screenplay by Stephen Knight, according to www.HollywoodReporter.com. Can the Chess Channel be far away on cable?
We cannot help but think of Bruce Pandolfini, who told us about his advising Paramount Pictures 20 years ago on “Searching for Bobby Fischer.” This month at www.chesscafe.com, Pando presents a chess lecture at a high school in 1973, where he illustrates mates in one to 10 moves before giving a simultaneous three-board display. All the positions are given if instructors wish to duplicate his effort of 40 years ago.
An informal chess group for all levels now meets from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays at Nu Cafe, 335 Chandler St., Worcester, led by Phil George (www.nucafe.com/events). Bruce Pandolfini visited decades ago when this was the Tatnuck Bookseller and signed copies of his many chess volumes.
It’s now less than two weeks until the Nov. 9-28 World Championship match between Anand and Carlsen in Chennai, India. The two have played each other 29 times at classic time controls, with Anand winning six, Carlsen three, and 20 were drawn. Carlsen, however, has been at the top of 31 consecutive FIDE rating lists, and Matthew Lunn of the UK assesses this event in the UK’s October Chess Magazine, published by the London Chess Centre. The article, a video and links appeared Tuesday at www.chessbase.com.
If you missed the age 14 & under Spiegel Cup Qualifier and novice event today in Marlboro, the third such event will be Dec. 8, also in Marlboro. Other open and scholastic events can be viewed at www.masschess.org.
To find book sales at many local libraries, scan the Hudson site, www.booksalefinder.com. Most libraries sell mostly donated books, not ones from the library itself, and use the funds to aid local programs.
Answer to quiz: Black’s 1. … Rc3 wins outright as there’s no defense. Another Metrowest Chess Club position from the www.tacticstime.com just released e-book number two.
Love this column.