Ask away 🙂 I’ll do my best to answer your questions. 
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
- About Us
- Chess Improvement
- Chess Puzzles
- Chess Research
- College Chess
- General News
- Home
- Major Tournaments
- News
- Polgar Events
- Privacy Policy
- Scholastic Chess
- SPICE / Webster
- Susan’s Personal Blog
- Track your order
- USA Chess
- Videos
- Women’s Chess
- Contact Us
- Daily News
- My Account
- Terms & Conditions
- Privacy Policy
Hi Susan,
Do you think playing so much blitz has hurt Nakamuras game at the higher level ?
Hi Susan,
Thanks for the open forum.
The “play chess with your kids” photo is wonderful, and has raised a question:
Do you play material odds chess or what with your kids?
Otherwise, I would think playing a Grandmaster parent could be a rather frustrating experience for the child.
Why are grandmaster draws so short?
why a I here?
Susan,
How do you manage your son during 3 day National tournament? What is the routine? What does he do between the games? Do you recommend playing in blitz tournament before the main one?
Thanks!
What do you think of this ending.
Smallville is Nakamura as white. Over-Rated is a super strong computer.
the ending is incredible. just incredible. unbelieveable. Remember this is basically a 3 minute game. no time to think.
this is the kind of chess that would be wildly popular on tv.
[Event “ICC 3 1”]
[Site “Internet Chess Club”]
[Date “2006.09.08”]
[Round “-“]
[White “Smallville”]
[Black “Over-Rated”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ICCResult “Black checkmated”]
[WhiteElo “3243”]
[BlackElo “3557”]
[Opening “Trompowsky attack (Ruth, Opocenský opening)”]
[ECO “A45”]
[NIC “QP.07”]
[Time “19:22:31”]
[TimeControl “180+1”]
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. Bf4 c5 4. f3 Qa5+ 5. c3 Nf6 6. d5 d6 7. e4 g6 8. Na3
Bg7 9. Nc4 Qc7 10. a4 Nbd7 11. Ne2 Ne5 12. Nxe5 dxe5 13. Be3 Bd7 14. c4 Qa5+
15. Qd2 Qxd2+ 16. Kxd2 b6 17. a5 O-O 18. Nc3 Rfd8 19. Bd3 h5 20. Rhb1 Kh7
21. b4 Bh6 22. bxc5 bxc5 23. Bc2 Bxe3+ 24. Kxe3 Ne8 25. Ba4 Bxa4 26. Nxa4
Nd6 27. Kd3 Rdc8 28. a6 Kg7 29. Rb7 Kf6 30. Rab1 h4 31. Rd7 h3 32. g3 g5 33.
Rbb7 Rab8 34. Nxc5 Nxb7 35. Rxb7 Rxc5 36. Rxb8 Ra5 37. Rb3 Kg7 38. Rc3 Ra2
39. c5 Rxh2 40. c6 Rh1 41. Rc2 h2 42. Kc3 Rb1 43. Rxh2 Rb8 44. Kc4 g4 45.
fxg4 Rc8 46. Kc5 f6 47. Rb2 Kh6 48. Rb7 Kg6 49. Rxe7 Rb8 50. c7 Rc8 51. d6
Kg5 52. Kc6 Kxg4 53. d7 Rxc7+ 54. Kxc7 Kf3 55. Rf7 Kxe4 56. Rxf6 Kd3 57. Re6
Kd4 58. g4 e4 59. g5 Ke3 60. g6 Ke2 61. g7 Kd3 62. Kb7 Kc2 63. Kxa7 e3 64.
Rxe3 Kc1 65. Re8 Kc2 66. Kb6 Kd2 67. a7 Kd3 68. a8=N Kc4 69. d8=N Kd4 70.
g8=N Kc3 71. Kc5 Kd3 72. Nb6 Kc2 73. Nc6 Kd2 74. Nf6 Kd3 75. Nb4+ Kc3 76.
Nc4 Kb3 77. Nfd5 Ka4 78. Nc6 Kb3 79. Ncb6 Kc2 80. Nf4 Kc1 81. Rd8 Kb1 82.
Ng2 Kc1 83. Ne1 Kb2 84. Kc4 Ka2 85. Na4 Kb1 86. Nc5 Kb2 87. Nd4 Ka1 88. Nb5
Kb1 89. Ned3 Kc2 90. Nb4+ Kb2 91. Nc6 Kc2 92. Na5 Kb1 93. Na4 Ka2 94. Nc6
Kb1 95. Nb4 Kc1 96. Rd3 Kb1 97. Rc3 Ka1 98. Nd5 Ka2 99. Rc2+ Kb1 100. Nd4
Ka1 101. Rc1+ Ka2 102. Ra1+ Kxa1 103. Nb4 Kb1 104. Ne2 Ka1 105. Kb3 Kb1 106.
Nac3+ Ka1 107. Nc2# {Black checkmated} 1-0
For those who can not play over the game.
Nakamura gets the computer down to bare king. Naka has rook and 3 pawns. he has been slow to queen as he moves all 3 pawns up to 7th rank. then he queens his 3 pawns but does not take queens. he takes 3 knights instead. then he throws his rook away and mates his opponent with the 3 knights. all in no time at all.
I think he has 42 seconds left at the end. after playing over 100 moves in a 3 minute game with a 1 second increment.
Who will win the WNBA Championship today? Detroit Shock or Sacramento Monarchs? This game is at 4 PM EST
in Detroit.
Ms. Polgar: would you ever consider producing a collection of your best games, annotated similarly to how you comment on moves in your DVD #6? As a club player, I welcome clear, concise, explanations of plans and strategy in lieu of long variations. Thank you for affording us this opportunity to ask questions!
I will throw in a question too. Susan, do you have a game which you feel proudest to have played, of all the games you have ever played? Would you consider annotating it for this blog when you can?
Nice question, Etaoin Shrdlu. I have a smilar one, but it’s the other way around 🙂 Dear Susan, which game of yours do you hate the most? (Don’t worry, you don’t have to analyze it!)
Susan,
I have noticed I cannot discern the types of pieces when I photograph a chess board. 5 of the 6 piece types differ in details, but from any distance or lower resolution they all appear to be roughly the same cylindrical shape.
This excessive similarity comes from the “tail wagging the dog”. The Cook-Staunton piece design was driven by the needs of the manufacturer (turnable on a lathe), not by what could have been better/best for chess players and spectators.
Of course there are ways to totally re-design chess pieces to make them more distinctive.
But the obvious objection is “people are used to the Cook-Staunton design, and it would be too hard to use another”.
I wonder how hard it would be?
*** QUESTION ***
In simuls or elsewhere, when you have played with non-Cook-Staunton pieces, have you found it hard to get used to, or just initially annoying?
I ASK BECAUSE the concept of chess on TV would be stronger if the pieces were designed to meet the needs of TV viewers. The Cook-Staunton design is a good example of how NOT to design for TV.
Thanks, Gene Milener
http://CastleLong.com/
Gene. I have to agree with you Re: appearance of the chess pieces.
I was watching some of the Blitz championship yesterday on my pc and found it very hard , if not impossible to figure out the pieces.
HI Susan
Do you consider the time controls on ICC to fairly represent Bullet Blitz Standard chess?
Here’s my dilema.
I play blitz there and don’t understand how a match with 12 second increments can possible be considered blitz. Even when I play against someone with 6 second increment, and think I am about to win on time – then almost before a few moves go by, they are able to build up a bank of over a minute and keep the game going and going and going….
Who invented increments and WHY?
thanks
Susan,
Instead of asking a question I thought I would mention something I have been meaning to tell you for a while.
I really love your annotations!
Many of the games you have annotated have left a distinct memory in my mind.
I remember kasparov-fritz, the game from your book, kamsky-svidler in chess life etc.
I like the combination of words and variations which is a tough balance but you pull it off.
If you ever decide to come up with something like Chernev “logical move” or Mcdonalds ” art of logical..” (which by the way are all best sellers) I would really love to buy it.
On the other hand nunn is a terrible annotator. He goes too much into variations which the average chess player has no use for.
I think annotating every move is the way to go only because different moves makes no sense to different people. If that makes any sense 🙂
Regards
What do you miss most about Budapest (besides your Family)? Also, I hope that you will have a second tour of Budapest because I won’t be able to come next year ):
Love everything that you’re doing Susan.
Hi Susan,
I enjoy to check your blog daily. I followed you and created a blog my very own to report my weekly chess activities.
I am almost ten years old with rating 1100. What do you think the best way to improve my chess and my level. More games? More tactics? Or more book reading? How many hours I should spend daily for chess for my age?
Thank You
Emily
michael that is exactly what I love about increments. for me I play the game ignoring the clock and often get a winning position then find out I am in time trouble. so I can make a few fast moves and build up some time and win the game.
I dont think it is fair to spend the time to get a winning position against someone who only plays the clock from move 1. I feel if I can build up a winning position then I deserve a chance to win the game.
It seems dumb to me for a player to get rating points simply for moving the pieces fast and “losing the game on the board” but winning on the clock.
if you dont like 12 second or 6 sec increments then play 1 sec increments.
I watched Nakamura yesterday build up time using a 1 sec increment.
I strongly urge you to play the game that you enjoy the most. I do not play any tournaments on ICC. I play friendly games at my speed.
Emily
your big picture on your web site is so beautiful. Keep up the good work. stay close to Susan. She will help you out.
I am proud to know you as a wonderful person and a great chess player. Remember to always enjoy life.
Susan,
I know Emily fills your heart with love. You are so precious to all the children of America. Keep up the great work you are doing. and tell all the kids there are many adults who are so happy to see them playing chess.
Susan, I am rated 1931 and want to become an expert again. I have Chess Assistant Database, Deep Fritz 8, Chess Assistant 9, Convekta’s Tactic’s Program Chess Art 3.0, DVD’s Kasparov on QGD and Najdorf, Susan Polgar’s on Fischer’s games, World Champion’s Capablanca, Alekhine and every book on chess ever made! I played you to a draw at the Las Vegas Simul on board 3 so you can see my style. What would you advise? Thanx for any advice.
(Hi Susan, Do you think playing so much blitz has hurt Nakamuras game at the higher level?)
I think Hikaru is busy with school. I think Hikaru also worked very hard on his chess.
(Do you play material odds chess or what with your kids?
Otherwise, I would think playing a Grandmaster parent could be a rather frustrating experience for the child.)
What I try to do is create positions during the games where my kids have to learn to take advantage of.
(Why are grandmaster draws so short?)
It’s a pity that some of them are.
(Susan, How do you manage your son during 3 day National tournament? What is the routine? What does he do between the games? Do you recommend playing in blitz tournament before the main one?
Thanks!)
Focus, focus, focus! No wasting energy between rounds. And no, Tommy doesn’t play blitz and never bughouse before big scholastic events.
(What do you think of this ending.
Smallville is Nakamura as white. Over-Rated is a super strong computer.)
Sorry, please give me the critical position. I don’t have time to go over a 107 moves blitz game.
(Who will win the WNBA Championship today? Detroit Shock or Sacramento Monarchs? This game is at 4 PM EST
in Detroit.)
Detroit is a better team by a hair.
(Ms. Polgar: would you ever consider producing a collection of your best games, annotated similarly to how you comment on moves in your DVD #6? As a club player, I welcome clear, concise, explanations of plans and strategy in lieu of long variations. Thank you for affording us this opportunity to ask questions!)
Maybe some day 🙂
(I will throw in a question too. Susan, do you have a game which you feel proudest to have played, of all the games you have ever played? Would you consider annotating it for this blog when you can?)
I listed my favorite games in my best selling book Breaking Through. I also listed important games of my 2 sisters.
Gene,
I’m not a primadonna like some players. I usually play with whatever is in front of me. Of course I do have my preference. But I prefer to concentrate on my games and not the pieces.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
Michael CM, the time control break down is really strange. I agree with you. I played with increments for the 1st time at the 2004 Olympiad. It took me about 6-7 games to get used to it. Then I think I did OK in my last 7 games 🙂
vvchess, a book like Logical Chess is in my plan. A number of publishing companies are bidding for it 🙂 I like to make it simple to understand but informative. Glad you like it.
(What do you miss most about Budapest (besides your Family)? Also, I hope that you will have a second tour of Budapest because I won’t be able to come next year ):
Love everything that you’re doing Susan.)
Thanks for the kind words. I miss my family the most. I also miss the food and the culture. But I’m happy with my life in America right now, especially with my 2 boys. I have a busy life but I hope will be very productive for chess.
Emily,
I’m glad you started a chess blog. It’s cool, right? 🙂
The best way to improve is:
#1 More tactics
#2 More endgames (King & Pawn and Rook & Pawn endgames)
#3 Middlegame strategies
Good luck!
(Susan, I am rated 1931 and want to become an expert again. I have Chess Assistant Database, Deep Fritz 8, Chess Assistant 9, Convekta’s Tactic’s Program Chess Art 3.0, DVD’s Kasparov on QGD and Najdorf, Susan Polgar’s on Fischer’s games, World Champion’s Capablanca, Alekhine and every book on chess ever made! I played you to a draw at the Las Vegas Simul on board 3 so you can see my style. What would you advise? Thanx for any advice.)
A lot more work on endgames and play out more positions. Take critical positions in GM games and play them out. Play to win with the side that has the advantage and play to hold with the other side.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
Susan,
I am looking for a book or other materials for my 11 year-old daughter related to chess psychology and confidence building. She is rated around 1500 and I think would perform much better if she would be more confident in herself. Do you have any recommendations?
Thanks,
Diana
Susan, if I recall right, you prefer 1.d4 to open a game. What’s your preferred approach to the Gruenfeld*? I’ve bene having a dickens of a time against it.
*(Besides running, hiding, and whimpering. I’ve already tried that. 🙂 )
hi susan,
can you give me some good tactics books titles to get?
also who is your favorite champion?
did fischer ever say why he withdrew from chess after becoming champ?
Dear Susan,
What are your next plans with your “Chess for Peace”?
Keep up the good work.
Best wishes,
Ana
(Dear Susan,
What are your next plans with your “Chess for Peace”?
Keep up the good work.
Best wishes,
Ana)
I am working to create the next trip to Budapest. The only problem I face with at this moment is the high cost of airfares.
(hi susan,
can you give me some good tactics books titles to get?
also who is your favorite champion?
did fischer ever say why he withdrew from chess after becoming champ?)
What level are you? I like too many players to list just one. Bobby said many things 🙂
(Susan, if I recall right, you prefer 1.d4 to open a game. What’s your preferred approach to the Gruenfeld*? I’ve bene having a dickens of a time against it.
(Besides running, hiding, and whimpering. I’ve already tried that. 🙂 ))
I don’t worry so much about openings. I avoid the main lines if I can.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com