Book review: The Immortal Game by David Shenk

I just finished reading The Immortal Game by David Shenk and I must say that it is an excellent read for anyone remotely interested in the game of chess. The author used deft strategy and cunning tactics to manipulate the reader into his desired position. Using a frame story to base the non-fiction work around, the reader is allowed the opportunity to dissect a little known match-up between two Grandmasters that took place in a cafe in London right around the time of an international chess tournament.

The subtitle of the book is: How 32 Carved Pieces On A Board Illuminated Our Understanding of War, Art, Science and the Human Brain. That pretty much sums it up.

At skillfully selected junctures, Shenk pauses the play by play commentary to delve into various finer points within the history of chess. The highlights include it's mythological creations (there are plenty!) as well as the most likely true origin of the game. Attention is paid to the different schools of chess theory, from romanticism on through the current synergistic school of thought.

Additionally, the author proceeds to look at the impact of chess throughout WW II and the Cold War era. Another area that is given attention is the impact of chess on the development of artificial intelligence. The section that grabbed my attention the most, though, was the chapter that addressed chess' applicability in the educational system.

What is amazing is that Shenk is able to accomplish all this in a manner accessible to people with no prior knowledge or experience. I highly recommend this book, especially for anyone with children just beginning to play chess. For me, it reinforced what I instinctively knew regarding its benefits in the educational system.

Region IX Tournament Results

Surprisingly, the Fort Concho Rookies gave a strong showing for their first tournament. The first few round were tough for the kids. I had failed to prepare them to record their games on paper as they played. Lesson learned. Using the books that came when we ordered our chess boards, they'll do that from now on.

There was a 6 way tie for 2nd place in the K-5 category. Three of them were from our team. They were Anthony Navarro, Brenden Thompson & Enrique Castro. Congratulations to those kids. All the children did very well and I am extremely proud of every single one of them.

Overall, our team placed 3rd amongst the teams present. There were players from Lubbock, Odessa, Midland, San Angelo and Lawn, Texas. Instead of a trophy, the tournament's host, Mr. Vetter, elected to give a book, instead. They took a photo of our team and placed it on the inside cover. Each kid signed it and Mr. Vetter inscribed the occasion for the prize. The book is to be placed in Fort Concho's library so that the kids will all have access to it.

Today's event has renewed my interest in hosting a tournament in San Angelo. It will take plenty of work to get that to happen, but I think with the support we have received, up to now, I won't have to do it alone. It's great to have a support system in place.

A last minute thought...

We decided to get uniform polos made for the kids. Fancy Pants in San Angelo was kind enough to rush the embroidery for us on the day before. The kids loved them!

Online Chess

One of the great things about the internet has been the ability to find that niche community of individuals that share common interests, no matter how obscure. I recently found a wealth of information regarding coaching chess and I have been inevitably "scolded" by a coach with over 30 years of experience for not being certified, rated, or competitive myself. He made a good case when he explained the importance of all three.

So, I have been playing online at Chess.com to get "sharp," again. I went something close to 2-9 in the first few games playing blitz modes (5 min per side). It's great, even with a free account. If you choose to register and pay for a premium membership, you get access to lessons, openings, and other benefits. It is definitely something that I will include in a newsletter to the children on my team as a tool to allow them to practice. Of course, I will have to include the requisite caution concerning online predators, however, chat can be disabled, if i recall correctly.

You can find me there with the username Cascabel, if you're feeling froggy.

Getting The Gear

I had a question today from one of my students regarding where we got our chess sets. The truth was that we got them form the hard work and effort of the Parent Teacher Association. However, using their hard earned dollars, we purchased the Ultimate Chess Club Kit from Chess House. I contacted them ahead of time to see if I could replace the pieces that came in the kit with the 3 3/4" Heavy Tournament Chess Pieces. They did so without a problem. There was no tax, no shipping and they offered a substantial educational discount. The total price was less than $300.

The included Chess Clocks are wonderful. They light up and have an audible tone when you press the button to start your opponent's timer. From the photo I posted today of Kevin and Brendan playing today, you can tell that I have started to introduce the kids to the pressure of time. They responded very well to it and my son, Enrique, was able to sneak by with a win by forcing his opponent's time to expire. I started them out on the G30 setting, however, as our hour dwindled, I forced them into the 3 minutes per side "blitz" setting. Two of the kids were sweating as time wound down!

I printed out some take home lessons for the kids to reinforce pawn structure, pins, and fork. I also worked up a newsletter for the parents (and teachers). Finally, I started getting the word out to the faculty and students about the upcoming tournament in Midland. The kids have expressed their excitement and are looking forward to getting to compete.

Kevin & Brendan going at it.

The Opening

It's no surprise to me that I have found myself in the position I am in. I have a had a deep love for chess as far back as I can remember, even before I knew how to play. I think that most boys see the majestic figures on their battlefield and conjure up romantic and epic visions of armies vying for the prize, whatever they imagine that to be. So here I sit, with the burden squarely upon my shoulders of introducing a fluctuating number of between 2 and 20 children in San Angelo, Texas to the ancient game of chess.

Having moved here about a year ago, I intended on starting a chess club at my son's elementary school. However, other matters interposed. After transferring him to Fort Concho Elementary, primarily to take advantage of a smaller student-teacher ratio, I saw that there was already a chess club in place. I quickly volunteered to "assist" as needed. However, a turn of events would soon require me to replace the librarian, Mr. Erickson, who suffered an accident that has prevented his involvement, much to everyone's dismay.

So, with those big shoes to fill, I reached out to the Parent Teacher Organization and asked for new materials. The treasurer, Mr. Young, responded and got me exactly what I asked for: 10 regulation boards with weighted pieces and double queens, digital chess clocks, and a demonstration board. With that excuse no longer valid, I began teaching them what I know of the game. This included the basic rules, setup of the board, names and movement of the pieces, castling, and so on. The kids quickly surpassed my expectations and began to ask for more. So, we have moved on to pins, forks, skewers, blockades, and batteries.

Then, I was asked by Anthony, one of my 2nd graders, when they would get the opportunity to play against other schools. As far as I know, there are no other scholastic clubs in the city. The San Angelo Chess Club is no longer active, as best I can tell. I've heard that there is a club at Angelo State University, but have yet to contact them for support. The biggest sponsor we have had to date has been the principal, Mrs. Lori Barton. I've met quite a few school administrators over the years, but very few have the drive and leadership this woman has shown on her campus. It's made any doubts that I had about transferring my son here completely vanish.

With her help, and their own initiative, our ROOKies will be competing in the Region IX Scholastic Tournament on January 9 in Midland, Tx. I am excited. The cost may be prohibitive for some. However, we are looking into getting sponsors for the US Chess Federation dues and the registration fees. Being involved with a Title I school can bring a quick dose of reality when you come to understand the environment some of these children grow up in.

So here's to my ROOKies! May you fight for the center and be noble in victory.