There was a British Press Release on 18 October that Chess for EVERY child in School in Great Brittain was supported by Gary Kasparov when he attended the British House Of Commons at Westminster.
Garry Kasparov ,many acknowledge as the Greatest living player, joined the British Chess in Schools and Communities movement .
In just 3 months 3000 children were taught Chess in 12 months . The target is to re-introduce Chess into 1000 schools over 6 years.
Numerous research studies have shown the positive impact chess has on students’ academic performance, especially in maths, reading and attendance levels. Chess is a universal game and brings children of different ages, races and genders together in an activity they can all enjoy.
Chess can also teach children valuable life lessons such as sportsmanship – how to win graciously, accept defeat, learn from it and persevere. (excerpt from an article http://www.rachelreeves.net)
So young Dolphins, you are at the forefront of a movement gathering momentum worldwide. The world is your Oyster. Well, if the British Parliament can get Grandmasters Gary Kasparov and Grandmaster Nigel Short to the table, the least I can do is visit my readers at your Smart Dolphins Chess Academy.
To this end I will be talking to my good friend Brendan Norman and arrange a visit where I can come say Hi to my young chess friends.
This week our featured ‘Smart Dolphin’ Player is BrendanX .
The Chess Opening is The Four Knights game -Italian Variation.
[White "BrendanX"]
[Black "LimbankBonekMarley"]
[WhiteElo "1218"]
[BlackElo "1319"]
[TimeControl "15|10"]
[Termination "BrendanX won by checkmate"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Nc3 d6 5. d3
Nf6
The position is Symmetrical up to this point in time.
Both players have followed all the basic rules of Chess. Develop knights before Bishops.Knights go on the Bishops three square. Neither player has committed attack to the opponents other half of the board past the fourth rank until ‘Fully Developed’.
6. Bg5
Hold on a minute! White has trespassed onto Blacks side of the board. Black should ask himself or herself, ” Is my opponent threatening a nasty check? material? or a strong followup I cant handle if I castle into supposed safety?
O-O Black did not ask himself these questions listed above.
7. Nd5
After this move Black is ‘positionally lost. Blacks KIngside is untenable and White, importantly, can choose to Castle either side of the board making his King a harder target.
h6 Terrible move but Black has no plan here.
8. Bxf6 (I would play 8.NF6 followed by 9.Bxh6, A juicy pawn and a shattered Black King. What more can you ask for?)
gxf6
9. Nh4
Our featured Dolphin has ‘correctly identified’ the holes on the White Squares on G6 and F5 surrounding the broken battlement of Blacks castled position.
Nb4 Important Chess Rule-Try not to move the same piece twice in the opening if you can avoid. There are a few exceptions such as the retained white bishop in The Ruy Lopez.
10. Nxb4 Bxb4+ 11. c3 Bc5 12. Qf3
a6 This reminds me of the old saying that the Emperor Nero of Rome ‘fiddled’ whilst his magnificent city of Rome Burned. Surely any move was better than a6
13. Qg3+ Kh7 Black would have played K-H8 had he seen this Thunderbolt coming!!
14. Bxf7!!
f5 We can only draw the conclusion Black was Shattered and still thinking “How could my solid symmetrical game from move 6 have been decisively obliterated just 8 moves later when I castled into safety???
15. Qg6+ Kh8 16. Qxh6#
1-0
Any Dolphin would be proud of this short Masterpiece!
