Happy New Year! | Issue 50 | MM Chess
The best monthly chess newsletter you receive.
We’re so close to our 4th birthday! It’s been quite a ride so I think it’s the perfect time to spice things up before the end of the year. Before we start, there’s a little favor I’d like to ask you🙏. We’re in the process of growing and improving our service, and we need to hear from you first, so if you don’t mind, please fill out this form and help us grow!
Let’s welcome the newest MM students: Shane, Josie, Mia, Theresa, Karson, Adi, Steven, Nicky & Archana’s daughter.
Student Success🏆
Every month we’re highlighting some of the successes of our students. Proud of something chess-related? Send me photos!
Congratulations to Adi, Luis’s student, who won 2nd place (3.5 out of 4) at local OTB and 3rd place (3/4) at the online DMV tournament.
Congratulations to Fabián Vivas in getting his last International Master norm in Bolivia, fulfilling all the requirements to get the IM title! Amazing performance of 2446! 🔥😎
“Chess is so inspiring that I do not believe a good player is capable of having an evil thought during the game.”
– Wilhelm Steinitz
My story 🖼️
Nexplore and MM Chess are beginning monthly local chess tournaments in Chicago. This month, we hosted the 3rd MAGE Classic on Sunday, December 8th, with more than 65 players in attendance! In the Open section, the Midwest Academy for Gifted Education won 1st place, Edison Elementary won 2nd place team. And in the Unrated (beginner) section, MAGE and Highlands Elementary won 1st and 3rd, respectfully. Here is the beginning of the tournament - with the rules being explained.
Join us on January 26th for the 1st Blizzard Scholastic at the Chicago Chess Center!
“I go over many game collections and pick up something from the style of each player.”
– Mikhail Tal
Monthly Tournament♟️
📅 This month’s tournament will take place on Wednesday the 22nd, at 7:00 pm EST (6:00 pm CT, 5:00 pm MT, 4:00 pm PT). Most of the players will be rated from 500-1800. In the last tournament, there were 11 students, both kids & adults!
To Play: Reply to this email or press the big green button here. If you haven’t already, you must join the MM team and press the “MM January Arena.” The Zoom for the tournament is here.
Congrats last month to Oliver, Yoan & Levi! You rock, guys! 🏆
“Weak points or holes in the enemy position must be occupied by pieces, not pawns.”
-Siegbert Tarrasch
Chess News 📰
🗽 Masters Take Center Stage at Historic Wall Street Chess Championship! Young chess stars are stealing the show at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships, with 18-year-old Volodar Murzin and 15-year-old Alice Lee leading the pack! The tournament, held for the first time ever on Wall Street in New York City, is bringing together the world's best players for an exciting battle of minds. Even seasoned champions like Magnus Carlsen are feeling the heat from these rising talents. Don't miss the thrilling games as the competition heats up!
🎇 15-Year-Old Kid Lights Up Sitges with Fireworks Finish! Savva Vetokhin, a rising star at just 15 years old, stole the show at the Sunway Sitges Chess Festival! He cruised through the tournament undefeated, then beat his opponent in a thrilling blitz playoff to claim victory. This impressive win wasn't just luck - Vetokhin even took down top seed GM Kirill Alekseenko! The future of chess is bright with talents like this around.
🤖 How to Beat Your First Chess Bot! Chess can be a challenging game, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. Even beginners can experience the thrill of victory by defeating a chess bot. This guide will equip you with the knowledge and strategies you need to outsmart a Chess.com Beginner bot and claim your first chess triumph!
🏁 Caruana Chessin' Ahead in FIDE Circuit Race! Fabiano Caruana is leading the pack in the FIDE Circuit race, but the finish line's still a ways off! He won the Saint Louis Masters (even after a final-round loss!) and boosted his points big time. Arjun Erigaisi tried hard in Qatar, but it wasn't enough to catch Caruana. Now, it's down to the wire at the World Rapid and Blitz Championships. Caruana can win by holding his ground, while Erigaisi needs a strong finish. Get ready for an exciting showdown!
⚖️ Trade Smart: When to Swap Pieces in Chess! Exchanging pieces in chess can be a powerful strategic tool, but it's crucial to know when to trade and when to hold. Trading can simplify the game if you're ahead, relieve pressure on your defense, and improve your pawn structure. However, avoid trading when you're actively attacking, if you need a win, or if it weakens your position.
“All I want to do, ever, is just play Chess”
– Bobby Fischer
Fun Facts💡
🧠Remembering moves and watching the board can help you remember things better, a superpower that comes in handy in school and even later in life!
🥱The "fool's mate" is the fastest way to checkmate someone in chess, but it only happens if the other player makes a big mistake. Imagine forgetting your king needs protection!
Here's how it goes:
White (the player starting) moves a pawn in an unusual way that weakens their king's side.
Black (the responding player) takes advantage by moving their queen right next to White's king – checkmate in just two moves!
♔The king is the piece with the longest life expectancy on the board. Not many give the right answer when asked why this is. In short: you never capture the king, just ¨corner¨ it, so the piece has a 0% capture rate.
🏠83% of households own a chessboard! Such a crazy statistic but when you think about it, almost every home you can visit has a chessboard somewhere, either dusting in an attic or put into use in the living room.