With legions of chess journalists, analysts and bloggers trying to make sense of Kramnik's glaring blunder that cost him Game 2, the World Champion calmly went on to Game 3, kept everything under wraps and secured the draw in forty-four moves. Kramnik, yet again steered the game into an Open Calalan, a line that has become his signature opening with the white pieces. Current match score Kramnik 1.0 - Deep Fritz 2.0. Watch Game 4 here via our LIVE Game Link.
Continue reading "Kramnik vs Deep Fritz: Game 3 Drawn" »
Beginners take heart! After building up a nice advantage early in Game 2 with the black pieces against Deep Fritz, Vladimir Kramnik neglected to defend against a mate in one and lost. After move thirty-four the game was, for all intents and purposes, a draw. We all make mistakes in our chess, World Champions and Grandmasters notwithstanding. Watch Game 3 here via our 
Eight million moves per second weren't quite enough for Deep Fritz to get an advantage over Vladimir Kramnik in Game 1 of their six-game match in Bonn, Germany. Using his beloved Catalan opening--the same opening he recently used to beat world number one ranked Veselin Topalov in a match--Kramnik kept the game under tight control while securing a minute positional advantage. The game was agreed drawn after Kramnik's forty-seventh move. Watch Game 2 here via our 
Richard Look wins his second Washington County Chess Federation Swiss Tournament scoring an irreproachable four points in four games. In a four-way tie for second with three points were Mike McCabe, Hoty Briggs, Rafi Hopkins and Nick Beal. The four round tournament, held at the Eastport Arts Center on November 18, 2006, attracted sixteen players with ratings ranging from USCF 1789 to USCF 100.
While many Maine chess players were competing in the Hampden Harvest Tournament on November 11, 2006 a few made the trek to Manchester, NH to compete in the 31st New Hampshire Amateur Tournament. Ruben Babayan topped the Open section with a perfect four points. Fellow Mainer and Kings and Queens Chess Club chief Richard Judy tied for third place with three points--his only loss being to Babayan in round two. 
Thirty-nine players turned out for the Hampden Harvest Tournament at Hampden Academy on Saturday, November 11, 2006. The top of the Open section was a four-way gridlock tie for first between Ghezai Menelik, Cullen Edes, Tom Sandford and Bryant Ciomei each scoring three points in this four round contest. In the K-12 section it was Zachary Smith all alone at the top with a perfect four. Also lonely at the top of the K-8 section was Gianluca Pane, this year's K-6 state champion, who blanked the field with four points. The massivesly illustrated tournament report with final results crosstables is here.
With a USCF performance rating of 1835, eight-year-old Matthew Fishbein scored 3.5 points out of four to take clear first in the Under 1625 secton of the Maine Rating Floor Open contested recently at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland. Because we thought you might like to see this wunderkind in action, we bring you all four of these games, annotated by Fritz 9, and one game--Game 3-- annotated by International Master Kenneth Regan. Another piece of IM Regan's analysis was just featured on 
Peter Lewis and Ted Walsh have built an elaborate two-story treehouse in Bridgton, Maine complete with two porches, 21 windows, a small coal-burning stove, a futon, a desk, a spiral staircase, a retractable drawbridge whose steps lead up to the house and an upstairs chess room with pieces made from twigs, pine cones and acorns. Womens International Master and Chess Life columnist Jennifer Shahade has put together a story on this castle in the clouds.
Maine chess players Jon Malev and Nimrod Drizlikh are featured in this quarter's edition of the Massachusetts Chess Association's award-winning publication Chess Horizons. Malev and Drizlikh played in the 2005 Northeast Chess Summer Gataway in Marlborough, MA. Three of their games played at this tournament are annotated by International Master and New Hampshire native Joshua Friedel. We bring you the games with annotations from IM Friedel courtesy of the MCA and Chess Horizons.
On our newest page, Not for Kids Only, you'll find puzzles, games, problems and other fun chess activities for kids--and kids at heart. You can access Not for Kids Only by clicking on the "kids" link from any ChessMaine.net page or you can 
The Coastal Maine Scholastic Chess Club in Cape Elizabeth has instituted a Guest Lecture Series. Last Saturday, Maine Chess Association President Phil Lowell was the honored guest at the club and today, the CMSCC welcomes Ron Lewis, President of the Maine Association of Chess Coaches. Club administrator Ilene Fishbein sends us the details.
How does a weekend in Florida during the cold, dark days of December sound? Now that we've got your attention, the United States Chess Federation (USCF) is looking for volunteers for this year's National K-12 and College Championship in Orlando, Florida from December 7th - December 10th. Tom Nelson, the USCF Volunteer Coordinator is in need of folks to help set-up, monitor, greet players and parents, operate demo boards, assist with the awards ceremony and even sing the National Anthem. Check out Tom's letter of appeal and consider heading south--to volunteer and play in this national tournament!
Ghezai Menelik, Barry Magda and Andrey Savov each scored three points out of four to tie for first place in the Open section of the Eastern Maine Open held on Saturday, October 28, 2006 in the Bumps Room at the Memorial Union at the University of Maine, Orono. Prizes were given for each section and class down to U600. We bring you the fully illustrated tournament report.
The Hampden Harvest Tournament is coming up on Saturday, November 11, 2006. Prizes will be awarded in each of the three sections: Open, K-12 and K-8 as well as for top performers in the K-5 group. The tournament will take place in the Hampden Academy High School Library on Main Road North in Hampden. Continue reading for more details.
