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| Mbongeni Sithole, Kales Chetty (from the main sponsors, LDM Consulting), unknown, unknown, Sandile Xulu (president of KZN Chess), unknown, Erick Takawira (head coach KZN Chess) |
Sunday 26 October 2014
Chess moves to Abalindi
Chess featured recently in the Daily News when a garden chess set was installed at the Abalindi Welfare Society in Inanda. The delighted orphans also received a gift of chess sets to promote the royal game.
Sunday 12 October 2014
Ethekwini youth championship 2014
The 2014 Ethekwini youth chess championships took place at Northwood High school from 8th to 11th October 2014. All the players who had excelled at the earlier trials event were invited, but many of our top players were notable absentees. Here are some photos that I managed to snap in round 3:
Congratulations to the following champions:
under 20 - Sphelele Makhanya
under 18 - Shayur Hansraj
under 16 - Shivar Gopaulsingh
under 14 - Sachin Ramgoon
under 12 - Karmishta Moodley
under 10 - Aarti Datharam
under 08 - Kamran Naidoo
Here are the final results after round 7:
under 8/10
under 12
under 14
under 16
under 18/20
For more information, contact Divesh Sookdeo
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| Aaron Jude Naidu gets the look from Dayaan Parthiephal |
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| Tremaine Naidoo vs Viashna Hansraj, behind them is Kevaalin Rapeti |
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| Shayur Hansraj won the u18 trophy, behind him is Jivorn Reddy |
Congratulations to the following champions:
under 20 - Sphelele Makhanya
under 18 - Shayur Hansraj
under 16 - Shivar Gopaulsingh
under 14 - Sachin Ramgoon
under 12 - Karmishta Moodley
under 10 - Aarti Datharam
under 08 - Kamran Naidoo
Here are the final results after round 7:
under 8/10
under 12
under 14
under 16
under 18/20
For more information, contact Divesh Sookdeo
Tuesday 30 September 2014
World Youth - under 16 team
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| Kyran Appanna scored 4 pts |
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| Caitlin Chetty scored 4 pts |
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| Duncan Podmore scored 4 pts |
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| Genevieve Pillay scored 4.5 pts |
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| Keyana Padayachee scored 4.5 pts |
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| Saiyuri Naidoo scored 5 pts |
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| Yashkar Balmakhun scored 4 pts |
World Youth - under 14 team
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| Ananta Reddy scored 4 pts |
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| Liam Moodley scored 4.5 pts |
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| Shivar Gopaulsingh scored 5.5 pts |
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| Tarendra Moodley scored 4 pts |
World Youth - under 12 team
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| Aaron Jude Naidu scored 3.5 points |
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| Dayaan Parthiephal scored 4.5 pts |
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| Chad Millard scored 4.5 pts |
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| Cailin Chetty scored 5 pts |
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| Santham Moodley scored 4 pts |
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| Sachin Reddy scored 4 pts |
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| Rahul Heeralall scored 3.5 pts |
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| Naseem Ahmed Essa scored 5.5 pts |
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| Mayilan Chetty scored 4 pts |
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| Eli-Jordan Govender scored 4 pts |
World Youth - under 10 team
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| Joshua Bezuidenhout scored 5 pts |
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| Jaedon Naidu scored 4.5 pts |
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| Priyasha Naidoo scored 5 pts |
Saturday 27 September 2014
World Youth - stalemate discussion
There has been some discussion on the ChessBase website about the unfairness of stalemate resulting in a draw. I cannot agree with that sentiment. Stalemate should remain a draw! Centuries of endgame theory would be overturned if stalemate was not a draw, as the basic position of K+P versus K with the defending King in front of the pawn would no longer be drawn.
Consider the following diagram, from round 8 of the World Youth under 14 boys, with White to move. White has been defending a Bishop ending a pawn down, and has just swapped the dark squared Bishops, because he knows the pawn ending is drawn:
This is drawn because of the variations 1.Kc4 b3 2.axb3 axb3 3.Kxb3 Ke5 4.Kc4 Kf4 5.Kd5! f5 6.Ke6 swapping all the pawns, or else 4... f5 5.Kd3 Kf4 6.Ke2 Kg3 7.f4 Kxf4 8.Kf2 is a book draw, because of stalemate at the end. Yes, I know that 7.Ke3 also works.
Stalemate usually occurs through carelessness, or through a very clever defence. I saw an example of each case in round 8. In a game on one of the lower boards they had K+R vs K. The final position was wKh1 vs bKh3, with bRg3 causing a stalemate draw. That was extremely careless.
Here is an example of a very clever defence, with Black to move:
Here Black played 1... Re8 threatening Rh8# so 2.Qc7+ is forced, met by 2... Kg6 renewing the mate threat. However, after 2... Kg6 we see that the Kh4 has no legal moves, so White can sacrifice his Queen to achieve stalemate. Unfortunately White blundered and played 3.Qh7+?? Kxh7 4.Kh5 Re1 and had to resign.
Notice that any one of 3.Qb8, 3.Qc8 or 3.Qd8 would be a very clever defence to the mate threat! For example, 3.Qc8! Kf7 (3... Rxc8 is stalemate) 4.Qb7+ Kg6 5.Qxe4+ Rxe4 results in a pretty stalemate.
Consider the following diagram, from round 8 of the World Youth under 14 boys, with White to move. White has been defending a Bishop ending a pawn down, and has just swapped the dark squared Bishops, because he knows the pawn ending is drawn:
This is drawn because of the variations 1.Kc4 b3 2.axb3 axb3 3.Kxb3 Ke5 4.Kc4 Kf4 5.Kd5! f5 6.Ke6 swapping all the pawns, or else 4... f5 5.Kd3 Kf4 6.Ke2 Kg3 7.f4 Kxf4 8.Kf2 is a book draw, because of stalemate at the end. Yes, I know that 7.Ke3 also works.
Stalemate usually occurs through carelessness, or through a very clever defence. I saw an example of each case in round 8. In a game on one of the lower boards they had K+R vs K. The final position was wKh1 vs bKh3, with bRg3 causing a stalemate draw. That was extremely careless.
Here is an example of a very clever defence, with Black to move:
Here Black played 1... Re8 threatening Rh8# so 2.Qc7+ is forced, met by 2... Kg6 renewing the mate threat. However, after 2... Kg6 we see that the Kh4 has no legal moves, so White can sacrifice his Queen to achieve stalemate. Unfortunately White blundered and played 3.Qh7+?? Kxh7 4.Kh5 Re1 and had to resign.
Notice that any one of 3.Qb8, 3.Qc8 or 3.Qd8 would be a very clever defence to the mate threat! For example, 3.Qc8! Kf7 (3... Rxc8 is stalemate) 4.Qb7+ Kg6 5.Qxe4+ Rxe4 results in a pretty stalemate.
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