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NEW
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a strong Java chess opponent
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Welcome to my chess website. This website is dedicated to writing free chess articles on a range of topics to help the average player improve. Topics discussed include chess openings, strategy and endgames. For our vision and mission statement, look to our about page.
My writing primarily targets beginners up to club players, although sometimes I could not resist throwing in some advanced material. The bulk of this website lies in the Website Articles section, so if you are new to this website, please check that out first!
I devote my spare time to practicing and studying chess because I love the strategical deepness of the game. I have won several Australian junior titles (including the under 10 and under 16 championships) and have represented Australia in international junior competitions in France, Turkey, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, I actively play on the Internet Chess Club.
The
majority of links here are internal links. Links that go to other
websites will automatically open in a new window/tab. If you want to
look for a particular term or phrase, use the search box above.
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Welcome to my articles section. This comprises the largest portion of the website and it is also the area that I update most frequently.
See my new chess website tailored for beginners, Chess Game Improvement.
The following articles are targeted towards new and beginning players. If you are new to this website, I recommend you start with the articles Getting Started in Chess and Reasons for Playing Chess.
Age is No Barrier (in Chess) - If you're old, you're not necessary disadvantaged (short article)
Brief History of Chess - A timeline of the game of chess
Chess Books - A general overview of chess publishing
Chess is a Sport - Surprise the sceptics (short article)
Chess Ratings - A look over how chess players are judged
FIDE Chess Titles - See the requirements for gaining a certain chess title
Frequently Asked Chess Questions - Common questions about chess
Getting Started in Chess - Advice for the beginner REVISED
How to Read Chess Books - Tips on reading chess books
Introduction to Internet Chess Club - A quick look at the massive online chess club ICC
My Favourite Chess Game - Check out how Black gets mated
My Favourite Chess Players - I list my favourite chess players, including Anatoly Karpov and José Raúl Capablanca
Playing Chess Online - My guide to playing online chess EXPANDED
Reasons for Playing Chess - Why chess is one of man's greatest accomplishments REVISED
World Chess Champions - An overview of the greatest chess players ever.
World's Strongest Chess Program for Free - Download computer world champion Rybka
The following articles are geared towards internet players, club players or stronger.
Best Chess Interfaces/GUIs - A rundown of leading chess interfaces
Best chess program/chess engine - Which chess program should you choose?
Building a chess repertoire - Which openings should you choose for the best results?
Chess Engines - An overview of chess engines
Chess Magazines - A general overview of chess magazines
Chess Software - A general overview of chess database programs
Chess Styles - A discussion of playing styles in chess
Dealing with Surprises in the Opening - A slightly more advanced, but practical topic
Free Chess Databases - The best things in life are preferably free
How to Access CBH, CBV and PGN files - A guide for beginners on how to open these formats
How to Analyse Chess Games - Analysing your chess games is the key to improvement in your chess!
How to Use Chess Software - A guide on using your chess database programs
Internet Chess Techniques - Techniques such as the queen manoeuvre and the low-time stunner
Keeping up-to-date on your chess opening theory - Using the newest games to check for developments in theory
Lack of Improvement in Chess - Tips and discussion on the "ceilings" of chess
Never Say Die - A practical stiff resistance strategy to befuddle your opponents
Openings Repertoire Suggestions - Suggestions for time-efficient and strategic opening repertoires REVISED AND UPDATED
Preparing for Opponents - An advanced method that can really improve your results
Spirited Seniors - Successful Chess at Old Age - How do people keep playing well at old age?
Strategies at the Board - Techniques to use over-the-board
The Art of Flagging in Chess - Win more chess games!
The following articles are readable by players of any skill level.
Book Recommendations - A description of suggested chess books
Blindfold Chess - Apart from impressing non chess players, this form of chess is also a useful training tool NEW
Centaur Chess - Also known as Advanced Chess, a form of chess where anything goes
Chess Boxing - A hybrid sport that is rapidly growing in popularity
Chess Lessons with Grandmaster Efstratios Grivas - Learn from the master trainer NEW
Chess Paradox - What is the mathematical chessboard paradox?
Chess Parenting - An express guide for parents
Chess Viewer - Display chess games of your choice on your own website
Chessmaster: Grandmaster Edition - A review of one of the world's favourite chess programs
Club 2700 by Alex Shternshain - An entertaining play depicting the annual meeting of the world's highest-rated players
Correspondence Chess - An overview of this slower, but higher quality form of chess REVISED AND EXPANDED
Creating Your Own Chess Website/Blog - An express tutorial!
Daily Chess Puzzle - This page will automatically give you a new puzzle every day!
Food and Diet Model - Breaking down chess into components
Free Chess Programs - Chess freebies for all! REVISED AND UPDATED
French Chess Movie - A new movie to be released for 2010
How to Learn a Chess Opening - Advice on adding a new defence to your arsenal
How to Make Chess Videos - A short tutorial on making videos
Interesting Chess Facts - Check out all the things about chess you didn't know!
Intimidating Opponents - How to deal with unscrupulous players
Kramnik-Anand World Chess Championship 2008 - All the games from the much-awaited match between Russian GM Vladimir Kramnik and Indian GM Viswanathan Anand
Let's Get Fit - An article by a guest writer that recommends hassle-free tips on getting fit NEW
Living a Healthier Lifestyle Through Exercise - An article by a guest writer about how to balance health with modern lifestyle needs NEW
Maurice Ashley and Drawback Chess - Discussion of the man and his brilliant concept
New Book on The Legendary Bobby Fischer - A look at Karsten Müller's new book
Play against JChess, the Little ChessPartner - Play against the Java chess program, simply move the pieces and the board will respond
Professional Chess - Thoughts on chess as a profession
The Art of Learning - A fantastic book by American IM and well known chess personality Joshua Waitzkin NEW
The Beginning by Alex Shternshain - An delightful play portraying God creating the game of chess over a number of days
The Game by Alex Shternshain - An engaging play describing how the human mind works when playing a game of chess
Topalov-Anand World Chess Championship 2010 - A discussion of the games from the World Championship between Topalov (BUL) and Anand (IND)
XiangQi - An exploration of Chinese chess
As a thank you for visiting this website, here is a free complimentary ebook called Improve Your Chess. This ebook goes through a training program that you can implement yourself to improve your chess. There are no secret formulas here, just simple advice.
The ebook is in PDF format and requires Adobe Reader.
Click here to download Improve Your Chess (right click and press 'Save Target As').
Here is a collection of the strongest overall tournament performances. I have made an effort not to repeat the same player too many times. I have also split up the performances into two categories - the strongest statistically and powerful modern performances. Some of the openings played in the first collection have become out of date. The second collection will include some more recognisable and trendy lines. My source for judging these performances is Jeff Sonas, the webmaster of the well known Chess Metrics website. Note there is currently a problem with Windows 7 machines, which block the online chess viewer via the security system.
For the most comfortable experience, I recommend you download the games from the pages of your choice and view them in the free high-definition software ChessBase Light. The downloadable files are available on each page.
Greatest of All Time
1. Anatoly Karpov - Linares 1994
2. Garry Kasparov - Tilburg 1989
3. Emanuel Lasker - London 1899
4. Garry Kasparov - Linares 1999
5. Mikhail Tal - Bled/Zagreb/Belgrade (Candidates) 1959
6. Alexander Alekhine - San Remo 1930
7. Garry Kasparov - Linares 1993
8. Alexander Alekhine - Bled 1931
9. Garry Kasparov - Belfort (World Cup) 1988
10. Garry Kasparov - Linares 1992
11. Emanuel Lasker - St Petersburg 1914
12. Garry Kasparov - Amsterdam (Optiebeurs) 1988
13. Garry Kasparov - Belgrade (Investbank) 1989
Bobby Fischer - Palma de Mallorca (Interzonal) 1970
Mikhail Botvinnik - World Championship, The Hague/Moscow, 1948
Magnus Carlsen - Nanjing 2009 (see below)
Note: For place 13, there were 4 equal performance ratings.
Greatest Modern Performances
1. Magnus Carlsen - Nanjing 2009
2. Vassily Ivanchuk - Mtel Masters, Sofia 2008
3. Veselin Topalov - World Championship, San Luis 2005
4. Veselin Topalov - Linares 2005
5. Garry Kasparov - Linares 2005
6. Viswanathan Anand - Corus A 2006
Veselin Topalov - Corus A 2006
8. Viswanathan Anand - World Championship, Mexico 2007
9. Vladimir Kramnik - Tal Memorial, Moscow 2007
10. Veselin Topalov - Nanjing 2008
Chess DVDs:
ROMAN'S LAB
PRO CHESS: THE VIDEO CHESS MENTOR
CHESSBASE FRITZTRAINER
FOXY
OPENINGS
Chess Programs:
CHESS OPENINGS
WIZARD
NEW
CHESSMASTER:
GRANDMASTER EDITION
NEW
DEEP FRITZ 12 DOWNLOAD
DASHER
1.30
CHESS
TITANS
CHESSGENIUS CLASSIC
ICC
BLITZIN 2.7
KASPAROV CHESSMATE
Chess Books:
THE ART OF LEARNING
NEW
THE
SURVIVAL GUIDE TO COMPETITIVE CHESS
BEAT THE GRANDMASTERS
NUNN’S
CHESS OPENINGS
COMPLETE
BOOK OF CHESS STRATEGY: GRANDMASTER TECHNIQUES FROM A TO Z
101
TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR CHESS
SECRETS OF
PRACTICAL CHESS (NEW ENLARGED EDITION)
Chess Websites:
For more chess reviews, you can check out Chessville, Jeremy Silman's website, John Elburg's website, Carsten Hansen's Checkpoint and BCM Reviews.
Here are some chess videos I've created.
Blitz Chess Now includes exclusive bonus videos!
Classic Games NEW
To select between embedded YouTube videos, click on the second icon from the bottom left.
Sign the Guestbook - Leave comments or queries (launched December 2009)
Subscribe to Mailing List (more info)
Make GeniusProphecy Chess Your Homepage
You can now contact us through the guestbook service available for this website (launched in December 2009). It is also possible to contact through email, but for comments, queries and article suggestions, please use the guestbook.
Unfortunately, we no longer accept commercial links.
Note: Currently, only non-commercial link exchanges will be accepted. Commercial websites will not be considered.
365Chess - An extensive online chess database with over 3.5 million games
applestairs
- A team who have developed a neat chess clock for iPads, iPhones
and iPod Touch
Argedrez - Games from top chess players as well as interesting website widgets
Chess4Less/Classical Games - The official ICC chess store
ChessCafe - Regular chess columns since 1996
Chessology - A free chess game which helps you to learn and play chess using colours
ChessPublishing - Chess opening theory website
ChessZone - Unique free online chess school with dozens of free chess books, games and software
Chess Game Improvement - My new chess site designed for beginners NEW
Chess Game Strategies - A website aimed at new and beginning players with a tremendously thorough chess glossary
Chess in Translation - A very neat website with Russian interviews and news translated into English
Chess Creator - Chess books and online software for chess enthusiasts
Chess Quotes - An interesting unique idea for a chess website
Chess Sets and More - Features information on chess sets and other chess-related material (as you could deduce from the name)
Chess Tempo - A useful interactive website for training your tactics and endgames
Everyman Chess - Books and ebooks for chess players
Francesco Costa's chess page - Helpful advice from a correspondence chess master NEW
Gambit Chess Books - A major chess publishing house
Geeks With Chess - Free online chess club (connects from browser)
House of Staunton - Manufacturer of the world's finest chess sets (official chessmen of the US Chess Federation)
Jeremy Silman's Chess Reviews - One of the world's largest collection of reviews
JrobiChess.com - A wonderful instructional chess website
Light Chess - A small website for chess news, playing chess and solving chess puzzles NEW
Lybrary Chess Ebooks - Large collection of chess ebooks
MonRoi - Supplier of tournament organisation products and the electronic Personal Chess Manager
New in Chess - A handy chess magazine, often with annotations from the world's best players
Pogonina.com - Homepage of WGM Natalija Pogonina
Puzzle Master - A large and unique collection of brain teasers and puzzles for sale; includes chess, mechanical banks, puzzle books, magic trick books, boomerangs, etc.
Satranc.net - An instructional chess website for Turkish readers
Secret of Chess - Mythbusting investigation of the 'secrets' of chess (ChessBase)
The Chess Website - A website detailing more strategies of chess!
The Chess World - Chess resources for improving players
Tim Krabbé's Chess Curiosities - A wonderful website dedicated to chess including a widely known collection of chess records
UK Chess Blogger - An interesting compilation of examples in practical chess as well as information on purchasing a chess set
Wholesale Chess - Extraordinarily cheap supplies, especially for US players
Zarkon Fischer's Free Chess Programs - A great collection of freebies on offer
Here is a collection of computer chess rating lists, showing which engines are currently the strongest. Note however that playing strength does not necessarily equate to a good analysis partner. Ideally, a balance between raw strength and user-friendliness can be achieved. As far as I can see, the IPON and CEGT rating lists are the most active.
Dark Horse Chess Club - The chess club/coaching service run by my long-time coach FIDE Master Geoff Saw
Australian Schools Teams Championships 2009/2010 - A tournament a couple of years ago to which I was the webmaster
Rubik's
Cube Solution - How to solve a Rubik's Cube the easy way!
(includes videos)