Everyone who knows me, or has been following this blog, or my fund raising website, knows that I have just one goal for this year: to finally make the Grandmaster title by winning the World Senior Championship in Croatia this November. I am absolutely focused on this goal. Nonetheless, sometimes things come up that just [...]

For my first rated tournament after my accident, I chose to play in the Pasadena Chess Club Championship, February 22 to March 29. To begin with, my play was ragged, but I gradually settled down and after an exciting last round win over Axel Muller (which I have analyzed for the next Rank and File) [...]

A few years ago, I was playing in the World Open in Philadelphia when the lights went out. Well, maybe not all the lights—just three quarters of them. Instantly, the entire ballroom was plunged into near total darkness. To me, “darkness” was the operative word—but to the TD that I rushed over to, “near” was [...]

The San Gabriel Valley Championship at the Pasadena Chess Club concludes this Friday, October 5 with the fifth and final round—but I have already clinched at least a tie for first with my 4-0 run, which is all I will play. I’m taking a last round bye as the final round conflicts with the first [...]

Many people would rather not fall under an attack in the King’s Gambit Accepted, and don’t fancy the slightly depressing King’s Gambit Declined either—so they go all out with a countergambit on move 2! This is of course the famous Falkbeer Counter Gambit, at one time considered so strong that even Bobby Fischer declined it—and [...]

A reader asked: “Hi Tim, I greatly enjoyed reading your book on Budapest and am happy to read more here on your blog! I like your notion to keep on the DSB as black against the toughest line (imho) e3 in the Rubinstein … but there is a game I am wondering how you would [...]

Myk Robertson writes: “I have read your book, how to beat the Smith-Morra with 6. a6. It has helped me tremendously against that opening. There was one variation that I run into against a local player around here that I have a lot of trouble with. I was wondering what your opinion is about this. [...]

In my book, Pawn Sacrifice!, I note that one of the most difficult types is the “Deflecting Sacrifice” where “a pawn is offered to deflect an enemy piece from the main battle” and I further comment that “I don’t have a quality deflective sacrifice among my games—but I will be looking for my chance!” I’m [...]

Hollywood Story

While I have mentioned before my unique record—being the only person on earth who is an International Master of chess, a produced filmmaker, and a published novelist I have not talked too much about my film. Another time I may talk about the artistic side of this venture, but for now let’s follow the money—it’s [...]

The La Palma Chess Club Championship, which was played on Friday nights from October 7 to December 2, ended as a crushing victory for me: I scored 7-0! In Fischer’s day this was hardly unheard of, but now, in the time of arranged draws or what Larsen described as “fear and laziness” draws, it’s rare [...]

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