How to Develop Initiative & Win in a Decisive Attack

Important Factors:

I.                   Opening

1.     Mastery of Classics: Knowing the crucial elements of your openings through analysis of the top games in the past: World Championship Matches, etc.

2.     Mastering novelties (up-to-date insights).

3.     Working with engine to discover and record those decisive ideas. You must consistently apply and rehearse the ideas you’ve encountered.

II.                Entering Middlegame

1.     As the advantage is accumulated, staying alert and proactive is the mindset you want to adopt. You must keep the pressure and not let the opponent off the hook.

2.     There is a fine balance in taking a risk:

·        If the position is already great and will stay consistently better strategically, you must lean towards accepting a smaller edge with little or no counterplay for your opponent

·        If you are likely to lose the advantage or get a worse position as things stabilize, then you must push forward to keep the opponent imbalanced (keep the king in the center, sac the exchange, go all in throwing all the possible tricks at your opponent: Tal like”

III.             Major situational factors

1.     Pressure your opponent into time disadvantage: Having a solid opening foundation allows for confident opening play. Playing fast and strong is a matter of gaining competitive momentum. Through consistent practice and inspired application the player accesses a more empowering head-space and gets to trust him or herself  more and more.

2.     If the competition format allows for preparation, sniper like predication may be enough in itself to gain massive leverage in winning the game. Practice of effective game preparation is developed through dedication and proactive tournament selection.

3.     Your opponents mistakes: Should not be expected, but certainly do happen. Element of luck definitely plays a part in scoring big victories.

Double Rook Sacrifice!!!

Another outstanding blindfold simultaneous exhibition this time facing 10 players in Davis, Oklahoma. Average rating of top four players 2153!

The major highlight was a crushing victory featuring double rook sacrifice! As a matter of fact the game was the first one to finish:

1. d4 d5 2. e4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 a6 7. Qg4 Bxg5 8. hxg5

c5 9. g6 f5 10. Qf4 h6 11. Nf3 Nc6 12. dxc5 Nxc5 13. O-O-O O-O 14. Bc4 Qe8 15.Rxd5!

15...exd5 (15... Ne4 16. Nd4 (16. Rdd1 Nxf2 17. Rxh6)) 16. Rxh6!! + -

16...gxh6 17. Qxh6 Rf7 18. Nxd5 Ne4 19. gxf7+ Qxf7 20. Nf6+ *

Double Bishop Sacrifice!!!

Aloha once again dear students of chess! I am excited to put this video together in the spirit of good traditions of Lasker vs. Bauer.

 Hirogico Tank left to remind of the Battles of Kamehameha at the Island of Lanai. 

I face powerful attacking set up in the game with GM and Women's World Champion Hou Yifan from China. In the decisive moment she misses (or does she!?) a crushing opportunity to lead an offense on my king. In the video below I get together with my chess friends to share the game.

Hawaiian Orangutan Attack!!

Aloha chess fans! I hope you got to follow the GM Challenge of the recent Hawaii Chess Festival 2015. I feel like I have been coming to Hawaii every year since my first visit in 2010. This time around I took two days after the festival to sail to the last two islands I had never visited before. Molokai and Lanai presented amazing moments of intimacy with nature...

Sunrise during ferry trip from Molokai to Lahaina, Maui

Now let's get to business and re-discover the legendary Orangutan Attack!

Round 5: As the drama of the Open Tournament was unfolding GM Gareyev aka "Uzbekdragon" was found on the Waikiki Beach enjoying the beauty of Hawaiian sunset.

Uzbekdragon did not shy away from the call of duty. GM Gareyev re-entered filled with fighting spirit. Don't try this attack at home, as it could shoot your ICC bullet rating through the roof.

Gareyev-Sakurai

1.h4!?





















Launching decisive flank attack on the king's side. Opening originally discovered by Indonesian Orangutan and later commonly used by French player Marcel Desprez.

1...e5? 





















My opponent is obviously hardly familiar with my cutting edge opening choice. The recent developments in theory indicate that the only worthwhile response offering black chances for equality is "Koola-Koola Counter-Attack" 1...a5!

2.a4!! Incredible interception of dynamic play and Dvoretsky's positional mastery coming together. White is aiming to break both of black's flanks wide open thus submitting black to a desperate defense of "two weaknesses". An alternative idea is 2.d4!? known as "Wulumulu Scandinavian Gambit".

2..d5 3.h5 h6 4.g3 Nf6 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Rh4! 




















Some of the less experienced players try Orangutan Attack from time to time. Now the devil is in details. Rh4! allows white to attack both vertically and horizontally. Rook activation is the secret idea I discovered engraved in ancient Petroglyphs on the Island of Lanai.

7...Be6 8.Kf1 d4 9.Ne4 Nd5 10.c4! 




















Kicking the knight away from it's pedestal. And what do you know, my opponent refuses to back off and launches the knight forward 10...Nf4! 

11.Rxf4! Black's attempt at fighting back fails miserably. White plays in the good old traditions of Hawaiian bughouse. Time transcends material.

11...exf4 12.a5! 

Presenting black with challenges to resolve across the whole board. 

12...a6 13.Ra4! 

White is fighting with the persistence of a double-headed eagle. Now it is queen side rook's time to shine! 0-0 14.gxf4 d3 15.e3 Qe7 16.b3 f5 17.Nc3 Bxc3 18.dxc3 Rfd8 19.Nf3 Qf6 20.Nd4 Bd7 21.Ra2 Ne7 22.Ba3 Nc6 23.Qxd3 Nxd4 24.cxd4

Using another metaphor, white got to consolidate the pawn structure in a dragon-like formation and is now ready to open up the diagonals for the bishops. 

24...Rab8 25.d5 Be8 26.Bf3 c6 27.d6 c5 28.Bxc5 Bc6 29.Bd5+ 

29...Kh8 30.b4 Rxd6!?

Black sacs an exchange in order to neutralize white's dark square bishop. White in turn doesn't mind picking up material to go along with continuous initiative. 

31.Bxd6 Qxd6 32.Qxf5 Qxb4 33.Kg1 Rf8 34.Qd3 Qe1+ 35.Kg2 Be8 36.Qa3 Rg8!? 

Black is relentless. It is a third time an exchange sacrifice happens in the game. White now decides to decline in favor of solidifying the advantage. 

37.Bf3 Qb1 38.Qb2 Qf5 39.Qe5 Qc8 40.Rd2 Bc6 41.Rd6! Threatenning mate Qg4+

All of a sudden it looks like black managed to seize the initiate. Looks are deceptive due to Rh6! mate up in the air. 

42.Kf1 Qh3+ 43.Ke1 Re8 44.Rxh6+ Kg8 

45.Bd5+ 1-0 White's threats are overwhelming. Black's king is wide open. Black cannot escape from both central attack along the diagonals and white rook's penetration along h-file.

Entering Lahaina Port, Maui

Phalic Rock by Kalaupapa Lookout at Molokai

Shipwreck sight, Lanai

Vesicular Basalt from Lanai

Polihua Beach, Lanai

Mahalo chess friends, I am taking off to a new adventure!

Make it the best moment of your life!

Every chess player plays blindfolded.

How is it possible for me to blast through the field of over 30 players beating most of them blindfolded? I commonly get this type of question. I imagine once you see one of my blindfold sessions you may assume that I possess super-natural powers. Memory, creativity, imagination, and endurance are all crucial in executing the ultimate feat. Now first I would like to mention that I hate blind adoration when it comes to judging somebody's success. If you think that someone must be born with the ability to be the champion, you got it all backwards. 

Abilities responsible for my ultimate success are all possible to develop overtime. Talent may work as an X-factor. Talent multiplies whatever effort you invest in your improvement. Now you still must put in countless hours to fulfill your god-given talent. Secondly we chess players all play blindfold chess already. If you doubt that, just consider the process of playing a single game. You not only looking at the board playing the move at hand. You must predict the moves happening ahead played by you and your opponent. You do that without moving your pieces inside your mind. Thus you play your game blindfolded. 

Now we know that every chess game we play, we use our blindfold ability. Is it beneficial to do so, or is it somehow straining or even life-threatening? Blindfold chess certainly presents serious challenges to our body, mind, spirit. We must engage all three elements to truly tap in our blindfold chess potential. Using your mind is self-explanatory, it is hard to play chess successfully without applying deep thought and consideration.  Strong body and empowering inner ecosystem you develop is essential in enduring long blindfold battles which may last up to 24 hours. Spirit is what makes blindfold game possible and actually easy in a way. 

Meditative mindset and letting go is essential in transcending the routine. For example as you move from one board to another you must keep in mind the position and your course of action. If you try to hold to every one of the positions, soon you will be exhausted. The miraculous essence to playing multiple blindfold games lies in the ease of games coming back to your memory at a moment's notice. I feel like blindfold chess is a form of meditation. You  get to enter the parallel universe of peace and contemplation. 

I suggest playing chess blindfolded as well as reading chess books without moving the pieces on a physical board is highly beneficial to your mastery. That what I did at the beginning of my career when I traveled to competition. I filled every vacant moment studying Dvoretsky endgame manual and other books. Whether riding on the train or waiting in line, I had a chess book with me I could read. That certainly helped improve my chess as well as developed my blindfold ability. 

Aloha from Hawaii Chess Festival! 

The event is serving as an excellent preparation for US Championship coming up in a couple weeks. 

Have a fun spring break time!

Timur

Help me raise $100,000 to break the Guinness World Record for BLINDFOLD CHESS playing 50 boards simultaneously.

I am launching a fundraising campaign to help raise money needed to put on a SPECTACULAR event where I plan to beat the Guinness World Record for Blindfold Chess playing 50 boards simultaneously.  

The money we raise will cover all operating and promotional costs associated with this EPIC event.  It is my goal to make this an event taht not only satisfies my own ambitions, but will provide you with entertainment and an education.

Obviously I'd love for you to donate, but I would also love your help spreading the word.  We can use volunteers to help us find funding and a location to host the event.  Please contact me at blindfoldchesschampion@gmail.com and visit our website www.blindfoldchesschampion.com.

Thank you and let's break the World Record together!