From pribut@us.net (Stephen M. Pribut)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: *Chess Faq Part 1 - chfaq11a.txt [1/1]
Date: 20 Feb 1995 20:12:13 GMT
Keywords: chess FAQ semimonthly answers
Last-Modified: 1995/02/16
Archive-Name: games/chess/part1
Expires:1995/02/27
Summary: This posting addresses some of the FAQ's on the rec.games.chess news
group. Topics include E-Mail games, Internet Chess Server (ICS), Material
available via FTP servers, Dedicated Computers, and Software for Playing,
Databases and Utilities.
Reply-To:pribut@us.net
This twice-monthly posting is intended to address some of the frequently asked
questions (FAQ's) on the rec.games.chess news group. Because the answers may
not be complete, please feel free to ask questions. This is only intended to
address first-level concerns, and not to stifle discussions.
This posting is in two parts. Part 1 is about Organizations, Ratings &
Titles, Tournaments, Self-Improvement, and Supplies. Part 2 is about Mailing
Lists, freely available Services and Material, Chess-playing Hardware,
Software, and Utilities, and a Miscellaneous section.
Currently this FAQ is available at rec.games.chess and is stored at
caissa.onenet.net. An html version is available at Mark Crowthers Web Page at
"http://www.brad.ac.uk/~mdcrowth/chess.html".
This Faq was originally maintained by William Shauck. (shauck@netcom.com)
Updates and additions since September, 1994 by Stephen M. Pribut (pribut@us.net).
This FAQ, when approved, may be obtained via anonymous FTP from
rtfm.mit.edu under /pub/usenet/news.answers/games/chess/part1. Or, send email
to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with 'send usenet/news.answers/games/chess/part1'
in the body of the message, leaving the subject line empty. Currently the
version available at this address was last updated March of 1994.
Organizations: International, National, Local, and Mail/E-Mail
[1] Federation Internationale des Echecs (FIDE)
[2] The United States Chess Federation (USCF)
[3] Chess Federation of Canada (CFC)
[4] American Chess Foundation (ACF)
[5] State and Local Organizations (USA)
[6] Correspondence Organizations
[7] Bulletin Board Systems (BBS's)
Ratings and Titles
[8] Ratings (with FIDE list)
[9] How USCF Ratings are Calculated
[10] How USCF Lifetime Titles are Earned
Tournaments
[11] Tournaments
[12] The Swiss Tournament Pairing System
Self-Improvement
[13] I'm a Novice/Intermediate. How Do I Improve?
[14] Recommended Openings (and Books) for Novice to Intermediate
Supplies
[15] Publications
[16] Where to Get Books and Equipment
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: [1] Federation Internationale des Echecs (FIDE)
FIDE (pronounced "fee-day") is an international chess organization that
organizes tournaments (e.g. Olympiad), grants titles, and controls the World
Championship cycle. Write to: Federation Internationale des Echecs,
Write to: Federation Internationale des Echecs, PO Box 700 80, GR-16610 Glyfada, Athens, Greece.
or Iridos 11, GR-16673 Voula, Athens, Greece Tel: (30)1-895 8251
Fax:(30)1-965 7202
Tel+Fax: (30)1-895 5259
FIDE grants three over-the-board titles: FIDE Master (FM), International
Master (IM), and International Grandmaster (IGM; but more commonly just
"Grandmaster" and "GM"). FM can be obtained by keeping your FIDE rating over
2300 for 25 games. IM and GM titles require performances at certain levels
for 25-30 games (2450 for IM and 2600 for GM). This is usually achieved by
obtaining several "norms." A norm is obtained when a player makes at least a
given score in a FIDE tournament. The required score is a function of the
number of rounds and the strength of the opposition. There are also minimum
rating requirements. There are about 35 GM's, 60 IM's, and 100 FM's living
in the U.S., not all of whom are active players.
FIDE also grants titles for which only women are eligible: FIDE Woman Master,
International Woman Master (IWM; but _Chess Life_ often uses "Woman
International Master" and "WIM") and International Woman Grandmaster (WGM).
Women are also eligible for the other titles.
FIDE also grants titles for Chess Composition, Composition Judging,
Tournament Direction (as "Arbiter"), and Correspondence Chess; and maintains
a separate rating list (and titles) for "Action chess" (G/30).
------------------------------
Subject: [2] The United States Chess Federation (USCF)
The USCF is the national chess organization of the United States. It does
several things: (1) computes ratings for players who play in USCF-rated
tournaments, (2) publishes a monthly magazine called _Chess Life_, (3)
sponsors national over-the-board tournaments such as the National Open and
the U.S. Open, and a variety of correspondence (postal) tournaments, and
(4) officially represents the interests of chess in the U.S. to international
chess organizations. Most over-the-board tournaments held in the U.S. are
USCF-rated. This means that to play in them, you must join the USCF (this can
normally be done at the tournament site if you prefer).
_Chess Life_ includes a listing, sorted by state, of USCF-rated tournaments
to be held in the following few months. It periodically publishes the
addresses of all state chess organizations (see [5]). It also has chess
news, games from the U.S. and around the world, instructional and enjoyment
articles, and embedded catalogs from which you can purchase books and
equipment.
Regular memberships will be $40/year, including a _Chess Life_ subscription.
Youth memberships (same benefits) for age 19 & under are $15/year.
Scholastic memberships for age 19 and under (provides a bimonthly publication
called _School Mates_ instead of _Chess Life_) are $10/year. Senior
memberships (age 65 and over) are $30/year. Life memberships are $850 or can
be had by paying double the regular membership rate for 10 years running.
_Chess Life_ subscription (without membership): $??. Write to: United
States Chess Federation, 186 Route 9W, New Windsor, NY 12553-7698. Phone
800-388-5464 or 914-562-8350.
Those with access to Internet e-mail have active members of the USCF staff
available. For non-_Chess Life_ matters, Assistant Director
Larry King is available at uscf@delphi.com.
------------------------------
Subject: [3] Chess Federation of Canada (CFC)
The CFC maintains ratings of all players in good standing, runs tournaments,
attempts to promote chess in Canada, and sells equipment to both members and
non-members. Members get a subscription to _En Passant_, a bimonthly
magazine. The rating system used by the CFC is the Elo system, also used by
the USCF and FIDE. Local variations make CFC ratings from 25-200 points
lower than USCF ratings for players of similar ability. Dues range from
$25-$45 (Canadian), depending on province of residence. Junior memberships
range from $15-$25 (Canadian). Life memberships are also available,
depending on age. Write to: Chess Federation of Canada, 2212 Gladwin
Crescent, E-1(b), Ottawa, Ontario, K1B 5N1, Canada. Phone 613-733-2844; fax
613-733-5209.
------------------------------
Subject: [4] American Chess Foundation (ACF)
The American Chess Foundation promotes chess in the U.S. It sponsors some
promising young players and contributes money toward large tournaments (e.g.,
the U.S. Championship). Write to: American Chess Foundation (President Fan
Adams, Executive Director Allan Kaufman), 353 West 46th St., New York, NY
10036.
------------------------------
Subject: [5] State and Local Organizations (USA)
Every state has its own chess organization affiliated with USCF, and most also
have a bimonthly or quarterly publication. The state organizations are listed
in the annual _Chess Life_ yearbook issue (April). From these state
organizations, information can be obtained on local chess clubs. Another good
way to find a local club is to look at the tournament listings in the back of
every _Chess Life_.
------------------------------
Subject: [6] Correspondence Organizations
American Postal Chess Tournaments, c/o Helen Warren, P.O. Box 305, Western
Springs, IL 60558. Also runs electronic "postal" chess on the USA Today
Information Center (see [7]).
Correspondence Chess League of America (CCLA), P.O. Box 3481, Barrington, IL
60011-3481.
International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF), c/o Max Zavanelli,
ICCF-US Secretary, 1642 N. Volusia Ave #201, Orange City, FL 32763. Non-US
residents may contact ICCF directly to obtain information about their
respective affiliated national correspondence chess federation, by writing to
the ICCF Tournament Director, address: ICCF Tournament Director, c/o Ragnar
Wikman, Box 36, 20111 Abo, Finland. Internet e-mail: rwikman@finabo.abo.fi
Transcendental Chess, c/o Maxwell Lawrence, 1655A Flatbush Ave., No. 1502,
Brooklyn, NY 11210. Postal chess (PRE-chess!--first 8 moves set up the
pieces behind the pawns) organization.
------------------------------
Subject: [7] Bulletin Board Systems (BBS's)
CANADA
Alberta: Chess Hackers. 403-456-5808.
USA
CompuServe: 800-848-8990.
HoloNet: 800-NET-HOLO (800-638-4656).
Prodigy: 800-284-5933.
Sierra Network: 800-SIERRA-1 (800-743-7721).
USA Today Information Center: 800-826-9688. Provides both on-line and
"postal" chess games, some of which are associated with American Postal
Chess Tournaments. Address: USA Today Information Center, Four Seasons
Executive Center, Building 9, Terrace Way, Greensboro, NC 27403.
CA: Charles Rostedt's chess BBS: 310-634-8549 (data), 634-8477 (voice).
CA: Chess Hotline BBS: 310-634-8549.
CA: Strategies and Tactics: 714-458-0818.
Berkeley, CA: Berkeley BBS: 510-486-0795.
Modesto, CA: Flightline of Dbase: 209-551-2227.
Waterbury, CT: Chess Horizons BBS: 203-596-1443. 755-9749 (voice). Rob
Roy, 54 Calumet, Waterbury, CT 06710-1201. Free software catalog.
Plant City, FL: The ChessBoard: 813-754-6043.
Chicago, IL: ChessBoard: 312-784-3019.
IL: Free! Board: 312-275-0848.
Louisville, KY: The Chess Board: 502-271-5233.
Metairie, LA: High Tech BBS: 504-837-7941.
New Orleans, LA: Woodpusher BBS: 504-271-5233.
Chevy Chase, MD: The Mystery Board BBS: 301-588-9465, 588-8142.
Fort Meade, MD: Interstate Express: 301-674-6835.
Durham, NC: The Isolated Pawn: 919-471-1440.
Brooklyn, NY: The Round Table BBS: 718-951-6652.
Columbus, OH: The Endgame BBS: 614-476-3351.
Mansfield, OH: DK Jet-Works: 419-524-3959.
Mansfield, OH: Procyon: 419-524-7825.
Portland, OR: PDX Chess BBS: 503-232-2282.
TX: Let's Play Chess: 512-244-3349.
Austin, TX: Austin Chess Studio: 512-448-4861.
Web Sites:
Chess Week in Review - Mark Crowther's Web Page - "http://www.brad.ac.uk/~mdcrowth/chess.html"
Mark is the editor and originator of the Chess Week in Review, the most
significant internet, electronic chess publication. Each week interesting
articles, interviews, chess problems and the all of the games of significant
tournaments are published and posted to rec.games.chess. This is also mailed
directly to members of the chess list.
Chess problems - "http://www.crystaldata.com/scripts/chess_problems"
Choose from a variety of problems.
WWW Chess Archives - "http://www.traveller.com/chess/"
This is rumored to exist, just as the Loch Ness Monster is rumored to
exist. I am not aware of any recent siteings, and I have been unable to log on
here. Occasionally someone states that it really is there. Please let me know
if you find it.
------------------------------
Subject: [8] Ratings (with FIDE list)
Different countries have different rating systems. The most common system in
use is called the Elo system, named after its inventor. An excellent book on
the subject is _The Rating of Chessplayers, Past & Present_ by Arpad E. Elo
(copyright 1978; ISBN 0-668-04721-6). FIDE and the USCF use the Elo system,
although in the USCF there have been some adjustments and additions in the
past which have distorted USCF ratings vis-a-vis systems which have been
"pure Elo" forever.
FIDE rating list for January 1995.
Top 101 players are listed. Ratings 2805 to 2575.
Games = games played in 1994.
NAME COUNTRY Rating Games Birthday
1 Kasparov, Gary RUS 2805 0 04/13/63
2 Karpov, Anatoly RUS 2765 37 05/23/51
3 Anand, Viswanathan IND 2715 11 12/11/69
4 Kramnik, Vladimir RUS 2715 8 06/25/75
5 Salov, Valery RUS 2715 20 05/26/64
6 Kamsky, Gata USA 2710 17 06/02/74
7 Shirov, Alexei LAT 2710 36 07/04/72
8 Gelfand, Boris BLR 2700 43 06/24/68
9 Ivanchuk, Vassily UKR 2700 21 03/18/69
10 Bareev, Evgeny RUS 2675 35 11/21/66
11 Piket, Jeroen NED 2670 31 01/27/69
12 Yusupov, Artur GER 2660 42 02/13/60
13 Adams, Michael ENG 2655 32 11/17/71
14 Akopian, Vladimir ARM 2655 27 12/07/71
15 Lautier, Joel FRA 2655 46 04/12/73
16 Short, Nigel D. ENG 2655 0 06/01/65
17 Beliavsky, Alexander G UKR 2650 31 12/17/53
18 Dreev, Alexey RUS 2650 31 01/30/69
19 Nikolic, Predrag BIH 2645 24 09/11/60
20 Sokolov, Ivan BIH 2645 51 06/13/68
21 Vaganian, Rafael A ARM 2640 31 10/15/51
22 Epishin, Vladimir RUS 2635 73 07/11/65
23 Korchnoi, Viktor SUI 2635 53 03/23/31
24 Khalifman, Alexander RUS 2635 35 01/18/66
25 Timman, Jan H NED 2635 28 12/14/51
26 Andersson, Ulf SWE 2630 50 06/27/51
27 Hansen, Curt DEN 2630 15 09/18/64
28 Lputian, Smbat G ARM 2630 34 02/14/58
29 Nunn, John D M ENG 2630 18 04/25/55
30 Polgar, Judit (GM) HUN 2630 30 07/23/76
31 Smirin, Ilia ISR 2630 39 01/21/68
32 Topalov, Veselin BUL 2630 45 03/15/75
33 Dautov, Rustem GER 2625 17 11/28/65
34 Georgiev, Kiril BUL 2625 48 11/28/65
35 Psakhis, Lev ISR 2625 68 11/29/58
36 Tiviakov, Sergei RUS 2625 37 02/14/73
37 Granda Zuniga, Julio E PER 2620 0 02/25/67
38 Huebner, Robert GER 2620 22 11/06/48
39 Ehlvest, Jaan EST 2615 29 10/14/62
40 Hodgson, Julian M. ENG 2615 43 07/25/63
41 Malaniuk, Vladimir P UKR 2615 45 07/21/57
42 Miles, Anthony J ENG 2615 90 04/23/55
43 Yudasin, Leonid ISR 2615 50 08/08/59
44 Azmaiparashvili, Zurab GEO 2610 47 03/16/60
45 Oll, Lembit EST 2610 29 04/23/66
46 Speelman, Jonathan S ENG 2610 34 10/02/56
47 Dolmatov, Sergey RUS 2605 6 02/20/59
48 Ftacnik, Lubomir SVK 2605 43 10/30/57
49 Gurevich, Mikhail BEL 2605 47 02/22/59
50 Kaidanov, Grigory S USA 2605 32 10/11/59
51 Morozevich, Alexander RUS 2605 19 07/18/77
52 Nenashev, Alexander UZB 2605 51 08/25/62
53 Vyzmanavin, Alexey RUS 2605 22 01/01/60
54 Agdestein, Simen NOR 2600 9 05/15/67
55 Chernin, Alexander HUN 2600 47 03/06/60
56 Gavrikov, Viktor SUI 2600 30 07/29/57
57 Rozentalis, Eduardas LTU 2600 26 05/27/63
58 Ribli, Zoltan HUN 2600 18 09/06/51
59 Seirawan, Yasser USA 2600 22 03/24/60
60 Eingorn, Vereslav S UKR 2595 36 11/23/56
61 Hertneck, Gerald GER 2595 17 09/18/63
62 Gulko, Boris F USA 2595 30 02/09/47
63 Hracek, Zbynek CZE 2595 48 09/09/70
64 Illescas Cordoba, Miguel ESP 2595 45 12/03/65
65 Romanishin, Oleg M UKR 2595 13 01/10/52
66 Almasi, Zoltan HUN 2590 30 08/29/76
67 DeFirmian, Nick E USA 2590 99 07/26/57
68 Dorfman, Josif D FRA 2590 20 05/01/53
69 Glek, Igor V RUS 2590 21 11/07/61
70 Giorgadze, Giorgi GEO 2590 53 10/10/64
71 Hjartarson, Johann ISL 2590 24 02/08/63
72 Huzman, Alexander UKR 2590 49 04/10/62
73 Lalic, Bogdan CRO 2590 71 03/08/64
74 Onischuk, Alexander UKR 2590 50 / /
75 Novikov, Igor A UKR 2590 50 05/23/62
76 Pigusov, Evgeny RUS 2590 41 03/31/61
77 Adianto, Utut INA 2585 60 03/16/65
80 Kurajica, Bojan BIH 2585 49 11/15/47
81 Portisch, Lajos HUN 2585 18 04/04/37
82 Polugaevsky, Lev RUS 2585 0 11/20/34
83 Rublevsky, Sergei RUS 2585 22 10/15/74
84 Serper, Grigory UZB 2585 38 09/14/69
85 Savchenko, Stanislav UKR 2585 62 01/21/67
86 Svidler, Peter RUS 2585 24 06/17/76
87 Tukmakov, Vladimir B UKR 2585 34 03/15/46
88 Zvjaginsev, Vadim RUS 2585 22 08/18/76
89 Dokhoian, Yury RUS 2580 13 10/26/64
90 Goldin, Alexander RUS 2580 15 02/27/65
91 Greenfeld, Alon ISR 2580 40 04/17/64
92 Ljubojevic, Ljubomir YUG 2580 17 11/02/50
93 Milov, Vadim ISR 2580 51 / /
94 Razuvaev, Yuri S RUS 2580 25 10/10/45
95 Vladimirov, Evgeny KAZ 2580 4 01/20/57
96 Yermolinsky, Alex USA 2580 68 04/11/58
97 Alterman, Boris ISR 2575 69 05/04/70
98 Damljanovic, Branko YUG 2575 50 06/17/61
99 Gurevich, Ilya USA 2575 22 02/08/72
100 Komarov, Dimitri UKR 2575 67 12/01/68
101 Kengis, Edvins LAT 2575 37 04/12/59
FIDE Rating list, Restricted to women, 1 January 1993
1. Judit Polgar Hungary 2595 +20
2. Zsuzsa Polgar Hungary 2560 +20
3. Pia Cramling Sweden 2525 -5
4. Maya Tschiburdanidze Georgia 2510 +5
5. Jun Xie China 2470 -15
6. Nana Ioseliani Georgia 2460 +15
7. Alisa Gallyamova Ukraine 2445 +45
8. Ketevan Arakhamya Georgia 2440 +5
9. Svetlana Prudnikova Russia 2420 +85
10. Ketevan Kakhyani Georgia 2420 +60
11. Ildiko Madl Hungary 2415 +5
12. Irina Levytina USA 2415 0
13. Alisa Maric Yugoslavia 2415 +25
14. Zsofia Polgar Hungary 2415 -30
15. Kanying Qin China 2410 +95
16. Yelena Donaldson USA 2405 0
17. Svetlana Matveyeva Kirgisia 2395 -40
18. Ainur Sofiyeva Azerbaidzan 2390 +5
19. Vesna Bashagic Bosnia-Hercegovina 2385 -5
20. Natasha Boykovic Yugoslavia 2385 +20
21. Anna Akhsarumova USA 2385 0
USCF has rating classes as follows (with number in class as of 1 Nov 1994):
title range number (Percentile)
Senior Master 2400 and up 252 100
Master 2200 - 2399 855 99
Expert 2000 - 2199 2,263 95
Class A 1800 - 1999 3,579 88
Class B 1600 - 1799 4,714 78
Class C 1400 - 1599 5,183 66
Class D 1200 - 1399 5,226 54
Class E below 1200 19,872 the rest of the pack
There are more USCF members than the total 41,944 listed here. These
are just those who have been active in tournaments recently. The average
rating on this list is 1271. Your rating is determined by your results
and the ratings of the players you play against.
There is no hard and fast relationship between the various rating scales.
One question which often arises is: Do Elo historical ratings of famous
players of the past enable us to predict how well they would do against
present day players?
Some discussion of this issue occurred in (the now discontinued) _Chess
Notes_ in 1988. Edward Winter wrote, "Elo's retrospective rankings look less
and less convincing the more one studies them. For example, George Walker is
attributed 2360, the same as George Botterill in January 1988 (who has thus
had the benefit of insight into a century and a half of chess development
since Walker's time)." Ken Whyld responded this "shows a misunderstanding of
ELO. The ratings do not reflect how a player from a past age would fare
against a present-day player. . . . Elo's figures measure competitive
ability, NOT the quality of play. . . . In chess we can only know the
standing of players within the pool of which they are a part. It is idle
speculation to make comparisons between discrete periods." Arpad Elo himself
then got into the discussion, saying, "The historical ratings have generated
controversy partly because people misunderstand what they represent . . . Mr.
Ken Whyld . . . correctly points out how ratings should be viewed, i.e., as a
measure of competitive ability, and that proper comparisons can be made only
between players of the same milieu. . . . There is also a fundamental point
that should not be overlooked: the rating scale itself is an arbitrary scale,
open ended, . . . with no reproducible fixed points."
------------------------------
Subject: [9] How USCF Ratings are Calculated
The following is a simplified version of how the USCF rating system works;
for a full version, write to the USCF (see [2]).
*** For the first 20 games (provisional rating): ***
Take the rating of the opponent +400 if the player wins.
Take the rating of the opponent -400 if the player loses.
Take the rating of the opponent if the game is a draw.
Average these numbers. (If unrated players play other unrated players, this
requires several iterations of the above.)
*** After 20 games (established rating): ***
The maximum amount a player can win or lose per game (called the "K" factor)
varies according to rating. Players rated under 2100 have a 32-point
maximum; players rated 2100-2399 have a 24-point maximum, and players rated
2400 and up have a 16-point maximum. (In a "1/4 K" tournament, divide these
maximums by four.)
If players of equal rating play, the loser loses half of the maximum, the
winner gains the same amount. No change for a draw.
If players of unequal rating play, the higher-rated player gains fewer points
for a win, but loses more points for a loss. (The lower-rated player does
the opposite, of course.) A higher-rated player loses points for a draw; a
lower-rated player gains points. For players rated 400 or so points apart,
the maximum rating change is used for an upset, and the minimum gain/loss is
1 point if the much higher-rated player wins.
The true formula for the number of points won/lost versus the ratings
difference is a curve, but a straight-line approximation for players with a K
factor of 32 points can be used, where every 25 points of ratings difference
is one additional rating point gained/lost starting from a beginning of 16
points for a win/loss, and from zero for a draw. (I.e., for a 100-point
difference, the higher-rated player gains 16 - 4 = 12 points for a win, but
loses 16 + 4 = 20 points for a loss. If a draw, the higher-rated player
loses 4 points, the lower-rated player gains 4.)
The actual formula is as follows:
K = K factor
delta_R = (Opponent's rating) - (Player's rating)
Expected_Wins = 1/(10^(delta_R / 400) + 1)
New_Rating = (Current rating) + K * ((Actual wins) - (Expected_Wins))
An established player's rating cannot drop below (his rating - 100) truncated
to the next lowest hundred (i.e., a 1571 player cannot drop below 1400).
This is called the rating's "floor."
------------------------------
Subject: [10] How USCF Lifetime Titles are Earned
USCF's class title norm system is similar to the system FIDE uses to
determine GM and IM titles (see [1]). There is no time limit for
accumulating points towards USCF titles.
There are two titles per class from E to Expert: "Certified" and "Advanced."
Master-level titles have a different naming scheme: 2200 is "Life Master,"
followed by "1-Star Life Master" at 2300, "2-Star Life Master" at 2400, etc.
Points are earned toward titles by exceeding the expected score of a player
with the minimum rating of that level by a certain number of points. Rules:
1. A norm can be earned only in events of four rounds or greater. (Norms
cannot be earned by playing a rated match.)
2. A minimum score of two game points in the event is required, not
counting unplayed games.
3. Ten "norm points" are required for a title.
4. Making a norm earns two points toward the title for that level.
5. A player who does not have the title 100 points below the norm level
also earns five points towards that title.
6. A player who does not have the title 200 points below the norm level
automatically achieves that title.
7. A player who achieves an established rating, but not the title
corresponding to 100 points below this rating, is awarded that title.
8. Only established rated players can earn titles.
The Life Master title may still be earned by playing 300 games at the 2200
level. After 1996, this title may only be earned through the norm system.
For a full description of the system, see _Chess Life_ May 1992.
------------------------------
Subject: [11] Tournaments
Chess tournaments can be large (1000 players) or small (10 players or even
less); long (1 round per day for 2 weeks) or short (a few rounds in one day).
There are tournaments only for Masters and tournaments only for beginners,
although most tournaments are open to anyone. A typical _Chess Life_ will
list about 350 tournaments coming up in the U.S. in the next couple of
months, and there will be about the same number which are unlisted. If you
want to participate in a tournament but are intimidated because you don't
know the procedures, by all means go and ask the director and/or other
players questions before things begin. They'll be glad to help.
A typical tournament announcement will contain the following: (1) Date(s) and
name of the tournament. (2) What kind of tournament it is, e.g., 4-SS or
3-RR. The number given denotes how many rounds will be played. "SS" stands
for Swiss System, which is a method of pairing the contestants (see [12]).
"RR" stands for round-robin, a format in which the players are divided into
groups of similar ratings before the tournament begins, and then each member
of a group plays every other member of that group. Thus, in a 3-RR, the
group size will be four. The Swiss System is by far the most popular in the
U.S.
(3) The time controls, e.g., "30/60, SD/60" or "G/60" or "20/1, 30/1." The
number on the left is the number of moves, and the number on the right is the
time in minutes, or if that number is 1 or 2, in hours. "SD" stands for
"sudden death," and "G" stands for game. Where more than one time control is
listed, they are the controls which will take effect as the game progresses.
So, the three examples given above can be explained as follows. In the first
example, the players would each get 60 minutes on their clocks, and would
have to have made their 30th moves before the 60 minutes expires (your clock
only runs when it is your turn to move). Then, they each have another 60
minutes to finish the game completely. Time left over from the first time
control carries over to subsequent time controls. In the second example,
each player would begin with 60 minutes on his clock, and would have to
finish the game within that time. In the third example, the players would
each get 1 hour for the first 20 moves, 1 hour for the next 30 moves, and
another hour for every subsequent group of 30 moves.
(4) The location of the tournament. (5) The entry fee, sometimes by section
(see item 7). (6) The total prize fund (if any), either "guaranteed" (G) or
based on a certain number of entries (e.g., b/30). The difference is
guaranteed prizes must be paid, and "based on" prizes need only be paid in
full if the stated number of players enter. If the stated number of players
do not enter, the prize fund is reduced proportionally, but only down to a
minimum of 50%.
(7) Sections, if any. If none are listed, the tournament is an "open."
"Open" sections are always open to *any* player. Other sections may be
restricted to players below a certain rating, and/or occasionally above a
certain rating. Sometimes sections (or whole tournaments) are restricted to
certain age groups, school grades, etc. "Class" tournaments separate players
by USCF rating classes. Sometimes different sections carry different entry
fees. (8) Prize fund breakdown (if any). If the tournament is in sections,
each section shows its own prize fund. In an small open, a typical prize
fund might look like this: $140-100-70, A 50, B 45, C 40, D/E/Unr. 35, Jrs.
20. This means first prize is $140, second is $100, and third is $70. The
top Class A player gets $50, etc. The top player in the combined classes of
D, E, and unrated players gets $35, and the top Junior (under age 21) gets
$20. (9) The registration time and time the rounds will begin. (10) Where
to send an advance entry fee, and/or who to contact for more information.
------------------------------
Subject: [12] The Swiss Tournament Pairing System
The best way to get the rules for a Swiss System is to buy a copy of the USCF
rulebook, available for about $7.95. (The FIDE rulebook also has rules for a
Swiss, which vary from USCF's rules.)
However, a VERY simplified summary of the USCF rules is:
1. Arrange players in order by rating, highest to lowest, unrated either at
the bottom or by estimated rating.
2. For round 1, divide into two stacks. The top players in EACH stack play
each other, then the second players in each stack play each other, etc.
This results in the highest-rated player playing the middle-rated player.
3. After round one, divide up by score groups. Win=1, Draw=1/2, Loss=0.
4. Pair up each score group as in step 2. If an odd number, the bottom
person in higher point group plays top person in next score group. If
odd number in lowest score group, lowest rated player gets a full point
bye. (Limit players to one bye each.)
5. Where possible, players should alternate color, or at least equalize.
(By round 4, players ideally should have had two Whites, two Blacks.)
6. Players NEVER play the same opponent more than once. If necessary, pair
players with someone in next lower score group. (Treat as if odd
number.)
7. To improve on color allocation as per step 5, if two players in the
bottom half of a score group are rated within 100 points, they can be
interchanged. (If rated over 2100, 50 points is a better cutoff.)
------------------------------
Subject: [13] I'm a Novice (or Intermediate). How Do I Improve?
There are lots of variations to the methods, but the things most good
teachers agree on is to emphasize (1) tactics, (2) endings, and (3) playing
with a plan. Most people spend too much time studying openings. Just learn
enough about openings to get to a playable middlegame. The books listed
below should give you a great start on (1), (2), and (3). Of course, playing
experience is important. Review your games (with a much stronger player if
possible) to find out what you did right and wrong. Seek out games against
stronger players, and learn from them.
Some books are listed below to help in the quest to improve. You don't need
to buy all these--pick and choose as you please. For example, buy #1 and see
what you might want to supplement it with later. Or, buy one or two general
works (numbers 3, 4, 5, and 6), a tactics book, and an endgame book.
1. _Comprehensive Chess Course_ 2nd edition by GM Lev Alburt and Roman Pelts
(ISBN 0-9617-207-0-5). (Available as 2 separate vols. from Chess Digest.)
Expensive. Chess neophytes (i.e., NOT most rec.games.chess readers) will find
volume I useful; otherwise, try volume II. Good teaching material for an
intro-to-chess class. (It is now in its 3rd edition.)
2. _Essential Chess Endings Explained Move by Move_ by IM Jeremy Silman
(ISBN 0-87568-172-7). Very clear explanations of basic endings. For novices
and intermediates.
3. _The Game of Chess_ by Siegbert Tarrasch (ISBN 0-486-25447-X). Excellent
instruction for intermediates.
4. _How to Reassess Your Chess_ by IM Jeremy Silman (ISBN 0-938650-53-X).
Explains how to formulate a plan. An excellent improvement program for the
intermediate player. Helpful as companion to My System, by Nimzovich.
5. _Logical Chess Move by Move_ by Irving Chernev (ISBN 0-671-21135-8).
Looks at 30 or so games, and comments on the thought behind *every* move.
Bridges the gap between novice and intermediate books.
6. _My System_ by Aron Nimzovich (ISBN 0-679-14025-5). As per _The Game of
Chess_ above.
7. _1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices and Combinations_ by Fred Reinfeld (ISBN
0-87980-111-5). A cheap book of 1001 tactical quizzes, most from actual
games. Mix of easy & hard. Great for improving tactical ability.
8. _Pandolfini's Endgame Course_ by NM Bruce Pandolfini (ISBN
0-671-65688-0). Another good endgame book for novices and intermediates.
9. _Simple Chess Tactics_ by A. J. Gillam (ISBN 0-7134-6513-1). A first
tactics book for novices.
10. _Your Move_ by Yakov Neishtadt. A good tactics book with 350 positions
for you to try with solutions and explanations.
11. Chess For Juniors. Robert Snyder. Good introduction for young people.
User friendly.
------------------------------
Subject: [14] Recommended Openings (and Books) for Novices to Intermediates
Remember your goal is to reach a playable middlegame. Don't worry about what
is popular, or what the Masters play. As GM Lombardy once said, all openings
offer good winning chances in amateur play.
As you become stronger, you can shop around for an opening yourself. But,
the openings recommended here are hardly inferior, and will serve you well
throughout your chess career if you so choose.
Besides what is recommended here, you may want a general manual to browse in
(not study from!). _Modern Chess Openings_ 13th edition (MCO-13) or
_Batsford Chess Openings_ edition 2 (BCO-2) are good choices.
White Pieces
Opening 1.e4 is a really good idea, as it will get you into tactics fast.
Yes, you may last a few moves longer against a Master by cowering around with
1.Nf3 2.g3 3.Bg2 4.O-O etc., but you won't learn as much or improve as fast.
Add a gambit or two to your system if you open 1.e4.
Another good idea is the Colle System, where White opens 1.d4 and sets up
with Nf3, e3, Bd3, c3, Nbd2, O-O, and plays to open up the position with e4
and attack on the Kingside. The great thing about the Colle is White has a
clear plan (and will encounter some tactics, too).
Recommended books for White Opening (pick one):
_Winning with 1.e4_ (ISBN 0-87568-174-5) by GM Andy Soltis. Covers all
(reasonable) Black responses with good lines which tend to avoid the
well-trodden paths.
_Winning with the Colle System_ (2nd ed.; ISBN 0-87568-169-7) by Ken Smith
and John Hall. Comprehensive coverage of this opening.
_Colle System_ by IM George Koltanowski, a real pioneer of this system.
Cheaper than the book above, but a bit less comprehensive.
Black Pieces
As a response to 1.e4, establish pawn control in the center by either 1. ...
e5 or 1. ... c5 (Sicilian), or make a "strong-point" at d5 by either 1. ...
e6 (French) or 1. ... c6 (Caro-Kann), followed by 2. ... d5. Playing 1. ...
e5 will subject you to some hairy attacks, but again, you will learn tactics
thereby. To help avoid reams of theory, use the Petroff defense (1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nf6) if you choose 1. ... e5.
1. ... c5 (the Sicilian) has rather a lot of White possibilities to play
against, but is sound and aggressive at the same time. The French and the
Caro-Kann are a bit easier to play, but don't run into as many early tactics
(usually).
As a response to 1.d4, play 1. ... d5 and then follow 2.c4 (the most typical
2nd move) with either 2. ... dxc4 (Queen's Gambit Accepted), 2. ... e6
(Queen's Gambit Declined), or 2. ... c6 (Slav Defense). The first promotes
early tactics, and the other two have the advantage usually producing similar
pawn structures to the French Defense and Caro-Kann, respectively. If you
play French and QGD or Caro-Kann and Slav, you are less likely to be confused
by transpositions if White varies his move order in the early stages, e.g.,
by opening 1.Nf3.
Recommended books for Black Opening (pick either I, II, or III):
I. Choose one from A. and one from B.
A.
_A Complete Black Defense to 1.P-K4_ by Cafferty and Hooper. The main
line is the Petroff Defense, but the authors also show how to handle the
other possibilities, e.g., the King's Gambit.
_How to Play the Sicilian Defense Against all White Possibilities_ (ISBN
0-87568-168-9) by GM Andy Soltis and Ken Smith.
B.
_A Complete Black Defense to 1.P-Q4_ by Cafferty and Hooper. The main
line is the Queen's Gambit Accepted, but the authors also show how to
handle the other possibilities, e.g., the Richter-Veresov Attack. The
disadvantage is you aren't shown how to handle other closed openings
such as 1.Nf3, 1.c4, etc. although these can frequently be transposed
into the QGA.
Or, as your B. choice, use the "closed" opening defenses from either
II or III.
II. _A Complete Black Repertoire_ (ISBN 0-87568-163-8) by IM Jeremy Silman.
Based around the French and Queen's Gambit Declined.
III. _A Black Defensive System for the Rest of Your Chess Career_ by GM
Andy Soltis. Based around the Caro-Kann and Slav.
================================================================
Following is a "Scholastic Chess Syllabus" developed by Ken Sloan. It is
intended as a shopping list for parents who don't know the literature.
There are many other good books - this is simply one collection.
================================================================
Scholastic Chess Syllabus of Ken Sloan
0) Pawn&Queen and In Between, Volume 1, Number 1.
Available from USCF. In quantity 10, it comes with a
Teacher's Guide.
This is the book that I give to everyone who walks in the
door. I consider it an excellent starting point. In spite
of the title, there will be no "Number 2". It's a good guide to
large-group lecture-style teaching - but I prefer to have "good
readers" go through it by themselves (or with their parents) and
then use it as the basis for questions.
1) Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess, by Fischer, Margulies,& Mosenfelder
ISBN 0-553-25735-8, paperback from Bantam.
Kids love this book. No notation. Every page contains a single
problem. The answer (and the next problem) is overleaf. After
reading the right-hand pages, you turn the book over and go through
it again, reading the left-hand (upside-down) pages. Concentrates on
MATE! No board required. I give this book as a prize
2) Play Winning Chess, by Seirawan (with Silman)
ISBN ?-???-?????-?, paperback by Tempus Books of Microsoft Press.
Explanation of basic strategic concepts (space, time, etc.)
Combining this book with Winning Chess Tactics (see below) gives
a consistent, enjoyable 2-book sequence. Highly recommended.
3) Winning Chess Tactics, by Seirawan and Silman.
ISBN 1-55615-474-7, paperback by Tempus Books of Microsoft Press.
Explanation of basic tactics, examples, and tests. Biographies of
famous "tactical" players, from Anderssen to Kasparov, along with
representative games.
4) Let's Play Chess: A Step-By-Step Guide for all First-Time Players,
by Pandolfini. ISBN 0-671-61983-7, paperback from Fireside
(Simon & Schuster).
For the text-oriented kid. Every paragraph has a point, and a
number. Can easily be skipped - but has lots of useful ideas, in
pithy prose.
5) Square One: A Chess Drill Book for Children and Their Parents,
by Pandolfini. ISBN 0-671-65689-9, paperback from Fireside (Simon &
Schuster).
Workbook format. The paragraphs are still numbered. Lots of
diagrams, lots of questions to answer.
6) Chess Openings: Traps and Zaps (202 Openings Designed to Instruct
Players of All Levels). ISBN 0-671-65690, paperback from Fireside
(Simon & Schuster).
One opening (actually, one line) per page - showing an instructive
shot, and a bit of analysis of the ideas. Useful as a source of
202 short lessons - but also a good book for a low-beginner to read
through in search of opening ideas - there are 202 to choose from!
7) Weapons of Chess: an Omnibus of Chess Strategy, by Pandolfini.
ISBN 0-671-65972-3, paperback from Fireside (Simon & Schuster).
A collection of short ruminations on every topic you can think of.
almost always with a diagram, and a lesson attached. No board
necessary, even for low-beginners. An "idea" book.
8) Pandolfini's Endgame Course, by Pandolfini.
ISBN 0-671-65688-0, paperback from Fireside (Simon & Schuster).
Highly recommended. Short lessons on the endgame, beginning with
KQRk and ending (238 endgames later) with KNPkb. KBNk is handled
in Endgames 16 through 24, one small step at a time. Beginners
will need a board the first time (or two) through the book. When the
material is well understood, the player should be able to read
through each lesson without benefit of a board.
9) Chessercizes: New Winning Techniques for Players of All Levels, by
Pandolfini. ISBN 0-671-70184-3, paperback from Fireside (Simon &
Schuster) .
Not exactly "problems"; not exactly "lessons". Written in the modern
Pandolfini style - one idea/example per page. Easy to take in short
segments, or as fodder for lessons.
10) Chess for Tigers, 2nd edition, by Simon Webb.
ISBN 0-08-037788-2, paperback from Permagon Press
General advice on varied topics, with a lesson woven into every
chapter.
Finally, my recommendations on opening books. Students who learn from
Pandolfini will "naturally" play double K-pawn openings. I see no
reason to interfere with this for quite some time. Eventually, they
want somethings more meaty. My approach is to first introduce the Evans
Gambit - and then the Ruy Lopez.
I haven't found anything really good on a repertoire for Black -
especially in response to something other than 1. e4. Suggestions
are welcome!
11) Evans Gambit And A System Vs. Two Knights Defense, by Tim Harding.
ISBN 0-87568-194-8, paperback from Chess Digest.
An excellent presentation of opening ideas which will appeal to the
young player. Beginners need to be cautioned to simply follow the
"bold type" - on later passes they can come back for another level of
detail, and then another, etc. Emphasis on complete games.
12) How to Play the Ruy Lopez, by Shaun Taulbut.
ISBN 07134 4873 3, paperback from Batsford.
Good presentation of essential opening material. Can be read
at several levels - starting with simply the text introductions
to each chapter and "just the bold type" for the main line. Details
can be picked up in later passes through the book, and in analysis
of games actually played. This book can be used for ideas on how to
meet the Ruy Lopez *as Black*, while still aiming for the Evans
Gambit with White.
By now - we're probably well out of the "kids books" area. I believe
that any 6th grader (and most 4th graders) can read all of the above
books. I suspect that these books will take any beginner to at least
USCF 1400. By that time, the student will be ready for the "adult"
literature, and the choice of books becomes much more personalized,
depending on choice of openings, style, etc.
================================================================
Other books that may be recomended and in the same general category
(Children and Beginning Students of Chess) are:
1) Chess Tactics For Students, by John A. Bain, ISBN
0-9639614-0-3,available from John Bain, P.O. Box 398, Philomath, OR
97370. $14.95 Students or Teachers Edition. 20% discount with orders of
10 or more student editions Free Teachers edition with order of 15.
Introduction to tactics. Clear, large format book with excellent
typeface. Step by step explanation of problem solving. "fill in the
blank" response area in text. Start with problem, use hints if
necessary, then check answers. Good for young and beginning players who
need practise in tactics. Excellent for group or individual use.
Important and often neglected area of study between learning the moves
and learning the openings. The problems frequently are related with
the subsequent problem starting one or two moves earlier. This allows the
individual to see how a sequence of tactical moves could be created from
an earlier existing postition.
From same author: Chess Rules for Students. $2.50 each, 10 for $20.00. Clear
easy to read. Good for elementary, middle grade students. Both of these bookds
are more clear and easier to understand than any book most of us started with.
For more information contact John Bain at the adress above or
bainj@csos.orst.edu.
-----
Subject: [15] Publications
_Ajedrez Universal_, Luis Hoyos-Millan, P.O. Box 10020, Staten Island, NY
10301.
_American Chess Journal_, P.O. Box 2967, Harvard Square Station, Cambridge,
MA 02238. Phone 617-876-5759; fax 617-491-9570; e-mail cfc@isr.harvard.edu.
Edited by Christopher Chabris, Timothy Hanke, and GM Patrick Wolff. 128
pp./issue, book format, 3 issues/year. Single copy $12 to U.S.,
$14 to Canada/Mexico, $16 elsewhere; 3-issue subscription $30, $36, $42;
6-issue subscription $54, $66, $78. Emphasizes good writing, in-depth
analysis, history, and reviews.
_APCT News Bulletin_, c/o Helen Warren, P.O. Box 70, Western Springs, IL
60558. Correspondence chess.
_BDG World_, 303 Cleveland St., P.O. Box 66, Headland, AL 36345.
_Blitz Chess_, WBCA, 8 Parnassus Rd., Berkeley, CA, 94708. Edited by GM
Walter Browne, who also founded the World Blitz Chess Association. The WBCA
runs "blitz" (5 minutes/game) tournaments and has a separate rating system.
_Caissa's Chess News_, P.O. Box 09091, Cleveland, OH 44109.
_Chess_, Chess & Bridge, Ltd., 369 Euston Road, London, England NW1 3AR.
Phone (+44) 071 388 2404. General manager is IM Malcolm Pein. 12
issues/year; subscription rates are: UK L23.95/yr, L45/2 yrs; Europe
L29.95/yr, L56.95/2 yrs; USA/Canada (2nd class airmail) $49.95/yr, $95/2 yrs.
_Chess Circuit_ PO Box 1962, London NW4 4NF
Edited by Adam Raoof
6 Issues/yr
UK L12.00/yr
Europe L14.00/yr
US or CAN L17.00/yr
e-mail adam@circuit.demon.co.uk
Mag for the active tournament player.
_Chess Chow_, Chess Chow Publications, P.O. Box 3348, Church St. Station, New
York, NY 10008. 212-432-6546. Edited by GM Joel Benjamin. 6 issues/year;
$25/yr, $45/2 yrs; Foreign rates: $40/yr & $75/2 yrs. 48 pp., many guest GM
and IM contributors, emphasis on instruction and entertainment. (More info:
e-mail mginsbur@rnd.stern.nyu.edu).
_Chess Horizons_ by the Massachusetts Chess Association, c/o George
Mirijanian, 46 Beacon St., Fitchburg, MA 01420 is published bimonthly and
contains about 64 games/issue, many of them from outside the U.S. $10/year;
$18 Canada; $19 Europe; $20 Australia.
_Chess Informant_ by Sahovski Informator, P.O. Box 739, Francuska 31, 11001
Beograd, Yugoslavia (Serbia). Published in March, August, and December
(semi-annually before 1991). Consists of "good" games (judged by committee)
from major tournaments; as well as interesting positions (combinations,
endings) given as a quiz, and tournament crosstables. There are about 750
games/issue classified by opening (known as _ECO_ classification). Notation
is figurine algebraic; games are annotated (often by the players) with
special ideographs (defined for 10 languages). The January & July FIDE
rating lists are published in the following edition. _Informant_ games are
also available in ChessBase/NICBase formats.
_Chess Life_ magazine and/or _School Mates_ magazine--see [2].
_The Computer Chess Gazette_, Box 2841, Laguna Hills, CA 92654.
714-770-8532. Focuses on computer chess.
_Computer Chess Reports_ published semiannually by ICD Corp., 21 Walt Whitman
Road, Huntington Station, NY 11746. Phone 800-645-4710. Subscriptions are
$12/year. Focuses on computer chess, and rates dedicated chess-playing
computers and software. The main contributor is IM Larry Kaufman.
_GMA< News_, 2 Avenue de la Tanche, 1160 Brussels, Belgium.
_Inside Chess_ magazine published biweekly by International Chess
Enterprises, Inc. Subscriptions in the U.S. are $45/year, $80/two years.
Subscription address: ICE, Inc., P.O. Box 19457, Seattle, WA, 98109. Phone
800-677-8052 (or 206-325-1952). _Inside Chess_ describes itself as THE
magazine for the serious player. Edited by GM Yasser Seirawan.
_International Computer Chess Association (ICCA) Journal_ published quarterly.
Membership/subscription is $30/year. Follows computer chess worldwide. ICCA,
c/o Don Beal, Department of Computing Science, Queen Mary and Westfield
College, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England. ICCA Europe, c/o Prof. Dr. H.
J. van den Herik, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maasticht, The Netherlands
Email ICCA is icca@cs.rulimburg.nl (Membership/subscription
is Hfl. 50).
_New In Chess_ published by Interchess BV, P.O. Box 393, 1800 AJ Alkmaar, The
Netherlands. U.S. distribution: Chess Combination Inc., P.O. Box 2423 Noble
Station, Bridgeport, CT 06608-0423. Phone 203-367-1555; fax 203-380-1703;
e-mail 70244.1532@compuserve.com (Albert Henderson). 8 issues, $68 by air
mail, $58 by surface; intro subscription: 6 issues, $34 by air. Sample issue
$5 (free for Internet or CompuServe users).
_Scacchi e Scienze Applicate
articles/surveies in Italian and/or English.
WRITE for sample Issue TO:
Romano Belucci
Castello 5449
I-30122 Venezia - ITALY
near $10
_Sinfonie Scacchistiche
[Chess problems]
articles/surveies in Italian and/or English
WRITE for Sample Issue TO:
Massimo LaRosa
Via carpenino, 8
I-19121 La Spezia - ITALY
near L.30.000/50.000 (Italian)
_Scacco
WRITE for Sample Issue TO:
Salvatore Gallitto
Corso Diaz, 3
I-12084 Mondovi (Cuneo) - ITALY
near L.55.000/90.000 (Italian)
_L'Italia Scacchistica
WRITE for Sample Issue TO:
Adolivio Capece
Via Lamarmora, 40
I-20122 Milano - ITALY
near L.80.000/120.000 (Italian)
------------------------------
Subject: [16] Where to Get Books and Equipment
American Chess Equipment (DeWayne Barber), 524 S. Avenida Faro, Anaheim, CA
92807. 714-998-5508. Good source for sets and boards in quantity.
Australian Chess Enterprises, 4/69 Garfield Road East, Riverstone, NSW 2765
Australia, ph: 61-2-838-1529 fax: 61-2-838-1614. Chess supplies, software,
promotions and publications.
Dale Brandreadth, P.O. Box 151, Yorkland, DE 19736. 302-239-4608. Used chess
books.
Caissa's Press, P.O. Box 609091, Cleveland, OH, 44109-0091. Buys and sells
used (and some new) books; send $1 for current list.
Chess Digest, Inc., P.O. Box 59029, Dallas, TX 75229. 800-462-3548; fax
214-869-9305. Massive selection of books; also boards, sets, and clocks.
Limited computers and software. Large (!) catalog available.
Chess House, P.O. Box 12424, Kansas City, KS 66112. 913-299-3976; fax 913-788-9860. Books, boards, sets, clocks, computers.
Catalog available.
Chessco, P.O. Box 8, Davenport, IA 52805-0008. 319-323-7117. Associated
with Thinker's Press publishers. Books, boards, clocks. Catalog available.
Computer Chess Gazette, Box 2841, Laguna Hills, CA 92654. 714-770-8532.
Chess computers and software.
Electronic Games, 1678 Mayfield Road, Lapeer, Michigan 48446. 800-227-5603
or 313-664-2133. Computers, software, and clocks.
ICD Corp., 21 Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station, NY 11746. 800-645-4710
or 516-424-3300. Chess computers and software. Associated with _Computer
Chess Reports_ (see [15]).
Lindsay Chess Supplies, Box 2381, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. 313-995-8738. Books,
sets, clocks. Possibly the cheapest source for _Informants_. Catalog
available.
Metro Game Center (Jeff Prentiss), 4744 Chicago Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN
55407. 612-874-9555.
National Chess and Games, P.O. Box 17278, Anaheim, CA 92817. 714-282-8483.
PBM International Corp. Inc., 11 Church Street, Montclair, NJ 07042.
800-726-4685; fax 201-783-0580. Computers, software, and clocks. Catalog
available.
Jon C. Rather, P.O. Box 273, Kensington, MD 20895. 301-942-0515. Used chess
books.
Sound Chess, Inc., P.O. Box 7504, Boulder, CO 80306. Audio tapes (cassettes),
video tapes (VHS), books and software. Send $1 for catalog.
Fred Wilson, 80 E 11th St, Suite 334, New York, NY 10003. 212-533-6381.
Specializes in out-of-print and rare chess books; also fine chess sets.
USCF - books, boards, sets, clocks, computers, software (see [2]).
--------------------------------