Chess Program at the Solon Public Library: Week 3 and 4 Recap

Week 3: Our third session had an excellent turnout! Similar to the last few weeks, the more seasoned players were able to play a myriad of games against one another and subsequently analyze them; the beginning players reviewed the basics of a few openings, including the main lines of the Ruy Lopez and French Defense previously taught, and went over a few of the shorter games I played recently where I was able to discuss my reasoning behind making the moves I did.

Below are a few pictures from Week 3:

Chess Program at the Library - Week 3 - 1
Analyzing a few variations from a game I had recently played.
Chess Program at the Library - Week 3 - 2
Telling the students to look at all the possibilities before deciding on the best move to play.

Week 4: Despite the fact that school in the area was to start the next day, we still had a decent amount of people come to our fourth program! For a small period of time in the beginning, those who came were able to play some quick blitz games against one another. Then, for the vast majority of the time, I went over a hard-fought game I had won from the recent Cleveland Open—it lasted approximately 60 moves! Because I had much time to go over this game, I was able to explain all the moves with much depth and precision. Also, in contrast to the other weeks, I was able to utilize special chess software and then project the game onto a screen for everyone to see! Using the technology allowed an increased flexibility to analyze many variations in differing positions!

Take a look at some pictures from Week 4:

Chess Program at the Library - Week 4 - 1
Going over the opening of a game I had won from the Cleveland Open.
Chess Program at the Library - Week 4 - 2
Answering a question regarding the technique utilized in the rook endgame.

On the whole, we really enjoyed this month long program at the Solon Public Library! It was absolutely incredible to see how many people had a passion for chess and, overall, how rapidly chess has grown in the area. We are thankful for the Cuyahoga County Public Library’s support of this chess program and we’re hoping this won’t be the last we’ve seen of chess at the library; stay tuned!

Chess Program at the Solon Public Library: Week 1 and 2 Recap

We started a weekly chess program at the Public Library in Solon, Ohio because there wasn’t a good way for the Solon Chess Team and other youth in the area to get together in the summer to play quality games or learn about chess. These programs started in July and have been held every Monday evening for 1.5 hours. Let’s take a look back at these two awesome sessions:

Week 1: Our first program had a great turnout! The more experienced players had the opportunity to train against one another and the beginning players were taught how to take chess notation, the fundamentals of openings such as the Ruy Lopez, as well as positional principles in the opening and early middle game.

Week 2: The second program had a fantastic turnout—approximately 20 people came! Once again, the players who had tournament experience, ranging from state champions to a national chess expert, were able to play games against one another and review the moves afterward. The newer players were not only taught about multiple variations of the French defense such as the Advance and Winawer variations, but also about opening traps and middle game strategy.

 

Below are some pictures from Week 2:

Explaining the Exchange variation of the French Defense.
Explaining the Exchange variation of the French Defense.
The students listening intently to the opening explanation.
The students listening intently to the opening explanation.

 

Mayor Frank G. Jackson’s 8th Annual Youth Summit: Recap

The Mayor of Cleveland holds a Youth Summit every year to help families in Cleveland prepare to send their children back to school, promote the benefits of an education, and provide many resources that help foster a love of learning. Last Saturday we were able to promote chess at our booth by interacting with students and adults from all around Northeast Ohio. Those who came to our booth were able to play a game against us and ask us any questions they had about the moves they made. Ultimately, anyone who played exceptionally was awarded free entry into the 2014 Cleveland Scholastic Chess Open! On the whole, we thought that this year’s Youth Summit was absolutely phenomenal. There were a myriad of exhibitors and the atmosphere was full of a truly contagious enthusiasm for learning— for the pursuit of knowledge. It was a pleasure to interact with the public and to see how excited people were to sit down at the board and play a game of chess. Even better, many of the people we talked with told us that playing chess helps keep their mind sharp! We look forward to continue spreading the joy and benefits of the game!

Take a look at some of the pictures from the event:

Explaining an opening and the rationale behind making various moves.
Explaining an opening and the rationale behind making various moves.
My friend (right), a member of the Solon Chess Team, and I analyzing a position.
My friend (right), a member of the Solon Chess Team, and I analyzing a position.

Introducing the Invest in Chess Blog!

Hello everyone! Welcome to the official Invest in Chess blog! The purpose of this blog will be to post updates and information about what we are doing to promote chess and to write about relevant news, topics, and much more.

Chess is a fascinating, captivating, and immensely beneficial game, and we hope to show that through this blog and our pursuits. We’re looking forward to the journey ahead; please join us on the ride! Our social media websites will go live very soon.

Thanks,

Sharan Subramanian