Chess School Supplies; Combine Education and Fun!

Help youngsters discover their mental capacities through chess! Chess for ages now has been the most acclimated mind game that has stood the test of time and never ceases to fascinate the players and onlookers. It has been proven that chess gives mental confidence and the ability to work out problems in your head with greater ease. Schools have recognized the great benefits of playing chess and have implemented the game of chess into their curriculum by creating chess clubs. These chess clubs meet regularly to play in tournaments (individuals and home schoolers can also participate in scholastic chess tournaments). We want more people to become aware of the great value and potential this competitive game has for young people. With this upcoming school year give your child the chance to improve his/her mind while having fun! And you dont need to limit yourself to just a Chess Set, there are all kinds of ways to improve at chess, such as Chess Workbooks, Chess Software, Chess Instructional Videos, and so much more. The Chess House is the premier online chess supplier, featuring the largest selection of products with an easy to navigate website. They supply the majority of school chess clubs with their great quantity discounts and their general everyday great deals! So get involved, make the most of this school year.

Dangerous Chess!

Chess On The Mud Flats is possibly the most dangerous form of chess. The players make their moves on boards set up on the North Sea mud flats on the shores of the island of Baltrum. The goal is to finish the tournament before the tide comes in and drowns everyone. This year it took place in driving rain, but we are glad to report that everyone survived. Mudflats are coastal wetlands, formed by silt deposited by tides, and sometimes by rivers, in sheltered areas. Along the North Sea in Germany they consist of iodine rich clay and support a variety of marine life. The area is genuinely flat, so that the sea recedes to a great distance – sometimes miles – during low tide, and then comes in quickly, covering large areas in a very short space of time, when the tide comes in. The tide can come in at great speed and trap people far out in the flats, what you don't want is to be trapped hundreds of yards from land! The mud flat tournament is the brainchild of Horst Unger, who first staged it in 2002. Sixteen participants play the event close to one of the major tidal streams, starting when the tide is at its lowest. The rate of play is five minutes per side per game, and the goal is to finish the tournament before the tide comes in. Otherwise there could be a somewhat embarrassing, perhaps even dangerous, end to the event. This year the mud flat tournament was plagued by inclement weather. After weeks of tropical heat the temperatures dropped dramatically and it started to rain on the day of the event. But that did not deter the participants, who donned weather-proof attire and proceeded undaunted to the venue. The TV station Radio Bremen produced a nice video report on the mud flat action.

This article was taken from: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3283 also visit this chessbase link for pictures and a video about chess on the mud flats

Google Checkout Now Available.

the fairly new Google Checkout System is a great breakthrough in shopping technology, it has extremely handy features that just wont be ignored. Have you ever experienced shopping from multiple websites? You have to create accounts, passwords, and learn a new shopping cart and checkout system for every website made by Tom Dick and Harry, not to mention all the personal information that gets flung around on websites that you have little information about. to use Google Checkout System you only need one account, one password, and you only need to learn one shopping cart and checkout method. Using Google Checkout System makes it impossible for unauthorized purchases to be made with your Google account, and Google checkout will never show your purchase history or full credit card numbers to sellers and online stores. Google Checkout System also has a commercial spam control feature, you can keep your email confidential or easily block unwanted incoming email from stores. Google Checkout System is becoming increasingly popular on the web; all the best websites online are incorporating the Google Checkout System because of the great benefits to their customers. But the only online chess store currently offering Google Checkout System is ChessHouse.com, Chess House is all about their customer service, and quality products, I know this because I have been a long term customer, any minor errors that all company's have get cleared up in a flash, the speed and accuracy they portray is amazing. The addition of Google Checkout System makes Chess House just that much more user friendly with the same great service. It is quick and simple to use, when you add something to your shopping cart then bring up the shopping cart page, the Google Checkout icon appears on the lower right corner.

Club Chess Set Combo Discounts. Great Savings!

For just a limited time, certain Club Chess Sets are available at 25% off! you can buy these club chess sets in any quantity and you will get the 25% discount, eveb if you only buy one. But for schools or those of you who would buy bulk chess combos, the savings are huge! that 25% discount combined with free shipping for those who spend over $50 save the more money shopping with ChessHouse.com than any other chess store anywhere! and remembe this is a limited time offer, dont wait!

Free Chess Software! Limited Time Offer!

ChessHouse.com has an amazing free chess software, limited time offer. They are offering a free chess software program online, this free chess software is a chess training and mentor CD called TASC Chess CD 2, it was designed to teach, chess moves, chess strategy, and official rules of chess. TASC Chess was for years the most appraised chess mentor software available, it is recommended by chess coaches all over the United States. Many schools right now are using TASC Chess CD software in their chess class to visually help their students learn chess, this chess software drills chess theory home by making the user go through chess exercises and drills. I dont know how Chess House is able to give away this chess software free, but they are doing it!. The free chess software offered is a $65 chess software program; Chess House has lowered the price exclusively for its customers to $25. But now you can acquire this chess software free! There is only two strings attached to this free chess software offer, You have to make an order online at www.ChessHouse.com that is over $75, then all you have to do is claim your free chess software. You can learn more about the quailty TASC Chess CD chess mentor at improvemychessmove.com, you will even find some helpful videos and clips on how useful the TASC Chess CD really is. the clips give you a sneak peek at the quality behind this chess software.

Glass Electronic Chess Computer

The Glass Electronic Chess Computer is a very stylish looking electronic chess computer, and its not just good looking, the glass electronic chess computer has an official USCF rating of 2000, that's a high rating by most peoples standards! the glass electronic chess computer offers several different playing modes and levels including analysis modes and other handy features. The chess pieces that accompany the glass electronic chess computer are finely crafted from glass, the light pieces are clear glass and the dark pieces are transparent blue. Each square on the glass electronic chess computer has a red LED light integrated just under the surface of the board, when a piece makes its move the LED lights, light up the path its going to travel on to reach its destination, so lets say a rook is going to move from a1 to a8, a string of red LED lights will light up the pathway all the way to a8. This is very handy because you don't need to reference an LCD screen to find out where the computer wants to move. This glass electronic chess computer is strong enough to handle mate in 8 positions, you have the option of playing against the computer or against a friend, while playing with a friend the computer acts as a referee making sure all the rules are being followed. In a nutshell I'd say this could be a great analysis and training tool, but also a great looking electronic chess computer, one that wouldant be all that out of place in a sitting room set up, ready for a game.

Computer Chess Game Fritz 9 & Chess Genius

Fritz 9 is a powerful Computer Chess Game and chess computer analyzing tool, it is the best chess training software available, with this powerful computer chess game software you can view and play chess games online at www.playchess.com the chessbase chess playing server, the Fritz 9 computer chess game software also allows you to view multiple chess games on one screen. You can chat with your opponents, and this computer chess game software has a filter in it that blocks insults. Fritz 9 will also allow you to watch the best chess game going on online, this is a great way to learn better chess, by watching Grandmasters play on the playchess.com server. This chess server is the most widely used and is used by the most Grandmasters, there is a map online showing you where the online title holders are from using red flags. Fritz 9 will give you access to www.playchess.com and is the most recommended chess computer game software with the most options and functions available. With the Fritz 9 computer game software you will be able to play a game VS the computer instead of playing against other people online, after you play your chess game VS the computer, you will have the ability and option to review and anylize your chess game. Fritz 9 is the very best chess computer game for whatever your level is, whatever level chess player you are it is impossible to use the Fritz 9 computer chess game software without improving your chess game.

Chess Genius Classic is another computer chess game, this computer chess game was made famous for beating Gary Kasparov at the Intel World Chess Grand Prix tournament in London. While not as good for learning and improving at chess as Fritz 9, the Chess Genius computer chess game is very popular for its playing strength, Chess Genius was created by Richard Lang, a ten time computer chess world champion. With this computer chess game software you will be able to play vs a friend, VS the computer, or you can match the computer against itself. It is easily downloaded and all updates made to the software are free.

En Passant & How To Play En Passant

The chess term en passant is French for "while passing", en passant is a chess move relevant only to pawns. En passant can only be played in certain chess positions, in this diagram the pawn's on c7 and g2 are in the starting position. If the player commanding the pawns in the starting position (g2 andc7) chooses to make a double jump, or move two squares in one turn (an option only allowed to the pawns first move) this is called "passing", now the pawns on f4 and b5 have the option to capture the enemy by using en passant and moving to c6 or g3. The attacking player's pawn ends up on c6 or g3, right behind where the other players pawn was. This is called en passant, or taking while passing. However en passant cannot be played if the pawns in the starting position only move one space at a time, taking two moves to pass the opposing pawn, if the opposing player (b5 and f4) tries to capture using en passant rule when you have not done a double jump that is an illegal move. En passant can be played using any of the pawn in similar positions on the ranks and files, such as, white can only capture en passant while on the 5th rank and black can only capture while on the 4th rank, and you can only be captured using the double jump to pass them.

Official Rules Of Chess

Written by the US Chess Federation, with edits by Tim Just and Daniel Burg, The Official Rules Of Chess is the only book written on the official rules of chess that is sanctioned by the USCF. The official rules of chess explain every legal move on the chess board, and give you guidelines on how to organize, direct and run tournaments, the official rules of chess book also has details on a fast rating system that the USCF uses. The official rules of chess has guidelines for internet chess and speed chess, it features all the latest chess rules since 2003 and even some tips on winning chess and how to read chess notation. The official rules of chess was designed to be a reference and guidebook, not a training book, the official rules of chess is the only chess rules book that was actually authored by the USCF. The USCF is the governing non-profit organization that is the governing body in the United States, they are devoted to extending the role of chess in the US, their belief is that the American society can be made better through chess. Published by Random House the official rules of chess is paperback, 370 pages, the official rules of chess can be pretty heavy reading but very informative and wastes no time beating around the bush, the official rules of chess cuts right to the bone and gives you the facts. The official rules of chess is definitely the best guide for tournaments, and older people who can handle heavy reading, official rules of chess is definitely not a good book for kids.

If you are looking for a good book for kids to learn chess with, Chess Rules For Students by Bruce Bain is the best one available, it is very affordable, paperback, and very destructible (it will last as long as the learning period usually). Chess rules for students teaches chess notation, chess moves, and has helpful diagrams all in 55 pages. This book is a good chess learning guide, but does nothing to develop chess tactics or strategy, so Bruce Bain has published two other chess books, one is a chess workbook called Chess Tactics For Students, this chess book mainly teaches through chess diagrams with chess theory to back it up, it is made much better than the other two books and will last a long time it is 228 pages of workbook with 435 selected problems, a lot more book for your dollar, the other chess book is Checkmate Ideas For Students, this chess book also is full of diagrams to help young learners how to play the game, it is not nearly as long (it is 55 pages) or as extensive of training as chess tactics for students but gives you much of the same information, but doesn't drill the info home like chess tactics for students, like chess rules for students, chess tactics for students is very destructible.

Junior 10 Software

The Israeli chess program Junior 10, written by Amir Ban and Shay Bushinsky, has for many years now belonged to the best in the world. At the 14th World Computer Chess Championship, which was held as a side event of the Chess Olympiad in Turin, Junior scored 9/11 to take the title (second was Shredder with 8.5/11, third Rajlich with the same score). In the very strong field at this event Junior 10 remained unbeaten and triumphed at the end by beating the reigning world champion Shredder [full ChessBase report].A secret of the success of junior 10 is the implementation of chess knowledge, which has been continuously enhanced and improved by the programmers for many years. The greatest strength of Junior 10 lies in its understanding of compensation. This was a remarkable quality already in earlier version, and led to the famous bishop sacrifice on h2 in a match against Garry Kasparov. and now has been honed to perfection in Version 10 of Junior 10.


Junior's famous bishop sacrifice in a tournament game against Garry Kasparov

For chess programs the comprehensive of concepts like compensation translates into a view beyond the horizon. It also makes the new computer world champion a particularly attractive chess partner, not only in direct training bouts, but also for chess study and analysis, especially of sacrifices or generally sharp, dynamic positions. Junior 10 provides you with twelve months of free access to the Playchess.com server. You also get the latest openings book which is continually enhanced and improved by GM Boris Alterman, a member of the Junior team. Deep Junior 10 is a special version that runs on multi-processor systems, making it much faster than the single-processor Junior 10.

This product news reveiw was taken from: http://www.chessbase.com/