Perpetual Chess Linkfest #79, April 12, 2024

Halftime Reflections

The FIDE Candidates is at the halfway point, plus a bunch of other assorted chess links. Enjoy, and have a good weekend!- Ben

Chess Improvement

How do we stop blundering? FM Nate Solon reveals the ultimate secret! (Just kidding, but he shares some good advice) (Zwischenzug)

David Hamm on why he felt he needed a coach who gives him homework and holds him accountable (LiChess Blog)

Reviews

Dawn Lawson reviews a few new courses for novices (An Older Woman’s Chess Journey)

Richard James reviews The Essential Sosonko. “If you’re looking for a book which will improve your rating, this isn’t for you as there are no games at all. But, if you’re attracted to human interest stories, Sosonko is essential reading.” (British Chess News)

Highground Chess writes about his two favorite books for adult improvers (Highground Chess)

The FIDE Candidates

Rooting for Gukesh to bounce back!

Dennis Monokroussos on the Candidates at the halfway point. As in round 5 in the Pragg-Nepo game, Nepo and his Petroff were too much of a stationary target. The Petroff is a first-class opening, but if you give world-class players months to prepare for it there are going to be some nasty surprises coming your way. In both cases, against Pragg and against Nakamura, it was clear that Nepo had prepared for those surprises, but the problem is that there are so many potential surprises and not enough time in the day to rehearse one’s prep for every single one of them, that at some point the “surprisee” is going to be on his own before the “surpriser” is, regardless of what’s in the surprisee’s computer files. (The Chess Mind)

In the Women’s Candidates Tan Zhongyi has the lead, with Goryachkina, Lagno and Lei Tingjie in pursuit. OntheQueenside has the story. (LiChess Blog)

More Candidates thoughts from Nick Visel. I agree that this tournament has delivered on the hype so far. (Nick Plays Chess)

And as always, Chess.com has a comprehensive daily rundown with key quotes, embedded videos and annotations (NM Anthony Levin for Chess.com)

Misc.

MVL Blog alert! The French champion writes and annotates about his experience playing in Grenke. “On a personal note, I had quite a few friends and acquaintances who played in the Opens, which was very pleasant in the sense that it provided a bit of a social link that I’m not used to in top-level tournaments.” (MVL Blog)

Photo of the Grenke Chess Playing Hall via MVL’s Blog- that’s alot of chess boards!

There has been a raging debate online about the role engine eval bars should play in chess broadcasts. GM Noel Studer weighs in (Next Level Chess)

Colin McGourty shares the highlights of an insightful Caruana interview. “From my teenage years forward, it was very atypical not having the social connections that you would normally get going to school, or just having friends that you meet in school and then become friends in other aspects of your life. Yeah, all the other things that are associated with high school and applying to college, all those things didn't really happen for me, but I think you can't have everything.” (Chess.com News)

Sam Kahn looks at the famed New York 1924 tournament. “Tartakower led early and he produced the most charming innovation of the tournament — the Orangutan opening, 1.b4, named because he thought of it while watching the orangutans at the Bronx Zoo during an off-day visit.’ (Chess.com Blog)

Through the Mirror of Chess, a Documentary that I Enjoyed (I interviewed its creator, Howard Burton) is Now Available on Amazon Prime (Chess.com Blog)