Let's talk about Chess in Poland.

"Big Chucky", as Ivanchuk is called, has been described by Viswanathan Anand as the most eccentric player in the chess world. Anand, tongue-in-cheek, gave his view on Ivanchuk like this:[10]

He's someone who is very intelligent ... but you never know which mood he is going to be in. Some days he will treat you like his long-lost brother. The next day he ignores you completely.
The players have a word for him. They say he lives on 'Planet Ivanchuk'. (Laughs) ... I have seen him totally drunk and singing Ukrainian poetry and then the next day I have seen him give an impressive talk.
For a while he was trying to learn Turkish. Don’t ask me why ... Every day is a surprise with him.
When he plays, Ivanchuk rarely looks at the board. Instead he stares at the ceiling and at the walls with a blank stare (although this is not uncommon with top players who calculate without looking at the board). His playing style is unpredictable and highly original, making him a threat to any chess player, although it sometimes also leads to quick losses.

Pan KazimierzThreads: 2 Posts: 276 Joined: Jul 4, 09	Edited by: Pan Kazimierz Aug 13, 09, 10:02 / #
Let's talk chess: anyone a player? Any good? What's going on with Poland and this game recently? What sort of notation is popular here: descriptive or algebraic?

sledzThreads: 29 Posts: 3,202 Joined: Sep 19, 06	Aug 14, 09, 00:41 / #
Pan Kazimierz: Let's talk chess: anyone a player? I play sometimes on pogo.com

NathanThreads: 33 Posts: 1,846 Joined: Feb 13, 09	Aug 14, 09, 05:39 / #
I haven't played for a while. Consider myself an aspiring amature ;) But chess-playing is definately an art. It is very popular in Ukraine. I found some interesting trivia about one of my co-patriots, who was ranked 2nd best grossmaster in the world a couple times - Vasyl' Ivanchuk - but haven't reached the top :( yet :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vassily_Ivanchuk "Big Chucky", as Ivanchuk is called, has been described by Viswanathan Anand as the most eccentric player in the chess world. Anand, tongue-in-cheek, gave his view on Ivanchuk like this:[10] He's someone who is very intelligent ... but you never know which mood he is going to be in. Some days he will treat you like his long-lost brother. The next day he ignores you completely. The players have a word for him. They say he lives on 'Planet Ivanchuk'. (Laughs) ... I have seen him totally drunk and singing Ukrainian poetry and then the next day I have seen him give an impressive talk. For a while he was trying to learn Turkish. Don’t ask me why ... Every day is a surprise with him. When he plays, Ivanchuk rarely looks at the board. Instead he stares at the ceiling and at the walls with a blank stare (although this is not uncommon with top players who calculate without looking at the board). His playing style is unpredictable and highly original, making him a threat to any chess player, although it sometimes also leads to quick losses. He was 3 times winner of Linares Chess Championship in Spain.

Pan KazimierzThreads: 2 Posts: 276 Joined: Jul 4, 09	Edited by: Pan Kazimierz Aug 14, 09, 09:57 / #
sledz: I play sometimes on pogo.com Any good? Nathan: I haven't played for a while. Consider myself an aspiring amature ;) But chess-playing is definately an art. It is very popular in Ukraine. That's great! That's definitely something I think we could be more like the Ukraine on. How long since you've played? Ever been in any tournaments? Won? I haven't played in four months myself, sadly. Can't find anyone to play with. Nathan: I found some interesting trivia about one of my co-patriots, who was ranked 2nd best grossmaster in the world a couple times - Vasyl' Ivanchuk - but haven't reached the top :( yet :) Pretty cool. The thing with not looking at the board during play is unnerving, I know - my mentor in the States (who defeated the national champion of Peru when he was ten years old) would do this - except staring at you, instead. And with his chin on one hand, hunched forward. Top players can indeed apparently just do this. And then of course he'd always win. I had the satisfaction, one time, where he stopped a game, with six pieces left on the board, to question me about a move I'd made, and it was a good one! ^sorry, just that I'm still so proud of myself. Another question I had: why does this game seem to be treated with so much more respect in Russia and the Ukraine, but I can't see the same from Poland? From what I've seen here, ping-pong gets more attention. =( @Nathan, or others, are you familiar with algebraic notation, and if so, would you like to play a game via text in Off-Topic or PM? I haven't played a good one in ages!

sledzThreads: 29 Posts: 3,202 Joined: Sep 19, 06	Edited by: sledz Aug 14, 09, 14:47 / #
Pan Kazimierz: Any good? Id say that I am at the intermediate level, just mostly play for fun:) You might like playing on Pogo they have a masters level and those people have like 2 to 3 minute timer clocks on their games. Too fast for me:) Ive been getting better, I beat this one guy in 4 moves using tricks I picked up on youtube, he was so mad..lol

Pan KazimierzThreads: 2 Posts: 276 Joined: Jul 4, 09	Aug 14, 09, 16:03 / #
^Please don't bring your personal beefs into this thread. sledz: Ive been getting better, I beat this one guy in 4 moves using tricks I picked up on youtube, he was so mad..lol Well, not to offend, but if you pulled that off then I'd have to say that neither of you were anywhere near Intermediate level. Having played with a lower-level Master countless times, I can tell you that you won't ever find a sufficiently advanced player trying to pull that one (you're talking the one with Queen and Bishop covering F7, right?), because it ends up being a totally game-losing opening (like so many) when it fails, much less falling for it (the major openings exist for a reason!). Anyway, Intermediate is a lot higher than most people think it is. I might be around the lower vestiges myself, I think (can't give you a ranking as I've never been in a tournament), my mentor promised me that I'd know for sure the day I realized I could play without watching the board...

IronsE11Threads: 2 Posts: 799 Joined: Mar 3, 08	Edited by: IronsE11 Aug 14, 09, 16:20 / #
Pan Kazimierz: anyone a player? I used to play for my school team where I was mentored by an International Master, but I haven't played much since then. Occasionally I have a go on my iPhone, but I'm not very good. sledz: I beat this one guy in 4 moves I once beat someone in 2 moves, but doing so relies entirely on your oponent being totally clueless. Pan Kazimierz: my mentor promised me that I'd know for sure the day I realized I could play without watching the board... I used to play my mentor on the school bus in the morning with a miniature magnetic chessboard. One day he asked for a game and I told him that I had left my set at home. He replied: "That's ok, f4" (i.e. Kings pawn f4). And that was the end of that game!! ;-)

Pan KazimierzThreads: 2 Posts: 276 Joined: Jul 4, 09	Aug 14, 09, 16:25 / #
IronsE11: I used to play for my school team where I was mentored by an International Master, but I haven't played much since then. Occasionally have a go on my iPhone, but I'm not very good. That's cool. Why have you stopped? How was the play of you/your team? IronsE11: I once beat someone in 2 moves, but doing so relies entirely on your oponent being totally clueless. It does... but I thought the minimum moves required for checkmate was 3? Unless you were Black?

NathanThreads: 33 Posts: 1,846 Joined: Feb 13, 09	Aug 14, 09, 16:27 / #
Pan Kazimierz: Another question I had: why does this game seem to be treated with so much more respect in Russia and the Ukraine, but I can't see the same from Poland? From what I've seen here, ping-pong gets more attention. =( Hi, PanKazimerz. First, I would like to correct you grammatically - THE is not used in front of Ukraine. You don't say The Poland, right? :) Interesting question. I don't know the answer. But since I remember myself, old people in the center of the city were playing chess on numerous benches in parks, squares, fountains, sometimes even garbage bins. Younger would join to play and bids were either some cash or a cigarette. I don't play chess well. These old guys would be definately masters of the game. And you know what - they make me sweat - after one game I am steaming as if I have been running for quite a while. It's great. Pan Kazimierz: Pretty cool. The thing with not looking at the board during play is unnerving, I know - my mentor in the States (who defeated the national champion of Peru when he was ten years old) would do this - except staring at you, instead. And with his chin on one hand, hunched forward. Top players can indeed apparently just do this. And then of course he'd always win. I had the satisfaction, one time, where he stopped a game, with six pieces left on the board, to question me about a move I'd made, and it was a good one! ^sorry, just that I'm still so proud of myself Edith Polgar, if I am not mistaken, said that chess is easier to play with a live opponent than with a computer because it is easier to confuse a human than a machine. She also said that psychological factor is 50% of the game strategy. I wouldn't be playing well with someone staring at me the way your mentor did. I think you may ask to put some curtain over the board in order not to see his/her stare :)

Pan KazimierzThreads: 2 Posts: 276 Joined: Jul 4, 09	Aug 14, 09, 17:13 / #
IronsE11: I used to play my mentor on the school bus in the morning with a miniature magnetic chessboard. One day he asked for a game and I told him that I had left my set at home. He replied: "That's ok, f4" (i.e. Kings pawn f4). And that was the end of that game!! ;-) Heh, yeah. My dueling partner and I discovered, upon word of a tournament in the area, that not only could we not play by notation alone, but that just taking the time and effort of writing the notation down before making the move led to us ridiculously horrible blunders! Nathan: Hi, PanKazimerz. First, I would like to correct you grammatically - THE is not used in front of Ukraine. You don't say The Poland, right? :) Yes I do all the tim- er, I mean yeah, sorry. Must have picked that habit up in the States or something? Apologies, I'll correct that in the future. Nathan: Interesting question. I don't know the answer. But since I remember myself, old people in the center of the city were playing chess on numerous benches in parks, squares, fountains, sometimes even garbage bins. Younger would join to play and bids were either some cash or a cigarette. I don't play chess well. These old guys would be definately masters of the game. And you know what - they make me sweat - after one game I am steaming as if I have been running for quite a while. It's great. Indeed. Sounds like you have no problems with not being able to find someone to play with! Nathan: Edith Polgar, if I am not mistaken, said that chess is easier to play with a live opponent than with a computer because it is easier to confuse a human than a machine. She also said that psychological factor is 50% of the game strategy. I wouldn't be playing well with someone staring at me the way your mentor did. I think you may ask to put some curtain over the board in order not to see his/her stare :) I don't know about the 'strategy part', but she's sure right that it can kill a game for someone! Like for example, how much easier it is to make dumb mistakes after you just realized you'd made one already, or the worst: when you realize that you no longer have any idea what's going on in the game, in which case you've almost certainly lost. But if you think the staring alone was creepy, my mind also had trouble coping with the fact that his average move time was about as long as it took to reach his hand down and move a piece, and half of them were without even looking at the piece he was moving. Just kept staring at me while reaching out with his hand. And he'd assure me that if he was moving quickly, it was a sign that I wasn't making any bad moves, because he'd considered all the good ones already and the appropriate response. Scary! =0

NathanThreads: 33 Posts: 1,846 Joined: Feb 13, 09	Aug 14, 09, 23:02 / #
delphiandomine: Actually, as far as English goes, saying "The Ukraine" is widely used and accepted. Likewise, saying Czech Republic is technically wrong as the Czechs tried to get us to use Czechia in English, but it just didn't catch. I'm not sure why the usage of "The" Ukraine came about - but it's very, very commonly used. Think about it, we say "The" Netherlands rather than Netherlands, and the same goes with the Ukraine. You are greatly mistaken about that. Below is the link to the article. http://www.infoukes.com/faq/the_ukraine/ Does English grammar require the definite article the before Ukraine? Ukraine is the name of an independent country. There are only two groups of countries which require the article in English: Those with plural names such as the United States or the Netherlands. The others have names with adjectival or compound forms which require the article, such as the United Kingdom, the Dominion of Canada, or the Ukrainian SSR. English grammar does not require a definite article before the names of singular countries such as England, Canada or Ukraine. But what about the regular daily press in the USA, Canada and England? Even The New York Times (which once required it in its Style Guide) does not use it now. Neither do The Times (London), The Economist (London), Washington Post, TIME, Newsweek or Maclean's. News services such as Canadian Press, Reuters, CNN and Associated Press do not use the article. When the December 1991 referendum confirmed the independence of Ukraine the White House in Washington, D.C. officially announced that it would discontinue use of the definite article before the name Ukraine So, if you want to be correct, use it the right way.

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,727 Joined: Mar 10, 08	Edited by: SeanBM Aug 14, 09, 23:12 / #
Wroclaw Boy: The last time i played was with a Polish guy actually (my brother in laws boss) and after a major vodka session. I had a huge chess board made for me in a prison in Lithuania and I have shot glasses for pieces. I got a diamond tipped drill that jewellers use and engraved the Ferrari horse etc... When you take a piece you drink it. It is just for fun. ================================= They sell 3 way chess sets in the slik market in the main market square in Krakow. Great game for interested chess players. I think it was a Polish invention?.

delphiandomineThreads: 42 Posts: 9,954 Joined: Nov 25, 08 [Suspended]	Aug 15, 09, 00:18 / #
Nathan: So, if you want to be correct, use it the right way. But you're making the mistake that many English teachers make of assuming that there is such a thing as correct English. Unlike French, English doesn't have L'Académie française, nor have English speaking countries participated in any reform like the Rechtschreibreform which was agreed in Vienna a few years ago (and subsequently ignored by the Swiss, I think?). What the Ukraine says is neither here nor there - as I mentioned, the Czech Republic attempted to force English speakers to use Czechia upon independence, yet it didn't stick - unlike Slovakia (although some people persist with talking about the Slovak Republic). Likewise, it sounds much more natural to my Scottish ears to talk about the games in 'the' Ukraine rather than Ukraine - or talking about how Shevchenko plays for 'the' Ukraine rather than 'he plays for Ukraine'. This was very commonly heard during the 2008 qualifying campaign - It's a matter of personal choice - like most of the English language.

Pan KazimierzThreads: 2 Posts: 276 Joined: Jul 4, 09	Edited by: Pan Kazimierz Aug 15, 09, 10:22 / #
SeanBM: I had a huge chess board made for me in a prison in Lithuania and I have shot glasses for pieces. I got a diamond tipped drill that jewellers use and engraved the Ferrari horse etc... When you take a piece you drink it. It is just for fun. That sounds like a cool party game. Keep things from getting too rowdy while still tossing 'em back and having fun. Wait... you were in a prison in Lithuania, and played Chess? SeanBM: They sell 3 way chess sets in the slik market in the main market square in Krakow. Great game for interested chess players. I think it was a Polish invention?. Fun! ShelleyS: Is chess different in Poland to rest of the word, my Knight takes your Bishop! ;0) Eh, the rules are not. Seems that the standing is. ShelleyS: I have a lovely glass set, which gets used about 3 times a year since my friend moved to London :( I've played on a few glass sets. Make no mistake, glass is an excellent material in principle- looks nice, can be crafted into cool shapes, feels classy, and extremely durable etc. But I didn't like having to distinguish the pieces based on that one was frosted and the other clear. So much easier to distinguish one from the other. My personal favorite board - which I left back in the States on account of I couldn't stand the thought of it being broken on the flight here, was a hand-crafted antique-style stone wonder. Marble for the black pieces (which were of course consequently white and gray, and just looked ridiculously cool with the veins running through and whatnot), some translucent gold for the white (still have absolutely no idea what stone that is - not exactly an expert on stones). But I do just love playing with stone sets. Impractical, because they break so easily, but awesome nonetheless. But (and I don't mean to patronize), it's good to see a woman that takes interest in chess! It's not just me; why does it seem that women are just less interested in the sport in general, and, if not entirely as a consequence of the above, not as good on average? Is it because they weren't allowed to play for most of the game's history? I've heard one top player (in an interview) claim it was because they were too emotional for the game, but that doesn't exactly sit right with me somehow...

IronsE11Threads: 2 Posts: 799 Joined: Mar 3, 08	Aug 14, 09, 17:19 / #
Pan Kazimierz: That's cool. Why have you stopped? How was the play of you/your team? Well I stoped playing competitvely when I left school. I lost the last game I played in the regional semi-final of the Times Chess Championship. There was an age handicapp and we were playing a primary school (Temple Modern). We would have lost even without the handicapp (2.5/3.5), but I lost to a 9 year old! I was 15 at the time :-( Nowadays I have no one to play with :-( Pan Kazimierz: It does... but I thought the minimum moves required for checkmate was 3? Unless you were Black? I was black. I couldn't believe my luck!

Wroclaw BoyThreads: 57 Posts: 5,470 Joined: Jul 3, 09 MEMBER	Edited by: Wroclaw Boy Aug 14, 09, 17:51 / #
I used to play chess for my school also, at junior level i was around 12 years old. After that i only played occasionally with uncles and such till i was around 20 living with a bunch of students, one bought a computerised chess board and that was it, i and three others were hooked for about a year, as it is with students we used to smoke ganja and such and end up playing chess all night on many occasion. Speed chess soon became where the action was, 5 seconds a move or your opponent takes a piece. Great mind stimuluss. From loosing fairly regularly to older guys i soon became aforce to be reckoned with on the old chess board. Fantastic game, wish i had more time to play and learn really. The last time i played was with a Polish guy actually (my brother in laws boss) and after a major vodka session. This dude was a company director and well schooled in the arts of drinking vodka then playing chess. He anialated me twice, and yeh im still pissed about it. Revenge is a dish best served cold but to be honest im not sure if i could beat him without a serious crash course to re-kindle the old flame.

Pan KazimierzThreads: 2 Posts: 276 Joined: Jul 4, 09	Edited by: Pan Kazimierz Aug 14, 09, 17:52 / #
IronsE11: Well I stoped playing competitvely when I left school. I lost the last game I played in the regional semi-final of the Times Chess Championship. There was an age handicapp and we were playing a primary school (Temple Modern). We would have lost even without the handicapp (2.5/3.5), but I lost to a 9 year old! I was 15 at the time :-( Nowadays I have no one to play with :-( Age can be deceiving. As I said, the man who taught me beat the national champion of Peru when he was 10. It definitely doesn't help if you underestimate your opponent for it! Can you play with Algebraic Notation? If so, we can play via PM... I'm really getting desperate for a match! =( IronsE11: I was black. I couldn't believe my luck! Hehe, nice! My mentor always said there was no luck in chess... that may be true, but there's definitely 'your opponent screwing up'! The last time i played was with a Polish guy actually and after a major vodka session. This dude was a company director and well schooled in the arts of drinking vodka then playing chess. He anialated me twice, and yeh im still pissed about it. Revenge is a dish best served cold but to be honest im not sure if i could beat him without a serious crash course to re-kindle the old flame. Drugs and chess? I mean, I've gotten drunk so I could write term papers and the like, and also for the majority of posts I make on these forums, but I'm not sure I want to see how it works for a chess game. 0_o

delphiandomineThreads: 42 Posts: 9,954 Joined: Nov 25, 08 [Suspended]	Edited by: delphiandomine Aug 14, 09, 22:33 / #
Nathan: First, I would like to correct you grammatically - THE is not used in front of Ukraine. You don't say The Poland, right? :) Actually, as far as English goes, saying "The Ukraine" is widely used and accepted. Likewise, saying Czech Republic is technically wrong as the Czechs tried to get us to use Czechia in English, but it just didn't catch. I'm not sure why the usage of "The" Ukraine came about - but it's very, very commonly used. Think about it, we say "The" Netherlands rather than Netherlands, and the same goes with the Ukraine. But chess is certainly bigger in the Ukraine than in Poland - L'wow has loads of guys playing near the Opera there, for instance. I've never seen anyone in Poznan playing in public, although I did see a group of guys playing near the river in Krakow.

ShelleySThreads: 18 Posts: 3,647 Joined: Jun 26, 07	Edited by: ShelleyS Aug 15, 09, 00:35 / #
Pan Kazimierz: Let's talk chess: anyone a player? Any good? What's going on with Poland and this game recently? What sort of notation is popular here: descriptive or algebraic? Is chess different in Poland to rest of the word, my Knight takes your Bishop! ;0) SeanBM: They sell 3 way chess sets in the slik market in the main market square in Krakow. Great game for interested chess players. I think it was a Polish invention?. Thats simply not chess! I have a lovely glass set, which gets used about 3 times a year since my friend moved to London :(

Wroclaw BoyThreads: 57 Posts: 5,470 Joined: Jul 3, 09 MEMBER	Aug 15, 09, 10:27 / #
Pan Kazimierz: My personal favorite board - which I left back in the States on account of I couldn't stand the thought of it being broken on the flight here, was a hand-crafted antique-style stone wonder. Marble for the black pieces (which were of course consequently white and gray, and just looked ridiculously cool with the veins running through and whatnot), some translucent gold for the white (still have absolutely no idea what stone that is - not exactly an expert on stones). But I do just love playing with stone sets. Impractical, because they break so easily, but awesome nonetheless. A well crafted Chess set and a decent globe, cant think of any decorative furniture i would rather show case in my living room.

MareGaeaThreads: 45 Posts: 5,527 Joined: Feb 6, 08	Oct 22, 09, 18:49 / #
Pan Kazimierz: Let's talk chess Let's not. >^..^< M-G (can play, but thinks it's boring)

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,727 Joined: Mar 10, 08	Oct 22, 09, 19:19 / #
MareGaea: thinks it's boring Only if you keep losing ;p

LeopejoThreads: 6 Posts: 154 Joined: Sep 16, 09	Oct 22, 09, 19:56 / #
In Finland white pieces are some colourless liquor like wódka, while the black ones are a special salmiakki liquor (that is, salty liquorice)

krysiaThreads: 26 Posts: 3,604 Joined: Aug 10, 06	Oct 22, 09, 20:02 / #
I once played szachy on a Polish online game, and the oponent thought I was a guy. Lol. He starts talking to me "kolega jest początkujący?" I didn't tell him I'm from the US and I'm female. After the game he thanked me. Of course I lost.

ArienThreads: 6 Posts: 1,604 Joined: Oct 20, 08	Oct 22, 09, 20:10 / #
I play chess occasionally, and I'm pretty good at it. I don't play chess online though. (I'm usually too busy with videogames!) :)

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Edited by: Seanus Oct 22, 09, 21:36 / #
I have beaten the Chessmaster 5500 series (quite old now) at top level quite a few times. I studied intensively and can teach the theory reasonably well. I also bought Speelman's book on endings at 20 quid a throw. All the likely ramifications. BCO2 was my bible for some time with Keene and Kasparov. I also own the Kasparov Vs Kramnik 2000 match book and others like 'Playing the Scotch' by Peter Wells (English GM) and on the Slav Defence (Markov and Shipkov I think, it's at home). I played in the same side as GM Jonathon Rowson (Aberdeen Grammar School). His rating is 2599 I think. I'm from the same city as he is. He is a published author, having recently produced 'Chess:The Seven Deadly Sins'. I'd love a game with Messrs Krasenkow, Wojtaszek, Socko, Markowski, Macieja, Kempinski, Bartel and Miton as they are all over 2600. However, Poland has 21 players (I think) with GM status. Oh, and Poland are no 13 in the world, England is 17, Scotland is 52.