This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 27, 2011 - For the second consecutive year, AT&T and the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis have teamed up to raise funds for the United Way with a Chess Carnival. The carnival consists of chess exhibitions with both me and the No. 10-ranked player in the world, Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, as well as other demonstrations by Chess Club employees. The event this year took place Oct. 25 at the AT&T building in downtown St. Louis.
At 11 a.m., I gave a blindfold simultaneous exhibition in which I played four people at once without sight of board. I was able to win all four, although there were times when I was not sure where all the pieces were, but such things happen in chess, even when I have sight of the board.
Next, Hikaru and I played bullet chess for the crowd. Bullet chess is a special type of speed chess where each side gets one minute to make all the moves of tbe game, and the action is fast and furious. I lost the match 3-2, but that was more like a victory for me, as Hikaru is probably the best bullet player in the world, and he usually would beat me all five games.
Next were the simultaneous exhibitions, as Hikaru and I each took on 20 players apiece (although, we had sight if the board in these exhibitions). I was able to win all of my games, but Hikaru had much stronger competition, with many tournament players. Still, Hikaru only gave up one draw to local expert Mark Ferber, and he won the other 19 games, a phenomenal result.
People paid to play in the exhibitions, and not only did they get to play a grandmaster, but each participant received a certificate and an autograph from their GM opponent. Many of the participants also had their photograph taken with one or both of the grandmasters.
This was good practice for Hikaru, who is going to Moscow in two weeks to play in, arguably, the strongest chess competition of all time, the Tal Memorial. I will accompany Hikaru as his coach, and hopefully we can bring back a great result and make the hometown fans in St.Louis just as proud as we are of the Cardinals, who are preparing for game 6 as I write.
Hopefully next week I will be able to discuss how Tony La Russa's brilliant chess-like tactical strategy won the Cardinals their 11th World Series title!
Ben Finegold is the GM in residence at the St. Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center.