the Cuitat de
Barcelona Magistral
both cost me a lot of
time off and adversely
affected my grades,
but I never had to
think twice about
accepting the
invitations.
Elizabeth: What is
your advice to
upcoming and new
chess players?
Sam: I would advise
new chess players to
never shy away from
challenges- this is
Sam in his early days at Berkeley Chess School
Photo Courtesy of Berkeley Chess School
good advice for life in
general as well. I hear
tournaments and lessons, The
all sorts of excuses for laziness
Berkeley Chess School, for
or not playing the most
introducing me to the game
challenging way. Examples: "I
and developing a growing
did not take that pawn
passion, all of the tournament
directors put up with my
because it just looked
antics as a child, all of my
dangerous to open my king"
coaches, training partners,
but did you actually calculate
opponents... One could not
whether there are any real
possibly even start to try
threats? Oh, 3 moves in I see
naming them all.
queens are exchanged? or "I
play the exchange variation of
Elizabeth: You graduated
(pick any opening) because it
from Brandeis College in June.
is risk-free and I don't need to
How were you able to
know theory" Aversion to risk
maintain your studies and be
and choosing to play sidelines
able to continue to sharpen
because you are intimidated
your chess skills?
by the workload of learning
Sam: The secret of success
mainlines are both very
was never having a conflict in
poisonous to development.
my priorities. As soon as I
Always play for the maximum
realized that I was getting
and always try to play the
strong enough that chess was
most challenging way.
becoming a very viable career
path, I continued my studies
but they always came second.
For example, my participation
on the US Team at the PanAmerican Championship and
out most?
Sam: Two games in
Page 4
CalChess Journal
Elizabeth: What games stand
particular from the Olympiad
stood out for me- obviously my
win over Judit Polgar that would
turn out to be her final
professional game, and I also
greatly enjoyed the wild
encounter I had in round 2. In a
tournament this tough, being a
bit higher rated doesn't mean
much and my sub 2400
opponent really made me work
for the win in what was definitely
my most exciting game of the
event.
Elizabeth: Is there anything
else you would like to tell us?
Sam: I think that should
cover it pretty nicely, unless I
missed anything.
Elizabeth: Thank you Sam.
We are very proud of you.
Below are the two games Sam
mentions in the interview.
White: GM Shankland (2624)
Black: GM J. Polgar (2676)
E11 Bogo-Indian Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3
Bb4+ 4.Nbd2 b6 5.a3
Bxd2+ 6.Qxd2 Bb7 7.e3 a5
8.b3 d6 9.Be2 Nbd7
10.Bb2 0–0 11.0–0 Qe7
12.Qc2 c5 13.Rfd1 h6
14.Rac1 Rfc8 15.a4 cxd4
16.Nxd4 Nc5 17.Ba3 Nfe4
18.Nb5 d5 19.f3 Nf6
20.Qb2 e5 21.cxd5 Nxd5
22.e4 Nf4 23.Bc4 Rd8
24.Kh1 Rxd1+ 25.Rxd1
Rd8 26.Qc2 Rxd1+
27.Qxd1 Qg5 28.Qd2 Nxe4
Summer 2014