Links

 

Serving the bi-state chess community for over 40 years!

This site is best viewed with IE 5+ in 1024 x 768   

 

FAQ
Events
News
Games
Links
Pairings
Members

Home

 

 

 

 

 

 

Places to Play Online
Places to Shop
Check These Out
Federations and Clubs

 

Your chess club only meets on Tuesday night, your regular sparring partner has the flu, and your wife can't remember (and doesn't care about) the difference between the queen and the king -- not to mention how the "horse" moves.  You're stuck.  Well, here's some places to go when OTB isn't an option:

 
Free Internet Chess Server.  (www.freechess.org)  This is the place to go if you need a chess fix at any time of the day or night.  All you have to do is go to their website, download the interface (usually WinBoard or AmyBoard), register your handle (if you want to play rated games) and log on.  It hosts a number of tournaments each day and I've found that there are always at least 100 people online almost all the time.  It's easy to use and doesn't cost a cent, as opposed to ICC which makes you pay $50.00 per year or USChess Live where you have to be a member of the USCF to play for free.   This is the best place to play online, in my humble opinion.
 
Internet Chess Club.  (www.chessclub.com)  As I noted above, this place isn't free.  But if you have the means and don't mind shelling out cash for games, this place is a step above FICS.  Its interface (called "Blitzin") is much like WinBoard, but much prettier.  They also have a lot of moderators online to ensure that cheaters are brought to justice in a timely fashion.  They also host many Grandmaster tourneys and it's even rumored that Karpov, Kasparov, and Bobby Fischer play here.  It's pretty, user-friendly, and probably has more players than FICS online at any given time--though it's pretty close.
 

US Chess Live.  (www.uschesslive.org)  This is the online playground for members of the USCF.  As a dues paying member ($40.00 per year for adults) you get the right to play USCF rated events, a subscription to Chess Life, and a membership to USChess Live.  It's got a really great interface (much different than that of FICS or ICC), offers prizes for tourneys, rated quick-events, and a number of online Grandmaster lectures daily.  Some of the more well-known GMs that lurk around USCL are: GM Joel Benjamin, GM Larry Christiansen, WIM Anna Hahn, GM Tal Shaked, GM Alex Yermolinsky, GM Nick De Firmian, and many others.  The downside is that your free membership only allows you to play 12 rated games per day.  This is a new thing and USCL really jacked it up.  You can purchase a "Royal Membership," but why do that when you can play for free a FICS?  But for free, it's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

 
Chess.net.  (www.chess.net)  Another good place to play for free.  Download the interface (Chess.net for WindowsLite) and you're off!  You can also order the full version which costs a little cash, but the lite version is just as good.  They also offer a java-based interface that works with most browsers if you're paranoid about downloads.  Either way, a great place to get a game.
 
World Chess Network.  (www.worldchessnetwork.com)  Yet another free site where you can play for free.  Register a "handle" (nickname) or use your own real name, download the necessary files, and you're off.  I must say that the interface is very user friendly and easy on the eyes.  Doesn't look like it gets much traffic yet, but with a program like that, the hits are bound to start pouring in.

 

 

InstantChess.com.  (www.instantchess.com)  Since we seem to be pinching pennies, here's a java-based free site where you don't even have to register to play.  You just type in your name and Whammo! you're automatically logged in and an opponent is found for you.  Of course, you can't get a rating on here, but this type of site is good if you're just looking for a quick, indifferent game during your lunch hour and your boss has you behind a firewall which doesn't allow you to connect to FICS, USCL, Yahoo! or other game servers.  Check it out.

 

 

Play by email!

Red Hot Pawn.  (www.redhotpawn.com)  A great place to play by e-mail.  You can play a friend (if you know his or her e-mail address) or you can submit an open invitation to play anyone.  It's easy, it's fun, and most importantly, it's free!


 

  
Need a new set?  Stumped over the latest line in the Accelerated Dragon?  The sites below are the best places to start your search.  If you can't find it below, you don't need it.
 

Chessco.  (www.chessco.com)  Illowa Chess Club's own Bob Long has been in business for more than 30 years selling quality chess merchandise to woodpushers all over the world.  They have an extensive catalog of anything you could possibly want; from books to CDs to putting on a chess festival annually (or bi-annually).  Top-of-the-line merchandise coupled with outstanding customer service make the people at ChessCo far and away the friendliest, most professional chess merchants in the United States.  And they do it all with only four people!  Their website offers honest reviews of the latest and greatest books and commodities in the chess world, something many proprietors don't offer.  If you're in the market for anything chess related, check ChessCo FIRST.  

 

Hyde Park Chess.  (www.hydeparkchess.com)  This Cincinnati-based company offers a very wide range of high-quality chess products and equipment.  They have an extensive selection of sets, boards and clocks, as well as some strong chess computers to choose from.  Their website is very well designed and easy to navigate, so you'll have no trouble finding what you're looking for.  Check them out!

 

Chess Digest, Inc.  (www.chessdigest.com)  Chess Digest offers myriad books and merchandise for online purchase.  Like ChessCo, Chess Digest has a catalog you can download in PDF format.  I've only dealt with them once, but the one time I did, I was impressed with their customer service and comprehensive variety of merchandise. 

 

 
Looking to improve your game?  (Aren't we all?)  A site to pass the time on a boring Sunday afternoon?  Well, these sites may just have what you're looking for.
 
Chess Visualization Training.  (www.janmatthies.info/chess/cvt/cvt.htm)  People tend to lose "sight" when calculating the moves in their heads.  When making a search for "blindfold chess" on the internet you soon find information that one of the most important advances in your chess life is to master the art of visualisation.  That's why there is this website.  By the way, it's free!  They offer exercises, email lessons, and a newsletter.  Check them out!
 
 
Internet Chess Radio!  (www.chess.fm)  For those of you who just can't get enough of this game, Internet Chess Radio is just the thing you've been looking for!  You can connect to the programs through Windows Media Player or directly through their website via a built in player they offer online.  They frequent high-profile tournaments interviewing players, discuss recent events and chess politics with notable chess personalities, and offer game analysis from some of the world's best players.  Their website is very well designed and their announcers aren't shy about posing tough questions -- they tell it like it is.  Whether you're looking for a chess fix at work or just wanting to check out the current chess events, you can't do any better than Chess.fm.  Check it out!  You won't be sorry!
 
 

Where in the WORLD to play chess!  (homepage.mac.com/billtomlinson/chesspage.html)  Bill Tomlinson has put together a huge list of places to play chess all over the world.  Vacationing in Colorado?  Bill's got the hot spots.  Heading to Thailand?  Bill's got a place for you.  Oh, you're going to Bolivia?  Bill's knows where to go.  And we're listed on there too, so the site really is complete!  Before you go on vacation, make sure you visit his site if you know you'll be jonesin' for a game.

 

 

ChessBrain.  (www.chessbrain.net)  So after it beat Kasparov in 1997 you thought "Deep Blue" was the strongest chess playing computer out there?  Well, it may be for the moment, but the computer Carlos Justiniano's working on will make DB look like a Commodore 64 -- but he needs your help!  His goal is to create a massive distributed network of machines that can examine billions of positions per move by working together.  Kind of like giving your Fritz chess program 200 processors!  If you'd like to get involved in his unique project, visit this site to learn more about it!

 
 
Chessopolis.  (www.chessopolis.com)  A top-notch, first class, FDA approved website to find anything chess related.  It is a colossal orgy of chess links ranging anywhere from opening theory to sites that tell you where people play chess in Liechtenstein. It's updated regularly and even features book reviews by Iowa's own NM Randy Bauer. Chessopolis has got it all.
 
The Exeter Chess Club.  (info.ex.ac.uk/~dregis/DR/coaching.html)  This site is absolutely phenomenal. An outstanding resource for any player looking to improve his or her game. They have handouts, great links, and training for any level of play. I highly recommend visiting this site first if you're looking for ways to improve your game.
 

Tim Krabbe's Chess Curiosities.  (www.xs4all.nl/~timkr/chess/chess.html)  Just as Exeter's the site to hit if you want info on improving your game, Tim Krabbe's is the site to visit for a pot-pourri of fascinating stuff sure to keep any chess aficionado busy for hours.  From the longest game to the game with nine queens to the game with the earliest stalemate, his Chess Records are a great way to pass a boring afternoon.  The site also has a weekly chess column, chess quotes, and a plethora of other interesting information.  If you're surfing for chess miscellania, search no more.  Tim's outstanding site could easily keep you busy for days.
 
Chess Cafe.  (www.chesscafe.com)  This outstanding site contains regular contributions from notable chess authorities such as Edward Winter, GM Lev Alburt, former USCF director Al Lawrence, and other great masters of the game like Bruce Pandolfini, Hans Ree, Dan Heisman and the late, great Tony Miles.  A great resource sure to captivate any woodpusher.
 

Tales of 1001 Knights.  (www.1001knights.com)  A personal homepage with exceptional content.  It has essays, a daily chess paper, daily tactics exercises, downloadable games, and much more.  They also offer site maintenance for your chess related web-page.  One of the best personal sites dedicated to chess I've ever seen.

 

University of Pittsburgh Chess Club.  (www.pitt.edu/~schach)  If you're looking for downloadable games, utilities, links, etc. -- look no further.  There are a ton of all of these and more at U of Pitt Chess Club!  There is simply no better place to find chess-related downloads on the net.  Period.  An excellent site that is maintained by competent players and updated monthly!

 

 

Chess City.  (www.chesscity.com)  Chess City.com is an excellent site.  It contains great information, including tools for study, pictures, links, discussion forums, curiosities (none that you can't find at Tim's site though), and even a store where you can pick up books, CDs, and equipment if you can't find it at ChessCo or Chess Digest.com.  Definitely worth a look.
 
Tigerchess.  (www.checkerwise.co.uk)  Official website for British GM Nigel Davies.  His website is directed at improving players (hey, aren't we all?), offering essays, lessons, news, problems, & links.  Very well put-together site.
 
Solving Chess.  (www.geocities.com/solvingchess)  Solving "mate in x" problems is one of the best ways to improve your tactical eye and OTB visualization skills.  Solving Chess is the website for international competitive chess problem solving. They offer problems (of course), links, and information about upcoming events.  
 
Conrad Chess IQ.  (www.angelfire.com/tx4/conradchess/index.html)  IM Conrad Goodman's website dedicated to chess problem solving that offers prizes for correct answers after you've gained so many points.  
 
 
PD Chess Composition Books.  (www.algonet.se/~ath)  A complete set (11 books) full of chess problems to improve your strategy and tactics.  These are available free for download in .pdf (Adobe Acrobat) format.  Don't pay for any problem books until you've mastered these!  (And they're not easy!)  There's over 3000 problems in these books -- enough to keep you busy until I get my first GM norm.  Well, okay . . . not that long.
 
Chess Kit.  (www.chesskit.com)  They're ba-ack!  Like the Exeter Chess Club, this site is aimed at improving your chess.  It offers downloads, software reviews, lessons on tactics and strategy, and even contains a page with quizzes to help improve your pattern recognition skills.  This site is excellent for those who've "hit the rating wall" and are at a loss for how to improve their game. Extremely user friendly and well organized, the Chess Kit Team has done all of us improving players a favor by creating this site.  

Ed's Ever Growing Chess Page.  (www.inficad.com/~ecollins/chess.htm)  Ed Collins is a well-known Internet Chess Server personality, having been a former administrator on both the FICS and USCL servers.  His personal homepage dedicated to our beloved pastime is by far one of the most well organized and interesting chess pages on the web.  If you love chess, you'll absolutely love this site!  Check it out . . . his site is definitely a must see!


Chess Maker.  (www.alphaprime.com/chessmaker)  Want to make some chess diagrams of your own?  Want to build your own website?  Well, your viewers, especially your less advanced viewers, won't get much out of a bunch of posted notation thrown up on a text-file web page.  Chess Maker is the easiest way for you and your e-friends/patrons to get the most out of your instructional games!  There's a 30-day trial period where you can use it, but hey, it's only $10 to register and you get all the diagrams you want.  What do you think I use for this site??  If you're looking for a good, yet inexpensive chess utility, look no further.
 
La Mecca: Chess Encyclopedia.  (maskeret.com/mecca/index.shtml)  Can't remember what "en passant" means?  Want to know how to spell "zwischenzug?"  La Mecca has it all.  From a history of world champions to definitions of the most obscure chess terms, La Mecca is by far the most jam-packed site for searching all things chess.
 
Chess Today.  (www.chesstoday.net)  The brain-child of GM Alex Baburin, Chess Today is the first internet based daily chess newspaper.  A very interesting compilation of games, analysis, puzzles, stories, lessons and much more.  It's written in printer friendly .pdf format (available at the Adobe Acrobat webiste) so you can print it off and read it over coffee.  The fee is $36 per year ($16 for four months), but they offer seven free sample issues that are really worth checking out.
 
 
Chess Graphics.  (www.cowderoy.com/graphics)  Want to spice up your own website with some interesting and quite hard to find chess related pics?  Chess Graphics is the place to go.  You'll find hundreds of .gifs, .jpgs, and .bmps that are sure to suit your every need.
 
Chess Express.  (www.chess-express.com)  This site offers software for your club to track ratings and improve performance.  It also includes some links and good information.
 
Queenside.com.  (www.queenside.com)  A sounding board for USCF policy issues and membership info.  An interesting idea, though I doubt the USCF directors ever read it.  They don't even respond to requests on their own website!
 
Chess Dominion.  (library.thinkquest.org/10746)  Chess Dominion is a nice looking site packed with a lot of useful information.  Tutorials, a gallery of world champions, and why chess is good for you are some of the more interesting links.  Worth a quick look.
 
Chessolutions.com.  (www.chessolutions.com)  This site offers an online-tutorial and weekly distribution of newsletters geared toward improving your chess for $5 a month.  I don't know if there's a big name behind it or how worthwhile the information is, but if you've got the time and the money it might be worth a look.
 
Bill Wall's Chess Page.  (www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/7378/chess.htm)  Bill's site can be summed up in five words: links, links, and more links.  And they're listed alphabetically!  It's almost like having a dictionary of chess websites, which is quite a feat considering that there's over 600 of them!  Of course, we're not on there so it's not all-inclusive (or complete yet!), but Bill has done a tremendous job.  Check it out.  
 
Chess History Center.  (www.chesshistory.com)  For all you history buffs out there.  The more I get immersed in all the aspects of chess, the more I want to learn about it.  This site is dedicated to the eternal question of "where did chess come from?" and valiantly attempts to answer this evasive question.
 
My Obsession with Chess.  (www.scottmccloud.com/comics/chess/chess.html)  I just had to include this site.  Scott McCloud is an artist who did a 16 foot, two part website dedicated to his fascination with chess.  Each of his drawings tell a little part of the story.  It takes a little while to load, but well worth it.
 
The Chesshaven.  (thechesshaven.homestead.com)  Michael Musgrove's excellent site has a plethora of stuff to keep any chess player of any level busy for hours.  Wish I had his talent for web design!  Check it out!
 
Randy's Revealing Reviews.  (ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/randybauer)  Iowa's own NM Randy Bauer offers reviews of chess books and help on mastering an opening online.  Randy has posted links, instructional games, and tips in addition to his honest reviews.  
 
ChessAid.com.  (www.chessaid.com)  If you've got the time and the cashflow, ChessAid.com will surely help improve your game.  They offer lessons, online tutorials, and game analysis by grandmasters, international masters and national masters from all over the world.  If you've got "fat pockets," this would be a great resource for you to improve your skills.
 
Chess Corner.  (www.chesscorner.com)  Janet, a school teacher in London, made this personal site dedicated to our favorite pastime.  You can find a plethora of chess miscellania here; there's so much to do and see on this site, I couldn't do it justice with a couple of lines.  This one is a must-see.  
 
Chess Ninjas Dojo.  (www.angelfire.com/fl/chessninja)  Mark Bowen's created an interesting page containing links, news, books and more.  The most interesting thing is his variation of Sun Tzu's strategy for war as applied to chess and life.  Check it out.
 
Kingpin.  (www.chesscenter.com/kingpin/Kingpin/index.htm)  The British magazine Kingpin is offered online in a slightly downscaled version.  Many of your who've read or subscribe to this excellent periodical already know that much of the content it includes in every issue puts Chess Life to shame.  It offers quotes, interviews, articles, reviews and IM Gary Lane's sharp wit in his section, the "Agony Column."  Definitely worth a look.
 
Chess Stories.  (www.homestead.com/seventhrank/stories.html)  Harold Bearce's entertaining website has many different short fiction stories with a chess theme.  You can even submit your own if you fancy yourself a 21st century Fred Reinfeld.  Some of them are pretty darn good!
 
 

The Chess Doctor.  (www.chessdoctor.com)  If you need some personalized help with your game and don't mind forking over some cash, let the Chess Doctor analyze your games and steer you in the right direction.  Dr. Robert Ogden provides this service for a fee, but his site also boasts some interesting links, instructional tips for beginners, chess tables, books, sets, and much more for free.

 

 

Checkmating (A short flick by AtomFilms.com).  (atomfilms.shockwave.com/af/home)  A short little film about a woman's quest to find the ever-elusive "Mr. Right."  She plays chess with several different guys hoping to find someone who can beat her.  Original, but not very accurate since the light square isn't even in the right-hand corner, but entertaining nonetheless.  And the star is very easy on the eyes, which is a lot more than I can say compared to some of the inbreds I've seen frequenting tournaments!

 

 

Pawnpusher.  (www.pawnpusher.co.uk)  An extremely entertaining British site dedicated to venting a lot of chessic frustrations many of us have felt from time to time.  They have "Scumbag Tricks," a "Chess Metaphor Liberation Organization," a rundown of the kind of people you meet at chess tournaments (hilarious!), a store where you can buy some semi-cool t-shirts, and much more.  Definitely worth checking out if you're in the mood for a good laugh.

 

 

GM Byrne's Chess Article Archives.  (www.nytimes.com/diversions/chess)  Since the QCA doesn't have a chess article in the Quad City Times, we have to be content with instruction from a grandmaster.  Darn the luck.  Here you'll find an archive of GM Byrne's weekly articles as published in the NY Times.  Great instruction and great games.  Check it out.

 

 

MagicalMates.com.  (www.magicalmates.com)  Home of the "King's Korner."  Cartoons with a chess theme grace the pages of MagicalMates.com.  Honestly, most of them are pretty lame and not really funny, but your kids might enjoy them if they're around five years-old.  But it's not very often you run across a cartoonist who's crazy about chess!

 

 

SchoolChess.com.  (www.schoolchess.com)  A great site for educators who want to start a chess club in their school.  It offers software to keep track of your student's ratings and progress, workouts, videos, and much more.  Definitely worth a look for those who appreciate all the benefits chess provides to kids and are serious about getting a program going.  SchoolChess.com can provide some invaluable tools for teachers who are looking to give their kids an extra edge and make the club a little more interesting by providing some incentives to come back with some tangible progress reports and club ratings.

 

  
Want information about chess in Iowa?  Illinois?  Hootypoot, Idaho?  Want to start a chess club in your own neighborhood?  These sites may help you accomplish just that.
 

World Federation

The World Chess Federation.  (www.fide.com)  FIDE (pronounced FEE-day) is the governing body for international chess, sort of like NATO with an attitude.  I'm not sure how one "joins" this particular organization, but unless you play chess outside of the U.S., you really don't need to worry about it.  Many different people have many different opinions about FIDE, some support it and some think it's run by a bunch of facists (according to my experience lurking around the newsgroup rec.games.chess.politics).  Nevertheless, their site provides some excellent links and information about the upcoming and past tournaments that some of today's best players participate in.
 

 

National Federation

The United States Chess Federation.  (www.uschess.org)  The USCF is a nonprofit organization aimed at promoting chess and chess education in the United States. It costs $40 per year for an adult membership which includes a one year subscription to Chess Life magazine. With a membership you can obtain a national rating by participating in chess tournaments all over the country and get inside information on all the goings-on in the chess world as well as receive training from some of the world's top grandmasters on the website. The website also offers a number of services with their online catalog of merchandise, upcoming tournament information, news and a Java rating calculator that you can determine how much your rating will go up or down with each win and loss. Well worth the cash, though you don't need a membership to visit all the links on their website.

 

State Affiliates

Iowa State Chess Association.  (www.iowachess.org)  Chess in Iowa! IASCA is an affiliate of the USCF. Membership dues are $10 per year until December 2003 when they will go up. Contact IASCA President Mehrdad Pedram, Treasurer Mark Capron, or even your friendly neighborhood webmaster, Director Matt Nemmers, for membership information.  Mark is also the editor of Iowa's quarterly publication, Iowa Chess News En Passant (delivered free for members), which is another good source of information about the chess happenings all around our great state.

Illinois State Chess Association.  (www.illinoischess.org)  Official website for our neighbors across the river.  An excellent source of tournament information and if you're looking for a club anywhere in the state, look no further.

Wisconsin State Chess Association.  (home.wi.rr.com/joseph9617/wca)  Wisconsin's state chess affiliate.

Local Clubs and Websites

 

Illowa and St. Ambrose Chess Clubs.  (www.quadcitychess.com)  Duh!  <wink>

 

Ames Chess.  (www.bluethings.net/~ameschess)  2003 Iowa State Champion Pete Karagianis has created an excellent online resource for central Iowa chessplayers with his new website.  Ames Chess offers news, links, pictures, and even an online schedule of Pete and Tim McEntee's weekly activities, so Iowa woodpushers always know where the experts will be should they want to take a shot at them.  Looks like Pete's going to be adding a games section as well, so be sure to check out all the interesting annotations once they're online.  Check it out and expect great things from this website in the future!

 

Greater Peoria Chess Federation.  (peoriachess.topcities.com/index.htm)  Wayne Zimmerle has put together and outstanding site for our neighbors over in Peoria.  Tournament schedules (with a list of entries received, which is always nice), ladder standings, and past crosstables coupled with the links, games, swindles, and scholastic info on there make this site a must-see.  Plus, it's updated very frequently so you won't have to worry about reading the same-old-same-old every time you visit.  Great job, Wayne!  Hope we can keep up!

 

Iowa Chess.  (members.tripod.com/~wwx2/chess.html) NM Mark Willey has put together an excellent site dedicated to promoting chess throughout our great state.  He's put together some great biographical information about the Dubuque Chess Club founder, Louis Paulsen, and even supplies almost 200 of his games for download in PGN format.  It also includes links, instructional games, and even a game engine you can test your skill against.  Highly recommended.

 

 

Burlington Chess Club.  Apparently Burlington's website is down due to their webmaster moving out of state.  We hope they're back online very soon.  Roger Broeg has done a  good job as webmaster for our chess-playing cohorts in southwest Iowa.  Their site offers links, games, member-submitted articles, meeting times/places, upcoming tournaments, and tournament results.  All the chess action in SW Iowa can be found on this site.  But before we go, the BCC has also started the . . .

 

 

Midwest Chess Discussion Board.  (members.boardhost.com/MidwestChess/index.html)  A place for all of us local woodpushers can get together and discuss all things chess!  What a great idea!

 

Dubuque Chess Club.  (www.dubuquechess.com)  Since I just moved from Dubuque to the Quad Cities, I can't forget my buddies north on 61!  Since I was the author of this particular website, I can be critical . . . it's not very good.  But the old one is great.  Click here to check it out.  After all, where do you think all these links came from??

Quincy Chess Club.  (www.adams.net/~gblickh/index.htm)  Gary Blickhan does an excellent job keeping his members informed and his site current.  A nice collection of tournament results, USCF crosstables, and some pics for the players to look over from past tourneys.  They even had a bughouse tournament!  Keep up the great work, Gary!

 
Cyclone Chess Club.  (www.stuorg.iastate.edu/chess)  Site for our comrades in Ames run by Iowa's young prodigy Pascal Openshaw.  Good source of tournament information.
 
Hawkeye Chess Club.  (www.uiowa.edu/~chess)  Official site for the University of Iowa Chess Club. Not a very impressive site though, as it's only updated about once or twice a year.

Des Moines Chess Club.  (members.tripod.com/~dmchess/home.htm)  Website for our fellow fanatics in the capital.  Hasn't been updated with new information in a while, but we hope they're still pushing wood!