FARGO Allison Grippe knows how to take command of a yoga class. Normally, all ears and eyes are on her as she gently guides her students through their poses.

But during a recent class, she had a little competition distractors nibbling on toes, chewing on water bottles, and pulling ponytails.

Anna Paige / The Forum

Dont feel too sorry for Grippe. She did this to herself. As the owner of Yuj Yoga in north Fargo, she invited the disruptive little guests to join her for the studio's first ever puppy yoga on Sunday, April 14, 2024.

The eight puppies attending the class were young but ready to wreak adorable havoc on some otherwise dedicated and experienced yogis.

Grippe welcomed the chaos into her class.

This is a time for people to come together and play with one another, Grippe said. I feel like as adults, sometimes we lose that sense of play.

Anna Paige / The Forum

Animals, in general, have therapeutic qualities, Grippe said. When people spend time with animals, they tend to be much happier and their stress levels are reduced.

Because they lack the human consciousness, they have a way of reminding us that it's OK to play and struggle and feel lost and stumble, Grippe said. It's good for people to be around animals, especially puppies because they have so many natural things to teach us.

And obviously, people seem ready to learn. Grippe said her first two puppy yoga classes sold out in 48 hours, so they added a third.

Thats good news for Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue, which brought the puppies here not just as a fundraiser, but to raise awareness about the organization and the need for people to foster and adopt the animals.

Volunteer Wendy Bernier, who was the session's puppy wrangler, said the breed of the eight puppies posing and playing in the 10 a.m. class are Turtle Mountain Mixes. When they became tired, Bernier switched them out for Husky puppies waiting in the wings.

While theyre all between six and eight weeks old, Bernier said all of the activity wasn't too much for them.

They love it! Bernier said. They feel the good vibes as everybody is relaxing. All the puppies want to do is play and snuggle.

Anna Paige / The Forum

As the class began, the puppies roamed from mat to mat (often coaxed by a few treats Bernier placed in strategic spots). Sometimes theyd help the students with their poses climbing on their backs during child pose or falling asleep in their arms mid-warrior pose.

There were a few little accidents in class.

Pee happens. But were prepared, said Bernier with a laugh.

The puppies seemed to instantly like the youngest human yogi in the room 6-year-old Eden Durick of Moorhead, who was there with her dad, Travis Durick. Travis said theyve done goat yoga before, but came for the puppies.

But will Dad bring one home for Eden?

I dont think hell let me, Eden said.

We have a dog named Millie. Shes kind of grumpy and territorial, Travis said.

Anna Paige / The Forum

Yeah, shes kind of like a cat, Eden added.

So the Duricks had to get their puppy fix during the hour-long class.

Tyrell Fauske found the class to be just what the doctor ordered. Hes originally from the Turtle Mountain area but moved to Fargo, where he graduated with a criminal justice degree from North Dakota State University and eventually became a sergeant with the Fargo Police Department.

A year ago, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer . After having a successful surgery to remove the tumor, he underwent radiation and chemotherapy. He started doing yoga to regain some strength on the left side of his body. But during this yoga class, he and his wife Amanda also found a little spiritual healing.

I think the puppy yoga kind of connects the body and the spirit. The animals are here just to be. To see that innocence and that love that all those little puppies have, and to feel just that unconditional love and acceptance they give you, its just been a great experience, he said.

Anna Paige / The Forum

If anyone was looking for an intense workout, this probably wasnt the right class. But if joy, contentment, and living in the moment were on the checklist, the puppies delivered.

And $866 dollars were raised for the rescue.

Bernier said that in addition to puppy yoga, Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue will bring the dogs to businesses or other events for meet-and-greets. For more information about the organization, puppy visits or ways to help, go to their website . She said to learn more about the organization's incredible origin story pick up the book "Rescue Matters," on Amazon.

So by the end of class, was Grippe offended that her students didnt pay quite as much attention to her as they usually do?

Hardly. Of course, it probably helped that a certain cream-colored puppy seemed to literally become the teachers pet, snuggling and sleeping in Grippes arms off and on during class.

Turtle Mountain might just have one less puppy that needs to be adopted.

1/16:Kishore Chittimalli, of Fargo, hods a puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue during a yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

2/16:Allison Grippe, yoga teacher and owner of Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo, hosted her first puppy yoga class on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Puppies from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue were brought in to interact with class participants. Anna Paige / The Forum

3/16:A puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue takes a break on a yoga mat during a puppy yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo. Anna Paige / The Forum

4/16:A puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue makes off with a yoga participant's water bottle during a puppy yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

5/16:Travis Durick takes part in puppy yoga with his daughter, Eden, left, during a class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Puppies from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue were brought in to interact with class participants. Anna Paige / The Forum

6/16:Tracy Briggs participates in a puppy yoga class on Sunday, April 15, 2024, at Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo. Anna Paige / The Forum

7/16:Sammi Peterson (right) and Emily Post, of Fargo, hold a puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue, during a puppy yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

8/16:Allison Grippe, yoga teacher and owner of Yuj Yoga Studio, snuggles with a puppy from Turtle Mountain Rescue during a puppy yoga class on Sunday, April 14, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

9/16:Eden Durick, age 6, participates in a puppy yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

10/16:Megan Han, of Fargo (left), and Hillary Geraghty, of Moorhead, take part in a puppy yoga class on Sunday, April 15, 2024, at Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo. Anna Paige / The Forum

11/16:Sammi Peterson, of Fargo, holds a puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue during a yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

12/16:Megan Han, of Fargo, takes part in a yoga class with puppies from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue on Sunday, April 15, 2024, at Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo. Anna Paige / The Forum

13/16:Eden Durick, age 6, of Moorhead, holds a puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue during a yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

14/16:Laura Kuhn holds a puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue during a yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

15/16:Megan Han, of Fargo, takes part in a puppy yoga class on Sunday, April 15, 2024, at Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo. Anna Paige / The Forum

16/16:Allison Grippe, yoga teacher and owner of Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo, hosted her first puppy yoga class on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Puppies from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue were brought in to interact with class participants. Anna Paige / The Forum

Original post:
'Puppy yoga' brings attention to animals looking for their forever home - INFORUM

In a recent interview, Diljit Dosanjh expressed his regret for not taking up Yoga sooner. He encouraged children to take up yoga early in their lives, citing just how beneficial this ancient Indian practice is for your health. Calling yoga a miracle, he cleared that yoga is not just stretching.

He has often expressed his inclination towards yoga, sharing a couple of pictures a few years back of the social media platform X. Diljit Dosanjhs recommendation has some weight to it, especially if you are looking for a healthy and engaging activity for your kids.

Harvard Medical School stated that yoga offers many benefits for children, from improving flexibility and strength to promoting relaxation and focus. Here are some essential benefits you should know:

If you are trying to foster a habit of yoga in your children, here are some simple yoga poses that are specifically designed for kids:

This yoga pose stretches the back, legs, and arms, improves posture and strengthens the core. Heres how to do it:

Tree pose enhances balance, concentration, and focus, and also strengthens the leg muscles. Heres how to do it:

Butterfly pose opens up the hips and groin area, and relieves tension in the lower back. Heres how to do it:

This pose Improves spine flexibility and coordination and massages the spine and abdomen. Heres how to do it:

This pose relaxes the body and mind and stretches the back and shoulders. Heres how to do it:

Encourage your kids to practice these yoga poses regularly, ideally as part of their daily routine. You can make it fun by turning it into a game, using colourful mats or props, and playing calming music. Additionally, joining a kids' yoga class or watching online tutorials can add variety and guidance to their practice.

Yoga is a wonderful activity for kids that promotes physical health, mental well-being, and emotional growth. By introducing simple yoga poses into their routine and making it enjoyable, you're setting them on a path to a balanced and harmonious lifestyle. So roll out those mats, strike a pose, and watch your kids flourish with yoga!

View post:
Diljeet Dosanjh Advocates For Yoga Says Every Child Must Do It Here Are Simple Yoga Poses For Kids - Onlymyhealth

Mark Frauenfelder

6:53 am Fri, Apr 19, 2024

"The technique of storing a balance ball by pressing it against the corner of the ceiling seems to be common knowledge among users," says R Otomo on Twitter, "but I feel like there's a lot that people don't know about it."

I don't know about it, but I don't have a yoga ball to find out if it really works. It's possible this photo was rotated 90 degrees:

But another Twitter user named Dary shared a picture of a yoga ball that is definitely on the ceiling:

Previously:Guy gives a lifehacks tour of his apartment

See the original post here:
Did you know you can store a yoga ball by pushing it into a ceiling corner? - Boing Boing

An hour before tipoff of Game 2 between the Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on Monday, backup Sixers guard Buddy Hield is sitting at his locker.

Hield didnt want to speak to the media not while he was preparing for the second of a seven-game first-round playoff series. But he said one word while hunched over, holding a bunch of socks in one hand and his phone in the other, eyes peeled on the projected displaying film on the opponent he was about to face.

Adjust.

The playoffs are all about adjustments.

The right adjustment can swing an entire series in a teams favor, regardless of a perceived talent discrepancy between the two squads.

The wrong adjustment? Well, the wrong adjustment can send a team into a spiral. The wrong adjustment could cost a team a series, a head coach his job.

Adjustments will be abundant in a chess match between two teams with injured stars and high playoff hopes.

The Knicks are on this playoff run without Julius Randle, a three-time All-Star who suffered a season-ending dislocated right shoulder in January.

And for the 76ers, both All-Stars Joel Embiid (meniscus) and Tyrese Maxey (ill) were questionable and listed as game-time decisions before both decided to play through the adversity in Game 2.

I mean listen: I think that you get into the series after Game 1 for sure, said Sixers head coach Nick Nurse. You see a lot of the things that are happening. You can only guess what the coverages will be, what the matchups are gonna be, and all that kind of stuff. So you certainly have a lot of information going into the next game about where youre gonna move your pieces, if theres any matchups you want to change, any schemes you want to change, all that kind of stuff.

You just kind of move the guesses to some more of the factual information youve been presented, and then see how that affects what youre gonna do the next game.

Isaiah Hartenstein, too, is at his locker, a 90-second stroll from where Hield uttered the word adjust.

Hartenstein laughs. This is a question for the head coach, not for the player.

The playoffs are not just about adjustments, but also anticipation: Can you anticipate what the opposing coach is going to do and have a plan of attack ready for it?

For head coach Tom Thibodeau, much of the work leading into this series had been done long before the Knicks knew the victor between the Play-In Tournament matchup between the 76ers and Miami Heat on Wednesday.

As the Sixers and Heat battled for the right to play the Knicks in the first round, Thibodeaus staff spent time finding similarities between the two potential opponents in order to gain a head start for Game 1.

You do it all year long, so you dont have to adjust, Thibodeau said ahead of tipoff on Monday. So, same thing you do with your preparation, you dont change. You analyze the game that you, the things you did well, the things you have to improve upon and get ready for the next one.

Under Thibodeau, the Knicks have their foundational principles: They want to defend hard, shoot a ton of threes, crash the glass and protect the ball. If they do these four things, they believe they can sustain both a poor shooting night of their own or a furious opponent-scoring run.

We come in, we watch film. We have our principles of how we play, Hartenstein said pregame. An adjustment is always going to be made, but at the end of the day, weve got to stick to our principles and just kind of getter better as a team at what we want to do.

Game 1 gave both teams plenty of adjustments to make moving forward.

The Knicks, for example, couldnt stop Tyrese Maxey, who put his superior speed on display to the tune of 33 points in Game 1.

The Sixers found success defending Jalen Brunson, who shot just 8-of-26 from the field for 22 points but to do so, they helped off of Josh Hart, who hit four threes, including a trio of treys in the fourth quarter to help put the Sixers away late.

The Knicks also got some help from Deuce McBride, Bojan Bogdanovic and Mitchell Robinson, who combined to score 42 points off the bench in Game 1, while the Sixers got little else from players not named Embiid and Maxey.

Hield didnt score at all in Game 1 and missed each of the two shots he took in 11 minutes off the bench for the Sixers. The Sixers picked him up specifically for a scoring punch off the bench in a playoff matchup like this one.

Its why hes muttering one word at his locker adjust and why every series has unforeseen twists and turns, regardless of whos suiting up on a given night.

Read more:

Knicks-Sixers playoff is series a chess match rife with adjustments: 'You see a lot of the things that are happening' - New York Daily News

Good morning. Its Thursday. Today well look at a Nigerian chess master who is playing in Times Square. Well also look at a documentary about Black farmers that a store in Brooklyn will play on Earth Day.

As people took turns playing double Dutch and as Batman strutted around in Times Square, a Nigerian chess master, Tunde Onakoya, began his quest to break the Guinness world record for the longest chess marathon.

Onakoya, 29, in New York City for the first time, aims not only to break the world record of 56 hours, set in 2018, but also to raise money for the Gift of Chess and Chess in Slums Africa, organizations that aim to use the game to lift children out of poverty.

Im playing for the dreams of millions of children globally without access to education, read a message from Onakoya on a sandwich poster near the tables set up for his game. The goal was to raise $1 million over the next three days, said Russell Makofsky, a co-founder of the Gift of Chess.

At any given point, Onakoya was in the middle of two consecutive games, including one against Shawn Martinez, a national chess master who coached Tanitoluwa Adewumi, a boy who lived in a homeless shelter in New York City and became a chess master.

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A Nigerian Chess Master in Times Square - The New York Times

THURSDAY, APRIL 25

ANDOVER: Wiggle Words (Ages 0-18 Months)

Come to an early literacy storytime with songs, rhymes and stories.

9:30-10 a.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Must register: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

ANDOVER: Toddler Tales (Ages 18 Months-3 Years)

Join for stories, songs and crafts

10:15-10:45 a.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Register: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

ANDOVER: Friends Book Sale

Shop for bargains and support the Friends of Memorial Hall Library.

1-4:30 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

ANDOVER: Dungeons and Dragons (High School)

Join us for table-top role-playing no experience necessary!

3:30-4:45 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

NORTH ANDOVER: Chess Club

An all ages chess club held on the fourth Thursday of each month. Come test your chess skills against other members of the community!

6 p.m., Stevens Memorial Library, 345 Main St.

Info: 978-688-9505 / http://www.stevensmemlib.org

ANDOVER: Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting

Thursdays

Open meeting, no registration.

7-8 p.m., The Robb Center

Info: 978-623-8320 / http://www.andoverma.gov/elder-services

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

ANDOVER: Friends Book Sale

Shop for bargains and support the Friends of Memorial Hall Library.

9 a.m. 4:30 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

ANDOVER: Super Smash Bros. (Teens/Tweens)

Play Super Smash Bros on Nintendo Switch!

3-4:30 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

ANDOVER: Old Taverns in 18th Century Andover

Learn about the role of rum in the American Revolution and hear about a certain Mr. Washington who comes to Andover. See beakers, mugs and bowls from the era and have a taste of flip and calibogus drinks.

6-7 p.m., Andover Center for History & Culture, 97 Main St.

Cost: pay-what-you-like; tickets start at $15

Register: 978-475-2236 / http://www.andoverhistoryandculture.org

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

ANDOVER: Friends Book Sale

Shop for bargains and support the Friends of Memorial Hall Library.

9 a.m. 4:30 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 North Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

ANDOVER: Saturday Stories

A story time for the whole family.

10:30-11 a.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St.

Must register: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

ANDOVER: Friends Spring Book Sale Bag Day Sale

Shop for bargains and support the Friends of Memorial Hall Library.

1-4 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 North Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

MONDAY, APRIL 29

ANDOVER: Meet-Up Monday (Ages 0-5)

Ages 0-5 and their caregivers can meet for a sensory playtime!

10-11 a.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 North Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

NORTH ANDOVER: Books and Babies (Ages 0-18 Months)

Mondays

This infant lapsit program will provide early literacy opportunities for caregivers and babies through a story time with interactive song, movement, and fingerplay. After the program, babies and adults will have time to play and socialize.

10:30 a.m., Stevens Memorial Library, 345 Main St.

Register: 978-688-9505 / http://www.stevensmemlib.org

ANDOVER: Teen Weekly Activity

This weeks activity is decorating mini notebooks with washi tape.

3-5 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, 2 North Main St.

Info: 978-623-8400 / http://www.mhl.org

More here:

Calendar: North Andover club champions the game of chess - Andover Townsman

(Bloomberg) -- The up-and-comers of Wall Street gathered not around an open bar, but tables with chess boards.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Traders and quants from Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Jane Street and Bank of Montreal were among those congregating at the headquarters of IEX Group Inc. to compete in a bi-annual chess tournament. ClearBridge Investments and WorldQuant were represented, too.

But it was BlackRock Inc.s Rusa Goletiani and her 10-person entourage who stole the show.

Goletiani, an FX trader, is also a chess International Master and Woman Grandmaster. She won the Soviet junior championship for girls under 12 in 1990 when she was 9, and has brought that pedigree to the worlds largest asset manager. The chess club she founded at BlackRock meets every Tuesday.

Her tutelage paid off: The top three teams at the tournament had at least one player from BlackRock. Alice Dong, whos part of Goletianis club, won it all, along with Hao Li of BMO, Xun Liu of Goldman Sachs, and Terrell Anderson of ClearBridge.

The skills that it takes to play chess, concentration, calculation, is appealing to quants and traders, Goletiani said. It takes a lot of time to get into chess, to get into a zone.

IEX, owner of the stock exchange made famous by the Michael Lewis book Flash Boys, started the tournament in April 2023. At this weeks event, the third such competition, about 70 players from nearly 20 firms participated.

The evening was broken down into four five-minute rounds, with players in teams of four competing for first prize a wooden chess set. The winners names are engraved on a trophy that sits at the IEX office.

Beer-and-chitchat

Theres this group among our clients who arent really the beer-and-chitchat types, but theyre all about our chess tournament, IEX co-founder and president Ronan Ryan said. Thats what gives our event that special edge.

Chess and other games requiring analysis, strategy and calculation are popular in the financial world. Saba Capital Managements Boaz Weinstein is a known chess and poker aficionado. At the Sohn conference in 2015, hundreds of finance professionals including Bill Ackman paid $5,000 to watch Magnus Carlsen, the Norwegian grandmaster, play simultaneously against three people, blindfolded.

Goletiani and her BlackRock colleague Dong likened the game to trading.

Story continues

You have to decide which move to make, and often there is no clear way of seeing the outcome. You have to rely on your intuition, Goletiani said. You have to do the same taking risk in the market, she said.

And as good as computers may be, theres no clear solution to the game of chess, Dong said.

Just like trading, there is an element of unknown, and a time crunch, having to make decisions fast, she said.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.

Read more from the original source:

'Flash Boys' Ditch Happy Hour to Compete With Chess Grandmaster - Yahoo Finance

Apr 22, 2024 1:00 pm CDT | Updated Apr 22, 2024 1:50 pm CDT

EVANSTON, IL The Evanston Township High School chess squad battled against the best high school teams in the country at the 2024 National High School Championships, which were held earlier this month in Baltimore.

More than 1,800 contestants took part in the tournament from April 5 to April 7. ETHS entered three teams across three divisions, which are organized based upon players' skill ratings.

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In the top division, which allows for players of all ratings, a four-player team from Evanston Township High School finished in 27th position.

The Wildkits were ranked behind the selective-enrollment Chicago Public Schools Whitney Young High School and Walter Peyton College Prep but ahead of their North Shore neighbors from Highland Park and New Trier high schools.

In the division for players with Elo ratings under 1900, ETHS came in fourth place, behind a pair of New York City public schools and Adlai Stevenson High School of Lincolnshire.

Asa Lieberman, Alastair Keely-Walker, Sam Kemeny and William Zalmezak were the four top-scoring members of the team. Their matches were counted toward the team's final placement, while Daniel Dligach and Tate Darin also took part.

In the division for players with Elo ratings under 1600, Ethan Brush, Aiden Wang, Micah Mostovoy, and Lucia Scrimenti finished 10th.

And in the division for unrated players, Adam Sklar competed individually and earned a 7th place finish.

"Coach Tom Doan and I are very pleased that most players on the U1900 and U1600 teams are underclassmen who will be back and playing for ETHS next year in Illinois high school chess competitions," Head Coach Keith Holzmueller told Patch.

As for individual rankings in the top-rated, championship division, senior Jonah Chang was the top ETHS finisher, finishing in 242nd, with sophomore Adam Elgat coming in at 249th and senior Christopher Van Hoff competing to a 253rd place finish.

For individual competitors under 1900 ratings, freshman Asa Lieberman was the top Evanston finisher with a sixth place finish.

And Brush, a senior, emerged from the tournament as national co-champion of the under 1600 division.

More:

Wildkit Gambit: Evanston Chess Team Checks Out National Championship - Evanston, IL Patch

I have 2 great news today.

First, my next course is at its final stages. It will be about chess strategy and it will be the perfect complement of my last course "The Complete Chess Tactics Bootcamp". The course will be ready on April 30th, so mark that date to get the best offers!

The second important thing is that yesterday the 2024 Candidates Tournament finished and we have a challenger!

17-year-old Dommaraju Gukesh convincingly won the tournament with 9/14 points, and he will play against world champion Ding Liren to have a chance to become the youngest world chess champion ever!

As I had previously anticipated, Gukesh had been playing the best chess in the tournament.

Despite being a teenager, Gukesh is very passionate about chess and has been studying hard for many years. For todays lesson, I studied all of his games from the Candidates and tried to find out what made him the better player.

I noticed some very outstanding qualities that I wanted to share with you so that you can try to incorporate them in your games.

1) Dont Panick Even when he was under extreme pressure, Gukesh kept his cool. In the second game he had the following position as Black against Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (aka Pragg) after 15 moves:

Until this point Pragg was quickly playing his moves as he was under preparation whereas Gukesh was thinking on his own.

Black is a pawn up and could get a third pawn after 15fxe6. However, considering that White had prepared this line and also easily attack the e6-pawn in that line (White could play Bf4, Bh4 or even Nd4), Gukesh was still able to come up with a new original plan by going 15f5!? planning to go Nf6 and slowly consolidate his position. This allowed him to win his first game in the tournament.

2) Be Pragmatic Gukesh can easily find solutions to worse positions.

This is the position that he had as Black after 17 moves in his 4th game against Fabiano Caruana.

Black is under some pressure since the knight on f5 is quite strong. White might even have ideas to sacrifice with Bxh6 mounting an attack against Blacks king.

Gukesh played 17Ne7!? Planning to trade knights. After 18.Nxe5 Nxf5 19.exf5 c5!?

his idea is to trade as many pawns as possible and the extra (doubled) pawn on f5 wont be much of a difference. Gukesh drew the game comfortably.

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3) Dont Be Dogmatic In his next encounter with Caruana (this time as White), he had the following position after 26 moves:

Here Gukesh played the surprising 27.fxg5 creating 2 sets of isolated doubled pawns after 27Qxg5:

Most players would not dare to play this way as White pawns can now become targets but Gukesh ideas was to play 28.Rf3! planning to double rooks on the f-file and attack the pawn on f5. The game ended in a draw after an accurate defense by Caruana.

4) Innovate Many people have been claiming that classical chess is dead since opening preparation is now killing creativity.

However, Gukesh is ready to come up with new ideas as early as move 4!

In this position that we get after 4 moves in the Nimzo-Indian Defense, Gukesh (playing as Black against Nijat Abasov) played the move 4h6. This position has been reached in thousands of games and moves like 40-0, 4d5 or 4c5 are very common. However, the move 4h6 is pretty much unique and the idea of Nh7-f8 that Gukesh later played is new.

5) Know When to Press Gukesh is a very objective player but as soon as he can start getting ambitious, he will not hesitate.

In his game against Alireza Firouzja from the 13th round he had this position as White after 34 moves:

Here taking on f5 with 35.Nxf5 might look tempting but after 35Nh5! Black is attacking both f4 and f5. Gukesh played a few solid moves with 35.Kh2 Nh5 36.Qf2 but after 36Rg6 37.Rd5!

White is already pressing for an advantage, putting pressure on f5 and planning to double rooks on the d-file and invade with Rd7. Firouzja was not able to hold the position, giving Guskesh a very important win.

If you want to see a more detailed analysis of the positions that I show in this article, check my video analysis here: https://youtu.be/aTJxn916qxk

Read more here:

What Can You Learn From the 2024 Candidates Winner - Chess.com

Chess Club meets today at Erie Community Library.

Third-Fifth Chess Club:4 p.m. Monday, Erie Community Library, 400 Powers St., Erie. Third through fifth graders are invited to play chess at the library. No experience is needed to register. Free,highplains.libcal.com.

Job Seekers Club: 9:30 a.m. Monday, Carbon Valley Regional Library, 7 Park Ave., Firestone. A job seekers club is an informal networking group of people who are engaged in the process of job searching and people who are interested in discussing the current workforce landscape and other employment-related topics. Free, 888-861-7323, highplains.libcal.com.

Open mic at Bootstrap Brewing: 6 p.m. Monday, Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Play a tune on stage and nab a free beer. Performers can sign up to play starting at 5:30 p.m. Holler at dennis.m.driscoll@comcast.net for questions. 303-652-4186, bootstrapbrewing.com.

Teen Finer Arts Club:4 p.m. Tuesday, Library, 409 Fourth Ave., Longmont. Sixth-12th graders can join for a monthly Finer Arts Club where theyll explore different art forms and projects. Supplies and instructions will be provided for each project. This month, participants will make resin gummy bears and initial keychains.longmontcolorado.gov.

Mug Magic for Teens: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Library, 409 Fourth Ave., Longmont. Make a customized mug using sublimation technology. Create a professional looking mug to keep or give as a gift for a friend or loved one. Choose from one of many designs, and create a special one-of-a-kind treasure.longmontcolorado.gov.

Passing Hats: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Carbon Valley Regional Library, 7 Park Ave., Firestone. Passing Hats has been making hats and giving them to cancer patients since March of 2011. The group knits, crochets, looms and sews hats, and everything is provided. Beginners are welcome, club members can help teach newcomers how to start off looming a hat. Free, 888-861-7323, highplains.libcal.com.

Procrastiknitting Teen Fiber Club: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Library, 409 Fourth Ave., Longmont. Join Procrastiknitting Teen Fiber Club to create and hang out with other teens. No instruction or specific project provided. A small selection of tools and yarn will be available, or participants can bring their own projects to work on.longmontcolorado.gov.

Family Book Club: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Carbon Valley Regional Library, 7 Park Ave., Firestone. This is a book club geared towards school age children ages 7-11 and their grownups. Free, highplains.libcal.com.

Art & Sip: 4 p.m. Thursday, Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road, Longmont. Inspired by photographs of rock formations in the current exhibit Picturing the West, participants will paint some grand and dramatic rocky peaks in acrylic on canvas. $40, 303-651-8374, longmontcolorado.gov.

R at Bootstrap Brewing: 6 p.m. Thursday, Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Power Of R band, also known as R, delivers a blend of timeless blues and early rock music, featuring iconic artists like Little Walter, Elvis and Chuck Berry, along with covers of classics from ZZ Top, Van Morrison and Dave Mason. The group also brings its own original compositions and enjoyable jam sessions that take listeners back to their youthful days.bootstrapbrewing.com.

Daniel Vigil at 300 Suns Brewing: 6 p.m. Thursday, 300 Suns Brewing, 335 First Ave., Unit C, Longmont. Singer-songwriter Daniel Vigil performs a mix of originals and covers in a rootsy Americana style.720-442-8292, 300sunsbrewing.com.

Foxfeather at Longmont Museum: 7 p.m. Thursday, Museum, 400 Quail Road, Longmont. Led by the dynamic duo of Carly Smith and Laura Stratton, rooted in powerful lyrics and bolstered by strong blues-rock instrumentals, this sultry alt-Americana bands unique sound has been captivating audiences since 2013. Songwriters Carly Ricks Smith and Laura Paige Stratton met in high school, connecting over their shared love of music. The pair began writing together in 2005 and have been creating material and leading their band for the past seven years. Foxfeather is extremely proud of being an advocate of women in art and in business and strives to motivate and empower other women and allies through song. The band is a local staple in the Front Range and also tours nationally. $12-$18,longmontcolorado.gov.

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Longmont-area events for Monday, April 22: Third-Fifth Chess Club - Longmont Times-Call