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BLAST OFF! Print E-mail
By Glenn Petersen, Editor, Chess Life for Kids   
July 19, 2009
368616main_image_1416_428-321.jpgAfter a well-deserved vacation, NASA Astronaut Greg Chamitoff has made his intentions clear.  Much like the thruster rockets on a Saturn space shot, Greg has placed his big guns on the b-file, ready to smash through the queenside, maybe to win back a pawn, snag a piece, or even threaten a back rank mate! (You can work out the variations for yourself, using the chess viewer link!)
   
Our young wizards from Washington - on summer break from Stevenson Elementary School in Bellevue - are staying in touch through the www.chessmagnetschool.com web site, and are up to the task of guiding Earthlings to victory.
  
They've provided four courses of action for you to consider:

1) 28 ... h6 to provide "luft" in a luftless environment (pesky back rank mating threats);

2) 28 ... Rbc8 to perhaps create a back rank threat or two of their own;

3) 28 ... Qc6 and

4) 28 ... Qc5 both moves serving a number of purposes, even at the temporary cost of a pawn.
   
Again, work it out using the chess viewer and make your choice count.  Log in your vote by 6 PM EDT on Tuesday, July 21 (3 PM PDT).

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Greg Chamitoff vs. Earth (after 28.Rab1)

You can check out the current position in our Java viewer and try out the alternatives and see where they may lead - or you can see what you are voting on or the the entire game score by clicking on the links in the right column.
   

Reminder: Don't miss a moment of this historic match - add our RSS feed to keep up with the latest developments, as articles and moves are posted here, and as voting periods occur.
 
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Earth vs. Space Chess Match, 2008-09

Astronaut Dr. Greg Chamitoff has sent 46.Kxa2 and his resignation and congratulations to the Stevenson stars and Earth's voters.
 
Use the Java chess viewer (below) to review and analyze this historic game and read game commentary.

Explore the game in our Chess Viewer

(Click here for help with Java or the chess viewer, or click here for a move list.)

The Final Position:
Greg_move_46_150.jpg
(after Greg's 46.Kxa2)

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Read NASA's announcement about this game.

If you don't know all the rules of chess, and would like to learn, click here.
 
Media Contacts:
NASA - Kelly Humphries
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
kelly.o.humphries
@nasa.gov


USCF - Glenn Petersen
732-252-8388
[email protected]

Stevenson Team -
Coach David Hendricks
WA State Scholastic Coordinator
425-868-3881
425-269-7949
DavidCHendricks
@comcast.net


Match Director -
Hal Bogner
650-284-5062
[email protected]