Earthlings Mix It Up Early: 3... c7-c5 is the move!
By Glenn Petersen, Editor, Chess Life for Kids   
October 7, 2008
The talented chess club from Stevenson Elementary School in Bellevue, Washington, gave Earth four choices:  3... c7-c5, 3...e7-e6, 3... Bc8-Bf5, and 3... Nb8-Nc6.
  
We really don't know for sure, but 3 ... Bc8-f5 was probably viewed as too symmetrical (boring!), 3 ... e7-e6 as too passive, and it was perhaps too early in the game to determine the best square for the b8 knight.
  
So sure enough - mankind chose the most aggressive option!  3 ... c7-c5 puts the question to Astronaut Chamitoff right away.  He must once again determine the course the game will follow.

earth_move_3_300_comp.jpg
Greg Chamitoff vs. Earth (after 3...c5)

Here's how the voting broke down:

3...c7-c5      32.0%
3...Bc8-f5    23.4%
3...Nb8-c6   22.8%
3...e7-e6     21.8%

You can join in the voting in a day or two, when Greg responds and our young champions prepare Earth's next choices.

Meanwhile, Greg will meet his opponents in the ongoing Earth vs. space chess match this coming Thursday, Oct. 9.  At 11:05 AM PDT (2:05 PM EDT), NASA Television will broadcast the live linkup with Chamitoff, who lives aboard the International Space Station, and the young champions from the Stevenson Elementary School in Bellevue, Wash.

The Earth's side of this meeting will be hosted by Bellevue Community College - which is located one mile from the Stevenson campus - via a live satellite connection and the 20 minute session will be broadcast live on NASA TV.

For NASA TV schedule updates, downlinks, and streaming video information, visit:

www.nasa.gov/ntv

   

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