UMBC Chess Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• I have little to no experience playing chess. Am I welcome at the Club?
  Absolutely yes! The Club includes and welcomes players of all experience and ability levels. Experienced players will be happy to offer assistance.

• How do I qualify for the Chess Team?
  You must be eligible and you must play in the UMBC Championship, typically held the first weekend in October. The top six finishers form the first team; the next six finishers form the second team.

• Who is eligible for the Chess Team?
  Eligibility rules vary depending on the event. For the Pan-Am Tournament held in December, the following rules apply: You must be a degree-seeking student making progress toward your degree; special (non-degree) students are not eligible for the Pan-Am Team. You may be a full-time or part-time, undergraduate or graduate student. You must be registered for the (preceding) fall term or for the (following) spring term of the given academic year. For other events (e.g. University matches), special students may be eligible.

• How can I improve my game?
  Play (in tournaments, against computers, and with club members), analyze your games (bring them to club meetings), study (middle game strategies, positional elements, tactics, endings, openings, complete grandmaster games), and attend the coaching sessions. There is no simple way to learn chess (if there were, there would be more grandmasters). Chess is a game of tactics, strategy, and psychology---all three aspects must be mastered. Tactics are relatively easy to learn, and they can be learned through solving thematic tactical exercises; initially, improving your tactical ability will help you the most. After becoming proficient in tactics, you should deeply learn the positional elements of chess and their relationships to tactics, pawn structure, and middle-game strategy. It is also important to master basic endings.

• What books do you recommend?
  Nimzowitch, My System
  Lasker's Manual of Chess
  Keres, Practical Chess Endings
  Capablanca's 100 Best Games
  Petrossian, Petrossian's Legacy
  Encyclopedia of Chess Combinations
  The Penguin Book of Chess Positions
  Rubin Fine, Ideas Behind the Chess Openings
  Soltis, Pawn Structure Chess
  Bronstein, The Zurich Tournament
  See also the many books at UMBC's Kuhn Library in the Marvin B. Cooper Chess Collection. A common error is to focus too much on the opening; many strong players give equal study time to the opening, middle game, and ending.

• Where can I buy chess books and equipment?
  One convenient mail-order place is the USCF in New Windsor, NY: 1 (800) 388-5464. Another mail-order company that specializes in chess is PBM International, Inc., in NJ: 1 (800) 726-4685.

• How can I apply for the chess scholarships?
  Simply submit an undergraduate application to UMBC. Doing so will automatically place you in consideration for all UMBC scholarships. Be sure to document and highlight your chess accomplishments. Students in top 10% of high school class with SAT > 1400 and USCF > 2000 have an excellent chance of receiving a significant award (e.g. full four-year tuition scholaraship). Students near but below these expectations will still be considered, possibly for lesser awards. It is in your interest to keep in touch with the Faculty Advisor Alan Sherman throughout the process. Most of the scholarships are for undergraduate students, directly from high school; all are for USA citizens or permanent residents only.