Forever 29 suited and Beauty Queens Revisited December 19, 2009
Posted by Jennifer in : books, chess, feminism, poker , 2 commentsFake wind blew out my dyed and straightened red hair. My eyes were smokier than they’ve ever been as the photographer told me, “God wanted your hair to be curly.” Indeed, a lot of artifice went into my new website banner, but what did you expect, a drowsy everyday photo of me typing away?
A couple months ago, I was lucky enough to have a portrait session with Suzy Gorman, the same Saint Louis photographer who took glamour shots of participants at the US Women’s Championship. The Gorman photos and some resultant controversy on blogs and forums, reminded me of how difficult it was for me, four years ago, to write Chapter nine in Chess Bitch, European Divas. In the chapter I profiled Antoaneta Stefanova and Alexandra Kosteniuk, two beautiful and accomplished Grandmasters (Kosteniuk became Women’s World Champion and a GM since I wrote Chess Bitch) who took opposite approaches to publicity. Stefanova is very under the radar compared to her accomplishments, while Kosteniuk with few possible exceptions (Kasparov,Carlsen) is the most popular chess player in the world.
I pointed out the pitfalls of celebrating women chessplayers as pinups: It could penalize or scare women away who don’t fit into a certain standard of beauty, or who just don’t feel like posing for glamour photos. On the other hand, emphasizing beautiful chessplayers contradicts the nerdy image of chess that persists. Also, dressing up and posing is fun for many girls and women and attacking that head-on is not my brand of feminism. At the time of writing Chess Bitch, I was ambivalent about all these issues. However, I was sure about the chapter’s conclusion, a line too perfect to cut once conceived and also a great way to test whether my friends actually read Chess Bitch: “Journalists and fans don’t go around commenting on the size of Kasparov’s cock.”
Four years later, the negatives have faded (pun intended here as well). As long as sexy publicity campaigns are high quality and optional, I approve of them more as a journalist and artist than I disapprove as a feminist. Alexandra Kosteniuk said her new book, Diary of a Chess Queen, “It was the 2001 World Championship that made me understand how important it was to work constantly with the press; and since that time I have given a lot of attention to photo shoots and my off-the-board activities. The popularity of chess during the Fischer, Karpov and Kasparov eras can be explained by the outsized personalities of those grandmasters. People who do not play chess aren’t very interested in what novelty Grandmaster N employed on move 40 of the Petroff’s Defense…”
During my own photo session, Bjork was playing, and I found when looking over the photos later, my favorite portraits were those that seemed to be less mimicking sexy face and more like me, or at the very least more like Bjork. For my new website theme I had to jump at the chance to be forever 29 suited. Some of the other photos are too risqué for me to post here, but I do have a new poker/chess themed twitter page and I also added two new galleries on my photos page, on roulette chess and hula chess.
On the subject of the Women’s World Champion, I’m grateful that Grandmaster Alexandra Kosteniuk decided to do her Christmas Goodwill simultaneous in Tucson. When I saw this offer on Kosteniuk’s blog, I knew that Jean and the Tucson 9queens Academy would be a wonderful venue for Kosteniuk. Look for upcoming photos and details of the event on the 9queens blog, Chess Life Online and Kosteniuk’s various websites, including twitter.
I hope everyone has a very happy holiday and if you’re looking for a place to give, please consider donating any amount to 9queens, or read Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn for more ideas.
Love, Jennifer
The Wire: Bodie is a Chess Talent, Omar Curses!? November 6, 2009
Posted by Jennifer in : chess , 3 commentsI’m rewatching my beloved showThe Wire from start to finish. The first time around, I watched the series with my brother, who insisted on subtitles to catch every nuance of dialog including street and police slang. Recently, Jezebel had a post on turning the drama into a comedy with subtitles . “It kind of reminds of scenes from that comedy Airplane! when two black guys speak and subtitles appear on the screen.” I think this is ridiculous and overly PC, and I generally love being politically correct (and Jezebel). Watching a show as great as The Wire with subtitles can deepen your appreciation of the dialogue and boiling it down to a comic racism sketch from 1980 is inane.
I just finished episode three, “The King Stay the King”, which includes the famous scene in which D’Angelo teaches Bodie and Little Man how to play chess. “You can’t play no checkers on no chess board”, may have inspired this hilarious clip. I wish Chess Bitch had included the D’Angelo line: “The Queen Aint No Bitch, she has all the moves.” If you’re not a Bodie fan, you have to watch this scene again, cause it shows that of all the characters on The Wire, Bodie may not have the biggest heart or sharpest brain, but he has the most chess talent.
My big problem with this episode: Omar curses!! When in a car spying on Barksdale’s crew, he describes the way they hide their stash as some “raggedy ass shit.” One of Omar’s hallmarks is that he never harms or robs anyone who is not involved in drug dealing, and he never curses. But he cursed in this episode. Unless “shit” and “ass” don’t count as real curses and only the f-bomb counts? Speaking of which, there are too many curses in this post to put it in my CLO blog, which is a shame cause otherwise, “D’Angelo teaching chess” could be a good clip for beginners.
Hulachess on the news! October 15, 2009
Posted by Jennifer in : art, chess, feminism , 2 commentsWhile promoting the US Women’s Championship in Saint Louis (October 3-13), I appeared on a news station to show them how to hulachess. Hulachess was also installed at the opening ceremony at the Contemporary Art Museum Saint Louis. Irina Krush, Tsagaan Battsetseg and Rusudan Goletiani turned out to be natural chess-hoopers. Catch the full story on the opening festivities here.
Update 11/6/09: Unfortunately, the video below expired 
but I will try to get it re-uploaded. Meanwhile, browse the hulachess photo gallery I compiled.
Hulachess & Yoko Ono at the NYC Duchamp show September 10, 2009
Posted by Jennifer in : art, chess, feminism , 2 commentsThe Marcel Duchamp: The Art of Chess goes from September 10-October 30 at the Francis Naumann Art Gallery in New York. In addition to a collection of Duchamp’s work, contemporary artists will be featured. This will include hulachess and work by Yoko Ono! Check out an excerpt of hulachess, which I created with Daniel Meirom of DimMak Films and a new review of the book (which will be on sale at the gallery opening) in Frieze magazine.
At the gallery opening, I was also honored to get a chance to play against Grandmaster Lev Alburt on Yoko Ono’s famous chess set, "Play it By Trust." Read more about that and see more photos on Chess Life Online.
I’m also excited about the events scheduled for the U.S. Women’s Championship in Saint Louis from October 3-14. I’m the chair of the organizing committee and will be giving live commentary that will be aired on both the official website and the Internet Chess Club. To sign up to watch rounds live or for the events below, go to the U.S. Women’s Championship schedule on the CCSCSL website.
Some of the highlights include a jazz concert on Friday night and a FREE Bounty Blitz tournament on October 3, Saturday afternoon, 2 PM at the Contemporary Art Museum. Bounty tournaments are very popular in poker-a bunch of stars play in a tournament that’s open to all, and anyone who knocks out one of the stars gets a special prize. In this case, prizes will include books, free memberships to the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis and chessboards signed by all the participants of the U.S. Women’s Championships. Sign up directly for any events at this link.
Finally A Game of Chance, will take place on October 14 at the Kemper Museum at Washington University. The game features a merging of roulette and chess that I created with curator Larry List. The idea was inspired by roulette and chess crazed Duchamp’s wish that somehow chess and gambling could meet in the middle. The reigning U.S. Women’s champion, crowned just a day before, will face off against a special guest, and apparently, I will spin the wheel (which will not look at all like the one below). Email me to place sidebets on the knight.
Fundraising Drive for 9queens book and Academies August 19, 2009
Posted by Jennifer in : chess, feminism , 5 comments
After visiting the all girls’ U.S. Chess School at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis that my brother organized, I’m even more convinced of the benefits of 9Queens Academies and more generally, for occasional all girls’ learning in chess and other male-dominated activities.I think women are just as competitive as men, but they feel less comfortable exhibiting it.
A fierce competitive instinct is why I admire the top-rated player in the camp, Denker Champion Abby Marshall so much. She set a great example for the younger (except for 9queens instructor Amanda Mateer) and lower-rated girls at the camp. When I spoke to Abby on the phone before the Denker, she told me she was going to win it! She was ranked 8th going in, but without confidence that her chances were high, would she have any chance at all? I remember being astounded as a young girl when a male International Master friend of mine told me he played every tournament with the intent of winning it. "Even the World Open?" I asked incredulously. "Of course." To my further surprise, another male IM who was with us totally agreed with him. Huge points if you can guess the first International Master I’m talking about. Hint: He doesn’t play actively anymore.
Another positive trend for women’s chess is that currently 10+% of the members of the USCF are women and 5%+ of the adult members are women. I know those numbers don’t sound too exciting, but they are definitely up from when I wrote Chess Bitch. (New membership categories like Family and Youth complicate direct comparisons, but I am working on getting more analysis of the stats.)
Philadelphia 9queens Academies attracted dozens of girls and women for each session last year, and in Tucson, 50+ girls participated in the latest Queens Academy. I urge you to make as small or large a tax deductible donation as you like at this link: https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=24671 If snail-mail is your thing, please send a check to: 9 Queens P.O. Box 41838 Tucson, AZ 85717.
We can’t host 9queens Academies in every city, so I’m particularly excited about a book of women’s chess positions that we’re hoping to produce in time for what I expect to be a hugely inspiring event, the 2009 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship. I am chairing the event, which will take place from October 3-13 at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, and the Saint Louis team is involving the players in a number of community events.
Thanks and I’ll keep you updated on the Academies and the workbooks!
Baseball and Chess in Lakewood, NJ August 10, 2009
Posted by Jennifer in : chess , 3 commentsOn August 3rd, I went to a minor league baseball game to root on the Lakewood BlueClaws and to play 25 chess enthusiasts simultaneously (while the baseball game was in full swing). There were so many interested players that my dad also took on 25+! I lost one, drew three and won all the rest. My dad had no losses and a few draws. My brother also came, so we decided to add a special twist to my simul. I gave each of my opponents a "Call an IM" pass, in which they could call Greg over and ask for advice. The opportunity to learn from an International Master was a big hit, although I squirmed every time I saw Greg generously mentoring over a board I thought was in the bag. Article with game fragments coming soon to Chess Life Online! Here’s the photo gallery:
My first Main Event and a chesspoker round-up July 11, 2009
Posted by Jennifer in : chess, poker , 8 comments
So I am back from the Main Event of the World Series of Poker, my first live deep-stacked event. It was an incredible experience to play in the ME, as you really get the feeling that just playing in the event is a dream come true for so much of the field. Well this was true for me too, so I was nervous every time I put chips into the pot. My nerves were in direct proportion to the chips in the pot, and not at all with what I actually had-my heart stopped whether I had the nuts, a marginal hand, or absolutely nothing. I made it through the first day with about as many chips as I started with and then big DRAMA about fifteen minutes into day two.
I had scoped out the table composition and googled all my opponents. I knew that the short-stacked guy on my left was an aggressive pro who would try to make a lot of moves for the blinds and antes. The biggest stack at the table, with 60K (pretty much everyone else had between 25 and 32K), was Annie Duke’s husband, Joseph Reitman. Reitman is an actor and has also been playing a lot of poker since marrying Annie. I didn’t really know what being Annie’s Duke husband would mean about his play, but I was guessing tight-aggressive.
In our first hand of the level about ten minutes in, Joseph raised in early position to 3x the BB, 1500. I called on the button with tens. Flop is Q 2 3 rainbow. He checks. Baffling! I was ready to raise on a continuation bet and then give up to resistance but this check is confusing. I bet about 3K, which some of my poker friends said was awful (they like checking behind to keep pot small.) Others say it’s fine, or even good. Turn is a 7 or a 5. He bets 5K! I reluctantly call, thinking that there’s a decent chance he’ll give up on the river, which brings a 5 or a 7. He fires out again 12K. I fold. Kind of annoying hand to lose almost a third of my stack on. My gut told me there was a 50% chance my tens were good, but my brain told me the chances had to be much lower. Unless he’s a total savage or a mind-reader.
The very next hand I get KJs on the cutoff. Middle position limps. I raise to 2K, partly because I know the guy on my left will shove with a huge range if I also limp. I don’t want to waste 500 chips in that way. Flop is 89Q with two spades. Original limper makes it 3500. I think for a minute and shove my remaining 20K. He instacalls and turns over 99. I don’t catch. Bye to me! I had a gutshot and a flush draw, but because if the board pairs he fills up, I was just under 35% to win the hand. It was still the correct play. Against his range of hands, I have fold equity against many and then great equity against a lot of others. I’m even a slight favorite against hands like JJ or AQ. The only time I’m way way behind is against something like AT of spades.
Feel free to leave a comment if you can think of other chesspoker players I don’t know about. Going into day three, Michael Casella (still active 2300) and Randy Bruekner (no longer active, 2000) are still in. How can I forget Dan Harrington? He’s also still in at the end of day two, with 182K in chips. Keep the dream alive!
Hulachess Cover and Excerpt July 4, 2009
Posted by Jennifer in : art, chess, feminism , 4 comments.jpg)
Hulachess was just featured on the cover of Chess Life Magazine! Check out an excerpt from the full video, where I played the first ever hulachess match against my childhood friend, professional dancer Gabrielle Revlock. The variations we played were based on a game I analyzed for Marcel Duchamp: The Art of Chess.
Hulachess excerpt from DIM mak films on Vimeo.
U.S. Chess Scoop June 26, 2009
Posted by Jennifer in : chess , 2 commentsI started a new video blog on Chess Life Online! Here is the third episode.
Click here for the first and here for the second.
U.S. Chess Scoop Episode 3 from DIM mak films on Vimeo.
Brave Iranian Women June 22, 2009
Posted by Jennifer in : chess, feminism, politics , 5 comments.jpg)
I had a dream last night that I was in Iran and that I left my building without wearing hijab. I felt terrified that I would be caught so I ran around and found a pair of leggings to cover my hair. The dream reminded me I am lucky to have the right to vote, protest, or to wear whatever sort of nail polish I desire, but as a feminist I am connected to those who don’t have the same privileges.
I am moved by the courage of Iranian women who are protesting at the risk of beatings, and even death.
I wonder about the Iranian women’s chess team and Shadi Paridar, who I profiled in Chess Bitch in the chapter "Checkmate Around the World."
Chess is one of the few sports in which Iranian women can compete abroad… (because) wearing hijab is not an impediment to play. When I ask Shadi if she likes wearing hijab, she bursts into…laugher and makes faces at me….When she finally calms down she says sarcastically, "Oh I just love it. I feel like such a star in this outfit. People look at me and know I am from Iran." Then she raises her eyebrows and informs me, "I am very bad at wearing hijab."
I also wonder about the members of the Iranian team who we hung out with in China (Shadi was not there). The Iranians were very strong in China- the men beat the American men in the bronze medal playoffs for the rapid teams and Atousa Pourkashiyan, rated just over 2200 at the time, went on a rampage to defeat a number of WGMs and IMs. Iranian arbiter, Mehrad Pahlevanzadeh who now lives in United Arab Emirates, literally gave me the vest off his back when I suggested that my father would probably love it as a souvenir from the Mind Sport Games. Mehrad also wrote a very smart article on chessbase.com about how if we want to make chess more popular, it is important to play till checkmate.
I hope that Shadi, Atousa, Elshan etc. are all safe and that the revolution will end in a way that’s positive for the Iranian people. And who knows, maybe the next time we meet the Iranian women’s chess team, they will be wearing different outfits.
Recently, I reviewed Shadi Paridar’s games while mining for material for an upcoming 9queens workbook filled with combinations of top women players. You can read a little more about the workbook here. Here’s a puzzle from one of Shadi’s games. I will publish the answer as a comment to this blog post.
