“Create Imbalances, Study Pawn Structures, Be Humble”

So states ICA member Adam Chambers, Ph.D., Data Analyst for Synchrony Financial, and accomplished Class A player currently ranked 1870.

As “a thorough understanding of pawn structure informs master level play”, modesty informs this talented, personable chess player, born and bred in the Land of Lincoln.

Inspired as a youngster by his brother Mark, Adam joined the Glenn Elementary Chess Club, Normal IL and played in his first scholastic at Colene Hoose Elementary, Bloomington, IL where he went 4/5. And though he had to “roughhouse it” on occasion, Chambers remains a consummate gentleman and true sportsman, citing his high school coach Garrett Scott as a role model, “a significant mentor on and off the board”.

Strategy, Study & Success

“I try to create imbalances within an even position,” says Chambers. “This can yield very exciting chess play with fewer draws." He also enjoys playing the Bird opening and finds that when playing the Dutch “as white” he can rack up fairly easy wins if his opponent is unfamiliar with the King’s Gambit.

Humility, however, keys his success. “Chess is a proud yet humbling community,” says Chambers. “Recognizing our flaws and admitting our cognitive/calculative abilities is critical.”

Chambers recommends instructional DVDs from ichess.net, Chess24 for following high-level tournaments, Lichess.org for tactical puzzles and play. Where does he play? “At the Chicago Chess Center, in strong fields, well organized by Bill Brock. And tournaments in Springfield and Peoria.”

Is it true you underpromote your pawns to bishops? “Only for fun,” Chambers smiles. “When I play online blitz and an opponent refuses to resign an unwinnable position, I underpromote using as many bishops as possible (hint, hint). Once I had 8 on the board. Of course, never in a real over-the-board game.”

Blitz, Beer, & The Baltic

Hmm, is this a triple fork? The good-natured, 33-year-old Chambers laughs. “In 2002, while a high school senior, I lived in Stralsund, a small town, of the former East Germany, on the Baltic Coast. What a cultural experience! I played in a very old vocational school with a group of men ages 70+. They played blitz ladders and drank beer all day, reminiscing about the glories of communism. In truth, though, they encouraged me to keep playing and helped improve my game.”

Chess, Change & Cats?

“Chess teaches us how to think,” says Chambers, “How to analyze with structure and discipline and how to create. No education is intellectually complete without studying the royal game, at any level. What we learn on the chess board we apply to the life board. For high-level events, we might consider instituting a scoring system that disproportionately favors wins, like the World Soccer Cup. Win: 3 points; Draw: 1; Loss: 0.” Tantamount to basketball’s 3-point play?

One of Illinois’ finest, Adam and his lovely wife Ellen hail from Downstate and currently reside in Chicago’s South Loop with their three cats. He looks forward to future tournaments and “serving the chess community for life”. What about the cats? Do any of them play? Ellen nudges Adam. “I try to teach them the Bird Opening,” grins Adam, “but they counter with the Wing Gambit and just keep swiping pawns off the board. Would that be pawn-swiping or paw-swiping? The Chambers shrug. “Either way, they gain the advantage.”

Good luck with that, Adam. And thank you for giving Illinois Chess “the clear sustainable advantage”.

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