These are some of my all time favorite chess positions, games, openings, and funny chess moments.

The Fastest Stalemate in Chess

There are almost an infinite amount of possible chess games from the starting position, but none are as distinctive as the fastest stalemate. On his tenth move, White puts the black position in a stranglehold, and the game is declared a draw because no piece can move.

Aronian vs Anand Wijk aan Zee 2013

This game is widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, and it is my personal favorite. Anand plays the stunning Nde5!! putting more than 1 piece en pris, but the tactic works and he later went on to win the game in spectacular fashion. This game was formative for me because it opened a whole new world of chess where even one tempo could be worth more than a minor piece.

My Best Game

I have played chess for almost a decade now, and I have had beautiful wins along with many terrible losses. The game I will most fondly remember is against International Master Maximillian Lu. We were playing in the penultimate round of the 2022 K-12 National Championships, and the winner of this game would be in clear first going into the last round. We reached a complex middlegame when I found Qxc4!!, sacrificing my queen for a rook and bishop, but paralyzing the black position. I went on to win the game after some more complications and became a National Champion.