Michigan Open

The playing site. The very nice Radisson Plaza Hotel
Top seed Torman, Eric (2454) (right) who re-entered the 2 day schedule after losing in round 3. He has 3.5/4. All schedules merge for the next round (5)

I took a first round by.

Round 2 : Loss
I was paired agianst near master Seth Homa. He was upset by a 1900 player in the first round. I thought I had an even game but could not hold.

Seth Homa in his trademark outfit

Homa,S (2197) - Me(1800) [B01]MI Open (2), 02.09.2006
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 b5 7.Bg2 Bb7 8.0-0 e6 9.Bf4 Qb6 10.a4 b4 11.a5 Qa7 12.Na4 Nd5 13.Bd2 Nd7 14.c4 bxc3 15.bxc3 Be7 16.c4 N5f6 17.Qe2 Ne4 [ 17...0-0 18.d5 Rae8 19.dxe6 fxe6 20.Qxe6+ Kh8 21.Be3 Qa8 22.Nh4] 18.Bf4 Bd6 19.Ne5 Bxe5 20.dxe5 Nec5 21.Bxb7 Qxb7 22.Nxc5 Nxc5 23.Rad1 0-0 24.Bg5 Ne4 25.Qf3 Nc5 26.Qg4 Qe4 27.Qxe4 Nxe4 28.Be7 Rfe8 29.Rd7 Rac8 30.Rfd1 Rxe7 [ 30...f6 31.f3 Ng5 32.Kf2] 31.Rxe7 Nc5 32.Rxc7 1-0

Round 3: Draw against a 1500 (a kid who is having a great tourament)

Round 4 : Win
Finaly a win against a higher rated player. It's amazing the tactics we missed. I could have won right out of the opening with 12...Be4 or 13 ...Qd5, but instead went into an equal middle game. Then I was completely lost, but managed to win in the end.

Skidmore,M (1927) - Me (1800) [B01]MI Open (4), 03.09.2006
1.e4 d5 2.e5 c5 3.Bb5+ Nc6 4.Bxc6+ bxc6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.0-0 e6 7.c3 d4 8.h3 Bh5 9.g4 Bg6 10.cxd4 h5 11.dxc5 hxg4 12.hxg4 Bd3 [ 12...Be4 13.d4 Rh3 14.Nbd2 Qh4 15.Nxe4 Rh1+] 13.Qa4 Bb5 [ 13...Qd5 14.Qf4 Be2] 14.Qe4 Bxc5 15.d4 Bb6 [ 15...Bxf1 16.Qxc6+ Kf8 17.Qxc5+ Ne7 18.Kxf1 Rc8] 16.Re1 Ne7 17.Bg5 Qd7 18.Bxe7 Kxe7 19.a4 Bc4 20.Nc3 Ba5 21.Qe3 Rab8 22.Qg5+ Kf8 23.Qd2 Ke7 [ 23...Bd5] 24.Qg5+ Kf8 25.Kg2 Rxb2 26.Rh1 Rg8 27.Ne4 Bd8 28.Qc1 Rb4 29.Qc3 a5 30.Rab1 Qb7 31.Nd6 [ 31.Nc5] 31...Qa6 32.Rxb4 axb4 33.Qxb4 Bd5 34.Qb8 Ke7 35.Rb1 c5 36.dxc5 Rf8 37.Qb5 [ 37.Nc8+ Ke8] 37...Qa8 38.Qd3 Qxa4 39.Kg3 Bc7 40.Rh1 Qc6 41.Rh7 Qxc5 42.Rxg7 Bxf3 [ 42...Bxd6 43.exd6+ Qxd6+ 44.Kg2 Rh8 45.Rg5 Qf4 46.Rxd5 Qxg4+] 43.Nxf7 Rxf7 44.Rxf7+ Kxf7 45.Qh7+ Ke8 46.Qg8+ Ke7 47.Qg7+ Ke8 48.Qg8+ Ke7 49.Qg7+ Kd8 50.Qg8+ Kd7 51.Qf7+ Qe7 52.Qxf3 Bxe5+ 53.Kg2 Qd6 54.Qf7+ Kc6 55.Qe8+ Kc5 56.Qc8+ Qc6+ 57.Qxc6+ Kxc6 58.Kf3 Kd5 59.g5 Bd4 60.g6 Bf6 61.Kf4 Kd6 62.Kg4 Ke7 63.Kh5 Kf8 64.Kh6 Be5 65.Kh7 Bg7 66.f3 e5 67.f4 e4 0-1

Round 5 : Loss to 1885

Round 6: Draw 1849

Round 7: Loss 1820

I had a chance to gain rating points right upto the last round, but since I lost the game I did not. But I had a great time and made many new friends. The playing conditions were excellent.

Even with 40/2 G/1 I found myself getting into time trouble. In four of the games it was mutual. Reminds me of "The slowness of genius is hard to bear, but the slowness of mediocrity is intolerable. – Henry Thomas Buckle"

Losses and Draws