Some progress...

I have made some progress, but getting to 2000, by the February supplement may be a tall order, but the way I see it, I need just one really good result!

I will not be playing Nov 25-26. I plan to stop by at the Scott Kittsley Quick Chess Festival . I decided not to play because I don't think I could learn much from G/29, and even if I did well, it won't change my regular rating. I am going to try and finish the book on rook endings instead.

My next tournament is the 2006 Illinois Class Championship in Joliet, IL. Dec. 2-3.

I am also thinking about playing in the Wisconsin Memorial in Madison,WI, Dec 9-10

3rd Coast Chess Fest.: Nov 18-19 (Northbrook, IL)

The turn out was very dissapointing, only about 60 players showed up. The prizes were based on a ridiculously high number of 180!

Complete Results

My goals for this tournament were, to get my rating to 1900 (from 1872) and to be one of the prize winners.

I managed to tie for 3rd-4th which was worth $62.50 (the entry fee was $65). I went 3-1 (plus one bye), and gained 3 points to end up at 1875

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There are many things that keep me from getting to 2000. One that I have worked on is not to get discouraged when I am not doing so well, instead I try extra hard to put as many obstacles as possible in front of my opponent. Another is to get over confident when I am doing well, I still need to work on that.

Round 1 Bye

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Round 2 Mehmed Covic (1800) vs Me Loss
It was the first time that I played 5...h5, 6...h4 in this variation of the Caro-Kann. I was in bad shape after playing 9...Nbd7 (e6 was correct) , and White could have won with 19.c4 but I managed to hang in there and win the exchange and get to a winning position, I then got my rook "trapped" (after 54 Bd4) and had to sac a pawn to get it out. The funny thing was the rook was not trapped as with 55...c5 and 56...b4 I was winning easily, but after the White king guards the bishop the situation is less in my favor. I then managed to get in to severe time trouble and lost what was a drawn endgame.

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Round 3 Me vs Jan Suplat (1676) Win

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Round 4 Me vs Nicola Dos Santos (1668) Win

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Round 5 Boris Deriy (1607) vs Me Win

This game was about tactics, imaginary and real.

Imaginary Tactics - played
When I played 15...Bxg3 I thought I would be picking up the bishop on b2 next move, but right after I played it I saw that White has 16.Rf2. But I played the 2 moves 15..Bxg3 and 16...Qb6 + with such authority that it fooled my oponent and he just played 16. kh2

Real Tactics - unplayed
I had 14...Bxg3 and if White plays 15.fxg I pick up the rook with 16...Qd4+, but White has the surprising 15.Bb2 when Black is only slightly better after he playes 16...Bh4 and then 17...Bf6 (after White plays 16.Bxg7 17. Bxh8) . I don't think a human player would find 15. Bb2, it is pretty rare to just attack a pawn when your opponent just took your knight.

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Kings Island Open : Nov 11-12 (Mason, OH)

I only played one good game (round 4), but still lost only 2 rating points to finish with 1-1=2 with a rating of 1872.

Complete Results

Round 1
Bye

Round 2 - Me vs MICHAEL A MORRIS (1944) Loss
In this game I could have forced the following position (on move 16) with Black to play:

I thought that the isolated pawn would be a liability, but I think that my active pieces compensate for this and White should be fine. I lost this game because of the move 17. Nh7, for a moment I forgot that rooks can move horizontally too!

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Round 3 - KEVIN MALLOY (1914) vs me Draw
I could have played Kh7 and there are no more checks and Black shold be able to win with the extra piece.

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Round 4 Me vs - MICHAEL CHIANG (1856 ) Win

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Round 5 GEORGE J ELGIN (1771) vs Me Draw

This was a very interesting but frustrating draw. I was clearly winning for most of the game, and then I got into a winning pawn endgame (43...e5). I then blundered with 51...Kg2 and should have lost, but my opponent captured the wrong pawn and the game was drawn. 60. K x b5 wins while K x b4 draws. So instead of gaining about 12 rating points I lost a couple.

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Wisconsin Veterans : Nov 4-5 (Oshkosh, WI)

I finished with 4/5 and tied for 2nd-5th, worth $52.50 and a new rating of 1874.

James Coons with 3.5/5 took home the trophy for the highest finishing person over 50.

Results

First place winner Daniel Lindquist 4.5/5, $170

Top 2 seeds on the left. Kelly Borman, Souvick Roychoudhury.

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My Results
Rnd 1 - Win Timothy Hiddemen (1130) vs Me

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Rnd 2 - bye

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Rnd 3 - Win Me vs R. Hollenhorst (1500 )

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Rnd 4 - Draw Kelly Borman (2003) vs Me .

This was an exciting game. With 19...Be7 I would have had the advantage. The sac on e6 does not work for White, and that was what he was going to do. After 20 Bxe6 fxe6. 21 Rxe6 Qf7 Black wins

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Rnd 5 - Win Me vs John Phythyon (1900)

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Etc.

I went to the Waukesha Chess Club today. They were concluding a g/29 tournament and needed a house player for the last round, I decided to play since it was only quick rated.

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This w-end I plan to play in the Wiconsin Veterans Tournamet.

The w-end of the 11th is the King's Island Open. I have not decided if I will play there. If I can get at least one more person to go with me I will.