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This and that…

While getting better will certainly improve your rating, getting your rating higher does not mean you are getting better.

My goal was to get better and get my rating up to 2000, by the Feb 2007 supplement. With the 20 point loss last w-end, the chances of that happening are not so good. I only have 6 more games scheduled before the February cut-off. (Which I think will be around Jan 2-3)

I will probably be paired down in 4 of these 6 games.

The games I have scheduled are:

Dec 29:
Three G/45 at FRIDAY NIGHT QUICK CASH - Kansas City, MO
Dec 30:
Three(1st round bye) G/70 at McLean County Historical Museum Open - Bloomington, IL

Probably the prudent thing to do is not risk rating points by playing mostly lower rated players in these quick events. But, I enjoy playing too much and I am also trying to improve my time management skills.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, starting Jan 1, I will only have time to play in about 1 tournament a month. I plan to study more and play up when I get a chance. I will also concentrate on getting better and not worry about the rating.

Things I need to concentrate on:
- Lots of tactics (I think that tactics alone can get you to well over 2000)
- Endgames
- Openings
- Study the type of middle games that come out of these openings

Some one was asking how I got an 1800 floor. I have that covered that here.

Western Michigan Open XXIV, Dec 16, (Grand Rapids,MI)

I had great time at this tournament. The playing conditions and organization were excellent, complementary coffee and snacks were nice touches.

Complete Results

Douglas M Forsythe - Organizer and TD

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I don't like to play with time controls less then G/90 or play more than 2 games a day. This tournament was G/60 and there were 4 games in one day. But there was nothing else I could find for this w-end, and I decided that I would like to get better at shorter time controls too.

All my games went right down to the wire in terms of time. The two games I lost were mad time scrambles by both players.

I finished with 1-2=1, and will probably lose about 19 points. to get back down to 1865

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I lost both games as White! The final 10-15 moves in these games were not recorded.

Click here to replay the first loss.

Click here to replay the 2nd loss.

Missing Loss

This was a loss I forgot to include in a previous post. White tries an unusual second move. Instead of playing 2...d6 or 2...d5 I tried 2...Qa5. That was not that bad, but after I played 7...c5 I was in a bad way. I had to play 7...d6

Russ Montey (1842) vs Me Loss

Click here to replay the game.

Progress Report etc.

I have been able to devote so much time to playing chess for the last few months because my family has been out of state. They will be returning Jan 1 so after, that I won't have too much time to go to tournaments. Although, I will be able to study, which is what I really need in order to improve. I will be traveling to and from Texas over the Christmas/New Year's break. I will be flying down and driving back.

My goal is to get to 2000 by the February 2007 supplement. There are only three weekends left. (I don't think the Jan 6-7 weekend will make the February supplement)

These are some of the tournaments I am looking at playing in:

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Dec 16 : Western Michigan Open XXIV
Rounds : 4
Time Control : G/60
Location : Grand Rapids, MI
CON(S) : Distance
Site: Leonard Terrace Apartments 1315 Leonard Street North East Grand Rapids, MI 49505 Directions: Yahoo Map Infospace Map Format: 4-SS Open USCF and MCA Membership required Time Control: G/60 or G/55(t/d 5) Rounds: 10AM - 12:00PM - 3:00PM - 5:00PM Lunch - after round 2 - 2:00PM - 3:00PM Entry Fee: $20 - Western Michigan Open XXIV Free - USCF rated blitz - side event(s) Registration: 9 - 9:45, December 16, 2006 Prizes: Plus-score tournament 4.0 = $40 3.5 = $35 3.0 = $30 2.5 = $25 Entries/Info: Douglas M Forsythe, Local TD 1825 Ball Avenue North East Grand Rapids, Michigan 49505 (616) 361 - 8214 forsythe.douglas@comcast.net

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Dec 23 : 2nd Saturday Touch Move CC Action
Rounds : 5
Time Control : G/30
Location : Chicago, IL
CON(S) : G/30, Tournaments played at this club have not been rated yet.
5639 N. Ashland Chicago IL. Limit 40 players. EF: $30 non-members, $20 TMCC members. ($360 b/24) $120 - $70, U2200- $65, U2000- $55, U1800/Unrated- $50, Reg.: 12:00 pm Rounds: 1pm-2:30-3:45-5-6:20 pm. 2 bye limit, request before rd 3. Info: IM Angelo Young (773) 627-2759, TMchesscenter@hotmail.com

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Dec 29 :Friday Night Quick Cash
Rounds : 3SS
Time Control : Game/45
Location : Kansas City, MO
CON(S) : G/45
The Chess Club at Vivion West Shopping Mall (North Kansas City), 2314 NW Vivion Rd, Riverside MO 64150. EF: $25 by Dec. 27th, $30 onsite. Memb. Req'd: $5. OSA. $$GTD: $225. $75. U2000 1st $75 U1600 1st $75 100% of entries will be paid out as cash prizes!. Accelerated pairings will be used. Reg: Between 6-7 PM. Rds: 1st Round 7PM. No Byes Available. ENT: Ken Fee 1537 Baker St. Liberty, MO 64068. Club Phone: 816-505-1615 PAYPAL to chessclub@powerpawn.net. INFO: chessclub@powerpawn.net. http://www.powerpawn.net/.

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Dec. 30 : McLean County Historical Museum Open
Rounds : 4SS
Time Control : G/70
Location : Bloomington, IL
McLean County Historical Museum, 200 N. Main, Bloomington, IL. EF: $20 if received by 12/28 ($16 under 20), $25 at site. $540 b/35. 1st $200, 2nd $100 (1st and 2nd prizes are guaranteed) U2000 $100, U1600 $80, U1200 $60. Reg: 8:30-9:30 AM, Rds: 10, 1, 3:45, 6:30. Ent: Dennis Bourgerie, Box 157, Normal, IL 61761. 309-454-3842. Cell: 309-531-1723. Schoolstreeter@msn.com, NS, NC.

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Observations etc.

• I attribute my imrovement mainly to my mental attitude. I used to be "scared" of my opponents. Not any more. Swiching(from the Qd6 Scandinavian) back to Caro Kann helped too.
• Most of my recent losses/draws were due to mistakes during time trouble, I have to improve in that department.
• I see a lot more tactics now, but I still miss a lot.

5 more points and a painful draw in Round 3

My result was 1-1=1. The new rating will be around 1889

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Round 3 Me vs Raymond Hayes(2100) draw

I fell for 3 fold repetition in time trouble in a completely winning position against floored out 2100 player Raymond Hayes. I stopped taking notation after move 49.

Click here to replay the game.

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Round 2Russ Montney (1842) vs. me Loss

White tries an unusual second move. Instead of playing 2...d6 or 2...d5 I tried 2...Qa5. That was not that bad, but after I played 7...c5 I was in a bad way. I had to play 7...d6

Click here to replay the game.

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Round 1 Me vs James Coons (1883) win

Click here to replay the game.

My opponent usually gets in time trouble and is known for memorizing openings. I knew that I could get a good time advantage if I varied from the main lines. I played 7. h3 and after that had a good advantage on the clock. Towards the end of the game I had about 20 min. and he had less than 2. Some of the moves I made toward the end (eg. 24 Qh5) were made not because I thought they were the best moves, but because I though they would give him the most discomfort with the clock ticking away towards zero.

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Wisconsin Memorial : Dec 9-10 (Madison, WI)

I finished 3-0=1, and gained 19 points to end up at 1885. I split the $100 class A prize with David Cardenas.

Complete Results

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Round 4 - Me vs Richard Wagner(1900) - Win

I could have won a pawn with 13. Bxf6. but I decided to go into a closed position with active pieces, my king's bishop had a lot of scope, and I could expand on the queen side.

15...f5 creates a backward pawn on an open file, and a hole on e5 which the king's knight now is itching to occupy.

17. Bxc6 the bishop gives his life so that the king's knight can occupy e5. (The knight is humbled by the bishop's selfless act).

18. Ne5 This knight is an octopus!

18...Qh5 Looks dangerous for White, but there is nothing here. Time to defend!

20...f4?? Black blunders

23. f3 although this was not necessary I wanted to stop all counter play by black

25. Rc4 The rooks are planning to double themselves on the b file

27. h3 more prophylaxis

Click here to replay game.

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Round 5 - Jeremy Kane(2065) vs Me - Draw

I have choked in the last round many times in the past few weeks, and was determined not to let that happen this time. Theory in this variation of the Caro Kann goes from the opening all the way to the ending, where Black is suposed to have excellent drawing chances. Kane missed the book move 12.Qc6+. I offered a draw right after this, but it was declined. He then offred a draw after his final move and I accepted. Although I thought I was better, I figured that that chances of me making a mistake were higher.

Click here to replay game.

Apology - 3rd Coast Chess Festival

I would like to apologize to the organizers of the 3rd Coast Chess Festival for the comments made in this blog entry.

Instead this is what I would like to say:

I would like to thank the organizers for having the event, and also for the community service projects they undertake.

The tournament was well directed and the playing conditions were excellent, although basing the prizes on 180 participants was overly optimistic. (Based on adult participation in Illinois events)

Illinois Class Champ. : Dec 2-3 (Joliet, IL)

Results

Tournament format: 4 round Swiss G/120

I finished with 1-2=1. I missed lots of tactics but still lost only 10 rating points to end up at 1865.

Game 3 where I was able to sacrifice my queen for mate made the whole tournament worthwhile for me. (I missed 13..Bxa3 & 17...Qf1+, but If I had seen them, I would not have been able to sac the queen in the end!)

Game 4 was a big disappointment. After playing a great game, (where I missed at least 2 opportunities to put the game away 17. Qh3 and 22.Bb4) I got myself into terrible time trouble and lost. There was $100.00 riding on this game too!

Observations etc.

Bad time management in Game 4. I spent about 20 min. deciding between 9.0-0 and (9.Nxd7 Nxd7 10.Qg4.) I was about an hour behind my opponent on time after about 17 moves.

I used to not be able to recover after a loss, but after losing Game 2 I came back strongly in Game 3 and almost had Game 4.

I had lost only 2 games out of 12 for the month of November. If I want to keep that up in December I can't lose any more games!

"A" players miss lots of tactics!

Rnd 1 - HECTOR R HERNANDEZ (1900) vs Me - Draw

Rnd 2 - Me vs TREVOR S MAGNESS (1897) - Loss

This was a bad loss. I completly missed the danger at f2. Instead of 16.Bd3, 16.h5 would have left me with a slight pull. Even after 17.Nxe5 I could have still played h5 and the game is about equal.

Click here to replay game.

Rnd 3 - DANIEL SAJKOWSKI(1862) vs Me - Win

Click here to replay game.

Rnd 4 - Me vs ERIC S ROSEN (1909) - Loss

Click here to replay game.