This and that...

I was going to play in the Great Lakes Open in Michgan, but decided against it because of the low prize to entry fee ratio and distance to the event from Milwaukee.

Instead I decided to play in 2 one day events this month:

April 14 Rockford 2nd Saturday Open (Illinois)
EF $20 by April 9, $25 at site.
4SS, G/80,
Our Master’s United Methodist Church, 5973 Darlene Dr., Rockford 61109. Free parking.

Prizes Fund: 70% of EF’s, 30% first. No Smoking.

Schedule: Reg. 8:30-9:30 am. ANY reg. after 9:50 am must take 1/2 point bye in 1st rd.

Rds. 10:00, 1, 3:30, 6:30. Bye: 1/2 pt avail. in rds. 1-3, max. 1 bye. Ent: (Check Payable to) Rockford Chess Association, 2764 Panorama Drive, Rockford, IL 61109. http://www.rockfordchess.com/ Questions: 815-397-9186. Email: mabarkdoll@gmail.com BRING CLOCKS—NONE PROVIDED.

Apr. 21 Hales Corners Challenge V GPP: 10 (Wisconsin)
4SS, G/60. Two Sections: Open & Reserve (under 1600).

Village Hall, 5635 S. New Berlin Rd., Hales Corners, WI (Milwaukee Area).

EF: $35-Open, $25-Reserve, both $5 more after 4/18. Comp EF for USCF 2200+, contact TD for details.

$$Open (b/25)=1st-$325 (guaranteed), 2nd-$175 (guaranteed), A-$100, B and Below-$75;

$$ Reserve (b/25)=1st-$100, 2nd-$75, D-$50, E & Below-$40. Reg: 8:30-9:30, Rds: 10-1-3:30-6. Ent: Payable to Southwest Chess Club, c/o Allen Becker, 6105 Thorncrest Drive, Greendale, WI 53129. (allenbecker@wi.rr.com). Questions to TD Gary Wright 414-315-0043.

According to the TD, International Master Emory Tate will most probably play in this event.

I had a very interesting game against Mr. Tate in a G/90 side event at the US Open last year.

Click here to replay. (I am playing White)

Me (1800) - Tate,E (2447) [A40]
Chicago G/90 (2), 05.08.2006

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 b6 3.Bg5 f6 4.Bh4 Bb7 5.e3 Nh6 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.c3 Ne7 8.Nbd2 Nhf5 9.Bg3 h5 10.e4 h4 11.Bf4 Ng6 12.Be3 Nxe3 13.fxe3 Qe7 14.Qa4 a6 15.Rf1 c5 16.Rc1 b5 17.Qd1 cxd4 18.cxd4 Qb4 19.Qb3 Qa5 20.Ke2 Be7 21.a3 h3 22.g3 0-0 23.Ng1 Rab8 24.Nxh3 b4 25.Rf5 Qd8 26.a4 d5 27.Rf2 Qe8 28.Kf1 Rc8 29.Rc2 [ 29.Rxc8 Qxc8 30.Kg2 Qc1 31.Nf4 Nxf4+ 32.exf4 Rc8] 29...Qd7 30.e5 f5 31.Nf4 Nxf4 32.exf4 Bc6 33.Qa2 [ 33.Bxa6 Bxa4 ( 33...Ra8 34.Bb5 Bxb5+ 35.axb5 Qxb5+) 34.Bxc8 Bxb3] 33...Bxa4 34.b3 Bb5 35.Rf3 [ 35.Bxb5 Qxb5+ 36.Kg2 g5] 35...Rc3 [ 35...Bxd3+ 36.Rxd3 Qb5 37.Ke2] 36.Bxb5 [ 36.Rxc3 bxc3 37.Nb1 Rc8 38.Qc2 Bxd3+ 39.Rxd3 Qb5 40.Nxc3 Bb4] 36...Qxb5+ 37.Kg2 Rfc8 38.Rb2 [ 38.Rcxc3 bxc3 39.Qc2 Qe2+ 40.Rf2 Qe3 41.Nf3 Qe4] 38...g5 39.Rf2 gxf4 40.Rxf4 Bg5 41.Rf1 Be3 42.Nf3 Qd3 0-1

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I am pretty excited about the Chicago Open. It's not often that I get to be one of the top seeds.(1874 in the Under-1900 Section) I am playing in the 4 day event with a bye in round 1, that way I get 2 games a day and one less night to spend in Chicago.

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I am almost done with the very entertaining book Kings of New York. It will be interesting to see how the team does this w-end at the National High School (K12) Championship . It will be the last time their 2 stars Bercys, Salvijus (2491) and Lenderman, Alex (2471) compete.

There are 1436 players from 37 states registered so far!