Monday, December 27, 2010

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Thanksgiving Benefit
Nov. 27-28 San Antonio, TX.

4 way tie for first: (3.0/4.0)
SELBY K ANDERSON (2209   ->2207)
GREGG STANLY (2044   ->2052) 
ANDREW NATHANAEL LOZANO (1979   ->2006) 
ANDREW ISTAFANOUS (1855   ->1893)

Complete results here.

My last round opponent played way too fast and got mated in the middle of the board
Ernesto was upset in Rnd 3 by Martin
More info here.


My results
  1. Draw with White vs Selby Anderson(2205)
  2. Draw with Black vs Daniel Lozano (1827)
  3. Loss with White vs Andrew Lozano (1988)
  4. Win with Black vs Zhaosu Ye(1770)

Recent W-end Open Events at the San Antonio Chess Club (Date/event/players/Winner(s)) 
2010-10-16 October Slammer 31 DANIEL FERNANDEZ(2450)
2010-07-17 2010 Summer Open 49 MICHAEL LANGER(2315), JU HYUNG AHN(2046)

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Sunday, November 07, 2010

BBQ III

I clearly was not playing well yesterday, missing many things I would normally see.  I went 3-1.  I lost to  Christian Leos, who tied for first and will see a big rating jump.

I think I equalized easily, then made a mistake that gave White the advantage. White didn't make the best of it and we got to this position. Here I could have forced a draw with Rc8 (Qxa6 Ra8)

But I blundered horribly and played Qc8.  I had a losing position the rest of the game, but with 46 seconds left on my clock got a winning position, only to blunder a rook!.

Click here for cross-table.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

2010 Pan American Events in Milwaukee Wisconsin

My friend Alex wanted me to let you all know about the following events:

Dec. 27-30 or 28-30   2010 Pan American Intercollegiate Team Championships

Dec. 28-30   2010 Pan American Open 

Dec. 28-30   2010 Pan American Scholastic  

Saturday, October 09, 2010

1900 At last!!!

I should get to about 1910 when the tournament in the previous post gets rated.

Chess & Barbecue on National Chess Day

TD & GM Eddie Rios (Grill Master)
What : 4 rounds of G/60 5d

Where : Corpus Christi

Sections : 2 (Over 1300,  1300 or under)

Prizes : $45, $27, $17


The entry fee included a delicious barbecue meal.

There are 11 players in the over 1300 section. I was the #2 seed.

  1. Bye
  2. Win with Black vs Douglas Mc Coy (1427
  3. Win with White vs Christian Leos (1685)
  4. Win with White vs James Shaw (1872)

Phote Credit : Usman Qureshi

Thursday, September 09, 2010

US Class Championship - Houston
Oct. 1-3 or 2-3

234 players!

USCF results here
 
Results: Click here
 
Winners:
Master : GM Flores, Mauricio
Expert : Dejmek, Mark W
Class A : Brack, Frank Edward
Class B : Donald Briggs
Class C : Pruett, Josh
Class D:  Ingram, Ted
Class E:  Warren, John C   
Unrated:  Acero, Mario   

GM Bachmann vs Safin (Rnd. 2)
  GM Gareeyev vs IM Bercys 3-day (Rnd.1)

I broke even with a small rating gain. A last round win would have got me a rating of 1919, but that was one of the worst games I have played in a while. One can usually get away with making a few mistakes during a game, but I made one too many!

The round 2 loss was very instructive. My opponent Frank Brack  is a a former expert and sports a correspondence rating of 2372. He went on to win the Class A section.


I am playing Black, White's last move was 15. Re3.  Before White played Re3, my plan was to kick the pesky Knight on g5 with either h6 or Bh6, but I could not resist the gain of a tempo by playing 15...Ng4, But White replies 16.h3!, and I am the one who losses a very important tempo and my game falls apart.
I had to retreat with 16...Nf6, White follows with 17.Nh5 Ne4 18.Nxh7! Kxh7 19.Rxe4! and I am toast. Instead 15...Bh6 and I have a good game.
  1. Win White vs Jonathan Allen (1917)
  2. Loss Black vs Frank Brack (1951)
  3. Win Randall Schwarz (1905)
  4. Draw Black vs James Ukoli (1951)
  5. Loss White vs Samuel Baker (1813)

Bloggers at the Class Championship
Left to right:

Don Putnam: Rocky Rook
Donald Briggs: Liquid egg product (Winner of the Class B Section!)
Timothy Stewart: TBD
 


YearCityMasterExpertClass AClass BClass CClass DClass ETotal
2010Houston, TX21203646443330234
2009Boca Raton, FL20173428221218151
2008Houston, TX1883637403031193
2007Houston, TX11173024352432173


Monday, August 23, 2010

76th Annual Southwest Open

Click here for final standings

Click here for USCF results

More pictures here

Sadorra vs GM Ramirez (Round 7) 1/2-1/2


GM Ramirez vs GM Ioan (Rnd 6) 1-0

Langer vs Ortiz (Rnd 4) 1/2-1/2

Ramirez vs Cornejo (Rnd 4) 1/2 - 1/2

Sadorra vs Ioan (Rnd 4) 0-1

WIM Ortiz vs Zivanic after White played Nd7 (Rnd 1.) 0-1

View from the playing hall on the 11th floor.

In the 5th round after getting to this position, my brain took leave of it's senses, and I played Rb1+???, which looses to Rb4. [ ...g3 or Kh3 draws].
  1. Win Black vs Henry Velasquez (1500)
  2. Win White vs Christian Leos (1718)
  3. Win Black vs Alok Kumar (1930)
  4. Win White vs James Ukoli (1940)
  5. Loss Black vs Clement Rendon (1916)
  6. Win White vs Alexander Jiang (1886)
  7. Draw White vs vs Rizal Abarientos (1884)
Rizal wins clear 1st ($500), Alok, Austin Jiang, and me split 2nd-3rd. ($120). My rating should go up from 1800 to about 1880

Nerves got the better of me in the last round. A win would have given me clear first($500) and a rating of over 1900. My last round opponent had only played in 2 previous events. The first in 1995 and the second this year. I also noticed that he had a Master level correspondence rating. I decided to stay away from main line openings, but he still played the best moves! But I had a chance to get an advantage in the following position.

Here I should have played Qd4, when black is forced to exchange queens, I should then be able to win the c pawn and have a very comfortable game. I played f3 instead which is also good, but later lost my way.

Maybe I should only play in Southwest Opens! My record for the last two events is
8-1=4.


The SWO returned to Corpus Christi. It was last held here in 1945! For a history of past winners click here

Top seeds this year:

GM Ramirez, Alejandro 2645 (Costa Rica)
IM Zivanic, Marko 2571 (Serbia)
GM Ioan, Cristian 2561 (Romania)
IM Wang, Puchen 2533 (New Zealand)
IM Sadorra, Julio 2471 (Philippines)
IM Bercys, Salvijus 2467 (USA)

Report on the 2009 event here


2010 Corpus Christi 35+51+25 = 109 (Open+Reserve+Novice)
Open: ALEJANDRO RAMIREZ, MAX CORNEJO
Reserve: RIZAL ABARIENTOS


2009 Ft. Worth 49+82+29 = 160 (Open+Reserve+Novice)
Open:
G ANTAL
Reserve:
P NGUYEN

2008 Houston 62+94 = 156 (Open+Reserve)
Open:
A RAMIREZ, J STOPA, P WANG, S BERCYS
Reserve:
E LU
2007 Brownsville 43+33 = 76
Open:
A BACHMANN, S BERCYS, A ALMEIDA, D FERNANDEZ, T VEDRICKAS
Reserve:
V FLORES

2006 Ft. Worth 42+105 = 126
Open:
D BOSKOVIC
Reserve :
T GWAZE

2005 Dallas 55+101 = 156
Open:
M ZIVANIC, J BRADFORD
Reserve :
J CRAWFORD, F BRACK, K WANG

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Back to square one!

A few week ago my friend Paul (rated 2156 at the time) decided to play in the Dallas Insanity. 24 hours of chess, 20 games of G/30.


I advised him not to, since it is pretty hard to play a quality game in 30 min. He played anyway and lost 26 points.


I should have listened to my own advice and not played in the 5 round G/30 event yesterday. I won the first 2 games, but only managed a half point in the next 3! and lost 29 points.


So I am back at my 1800 floor! The good news is that I can only go up now!


The main reason I played was to get some games in before the SWO, and I really didn't have much of a choice. Now I can play without any worry of losing rating points!


Click here for the ugly cross table.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Green Bay Open 2010

01. Santarius, Erik (1)........... WI 2311 W49 W28 W46 W11 W07 5.0

02. Jin, David (2)................ WI 2029 W38 D15 W37 W45 W14 4.5
03. Conant, Matt (5).............. WI 2020 -H- W76 W15 W23 W10 4.5

04. Tutush, Dusan (4)............. WI 2023 W57 W47 W24 L07 W25 4.0
05. Liang, Yingming (7)........... WI 1969 W51 W30 D27 D26 W24 4.0
06. Stein, Josiah (9)............. WI 1938 W39 L08 W57 W33 W26 4.0
07. Allen, Jesse (17)............. WI 1880 W82 W72 W33 W04 L01 4.0
08. Boyer, Kenneth (32)........... WI 1738 W92 W06 L11 W66 W19 4.0
09. Kodali, Suhas (38)............ WI 1692 W65 D12 W22 D44 W43 4.0

10. Pan, Hongkai (3).............. WI 2027 W56 W29 W13 D14 L03 3.5
11. Sachs, Derek (11)............. WI 1913 W41 W16 W08 L01 D13 3.5
12. Gomez, Augustine (15)......... WI 1900 W74 D09 W18 D31 D16 3.5
13. Baumgartner, Chris (23)....... WI 1821 W42 W57 L10 W38 D11 3.5
14. Zhou, Jerry (25).............. WI 1810 W91 W52 W44 D10 L02 3.5
15. Christensen, Wade (26)........ WI 1801 W53 D02 L03 W58 W44 3.5
16. Peel, Arthur (34)............. WI 1730 W63 L11 W60 W68 D12 3.5
17. Roberts, Benjamin (35)........ WI 1726 W83 L19 D52 W79 W45 3.5
18. Brown, Christopher (37)....... WI 1707 W84 D22 L12 W74 W46 3.5

19. Elger, William (10)........... WI 1929 W40 W17 -H- D27 L08 3.0
20. Prenot, Jonathaon (12)........ WI 1911 W59 L33 -H- W72 D35 3.0
21. Hoffman, Guy (13)............. WI 1905 L52 W75 W50 D35 D30 3.0
22. Younkle, Douglas (14)......... WI 1901 W60 D18 L09 W73 D32 3.0
23. Jayne, Ryan (19).............. WI 1838 W70 W36 -H- L03 D37 3.0
24. McKinney, Christopher (20).... WI 1836 W79 W48 L04 W54 L05 3.0
25. Lindquist, Daniel (21)........ WI 1834 W80 L37 W51 W36 L04 3.0
26. Wijetunge, Ivan (22).......... WI 1828 W93 W73 -H- D05 L06 3.0
27. Virkud, Apurva (24)........... WI 1812 W94 W55 D05 D19 -N- 3.0
28. Nietman, Mike (27)............ WI 1800 W69 L01 W40 W42 -N- 3.0
29. Bogenschutz, Tim (28)......... WI 1778 W71 L10 W41 -N- W49 3.0
30. Coons, James (30)............. WI 1770 W81 L05 W59 D49 D21 3.0
31. Grochowski, Robin (31)........ WI 1762 W88 W43 -H- D12 -N- 3.0
32. Liang, Awonder (33)........... WI 1738 W89 L44 -H- W75 D22 3.0
33. Zimmermann, Troy (36)......... WI 1722 W64 W20 L07 L06 W59 3.0
34. Zhang, Tianye (41)............ WI 1630 L76 W69 L42 W70 W71 3.0
35. Fogec, Thomas (42)............ WI 1629 W67 L46 W84 D21 D20 3.0
36. Susens, Rich (44)............. WI 1578 W86 L23 W67 L25 W60 3.0
37. Timm, Andrew (46)............. WI 1567 W87 W25 L02 D46 D23 3.0
38. Azbel, Gregory (49)........... WI 1536 L02 W92 W87 L13 W61 3.0
39. Dreuth, Adam (55)............. WI 1449 L06 L53 W90 W78 W66 3.0
40. Steldt, Richard (56).......... WI 1443 L19 W71 L28 W64 W67 3.0
41. Czeren, Ivan (57)............. WI 1417 L11 W63 L29 W65 W54 3.0
42. Shen, Tianlu (91)............. WI nnnn L13 W86 W34 L28 W55 3.0

43. Endsley, Barry (6)............ WI 2000 W50 L31 D58 W48 L09 2.5
44. Borman, Kelly (8)............. WI 1962 W58 W32 L14 D09 L15 2.5
45. Gleason, Neil (16)............ WI 1883 W61 W54 -H- L02 L17 2.5
46. Jing, Aaron (18).............. WI 1842 W62 W35 L01 D37 L18 2.5
47. Grochowski, Andrew (29)....... WI 1778 W78 L04 -H- W52 -N- 2.5
48. Williams, Rory (43)........... WI 1587 W77 L24 -H- L43 W75 2.5
49. John, Robert (48)............. WI 1539 L01 W88 W76 D30 L29 2.5
50. Hegelmeyer, John (52)......... WI 1474 L43 W80 L21 D53 W68 2.5
51. Mariano, DJ (53).............. WI 1458 L05 W93 L25 W81 D53 2.5
52. Kahl, Joey (59)............... WI 1373 W21 L14 D17 L47 W74 2.5
53. Iakimenko, Victor (84)........ WI nnnn L15 W39 D72 D50 D51 2.5

54. Gorectke, Andrew (39)......... WI 1669 W66 L45 W82 L24 L41 2.0
55. Daven, Jeff (47).............. WI 1553 W90 L27 L66 W88 L42 2.0
56. Ziehms, Steven (50)........... WI 1502 L10 W89 L68 -N- W83 2.0
57. Suri, Shiva (51).............. WI 1484 L04 L13 L06 W90 W79 2.0
58. Pahl, Sandra (54)............. WI 1454 L44 W81 D43 L15 D62 2.0
59. Rasmussen, Kenneth (58)....... WI 1389 L20 W83 L30 W89 L33 2.0
60. Lubinski, Paul (60)........... WI 1373 L22 W64 L16 W84 L36 2.0
61. Mattson, Thomas (62).......... WI 1345 L45 L84 W91 W76 L38 2.0
62. Nickiel, James (65)........... WI 1302 L46 -H- L75 W77 D58 2.0
63. Azbel, Joseph (66)............ WI 1141 L16 L41 L89 W92 W87 2.0
64. Gonzalez, Miguel (68)......... WI 1079 L33 L60 W80 L40 W88 2.0
65. Henning, Daniel (70).......... WI 1033 L09 L74 W69 L41 W89 2.0
66. Feldman, Daniel (71).......... WI 1008 L54 W94 W55 L08 L39 2.0
67. Hegelmeyer, John W (74)....... WI 0859 L35 W91 L36 W82 L40 2.0
68. Moran, Michael (77)........... WI 0729 L73 W78 W56 L16 L50 2.0
69. Rank, Nathan (90)............. WI nnnn L28 L34 L65 W86 W85 2.0
70. Groustra, Sean (83)........... WI nnnn L23 L87 W85 L34 W84 2.0
71. DeDene, Christopher (82)...... WI nnnn L29 L40 W86 W87 L34 2.0

72. Sperbeck, Tony (40)........... WI 1649 W85 L07 D53 L20 -N- 1.5
73. Delaney, Greg (45)............ WI 1574 W68 L26 -H- L22 -N- 1.5
74. Liang, Adream (61)............ WI 1372 L12 W65 -H- L18 L52 1.5
75. Rajendra, Avinash (64)........ WI 1312 -H- L21 W62 L32 L48 1.5
76. Cunningham, William (73)...... WI 0947 W34 L03 L49 L61 D81 1.5
77. Shelobolin, Filipp (75)....... WI 0854 L48 L79 W94 L62 D78 1.5
78. Zierer, Grant (94)............ WI nnnn L47 L68 W83 L39 D77 1.5
79. Williams, Wendell (93)........ WI nnnn L24 W77 -H- L17 L57 1.5
80. Sutter, Selena (92)........... WI nnnn L25 L50 L64 D93 W90 1.5
81. Jin, Suhong (85).............. WI nnnn L30 L58 W93 L51 D76 1.5

82. Ballantyne, Drew (63)......... WI 1322 L07 W85 L54 L67 -N- 1.0
83. Cunningham, Patrick (67)...... WI 1122 L17 L59 L78 W94 L56 1.0
84. Breuer, Michael (69).......... WI 1066 L18 W61 L35 L60 L70 1.0
85. Buck, Finn (72)............... WI 0998 L72 L82 L70 W91 L69 1.0
86. Breuer, Ryan (76)............. WI 0807 L36 L42 L71 L69 W94 1.0
87. Jing, Daniel (78)............. WI 0684 L37 W70 L38 L71 L63 1.0
88. Amaro, Alex (81).............. WI nnnn L31 L49 W92 L55 L64 1.0
89. Abrams, Joseph (80)........... WI nnnn L32 L56 W63 L59 L65 1.0

90. Slavney, Daniel (79).......... WI 0359 L55 -H- L39 L57 L80 0.5
91. Mora, Oscar (89).............. WI nnnn L14 L67 L61 L85 D92 0.5
92. Mallela, Teja (88)............ WI nnnn L08 L38 L88 L63 D91 0.5
93. Kline, Jeff (86).............. WI nnnn L26 L51 L81 D80 -N- 0.5

94. Mallela, Lakshman (87)........ WI nnnn L27 L66 L77 L83 L86 0.0

After playing pretty well the whole tournament, I blundered horribly and turned a win into a loss in the final game. My opponent blundered first with 29. Qg4? , when after 29....Rxd6, I am winning instead, I played 29...Rad8??? (We were both in bad time trouble)






This is the adjourned game from round one. The White player, Tutush Dusan (2023) won.

There were 94 players, about 3 short of the all time high.
  1. 2311 Santarius Erik
  2. 2029 Jin David
  3. 2027 Pan Hongkai

I wonder if WI is the only place in the country where adjournments have not been abolished. With time controls of 40/100, 30/60, SD/30 a game could last more than 6 hours.

I heard of a story a few years ago where a player had taken a 3rd round bye, but had to come back after the 3rd round (around 1 am) to conclude his 2 adjourned games from round 1 & 2!

I finished with 2-1=1
  1. Win Kline, Jeff (unrated)
  2. Win Delaney, Greg (1574)
  3. bye
  4. Draw Yingming, Liang (
    1969)
  5. Loss Stein, Josiah (1965)

Year/# of Players/Winner(s)