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.
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.
- Win White vs Jonathan Allen (1917)
- Loss Black vs Frank Brack (1951)
- Win Randall Schwarz (1905)
- Draw Black vs James Ukoli (1951)
- Loss White vs Samuel Baker (1813)
Bloggers at the Class Championship
Left to right:
Timothy Stewart: TBD
Me: Getting to 2000
| Year | City | Master | Expert | Class A | Class B | Class C | Class D | Class E | Total |
| 2010 | Houston, TX | 21 | 20 | 36 | 46 | 44 | 33 | 30 | 234 |
| 2009 | Boca Raton, FL | 20 | 17 | 34 | 28 | 22 | 12 | 18 | 151 |
| 2008 | Houston, TX | 18 | 8 | 36 | 37 | 40 | 30 | 31 | 193 |
| 2007 | Houston, TX | 11 | 17 | 30 | 24 | 35 | 24 | 32 | 173 |
