My games at Chicago Open

In the below link, you can find my games at Chicago Open. The interface also allows you move pieces to analyze variations. I am yet to fully analyze them. Your comments are most welocme My Games Chicago Open 2007

Harish ties for 2nd at the Chicago Open

Congrats to HARISH SRINIVASAN for finishing in a 4 way tie for second place in the U1700 section of the Chicago Open. He used the Swiss Gambit (only kidding) to complete the feat and not only earned some coin to cover the costs of the trip but also raised his rating to 1723. Well done young man! I look forward to seeing some of his games at the next club meeting or better yet I hope he will post them on this blog. The ratings report is at http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?200705288811.0-10349842

More on this event can be found at http://beta.uschess.org/frontend/news_7_397.php

The Holy Trinity. Quiz for 5/27

As this is Pentecost Sunday, it is time to complete our trinity of bishop's quizzes. Clearly if black is on the move it is over with ...Qh4#, however, it is white to move. Will the spirit move you to victory?

What about the Bishop? Quiz for 5/25

Continuing along the theological theme, whose bishop should be sacrificed in order to play on? It is white to move. Find the best move.

Losing my religion. Quiz for May 24, 2007

White to move.

Since I am down south, I thought I might turn a southern phrase- "Losing my religion." Can the bishop be saved? Do you know what the above phrase means?

The Revenge of the Quiz!

With school coming to a close, it is time to return to having a pop quiz. White to move. Is there anything to stop Black's threat of Nxg4+ ?

Niagara University Chess Club?

Yesterday, at Wegmans a number of us were able to meet and play Michael, a graduate student from Niagara University. He told us that there are a few chess players there who meet informally but regularly.

I had mentioned to him, that there ought to be an officially recognized club on campus as I am sure that such recognition would boost participation on campus and in the area.

At the last Marchand tournament in Rochester, we had meet a young man who will be enrolling in Niagara this fall and had hoped that there was a chess club there.

There has been a great amount of interest nationally in collegiate chess as evidenced by the recent Chess Life cover. Highlights include: more schools offering college scholarships for talented chess players, the coummunity college from Dade County Florida beating the Ivy League Schools, the annual battle between UMD-Baltimore vs. UT-Dallas for the college championship, GM Susan Polgar moving to Texas to start a program at Texas Tech.

So what could be done to get a chess club at Niagara? Perhaps even a team? Would UB be ready to be challenged too?

Last meeting @ NCCC

This Wed. May 23rd is the last chess club meeting @ NCCC until this fall. Please post here and/or check here frequently for those wanting to get together and play after the 23rd.

Friendlys School Team Challenge

Monday, May 14th and May 21, 2007 5:30pm till 7:30pm Friendlys Restaurant (Rt 78 and Main) 2 Locks Plaza, Lockport, NY Come with your school team (maximum 4 players) and compete against other teams. $8 per player. Friendlys Kids Meals for $1.99 to all chess players. Bring Chess Set and Chess Board and Chess clocks (Optional).

Kenmore Knights Chess Club Meets

Saturday, May 19th, 2007 Kenmore Branch Library 160 Delaware Road Kenmore, NY 14216 Chess Club meets from 3:30pm till 5:45pm, Quad Tournament, Game 25, 3 Rounds, USCF Rated players will be grouped together for National Rating Points. Entry fee is to bring your library card. Chess players of same talent and grades will be grouped together for friendly competition. Open to all players, come early limited seats. Come early so we can start on time to get in all 3 games. The winners names will be listed in the Kenmore Advertiser newspaper. Advance notice greatly appreciated by commenting here. Bring your chess set, chess board, chess clocks, pencil with eraser.

ENDGAME Strategy and Tactics

USCF National Master, Lionel Davis will be giving instructions on the Endgame. Those players who wish to learn more how to finish off their opponents shoould attend. Meet us at The Frank E Merriweather Jr Branch Library, located on East Utica and Jefferson, Wednesdays in May from 5:45pm till 7:45pm. Bring your chess set, chess board, chess clock and pencil with eraser. Send in your comments about what you would like to learn that will make you a better finisher in chess games. Come early these sessions are fully attended.

Results AQE Habeeb Memorial 2007

The 2nd Annual Habeeb Memorial 2007 now complete, I want to thank all those who were able to support the event and those who participated.

The Encourage Awards go out to Jessica Collins, 2nd Grader at Buffalo United Charter, and Michael Edwards, 5th Grader at Martin Luther King Jr Multicultural Institute #39 and both are members of The Urban Knights Chess Club that meets every Wednesday nights from 5:30pm till 8pm at the Frank E. Merriweather Jr Branch Library. For their efforts they received new scorebooks to record future chess matches.

A combined Scholastic section produced many fireworks over the chess board. Rook and King v. King, Queen and King v. King situations were the theme of the day. Much work is needed in these areas for producing more efficient checkmate. The Assemblyman Bill Hoyt Section (3-5 Graders) Winners were as follows: 1st Place MALIK FERGUSON, 4th Grader at Community School #53, 2nd Place HANIFAH HABEEB , Granddaughter of Quadir Habeeb, 4th Grader at Community School #53, and 3rd Place MICHAEL K EDWARDS , 5th Grader at MLK#39 Freedom Knights Chess Club. The Bill Zachary Section (6-8 Graders) Winners were as follows: Undefeated, 1st Place AARON MC DUFFIE , 7th Grader at Casey Middle School and son of tournament director Michael A. Mc Duffie, "Good Job Aaron". 2nd Place SAUTI HABEEB , Granddaughter of Quadir Habeeb, 6th grader at Community School #53 and posting his first trophy, 3rd Place GARRETT E FRYAR, 6th Grader, Cleveland Hill School and nephew to Jackie Collins who faithfully brings Garrett and Jessica to the Urban Knights Chess Club. The Antoine M Thompson Section (Open Section) The winners were as follows: 1st Place MARK J CLARK, Jamestown, NY, 2nd Place WILLIAM M RICH, and 3rd Place JAMES P DAVIS, Class Prize was split by FRANCIS M BUENNAGEL and JAMES J PAUL. Also a special thanks to John Johnson who traveled from Rochester, NY to participate.

The results are available online at : http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?200705124781-12908987 Next May we will give more consideration to the Saturday before Mother's Day.

Mark your calendars for June 9 and 10th, 2007 for the Queen City Chess Championships, Buffalo State College Student Union, 5 rounds, Swiss, Game 90. Entry fee is $40 before May 19th or $10 dollars less for Scholastics v. $50 CASH at the door. This tournament has Grand Prix points and will be listed in the June Chess Life.

WARNER's Brother died!

Please keep Tom Warner and the Warner family in your prayers. Tom's brother died of cancer yesterday. We will have a card for the chess players to sign at the tournament. If you know of something that can help those in time of need, reach out and offer. We know that the Warner family has been struggling thru this illness for awhile. Help keep us their spirits with cards and acts of kindness thru this tough time. Thanks and God Bless! Hugs to your family tonite for good health, family and friends.

Scandinavian and Caro-Kann at MTel today

After a long time, I see that the Scandinavian and the Caro-Kann defenses were played at the elite GM level. These defenses are commonly used by at least two players I know of at our chess club. Today at MTel Masters, GM Topalov (White) was beaten by GM Nisipeanu (Black) in the Scandinavian defense. And GM Sasikiran(Black) drew with GM Adams using the Caro-Kann defense. In both these games, the Black players were much lower rated FIDE than the White players. I hope to see more such openings in this tourney. You can replay the games at Scandinavian and Caro-Kann

Upcoming Tournament schedule by Archangel 8 Chess Academy

I just received the following email from "the chess ambassador"-Mr. Michael McDuffie, and wished to share the good news with our readership:

"Thanks to all of [you for your] support, help, and participation in the tournaments that we have held in the Main Place Mall since September 2007.

We... now have a "CHESS HOME" for future tournaments. I now have a written agreement to host chess tournament in the Main Place Mall, 2nd Floor, 390 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202.

Mark your calendars and send in your suggestion on how to bring more people or style of tournaments to Buffalo - Niagara region [in order] to plan future tournaments for the fall and announce [them] in Chess Life and Chess Life for Kids [magazines of] the United States Chess Federation.

[The dates are:] July 14th, August 11th, September 15th, October 13th, November 10th and December 8th, 2007.

[Also] please send your note of appreciation and thanks to Main Place Liberty Group, 2100 Liberty Building, Buffalo, NY 14202-3699 for allowing us the access to their facility to help promote the game of chess in Western New York...

Without your help this would not be possible [and] I am very grateful to all who have helped promote the game of chess [in our area]. "

-Michael Mc Duffie

66th Street School Chess Knights Club

(66th infantry division patch)

A new scholastic chess club is now held on Thursdays from 3pm till 4:30pm after school. We have 12 students from (2nd grade thru 5th grade) participating and will be competing against other schools as we find those interested. Maybe Stella students may want to have a mini tournament? Please comment if you know of other school chess teams that may want to play against us. Email us at arcangel8chess@yahoo.com.

AQE QUADIR HABEEB MEMORIAL

Saturday, May 12, 2007 Main Place Mall, 2nd Floor 390 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202 USCF Rated Open, 4 Rounds, Game 45, Swiss Format NEW WRITTEN NOTATION RULES APPLY! Scholastic entry fee $10 vs $15 CASH at the door. Entry fee $20 via email to pre register vs $25 CASH at the door. Check In will be from 8:30am till 9:30am Rounds 1 starts at 10am promptly, Rd 2 11:45am, RD 3 1:30pm and RD 4 3:15pm for all sections as a tune up for Buffalo Championships June 9 & 10th, 2007 at Buffalo State College Student Union, 5 Rounds, Game 90, Swiss, $40 Advanced fee by May 19, 2007 vs $50 CASH at door. Sections will be Open, 3-5 Grade, 6-8 Grade and 9-12th grade. Sections will be combined for few entries. PRIZES based on 20 entries: OPEN 1st Place: Trophy and cash $100, 2nd Place $60, 3rd Place $40 and Class Prize $50. Scholastics Trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place. Participants must bring Chess Set, Chess Board, Chess Clock and pencil with eraser. MALL POLICY REQUIRES PARENTAL SUPERVISION AT ALL TIMES FOR SCHOLASTIC PLAYERS! SECURITY WILL BE PRESENT! FREE PARKING UNDER THE MALL! I can be reached at 716-639-7702, I have changed my cell phone! Sorry for any inconvenices.

Free May Results

May was the month of big upsets!

UB student FRANCIS M BUENNAGEL had the biggest ratings increase of 147 points thanks largely to a 362 point upset. Meanwhile fellow UB student BRADY SHANNON scored a 596 point victory.

However, the biggest upset of 614 points goes to PAUL GILLMEISTER as he beat Rev. Marijan Procyk in the final round and thus finished clear first with a 4/5 score.

Congratulations to all. The full ratings report is available at: http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?200705052501-12975121

Bishop versus knight & Monroi and Copyright

Here is a link to a game I played recently on line. http://www.redhotpawn.com/gameanalysis/boardanalysis.php?gameid=3404798 It amazes me how quickly bishop became useless. === check also this blogspot: scroll down for the artcle "MonRoi and Copyright". http://boylston-chess-club.blogspot.com/