#689 Summer Tourney - Round 1

The 2010 edition of the Kenilworth Summer Tournament opened with 6 games & 2 upsets; as Max Sherer (-480) jolted NM Mark Kernighan & Greg Tomkovich (-272) downed Ari Minkov.

I won against Joe Demetrick but, as usual, it wasn't a clean performance. We followed my 2006 KST loss to Anna Matlin for 15 moves, though there were transpositions. Joe erred 6 turns later, allowing me steal a pawn with 21...Ncxd4! -+.

Then, while I was wilting in the tournament room's oppressive heat, he missed the Exchange-nabbing 33.Nd7+ Ke8 34.Nb6 and a possible draw.

At any rate, I'm happy to start-off on the right foot and pleased that the field is so strong. Of the 14 current players, 5 are KST champs & just 2 are under 1660 3 are <1650.

If anyone would like to schedule for a particular week or play in the air-conditioned analysis room, just say so!

1st round results, by board:

1. Sherer 1-0 Kernighan

2. Tomkovich 1-0 Minkov

3. Dave Pawlowski 1/2-1/2 Don Carrelli

4. Joe Renna 0-1 Ian Mangion

5. Demetrick 0-1 Moldovan

6. Pat Mazzillo 0-1 Lou Sturniolo

Ken Chieu and Geoff McAuliffe joined but didn't get a chance to play.

Standings after week 1 of 13:

= 1-5. Mangion, Moldovan, Sherer, Tomkovich, Sturniolo 1.0

= 6-7. Carrelli, Pawlowski 0.5

= 8-14. Kernighan, Chieu, Minkov, McAuliffe, Demetrick, Mazzillo, Renna 0.0

Java-replay (5 of the 6 games)

PGN

#688 Oops!

I somehow forgot to upload the 3rd round Ellner Memorial games on May 23rd.

Here are the links for them again:

3rd round Java-replay

3rd round PGN

PGN of all games

#687 Summer Tournament Starts Tonight!

The Kenilworth CC's Summer Tournament starts tonight at 8 p.m.!!

Here are the rules :

• Entry Fee is $5.00
• The tournament will run from June 3rd through August 26th.
• The time control is G/60.
• You may play anyone in the tournament. The first time you play an opponent, the lower rated player has white, in subsequent games against the same opponent you alternate colors.
• You may not play the same opponent more than four times in the tournament.
• You get one point for a win, one half point for a draw, and zero for a loss.
• You may play as many or as few games as you like, but no more than two in one night. The more you play the more points you can win.
• All games are to be played at the Kenilworth Chess Club during normal operating hours.
• The winner is the person who has the most points at the end of the tournament.
• The prizes are 60% for first place, 30% for second, and 10% for third.

Last year's field featured a record 24 players.

Past winners of this popular, unrated event include NM Scott Massey (2004), NM Mark Kernighan (2005), Greg Tomkovich (2006), Ari Minkov (2007), John Moldovan (2008) & Ian Mangion (2009).

#686 Chess Mates To Open Soon

Construction at Chess Mates in Rahway has finally been completed but the club will not open tomorrow.

Arthur Macaspac is awaiting his certificate of occupancy from the city and hopes to receive it later this week.

I'll keep you posted.

#685 All-Army Story

A story on Arthur Macaspac's victory at the 2010 All-Army Championship appeared in last Thursday's Fort Gordon Signal.

Here's the link -  http://www.fortgordonsignal.com/news/2010-05-28/Sports/Army_chess_champ_wins_after_running_Iraq_tourneys.html

#684 Kernighan Three-peats In Ellner Memorial

NM Mark Kernighan won the Irving Ellner Memorial Swiss held at the Kenilworth Chess Club from May 6th-20th, duplicating his 2008 and 2009 victories.

Ken Chieu, Greg Tomkovich and Ted Mann tied for 2nd place. The latter won the U1600 prize.

3rd Round Results :

Mann 0-1 Kernighan

Chieu 1-0 Pawlowski

Wojcio 0-1 Tomkovich

Shiffman 0-1 Agress

Sturniolo 0-1 Mazzillo

Final Standings :

1. Kernighan 3.0

= 2-4. Chieu, Tomkovich, Mann 2.0

= 5-7. Pawlowski, Wojcio, Agress 1.5

= 8-9. Mazzillo, Shiffman 1.0

= 10-11. Sturniolo, C.Chen (wd) 0.0

3rd round Java-replay

3rd round PGN

PGN of all games

#683 Macaspac Wins Army Championship

Arthur Macaspac is the 2010 All-Army Champion. He won his final game to finish with 9.0/11 9.5/11 and surpass leader Pieta Garrett, who suffered an upset loss.

Tactical blunders were responsible for both results as Arthur took advantage of his foe's 20.Rb1?? and Garrett's 22...Rxg3?? threw a share of 1st place away.

Deciding Games

E54 Nimzo-Indian Defense
(by transposition)

C18 French Defense

Winawer Variation

Poisoned Pawn Line

Final Standings (Unofficial)

Round 11 PGN

PGN of all available games (1 missing)

PGN files revised 5/23 @ 12:05 p.m. Please re-download. 

#682 All-Army Championship - Day 5

KCC Champ Arthur Macaspac won both of his games today but still trails by top-seed Pieta Garrett by a half-point with 1 round to go. Garrett's remaining contest is against 9th-placed Larry Cox.

Arthur's Games

A39 English Opening

Symmetrical Defense

A81 Dutch Defense

Leningrad Variation

PGN from rounds 9 and 10

Correction - Entering the final round, Macaspac was tied for 1st.

#681 All-Army Championship - Day 4

Arthur Macaspac defeated Day 3 leader Rockhill in Round 7 and apparently won in Round 8 (unless there was a cell-phone forfeit Monroi has that result wrong) to move within a half-point of the 1st place.

Pieta Garrett and Jhonel Baniel are now atop the standings with 6.5.

Arthur's Games

B23 Sicilian Defense

E21 Nimzo-Indian Defense

Romanishin Variation

PGN from rounds 7 and 8

Correction - After the 8th round, Arthur was in a 3-way-tie for 1st.

#680 All-Army Championship - Day 3

Arthur Macaspac won in round 5 and, in another Monroi mystery, somehow drew a dead-lost position in round 6. He is still 1 point off the pace but now stands 4th.

Arthur's Games

A05 Reti Opening

Santasiere's Folly

A05 Reti Opening

PGN from rounds 5 and 6

Correction - After 6 rounds Arthur was tied for 2nd, a half-point behind.

#679 Ellner Memorial - Revised Pairings

The revised pairings for Thursday's Ellner Memorial finale in Kenilworth are:

1. Mann (2.0) - Kernighan (2.0)

2. Chieu (1.0) - Pawlowski (1.5)

3. Wojcio (1.5) - Tomkovich (1.0)

4. Shiffman (1.0) - Agress (0.5)

5. Sturniolo (0.0) - Mazzillo (0.0)

#678 All-Army Championship - Day 2

According to Monroi.com, Arthur Macaspac scored 1.5/2 yesterday and is now tied for 3rd place, a full point behind leader Nathaniel Rockhill and a half-point in back of Jhonel Baniel.

Macaspac appeared to have large winning advantage in the 4th round but I don't know what happened after 27.exd6. The replay (see R4-B2 below), scoresheet and original PGN crap-out with the illegal 33.Ke2 :-(

Arthur's Games

B23 Sicilian Defense

Grand Prix System

A13 English Opening

Reti System

PGN from rounds 3 and 4

Correction - As suspected, Monroi had Arthur's round 4 result wrong! He won and ended the day tied for 2nd.