#555 KST - Round 12 Addendum

The Pawlowski-Kernighan game from Thursday night has been added to the 12th round replay page & zip file.

Thanks to David for sending & annotating it.

Java-replay repaired 9/3 @ 12:37 a.m.

#554 A Game From Westfield

Yesterday at Westfield, Romir Anand, the winner of Quad #9, gave me a game to analyze & publish. Here is that contest in java-replay & zipped PGN.

#553 Notes To Friday's STC Game

The fully-annotated version of my 8th round STCC win over chessforlove has been uploaded.

replay
PGN (includes yesterday's Singh-Pilosof)

Update 11:46 p.m. : Wood-oswald137 added

#552 STC Update

Haim Pilosof clinched 1st place in the WCL section & a spot in the Finals with another error-free victory over JP Singh. That result, in turn, gave me a clear 2nd place finish.

The semi-finals wrap-up next week.

#551 Summer Tourney - Round 12

MANGION CLINCHES

Ian Mangion won 2 games to extend his lead to 3 points & clinched 1st place when David Pawlowski upset 11-0 Mark Kernighan.

I beat Mikhail Kruglyak's Slav to run my unbeaten streak to 10 (+7-0=3) & move to within a half-point of 2nd.

Greg Tomkovich lost to Don Carrelli but is still within range of the 3rd spot.

Max Sherer, Joe Renna & Pat Mazzillo collected wins on the lower boards.

The event concludes next week.


Results

• Mann 0-1 Mangion
• Mangion 1-0 Wojcio
• Pawlowski 1-0 Kernighan
• Moldovan 1-0 Kruglyak
• Tomkovich 0-1 Carrelli
• Cole 0-1 Sherer
• Renna 1-0 Sturniolo
• Mazzillo 1-0 Shiffman

Standings

• 1. Mangion 14.0
• 2. Kernighan 11.0
• 3. Moldovan 10.5
• 4. Tomkovich 9.0
• 5. Carrelli 7.0
• = 6. Sherer, Mann 5.0
• 8. Renna 4.5
• 9. Pawlowski 4.0
• 10. Mazzillo 3.5
• 11. Shiffman 3.0
• = 12. Sturniolo, Cole 2.5
• = 14. Lewis, Wojcio, Agress, Sokolosky 2.0
• 18. McAuliffe 1.5
• 19. Zhu 1.0
• = 20. Hart, Kruglyak, Balint, Castillo, Ruales 0.0

Java replay
PGN
Crosstable

#550 STC Championship Semis - Round 8

8 minutes ago I beat 1958-rated chessforlove & his King's Indian with the Insanity Variation (!!) to at least temporarily regain a share of 1st place :

[Event "STC Championship sf"]
[Site "World Chess Live"]
[Date "2009.08.28"]
[Round "8"]
[White "jpmoldovan"]
[Black "chessforlove"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ICCResult "Black resigns"]
[WhiteElo "1868"]
[BlackElo "1958"]
[Opening "King's Indian: Insanity Variation"]
[ECO "E73"]
[NIC "KI.27"]
[Time "20:06:16"]
[TimeControl "3600+30"]
1. c4 {1:00:22} Nf6 {1:00:28} 2. Nc3 {1:00:42} g6 {1:00:54} 3. e4 {1:00:53} d6 {1:01:21} 4. d4 {1:00:58} Bg7 {1:01:46} 5. Be2 {1:01:18} O-O {1:02:10} 6. Be3 {1:01:29} Na6 {1:01:37} 7. g4 {1:01:28} h6 $146 {1:01:42} 8. f3 {1:00:34} c5 {1:01:53} 9. d5 {1:00:39} Qa5 {1:01:00} 10. Qd2 {1:00:43} Kh7 {1:01:20} 11. h4 {0:59:05} e6 {0:59:56} 12. g5 {0:51:50} Nh5 {0:59:13} 13. gxh6 {0:50:18} Bh8 {0:58:23} 14. Nh3 {0:48:55} f6 {0:55:16} 15. dxe6 {0:39:12} Bxe6 {0:54:40} 16. Qxd6 {0:37:59} Bf7 {0:52:30} 17. O-O-O {0:37:32} Rad8 {0:52:09} 18. Qh2 {0:37:18} Nb4 {0:49:23} 19. Kb1 {0:36:43} Nc6 {0:43:47} 20. f4 {0:32:12} Nd4 {0:43:25} 21. Bd3 {0:28:12} Qb4 {0:42:13} 22. Qf2 {0:26:32} Bxc4 {0:40:33} 23. Bxc4 {0:26:12} Qxc4 {0:40:59} 24. f5 {0:25:39} Rg8 {0:31:52} 25. Rhg1 {0:25:08} Qf7 {0:25:53} 26. fxg6+ {0:19:50} Rxg6 {0:26:15} 27. Ng5+ $1 {0:19:40} Rxg5 {0:26:16} 28. hxg5 {0:20:05} Rg8 {0:23:46} 29. Bxd4 {0:17:44} cxd4 {0:24:05} 30. Rxd4 {0:16:49} f5 {0:23:37} 31. Rd6 {0:09:10} {Black resigns} 1-0

I'll post annotations to the game later this weekend for now, you can the replay or download it from the STC site.

#549 KST - Round 11 Annotations

Annotated versions of my win vs. Kruglyak & draw vs. Tomkovich have been uploaded to the 11th round replay page & zipped PGN.

I will try to upload an in-standing table tonight or Thursday.

#548 Summer Tourney - Round 11

Ian Mangion, looking to become the 6th champion in as many years, won twice to move a full point ahead.

Mark Kernighan took his 11th straight game but was re-relegated to 2nd place.

I used the K's Indian to beat Mikhail Kruglyak, draw Greg Tomkovich, take-over 3rd & extend my KST unbeaten streak to 9 (+6-0=3) but squandered a half-point.

Geoff McAuliffe & Joe Renna also won.

Results

• Kernighan 1-0 Carrelli
• Mazzillo 0-1 Mangion
• Kruglyak 0-1 Moldovan
• Tomkovich ½-½ Moldovan
• McAuliffe 1-0 Mann
• Renna 1-0 Shiffman
• Kruglyak 0-1 Mangion

Standings

• 1. Mangion 12.0
• 2. Kernighan 11.0
• 3. Moldovan 9.5
• 4. Tomkovich 9.0
• 5. Carrelli 6.0
• 6. Mann 5.0
• 7. Sherer 4.0
• 8. Renna 3.5
• = 9. Pawlowski, Shiffman 3.0
• = 11. Sturniolo, Mazzillo, Cole 2.5
• = 14. Lewis, Wojcio, Agress, Sokolosky 2.0
• 18. McAuliffe 1.5
• 19. Zhu 1.0
• = 20. Kruglyak, Balint, Castillo, Ruales 0.0

4 games & an updated crosstable will follow. Annotations might be delayed 3 or 4 days, though.

Update 8/21 @ 10 p.m. - Replay page & raw PGN uploaded.

#547 STC Championship Semis - Round 7

I badly misplayed the opening to middlegame transition in a Milner-Barry Nimzo-Indian (much as I did against Kernighan in March) & lost a rematch with Haim Pilosof.

Here are the rotten details in Java-replay & PGN.

We really shouldn't have been paired again as I had yet to face 2 other players & was due a full-point bye in round 7, 8 or 9. Here is the protest letter I posted in the game forum :

From jpmoldovan at 2009-08-17 12:24:58:

Mr. Tournament Director,

I believe this pairing to be incorrect because HaimPilosof & I have already played.I also want to note that :

- None of the 6 remaining "they've never played each other" pairings were addressed & all of the 7th round match-ups are repeats.

- A player is receiving a 2nd full-point bye when there are 3 players who haven't gotten one.

- I should be facing chessforlove & gotleib & getting a full-point bye in round 8 or 9.

The following 7th round pairings, would have been more logical : HaimPilosof-BrianWood, jpmoldovan-chessforlove; gotleib-jps7; oswald137 1/2-point bye.

I don't expect any change & will negotiate with Haim but I felt it necessary to voice my opinion first.

The 2100-rated Pilosof, who has conspicuously made just 1 mistake in 6 games, now leads by 1 point but I am still in clear 2nd. Does that mean we'll be paired again in round 8?? I doubt it. That would be consistent!

Update 8/21 @ 8:55 a.m. - Revised notes made to my game (1 variation removed, other minor changes) & jps7-oswald137 game added.

#546 More KST Games

Pawlowski-Mangion from round 6 (replay, PGN) & Sherer-Kernighan from round 9 (replay, PGN) have been uploaded.

#545 Summer Tourney - Round 10

Ian Mangion scored 1.5 points in a simul to tie 10-0 Mark Kernighan for a share of 1st place.

Greg Tomkovich held onto 3rd with a draw vs. David Pawlowski.

I beat Ted Mann but missed a chance to tie Greg by botching an easily won B vs. N ending against Geoff McAuliffe.

Bert Shiffman & Lou Sturniolo were the other winners.

Results

• Carrelli 0-1 Kernighan
• Sherer 1/2-1/2 Mangion
• Renna 0-1 Mangion
• Tomkovich ½-½ Pawlowski
• Moldovan 1-0 Mann
• McAuliffe ½-½ Moldovan
• Shiffman 1-0 Mazzillo
• Sturniolo 1-0 Cole

The players readily submitted scores this week. So, you can replay &/or download 7 of the 8 games.

With 3 rounds to go, the standings are as follows :

• = 1. Kernighan, Mangion 10.0
• 3. Tomkovich 8.5
• 4. Moldovan 8.0
• 5. Carrelli 6.0
• 6. Mann 5.0
• 7. Sherer 4.0
• = 8. Pawlowski, Shiffman 3.0
• = 10. Sturniolo, Mazzillo, Renna, Cole 2.5
• = 14. Lewis, Wojcio, Agress, Sokolosky 2.0
• 18. Zhu 1.0
• 19. McAuliffe 0.5
• = 20. Hart, Kruglyak, Balint, Castillo, Ruales 0.0

Crosstable (in standing order)

#544 STC Championship Semis - Round 6

Tragedy! I blundered while a Rook ahead, had to go into a pawn-up Q ending, picked the wrong path despite a 16-minute think & had to settle for a draw against a 'C' player.

Now, my margin of error is gone & I need to beat my remaining opponents (1917 & 1501-rated) to win on tiebreaks.

• java-replay & zipped PGN of last night's games
• Annotated replay of last Week's draw vs. HaimPilosof
• Complete WCL section PGN for rounds 4, 5

Update 8/15 @ 12:29 a.m. - Two games added, to complete the 6th Round PGN.

#543 Summer Tourney - Round 9

Mark Kernighan took the lead with a win over Max Sherer & Greg Tomkovich's victory vs. Ian Mangion.

I essayed my 1st-ever Leningrad Dutch, played well & beat Bert Shiffman.

Don Carrelli, Ted Mann & Gordon Agress also won.

Results

• Tomkovich 1-0 Mangion
• Sherer 0-1 Kernighan
• Shiffman 0-1 Moldovan
• Mazzillo 0-1 Carrelli
• Mann 1-0 McAuliffe
• Agress 1-0 Sturniolo

replays

PGN

Standings

• 1. Kernighan 9.0
• 2. Mangion 8.5
• 3. Tomkovich 8.0
• 4. Moldovan 6.5
• 5. Carrelli 6.0
• 6. Mann 5.0
• 7. Sherer 3.5
• = 8. Pawlowski, Mazzillo, Renna, Cole 2.5
• = 12. Lewis, Wojcio, Shiffman, Agress, Sokolosky 2.0
• 17. Sturniolo 1.5
• 18. Zhu 1.0
• = 19. Hart, McAuliffe, Kruglyak, Balint, Castillo, Ruales 0.0

Crosstable (finally in standing order!)

#542 Summer Tourney - Round 8

Ian Mangion, Mark Kernighan, Greg Tomkovich, Don Carrelli, Ted Mann & Mike Wojcio were among the winners in 8th round KST action.

I inched into 4th place with a couple of lucky, simultaneous wins. Gordon Agress should've beaten me & Jim Cole should have drawn but they erred in time trouble.

Results from July 30th :

• Shiffman 1-0 Mangion
• Kernighan 1-0 Wojcio
• Mazzillo 1-0 Tomkovich
• Carrelli 1-0 Pawlowski
• Agress 0-1 Moldovan
• Cole 0-1 Moldovan
• Wojcio 1-0 Mangion
• Renna 0-1 Mann

replays

PGN

Standings going into tonight's 9th round :

• 1. Mangion 8.5
• 2. Kernighan 8.0
• 3. Tomkovich 7.0
• 4. Moldovan 5.5
• 5. Carrelli 5.0
• 6. Mann 4.0
• 7. Sherer 3.5
• = 8. Pawlowski, Mazzillo, Renna, Cole 2.5
• = 12. Lewis, Shiffman, Sokolosky, Wojcio 2.0
• 16. Sturniolo 1.5
• = 17. Zhu, Agress 1.0
• = 19. Hart, McAuliffe, Kruglyak, Balint, Castillo, Ruales 0.0

Interestingly, there are no ties among the top 7 scorers!

table

#541 STC Championship Semis - Round 5

This afternoon in the STC Championship Semi-Finals I drew the top seed, 2036-rated HaimPilosof, to retain a slim half-point lead.

Here's the time-stamped PGN & a few comments :

[Event "STC Championship sf"]
[Site "World Chess Live"]
[Date "2009.08.05"]
[Round "5"]
[White "jpmoldovan"]
[Black "HaimPilosof"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ICCResult "Game drawn by mutual agreement"]
[WhiteElo "1888"]
[BlackElo "2029"]
[Opening "King's Indian: fianchetto, classical variation"]
[ECO "E67"]
[NIC "KI.65"]
[Time "12:35:04"]
[TimeControl "3600+30"]
1. Nf3 {0:59:58} Nf6 {0:59:45} 2. c4 {1:00:22} g6 {0:59:50} 3. Nc3 {1:00:37} Bg7 {1:00:11} 4. d4 {1:00:50} O-O {1:00:35} 5. g3 {1:01:08} d6 {1:00:34} 6. Bg2 {1:01:27} Nbd7 {1:01:00} 7. O-O {1:01:41} e5 {1:01:19} 8. Qc2 {1:01:44} Re8 {1:01:26} 9. Rd1 {1:01:01} e4 {1:01:20} 10. Ng5 {1:01:03} e3 {0:58:55} 11. fxe3 {0:53:11} Ng4 {0:55:01} 12. e4 {0:53:15} c5 {0:53:57} 13. Nf3 {0:48:16} cxd4 {0:50:34} 14. Nxd4 {0:41:34} Qb6 {0:50:38} 15. e3 {0:41:50} Ndf6 {0:50:48} 16. h3 {0:37:17} Ne5 {0:42:20} 17. Nd5 {0:30:56} Nxd5 {0:40:02} 18. exd5 {0:30:51} Nd7 {0:40:26} 19. Qf2 {0:29:57} Nc5 {0:40:00} 20. Rf1 {0:29:38} f5 {0:39:25} 21. Rd1 {0:28:05} Bd7 {0:38:37} 22. Rb1 {0:27:02} Ne4 {0:37:50} 23. Bxe4 {0:26:23} fxe4 {0:38:12} 24. Kh2 {0:25:13} Rac8 {0:35:15} 25. Qe2 {0:24:15} Qd8 {0:28:53} 26. b3 {0:22:50} Be5 {0:24:33} 27. Bb2 {0:21:19} Qg5 {0:23:17} 28. Rg1 {0:19:15} Rf8 {0:22:24} 29. Ne6 {0:17:59} Bxe6 {0:22:34} 30. dxe6 {0:17:53} Rf3 {0:22:47} 31. Bxe5 {0:17:52} Qxe5 {0:23:14} 32. Rbf1 {0:16:34} Rcf8 {0:23:28} 33. e7 {0:12:58} Qxe7 {0:23:50} 34. Rxf3 {0:12:53} exf3 {0:24:07} 35. Qd2 {0:12:38} b6 {0:22:45} 36. Qd5+ {0:11:25} Rf7 {0:22:06} 37. Qd4 {0:09:14} h6 {0:18:55} 38. Rf1 {0:09:23} h5 {0:17:41} 39. e4 {0:07:21} Qe6 {0:15:28} 40. Qe3 {0:05:54} Qf6 {0:13:47} 41. Kg1 {0:05:24} g5 {0:13:53} 42. Qd2 {0:04:29} Qe5 {0:13:36} 43. Kf2 {0:04:36} Kh7 {0:12:13} {Game drawn by mutual agreement} 1/2-1/2

• Black sacked or lost a pawn with 9...e4?! I don't think it was prepared.
• 14...Qb6 was a novelty; varying from the previously tried a6, h5 & Nc5.
• I was better through move 18 but 19.Qf2 allowed equalization & 28.Rg1? made me slightly worse.
• Another mistake on move 41 & time trouble put me in a near-lost position.
• 3 turns later, however, my opponent surprisingly offered to split the point!

On the STC site, you can replay & the download the game.


P.S. - Some additional notes. These are from Mega2008 & Chess Publishing :

• Opinion on 9...e4 varies. Chekov says "?!", Stohl says "!?", Andrew Martin says "!"
• Dautov recommends 11...Nf8!
• Stohl gives my 13.Nf3 an exclam.
• According to Littlewood, the position after 15.e3 is +/-.

There will be more on this contest in a few days.