chess

looking at my games, i realize that i undervalue the bishop pair.

i was thinking about making a couple changes to my repetoire. ...Nc6 v. the Panov we'll see if i decide to do that or not. going back to 1.Nf3 and playing the QGD Exchange. we'll have to see.

Linares is going on, playing a lot of Nimzos and Closed Ruy Lopezes. Interesting theoretically for me.

potentially, me and Kirk are going to London the 26th of March. we'll see if Kirk bails or not ;)

½/4

the tournament didn't go so well for me...more later

here we go

i'm not particularly comfortable about this tournament...i'm unusually nervous. my goal is to go undefeated. second goal finish in the prize money. third goal gain rating points. fourth goal make every game go to the time control (30 moves). not a lot to ask. i'm not sure whether to allow the marshall or not...i was going to but i got my ass handed to me on the internet this morning...we'll have to see...very nervous. i am going to play 1.d4 e6 v. tim knechtel

an idea

after this tourney, maybe the classical ruy lopez may be what the doctor ordered

Stein-Spassky 1961
Portisch-Spassky 1961
Gligoric-Spassky 1964
Tal-Fischer
Beliavsky-Ivanchuk Linares 1989 amongst others

confidence baby confidence

so i realized something today...i have no problem beating 1700s on ICC because i believe that i can play with them. it's gotta be the same this weekend. 1700-1799 is my feeding ground, 0-1699 are gimme points. i know i can play at that, admittedly not very lofty, level. must kick ass.

i'm thinking about taking up the tarrasch v. the french after this tourney.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kirk is burnt out from school and he's thinking about missing the kitchener tournament :( i was thinking today that probably this year i'm going to just participate in the U2000 and next year hopefully i will contend...i hope kirk goes. even if just to visit chuck, but not play...

i feel human again

i got the internet yesterday and i'm back online...yee hah! so i've done a fair share of tactics in my time off. hopefully i'll be peaking by the time i get to the tournament. i borrowed The Italian Gambit off of Aaron Clinton last weekend because it had some 2. ...d6 3.Bb5+, 2. ...Nc6 3.Bb5 lines v. the Sicilian in it. the book is basically a load of crap. the "miami variation" that the author (who isn't jude acers btw, simply a class player) invented is just a trappy line in the italian game (no doubt dangerous) that he played a bunch of correspondence games v. acers in which he was allowed to use books, computers, etc. and acers was just using his brain and he won a couple games against him. the first part of the book is on the italian gambit that this guy invented and the second part is a repetoire book for 1.e4. in addition to those sicilian lines (which had some lovely games including this one) Browne-Quinteros they had an interesting line v. the Pirc


1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.e5!? dxe5 6.dxe5 Qxd1+ 7.Kxd1 Ng4

the novelty 5.e5 was originally played by David Bronstein and isn't that bad. i'm looking to sit down and focus for a long time at this tournament...and this takes black out of book and if he's going to beat me, he's going to have to work at it...similar to the exchange lopez.

i'm always looking for something v. 1.d4 and in a combination of the Georgia Chess and Kevin Spraggett i stumbled onto the Clarendon Court opening.


CLARENDON COURT
1.d4 c5 2.d5 f5?!

is it as ugly as it looks? likely, but if it stops me from getting A45s it may be worth it. don't look for this at kitchener, but maybe afterwards. i was also thinking about playing the cambridge springs...we'll have to see.

btw, IM Michael Schleifer whipped out his dong at a tournament in Ottawa and pissed on the chessboard...from occ.com (this is too good not to save for history :) )

This shocking occurrence took place during the third round of last weekend's RA Winter Open...

IM Micheal Schleifer, who's birthday it was weekend last, drank and drank and drank a huge amount a beer (kudos to him), in fact he was cut off from consuming even more beer in the RA Centre Field House.

And then some friend of his bought Michael yet another pitcher of beer all to be consumed before the start of round three of the RA Winter Open!!

The IM made it on time to his game, and then proceeded to pass out, head on hands at the board.

A cell phone rang (which is something else all together) which startled IM Michael Schleifer to awake.

Immediately after awakening he stood up, unzipped his pants, pulled out his manhood, and urinated all over the table, the chess pieces and board, and on the floor. His opponent was transfixed in complete shock.

Fortunately his side of the table had him with his back to the whole room, except for those on either side of him, boards 1 and 3.

Those who could see or hear the urine hitting the paper board and pieces, table, and the floor are still very disgusted.

Security was called, Michael in complete shock was carried from the playing hall.

Ok, so what should be done about this very offensive act???

There are other instances of a IM urinating while SITTING at the board, but none to reference a STANDING and urinating ON the board.

The other instance was in a Canadian championship and nothing was made of it. Although Hergott offered a very quick draw, the incident received only gossip. "

too funny...the other was bryon nickoloff i believe