News
That's All, Folks!
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- Created: 28 November 2009 28 November 2009
Blaze draw division-leading Sluggers to end a down-and-up season
The Chicago Blaze finished their 2009 USCL season on November 4 with a 2-2 draw against the division-leading Seattle Sluggers, capping off a late-season mini-surge that gave the team a respectable 4-6 record on the year after a poor start in the first half of the schedule.
With the Blaze officially eliminated from playoff competition by Miami’s draw against Boston the previous week, the pressure was off the Chicago squad, and they were relaxed going into the final round against the heavily favored Sluggers. That and the good turnout of fans at the Holiday Inn Skokie created a festive atmosphere for the night that helped the team hold the Pacific Northwest powerhouse.
One of the Blazers who took full advantage of the circumstances was IM Florin Felecan, who scored his first USCL victory against FM Slava Mikhailuk in a 28-move Sicilian Rossolimo. It took NM Eric Rosen a few more moves to prevail over NM Joshua Sinanan in a Closed Sicilian, but prevail he did, and the two wins secured the draw against Seattle.
Pushing Wood at the 24th North American Masters
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- Created: 19 November 2009 19 November 2009
I think everyone has experienced this feeling, you go to a tournament and you’re the lowest rated player in the event. Your confidence then goes way down and you are in somewhat awe of your fellow opponent’s rating.
Well this is what is happening to me at Sevan’s tournament in January 2010. The field has been set it is a 10 round 5 player double round robin tournament. Five games on a weekend in January and five on a weekend in February.
It is unusual being a Master and all to be the lowest rated player and it hasn’t happened to me for a long time. I will be playing with IM’s Felecan, Pasalic and Vishnuvardhan. FM’s Admason and Shankar. Then me the lowly untitled player.
[game follows . . .]
Karklins Ties for First at Kings Island
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- Created: 16 November 2009 16 November 2009
FM Andrew Karklins scored 4/6 in the Open Section of the 2009 Kings Island tournament last weekend and tied for first place.
Andrew has of course been playing chess for while and despite not playing too often he always seems to do well when he does.
Andrew took a draw in the first round against an Ohio expert. He then proceeded to defeat 3 expert players and draw with an IM.
Congratulations to Andrew for a fine performance. He gained 16 rating points from the tournament to move up to 2263.
In other news from the tournament expert Zach Kasiurak scored 4/6 in the U2100 section to tie for second place. Zach gained 27 rating points to move up to 2061.
Expert from Evanston chess club Matthew Pullin scored 3.5/6 in the U2100 section for a tie for fourth place only losing one game to the section winner. Matthew gained 10 rating points to move up to 2049.
Stayin' Alive
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- Created: 27 October 2009 27 October 2009
The Blaze keep their playoff chances on life support and pull the plug on the defending champs
They may not be the team they were last year, but the Dallas Destiny are still the defending champions of the U.S. Chess League, and last night the Blaze beat them—convincingly.
The 3.5/4 score for the evening was the most resounding victory of the season for Chicago. It eliminated Dallas from playoff contention and kept our own long-shot hopes for postseason play alive, at least until Miami plays this week and possibly into the final week of the season. We had to win last night’s match, and we did, with three victories, a draw, and no losses.
Highlights? Where do I start?
Most likely with IM Jan van de Mortel, who has been settling splendidly into Board 1 of late. Two weeks after beating GM Jaan Ehlvest, Jan played a thrilling game against IM John Bartholomew, coming back from a significant material disadvantage to win.
Winning is Grand
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- Created: 18 October 2009 18 October 2009
Blaze beat a GM-laden Tennessee lineup
Earlier in the week we asked the following about this week’s match between Chicago and Tennessee:
“Can the Tempo do it? Can they finally beat the Blaze with two top grandmasters?”
The answer, we can now tell you, is no.
Last Wednesday night the Tennessee Tempo threw everything they had at the Chicago Blaze in an attempt to reverse a three-match losing streak against the Windy City, and it wasn’t enough. Despite Tennessee’s having two of the strongest players in the United States on Boards 1 and 2, the Blaze prevailed, winning the match 2.5-1.5.
The big news of the night was that that IM Jan van de Mortel of the Blaze overcame a 241-ratings-point deficit to beat GM Jaan Ehlvest. In a wild unbalanced game that has won the league’s Upset of the Week prize, Jan emerged from an intense series of captures up three pawns on Move 30. GM Ehlvest resigned ten moves later.
The still-undefeated IM Angelo Young beat off a tough comeback attempt by FM John Bick to give the Blaze their second victory on Board 3, and Trevor Magness drew Gerald Larson on Board 4 to give us the margin of victory.