Archive for January, 2008

Here is the graphical representation of my first round game against Jim Cole generated by Chess Publisher, with light notes below:

(1) Cole,Jim (1127) – Hart,Glen (1651) [A29]
Kenilworth Chess Club Championship USA (1), 17.01.2008
[Glen Hart]
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Nd5 Bc5 [5...a5; 5...e4; 5...Nxd5] 6.Bg2 0–0 [6...d6] 7.0–0 Nxd5 8.cxd5 Nd4 9.e3 [9.Ne1 d6 10.e3 Nf5 11.Nc2 Bd7 12.b3 "...with a minute advantage for White, Eingorn-Tseshkovsky, Moscow 1985," Carsten Hansen writing in The Gambit "Guide to the English Opening: 1...e5." (Gambit Publications Ltd. UK 1999)] 9…Nxf3+ 10.Bxf3 d6 11.e4 f5 12.d3 f4 13.Kh1 Qf6 14.a3 Bh3 15.Bg2 Qh6 16.Qf3 Bxg2+ 17.Kxg2 Rf6 18.Bd2 Raf8 19.Rae1 fxg3 20.Bxh6 Rxf3 21.Be3 gxf2 22.Rxf2 Rxf2+ 23.Bxf2 Rxf2+ 24.Kg3 Rxb2 25.Ra1 Bd4 26.Rc1 Bc5 27.a4 Rb3 0–1

Here is the PGN file for my first round game on January 17th in the 2008 Kenilworth Chess Club Championship (where I played Black against Jim Cole). Mostly to figure out how to attach files to posts (baby steps)!

OK…so I’ll need to tap Mike and John’s expertise to figure out how to attach or save the PGN file where it is accesible via an embedded link. (Looks like I’ll need an account on an appropriate server such as Chess Games or the like.) Here is the text of the game:

(1) Cole,Jim (1127) – Hart,Glen (1651) [A29]
Kenilworth Chess Club Championship USA (1), 17.01.2008
[Glen Hart]
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Nd5 Bc5 6.Bg2 0–0 [6...d6] 7.0–0 Nxd5 8.cxd5 Nd4 9.e3 [9.Ne1 d6 10.e3 Nf5 11.Nc2 Bd7 12.b3 "...with a minute advantage for White, Eingorn-Tseshkovsky, Moscow 1985," Carsten Hansen writing in The Gambit "Guide to the English Opening: 1...e5." (Gambit Publications Ltd. UK 1999)] 9…Nxf3+ 10.Bxf3 d6 11.e4 f5 12.d3 f4 13.Kh1 Qf6 14.a3 Bh3 15.Bg2 Qh6 16.Qf3 Bxg2+ 17.Kxg2 Rf6 18.Bd2 Raf8 19.Rae1 fxg3 20.Bxh6 Rxf3 21.Be3 gxf2 22.Rxf2 Rxf2+ 23.Bxf2 Rxf2+ 24.Kg3 Rxb2 25.Ra1 Bd4 26.Rc1 Bc5 27.a4 Rb3 0–1

Best regards…Glen

I want to thank John Moldovan for posting the information on the West Ornage Chess Club (WOCC) Championship tournament, which begins next week, at his Chess Coroner blog. I made an announcement about the Kenilworth Club championship event at last evening’s WOCC annual business meeting and urged all to consider entering! I posted the information on the WOCC championship event at the WOCC blog site and I repeat it here with some minor corrections to John’s post:

The USCF-rated 2008 West Orange CC Championship starts on January 22nd. It will be a five round Swiss format over eight weeks with the first time control period of 40 moves in 90 minutes, with each subsequent control at 30 moves in 60 minutes. Half point byes are available in any of the first four rounds. The entry fee is $15. The schedule is as follows:

January 22nd – Round 1

January 29th – Round 2

February 5th – First Postponements and Adjournments Session

February 12th – Round 3

February 19th – Second Postponements and Adjournments Session (Note: those playing in the USATE tournament on February 16th, 17th and 18th can reschedule)

February 26th – Round 4

March 4th – Third Postponements and Adjournments Session

March 11th – Round 5 (Final Round)

The West Orange Chess Club meets Tuesday evenings 7 p.m. – 12 midnight at the Toby Katz Community Center, Degnan Park, 650 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ 07052

For entries contact club President and Tournament Director John Hagerty at 973-736-3433 (please call before 10 p.m.)

Assistant Tournament Directors are Victor Rosas (201.618.7248) and Glen Hart (glen.hart@skanska.com or 973.723.7250)

Thank you and good luck to all the entrants!

Glen Hart

I hope everyone is doing well!

Chess… Where to start?

Local Chess Club
My main focus over the past year has been to increase the number of members at the club. We have grown from 8-10 to over 50, with 30 of those holding USCF memberships. The goal now is to include scheduled lessons for new players and non-USCF members that are designed to give them the basics necessary to start tournament play. Fortunately several of our higher rated players are volunteering their time and effort to help make this work. We now have so many higher ranked players in attendance that unless you are 1700+ you won’t even crack the top 10 on the club rating list.

My Chess
Still playing and studying [nothing rated yet... ]
My main focus has been geared toward learning endgame fundamentals, review of basic strategic positions and how to convert those into wins, review of master games, tactical exercises (limited), some opening preparation, calculation exercises, and how-to analyze chess positions in order to objectively develop plans (as opposed to wandering around aimlessly looking for tactical shots as I did in the past).

Other than that nothing fancy.

Chess Blogging
Undecided on the frequency, this may just be a one off deal or I may decide to post on a weekly, semi-weekly or even monthly basis. Everyone knows blogging is a time consuming affair, so as far as keeping up with this blog or that blog. I’d rather just spend that time with family and friends. Studying might even be an option.
Ideally I would like to incorporate something productive which would serve to reinforce my chess study as opposed to the same old blah,blah,blah… “It’s week #428 I have now solved 52,870,621 chess exercises and I still suck!”.

The Society of Self-Analysis
Oh yes its coming.
This will be the fun part, where I review my own games and post my blunders and (wtf?) moments for your entertainment pleasure. It is from these gems of “how not to play” wisdom that I will attempt to tailor my study and lesson plans in order to correct the unsightly blight on humanity better known as my chess game.

Stay tuned.