Archive for August 29th, 2009

The 2009 New Jersey State Chess Championship celebrates its 63rd year on Memorial Day weekend, September 5 – 7, 2009 at the Somerset Ramada Inn, 60 Cottontail Lane, Somerset NJ (Exit 12 off I-287). It looks like it will be a very competitive event, thanks in part to the low entry fee for former champions. According to Ken Thomas’s website, advance entries include former NJ champs IM Dean Ippolito (2001 & 2002), FM Tommy Bartell (2004, 2005, & 2007), IM Mikhail Zlotnikov (1994 & 2007), FM Steve Stoyko (1973, 1983, and 1988), and Steve Pozarek (1979). As always, I will be dropping by to see old friends and browse Fred Wilson’s book table. I am also curious to meet one participant, Max Zavanelli, who is probably the world’s best known practitioner of the Urusov Gambit (whereas I may be the Urusov’s most devoted analyst). Advanced entries are still accepted through September 1st by mail and September 4th online.

The 2009 New Jersey State Chess Championship celebrates its 63rd year on Labor Day weekend, September 5 – 7, 2009 at the Somerset Ramada Inn, 60 Cottontail Lane, Somerset NJ (Exit 12 off I-287). It looks like it will be a very competitive event, thanks in part to the low entry fee for former champions. According to Ken Thomas’s website, advance entries include former NJ champs IM Dean Ippolito (2001 & 2002), FM Tommy Bartell (2004, 2005, & 2007), IM Mikhail Zlotnikov (1994 & 2007), FM Steve Stoyko (1973, 1983, and 1988), and Steve Pozarek (1979). As always, I will be dropping by to see old friends and browse Fred Wilson’s book table. I am also curious to meet one participant, Max Zavanelli, who is probably the world’s best known practitioner of the Urusov Gambit (whereas I may be the Urusov’s most devoted analyst). Advanced entries are still accepted through September 1st by mail and September 4th online.

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.

The chess board is 1200 x 1200 feet in size, with squares measuring 150 feet and pieces 30 to 60 feet in size. The best place to view the action is from the Kyffhäuser Monument in Thuringia, Germany, from an elevation of 1500 feet. The opponents are IM Elisabeth Pähtz, Germany’s top female player, and an Internet community that votes every morning at 10 a.m. on their move. You can join in.