The final round of the King's Island Open was anti-climactic. I had the white pieces. I opened with the KIA. I wasted two moves by blowing the move order. We agreed to a draw after 24 moves. I agreed because I was exhausted and really was not up to a struggle. It was my opponents fourth draw of the weekend. It was my second.
I learned a lot this weekend. I learned that a weekend of tournament chess is extremely enjoyable. I learned that you make new friends at a tournament like this. I also learned to take my time in the opening. I knew that timing would be a serious issue, and I knew that this is where I would struggle prior to coming to this tourney.
A few notes. Martin Luther King weekend I head to Philly for the Liberty Bell Open. I cannot wait. I will take notes by hand at this tournament and blog about it when I return home. Also - I run a mini grand-prix blitz tournament at the Pittsburgh Chess Club, which begins this weekend, on January 10th at 4pm, meets once a month and culminates in December. It only costs $2 to enter and pays out weekly and the Leader at the end of the year will win a clock, and other prizes will be given out along the way. I am very excited about this.
I look continuing this blog in the near future, and I do apologize for my lack of entries as of late, but I was in New York (yes, I visited the Marshall Chess Club) and the holidays kept me busy. Thank you for your patience. See you soon.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
King's Island Open (Part 4)
The final day of play. And they bumped round 4 up by a half hour. So I am up at 8 o'clock, for my 9 o'clock start. Breakfast is a pop tart and a Full Throttle. And I can still barely open my eyes. My lack of sleep on Friday night is really coming back to haunt me. Boy I hope that I can keep it together and play some decent chess. Since there is not much to talk about this morning, I will jump straight into the chess. Did I mention how tired I am? Here comes the proof.
I look at the wall chart, get my pairing and head for my table. I set up across from a very nice man, we both comment on the tournament. I have the black pieces, so I am supposed to supply the set and the clock. I don't have a clock. He does. Good, I don't have to borrow any one's clock. Things are looking good. He says something to the effect of 'What is your rating, X?' X being some name other than Greg/Gregory. I correct him - 'My name is Greg, you are Richard right?' Nope. I was at the wrong board. Now I looked down at my score pad and back at the table and realized that I wasn't sitting at the board number that I took down less than 5 minutes ago. What was going on here?
So, I apologize, get up, find my board, across from somebody who just watched everything that happened, and we both had a laugh. I had to try to regain composure here. I was in danger of tossing this game before I even started. "Start your clocks" comes over the speaker. Here we go. He opens c4. I want to puke a little. This is the one opening that I haven't fully prepared for. I am pretty much lost after 8-10 moves and I lose a pawn after a few more. Plus he has all the play and I have very little good to speak of. Now I am fighting for some luckbox draw. I remember what Clyde (a member of the Pittsburgh Chess Club who specializes in Rook and Pawn endings) always tells us. Rook and pawn endings (even those where you are down a pawn, and sometimes even those where you are down 2 pawns) are often drawn. I aim for a rook and pawn ending. Richard obliges. He misses something and gives the pawn back and we end up with Rook + 5 pawns v. Rook + 5 pawns. I have succeeded in my goal. I offer the draw. He declines. We get to King + 4 pawns v. King + 4 pawns. He offers the draw. I accept. I have a clear win.
I learned a lot from this game. Wake up! First and foremost. Wake up. Be prepared for anything. More important than anything though - when my opponent offers me the draw I have been fighting so hard/long for, take a fresh look at the board and make sure I am not drawing a won game.
I look at the wall chart, get my pairing and head for my table. I set up across from a very nice man, we both comment on the tournament. I have the black pieces, so I am supposed to supply the set and the clock. I don't have a clock. He does. Good, I don't have to borrow any one's clock. Things are looking good. He says something to the effect of 'What is your rating, X?' X being some name other than Greg/Gregory. I correct him - 'My name is Greg, you are Richard right?' Nope. I was at the wrong board. Now I looked down at my score pad and back at the table and realized that I wasn't sitting at the board number that I took down less than 5 minutes ago. What was going on here?
So, I apologize, get up, find my board, across from somebody who just watched everything that happened, and we both had a laugh. I had to try to regain composure here. I was in danger of tossing this game before I even started. "Start your clocks" comes over the speaker. Here we go. He opens c4. I want to puke a little. This is the one opening that I haven't fully prepared for. I am pretty much lost after 8-10 moves and I lose a pawn after a few more. Plus he has all the play and I have very little good to speak of. Now I am fighting for some luckbox draw. I remember what Clyde (a member of the Pittsburgh Chess Club who specializes in Rook and Pawn endings) always tells us. Rook and pawn endings (even those where you are down a pawn, and sometimes even those where you are down 2 pawns) are often drawn. I aim for a rook and pawn ending. Richard obliges. He misses something and gives the pawn back and we end up with Rook + 5 pawns v. Rook + 5 pawns. I have succeeded in my goal. I offer the draw. He declines. We get to King + 4 pawns v. King + 4 pawns. He offers the draw. I accept. I have a clear win.
I learned a lot from this game. Wake up! First and foremost. Wake up. Be prepared for anything. More important than anything though - when my opponent offers me the draw I have been fighting so hard/long for, take a fresh look at the board and make sure I am not drawing a won game.
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