The USATE (part 2)

Round 2 was rather uneventful. Our team played down, and went 3-1. Of course I was the only loss. I didn't play very well on day 1, and I promised the team that if they needed me, in a later round - with the match on the line - that I would be there for them. I was just hoping that I could live up to that promise.

We went back to Daniel's house, I was rather dejected. I was the only player without a win on the team, and I was feeling like I let them down. Daniel wanted me to put the day behind me, and if there is one thing that I learned in Philadelphia, it is that I have to put bad losses (or draws) behind me. So, I tried to get a good night's sleep.

Up early in the morning on day 2. Not as early as Daniel, Kevin and Adonis, who went out to play basketball (only after they woke me up to tell me that I was snoring), but early enough. I wandered downstairs to check out the family's chess library, and it is amazing, let me tell you. For a private collection to be this thorough just stuns me. Daniel's mom is up and cooking the team breakfast - have I told you how awesome these people are? The guys are back from the basketball game, and apparently Kevin won some 2 bounce with some pretty acrobatic shots (but Adonis dunked on Kevin, so I am assured that it's all good).

After breakfast I start blitzing with Adonis to work on my technique, but we get run off the board, because it is time to head out.

Day 2. Round 3. This had to be the round that generated the most conversation and laughter for the rest of the tournament. We played a team that consisted of young kids (I mean tiny kids). Well, most of us did. Daniel played someone in their teens. Adonis and sat next to each other on boards 3 and 4. Adonis' opponent asked him what his rating was, so he told the kid - 1950. And his opponent's face dropped 3 feet, which meant it fell to his feet, and when Adonis asked him his rating, he said that he didn't know.

I think my opponent was even younger, and he had that blond hair that only super young children have, and his mother was standing off to the side looking so proud (and sorry). Oh, I almost forgot- the first 2 moves of the game - 1.e4 c5 2.Qh5. He was white. I promptly excused myself for about ten minutes, and returned to the board, composed and ready to play.

So about half way into our game, my opponent leans across the table and whispers - "My rating is 561." I slapped my forehead. Adonis is taking a lot of time on one of his moves, and his opponent leans across the table and whispers "You know your rating is 1100 points higher than mine?" I couldn't help but laugh. I also kept saying these two things for the rest of the day.

At some point my opponent randomly picked up one of his rooks, and I lean over the table to advise him not to do that, and he whispers "adjust." I don't make him move it, but I do tell him that he should never touch his pieces like that. Eventually I mate my opponent in the middle of the board. Adonis gets into a drawn endgame. But he wins. Kevin wins. Daniel draws.

Stay tuned for the fireworks of round 4. I must say that round three brought me the most smiles looking back on the tournament. It is great to see very young children playing in real events. It means that the future of chess is secure. Sometimes when I look at the population of the Pittsburgh Chess Club, I worry about the future of chess. We just don't have the super young kids to replace us older folk. I am glad to see children out in numbers at the USATE.