Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Wisconsin Chess Blog Puzzle Standings Kicks Off

To make the blog more interactive the Wisconsin Chess Blog will have a year long contest with prizes randomly given out for gaining points. A point scoreboard will be posted so you can see how you are doing. The it will officially start in June 2009and end in June 2010 with prizes for the top 10 finishers, top three Juniors(U21), and top 3 Scholastic (U18). For you to be eligible you must be following the blog at the time of your post or it will not be counted. Always leave your entire name at the end of your post. There will be a deadline for everything, if the deadline is June 25th then it must be posted before midnight on the 25th.

Game Commentary Contest:

Deadline: June 25th, 2009.

Points: 100

Please provide a complete annotations for the game below. You will be judged on your ability to elucidate the ideas in the game. Feel free to post an example game that illustrates the ideas for the game. I would like to see a good mix of concrete analysis and lots of explanations. You will also be judged on finding any mistakes made by either side in the game.The most accurate and complete annotations will get 50 points, 2nd 20 points, 3rd 10 points, 4th-9th 5 points. All reasonable annotations will get 1 point. We reserve the right to post and use any posts for but not limited to the Wisconsin Chess Blog and Vaja International Chess Academy handouts/publications.



or click here.

Game Analysis

Blindeadsun (Justin), good job you were the only one to find the critical position and suggest a better plan. Nobody found the important move Tate missed. Please contact me at Info@VajaChess.com to collect your prize. The solution is below with some replys to your posts.



Or click here


Vaja,Ashish (2237) - IM Tate,Emory (2400)
Foxwoods (3), 13.04.2009
[Vaja, Ashish]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 f5 5.Nge2 Ne7 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 Ng6 8.h4 h6 9.h5 Ne7 10.Rh3

This is a thematic plan in these positions, if you want to see come classics that use this plan check out Euwe's games vs. the Winawer. [10.g4 This is an interesting move, which I did consider in the game, but in light of the following variation I declined. 10...c5 11.g5 hxg5 12.Bxg5 Nbc6 13.h6 (13.Rg1 Qa5 14.Qd3 Rh7) 13...gxh6 14.Bf6 Rh7 15.Qd2 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Qb6 I think that white is still much better, but this is not as clean as it should be. Right out of the opening my opponent allowed me to gain space from the opening and fix the k-side pawns. ] 10...c5 11.Rg3 Rg8 12.Nf4 Qa5 13.Bd2 [13.a4] 13...c4 14.Rh3? Blindeadsun you are correct, this is the mistake, although the idea itself is correct I failed to see what blacks threat was here. Now that the tension on d4 is gone, c3 can easily be covered by the rook on g3. Makogonov tells us to find the worse placed piece and improve it, which is the bishop on d2. White had to continue: [14.a4! Nbc6 15.Bc1 Bd7 16.Ba3 0-0-0 17.Be2 Kb8 18.Qb1 Nc8 19.Kf1 Black is already struggling to find useful moves and white will continue to improve his position. ] 14...Nbc6? [14...Qa4! This is the idea that my opponent missed, the a3 and c3 pawns are potential targets all of a sudden. This is such a deep move, but after looking over more Winawer games it seems to be thematic. Being my first game in the Winawer (except for when I was much weaker) I did not even consider this idea. 15.g4 Nbc6 16.Rg3 Bd7 17.Bh3 0-0-0 The problem is now obvious the bishop on d2 can only observe the other pieces struggle to prove an advantage. 18.Be3 (18.gxf5 exf5 19.e6 Be8 Black is freeing himself. ) 18...Rdf8 19.g5 a6 This is the whole point, now black has the plan to play Na7-b5 and whites task is not so simple. ] 15.Be2? [15.a4!] 15...Bd7? [15...Qa4!] 16.g4? This was my last chance. [16.a4!] 16...0-0-0? [16...Qa4] 17.Rg3 [17.a4? g5 18.hxg6 Nxg6] 17...Rdf8? [17...Qa4!] 18.g5 Andy, the position is already lost at this point, Nd8 is not really a blunder considering how bad the position is for black. 18...hxg5 19.Rxg5 After this it is straightforaward. 19...Nd8 20.Qb1 Nf7 21.Rg3 Re8 22.Qb4 Qc7 23.0-0-0 Nc6 24.Qb2 Nh8 25.Rdg1 Nxe5 The position is already close to lost even though black is not down material yet, white is about to cash in, Emory makes a last attemt to complicate matters. 26.dxe5 Qxe5 27.Bf3 Nf7 28.Rg6 Nh8 Offers Draw 29.R6g3 Nf7 30.Qb4 Qc7 31.Rxg7 a5 32.Qb2 Rxg7 33.Rxg7 Ne5 34.Be2 Qd8 35.h6 Qh4 36.Qb6 Qxh6 37.Nh5 Resigns 1-0

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

BEST GAME PRIZE ARPAD ELO

VOTE for the best game, games are below:







Cardenas, David - Hoffman, Guy

Williams, William - Veech, John

Masood, Zeeshawn - Grochowski, Andrew

Vote for the best game on the right hand side. You need to have an account.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

2009 Arpad Elo Open

John Veech wins Arpad Elo 5-0 & will beocome Wisconsins newest expert!

"Arpad Emrick Elo (born Élő Árpád Imre[1][2], August 25, 1903 in Egyházaskesző, Hungary – November 5, 1992 in Brookfield, Wisconsin) is the creator of the Elo rating system for two-player games such as chess. Born in Hungary, he moved to the United States with his parents as a child in 1913." Wikipedia

"Elo was a professor of physics at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was also a chess master. By the 1930s he was the strongest chess player in Milwaukee, one of the nation's leading chess cities. He won the Wisconsin State Championship eight times." Wikipedia


"In 1970, FIDE, the World Chess Federation, agreed to adopt the Elo Rating System. From then on until the mid-1980s, Elo himself made the rating calculations. At the time, the computational task was relatively easy because fewer than 2000 players were rated by FIDE." Wikipedia

To my knowledge the Elo rating system (what your international rating is called) is used as a ranking system in other games also.

News:



-A total of 60 players showed up to compete for the title and after round 3 it seems like for the 2nd year in a row someone under the age of 16 will win the tournament. In round 3 Milwaukee local upcoming talent rated just below 2000 USCF beat one of Wisconsin's most famous masters William (Bill) Williams. It is not easy to beat the man who has won the Wisconsin State Championship in 5 different decades!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Game Analysis

I recently played in the Foxwoods Open and just finished going over my last game yesterday. Below is my game against IM Emory Tate, which I won in what I thought was a relatively clean fashion. It turns out there was a critical moment in which I failed to understand what the position called for and made a bad move. Mr. Tate missed the oppertunity to get back into the game, I challange you to find whites major mistake and where black had a serious improvement. First correct answer gets $50, my be posted by a blogger user, anonymous will not be accepted.

** The serious mistake is after white gets an advantage out the of the opening after black plays 9...Ne7.**

Click to see game.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Upcoming Wisconsin Chess Events


MILWAUKEE WEST May 9 3rd Annual Future Stars of Chess Invitational Tournament
W191 S6445 S. Hillendale Dr Muskego, WI. Three sections: K-3, K-6, and Parents and Relatives.
K-3 and K-6 6SS G/30, Parents and Relatives 4SS G/30. EF: $10 by 05/06/2009, $15 after. Online registration: www.wscachess.org. Click on the "tournaments" button, or follow the ho to register directions.


MADISON May 9 Madison Spring Rated Beginner Open (RBO)
D240 Downtown MATC Campus, 211 N Carroll St., Madison, WI 53703. In 2 Sections Open: 5SS, G/30, EF: $13 adv/$20 at site. $$: $50-20. Trophies 1st/2nd/3rd Overall, 1st/2nd U1000/U800/Unr. Reserve: 5SS, G/30, Open to Age 12 or less. EF: $11 adv/$20 at site. Prizes: Trophies 1st/2nd for ages 11-12/9-10/8 & Under. ALL: Open to 1199 & under. Reg.: 7:30am. Rds. : 8-9:15-10:30-12-1:15. ENT/INFO: George Alexander 608-669-3385. checkmate@tds.net. groups.google.com/group/madison-chess-league. NS NC W.

MILWAUKEE WEST May 16-17 Arpad Elo Open
5-SS30/90,SD/1.Comfort Suites, I-94 and WI-164, Pewaukee, WI. Hotel rates $85/night, must book by May 3rd. phone 262-506-2000 Two sections: Open and Reserve(U1800).EF: $35 Open, $25 reserve, both $5 more at site. Juniors -$3 from entry. At site registration: 9-9:30. Rounds: 10-2:30-7:30; 10-3:30. $$: b/40 Open: 1st $165, 2nd $140, A $95, U1800 $95. Reserve: 1st $90, 2nd $70, C $55, U1400 $55. Advance entries (check payable to WCA) to Ben Corcoran, N68 W24878 Stonegate Ct. #212, Sussex, WI 53089. Questions: 262-506-4203 or email at ben38corcoran@yahoo.com. A Wisconsin Tour event! WCL JGP.

MILWAUKEE June 21-25 Wisconsin Chess Academy Summer Chess Camp
Would you like to get to the next level in chess for the next school year?
Ramada Conference Center Milwaukee, WI. Staff includes: Grandmaster Gregory Serper, Grandmaster Joshua Friedel, FIDE Master Alexander Betaneli, National Master Erik Santarius, National Master Ashish Vaja. More information Alexander Betaneli: 608-334-2574; abetaneli@hotmail.com or Ashish Vaja: 414-234-1005; Ashish@VajaChess.com.

MILWAUKEE July 10-12 2009 U. S. Junior Open Championship Wisconsin Ramada Conference Center, 6331 S 13th St., Milwaukee, WI 53221. Chess rate of $79, 414-764-1500
Three sections based on age: Under 21, Under 15, Under 11. 5SS, G/90. Ramada Airport Milwaukee, WI. Chess U21: $300+entry to 2010 Junior Closed-$150. Individual trophies: 1st overall, best player for ages 17-18, 15-16, under 15. Team trophies: top three high schools, top club.U15: Individual trophies: top 3 overall, best player for ages 11-13, under 11. Team trophies: top three middle schools, top club. U11: Individual trophies: top 3 overall, best player for ages 9, 8, 7, 6&under. Team trophies: top three elementary schools, top club. All participants receive commemorative medals. EF: $35 ($30 per player if 4 or more pre-register together) advance; $50 after July 10th. Cash only at site. Schedule: Opening ceremony: Friday at 2:45pm. Rounds: Friday 3:00pm, Saturday 10:00am and 2:00pm, Sunday 10:00am and 2:00pm. Closing ceremony: Sunday 5:30pm. Side Events: ($20/event) BLITZ: Friday at 7:00pm. BUGHOUSE: Saturday at 7:00pm. SIMUL: Friday at 7:00pm and Saturday at 7:00pm. PARENTS AND COACHES TOURNEY: 3SS G/30 (not rated) Saturday 10:30am, 2:15pm, 3:30pm. Info/questions: ashish@vajachess.com or 414-234-1005, abetaneli@hotmail.com or 608-334-2574. Make Checks Payable to and Send Entries to: VICA, 6822 North Crestwood Dr., Glendale WI 53209 or online registration at http://www.wscachess.org/. WCL JGP.