Monday, February 29, 2016

Clocks Management

The saga of the Seniors prize at the USATE 2016 keeps getting curiouser and curiouser!

At first, the category prize was awarded erroneously to the team Vassar-Chadwick A Train. They received four digital clocks by mail last week.

The next day, Vassar-Chadwick Chess Club president Craig Fisher shipped the clocks to John Hagerty, president of the West Orange Chess Club, sponsors of the real Seniors prize winners West Orange Krush.

Meanwhile, unknown to Fisher and Hagerty, the NJSCF was mailing four other digital clocks plus the Seniors prize plaque to Ken Ganning, treasurer of the West Orange Chess Club.

In an e-mail, Steve Doyle explains that the first batch of four digital clocks was sent to Vassar-Chadwick A Train "as a courtesy because they were second and listed for a few days."

Now John Hagerty will ship the first batch of clocks back to Craig Fisher.  Will the NJSCF reimburse the shipping costs?

Stay tuned!

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Marshall Saturday Game/60 2/27/2016

On Saturday, I played this game in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Four: Philidor Counter Gambit

Kathleen Meniano (USCF 1815) - Jim West (USCF 2203), Marshall Chess Club 2/27/2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.dxe5 fxe4 5.Ng5 d5 6.e6 Bc5 7.f4 Nf6 8.Nf7 Qe7 9.Nxh8 Bxe6 10.Be2 Kf8 11.Nc3 c6 12.Na4 Bb4+ 13.c3 Bd6 14.O-O b5 15.b4 bxa4 16.Qxa4 Kg8 17.f5 Bd7 18.Ng6 hxg6 19.fxg6 c5


20.b5 c4 21.Be3 Bc5 22.Bd4 Bxd4+ 23.cxd4 Be8 24.Qa5 Bxg6 25.Qd2 e3 26.Qc3 Nbd7 27.Rf3 Re8 28.Re1 Ne4 29.Qxe3 Qb4 30.Rc1 Qxb5 31.Qf4 Qb6 32.Rd1 c3 33.Qc1 Qb2 34.Bd3 Qxa2 35.Qb1 Qxb1 36.Bxb1 Ndf6


37.h3 Rc8 38.Bc2 Rb8 39.Rb1 Rxb1+ 40.Bxb1 Nd2 41.Bxg6 Nxf3+ 42.gxf3 Ne4 43.fxe4 c2 44.exd5 c1=Q+ 45.Kf2 Qd2+ 46.Kf3 Qxd4 47.Be4 a5, White forfeits.


Saturday, February 27, 2016

Pix from February Under 2300 2/21/2016

On Sunday, these pictures were taken by me during the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.



Friday, February 26, 2016

Pix from February Under 2300 2/20/2016

On Saturday, I took these pictures during the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.





Thursday, February 25, 2016

Four Digital Clocks

Vassar-Chadwick Chess Club president Craig W. Fisher PhD has sent an e-mail advising that the Seniors prize of four digital clocks arrived at his house yesterday and that he is in the process of shipping the clocks to the West Orange Chess Club.

In reply, West Orange Chess Club president John Hagerty wrote:

To Craig, 

It would be nice if all problems in the world could be resolved in such a nice civilized manner.  Just let me know the cost of shipping and I will reimburse you to your address.  Maybe next year one of my teams will face you guys! 
                                                                                            
John

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

E-mail from Vassar-Chadwick CC President

Today I received this e-mail from Dr. Craig Fisher [pictured].

Dear Jim, 

We are so sorry that USATE tournament organizers announced we won the seniors prize. 

Ernie Johnson , our team Captain, sent 2 emails to Steve Doyle telling him that we did not win the prize ... we weren't even eligible for it!!  We have one player under 50 this year!!! 

However we never received a plaque, and never received anything.  Only saw the early announcement that we won.  If we receive any prize we would be more than happy to forward to you! 

CONGRATULATIONS on your 4.5 score and your win of the senior prize!! 

Blessings on you, your team and your club, 

Craig, President, Vassar-Chadwick Chess Club

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Seniors Moment at USATE 2016

Pictured from the USATE 2016 is the team West Orange Krush, winners of the Seniors category prize.  From right to left, we are international master Mikhail Zlotnikov, national master Vladimir Lipman, national master Jim West, and 2003 U.S. Amateur East champion Steve Hrop.  Not pictured is our alternate, class A player and former expert Charlie Hart.

At the USATE 2016, despite the fact that West Orange Chess Club president John Hagerty filled out the form which made us eligible for the category prize, the tournament directors had a Seniors moment when they forgot to input the information on their computer. Consequently, although West Orange Krush finished with 4.5 points, the Seniors prize was erroneously awarded to a team with 4 points, Vassar-Chadwick A Train.  Or, as Duke Ellington never said, "Mistake the A Train!"

John Hagerty is graciously offering to pay the shipping costs if the Vassar-Chadwick Chess Club returns the prize winners' plaque to its rightful place, hanging on the wall of the West Orange Chess Club where three times I have won the club championship.

Monday, February 22, 2016

Marshall February Under 2300 2/21/2016

On Sunday, I won this game in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Five: Center Counter Defense

Jim West (USCF 2203) - Emmanuel Ruiz (USCF 1700), Marshall Chess Club 2/21/2016

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.h3 e6 8.Be3 Be7 9.Qd2 b5 10.a3 Bb7 11.O-O O-O 12.Bf4 Qb6


13.Ne1 c5 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Bf3 Rfd8 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 17.Nd3 Ba7 18.Rad1 Rac8 19.Rfe1 Qa8 20.Qe2 Qb7 21.Ne5 Nb6 22.Bg5 Rxd1 23.Rxd1 Nbd5 24.Bxf6 Nxf6 25.Ng4 Nxg4 26.Qxg4 Qc7 27.Qf3 Bc5 28.Qd3 Be7 29.Qd7 h6


30.Qxc7 Rxc7 31.Kf1 Bf6 32.Rd3 Kf8 33.Ke1 Bxc3+ 34.bxc3 Ke7 35.Rg3 Kf6 36.Kd2 Rc4 37.Rf3+ Ke7 38.Kc1 f6 39.Rd3 Rf4 40.f3 Rc4 41.Kb2 a5 42.Kb3 a4+ 43.Kb2 f5 44.Kc1 Rc6 45.Kb2 Rc4 46.Re3 Rc5


47.f4 Kd6 48.Rd3+ Ke7 49.h4 Rc4 50.g3 g6 51.Re3 Rc5 52.Re1 Kd6 53.h5 g5 54.Rd1+ Ke7 55.fxg5 hxg5 56.h6 Rc8 57.Rh1 Rh8 58.c4 bxc4 59.Kc3 e5 60.Kxc4 Kf6 61.h7 f4 62.gxf4 exf4 63.Kd3 Kf5 64.Ke2 g4 65.Kf2 Ke4


66.Re1+ Kf5 67.Re7 Kf6 68.Ra7 Kg5 69.c4 Kh4 70.c5 Kh3 71.Rg7 g3+ 72.Kf3 g2 73.c6 Kh4 74.Rxg2 Kh5 75.c7 Kh6 76.Rg8 Rxh7, Black forfeits.


Sunday, February 21, 2016

Marshall February Under 2300 2/20/2016

On Saturday, I played this game in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Three: Budapest Gambit, Fajarowicz Variation

William Hu (USCF 1981) - Jim West (USCF 2203), Marshall Chess Club 2/20/2016

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4 4.Nd2 Bb4 5.a3 Bxd2+ 6.Bxd2 Nxd2 7.Qxd2 Nc6 8.Nf3 Qe7 9.Qc3 O-O 10.e3 Re8 11.Be2 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Qxe5 13.Qxe5 Rxe5 14.O-O-O d6 15.Bf3 Rb8


16.Rd5 Rxd5 17.cxd5 Bd7 18.Kc2 Kf8 19.Rc1 c5 20.dxc6 Bxc6 21.Bxc6 bxc6 22.b4 Ke7, draw.


Saturday, February 20, 2016

GM Ashley at Washington Square Park

Grandmaster Maurice Ashley defeats a chess hustler at Washington Square Park.

Friday, February 19, 2016

Pix from USATE 2/15/2016

On Monday, I photographed the players at the USATE 2016.















Thursday, February 18, 2016

Pix from USATE 2/14/2016

On Sunday, these pictures were taken by me at the USATE 2016.