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| Kitt Connor and Tom Booth |
After sending the kids over to Perkins with my credit card for breakfast, I hustled over to the ICA Annual Business meeting. As I am the secretary, I am tasked with recording the minutes,
reading the minutes from last year, and providing the voting ballots. Tonight, after I update this I will also fill out receipts for all the participants. Our meeting went smoothly and Jay Simonson and Adam Porth were voted in for a second term as President and Secretary, respectively. Our new members include, Kevin Patterson as the ICA Vice President, Angela Abderhalden as Trustee for Scholastic Development, and Hugh Myers as Trustee for Tournament Development. Welcome to all the new members, I am sure they will find that our group really works well together to provide Idaho with the best chess opportunities possible.
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| Barry Eacker |
With games starting at 10 am, I should have arrived on time, however, Dylan had a bye so I scooted up the stairs of the hotel to make sure she was secure and able to access
Minecraft (her new computer passion). I was paired with Barry Eacker (1609) and he was very understanding, though. I settled in for a long game which I was prepared. I opened with the
Ponziani against his
French Defense. I faired reasonably well with numerous tactical threats, which Barry found every time. I was pleased I made it past the middle game and ended with opposite color bishops and pawns. I miscalculated, was misguided, or just plain missed that sacking my bishop for two of his pawns would not help me win or draw and I ended up losing after five and half hours of intense play. Hugh Myers always has something to say after my games and this one was no different. "What the heck were you going to do about
those pawns?" as he gestured to the board. I said, "Well at least you didn't have to play with them there!" They indeed were a problem. We were the last game of the day, and according to others, the game of the day.
Desmond's game was tough and he just could not wiggle out of a pin that prevented castling in his game with Johnny Seakamp (786). He played a respectable game, however, was very discouraged at how difficult the games were at this level. He really did not want to continue. In fact, the Patterson's (Katie and Kevin) decided this was their last day and they withdrew after round 3.
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| Hugh Myers |
I found the kids in the room sleeping when I finished playing Barry and I rousted them up for lunch at the Peking Restaurant.
Desmond is an Ox, I am a Monkey, and Dylan is a Dragon. I guess it sort of fits! I like visiting with the other chess players and getting to know them better over lunch during tournaments. Barry, Jeff Roland, Dan Looney, Fred Bartell, Jay Simonson, and Hugh Myers were already there when the Porth's arrived. The General Chow chicken lunch included side dishes of analysis, smart-ass remarks about games, and some wonderful stories of past tournaments.
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| B rett Hamilton(white) and Desmond(black) |
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| Desmond versus Brett Hamilton |
Round 3 was a cluster for Desmond. He was initially granted a bye, but after play began Jay noticed that another player had a bye that never requested one. Consequently, Desmond (714 and no points) had to unfairly play Brett Hamilton (1951 with 2 points). After being so discouraged this morning, I was worried about him ever wanting to play again! When I glanced at the board, I was amazed that Desmond was hanging in there with layers of complexity that I would have shuttered at.
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| I feel the same way looking at that board! |
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| Chris Pentico versus me |
My opponent in Round 3, Chris Pentico (1459) played an
Alekine Defense against the Ponziani. The Alekine crushed the Ponziani in the opening four moves, for which I was unprepared. I fell asleep just before round 3 and Desmond woke me, "Don't you have to play?" I rushed in again, this time, just in time to start. But I must've been asleep because I made some very poor choices that tied me up for the next 24 moves. I felt like I was playing a blitz player. He moved fast, aggressively, and confidently. So I moved "disinterestedly" and very slowly, using twice as much time for every move. He offered easy choices for me- forcing me to make natural defenses and adjust with very little calculation. Once enough pieces were off the board, I could now counter. And I did, and patiently won the end game.
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| Post-mortem |
I am amazingly tired and hope to play as well as my first four games tomorrow. I will post the crosstable tomorrow (if Jeff e-mails it to me).
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