Sunday, February 24, 2013

2013 Idaho Closed

Yep, that about sums it up for many
This last week featured the Idaho Closed chess tournament and Barry's picture summarizes my and others tournament experience.  After playing strong openings, I succumbed to end game shenanigans.  Numerous others had surprises and upsets including Lucas Knoll's win over Kurt Douglas and draw against John Carr (over 600 rating difference in each game!), Carmen Pemsler overpowering Caleb Kircher (over 400 rating difference!),  and Jacob Nathan drawing against Barry Eacker (over 600 rating difference!).
Newcommer Lucas Knoll beats down high rated players.


Larry Parsons wins 2013 Idaho Closed


Larry Parsons against John Carr
Larry Parsons (2000) is the new Idaho State Chess Champion for the eighteenth time.  Definitely it is our new state record, but maybe a record for any state championship.  Mr. Parsons scored 5.0 of 6 points with no losses.  I think the USCF should sponsor a "State Champions" event that brings all the state champions together to play in a tournament.  They could call it the "State of the Union" or the "State of the Nation" chess tournament and I bet that we would rank better than the 43rd state (Idaho became the 43rd State on July 3, 1890).
Jeff Roland receives 2nd place from Barry Eacker.  Jeff is also the new ICA President.


Jeff plays long in each round (30/120 G/60)
Jeff Roland has a lot to be proud of this weekend and I was cheering for him.  Jeff trimmed nearly 60 pounds of weight this past year from an extreme diet and has also been Idaho's greatest chess enthusiast.  Both Larry and Jeff went into the last round with four points and I really thought that the tournament might end with a 5 point tie for first.  For Jeff, the 2nd place is one of his best placements in this tournament and probably one of his strongest performances at a tournament of this magnitude.  Jeff received an appreciation award from the ICA and also became the ICA's new President.
Desmond wins 1st place Class E and below
My games were slightly different.  In round 1, I played Caleb Kircher, a much stronger and experienced player that has been playing very strong games at tournaments as of late.  He even scored a draw against Josh Sinanan in a simul at the Western Idaho Open.  My best game was against another highly rated and experienced player, Kurt Douglas - I scored a draw.  During the third round, I played an interesting and dangerous game against Jared Arp.  I tried the Wayward Queen Attack as a surprise and to have some fun (not recommended against a Sicilian opening).
Round 4:  I am slightly favored in this position, but I moved Re5?? and this changed the course of the game after Rxe5
Shane Taylor takes down both the Porth's!

Round 4 was a game that I will remember a long time against Shane Taylor.  He proved to be as slippery as an eel and eventually played a much stronger endgame than me.  After nearly five hours, I lost my head and the game.
Round 5:  Not looking too good for me (black)
Round 5 pitted me against Nedzad Imamovic, an unrated player that plays as strong as an expert.  Last year he won the MVCC and was featured on the cover of Northwest Chess.  I played a good game but was unable to hold off one of his two advancing pawns on the queenside.  This is the third game that I lost to an isolated pawn along the a- or h- file.
Round 6:  Black to move, and obviously Qxa8.  Next, I played exf6??  The game continued, 1. ..Qxg7 1. Qg3?? Qxh1+ 3. Kd2 Rd8+ 4. Kc3 Qc1+?? (Happy Birthday!).
In Round 6, I received a birthday present using the Wayward Queen attack against a first-timer, Alise Pemsler, who came to life while I was set up for a mate in two, and essentially had a forced mate in five, but missed it.  By the end of the tournament, I earned 2 1/2 points and 17th place.  Though I wanted to perform better, I felt good about my game choices and discovered where to emphasize my studies - the endgame.  Some interesting positions and games are presented below.

The tournament included 21 participants, significantly lacking many familiar faces, but none-the-less a very challenging and competitive tournament.  This  was also one of the few tournaments dominated by young faces with more than half the participants younger than twenty-five.  Also, six players were first-timers.  Tournament numbers are usually lower when the Idaho Closed is held in Twin Falls but the centralized location seems to draw a number of participants from eastern Idaho that might not play otherwise.  The ICA has alternated venues each year between Twin Falls and Boise.
Jay Simonson presents me with an award for service

The Idaho Closed is also the event that features the annual business meeting of the ICA.  Elections are held, financials disclosed, and issues and ideas are discussed.  As Secretary/Treasurer of the ICA, it was my duty to record minutes, but Jeff and Jay decided to tape the meeting, and that freed me from frantically writing everything down.  Jeff Roland and myself received service awards.  With only eleven voting members present, Jeff Roland became our new President, myself as the new Vice President, and Patrick Abernathy was elected as Secretary/Treasurer.  Additionally, Hugh Myers was granted Trustee for Web Maintenance and Development and Alise Pemsler was nominated to finish out the term as a Trustee for Tournament Development.
Happy Birthday to me! (new ICA Vice President)
I treated everyone to my birthday cake as Monday was my 45th.  I am happy to play chess for my birthday and I look forward to doing it again next year.


##
Player
Residence
S/J
USCF
1
2
3
4
5
6
Score
Prize
1
Larry R. Parsons
Boise

2000
W13
D12
W15
D2
W10
W5
5
1st Overall
2
Jeffrey T. Roland
Boise

1700
W19
W4
W11
D1
D7
D3
2nd Overall
3
Cody Austin Gorman
Eagle
Jr.
1712
W16
D10
W8
L7
W15
D2
4
3rd Overall
4
Caleb Paul Kircher
Nampa

1845
W17
L2
W18
L10
W13
W7
4
1st A
5
Alex James Machin
Boise

Unr.
L10
W16
W20
W11
W12
L1
4
1st Unrated
6
Nedzad Imamovic
Twin Falls

Unr.
L11
W14
L7
W21
W17
W10
4

7
Fred Bartell
Twin Falls
Sr.
1711
W14
L11
W6
W3
D2
L4
1st B
8
Barry D. Eacker
Twin Falls

1645
W18
-H-
L3
D9
D16
W15
2nd B
9
Kurt P. Douglas
Boise

1751
L15
W21
D17
D8
D11
W16

10
Carmen Pemsler
Eagle
Jr.
1465
W5
D3
D12
W4
L1
L6
3
1st C
11
Gary Hollingsworth
Pocatello

1407
W6
W7
L2
L5
D9
D12
3
2nd C
12
John B. Carr
Victor
Sr.
1700
W21
D1
D10
D15
L5
D11
3
Top Senior
13
Shane Taylor
Boise

1389
L1
L18
W14
W17
L4
W20
3
1st D
14
Desmond Porth
Bellevue
Jr.
924
L7
L6
L13
-B-
W19
W18
3
1st E
15
Lucas Knoll
Boise
Jr.
1060
W9
W20
L1
D12
L3
L8
Top Junior
16
Jacob Ari Nathan
Idaho Falls
Jr.
963
L3
L5
W19
W18
D8
L9
2nd E
17
Adam Porth
Bellevue

1308
L4
W19
D9
L13
L6
W21
2nd D
18
Drew Anthony Machin
Boise

Unr.
L8
W13
L4
L16
W21
L14
2

19
Jared Lee Arp
Twin Falls
Jr.
Unr.
L2
L17
L16
W20
L14
-B-
2

20
Jay L. Simonson
Idaho Falls
Sr.
763
-H-
L15
L5
L19
-B-
L13

21
Alise Pemsler
Eagle

570
L12
L9
-B-
L6
L18
L17
1
Top Woman


Thank you, TD Barry Eacker and Assistant Jay Simonson for an excellent and fair tournament, as usual.

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