Saturday, December 27, 2014

December Tournaments: WIO


The Western Idaho Open is one of the earliest tournaments in December and draws all the usual Boise suspects, and of course, the Porth's.  This time however, there were some new faces.  I counted eight that have never played in a tournament that I have attended.  It was of great interest to everyone that David Lucky attended as he is rated upwards near a master (2375).  The next highest rated player was Caleb Kircher (1882), Boise and H.G. Pitre (1879), of Seattle.
One of the coolest chess names ever - Dave Lucky!

 This is a great tournament for us because we can complete our Christmas shopping and Darwin can spend time in the pool as we stay overnight near the mall every year before Chrismas.  With Desmond, Dylan, Darwin, and me possessing ratings under 1400, we all qualified for the Reserve, which we happily entered.  I would like to play up, however, 'tis the season that demands lot's of cash and the lure of the prize money stopped me.
Could someone please make a decision?  Looks a bit tied up to me,
Twenty-two players were in the open section and I was surprised when the tournament commenced and there were only 7 players in the reserve section - more than half are the Porth's.  I was expecting the four more U1400 players in the open section to go for the cash, but some players prefer harder games and the chance at increasing their rating significantly, so they played up. Jeff Roland was an outstanding tournament director and also played at or near the top boards in the open section.  It is very difficult to be a director and a player at the same time.  Time trouble is usually common.
Miss Carmen
In fact, I was impressed with the performance of #4, 5, 6 (Carmen Pemsler, Jeff Roland, and Shane Taylor).  As I walked around in between my moves, their games looked great and there moves very solid.  I suspect that any of these players might enjoy the State Championship coming up in February as they are capable of earning the title.  It is clear that they can beat anyone in the state.

In the last round, Caleb Kircher earned a point from an early blunder by James Inman on move 11!  James and Caleb both usually play at a much higher level in tournaments, so I suspect that they were distracted . . .or something.
Caleb's nasty pin against veteran player, James Inman.


cxd5??

It was a group effort with the Porth's that brought home for the first time 1st - 3rd place.  Also, there were three teachers battling with 2 being of the math persuasion and one of science. After driving from 5 am and arriving just in time for round 1 to start, I played a miserable game that resulted in a draw between Mike Healy and myself (see below).  4. ..Qa5+ would have won a piece!  6. ..Qa5+?  What's wrong with Kxf7?  N...O...THING!!  As the competition neared a close, it was with great joy that I collected money (prize winnings) that paid for our entry fee and our hotel.


Aerial from the Goodyear Blimp

Crosstable
Open Section
##PlayerResidenceRating12345ScorePrize
1David LuckyEagle2375W19W21W9W3W55$180.00
2Graeme K. FaulknerBoise1329L10W6W11W12W94$90.00
3H.G. PitreSeattle, WA1879W6W10W5L1D4$33.75
4Carmen PemslerEagle1610W18-H-W15D9D3$33.75
5Jeffrey T. RolandBoise1703W17W15L3W16L13
6Shane TaylorBoise1473L3L2W19W15W173
7Chris AmenBoise1594W20L12D13D14W163
8Dale R. BowdenBoise1621W22L9-H-D18W103
9Eric WoroOntario, OR1761W14W8L1D4L2
10Jarod N. BuusNampa1671W2L3-H-W13L8
11Kevin YangBoise1487L15W17L2W21D14
12John CarrVictor1745D16W7-N-L2W20
13Corey Kenneth LonghurstBoise1410L21W20D7L10W18
14Jamie LangMeridian1470L9W22-H-D7D11
15Caleb Paul KircherNampa1882W11L5L4L6W212
16David Allen ZaklanTwin Falls1442D12D19W21L5L72
17Jacob Ari NathanIdaho Falls1391L5L11W22W19L62
18Justin SiekBoise925L4-B--H-D8L132
19Kenneth SandersonBoise1577L1D16L6L17W22
20Joetta FaulknerBoise847L7L13-H-W22L12
21James InmanNampa1724W13L1L16L11L151
22Matthew William WhiteBoise1203L8L14L17L20L190

Reserve (U1400) Section
##PlayerResidenceRating12345ScorePrize
1Desmond PorthBellevue1308W3W4L2W5W64$78.75
2Adam PorthBellevue1363D5W7W1W4D34$78.75
3Dylan PorthBellevue818L1W5W6-B-D2$45.00
4Roger HunterNyssa, OR1112W6L1W7L2-B-3
5Michael HealyBoise833D2L3-B-L1W7
6Oliver Eli NathanIdaho Falls462L4-B-L3W7L12
7Darwin Albert PorthBellevue432-B-L2L4L6L51

Standings

Open Section
##PlayerRatingScoreSolkMedMMedCumOp
1David Lucky2375511½710½41½
2Graeme K. Faulkner1329413½81138
3H.G. Pitre18791714½51
4Carmen Pemsler1610633½
5Jeffrey T. Roland1703314½12½46
6Shane Taylor147331311½36½
7Chris Amen1594311½71031
8Dale R. Bowden16213423
9Eric Woro17611810½10½50½
10Jarod N. Buus1671139937
11Kevin Yang148711½32½
12John Carr174510½29
13Corey Kenneth Longhurst141029½
14Jamie Lang147085525
15Caleb Paul Kircher188221339½
16David Allen Zaklan1442211½35
17Jacob Ari Nathan13912107726½
18Justin Siek9252925½
19Kenneth Sanderson1577127733½
20Joetta Faulkner84722½
21James Inman17241147941½
22Matthew William White1203010½625½

Reserve (U1400) Section
##PlayerRatingScoreSolkMedMMedCumOp
1Desmond Porth130841311½39
2Adam Porth136341211½38
3Dylan Porth81811½11½34½
4Roger Hunter111231061033
5Michael Healy83311½36½
6Oliver Eli Nathan4622106632½
7Darwin Albert Porth4321106630½

I always thought Jamie Lang looked like a beardless me.

Sunday, December 7, 2014

2014 Turkey Shoot Results

  
This is the third year that the BCSD has sponsored a turkey shoot the weekend before Thanksgiving and it becomes more successful each year.  This tournament included 19 competitors from Kindergarden to 12th grade and was a nice way to spend the weekend during transition from Fall to Ski Season! 
River Shepard finishes with a perfect tournament - 5.0!
Levi Catangcatang was the oldest student in the tournament (12th grade) and he thoroughly enjoyed every moment.  Levi is from Silver Creek High School and is our club Vice President. He exemplifies characteristics that we want all our teenagers to show.  He helps set up and tear down tournaments, and during the tournament he is my left hand, running back to my classroom to get things I forgot; helps players understand how they lost the game; analyzes games, ensures that tournament rules are followed, helps re-set clocks, and he shares his knowledge of openings with all the youngsters.  Levi scored 4 points and enjoyed staying on Board 1 the whole day while playing intense and interesting tactical games.  During the last round, River Shepard capitalized on a blunder by Levi and moved in to 1st place.  This is River's first time in first place.  

During Round 5, River Shepard plays Levi Catangcatang for the turkey!
As we approach the holiday season, I like to have prizes for contestants rather than trophies. It is a tradition that the winner takes home a turkey, and second place  earns stuffing, and third gets a yam.  River's family showed up for the awards ceremony and were surprised to learn that they don't have to go shopping for their turkey dinner!  I also include drawings which are the kids love because they all can go home with a prize, potentially, despite their placement.  Today, Levi Renner won a chess set and Bayro Llandoy won a cornish game hen (mini-turkey!).

The games today were G/30 d5, however,  as usual games were completed way before the official end time.  Round 1 was like a blitz round with the last game finishing up after 35 minutes.  So each round and occasionally during the round I kept reminding players to "keep playing slow. . .look for at least three candidate moves before you move . . .sit on your hands . . . which squares are being attacked?"  I consider tournaments, which draw kids that normally don't come to chess club to learn openings, strategy, and etiquette, an opportunity to spread the wealth of the game.  Chess clubbers and non-chess clubbers all benefit because  the non-chess clubbers will play better and challenge the experienced regular players more.  Also, it encourages the kids to not open up with trap-lines that they learned in chess club for quick victories.  
"BooYa!  Beat that move!"  says Asher Stouffer (white) against Carter Thompson who casually winked at me.  (Asher's pawn storm came a little too early!)
This tournament will be remembered as the big brother tournament.  Desmond (whom did not play) stayed and encouraged Darwin during his first game, but left before the round was over.  Stouffer's had four brothers at the tournament with two actually playing and the oldest hanging around to pat his bro's on the back after the games.  Thompson's came with their three boys and they also would congratulate and console one another after each round.  Quentin Van Law was always in proximity to his younger brother, Leam unless his game demanded more attention.  Chess is a great sport for families to participate in together.

Garrett gives Asher a hug of encouragement.

Quentin observes his little bro, Leam (black) play against Renner (white).

The next tournament is Thursday, Dec. 11, during chess club. The Christmas Blitzkrieg!  This will name our Blitz Champion.  Also, the following week is Santa's Bughouse.   During Winter Break, the Family & Friends Tournament is a relaxed way to enter the chess tournament life.  Hope to see you there!
Froilan loves playing chess and looking at chess problems.

Darwin always takes good chess pictures (although he didn't like his hair!).
Owen Stouffer. 
Offda, Quentin socks it to his opponent.

Leam Van Law.



One of the best Chess Pictures I have taken - the eagerness and enthusiasm for playing in a tournament is sweet! 

Results
Place
Name
Rate
Score
Solk
CumOp
Cum
MMed
1
Shepard, River (5)
982
5
17
54
15
14
2
Catangcatang, Levi (1)
1119
4
15
48
14
14
3
Barkholtz, Zane (3)
1001
4
12.5
43
12
11.5
4
Stouffer, Owen (17)
nnnn
3
16.5
46
10
14.5
5
Porth, Darwin (4)
985
3
15.5
54
10
14
6
Van Law, Quentin (6)
969
3
13
44
8
11.5
7
Thompson, Hunter (9)
883
3
13
37
12
12.5
8
Hall, Joe (12)
nnnn
3
11.5
36
8
11
9
Cross, Kaiden (7)
900
2.5
10
35
5
6
10
Renner, Levi (14)
nnnn
2.5
9
24
5
5
11
Lladoy, Bayro (13)
nnnn
2
13.5
41
8
9.5
12
Enriquez, Froilan (8)
900
2
11.5
36
6
8.5
13
Van Law, Leam (10)
817
2
6
18
2
3.5
14
Gaudreau, Spencer (2)
1035
2
1.5
5
3
0.5
15
Stouffer, Emmett (16)
nnnn
1.5
12.5
32
5
8.5
16
Thompson, Carter (18)
nnnn
1.5
10
26
5
7
17
Thompson, Porter (19)
nnnn
1
14
31
5
10
18
Grimes, Xavier (11)
nnnn
1
12
31
3
8
19
Stouffer, Asher (15)
nnnn
1
11
28
0
7.5


Crosstable
No.
Name
Rate
Pts
Rnd1
Rnd2
Rnd3
Rnd4
Rnd5
1
Shepard, River
982
5
W7
W8
W3
W4
W2
2
Catangcatang, Levi
1119
4
W17
W5
W4
W6
L1
3
Barkholtz, Zane
1001
4
W15
W19
L1
W14
W8
4
Porth, Darwin
985
3
W16
W14
L2
L1
W6
5
Van Law, Quentin
969
3
W10
L2
L6
W16
W14
6
Thompson, Hunter
883
3
W18
W9
W5
L2
L4
7
Hall, Joe
3
L1
W18
W19
L8
W12
8
Stouffer, Owen
3
W9
L1
W12
W7
L3
9
Cross, Kaiden
900
2.5
L8
L6
W17
D15
W16
10
Renner, Levi
2.5
L5
L12
W13
D17
W15
11
Gaudreau, Spencer
1035
2
-U-
-U-
-U-
W18
W19
12
Enriquez, Froilan
900
2
L14
W10
L8
W19
L7
13
Van Law, Leam
817
2
L19
L15
L10
-B-
W17
14
Lladoy, Bayro
2
W12
L4
W15
L3
L5
15
Stouffer, Emmett
1.5
L3
W13
L14
D9
L10
16
Thompson, Carter
1.5
L4
D17
W18
L5
L9
17
Grimes, Xavier
1
L2
D16
L9
D10
L13
18
Stouffer, Asher
1
L6
L7
L16
L11
-B-
19
Thompson, Porter
1
W13
L3
L7
L12
L11

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