Wednesday, January 21, 2015

2015 National Dragon Day Tournament


January 16th is National Appreciate a Dragon Day and to celebrate, the BCSD Chess Club (under the guise of Silver Creek Dragons!) showed their appreciation with a celebratory tournament.  This is the second year of the tournament which features the Sicilian Dragon opening lines:  1. e4 c5  2. Nf3 d6  3. d4 cxd4  4. Nxd4 Nf6  5. Nc3 g6
Dragon Chess Set as prize

The G/15 0d tournament proved to be a favorite of some of the players as I heard them exclaim, "I love this defense!"  I try to offer theme tournaments in order to expand and challenge players to learn and try new things on the chess board.  The game is meant to be a scientific, hypothesis, prediction, and experiment-ridden smorgasbord of openings, middle game tactics, and endgame strategies.  The kids I work with appreciate my philosophy and our style remains flexible, creative, and fun.

Wesley Brimstein vs. Journey Iverson

The tournament was held in the Silver Creek High School science classroom where I hang my hat most of the time.  Twelve players showed up to play with most of the high schoolers curiously absent due to jobs.  The time proved fun and the tournament started strong for Desmond Porth and it appeared that he was going to stay on top.  G/15 games can take a nasty turn and in the 3rd round, he had an unexpected loss to Otto Olsen.  Otto used time to his advantage and capitalized on Desmond's temporal deficit.  Desmond withdrew and attended a lecture for educators and parents by Daniel Pink.  I was sorry to be missing the presentation.

Wikipedia says, Pink has written five books that focus on the "changing workplace," and that have appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list:

  • To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others
  • Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
  • The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need
  • A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future
  • Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself

His articles on business and technology have appeared in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and Wired.  As of 2012, Pink's 2009 talk on The puzzle of motivation was one of the 10 most-watched TED Talks.  In 2011, Thinkers50 named Pink as one of the 50 most-influential management thinkers in the world.

The games continued and Levi Catangcatang, Wesley Brimstein, and Spencer Gaudereau shifted to overdrive.  By round 5 Levi and Wesley were tied for first place (though Wesley had 0.5 point lead in the first tie-breaks).  They agreed to play an Armageddon Match to settle the placement and win the Dragon Chess board graciously donated by Tyler Avila last year.  An Armageddon Match is decisive in that white has time odds and black has draw odds.  That is, white has 3 min. on the clock and black had 2 minutes on the clock.   If black draws then it is considered a win.  Wesley was white and Levi was black.  
Levi Catangcatang vs. Wesley Brimstein
Wesley calmly moved like a machine with constant intervals between moves.  Levi chose a fast opening and then slowed too much to think about some middle game tactics and finally lost on time.  A fun, energizing, and heart-racing end to a tournament.

CrossTable
No.
Name
Pts
Rnd1
Rnd2
Rnd3
Rnd4
Rnd5
1
Brimstein, Wesley
4.0
W5
L9
W3
W6
W4
2
Catangcatang, Levi
4.0
W3
L4
W5
W8
W6
3
Gaudereau, Spencer
3.0
L2
W10
L1
W11
W7
4
Iverson, Journey
3.0
W10
W2
L6
W7
L1
5
Llantoy, Bayro
3.0
L1
W11
L2
W12
W8
6
Porth, Darwin
3.0
W7
W8
W4
L1
L2
7
Enriquez, Froilan
2.0
L6
W12
W10
L4
L3
8
Olsen, Otto
2.0
W12
L6
W9
L2
L5
9
Porth, Desmond
2.0
W11
W1
L8
-U-
-U-
10
Quesnel, Zach
2.0
L4
L3
L7
-B-
W12
11
Quesnel, Skade
1.5
L9
L5
D12
L3
-B-
12
Cross, Kaiden
0.5
L8
L7
D11
L5
L10

Tiebreaks
Place
Name/Team
Score
Solk
CumOp
Cum
MMed
 1
Brimstein, Wesley (1)
   4.0
  15.0
  46.0
  11.0
  12.0
 2
Catangcatang, Levi (2)
   4.0
  14.0
  45.0
  11.0
  12.0
 3
Porth, Darwin (9)
   3.0
  15.0
  48.0
  12.0
  13.0
 4
Iverson, Journey (6)
   3.0
  14.5
  43.0
  11.0
  13.0
 5
Gaudereau, Spencer (5)
   3.0
  12.5
  32.5
   7.0
  11.5
 6
Llantoy, Bayro (7)
   3.0
  11.5
  33.0
   7.0
  11.0
 7
Olsen, Otto (8)
   2.0
  13.5
  40.5
   8.0
   9.5
 8
Enriquez, Froilan (4)
   2.0
  11.0
  33.5
   7.0
   8.0
 9
Quesnel, Zach (12)
   2.0
   8.5
  26.5
   2.0
   5.5
 10
Porth, Desmond (10)
   2.0
   7.0
  20.5
   9.0
   3.0
 11
Quesnel, Skade (11)
   1.5
   9.5
  24.5
   1.5
   6.5
 12
Cross, Kaiden (3)
   0.5
   9.5
  25.5
   1.5
   6.5

Sunday, January 11, 2015

TATA Steel Begins!

Links:

Participants of Tata Steel Masters

Name
Country
Rating
Position

GM
Carlsen, Magnus
NOR
2862
1
Photo
GM
Caruana, Fabiano
ITA
2820
2
Photo
GM
Aronian, Levon
ARM
2797
6
Photo
GM
Giri, Anish
NED
2784
7
Photo
GM
So, Wesley
USA
2762
10
Photo
GM
Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime
FRA
2757
13
Photo
GM
Wojtaszek, Radoslaw
POL
2744
15
Photo
GM
Radjabov, Teimour
AZE
2734
20
Photo
GM
Ding, Liren
CHN
2732
22
Photo
GM
Jobava, Baadur
GEO
2727
26
Photo
GM
Ivanchuk, Vasil
UKR
2715
33
Photo
GM
Hou, Yifan
CHN
2673
70
Photo
GM
Van Wely, Loek
NED
2667
81
Photo
GM
Saric, Ivan
CRO
2666
82
Photo
Average
: 2746





Participants of Tata Steel Challengers

Name
Country
Rating

GM
Navara, David
CZE
2729
Photo
GM
Wei, Yi
CHN
2675
Photo
GM
Shankland, Sam
USA
2652
Photo
GM
Van Kampen, Robin
NED
2615
Photo
GM
l' Ami, Erwin
NED
2613
Photo
GM
Potkin, Vladimir
RUS
2608
Photo
GM
Saleh, Salem
UAE
2603
Photo
GM
Timman, Jan
NED
2593
Photo
GM
Michiels, Bart
BEL
2563
Photo
GM
Gunina, Valentina
RUS
2538
Photo
GM
Klein, David
NED
2517
Photo
GM
Sevian, Samuel
USA
2511
Photo
WIM
Haast, Anne
NED
2352
Photo
IM
Dale, Ari
AUS
2291
Photo
Average rating
: 2561




Schedule of Tata Steel Masters
Round 1 - Saturday the 10th
Radjabov, T. - Van Wely, L.          ½-½
Ivanchuk, V. - Jobava, B.               1-0
Vachier-Lagrave, M. - Hou, Y.     1-0
Ding, L. - Caruana, F.       0-1
Saric, I. - Aronian, L.        ½-½
Giri, A. - Carlsen, M.        ½-½
So, W. - Wojtaszek, R.    ½-½

Round 2 - Sunday the 11th
Van Wely, L. - Wojtaszek, R.       
Carlsen, M. - So, W.        ½-½
Aronian, L. - Giri, A.         ½-½
Caruana, F. - Saric, I.      
Hou, Y. - Ding, L.              
Jobava, B. - Vachier-Lagrave, M.               ½-½
Radjabov, T. - Ivanchuk, V.
               
Round 3 - Monday the 12th
Ivanchuk, V. - Van Wely, L.         
Vachier-Lagrave, M. - Radjabov, T.          
Ding, L. - Jobava, B.        
Saric, I. - Hou, Y.               
Giri, A. - Caruana, F.       
So, W. - Aronian, L.         
Wojtaszek, R. - Carlsen, M.         
               
Round 4 - Tuesday the 13th
Van Wely, L. - Carlsen, M.           
Aronian, L. - Wojtaszek, R.          
Caruana, F. - So, W.        
Hou, Y. - Giri, A.               
Jobava, B. - Saric, I.         
Radjabov, T. - Ding, L.    
Ivanchuk, V. - Vachier-Lagrave, M.          


Round 5 - Thursday the 15th
Vachier-Lagrave, M. - Van Wely, L.          
Ding, L. - Ivanchuk, V.    
Saric, I. - Radjabov, T.    
Giri, A. - Jobava, B.         
So, W. - Hou, Y.
Wojtaszek, R. - Caruana, F.         
Carlsen, M. - Aronian, L.               
               
Round 6 - Friday the 16th
Van Wely, L. - Aronian, L.             
Caruana, F. - Carlsen, M.              
Hou, Y. - Wojtaszek, R. 
Jobava, B. - So, W.          
Radjabov, T. - Giri, A.     
Ivanchuk, V. - Saric, I.    
Vachier-Lagrave, M. - Ding, L.    

Round 7 - Saturday the 17th
Ding, L. - Van Wely, L.    
Saric, I. - Vachier-Lagrave, M.    
Giri, A. - Ivanchuk, V.     
So, W. - Radjabov, T.     
Wojtaszek, R. - Jobava, B.           
Carlsen, M. - Hou, Y.      
Aronian, L. - Caruana, F.               
               
Round 8 - Sunday the 18th
Van Wely, L. - Caruana, F.            
Hou, Y. - Aronian, L.       
Jobava, B. - Carlsen, M.
Radjabov, T. - Wojtaszek, R.       
Ivanchuk, V. - So, W.     
Vachier-Lagrave, M. - Giri, A.     
Ding, L. - Saric, I.
               
Round 9 - Tuesday the 20th
Saric, I. - Van Wely, L.    
Giri, A. - Ding, L.               
So, W. - Vachier-Lagrave, M.      
Wojtaszek, R. - Ivanchuk, V.       
Carlsen, M. - Radjabov, T.           
Aronian, L. - Jobava, B. 
Caruana, F. - Hou, Y.      
               
Round 10 - Wednesday the 21st
Van Wely, L. - Hou, Y.    
Jobava, B. - Caruana, F.
Radjabov, T. - Aronian, L.             
Ivanchuk, V. - Carlsen, M.           
Vachier-Lagrave, M. - Wojtaszek, R.       
Ding, L. - So, W.
Saric, I. - Giri, A.
               
Round 11 - Friday the 23rd
Giri, A. - Van Wely, L.     
So, W. - Saric, I.
Wojtaszek, R. - Ding, L. 
Carlsen, M. - Vachier-Lagrave, M.            
Aronian, L. - Ivanchuk, V.             
Caruana, F. - Radjabov, T.            
Hou, Y. - Jobava, B.         
               
Round 12 - Saturday the 24th
Van Wely, L. - Jobava, B.              
Radjabov, T. - Hou, Y.    
Ivanchuk, V. - Caruana, F.            
Vachier-Lagrave, M. - Aronian, L.             
Ding, L. - Carlsen, M.      
Saric, I. - Wojtaszek, R. 
Giri, A. - So, W.

Round 13 - Sunday the 25th
So, W. - Van Wely, L.     
Wojtaszek, R. - Giri, A.  
Carlsen, M. - Saric, I.      
Aronian, L. - Ding, L.       
Caruana, F. - Vachier-Lagrave, M.            
Hou, Y. - Ivanchuk, V.    
Jobava, B. - Radjabov, T.              

               
Standings of Tata Steel Masters


Score
Rating
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
1
Vachier-Lagrave, M.
1.5 / 2
2757







½




1

2
Carlsen, M.
1.0 / 2
2862


½

½









3
Giri, A.
1.0 / 2
2784

½

½










4
Aronian, L.
1.0 / 2
2797


½






½




5
So, W.
1.0 / 2
2762

½






½





6
Ivanchuk, V.
1.0 / 1
2715







1






7
Caruana, F.
1.0 / 1
2820













1
8
Jobava, B.
0.5 / 2
2727
½




0








9
Wojtaszek, R.
0.5 / 1
2744




½









10
Saric, I.
0.5 / 1
2666



½










11
Van Wely, L.
0.5 / 1
2667











½


12
Radjabov, T.
0.5 / 1
2734










½



13
Hou, Y.
0.0 / 1
2673
0













14
Ding, L.
0.0 / 1
2732






0









Standings of Tata Steel Challengers


Score
Rating
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
1
Wei, Y.
1.5 / 2
2675





½




1



2
Navara, D.
1.5 / 2
2729



½




1





3
Van Kampen, R.
1.5 / 2
2615




½








1
4
l' Ami, E.
1.0 / 2
2613

½




½







5
Klein, D.
1.0 / 2
2517


½



½







6
Shankland, S.
1.0 / 2
2652
½






½






7
Timman, J.
1.0 / 2
2593



½
½









8
Dale, A.
1.0 / 2
2291





½


½





9
Haast, A.
0.5 / 2
2352

0





½






10
Gunina, V.
0.5 / 1
2538












½

11
Potkin, V.
0.5 / 2
2608
0










½


12
Saleh, S.
0.5 / 1
2603










½



13
Michiels, B.
0.5 / 1
2563









½




14
Sevian, S.
0.0 / 1
2511


0












                                                                                                

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