16th Annual Paramount

16th Annual Paramount

Photo collage:  Tony Cortizas Jr.

16th Annual Paramount

                    

Mon, March 2, 12am – Tue, March 3, 12am 

Weekly on Monday, until May 11, 2015

40 Norris St, Cambridge, MA 02140, USA map

10 Rounds. 2RR. Players divided into six player sections by rating.  40/90; d5, G/60; d5. Adjournments are allowed after 3 hours of play;  Entry fee: $25, $20 to BCF members;  Prizes: 50% EF  Registration: 6:00 to 6:45 PM  Round at 7PM.  No games on Patriot’s Day. For some people spring is signaled by the start of Red Sox reporting to spring training, by groundhog day, by the returning swallows to Capistrano... But for many of us it is the Paramount This will be the 16th annual edition of the popular tournament, a ten-round, double round-robin. Initiated by Bryan Clark, this format [generous time control with two try's against known opponents bunched in competitive groups] remains popular. And it is one of the few tournaments left that incorporate adjournments. This long running Boylston event is particularly attractive because of it rather unique format. It is a double round-robin among 6 closely rated players, so one knows one's opponent and color in advance. The time control is generous and - unusual for this days - allows for adjournments. If you haven't played in a Paramount before, give it a try. If you have, please play again. As Steve Stepak put it last year: "This is a thinking person's event: 10 rounds, double round robin.  The time control is: 40 moves in 90 minutes (+5" delay) and then G/60. A nuance in the time control is: after 3 hours of play, the game may be adjourned and resumed on a day agreed to by the players.  So this event is for players who like to think out complex combinations and strategies on the board and need the time to do so and who enjoy analyzing adjourned positions and resuming the game like was done in the "old days" . . . in the time of Bobby Fischer, for example.  Today, due to the proliferation of chess programs like Rybka (3199), Fritz (3080), Shredder (3058) and now Houdini (rating 3287) there is no more adjournment option, neither in professional chess play or most amateur club play. So the BCC Paramount may be one of the last places on earth where there is indeed an adjournment."                        Steve Stepak's photo report on last year's Paramount.

BCC LEGENDS OF CHESS: OSCAR PANNO // FARZAD ABDI & CARISSA YIP SHARE SPOTLIGHT // NICHOLAS OBLAK U1950 // 27 PLAY // MANY NEW FACES

MILESTONE

Carissa Yip shared a piece of 1st place in the Open Section of

the BCC Legends of Chess, February 21. Brava, Carissa!

Carissa scored 3 wins + a 1st round half point bye to 

earn a +41 to 2191 rating!
FOCUSED

NM Chris Williams sets up king-side assault vs Carissa Yip's
Sicilian Dragon. Carissa defended strongly and won the game!

COOL UNDER FIRE

A relaxed NM Farzad plays white vs NM Chris Williams in

Round 3. The game ended in a draw!

FARZAD PLAYS THE GENERAL

Terrence Fricker does battle with NM Farzad Abdi

in Round 4. This was a critical game for Farzad if he

wanted to take a piece of 1st place. He was up to the 

task, scored the point and tallied 3.5 out of 4 to share

1st place with Carissa Yip. Farzad was +10 to 2254 for 

his efforts. Terrence scored 2 points and a +25 to 1984

sharing 6-7th place in the Open Section.

3RD - 5TH PLACE

NM Chris Williams on the move vs Carissa Yip in Round 4.

Chris scored 2.5 points to share 3-5th place with Andrew Hoy

and Evan Meyer.

NM Andrew Hoy (right) defends dramatically to score the full

points over Pinyi Hu in Round 4. Andrew scored 2.5 points

to share 3-5th place with NM Chris Williams and Evan Meyer.

Evan Meyer (left) was strong with Black vs Brandon Wu to take 

the full point and a total of 2.5 to share 3-5th place.

U1950 SECTION

  

Nicholas Oblak, a West Point Cadet, takes a sip of 

coffee on his road to clear first place in the U1950 section

with 3.5 points, for a +16 to 1919 rating. Bravo, Nicholas!

 

Nowell Sheinwald, a UMass Lowell student from New 

York State, scored 3 points to take clear 2nd place

in the U1950 section for a +8 to 1931 rating. Bravo, Nowell!

NEWS THE OLD-FASHION WAY

Harold Dondis, Esq. checks out the New York Times

during a break in the action.

ENGLISH: THE VERDICT?

Looks even. Round 4 game. Chess is not only

applied intellect, but also endurance. This time

Black prevailed in a complicated endgame.

FATHER AND SON

David Zhou shares some chess pointers with his

dad, Dong Ping in the BCC Skittles Room.

NM ANDREW HOY, TD

PHOTOS: STEVE STEPAK

SM JACOB RASIN TEACHES CHESS CAMP

Feb Chess Camp

School Break Chess Camp Feb 17 - 20 When:      Tue, February 17, 9:00am – Fri, February 20, 12:30pm Where:    40 Norris St B103, Cambridge, MA, United States (map) ---------------------- Boylston Chess Foundation 40 Norris St., B103, Cambridge, MA 02140      phone: (470) BCF-1919 The Boylston School Break Chess Camp 2014-2015 Over the course of the 2014-2015 school year, The Boylston Chess Foundation will hold its series of chess camps during the December, February, April school recesses, as well as two summer camps in June/July and August. 2015                                                                                                                                           February recess: 17, 18, 19, 20                    9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day                 April recess: 21, 22, 23, 24                            9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day June/July (summer recess): 29, 30, 1, 2      9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day August: (summer recess): 18, 19, 20, 21     9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day ---------------------- These chess camps invite young chess players who already have a complete understanding of the rules of chess to come and develop their abilities. With a combination of lecture, question/answer and guided cooperative learning, the instructor will cover: Tactics    Strategy    Openings    Middlegames        Endgames          Problems Students will develop their memory, visualization ability, attention span, critical thinking skills, as well as their sense of fairness and good sportsmanship — all while having fun! Who can join? School-age children, K-12, who are interested in improving at chess and maturing from motivated beginners to skilled intermediate players. How much does it cost? Club Membership is required for participation (Junior Membership: $100; Family Membership: $125). Camp fee: $120; $90 per child, if two or more per family. For first-time members the camp fee is reduced to $80. Please make checks payable to the Boylston Chess Foundation and please pay on site. Registration and capacity: Located in the renovated former Ellis School building, there is plenty of room at our pristine site for more students; we will bring in additional qualified instructors to maintain a healthy student-teacher ratio. Reservation is not required. Just show up to unit B103, at 40 Norris Street the morning of the first day, before or around 9:00 a.m.! Use the right-side door of the building. About the instructor: a master of the game and a Boylston Chess Club member for 25 years, Jacob Rasin has been a professional chess teacher for over 35 years in the Soviet Union and the United States. 1978-1989, Jacob served as head coach at the Pioneers Palace of the Leningrad Province; 1982-1985, he had the additional assignment of training Soviet grandmasters and international masters. Since 1990, he has taught privately and at schools in the Boston area. His students have won dozens of scholastic state championships and medals, and more than ten national championships in various brackets.  For more information on the camp, please call Jacob Rasin at (617) 783 6307  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SM JACOB RASIN TEACHES CHESS CAMP                                          Boylston Chess Club Chess Camp Director SM Jacob Rasin: USCF highest rating 2496  Trained in the intense and competitive chess world of the Soviet Union, Jacob brings a crystal clear understanding of chess to the young children of the New England Chess Community. Jacob is good with kids of all ages, from five through sixteen year olds. Kids love his instruction and his sense of humor.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------