BCC LEGENDS: CARISSA / CARISSA / CARISSA / CARISSA + 6 NH +23 = SPLENDID BCC CHESS HISTORY /// QUALITY GAMES / ANALYSIS ///

BOYLSTON CHESS CLUB PRESENTS

GIRL HARD-WIRED FOR CHESS!!

TOTAL MENTAL CONTROL

NM Carissa Yip scores 4 win in 

BCC Legends of Chess 4SS for

clear 1st Place in Open Section,
for a +33 to 2252 rating. 
Brava, Carissa!

CHESS HISTORY IN THE MAKING AT THE BCC

ROUND 1: vs Suraj Ramanathan 11 yrs old (1869)

Carissa won this game in 20 minutes.
ROUND 2: vs Jason Tang, 12 yrs old (1926)
"OLD" SCHOLASTIC RIVALS

NM Carissa Yip, black, vs Jason Tang, 12 yrs old, Round 2.
ROUND 3: vs NM Chris Williams, 26 yr old (2319)

NM Chris Williams setting his mind v NM Carissa Yip.
Exact same match-up as BCC Legends February 2015:
Dragon B70. This time Chris varies and essays B52
"Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack. Chris devised a piece 
sacrifice in the center of the board for complications 
but Carissa held fast, and Chris lost the endgame 
down 2 pawns.
ROUND 4: vs NM Lawyer Times, 51 yr old (2301)

NM Carissa Yip in pre-game friendly talk with former
BCC Champion, NM Lawyer Times.  Lawyer had also lost
with the white pieces to Carissa last winter at the BCC Game 80,
Round 2, on November 2014 Somerville. Carissa plays 1.e4 and
Lawyer likes to feature 1. . . . Nf6, the Alekhine Defense. In the
New England  Open Chess Championship, in 2014, Carissa
knotched her first win of a grandmaster, playing 1.e4 to GM
Alexander Ivanov's 1. . . . g6 to start the "Modern Defense" .
Well, at any case, Lawyer knew he was in for a tough game, in
this last round of a very dynamic tournament. Fatigue often creeps
in at this critical time (Round 4), dulling the mind, for players of all
ages and genders. So anything was possible here. At the time I looked
at the position, the pieces were set up in a way which reminded me
of a rugby scrum. Not wanting to disturb, I glanced at the board and
then walked away, scratching my head. I could not make heads or tails of
things, to even offer a speculative comment as to who might be
 winning or even holding a slight edge. It was just too rugby for me.
LET'S SEE: WHAT DO I DO NOW (?)

Carissa cogitating in her game vs Lawyer Times.

Deep planning. Setting up the structure. Deception +
intrinsic layers of of attack.
SOUL ON FIRE

NM Yip, showing no signs of tiredness, was a soul on fire,
completing  her moves with confidence to prevail in her game vs
NM Lawyer Times.  So: 4 wins; 0 losses; 0 draws
= 4 points and total domination of the Open Section.
TIME FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE
PRIZE MONEY

NM Carissa Yip stands next to her proud father, Percy Yip after
her win over NM Lawyer Times in Round 4. She waits for TD
Andrew Hoy, (left: in turquoise) to set up the prize money hand-outs.
(background): Jianglin Wu (Brandon's dad) and Mr. Kevin
Bartkovich, Director, Chess Program, Exeter Prep, NH,
organizer of the 6NH group to the BCC, from NH campus.
WOW! I'M RICH

Carissa, holding her winnings in
US currency, decides whether to
celebrate by inviting her dad out to dinner
or putting the stash away for college!
2-3rd PLACE: FOCUSED DETERMINATION

NM Chris Williams, still smarting from loss to Carissa in Round
3, recruits all his focus power to defend against NM Andrew
Hoy, no doubt rather tired from all the work he was doing since
early morning as event TD.  Chris remained focused, executed
his plan, and collected the full point to go 3/4 for 2-3rd place
in the Open Section. Andrew was a good sport about it all,
scoring 1.5/4 in a rather hectic activities schedule.

Jerry Williams sets up his game vs Brandon Wu in Round 2.
Brandon won this encounter and went on to score 3 points
for the day, losing only to NM Chris Williams, to share 2-3rd
place in the Open Section.

Ellen Xiang, from Exeter NH plays white vs her young
prodigy, Brandon Wu in Round 4. Brandon was +10 to
2050 rating. Ellen was 1.5/4 for the day.

NM Lawyer Times scored 2.5 points
to share 4-5th place with Pinyi Hu.

Pinyi Hu (right) scored 2.5 points to share 4-5th place in the
Open Section and a +16 to 1837 rating. Here he is seen playing
Professor Jerry Williams who was 1/4 on the day.
U1950 SECTION

 
Bryant Vernon, MIT Sloan, MBA 2007, back in chess action, 
scores 4-0 to convincingly win the U1950 Section hands-down.
Bravo, Bryant. Great come-back. [Little historical
note: Bryant's last tournament before this one was
BCC Reubens Landy, 2006. It also seems that Bryant
played in the last Harvard Open (ever ?) in 1/27/2002!]
Bryant illustrates well that there is a demonstrable interface 
between operational acumen in business strategy and 
delivery of a successful chess performance.

 
 Darrith Bin Phan, (right) defends with black, vs Mark
Robert Neale in Round 4. Darrith won this game and
scored 3.5 overall: 3 wins and a draw! This secured Darrith
clear 2nd place in the U1950 section. (background): Ed Chiu.
(background bio notes): Darrith will graduate from BB&N
this June and begin his freshman year at Stanford U.
in the Fall. Bravo, Darrith, way-t-go! 
3-6th Place in the U1950 Section
ENDGAME TIME

Tom Shneer (right) scores with black vs Eugene Park: Round 1.

Tom scored 2.5 points to share 3-6th place in U1950 section.

John Archibald, 8 yrs old, vs Bryant Vernon, Round 2.

Mark Robert Neale, white vs Boshen Li; Boshen scored

2.5 points to share 3-6th place in U1950 section.

(background): Tom Shneer v Darrith Bin Phan: draw!

CAUGHT LOOKING!

Ed Chiu takes a moment to say "hi" from his game vs

Wei Hang Fan in Round 2. (background): Michael Baldyga v

Eugene Park; Joseph Bartkovich vs Charles Bing.

Ed scored 2.5 points to share 3-6th place in U1950 Section.

CENTER STAGE

Alon Trogan, black vs Patrick Dickinson, Round 2.

(center): Joseph Bartkovich scoring 2.5 points for 3-6th

place in U1950 section. Bravo, Joseph!

KEEP YOUR EYE ON THIS YOUNG LAD!

John Archibald, 8 plays Patrick Dickinson, Round 4, a high

schooler from Exeter, NH. John remained razor-sharp focused

for this win with the white pieces, 2/4 on the day and a 

1551 rating.  8 yrs old !!  Bravo, John. Determination does

pay off in chess, as in life! John was devastated by his

Round 3 loss, upset to the point of tears. He almost quit

the tournament. But drawing on an inner strength, rare for

an 8 yr old, John pulled himself together and made the

choice to return to the event to play Round 4, come what

may. He gathered his focus-power and essayed a win: how

sweet the victory, after the pain of defeat. John: a truly

remarkable 8 yr old sportsman.  Bravo, John! You

are an example to us all.

SERENDIPITY

Patrick W. Dickinson sports his high school

logo. I did not have this in my scope when I framed 

this shot, but, indeed, there it is, for all to see, my 

photo of former World Chess Champion GM 

Mikhal Tal (upper right corner), which I took at the 

Boylston Chess Club, YMCU, Boylston Street, 

Boston, in 1988.  I hope this portends as well 

for Pat's chess career as it did for my career in

chess photo journalism!  Bravo, Pat for helping

me make this wonderful photo of you and 

Misha Tal, together, for all of us to enjoy.

Dorm Logo (navigation): Exeter

Ellen Xiang, from Texas, was 1.5/4 Open Section 

(USCF rating at the start of this event: 1900).

Licet tibi esse rex, sed specta reginam superantem.

[loosely translated: 'whatever you do, do it well'!]

PHILLIPS EXETER ACADEMY

Michael Baldyga, 1.5 points in the U1950 

Section starting with a 1508 rating.

EXETER: POST-MORTEM ANALYSIS

Pat Dickinson, Bryant Vernon, Joseph Bartkovich, Wei Hang

Fan deep in chess thought as 8 yr old John Archibald, 

(right, corner)  soaks up all the chess knowledge being shared.

NOVICE AND DETERMINED

7 yr old Charles Bing, in his 3rd adult chess tournament.

Charles was 1.5/4 for a 1032 rating! Bravo, Charles!

(background): Ellen Xiang vs Harold Dondis.

POSTURE IS EVERYTHING

As I have said many times, the way you hold 

yourself during the chess games, indicates to

what degree you are committed to putting forth

the energy it takes to win the game.  Look at Carissa

in this photo: she is literally, in the driver's seat.

She is in total control, both physically and

mentally. This is what it takes to be a great

chess player and Carissa is on the road to

becoming a great chess player. Brava, Carissa!

[This is a good time to put in my final parenthetical

remark: On April 7, 2015, Carissa played former

Mass State Champion NM Mika Brattain (USCF

2460) a Game 60 4SS event at the MetroWest

Chess Club. Carissa won this game and finished

3-7th in a field of 18 players in the Open Section.

Carissa, keep up the great work! ]

Harold Dondis, Esq. prepares his defense vs

Ellen Ziang from Exeter, NH. Ellen won this

game and was 1.5/4 on the day. 

CASH PRIZE DISTRIBUTION

OPEN SECTION: 

1st: NM Carissa Yip: $180;

2-3rd: NM Chris Williams: $45;

2-3rd: Brandon Wu: $45.

U1950 SECTION:

1st: Bryant Vernon: $100

2nd: Darrith Phan: $50

U1650 SECTION:

1-2nd: Boshen Li: $20

1-2nd: Tom Shneer: $20

1-2nd: Edward Chiu: $20

1-2nd: Joseph Bartkovich: $20

ANDREW HOY: EVENT TD

PHOTOS: STEVE STEPAK

PS 

CARISSA YIP ON THE BBC