BCC $15 OPEN AUGUST 27, 2016
OPEN SECTION
NM Brandon Wu scored a perfect 4-0 to take clear 1st
place in the BCC August $15 Open.
CRITICAL GAME
NM Farzad Abdi on the move vs NM Brandon Wu, Round 4.
Farzad scored 2.5 points to share 3-7th place with NM Hal Terrie,
Susraj Ramanathan, Jason Tang and Arthur Nugent.
NM Andrew Hoy (event TD) scored 3 points to take clear
2nd place. Here is is playing white, vs Nithin Kavi in
Round 4. Nithin was 2/4 on the day.
NM Andrew Hoy vs Suraj Ramathan, deep in thought, Round 2.
Suraj was 2.5/4 on the day for a share in 3-7th place.
Jason Tang v Mark Neale, Round 2. Jason scored 2.5 points
to share 3-7th place.
Jason Tang vs Arthur Nugent: draw! Round 3.
Arthur scored 2.5 points to share 3-7th place.
U1800 SECTION
Tianna Wang vs David Milliern, Round 2.
David won this game and scored 3 points to share
1-4th place with Yuanzhe Wang, Zubin Baliga and Thomas Ha
David Katzman plays black vs Yuanzhe Wang in Round 2.
Yuanzhe won this game and scored 3 points on the day to
tie 1-4th place in the U1800 Section.
(background): Percy Yip v Boshen Li; Charles Bing v Eric Feng;
Mark Chudnovsky plays Jacob Ye. (upper left): Evan Meyer,
Fdridrik Karlsson
Zubin Baliga vs Tianna Wang, Round 3.
Zubin won this game and scored 3/4 to share 1-4th place
in the U1800 Section. Tianna was 50 percent with 2/4 on the day.
Kelsey Liu, black vs Thomas Ha, Round 4.
Thomas won this game for a total of 3 points on the day
and a share in 1-4th place in the U1800 Section.
Kelsey finished with 2/4 and a rating of +64 to 1128.
Thomas was +17 for a 1606 rating.
SCENES FROM AROUND THE HALL
SKY VIEW: ROUND 2
FULL HOUSE: 40 PLAYERS
MUSIC AND CHESS
Round 2: Derek Chubo Zhao plays black vs BCC Vice
President Natasha Christiansen, who, no doubt, is listening
to Beethoven while she plans out her opening strategy.
Serious chess!
GAME ANALYSIS
Justin Li vs Steve Stepak, extra game, Round 3. Photo Tony Cortizas
Note that Justin was solid up to move 28 and could have equalized. Neither
Justin nor I was in time pressure. During the post-mortem it was suggested
that Justin "missed" the move 21. Rxa7 . . . My take on this move is that
psychologically it was good, tacticlly it was double-edged. For example:
21.Rxa7 Bxc3; 22. Rc1 Be5; 23. g3 (luft) c3; 24.Qe2 Rfb8; 25.Qc4 Rb4;
26.Qd3 Qd8 27 f4 Bg7 28.e5 R4b5; 29.Ra8 Rd5; 30.Rb8 Rd3; 31.Rd8 Rd8
32.Rc3 Bf8; 33.Rb3 e6; 34 Kg2 Ra8; 35.Rb2 Ral; 36.Bg1 Rc1; 37.h3 Rc8;
38.Rb7 Rc2; 39.Kh1 Rc3; 40.Kg2 with equality. But this essays a most
complicated series of moves. Justin could have easily equalized the game
in a much simpler manner.
And the move: 21. Bxa7 engenders the response: 21. . . . Rb3; 22.Rec1 f5;
23.h3 fe4; 24.Re4 Rc3; 25.Rc3 Bc3; 26.Rd1 Qc7; 27.Be3 Be5; 28.Re1 Bf6;
29.g3 Qa5; 30.Rb1 Rd8; 31.d6 Rd6; 32.Qc4 Kg7; 33.Kh2 Qd5; 34.Qf4 Rd8
and 35.Rc1 seems to hold for White.
I would say that Justin played the game quite well, up to move 28. He was
poised and solid in his technique. One interesting note is that, during the
post mortem, Justin was able to play out the entire game, from memory
without the aid of the score sheet. From this point alone, I see a great
future for Justin in chess. He will, with effort and desire, become a chess
master soon enough.
ACTION IN ROUND 4
David Grawoig vs Tudor Muntean; Calvin Hori vs Fridrik
Karlsson; Derek Chubo Zhao vs Ryan Wang. [Note: Ryan
is 7 yrs old, younger brother of Tianna Wang. Ryan played
in the Open Section of this event and scored 2/4 for a
+18 to 1715 rating. I say: keep your eye on this lad. Soon
enough he too will become a chess master!
PARTING SHOT
The spirits of Harry Lyman and Harold Dondis (portraits),
great benefactors and patrons of the BCC watch the kids
of the BCC play chess: past present & future.
ANDREW HOY: TD
NATASHA CHRISTIANSEN, ASST. TD
PHOTO: TONY CORTIZAS
PHOTOS: STEVE STEPAK