Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Call for Tournament Directors ...

More TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS needed!

 

The Boylston Chess Club
Needs Your Help



We urgently need more tournament directors (TDs) to keep offering a wide variety of tournaments each month.  Our small core group of currently active TDs is stretched quite thin, and we cannot run as many events at our beautiful site as we would like due to insufficient (wo)manpower.

Please consider becoming a certified USCF tournament director, if only to act as an assistant TD from time to time.


Bernardo and Andrew  photo: Tony Cortizas, Jr.






The certification process is extremely straightforward: 
.


1)  Read the USCF rulebook ("USCF Official Rules of Chess"), available at the club or online, e.g., on Amazon.





2) Fill out and return the following form to the USCF:
 

Inline image 1



Parents, please consider helping out as a TD occasionally to keep the tournaments we all enjoy running smoothly. For example, perhaps you can help direct while your child plays to help support the club's contributions to scholastic chess.

Anyone who is interested in becoming a TD is very welcome to attend a TD training session to be held on September 20 at the club, complete with pizza and free of charge:


Please feel free to contact me or any other TD if you have any questions.  We look forward to working with you.







Natasha  photo:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.

 Natasha Christiansen

Board Member, BCF

Thursday, August 24, 2017

BCF August Scholastic



Fellow BCF Scholastic Players,

Thanks to the Scholastic players who came to our August Scholastic this past Sunday. It was small but enjoyable for everyone. By a strange twist of events - involving the TD's error X-( - Anthony German got to play me in a side game and emerged with a draw. Well done, Anthony!

Winners:

Fitch Perkins (left)
 
14U
  • 1st: Fitch Perkins
  • 2nd: Anthony German
  • Medal: Leonard Sweeney-Barrett

8U
  • 1st: Jericho Carlson
  • 2nd: Bryan Li Henroid
  • Medal: Lena Ishii

The BCF September Scholastic is on 9/24/2017. We'll see you - and hopefully more - all then.

Nicholas P. Sterling, Ph.D.
BCF Scholastic TD Director






Drafts photos



A few iphone7 photos from the Charles Drafts Memorial by Tony Cortizas, Jr.

Christopher Williams, Jerry Li. BCC Charles Draft Memorial 2017.

 Walter Driscoll. BCC Charles Draft Memorial 2017.
 
Alex Yu, Walter Driscoll. BCC Charles Draft Memorial 2017.


 
 Zubin Baliga. BCC Charles Draft Memorial 2017.


 Liam Putnam, Lewis Tu. BCC Charles Draft Memorial 2017.

 
Nithin Kavi. BCC Charles Draft Memorial 2017.


 

Monday, August 21, 2017

CHARLES DRAFT MEMORIAL AT THE BCC: KAVI / SAGE /1-2ND // SLESSARCHUK CLEAR 1ST / U1950 // 4 MASTERS / 47 PLAY //

OPEN AND U1950 4SS GAME 60 DELAY 5"
OPEN SECTION
NM Timothy Sage, black vs NM Nithin Kavi, Round 2: draw!
Tim and Nithin each scored 3.5 points to share 1-2nd place.
CRITICAL GAME
NM Chris Williams plays red vs NM Tim Sage, playing
the white pieces in this Romanian Classic Chess Set,
Round 4. Tim won this game to tie Nithin for 1st place.
Chris, the highest rated player in the event, finished 4-10th.
U1950 SECTION
Yelena Slessarchuk vs Steve Stepak, Round 1: draw!
Yelena went on to win her next 3 games to take clear
1st place with 3.5 points. Steve finished with 2.5 points.
SCENES FROM AROUND THE HALL
BIG AND LITTLE
NM Chris Williams plays white vs 9 yr old Liam Putnam
CELEBRITY CHESS PLAYER
Dimitar Mardov and Liam Henry Putnam 
are the National K-3 co - Champions
The event was the SuperNationals VI,
held from May 12-14 at the Gaylord Opryand in
Nashville,Tennesses: billed as the largest chess tournament 
in human history total participation 5,577!!
Liam is 9, from Long Island, NY. He
plays out of the Marshall Chess Club in NYC!
His rating is 1936!
This was his first trip to the BCC!
Liam is a great kid, full of energy, smiles and
chess curiosity. Welcome Liam!
BCC looks forward to your next visit!
Liam Putnam at the BCC
Charles Draft Memorial, Round 2.
FACULTY
NM BU Professor Dr. Alejandro Botta plays white vs
Zubin Baliga, in Round 2.  Dr. Botta scored 2.5 points.
Zubin scored 2.
NM Hal Terrie from New Hampshire, plays white vs 
event Asst. TD, Natasha Christiansen,  in Round 1.
EVENT ORGANIZER
Sir Walter Driscoll, 3rd, (orange, writing) long-time friend
of Charles Draft, striving to keep the Draft name in
exemplary memory of a disabled person overcoming
hardship. Walter cared for Charles for 24 years after his 
accident and has put together this memorial event
every year since Charles death in 2000. Bravo, Walter!
MATH PRODIGY
Yelena Slessarchuk is from Almaty, Kazakhstan,
scene of a rich chess culture. Yelena is studying
mathematics for the summer here in Boston. She 
hopes to attend Harvard University when she finishes
high school in a few years. Good luck and good
chess. Hope to see you next summer at the BCC!
ALMATY CAPITAL CITY-SCAPE

SKITTLES FUN
BLITZ CHESS IS FUN TO PLAY AND TO WATCH TOO!
THINKING AND PLANNING
CHARLES DRAFT MEMORIAL: FULL HOUSE
TOURNAMENT
ADMINISTRATION
CHIEF TD: 
BERNARDO IGLESIAS
ASSIST TD 
NATASHA CHRISTIANSEN





PHOTOS: STEVE STEPAK

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Tornado #129


Banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.

.
DateSaturday, August 26, 2017
Event Format4S
Time ControlG/60 d5
SectionsOpen & U1800
Entry Fee$35, $20 for BCF Members, $5 more if not registered online
Prizes$$360 Guaranteed: Open 1st $150, 2nd $90 U1800 1st $72, 2nd $48
Registration9:15am - 9:45am
Round Times10:00am, 1:00pm, 3:30pm, 6:00pm
Entry ListCurrent Pre-Registration List




Friday Night Action

Banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.


DateFriday, August 25, 2017
Event Format4SS
Time ControlG/25 d5
Entry Fee$40, $30 for BCF members, $5 more at door
Prizes$150-$100-$50, U2200 $50 based on 19 paid entries
Registration6:45pm - 7:15pm
Round Times7:30pm, 8:45pm, 9:45pm, and 10:45pm
Entry ListCurrent Pre-Registration List



Wednesday, August 16, 2017

August Scholastic

Banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.


DateSunday, August 20, 2017
Event Format4SS
Time ControlG/30 d5
Sections14 & Under and 8 & Under
Entry Fee$25, $20 for BCF members, $5 more at door
PrizesTrophies for 1st/2nd each age group, medal for 3rd
Registration10:00am - 10:20am
Round Times10:30am, 11:50am, 1:00pm, 2:00pm
Entry ListCurrent Pre-Registration List

Save $5 !



Monday, August 14, 2017

Charles Drafts Memorial

Banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.


 
 
 
DateSaturday, August 19, 2017
Event Format4SS
Time ControlG/60 d5
SectionsOpen & U1950
Entry Fee$35, $20 for BCF Members, $5 more at door
Prizes$$400 guaranteed: $100-$60-$40 in each section
Registration9:15am - 9:45am
Round Times10:00am, 1:00pm, 3:30pm, 6:00pm
Entry ListCurrent Pre-Registration List

 
Save $5

_______________

24nd annual
Charles Drafts Memorial
 

 


 ........ 
This is a great tournament for several reasons:
  • guaranteed prize fund,
  • good turn-out,
  • competitive level, and
  • an event honoring a truly remarkable man.

Please consider playing.




Walter Driscoll has for 24 years honored and remembered his friend Charles Drafts by helping sponsor a tournament for which he personally guarantees the prize fund.

Walter is a long time member of the Boylston, chess traveler [having competed in Hungry and visited Fischer's home and grave in Iceland before he was exhumed], former boxer, actor, and stand-up comedian.



 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charles Drafts

by David Glickman

[republishing of a previous post]

This Saturday the ... Annual Charles Drafts Open is being held at the Boylston Chess Club. Charles died several years ago and so for newer members of the club and the broader readership of the weblog I thought it might be worthwhile to briefly review his story.

Charles was a disabled, double-amputee living in the housing projects in Mission Hill. He loved to play chess but his condition made it difficult for him to come to a club or attend tournaments. At some point in time he contacted the BCC to see if any players would be willing to come to his apartment to play. Over the years several heeded the call, but in particular club member Walter Driscoll was a frequent visitor. I believe Walter was also the driving force behind the Charles Drafts Open. At the beginning and for many years, the tournament was held at Charles' building in Mission Hill so that at least one time a year Charles would have an opportunity to play in a "traditional" chess tournament. Since his death, the tournament has continued at the club as a memorial event.

The introduction of internet chess was obviously a boon to Charles and he was an active player on the ICC. It was, in fact, in the middle of a chess game on the ICC in 1996 when the event occurred which thrust Charles into momentary international prominence:

BOSTON -- A disabled man who became ill while logged on to an Internet chess site reached out to fellow players from around the world for emergency assistance.

Charles Drafts, a double amputee who types using a stick in his mouth, was playing chess in cyberspace Saturday on the multi-use World Wide Web site where 159 others also were logged on.

Suddenly, he sent out this message: "i'm having physical illness problems and need help."

"He was starting to have some really bad feelings, shortness of breath and dizziness, and he typed in a message to all our members," said Daniel Sleator, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University near Pittsburgh who founded the Internet Chess Club.

"It took a little while to know whether it was serious or not because there's an awful lot of kidding and bantering that goes on," Mr. Sleator said. "At first, I think some people were thinking it was a joke. But others realized it was a serious thing and started getting the information right away."

Mr. Drafts managed to type in his address.... while several users tried to find out what symptoms Drafts was suffering, Andy McFarland of Owensboro, Kentucky, was calling Boston's emergency medical services on his second phone line. "When he finally got through, he told dispatchers where he was calling from and explained the situation," Howland relates. 'I think I lost them for just a second,' McFarland said. 'It's not something they get every day.'"

...firefighters rushed to Draft's home, but no one answered the door. They called McFarland back to verify the address. McFarland told the wire service, "The last thing I heard them say was, `We're going in,' and they hung up." ...a short while later Boston firefighters broke down his door to get inside. They rushed the 48-year-old man to Beth Israel Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition ..., suffering from an undisclosed ailment.

About 20 minutes later, a Boston dispatcher called to tell McFarland that they had found Drafts inside and that he had needed help.

[This text is a re-gifting of David Glickman's 2005 post.]













Continental Open photos -- Tony Cortizas, Jr.

Jason Tang, Brandon Wu. Continental Open 2017





 .

.
.
Continental Open 2017      Photos

by Tony Cortizas, Jr.



You can view all photos of the Continental Open here. 



Hotel lobby analysis. Continental Open 2017



Skittles and cupcakes. Continental Open


Kevin Zimmerman and classic Jaquar car. Continental Open 2017




Wednesday, August 09, 2017

John Graf, U2200 Boylston Champion


Banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.
 .

John Graf won the Reubens Landey and is the Boylston U2200 champion for 2017.  Congrats!

Gabriel Birzu and Joaquin Carlson tied for 2nd in the strong field of 16.


  1 | JOHN RICHARD GRAF               |4.0  |W  12|D   9|D   4|W   6|W   5|
   MA | 15464283 / R: 1805   ->1914     |N:1  |B    |W    |B    |B    |W    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2 | GABRIEL BIRZU                   |3.5  |D  15|H    |W  11|W   9|H    |
   MA | 15148583 / R: 1958   ->1972     |     |W    |     |B    |W    |     |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3 | JOAQUIN CARLSON                 |3.5  |L  10|D  13|X    |W  16|W   7|
   MA | 15794580 / R: 1677   ->1753     |N:2  |W    |B    |     |B    |W    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    4 | DAVID S GLICKMAN                |3.0  |W  13|D  10|D   1|H    |H    |
   MA | 11195890 / R: 2027   ->2027     |     |W    |B    |W    |     |     |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    5 | SOREN SANDMANN PEDERSEN         |3.0  |H    |W  15|W  10|D   7|L   1|
   MA | 15421306 / R: 1994   ->1993     |N:2  |     |B    |W    |B    |B    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    6 | MATTHEW Y HASS                  |3.0  |L   9|W  12|W   8|L   1|W  10|
   MA | 12808712 / R: 1868   ->1887     |N:1  |B    |W    |B    |W    |W    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    7 | EDWARD ASTRACHAN                |2.5  |W   8|D  11|D   9|D   5|L   3|
   MA | 12430870 / R: 1961   ->1944     |N:2  |B    |W    |B    |W    |B    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    8 | MICHAEL BARRY                   |2.5  |L   7|W  16|L   6|D  12|W  11|
   MA | 12584196 / R: 1816   ->1825     |N:2  |W    |B    |W    |B    |W    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9 | LEO W BONNELL                   |2.0  |W   6|D   1|D   7|L   2|U    |
   MA | 10018048 / R: 1931   ->1931     |N:2  |W    |B    |W    |B    |     |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   10 | BRIAN PEREZ-DAPLE               |2.0  |W   3|D   4|L   5|D  13|L   6|
   MA | 13704827 / R: 1929   ->1912     |N:2  |B    |W    |B    |W    |B    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   11 | JONATHAN LEE                    |2.0  |W  16|D   7|L   2|H    |L   8|
   MA | 12742928 / R: 1793   ->1793     |N:3  |W    |B    |W    |     |B    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   12 | ROBERT C SULLIVAN               |1.5  |L   1|L   6|D  16|D   8|H    |
   MA | 12443343 / R: 1918   ->1900     |     |W    |B    |W    |W    |     |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   13 | NATASHA C CHRISTIANSEN          |1.5  |L   4|D   3|H    |D  10|U    |
   MA | 11366805 / R: 1890   ->1876     |     |B    |W    |     |B    |     |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   14 | CHARLES SLADE                   |1.0  |U    |U    |U    |U    |W  16|
   MA | 12487244 / R: 1935   ->1944     |     |     |     |     |     |W    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   15 | VLAD JAN GACIU                  |0.5  |D   2|L   5|F    |U    |U    |
   MA | 13459495 / R: 1816   ->1814     |     |B    |W    |     |     |     |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   16 | DAVID MILLIERN                  |0.5  |L  11|L   8|D  12|L   3|L  14|
   MA | 13784637 / R: 1852   ->1795     |     |B    |W    |B    |W    |B    |
---------------



John Graf v Joaquin Carlson, round 3 of the Weaver Adams                          photo: Steve Stepak

( John won this match to secure a berth in the Reubens Landey.  Joaquin would have to fight for a win in Round 4 and hope that John lost his match.  This turned out to be the case so both players were tied with 3/4 and won free entries into the Reubens Landey!

(background):  Jared Carlsen vs Justin Y Li. Jared won this game to score 2/4 in the event. Jared is the father of Joaquin and Jericho Carlson!  Both Joaquin and Jericho have studied chess in Jacob Rasin's chess clinics.)


This is the game score of John Graf's win over Soren Pederson to clinch the championship title.






Joaquin Carlson    photo:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.


Gabriel Birzu     photo:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.