Monday, September 04, 2006

Labor Day Weekend

It is Labor Day in the United States of America. Most state chess associations have their state championships this weekend. I am not playing this year, mostly for financial reasons. I live about an hour away from where the tournament is being held and simply was not willing to drive back and forth 3 days in a row. Staying in the hotel where the tournament is being held, the Radisson, would cost me $98 a night for a room by myself! If I had been able to ride with someone from my area and share a room with him, then the trip would have been affordable.

Even so, I did manage to go yesterday to watch. While there I got to play skittles with a couple of people, watch some people play over and analyze their games, and I also got to talk briefly with some old friends and acquaintances. One of these people was Eric Buel, a guy that was part of my high school chess team. I hadn't seen Eric in almost 20 years and yet he recognized me and called me over to talk to him. I got his home number and email address. However, I missed Mike Mason and had to settle for leaving a message for him at his hotel room. Over all, I had a good time yesterday.

Today I am working on my chess site. Here is a game that I played online recently and just posted to my chess site at http://www.mikeseroveyonchess.com/Yacc-Sicilian.html. This is a game against a chess computer called yacc. I looked lost at a couple of points in that game but managed to come back and win.

[Event "ICC 20 20"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2006.07.22"]
[Round "-"]
[White "yacc"]
[Black "OnGoldenPawn"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ICCResult "White checkmated"]
[WhiteElo "1503"]
[BlackElo "1542"]
[Opening "Sicilian: Alapin's variation (2.c3)"]
[ECO "B22"]
[NIC "SI.46"]
[Time "18:38:11"]
[TimeControl "1200+20"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. cxd4 d5 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Be2 Rd8
8. Nc3 Qa5 9. Be3 Nf6 10. Qb3 b6 11. O-O-O e6 12. Qc4 Nb4 13. Qb5+ Qxb5 14.Bxb5+ Nd7 15. Rhg1 Bd6 16. Kb1 O-O 17. Bg5 f6 18. h3 Bh5 19. Be3 a6 20. Ne4 Be7 21. Bc4 Bf7 22. Ka1 b5 23. Bb3 Nb6 24. Nc5 N6d5 25. g4 a5 26. h4 a4 27. Bxd5 Nxd5 28. Rd3 Nxe3 29. Rxe3 e5 30. Rc1 exd4 31. Rxe7 d3 32. Nd2 Rd4 33. Nce4 Bc4 34. f4 f5 35. gxf5 Rxf5 36. Rg1 g6 37. Ng5 Rfxf4 38. Nxh7 Rxh4 39. Rxg6+ Kh8 40. Rgg7 Rh1+ 41. Rg1 Rxg1+ 42. Nb1 d2 43. Re8+ Kxh7 44. b3 axb3 45. axb3 Bxb3 46. Re5 d1=Q 47. Re7+ Rg7 48. Rxg7+ Kxg7 49. Kb2 Qc2+ 50. Ka1 Ra4+ 51. Na3 Rxa3# {White checkmated} 0-1

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