It's been a while since I last blogged, but I'll be updating very frequently in November because I'm going to Ankara, Turkey for the World Youth Chess Championships!
It's an International Youth tournament, hosted by Fide. You can check out the details at http://wycc2009.tsf.org.tr/, a couple of juniors in Calgary are going, such as FM Eric Hansen, Thomas Kaminski, and Victor Kaminski. We have a team blog going on at http://2009cyct.blogspot.com/ so you can check that out as well. I'll be posting results, some games, and the stuff waiting for us at Turkey.
I'm going to be playing in the U14 section, and if you want to check out live games, you can go on www.monroi.com and see for yourself.
Stay tuned for updates on the WYCC!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Over/Under 1800
Hey guys, it's a bit late, but I'm just going to post about one of the tournaments I recently participated in, the Over 1800 sectional.
I prepared some of my opening lines and freshened with some tactics puzzles, but I didn't perform as high as I wanted to during the tournament.
I was very eager to do well in round 1, because the first round usually is my most important game because it effects all my other rounds. To my surprise, I was playing black against my friend, Roy Yearwood. We've almost played each other every tournament for the last 5 tournaments. I know he played the modern and I didn't have a good line for it, but he went in for an English with 1. c4. I was going to play the line I played against Nic Haynes (1... c6), but I didn't think Roy knew too much theory and I played a normal 1... e5. He continued fianchettoing his bishop on g2, and a good pawn structure with d4/c4. I was immediately in an inferior position, with central pressure and a space disadvantage. Roy had a3 and c4, so he could've pushed b4 and tried to breakthrough with c5 or b5 to create a passed pawn or create more pressure. It was hard for me to find a plan, so I decided to maneuver my queen to c8 (protecting the b7 pawn), and to switch my knights around to possibly get some counter play on the e4 outpost. Roy didn't look at b4, so he just pushed d5, locked the position and offered me a draw, of course I accepted. 1/2-1/2
My second round was with white against Aaron Sequillion, since I knew he didn't like the Bb5 sicilian, I decided to go into it even though I didn't prepare anything. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ (Moscow variation). I didn't understand the strategical concept of the position and pushed an early d4?! without any c3 preparation. We continued into a dragon-like position without the white squared bishops, which was devastating for me. He missed a tactic while breaking through with d5, and it let me lock up the position when he had much play on the center and diagonals. I offered a draw, and since my CFC was 100 points above him, he accepted the draw in a =/+ position. 1/2-1/2
Third round, black against my buddy Martin Robichaud. I've played a lot of blitz with Martin, and some active games too, but this was my first time challenging him in a regular game. He opened the game with a Panov attack against my Caro-Kann. (1.e4 c6 2.c4!?) I knew he played this, and prepared 5 minutes before hand so I wouldn't screw up. I was pretty comfortable with the position, but he soon got a kingside attack. I underestimated it and missed a big tactic on e6, which led to material loss and a horrible position. I decided to play on for a bit but resigned after a few moves. 1-0
A very confusing position, which I thought I could defend and win a pawn, but it was indeed a good game!
Fourth round, white against Chris Kuczaj. He usually plays Shevenigen, but this time he played a Caro-Kann! I was glad since I knew the theory for it, I can play most of the lines, so I just chose the advanced. He got his bishop out and the c5 push, but I got play with a3 and tried to breakthrough with b4. He played a5 and Qb6, so I shifted my queen to a4 so I could advance b4 because of the queen-rook pin. Right then, he made a very interesting move, Qa6!?, protecting the b4 threat and threatening a b5 advance! I had to move my queen back and I planned to develop, but he didn't lock the queenside so I got a big advantage with a b3/a4 type of queenside attack. I got my knights in a binding position and won the exchange. 1-0
Fifth round, black against Rick Pedersen. I remember Rick being a King's Indian player, and I definitely don't have a good record against him. He played e4, and I being a Caro player, stuck with my plan. The position was pretty equal, but I let him get his b1 knight to d4 (Na3, Nc2). He had a good idea with an a4 push, but was afraid to further push it down, he should've played a5! to capture the b6 square for my knights. He let my knights get onto c5 and b6 (planning to go to c4 and e5). I was possibly a little better, but I offered my 3rd draw, and he accepted right away. 1/2-1/2
Too many draws I suppose, but I did gain some knowledge about underestimating attacks or positions. My CFC dropped to 2101, but my Fide probably increased a few points. Overall, it wasn't a BAD tournament, but I performed at a 2050 level. I hope I'll do better next tournament. =D
'Till then, I'ma out!
I prepared some of my opening lines and freshened with some tactics puzzles, but I didn't perform as high as I wanted to during the tournament.
I was very eager to do well in round 1, because the first round usually is my most important game because it effects all my other rounds. To my surprise, I was playing black against my friend, Roy Yearwood. We've almost played each other every tournament for the last 5 tournaments. I know he played the modern and I didn't have a good line for it, but he went in for an English with 1. c4. I was going to play the line I played against Nic Haynes (1... c6), but I didn't think Roy knew too much theory and I played a normal 1... e5. He continued fianchettoing his bishop on g2, and a good pawn structure with d4/c4. I was immediately in an inferior position, with central pressure and a space disadvantage. Roy had a3 and c4, so he could've pushed b4 and tried to breakthrough with c5 or b5 to create a passed pawn or create more pressure. It was hard for me to find a plan, so I decided to maneuver my queen to c8 (protecting the b7 pawn), and to switch my knights around to possibly get some counter play on the e4 outpost. Roy didn't look at b4, so he just pushed d5, locked the position and offered me a draw, of course I accepted. 1/2-1/2
My second round was with white against Aaron Sequillion, since I knew he didn't like the Bb5 sicilian, I decided to go into it even though I didn't prepare anything. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ (Moscow variation). I didn't understand the strategical concept of the position and pushed an early d4?! without any c3 preparation. We continued into a dragon-like position without the white squared bishops, which was devastating for me. He missed a tactic while breaking through with d5, and it let me lock up the position when he had much play on the center and diagonals. I offered a draw, and since my CFC was 100 points above him, he accepted the draw in a =/+ position. 1/2-1/2
Third round, black against my buddy Martin Robichaud. I've played a lot of blitz with Martin, and some active games too, but this was my first time challenging him in a regular game. He opened the game with a Panov attack against my Caro-Kann. (1.e4 c6 2.c4!?) I knew he played this, and prepared 5 minutes before hand so I wouldn't screw up. I was pretty comfortable with the position, but he soon got a kingside attack. I underestimated it and missed a big tactic on e6, which led to material loss and a horrible position. I decided to play on for a bit but resigned after a few moves. 1-0
A very confusing position, which I thought I could defend and win a pawn, but it was indeed a good game!
Fourth round, white against Chris Kuczaj. He usually plays Shevenigen, but this time he played a Caro-Kann! I was glad since I knew the theory for it, I can play most of the lines, so I just chose the advanced. He got his bishop out and the c5 push, but I got play with a3 and tried to breakthrough with b4. He played a5 and Qb6, so I shifted my queen to a4 so I could advance b4 because of the queen-rook pin. Right then, he made a very interesting move, Qa6!?, protecting the b4 threat and threatening a b5 advance! I had to move my queen back and I planned to develop, but he didn't lock the queenside so I got a big advantage with a b3/a4 type of queenside attack. I got my knights in a binding position and won the exchange. 1-0
Fifth round, black against Rick Pedersen. I remember Rick being a King's Indian player, and I definitely don't have a good record against him. He played e4, and I being a Caro player, stuck with my plan. The position was pretty equal, but I let him get his b1 knight to d4 (Na3, Nc2). He had a good idea with an a4 push, but was afraid to further push it down, he should've played a5! to capture the b6 square for my knights. He let my knights get onto c5 and b6 (planning to go to c4 and e5). I was possibly a little better, but I offered my 3rd draw, and he accepted right away. 1/2-1/2
Too many draws I suppose, but I did gain some knowledge about underestimating attacks or positions. My CFC dropped to 2101, but my Fide probably increased a few points. Overall, it wasn't a BAD tournament, but I performed at a 2050 level. I hope I'll do better next tournament. =D
'Till then, I'ma out!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Active Grand Prix #2
Hey guys,
Just came back from a Tuesday active sectional tournament, our 2nd Calgary "Grand Prix" tourny. There were around 20 people that participated, making it one of the biggest active tournaments we've had on Tuesdays.
I played 3 games in total, playing against three 2000-2150 strength players.
1st round: White against Walter Watson - Starting off in an exchange French, he closed up the position quickly with a premature c5 to c4. I had 2 knights on e5 and f3 and a supporting pawn on d4. I had a space advantage that forced him to move his knights into a bad position. Soon he missed a tactic on f7, which hung a knight on e6. 1-0
2nd round: White against Martin Robichaud - Martin decided to play e5 against my king's pawn, so I went for a Four Knights. It transposed into a Philidor's kinda' position, but Martin was a bit unfamiliar with it. I soon exchanged off the bishops and got a nice pawn push that threatened to isolate his pawns (d-file) in a rook endgame, he didn't go for it but got an inferior piece coordination. I generated a protected pass pawn on e6 and f5, and soon launched a kingside attack (successfully) with pawns, a knight, and a queen. 1-0
3rd round: Black against Hafiz Karmali - I wanted to win the tournament, so I offered him an early draw in the Caro-Kann which he declined. He got to my kingside early, with f4 and a rook lift, so I decided to castle queenside. He moved his queen out missed a pin and win on the back rank for me, and I got an easy pawn, and proceeded with mating threats. I made a mistake of moving my king to b8, which I should've moved to d7-e7 because he had no attack. He opened up some files and suddenly I was the person in trouble! He had many mating chances but he missed them and in the end I out blitzed him but offered a draw again. 1/2-1/2
I had won my first CCC active tournament! I feel proud with a 1550 rating. ;)
Just came back from a Tuesday active sectional tournament, our 2nd Calgary "Grand Prix" tourny. There were around 20 people that participated, making it one of the biggest active tournaments we've had on Tuesdays.
I played 3 games in total, playing against three 2000-2150 strength players.
1st round: White against Walter Watson - Starting off in an exchange French, he closed up the position quickly with a premature c5 to c4. I had 2 knights on e5 and f3 and a supporting pawn on d4. I had a space advantage that forced him to move his knights into a bad position. Soon he missed a tactic on f7, which hung a knight on e6. 1-0
2nd round: White against Martin Robichaud - Martin decided to play e5 against my king's pawn, so I went for a Four Knights. It transposed into a Philidor's kinda' position, but Martin was a bit unfamiliar with it. I soon exchanged off the bishops and got a nice pawn push that threatened to isolate his pawns (d-file) in a rook endgame, he didn't go for it but got an inferior piece coordination. I generated a protected pass pawn on e6 and f5, and soon launched a kingside attack (successfully) with pawns, a knight, and a queen. 1-0
3rd round: Black against Hafiz Karmali - I wanted to win the tournament, so I offered him an early draw in the Caro-Kann which he declined. He got to my kingside early, with f4 and a rook lift, so I decided to castle queenside. He moved his queen out missed a pin and win on the back rank for me, and I got an easy pawn, and proceeded with mating threats. I made a mistake of moving my king to b8, which I should've moved to d7-e7 because he had no attack. He opened up some files and suddenly I was the person in trouble! He had many mating chances but he missed them and in the end I out blitzed him but offered a draw again. 1/2-1/2
I had won my first CCC active tournament! I feel proud with a 1550 rating. ;)
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Just started blogging!
Hey guys!
Just created my blog, 'ts all good. I'm going to post Chess news, tournaments, links, etc. Stay tuned. =)
Just created my blog, 'ts all good. I'm going to post Chess news, tournaments, links, etc. Stay tuned. =)
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