USATE 2010, Round 1

 

Vicary - Massey
Black to play.

 

Stoyko-Katz
White to play and win.

 

Moore - Goeller
Black to play and win a pawn.

I got to meet the lovely Elizabeth Vicary (whose chess coaching at Brooklyn's IS 318 I've long admired) when our teams were paired in the first round of play at the US Amateur Teams East in Parsippany.  I have posted three of the games from our match with notes (also in PGN).  The games were relatively short and we won the match 4-0.  

On Board 1, FM Steve Stoyko played the odd 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Bd3!? idea in the French that was featured in an SOS article.  Looking at his game almost convinces me to give it a try and the concluding attack (see diagram) was very attractive.  On Board 2, NM Scott Massey played Ms. Vicary and I joined them for the post-mortem (where I wish I had more interesting things to say).  Scott got excellent counterplay on the queenside in a Dragon-like Pirc and won a pawn--though it should have been two says Fritz--with a nice shot (see diagram). I would have liked to get Ed Allen's score as well, since it featured a classic Nd5 sac in the Sicilian (all book likely), but he had gone.  My own game was essentially over on move four (see diagram).  

I think the team is in very good form and I look forward to play today.  (Oh, and the Hilton has admirably anticipated my fears of a general stomach flu outbreak by supplying plenty of hand sanitizer).