USATE 2010 Games

The Week in Chess has posted TWIC #799 with USATE games, which I have collected in a USATE 2010 PGN for convenience.  The NJSCF or NJoyChess usually posts a cleaned up version that includes team names and accurate ratings.

USATE 2010 Crosstables

Fun and Names at the US Amateur Team East by Jennifer Shahade offers some games and commentary on last week's USATE, including Joe Fang's crucial victory over Kenilworth's Scott Massey in the last round on Board 1 (which also received mention in The New York Times).  You can also now check out the official tournament crosstable at the USCF website (including ratings adjustments) or download the full wall chart in PDF or final team standings from the NJSCF site.  Keep an eye out for the games.

USATE 2010 Wrap-up

Round Five at Board 1

Well, it was fun while it lasted and definitely feels better than 2008 when we lost only to the infamous GGGgs to finish 5-1 or 2007 when we made it to Board 1 in Round 5 only to lose to Beavis-and-Buttvinnik.  We played on Board #1 the last two rounds, entering Round 6 with the only 5-0 record, but we lost to the excellent Cambridge Springers, a perennial top team with the deadly Joe Fang going 6-0 5.5 on Board 2 (alone winning the second board prize after winning a nice ending against our Scott Massey). Bob Rose won on Board 4, so we definitely had a shot at it.  But Ed Allen drew his lower-rated opponent on Board 3 and Steve Stoyko lost a difficult but drawable ending against Bill Kelleher on Board 1 (getting distracted by his cell phone buzzing in his pocket, which resulted in a critical 10-minute penalty -- though, of course, at any other tournament he probably would have been forfeited....)  With a host of 4.5 teams behind us -- several of whom won their matches to go to 5.5 -- we got knocked out of the prizes entirely.  Updated: For complete team results, see the NJSCF website with final standings and complete results.

I'll update as more news or links roll in.  Meanwhile, here are some good blogs with USATE coverage (if I've left one out, let me know via comments):

• Reassembler
• USCL News & Gossip
• Jim West
• Adventures of Rabin
• Castling Queenside

Kenilworth 5-0 Heading into Round 6

 

Goeller - Hellenschmidt
Black to play and win (he missed it)

In Round 5 of the US Amateur Teams East, our Kenilworth team made it to Board One with a perfect record. I was able to win my game (see "Board One Blunder-Fest" for details) and I thought at the time it was rather well-played. The rest of the team drew, so we won the match and they will play for the championship in the final round (the only team at 5-0, with Bob Rose on Board Four this time). Though I'm still happy with the result, I'm none too happy with the game, which looks like a blunder-fest under the harsh glare of the computer. But that's what late round games can be like. 

I had to go teach a class (can you believe Rutgers has classes on Presidents Day?), so I wasn't able to find out what happened in the last round.  If anyone knows results, please post them in comments.

USATE 2010, Round 2: Massey's Moeller Attack

Massey - NN, after 14...Kf8
White to play and win.

Massey - NN, after 23...Kf6
What's the fastest win?

After the third round of play at the US Amateur Teams East in Parsippany, the "Kenilworth A" team was 3-0 and sitting behind the rope in contention for the title.  I'll find out shortly how we did in Round 4 and if we are playing up or down in Round 5 today.  Meanwhile, I have a little gem of a game that NM Scott Massey played in Round 2 (PGN here) on Saturday that is sure to amuse you, featuring the Moeller Attack of the Italian Game or Giuoco Piano.  Scott, who was 3-0 himself after three rounds, says he figured all of this out at the board, having only the vaguest recollection of theory.  However, he did miss the quickest win in the second diagram: can you find it?

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).

USATE 2010

Like many of you, I will be playing in the Teams this weekend: "The 40th Annual World Amateur Team & U.S. Team East - Ruby Anniversary" at the Parsippany Hilton to be precise.  I will be the alternate on my usual team (as in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009), which I am hoping will be called "Kenilworth A," though team captain Steve Stoyko threatened to enter us as "Grumpy Old Men."   He was grumpy about the club no longer sponsoring teams, but equally grumpy that my age made it impossible for us to qualify for the Grumpy Old Men "Seniors" prize.  I may just bow out for someone older next year.

The US Amateur Teams East (or USATE) is the only event I play in each year, but with young kids (ages 3 and 7) at home it's tough to make it even to this "Tournament for the Rest of Us" without some guilt.  My team has always been among those in the chase for the title, and I think that's what draws me back every year.  Plus, it is just such a great event and all my chess friends will be there.  But next year I might just visit and take my kids. 

One note of warning: there have been several local reports of Norovirus (a.k.a. Norwalk virus or "stomach flu") affecting people at the same location -- including at the New York Times company cafeteria and a Rutgers dorm where 55 students got ill a couple weeks ago.  I'm sure these stories are just the tip of the iceberg (the Rutgers one was just in the campus paper so you are not going to hear about it online and most people just suffer in silence).  At USATE a few years back, there was clearly a similar outbreak.  I think it's about time that the tournament directors followed the example of many public institutions and made hand sanitizer available for everyone.  After all, who knows who has been touching that piece you just captured.... 

Update: The USCF website offers a nice preview of US Amateur Team events: see "Amateur Team Weekend Approaches."