Club Champs Rd 6

2008 Club Championship   Round 6 of 7  3/26/08  7:00 PM

Time control is 40/90, SD/60, w/ 5 sec delay

Two half-point byes available, except for last round. Total players in this event = 65 so far...

Club Championship Section  (16 players)

Commentary by Rick Aeria

Here are the results for Rd 6. See current standings.

So here we are, sports fans into the penultimate round. NM Ron Bruno, the leader with 4.5 points going into this sixth round, could have clinched it tonight either with a win against fellow NM David Hart or a loss from his closest pursuer, defending champion John Funderburg who had 4-1. a mere half point behind.  There were many other battles fought this night, so stay tuned...

Board 1  Ron Bruno (4 1/2) - David Hart (3)  1/2-1/2

David Hart came motivated to play tonight to avenge his loss against Ron from the earlier Markowski qualifier. It was a sharp skirmish - punctuated with a little humor as when in the mutual time scramble, Ron suddenly points to Hart's fallen flag- indicating that Hart had not made the time control and forfeited. In reply, Hart coolly points to Ron's scoresheet which was not recorded from move thirty. So after a chuckle the two masters continue play and soon call it a draw.

See game here.  A special thanks to NM Hart to took the time to reconstruct the game score.

Bd 2  Bruce Baker (3) - John Funderburg (4)  1/2-1/2

If tourney leader, Ron Bruno, was expecting some "help" from fellow master Bruce Baker to dispose of John Funderburg - it was not forthcoming.

Bruce surprised all with his adoption of 1. c4 - apparently to avoid any preparation from Lakdawala Labs, Inc. However, according to our Thunderbird who now adds psychic abilities to his many talents - this was in a way expected and "prepped" for.

The Thunderbird wielding the Black pieces came out in full battle regalia and went toe-to-toe with one of the club's most feared masters holding Bruce to a fighting draw.

See game here. John Funderburg, one of my favorite annotators, gives his insights to this exciting encounter!

Bd 3  George Zeigler (3) - Todd Smith (3)  1/2-1/2

Bd 4  Ignacio Sainz (2 1/2) - Leonard Sussman (3)  1-0

Ignacio Sainz unfurled and old Fischer weapon against Lenny Sussman's Sicilian Najdorf - The Weaver Adams Line 6. h3.  (After 1. e4  c5  2.  Nf3  d6  3.  d4  cxd4  4.  Nxd4  Nf6  5.  Nc3  a6 The Najdorf Variation and now 6.  h3) Lenny reacted with a Scheveningen formation with the move 6. ... e6.  Perhaps Lenny should have followed Reshevsky's example by playing 6. ....  g6 and transposing to a Dragon formation.  See Bobby Fischer's My Sixty Memorable Games  - Game 43.

Sainz established a spatial advantage on the Kingside and then went after Lenny's king which was castled on the queenside.

See game here. Courtesy of Ignacio Sainz.

Bd 5  Alejandro Garamendi (2 1/2) - Jim Humphrey (2)  1-0

Alejandro Garamendi, who hails from distant Bolivia is playing some excellent chess.  This time our High Plains Drifter wrecks solid Jim Humphrey's even more solid Caro-Kann Defence after Humphrey gets a little lax with his development.  With some nice well-timed shots, Garamendi puts Humphrey out of his misery.

Currently Garamendi with 3 1/2 - 2 1/2 is tied for third place in a logjam that includes masters Baker, Smith and Hart.  This is certainly a success, thus far, for our hero.

See game here.

Bd 6  Mariano Lozano (2) - Brad Salz (2 1/2)  0-1

Mariano Lozano took Brad Salz's Pirc Defence too lightly and Brad retaliated by going on an Easter egg hunt picking up Mariano's pawns.

And look who is also in that "tied-for-third" logjam - Bradley Salz! (Wave to the crowd Brad)

See game here lightly annotated by Brad Salz.  I will have to agree with Brad that this game looked a little weird.

Bd 7 Raoul Crisologo (1) - Carey Milton (1)  1-0

Raoul Crisologo who was having a rotten tournament doubled his score by beating the even more luckless Carey Milton.  This was done with a sharp tactic which pocketed the exchange and after that it was mop up time.

 After the game, Raoul theorized on why he is having such a bad performance.  "I qualified early without having to play in the Markowski Qualifier in January," he said, "Perhaps that is the reason.  I came into the finals cold and was trying to avoid drawish positions."

Game score unavailable.

Withdraw: Eric Montany 

Reserve Championship (U1800):  (16 players)      

Commentary by Chuck Ensey

Standings after 6 rounds, with 1 round still to go - First Place: Shaun Sweitzer (5)

Second Place: Fawsi Jose Murra (4 1/2),  Third Place: Fred Borges (4) 

Bd 10  Fred Borges (4) - Shaun Sweitzer (4)  0-1  See game here

Fred's string of glorious victories finally comes to an end at the hands of the Terminator, Shaun Sweitzer. Fred had some winning chances in this game, but he missed the right move at a critical juncture, involving an exchange sac that would have given him a solid advantage. But Fred could still tie for first if he wins next week against me (Chuck Ensey) and Shaun loses to Rocio Murra. Oh, and Fawsi Murra would also have to lose to Hector Gonzalez. So it is a long shot for the Crime Dog Fred McGruff, but I am sure his spirits are still high.    

Bd 11  Vincent Broman (3 1/2) - Fawsi Jose Murra (3 1/2)  0-1  see game here

This was a complex game that was roughly equal through many complications, but near the end Vincent lost his way and Fawsi came through with a well played combination. This very well might be the best game in this section for this round. 

Bd 12  Chuck Ensey (2 1/2) - David Hall (2 1/2)  1/2-1/2   See game here

This game could have gone either way but ended in a hard fought draw. I won a pawn early, but then gave it right back along with the exchange. I decided to give up a Rook for a Bishop and a Knight, but with best play the Knight should have escaped. I had a solid advantage at many points, but I just couldn't seem to "close the deal". Yes folks, it is the old story of "how to win a won game" and "it's never over 'til it's over". At several points I thought David was on the verge of resigning, but it was just never quite bad enough for him to do so. I missed a few good moves and all of a sudden he had a perpetual check. I had to give up material to get out of it and risked losing in order to try to win, but David kept coming up with the correct moves and finally we ran out of pawns and pieces and had to declare a truce...        

Bd 13  Tom Kuhn (2 1/2) - Hector Gonzalez (2 1/2)  0-1  See game here

This was a short and brutal win by Hector as Tom tried to ignore threats and start his own counterattack, but Hector's attack beat him to the punch! There was a saving tactic for Tom at one point, but only someone wired with a pocket Frtiz in their head could have found it (or a Master, I guess they are born with extra silicon in their brains).   

Bd 14  Erik Marquis (2) - Rocio Murra (2 1/2)  0-1  See game here

Another win by Rocio, vaulting her to the top board next week.  

Bd 15  William Murray (2) - Ryan Nichols (1 1/2)  0-1    See game here

This should have been drawn, but Bill mad a horrible mistake right at the finish line, swapping Bishops to go into a lost King and pawn ending when keeping Bishops on was an easy draw. Ouch! We have all done things like that before because even "simple" King and pawn endgames can be maddening complex...

Bd 16  Julian Rodriguez (1) - Mark Lawless (1 1/2)  1-0

Mark declined to turn in this game, I guess I can't blame him...Still, the fans like to see the disasters too. Lookie-loos love a train wreck or fenderbender! 

Bd 17  Morgan Fox (1) - Cristhian Garcia (0)  1-0    See game here

This was another King and pawn ending that went wrong for house player Cristhian.   

Bye: Robert Draper (3) 

Fred Borges Open  (20 players)

Bd 18  Lennart Mathe (4) - Dayne Freitag (4)  0-1

Bd 19  Nathanael Plapp (3 1/2) - Marty Lower (4)  1/2-1/2

Bd 20  Roxas Acosta (3) - Mario Amodeo (3)  1-0

Bd 21  Fausto Robles (3) - Jason Qu (3)  1-0

Bd 22  Alfredo DeLeon (2 1/2) - Ed Baluran (2 1/2)  0-1

Bd 23  Ron Rezendes (2 1/2) - Thirunathan Sutharsan (2 1/2)  0-1

Bd 24  Fawsi Murra Jr (2) - David Delgadillo (2 1/2)  0-1

Bd 25  Buddy Morris (2) - Pejman Sagart (2)  1-0 

Bd 26  Richard Jensen (1 1/2) - Roger Dooc (0) 1-0

Bye: Caley Anderson (1/2), Theron Pummer (2)

Fred Borges Reserve Section (U1800)  (13 players)

Bd 28  Michael Ryan (4) - Steve Perry (3 1/2)  1-0

Bd 29  Jerry Soelberg (4) - Patrick Edwards (3)  1-0

Bd 30  Anthony Harbone (3) - Robert Samuel (2 1/2)  1-0

Bd 31  Arnold Berlin (1 1/2) - Alan Rhoads (1 1/2)  1-0

Bd 32  Karen Kaufman (1) - Keith Wetterer (0)  1-0

Bye: Michael Wang (2), Withdraw: Andrew Sung 

If you want to request a bye, 1) just email me at chucnglo@aol.com before 4 PM on the night of the event, or 2) leave a message on the club phone at 619-239-7166 before 6:30 PM on Wednesday.