Monday, February 19, 2007

USATE, Round 5 update



Well, that's a lame photo, but you get the picture.

Going into Round 5 out of 6 of the World Amateur Team and US Amateur Team East 2007, the Kenilworth Chess Club #1 team played on Board #1 against team "Beavis and Butt Vinni."

When I left, the match had not concluded. But, unfortunately, and barring some miracle, we likely lost. I drew my game relatively early on Board 4 against an Expert (my opponent described the position accurately by saying "if either of us tries to win, we lose"). Steve Stoyko on Board 1 likely could have had a draw by repetition but declined it in a tough time pressure battle which he lost to a young master. Meanwhile, Boards 2 and 3 had just made the time control, but it looked like Scott Massey was in a bit of trouble (having sacrificed the Exchange for complications in a worse position) and Ed Allen had only a slight edge at best.

There were six teams with perfect scores after Round 4: the two teams just mentioned plus ChessCafe.com, the Fed Ups (featuring GM John Fedorowicz), Khodarkovsky's Tycoons, and UTD Orange. It looked like UTD Orange had won their match. I'll make no other predictions, except to say it will be a sad homecoming at the club this Thursday.

2 comments:

Tom Chivers said...

What an extraordinary name for a chess club!!

Michael Goeller said...

Unlike team events in Britain, the US Amateur Team events (held in four locations simultaneously around the US) do not generally involve club teams -- though quite a few club-related teams enter. I think "Beavis and Butt Vinni" is a play on "Beavis and Butthead" and "Beavis and Botvinnik" and the name of the strongest player on the team. Lame jokes in names are par for the course -- such as the "The Fed Ups" after John "Fed" Fedorowicz.