01-08-2003 02:24									#61
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Apparently you do, well looking there . I always have had dislike for Sicilian, though.

Gotta find how your high US rating compares to ELO ratings, somehow.

	01-08-2003 02:46									#62
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It's the same system. The only difference is some small variations in local pools, with FIDE and whoever else it was that came along having a larger top end pool than the US or anywhere else.

If you go back to the 70's to early 80's, then Soviet Chess Federation players were about 50 points stronger for a given rating than USCF players, with that difference getting smaller at the top, and larger at the bottom.

I played against some FIDE rated players, but not enough, and not in FIDE rated events, so a USCF rating was all I had.

	01-08-2003 02:51									#63
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But then your rating was pretty kickass... I assume that you could still provide a very competetive game at tournaments, why don't you do that anymore?

	01-08-2003 03:13									#64
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Too much time. Now that I have kids, I don't want to spend an entire weekend with chess geeks. And at the time, I was forcing in several hours of play/practice/study a day to break master (2200) and try to move up further.

I had about 70 specialized reference books, my monthly subscriptions to Shakhmatny Byuletin and also got Shakhmatny Riga, made my monthly trip to Znanie bookstore in the Russian quarter of San Francisco to get Soviet newspapers that had reports and games from recent events within the USSR, and I went through all of that stuff.

It used to be fairly lucrative, too - in the last four months before I crossed Candidate Master (at the time, called Expert in the USCF system) I placed first, tied first, or second in 9 of 9 tournaments, and first or tied first in the last four of those in a row, so my rating shot up quite solidly over 2000. In those weekend tournaments, I made from $150 to $500 each weekend, all over the bay area, and so it was sort of a part time job. Once I crossed the 2000 rating barrier, I was in the open group, and there were several GM's and IM's from the bay area mostly, and they came down to harvest money from the mere mortals. So it went from positive cashflow to negative, and I pretty much hit the limits of my talent - no matter how much I'd work, I just wasn't gonna get that much better.

One day, I just burned out and quit altogether. Sold my books and some of my boards, sold my clock, and didn't look at a chess position for four years. Played one game after four years, then didn't touch it for six more.

Just this last couple of years, I've played about 15 games online, and that's been it.

	01-08-2003 03:17									#65
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You got Shahmatnyi Riga ? I've seen many good chess players here in Riga though.... currently, we also have a pretty young girl that is the best Latvian chess player in a long while.

But heck, you are almost a Master at chess... that's jolly great. I would never beat that... candidate master is the highest I've ever beaten, and that was with me playing decently.

Maybe I should have gone for a bigger career in chess... with both my grandfathers and father being pretty decent players... hmm!

	01-08-2003 03:23									#66
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1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5

edit: I said Nda5 by mistake. That move, is of course, illegal, and I intended e5 all along. Sorry.

	01-08-2003 03:28									#67
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getting real complicated now.

pic

Attachment: chess.jpg
This has been downloaded 115 time(s).

	01-08-2003 03:56									#68
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Ya, complciated... I had given the matter much thought and also opted for Kde5 then...

BTW, MTG's diagrams still look better - for me, the simpler the better.

	01-08-2003 03:59									#69
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Wow... MTG is in an icredibly strong position... should get some of JW's pieces now... go go JW try to resist!

MTG will make the move I mean anyway, being so good .

	01-08-2003 05:12									#70
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1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5
15 de

Attachment: mtg-jw4.gif
This has been downloaded 105 time(s).

	01-08-2003 05:59									#71
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1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5
15 de Be6

For those who can't read the notation, I took his knight with my bishop. I don't feel like making a diagram, since no matter how hard I try, my diagrams aren't good enough for Solver.

	01-08-2003 07:08									#72
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That set you back two Knights and a pawn... at least the board has cleared a bit

	01-08-2003 07:49									#73
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1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5
15 de Be6
16 Qg5

Attachment: mtg-jw5.gif
This has been downloaded 92 time(s).

	01-08-2003 08:53									#74
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quote: Originally posted by MattH That set you back two Knights and a pawn... at least the board has cleared a bit

Its not quite that bad, but I've definitely lost somethin here.

1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5
15 de Be6
16 Qg5 Qg5

	01-08-2003 12:29									#75
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quote: Originally posted by Jaguar Warrior Its not quite that bad, but I've definitely lost somethin here.

Compared to the alternatives, you haven't done badly at all.


1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5
15 de Be6
16 Qg5 Qg5
17 Bg5


That didn't take much thought.

	01-08-2003 12:39									#76
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I will be following the fate of MtG's poor king-file pawn closely. Will it survive, deep in enemy lines, with no nearby pawn support? Or will it go down heroically like an action movie hero, taking out a Knight in a dramatic explosion as it sacrifices itself for the greater cause?

	01-08-2003 12:49									#77
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Good job MTG .

Interesting how neither of you have castled by 17 turns .

	01-08-2003 18:56									#78
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Haven't played chess in ages. anyone for a game of Backgammon? actually, haven't played that in some time, as well.

	01-08-2003 22:48									#79
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quote: Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat 17 Bg5 That didn't take much thought.

I know, I was tempted to just assume it and say if you moved there, I would do 17 Bg5 h3, but I decided its bad policy to tell the other person where to move.

1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5
15 de Be6
16 Qg5 Qg5
17 Bg5 h3

I think this move will cause a reasonable amount of havoc for you, but I'm not sure whether I'll make out with enough that I can turn the game around.

	02-08-2003 01:40									#80
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quote: Originally posted by Jaguar Warrior I think this move will cause a reasonable amount of havoc for you, but I'm not sure whether I'll make out with enough that I can turn the game around.

The pawn is in a somewhat irritating position, but I wanted to get the bishop back to f1 to protect the d3 square.

Should be an interesting endgame.

1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5
15 de Be6
16 Qg5 Qg5
17 Bg5 h3
18 Bf1

	02-08-2003 02:47									#81
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1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5
15 de Be6
16 Qg5 Qg5
17 Bg5 h3
18 Bf1 Bg4

Attachment: chess.jpg
This has been downloaded 169 time(s).

	02-08-2003 02:59									#82
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I've got a shitload of work to do the rest of today and over the weekend, since it's the first of the month and also the start of a new software development project for my company, so I don't know if I'll be able to get a move in before Monday.

I may get one or two in over the weekend, but I won't have much foolin' around time.

	02-08-2003 03:01									#83
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OK, enjoy your work. ()

	02-08-2003 17:04									#84
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Whoah, MTG, mind if I PM you later with a question about one of your moves?

	02-08-2003 21:13									#85
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5
15 de Be6
16 Qg5 Qg5
17 Bg5 h3
18 Bf1 Bg4
19 f4

Solver - sure, if it's ok with JW, or else after the game.

	03-08-2003 07:31									#86
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Its fine with me solver.

1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5
15 de Be6
16 Qg5 Qg5
17 Bg5 h3
18 Bf1 Bg4
19 f4 b4

	03-08-2003 08:16									#87
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1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5
15 de Be6
16 Qg5 Qg5
17 Bg5 h3
18 Bf1 Bg4
19 f4 b4
20 Be2

	03-08-2003 08:22									#88
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1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5
15 de Be6
16 Qg5 Qg5
17 Bg5 h3
18 Bf1 Bg4
19 f4 b4
20 Be2 Be2

	03-08-2003 08:32									#89
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1 e4 c5
2 Nc3 e6
3 g3 Nc6
4 Bg2 Nf6
5 d3 c4
6 d4 d5
7 e5 Nd7
8 Nce2 Be7
9 Nh3 h5
10 c3 b5
11 Nef4 h4
12 Qg4 g5
13 Ng5 Bg5
14 Ne6 Nde5
15 de Be6
16 Qg5 Qg5
17 Bg5 h3
18 Bf1 Bg4
19 f4 b4
20 Be2 Be2
21 Ke2

	03-08-2003 08:38									#90
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Position after 21 Ke2:

Attachment: mtg-jw21.gif
This has been downloaded 132 time(s).