GM Jacob Aagaard Blasphemes Caissia at the Charlotte Chess Center GM Norm Invitational

At the website of the Charlotte Chess Center GM/IM Norm Invitational 7/24/22 – 7/28/22 one finds this:

GM Jacob Aagaard

Name: JACOB AAGAARD Current Rating: 2474 Title: GM

World’s leading chess trainers and authors, 4-time Olympiad representative, former British and Scottish national champion. 2nd CCC Norm Invitational. (https://chess.stream/Invitational/summer-2022-gm-im-norm-invitational/Default.aspx)

At one website this was found: In 2004, he co-founded Quality Chess publishing. As an author, he has written or co-written: A couple of dozen book titles are here, and this was written almost a decade ago. (https://www.chessmaniac.com/grandmaster-jacob-aagaard/)

The tournament began with the following game:

FM GAURI SHANKAR (2376) – GM JACOB AAGAARD (2474)
Round 1 | 2022.07.25 | 1/2-1/2

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 d5 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 a6 6. O-O Nc6 7. Be3 Be7 8. Nbd2 Na5 9. Ne5 Nd5 10. Ndxc4 Nxc4 11. Nxc4 Nxe3 12. Nxe3 O-O 13. Qc2 Qxd4 14. Qxc7 Bf6 15. Rfd1 Qa7 16. Ng4 Bd4 17. e3 Qb6 18. Qxb6 Bxb6 19. Ne5 Bc7 20. Nd7 Rd8 21. Rac1 Ba5 22. Nc5 Rb8 23. b4 Bc7 24. Nd7 Bxd7 25. Rxc7 Bb5 26. Rxd8+ Rxd8 27. Bxb7 Rd1+ 28. Kg2 g5 29. g4 1/2-1/2

The second round produced this game:

GM JACOB AAGAARD (2474) – FM LIRAN ZHOU (2393)
Round 2 | 2022.07.25 | 0-1

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. Be2 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. a4 Nc6 11. a5 Bxb3 12. Bb6 Bxc2 13. Qxc2 Qc8 14. Qd2 Bd8 15. Qxd6 Bxb6 16. axb6 Qd8 17. Qxd8 Raxd8 18. Bc4 Rd4 19. b3 Nxe4 20. Nxe4 Rxe4 21. Bd5 Rb4 22. Bxc6 bxc6 23. Rxa6 Rb8 24. b7 Rxb3 25. Rxc6 R3xb7 26. h4 g6 27. Rfc1 Kg7 28. Rc8 Rxc8 29. Rxc8 e4 30. g3 f5 31. Kg2 Kh6 32. Rc5 Rb2 33. Rc7 e3 34. Kf3 exf2 35. Kg2 Ra2 36. Rb7 Rc2 37. Ra7 Rb2 38. Rc7 Ra2 39. Rf7 Kh5 40. Rxh7+ Kg4 41. Rg7 f1=Q+ 42. Kxf1 Kf3 43. Ke1 Re2+ 44. Kd1 Re6 45. Kd2 Kf2 46. Kd3 Re3+ 47. Kd2 Rxg3 0-1

The third round produced this GM/IM draw:

IM DEAN IPPOLITO (2361) – GM JACOB AAGAARD (2474)
Round 3 | 2022.07.25 | 1/2-1/2

1. Nf3 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O c5 7. dxc5 dxc5 8. Nc3 Nc6 1/2-1/2

Round four was a true “Grandmaster draw”:

GM BARTLOMIEJ MACIEJA (2518) – GM JACOB AAGAARD (2474)
Round 4 | 2022.07.26 | 1/2-1/2

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. b3 d4 4. g3 c5 5. Bg2 Nc6 6. O-O Bd6 7. e3 Nf6 8. exd4 cxd4 9. d3 h6 1/2-1/2

Round five saw an FM out for blood, so no short draw that round:

GM JACOB AAGAARD (2474) – FM AYDIN TURGUT (2360)
Round 5 | 2022.07.26 |

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. a4 Rb8 8. Nxe5 Nxe5 9. d4 Bxd4 10. Qxd4 d6 11. axb5 axb5 12. c3 O-O 13. Bg5 c5 14. Qd1 h6 15. Bxf6 Qxf6 16. Bd5 Qg6 17. Qe2 Be6 18. Bxe6 Qxe6 19. f4 Nd7 20. Nd2 Rfe8 21. Ra7 f5 22. Qh5 Rf8 23. h3 Rbe8 24. Kh1 Re7 25. exf5 Rxf5 26. Qf3 Ref7 27. Qe4 Nf8 28. Rxf7 Qxf7 29. Qd3 c4 30. Qe3 Ng6 31. g3 Rd5 32. Nf3 Ne7 33. Nd4 Nf5 34. Nxf5 Qxf5 35. g4 Qf7 36. Kg2 Rd3 37. Qe4 d5 38. Qe5 d4 39. Qe4 dxc3 40. bxc3 Rxc3 41. Ra1 g6 42. Ra8+ Kh7 43. Rb8 Rd3 44. Rxb5 Rd2+ 45. Kf3 Rd3+ 46. Ke2 Rd7 47. f5 c3 48. fxg6+ Qxg6 49. Qxg6+ Kxg6 50. Rc5 Rd2+ 51. Ke1 Rd3 52. h4 1/2-1/2

Round six produced this “gem” giving new meaning to the term “Two-mover”

GM JULIO BECERRA (2465) – GM JACOB AAGAARD (2474)
Round 6 | 2022.07.27 | 1/2-1/2

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 1/2-1/2

Too bad they could not phone it in…I mean, all that time walking to and from the CCC and the hotel could have been used for reading this:

https://www.chess4less.com/draw-the-art-of-the-half-point-in-chess—leonid-verkhovsky.html

Round seven again saw a lower rated opponent out for blood, so the so-called “Grandmaster” had to fight, producing this draw:

GM JACOB AAGAARD (2474) – IM VYOM VIDYARTHI (2391)
Round 7 | 2022.07.27 | 1/2-1/2

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c6 4. c4 g6 5. Qa4 Nbd7 6. cxd5 cxd5 7. O-O Bg7 8. d4 O-O 9. Nc3 Nb6 10. Qb3 Ne4 11. a4 Nxc3 12. Qxc3 Bf5 13. b3 Nc8 14. Bf4 Nd6 15. Rfc1 a5 16. e3 Qb6 17. Qb2 Rac8 18. Ne5 Bxe5 19. Bxe5 Nc4 20. Qa2 Nxe5 21. dxe5 Rc5 22. Rxc5 Qxc5 23. Qd2 Be6 24. Rd1 Rd8 25. h4 Qc7 26. Qd4 h5 27. e4 Qc2 28. exd5 Qxb3 29. Rd3 Qb1+ 30. Rd1 Qb4 31. Qxb4 1/2-1/2

Unfortunately for the so-called “Grandmaster” his next opponent had the white pieces and played like a shark smelling Grandmaster blood:

IM KASSA KORLEY (2421) – GM JACOB AAGAARD (2474)
Round 8 | 2022.07.28 | 1-0

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c6 4. O-O Bg4 5. d3 Nbd7 6. Nbd2 e5 7. e4 dxe4 8. dxe4 Be7 9. h3 Bh5 10. Qe1 O-O 11. Nh4 Re8 12. Nf5 Bf8 13. a4 a5 14. Nc4 Qc7 15. Bd2 b6 16. Kh1 Nc5 17. f3 Nfd7 18. Be3 f6 19. Qc3 Rad8 20. Rfd1 Nb8 21. Rxd8 Rxd8 22. Nxa5 bxa5 23. Bxc5 Bxc5 24. Qxc5 Rd2 25. Qc3 Qd8 26. Ne3 Bf7 27. Nc4 Re2 28. Bf1 1-0

That was brutal, was it not? Finally, we come to the last round, which produced this short draw:

GM JACOB AAGAARD (2474) – IM MICHAEL MULYAR (2347)
Round 9 | 2022.07.28 | 1/2-1/2

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 g6 5. cxd5 1/2-1/2

Playing moves three through five must have been tough on the Grandmaster who will soon be eligible for the World Senior…

What is it about the Charlotte Chess Center that makes it so conducive to producing short draws? Is it the mindset or the water? Why is it the people administering the CCC continued to invite all these quick draw McGraws type players to the Queen city?

5 Norms Scored at the Charlotte Labor Day Norm Invitational

This was obtained from the Charlotte Chess Center Facebook page:

5 norms scored at the Charlotte Labor Day Norm Invitational!
IM’s Nikolas Theodorou (Greece) and Andrew Hong (USA) earned their 3rd and final GM norms and will be crowned Grandmasters at the next FIDE congress.
IM Christopher Yoo (USA) earned his 2nd GM norm.
FM Robert Shlyakhtenko (USA) earned his 3rd IM norm and will be crowned an IM once he reaches 2400.
NM Sandeep Sethuraman (USA) earned his first IM Norm.

These pictures can also be found at the website. Unfortunately there are no names to go with the pictures. The gentleman with his thumb up and wide grin is the Executive Director and Founder of the CCC, Peter Giannatos.

This next picture is of Christopher Woojin Yoo:

Christopher Woojin Yoo

In future years when asked to show the game that garnered his third and final GM norm now Grandmaster Andrew Hong can proudly present this win made even more special because it came with the black pieces:

IM 2411 Kassa Korley (DEN) vs IM Andrew Hong 2494 (USA)
Charlotte Labor Day GM B 2021 round 09
E04 Catalan, open, 5.Nf3

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 a5 7. Qc2 Bxd2+ 8. Nbxd2 b5 9. O-O O-O 10. b3 cxb3 11. Nxb3 Bb7 12. Nc5 Bd5 13. e4 Bc4 14. Rfd1 Nc6 15. a4 Nb4 16. Qd2 bxa4 17. Rxa4 Bb5 18. Ra3 Qe7 19. Rda1 Nc6 20. Qc3 Rfb8 21. Nd2 e5 22. Nf3 exd4 23. Nxd4 Nxd4 24. Qxd4 Rd8 25. Qc3 a4 26. e5 Nd5 27. Qd4 c6 28. Nxa4 Nb4 29. Qb2 Nd3 30. Qc3 Nxe5 31. Nc5 Rxa3 32. Qxa3 h5 33. Qe3 Qf6 34. Re1 h4 35. gxh4 Ng6 36. Qg5 Nxh4 37. Qxf6 gxf6 38. Bh1 f5 39. h3 Rd2 40. Nb3 Rd3 41. Re3 Rd1+ 42. Kh2 Rf1 43. Nd4 f4 44. Re8+ Kg7 45. Nxb5 cxb5 46. Re4 Rxf2+ 47. Kg1 Rb2 48. Rxf4 Ng6 49. Rf5 f6 50. Rc5 Nf4 51. h4 b4 52. Be4 Ne2+ 53. Kf2 Nc3+ 54. Kf3 Rf2+ 55. Ke3 Re2+ 56. Kd4 0-1
   https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021-charlotte-labor-day-gm-b/09-Korley_Kassa-Hong_Andrew

When asked to show the game that brought him the title of Grandmaster Nikolas Theodorou, who came all the way from Greece, must show this “game” and I use the word extremely loosely because it is an insult to Caissa:

GM Mark Paragua 2475 (PHI) vs IM Nikolas Theodorou 2569 (GRE)
Charlotte Labor Day GM B 2021 round 09
E60 King’s Indian, 3.Nf3

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 O-O 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O Nc6 ½-½
   https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021-charlotte-labor-day-gm-b/09-Paragua_Mark-Theodorou_Nikolas

Christopher Yoo needed a draw for his second GM norm and got it with this “gift”:

Christopher Woojin Yoo 2466 (USA) vs Irakli Beradze 2479 (GEO)
Charlotte Labor Day GM A 2021 round 09
E18 Queen’s Indian, old main line, 7.Nc3

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Bd2 Nxd2 9. Nxd2 Bxg2 10. Kxg2 d5 11. e3 c6 12. Rc1 Nd7 13. Qa4 ½-½
   https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021-charlotte-labor-day-gm-a/09-Yoo_Christopher_Woojin-Beradze_Irakli 12…Nd7 was not a good move. I can see it; you can see it; and so can the programs at ChessBomb and Chess24. The Stockfish program at the latter shows white up a pawn. Maybe the Grandmaster thought it was time to “make his move” and offer a draw to the kid while he held the upper hand, which is exactly what he did. The boy had no reason to play on, and obviously the pusillanimous Grandmaster has no pride. There was a time in Chess when the GM title was so exclusive that Grandmasters wanted to keep it that way and made an aspirant “earn it.” Chess has come a long way, “Bay Bee.”

In the IM D section FM Robert Shyakhtenko earned an IM norm and will become an International Master if he ever attains a rating of 2400. Say what? I don’t know about you but it seems one should either earn the norm or not. What is this with the waiting? Is that weird, or what? If you play in a tournament and meet the norm requirement you have not met the requirement if your rating does not meet the minimum rating required, or am I missing something?

FM Robert Shlyakhtenko 2313 (USA) vs Shelev Oberoi 2175 (USA)
Charlotte Labor Day IM D 2021 round 09
E70 King’s Indian, Kramer system

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nge2 O-O 6. Ng3 a6 7. Be2 h5 8. O-O c5 9. d5 h4 10. Nh1 h3 11. g4 e6 12. a4 exd5 13. cxd5 Nbd7 14. Ng3 Nh7 15. f4 Bd4+ 16. Kh1 Qh4 17. Bf3 Qe7 18. Qe2 Re8 19. Be3 Bg7 20. Rf2 Rb8 21. g5 Bd4 22. Rd1 Bxe3 23. Qxe3 b5 24. axb5 axb5 25. Bg4 b4 26. Nb1 Nb6 27. Qf3 Bd7 28. Rg1 Ra8 29. Bxd7 Nxd7 30. Nd2 Nb6 31. f5 c4 32. f6 Qe5 33. Nf5 gxf5 34. Qh5 Kh8 35. Qxf7 Rg8 36. g6 Rxg6 37. Qxg6 Qxf6 38. Qxf6+ Nxf6 39. Rxf5 Rf8 40. Rc1 Kg7 41. Nxc4 Nxc4 42. Rxc4 Ra8 43. Kg1 Kg6 44. Rf3 Ng4 45. Rxh3 Ra4 46. Rg3 Kh5 47. Rc8 1-0
   https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021-charlotte-labor-day-im-d/09-Shlyakhtenko_Robert-Oberoi_Shelev

I was unfamiliar with the “Kramer system”

Kramer

but did find one game, only one, in which 7…h5 was previously played:

Dragan Kosic (2528) vs Dejan Antic (2479)
Event: YUG-ch
Site: Belgrade Date: ??/??/1999
Round: 4
ECO: E70 King’s Indian, Kramer system
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nge2 O-O 6.Ng3 a6 7.Be2 h5 8.Bg5 Nbd7 9.Qd2 c6 10.O-O b5 11.cxb5 axb5 12.b4 Nb6 13.Rfc1 Be6 14.Bh6 h4 15.Nf1 Bc4 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Ne3 Bxe2 18.Qxe2 Qd7 19.Rc2 ½-½
https://www.365chess.com/game.php?back=1&gid=800573&m=15

Sandeep Sethuraman won five games and drew four to win the IM C section by 1 1/2 points. He needed to win to garner his first norm on the way to the International Master title and did just that, after the following battle in which it was anyone’s game for the taking until the lady played the natural looking, but lame, 31st move, after which she was pounded into submission like a punch drunk fighter and went down like rot gut whiskey, hard.

FM Gabriela Antova 2313 (BUL) vs Sandeep Sethuraman 2286 (USA)
Charlotte Labor Day IM C 2021 round 09
D37 Queen’s Gambit Declined, 4.Nf3

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 b5 6. e5 Nd5 7. Nxb5 Nb6 8. Be2 Nc6 9. O-O Be7 10. Qd2 O-O 11. Qf4 Nb4 12. Qg3 Kh8 13. Rd1 Qd7 14. Nc3 Ba6 15. Bg5 h6 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Ne4 Na4 18. Rd2 Nd5 19. Rc2 Nb4 20. Rd2 Nd5 21. Rc2 Rab8 22. Bxc4 Bxc4 23. Rxc4 Nxb2 24. Rc2 Nd3 25. Nfd2 N3f4 26. Qf3 Qb4 27. Nb3 a5 28. Rd1 Qa3 29. Qg4 Rfd8 30. g3 a4 31. Nbd2 Qd3 32. Rc4 Ne2+ 33. Kg2 Nec3 34. Rc1 Nxa2 35. R1c2 Nab4 36. Rc1 a3 37. Nf3 a2 38. Ne1 Qxc4 0-1
   https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021-charlotte-labor-day-im-c/09-Antova_Gabriela-Sethuraman_Sandeep

IM Kassa Korley and Hairy Chess

During the second or third grade my father took me to see the neighborhood barber, who, like most of the men in the neighborhood, had fought in the “Big One,” World War II. Mr. Cole had a barbershop in his back yard and supplemented his income by cutting hair at night and on Saturday. For some reason my father decided what I needed was a “flat-top.” Upon returning home my mother took one look at me and screamed, “I’m gonna KILL HIM!” My father was not the only one frightened…Since I played all sports not having hair was a real good thing, so it stayed that way until the summer before my senior year, when I let it grow, and grow…and grow some more…The picture in the high school yearbook was of me and my buzz-cut. This would have been the summer of 1967, as I graduated in spring of 1968. The thick, wavy hair looked longer than it was in reality. Still, there were those “straight” people who did not like it. The school principal informed me that I would have to obtain a haircut immediately or would not be allowed to continue playing on the Baseball team. It is still somewhat unclear what exactly happened next, but the recollection is of Coach Jackson “having a talk” with the principal. The net result was I no longer had to get my hair cut, and could still play Baseball…After graduating high school I took a year off before attending college on a scholarship from the Boys Club, where I worked part-time while attending college. Many years later my nephew saw pictures of me during those years with the beard and long hair and said, “Uncle Mike, you looked like Jesus!” I only wish I had some of that hair now…

‘It’s a racial issue’: Mom slams ‘sexist’ school policy prohibiting boys from having long hair

Elizabeth Di Filippo Yahoo Canada Style•January 28, 2020

A U.K. mom is speaking out against school policies which she says restrict boys from having long hair.

Bonnie Miller has helped her son Farouk James

amass more than 274,000 followers on Instagram by sharing photos of eight-year-old and his long, naturally textured hair.

According to Miller, the decision to allow Farouk to grow out his hair was “cultural.” He was initially encouraged by his father’s Ghanian family to not cut his hair until he was three. As Farouk’s hair grew, the child model developed an emotional attachment to his “unique and beautiful” hair which Miller affectionately calls his “mane.”

While researching secondary schools for her son, Miller said she was surprised to learn that several maintained strict policies prohibiting boys from having long hair. The family’s top choice, Fulham Boys School in West London, currently has regulations regarding hair length which Miller believes are “out of date” and discriminatory against children of colour.

“Hairstyles should be tidy and of a conventional nature, no extreme haircuts including sculpting, shaving, dreadlocks or braiding are allowed. The maximum hair length is above the collar and the minimum hair length is a number 2 cut,” the Church of England secondary school’s policy states. “Hair must be one natural colour. Parents are strongly advised to seek advice on the acceptability of hairstyles that may be considered ‘different’ before allowing their son to adopt such a style. School reserves the right to insist on re-styling if it considers the style inappropriate.”

Although Farouk

won’t attend secondary school for another two years, Miller said her son has become “terrified” at the thought of cutting his hair in order to be admitted to the school.

“It’s a racial issue,” Miller told Good Morning America (GMA). “We all know what kind of boys would have dreadlocks and braids. Generally, it’s black boys or mixed boys. We’re not talking about Caucasian children here… it’s very unlikely.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/mom-slams-sexist-school-policy-for-long-hair-214238479.html

While researching this article I found a plethora of other articles concerning the “problem” of a male child with long hair. Why is it that so-called “conventional” type people care so much about how a child, any child, boy or girl of any color, styles their hair? Why is it that so-called “establishment” type people demand conformity?

Bullying Story Spurs Apology From Romney

By ASHLEY PARKER  and JODI KANTOR

May 10, 2012

The day after President Obama endorsed gay marriage, Mitt Romney

found himself responding to allegations that as a teenager he harassed a prep school classmate who later came out as gay.

The account put Mr. Romney, who has struggled on the campaign trail to cast off his rivals’ image of him as privileged and insensitive, on the defensive about events nearly 50 years ago.

The episode, reported by The Washington Post, occurred at Cranbrook, a private school that Mr. Romney, the son of an automobile executive-turned-governor, attended in Michigan. Mr. Romney returned from spring break in his senior year to find that John Lauber, a quiet, offbeat type, had bleached his hair blond.

Mr. Romney, brandishing a pair of scissors, led other boys on a hunt for Mr. Lauber, teasing him and holding him down while Mr. Romney snipped off his long locks.

Since the election was close this story could possibly have contributed to Mitt not becoming POTUS. Unfortunately, being a bully did not stop Donald John Trump from becoming POTUS to the detriment of all of US.

One of the great things about working at the Atlanta Chess & Game Center ‘back in the day’ was that one encountered all kinds of people form all over the world. When I think of the people who came to the House of Pain I think of the vibrantly colorful characters and all the different styles of EVERYTHING, but with one thing in common. CHESS!

Looks like he could be a chessplayer.

IM Kassa Korley
Photo by CCC

Kassa Korley IS a Chessplayer!

Kassa Korley earns first GM norm!

 

https://players.chessbase.com/en/player/Korley_Kassa/133904

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVtZgeH7mk5rKpIFjHkI9oA

https://podbay.fm/podcast/1185023674/e/1525172400

Southeastern FIDE Championship on Livestream

Chacha Nugroho sends this report on the Southeastern FIDE Championship, which will be held at the Charlotte Chess Center & Scholastic Academy (http://www.charlottechesscenter.org/). The first round is Friday, October 31, 2014; 7:30PM. The website (http://www.charlottechesscenter.org/#!southeast-fide-championship/cxan) shows 31 players on the Pre-Registered List, heading by GM Ben Finegold. IM’s Ronald Burnett and Kassa Korley have entered, along with FM’s William Fisher, the number two seed, and Peter Bereolos. Georgia players include Benjamin Moon; Reece Thompson; Grant Oen; Kapish Potula; Arthur Guo; & Carter Peatman.

Hi Michael,

Just want to give you information that Peter Giannatos will broadcast games from Southeastern FIDE Championship.

http://www.charlottechesscenter.org/#!southeast-fide-championship/cxan

And in ChessStream.com as well. He as at least 1 DGT board, but we trying to provide 3 DGT boards for 3 live games. I probably will ask Peter to have scan of scoresheets during the tournament, so crowd may help to convert to PGN as well, like in US Masters.

regards

Chacha

Joe Cocker – Watching The River Flow (LIVE in Berlin) HD

Atlanta Kings Opening Night

If you have been a regular reader of either the BaconLOG or the Armchair Warrior you know I have had no interest in the USCL. I simply do not understand the rating cap. It makes no sense to have three GM’s and an Expert play as a team. Imagine the Atlanta Braves fielding a team of eight Major League Baseball players and one amateur. Strike that! The Braves do field a team like that, and have for two years now, with Blown Job Upton playing center field every day. Use another team, any team, as an example, and you get my drift…
I looked at the ‘starting lineup’ for the new Atlanta Kings yesterday and saw four strong players rated between 2382 and 2446 for the Kings. All four players are very good players, capable of beating any titled player on any given day, which is how it should be. These are the best players our team can field tonight. I decided to watch the games because I know three of the players, and have played two of them at the House of Pain. I went to the USCL homepage (http://uschessleague.com/) and looked in vain for the games. Next I went to the USCF homepage, and again came away empty. Since this is opening night, I found this strange, so I went back to the USCL website to look again. I found nothing. Then it occurred to me to go to the homepage of the Atlanta Kings (http://www.southeastchess.com/atlanta-kings.html). Once again I found nothing about where I could watch the games. This was terribly disconcerting. I did find this, “Updates available on our Facebook page.” I do not do the book with faces; never have and never will. Besides, who wants an update?
I did find that Grant Oen is the manager, with Leonardo Martinez the assistant manager, and Frank Johnson the TD. I was surprised to see that Thad Rogers is the “Overseeing general manager,” whatever that means. The Atlanta Braves could use one of those, I suppose. The one they have spent seventy-five million dollars to stick a black hole out in CF.
I scrolled on down to find:

Week 1: Carolina Cobras (CAR) vs Atlanta Kings​ (ATL)

Tuesday, August 26, 7:30pm – Press Release

1. IM Kassa Korley (CAR 2486) – Deepak Aaron (ATL 2446)

2. Damir Studen (ATL 2372) – IM Jonathan Schroer (CAR 2426)

3. Ilker Bozkurt (CAR 2383) – FM Kazim Gulamali (ATL 2397)

4. Richard Francisco (ATL 2382) – Kevin Mo (CAR 2334)

These teams are evenly matched! Now I was really lamenting the fact that I could not find the live games…Then I noticed the “Press Release” was underlined. Moving my cursor over it allowed me to click on, which I did, finding Frank Johnson’s blog (http://www.chess-coach.net/myblog). After reading this, “You can follow the games live on chessclub.com beginning at 7:30pm (EST) or you can visit the Emory Campus and watch the games live,” I knew the promised land had been found! So I clicked on and was extremely disappointed. The chessclub.com (http://www.chessclub.com/) is the Internet Chess Club, a pay site. Like a prescription drug company, the ICC offers to hook you with a “1-month FREE TRIAL!”
The interest I had in the USCL because my home city has a team is gone. Even though the big chess news tonight is the Kings, you will not read about it here.