The Georgia Chess Association is in Trouble

My friend Michael Mulford is one of the good guys involved with the Royal Game of Chess. “Mulfish”, as he is known at the USCF Forum, has devoted much time to Chess over the decades, and is currently very much involved with Senior Chess. After seeing this post on the USCF Forum it seemed to differ from the first one posted:

Postby Mulfish on Sat Sep 17, 2022 8:36 am #354807
https://www.minnesotachess.com/ is the Minnesota Chess website. It now shows tournament details and a link to the registration page, though i still don’t see it on the US Chess website.

I would also caution anyone interested in playing in the Georgia Senior. The round schedule is absurdly tight, with only 4 hours between the morning and afternoon rounds and a time control of G90/ inc 30. The organizer has told me they have to finish and be out of the building by a specific time. The ad does say they provide “light food”. If I were playing, I think I’d bring my own to be sure that I could keep my blood sugar where it should be. I’d probably have used a slightly shorter time control like G/75 inc 30, but it’s hard to criticize them for wanting to use the same time control as the Irwin uses.
No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot – Mark Twain
http://www.uschess.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=26094

Because it differed I reached out to the Mulfish asking if it were, in fact, a different post. This was the reply:

Michael Mulford

Sat, Sep 17, 9:10 PM

This is the original; I had it only because Parnell included it in his email to me. If you wish to point out I made this original post and then edited it, that’s fine, but if you do please portray it as a revision to incorporate his explanations. He didn’t ask me to do so. I think he would have made a post of his own once he figured out how to join the forums and do so.

“I also caution anyone interested in playing in the Georgia Senior. The round schedule is absurdly tight, with only 4 hours between the morning and afternoon rounds and a time control of G90/ inc 30. I don’t know what they were thinking on this one. Perhaps they lose the site at 5 or 6 pm. If you’re going to play, I’d consider asking the organizer about that. It might be possible to persuade them to build a little more time into the schedule.”

I had questioned the new President of the Georgia Chess Association about the format, which allowed not time for rest or food between rounds a year ago when the format of the Georgia Senior was advertised. For that reason I, and several other Senior players, did not participate in the 2021 Georgia Senior. In response Mr. Watkins defended the format by informing me there would be a “charcuterie” board provided for the players. The definition of a charcuterie board is: “Sausages, ham, pâtés, and other cooked or processed meat foods.” Just what a Senior needs, right? There is nothing like processed meat served on a board that has been sitting out for hours to whet your appetite. Unfortunately, it did not whet my appetite as I do not, and have not eaten pork products for decades, and try to avoid processed food as much as possible, as do most Seniors. I met the new POTGCA at the 2022 Georgia State Chess Championships and the man is HUGE. He looked like the kind of guy who should, by all means, stay away from processed food, and immediately go on a diet to lose at least fifty, if not one hundred pounds.

POTGCA Parnell Watkins in foreground on right nest to large soda cup

In an email exchange Parnell closed with this:

“A monkey in my plans is that I have been diagnosed with a heart condition, a leaky valve. I will have to have surgery this year, and it explains finally why I hit a wall in chess (tournaments and can’t seem to get past the first couple of hours of a tournament. I always contributed to my nervous disorder causing me to become exhausted. No, my heart gives out.”

Regards,
Parnell

Mr. Watkins became POTGCA when no one ran against him. The VP of the GCA is Thad Rogers, who has his own health problems.

The Mulfish Versus The International Master

Michael Mulford, aka “Mulfish”,

That’s Bill on the left and Mike on the right. http://www.jacklemoine.com/2009/02/bill-hall-and-mike-mulford.html

is one of the really “good guys” in Chess (and so too was Bill Hall, who was the Executive Director of the United States Chess Federation, and we go way back to a time when Bill was a teenager from the Great State of Tennessee. When in Crossville for a Senior tournament Bill treated me like royalty, spending an afternoon at the USCF office showing me around while introducing me to everyone I did not already know) and I am pleased to call him a friend, a word the AW does not use loosely. Mike has been involved with Chess for decades and has been involved in almost every facet of the Royal Game in who knows how many different states. It is rare for a person to be liked by everyone, but the Mulfish is one of those kind of guys that one cannot help buy like and admire. Not once have I ever heard anyone say a discouraging word about the Mulfish. Earlier Mike sent me an email which began:

Hi nocaB,

When you have nothing better to do, please peruse this amateur game and comment as you deem appropriate. I’ll give you more complete information about the game after you reply. The name and location of the tournament and the name of the opening were added by the AW after the fact, so I had no clue when or where the game was contested:

2022 NEW YEAR CHESS CONGRESS
KANSAS CITY, MO 64119
2022-02-12

A55 Old Indian, main line

1. d4 d6 2. c4 Nd7 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Ngf6 5. e4 Be7 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. h3 Re8 9. Be3 exd4 10. Nxd4 Nc5 11. Qc2 Bf8 12. Bf3 a5 13. Rfe1 Nfd7 14. Rad1 Ne5 15. Be2 Qh4 16. Nf3 Nxf3+ 17. Bxf3 Nd7 18. Qd2 h6 19. Be2 a4 20. Bf4 Ne5 21. Bg3 Qg5 22. Kh2 Qxd2 23. Rxd2 g5 24. f4 gxf4 25. Bxf4 Ra5 26. Red1 Be6 27. b3 axb3 28. axb3 Ra3 29. Rb1 b6 30. Rc2 Bg7 31. Na4 Nxc4 32. Bxc4 Bxc4 33. Rxc4 b5 34. Rxc6 bxa4 35. Bxd6 Rxb3 36. Rxb3 axb3 37. Rb6 Re6 38. Rb8+ Kh7 39. e5 b2 40. g3 f6 41. Rxb2 fxe5 42. Bc5 Rc6 43. Be3 Rc3 44. Re2 Kg6 45. Kg2 e4 46 Kf2 1/2-1/2

That was the extent of it…I did as requested, looking over the game on a board with wooden pieces, a Drueke travel set that caused the barrister, Warren Ott, to smile broadly while giving me the thumbs up when first setting eyes on the set. I made a cuppa Joe, broke out paper and pen, and settled in to look at the game while jotting down my thoughts, just as was done in the pre-computer days. After firing an email to the Mulfish this reply was soon received:

Gotta hop on a conference call in about 15 minutes, so quickly:

1. This game was played Saturday at G/60.
2. The game actually went a few moves longer, but by then I was down below five minutes (my opponent had 20).
3. I was white vs IM Michael Brooks.
4. I was on my own the whole game, basically. Fortunately he chose a cramped opening, so focusing on keeping him cramped seemed like a good idea.
5. As to the limp Rc2, there is a story there. My idea was to get the rook out of the way to threaten Bc1. I started to put it on d3, realized that was not an option. Brooks chuckled “Might not want to go there” I said, yeah, I’m probably not good enough to spot an IM and exchange. Rc2 seemed the best option since c4 would also need some coverage. I think he erred with Nxc4; b5 immediately must be better.

I’ll look at your other comments later. Anyway, I thought it was a decent game for G/60, and it was my first draw with an IM. I don’t think either of us ever had much of an edge.

Mulfish

I am thinking, “Wow…an International Master.” Michael Brooks

https://uschesschamps.com/bio/im-michael-brooks

has played in the United States Chess Championships!

I had no thought of it being a game in which Michael participated, thinking he would have let me know if it had been a game in which he had played. I replied asking him if he would consent to my using the game for a blog post. This was part his reply:

Wed 2/16/2022 11:36 AM
I’ve got mixed feelings on the subject. On the one hand, I’d say that if you think the game (and your notes) provide a vehicle for something of interest to your readers, I say go for it. On the other hand, if you are just doing it to pay homage to a friend, then I say that’s not really appropriate. You know your motivation.

The return salvo was sent immediately:

Mulfish

You should know me better than that, Mike. I would never publish a game just to “pay homage to a friend.”

AW

These are the notes sent to the Mulfish:

1. d4 d6 2. c4 Nd7 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Ngf6 5. e4 Be7 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. h3 Re8 9. Be3 exd4 10. Nxd4 Nc5 11. Qc2 Bf8 12. Bf3 a5 13. Rfe1 Nfd7 14. Rad1 Ne5 15. Be2 Qh4 (This is playing fast & loose! The programs probably play 15…a4, but I would probably play 15…Qc7) 16. Nf3 (16 b3) 16…Nxf3+ 17. Bxf3 Nd7 (I really do not care for this move. I would probably play 17…a4) 18. Qd2 h6 19. Be2 (19 Bf4 looks strong) 19…a4 (Most players not named Capablanca would not return the Knight to c4 but it may be best. Another move I like is 19…g5, playing fast and loose, but no program is gonna approve! I can hear IM Boris Kogan after seeing me play a move like 19…g5. “Why Mike? Why?” he would say while shaking his head. Hey, you asked…) 20. Bf4 (I was thinking 20 f3 or maybe f4…) 20…Ne5 (I dunno…that Knight oughta be on c5) 21. Bg3 (Here’s the deal…most people would play this move, probably including me, but upon reflection, the Bishop oughta be on h2 where it’s protected by the King after a future move of the f-pawn to f4) 21…Qg5 22. Kh2 (Although the Queen may be better placed on d4, or even c2, I would probably play 22 Bf4. Allow the Queen trade has gotta help Black, does it not?) 22…Qxd2 23. Rxd2 g5 24. f4 (I’m playing 24 Red1) 24…gxf4 25. Bxf4 Ra5 (Here’s the deal…you teach Chess and one of the most important things taught is to develope your pieces, right? With that in mind I would prefer 25…Be6, because of the rule I just made up of developing your minor pieces before your major pieces…) 26. Red1 (I want to make a move on the Queenside, such as 26 a3; or b3; or even b4. I gotta feeling one of them is correct, and cannot wait to put the game into the free analysis program at 365Chess to learn which one…) 26…Be6 27. b3 axb3 28. axb3 Ra3 29. Rb1 b6 (I do not understand this move. It appears there is only a choice between 29…Nxc4 and 29…Rea8) 30. Rc2 (Don’t know about this move either…seems rather limpid…I want to play 30 Ra2 followed by doubling, but then there are trades…so I don’t know…maybe simply 30 Nd1, but only because I’m uncertain what to play, frankly. I mean, it’s not like there’s a purpose, other than making a move, and one should have some kinda reason behind playing a move, right?) 30…Bg7 (That’s my move!) 31. Na4 (When in doubt, attack something! But maybe attacking 31 Ra2 is better…) 31…Nxc4 (31…b5 is a move deserving attention…) 32. Bxc4 Bxc4 33. Rxc4 b5 34. Rxc6 (After spending far too much time on this position I can say with some authority it would have been better to have played 34 Bxd6) 34…bxa4 35. Bxd6 (I would prefer 35 bxa4) 35…Rxb3 36. Rxb3 axb3 37. Rb6 Re6 38. Rb8+ Kh7 39. e5 b2 40. g3 f6 (The moves leading up to time control, or was there a time control, were easy to understand, but 40…f6 is a real non sequitur. Frankly, I’m flummoxed…Why not simply play 40…Bxe5?!) 41. Rxb2 fxe5 42. Bc5 Rc6 (The pawn should be moved forward to e4 because I’ve heard that passed pawns should be pushed…) 43. Be3 Rc3 44. Re2 Kg6 45. Kg2 e4 (45…h5 would probably be more precise, but it’s a draw anyway…) 46 Kf2 1/2-1/2

And now, as regular readers have come to expect, here are the notes on the opening made just today after spending far too much time with the usual suspects, the ChessBaseDataBase and 365Chess.com:

1. d4 d6 2. c4 Nd7 3. Nc3 e5 (The most often played move by about 15-1 over the move played in the game is the move 3…Ngf6. Deep Fritz likes 3…c5, a move with two games in the ChessBaseDataBase. Houdini will play 3…Ngf6, but Komodo will play 3…e5. No word from Stockfish, unfortunately…) 4. Nf3 Ngf6 5. e4 Be7 (The CBDB contains 1636 games with the move played in the game, 5…Be7, which has scored 61% against an ELO average 2378 rated player. The most often played move has been 5…c6, with 1987 games versus 2401 rated opposition. Then there is the number three most often played move of 5…g6, which has scored only 53% for white in 1384 games versus 2423 rated opposition. 5…g6 is, unsurprisingly, the move of Stockfish) 6. Be2 O-O (The move of Stockfish 14.1 @depth 47. It is curious that @depth 41 SF 14.1 will play the move 6…a6, a move having been attempted in only 3 prior games. The most popular move has been 6…c6, which has been seen in 1758 games, while scoring 61% for white) 7. O-O c6 8. h3 (This move has been tried in 176 games, scoring only 51% against a hypotheteical opponent rated 2365. The move 8 Be3 is the choice of SF 14. In 593 games @depth 51 it has scored higher than any other move, 67%. Still, Stockfish 130122 @depth 51 will play 8 Qc2. In 678 games it has scored 64% versus 2424 rated opposition) 8…Re8 (8…a6 has been attempted in 100 games, with white scoring 55%. Next is 8…Re8 with 46 games contained in the CBDB. It has scored only 45% for white versus a composite player rated 2392. In 31 games against 2374 opposition the move 8…Qc7 has held white to 56%. Stockfish 11 @depth 42 will play 8…h6. There are only 3 games in the CBDB in which 8…h6 has been played. Then there is the move 8…exd4…Fritz 17 will play the move, and so will SF 100122! Yet the move has only been attempted in five games!) 9. Be3 (This has been the most often played move, but in 30 games it has only scored 47% against a composite 2353 player. It is the choice of Fritz 13. Stockfish 130222 @depth 31 will play 9 Qc2, which has scored 53% in 15 games against a 2348 player. Then there is the choice of SF 14, 9 d5, which has only been attempted in 7 games, scoring 50% versus 2399 opposition. Whew! You got all of that? It’s your move, Bunky…) 9…exd4 (9 Qc7 has been the most often played move in 35 games. 9…a6 shows 17, but the choice of what used to be known as the “Big Three”, Stockfish, Komodo, and Houdini all favoring is the seldom played 9…exd4, which also happens to be the move made by the IM) 10. Nxd4 Nc5 (There are only 4 games shown for 10…Bf8; one only for 10…a6, yet IM Brooks played the move both Deep Fritz and Houdini show at the CBDB, a move not having been played previously by a titled player, so the move played in the game, 10…Nc5 is a THEORETICAL NOVELTY! Or is it? See the two games below found at 365Chess…)

Patrick Vincent vs Eric Birmingham (2300)
Event: FRA-chT
Site: France Date: ??/??/1987
Round: 5 Score: 0-1
ECO: A55 Old Indian, main line
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.e4 e5 5.Nf3 Be7 6.Be2 c6 7.O-O O-O 8.h3 Re8 9.Be3 exd4 10.Nxd4 Bf8 11.Qc2 Nc5 12.Bf3 a5 13.Rfe1 a4 14.Rad1 Qa5 15.Bd2 Qb6 16.b4 axb3 17.axb3 Ra3 18.Bc1 Ra1 19.Qb2 Ra8 20.Be3 Qb4 21.Bf4 Ra3 22.Nb1 Ra6 23.e5 Nd3 24.Nc2 Qxe1+ 25.Rxe1 Nxb2 26.exf6 Rxe1+ 27.Nxe1 Bf5 28.Nc3 Ra1 29.Bd2 Bc2 30.Ne4 Nd3 31.Kf1 Nxe1 32.Bxe1 Bd3+ 0-1
https://www.365chess.com/game.php?back=1&gid=2182057&m=27

Sevara Baymuradova vs Aigerim Rysbayeva (2170)
Event: Asia-ch U18 Girls
Site: Tashkent Date: 07/01/2007
Round: 4 Score: 0-1
ECO: A55 Old Indian, main line
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.c4 Nbd7 4.Nc3 e5 5.e4 Be7 6.Be2 O-O 7.O-O c6 8.h3 Re8 9.Be3 exd4 10.Nxd4 Nc5 11.Qc2 Bf8 12.Bf3 a5 13.Rfe1 Qc7 14.b3 Bd7 15.Rad1 Rad8 16.Bg5 Be7 17.Bf4 Bf8 18.g4 Bc8 19.Nf5 Bxf5 20.gxf5 Nfd7 21.Re3 Ne5 22.Kh2 Nxf3+ 23.Rxf3 Kh8 24.Rg3 Be7 25.Rdg1 Bf6 26.f3 Rg8 27.Ne2 Be5 28.Qd2 b6 29.Nd4 Nd3 30.Bxe5 dxe5 31.Qxd3 Rxd4 32.Qe3 f6 33.R1g2 Rdd8 34.h4 Qf7 35.f4 exf4 36.Qxf4 Rge8 37.Rg4 Qe7 38.Qg3 Rd7 39.h5 h6 40.Qe3 Qe5+ 41.Qg3 Qxg3+ 42.Kxg3 Rd3+ 43.Kf4 Re7 44.R4g3 Red7 45.Re3 R7d4 46.Rgg3 Rd2 47.a4 Kg8 48.Kf3 Kf7 49.Rg1 Rh2 50.Kg4 Rf2 51.Rgg3 c5 52.Rgf3 Rg2+ 53.Rg3 Rf2 54.Rgf3 Rfd2 55.Kg3 Rd6 56.Rf2 Rd1 57.Ree2 R6d3+ 58.Kg2 0-1
https://www.365chess.com/game.php?back=1&gid=3539259&m=27

2022 Georgia Senior Chess Tournament

On the home page of the Georgia Chess Association this can be found:
2021 Georgia Senior’s Championshp
February 19, 2022 10:00 AM •
(http://georgiachess.org/)

My first thought upon seeing this was to wonder why the name was changed from the “Georgia Senior” to the “Georgia Senior’s Championship.” The next thought was also a question: “Why was it made into a one-day event?”

After clicking onto the link this was found:

2021 Georgia Senior’s Championshp

Start
February 19, 2022

10:00 AM
End
February 20, 2022

6:00 PM
Registered
1 registrant

Registration

RSVP

This event will honor senior chess players in Georgia. The winner will receive a stipend to attend the 2022 John T. Irwin National Tournament of Senior State Champions.

ELIGIBILITY FOR STIPEND AND 1ST PLACE TROPHY

Participants must be residents of the State of Georgia for 30 days prior to the date of the qualifying tournament.

Players must be over the age of 50 on or before June 1, 2022.

FORMAT

2-day USCF-rated event, 4-SS, Time-Control: G/90+15

10 am and 2 pm, both Saturday and Sunday

Sets and Clocks provided.

SECTIONS

Open, Reserve (Under 1600)

AWARDS AND PRIZES

Stipend of $500 to the winner to attend theJohn T. Irwin National Tournament of Senior State Champions. Trophies to top two each section.

Open: 1st – $300, 2nd – $175, 3rd – $100

Reserve: 1st – $100, 2nd – $75, 3rd- $50

BYES

One “½ Point Bye” is available in Rounds 1 thru 3. A “Zero Point Bye” is available in Round 4. All Byes must be requested in advance of 1st round before pairings posted. No changes afterwards.

Entry Fee

$50.00, Late Entry $65 after Wednesday 16 February 2022

GCA and USCF memberships (required) and must be purchased if necessary.

Registration

The Boardroom

Tie-break System

In the event of a tie, the stipend will be awarded as follows: players will play two G/10 d5. After those games, if a tie persists, players will play one “Armageddon” game with White getting 6 minutes to Black’s 4 minutes, both sides receiving 5-second delay, and Black having draw-odds.

Before posting my thoughts on the tournament I decided to reach out and my friend Michael Mulford, known far and wide as “Mulfish,” a man who has earned much respect for his work in the Chess community, and he was nice enough to share his thoughts:

Hi nocaB,

My thoughts are:

1. Unless you expect 20 or more players, there is no reason to split to two sections.
2. I hope Zapata plays, and the combination of first prize plus the stipend should be enough to attract him. GA should be represented by a strong player, not an expert. Incidentally, if you weren’t aware of it, Mark Hoshor won the NC Senior, which was also a two section affair.
3. 15 second increment is unusual, but not bad. I know you aren’t a fan of increment.
4. You might be amused to know that when this was originally posted, it said 1/2 point byes were available rounds 1-4, but only 0 point byes for round 5. I pointed this out to the incoming GCA President, who got it corrected on the GCA website. It has not, however, been corrected on the US Chess website.
5. 10-2 is a decent round schedule, but if you do have a long morning game you won’t have much time for a meal and rest. I’d have preferred 10-2:30 or 10-3. It also will be difficult for anyone to travel for a 10am start time from outside of the greater Atlanta area. That’s not a huge issue since there aren’t a lot of players in the extreme parts of the state. Scott always wanted to start at noon on Saturday to allow for travelers, but earlier on Sunday so round 4 ended early enough for the travelers. Conflicting values.
6. Am I blind, or did they fail to tell us where the event is being held? Maybe “The Boardroom” is a known location, but I’d think a street address would be useful.

Mulfish

In answer to the Mulfish I replied: “to obtain the address you needed to look up, where you will find:
The Boardroom – Puttin’ on the Blitz
December 31, 2021 7:30 PM • 1675 Peachtree Pkwy, Suite #180, Cumming Georgia 30041

Someone must have thought it only needed to be printed once in order to save digits…”

As of this writing there is only one “registered atendee.” That would be Van Vandivier, who registered the day after Christmas.

The question must be asked those in charge: “Why the hurry to hold this tournament?” The new administration of the GCA has only recently taken office and these things are usually scheduled many months in advance. Granted, times are difficult now but what has, or is being done to contact each and every Senior Chess player in the great State of Georgia? How much input came from those who will be participating in the tournament? How many Senior players were contacted in advance? Who decided on the particulars of the tournament?

Mike’s third point concerning the increment, “3. 15 second increment is unusual” is an understatement if ever there was one…There is a reason 30 seconds is “usual.”

‘Back in the day’ we called Harry Sabine, “Head’em up…Move’em out, Harry,”

https://new.uschess.org/news/harry-sabine-dies-age-78

because of his “Rawhide” Chess.

What were those who put this tournament together thinking?!

GCA President Parnell Watkins

One of the things about being a Senior one learns quickly is that much more rest is needed for everything, but especially for COGITATING! Not only do the movers and shakers of the GCA want to “head’em up and move’em out” but they do not even want the players to have time for a repast. Even if things were “normal” and there were no dreaded virus I would not even consider participating in any tournament in which time for food and rest is not allowed.

It bodes ill for the members of the Georgia Chess Association, and other Chess playing fanatics in the Great State of Georgia, when the organizer (who is the organizer?) throws any Chess tournament together at the last minute with no obvious forethought. If this is a sign of what is to come from those now in charge of the GCA all I can say is, “Pucker up, Buttercup,” because it is gonna be a bumpy ride…

Yipee! For GM Aleksandr Lenderman

Congratulations are in order for GM Aleksandr Lenderman

GM Aleksandr Lenderman (Hartmann)

on his outstanding performance in winning the 2021 US Open with an almost perfect score. Alek is small of stature but big of heart. The following was fired at the AW, scoring a direct hit I might add, by an impeccable source, a gentleman, and scholar, in addition to being a USCF pooh-bah for decades, Michael Mulford, aka, Mulfish on the USCF Forum.

“I’m watching the USO broadcast now, but mostly following Lenderman’s game. A word about him. He’s a Castle instructor and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. I’ve had a few pleasant chats with him. When he teaches, he usually goes over GM games. Sometimes he was a participant, but in those cases he usually chooses games he lost. He’s the most humble GM I know. Last night, he won a long game to go 8-0. I don’t know when it finished. What I do know is that on Facebook he sent me birthday greetings at about 2-3 am his time. But right after clinching a tie for first, this guy gets on Facebook, sees it’s my birthday and posts birthday greetings on my page? What other GM would do that? Yeah, I’m rooting for him. I’d love to see him go 9-0, but I would think he’d take a draw at any time if offered. Since his opponent needs a win to tie for first, I don’t think you’ll see any Berlin draws or Double Bongclouds.”

I, too, was following the Gledura vs Lenderman game, but another game vied for my attention, but more on that game later…This post concerns GM Lenderman, who will be playing in the US Championship this year, if it is held. This is a wonderful thing because Alex was shafted by the USCF in 2015. The following was posted on this blog many years ago concerning GM Lenderman not being invited to the US Championship.

Post: #289601 by sunmaid on Wed Feb 04, 2015 10:58 pm
Last year Kamsky, Akobian and Lenderman tied for first place at the US championship and it was only through a very unfair playoff system that Gata Kamsky was ultimately crowned champion. Since Kamsky and Akobian are in, I think it would have been a wise decision to give the wild card entry to Alex Lenderman. Sam Sevian is an exciting young player, but he will get his chance in many years to come to play in this tournament.
http://www.uschess.org/forums/viewtopic.php&f=24&t=21044

I wrote the following on that post: It is a travesty that one of the players who TIED FOR FIRST PLACE last year is not included in the field this year. This brings SHAME on all involved with the tournament, and especially on the pooh-bahs of the USCF, who obviously have no shame. (https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2015/03/22/dark-side-of-the-2015-us-chess-championship/)

Dark Side of the 2015 US Chess Championship was posted March 22, 2015. In a wonderful synchronicity, exactly three years later this was posted on the AW: Alek Lenderman Plays The Bird
(https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2018/03/22/alek-lenderman-plays-the-bird/)

GM Benjamin Gledura (2721)

vs GM Aleksandr Lenderman (2703)
2021 US Open
8/8 2021
C01 French, exchange variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.Qe2+ Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 Re8 9.Bg5 Be6 10.Nbd2 h6 11.Bh4 Nc6 12.Bb5 Bd7 13.Bxc6 Bxc6 14.Ne5 Bd7 15.Qf3 Be6 16.c3 c6 17.Ng6 Bd6 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.Qxf6 gxf6 20.Nh4 f5 21.Re2 f6 22.Rae1 Kf7 23.Nb3 b6 24.Nc1 c5 25.dxc5 bxc5 26.Nd3 f4 27.g3 fxg3 28.hxg3 a5 29.a3 a4 30.Ng2 Bf5 31.Rxe8 Rxe8 32.Rxe8 Kxe8 33.Ngf4 Kd7 34.Kf1 1/2-1/2

Black to move

The question I would like you to ask yourself is, “What if Chess were like the ancient oriental game of Wei Chi, or as is more popularly known in the English speaking world, Go, and the offer of a draw were anathema?” The game would have been played to a conclusion, with White soon resigning, and Alek Lenderman would have won the US Open with a Bobby Fischer like score of 9-0. This would have garnered headlines all over the world, and not just on Chess websites, and publicity is good, GOOD! Just sayin’… Instead this was the lead at Chessbase early today while having my morning cuppa Joe, and it is still the lead tonight before bedtime:

Sun, chess & fun at Trafalgar Square https://en.chessbase.com/post/sun-chess-fun-at-trafalgar-square

YIPEE!

Francesco Parrino https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ8THdZnqPVoLN9zuT-pjBg

GM Irina Krush, Diagnosed with COVID-19

Before heading into dreamland last night, which did not come easy, I decided to concentrate on writing a few posts concerning Chess, as I have two book reviews to complete, one of which was begun, then stopped because it has been difficult focusing on Chess these daze…Checking my inbox this morning found this from the Mulfish, a very religious man whom I know will be mentioning Irina in his prayers. If you believe in that sort of thing, now is the time for prayer:

Michael Mulford <mmulfish@yahoo.com>

To:Michael Bacon

Sun, Mar 22 at 11:57 PM

Were you aware Irina Krush is positive?

An internet check found this at The Chess Mind, a blog by Dennis Monokroussos:

American GM Irina Krush

isn’t particularly old – she turned 36 last December – but she not only contracted the novel coronavirus but started experiencing serious, atypical symptoms. From her Facebook page:

“Last Wed night, March 11th, I started to feel a little bit under the weather. On Thursday I had an unpleasant temperature, 37.6, spent some extra time sleeping, but it got better after that. My temperature never went up again as high, it actually fluctuated between 36.7 and 37. I should also mention, by Friday night, but definitely by Saturday I lost my sense of smell completely. I could not smell the cup of coffee right in front of my nose. I could not taste what I was eating. That was a depressing symptom…happy to say that my sense of smell/taste is coming back to me now! On Sunday I felt well enough to take an hour walk on the boardwalk. But on Monday evening, I felt a shortness of breath, a symptom I’ve never experienced before. I just had to take deeper breaths to get the air in. It was definitely worrying, especially given I had absolutely no other symptoms like fever or coughing. On Tuesday morning, I had an internet lesson just like I’d had on Monday morning. That was when I knew it wasn’t “anxiety” or me dreaming something up: I just couldn’t talk without taking extra pauses to breathe. I went to CityMD right after my lesson. When they saw I had no temperature, that my chest X ray was clear and there were no signs of pneumonia, the doctor visibly relaxed (since it didn’t look like I had coronavirus). She had no explanation for the shortness of breath, though, and suggested a CT scan at the ER to check for blood clots. So I went to the ER (not the most pleasant experience, there were people around with a cough so severe I was really concerned I could catch the virus there). Anyway, the CT scan showed “early coronavirus” and pneumonia in both lungs. I was also given the actual test, which only came back today (positive). I spent a couple days in the hospital, I guess mostly under observation as there wasn’t much that needed to be done for me…they did test my blood for oxygenation and found it was fine. So now I am home…taking the hydroxychloroquine tablets. I still have no other symptoms other than the shortness of breath, which I guess I can describe as “moderate”. Going up the stairs you do feel totally out of breath, but even sitting in place you can feel it. I am very happy I can breathe on my own. Anyway, I thought I’d share this as I know the trajectory of my illness was not completely typical, and it can help some of you get tested/treated/go into quarantine earlier. And it absolutely made me see the importance of staying home and doing your part to slow the spread of this. Wish you all to stay healthy!”

Thank God she is doing better, and it’s very good news that positive, if still anecdotal, results for hydroxycloroquine keep coming in. Let’s hope that if there have to be more stories about the virus in the chess world, they will be no worse than this.

http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2020/3/21/irina-krush-diagnosed-with-covid-19.html

Feedback From Mulfish

I received an email in response to the previous post from my friend Michael Mulford, a Republican, tonight. If you are wondering how I could possibly have a friend who is a Republican, the answer is that my Mother was a Republican, “God bless her heart”, as we say here down South. When we would talk politics my father would say, “Argue, argue, argue, that’s all you two do.” Mother responded with, “We’re not arguing, Ronald. We are having a heated discussion!”

Michael Mulford
To:Michael Bacon

Sat, Mar 21 at 9:22 PM

“Actually, four Senators are known to have engaged in this behavior, not just these two. One of them has called for an ethics investigation into their actions. One of the four is a Democrat.

I’ve heard that members of Congress are exempt from the insider trading legislation (I don’t know if that is true) and that the holdings are in blind trusts. But I’ve also heard that the husbands do have some measure of control over those trusts.

By any account, this smells and ought to be thoroughly investigated. And if the GOP wants to hold the GA Senate seat, they would do well to nominate someone else.”

Thought I would share the answer with you. Please read the entire article as this is only an excerpt taken from the article:

Update: Several readers have asked about the other senators who sold stock during the same period, including Dianne Feinstein (a California Democrat), James Inhofe (an Oklahoma Republican) and Ron Johnson (a Wisconsin Republican). But none of their trades look particularly suspicious.

Feinstein has said that she did not attend the Jan. 24 briefing; her stock was in a blind trust, which means she didn’t make the decision to sell; and the transaction lost her money, because the trust was selling shares of a biotechnology stock, the value of which has since risen. Inhofe’s transactions were part of a systematic selling of stocks that he started after he became chairman of the Armed Services Committee. Johnson sold stock in his family’s plastic business, as part of a process that has been occurring for months; his sale also occurred well after stock market began falling.

Jeff Blehar of National Review has a helpful summary on Twitter, in which he argues Burr’s transactions are the worst.

Loeffler, who is extremely wealthy and married to the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, frequently sells stock and has said “multiple third-party advisors” — not her or her husband — made the decision to sell shares in January and in February.

(I must interject here to print something the Mulfish must have missed in the previous post:

“Ms. Loeffler, who also sits on the Health Committee, is in a similarly sticky situation. On the very day of the committee’s coronavirus briefing, she began her own stock sell-off, as originally reported by The Daily Beast. Over the next three weeks, she shed between $1,275,000 and $3.1 million worth of stock, much of it jointly owned with her husband, who is the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange. Of Ms. Loeffler’s 29 transactions, 27 were sales. One of her two purchases was of a technology company that provides teleworking software. That stock has appreciated in recent weeks, as so many companies have ordered employees to work from home.”

Only a Republican would believe those trading stocks for the Loeffler’s “just happened” to make trades of this nature without being tipped off. If you do believe the woman then please get in touch with me IMMEDIATELY because I have a great deal for you on some swamp land in Florida.)

 

The notion that Feinstein or Johnson did something unethical, Belhar wrote, is “flat wrong.” Don Moynihan of Georgetown University agrees.

Burr’s response on Friday morning was not strong. He said that he relied on only “public news reports” about the crisis, like CNBC’s reporting from Asia, a claim that’s impossible to verify. He also said he had asked the Senate Ethics Committee to open “a complete review.”

For more …

Tucker Carlson, Fox News:

[Burr] had inside information about what could happen to our country, which is now happening, but he didn’t warn the public. He didn’t give a prime-time address. He didn’t go on television to sound the alarm. He didn’t even disavow an op-ed he’d written just 10 days before claiming America was ‘better prepared than ever’ for coronavirus. He didn’t do any of those things. Instead, what did he do? He dumped his shares in hotel stocks so he wouldn’t lose money, and then he stayed silent. Now maybe there’s an honest explanation for what he did. If there is, he should share it with the rest of us immediately. Otherwise, he must resign from the Senate …

Molly Knight: “Richard Burr should not hold government office by Monday. He needs to resign today.”

David French, The Dispatch: “The potential insider trading is dreadful and possibly criminal, but what could elevate this to a historic scandal is the idea that senators may have known enough to be alarmed for themselves yet still projected rosy scenarios to the public AND failed to make sure we were ready.”

David Frum of The Atlantic wants to know who else may have sold stock: “What did the Trump family sell, and when did they sell it?”

The Times editorial board argued in December that “members of Congress should not be allowed to buy and sell stocks, or to serve on corporate boards.”

In 2012, Robert Reich notes, Burr was one of only a small number of members to vote against a law that barred them for trading on inside information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bob Long R.I.P.

I learned of the death of the owner of Thinkers Press, Bob Long,

from an email from Michael Mulford after opening my mail. I spent some time in Davenport, Iowa, in 2002, and some of the time was spent with Bob, who was quite an interesting character. I am saddened to hear of his death, especially because of the way he was murdered in cold blood.

Man charged after 74-year-old man is found dead in Davenport

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) – A 19-year-old has been arrested and is being charged with murder after police say they found a 74-year-old man dead in Davenport.
Police say 19-year-old Charlie Gary, of Davenport,

Police say 19-year-old Charlie Gary, of Davenport, admitted to police that he went into the man’s home forcibly with the intent to steal the man’s car. Police say Gary strangled Long, killing him and then stole property and his car and left the scene. (KWQC)

admitted to police that he went into the man’s home forcibly with the intent to steal the man’s car. Police say Gary strangled Long, killing him and then stole property and his car and left the scene. (KWQC)

Police say on Tuesday, just before 5:45 p.m., they were called to the 1500 block of LeClaire Street in reference to an unresponsive person. That man, 74-year-old Robert Long, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say 19-year-old Charlie Gary, of Davenport, admitted to police that he went into the man’s home forcibly with the intent to steal the man’s car. Police say Gary strangled Long, killing him and then stole property and his car and left the scene. Police say they later located Gary in Long’s vehicle when he was arrested.

Gary has been charged with 1st-degree murder, 1st-degree robbery and 1st-degree burglary in reference to the incident. He’s currently being held at the Scott County Jail.

Detectives are continuing to work on the investigation. No further information is being released at this time.

https://www.kwqc.com/content/news/Man-charged-after-74-year-old-man-is-found-dead-in-Davenport-566817911.html

This is from one of Bob’s blogs:

“Since 1985 I have reviewed or commented on about 2,000 chess books, magazines, equipment, DVDs, and websites. I’ve published: Chessstamps Informant, The Chess Arts, The Chess Atlas, Lasker & His Contemporaries, The Chess Gazette, The Chess Reports, Chess EXTRAS, the Purdy Chess Chronicles, and soon SCORE (for opening theory). I am known for being the publisher at Thinkers’ Press, inc. (TPI)… a company which has published nearly 140 items not including DVDs, CDs, or journals. Others know me for publishing all the materials (licensed) from the CJS Purdy estate. I still publish books for hire; contact me for details. Unlike other companies, my publishings are “hand made”–i.e., it’s all done by myself.”

https://www.blogger.com/profile/08974822175772021746

To read more about Mr. Long click here:

http://www.thinkerspressinc.com/

https://www.bookdepository.com/publishers/Thinkers-Press

http://thechessmuseum.blogspot.com/

https://bobthechesser.wordpress.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deepak Aaron Wins Georgia Chess Championship

I went to the official website of the Georgia Chess Association (http://www.georgiachess.org/) to read about the recently completed Georgia State Chess Championship and found this:

The 2019 State Champions have been crowned. Congratulations to all the participants and the winners! “State Champions” was in red so I clicked on and was directed to Facebook, or as I prefer to think of it, “F—book.” Why should I have to go to F—book to read what should be contained at the website of the GCA? F—book is a reprehensible organization, having helped facilitate the Russians, for a price, to subvert the last Presidential election. F—book sells the information of We The People to the highest bidder, yet people, and organizations continue to use F—book. Why? Why is the GCA using F—book? Why would anyone in his right mind use F—book? Consider this article:
The Ugly Truth About How Facebook Uses Your Private Data

“In essence, Facebook are selling your private data to the highest bidder, even if they claim otherwise.” (https://thevpn.guru/how-facebook-uses-private-data/)

There’s ‘Little’ Privacy in Facebook’s Privacy Policy

“We collect the content and other information you provide when you use our Services, including when you sign up for an account, create or share, and message or communicate with others. This can include information in or about the content you provide, such as the location of a photo or the date a file was created. We also collect information about how you use our Services, such as the types of content you view or engage with or the frequency and duration of your activities.”

This is a snippet from Facebook’s privacy policy. Basically, Facebook knows everything about you. (https://thevpn.guru/how-facebook-uses-private-data/)

The following was found at F—book:

Georgia Chess Association

Congratulations to the winners of the 2019 State Championship.
Championship
1st Deepak Aaron $1000 4 1/2

2nd Alonso Zapata $650 3 1/2

3rd Sanjay Ghatti & Benjamin Moon $200 3
1st/2nd U2300 Yury Barnakov & Damir Studen $325 3
1st U2100 Pradhyumna Kathapalli $350 3
2nd U2100 Harry Le, Doruk Emir & Vispy Pardiwalla $100 2 1/2

Amateur
1st/2nd/3rd Miles Melvin, Joseph Franklin & William Remick Jr $525 4
4th & 1st U1850 Sreekar Bommireddy & Pranit Mishra $237.50 3 1/2
2nd U1850 Zachary Stokes, Leon Cheng, Anthony Morse, Sant Muralidharan, Calavin Jackson & Parth Shinde $33.34 3

Reserve
1st Tyler Luo $800 5
2nd Rajat Ravi $450 4 1/2
3rd & 4th James Senarus, Ocean Liu, & Richard Jones $191.67 4
1st U1550 Gavin Zhou $225 3
2nd U1550 Dipti Ramnath & Andrew Spencer $100 2 1/2

Booster
1st Ramchandra Nadar $700 4 1/2
2nd/3rd/4th Alan Spektor, Andrew Downes, & Ronald Sanders II $341.67 4
1st/2nd U1250 Srihan Avirneni & Arjun Garg $212.50 3

Please send your address to treasurer@georgiachess.org if you did not pick up your check at the event.

(https://www.facebook.com/georgiachess/)

Only eighteen players competed for the title of Georgia State Chess Champion. The USCF MSA page (http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?201905195972.0-10215994) shows a total of one hundred and one players participated in all sections of the tournament.

Michael Mulford sent an email containing the results of the election.

“We were visiting Becky’s son and so I popped in for a few minutes on the way to the airport (but before the vote. I saw Fun Fong was there.”

It seems a bad penny always turns up.

The GCA Bids Farewell to Dr. Fun Fong

Thought you might be interested.
President: Scott Parker – 41
William Remick – 6

1st VP: Dave Hater – 38
Thomas Harris -11

Secretary: Michael Muzquiz – 30
Mohana Venkataraja – 17

1st Member-at-Large:
Kindeya Scott 26
Thad Rogers -17
Parnell Watkins – 4

The new GCA board:

Congratulations to the new, and returning, members of the GCA board. No matter what happens in the next few years this board will be much better than that of the last two terms because it is not possible to fall below the bottom of the barrel.

Allen Priest Started A Thread

The President of the USCF board, Allen Priest, started a new thread on the USCF forum under All Things Chess, titled: World senior team 50+ (http://www.uschess.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=24693&st=0&sk=t&sd=a).

I posed this question on the thread: “Why was there no 65+ team from the USA?” (by nocab on Wed Apr 24, 2019 8:14 pm #335352)

It was no surprise that the POTUSCF was the first to reply as he weighs in on almost everything on the forum.

“Well you can organize one – it is an open tournament. As many teams from any country can enter as wish.”

Allen Priest
National Tournament Director
Delegate from Kentucky

Maybe another person on the forum would have been surprised by the flippant remark but I was not because of having previously interacted “up close and personal” with Allen at a Kentucky State Championship. He allowed the tournament to begin without lighting because of no electricity after turning a deaf ear to the players.

My friend Michael Mulford replied with the following post:

Postby Mulfish on Wed Apr 24, 2019 9:30 pm #335356

Did US Chess fund the winning team? If they did, a more accurate answer might be US Chess did not budget to fund one and no self-funded team emerged”.

Allen answered:

Postby Allen on Wed Apr 24, 2019 9:41 pm #335357

We has a stipend for one team for 2018 and 2019 based on our invitional list rules. Again these are open events. Any team that wants to enter certainty can.

Last edited by Allen on Wed Apr 24, 2019 10:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Allen Priest
National Tournament Director
Delegate from Kentucky

by Mulfish on Wed Apr 24, 2019 10:01 pm #335358

Allen wrote:
We has a stipend for one team for 3018 and 2029 based on our invitional list rules. Again these are open events. Any team that wants to enter certainty can.

Ignoring the obvious typos on the years, would it be fair to say that we have budgeted for stipends for one team. That team could have been either an over 50 or an over 65 team, based on the invitational list rules?

And, as usual, Allen got the last word:

by Allen on Wed Apr 24, 2019 10:25 pm #335361

Sorry. The phone keyboard is hard to use. We budgeted for one set of stipends for two tournaments that occurred during a single budget year. The original motion didn’t address anything about divisions of the event. So, if the invitational list yielded a 65+ team that’s who would have received the stipend.

Allen Priest
National Tournament Director
Delegate from Kentucky

At this time there are twenty four posts on this particular thread and sixteen, or two thirds, of the posts were made by the POTUSCF. Does this make you think of the POTUS and his propensity for firing salvos via Twitter?

In the March issue of Chess Life magazine Allen writes about US Chess Affairs/ News for our Members in something named, ACROSS THE BOARD. He begins, “Not many people get Chess Life to read a missive from the president of the organization. I understand.”

I’m thinking, “Well, at least the man understands something.”

Allen also writes, “But we all share one thing-an interest in a grand game.”

And I’m thinking, “Interest?” Then I realize the difference between Allen and me is a chasm because I LOVE the Royal Game! I have played Chess seriously since 1970, and if you go back to when my father taught me the game, 1966. I have read extensively about the game and have followed it even when spending most of my time playing Backgammon professionally. I have played Chess in USCF rated tournaments in twenty five different states, more than any other native born Georgian. I have played Chess in seedy dives, such as the legendary Stein Club on Peachtree street in Atlanta, Georgia,

and opulent places such as the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina. (https://www.biltmore.com/)

Allen has played all of forty five USCF rated games IN HIS LIFE!

Allen is rated 701. Allen has NEVER BEATEN A PLAYER WITH A RATING CONTAINING FOUR DIGITS!

Why is Allen the president of the USCF? How did Allen become president of the USCF? What could Allen possibly know about Chess?

I asked myself the above questions after reading 25 Questions for Steve Doyle: A major figure in American chess relates his lifetime experiences in characteristically upbeat fashion, by Peter Tamburro, in issue #3 of the American Chess Magazine recently.

This question was posed, “How has the USCF fared over the years and what do you think its prospects are for the future? Now that there is a search for a new executive director, what qualities should they look for?”

The former President of the USCF, Steve Doyle

gave this answer: “The huge savings built up in my term were then the saving life blood for a series of incompetent boards – and that followed with very weak leaders in charge. They ran the book business into the ground., squandered resources and lived off the savings account. Finally the building in New Windsor was sold, the book business outsourced, savings used to pay off massive debt and the operation moved to Tennessee. Now new people are coming forward, the entire membership votes on officers and we have a 501c3 status. All positive moves. Of couse, millions wasted along the way.”

The current president of the USCF, Allen Priest, is, fortunately, on his way out. In his aforementioned column he wrote, “Many of our members are not particularly interested in the governance of US Chess. Few, if any, join to be involved in governance. I know. I was the same way.”

If only it had stayed the same way…

I am now one of the members who is “…not particularly interested in the governance of US Chess.” Frankly, at this point in my life I could care less as it is time for me to leave the future to those whom it will affect.

The fact is that Allen Priest, like all other Chess politicians, will be judged by history. Will he be considered a “very weak leader in charge?” Will history be kinder to him than those posting on the USCF forum have been to this point in his tenure? Only time will tell…

Bradley Scott Cornelius R.I.P.

I received this email from my friend Michael Mulford, known as Mulfish on the USCF forum:

Michael Mulford
To:Michael Bacon
Aug 9 at 3:31 PM

Driving cross country so I haven’t monitored much. This was just posted.

http://henkeclarson.com/bradley-scott-cornelius/

Sent from my iPhone

My thanks to the Mulfish for sending this.

I headed to the USCF website (https://new.uschess.org/home/) in an attempt to locate where, exactly, this was posted, but was unable to do so. It is possible the notification was posted, then taken down, before I searched the website. This is rather strange, considering the fact that Mr. Cornelius died in battle across the Chess board. I have, therefore, decided to publish the notice. I did not know Bradley Scott Cornelius, but he was one of us. He was a class ‘B’ player. For many years the demarcation line between being consider a quality player was crossing the 1600 barrier. At the USCF website one can find this thread, Women State Chess Champion, under All Things Chess:

Postby nolan on Thu Aug 09, 2018 9:15 am #329784

“Here’s a table showing how many states have 3 more female current members active in the last year and rated 1600 or higher, and how many of those are under age 20.”
(http://www.uschess.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=24222)

It appears 1600 is still considered some kind of line to be crossed to be taken seriously as a Chess player. When a player becomes a class ‘B’ player he has stopped making piece losing and game losing moves with regularity. It does not happen often but class ‘B’ players have been known to upset GM’s. Ask GM John Fedorowicz.

Bradley Scott Cornelius

April 17, 1974 – August 5, 2018

Bradley Scott Cornelius

Bradley Scott Cornelius, age 44, of Janesville passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on Sunday, August 5, 2018 in Middleton, WI. Bradley was born on April 17, 1974 the son of Thomas W. Cornelius and the late Ruth (Rucks) Cornelius. Bradley graduated from Janesville Craig High School. He was a partner in the business of re-building and selling rebuilt boat motors. Bradley was active in coaching youth softball and attended Grace Evangelical Free Church at Afton.

Survivors include his father and step-mother, Thomas and Coletta Cornelius, his sister, Catherine Rae Cornelius all of Janesville. He was preceded in death by his mother and brother, Scott Ray Cornelius.

Services are at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 14, 2018 at Henke-Clarson Funeral Home, 1010 N. Wright Road, Janesville. Pastor Dennis Anderson will officiate. Interment will be in Milton Lawns Memorial Park. Visitation will be Tuesday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Henke-Clarson Funeral Home.

Added: August 8th, 2018

http://henkeclarson.com/bradley-scott-cornelius/