The turn has been made at the US Masters and the players have hit the long stretch and are heading for the finish line. Heading into the penultimate round NM Michael Corallo, even with his loss to GM Sergei Azarov on board two in the antepenultimate round, is leading the contingent from the Great State of Georgia. Michael lost in the first round, then scored four wins and one draw, including three wins in a row, including a victory over GM Alex Shabalov. His 4 1/2 points is a half point more than GM Alsonso Zapata, who lost to IM Tegshsuren Enkhbat in round seven. IM Carlos Perdomo has shown his class by coming back after losing his first two games to score four points in the next five rounds with three wins and two draws. Carlos drew with fellow Atlanta Kings member Sanjay Ghatti, who also has four points, last night in the seventh round. Shabba bested another Kings player last night, leaving FM Kazim Gulamali with 3 1/2. The Frisco Kid, NM Richard Francisco and the Denker representative from Georgia, Expert Reese Thompson each have scored 3 points.
As I write this the penultimate round is under way, and four of the games being shown include players from Georgia. Damir, Reese, Kazim and Sanjay are the players being shown. If you are wondering why the top Georgia players are not being shown, I wondered the same thing earlier in the tournament. Most tournaments broadcast the top boards, but they do things differently in NC. Since they did the same thing last year, this year I sent an email to the man in charge, Chacha Nugroho. He replied:
Hi Michael,
Thanks! The lower board we put camera, and I have to find good lighting tables, and those lower live boards are because under the main light of the room. I will post Neal Haris game soon.
regards
Chacha
Yasser Seirawan was taking about the first time he saw the pieces being used at the STLCC&SC when at Rex Sinquefield’s home. Yaz said they are beautiful and were made specially for Rex by Frank Camaratta, who owns the House of Staunton. I have had the pleasure of being in the home of Mr. Camaratta, which looks like a museum with all the wonderful chess sets on display. Yaz said these particular pieces are to be used with the board for broadcast and there only twenty-five such sets. One can do things like that when one has a billion dollars at one’s disposal. Our poor chess cousins in the Great State of North Carolina, my adopted “second state,” are doing the very best they can with their much more limited budget.
Now for some games from our illustrious luminaries carrying the colors:
Michael Corallo (2203) vs Eric Santarius (2329)
USM Rd 4
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 d6 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. d4 exd4 9. Nxd4 Bd7 10. Nc3 O-O 11. h3 c5 12. Nf3 Bc6 13. Bf4 Rb8 14. e5 Nh5 15. Bh2 Rxb2 16. g4 Qa8 17. Nd2 dxe5 18. gxh5 Rd8 19. Bxe5 Bf8 20. Nce4 Rb4 21. Qg4 Bd7 22. Qg3 Bc6 23. Bxg7 Bxe4 1-0
Michael Corallo (2203) vs Michael Bodek (2400)
USM Rd 5
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bd4 Bxd4 13. Qxd4 Qb6 14. Na4 Qa5 15. b3 Qc7 16. Bc4 Rd8 17. Rhe1 Bf5 18. Qe5 Qxe5 19. Rxe5 Bxc2 20. Rd2 Bf5 21. Bxd5 cxd5 22. Rxe7 h5 23. Kb2 Kg7 24. Nc3 Kf6 25. Re1 Be6 26. Red1 Ke5 27. Rd4 g5 28. g3 h4 29. gxh4 gxh4 30. Rxh4 Rh8 31. f4 Kf5 32. Rxh8 Rxh8 33. Nxd5 Rxh2 34. Ka3 Ke4 35. Nc7 Kxf4 36. Rd6 Bf5 37. Nb5 Ke3 38. Rf6 Bb1 39. Nc3 Bg6 40. Ra6 Kd2 41. Nd5 Be4 42. Nf6 Bb1 43. Kb2 Bg6 44. Rxa7 Kd1 45. Kc3 Bb1 46. a4 Ba2 47. Nd5 Kc1 48. Nb4 Rh3 49. Nd3 Kb1 50. Rxf7 Ka1 51. Rd7 Rh1 52. Re7 Rh8 53. Rc7 Bb1 54. Rc4 Rg8 55. Nc5 Ka2 56. Rd4 Ka3 57. b4 Rh8 58. a5 Rh3 59. Kc4 Bg6 60. a6 Bf7 61. Kb5 Be8 62. Ka5 Rh7 63. Rd3 Kb2 64. Rd6 Rh1 65. b5 Kc3 66. a7 Ra1 67. Na4 Kb3 68. Rd3 1-0
Alexander Shabalov (2500) vs Michael Corallo (2203)
USM Rd 6
1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. a3 d6 6. Rb1 Bf5 7. d3 h5 8. Nf3 b6 9. Bg5 Qd7 10. Nd5 Rc8 11. h3 e5 12. b4 Be6 13. Nd2 f6 14. Be3 Nge7 15. Qa4 Nxd5 16. cxd5 Nd4 17. Qd1 Bf7 18. Nc4 O-O 19. Bd2 Rfd8 20. e3 Nb5 21. O-O Nc7 22. e4 Nb5 23. f4 Nd4 24. Be3 Rf8 25. Rb2 f5 26. Rbf2 fxe4 27. Bxe4 b5 28. Na5 Qxh3 29. Bxd4 cxd4 30. f5 Qxg3 31. Rg2 Qe3 32. Kh1 gxf5 33. Re1 Qh6 34. Reg1 fxe4 35. Rxg7 Qxg7 36. Rxg7 Kxg7 37. Nc6 Bxd5 38. Ne7 Bb7 39. Nxc8 Rxc8 40. dxe4 Bxe4 0-1
Michael Corallo (2203) vs Sergei Azerov (2635)
USM Rd 7
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bd4 Bxd4 13. Qxd4 Qb6 14. Na4 Qc7 15. Bc4 Rd8 16. Bb3 Bf5 17. g4 Nf4 18. Qe3 Be6 19. Bxe6 Nxe6 20. Rde1 Rab8 21. h4 Qa5 22. b3 Rd4 23. Nc3 Rbd8 24. Kb2 Rd2 25. h5 R8d3 26. Qxd3 Rxd3 27. cxd3 Nf4 28. Rxe7 Qd8 29. Re4 Nxd3 30. Kc2 Nf2 31. Rd1 Nxd1 32. Nxd1 gxh5 33. gxh5 Qf6 34. f4 Qf5 35. Kd3 Qd5 36. Rd4 Qf5 37. Re4 Qb5 38. Kc3 Qa5 39. Kc2 Qxh5 0-1
Richard Francisco (2281) vs Peter Giannatos (2140)
USM Rd 3
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. a3 Nge7 7. b4 cxd4 8. cxd4 Nf5 9. Bb2 Be7 10. Bd3 a5 11. Bxf5 exf5 12. Nc3 Be6 13. b5 a4 14. O-O O-O 15. bxc6 Qxb2 16. Nxa4 Qb5 17. cxb7 Qxb7 18. Nc5 Bxc5 19. dxc5 Rfc8 20. Qc2 Qc6 21. Rfc1 Ra4 22. Nd2 d4 23. Nf3 Rc4 24. Qd3 Rxc5 25. Rxc5 Qxc5 26. Qxd4 Qxa3 27. h4 Rc1 28. Rxc1 Qxc1 29. Kh2 h6 30. Kg3 Qc6 31. Qf4 Qc3 32. Qd2 Qc5 33. Qe3 Qxe3 34. fxe3 Kf8 35. Kf4 Ke7 36. Nd4 g6 1/2-1/2
Kazim Gulamali (2283) vs Arthur Guo (1950)
USM Rd 4
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bc4 e6 7. O-O Be7 8. Qe2 Nf6 9. Rd1 e5 10. Be3 O-O 11. Rac1 Bg4 12. h3 Be6 13. Bxe6 fxe6 14. Qc4 Qd7 15. b4 Rac8 16. Qb3 a6 17. Na4 Nd4 18. Nxd4 Rxc1 19. Rxc1 exd4 20. Nb6 Qe8 21. Qxe6 Qf7 22. Qxf7 Rxf7 23. Bxd4 Nxe4 24. Nd5 Bg5 25. f4 Bh4 26. g4 h6 27. Kg2 Rd7 28. g5 hxg5 29. Kf3 Ng3 30. fxg5 Nf5 31. Bf6 Rf7 32. Kg4 g6 33. Rc8 Rf8 34. Rc7 Rf7 35. Ne7 Nxe7 36. Bxe7 Be1 37. Rc8 Kg7 38. Bf6 Rxf6 39. gxf6 Kxf6 40. a3 a5 41. b5 b6 42. Rc6 Bf2 43. Rxd6 Kg7 44. a4 Bg1 45. Re6 Kf7 46. Rc6 Kg7 47. h4 Kf7 48. Kf4 Kg7 49. Ke5 Kh6 50. Kf6 Kh5 51. Kf7 Kxh4 52. Rxg6 Bd4 53. Ke6 Kh5 54. Rg2 Kh4 55. Kd7 Kh3 56. Rg8 Kh4 57. Kc6 Kh5 58. Rb8 Kg6 59. Rxb6 1-0
Sean Vibbert (2301) vs Alonso Zapata (2481)
USM Rd 4
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. g3 d5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bg2 Nf6 6. d3 d4 7. Ne4 Nxe4 8. Bxe4 Be7 9. Qf3 Nc6 10. Bxc6 bxc6 11. Qxc6 Bd7 12. Qd5 Qc8 13. f3 O-O 14. b3 Re8 15. Kf2 a5 16. Bd2 a4 17. Ne2 Bf6 18. Nf4 Re5 19. Qc4 Qb7 20. bxa4 Rxa4 21. Qb3 Qa8 22. Rae1 c4 23. Qb1 Rb5 24. Qd1 c3 25. Bc1 Rxa2 26. Rhf1 g6 27. Kg1 Rb1 28. Qe2 Ba4 29. Qe4 Bc6 30. Qe2 h5 31. Ne6 Ba4 32. Nc7 Qc6 33. Ne8 Rxc2 34. Nxf6 Qxf6 35. Qe4 Bc6 36. Bg5 Qxg5 37. Qxc6 Rxe1 38. Rxe1 Qd2 39. Qe8 Kg7 40. Qe5 Kh7 0-1
Bartlomiej Macieja (2622) vs Alonso Zapata (2481)
USM Rd 5
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 Nf6 6. h3 g6 7. Nf3 Bf5 8. O-O Qc7 9. Na3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 a6 11. Nc2 Bg7 12. Re1 O-O 13. Ne3 h5 14. g3 b5 15. Bd2 Rfc8 16. h4 e6 17. Nf1 Qb6 18. Ng5 b4 19. Nh2 bxc3 20. bxc3 Ne7 21. Nhf3 Qb5 22. Qc2 Nh7 23. Nxh7 Kxh7 24. g4 hxg4 25. Ng5 Kg8 26. h5 Qd7 27. hxg6 Nxg6 28. Nxe6 Nh4 29. Ng5 Qf5 30. Qxf5 Nxf5 31. f3 Nxd4 32. Rac1 Nxf3 33. Nxf3 gxf3 34. Kf2 Rc6 35. Kxf3 Rac8 36. Rg1 Kf8 37. Rg5 Bxc3 38. Rxd5 Bxd2 39. Rxc6 Rxc6 40. Rxd2 Rc4 41. Re2 Ra4 42. Ke3 Ke7 43. Kd3 Kd6 44. Rf2 Ke6 45. Kc3 f5 46. Kb3 Re4 47. Rh2 f4 48. Rh6 Kf5 49. Rxa6 f3 50. Ra8 Rf4 51. Rf8 Kg4 52. Rg8 Kh3 0-1
David Hua (2304) vs Alonso Zapata (2481)
USM Rd 6
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Qc7 6. Nc3 Nf6 7. Be2 Bb4 8. O-O Bxc3 9. bxc3 Nxe4 10. Bf3 Nc5 11. Nb3 d6 12. Bf4 e5 13. Nxc5 Qxc5 14. Be3 Qc7 15. Qd2 Nd7 16. Rfd1 Ke7 17. Rab1 Rb8 18. Ba7 Ra8 19. Be3 Rb8 20. Ba7 Ra8 21. Be3 1/2-1/2
Brian Tarhon (1963) vs Damir Studen (2264)
USM Rd 7
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 4. d4 c6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2 Nf6 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Bxf3 e6 9. O-O Be7 10. Ne2 O-O 11. Bf4 Qd8 12. c4 Bd6 13. Bxd6 Qxd6 14. Qb3 b6 15. Rad1 Nbd7 16. Nc3 Rac8 17. Qc2 Qc7 18. b3 Rfd8 19. Rd2 Nf8 20. Rfd1 h6 21. g3 Rd7 22. Bg2 Rcd8 23. Kh2 Ng6 24. Ne4 Nxe4 25. Qxe4 Ne7 26. Rd3 Rd6 27. h4 Qd7 28. Qe2 Nf5 29. d5 exd5 30. cxd5 c5 31. Bh3 Qe7 32. Qd2 Nd4 33. Re1 Qf6 34. Bg2 R6d7 35. Rde3 g6 36. b4 Kg7 37. bxc5 bxc5 38. Rc1 Qb6 39. Rec3 Qa5 40. Qb2 Qb4 41. Qa1 Kh7 42. Rxc5 Qd2 43. R1c4 Nf5 44. Rc2 Qb4 45. Qf6 Qd4 46. Qxd4 Nxd4 47. R2c4 Nf5 48. Rc8 Rxc8 49. Rxc8 Ne7 50. Rc5 Kg7 51. a4 Kf6 52. f4 Rd6 53. Ra5 a6 54. Bf1 Kg7 55. Bc4 Rd7 56. Kg2 Kf8 57. Kf3 Rc7 58. Bd3 Rd7 59. Bc4 Rc7 60. Ba2 Rc3 61. Ke4 Nf5 62. Rxa6 Re3 0-1
This song contains the Legendary Georgia Ironman’s all-time favorite lyric. Just thinking about it brings a smile to the Ironman’s face. I will let you figure it out…
The first two are live and I could not decide which to post, so I posted both! The third version is from the album, not disc, and it is the one to which we listened “back in the day.”
Jackson Browne 1977 The Load Out Stay
Jackson Browne – The Load Out and Stay – Live BBC 1978
Jackson Browne – The Load Out / Stay
Armchair Warrior 