Calchess Journal Editor: Denker/Barber Qualifier
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Cal Journal Summer 2014 Grandmaster Sam Shankland Wins Gold Medal at TromsØ Olympiad Chirila and Barbosa Win CalChess State Championship De Guzman Wins Central California Open Aleskerov Wins People’s Tournament Doyle and Byambaa Win Sacramento Championship Cal Journal Summer 2014 Table of Contents CalChess Board Presidents Message ......................................................... 2 President: Tom Langland News .............................................................................. 3 Vice-President: Joe Lonsdale Treasurer:Stephen Shaugnessy GM Sam Shankland Interview ......................... 3 Secretary: Richard Koepcke Recent Events ................................................................... 6 Members at Large: Salman Azhar CalChess State Championship ......................... 6 Ruth Haring Scott Mason Berkeley Chess School Celebration ............... 13 Swaminathan Sankar College Chess Coordinator: Central California Open .................................. 14 Edward Detrick Scholastic Coordinator: People’s Tournament ....................................... 15 Lynn Reed Scholastic Representatives: Mechanics’ Summer Tuesday Marathon ...... 18 Hunter Klotz-burwell Arvind Sankar Sacramento Championship ............................. 19 Emily Zhu CalChess Journal Editor: Denker/Barber Qualifier .................................. 23 Scott Mason Mechanics’ 51st Stamer Memorial .................. 27 Tactic Puzzles from 2014 Olympiad ........................... 28 The CalChess Journal is published periodically by CalChess, the Article: Two Players Achieve Major Milestones ....... 29 Northern California affiliate of the United States Chess Federation. A Upcoming Scholastic Events ........................................ 31 CalChess membership costs $5 for one year, and will include an email Upcoming Regular Events ........................................... 32 subscription to the CCJ plus discounted entry fees into participating CalChess Cover Photo courtesy of Berkeley Chess School tournaments. Subscriptions, membership information, and related correspondence should be addressed to CalChess Membership at 2046 Vivian Ct., Tracy, CA 95377-5395. Page 1 CalChess Journal Summer 2014 CalChess President’s Message From Tom Langland Helicopter Parents I see it all time, especially in chess tournaments. Parents who have extreme anxiety about separating from their child before their game starts are the chess equivalent of what is known as helicopter parents. Before a round starts, their child has to have all their pencils sharpened for them, tissues ready, their notation sheet filled out, drink bottle filled, snacks close at hand and that last minute hug (or two or three) before the round starts. Unfortunately, this causes trouble for the tournament directors who want to start the round on time. The TDs are stuck between upsetting parents who want to continue to cosset their child, and those parents, players and coaches who expect the tournament rounds to begin on time. I really do appreciate the problem a parent has with separating from their child and wanting to be comparable to a helicopter watching over them. Many times, I have been criticized that I don't know what it is like! Anyone who knows me understands I really do. In fact, that's how I ended up being most prolific National Tournament Director and International Arbiter in the US. When my sons started playing in like the second grade I remember being exactly like a helicopter. I would watch every move from afar, cringing every time they would hang their queen or miss a checkmate in one move. Finally at the State Grade Level championship, I was driving my wife crazy and she suggested I volunteer to help direct to keep my mind busy. That's what got me here, and yes, I know exactly just how it feels to be a helicopter parent! It's tough! I've even seen helicopter parents vie against each other, like it’s a competition for who is the better parent. Two moms of opposing players aspire to be the last to leave their child. Which will get the final hug and a kiss in? All the while you can see the child hoping their parent would stop the fuss, go away and let them begin their game. Then we have the parents who have to peek in whenever the opportunity arises, holding the door open indefinitely to get that last glance in, hoping to get a glimpse of their child's position. I wish parents could see how distracting this is to all the participants. Every child has to look up to see if it is their parent peering at them, instead focusing on their game. I've even had a parent somehow observe their child forgetting to press their clock and insisted that I go over and remind the player to press their clock! Parents, the tournament staff do understand your desire to fuss over your your child and to make them happy at the tournament. But please, remember the staff also wants to make the tournament a complete success and that includes starting the rounds on time and keeping distractions out of the room. Please be mindful of their requests and assist their efforts. Thank you! Tom Langland CalChess President Page 2 CalChess Journal Summer 2014 News And Interview with Orinda Grandmaster Sam Shankland on Winning Gold Medal at TromsØ Olympiad By Elizabeth Shaugnessy This is an interview, breaks to get to 9.0/10. conducted by Elizabeth Shaughnessy with GM Sam Elizabeth: At 22 years of Shankland who has just age you are the fifth returned from playing on the strongest player in the US Olympiad team in Tromso, country; do you hope to Norway. He won a gold medal become the strongest? having achieved a score of Sam: Of course I hope to 9/10, the highest percentage become the strongest. At score in the entire Olympiad. the moment there is not such a big gap between #2 and #5, so I could see myself climbing that far Elizabeth: By now most Chess players know of your pretty soon if I manage to remarkable achievement at show some strong results, the Olympiad in Tromso. How but Naka is really in a do you feel about it? league of his own- it will Sam: Of course I'm beyond take a lot of work to catch thrilled with my result, but him. Plus I hear Wesley is I've already mostly forgotten switching... GM Shankland at Best of the West about it. One of the most Photo by Richard Shorman important attributes that all achievement. It always felt truly great chess players share Elizabeth: I have played in 6 great to get to a new level, but is intense ambition. The next Chess Olympiads and I find I would never be content there the experience itself for long. Pushing myself to the goal is to make this kind of extraordinary. Were you able maximum has always been a result the norm rather than to do any socializing? priority, and this has been the extreme outlier. Sam: My socializing was true for my chess greatly limited - our prep development in all phases. work was intense and I barely Slow and steady wins the race Elizabeth: Did you think you had any energy for anything they say. would do that well when you else. I tried to just think of it qualified for the US Team? Sam: Before the tournament as any other tournament- Elizabeth: Is there anything I did not have any particular prepare hard, play hard, and or any person or persons who expectations - my only goal don't get distracted by stand out as having been was to play my best chess and anything else. especially influential? find the best move as many Sam: Of course I never would have made it to where I am times as possible. I think I Elizabeth: What has inspired without all the help I received succeeded, although I also you to continue? along the way. First and caught quite a few good Sam: As I mentioned before, foremost to my parents, my I was never satisfied with any first sponsors who took me to Page 3 CalChess Journal Summer 2014 the Cuitat de particular from the Olympiad Barcelona Magistral stood out for me- obviously my win over Judit Polgar that would both cost me a lot of turn out to be her final time off and adversely professional game, and I also affected my grades, greatly enjoyed the wild but I never had to encounter I had in round 2. In a tournament this tough, being a think twice about bit higher rated doesn't mean accepting the much and my sub 2400 invitations. opponent really made me work for the win in what was definitely my most exciting game of the Elizabeth: What is event. your advice to upcoming and new chess players? Elizabeth: Is there anything Sam: I would advise else you would like to tell us? Sam: I think that should new chess players to cover it pretty nicely, unless I never shy away from missed anything. Sam in his early days at Berkeley Chess School challenges- this is Photo Courtesy of Berkeley Chess School good advice for life in general as well. I hear Elizabeth: Thank you Sam. tournaments and lessons, The all sorts of excuses for laziness We are very proud of you. Berkeley Chess School, for or not playing the most introducing me to the game and developing a growing challenging way. Examples: "I did not take that pawn passion, all of the tournament Below are the two games Sam directors put up with my because it just looked mentions in the interview. antics as a child, all of my dangerous to open my king" coaches, training partners, but did you actually calculate opponents... One could not whether there are any real possibly even start to try naming them all. threats? Oh, 3 moves in I see queens are exchanged? or "I White: GM Shankland (2624) play the exchange variation of Black: GM J. Polgar (2676) Elizabeth: You graduated (pick any opening) because it E11 Bogo-Indian Defense from Brandeis College in June. is risk-free and I don't need to How were you able to know theory" Aversion to risk 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 maintain your studies and be and choosing to play sidelines able to continue to sharpen Bb4+ 4.Nbd2 b6 5.a3 your chess skills? because you are intimidated Bxd2+ 6.Qxd2 Bb7 7.e3 a5 Sam: The secret of success by the workload of learning 8.b3 d6 9.Be2 Nbd7 was never having a conflict in mainlines are both very 10.Bb2 0–0 11.0–0 Qe7 my priorities.