ACR Feb 2010
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Alberta Chess Report Publication of the Alberta Chess Association February 2010 GM Josh Friedel wins 4th Edmonton International GMs Josh Friedel and Victor Mikhalevski each scored 7/9 to finish on top, but bet- ter tie-breaks gave Josh the title. No norms were scored this year, but IM Marc Esserman came as close as you could get to a GM norm. Saskatchewan’s Keith MacKinnon defeats his first GM! This issue features game analysis from most of the participants. Coverage starts on page 3. Road Warrior Aaron Sequillion takes 1st place for 2009, playing in every Road Warrior event along the way. The 2010 Road Warrior program gets an injection of cash, offering $1,000 in total prizes! Details on page 14. 2010 Battle at the Border With players like GM Nakamura and GM Char- bonneau, it looks like this year’s classic won’t be The Junior Pages a walk in the park! Jamin Gluckie is organizing Roy Yearwood and Bruce Thomas each con- what looks to be the most interesting weekend tributed an article to make up this new col- swiss in Alberta this year. You had better reserve umn. Roy takes apart a game from the 2009 the Labour Day weekend for this event. A short Alberta Junior and Bruce reports on a team article appears on page 15. event held at West Edmonton Mall. We plan on making this a regular column in the ACR. The Junior Pages starts on page 16. Alberta Chess Report ● February 2010 Page 2 ALBERTA CHESS REPORT INSIDE THIS ISSUE The ACR is published every two months. Edmonton International Deadline for submissions and changes is two Schleinich Memorial weeks prior to the month of publication. University Battle of Alberta We want your submissions! We are always Chess on the Internet looking for articles on chess as they relate to GM Nakamura coming to Alberta Alberta Chess Alberta. The Junior Pages Association Submissions are acceptable in any electronic text form, while pictures can be submitted in the following formats: tiff, jpeg, bmp, gif. President TOURNAMENT ADS All articles are written by the editor unless Mike Sekuloff otherwise credited. Northern Alberta Open Submit your request by email to: Only for Gals Chess Tournament Past President [email protected] or fax to: 403.568.7178 Be My Chess Valentine’s! Ford Wong To speak to the editor, call toll free outside of March of Kings Calgary 866.971.2437, in Calgary call Lethbridge Open 403.568.2773 Vice-President Alberta Closed/Reserves/Womens Editor: Tony Ficzere, 58 Martin Crossing Rick Pedersen Court NE, Calgary, AB, T3J 3P3 The articles contained in this publication do OTHER ADS Secretary not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Alberta Chess Association. Edmonton Chess Club Vlad Rekhson Lethbridge Chess Club University of Calgary Chess Association Treasurer ACR Ad Rates Calgary Chess Club Phil Holmstrom Advertising in the ACR is an effective way to promote your business, tournament, or sell Directors chess related articles. This is a great way for REGULAR LISTINGS chess teachers to get the word out. All ACA Ali Razzaq sanctioned tournaments receive free ad space Road Warrior Richard Pua while non sanctioned or out of province Alberta Chess Clubs Roy Yearwood events are subject to ad rates. Upcoming Tournaments & Events VACANT 2 or more Top Rating Lists Size 1 issue Dale Haessel issues Geoff Newton Full page $100 $75 per issue Aaron Sequillion Half Page $75 $50 per issue Tom McKay Quarter Page $50 $35 per issue The ACR is online at www.albertachess.org Classified $20 $15 per issue The Alberta Chess Association in partner- (requires Adobe Acrobat) ship with the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Add $20 layout if you do not provide camera Call the ACA by phone Parks and Wildlife Foundation, provides a ready material (does not apply to Classified more active lifestyle to Albertans by Toll free in Alberta providing programs to enhance living ads). Add $50 for colour (each issue). The 866-971-2437 through playing chess. The ACA greatly editor reserves the right to edit or refuse any In Calgary call acknowledges the support provided by ads submitted. 403-568-2773 ASRPWF Send your ads by email to [email protected] or call 866.971.2437 outside Calgary, or 403.568-2773 within Calgary. The Alberta Chess Association The ACR is printed by Scope Printing & Publishing To find out more about chess in Alberta 12015 76th St. NW visit www.albertachess.org Edmonton AB T5B 2C9 Call toll free in Alberta at 780-474-8929 866-971-CHES (2437) Affiliated with the 780-479-8363 In Calgary call 403-568-2773 Chess Federation of Canada www.chess.ca Alberta Chess Report ● February 2010 Page 3 th 5:20 and was taking his zaq who only succumb to a loss in the 4 Edmonton time. Nevertheless, 10 minutes endgame”. later Josh was all ready to start the International Chess lecture. The wait was certainly worth Normally the EICF is held over the it as approximately 15 chess players long weekend in August. However, Festival witnessed an interesting game that that would have been a little tough to Josh won in Netherlands just 2 months do for the organizers as they also or- prior. By showing the game Josh ganized the 2009 Canadian Open in The Edmonton International Chess nicely illustrated the different deci- July. Putting together two major events Festival took place this past December sions that a chess player of any level within two weeks is a little much to 17-21 at the Edmonton Chess Club. has to make during the game. Those ask. Wisely, Vlad and Micah decided Organized by Vlad Rekhson and Mi- decisions involve choosing whether to to move the event to December. cah Hughey, the festival included the go for more complicated lines, or safer For the first time in the tournament’s Edmonton International, the WBX ones. Josh's style is more aggressive history, GM and IM norms were guar- (Week Before Christmas) Team Tour- and even though he could have posito- anteed in this ten player/nine round nament, a lecture by GM Josh Friedel nally converted the advantage which event. That means that there were and a simul by the star of the tourna- he gathered early on, Josh argued that enough titled players where you could ment, GM Victor Mikhalevski. this would probably be the choice of be certain that you would play the re- Vlad Rekhson reports: his good friend and another tourna- quired number of games against titled ment partcipant GM Jesse Kraai. In- “This year's Edmonton International players, as well as meet all of the other stead, Josh decided to go for tactics Chess Festival was kicked off on FIDE GM and IM norm requirements. which almost cost him the win but in Wednesday, December 16 with a lec- All you had to do was win! It’s that the end earned him the brilliancy ture by GM Josh Friedel. An interest- simple. award. ing incident occured before it started, After the lecture, the crowd was enter- I acted as arbiter this time around and as the lecture was supposed to start at tained with a simul by GM Victor also ran the DGT boards. This helped 6:00, yet by 6:20 pm Josh wasn't Mikhalevski. Victor took on 10 locals the organizing committee concentrate around. Eventually, I decided to call in a clock simul and the result was a on other duties. From where I was sit- his hotel room where I found Josh lei- very convincing 10-0 including a win ting, the organizers did an exceptional surely answering the phone. It turned over yours truly and two other 2000+ job from start to finish. The only major out that Josh, who is from California opponents. Even though no one was issue to surface prior to the start of assumed that he didn't have to change able to get any points against GM Mik- round one was the news that IM elect his clock when he arrived in Edmon- halevski, Victor mentioned that proba- Daniel Rensch of the USA would not ton. Thus, he thought that it was only bly his toughest opponent was Ali Raz- be able to play. Vlad was able to fill th 4 Edmonton International Progressive Crosstable (CAN) 17-21 xii cat. VII (2412) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 T 1 Josh Friedel g USA 2551 D7 W8 W6 W2 D3 D4 W9 W10 D5 7 2 Victor Mikhalevski g ISR 2607 W9 W5 W8 L1 D4 W10 W7 W6 D3 7 3 Marc Esserman m USA 2408 W4 W10 D7 D6 D1 W9 D5 W8 D2 6.5 4 Gergely Antal m HUN 2495 L3 W9 D5 D8 D2 D1 W10 W7 W6 6 5 Jesse Kraai g USA 2509 W8 L2 D4 W10 W7 D6 D3 L9 D1 5 6 Eric Hansen f CAN 2409 W10 D7 L1 D3 W9 D5 D8 L2 L4 4 7 Edward Porper m CAN 2445 D1 D6 D3 W9 L5 D8 L2 L4 D10 3.5 8 Dale Haessel f CAN 2201 L5 L1 L2 D4 D10 D7 D6 L3 D9 2.5 9 Keith MacKinnon CAN 2125 L2 L4 D10 L7 L6 L3 L1 W5 D8 2 10 Vladimir Pechenkin f CAN 2372 L6 L3 D9 L5 D8 L2 L4 L1 D7 1.5 Alberta Chess Report ● February 2010 Page 4 Left to right: Eric Hansen, Jesse Kraai, Victor Mikhalevski, Josh Friedel, Marc Esserman, Keith MacKinnon, Vlad Pechenkin. Missing are Dale Haessel, Edward Porper and Gergely Antal.