ACR August 2010
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Alberta Chess Report Publication of the Alberta Chess Association Summer 2010 Special Issue! The Alberta Summer of Chess South wins Battle of Alberta The smiling faces tell the story. The team from southern Alberta dominated their northern coun- terparts in Red Deer, making it 2 years in a row. Will the south complete the hat trick in 2011? GM Charbonneau wins BATB th 5 Edmonton International GM Magesh Panchanathan overpowered the field in Edmonton this summer, winning 8 out of 9 games with only one draw, easily taking 1st. This set a new record for most points in the tourna- ment. GM Jesse Kraai has been to every Edmonton International and was all alone in 2nd. Richard Wang put in the best performance by an Albertan. The internet audience was the largest to view an Alberta event this year. Hats off to the organizers for putting on an excellent event. Calgary International Chess Classic Lawrence Day made the observation that many of the players in Calgary this year had played in at least one tournament at Lone Pine. This was certainly the strongest Calgary International and it was also the strongest tournament in Alberta this year. GM Mikhalevski was the class of the field taking clear 1st, but not without taking some blows on the way. Calgary’s Eric Hansen secured his 3rd and final IM norm this year. He secured the norm on his 18th birthday! Alberta Chess Report ● Summer 2010 Page 2 ALBERTA CHESS REPORT INSIDE THIS ISSUE The ACR is published every two months. Canadian Chess Challenge Deadline for submissions and changes is two Battle at the Border weeks prior to the month of publication. 5th Edmonton International We want your submissions! We are always Battle of Alberta looking for articles on chess as they relate to Calgary International Chess Classic Alberta Chess Alberta. Over/Under 1800 Association Submissions are acceptable in any electronic Edmonton International Qualifier text form, while pictures can be submitted in the following formats: tiff, jpeg, bmp, gif. President All articles are written by the editor unless TOURNAMENT ADS Rick Pedersen otherwise credited. Medicine Hat Open Submit your request by email to: Edmonton Fall Sectional Past President [email protected] or fax to: 403.568.7178 2010 Alberta Open Ford Wong To speak to the editor, call toll free outside of Calgary 866.971.2437, in Calgary call OTHER ADS 403.568.2773 Vice-President Editor: Tony Ficzere, 58 Martin Crossing Lethbridge Chess Club Micah Hughey Court NE, Calgary, AB, T3J 3P3 Grande Prairie Chess Club The articles contained in this publication do Calgary Chess Club Secretary not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Edmonton Chess Club Alberta Chess Association. Vlad Rekhson ChessMart Treasurer ACR Ad Rates REGULAR LISTINGS Phil Holmstrom Advertising in the ACR is an effective way to Road Warrior promote your business, tournament, or sell Alberta Chess Clubs Directors chess related articles. This is a great way for Upcoming Tournaments & Events chess teachers to get the word out. All ACA Ali Razzaq sanctioned tournaments receive free ad space Top Rating Lists Richard Pua while non sanctioned or out of province Roy Yearwood events are subject to ad rates. VACANT 2 or more Size 1 issue issues Dale Haessel Geoff Newton Full page $100 $75 per issue The ACR is online at Aaron Sequillion Half Page $75 $50 per issue www.albertachess.org Tom McKay (requires Adobe Acrobat) Quarter Page $50 $35 per issue Call the ACA by phone The Alberta Chess Association in partner- Classified $20 $15 per issue Toll free in Alberta 866-971-2437 ship with the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Add $20 layout if you do not provide camera Parks and Wildlife Foundation, provides a ready material (does not apply to Classified In Calgary call more active lifestyle to Albertans by 403-568-2773 providing programs to enhance living ads). Add $50 for colour (each issue). The through playing chess. The ACA greatly editor reserves the right to edit or refuse any acknowledges the support provided by ads submitted. 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 ● Summer 2010 Page 3 Canadian Chess Challenge By Bruce Thomas 2010 in Montreal marked the 22nd time Alberta has sent a team to the Canadian Chess Challenge. Team Alberta had a very successful time in Montreal from May 22 to 24. Even the weather was better than in Alberta - sunny skies, warm temperatures! The Alberta Team set a new record for points earned during the Grades 1 through 12 competition with the nine other prov- inces. For the three previous years, Alberta for 4th place; Grade 11: Yaroslav Babich, Calgary - 5 was stalled at 64 points, one behind its Grade 2: Patrick Tolentino*, Calgary - 7 points for 6th; record of 65 set in Montreal in 2002. The points, tied for 2nd -4th place after tiebreak; Grade 12: Ryan Lacy, Edmonton - 4.5 2010 team did great by getting 71.5 points Grade 3: Ian McCullough, Sherwood Park points, tied for 4th place. th and even though it ended in its average 4 - 7.5 points for 2nd; * 2009 Alberta Champ previous grade place, Alberta's score was much closer to Grade 4: Jamil Kassam*, Edmonton - 7 st Next year the Canadian Chess Challenge the usual leading provinces of Ontario (1 points for 3rd; with 91.5) and Quebec (2nd with 80.5). will take place in Victoria, BC. Brian Ray- Grade 5: Diwen Shi, Calgary - 6 points for mer will be the organizer. Many will re- British Columbia with 79 points took third rd 3 ; member Brian and his team who hosted place. Grade 6: Dennis Situ, Edmonton - 3 points th both the 2009 CYCC and the 2009 Cana- B.C. got third place by beating Alberta, 7- for 7 ; dian Junior. Both of these events were well 5, in the final round of play on Monday. Grade 7: Yuekai Wang*, Calgary - 6.5 nd organized tournaments. 2011 should be One more win by Alberta would have tied points, 2 after tiebreak; Grade 8: Nicka another excellent event. B.C. and Alberta, but B.C. would still have Kalaydina*, Calgary -7 points, tied for 2nd been third with more total points. So in the after tiebreak; Thanks to Bruce Thomas, Angelo Tolen- end, Alberta finished 4th overall. Grade 9: David Zhang*, Calgary - 8 points tino and Rob McCullough for their part in for 2nd; the tournament. Bruce was the Alberta The individual results of 2010 Alberta Grade 10: David Miller, Grande Prairie - 4 organizer and Angelo and Rob assisted as Team Members were: points, tied for 7th; coaches during the tournament. Grade 1: Kaining Lin, Edmonton - 6 points Alberta Chess Report ● Summer 2010 Page 4 they played straight bullet or 1 minute about his career and where he wanted to go Battle at the Border chess. Nakamura is probably the strongest with it. Nakamura’s goal is to become Photo’s courtesy of Don MacKinnon bullet player in the world. His ICC rating number 1 in the world. Next question! is something crazy like 3500. I estimated Pascal spoke about pattern recognition at The city of he was moving at the rate of 2 moves per one point and explained to the audience Lloydminster is second. He is probably even faster with a that if you play the same opening all the situated on the bor- mouse. time, your pattern recognition does not der of Saskatche- After several hours of speed chess, most of develop very much. He recommended wan and Alberta. the players decided to turn in which left playing as many openings as you can, not Half of the city sits Hansen vs. Gluckie. The games were ac- only to expand your repertoire but to de- in Saskatchewan, companied by some of the best trash talk I velop your pattern recognition. Sage ad- the other half in have ever heard. Of course, Eric was giv- vice. Alberta. The tour- ing Jamin time odds as well, but Jamin Back in the tournament hall, Robert Sasata nament name makes perfect sense. was holding his own. When a decision and Jill Koshinsky were preparing things Usually, the BATB is a casual tournament. couldn’t be found on the board, the play Normally you get a sprinkling of players moved outside when Jamin challenged from Saskatchewan and Alberta. This year Eric to a wresting match. It didn’t seem to it was a bit different. With the likes of GM matter that it was 1 a.m. and the Hikaru Nakamura, GM Pascal Charbon- neighbourhood was fast asleep. The bell neau, IM Yan Teplitsky, IM Eric Hansen rings. Eric got off to a good start and had and FM Jack Yoos, it was not your typical Jamin in some kind of hold, things were weekend swiss. looking good for the young IM. Jamin Held over the Labour Day weekend in eventually got out of the hold and tried to early September, the BATB was a very get Eric in a head lock. Jamin lunged for interesting event. I did my usual duty of Eric at one point. Hansen dropped down running the DGT boards and entering and Jamin went face first into the wooden games.