pez, and he does still have the K- my Bishop on d5 instead of taking Upcoming Stories for the side pawn majority, a strength that the a2 pawn, then there are tactical next issue… is ever present in my mind and al- threats involving the pin of the e4 most always a permanent endgame knight. USCF-rated Match: Roland vs. Ol- advantage! The Black pawn at g4 is soy, July 9-August 1, 2012 (best of nice, however, because it does kind 28... Rxd2+ 29.Bxd2 Nd4! 12 games match) of keep White’s K at bay. And it will be hard for White to ever push For the first time in the game, ICA Summer Classic, Boise, ID, f5 given how d4 is so solidly held Black’s knight gets to a good square! July 14-15, 2012 by Black so White will likely never have a Knight there! 30.c3 Nf3 31.Nxh7 Mountain Home Summer Chess Tournament, Mountain Home, ID 26...Kb7 27.Ne4 Rd8 I thought at the time that 31.Be3 July 28, 2012 was absolutely required in light of my threat of ...Bd5 followed by ...Nxd2. But this was Game/30. Upcoming Events... Frank told me after the game that, given the short amount of time, he Eastern Idaho Open (September was focused on his own plans and 22-23, 2012, Pocatello, Idaho - only looking at what I could do on NWC Grand Prix!) the Q-side. Computer anlaysis rec- ommends 31.Be3= Bxf6 32.Nxf6 Please visit the ICA web site at: Bxa2 33.Nxg4 Ne1+ 34.Kf2 Nd3+ www.idahochessassociation.org 35.Ke2 Nxb2 36.f5. A Conversation with 31...Bd5 28.Ndf6 the Interim NWC Black is now simply winning a Editor, Frank Niro This is an important move and piece, or so I thought. But after decision in the game. The whole 32.Nhf6!= Nxd2 33.Nxd5 Nxe4 Frank Niro relocated to the North- character of the game from here 34.Ne3 a5 35.Nxg4 White has west in 2006 and, in that short on rides on this move. Black has three connected passed pawns for amount of time, has been a resident weaknesses in his K-side pawns the piece. Had the time control of all three states. Initially, he lived and with Black’s K way over on been slower, Frank would probably in Port Orchard, WA, on the farm b7, White might very well have a have played that. of radio personality Delilah Rene hey-day over there! And White has (www.delilah.com) while working some weakness in his Q-side pawns, 32.Nhg5? on his memoir (only partially about or at least that’s that it “looks” like. chess) and volunteering as her busi- There could be some poison in Oops. Here’s a common situation ness development manager. those pawns, but pawns are pawns in fast time controls. While not in too! After the coming exchange actual time trouble yet, Frank ad- He moved to Oregon City with his of rooks, the resulting minor piece mitted that he rushed his move in wife, Natasha, in 2007. Last year ending is critical. The “fine point” order to avoid a future time scram- they moved to Idaho to be near her is that after Black puts his Knight ble. He called it the pressure of the parents. Currently, he is on the fac- on d4 (which happens next move), impending time pressure. In any ulty of Cornell University in Ithaca, then f3 is a great outpost for it! case... NY, where he serves as Executive- And for the first time in the game, in-Residence in the Sloan Program Black will have something that is 32...Nxd2! 0–1 in Health Administration in the in White’s territory. Plus, if I put School of Human Ecology. In the Northwest Chess August 2012 Page 45 Natasha and Frank Niro, pictured here, A Conversation with Frank Niro met in West Seattle in 2006 and were mar- (continued from previous page) ried in Oregon City in 2007. Spring of 2013, he will be returning to campus to co- U.S. Open for fear of blood teach (with his wife) a course entitled “Strategic and Busi- clots. So I did what I should ness Planning for Healthcare Professionals.” His profes- have done a lot sooner and re- sional “bio” can be found on the Cornell University web signed. I was accused of disap- site (www.human.cornell.edu/bio.cfm?netid=fan3). pearing without resigning and a variety of other nonsense. Fol- Last fall, I had the unusual opportunity of driving to lowing that, I became “persona Crossville, TN, and visiting the offices of the United non grata.” I prepared a detailed States Chess Federation with Frank. On the trip, my eyes analysis of the USCF financial were opened to his 45-year career promoting chess every- position and nobody in control wanted to hear what I where he has been. In a sense, this “interview” began on had to say. I attended the Executive Board meeting in that trip. I would like to introduce you to the Frank Niro October 2003, along with the representatives of the City that I have come to know. of Crossville and the buyer for our New York property. We weren’t even given the courtesy of being invited into Jeff Roland: Welcome to Idaho. I understand that you the meeting. I addressed some of these issues publicly were U.S. Chess Federation Executive Director from in 2009, so there’s no need to repeat it now. The details December 2001 to August 2003 and left for medical are located online at: http://twchesssafari.blogspot. reasons. How did you come to choose Idaho as a com/2009/03/resignation-great-laptop-caper.html. place to settle down? I moved to Connecticut to be near my son in 2004 and Frank Niro: Thank you. We love it here in the “Great to Queens to share an apartment with Stephan Gerzad- Northwest.” Except for the absence of Fenway Park and owiz around 2005. Then, in 2006, Delilah invited me to Dunkin’ Donuts franchises, the area is perfect. Seattle to work on my memoir. I met my wife, Tash, in West Seattle and we were married in Oregon City in 2007. Yes, I was pretty ill back then. I probably should not have We came to Meridian in March of 2010 so that we could returned to work after my earlier stroke, at least not a job spend more time with my in-laws. that required so much travel. I suffered a heart attack in March of 2003. Fortunately I was staying with Al Law- Jeff Roland: So who in the chess world has influenced rence at the time and he literally saved my life by calling you most over the years? an ambulance in the middle of the night. He knew I was in trouble when I told him that it “felt like Steve Doyle Frank Niro: I feel very fortunate to have had many men- was standing on my chest.” He still likes to tell people tors, from Martin Morrison in the early days to Harold that story. Dondis, George Mirijanian, Helen Warren, John McCrary and others. But if I had to choose one person whose sup- Then three weeks after having two stents inserted into my port and advice I treasure most, it would be Dr. Tim Red- anterior descending artery, I went right back to the office. man, twice the President of USCF. I met Tim at the U.S. Following that, while on a trip to Tennessee to sign the Open in St. Paul 2000 when I was on the Board of the paperwork for the new office in Crossville, I suffered a U.S. Chess Trust. He helped me gain a fellowship to work pulmonary embolism. It took five days for me to drive on a Ph.D. in Chess in Education at the University of back to New York. As a result, I missed a bunch of criti- Texas at Dallas, and he spent countless hours answering cal meetings - most notably those involving our auditors my questions about how to make chess more attractive - with the unfortunate result that the published financial to the masses. Tim taught me much about a lot of differ- statements for 2002 were overly conservative. I didn’t let ent subjects and put me on a good track in my life. I will anyone know how sick I was at the time. It was a dumb always be grateful for his guidance. He is a behind-the- move because, when I couldn’t do it any more, it looked scenes guy, and I have tried to emulate him in that regard. to some people like I was leaving for other reasons. My (continued on page 43) doctor advised me not to fly to Los Angeles for the Page 46 August 2012 Northwest Chess Class E and Below Class D and Below 1 Patterson Katie R 9 1 Buerer Harry F 30.5 1 Richards Jerrold 68.5 1 Blake Lloyd 9 2 Lian Hansen 17.5 2 Haining Breck 38 3 Blake Isaac R 8.5 2 Brahmarouthu Abhinav 17.5 2 Dixon Max L 38 4 Three tied at 6 4 Svetal Scott M 17 4 Chalasani Sujatha D 36 5 Botez Andrea C C 14.5 5 Two tied at 34.5 Overall Leaders, by State 1 Leslie Cameron D 28.5 1 Raptis Nick 109 1 Buck Stephen J 100 2 Joshi Kairav 27.5 2 Saputra Yogi 77.5 2 Szabo Marcell 82 3 Weyland Ronald M 27 3 Gaikwad Dagadu B 50 3 Bartron Paul R 76 4 Williams Richard R 22 4 Esler Brian J 44 4 Zhang Derek 73.5 5 Jaroski Jeffrey A 21.5 5 Sato-Duncan Takuma 34.5 5 Ramesh Jothi N 70 6 Bodie Brad 20 6 Sherrard Jerry 34 6 Richards Jerrold 68.5 7 Havrilla Mark A 15.5 7 Fisette Robert A 33 7 Pupols Viktors 57 8 Kircher Caleb P 10.5 7 Doddapaneni Venkat S 33 8 Nagase Toshihiro 56.5 9 Patterson Kevin R 10 9 Cigan Jason 32.5 9 Nagase Masayuki 55.5 10 Patterson Katie R 9 9 Sharan Praveer 32.5 10 Lampman Becca 55 10 Blake Lloyd 9 11 Gay Daniel Z 30.5 11 Wang James 54.5 Players in Database: 2012 Most active GP players class ID OR WA Oth.