Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Newsletter #473

 
Your skills are like individual muscles and you have to work the right ones. I find that for calculation comes the need to do blindfold work. In other words, if you start to think about analysis and calculation, you can't move the pieces. You are absolutely prohibited from moving the pieces. So what I would say to you is that we're not going to analyze, we're not going to play blindfold, I'm going to read out moves to you and I want you to tell me how far you can hold the position until it becomes unclear. And the point is that if you're able to mentally picture the clarity of the game, even if it gets complicated with sacrifices, then you're going to improve.
 
Yasser Seirawan  ( Answering the question how one can improve their analytic skills. Interview with a Grandmaster by Aaron and Claire Summerscale, page 30)
 
 
1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News
2) William (Bill) Cutler Haines 1939?-2009
3) Berkeley Chess Club News by Marc Newman
4) Here and There
5) Upcoming Events
 
1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News
 
Michael Pearson drew in a tough battle with fellow NM Andy Lee last night. This half point enabled Pearson to take home first prize with 7.5 from 9  in a 66-player field. Right behind him at 7 were Lee, and Experts Romy Fuentes and Evan Sandberg. This performance enabled Fuentes to regain his Master's rating while Sandberg's result puts him solidly in the 2100s. The next Tuesday Marathon, an eight rounder, starts January 5.
 
IM Sam Shankland has his own site. Go to http://www.samshankland.com/
 
Congratulations to 12-year-old NM Yian Liou who was named as to the US Chess League All Star team. Go to www.uschessleague.com to read more about this.
 
First Team:

1. GM Hikaru Nakamura (SEA) (2759)
2. GM Boris Gulko (NJ) (2609)
3. IM Angelo Young (CHC) (2325)
4. NM Eric Rodriguez (MIA) (2290)

Average Rating: 2496


Second Team:

1. GM Julio Becerra (MIA) (2615)
2. IM Dean Ippolito (NJ) (2535)
3. FM Andrei Zaremba (QNS) (2398)
4. SM Yaacov Norowitz (NY) (2354)

Average Rating: 2476


Third Team:

1. GM Alex Stripunsky (QNS) (2628)
2. GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) (2565)
3. IM Marc Esserman (BOS) (2461)
4. NM Yian Liou (SF) (2149)

Average Rating: 2451
 
 
2) William (Bill) Cutler Haines 1939?-2009
 
William (Bill) Cutler Haines, one of the pioneers of electronic chess databases, died in early December in Vallejo where he had been living for many years.
 
Most Bay Area players first got to know Bill in the 1980s, but he actually got his start at the Sacramento Chess Club in 1955. Two years after joining he played his first USCF rated tournament in the auditorium of the Spreckles-Russell  Dairy Company located at 1717 Mission Street in San Francisco. Winning his first three games gave Bill the honor of playing 14-year-old Bobby Fischer who would win the event with a score of 8.5-.5, drawing only with second place finisher Gil Ramirez.  Bill finished the event with a fifty percent score against strong opposition to earn an initial rating of 1950. He soon made it over 2000 and  became an Expert. Haines was rated in the 2100s for much of his career but never quite earned the Master's title.
 
Bill left California for Missouri sometime in the mid to late 1960s and appears to have spent the next twenty years of his life there. Former USCF Executive Director Al Lawrence and International Master Elliott Winslow remember Bill from his days in Kansas City where he had an ongoing rivalry with fellow Expert Jack Winters, proprietor of the Chess House. The two players had a clash of styles with Haines always preferring positional play and Winters the role of the attacker.
 
Before he devoted himself to Chess Database work Bill Haines was a professional studio photographer. He once told IM Winslow that his two most famous clients were the Hearst family and Barbi Klein. The latter was a teen department store model in Sacramento when he photographed her. Later, under the name Barbi Benton, she became better known as a Playboy's Playmate of the Month and the girlfriend of Hugh Hefner.
 
A friendly and witty man, standing 6 feet tall and weighing over 350 pounds most of his life,  Bill Haines was a colorful character who would often arrive at tournaments on his motorcycle. More than once he brought his bulldog to spectate at the People's Open in Berkeley.
 
Eric Schiller writes about his good friend:
 
His legacy is the many bulletins he did enriching our databases. A friend who was always offering to help, but whose physical ailments limited his work, which wasn't properly appreciated or rewarded.
 
Here are three of Bill's games from the 1957 US Junior Open.
 
Wilcox,R - Haines,William Cutler [C99]
USA-Jr San Francisco, CA (3), 1957


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.d5 Nb4 15.Bb1 a5 16.a3 Na6 17.b3 Bd7 18.Ra2 Rfc8 19.Rc2 Qb7 20.Re3 Rxc2 21.Qxc2 Rc8 22.Rc3 Rxc3 23.Qxc3 Qc7 24.Qxc7 Nxc7 25.Nf1 Na6 26.Be3 Be8 27.N3d2 Nd7 28.f3 Bd8 29.Kf2 Bb6 30.Bxb6 Nxb6 31.Ke3 Nc5 32.Ba2 f5 33.Ke2 f4 34.Nh2 h5 35.Nhf1 Bd7 36.Nh2 Kf7 37.Nhf1 Kf6 38.Nh2 Kg5 39.Nhf1 Kh4 40.Kd1 g5 41.Kc2 Bxh3 42.gxh3 Kxh3 43.Kd1 g4 44.fxg4 hxg4 45.Ke2 Kg2 46.Bb1 a4 47.bxa4 Nbxa4 48.Bc2 Nc3+ 49.Ke1 Kg1 White lost on time 0-1


Fischer,R - Haines,William Cutler [C97]
USA-Jr San Francisco (4) 1957

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 Bd7 13.Nf1 Rfe8 14.Ne3 cxd4 15.cxd4 Nc4 16.Nxc4 bxc4 17.Bd2 Rad8 18.Bc3 Bf8 19.Qd2 g6 20.Ba5 Qb8 21.Bxd8 Qxd8 22.b3 cxb3 23.Bxb3 Qb6 24.Rab1 Qd8 25.Bc4 Nxe4 26.Rxe4 Bf5 27.Ree1 Bxb1 28.Rxb1 e4 29.Nh2 Qh4 30.Rb7 Bh6 31.Qe2 Rf8 32.Ng4 Qg5 33.Qe3 Qxg4 34.hxg4 Bxe3 35.fxe3 h6 36.Rd7 Kg7 37.Rxd6 Rc8 38.Bb3 1-0


Haines,William Cutler  - Bennett,J [B66]
USA-Jr San Francisco, CA (6), 1957

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 Be7 8.0-0-0 a6 9.f4 Qd7 10.Bc4 Na5 11.Be2 0-0 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Ne8 14.Ne4 Nc6 15.Qe3 Nxd4 16.Rxd4 Bxg5 17.Nxg5 Qe7 18.Bd3 g6 19.g3 Ng7 20.Nxh7 Rd8 21.Nf6+ Kf8 22.Qh6 Qc7 23.Rxd8+ Qxd8 24.Qh8+ Ke7 25.Qxg7 Qa5 26.Bxg6 Qxe5 27.Ng8+ 1-0
 
 
3) Berkeley Chess Club News by Marc Newman
 

Please note that the next Berkeley Chess Club Friday tournament will begin on January 8th, not December 18th.

The signup page is here:  http://www.berkeleychessschool.org/pages/show/20

On January 1st at 7 pm the club will hold a double blitz tournament with G/5 and $10 entry fee.  Please call 510-843-0150 for details.  

The next Saturday G/45 tournament will be February 13th, so please mark your calendars!  

 
4) Here and There
 
Texas has had some great tournaments ( Dallas 1957 and San Antonio 1972 come readily to mind) but who would have thought ten years ago that the Lone Star state would be the focal point for high level round robin tournaments in the United States. Just the past few months Susan Polgar's SPICE organization held two major round robins at Texas Tech in Lubbock and the University of Texas at Dallas Invitational ended in late November.
 
Here are the results of the UTD event.
 
1-2. GMs Izoria (GEO, 2589) and Kacheishvili (GEO, 2583) - 6 out of 9,
3. GM Ramirez (CRC, 2547) - 5½,
4. IM Wang Puchen (NZL, 2466) - 5,
5-7. Ludwig (USA, 2461), IM Zivanic (SRB, 2472) and IM Stopa (POL, 2493) - 4½,
8-10. GM Simutowe (ZAM, 2481), IM Bercys (USA, 2439) and IM Sadorra (PHI, 2478) - 3.
 

Harvard professor and Grandmaster Ken Rogoff, former chief economist for the International Monetary Fund and an economic adviser to John McCain, has a new book out. Co-written with C. Reinhardt, This Time is Different, 8 Centuries of Financial Folly." (Princeton, 496p., $35) is getting great reviews.  The Economist (9/12/09) calls it "essential reading...original." The main thesis is we never learn from disasters.
 
5) Upcoming Events
 
 
MI Events - got to www.chessclub.org for more information.
 
2010
 
Local Events

Jan. 1-3 or 2-3, GPP: 30 California Northern

NorCal Open 2010 6SS 30/90 G/60 (2-day option, rounds 1-3 G/60).

Hotel: Hyatt Regency Santa Clara, 5101 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA 95054. 4-star rooms @ $99. Free parking. Prizes: $6,007 129 paid entries.

7 sections.

Master/Open (FIDE rated): $$ Gtd. 700-300-201 (u2300: 200 100)

EXPERT: $400-200-101 (u2100: 100-100)

A: $400-200-101 (u1900: 100-100)

B: $400-200-101 (u1700: 100-100)

C: $400-200-101 (u1500: 100-100)

D/E: $400-200-101 (u1200: 100-100).

Unrated may enter any section but prize limit of $200 in all u2200 sections;

balance goes to next player(s) in line.

EF: $85 3-day, $79 2-day mailed or online by 12/20. Add $5 for 12/21-23, 12/24-26 $15

(no mailed entries after 12/26), add $25 onsite, add $19 for play-up, subtract $45 for BayAreaChess Pass.

GMs & IMs free before 12/20 (entry fee deducted from prize).

Re-entry $39. TD may assign ratings.

3-day schedule: Reg.: Fri 10-10:30a, Fri/Sat 11:30a 4:45p, Sun 10a, 3:15p.

2-day sched: Reg.: Sa 9-9:30a, Sat 10, 12:10, 2:20, 4:45p. Sun 10a, 3:15p.

Byes must commit before rd 3. Max 2 byes.

Hotel $99 BayAreaChess rate, 800-233-1234. reserve by 12/18 or rate may increase.

Ent: BayAreaChess, 4423 Fortran Ct., Ste. 160, San Jose, CA 95134.

$20 service charge for refunds.

Questions: contact@BayAreaChess.com, Tel 408-786-5515.

Info & Entries: BayAreaChess.com/events/10norcal

NS NC W

WCL JGP


 

Jan. 15-18, 16-18 or 17-18   Golden State Open   GPP: 200 Enhanced   California Northern

7SS, 40/2, SD/1 (3-day option rds. 1-2 G/75, 2-day option rds. 1-4 G/35, no 2-day Open Section.) Under 900 Section plays separate 2-day schedule Jan 17-18 only, G/35. At Concord Hilton Hotel, 1970 Diamond Blvd., Concord, CA 94520 (I-680 Willow Pass Rd exit). Free shuttle between hotel and Concord BART station. Free parking. $$60,000 based on 450 paid entries (re-entries & U900 Section count as 1/3 entries), minimum guarantee $40,000 (2/3 each prize). Open, open to all. $$4000-2200-1300-1000-800-700-600-500-400-400, clear or tiebreak winner $300, top U2400 $2000-1000. FIDE. Under 2200: $3000-1500-800-700-600-500-400-300-200-200. Under 2000: $3000-1500-800-700- 600-500-400-300-200-200. Under 1800: $3000-1500-800-700-600-500-400-300-200-200. Under 1600: $2500-1300-700-600-500-400-300-300-200-200. Under 1400: $2000-1000-700-500-400- 300-200-200. Under 1200: $2000-1000-700-500-400-300-200-200. Under 900: $800-400-200-150-100-80-70. Prize limits: 1) Unrated (0-3 lifetime games rated) may enter any section, with maximum prize U900 $200, U1200 $400, U1400 $600, U1600 $900, U1800 $1200, U2000 $1500. 2) Players with under 26 lifetime games rated may not win over $400 in U900, $800 in U1200 or $1200 in U1400. 3) If more than 30 points above section maximum on any list 1/09-12/09, prize limit $1000. 4) Balance of any limited prize goes to next player(s) in line. Top 7 sections EF: 4-day $174, 3-day $173, 2-day $172 mailed by 1/7, all $175 online at chesstour.com by 1/12, $180 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 1/12 (entry only, no questions), $200 at site. GMs free; $150 deducted from prize. Under 900 Section EF: $52 mailed by 1/7, $55 online at chesstour.com by 1/12 (entry only, no questions), $60 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 1/12, $70 at site. All: Special 1 yr USCF dues with Chess Life if paid with entry: online at chesstour.com $30; mailed, phoned or paid at site $40. Re-entry (except Master) $60. Mailed EF $5 less to rated CalChess members. 4-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6:15 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 & 6, Sun 11 & 6, Mon 10 & 4:30. 3-day schedule: Reg. Sat to 10:15 am, rds Sat 11, 2:30 & 6, Sun 11 & 6, Mon 10 & 4:30. 2-day schedule: Reg Sun to 9:15 am, rds Sun 10-12-2-4-6, Sun 10-4:30, not available for Open Section. Under 900 schedule: Reg. Sun to 9:15 am, rds. Sun. 10-12-2-4, Mon. 10-12-2. Byes: OK all; Open must commit before rd 2, others before rd 4; limit 3 byes in Open. Unofficial uschess.org ratings based on 4 or more games usually used if otherwise unrated. Foreign player ratings: See chesstour.com. HR: $99-99-109, 925-827-2000, reserve by 1/1 or rate may increase. Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633. Questions: chesstour.com, 845-496-9658. Ent: Continental Chess, c/o Goichberg, Box 661776, Arcadia, CA 91066. $15 service charge for withdrawals. Advance entries posted at chesstour.com. WCL JGP.

 
 
Spring Chess Festival
February 27-28, 2010
Sponsored by
Atlantis Business Insurance Solutions, LLC
$9,000 Prize Fund b/150 paid entries.
One of the BIGGEST tournaments of the year at the recently renovated 8,000 sq.f. facility!!!
6 rounds of exciting chess action in 6 sections!
Location: 415 Grand Ave 3rd floor, South San Francisco, CA 94080
Entry Fee: Advanced Entries are $80 for entries postmarked by February 14th. Entry at the
tournament site is $100. Players may play up one section for additional $20. IMs and GMs have
free entries ($50 will be deducted from the prize). Unrated players can play up in Master’s section
or Unrated section. Cash only at site.
Time Control: Game in 90.
Regestration & Schedule: Registration: 8:30-9:45 am on 02/27. Rds: 10 am, 1:30 pm, 5:00 pm
both days.
Prizes: Open Section: $700-$500-$300, Top U2300/Unr $300, Under 2200: $600-$400-350,
Under 2000: $600-$400-350, Under 1800: $600-$400-350, Under 1600: $600-$400-350, Under
1400: $600-$400-350, Top U1200 $300. Unrated may not win over $150.
Questions? - Call TD Felix German at (415) 335-0900 or email: felix@atlantisbusinessinsurance.com
Join our group on Facebook: Bay Area Chess Tournaments
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mail advance entries to: 723 Camino Plaza, PMB #170, San Bruno CA 94066. Make checks
payable to: Felix German.
I want to play/play up in a section [ ] Open, [ ] Expert, [ ] A, [ ] B, [ ] C, [ ] D/E. My rating is_____
I need a bye in round: [ ] 1, [ ] 2, [ ] 3, [ ] 4, [ ] 5, [ ] 6, - max. 2 half pt byes, must commit prior
to rd 1.
Name: _________________________________________, USCF ID#______________________
Address:________________________________________________________________________
Email:__________________________________________________________________________
Check enclosed for [ ] $80 Advanced Entry fee + [ ] $_____ Play up Fee = $_____ Total

 

 

Regional Events

 

January 8-10
2010 Century West Open
5-SS, 3-day 40/2, SD/1, 2-day rds 1-2 G/60 then merges. LAX Hilton, 5711 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90045.
$$10,000 b/200, 50% of each prize guaranteed. In 3 sections:
Open: $$1500-1000-800-400-200, U2400 200, U2300 200, U2200 750-500-300, U2100 200, U2000 200. EF $83 by 1/8, $95 door.
Premier (U1900: $$750-500-300-100, U1700 500-300-200. EF $83 by 1/8, $95 door.
Amateur (U1500): $$400-250-100, U1300 100-50, U1100 100, Unr 100. EF $67 by 1/8, $80 door.
Reg: 5:30-6:30 1/8, 9-10 a.m. 1/9.
Rds: 3-day: 7, 10:30-5, 10-4:30. 2-day: 10:30-1 (G/1), then merges with 3-day at 5.
All: SCCF membership req. ($18 re, $10 jr). $25 Best Game prize, all sections eligible. 1 half-point bye rds 1-4 if requested at least 1 round in advance, rd. 5 must be requested with entry.
HR: $99, (310) 410-4000, use Group Code CWO. Parking $8/day.
Info: admin@westernchess.com. Web site, on-line entry: www.westernchess.com.
Ent: SCCF, c/o John Hillery, 835 N. Wilton Pl. #1, Los Angeles, CA 90038.
NS. NC. F. GP: 40. State Championship Qualifier.


National Events


Feb. 12-14 or 13-14   2010 U.S. Amateur Team Championship - North   Wisconsin
Two sections: Open and Scholastic (Saturday only). Open: 5SS, G/90+30/move/increment (G/120 if digital clocks not available; 2-day: rd.1-2 G/60). Crowne Plaza Hotel Milwaukee Airport, 6401 South 13th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53221. 1-414-764-5300. $79.99 chess rate, please reserve early. Open to 4 player teams with one optional alternate. Team average (4 highest ratings-2009 Annual Rating List) must be under 2200. EF: 3-day $140, 2-day $141 per team if received by February 9th, $180 thereafter. Individuals wishing to play, send $35 and request to be put on a team. Team changes on site $20. Check out official website www.wichessacademy.com All advance entries will be posted on February 10th. Prizes: Awards to top two teams, top teams with average rating u1900, u1600, and u1300. Winning team qualifies for national play-offs. Prizes to best team composed of juniors (high school and younger). Prizes to top score on each board. Rounds: 3-day: on-site registration/check-in 5:30-6:30pm, rds.: 7pm, 11:00am & 5:00pm, 10:00am & 3:30pm. 2-day: on-site registration/check-in 9:00-10:30am, rds. 11:00am & 2:00pm then merge with 3-day. **Saturday Only** Scholastic section. 4SS, G/60. Open to 4 player teams with one optional alternate. Team average (4 highest-2009 Annual Rating List) must be under 1600. EF: $120 per team if received by February 9th, $150 thereafter. Individuals wishing to play, send $30 and request to be put on a team. Team changes on site $20. All advance entries will be posted on www.wichessacademy.com on February 10th. Prizes: awards to top team overall, top three High School Teams, top three Middle School Teams, top three Elementary School Teams. Prizes to top score on each board. Rounds: on-site registration/check-in: 9:00am-10:30am; rds.: 11:00am, 1:30pm, 3:45pm, 6:00pm. Checks made payable to and send to: VICA, 6822 North Crestwood Dr., Glendale, WI 53209. Please include Team's name and roster, captain's email and phone number, and desired schedule. Info: abetaneli@hotmail.com, ashish@vajachess.com, 608-334-2574, 414-234-1005. WCL JGP.