Mechanics' Institute Chess Room Newsletter # 94

"Spassky was less concerned about the position's evaluation than about the character of the arising struggle. If he liked the character of the battle, he felt absolutely at home and, as a rule, didn't fail to outplay his opponents."
   Garry Kasparov

1) Erin Harrington wins Providian Mechanics' Bay Area Scholastic Championship
2) Wong leads MI Summer Tuesday Night Marathon
3) De Guzman triumphs in Jessie Jeans
4) Michael Goodall 
5) Upcoming Events

Honor Roll of Imre Konig Memorial donors: fund raising is now over $13,000
Tibor Weinberger, Mark Pinto, Jim Eade, Neil Falconer, Toshio Imai, Vince McCambridge, Bryan Bilby, Bear Stearns, Tom Allen, Max Wilkerson, John Cannon, Haluk Akol, Mike Goodall, Dr. Ben Gross, Smartchess, Peter Stevens and Kevan Gross.

1) Erin Harrington wins Providian Mechanics' Bay Area Scholastic Championship

Erin Harrington won the rated section of the 2002 Providian Mechanics' Bay Area Scholastic Championship held this past Saturday with a 5-0 score. Tying for second at 4-1 in the 34 player section were Erin's brother, Anyon, and Levon Mikhitaryan. A total of 56 players competed in the two section event sponsored by Providian Bank and the Mechanics' Institute. Anthony Corrales organized and directed this free event which saw every child win a trophy or medal and receive a chess book due to the generosity of the sponsors. It is hoped that this will be come an annual event.

2) Wong leads MI Summer Tuesday Night Marathon

Russell Wong defeated fellow National Master David Blohm to increase his lead in the Summer Tuesday Night Marathon to a full point. Wong lead the 69-player event with a 5-0 score.

3) De Guzman triumphs in Jessie Jeans

IM Ricardo De Guzman won the Jessie Jeans Open held this past weekend in Santa Rosa with a 4-0 score. NM Robin Cunningham and up-and-coming junior Alex Setzepfandt shared second at 2 1/2. Michael Goodall directed and organized the two section, 46 player event.

4) Michael Goodall

Last Newsletter I wrote that it was Alan Benson who directed the 1984 US Championship held in Berkeley. In fact it was Michael Goodall who did. Michael also directed the 1975 (Oberlin, Ohio) and 1986 (Estes Park, Colorado) US Championships.

5) Upcoming Events

Charles Bagby Memorial: July 20
Vladimir Pafhutieff Memorial: August 17

Both these events are 5-round, G/45, Swiss system events starting at 10 AM. The links for these two tournaments will be up shortly.

August 12-16 3rd Annual Mechanics' Institute Chess Camp for Intermediate and Advanced Players (1200-2200)

This is not a camp for players that want to jump two rating classes in five days. You won't learn how to win against the Sicilian every time using the Grand Prix Attack. So why our camp and not others? At the MI camp you will get a look inside a GM's laboratory and get a feel for how they work on their game from the ground up. You will learn not only the importance of analyzing your own games, but also how to do it properly. You will learn to identify the critical points of the game and to understand when and why things went wrong.

You will learn how to use ChessBase and Fritz efficiently as part of a daily training program as well as utilizing resources on the Internet such as TWIC and the Internet Chess Club. Today chess books are cranked out at an incredible rate. Some of them are very good, many are quite bad. We will help students learn to select that which is truly useful.

On the fun side our instructors have unique experience in international competition. Expect to hear stories and anecdotes about what it's like to play against Kasparov and defend first board in a Chess Olympiad. Instructors: Grandmasters Alex Yermolinsky, International Masters John Donaldson and Guillermo Rey, and MI Scholastic Director Anthony Corrales.

Who: Open to all ages from 8 and up.
When : August 12-16, from 9am to 5pm
Where: 57 Post Street, 4th floor (Montgomery BART station)
Cost: $320 for Mechanics' members, $355 for junior (under 21) non-members, $405 for adult non-members. All non-members will receive a one year membership in the MI. There is a limit of 40 players for this camp. If you can't attend the whole camp there is a drop in fee of $80 a day

Regional Events:

Jul. 5-7 GPP: 6 N. California
2002 Sacramento Chess Championship. 6SS, Rds: 3-day 30/90, G/1; 2-day Rds. 1-3 G/60, 4-6 30/90 G/1. 5-sec. delay on all TC's. Best Western Expo Inn, 1413 Howe Ave., Sacramento. HR: 916-922-9833 or 1-800-643-4422. Ask for Sacramento Chess Club rates. 3 Sections: Master/Expert (above 1999), Reserve (1600-1999), Amateur (U1600). $$: 1st place in ea. sect. $300 & trophy, 1st prize in Master/Expert Gtd. Reg: 7/5 8:15-9:30am, 7/6 8:15-9:10. Rds: 3-day 10-3:30, 11-5, 10-3:30; 2-day 9:30-11:45-2-5, 10-3:30. EF: 3-day $55, Jrs. $27 postmarked by 6/29, $65, Jrs. $32 after 6/29 and on-site. 2-day $56, Jrs. $28 postmarked by 6/29, $66, Jrs $33 after 6/29 and on site. IMs/GMs free. Entrants may play up one section for $10. $5 disc. to CalChess membs. Re-entry after rd. 2 of the 3-day sched: $40 (no other discounts). 6/02 Rating List only. Please bring equipment. Max. two 1/2 pt. byes avail. in all rds., rds. 5-6 must be requested prior to rd. 1. Ent/Info: John McCumiskey (TD), 6700 50th St, Sacramento, CA 95823-1306. jmclmc@lanset.com, 916-557-7053 (days), 916-428-5532 (eves). Cks payable to Sacramento Chess Club. Full flyer: http://www.lanset.com/jmclmc/default.htm under Weekend Events.

Aug. 24-25 GPP: 6 N. California
Frank Harris Memorial Chess Tournament. 4SS, 40/2, SD/30. Vallejo Chess Club, 333 Amador St., Vallejo (From San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley- Sacramento-Fairfield: Take I-80 toward Vallejo, exit on Georgia St., go west toward Central Vallejo, 3 lights make rt on Amador, 1/2 blk. on left). $$b/60 pd. ents. Open: (2000+) $$400-250, Best X $200. Reserve: (1600-1999) $$350-200, Best B $200. Booster: (1599/Unr.) $$300-150, Best D/Unr. $200. EF: $50 by 8/20, $55 later. Reg: 8:30-9:30am Sat. Ent: Cks payable to Maximo Fajardo, 127 Missouri St., Vallejo, CA 94590. 707-980-0311. Bring sets/boards, none supplied!

Aug. 31-Sept. 2 GPP: 15 N. California
2002 CalChess Labor Day Festival. 6SS, 30/90, SD/1 (2-day option rds 1-3 G/60). Golden Geteway Holiday Inn, Van Ness at Pine, San Francisco. $$b/130 pd. adult, 20 paid jr. ents. 7 Sects: Master: $700-$350-$200; U2400, $300. Expert: $400-$200-$100. A: $350-$175-$100. B: $350-$175-$100. C: $350-175-100. D/E: $350-$175-$100; U1200 $225. Unr: Trophy 1st. Trophy to top finisher (State Champion) in ea. sect. All: EF: $60 postmarked by 8/27 (Jrs. $50), 3-day: $59 (Jrs $49), 2-day: $70 at site (Jrs. $55). Unr: $40 in the D/E sect. or may play up to the Master section for the regular fee. $5 disc. to CalChess membs. USCF memb. req'd. May play up 1 sect. for add'l $10 (Jrs $5). GM/IM free ent. Reg: Sat. 8-9:30am, Sun. 8:15-9:15am, Rds: All compete for the same prizes. 3-day: Sat 10-4, Sun 11-4:30, Mon 10-3:30. 2-day schedule Sun 9:30-11:45-2 then merges. 1/2 pt bye(s) any rd(s) if req'd in adv., byes rds 5-6 must be req'd before Rd 1. 2002 August Ratings List, CCA minimums & Directors discretion will be used to place players as accurately as possible. Please bring clocks & equipment. HR: Golden Gateway Holiday Inn, 415-441-4000. Info: Richard Koepcke 415-964-2640. Ent: Richard Koepcke, 2047 Montecito Ave #30, Mountain View, CA 94043. No Phone entries. FIDE.