answers!!

1. Swindell,Shawn (1528) - Thomas,Patrick (1496) [C56]
Grade Nationals 6th (6), 19.12.2008
a) 9.Ng5 Qxf6 10.Nxe6 fxe6 11.Qh5+ Qf7 12.Qxc5
b) black should play 9... Qd5! 10. Nc3! Qf5 (10... dxc3? 11. Qxd5!) 11. g4!? Qg6! (11... Qxf6? 12.Nd5! Qd8 13. Rxe6 fxe6 14. Nxe6 +/-) 12. Nce4.

Notice that 9... 0-0? loses to 10. fxg7 Kxg7 11. Rxe6 fxe6 12. Nxe6! and 9... Qd6 loses to 10. Rxe6 fxe6 11. Qh5+ Kd7 12. Ne4!

2) Russell,Samuel (1322) - Palha,Mitasha (977) [C02]
Grade Nationals 6th, 19.12.2008
14.Bd4?? Nxd4! 15.a3 [15.Nxd4 Bb4#!!] 15...Nxf3+ 16.Bxf3 and black won in 40 moves (She didn't play badly, just the kid played to mate) 0–1

3) Stebbins,Gideon (1569) - Garcia,Miguel (695) [A05]

11.Ne3 Nc3!? Unfortunately, it isn't so bad for white to have doubled b pawns, because the rook on the b file coordinates well with the Bg2 to attack b7. But I thought it was funny.

12.bxc3 Qxg5 13.Nc4 Qe7 14.Qe2 e5 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Bf4 Be6 17.Nxe5 Bh3 18.Rfe1 Rfe8 19.d4 f6 20.Ng4 Qxe2 21.Nh6+ Bxh6 22.Rxe2 Rxe2 23.Bxh6 Rae8 24.Be3 R2xe3 25.fxe3 Rxe3 26.dxc5 Rxc3 27.Rb1 Rxc2 28.Rb8+ Kg7 29.Rb7+ Kh6 30.Rxa7 Rxc5 31.a4 Rf5 32.Rxh7+ Kxh7 33.Kh1 Rf1# 0–1

4) Garcia,John Paul (1402) - Austin,Dylan (832) [C50]
Grade Nationals 6th (4), 19.12.2008
39.Nxb7! Rxb7 40.Rc7 Rxc7 41.bxc7 Nfd7 42.c8Q Kg7 43.Rxd7 Nxd7 44.Qxa8 1–0

5) Morrero,Jose (1220) - Martinez,Justin (1563) [D12]
Grade Nationals 6th, 19.12.2008
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Bf5 3.e3 Nf6 4.c4 c6 5.Nc3 e6 6.cxd5 cxd5 7.Ne5 Nbd7 8.g4! Bg6 9.h4 Nxe5 10.dxe5 Ne4 11.Qa4+ Ke7 12.Qb4+ Ke8 13.Bb5+ Qd7 14.Bxd7+ Kxd7 15.Qxb7+ 1-0

The only decent move after 7. Ne5 is 7... Nfd7.

6) Ameer should have played 1. b4! If 1...Qxb4 2. Rb1 Q moves 3. Bxc5 Qxc5 4. Rxb7

7) Ameer found 1... Qf6! which threatens Ra1 and Qa1 and guards the h8 square against 2. Rh8+. The game ended 2. c3 Qf2#

8) White should bring his king to the center, fast, leaving his rook on the c file to cut off the black king. The best black can do is:
1. Kf1 Rd8 2.Ke1 d3 3.Rc3 Re8+ 4.Kd2 Re2+ 5.Kxd3 Rxf2 6.Rc2 when white has reaosnable winning chances.

9) Black should play 1... c4. The important ideas here are that:
a) the side trying to win wants to keep as many pawns on the board as possible (since pawns=potential queens=potential winning chances)
b) Both sides want to fix the opponents' pawns on dark squares, in order to make the enemy bishop bad. 1... c4 gets a black pawn off a dark square and makes sure the b4 pawn won't move.

As a bonus for finishing, here are some song lyrics that struck me:

you were no ordinary drain on her defenses
and she was no ordinary girl
Oh, Inverted World
if every moment of our lives were cradled softly in the hands of some strange and gentle child
i'd not roll my eyes so.

the shins, "one by one all day"

I love being in the NY Times

"They came, they played, they swept."

It's the ultimate affirmation of relevance in my cultural framework.
and you know who always sees and congratulates me?
my landlord. go figure.

Also a short piece in the NY Post. A photographer came to school and took some really exquisite photos, which they didn't use, but he promised to send to me to use for blog. So that's coming soon.

Audio Interview With Rochelle

for ICC by Macauley Peterson: here

sounds like a dare to me...

"How could African leaders ever topple Robert Mugabe, organize an army to come?" Mugabe, who has led the country for 28 years, is quoted as asking. "It is not easy. I do not know of any African country that is brave enough to do that."

I think it's a bad sign when you are mocking your neighbors for not invading you.

Remember Levi Johnston, Bristol Palin's boyfriend / fiance? His mom was arrested for drug possession. I like how MSNBC can't help itself but mention, "The baby is due Saturday."

Oh, the national soap opera that never was....

And finally, Typo In Proposition 8 Defines Marriage As Between 'One Man And One Wolfman'

2008 (e4)

In the beginning, everything was equal and everyone was happy. There were big cities and hick states, Super GMs and Ilya Krasik, statisticians and jumble-makers, little children and Larry Kaufman, both coasts, the North, the South, the Midwest, the Southwest, even, remarkably, the Pacific Northwest. Back then, the only form of war known was the Comment War, and this was more like a ritualized, ceremonial trading of insults, rather than any actual substantive accusations or even, come to think of it, attempts at factual statements.

Back in those days, the teams were all relatively evenly matched. Sure, some people would argue that this team was better than that team, but that opinion was usually identical to the opinion-holder's hometown, and therefore not terribly meaningful. No one ever really knew who would make the Playoffs or who would win the Finals. In fact, most people, even The Great Ruler, seemed to have no idea!

But then the Big Cities got together and hatched a plan. They said, "hey, let's make this one, tiny, tiny change in the rules" (we'll call it Change A). The big cities said they were making the suggestion because it was objectively a good idea, but the its sole effect would be to give an advantage to densely populated areas. Most teams were from large cities so they liked the idea. The medium-sized cities didn't think it was their business to object. People demanded the right to vote.

because voting is sexy, right?

The Great Ruler reluctantly polled the Team Managers and, in the end, Change A was effected.

The next season, Carolina, Tennessee, and Arizona were huddled together at the bottom of the rankings. Within two years, all three teams had voluntarily* withdrawn from the USCL.

Next year, the same three teams, New York, Boston, and San Fransisco, suggested one more rule change (change B). The sole effect of this change would be to benefit teams with more high rated players. Of course, the teams making the suggestion said they were doing it for the sake of the fans, and the fans, overjoyed to have been even mentioned, screamed their approval. Democracy prevailed.

By the next season, any team that couldn't consistantly field a 2 GM lineup suffered a severe handicap. Philadelphia, Chicago, and even Queens dropped like weighted kittens to the bottom of the pool.

The two exceptions to this phenomenon were Dallas and Miami, whose combination of improving young players and team chemistry allowed them to remain a thorn in the side of the Big Three.

The following year, someone stood up patriotically and said, "Hey, this is the UNITED STATES Chess League! What are all these GODDAMN FOREIGNERS doing on our top boards, taking pieces out of American mouths? This tournament should be for Americans! There ought to be a rule**" New York, Boston, and San Fransisco rubbed their hands and laughed as the INS came for Miami and Dallas.

After several more years, the USCL map had been redrawn to include just three MEGA-teams: what used to be known as New York, Boston, and San Fransisco. By 2015, they had renamed themselves Eurasia, Eastasia and Oceania. Two of them are perpetually at war with the third.

The Great Ruler walked away from the league in disgust and now lives alone, somewhere in the forest.

*with one exception
** name the song

Joel Johnson Annotates His Student's Game

Richard Justin Cowan

Hi All,

I firmly believe this is the best game played at Valley Chess this year. Congrats to Richard Justin Cowan who played this gem! And, I might also add that it takes two players to play well in order to have a great game like this one.

Thanks, Joel

PS: Richard is a student at Barry Goldwater High School and is getting chess instruction from Dave Small and myself.

Kannan, Nithin (1230) - Cowan, Richard Justin (1432) [B00]
Valley Chess (G/30), Phoenix, AZ (Round 2), 12/07/2008

1.e4 a6 2.Nf3 b5 3.d4 Bb7 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.Nbd2 e6 6.e5 Nd5 7.0–0 d6 8.exd6 cxd6 9.b3 Nc3 10.Qe1 Nd7 11.Bb2 Nd5

12.Be4 N7f6
13.Bxd5 Nxd5
14.c4 bxc4
15.bxc4 Nc7
16.d5 Be7
17.Bxg7?

(This is a really bad idea. Opening the g-file for Black's Rook.)
17...Rg8
18.Bb2 exd5
19.Bf6 Ne6
20.Bxe7 Qxe7
21.cxd5 Bxd5
22.Ne4 Kd7
23.Rb1 f5
24.Ned2



24...Rxg2+!
25.Kxg2 Qg5+!
26.Kh1 Qxd2!! (What a stunning move!!)
27.Rg1 (If 27. Qd2 Bf3 28. Kg1 Rg8 29. Qg5 Rg5#. White best line is 27. Rb3 Qa2 28. Re3 Bf3 29. Rf3 Qd5 30. Qd1 Nd4 31. Rg1 Qf3 which easily wins for Black.)
27...Bxf3+ 28.Rg2

28...Bxg2+

29.Kxg2 Rg8+ (There is no way for White to avoid checkmate.)

30.Kh1 Qd5+ (What a great game and finish!! Congrats to Richard for this gem!!) 0–1

wait a second

John Mack, chief of Morgan Stanley, ascetic

so I'm reading this article about how top executives at Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, etc. are selflessly forgoing their bonuses... and I'm thinking.... wait a second... the non-top executives still get a bonus? wtf is that? How badly does the banking industry have to do to not get a tip? Do you really think you deserve it, guys? Ruin everyone's life* and the entire country of Iceland, and you still get some Christmas love?

I'm very bitter because I didn't get a meal allowance in Orlando.

* ok not mine, but only because I have no savings

Grade Nationals Stories?

I'm almost done with my article for Chess Life Online about Grade Nationals and I'm really happy with it. It's grown into a huge carnival of stories, photos, and games, from all sections, geographical areas, and ability levels. If anyone reading this wants to contribute their experience, email me. I got an extension on the article until tomorrow evening, so anytime before then.

no charge for AWESOMENESS

318 won clear first in the 6th and 7th grade sections of Grade Nationals, and tied for first in 8th (winning on tiebreaks). Positions and stories coming soon.

Ameer, Orlando, Ezequiel

D'Andrea and Amani

Carlos

(second) funniest news story ever

Iraqi Journalist Hurls Shoes at Bush and Denounces Him on TV as a ‘Dog’
excerpts from the New York Times:

The Iraqi journalist, Muntader al-Zaidi, 28, a correspondent for Al Baghdadia, an independent Iraqi television station, stood up about 12 feet from Mr. Bush and shouted in Arabic: “This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog!” He then threw a shoe at Mr. Bush, who ducked and narrowly avoided it.

As stunned security agents and guards, officials and journalists watched, Mr. Zaidi then threw his other shoe, shouting in Arabic, “This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq!” That shoe also narrowly missed Mr. Bush as Prime Minister Maliki stuck a hand in front of the president’s face to help shield him.

Mr. Maliki’s security agents jumped on the man, wrestled him to the floor and hustled him out of the room. They kicked him and beat him until “he was crying like a woman,” said Mohammed Taher, a reporter for Afaq, a television station owned by the Dawa Party, which is led by Mr. Maliki. Mr. Zaidi was then detained on unspecified charges.

Other Iraqi journalists in the front row apologized to Mr. Bush, who was uninjured and tried to brush off the incident by making a joke. “All I can report is it is a size 10,” he said, continuing to take questions and noting the apologies. He also called the incident a sign of democracy, saying, “That’s what people do in a free society, draw attention to themselves,” as the man’s screaming could be heard outside.

...

In the chaos, Dana M. Perino, the White House press secretary, who was visibly distraught, was struck in the eye by a microphone stand.

...

Hitting someone with a shoe is considered the supreme insult in Iraq. It means that the target is even lower than the shoe, which is always on the ground and dirty. Crowds hurled their shoes at the giant statue of Mr. Hussein that stood in Baghdad’s Firdos Square before helping American marines pull it down on April 9, 2003, the day the capital fell. More recently in the same square, a far bigger crowd composed of Iraqis who had opposed the security agreement flung their shoes at an effigy of Mr. Bush before burning it.

...

Mr. Bush’s arrival in Iraq during daylight hours was one measure of progress; his first visit on Thanksgiving Day 2003 took place entirely at night.