September 14th, 2009 
Matt Phelps So every USCL blog seems to be doing predictions on how their team will fare in the next match; I predict a 4-0 win for the Blitz in week three. Here’s how it will go down:
Board 1: IM Jacek Stopa – GM Larry Christiansen
Stopa seems to play anything as white and Larry can (and does) play anything with either color, so the opening is anybody’s guess. The game will meander for a while into an endgame with a few pieces left, which Larry will then use to whip up a mating attack, forcing regicide on the e5 square. Game of the week.
Board 2: Jorge Sammour-Hasbun – IM Daniel Ludwig
This will be a Slav or Najdorf, depending on which move Philip (our TD and usual board 2 relayer) randomly plays for Jorge on move 1. Either way, it will be incomprehensible for us mortals for 25-30 moves, which we will all learn later was “all theory.” Jorge wins after the first out-of-book move by Ludwig (I predict it will be 31… f6) is a lemon.
Board 3: FM Keaton Kiewra – NM Vadim Martirosov
Vadim is underrated, but hasn’t played a tournament game in a while. Although, he is constantly analyzing games whenever I see him. Also, he explained to me how the move a4 attacks the d5 square in the Lopez, and I understood it. This will be a smooth, elegant victory as black that may even be fathomed by me.
Board 4: NM Ilya Krasik – FM Darwin Yang
Anything can, and will, happen. Krasik wins in a way that he, and only he, understands. The prevailing opinion will be that he is losing the whole game, until he wins finding a weird tactic that everyone will say, “Krasik will never see that move.”
After the match the team will go to Charlie’s in the square and get that mean waitress upstairs who will be annoyed by our boisterousness, just like the rest of the League.
There you have it; 4-0 Boston.
-Matt
(6 votes, average: 4.17 out of 5)
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Excellent post Matt, go Blitz !!!
please telling me your joking, if not you are seriously pathetic, report me, disgust me, w/e, after getting owned the last two champs and have a crappy 4th board like llya who thinks he is of GM level when he is actually barly a expert in level, and u think u will sweep dallas 4-0, ROFL, wow, thats sad,u guys are seriously pathetic
I thank God that I’m not humor impaired like John.
Go Blitz!
I think its insulting to predict the defending champs get swept by a team that beat them last year. They actually have rating advantages on board 3 and 4. I mean Dallas could lose this match, but they could win too. No way the champs lose 4-0.
See iam not alone manager, you should think before you make another post, you are so full of yourselfs, i like to see what you post when you fall short of the championship yet again, oh btw tell larry that he got lucky with that mouseslip week 1, that video just shows his lack of sportsmanship, he was getting owned, so your record is already a fluke as it is, you dnt stand a chance against teams such as miami,SF,seattle or even Dallas when they get going which they very well might
I would like to state for the record that I am NOT the ‘John’ posting above…just in case you couldn’t tell from the writing style
Good luck to Boston – it’s shaping up to me an interesting match at the moment!
I think Boston is drinking unfiltered water directly out of the Charles River. Furthermore, in bending over to drink, they must have fallen in and gotten hit in the heads by a passing rowing team from MIT. Even then, with toxins in their system and with a blow to their heads, I don’t believe this is enough for even a prediction of a 3-1 Boston victory.
Probably 2.5 – 1.5 in favor of Dallas.
I dunno – looks very close to the Bart I know….
In all seriousness “John,” the mouseslip situation was handled according to USCL rules. Larry didnt do anything wrong – its part of the game, and it just happened that the slip occurred with less than 5 mins. If the slip had happened with 10 minutes left on his clock, the takeback would have been allowed. All part of the game.
Matt,
I think John doesn’t like your New England elitist joke.
On the other hand, he COULD be Krasik’s twin separated at birth.
Did I say 4-0? I MEANT 0-4.
Spanked.
Well, you got the sweep part right.
No more predictions or trash talk, OK. I thought it was light hearted, but let’s not tempt the Evil Eye.
Hi Matt,
I advice you (whether you’re joking or bland serious!) to exhibit professionalism and reservation when it comes to chess matches. Yes, chess is a zero-sum game if played by an omniscient chess machine; say, like Rybka ver.5; or a “Super Kasparov” of sort. Unfortunately,human chess players are affected by human factors; in effect, your 4-0 prediction back fired on the “Blitz”; perhaps, sending a strong motivational signal to Dallas to concentratate their effort and cause this embarrassing shutout of Boston! Please, no more talk outside the realm of “Chess Speak” here! Feel free to discuss strategies, preparations, and how to market the team to local businesses, etc. Finally, I have a question to Jorge: Why did you play Nb6 instead of Nc3? Were you afraid of Rxc3? Coz, it seems that e4xf3; Qxf3 is equal. So, Rc3; bc3; Qc3+; Kb1; Rc8 (exf3 is slight advantage white); Rc1; Qb4+; Ka1; Rc1+ (Qd4+!?); ef3; gf3 (Qf3?,Ne4,Be7??,Qd4+ followed by Nd2). Maybe, a draw can be salvaged in this line? Sorry, for the cryptic analysis; I missed the opening moves, and I am looking at the position after Black played Nc5. The game continued I believe; [1.Bf3 e5!? 2.Nf5 Bf5 3.ef5 Rac8 4.fe5 de5...I guess?] How come you don’t have the games posted on the Blitz website right away? Yeah, for those who are ICC illiterate!
Better Luck next week!
Hello Again!
In my previous note -after reviewing the position- I realized that Jorge played Kb1?! (sorry my patzer’s annotations); maybe what I thought was the continuation above, is the best practical continuation for White!? Except that I have a picture in mind of an early g4 that I don’t seem to understand whether it is bad or simply slow?
Thanks
Ok! This is getting interesting … Gotta go to bed. Yes, Black could probably play Nce4 instead of de5. I wonder if this is what Jorge was looking at? A Queen Sac brilliancy prize? So, A) 1…Nce4 2.ef6!? Ng3 3. fe7! Nh1 4.ef8=Q+ Kf8 5.Rh1 And B) 1..Nfe4 2.Be4 (Ne4?? is a cool mate: Nb3+;Kb1;Qc2#) Ne4 3.Qg4 Bh4 (3…Nc3? 4.f6 g5 5.fe7) 4.Qe4 Bg5+ 5.Kb1 de5 6.h4
And White is better.
RK
wow.. what did i say. lol that is so karma, you deserved this irony, just respect other peoples team, and iam sure this wont happen again… well at least not this bad, dang reverse sweep LOL!!
A Little USCL News, and a Game…
Monday saw the start of the third week of the 2009 United States Chess League season, and saw the 2007 and 2008 finalists playing. Dallas beat Boston the last two years to win the championship, but this year ……
If it looks like a lot of those moves are computer moves, that’s because they are. I had that position prepared concretely up to Rac8, and already knew the ideas of Na4/Nce4 etc… I started to go a little wrong in the endgame, not saving my f3 pawn, but it’s impossible to play perfectly. Also, to what Rafik was asking about. During the game I believed that Nc3 was better than Nb6, and still do. I was going to play Rxc3 bxc3 Qxc3+ Kb1 Rc8 Rc1 Qb4+ Ka1 Rxc1 Rxc1 exf3 gxf3 (Qxf3 Ne4 and black looks great) Nh5 Qe1 Qd4+ Kb1 Bxh4 Qxh4 Nxf4 with an advantage for black. White still has lots of chances in this line though. The important thing for me was seeing Qxf3 Ne4, and after that I had a sense black must be better.
Thanks Daniel for clarifying matters… you were the better prepared player for sure.
CONGRATULATION! NICE WIN!
Do you people completely lack sense of humour, you have to be retard like John B to actually think this was a serious prediction much less an insulting one.
Sad topic…hilarious but so freaking sad. Move on people.
RE: for Pete’ sake:
For the second time, I am not the ‘John’ who thought this was a serious prediction. Repeat these words: reading comprehension.
The comments relating to the Dallas Destiny and the College Chess League have been removed. This site is not the place to make such accusations against ANY USCL teams or players. The Boston Blitz have been on the other side of such false accusations and we strongly believe that all USCL matches are played under the fairest conditions.
To be perfectly clear, and this is an official statement, the Blitz do NOT accuse Dallas, or anyone, of cheating in USCL games.
-Matt
P.S.
I write a funny (I thought) piece about making a ridiculous prediction and everyone blows up.
CHILL OUT PEOPLE!
-Matt
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