Photographs, Blitz vs Knights, Week 10, 2009
November 5th, 2009 
Chris Bird 
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Boston Blitz 2½-1½ New York Knights
November 5th, 2009 Chris Bird | Board | White | Result | Black |
| 1. | Jorge Sammour-Hasbun (2603) | 0-1 | GM Giorgi Kacheishvili (2666) |
| 2. | IM Irina Krush (2478) | 0-1 | Denys Shmelov (2474) |
| 3. | WGM Anya Corke (2304) | ½-½ | Yaacov Norowitz (2354) |
| 4. | Evan Rosenberg (2185) | 0-1 | Vadim Martirosov (2235) |
| Boston Blitz | 2½-1½ | New York Knights | |
Video Interview with Jorge, Matt and Ilya
November 4th, 2009 Chris Bird This video interview was done after the week 5 win over the Baltimore Kingfishers. It includes Ilya’s responses to the trash talking that was done on the Kingfishers website prior to the game. Apologies for posting it very late but better late than never!
Steady as she goes!
November 2nd, 2009 Mark La Rocca In the midst of a storm the captain must steer a course around many obstacles, not the least of which is that rogue wave that can sweep the ship under… again. Jorge put up Boston’s steadiest lineup to face Maimi this week in hopes of quelling this trend of rogue waves. (Boston has seen two 0-4 sweeps this year) His judgment again proved superb as the team was never in danger of losing… the only question… Could they pull out the win?
The first mate and first board, seaman Eugene Perelshteyn proved up to the task as he avoided trouble waters and sunk the opponents boat even without the two bishops.
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Boston Blitz 2-2 Miami Sharks
October 29th, 2009 Chris Bird | Board | White | Result | Black |
| 1. | GM Eugene Perelshteyn (2588) | 1-0 | FM Bruci Lopez (2480) |
| 2. | FM Marcel Martinez (2475) | 1-0 | Denys Shmelov (2474) |
| 3. | WGM Anya Corke (2304) | ½-½ | IM Blas Lugo (2351) |
| 4. | Eric Rodriguez (2290) | ½-½ | Ilya Krasik (2252) |
| Boston Blitz | 2-2 | Miami Sharks | |
Boston vs Miami Preview
October 26th, 2009 Mark La Rocca With this next match of the season, Boston manager Jorge Sammour-Hasbun has fielded his 8th new lineup in 9 matches. So far, his strategy seems brilliant in that the team has made the playoffs and everyone is in practice and available for duty. Opponents must be confused as to which Boston they will meet.
This week we see Boston playing the Miami Sharks (without top gun, GM Julio Bacerra) in a match which means something to both sides. Boston would like to avoid playing the wrong end of those dreaded draw odds matches, and Miami has not yet been assured of a playoff spot, although they are leading Dallas by 1.5 with 2 to play for the final spot in the West.
Board 1: GM Eugene Perelshteyn (BOS) vs. FM Bruci Lopez (MIA)
Eugene has been playing well this season and is especially tough as White (2-0). FM Lopez has his hands full facing a very staunch opponent. I expect a slow, positional game with White in control. As usual, Eugene will be looking to grab the two Bishops and show off his technique.
Board 2: FM Marcel Martinez (MIA) vs. SM Denys Shmelov (BOS)
I predict a very interesting game here… only because all of Denys’s games are interesting. As Black, Denys will complicate and possibly sac an exchange. No doubt, another edge-of-the-seater. Could this be Denys’s first win of the year? With Boston in the playoffs, he will be trying hard to get us those draw odds.
Board 3: WGM Anya Corke (BOS) vs. IM Blas Lugo (MIA)
Anya has shown she is a force to be reckoned with. Although she has only played one game, as Black, her style and technique impressed. Can she play her way into a playoff appearance? On the surface, this game may appear to be advantage Miami due to experience… but, I, for one, can’t wait to see Anya with the White pieces… Another Karpovian performance perhaps?
Board 4: NM Eric Rodriguez (MIA) vs. NM Ilya Krasik (BOS)
This one looks pretty even to me. After a shaky start this season, Ilya has gotten things together and seems to be playing well. He will combine his theoretical knowledge and solid opponent preparation… “So, who am I playing tonight?”… to produce, as always, the fan favorite game. Look for a super-solid Semi-Slav here… Naahhh!
In Summary, Could someone please pick up some pizza?… We’re going to be here for a while.
Lethal Pastry IV
October 25th, 2009 Mark La Rocca Walk with me if you will, down the back streets of Cambridge on this night of a dark moon rising… a Devil’s moon… toward a match celebre’, The Boston Blitz vs. The New Jersey Knockouts. Peripherally, I spy the iconic orange logo of Boston’s own Dunkin’ Donuts… you are tempted, aren’t you?… but, we didn’t stop to pick up the dozen sugar-fix morsels to stimulate team neurons. No, it wasn’t a donut atmosphere… Such a mistake… As we arrive at the Harvard Science center, I search the educated air for the smell of pizza… sausage, peppers, onions… so greasy the lift from the plate to the mouth must be made in less than 0.25 seconds, or one risks permanent shirt spackling. You don’t smell anything?… Hmmm, not a pizza night either.
The alarms in my head were faintly tinkling… something amiss; do you feel it?… and, sure enough, as the match begins, a dark-haired miscreant (some suspect alumni Paul MacIntyre) drops some boxes on the table… Sacre bleur, pastries, the most deadly form of brain fuel… You know the kind… they come with squiggly frosting decorations, some even look like birds or squirrels… they have French names you can’t pronounce and you wonder as you pick them up between your thumb and index finger whether it is proper to extend your pinky… They’re pretty and small enough to inhale, but you don’t. You take a small bite and shout magnifque! They’re not made by bakers… no, their authors are chefs… Oh, I don’t blame Paul (if, indeed, it was him)… How could he know the psychological terror he was unleashing in these insidious confections… nor, could he suspect the ghastly fate that awaited our innocent heroes as each, in turn, consumed the perilous electuaries contained therein.
Continue with me now to that middle ground between light and shadow… Let us view a creation of the mind… a strangely Marzipan game molded and shaped and marked with a B and left in the oven just a little too long… by team manager, and glucose intolerant, Jorge Sammour-Hasbun…
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Boston Blitz 0-4 New Jersey Knockouts
October 20th, 2009 Chris Bird | Board | White | Result | Black |
| 1. | GM Boris Gulko (2609) | 1-0 | GM Eugene Pereslhteyn (2588) |
| 2. | Jorge Sammour-Hasbun (2603) | 0-1 | IM Dean Ippolito (2535) |
| 3. | Victor Shen (2305) | 1-0 | IM Marc Esserman (2461) |
| 4. | Andrew Wang (2136) | 0-1 | Andrew Ng (2182) |
| Boston Blitz | 0-4 | New Jersey Knockouts | |
It’s Official, IM Marc Esserman
October 19th, 2009 Matt Phelps FIDE announced today (19 October, 2009) that Marc Esserman is now an IM.
Congratulations Marc!
IM Marc Esserman
He Played What?
October 17th, 2009 Mark La Rocca Ok… This has to be a quick and dirty recap of the Boston’s win over the Queen’s Pioneers (2.5 – 1.5) since this is a short week with our next match on Monday. So, first congratulations to all the players for making the playoffs once again and for entertaining us with some incredible chess.
It seemed that every single game was… well… weird. Usually, I don’t understand one or two of the games… and I just chalk it up to my own inadequacies… who am I to question GMs and SMs. But, this night was different… I didn’t understand any of the games.
On Board 3, Marc, as White, was off to his usual fast start and won a piece in like… 10 moves?… against a strong IM?… in which his opponent played the very safe and solid Caro-Kahn?
Second board had Eugene, after a very nice opening as Black, pitch the exchange for no reason and no compensation, against a strong IM… and draw?
Andrew, playing Black on board 4, seemed to be struggling in the opening… but everybody told me I was crazy and he was winning?… and he did?… with a nice positional exchange sac which, of course, I never saw coming?
Finally, Larry, as White, played… well, his usual, incomprehensible (at least to me) opening… got into trouble… dropped a pawn… then, just when it seemed he swindled a draw… again, everyone disagreed with me and said he was lost… and after the team had clinched the match… he just wandered aimlessly into a loss? Why? I don’t know. Third base.
But, I don’t think I know much, these days, not much at all. You see, as you get older, the usable portion of your brain shrinks… and it’s nights like this that make me think that my brain has been washed in too hot water and dried in too high heat… I just don’t understand… not at all.
But, I do appreciate… and especially so, the pieces-flying style, of one SM Esserman, who never fails to entertain…
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