Blitz to Open and Close Against Knights

June 28th, 2010 Chris Bird

The 2010 US Chess League Schedule has been released and the Boston Blitz will open and close their 2010 regular season against their favorite foe, the New York Knights.  The opening match will be on Monday, August 23rd at 7:00 pm, while their week 10 encounter will be on Monday, October 25th, also at 7:00 pm.

As if that isn’t a tough enough “draw,” the Blitz will also face the New Jersey Knockouts twice, in weeks 5 and 7.  The Knockouts won the Eastern Division with an 8-2 record last season and will be looking to go a step further than last year after getting knocked out in the Championship Semi-Finals by New York.

Of their other eagerly awaited encounters, the Blitz will face new local rivals, the New England Nor’Easters on Wednesday, September 15th in week 4, while the only game they will play against a team in the Western Division will be in week 6 against the San Francisco Mechanics, who finished in 2nd place in their division last year.

The Blitz’s remaining games will be against the Philadelphia Inventors in week 2, the Manhattan Applesauce (previously the Queens Pioneers) in week 3, the Carolina Cobras in week 8 and the Baltimore Kingfishers in week 9.

Each year the USCL determines the schedule based on pitting successful teams in the previous year against other, with teams basically becoming a victim of their own success.  This is no doubt in an effort to give those so called “weaker” teams a fighting chance by evening things out.  (Check out someone else’s slightly humorous take on this topic.)

Opinion: Missed Opportunity?

With the addition of the extra teams this year to increase the size of the league to 16, I personally thought this was a perfect opportunity for the league to switch to a four divisions of four situation.

Eastern Conference
East Division 1: Boston, Manhattan, New England and New York
East Division 2: Baltimore, Carolina, New Jersey and Philadelphia

Western Conference
West Division 1: Chicago, Dallas, Miami and St. Louis
West Division 2: Arizona, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle

Each team would play the other team in their division twice, 6 games, once with each color on board 1.  They would also play 2 games against teams in the other division in their conference and then 1 game each against teams in the opposite conference divisions 1 and 2.  This would total 10 games.

The top 2 teams from each division would qualify for the play-offs, winner of Division 1 plays the runner-up in Division 2, and vice versa, and they would finish from there.

If you were running the league, and you had free reign to change the divisions or schedules, how would you do it?

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Anybody know a good Druggist?

November 17th, 2009 Mark La Rocca

What can I say? The Blitz lost to the New York Knights in the quarterfinals… a bitter pill to swallow. However, I have always believed that what it takes to be a good chess player is the ability to take one on the chin and get back up… to quickly forget… and concentrate on the next game. Some rationalization, Huh? Well, to some extent it is true, and especially so for the Blitz fans… just forget… take a Valium… or any of the benzodiazepines will do… there’s always next year.

I was worried going into this match as our top boards had not rounded into form at all this season. Let’s go to the stats… after 10 season matches and 1 quarterfinal…

(wins – draws – Losses) = total pts/11 games

First Board…….. (5 – 0 – 6) …. 5.0 pts.

Second Board…. (3 – 3 – 5) …. 4.5 pts.

Third Board……. (5 – 3 – 3) …. 6.5 pts.

Fourth Board….. (7 – 2 – 2) …. 8.0 pts.

Boston’s negative score on it’s top boards was it’s Achilles heal this season. But, enough recrimination… I’m not bitter… and I’m not one to point fingers… Or, am I? Let’s take one last painful look at the season’s end.

On a night when the bottom boards astonished… the top boards disappointed… and the Blitz will watch the rest of the playoffs through the bottom of an empty beer bottle… or at least Ilya will… but, he watches every match that way.

The evening started well on 3rd board with Vadim on his game in what seemed a hard fought draw… which he won!
(more…)

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Boston Blitz 1½-2½ New York Knights

November 10th, 2009 Chris Bird
Board White Result Black
1. GM Giorgi Kacheishvili (2666) 1-0 GM Larry Christiansen (2662)
2. GM Eugene Perelshteyn (2588) 0-1 GM Pascal Charbonneau (2560)
3. Matthew Herman (2275) 0-1 Vadim Martirosov (2235)
4. Ilya Krasik (2252) ½-½ Yaacov Norowitz (2354)
  Boston Blitz 1½-2½ New York Knights
       
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Grudge II – Boston vs. New York Preview

November 9th, 2009 Mark La Rocca

Well, the game is on as the New York Knights have White against our Boston Blitz in tonight’s semi-final. If there is such a thing as home field advantage, Boston has it in the draw odds factor. Due to Boston’s better season record, they will advance in the case of a draw. Believe me, this is a big advantage in match play.

To call this a grudge match is understating things. The BOS – NY rivalry crosses all boundaries in Boston… from Baseball to Tiddlywinks… we just can’t lose to the “Evil Empire”… can we?

The history is that NY beat us in a semi-final match in 2006 and Boston returned the favor in 2007. So, this is the big one… the “Naahh! Naahh! Na Naahh! Naahh!”… We’re the best of all-time… match of the decade. So, let’s get ready to Rumbbblllleee… as manager Jorge Sammour-Hasbun has put up his 10th new lineup (in 11 matches) this year… and a very surprising one it is.

GM Giorgi Kacheishvili (NY) vs. GM Larry Christiansen (BOS)

This was an automatic for Boston. Larry is the heart of the team and must return to form for Boston to go far into the playoffs. On the other hand, GM Kacheishvili has shown top form in the last match of the regular season as he overcame Jorge’s slightly unsound attack for a nice victory in week 10. I predict a no holds barred, barn burner.

GM Eugene Perelshteyn (BOS) vs. GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY)

This will be a tough one for Eugene… witness their last league encounter in 2007 where GM Charbonneau won GOTW as Black. Eugene has been rock solid with White this year and is playing well. Will he return to his favorite English… or venture e4. I have no clue on this one, but expect some heavy preparation from both sides… maybe a theoretical novelty?

NM Matt Herman (NY) vs. NM Vadim Matirisov (BOS)

This was the shocker pairing of the match. What happened to Marc or Anya? Third board was expected to be advantage Boston in either case… Now, the pressure is on Vadim who turned in his best performance of the year last week in an easy romp over NY’s NM Erenburg on 4th board. Vadim is always well prepared and I expect a very close battle here. This may be the swing game of the match.

NM Ilya Krasik (BOS) vs. NM Yaacov Norowitz (NY)

This was another automatic for Jorge for as much as Larry is the heart… Ilya must be the soul. Ilya is in good form at this season’s end. Expect him to be theoretically accurate and to complicate whenever he gets the chance. NY must have anticipated this matchup… which manager will get the pat on the back after this one is anyone’s guess.

Has Jorge overdone the strategy in this match? We’ll know tonight. But, that’s the way it always is in Boston – NY matches… the manager always suffers the second guessing of us fans… win or lose. But, right now… we’re with you all the way Jorge… Go Boston!

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It’s Simply Chess

November 8th, 2009 Mark La Rocca

This was a night that didn’t count… didn’t count unless you considered pride and rivalry, and, yes, a slight bit of hatred… for the NY symbol of course… not personal at all. The team could never relax and just play chess… not against NY. So, again the tension was palpable… the audience, the standard crew, true and loyal Bostonites… here to watch the demise of the enemy from that city where they talk even funnier that we do. No, there was no let up in this match… on either side. In the analysis room, Ilya was pounding his fist on the table with every bad move his teammates made… and, for that matter, every good one. It’s a strange thing this rivalry… Boston and New York… kind of like Superman and Lex Luther… surely, the bad guys can’t win… not ever.

Our first game to finish, seemed to promote this thought… as Super Vadim walked through his opponents hail of bullets… without even working up a sweat.
(more…)

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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
       
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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!

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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
       
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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.

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Boston Blitz Team


Jorge Sammour
Manager
Larry Christiansen
GM
Eugene Perelshteyn
GM
Denys Shmelov
 

Marc Esserman
IM
Vadim Martirosov
 
Anya Corke
WGM
Ilya Krasik
 

Matt Phelps
Assistant Manager
Mark LaRocca
Assistant Manager

Blitz Benefactors