Monday, August 31

San Francisco - Seattle at 9:00


GM Josh Friedel (left)

squares off against

GM Gregory Serper (right).



The San Francisco Mechanics kick off the fifth
US Chess League season against the Seattle Sluggers. Tonight will be the lone meeting this year between these two traditional rivals, unless they meet again in the playoffs. The top boards, Grandmasters Josh Friedel and Gregory Serper, have met five times with white winning every game, a trend that bodes well for the home team. This week is also the debut of 12-year old master Yian Liou, but he faces a difficult opponent in NM Joshua Sinanan. Let's go Mechanics!

The games take place at the Mechanics' Institute, but readers may watch LIVE on the Internet Chess Club beginning at 6pm Pacific time. Type: "/finger USCL" for links or finger each of the players: Friedel-SF, Pruess-SF, Donaldson-SF or Liou-SF.

Round 1 lineups (San Francisco in red with latest ratings from MSA)
  1. GM Josh Friedel (2601) vs GM Gregory Serper (2592) 0-1
  2. IM Eric Tangborn (2455) vs IM David Pruess (2419) 0-1
  3. IM John Donaldson (2390) vs FM Michael Lee (2399) 1/2-1/2
  4. NM Josh Sinanan (2268) vs NM Yian Liou (2226) 1/2-1/2
Final score: 2.0-2.0

Yours truly has been selected by the US Chess League commissioner IM Greg Shahade to help judge the Game of the Week for each round. I am one of five judges. Winners earn cash prizes of $150, $75 and $50 per week. Sorry Josh, bribes will not be accepted.

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