tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7288608344339782413.post8798380847446340859..comments2024-03-23T10:29:30.698-07:00Comments on <center><i>fpawn chess blog</i></center>: Yian Liou Takes Clear First in Elementary 4-6Michael Aignerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16166841797285152190noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7288608344339782413.post-30336911664264046382008-05-29T13:53:00.000-07:002008-05-29T13:53:00.000-07:00Hi Michael,While you were in Chicago, I was playin...Hi Michael,<BR/><BR/>While you were in Chicago, I was playing at the (very small) Memorial Day Classic in Santa Clara. I got to see Yian Liou play for the first time, and I was quite impressed. He scored 2/4 in the Master/Expert section before taking half-point byes in the last two rounds. (He must have had other plans for Memorial Day.)<BR/><BR/>High points: He did a wonderful job of saving a draw in a 2-pawns down R+P endgame against Steve Gaffagan. The two pawns were a d- and f-pawn, so it should have been a win for Gaffagan. You would never have thought Yian was losing, though--he was completely unflappable.<BR/><BR/>Low points: He got completely outplayed positionally by Steven Zierk, and played as if he was in a hurry to catch a bus. The two of them were already on move 27 before my opponent even arrived (admittedly, my opponent was half an hour late). Is there any way that you can explain to Yian the value of taking your time before you get into a lost position?<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, I love the confidence of youth. Better to zip through the game thinking you're invulnerable than to writhe around in indecision and get in time trouble every game, like certain players I know (i.e., me).oddodddodohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16086995637546522389noreply@blogger.com