Weekly Online Tournaments for Sacramento

Let the Sacramento Pawns club help fulfill your craving for competitive chess during this era of social distancing. Join one of our weekly online tournaments on Saturday afternoon. Kids & Amateurs rated under 1400 in Chess.com rapid rating play at 1:30 while everyone else should log in shortly before 3:00. Be there - and don't forget to invite your buddies!

Sac Kids & Amateurs

When: Weekly every Saturday from 1:30 to 3:00 PM
Who: Open to club members under 1400 Chess.com rapid rating
Format: FOUR (4) ROUND Swiss in one section
Link: Find the Kids & Amateurs under the Tournament tab

Sac Pawn Storm

When: Weekly every Saturday from 3:00 to 5:00 PM
Who: Open to all club members regardless of rating
Format: FIVE (5) ROUND Swiss in one section
Link: Find the Pawn Storm under the Tournament tab

Additional information for both events

Where: Chess.com Live Server under the Tournaments tab at the upper right
Time control: G/10 + 3 second increment
Minimum: Need at least 4 players to avoid automatic cancellation
USCF Rated: No
Entry: Free
Prizes: Glory and Chess.com rating points

If this is your first time playing, 1. sign up for the Sacramento Pawns club and 2. read the instructions to join the tournament. Questions or comments? Please message fpawn on Chess.com or send an email to michael AT fpawn DOT com.

Past results: https://www.chess.com/club/live-tournaments/sacramento-pawns

Other chess clubs based in Northern California are also active on Chess.com. I can recommend the historic Mechanics' Institute of San Francisco, which hosts free blitz or rapid tournaments literally every day of the week, and the Auburn Chess Club. Good luck!

Play US Chess Rated Online!

The US Chess Federation partners with two leading online chess sites to offer weekly rated quick (G/11-G/29) and blitz (G/5-G/10) tournaments on the internet. Determine which rating to use by adding increment to starting time, e.g. 3+2 counts as G/5 - the fastest blitz time control permitted. Participants earn online quick or online blitz ratings that are separate from the traditional over-the-board quick and blitz categories. Breaking news: US Chess just announced a new online regular rating for G/30 or longer.

You must have a current US Chess membership in addition to an active account at one of the online partners. Find your ID number, expiration date and PIN code on your renewal email or magazine label; otherwise complete this form. The Internet Chess Club (ICC) requires a paid account to play in online events. Special: USCF members may claim a 20% discount! While Chess.com does allow free basic accounts, frankly the premium features are well worth the price. Although I am a longtime ICC administrator, I enjoy chess on both sites.



ICC schedule 
(click here for more info)

3+2 blitz on Mondays @ 4pm Pacific
15+5 quick on Fridays @ 5pm Pacific
12+3 quick on Saturdays @ 2pm Pacific
5+2 blitz on Sundays @ 11am Pacific

Download one of the official interface apps (recommend Dasher for Windows users). Log into the main server and register under the Activities or Events console. Alternatively, you can type "/tell uscf join" without quotes to sign up with the tourney robot. If this is your first time, enter your US Chess ID + PIN. Tournaments open about 20 minutes before start time and you may join late.

View past ICC Rating Reports

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Continental Chess Association has partnered with ICC to organize online rated tournaments with substantial cash prizes, including a replacement of the World Open on July 3-5. Read the special online event rules. Note that players must participate in a Zoom session to become eligible to win prizes. Check the schedule for tournament details and enter online when available.

Chess.com schedule 
(click here for more info)

10+0 blitz on Mondays @ 3pm Pacific
5+0 blitz on Mondays @ 8pm Pacific
3+2 blitz on Wednesdays @ 5pm Pacific
15+10 quick on Fridays @ 5pm Pacific
Variety on Saturdays @ 11am Pacific

At least a day in advance, enter your ID + PIN on the US Chess Authentication form and request to join the US Chess - Members Only online club. Log into the Live Chess server from the Play menu and join via the Tournaments tab on the upper right side. Tournaments open one hour before start time and you may join late. Choose from two sections: Open or Under 1450 in Chess.com rating.

View past Chess.com Rating Reports

Also in response to the pandemic, the historic Mechanics' Institute of San Francisco has begun hosting US Chess online rated tournaments with modest cash prizes on Chess.com. Check out the weekly chess newsletter and join the online club (both free!) for the latest information. Good luck! 

GM Zierk Wins Mechanics' Memorial Blitz

Due to the COVID pandemic, the Mechanics' Institute organized its annual Memorial Blitz online at Chess.com. This special event honors the memory of three masters who have departed after leaving their mark on the Bay Area chess community: NM Ray Schutt, SM Steve Brandwein and IM Jay Whitehead. In previous years, the large crowd of participants would socialize and munch on snacks between rounds of serious chess.

GM Steven Zierk
(credit: Alberta Chess)

Fortunately, the mandatory move online did little to dampen attendance - 104 players joined, including two Grandmsters, two International Masters, three FIDE Masters and at least seven National Masters. The competition was fierce starting in the first round, when three titled players lost or drew and a fourth overslept. No doubt, Ray, Steve and Jay would have enjoyed watching all of the fighting chess, even while socially distanced.

Veteran IM Elliott Winslow stormed out of the gate for the early lead, winning six straight games. The top seed, super-GM Rauf Mamedov of Azerbaijan, finally reeled him in. After round 7, four players shared the lead with 6-1: GM Mamedov and IM Winslow were joined by GM Steven Zierk and talented 13-year old IM Christopher Yoo.

The two Grandmasters clashed in round 9. Zierk, playing the black pieces, emerged victorious in a theoretical line of the Tarrasch variation of the French, gaining the advantage of two minor pieces against a rook and extra pawn.

Both Zierk and Mamedov held serve in rounds 10 and 11, allowing the local GM to clinch the tournament despite blundering into last round draw by repetition against this reporter. Congratulations Steven!

Final Standings of the Memorial Blitz (full results here)

1. GM Zkid (Steven Zierk) 10.5 out of 12
2. GM Muisback26 (Rauf Mamedov) 10.0
3. FM KyronGriffith 9.0
4. qing29 (Abhinav Penagalapati) 9.0
5. IM ChristopherYoo 8.5
6. NM 2007checkmate (Vyom Vidyarthi) 8.0
7. FM Marty435 (Jason Liang) 8.0
8. IM ecwinslow (Elliott Winslow) 8.0
9. NM jij2018 (Ruiyang Yan) 8.0
10. NM fpawn (Michael Aigner) 8.0
11. Atrozen (Anthony Rozenvasser) 8.0 

The blitz tournament was broadcast on Twitch with live commentary from the multi-talented Mechanics' Institute staff, including GM Nick de Firmian and FM Paul Whitehead. Replay the entire show at your leisure on YouTube! The game Mamedov vs Winslow begins at 1:25:00 while Mamedov vs Zierk starts at 1:48:40. Readers of this blog might enjoy the tense final round match between Zierk and Aigner at 2:20:25.

San Francisco Mechanics - PRO Chess League

Photos: GM Shankland (left, credit St. Louis CC) and GM Naroditsky (right, credit Llada).  

The Professional Rapid Online (PRO) Chess League returns to action this week on the Chess.com live server. The Bay Area is fortunate to have two strong teams in this worldwide competition. They battle in the Pacific Division against squads from San Diego, Seattle, Minnesota, Dallas, Australia and Chengdu (China). Each week, usually on Tuesday evenings, four team members rated under 2500 average each play four online games with the opposition at G/15 time control. After ten weeks, the top four teams in each Division advance to the league playoffs!

The San Francisco Mechanics are co-hosted by the Mechanics' Institute and the Berkeley Chess School. After failing to qualify for the inaugural season, the Mechanics took top honors in the league qualifier last November. The franchise actually has an extensive online history as one of the eight founding clubs of the now-defunct US Chess League. The Mechanics even brought home the USCL championship in 2006, led by a fearless young master who earned first team All Star honors on board 4!

That young master became the 2017 US Champion and is currently ranked #27 in the World. Sam Shankland will lead his hometown club after returning from Holland, where he faces Magnus Carlsen at the Tata Steel Masters beginning on Saturday. Fear not, San Francisco features five other Grandmasters, including child prodigy Parimarjan Negi of India and local superstar Daniel Naroditsky, who both studied at Stanford University. GM Vinay Bhat and GM Steven Zierk also sharpened their skills as juniors in the Bay Area and eagerly represent the Mechanics. The final Grandmaster is free agent Yannick Gozzoli of France, one of the 2018 co-national champions (check out this interview).

The roster includes two International Masters and a quintet of nationally ranked juniors who frequent tournaments at either the San Francisco or Berkeley clubs. IM Yian Liou and IM John Donaldson participated on the USCL teams of the past decade. These two veterans are reinforced by teenagers IM-elect Andrew Hong, IM-elect Ladia Jirasek and three other masters. Expect the Mechanics to spread weekly assignments around to give all the opportunity to shine.

San Francisco kicks off the season against their regional rivals, the San Jose Hackers. Hoping for a strong start, they unveil a triple GM lineup for Week 1: GM Naroditsky, GM Gozzoli, GM Bhat and FM Ezra Chambers. Check out the action on Tuesday evening starting at 5:25PM!

While this writer enthusiastically supports both Bay Area squads in the league, his true allegiance remains with three former students (GM Naroditsky, GM Zierk and IM Liou) plus several longtime friends who play for the Mechanics. Let's go San Francisco! Fix all those cars!

• Team roster and schedule
• PRO Chess League standings 
• Team homepage and blog
• Twitter
• Fan club at Chess.com
• Sponsor the Mechanics
• Twitch - IM David Pruess
• Twitch - GM Daniel Naroditsky

PRO Chess League Kicks Off

After 11 seasons, the internet-based US Chess League has expanded into the PRO Chess League.  There are three major differences between the two leagues.  While the USCL had teams from all corners of the United States, the PCL will be an international affair with teams from five of the seven continents: North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa.  To attract greater spectator interest, games will be played at a rapid time control of G/15 + 2 second increment.  Players from one team will face all four from the other team, for a total of 16 games.  Finally, each team may field one "Free Agent" in their weekly lineup, in addition to three local players, as long as the average rating does not exceed 2500 FIDE.

Perhaps most exciting is that the PRO Chess League promises to showcase several elite chess players of the world!  Indeed five of the top 7 on the January 2017 FIDE list will participate.

• #1 Magnus Carlsen (Norway)
• #2 Fabiano Caruana (Montreal)
• #4 Wesley So (Saint Louis)
• #5 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Marseille)
• #7 Hikaru Nakamura (Miami)
• #13 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (San Jose)
• #22 Lenier Dominguez (Miami)
• #29 Li Chao (Montreal)

Two Bay Area squads have registered among 48 total entries from around the world.  The San Francisco Mechanics, organized by the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club, were one of the founding members of the USCL.  Grandmasters Patrick Wolff and Vinay Bhat will lead the way, backed up by International Masters Yian Liou, Cameron Wheeler (IM-elect) and Teddy Coleman.  Youth will be served by four high school students: Cameron, FM Rayan Taghizadeh, FM Josiah Stearman and NM Siddharth Banik.

The other local team was formed by Bay Area Chess to represent Silicon Valley.  The San Jose Hackers, among the highest rated in the league, feature a quintet of Grandmasters headlined by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, ranked #3 in the world on the rapid rating list.  The other GMs are Rauf Mamedov, Daniel Naroditsky, Zviad Izoria and Cristian Chirila.  The San Jose roster also includes two IM-elects and a trio of juniors: NM Teemu Virtanen, NM Ivan Ke and 10 year old NM Christopher Yoo.

Both Bay Area squads will compete in the Red Division against other American cities in the Central and Pacific time zones.  Indeed the locals square off head-to-head in round 2 on January 18!  The competition will be stiff, with the Saint Louis Arch Bishops, Webster Windmills, Rio Grande Ospreys and Dallas Destiny all fielding strong rosters.  The other three sections are the Blue Division (Eastern time zone plus Canada and South America), Green Division (Europe, Asia and Africa) and the Orange Division (Europe and Africa).  Click here for a list of players for all 48 teams.

Matches take place every Wednesday on Chess.com, starting on January 11.  Since the matches consists of four mini rounds and 16 games total, a whopping 384 rapid games will be completed each week.  The pairings for the first six weeks have been predetermined.  The seventh week (February 22) will be a playoff positioning round.  During the playoffs, each division crowns a champion.  The division winners will square off in semifinals on Saturday, March 25 and a final on Sunday, March 26.  The four division champions are guaranteed at least $3,000 from the prize fund and the league champion wins $20,000!

Good luck to both the San Francisco Mechanics and San Jose Hackers in the inaugural season of the PRO Chess League!

PRO Chess League Links

• CURRENT STANDINGS
• PRO Chess League Links 

• PRO Chess League Announcement
• PRO Chess League Latest News
• PRO Chess League Facebook
• PRO Chess League Twitter
• San Francisco Mechanics Fan Page
• San Francisco Mechanics Facebook
• San Francisco Mechanics' Institute Website 
• San Jose Hackers Fan Page
• San Jose Hackers Facebook
• San Jose Hackers Twitter
• San Jose Hackers Website

Schutt Blitz at Mechanics on Sunday

GM Walter Browne versus the fpawn at the 2011 Schutt Memorial (photo by Shorman). We
battled many times over the years, notably in the last round at the 2007 US Championship
in Oklahoma, his final game in a championship that he won 6 times. My final pairing with
Mr. 6 Time came at the 2013 Schutt Memorial, when I managed a draw in two games. To
me, Walter Browne was the embodiment of the art we call blitz chess. RIP

For the past decade, the Ray Schutt Memorial has consistently been the strongest and most popular blitz tournaments in the Bay Area.  The last four years saw an average of 50 players, including many masters (17 last year) with several Grandmasters and International Masters.

The winners have included some of the strongest masters in California.  Stanford freshman GM Daniel Naroditsky finished on top in four of the past five years, including clear first in both 2014 and 2015.  Two other Grandmasters have won: Melik Khachiyan and the late Walter Browne.  Three lesser titled players have also won: IM Ricardo DeGuzman, FM Yian Liou (now an IM) and FM Andy Lee.

Naroditsky plans to defend his title against all-comers young and old.  Challengers will include Grandmasters Cristian Chirila and Patrick Wolff plus several International Masters.  And with some luck, there will even be an fpawn sighting!!?  Will you be there?

---

10th Ray Schutt Memorial Blitz  Sunday, May 15
Location: 57 Post Street, San Francisco (use Montgomery BART)   FORMAT: Six double-round Swiss (12 games total)

TIME CONTROL: G/4 + inc/2 (bring your digital clock)

ENTRY FEE: $10 (free for GM / IM / WGM / WIM)
This tournament is NOT rated. 

PRIZES: $1025 total
1st place: $400
2nd place: $250
3rd place: $150
4th place: $100
5th place: $75
6th place $50

Prizes are guaranteed by the generosity of the Schutt family.  In addition, every player takes home a book prize!

REGISTRATION: On-site only from Noon to 12:45.

There will be no registration in advance. No phone entries.  The tournament will be held between roughly 1 and 4 PM.  Light refreshments courtesy of the Schutt family. Even if you don't play, please come and enjoy the atmosphere as a tribute to the popular 2300 rated master.

Tony Lama Turns 80!

The chess club banner flies.

Tony Lama (credit: ChessDryad)

The Mechanics' Institute wishes to congratulate longtime security guard Tony Lama on the occasion of his 80th birthday!  Anyone who attended weekend tournaments in the City was certain to meet Tony at the front entrance.  He knew the names of many regulars.  When I entered, he would kindly ask whom I was playing.  Upon departure, he inquired of my result.  Never a master himself (2088 peak rating), his love for chess remained strong over five decades.

Tony Lama 80th Birthday Blitz 

Sunday, July 12
Location: 57 Post Street, San Francisco (use Montgomery BART)   FORMAT: Six double-round Swiss (12 games total)

TIME CONTROL: G/4 + inc/2 (bring your digital clock)

ENTRY FEE: $10 (free for GM / IM / WGM / WIM)
This tournament is UNRATED. Membership in USCF is not required.

PRIZES: $650 total
1st place: $300
2nd place: $200
3rd place: $100
Top U2000: $50

Also, every player takes home a book prize!

REGISTRATION: On-site only from Noon to 12:45.  There will be no registration in advance.  The tournament will be held between 1 and 5 PM.

Ray Schutt Blitz on Sunday!

Mechanics' Institute Chess Room. Credit: ChessDryad.

Over almost a decade, the Ray Schutt Memorial has become one of the strongest and most popular blitz tournaments in the Bay Area.  The last three years saw an average of 50 players, including many masters with several Grandmasters and International Masters.  GM Daniel Naroditsky won a year ago with a perfect 10-0 score.  Earlier this year, the Brandwein blitz attracted 6 GMs plus 6 IMs.

Due to a direct conflict with the CalChess Super States, the Schutt blitz will mostly be an adult-only event this year. Come down for a fun afternoon of chess in the City!


9th Ray Schutt Memorial Blitz  Sunday, May 3
Location: 57 Post Street, San Francisco (use Montgomery BART)   FORMAT: Six double-round Swiss (12 games total)

TIME CONTROL: G/4 + inc/2 (bring your digital clock)

ENTRY FEE: $10 (free for GM / IM / WGM / WIM)
This tournament is UNRATED. Membership in USCF is not required.

PRIZES: $1000 total
1st place: $400
2nd place: $250
3rd place: $150
4th place: $100
5th place: $100

These prizes are guaranteed due to the generosity of the Schutt family.  Every player takes home a book prize!

REGISTRATION: On-site only from Noon to 12:45.

There will be no registration in advance.  The tournament will be held between roughly 1 and 5 PM.  Light refreshments courtesy of the Schutt family. Even if you don't play, please come and enjoy the atmosphere as we pay respect to the popular 2300 rated master.

I regret never knowing Ray. However, we did play one tournament together, and apparently sat next to each other in the first round. It was the 1998 CalChess Labor Day held in Union City.  I was rated 2124 back then and played up in Master section. Ray finished with 3.5 while I scored 2.5.   

Blitz Tourney on Sunday at Mechanics!

Neil Falconer - Legacy.com

Update: At least three GMs expect to play: Daniel Naroditsky, Patrick Wolff and James Tarjan!

Five months after his passing, the Mechanics' Institute will honor trustee, patron and chess enthusiast Neil Falconer with a Sunday afternoon blitz tournament.  Mr. Falconer's dedication to the royal game spanned 75 years, from days as a high school student to sponsorship of the generous Falconer Award every year since 1999.  He remained a strong class A player even into his 80s, and challenged some of my top students.  I spoke with him several times, during the CalChess legal crisis in 2004-05 and informally at the chess club.  Unfortunately, we never crossed swords over the board.  Please read this tribute to one of the great gentlemen of Northern California chess.

The Falconer Blitz Tournament follows a similar format to the annual Ray Schutt Memorial, which has become the largest and most prestigious blitz event in the Bay Area.  Given Mr. Falconer's popularity, I expect many experts and masters to attend, including a few titled players.  Come on down for a fun afternoon of chess in the City!  


Neil Falconer Blitz Tournament  Sunday, September 21
Location: 57 Post Street, San Francisco (Montgomery BART)

  FORMAT: Five double-round Swiss

TIME CONTROL: G/5 + inc/2 (bring your digital clock)

ENTRY FEE: $10 (free for GM/IM)
This tournament is UNRATED. (Membership in USCF not required)

PRIZES: $750 total (guaranteed)
1st place: $300
2nd place: $200
3rd place: $100
4th place: $75
5th place: $50
6th place: $25

Every player takes home a book from Mr. Falconer's library!

REGISTRATION: 1 to 1:45 pm on-site only.  There will be no registration in advance.  The tournament starts at 2 pm and lasts until about 5 pm. Prize fund guaranteed by GM Patrick Wolff.

Note from Fpawn: Normally, I would jump to attend this event, especially since I knew Neil.  However, the date presents an unavoidable conflicts with other plans.  I'll be there in spirit.

R.I.P. Neil Falconer 1923-2014

Walking into the chess room.

The Mechanics' Institute lost a giant earlier this month.  Aside from a successful legal career, Neil Falconer will be remembered as a competitive chess player and a generous chess philanthropist.  Over 75 years, he served in nearly every capacity at the historic San Francisco chess club, from one of the top amateurs to becoming a member of the Board of Trustees.  He remained a strong class A player even well into his 80s.

I saw Mr. Falconer off and on over the years, both at weekend tournaments and Tuesday lectures.  Strangely, we never crossed swords, although he battled fiercely against several of my star students.  Foremost an attorney, Mr. Falconer capably represented (pro-bono) the state organization CalChess against a rogue scholastic organizer in 2004-05.  He seemed to navigate legal complexities as methodically as Vladimir Kramnik would convert a positional advantage.
 
The following paragraphs first appeared in this obituary at Chess Life Online.

---

Watching a tournament game.

The Mechanics' Institute Chess Club has had nine Chess Directors and three Grandmasters-in-Residence in its 160-year existence, but there is no doubt that the person with the longest and most important connection with the Chess Club has been Neil Falconer. His involvement with the club spans nine decades from his first visit in 1938 as a Berkeley High School student to the end of his life.

A native Californian, Neil first joined the Institute in 1945 after finishing his service in the U.S. Army and soon after established himself as one of the strongest chess players in California, finishing third in the state championship in 1946. When former World Champion Max Euwe visited the Mechanics' in 1949 Neil was one of those who held him to a draw. That same year, Neil graduated from the Boalt School of Law at UC Berkeley, passed the bar and started working at the firm where he would later rise to named partner - Steinhart and Falconer. New responsibilities did not slow down Neil's rise as a chess player, and in 1951 he won the California Open title at Santa Cruz.
...

Chess tournament flag.

In 1999 Neil established the Falconer Award at the Institute which awards a cash prize to the highest-rated junior player under 18 in Northern California.  Grandmasters Vinay Bhat, Sam Shankland and Daniel Naroditsky are among those who have won the Falconer Award, which has awarded more than $35,000 to support excellence in chess.
...

One of Neil's defining characteristics besides his generosity of spirit and dry sense of humor has been a lifelong interest in learning. He was a regular attendee of former Grandmaster-in-Residence Alex Yermolinsky's weekly endgame lectures and has always had a keen interest in solving chess puzzles and problems. The past decade he has played with pleasure in more than one 5-minute chess tournaments at the Institute, matching wits with players almost 80 years his junior!

Yian Liou Wins Falconer Award

Yian playing at 2013 US Junior Invitational (Photo by CCSCSL)

SM Yian Liou earned the prestigious Falconer Award given annually to the highest rated chess player under 18 in the Bay Area.  The junior at Monte Vista High School (Danville) will receive a check for $2478, equal to his rating on the December USCF rating supplement.  Yian, who already has a pair of IM norms and a peak FIDE rating of 2403, will try to score his final IM norm at the Bay Area International in the first week of January.

Mr. Falconer in 2011 (Photo by Jim Eade)

The Falconer Award is sponsored by longtime Mechanics' Institute trustee Neil Falconer, himself a strong and competitive tournament player, holding a 1900+ rating up to age 85.  Over the past 15 years, three recipients of this generous prize have gone on to earn the highest title in chess: Grandmaster.

• 2000 SM Vinay Bhat
• 2001 SM Vinay Bhat
• 2002 IM Vinay Bhat - now GM
• 2003 NM Michael Pearson
• 2004 NM Nicolas Yap
• 2005 NM Matthew Ho
• 2006 NM Matthew Ho
• 2007 NM Nicolas Yap 
• 2008 NM Sam Shankland
• 2009 IM Sam Shankland  - now GM
• 2010 SM Steven Zierk - now IM
• 2011 SM Daniel Naroditsky
• 2012 IM Daniel Naroditsky
• 2013 IM Daniel Naroditsky - now GM
• 2014 SM Yian Liou  

Yian and fpawn in 2008

Congratulations to Master Yian!  You make your old chess teacher a very proud pawny. :-)  


Thanks to IM John Donaldson of the Mechanics' Chess Club for sharing this good news!  Yian will receive his award at a ceremony at 5:15pm on Tuesday, January 21st. 

US Chess League Kicks Off!

The San Francisco Mechanics kick off the 9th season of the US Chess League on Tuesday evening.  Always competitive, the local team reached the playoffs in six of the previous eight seasons, winning the league championship in 2006.  Over the years, noteworthy titled players included GM Josh Friedel, GM Sam Shankland, GM Vinay Bhat, GM-elect Daniel Naroditsky, IM David Pruess and captain IM John Donaldson.  The San Francisco recipe for success, now copied throughout the league, depends on cultivating underrated young talent to man board 4, thereby opening enough space under the 2401 rating cap for the highly rated professionals on boards 1 and 2.

The 2013 roster for the San Francisco Mechanics consists of 10 players: 6 kids and 4 adults.  The top five, representing the team nucleus, have earned at least 25 caps each.  The next three also saw playing time last season.  The bottom four represent the Bay Area's latest crop of young stars--all age 13 or less and National Scholastic Champions!  The team selected January 2013 as the official rating list for determining a legal weekly lineup.

2013 Mechanics Roster

(January Rating, September Rating, Difference)

1. GM Jesse Kraai (2567, 2567, 0)
2. GM Vinay Bhat (2555, 2555, 0)
3. GM-elect Daniel Naroditsky (2553, 2590, +37)
4. FM Yian Liou (2432, 2492, +60)
5. IM David Pruess (2431, 2431, 0)
6. FM Andy Lee (2294, 2316, +22)
7. FM Cameron Wheeler (2276, 2276, 0)
8. NM Kesav Viswanadha (2213, 2261, +48)
9. NM Vignesh Panchanatham (2191, 2278, +87)
10. Siddharth Banik (2033, 2151, +118)

A glance at the above roster reveals several observations.  The trio of Grandmasters are interchangeable, and, depending on availability, I expect to see them take turns on boards 1 and 2 for much of the season.  Likewise, the three "Chess Punks" (Cameron, Kesav and Vignesh) appear close in strength and will divvy up many weeks on boards 3 and 4.  Finally, if bottom-rated Siddharth simply holds his own against master level opposition, then the team can afford to field a top-heavy power lineup more often.

Check out some of the possible lineups at captain Donaldson's disposal.  Unfortunately, availability may again become a driving factor in determining who can play, as in recent years.

• two of Kraai/Bhat/Naroditsky + Liou/Pruess + Banik
• two of Kraai/Bhat/Naroditsky + two of Lee/Wheeler/Viswanadha/Panchanatham
• Kraai/Bhat/Naroditsky + Pruess + two of Lee/Wheeler/Viswanadha/Panchanatham

One peculiarity of the US Chess League allows captains to submit a lineup rated over 2400 in spite of the 2401 rating cap. Indeed, 60% of the San Francisco team is currently rated north of their "official" January rating.  Consider the lineup of Kraai + Naroditsky + Liou + Banik, rated 2450 on the September list!!  Few teams can equal that.  Even stronger may be substituting Bhat, the club's all-time leading scorer, on board 1--exactly as Donaldson has done for week 1.

The league schedule shows one match per week for the next 10 weeks, on either Tuesday or Wednesday evening.  The Mechanics compete in the Pacific Division and will face the Arizona Scorpions, Los Angeles Vibe and Seattle Sluggers twice each.  The top pair of teams from each of the four Divisions will participate in the league playoffs in November.

In a big change, the US Chess League has moved to Chess.com.  Basic accounts are free, allowing anyone to follow the action live.  The planned coverage includes a live TV broadcast of every round.  The action kicks off with a California Clásico against Los Angeles on Tuesday at 6:15pm!

Schutt Blitz Results and Photos

FM Yian Liou

IM Daniel Naroditsky

NM Daniel Schwarz

Now in its seventh year, the Ray Schutt Memorial Blitz Tournament continues to attract many of the strongest and fastest local players to the Mechanics' Institute.  The 5 double-round swiss (10 games) featured a generous $750 prize fund, augmented by free books for everyone, including multiple signed copies by Bay Area authors.  Even ten days later, the fond memories remain fresh.  Thanks to photographer Richard Shorman and webmaster Kerry Lawless for uploading more than 100 photos on ChessDryad.

6-time US Champion
GM Walter Browne

A blast from the past:
NM Mike Arne

Out of a record 63 participants, 17 were masters, including two Grandmasters and seven International Masters.  The defending champion IM Daniel Naroditsky was poised to three-peat, but he faced stiff challenges in the final two rounds from Italian IM Niccolo Ronchetti (1.5-0.5) and 3-time US Champion GM Nick deFirmian (1-1).  This allowed high school sophomore FM Yian Liou to snatch clear first place by sweeping IM Ricardo DeGuzman (2-0).

Three of my former students finished in the money: Yian, Danya and recent Stanford graduate Daniel Schwarz.  Way to go guys!  All that blitz practice pays dividends!

Final Standings

• 9.0 FM Yian Liou
• 8.5 GM Nick deFirmian and IM Daniel Naroditsky
• 8.0 IM Ray Kaufman, IM Odondoo Ganbold and NM Daniel Schwarz
• 7.5 IM Niccolo Ronchetti
• 7.0 IM Ricardo DeGuzman and FM Andy Lee
• 6.5 GM Walter Browne
• 5.5 NM Michael Aigner

On the day before the blitz, the Mechanics' hosted the 13th Powell Memorial (G/45).  For the first time in four years, Yours Truly ended up victorious!  I beat master Romulo Fuentes and improving expert Aleksandr Ivanov before drawing with National K-8 champion Siddharth Banik.  Most importantly, I finally got off my life master floor!

The Chess Room

7th Schutt Memorial Blitz This Sunday!

GM Browne faces the Fpawn in 2011. Yes, that's a Caro Kann!

Over the past half decade, the Ray Schutt Memorial has become the largest and most prestigious annual blitz tournament in the Bay Area.  The last three years saw an average of over 45 players, including many masters with several GMs + IMs.  The 2-time defending champion IM Daniel Naroditsky and 6-time US Champion GM Walter Browne have already committed.  Come down for a fun afternoon of chess in the City!

7th Ray Schutt Memorial Blitz Tournament Sunday, May 5
Location: 57 Post Street, San Francisco (Montgomery BART)   FORMAT: Five double-round Swiss

TIME CONTROL: G/4 + inc/2 (bring your digital clock)

ENTRY FEE: $10 (free for GM/IM)
This tournament is UNRATED. (Membership in USCF not required)

PRIZES: $750 total
1st place: $300
2nd place: $200
3rd place: $100
4th place: $75
5th place: $50
6th place: $25

These prizes are guaranteed due to the generosity of the Schutt family.
Every player takes home a book, including new ones by GM Browne and IM Naroditsky!

REGISTRATION: 1 to 1:45 pm on-site only

There will be no registration in advance.  The tournament will be held between roughly 2 and 4 pm. The entire event will last from 1 to 5 pm. The Schutt family puts on a tremendous spread of food and drink each year. Even if you don't play, please come and enjoy the atmosphere as we pay respect to the popular 2300 rated master.

I regret never knowing Ray. However, we did play one tournament together, and apparently sat next to each other in the first round. It was the 1998 CalChess Labor Day held in Union City, and, rated 2124, I played up. Ray finished with 3.5 while I scored 2.5.   

Note from Fpawn: I plan to attend both the Powell G/45 on Saturday and the Schutt Blitz on Sunday. Health permitting, I will play in both tournaments. I really look forward to meeting people, especially my old friends and students.

FIDE Rated NorCal Kids - December 2012

NM Cameron

NM Kesav

Back in the dark ages, or even at the turn of this millennium, earning an official FIDE rating served as a rite of passage for a rising young chess player.  Few opportunities existed to play internationally rated games in the Bay Area, and the old rating floor of 2000 FIDE meant only the best had a shot..  IM John Donaldson and Anthony Corrales at the Mechanics' Institute organized a series of rating tournaments designed to meet this need.  Most of the elite juniors from that generation picked up their international rating this way.  Still, the number of local kids with a published FIDE rating never exceeded a handful at a time.

Times change!  At the end of 2012, more than 30 NorCal juniors are rated, with 3 above 2300 and another 13 over 2000.  On average, a player's USCF rating exceeds the FIDE by 50 to 100 points.  Since FIDE rates only slow games, someone who performs better at G/45 or G/60 will be ranked lower.  Indeed, many masters believe the FIDE rating holds more meaning than USCF, in part because faster games do not count.

NORCAL TOP 20 FIDE RATED JUNIORS

1	IM Naroditsky, Daniel	2483 + GM norm
2	SM Young, Greg	2367
3	FM Liou, Yian	2352 + IM norm
4	SM Sevian, Sam	2343 + 2 IM norms
5	NM Wheeler, Cameron	2165
6	NM Viswanadha, Kesav	2130
7	Liu, Daniel	2095
8	Apte, Neel	2086
9	Tong, Benjamin	2064
10	Chow, Colin	2062
11	Zhu, Jack	2047
12	Shin, Kyle	2046
13	Panchanatham, Vignesh	2033
14	Klotz-Burwell, Hunter	2026
15	Beilin, Allan	2018
16	Nagarajan, Pranav	2009
17	FM Vasudeva, Tanuj	1999
18	Iyengar, Udit	1988
19	Richter, Paul	1957
20	Moy, Kevin	1945

Please contact me at michael(at)fpawn(dot)com if I overlooked someone.

Grandmaster RR This Weekend @ Mechanics

This weekend, the Mechanics' Institute hosts one of the highest rated fields in its storied history.  Here's the catch: the Grandmasters will play at a rapid time control.  Read below how chess director IM John Donaldson described it in his newsletter on May 1.

GM Shankland

Thanks to the generosity of Tibor Weinberger, the Mechanics’ Institute will be holding the Third Imre Konig Memorial on September 22-23. The event, which commemorates the 20th anniversary of the death of International Master Konig, the first top rate player to reside in San Francisco, will be held as a seven-player round-robin, featuring a rapid chess time control of Game in 25 minutes, with a 15-second increment from move one. 

The invited players consist of the top six rated players from the Bay Area, led by Grandmaster Sam Shankland (who by now is nearly 2600 FIDE and top 10 in the country). The last player, Grandmaster Emil Anka of Hungary, pays respect to Konig’s ancestry as an international cosmopolitan who was born in the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in Kula, in today’s Serbia. 

• GM Sam Shankland (2597 FIDE)
• GM Jesse Kraai (2514)
• GM Vinay Bhat (2511)
• GM Nick deFirmian (2510)
• IM Daniel Naroditsky (2483) 
• GM Walter Browne (2449)
• GM Emil Anka (2382)

  

  GM Anka

  
  

IM Naroditsky

Konig studied in Vienna and improved his game in its chess cafe milieu, being particularly influenced by Richard Reti. Like the Czech, he earned a reputation as a fine author with his Chess from Morphy to Botvinnik: A Century of Chess Evolution serving as a useful instructional guide to several generations of chess players.

Konig was not only a fine writer, but also an excellent player, who twice represented Yugoslavia in Chess Olympiads. He is fondly remembered by Mechanics’ old-timers for his Old World courtliness and generosity of spirit in sharing his chess wisdom. The Mechanics’ Institute is honored to pay tribute to his memory.

The games will be broadcast on the Chess.com live server, from 10 to 6 on Saturday and 10 to 4 on Sunday.  Each participant plays six rounds and gets a single bye.

Youth Movement Continues for SF Mechanics

The 8th season of the US Chess League kicks off this week, with Eastern conference teams facing off tonight and the West playing on Wednesday.  For the San Francisco Mechanics, the new year rekindles a quest for a second league Championship, after the successful campaign in 2006.  Ten weekly matches, played on both ICC and Chess.com this year, will lead up to the Playoffs in November.  As always, the team's home base is the 4th floor at the Mechanics' Institute.

Youth has served the club well over the years, and a precocious trio of preteen masters will have opposing managers cursing about the Bay's waters being Juiced.  Have they not learned over the years?  At the same time, don't count out a pair of successful prodigies manning the top boards--GM Vinay Bhat and IM Daniel Naroditsky--nor the wily engineer GM Jesse Kraai.  With five adults and five juniors on the team roster, I expect captain IM John Donaldson to maintain a steady hand and field age-balanced lineups, two adults to keep two rambunctious kittens in check.

The Mechanics will use the January 2012 rating list.  The four players chosen each week must be rated 2400.75 or less in average.  The +/- number shows any rating change from January to current, including the Labor Day weekend. 

1. GM Vinay Bhat 2555
2. GM Jesse Kraai 2567
3. IM Daniel Naroditsky 2546 (-2)
4. IM Dmitry Zilberstein 2472 (-5)
5. IM John Donaldson 2402 (+6)
6. FM Yian Liou 2354 (+78)
7. SM Sam Sevian 2299 (+147)
8. FM Andy Lee 2273 (+18)
9. NM Cameron Wheeler 2154 (+86)
10. NM Kesav Viswanadha 2134 (+72)  

The first week's lineup of Bhat - Kraai - Sevian - Wheeler seems typical for this year.  Not many teams can match the 2452 average rating while staying below the 2400.75 cap.  The roster appears quite flexible; Naroditsky can substitute for either GM while Liou/Sevian and Wheeler/Viswanadha are both almost interchangeable.  And when the team needs to draw upon more experience, Zilberstein and Lee can drive home the even numbered boards.

Good luck to the San Francisco Mechanics!  Check the US Chess League website for weekly lineups as well as the club's regular season schedule.  To kick off the 2012 season, the local guys dance with the Cobras of Carolina on Wednesday, beginning at 5:30pm Pacific.  Games will be on ICC for Mondays (and tonight) and on Chess.com for Wednesdays.  I believe the moves are relayed back and forth between servers.  However, each site plans independent live (and exciting) multimedia coverage.

Random question: How soon will the USCL include a player rated 2000+ and born after the inaugural season began in September 2005?