Colorado Springs Chess News

Game Of The Week

Last week on the Game Of The Week:

http://cschess.webs.com/apps/blog/entries/show/4272650-where-is-the-expert-title-when-you-need-one-part-i-

...and now, the exciting conclusion!

Josh Smith, Wednesday, March 29, 2006 10:06 AM

“If you don’t count beating NM Josh Bloomer as ‘beating a master level chess player’, you are sorely mistaken. A win against those gods of chess is to be cherished and fondly remembered regardless of whether their rating is 2197 or 3 points higher. I beat NM Jeff Phillips (2196) and then drew GM Igor Ivanov (2529) in the last game he ever played. I consider that a win against a master and a draw against someone that has a winning record against the World Champions that he has faced! Once a master, always a master………………I think that it was put best in the movie ‘The Luzhin Defense’ when John Turturro’s character walked into a hotel and was greeted by the entire staff. They all bowed graciously as the grandmaster passed by without notice. The concierge, trying desperately to gain his attention, whispered the most correct words possible ‘Maestro, Maestro’. Those words still ring in my mind”

Tim Brennan, Tuesday, April 04, 2006 4:56 PM

“I think that the person's official rating has to be master strength to *really* say you beat a Master. There is no fuzzy logic here. The person is either a Master or not a master at the time you beat him. But if you tell a chess player something like, I beat a 2197, it basically carries the same weight.

Chess players are great at qualifying and having excuses and explanations for everything. ‘Well it says his rating is 1651, but he REALLY plays like he is 1842. Damn Sandbagger. Probably because of all those kids in Arizona who are underrated and that dang blasted internet...’

or

‘Well he was rated 1997 at the time I played him, in 2001, but I have been watching the MSA website for them to do a rerating from 5 years ago to see if he was REALLY a 2004 rated player, which according to my calculations he was. The events were rated out of order at the time, so the whole system in messed up. In that case I beat an expert! I am gonna stay up until 3AM when they update the databases! Sweet!’”

I enjoyed the responses I received from that newsletter, and I am going to say they are both right.

How can I come down on both sides of this issue?

Well, it is not easy riding the fence, but here goes.

I like Josh Smith’s comments about “once a master, always a master” because master is more than just a ranking, it is an official title given out by the USCF.

On the other hand, I like Tim’s comments because a player’s rating is an estimate of their playing strength. There is more satisfaction to beating a master in his prime than when his rating has dropped well below the master rank.

Of course, none of this helped when I published a game against Alexander Gitis. There was no title for expert, and while Alexander has usually been in the expert ratings, the one time he was not was when I got a win.

Well, I am happy to announce, “Now there is an expert title…Candidate Master!”

Where Is The Expert Title When You Need One?

(www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game-replayer.php?id=71233)

[Event "Hillside Fundraiser"]

[Site "http://cschess.webs.com/"]

[Date "2003.04.05"]

[Round "2.3"]

[White "Gitis, Alexander"]

[Black "Anderson, Paul"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "B12"]

[WhiteElo "1995"]

[BlackElo "1734"]

[PlyCount "68"]

[EventDate "2003.04.05"]

[TimeControl "1800"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. g4 Bg6 5. h4 h6 6. e6 fxe6 7.

Bd3 Bf7 8. Nf3 Nd7 9. Ne5 Nxe5 10. dxe5 Qc7 11. f4 g6 12. c3 Bg7 13. Qf3 g5 14.

hxg5 hxg5 15. Rxh8 Bxh8 16. Qh3 Bg7 17. Qh7 Kf8 18. Bg6 gxf4 19. Bxf7 Qxe5+ 20.

Kf2 Kxf7 21. Qh2 Nf6 22. Qxf4 Qxf4+ 23. Bxf4 Nxg4+ 24. Kg3 Nf6 25. Nd2 Nh5+ 26.

Kg4 Nxf4 27. Kxf4 Bh6+ 28. Ke5 Bxd2 29. Rf1+ Kg6 30. Kxe6 Bg5 31. Kd7 Rh8 32.

Rf2 Rh7 33. Ke6 Rh3 34. Kd7 Re3 0-1

This Week In Chess

On July 20th, the CSCC had 5 members in attendance. Most of the players joined the Quick Quad (RR, G20).  Jeff Fox got me to blunder away my draw with 7 seconds left on my clock to claim the top spot. Here are the results:

Score, Player

3.0 Jeff Fox

2.0 Paul Anderson

1.0 Alex Torres

0.0 Dean Brown

Winter Springs Open Announcement‏

By Buck Buchanan

TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

December 4-5, Manitou Springs: Winter Springs Open

4-SS, 40/2 and G/1, Masonic Lodge, 455 El Paso Blvd, Manitou Springs. 3 Sections: June (open to all), July (U1800), August (U1400). Entry fee $30 if rec’d by 12/1, $35 at site. $8 off EF for Juniors, Seniors, Unrated. Cash prizes per entries. Register 8:30 - 9:30, rds schedule 10, 4; 9, 3. Entries to Richard Buchanan, 1 Sutherland Rd, Manitou Springs CO 80829. Phone (719) 685-1984 or e-mail [email protected] . CSCA membership required ($15, 10 for juniors/seniors), OSA. Colorado Tour Event.

1st Wild West Chess Tournament

By Lee Lahti

The 1st Wild West Chess Tournament in Saratoga, WY is on the weekend of July 31st and August 1st. This is going to be a great new event for all players in the Rocky Mountain region. We are trying to get as high a participation rate as possible for this first event so the sponsor will be willing to hold the event on a yearly basis. Right now turnout is not as strong as as everyone is hoping for. I am encouraging all chess players in and around Colorado and Wyoming to consider coming to our inaugural event that we are hoping will become the "Chess Vacation in the West" that everyone will want to attend.

Information about the tournament can be found at http/www.saratogachess.com/. If people have any questions, please feel free to contact me by phone at 970-372-8590 or by email at [email protected]

Thanks.

Lee Lahti

President, Colorado State Chess Association