Monday, May 19, 2008

Back to 1985 - My highest rating

Waukesha event is rated...I gained 24 points to reach 1985.

http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?200805140671.1-12916036

I was 1985 on December last year (2007) after SWCC HOLIDAY LEFTOVER SWISS (WI) and also on May 2006 after M ROHLAND MEMORIAL/WI CLOSED C (WI). The funny thing is in the last 3 years I have moved between 1935 to 1985. Wish one day I will break into upper limits beyond the 1985 !

Link to my rated tournaments

http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlTnmtHst.php?12916036

Thursday, May 1, 2008

At last beat Coons in mainline Slav !! 5/6 in Waukesha championship.

I lost 2 games trying to win from drawn positions and drew 2 more against Coons in the mainline of Slav in last 1.5 years. Last time time I had white against him, I played 1.Nf3 2.b3 and won. Incidentally our first game (3 years back) was also a mainline slav which I won. This time was planning 1.a3 but then just before the game he was mentioning how much he prepared the Slav lines for this game and I couldn't resist me from taking the challenge and played the mainline. Typically he plays 20 moves from his memory but here i could take him out of main line. Got a double edged position and then won the game with two bishops. It feels good ! It confirms the belief that if you can play the middle game and ending better, it doesn't matter if you come out of the opening with no advantage.

Williams leading the tourney with 6/7. Both i and Sasha have a chance to catch him with a score 5/6. And next round (last game) we are playing each other. Lets see what happens !