WCC News 2019 ♔

Hello chess fans!
I went to the Shamrock Open in Cambridge last Saturday. Here are the games for those of you who are interested:
https://youtu.be/jIhvgv3-bYc - 2019 Shamrock Open (Pt 1)
https://youtu.be/6GOkIGVDET4 - 2019 Shamrock Open (Pt 2)
Thanks!
Brett
[See these & all of Brett Kildahl's other videos at Brett's YouTube channel.]

This Sunday's Worcester Telegram & Gazette (March 17th 2019) contains a feature story by correspondent, Paula J. Owen, about WCC Program Director, George Mirijanian.
You can read the entire article at the Worcester Telegram web site:
Sunday Sitdown: George M. Mirijanian, chess player at Wachusett Chess Club
https://www.telegram.com/news/20190317/sunday-sitdown-george-m-mirijanian-chess-player-at-wachusett-chess-club

Hello All,
Well, I finally bit the bullet and analyzed my lost to Steve Murray (1651), against whom I adopted a French Defense. As a bonus, I've included a short segment on "The Myth of Infrared". Hope you enjoy it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VSXmJbJgM4
Cheers,
Roger
[See this & all of Roger Cappallo's other videos at Roger's YouTube channel.]

Hey guys,
Check out the video about my game with Dave Thomas: https://youtu.be/r2ZCz5dExrs
Thanks!
Brett
[See this & all of Brett Kildahl's other videos at Brett's YouTube channel.]

The Chinese women's team dominated this year's World Team Championship by winning on Thursday, March 14, the 10-team round-robin event in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Chinese won all nine matches, with Russia, scoring 6 match wins, 2 draws and 1 loss, ending up in 2nd place. The U.S. women's team finished in 7th place, with a 2.5-1.5 win over Egypt in the final round. Drawing on board 1 was WGM Katerina Nemcova, losing on board 2 was WIM Carissa Yip, winning on board 3 was WGM Sabina-Fransceca Foisor and on board 4 WCM Rochelle Wu. Carissa's loss was to 21-year-old WGM Shrook Wafa (FIDE-rated 2166), a former Women's African chess champion.
-George M

The U.S. women's team was soundly defeated, 4-0, by India in Round 7 of the World Team Championship, played Tuesday, March 12, in Astana, Kazakhstan. All members of the U.S. team, WGM Tatev Abrahamyan on board 1, WGM Katerina Nemcova on board 2, WIM Carissa Yip on board 3, and WGM Sabina-Francesca Foisor on board 4 lost to their Indian opponents. Carissa lost to 17-year-old International Master and Woman Grandmaster Padmini Rout (FIDE rated 2332), four-time Indian women's champion (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017). Despite the loss, the U.S. team still remains in 7th place in the standings, with two rounds left to play.
-George M

The U.S. women's team lost to Russia on Monday, March 11th, in round 6 of the World Team Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan. Draws were gained by WGM Tatev Abrahamyan on board 1, WGM Katerina Nemcova on board 2, and WCM Rochelle Wu on board 4. Suffering the team's only loss was 15-year-old WIM Carissa Yip on board 3. Carissa, a former Wachusett CC and Boylston CC champion, lost to 20-year-old GM Aleksandra Goryachkina (FIDE rated 2504), a two-time Russian women's champion and a two-time World Girls Under-20 champion. The loss now puts the U.S. women's team in 7th place in a field of 10 teams, with three rounds yet to play.
-George M

The following ratings are in effect for the Gail S. Lingner Memorial, which begins Wednesday, March 13, in Room C159 of the McKay Complex at Fitchburg State University.
Registration is from 6:30 to 7 p.m., with Round 1 starting at 7:15 p.m.
Deadline for all subsequent rounds is 7:10 p.m. Players running late who wish to be paired MUST CALL by 7 p.m.

The U.S. women's team rebounded from its loss to Kazakhstan on Friday to defeat Armenia, 3-1, in Round 5 of the 2019 World Team Championship on Saturday, March 9, in Astana, Kazakhstan. Winning for the USA were WGM Tatev Abrahamyan on board 1, WGM Katerina Nemcova on board 2, and WIM Carissa Yip on board 3. WGM Sabina-Francesca Foisor suffered the team's only loss on board 4. Carissa's victory was against 17-year-old Woman FIDE Master Anna M. Sargsyan.
-George M
[Follow the event here: http://chess-results.com/tnr421067.aspx?lan=1&art=46]

My last-round game against Gary Brassard , on the Black side of a London/Indian Defense. The astronomy segment is 'The Color of Stars'
I've published episode 58 of MWATC, my game last night in the 5th round of the George O'Rourke Memorial. I had the black pieces against Gary Brassard (1742) and we ended up in a London / Indian hybrid. The astronomy segment is 'The Color of Stars'. I hope you enjoy it.
Cheers,
Roger
[See this & all of Roger Cappallo's other videos at Roger's YouTube channel.]

2019 George O'Rourke Memorial Rd 5
Hey,
I made a video about my game with Ritvik [Pulya] for those who are interested:
https://youtu.be/JTGdFMUBmvk
See you next week.
Brett

[See this & all of Brett Kildahl's other videos at Brett's YouTube channel.]

Carissa Yip remained undefeated in the women's division of the 2019 World Team Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan, as she drew the former women's champion of Georgia, 32-year-old WGM Nino Batsiashvili, in round 3 of the nine-round team event on Thursday, March 7. Carissa split the point on board 3 with Batsiashvili, who was Georgian women's champion in 2015 and 2018, while her team mates, WGM Tatev Abrahamyan on board 1, WGM Katerina Nemcova on board 2, and WCM Rochelle Wu on board 4, lost their games, giving Georgia a 3.5-0.5 win over the American team.
-George M

Former Wachusett CC champion Carissa Yip beats ex-Women's World Champion Ushenina.
Carissa Yip, the 2014 champion of the Wachusett Chess Club, got off to an excellent start in Round 1 in the Women's Division of the 2019 World Team Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan by defeating former Women's World Champion GM Anna Ushenina of Ukraine on Tuesday, March 5th. The 15-year-old Women's International Master from Andover, Mass. beat 33-year-old Ushenina with the black pieces on board 2 in the USA vs. Ukraine match, which ended in a 2-2 tie. Carissa scored the only win for the U.S. team, with fellow team mates WGM Tatev Abrahamyan losing on board 1, WGM Sabina Foisor drawing on board 3, and 12-year-old Woman Candidate Master Rochelle Wu splitting the point on board 4.
-George M

[Here's the game:]
[White "Ushenina, Anna"]
[Black "Yip, Carissa"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E73"]
[Opening "King's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation, Geller Defense"]
1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. e4 d6 4. d4 Bg7 5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5 Nbd7 { E73 King's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation, Geller Defense } 7. Qd2 c6 8. Nf3 e5 9. d5 Nc5 10. Qc2 a5 11. O-O Rb8 12. a3 cxd5 13. cxd5 Qc7 14. Nd2 Bd7 15. Nb5 Bxb5 16. Bxb5 Rfc8 17. Rac1 Qd8 18. Qb1 a4 19. Be3 Qa5 20. Be2 b5 21. f3 Nfd7 22. Rc3 Bf6 23. Qc2 Bd8 24. Rb1 Qa6 25. Qd1 Ba5 26. Rc2 Bb6 27. Bf2 Kg7 28. Rbc1 Rc7 29. Qf1 Ba7 30. Rc3 Rcc8 31. Kh1 Qb7 32. R1c2 Rf8 33. b4 axb3 34. Nxb3 Qa6 35. Bh4 Qa4 36. Qb1 b4 37. axb4 Qxb4 38. Qa2 Nxb3 39. Qxa7 Nd4 40. Qxd7 Qxc3 { White resigns. } 0-1

The newest member of the Wachusett Chess Club, Andrew Jeselson, has posted a number of chess videos on YouTube. Andrew reviews some classical games by players such as Mikhail Botvinnik & Alexi Shirov as well as a game of his from the
2017 New York State Open.
Check out Andrew's chess videos at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDR3Yy09EAQgD1SXfpQKuRw
-PG

This week the board 1 pairing consisted once again of NM Brett Kildahl vs. CM Roger Cappallo & both players decided to explain their moves & ideas in respective YouTube videos, so the Wachusett Chess Club is treated with duelling videos for this interesting & important game.

2019 George O'Rourke Memorial Rd 4
Hello,
Here's my game against Roger: https://youtu.be/r5yWFuwGHJE
Thanks!
Brett

[See this & all of Brett Kildahl's other videos at Brett's YouTube channel.]

My Week at the Club #57
And here's my game against Brett. :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mZEg81q5tw
My board 1 encounter this week, as White vs. National Master Brett Kildahl, in a Giuoco Pianissimo opening
Cheers,
Roger

[See this & all of Roger Cappallo's other videos at Roger's YouTube channel.]

Former Wachusett Chess Club champion Carissa Yip of Andover, Mass. will represent the United States on a national women's team competing in the 2019 World Team Championship, which will be played between March 4 (arrival) and March 15 (departure) in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan. The 2014 Wachusett CC champion and Woman International Master will join team mates WGM Tatev Abrahamyan, WGM Katerina Nemcova, WGM Sabina-Francesca Foisor, and alternate WCM Rochelle Wu in competing with teams from Russia, China, Armenia, Ukraine, Georgia, India, Hungary, Kazakhstan and Egypt. Team captain is noted chess teacher GM Melikset Khachiyan of Los Angeles, GM Levon Aronian's first chess coach.
-George M

My Week at the Club #55: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LpDq_lTAvE

Hello All,
This week I played Ken Gurge (1778) on the Black side of a French Defense. Ken sac'd a pawn and the black king was looking pretty shaky. For the details on how it turned out, as well as a few words on the rotation of Mercury, see:
https://youtu.be/uNZuV9msAS0
Cheers,
Roger
[See this & all of Roger Cappallo's other videos at Roger's YouTube channel.]

OTB Chess 02/14/19

Hey guys,
I had a tough game against Mike Commisso in the third round, and just made a video about it:
https://youtu.be/uZzudIufoo8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZzudIufoo8 2019 George O'Rourke Memorial Rd 3
Thanks,
Brett
[See this & all of Brett Kildahl's other videos at Brett's YouTube channel.]

MACA elections are right around the corner! Billerica CC members, Jeff Caruso and Robb Stewart, are running for positions on the MACA board. Jeff has represented MACA as a director for a number of years and this year he is running for Vice President. Robb Stewart is running for one of the open director positions and has asked for our support. I've known Robb for a long time through the chess circles and has been an instructor for the club in the past.

For those that don't know him, Robb has been an active chess player for over 30 years, and is very involved with scholastic chess. He volunteers to manage a chess program at his daughter's school, directs scholastic tournaments, and tutors students privately.

Both Jeff and Robb are great candidates for the positions and will help Mass Chess move forward. They would like you and/or your child's vote - yes, your child can vote! Mass Chess bylaws state that junior members are eligible to vote The process to vote is underway currently and is a two-step process that is easy to complete.

The first step is that you have to register with the election committee to vote.
You simply need to send an email to the following address: election@masschess.org

You do need to be a current member of MACA. You can paste this text in your note:
Please send me an online ballot for the upcoming election to [your-email].
This must be completed before February 28th.

The second step is to vote!
An on-line ballot will be emailed to the address you provided at the beginning of May which will allow you to vote.
Online voting needs to be completed by May 22nd.
MACA has posted FAQs on its website about the election process; the link can be found here:
http://masschess.org/resources/faqs/chess_faqs.aspx?faq_type_uid=5
Please vote! And please support Robb Stewart and Jeff Caruso, they are both great choices for the future of Mass Chess.
-Paul G.

My Week at the Club #55: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LpDq_lTAvE

Hello All,
This week I played Larry Gladding (1765) in a QGD. The opening line was somewhat similar to our game in episode #52, and Larry got a promising K-side attack out of it.
Cheers,
Roger
[See this & all of Roger Cappallo's other videos at Roger's YouTube channel.]

OTB Chess 02/14/19

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.
I made a video about last night's game. Check it out if you feel like it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbtSn9hFNWU 2019 George O'Rourke Memorial Rd 2
Thanks,
Brett
[See this & all of Brett Kildahl's other videos at Brett's YouTube channel.]

My Week at the Club #54: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHrBSFO0yHo

Hello All,
After a bit more effort than I care to admit, I got my most recent analysis video posted. In it I play Don Ostrowski in the first round of the George O'Rourke Memorial. He played 1. e4 and I responded with a French Defense.
My weekly game from the Wachusett Chess Club, where I played Black in a French Defense against Don Ostrowski (1571).
Cheers,
Roger
[See this & all of Roger Cappallo's other videos at Roger's YouTube channel.]

Board 1 in Round 1 of the Grorge E. O'Rourke Memorial, vs. Jim Hankard

Good morning,
I posted a video about my game against Jim Hankard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y80iQChzZ4
There's also a new one about the Budapest Gambit, for those of you who are interested in openings:
Chess Openings: Budapest Gambit: https://youtu.be/m0oBpiVwonQ
See you Wednesday!
Brett
[See this & all of Brett Kildahl's other videos at Brett's YouTube channel.]

The following ratings are in effect for the George E. O'Rourke Memorial, which begins Wednesday, Feb. 6, in Room C159 of the McKay Complex at Fitchburg State University.

At 6:40 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 6, the latest episode of Chess Chat will be presented, showing the game between 18-year-old GM Sam Sevian (the No. 1 player in Massachusetts, who lives in Central Mass. in Holden) and soon-to-be 20-year-old IM Ravi Haria (British player) from the Pro Chess League match between the Montclair Sopranos and the London Lions. WIM Carissa Yip, 2014 Wachusett CC champion, is also a member of the Montclair Sopranos team. The Chess Chat episode can also be seen on video On Demand at http://www.fatv.org.
Players must be present by 7 p.m. in order to be paired for Round 1.
Deadline for all subsequent rounds is 7:10 p.m. Players running late who wish to be paired MUST CALL by 7 p.m.

Scholastic Chess in the WMCA region was on Connecting Point PBS (WGBY) Tues 7pm 22 Jan
The show segment was published on YouTube & may be viewed here:
Western Mass Scholastic Chess League | Connecting Point | Jan. 22, 2019

This week the board 1 pairing consisted of NM Brett Kildahl vs. CM Roger Cappallo & both players decided to explain their moves & ideas in respective YouTube videos, so the Wachusett Chess Club is treated with duelling videos for this interesting & important game.

Brett comments on Roger's YouTube video:
Nice analysis, Roger.
It was interesting to hear that you wanted to avoid the Benko and Benoni. I was hoping for one of those openings, and didn't have much of an idea what I'd do against the Slav, so you had me pegged in that regard.
Your description of my late middlegame blunder as a slight glitch was generous. If you had had even a few minutes more on your clock at that point, I think you would have found that line and won the game.
Thanks for linking to my video. I'll do the same!
-Brett

[See this & all of Roger Cappallo's other videos at Roger's YouTube channel.]
[See this & all of Brett Kildahl's other videos at Brett's YouTube channel.]

My Week at the Club #53

The last round fight for 1st place in the Reggie Boone Memorial, where I played Black in a Slav Defense against Brett Kildahl (2132). Brett's video on this game can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiYvEPejnBU, and the club's web site is located at http://www.wachusettchess.org.
Brett also has made a video, which I've linked to in my description. As always, thanks for watching.
Cheers,
Roger

[See this & all of Roger Cappallo's other videos at Roger's YouTube channel.]

OTB Chess 01/30/19

Hi all,
I made a video about my game against Roger Cappallo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiYvEPejnBU
See you all next week.
Thanks!
Brett
[See this & all of Brett Kildahl's other videos at Brett's YouTube channel.]

Hello All,
I've finished and uploaded the video for Wednesday night's Round 4 game against Larry Gladding. It was a QGD Exchange variation. For convenience I've attached an updated index to my video series. [mwatc_index.xlsx.pdf]
Cheers,
Roger
[See this & all of Roger Cappallo's other videos at Roger's YouTube channel.]

Hi all,
The video about my game with Ray [Paulson] is up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz70Of3xUac
See you all next Wednesday!
Thanks!
Brett
[See this & all of Brett Kildahl's other videos at Brett's YouTube channel.]

Hello All,
After a fair amount of futzing about with the machine, I was able to get a video produced on my game against Geoff LePoer. I was on the Black side of a Torre Attack. Here's the link:
https://youtu.be/qnegT7pIASo My Week at the Club #51
My weekly bout at the Wachusett Chess Club, this week playing Black against Geoff LePoer (1907) in a Torre Attack.
I hope you find something of interest in it.
Cheers,
Roger
[See this & all of Roger Cappallo's other videos at Roger's YouTube channel.]

Position from H. McLaughlin - Mike Commisso, 2019.01.16

Kxb6??

Your opponent's flag is about to fall in a US Chess sudden death time control. The TD comes over to the contest to observe. They see that your opponent has run out of time-their flag is down, but the TD says nothing and does nothing. You look up at them with a quizzical expression, and still there is no response from the TD. To get the TD to act, you must point out the flag fall and say something-like "Flag" or "Flag Fall" or "Time." You and your opponent are locked in a position where your king gets checked over, and over, and over. The TD is watching this little dance contest; yet, says nothing. Why? There was no claim by a player. Note: the TD can declare a draw without a claim if the same position appears five times in a row. Your opponent touches their queen but moves their knight instead. They do this right in front of the TD; yet, the TD does nothing?! But if you make a claim, what do you think the TD will do?

Rarely will a TD intervene in your game without an invitation by you or your opponent to do so. TDs rarely rule on a claim that you don't make, even if they observe a violation of US Chess rules (FIDE rules are a bit different and there are some rare exceptions in US Chess.) So if you want to claim a flag fall, draw, illegal move, touched piece, etc., then you have to make that request-verbally. One notable time a claim does not need to be verbalized is when 75 moves have been made with no pawn move plus no piece has been captured-then the TD can simply declare the game drawn. If a TD sees an illegal move early in the game-the US Chess rules have some wiggle room here-a TD may, unannounced, step in and correct the miscue (even though US Chess advises against it). They positively cannot do a thing about an illegal move in the last five minutes of a time control unless you or your opponent makes an illegal move claim-aloud.

Coaches, friends, relatives, spectators, teachers, and all others cannot make any claim in the game you are playing. Having someone summon a TD for you is not the same as making a claim. When the TD does show up, you have to state your claim yourself.
-Larry G.

Hi all,
For those of you who are interested, I'm back to making chess videos.
Here's my most recent: https://youtu.be/IcNe4m_V2UE
The rest can be found through my channel (Brett Kildahl).
Thanks!
Brett
[See this & all of Brett Kildahl's other videos at Brett's YouTube channel.]

Hello All,
I've just posted my 50th Week at the Club video on youtube. It's at:
https://youtu.be/qH4ybOwGJo0
In it I play Ken Gurge (1784) on the white side of a Caro-Kann Panov Attack. I hope you enjoy it.
Cheers,
Roger
[See this & all of Roger Cappallo's other videos at Roger's YouTube channel.]

Carissa Yip is on the Montclair Sopranos along with GM's Sam Sevian, Aleksandr Lenderman, Gadir Guseinov & WGM Sabina Foisor.
PRO Chess League season 3 starts Tuesday January 8, 2019.
Greg Shahade, Pro Chess League Commissioner, explains the Pro Chess League objectives & comments about the coming season in a 2017 interview on YouTube.
Here's an example of a Pro Chess League game where Carissa Yip checkmates GM Demchenko:
[Event "PRO League Group Stage"]
[Site "chess.com INT"]
[Date "2019.01.08"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Yip,Carissa"]
[Black "Demchenko,A"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteTitle "FM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2279"]
[BlackElo "2679"]
[ECO "C44"]
[Opening "Scotch gambit"]
[Variation "Dubois-Reti defence"]
[WhiteTeam "Montclair Sopranos"]
[BlackTeam "New York Marshalls"]
[WhiteFideId "2090732"]
[BlackFideId "4160258"]
[EventDate "2019.01.08"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. e5 Ne4 6. Qe2 Nc5 7. O-O Ne6 8. Rd1 d5 9. exd6 Bxd6 10. c3 O-O
11. cxd4 Re8 12. Be3 Nf4 13. Qd2 Qf6 14. Ne1 Bg4 15. f3 Bh5 16. Nc3 Bg6 17. Nb5 Ne6 18. Nxd6 cxd6 19. d5 Ne5
20. Bb5 Nf8 21. Bxe8 Rxe8 22. Bd4 Qh4 23. f4 Ned7 24. Nf3 Qd8 25. Re1 Re4 26. Ng5 Rxe1+ 27. Rxe1 h6 28. Nf3 Nb6
29. Qa5 Qb8 30. Bxb6 axb6 31. Qxb6 Nd7 32. Qe3 Nf6 33. Nd4 Qa8 34. f5 Bh7 35. Qa3 Qd8 36. Qb3 Qc7 37. Kh1 Kh8
38. a4 Qc5 39. Nf3 Bxf5 40. Qxb7 Be4 41. Qxf7 Bxd5 42. Qf8+ Kh7 43. Re7 Qc1+ 44. Ng1 Qg5 45. Re2 Ng4 46. h3 Ne5
47. Qxd6 Nd3 48. Rd2 Nf4 49. Nf3 Bxf3 50. gxf3 Qg3 51. a5 Qxf3+ 52. Kg1 Qg3+ 53. Kf1 Qxh3+ 54. Ke1 Qh1+ 55. Kf2 Qh2+
56. Ke3 Qg3+ 57. Ke4 g5 58. Qe7+ Kg6 59. Qe8+ Kf6 60. Rd6+ Kg7 61. Qe7+ Kg8 62. Rd8# 1-0

Five Wachusett Chess Club players competed in a few events this past weekend. Here are the rating updates from: The 2019 Westford January Blitz & the 7th Boston Chess Congress tournaments.

The following ratings are in effect for the Reggie Boone Memorial, which begins Wednesday, Jan. 2, in Room C159 of the McKay Complex at Fitchburg State University.
Players must be present by 7 p.m. in order to be paired for Round 1.
Deadline for all subsequent rounds is 7:10 p.m. Players running late who wish to be paired MUST CALL by 7 p.m.