The Road to 2200: USCF Electronic Knights Finals
The Electronic Knights is THE USCF tournament for correspondence chess players. Here is my final update on my standing in Electronic Knights 2021 Finals.
And here we are, a new year in chess; I anticipate the Electronic Knights 2021 tournament finals, ready to face formidable opponents and test myself on the correspondence chess board. As I reflect on the recent chess adventures that marked the end of 2023 and look forward to the challenges that 2024 holds, I can’t help but share the excitement with fellow chess enthusiasts.
Veterans Worldcup and International Friendlies
In the Veterans Worldcup, I engaged in intense battles, navigating the complexities of each game with a mix of anticipation and calculation. The camaraderie of the USCF Around the World friendly tournament brought international flair, with matches against Switzerland (SUI vs. USA) and Germany (GER vs. USA), showcasing the global spirit of chess.
Preliminary Rounds and Champions League
The preliminary rounds of the Veterans Worldcup 14 provided a platform for strategic duels and tactical brilliance, setting the stage for the upcoming Champions League. It’s an honor to be invited to join FSB Thuringia I for this team tournament, where I’ll be making my moves on Board 4. As I embrace this new team, I bid farewell to my old companions from The Underrated, a team that holds a special place in my chess journey.
One highlight of the preliminary round in the Veterans World Cup 14 was facing off against the formidable team leader, Hartmut Boehnke, who leads the FSB Thuringia team into the Champions League.
Rating Deviation (RD)
Ever wondered about the number in brackets behind your rating? The number in brackets next to your ICCF rating, in this case 90, represents your Rating Deviation (RD). The RD is a measure of the uncertainty of a player’s rating. In simple terms, the more games you play and finish, the lower your Rating Deviation will be.
When you think about this, the more games you complete, the more accurate the rating will be as a measure of your actual playing strength. A new player will start out with a very high RD (250), as they have completed zero games, but this will drop as they complete games and their rating becomes more stable.
So, in my case, the number 90 indicates that I have played a substantial number of games, and my rating of 2137 is relatively stable. My new deviation I start into 2024 is 86.
Weekly Features
As I share updates on my chess journey, I invite you to explore my Weekly Chess Puzzle and delve into my Game of the Week. This week’s spotlight is on the historic encounter between Steinitz and von Bardensleben during the Hastings International Masters in 1895. Witness one of the most beautiful combinations ever executed on the board, where a developmental advantage seamlessly transforms into checkmate. The game serves as a testament to the importance of avoiding the theoretical duels of a well-prepared opponent. Check the game of the week 3.
Join the Chess Adventure and do some Tactics!
Join me in exploring chess improvement, tournament triumphs, and the joy of achieving milestones on the board. Whether you’re a seasoned chess enthusiast, a hobby player, or an adult/senior seeking chess improvement, let’s embark on this chess adventure together.
To improve your chess, do some tactics. To make it easy for you, here you go! No excuse.
2021 Electronic Knights Championship Final Section: 21ENf01
The pairings are set and this is the first time USCF hosting the tournament on ICCF server.
Start Date: 1/19/24
End Date: 7/19/26
Player
US Chess ID ICCF ID Name Prelim Score SF Score Total
| Rk | ID | Player | Rtng | T1 | S1 | T2 | S2 | Tot Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12416899 | BARCLAY, DEAN | 2284 | 21E2 | 5.5 | 21Es2 | 5.5 | 17.6 |
| 2 | 12437668 | BUSS, MICHAEL | 2407 | 21E3 | 5 | 21Es3 | 5.5 | 17.1 |
| 3 | 30167651 | REGER, JEFF | 2292 | 21E20 | 5 | 21Es2 | 5.5 | 17.1 |
| 4 | 30088451 | SCHROEER, E | 2056 | 21E9 | 5.5 | 21Es3 | 5 | 16.5 |
| 5 | 12179010 | CORKUM, TIM | 2367 | 21E4 | 5 | 21Es4 | 4.5 | 14.9 |
| 6 | 10061237 | WEINER, G | 2241 | 21E7 | 5.5 | 21Es1 | 4 | 14.3 |
| 7 | 30126477 | NOHR, MAT | 2081 | 21E11 | 4.5 | 21Es3 | 4 | 13.3 |
The Electronic Knights is played on the ICCF chess server. The time control is 30 days for each 10 moves. All players must abide by the US Chess Official Correspondence Chess Rules and the Special Rules for the Golden Knights and Electronic Knights Regulations 2021-2023.
As you can see in the above table, a rule kicked in to fill up the group of seven. So, again, I will meet Matthew Nohr at the virtual board and play against the big guns, Tim Corkum and Michael Buss, among others
Recent games & tournaments
| Event | Player | Date | Player Rating | Oponent Rating | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GER - USA 2022 | Schmidt, Torsten (Jessnitz) | 12/1/2023 | 2137 (93) | 2093 (92) | 0.5 | REPLAY |
| vwc14 | Khanas, Valeriy | 12/3/2023 | 2137 (93) | 2384 (100) | 0.5 | REPLAY |
| VWC 13/SF 9 | David-Bordier, Christophe | 12/6/2023 | 2137 (93) | 2379 (89) | 0 | REPLAY |
| SUI - USA 2023 | Baumann, Walter (sen) | 12/9/2023 | 2137 (93) | 2128 (100) | 0.5 | REPLAY |
| vwc14 | Borisovs, Leonids | 12/24/2023 | 2137 (93) | 2276 (100) | 0.5 | REPLAY |
| vwc14 | Jozefini, Lubor | 12/25/2023 | 2137 (93) | 2072 (103) | 0.5 | REPLAY |
| VWC 13/SF 9 | McDermott, Frank J. | 12/28/2023 | 2137 (93) | 2372 (100) | 0 | REPLAY |
| vwc14 | Maioriello, Graziano | 12/28/2023 | 2137 (93) | 2277 (83) | 0.5 | REPLAY |
| vwc14 | Schmidt, Loren R. | 1/1/2024 | 2137 (93) | 2472 (91) | 0.5 | REPLAY |
| vwc14 | Böhnke, Hartmut | 1/13/2024 | 2137 (93) | 2425 (65) | 0.5 | REPLAY |
Games for replay can be found on ICCF. Just follow the link.
Playchess
My recent blog about the Playchess platform got a lot of attention. I’m excited to continue playing on this platform with a real board, my ChessNut Air.
Here is one of my games you might find interesting. Nicknames can easily be replaced by real names if shared.
Planning for 2024
Looking forward, I will focus on some key tournaments. I will continue to play Electronic Knights 2023, where I reached the semi-finals, Champions League, and Electronic Knights 2024 Preliminary round.
I also plan to polish my opening portfolio and do more training here. Stay tuned; I will share what I have learned soon.
Amici Sumus
I’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s post. Feel free to share your favorite chess strategy or ask any questions.
Check out week 3 puzzle and games of the week
