Friday Chess Blog Time Again

Welcome back, fellow chess enthusiasts! It’s been an eventful year in chess, and I’m excited to share my latest chess adventures with you. In this blog post, we’ll dive into my recent performance in the 2021 Electronic Knights Championship Semi-Final Section (21ENs03), where I secured 5 wins and 1 loss. But that’s not all; I also have some exciting news about my current ranking in the US Correspondence Chess scene.

And another exciting message from USCF tournament director:

With 5 points you qualified for the Electronic Knights Finals in 2024

What a message, with age 66 next year, I will play the top US correspondence chess players in the finals in 2024!

So, grab your favorite chess set, and let’s explore this week annotated game together!

A Game with a familiar adversary: Herb Wolfe

My last game in the 21ENs03 section pitted me against a familiar opponent, Herb Wolfe. The game was finished today. Herb and I have crossed swords multiple times on the virtual battlefield, and this game was no exception. It was a challenging match that kept me in my seat. I’ll share the game with you shortly, but first, let’s talk about what led up to this showdown.

The path to the Electronic Knights Championship semi-final section was filled with intense matches, but my determination to improve and grow as a chess player remained unwavering. I approached each game to learn from my opponents and refine my skills. The dedication and effort paid off, as I secured five victories and one draw loss, securing my first place to join the semi-finals with a Prelim Score of 5.5.

Annotated game with Herb Wolfe:

In the Electronic Knights Semi-Final, section 21ENs03 I was again paired with Herb Wolfe, whom I had the plessure to play multiple times.

With Black I decided to go with the Pirc after he opened with e4. It ends up in a B08 Pirc Classical System and after move 10 I was behind my development, but managed to come back, having a perfect middle game. His Bh6 and Q protecting made me nervous. I typicall don’t trade that early Q, but with move 16 they have been off the board. Pushing Harry the h pawn gave me good structure on the King side. And gaining space pushing the Aaron the a pawn on Q side.

Harry the h pawn encouraged Frederik the f pawn and George the g pawn to move forward and block the entire K side.

I guess it became a pawn nightmare for my opponent.

Reaching the Top 100 of US Correspondence Chess: A Milestone Achieved

In correspondence chess, where strategy and precision reign supreme, I’m delighted to share that I’ve achieved a significant milestone. As of October 2023, I am officially ranked as the 90th player in the top 100 US Correspondence Chess players. This accomplishment is a testament that senior chess players can improve. Chess has no age limits, age is just a number.

The United States Chess Federation updates these lists every month, and it’s exciting to see my name among the elite in the correspondence chess community.

Besides the USA Electronic Knights Tournament series, I played in Team USA Peru - USA friendly match Board 38 CUB - USA friendly match Board 74 Finland - USA Friendly Match Board 18 Germany - USA Friendly Match Board 83 Hungary - USA Friendly Match Board 18 Switzerland - USA Friendly Match Board 20

Check out the entire tournament list here!

Check out the full list of the top 100 US Correspondence Chess players here.

Conclusion:

Chess is not just a game; it’s a journey of self-improvement, strategic thinking, and a continuous pursuit of excellence. My experience in the 2021 Electronic Knights Championship Semi-Final Section and my recent achievement in reaching the top 100 US Correspondence Chess players are moments I cherish in this remarkable chess odyssey.

As always, I invite you to dive into this week game against Herb Wolfe, analyze the moves, share your thoughts, and perhaps suggest improvements. Chess is a community, and learning from each other is integral to this beautiful endeavor. I look forward to sharing more of my chess journey with you in the future, so stay tuned for further updates and exciting games.

Until next time, keep those knights and rooks in motion, and may your endgames always be victorious!

Amici Sumus

Please send feedback and comments any time!