Saturday, November 25, 2017

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Dear fellow chess organizers in Connecticut,

I will continue organizing my small USCF Saturday tournaments in Coventry every month for as long as I can.  A total of 92 players have participated in my program since it was started May 2016.
We are fortunate here in Connecticut that Bill Goichberg runs top-notch chess tournaments in Stamford, Windsor Locks, and Sturbridge Mass. on a regular basis.
We need a big annual event in downtown Hartford, with media coverage, conducted by a team composed of all the local organizers and tournament directors.  A large one-day event for adults, with a separate section for Juniors. Maybe Spring 2018 ?
I will coordinate all the volunteers needed to conduct such an event. I will be backup for any function when it is needed. I can use help with acquiring the site, arranging for the date, sending details and reports to the USCF.
I am unable to do all of this myself, so volunteers are needed to jump onboard early on in the process.  I need TD's to commit to serving as floor directors, and pairing directors. I will award each volunteer with free entry.
Do any of you have influence with the people at the new UConn facilities in downtown Hartford ?  We would all together decide on the format, time control, entry fee, and prizes etc...
Yours In Chess,
Rob Roy, USCF Senior TD



New Britain Chess Club Weekly News Nov 24, 2017




New Britain Chess Club Weekly News Nov 24, 2017


This Week’s News Items:









  • Julius Fuster Double Quads results



  • Movie Night Recap



  • Blitz XVII Dec 5, 2017



  • CSCA Blitz Championship Dec 12, 2017





    • Best Game of the Year Contest submissions needed



    • NBCC will support U.S.A.T.E teams representing our club




      ==================================================================

      Special Historical Report - The Growth of Scholastic Chess - by Bob Cyr

      Historian Bob Cyr writes about the increase in participation by scholastic players, which now amounts to approximately 20% of the NBCC membership

      ==================================================================

      Michael Pascetta Honorary Quick Tournament

      Our next named tournament is this coming Tuesday in honor of long-time member and former NBCC President, Michael Pascetta.  Bob Cyr has written a nice bio of his history which is on our web-site features page,  Mike Pascetta Chess Biography.


      Michael Pascetta Quick Tournament Details:
      • Tuesday, Oct 24, 2016
      • 5-SS G/15;d5, 2 sections: Open, U1800
      • Entry Fee: $5 member ($15 non-member)

      • Prizes: 1st – 3rd , class, Trophy to 1st in each section

      • 80% of regular entry fees distributed as prizes .
      • USCF Quick-rated (USCF membership is required)
      • Regular Ratings used for pairings
      • Registration: 6:45 – 7 P.M.
      • Pairings will be made at 7:00


      ========================================================================

      Julius Fuster Double Quads Tournament

      Congratulations to Nelson Castandea, Joe Hricko/James Wilkin, John Nitz, Vijay Yammanuru, and Michael Chen, winners of the Julius Fuster Double Quads Tournament, which finished this past Tuesday.  Click on the link to the standings for complete quad results and prizes.  Note that the scholastic players, in particular, are able to take chess lessons in lieu of their winnings.   Julius Fuster Quads Final Standings.   For updated ratings, click on the USCF crosstable.  USCF Crosstable


      =============================================================

      The Queen of Katwe Movie Night recap

      This past Friday 20 members and their families came to the NBCC for a little casual chess and to see the feature movie, The Queen of Katwe about a Ugandan girl who takes up chess and becomes the Ugandan Woman’s champion (click here for the movie trailer).  If you were unable to come, but would like to borrow the movie, just let me know, it is available for a fully refundable $10 deposit.    


      The date for the next movie night has not yet been set, but we are planning to show Searching for bobby Fischer.

      ==================================================================

      Blitz XVII, December 5, 2017

      In preparation for the CSCA State Blitz Championship, on Dec 12, we will be having the same time control this week as a warm-up for that event.


      Blitz XVII Tournament Details:
      Tuesday, December 5, 2017
      • 8-SS G/5;d5
      • sections: 1   
      • Entry Fee: $5 members, $15 non-members
      • Prizes: based on entries; 80% returned,
      • USCF quick rated (USCF membership is required)
      • Quick Ratings used for pairings
      • Registration 6:45-7:00 P.M.
      • Pairings made at 7:15

      ========================================================


      Training Classes - training class information is not available as of this writing (11/24).  Check the club calendar or the digital version of  Weekly News Nov 24, 2017 for updated information.
      ====================================================================


      NBCC BEST GAME CONTEST 2017


      Brought back by popular demand, FM Richard Bauer will be judging games for the club's annual best game contest. Only games played by NBCC members in 2017 will be accepted. There is no limit on submissions, but the deadline is November 30. As has historically been done, Bauer will be awarding prizes to the winner and the loser of the best game.  Bob Cyr will be in charge of all game submissions, so please send them to him at doctork87@yahoo.com.   Rick Bauer is also in the process of compiling games for a best club game of all time contest. If you have a great game that you would like to submit for this historic contest, please also send them to Bob.

      Good luck!


      =====================================================================

      U.S.A.T.E. Teams forming now (Feb 17-19, 2018)


      NBCC will support all-NBCC teams competing at next year’s US Amtuer Team East tournament, the largest tournament in the country, with over 1300 players.  The tournament runs from Feb 17-19, 2018, on President’s Day weekend.  The NBCC will provide T-Shirts and reimburse the team’s $175 registration fee.  This is a great tournament for scholastic players, too, with hundreds of children participating.

      Joe Bihlmeyer will be organizing the teams.  Reply to this email or see Joe if you are interested in playing on a team.

      =============================================================


      Norman Burtness, President


      New Britain Chess Club








      Computers fail to understand Queen versus 3 pieces

        The computers at TCEC 10 tried the three pieces for the queen, but they don’t  understand it;  a human player with the Black pieces in this game would not cease hostilities on move 23.  White does have a space advantage and the White rooks are well-placed, but it’s not until White gets the three connected passed pawns in the analysis that there is a chance to counter the inevitable swarm of Black pieces.  
         By the way, an explanation of the opening choices for TCEC can be seen at

      Komodo-Stockfish
      11/20/17
      TCEC 10
      1.d4 f5 
      3.Bg2 d5 
      5.c4 Bd6 
      6.O-O c6 




      [Event "TCEC 10, bonus game"]
      [Site "?"]
      [Date "2017.11.20"]
      [Round "?"]
      [White "Komodo"]
      [Black "Stockfish"]
      [Result "1/2-1/2"]
      [ECO "A90"]

      1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.Nf3 e6 5.c4 Bd6 6.O-O c6 7.Nc3 O-O 8.Qc2 Ne4
      9.Nxe4 $6 { 0.00/22 } ( 9.Bf4 { +0.28/19 } 9...b6 10.Ne5 Bxe5 11.Bxe5 Nd7
      12.Bf4 Ba6 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Qa4 ) 9...dxe4 10.Bg5 exf3 11.Bxd8 fxg2 12.Kxg2
      Rxd8 13.Rad1 Na6 14.f3 Bd7 15.a3 ( 15.Qb3 b6 16.e4 Nc7 17.Qd3 b5 18.c5 Be7
      19.Qe3 fxe4 20.fxe4 Be8 { +0.30 Stockfish } ) 15...Nc7 16.e4 Be8 ( 16...b5
      17.cxb5 Nxb5 18.g4 fxe4 19.fxe4 Be8 20.Rf3 Rab8 21.Rb3 Be7 22.a4 Nd6 23.Rxb8
      Rxb8 24.b3 Rb7 25.Rd2 Nf7 { +0.14 Stockfish } ) 17.Rfe1 ( 17.h4 a5 18.Rd2 b5
      19.cxb5 Nxb5 20.Qc4 Nc7 21.Rff2 fxe4 22.fxe4 Ra6 23.Qc3 Rb8 24.Rf3 a4 25.Qc4
      Rd8 26.Kh3 Bg6 { +0.14 Stockfish } ) 17...fxe4 18.fxe4 Rd7 ( 18...a5 19.h4 a4
      20.Rd2 Rd7 21.Kh3 Be7 22.Qd1 Bg6 23.Kh2 Be8 24.Kh3 { = Stockfish } ) 19.Qb3
      Rb8 20.h4 Be7 21.Kh3 Bf7 ( 21...b5 22.cxb5 Rxb5 23.Qc2 Rb6 24.g4 Bf6 25.b4
      Ra6 26.Rd3 Bxd4 27.Rf1 c5 28.bxc5 Rd8 29.a4 h6 30.Qb3 Bc6 31.Rxd4 Rxd4
      32.Qb8+ Kh7 33.Qxc7 Rd3+ 34.Kh2 Rxa4 { +0.25 Stockfish } ) 22.Qa4 Ra8 ( 
      22...a6 23.Qa5 b5 24.b3 h6 25.Re3 Bf6 26.Rd2 Bg6 27.Ree2 Be7 28.Re1 Be8
      29.Re3 Bg6
      { The computer does not come up with a plan for the three pieces here so it
      thinks White is winning by 0.10. } ) 23.Qb3 ( 23.Rd2 e5 24.d5 b5 25.Qa5 Bc5
      26.dxc6 Bb6 27.cxd7 Bxa5 28.d8=Q+ Rxd8 29.Rxd8+ Ne8 30.Red1 Bxd8 31.Rxd8 bxc4
      32.Ra8 Kf8 33.Kg2 Bg6 34.Rxa7 Bxe4+ { +0.11 Stockfish } ) 23...Rb8
      { 24. Rf1 Bg6 25. d5 exd5 26. exd5 cxd5 27. Qa4 Rbd8 28. Qxa7 d4 29. Qxb7
      d3 30. Qc6 d2 31. b4 Bf7 32. Rf2 Be6+ 33. Kg2 Bg4 34. Rdxd2 Rxd2 35. Qxc7
      Bf6 36. b5 Rxf2+ 37. Kxf2 Bd4+ 38. Ke1 Bc3+ 39. Kf2 Bd4+ 

      = (0.00) Depth=55/65 Stockfish } 1/2-1/2