# 2010 SDMB Chess Championship
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [May 7, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681 "2010-05-07T21:18:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 18
### Author:  [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2010, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/341 "2010-07-08T05:16:43Z")
I don’t know if _this_ warrants a separate thread, but do a lot of people still play on FICS? I got a FICS client on my blackberry, but the BB isn’t exactly the best place to play 5/0 blitz games…☹
I want an interface that’s very clean and intuitive - any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/342 "2010-07-09T18:45:14Z")
And **Hamlet** [beats](http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=40023851) **edwardthehead**. Black should have got his King moving sooner, from about move 21 onwards. When there’s not much danger of an immediate mate, the King’s a powerful piece - slightly better on average than a Bishop or Knight.
> [@antonio107](#):
>
> I don’t know if _this_ warrants a separate thread, but do a lot of people still play on FICS? I got a FICS client on my blackberry, but the BB isn’t exactly the best place to play 5/0 blitz games…☹
>
> I want an interface that’s very clean and intuitive - any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Can’t help you there, and you may get more attention in a thread of your own.
---
### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/343 "2010-07-09T19:25:11Z")
And I win against **garynyu**.
> **[Chess: GIGObuster vs bedgyro](https://www.chess.com/game/daily/31768402)**
>
> GIGObuster (1413) vs bedgyro (1294). GIGObuster won by resignation in 27 moves over 2 weeks. Click to review the game, move by move.
Re: Post #339. Yes **Malacandra** , I missed that, in my on spot analysis I was worried that that was going to make me lose a rook so I continued with my original plan. More comments later.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/344 "2010-07-09T20:13:06Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#):
>
> And I win against **garynyu**.
>
> [http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=31768402](http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=31768402)
>
> Re: Post #339. Yes **Malacandra** , I missed that, in my on spot analysis I was worried that that was going to make me lose a rook so I continued with my original plan. More comments later.
To be fair, if you have a plan and you see that you are clearly winning, there’s everything to be said for bashing on with it and not trying to come up with something even better. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/345 "2010-07-09T23:46:42Z")
And now **maserschmidt** and I have finished this 67-move [monster](http://gameknot.com/chess.pl?bd=14049690&rnd=17188). In the final position my winning line is 67. … h5; 68. Nf2, h4 and White is in zugzwang!
That was the most amazing Knight ending I’ve ever played and it was insanely difficult. I’ll let my opponent have first go at an end-of-game statement - it’s a quarter to one here and I’m bushed.
---
### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/346 "2010-07-10T07:22:15Z")
**Oredigger** ’s a piece up [against](http://gameknot.com/list-games.pl?mode=a&u=oredigger77) **ivan astikov** and **fubbleskag** [beat](http://gameknot.com/analyze-board.pl?bd=14117800&fb=1&rnd=0.1361259864643216) **peekercpa** , so this round’s nearly done.
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### Author:  [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/347 "2010-07-10T11:09:18Z")
> [@Malacandra](#):
>
> And now **maserschmidt** and I have finished this 67-move [monster](http://gameknot.com/chess.pl?bd=14049690&rnd=17188). In the final position my winning line is 67. … h5; 68. Nf2, h4 and White is in zugzwang!
>
> That was the most amazing Knight ending I’ve ever played and it was insanely difficult. I’ll let my opponent have first go at an end-of-game statement - it’s a quarter to one here and I’m bushed.
That was great fun, Malacandra, well played! You offered a draw early, and even though I lost I’m glad I didn’t accept it…I like the kind of game that stretches my brain out, and that was a good one!
---
### Author:  [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/348 "2010-07-10T15:53:56Z")
So how strong are you chess dopers, ELO wise? I’d love to play some of you, but I get the feeling I’d be blown out of the water in about eight moves, lol.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/349 "2010-07-10T16:18:33Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#):
>
> That was great fun, Malacandra, well played! You offered a draw early, and even though I lost I’m glad I didn’t accept it…I like the kind of game that stretches my brain out, and that was a good one!
It certainly was, in the end - it was slow getting going, and 36. …f4 wasn’t as good as I thought at the time. I thought I was winning a pawn and completely missed 41. Nb4. After that it looked like I was in trouble, but I just had enough piece activity to keep fighting and your King crucially took a move or two to be useful. Your pawns looked better than mine at that point, but the balance of power shifted once we were down to a Knight ending.
Even so it was a tight finish. If you’d played 62. Kf2 I’m still not sure how I could have won, although the draw was there for the taking. And at the very end, the note I gave earlier is wrong - 67. … h5? 68. Ng5! rounds up the f-pawn or lets you Queen, and while I get the piece back (68. … g2; 69. Nxe6, f1=Q; 70. d8=Q, Qe1+) I then have a long hard Queen ending to try to win. But I have better: 67. …Nd8 and I can get back to business with the h-pawn. I think. After all the variations I’ve been analysing in the last week, I’m not entirely sure what’s Black’s best move after 1. f3, e5; 2. g4. 😃
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/350 "2010-07-10T16:23:25Z")
> [@antonio107](#):
>
> So how strong are you chess dopers, ELO wise? I’d love to play some of you, but I get the feeling I’d be blown out of the water in about eight moves, lol.
Unsure. I used to be about ECF 125 (ELO1875, apparently) when I played regularly enough to be graded. But there’s a fair spectrum in this thread and none of us are masters. 😃
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/351 "2010-07-10T16:26:58Z")
> [@Malacandra](#):
>
> It certainly was, in the end - it was slow getting going, and 36. …f4 wasn’t as good as I thought at the time. I thought I was winning a pawn and completely missed 41. Nb4. After that it looked like I was in trouble, but I just had enough piece activity to keep fighting and your King crucially took a move or two to be useful. Your pawns looked better than mine at that point, but the balance of power shifted once we were down to a Knight ending.
>
> Even so it was a tight finish. If you’d played 62. Kf2 I’m still not sure how I could have won, although the draw was there for the taking. And at the very end, the note I gave earlier is wrong - 67. … h5? 68. Ng5! rounds up the f-pawn or lets you Queen, and while I get the piece back (68. … **f2** ; 69. Nxe6, f1=Q; 70. d8=Q, Qe1+) I then have a long hard Queen ending to try to win. But I have better: 67. …Nd8 and I can get back to business with the h-pawn. I think. After all the variations I’ve been analysing in the last week, I’m not entirely sure what’s Black’s best move after 1. f3, e5; 2. g4. 😃
gah. It’s too hot for this.
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### Author:  [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/352 "2010-07-10T19:18:46Z")
> [@Malacandra](#):
>
> **Oredigger** ’s a piece up [against](http://gameknot.com/list-games.pl?mode=a&u=oredigger77) **ivan astikov** and **fubbleskag** [beat](http://gameknot.com/analyze-board.pl?bd=14117800&fb=1&rnd=0.1361259864643216) **peekercpa** , so this round’s nearly done.
I’ve just resigned after playing a really poor move. ☹
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### Author:  [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/353 "2010-07-10T19:27:02Z")
> [@antonio107](#):
>
> So how strong are you chess dopers, ELO wise? I’d love to play some of you, but I get the feeling I’d be blown out of the water in about eight moves, lol.
I’m USCF 1650 but I’ve been beating some 1800s recently. I’d say I’m definitely at least 1750, maybe higher. When I came back to chess a few years back, I was still 720 from when I was a kid! I’ve been trying to get my rating caught up to my skill level for years, and I envy those with accurate ratings. I wish someone could tell me mine.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/354 "2010-07-10T20:01:35Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#):
>
> I’ve just resigned after playing a really poor move. ☹
Oops. Leaving your Rook to be forked certainly counts as poor… ☹
ETA: That’s everyone now, isn’t it?
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### Author:  [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/355 "2010-07-10T20:05:29Z")
OK, here are the possibilities. The only unscored game I have is board 4’s **Hamlet** v. **Edward** , so…
If **Edward** wins:
Malacandra 4\_\_\_\_\_\_GIGOBuster 3
Chessic Sense 3\_\_\_\_Maserschmidt 2.5 due b
fubbleskag 2 due w\_Edward the Head 2.5
Autolycus 2 due w\_\_Garygnu 2
Ivan Astikov 1 \_\_\_\_\_Hamlet 1 due b
peekercpa 0\_\_\_\_\_\_\_Oredigger77 2 due b
If **Hamlet** wins:
Malacandra 4\_\_\_\_\_\_GIGOBuster 3
Chessic Sense 3\_\_\_\_Maserschmidt 2.5 due b
fubbleskag 2 due w\_Hamlet 2 due b
Autolycus 2 due w\_\_Garygnu 2
Ivan Astikov 1 \_\_\_\_\_Edward the Head 1.5
peekercpa 0\_\_\_\_\_\_\_Oredigger77 2 due b
Yes, I do realize that peeker is playing a 2-pointer in both of these. It has to be that way, since **peeker** ’s played **gary** , **ivan** , and **fubbleskag** already, and **ivan** has played **oredigger**. Compound that with the due colors for this round, and you get some wonky pairings.
So barring a draw, the following games can get started:
Malacandra 4\_\_\_\_\_\_GIGOBuster 3
Chessic Sense 3\_\_\_\_Maserschmidt 2.5 due b
Autolycus 2 due w\_\_Garygnu 2
peekercpa 0\_\_\_\_\_\_\_Oredigger77 2 due b
**Fubbleskag** will play either **Edward the Head** or **Hamlet** with the white pieces. **ivan** will play as White against the other one.
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### Author:  [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/356 "2010-07-10T20:12:04Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#):
>
> If **Hamlet** wins:
> Malacandra 4\_\_\_\_\_\_GIGOBuster 3
> Chessic Sense 3\_\_\_\_Maserschmidt 2.5 due b
> fubbleskag 2 due w\_Hamlet 2 due b
> Autolycus 2 due w\_\_Garygnu 2
> Ivan Astikov 1 \_\_\_\_\_Edward the Head 1.5
> peekercpa 0\_\_\_\_\_\_\_Oredigger77 2 due b
I’m preeeeeeetty sure **Hamlet** won. [I think this is the game](http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=40023851).
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/357 "2010-07-10T20:16:56Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#):
>
> I’m preeeeeeetty sure **Hamlet** won. [I think this is the game](http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=40023851).
[Yes](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12666442&postcount=341)
Where would you like to play, **GIGObuster**?
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/358 "2010-07-10T20:23:49Z")
> [@Malacandra](#):
>
> [Yes](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12666442&postcount=341)
>
> Where would you like to play, **GIGObuster**?
Why do I feel like a lamb going to the slaughter?.. 🙂
I would prefer [Chess.com](http://Chess.com) please.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/359 "2010-07-10T20:36:07Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#):
>
> Why do I feel like a lamb going to the slaughter?.. 🙂
>
> I would prefer [Chess.com](http://Chess.com) please.
I don’t know, why do you? You’re equal second in this tournament with three points, and you drew with **Maserschmidt** which for a while there I was by no means certain I was going to. Challenge sent, anyway. 🙂
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/360 "2010-07-10T20:47:35Z")
> [@Malacandra](#):
>
> I don’t know, why do you?
Well, you seem to know even better ways to beat opponents, and knowing is half the battle. 😉
So, [del]Go Joe[/del] Game is on:
[http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=40225557](http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=40225557)
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