2016 Spring Open - Players List

2016 Summer Open

To play or not to play, that is the question for thee…

So Will Barela asked me to say a little something on this blog about the time control on the upcoming Spring Open April 2-3, 2016.  He informed me that some of my fellow titled players down south were complaining that the time control was too short.  When speaking to Will, I responded “I’m sorry I didn’t catch that?”  He said, a couple of titled players where complaining that TC for the is tournament was too short, and could we change it to G90 +30.  I responded, “I am sorry I still don’t think I heard you correctly?” He then proceeded to repeat himself and added, some players down say they won’t play because the TC doesn’t have an increment, and won’t allow you to have enough time to properly play the endgame.  My response, “What?  Will, what in the heck are you talking about?  People won’t play because they think G90 +30 gives them more time than my duel time control?  Will are you kidding me, G90+30 is significantly less time!  Are you feeling okay?”  He stated he was fine, and that is why a couple of players said they wouldn’t play, because there is no increment in this tourney, giving players too little time to properly play the endgame.  So help clear up this misconception about the time control, Will asked me explain how much more time you will receive in this tournament opposed to a G90 +30.  So as an accountant, I did what makes most sense, I made this visual representation of much less time you will receive in G90+30 versus the tournament time control 40/2, SD/30, d10. 

90% games, sub International Master, last less than 40 moves, 97.4% less than 50.    Meaning, in the duel time control, you will have more time (and in most cases significantly more time about – on average 38 minutes more per game if it concludes within 70 Moves).  The only way, the G90+30 gives you more time is if your game, by some miracle goes over 180 moves.  I have never played a game that has even come close to that, and my bet is neither have the people Will Barela is speaking too. 

So I am calling BS Will, to whomever you are talking too.  When players reach a certain rating/level (usually experts and above), they become targets, where everyone they play gives them all they have, and for some players it becomes too much for them, and they become afraid to play. Granted there are countless other factors that contribute to this fear, for example, they subconsciously believe they are overrated and they fear playing will knock them below expert or master.  They will blame not playing, on not being prepared or in good form. 

A message for my fellow titled players: 

For me, if you are a chess player, you play chess.  I took on a second, basically full time job six months ago.  I have had zero time to prepare and I have never been close to my full strength in any of the tournaments I have played in the last six months.  I played though, because I figured I am much better than my rating, and even at 70-85% I should strong enough to best anyone I should face; and more importantly, if I lose, or I lose ratings points, I will get them back, and I will get them back quickly.  Chess titles aren’t for those who are weak in the knees.  So I have been in poor form since probably July of last year.  What have my results been, well basically I have won every regularly rated tournament I have played in, including the state championship. 

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention what happened to the Clash of the Titans Tournament that was set to take place in LC this past January. Will Barela, put in a ridiculous amount of time and effort to try and make chess in New Mexico better.  He got the state’s best players, and even an IM from AZ to compete in a tournament he called the Clash of the titans.  He looked at over 15 places to hold the tournament, he called and solicited every top player in the area to play, been over backwards to accommodate everyone, made travel arrangements for some, offered his own home as a place to stay for playing coming in from out of town, even helped subsidize the tournament.  I was excited to play, I took a week off of work to play, booked a hotel, rented a car, and I was set to play.  I get a call from Will Barela, about ten days before the event is about to take place.  He says he has bad news, the tournament is canceled.  I inquire as to why, and his response, “because one of the players got a sprained ankle?”  Yes, you read that correctly, the tournament is being canceled, because one of the players withdrew because he got a sprained ankle.  Sometimes, I think will hangs out with Kwon a little too much, and they sit around and think to themselves, what are the most ridiculous and asinine things I can say to Andrew.  Unfortunately, he was serious.  I lost in a room and car deposits $180, because someone got a sprained ankle, so they were unable to play chess. 

Honestly, if you take the performance ratings of every individual in the state of New Mexico or within 10 miles of our boarder for the past year, my performance rating surpasses the second person by 172 points.  So where I may not be the highest rated player in the state, I am quietly arguably the strongest.  So bottom-line, if the conditions of a tournament are good enough for me, they are good enough for any player in New Mexico.  So my fellow titled players, there is an old saying “S*** or get off the pot.”  If don’t believe you are strong enough to keep your title, and that’s why you’re not playing, say so; but don’t hide people behind absurd excuses.  One of the most conceded chess players I know is a master, and he even says “I stopped playing, because I will probably drop below master if I do.”  Guess what, I don’t hassle him, and I respect him for being honest.  But let’s not waste people’s time and money by acknowledging comical issues and ludicrous withdrawals.   A couple of bad results won’t hurt, so step up and play.  Chess is fun, exciting, and thrilling.  Don’t make your end all be all.  It’s fun, enjoy it, play it. 

Next time you see Will Barela, thank that man for all he attempts to do to make chess better in New Mexico.  

Will I hope this will suffice.  

Updated Charlie's Cup Standings

As a reminder, the winner will receive a regal and truly magnificent cup, and a $250 gift certificate to a chess site of their choosing. Also, if on the off chance a an officer of the club wins the Cup, the certificate will be awarded to the first runner up. 

Our next two events will conclude the tournaments that will be used to determine our 2016 winner.

2016 Spring Open

UPDATE ON RECENT EVENTS:

SIMULTANTEOUS EXHIBITION – We had a wonderful turnout for this event, 26 challengers in all.  Many played extremely well in this event, I was very impressed!  Two played exceptionally well and simply outplayed me, Greg Stricklin and Holly McRoberts.  Great job to them and others who managed to best me.  A special thanks to Tony Schroeder, who set everything up and provided the snacks.  That guy truly is a great individual.  Also, thanks to Smith’s for allowing us to have it at their store.  I have never had an event like that before, and I appreciate everyone’s participation. 

G/15 & BLITZ CHAMPIONSHIPS-  Our 2013 and 2014 G15 Champion Eric Stuart has looked pretty unbeatable at that TC over the past two years; but Saturday was not our quick King’s day.  Congratulations to Mark Schwarman, he is the new NM G/15 Champion.  Also, congratulations to Jesse
Vicario he took first place in the Blitz!  Congratulations to the rest of the winners and thank you to everyone who participated. 

On a side note, I was asked by several people, why do I hold quick and blitz events?  Especially, because on my website I say playing too much of either is bad for your chess.  Well it’s true, playing too much of either is bad for your chess, but playing none of either is equally bad for your chess.  I used to great at both, I remember when I was in high school and I was rated maybe 1500, I got two draws against Master Cline which were the only two blemishes on his record for the day a blitz tournament a few decades back, and I remember beating Master Kensek in a blitz game when I might have been rated 1400 during a blitz tournament at the Sandia Chess Club.   So I’d say I played far above my rating in blitz.  After beating master Kensek in blitz, the next week I played him a serious game, and well, I was humiliated my name was attached to that game.  He controlled every aspect of the game, our difference strengths were apparent.  I made some very bad opening mistakes, (which in blitz I did as well, but he didn’t have the time to exploit these mistakes of mine and it granted me a huge initiative), and he basically put me in a sleeper hold and just waited for me to fall asleep.  So I just beat the man, yeah it was some serious luck but how could I lose so quickly?  Well, in blitz and in quick chess anything can happen.  Beating him the week before reinforced a bad habit of moving too quickly and just moving if everything looks okay; which led to my rapid demise the week after.  Dang.  So that’s why you shouldn’t play too much blitz and quick, but if you don’t play any, especially if you don’t play any regularly, if you find yourself in time trouble in one of your regular rated games.  You will panic, and you will probably lose.  I have a friend, who I have seen lose repeatedly in simply winning games where his has monstrous positions that I feel like infant could win in his sleep, because the moment the clock hits 20 minutes he starts to freak out.  He would honestly be a hundred points higher rated if he played 10 blitz games a week.  You have to train your brain to be great at thinking at slow chess, and good at making quick decisions when time is low.