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Ray Robson Wins Miami Open

Congratulations to13 Year-Old Ray Robson on placing first at the 2008 Miami Chess Open. After nine scheduled rounds, Ray ended in a tie for first with GM Darmen Sadvakasov. Ray defeated Darmen in an Armageddon game to capture first place. Below is the final cross-table as well as a beautiful game to put his achievement in perspective.

[Event “Miami Open 2008”]
[Date “????.??.??”]
[White “IM Ray Robson”]
[Black “IM Renier Gonzales”]
[Result “1-0”]
[PlyCount “49”]
[WhiteElo “2467”]
[BlackElo “2549”]

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 c6 6. Bc4 Bf5 7. Bd2 e6 8. Nd5 Qd8 9. Nxf6+ Qxf6 10. Qe2 Nd7 11. O-O-O Nb6 12. Bg5 Qg6 13. d5 Nxc4 14. Qxc4 exd5 15. Rhe1+ Be6 16. Rxd5 Be7 17. Bxe7 cxd5 18. Qb4 Rc8 19. Nd4 Qh6+ 20. Kb1 a5 21. Qxb7 Qd2 22. Bb4 $3 axb4 23. Qxc8+ Ke7 24. Qc7+ Ke8 25. Nf3
1-0

# Name Rtng Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Rd 4 Rd 5 Rd 6 Rd 7 Rd 8 Rd 9 Tot Prize
1 GM Darmen Sadvakasov 2629 L23 W57 W28 W10 D13 D20 W21 W11 W2 7.0 3750.00
2 IM Ray S Robson 2467 W51 W18 W19 W11 W6 D7 W10 D3 L1 7.0 3750.00
3 GM Victor Mikhalevski 2680 W15 D12 W16 D9 L7 W23 W29 D2 W11 6.5 850.00
4 GM Julio J Becerra 2642 W48 D13 W12 D22 D9 D11 W32 W20 D6 6.5 850.00
5 IM Davorin Kuljasevic 2528 W35 W55 L10 L23 W37 W48 D13 W12 W14 6.5 850.00
6 IM Salvijus Bercys 2454 W52 D29 W17 W32 L2 W36 D20 W18 D4 6.5 850.00
7 Marc R Esserman 2350 W53 D32 W21 W27 W3 D2 L11 D10 W20 6.5 850.00
8 IM Jacek Stopa 2507 W39 L16 D37 W42 W14 D13 D27 D9 W22 6.0 325.00
9 IM Andrei Co Florean 2471 W54 D27 W26 D3 D4 L10 W19 D8 W24 6.0 325.00
10 IM Renier Gonzalez 2549 W57 W23 W5 L1 D22 W9 L2 D7 D13 5.5 108.33
11 IM John Bartholomew 2501 W34 W45 W20 L2 W23 D4 W7 L1 L3 5.5 108.33
12 IM Vinay S Bhat 2481 W50 D3 L4 D37 W39 D26 W17 L5 W32 5.5 108.33
13 IM Dean J Ippolito 2471 W43 D4 D27 W39 D1 D8 D5 D26 D10 5.5 108.33
14 IM David Pruess 2464 L45 W24 D38 W58 L8 W25 W23 W27 L5 5.5 108.33
15 FM Keaton Kiewra 2331 L3 W50 W45 W18 L20 L27 D39 W44 W31 5.5 108.33
16 Eric Rodriguez 2249 W61 W8 L3 L20 L18 W43 D44 W35 W29 5.5 1500.00
17 GM Alexander Ivanov 2625 W41 D22 L6 W59 L36 W42 L12 D31 W33 5.0  
18 IM Joshua Ed Friedel 2581 W49 L2 W33 L15 W16 W50 W22 L6 U— 5.0  
19 IM Irina Krush 2516 W37 W47 L2 D48 L21 W45 L9 D39 W40 5.0  
20 IM Dionisio Aldama 2495 W24 W33 L11 W16 W15 D1 D6 L4 L7 5.0  
21 IM Justin Sarkar 2487 D40 W59 L7 W38 W19 D22 L1 L24 W39 5.0  
22 FM Marcel Martinez 2469 W44 D17 W29 D4 D10 D21 L18 X36 L8 5.0  
23 FM Kazim Gulamali 2399 W1 L10 W36 W5 L11 L3 L14 W43 W38 5.0  
24 Ernesto Alvarez 2143 L20 L14 W53 W30 L29 W37 W48 W21 L9 5.0 550.00
25 Ryan Joseph Moon 2073 L36 B— D35 D28 D47 L14 W42 W41 H— 5.0 550.00
26 GM Alexander Shabalov 2657 D59 W40 L9 D31 W56 D12 D36 D13 U— 4.5  
27 GM Jaan Ehlvest 2637 W31 D9 D13 L7 W41 W15 D8 L14 U— 4.5  
28 IM Marko Zivanic 2552 W56 D36 L1 D25 L49 W58 D33 D38 D30 4.5  
29 GM Gildardo J Garcia 2517 W42 D6 L22 D41 W24 X31 L3 D32 L16 4.5  
30 Tautvydas Vedrickas 2347 D60 L58 D40 L24 L43 W53 W55 W50 D28 4.5  
31 Patrick Scharrer 2291 L27 D51 W44 D26 W57 F29 W49 D17 L15 4.5  
32 Victor Kaminski 2291 W38 D7 W58 L6 D48 W49 L4 D29 L12 4.5  
33 Artem Edm Ruppert 2217 B— L20 L18 L50 W40 W57 D28 W34 L17 4.5  
34 Troy Daly 2148 L11 H— L59 H— W60 D41 W52 L33 W44 4.5  
35 Gregory J Kimmel 2143 L5 W56 D25 L36 L44 W46 W45 L16 W42 4.5  
36 IM Drasko Boskovic 2504 W25 D28 L23 W35 W17 L6 D26 F22 U— 4.0  
37 Karel Gonzalez 2179 L19 W46 D8 D12 L5 L24 L43 W58 W52 4.0  
38 Sylvain Leburgue 2168 L32 W53 D14 L21 L45 W54 W51 D28 L23 4.0  
39 Brian Goldstein 2152 L8 X61 W47 L13 L12 W56 D15 D19 L21 4.0  
40 Matan Prilleltensky 2116 D21 L26 D30 L47 L33 B— W56 W48 L19 4.0  
41 Evan S Rosenberg 2229 L17 D44 W51 D29 L27 D34 W50 L25 U— 3.5  
42 FM Renard W Anderson 2200 L29 D52 W54 L8 W51 L17 L25 W45 L35 3.5  
43 Juan Camilo Arango 2091 L13 L48 B— L51 W30 L16 W37 L23 D46 3.5  
44 Alexander Velikanov 2024 L22 D41 L31 W54 W35 D47 D16 L15 L34 3.5  
45 Robert M Perez 1959 W14 L11 L15 H— W38 L19 L35 L42 W55 3.5  
46 Alonso USCF Jaramillo unr. L47 L37 L50 D53 W55 L35 W58 D51 D43 3.5  
47 IM Daniel Fernandez 2446 W46 L19 L39 W40 D25 D44 U— U— U— 3.0  
48 Corey Acor 2297 L4 W43 W60 D19 D32 L5 L24 L40 U— 3.0  
49 Andres Santalla 2224 L18 D54 D52 W60 W28 L32 L31 U— U— 3.0  
50 Christopher Heung 2092 L12 L15 W46 W33 W59 L18 L41 L30 U— 3.0  
51 Misael D Mestres 2049 L2 D31 L41 W43 L42 W59 L38 D46 U— 3.0  
52 Humberto Cruz 1820 L6 D42 D49 H— D58 H— L34 H— L37 3.0  
53 Emilio Gustavo Hernandez unr. L7 L38 L24 D46 H— L30 H— D55 B— 3.0  
54 Hans M Morrow 1900 L9 D49 L42 L44 B— L38 X60 U— U— 2.5  
55 Juan E Dominguez 1751 B— L5 L56 L57 L46 W60 L30 D53 L45 2.5  
56 Rodelay Medina 2259 L28 L35 W55 B— L26 L39 L40 U— U— 2.0  
57 Jose Cabrera 2144 L10 L1 B— W55 L31 L33 U— U— U— 2.0  
58 Leonardo Campiz 2065 H— W30 L32 L14 D52 L28 L46 L37 U— 2.0  
59 FM Charles A Galofre 2323 D26 L21 W34 L17 L50 L51 U— U— U— 1.5  
60 Jose Antonio Carrillo unr. D30 H— L48 L49 L34 L55 F54 U— U— 1.0  
61 Rainer Selva unr. L16 F39 U— U— U— U— U— U— U— 0.0  

Success during troubled economic times

Most of the Torres Chess and Music Academy’s chess programs have started and it is clear that our organization is on pace for its best year to date. Interesting that this should be the case with the United States economy in a dire situation. I may complain about the 4-5 hours driving time but at least I have a secure job in unstable times. Who would have guessed that a chess coach would utter such a statement?

World Chess Championship?

Here are the new world chess rankings based on FIDE ratings. This makes the upcoming Kramnik vs. Anand match seem questionable in its ability to crown a new world champion. Then again, any match is better than another FIDE farse world championship tournament.

01 Topalov off 2790          
02 Morozevich off 2787          
03 Carlsen off 2786          
04 Ivanchuk off 2785          
05 Anand off 2783        
06 Kramnik off 2771        

To Teach or not to Teach?

It happened again. I have received a very good offer to give chess lessons to another chess instructor who is not officially working for the Torres Chess and Music Academy. Teaching this individual would involve profiting personally but creating potential professional competition. I have yet to make my decision on whether to accept this opportunity.

  In other news of the day, I spent five hours commuting. My day involved traveling from my residence in Oakley to teach a class in San Bruno (a little under a 2 hour drive). After my class in San Bruno was concluded, I then taught a class in Palo Alto (45 minute drive) that finished at 5:00. I did not get back to Oakley until a little after 8:00.  This kind of hectic schedule has been a consistent feature of my 2008-2009 school year thus far. As you might imagine, this wasted travel time creates difficulties for me running the TCAMA as well as takes away quality opportunities to spend time with wife and new baby. I love teaching chess but am finding my recent commutes and business workload to be rather dissatisfying.  

   On a more positive note, it seems that the Torres Chess and Music Academy’s chess classes in Bakersfield got off to a good start this week. I was more than a little apprehensive turning over the reins of these classes when I moved back to the Bay Area.

Kosteniuk become World Champion

On September 17, 2008, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk became the new Womens World Chess Champion by managing a draw against a very formidable fourteen year old opponent named  Hou Yifan. The Women’s World Championship took place from August 28th to September 18th in Nalchik, Russia. Below are all the games from the match. Enthusiasts can put them in any PGN reader to play threw the moves of these games on their computer. Congratulations Alexandra!

[Event “WCh-Women”]

The talented and beautiful Kosteniuk!
The talented and beautiful Kosteniuk!

[Site “Nalchik RUS”]
[Date “2008.09.14”]
[Round “6.1”]
[White “Hou Yifan”]
[Black “Kosteniuk, A.”]
[Result “0-1”]
[ECO “C90”]
[WhiteElo “2557”]
[BlackElo “2510”]
[PlyCount “96”]
[EventDate “2008.09.14”]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a3
d6 9. c3 Bg4 10. d3 Na5 11. Bc2 c5 12. h3 Bd7 13. d4 Qc7 14. d5 c4 15. Nbd2 Nb7
16. Nf1 Nc5 17. g4 h5 18. N3h2 hxg4 19. hxg4 Qc8 20. f3 Nh7 21. Ng3 Bg5 22. Nf5
Qd8 23. Kg2 g6 24. Ng3 Kg7 25. Rh1 Rh8 26. Nhf1 Qf6 27. Be3 Bxe3 28. Nxe3 Ng5
29. Qe2 Rag8 30. Raf1 Qf4 31. Rxh8 Rxh8 32. Rh1 Rxh1 33. Nxh1 Nd3 34. Bxd3 cxd3
35. Qf2 d2 36. Ng3 Nxf3 37. Qxf3 Bxg4 38. Qf2 d1=Q 39. Nxd1 Bxd1 40. Qe1 Bf3+
41. Kg1 f5 42. exf5 gxf5 43. Qf2 Kg6 44. b3 e4 45. c4 bxc4 46. bxc4 Qg5 47. c5
f4 48. cxd6 fxg3 0-1

[Event “WCh-Women”]
[Site “Nalchik RUS”]
[Date “2008.09.15”]
[Round “6.2”]
[White “Kosteniuk, A.”]
[Black “Hou Yifan”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[ECO “C07”]
[WhiteElo “2510”]
[BlackElo “2557”]
[PlyCount “114”]
[EventDate “2008.09.14”]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 cxd4 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Bc4 Qd6 7. Qe2 Nf6 8.
Nb3 Nc6 9. Bg5 Qb4+ 10. Bd2 Qb6 11. O-O-O Bd7 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 Bc5 14. Kb1
O-O-O 15. Bg3 Nh5 16. Be5 f6 17. Nxc5 Qxc5 18. Bxd4 Nxd4 19. Rxd4 e5 20. Rd5
Qc7 21. g3 g5 22. Rhd1 Ng7 23. Nd2 Bc6 24. Rd3 Rxd3 25. Bxd3 f5 26. f3 Re8 27.
Re1 h5 28. Qe3 g4 29. fxg4 e4 30. Be2 hxg4 31. Qxa7 b6 32. Qa3 Rd8 33. Qb4 Ne6
34. Nc4 b5 35. Ne3 Nd4 36. c4 Qd6 37. Qxd6 Rxd6 38. cxb5 Nxe2 39. bxc6 Nd4 40.
Rf1 Kc7 41. Nxf5 Nxf5 42. Rxf5 Kxc6 43. Re5 Rd4 44. Kc1 Kd6 45. Re8 Kd7 46. Rf8
Ke6 47. Rf4 Ke5 48. Rxg4 Rd8 49. Rg5+ Kf6 50. Rc5 e3 51. Rc2 Kf5 52. a4 Ke4 53.
Rc4+ Kd3 54. Rc3+ Ke4 55. Rc4+ Kd3 56. Rc3+ Ke4 57. Rc4+ Kd3 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh-Women”]
[Site “Nalchik RUS”]
[Date “2008.09.16”]
[Round “6.3”]
[White “Hou Yifan”]
[Black “Kosteniuk, A.”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[ECO “C88”]
[WhiteElo “2557”]
[BlackElo “2510”]
[PlyCount “143”]
[EventDate “2008.09.14”]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. h3
Bb7 9. d3 d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxe5 Nd4 12. Nd2 Re8 13. c3 Nxb3 14. Nxb3 c5 15.
Qh5 g6 16. Qf3 f6 17. Nxg6 hxg6 18. c4 Qd7 19. cxd5 Bxd5 20. Qg3 g5 21. Be3
Rac8 22. Qg4 Qxg4 23. hxg4 Bd6 24. Rec1 Kf7 25. Nd2 Be5 26. Rc2 Be6 27. Ne4 c4
28. dxc4 Rxc4 29. Rxc4 bxc4 30. Rd1 Rb8 31. b3 cxb3 32. axb3 Rxb3 33. Bd4 Bxg4
34. f3 Bxd4+ 35. Rxd4 Be6 36. Rd6 a5 37. Nc5 Rb1+ 38. Kf2 Bf5 39. Ra6 Rb5 40.
Ne4 Bxe4 41. fxe4 Rb2+ 42. Kf3 Ra2 43. Kg3 a4 44. Kf3 a3 45. Kg3 Ra1 46. Kh2 a2
47. Kg3 Ke7 48. Kh2 Kd7 49. Kg3 Kc7 50. Kh2 Kb7 51. Ra3 Kb6 52. Ra8 Kb5 53.
Rb8+ Kc4 54. Ra8 Kd4 55. Ra4+ Kd3 56. Kg3 Ke3 57. Kh2 Kf4 58. e5+ Kxe5 59. g4
Kd5 60. Kg2 Kc5 61. Ra8 Kb4 62. Ra6 Kc4 63. Ra3 Kd4 64. Ra6 Ke5 65. Ra4 Ke6 66.
Ra8 Ke5 67. Ra4 Re1 68. Rxa2 Kf4 69. Rf2+ Kxg4 70. Rxf6 Re2+ 71. Kg1 Kg3 72.
Rf1 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh-Women”]
[Site “Nalchik RUS”]
[Date “2008.09.17”]
[Round “6.4”]
[White “Kosteniuk, A.”]
[Black “Hou Yifan”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[ECO “B45”]
[WhiteElo “2510”]
[BlackElo “2557”]
[PlyCount “111”]
[EventDate “2008.09.14”]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 Be7 8.
O-O a6 9. a4 O-O 10. f4 Qc7 11. Kh1 Bd7 12. Nb3 b6 13. Qe1 Bc8 14. Qg3 Bb7 15.
f5 Kh8 16. Rad1 Rae8 17. fxe6 fxe6 18. Qh3 Bd8 19. Nd4 Nxd4 20. Rxd4 e5 21. Rc4
Qb8 22. Rd1 b5 23. axb5 axb5 24. Nxb5 Nxe4 25. Bd3 Nf6 26. Rh4 e4 27. Be2 Bc8
28. Qg3 Ba6 29. c4 Bxb5 30. cxb5 Bb6 31. Bf4 Qa7 32. Bxd6 Bf2 33. Qf4 Nd5 34.
Qc1 Rc8 35. Qd2 Rfd8 36. Rxh7+ Kxh7 37. Qxd5 Qe3 38. Bg4 Ra8 39. Qe6 Kh8 40.
Qe7 Qh6 41. h3 Qg6 42. Qe5 Bb6 43. Bh5 Qh6 44. Bg4 e3 45. Qe4 Qf6 46. Rd5 Ra1+
47. Kh2 Qxd6+ 48. Rxd6 Bc7 49. Qf5 Bxd6+ 50. g3 Kg8 51. Qd5+ Kf8 52. Qf5+ Ke7
53. Qe6+ Kf8 54. Qf5+ Kg8 55. Qd5+ Kf8 56. Qf5+ 1/2-1/2