Finished my first tournament

Congrats!

I enjoyed the way, in Game 1, you harried the queen about until you were able to grab a pawn, then turned that advantage into a win. Well done.

Round 3 move 35 you played Kg2.  Couldn't you have just taken the checking bishop on d4?  

@ thought_control

Yep, and I didn't even realize it until I got home and put it into the computer.  When I saw that I felt like a moron.  It was a bit of chess blindness, I had mentally given up on the game even though I was still moving pieces around.  That's why it's kind of embarassing.

what were the time controls?

G120

don't get dispirited; i was in my first tourny last september and had two tough losses, one lucky win, and one "earned" win.  That was before I started this group and I believe Mr. Heisman has changed my game by introducing the correct thought process.  I forgot who said, "To become good at chess you must experience many losses"  maybe WC GM Alekhine?

why should that matter?

Doesn't, a lot of chess players are arses.

If he doesn't want to reveal his full name he shouldn't have to.

It will be pretty easy to find the names, especially after the results are published on the USCF site.

Besides some of those people he played might be his friends on here or otherwise and he doesn't want to appear to be bragging. Could be out of respect. Or whatever. Doesn't matter.

That was an awesome first tournament Mr. White! Your provensional rating will be pretty high I imagine once this does post. Start getting prepared to play up in the next Kolty event. :)

Your 3rd round game... been there, done that.

My question is: Why did you play 17. Bf4, instead of taking the free pawn on a6?

@ Scrap-O-Matic

yeah, I realized right after I moved that he had left the defense of his bishop.  I really wasn't plaing that well that night, and felt I should have won that game.  I was pretty dissapointed with that one.

I think I'm going to get around 1700 provisional rating after this, according to my own calculations and what I put into the USCF rating calculator,  Which I think is about 150-200 points higher than I should be.  This was section 2 which comprises mostly of players in the 1400-1600 rating range.  I think I'm going to be moved to section 1 next time since my provisional rating will be close to 1700, so I will probably not do nearly as well.

The game I'm most proud of is the final game.  That was a game against a 1594 rated player, and although he may have not been playing his best chess, I feel like I was playing really well that game, and a check on a chess engine confirmed I was playing the best move on each of the first several moves after the opening.  It wasn't until move 17 that the computer said Nf8 wasn't the best move.

I think I'm going to get around 1700 provisional rating after this, according to my own calculations and what I put into the USCF rating calculator,  Which I think is about 150-200 points higher than I should be.

You shouldn't think like that. This is a provisional rating, why not try to confirm it ? Congratulations on your first OTB tourney !

Good point Hicenuc, I've allways been a bit of a pessimist. :)

Agreed! You were very easily playing at a 1700 rating.

hey jwhitesj

check out my game against Antonio Rabadan (played him) and beat him with a nice checkmate.

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/game-showcase/my-shortest-wins-v

also, I can message you my game against Michael Lico if you want :D I beat  him, I live near you but I don't attend any chess clubs.