I played at the prestigious Marshall Chess Club in NYC. This was my first and only win out of 4 games.

Good game - I just got my first tournament win (out of 5 games) a few weeks ago - I like how your doubled pawns turned into powerful protected passed pawns (you might have been able to utilize those better, but you got to a winning endgame position and would have won the game witn correct endgame.  I think you might want to look back at how you kinda threw away those protected passed pawns (deep in enemy territory I might say) becasue you should have been able to win a Rook or Queen.  Also you won as Black -> NICE! (same as me - I won using the sicilian)

That is a great game.  I've been looking forward to getting to the Burlington Chess Club tournament one of these weeks I just can't make it work with my schedule.

Are you going to keep up at the tournaments? How did you like the atmosphere? What were the time controls?

superb, lovely move.

I'm definitely going to going to keep playing tournaments. I stopped playing blitz games over the board, though. It diminishes my overall game.

The atmosphere was intimidating and encouraging at the same time. Looking at all of the great players, past and present, on the wall was...beyond description. I loss my first round miserably due to nerves. But by the time the second round began, I said to myself, "Just play chess, stupid!"

I'm thinking about becoming a member of Marshall Chess Club. That will increase my chances of running into some of their team members (H. Nakamura, M. Ashley, J. Waitzkin, etc.). I thought it would be expensive, but the cost is comparable to any other decent club. The PATH train stops right around the corner from the club. My second choice in a club would be Bergen (used to be Dumont).

You are so right; I could have used those pawns better. I'll get better with more experience. It was my first tournament, and I knew that after 11. b4? I was winning. I just wanted to hurry up and win. Looking back, I think I pushed the wrong pawn on my 26th move. 26...c3 would have been more aggressive.

well done , your were right about move 26

It's so sad we won't be seeing anymore wins from such a great player.