Lucky me, I had to start out playing DeFirmian.  I mean, 2679 is a stout enough rating here...but USCF? (yikes!).  Anyway, I went on to beat Steve Cross in round 2, and Charles Powell, for the second time (I've already posted my first win against him).

So after this game I was 3-1.  Unfortunately for me though, this year the People's tourney ran 3 days, so I could only manage 1/2 point on Monday.  Btw the guy I lost to, John Bidwell, had a heckuva tournament:  in the last round he faced Igor Ivanov, who hung a knight in a strange ending (R + N + 2 [or 3] pawns vs Q) and had to take a draw, thus giving my fellow 2200 player 4 1/2 - 1 1/2.  Zowie!

No, this is where we stayed on Saturday night though.  That tent thingie was the hotel lobby:

The first time I ever went by it I barely even realized that that's what it was.  I went:  "THIS is People's Park?!  The thing they had that whole big todo about?"  Just looked like some cheesy vacant lot.

That queenside pawn push was so coooollllll.