Ok.. So I'm upset here is the reason.... I played in the 2009 chicago Open U1300 2 day section and when the time control was 40 minuets I won My first four games.  The problem is during the fifth round they (The directors) Changed the time control to 3 hours!  When they did that however I started getting tired looking at the board for so long, and eventually I made critical blunders in my last three games.  (Games I should have won)  I was one win away from the money.  I'm just curious to know who else was there, and how you have placed in the tournament.  (Also Please tell me if you think It was psycological that I could not adjust to the time control that attributed to my loss?)  Any way my result was I came in 40th place out of 128 people.  Aw the money was so close well at least my rating went up a lot from 1008 to 1221! How did everyone else do?  

I also had a poor run. I started off with two wins. In my third game I had a won game but missed taking the rook and being up. He promoted and ended up winning. My fourth round was decent. I ended day one with 3 wins and 1 loss.

Next day I thought I was going to do well and I did. I played the Sicilian against e4 and by move 5 was a piece up. Then instead of sitting back and playing for the endgame I became aggressive and missed a discovered attack. I got discouraged and resigned. I swore I saw a mate coming. I then went to Starbucks down the street to recover. While there I played the game out in my head and now SAW that it was not mate but I had a way out and a possible winning position. Reminder! If you think you are in trouble and have time on the clock. WALK AWAY and take a break.

As for the sixth game. My opponent played an opening trap I was not familiar with and they ended up a rook. I fought back and we were even in the endgame. This time I gave up a crucial square by backing my king down instead of pushing, as I had been planning, and he promoted and it was all over.

My last game went well. I was black and it was over in 20 moves. All in All I had fun and improved my score from last year where I went 3 and 4. I met quite a few great people and look forward to the next tourney.

Cheers,

William

Well, I got a bye on Friday in the U1700 section. Problem is I was not supposed to be in this section.  I was in the U1500 section.  So I did not get credit for my Bye.  Anyway, I did win two games on Saturday.  The 1st win was a crushing defeat of a 1490 player.  The 2nd win was a long drawn out game that lasted forever.  I thought it would be a draw or even a lost for me, but things turn around and I won.

Then I got sick.  It would appear I contracted food posioning.  So I was not able to participate on Sunday or Monday.  But it is all good.  With those two wins I am now rated 1457.  Still on course to get to 1600 by December.  Six months to get 150 points. 

Next up for me will be the following major tournaments as follows: Chicago Class Championship in July, then maybe the US Open in Indy in August. And most defintely the Illinois Open in September. Finally, the Midwest Class Championship in October. 

And of course there will be at least a half dozen small tourneys, so I will be busy.