Post Tourney Reporting and Looking Ahead...

I know, I know... I promised you all a post-tourney blog after the Northern California International and I TOTALLY dropped the ball ! Truth be told, I think I have an easier time blogging right after and event that goes badly... Likely my need/addiction to negative attention ... I've been told it has to do with my relationship with my mother...

In any case, the Nor-Cali event went really well. I gained rating points, finished with 6 out of 9 (which was just shy of a GM Norm) and I definitely felt like I was "hitting my stride" towards the end. Here are my last few games from the tourney (all with some analysis to make up for the late blog) -- and they are in order, which hopefully tells the story of my "progress" with each game:

And so that, was that... I followed a similar pattern last year: Struggled mightily in a tournament over the fall -- The 2010 SPICE Cup -- and then played well in Berkeley 2011. So this year, I struggled in St Louis (see my last blog about St Louis here) but played well at the Nor Cal. What does it all mean??? That I need ot keep playing!!! "Finding myself" (Good Will Hunting style ) at the end of an event like this is motivation to "keep working the mojo".

Hence, the reason for the picture associated with this article at the top of the page: In a few weeks, I am going to play in the local State Championship, a tournament being sponsored by my Grandpa -- Steven Kamp -- who started me playing chess at the Shelby School (the thumbnail picture is of me and my old schoolmates ) over 15 years ago... Rensch Law (my Dad's Firm), Chess.com and ChessKid.com are also helping to sponsor the event. I am looking forward to it! Here is the list of players (almost all the top guys in Arizona) and the pairings as well... Wish me luck!!!

1. Molner, M.            — IM USCF 2520
2. Rensch, D.             — IM USCF 2478
3. Banawa, J.             — IM USCF 2444
4. Ginsburg, M.         — IM USCF 2406
5. Mohandesi, S.      — IM USCF 2365
6. Atoufi, P.                — FM USCF 2299

 

#	Name/Rtng/ID	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Rd 4	Rd 5
1	MACKENZIE MOLNER	W 2	B 4	W 3	B 5	W 6
	2520 12662506
2	JOEL BANAWA	B 1	W 6	B 4	W 3	W 5
	2444 12922625
3	DANIEL M RENSCH	W 6	W 5	B 1	B 2	W 4
	2478 12659833
4	MARK GINSBURG	B 5	W 1	W 2	B 6	B 3
	2406 10172918
5	PEDRAM ATOUFI	W 4	B 3	B 6	W 1	B 2
	2299 12882025
6	SHAHIN MOHANDESI	B 3	B 2	W 5	W 4	B 1
	2365 14812351