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2013 Greater Midwest Classic

2013 Greater Midwest Classic

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Last weekend I contested the U1400 section of the first ever Greater Midwest Classic outside of Chicago. I believe the tournament attracted over 130 players, so let's hope we'll see a second annual Greater Midwest Classic next year.

More importantly (for me), I won sole third place in my section, going +4 =1 -1! My only loss was to a 659 rated player. But, a 659 who reportedly plays second board on his high school team and tied for fourth place in the event.

Lessons Learned

  1. Don't trust that an opponent's offered piece or pawn is sound. If you cannot prove that it is sound, take it!
  2. In the endgame, piece activity is crucial. (See 31. a4?!)
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I am a professor researching goal setting, motivation, emotions, creativity, and related aspects of human performance in early-stage entrepreneurship.

 

From 2012 to 2017 I pursued aggressive adult improvement (starting at age 43). I recorded my journey here as I gained over 400 rating points over two years, peaking at 1753 USCF in 2015. After taking a multi-year break to complete my doctorate, I returned to competitive chess in 2024.