Return of The Sith.

Here I was, I just went to this place last week for the first time in Brownsboro. And to my surprise I crushed everyone I played like they were nothing. With the exception of the final round, whom I was faced against a very strong opponent. This time, what was I in for? I still am probably considered provisional when it comes to my USCF rating, so it was really up to fate whether or not I would strike just as hard, or if I would be the Goliath that was taken down by a mere David. Pride often comes before a fall, I don't ever come into a tournament expecting that I will take everybody down. I know that everybody who was coming in that building had one thing on their mind. Checkmate. And they would stop at nothing to get it.

I took my little brother with me, knowing that with it being his first OTB experience he would be a sheep in a cage full of hungry wolves, all licking their lips looking at him like the fresh prey he was. To my surprise he nearly beat someone! With a little hard work and perseverance, I could see him dominating the field at this place. Before the rounds started my round 1 opponent did a practice game against my brother where he slaughtered him like he was nothing.

This game featured many ups and downs! I deploy an early c6 online a lot to confuse my opponents with the move order however, I think if I want to continue playing this OTB, then I probably will have to really sharpen my lines with the main line, and not play this weird sideline with an early c6. It's done me great work in other games online. Hell, it's gotten me a 49% win rate with the opening on chess.com. But I am at a crossroad with the scandi, I'm either going to have to double down and know every little nuance or retire it. As, it's done me so much good, however, this game, I nearly threw equality, and the engine does not approve of my idea with Qf5. That being said it got me a better position. This game my opponent just kept on making little inaccuracies that I knew were incorrect but not easy to punish immediately. I nearly gave him the game back. The only thing that saved me was I could tell he was a bit to trade happy and incapable of defending an endgame after I saw him try to make an illegal move with his king while my rook was on the e file. After that I knew this game was mine for the taking. 

My next game really doesn't require any analysis. My second around opponent won his first game, how I have no idea but he did. Honestly the game was over the moment he decided to let the bishop live. He didn't resign he played it out till mate but I was lazy and didn't feel like putting all the notation down, so I didn't. Priyanish, thank you for suggesting I play an Italian. This game was dedicated to you and my friend Samwri who gave me a coin to flip to decide whether or not I would play e4 or d4 with the white pieces. This was a rather easy pairing and didn't really give me any trouble. I missed Ra4 to save the minor piece but it really didn't matter.

This final game I finally was faced with a moral conflict that no man should have to face in the 21st century. Whether or not he's okay beating a woman. That being said chivalry is dead and I'm all for gender equality! So I already knew the answer going in. This woman was not going to take me down. I suspected quite strongly that I was going to win this game the moment that she took my bishop on d6 instead of retreating it to g3, I found the capture pretty impulsive and immature. That being said I should have taken more time, I actually had the move e5 in the position after I castled without the inclusion of Re8, which was a big miss by me! Playing these structures I knew if I could ram e5 in then I wouldn't be in any real danger. More experienced players know that if white can maintain a strong hold and stop black from playing e5 then you can get into some real trouble with the black pieces. Especially when it comes to deploying your light square bishop since both e6, and c6 had been played. This setup is more passive than what I usually play but I decided I didn't want to lash out with c5 and play a super tactical game. I was okay being more positional and solid this game... That was... Until I saw Rh5!!. This move essentially forces white to play f4 which really softens the e3 square, and turns the e pawn into a backwards pawn which ended up being the decisive factor in the game. There were some mating ideas and other weaknesses created with any other attempt at blocking, the funniest being h3, which I'm pretty sure in that line there are Ng4 ideas in the future but seeing as it's nearly midnight I haven't toyed away at all the variations yet. They ended up sacrificing the exchange, apparently they had a chance to get back in the game because I didn't capture in the center with a knight first later in the game but they had low time so I don't blame them. The final position in the analysis was the final position on the board, with only 7 seconds left they decided to resign with grace. It was a funny game! Where I never felt in danger. The only game I really felt like I could've lost was the first one, I needed to be more patient with my position. This time it didn't matter but had my opponent been sharper they would have found themselves back in the game. For now I enjoy another victory. Thank you Brownsboro for having this event on Mondays, and thank you chess.com for allowing me to preserve the games in the library!

I also won $10 dollars. I got a 20 but accounting for the entry fee I only got ten. Which is super awesome! I'm sure that if I keep playing in these the field and competition will get steep... And I probably will end up being demolished so I have to enjoy these dopamine rushes while they last. Sadly only the Scandi game was guess the elo worthy. I still am getting used to the style of playing over the board and time management, I suspect in all the games I played a little bit to fast especially the first one. Oh well. Hope to have some more good games to share soon!