Southern California Open 1st Place U1400/2013

Southern California Open 1st Place U1400/2013

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References:

http://www.chess.com/blog/chesspnoi/2013-walter-muir-section-13w22-1st-place

https://www.uschess.org/content/view/12348/141/

  http://sandiegochess.blogspot.com/2013/08/southern-cal-open.html

This was the 2nd OTB USCF tournament that I won in the class c/d section this year.

 

 

[Round 1] On this morning, my mind wasn't set right; I was thinking about my immediate future, and I was just awed in the presence of chess masters all around me; knowing I would be able to watch their style of play during my opponent's move.  This game I played was against an old man who did a (4) year term in the USAF.  I lost this game by underestimating my opponent; not doing a sanity check and then was checkmated!  (SMH). I really deserved that.  What a wake-up call.  I was so embarrased as everyone in the U1400, heard the word "checkmate," in so few moves.  One of the worst games I ever blundered in an official OTB tournament (Lol).  I opened with the King's Gambit and overlooked my opponent's bishop move.  If you ever get to see my games, you will know that I am an avid fan of the King's Gambit, but I never get to enter actual KG Lines...

[Round 2] After taking a trip home to work out my frustrations of my 1st lost in the gym, I returned early to my next game to see the pairings, so I could set up and relax while getting my mind straight.  I beat my opponent, who was kid still in intermediate with ease, as he blundered on moves 12. Bxe7? & 25. Rc2?
[Round 3] I play a young white kid named Jay Reedy; I watched his game against an Indian Adult in our section and to my observation, he played agressively (audible sounds with the moves of his pieces without thought and cockiness.)Despite me losing with the King's Gambit Opening earlier, I opened with the King's Gambit with a different line.  The KG has always worked in my favor for our section, as the majority of players are unfamiliar with sound responses for black.  The young kid blundered at move 17...Qf6 in an attempt to save his king. He layed his king down and I start my day with a 2-1 score.
[Round 4] I'm now at the table against the Highest Rated player present in the U1400 section.  Another Man, couldn't remember much about him, but that his PGN recorder was the Dell Axim PDA.  I had the Sicilian, my favorite opening on my mind, but he played "d4!" so Queen's Pawn Opening it was; it didn't take to long for me to earn his queen, which gave me an advantage early, but he blundered many games before laying his King down in resign...
[Round 5] so I played another Asian Kid, who seems to be still Intermediate; he was an introduction to me as another stronger player in the U1400 as he and I was 3-1.  This Kid (Lol) kept getting out of his chair to watch our board from over my shoulder?  I don't know if it was a tactic to irritate me, but he did it virtually after ever move he made.  I played the King's Gambit (yes again!), but like I said, a lot players in the Booster section are oblivious to KG lines; that's why I never get to actualy play a real KG lined game.  The kid miscalculated at move 37..Ba3, as I seen this would end up as an uneven trade 2-1, a bishop and knight for (1) rook to help me in the endgame.  After I played move 62. Kb5, the young Asian Kid (I am also Asian, so I'm not racist or prejudiced), picked up his King, twirling it between his fingers while looking at on of the squares he was thinking to place it on, and after a few seconds, he layed his king down and extended his hand to me commuicating to me that resigns...
[Round 6] and so I make it the top players table for the U1400; my last Game was against a very tall Freshman in High School, while I was happy that I overcame adversity and getting closer to my Established rating (I was at my 18th Provisional rated 1219/OTB for this tourney), I could sense the kid was going for 1st place as he was concerned on how many players would split $1500.  I wanted to play the Sicilian, but he was another d4 player; and he made awkward moves with his knights.  This was another kid, who kept getting out of his chair almost after every move.  He made it as he looked confident that he would get a win against me; because after every time I made a move and it was his turn, he could care less what I did, he kept looking over to the next game and see what they were doing during their game (SMH) ...  Is that a Pyschology tactic that they teach to young chess players nowadays?
I ended up with only a few pawns; my opponent had more.  I had taking a draw on my mind a few times, but if I was going to take a draw, it would have to be forced on the board by me, so I played on. The board still a lot of breathing space for me.  My oppnents plans fell into my favor as he blundered at move 37. Qxf7. I noted that Checkmate was inevitable for me against him; however, on my
last rook move 40...Rxh2, I left to use the bathroom only to return with a white king laying down and a fresh knight placed on e4 on the chess board (he resigned) and my opponent gone...  This tournament was a Happy Ending (surprisingly) and one of the most memorable and 1st big ever OTB USCF tournaments I have ever competed in because I earned my 3rd Corresponence Chess certificate (Walter Muir) before the Labor Day weekend, and after the Labor Day weekend, I was promoted to a Gunnery Sergeant of Marines/E-7 (Tues, Sep 3, 2013). The word of the day for this tournament; resilency.