Imagine 2000 USCF: The Real Bay Area Chess Championships
Hello all ye good peoples!
I played in the "Real" Bay Area Chess Championships last week. I have no clue as to why "Real" had to be placed in the title (as if there were a Fake Bay Area Chess Championships) but whatever.
My first round game may have been a bit strange - forgive me, I tripped when running headfirst into a wall the day before. My opponent was Justin Brockman rated 1833.
Okay! That must've been one of my worst games ever.
For Round 2, I was clearly doomed. I was playing against National Master Ruiyang Yan. Although I had a 100% score (1 win, zero losses) against NM's thus far, I was not hopeful for this game.
I know that I had a decent position which I screwed up, and I actually don't know why. Towards the end, I was under severe time pressure and ended up making inaccuracies.
Before round 3, I was exhausted. I was the second/third to last game both rounds, and had played 8 hours of chess. I was in no shape to play the next round, but I did anyways. I waws paired against WCM Aksithi Eswaran.
My opponent blitzed out the first ~20 moves of the Sveshnikov as white with a near-perfect line. I was a bit suspicious, but as I was walking around the playing hall, it hit me. She was a Sveshnikov player herself - I had seen her play it the prior round. Of course she knew how to play it for both sides!
I offered a draw because I have absolutely no way to play for a win, even though I have 40 minutes to her 15. The silicon engine agrees. I went to sleep at 12:00 p.m. that night.
The next morning, I woke up at 5 a.m. That in and of itself was likely a bad omen of things to come, but I brushed it off and went back to sleep, only to play one of my best games ever a few hours later.
Round 4: I was paired against Nicholas Weng,
Many people thought that I had cheated during this game, including the NM that I had played. The truth is that I had calculated everything starting from f5! and had God's blessing with me. Everything prior to that was theory, and Rf6?? was just a horrible move.
My friend checked my estimated rating based on these four games - 2005. I was definitely considering withdrawing, but I might have had to settle for a 0 point bye due to "prize manipulation". Therefore, I decided to play the last game and try to not lose so that I could win a larger prize. Let's see how that went.
Round 5: Henry Deng (prodigy)
I am playing against Henry Deng, and 11 year-old chess prodigy rated over 2060. I knew in my heart that I was screwed, but I played anyways.
Welp
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most depressing game ever
I should've drawn
but 13 seconds vs 13 minutes
-_=
and not 2000 uscf
whatever
And now, a parody of John Lennon's "Imagine" to imagine 2000 USCF:
Imagine there's no ratings
It's easy if you try
No rating floor below us
Above us, only NM's
Imagine all the people
Grinding away
Ah - 2K
Imagine there's no prize money
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to win or lose for
And no theory, too
Imagine all the people
Drawing games in peace
You
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
At the class A milestone
Imagine no more prodigies
I wonder if you can
No need for studying or coaches
A brotherhood of noobs
Imagine all the players
Sharing opening prep
You
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
At the class A milestone
