Mechanics' Chess Club Newsletter #575

March 14, 2012

The ''Russian School'' training system and the ''Botvinnik'' training system are both work intensive programs that often require years of collaboration with the trainer to be effective. This effectiveness is not in doubt, and has been proven over and over again throughout the years. However, the student is required to do much independent work at home, just as if he was taking a university course. Therefore any expectations of even short term gains are pure nonsense.

Kevin Spraggett

http://www.chessforums.org/chess-articles/1111-gm-kevin-spraggett-training-other-topics.html

1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News

Congratulations to Rodell Mapp for winning the annual A. J. Fink Amateur open to players under 2000. Mapp scored 5.5 from 6 to win the 34-player event held March 10th-11th. Jerome Sun was second with 4 1/2 points.
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International Master Elliott Winslow and FIDE Master Frank Thornally are the highest rated players competing in the Spring Tuesday Night Marathon which started last night. It's still possible to join the 63-player field with a half point bye for the first round.
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Those who like to play blitz and enjoy good food and excellent company will not want to miss the the 6th Ray Schutt Memorial Blitz on May 6th at the Mechanics'.

A Chance to remember and pay tribute to an old friend

Sunday, May 6, 2012
1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Tournament: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

There will be a chance to reminiscence about Ray over light refreshments both before and after the event.

5 Double round Swiss

PRIZES: 1st $300, 2nd $200, 3rd $100, 4th $75, 5th $50, 6th $25

ENTRY FEE:
$10. Free to GMs and IMs.
Enter at tournament from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. No phone entries.

Come honor Ray's memory and make this a great tournament!

Jules Jelinek, the Mechanics' Weekly Wednesday Night Blitz Coordinator, writes:

It's Wednesday! Time for the weekly blitz chess tournament at Mechanics' Institute Chess Club. As always, it starts no later than 6:40pm with sign-up beginning at 6:20pm. Entry is $10 with clock $11 without clock. Prizes are 50%, 30%, 20% of entry fees. TIme control preferably is 3 minute increment 2 seconds otherwise 5 minutes no increment.

The winners last week were:

1st - NM Romy Fuentes 2nd - IM Elliott Winslow 3rd - Jules Jelinek

This summer the Mechanics' will offer four camps tailored to players of all strengths.

Beginners and Novice Players (below 1200 USCF) June 25-29

Master Chess Class (+2000 USCF) July 9-13

Intermediate and Advance Players (1200-2000) July 30-August 3

MI Grandmaster-in-Residence Nick de Firmian will be the lead instructor for all three
camps. Go www.chessclub.org for more information.
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2) Nor Cal House of Chess Invitational

Ted Castro of Fremont is rapidly becoming one of the busiest organizers of FIDE norm events on the West Coast. His latest event starts in a few days.

1) IM Enrico Sevillano 2502 (USA)

2) IM Ricardo De Guzman, 2400 (PHI)

3) IM Raymond Kaufman 2316 (USA)

4) FM Ronald Cusi 2316 (USA)

5) FM Richard Lobo 2236 (ENG)

6) FM Bela Evans 2256 (USA)

7) WFM Uyanga Byambaa 2110 (MGL)

8) NM Emmanuel Perez 2290 (PHI)

9) NM Tigran Ishkanov 2347 (USA)

10) NM Yian Liou 2293 (USA)

Category 4:

Rating average 2306.6 / NORM HUNTERS: 6.5 points to earn an IM Norm

ROUND TIMES:

March 17, 18, 23, 24, & 25- 10:30 & 5:30; except for Friday (Mar. 23) 6:00 pm

Time Control:

40/90, SD/30 with 30-second increment

Prize Fund:

$ 400.00 Top Prize, $ 200.00 2nd place

Arbiters:

Chief International Arbiter Gaurang Mehta and Deputy Arbiter Richard Koepcke

Organizer:

Ted Castro, NorCal House of Chess

norcalhouseofchess@gmail.com or contact 415-756-1204

Location:

All Star Institute, 43697 Mission Blvd, Fremont, CA

3) Here and There

Live ratings for top 15 players (March 12, 2012)

1.Carlsen NOR 2835
2. Aronian ARM 2825
3. Kramnik RUS 2801
4. Anand IND 2799
5. Radjabov AZE 2784
6. Caruana ITA 2773
7. Nakamura USA 2771
8. Karjakin RUS 2766
9. Morozevich RUS 2765
10. Ivanchuk UKR 2764
11. Grischuk RUS 2761
12. Topalov BUL 2752
13. Mamedyarov AZE 2752
14. Kamsky USA 2741
15. Svidler RUS 2741

Fabiano Caruana continues his steady rise upward with a win the Reykjavik Open. The 19-year-old Italian-American, born in Miami and who represented the United States until the age of 12, is one good tournament away from the top five in the world. The United States already has two players in the top 15 (Hikaru Nakamura number 7 and Gata Kamsky number 14) and one can only imagine what sort of team it would field if Caruana were to return to representing his country of birth.

Evgeny Bareev continues to reside in his native Russia, but Alexey Dreev will soon be making his home in the United States and 2654-rated Timur Gareev will be representing the US on the FIDE rolls starting this fall.

US Grandmasters Alejandro Ramirez and Robert Hess both turned in excellent results in overseas events this past week. Ramirez shared 6th place at Cappelle la Grande with a 2644 performance rating while Hess tied for ninth at the Reykjavik Open with a 2638 performance.