Big Bos-Man Draw, Tha’s all!!
Beat Reporter: Mark LaRocca)
“Big Bos-Man, can’t you hear me when I call”
The Big Boss Manhattan Applesauce (I’m a poet, dontcha know it) came to town and with their two GM top boards, they were definitely the favorites. But, their aint no quit in this spunky Blitz team. They spotted the weakness in Goliath, i.e., board 4, we outrated them, and Ilya “Manager of the year” Krasik took full advantage.
Oh yeah, it looked grim as Board 3, new BB member, NM Yi Yang went down quickly and as White. Thems the breaks in team chess, but, you get back up and get ‘em next time… Right Yi! Still IK was up to the task on board 4 as Black in an odd Benoni. Boston (1 – 1) with the two GM boards still going. Newly annointed Boston Board 1, IM Richard Wang, was alive and well against GM Zviad Izoria… in fact, he was winning. First he won a pawn, then a piece, then narrowly avoided a perpetual due to a mistake by his opponent, and voila (I love it when I speak French)… he pulled a rabbit out of his hat. Boston was up in the match (2 -1). Oh my heart, could we actually win this one? Ahhh, I could hear Jimmy singing in the back of room.
“Big Bos-Man, can’t you hear me when I call”
So, you’re saying we have a chance?
Denys was struggling mightily as Black (what else is new?) and it looked drawish. But, fatigue got the better of him and he finally went down on move 62. Credit to GM Giorgi Kacheishvili who played a Reti and took a very slight edge all the way to a tough ending and just did manage to grind out a win. Boston (2 – 2)
Draw or not, this one felt like a win… and Jimmy agreed…
“Well, you ain’t so big, you jus’ tall, tha’s all”
All credit to Ilya on this one. He’s been patching together lineups all year. Things started badly, but the Blitz have clawed their way back into contention. I wasn’t kidding about that Manager of the Year. And now, with the exodus of IM Steven Zierk to the west coast (best wishes on your left coast life), IK replaces him with IM Richard Wang who begins his Blitz saga with a match saving victory. Wow, nice going Ilya.
NM Yi Yang was also a new addition for this match and played a very obscure variation against IM Rozman’s French. To tell the truth, I like inferior variations for White against the French. If you don’t win quickly, then you usually can at least draw. Yes, I’m a French Defense is bad bigot. But, Yi missed the main variation and played 14.Nc3… Oh well, Yi is young and he’ll recover. Let’s see what you think of his creative opening… which the Boss Man promptly dispatched.
“I want me a drink of water, but you won’t let Jimmy stop.”
I find White’s opening very interesting. Yi has guts and just had to recognize when he should play to draw. Boson (0 – 1)
Ilya, on the other hand, was the victim of a bad White opening, which he duely punished with the swift blade of justice, 4… Bxc3+!! Take that Boss Man!
“Well, I’m gonna get me a Boss Man, one gonna treat me right.”
No chance for the Boss Man from beginning to end. Very nice Ilya. Boston (1 – 1)
Now, I would have been worried since we were tied and the two GMs were still playing on the top boards. But, a quick glance at board one and my nerves were calmed…that is, until Richard almost got swindled and caught in a perpetual. Take a look at the odd moves it would have taken to correctly avoid the draw… analysis variation, 35. Ne1!! … Boy, this chess stuff is hard.
“Work hard in the day time, rest easy at night.”
Tell me that game didn’t cause a few palpitations if you are a Blitz fan. Geeez Richard, next time just pull your extra piece back to defend. I’m too old for this stuff.
Boston (2 – 1)
Finally, Denys was our hope to win this unwinnable match. And I thought he would do it. He has this way of playing through rediculously difficult games, usually as Black, and somehow winning or drawing… and this looked like one of those. But, in the end, Boss Man proved too good.
“Got me workin’, Boss Man, workin’ ‘round the clock.”
Nice try, but no cigar. We missed it by that much. Glory was within our grasp. We coulda been a contenda… or not. Nice try anyway, Denys. Boston (2 – 2)
Ok, well so much for the Boss man. They just tall tha’s all.
Now, it’s on to the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps…
Hmmm! Sounds like a song. “Start spreadin’ the News”
The NY Knights vs the Boston Blitz, Tuesday, 7:30 at BCC
Boylston Chess Club.
40 Norris St., Suite B101
Cambridge, MA 02140
Phone: (470) BCF-1919 (223-1919)
You can donate to the Blitz through PAYPAL id Ilya_krasik@yahoo.com.
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