USCL Laws cost Blitz in (1 – 3) loss to PHI
(Beat Reporter: Mark LaRocca)
There oughta be a law! You know, like, when the speed limit is 55 mph and you’re going maybe 56 and the cop just lets you zoom by… well, he knows the unwritten rules. But, if you’re going, like, 90… you automatically hear that siren and you get a ticket… game over!
Why can’t we have that law in chess!... when you’re up +3 or higher… automatic ticket… game over! Cuz, according to my research… and it is thorough… the Blitz would be (3 – 1) and on their way to glory.
Instead, we are bound by the pedestrian US Chess League rules… and find ourselves at (1 – 3)… near the bottom of the Eastern Division, with no one but our own New England Nor’easters to look down upon, and bathe in the glow of their agony… Hey, you gotta feel superior to someone… or, in this case someones.
So there… how about a grass roots movement to get the Blitz back in this thing… change those unfair league rules... Especially since we sure ain’t goin’ nowhere if we keep losin’ won games.
Oh, did I not mention that we lost horribly (1 – 3) to the Philadelphia Inventors… a team that we out-rated… out-played… and out-stunk… that last out was unfortunately our undoing.
Oh well, at least we have a chance to out-analyze them… or maybe just out-brag our way to ignominious glory. Take, for instance, our first case… as team manager, NM Krasik, just played… well… Out-standingly bad moves… Now, I know you find that hard to believe… but, really… lost in 16 moves?... just turrble… Out-!@#$%... turrble. Am I too harsh?…
I must say, I very much admired the play of NM Todd Bryant… so much so, that I feel that the position below from Ilya’s game is worth a diagram. White to play and win!
For the surprising answer, play through the game below.
And now for those sadists who enjoy watching Ilya suffer… here is the game with my intuitive comments of course…
you thought Ilya didn’t play that badly… you may be right. And I should apologize before Ilya takes away my blogging privileges. NM Bryant was just on his game. No excuses here.
Boston (0 – 1)
Now, on to one heckuva young player... IM Sam Sevian playing White on board 1 vs IM Tom Bartell. I’ll start by saying that Sam was my lock of the week. But, that’s just my homer-ism coming through… that and the fact that I’ve watched his games in person for the last few years… and I know his determination and desire to win are unsurpassed. When his opponent led with the Caro-Kann… Sam was not phased… Many players at his level would hide their “secret” analysis and save it for when it really counts… not Sam… he pulled out all the stops and produced my Blitz Game of the Week.
See if you don’t agree…
Wow, our most exciting game this dreadful evening. Thanks Sam, for a great game. I hope to call you GM Sevian soon.
Boston (0.5 – 1.5)
Next up, Denys, Black on board 2, vs. FM Dov Gorman. I won’t say Denys should’a won this game… but, I will write it. Denys should’a won!!... but, sour grapes don’t make good wine… although I still cherish them as an appetizer. See if you don’t think we were just a bit unlucky in this one…
Well, that was refreshing… no… not the game… I just paused to take a sip of my beer while I was crying into it. You think these guys would follow the law and just resign when their game is that bad. What?, you say, there is no law in chess… well, isn’t that my point. There oughta be!
Boston (1 – 2)
Ok, so it was all up to Chris Williams, White on board 3, vs NM Peter Minear. As always, the fate of the entire match ends up in Chris’s hands. Not that we blame him… no, I’m just stating facts… and facts don’t lie… it’s all his fault. Oh, you think maybe I should blame Ilya… but, what about my blog privileges… No, Chris could have drawn the match for us… if only his opponent was a “Law” abiding citizen. Check it out… you tell me… should there be a Law?
Tough loss… but, once Chris blew the win… he had to gamble to save a match draw… and that’s not where you want to be. Credit Chris with not taking any prisoners at the end.
Boston (1 – 3)
Oh, the pain, the agony of da feet … Standing around all night watching the Blitz flame out can really put a strain on a guy’s dogs. But, I don’t matter… I don’t need your sympathy… I need your support… to change the @#$%! Law!
Yes, the Blitz are on the brink of another interminable season… and why?... because of the absurd Laws of the USCL that insist you must play every game to the end. And don’t forget those outlaw opponents who simply fail to abide by the unwritten Laws… need I say more... Yeah, if only there was a law… we could’a, would’a, should’a been a contender.
Week 5, BOS vs LA. Come visit us this Weds., Sept. 24, 9pm., at 59 Shepard st. Cambridge, MA., SOCH building, Harvard University. Or, at least follow the games online… on ICC (www.chessclub.com).
