Tag: San Antonio Chess Club

  • 2021 Complete Chess Summer Camp

    2021 Complete Chess Summer Camp

    Learn chess this summer with San Antonio Chess Champion
    National Chess Master
    Jesse James Lozano

    This summer, Complete Chess will offer a series of five-day chess camps for children of all grade levels and chess skill sets. Each camp, taught by City Champion Jesse James Lozano and experienced chess coaches, will provide a range of chess related activities including chess lessons, puzzle competitions, blitz games, Bughouse chess, game analysis, tactics training and strategy workshops. To keep camp fun, additional activities include Rubik’s Cube, LEGO, Pokémon and movie night.

    Camp Hours
    Monday thru Friday 
    9 a.m. to 3 p.m.


    Early drop off (8am) is available for an additional $10 per day.
    Late pick-up (4 p.m.) is available for an additional $10 per day. 

    Cost: $200 (five-day camp) OR
    $50 (daily pass)

    Can’t commit to a full week of camp?
    Try out their daily pass.

    Find out more by visiting Complete Chess on their website, Facebook, or
    contact them at: (210) 393-3056

  • San Antonio Chess Club Announces New Officers

    San Antonio Chess Club Announces New Officers

    A new year is fully underway and the [San Antonio Chess Club](https://sanantoniochess.com) has elected new officers for its executive board.

    * **President:** Rosalinda Romo
    * **Vice President:** Joel Salinas
    * **Treasurer:** Juan Carrizales
    * **Director-At-Large:** JP Hyltin
    * **Webmaster:** Martin Gordon

    Founded in 1888, the *San Antonio Chess Club* is the oldest chess club in the state of Texas. They currently meet at the Lions Field Center on Broadway from 1730-2100 every Thursday (except holidays). They are also the official governing body for [US Chess](http://www.uschess.org) activities and tournaments in the greater San Antonio area.

    The club is currently exploring ways to expand chess activities in scholastic and amateur arenas across the city. If you’re interest in joining or would like more information, check out their [official website](https://sanantoniochess.com) for details.

  • SATX Summer Scrimmage Tournament Reflections

    SATX Summer Scrimmage Tournament Reflections

    Last weekend around 60 players from across the San Antonio area gathered at the [Wonderland of the Americas Mall](https://wonderlandamericas.com/) to take part in the San Antonio Summer Scrimmage sponsored by the [River City Chess Club](https://www.facebook.com/RivercityChessClub/) and the [San Antonio Chess Club (SACC)](http://www.sanantoniochess.com). Yours truly decided to jump into the pool and register for the tournament when it was first advertised back in June/July. Although my game results were much less than desirable, the SACC TD, Edgar Munoz along with support from members of both clubs put on an exceptionally well-run tournament.

    #### The Tournament

    Approximately 60 players packed into the Wonderland Events Center near the mall’s food court to try their luck at a cash prize and the glory of chess tournament victory. The tournament started an hour late due to the overwhelming response from players! Normally I would be bothered by such a late start, but it was nice to see the TD and team giving so many people an opportunity register and pay at the last minute. Notably, the start delay was the *only* real hiccup that the event seemed to experience. The tournament went very smooth for most players once play began.

    Perhaps one of the most notable events occurred during the end of Round 01. The end of the round came down to the wire with one game remaining between a young girl and one of SACC’s regulars. The ensuing drama found our SACC regular eventually pinned down by some brilliant last-minute exchanges.

    All eyes on the last game of Round 1! #SanAntonioChess

    A post shared by Campfire Chess (@campfirechess) on

    It was a thrilling experience and the only time in the tournament where the room erupted in applause. The above Instagram photo captures that game as it entered into its final 10 minutes. More photos of that game and the tournament itself are available at the bottom of the page just past my game analysis.

    #### My Games

    I think that I am in the running for setting a new chess record of having the lowest ELO rating out there. Fortunately, the US Chess database reminds me that I am not the lowest, but I am damned close. Part of that comes from playing in a city where most of the regular players are 1500+ ELO. It is good for the learning experience, but not so good for the W-L record. The three games I played in this tournament (got 1 bye in Round 3) were painful, but educational and somewhat surprising. I learned quite a bit throughout the tournament about where I need to shift my study habits in addition to conquering some anxieties I had about playing in OTB tournaments with so many good players.

    ##### Round 1: Game #1
    Game #1 was against a 1300 ELO player who was very friendly and played a nice game. We laughed a few times because of some arguments happening next to us between two kids playing their game, but overall the game was enjoyable. This game was not as *good* or educational as the other two, but it did remind me to stick to my opening preparation instead of trying to play so much *off-the-cuff* in games.

    [pgn]
    [Event “San Antonio Summer Scrimmage”]
    [Site “San Antonio, TX”]
    [Date “2017.08.12”]
    [Round “1”]
    [White “Nemecek, Andrew”]
    [Black “Surber, Wesley”]
    [Result “1-0”]
    [Annotator “”]
    [PlyCount “49”]

    {Here we go! After a lengthy haitus between tournaments, I decided to set down at the board once again to try my luck at an open tournament hosted by the River City Chess Club/San Antonio Chess Club. This was the first of three games played that day.} 1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. Nc3 {I realized that I usually mess up this part of the opening. I tend to play d6 or d4 respectively when they are not appropriate for the scenario.} (5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qf6 7. Qa4 Bc5 8. 0-0 Ne7 9. Nc3 h6 10. Re1 Rb8 11. Qc4 Ba7 12. b3 0-0 13. Be3 Bxe3 14. Rxe3 d5 {1-0 (34) Solak,D (2607)-Sanal,V (2460) Jerusalem 2015 } )d5 6. d3 f6 7. 0-0 {Threatening d4.} ({Of course not} 7. Nxe5 fxe5 8. Qh5+ Kd7 $17 )d4 $146 {White was threatening d4, so I wanted to block its route and attempt to dislodge the c3 Knight.} ({Predecessor:} 7… Bc5 8. Re1 Ne7 9. Na4 Ba7 10. b3 d4 11. c3 {1/2-1/2 (20) Nilsen,R-Vavilin,M Prague 2006} )8. Ne2 {White is slightly better.} Bd6 9. h3 f5 (9… c5 $11 { keeps the balance.} )10. Ng3 (10. exf5 $142 { Black must now prevent c3.} Bxf5 11. Ng3 )fxe4 11. dxe4 {[#] And now Nxe5! would win.} Nf6 12. Bg5 (12. c3 $16 dxc3 13. Qc2 (13. bxc3 0-0 $14 ))0-0 (12… h6 $1 $11 { } 13. Bd2 c5 )13. Re1 (13. c3 $14 )c5 14. Nf5 Bxf5 (14… Rb8 $11 )15. exf5 $14 Rb8 16. Rb1 ({White should play} 16. Nxe5 $16 { aiming for Nc6.} Rxb2 17. Qd3 )Qd7 17. g4 g6 (17… Rbe8 $14 )18. Nxe5 $16 Qc8 $2 { [#]} (18… Bxe5 $16 { was called for.} 19. Rxe5 gxf5 )19. fxg6 $18 hxg6 20. Nxg6 {Stockfish says that White is clearly winning, which I agree and felt my heart start to sink while sitting at the board.} Qd8 (20… Rf7 $142 21. f4 Qb7 )21. Nxf8 Qxf8 22. Qf3 Be7 23. Rxe7 Qxe7 24. Qxf6 Qxf6 25. Bxf6 {and I resigned to save myself the trouble. Overall it was a nice game, but too many errors and slow development cost me the win.} 1-0
    [/pgn]

    ##### Round 2: Game #2
    As you will see in the game commentary, this game made me very nervous. It was against a 1900 ELO player which was enough to challenge my psychological ability to sit at the board. In the end, this game turned out to be one of the best games I have played in a *long* time, even with a loss. I think that I also got Stockfish to give me my first ever (!) annotation on a move I agreed with.

    [pgn]
    [Event “San Antonio Summer Scrimmage”]
    [Site “San Antonio, TX”]
    [Date “2017.08.12”]
    [Round “2”]
    [White “Surber, Wesley”]
    [Black “Flournoy, Don”]
    [Result “0-1”]
    [Annotator “”]
    [PlyCount “44”]

    {I was flat-out nervous about this game because it was against a 1900 ELO player, which is like putting a match up against a supernova….} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d3 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. Be2 d6 6. O-O Bg4 {Fortunately, I had been studying the Sicilian recently and managed to get several moves into the game before deviating from the line. Stockfish gave up on me at this point for the opening.} (6…Rb8 7. Be3 Nd4 8. a3 e6 9. Rb1 Ne7 10. Qd2 Nxe2+ 11. Nxe2 b6 12. d4 Bb7 13. Nc3 O-O 14. Rfd1 Bc6 15. Bh6 d5 {1/2-1/2 (15) Scepanovic,L (2159)-Farkas,T (2279) Senta 2016}) 7. h3 Bd7 8. Be3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 8. a3 Nd4 9. Nxd4 Bxd4 10. Be3 e6 11. Bxd4 cxd4 12. Nb1 {1/2-1/2 (51) Cerda Revert,J (1786)-Morant Gomar, S (1904) Valencia 2009}) Nf6 {The position is equal.} 9. Rb1 h6 (9…O-O $10 {feels stronger.}) 10. a3 g5 (10…e5 $10) 11. b4 $36 {Stockfish says that Black is under pressure, which I noticed during the game. At this point, I was very happy with how things were going.} g4 12. hxg4 $1 Nxg4 13. Bd2 cxb4 14. axb4 Qc8 (14…h5 $14 {Would have equalized the position.}) 15. Nd5 $16 Nce5 16. c4 Rg8 (16…Nxf3+ $16 {was necessary.} 17. Bxf3 Bd4) 17. d4 $2 {This is where things started to fall apart.} (17. Nh4 $18) Nxf3+ $1 $10 18. Bxf3 Bxd4 19. Bxg4 $4 (19. Bf4 $10 {and White has nothing to worry.} Ne5 20. Rb3 Nxf3+ 21. Qxf3) Bxg4 $19 20. Qa4+ Kd8 {aiming for …Bf3.} ({Don’t take} 20…Bd7 21. Qb3 $19) 21. Bxh6 $2 {[#]} (21. Rb3 $19 Be2 22. Re1) Bf3 22. g3 Qh3 {And I resigned. I learned from this game that my openings are getting better, but I need to focus on my middle games.} 0-1
    [/pgn]

    ##### Round 4: Game #3
    Game 3 came in Round 4 after quite a break through Round 3. My opponent was rated around 1100 ELO and slammed pieces down harder than anyone I believe I have ever met. Another loss, but it was very educational and fun to play. In the end, my impatience got the best of me an earned me my first-ever loss by checkmate.

    [pgn]
    [Event “San Antonio Summer Scrimmage”]
    [Site “San Antonio, TX”]
    [Date “2017.08.12”]
    [Round “4”]
    [White “Surber, Wesley”]
    [Black “Babaria, Rajvi”]
    [Result “0-1”]
    [Annotator “”]
    [PlyCount “52”]

    1. e4 {After receiving a bye in Round 3, I sat down for one last game trying to squeeze out at least one win. The game was good, but I played too fast and lost in miserable fashion. On a side note, I have never played with someone who slammed their pieces in classical time controls like this young woman.} c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Bd3 d6 6. c3 e6 7. O-O {LiveBook: 3 Games. B40: Sicilian: 2…e6, Unusual lines} Be7 8. a3 $146 {Another Sicilian, but this time my speed caused me to leave the main line much quicker than game 2. I could feel my anxiety getting the best of me, so I did my best to deep breath and focus on the board.} ({Predecessor:} 8. f4 O-O 9. Be3 e5 10. Nf5 Bxf5 11. exf5 exf4 12. Bxf4 Qb6+ 13. Kh1 Qxb2 14. Nd2 Qxc3 {0-1 (23) Mudelsee,M (2296)-Abergel,T (2509) Germany 2009}) O-O 9. Nd2 {The position is equal and I started feeling more confident about the game’s outcome.} a6 10. N2f3 Bd7 11. Qe2 e5 12. Nxc6 Bxc6 13. b4 Qc7 14. Be3 {Too passive and gives away the intiative. Playing c4 would have maintained the balance on the board. Unfortunately, this deep in the game, the moves were happening so quickly that it felt almost like a blitz game.} (14. c4 $10 {remains equal.}) Nxe4 15. Qc2 ({Better is} 15. Rac1) Nf6 $17 {[#] Hoping for …e4.} 16. h3 $2 {A careless move without solid intent. I was looking to shore up defenses on the h-file side of the board.} (16. Ng5 $17) e4 $19 17. Be2 exf3 18. Bxf3 Bxf3 19. gxf3 Rac8 20. Kh1 Qxc3 {Black maintains her very aggressive style and goes for the throat with a Queen trade, which I declined.} 21. Qf5 Qe5 22. Qd3 Nd5 23. Bh6 $4 {Stockfish liked this move, but I annotated it (??) because I missed an opportunity to fix the coming checkmate trap.} gxh6 24. Rg1+ Kh8 25. Rae1 Qh5 {[#]} 26. Rxe7 $4 (26. Rg3 {would have avoided mate.}) Qxh3# {BOOM! I am pretty sure that this is my first OTB loss ever by checkmate. High stress and very educational game. I was slightly demoralized after this tournament, but I will get back up and play again the next chance I get.} 0-1
    [/pgn]

    Here are some more photos of the event and the venue:

    #### Final Thoughts

    The San Antonio Chess Club is in the midst of a revival. Its President, Mitch Vergara, is one hell of a chess player and his passion for the game is reflected in the ways he has networked with River City Chess, Rackspace, and others to promote the game throughout the Alamo City. The 2017 Summer Scrimmage was a fun event for all ages that really brought the best minds of San Antonio together to play the Royal Game. It is my hope that this is just a taste of things to come from River City and San Antonio Chess.

    Until next time!
    -ws

  • Austin Wins Annual Shootout

    Austin Wins Annual Shootout

    Each year the cities of Austin and San Antonio send their best and brightest chess players to compete in an annual shootout to determine which city is the best of South Texas. As with everything else in Texas, this shootout is quite a big deal. Preparations begin early each year and culminate with the penultimate event in August. This year, San Antonio lost to Austin 26-24 points, which means that San Antonio only lost by a one-game outcome!

    After the first round, San Antonio faced an incredible 7.5-17.5 point standing with three draws and two losses on the top five boards. However, the lopsided round results were not enough to keep the San Antonio team from bowing out early. The Alamo City came roaring back in the second round to bring itself within 2 points of its northern neighbor, but it was not enough to overcome the earlier deficit and bring the victory home.

    Maybe next year…

    Some noteworthy moments:

    • Jose Silva (SA) went 2-0 through the match.
    • The highest rated player was IM Miguel Paz (2465).
  • Jesse James is 3-time San Antonio Champion 

    Jesse James is 3-time San Antonio Champion 

    Chess players from around the San Antonio area converged on Methodist Hospital this past weekend to see who would earn the distinction of San Antonio City Chess Champion. Approximately 82 players registered for the 5-round event which saw participation from players in the 900 ELO to 2263 ELO range! NM Jesse James Lozano quickly emerged as the man to beat as he sought to defend his championship title and earn the distinction of being the 3-time city champion.

    Entering into the 4th round of the event on Sunday Lozano led the tournament with a score of 3-0, although Alexander Wlezien, who commanded a 2206 ELO prior to the event remained neck-in-neck with him. The final standings had both Lozano and Wlezien earning no losses across all five rounds. In the end, Jesse James claimed his third title and walked away with an impressive 2267 ELO. Congratulations to Jesse on his win!

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Pair | Player Name                     |Total|Round|Round|Round|Round|Round|
     Num  | USCF ID / Rtg (Pre->Post)       | Pts |  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
        1 | JESSE JAMES LOZANO              |4.5  |X  34|W  47|W  51|W   7|D   3|
       TX |          / R: 2263   ->2267     |     |B    |W    |B    |W    |B    |
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
        2 | ALEXANDER WLEZIEN               |4.5  |W  49|W  13|D   9|W   6|W  15|
       TX |          / R: 2206   ->2209     |     |W    |B    |W    |B    |W    |
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
        3 | GREGG STANLEY                   |4.0  |W  26|W   8|W  52|D  15|D   1|
       TX |          / R: 2189   ->2190     |     |B    |W    |B    |W    |W    |
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
        4 | ERNESTO L MALAZARTE             |4.0  |W  50|L   7|W  20|W  35|W  21|
       TX |          / R: 2166   ->2161     |     |W    |B    |W    |B    |W    |
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
        5 | DUY MINH NGUYEN                 |4.0  |H    |W  48|W  56|W  10|D   9|
       TX |          / R: 2095   ->2102     |     |     |B    |W    |B    |W    |
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
        6 | DANG MINH NGUYEN                |4.0  |W  62|W  24|W  38|L   2|W  25|
       TX |          / R: 1970   ->1984     |     |B    |W    |B    |W    |B    |
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
        7 | ROHIT CHOUDARY BANDI            |4.0  |W  27|W   4|W  28|L   1|W  32|
       TX |          / R: 1916   ->1954     |     |B    |W    |W    |B    |W    |
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
        8 | DONALD W FLOURNOY               |4.0  |W  35|L   3|W  39|W  52|W  24|
       TX |          / R: 1919   ->1936     |     |W    |B    |W    |B    |W    |
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
        9 | SREENEVASH RAMESH               |4.0  |W  44|W  33|D   2|W  16|D   5|
       TX |          / R: 1652   ->1768     |     |B    |W    |B    |W    |B    |
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
       10 | JAMES DOUGLAS HUDDLESTON        |3.5  |W  25|D  16|W  23|L   5|W  28|
       TX |          / R: 2112   ->2104     |     |B    |W    |B    |W    |B    |
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    

    Table data courtesy of US Chess.

    #### A small sample…

    The annual city championship is a small sample of the larger San Antonio chess community that thrives throughout the year. The San Antonio Chess Club meets every Thursday night at the Lions Field Center on Broadway St for blitz and a subset of the club meets each Wednesday at Methodist Hospital for a monthly rapid tournament (G 90|5). Many of these events include highly skilled club players in the 1600+ ELO range, but Jesse Lozano offers opportunities for kids and lower rated players in scholastic play throughout the region on his website, www.sascholastic.com.

  • San Antonio Chess Championship this weekend!

    San Antonio Chess Championship this weekend!

    This Saturday and Sunday, chess players from across South Texas will converge on Methodist Hospital’s John Hornbeak Building to compete in the San Antonio Chess Championship! Over 50 players are currently registered for the event, which will feature the city’s best taking on…the city’s best! Yours truly originally had plans to attend the event to cover it here on Campfire Chess, but the same commitments that have emaciated posts on this site for July will likely keep me from attending. I am going to make an attempt to stop by to grab some photos and check on the standings, but unfortunately will not be able to cover in-depth like I wanted. In any case, if you are in the San Antonio area this weekend, hold a valid US Chess membership ID and want to compete for a chance at a variety of prizes, stop by!

    Here is a complete list of details courtesy of the San Antonio Chess Club:

    Location: Methodist Hospital John Hornbeak Building
              3rd Floor
              4450 Medical Dr.
              San Antonio, TX 78259
    
    Time controls: Rds. 1 and 2 G/90|5, Rds. 3-5 G/120|5
    
    Prizes: $1525 for full entry and 1/2 option prizes
            $500 1st, $300 2nd, U2100 $125, U2000 $125,
            U1800 $125, U1600 $125, U1400 $125, U1200/Unr. $100.
            Trophy to top Bexar County Resident.
    
    Entry Fees: $60 at site
    
    $5 discount to Club members paying full entry
    
    Registration: 8:30-9:30 am
    
    Rounds: Saturday 10am, 2 pm, and 6pm; Sunday 9am - 2pm
    
    Half point bye any 1 round. Notice must be made before Round 2 is paired.
    
    Entries: San Antonio Chess Club
             PO BOX 690576
             San Antonio, TX 78269-0576
    
    Contact info: sanantoniochess.com
                  elvisclassic@sbcglobal.net
    
    Pay online using PayPal. Click on "Send", then enter our club's email address
    (sanantoniochessclub@gmail.com) and your appropriate entry fee in "Amount".
    Then click Continue followed by choosing "Friends or Family" (to bypass PayPal fees).
    Please include a note with participant's name and USCF ID, rating, and mailing
    address should we have to mail you a prize.
  • MHCC July 2016 Round 1: The Stuff of Nightmares

    MHCC July 2016 Round 1: The Stuff of Nightmares

    Although you’ll be hard-pressed to find many pastors (or people) out there who would admit that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is their favorite film of all time, I am not your typical pastor nor do I like to think of myself as your typical person. When it comes to chess, there is much evidence to support the position that I might be the world’s worst chess player. I have become accustomed to losing just in some of the most interesting and depressing ways over the past few years and I thought I have learned to deal with the trauma that can arise from such an experience, but last Wednesday’s tournament OTB game reminded me of how devastating it can be to make a mistake in a game where I put so much time, effort, energy, and focus. In essence, Wednesday night was an opportunity for me to experience my own Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

    As many of you know, I have been playing in my first series of OTB tournaments a few months back, but had to take a break to finish some school and other personal projects. These projects also contributed to the lack of posts here on Campfire Chess, but I digress. Playing in the July edition of this tournament was a last-minute decision, so there was a little bit of hesitation on my part for returning. However, I know that the best way to improve is to continue to play. Unfortunately, my return to OTB play was the stuff of nightmares. Rarely do I go into these situations expecting a win because very few of the players involved in these tournaments are rated anywhere near where I perform. Most of them are the master level or higher including a resident International Master and occasional visits from Grandmasters, which I have written about in the past. However, I can say that I never expected what happened this past Wednesday night. To say that it was traumatic betrays the depth of the experience.

    I lost a game in eight moves although I played through to 12 moves for a combined total board time of around 14 minutes. Looking back on things, I realized that it was a simple mistake that ended the game so quickly whether it was rushing or simply not surveying the more properly. It has taken me a few days to get over it, but I have written some commentary on this atrocious game and decided to share it with my Campfire Chess audience. Now, for your viewing pleasure I present to you around one of MHCC July 2016.

    [pgn]

    [Event “MHCC July 2016”]
    [Site “Methodist Hosp”]
    [Date “2016.07.06”]
    [Round “1”]
    [White “Wesley Surber”]
    [Black “Gary Zintgraff”]
    [Result “0-1”]
    [ECO “C63”]
    [WhiteElo “100”]
    [BlackElo “1727”]
    [PlyCount “24”]
    [EventDate “2016.??.??”]
    [Source “Campfire Chess”]
    [SourceDate “2014.10.11”]

    1. e4 {Nothing really special here. Typical opening move for me.} e5 {A
    typical response. Nothing really going on here.} 2. Nf3 {Playing for a Ruy
    Lopez opening. Not terribly exciting. I was not interested in trying anything
    crazy since I had not played an OTB game in a couple of months.} Nc6 {Black
    responds in kind.} 3. Bb5 {Ruy Lopez opening now in full-force. Again, not too
    much going on here at this point. I believe that only 5 minutes or so had
    elapsed on the clock.} f5 {I liked this move. It was tempting to take with the
    e-pawn, which is well within the book. However, I wanted to develop a little
    more before lunging into some crazy attack considering that my opponent was
    rated some 4-billion percent higher than me.} 4. Nc3 {Reinforcing my e4
    position.} Nf6 {Now we’re starting to get somewhere. Black doubles down on my
    e-pawn. This made the f5 pawn look much more appetizing at this point.} 5. exf5
    {This is a very nice position. I felt confident about moving forward, but was
    also cautious…or so I thought…} e4 {Another good move. I liked the way in
    which my opponent pressed for advantage but was not forcing anything. This
    move was something I had considered when planning exf5 and I had devised a
    counter to protect the knight long enough to get out of the way.} 6. Qe2 {
    The pawn is pinned to the King and the knight is protected for now.} Qe7 {
    The pin is countered and the knight is no longer protected. There are several
    options here, but Black is slowly gaining an advantage.} 7. Ng5 {Given the
    circumstances, this seemed to be the best way to counter an attack on the f3
    knight without retreating to the first rank.} Nd4 $1 {I missed this move and
    it shocked me because it is deadly in a number of ways. I was on the cusp of
    losing a rook and possibly more if I did not find a way to counter it. I
    thought for a few minutes, focusing on a way to avoid the upcoming assault
    while trying to execute my continued development plan.} 8. Bc4 $4 {I cannot
    imagine a single move in the years I have been working on my chess that I wish
    I could take back more. This is the KING OF BLUNDERS. I can see myself making
    a move like this if I were in diapers or something, but this was simply
    unacceptable. What’s worse is that I STILL did not see the blunder after I
    moved the bishop until my opponent made his next move.} Nxe2 $3 {My heart
    stopped. I started sweating, and I felt an intense urge to run out of the room
    screaming at the top of my lungs. Less than 12 minutes had elapsed on the
    clock and this game was over before I even had a chance to crack the lid on my
    Diet Coke. The subsequent moves are a case study in the deterioration of chess
    playing ability following a significant psychological trauma.} 9. Nd5 {A
    desperate play for c7+.} Nxd5 {Nope. The knight is gone. I was just looking
    for a good point to end it all at this time.} 10. Bxd5 {Hoping to push to f7+.}
    Qxg5 {Nope. Another KNIGHT is history and my NIGHT is almost over.} 11. h4 {
    Pointless pawn development. Just looking for a reason to move pieces.} Qxg2 {
    I would have made this move when I was 600 on Chess.com. The end is nigh.} 12.
    Kxe2 {Trading the rook for the knight is not something I would normally do,
    but this game was over on move 8…} Qxh1 {I resigned after approximately 14
    minutes of total gameplay and 12 moves. The worst chess performance I can ever
    remember. Although it was devastating, it was a reminder not to get complacent
    and most importantly, not to give up because I left the room prepared to burn
    everything I owned related to chess.} 0-1

    [/pgn]

    Unfortunately, my desire to try again this week has been postponed because of a sick child. As always, family comes first. Therefore, I will have to wait until next week for an opportunity to redeem myself with a reasonable loss.

  • Chess, Chess Everywhere in San Antonio!

    Chess, Chess Everywhere in San Antonio!

    For chess players and fans across South Texas, San Antonio is the place to be this weekend and throughout the next few weeks. Aw, who am I kidding? San Antonio is the place to be, period. This weekend, Trinity University and the Jesse James Chess Academy is hosting a tournament at their main campus in downtown. You can read more about that tournament here on Campfire Chess or visit the official website to register. Yours truly is registered and will be playing in the rated section.

    sanantoniochamps

    Rackspace, the cloud company that converted the abandoned Westgate Mall into their technological metropolis, is hosting its annual Rackspace Chess Scholastic Tournament on April 30 (tomorrow) beginning at 0730 CST. There is no entry fee and the tournament is open for K-1 through High School Seniors. Visit the Rackspace website to see more about the tournament. Note that all participants must have a parent with them.

    sachesslogoAs if that was not enough, the 2016 San Antonio Chess Club Championship begins this coming Thursday, May 5 at 7pm. The tournament is played at the Lions Field Center, which is the same location that my church, Mission Vineyard Church, meets on Sunday mornings at 10am (hint hint). Entry is free, but is closed to members of the SA Chess Club. Club officers will be on hand at Lions Field before the tournament to start a new membership or renew an existing membership. First place is a championship trophy and free entry into the upcoming San Antonio City Championship. Time controls are G75+5, but are subject to change based on availability of the Lions Field Center for late night play. Visit the club on Facebook and RSVP if you would like to participate.

    Finally, the San Antonio City Chess Championship is also fast approaching and will be held from July 30-31. Exact times, location, and other details are forthcoming. I will post more details on that tournament when I know they have been solidified. I am also examining the possibility of conducting some live commentary for that tournament. At the very least, I intend to offer a daily tournament report, photos, and possibly some interviews. More to come.

    In the meantime, enjoy the amazing amount of chess on the horizon in the Alamo City!