I know, I know... I promised you all a post-tourney blog after the Northern California International and I TOTALLY dropped the ball 
! Truth be told, I think I have an easier time blogging right after and event that goes badly... Likely my need/addiction to negative attention 
... I've been told it has to do with my relationship with my mother...
In any case, the Nor-Cali event went really well. I gained rating points, finished with 6 out of 9 (which was just shy of a GM Norm) and I definitely felt like I was "hitting my stride" towards the end. Here are my last few games from the tourney (all with some analysis to make up for the late blog) -- and they are in order, which hopefully tells the story of my "progress" with each game:
The above win against Rodriguez came right after a tough loss to Tatev Abrahamyan... and it really felt like my first "complete game win" in some time. Beating a 2350 FIDE Rated player with black feels good, and it helped me to get going...
Obviously, the game against Molner got away from me... We were actually roommates for the event, and after reviewing the game back at our hotel, it turned out that I was winning in one move if I had found 30...Qf2, but oh well... I was able to focus myself on the next game against...
And though you could argue I let another one "slip through my fingers here" -- I made the commitment not to beat myself up about it and focus on my last round against:
And so that, was that... I followed a similar pattern last year: Struggled mightily in a tournament over the fall -- The 2010 SPICE Cup -- and then played well in Berkeley 2011. So this year, I struggled in St Louis (
see my last blog about St Louis here) but played well at the Nor Cal. What does it all mean??? That I need ot keep playing!!! "Finding myself" (Good Will Hunting style
) at the end of an event like this is motivation to "keep working the mojo".
Hence, the reason for the picture associated with this article at the top of the page: In a few weeks, I am going to play in the local
State Championship, a tournament being sponsored by my Grandpa -- Steven Kamp -- who started me playing chess at the Shelby School (the thumbnail picture is of me and my old schoolmates
) over 15 years ago...
Rensch Law (my Dad's Firm), Chess.com and ChessKid.com are also helping to sponsor the event. I am looking forward to it! Here is the list of players (almost all the top guys in Arizona) and the pairings as well...
Wish me luck!!!
- Molner, M. — IM USCF 2520
- Rensch, D. — IM USCF 2478
- Banawa, J. — IM USCF 2444
- Ginsburg, M. — IM USCF 2406
- Mohandesi, S. — IM USCF 2365
- Atoufi, P. — FM USCF 2299
| # |
Name/Rtng/ID |
Rd 1 |
Rd 2 |
Rd 3 |
Rd 4 |
Rd 5 |
| 1 |
MACKENZIE MOLNER |
W 2 |
B 4 |
W 3 |
B 5 |
W 6 |
|
2520 12662506 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 2 |
JOEL BANAWA |
B 1 |
W 6 |
B 4 |
W 3 |
W 5 |
|
2444 12922625 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 3 |
DANIEL M RENSCH |
W 6 |
W 5 |
B 1 |
B 2 |
W 4 |
|
2478 12659833 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 4 |
MARK GINSBURG |
B 5 |
W 1 |
W 2 |
B 6 |
B 3 |
|
2406 10172918 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 5 |
PEDRAM ATOUFI |
W 4 |
B 3 |
B 6 |
W 1 |
B 2 |
|
2299 12882025 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 6 |
SHAHIN MOHANDESI |
B 3 |
B 2 |
W 5 |
W 4 |
B 1 |
|
2365 14812351 |
|
|
|
|
|