OTB tournament results!

Today's OTB tourney (my first tourney since June and only my third since 2009!) was a 3 round Swiss system, G/90.

Full disclosure part 1:  Even though my ICC rating has crept up to 1502 my OTB rating has remained (for lack of play AND lack of skill!!) at 740!.   

For the first game I had the Black pieces against someone rated about 1660 or so.  It was a GREAT game!  One of my best until  I was running short on time and did not play the safe move but instead played a piece sacrifice that was VERY UNSOUND!  I knew it was but I also felt time pressure as my opponent still had 50 minutes and I had ten!  I should have played the safe move.  This was a REALLY fun game!

For the second game I had the White pieces against someone rated 1706.  It was again a good solid game.  He got a pawn advantage and played a great moving choosing to exchange rooks on HIS terms and went on to win as he had two pawns threatening to promote and I could in no way stop both.  Another well played and very fun game!

For the third game I WON against someone rated 1633!!  I had the Black pieces for this game.

Full disclosure part 2;  This game had  a touch of controversy (sort of).  My opponent was late for the game and we even waited a few minutes but then we started his clock.  The TD stated that by rules the person had an hour to show up.  My opponent EVENTUALLY showed up with 30 minutes already gone on his clock!
He seemed not happy about it but those are the rules.

The game was an interesting one and took awhile before there were any exchanges!  Eventually my opponent caught up to me as I was taking a long time to think (I am happy to say I sat on my hands for MOST of the day).  But my position started to slip so I played one of my favorite moves in a chess game I have ever played!  It was speculative and not all that sound BUT I could tell my opponent was not happy and feeling rattled from the lateness issue.  And I also felt he was slowly gaining and advantage and I was tired so I GAMBLED!  And it worked.  My opponent didn't feel like figuring things out and resigned.  (more on that position when I post the games)

So it was a good victory, not a great one with the late start etc.  But it was a win.  And the two losses were really fun and I feel that they will be very instructive.

I will be posting the games tomorrow after I run through them. 

So my record for the tourney was 1 win, 2 losses.


I GOTTA play more OTB!!  :)