by scribe | Dec 24, 2008 | endings, positions, ruminations, tournaments
The 2008 Berkeley International concluded yesterday, with Grandmaster Giorgi Kacheishvili of Georgia snagging the $1400 first prize by virtue of his last-round draw with Vinay Bhat. GM Zviad Izoria (also of Georgia)Â could have caught up with him if he had beaten...
by scribe | Dec 23, 2008 | games, positions, tournaments
In yesterday’s ninth round of the Berkeley International, both the norm picture and the prize picture became a lot clearer. The Georgian GMs, Kacheishvili and Izoria, continued their domination of the event with smooth victories. In the games with norm...
by scribe | Dec 19, 2008 | games, positions, ruminations, tournaments
The Berkeley International 2008 reached the halfway point yesterday, and it’s still a wide-open race for first place. As one might have guessed, Izoria and Kacheishvili played a quick draw (only 11 moves). Three other players have joined them in a five-way...
by scribe | Dec 18, 2008 | Chess Lecture, games, positions, tournaments
OMG, will someone please tell this guy which century it is? In round two of the Berkeley International 2008, David Pruess channeled Harry Nelson Pillsbury, circa 1899, with his brilliant 15. Bxh7! combination against Jesse Kraai. But not satisfied with that, in round...
by scribe | Dec 17, 2008 | games, positions, tournaments
Day three of the Berkeley International 2008 saw the grandmasters finally flexing their muscles a little bit. Two of the early surprises, Marc Esserman and Dale Haessel, were taken down by their GM opponents, Izoria and Sharavdorj. Grandmasters Josh Friedel and Vinay...
by scribe | Sep 29, 2008 | games, openings, positions
We continue today with more analysis of my crazy move, 4. g4!? in the Caro-Kann. (See Grob It While You Kann for the beginning of the series.) To refresh your memory, the line begins 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. g4!? I don’t know if this variation has a name....
