This Week's Chess Safari

Happy New Year

2011-12-28T19:54:00.004-05:00

We wish you a happy, healthy and joyous year in 2012!

Best wishes.
Frank & Tash Niro
Ithaca, NY (USA)

Ithaca named one of top 10 places to retire

2011-12-25T11:30:00.009-05:00

Well, aside from the fact that it's an uphill walk in every direction from downtown, and there's lots of snow and ice conducive to falling and breaking one's hip, and the college kids drive their dodge 'em cars around town like they're playing "Chicken" (and that's when they are sober), I would tend to agree. There's something to be said about re-branding a place to attract a certain demographic, and I am truly glad to be here, but let's be honest: the reality is that Ithaca is problematic for senior citizens. Tash and I have met Dr. Wilson personally, and his comments are genuine. But no offense, Don, it's not the entire story.

When we moved into our first apartment here in August (which was definitely NOT senior friendly), and had to move out after three nights due to accessibility issues, the comment from the owner was, "It's a college town, what did you expect?"

Don't get me wrong, we love it here, and most others will too (except a small majority of Californians). My comments above, however, are presented in the interest of full disclosure.

Anyway here's the link to the Yahoo article by Emily Brandon, US News, and here's the text related to Ithaca...

A college town for retirees: Ithaca, N.Y.

College towns like Ithaca can be an ideal place to retire. For a median home price of just $176,500, retirees can take classes at Cornell University or Ithaca College and attend speeches, concerts, and sporting events. They can also spend their days hiking to the more than 100 waterfalls and gorges within 10 miles of downtown or sampling the wares of the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail. Don Wilson, 65, a retired cardiologist from Rockford, Ill., bicycles throughout the Finger Lakes region three times a week. "The rural roads in the Finger Lakes region have so little traffic that you can ride three or four abreast on a bicycle in continuous conversation, learning from each other," he says. Wilson has also developed an interest in paleontology, and is taking a course on the subject at Cornell University and conducting research on fossils at the Museum of the Earth. "I think that university towns tend to attract interesting organizations, like the Museum of the Earth, and interesting people who may or may not be connected with the college."

Joy to the World

2011-12-24T23:59:00.007-05:00

We attended midnight Mass at St. Catherine of Sienna Church in Ithaca (started with music at 10:30 pm). Not quite the same as our home church, Holy Trinity Ecumenical Catholic in Canby, OR, but as close as we have been able to find in the area. Beautiful spirit-filled service. Joy to the World, the Lord is come!

Please pardon the ad at the beginning of this video. The song is worth the short wait.

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and joyous 2012 from Frank & Tash Niro

2011 Christmas Blog Index

2011-12-23T04:12:00.002-05:00

Photo above: My most attentive chess student!

The purpose of this index, organized by topic, is to make it easier for visitors to my blog to quickly find what might be of interest. Just click on the appropriate link and your browser will take you there.

Note: Click on "Home" at the bottom of the page to return to the main page with the most recent blog entries.

Chess

2011 Western Idaho Open, 12/11/11
Grandmaster Sam Palatnik visits Cornell, 11/2/11
On the Road Again..., 9/21/11
McKay Tartan Books, No. 5 plus the list, 9/19/11
Has anyone seen Andrey Kostin?, 9/15/11
Back at Cornell after 37 years, 9/7/11
One more game from the Portland Centennial, 8/20/11
Yes I said it, Yes I believed it, Yes I've changed my mind!, 8/17/11
More games from the Portland Centennial, 8/16/11
4-way tie in Portland Centennial, 8/15/11
Portland Chess Club Centennial ends today, 8/14/11
There's more to life than chess, 8/13/11
Centennial tourney is underway!, 8/12/11
115 entries and counting..., 8/11/11
3 Days 'til Portland Chess Club Centennial, 8/9/11
Northwest Chess Cover Photo, 8/5/11
All Over the Board, 8/1/11
2011 Susan Polgar Girls Invitational, 7/30/11
Janniro & Deeth are 2011 Oregon Sr. Chess Co-champs, 7/14/11
Grandmaster Sighting on Puget Sound, 2/15/10
A nice game from the Oregon Open, 9/10/09
The Other Side of the Story, 7/2/09
Drug Testing in Chess???, 3/26/09
Resignation; The Great Laptop Caper, 3/12/09
Old Game vs. the World Champ, 3/5/09
Susan Polgar Foundation, 2/28/09
Relentless King Hunt, 1/8/09
Double Bronze for U.S. Chess Teams, 11/26/08
U.S. Olympiad Teams in the hunt for Medals, 11/24/08
New Blog on today.com, 11/19/08
Jennifer Shahade cashes in WSOP again, 10/13/08
Chess Combination: SOLUTION, 9/5/08
Chess Combination , 9/2/08
Problem Solution, 6/12/08
What's the Best Move?, 6/11/08
McKay Tartan Books No. 4, 5/22/08
Happy Birthday Dr. Saidy, 5/16/08
Congratulations Susan & Tommy, 5/14/08
Tactics, Tactics, Tactics, 5/9/08
McKay Tartan Books Nos. 1 - 3, 4/17/08
Change in Plans Required , 4/1/08
20 Seconds Chess, 3/29/08
Chess Blogosphere, 3/12/08
Chessville interview with Paul Truong, 3/3/08
Make that 800!, 2/19/08
Dick Cavett's Interview of Bobby Fischer, 2/10/08
He's never coming home, 1/18/08
How about some chess?, 11/16/07
Walter Browne cashes in 3 W.S.O.P. events,7/10/07

Mr. & Mrs. Boris Spassky, Mr. & Mrs. Al Lawrence, Mr. & Mrs. Lev Alburt offer a toast to all of you.

Poker
Just a Matter of Time, 12/26/11
Consolidated blog, 8/27/11
Playing for the hurricane victims, 4/16/09
The Caboose, 4/9/09
"Action Dan" Harrington, 2/7/09
Fleet Street Games closing Oct. 31st, 10/21/08
2006 World Series of Poker: Event 18, 10/13/08
Playing No Limit Hold'em Reduces Alzheimer's, 9/17/08
Aaron's wisdom, 8/19/08
In the running for a seat at the WSOP, 5/30/08
Thank You, whoever you are..., 4/29/08
Pendleton Trip Report, 11/13/07
How to Give your Cat a Pill while playing Poker Online, 8/8/07
Ozark Mountain Poker Wedding, 3/30/07
Minnie's Soda, 12/6/06
My Inner Donkey, 11/21/06
Is the PartyPoker Over? , 10/13/06
My Poker Resume, 9/20/06
2006 WSOP, 7/30/06
Foxwoods Trip Report, 2/22/06
Learning the Hard Way, 1/20/06
Tunica Media Event, 1/9/06

"All Over the Board", my Memoir

I have to share this, 7/23/11
Mile 14 - Behind the Wall, 10/9/10
I Write Like...check this out, 7/16/10
Memories of my Hospital Stay, 6/4/09
Turnaround Hospital Administrator, 2/14/09
Mile 5: Embrace of a Lifetime SECOND DRAFT, 8/20/08
Pitch for my Book, (Archives) 7/24/08
Mile 4: Bobbi, Sue and Kathrine, 7/17/08, draft
Mile 3: So Many Colors in the Rainbow, 1/22/08
Mile 1: Everything that comes before..., 11/22/06

Miscellaneous Ramblings & Links

Cayuga Med & Schuyler announce affiliation, 12/16/11
Massachusetts Health Care Reform, 11/13/11
Sloan Health Administration Class of 2013, 11/5/11
5K Cancer Run...my final race 10/19/11
SPF Fundraiser in NYC, 10/13/11
Cornell vs. Harvard 10/8/11
Johnson School of Management, 10/6/11
Johnny the Younger, rest in peace, 8/22/11
It must be the link to the stupid human trick, 8/7/11
Far Above Cayuga's Waters, 8/4/11
Rest in Peace, George, 7/14/10
Knowledge: a different part of the Ocean, 3/11/10
C'mon over to our house, 8/6/09
Vuvuzela, 6/29/09
In a Blink, 6/25/09
The Great Light, 5/28/09
Memoir, 5/21/09
US & Canadian Health Care, 4/30/09
Banana Hammocks, yes or no?, 4/23/09
Some Useful Web Sites, 2/21/09
Consolidation, 1/29/09
Field Report, 10/14/08
Get your latest sports news at... , 5/29/08
It's Time, 2/28/08
Manny Alexander, et. al., 12/13/07
Links, 12/9/07
Happy Thanksgiving, 11/22/07
Christian Parent Warning, 11/18/07
Hall breaks Olympic Trials marathon record, 11/5/07
Reflections, 11/1/07
Red Sox Nation, 10/28/07
Copyright Violation, 7/22/07
Olympic Games, 6/1/07
Cooperstown's Loss, 2/7/07
Death of a web site, 11/15/06

Music

Jane Olivor Updates, 5/14/09
La Vie en Rose, 5/7/09
Delilah on Nightline tonight, 11/12/08
Jane Olivor on YouTube, 10/9/08
Heaven Help My Heart, 2/11/08
Jane Olivor (archives), 12/11/07

Friends & Family
Please Join Us July 10, 6/30/11
Happy Birthday Celeste, 6/24/11
You know you're from Boston if..., 5/20/11
Emma Pumpelly (1847 - abt. 1925), 4/2/11
Searching for Daniel Pumpelly, 10/14/10
Twenty Years, 4/16/10
Master Handicapper & Grandmaster Friend, 6/18/09
Tom Derderian on Bobbi Gibb, 3/19/09
NMC Team Members, Worcester MA 1966, 4/2/09
Family Tree, 1/1/09
Happy Birthday Rick Bayko, 10/15/08
Delilah's New Book, 9/16/08
Happy Father's Day, 6/15/08
A Hundred Pounds, 1/29/08
Bad Hands, Bad Faith, 12/18/07
Inlaws, 11/26/07
Eddie heads back to NC, 11/19/07
Happy Halloween, 10/29/07
San Diego Honeymoon, 9/22/07
More Wedding Photos, 5/6/07

Married!!, 4/28/07
Some 2006 Photos, 1/22/07
Leave the Driving to Us, 12/12/06
Safe Return, 12/3/06
Die Fledermaus, 11/30/06
Guest Weblog, 11/29/06
Easy Eddie, 11/18/06
On the Road Again, 11/17/06
What Rain?, 11/16/06
Delilah's words to her listeners..., 8/15/06

Greyhounds & other pets

Wiz Dog, 6/11/09
My dog ate my...what?, 1/22/09
Greyhounds watching greyhounds, 1/15/09
Barney was The Man, 12/25/08
Back in the box, (Frannie) 11/7/08
Atascocita Carla, (Frannie) 2/24/08
Westminster Kennel Club, (Frannie) 2/12/08
And the Winner is..., (Frannie) 2/3/08
Older greyhound posts, go here

Cayuga Med & Schuyler announce affiliation

2011-12-16T20:10:00.003-05:00

Keeping with the trend in the health care industry, Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, N.Y., and Schuyler Hospital in Montour Falls, N.Y., have signed a letter of intent to affiliate, according to a joint news release.

Under the proposed agreement, both hospitals will remain independent but will explore administrative and clinical collaborations. The two will focus first on orthopedics and obstetrics services, and CMC specialists will treat patients at Schuyler Hospital.

The agreement is expected to be finalized in early 2012.

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: John W. Turner, Vice President of Public Relations, Cayuga Medical Center, 607-274-4499; Michelle Benjamin, Director of Community Relations, Schuyler Hospital, 607-210-1950

Cayuga Medical Center and Schuyler Hospital Sign Affiliation Agreement

December 15, 2011, Ithaca, NY - Cayuga Medical Center and Schuyler Hospital announced today they have entered into a long-term affiliation agreement that will allow both hospitals to collaborate, plan, and enhance the delivery of health care services in Schuyler County. Both hospitals will continue to remain independent.

As part of the agreement, Schuyler Hospital and Cayuga Medical Center will explore collaborations in a number of support and clinical areas that will be mutually beneficial to both organizations. In addition, they will work together on regional health planning that will meet the current and future health care needs of patients throughout the region.

Cayuga Medical Center and Schuyler Hospital have already identified two areas of collaboration that will be an immediate focus, orthopedics and obstetrics. Teams from both hospitals have been meeting to develop action plans that will improve access for patients. "Schuyler Hospital shares the same community hospital mission that we have at Cayuga Medical Center. The affiliation agreement will allow us to work together and find solutions to the challenges we face in health care today. We are looking forward to working with their leadership team, physicians, employees, and volunteers to create a comprehensive plan that will deliver the highest quality health care services to the residents of Schuyler County," said Cayuga Medical Center President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Rob Mackenzie.

"This an exciting new partnership and new direction for Schuyler Hospital and the residents of this community - one that we expect will bring growth and long-term viability to the hospital in the face of challenging economic times," said Andy Manzer, President and Chief Executive Officer for Schuyler Hospital. "We have been pleased to find that the staff at Cayuga Medical Center shares our passion for compassionate, patient-centered care, and for meeting the needs of our community. By affiliating with Cayuga Medical Center, we are bringing our community access to high quality health services, as well as connections to nationally-recognized care, close-to-home."

Cayuga Medical Center is a 204-bed, state-of-the art regional medical center and is affiliated with many prestigious health care organizations including Cornell University's Weill Medical College, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, the Rochester Heart Institute at Rochester General Hospital, University of Rochester Medical Center Department of Orthopedics, and Mayo Medical Laboratories. For more information on services available at the medical center and its satellite campuses, please visit www.cayugamed.org or call (607) 274-4498.

Schuyler Hospital is a 25-bed critical access hospital, with a 120-bed skilled nursing facility attached. While Schuyler Hospital's main campus is located in Montour Falls, the hospital has evolved over nearly 100 years to reach throughout Schuyler County and into southern Yates and Seneca Counties. With a variety of services, Schuyler Hospital is a healthcare "security blanket" for the entire family. Schuyler Hospital. We've Got You Covered. To find out more about Schuyler Hospital, visit www.schuylerhospital.org or call (607) 535-7121.

2011 Western Idaho Open

2011-12-11T20:19:00.010-05:00

The Western Idaho Open is being held in Boise, Idaho this weekend. Tournament director and ICA web master Jeff Roland is posting round by round pairings, results and game scores. Go here to follow the action.

Final round pairings Caleb Kircher has a chance to win another tournament with a win in round 5.

Shown above is he group photo from the 2012 Western Idaho Open (courtesy of TD Jeff Roland). Follow this link to view other photos as well as the names of the participants.

Play online chess

Massachusetts Health Care Reform

2011-11-13T20:14:00.008-05:00

For those students who have asked for some details about the Massachusetts health care plan, click here for the wikipedia version.

I also found this article by old friend, Mara Yarow, published back when the bill was passed. In my opinion, Mara's summary is well considered and as good as you will find.

By Mara Yarow (AHPA newsletter, 2nd Q, 2009)
On April 26, 2006, Massachusetts signed into law its
landmark health reform legislation, described as an act
providing access to affordable, quality, accountable
health care. The legislation provided for a three-year
phase-in of health reform. At the time, a study by the
Urban Institute estimated that 12 percent of the state’s
population of approximately 6.4 million was uninsured.
The goal of the law is to provide near-universal
coverage of the Massachusetts population. Components
of the plan include individual mandates, employer
requirements, insurance market reforms, and
preservation of a safety net.

The Act required all adults in Massachusetts (who can
obtain affordable health insurance) to purchase health
insurance by July 1, 2007. Individuals not having
health insurance would receive financial penalties imposed
through their income tax filings and the penalties
increase each year as the law becomes fully implemented.
In 2007, individuals without health insurance
lost their personal income tax exemption ($219).

Second, employers of 11+ full-time equivalent employees
in Massachusetts are required to make a fair
and reasonable contribution toward coverage for fulltime
employees or pay a Fair Share Assessment of up
to $295 annually per employee. They also must offer
both full-time and part-time employees a pre-tax, payroll
deduction plan for their own health insurance premium
payments, or face a surcharge if employees
make excessive use of uncompensated care.

Non-group and small-group health insurance markets
are merged to effectively lower the price and offer
more choices for individuals purchasing unsubsidized
coverage on their own.

To accomplish the goal, several key actions were initiated:
• Expansion of MassHealth (Medicaid);
• Restructuring of the state Uncompensated
Care Pool (UCP) into the Health Safety Net
(HSN); and
• Establishment of a quasi-state agency, the
Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector
Authority (The Connector

The Uncompensated Care Pool was established by
Universal Health Care Legislation in 1988 to reimburse
hospitals for uncompensated care. Subsequently,
the UCP was also charged with reimbursing community
health centers (CHCs). The UCP was administered
by the state’s Division of Health Care Finance
and Policy (DHCFP), one of the goals of which “is to
improve access to health care for the uninsured and
the underinsured residents” of the state. The UCP was
used to pay for medically necessary care and emergency
services not covered by other insurance.

As CHCs became covered by the UCP, attempts were
made to shift hospital outpatient care to CHCs. With
the 2006 legislation, the UCP was converted to a
Health Safety Net Trust Fund that combines the previous
UCP funds with other Medicaid funds including
Disproportionate Share Hospital funds. MassHealth
now screens all applicants for HSN coverage and a
new fee schedule was developed to standardize provider
reimbursements. The intent of the new legislation
is that as more uninsured obtain coverage, uncompensated
care will decrease and the funds will be
shifted to subsidized programs.

Massachusetts was able to extend its waiver with the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for
continued support and funding of the Health Reform
effort that involves a collaboration of nine state agencies
in the purchasing, regulating and monitoring of
health care services to promote improved access, coordinated
reimbursement and coverage.

The Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority
offers two programs that each provide a range
of health plans for legal residents who are not eligible
for other public or employer-sponsored health insurance
in the following consumer categories:
• Completely subsidized, comprehensive health
insurance to adults earning up to 150% of the
federal poverty level;
• Substantial premium subsidies to people earning
between 150% and 300% of the federal
poverty level; and
• Completely subsidized comprehensive coverage
to children of parents earning up to 300%
of the federal poverty level.

Commonwealth Care is a subsidized program for
adults who are not offered employer-sponsored insurance,
do not qualify for Medicare, Medicaid or certain
other special insurance programs, and who earn no
more than 300% of the federal poverty level. Plans
are currently available for between $39 per month and
$116 per month for individuals. There are no monthly
premiums for the children of adults covered by Commonwealth
Care, as the children are covered by Mass-
Health (Medicaid).

Commonwealth Choice is an unsubsidized offering
of six private health plans that were selected through a
competitive bidding process and are available through
the Connector to individuals, families and certain employers
in the state. The six plans are offered directly
through the Health Connector by six Massachusetts based,
non-profit health insurance carriers. Together,
these plans represent about 90% of the commercial,
licensed health insurance market. Each of the plans
offered through the Health Connector by the six carriers
may also be purchased directly from the individual
carriers. The six private plans have received the
Connector’s “Seal of Approval” to offer a range of
benefits options, grouped by level of benefits and
cost-sharing at different levels. There is also a special,
lower priced Young Adults Plan offering from
the same six carriers, exclusively for individuals between
the ages of 18 and 26.

Small employers with 50 or fewer workers are also
able to purchase directly through the Health Connector’s
Contributory Plan.

The cost of Health Reform has not been inexpensive.
In FY 2008, $472 million was budgeted for the Connector
and spending was $628 million due to higher
enrollment in various programs than projected. This
suggests that the original federal estimate of 650,000
uninsured in Massachusetts was more accurate than
the state estimate of 400,000. For FY 2009, $869
million was budgeted and current projections estimate
spending will be approximately $800 million.
Budget (not yet passed) figures for FY 2010 now
range between $750 and $880 million.

Since its passage in 2006, the health reform program
in Massachusetts has been quite successful. A November
2008 study by the state’s the Division of
Health Care Finance and Policy found only 2.6% 2.6% of
the population of 6.5 million remain uninsured.
MassHealth now provides coverage to more than
1,000,000 of the Commonwealth’s residents. The
state’s total Health Safety Net payments dropped as a
result of more residents being insured. From Payment
Fiscal Year (PFY) 2007 to PFY 2008, total payments
dropped from $671 million to $410 million,
hospital payments went down from $620 to $373 million,
and CHC payments decreased from $41 million
to $37 million. Likewise, service and volume have
declined as the insured are able to access preventive
and outpatient health care services not paid for by the
HSN. For Commonwealth Choice, the Connector’s
unsubsidized health plans, the premium increase for
the most recent year was five percent (5%), unlike
the double-digit increases experienced for other plans
in the state.

Like other states, Massachusetts is affected by the
current economic climate, but the state remains committed
to the Health Reform effort and maintaining
existing health care services in the state. The Governor
has committed a portion of the federal stimulus
fund received to health care, which will include $225
million to restore or prevent cuts in eligibility for services
faced with increasing enrollment due economic
circumstances of the population. Use of stimulus
funds will increase the Federal Medicaid Assistance
Percentage for Massachusetts from 50 percent to approximately
60 percent. Some stimulus funds will
also be used to protect the Health Safety Net.

Health reform in Massachusetts has been successful
and is a model that merits consideration and study by
others. Areas that remain to be addressed in Massachusetts
are affordability and cost control.

Sloan Health Administration Class of 2013

2011-11-05T23:02:00.003-04:00

I thank God every day for the opportunity to hang out with the best of the current generation of college students. Pictured are (back row, l. to r.) Shivani Rajput, Zach Aragosa, Jake Ramsey, Seth Musikant and Ty Siam. (third row) Jasmine Davis, Jason Mathisen, Julie Spalding, Alyssa Schoen, Rachel Johnson and Constantine Grivoyannis. (second row) James Costaras, Marissa Amiraian, Elyisha Sodjhi, Carrie Howard, Bonnie Frazier and Rachna Badlani. (first row) J.R. Cho, Mythili Raghunath, David Ge, Katie Strausser, Sean Looby and Rachel Kahn. (Absent is Rachel DeSantis)

There's a better version of this photo (taken with a professional camera) on the Cornell web site. Click here to see it (go to the bottom of the page) and to read more about the Sloan program.

Grandmaster Sam Palatnik visits Cornell

2011-11-02T22:29:00.010-04:00

Nikolai M. Krivitski, Ph.D, D.Sc. (left) was a boyhood friend of GM Palatnik. Apparently, they played in tournaments together at age 10. He is the Vice President for Research & Development at Transonic Systems based in Ithaca. Dr. Raissa V. Krivitsky (center), Senior Lecturer in the Department of Russian and faculty advisory board member of the Alice Cook House, hosted the grandmaster (right).

Members of the Cornell Chess Club Jasper Wu (left), 2011-12 President, and National Master Thomas Riccardi (right), shown here with GM Palatnik, were happy to serve as tough opponents for an eight board simultaneous exhibition.

Sam carefully considers his next move against Tom. Since the players were seated in USCF rating order, GM Palatnik was aware that this game on Board 1 would require the most attention. He was right, as this was the last to finish. Palatnik completed his 8-0 sweep, but not without a tough fight from Riccardi. Nikolai Krivitski looks on. Interesting coincidence: I presented a trophy to 6th grader Tom Riccardi at the National Elementary Chess Championship at Opryland Hotel in Nashville back in May 2003.

The Alice Cook House, part of the beautiful student housing complex on the west campus of Cornell University, was the site of the event. The house professor-dean André Dhondt, a native of Belgium where he obtained his Ph.D. in Biology at Ghent State University, and his wife Keila Dhondt, welcomed Sam & Olga Palatnik to campus for the second year in a row with a reception in their apartment.

I first met GM Palatnik on a visit to Nashville in April 1997. We later reunited at the World Chess Hall of Fame in Miami (2003) and again for a chess lesson in Memphis in December 2004. It was my first introduction to Nikolai (who is also a long ago friend of GM Lev Alburt).

5K Cancer Run...my final race

2011-10-19T22:55:00.001-04:00

Ran what was probably my last 5K this past weekend. Two second year Sloan students, Erin Santerre & Emil Smith, made sure I got around the course safely.

SPF Fundraiser in NYC

2011-10-13T09:58:00.005-04:00

Hanon Russell (left) was Master of Ceremonies at the annual Susan Polgar Foundation fundraising event held at the Hungarian Embassy in New York City. Susan presented me with a token of appreciation (pictured above) for my ten years of service to the foundation taht bears her name.

GM Boris Gulko and IM Danny Kopec share a cheerful moment at the SPF annual fundraiser in NYC, October 11, 2011.

Cornell vs. Harvard

2011-10-08T21:43:00.002-04:00

My first Cornell vs. Harvard football game in many moons (photo by newly minted college football fan Natasha Niro).

It was still a game when we exited at the end of the third quarter (due to an unnamed member of a party getting a sunburn). In Ithaca? In October?

Johnson School of Management

2011-10-06T09:46:00.006-04:00

I had the privilege of meeting with Dr. Joe Thomas, Dean of Cornell's Johnson School of Management, upon my return to Cornell University. Dean Thomas was my Quantitative Analysis professor back in 1973 at the Cornell Business School. He remains one of my all time favorite professors.

The Key Still Fits!

2011-10-01T09:04:00.009-04:00

Photos from visit to Crossville (text to follow)

Crossville...

Gateway to the West

2011-09-29T07:47:00.023-04:00

More photos from my trip (text to follow)

The World Chess Hall of Fame (above) recently reopened in St. Louis. It includes the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame, which I have now visited in all four locations (New Windsor NY, Washington D.C. and Miami previously). The centerpiece of the new display is the Morphy Silver, a coin silver beverage set presented to Paul Morphy for winning the American Chess Congress in 1857, and originally donated to the HOF by Steve Doyle in 1986.

I was very pleased to see that the memory of Sidney Samole (his bust shown here) was still prominent in the newly relocated Chess Hall of Fame.

Tony Rich, Executive Director St. Louis Chess Club, 4657 Maryland Avenue, ST. Louis, MO 63108
web site
GM Ben Finegold's blog

St. Louis Cardinals

Bridge to Cairo IL and Paducah KY

Samantha: In seven tenths of a mile, take the ferry! (Dorena, MO to Hickman, KY)

Return to Boonville

2011-09-28T09:33:00.013-04:00

An example of the 2011 Missouri River Flooding, still in evidence along I-29 in Iowa and Missouri

I thought I would cross the Missouri River into Iowa at Nebraska City but found that the bridge was closed. Same thing at the Rte. 136 crossing, and again at Rolo. Eventually I made my way into Kansas and crossed at St. Joseph's, Missouri. Click here to read more about the flooding.

A few hours later I passed by the KC sports complex where the Royals and Chiefs play their home games. Then it was on to Boonville, Rocheport and Columbia where my adventure out west began five years ago. The Ozark Mountain Poker Wedding remains one of my favorite (and most frequently viewed) blogs, so it was nice to reminisce on the way back east.

Last evening I visited the famed St. Louis Chess Center where I listened to a lecture by GM Benjamin Finegold.

Today I will visit the newly opened Chess Hall of Fame in St. Louis. Then on to Crossville, TN, where I will meet Mayor J.H. Graham tomorrow morning at 8:30 am. I left my "key to the city" on the wall of the Portland Chess Club in Oregon, but the Mayor promised that he would let me in anyway...

I updated Monday's blog with my own picture of Fossil Butte monument.

Prone to corn pone? Lend me your ear

2011-09-27T09:32:00.009-04:00

Photo courtesy of Sylvan Dell Publishing's blog

Friends, Nebraskans...you know the rest. I was driving along route 80 in Nebraska today past miles and miles (and hours and hours) of corn fields on both sides of the road. My mind wandered, as it usually does, and I contemplated the many uses of corn. Some of the stalks, especially in the southwest corner of the state, didn't look like they contained anything edible. My instincts were correct.
.
Here's a list of the uses of corn that I came up with (and a few where I had no idea):

1. Corn on the cob
2. Canned corn
3. Pop corn
4. Paint
5. Cattle feed
6. Pipes
7. Fertilizer
8. Beer
9. Drywall
10. Prescription drugs
11. Corn syrup
12. Instant coffe
13. Toothpaste
14. Paper products
15. Spark plugs
Corn starch is used in the production of the special porcelain used to make spark plugs. Really! source: Agriculture Corner

16. Tires
17. Cosmetics
18. Kitty litter
19. Corn meal
20. Vitamin capsules
21. Chemicals
22. Corn starch
23. Hand soap
24. Halloween costumes
25. Decorations
26. Pesticides
27. Postage stamp glue
28. Packaging tape
29. Muffins
30. Corn pone

There are many more but I need to leave Lincoln for St. Louis. The weather report for the trip looks good.

Sweet Wyoming

2011-09-26T12:38:00.013-04:00

Fossil Butte National Monument in southwestern Wyoming

Many years ago I attended a concert by country/folk singer Bill Staines who introduced one of his songs by explaining that Little America, Wyoming, was the only truck stop in America (back then) that was also an incorporated town. Well, yesterday I visited Little America and it was exactly as he described it!

It got me humming his song to myself for the next 150 miles and wondering how many song titles actually have the word "Wyoming" in them. Anyway, here's the song for your enjoyment: Sweet Wyoming Home.

The day started in Pocatello, Idaho where I played chess over the weekend. The results and photos will soon be available on the Idaho Chess Association web site. I parked as close as I could get tio the tri-state marker denoting the junction of Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. I will be back to add photos later.

Photo by Jeff Roland, courtesy of Idaho Chess Association

While researching information about places in the U.S. where three states come together I was surprised to learn that 27 such places are actually under water.

Time to hit the road for Lincoln, Nebraska. Will fill in some more details when I next find Internet access.

On the road again...

2011-09-21T19:54:00.041-04:00

Quote for the day: "Looking forward to my visit. I will be one of the lucky few who have visited the Chess Hall of Fame at all 4 locations (New Windsor, NY; Washington, DC; Miami, FL; & St. Louis, MO)... Don't know if Steve Doyle and Al Lawrence could have imagined back in '86 what it would be like 25 years down the road."

There's no place like home. A few thoughts while on the road again...

Flew home to Idaho yesterday to pick up the car. Can't survive a winter in Ithaca without a vehicle. The bus system and Carshare service are good back-ups for two people with one car, but we have decided that we must have our car... Celebrated my birthday with the in-laws in Meridian ID last evening. We had a good time, but Tash's physical presence was definitely missed.

Lunch with Jeff Roland tomorrow. Speaking of Jeff, here's his "spread" on the Meridian Invitational held at my house August 20, 2011.

Good job, as always, Jeff!

My tentative travel plans will bring my to Pocatello ID this weekend, Laramie WY on Sunday, Lincoln NE Monday, St. Louis MO to see the new Chess Hall of Fame on Tuesday or Wednesday, then to Crossville TN to see if my "key to the city" still opens any doors, and back to Ithaca NY from there... A half dozen Red Sox games to keep me company along the way.

On the right is the new three-story Chess Hall of Fame building in St. Louis. -->

Looking forward to my visit. I will be one of the lucky few who have visited the Chess Hall of Fame at all 4 locations (New Windsor, NY; Washington, DC; Miami, FL; & St. Louis, MO)... Don't know if Steve Doyle and Al Lawrence could have imagined back in '86 what it would be like 25 years down the road. I appreciate their foresight...

Please come back for an update. I'll take lots of photos.

Chess in my kitchen, literally: 2011 Meridian Invitational. In this photo, Corey Longhurst (White) versus Frank Niro III (Black). Hugh Myers looking down on the game, Caleb Kircher in the "Boise State" shirt, Tash Niro in the background, and Jamie Lang pouring himself a drink. Photo by Jeff Roland, courtesy of the Idaho Chess Association.

The travel plan (updated as of 9/22/11, will revise en route):

Sun Sep 25 Pocatello ID to Laramie WY - 453.68 mi, 6 hrs 57 mins

Mon Sep 26 Laramie WY to Lincoln NE - 493.20 mi, 6 hrs 55 mins

Tue Sep 27 Lincoln, NE to St. Louis MO - 442.94 mi, 7 hrs 1 min

Wed Sep 28 St. Louis MO to Crossville TN - 419.55 mi, 6 hrs 35 mins (visit HoF Wednesday morning)

Thu Sep 29 Crossville TN to Strasburg VA - 476.26 mi, 7 hrs 26 mins (visit USCF Thursday morning)

Fri Sep 30 Strasburg VA to West Chester PA - 214.20 mi, 3 hrs 37 mins (lunch w/FM?)

Sat/Sun Oct 1/Oct 2 West Chester PA to Ithaca NY - time & route to be determined...

Thank you Mapquest.

McKay Tartan Books, No. 5 plus the list

2011-09-19T16:04:00.024-04:00

Quote for today: "I regret that I did not take up Burt Hochberg on his offer to give me a complete list before he passed away...looks like he may have been the only person who knew all of the books in the Tartan series!"
The chess classic, My System, by Aron Nimzovich

At long last, here is the incomplete list of books in the David McKay Tartan series. I will add the missing titles as I learn of them. Now that I have access to the Cornell University library resources, I am hopeful that I will have a complete lsit within a few months. Please send me an e-mail at fan3@conell.edu with corrections and/or additions. Thank you!
No. 6, Common Sense in Chess by Emanuel Lasker

1. Ideas Behind the Chess Openings – Reuben Fine
2. The Middle Game in Chess – Reuben Fine
3. Basic Chess Endings – Reuben Fine
4. Learn Chess Fast – Sammy Reshevsky & Fred Reinfeld
5. My System – Aron Nimzovich
6. Common Sense in Chess - Emanuel Lasker
7. Winning Chess Traps - Irving Chernev
8. Chess Strategy & Tactics - Fred Reinfeld & Irving Chernev
9. Modern Chess Strategy - Edward Lasker
10. Let’s Play Checkers - Grover & Wiswell
11. Learn Checkers Fast - Tom Wiswell
12. Pawn Power in Chess - Hans Kmoch
13. ?
14. Freud: A Critical Reevaluation of his Theories - Reuben Fine
15. ?
16. ?
17. The Commonsense Book of Wine - Leon Adams
18. My Best Games of Chess 1908-1923 - Alexander Alekhine
19. My Best Games of Chess 1924-1937 - Alexander Alekhine
20. Dark Trees to the Wind - Carl Carmer

No. 20, Dark Trees to the Wind, tales about life in NY

No. 21, Listen for the Lonesome Drum, another of the non-chess books in the David McKay Tartan series

21. Listen for a Lonesome Drum - Carl Carmer
22. ?
23. English Thought in the Nineteenth Century - D.C. Somervell

24. English Social History - George Trevelyan
25. 200 Miniature Games of Chess - J. du Mont
26. A Passion for Chess - Reuben Fine
27. Chess Fundamentals - J. R. Cabaplanca
28. The Art of Sacrifice in Chess - Rudolf Spielmann
29. Profile of a Prodigy - Dr. Frank Brady
30. ?

31. Point Count Chess - I.A. Horowitz & Geoffrey Mott-Smith
32. Paul Morphy and the Golden Age of Chess - William Napier
33. Epic Battles of the Chessboard - R.N. Coles
34. Alekhines' Best Games of Chess 1938-1945 - C.H.O'D. Alexander
35. Dominoes - Dominic Armanino
36. How to Win in the Chess Endings - I.A. Horowitz
37. Practical Chess Openings - Reuben Fine
38. Strategy and Tactics in Chess - Max Euwe
39. Beginning Backgammon - Tim Holland
40. Official Rules of Chess - U.S. Chess Federation
41. Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur - Max Euwe & Walter Meiden
42. Monopoly Book - Maxine Brady
43. Guide to Tournament Chess - Siegbert Tarrasch
44. The Game of Chess - Siegbert Tarrasch
45. ?

46. Official Rules of Chess (2nd edition) - Martin Morrison, editor
47. The Development of Chess Style - Max Euwe
48. Capablanca's 100 Best Games of Chess - Harry Golembek
49. Modern Chess Opening Traps - William Lombardy
50. The Road to Chess Mastery - Max Euwe & Walter Meiden
51. Pawn Structure Chess - Andrew Soltis
52. The World Chess Championship 1978 - Bent Larsen
53. Backgammon for People Who Hate to Lose - Tim Holland
54. Better Backgammon - Tim Holland
55. Attack and Defence in Modern Chess Tactics - Ludek Pachman
56. Judgment and Planning in Chess - Max Euwe
57. Modern Chess Tactics - Ludek Pachman
58. The Art of Positional Play - Samuel Reshevsky
59. The Chess Struggle in Practice - David Bronstein
60. ?
61. Maxims of Chess - John Collins
62. Catalog of Chess Mistakes - Andrew Soltis
63. A Short History of Chess - Dr. Henry Davidson
64. ?
65. ?
66. Practical Endgame Lessons - Edmar Mednis
67. The Modern Chess Sacrifice - Leonid Shamkovich
68. America's Chess Heritage - Walter Korn
69. Modern Chess Openings - Walter Korn
70. King Power in Chess - Edmar Mednis
71. The Art of defense in Chess - Andrew Soltis
72. How to play good Opening Moves - Edmar Mednis
73. U.S. Chess Federation's Official Rules of Chess - Tim Redman, ed.

I am still missing some titles, but finally feel satisfied that I have a complete enough list worth publishing. I regret that I did not take up Burt Hochberg on his offer to give me a complete list before he passed away. I had many opportunities do do so when we were working together of the 5th edition of the USCF rulebook, edited by Tim Just, in 2002. It looks like he may have been the only person who knew all of the books in the Tartan series!

I will be grateful to anyone who helps me fill in the blanks.

My previous blog entries concerning this series:
Books nos. 1-3
Book no. 4

Best wishes to all,
Frank

Has anyone seen Andrey Kostin?

2011-09-15T14:57:00.001-04:00

FIDE rated player Andrey Kostin of Vancouver, BC

Rumor has it that Canadian chess player Andrey Kostin has arrived at Cornell on a math scholarship. Kostin, born 1988, has had many successes over the board, including a first place tie with FIDE Master Fanhao Meng and Lucas Davies at the BC Junior Championship. So far, though, Kostin hasn't appeared at the chess club which meets Monday and Friday evenings in Hollister Hall. There are two other players over 2200 USCF in the club who, together with Kostin, could form the core of a very strong chess team for the upcoming Pan Amrican Intercollegiate Chess Championship and next February's US Amateur Team event in New Jersey.

As far as I can tell, Cornell University hasn't fielded a competitive team since at least 1991. Perhaps this will be the year for a comeback!

Andrey Kostin, rated 2100 FIDE and climbing, shown here in the "King of Vancouver" chess tournament which he won in impressive fashion.

Back at Cornell after 37 years

2011-09-08T00:49:00.040-04:00

At the Six Mile Creek welcoming reception with three of the first year Sloan Students: Constantine, Sean and Ty.

Thank you to Angelica Hammer for successfully attacking the "apostrophe bug" on the Cornell web site resulting in the updated bio located here.

About Cornell's Sloan Program in Health Administration: Established in 1955, the Sloan Program is the nation's first two-year graduate program in health care management and has been training future health care leaders for over half a century. It is named to acknowledge the support of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which selected Cornell and funded the development of a new program to promote application of modern management practices to health care. Sloan is located in the multidisciplinary College of Human Ecology, which has a number of other programs that relate to senior living and health, including the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (CITRA) and an interdepartmental Gerontology program.

Click here to see the previous blog entry about my return to Cornell (posted August 4, 2011).

Click here for my recent (well, fairly recent) thoughts on the U.S. Health Care system (posted May 1, 2009).

Tidbit for my students: Top 50 hospital administration blogs as of April, 2010.

And now for some chess...the 2011 Oregon Open:

Here are the results from the 2011 Oregon Open Chess Championship played this past weekend. FIDE master Nick Raptis won in a runaway. He didn't even play in round 6!

Mike Morris vs. Nick Raptis, Rd. 2, Sept. 3, 2011
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Qa5 11. Kb1 Ne5 12. Bb3 Rfc8 13. h4 Nc4 14. Bxc4 Rxc4 15. Nb3 Qc7 16. h5 Rxc3 17. bxc3 Be6 18. hxg6 fxg6 19. Bd4 a5 20. Qe3 a4 21. Nc1 Ra5 22. g4 Qc4 23. g5 Qb5+ 24. Ka1 Qxg5 25. Qxg5 Rxg5 26. Nd3 Rg3 27. Rdb1 Rxf3 28. Rxb7 Nxe4 29. Rxe7 Bxd4 30. cxd4 Ng3 31. Rb1 Bf7 32. Rb8+ Kg7 33. Kb2 h5 34. Rbb7 h4 35. Ne5 a3+ 36. Kc1 dxe5 37. dxe5 h3 38. e6 h2

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The Cornell Chess Club is alive and strong. It meets Mondays and Fridays on campus. As far as I know, there is not a competitive team that travels to tournaments, not even the US Amateur team championship in Parsippany! I'll have to drop in and see if I can change that...Opening night at the 2011-12 Cornell University Chess Club (photo courtesy of Jasper Wu, CU chess club president)

Johnny the Younger, rest in Peace

2011-08-23T00:33:00.010-04:00

I can't say it any better than Amby, so go here first:
John J. Kelley, RIP, 1930-2011: 1957 Boston Marathon Winner; America's First Modern Road Runner, by Amby Burfoot, Runners World Editor-at-Large (thanks to Yankee Runner for pointing out the link)

Quote from my memoir, All Over the Board, Mile 5 - Embrace of a Lifetime:
"The runners spilled over into the gymnasium. Nobody wanted to go outside because of the cold and rain. The distinct wintergreen smell of Bengay permeated the room. In one corner, the two Johnny Kelleys (John A. Kelly the ‘elder’ and John J. Kelly the ‘younger’) held court and posed for photographs. I was impressed by the fact that Johnny Kelley the younger, who had won the race ten years earlier in 2 hours, 20 minutes and 5 seconds, sported the biggest bunions I had ever seen. When he stood, his feet looked like sailboats crossing on the gym floor."

My earlier blog on the marathon posted April 16, 2010 (repeated here in Johnny's honor):

It is hard to believe that it has been twenty years since I crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon for the last time, together with my friends Ruth Rothfarb and Marie Fitzherbert. The scan above is the mylar "blanket" that the race officials threw over my shoulders at the end of the race.

featuring: Albin Stenroos Paris 1924, Emil Zátopek Helsinki 1952, Alain Mimoun Melbourne 1956, Abebe Bikila Rome 1960, Tokyo 1964, Mamo Wolde Mexico 1968, Josiah Thugwane Atlanta 1996, Abera Sydney 2000, Samuel Wanjiru Beijing 2008 (RIP), Montreal 1976 Waldemar Cierpinski, Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984 Carlos Lopez, Munich 1972 Frank Shorter, London 2012, Kitei Son Berlín 1936, Juan Zabala, Haile Gebrselassie, Paavo Nurmi. You can also catch a glimpse of USA's John J. Kelley if you look closely.

Added video of the 1959 Boston Marathon:

Also see Norwich Bulletin article by Marc Allard, 8/22/11

Rest in Peace, Johnny Kelley (Dec 24, 1930 - Aug 21, 2011)

One more game from PCC Centennial

2011-08-20T21:05:00.044-04:00

A good time was had by all, including l. to r. GM Susan Polgar, Portland Chess Club Centennial TD Frank Niro and Natasha Niro. (photos courtesy of The Susan Polgar Foundation)

Recap of the extensive coverage of the 2011 Portland Chess Club Centennial:

View the summary of the Portland Chess Club Centennial, with a complete list of prize winners and links to each of my blogs during the tournament (sincere thanks to Jeff Roland and Idaho Chess Association for making this coverage possible).

And see the extensive coverage on the Northwest Chess web site (thank you to Eric Holcomb).

The USCF cross tables reflecting rating changes as a result of the PCC Centennial are located here.

The Portland Chess Club main page is here (thank you to Grisha Alpernas).

Photos of the clock simul are located here, courtesy of the Susan Polgar Foundation.

Susan Polgar's blog entries at Chess Daily News about the Portland Chess Centennial:
August 15, 2011
August 14, 2011
August 13, 2011 (1)
August 13, 2011 (2)
August 13, 2011 (3)
August 11, 2011
July 31, 2011 (1)
July 31, 2011 (2)
July 30, 2011

It is rare to find a score sheet from one of FIDE Master Nick Raptis' games. Following is his winning effort from Round 2. Thank you to Brian Esler for graciously sharing the results of what must have been a painful struggle against one of the Portland Chess Club's strongest members. Raptis finished at 5-1, tied for first with IM Georgi Orlov, Canadian Junior Champion Loren Laceste and FM Bindi Cheng, also of Canada. Incredibly, Brian could have won the game with if he had played 21.Kb1 with a forced mate for White!

The 16-round blitz side event was also won by Nick Raptis with 13 points, 1/2 point ahead of Bindi Cheng. John Donaldson was third in the 24-player side event. Click here to see the final blitz crosstable.

Brian Esler vs. Nick Raptis
2011 Portland Chess Club Centennial
Round 2, August 12, 2011
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Ne5 Be7 8. Bd3 Nd5 9. Be3 Bf6 10. Qf3 O-O 11. O-O-O c5 12. h4 Nb4 13. a3 Nxd3+ 14. Rxd3 Qd5 15. Qg3 c4 16. Bg5 Bxe5 17. dxe5 cxd3 18. Bf6 g6 19. Qe3 Qc4 20. c3 Qa4 21. Qxd3 Qf4+ 22. Kd1 b6 23. h5 g5 24. h6 Bb7 25. Rh5 Be4 26. Bxg5 Bxd3 27. Bxf4 Rad8 0-1

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Reigning Oregon co-champion Brian Esler vs. GM Susan Polgar in last Saturday's 10-board clock simul.

Note that my article for Northwest Chess will be added here as soon as it is available.

Susan Polgar with Steve Pettengill, maker of giant chess sets including a full 32-piece set made of Port Orford Cedar, a rare type of Cedar native to Japan and Southern Oregon.

These pieces were hand-carved from a stand of timber burned in a forest fire, so no trees were harmed to build this set! The king is over 4‘3” tall. The recycled metal set (pawn shown here) uses various types of metal for a lightweight, durable and attractive chess set.

Yes I said it, Yes I believed it, Yes I've changed my mind!

2011-08-17T14:01:00.047-04:00

Marjorie Sheiman realizes she is facing the Noah's Ark Trap for the first time in her young career during round 5 at the Portland Chess Club Centennial. (photo by Andrei Botez)

In an interview with Ralph Ginzburg nearly 50 years ago, Bobby Fischer famously said, "They're all weak, all women...there isn't a woman player in the world I can't give knight-odds to and still beat." Bobby was 18 at the time. I have not seen or heard anything to indicate that he ever felt any differently...until this past weekend.

Grandmaster Susan Polgar entertained and enlightened a packed house at a breakfast meeting held before round 5 of the Portland Chess Club Centennial on Sunday morning. She shared previously untold stories about the eight years from 1993 to 2001 when Bobby Fischer lived in her home city of Budapest, Hungary. The title of her 30 minute lecture was The Bobby Fischer I Knew.

The former woman's world champion answered questions for an additional 30 minutes before analyzing the "most interesting game" from the 2011 Portland Closed Championship, a flashy encounter won by Steven Breckenridge when he mated his opponent in the middle of the board despite being three pieces down (see my blog dated 8/14/11).

The period after Bobby Fischer's 1992 rematch with Boris Spassky in Yugoslavia has been referred to as his "lost years". In the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer, Josh Waitzin is heard lamenting that Bobby came out of retirement in 1992 and then disappeared again. In the recently released HBO documentary Bobby Fischer against the World, there is little mention of the gap between his rematch with Spassky and his unfortunate remarks following the 9-11-2001 terrorist attacks.

So, to the delight of the crowd assembled at the Doubletree Hotel in Lloyd Center this past weekend, Susan Polgar filled in some of that gap. Fischer crossed the Hungarian border with Yugoslavia in 1993 and moved to a neighborhood near Susan's family. Susan played chess frequently with Bobby until she relocated to the United States in 1994. Fischer remained in Budapest where he was apparently quite happy surrounded by his Yugoslavian bodyguard and his closest friends. These included Grandmasters Eugenio Torre (who was almost always with him), Pal Benko (he lived half the year in Budapest and the other half in New Jersey) and Lajos Portisch. In addition, Fischer saw his Hungarian girlfriend and, of course, the Polgar sisters and their parents. Spassky, who remained close friends with Fischer, visited from France from time to time.This photo of Bobby Fischer and Susan Polgar playing chess at her home in Budapest during 1993 is one of the few pictures of Bobby taken during his "lost years" after the 1992 rematch with Boris Spassky in Sveti Stefan, Yugolsavia. (photo courtesy of the Susan Polgar Foundation)

Susan and Bobby played dozens of Fischer Random chess games, a variant with 960 different starting positions (now referred to by FIDE and USCF as Fischer 960). When asked about her results, Susan said, "I won several games and he won several. I'd say we were fairly even." That prompted a question from the audience about his knight odds remark. Susan laughed and said, "I did ask him about it once. He told me 'yes I said it, yes I believed it, and yes I've changed my mind'. After that, we never discussed the issue again."

Besides studying and playing chess, Bobby kept busy in Hungary developing what tournament players now take for granted: digital clocks with time delays and increments. Fischer worked with a German company during this period. He spent many hours testing and making recommendations for improvements to these new devices. He gave one of his three clock prototypes to the Polgar family, a treasured gift that remains in their home in Budapest. In addition, Fischer spent much of his time maintaining his level of physical fitness by attending at least four different health spas around the city. It was later revealed that Paul Nemenyi, a Hungarian Jewish physicist, was Fischer's biological father. Although Susan didn't know it at the time, she speculates that Bobby was aware and spent some time in Hungary probing his own genealogical roots.

When Susan Polgar moved to the U.S., Fischer stayed in touch with the family, and also with her, via periodic phone calls to New York. But she never saw him again. When asked whether she thought the recent HBO documentary about Fischer was a fair reflection on his life, she said: "Yes, in general it was. However, they missed an opportunity to highlight his creative genius and not just his problems. They could have summarized his life in a more positive way at the end of the movie."

"Bobby was a brilliant man," she said, "who discovered many new ideas over the board and created rules for a whole new way to play the game with Fischer Random so that future world championship matches might not be awarded to the player who best utilizes his computer in preparation of openings. Fischer developed a dramatic new way of keeping time for the game that is officially adopted by FIDE as a way of making the game more exciting and avoiding adjournments, and he increased the financial rewards available to chess players so that now many of them can make a good living. Bobby Fischer deserves credit for these things and the documentary missed the punch line that would have made it more complete. That said, I believe it was an accurate portrayal of his life."

Later, she founded the Susan Polgar Foundation with the expressed mission to promote chess, with all its educational, social, and competitive benefits throughout the United States, for young people of all ages, especially girls. In 2004, Susan came out of retirement to play for the U.S. in the Chess Olympiad where she and her teammates won the Silver Medal and became role models for young girls interested in chess. Shortly thereafter, she created the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls, now in its eighth year. It is significant to note that ALL of the U.S. Women's Chess Champions crowned since that time were members of the 2004 Olympiad Team.

All one had to do at the Portland Chess Club Centennial tournament was look around the room where Susan Polgar's impact on girls in chess was clearly in evidence. Not only did Susan play dozens of smiling children in two simultaneous exhibitions sponsored by Chess for Success, but many of the competitors in both the Championship and Amateur sections were young ladies.

In today's blog I am pleased to celebrate the young women involved in chess in the Portland area. Many thanks to Andrei Botez, proud father of two such stars: Alexandra and Andrea, for taking these beautiful photos.

Megan Lee, rated 2059, earned two victories over USCF rated national masters in this event.

Alexandra Botez, rated 2035, recently earned a scholarship to University of Texas at Dallas for her chess prowess. After a slow start, she finished with three straight victories.

Alathea Lataw, playing in her first rated tournament notched victory #1 in round 3.

Sarah May did not lose a single game and finished with 4 points in 6 rounds in the Amateur section.

Sangeeta Dhingra scored 3 1/2 points to boost her 1541 rating and collect $66.67 in prize money.

Olga Cherapakhin scored two points in the Amateur section.

Menaka Nararanyan had an even score after a half point first round bye.

Hazel Malone loves to play chess, but gave up her time this weekend to volunteer as an important member of the tournament staff.

I know Becca Lampman is tough from personal experience. She already has two notches in her belt from victories against me.

Another good player frequently seen on the tournament trail is Susan Koenig. She was visible all weekend staffing the bookstore and the room used for side events like the Susan Polgar clock simul and the breakfast. Unfortunately, she was busy with her duties when these photos were taken. So we missed her, but her presence at the Centennial celebration was surely felt.

Below are most of the game scores from GM Susan Polgar's 10-board clock simul. She scored a perfect 10-0-0.

1) Polgar,Susan - Schoffstall,Karl [D09]
simul, 13.08.2011
[Schulien,Charles]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.g3 Nge7 Morozevich's move, which led to a small comeback for this opening. 6.Bg2 Ng6 7.Bf4 Bg4 8.Nbd2 Qd7 9.Qb3 Bb4 10.0-0 a5 11.c5 a4 12.Qc2 h5 13.Ne4 a3 14.Rad1 Bf5 15.bxa3 Rxa3 16.Nxd4 Nxd4 17.Qc4 Nxf4 18.gxf4 Nxe2+ 19.Qxe2 Qa4 20.Rd4 Rxa2 21.Rxb4 Qxb4 22.Qxa2 0-0 23.Qb1 1-0

(2) Polgar,Susan - Breckenridge,Steven [E14]
simul, 13.08.2011
[Schulien,Charles]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 b6 4.Bd3 Bb7 5.c4 c5 6.0-0 Be7 7.Nc3 cxd4 8.exd4 d5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Ne5 0-0 Rather bad luck, or just lack of knowledge of his opponent, led Steven to this position. Susan has played it at least 5 times in tournaments, including a win against Karpov in the Amber blindfold event, and a draw with Jan Timman. No wonder she makes this game look easy, despite facing a strong young master in a simul! 11.Qg4 f5 12.Qe2 Bf6 13.Bd2 a6 14.Rac1 Re8 15.Bc4 Nd7 16.f4 Nb8 17.Be3 Qd6 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Bxd5 Qxd5 20.Rc7 Bd8 21.Qh5 Rf8 22.Rf7 Qd6 23.Rc1 Bf6 24.Rcc7 Qd8 25.Rxf8+ Qxf8 26.Qf3 1-0

(3) Polgar,Susan - Sun,Maxwell [C45]
simul, 13.08.2011
[Schulien,Charles]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nxc6 Qf6 6.Qf3 Qxf3 7.gxf3 bxc6 8.Bd2 Bd4 9.c3 Bf6 10.Na3 Rb8 11.0-0-0 Ne7 12.f4 d6 13.Re1 0-0 14.h4 g6 15.h5 gxh5 16.Rxh5 Bg7 17.Bd3 Ng6 18.Reh1 Bg4 19.Rxh7 Bf3 20.R1h2 Bg4 21.Nc4 f5 22.Na5 Rb6 23.Bc4+ d5 24.exd5 Kf7 25.dxc6+ Kf6 26.Be3 Rd8 27.Bd4+ Rxd4 28.cxd4 Nf8 29.Rh8 Bxh8 30.Rxh8 Ng6 31.Rh7 Nxf4 32.Rxc7 Ne2+ 33.Bxe2 Bxe2 34.Rxa7 Ra6 35.Rxa6 Bxa6 36.Nb3 Ke7 37.Nc5 Bc8 38.b4 Kd6 39.b5 Kc7 40.a4 Kb6 41.Kb2 f4 42.Kb3 Kc7 43.a5 1-0

(4) Polgar,S - Esler,B [E60]
Portland Centennial Simul, 13.08.2011
[Niro,Frank]
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.Be3 e5 8.dxe5 Ng4 9.Bg5 Qd7 10.Nc3 h6 11.Bd2 Ngxe5 12.b3 Nxf3+ 13.Bxf3 Ne5 14.Bg2 c6 15.Qc1 Kh7 16.Qc2 Qe7 17.Rad1 f5 18.Bc1 Be6 19.Ba3 Rad8 20.e3 Rf7 21.h3 Qf6 22.Ne2 Rfd7 23.Rd2 d5 24.c5 Nf7 25.Bb2 Qxb2 26.Qxb2 Bxb2 27.Rxb2 Ne5 28.Rd1 Re7 29.Nd4 Bf7 30.Kf1 Nd7 31.Rc1 Kg7 32.Ke2 Kf6 33.Kd2 Ne5 34.Bf1 g5 35.Be2 Rde8 36.Rc3 f4 37.gxf4 gxf4 38.exf4 Ng6 39.Bg4 Nxf4 40.Re3 Re4 41.Ne2 h5 42.Rxe4 Rxe4 43.Bf3 Re5 44.Nxf4 Rf5 45.Ke3 Re5+ 46.Kd3 Rf5 47.Nxd5+ Bxd5 48.Bxd5 Rxd5+ 49.Ke4 Rxc5 50.f4 Rc3 51.h4 Rh3 52.Rd2 Ke7 53.Ke5 Rxh4 54.f5 Rh1 55.f6+ Kf7 56.Rd7+ Kg6 57.Rg7+ Kh6 58.Rg8 Re1+ 59.Kf5 Rf1+ 60.Ke6 Re1+ 61.Kf7 h4 62.Rh8+ Kg5 63.Kg7 Rf1 64.f7 Kg4 65.f8Q Rxf8 66.Kxf8 h3 67.Ke7 Kg3 68.Kd6 Kg2 69.Kc7 1-0

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(5) Polgar,S - Doddapaneni,V [B23]
Portland Centennial Simul, 13.08.2011
[Niro,Frank]
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 e6 4.Nf3 d5 5.exd5 exd5 6.Bb5 Nge7 7.0-0 a6 8.Bxc6+ Nxc6 9.Re1+ Be7 10.d4 cxd4 11.Nxd4 0-0 12.Be3 Bf6 13.Qd2 Re8 14.Bf2 Be6 15.Rad1 Qd7 16.Nxc6 bxc6 17.Na4 Bd8 18.Nc5 Qc7 19.Bd4 Be7 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Rxe6 Bd6 22.Qe2 Qf7 23.Re1 Rxe6 24.Qxe6 Rd8 25.f5 Rd7 26.g4 c5 27.Bf2 Kf8 28.Qxf7+ Kxf7 29.Kg2 c4 30.Bd4 Re7 31.Rxe7+ Bxe7 32.Kf3 Bf6 33.Bxf6 Kxf6 34.Kf4 g5+ 35.fxg6 hxg6 36.h4 a5 37.c3 a4 38.a3 Ke6 39.h5 1-0

(6) Polgar,S - Murray,D [D46]
Portland Centennial Simul, 13.08.2011
[Niro,Frank]
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Bd6 6.Bd3 0-0 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 10.Bxe4 Nf6 11.Bc2 b6 12.Bg5 Be7 13.Qd3 g6 14.Rad1 Bb7 15.Qe3 Ng4 16.Qf4 Bxg5 17.Nxg5 Nf6 18.Rd3 Nh5 19.Qd2 Qc7 20.Rh3 Rad8 21.Rxh5 gxh5 22.Qd3 f5 23.Nxe6 Qe7 24.Qg3+ Kh8 25.Nxf8 Rxf8 26.Qf4 Qg7 27.Qe5 Qxe5 28.dxe5 f4 29.Rd1 Re8 30.h4 Re7 31.b3 c5 32.a3 Rg7 33.Rd8+ 1-0

(7) Polgar,S - Lundy,G [D06]
Portland Centennial SImul, 13.08.2011
[Niro,Frank]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6 3.cxd5 Qxd5 4.Nc3 Qd8 5.e4 e6 6.Nf3 Bb4 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Bg5 Be7 9.0-0 Bd7 10.Qe2 h6 11.Bh4 Be8 12.e5 Nd5 13.Qe4 g6 14.Bxe7 Nxe7 15.Qf4 Kh7 16.Ne4 Ng8 17.h4 Nd7 18.h5 Qe7 19.Qg4 f5 20.exf6 Ndxf6 21.Nxf6+ Rxf6 22.Ne5 Qg7 23.hxg6+ Kh8 24.Rae1 Ne7 25.Re3 Nxg6 26.Rg3 Kh7 27.Re1 Rd8 28.Ree3 Bf7 29.Ref3 Rc8 30.Rxf6 Qxf6 31.Rf3 1-0

(8) Polgar,S - Allison,E [A94]
Portland Centennial SImul, 13.08.2011
[Niro,Frank]
1.d4 f5 2.g3 e6 3.Bg2 d5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.0-0 Bd6 6.b3 0-0 7.c4 c6 8.Ba3 Bxa3 9.Nxa3 Qe7 10.Nc2 Nbd7 11.Nce1 Ne4 12.Nd3 Ndf6 13.Nfe5 Bd7 14.e3 g6 15.Qc2 Kh8 16.Rae1 Qg7 17.Nc5 Rab8 18.f3 Ng5 19.h4 Nxf3+ 20.Bxf3 Qe7 21.b4 a6 22.a4 b5 23.axb5 axb5 24.cxd5 exd5 25.Ncxd7 Nxd7 26.Nxc6 Qd6 27.Nxb8 Qxg3+ 28.Qg2 Qxb8 29.Bxd5 Qd6 30.Bf3 Qxb4 31.Rb1 Qe7 32.Qf2 Rb8 33.Rb3 b4 34.Rfb1 Kg7 35.Qe1 Kf6 36.Rxb4 Rc8 37.e4 fxe4 38.Qxe4 Qd6 39.R4b2 Kf7 40.Rf1 Kg7 41.Bg2 Rf8 42.Rxf8 Nxf8 43.Qe5+ Qxe5 44.dxe5 Ne6 45.Rb7+ Kh6 46.Bd5 Nd4 47.e6 Nf5 48.e7 Nxe7 49.Rxe7 Kh5 50.Rxh7+ Kg4 51.Be4 g5 52.hxg5 Kxg5 53.Rf7 Kg4 54.Kg2 Kg5 55.Kg3 Kh6 56.Kf4 Kh5 57.Rh7# 1-0

(9) Polgar,S - Burris,C [E06]
Portland Centennial Simul, 13.08.2011
[Niro,Frank]
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 e6 3.c4 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 d5 6.Nc3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Ne5 c6 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Bf4 Nh5 11.Be3 Nf6 12.Qa4 a6 13.Qb3 Nbd7 14.Nd3 Rc8 15.a4 a5 16.Nb5 Ba6 17.Rac1 Bxb5 18.Qxb5 Bd6 19.Ne5 Nxe5 20.dxe5 Bxe5 21.Bxb6 Bc7 22.Bxa5 Bxa5 23.Rxc8 Qxc8 24.Qxa5 Qc6 25.Qb4 Qc2 26.e3 Nd7 27.a5 Nc5 28.Qa3 Qc4 29.b4 Na6 30.Rb1 Qc7 31.b5 Qb7 32.Qd6 Nc7 33.a6 1-0

Photos of the clock simul are located here.

View the summary of the Portland Chess Club Centennial, with links to each of my blogs during the tournament (sincere thanks to Jeff Roland and Idaho Chess Association for making this coverage possible). And see the extensive coverage on the Northwest Chess web site (hank you to Eric Holcomb). The USCF cross tables reflecting rating changes as a result of the PCC Centennial are located here.

The Portland Chess Club main page is here (thank you to Grisha Alpernas).

More games from Portland Centennial

2011-08-16T14:59:00.013-04:00

The official TD Staff. Jeff Roland (left-back), Frank Niro (right-back), Neil Dale (left-front), and Mike Morris (right-front). Photo by Andrei Botez.

View the summary of the Portland Chess Club Centennial, with links to each of my blogs during the tournament (sincere thanks to Jeff Roland and Idaho Chess Association for making this coverage possible)

Ummel,I (2097) - Roua,R (2269) [C25]
Portland Centennial (6), 14.08.2011
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nc3 e5 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ng5 h5 7.Bc4 Ne5 8.Bb3 Be7 9.d4 Bxg5 10.hxg5 Ng6 11.Nd5 d6 12.Nxf4 Nxf4 13.Bxf4 Ne7 14.Qe2 Ng6 15.Bd2 c6 16.Rf1 Rh7 17.Rf6 a5 18.0-0-0 Nh8 19.Rdf1 Qe7 20.Bf4 Be6 21.d5 cxd5 22.exd5 Bd7 23.Qd3 1-0

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Lee,M (2059) - Haessler,C (2200) [C40]
Portland Centennial (6), 14.08.2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.exf5 e4 4.Nd4 Nf6 5.d3 c5 6.Nb3 exd3 7.Bxd3 d5 8.Bb5+ Nc6 9.g4 Qe7+ 10.Kf1 Bd7 11.Kg2 0-0-0 12.c3 h5 13.g5 Bxf5 14.gxf6 Qxf6 15.h4 Bd6 16.Bg5 Be4+ 17.Kg1 Qf5 18.Bf1 Ne5 19.Bg2? Nf3+ 0-1

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Buck,S (1728) - Hendricks,D (1548) [A38]
Portland Centennial (6), 14.08.2011
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.Nf3 d6 6.0-0 c5 7.d3 Nc6 8.Rb1 Rb8 9.a3 Nd7 10.Nd5 e6 11.Ne3 a5 12.Bd2 b6 13.b4 axb4 14.axb4 Bb7 15.b5 Nd4 16.Nxd4 Bxg2 17.Nxe6 fxe6 18.Nxg2 Ra8 19.Qb3 Ra7 20.Bc3 Bxc3 21.Qxc3 Qf6 22.Qxf6 Nxf6 23.Ra1 Rfa8 24.Rxa7 Rxa7 25.h3 Ra2 26.Re1 d5 27.Kf1 dxc4 28.dxc4 Kf7 29.Ne3 Ke7 30.Rc1 Ne4 31.Ke1 Nd2 32.Nf1 Nb3 33.Rd1 Nd4 34.Nd2 Nc2+ 35.Kf1 Na3 36.e3 Rc2 37.Ke1 Nxc4 38.Nxc4 Rxc4 39.Rb1 Rc2 40.Kf1 c4 41.Kg2 c3 42.Kf3 Kd6 43.e4 Kc5 44.Ke3 Kc4 45.f4 Rb2 0-1

Niro,F - Spink,W [C68]
Portland Centennial (6), 14.08.2011
We had a last minute withdrawal from the Amateur section. I offered Walter a full point bye or a game with me. He took the latter. Obviously, we were both pretty tired by round 6. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 d6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Qxg7 Black resigned (the best way to go was 8...Bf6 9.Qg3 Ne7 10.Qf4± and it would still be a game) 1-0

Breckenridge,S (2267) - May,A (2129) [B22]
Portland Centennial (5), 14.08.2011
1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bc4 Nb6 7.Bb3 d5 8.exd6 Qxd6 9.0-0 Be6 10.Na3 dxc3 11.Qe2 Bxb3 12.Nb5 Qb8 13.axb3 e5 14.Nbd4 f6 15.bxc3 Kf7 16.Nb5 a6 17.Be3 Nd5 18.Qa2 Be7 19.b4 Rd8 20.Na3 Qc8 21.Bb6 Qe6 22.Bxd8 Rxd8 23.b5 axb5 24.Nxb5 Bc5 25.Rad1 g6 26.Rd2 Nce7 27.Rfd1 Qc6 28.Qb3 Kg7 29.c4 Nf4 30.Rxd8 Qe6 31.Ne1 Qg4 32.Qf3 Qg5 33.Nc7 Qf5 34.g4 Qg5 35.Qxf4 Qxf4 36.Ne6+ Kh6 37.Nxf4 exf4 38.Nf3 f5 39.g5+ Kh5 40.Rh8 Kg4 41.Kg2 h5 42.h3# 1-0

Cohen,D (1297) - Varner,M (1537) [C02]
Portland Centennial (5), 14.08.2011
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Nc6 4.c3 f6 5.f4 fxe5 6.g3 exd4 7.cxd4 Nf6 8.Nc3 Bb4 9.Nge2 0-0 10.Bg2 Bd7 11.0-0 a6 12.a3 Ba5 13.b4 Bb6 14.Kh1 Qe8 15.Bf3 Qg6 16.Be3 Ne7 17.Bg1 Nf5 18.Qe1 Nd6 19.Nc1 Rae8 20.Nb3 Nb5 21.Ne2 Nd6 22.Nc3 Bb5 23.Nxb5 Nxb5 24.a4 Nd6 25.Rc1 c6 26.Rf2 Nfe4 27.Re2 Rf6 28.Nc5 Re7 29.Nxe4 dxe4 30.Bxe4 Qh5 31.Rg2 Kf7 32.Bd3 Qd5 33.Qe5 Bc7 34.Rc5 Qf3 35.Be2 Qb3 36.Qh5+ Kg8 37.Bd1 Qxb4 38.Bc2 Rh6 39.Qd1 Bb6 40.Re5 Nf7 41.Re4 Qd6 42.Rge2 Bc7 43.Bb3 Rf6 44.Qe1 Nd8 45.Be3 Kf8 46.Bd2 Qd7 47.Bb4 Bd6 48.Ba5 Bc7 49.Bb4 Bd6 50.Ba5 Bc7 51.Bb4 ½-½

Lang,J - Letaw,A [C68]
Portland Centennial (5), 14.08.2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 Bg4 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 Nf6 8.d3 h6 9.Bd2 Bc5 10.Qg3 g5 11.Qxe5+ Qe7 12.Qf5 Bd6 13.d4 Bb4 14.e5 Bxc3 15.Bxc3 Nd5 16.Bd2 Rf8 17.c4 Nb6 18.b3 Nd7 19.0-0 0-0-0 20.f4 Qe6 21.fxg5 Qxf5 22.Rxf5 hxg5 23.Bxg5 Rde8 24.Raf1 c5 25.Rxf7 cxd4 26.e6 Rxf7 27.exf7 Rh8 28.Bf6 Nxf6 29.Rxf6 Rf8 30.g4 c5 31.g5 d3 32.g6 d2 33.Rd6 1-0

Allison,R - Lang,J [D00]
Portland Centennial (4), 13.08.2011
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.h3 c5 6.Ne5 c4 7.a3 Bd6 8.Nb5 Qa5+ 9.Nc3 Bxe5 10.dxe5 Ne4 11.Bd2 Nxd2 12.Qxd2 Nc6 13.f4 b5 14.a4 Nb4 15.0-0-0 Bxc2 16.Re1 bxa4 17.Na2 Nxa2+ 18.Kxc2 Nb4+ 19.Kd1 a3 20.bxa3 Qxa3 21.e4 0-0 22.exd5 exd5 23.Re3 Qa4+ 24.Ke2 Rfd8 25.Kf2 d4 26.Rg3 c3 27.Qe2 d3 28.Qe4 Qc2+ 29.Kf3 d2 30.Bd3 Qxd3+ 31.Qxd3 Rxd3+ 32.Kf2 Rxg3 33.Kxg3 c2 0-1

Bugaoan,J - Higbie,G [B12]
Portland Centennial (4), 13.08.2011
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.Nh4 c5 7.Bb5+ Nbc6 8.dxc5 Qc7 9.f4 Qa5+ 10.Nc3 0-0-0 11.Bxc6 Nxc6 12.Nxf5 exf5 13.0-0 Bxc5+ 14.Kh1 d4 15.Ne2 Rd7 16.a3 a6 17.Qd3 g6 18.Bd2 Qc7 19.b4 Ba7 20.b5 Nb8 21.a4 a5 22.Rac1 Bc5 23.Rf3 b6 24.Qc4 Rhd8 25.Rh3 h5 26.Rd3 Kb7 27.Be1 g5 28.g3 h4 29.Rcd1 hxg3 30.Bxg3 g4 31.Bh4 Rh8 32.Bf6 Rh6 33.Ng3 Bb4 34.Qxc7+ Rxc7 35.Nxf5 Rh3 36.Nxd4 Nd7 37.Rxh3 gxh3 38.Nc6 Nc5 39.Kg1 Nxa4 40.Bd8 Rxc6 41.Rd7+ Kc8 42.bxc6 Nc3 43.Bxb6 1-0

Cigan,J (1880) - Sinanan,J (2288) [B48]
Portland Centennial (4), 13.08.2011
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.f3 Be7 9.0-0-0 0-0 10.g4 b5 11.g5 Ne8 12.Kb1 Bb7 13.h4 Ne5 14.Qf2 b4 15.Na4 f6 16.Bh3 Nd6 17.Bxe6+ dxe6 18.Nxe6 Qc6 19.Nb6 [19.Nxf8!] 19...Nxe4 20.fxe4 Qxe6 21.Nxa8 Bxa8 0-1

Letaw,A - Hendricks,D [A69]
Portland Centennial (4), 13.08.2011
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0-0 6.Nf3 c5 7.d5 e6 8.Be2 exd5 9.cxd5 Re8 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 Ng4 12.Bg5 Qa5 13.Bf4 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Bxe5 Rxe5 16.0-0 Bf5 17.Qd2 Nd7 18.Rad1 Rae8 19.Bb5 Qd8 20.Bxd7 Qxd7 21.Qg5 Bd3 22.Qf6 Bxf1 23.Qxf1 a6 24.Qc4 Re1+ 25.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 26.Kf2 Qe7 27.Ne2 Rd1 28.b3 Qf6+ 29.Qf4 Qxf4+ 30.Nxf4 g5 31.Ke2 Rd4 0-1

Rana,D (1912) - Chi,Q (1719) [B23]
Portland Centennial (4), 13.08.2011
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.f4 Ne7 4.Nf3 g6 5.Be2 Bg7 6.d3 0-0 7.0-0 d5 8.e5 Qb6 9.Qe1 Nbc6 10.Kh1 Nd4 11.Nxd4 cxd4 12.Nd1 Nc6 13.c3 dxc3 14.bxc3 d4 15.Ba3 Rd8 16.c4 Bf8 17.Bxf8 Kxf8 18.Qh4 Kg8 19.Rf3 Kg7 20.Qf6+ Kg8 21.Rh3 Qb4 22.Nf2 Qb2 23.Rg1 Qxe2 24.Ne4 Rf8 25.Qg5 f5 26.Qh6 Rf7 27.Nf6+ Rxf6 28.Qxh7+ Kf8 29.Qh8+ Ke7 30.Rh7+ Rf7 31.Qf6+ Kd7 32.Rxf7+ Ke8 33.Qg7 1-0

Smith,P (1590) - Cohen,D (1297) [A34]
Portland Centennial (4), 13.08.2011
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nc3 e6 4.e4 d6 5.d3 Nc6 6.g3 b6 7.Bg2 Bb7 8.0-0 Be7 9.Re1 0-0 10.a3 a6 11.Rb1 Rb8 12.Be3 Qc7 13.Bf4 Nh5 14.Bg5 Bxg5 15.Nxg5 Nf6 16.Bh3 Bc8 17.Nf3 Bd7 18.Qd2 Nd4 19.Nxd4 cxd4 20.Ne2 e5 21.Bxd7 Qxd7 22.Kg2 h6 23.f4 Ng4 24.f5 Ne3+ 25.Kh1 g6 26.Rf1 Kh7 27.g4 Nxg4 28.Ng3 Ne3 29.Rf3 g5 30.h3 g4 31.hxg4 Nxg4 32.Rg1 Qe7 33.f6 Nxf6 34.Nf5 1-0

Addis,E (1849) - Robson,L [B01]
Portland Centennial (3), 13.08.2011
Luke graciously played the game after Ed had forfeited, and ended up with a draw. Sportsmanship was served. 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bc4 c6 6.Bd2 Qb6 7.Nf3 Bf5 8.Bb3 e6 9.0-0 Bg4 10.Be3 Qc7 11.Qe2 Bd6 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Nbd7 14.Rfe1 0-0 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Qxe4 Nf6 17.Qh4 Nd5 18.Bd2 Bf4 19.Rad1 Bxd2 20.Rxd2 Qf4 21.Qxf4 Nxf4 22.Re4 Ng6 23.Rde2 a5 24.c3 Rfe8 25.g3 a4 26.Bc2 b5 27.f4 Ne7 28.Re5 a3 29.Rc5 axb2 30.Bb1 Red8 31.Rxb2 Rd5 32.Rxd5 Nxd5 33.Be4 g6 34.Bxd5 cxd5 35.Kf1 Ra3 36.Rc2 Kg7 37.Ke1 Kf6 38.g4 g5 39.fxg5+ Kxg5 40.Kf1 Kh4 41.Kg2 f5 42.gxf5 exf5 43.Kf3 b4 [43...Kg5 player note. Clearly Black missed the best chances in this ending.] 44.Kf4 Rxc3 45.Rb2 Kxh3 46.Rxb4 h5 47.Kxf5 Kg3 48.Ke5 Ra3 49.Kxd5 Rxa2 50.Ke6 h4 51.d5 h3 52.Rb3+ Kg2 53.Rxh3 Kxh3 54.d6 ½-½

Hendricks,D (1548) - Bannon,D (1892) [A40]
Portland Centennial (3), 13.08.2011
1.d4 e6 2.Bf4 f5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Be7 5.h3 b6 6.c4 Bb7 7.Nc3 d6 8.Be2 Nbd7 9.0-0 Nf8 10.Qb3 Ng6 11.Bh2 Ne4 12.Rad1 Nxc3 13.bxc3 0-0 14.c5 Qc8 15.cxd6 cxd6 16.Bc4 d5 17.Be2 Ba6 18.Bxa6 Qxa6 19.Ne5 Nxe5 20.Bxe5 Rac8 21.Rc1 Rc4 22.Rc2 Rfc8 23.Rfc1 Qa5 24.Kf1 Ba3 25.Rb1 Rxc3 26.Rxc3 Rxc3 27.Qd1 Qa6+ 28.Ke1 Qc4 29.Bb8 Rc2 30.Bxa7 Bb4+ 31.Rxb4 Qxb4+ 32.Kf1 Qc4+ 0-1

Janniro,M (2071) - Sinanan,J (2288) [A22]
Portland Centennial (3), 13.08.2011
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4 4.Bg2 0-0 5.d3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c6 7.Nf3 Re8 8.0-0 d5 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Qb3 h6 11.c4 Nc6 12.cxd5 Nxd5 13.Ba3 Nb6 14.Rfe1 Bg4 15.Qb2 Qd7 16.Rac1 f6 17.Qb5 Qf7 18.Bc5 Qxa2 19.Bxb6 axb6 20.Qxb6 Qf7 21.Rb1 Re7 22.h3 Be6 23.Rb2 Ra6 24.Qc5 Ra5 25.Qc3 Ra2 26.Reb1 Rxb2 27.Rxb2 Rc7 28.Qa3 Qd7 29.h4 Kh7 30.Rc2 Ne7 31.Qc1 Rxc2 32.Qxc2 Kh8 33.Nd2 b5 34.Qc5 Bd5 35.Bxd5 Nxd5 36.Nb3 Kg8 37.e4 Nc7 38.d4 Ne6 39.Qb6 Nxd4 40.Nxd4 exd4 41.Kf1 Kf7 42.Ke2 Qg4+ 43.Kd2 Qxe4 44.Qxb5 f5 45.h5 Kg8 46.Qb8+ Kh7 47.Qd6 Qg4 48.Qe5 Qxh5 49.Qxd4 Qf3 50.Qc5 Kg6 51.Ke1 Kh5 52.Qf8 g5 53.Qg7 Qh1+ 54.Ke2 Kg4 55.Qg6 Qe4+ 56.Kd2 h5 57.f4 Qg2+ 58.Kd1 Qd5+ 59.Ke2 Qa2+ 60.Kd1 Qb1+ 61.Kd2 Qb4+ 62.Kd1 Qd4+ 63.Ke2 Qb2+ 1-0 (time)

Lang,J (1321) - Goldman,C (1805) [B34]
Portland Centennial (3), 13.08.2011
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Qd2 0-0 8.Bh6 Bxh6 0-1

Levin,S (1795) - Kiiru,J (1872) [B14]
Portland Centennial (3), 13.08.2011
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Nf3 Be7 8.c5 0-0 9.Bb5 Ne4 10.Bxe7 Nxe7 11.0-0 Ng6 12.Re1 f5 13.Bf1 Bd7 14.Nd2 b6 15.Ndxe4 fxe4 16.b4 bxc5 17.bxc5 Qg5 18.Re3 Rxf2 19.Kxf2 Rf8+ 20.Ke2 Nf4+ 21.Kd2 Nxg2 22.Bxg2 Rf2+ 23.Ne2 Rxg2 24.Qb3 Rxe2+ 25.Kxe2 Qg2+ 26.Kd1 Qg1+ 27.Re1 Qxd4+ 28.Ke2 Qxc5 29.Qb8+ Kf7 30.Rf1+ Kg6 31.Rg1+ Kh5 32.Qe5+ 1-0

Orlov,G (2541) - Haessler,C (2200) [C41]
Portland Centennial (3), 13.08.2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Qd2 0-0 8.0-0-0 a6 9.f3 b5 10.h4 Bd7 11.Bh6 Nc6 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.h5 Qe7 14.hxg6 fxg6 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Nxc6 Bxc6 17.exd5 Bd7 18.Bd3 Kg8 19.Rde1 Qg7 20.Be4 Bf5 21.Bxf5 Rxf5 22.Re6 Raf8 23.Rhe1 h6 24.Re7 R5f7 25.R7e6 Rf5 26.R1e4 Kh7 27.Re7 R8f7 28.Re8 Rf8 29.Rxf8 Qxf8 30.Qe3 h5 31.Re7+ Rf7 32.Re8 Qg7 33.c3 Rf8 34.Re6 Rf7 35.Re8 Rf8 36.Kc2 Qf6 37.Kb3 Rxe8 38.Qxe8 Kh6 39.Qe4 g5 40.a4 h4 41.axb5 axb5 42.Qe6 Kg6 43.Kb4 Qxe6 44.dxe6 c6 45.Ka5 Kf6 46.Kb6 c5 47.Kxb5 Kxe6 48.Kc4 Ke5 49.b4 cxb4 50.cxb4 Kf4 51.b5 Kg3 52.b6 Kxg2 53.b7 h3 54.b8Q h2 55.Qb2+ Kg3 56.Qc1 Kxf3 57.Qh1+ Kg3 58.Kd5 g4 59.Kxd6 Kh3 60.Qf1+ 1-0

Roback,J (1960) - Ummel,I (2097) [B19]
Portland Centennial (3), 13.08.2011
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Nf3 Nd7 7.h4 h6 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bd2 Ngf6 12.0-0-0 Bd6 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 Qc7 15.Kb1 0-0-0 16.c4 c5 17.Bc3 Nf6 18.Qe2 cxd4 19.Nxd4 a6 20.Nb3 Be7 21.Ba5 b6 22.Bc3 Qb7 23.Bd4 Rd7 24.f3 Rhd8 25.Bxf6 Bxf6 26.Rxd7 Rxd7 27.Rd1 Rxd1+ 28.Qxd1 Qc7 29.Qc2 Qe5 30.g4 Qe1+ 31.Nc1 Bg5 32.b3 Kc7 33.Qh2+ e5 34.Qc2 Kc6 35.a3 Qxc1+ 36.Qxc1 Bxc1 37.Kxc1 Kc5 38.Kc2 Kd4 39.Kd2 a5 40.Kc2 a4 41.Kb2 Kd3 42.c5 bxc5 ½-½

Roua,R - Leceste,L [D40]
Portland Centennial (3), 13.08.2011
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.e3 c5 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.a3 a5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.h3 Bf5 12.Nd4 Bg6 13.f4 Be4 14.b3 Na6 15.Na4 Be7 16.Bb2 Nc5 17.Nc3 Qb6 18.Rc1 Rfc8 19.Re1 Bf8 20.Qe2 g6 21.Na4 Nxa4 22.Bxa4 Nh5 23.g4 Ng7 24.Qb5 Qd8 25.g5 h6 26.h4 Qe7 27.Qd7 Qxd7 28.Bxd7 Rd8 29.Rc7 Rab8 30.Bh3 Ne8 31.Rcc1 Bg7 32.Bc3 hxg5 33.hxg5 Ra8 34.Nb5 Bxc3 35.Rxc3 Kf8 36.Rd1 Ra6 37.Rdc1 Nd6 38.Nd4 a4 39.b4 Raa8 40.Bf1 Kg7 41.Rc7 Rh8 42.Ne6+ Kg8 43.Nc5 Rh1+ 44.Kf2 Rh2+ 45.Ke1 Bf5 46.Nd7 Bxd7 47.Rxd7 Nf5 48.Rxd5? Nxe3 49.Re5 Nxf1 [49...Nxf1 50.Kxf1 Rh1+] 0-1

Sen,S (2052) - Lee,A (2267) [E14]
Portland Centennial (3), 13.08.2011
1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 b6 4.Bd3 Bb7 5.0-0 c5 6.c4 d6 7.Nc3 g6 8.d5 exd5 9.cxd5 Bg7 10.e4 0-0 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bd2 Ba6 13.Qe2 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 a6 15.a4 Nbd7 16.h3 Ne8 17.Rae1 Nc7 18.Bf4 Nf6 19.Nd2 Nfe8 20.e5 dxe5 21.Bxe5 Nf6 22.d6 Ne6 23.Nde4 Nxe4 24.Qxe4 Bxe5 25.Qxe5 Qg5 26.f4 Qxe5 27.fxe5 Nd4 28.Re3 Kg7 29.Ne2 Nxe2+ 30.Rxe2 Rad8 31.Rd1 Rfe8 32.Kf2 Re6 33.Kf3 f6 34.Kf4 fxe5+ 35.Rxe5 Rexd6 36.Rxd6 Rxd6 37.a5 Rd4+ 38.Ke3 Kf6 39.Re4 Rxe4+ 40.Kxe4 b5 41.Kd5 c4 42.Kc5 Ke5 43.Kb6 Kd6 44.Kxa6 Kc6 45.Ka7 Kc7 46.a6 b4 47.Ka8 c3 48.a7 c2 0-1

4-way tie at Portland Centennial

2011-08-15T03:31:00.054-04:00

FIDE Master Bindi Cheng, co-winner (photo: Andrei Botez)

Georgi Orlov, Nick Raptis, Bindi Cheng and Loren Laceste each scored five points in six rounds to finish deadlocked atop the 54-player Championship section of Portland Chess Club Centennial. Robert Herrara won the Amateur section with a perfect 6-0 score.

"A" for effort, A+ for results. Robert Herrara swept the Amatuer section prize with a perfect 6-0 score.

Click link for final results in the Championship section.

Click link for final results in the Amateur section.

View combined cross tables and links to my previous blogs covering this event (sincere thanks to Jeff Roland and the Idaho Chess Association for their help in making this coverage possible).

Here is one of the decisive round 6 games:

Andy Lee vs. Bindi Cheng
2011 Portland Centennial Open, Round 6
August 14, 2011
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Bxd7+ Qxd7 7. O-O Nc6 8. d3 Rc8 9. Kh1 Nf6 10. f5 gxf5 11. Nh4 fxe4 12. Nf5 Rg8 13. Bg5 Bh8 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Nxe4 Bxb2 16. Rb1 Be5 17. c3 b6 18. d4 cxd4 19. cxd4 Nxd4 20. Nxd4 Rc4 21. Qf3 Qg4 22. Nxd6+ Bxd6 23. Qa8+ Kd7 24. Qb7+ Rc7 25. Qd5 Rg5 26. Rf5 Rxf5 27. Nxf5 Qf4 28. g3 Rc1+ 29. Rxc1 Qxc1+ 30. Kg2 Qc6 (0-1)

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Co-champion IM Georgi Orlov of WA (photo credit: A. Botez)

Here's another last round game score for one of the co-winners (provided by Mike Morris):

Championship Section summary

5 points:
1 Georgi Orlov 2541 X- W16 W11 D7 W6 D3
2 Bindi Cheng 2386 W29 W14 W28 D3 D7 W10
3 Nick Raptis 2261 W31 W32 W33 D2 W8 D1
4 Loren Laceste 0 D27 W24 W22 D8 W11 W9 (pictured below)

4.5 points:
5 Daniel Gay 2120 W37 D6 D41 D26 W27 W15
6 Michael Lee 2437 X-- D5 W19 W27 L1 D14

4 points:
7 Howard Chen 2362 X-- W12 W40 D1 D2 U--
8 David Roper 2334 W30 W13 D20 D4 L3 W31
9 S Breckenridge 2267 D42 D36 W39 W20 W18 L4
10 Andy Lee 2267 W43 L28 W29 W41 W16 L2
11 Carl Haessler 2200 X-- W47 L1 W40 L4 W28
12 Peter Lessler 2114 W45 L7 W47 L16 W41 W33
13 Igor Ummel 2097 W50 L8 D48 W38 D21 W22
14 Nathan Lee 2085 W52 L2 D38 W48 W17 D6

3.5 points:
15 Joshua Sinanan2 288 D34 W48 L27 W33 W28 L5
16 Corbin Yu 2162 W44 L1 W36 W12 L10 D20
17 John Williams 2146 L33 D21 W54 W37 L14 W34
18 Andy May 2129 L47 W44 W50 W34 L9 D21
19 Paul Bartron 2104 D49 W42 L6 L21 W45 W36
20 James Chan 1938 W25 W23 D8 L9 D26 D16
21 Alexandru Florea 1930 L26 D17 W49 W19 D13 D18

3 points:
22 Radu Roua 2269 X--- L40 L4 W32 W42 L13
23 David Bragg 2212 W35 L20 W31 L28 D34 H-
24 David Golub 2188 L32 L4 D51 W54 W37 D27
25 Roger Patterson 2179 L20 D35 H- D44 W38 D29
26 Michael Pendergast 2177 W21 L33 W32 D5 D20 U-
27 Mike Janniro 2071 D4 W54 W15 L6 L5 D24
28 Megan Lee 2059 W38 W10 L2 W23 L15 L11
29 Samir Sen 2052 L2 W52 L10 D36 W48 D25
30 Alexandra Botez 2035 L8 L50 L44 W49 W47 W42
31 Bill Heywood 2000 L3 W46 L23 W52 W39 L8
32 Brian Esler 1984 W24 L3 L26 L22 W50 W41
33 Jason Cigan 1880 W17 W26 L3 L15 W40 L12

2.5 points:
34 Carl Koontz 2027 D15 W51 H--- L18 D23 L17
35 Roberto Aiello 1992 L23 D25 L37 L45 W52 W48
36 David Inglis 1937 H-- D9 L16 D29 W44 L19
37 H G Pitre 1839 L5 D53 W35 L17 L24 W52
38 Ryan Lo unr. L28 W43 D14 L13 L25 W46

2 points:
39 Roland Feng 2074 L48 W45 L9 W47 L31 U--
40 Richard Gutman 2068 W46 W22 L7 L11 L33 U-
41 Steven Deeth 2062 H--- W49 D5 L10 L12 L32
42 Mikeal Davis 2015 D9 L19 H--- W50 L22 L30
43 Preston Polasek 2007 L10 L38 H- W46 U- D44
44 Mark Havrilla 1923 L16 L18 W30 D25 L36 D43
45 Ben Chu Kung 1817 L12 L39 D46 W35 L19 H--

1.5 points:
46 John Doknjas 1931 L40 L31 D45 L43 W54 L38
47 Todd Imada 1875 W18 L11 L12 L39 L30 H--
48 Joe Roback 1960 W39 L15 D13 L14 L29 L35

1 point:
49 Dan Mathews 1800 D19 L41 L21 L30 H-- U--
50 Calvin Parnon 1753 L13 W30 L18 L42 L32 U-
51 Jonathan Fortune 1616 H- L34 D24 U- U- U-
52 George Lundy 1440 L14 L29 B- L31 L35 L37

0.5:
53 Michael Morris 2052 U- D37 U- U- U-- U--
54 Allen Chalfen 1853 H- L27 L17 L24 L46 U-

Amateur section summary - 3 or more points:

6 points:
1 Robert Herrera 1985 W97 W37 W22 W5 W25 W6

5.5 points:
2 Robert Fisette 1860 W79 W43 D53 W41 W14 W8
3 Kun Jack Cheng 1767 W115 W91 W19 W11 D6 W16

5 points:
4 Vlajko Lakic 1909 W112 W54 L5 W27 W23 W21
5 Micah A Smith 1806 W84 W80 W4 L1 W18 W20

4.5 points:
6 Doug Sterclik 1976 W60 W39 W23 W38 D3 L1
7 Larry Ball1955 D15 W58 L42 W111 W28 W25
8 Jerry Sherrard 1933 W30 W40 D35 W53 W12 L2
9 Ethan J Peake 1907 L76 W63 W74 W57 W51 D11
10 Joseph Kiiru 1872 W78 W71 L38 W59 D44 W39
11 Marcus Robinson 1843 W81 W29 W59 L3 W38 D9
12 Jofrel Landingin H--- W46 W85 W42 L8 W44
13 Evan Whipple 1800 L114 D48 W124 W79 W85 W33
14 Matt Dalthorp 1698 D68 W116 W50 W35 L2 W34
15 Nick Figone 1583 D7 L92 W66 W54 W41 W49

Pictured above is Matt Dalthorp, one of the Amateur Section prize winners in the under-1800 category.

4 points:
16 Diwakar Rana 1912 D46 W111 D44 W43 W22 L3
17 David Bannon 1892 L113 W82 W30 D29 W42 H-
18 Pete Pritchett 1872 W77 L26 W75 W73 L5 W56
19 Paul Leblanc 1854 W100 W27 L3 W45 D26 D29
20 Edward Addis 1849 W47 W73 D26 D24 W31 L5
21 Michael Goffe 1836 W62 W45 H-- D26 W32 L4
22 Jeremy Krasin 1830 W48 W96 L1 W80 L16 W57
23 LD VanWeerdhuizen W82 W113 L6 W107 L4 W58
25 Jason Ellis 1800 W102 W31 W32 W69 L1 L7
26 Luke Robson 1763 W126 W18 D20 D21 D19 D24
27 Maxwell Sun 1702 W122 L19 W87 L4 W67 W50
28 Robert Allen 1700 D67 W117 W92 D34 L7 W51
29 Steven Witt 1697 W89 L11 W90 D17 W35 D19
30 David Hendricks 1548 L8 W120 L17 W122 W93 W55
31 Jenesis Bugaoan W57 L25 W96 W52 L20 W53

3.5 points:
32 Peter Watts 1934 W74 W70 L25 W37 L21 D43
33 Dan Copeland 1931 W75 L53 W60 W71 D34 L13
34 Severo Caluza 1829 H- W124 W88 D28 D33 L14
35 Noah Fields 1825 W65 W76 D8 L14 L29 W74
36 Collin Goldman L85 L83 W102 W100 D46 W75
37 Robert Malone 1795 W87 L1 W77 L32 D76 W84
38 Scott Levin 1795 W103 W110 W10 L6 L11 D45
39 Ted Lundin 1789 W104 L6 W61 H--- W89 L10
40 Kyle Haining 1786 W66 L8 L80 W62 W99 D47
41 Becca Lampman 1782 H- W125 W67 L2 L15 W76
42 Jim McAleer 1766 D107 W119 W7 L12 L17 W90
43 Quentin Chi 1719 W108 L2 W84 L16 W80 D32
44 Nathan Armstrong W118 D50 D16 W91 D10 L12
45 Bryan Shapiro 1631 W123 L21 W64 L19 W92 D38
46 Sangeeta Dhingra 1541 D16 L12 W117 D92 D36 W70
47 Frederick Davis 1455 L20 W123 D54 W72 D53 D40
48 Dhruva Chatterjee 1408 L22 D13 L55 W116 W95 W73

3 points:
49 Roland Eagles 1983 L59 L84 W101 W88 W96 L15
50 William Karr 1863 W61 D44 L14 H--- W59 L27
51 David Wen 1828 W63 L59 W112 W86 L9 L28
52 Gordon Higbie 1805 W101 L86 W113 L31 W98 U-
53 Aaron Nicoski 1771 W106 W33 D2 L8 D47 L31
54 Casy Bush 1764 W120 L4 D47 L15 D81 W85
55 Stephen Buck 1728 D116 L88 W48 D68 W86 L30
56 Siva Narayanan 1727 H- L107 D104 W63 W77 L18
57 David Yoshinaga 1700 L31 W101 W114 L9 W106 L22
58 Dan Kramlich 1640 H-- L7 W65 D67 W91 L23
59 Alan Walk 1623 W49 W51 L11 L10 L50 W103
60 William Gagnon 1600 L6 W115 L33 D81 W87 D68
61 Arliss Dietz 1500 L50 W118 L39 D90 D109 W102
62 Austin Nguyen 1424 L21 L64 W126 L40 W119 W106
63 Dillon Murray 1407 L51 L9 W108 L56 W104 W96
64 James Wang 1396 L73 W62 L45 L77 W108 W99
65 Mark S Hanna 1376 L35 D93 L58 W115 W72 H--
66 Nathan Jewell 1146 L40 H-- L15 W78 D97 W98
67 Sadrac Chery D28 W72 L41 D58 L27 W97
68 Joshua Doknjas D14 W95 L24 D55 D73 D60

Pictured above is FM Nick Raptis, winner of the blitz side event and co-champion of the Championship section.

Portland Chess Club Centennial ends today

2011-08-14T03:02:00.066-04:00

On Board 1, Howard Chen and Georgi Orlov wish each other good luck to start round 4 of the Portland CC Centennial

Round 6 starts at 5 p.m. today.

Click here for results in the Championship section through round 5.

Click here for results in the Amateur section through round 5.

The Championship pairings for round 6 are here

The Amateur pairings for round 6 are here

Round 5 started at 10 a.m. today.

The Championship pairings for round 5 are here.

The Amateur pairings for round 5 are here.

USCF Master Steven Breckenridge ponders his next move during round 3 of the Portland Chess Club Centennial

Oregon co-champion Steven Breckenridge received the $100 "most interesting game" prize for his effort against Steven Deeth at the 2011 Oregon Closed Championship which was held at the Portland Chess Club this past February. The game was selected by GM Susan Polgar from among the six best games nominated by the players themselves. Susan analyzed the game on a demonstration board during her well attended breakfast meeting held this morning before the start of round 5.

Breckenridge,S (2211) - Deeth,S (2086) [B22]
Oregon Closed Portland OR (6)
February 20,2011
1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 Nb6 7.Bb3 d6 8.exd6 Nc6 9.cxd4 Qxd6 10.0-0 Nb4 11.Nc3 Bd7 12.Ne4 Qc7 13.Bg5 Bc6 14.Rc1 Be7 15.Ne5 Rd8 16.Qg4 Bxg5 17.Nxg5 Rd7 18.Bxe6 fxe6 19.Qh5+ Ke7 20.Nxe6 Kxe6 21.Rfe1 Kd6 22.Nc4+ Nxc4 23.Qc5# 1-0

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Here are three game scores from GM Susan Polgar's 10-board clock simul. She scored a perfect 10-0-0. Many thanks to Chuck Schulien for taking the time to go over these games.

1) Polgar,Susan - Schoffstall,Karl [D09]
simul, 13.08.2011
[Schulien,Charles]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.g3 Nge7 Morozevich's move, which led to a small comeback for this opening. 6.Bg2 Ng6 7.Bf4 Bg4 8.Nbd2 Qd7 9.Qb3 Bb4 10.0-0 a5 11.c5 a4 12.Qc2 h5 13.Ne4 a3 14.Rad1 Bf5 15.bxa3 Rxa3 16.Nxd4 Nxd4 17.Qc4 Nxf4 18.gxf4 Nxe2+ 19.Qxe2 Qa4 20.Rd4 Rxa2 21.Rxb4 Qxb4 22.Qxa2 0-0 23.Qb1 1-0

(2) Polgar,Susan - Breckenridge,Steven [E14]
simul, 13.08.2011
[Schulien,Charles]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 b6 4.Bd3 Bb7 5.c4 c5 6.0-0 Be7 7.Nc3 cxd4 8.exd4 d5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Ne5 0-0 Rather bad luck, or just lack of knowledge of his opponent, led Steven to this position. Susan has played it at least 5 times in tournaments, including a win against Karpov in the Amber blindfold event, and a draw with Jan Timman. No wonder she makes this game look easy, despite facing a strong young master in a simul! 11.Qg4 f5 12.Qe2 Bf6 13.Bd2 a6 14.Rac1 Re8 15.Bc4 Nd7 16.f4 Nb8 17.Be3 Qd6 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Bxd5 Qxd5 20.Rc7 Bd8 21.Qh5 Rf8 22.Rf7 Qd6 23.Rc1 Bf6 24.Rcc7 Qd8 25.Rxf8+ Qxf8 26.Qf3 1-0

(3) Polgar,Susan - Sun,Maxwell [C45]
simul, 13.08.2011
[Schulien,Charles]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nxc6 Qf6 6.Qf3 Qxf3 7.gxf3 bxc6 8.Bd2 Bd4 9.c3 Bf6 10.Na3 Rb8 11.0-0-0 Ne7 12.f4 d6 13.Re1 0-0 14.h4 g6 15.h5 gxh5 16.Rxh5 Bg7 17.Bd3 Ng6 18.Reh1 Bg4 19.Rxh7 Bf3 20.R1h2 Bg4 21.Nc4 f5 22.Na5 Rb6 23.Bc4+ d5 24.exd5 Kf7 25.dxc6+ Kf6 26.Be3 Rd8 27.Bd4+ Rxd4 28.cxd4 Nf8 29.Rh8 Bxh8 30.Rxh8 Ng6 31.Rh7 Nxf4 32.Rxc7 Ne2+ 33.Bxe2 Bxe2 34.Rxa7 Ra6 35.Rxa6 Bxa6 36.Nb3 Ke7 37.Nc5 Bc8 38.b4 Kd6 39.b5 Kc7 40.a4 Kb6 41.Kb2 f4 42.Kb3 Kc7 43.a5 1-0

2011 Portland Chess Club Centennial (5)
David Hendricks (1548) vs. Randall Smolensky (1859)
August 14, 2011
1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 e6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Bd3 Nbd7 5. Nf3 c5 6. c3 c4 7. Bc2 Be7 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. Ne5 g6 10. h4 h5 11. Qf3 Nxe5 12. dxe5 Ng4 13. Qg3 Qb6 14. Rb1 Kg7 15. Ke2 Bc5 16. Nf3 Be7 17. Nd4 Bd7 18.f3 Nh6 19. Qh3 Rh8 20. g4 hxg4 21. fxg4 Qd8 22. Rbg1 Qb6 23. Bg5 Bxg5 24. hxg5 Nf5 25. Qf3 Qxb2 26. gxf5 exf5 27. Kd2 b5 28. Qxd5 b4 29.Qxd7 Qxc3+ 30. Ke2 Rae8 31. Rxh8 Rxe5 32.Rh7+ 1-0

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Blitz Tournament Coverage:
Saturday's 16-round blitz tournament was won by Nick Raptis with 13 points, 1/2 point ahead of Bindi Cheng. John Donaldson was third in the 24-player side event. Click here to see the final crosstable.

A special ceremony was held prior to round four to present 2011 Orgeon Senior co-champions, Mike Janniro and Steven Deeth, with their trophies. Mrs. Irene Hall, widow of Dr. Ralph L. Hall, who died earlier this year, made the presentations.
Left to right are Steven Deeth, Mrs. Irene Hall (widow of Dr. Ralph Hall) and Mike Janniro. Deeth and Janniro are 2011 Oregon Senior co-champions.

Thanks to Andrei Botez for taking the photos in today's blog update.

There's more to life than chess

2011-08-13T02:20:00.048-04:00

Among the players visiting Portland to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Portland chess club is FIDE rated player Joe Roback of Canada, who lives with Bipolar Disorder. Joe has had a strong recovery and attends Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada. He is an avid chess player and musician. Joe also volunteers with many mental health organizations. He is playing in the Championship section of the Portland Chess Centennial, August 12-14, 2011.

Round 3 pairings for the Championship section can be found here.

Round 3 pairings for the Amateur section can be found here.

The last game in each second round section ended after 1 a.m. Pacific Time.

Standings for the Championship section after Round 2:

2 points: Georgi Orlov, Bindi Cheng, Howard Chen, David Roper, Nick Raptis, Carl Haessler, Richard Gutman, Megan Lee, James Chan, Jason Cigan

1.5 points: Michael Lee, Joshua Sinanan, Daniel Gay, Paul Bartron, Mike Janniro, Steven Deeth, Carl Koontz, Lauren Laceste

1 point: Radu Roua, Steven Breckenridge, Andy Lee, David Bragg, Michael Pendergast, Corbin Yu, Andy May, Peter Lessler, Igor Ummel, Nathan Lee, Roland Feng, Samir Sen, Bill Heywood, Brian Esler, David Inglis, Todd Imada, Calvin Parnon, Joe Roback, Ryan Lo

0.5: Roger Patterson, John Williams, Michel Morris, Mikeal Davis, Robert Aiello, Alexandru Florea, Allen Chalfen, H G Pitre, Daniel Mathews, Jonathan Fortune

0: David Golub, Alexandra Botez, Preston Polasek, John Doknjas, Mark Havrilla, Ben Chu Kung, George Lundy

Click here for detailed Championship section results as of round 2

Leading scorers in the Amateur section after Round 2:

2 points: Robert Herrera, Doug Sterclick, Peter Watts, Jerry Sherrard, Vlajko Lakic, Joseph, Kiiru, Robert Fisette, Paul Leblanc, Ed Addis, Marcus Robinson, Michael Goffe, Jeremy Krasin, Lane Van Weerdhuizen, Noah Fields, Micah Smith, Jason Ellis, Scott Levin, Aaron Nicoski, Jack Cheng, Luke Robson, Alan Walk, Gabriel Skoro

1.5 points: Blake Salisbury, Larry Ball, Diwakar Rana, Ryan Ackerman, William Karr, Jofrel Landingan, Severo Caluza, Sarah May, Becca Lampman, James McAleer, Nathan Armstrong, Robert Allen, Matt Dalthorp, Matthew Stevens, Menaka Narayanan, Alexander Barrett, Sadrac Chery, Joshua Donknjas

Click here for detailed Amateur section results as of round 2

Pairings for Round 4 Amateur section are here

Pairings for Round 4 Championship section are here

Click here for detailed Championship section results as of round 3

Click here for detailed Amateur section results as of round 3

2011 Portland Chess Centennial
Round 2, August 12, 2011
Carl Haessler (2200) vs. Todd Imanda (1875)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. Na3 e5 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. d3 Qe7 8. Nc4 f6 9. c3 Bg4 10. d4 Nh6 11. dxc5 O-O 12. b4 Rad8 13. Qe2 Nf7 14. Ne3 Bxf3 15. Qxf3 Ng5 16. Qg4 Rd3 17. Bb2 h5 18. Qe2 Rfd8 19. Nc4 Ne6 20. g3 Ng5 21. Nd6 Rd2 22. Qc4+ Kh7 23. Bc1 b5 24. Qb3 Qd7 25. Bxd2 Nf3+ 26. Kg2 Nxd2 27. Qc2 Nxf1 28. Rxf1 Bf8 29. Rd1 Qe6 30. Qb3 Qd7 31. c4 Qg4 32. f3 Qg5 33. Nf7 Rd2+ 34. Kh3 (1-0)

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2011 Portland Chess Centennial
Round 2, August 12, 2011
Josh Sinanan (2288) vs. Joe Roback (1916)1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bg2 c6 6. Nbd2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Qc2 Nb6 9. b3 Re8 10. e4 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Nbd7 12. Rd1 Nxe4 13. Qxe4 Bf6 14. Bf4 Qa5 15. Bd6 c5 16. a3 Qb6 17. dxc5 Nxc5 18. Qe3 Nd7 19. c5 Qa6 20. Nd4 Nb8 21. Bf1 Qa5 22. b4 Qd8 23. Be5 Qe7 24. Nb5 Bxe5 25. Qxe5 Nc6 26. Qd6 Qxd6 27. Nxd6 Rd8 28. Bg2 Rb8 29. f4 a6 30. Kf2 Bd7 31. Nxb7 Rxb7 32. Bxc6 Rc7 33. Ba4 (1-0)

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2011 Portland Chess Centennial
Round 2, August 12, 2011
Collin Goldman (1805) vs. John Gamble (1344)1. e4 d6 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. d4 b5 5. Bd3 g6 6. Bg5 Bg7 7. d5 b4 8. Nce2 cxd5 9. exd5 O-O 10. Nf3 Qc7 11. Rc1 Nxd5 12. Be4 e6 13. Bxd5 exd5 14. Qxd5 Bb7 15. Qb3 Qc5 16. Be3 Qa5 17. Bd4 Re8 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. Rd1 Bxf3 20. Qxf3 b3+ 21. Kf1 bxc2 22. Rxd6 c1=Q+ 23. Nxc1 Qe1#

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Centennial tourney is underway!

2011-08-12T17:53:00.035-04:00

Rusty Miller of Vancouver, WA, is among the players in the Amateur section of the 2011 Portland Centennial Open

More than 180 chess players descended on Portland, Oregon, for the weekend to help members of the Portland Chess Club celebrate the club's 100th anniversary.

Round 1 pairings for the Championship section can be found here.
Round 1 pairings for the Amateur section can be found here.

Round 2 pairings for the Championship section can be found here.
Round 2 pairings for the Amateur section can be found here.

Nathan Lee vs. George Lundy
Portland Centennial Open(1)
August 12, 2011
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 4. c3 d6 5. Bb3 Bg4 6. d3 h6 7. Nbd2 Nf6 8. h3 Bh5 9. Nf1 Qd7 10. Bd2 O-O-O 11. Ng3 Bg6 12. O-O Nh5 13. Bd5 Nxg3 14. fxg3 f5 15. Qb3 Kb8 16. Be6 Qe8 17. exf5 Bh7 18. Rfe1 Bg8 19. Bxg8 Qxg8 20. Qxg8 Rhxg8 21. d4 Bf6 22. dxe5 Nxe5 23. Nxe5 dxe5 24. Be3 Rd3 25. Kf2 Rgd8 26. Ke2 Kc8 27. Rad1 Rd3xd1 28. Rxd1 Rxd1 29. Kxd1 a6 30. g4 Kd7 31. g3 Ke8 32. h4 Be7 33. Ke2 Kf7 34. g5 h5 35. Kf3 Bd6 36. g6+ Kg8 37. Ke4 c6 38. Bb6 Bb8 39. c4 Bd6 40.Ba5 (1-0)

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Jamie Lang vs. Jason Ellis
Portland Centennial Open(1)
August 12, 2011
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Bb5+ Bd7 5. Nc3 cxd4 6. Qxd4 a6 7. Bxd7+ Nxd7 8. Nf3 Ne7 9. Bg5 Qc7 10. Bxe7 Bxe7 11. O-O O-O 12. Rfe1 Rac8 13. Re2 f6 14. Rae1 Bc5 15. Qg4 f5 16. Qh5 h6 17. Qg6 Rfe8 18. Rd1 Nb6 19. Nd4 Qf7 20. Qg3 Nc4 0-1 (time)

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Subsequent note: The winner was kind enough to supply some additional notes. I will include these in my Northwest Chess article.(notes by Jason Ellis)
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Bb5+?!
The usual response for the French Advance variation is 4. c3 followed by Nf3, in order to maintain the central pawn structure. The early Bb5+ gave the initiative to black, and I was unfamiliar with variation.

4... Bd7 5. Nc3??
The bishop needed to retreat or take on e7, due to the threat of 5...Bxb4 6. Nxb4 Qa4+ 7. Nc3 cxd4 8. Qxd4 Nc6!! And white has to either give up the e pawn, or risk d4, winning the pinned knight. Unfortunately I failed to calculate this at the time.

5... cxd4 6. Qxd4?? a6?
Again, 6... Bxb4 7. Nxb4 Qa4+ could have won a pawn, but I was too focused on developing my pieces quickly, rather than looking for material gains.

7. Bxd7+ Nxd7 8. Nf3 Ne7 9. Bg5!?
Pinning the knight only allows the queen to develop to a good square, 9... Qc7, and 10. Bxe7 Bxe7 only gives black an extra tempo.

9...Qc7 10. Bxe7 Bxe7 11. O-O O-O 12. Rfe1 Rac8 13. Re2
White is trying to prepare for the inevitable f6 by doubling his rooks, and black is looking for action on the c file. 13. ...f6 was premature, but still not bad. Perhaps the knight hop to b6-c4 first would have been the right idea.

13...f6!? 14 Rae1?!
Better would have been 14. exf6 Bxf6 then 15. Qg4. Instead, by moving the rook, play could have gone 14...Nxe5 15. Nxe5 fxe5 16 Qxe5 Qxe5 17. Rxe5 d4! forcing the knight to a bad square and allowing Rxc2. I didn't see this until later, thought I could pressure the f2 pawn instead. As we'll see, I missed one key in-between move preventing this.

14...Bc5 15. Qg4
Threatening Qxe6+. Had the queen gone anywhere else, 15...fxe5 16 Nxe5 Nxe5 16 Rxe5 Bxf2+!! was my idea, probably winning the exchange. But Qg4 had the advantage of allowing me to stabilize the central pawns and allowed good queenside play.

15...f5 16. Qh5 h6 17. Qg6 Rfe8 18. Rd1 Nb6 19. Nd4? Qf7!?
19... Bxd4 would have been slightly better, but I didn't mind taking the queens off the board with such nice possibilities on the C file. Fortunately, he did not trade queens, with 20 Qg3 Nc4, and 21 b3 Nb2!! would have won material, and probably been decisive. Unfortunately for my opponent, he ran out of time.

Championship section Tournament Director Frank Niro (left) and Amateur Section TD Neil Dale (right) compare notes at the 2011 Portland Chess Centennial, 8/12/11
(photo credit: Jeff Roland)

For more coverage, please go to the Idaho Chess Association web site. Many thanks to Assistant TD Jeff Roland, webmaster for the Idaho Chess Association, for facilitating the links to the tournament pairings. Please come back for continuous updates throughout the weekend.

115 entries and counting...

2011-08-11T14:53:00.030-04:00

115 players have entered the Portland Chess Club Centennial tournament with one day remaining until the start. This amount exceeds expectations but is only about 60% of capacity. So there is still time to enter. Door entries will be accepted. $12 tournament memberships are available for Canadians and others who are not current US Chess Federation members.

Mike Morris and I will be entering the data into the SwissSys pairing program tonight. Just heard from GM Susan Polgar who is en route to Portland from San Francisco to participate in the celebration. See her comments earlier today in her blog.

Top 25 players in each section right now:

Championship Section

1 Georgi Orlov 2541
2 Michael Lee 2438
3 John Donaldson 2402
4 Bindi Cheng 2386
5 Howard Chen 2359
6 Josh Sinanan 2288
7 Steven Breckenridge 2267
8 Nick Raptis 2261
9 David Bragg 2212
10 Carl Haessler 2200
11 Roger Patterson 2179
12 Corbin Yu 2162
13 Andy May 2129
14 Daniel Gay 2120
15 Samir Sen 2115
16 Mike Janniro 2098
17 Igor Ummel 2097
18 Nathan Lee 2085
19 Rich Gutman 2070
20 Steven Deeth 2062
21 Megan Lee 2059
22 Paul Bartron 2050
23 Alexandra Botez 2036
24 Carl Koontz 2027
25 Preston Polasek 2019

Amateur Section
1 Blake Salisbury 1993
2 Doug Sterclick 1976
3 Larry Ball 1955
4 Jerry Sherrard 1937
5 Ethan Peake 1907
6 Vlajko Lakic 1902
7 David Bannon 1892
8 Fisette Robert 1860
9 Randy Smolensky 1859
10 Paul Leblanc 1854
11 Lane Van Weerdhuizen 1854
12 Jofrel Landingin 1838
13 Michael Goffe 1836
14 Severo Caluza 1829
15 Noah Fields 1825
16 Sarah May 1807
17 Micah Smith 1806
18 Gordon Higbie 1805
19 Evan Whipple 1800
20 Scott Levin 1795
21 Bob Malone 1795
22 Ted Lundin 1789
23 Kyle Haining 1786
24 Chris Burris 1783
25 Aaron Nicoski 1771

The complete list of entries as of last night can be viewed here.

10 Great things to do around Portland

2011-08-10T08:07:00.061-04:00

Portland's Aerial Tram (photo taken August 2010 by F. Niro)

Whether you live in the area or are visiting Portland in order to play in the Portland Chess Club Centennial tournament, there are lots of fun and interesting things to do. My goal is to offer some options that you might not ordinarily think about or see in the common travel guides. You will find that Portland is one of the easiest cities to navigate on foot, by bike, public transportation or in your car. So, based on my five years living in the Great Northwest (2006-2011), here are my recommendations:

1. Ride the Tram - Portland's Aerial Tram, opened in 2007, is a public transportation link connecting Marquam Hill and OHSU with South Waterfront. Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is a public university in Oregon with a main campus, including two hospitals. The Tram cabins travel 3,300 linear feet between the South Waterfront terminal adjacent to the OHSU Center for Health & Healing, and the upper terminal at the Kohler Pavilion on OHSU's main campus. Traveling at 22 miles per hour, the Tram cabins rise 500 feet for the three-minute trip over I-5, the Lair Hill neighborhood and the Southwest Terwilliger Parkway.

2. Visit Geezer Gallery - The Geezer Gallery, opened in 2010, is a Gallery that is defining a whole new old for the elder community. Located in the Loaves & Fishes building in the Multnomah section of the city, the Geezer Gallery has been a supporter of chess activities during the past two years including the 2011 Oregon Senior Open. The Geezer Gallery is generally open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the day and the first Friday evening of each month. Check the website (link above) for details.

3. Walk along the Willamette - The west side of the Willamette river (pronounced "Will"-"Lam"-"Ett", with emphasis on the second syllable) is as beautiful as it is walkable. You can enter the main trail in downtown Portland along the waterfront (!) or a few miles South at the Sellwood Bridge (or most anywhere in between). In my opinion, the walk is pleasant (and mostly flat) all along the trail.

While a bit outside the city, my favorite spots to walk along the river are at George Rogers Park in Lake Oswego and Mary S. Young Park in West Linn.

George Rogers Park is the original site of the The 1866 blast furnace built by the Oregon Iron Co. in old Oswego, where officials dreamed of the city's becoming the "Pittsburgh of the West". The first iron furnace on the Pacific Coast, it supplied pig iron to West Coast foundries between 1867 and 1885. Recently renovated, the furnace still stands in the park.

Click here for a trail map of Mary S. Young Park.

4. Shop at Powell's - To quote Andy F., a recent visitor from Worcester, Mass... "One of the greatest bookstores on the planet. Don't come here if you need to be somewhere later in the day because this is the kind of place you browse endlessly."

And, believe me, I have done that...just in the chess section alone! Powell's is located at 1005 W Burnside St, right in the middle of downtown Portland.

5. Take the Oregon City elevator - The Oregon City Municipal Elevator is a 130-foot elevator which connects two neighborhoods in Oregon City. It is the only outdoor municipal elevator in the US and one of only four in the world. The upper portion contains an observation deck which accounts for its flying saucer appearance (source: wikipedia)

When leaving the elevator at the upper level, you can walk along the promenade and view Willamette Falls, a natural waterfall on the Willamette River between Oregon City and West Linn. It is the largest waterfall in the Pacific Northwest.Upper promenade overlooking the river in Oregon City

If you are there on a Tuesday evening after 7 pm, walk a few blocks to the Pioneer Senior Center and the Oregon City/West Linn Chess Club . Enter from the basement entrance off Washington Street. Both the elevator and the Pioneer Center are wheelchair accessible.

From the lower lever of the municipal elevator, you MUST walk over and stop in at Winestock. It's only 1/4 mile around the corner. The reviews speak for themselves. A charming little wine bar in an historic old mill city with wonderful owners. If you stop in, Please tell Sarrah and Carlos that Tash & I sent you.

6. Dine Out - These are our favorite restaurants in the area:

a. Oswego Grill, off I-5 at Rte. 217 and soon adding a second restaurant in Wilsonville.
b. Chart House Steakhouse, high on a hill overlooking the city. The last time we ate there the Boston Celtics basketball team had just left following their game with the Portland Trailblazers. Now, that's an endorsement!
c. Paley's Place, all the restaurant reviews and guides will tell you that this is the best restaurant in Portland (with good reason). Great for special occasions, but you had better make reservations way in advance, especially on weekends.

Or, if you are just in the mood for pizza, here is my daughter Elizabeth's recommendation.

7. Play Chess - The Portland Chess club is 100 years old (but not always in the same location). Visit the club and see if you can find the Key to the city of Crossville, Tennessee, hanging among the fascinating chess memorabilia on the walls (my favorite is the photo of Reuben Fine in disquise during a simul at the club). Check the web site for hours and events.

8. Say a prayer for those you love - I can't do this without mentioning our wonderful church home. It is one of the things we miss the most since we moved away from Oregon! Pay Father Bruce a visit; you will most certainly be glad you did.

9. Make a winery tour in the Yamhill Valley - Our favorite Oregon winery is Eola Hills, about 10 miles west of Salem just off of state route 22. But you can't go wrong anywhere in the Yamhill Valley.

10. Explore the Columbia Gorge to Maryhill - The best way to cover the most ground and still take in the sights is to go west along I-84 until you get to Biggs, OR, around mile marker 104. Cross over the bridge into Goldendale, WA, and stop at the Maryhill Museum of Art.

Drive back along Rte. 14 on the Washington side. It's a slower trip home, but the views are spectacular, especially the views of Mount Hood on a clear day. Bring your camera!Part of the unexpectedly amazing chess exhibit at the Maryhill Museum of Art in Washington state.

OK, that's it for trying to be tour guide. Now I'm heading out to put my Tournament Director hat on. Perhaps I will see you this weekend at the Doubletree in Lloyd Center. If you can't make, please follow along on this blog.

Sincere thanks,
Frank

3 days 'til Portland Chess Club Centennial

2011-08-09T15:29:00.042-04:00

Happy birthday to Oregon's Portland Chess Club, established in 1911. For the last century the Portland Chess Club has provided a place for chess players to congregate while hosting world champions and national tournaments.

The Club will celebrate the occasion by staging the unique and spectacular Centennial Open August 12th, 13th and 14th at the Lloyd Center Doubletree Hotel in Portland. As tournament director of the FIDE rated open section, my plan is to include frequent updates throughout each day of the PCC Centennial Open on my blog, including tentative round by round pairings in advance so players can look up their next round opponents and board assignments (for both sections) from their home or hotel room. Others can follow the action as they please.
Click twice on entry blank to enlarge

Here's the link to the tournament announcement.
See the players who have registered in advance.

Included will be game scores that can be played out on your computer screen, assuming that I can perfect the technique by then (working on it...). Here is my first practice attempt with one of my own recent games (move pieces by clicking on the arrows below to play through each game):

(2) Niro,F - Manross,S (1906) [C10]
Pocatello, Idaho (4), April 17, 2011
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.Bd3² Bd7 8.0-0 c5 9.c3 Bc6 10.Ne5 Rc8 11.Nxc6± bxc6 12.Bf4 [12.Be3!] 12...cxd4 13.Ba6 dxc3 14.Bxc8 Qxc8 15.bxc3 Nd5 16.Qd4 Nxf4 17.Qxf4 Be7 18.Qd4 0-0 19.Qxa7+- Bd6 20.Rab1 h6 21.Rb7 Bb8 [21...Bc5!?] 22.Qb6 Rd8 23.g3 Be5 24.c4 Rd2 25.Ra7 [25.Rb1!?] 25...Rb2 26.Qa5 [26.Qa6!?] 26...Bf6 27.Rd1 c5 28.Ra8 Rb8 29.Rxb8 Qxb8 30.Qxc5 Qb2 31.Qc8+! Kh7 32.Qa6 [32.Qd7!] 32...Qc2 33.Rf1 h5 34.a4 h4 35.Qb5 Qg6 36.Qb1! hxg3 37.hxg3 Bd4 38.Qxg6+ Kxg6 39.Rb1 f5 40.a5 Kf6 41.a6 g5 42.Rb7 f4 43.gxf4 gxf4 44.a7 Bxa7 45.Rxa7 Ke5 46.Rd7 1-0

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It must be the link to the stupid human trick

2011-08-07T12:39:00.021-04:00

OK, so I checked my blog stats today and one entry has 2,242 hits, more than double any other. It must be the link to the stupid human trick that did it. How do people find these things?

Go here to learn which one has been viewed the most. Hint: It was added in 2008 and the photo in this post has nothing to do with it.

This article is in second place (one of my own favorites).

By the way, it started as a chess blog... but nine of the top 10 most popular posts have nothing to do with chess?!

Northwest Chess Cover Photo

2011-08-05T08:45:00.017-04:00

The photo from my July 30, 2011 blog is now the cover photo for the August issue of Northwest Chess. Special thanks to Editor Ralph Dubisch and to the Susan Polgar Foundation for supplying the pic.

Go here for the Northwest Chess web site and more details.

Far Above Cayuga's Waters

2011-08-04T11:32:00.002-04:00

My new bio page has been posted on the Cornell University website. Click here to see it!

Tash and I will be leaving Idaho August 23 for Ithaca, New York.

Click here to learn more about the Sloan Executive-in-Residence Program.

And what to they do at the top of that tower? See for yourself...

Want lyrics so you can sing along? You can find them here.

All Over the Board

2011-08-01T18:24:00.001-04:00

Susan Polgar presented me with this chess board signed by all of the young ladies who played in the 2011 Susan Polgar Girls' Invitational Tournament July 27-29, 2011, in Lubbock, TX. This will be the first item I hang in my new office at Cornell University!

2011 Susan Polgar Girls Invitational

2011-07-30T16:47:00.005-04:00

I was given the privilege of directing the 2011 Susan Polgar Girls' Invitational Chess Tournament in Lubbock, Texas, from July 24-29, 2011. I am pictured above with Susan Polgar, Heather Young of Vancouver, WA, and her parents, Ron & Peggy Young.

The winner was the highest rated player, Apurva Virkud, from Michigan with a perfect 6-0 score. Mandy Lu, also of Michigan, and Chenyi Zhao of California each were presented with netbook computers for winning the under age 13 and under age 10 prizes respectively. Mandy also won the blitz tournament in a playoff over Evelyn Chen of Georgia.

There were four scholarships given to players entering the 11th or 12th grade. They went to Vanita Young of Pennsylvania, Cheryl Liu of Illinois, Sneha Chikkila of Arkansas and Dyhemia Young of California. Each scholarship is valued at approximately $40,000 for out-of-state students who will utilize the award for their full four years in college.

As a current resident of the Great Northwest, I was very interested in the results of the girls from my area. Heather Young of Vancouver, WA, who is home schooled and will be entering 10th grade in September, finished 18th out of 46 players. Most of the entrants were champions or co-champions of their respective states.

The Idaho representative was Savanah Naccarato of Sandpoint, who plays mostly in the Spokane scholastic events. Savanah finished in 9th place with a 4-2 score. She will be entering 9th grade in the fall and has begun study in recent months with Seattle chess coach John Graves. Unfortunately there was no Oregon participant this year.

Susan provided three days of intensive training for all of the participants. I was allowed to sit in on the sessions and am very impressed with the quality of play of the girls as well as the depth of learning that is available to them as part of the event.

Many thanks to Jeff Roland of Idaho who reformatted the cross table for the 2011 SPGI event to make it easier to read. It is located here.

Here is the ICA link for the 2011 SPGI story about Savanah Naccarato.

Here is the link for the Bonner Bee article about Savanah Naccarato

And, the follow-up story after the tournament.

Thanks to the interest and energy of Rusty Miller there should be some coverage soon in the Vancouver press concerning Heather Young.

An annual fund is in the process of being established, perhaps through Northwest Chess, to support travel expenses for each year's Northwest nominees (Washington, Oregon & Idaho). My suggestion is to call it the Dr. Ralph L. Hall memorial travel fund after one of the pioneers of scholastic chess excellence in the Northwest. Dr. Hall wrote position papers on the benefits of chess for children years before anyone else even thought about it.

More details of the event can be found on Susan’s blog

I will be tournament director for the Open Section (FIDE Rated) of the Portland Chess Club Centennial Open in August. Please stop by and say “hello” if you play in or visit the event. The tournament flyer is located here.

I have to share this

2011-07-23T11:40:00.017-04:00

Lori, I hope you don't mind. I was touched, and I expect others will be also...

Mr. Niro,

I've just come across your blog and have been reduced to tears reading about my grandfather, Stan Tiernan.

You may know that Grandfather died in 1993 shortly after his 70th birthday--a sudden and freak heart attack. You might be glad to hear that he did enjoy running until the end, even on the day he died.

When he died, I was 24 and training for my first race-- a 5 miler in Hopedale, which we had planned to run together. I ran it without him, but came in last! Really.

I kept up the running, however, and have completed two half marathons and this Sunday in Providence, I'll run my first (and surely, only) marathon--just 3 days shy of my 40th birthday.

My family will be there (including my daughter, Tiernan) but I am acutely aware of Grandfather's absence right now. He would have gotten a kick out of this, and maybe even run it with me--kicking my butt, I'm sure!

Thank you so much for writing about him. Various family members have read this post and it's brought back wonderful memories.

I hope you are well, and still running!

Best regards,

Lori Batista McEwen

Click twice to enlarge the news photo and the related article --->

Here's the text of my original post (excerpt from my memoir):

"My goal in 1966 was to run the entire 26 miles and 385 miles without walking. Most of my family, friends and coaches tried to discourage me. They pointed out that I was too young to enter the race as an official runner and that I would have plenty of opportunities to run in future years. Four people, however, gave me all the encouragement I needed: Richard Ramaskwich, Tom Derederian, Bob Pagnini and, most importantly, Stanley C. Tiernan.

Everyone in the area knew Stan Tiernan. He was in his early forties and lived in Bellingham. For many years he lived in neighboring Hopedale. He ran thousands of miles on the streets of Milford, Hopedale, Mendon, Medway and Bellingham. He was a local legend and a fixture on the roads as he relentlessly pounded the pavement, always in training for his next Boston Marathon. He was a daily sight for the local residents as common as the dairy truck delivering milk bottles to each home. One sure way of determining if someone was an out-of-towner was to ask if they knew who Stanley Tiernan was.

Stan Tiernan set a Hopedale High School cross county record in 1942. We still used the same course through the woods twenty years later. Nobody challenged the record over all those years. It was a benchmark that high school runners in the area measured their performances against. “I ran the Hopedale course and only finished 49 seconds behind Tiernan’s record,” I can recall saying.

His running style was distinctive. He held his hands in front of his chest like a puppy dog extending each paw to shake hands. His legs churned away while his upper torso remained perfectly still. He didn’t sway from side to side like I usually did. His style was a model of running efficiency. It was a style that I wanted to emulate.

Stan Tiernan first entered the Boston Marathon in 1950. After that, he ran every year except one. Four times he placed high enough to earn one of the coveted B.A.A. medals awarded to the top 35 finishers. He first broke three hours in 1958 when he finished 31st in 2 hours, 50 minutes and 52 seconds. His best result was 2:43:15 in 1960 when he finished 18th, ahead of both Johnny Kelleys. His best time was 2:42:39 (24th) in 1963. Until Tom Derderian and I started logging 50 miles per week on the Milford roads, only Stan Tiernan had done so. Among the locals, only Stan Tiernan had broken three hours in the Boston Marathon. I wanted to do it too. I wanted to be like Stan Tiernan.

In 1966, he held the North Medford Club record for distance covered in one hour on the track: 11 miles, 189 yards. It was a record he set nearly 10 years earlier. As a junior in high school I ran an hour on the track as fast as I could. I barely made 9 miles, two miles less than Stan’s record.

Tom and I entered an unusual competition during the summer of 1966. We ran in a two-man 10-mile relay on the track at Bowditch Field in Framingham. The relay was intervals of 440 yards. We each ran a quarter mile and passed the baton; twenty laps each with an average of eighty seconds rest while the other ran his lap. We finished in 4th place in 53 minutes and 28 seconds and were proud of the accomplishment…until we realized that if we ran another six minutes and 32 seconds we would probably not be further than 11 miles and 189 yards. With two of us splitting the distance, resting half the time, and racing each lap as fast as we could, we still couldn’t beat Stan Tiernan’s club record for an hour run. Man he was fast in his prime, we thought. His record was broken by Jim Daley, Jr., on 10/22/67.

One day in the fall of 1965, I went running where I expected Stan Tiernan to be. When he came past me I asked if he would help prepare for the Boston Marathon. “Sure, if you are serious about it,” he said. “You need to run as much as you can; you need to train every day. Your pace isn’t as important as the miles you log. If you can’t find the time to run eight to ten miles every day, then don’t bother trying the marathon. Make sure you eat well and get plenty of rest. That’s all there is to it. And keep up your schoolwork. Don’t let running interfere with more important things or your mind won’t let your body do its best. I’ll see you at the starting line.”

I followed his advice completely. I treated it like it was the Gospel handed down by the Lord Himself. To me, it was the 11th Commandment: ‘Thou Shalt not Skip a day of Training’."

Janniro & Deeth are 2011 Oregon Senior Chess Co-champions

2011-07-14T18:32:00.003-04:00

Morgan watches the game of his owner, Jerrold Richards, at the 2011 Oregon Senior Open held in Oregon City on July 9, 2011.

Mike Janniro and Steven Deeth tied for first place in the 17-player Oregon Senior Chess Championship held in Oregon City on the weekend of July 9-10, 2011. The co-champions played to a draw in the final round. Both players had three wins and two draws in the five round event for a total of four points. Five players finished within a half point of each other in the hotly contested tournament. Carl Koontz, champion of the host Oregon City/West Linn Chess Club, earned a tie for third place at 3 ½ points with Bill Heywood and Roland Eagles.

Eagles also took the title of over-60 champion while Gerry Reiner had 3 points to earn the over-70 title as well as the under-1800 prize. Greg Markowski and Stephan Pettengill shared under-1600 honors. Dave Prideaux, playing in his first rated tournament, was the under-1400 winner.

A permanent trophy was purchased by the host club in honor of the club’s founder who recently passed away. Known as the Dr. Ralph Hall Memorial Award, the trophy will be engraved each year with the names of the Oregon Senior Chess Champions. This year’s co-champions will also receive individual engraved trophies commemorating their victory. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in honor of Dr. Hall during the Portland Chess Club Centennial Open in August.

The tournament was organized by the Oregon Chess Federation, directed by Frank Niro, and sponsored by the Geezer Gallery (www.geezergallery.com).

Following is the cross table for the 2011 Oregon Senior Chess Championship:

1 JANNIRO, MIKE 2071 2086 W--11 W---5 W---6 D---3 D---2 4.0
2 DEETH, STEVEN 2062 2074 W--14 W--10 D---3 W---6 D---1 4.0
3 KOONTZ, CARL 2027 2033 W--16 W--14 D---2 D---1 D---5 3.5
4 HEYWOOD, BILL 2000 2000 W---8 L---6 H---0 W--14 W--17 3.5
5 EAGLES, ROLAND 1983 1989 W---9 L---1 W--15 W--10 D---3 3.5
6 GUTMAN, RICHARD 2068 2062 W---7 W---4 L---1 L---2 W--10 3.0
7 REINER, GERALD 1603 1608 L---6 L---8 H---0 W--11 W--14 2.5
8 MARKOWSKI, GREG 1377 1419 L---4 W---7 D--14 W--13 L---9 2.5
9 PETTENGILL, STEve 1269 1353 L---5 L--11 D--13 W--16 W---8 2.5
10 BURRIS, CHRIS 1788 1783 W--12 L---2 W--11 L---5 L---6 2.0
11 GREGER, TOM 1656 1640 L---1 W---9 L--10 L---7 W--16 2.0
12 PRIDEAUX, DAVE UNR 1281 L--10 L--14 L--16 B---0 W--13 2.0
13 RICHARDS, JERROLD 1244 1252 L--15 W--16 D---9 L---8 L--12 1.5
14 BERGER, BRIAN 1569 1551 L---2 W--12 D---8 L---4 L---7 1.5
15 BANNER, RICHARD 1800 1800 W--13 L---3 L---5 H---0 U---0 1.5
16 DIETZ, ARLISS 1500 1500 L---3 L--13 W--12 L---9 L--11 1.0
17 NIRO, FRANK 1703 1700 H---0 U---0 U---0 U---0 L---4 0.5

Next year's event will be at the same site on July 7-8, 2012

Please join us July 10

2011-06-30T08:22:00.000-04:00

To enlarge and read, click twice on image.

Happy Birthday Celeste

2011-06-24T04:36:00.021-04:00

We celebrated my mother-in-law's birthday by spending a weekend in beautiful Stanley, Idaho. Stanley holds the distinction (and the residents seem to be proud of it) of the most times with the coldest temperature in the continental U.S. during the past 10 years. Brrrrrrrr.

Late June, still snow on the ground at Bonner Summit, in the Challis National Forest, elevation 7200 feet. There's a bend a few miles up the road from this spot (to the north) where you can walk straight into the woods and not cross an auto road for the next 150 miles or so.

The view from the back of our Motel. The only bad part was that the rooms were advertised as handicapped accessible, but they really were not (try to ride a wheelchair or a scooter on the stones that you can see in this photo). You can read the details in my wife's blog -- link to follow when available. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Lots of flooding in the area due to the late snow melt this year. Very beautiful, nonetheless.

Lots of lakes plus the Sawtooth Mountains, not much else. Perhaps that's a good thing...

The Salmon River, which flows (it seems) in the opposite direction of every other river in the Idaho.

An intersection in "downtown" Stanley, Idaho. The houses shown are typical structures for the area.

Photos by Celeste Fox. Happy Birthday 2011, from Gene, Tash & Frank.

You know you're from Boston if...

2011-05-20T19:15:00.031-04:00

...you pronounce it "hosses". I heard from old friend Carole-Terese Naser this week, a racewalking training buddy from back home in Massachusetts.

We attended the Preakness together many moons ago, so this year's running of the race caused us both to recall some cherished memories. She discovered my blog searching the net.

I learned that Carole moved to Maine a few years ago and started a horse sanctuary. Priscilla Presley adopted one of her rescue horses, Max, and now he lives at Graceland. Once upon a time I went with her to feed her horse, Pops, a previously mistreated carnival horse she had when we both lived in Newburyport, MA. Pops is still kicking at 31.

She sent me this article she wrote about Zenyetta. This year she likes Shackleford in the Preakness.

Carole, if you read this, thanks for letting a hoss remind you of your old friend (that's no coincidence, eh?). And sincere congratulations on your efforts to protect horses. Nice photo of you and Pops there (Popeye when he was younger, right?).

I have some experience with horses myself, although I haven't ridden one since Annie Oakley purposely took me multiple times under the same low hanging branch 40+ years ago. I went to a Horses and Healing Conference in New Hampshire in 2005 and, of course, fed Delilah's horses while living on her farm near Seattle in 2006.

So, while I think of it, here are my top 10 pieces of advice that I learned about horses as I hung out with Carole and other dear friends over the years:

1. When riding a horse, wear hard-soled shoes, long pants and always, always, always wear a helmet.

2. Don't press up against a horses rear end. Not only might you get kicked (or worse) but the horse might think you are something good to lean against. When that happens you could both fall over and the horse will be on top.

3. Don't bet on the horses. Nearly all horse players die broke.

4. The two best songs about horses, in my opinion, are "Stewball" (I like the Joan Baez version a bit more than the Peter, Paul & Mary effort) and "Run for the Roses", written by Dan Fogleberg and best sung by Jane Olivor.

And here is the link for Run for the Roses.

5. Horses are very smart, loyal and sensitive. Despite their size they are usually very gentle. When you meet horses for the first time, exhale into their nostrils. It is also and helpful if you have a raw carrot you can share.

6. Insects can be a problem for horses, especially mosquitos that carry sleeping sickness and other diseases.

7. Horses have healing power for humans. They are used as partners, not just tools, in the treatment of Asperger's, many paraplegics, and other handicapped including children with emotional disorders.

8. If a woman tells you she would rather have a horse than jewelry, you had better believe her.

9. Don't call horses "hosses" unless you want people to know you are from New England.

10. When you want a horse to stop, just say "Whoa!". I wish that would also work with...(never mind)

Emma Pumpelly (1847 - abt. 1925)

2011-04-02T06:08:00.000-04:00

A barge floats down the Missouri river, not far from Sedalia, where Emma and Alonzo Speer lived in 1920.

Note: This blog entry was first posted in my Embryos blog 10/21/08

Emma A. (Amelia) Pumpelly (Pumpelle) was the 4th child of Daniel George and Julia (Sears) Pumpelly. Emma (listed in the 1920 census as Amelia A.) was born in Ohio in Nov 1847. She is not with her parents in Eola in 1870, but was certainly marrying age by then.

The names of all of the Eola residents in 1870 were manually searched. There were no Emmas between the ages of 21 and 23, or Emmas of any age born in Ohio, living in Eola at that time.

Emma maried Alonzo Ellis Speer, b. Nov 1840, birthplace MO, probably in Polk County, OR, before 1869. Emma Pumpelly probably married in Oregon and moved back to Missouri. Their first child, George is listed as born in OR. However, I have not been able to locate any such place as "Belgian Branch, Oregon." Perhaps Emma never left MO with her family in 1862, but she would have been quite young to leave behind. She and Alonzo possibly met as children and she moved back to Missouri with him after they married.

In the 1900 census, Emma is living in Washington township, Clark County, Missouri and is listed as being the mother of 8 children, all 8 of them still living in 1900. Alonzo is still going strong, at age 79, in the 1920 Sedalia, Missouri, census. Emma is with him in 1920, listed as age 72.

The children of Alonzo E. and Emma A. (Pumpelly) Speer:

i. George Alonzo Speer, b. 18 Nov 1869, Belgian Branch, Oregon, d. 21 Oct 1920 Illinois
m. abt 1889 Mary Lucinda Grindle, b. 16 Mar 1871 Missouri, d. 28 Nov 1952 Iowa
-- b.1890, Floyd I. Speer (Missouri)
-- b.1893, Edith Blanche Speer (Missouri)
-- b.1896, Forest Lilian Speer (Missouri)
-- b.1901, Lyde Lee Speer (Missouri)

ii. Florence A. Speer, b. 21 Apr 1874, Clark County, Missouri

iii. Albert Speer, probably b. between 1875 and 1878, m. Emma Raine.

iv. Bonnie Speer, probably b. between 1875 and 1878

?. Brent Speer, born Nov 1879, listed as "boarder & farm laborer" in the 1900 census, whereas the others on the page listed below are recorded as "son". So Brent Speer may or may not have been their child. If he was their child, that would make 9 children instead of 8, as recorded in the census data.

v. James (?) or Thomas (?) Speer, b. unknown

vi. Shelton G Speer, b.June 1881, MO

vii. Otto Speer, b.June 1884, MO, m. Grace Mary Herberths

viii. Ezra Speer, b.Feb 1892, MO

The following entry is in the 1900 census for Washington, Clark, Missouri:

Alonzo Speer, age 59, birthplace MO
Emma Speer, age 52, birthplace OH
Brent Speer, age 20
Shelton G Speer, age 19
Otto Speer, age 15
Ezra Speer, age 8

Searching for Daniel Pumpelly

2010-10-14T05:54:00.002-04:00

Note: This entry was first posted in my Embryo blog 10/14/08

A few weeks ago I had never heard of Eola, Oregon. And, judging from the responses of my friends, neither had anyone else around here. So I was surprised to learn that during pioneer days an effort was made to establish the state capital in Eola.

Since moving to Oregon City a year and a half ago, I have been on a quest to determine if any of my relatives made it across the Oregon Trail in a covered wagon. One possibility was brought to my attention by my brother Ray. A pioneer by the name of Daniel George Pumpelly left Missouri with his wife and children in 1862 headed for Oregon. According to the 1870 census, they made it to Eola in Polk County.

I have written elsewhere about my ancestors, specifically the Pumpellys, but my focus right now is on Daniel, his wife Julia Sears Pumpelly, and their eight children: Zanetta, James, Barnard, Amanda, Marcellus, Jemima, Emma and Selena. I am trying to determine when they arrived in Eola as well as where and when they died.

I started by doing what any diligent 21st century researcher would do: I googled Eola. It still exists, six miles west of Salem, near a ninety degree turn in the Willamette River known as Eola Bend. The current population is 61, up from 47 in 2000. I checked mapquest and downloaded a satellite image. It looks like a trailer park. Wait a minute! Did they have trailer parks in 125 years ago, or maybe the covered wagon equivalent?

My first question concerned the origin of the name of the town. I have heard the story of a place called Enola, in Clackamas County, which lies just north of Zigzag River and west of Devil Canyon. The name Enola was made by spelling Alone backward, named by a homesteader who had a home that was quite isolated. I wondered whether Eola was Aloe in reverse.

Actually, the village of Eola was founded in 1851 by A.C.R. Shaw, famous for moving the first flock of sheep across the Oregon Trail. But he didn’t call it Eola. He called it Cincinnati. Apparently, the town’s appearance on the bend of the river resembled, in his mind, the city by that name in Ohio. Another famous pioneer, Abigail Scott Duniway, taught school in Cincinnati in 1853.

The town was platted in 1855 and the name changed to Eola when it was incorporated by the territorial legislature on January 17, 1856. The name comes from Aeolus, god of the winds in Greek mythology. An influential local music enthusiast, Lindsay Robbins, disliked the name Cincinnati and offered the new name because he was fond of the Aeolian harp. As plans were being made for Oregon statehood in 1859, an effort was made by local residents to establish the state capital in Eola.

Source: Oregon Geographic Names, 4th edition (updated 1974, original 1928), by Lewis A. McArthur.

For an interesting article on the Aeolian harp, go here: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF10/1070.html

Click here to hear an Aeolean wind harp:
http://www.harpmaker.net/windharp.htm

Mile 14 - Behind the Wall

2010-10-09T21:28:00.011-04:00

“Don’t you live in Massachusetts? Why go to Kansas?” Martin asked.

“My father is living in the area,” I said, not wanting to reveal his exact location.

Martin Morrison, Executive Director of the U. S. Chess Federation, was on the phone. I called him in response to a press release announcing that President Ford declared October 9, 1976, as “National Chess Day.” For the first time, a sitting president set aside “a day to give special recognition to a game that generates intellectual stimulation and enjoyment for citizens of all ages.”

The objective of the program was to instigate growth in the popularity of chess by staging as many chess events as possible in schools, libraries, prisons and shopping malls around the country. Leavenworth Penitentiary was on the list of venues that expressed interest in hosting an event.

“Well, we still need players and not many others have expressed interest in visiting prisons. If you can make it at 5:30 pm on the 9th, the gig is yours,” he said.

“Playing 15 or 20 simultaneous chess games will be fun,” I said.

My credentials for the assignment were not exactly stellar. I earned my correspondence chess master title the previous year in the old American Postal Chess League and won my section of the most recent New York State Championship. But my over-the-board rating of 1956 was only Class A in the U.S. Chess Federation’s ratings hierarchy, two levels below Master. The thought quickly occurred to me that I could go out there and lose all my games. Still, it seemed like the right thing to do.

I was on hold 45 minutes when a familiar voice came on the line.
“Hello, son, what’s wrong?”
“Hi Dad, nothing is wrong. I’m coming to visit you on October 9th,” I said.
“You will need to get clearance,” he said. “So far, nobody has been allowed to see me.”
“It’s all set up. I’m an invited guest of the Department of Corrections.”
“Seriously?”
I gave him the details but couldn’t tell whether or not he was pleased.
“I’ll come early so we can talk,” I said. “They told me I can have dinner in the mess hall with the inmates.”
“Okay, we can sit together. I’ll introduce you to some of my new friends.”
“I’ll bring you some cigarettes, Dad. Is there anything else you need?”
“Yes, I would like a bible. I’m taking a course and want to become an ordained minister,” he said.

Thoughts of my dad in a cleric collar pushed aside everything else I had on my mind and, after an uncomfortable pause, I said: “Hey Dad, do me a favor. Please don’t bet any money on me this time.”
“All right, I won’t,” he promised.

The flight was uneventful, but getting from the gate at the Kansas City airport to the hotel was an ordeal. I lugged a box with two dozen chess books and one bible. My intention was to give a book as a prize to anyone who beat me. It was difficult enough walk to with my cane and leg brace, even without the suitcase and the damn books. Now, standing in the rain waiting for a cab to the hotel, I cursed my dad for being 1,500 miles from home.

The prison sent a van to pick me up at the Ramada Inn. Once we arrived at the service gate, the driver carried the books to the gym where 16 sets of pieces were neatly arranged on a row of chessboards. There was a poster on the wall that announced, “New York State Chess Champion to take on all comers.” Underneath someone had written in black magic marker: “He’s Junior’s son!”
I expected to see bars and isolation cells, but the camp was for white collar criminals and resembled a college dormitory. My father, like everyone else, was dressed in a light blue, long sleeve shirt with denim jeans.

“The maximum security prison is behind the wall,” he said. “If anyone misbehaves here, they get shipped over there. Nobody wants that, so things remain calm most of the time.”
“That’s sounds like enough motivation to stay out of trouble,” I said.
“Let me introduce you to my new roommate, David Hall. He was the governor of Oklahoma.”

Mr. Hall was a short man with light hair and a firm handshake. He was a bit overweight, but I wouldn’t describe him as fat. Convicted of bribery and extortion involving the investment of his state’s employee retirement funds, he was transferred to another federal prison in Tucson shortly after I left. According to my father, some associates from his past were brought to Leavenworth. As a result, Governor Hall was moved to a new location to protect his health.

“Good to meet you, Governor,” I said.

The governor smiled pleasantly as he looked me in the eye and said, “Are we fixin’ to play some chess tonight?” It was the first time I ever heard someone use that particular choice of words, but certainly not the last.

My father continued with the introductions. I felt like I was in a receiving line at a shotgun wedding. “Over there is Julio from the Philippines. He murdered two people and stuffed them in his trunk. And here’s my friend, Doc. He works for the Syndicate in Dallas.”

“Hi,” I said feeling uneasy. I pulled out a handkerchief to wipe off my forehead and the back of my neck. “How bizarre,” I whispered to myself.
“My son is a C.P.A.,” Dad said.
“Wonderful,” Doc said. “If you’re ever in Texas, look me up. We can always use someone like you.”
I just nodded.

As I entered the gym the warden announced my name: “This is Frank Niro. He’s here all the way from the east coast.”
“Two peas in a pod,” someone yelled.
“Not really,” I answered, shaking my head vigorously.

The tables were arranged in a semi-circle with my opponents sitting on the same side. I made a move at each board and moved to the next. Two or three of the prisoners jumped from board to board offering advice to the person sitting. It was acceptable for players at a simultaneous exhibition to consult with each other, as long as they made a move when I arrived at their board and didn’t rearrange the pieces while I wasn’t looking.

The first game to end was against the warden. He fell into a standard trap and lost in six moves. When he tipped over his king, the prisoners cheered.
“Let’s play another,” he said quietly.
“Of course. Set up the pieces,” I said.

One by one, the games ended quickly. The exception was against a black man about six-foot-five who weighed more than 350 pounds. He played a known line in the Ruy Lopez twenty moves deep.
“What’s your name, sir?” I asked.
“They call me Piledriver,” he answered.
“Have you played much chess before?”
“Yes, I’m rated about 1900; I’m the prison champ.”
I offered him a draw and he responded with a smile and a handshake.
“Good game,” I said.

It was evident that I was not in danger of losing any games, so I decided to give a chess book to Piledriver. I turned around to locate the box. It was gone. Somebody had stolen my books!
“I’m sorry, but…”
Piledriver waved his hand: “Don’t worry none, man. I’ll get my book.”

A loud bell sounded and the two remaining inmates got up and left the room without saying a word.

“What just happened?” I asked the warden. “Is there some kind of roll call?”
“Nope, that was the bell for the 7 o’clock movie. They don’t actually know how to play chess. They were killing time so they wouldn’t have to go back to their rooms after dinner.”

So, counting the two aborted games as draws, my final record was 14 wins and three draws, all in less than 90 minutes. As I got ready to say goodbye to my dad, he let out a sigh.

“What’s the matter?” I asked. “Did I say something I shouldn’t have?”
“Shit,” he said. “I didn’t have any money on you. I couldda made a killing,”

Here is my favorite game from the event. I still have the original score sheet signed by my infamous opponent.

Frank Niro vs. David Hall (former governor of Oklahoma) [B96]
Leavenworth Penitentiary, KS (simultaneous exhibition)
October 9, 1976
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qc7 8.Qf3 b5 9.0–0–0 b4 10.e5 Bb7?! 11.Qh3 dxe5 12.Ncb5!? axb5 13.fxe5 Ne4

Play chess online

14.Nxe6! fxe6 15.Qxe6+ Be7 16.Bxb5+ Nc6 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 18.Bxc6+ Kf8 19.Rhf1+ Nf6 20.Qxe7+ Kxe7 21.exf6+ gxf6 22.Rfe1+ Kf7 23.Bxb7 Black resigned 1–0

Subsequent to the adventure in Kansas, my work and family obligations did not provide any time for chess tournaments. So I focused my energies on postal chess, sometimes carrying as many as 140 games at a time by mail. I won the 1973 APCL championship (completed in 1978) and frequently advanced to semi-final rounds of the Golden Knights, the name given to the annual U.S. Correspondence Championship. I competed for the United States against players from Finland, Japan, Russia, Great Britain and the Netherlands. One of my opponents was the World Correspondence Chess Champion, Gert Jan Timmerman. My I.C.C.F. rating peaked at 2376 at a time before the advent of strong chess-playing computers.

My favorite game from this period was against Max DeJong of Rockville, Maryland, then one of the top 25 correspondence players in the U.S.

Max DeJong vs. Frank Niro [B13]
1982 Golden Knights Semi-Finals
Played from 1983 to 1985

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 8.Qa4+ Bd7 9.Qc2 Qb6 10.Nf3 e6 11.a4 Qb3 12.Nbd2 Qxc2 13.Bxc2 Nh5 14.Be3 Bd6 15.Ne5 Nc6 16.Nxd7 Kxd7 17.0–0 f5 18.f4 Nf6 19.Nf3 Na5 20.Ne5+ Ke8 21.Bd3 Bxe5 22.fxe5 Ne4 23.Rae1 Rc8 24.Re2 Nc4 25.Bf4 Rg8 26.Rc2 g5 27.Bc1 Rc7 28.b3 Na5 29.b4 Nc4 30.Be2 g4 31.Bxc4 Rxc4 32.Bb2 Kd7 33.a5 Rgc8 34.Rfc1 Kc6 35.g3 Kb5 36.Rg2 Ka4 37.Ba1 37...R4c7 38.Kf1 Kb3 39.Rb2+ Kc4 40.Ra2 Rf7 41.a6 b6 42.Kg1 f4 43.gxf4 Rxf4 44.Kg2 h5 45.Kg1 h4 46.Rac2 Rf3 47.Rg2 g3 48.hxg3 hxg3 49.Rf1 Rcf8 50.Rxf3 Rxf3 51.Bb2 Rf2 52.Bc1 Rxg2+ 53.Kxg2 Kxc3 54.Bh6 Kxb4 55.Bf8+ Ka5 0–1

My interest in chess took a strange but rewarding turn in 1984 when I became editor of Chess Horizons, the bi-monthly Massachusetts state chess publication. The magazine won the ‘Best State Magazine’ award both years that I was at the helm and I earned individual awards for writing, layout and photography. In 1986, I received honorable mention from my peers at Chess Journalists of America in the category ‘Chess Journalist of the Year.’

At the 1986 New York Open, International Arbiter Jerry Bibuld introduced me to Boris Spassky as “the editor of the best chess magazine written in the English language.” That was an exaggeration, of course, but I was astounded years later when I met Spassky in Miami and he remembered me as a well respected chess editor.

My friendships with John Curdo, Stephan Gerzadowicz and Harold Dondis blossomed during my time with Chess Horizons. John was many times Massachusetts and New England champion and won the first U.S. Senior Open. He was also my first chess coach. In 1985, John came to work for me in the hospital’s print shop, his first regular job in 15 years. Prior to that he had been able to make a comfortable living playing chess, writing and giving lessons.

Stephan (pronounced Stefan) was a correspondence chess master known to his friends as the Sunchoke Kid. He was given that moniker because of his propensity for growing odd vegetables in his garden and selling them to his chess opponents. I traded chess lessons with Stephan for help with his successful training program for the 1986 Boston Peace Marathon.

Harold was the chess columnist for the Boston Globe and the founder of the U.S. Chess Trust. I was a regular reader of Harold’s columns long before I met him. When business travel would take me away from home on a weekend, my wife would salvage the sports section and the hobbies page before throwing the Sunday paper in the trash. She folded them neatly on the bedside table so that I would have them to read whenever I returned home. Harold and I became colleagues during my editorial tenure, often exchanging information and perspectives about issues in the chess world. He was also a challenging foe across the chess board. We split our three tournament games with one win each and a hard fought draw.

Harold printed a game every week in his column. Sometimes they were local games but, most often, they were sharp duels between well known players. He was not one for publishing games of his friends. The games had to be interesting, logical and crisp. They also had to be short enough to fit into the limited space in the column. When he published the following game from the 1988 U.S. Open, I was quite pleased.

Paul Ascolese (2154) vs. Frank Niro, (1913) [A10]
U.S. Open, Boston, MA (Round 6)
August 12, 1988

1.c4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d6 4.Nc3 g6 5.e3 Bg7 6.d4 0–0 7.Nge2 c6 8.0–0 e5! 9.b3 Nbd7 10.Bb2 Nh5 11.Qd2 f4!? 12.exf4 exf4 13.gxf4 Bh6!³ 14.Qd3 Ndf6 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Bxe4 Qh4 17.Bc1 Bh3 18.Bg2 Bxg2! 19.Kxg2 Bxf4 20.Bxf4 Rxf4 21.Qe3 Re4! 0–1

Shortly after the Ascolese game, I defeated young Master David Vigorito (now an International Master) when he overextended his position against my Dutch defense. The game pushed my over-the-board rating past 2000 into the so-called Expert category. It was the top of the mountain for me. With a busy career and growing children I had little time to to play chass and zero time to study. I began my downhill slide.

Once my dad was released from prison he started a trucking company in St.Louis, Missouri. When one of his partners suddenly disappeared, he and his friend Jackie Ward went panning for gold on the Salmon River deep in the woods of Idaho. I laughed at the thought of it and teased my father more than once. “Couldn’t you find a better euphemism than that for going on the lam?” I asked.
“What’s a euphemism?” was his only response.

When Jackie was sentenced to life in prison for murder (the victim was somebody other than the disappeared partner – though I suspect that Jackie made that happen as well), my father moved to Florida and started a cactus growing business. I didn’t have much contact with him during his final years; that is, until he was diagnosed with lung cancer. His 40 years of chain smoking and working with his asbestos caught up to him.

My brother and I flew my dad to Massachusetts and alternated caring for him with our stepsister during the last ten weeks of his life. Despite everything that happened between us, my father died holding my hand in the hospital where I was the Administrator.

After he passed away, we found a folded up deed for land in Idaho among his papers.

I Write Like...check this out

2010-07-17T00:44:00.001-04:00

Here's the link, courtesy of Yahoo! News

I write like
Stephen King

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Rest in Peace, George

2010-07-14T17:26:00.001-04:00

From this morning's Oregonian. Rest in Peace, George. But, no disrepect intended; it made me laugh!

Twenty Years

2010-04-16T20:22:00.005-04:00

It is hard to believe that it has been twenty years since I crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon for the last time, together with my friends Ruth Rothfarb and Marie Fitzherbert. The scan above is the mylar "blanket" that the race officials threw over my shoulders at the end of the race.

May God rest your soul, Abele Bikila, wherever you are:

featuring: Albin Stenroos Paris 1924, Emil Zátopek Helsinki 1952, Alain Mimoun Melbourne 1956, Abebe Bikila Rome 1960, Tokyo 1964, Mamo Wolde Mexico 1968, Josiah Thugwane Atlanta 1996, Abera Sydney 2000, Samuel Wanjiru Beijing 2008 (RIP), Montreal 1976 Waldemar Cierpinski, Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984 Carlos Lopez, Munich 1972 Frank Shorter, London 2012, Kitei Son Berlín 1936, Juan Zabala, Haile Gebrselassie, Paavo Nurmi.

Knowledge: A different part of the Ocean

2010-03-11T04:53:00.006-05:00

so who among us has anything to brag about? - W. Edwards Deming

The 90-year-old speaker shuffled onto the dias, a young co-ed supporting each arm as he made his way to the overstuffed chair that would be his platform for the next four days. And I, along with 1,800 other suit-and-tie types crammed into a downtown Washington DC ballroon, sat transfixed as the master made his entrance. It was, as it turns out, the last great seminar for Dr. W. Edwards Deming and I was glad that HCA gave me the opportunity to be there.

"How would they know?", he started. Then he sat silently for the next five minutes as he tried to make eye contact one by one with every person in attendance. Four simple words and a pregnant pause summed up the essence of the conference.

As time goes by, I will try to add more about Dr. Deming and his impact on businesses in America...especially businesses in the service industry.

Additional Deming quotes:

“It is not enough to do your best; you must know what to do, and then do your best.”

“If you do not know how to ask the right question, you discover nothing.”

Last month Mark Graban pointed out on Lean Blog that "...Toyota has gotten away from the teachings of Dr. Deming that were so influential in their development of the Toyota Production System...". I definitely agree. Therein lies the essence Toyota's problems today.

Grandmaster Sighting on Puget Sound

2010-02-15T20:02:00.000-05:00

Tash Niro, Frank Niro & Susan Polgar at Delilah's 50th birthday benefit for Point Hope, February 13,2010

A nice game from the Oregon Open

2009-09-10T15:33:00.000-04:00

FM Nick Raptis, one of three active chess masters in Oregon, won the top section of the 2009 Oregon Open with a score of 5 1/2 points out of 6. His only draw was in the 5th round against Steven Breckenridge

The following game was played in the final round of last weekend's Oregon Open held on the campus of Mount Hood Community College in Gresham between Washington residents Josh Sinanan and Paul Bartron.

Oregon Open 2009
Rd. 6, Gresham, OR
September 7, 2009

Josh Sinanan (2268) vs. Paul Bartron (2134)
Queen’s Gambit Accepted (D21)

1.d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3

The Queen’s Gambit Accepted has been seen fairly often in the Northwest in recent years. For example, Ricky Selzler won a crisp game with the white pieces in last year’s Washington Open: 3.e3 e5 4.Bxc4 exd4 5.Qb3 Qe7 6.a3 g6 7.Nf3 Bg7 8.0-0 d3 9.e4 Nc6 10.Nc3 Ne5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.Bxf7+! Kf8 (12...Qxf7 13.Qb5+ followed by 14.Qxe5) 13.Bxg8 Rxg8 14.Bh6+ Bg7 15.Nd5 Qd8 16.Bf4 c5 (16...Be6 17.Rad1! +-) 17.Nc7 Qf6 18.Bg3 Qxb2 19.Bd6 mate, R. Selzler (2156) - Y. Rozenfeld (1960), WA Open 2008.

3...a6 4. a4 Nf6 5. Nc3 c5 6. d5 e6 7. e4 exd5 8. e5 d4 9. exf6 dxc3 10. Qxd8+ Kxd8 11.bxc3 gxf6 12.Bxc4 Be6Black has emerged from the opening a pawn ahead. His doubled f-pawns and exposed king provide White with inadequate compensation. Fritz gives Black a small edge here.

13. Be2 Bd6 14. 0-0 Nc6 15. Nd2 Be5 16. Ne4 Bf5!

The best way to maintain the advantage. The alternative 16...b6?! allows White to gain sufficient counterplay for equality after 17.f4! f5 18.Nxc5 (not 18.fxe5?! when Black will keep his pawn after 18...fxe4 19.Rf4 Re8 20.Rxe4 Bd5 21.Bg5+ Kc7 22.Re3 Nxe5 23.Bf4 f6) 18...Bxc3 (18...bxc5? 19.fxe5 gives White the edge) 19.Nxe6+ fxe6 20.Rd1+ Kc7 21.Ra3 Bg7 22.Rad3 =.

17. f4 Bxe4 18 .fxe5 Rg8 19. g3 Nxe5 20. Rxf6 Ke7 21. Rf4 Bg6

Worthy of consideration was 21...Bd3!? attempting to neutralize White’s two bishops.

22. Ba3 Rgc8 23. Rd1 f6 24. Rd5Fritz suggests 24.a5 immediately in order to hold back Black’s b-pawn from the defense of the weak pawn on c5. But after 24...Rc6 followed by 25...Rac8, Black can always break the bind with ...b5 at some point.

24...b6 25. a5 Bf7 26. Rd1 b5 27. Bf1 Rc7 28. Bg2 Rg8 29. Rdf1 Bc4 30. R1f2 Rd8 31. Be4
Tournament Director Mike Morris thanks the players for their participation.

Now Black’s edge is decisive. Trying to get fancy with 31.Rd4!? won’t help due to 31...Rxd4 32.cxd4 b4! -+.

31...h5

31...Rd1+ 32.Kg2 Ra1 may have been a bit more efficient because the text allows White to keep the rook out for awhile with 32.Bc2! There’s no need to quibble, however, as Black demonstrates that he has the game well in hand.

32. h3 Rd1+ 33. Kh2 Bd3 34. Bxd3 Nxd3 35. Re2+ Kf7 36. Rf3 b437. cxb4 cxb4 38. Bb2 Nxb2

Black chooses to liquidate down to a won rook and pawn endgame, the practical choice with the end of time control approaching (move 40). 38...Rxc6!?, eliminating all counterplay, was another worthwhile approach.

39. Rxb2 Rc3 40. Rbf2 Rxf3 41. Rxf3 Rd5 42. Rb3 Rb5 0-1Black will walk his king to c4 to escort the pawn home while freeing his rook to capture on a5 at will.

C'mon over to our house

2009-08-06T07:30:00.000-04:00

Photo above is our 1907 residence at 1114 Washington Street, Oregon City, OR (obviously taken in cooler weather). C'mon over this weekend and say "hello". We are #1 on the map below, at the corner of 12th and Washington.

This weekend marks the 13th Annual McLaughlin Historic District Neighborhood Block Party & Yard Sale in Oregon City, Oregon. Tash and I will be participating for the first time, with much of the proceeds from our efforts going to support The Geezer Gallery.

There are over 300 particpants this year at various sites throughout the neighborhood, including 89 different personal residences such as ours. The sale runs Friday, August 7th and Saturday, August 8th from 9 am to 4 pm. A limited number of participants will also set up on Sunday. Not us...we'll have had enough bonding with the neighbors by then. We are looking forward to it. Hopefully, the dry weather with stay with us for two more days.

The following images show the official brochure and map supplied by the annual event sponsor, Terry Stewart. Terry is a real estate broker at Oregon Realty Company in Oregon City. Click on the images below to enlarge them.

The Other Side of the Story

2009-07-03T01:30:00.000-04:00

GM Susan Polgar, former Women's World Chess Champion

As the US Chess Federation annual election approaches, petty politics dominate the scene once again. There have been mailings and Internet posts galore advocating one stance or another. I purposely distanced myself from USCF politics long ago and am content to be "an ordinary chess player" again. It's what's best for my stress level.

I don't have an opinion on any of the candidates running for election. But I DO have an opinion about one of the existing board members who has been subject to relentless political attacks in recent months: Susan Polgar. I have come to know her as a person of integrity that has always put the best interests of the game of chess and its advancement in society at the top of her agenda. As a result, I feel compelled to do my part in telling the other side of the story.

The following is reprinted from a June article on ChessCafe.com courtesy of Susan Polar's chess blog entitled "The Dirty Hidden Truth":

"How could a national organization, an organization which claims that it has no money to do many things for the benefit of chess and its members, afford to spend $500,000, $600,000, $700,000 or perhaps even more than $1,000,000 in legal fees for political purposes? How could a national organization, an organization which at one time had annual revenues over $6 million, sink this low? Finally, how can we fix the problems, to make things better, when the problems are being hidden and kept secret from the membership at large?

One of the key problems is the structure of the organization itself. It is very difficult to implement sound changes when the leadership is so far behind understanding the rapidly changing business world. If we do not understand our customers and do not offer what they want, we are doomed to fail. So many chess politicians have hung around for decades doing everything imaginable to grab and hold on to their power. Some have done this for three, four or even five decades.

Why? For some, it is very lucrative. For others, they are addicted to power. Many care more about their personal, financial and political agenda than the welfare of chess, the USCF and its members.

Many of my friends, including 3-time U.S. Champion Grandmaster Lev Alburt, have warned me about the dirty and vicious chess politics. I know that it is not easy to make positive changes. However, if no one is willing to step up to the plate and go to bat for the members, how can things get better?

... My experience on the USCF Executive Board in the past two years is like a mirror image of what GM Alburt said, except a lot worse. I am not a chess politician and I have no desire to get involved in the filthy disgusting world of chess politics. I did not want the failed status quo to continue. My sole intention was and is to help chess and the USCF.

In the past two years, instead of working with me and helping me promote chess to benefit our entire sport, some of these chess politicians have spread the most outrageous and vicious rumors and lies, trying to destroy my reputation, my employment at Texas Tech University, and my family. They even stooped so low as to use my children (who are only 8 and 10) as one of their targets.

Knowing that I am a one of the biggest advocates for scholastic chess in this country, especially for girls, some of these people spewed out the disgustingly offensive rumor that my husband and I were child abusers. They claimed that we abused my children and we even forced them to consume hot sauce. This sort of despicable thing made its way to the internet and even made its way to my employer Texas Tech University as well as to sponsors and potential sponsors. This outrageous lie was even tossed around within the USCF leadership as a way to pressure my husband and me to resign from the board even though they knew that it was false.

There were countless remarks and postings telling my husband and me to go “back to where we came from.” Some said this is the United States Chess Federation and not the United Nations Chess Federation, and a foreigner had no business running the USCF, while others were openly discussed ways to deport me back to my native Hungary although I have been an American citizen for a number of years and both my children were born in the U.S.

Ironically, the USCF and some board members have continued to deny that they have had anything to do with this despicable conduct, but their own attorney made sure to demand that I show proof that I am in the U.S. legally and if I “hot-sauced” my children in the past!? Outrageous, but true! Coincidence? You decide.

Some called me a “whore,” “bitch” and worse, with words that are not appropriate to print. They even created a public website about this. I informed the USCF and its board members, but they chose to ignore this and do nothing. Instead of investigating such vile and despicable conduct, the USCF and the board majority spent hundreds of thousands of dollars investigating us!

To support their agenda, misleading and one-sided information was published in Chess Life, the USCF website, in mailings and to the email list so I would have no opportunity to respond or correct the record...

It is a tough battle fighting "the system". But it is a fight that all USCF members must take on to save what's left of this federation. Some of the same people have chased away so many good sponsors, volunteers and even members for years by attacking and destroying them so they can keep control of this federation.

If they can do this to me and my family, they will not spare anyone standing in their way. The USCF will not survive financially much longer if this trend of destruction continues. They have damaged the USCF enough. It is time to bring in professionals to fix and rebuild this federation. Please help me get the word out. Thank you!

Susan Polgar"

In the 38 years that I have been a life member of the USCF, I have never been more appalled as to the lack of knowledge of the USCF leadership concerning the meaning of "fiduciary responsibility." I echo Susan's sentiments as expressed on ChessCafe.com and reprinted above. I have personally felt the effects of the USCF negative politics, but this is not about me. I recommend that you look to Susan's blog and web site for her recommendations on the coming USCF Executive Board elections.

Vuvuzela

2009-06-29T15:13:00.001-04:00

Quote of the day: "Remember...you only hate them if you don't have one." - Boogieblast sales pitch (from the Oregonian, 6/29/09)

Not since I went to Disney World and couldn't get the tune from "It's a Small World" out of my head have I found a sound so annoying as the Vuvuzela. I never heard of it before yesterday and, based on a search on the Internet, I've obviously had my head in the sand. I'm a fan of most sports, but soccer has never been at the top of the list. Nevertheless, I turned in to the U.S.-Brazil match yesterday and initially thought my TV was failing.

Here's what I posted yesterday on my facebook page:

"wondering what's up with all the kazoos at the FIFA soccer final. Watching the US-Brazil game sounded like a beehive inside my head. Is that a South Africa thing? Hope it doesn't catch on at chess tournaments..."

Well, thanks to this morning's Oregonian sports page, I now have the answer:

"As south Africa gears up to host next year's soccer World Cup, there are plenty of doomsayers predicting the worst. If transportation shortages don't ruin the event, crime will. The beer will run out. Or the stadiums will be half empty.

But no one expected an ugly plastic trumpet to dominate the controversy.

Hatred of the "vuvuzela", the noisemaker wielded by South African soccer fans, ignited the blogosphere even before the FiFA Confederations Cup, the country's dry run for 2010.

"During the current tournament, foreign players, coaches and journalists have called for a ban on the vuvuzela.

One vuvuzela - a loud, toneless blast - sounds something like a foghorn. But a stadium full of vuvuzelas, all tooting simultaneously, is either the most exhilarating sound or a noise so irritating it borders on painful, depending on the listener.

Video clips of groups playing the vuvuzela like a melodic instrument can be found on YouTube (see example above). But a more accurate sound clip is found at www.boogieblast.co.az, which claims to be the trumpet's original distributor..."

-- from the Oregonian, 6/29/09; original source: wire reports

Among the news reports I found on the Internet is this from "The World Cup's biggest concern is a trumpet" on The New ForeignPolicy.com :

"Described by one newspaper as "a unique brightly coloured elongated trumpet that makes a sound like a herd of elephants approaching", the vuvuzela has become the biggest controversy at this summer's Confederations Cup [a small tournament between continental champions that functions as a World Cup warm-up].

Fans argue that it is an essential way to express their national identity. But players and TV commentators have called for it be banned at the World Cup.

Liverpool's Xabi Alonso, playing for Spain in the current tournament, said: "They make a terrible noise and it's not a good idea to have them on sale outside the grounds. Here's a piece of advice for Fifa [football's world governing body,] - try to ban them."

The South African Association of Audiology has warned that vuvuzelas can damage hearing.

But supporters are sticking to their horns. Chris Massah Malawai, 23, watching the national team beat New Zealand, said: "This is our voice. We sing through it. It makes me feel the game."

When asked, FIFA President Sepp Blatter (that's his real name), replied:

"I always said that when we go to South Africa, it is Africa. It's not western Europe. It's noisy, it's energy, rhythm, music, dance, drums. This is Africa. We have to adapt a little."

I'll watch the World Cup with my sound muted. Enough said.

In a Blink

2009-06-25T18:21:00.000-04:00

Recently I took a writing class with Jami Bernard and "met" Stacy Stenberg Jensen. Stacy is writing a fabulous memoir about coping after her husband became paralyzed. While perusing facebook I discovered her blog and recommend it for anyone needing cheering up during tough times, or who simply likes to read good writing.

Here is Stacy's story in her own words:

As a journalist, I have always shared the stories of people in my community. Today, I'm am writing a book In a Blink, about the challenges my late husband Jimmy and I faced following a one in a million stroke. We faced physical, emotional and financial struggles. In a Blink is our story, but many can relate to the challenges of being a caregiver and a spouse.

I write about caregiving issues at http://GetYourOxygenFirst.blogspot.com and I help my dog Eddie write about life, political and four-legged issues at http://EddieandMaulyBones.blogspot.com. I work as a freelance writer.

My husband Andy and I have been exploring Texas and its state parks since we moved to the Border Town of Del Rio, Texas. We enjoy travel and adventure. We share our home with our furry friends, who offer an assortment of adventures.

Stacy S. Jensen

Stacy has provided me with encouragement and support as I attempt to complete my own memoir. Check her out at Stacy Writes.

If you have a facebook account, please look me up. New friends will be treasured as such.

Best wishes,
Frank Niro

Master Handicapper and Grandmaster Friend

2009-06-18T18:55:00.000-04:00

Richard Ramaskwich shown here holding twelve $100 bills after an afternoon at the races in Wheeling, WV, during the summer of 1989.

My "Frannie the Racing Greyhound" blog is dedicated to my late friend, Richard "Bomber" Ramaskwich. My decision to start talking about him was stimulated by a poster named BarbaroFan on the greyhound handicapping forum sponsored by greybase known as H.A.W.G. I'll let the exchange of posts introduce our hero...

My first post to BarboroFan included this note about Richard: "One of my friends from Milford recently passed away. He and I visited dog tracks all over the U.S. between 1970 and 2000. I miss him very much. This blog will allow me to mine some of the memories."

Barbaro Fan wrote back: "I think I knew Richard Ramaskwich through a friend in the Sports Memorabilia business - if I remember he was a baseball card collector and one heck of a good tenpin bowler! Saw him frequently at Rayham and Lincoln. When I saw the name on the blog it rang a bell...God Bless Richard!"

My response: "You aren't referring to Billy Hedin by any chance, are you? When Billy was in high school, Richard and I stopped by his house in Marlboro to trade baseball cards. We saw him many times at BBC shows after that.

Yes, he was a fantastic bowler, as consistent on the lanes as anyone I ever met. We bowled in many leagues and tournaments together over the years. We also frequented Raynham and Lincoln (and quite a number of other puppy venues as well).

One time Richard and I bowled together in Cincinnati (Hoinke Classic), but he was so intent on getting to Tri-State Greyhound Park in West Virginia that he set a land speed record betweeen southern Ohio and Wheeling so that we could bet the afternoon double.

Richard taught me the golden, silver and bronze rules of gambling. As a result, I owe him thousands of dollars that I might have otherwise lost.

Golden Rule: Never bet money that you can't afford to lose.

Silver Rule: Gambling and alcohol do not mix.

Bronze Rule: Don't bet every race.

Thanks for the validation and, if you see Billy, tell him I hope he is well."

Barbaro Fan: "Yes I am refering to Billy Hedin, Baseball Card collector and Show promoter, and a friend of mine since High School. I was talking to him today on the phone in fact. He's been married since 1995 and lives in nearby Framingham.

If you were with Rich at the track and saw Billy, chances are that I was the other guy that was with him. I used to call Rich "PBA" out of respect to his tremendous bowling talent.

I'm laughing at that story about going to Tri-State, Rich could get excited at times about going bowling or at the track!

Feel free to use my comments on the blog...

Small world, isn't it!!!"

Richard Ramaskwich bowling at the Hoinke Classic in Cincinnati, OH, 1989

There are so many stories to tell. I'll start by saying that we met in September 1955, on the first day of second grade, and became the closest of buddies for a very long time. I have three special memories that I will share in brief and then I will leave the details and other excursions for another time.

(1) On Father's Day 1958, Richard's father was planning to take him to the Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park vs. the Detroit Tigers. At that time it wasn't necessary to purchase tickets in advance. Richard insisted that his father bring me too. It turned out to be a game for the ages as Jim Bunning pitched a no-hitter. I was 9 years old and I remember it like it was yesterday.

(2) In 1967, we attended game #2 of the World Series together. The Red Sox played the St. Louis Cardinals. Jim Lonborg pitched a 2-hitter. We were in our late teens, but we had waited our entire lives to see the Sox in the Series.

(3) We co-invested in shares of a couple of racing greyhounds. We drove to Hinsdale, NH, to see one of them called Mount Budapet break her maiden. She is the #6 dog in the photo below. It was pretty exciting to be on the "owner" side of the game for a fleeting moment. And it was pretty funny when our royalty checks came. We each got $1.80 for our share of the purse after expenses!

We got our first taste of greyhound "ownership" by purchasing shares in Mount Budapet, shown here(#6)just before winning her maiden race at Hinsdale, NH.

For more, go here.

Note: As the sixth anniversary of Richard's death approches (he passed away on June 27, 2003), I am moving this post over here to my main blog. I still miss you, old friend.

Frank

Wiz Dog

2009-06-11T19:09:00.000-04:00

Having trouble potty training your dog?

Here's a new (click here) approach.

And here's another...
doggy litter

I would think that it this approach could be successful, we would have heard about it a long time ago.

Now, only a dog would exercise on its own.

For the doggie lovers among my friends. Originally posted in my "Frannie the Racing Greyhound" blog.

Memories of my Hospital Stay

2009-06-04T19:16:00.000-04:00

Quote of the day: “she pinned Miss Eliskas’ hand to your ass.”
“That’s…Not…Correct,” the instructor said in a professional voice while gritting her teeth. “Now then, let’s try that again.” "
I will use this space to share some of the memories from my hospital stay that lasted from December 22, 1967 to January 20, 1970.

Beep. Beep. Beep. That’s what I heard as I awoke in my new surroundings. It wasn’t the beep of an alarm clock. There seemed to be shopping carts going by, followed by other kinds of beeps. And people moaning. The room was dimly lit, like the after hour corridors of elementary school. I couldn’t change positions and every move caused a sharp pain below my waist. The odor was unlike anything I experienced before. It smelled as if someone poured rubbing alcohol into the kitty’s litter box.

A female voice startled me. “Welcome back to the world, young man. Happy New Year.” I could see the name Hannah on the plastic tag pinned to her white uniform. “I’m your nurse. They call me the rear admiral,” she said. “If you don’t know why, you’ll soon find out.”
“Where am I?”
“In Hartford Hospital. You were brought here ten days ago, just before Christmas. This is the Intensive Care Unit,” she said.
There were strings hanging from a bar – a Zimmer frame she called it – attached to my legs. My rear end was literally in a sling.
“You have three fractures of your pelvis,” Hannah said. “We’re going to have fun putting you on a bed pan.”
“Are my legs OK?”
“I better let your doctor discuss that with you. I’ll call him now. Dr. Raycroft asked us to let him know as soon as you woke up.”

A few hours later a kind-looking man in his late thirties walked into my room. Actually it was more like a cubicle. Three of the walls were made of glass that started a few feet above the floor and went to the ceiling. The man wore black thick-rimmed glasses and a white coat with his name embroidered on the pocket. Hannah stood behind holding a clipboard.
“I’m the person who put you back together after they scraped you out of the ditch. You’re a very lucky boy,” he said.
“Lucky?” I said. “I’m in a hospital, tied to this bed. How is that lucky?”
“If Dr. Rooney hadn’t been pulling into his driveway a moment after you were struck by that car, you would have bled to death on the side of the road. He took his shirt off and tore it into strips for tourniquets before he reached you”
“The last thing I saw was my legs curled under me like pretzels,” I said. “I don’t recall any doctor or tourniquets.”
“We gave you four pints of blood and, after nine hours of surgery, we’re not nearly done yet. At least you don’t have any injuries above you waist that we need to worry about.”
“Will I be able to run again?” I asked.
“It’s hard to tell. First we have to see if we can get rid of the infection and save your legs. I wouldn’t count on breaking any world records. Maybe you will discover some new dreams,” he said. “I’ll be back tomorrow to see how you’re doing.”
“Go ahead and transfer him to the orthopedic unit,” he told Hannah.
“Say thank you to Dr. Rooney for me, will you?” I said.
“I already have,” he replied.
“Your friend Rick Bayko will be happy to hear that you are being transferred,” Hannah said. “He has been calling every day. We told him that only family could visit you.”
“Was my family here?”
“Your Uncle Johnny came the first night. Nobody else.”

My first visitors were three Connecticut runners. Charlie Dyson was the president of the Hartford Track Club. Amby Burfoot, who lived 15 miles down the road on the campus of Wesleyan University, won the Philadelphia Marathon where I finished 12th. Amby considered me a maniac because I ran three 26-mile marathons in one week, but he appreciated my dedication to running. In that sense, we were kindred spirits. Jim Coucill, who I hadn’t met previously, walked with a cane. He was struck by a car while running in 1965. Charlie and Amby felt that Jim could give me some encouragement.
“We brought you some back issues of Track & Field News,” Charlie said. “A little light reading to keep your mind occupied.”

Rick Bayko made the three hour trip from Newburyport and stopped in Milford to pick up my mother. Rick was clearly anxious when he entered the room. “Les Balcom and Fred Brown have decided to reserve number #1 from each of the weekly club races for you,” he said as he gave me a handful of numbers with my initials stenciled on them.
“Where are the pins?” I asked.
“What, are you gonna pin them to the hair on your chest?” he answered.
It was the first time I laughed out loud in the hospital. For a few seconds, it made everything hurt more. But I was glad to see Rick.
“I’ve got bad news,” he said. “I’ve been drafted.”
“What do you mean, drafted?”
“I’m going into the army. I got my draft notice. I’ll be going to Viet Nam for sure and probably come home in a box.”
“No, you can’t,” I said. “You have to run for both of us.” I gave him the blood stained sweatshirt I was wearing the day of my accident.
All the while my mom sat in a chair next to my bed somberly peering out the window. Obviously having difficulty dealing with the situation, she spoke only a few words. I didn’t know what to say either, except, “Mom, it hurts a lot.” She kissed my forehead on the way out and said, “I love you. Come home soon.”

The 8th floor orthopedics unit was well lit with a lot more activity than the intensive care area. Most of the rooms had four beds with windows overlooking the city. My roommates, like me, were all in traction. Robbie Glass was in the bed between me and the window. A car forced him and his motorcycle off Interstate 91 and took off. Fortunately a state trooper was a quarter mile behind and witnessed the incident. He was able to call for help and apprehend the jerks that caused Robbie to break both legs. The 17-year-old son of an architect, Robbie was from a well-to-do family. It was easy tell by the way he spoke and the way his parents dressed.
Across from Robbie was Ron, who got a flat tire on New Year’s eve. When he opened his trunk to remove the spare tire, another car rear-ended him, trapping his legs between the two cars. Ron was 25 and married to the world’s best baker of toll house cookies.

Next to Ron and across from me was Jeff. He was admitted from the emergency room the same day I transferred from ICU. Jeff was a couple years older than the rest of us and, initially, was heavily medicated and not very alert. His Harley Davidson hit a patch of black ice and spun out, giving him an unexpected vacation at Hartford Hospital.

The traction apparatus consisted of long bars about six feet above the floor that extended from the backboard to the foot of the bed. Attached was a trapeze so that I could pull myself up while the nurses made the bed. In addition, there were a variety of poles, side bars, pulleys and strings. Robbie discovered that the diameter of the bars was the correct size for a roll of toilet paper, so he hung a roll above his head. That made it easier to maneuver on the bedpan. Eventually we all followed his example.

It didn’t take long for us to figure out that if we arranged it so we were all due our pain medications around the same time we would get better service. Once in awhile we yelled loudly for the nurses simultaneously but, usually, that wasn’t necessary. Most often it was sufficient for all four of us to press our call buttons. It was a good system for us and efficient for the staff. But it also meant we were all high on narcotics at the same time.

The housekeeper assigned to our ward was an elderly Italian lady named Philomena. She was particularly fond of me because I was an Italian boy. She tried to talk to me in Italian. But I was honest and told her that I was only familiar with the swear words and, for some strange reason, the word for cucumber.

Philomena mopped the floors, dusted, emptied our trash buckets and took great pride in her work. She asked if there was anything special she could do for me. I requested a couple of extra rolls of toilet paper for each of us. That way, I argued, we wouldn’t have to bother the nurses for replacements.

The next dose of demoral came on schedule. Robbie, Ron, Jeff and I mounted a fresh roll of toilet paper on our traction bars. Robbie yelled “GO” and the race was on to see who could unravel the entire roll fastest. It was a tie between me and Ron, so we reloaded and decided to do it again as a team race: Ron and Jeff versus Robbie and me. Our team won and I retired undefeated in toilet paper races.

Philomena walked into the room and went hysterical. “Mamma Mia Madonna. What you boys do!” she cried. She ran down the hall to the nurses station mumbling to herself in Italian. She came back a few minutes later with Mrs. Hanson, the head nurse, at her side. Mrs. Hanson had the reputation befitting a drill sergeant. Usually we only saw her on the daily rounds with the interns and residents. We figured we were about to get a major scolding and, worse, maybe separated as roommates.

Mrs. Hanson sternly surveyed the piles of unrolled toilet paper on each of our beds. She wanted to be supportive of Philomena, but she couldn’t hold back the laughter. “I guess you boys are feeling better,” she said. She turned around and walked out, still laughing as she headed toward her desk.

After a half dozen more operations for skin grafting, to lengthen tendons and re-set bones, Dr. Raycroft brought up the inevitable. “We need your consent to amputate your left leg,” he said. “It’s been ten weeks and the x-rays don’t show any healing. I’m afraid that the infection may spread. We have to remove necrotic tissue and some pieces of bone, so it may be best to take the whole thing.”
“Go ahead and hack the damn thing off if it’ll get rid of this pain,” I said. “It’s not doing me any good the way it is now. Do whatever you think is best.”

On March 4th they wheeled me to the operating room for my amputation. When I woke up in the recovery room I was startled. Not only did my left leg hurt more than ever, I had a new pain in my right hip.

“A miracle happened,” Dr. Raycroft said. “When we took your leg out of the cast, we tried to manipulate the bones and found there was healing. I couldn’t make it budge. A few days ago there was no healing at all showing on the x-ray.

I took a piece of bone from your iliac crest and put it in your leg at the site of the wound. Then Dr. Babcock, the plastic surgeon, elevated a six by four inch flap from behind your right calf, still attached like the cover of a book, and connected it to your left shin to improve the flow of blood to the area. We’ll leave it that way for six to eight weeks. In the meantime you will have to get used to that full body cast you’ve got on. It’s a 1968 model, designed just for you.”
“Wow,” I said. “But it still hurts like crazy. Can you increase my demoral from 100 to 150 milligrams?”
“Sure,” he said. “Whatever you need.”

A week later, my dad showed up unannounced. He was accompanied by Dan Ruggerio, the owner of an ambulance company in my home town. He was carrying a suitcase.
“I hope that’s not more of your bogus hundred dollar bills,” I told him.
“No, it’s to pack your things. You are moving to Milford Hospital.”
“What are you talking about?” I said. “Nobody here mentioned anything about moving. This is my home now. These people are my family. You can’t make me leave.”
“It’s all set up. The doctors have signed you out. And I already paid Mr. Ruggerio the $300. You are coming with us, like it or not.”

The ambulance was not set up for a body cast and the 90-mile trip was bumpy. A crack developed around my left ankle and, when we arrived, the plaster under my heel was blood red.

The nursing staff at Milford Hospital was cheerful and they kept me on my megadose of demoral. My brother and sisters were able to visit. So did my school friends, including my best friend since second grade, Richard Ramaskwich. He came every day after work and we played “Racinie League Baseball”, a form of fantasy league using a standard deck of cards. My mother also visited daily and my Italian aunts brought lots of food. From that perspective, at least, the move was positive.

On the other hand, Milford Hospital did not have an orthopedic surgeon. Dr. BonTempo was a general practitioner and had been our family physician since I was an infant. He worked with my father on an unwritten bartering arrangement. As far as I know, Dr. BonTempo never charged my father for treating our family and my dad never charged him for plumbing services. They both made house calls, so it worked out fine. Until now.

The red stain around my left ankle got bigger and bigger. My doctor removed the cast around my ankle and put it in a metal brace. It was excruciatingly painful. I made so much commotion that they moved me to a private room and shut the door. My father came in a found me screaming and in tears.

“Isn’t there something you can do to put him out of his misery,” he asked Dr. BonTempo. “If you don’t, I’ll get a gun and take care of it myself. I brought him into this world and I can take him out.”

The staff at the hospital took my father seriously and got a restraining order to keep him a way. As a result, my mom and dad had an argument which led to their separation. Mom didn’t drive and had not worked a day in her adult life. I was entering my fifth month in the hospital with no end in sight. At the same time, my grandmother Flaherty entered a nursing home with Parkinson’s disease. So my mother and my brother and sisters moved into my grandmother’s house.

“We can’t do anything more for you,” the doctor said. “We are sending you back to Hartford Hospital.”

The third Monday of each April is a holiday in Massachusetts. Called Patriot’s Day to commemorate the midnight ride of Paul Revere (“On the 18th of April in ’75, nary a man is still alive…”), it is the day of the annual Boston Marathon. Six months earlier, Tom Derderian, Rick Bayko and I were comparing notes on our training regimen for the 1968 race. Now Tom was in his dormitory in Amherst studying for final exams, I was about to embark from Milford to Connecticut in a body cast, and Rick was at basic training jogging while wearing combat boots in Fort Dix NJ.

Dan Ruggerio arrived with a stretcher on Patriot’s Day morning. This time the ambulance was set up better for my body cast. He was alone. There was no sign of my father. The forecast was for bright sunshine and temperatures in the high eighties. It was already blistering hot when the hospital staff slid me into the back of my transport. My first thought was about how hot it must be for the runners.

“Does this thing have a radio?” I asked.
“It’s either that or air conditioning,” Dan replied. “I can’t run both at the same time.”
“I’ll take the radio. Turn on the live coverage of the marathon please. You can put the air on during commercials if you want. But don’t open the windows; I want to be able to hear.”

Despite my partially dismantled cast and six week ordeal in Milford Hospital, the ride back didn’t feel as bumpy. Excited to be returning to my friends in Hartford, I wanted to see Dr. Raycroft. The marathon coverage blaring in the background brought me back to a place I loved.

The lead group through the halfway mark in Wellesley included Johnny Kelley the younger, marine Bill Clark, Bob Deines from Occidental College and a half dozen others. Among them was Ambrose J. Burfoot. Three Mexicans, the pre-race favorites, raced a short distance behind the pack in order to conserve energy in the heat.

Burfoot liked running in the warm weather and perceived the conditions as being to his benefit. The pace was too slow, he thought, so he threw in a surge intended to drop a few runners. To his surprise, he dropped everyone except Clark, who ran in Amby’s shadow to shield himself from the sun. On paper, Clark had the fastest leg speed, and was a clear favorite in a close finish.

Amby pushed as hard as he could up the Newton hills but his shadow remained. Once past Boston College, there were five miles to go and no more hills. Clark figured he would coast down the hills and out-sprint Amby to the line. The race was his for the taking.

Jock Semple came by on the press bus and shouted, “Give it hell on the downhill, Amby!” Suddenly, Clark’s thighs cramped up as Amby picked up the pace. “The shadow is starting to fade,” the radio reported.

The ambulance took the ramp into downtown Hartford. “Can you stop at Dunkin’ Donuts?” I asked. “I need a coffee fix. Then maybe you can drive around the block a few times so I can hear the end of the race.”

Dan honored my request and pulled the ambulance through the Dunkin’ Donuts drive thru. “How do you take it?” he asked looking back. “Actually, I’d prefer ice coffee with two creams and two sugars.” I could see the look on the clerk’s face out of the corner of my eye. It was as if she had seen a flying saucer.

The dense crowd of spectators made it impossible for the reporters or Amby to tell if anyone was gaining on him. His mouth was parched as he concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. A side stitch caused him to slow down and bend over. He wilted in the heat of the final few miles. But so did everyone else.

As the ambulance approached the portal at Hartford Hospital, with its sirens blaring and back-up beeps signaling our arrival, I could hear the announcer, Gary Lapierre, shouting: “Amby wins. Amby wins. Amby Burfoot is the first American winner of the Boston Marathon in 11 years.”

* * *
{some scenes – too emotional to deal with yet – intentionally skipped here…advance ahead three months}
* * *

The Hartford Hospital School of Nursing, Class of ’69, dedicated their yearbook to me. All 136 members of the class took care of me at some point during their training. For several months I was the guinea pig for teaching the students how to administer medications. At least half the class gave their first shot in my buttocks.

One day Miss Eliskas, the nursing instructor, was demonstrating the appropriate method on my backside. “You find the upper left hand quadrant and insert the needle like this. It’s just like poking an orange,” she told her attentive audience. “Ok, Diana, now you try. Frank is the our most patient patient and won’t mind it a bit. In fact, he seems to like the attention.”

“Come on, Diana, we don’t have all day,” she said. “Look. Just stick it right here.” I could feel her spread the palm of her hand across my behind.

There was a collective gasp, followed by complete silence. I looked around the room to make eye contact with whoever would look back. Linda Bair, one of the student nurses that visited me regularly, pointed to the webbing between her thumb and forefinger and mouthed the words, “she pinned Miss Eliskas’ hand to your ass.”
“That’s…Not…Correct,” the instructor said in a professional voice while gritting her teeth. “Now then, let’s try that again.”

My new roommate’s name was Sam. He fell off a ladder and broke his back. The doctors placed him in a Stryker frame with metal tongs inserted into his skull. The tongs were connected to a bag of weights. Due to the instability of bones around his spine, he had to lay flat or risk permanent paralysis.

The woman he lived with, Priscilla, was at his side six hours a day. She would have stayed longer but hospital rules prevented “non-relatives” from staying after visiting hours. Priscilla was a pleasant lady of retirement age. One evening, after she left, Sam pressed his nurse call button. A long time went by with no response, so I slid into my wheelchair and held the bent straw to his lips while he took a sip of water.

“Priscilla and I have been together 47 years,” he said. “I was 20 when we met and she was 19. We became engaged after I left the service 38 years ago. But it was during the depression, so we decided to wait until I could land a decent job. Then my mom became ill. We decided to wait a while longer.”
“When did you finally marry?” I asked.

“We never did,” he answered. “At least not yet. My mother outsmarted us; she hung on until she was 95. By then it was too late to have children. And there seemed to be no reason to get married. We always got along quite well, so why change things?”
Now, with his injury, things had indeed changed. A ceremony in the doctor’s conference room down the hall was hastily planned. The bride wore a beige dress and the groom was in his hospital johnny, flat on a gurney, covered from the waist down by a festive green and white blanket. It was the first time I was asked to be someone’s best man.

I proudly sat straight up in my wheelchair, to Sam’s immediate left, the rings resting on a small pillow on my lap. One of the nurses played the guitar and sang “The Wedding Song,” by Paul Stookey. Father J. performed the ceremony and, as he pronounced them man and wife, a joyful sadness hung in the air.

Father J. came back to visit a few days later. Sam was moved to a private room where they added a rollaway bed so that Priscilla could visit 24 hours. I had other company, so Father J. lingered for an uncomfortably long time, then prayed with me and left. Later I couldn’t find my glasses and thought the food service people had removed them with my lunch tray. I caused quite a fuss, but the hospital staff couldn’t find them. One of the administrators apologized and offered to buy me a new pair.

After visiting hours ended, Father J. returned and had my glasses in his hand.
“I think these are yours,” he said. “They look like mine and I picked them up by accident.”
“I’m just relieved that you found them,” I said. As he handed me the glasses, he leaned over and I gave him a hug.
“Do you know what it’s like to be gay?” he asked.
“No, and I don’t expect to find out,” I said.

After that, Father J. never came back.
More to come...this is a chapter in my book that I have had great difficulty completing...

The Great Light

2009-05-28T19:30:00.000-04:00

Quote of the day: “I always wanted to be married to someone who was home every night in for dinner,” she said. She wanted someone like her father. Instead, I was like my own father. Absent. Clueless. - Frank Niro
The Great Light

I wasn’t the first to discover the concept. And the partners at Ernst & Ernst didn’t invent it. It was a universal truth pointed out as far back as 1897 by humorist George Ade in “The Fable of the Subordinate Who Saw a Great Light”. But the notion was clear to all involved: bust your ass for as long as possible and you might become part owner of the firm. No matter that one in fifty new employees, maybe less, made it that far. It didn’t even matter that my true aspirations where oriented toward the health care field. I still busted my tail. I did it with great sacrifice and significant risk. But I didn’t know it.

Thirty-One consecutive Saturdays went by without being home. Seventeen Sundays in a row perished the same way. Weeknights were just that, nights. I arrived home at nine o’clock, maybe ten. I was doing it for them, I told myself. It was my responsibility as bread winner to advance as far and as fast as I could professionally, wasn’t it? I went from being totally disabled and dependent on my wife for everything, to an insensitive, self-absorbed, incurable workaholic.

It’s no wonder Chris decided she couldn’t take it any more by the time Richard was a year old. Who could blame her? “I always wanted to be married to someone who was home every night in for dinner,” she said. She wanted someone like her father. Instead, I was like my own father. Absent. Clueless.

Memoir

2009-05-21T19:36:00.000-04:00

Now that I am working fevorishly on my own memoir, I am collecting the memoirs of others who have overlapping stories. Here's one by Michael J. Angovino entitled The Bookmaker.

Click here to read a review.

Jane Olivor Updates

2009-05-14T19:39:00.000-04:00

There is a new youtube video on Jane. This time it's Colors of the Wind. Watch it here.

Also:
Chariots of Fire

The Last Time I Felt Like This (Jane Olivor & Johnny Mathis)

I Believe

Annie's Song

L'Important C'est La Rose

Vincent (you may want to pause it at the beginning and give it time to load before playing)

Stay the Night

The Last Time I felt Like This

La Vie en Rose

2009-05-07T19:41:00.000-04:00

When I was a child, my mother listened to Edith Piaf music all day long (so it seemed). When I found this web site it gave me goosebumps...

Go here: La Vie En Rose

Make sure your computer's sound is not muted.

Enjoy!

US & Canadian Health Care

2009-05-01T02:59:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since the last time someone asked me a health care question. This one came today from a Canadian author on AbsoluteWrite.com. I'll share my answer:

Q. As an expert, what do you think about the differences in health care between the two countries, United States and Canada?

A. Loaded question.

Here's a loaded answer:

The problem with Americans is they think death is an option. In other words, way too much money is spent on heroic measures during the final months, weeks, and days of life (as compared to Canada). Americans are more litiginous, meaning that the lawsuits and malpractice insurance expenses drive up the costs significantly. Same for demographics (our baby boomers are aging), and for drugs, technology, et. al.

On the other hand Canada (like UK), where there is national health insurance, translates to rationing. People die waiting for procedures that are readily available in the US. The latest technological innovations are not available in every city, like the US.

Quality, measured objectively, is better in the US, which is why so many Candians who can afford it come to the US for their care.

It's a much more complicated subject than what I just described above, but those are the highlights in general terms. Even in the US, there is great variability in regions of the country and based on socio-economic factors.

To summarize, using the five canons of health care as a basis for comparison:

Availability -More health care resources per capita are available in the US.
Accessibility - Waiting times are less in the US.
Continuity - The system is more coordinated in Canada.
Quality - For most procedures, outcomes are better in the US.
Cost - Health care services are more affordable in Canada, and I'm not talking just about the patient share; the overall cost is lower for the reasons mentioned above.

I have been studying this topic for more than 40 years, have written about it, have been on radio talk shows answering questions about it, and have taught about it at the university level.

Hope this answers your question. I can give a longer version if you want.

Followup 11/27/08:

Barbara from South Carolina responded -- "Boy, that's the truth. I'm currently in nursing school and the numbers we were told were (1) 1/3 of total US healthcare costs are spent on people who are dead within a month, and (2) 1/2 of total US healthcare costs are spent on people who are dead within six months...

(Regarding quality), we should also mention that life expectancy is longer in Canada than in the US. Canada ranks 8th in average life expectancy (81.16 years) while the US ranks 46th (78.14)."

Source

My reply:

Good point about the life expectancy, Barbara, but the difference has to do with lifestyle rather than the health care systems.

US citizens drive too fast for the traffic, have more stress, smoke more, drink more, exercise less and eat more junk food. In other words, Canadians generally take better care of their bodies.

Best wishes,
Frank

Banana Hammocks, yes or no?

2009-04-23T14:23:00.000-04:00

I don't know why, but this struck me as funny. Thanks to John Farley of Brunswick, NJ for bringing it to my attention.

The Christmas gift for someone who has everything. Can't wait to get one for Delilah...

Warning: Don't Google this product with your search filter off; it has an altogether different design and use as well.

Playing for the hurricane victims

2009-04-16T19:49:00.000-04:00

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED IN MY POKER BLOG on 9/4/05:

PART I --

Greetings my friends,

For most of the past 30 years or so I have spent Labor Day weekend playing in chess tournaments. Both the New England Open Championship and New York State Championship have traditionally been held this weekend. Along the way I have been fortunate to occasionally win my section in each of those great tourneys. I have always looked forward to playing chess and renewing friendships in one or the other of these events. But this year I decided to do something different!

I moved to Cambridge NY from Massachusetts this past May in order to be closer to a couple of the volunteer projects that I am working on. The move pulled me further away from Foxwoods but brought me closer to Turning Stone Casino in upstate NY. Like Foxwoods, Turning Stone has modest buy-in poker tournaments nearly every day of the week. Unlike Foxwoods, it is not necessary to get there three or four hours in advance to register for a seat. I consider this to be a major attraction.

Meanwhile, during August I enrolled in thehazyone's 4-week mentoring program on PSO. I feel the program benefitted me greatly and I wasted no time planning a trip where I could test out my new bag of tricks in live play. So a few days ago, I headed out on the 2 1/2 hour drive from my new home to my new casino.

On the night I arrived I stayed in the Hotel Utica in order to have wireless Internet access. I didn't want to lose contact with PSO. I am glad I made that choice because I noticed a forum post by partaker (Dave) concerning help for the hurricane victims. Like everyone else I have been feeling powerless to have any kind of meaningful impact on the recovery process. We exchanged
private e-mails and agreed to meet yesterday at Turning Stone.

I had dinner last night with Dave and his lovely wife, Valerie. They are a delightful couple blessed with tons of energy and hearts filled with compassion. All three of us have spent most of our professional careers in the health care service industry. That gave us some common ground for discussion. Together, we came up with a plan that could potentially be of benefit to PSO-member casino workers (or their friends) who are out of a job (at least temporarily).

Essentially we will provide a network of free transportation (to and from the airport, job interviews, etc.), free places to stay, and free meals for those individuals who fly into Syracuse or Albany to interview at Turning Stone or the other nearby casinos (if necessary, even as far away as Connecticut and New Jersey). The plan is still a work in process. More details of this will be available elsewhere in the PSO forums, or you can contact partaker or ChessSafari by private message. We will also keep Tina (MrsPokerPages) and Jane (NewJane) informed so that they can better coordinate PSO's collective efforts. Additional suggestions, of course, are welcome and will be appreciated.

As you might imagine, our dinner conversion eventually switched to poker. We agreed to play in this morning's 11 am $100+$20 buy-in NLHE tourney and tomorrow's (Labor Day) $50+$10 buy-in Limit HE event. We discussed strategy and poker theory with the focal point being Dan Harrington's recent two volume work on tournament hold'em. In one of those magic moments where two people open their mouths simultaneously to say almost the exact same words, we agreed that any prize money that we each might win will be sent to PSO to be distributed to the hurricane victims together with the proceeds of the special tournament. It was the obvious thing to do given the nature of our discussions.

I admit that the thought occurred to me that it might be better to send in the entry fees and skip the tournaments. I reconciled that particular personal dilemma by deciding to play in the $100 max no-limit cash game for a few hours prior to the start of today's tournament. I decided that I would send any winnings from that game to PSO. This allowed me to play in the tournaments with a clear conscience.

I am dividing this into multiple parts (probably six) for a couple of reasons...but mostly so that I don't get bumped off the wireless Internet and lose what I have typed so far. Also, the excitement took place over the course of two days. In other words, it is more than a mouthful. Hopefully, you will enjoy the journey and the outcome as much as we did.

Part II - The Cash Game

My experiences with NLHE cash games before this week have been rather dismal. Prior to two days ago, I have never left any NLHE cash game with chips... I busted out every time . I have tried my luck in Connecticut, New Jersey, Mississippi and New York. Each time I have chalked it up to 'tuition in life'.

When I visited Turning Stone in May for the PSO Invitational I was feeling confident as a result of my finish in the prize money...over-confident as I soon realized. The first mistake I made was sitting down at the NL cash game late in the day when several players at the table had been able to build up formidable chip stacks. In the first hand that I played (AQ) I hit top pair with top kicker on the flop. As first to act I tossed in a half pot bet. The only other player who called my pre-flop raise immediately pushed all-in. "He hit a set", I thought to myself. "Nice hand," I said. So I folded (my second mistake). He turned over his 7-5 offsuit hole cards while everyone at the table but me laughed. After that I climbed into a defensive shell (my third mistake) and eventually lost my entire buy-in without seeing another showdown until the last one. I justifiably felt outclassed. It was not a pleasant feeling.

Subsequently Aaron and other PSO members have helped me appreciate the subtle and not-so-subtle differences between NL tournaments and cash games. I was determined on this visit to leave the NL cash game table with chips!

On the first day here this week I was able to hold my own by playing super-tight. I played only pairs 77 and above, AK and AQ. I threw all my blinds away unless they married the flop. I managed to hit a few sets and accomplished my first objective: I left the table with chips...more than I started with. But it was a pretty boring grind.

This morning I arrived at the cash game table just as they were opening it up for play. Everyone started with the same $100 max buy-in so at least it was a level playing field. My strategy was to open up my play more and play my 'usual' game while giving special consideration to the following five (sometimes conflicting) factors:

1. I would not chase with AK...my nemesis
2. I would not be led allin when the board pairs w/o a full house (my most common tournament bust-out scenario)
3. I would not pursue a flop when three suited cards hit the board if there is any kind of action
4. I would not be bullied. In other words: I would be aggressive, not timid
5. I would steal some pots when the situation seemed right

Overall, I was determined to win some money for the hurricane victims. I kept that in the front of my mind.

It didn't take very long for reality to set in. I was dealt AQ in the big blind. UTG+1 raised the $2BB to $12. Everyone folded to me. I called, making the pot $25. The flop was K-8-T rainbow. I bet $12 and he raised to $30. I called (implied odds, I reasoned). Now the pot was $85.

The turn was nice...a Jack, giving me the nut straight. I decided to check raise. I checked and he....checked behind me. Damn...I gave him a free card. Now the self-doubt started rolling back in. But the nuts is the nuts! The river was my worst nightmare, an eight. So now we had a board of K-8-T-J-8.

I bet $35 and he raised me all in. Three fourths of my stack was gone in that one hand. Remembering my own caution about the paired board, I said "I fold", but turned over my nut straight. The rest of the table looked at me like I was an idiot....until my opponent did us all a favor by turning over his pocket kings. Whew...still some chips left.

A few hands later I got pocket aces in middle position. Two EP players limped so I moved all in. They both called and I tripled up. A half dozen hands later came the hand that would define my session. I was dealt 53s in late position. When I read Sklansky's The Theory of Poker I adopted a single randomized (so to speak) pre-flop hand that I have almost always thereafter played (and acted) as though I was holding pocket aces. It is random in the sense that I never know when it might come up. Its primary purpose is deception. Its secondary purpose is an opportunity for advertising. Its tertiary purpose is an occasional steal. Often it is an investment that goes without any short term reward. But I am convinced that my game is better because of this little wrinkle.

So, in my 'usual' game, I play this unique hand in a unique way. My challenge today was to see if I had the courage to do it here. UTG and two middle position players limped in. I raised 5xBB to make it $12 to go. The blinds folded and UTG re-raised to $24. The other limpers folded and I made it obvious that I was counting the other player's stack. I had him covered...only slightly....but I could put him all in. He knew that I knew that. I did what I would have done with aces: I re-raised 1.5 the amount he brought it to, making it $60 to go. He tried to stare me down but I looked around the room as though I was more interested in finding a hot cup of coffee. Finally he folded with a sigh. I showed my 53.

After that, I got more respect than I can ever remember. Each time I raised pre-flop, everyone folded...for about an hour. Then I was dealt pocket tens on the button. A limper and a raiser came in ahead of me. I flat called the raise, hoping for some action for a change. The initial limper folded so we were heads up. The flop was T-8-5. He checked. I bet half pot. He called. The turn was a 4. He checked. Once again I bet half pot with my set. He called again. The river brought another 5. He checked and I moved all in. He called and everyone saw my full house. For the rest of the session, I won every time I threw in a bet.

Finally it came time for the tournament to start. I cashed out with a $250 profit. I folded five fifty dollar bills and stuck them in my wallet behind a photo of my daughters. I was pleased with the knowledge that I had something set aside for the hurricane victims. No matter what happens in the tournaments, the trip will not be a total failure!

BTW, self-centered person that I am, I forgot to mention that Dave went home after dinner last night and won the the PSOC NLHE tournament (against some really tough opposition)! He showed up this morning really psyched...

Next...Dave & I play in the NLHE tournament

Part III - ChessSafari and partaker accumulate chips before the break

Dave and I were pleased to find out that we were assigned to different starting tables. The 77 entrants were separated into 7 tables of 11 players. The total prize fund of $7,700 was spread among the top ten finishers with approximately $2,400 going to first place. Everyone at the final table gets at least their entry fee back. Starting chips were 2,500 plus a voluntary 300 add-on for anyone who wished put $5 in the dealers' tip box prior to the start of the event. 75 players took advantage of the add on so we began with 215,000 chips in play. Initial blinds were $25/$50. Rounds were 15 mins. The only break was scheduled after Round VI ($300/$600). No antes until Round XI. Our first goal was to accumulate some chips and survive until the break. We wished each other good luck and sat down to play.

I started on the button with pp8. Everyone folded to me and I raised 2xBB to $150. Small blind folded and the big blind decided to defend. If this had been an Internet tourney I wouldn't have been involved in the first pot. There are just so many people who seem to want to double up right away or get out. I have no desire to be their first victim. But it was safe here. Or was it?

The flop came A-9-8. My opponent checked and I casually threw in a half pot bet. He called without hesitation. The turn was another 9. Once again my opponent checked and I bet half the pot. This time he started counting out his chips. I thought to myself, "Oh no, here we go. If he has a nine in the hole my set of eights are dead. Wait a minute, no they're not... I have a boat!"

So I started counting out my chips to mirror him. He paused; so did I. He started counting again and I did the same. Finally he released his hand saying, "I guess you probably have my kicker beat." I answered, "Yeah, I probably do," as I mucked my hand and stacked my chips. So much for the first hand of the tournament.

I looked over at Dave's table just in time to notice all of his chips in the middle. It was looking like this might be a short day for both of us. Nevertheless, we came to play. Dave had raised 2xBB in early position with JJ. A player to his left moved all in. Everyone folded. Dave looked at his opponent long enough to believe he was making a move on him. So he took a deep breath and called. The guy flipped over KQs. The board brought no harm and Dave had quickly doubled up.

A few hands later Dave was on the button with T9s. Multiple limpers, including him, entered the pot for the minimum. The flop was 789 with two of Dave's suit. As last to act he fired in a big raise which put an immediate halt to all the speculation. He took down a nice pot without a fight. On his next big blind, Dave was dealt 42 and checked his option after no one raised pre-flop. He flopped the nuts with A-3-5 giving his nice stack another boost. From there he was able to coast to the break. Mission accomplished.

My next confrontation didn't come until Level III ($75/$150). I was dealt KJ in the small blind. A couple of people called so I threw in the extra $75 to see the flop. The big blind (with about half as many chips as me) raised to $300. I called. The flop was K-J-4. I bet $450, he raised to nine, I raised all in, and he called. He showed A-K. I managed to avoid an ace on the turn and river.

I made a few FTA raises pre-flop and took down some blinds uncontested. Had pocket aces twice and they held up, each time with plenty of action. My chip stack climbed above 10,000 and I was feeling confident. Then my luck changed. Twice in ten minutes I flopped a set and lost to a flush. Then I got AK and a short stack behind me went all in. His AQ survived the initial domination when QQ6 hit the board. Yikes. Down to 5,100 chips with the blinds increasing to 300/600.

Luckily, last hand before the break I caught pocket queens. I showed strength with a big raise. I picked up the blinds and caught a couple of limpers with their pants down. So we head into the break...

36 players remaining
Average chip stack: 5,972
partaker: 8,800 chips (Q = 1.5; M = 7.3)
ChessSafari: 7,300 chips (Q - 1.2; M= 6.1)
where Q = ratio relative to average stack,
and M = no. of orbits each stack can make it around the table given the existing blinds & antes per orbit
next level: 400/800 (level VII)
We are both due for the BB next hand

Part IV - Conclusion to Day 1...lessons learned & suggestions

During the break Dave and I took a walk and had a quick bite to eat. It wasn't quick enough, however, as we arrived back in the playing room about one minute too late...just in time to witness our hole cards being folded and our big blinds converted to dead money. Since 800 chips was close to 10% of each of our stacks, this was a pretty dumb mistake. In my own case the hand was won by trips, so I'm confident that I would not have won the hand anyway. But still...that's Lesson 1!

The M's and Q's at the end of part III were listed to help make a point about this particular tournament structure in comparison to the valuable tournament practice available on PSO. There is no doubt in my mind or David's that all the play on PSO is tremendously helpful in preparation for live tournaments...with certain limitations. Today's final stages, we agreed, highlighted one of those limitations. That's Lesson 2.

For those who haven't yet had a chance to read Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie's work, specifically Volume II: The Endgame (which we HIGHLY recommend to anyone who is serious about live tournament poker), a little explanation about M's and Q's:

In the chapter about inflection points, Harrington discusses the Strong Force (M), the Weak Force (Q) and the Zone System. Please note the following, in Harrington's own exact words:

"Be advised that playing correctly around inflection points is the most important single skill of no-limit hold 'em tournaments."

My only reaction is : "Amen!". (That's Lesson 3)

M is the ratio of your stack to the current total of blinds and antes. It is the number or times (orbits) your stack can make it around the table at the given level. It is the number of rounds you can survive before being blinded off.

Q is the ratio of your stack to the average number of chips left in play for each remaining player.

Both are important, but M is more important than Q.

Knowing your own M, as well as the approximate value of M for each of the other stacks at your table is critically important.

There are five playing zones, according to Harrington, in a NLHE tournament. He defines them as follows:

Green Zone - you have M equal or greater than 20
Yellow Zone - M is between 10 and 20
Orange Zone - M is between 6 and 10
Red Zone - M is 1 to 5
Dead Zone - M less than 1

Loosely defined (the book gives much more detail, of course) these Zones mean:

Green - All styles are open to you
Yellow - You lose the ability to play conservative poker
Orange - You lose the ability to make certain moves
Red - You've lost any ability to make a bet other than all-in
Dead - You appear to be alive but you are not

Harrington adds, "Another way of looking at M is to see it as a measure of just how likely you are to get a better hand in a better situation, with a reasonable amount of money left."

So, believe it or not, these concepts were the entire focus of our 31 minute lunch period discussion. The reason was simple: The blind structure in our present tournament had already put the majority of remaining players in the Orange Zone and would soon move us and others at our tables into the Red Zone. It was both a factor to be aware of, and a catalyst for the final phase of the tournament becoming a virtual crap shoot.

Four tables left. Dave now has 7,600 chips; I have 5,700.

Now another challenge associated with this kind of tournament showed itself. There were 32 players left who were distributed 9-9-8 & 6. My table had the six players and the blinds hit us again before the other tables. I asked why and was told that we were the next table to break and would be combined with the other three tables as soon as two more players busted out. I had 23o in the big blind and QTs in the small blind. I saw both flops. They missed me completely...down to 4,100. Dave still had 7,600.

Two players went down and, finally, I was sent to a new table. But, omg, I'm right back in the big blind! The seats were chosen randomly...but there's got to be a better way. For the first six rounds I never had the blinds more than once. Now I got them three times in the same round. That shouldn't be allowed to happen. To make matters worse (psychologically, at least), the guy UTG at my old table, who was scheduled to be the BB, moved to the same new table as me...on the button. The swing caused by the luck of the draw seemed blatantly unfair. Oh well, I wasn't going to let it put me 'On Tilt'. But it sure eroded my ammunition for further action.

Meanwhile, Dave passed through another set of blinds without a hand and had 6,400 chips remaining. It seemed like someone was moving in on every hand at all three tables. On the button, he was dealt Big Slick. One limper, with more than 10,000 chips, called with QT. Dave raised to 2,400. The flop came K5Q. His opponent checked. Dave moved all in and mistakingly flashed his cards in the process. His agitated opponent called the TD who ruled it an obvious accident. No harm done. The turn was a Ten. The river was a rag and, as if struck by a bolt of lightning, Dave was eliminated in 28th place by his opponent's two pair.

I was left with 2,500 chips and the blinds had moved up to 500/1000. My M was now a measly 1.6. I had to take a stand as soon as I got anything reasonable...an ace, a king, two paints, a small pair; something with a shot at taking down a pot. I would prefer to be first to act so I have a chance to raise and pick up a set of blinds. One hand before my BB, I got my wish: pocket tens. I moved all in. One player went all in with 99 but only had 200 chips left. The small blind folded and the big blind called with cheese. The tens held up and I was breathing again with 5,700 chips...still in the Red Zone but not yet dead.

The problem with getting that hand UTG was that I immediately confronted the blinds again. A big stack went all in on my bb and I was dealt 97s in the sb and called. No help...back down to 3,700.

A few minutes later we were combined into two tables. As I walked by Dave he said, "you're in my old seat." I saw two open seats...seat 2 and seat 8. Seat eight was UTG so I instinctively headed for the other. As soon as I sat down, another player was tapping on my shoulder. "You're in my seat." When I got to the right place, Dave was already in a chair behind with a big smile. "Damn, I'm in the blinds again," I said to no one in particular.

At this point the average chip stack was 10,750 which was not hopeless in relation to the absolute size of my stack, but frightening compared to the rapidly accelerating blinds. Uneventfully, the blinds went by, leaving me with 2,200. In theory, I had a little more than one orbit to live. Practically speaking, it was one more hand. Could I have hunkered down and survived into the money? Possibly, but probably not. In any event, I really wanted to play to win.

One by one, I counted down the hands (and the players) as we went around the table. 19 players left, then 18, then 17. UTG+3 my cards were 74. UTG+2 it's J6. The blinds went up to 600/1,200. UTG+1 it's 92s. "Any two suited cards...I'm desperate...should I do it? Nope, I'll be patient." Five players entered the pot. The flop was 229. I could've quintupled up! Expletive deleted.

UTG and I was dealt A5. "I'm all in." Both blinds called and there was 6,600 in the pot. Flop was 9-6-8. They both checked...the cooperation play was in effect. Turn was an ace...there's hope. King on the river. Big Blind bet and small blind folded. My opponent showed his A8 and my tournament was over...out in 16th place.

"Oh well," I muttered to Dave, "there's always tomorrow." "Yes there is," he said as he extended his hand. "You played great."
"So did you, buddy."

As for our suggestions:

1) We feel that there is no tournament structure at PSO that prepares us for the kind of accelerated structure like the one we played today. For example, in order to be comparable, the rounds would need to be 10 minutes (roughly one orbit each). To be specific, with 2,500 starting chips they would need to be:

Level / Blinds / Antes
I 25/50 ---
(for 5,000 starting chips, multiply blinds & antes by 2; for 10,000 chips multiply by 4, etc.)
II 50/100 ---
III 75/150 ---
IV 100/200 ---
V 200/400 ---
VI 300/600 ---
BREAK
VII 400/800 ---
VIII 500/1000 ---
IX 600/1200 ---
X 800/1600 ---
XI 1,000/2,000 100
XII 1,500/3,000 200
etc.

We respectfully request that a similar structure be put in place on PSO to prepare for this kind of accelerated format. Thanks.

2) We recommend that every PSO member who can afford it dedicate a portion of whatever prize they win at their next live tournament to help the victims of hurricane Katrina.

Part V - The Limit tournament - in the money...finally!!

Once again, Dave and I were pleased to find out that we were assigned to different starting tables. The 78 entrants were separated into 8 tables. The total prize fund of $3,900 was spread among the top ten finishers with approximately $1,400 going to first place. Everyone at the final table gets at least their entry fee back. Starting chips were 2,500 plus a voluntary 300 add-on for anyone who wished put $5 in the dealers' tip box prior to the start of the event. 75 players took advantage of the add on so we began with 217,500 chips in play. Initial blinds were $25/$50. Rounds were 15 mins. There were two scheduled breaks...after Level IV ($100/$200) and Level X ($800/$1,600). No antes in Limit. Like yesterday, our first goal was to accumulate some chips and survive until the breaks. We wished each other good luck and sat down to play.

Despite the similar structures, there were some significant differences today. First of all, the lower entry fee seemed to bring (superficially at least) some weaker competition. Secondly, the relative importance of Harrington's Q vs M seemed inverted. In other words, chip stack compared to the average was paramount. Thirdly, the all in weapon was neutralized. Good cards that are played strongly should prevail. Fourthly, most players would still be playing after the first break. The bust outs became more frequent AFTER the break. Finally, there were many more showdowns and far fewer successful bluffs. Still, at certain tables, pre-flop raises were the norm rather than the exception. Unlike the ring games I have encountered, though, I rarely saw the action capped pre-flop.

My starting table was extraordinary. I decided to play tight while the blinds were low and observe the play of the others. I was in seat three. I recognized the player in seat 10 as a very strong player who I chopped prize money with at a previous final table in July. Seats six, seven, eight and nine were all women who I never met before. But their ages seemed to go up gradually from 50s to 60s to 70s to 80s. The woman in seat nine seemed to be right out of the movie, Driving Miss Daisy. I heard the dealer address her as Cookie. No doubt, Cookie (who I later learned is 83) has played before. In the first six hands, every single pot was pushed to someone in seats six through nine.

On hand #7, I was dealt 33 in the big blind. Cookie raised and the action came around to me. I said, "I'd like to play this hand but I'm not sure I can survive Murderer's Row down there." The guy in seat 5 (who I will refer to as 'Mr. Politically Incorrect') responded, "You mean Estrogen Alley don't you?"

"Actually, no, I'm afraid of them," I said. "Ah, don't worry, they're all hard of hearing," was his light-hearted retort. To which Cookie prompltly answered, "Do you have a death wish or something?". I never laughed so hard at a poker table in my entire life. In any case, I called...and lost after a short tussle to Cookie's pocket rockets. Seven in a row and counting...

Mr. Politically Incorrect leaned over to the woman in seat six and said, "You will protect me if she jumps out of her seat won't you?" "Sir," she replied, "if she comes after you, all the people in this room won't be able to protect you." Hearing the commotion, the tournament director came over to make sure things were under control. "Pete, get me out of this hellhole," spouted Cookie....her big stack looking pretty impressive.

In the background I could here a familiar voice. It was a player known as "Big Bird". I had played with him at Foxwoods. His style was familiar but nonetheless annoying. In the earlier rounds he is in every pot, constantly chattering and commenting on every move by each player at his table. Quite frequently he plays the lowest blind levels without looking at his cards, all the while raising the pot. But make no mistake, Big Bird knows how to play poker. At one point he responded to an opponent's jab with, "If anyone wants to chip in and give me third place money, I'll gladly leave." After which...one person at every table got up and started taking a collection. To which Cookie responded, "He's a jackass. Let's play." Priceless! Only one problem though...he was at Dave's table.

Dave managed to stay out of Big Bird's way. Then he caught some hands. Thankfully, the cards started to come my way also. AJ suited was greeted by a JJ3 flop. AK actually got help for a change. My A5s flushed out on the river. 8,000 chips and counting... Cookie even called me a bully and folded her blind to my pre-flop raise. The first break came. 52 players left...Dave and I both had double the average chip stack. We took a walk, but skipped lunch. Predictably, we were the first ones back. Lesson learned.

We made a pact to play solid poker and stay out of trouble. One of us HAD to make the money...there was no alternative. An obstacle arrived when a big stack showed up at my table when we were down to 30 players. I referred to him as SAM for 'super aggressive maniac', but he also had a beard resembling Uncle Sam. He raised every single pot when he was first to act. I knew he couldn't have good cards every time, but I was helpless to stop him. SAM was on my left, and I didn't get cards to challenge his raises when he acted before me. Still, he did an ample job of thinning the field. That was to our benefit.

I stayed out of SAM's way until I was dealt 33 in the cutoff position. I was first to act and hadn't been in a pot for quite a while. I raised and SAM called in the big blind. The flop was 3AT. He checked and I bet. He called. It was so unusual for him to check and call that I immediately became suspicious. Next was an 8. He checked. I bet and he called again. Hmmm. The river was a T. No flushes or straights were possible. He checked and I contemplated whether I could get some chips from him with my full house. Then it occurred to me...this was one of those hands that I would only be called if Sam could beat me. And he was the type of player who might raise me with anything on a bluff. So I checked. He turned over AT for a higher full house. OMG, I dodged a bullet. Thank goodness this was Limit!

Every time I looked over at Dave's table he seemed to be in a pot. Most were small and he took them down without much of a struggle. Some pots got pretty big. But, as luck would have it, Dave had to settle for a split pot. So many of these happened that the other players started calling him 'Mr. chop-chop'. He just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Hey, I'm still in it." Great attitude! One monster pot at his table culminated with quads over two full houses. Fortunately for Dave, he wasn't in the hand.

I stayed ahead of the blinds with some small victories. But, the second break couldn't come too soon. Players were busting out, it seemed, in every hand. We needed a break. It was time to race off the black chips. This gave us a chance to evaluate our status:

partaker: 12,000 chips
ChessSafari: 7,000 chips
15 players remaining
average chip stack: 14,500
next round: Level XI ($1,000/$2,000)
prizes to the final ten finishers

Part VI - The Final Table

This break was only ten minutes. The remaining players assembled in the hallway to stretch and compare notes while the tournament director counted out the chips for the prize money. Sadly, none of the woman were left. Cookie and Mr. Politically Incorrect had busted out on the same hand in 16th and 17th places. As we opened the door to the corridor to start the break, we could hear Cookie's voice shouting, "Wait, I'll ride down on the elevator with you." It was pretty funny.

One player noticed my PSO shirt and came over. "Do you know Al Spath?" he said. "Well, yes I do," I responded. "I mean I know who he is, although I have never met him in person." The guy (whose name I didn't catch...sorry Al) who I'll refer to as Young Al said, "He taught me how to play stud and limit hold'em. He's a great guy." I answered, "Yes, I'm sure he is. I played in a few of his LHE bounty training tournaments. I can still see the chat box in my mind's eye when he said...'Chess, you've got to raise there as first to act. That way you will thin the field and pick up a few pots when you lead out after the flop'." "Yep, that's him", said Young Al as he flashed a knowing smile.

A player named George was wearing a sweatshirt from my old home town. I asked him if he was from Massachusetts and he nodded. It was a pretty friendly atmosphere...every bit as warm as the chess tournaments of my past. I was thinking how much I was enjoying my new playground in the poker world when the Casino Shift Supervisor, named Charlie, walked straight at me.

"Hey, I just wanted to thank you guys who are playing for the hurricane victims. We really appreciate it. Make sure if any of your friends come up to interview for jobs that you get the media relations people here involved. I'm sure they will be helpful. I'm not supposed to root for anyone but, today, I hope you guys finish first and second."

Then George interjected, "I'll contribute part of my prize if I win anything." "Me too," added Young Al. "We've gotta hang in there so at least one of us collects some money," I remarked to Dave. "Don't worry, I'm there" he replied. The doors opened and play resumed.

SAM picked up where he left off. He seemed on a mission to singlehandedly eliminate all the short stacks. He knocked out two players on the first hand, as one simultaneously went down on Dave's table. So now there were twelve players with 10 prizes, four of whom were committed to help the hurricane victims. I did the math...no matter what happens now, we'll have at least $100 to send in from this tournament.

A long time seemed to pass before anyone else was knocked out. The tournament director made each table play hand for hand so that the blinds were equalized. Six players remained at each table. There was an open seat between me and SAM. Now he was two seats to my left. That made it even tougher to get in a hand. I had to act knowing that he would raise me no matter what. He stole both my blinds...I was dealt nothing to fight him with. Then I got 55 on the button. Blinds were 1,200/2,400. It was time to make my stand! He was in the big blind and everyone folded. I raised to 3,200 and all in. Small blind folded and Sam called, of course. He had AJ...a coin flip. The board came Q-6-9-4 and......a dagger ----> one of the three Jacks! Everyone else at my table booed. I put my head down on the felt. I wanted to cry. Just like that...out in 12th place. Dammit, that's poker...

Young Al got eliminated on the bubble a few hands later. It was time to redraw seats for the final table. Dave was in Seat 7 and I tucked a chair behind him, just as he did for me yesterday. He had 22,500 chips; the average stack was 21,750. Immediately, someone proposed a ten-way chop with SAM taking first prize and everyone else splitting the remainder. That would give each of the nine others $401 each. "I'll take that", said George. Dave nodded agreement. One guy in Seat 3 objected. He didn't have a particularly big stack and his friends who drove up from New Jersey with him had all been eliminated. They wanted him to take the deal so they could head home. Confidently he said. "Let's play awhile." No deal.

Guess who was eliminated in 10th place? "Happens every time!" noted Pete. He gave New Jersey Boy his $78 in chips as he and his grumbling buddies headed for the Thruway. Nine players left and Dave was dealt pocket sixes. SAM was on Dave's right and, as usual, entered the pot first for a raise. Dave re-raised and SAM capped the action. I held my breath. The flop was a sight for sore eyes: 64J, giving Dave a set. SAM bet and Dave raised all-in. SAM called. Finally, we all got to look at what kind of cards SAM had been bullying the table with. He flipped over K-3. The turn was an ace, the river a king. Dave stacked up the $38,000 pot while SAM mumbled, "I just can't push anyone off a pot anymore." duuhhhh! Way to go, Dave.

The blinds increased to 2,000/4,000 and a few players were forced to make desperation moves with their short stacks. Dave avoided the skirmishes as the field was whittled to five players. Pocket tens gave him a chance to get back in the fray. K97Q and the board looked very scary. SAM bet and Dave raised him on the turn with his pp and gut shot str8 draw. This time, SAM ran away. Dave mucked without showing. He turned around and I winked. A guy named Franco busted out in 5th place and, to our great surprise, placed three red chips on the felt next to Dave and said, "Give that to the hurricane victims for me."

Four players were left and the average stack was 54,375. Dave had 48,000 chips. His next big blind of 69o inherited a dream flop: 758, tainted only by two clubs. A player named Jeff moved all in with A7s. The turn was a queen and the river brought the three of clubs. Dave started to whisper the PSO chant for 69o and stopped abruptly when he saw that the flush had wiped out his flopped straight. Ohhhh my... Jeff was still in it. Dave's stack was now crippled.

Soon thereafter, SAM attacked and eliminated George and Dave on the same hand. George entered the pot with the higher stack and was awarded third place money. Dave finished fourth. George handed Dave $20 for the hurricane victims. As Dave was walking away, Jeff said, "Wait, I want to give you something too." SAM, with his 7 to 1 chip advantage busted Jeff out pretty quickly. Jeff tossed Dave a $100 black chip. "Add that to the hurricane fund for me".

Dave went home, kissed his wife, fed the horses, and changed the photo in his profile to reflect his new mood. Great job, my friend. All at PSO are proud of you!

Bottom Line:
Frank/ChessSafari's cash game winnings................$250
Dave/partaker's tournament winnings.....................$340
Contributions from other final table players.............$135
Total garnered for the hurricane victims..................$725

That was very satisfying. We hope you enjoyed hearing about our trip. Once again, we encourage all at PSO to take our cue and donate at least a portion of their next live tournament prize to the victims of hurricane Katrina. And let us know if you are ever in the area for any reason at all...there's some horses that need to be fed, and some chips at Turning Stone with your name on them.

Best wishes,
Frank (and Dave and Val)

The Caboose

2009-04-09T19:55:00.000-04:00

Here's the link to my profile on PokerPages.com.