First Match Recap, Annotated Games, and Inflammatory Remarks

The Knight's bones are dust,
And his good sword rust.
His soul is with the saints,
I trust.

-Samuel Taylor Coleridge, English lyrical poet, 1772-1834

Even though I prefer unearthing quotes related to victorious Knights, as opposed to vanquished ones, I still thought Coleridge's poignant stanza deserved a place atop this blog post. This is a blog where readers are encouraged to laugh, and learn, at the same time.

The Knights lost an extremely close match to the New Jersey Knockouts. There were no reported mouseslip incidents.

Matt Herman humbly submitted some annotations to his loss against NM Shen. These annotations are presented below, completely unedited. I have made intermittent jokes at Matt's expense.

[Event "USCL"]
[Date "2009.09.02"]
[White "Herman, Matthew"]
[Black "Shen, Victor"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B47"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. g3 a6 7. Bg2 d6 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. O-O Nf6 10. Re1 e5 11. Na4 Be6 12. b3 Be7 13. c4 O-O 14. f4 d5!!?
Played after a half hour think, this thematic counterstrike was necessary to prevent black's position from being overrun
15. f5
Other captures were against the demands of the position and would have allowed black to achieve significant piece play. If 15. fe Ng4! and black had the terrible threat of Qa7
15. ... Bd7 16. g4 Bb4!
This move looked incorrect, as it drew the bishop away from the kingside, and exposed it to trapping themes with c4-c5. It transpired that active counterplay, preventing white from slowly building an initiative and controlling the d2(!) square were sufficient justification for the clerical jaunt. (Clerical jaunt is a pretentious way of saying a bishop moved. -Evan)
17. Re3 Rad8!
Brilliantly calm. (This comment is not really necessary, but Matt is struggling to justify his loss. -Evan)
18. Qe2!
I was convinced black's position was critical, as 18. ..Ne4 19. Be4 de 20.
c5 traps the bishop. If 18. ... Be7, white calmly builds with Re3-h3, Bc1-e3,
Ra1-f1, g4-g5 and can swing Na4-c3-e2-g3 and sac on h5 whenever black plays g6/h5 to clog the file
18. ... Nxe4! 19. Bxe4 dxe4 20. a3? ...
20. c5!? Qa5! 21. Qc2 Bc8! 22. Re2 would have been met by 22. ..Rd5 23. Be3 Rad8 and black survives, though a fresh battle emerges after 24. Qe4. If 21. Qc4, black had the ridiculous 21. ..Bf5! and would have ended up no worse after the complications. That said, c5 would have transformed the contest and was probably the right practical decision. The idea of a3 was to allow the Na4 to swing back to the kingside, where it would have been needed to sacrifice on h5 and prevent black from making inroads on d2
20. ... Be7 21. Rh3 c5!
Black's resource on move 23 allows him to untangle
22. Nc3 Bc6!
The Bd7 has been standing watch against g4-g5 but could now pull off the Indiana Jones "idol switch" with the Qc7 (This is a really obscure Indiana Jones reference, and I could not be more pleased Matt decided to include it in his chess game annotations -Evan)
23. g5 {Threatening 24. Rh7!} Qd7!
Only move! If Shen saw this on move 16, my hat is off (It is customary for men to remove their hats as a sign of respect and/or admiration. This is not to be confused with glove removal, which indicates a departure from civility with the intention to win at all costs. -Evan)
24. Qg4 {24. Rh7 Qf5!} g6! 25. Qh4 h5 26. f6 Qd4+! 27. Re3 Bd6
Unfortunately, Ra2-d2 drops the R on e3. Black is effectively winning
28. Qg3 Bc7 29. Ra2 Qd7 30. Rae2 Qf5 31. Rf2 Qe6 32. Rfe2 Rd3 33. Qf2 ...
33. Ne4 Be4 34. Rd3 Bd3 35. Qd3 is significantly better for black, but this lost immediately
33. ... Rfd8 34. h3? Rxc3 35. Rxc3 Rd1+ 0-1

Here are the remaining games from the match. There is no commentary, only Informator like stone cold analysis. This can be improved on in a number of ways, including me learning how to negotiate certain chess software, upload chess diagrams, and become an overall better person.

[Event "USCL"]
[Date "2009.09.02"]
[White "Kacheishvili, Giorgi"]
[Black "Benjamin, Joel"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E32"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d6 5. Nf3 c5 6. dxc5 dxc5 7. g3 (7. a3 Bxc3+ 8. Qxc3 O-O 9. Bg5 Nbd7 10. e3) 7... Nc6 8. Bg2 e5 (8... O-O) 9. O-O Bxc3 10. bxc3 (10. Qxc3 e4 11. Ng5 Qe7 12. Be3 h6 13. Nh3) 10... h6 11. Rb1 O-O 12. Ba3 (12. Rb5 Qe7 13. Ba3 b6 14. Nd4 Nxd4 (14... exd4 15. Bxc6 Bh3 16. Bxa8 Bxf1 17. Bf3 d3 18. Qxd3 Rd8 19. Qc2 Bh3 20. Rb1) 15. cxd4 Bd7 16. Bxa8 Rxa8 17. dxc5 Bxb5 18. cxb5 e4 19. Qc3) 12... Qa5 13. Qc1 Ne4 14. Qe3 (14. Rb3) 14... Nxc3 (14... f5 15. Rb3 Be6 16. Nd2 Nxd2 17. Qxd2 e4) 15. Bxc5 Nxb1 16. Bxf8 Kxf8 17. Rxb1 Qxa2 18. Qd3 Be6 19. Rxb7 Kg8 20. h3 Rd8 21. Qe4 Qxc4 22. Qxc4 Bxc4 23. Rc7 Bb5 24. Nh4 Nd4 25. e3 Ne2+ 26. Kh2 a6 27. Be4 g6 (27... Bd3 28. Bxd3 Rxd3 29. Rc2 Nc3 30. Nf3 e4 31. Ne1 Rd1 32. Rxc3 Rxe1 33. Ra3 (33. g4 Ra1 34. Rc4 a5 35. Rxe4 a4 36. Re8+ Kh7 37. Ra8) 33... f5 34. Rxa6 Re2 35. Kg2) 28. Nf3 Rd7 29. Rc5 (29. Rxd7 Bxd7 30. Nxe5 Nc3 31. Bxg6 fxg6 32. Nxd7 a5 33. Kg2 a4 34. Kf3 a3 35. Nc5 a2 36. Nb3 Na4 37. e4 Nc5 38. Na1 Kf7 39. Ke3 Kf6 40. f3) 29... Re7 30. Nxe5 Nc3 31. Rxc3 Rxe5 32. Bd3 Kg7 1/2-1/2

[Event "USCL"]
[Date "2009.09.02"]
[White "Ippolito, Dean"]
[Black "Charbonneau, Pascal"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E68"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. d4 d6 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Nc3 e5 8. e4 a6 9. h3 Rb8 10. Re1 b5 11. cxb5 axb5 12. b4 c6 13. Be3 Re8 14. Qc2 exd4 15. Nxd4 Bb7 16. Rad1 Rc8 17. Nb3 Qc7 (17... c5 18. bxc5 b4 19. Nb5 Bxe4 20. Bxe4 Nxe4 21. Nxd6 Nxd6 22. Rxd6 Qc7 23. Red1 Ne5 24. Qe4) 18. f4 Bf8 19. a3 Ba8 20. Qf2 Rb8 21. Kh2 c5 22. bxc5 b4 (22... Nxc5 23. Nxc5 (23. Bxc5 dxc5 24. e5 Bxg2 25. Kxg2 Nd7) 23... dxc5 24. e5 Bxg2 25. Qxg2 b4 26. axb4 cxb4 27. Ne2 Qc4 28. Bg1 Nh5) 23. axb4 Rxb4 24. Nd2 Nxc5 25. Bxc5 Qxc5 26. Qxc5 dxc5 27. e5 Bxg2 28. Kxg2 Rb2 29. Re2 Nh5 30. Kf3 Reb8 (30... Rd8 31. Nde4 Rxd1 32. Nxd1 (32. Rxb2 Rd3+ 33. Ke2 c4) 32... Rxe2 33. Kxe2 Be7 34. Kd3 h6 35. Kc4 f5 36. exf6 (36. Nxc5 Nxg3) 36... Nxf6 37. Nxf6+ Bxf6 38. Kxc5 g5 39. f5 h5 40. g4 hxg4 41. hxg4 Kf7 42. Nf2 Bb2 43. Ne4 Bc1 44. Kd5 Be3 45. Nc5 Ke7 46. Ne6 Bd2 47. Ke4 Kf6 48. Kd3 Bc1) 31. Nd5 Ra8 (31... Ng7 32. Nf6+ Kh8 33. Nd7 Rd8 34. Nxf8 Rxf8 35. Ne4 Rb3+ 36. Kf2 Ne6) 32. g4 Ng7 33. Nf6+ Kh8 34. Nc4 Rxe2 35. Kxe2 Ne6 36. Ke3 Be7 37. Nd5 Bf8 38. Ndb6 Rd8 (38... Ra2 39. Nd6 Kg8 40. f5 Bh6+ 41. Kd3 Nf4+ 42. Kc4 Rc2+ 43. Kb5 Ne2 (43... Nxh3 44. Rh1 Nf2 45. Rxh6 Nxg4 46. Rh4 Nxe5 47. f6
h5 48. Re4 Rb2+ 49. Kxc5 Nd3+ 50. Kc6 g5)) 39. Rxd8 Nxd8 40. f5 h5 (40... gxf5 41. gxf5 Nc6 42. Ke4 Kg8 43. Nd7 Nd4 44. Nd6 Ne2 45. f6 Ng3+ 46. Kf4 Ne2+ 47. Kg4 h5+ 48. Kg5 (48. Kxh5 Bxd6 49. exd6 Ng3+ 50. Kg4 Ne4 51. Kf4 Nxd6 52. Nxc5 Kh7 53. Kg5)) 41. Nd7 Bh6+ (41... hxg4 42. hxg4 (42. Nxf8 gxh3 43. Kf2 gxf5) 42... Kg8 (42... gxf5 43. Nxf8 (43. gxf5 Kg8) 43... fxg4 44. Na5 c4 45. Nxc4 Nc6 46. Kf4 Nxe5 47. Nxe5 Kg7 48. Ned7 f5)) 42. Ke4 hxg4 43. hxg4 gxf5+ 44. gxf5 Nc6 45. Nd6 Kg8 46. Nxc5 Bc1 47. f6Nxe5 (47... Nd8 48. Kd5 Ba3) 48. Kxe5 Bb2+ 49. Kf5 Bxf6 50. Kxf6 Kh7 51. Nce4 Kh6 52. Ng3 Kh7 53. Ndf5 Kg8 54. Ne4 Kh7 55. Nc5 Kg8 56. Nd7 Kh7 57. Kg5 Kg8 58. Kh6 Kh8 59. Ne7 f6 60. Nf8 1-0

[Event "USCL"]
[Date "2009.09.02"]
[White "Shen, Arthur"]
[Black "Norowitz, Yaacov"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B16"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Nxf6+ gxf6 6. c3 Qd5 7. Qb3 Nd7 (7... Qe4+ 8. Ne2 Nd7 9. Be3 e6) 8. Nf3 Rg8 9. Bc4 Qh5 10. Be2 Qg6 11. Be3 Bh6 12. O-O-O Bxe3+ 13. fxe3 Qh6 14. c4 Rxg2 15. Rhe1 Qh5 16. e4 Qa5 (16... c5 17. d5 Qh6+ 18. Kb1 Qf4 19. Ka1 b6 20. Qa4 Bb7) 17. a3 e5 (17... Qb6 18. Qxb6 Nxb6 19. c5 Nd7 20. b4 Nf8) 18. Nh4 Rg8 19. dxe5 (19. Nf5 exd4 20. Qh3 Ne5 21. Qxh7 Rf8 22. Ng7+ Kd8 23. Rxd4+ Kc7 24. Red1 Bd7 25. Qh4 Rad8 26. Qxf6 Kc8) 19... Nxe5 (19... Qxe5 20. Nf5 Nc5 21. Qh3 Qf4+ 22. Kb1 h6 23. Bd3 Be6 24. Bc2) 20. Nf5 Qb6 21. Nd6+ Ke7 22. Qc3 Be6 23. c5 Qb3 24. Qxb3 (24. Qd2 Rg2 (24... b6 25. Nf5+ Bxf5 26. Qd6+ Ke8 27. exf5) 25. Rg1 Rg6 26. Rg3 Rxg3 27. hxg3 Qxg3 28. Kb1) 24... Bxb3 25. Rd4 a5 26. Nxb7 Rg2 27. Bd1 (27. h4) 27... Bc4 28. Re3 Rxh2 29. b3 Be6 30. Rd2 (30. Ra4 h5 31. Nxa5 Ra7 32. Nxc6+ Nxc6 33. Rxa7+ Nxa7 34. b4 Rh1 35. Kd2 h4 36. Re1 Rh2+ 37. Re2 Rxe2+ 38. Bxe2 h3 39. Ke3 h2 40. Bf3 Bd7 41. Kf2 Nb5) 30... Rxd2 31. Kxd2 a4 32. Nd6 axb3 33. Bxb3 Rxa3 34. Bc2 Nf3+ 35. Ke2 Nd4+ 0-1

Our next match is Tuesday, September 8, at 9:00 EST against the Seattle Sluggers. I have no knowledge of potential lineups. I am unaware of any preparation the Knights are intending. I know that there might be conflicts because certain Knight team members have really important fantasy football drafts. Based on that, here are my predictions for the match:

-If Matt Herman plays he will drink upwards of 15-17 cups of Marshall Chess Club homebrewed coffee.
-If Pascal Charbonneau plays, his sister Anne-Marie, who is in town visiting, will probably stop by and say hello.
-If Jay Bonin plays, he will make a sentimental reference to the Sword and Shield that was irresponsibly thrown away by club management.
-If Raven Sturt plays, it is because I decided that my fantasy football draft is more important. But for the sake of posterity, Raven is way better than me at chess.
-If John Fernandez shows up, he will be stressed out, but maintain a pleasant disposition nonetheless.

I hope the USCL will invent an award for the most "unusually measured" blog. Because whoever wins it will be showered with unusually measured praise by me, sustaining a season long neutral attitude and occasional silly jokes.