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Sometimes there come bumps in the road that measure you as a person. How do you handle adversity? Well, at the Pacific Coast Open (7/17 - 7/19) not only did I hit a bump but I hit a brick wall! Here I am looking forward to working towards the Expert level when I could barely earn a half-point in seven games(!!) This disaster almost put me in the class B category. Needless to say, there was no repeat performance of last year when I won this same section and my biggest pay-day to date.

Here is my best game of the tournament:

W: Kenneth J. Poole (1899) B: James D. Castro (1894)

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ne4 4. Nf3 b6 5. Qc2 Bb7 6. Nbd2 Nc5 7. b3 Nc6 8. Bb2 Qe7 9. Rd1 0-0-0 10. e3 g6 11. e6 Rg8 12. exf7 Qxf7 13. Be2 Bd6 14. 0-0 g5 15. Nd4 g4 16. Qf5 Qe7 17. Nxc6 (should of considered 17. Nb5) ... Bxc6 18. Qf6 Qe8 19. Qh4 (maybe 19. Qh6?! is better?!)... Qg6 20. Rfe1 Rdf8 21. Bd4 Rf5 (21. ....Rxf2! wins) 22. g3 h5 23. b4 Qf7 24. e4 Nxe4 25. Nxe4 Bxe4 26. Bd3 Bxd3 27. Rxd3 Qxc4 28. Red1 Qxb4 29. Rb3 Qa5 30. Be3 Re8 31. Kg2 Be7 32. Bd2 Qd5+ 0-1

In my last round I played against 9-yr old Vignesh Panchanatham (ranked #14 for 9-yr olds). Needless to say he held tough and found a way to win. That was it for me..... time to go home! Unbelievable!!

8/24 The Central California Open was held in Fresno this last weekend and five BCC members attended. Three members, Raul Bugnosen, Gary Latta, and Kenneth Poole, finished tied for 8th at 3-2. New member Chris Butler earned 2.5 points and scholastic phenom Alexander Pearson earned 2 points. All players were in the competitive under 2000 section. About 140 players overall attended this event.

My best game was against another tough scholastic player who was giving "A" rated player fits! Fortunately I had a good king side attack that offset my lost piece on move 16.

W: Kenneth J. Poole (1830) B: Vikram Ganesh (1537)

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 0-0 6. Be3 Nbd7 7. Bd3 e5 8. d5 Nb6? (The knight usually goes to c5 here) 9. Qd2 Bd7 10. Nge2 Nc8 11. h4 h5 12. 0-0-0 Kh7 13. Bg5 Ne7 14. f4 Ng4 15. f5? f6 16. Ng3 fxg5 17. hxg5 Rh8? (Black has been making some dubious king side moves that doesn't give him a great advantage even after getting the bishop for a pawn. White will continue to put the pressure on.) 18. Rdf1 Be8 19. Kb1 Bf8 20. Qe2 (Was considering 20. Be2 also)... Kg8 21. Qf3 Bf7 22. Rh4 Nxf5? 23. exf5 Qxg5 24. fxg6 Bxg6 25. Bxg6 Qxg6+ 26. Ka1 Be7 27. Rh3 Rf8 28. Nf5 Bg5 29. Qd3 Qh7 30. c5 Ne3? (30. ...Bf4 was better) 31. Rg3! Rxf5 32. Rxf5+ Nxf5 (Now time pressure hits both of us!) 33. Rxg5+ Ng7 34. Qh3!? (34. Ne4!! secures the victory)... Qh6? 35. Ne4 Kh7 36. Qf3 dxc5? 37. Nf6+ Qxf6 38. Qxf6 Rg8 39. Qxe5? (missing the mate in two, but only had 14 seconds left on the clock....)... Kh6 40. Qf6+ Kh7 1-0

My efforts earned me a tie for 8th place.
 

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The 49th Annual Pacific Southwest Open finished with a bang for several BCC members!

The winner of the Open division is State Champion IM Enrico Sevillano with a score of 4.5-.5.  He had to defeat his step-son, SM John Bryant (tied for 8th at 4-2) in the last round to secure clear first.

Correspondence master and Board Member John Ballow overcame a first round defeat by the #1 seed to roar back with five straight victories and finish in a tie for 2nd place. 

Indra Lahiri and Gary Latta played in a one day hexes tournament (group of 8 by rating) and did well also.  Indra tied for first with a score of 2.5-.5 and Gary overcame a first round loss to Indra to draw a higher rated A-player and defeat an Expert.  Good job to both!

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The Bakersfield Chess Club will be hosting another tournament in September.  Below is information about the tournament: 

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Just one win away..... just one victory away from qualifying for the State Championship tournament.....

At the San Luis Obispo County Open, a score of 3-1 would of qualified me for the State Championship tournament, so heading into the last round with a score of 2-1 I knew at move 28 that I had a chance of converting a drawn endgame into a won endgame. But as time trouble creeped in I gave away the initiative at move 39 and then the game when time expired. What could of been a great victory over a tough opponent turned into a nightmare as I ended up 2-2, lost rating points (and possibly the number one spot in Bakersfield), and cost myself an opportunity to play in a prestigious tournament.

Happy news for the BCC: Levi Ormonde swept the Reserve section 4-0 gaining almost 100 points in the process!

Here is my last round:

W: Daniel Giordani (1889) B: Kenneth Poole (1922)

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Bg5 e6 6. e3 Be7 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. Bxd7+ Qxd7 9. Nf3 Nc6
10. 0-0 0-0 11. Qa4 Rfe8 12. Rfc1 Rac8 13. Ne5? Nxe5 14. dxe5 Qxa4? [The continuation of 14. ...Rxc3 wins a piece!] 15. Nxa4 Rxc1+ 16. Rxc1 Nd7 17. Bxe7 Rxe7 18. Rc7 Kf8 19. f4 Nb6 20. Rxe7 Kxe7 21. Nxb6 axb6
22. Kf2 f5 23. h3 h6 24. a4 b5! 25. axb5 Kd7 26. g4 g6 27. Kg3 Ke7 28. h4? h5 29. gxf5 gxf5 30. Kf2 Kd7
31. Ke2 Kc7 32. Kd3 Kb6 33. Kc3 Kxb5 34. Kb3 b6 35. Kc3 Ka4 36. Kc2 Kb4 37. Kd2 Kb3 38. Kc1 b5 39. Kb1
d4? 40. e4 fxe4 41. f5 d3 42. Kc1 e3 43. fxe6 e2 44. Kd2 e1(Q)+ 45. Kxe1 Kc2 46. e7 d2+ 47. Kf2 d1(Q)
48. e8(Q) ...and Black lost on time.... 1-0

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The 29th Annual San Joaquin Championship will be held on May 16th-17th. Last year I came in 5th place on tie breaks..... will I do better this year? A report will come out after the tournament!

5/18:  There were four members of the BCC that attended this year; at one point three of the members occupied boards 2 and 3!

Here are the individual results from the tournament:
3.5 Indra Lahiri [tied for 4th won $25]
3.0 Gary Latta
2.5 Kenneth Poole
1.5 Jeremy Treadwell

My performance: I had 2.5 points after the first day, the same start as last year.... but this time it did not finish as well. The final two games I played were my best games but both were losses! {side note: I was fighting a pretty serious back pain throughout the tournament.... is it possible it caught up with me and I lost my concentration?!?} Each game had many tactics, but the main thing was that I was winning both games. I had a lot of confidence going into round 4 since I was able to defeat my round 3 opponent with 7 seconds remaining (!!)

In analyzing my two defeats, they each came down to one key move that would of secured the victory but for some reason I could not find it. In my quest to become an Expert I will need to make that elusive move or I will be perpetually stuck as an "A" player.

29th Annual San Joaquin Championship
Round 4

W: Poole (1922) B: Einsidler (1933)

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. g3 bxc4 5. Bg2 d6 6. Na3 g6 7. Nxc4 Bg7 8. e4 Bb7 9. Ne2 0-0 10. 0-0 Ba6 11. Qc2 Nbd7 12. Bf4 Nh5 13. Rab1 Nxf4 14. Nxf4 Rb8 15. b3 Ne5 16. Nxe5 Bxe5 17. Nd3 Bd4 18. Rfe1 Qd7 19. Nf4 Rb6 20. Qd1 Rfb8 21. h4 Be5 22. Bh3 Qc7 23. h5 c4 24. hxg6 hxg6 25. Qf3 Bc8 26. Kg2 Bxh3+  27. Nxh3 Kg7? [now the tide turns. Better was 27. ... c3 28. Rbc1 Rc8] 28. Ng5 Bf6 29. Qg4? [a transit from better to worse. I could not find the proper combination and now see that the Knight is hanging... but I did have 29. Rh1 Rh8 30. Rxh8 Kxh8 31. Rh1+ Kg8 32. Qf4 in better shape] .... Rh8 30. Rh1 Rbb8 31. bxc4 Rxb1  32. Rxh8? [advantage Black] ... Bxg5 33. Qh3 Qxc4! 34. Rh7+ Kf6 35. Rxf7+ Kxf7 36. Qh7+ Ke8 0-1

My round 5 defeat dropped me into a tie for 12th place.

W: Poole (1922) B: Miller (1897)

1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. g3 Bxf3 6. exf3 Nc6 7. Be3 h5 8. d5 [8. dxe5 Bxe5 9. Qb3 Nge7 is an advantage for White] ... Nce7 [8. ...Nd4!? is noteworthy] 9. Bh3 Nf6 10. Qa4+ Nd7 11. Ne4 h6 12. c5! Nxd5 13. cxd6 Nxe3 14. fxe3 f5 15. Nc5 [15. 0-0 is interesting followed by 15. ... fxe5 16. fxe5 with White planning Qc4] ... cxd6 16. Ne6 Qb6 17. Nxg7+ Ke7 18. Qh4+ [18. 0-0-0!?] ... Nf6 19. 0-0 Qxe3+ 20. Kh1 Rag8
21. Rae1 Qc5 22. Rc1 Qb6 23. Nxf5+ gxf5 24. Bxf5 Rg5 25. Bb1 Rh5 26. Qc4 Qxb2 27. Rc2 Qb6 28. g4 Rh4  29. Qc7+ Ke6? [29. ...Nd7 was the best reply] 30. Qxb6? [hands over the advantage to Black. Here 30. Rcc1 creates mate threats and Black also has to be careful with the Rook trapped on h4.] ...axb6 31. Rc7 Nd5  32. Rxb7 Ra8 33. Rf2 Ba3 34. Bh7 Nf4 35. Bg8 Kf6 36. Rxb6 Rd3 37. Bb3 Nh3 38. Re2 Ng5 39. Kg2? [39. Bc2!? Rd4 40. Rb8 is equal] ... Nxf3 40. h3 Kg5 41. Rb7 Rxh3 42. Rg7+ Kh4 43. g5 Nxg5 44. Rg6 Rdg3+  45. Kf2 Rh2+ 46. Kf1 Rh1+ 47. Kf2 Nh3# 0-1
 

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I have finally taken the top spot as the #1 chessplayer in Bakersfield over Indra Lahiri after the results at the 2009 BCC V club tournament.  The USCF will be rating the event soon and posting the results.  Below is my last round victory to secure first place in the tournament:

W: Kenneth Poole (1915)     B: Raul Bugnosen (1730)

1. d4 d5  2. c4 Nf6  3. Nf3 e6  4. g3 Nc6  5. cxd5 exd5  6. Bg2 h6  7. Nc3 Bf6  8. Bf4 a6  9. Rc1 g5  10. Be5 Bd6  11. Qa4 g4  12. Nh4 b5  13. Nxb5! [This sacrifice created many problems for Black.]...Bxe5  14. dxe5 axb5  15. Qxb5 Ne4  16. Qxc6+ Kf8  17. Bxe4 dxe4  18. Ng6+ Kg7  19. Nxh8 Rxa2  20. Nxf7 Kxf7  21. Qxe4 Rxb2  22. 0-0 Rd2  23. Rxc7+  1-0

This victory extended my personal best non-losing streak to 14 games (!), eclipsing the 13-game streak that ended 10-years ago (4/3/98 - 5/2/99).  After the results are posted by USCF, I will also have my highest rating to date!

6/9/2009:  Today I celebrate my 40th birthday!  Yippee!  Unfortunately, I have officially lost the top spot in Bakersfield as the new July rating list has already come out and Indra Lahiri has regained the #1 position.  Congrats to Indra on his recent tough battles.  I hope to use my new rating (1899) to my advantage and play in some tournaments with staggered U1900 divisions.  My goal is to establish an all time high rating by the end of August!

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The Bakersfield Chess Club will be hosting a tournament on June 27th & 28th.  For more information go to www.bakersfieldchessclub.com.  Come see some of the best chessplayers in Kern County and Southern California..

6/29

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On April 4th I will be participating in the 23rd Visalia Open.  This is a one-day 4-round tournament with a time control of G/60.  Last year I finished in 3rd place with a score of 3-1, losing to the winner of the tournament.  Hopefully I will get a better result this year.  After the tournament is over I will post some of my games.

4/5 The 23rd Visalia Open had a small turnout of 14 players with first place going to me on tie-breaks over Joseph Bakhoum (2024); we each scored 3 1/2 - 1/2 but did not play each other. Local scholastic phenom Levi Ormonde came back from a queen down in the last round to win and finish 2-2 securing 1st place U1200.

The beginning of the tournament started late due to a power shortage in downtown Visalia so we had to play the first and half of the second rounds by light coming in through the windows.  It was different.

Here is my best game of the tournament.  Although my opponent was unrated (and they are tricky to gage) he had a good tournament, even drawing an "A" player the next round.

W: Lucas Anderson (UNR)    B:  Kenneth Poole (1919)

1. e4 e5  2. Nf3 Nc6  3. Bb5 f5  4. Nc3 fxe4  5. Nxe4 d5  6. Nc3 Bg4  7. h3 Bxf3  8. Qxf3 Nf6  9. d3 Bb4  10. 0-0 0-0  11. Bg5 Nd4!  12. Qxd5+ Qxd5  13. Nxd5 Nxd5  14. c3 Ne2+  15. Kh1 Be7  16. Bxe7 Nxe7  17. Rae1 Nf4  18. Rxe5 Neg6  19. Re4 c6  20. Bc4+ Kh8  21. g3 Nxh3  22. Kg2 Ng5  23. Rg4 Nf7  24. d4 Nh6  25. Re4 Rae8  26. Rfe1 Rxe4  27. Rxe4 Nf5  28. Bd3 Nfe7  29. c4 Rd8  30. b4 Kg8  31. c5 Kf8  32. g4 Nd5  33. Kf3 Nxb4  34. Bc4 Re8  35. Rxe8+ Kxe8  36. Ke4 Ke7  37. Bb3 Nd5  38. Kf5 Ngf4  39. Bc4 Nh3  40. Bxd5 cxd5  41. f3 0-1

Below is a link to an article written about the tournament:

http://www.visaliatimesdelt...

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The Kern County Open Championship is a two-day event that is a state qualifier for the Southern Caliornia Championship.

Spectators are welcomed to watch the battle of cerebral fitness.

First round starts at 10am on March 28th.

3/30/09 --

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At least four members of the BCC will be attending this tournament which is held near LAX from March 13-15.

March 16, 2009

I played in the Amateur (U2000) section of the 7th Annual Western Pacific Open and tied for 2nd place!  This is my best performance since my first place victory at the Pacific Coast Open last July; my final score was 4-1 (+4-1=0).  Below are two of my games from the tournament:

My 13th move is a stinger that earns the exchange, but my opponent established a strong knight that had to be dealt with at the right time in order to earn the victory.

W: Poole, Kenneth J. (1919)    B: Muradyan, Haik (1668)

1. d4 Nf6  2. c4 e6  3. Nf3 b6  4. g3 Ba6  5. Qc2 Bb7  6. Nc3 Bb4  7. Bd2 Qe7  8. Bg2 c5  9. a3 Bxc3  10. Bxc3 0-0?  11. dxc5 bxc5  12. Bxf6 Qxf6  13. Ng5! Qxg5  14. Bxb7 Nc6  15. Bxa8 Nd4  16. Qd3 Rxa8  17. 0-0 Rb8  18. b4 Rc8  19. Rab1 h5  20. Rfd1 e5  21. bxc5 f5?  22. Kg2? Qg6  23. f3 Qc6  24. Rf1 g6?  25. Rbd1 Rc7  26. e3 Nxf3  27. Qd5+ Qxd5  28. Rxd5 e4  29. Rxf3 exf3+  30. Kxf3 Kf7  31. Kf4 d6?  32. cxd6 Rxc4+  33. Kf3 Rc8  34. d7 Rd8  35. Kf4 Ke6  36. Rd2 ke7  37. Kg5 Ke6  38. h4 Ke5  39. Kxg6 Ke4  40. Kf7 Kxe3  41. Rd6 Ke4  42. Ke7 Ke5  43. Rd1  1-0

This last round game was a must-win in order to finish in the prize money.  My 9th move helped earn me a one-pawn advantage.

W:  Poole, Kenneth J. (1919)   B: Rosenfeld, Benjamin (1762)

1. d4 Nf6  2. c4 e5  3. dxe5 Ng4  4. Nf3 Bc5  5. e3 Nc6  6. Nc3 0-0  7. Bd3 Ngxe5  8. Nxe5 Nxe5  9. Bxh7+ Kxh7  10. Qh5+ Kg8  11. Qxe5 d6  12. Qg3 Re8  13. h4 c6  14. Bd2 Be6  15. b3 d5  16. cxd5 cxd5  17. 0-0 Bd6  18. f4 Be7  19. h5 Bh4  20. Qf3 d4  21. Ne2 dxe3  22. Ne2 dxe3  23. Qh3 Qe7  24. Bf2 Qxe2  25. Qxh4 Qc2  26. Qg5 Qc6  27. Bd4 f6  28. Bxf6 Qxf6  29. Qxd5+ Kh7  30. Qd3+ Kg8  31. Rac1 Rad8  32. Qg6 Qb2  33. Rc2 Qd4+  34. Kh1 Rf8  35. h6 Rd6  36. Qxg7+ Qxg7  37. hxg7 Kxg7  38. Rc7+  1-0

Good Chess!