LA Vibe vs. Dallas Destiny Preview, plus other Week 2 Predictions

Greetings again, USCL Community!

Week 1 saw much action and excitement, and left quite a bit of suspense with regard to what Week 2 would bring. Many underdogs prevailed, including my LA Vibe defeating the St. Louis Archbishops in a close match. This week, the Vibe will be playing the Dallas Destiny, who lost their first match to the San Francisco Mechanics. The Destiny will be looking to make their record 50%, while LA looks to continue its perfect record. Let's cut to the chase and break down the boards and explain why LA will advance to 2-0!

Board 1: GM Melikset Khachiyan vs. GM Alejandro Ramirez: This match features two of my favorite GMs, so it will be challenging to make a prediction here. Both players are extremely strong, with Melik being more tactical, while Alejandro is a positional genius. Both have played each other a few times over the board, with most of the games ending in draws. However, the two recently squared off at the US Open in Irvine, with Alejandro coming out on top with the black pieces. Given that the USCL is not over the board play, and the faster time control suits Melik more so than Alejandro, I predict that this game will end in a draw.

Board 2: NM Tyler Hughes vs. FM Alexandre Kretchetov: This game will be very close, since both players are quite close in rating and strength, though I think Kretchetov is slightly stronger. Hughes has recently had two rough tournaments, and Kretchetov is just coming off a great draw against GM Ben Finegold. Given this, I believe Kretchetov will pull out the win with black.

Board 3: FM Joel Banawa vs. FM Keaton Kiewra: If you can only watch one game, this is the game to watch! Joel has just come off a great win over IM Michael Brooks of St. Louis, and recently tied for first place in the Southern California State Championship. Both players are very tactical and are comfortable with wild positions, so this game could result in fireworks. In the end, the game will sizzle into a draw.

Board 4: NM Nelson Lopez vs. NM Ankit Gupta: This will be another close game. Ankit will be aided with the momentum from his win over Spencer Finegold of St. Louis last week, while Nelson lost a decisive game against FM Andy Lee of San Francisco during his 2010 USCL debut. In addition, Ankit is currently rated about 100 points higher than Nelson, having recently finished fourth in the Southern California State Championship. Given these advantages, Ankit should win this game.

At the end of the night when all games are concluded, LA will emerge victorious by a score of 3-1 and have their second win of the season. I'm looking forward to celebrating a 2-0 record.

To make my blog more interesting, I will make predictions for the other league matches coming up on Wednesday. If my prognostications prove accurate, perhaps I can become the USCL Octopus (2010 World Cup phenomenal blogger)!

Boston Blitz vs. Philadelphia Inventors: Boston 2.5-1.5

Baltimore Kingfishers vs. Manhattan Applesauce: Draw 2-2

Chicago Blaze vs. St. Louis Archbishops: St. Louis 2.5-1.5


Have fun following the games, everyone!! Until next time!!

LA Vibe vs. St. Louis Archbishops Week 1 Recap

At about 5:30 PM PST, my good friend, Daniel Giordani, and I arrived at the Chess Palace anticipating a tough and intense inaugural USCL match for both teams. We were right, though we had no idea the level of suspense that was in store for us, as spectators. About ten minutes before the round, GM Melikset Khachiyan, the team captain, gave a pep talk to the team explaining the importance of this game, and gave specific instructions to the players about their opponents. After the pep talk, I felt a warm up song was in order to feel "the vibe" of the match. We listened to "Right Now" by Van Halen. This song is played right before the start of the LA Laker games, so I felt it was appropriate.


Onto the match! Melik surprised me by avoiding his pet Grunfeld and opting for the Knights Tango. He eventually snatched two pawns in the opening, allowing his opponent, GM Yury Shulman, some counter play. When I turned my head to our board 2, I was pleasantly surprised that FM Alexandre Kretchetov obtained a good position as white out of the opening, giving GM Ben Finegold a difficult Hedgehog structure. Board 3 featured a Cobra variation of the Sicillian by our very own FM Joel Banawa. By move six, Banawa's opponent, IM Michael Brooks, seemed confused by the opening, giving Banawa a significant time edge. Board 4 featured a four knights game between Ankit Gupta and Spencer Finegold. This is an opening that I am unfamiliar with, but I trusted that Ankit knew what he was doing, given the rating advantage over his opponent .

By 8:30 PM, GM Melik lost a close game against Shulman. We were all disappointed, but Melik reminded us that the match was still young and to play hard. Soon after Melik lost, Kretchetov achieved a much better position after 22.c5, and Joel was up a pawn. However, Joel was blitzing under time pressure, and could have blundered easily. Fortunately after playing a few moves, Ankit Gupta had won by trapping his opponents knight, a break that was much needed for the Vibe. Suddenly, we were all feeling our "mojo" and realized that there were real possibilities of winning this match. After Banawa picked up a second pawn against Brooks, Kretchetov offered a draw in a better position, confident that his teammate could win two pawns up in time pressure. Of course, Finegold accepted Kretchetov's draw offer, which left the pressure on Joel to convert the win in time pressure. About twenty minutes after Kretchetov's game had finished, at 9:30 PM, Brooks resigned, securing the match for the Vibe.

After Banawa realized his opponent had resigned, he let out a "Yes!" and threw his arms in the air. GM Melik was the first one to give him a huge hug, and celebration ensued in the Chess Palace. Everyone was extremely happy and celebratory. "This is one of many more to come!" exclaimed Khachiyan. I must say I have not felt as happy and excited all summer. What a great way to start a franchise!






Before I conclude this entry, I must thank Vibe Assistant Manager, Doreen Tanaka, for bringing Krispy Kreme Doughnuts for the team and spectators to enjoy! We really enjoyed them, Doreen!! Also, thank you to the Ong family for hosting this event in their chess club. Up next: Dallas Destiny on September 1. Ale-Alejandro!!!!

Week 1: Los Angeles Vibe vs. St. Louis Archbishops Preview

So, the Vibe's USCL season starts on Monday, facing off against one of the strongest teams in the league, the St. Louis Archbishops. Fortunately for us, we will not have to face St. Louis' "Big 3," as GM Hikaru Nakamura will have just finished the Youth vs. Experience super tournament in Amsterdam. However, we will have to face two of the Big 3, in GMs Yury Shulman and Ben Finegold. Let me break down each board and explain why the Vibe will win their first match as a franchise.

Board 1: GM Yury Shulman vs. GM Melikset Khachiyan: The Vibe's GM certainly has his hands full with this one. Shulman, the 2008 US Champion, has proven himself to be one of the premier Grandmasters in American chess, and almost impossible to beat with white. Shulman is likely to open up with 1.d4, provoking Melik's pet Grunfeld Defense. If the game ends up in a Grunfeld, Melik will certainly have no trouble in the opening, and have knowledge of many middlegame positions that may occur. Melik is a natural team player, and he knows how important it is for him not to lose this game. If Melik keeps his fighting spirit and does not let his underdog status get to him, I believe this game will end up in a draw.

Board 2: FM Alexandre Kretchetov vs. GM Ben Finegold: Unfortunately for the Vibe, this game will not work in their favor. Finegold is an extremely consistent GM, and will most likely take advantage of his higher rating and pull out the win for the Archbishops, despite having the black pieces. Kretchetov has had disappointing results as of late, which makes this game even harder for him. However, I have seen Alex play a few great games. Hopefully he can prove my prediction wrong.



Board 3: IM Michael Brooks vs. FM Joel Banawa: This
game could decide who wins the match. Fortunately, I think this result will be positive for the Vibe. While both players have about the same rating, Banawa is coming off a successful US Open, while Brooks is coming off an unfortunate string of tournaments. Having drawn three GMs in the US Open, Banawa has proven he is ready for the IM title. I believe that despite the color disadvantage, Joel will win this one for the Vibe.

Board 4: NM Ankit Gupta vs. Spencer Finegold: This game is going to be decisive. Ankit is 200 points underrated in the USCL, having recently broken 2300 at the US Open. Spencer has proven himself to be a solid A player, maintaining a rating in the high 1900's for almost a year. Given this rating differential, all the pressure is on Gupta to win, giving Spencer a possible psychological advantage. Nonetheless, this game should be a win for Ankit, securing the Vibe the match.

With these predictions, the Vibe will win the match 2.5-1.5. If my predictions prove to be correct, this will be a great way to start off franchise history for Los Angeles, and I already visualize many happy faces in the Chess Palace after the match on Monday night!

2010 USCL Season Preview

Hey All!

So here I am writing a post about my predictions for the 2010 USCL Season, the strongest USCL season yet. I have been following the USCL since 2005 and have not seen so many strong teams. Before making these predictions, I have no intention in insulting/offending anyone in any way; this is just a blog expressing my honest opinion from a fan. Without further ado, let me start with my West Division Predictions!

West Division

• Arizona Scorpions- The Scorps suffered a severe off-season blow with the loss of GM Alejandro Ramirez to the Dallas Destiny. Instead, the Scorpions will have to use IMs Rogelio Barcenilla and Levon Altounian. As Barcenilla has only played one tournament in the past five years, and with the recent shaky results from Altounian, I envision board 1 problems for the Scorpions. The saving grace is that there are a few good possibilities for boards 3 and 4. The Scorpions will probably play FM's Warren Harper and Robby Adamson on 3rd board, while masters David Adelberg, Nick Thompson, and experts John Gurczak and Amanda Mateer are solid candidates for 4th board. However, with the woes on boards one and two, I do not expect the Scorpions to make the playoffs this year. Grade: B-
  

• Chicago Blaze-The Blaze scored big in the off-season, acquiring GMs Dimitry Gurevich and Mesgen Amanov. This may be exactly what the Blaze need to get into the playoffs. With a solid 1-2 punch on boards 1 and 2 (with the possibility of using IM Florin Felecan on either of these boards,) the Blaze also have IM Angelo Young, first team all-star on board 3 in 2009. On board 4, the Blaze have two extremely talented juniors, NMs Eric Rosen and Trevor Magness. With the lineup of Gurevich, Amanov, Young, and Rosen, I believe the Blaze will get to the playoffs this year. The only crutch to the Blaze is that many of the players are new to the league, and may not be able to make the adjustment to internet play. Grade: A-
  

• Dallas Destiny- The Destiny are returning from a tough 2009 season, in which they failed to qualify for the playoffs. They have revamped their roster by adding GM Alejandro Ramirez, and IMs Puchen Wang and Rade Milovanovic. The only question mark in the Destiny lineup is who is going to be a successful 4th board. Having not played chess in a year, Gerald Roberts is a very questionable 4th board. Bayaraa Zorigt had a tough USCL season last year, and Nelson Lopez has yet to prove himself in the USCL. If the Destiny can find a steady 4th board, they are in it to win it. Grade: B+
  

• Los Angeles Vibe- The Vibe are a new expansion team to the USCL, but should not be taken lightly. GMs Melikset Khachiyan and IM Andranik Matikozyan make for a solid punch on boards 1 and 2. Other possibilities for board 2 include FMs Joel Banawa and Alexandre Kretchetov. Yet, the strength for the Vibe comes with their flexibility on the lower boards, composed by solid FMs and masters who have had successful results as of late, including 2010 National High School Champion Christian Tanaka. The two main guns for the Vibe come on board 4 in NMs Konstatin Kavutskiy and Ankit Gupta. Both are 100-150 points underrated for league play and are still improving. I can see both becoming USCL All-Stars and leading the Vibe to a playoff appearance in their first season. Grade: B+/A-

• Miami Sharks- The Sharks have been one of the most successful teams in USCL history and I expect them to make the playoffs once again this year. With the leadership from GMs Julio Becerra and Reinier Gonzalez, the Sharks will be deadly. Possibilities for board 2 include IM Blas Lugo and FM Marcel Martinez. Moreover, their bottom board variety makes the team more of a threat, with young talents Robert Perez and Nicholas Rosenthal. With this lineup, the Sharks are a major contender to return to the USCL Championship this year. Grade: A

• San Francisco Mechanics- The Mechanics return again hoping for another successful season in the USCL. With the loss of IM Sam Shankland, the Mechanics picked up IM Dimitry Zilberstein. With the recent recruits of FMs Steven Zierk and Andy Lee, the Mechanics are almost sure to return to the playoffs for the sixth time in six seasons. If they get by this "wild card curse," the Mechanics could capture their second championship in USCL history. Grade: A

• Seattle Sluggers- The Sluggers, like the Mechanics, are hoping for another successful year from the franchise. With the loss of super GM Hikaru Nakamura, the Sluggers went out and acquired GM Varuzhan Akobian to take his place on board 1. The Sluggers also have GMs Gregory Serper and Emil Anka, so plenty of firepower is in place for the top boards. With a variety of options for board 3, and juniors Alex Guo and Michael Wang executing board four duties, the Sluggers look like a serious contender to win the West. Grade: A

• St. Louis Archbishops- With the famous Big 3, composed of super GM's Hikaru Nakamura, Yury Shulman, and Ben Finegold, St. Louis is the Miami Heat of the USCL. Similar to the Heat in the NBA, St. Louis looks unstoppable on paper. However, the Big 3's time and availability are limited, as they are all chess professionals and have busy tournament schedules. However, if they make it to the playoffs with the Big 3 playing, the Archbishops will be impossible to beat and extremely tough to draw. Will they make it to the playoffs? Yes. The Big 3 will play just enough to guarantee St. Louis a spot in the playoffs, maybe a 4th place finish. Of course, the Archbishops will still have to work hard while the Big 3 is absent. Grade: A

East Division

• Baltimore Kingfishers- Having captured the USCL crown in 2005, the Kingfishers have struggled ever since, although making the playoffs last year. Baltimore has a solid board 1 in Sergey Erenburg, provided he is available most weeks. The Kingfishers have plenty of support on the bottom boards, including WGM Sabina Foisor and IM Ray Kaufman. Pivotal to the Kingfishers is who can be a consistent bottom board. The two main options are NMs Ricky Selzler and Jared Defibaugh. If the Kingfishers can find a consistent 4th board, they are in serious contention of returning to the playoffs once again. Grade: B
  

• Boston Blitz- The Blitz are arguably the best team in the USCL that has never won a championship. The Blitz are a top board heavy team, including GMs Larry Christiansen and Eugene Perelshteyn. With such a top heavy lineup, the Blitz could stack and put underrated junior Grant Xu on board 4, leaving room to put players like IM Marc Esserman and SM Denys Shmelov on board 3. With the lineup of Christiansen, Perelshteyn, Esserman, and Xu, the Blitz could be a deadly team in the playoffs. Grade: A-

• Carolina Cobras- The Cobras return in 2010 after a last place finish last year in the East. Problems continue for the franchise, with the off-season loss of team hero FM Oleg Zaikov. The Cobras have a huge hole on board 1, with IM Jonathan Schroer having to play nearly every week. To make matters worse, Schroer will have to prove himself after a disappointing individual season last year. Fortunately for the Cobras, boards 3 and 4 should not be much of a problem, with solid possibilities of NMs Craig Jones and Chris Mabe, and the underrated Richard Herbst, recently coming off an excellent Denker Tournament of Champions. Still, a finish in the top 6 would be a good season for the Cobras. Grade: C

• Manhattan Applesauce- Formerly known as the Queens Pioneers, the Applesauce look to be serious contenders in the East. Led by GM Alex Stripunsky and IMs Eli Vovsha, Lev Milman, and Dimitry Schneider, the Applesauce see no problem on the top boards. Board 3 responsibilities could be given to many candidates, including FM Andrei Zaremba, Benjamin Katz, and WFM and the famous IS 318 coach, Elizabeth Vicary. However, pivotal to the Applesauce is their underrated junior, who will play board 4: James Black, 2009 6th Grade National Champion. Checking into the league with a 1852 rating, Black is about 200-250 points underrated. If the Applesauce used a stacked lineup with Black on board 4, and Black can perform well, the Applesauce have the tools to become the first expansion team to win a USCL championship. Grade: B+
  

• New England Nor'easters- Even without a GM, the Nor'easters look to be serious contenders in the East. With the extremely strong IM Sam Shankland, 2010 US Junior champion, on board 1, the Nor'easters don't see the absence of a GM as much of a problem. With IMs David Vigorito, Jan van de Mortel, and Robert Hungaski as options for board 2 and alternatives for board 1, New England should not see any problem scoring points on the upper boards. Boards 3 and 4 will see many solid FMs and NMs, including FM Braden Bournival and NM Carey Theil. However, many of the players are new to the USCL. If the Nor'easters can overcome this possible achilles heal, they are in contention for the playoffs. Grade: B+

• New Jersey Knockouts- Having dominated the East in 2009, the Knockouts once again look for another strong season. Led by GMs Joel Benjamin and 2009 all-star Boris Gulko, the Knockouts should have no trouble scoring on the first board. Board 2 will see IMs Dean Ippolito, MacKenzie Molner, and Albert Kapengut. Boards 3 and 4 will include World Open u2400 winner, FM Victor Shen, and his brother, FM Arthur Shen. Pivotal to the Knockouts success at times will be 4th board, Anna Matlin. If the Knockouts use a stacked lineup of Benjamin, Ippolito, Molner, and Matlin, and Matlin is able to deliver, the Knockouts can beat any team in the league. Grade: A
  

• New York Knights- Being the defending champions of the USCL, the Knights look to repeat their title this year, and they certainly have the tools to do so. With GMs Giorgi Kacheishvili, Alex Lenderman, Pascal Charbonneau, and John Fedorowicz, the Knights are certainly top board loaded. To compliment these players, the Knights also have IM Irina Krush, FM Alec Getz, and NMs Matt Herman and Aleksandr Ostrovskiy to provide support for boards 2 and 3. Like many other USCL teams, what can be pivotal to the Knights winning a championship is their bottom board, in underrated juniors Justus Williams and Alexander Katz. With the lineup using 3 of New York's GMs and Katz on board 4, the Knights look as scary as St. Louis' "Big 3." Again, it may come down to which board 4 can perform better. Grade: A

• Philadelphia Inventors- Coming off a disappointing season in 2009, the Inventors look to make the playoffs for the second time in six years. The Inventors suffered some serious off-season losses with GM Sergey Kudrin leaving the USCL and GM Alex Lenderman transferring to the New York Knights. To replace these losses, the Inventors acquired former UTD student GM Maghesh Panchanathan. The Inventors have solid top board possibilities in Panchanathan and IM Bryan Smith, but are a bit shaky on who will fill in on board 3. FM Tom Bartell is the best candidate, but a disappointing 2009 individual season makes his result a question mark. For board 4, the Inventors are solid with many possibilities, including IM Richard Costigan and FM Matthew Bengston. If the Inventors can find consistent boards 3 and 4, and keep Panchanathan and Smith on boards 1 and 2, the Inventors will not have a bad year. Grade: B
  

Writing these predictions have made me realize just how strong the USCL is this 2010 season. I am very excited, and let the games begin on Monday!

Welcome!

Hey Everybody! I have been a fan of the USCL ever since it's inception, and have been wanting to have a franchise from Los Angeles, my hometown. Well, here it is! While my rating is not yet quite high enough to play on the team, I hope to be part of the franchise by writing previews and/or recaps for the team's matches. I plan to blog about once every week for the USCL community. Moreover, I am also using this as an opportunity to expose the chess community to my writing, as I hope to write for Chess Life Online someday. Finally, I would really appreciate any feedback on this blog, positive or negative! Thanks, enjoy this blog, and I wish you all good chess!