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4 - 1 - 1 Tourney ends with game six win

Jack didn't have much mental energy left, but he had enough to win the final game. Four wins and one tie is the third best score and good enough for some prize money, how much depends on the number of players tied.

The winner ended 5-0-1 and he was, of course, the player that Jack lost to in game five. And in that championship game, the player who lost, who Jack would have faced had he won game 5, he played an opening that Jack is very familiar with, very confident against. So close.


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3 - 1 - 1

Jack lost game 5. Wide open, intense, and as exciting a chess game as you are likely see. With his time down to under ten seconds he could not fend off the attack.

Orlando, Nashville, Philadelphia - he has been competing at a fairly intense level for about a year now and for the past two days we thought this could this could be his break through win in a big name tournament. He put himself in a position to compete for 1st going into the last day. All week long he has used every last second he had, thinking deep into every position, but this time it caught up to him as the attack intensified with Jack down to the last few minutes versus an opponent with no time pressure.

And you know the worst thing about losing a game like that? Afterwards someone will point out the move you missed. Which is always when I want to say - "what about the other 500 moves that I didn't miss". Jack has played near flawlessly for 20-plus hours of nerve-wracking chess, games at a very high level of competition. It's too bad this one got away, but there's no way to feel bad about this performance. Great tournament.


(and he will win one of these)








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Game Five Very Tense as Clocks Wind Down

Jack has been under attack but the game is still too close for me to say who has the upper hand. Jack is behind on time (under 10 minutes) but that is typical and may not be a concern as he could get another hour should the game continue to move 40. Let's go Jack. It's hard to watch without feeling the tension that comes with concentrating for hours straight with no margin for even the most minor slip, and that's in addition to the normal pressure Jack always puts on himself. For that reason alone, let's hope he can pull this one out.


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Game 5 starts with Jack in fifth place

If you've got a lucky shirt, today is the day to wear it. Jack enters the tournament's final day in 5th place, one of six players at 3.5, one-half game off the lead. There are two games today. Lets go Jack.

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3 - 0 - 1 Jack wins game four

Jack wins game four to head into the final day with three wins, no losses, and one tie. Once again the game went into extended time, this time with only 10 seconds left on Jack's clock. But with the extra hour Jack had the time he needed to make the most of the small advantages he had built up. Jack was playing black against a higher rated opponent - very impressive win. Two games tomorrow. Let's go Jack.


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2 - 0 - 1

Jack takes game three. He's playing well. This game looked a lot like game one - close all the way but Jack had a better position, and this time he was able to capitalize. Next game at six.


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Game three underway

Game 3 just started, let's go Jack.

Three days in NYC and we're having a great time - Times Square, Marshall Chess Club, Washington Square Park, if this fun and friendly week goes on much longer I'm afraid we're going to start saying things like "actually, New York City is not so bad", or "you know, if it wasn't for the filth and the crime, I wouldn't mind coming back here". Jack in particular seems to be coming dangerously close to saying something along the lines of "I like New York"

This can't go on much longer. And it won't! Because now we are going to ride the subway




Filth, muggings, and getting groped by perverts, we'll bring our video camera, maybe we'll get a viral video of a rat crawling across a homeless guy's face.

But no! here's our ride on the E train, just another clean, spacious, well air-conditioned experience with our new friends, the people of New York. Check out the video and ask yourself: "does the Red Line look this nice?" ........ FUHGEDDABOUDIT



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1 - 0 - 1 jack wins on disqualification

opponent number two cheated and jack caught him!!

Jack has often suspected that opponents have cheated, when the guy looks lost but then returns from a bathroom break with the perfect move. So it is a good feeling to finally catch one. I'll let Jack describe



How to Attack the French!!. HAHAHA what a dumbass. But it does make you wonder how many other, slightly less stupid cheaters have gotten away with it. It's too bad the people who run these things can't put a little more effort into preventing this, so the honest players don't have to follow their opponents around during breaks. More on this later, including I hope video of the little scumbag trying to explain his way out of it. That video is on my phone and I get 'file too big to transfer' when I tried to upload. Anyway, congratulations to Jack

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GAME TWO SHOCKER - OPPONENT CAUGHT CHEATING

Developing ... Jack thinks he caught the other guy cheating, controversy, several tournament directors involved, I've got my camera phone updating the action


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0 - 0 - 1

Game one draw. And now Jack only has 10 minutes before round two.


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Game One enters sixth hour

Jack's first game is still going, very close, both players have around ten minutes left on their clocks. Check out this photo, that's Jack in the red - the only game that hasn't ended yet.



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Manhattan Open is underway

Jack's first game has started. Beautiful ballroom - not the typical convention hall basement type room.

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Washington Sq Park

Jack at the Marshall Chess Club

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St John's tour - AAARRGGHH

Colleges love bragging about their alums, so get ready to hear that the US Ambassador to Whocares-Istan went here! Unless you are on the St John's tour - this is where we taught the guy who invented Pirate Booty!!




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NYC sightseeing

We've checked into the Hotel New Yorker and while Jack watched the early round in the open division, I walked over to Times Square and asked one of the laid back, super-friendly New Yorkers to snap this photo.
Jack doesn't play until Friday, so we're going to Queens tomorrow to check out St Johns. Hopefully Al Qaeda won't blow up our train

Welcome to New York, and watch out for falling garbage trucks!

Manhattan Open

We're off to New York City!
Hello chess fans, Jack and I are on our way to NYC, capital of the chess world, home of the legendary Marshall chess club, and this week - the site of the Manhattan Open. The tourney is in the New Yorker Hotel, Jack's in the U1900, seven games, play starts Friday.

Jack's has been playing great but the competition will be tough - it's always tough at this level, but these guy are from New York and they have the best players in the nation. And you know what else they have in New York? Really big rats!!!