Saturday, November 28, 2009

Miami-New York: The brawl for it all

Monday, December 7

First, let us take a moment to remember Arizona.

Second, this match. On board one, we can expect a Caro-Kann. Becerra has not faced the Caro in the USCL, but since he is a classicalist I imagine he plays either 3. Nc3 or Nd2.

Charbonneau always opens with the king’s pawn, which none of Lugo’s USCL opponents have done since 2006. Who were they all trying to impress, I wonder. I can just see them lifting their little pinkies in the air as they delicately slid their pawns forward to d4. There won’t be any of that here, as Charbonneau is a reliable king pawn player, and Lugo normally meets 1. e4 with …e5. With the economy the way it is, they are smoking fifties on Wall Street this year, so I’d expect Charbonneau to be looking for extra thrills on the chessboard. Maybe an Evans or some such.

A Sicilian seems likely on board three. But with only one match going and for the championship, no less, I’d recommend that the spectator follow every game regardless of what opening.

Norowitz is the biggest advocate of the Stonewall since the Nixon White House. Rodriguez usually defends 1. d4 Nf6 and then tries something sharp, so probably neither player will get what he wants, at least, not in the opening.

The beginner thinks no further ahead than the next move. The experienced player keeps the endgame in mind from the start. The truly thoughtful look all the way to the blitz playoff that would follow a drawn match. Blitz generally is a young man’s game, and blitz immediately after a grueling slow game ought to be even more favorable to youth. New York has the younger squad, so I think Miami ought to press a bit harder to avoid overtime. Increasing the contempt factor by two-tenths of a pawn sounds about right. Still, I expect New York to take it in regulation by a midnight whisker.

RODUP
_OOO_

RINGO
_OOO_

MEGAN
_ _OO_

NEEDSIT
_ _O_ _O_







THE  "_ _ _ _'_    _ _ _ _ _'  "

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