The Monthly Knights tournaments are a great option for those tournament-inclined players who cannot commit to full weekend events. A new Knights tournament begins on the first Monday of every month, with each Monday evening bringing a new round -- and players may request a half-point bye for any round they may miss. This Swiss-style tournament regularly brings in players of all strengths and features payouts to three divisions (Open, U2000 and U1600), as well as longer time controls (G/70; d5) than some of the Chess Club’s other events.
Best of all, each of your tournament games are analyzed by the CCSCSL resident Grandmaster and sent to your email weekly, providing you with personalized dissection from one of the world’s top players to keep your game improving!
The October Knights tournament featured 16 players and a prize fund of $320, with Manny Presicci (1598) taking top billing! Presicci scored three wins against Grant Johnson (1036), Sushen Kolakeleti (1020) and Neil Schechter (1487), then drew against Adam Eubanks (1480) in the final round to secure first place. Presicci has been a regular Knights competitor over the past five months, and persistence is paying off: He wins October after taking second in September!
Eubanks, too, has been showing signs of great improvement thanks to some solid work put in through the month of October: His rating has climbed 200 points since September! Eubanks took second place in the October Knights with 3/4, scoring wins against Kyle Neese (1393) and Sean Malone (1426), and with draws against Schechter and Presicci.
Kolakeleti also tied for second place with 3/4 after defeating the surging Kannan Sundarresan in round four. It was the first recorded loss for Sundarresan thus far in his fledgling competitive career, after winning the Chess Club’s National Chess Day Tournament on Oct. 11 as his very first event. His provisional rating is still a solid 1821!
Game of the week goes to Ben Shoykhet and Elliot Blackmoore. Shoykhet came out with 1. c4 – the English. Blackmoore kept the balance on the board until move 12 when Shoykhet made a play to win Black’s rook. Blackmoore found a way to stave off losing his rook by trading queens and exchanging the light squared bishop for the queen’s knight. At the end of the combination, though, Shoykhet was able to grab a pawn and capture the initiative. With move 24. Bb7, Shoykhet was able to extend his advantage with a bishop fork - winning the knight and taking a pawn and a piece material edge. The edge lasted through simplification and into the endgame when White was able to promote to Queen.
Check out the professional analysis of the game from FIDE Senior Trainer and Master Aviv Friedman:
November Knights kicks off next Monday, November 3. Register early, or at least by 6:45, with games beginning at 7:00. Register at the Chess Club front desk, call 314.361.CHESS or online.
