[imagefield_assist|fid=8509|preset=fullsize|lightbox=true|title=GM Ben Finegold (right) arrived in Lubbock, Tex., less than two hours before his round one game.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=375|height=250]There was more blood in the B group, as brand new GM Gergely Antal won a long game with black against 13-year-old FM Darwin Yang, and IM Dean Ippolito won with black against IM Danny Rensch.
IM Bryan Smith and IM Irina Krush drew a marathon game which lasted over 5.5 hours. They got to an ending with queen and two pawns against queen and one pawn, and all three pawns were passed. The other two games were more peaceful draws, as GM Davorin Kuljasevic drew Israeli GM Anatoly Bykhovsky and I drew with black against GM Andre Diamant. So after eight total games in both groups, black is ahead 2-0 with 6 draws!
My game with Diamant followed my USCL game from last week against IM Danny Rensch. Andre deviated with 12.Qd3 (Danny played 12.Re1) but his lethargic 13.Bxf6!? left the game rather dull, and soon a repetition occurred. I was happy to draw, as I had little time to prepare for my game, since I landed in Lubbock at 12:20 p.m., and the round started at 2 p.m.!
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Pictures, videos, games, and other information can be found at Susan Polgar's blog: www.susanpolgar.blogspot.com ... MANY pics from round 1 and the Opening ceremonies at: http://picasaweb.google.com/SPICEChess/2010SICECupSelect#
The GM norm is six points and the IM norm is four.
Tomorrow I am white against GM Davorin Kuljasevic.
Stay tuned for updates each round!
STANDINGS AFTER 1:
1-2 Ippolito, Antal: 1-0
3-8 Finegold, Kuljasevic, Diamant, Bykhovsky, Krush, Smith: 0.5-0.5
9-10 Rensch, Yang 0-1
