[imagefield_assist|fid=12294|preset=fullsize|title=The Mechanics' Institute building houses the oldest chess club in the United States. Pictured here is a more-than-100-year-old table in the playing hall of the Mechanics' Institute.|desc=|link=none|origsize=|align=left|width=700|height=523]
By GM Ben Finegold
The U.S. Chess League is back for its seventh season, and the Saint Louis Arch Bishops started the new season with a revamped line-up.
Round 1 saw Saint Louis paired against the San Francisco Mechanics. Unfortunately, we lost 2.5-1.5 in a tough match, but we cannot be too unhappy as we were out rated on boards two through four, and my opponent on board one was GM Jesse Kraai, against whom I have never won!
The first game to finish was on board two, where new Arch Bishop FM Jake Banawa lost to IM Daniel Naroditsky in a complicated Najdorf Sicilian. The game was about equal, in fact Jake was probably a bit better, but time trouble and tactics were a dangerous combination, and Jake made a blunder (23…Rfd8?? Instead of 23…Rae8) and lost.
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The next game to finish was Jialin Ding on board four. He had black in the Chinese Dragon variation of the Sicilian against youngest-ever USCF master, Samuel Sevian. Jialin seemed to know the opening better and built up a nice time edge to go along with his nice position. When Sevian sacrificed the exchange with 22.Qxh7+ Qxh7 23.Rxh7, Jialin should have declined the offer and played 23…Bxb3! with a nice advantage. As it went, the game petered out to equality and a draw by repetition.
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The match was effectively over when IM David Pruess overwhelmed FM Doug Eckert on board three. David played a QGA, equalized pretty quickly and then won material with some neat tactics.
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We were down 2.5-0.5, but I had a nagging edge against Kraai, and I was able to wrap up the point in a bishop ending after 89 moves and four hours of play!
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So we lost the match, but by the closest of margins. Today we play the Los Angeles Vibe, Tuesday, September 6, which, coincidentally, is my birthday!
