For the first time in the team’s three-year history, the Chicago Blaze have won their season opener, raising hopes of chess fans throughout the Prairie State that this might be our season.
After dropping their opening matches in 2008 and 2009 to the Arizona Scorpions, the Chicago squad last night drew first blood for 2010 against the Seattle Sluggers, historically one of the strongest teams in the U.S. Chess League. The final score was 2.5-1.5.
The climax of the night came after 11:00 PM in the Devonshire Room at the Skokie Holiday Inn, where the Blaze, along with their fans and retinue, were holed up against their West Coast opponents, who were relaying moves from 2,000 miles away via the Internet Chess Club. With the score of the match even at 1.5-1.5, Seattle’s FM Slava Mikhailuk, down a piece and short on time, resigned against GM Dmitry Gurevich, who was making his debut with the Blaze. Dmitry’s victory ended the match in Chicago’s favor, and a cheer went up in the room full of tired but expectant chess fans.
Earlier in the evening, IM Florin Felecan had set the stage for victory with a win over FM Michael Lee—“a monster,” as one chess fan described him, meaning the remark as a compliment to the teenager’s awesome chess prowess. Florin is now on a two-game winning streak going back to last season.
Also making an important contribution was IM Angelo Young, whose draw against NM Joshua Sinanan supplied the crucial margin of victory. Angelo, now in his third USCL season, is still undefeated in the league. Here are the games, board by board (click on each one to see it):
1. FM Slava Mikhailuk (SEA) vs GM Dmitry Gurevich (CHC) 0-1
2. IM Florin Felecan (CHC) vs FM Michael Lee (SEA) 1-0
3. NM Joshua Sinanan (SEA) vs IM Angelo Young (CHC) 1/2-1/2
4. NM Eric Rosen (CHC) vs Alex Guo (SEA) 0-1
Thanks for excellent officiating from Betsy Dynako, our Celebrity Tournament Director for the night, and to all those who played in the Blaze fundraising tournament, which will now be a regular feature of Blaze matches. Blaze Assistant Manager Jae Lim was last night’s victor.
Our next match is next Monday Wednesday night against our sure-to-be new Midwest rivals, the well-funded St. Louis Arch Bishops, a 2010 expansion team that boasts not one, but two U.S. Champions, GM Hikaru Nakamuka and GM Yury Shulman. On top of that, they also have GM Ben Finegold, a rock star among chess players whose visage recently graced the cover of Chess Life magazine. That match will take place at the new North Shore Chess Center, 5500 West Touhy Avenue, Suite A, in Skokie. Join us there next Monday Wednesday at 7:00 PM.
Tom Panelas
Photo: GM Dmitry Gurevich concentrates on his game in his USCL debut, with IM Florin Felecan in the foreground
Updated 08/26/10 at 6:23 PM. Thanks to Mike Cardinale for catching my earlier error about the day of the next match. It's Wednesday, September 1.
congrats to the blaze!
GO BLAZE GO!! With the addition of Gurevich and Shulman we look to be pretty fierce this season. Looking forward to NAKA vs. YURY. I hope Yury scalps him.
Disregard my last post. I didnt realize that Shulman is not playing for our team. I realize now that he is a traitor, I hope both NAKA AND YURY get scalped by the blaze.
Yeah! he sold his soul to the highest bidder! … Way to go Blaze!