Author Archives: Brad Rosen
Blaze Push Dallas Destiny into Oblivion in Round One of Playoffs
Skokie, Illinois Deputy Police Chief Michael Pechter opens the match for GM Yury Shulman with 1. d4.
Photo by FIDE Master Eric Rosen
Skokie Deputy Police Chief Michael Pechter initiated the…
Protect Yourself at all Times…and no Mouseslips
The 8-1 Chicago Blaze will be looking to conclude its historic 2011 season this Monday evening by knocking out the 4-5 Arizona Scorpions. Anything less than a win by the Scorpians means the end of the road and the oblivion of mediocrity for Arizona But the Scorps won’t go down without a fight. Accordingly, they are throwing a tough lineup at the Blaze. Continue reading
Bear Down Chicago Blaze
I’ll get right to it: the Blaze narrowly lost its first match of the season, 1.5-2.5 to Miami this past Monday night. While this was the first defeat of the season for the Blaze, now 8-1, a discomforting sense of deja vu hovered over the North Shore Chess Center. Then it struck me– Monday Night … heading into the match undefeated…losing to Miami — and suddenly I was transported back to 1985— the undefeated Chicago Bears battling the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night football. Then too, disappointment prevailed as the Monsters of the Midway came up on the short end. After that, the team had no choice but to Bear Down. Continue reading
A Date with Destiny
Eric Rosen, Ilan Meerovich , Keaton Kiewra, and decorative horse - Lindsborg, Kansas, July, 2004
Tonight, the 7-0 Chicago Blaze have a date with destiny, and with the Dallas Destiny as well. The…
Don’t Kraii for Me, San Francisco
The Blaze may face their toughest opponent of the year this week in the San Francisco Mechanics. Brad Rosen previews the Week 7 match. Continue reading
As Kingfishers Catch Fire
Is that really IM Angelo Young sporting a tie? Indeed it is, and with him is the rest of the lineup that brought victory to the Blaze in Week 6: (L to R) NM Gopal Menon, GM Mesgen…
Beware the Kingfishers
This is a Kingfisher. It looks harmless enough, but caution is advised.
It's the regular season's halfway point and Interdivision Week for the USCL, as the undefeated 5-0 Chicago Blaze from the west face off…
Send Me an Angelo
Angelo Young’s return to the Blaze lineup tonight marks his 20th match since the team entered the league in 2008, and his first back in action since week 1 when he won his match in the Blaze season opening victory over the Seattle Sluggers. This week, as the 4-0 Blaze take on the 1-3 St. Louis Arch Bishops, Young will take the helm at the pivotal Board 3 spot where he will have the white pieces against FM Doug Eckert. Young has been a clutch performer on Board 3 over the years, and in 2009 he was named to the USCL 1st team All Stars for position in 2009. Aside from being the longest time member of the Blaze, Young is also perhaps one of the most committed, enthusiastic, supportive members on the team. Young is also the proprietor of the Touch Move Chess Center, located on Chicago’s north side.
Here are the match-ups for the Blaze-Arch Bishop showdown:
Continue reading
Blaze Force LA to Bite the Bullet
National Master Gopal Menon made his USCL debut in spectacular fashion Wednesday night as he extracted a win, from what many in the crowd thought was a drawn position, to clinch the Blaze win and extend the team’s perfect record to 4-0. Menon, known for his one minute bullet chess prowess (he was #1 on the ICC one minute list earlier in the year), came out of a the opening in typical fashion, with an advantage and up the exchange against 10-year old whiz kid Albert Lu. Continue reading
