22 Jan 2013: in which the Pirate gets blitzed !

CHESS CLUB had an unusual Tuesday session due to the Chess Pirate's piratical travel plans later in the week.

Having at long last successfully defended The Shiny against a malarial Gabridoodle, the Pirate's winning streak came to an end today.  Incredibly, this happened when the Gabridoodle won the tie-breaking blitz game and despite the fact that he'd inhaled cleaning chemical fumes before arriving and was then treated to a hefty dose of the Pirate's sparkly              -themed nail polish.

In CLUB business, the idea of affiliation with the USCF was briefly discussed.  It was decided that we might join if it is free or if the cost is very small.  However, it was also agreed that the USCF and its members probably wouldn't like Salem CHESS CLUB very much.  Subsequent research reveals that affiliation costs $40 per year, a figure no doubt far too steep for the CLUB.

In other CLUB business, there was talk of organizing a large chess jamboree in the near future.  Stay tuned !

Game 1: Chess Pirate - Gabridoodle, ½-½
Time control: 10 minutes each

Despite on-going malaria issues and the aforementioned huffing, the Gabridoodle was in better form, successfully parrying the Chess Pirate's aggressive early thrusts.  At move 10, the Pirate committed a flagrant touch-move rule violation -- but hey, this is a "friendly" game !  Her frustration showed again on the next move, when she castled using a shiv !  At move 17, after the Pirate made a routine recapture, the Gabridoodle said, "That doesn't intimidate me !"  The Pirate's response was, "Then I'm not doing it right !"  Awhile later, a confounding pawn move made by the Gabridoodle brought forth this gem from the Chess Pirate: "I need to move my queen away from your stupid Bishop.  Stupid bishop !"  The game continued with neither player achieving a decisive edge.  At move 56, well beyond the point where the game became drawish, the Pirate demanded, "Take it !  Don't waste my time !"  This marathon finally ended with stalemate after move 64.  As shown in the diagram, there wasn't much left on the board.

Game 2: Gabridoodle - Chess Pirate, 1-0
Time control: 10 minutes each

While the Gabridoodle played somewhat less briskly than usual in game one, he came alive for the tie-breaking blitz game.  Normally, the ever-impulsive Pirate has the edge when time runs short, but today was a different story.  The Pirate blundered away her queen in the early going and the Gabridoodle's queen was then able to rampage and methodically gobble up material.  Eventually, he checkmated the Pirate with about 2 minutes to spare on his clock.

28 Dec 2012: cheese and crackers

Celebrating the conclusion of Salem CHESS CLUB's first year, the Chess Pirate, always the gracious hostess, served fancy cheeses, crackers, and Italian orangeade.  The Gabridoodle's malaria was much better though he wasn't 100% recovered: the main game was a draw and then the Pirate won the blitz game, successfully defending The Shiny for the first time in living memory.

While there was no official discussion of CLUB business, there was lamentation of the on-going recruiting difficulties, the Gabridoodle admitting, "We'll take just about anyone."

Game 1: Chess Pirate - Gabridoodle, ½-½

The Pirate's many slashing attacks led to fairly brisk simplification.  Indeed, in less than 24 moves, it looked very much like a draw was brewing (see diagram).  And indeed, that's what happened.  The queenside pawn formation was blown to bits and the Gabridoodle was then unable to promote a pawn despite having a 3-to-2 advantage.  The quote-of-the game came, as it so often does, from the Pirate: "I'm a girl with a big swinging Shiny."

Game 2: Gabridoodle - Chess Pirate, 0-1
Time control: 10 minutes each

Despite falling behind a horse, the Gabridoodle was at least making the Chess Pirate dance.  As usual in a blitz game, however, the Pirate's impulsiveness was rewarded: the Gabridoodle lost on time.

12 Sep 2012: another half-point swindle !

The need to get a doorknob fixed unexpectedly brought the Chess Pirate out of hiding.  This was thus the first CHESS CLUB meeting that featured both a trip to the hardware store and the Gabridoodle putting on a display of mechanical dexterity by installing a new doorknob in one room while standing in another.

Gabridoodle - Chess Pirate, ½-½

Training with Fritz has added briskness to the Gabridoodle's play; consequently, no time control was used (or really necessary) for this game.  The Chess Pirate wore a sombrero in an attempt to distract and/or intimidate the Gabridoodle.  The sombrero didn't really work its magic, but the Gabridoodle did fall behind in material early on, dropping a pony.  Around move 30, the Chess Pirate viciously forked him, gaining a decisive advantage.  Nevertheless, they fought on until the Gabridoodle pulled a bunny out of the hat on move 53, swindling the Pirate for a half point by means of stalemate !