1991 Optimist Scholastics - Stewart vs Roberts

Here's an annotated game from 4 time State Champion Douglas Stewart's first tournament. Douglas's notes from a year or two later:

This is my only game from the 1991 Optimist that i have and is also my first rated loss. I got my opening out of USA Today. White's first couple of moves came from a Kasparov-Karpov world championship game in which a transposition into a King's Indian Defense occurred. Obviously it takes more than a few memorized moves to win a game of chess.

[Event "1991 Optimist Scholastics"] [Site "?"] [Date "1991.03.23"] [Round "2"] [White "Stewart, Douglas L"] [Black "Roberts, Jerryl"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A22"] [BlackElo "1349"] [Annotator "Stewart, Douglas L"] [PlyCount "28"] [EventDate "1993.03.23"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "5"] {[%mdl 8192] A22: English Opening: 1...e5 2 Nc3 Nf6} 1. c4 e5 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. d4 $6 {The e-pawn isn't hanging as much as it seems since White can generally recover Black's e-pawn on the e-file, but this move should have put White behind in development.} (4. a3 Bxc3 5. dxc3 O-O 6. Bd3 $11 {is good}) ({ or a straightforward scholastic move} 4. d3) 4... Nc6 $6 (4... exd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Qd3 O-O $17 {and Black's development lead is clear}) 5. dxe5 $6 (5. d5 Nd4 6. Bd3 O-O $11) 5... Nxe5 ({better is} 5... Nxe4 6. Qc2 d5 7. Nf3 $15) 6. Bg5 ( 6. f4 Nc6 7. e5 Ne4 8. Qd3 Nc5 $15) 6... d6 7. Bxf6 (7. Nf3 $15 {might be a viable alternative}) 7... Qxf6 $17 8. Nh3 $4 (8. Qa4+ $142 Nc6 9. Qc2 $17) 8... Bxh3 $19 9. Qa4+ Nc6 10. gxh3 Qf3 (10... Bxc3+ $142 {makes it even easier for Black}) 11. Rg1 (11. Bg2 {keeps the game going longer} Qxg2 12. O-O-O $19) 11... Bxc3+ 12. bxc3 Qxc3+ 13. Ke2 Qxa1 14. Rxg7 $2 Qxg7 0-1

2012 Mississippi Closed State Championship

2012 Mississippi Closed State Championship Open to Mississippi residents only! Red Roof Inn
280 Old HWY 80 W
Brandon, MS 39042 The State Championship is in central Mississippi and a full weekend format! The state championship will be decided by Mississippi players playing other Mississippi players! All sections are USCF rated. USCF membership can be purchased on-site. 5SS, G/85 d/5. 2 Sections. All prizes guaranteed! Open: 1st $$100. U1500: 1st $$75. Trophies to winners of both. The Open section winner will be the 2012 State Champion. EF: $20 by 10/18, $30 at site. MCA req'd $5. Reg: Sat 8-9am. Rds: Sat 9:15-1:00-4:00 Sun 9-1:30. Hotel: 601-824-3839. The Mississippi Chess Association will host its annual business meeting Sunday at 12:30pm. Please attend! Contact: Mark Nicholas, 236 Crosscreek Dr, Brandon, MS 39047
Phone 615-631-3876 or email at mark@thug.net. For pre-entries mail your entry fee made out to the Mississippi Chess Association, USCF number, and estimated current rating. Mississippi Chess Association homepage – http://www.mcachess.org

When	Sat Oct 20 – Sun Oct 21, 2012
Where	280 Old HWY 80 W, Brandon, MS 39042 (map)

*David Huang placed 7th in Denker Tournament of High School Champions*

*David Huang placed 7th in Denker Tournament of High School Champions*


  In the just completed Denker Tournament of High school Champions held in
Vancouver, Washington, Mississippi representative, David Huang, a sophomore
chess expert from St. Andrews Episcopal School in Ridgeland, MS scored 4
out of 6 points to place in the 7th place in the tournament.  A total of 48
high school chess champions, including one international master, 13 masters
and 11 experts from 46 states participated in the tournament.

Congratulations to David on a great tournament!

2012 Brandon Open – August 25, 2012

2012 Brandon Open – August 25, 2012

4SS, G/55 d/5.

At The Red Roof Inn
280 Old HWY 80 W, Brandon, MS

HR: call 601-824-3839.

Registration: 8am-9am Rounds at: 9:15, 11:30, Lunch, 2:15 and 4:30
Prizes b/60% entries.  Pre-entry Fee: $20 Onsite Entry Fee: Adults $30, Senior and Students $20.

MCA membership required for adults $5, OSA.

Contact: Mark Nicholas, 236 Crosscreek Dr, Brandon, MS 39047
Phone 615-631-3876 or email at mark@thug.net.

For pre-entries mail your entry fee made out to the Mississippi Chess Association, USCF number, and estimated current rating.
Mississippi Chess Association homepage – http://www.mcachess.org

2010 US State Champion of Champions Tournament

In 2010, Douglas Stewart participated as the Mississippi representative of the US State Champion of Champions tournament.  This is an online tournament held with 3 0 time control at the Internet Chess Club.  Here he gives some perspectives from the games.

I've won the State Championship 4 times.  Three times were shared, and once wasn't.  I took the trophy 2 of the 3 times I shared it.  The most recent time that happened was 2010, where I shared first with Alex Cibotarica.  Having beat Alex in the second round, I didn't feel guilty when I won the trophy.

As the trophy winner I was once eligible to play in the US State Champion of Champions tournament.  I had one previously been invited (that I was aware of - perhaps more than once), but I messed up the time zone and ended up missing the tournament.  This time I planned to really play.

Keep in mind that Mississippi is a fairly weak chess state (less weak now with David Ross around).  I once compared our top 10 to the top 10 of every other smaller state and I found only perhaps one where we might be the favorite in a 10 on 10 match.  I fully expected to be one of the lowest rated players in the tournament.

The format of the tournament is separate East and West tournaments, followed by a semi-final and a final.  Mississippi is considered part of the East.  As it turned out, I was the lowest rated player in the East - the only one under 2000.  The East consisted of 22 players, including 2 GM's, 3 IM's, and 3 FM's.  Since it is all play all I knew I would get to play some good players.

I took the day off to be fresh.  I think I started around 5 or 6 PM, but I knew being rested would matter. I went over to Steve Perry's apartment to make sure that I had quiet environment to play in.

The tournament having a 3 0 time control meant that time was a critical part of many games.  It also cuts down on the theoretical possibility of cheating, although I really think that's a rare issue.

First first round I played IM Tegshsuren Enkhbat from Marilyn with the black pieces.  Not the easiest start!  While my opening wasn't the greatest (I left normal theory in a King's Indian Defense around move 7 with a so-so move), I was okay through about move 16.  After that though a e4-e5 push by my opponent broke open the game and I never recovered.

I would say this wasn't a difficult game for my opponent at all and a pretty mediocre start for me.

Here is the direct link to the game, although you can also get to it on the Results page off of the MCA website.  I annotated the game with assistance from Fritz 13.

This is the first of 21 games from the tournament.  Hopefully I can keep this effort going for a while and show you more of my games.

2012 Mississippi G/75 $500 Added!

When: May 12 – 13, 2012

Where: 280 Old HWY 80 W, Brandon, MS 39042

Description: 2012 Mississippi G/75 $500 Added!
Red Roof Inn
280 Old HWY 80 W
Brandon, MS 39042
Game in 75 event in a full weekend format! $500 added to prize pool!
All sections are USCF rated.  USCF membership can be purchased on-site.
6SS, G/75. 2 Sections, Open and U1500. Prizes based on 60% of entry fees plus $500 added.  Open: 1st $300 Guaranteed.
EF: $30 by 5/10, $35 at site. Students and Seniors $25. Reg: Sat 8-9am. Rds: Sat 9:15, then lunch, 12:45, and 3:15 Sun 9, lunch, 12:30, and 3:00  Hotel: 601-824-3839.
Send entries to: Make checks payable to Mississippi Chess Association, mail to Mark Nicholas, 236 Crosscreek Dr, Brandon, MS 39047.

Port Gibson Tournament Cancelled

The Port Gibson tournament for this upcoming weekend Saturday, March 24 has been cancelled.