The only draw in this year’s contest managed a top ten finish but couldn’t quite crack the top five
This is the twelfth part in a series of articles which will count down to revealing what game was voted as the 2013 USCL Game of the Year. For more information on exactly how this process works and the prize information, please refer to: Game of the Year Contest
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9th Place: GM Giorgi Margvelashvili (DAL) vs GM Ben Finegold (STL) 1/2-1/2
Rather than settling for the prosaic 17… Rxe7, Black paved the way for a wild battle starting with 17… Nxh2! which, after many complications, eventually resulted in an exciting draw
GM Alex Yermolinsky (4th Place, 17 Points): Nice back-and forth affair highlighted by Finegold’s King balancing act.
FM Ron Young (6th Place, 15 Points): A friend of mine (I don’t say “chess friend”, because that is the default) who eventually gave up chess for Scrabble (I’d have said “jilted Caissa”, but that seemed rather melodramatic for talking about a 2000 player) eventually won the World Scrabble championship and said to an interviewer “people who aren’t serious Scrabble players aren’t part of my life anymore”. Not having the wherewithal or standing to make the same claim regarding chess, I have nonetheless felt the frustration of having to record “one half” on the result sheet when I’d really like to claim a win for the chess world on the result sheet of life. And I will do it now in regard to this game.
FM Alisa Melekhina (8th Place, 13 Points): Now this is the type of game one expects to see between two GMs. No short draws, lopsided victories, or single decisive tactics here. Both players were equally playing for the win, setting problems for the opponent on every move. This kept the challenger and spectators on their toes. The safe Qb3 Slav turned into a true fighting draw that had more finesse than some of the other wins.
GM Alejandro Ramirez (11th Place, 10 Points): A strange game that was difficult to assess at all times, but it does not compare to the higher games on the list.
IM Jake Kleiman (13th Place, 8 Points): This was a wild game with lots of in-balance. However, I am hard pressed to give a contest for Game of the Year to a draw, unless there were multiple correct underpromotions. :)
FM Ingvar Johannesson (15th Place, 6 Points): I didn’t understand anything in this game. It however was exciting to play through and seemed to be pretty well played by both given the complications. Props to the players for a creative fighting draw.
Total Score of Margvelashvili vs Finegold: (9th Place, 69 Points)
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Stay tuned for eight more such articles as the field shrinks by one game almost every day to see which of the following games will be the 2013 Game of the Year!
Week 2: GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) vs GM Robert Hungaski (MAN) 1-0 Article
Week 5: IM Dmitry Schneider (MAN) vs GM Joel Benjamin (NJ) 0-1 Article
Week 6: IM Marc Esserman (BOS) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 0-1 Article
Week 8: GM Conrad Holt (DAL) vs IM Jonathan Schroer (CAR) 1-0 Article
Semifinals: GM Sam Shankland (NE) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 1-0 Article
Wildcard #1: GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) vs FM Steven Winer (NE) 1-0 Article
Wildcard #3: IM Justin Sarkar (CON) vs IM Levon Altounian (ARZ) 0-1 Article
Wildcard #5: GM Alex Stripunsky (NJ) vs GM Melikset Khachiyan (LA) 1-0 Article
Eliminated:
9th Place (69 Points): GM Giorgi Margvelashvili (DAL) vs GM Ben Finegold (STL) 1/2-1/2 Article Elimination Article
10th Place (58 Points): FM Eric Rodriguez (MIA) vs IM Irina Krush (NY) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
11th Place (58 Points): GM Zviad Izoria (MAN) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
12th Place (58 Points): IM Vitaly Neimer (STL) vs FM Eric Rodriguez (MIA) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
13th Place (56 Points): GM Emil Anka (SEA) vs FM Tom Bartell (PHI) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
14th Place (51 Points): IM Andranik Matikozyan (LA) vs GM Julio Becerra (MIA) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
15th Place (44 Points): GM Conrad Holt (DAL) vs GM Julio Becerra (MIA) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
16th Place (43 Points): GM Julio Becerra (MIA) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
17th Place (43 Points): GM Joel Benjamin (NJ) vs GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
18th Place (41 Points): John Michael Burke (NJ) vs NM Ryan Goldenberg (MAN) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
19th Place (40 Points): GM Niclas Huschenbeth (BAL) vs IM Steven Zierk (BOS) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
20th Place (40 Points): GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) vs GM Julio Becerra (MIA) 1-0 Article Elimination Article