The Pawn Pusher - a publication of the St. Petersburg Chess Club

Tournament Details:

SPCC Scholastics: DATES: Sept. 10, Oct. 1, Nov. 5, Dec. 3, Jan. 14, Feb. 4, Mar. 4, Apr. 1, May 6: USCF Rated Individual and Team competition. 3 Divisions: K-5 U400; K-8 U800; & K-12 U-1200. Trophies to top 12 individuals in each section; medals to everyone else. Trophies to top 12 teams. $18 entry fee ($15 for SPCC Members). 5 rounds G/30. Swiss Non-elimination System. Food and soda available on site. Bughouse tournament at lunch ($5). Pay by credit card online or by cash or check at site, the Sunshine Center, 330 Fifth Street N., St. Petersburg. USCF membership is required and may be purchased at the site. Reg. at 9:30 AM; Awards Ceremony at 5:15.

$500.00 Cantrell’s Chess Books Open/Adult:: Sept. 10, Oct. 1, Nov. 5, Dec. 3, Jan. 14, Feb. 4, Mar. 4, Apr. 1, May 6: G/30 $500.00 Tornado: USCF Individual Rated 5 round Swiss event open to all. Site: Sunshine Center. 330 5^th St. N., St. Petersburg. $25 EF ($20 for SPCC mem), $5 more at door. NS. NC. W. $$500 b/30; $120-90-60-30. U1800 70-30. U1500 70-30 Reg. 9: 30 AM; Rds 10:15; 11:30; 1:30; 2:45 & 4. Co-sponsored by Cantrell’s Chess Books (727-527-6010).

Tournaments Scheduled

The long-awaited schedule for fall and winter is done. View it below. As usual, the entry fee for the scholastics is $18, and only $15 for SPCC members. The cash event is $25; $20 for SPCC members, and $5 more at the door. Please check the SPCC membership list on the website if you think you belong to the club. (USCF membership is not the same.) Scholastic memberships in SPCC are $20.00 a year, adults $40.00. See page 3 for money-saving package deals.

2005-2006 Tournament Schedule

Sept. 10: SPCC Scholastic & $500 Open

Sept. 17: Club Speed Championship @ Club

Oct. 1: SPCC Scholastic & $500 Open

Nov. 5: SPCC Scholastic & $500 Open

Nov. 19: G/60 Tornado @ Club

Dec. 3: SPCC Scholastic & $500 Open

Dec. 10: G/60 Tornado @ Club

Jan. 14: SPCC Scholastic & $500 Open

Feb. 4: SPCC Scholastic & $500 Open

Mar. 4: SPCC Scholastic & $500 Open

Apr. 1: SPCC Scholastic & $500 Open

May 6: SPCC Scholastic & $500 Open

PLEASE REGISTER FOR THE TOURNAMENTS ONLINE AT

WWW.STPETERSBURGCHESSCLUB.COM

Popular tournament player, local tournament director, and scholastic assistant coach Michael Sperber fought his way to clear first in the “B” section of the recent Southern Open in scenic Kissimmee, Florida, over the weekend of Aug. 7. Strengthened by his years of lessons from Gary Sanders, Sperber was clear first. Here is a position from his game against Jorge Valdes, rated 1664.

Black (Sperber) to play

Both players think they are luring the other into a trap; only Sperber is correct. White’s N on d6 is supported only by the e5 pawn. By giving his N for it, Black will then be able to pick up the d6 N, up a pawn. Black plays 1. …Ngxe5!; 2. Nxe5 Qd6. Mission accomplished, but now White gleefully springs his trap: 3. Nxf7 (diagram)

Material is even for now, but White threatens the Q with both B and N; after she moves, NxR leaves White the Exchange ahead. But Sperber has the answer. 3.… Bxf2+!!

Joe Montana to Dwight Clark is called simply “The Catch;” John Elway’s work in the Super Bowl simply “The Drive;” Sperber refers to this as “The Move.” And it is, as he says (often) zesty. If White captures the B, Rxf2 leaves Black a Pawn up. Moving the K allows Qxg3 and Black will be ahead when the dust settles in all lines. Congratulations to Mike on this excellent move, and on managing to beat Skippy on the way to his $1120.00 first prize. He’s made Coach Sanders and I very proud, Gary for all his technical instruction and me for whatever influence I may have had on him.

SEPT. 17

SPCC SPEED CHAMPIONSHIP

$400.00 b/20 5 round Swiss event open to all. (each round best-of-5 G/5 match) Site: SPCC 540 4th Ave. N. $20 EF $5 more at door. NS. NC. W. $$400 b/20; $100-75-60. U2000 $45 Top B, C, D-G $40. Unrated not eligible for class prizes. Champion must be SPCC Member to get name on cup and chess set prize. Join onsite. It’s OK. Reg. 11: 30 AM; Rds 12-1-2-3:30-4:30.

----------------------------------------------------------Labor Day Weekend… It’s the Florida State Championship & Annual Convention in Kissimmee www.floridachess.org.

TOURNAMENT PACKAGE DEALS!

There are individual package deals available for the scholastic events that run through the end of 2005. Get all four tournaments; pay for three, and get a chess set (pieces, board, and bag) OR a T-shirt OR a fabulous St. Petersburg Chess Club Backpack for only $54 (a $75 value). If you are already a member of the SPCC, you get this deal for only $45. All this plus a trophy or a medal EVERY TIME. How do we do it? Don’t ask. Please call Andrew Scherman 727 822 1171 or visit our fabulous website, www.stpetersburgchessclub.com. For the $500 G/30 events, the deal is $75, and only $60 for members. There are even package deals for the scholastics for schools and teams: you get four entries into every tournament. You can use them for anybody on your team, different players each time if you wish. You only pay for three entries, plus you get your choice of four chess sets, T-shirts, or backpacks, mix and match. That is a $348 value yours for only $216. This is a great opportunity for you to have some person or business sponsor your team for the whole season. Four players at each event plus the gifts! Each player will need to be a USCF member, of course. But otherwise, you’re set for the season.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

SPCC CLUB HOURS

We are “open” 24/7/365, as renewed members have keys and can go whenever they wish. We generally expect people Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons from 1 to 5 PM and on Friday evenings from 7:30 to about 11 PM.

PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH

-----------------------------------------------------

Transcript of taped Interview with SENIOR MASTER GARY J. SANDERS

With Editor Haywood J. Drutowski

HJD: Gary, tell us about your new website, SMChessCoach.com.

GJS: It’s called “Sanders Chess Corner” and it contains tournament information including advance entries, ratings…

HJD: Mew

GJS: …crosstables, lessons on tactics and chess theory, games, valuable links…

HJD: You’ve been Florida State Champion eight times, and Champion of the SPCC countless times, correct?

GJS: Yes. And coming up on Sept. 17 is the Club Speed Championship so I will be going for another one.

HJD: Tell me, Coach, why do you teach your students such boring openings as the Stonewall and the Caro-Kann?

GJS: Well, Haywood, both SPCC President Andrew Scherman and myself have had serious scares regarding our cardiovascular health, so this ensures that no one who sees these games will be at risk of any stress from any kind of excitement whatsoever.

HJD: (appears to have fallen asleep)

GLS: My students’ opening repertoires are quite powerful which is why I don’t let them give out their ICC handles. Can you imagine if that information reached the enemy?

HJD: (vigorously shaking himself) I understand. I’m sure cyberspace is teeming with villains waiting for their chance to book up on Jacob Weiss and Aaron Stypinski. If Valerie Plame was your student she’d still be undercover.

GLS: (appears to have fallen asleep)

END OF INTERVIEW

I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY– by Haywood J. Drutowski

There is so much happening in the neighborhood. Thanks to Ethel Haskins at the Sunshine Center for getting that nasty pothole at the corner of our driveway paved. It had been bouncing bumpers for years. If you’ve been unreasonably jostled, I can recommend massage therapist Paula Simmons-Grant (727-688-1013) or chiropractor Jerald Balduf of the Florida Chiropractic Institute (727-544-7878) for fixing what ails you. Thanks to Accountant Keith Newman (727-327-6608) for his help with some clerical matters. Thanks to our new cleaning service, Sparkling Sisters, for their help on cleaning matters. And thanks to Shirley Sullivan for putting together a Benefit for the Mirror Lake Complex. That’s right! Friday, October 14, 2005, from 7-10 PM at the Lyceum. It will be catered by Orange Blossom Catering, with soft drinks and water provided by Catering by Lundy. There will even be entertainment (although please do not believe the rumors that said entertainment will be Diane Drutowski & her musical saw) a cash bar and a raffle. Tickets are $25 each with a table for eight for $150. The money all goes to the city of St. Petersburg and the cost is tax deductible! What a great thing. Call Shirley at 727-821 1432 and get your tickets.

We’re looking forward to a big season at the SPCC. We will be bidding on the 2006 Florida State Championship. As many of you remember, we hosted the 2001 event and set the all-time record for attendance. We have a great contract with the Radisson (the Hilton people wanted to charge us $20,000 – avoid them) and it’s our turn here in the West for 2006. We should know if we have the bid after Labor Day.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address correction requested

The st. Petersburg chess club

701 mirror Lake Drive N. #122

St. Petersburg, florida 33701

Return to News web page