On July 22nd, the CSCC had 9 members in attendance. Most of the participants played in the double, round robin, bughouse tournament (G5). Bughouse is a chess variant where a two-man team, playing opposite colors on two separate boards, challenges another two-man team, and one partner can use the other’s captured pieces. Therefore, once one partner captures a piece, the other partner can now drop that piece onto any vacant square (as long as it is not a pawn onto the eighth rank) of his board in lieu of making a regular move. The partners can advise each other regarding moves or captures, and either partner can win to gain the point for the team. The team of Alice and Ralph Kramden (http://home.att.net/~cs.chess/newsletter/Tue_Mar_01_v1.html) reunited to play bughouse and steamrolled the field going undefeated. Here are the results:

Score	Team



6.0	Paul Anderson & Renae Delaware
4.0	Ken Dail & Dean Brown
2.0	Buck Buchanan & Kathy Schneider
0.0	John Lee & Doug Pua

Score	Player



4.0	Brian Wall
3.0	M Paul Covington
3.0	Bill Weihmiller
2.5	David Meliti
2.5	Anthea Carson
2.5	Joseph T Fromme
2.5	Kenneth W Dail
2.0	Timothy Brennan
2.0	Alejandro Isaac Torres
2.0	Dean Brown
2.0	Gerard Sunderland
2.0	Thomas Mullikin
1.5	Michael Joseph Wokurka
1.5	Fred Eric Spell
1.5	Isaac Martinez
1.5	Gary Frenzel
1.5	Kristin Colette Meliti
1.0	Danielle Rice
1.0	Gerald Maier
1.0	Sarah Cantwell
1.0	Tara Martinez
0.5	Reece Cantwell

The Second Annual Pueblo Open One-Day Rated Chess Tournament 2008 sported 18 participants (including Dean Brown, the House Player), ranging from rating 1859 to 822. As per most of Pueblo’s tourneys, the weather was designed to play chess. The Daily Grind bent over backwards, as always, to make the tournament a success.

Igor Melnykov 1859 4.5 1st prize, $80
Scott Massey 1783 4.0 2nd prize, $65
Chris Clevenger 1836 3.5 Tied 3rd prize, $27.50
Shaun Macmillan 1835 3.5 Tied 3rd prize, $27.50
David Meliti 1810 3.0
Scott Nichols 1790 3.0
Joe Fromme 1676 3.0 Tied U1700, $15
Josh Divine 1656 3.0 Tied U1700, $15
Larry Wutt 1849 2.5
Joe Pahk 1584 2.0
Istvan Homyak 1535 2.0
Tom Mullikin 1321 2.0 Tied U1400, $10
Joe Stafford 1226 2.0 Tied U1400, $10
Liz Wood 1087 2.0 Tied U1400, $10
Michael Wokurka 1488 1.5
Gary Frenzel 1096 1.5
Kathy Schneider 822 1.0
Dean Brown 1543 House Player

Here is a tournament announcement for the Winter Springs Open.

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TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

December 6-7, Manitou Springs: Winter Springs Open

4-SS, 40/2 and G/1, Masonic Lodge, 455 El Paso Blvd, Manitou Springs. 3 Sections: June (open to all), July (U1800), August (U1400). Entry fee $30 if rec’d by 12/4, $35 at site. $8 off EF for Juniors, Seniors, Unrated. Cash prizes per entries. Register 8:30 - 9:30, rds schedule 10, 4; 9, 3. Entries to Richard Buchanan, 844 B Prospect Place, Manitou Springs CO 80829. Phone (719) 685-1984 or e-mail buckpeace@pcisys.net . CSCA membership required ($15, 10 for juniors/seniors), OSA. Colorado Tour Event.

It is funny where inspiration comes from. I was reading one of LM Brian Wall’s latest emails (http://chessville.com/Wall/TriplePenguin.htm) when I ran across the proverb, “But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh” (Proverbs 1:25-26 (King James Version)). For some reason I find it comforting that wisdom is personified as laughing at other people’s foolishness. I guess I can relate. My son’s current favorite TV show is Wipeout, a reality game show about foolish people trying to complete impossibly hard obstacle courses just to laugh at their wipeouts. My wife asks us, “How can you watch that stuff? They are just making fun of those people.” We just look at each other and say, “Because it is funny.” Of course, the participants are trying to win money and know they will be on television so they are willing participants in the entertainment. But a lot of comedy seems to come from people making mistakes, whether accidental or intentional. Slipping on the banana peel is a classic. It just seems to be part of human nature to be pleased when your enemies fail. “The righteous see and are glad, And the innocent mock them, Saying, 'Truly our adversaries are cut off, And their abundance the fire has consumed.'” (Job 22:19-20 (New American Standard Bible)).

I guess that is why I was pleased to receive the news that Bill Weihmiller had lost to David Meliti. Of the two, one would think that David would be my adversary as he has 2 wins against me (in 8 tries) this summer, both of which include me dropping my queen in an embarrassing fashion. He always fights hard and never gives in, even though I have often had a winning position early in the game. Trying to finish a game against David is like trying to pull a badger out of its den. That is, of course, if the game of badger-baiting had a clock on it that used delay and the delay countdown showed in the display first and only when it finished the countdown did it display your actual time giving you the false impression that you only had five seconds left if you happened to glance over at an inopportune time. That is why I have started writing “Lord Brocktree” in the name box on the score sheet when I play David now.

However, despite the fact that I haven’t played Bill Weihmiller since before any of my Meliti games, we have a longer adversarial history together. I am also 6-2 against Bill, which dates back to July 2004. It all started when Linda Rondstadt was kicked out of a concert and Bill tried to mock her by singing “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.” When I corrected him that the song was Crystal Gayle’s, he set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof. In typical Cliff Clavin fashion where Prehensile Isometric Geometrics has meaning, he fired back with his little known facts about how Linda Rondstadt often covers this song on her albums. When I asked for the name of just one Rondstadt album that had the song, I enjoyed the sound of crickets chirping as I gave him ample time to make one up. Our relationship went down hill from there. I was trying to think of what nickname I could give Bill and recalled how Jesus referred to Herod, “And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected” (Luke 13:32 (King James Version)). However, we already have a fox in the Colorado Springs chess scene, so I would have to come up with something original. I wanted something that would stick so I scoured my past Game Of The Week articles and LM Brian Wall emails to get some ideas. Here are the top 10 nickname ideas for Bill Weihmiller. I will leave it up to the Yahoo Group to make the choice and announce the winner at the beginning of next year. So, if you haven’t joined the Yahoo Group yet, now is the time (http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/cs_chess/). Only members can vote in the secret ballot poll. One person from my preview audience has already submitted a vote, “LOL! That's great! I think my favorite and most fitting is Whinemiller.”

Try Blue Bayou Next Time (http://home.att.net/~cs.chess/newsletter/Tue_Jul_27_v1.html).
Nickname created: Blue Bayou Bill

Loser's Privilege (http://home.att.net/~cs.chess/newsletter/Mon_May_22_v1.html).
Nickname created: Loser

The Most Controversial Game Ever Published! (http://home.att.net/~cs.chess/newsletter/Tue_May_22_2007.html).
Nickname created: Mr. Bill

Close Shave (http://home.att.net/~cs.chess/newsletter/Tue_May_29_2007.html).
Nickname created: Monty

What Good Luck! (http://home.att.net/~cs.chess/newsletter/Tue_Aug_14_2007.html).
Nickname created: Bad Luck Bill

Miracle Matthew (http://home.att.net/~cs.chess/newsletter/Tue_May_06_2008.html).
Nickname created: Miss Rotten-miller

Tim's Response (http://home.att.net/~cs.chess/newsletter/Tue_May_13_2008.html).
Nickname created: Whinemiller

Focaccia (http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/BrianWallChess/message/2251).
Nickname created: Weighmiller

Little Richard's - The Quiet Man (http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/BrianWallChess/message/2265).
Nickname created: Tributarymiller

Weihmiller mates Wily Wall with the Weihmiller French (http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/BrianWallChess/message/2642).
Nickname created: Why Miller, Biller? (published in How To Play Chess Like An Animal!)

Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the game. Here is Bill getting the wrong end of the badger. I’ll let David Meliti explain how Bill ended up losing this one, “I just got back from the Kansas Open. But yes, I do have a game for your newsletter. As black last Wednesday I played the Scandinavian against Bill Weihmiller. It had a thriller ending. Both sides got into a time scramble and notation stopped. I won when white made a bad move with less than 30 sec on his clock. I still had about a minute.”

Badger-Baiting Bill
(Click title to view game or here: http://home.att.net/~cs.chess/games/weihmillermeliti07162008.htm)

(128) Weihmiller,Bill (1820) - Meliti,David (1884) [B01]
Poor Richard's July Colorado Springs (3.2), 16.07.2008
[Fritz 8 (60s)]

B01: Scandinavian Defence
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 last book move 6...Nbd7 7.h3 Bh5 8.a3 e6 9.Be3 c6 Prevents intrusion on b5 10.0-0 Bd6 11.b4 Qc7 12.Na4 Nd5 13.c4 Nf4 14.Nc5 Nf6 15.Rc1 Bxc5 16.bxc5 Nxe2+ 17.Qxe2 Qa5 18.Bf4 0-0 19.Qe3 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 Rfd8 21.Be5 Ne8 22.Rfd1 Rd7 23.Rd3 f6 24.Bf4 Rad8 25.Rcd1 White intends d5 25...Qa4 26.Qg4 [26.d5 Qxc4 27.Rc1=/+ ] 26...Qxc4-/+ 27.d5 [27.R3d2 e5 28.dxe5 Rxd2 29.Rxd2 Rxd2 30.Bxd2 Qxg4 31.hxg4 fxe5-/+ ] 27...f5 [27...e5 28.Qe6+ Kh8 29.Bxe5 fxe5 30.Rf3 Qxc5 31.d6= ] 28.Qg5 Nf6 29.Rd4 Qxc5 30.Be5 Nxd5 [>=30...h6 with excellent chances for Black 31.Qg6 Nxd5-+ ] 31.Bxg7=/+ Demolishes the pawn shield 31...Kf7 32.Be5 A sound move 32...Ke8 33.Rh4 [33.Bf6 Nxf6 34.Rxd7 Rxd7-+ (34...Nxd7 35.Qh5+ Kf8 36.Qh6+ Kf7 37.Qh5+ Ke7 38.Qg5+ Nf6 39.Qg7+ Ke8 40.Qh8+ Kf7 41.Rxd8=/+ ) ] 33...Qf8 [>=33...Ne7!? 34.Rxd7 Rxd7-/+ ] 34.Rh6 Qf7 35.Rd4 Nc7?? [35...Ne7 36.Rdh4 Qg8+/- ] 36.Rdh4 0-1

7/29 G/15 tournament, CSCC
7/30 Poor Richard's Bookstore July Open Final Round, CSCC
8/2-3 Pikes Peak Open, CSCA
8/5 Speed tournament, CSCC
8/6,13,20,27 Poor Richard's Bookstore August Open, CSCC
8/12 Thematic: 4-SS, G/15, not rated. Sicilian Grand Prix Attack. After 1 e4 c5 White develops with Nc3, Bc4, f4, d3, etc., CSCC

For event details and additional events, see the following websites:

Colorado Springs Chess Club: CSCC (http://springschess.org/)
Boulder Chess Club: BCC (http://www.geocities.com/boulderchessclub/)
Colorado State Chess Association: CSCA (http://colorado-chess.com/)
Wyoming Chess Association: WCA (http://www.wyomingchess.com/)
Kansas Chess Association: KCA (http://www.kansaschess.org/)
New Mexico Chess Organization: NMCO (http://www.nmchess.org/)