Congrats to the upset winners Philadelphia and of course my own Scorpions for winning Week 1, and a lot of great candidates for Game of the Week – I really thought Becerra – Barcenilla would do a lot better in the voting. The resourcefulness by Becerra to hold and in fact win was quite impressive IMO.

As for Week 1, for the first time in a while, I actually got better than 50% record in picking the matches. In Week 1, I went 5-3 which isnt too bad. Unfortunately, because I am playing this week and it being a Monday match, I will give my picks quickly and without much comment (which to some might be a good thing!).

Monday Matches –

New Jersey Knockouts vs New York Knights

NY Knights Win 2.5-1.5

Carolina Cobras vs New England Nor’easters

NE Noreasters move to 2-0 with a win 3-1 over the snakes.

Miami Sharks vs San Francisco Mechanics

SF wins 2.5-1.5

Arizona Scorpions vs Seattle Sluggers

AZ wins 2.5-1.5

Wednesday Matches -

Boston Blitz vs Philadelphia Inventors

Boston changes strategy and goes with the kid on board 4, but Philly counts with their own youth. A tie is in order.
Baltimore Kingfishers vs Manhattan Applesauce

MA wins 2.5-1.5, though Baltimore has reasonable chances to pull the upset. Its tough competing with a team with a 2500 on board 3, good grief.

Chicago Blaze vs St. Louis Arch Bishops

St Louis rebounds with a 3-1 win.

Los Angeles Vibe vs Dallas Destiny

Vibe moves to 2-0 with a win, despite the Alejandro factor.

After Arizona’s week 1 match, Scorpion IM-elect Robby Adamson had one word to say, “Unreal.” Not since last year’s match against San Francisco has there been such a match where the score, in the matter of minutes, could have swung 3-1 in one direction or 1-3 in the other. Robby looks at Arizona’s first ever victory over the Miami Sharks as they extend their opening match record to 3-0 all-time.

The Arizona Scorpions won their third consecutive opening match, in their third year in the league, with a very exciting win over the always tough Miami Sharks. This match went back and forth and really no result would have surprised me. I watched in my usual agony, with fellow teammate Amanda Mateer, and tag-along Mackenize “Snack Attack and please don’t give me mono” Molner, as we I yelled at the computer screen while watching the games live on ICC. On paper, Miami had the stronger team with an average rating advantage of 2428 vs. 2398. Also, Miami had a lifetime 2-0 record against the Scorpions, and I am sorry to say killed us both times. But as they say, that’s why they play the games.

Congratulations are in order for Team Phoenix. Almost GM Rogelio Barcenilla nearly pulled a rabbit out of his hat only to fall in time pressure vs. USCL stud-GM Julio Becerra. IM Dionisio Aldama used his Cuban magic and created a mess that IM Blas Lugo was unable to figure out in time pressure. Meanwhile, IM Danny Rensch thoroughly outplayed Miami’s All Star NM Eric Rodriguez on the black side of a Catalan. Finally, Expert John Gurczak made his USCL debut a memorable one by clinching the match for the Scorpions with a draw on board 4 against the very strong FM Charles Galofre, to win the match 2.5-1.5. I will cover the games in the order that they finished.

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The Year 2010 in the US Chess League looks to be a rather balanced league. It will be interesting to see whether improved teams such as Chicago can qualify for the playoffs, and whether new teams like St Louis and Los Angeles will handle their respective first year in the league. Somehow I think there will be a few new teams to the playoffs.

Just like last year, I will try my best to predict the matches. I really hope I can pick better than I did last year because last year was worse than the fall of a certain political parties (insert your favorite punch-bag here).  Without further ado, here are the Week 1 predictions:

Monday Matches –

New York Knights vs. Boston Blitz

The first match of the 2010 campaign is again a great match-up between 2 rivalries. I really like New York’s team this year with the use of the 3 underrated juniors (underrated meaning current USCF ratings are much higher than 2009 rating supplement being used) Alec Getz, Alex Ostrovskiy and Justus Williams, as well as heavy-weight GM Giorgi Kacheishvili on board 1. Getz has played well this year, Ostrovskiy is almost 2300, and Justus Williams has improved a lot in the last year. Boston always will be strong when you have GM Larry “Can I please get an ice coffee” Christiansen leading the team, but I think Boston is lacking that underrated player element that always seems to help teams. So who wins this one? I think Larry needs to score the full point against GM Alex Lenderman for Boston to be successful because I think NY is stronger overall. NY wins 2.5-1.5

Philadelphia has a slight rating edge here – but Philly will need a strong outing from IM Bryan Smith who had a superb  Philadelphia International this summer. I think Bryan needs to come after GM Joel Benjamin because NJ has a huge edge on board 2. GM Boris Gulko receives his obligatory white vs. FM Tom Bartell and should bring that point home. For that reason, I think NJ wins this one 2.5-1.5.

I remember the nervous feeling I had two years ago when I played for the Arizona Scorpions and I am sure there will be a little bit of nervous feelings from both of these expansion teams. But don’t feel too bad for St Louis who has 3 GMs (Naka, Shulman, and Finegold) or LA which has the very experienced GM Melik Khachiyan and some other very talented players. I think its pretty clear that if St Louis survives on boards 3 and 4 this year, they will be very difficult to beat. Even though this match is going to be close, in large part due to the huge rating advantage LA has on board 4, St Louis wins this one 2.5-1.5.

Seattle Sluggers vs. Chicago Blaze

Chicago has a rating edge this match and really looks to be significantly improved. GM Amanov on board 2 (or potentially 3^rd!) for future matches is slightly obnoxious. I expect Gurevich to do well on board 1 this year which should help Chicago contend for the playoffs. Seattle on the other hand has replaced Naka with Akobian, but Varuzhan is not playing this week. Chicago wins 3-1.

Wednesday Matches –

Manhattan Applesauce vs. Carolina Cobras

Do Cobras eat apple sauce? If they did, that would give Carolina at least one edge to speak of. Manhattan wins this one, though it will be closer than people will expect. MA wins 2.5-1.5.

The other expansion team, New England, has a lot of familiar faces with IM’s Hungaski, Vigorito, and strong FM’s Braden Bournival and Chris Chase. NE also has a huge rating edge. Baltimore is not playing their strongest possible lineup and is an underdog on all boards. That spells disaster for Baltimore.
New England wins 3-1.

San Francisco busts out the usual obnoxious rating average (2462 – highest of the week) and features the usual cast of underrated juniors, with both Daniel Naroditsky and Steven Zierk each recently picking up IM Norms. Dallas has a strong team as well and really needs a strong performance from Sal “Can we have split (not separate) checks” Bercys.  Sal really will need to “Do it Live” for Dallas to hang in there – you know its gonna be an interesting Kings Indian Defense. Overall, I give SF the nod here as youth is served.  SF wins by a hair, 2.5-1.5.

Miami Sharks vs. Arizona Scorpions

Last year was a great year to be a fan of the Scorpions. We won the blog award , made the playoffs, and had a great time.  Unfortunately we lost in the playoffs – but still a successful year.

This year we see two new strong juniors (NM Nick Thompson and Expert John Gurczak) who will man board 4, as well our most successful board 4 from last year, David Adelberg.

Now onto the match. We will need Rogelio to hold down USCL stalwart, GM Julio Becerra while our other IM’s Dionisio Aldama and Danny Rensch will need to score against fellow IM Blas Lugo and NM Eric Rodriguez. Miami has a 200 point rating edge on board 4 with Charles Galofre against John Gurczak, though John is white. This will be a tough match as it always is when you play Miami.  I predict the olive branch here, 2-2 tie.

Let’s quickly look and see what Week 9 has in store for us. NJ is going to try and clinch the East, while Seattle closes in on the West. Everyone seems to be alive in the East while the West is seed-to-be-determined, with Dallas having an outside chance. I have done much lately in picking, although of course that’s all luck.

Queens Pioneers vs. Carolina Cobras

Queens wins to keep mathematically alive. Queens wins 2.5-1.5.

Dallas Destiny vs. Chicago Blaze

A battle for Dallas to stay alive in the West – Dallas and Chicago battle to 2-2 tie.

San Francisco Mechanics vs. Tennessee Tempo

San Francisco wins 3-1 – they have more to prove than Tennessee, who has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Philadelphia Inventors vs. New Jersey Knockouts

Gulko = win for NJ – should wrap up the division and may dash the playoff hopes of Philly. NJ wins 2.5-1.5.

Baltimore Kingfishers vs. New York Knights

The biggest match of the night perhaps. NY has the edge on board 4. Erenberg probably needs a win with white for Baltimore to have a chance. NY wins 2.5-1.5.

Boston Blitz vs. Miami Sharks

A match with significance for both teams. No Becerra, no LarryC – should be a tight match. Perelshteyn gives Boston the edge and a very narrow win. Boston wins 2.5-1.5.

Seattle Sluggers vs. Arizona Scorpions

I predict my Scorpions and Seattle battle to a tie, 2-2.

Last week – 5-2! (That is 10-4 in 2 weeks!).

Lets briefly recap Week 7, (where I finally picked well (5-2). I mean I had to pick well once this year).  Seattle solidified their stranglehold on 1st place in the West Division with a hard fought win over Miami, while both New Jersey and Boston improved their record to 6-1 as they continue their dominance in the East.  Arizona, San Francisco, and Miami are all tied for 2nd in the West, with a record of 4-3. All teams in the East except Carolina are in playoff contention in the East, with only 1 match win separating 3rd from 5th place.  The results this week should clarify or confuse the division.

New Jersey Knockouts vs Boston Blitz

With firstp lace on the line in the East, except a very competitive match.  No GM Joel for NJ, and no GM Larry for Boston. The GM match-up of  Boris Gulko and Eugene Perelshteyn should be a dandy – as both are undefeated in USCL play this year. Boston seems a little stronger on the other boards and that should provide an edge. NJ has been impressive this season, so we will see if that difference matters. I think Eugene will hold Gulko to a draw and therefore the edge switches to Boston, and therefore Boston wins. 2.5-1.5.

Dallas Destiny vs Miami Sharks

Miami has a slight rating advantage, and because of  Dallas’s late substitution on board 4, Miami has the edge on most of the boards. For Dallas to be successful, they need IM John Bartholomew to hold at least a draw and perhaps have IM Daniel Ludwig exact some revenge from his previous loss to IM Bruci Lopez.  Despite the advantages for Miami, somehow I think Dallas and Miami battle to a tie, 2-2.

Chicago Blaze vs Arizona Scorpions

Go Scorpions! Arizona wins.
New York Knights vs Carolina Cobras

Rating advantage on 3 boards + Need to win to keep hold of 3rd place = Win for NY Knights, though it will be closer than people think,  NY 2.5-1.5

Philadelphia Inventors vs Baltimore Kingfishers

Philly better make their move soon if they are gonna make the playoffs, like my beloved Phillies. This match is a total toss-up. Philly seems a little stronger, though Baltimore is very close to making the playoffs if they can find a way to win. This should be an exciting match – I predict a draw, that way no one is happy.

San Francisco Mechanics vs Queens Pioneers

Queens needs this badly or their playoff hopes are over. San Francisco needs it as well to keep pace in the West. SF wins a close one, 2.5-1.5.

Tennessee Tempo vs Seattle Sluggers

It is so difficult to pick against Seattle when Nakamura is playing, no matter who the opponent. TN chose not to use either of their GM’s, its hard to pick anything but a Seattle win.  TN has to hope for production on boards 3 and 4, and a draw on boards 1 or 2. TN will put up a valiant effort, in the end, you cant get around the NAKA factor. Seattle wins 3-1.

Last Week 5-2!