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SoxTalk Chess Club?


Jack Parkman
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10 hours ago, Leonard Zelig said:

I know it's all relative, but how did you get so good?  Did you play in high school/college?  Have some kind of tutor?  Just read a lot of books?

I got into it a decent amount jr year of high school and got pretty good over the years. Played tournament chess long enough to win a few k in the under 1900 section and then stopped trying hard because winning a U2100 section requires some work.

If you ever want to play or have any questions or anything, just let me know.

E: I guess I didn't quite answer the question. The way to get better fast is tournament chess IMO. You can find some pretty cheap tournaments out there.

Edited by Boogua
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On 12/22/2018 at 9:28 PM, Boogua said:

I got into it a decent amount jr year of high school and got pretty good over the years. Played tournament chess long enough to win a few k in the under 1900 section and then stopped trying hard because winning a U2100 section requires some work.

If you ever want to play or have any questions or anything, just let me know.

E: I guess I didn't quite answer the question. The way to get better fast is tournament chess IMO. You can find some pretty cheap tournaments out there.

I played a lot as a kid through 8th grade, and then the kids club I was part of quit, I couldn't drive nor could I find a club on the USCF website that my mom would drive me to. Because of that, I quit playing from 2002-2014. I picked it up again, found a great club,  and am just playing my second tournament in 2 weeks, and have a provisional USCF of 1330. I think that is pretty good after taking a 12 year hiatus. I didn't have nearly enough time to put into it after HS, until after I graduated college and failed to find work and needed something to occupy my time again. I always wonder how good I would have become if I didn't quit as a freshman in HS because I was just about to play tournament chess. 

What do you consider cheap tournaments? I can't find something in the area under 75-100 dollars, and that is just for entry. 

Edited by Jack Parkman
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6 hours ago, Jack Parkman said:

I played a lot as a kid through 8th grade, and then the kids club I was part of quit, I couldn't drive nor could I find a club on the USCF website that my mom would drive me to. Because of that, I quit playing from 2002-2014. I picked it up again, found a great club,  and am just playing my second tournament in 2 weeks, and have a provisional USCF of 1330. I think that is pretty good after taking a 12 year hiatus. I didn't have nearly enough time to put into it after HS, until after I graduated college and failed to find work and needed something to occupy my time again. I always wonder how good I would have become if I didn't quit as a freshman in HS because I was just about to play tournament chess. 

What do you consider cheap tournaments? I can't find something in the area under 75-100 dollars, and that is just for entry. 

www.evanstonchess.org/index.php/events2/uscf-rated-tournaments/january-19-trilevel-g-40-d5 take this one for example. It's not the longest time control, but it will be good experience for only $7. I live in Bridgeport, don't drive, and have gone to this place before. As you get more into the community you'll likely find more stuff.

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4 hours ago, Boogua said:

www.evanstonchess.org/index.php/events2/uscf-rated-tournaments/january-19-trilevel-g-40-d5 take this one for example. It's not the longest time control, but it will be good experience for only $7. I live in Bridgeport, don't drive, and have gone to this place before. As you get more into the community you'll likely find more stuff.

I've been there before, but Evanston is impossible to get to from my neck of the woods. There is no easy travel route and all require at least 90 minutes because of lack of access to highways. I used to go on Tuesdays after work when I worked in Highland Park. 

Edited by Jack Parkman
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28 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

I've been there before, but Evanston is impossible to get to from my neck of the woods. There is no easy travel route and all require at least 90 minutes because of lack of access to highways. I used to go on Tuesdays after work when I worked in Highland Park. 

Yeah, that's tough then. Amateur team is coming up in February and that's like $40 a person I think. I think it's in Schaumburg. I don't really know much about the suburbs though.

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1 hour ago, Boogua said:

Yeah, that's tough then. Amateur team is coming up in February and that's like $40 a person I think. I think it's in Schaumburg. I don't really know much about the suburbs though.

I just signed up for the Tim Just open and that was $75. It is close enough to home for me to travel. 20 mins away on the weekends in the early morning. 

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3 hours ago, Jack Parkman said:

I just signed up for the Tim Just open and that was $75. It is close enough to home for me to travel. 20 mins away on the weekends in the early morning. 

Good luck at the tournament. I'd be glad to go over your games after if you wanted any advice or feedback.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Just now, Boogua said:

What openings do you play? Just as white and then against e4 and d4. Just curious.

Rabbit hole as white. 

I play the Lopez against e5, and the Grand Prix against the Sicilian. I don't run into anthing else all that often when I play e4. 

I'll occasionally play d4, I'm learning the London System currently, but that doesn't work if the opponent plays d5 and I don't know the QGD all that well. Then you run into Slav/Semi Slav. I don't have the time to learn all of this shit, lol. 

Vs. e4 I play the Sicilian or Scandinavian, and am learning the Caro-Kann, because it is similar to the Scandinavian structure without as much of the risk with the Queen. 

vs. d4 I typically play the Nimzo Indian or Benoni stuff. 

 

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2 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

Rabbit hole as white. 

I play the Lopez against e5, and the Grand Prix against the Sicilian. I don't run into anthing else all that often when I play e4. 

I'll occasionally play d4, I'm learning the London System currently, but that doesn't work if the opponent plays d5 and I don't know the QGD all that well. Then you run into Slav/Semi Slav. I don't have the time to learn all of this shit, lol. 

Vs. e4 I play the Sicilian or Scandinavian, and am learning the Caro-Kann, because it is similar to the Scandinavian structure without as much of the risk with the Queen. 

vs. d4 I typically play the Nimzo Indian or Benoni stuff. 

 

Jesus. Lots of sharp stuff. Do you think you're better tactical than positional?

 

Also, what Sicilian?

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7 minutes ago, Boogua said:

Jesus. Lots of sharp stuff. Do you think you're better tactical than positional?

 

Also, what Sicilian?

100% better tactical than positional. I like to attack, so.....

I started playing in 1991, played until 2002 and then picked it up again in 2014. 

You don't learn anything playing safe. 

WRT the Sicilian, I'll play the Scheveningen or Najdorf, and I despise the Svechnikov and Dragon. 

I have a ridiculous problem taking my

Edited by Jack Parkman
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1 minute ago, Jack Parkman said:

100% better tactical than positional. I like to attack, so.....

I started playing in 1991, played until 2002 and then picked it up again in 2014. 

You don't learn anything playing safe. 

I disagree with this. Pretty much goes against how I got good, so I might be biased.

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