A Brief history of the Washington State Senior Chess Championship
The Washington State Senior Chess Championship is a tournament that has been held annually in Washington State since 1989. The tournament is open to chess players over the age of 50 who reside in Washington State, and it is organized by the Washington State Chess Federation (WSCF).
The first Washington State Senior Chess Championship was held in 1989 in Seattle, and it was won by FM Dean Brown, who scored 4.5 points out of 5. The tournament was held as an invitational event, with 10 players invited to participate. The event was a great success, and it was decided to make it an annual tournament.
In the early years, the tournament was held at various locations around the state, including Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, and Spokane. The number of players participating in the tournament grew steadily, and by the early 2000s, the tournament had become one of the largest senior chess tournaments in the country.
In 2001, the tournament was held in Vancouver, Washington, for the first time. The event was organized by the Vancouver Chess Club and was held at Clark College. The tournament was won by NM Duane Polich, who scored 4.5 points out of 5.
In 2004, the tournament was held in Bellevue, Washington, and it was won by NM Paul Bartron, who scored 4.5 points out of 5. The tournament had 47 participants, the largest number of players to that point.
In 2005, the tournament was held in Spokane, Washington, for the first time. The event was organized by the Spokane Chess Club and was held at Gonzaga University. The tournament was won by FM James McCormick, who scored 4.5 points out of 5.
In 2006, the tournament was held in Tacoma, Washington, and it was won by NM David Rupel, who scored 4.5 points out of 5. The tournament had 58 participants, the largest number of players to that point.
In 2011, the tournament was held in Issaquah, Washington, for the first time. The event was organized by the Issaquah Chess Club and was held at the Issaquah Senior Center. The tournament was won by NM David Bragg, who scored 4.5 points out of 5.
In recent years, the tournament has been held in various locations around the state, including Seattle, Lynnwood, and Tacoma. The tournament continues to attract a large number of senior chess players from around the state, and it is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious senior chess tournaments in the Pacific Northwest.
For the last couple of years, the tournament was held at the Orlov Chess Academy in Redmond, WA. I played for the first time in 2022 – this was after several years away from tournament chess. I finished the tournament with 2 out of 5 points. Not a great event. The overall winner of the tournament was John Readey.
This year was similar in that I had not played for the last 12 months. I was hoping to not have the poor results that I had last year. For the first round, I got paired against Phil Long – USCF 1425. This was similar to last year where I got paired against a 1300 and barely managed to get a draw. Hopefully I would have a better outcome. Let’s see what happened.
Post-game analysis
Never underestimate your opponent. Even a 400 rating point difference does not prevent you from losing to a lower-rated opponent. Always think your opponent is underrated, which was certainly the case in this game. In fact, at the end of the tournament, Phil gained almost 100 rating points!
Understand your openings. Notice I didn’t use the word “memorize”. The key is to know the ideas behind the opening and make sure you play with that in mind. In this game, playing the White side of a King’s Gambit, it is critical to make sure you control the h4 square. This can be done several ways of course. The most common is an immediate h4, but the alternative is the Quaade Variation which plays g3. Both do the same thing, just differently.
Learn from your losses. Learning from your chess losses is essential for improving your game. Losing is never fun, but it is an opportunity to reflect on your mistakes, analyze your opponent’s moves, and identify areas where you need to improve. It’s essential to approach your losses with a growth mindset, understanding that every game provides valuable lessons that you can use to become a better player. Analyzing your mistakes and working to correct them will help you avoid making the same errors in future games. Additionally, losing can help you develop resilience and a competitive mindset, which are critical traits for success not just in chess, but in life.
Conclusion
Losing to a chess player rated 400 points below you can be a humbling experience, but it’s important to remember that ratings don’t always reflect a player’s true skill level. Everyone has good days and bad days, and even the best players can make mistakes. It’s crucial to approach the game with a growth mindset and focus on what you can learn from the loss.
Analyzing your mistakes and identifying areas where you need to improve can help you avoid making the same errors in future games and ultimately make you a better player. Remember that chess is a game of strategy and that every game provides valuable lessons that you can use to develop your skills and become a more well-rounded player. So, embrace the challenge, learn from your losses, and keep striving to improve your game.
