Here's what happened at the Columbus Chess Club last night:
Last week, we had a new player join us—Leno. He's from Brazil and is currently a summer intern at Cummins Engine Company. Based on his play, I'd estimate he's about a Class C player.
This week, four more new players showed up. Two of them are brothers, and one is Leno's roommate. Although they claimed Chess.com ratings in the 950–1100 range, they played surprisingly well against both James and me. They are comparable to James. He struggled against them, and I even lost one myself, so I think that they are in the B class.
With 11 players in attendance, our small meeting space felt a bit crowded.
Chess is more popular than ever, and seeing new, stronger players emerge in Columbus is a welcome development.
Eli is a 13-year-old about to turn 14. He plays astonishingly well. My record against him was only slightly positive. His mother brought him to the club late last night, and he scored 3 out of 5 against me.
Eli has an Expert-level understanding of his openings. I wasn't well prepared for his repertoire, which is something I can work on. Our games are intense positional battles, which remind me of playing masters, and I believe he has real potential to become one.
Although Eli calculates very well, I sometimes manage to spot tactics that he overlooks. Also, if I can reach an endgame against him, I usually win.
Due to other commitments, Eli can only attend the club occasionally.
Since I'm officially ranked 27th in the state, I've enjoyed the status of being the top player in Columbus, once by a wide margin. That distinction may no longer hold, but I welcome the challenge of stronger competition.
Best wishes,
John Coffey
Last week, we had a new player join us—Leno. He's from Brazil and is currently a summer intern at Cummins Engine Company. Based on his play, I'd estimate he's about a Class C player.
This week, four more new players showed up. Two of them are brothers, and one is Leno's roommate. Although they claimed Chess.com ratings in the 950–1100 range, they played surprisingly well against both James and me. They are comparable to James. He struggled against them, and I even lost one myself, so I think that they are in the B class.
With 11 players in attendance, our small meeting space felt a bit crowded.
Chess is more popular than ever, and seeing new, stronger players emerge in Columbus is a welcome development.
Eli is a 13-year-old about to turn 14. He plays astonishingly well. My record against him was only slightly positive. His mother brought him to the club late last night, and he scored 3 out of 5 against me.
Eli has an Expert-level understanding of his openings. I wasn't well prepared for his repertoire, which is something I can work on. Our games are intense positional battles, which remind me of playing masters, and I believe he has real potential to become one.
Although Eli calculates very well, I sometimes manage to spot tactics that he overlooks. Also, if I can reach an endgame against him, I usually win.
Due to other commitments, Eli can only attend the club occasionally.
Since I'm officially ranked 27th in the state, I've enjoyed the status of being the top player in Columbus, once by a wide margin. That distinction may no longer hold, but I welcome the challenge of stronger competition.
Best wishes,
John Coffey
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