Scarborough Chess Club Winter Swiss (Feb. 20-March 26) – Blog

**Bob Armstrong** · Friday, 28th February, 2020, 10:34 PM

Scarborough Chess Club Winter Swiss – Blog

Rd. 2 – 20/2/27 (Thursday)

Bob's Chess Blog # 1 [Part II of 4 parts; see Part I above]

13. I have another retiree project besides my 4 Facebook Projects.

Chess is a passionate hobby of mine, as you know. It is part of what I call my “Interlude Living”. But I have never really studied seriously.

But what I do do, is I enter all my games, and annotate them, to try to learn something - GrandMasters do recommend this often. In addition, I integrate the opening (the first 10 moves) into an opening/defence tree I have for the opening/defence played. The value of this is pretty uncertain, given my inability to remember lines - but I do develop general impressions of how the opening can go.

So on my own time, I go back and forth between the 3 Facebook projects and my chess hobby project.

My 35/25 System

As well, I go back and forth between my routine items above and my own personal life tasks to be done that day. But I have a somewhat unique system for doing this.

Recently I found that I was spending a lot more time on my three retiree projects than my normal life tasks - don't we all spend more time on what we enjoy!

But I was falling behind in "life" while keeping up in the "Fb/chess" projects. So I did have to deal with this issue.

So I came up with the "35/25 System". What this is: When I am at home, I bite the bullet and I spend 35 min. on my life tasks, which I think of as “working for myself”; I even set the alarm! Then I reward myself with 25 min. on my 3 retiree projects (Facebook [2] & Chess). I try very hard to religiously stop when I am to change phases.

This has actually worked out well....I am still abysmally behind in "Life", but not nearly as much as I used to be! LOL

TEMPLATE ENDS
My wife got up at 7:00 AM and we then had breakfast. After breakfast, at 7:45 AM, we headed out to walk to our gym, where we got a membership at the end of 2019. It takes us about 25 - 30 min., depending on walking conditions (Yesterday, one of the winter snowfalls happened here in Toronto, Ontario.....made walking a bit slower). I discovered that, despite a good normal sleep, I was impatient, grumpy, weary and generally feeling out of sort (And lots in my life the last few days has gone right). This is usually evidence that I am moving into a Depression Phase – as my regular readers know, I have severe Bi-Polar Disorder. I never know how long it may last – hours or months. I usually will cut my agenda in half when this happens – my interest in my life plummets like a stone, and I have little motivation to do anything. We'll see how the day develops.

We had to wrap up our workout at 9:15 AM in order for my wife to go to her hair appointment (Heavy Day!).

On the way home, I decided to try to just relax a bit, with a coffee and pastry at the Starbucks across from the gym. In this situation, I usually update my Organizer, and my Reminder Book (List of “To Do's” - very bad memory, as I mentioned above – need to make sure things are not falling below the radar!).

I now go to my normal Bul**hit Coffee Club (BCC) in the mornings only on Wednesdays, because of our new gym schedule. I went yesterday – so this will be the last Blog reference to it now, since it is no longer part of the blog day.

TEMPLATE BEGINS

BCC Historical Note

The BCC is held in one of my favourite local coffee shops, La Patisserie de Cigogne (Danforth Ave. & Monarch Park). I stop in for a little over an hour. If I walk very briskly, I can make it door to door in 10 min.! And I recently saw an exercise article that said a number of short bursts of exercise are more beneficial, and less hard on you, than a longer gruelling session. So the club has become my very, very modest morning exercise program. In late Spring to early Fall, we often meet on the patio.

There are a group of regulars on the 7:30 – 9:00 AM shift (It opens at 7:30 AM). It is an informal coffee club (going for a few years now; we actually formed up in another coffee shop nearby that closed; so we just moved en mass). Helen is usually the first member to arrive as soon as they open. I like to get there about 7:40 AM to give the staff a few more minutes to get open and set up. Darryl is often there with Helen when I arrive. In good weather, we meet on the patio. Most others arrive closer to 8:00 AM.

If no one is there when I get there, then I like to work updating my “Reminder Notes” (I have a medically defective memory, on top of old age!; no notes.....it falls off the radar!).

We are at the moment 8 regulars: Helen, Linda, John # 1, Joe, Darryl, Ed (Rarely), John # 2 (Once per week), and me. We are open to having new members join. I try to be very careful about privacy of other people in my Blog (Not so concerned about my own, to the extent that I pretty much let it all hang out in my blogs). I have canvassed the members about use of first names and all were fine to become infamous!! They felt it could only help the BCC to grow!! And, of course, this is seen as good from our coffee shop host's point of view. Generally, I won't use people's names in my Blog unless I've gotten a “blanket permission” to use them.....easier to remember that way, who is in, and who is out. And most people think it is kind of a hoot to end up having their names broadcast to the world on Fb!

TEMPLATE ENDS

Back to Thursday Morning

I got home at 10:30 AM. I find that one management technique that works a bit when I am moving into a Depression Phase, is to try hard to do normal, routine, simple things – it helps to keep some shred of connection with life, when all you want to do is cut all ties, and sit in the dark. So I spent an hour on continuing my routine projects and further updating this draft Blog # 1.

Then I printed out the 4 cross-tables for the current Winter Swiss, to put out on the display table (I maintain the display table each week as a member-volunteer job for SCC). Then I printed out the 4 CFC cross-tables for the recent Jack Frost Swiss to add to our acco-binder of 2019-20 tournament results.

The Afternoon – Therapies: Resting; Keeping to Routine - Doing Routine Tasks

I recently had to clear the cache on my laptop computer, and so now I'm having to log in to everything again. So I then turned to logging into ChessTalk, the national chess discussion board of Henry Lam (Whom I mention below). I wanted to post, and couldn't until I had re-registered. I then commented on the upcoming 2020 Canadian Open in Mississauga, Ontario – there is a thread that is raising questions about how organizers prepare and present to the CFC Executive, their bids. I wanted to get my 2 cents worth in – you can go see it there – I have already registered, paid, and am shown on the pre-registration list.

I then decided to go lay down since my motivation was minimal – sometimes a half hour of just relaxing can help slow the drop into depression (I find a sleep often does even better). One can only fight with the Depression so much – it is too tiring – the trick to managing is to compromise, but not totally give in, if at all possible.

By now my wife was home from her heavy morning (! LOL), and so we had lunch.

As I said, a therapy technique is low-level, simple activity – doing something, almost anything. So I had on my agenda today to go renew some subscriptions at the drugstore in the supermarket near-by.

So at 1:30 PM I printed out my list of drugs needing refill (I take a high number for ailments in addition to my Bi-Polar), and was getting ready to drive over to the supermarket.

But at that moment our daughter called. She is in Ontario, from Quebec, to go to a post-BA private college and is living in Ontario while dealing with school. She had a family issue to discuss, and that took a bit of time. So when we were finished, it was too late to go to the supermarket, because we were meeting with a neighbour couple at their place at 2:30 PM.

So in the interim, I put out the waste containers for tomorrow morning's pick-up, and cleaned the snow off the porch.

The Milverton Coffee Club (MCC)

For a number of years now, we, a neighbour couple a few doors west, and an elderly widow who lived across the street, met for coffee, rotating between houses. We just chatted and solved all the world's problems (With no one of importance listening, of course). Thursday afternoon has been our irregular meeting time.

Unfortunately, two weeks ago, our widow member died – but she was 92! And looked and acted as if she were in her early 80's!

So today was our first meeting without her. We chatted a bit about how we'd all miss her, and then settled into our normal 2 hr. discussion.

When we got home, I then cleaned the snow off the car to be ready to go to SCC.

Then I came in and got ready more display table materials (Chess Books and Chess Magazines).

Before I left I helped my wife in the kitchen – I have now been trained as a “sous-chef”! I am the go-fer (Get me this from the refrigerator) and the “chopper” (I need some onions cut up small – she tears terribly on cutting onions).

Heading Out for Rd. 2

At 6:20 PM I finally headed out by car for SCC. It had stopped snowing, but the wind was wild.

I went to my Timmies at Ellesmere and Brimley Ave. I got the needed caffeine to go into battle and had a quick donut. At 7:00 PM I drove back to the club (about 5 min. drive away).

[Parts III & IV below]

Bob A

**Bob Armstrong** · Friday, 28th February, 2020, 10:38 PM

Scarborough Chess Club Winter Swiss – Blog

Rd. 2 – 20/2/27 (Thursday)

Bob's Chess Blog # 1 [Part III of 4 parts; see Parts I & II above]

Pre-Round 2

I got in and set up the whole display table, and put out the cross-tables.

Next I gave Alexander Mates two old chess magazines from our Bellomo Little Library project – he want some with women and girls on the cover.

My depression had stayed fairly light, so I felt OK socializing.

Next Dave Southam (Current and former club champion) inquired how the Bul**it Coffee Club was going – he says he quite enjoys reading my Blogs. I had to inform him, as I mentioned above, that they are now going to be written out of the script for this little reality show of mine. He wanted me to make clear to the Blog Readers, that he felt this was going to be a great loss.

Then I chatted briefly with returning SCC'er David Lawless (Top Section) and Toy Kwan of my U 1800 Section)

Round 2

The round started close to on time. The game is below.

Post Rd. 2

After the game I watched the rest of the games, until I had the leaders for all sections on my print-out crosstables.

After the last game of our section, my point score tables were complete. So I packed up my display table stuff and headed for home at 10:45 PM. Going home I can use the Don Valley Parkway – with little traffic at this time of night, I make it home in about 20 min.! My best time getting to SCC/Tim's at rush hour, when I can't use the Don Valley, is 40 min. I was low on gas, so filled up at our local station before going home.

The Later Evening

I got home somewhat after 11:00 PM, and my wife had been in the kitchen, cooking up a storm – dirty dishes everywhere piled to the ceiling! My first sous-chef job was to continue cutting up the beef she was cooking for beef barley soup. Then I started cleaning and straightening the kitchen, and washed a few dishes and put out recyclables, so I could was some larger storing dishes to put the food into the refrigerator.

I was hungry and had a bowl of cold cereal, and one of the meatballs she had made/cooked earlier in the evening.

I was then too tired to do anything on my own projects on the laptop, or to continue this Blog # 1. I left it to Friday.

I went to bed just after midnight Friday.

My U 1800 Section Report - Rd. 2 - Thursday, Feb. 27/20.

I am rated 1604. I am in the 2nd of the 4 sections (The bottom two are juniors only). My section rating spread is effectively, from the high1600's to about 1000 (All adults under 1400 must play in the U 1800 section). I am ranked # 8 out of the 50 players (in the top third of the section).

Post-Rd. 2– U 1800 Leaders

There are 50 players in our section; but there were only 18 boards (The actual number of boards may have playing fewer than the total no. of players, due to byes, withdrawals, suspensions, etc.).

Here are the leaders:

1^st/6^th - 2/2 pts. (Won their first two games) - Junior Boy Reign Vinua (1770); Junior Boy Jame Qiu (1490); Junior Boy Amir Banihashemi ((1486); Junior Boy Kousihan Balachandran (1454); Carl Lim (1441); Junior Boy Luka Granic (1421).

My Round 2 Game

I have provided some of my own light annotations (No engine analysis yet) to explain a bit of what I was thinking as the game went on.

Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J. (1604) – Lin, Joey (1369) [E14]

Scarborough CC Winter Sw (U 1800) (2), 27.02.2020
[Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J.]

1.d4 e6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Avoiding the Nimzo-Indian Defence 3...b6 4.e3 Bb7 5.Bd3 Be7 6.0–0 0–0 7.Nc3 d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Qc2 Re8 10.a3 Intending to try to keep Joey's c7P backward on the half-opened file 10...Bf8 11.b4 g6 12.Bb2 Bg7 13.b5 I now have Joey's Q-side quite constrained 13...Nbd7 14.a4 Rc8 15.Qb3 h6 16.Rfc1 Not using the aR because I likely may wish to push the aP and half open the a-file. 16...Ne4 17.Nxd5 I go up a P temporarily 17...Ndc5 a nice tactical move I didn't see; Joey wins back his P. 18.dxc5 Bxd5 19.Bc4 Nxc5 material equality 20.Qa2 Bxc4 21.Rxc4 Bxb2 22.Qxb2 c6 23.h3 Often best to avoid the Back Rank Mate problem as early as you can. 23...cxb5 24.axb5 Nd3 25.Qc3 Nc5 26.Rxa7 I go up a P again 26...Ra8 27.Rxa8 Qxa8 28.Rh4 Ne4 29.Qb2 h5 30.Rf4 I thought I'd try putting pressure on f7 as it is unprotected for the moment. 30...Qd5 trap - my R is trapped on g5! 31.Nd4 creating a safe square for the R on f5 31...Nc5 32.Qc2 Ne6 33.Nxe6 Qxe6 34.Qb2 Rc8 35.Rf6 Rc1+ a tricky answer 36.Kh2 Qc8 37.Qe5 Rc5 38.Qe7 I now have the attack on f7 38...Rc7 39.Qd6 Qb8 trap - take on b6, and Joey plays Rb7+ and will win my b5P 40.g3 Rb7 41.Qd5 I have been carrying the play......first I pressured the K-side (f7); then I switched to trying to win on the Q-side (the b6P). So I set a trap; I hoped Joey would not see that I had now again switched back to a K-side attack. 41...Qc8 Joey failed to see the K-side attack tactic 42.Rxg6+ I had pinned the f7P 42...Kh7 43.Qxh5#

1–0

My Score

1.5/2 pts. - Win: 1 (Rd. 2); Bye (1/2 pt.): 1 (Rd. 1).

My Opponents' & My Scores

1.5/2 pts. - Me (1597)

.5/2 pts. - Junior Boy Joey Lin (1369) – I won in Rd. 2.

Other Sections' Leaders

1800 +

1^st/3^rd - 2/2 pts. (Won first two games) - Junior Boy Fengxi Mao (2227); Junior Boy Raymond Gao (2134); David Southam (2108 – current and former club champion).

U 1400 Juniors

1^st/2^nd – 2/2 pts. (Won first two games) -Andrew Li (1104); Jack Lee (1058).

3^rd/7^th – 2/2 pts. (Undefeated) – Siddhi Dahale (1143); Daniel Esson (1118); Ethan Wu (1011); Weyman Li (991); Steven Ji (Unr.).

(iii) U 1000 Juniors

1^st/5^th– 2/2 pts. (Won first two games) – Joshua Kim (878); Aiden Lang (841); Eric Zhou (831); Jessica Ding (812); Zheyi (Joey) Zhang (799).
Top Section Games

The games of the top section can be played over by going to the SCC Website (URL above), and the tab for "Results". Then after the link to the 1800+ section standings, is "Round x Games". Click on that and you get a game board/score, and you can play over the game right there and then!

[Part IV below]

Bob A

**Bob Armstrong** · Friday, 28th February, 2020, 10:39 PM

Scarborough Chess Club Winter Swiss – Blog

Rd. 2 – 20/2/27 (Thursday)

Bob's Chess Blog # 1 [Part IV of 4 parts; see Parts I, II & III above]

Some History

How My Blog Works (Some history and details) + an SCC Tournament History.

These next 2 sections are another template.

TEMPLATE BEGINS

SCC Tournament Registration History

2013-4 Season

Jack Frost Swiss (3rd tournament) - 131 - peak registration for the season.

2014-5 Season

Club Championship Swiss (5th tournament of the season) - 126 - peak registration for the season

Season average registration (for the 6 tournaments) - 117

2015-6 Season

Club Championship (5th tournament of the season) - 141! (1800+: 35; U 1800 - 106) - Peak for the season & the current RECORD for recent times!

Season average registration (for the 6 tournaments) - 131

2016-7 Season

Jack Frost Swiss (3rd Tournament of the season) - 139 - 1800+: 32; U 1800: 35; U 1400: 72. - Peak Registration for the season

Season Average Registration (for 6 tournaments): 133! (Highest Seasonal Average since keeping records here).

2017-8 Season

Howard Ridout Memorial Swiss (1st tournament of the season) - 130 (1800+: 27; U 1800: 46; U 1400: 57) - Peak Registration for the season.

Season Average Registration (for 6 tournaments): 122. Below the 2016-7 Season Average of 133.

2018-9 Season

Club Championship (5^th tournament of the season) – 137 (Championship - 31; Reserves - 106) – Peak registration of the season.

Season Average Registration (For 6 tournaments): 120 (Almost at the prior 2017-8 Season Average of 121; our historical high from a few years ago (2016-7) is 133).

2019-20 Season (Current)

# 1 – Howard Ridout Memorial: 122 ( 1800+ - 20; U 1800 – 52; U 1400 (Jrs. Only) – 19; U 1000 (Jrs. Only) - 31)

# 2 – Falling Leaves: 120 (1800+ - 18; U 1800 – 51; U 1400 (Jrs. Only) – 20; U 1000 (Jrs. Only) - 31)

# 3 – Jack Frost: 113 (1800+ - 18; U 1800 – 49; U 1400 (Jrs. Only) – 14; U 1000 (Jrs. Only) - 32)

Season Average Registration (For 3 tournaments so far): 118 – dead on last season's average per tournament: 118.

Bob's Blog

For a number of years now, I have been posting my chess blog:

i) on my personal Facebook Account for my over 900 Fb friends from around the world (in English): https://www.facebook.com/bob.armstrong.9235;
ii) sometimes on the national Canadian English chess discussion board, Chess Talk [CT] (https://forum.chesstalk.com/…/chesstalk-canada-s-chess-disc…), now owned by Henry Lam;
iii) occasionally on other chess websites, such as that of FQE (Province of Quebec's Chess Association). On the one occasion this was done, the blog was posted in both French and English.

More recently I also have been "re-posting" my Fb blog:

i) on my Fb chess discussion group, Chess Chat, under my own personal account - A Project of Chess Companions of Caissa (https://www.facebook.com/groups/340524269771672/);
ii) my Scarborough CC tournaments Fb Blog to SCC's Fb Page (http://www.scarboroughchessclub.ca/).
iii) my Annex CC tournaments Fb blog to ACC's Fb Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/172335039452033/).

Henry Lam (Aka Dark Knight on CT), the owner of CT, and I have now done a first renewal of our “Henry/Bob Blog Agreement” (Original agreement - summer of 2018). Under it I agreed to re-post my Fb Chess Blogs on CT for both my chess club official tournaments, subject to the condition that interest did not wane to such an extent that it was no longer worth making the effort to do the blog. This has now happened re the Annex CC blog, and I am therefore no longer blogging those club tournaments. I also agreed to blog my non-club weekend (Sometimes longer; sometimes shorter) tournaments, in which I play between Summer 2019 and Summer 2020. Henry and I have a clause for consideration of annual renewal.

So, under this new agreement, I am now re-posting my blogs of my current Scarborough CC tournaments. My future non-club weekend blogs, to and including Summer 2020, will be (Given my current schedule - from time to time, though, my life schedule may change so that I fit in a tournament not on my schedule, or fail to play one that is intended):

The 2019 Hart House Holidays Open – Toronto (Dec. 13-15).
2. The 2020 Hart House Reading Week Open – Toronto (February 15-17).
3. The 2020 Canadian Open (July 16-22).
4. The 2020 Toronto Open (Sept. 5-7)

This year so far, I have managed to insert one additional tournament into the Fall – The Canadian International Open – Longueuil, Quebec (Oct. 11-3, 2019).

The Blog Focus

I mainly focus on the section I am playing in (Has been U 2000, U 1900, U 1800 or U 1700). I feel that these class sections are often not covered by chess media, and yet, the bulk of chess tournament players are in the classes under 1900. And many of my class viewers have actually played players about whom I am blogging (Players I play and ones with whom I may socialize during the tournament, who then are mentioned in the Blog). So this adds a bit more interest for them.

I do also sometimes cover (Bare Bones) the top section standings; but I have to have been able to get the results before the Blog goes to press. For this section, of course, including it can be a matter of the time available (I am often doing my Blog in the wee hours of the morning).

I do hope my blogs will continue to provide a window onto class tournament chess, and what THIS chess player does during the day of club tournaments, and before and between rounds for weekend tournaments (A bit of a reality show - bits of my personal, though generally pretty ordinary, life).

I know many other chess players approach tournaments quite differently than I do (E.g. - study, research opponents to prepare for them, etc.!). So one cannot generalize from what I do, to what other chess tournament players do.

Blog Feedback

I have had generally positive feedback on my blogging (I have done it for many, many years now, as some long-suffering viewers know), on both of my own Fb Accounts, the SCC & ACC Fb sites, and on CT.

It has been said that my writing style is easy to read, factual, and often entertaining. It is a find for all us "nosy" chess players!

Thanks to all those who have supported my Blogging on various sites, and kept encouraging me to continue all these years (I'm now working on year 75 (Not of blogging! LOL) – I do hope, as long as there is interest, to keep doing my blogs for many years yet).

Invitation

I am most happy to interact with readers re anything about which I have posted.....so react, comment, reply, post, etc. - both favourable comments and constructive criticism....I will do my best to respond to everyone, so long as I am where I have access to the internet.

And if some of the players, or non-players, wish to post something to supplement the blog, you are encouraged to do so.

So jump in with both feet, and we'll all enjoy the blogging adventure!

TEMPLATE ENDS

Bob A

**Bob Armstrong** · Friday, 6th March, 2020, 02:12 PM

Scarborough Chess Club Winter Swiss – Blog

Rd. 3 – 20/3/5 (Thursday)

Bob's Chess Blog # 2 [Part I of 4 parts]
(See Knight Logo below)

Club

Scarborough Chess Club, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
See logo below

SCC Website: http://www.scarboroughchessclub.ca/
SCC Fb Page: https://www.facebook.com/ScarboroughChessClub/

Tournament

Name: Winter Swiss (# 4 tournament of the 2019-20 Season)

When: Feb. 20 – March 26.

Format: 6 - round swiss

Sections: 4: The regular SCC Swisses have 4 sections 1800+; U 1800; U 1400 – Jrs. Only; U 1000 – Juniors Only [playing up within 100 pts. allowed – small fee].

Notes re sections:

The Club Championship has only 2 sections: Championship; Reserves.
2. The regular SCC Swisses, in the past, used to have three sections 1800+; U 1800; U 1400, with playing up within 100 pts. allowed (No fee); no “Juniors Only” sections.

Registration: 116 (1800+ - 19; U 1800 – 50; U 1400 (Jrs. Only) – 16; U 1000 (Jrs. Only) - 31) – slightly below this season's average per tournament (So far): 118. But SCC usually picks up new registrants as the tournament progresses.

Time Control: Top Section: G/60 + 30 sec. (From move 1)

- Bottom 3 sections: G/70 + 15 sec. (From move 1).

Rating: a. All sections are CFC-rated.

b. The top section is also FIDE rated.

Playing Up: Players within 100 pts. of the floor of the section above have the option to play in their section, or, in the next section up – small fee.

Joining: Lots of room and so SCC WELCOMES all new members. You can inquire about joining at the general SCC e-mail address: info@ScarboroughChessClub.ca. You can join a tournament in progress; you will get ½ pt. byes for all the missed rounds.

Blog Note:

This Blog on my personal Facebook page, called The REAL News, is re-posted a few other places - so references here refer to this Fb platform.

The Day of Rd. 3 (March 5)

Thursday Morning

I awoke at 7:30 AM, going back to sleep after the alarm (very unusual). I had gone to bed at 11:30 PM Wednesday – 8 hrs. is a very long sleep for me. The main factor in this is likely that I had my third (Of 5) assessment/teaching sessions with my Physiotherapist/Trainer at my new gym I and my wife are now going to – she is unrelenting and brutal!! (Often during weekend tournaments I sleep much shorter, and get substantially less than my usual 6 hrs. sleep).

I then went downstairs to the kitchen. I first put away the dried dishes in the dish drainer and generally straightened the kitchen from the way it was left Wednesday night. Then I grabbed a coffee and went upstairs to my home office to start on my normal daily routine in front of the old laptop.

Before launching into my normal daily routine, I started drafting this Blog # 2. I try to draft my SCC Blog the day before (on Wednesday) - I add to it through the day (Thursday - today), and then finalize it late tonight and post it in the wee hours of Friday morning. We often go to our hobby farm or Montreal early on Friday morning, so I usually like to get the blog finished before I go to sleep if possible (Our farm is an almost internet/computer-free zone, so I cannot finish and post it there). If I have to leave for the farm or Montreal Friday morning, I get up early enough to get it posted before we have to go.

But I didn't get it started on Wednesday, and so I had to start it this morning.

I then finally went into my regular routine (See below).

Template Note:
There are sections of this blog that are a standard “template” which I repeat in each Blog.
The template must be here for any new readers of my Blog.
So I ask my regular readers to be tolerant. If you have read the template part previously, you can skip from “Template Begins” to “Template Ends” (I will alert you immediately before the template if there are any revisions you won't have read previously).

TEMPLATE BEGINS

Victim of Routine

I am retired + unemployed – life is quite fine overall - except for my slave-driver company, The REAL News.ca Cooperative [Quite a mouthful, but simply put: TRN], where I must volunteer my work time for free all day long, 24/7! I have created a monster!

My mornings tend to be pretty scripted – who isn't a victim of routine?

So I settled in to my comfy home office and got working.

My Daily Personal Project Tasks

1. Check for my e-mails and Fb messages.

2. Check new posts/comments on ChessTalk (CT).

Check my Twitter feed to see what had been happening in the world (I follow numerous mainstream media from countries around the world, such as CBC, Toronto Star, National Post, NBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, France 24, China Daily, Al Jezeera (English), Japan Times, Sputnik News, The Guardian, etc.). I re-post the most relevant...see below.
Check my Fb “Notifications” of my friends posts on their timelines, sometimes their timelines directly, and my own newsfeed of friends' posts to see the most relevant that I can “share” to my projects or re-post...see below.
Fb Project # 1 (My Company/Personal Fb Account) - My little company (In the process of being legally incorporated, after only being formed in Dec., 2019, as a federal unregistered sole proprietorship) is called, as said above, The REAL News.ca Cooperative (TRN). This Fb account is a news of the universe (world events/politics, human health & diet, Science & Technology, Entertainment, etc.) discussion group that I have created here on my own personal Fb account. Those posting/reacting, such that their names appear on the site, are a group we call PEERS (A Discussion Club of Equals) – the PEERS' members, along with TRN, do the news re-broadcasting.

So I update my Fb personal account, managed by my company, re-broadcasting news found elsewhere, and from time to time, other PEERS' members post as well.

6. I share at least one chess post per day to my second Fb discussion club, Chess Chat (formed under my personal Fb account) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/340524269771672/.

7. Fb Project # 2 (2^nd company page - Canadian Life Consulting (CLC) - https://www.facebook.com/Canadian-Life-Consulting-16406543…/. , adminstered by my federal unregistered sole proprietorship company, Canadian Life Consulting Cooperative (CLCC). I do news re-posts from the sites mentioned above that are specifically relevant to this page.

8. Update one of the discussion groups formed under my company page, called Canadian Life Consulting Cooperative Supporters' Group (Or CLCC Supporters) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2042495809374373/. I update it by sharing some more discussable of the posts now on the CLC page.

9. Fb Project # 3 (On behalf of a religious community I am forming) - When I find them, I share religious (All Religions) posts to my religious community's Fb Page, Theist Community (https://www.facebook.com/Theist-Comm...dmin_todo_tour). Sometimes these re-posts also appear in TRN.

10. Update the discussion group formed under my community's page. It is called Spiritual/Religions Discussion Club (Or SRDC) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2042495809374373/. I update it by sharing some more discussable of the posts now on the Theist Community page.

11. Fb Project # 4 (On behalf of a political party I would like formed) – Democratic Marxist – Global – https://www.facebook.com/Democratic-...dmin_todo_tour.

12. Update the discussion group formed under the political party page. It is called Democratic Marxist Global Forum – https://www.facebook.com/groups/2045...=nf&__tn__=C-R. I update it by sharing some more discussable of the posts now on the DMG page. Some of these posts are shared to TRN.

13. I have another retiree project besides my 4 Facebook Projects.

Chess is a passion of mine. It is part of what I call my “Interlude Living”.
I enter all my games, and annotate them - Grandmasters do recommend this. Also, I integrate the opening (the first 10 moves) into an opening/defence tree I have for the opening/defence played. My inability to remember lines is problematic - but I do develop general impressions of how the opening can go.

On my own time, I go back and forth between the 3 Facebook projects and my chess project.

[Parts II, III & IV below]

Bob A

**Bob Armstrong** · Friday, 6th March, 2020, 02:15 PM

Scarborough Chess Club Winter Swiss – Blog

Rd. 3 – 20/3/5 (Thursday)

Bob's Chess Blog # 2 [Part II of 4 parts; see Part I above]

My 35/25 System

As well, I go back and forth between my routine items above and my own personal life tasks to be done that day. But I have a somewhat unique system for doing this.

Recently I found that I was spending a lot more time on my three retiree projects than my normal life tasks - don't we all spend more time on what we enjoy!

But I was falling behind in "life" while keeping up in the "Fb/chess" projects. So I did have to deal with this issue.

So I came up with the "35/25 System". What this is: When I am at home, I bite the bullet and I spend 35 min. on my life tasks, which I think of as “working for myself”; I even set the alarm! Then I reward myself with 25 min. on my 3 retiree projects (Facebook [2] & Chess). I try very hard to religiously stop when I am to change phases.

This has actually worked out well....I am still abysmally behind in "Life", but not nearly as much as I used to be! LOL

TEMPLATE ENDS

Back to Thursday Morning

My wife got up at 7:00 AM with the alarm and let me sleep. We then had breakfast. Then we allowed a bit of time for breakfast to settle before we went to take on the gym. I came back to do my daily routine stuff and continue filling in this Blog # 2.

As part of my “family work time”, I gathered up the garbage from around the house, and put out the waste containers for the Friday AM pick-up.

After breakfast, at 9:30 AM (Very late for us; our regular schedule is to leave the house at 7:00 AM), we headed out to walk to our gym. It takes us about 25 - 30 min., depending on walking conditions – much of the snow here has now melted – this week the highs are above zero degrees Celsius – and the sidewalks are bare and dry. But it is a typical Toronto end of winter for the nights to still hover below zero.

We wrapped up our workout after one hour on the floor and cardio machines – we just moved from 45 min. to one hr., because we were not able to get our full routines into the shorter time.

We got home at 12:00 PM.

Lunch

My wife started lunch while I took a shower and then spent some time continuing my routine projects and further updating this draft Blog # 2.

Then I went and filled my “sous-chef” role to finish getting the lunch on the table.

Siesta

Given that I usually sleep short compared to many in the early morning (night), and that I am working on year number 75 this year, I have found that the European/Latin American practice of a siesta time in mid-afternoon works really well (I usually set the alarm and do not sleep more than 1 hour). My wife, because of her health, also is usually tired by then. We take the landline phone off the hook and shut off cell phones – drives the family and friends nuts, but they've adjusted.

But today we were tired somewhat earlier. And my wife wanted to go to her Potter's Studio this afternoon (She is an amateur potter), and that meant an early siesta was necessary.

We got up at 2:15 PM. I didn't sleep, but I often find just resting for the period substantially revives me.

Our daughter (Lives in Quebec, but currently is studying in Ontario) texted – my wife had invited her for dinner with her tonight when I had gone to SCC – she said she was too busy at the moment to come for dinner and to visit. Our two children are 46 and 43 y.o. this year – are my wife and I aging?? LOL!

So off my wife went to the pottery studio, promising on a stack of bibles she would not forget about my chess tonight, and that she was going to get the car back to me so I could use it to go to chess.

Later Thursday Afternoon

After the siesta, I printed out the 4 cross-tables for the current Winter Swiss, to put out on the display table (I maintain the display table each week as a member-volunteer job for SCC). I also got my SCC bag of display materials updated – put in the 2 new books for our SCC Bellomo Little Library project, and used the new chess magazines I'd gotten in.

Then I had a family legal matter I had to deal with (I am a long-retired poverty litigation lawyer). Additionally, under “family work time”, I did the dishes in the kitchen and straightened it up a bit.

Finally I got back to my daily routine stuff.

Heading Out for Rd. 3

My wife returned from her Potter's Studio (She is an amateur potter) at 5:15 PM. I then finished getting ready to go. I finally headed out by car for SCC.

I went to my Timmies at Ellesmere and Brimley Ave. I got the needed caffeine to go into battle and had a quick donut. David Lawless, from the top SCC section (Recently returned to active play) had come in to get a quick bite before the round, and so he joined me. We talked about family, our hobby farm, his job, etc., and spent a nice couple of minutes together. At 7:00 PM I drove back to the club (about 5 min. drive away).

Pre-Round 3

I got in and chatted briefly with Dave Southam and veteran Jim Paterson. Dave had read my prior week's blog, when I had been having a bit of a time with my Depression Phase of my Bi-polar Disorder. He kindly asked if it had passed and I was feeling better again. I was able to confirm that it was mild, and lifted fairly soon the next day.

I then set up the whole display table, and put out the cross-tables.

I chatted briefly with Thuan Nguyen, from our section, about our game in the last round of the recent Hart House Reading Week open. He has not played since highschool, when, as a junior, he had a very decent rating. He said that coming back is showing the “rust”, and that the play of 1300's & 1400's is nothing like it used to be when he last played – they are so much better now.

Then I chatted briefly with Toy Kwan of my U 1800 Section – and then the pairings were up.

Round 3

The round started close to on time. The game is below.....it is unusual and interesting, IMHO.

Post Rd. 3

After the game I watched the rest of the games, until I had the leaders for all sections on my print-out cross-tables. Thuan and I then went out in the hall and chatted again, about coming back to chess after a long absence, and the effect of aging on my chess. We also agreed that the “social” aspect of tournament chess can be as satisfying as the “competitive” aspect.

After the last game in the hall (Bd. 1 of the top section), my point score tables were complete. So I packed up my display table stuff and headed for home at 10:45 PM. Going home I can use the Don Valley Parkway – with little traffic at this time of night, I make it home in about 20 min.! My best time getting to SCC/Tim's at rush hour, when I can't use the Don Valley, is 40 min..

The Later Evening

I got home somewhat after 11:00 PM, and I started cleaning and straightening the kitchen – my wife had gone to bed.

I was hungry and had a small midnight snack.

Then I went up to the home office, entered my Rd. 3 win, did a bit of updating of this Blog # 2, and then did a few routine things on my retiree projects.

By then I was then too tired to continue this Blog # 2. I left it to Friday.

I went to bed about 1:00 AM Friday.

My U 1800 Section Report - Rd. 3 - Thursday, March 5/20.

I am rated 1604. I am in the 2nd of the 4 sections (The bottom two are juniors only). My section rating spread is effectively, from the high1600's to about 1000 (All adults under 1400 must play in the U 1800 section). I am ranked # 8 out of the 50 players (in the top third of the section).

Post-Rd. 3 – U 1800 Leaders

There are 50 players in our section; but there were only 19 boards (The actual number of boards may have playing fewer than the total no. of players, due to byes, withdrawals, suspensions, etc.).

Here are the leaders:

1^st – 3/3 pts. (Won all games) - Junior Boy Kousihan Balachandran (1454).

2^nd/9^th - 2.5/3 pts. (Undefeated) – Me (1604); Junior Boy Boyuan Kong (1602); Wissam Muhajer (1580); Junior Boy Wing Li (1536); Amir Banihashemi (1486); Carl Lim (1441); Junior Boy Richard Zhang (1431); Junior Boy Luka Granic (1421).

[Parts III & IV below]

Bob A

**Bob Armstrong** · Friday, 6th March, 2020, 02:19 PM

Scarborough Chess Club Winter Swiss – Blog

Rd. 3 – 20/3/5 (Thursday)

Bob's Chess Blog # 2 [Part III of 4 parts; see Parts I & 2 above]

My Round 3 Game

I have provided some of my own light annotations (No engine analysis yet) to explain a bit of what I was thinking as the game went on.

Zhong, Ryan (1352) – Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J. (1604) [A80]

Scarborough Winter Swiss (U 1800) (3), 05.03.2020
[Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J.]

1.d4 f5 Dutch Defence 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e6 Classical Variation 4.Bd3 Ne4 this move is often played somewhat later 5.b3 Bb4+ 6.Nbd2 A terrible opening blunder; Ryan got "chess blindness". 6...Nc3 Ryan's Q is lost. 7.Bb2 Nxd1 8.Kxd1 I am up Q vs N; but, amazingly, the game is not yet won. Ryan is not going to roll over and play dead - watch his K-side counter-attack (Absent a Q!) 8...Bxd2 When ahead material, exchange. 9.Kxd2 0–0 10.Ke2 d5 to lock the b2B in 11.Rag1 Ryan knows his only chance is an all-out K-side attack, and hope I defend badly (Which I do do for him - sigh) 11...f4 12.h4 Qf6 13.Ba3 Rd8 14.g4 14...fxe3 I do not really like the idea of half-opening the g-file for Ryan's R's. 15.fxe3 g6 When the h-file is opened by Ryan, h1R and the d3B will be a dangerous pair. 16.g5 Qg7 17.h5 Bd7 18.Ne5 Ryan is coordinating a number of attacking pieces. And two of my back-rank pieces are still updeveloped, and unable to get to the defence, at least at the moment. 18...Be8 Trying to defend my vulnerable g6. 19.h6 Qh8 20.Rf1 Suddenly, there is a one-move mate threat by Ryan! 20...Nd7 21.Nxd7 Bxd7 I've managed to defend agains the mate. But look at my Q - it has not one move! 22.Be7 threatening to go to f6 and win back the Q. 22...Rf8 I'll have to sac the exchange to save my Q 23.Bf6 Rxf6 24.Rxf6 I am now up Q (Totally dead) vs R. 24...Rf8 25.Rhf1 Rxf6 26.Rxf6 Qxf6 Since the Q is dead, I felt it was the right time to go into an ending up a P; so I sac the Q for the f6R. 27.gxf6 material equality, but not for long 27...Kf7 28.Kf3 Kxf6 I go up a P (Passed) 29.Kf4 Be8 The major tactical threat is, at the right move, sac the B for the g6P....when....taking Hxg6 will allow W to queen his hP! 30.Kg4 Bf7 31.c3 e5 32.dxe5+ Kxe5 I am hoping that centralizing my K is the way to grind out a win with my passed extra P. 33.Kg5 c5 I cannot give up the f6 square and let Ryan's K get in behind my P's. 34.Bb1 b5 35.a3 a5 36.b4 axb4 37.axb4 cxb4 38.cxb4 Be8 39.Bd3 It now seemed that the ending was going to be more difficult to win than I thought. 39...d4 I went for the win. 40.exd4+ Kxd4 41.Kf6 Ryan believes he can Q if he sacs his B - but it will not happen. 41...Kxd3 I am up B + P 42.Kg7 Bc6 43.Kxh7 I am up a B 43...Be4 44.Kg7 g5 Now I can sac my B if Ryan plays h7! 45.Kf6 g4

0–1

My Score

2.5/3 pts. - Wins: 2 (Rds. 2 & 3); Bye (1/2 pt.): 1 (Rd. 1).

My Opponents' & My Scores

2.5/3 pts. - Me (1597)

1.5/3 pts. - Junior Boy Ryan Zhong (1352) – I won in Rd. 3.

?/3 pts. - Junior Boy Joey Lin (1369) – I won in Rd. 2.; not sure of Rd. 3 result.

Other Sections' Leaders

1800 +

1^st/2^nd - 3/3 pts. (Won all games) - Junior Boy Fengxi Mao (2227); David Southam (2108 – current and former club champion).

3^rd/7^th– 2/3 pts. - Junior Boy Raymond Gao (2134); David Lawless (2038); Junior Boy Jonathan Hay (2027 - undefeated); Junior Boy Austin Xie (1914 - undefeated); Junior Boy Larry Yang (1701);

U 1400 Juniors

1^st– 3/3 pts. (Won all games) - Jack Lee (1058).

2^nd – 2.5/3 pts. (Undefeated) - Weyman Li (991).

3^rd/7^th– 2/2 pts. (Undefeated) – Siddhi Dahale (1143); Andrew Li (1135); Ethan Wu (1011); Namir Issani (866); Steven Ji (Unr.).

iii. U 1000 Juniors

1^st/3^rd– 3/3 pts. (Won all games) – Eric Zhou (831); Girl Jessica Ding (812); Zheyi (Joey) Zhang (799).

Top Section Games

The games of the top section can be played over by going to the SCC Website (URL above), and the tab for "Results". Then after the link to the 1800+ section standings, is "Round x Games". Click on that and you get a game board/score, and you can play over the game right there and then!

Some History

How My Blog Works (Some history and details) + an SCC Tournament History.

These next 2 sections are another template.

TEMPLATE BEGINS

SCC Tournament Registration History

2013-4 Season

Jack Frost Swiss (3rd tournament) - 131 - peak registration for the season.

2014-5 Season

Club Championship Swiss (5th tournament of the season) - 126 - peak registration for the season

Season average registration (for the 6 tournaments) - 117

2015-6 Season

Club Championship (5th tournament of the season) - 141! (1800+: 35; U 1800 - 106) - Peak for the season & the current RECORD for recent times!

Season average registration (for the 6 tournaments) - 131

2016-7 Season

Jack Frost Swiss (3rd Tournament of the season) - 139 - 1800+: 32; U 1800: 35; U 1400: 72. - Peak Registration for the season

Season Average Registration (for 6 tournaments): 133! (Highest Seasonal Average since keeping records here).

2017-8 Season

Howard Ridout Memorial Swiss (1st tournament of the season) - 130 (1800+: 27; U 1800: 46; U 1400: 57) - Peak Registration for the season.

Season Average Registration (for 6 tournaments): 122. Below the 2016-7 Season Average of 133.

2018-9 Season

Club Championship (5^th tournament of the season) – 137 (Championship - 31; Reserves - 106) – Peak registration of the season.

Season Average Registration (For 6 tournaments): 120 (Almost at the prior 2017-8 Season Average of 121; our historical high from a few years ago (2016-7) is 133).

2019-20 Season (Current)

# 1 – Howard Ridout Memorial: 122 ( 1800+ - 20; U 1800 – 52; U 1400 (Jrs. Only) – 19; U 1000 (Jrs. Only) - 31)

# 2 – Falling Leaves: 120 (1800+ - 18; U 1800 – 51; U 1400 (Jrs. Only) – 20; U 1000 (Jrs. Only) - 31)

# 3 – Jack Frost: 113 (1800+ - 18; U 1800 – 49; U 1400 (Jrs. Only) – 14; U 1000 (Jrs. Only) - 32)

Season Average Registration (For 3 tournaments so far): 118 – dead on last season's average per tournament: 118.

[Part IV below]

Bob A

**Bob Armstrong** · Friday, 6th March, 2020, 02:22 PM

Scarborough Chess Club Winter Swiss – Blog

Rd. 3 – 20/3/5 (Thursday)

Bob's Chess Blog # 2 [Part IV of 4 parts; see Parts I, 2 & 3 above]

Bob's Blog

For a number of years now, I have been posting my chess blog:

i) on my personal Facebook Account for my over 900 Fb friends from around the world (in English): https://www.facebook.com/bob.armstrong.9235;
ii) sometimes on the national Canadian English chess discussion board, Chess Talk [CT] (https://forum.chesstalk.com/…/chesstalk-canada-s-chess-disc…), now owned by Henry Lam;
iii) occasionally on other chess websites, such as that of FQE (Province of Quebec's Chess Association). On the one occasion this was done, the blog was posted in both French and English.

More recently I also have been "re-posting" my Fb blog:

i) on my Fb chess discussion group, Chess Chat, under my own personal account - A Project of Chess Companions of Caissa (https://www.facebook.com/groups/340524269771672/);
ii) my Scarborough CC tournaments Fb Blog to SCC's Fb Page (http://www.scarboroughchessclub.ca/).
iii) my Annex CC tournaments Fb blog to ACC's Fb Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/172335039452033/).

Henry Lam (Aka Dark Knight on CT), the owner of CT, and I have now done a first renewal of our “Henry/Bob Blog Agreement” (Original agreement - summer of 2018). Under it I agreed to re-post my Fb Chess Blogs on CT for both my chess club official tournaments, subject to the condition that interest did not wane to such an extent that it was no longer worth making the effort to do the blog. This has now happened re the Annex CC blog, and I am therefore no longer blogging those club tournaments. I also agreed to blog my non-club weekend (Sometimes longer; sometimes shorter) tournaments, in which I play between Summer 2019 and Summer 2020. Henry and I have a clause for consideration of annual renewal.

So, under this new agreement, I am now re-posting my blogs of my current Scarborough CC tournaments. My future non-club weekend blogs, to and including Summer 2020, will be (Given my current schedule - from time to time, though, my life schedule may change so that I fit in a tournament not on my schedule, or fail to play one that is intended):

The 2019 Hart House Holidays Open – Toronto (Dec. 13-15).
2. The 2020 Hart House Reading Week Open – Toronto (February 15-17).
3. The 2020 Canadian Open (July 16-22).
4. The 2020 Toronto Open (Sept. 5-7)

This year so far, I have managed to insert one additional tournament into the Fall – The Canadian International Open – Longueuil, Quebec (Oct. 11-3, 2019).

The Blog Focus

I mainly focus on the section I am playing in (Has been U 2000, U 1900, U 1800 or U 1700). I feel that these class sections are often not covered by chess media, and yet, the bulk of chess tournament players are in the classes under 1900. And many of my class viewers have actually played players about whom I am blogging (Players I play and ones with whom I may socialize during the tournament, who then are mentioned in the Blog). So this adds a bit more interest for them.

I do also sometimes cover (Bare Bones) the top section standings; but I have to have been able to get the results before the Blog goes to press. For this section, of course, including it can be a matter of the time available (I am often doing my Blog in the wee hours of the morning).

I do hope my blogs will continue to provide a window onto class tournament chess, and what THIS chess player does during the day of club tournaments, and before and between rounds for weekend tournaments (A bit of a reality show - bits of my personal, though generally pretty ordinary, life).

I know many other chess players approach tournaments quite differently than I do (E.g. - study, research opponents to prepare for them, etc.!). So one cannot generalize from what I do, to what other chess tournament players do.

Blog Feedback

I have had generally positive feedback on my blogging (I have done it for many, many years now, as some long-suffering viewers know), on both of my own Fb Accounts, the SCC & ACC Fb sites, and on CT.

It has been said that my writing style is easy to read, factual, and often entertaining. It is a find for all us "nosy" chess players!

Thanks to all those who have supported my Blogging on various sites, and kept encouraging me to continue all these years (I'm now working on year 75 (Not of blogging! LOL) – I do hope, as long as there is interest, to keep doing my blogs for many years yet).

Invitation

I am most happy to interact with readers re anything about which I have posted.

So react, comment, reply, post, etc. - both favourable comments and constructive criticism....I will do my best to respond to everyone, so long as I am where I have access to the internet.

And if some of the players, or non-players, wish to post something to supplement the blog, you are encouraged to do so.

So jump in with both feet, and we'll all enjoy the blogging adventure!

TEMPLATE ENDS

Bob A

**Bob Armstrong** · Friday, 13th March, 2020, 03:41 PM

Scarborough Chess Club Winter Swiss – Blog

Rd. 4 – 20/3/12 (Thursday)

Bob's Chess Blog # 3 [Part I of 3 parts]
(See Knight Logo below)

Club

Scarborough Chess Club, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
See logo below

SCC Website: http://www.scarboroughchessclub.ca/
SCC Fb Page: https://www.facebook.com/ScarboroughChessClub/

Tournament

ALERT: Tonight (Thursday, March 12), Scarborough Chess Club Executive ended the current Winter Swiss after Rd. 4 tonight. The winners will be decided using the club tie-break system.

Also, the Executive has suspended play for the next 3 consecutive weeks – the reasons: COVID-19 (There were 47 byes tonight out of 122 registered players tonight); the closing of some Ontario schools; the possibility of an inside workers strike, which would exclude us from the community centre during the strike; and the school March break.

Then the Executive will review the situation and see if the club can resume play on Thursday, April 9, with Rd. 1 of the new Club Championship tournament.

Name: Winter Swiss (# 4 tournament of the 2019-20 Season – concluded tonight)

When: Feb. 20 – March 12.

Format: 4 - round swiss

Sections: 4: The regular SCC Swisses have 4 sections 1800+; U 1800; U 1400 – Jrs. Only; U 1000 – Juniors Only [playing up within 100 pts. allowed – small fee].

Notes re sections:

The Club Championship has only 2 sections: Championship; Reserves.
2. The regular SCC Swisses, in the past, used to have three sections 1800+; U 1800; U 1400, with playing up within 100 pts. allowed (No fee); no “Juniors Only” sections.

Registration: 122 (1800+ - 21; U 1800 – 50; U 1400 (Jrs. Only) – 17; U 1000 (Jrs. Only) - 34) – above this season's average per tournament (So far): 118. And SCC usually picks up new registrants as the tournament progresses.

Time Control: Top Section: G/60 + 30 sec. (From move 1)

- Bottom 3 sections: G/70 + 15 sec. (From move 1).

Rating: a. All sections are CFC-rated.

b. The top section is also FIDE rated.

Playing Up: Players within 100 pts. of the floor of the section above have the option to play in their section, or, in the next section up – small fee.

Joining: Lots of room and so SCC WELCOMES all new members. You can inquire about joining at the general SCC e-mail address: info@ScarboroughChessClub.ca. You can join a tournament in progress; you will get ½ pt. byes for all the missed rounds.

Blog Note:

This Blog on my personal Facebook page, called The REAL News, is re-posted a few other places - so references here refer to this Fb platform.
The Day of Rd. 4 (March 12)

Thursday Morning

Today I am currently living in Toronto, Ontario, and so am able to play. When I am living in my two other locations (Ontario hobby farm; Montreal, Quebec), I take byes/withdraw.

I awoke at 4:00 AM, well before the alarm. I had gone to bed at 10:30 PM Wednesday – 5 1/2 hrs. is a pretty usual sleep for me. (Often during weekend tournaments I sleep much shorter, and get substantially less than my usual 6 hrs. sleep).

I then went downstairs to the kitchen. I first put away the dried dishes in the dish drainer and generally straightened the kitchen. Then I grabbed a coffee and went upstairs to my home office to start on my normal daily routine in front of the old laptop.

I usually begin to draft my SCC Blog the day before (on Wednesday) - I sort of add to it as I go through the day (Thursday - today), and then try to finalize it late tonight and post it in the wee hours of Friday morning. We often go to our hobby farm or Montreal early on Friday morning, so I usually like to get the blog finished before I go to sleep if possible (Our farm is an almost internet/computer-free zone, so I cannot finish and post it there). If I have to leave for the farm or Montreal Friday morning, I get up early enough to get it posted before we have to go.

This time I did get it started yesterday, and so this morning started filling it in.

I had a family legal matter that I was able to deal with by e-mails, and so handled that for a while.

I then went into my regular routine (See below).

Template Note:
There are sections of this blog that are a standard “template” which I repeat in each Blog.
The template must be here for any new readers of my Blog.
So I ask my regular readers to be tolerant. If you have read the template part previously, you can skip from “Template Begins” to “Template Ends” (I will alert you immediately before the template if there are any revisions you won't have read previously).

TEMPLATE BEGINS

Victim of Routine

I am retired + unemployed – life is quite fine overall - except for my slave-driver company, The REAL News.ca Cooperative [Quite a mouthful, but simply put: TRN], where I must volunteer my work time for free all day long, 24/7! I have created a monster!

My mornings tend to be pretty scripted – who isn't a victim of routine?

So I settled in to my comfy home office and got working.

My Daily Personal Project Tasks

1. Check for my e-mails and Fb messages.

2. Check new posts/comments on ChessTalk (CT).

Check my Twitter feed to see what had been happening in the world (I follow numerous mainstream media from countries around the world, such as CBC, Toronto Star, National Post, NBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, France 24, China Daily, Al Jezeera (English), Japan Times, Sputnik News, The Guardian, etc.). I re-post the most relevant...see below.
Check my Fb “Notifications” of my friends posts on their timelines, sometimes their timelines directly, and my own newsfeed of friends' posts to see the most relevant that I can “share” to my projects or re-post...see below.
Fb Project # 1 (My Company/Personal Fb Account) - My little company (In the process of being legally incorporated, after only being formed in Dec., 2019, as a federal unregistered sole proprietorship) is called, as said above, The REAL News.ca Cooperative (TRN). This Fb account is a news of the universe (world events/politics, human health & diet, Science & Technology, Entertainment, etc.) discussion group that I have created here on my own personal Fb account. Those posting/reacting, such that their names appear on the site, are a group we call PEERS (A Discussion Club of Equals) – the PEERS' members, along with TRN, do the news re-broadcasting.

So I update my Fb personal account, managed by my company, re-broadcasting news found elsewhere, and from time to time, other PEERS' members post as well.

6. I share at least one chess post per day to my second Fb discussion club, Chess Chat (formed under my personal Fb account) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/340524269771672/.

7. Fb Project # 2 (2^nd company page - Canadian Life Consulting (CLC) - https://www.facebook.com/Canadian-Life-Consulting-16406543…/. , adminstered by my federal unregistered sole proprietorship company, Canadian Life Consulting Cooperative (CLCC). I do news re-posts from the sites mentioned above that are specifically relevant to this page.
8. Update one of the discussion groups formed under my company page, called Canadian Life Consulting Cooperative Supporters' Group (Or CLCC Supporters) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2042495809374373/. I update it by sharing some more discussable of the posts now on the CLC page.
9. Fb Project # 3 (On behalf of a religious community I am forming) - When I find them, I share religious (All Religions) posts to my religious community's Fb Page, Theist Community (https://www.facebook.com/Theist-Comm...dmin_todo_tour). Sometimes these re-posts also appear in TRN.

10. Update the discussion group formed under my community's page. It is called Spiritual/Religions Discussion Club (Or SRDC) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2042495809374373/. I update it by sharing some more discussable of the posts now on the Theist Community page.

11. Fb Project # 4 (On behalf of a political party I would like formed) – Democratic Marxist – Global – https://www.facebook.com/Democratic-...dmin_todo_tour.

[Parts II & III below]

Bob A

**Bob Armstrong** · Friday, 13th March, 2020, 03:45 PM

Scarborough Chess Club Winter Swiss – Blog

Rd. 4 – 20/3/12 (Thursday)

Bob's Chess Blog # 3 [Part II of 3 parts; see Part I above]

12. Update the discussion group formed under the political party page. It is called Democratic Marxist Global Forum – https://www.facebook.com/groups/2045...=nf&__tn__=C-R. I update it by sharing some more discussable of the posts now on the DMG page. Some of these posts are shared to TRN.

13. I have another retiree project besides my 4 Facebook Projects.

Chess is a passionate hobby of mine, as you know. It is part of what I call my “Interlude Living”. But I have never really studied seriously.

But what I do do, is I enter all my games, and annotate them, to try to learn something - GrandMasters do recommend this often. In addition, I integrate the opening (the first 10 moves) into an opening/defence tree I have for the opening/defence played. The value of this is pretty uncertain, given my inability to remember lines - but I do develop general impressions of how the opening can go.

So on my own time, I go back and forth between the 3 Facebook projects and my chess hobby project.

My 35/25 System

As well, I go back and forth between my routine items above and my own personal life tasks to be done that day. But I have a somewhat unique system for doing this.

Recently I found that I was spending a lot more time on my three retiree projects than my normal life tasks - don't we all spend more time on what we enjoy!

But I was falling behind in "life" while keeping up in the "Fb/chess" projects. So I did have to deal with this issue.

So I came up with the "35/25 System". What this is: When I am at home, I bite the bullet and I spend 35 min. on my life tasks, which I think of as “working for myself”; I even set the alarm! Then I reward myself with 25 min. on my 3 retiree projects (Facebook [2] & Chess). I try very hard to religiously stop when I am to change phases.

This has actually worked out well....I am still abysmally behind in "Life", but not nearly as much as I used to be! LOL

TEMPLATE ENDS
Back to Thursday Morning

My wife got up with the alarm at 6:00 AM. We then had breakfast about 6:30 AM.

Before we went to our gym, as part of my “family work time”, I gathered up the recycle material from around the house, and the compost, and put out the waste containers for the Friday AM pick-up.

At 7:15 AM, we headed out to walk to our gym. It takes us about 25 - 30 min., depending on walking conditions – the snow here has now almost all melted and this week the highs are above zero degrees Celsius – it is looking like the official vernal equinox, which starts on 11:49 PM on Thursday, March 19, may coincide with the actual start of Spring weather this year!!

We generally workout for one hour on the floor and cardio machines. Given walking time, and changing clothes time, it is usually a 2 1/2 hrs. total commitment to our gym program. Since the start of January, we are both quite proud that we have often attended all the weekdays. On the weekend we don't go usually, but do try to get out for a long walk both Sat. and Sun.

We got home at 9:45 AM.

The Post-Gym Morning

My wife is an amateur potter, as my regular readers know, and she belongs to a pottery cooperative studio. So this morning she had to do one of her member jobs, firing a kiln. So she went over about 10:30 AM.

I cleaned up our breakfast dishes and put them in the sink to wash later. Then I headed up to my home office to do both “My Own Time” projects, and some “Family Work Time” tasks.

But it wasn't long before I found myself unusually tired for the morning.

Siesta

Given that I usually sleep short compared to many in the early morning (night), and that I am working on year number 75 this year, I have found that the European/Latin American practice of a siesta time in mid-afternoon works really well (I usually set the alarm and do not sleep more than 1 hour). My wife, because of her health, also is usually tired by then. We take the landline phone off the hook and shut off cell phones – drives the family and friends nuts, but they've adjusted.

But today I knew I had to advance it to the morning! I slept for 1 1/2 hrs. - I decided not to set the alarm if my body was saying it really needed sleep early in the day.

Lunch

After I got up, I prepared lunch for myself (My wife makes the greatest chili from scratch!).

Later Thursday Afternoon

I then went back up to the home office and continued with some “Family tasks time” - needed to do some work on family finances.

My wife came back from the pottery studio about 2:30 PM, had some lunch, and we visited. Then she did her “siesta crash”.

So I then got back to my daily routine stuff. Then I did some more family task time – washed up the lunch dishes, and generally straightened the kitchen. Then dealt with the mail.

Then back upstairs.

Later, on family time, I had to sort through a massive family legal folder to cull it and keep what was only absolutely necessary.

Heading Out for Rd. 4 (Final)

I had printed out the 4 cross-tables for the current Winter Swiss yesterday, to put out on the display table (I maintain the display table each week as a member-volunteer job for SCC). I also had gotten my SCC bag of display materials updated last week – very organized for this Thursday!

I headed out by car for SCC at 5:30 PM.

I went to my Timmies at Ellesmere and Brimley Ave. I had a light dinner and got the needed caffeine to go into battle. I updated my Organizer and my “Reminder Book” - regular readers know I have a very bad memory, not only from age, but from some medical procedures 25 years ago.

At 7:00 PM I drove to the club (about 5 min. drive away).

Pre-Round 4

I got in and set up the whole display table, and put out the cross-tables.

I then chatted briefly with Thuan Ngyen who had joined SCC at the start of the year. We talked about a player's chess psychology – Thuan had not played since he was a junior and was now coming back. But there is some rust, and we discussed how some unexpected early losses in this type of situation can shake your self-confidence in your play........and thus make it worse. We felt one of the antidotes was to examine the game in the stretches where one plays relatively well.........this at least gives one a bit of balance that one's play can come back. Thuan felt he was now settling in better and playing more confidently again, though his results are still lagging a bit behind.

Then I spoke to Dave Cozens (My section) for a while. We talked about the changes we had seen in chess since the “old” days (We're both in our 70's). We noted that the juniors will not take the chess books the club makes available that are still in the old “descriptive” notation. Being raised on the new algebraic system only, the descriptive is somewhat confusing because they interpret some move descriptions using the new system by mistake, and it is unclear. We talked about how much better juniors are today, than when we were young. We also noted that the longer we played chess, the more important the “social” side of chess became, rivalling the competitive element.

The pairings got delayed a bit tonight due to all the byes, but then the pairings went up.

Round 4

The round started somewhat late. I am in a 7-way tie for 2^nd, all of us only 1/2 pt. behind the sole leader. The game is below.

Post Rd. 4

After the game I watched the rest of the games, until I had the winners for all sections on my print-out cross-tables.

After the last games in the hall, my point score tables were complete. Because of starting late, 4 games had to be adjudicated (We have to be out of the hall by 10:45 PM due to our permit). I then packed up my display table stuff and headed for home. at 10:45 PM. Going home I can use the Don Valley Parkway – with little traffic at this time of night, I make it home in about 20 min.! My best time getting to SCC/Tim's at rush hour, when I can't use the Don Valley, is 40 min..

The Later Evening

I got home somewhat after 11:00 PM, and I started cleaning and straightening the kitchen a bit – my wife was in bed awake. She couldn't wait to show me the video our son sent of him playing chess with our 4 year old granddaughter – it was awesome - she was so engaged and happy to have her dad's full, undivided attention!

Then I went to the home office, and did a few routine things on my retiree projects.

By then I was then too tired to enter my game or continue this Blog # 2. I left it to Friday.

I went to bed about 12:00 AM Friday.

My U 1800 Section Report - Rd. 4 - Thursday, March 12/20.

I am rated 1604. I am in the 2nd of the 4 sections (The bottom two are juniors only). My section rating spread is effectively, from the high1600's to about 1000 (All adults under 1400 must play in the U 1800 section). I am ranked # 8 out of the 50 players (in the top third of the section).

Post-Rd. 4 – U 1800 Winners

There are 50 players in our section; but there were less than 15 boards (The actual number of boards may have playing fewer than the total no. of players, due to byes, withdrawals, suspensions, etc.). Many players had decided to avoid crowded situations like the chess club, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are the Winners:

1^st/4^th – 3.5/4 pts. (Undefeated) - Me (1604); Wissam Muhajer (1580); Junior Boy Wing Li (1536); Amir Banihashemi (1486).

[Part III below]

Bob A

**Bob Armstrong** · Friday, 13th March, 2020, 03:47 PM

Scarborough Chess Club Winter Swiss – Blog

Rd. 4 – 20/3/12 (Thursday)

Bob's Chess Blog # 3 [Part III of 3 parts; see Parts I & II above]

My Round 4 Game

I have provided some of my own light annotations (No engine analysis yet) to explain a bit of what I was thinking as the game went on.

Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J. (1604) – Granic, Luka (1421) [D07]

Scarborough CC Winter Swiss (U 1800) (4), 12.03.2020
[Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J.]

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.c4 e6 5.Bd3 Bd7 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.0–0 0–0 8.Bd2 Re8 9.Ne5 I thought I should block Luka's intended e5, even if it meant a doubled P. 9...b6 removing this P from protecting c6, with the c-file likely becoming half-opened, is not a great idea. 10.Rc1 dxc4 11.Bxc4 The file is now half-opened and Luka's c6 square will become a target. 11...Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Ne4 13.Nxd7 Nxc3 14.Rxc3 wanting to keep the pressure on c6 14...Qxd7 15.Bb5 the trap of c6 - a deadly pin 15...Qd6 16.Bxc6 I go up a B....and it just happens to be my good fortune that Luka's pieces are so arranged that I also am going to win an exchange. 16...Rab8 17.Bxe8 Rxe8 I am now up a R 18.Qc2 now I will target c7, given the file being half-opened 18...Re7 19.Rc1 h6 Luka gets rid of any back-rank mate problems 20.Rxc7 I am now up R + P 20...Rxc7 21.Qxc7 Qb4 22.Qc3 When up material, try to exchange 22...Qa4 23.Qd3 threatening a back-rank mate by the Q covering the h7 escape square 23...f5 24.Qc4 Qxc4 25.Rxc4 b5 26.Rc7 g5 27.Rxa7 I am up R + 2 P's 27...b4 28.Rb7 g4 29.Rxb4

1–0

My Score

3.5/4 pts. - Wins: 3 (Rds. 2, 3 & 4); Bye (1/2 pt.): 1 (Rd. 1) – I finish in a 4-way tie for first!

My Opponents' & My Scores

3.5/4 pts. - Me (1597)

2.5/4 pts. - Junior Boy Luka Granic (1421) – I won in Rd. 4.

- Junior Boy Ryan Zhong (1352) – I won in Rd. 3.

- Junior Boy Joey Lin (1369) – I won in Rd. 2.

Other Sections' Winners

1800 +

1^st/2^nd – 3.5/4 pts. (Undefeated) - Junior Boy Fengxi Mao (2227); David Southam (2108 – current and former club champion).

3^rd – 3/4 pts. - David Lawless (2038).

U 1400 Juniors

1^st – 4/4 pts. (Won all games) - Jack Lee (1058).

2^nd/3^rd – 3/4 pts. (Undefeated) - Weyman Li (991); Steven Ji (Unr.).

iii. U 1000 Juniors

1^st – 4/4 pts. (Won all games) - Zheyi (Joey) Zhang (799).

2^nd – 3.5/4 pts. (Undefeated) - Girl Jessica Ding (812).

3^rd/6^th– 3/4 pts. – Sean Gao (999); Aiden Liang (841); Eric Zhou (831); Aryan Sethi (806).Top Section Games

The games of the top section can be played over by going to the SCC Website (URL above), and the tab for "Results". Then after the link to the 1800+ section standings, is "Round x Games". Click on that and you get a game board/score, and you can play over the game right there and then!

Some History

How My Blog Works (Some history and details) + an SCC Tournament History.

These next 2 sections are another template.

TEMPLATE BEGINS

SCC Tournament Registration History

2013-4 Season

Jack Frost Swiss (3rd tournament) - 131 - peak registration for the season.

2014-5 Season

Club Championship Swiss (5th tournament of the season) - 126 - peak registration for the season

Season average registration (for the 6 tournaments) - 117

2015-6 Season

Club Championship (5th tournament of the season) - 141! (1800+: 35; U 1800 - 106) - Peak for the season & the current RECORD for recent times!

Season average registration (for the 6 tournaments) - 131

2016-7 Season

Jack Frost Swiss (3rd Tournament of the season) - 139 - 1800+: 32; U 1800: 35; U 1400: 72. - Peak Registration for the season

Season Average Registration (for 6 tournaments): 133! (Highest Seasonal Average since keeping records here).

2017-8 Season

Howard Ridout Memorial Swiss (1st tournament of the season) - 130 (1800+: 27; U 1800: 46; U 1400: 57) - Peak Registration for the season.

Season Average Registration (for 6 tournaments): 122. Below the 2016-7 Season Average of 133.

2018-9 Season

Club Championship (5^th tournament of the season) – 137 (Championship - 31; Reserves - 106) – Peak registration of the season.

Season Average Registration (For 6 tournaments): 120 (Almost at the prior 2017-8 Season Average of 121; our historical high from a few years ago (2016-7) is 133).

2019-20 Season (Current)

# 1 – Howard Ridout Memorial: 122 ( 1800+ - 20; U 1800 – 52; U 1400 (Jrs. Only) – 19; U 1000 (Jrs. Only) - 31)

# 2 – Falling Leaves: 120 (1800+ - 18; U 1800 – 51; U 1400 (Jrs. Only) – 20; U 1000 (Jrs. Only) - 31)

# 3 – Jack Frost: 113 (1800+ - 18; U 1800 – 49; U 1400 (Jrs. Only) – 14; U 1000 (Jrs. Only) - 32)

Season Average Registration (For 3 tournaments so far): 118 – dead on last season's average per tournament: 118.

Bob's Blog

For a number of years now, I have been posting my chess blog:

i) on my personal Facebook Account for my over 900 Fb friends from around the world (in English): https://www.facebook.com/bob.armstrong.9235;
ii) sometimes on the national Canadian English chess discussion board, Chess Talk [CT] (https://forum.chesstalk.com/…/chesstalk-canada-s-chess-disc…), now owned by Henry Lam;
iii) occasionally on other chess websites, such as that of FQE (Province of Quebec's Chess Association). On the one occasion this was done, the blog was posted in both French and English.

More recently I also have been "re-posting" my Fb blog:

i) on my Fb chess discussion group, Chess Chat, under my own personal account - A Project of Chess Companions of Caissa (https://www.facebook.com/groups/340524269771672/);
ii) my Scarborough CC tournaments Fb Blog to SCC's Fb Page (http://www.scarboroughchessclub.ca/).
iii) my Annex CC tournaments Fb blog to ACC's Fb Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/172335039452033/).

Henry Lam (Aka Dark Knight on CT), the owner of CT, and I have now done a first renewal of our “Henry/Bob Blog Agreement” (Original agreement - summer of 2018). Under it I agreed to re-post my Fb Chess Blogs on CT for both my chess club official tournaments, subject to the condition that interest did not wane to such an extent that it was no longer worth making the effort to do the blog. This has now happened re the Annex CC blog, and I am therefore no longer blogging those club tournaments. I also agreed to blog my non-club weekend (Sometimes longer; sometimes shorter) tournaments, in which I play between Summer 2019 and Summer 2020. Henry and I have a clause for consideration of annual renewal.

So, under this new agreement, I am now re-posting my blogs of my current Scarborough CC tournaments. My future non-club weekend blogs, to and including Summer 2020, will be (Given my current schedule - from time to time, though, my life schedule may change so that I fit in a tournament not on my schedule, or fail to play one that is intended):

The 2019 Hart House Holidays Open – Toronto (Dec. 13-15).
2. The 2020 Hart House Reading Week Open – Toronto (February 15-17).
3. The 2020 Canadian Open (July 16-22).
4. The 2020 Toronto Open (Sept. 5-7)

This year so far, I have managed to insert one additional tournament into the Fall – The Canadian International Open – Longueuil, Quebec (Oct. 11-3, 2019).

The Blog Focus

I mainly focus on the section I am playing in (Has been U 2000, U 1900, U 1800 or U 1700). I feel that these class sections are often not covered by chess media, and yet, the bulk of chess tournament players are in the classes under 1900. And many of my class viewers have actually played players about whom I am blogging (Players I play and ones with whom I may socialize during the tournament, who then are mentioned in the Blog). So this adds a bit more interest for them.

I do also sometimes cover (Bare Bones) the top section standings; but I have to have been able to get the results before the Blog goes to press. For this section, of course, including it can be a matter of the time available (I am often doing my Blog in the wee hours of the morning).

I do hope my blogs will continue to provide a window onto class tournament chess, and what THIS chess player does during the day of club tournaments, and before and between rounds for weekend tournaments (A bit of a reality show - bits of my personal, though generally pretty ordinary, life).

I know many other chess players approach tournaments quite differently than I do (E.g. - study, research opponents to prepare for them, etc.!). So one cannot generalize from what I do, to what other chess tournament players do.

Blog Feedback

I have had generally positive feedback on my blogging (I have done it for many, many years now, as some long-suffering viewers know), on both of my own Fb Accounts, the SCC & ACC Fb sites, and on CT.

It has been said that my writing style is easy to read, factual, and often entertaining. It is a find for all us "nosy" chess players!

Thanks to all those who have supported my Blogging on various sites, and kept encouraging me to continue all these years (I'm now working on year 75 (Not of blogging! LOL) – I do hope, as long as there is interest, to keep doing my blogs for many years yet).

Invitation

I am most happy to interact with readers re anything about which I have posted.....so react, comment, reply, post, etc. - both favourable comments and constructive criticism....I will do my best to respond to everyone, so long as I am where I have access to the internet.

And if some of the players, or non-players, wish to post something to supplement the blog, you are encouraged to do so.

So jump in with both feet, and we'll all enjoy the blogging adventure!

TEMPLATE ENDS

Bob A

Scarborough Chess Club Winter Swiss (Feb. 20-March 26) – Blog

Scarborough Chess Club Winter Swiss (Feb. 20-March 26) – Blog

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