who's your worst ever opponent?

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  • #16
    Originally posted by Hans Jung View Post
    I'd consider Ron Brice a client - some beautiful games (although he wouldnt agree)
    Sounds about right. (+5, =1, -1)

    But my 'best' client was probably Raja Panjwani (+5, =1, -0). One of those games was when he was high 1800s but the rest he was my rating give or take.

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    • #17
      Care to share a game Roger?

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      • #18
        Originally posted by Hans Jung View Post
        I'd consider Ron Brice a client - some beautiful games (although he wouldnt agree)
        What happened to Ron? I also had some memorable games against him.

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        • #19
          I heard he gave up chess for poker. Is he still playing poker?

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          • #20
            Roger, Raja Panjwani may be able to give you a tougher time these days (IM title, 3 GM norms, 2450 FIDE rating! He will turn 31 next month!).

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            • #21
              Originally posted by Hans Jung View Post
              Care to share a game Roger?


              the games were not particularly remarkable. Mostly when I look at these games, I'm reminded of how much weaker I am now compared to then.



              Brice - Patterson Morrisburg 2005, black to move


              Black seem clearly better but how to crack through? Actually, Stockfish says pretty much anything wins and my choice doesn't rank particularly high but I came up with 31.....f5! and won quickly. I don't think I would see such a move nowadays.

              Patterson - Panjwani Guelph 2005


              Raja had played a dubious line in the Lopez which I happened to know well as I had played it in Correspondence games from both sides when I was a teenager. I won material quickly and then started to play very carelessly eventually getting to this position. I tanked and slowly came to the bitter realization that I had thrown most of my advantage away and now needed to be careful. I played 1. Rec1! Well, these days it seems Stockfish thinks white can play 31. Kh1 for small advantage but I can't say I believe it. Anyway, now was the time when Raja should have tanked and come to the bitter conclusion his knight was only worth the exchange and play 31....Ne2+ with a draw. Instead he fell in love with his knight and played 31.... Kg7? 32 Rc8 +- and lost quickly.

              After the game Raja caught a lot of grief from low rated spectators who did not understand why he possibly could have not taken the exchange.


              This game appealed to me because it only took 1 pawn to make White's bishop bad and his position worse. The method to force the win at the end also appealed to me.

              [Event "Winter Open Ottawa"]
              [Site "?"]
              [Date "2003.01.??"]
              [Round "3"]
              [White "Panjwani, Raja"]
              [Black "Patterson, Roger"]
              [Result "0-1"]
              [ECO "C44"]
              [WhiteElo "2100"]
              [BlackElo "2153"]


              1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. c3 dxc3 6. Bxf7+ [this is nothing to worry about] Kxf7 7. Qd5+ Kf8
              8. Qxc5+ Qe7 9. Qxe7+ Ngxe7 10. Nxc3 a6 11. Bf4 d6 12. Rd1 [belongs on c1] Be6 13. O-O
              h6 14. h3 Kf7 15. Rfe1 Rac8 16. Bh2 Rhd8 17. e5 [the cause of all White's later problems - bad bishop] d5 18. Ne2 Ng6 19. g4 Rf8 !
              20. Nc3 Nge7 21. Nh4 g5 22. Nf5 Nxf5 23. gxf5 Bxf5 24. Nxd5 Be6 25. Kg2 !? Rfd8 [black is betteer but should probably force the N vs B ending with Bxd5 26 Rxd5 Ke6 , rooks to the d file and swap them off]
              26. Nc3 Rxd1 27. Rxd1 Rd8 28. Rxd8 Nxd8 29. f4 Kg6 30. a3 Bc4 31. fxg5
              hxg5 32. Kf3 Kf5 33. Nd1 Bd5+ 34. Ke2 Ne6 35. Ne3+ Ke4 36. Nxd5 ?? [Raja got grief from the spectators for this move too but with reason. It's now -+] Kxd5 37.
              Kf3 c5 38. Kg4 Ke4 39. Bg3 b5 40. h4 gxh4 41. Bxh4 [Kxh4 is no better. The queenside pawns are too far away.] Kxe5 42. Kf3 Kd4 43. Ke2 Kc4
              44. Kd1 Kb3 45. Kc1 Nf4 46. Bf6 Nd3+ 47. Kb1 [and now for black to find the right plan] a5 48. Bc3 a4 [and not b4?? with immediate draw.] 49. Bf6 c4 50. Bc3
              Nf2 51. Bd4 Ne4 52. Be5 c3 53. bxc3 Nxc3+ 54. Ka1 Nd5 55. Bc3 Kxc3 0-1

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              • #22
                In the first diagram ...f5! what a move! Just for descriptive purposes its a pawn lever, tickler, can-opener, multi-tasking pawn move. I love it.

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                • #23
                  An entertaining game with a fascinating endgame. Thanks Roger.

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by Roger Patterson View Post

                    Sounds about right. (+5, =1, -1)

                    But my 'best' client was probably Raja Panjwani (+5, =1, -0). One of those games was when he was high 1800s but the rest he was my rating give or take.
                    Roger, I am almost sure I was one of your best clients (albeit not the strongest), from the time I first learned how to play chess as a beginner at The Black Knight Chess Club 1975(?) in Calgary to when I played you in the Canadian Closed (2006 I believe)I do not recall beating you ever in blitz, OTB etc.

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                    • #25
                      Originally posted by Sid Belzberg View Post

                      Roger, I am almost sure I was one of your best clients (albeit not the strongest), from the time I first learned how to play chess as a beginner at The Black Knight Chess Club 1975(?) in Calgary to when I played you in the Canadian Closed (2006 I believe)I do not recall beating you ever in blitz, OTB etc.
                      People lining up to be called my client! gotta love it.

                      But did we play that many tournament games? I remember the two Canadian Closed games but nothing before although there must have been some games in TAYCA tournaments and at the Black Knight. Long time between games anyway. I remember a blindfold game, tons of blitz for sure (and bughouse) but everyone loses a blitz game eventually - you must have beaten me at blitz.

                      But that reminds me of a couple of stories.

                      Story 1: Back in the day, Montreal would have several blitz round robin tournaments a week with players ranging from Jimmy Lackdawala (hopeless at the time) to Kevin Spraggett who was of course a monster player. Not sure how many times I played him blitz but it was always a sure loss. Except once.
                      I was white - 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4 0-0 Nxe4 5 Re1 Nd6 6 Nxe5 Nxe5 7 Rxe5+ Be7 8 Nc3 Nxb5? 9 Nd5 0-0 10 Ne7+ Kh8 11 Qh5.
                      [actually there is a similar line in the mainline Lopez with 3. a6 Ba4 in which case black plays Nc5 instead of Nd6 which is maybe what we played. Memory is fuzzy.... Other moves are the same and the tactic is the same.]

                      This was a little trap I was playing at the time. Spraggett picked up his d pwan to move to d6, realized what the problem was, put it back and tanked before playing h6. I yelled "Touch" (traditional Montreal practice) and he denied it. Lots of arguing but he refused to budge. Eventually I caved and continued the game. Fortunately, it's too late for black as white's position is overwhelming and I won anyway.

                      But reneging on the touch move has pi**ed me off for years.

                      Story 2: John Goldner (also a Montreal player, probably about 1300-1400) perhaps not fully aware of the vast difference - sure he knew Spraggett was better but by how much? Anyway, they had a dispute about this and Spraggett claimed he could beat Golder with 5 min to 1 min time odds 50 games straight (maybe it was 100 games). So the bet was on, and that was the the final score (50-0 or 100-0) although I understand there were a couple of games it was close enough that John could have won.

                      I think the bet was bragging rights but maybe something else was involved.

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                      • #26
                        Originally posted by Roger Patterson View Post

                        People lining up to be called my client! gotta love it.

                        But did we play that many tournament games? I remember the two Canadian Closed games but nothing before although there must have been some games in TAYCA tournaments and at the Black Knight. Long time between games anyway. I remember a blindfold game, tons of blitz for sure (and bughouse) but everyone loses a blitz game eventually - you must have beaten me at blitz.

                        But that reminds me of a couple of stories.

                        Story 1: Back in the day, Montreal would have several blitz round robin tournaments a week with players ranging from Jimmy Lackdawala (hopeless at the time) to Kevin Spraggett who was of course a monster player. Not sure how many times I played him blitz but it was always a sure loss. Except once.
                        I was white - 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4 0-0 Nxe4 5 Re1 Nd6 6 Nxe5 Nxe5 7 Rxe5+ Be7 8 Nc3 Nxb5? 9 Nd5 0-0 10 Ne7+ Kh8 11 Qh5.
                        [actually there is a similar line in the mainline Lopez with 3. a6 Ba4 in which case black plays Nc5 instead of Nd6 which is maybe what we played. Memory is fuzzy.... Other moves are the same and the tactic is the same.]

                        This was a little trap I was playing at the time. Spraggett picked up his d pwan to move to d6, realized what the problem was, put it back and tanked before playing h6. I yelled "Touch" (traditional Montreal practice) and he denied it. Lots of arguing but he refused to budge. Eventually I caved and continued the game. Fortunately, it's too late for black as white's position is overwhelming and I won anyway.

                        But reneging on the touch move has pi**ed me off for years.

                        Story 2: John Goldner (also a Montreal player, probably about 1300-1400) perhaps not fully aware of the vast difference - sure he knew Spraggett was better but by how much? Anyway, they had a dispute about this and Spraggett claimed he could beat Golder with 5 min to 1 min time odds 50 games straight (maybe it was 100 games). So the bet was on, and that was the the final score (50-0 or 100-0) although I understand there were a couple of games it was close enough that John could have won.

                        I think the bet was bragging rights but maybe something else was involved.
                        Hi Roger,

                        I loved those stories! You have moved around a bit...care to give us a timeline...born where moved to where and when etc.

                        Thanks

                        Larry

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                        • #27
                          Has anybody heard of Stephen Glinert? - He was a prodigy from Toronto in the 90's. He was my perfect client. I beat him as an expert, then master, then Fide Master, and then IM. It greatly saddened me when he failed to complete the GM title.

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                          • #28
                            These days, I am lucky if I can beat an egg.

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                            • #29
                              Originally posted by Hans Jung View Post
                              Has anybody heard of Stephen Glinert? - He was a prodigy from Toronto in the 90's. He was my perfect client. I beat him as an expert, then master, then Fide Master, and then IM. It greatly saddened me when he failed to complete the GM title.
                              Stephen Glinert was a huge talent, but became a very successful banker, as I understood from his father Ed Glinert. Ed was a great chess dad and was also on the Board of Directors at Socan where I worked. Ed owned Casablanca Media Publishing. We would chat at Socan Christmas parties. Sadly, Ed passed away in 2011 at the age of 63.

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                              • #30
                                For me, as well as a lot of other Torontonians, the answer is easy. Lawrence Day. It did not matter how big an advantage Lawrence would give you in the opening, he would alway outplay you, or swindle you in the end. In the late 70's, early 80's, nearly unbeatable

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