Monday, October 22, 2012

Week 8 Lineup

Monday, 7:30 PM EDT
Time Control 90 min. with 30 sec. increment

Baltimore Kingfishers vs. New Jersey Knockouts
GM Niclas Huschenbeth (2582) - GM Alex Stripunsky (2673)
NM Kevin Wang (2366) - GM Boris Gulko (2590)
NM Jared Defibaugh (2357) - IM Albert Kapengut (2367)
FM Ralph Zimmer (2304) - Praveen Balakrishnan (2097)

Note: Players in italic have the white pieces.

The 3rd-place Baltimore Kingfishers will battle the 4th-place New Jersey Knockouts. Both teams have the same 4.0-3.0 record, but Baltimore has 0.5 more game points for the lead in the first tiebreaker. In previous matches, New Jersey has scored 4.5 match points to Baltimore's 3.5 match points. Their last match occured in Week 2, 2011, which Baltimore won with a 2.5-1.5 score. Only two players (GM Gulko and NM Defibaugh) in that match are also playing in this match.

Board 1: GM Niclas Huschenbeth vs. GM Alex Stripunsky. GM Niclas Huschenbeth, in his first year in the USCL, has only played one game so far. It was against GM Ben Finegold (STL) on Board 1 in Week 2 and he lost with the black pieces. This time, he will have the white pieces against another well-known American player, GM Alex Stripunsky. GM Stripunsky, a 7-year USCL veteran, is (+2 =2 -1) this season and (=4 -2) against Baltimore. He played last week, a loss with white on Board 1 against SM Jorge Sammour-Hasbun (BOS).

Board 2: GM Boris Gulko vs. NM Kevin Wang. GM Boris Gulko, in his 5th USCL season, is (+1 =1) on the season and also (+1 =1) against Baltimore. He last played in Week 4, a win with black against FM Kassa Korley (CAR) on Board 2. He will be matched by NM Kevin Wang, who has played just one game in his first USCL season. It was a loss with black against IM Levan Bregadze (STL) on Board 3 in Week 2.

Board 3: NM Jared Defibaugh vs. IM Albert Kapengut. In his 3rd USCL season, NM Jared Defibaugh has a (+3 -2) record this season and is (+1 -1) in his career against New Jersey. He won with white last week against NM Justus Williams (NY) on Board 3. His opponent is IM Albert Kapengut, a 4-year USCL veteran with a (+1 =1 -1) score this season and a (+2) record against Baltimore. He last played in Week 6, a loss with black on Board 3 against IM Levan Bregadze (STL).

Board 4: Praveen Balakrishnan vs. FM Ralph Zimmer. In his 1st USCL season, Praveen Balakrishnan is (+1 -2) with his last game happening in Week 6, a loss with white against Matthew Larson (STL). He will be challenged by 7-year USCL veteran FM Ralph Zimmer, who is (+2 =1 -1) on the season and (-2) against New Jersey. FM Zimmer played last week in a loss with black against NM Alexander Katz (NY) on Board 4.

Catch the games live on ICC!

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