GM Niclas Huschenbeth (2610) - GM Emil Anka (2497)
GM Larry Kaufman (2401) - FM Costin Cozianu (2478)
NM Jared Defibaugh (2297) - FM Tian Sang (2324)
FM Ralph Zimmer (2244) - FM Curt Collyer (2266)
Tuesday, 9:00 PM EDT
Time Control: 60 min. with 30 sec. increment
Note: Players in italic have the white pieces.
The Baltimore Kingfishers (2.0-4.0, 4th place) of the Northeast Division take on the Seattle Sluggers (2.5-3.5, 2nd place) of the Pacific Division in Week 7 of the US Chess League. This is the 2nd and last week of East vs. West interconference play in the regular season. Both teams lost in Week 4, the first week of interconference play. Seattle lost to Philadelphia 1-3 while Baltimore went down to Dallas with a 1.5-2.5 score that week. However, both teams won last week with Baltimore beating Philadelphia 3-1 and Seattle defeating Dallas 2.5-1.5, stopping Dallas' 5-match win streak. Interesting transposition between the four teams, right? Now, Baltimore and Seattle have only battled each other once before in Week 4, 2012, and Seattle won that match with a 2.5-1.5 score. Two players (FM Costin Cozianu and FM Curt Collyer) from that match return to play in this match, too.
Board 1: GM Niclas Huschenbeth vs. GM Emil Anka. GM Niclas Huschenbeth is (-1) in his 2nd USCL season and has not played against Seattle. He lost in Week 4 with the black pieces against GM Conrad Holt of the Dallas Destiny on Board 1. He is matched up with GM Emil Anka, who is (+1 -3) in his 1st USCL season. GM Anka lost last week with the black pieces against FM Jeffery Xiong of the Dallas Destiny on Board 2.
Board 2: FM Costin Cozianu vs. GM Larry Kaufman. FM Costin Cozianu has a (=1 -1) record in his 4th season and is (-1) against Baltimore. He last played in Week 2, when he lost with the white pieces against IM Zhanibek Amanov of the Los Angeles Vibe on Board 2. His opponent, GM Larry Kaufman, has a (=1 -1) record this year and has played in all 9 years of the USCL yet has not had a game against Seattle until this match. He drew in Week 5 with the black pieces against NM Vadim Martirosov of the Boston Blitz on Board 3.
Board 3: NM Jared Defibaugh vs. FM Tian Sang. NM Jared Defibaugh is (+2 =2 -1) in his 4th season and has not played against Seattle. He won last week with the white pieces against NM Peter Minear of the Philadelphia Inventors on Board 3. He will square-off against FM Tian Sang, who is (+1 =1 -1) in his 1st season. His last game occurred in Week 5, when he won with the white pieces against FM Cameron Wheeler of the San Francisco Mechanics on Board 3.
Board 4: FM Curt Collyer vs. FM Ralph Zimmer. FM Curt Collyer is (+1 =1) in his 2nd season and has a (=1) record against Baltimore. He last played in Week 4, when he drew with the black pieces against FM Dov Gorman of the Philadelphia Inventors on Board 2. He will face FM Ralph Zimmer, who drew his only game so far this season in Week 4 with the white pieces against NM Sarah Chiang of the Dallas Destiny on Board 4. He has also yet to play against Seattle.
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Reposted at: Chess.com blogs
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