Malemäng Manhattanil ja USA MV

Mõni aeg tagasi otsustasin üpriski ootamatult koos sõpradega reisima minna. Nimelt pakutakse nüüd, kus viisavabadus, üpriski tihti üllatavalt soodsaid lennupileteid USAsse. Nii võtsimegi 7-liikmelise seltskonnaga ette roadtripi mööda Ameerika Ühendriikide idarannikut.

Reis lõppes paar päeva tagasi ning üldiselt oli väga tore. Roadtripist Vaadeldajas täpselt kirjutama ma ei hakka. Küll aga oli mul juba enne reisi plaanis USAs kaasa mängida ka mõnel maleturniiril või mängida mõni partii kohalikuga kuskil pargis. 7-liikmelises seltskonnas ei olnud just kerge alati oma plaanide järgi toimetada, kuid õnneks oli kaaslaste hulgas veel paar malehuvilist, mis plaani USAs malet mängida kindlasti soodustas.
Reisiseltskonnast on Vaadeldaja lugejaskonnale vast tuttavad Tarvo Seeman ja Marko Keskel. Tarvol oli ka suur soov reisil veidi malet mängida ning ta suhtles ka pidevalt aastaid Ameerikas elanud Jaan Ehlvestiga, kes jagas kasulikke nõuandeid nii reisiks kui malemängu osas. Värske pokkeri poolmiljonär Marko aga ei suutnud pärast esimest nädalat oma kirele vastu pidada, ostis veel samal päeval lennupiletid ning põrutas kasiinoparadiisi (või põrgusse) Las Vegasesse. Paar päeva pärast seltskonna osalist lagunemist jõudsime New Yorki, kus leidsimegi sobiva maleturniiri, kus osaleda.
Turniiriks oli 4 RATED GAMES TONIGHT ning see toimus 30. aprilli õhtul Marshalli maleklubis. Klubi asub New Yorkis Manhattanil ning tegemist on ühe vanema ja tugevama maleklubiga Ameerika Ühendriikides. 2004. aastal pälvis Marshalli maleklubi USAs ka aasta maleklubi tiitli. Nimetatud maleklubis on korduvalt mänginud ka Jaan Ehlvest ning tulnud neljal korral klubi meistriks.
Alguses me imestasime veidi turniiri korralduse üle, et kas see pealkiri tõesti tähendab seda, et võistlusel ongi vaid 4 vooru. Aga nagu paistis, pidigi see USAs üpriski tavapärane olema.

Tarvo Seeman juhendiga tutvumas (foto: Tuuli Vahtra)

Olime arvestanud, et osavõtumaks on 30 dollarit, kuid kohale jõudes tabas meid ebameeldiv üllatus. Nimelt on USAs mängimiseks vaja luba. Tagantjärele mõeldes see nii imelik polegi ju, sest ka Eestis on litsents vajalik, kuid hinnavahe on siiski üpriski erinev. Tarvol õnneks maksta polnud vaja, kuna rahvusvahelised meistrid pidid loa tasuta saama. Minu fide tiitel aga ei aidanud ning soodsaim võimalus oli osta 12 dollari eest ühekordne osalemisvõimalus. Kuna turniiri kogukulu 4 mängu mängimiseks oli ligi 500 krooni, mõtlesin ka loobumisele, kuid lõpuks siiski otsustasin osaleda.
Ajakontrolliks oli 25 minutit + 5 sekundit käigule mõlemale. Enne turniiri algust paluti meil tutvuda ka USA turniiri reeglitega, kuna need pidi mõnevõrra erinema Euroopa reeglitest. (Vasakul pildil Tarvo tutvumas reeglitega)
Huvitav tõsiasi oli ka see, et Ameerika Ühendriikides liidetakse Fide reitingutele 100 punkti juurde. Seega, kuigi mu Fide reiting on alla 2000, ei olnud mul võimalust võita auhinda alla 2000. reitinguga mängijale. Tarvo reitinguks oli seega 2521, millega sai ta teise asetuse ning minu reitinguks veidi alla 2100, jäädes nii napilt turniiri esimesse poolde.
Esimeses voorus õnnestus meil mõlemal oma vastased alistada, kuid teises voorus võtsime vastu kaotused. Kolmandas voorus võitsime jällegi. 2/3 oli meil mõlemal veidi lootust auhinnale, kuid kui pool üksteist õhtul vastaseks 2500. reitinguga rahvusvahelisest meistrist hiina noormehe sain, kadus lootus üpriski kiirelt. Ta mängis mu valgetega üpriski oskuslikult üle. Tarvo sai viimases voorus nõrgema vastase, võitis ning jäi jagama kolmandat kohta. Ameerikas on tavaks, et jagamise puhul jagatakse ka auhinnad ning pole mingit koefitsientide arvutamist. Nii läks jagamisele ka Tarvo auhind ning ta võitis 11 dollarit.
Esikohta jäid jagama IM Alex Lenderman (2603) ja IM Jay Bonin (2378).

Maleturniir Manhattanil oli igaljuhul huvitav kogemus ning sain mängida ka paar põnevat partiid, mida analüüsida plaanin.
Selge erinevus Eestiga on vist osavõtumaksudes ning auhindades. Konkreetselt selle turniiri puhul moodustatigi auhinnafond osavõtumaksudest. Samas, kuna olid eriauhinnad reitinguga alla 2200 ja 2000 mängijatele, oli kõigil väike lootus osavõtumaks tagasi ja veidi lisa teenida.
Ometi ei kujutaks ma ette, et Eestis tulevad maletajad õhtul kokku, kõik maksavad 350 krooni, mängivad 4 mängu ning hiljem läheb peaaegu kogu raha võitjatele. Sealsel USA turniiril mängis ka maletajaid, kes arvatavasti hilise kellaaja tõttu juba pärast 3. vooru koju läksid, mis tähendab ju tõesti seda, et ühe partii mängimiseks peab üle 100 krooni maksma.

Teine ja kindlasti palju olulisem teema, millest rääkida tahtsin, on 2009. aasta USA meistrivõistlused, mis peetakse Saint Louisis 7.-17. mail. Osalejaid on 24, eesotsas Kamsky, Nakamura, Onischuk ja eelmise aasta meister Shulman. Turniiril osaleb ka Jaan Ehlvest, kes minu teada on turniiriks ka tõsiselt valmistunud. Ehlvest on turniiril 10. asetusega. Siit saab osalejate kohta täpsemalt lugeda. Võistluse kodulehekülg.
Meistrivõistluste auhinnafond koos boonusega on üle 2 miljoni krooni. 1. voor mängitakse 8. mail.

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Lisan lõppu ka USA malereeglid, et huvilistel oleks võimalik tutvuda ja soovi korral Eesti reeglitega erinevusi leida.

NOTE: "R" indicates a rule only for regular time controls, such as 40/2. "S" indicates a rule only for sudden death time controls, such as SD/1 or G/30. Rules marked neither "R" nor "S" apply to both. More rules appear in the USCF rulebook.

1. Leave the room as soon as your game ends. Post result on yellow pairing sheet, then go to skittles room if you wish to analyze, talk, whisper, play blitz, etc. NO ANALYSIS IN TOURNAMENT ROOM, PLEASE- EVEN "QUIET" ANALYSIS IS DISTURBING!

2. Schedule is listed in CHESS LIFE and our mailings and posted. It's not necessary to ask when the round will start- it's posted!

3. Start clock promptly when round begins. Set clock to expire at 6:00- for instance, 4:00 if 40/2. Time delay clocks should be set for 5 second delay for entire game for G/30 or slower; 5 minutes may be deducted from each side at start of game if both players agree.

4. If you have no clock, borrow one from another player or buy one from bookseller. If not possible, start withoutit; try to borrow as soon as you can, splitting elapsed time. Directors do not furnish equipment.

5. You may not subtract time from late opponent without setting up clock, set & board.

6. If opponent is an hour late, as measured by your clock, you may claim a win on time. If you do not start opponent's clock, forfeit occurs when all opponent's time of first control is used up, as measured by Director's official time. Post a no-show win as 1 F-OF, not 1-0. The "F" is important, as players who forfeit are not paired for the next round.

7. If both players arrive late, first to come should split elapsed time. If this is not done, times stand unless adjusted by Director.

8. If you are have a minus or zero score and are a half hour late, your name may be crossed off the pairings in order to allow two players without opponents to play each other. If you then arrive within the hour, you will get either another opponent or a full point bye,

9. R: To win on time, you must have no more than 2 move pairs omitted when opponent's flag falls. Do not fill in moves after that; this may void the claim. Score need not be accurate, just decipherable. S: Score is not needed to win on time. If either player has under 5 minutes, neither is required to keep score.

10. To claim a win on time, stop clocks and state claim. If opponent does riot concede, see Director. R: If claim is denied, 2 minutes will be added to opponent's remaining time.

11. Do not alert Director that "my opponent is short of time, you should watch the game," as you must call the flag down yourself!

12. To win on time, you must have sufficient material to mate, moving for both sides. EXCEPTIONS: You cannot win on time with a lone Bishop, lone Knight, or two lone Knights (except for 2 N vs pawn ending), unless there is a forced win.

'13. You must stop both clocks with flag still up to win on time. R: If both flags are down, no one forfeits; the game continues with the next time control in effect. S: If both flags are down, the game is drawn.

14. If you neglect to stop both clocks for a claim, this is disadvantageous as you lose time, but h does not invalidate your claim.

15. R: You may require opponent having over 5 minutes to keep score (see TD if needed). S: Same, if both have at least 5 minutes.

16. R: Director may adjudicate ridiculous positions. S: If on move with underAminutes left on your clock, you may stop clocks and claim a draw by insufficient losing chances. This is much different than "book draw," requiring a position in which a Class C player has a 90% or more chance to at least draw a Master, with ample time for both. You can draw with Q vs. Q, R vs. R, many opposite Bishop endings, etc. But a position like rook & pawn each, while "drawn" in theory, might allow a Master to swindle a C player, so your claim may be denied. The ratings and clock times of you and your opponent are irrelevant. If your claim is denied, one minute may be deducted from your time, possibly causing you to forfeit. See also Rule 18.

17. S: If your flag is down, it is too late to claim insufficient losing chances.

18. S: For a ^uno losing chances" ruling, on a close call, Director may rule no time adjustment and base the ruling on future progress. Director may also insert a time-delay clock, in which case claimant receives half his remaining time (with a maximum of 1 minute), opponent all his time, and both get an extra 5 seconds per move (which is defined as sufficient to hold a position with insufficient losing chances). Note: no one may "claim" a time delay clock- this clock is only a Director option for resolving "no losing chances" claims.

19. In case of a problem, stop clocks and see Director. Do not send a deputy- that method is obsolete. If Director feels clocks were stopped without good reason, a penalty is possible. If you don't see a TD in tournament room, go to Director's Room or area.

20. Don't touch clock when it's not your move, pick up clock unless defective, or bang clock. You may be penalized, at Director's discretion. S: If either side has under 5 minutes, both must hit clock with same hand that moves pieces.

21. S: If you make illegal move and press clock, 2 minutes are added to opponent's time. Touch-move also applies.

22. Touch-move rule is used. In castling, it is proper to touch King first, but there is no penalty for touching Rook first.

23. If 50 moves (no exceptions) by each side elapse without a capture or pawn move, either player may claim a draw.

24. It must be your move to claim triple occurrence of position. Don't move, or it will be opponent's move and you cannot claim. State move, claim, and stop clocks. If opponent disagrees, see Director. If claim is denied, 2 minutes are added to opponent's remaining time.

25. To claim triple repetition of position or 50-move rule, scoresheet need not be complete, but it must be adequate to verify claim, and moves filled in after the claim don't count. S: Director may also use observation.

26. No smoking allowed in tournament rooms, pairings/charts areas, skittles room, or adjacent hallways.

27. All players, including Grandmasters, must promptly post their results on the yellow sheet. We require the top section players to submit copies of game scores only to obtain games for publication, not to learn results; the copies usually do. not go to the Director.

28. Black has the choice of equipment providing he has standard equipment- otherwise, the Director will rule in favor of the equipment more commonly used, if in good condition. If Black is late and White has already set up, then White obtains this choice. Non-standard equipment includes: excessively shiny sets or boards, sets with Bishop's top a different color than rest of piece. Standard sets are the USCF Special, Player's Choice, Cavalier, or Lardy wood, or similar sets. The standard clock is a time-delay clock using the delay feature (5 second delay for G/30 or slower), but analog clocks without time delay are preferred to digital clocks without time delay.

29. R: if you make last move of control with flag up, but it falls when you hit clock, you forfeit. It doesn't matter if flag falls before or after you hit clock- it's always a forfeit. That's what the flag is for- to prove you didn't hit the clock in time.

30. IF YOU DROP OUT, OR WON'T PLAY NEXT ROUND, NOTIFY DIRECTOR AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE. If you can't do this in person, call hotel and ask for "chess tournament." Try to avoid leaving message with hotel; it may not reach us in time. There is a $10 fine for violators, which must be paid to get back in this tournament or enter another CCA tournament.

31. It is improper to abandon a lost game without resigning. Violators may be penalized at TD's discretion.

32. Color assignment priorities. Order of priority is: 1) color totals (player with less "whites minus blacks" gets white), 2) alternation (if both players can alternate, they do), 3) avoiding same color three straight, 4) player with higher score (higher rating if same score) gets due color. Extra blacks (even 3 straight) are sometimes inevitable. No tosses. Class pairings are sometimes used in the last round.

33. It is illegal to "throw" a game, or to agree to split a prize. Players offering or accepting deals to throw games may be forfeited or have USCF membership revoked. During last round games affecting prizes, it is illegal to engage in discussion with your opponent away from the board, unless a draw is subsequently agreed. Even if no one hears what is said, the game may be ruled a draw.

34. An improperly rated player, who did not provide full information on a USCF, foreign, or FIDE rating, may be expelled at any time. The player's last opponent will be given a win. Others who lost to the player will be given draws; others who drew will be given wins.

35. You must show social security ID and picture ID to qualify for a prize of $600 or over.