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Jerry on Chess Chatter Print E-mail
By Jerry Hanken   
August 7, 2008
Hankenlead.jpg
Jerry Hanken, Photo 2007
It's fun to listen to the chess chatter in the hallways outside of the playing room at the US Open. Bits and snippets...

I had this Expert crushed three ways to Sunday but I just completely missed Qh4.

I played this nine-year-old kid with 1532 rating and I lost!! These kids should have a height limit, like if they're under three feet tall, they gotta' play in kid tournaments! You know, like in Disneyland.

I was playing this old life master on his floor and I had him so busted! I went into an endgame two pawns up and let him draw. What an idiot I am! 

That darned kid was so booked up, he had moves coming out of his ears!  I killed him anyway!

Those Russians talk to each other in Russian.... There should be a rule that you gotta' talk English in a chess tournament.

Which way is the bookstore?

 He took the Najdorf pawn and he knew 32 moves but I had some secret Yugoslav analysis so I was ready for him! -----Did you win ? ---- Nah, I lost but not out of the opening.

 This is my first tournament in 20 years-my kid got me started again-he's higher rated than me!

That's it, I am gonna withdraw and just quit playing chess!-Does anybody want to buy a great book collection? I got twenty Silman books and the Bronstein '53 tournament book-that should be worth a hundred easily."

Does anybody understand the rating system?---I won the B prize and my rating only went up only five points!"

 When is the next  round in the five day, why am I playing up, I was supposed to play down this round and I got Black--- AGAIN!, anybody know which way the escalator is?  And on and on and on.

Nothing profound, but its' fun listening to chess chatter!

I don't want to say much about my game last night. I only had three hours of sleep last night, so I planned a nice nap before the game. Harold Winston reminded me that we had a bylaws committee meeting at a restaurant outside of the hotel before the round. There went the nap. We did have a good meeting and I had a delicious filet. They are not just blowing smoke when the natives tell you they have the best steaks in the country!  So anyway, I had White and got a  overwhelming  position and just carelessly pitched a knight on c3. My opponent, Mr. Pennington told me after the game that he would have taken a draw after I lost the piece. I told him it would be insulting to offer a draw in that position! Anyway, I had to make some more bad moves before he put me away.

  Back to even with four rounds to go and lots of meetings, meetings, and meetings! I gotta get some shuteye tonight or I will collapse! Still no answers to my first three quizzes so no more until somebody gets at least one!   Good day, goodnight, and good chess.       Jerry 

 
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