Ben's New Blog

Ben has started his new blog at work, called Musings of a Grandmaster. As a consequence, this blog (the one you are reading) will no longer be updated.

Check out his new blog:

http://www.saintlouischessclub.org/bens-blog

Article about Ben's Biography

Grandmaster Ben Finegold learned the rules of chess at age 5 and received his first USCF rating at age 6. It wasn't long, around his mid-teens, until he realized he wanted to play chess professionally. GM Finegold's first major tournament win came in 1989 when he finished in a first-place tie at the U.S. Junior Closed Championship. Also in 1989, Finegold scored his biggest victory to date with a win against Boris Gelfand at the Euwe Memorial tournament in Amsterdam, Holland.

According to Finegold, this was the most famous player he had beaten at the time, and the fact that it was a Swiss tournament and he was unable to prepare for Gelfand specifically made the win that much more exciting. Finegold said he played an excellent tactical game to secure the victory. He obtained his first IM norm at the event, gained 40 FIDE points and eventually earned the title of International Master in 1990.

In 1991 Finegold won his first major, international, Swiss-paired tournament in Antwerp, Belgium. He was just 21 years old. From 1988 to 1992 Finegold lived in Brussels, Belgium. He returned to the U.S. in 1992 and, in 1993, was awarded the Samford Chess Fellowship.

The Samford Chess Fellowship is awarded each year to the most talented chess player in the United States under the age of 26. At that time, the fellowship gave Finegold a $1,200 per month stipend and also paid for all things chess related. During that time, he worked with Gregory Kaidanov, played in a number of strong tournaments, and began utilizing chess software on is computer to improve his game.

"I wanted to hone my proclivities," Finegold said.

In 1994, Finegold finished in a six-way tie for first place at the U.S Open in Chicago, and then in 2002 he finished in a first-place tie with eight players at the World Open in Philadelphia where he secured his first GM norm. He won the Chicago Spring Invitational in 2005 to earn his second GM norm, and just this year, Finegold achieved his third GM norm at the 2009 Spice Cup Chess Festival in Lubbock, Texas.

Finegold's favorite player is Paul Morphy. He said Morphy was ahead of his time, more so even than those who have come after him. According to Finegold, Morphy attacked well, which was the style at the time, but he was also very accurate and played winning positions quite well.

"Someone who played so well and calculated so accurately before books and computers were common is just amazing," Finegold said. "He was so much better than the other players; it's very impressive."

In January, Finegold became the GM-in-residence full time at the CCSCSL.

Be on the lookout for special lectures, lessons and Web videos with Grandmaster game analysis.

Sources:

• http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs009/1102568754888/archive/1102911512265.html
• http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2010/01/who-is-ben-finegold.html

Ben Featured on Chess Talk

This week (Tue., 15 December) joining IM John Watson on Chess Talk will be GM Ben Finegold, America's latest addition to the ranks of grandmaster. Note: A 10 min free preview that can be published by all http://web​cast.chess​club.com/p​review/Wat​son/2009_1​2_15/Watso​n_preview.​html

Life certainly begins at 40 for Ben Finegold, who, after years of trying and being ranked as one of the most experienced IM in the US, has now finally become a GM! Ben is also set for for a career-move away from his normal habitat of Michigan to the burgeoning American chess mecca at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis, where next month he takes up a new post there as their Grandmaster-in-residence. He's also no stranger to Chess.FM, with recent stints commentating with WGM Jennifer Shahade during the USCL Final and the U.S. Women's Championship in St. Louis.

Michigan Action Final Standings

Atulya won on tiebreaks. He probably made master this event as well.

#	Name	Rtng	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Rd 4	Rd 5	Rd 6	Tot
1	Atulya Shetty	2148	W26	W32	D4	W8	W5	W3	5.5
2	Mickey Maloy	2102	W23	W35	W14	D3	W13	W7	5.5
3	Ameer Ghobrial	2147	W45	W19	W7	D2	W4	L1	4.5
4	Jack Wood	2047	W38	W16	D1	W22	L3	W13	4.5
5	Manis Davidovich	2136	W28	W24	W9	D13	L1	W15	4.5
6	Ariel Levi	2193	W36	L9	D37	W21	W10	W12	4.5
7	Tim Moroney	2018	W30	W10	L3	W35	W19	L2	4.0
8	Demarcus Berry	1653	H---	W18	W17	L1	W16	D14	4.0
9	William Rhee	2005	W29	W6	L5	L20	W21	W19	4.0
10	Joseph Paris	1593	W44	L7	W30	W11	L6	W24	4.0
11	Jeff Aldrich	1904	W31	L14	W26	L10	W23	W20	4.0
12	Jennifer Skidmore	1945	W41	L13	W36	W37	W20	L6	4.0
13	John Brooks	2198	W15	W12	W22	D5	L2	L4	3.5
14	Robert O'Donnell	2164	W27	W11	L2	L19	W37	D8	3.5
15	Xiao Xiang Zhong	1529	L13	D41	W18	W17	W32	L5	3.5
16	Scott Faust	1565	W46	L4	W25	D32	L8	W27	3.5
17	Ken Long	1717	H---	W34	L8	L15	W42	W25	3.5
18	Jeffery Zhang	1201	H---	L8	L15	W43	W34	W35	3.5
19	Kayeen Kemp	1717	W25	L3	W28	W14	L7	L9	3.0
20	Oleg Tsodikov	1700	W33	L22	W23	W9	L12	L11	3.0
21	Jaron Marshall	1311	L22	W33	W24	L6	L9	W37	3.0
22	Robert Ciaffone	2116	W21	W20	L13	L4	W28	U---	3.0
23	Sidnei Austin	1242	L2	W40	L20	W39	L11	W36	3.0
24	Tim Kuhn	1736	W39	L5	L21	W42	W38	L10	3.0
25	Jinhui Liao	865	L19	W45	L16	W31	W35	L17	3.0
26	Michael Shi	1389	L1	W43	L11	D29	H---	W38	3.0
27	Jalen Wang	1444	L14	W31	L32	D30	W29	L16	2.5
28	Shangbo Liao	1350	L5	W39	L19	W45	L22	D31	2.5
29	Shaumik Baki	1168	L9	L36	W33	D26	L27	W42	2.5
30	Andrew Zheng	1179	L7	W44	L10	D27	L36	W41	2.5
31	Jordan Candie	948	L11	L27	W44	L25	W40	D28	2.5
32	Spencer Finegold	1931	W43	L1	W27	D16	L15	U---	2.5
33	Gary J Payne	266	L20	L21	L29	D40	W43	W44	2.5
34	Cody Jones	1219	H---	L17	L42	W41	L18	W39	2.5
35	Anthony Bee	1700	W40	L2	W38	L7	L25	L18	2.0
36	Nathan Metcalf	1498	L6	W29	L12	L38	W30	L23	2.0
37	Edward Song	1637	H---	W42	D6	L12	L14	L21	2.0
38	Harjot Mann	1239	L4	W46	L35	W36	L24	L26	2.0
39	Xiao Xuan Zhong	893	L24	L28	W46	L23	W45	L34	2.0
40	Jim O'Neil	792	L35	L23	H---	D33	L31	W46	2.0
41	Arnold Thomas	1105	L12	D15	L45	L34	W44	L30	1.5
42	John Z Zhang	1201	H---	L37	W34	L24	L17	L29	1.5
43	Brandon O'Neil	968	L32	L26	H---	L18	L33	B---	1.5
44	Anthony Liao	139	L10	L30	L31	W46	L41	L33	1.0
45	Ed Mandell	1365	L3	L25	W41	L28	L39	U---	1.0
46	Michael Aldrich	114	L16	L38	L39	L44	B---	L40	1.0

2009 Michigan Action

I am directing the 2009 MI Action Champs. There are 45 players. We are going to have the St Louis / GM Party between rounds 5 and 6. Also, today is Jennifer Skidmore's birthday!

Here is the list of participants by rating:

Ben

#	Name	Rtng
1	John Brooks	2198
2	Ariel Levi	2193
3	Robert O'Donnell	2164
4	Atulya Shetty	2148
5	Ameer Ghobrial	2147
6	Manis Davidovich	2136
7	Robert Ciaffone	2116
8	Mickey Maloy	2102
9	Jack Wood	2047
10	Tim Moroney	2018
11	William Rhee	2005
12	Jennifer Skidmore	1945
13	Spencer Finegold	1931
14	Jeff Aldrich	1904
15	Tim Kuhn	1736
16	Kayeen Kemp	1717
17	Anthony Bee	1700
18	Oleg Tsodikov	1700
19	Demarcus Berry	1653
20	Edward Song	1637
21	Joseph Paris	1593
22	Scott Faust	1565
23	Xiao Xiang Zhong	1529
24	Nathan Metcalf	1498
25	Jalen Wang	1444
26	Michael Shi	1389
27	Ed Mandell	1365
28	Shangbo Liao	1350
29	Jaron Marshall	1311
30	Sidnei Austin	1242
31	Harjot Mann	1239
32	Cody Jones	1219
33	Jeffery Zhang	1201
34	John Z Zhang	1201
35	Andrew Zheng	1179
36	Shaumik Baki	1168
37	Arnold Thomas	1105
38	Brandon O'Neil	968
39	Jordan Candie	948
40	Xiao Xuan Zhong	893
41	Jinhui Liao	865
42	Jim O'Neil	792
43	Gary J Payne	266
44	Anthony Liao	139
45	Michael Aldrich	114

GM - St. Louis Party

Hi all,

I think the best idea is to have the party during the "dinner" break of the chess tournament, so more people will be there, and people can get home at a reasonable time.

So... please arrive by 5:30PM, and the party will last about 45 minutes, and CAKE will be served.

Next week, Saturday, Dec 12, at ATKM:

All The King's Men Chess Supplies and Brain Games in the PARKVIEW SQUARE Strip Mall - Call us at (586) 558-4790
27170 Dequindre Road
Warren, MI 48092

http://www.michess.org/tools/viewevent.php?eventID=2076

Best wishes,

Ben

GM - St. Louis Party

Hi all,

We are going to have a GM / St Louis party at ATKM, during/after the MI Action Champs: (SATURDAY, DEC 12)

http://www.michess.org/tools/viewevent.php?eventID=2076

http://www.michess.org/tools/viewevent.php?eventID=2070

I think we will start at 5:30PM and go until 6:10PM or so, and then start the last round.... the other idea is to have the party start when the event ends at 7:30PM. I will give more details in a week or so.

I will need input from Jennifer and Ed.

Best wishes,

Ben

Pictures from Rounds 5 and 6

Courtesy Rose Homa