Week 2 vs the New York Knights

The Miami Sharks win again by the same margin!! (3.5 - 0.5) vs the New York Knights. On Board One we got our main gun back, super MVP Alex Rodriguez, sorry I meant to say GM Julio Becerra who seemed to toy with GM Pascal Charbonneau in something known as the Kozul Variation in the Richter-Rauzer Sicilian. Julio told me after the game he played based on some ideas of GM Michael Adams in similar positions, and it was a positional masterpiece from what I saw.

On Board Two, one of our other new super additions to the team, FM Osmany Perea, another Cuban newcomer who hasn't had much time for chess in the US is trying to get back into form, and he seemed to start in a very nice way defeating WGM-IM Irina Krush with the Black pieces. He played very smoothly and after Irina bravely refused a repetition of moves, he went on to convert his pawn advantage with ease for the second point for the Sharks. I am particularly happy for Osmany since I've known him since we were both about ten years old back in our native country. He really loves chess and hopes to have the chance to play more often if work permits him to.

On Board Three, brand new FM Charles Galofre had a nice advantage in the opening with the White pieces vs SM Greg Braylovsky (a former rival of mine in US Junior Championships), but somehow Greg got the best out of it right at the end of the middlegame but failed to prove his edge as White managed to trade all of the pieces to basically clinch the match for the Sharks.

Eric Rodriguez on Board Four won once again vs Matthew Herman by playing one of the first Sicilian Defenses of his career. Matthew played f4 which did not seem very good as he got into trouble quickly, and Eric converted without too much trouble. I thought this opening might be a bad choice for Eric while watching since I know Matthew is quite familiar with the Sicilian Najdorf with the Black pieces, but somehow things worked out for us, and I am feeling great about our results so far. I think this year may well bring the Sharks a title. Next week most of us will be playing in the Miami Open starting on Wednesday which is why we have to play our match on Monday vs the strong San Francisco Team. See you then!!