Queen Sac!

I remember seeing this pattern in one of the first tactics books I ever read. It's not often you get to use it in a live game.

2019 Greater Peoria Open

I decided to participate in the 2019 GPO despite being unable to play the first two rounds of the tournament due to family commitments. I was given two half point byes and stormed back with 3 wins in rounds 3, 4, and 5 to tie for first in the tournament.

US Chess crosstable here:
http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?201904075812-12542549

One of my games from the event:

Peoria City Championship

Replay games - including some of my own - from the 2018 Peoria City Championship - here:

http://peoriachess.com/ChessBasePlayPeoChamp18.html

One of my Dad's Games

A very personal post...

The following is courtesy Wayne Zimmerle, president of the Peoria Chess Club and longtime member of the Greater Peoria Chess Federation (gpcf.net):

Yes, that Karagianis is related to me. This is a scoresheet of a Peoria Chess League game from the mid-1990s between my dad, James Karagianis, and Wayne.

Interesting that the game found its way to a Rook plus Pawn position.

I also created a study so you can replay the full game here:
Karagianis, J. vs. Zimmerle, R.W.

2017 Bloomington - Normal Area Chess Camp

The camp is ready to roll! See link below for full details.

Chess Camp Flier (pdf)

Zugzwang

Randomly, thesaurus.com's word of the day today was a chess term!

• 17MAY
• 16
• 15
• 14
• 13

zugzwang

tsook-tsvahngnoun

1:Chess. a situation in which a player is limited to moves that cost pieces or have a damaging positional effect.

E:The aim in the end game is to get your opponent’s king into “zugzwang,” which means to force him to have ... More examples

2015 IL Open, Round 4

I managed a huge tie for the second place score group, half a point behind the leaders, at 4.5/6 at the 2015 IL Open. Below is my round 4 game with Gregory Bungo.