Final ratings for the year

Here are the final ratings for the year for all players who showed up at least once this year according to my records.Looking to next year we are losing 3  strong players  but the rest are returning and will be even better next year.

Oh, here a link to that Nat'l Championship game from Sunday.
http://www.uschess.org/content/view/12160/707/

Friendly Hills ByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating	Attendance	Grade
Miranda	Thomas	1132	21	7
Keis	Dan	940	25	8
Henry	Mace	850	9	7
Sullivan	Frank	793	23	6
Pressman	Alex	713	17	8
Wirrer	Ben	705	21	8
Keis	Andrew	631	20	7
Priborkin	Anton	619	27	6
Ellison	Ben	550	1	6
Nordby	Magnus	512	14	7
Essen	Sam	482	17	8
Phillips	Josh	466	19	6
McDermott	Thomas	417	24	6
Smith	Lendale	400	16	7
Varnado	Phillip	383	5	8
Hahnfeldt	Carter	297	19	5
Swenson	Albin	270	6	7
Barnard	Joe	241	22	5
Rutman	Charlie	210	1	7
LaCroix	Mitch	174	5	7
Lee	Keighvin	166	15	6
Kainz	Andres	152	13
Noggle	Ashley	152	7	5
Andersen	Veronica	143	5	6
Spande	Naomi	141	5
Johnson	Evan	139	3
Blott	Elizabeth	136	5
Clark	Jason	123	6	7
Hahnfeldt	Cameron	117	5	5
Macal	Ethan	113	13
Nordby	Celia	109	5
Morse	Veronica	105	2	5
Best-Tharp	Bryce	105	1	8
Benson	Connor	100	0
Anil John	Joel	100	9

In-school Tournament

Next week we will start our school championship chess tournament. One game each week for four weeks.
April 10 Round 1
April 17 Round 2
April 24 Round 3
May 1 Round 4
May 8 Awards (final day of chess club)

AWARDS
First place - medal
Second, Third and Fourth place - Ribbon
Top U600, Top U300

FHMS OneClubByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating
Miranda	Thomas	1115
Keis	Dan	939
Henry	Mace	850
Sullivan	Frank	807
Pressman	Alex	713
Wirrer	Ben	692
Keis	Andrew	652
Priborkin	Anton	610
Ellison	Ben	565
Essen	Sam	482
Phillips	Josh	460
Nordby	Magnus	456
McDermott	Thomas	417
Smith	Lendale	400
Varnado	Phillip	383
Hahnfeldt	Carter	279
Barnard	Joe	261
Rutman	Charlie	210
LaCroix	Mitch	174
Lee	Keighvin	166
Kainz	Andres	152
Noggle	Ashley	152
Spande	Naomi	141
Johnson	Evan	139
Blott	Elizabeth	136
Clark	Jason	123
Macal	Ethan	113
Nordby	Celia	109
Anil John	Joel	100

Tournament Results

Congratulations to the team of Tom Miranda, Dan Keis, Alex Pressman, and Magnus Nordby who finished in 6th place. For a while I guess we were in second place. It was very close at the end. We needed only half a point more to finish in 4th.

Out of 104 players:
Tom came in 24th (MSCA) or 26th (USCF)
Magnus came in 43rd (MSCA) 39th (USCF)
Dan came in 54th (MSCA) 53rd (USCF)
Alex came in 74th (MSCA) 75th (USCF)
The difference is in the tie-breakers. MSCA uses the typical "strength of opponent", whereas USCF uses your USCF rating as the tiebreaker.

My New Ratings
Tom Miranda 1113 to 1115 (up 2)
Dan Keis 1012 to 965 (down 47)
Alex Pressman 723 to 713 (down 10)
Magnus Nordby 375 to 442 (up 67)

USCF Ratings
Tom 1107 to 1118
Dan unr to 773
Alex unr. to 725
Magnus unr. to 1040

As you can see my rating system has Tom and Alex about the same as USCF. But I think Dan is better than he did on the weekend, and I don't think Magnus is as brilliant as he played last weekend.

In round 4, Magnus beat former 5th grade state champion Charlie Dempsey!

Tom lost only to David Floeder who is the reigning national champion, and Brian Billman whose rating is in the 1600's and was the only player to beat Andrew Titus.

Although Alex scored only 2 points, he had the hardest opponents of all 2-point winners.

Dan was all over the place, beating a 816 but losing to 687

Next year we lose Dan and Alex, but we gain Frank and maybe a new player or two

State Championship ChessTournaments this weekend!

Two two-day tournaamnets for different age groups this weekend. Look online at www.minnesotachess.org for more details. Click on scholastics.

Grades 7-8 I think we have a Jr. High team heading to the Crowne Plaza Riverfront
Tom Miranda, Dan Keis, Alex Pressman, Magnus Nordby This should be a terrific experience for all of you - real official chess - silence, clocks, notation, spectators, and slow time controls (take your time you've got 2-3 hours per game. The winner will be the person that can make the best use of those hours!) - your results will give you an official USCF rating and the results are forever recorded and tracked by www.uschess.org.

Grades 5-6. We also might have a team heading to Minnehaha Academy for the Elementary Championships.
Frank, Anton, Ben E.?? and one more,  (Still have to talk those last 2 into it.) School pays this one.

If interested or you have questions, call Bill Heinemann at 651-451-8421. I'll register you Thursday night.

FHMS ByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating	Attendance	Grade
Miranda	Thomas	1113	20	7
Keis	Dan	1012	23	8
Henry	Mace	850	9	7
Sullivan	Frank	807	21	6
Pressman	Alex	723	17	8
Wirrer	Ben	692	20	8
Keis	Andrew	652	18	7
Priborkin	Anton	574	25	6
Ellison	Ben	565	1	6
Essen	Sam	482	17	8
Phillips	Josh	460	18	6
McDermott	Thomas	417	24	6
Smith	Lendale	400	16	7
Varnado	Phillip	383	5	8
Nordby	Magnus	375	12	7
Hahnfeldt	Carter	279	18	5
Barnard	Joe	265	20	5
Rutman	Charlie	210	1	7
LaCroix	Mitch	174	5	7
Lee	Keighvin	166	15	6
Kainz	Andres	152	13
Noggle	Ashley	152	7	5
Spande	Naomi	141	5
Johnson	Evan	139	3
Blott	Elizabeth	136	5
Clark	Jason	123	6	7
Macal	Ethan	113	13
Nordby	Celia	109	5
Anil John	Joel	100	9

I just got in an order of chess sets like the ones used at school and at tournaments.
It comes with a zippered case (with handles) for the pieces with a sleeve for the board.
Pieces, board and case for $10. Comes in any color as long as you want black, like Henry Ford's model A. (I order bulk and pay shipping.) You'd pay $25-40 in store. $15 thru internet.
If you're in chess club and want a set, let me know.

Ratings after March 13

FHMS ByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating
Miranda	Thomas	1128
Keis	Dan	985
Henry	Mace	850
Sullivan	Frank	788
Pressman	Alex	732
Wirrer	Ben	675
Keis	Andrew	641
Priborkin	Anton	583
Ellison	Ben	565
Essen	Sam	498
Phillips	Josh	436
McDermott	Thomas	401
Smith	Lendale	400
Varnado	Phillip	383
Nordby	Magnus	375
Barnard	Joe	279
Hahnfeldt	Carter	270
Rutman	Charlie	210
LaCroix	Mitch	174
Lee	Keighvin	166
Noggle	Ashley	152
Kainz	Andres	152
Spande	Naomi	141
Johnson	Evan	139
Blott	Elizabeth	136
Clark	Jason	123
Macal	Ethan	113
Nordby	Celia	109
Kasella	Andrew	100
Anil John	Joel	100

Post-Tournament Ratings

We did well. Almost all of you performed at your ratting level except Thomas who made a mistake in round 1 and Drew who just had an off day. Nice job in round 5. We were in 7th place after round 4, but we were in an excellent position with Ben having 2.5 and six of you having 2 pts. So Thomas, Dan, and Frank came though with wins giving us 2.5 out of a possible three in the last round which vaulted us past 3 teams and into a solid 4th place only half a point out of 3rd. We won the top middle school trophy - did anyone pick it up and bring it to school?

Tournament Highlights - Dan Keis has a breakout tournament winning 3 games defeating a 1047USCF. Frank Sullivan winning his last 3 games to finish in the scoring. Ben Wirrer taking the team lead in round 4 by beating the kid who beat Tom Miranda in round 1. Alex, Anton, and Magnus all going into round 5 with a chance to win 3. Our last-round surge. Top Middle school 2 years in a row!
Alex's brother, Sam, beating a 1593 and a 1737! Dan Keis and Alex Pressman earning their Silver Medals.

FHMS ByRating

Last Name	First Name	Rating
Miranda	Thomas	1128
Keis	Dan	971
Henry	Mace	850
Sullivan	Frank	792
Pressman	Alex	708
Wirrer	Ben	656
Keis	Andrew	630
Priborkin	Anton	603
Ellison	Ben	565
Essen	Sam	501
Phillips	Josh	436
Varnado	Phillip	383
Nordby	Magnus	376
McDermott	Thomas	375
Smith	Lendale	374
Hahnfeldt	Carter	290
Barnard	Joe	274
Rutman	Charlie	210
Lee	Keighvin	178
LaCroix	Mitch	174
Noggle	Ashley	152
Kainz	Andres	152
Spande	Naomi	141
Johnson	Evan	139
Blott	Elizabeth	136
Clark	Jason	123
Macal	Ethan	113
Nordby	Celia	109
Kasella	Andrew	100
Anil John	Joel	100