Friday, May 1, 2009

Hales Corners Challenge IX: Interview with Elizabeth Emery

One of the winners of the special prizes funded by Goddesschess for the Hales Corners Challenge IX is Elizabeth Emery (WI 877) (in the green sweater, during action at the HCC IX), who had a tie score with Sandra Pahl in the Reserve Section and were the highest-finishing chess femmes in that section. Elizabeth finished in 9th place in the Reserve section (out of 51 players), with 3.0/4. Sandra finished in 5th place, with 3.0/4. Congratulations, once again, to Sandra and Elizabeth! Here is an email interview Elizabeth Emery was kind enough to do with me. Enjoy, and thanks, Elizabeth! Good luck and wishes for a knock-out performance at the Arpad Elo Open! Q: Your age? A: I am 11. Q: How old were you when you learned to play chess, and who taught you? A: When I was 8, my papa taught me how to play when we would stay at the lake during the summer. Q: How often do you play chess, and where do you play? At a club? School? Online? A: I play at the Mequon Scholastic Chess Club once a week and online two or three nights per week. Q: What kind of chess player would you describe yourself as - serious? More casual? Somewhere in between? A: I am somewhere in between serious and casual. Q: Is there a study program you follow? A: I have lessons a couple times a week with my step-dad and I try to always analyze my games online, win or lose. Q: What are your goals in terms of where you'd like to be with your chess in say, 5 years? A: I would like to be in the top 100 girls in the country. Right now I am trying to get in to the top 100 girls under age 13. Q: How would you describe your style of play? A: I try to be tactical and make every move do something. Q: What's the next event you'll be playing in? A: The Arpad Elo Open on May 16-17 in Pewaukee, WI. I'll play in the Reserve section, though. Q: How do you think more girls and women can be encouraged to play in tournaments? A: Prizes, like the ones funded by GoddessChess.com, which can only be won by girls are nice. Maybe free entries for girls in reserve sections, too. I think when girls see other girls playing and beating boys they are encouraged and may want to play more. If you'd like to publish your best game from the HCC IX with or without a few comments, I'd be happy to put it up at the Goddesschess blog. Here is the game Elizabeth sent me (in PGN) - ah, she's a chess femme after my own heart, she wins with the black pieces against much higher rated Chao Yang (WI 1370): [Event "HCC IX"] [Site "Hales Corners Chess Club"] [Date "2009.04.25"] [Round "4"] [White "Chao Yang"] [Black "Elizabeth Emery"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "1370"] [BlackElo "877"] [PlyCount "82"] [TimeControl "G60"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 h6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. a3 Be7 6. d4 exd4 7. Nxd4 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 O-O 9. g4 c5 10. Qd2 Nxg4 11. Rg1 d6 12. f4 Bh4+ 13. Kd1 Nf2+ 14. Ke2 Bh3 15. f5 Bg4+ 16. Kf1 Qg5 17. Qxf2 Bxf2 18. Bxg5 Bxg1 19. Be7 Rfe8 20. Bxd6 Bd4 21. Re1 b6 22. Bd5 Rad8 23. Bc6 Bxc3 24. bxc3 Rxd6 25. Bxe8 Rd1 26. Bb5 Rxe1+ 27. Kxe1 g6 28. f6 Bf3 29. e5 g5 30. Be2 Bxe2 31. Kxe2 g4 32. Ke3 Kh7 33. Kf4 h5 34. a4 Kg6 35. c4 g3 36. Kxg3 Kf5 37. e6 Kxe6 38. Kh4 Kxf6 39. Kxh5 Kf5 40. Kh6 Kg4 41. Kg7 f5 {White Resigns} 0-1 I love it, I love it, I love it! It is evident from her answer to my last question that Elizabeth has the makings of a diplomat. But maybe she'll become world chess champion before taking up diplomacy as a career. I like how this young lady thinks - she has big plans. One of her goals is to make it into the top 100 U-13 girls in the United States. On the April, 2009 ratings list, #1 has a rating of 1972; #100 has a rating of 1190. Step 1: Get into the Top 100 of U-13 Girls. Step 2: Take over the world (well, okay, I made that part up). Elizabeth, Goddesschess will continue to fund special prizes just for the chess femmes at the Hales Corners Chess Challenges as long as the Southwest Chess Club continues to put on those great events (2x a year). Maybe we'll see you at the Hales Corners Chess Challenge X! Well, you probably won't actually "see" me as I prefer to be The Mysterious Woman in the Background with Cash in Her Pockets... The G-chess Magnificent Four are going to tinker with the funding formula for chess femme prizes a little and (don't tell anyone, this is a big secret) increase the prize fund so that more chess femmes can win some Goddesschess cash! Cash is Queen! Thanks for the interview, Elizabeth! Please let us know how you do in the Arpad Elo Open.

1 comment:

Ben Wong said...

Great job, Elizabeth! You go girl!

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