The Grade Matches And The Ratings Game

This week is going to be a tough week for me. I've got a module exam on tonight (and hence, having to miss out the U1400 at Rooty Hill - apologies all round to the rest of the team) so there's no time actually to study chess.

Bill Gletsos has released the June ACF ratings. Moi currently has an unstable rating but that is expected to slide with last week's loss to St George. My brother-in-law Steven is sitting pretty at 1778.

The North Sydney Grizzlies opponents this Tuesday are (updated with June ratings):

Pepping, John M (1521)
Pike, Robert D (1508)
Greenwood, Norman (1496)
Smirnov, Anton (1371)

This means I'm probably scheduled to play either Norman Greenwood or Anton Smirnov on either Board 3 or Board 4.

Norman has always been a problem for me (kind of like Polly's King Kong) and young Anton Smirnov has been progressing rapidly under his father's tutelage - Vladimir Smirnov (2303) . Either way, it's going to be fun.

The rest of the U-1600 Ryde Eastwood team comprises:

Sitompul, Sotarduga (1625)
Hickey, James (1558)
Mikolajczyk, Les (1489)
Chiara, Vince (1410)

and all of them have made improvements. So congratulations to all of them. I just hope I don't disappoint them tomorrow night. *gulp*.