A Chess Player On Gameknot

Are The Green Bay Packers Vulnerable against Tampa Bay?

2011-11-17T17:13:00.001-08:00

Superman?

Is Green Bay vulnerable? Yes. Let me explain.

Vince Lombardi once said that Defense wins championships and offense only sells tickets. In football, truer words were never spoken. That is the Packers weakness. They don't have a Super Bowl defense. That is were they can be controlled .

Green Bay has already giving up 197 points in nine games (Contrast the Bucs who gave up only 193 points during the entire season the year they won the Super Bowl). In addition, Green Bay has surrendered 33 points twice in two of their last three games.

Can the Bucs capitalize on this? Can the Bucs score against a weak Green Bay defense?

The problem is the Buccaneers are one of the lowest scoring teams in the league (averaging 14 points). They mostly just go 3 and out. What can they do to win against the Packers?

Ball control would be the key. If they can work sustained drives and keep Arron Rodgers off the field, the better it looks for them. There is, however, no evidence that the Bucs are capable of such a thing.

The best thing they can do is just hope Green Bay is looking ahead to the Detroit game on Thanksgiving day and they just mail this one in. Good luck Bucs!

This Time Of Year In Florida

2011-11-11T12:46:00.001-08:00

Me at home on the patio

We had the first cold snap of the season last night and that is when I like to sit out on the patio and play my chess and work on my blogs after work. In fact, this is something you can do in January when the people up north are digging snow out of the driveway. We don't get snow down here.

Today was just a wonderful day and I had the energy to sit on the porch and get some stuff done. The holiday's are coming and I am looking forward to the food and fellowship. One of the local radio stations has already gone to a 24 hour Christmas music format. I don't know about you, but that is a bit early. Everything has a time and place. I wait until at least the day after turkey day to play the x-mas music.

The End Of A Tropical Storm Season In Florida

2011-10-28T15:14:00.000-07:00

There is still a lot of tropical moisture in the Gulf Of Mexico and over Florida at this moment. This should be the last storm of the season as we move into the cooler and dryer time of the year. This is what we have been waiting for; Camping season is near, and that should be fun. Floridians always look forward to the winter time of the year. We get the heat pretty bad for most of the year, and a reprieve is good. You can see the rain over downtown Tampa in the image below.

Morning rush downtown Tampa

Occupy Wall Street comes to Tampa Florida

2011-10-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

The protesters began to show up after the lunch hour. I thought they would be out all day; I thought they would be camping in Gaslight Park. I hear the police will not let them, so they have to leave and return the next day. No problem, this means they can drink in the bars all night.

Most of them seem to be coming from the University of Tampa. Could it be they are just young, bored and looking for a little excitement? They should be studying finance so they can become part of that 1% they are railing about.

Hippy protesters seen from the taxi downtown Tampa

I picked up a fair that wanted to go downtown Tampa and see the protesters. At the time we were there, we really had to look hard to see them. I think for this demonstration to work, they will have to really "Occupy" the downtown area but that would mean they cannot drink, screw and order pizza. Protesting comes with sacrifice.

The movement is new and perhaps it will work, with time. I am already making some money off of this event, so that is cool. I shot a video and put in up on Youtube. You can see it here.

Fasano Vs Everest800 April, 2008

2011-10-15T16:09:00.000-07:00

This was the only win I had in 2008 against one of the strongest players on Gameknot today. He is rated just behind Cyrano on the ratings chart.

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Canceling A Game With A 1200 Rated Player

2011-10-04T17:34:00.000-07:00

I put up a 'quck pick' challenge today and it was excepted by a chess player with a 1200 provisional rating. I canceled the game. I have no idea who this player is and how far he may go. I have no idea what kind of program he may be running on me. I have seen player come and go on this site over the years, many of them thinking they are going to be the next best thing in chess. I have no desire to be fodder for a system runner. If you have many games on the board, then I will consider playing you on Gameknot.

The Five Day Time Limit On Gameknot Chess

2011-09-27T17:21:00.000-07:00

The five day time limit gives me more control over my games. This is correspondence chess and I like to play by the rules. I will often move within two days on any game. However, I am very busy ant the format Gameknot gives me allowes me to live my life without feeling major pressure to make moves. Five days seems just about right. Lets play chess!

Fighting Against The Sicilian Defense

2011-09-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

One of the most popular defenses for Black against e4 is the pawn push c5, beginning the Sicilian Defense. The Sicilian is a fighting defense for Black, his un-symmetrical position establishes his intensities of going for a win, and not scumming to White's inherent one move advantage, and only settling for a draw.

I chose to fight back against my opponent when he chooses the Sicilian. I use the Grand Prix Attack which limits Blacks options from move two and onward. There will be a war but it will be on my terms.

In the 1970's British masters put together such an approach, using the pawn-push f4, for their weekend circuit of tournaments --the Grand Prix. This attack got the notice of the chess world. I recommend it but with a set up move.

Before playing f4 in order to gain space, control the e5 square, and create attacking prospects, I develop the knight to c3 to put pressure on the center. The most important move in this opening attack is the Bishop move to attack Blacks Queen side.

This defense will take Black away from his pet open Sicilian and give you the tempo.

Tom Stroup Rated 2231 On Gameknot

2011-09-13T16:07:00.000-07:00

My eleventh grade high school drama teacher from 1974 has recently retired from teaching, and is an active member of the Gameknot community. He is currently rated at a spectacular 2231, and climbing the ranks.

He was the first chess coach I had in high school. He always beat me. I see nothing has changed. I wish him well in his climb to be the best in the Internet chess world.

We both became very interested in chess during the classic 1972 World Championship match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spaskey. Many people became hooked on chess after that match. The United States Chess Federation had the largest membership it ever had the year after that match.

However, many of those people left chess when they entered tournaments and were crushed by experienced players. Chess is a cruel sport. Wins can be brutal and quick. Players who thought they were good can have their confidence shaken after such a defeat.

Tom always had me on the first board. I always won for some reason. It was just easier back then.

Stalled At 1700 Chess Rating And Tribute To Tom Stroup

2011-09-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks, the last few months have been a little rough because of the stalled out economy in the United States. I have not played a game on Gameknot in a few months. In addition, I had my internet service shut off because of non-payment. Things should be getting better soon. I hope. My internet is back up and I really need to get going again. I know Tom Stroup is wondering what happened to me.

Stroup had a ratting of over 2100 that last time I was on the Gameknot site. I expect him to be one of the elite by now. I wish him well in his new life of being a retired High School Teacher. He must be in a real good place right now. His life could not have turned out better.

I can see there was a tremendous amount of interest in his match with Cyrano. I have not looked at the results, but I will soon. I hope he got at least a draw.

Cyrano Vs. Tom Stroup On Gameknot Chess

2011-04-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

Cyrano Of Gameknot Fame

My friend and teacher from Virginia Tom Stroup informed me that he is playing the longtime champion of Gamknot Chess Cyrano from Italy. Tom is excited to play him because Cyrano is a real Grandmaster and has dominated this site for many years. He easily dispatches some very strong players with unusual moves. I have played Cyrano before and found him to be a real gentleman. I hope one day to get a rematch on Gameknot.

For the last three years this guy called Cyrano (Afro) has been the dominant player on this website and currently has a rating of 2643. He received a FIDE Masters rating twenty years ago but disappeared from competitive chess. He is rarely beaten by players that I am sure are using the strongest computers in the world but he crushes them. This guy is a real gentleman in correspondence I have had with him. On the chess board, he is an enigma.

Fasano YouTube Video On White Chess Openings

2011-02-23T14:35:00.001-08:00

This is an introductory video I did on Chess White openings in a coffee house.

Gameknot Players Often Stall Their Games

2011-02-23T14:05:00.000-08:00

I have not won a game in the last three weeks. Today, I finally won a game when I checkmated an opponent who was holding out. I guess that is his right, and it fits into the structure of sportsmanship and gamesmanship. However, it is kind of annoying. I bale out of chess games I am losing because I have better things to do with my time.

Trying To Get Back To Chess Rating Of 2200

2010-08-25T17:16:00.000-07:00

When I lost my internet connection in 2008, I timed out of 134 games. My rating plummeted from 2224 to 1100. Damn! That hurt. I am back up and running with a premium membership on Gameknot that allows me to play up to 100 games. I am currently winning in over 50 games and as those games drop, my rating should soar. I am glad to be back into the mix and I am awaiting the Cyrano rematch.

Tom Stroup v Tim Fasano Gameknot Computer Evaluation

2010-08-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

This game was annotiated by the Gameknot computer on this historic chess match Game #1

Ending Position of Tom Stroup v Tim Fasano

The Girl That Beat Cyrano

2010-08-13T13:44:00.000-07:00

Gambitqueen17 recently beat the great Cyrano of Gamknot fame. He is a legend. I checked my archives and I seem to have beaten her two years ago (waxed would be more like it). I used the Owen open - I love that opening.

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Playing White Against Cyrano Of Gameknot Fame

2010-08-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

This was the position as we left it when my internet connection was lost and I could not continue playing chess on Gameknot. That was tragic for me, for how often do you get to play a real GM? To say it could be a learning experience is an understatement. We were playing the Two Knights defense, when time ran out and the position was even. Perhaps there will be another day. Perhaps Tom Stroup will end up playing him the way he is moving up the ladder. Cyrano contacted me afterwards to see if everything was OK. He is such a gentleman.

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Gameknot Chess Tournaments

2010-08-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

Things have changed since I was last on this site. You can earn tournament points, and most of the tournaments on Gameknot have a buy in. I have earned over 6 points, so I have now joined a couple to keep steady games coming. We will just take it form here. Since I know have a premium membership, I can start my own tournament. I am considering doing that. I may call it "Fasano's Fantastic Five" Kind of catchy.

A Nine Move Checkmate - A Beautiful Game

2010-08-07T12:01:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just get to play a beautiful game in chess. Garry Kasparov often thought his victories were not as significant as the 'beauty' of the games he could play. The sudden death of the two players against Paul Morphy at the Oprah House when he sliced and diced the two armatures was known not for the formidable opponents he faced, but the beauty in how he dispatched them.

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The Good Ole' Days

2010-08-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

Back before the United States economy collapsed (things are getting better) I had a Gameknot rating of over 2200. My old chess coach, Tom Stroup, says not to place much emphases on online ratings because they consider many factors absent in OTB chess. I believe his is right. But I did work very hard to play over 1,300 games and did my homework, and worked like a dog to earn it. Those were the good days. I believe they are on their way back.

The week the Summer Olympics started 8-08-08 was the big collapse

You can see this rating chart of where and when things collapsed for me in a very big way!

Theoretical Novelties

2010-07-28T10:58:00.001-07:00

Theoretical novelties are what intrigued Cyrano to want to play me. I have spent countless hours working out new ideas on 'fulcrum' positions in chess. You can continue to use the same moves played for centuries, or you can advance the game with new concepts. In this crucial position of the French, Black waits for the expected pawn advance and usually plays c5. I choose to buttress my position with the Bishop in a fianchetto. Since the Bishop is forever pinned inside, why not put it into play.

Theoretical Novelty...4)...b6

Cyrano Vs. Fasano On Gameknot (Stroup v Fasano next move)

2010-07-27T12:59:00.000-07:00

The Gameknot link to our games from two years ago

In 2008 I was moving up the ranks on the chess site Gameknot. In two years, and about 1,100 games, I went over 2100 in my rating. A man from Italy, who is always the top player on this site named Cyrano, contacted me about playing two games of White and Black each. I accepted. It was an honor.

Cyrano earned his GM F.I.D.E. card decades ago and was once world rated. He now confines his chess to Gamknot while he works full-time as a lawyer and raises three children. He said he liked my style and thought I would be a good match. I was. Until the United States economy fell apart like a two dollar watch. I lost my Internet connection because I could not pay the bill. I subsequently timed out on over 135 games and within one week my rating dropped from 2124 to about 1200.

Afro Cyrano - Italy GM 2648

I have fooled around with Gameknot after I got my service restored (8 months later). But I just could not get back into it. The fire was gone. I hope that was not just depression. I have recently felt the need to get back at it, and have started back with one game.

FASANO VS STROUP - FRENCH DEFENSE WINAWER VARIATION

Good luck Tom. Some sharp play ahead!

The War Is On!

2010-07-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

Through the magic of Facebook, I have been able to hook up with my old chess coach from Warwick High School in Newport News Virginia. I was on his team when most players were playing symmetrical openings such as the Giuoco Piano, which leads to wide open play. Even though that opening has been studied to death, I have some new slants on it. There is 'new wine in an old bottle.'

One of my regrets in life was that I never had the chance to use a more modern opening against Mr. Stroup....That DAY HAS NOW COME....WHATCH OUT FOR THE FRENCH. THEY CAN BE VERY SNEAKY

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