Well, it's been a fairly hectic few weeks, and I can finally say that I am more settled than unsettled here in Melbourne. I've started my new job and have managed to arrive at work, looking somehow like I am comfortable in a suit and tie. The next few posts will cover how I got back home, before I try and get on with my NY resolution to keep this regularly updated.
My final week in South America was spent in the southern most part of brazil and saying my farewells to the churrascarias which were quite easily the highlight of my trips to the Portuguese empire, and enjoying the last of my caiparinhas.
The purpose of my final visit was not entirely culinary, rather it was to play in the caxias do sul open chess tournament which runs in conjunction with the grape festival every second year. Andre Boff did an extraordinary job running the tournament, and proved his commitment to high quality chess by backing up the previous appearance of elite GM Vassily Ivanchuk by attracting legend, and the worlds best ever female chess player GM Judith Polgar. Judith proved everything which has been said about her, that she truly is a Lady of chess. Regardless of the time, she was always willing to pose for an photo or sign an autograph, and quite memorably played a friendly game with a 4 year old entrant to the tournament. It would be amazing if Australia could somehow attract her to play down under.
Personally the tournament was a mixed success. After winning my first two games, I played quite poorly against former top 100 GM Giovanni Vasquez in round 3 and he beat me quite easily. Round 4 was an uncomfortable game in which I was always worse as black until the final position in which I had equalized, and was calculating to see if an exchange sacrifice would have been advantageous (it was equal, nothing more) when I looked at the clock and thought I had about 5 minutes left with my opponent 2. I continued calculating when suddenly my flag fell. I had misread the clock, (there were a variety of analogue clocks being used and this one was different to any I have seen in my life). As it eventuates, my opponent only had 15 seconds left, and i had thrown away the easiest of wins.
At this point I was feeling pretty poorly about the tournament, however I went on to win the remainder of my games and end upon 7/9 which was enough for =4th, which is quite pleasing in a field which had 10 GM's and several IM's, even if I didn't collect a 2400+ scalp.
This it turns out was only the beginning of my adventures of getting back to Australia (well chile also), but it requires another complete post to cover that.
