Want a piece?

     As I'm done with my first exam and my session at Uni is officially opened, have thought of some nice way to relax and to take my thoughts from studying all kind of Management stuff. I think you've guessed what came across my mind- chess!
     Here's a game which I particularly like from my latest tournament in Groningen:

Black to move

  
      This position came from a Caro-Kann, me being black vs Hulshof Peter (2178). The position is looking very comfortable for black, with such a great knight on "a4", though, if black is not to take some immediate actions, white might play Rd4, with the obvious idea of getting rid of my knight, which would leave me with pretty much nothing.
      In this moment, I got the idea of exploding the position with a piece sacrifice! It is not winning, but I couldn't bare such a big temptation! 20... f6! 21. Rd4, and now...
   

Black to move

     21...Nxc3 might have been more precise, but 21...Nxb2 proved to work as well. 22.Qxb2- fxe5 23. Rdd1- Rxf2. My opponent failed to find the best defense, which was 23.Rg4- with an unclear position.

White to move

     White's position is already lost, despite the extra piece, black has complete domination. 24.Kh1- Be4 25. Rg1- Qe3 26. Rd2- Rcf8

White to move

     Black threats 27... Bxg2 28.Rxg2- Rf1+ with mate, white doesn't have any good enough defense, so he played 27. Bf3 and after R8xf3 white resigned.
     I really like playing attacking chess and being given the opportunity to make an interesting sacrifice, I usually don't think twice :D


     Wish you all a nice week, without too much calculation!


xoxo from Iasi ;)

Faith Vampires

     There are very few calm moments in this life.
     When you think that everything's good and you are finally satisfied by how things go something happens in order to remind you that your life depends too much on things you can't control.
     I don't know how about you, but I like making plans, knowing what I have to do, what I am expected to do and work after that to make it happen. I am a very responsible person and when I am engaged in making something I do my best to complete the task. I don't understand why some people enjoy ruining my plans and my hard work. Why some don't want to make compromises?
     I am a student at a normal University. I chose to study on distance, in order to have enough time for the thing I love the most- chess. The attendance at courses is not compulsory, so I just have to pass partial and final exams and to make projects. But somehow, the last year of the degree is special- they think that a student is so desperate to finally finish his studies that it would be normal to change the "not compulsory attendance" to courses. The professor said- "But it's not compulsory, you'll just repeat the year if you don't come. Maybe you'll be able to find time for this next year." Why don't they respect their own rules? I would never engage in something I knew I couldn't complete.
     What to do now? There's nothing to be done but accept their new rules and make sacrifices that I would never make if I knew everything from the beginning.
     And how am I supposed to believe there are no vampires with so many people enjoying their power over others and getting satisfaction from sucking your nerves, blood and from draining you of all your energy, dreams and faith?

xoxo from Iasi :)

A little faith

     Another rainy day has come with some inspiration for a new post.
     Unlike one must think, it's not another sad text, it is an optimistic one today :)

     As you might have seen, I played an Open in Iasi, in the city where I live the most part of the time. It was a very nice tournament, one which I hope will become traditional.

     The tournament started very well for me, with 3/3p, beating a 2530 GM in the 3rd round and with a totally winning position in the 4th game, with me having black against a strong GM. Unfortunately I lost that game, I guess I felt the victory to close and it made me play some unexplainable moves... All in all, the tournament went pretty good for me, I won some Elo points and I had some very nice time.You can find the final standings here: http://chess-results.com/tnr123153.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=9&wi=821
     Iasi has changed a lot in the last few years. It has become a very beautiful city, with lots of nice places. It felt very good to be "the host" and to show my friends my favorite places.

 
     As about what's next, I will play the Romanian Rapid Club Cup in the upcoming weekend. Until then, I am quite caught up with all kind of projects I have to make at University.
      I will not play any tournaments until July, when I'm going to participate at the European Individual Women Championship, in Plovdiv.
      As about June, it is going to be a month full of exams for me, but I am quite optimistic about them ;)
      I don't know if it's about the summer coming closer and closer, or about something else, but I have started to
look to the future with more confidence and the things have started to get better. All I could complain about some weeks ago is not such a big deal now.
     I guess that "good always wins", just have a little faith.

 xoxo from Iasi ;)

Lemons & chocolate cookies

     How do you make a very bad day to become better?
     I have tried all the ideas I had. None of them raised my mood- even the chocolate cookies didn't help...
     I guess that there are days that simply can't become better, only worse. It seems that in this kind of days everything and everyone conspire to make one feel awful. What to do? Life gives us lemons from time to time- the best one can do with them is to make a tea with lemon and continue eating chocolate cookies, hoping that tomorrow will be a better day.
     Well, I'm done with complaining, let's focus on some other things.
     My session at University has ended successfully- I've taken all the exams with high marks and I'm pretty satisfied with it. I can focus now on chess again. :)
     It is so freezing in Iasi these days- it's impossible even to take a proper walk- so maybe it's good to get lemons and to drink teas...

These being said, going to make another tea- have to do something with all these lemons, right? Maybe I can make a lemonade as well?!

10

     How to start better the day than with a big coffee and an omelette? Well, I have smth in mind, but better to keep it for another post ;)
     My last days can be characterized easily by: learning, eating, studying, coffee break, learning, sleeping and so on... There might be some more coffee breaks, but you've got the idea.
     I've never been so motivated to study and get good marks since I'm in University. My only goal used to be just to pass the exams, not putting to much effort into this. But guess what happened now- I got two "10"s (the maximum grade) at the first two exams, the "Business English" and "Communication and Negotiation in Business" (thing that never happened since I'm in University, I had 9.72 or 9.50 before) and I got very motivated to continue this way :D I guess that good results and successes stimulate one to want to achieve even more.
     I have the "Management" exam tomorrow, it is not as easy as I first imagined it to be, but I still have some time for revising. The exams keep getting more and more difficult, with the "Finances" and "Econometrics" ones to come. The last exam will be at "Organisational Behaviour", which is intend to be quite easy.
     I haven't played chess for more than one month- a thing that happens to me rarely, but I feel good this way. I will have plenty of time for chess after my session ends. It doesn't mean that I don't follow Wijk though :P It is nice to watch Aronian smashing more or less everyone!
     These being said, guess what- back to studying! :D

xoxo from Iasi ;)

The Sport's Gala

     It was a very nice day yesterday!
     The day started not so great, with me having a terrible headache and not being able to get out of the bed, but it turned out that the day would get better and better with every hour that passed by. I took one of the numerous "wonder pills" that exist nowadays on the market and I felt better quite soon.
      I found out then that I took the highest possible mark- 10.00- at the 1st exam at Uni- the "Business English" one! You can't imagine how quick I forgot about the headache! :D
     I was called then and asked to take part at the Iasi Sport's Gala, at which I got the prize for "the best chess player of the city" and which was broadcasted on TV, I even had to give a short speech. The event was really cool, I met a lot of interesting people and old friends and I enjoyed myself there. Here's a photo from the event:

     The evening ended with a cocktail and some small chat in the beautiful building of the National Theatre.

     Well, these being said, have to get back to studying, as I have 4 more exams to pass in the following 10 days.

Will keep you updated!

xoxo from Iasi! ;)

All I want for December

     The last month of the calendar has started with... the Rapid, Blitz and Solving Women National Championship, which took place in Iasi. I took all the collection of medals: a gold, a silver and a bronze ( 1st at solving, 2nd at rapid and 3rd at blitz).
     It was a really nice weekend, which I spent playing chess and hanging out with friends in the meantime.

Roxana Anton, Ioana Gelip, Raluca Sgircea and me (from right to left)

With a good friend- Roxana Anton

At the solving championship

With Raluca Sgircea :)

The diet died in that weekend for an undefined time :P

With Raluca Sgircea and Roxana Anton

Almost happy ;)

     I will leave for London tomorrow and the tournament will start the day after tomorrow, with me playing vs Veronica Foisor- another friend :) It is funny how no matter in which corner of the World you go- a friend is always to be found there :P

     You can find the details of the tournament as well as the news about it on the official site of the event: http://www.londonchessclassic.com/womens_invitational_2013.htm It will be a double round-robin, which means that all play against all with both colours. Here is the list of players:

1. IM Irina Bulmaga- 2396

2. IM Dagne Ciuksyte- 2345

3. WIM Judith Fuchs- 2337

4. WIM Veronica Foisor- 2216

5. WFM Sarah Hegarty- 2127

6. WGM Kruttika Nadig- 2127

     I hope to enjoy the tournament and London!

     Meanwhile, I will have to pass another partial exam for my University, tomorrow, from the airport :D So, I guess- back to studying!

Keep tuned for news and impressions from London! :)

Golden Sands

     The "Albena Grand Europe Open" came to an end yesterday, with Tigran Petrosian winning the trophy, with an impressing 8p/9 score! Mircea Parligras finished on the 2nd place and Hrant Melkumyan on 3rd. Here are the final standings: http://chess-results.com/tnr103459.aspx?art=1&lan=11&flag=30&wi=821

1		GM	Petrosian Tigran L.			ARM	2649	0	8.0	40.5	49.5	7
2		GM	Parligras Mircea-Emilian			ROU	2565	0	7.0	41.0	53.5	5
3		GM	Melkumyan Hrant			ARM	2635	0	7.0	40.5	52.5	5
4		GM	Nabaty Tamir			ISR	2579	0	7.0	36.5	46.5	6
5		IM	Bernadskiy Vitaliy			UKR	2475	0	7.0	36.0	46.5	6
6		GM	Nevednichy Vladislav			ROU	2580	0	6.5	44.0	55.5	5
7		GM	Spasov Vasil			BUL	2565	0	6.5	40.5	52.5	5
8		GM	Mareco Sandro			ARG	2557	0	6.5	40.0	52.5	5
9		GM	Vajda Levente			ROU	2617	0	6.5	40.0	51.5	5
10		GM	Mekhitarian Krikor Sevag			BRA	2544	0	6.5	38.0	49.0	5
11		GM	Lupulescu Constantin			ROU	2655	0	6.5	35.5	46.5	6
12		GM	Solak Dragan			TUR	2598	0	6.5	35.0	44.0	5

    The "Golden Sands Grand Europe Open" starts today. The list of players is even more impressing than in Albena! You can check it here: http://chess-results.com/tnr103659.aspx?lan=11&zeilen=99999

     My sister- Elena Bulmaga will also play there and I will try to help her to obtain a good result!  

     Here are some photos of  Golden Sands:

   As about me, I have only 4 exams left this week and then I'll be free like a bird! I will be able to finally start focusing on chess again. I miss playing so much!

xoxo from Iasi ;)

Itch to play

     My summer has begun simply "fantastic"- with 2 weeks full of exams...

     I've started to really appreciate my life as a chess player- doing what I like- playing tournaments, training- compared to what I'll be doing for these 2 weeks- studying hard and even so- worrying that I may not pass the exams... I know that I need this degree, but when I think that I could have played 2 tournaments instead, I feel sorry for myself :))

     Well, there's nothing to be done, but to continue suffering these 13 days left and dreaming about a real "chess summer".

     I have my financial accounting exam in an hour and I hope that I'm ready for it!

     I follow the games from the "Grand Europe-Albena Open" during my breaks from studying. A lot of friends of mine play there and I keep my fingers crossed for them! You can follow the games here: http://games.albena.bulchesssummer.eu/  The results and the pairings can be found on: http://chess-results.com/tnr97673.aspx?art=2&rd=3&lan=11&flag=30&wi=821 

      I wish I could have played in such a strong event too- it would have been much more interesting than studying Economics, but sometimes- some sacrifices have to be made... I am sure that I will have a fantastic itch to play in my next tournament, until which I hope to survive :D 

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

xoxo from Iasi ;)

     

Peace, man!

     Long time no see...
     I've been so busy and stressed out this week with all my exams from University that I couldn't find any power in myself  to post. Though I'm still shaking from all the unslept nights and the uncertain ammount of caffeine in my sistem I'm so happy to say- first session almost completed and that means 6 (!) exams (1 more exam left- but one that I feel  very confident about)- and the most important thing- tada-da-dam- SUCCESFULLY! I haven't been so proud of myself since... I don't know-the last year's EICC. It's difficult to explain this feeling- all the students pass through exams and they eventually graduate (well, the most of them)- so it shouldn't be anything so special, but still, I attended only 20 % of my classes this semester and I had to learn everything by myself, in between tournaments- so-yes- I'm so damn happy! :D I think that the next tournament will feel like a vacation for me, after all this pressure :))
     All these being said, I promise to get more active and to resume my "chess posting"!

As for now- I'm gonna' go to celebrate!
Peace ;)

Call me irresponsible

     First step done! Only 5 more exams left. It was a pretty easy day today, as the English in Economics turned to be a very easy exam- finished it in 30 minutes :D I wonder what score I'll get :P
     I have 2 more days to prepare for the Mathematics applied in Economics exam and I'm working on it (more or less) :D

     I was so happy today that I've decided to treat myself with a glass of a nice Cabernet-Sauvignon while reading some chapters from my already favourite book "Fifty shades darker" (the 2nd tome of "Fifty shades of grey"). 

   

 Gotta' return to studying now ;)

First session

     My first session at the University will start in few days. I've got 6 exams and I'm very nervous about them. Being busy with all kind of chess activity, I didn't have that much time to learn during the 1st semester, so I guess the next 3 weeks could be easily described by "24/7 learning". My first exam is on the 27th of January, and the last one- on the 11th of February, right before the Romanian Individual Championship ( it starts on the 15th of February).

     I hope I'll do fine and I'll be able to go calmly to the Romanian Championship :)

Keep your fingers crossed for me ;)