3.5/5, not bad

The Louisiana Pro-Am was held this weekend, and I scored 3.5/5 and picked up a few rating points. I tied for 2nd place and pocketed some cash.

Overall, I am pleased with my performance, and I learned that conditioning and work ethic at the board factor heavily into success at competitive play. I also learned that opening preparation is far less important than analytic ability.

I think that my combination training has helped me, and that combinatoric vision is important; however, I feel that I area I can stand to improve the most in is decision making and practical analysis.

Under 2200, brilliancies don't win games--blunders lose them. I won games that I should have lost, and lost games I should have won. Nearly every game played in the tournament was decided by gross blunders.