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B Finegold 
Photo courtesy of "WannaBe"  
Benjamin Finegold
Number of games in database: 324
Years covered: 1981 to 2013
Last FIDE rating: 2505
Highest rating achieved in database: 2611
Overall record: +113 -62 =142 (58.0%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games
      Based on games in the database; may be incomplete.
      7 exhibition games, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 Nimzo Indian (31) 
    E32 E33 E38 E39 E30
 King's Indian (25) 
    E61 E97 E92 E99 E94
 Queen's Pawn Game (16) 
    A45 A40 A41 D00 A46
 Semi-Slav (11) 
    D47 D45 D43 D44
 Sicilian (11) 
    B22 B52 B30 B50 B27
 Modern Benoni (8) 
    A57 A56 A65
With the Black pieces:
 Sicilian (50) 
    B30 B32 B66 B89 B58
 Slav (16) 
    D19 D11 D16 D10 D15
 Sicilian Richter-Rauser (13) 
    B66 B67 B65 B63
 Ruy Lopez (11) 
    C65 C64 C97
 King's Indian (10) 
    E70 E92 E74 E84 E62
 Caro-Kann (10) 
    B18 B13 B16 B10 B14
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   R N Bauer vs B Finegold, 2001 0-1
   B Finegold vs D Kuljasevic, 2009 1-0
   G Johnstone vs B Finegold, 1992 1/2-1/2
   B Finegold vs Anand, 1986 1/2-1/2
   B Finegold vs J Benjamin, 2010 1-0
   Yermolinsky vs B Finegold, 1994 0-1

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   World Open: Open Section (2003)
   12th Chicago Open (2003)
   US Championships 2003 (2003)
   Chessmaster US Championships 2005 (2004)
   National Open (2006)
   34th World Open (2006)
   Spring North American FIDE Invitational (2006)
   US Championship 2006 (2006)
   National Open (2007)
   SPICE Cup (B Group) (2009)
   US Championships (2010)
   US Chess Championships (2013)

Search Sacrifice Explorer for Benjamin Finegold
Search Google for Benjamin Finegold
FIDE player card for Benjamin Finegold


BENJAMIN FINEGOLD
(born Sep-06-1969) United States of America

[what is this?]
Benjamin Finegold was born in Detroit, Michigan. He is part of a strong chess-playing family, as both his father Ronald Finegold and older brother Mark Finegold are USCF masters. Ben became a USCF Life Master at 15, USCF Senior Master at 16, an International Master in 1989, and achieved his final GM norm at the SPICE Cup B Section in September, 2009.

Finegold was co-champion of the 1989 U.S. Junior Championship, and was awarded the prestigious Samford Fellowship in 1993. He has tied for first place in two U.S. Opens (Chicago, 1994; Cherry Hill, 2007). Other major tournament victories include co-champion of the 2002 World Open and the National Opens of 2005 and 2008. He has played in six U.S. Chess Championships: 1994 (Key West, FL), 1999 (Salt Lake City, UT), 2002 (Seattle, WA), 2005 (La Jolla, CA), 2006 (San Diego, CA), and 2008 (Tulsa, OK).

Finegold maintains a blog at http://www.saintlouischessclub.org/....

Wikipedia article: Ben Finegold


 page 1 of 13; games 1-25 of 324  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves Year Event/LocaleOpening
1. B Finegold vs D Moody 0-130 1981 Michigan OpenA27 English, Three Knights System
2. B Finegold vs Sorenson  1-022 1982 St PaulB02 Alekhine's Defense
3. B Finegold vs T Palmer ½-½54 1983 Ann Arbor Victory TournamentA07 King's Indian Attack
4. B Finegold vs D Moody 1-015 1983 DetroitC44 King's Pawn Game
5. J Kulbacki vs B Finegold ½-½77 1983 Super Double TornadosC29 Vienna Gambit
6. D Thompson vs B Finegold 1-077 1983 Ann Arbor ch-MI opB00 Uncommon King's Pawn Opening
7. J Tomas vs B Finegold  ½-½12 1984 Midwest Masters IID53 Queen's Gambit Declined
8. B Finegold vs E Schiller  1-064 1984 Tournament 'Midwest Masters'D52 Queen's Gambit Declined
9. B Finegold vs Anand ½-½61 1986 OakhamD20 Queen's Gambit Accepted
10. B Finegold vs E Schiller  ½-½21 1986 WorldOpenD33 Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch
11. B Finegold vs Sherzer  ½-½38 1987 USA-ch U18A46 Queen's Pawn Game
12. Suba vs B Finegold  0-138 1987 HastingsA15 English
13. Gulko vs B Finegold  1-066 1987 PhiladelphiaD97 Grunfeld, Russian
14. Kudrin vs B Finegold  1-047 1988 LondonC55 Two Knights Defense
15. B Finegold vs Gligoric  ½-½12 1988 Saint John op-2E39 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Pirc Variation
16. B Finegold vs Hebden  ½-½65 1988 Hastings A57 Benko Gambit
17. J Howell vs B Finegold 1-037 1988 London (England)C55 Two Knights Defense
18. Plaskett vs B Finegold  1-057 1988 Hastings op 8889C42 Petrov Defense
19. B Finegold vs Smyslov  ½-½17 1988 London LloydsE34 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa Variation
20. B Finegold vs Bagirov  ½-½37 1989 08, AmsterdamD31 Queen's Gambit Declined
21. B Finegold vs Illescas Cordoba  ½-½80 1989 ItD32 Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch
22. B Finegold vs Gelfand 1-025 1989 Amsterdam Euwe-memE38 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, 4...c5
23. Psakhis vs B Finegold  1-081 1989 Amsterdam OHRA IID02 Queen's Pawn Game
24. B Finegold vs Sosonko  1-062 1989 AmsterdamE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
25. Judit Polgar vs B Finegold 1-049 1989 Amsterdam Euwe-memB14 Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack
 page 1 of 13; games 1-25 of 324  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Finegold wins | Finegold loses  
 

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Oct-24-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  Joshka: GM Feingold wasn't there tonight, he's playing in the two day section, hoping to meet him tomorrow. GM Anatoly Lein is playing as well. He's 79, and a product of the Soviet system which produced, Korchnoi, Tal, Geller, ect.
Oct-24-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: I think Lein was one of the early chess emigres from Russian, mid 70s. Maybe he was one of the small percentage of jewish people filling out paperwork to leave the ussr, who actually got to do so. In his 40s, I guess the USSR chess authorities decided he was no threat. Most went to Israel, I think. A Leningrader (st. Pete) he might have games in the database with Spassky and Korchnoi.
Jan-02-10  mysql: Why is he not part of USA in the WTCC?
Jan-03-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: Same old problem--Chess in the USA is a young man's occupation. Finegold probably has a real job, of some sort. The team sent is pretty young, I think except for a couple of russian emigres who are older.
Jan-03-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  notyetagm: <HeMateMe: Same old problem--Chess in the USA is a young man's occupation. Finegold probably has a real job, of some sort. The team sent is pretty young, I think except for a couple of russian emigres who are older.>

Finegold is now the GM-in-residence at the St. Louis Chess Club.

Jun-12-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  elohah: Just looked at your blogpost photo:

Dog, you have GOT to lose weight.

We love you, that's why we're concerned. You're going to shorten your life by ten years unless you take immediate action now. If Nakamura can do it, so can you.

Get some Acai, some green machine and blue machine (Naked Juice). CELERY. I can't say it enuf. Get the greenest veggies possible (no dip!). Vegetables are critical for breaking down the bad cholesterol in your body. Start WALKING. Everywhere you go.
Find the FURTHEST YMCA from you and WALK to it. Try to work up to about 6 miles a day, at least 3 times a week. 'Exercise is King, diet is Queen.' - Jack Lalane.

WALK to the Y, then swim a few laps each day.

Don't jog. Don't run. You might blow your knees out. You can eat little cheese packets. Fat isn't the problem. Fat is a NECESSARY ingredient for the body. The problem is BAD SUGAR that turns into bad cholesterol.

If your'e hungry for sweets, snack on a banana.

Jun-12-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  MaxxLange: I wish we had a real chess club, where we had money to hire a GM in residence

We have some strong players around here....FM to IM strength.....but everything is so spread out and decentralized

Jun-14-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  elohah: The wake-up call should be the draw with Betanelli. Remember what Defirmian said about GM's. A GM should just be BLOWING IM's out of the water tactically! I'm not saying Betanelli is a pushover. He's even got some macho that's visible in his play. But he's been hanging around the 2300 level almost at long as you were a 2600 IM. It must mean his tactics aren't sharp enuf. Just to take a name out of the hat here: Chuck Hertan. Written some books. Was around Betanelli's rating for the longest time, then suddenly blew thru the 2400 barrier due mainly I think to sharper tactics. But I've got off track.
This isn't a diet, it's a lifestyle - a lifestyle change. Going off stuff cold turkey: I don't believe in it. It's just a bunch of nonsense, and it's the type of thing that gets people to fall back. People KNOW what's bad for them: candy, salty chips, soda pop, Carl Jr's or Wendy's burgers. It's all OBVIOUS, and anybody can READ LABELS. Mayo is bad for you. Ketchup, french fries, none of this stuff is needed, and none of it helps you.

But just go off stuff GRADUALLY. Don't obsess about anything and just have fun with a new lifestyle change where you'll have a lot more energy both on and off the board.

Acai is a berry found in the Amazon rain-forest. It's just recently come out, so right now it's cheaper than Naked Juice. Walk, walk, WALK!

WALK LIKE A MAAAAAAN...!

Betanelli should be in a WIND TUNNEL of tactics the next time you play him. I want him blown off the board in less than 30 moves! DO it!

One last thought: Don't ask: "How can this hurt me?" "It's just a little bit!" Wrong question.

Here's the right question: How is this HELPING me? Is what I'm putting into my body helping my body become stronger, more energized?

Sep-06-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  DarthStapler: Geocities was dismantled years ago, someone should remove that last link
Jan-22-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  GrahamClayton: Here is a Finegold victory that is not in the database:

[Event "?"]
[Site "St Paul"]
[Date "1982.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Finegold, Benjamin"]
[Black "Sorenson"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. e5 Ne4 4. Nce2 Nc5 5. d4 Ncd7 6. e6 fxe6 7. Nf4 Nf6 8. Bd3 c5 9. c3 Nc6 10. Nf3 Qc7 11. Qe2 cxd4 12. cxd4 Bd7 13. Nxe6 Qb6 14. O-O Bxe6 15. Qxe6 Nxd4 16. Nxd4 Qxd4 17. Bb5+ Kd8 18. Be3 Qe4


click for larger view

19. Bb6+ axb6 20. Qxb6+ Kc8 21. Rac1+ Kb8 22. Bc6 1-0

Source: Bill Wall, “500 Alekhine Miniatures”, Chess Enterprises, Moon Township, Pennsylvania, 1994

May-17-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  SteinitzLives: He is Americas' hope for a chess-boxing title, show him proper respect, and make way for his eminence, especially at a buffet.
May-17-11  James Bowman: I heard that the Robson Finegold match is over, did Ben really eat Ray as was reported?

Sorry Ben know you have a good sense of humor or I wouldn't have went there ;o]

May-18-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: ...you know how hard it is to get spicy dumplings, in St. Louis...
Jul-16-11  Rook e2: An IM with a max rating of 2600+, is it very difficult to collect GM norms in the USA?
Jul-16-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  dx9293: <Rook e2> Finegold is a GM now, but the rating of 2604 in the picture must be a US Chess Federation rating.

For many years though, Finegold was one of the highest-rated IMs in the world, reaching a peak ELO of over 2560 I believe.

A couple of years ago, Alex Lenderman reached 2601 ELO while still an IM (his first GM title application was rejected because one of his norms was discounted due to a technicality). Soon after he got the GM title though...after going to Europe and having a total of like five norms.

You are right though: it is not so easy to get (GM) norms in the USA. It is not a hopeless task, and some have done so recently, like Molner and Shankland for example, but lots of USA players go to Europe to make norms. The biggest and most well-known problem in the USA is that it is often a crapshoot whether you will face enough foreign players in the event to have a norm counted (you need 4 foreigners in 9 rounds usually), but I think another problem is that in tournaments like, say, the World Open, there are a lot of relatively low Elo rated players, and then a lot of very strong GMs. There doesn't seem to be an abundance of 2400-2500 level players to face round after round, because of the nature of the swiss system, which I would think gives the best chance of making a norm.

IMs Bryan Smith, Daniel Naroditsky, and Marc Esserman...they're all playing in Europe right now, going for GM norms.

Jul-19-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: OMG, Ben has a disco themed video on utube:

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfa_...;

Oct-27-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  waustad: His highest FIDE rating since the year 2000, which is when the chart begins was 2563 during 2006.
Feb-15-12  wordfunph: "Playing Black in a Najdorf Sicilian."

- GM Benjamin Finegold (when asked by NIC for his greatest fear)

May-12-12  knightsacrifice: "When I am White I win because I am White. When I am Black I lose."

- GM Benjamin Finegold (on the famous Bogolyubov quote)

Funny guy! nice commentary.

May-18-12  Edeltalent: <on the famous Bogolyubov quote>

Just for the record, Bogoljubov's original quote is "When I am White I win because I am White. When I am Black I win because I am Bogoljubov."

Jun-03-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  waustad: Considering how he looked during the US champs, that may be the least flattering picture I can recall seeing here.
Dec-28-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  SteinitzLives: Finegold is a true marvel to watch at play, similar to a glacier in movement, but never in demeanor.
Dec-28-12  Jim Bartle: "...similar to a glacier in movement, but never in demeanor."

He's always receding and lakes are created at his feet?

Dec-28-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: < SteinitzLives: Finegold is....similar to a glacier in movement, but never in demeanor.>

Try playing bullet with Ben live sometime, as I have. His movements are as far from glacial as one may imagine.

Dec-28-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  Phony Benoni: I remember Ben from a blitz tournament when he was six years old. Skinny little kid, blond and full of energy.

I suffered his only win late in the tournament when I left my king in check. He grabbed it, and solemnly showed it to the Tournament Director to prove he had actually won a game.

I don't think he's been solemn since.

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