OK... There are LOTS of stories to tell... the cheaters ( one guy had a radio ear piece), the hissy fits ( plenty of those) and the "Stars" ( Like Nakamura being left behind while all the other over 21 GMs went out and grabbed some beers ...then came back and walked around with them in hand... almost taunting Hikaru)...but mine is more of us common place folks... doing the Philly thing when in Rome.
So after my loss in round four I was licking my wounds. My step son REALLY wanted an infamous Philly steak and cheese from the source. My wife, bless her sole, researched the be-jesus out of it and found "THE" place. Pat's King of Steaks, is in south Philly and several blocks from the hotel but all the locals claim that this is THE place...even better than Geno's who's stand was just a few yards from Pat's.
I decided to stay behind to regroup and prepare for round 5. My adventurous wife took flight with all the city maps in search of the stand with a little less than 2 hours before the next round. I started to get concerned about making the first round on time when over an hour had passed before anyone returned. At about 5 minutes before the round my step son and daughter burst into the room to deliver the goods. My step son had wolfed his down in the car ride back, grabbed his set and made round 5 on time.
My daughter and I, decided to take the hit on time and play by "club time" instead ( 40/90) so we could enjoy the Philly delecasy. I washed the cheese and onions off my beard and made it to round 5 with 20 minutes expired on my clock and a diet Moxie in my hand. For those of you not from the northeast, Moxie is a bitter root beer that typically requires an acquired taste. I acquired mine having grown up in Maine adn only 10 miles from the moxie epicienter of the world where they have Moxie festivals complete with Moxie queens and the young guys trying to look tough chugging the soda.
I shook hands made my 1.d4 hit the clock, sat down and opened my Moxie. Made another move and hit the clock. I was still in book by move 12 and only used 3 minutes on my clock against a 1717 rated player from MI. I hit him with a Pillsbury attack that he never saw coming. Move 22 he resigned. I still had over an hour left on the first time control.
3 comments:
Calling Moxie a bitter root beer is an insult! It is more. It is a miracle elixir (which explains the picture of the scolding doctor on the can), it gives New Englanders hardy souls and focus. Some even say that it was quaffed on the Mayflower.
Too bad it was bought out by Coca-Cola. But it seems they haven't changed the can.
BDK Sorry... didn't have a better description. To me its not bitter but for all those "from away" they consider it a bitter tasting root beer.
I describe it similarly, as tasting like "cinnamin root beer", or for those who have had to use it, it tastes like Nuskin smells (that liquid skin you can put on wounds).
If it tastes medicinal, you know it's working.
:)
Congrats on your performance at the Open. It sounds like a great experience.
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