Chess Room Newsletter #555 | Mechanics' Institute

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Chess Room Newsletter #555

Gens Una Sumus!

Mechanics� Institute Chess Club Newsletter #555

Mechanics’ Institute Chess Club Newsletter #555

October 13, 2011
I had now a fine opportunity to study the character of professional chessplayers; and for blackguardism, for nasty meanness, for dirtywrangling, and a total lack of all conscience, it would be very difficult, I am sure, to find their equals. Games were bartered, players bribed to play for draws, or induced to resign, etc. etc.

Page 225 of the
Chess World, 1867, quoting an eminent member of the Paris Committee concerning that year’s international tournament in the French capital.

1) Mechanics’ Institute Chess Club News
IM Ricardo De Guzman won the 11th Annual J.J. Dolan Memorial held October 8th with a score of 4.5 from 5, nicked only by a last round draw with NM Ryan Porter, who finished tied for 2nd in the 40-player field at 4-1.

Next Tuesday, October 18th, the Fall Tuesday Night Marathon starts. The 9-round event is open to any USCF member in good standing.

Top finishers in the MI Wednesday night blitz held October 5th were 1. Carlos D’Avila; 2. IM Ray Kaufman; 3. Jules Jelinek

2) Jay Whitehead (1961-2011)

Last newsletter we wrote about Jay’s performance in the First World Cadet Championship in 1977, in which he finished second ahead of Kasparov. Here is perhaps his best game from the event, in which he beat a future Swiss IM in excellent fashion.

Note MegaDataBase 2011 mistakenly says this game was drawn in 17 moves and that Jay’s brother, Paul, was White.
Sicilian B31
Jay Whitehead - Beat Zueger
1st World Cadet Championship Cagnes-sur-Mer, 1977


1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.c3 Bg7 5.0-0 e5 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4 exd4 8.Bf4 a6


8...Nge7 9.Bd6 0-0 10.Nbd2 a6 11.Bc4 or 11.Qa4 Re8 12.Qa3 could lead to very similar play.

9.Qa4

9.Ba4 and 9.Bc4 are seen more frequently.

9...Nge7 10.Bd6 0-0 11.Qa3 Re8 12.Bc4 h6 13.Nbd2 Na5 14.Bxf7+! Kxf7 15.Rac1

15.b4 was also possible with similar themes. After 15...Nac6? (15...Nec6 is correct, not clinging to material, but instead trying to buy time to safeguard the king.) 16.Qb3+ Kf8 17.Ng5! hxg5 18.f4 g4 19.f5, winning.

15...Nac6?

15...Nec6 was necessary. White recovers the piece but has only a small advantage after 16.b4 b5 (to stop Nc4 and prepare ...Bb7) 17.bxa5 Kg8.

16.Qb3+ Kf8 17.Nh4?

17.Ng5! hxg5 18.f4 g4 19.f5 won on the spot.

17...Bf6 18.Nxg6+ Kg7 19.Nf4 Rf8 20.Nh5+ Kg6?

20...Kh7 was the best chance to resist, though after 21.Qd3 Kh8 22.f4 Rf7 23.Rf3 followed by Rh3 White’s practical chances are excellent.

21.Rc5

21.f4! was even stronger.

21...b6 22.Nf4+ Kh7 23.Rh5 Bg7 24.Nf3 Qe8??

24...Rxf4 25.Bxf4 Qe8 would have kept Black in the game.

25.Ng5+ Kh8 26.Qh3 Kg8 27.Rxh6 Bxh6 28.Qxh6 Rf7 29.Ng6 1-0


Source: British Chess Magazine 1977, pp. 554.


3) US Chess League Action

Chicago 2.5 vs San Francisco 1.5
1.GM Yury Shulman (CHC) vs GM Vinay Bhat (SF)  1/2-1/2

2.GM Jesse Kraai (SF) vs GM Mesgen Amanov (CHC)  1/2-1/2

3.IM Angelo Young (CHC) vs IM Daniel Naroditsky (SF)  1/2-1/2

4.Uyanga Byambaa (SF) vs NM Sam Schmakel (CHC)  0-1

This was a rather heart-breaking match, as at various points it looked like we might win 2.5-1.5, and, up until the last minute, that 2-2 was in the cards.

Nimzo-Indian E21
Yury Shulman – Vinay Bhat
USCL (7) 2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 0-0 5.Bg5 c5 6.d5 exd5 7.cxd5 h6 8.Bh4 d6 9.e3 Bg4 10.Be2 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 Nbd7 12.0-0 Re8 13.Be2 a6 14.Qc2 Rc8 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.Bd3 Rc7 17.Bf5 g6 18.Bd3 Bxc3 19.Qxc3 Nxd5! 20.Qc4 Ne5 21.Bxe7 Nxc4 22.Bxc4 Nxe7 23.Rxd6 Kg7 24.Rfd1 Nc6 25.h3 b5 26.Be2 c4 27.a3 Re5 28.Rd7 Re7 29.Rxc7 Rxc7 30.Rd6 Kf8 31.Bf3 Ne5! 32.Be4

White was probably a little better earlier on, but by now Vinay was doing just fine, and White should have considered serious thought to 32.Be2 Ke7 33.Rd5.

32...Ke7 33.Rxa6 Nd3!

The point of Black’s previous play.


34.Rb6 f5! 35.Bd5 Nxb2 36.Rxg6 Rc5 37.e4 Nd3 38.g3 c3 39.Bb3 c240.Bxc2 Rxc2 41.exf5 Rxf2 42.Re6+ Kf7 43.Rxh6 Rxf5 44.g4 Rd5 45.Kg2 Nb2 46.h4 Nc4 47.Ra6 Rd3 48.a4??

48.Ra7+ Kf6 49.Rb7 Nd6 50.Rb6 Ke6 51.h5 was probably enough to draw, but the text should just lose. Vinay had been playing with around 1 minute for some time and hereabouts Yury joined in living off the increment.

48...b4 49.Rc6 Ne3+

49...Rc3 was an easy win.

50.Kf3 b3??

50...Nd5+ 51.Ke4 Rd2 and Black’s pieces coordinate perfectly in escorting the pawn to coronation.


51.Ke2 �-�

Catalan E04
Jesse Kraai – Mesgen Amanov
USCL (7) 2011

1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.Nc3 Rb8 8.e4 Be7 9.Qe2 b5 10.Rd1 0-0 11.Bf4

11.d5 is seen more often, but Jesse follows his Catalan guru GM Viktor Mikhalevski.

11...Bb7 12.a4

12.d5 exd5 13.e5 Nh5 14.Nxd5 Nxf4 15.gxf4 Qe8 16.Nxc7 Qc8 17.Nd5 Bd8 18.Ng5 Bxg5 19.fxg5 Re8 20.f4 Ne7 21.Nxe7+ Rxe7 22.Rd6 Bxg2 23.Kxg2 = but later 1-0 Mikhalevski,V -Shulman, Khanty Mansiysk (ol) 2010. Amanov and Shulman are good friends and prepare together.
12...Ba8 13.axb5 axb5 14.d5 exd5 15.e5 d4 16.exf6 Bxf6 17.Rxa8 Rxa8 18.Nxb5 d3 19.Qe4 Na5 20.Nd2

This is a key moment in the game. Possibly Jesse could have played 20.Nxc7 with the idea 20...Rc8 21.Nd5 (21.b4 cxb3 22.Nd5 Nc4) 21...Bxb2? 22.Ne7+.
Black could vary with 20...Ra7 when 21.b4! Rxc7
(21...cxb3 22.Nd5 b2 23.Be3 Ra8 24.Nd2) 22.Bxc7 Qxc7 23.bxa5 c3 24.Bf1 d2 25.Bd3 g6 26.a6 is better for White.

These variations are hardly conclusive and it should be noted that if all the queenside pawns are traded off the game will almost certainly end in a draw.


20...Bxb2! 21.Nxc7 c3 22.Nxa8 c2 23.Re1 c1Q 24.Rxc1 Bxc1 25.Bc7

Forcing a draw.

25...Qxa8 26.Qxa8 Rxa8 27.Bxa8 Bxd2 28.Be4 Nb3 29.Bxd3 Nc5 30.Bc2 �-�

A well-played game by both sides, that is of theoretical importance.

King’s Indian E
Angelo Young – Daniel Naroditsky
USCL (7) 2011


1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 0-0 5.e4 d6 6.Be3 Na6 7.Be2 e5 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.0-0 Ng4 10.Bg5 Qe8 11.Nd2 f6 12.Bh4 Nh6 13.a3 Nc5 14.b4 Ne6 15.c5 Nd4 16.Nd5 Rf7 17.Bc4 Be6 18.Re1 c6 19.Ne3 Rd7 20.Qc1 Nf7 21.Rb1 Rad8 22.Ndf1 h5 23.f3 Qe7 24.a4
Offering a draw that Daniel turned down. At this point board 2 was already drawn, and board 1 a likely draw and board 4 was not going well for us.

One thing that makes playing in this league tough (but entertaining for the spectators) is how quickly things turn around. A little while later GM Shulman was in trouble and Uyanga on board 4 has good opportunities to save her position.


24... a5 25.Qc3 axb4 26.Qxb4 Bf8 27.Rec1 Bxc4 28.Rxc4 Ne6 29.Bf2 Nf4 30.Qb3 Nd3 31.Bh4?

The bishop had to stay on f2 to give indirect protection to the c5 pawn. Possibly Angelo did not like the possibility of having his dark-squared bishop traded off but if not he loses a pawn for nothing.

31...Nxc5 32.Qa2 Ne6 33.g4?

On the one hand this move is suicidal and weakens White’s position. That said Angelo realizes he will slowly get ground, so he takes radical action hoping to trade on h5 and get his knight to f5.

33...Nfg5

This is not bad, but 23...Nd4! not only attacks f3 but also protects f5.

What follows was especially tense play in which both players were low on time and Daniel was perhaps a bit too cautious in trying to realize his advantage.

34.Bxg5 Nxg5 35.gxh5 Nxf3+ 36.Kh1 Qe6 37.Qg2 Nh4 38.Qg4 Qxg4 39.Nxg4 Rd1 40.Rcc1 Rxc1 41.Rxc1 gxh5 42.Nxf6+ Kf7 43.Nxh5 Rd4 44.Rb1 Rb4 45.Rxb4 Bxb4 46.Ne3 Ng6 47.Ng3 Bc5 48.Nc4 b5 49.axb5 cxb5 50.Na5 Bb6 51.Nb3 Nf4 52.Nf5 b4 53.h4 Ne6 54.Nd6+ Kg6 55.Nc4 Bc7 56.Kg2 Kh5 57.Kg3 Bd8 58.Kf3 Bf6 59.Nca5 Nd8 60.Nc5 Kxh4 61.Nd3 Ne6 62.Nxb4 �-�

Sicilian B50

Uyanga Byambaa-Sam Schmakel
USCL (7) 2011

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Bg5 e6 9.0-0-0 Be7 10.Qd3 Qa5 11.Bd2 Rc8 12.Nd4 Qh5 13.f3 0-0 14.g4 Qc5 15.Be3 Qa5 16.Bd2 Qd8 17.Rhg1 Nd7 18.f4 g5 19.f5 Ne5 20.Qe2 Bd7 21.Kb1 Qb6 22.Nb3 Nc4 23.Bc1 a5 24.Rgf1 Bf6 25.fxe6 fxe6 26.h4?

Uyanga got a good position and a time advantage from the opening, but did not play the most decisively the past ten moves. With 26.e5! Bxe5 27.Rxf8+ Kxf8 28.Rf1+ Kg8 29.Qf3 Qd8 30.Qf7+ Kh8 31.Ne4 she could have activated all of her pieces and reached a position that would have been difficult to lose.

29.bxc3 axb3 30.cxb3 Ne5

Now all Black needs to do is play ...Be8-g6 and the game is over.

31. Be3?

Instead, 31.Qh2! would have saved the day as Black has no time to consolidate and was already playing on the increment at this stage. After the text the game is over.

31...Qc6 32.Bd4 Kg8 33.Rh1 Be8! 34.Kb2 Bg6 35.Re1 Nf7
36.Bf6 Nxg5 37.Bxg5 Qxc3+ 38.Kb1 d5 37.Qe3 b5 38.a3 Qc7 39.Rf1 Qe7 40.Rf6 Rc6 41.Qe2 Qb7 42.Qe3 Qc7 43.Qe2 Qb8 44.Qe3 Qc8 45.Qe2 Nxg5 46.Qxb5 Ne4 47.Rf3 Rc7 48.Qe2 Rb7 49.b4 Qc6 50.Qf1 Rb8 51.Qd3 Ng5 52.Rf5 exf5 53.gxf5 Ne4 54.fxg6 Qxg6 55.Qf3 Rf8 56.Qh3 Nd2 0-1


With three rounds left in the regular season the Mechanics’ chances to make the playoffs (top 4) will require a strong finish.

WESTERN DIVISION

W

LGame PointsOpps Avg RatingOpps Record
Chicago

7.0

0.021.0/28 (75%)237520.0 - 22.0 (48%)
Los Angeles

4.5

2.515.0/28 (54%)240119.5 - 20.5 (49%)
Dallas

4.0

3.014.5/28 (52%)238418.0 - 22.0 (45%)
San Francisco

3.5

3.514.5/28 (52%)241121.5 - 20.5 (51%)
Arizona

3.0

4.013.5/28 (48%)240519.0 - 21.0 (48%)
Miami

2.5

4.513.0/28 (46%)239319.0 - 21.0 (48%)
Seattle

2.5

4.511.5/28 (41%)240621.5 - 20.5 (51%)
St. Louis

1.5

5.510.0/28 (36%)240923.5 - 18.5 (56%)

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