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Chess Room Newsletter #891

Gens Una Sumus!

 

Newsletter #891

Nov 2, 2019

By Abel Talamantez

Table of Contents

 

 

 Round 2 of TNM Showed Upsets and Action on Broadcast Boards!

Round 2 of the TNM saw many tricks from the underdogs, and viewers were treated to some amazing games. The most action was delivered on board 1, as NM Michael Walder upset FM Kyron Griffith in a very sharp game that left even the players on board 2 (yours truly and Kristian Clemens), at times abandoning our own game to jointly view the bombs lobbed. In the end, Michael Walder was able to close the show and pull off an amazing upset of a previous TNM champion. 

NM Michael Walder won a brilliant fight on board 1 against FM Kyron Griffith

With Gianluca Pane calling in for his game against NM Eric Li, and Li electing to take the forfeit win to stay home and work on school work, I took the opportunity to lay it all out on the line in full public view and play an extra rated game against Kristian Clemens, who just recently won the A section in Reno. While I regret I did not play more creatively and dynamic, I also did not hang my face and kept my position to hold a draw. It was fun to play however, and am glad I had that opportunity.

Another exciting game that went down to the wire was between Ethan Boldi and IM Elliott Winslow. It was one of the final games of the evening, and viewers got to see the finale. During the time scramble, Winslow made an error in holding an already difficult position and Boldi came up with the upset win. 

Ethan Boldi (left) and IM Elliott Winslow during the final minutes of their match, as Nicholas Boldi looks on

Board 9 from the AB section saw an amazing performance from MI regular Jerry Mays, who played a fantastic game to upset Ashik Uzzaman, one of the section favorites to win. It was a terrific perfomance by Mays, who stepped up and perfomed with the world watching.

On Board 10 in the under 1600 section, Mateo Hansen withstood the all out attack from the always entertaining Jerry Simpkins and cruised to an early win. 

Many players returned for round 2, and we had well over 100 people at the club in games or playing skittles in the Annex. It was a great evening of chess, made even better by the special guest appearance of former MI Chess Director Jim Eade. He joined Paul in the broadcast and talked about the games. It was an entertaining broadcast and evening, and we wish him well, as he is now working to help suport players with disabilities playing and learning the game, and organizing chess events and ways to promote the game within that community. 

For current TNM standings, please follow this link:

https://www.milibrary.org/tuesday-night-marathon

For the link of the stream for Tuesday's action, follow this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXV0jwx1Gcs&t=3379s

You can follow our TNM live on our Twitch channel: https://www.twitch.tv/mechanicschess

Inaugural CalChess Rapid and Blitz Championships a Monumental Success!

The newly created CalChess Rapid and Blitz Championships, which will be organized by the Mechanics' Institute for 3 years, was held over the weekend of October 26-27 in what we dubbed Action Weekend. In all, 80 players played the Rapid on Saturday and 60 players the Blitz on Sunday, crowning its first ever state champions in this category. 

2019 CalChess Rapid Championship

18 titled players were among the 80 competing to be the state rapid champion, which was formed in 3 sections. The rapid championship, which was G/15 +2, was won by IM Prasanna Rao, who took clear first with 6/7 over GM Daniel Naroditsky and IM Teddy Coleman at 5.5/7. The tournament was exciting, as it brought out our very own 3-time U.S. Champion GM in Residence Nick de Firmian, who tied for 6th at 4.5/7 and former MI chess Director IM John Donaldson. This 7 round championship tested nerves, as for many their sense of time management came under serious stress as there are not that many live G/15 +2 events in the Bay Area. Players adjusted quickly, but ultimately, their ability to play fast in the final few minutes often made the difference. In this event, IM Prasanna Rao showed everyone he is a force to be reckoned with. He had victories over GM Steven Zierk, IM Teddy Coleman and IM Michael Song. His ability to close the show against these players made the difference, as he drew GM Daniel Naroditsky and secured a final round draw against GM Nick de Firmian. 

Anika Rajaram and Niko Pompe played an epic time scramble to the excitement of the audience.

In the 1500-1999 section, Rohan Rajaram showed the power of youth as he took sole first and was the new champion of the section with 6/7. Devanshi Rathi took clear second with 5.5/7, and Alan Finkelstein and Jacob Chiang tied for third with 5/7.

GM Prasanna Rao (left) drew GM Nick de Firmian in the final round, securing 1st place. GM Daniel Naroditsky defeated GM Steven Zierk on board 2 to tie for 2nd place. 

The winners of the 2019 CalChess Rapid Championship

The championship can be enjoyed by re-watching the broadcast here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRW_o_H9AQI

Final standings can be viewed here:

https://www.milibrary.org/chess-tournament-archive?y=2019&t=78&e=260137

 

2019 CalChess Blitz Championship

The CalChess Blitz Championship brought 60 players to fight for the title of first ever blitz state champion in one of 3 sections. The open section was ultra competitive, drawing 4 Grandmasters, 6 International Masters and 12 other masters. It was an electrifying event, with high drama in games and some of the most insane blunders that are typical of such a fast time control. When the smoke cleared, GM Daniel Naroditsky came out on top, taking clear first after a final round victory over NM Beilin Li with 7.5/9. Tied for 2nd-3rd place were GM Zviad Izoria and GM Conrad Holt with 7/9. The event was broadcast on our 10 DGT boards with live commentary by FM Paul Whitehead.

The room setup prior to the start of the 2019 CalChess Blitz Championship

In the AB section, Jacob Chiang showed his blitz toughness by taking clear first with a score of 7.5/9. Cesar Mendoza was clear 2nd with 7/9 and Mechanics' regular Felix Rudyak took clear thirs with 6.5/9. 

Inside the main room at Mechanics'

In the under 1500 section, Jeremy Cawthon went back to back in rapid and blitz, winning the section and becoing the first rapid and blitz simultaneous champion. Terrific weekend for Jeremy.!

GM Daniel Naroditsky (left) and IM Christopher Yoo square off

The winners of the 2019 CalChess Blitz Championship

To re-watch the broadcast of this very fun and exciting event, please follow this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whVEWgw1Aoo

For results, follow this link:

https://www.milibrary.org/chess-tournament-archive?y=2019&t=78&e=263020

Tournament Director's Corner
50-move rule - What to do under 5 minutes?
 

Under 5 minutes, or during blitz/rapid, you don't need to notate per rules. But what to do if you want to claim a draw on 50-moves rule for example, where you would need your scoresheet to prove? (US Chess Rule 14F.)
14F1. Explanation.The game is drawn when the player on move claims a draw and demonstrates that the last 50 consecutive moves have been made by each side without any capture or pawn move. If the director wishes to allow more than 50 moves for certain positions, details must be postedat the tournament before the first round.
 
The simple and quick answer is: ASK FOR ASSISTANCE from the Tournament Director (TD)! TD can assist with counting moves and as I often say to the kids, we are your best friends:) so use us! TDs can opt to take notation, or just count the moves, depending on the situation, such as how fast the game is going.
I certainly had a super fast game to count this past Sunday, so I opted counting in head and noting every 10 moves on my hand due to lack of paper around me :)
Note that once the 50 moves is up, the game is declared a draw. This is true regardless of the position, even if the next move is a checkmate.

Any questions? or you have an interesting situation that you think others can learn about it? Email us to [email protected] and we can include it in the next newsletter!

Wednesday Night Blitz Update

The October 30th edition of the Wednesday Night Blitz saw two new faces to the competition; Chess Director Abel Talamantez and General Manager Judit Sztaray! Abel scored a respectable 3/6 while Judit held her own with 2/6. As for the winners, NM Jules Jelinek and Felix Rudyak tied for 1st place with 5/6, and Romulo Sylvestri and Max Hao tied for 3rd with 4/6. It was a great follow up to this weekends CalChess Blitz Championship and was a lot of fun playing. Remember, next weeks blitz starts at 5:45pm since it is the first Wednesday of the month. The tournament was very smothly run by the great one himself, Jules Jelineck.
 
 
See you next week!

A Comedy of Errors at the 2019 CalChess Blitz Championships.

By FM Paul Whitehead

The 2019 CalChess Blitz Championship, hosted by the Mechanics’ Institute Chess Club last Sunday, was won narrowly, if not unsurprisingly, by GM Daniel Naroditsky with 7.5 out of nine.  His play was more consistent than his rivals, but he had a nasty scare in the 4th Round vs. IM Christopher Yoo:

Naroditsky Daniel - Yoo Christopher Woojin (26

Here 26…g3! Would have broken through. Instead the young prodigy chose 26…Nf5?! And after 27.Rxe4 Rxe4 28.Nxe4, White was back in the game and went on to win.

However, this column is dedicated to the all-too-human capacity to err, blunder, hang one’s face – whatever you want to call it.  It makes for interesting chess, and gives some solace: we all fall down. 

 

IM Prasanna Rao was returning to the MI after winning the CalChess Rapid Championship the previous day.  Maybe he didn’t get enough sleep: in the very 1st round he blundered into a mate in one against Expert Jamal El Chamieh:

Prasanna Raghuram Rao - Shamieh Jamal (34

Here Black played the “sneaky” 34…c5! White repositioned his Queen with 35.Qf4?? and was mated on the spot with 35…Qxg2#!

A very similar “idea” occurred in the last round game between Expert Adrian Kondakov and IM Ladia Jirasek:

Kondakov Adrian - Jirasek Ladia (29

Young Adrian has been on the ropes the entire game, but kept making moves. Here Ladia can wind up the game (eventually) with 29…Nf6! And if 30.Qxb4 Ne4+ 31. Kb3 Rb8 wins.  Instead Black played 29…Rb8?? and was stunned by 30.Qxg7#!

 

Expert Jamal El Chamieh continued his giant-killing ways in the second round when FM Kyron Griffith went for broke in this position:

Griffith Kyron - Shamieh Jamal (38.. 

White is 2 pawns down, but it’s bishops of opposite colors and very drawish after the safe 38.Qf3.  Instead there was a quick flurry of horrendous mistakes: 38.Rc1?? Qf2+? (38…Qb2+! Wins the rook) 39.Kh3?? (Kyron can still hang on with 39.Kh1) Qxg3 mate!

 

“Every Russian Schoolboy Knows.”

Onlookers were amused (and some quite aghast) by this situation, reached between the two Blitz Mavens, Experts Arthur Ismakov and Jules Jelinek in round 3:

Ismakov Arthur - Jelinek Jules J (64.

“Every Russian schoolboy knows…” is an old as the hills chess saying, but I guess Arthur’s schooldays are long forgotten, and he uncorks the awful 65.Rc4?? (65.Rb3, the well-known 3rd-line defense, is correct). After 65…Kh3 Jules soon pulled out a win on time – before he could “forget” how to win the upcoming Lucena Position!

 

Back to tournament winner GM Daniel Naroditsky, who enjoyed showing me this miniature victory over IM Vladimir Mezentsev from Round 2:

Naroditsky Daniel - Mezentsev Vladimir (14

Black is already on the ropes: he’s behind in development and a piece down for only 2 pawns. But at least he could make a fight of it with 14…b5.  Instead he had to resign after 14…d6? 15.Nb6. Oops!

 

In the 8th Round GM Conrad Holt as White was enjoying a nice advantage after 26 moves over GM Steven Zierk in the following position:

Holt Conrad - Zierk Steven (26..

Holt just couldn’t bring himself to make a move, and was brought out of his trance only when Zierk called “Time!”

 

By the end of the tournament I felt I was watching a series of fast-motion train wrecks.  Here is an incredible (but true!) turn-around between IM Vladimir Mezentsev as White vs Oleg Shakhnazarov in Round 9:

Mezentsev Vladimir - Shakhnazarov Oleg (31

 

White has just played 31.Qh6. Black “naturally” defends against the threatened Qg7 mate by replying with 31…Qf8.  Now White avoids the exchange of Queens with 32.Qh4?? This not only overlooked Black’s reply 32…Rxh4, forcing White’s resignation, it overlooked the fact that he could have played 32.Qh8 mate!

 

It might be true, as Alexander Pope said, that “To err is human, to forgive divine.”

But after seeing some of these moves I’m not so sure.

Tony's Teasers

Mate in 3, white to move. Sam Lloyd 1976-1877

Solution

1. Qc3!!  Kf4

2. Nd2    h5   

3. Qd4#

This Week's Problem

Mate in 3, white to move. Walter Jacobs, 1941.

Upcoming Events

GM Susan Polgar visiting this Saturday, 11/2 @ 6PM - FREE events for the community

GrandMaster Susan Polgar is visiting the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club after many years. She'll be giving a lecture at 6PM, followed by a short Question&Answer.

Immediately after, but no later than 7PM, we'll have a fun puzzle solving competition. Susan is famous of making her own puzzles, and players at any level can give it a try. Players will get 30 minutes to solve a total of 20 puzzles, listed in increasing hardness.

Both the lecture and the puzzle solving competition is free for the general community, and Susan will be avaiable for pictures and autograhps.
Hope to see many of you there!
 

Caroll Capps Memorial November 2-3

The long FIDE rated time control games come back next week with the Caroll Capps Memorial tournament, a 4-round 2-day event with G/90 +30 time control. If you love classical chess, this is the tournament to play. At $50 for non MI members and $45 for MI members, it is the best value in town for 4 FIDE rated games. Information and registration link can be found here:

https://www.milibrary.org/chess-tournaments/48th-carroll-capps-memorial-g90

 

GM Nick de Firmian's Column

Great Women Chess Players:  Week 2- Irina Krush

This week we investigate the games and life of the strongest American woman player in history, Irina Krush. Irina was born in the Ukraine but moved to Brooklyn at 5 years old, so she is very much an American chess product. She learned chess the same year she came to America and progressed rapidly. At 14 years old she became the youngest ever US Women’s Champion. That championship was in 1998 in Denver Colorado, where coincidentally your author was the men’s champion. Irina has won the Women’s championship a record 7 times! She is also one of the women who has gained the title of (men’s) Grandmaster and has participated on the US Women’s Olympic teams regularly since 1998. In 2016 she appeared on the Steve Harvey show with Hillary Clinton, where she answered questions regarding her chess career.

Irina plays straightforward, aggressive, classical chess. She has won so many women’s events around the world, and recently a notable event in Berkeley, just across the bay. We give three of her games against very strong grandmasters in which she shows she is not of the weaker sex! Her game against Victor the Terrible involved a bit of luck, but the other two were simply tours de force.

(1) Viktor Korchnoi (2629) - Irina Krush (2449) [A28]
5th Gibraltar Chess Festival Catalan Bay ENG, 31.01.2007

Irina plays against the great Viktor Korchnoi, two time challenger to the World Championship. No one expected anything from her with Black against Victor the Terrible. 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.a3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Qc2 Be7 7.e3 0-0 8.Be2 Be6 9.0-0 f5 Diagram

Great_Women2_75
Irina isn't nervous and just plays her usual classical good moves. The poisition is a Sicilian Reversed where Black is fully equal. 10.d3 Qe8 11.Nxd5 Bxd5 12.b4 a6 13.Bb2 Qg6 14.Rac1 Kh8 15.g3 Stopping the mate threat on g2 so that the e-pawn needs guarding. Action in the center is immanent. 15...Bf6 16.Nd2 e4!? Starting the action. 17.Bxf6 Rxf6 18.dxe4 fxe4 19.Qb2?! Be6 20.f4!? This leaves White with an isolated pawn, but his pieces are active to compensate. 20...exf3 21.Bxf3 Bh3 22.Be4! Rxf1+ 23.Rxf1 Qe6 24.Rf4 Rd8 25.Qc3 Kg8! Irina has keeps pace with her illustrious opponent. The game is still even. 26.Qc5 [26.Bc2!] 26...g6? [26...Qe5!] 27.Rf2?? Diagram
Great_Women2_76
[27.Rf8+! Kg7 28.Rxd8 Nxd8 29.Qxc7+ Nf7 Is a struggle for Black] 27...Qxe4! Not a flawless game by Irina, but it was an important one as she showed she could beat an all time great. 0-1

 

(2) Irina Krush (2380) - Hikaru Nakamura (2428) [E94]
Mayor's Cup New York, NY USA, 2001

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.d4 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Na6 Diagram

Great_Women2_77
Both players were teenage prodigies at this time. Irina plays her classical style and Hikaru takes a slightly offbeat variation as he often does. 8.Be3 Ng4 9.Bg5 Qe8 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.h3 Nf6 12.a3 Nc5 13.Qc2 Ne6 14.c5!? [Perhaps 14.Be3 was a bit better. With the text Irina seeks to take queenside space.] 14...Nxg5 [14...Nxc5 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 wins 16.Nd5] 15.Nxg5 Qe7 16.b4 Nh5 17.Nf3 Nf4 18.Rfd1 c6 19.Rd6 Diagram
Great_Women2_78
An aggressive move typical of Irina. She is not afraid to advance. 19...Ne6 20.Bc4 Nd4 21.Qd1 b5 22.Bf1 Be6 [would secure Black a good game as it brings the a8 rook into play. 22...a5!] 23.Nxd4 exd4 24.Ne2 Be5 Diagram
Great_Women2_79
25.Nxd4! Bd7 26.Nb3 Rad8 27.Ra2 Diagram
Great_Women2_80
27...Bxd6 28.cxd6 Qg5 [The greedy 28...Qxe4! would give Black equal chances.] 29.Nc5! Bxh3 30.Qd4 Be6 31.Rd2 h5 32.e5 Bd5 33.f4 Qg4 Diagram
Great_Women2_81
34.Bxb5! Black has the extra exchange but White has control of the center with the advanced e and d pawns. 34...h4 35.Bc4 h3 36.Ne4 h2+? This eager check will end up losing the pawn for nothing. Black needed to play 36...Bxe4 though he was still under pressure. 37.Kh1 Bxe4 38.Qxe4 Kg7 39.Qd4! Diagram
Great_Women2_82
Black is in serious trouble as the white queen controls the dark squares and the bishop the light squares. Naka casts a pawn in the way, but it loses its life for nothing. 39...c5?! 40.bxc5 Rb8 41.Ba2 Qg3 42.e6+ f6 [42...Kh6 43.Rd3!] 43.Rd1 Qg4 44.e7 Rh8 45.d7 Rb2 46.Bd5 Rhb8 Diagram
Great_Women2_83
47.e8Q Rb1 48.Qe1 1-0

 

(3) Irina Krush (2464) - Alexander Shabalov (2606) [D44]
National Open Las Vegas, NV USA, 06.2007

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5 Diagram

Great_Women2_84
Alex Shabalov has always been a tactical, aggressive attacking player thoughout his career. This sharp variation is no surprise coming from him. Irina doesn't back down - she sacs the pawn in this well known (but difficult) Botvinnik Variation of the Semi-Slav. 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5 hxg5 10.Bxg5 Nbd7 11.g3 Diagram
Great_Women2_85
The most principled (and best) move. Irina will win her piece back due to the pin on the f6 knight. Shaba now chooses a lesser line, giving Irina the theoretical edge. 11...Qa5?! 12.exf6 b4 13.Ne4 Ba6 Diagram
Great_Women2_86
14.Qf3! Not fearing the pawn advances and the trouble they cause. 14...b3+ 15. Nc3 leaves White very solid, and 14...c3?! allows a pawn and bishop trade into a clear edge for White. 14...Rd8 15.Be2 Nb6?! 16.Nc5! Rd5 Diagram
Great_Women2_87
17.Nxa6! Qxa6 18.Be3 Diagram
Great_Women2_88
Black is a pawn down, which is a small worrie in this variation. The big problem is the white squared bishop, for which Black has no counterpart and thus suffers on the white squares. 18...b3?! Good advice is hard to find. 19.0-0 bxa2 20.b3! Kd7 21.bxc4 Rf5 [21...Nxc4 22.Rfc1] 22.Qe4 Qa4 23.Rfc1 Ra5 24.Bd1 Qa3 25.Bf3! Diagram
Great_Women2_89

The switch back to the long white diagonal is decisive. Shabalov can't defend c6 and so resigned. 1-0

2019 Fall TNM Games Round 2

Annotations by GM Nick de Firmian

(1) Walder,Michael (2101) - Griffith,Kyron (2452) [B99]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (2.1), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 Nbd7 Griffith played this line three times in a row last June, scoring two wins and a quick draw, so of course Walder, who loves to prepare, decided on an interesting line. 10.f5!? This, P.Negi's "alternate" system against the main line Najdorf Sicilian, can be quite annoying for Black. Another advantage is White can also play this with ...h6 and Bh4 tossed in (with some differences). Walder prepared well and caught Griffith out. 10...e5 [10...Ne5 is the other try, but White has sharp pressure on e6 after 11.Qh3] 11.Nde2! White "has plan" (Boris Badenov). [11.Nb3 has been played a fair amount with less than success.] 11...b5 12.Bxf6 Nxf6 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5! Bb7 [Somebody won a game with 14...e4 15.Qxe4 0-0 but White was all but winning.] 15.Ng3 Rc8 16.Bd3 Qc5 17.Be4 All according to Negi. 17...b4 [who gives only 17...Bg5+ 18.Kb1 Qe3 19.Qh5+/=; Stockfish gives 17...f6 as "0.00" after 18.Qh5+ Kf8 19.Rhf1 b4 20.Rf3; but 17...f6 18.Nh5 0-0 White has a nice slow buildup with Kb1/h4/g4/Rdg1 or Rhg1 and eventually g4-g5.] 18.Kb1 Bg5?! Just gives White a free move towards the attack. [18...f6 19.Nh5 (19.Qh5+) 19...0-0 20.h4] 19.h4 Bd8?! 20.Nh5 Now the computer makes White winning. 20...Kf8 21.g4 [21.f6 g6 22.Ng7] 21...Bb6 22.g5 Qe3 23.Qg4 Definitely no queen trade here! 23...Rc7 24.Rhe1 Qc5 25.f6 g6 26.Ng7 Bc8

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_922
27.Ne6+!! Kg8 [27...fxe6 28.dxe6; 27...Ke8 28.h5] 28.h5 Qc4 29.hxg6 fxg6 [29...hxg6 30.Rh1; 29...Bxe6 30.gxh7+ Kf8 31.g6! fxg6 32.dxe6] 30.Qh4 Rb7 31.Qh6 Rf7 32.b3 [32.Bxg6!] 32...Qc3 33.Bxg6 A game to be proud of! 1-0

 

(2) Talamantez Jr,Abel G (1804) - Clemens,Kristian (1927) [D02]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Extra San Francisco (2), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.e3 Bg4 6.Be2 e6 7.0-0 Bd6 8.Bg5 Qb6 9.Qb3 Ne4 10.Qxb6 axb6 11.Bh4 0-0 12.Re1 Rfe8 13.Nbd2 Nxd2 14.Nxd2 Bxe2 15.Rxe2 e5 16.Bg3 Rad8 17.dxe5 Bxe5 18.Bh4 f6 19.Rae1 Kf7 20.Nb3 Bc7 21.Bg3 Bxg3 22.hxg3 c4 23.Nd4 Nxd4 24.exd4 Rxe2 25.Rxe2 Ra8 26.a3 Rh8 Solid play by the chess director! 1/2-1/2

(3) Boldi,Ethan (2055) - Winslow,Elliott (2248) [E67]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (2.3), 29.10.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.0-0 d6 6.c4 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Qc2 c6 10.Rd1 Qc7 11.e4 Re8 12.b3 Bf8 13.Bb2 Nh5 14.a3 Ng7 15.b4 Ne6 16.Bf1 Bg7 17.Ne2 b6 18.Qd2

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_923
18...c5! 19.Nc3 Nd4 20.Nxd4 [20.Bg2!?] 20...exd4 21.Nd5 Qd8 22.f4
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_924
22...Nf6? [22...Rxe4! 23.Bg2 Re6 24.Nc7 Qxc7 25.Bxa8 Nf6 26.Re1 Ng4-/+] 23.Nxf6+?! [23.e5 Nxd5 24.cxd5 Bg4 25.Rdc1 Qxd5 26.Bg2 Bf3 27.Bxf3 Qxf3 28.bxc5 Red8!=/+ 29.Bxd4?? Qe4] 23...Qxf6-/+ 24.Bg2 Bb7 25.Re1 Qe6 26.Qd3 Rac8 [26...b5!] 27.b5 Re7?! [27...a6 28.a4 Ra8] 28.Re2 Rce8 29.Rae1 h5?! [29...a6] 30.Bc1! a6 31.a4 axb5 32.axb5 Ra8?
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_925
[32...Qd7] 33.f5!= Qf6? [33...Qd7; 33...Qc8] 34.h4!+/- Rd7? 35.Bg5 [35.Bh3!+-] 35...Qe5 36.Bf4 Qe8 37.Bh3 [37.e5] 37...Bc8 [37...Be5 38.fxg6 Rc7] 38.fxg6?! [38.e5!+- gxf5 39.e6!] 38...Rda7 39.gxf7+ Qxf7 40.Bxc8 Rxc8?! [40...Ra3! 41.Qd1 Rxc8+/=] 41.e5 Qe6 42.Rc1 Re8 43.Qf3 Qf5 44.Qd5+ Re6 45.Rf1 Rf7 46.Ref2 [46.g4!] 46...Qg4 47.Kg2 Kh7 48.Re1 Rfe7 49.Re4 Qg6 50.Re1 Qe8 [50...Re8+/=] 51.Rfe2 [51.g4 hxg4 52.h5 Kg8! 53.h6 Rd7!?] 51...Rd7 52.Qe4+ Qg6 53.Kf3 d3 [53...Rf7] 54.Rd2 Rd4 55.Qxg6+ Kxg6
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_926
56.Re4? [56.Re3 Rxc4 57.Rdxd3 Rb4 58.Rd7 Rxb5 59.g4!+-] 56...Kf5= 57.Rxd4 cxd4 58.Rxd3 Bxe5 59.Bc1 Rg6 [59...Re8; 59...Re7] 60.Bf4 Bg7?? [60...Re6=] 61.Rb3 Bf8 62.Rb1 Bc5 63.Re1 Rg7 64.Re5+ Kg6 65.Rg5+ Kf7 66.Rxg7+ Kxg7 67.Ke4 Kg6 68.Be5 d3 69.Kxd3 Kf5 70.Bd4 Bd6 71.Bf2 [71.Bxb6 Bxg3 72.c5] 71...Kg4 72.Ke4 Bc7 73.Kd5 Kf3 74.Be1 Ke2 75.Kc6 Bd8 76.Bb4 Kd3 77.c5 Be7 78.cxb6 1-0

 

(4) Wong,NM Russell (2200) - Hakobyan,Sos (1809) [C11]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (2.4), 29.10.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Ne2 Be7 8.c3 Bh4+ 9.g3 Be7 10.Bh3 b6 11.0-0 Ba6 12.Be3 Rc8 13.Rc1 cxd4 14.cxd4 Na5 15.Rxc8 Qxc8 16.f5 exf5 17.Bxf5 g6 18.e6 gxf5 19.exd7+ Qxd7 20.Ne5 Qb5 21.Rf2 Nc4 22.Bc1 Nxe5 23.dxe5 Bc5 24.Nd4 Qd3 25.Qa4+

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_927
25...b5!! After a half hour thought (!) Hakobyan finds the best if not only defense! I was sitting next to them wondering what he was thinking about! Now I know. [25...Kf8 26.Bh6+ Ke7 27.Bg5+ Kf8 (27...f6 28.Bxf6+ is an even quicker mate) 28.Qd7!! Qb1+ (28...h6 29.Qd8+ Kg7 30.Bf6+ Kg6 31.Qxh8 and the chase is still on 31...Qxd4 (31...Qb1+ 32.Kg2 Qe4+ 33.Rf3 (33.Nf3) ) 32.Qg8+ Kh5 33.Qxf7+ Kg4 34.Qg6+) ; 25...Kd8 26.e6! b5 27.Qa5+!! The only winning move 27...Bb6 (27...Ke8 28.Qc7 fxe6 29.Qc6+ and the bishop enters with check) 28.Qb4! Qxd4 29.Qd6+ (only) 29...Kc8 30.Qc6+ (only) 30...Bc7 31.Bf4 Qb6 32.Qd7+ Kb7 33.e7+-] 26.Qxa6 0-0!! Everything else loses horribly. 27.Nb3
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_928
Almost risks losing. [27.Qf6 forces perpetual 27...Qd1+ 28.Kg2 Qxc1?? 29.Nxf5; as does 27.Qh6 f6?? 28.exf6 (28.Ne6 Bxf2+ 29.Kxf2 Rf7 30.exf6) 28...Rf7 29.Qg5+ Kh8 30.Nxf5 wins as well (if Black tries to avoid the perpetual)] 27...Bxf2+?? Sos still had 40 minutes left but the previous calculation must have sapped his energy. [27...Bb6! The computer says "0.00" after 28.Qb7 and I can't argue (or understand why). (and 28.Bd2; and 28.Bf4) ] 28.Kxf2 Qc2+ 29.Bd2 Qxb2 30.Qf6 Re8 31.Qg5+ Kh8 32.Qxf5 Kg8 [32...b4! 33.Qxf7 Qxe5 34.Bxb4 Qe2+ 35.Kg1 Qd1+ 36.Qf1 was the best defense, but the ending is unsavory.] 33.Qg4+ Kh8 34.Qd4?! [34.Qf4; 34.Qd7] 34...Qxd4+ 35.Nxd4 Rxe5 36.Nxb5 Re4 Black is resisting, but starts to slide. 37.Nc3?! [37.a3! Ra4 38.Bb4 a5 39.Bc5 Rc4 40.Bd4+ Kg8 41.Ke3 Rc2 42.h4] 37...Re7? [37...Rb4+/= 38.a3 Rb2 39.Ke1 d4 40.a4 Kg7 41.Nb5 Ra2 42.a5 d3 43.Nxa7 Kf6 now it's Black with the active king] 38.Nxd5 Rd7 39.Bc3+ f6 40.Nxf6 Rd1 41.Ke2 Rh1 42.Kd3 Kg7 43.a4 Kg6 44.h4 Rf1 45.Ne4 Kf5 46.Ke3 Rc1 47.Kf3 Rf1+ 48.Ke2 Rc1 49.Kd2 Rg1 50.Kd3 Rd1+ 51.Kc2 Rg1 52.Nd6+ Kg4 53.Be5 h5 54.Nb5 a6 55.Nc7 a5 56.Nd5 Rxg3 57.Bxg3 Kxg3 58.Nf6 Kxh4 59.Kc3 Kg5 60.Nxh5 Kxh5 61.Kc4 1-0

 

(5) Davila,NM Carlos (2118) - Thieme,Steffen (2014) [B45]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (2.5), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Ndb5 a6 [6...d6; 6...Bb4] 7.Nd6+ Bxd6 8.Qxd6 Qe7 9.Qd1?! d5 10.exd5 exd5+ 11.Qe2 Be6 12.Bg5 Nd4 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Qd2 Bf5+ 15.Kd1 Nxc2 16.Bd3 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 Nb4 18.Qf5 0-0 19.Re1 Qc5 20.Re4 Rfe8 21.Rg4+ Kf8 22.a3 Nd3 23.Qxd3 Qxf2 24.Qd2 Qf1+ 25.Kc2 Qf5+ 26.Kb3 Qxg4 27.Nxd5 b5 28.Qh6+ Qg7 29.Qf4 Qg5 30.Qb4+ Kg7 31.Rd1 Red8 32.Rd3 Kh8 33.Qe4 Qe5 34.Qf3 Rd6 35.Nc3 Qe6+ 36.Kc2 Rad8 37.Re3 Qc4 38.Kb1 Qb3 39.Re1 a5 40.Qf1 b4 41.axb4 axb4 42.Na2 Kg7 43.Nc1 Qd5 44.Re3 Rc8 45.Qe2 Re6 46.Rg3+ Kh8 47.Qg4 Rxc1+ 48.Kxc1 Re1+ 49.Kc2 Qc5+ 50.Kb3 Qd5+ 51.Qc4 Qxc4+ 52.Kxc4 Re4+ 53.Kc5 Re2 54.b3 Re4 55.Kd5 f5 56.Rf3 Re2 57.Kc4 Re4+ 58.Kc5 f4 59.Rf2 Kg7 60.Rc2 Kf6 61.Rc4 Kf5 62.Kxb4 Re2 63.Rc7 f6 64.Rg7 h5 65.Kc5 h4 66.h3 Re3 67.b4 Rg3 68.Rxg3 hxg3 0-1

(6) Snyder,Larry (2061) - Maser,Thomas (1914) [C45]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (2.6), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bb4+ Nowhere near as popular as the main lines, but it scores very well. [4...Bc5; 4...Nf6] 5.c3 Be7 [5...Bc5; 5...Ba5] 6.Be3 [6.Nxc6!?; 6.Nf5!?] 6...Nf6 7.Bd3 Ne5 8.Bc2 [8.0-0 d5! 9.Bc2 Nxe4 10.Qh5? (10.Nd2 Nf6 11.Re1 0-0=/+) 10...Bf6 11.Nd2 0-1 (11) Sand,R (2027)-Ovsejevitsch,S (2597) Bad Wiessee 2010 (11.Nd2 Bg4) ; 8.Nf5 d5] 8...d5 9.Nd2 0-0 10.0-0 c5 11.N4b3 [11.N4f3=] 11...Qc7?! [11...Neg4 12.Bxc5 Qc7 13.e5 Bxc5 14.Nxc5 Nxe5=/+] 12.h3 [12.Bf4] 12...Rd8 [12...Ng6] 13.f4 d4? [13...Ng6 14.e5 d4 15.cxd4 Nd5] 14.cxd4 cxd4 15.Nxd4? [15.Bxd4!] 15...Nc4?? [15...Neg4! 16.hxg4 Nxg4 17.Qe2 Nxe3 18.Qxe3 Rxd4-/+] 16.Nxc4 Qxc4 17.Bb3+- Qb4 18.Qd3 [18.a3!] 18...Bc5 19.Rfd1

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_929
19...Bg4!? [19...Be6 20.Kh2] 20.Rd2?? [20.hxg4 Nxg4 21.Bd5+-] 20...Rxd4?? [20...Bxd4 21.Bxd4 Nxe4! 22.Qxe4 Qxd2 23.Bc3 Qe2 24.Qxb7 Qe3+ 25.Kh1 Be6 26.Re1 Qb6 27.Qxb6 axb6 28.Bxe6 fxe6 29.Rxe6 Rf8=] 21.Bxd4 Rd8 22.Qc3? [22.Bd5! Nxe4 (22...Nxd5 23.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 24.Qd4 Qxd4+ 25.Rxd4) 23.Bxc5 Qxd2 24.Qxd2 Nxd2 25.Bxb7] 22...Rxd4!= 23.Qxb4 Rxb4+ 24.Kh2
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_930
24...Be6?? [24...Bd7! 25.e5 Be3! 26.Rad1 Bxf4+ 27.Kg1 Bxd2 28.Rxd2 Bc6 29.exf6 gxf6=/+] 25.Rd8+ Bf8 26.e5+- Bxb3 27.axb3 Ne4 28.Rxa7 Nc5 29.f5 g6 30.Raa8 gxf5 31.Rxf8+ Kg7 32.Rg8+ Kh6 33.Raf8 A fantastic battle between two longtime Bay Area veterans; Snyder didn't play for ten years except for one TNM a couple years ago. 1-0

 

(7) Marcus,Joel (1850) - Gaffagan,Steven (2040) [A48]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (2.7), 29.10.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 d6 4.h3 Bg7 5.e3 0-0 6.Be2 b6 7.0-0 Bb7 8.Nbd2 Nbd7 9.Bh2 Ne4 10.Nxe4 Bxe4 11.c3 e5 12.a4 a5 13.Qb3 Qe7 14.Rfe1 Bb7 15.Rac1 Rae8 16.Qc4 e4 17.Nd2 Nf6 18.Qb3 Kh8 19.c4 Rb8 20.Qb5 Nd7 21.c5 bxc5 22.Qxa5 Rfc8 23.Bb5 Ra8 24.Qc3 c6 25.Bf1 d5 26.Qb3 Ba6 27.Bxa6 Rxa6 28.Qb7 Rca8 29.Nb3 cxd4 30.Nxd4 c5 31.Nb5 Rxa4 32.Qxd5 Ne5 33.Bxe5 Qxe5 34.Qxc5 Qxc5 35.Rxc5 Bxb2 36.Nd6 Kg8 37.Nc4 Ra1 38.Rxa1 Rxa1+ 39.Kh2 Rc1 40.Rc8+ Kg7 41.Nd6 Be5+ 42.g3 Rxc8 43.Nxc8 h5 44.Nb6 h4 45.Nc4 hxg3+ 46.fxg3 Bc7 47.Kg2 Kf6 48.Nd2 Ke5 49.g4 f5 50.gxf5 gxf5 51.h4 Bd8 52.Kh3 Kd5 53.Kg3 Bc7+ 54.Kh3 Ba5 55.Nf1 Be1 56.h5 Ke5 57.Ng3 Kf6 58.h6 Kg6 59.h7 Bc3 60.Nxe4 fxe4 61.Kg4 Kxh7 62.Kf4 Bd2 63.Kxe4 Bxe3 1/2-1/2

(8) Tsodikova,Natalya (2196) - Lehman,Clarence (1900) [C55]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (2.8), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 d5 5.Bb5 dxe4 6.Nxe5 Qd5 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.d4 Ba6 9.b3 c5 10.Be3 cxd4 11.Qxd4 Qxd4 12.Bxd4 c5 13.Bb2 Bd6 14.Nd2 0-0 15.0-0-0 Rfe8 [15...Bxe5 16.Bxe5 Ng4 17.Bg3 f5 18.h3 f4 19.Bh4 Nxf2 20.Bxf2 e3 21.Bh4 exd2+ 22.Rxd2+/=] 16.Ndc4+/-

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_931
White's better pawns and active knights outweigh the two bishops. 16...Bc7 17.h3 Re6 18.g3 Bxc4 19.Nxc4 Rae8 20.Ne3 Be5 21.Bxe5 Rxe5 The bishops are gone but the weak pawns remain. 22.Rd6 h5 23.Rhd1 Kh7 24.Kb2 R8e7 25.Kc3 Rb7 26.a3 Rb6 27.Kc4 Ne8 28.R6d5 Rxd5 29.Rxd5 Rf6 30.Rxh5+ Kg6 31.Re5 Nd6+ 32.Kxc5 Nb7+ 33.Kd4 Rxf2 34.Rxe4 Nd6 35.Rg4+ Kh7 36.c4 Rb2 37.c5 Nb5+ 38.Kc4 Nxa3+ 39.Kb4 Nb1 40.c6 a5+ 41.Kxa5 Rxb3 42.c7 1-0

 

(9) Askin,David (2053) - German,Felix (1859) [D07]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (2.11), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 dxc4 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.d5 Bxf3 6.exf3 Ne5 7.Bf4 Ng6

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_932
8.Bxc4! Qc8 [8...Nxf4? 9.Bb5+ c6 10.dxc6! wins] 9.Bg3 f5 10.f4 e5 11.dxe6 Bd6 12.0-0 N8e7 13.Nb5 0-0 14.Nxd6 cxd6 15.Rc1 Qd8 16.Bb5 d5 17.Bd7 White does have the bishops vs. knights, but it's really about that e6-pawn still being on the board. 17...Qb6 18.Qd2 h5 19.h4 Rf6 20.Rc3 Nf8 21.Rb3 Qa6 22.Qb4 Neg6 23.Ra3 Qc4 24.Qxb7 Rd8 25.Rxa7 Nxd7 26.exd7 Nf8 27.Ra8 Ne6 28.Rxd8+ Nxd8 29.Qc8 Rf8 1-0

 

(10) Melville,Cailen (1871) - Askin,Michael (2000) [E04]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (2.12), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.g3 The modern trend: Catalan, blissful disinterest in recovering the pawn. 5...dxc4 6.Bg2 Bb4 7.Ne5 Nd5 8.Bd2 b5 9.0-0 Bxc3 10.bxc3 Bb7 11.e4 Ne7 12.Rb1 Qc8 13.Qg4 0-0 14.h4 Kh8 [14...Nd7+/= 15.h5 f5!] 15.h5 h6 16.Qf3 Qe8 17.Nxc4 White only takes now. 17...bxc4 18.Rxb7 Nd7 19.Bf4 Nc8 20.e5 Nb8

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_933
[20...Ne7] 21.Bxh6! gxh6 22.Qf6+ Kg8 23.Be4 Nd7 24.Qxh6 f5 25.exf6 Rxf6 26.Qh7+ Kf8 27.Rxd7 Ne7 28.Qh8+ Ng8 29.Qg7# 1-0

 

(11) Mays,Jerry (1700) - Uzzaman,Ashik (1935) [B72]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.9), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 a6 7.f3 b5 8.Qd2 Bb7 9.0-0-0 Nbd7 10.Kb1 Rc8 11.g4 [11.a4!?] 11...Ne5 12.g5 [12.Be2; 12.Bg1] 12...Nfd7 [12...Nxf3! 13.Nxf3 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 Bxe4 15.Bd4 Bxf3 16.Bxh8 Bxh1 17.Bh3+/=] 13.h4+/- Nc4 14.Bxc4 Rxc4 15.h5 e5

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_934
16.hxg6! exd4?! [16...fxg6 17.Nd5!] 17.Bxd4 Rxd4 18.Qxd4 Ne5 19.Rxh7 Rxh7 20.gxh7 Bg7 21.f4 Qe7 22.Qxd6 Qxd6 23.Rxd6 Nc4 24.Rh6! Bh8 25.Kc1 b4 26.Na4 Bxe4 27.Rxa6 Kf8 28.b3 Ne3 29.Rb6 Nxc2 30.Nc5 Bxh7 31.Nd7+?! [31.Rb8+! Kg7 32.Nd7; 31.Rh6!] 31...Ke7 32.Nf6? [32.Rh6! Bg6 33.Rxh8 Kxd7 34.Rb8] 32...Bxf6 33.Rxf6 Ne1? [33...Ne3=] 34.Rb6 Kf8 35.Kd2 Nd3 36.Ke3 [36.g6!] 36...Kg7 37.Rb7 Bf5 38.Rb5 Bh7 39.f5 Nc1 40.Ra5 Kf8 41.Ra8+ Ke7 42.g6 fxg6 43.Ra7+ Kf6 44.Rxh7 Nxa2 45.fxg6 Kxg6 46.Rb7 Kf6 47.Kd4 Ke6 48.Kc4 Kd6 49.Ra7 Nc3 50.Kxb4 Nd5+ 51.Kc4 Nb6+ 52.Kb5 Nd5 53.Ra6+ Kd7 54.Kc5 Nc7 55.Ra7 Kc8 56.Kc6 Jerry kept control most of the game. Well done. 1-0

 

(12) Busch,Jonah (1871) - Xu,Jayden (1774) [C06]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.13), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ne2 cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 Nxf6 10.0-0 Bd6 11.Nf3 Qc7 12.Bg5 0-0 13.a3 Bd7 14.Rc1 Be8 15.Ng3 Nh5 16.Re1 Nxg3 17.hxg3 Bh5 18.Be2 Rf5 19.Be3 Raf8 20.Ng5 Bf7 21.Bd3 h6 22.Bxf5 exf5 23.Nxf7 Qxf7 24.f4 Qg6 25.Qf3 Ne7 26.Rc2 Rf6 27.Rce2 Qf7 28.Bd2 Nc6 29.Bc3 g5 30.Qe3 Qg7 31.Qe8+ Kh7 32.Re6 Rf8 33.Qh5 Bc7

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_935
34.fxg5 [34.fxg5 Qxg5 35.Qxg5 hxg5 36.Rxc6 bxc6 37.Re7+ Kg6 38.Rxc7] 1-0

 

(13) Lin,Aung (1642) - Drane,Robert (1800) [A04]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.14), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.Nf3 f5 2.b3 d6 3.Bb2 e5 4.e3 Nf6 5.Bc4 g6 6.0-0 Bg7 7.Nc3 b6 8.Ng5 d5 9.Bb5+ c6 10.Be2 Na6 11.f4 e4 12.Bxa6 Bxa6 13.Ne6 Qe7 14.Nxg7+ Qxg7 15.d3 0-0 16.Ne2 exd3 17.cxd3 Qe7 18.Rf3 Rfe8 19.Nd4 Rac8 20.Rg3 Kf7 21.Nf3 [21.Qd2! c5 22.Nf3 Qxe3+?? 23.Qxe3 Rxe3 24.Ng5+] 21...Qxe3+ 22.Kh1 Qxf4 23.Bc1 Qb4 24.Bd2 Qd6 25.Ng5+ Kg8 26.Qf3 Qe5 27.Rf1 Qe2 28.Nxh7 Kxh7 29.Qf4 Ng4 30.h3 Bxd3 31.Re1

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_936
31...Qxe1+ 0-1

 

(14) Zeller,William (1776) - Raza,Aezed (1607) [D55]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.15), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.e3 0-0 8.Qb3 c6 9.Bd3 Nd7 10.0-0-0 dxc4 11.Bxc4 Qc7 12.Ne4 Be7 13.g4 Nf6 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.h4 Be7 16.g5 h5 17.g6+/- Qd6 18.gxf7+ Rxf7 19.Ne5 Rxf2 20.Rdg1 Bf6 21.Nd3 Rf3 22.Qd1 Rxe3 23.Qxh5 Bd7 24.Rg4 b5 25.Qh6 Rg3 26.Rg1 Rxg1+ 27.Rxg1 Qxd4 28.Bxe6+ Bxe6 29.Qg6 Bf5 30.Qxf5 Qxg1+ 31.Kc2 Qg2+ 32.Kc1 Qd5 33.Qg6 Rd8 34.Kc2 Qc4+ 35.Kd2 Qxh4 36.Qg2 Qg5+ 0-1

(15) Casares,Nick (1600) - Boldi,Nicholas (1653) [C02]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.16), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bd7 6.Be2 Qc7 7.0-0 Be7 8.a3 cxd4 9.cxd4 f6 10.Nc3 fxe5 11.Nb5 Qb8 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.Qb3 Nf6 14.Bf4 Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 e5 Dream position in the French: the White pawns are gone and the Black center comes alive. 16.Bg3 0-0 17.Rac1 Ne4 18.Qd3 Bc6 19.Nd4?? Nxg3 20.Nxc6 Nxe2+ 21.Qxe2 bxc6 22.Rxc6 Bf6 23.Rfc1 Qd8 24.Qa6 Be7 25.b4 Rf6 26.b5 d4 27.Qb7 Rf8 28.Rc8?? Rxc8 29.Rxc8 Qxc8 0-1

(16) Bradley,Christopher (1680) - Latourette,Nick (1583) [A25]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.17), 29.10.2019

1.Nf3 Nc6 2.c4 e5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Be7 6.g3 0-0 7.Bg2 h6 8.0-0 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 c6 10.Bf4 Qb6 11.Qd2 d6 12.Rab1 Be6 13.b3 Rfd8 14.e4 d5 15.Na4 Qb4 16.cxd5 Qxd2 17.Bxd2 cxd5 18.e5 Ne4 19.Bxe4 dxe4 20.Be3 Rd5 21.Nc3 Rxe5 22.Bf4 Ra5 23.Nxe4 Rxa2 24.Rfd1 Rc8 25.b4 a6 26.Nc5 Bf5 27.Rbc1 b6 28.Nb7 Rxc1 29.Rxc1 Bxb4 30.Bc7 Bd2 31.Rd1 b5 32.Nd6 Bg6 33.Kg2 Be3 34.Kf3 Bxf2 35.Ne8 f5 36.Rd8 Bxe8 37.Rxe8+ Kf7 38.Re5 g6 39.Bd8 Bd4 40.Re7+ Kf8 41.g4 Rf2+ 42.Kg3 f4+ 43.Kh3 Bf6 44.Bb6 Rxh2+ 45.Kxh2 Kxe7 46.Kg2 Kd6 47.Kf3 g5 48.Ke4 b4 49.Kf5 Bc3 50.Kg6 b3 51.Ba7 b2 52.Kh5 b1Q 53.Bc5+ Kxc5 54.Kxh6 f3 0-1

(17) Argo,Guy (1859) - Kaplan,Glenn (1668) [B07]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.18), 29.10.2019

1.e4 d6 2.f4 Nf6 3.c3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.e5 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nfd7 7.d4 0-0 8.h4 c5 9.Be3 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Nc3 Qb6 12.Qd2 Qa5 13.h5 Rd8 14.hxg6 hxg6 15.Qf2 Nb6 16.Qh4 Nd5 17.Qh7+ Kf8 18.Bh6 Ke8 19.Bb5+ Nc6 20.Qxg7 Nxc3 21.Bxc6+ bxc6 22.Bd2 Ba6 23.e6 fxe6 24.Ne5 Qxe5+ 25.dxe5 Rxd2 26.Rh8+ Kd7 27.Kxd2 Ne4+ 28.Ke3 Ng3 29.Rd1+ Kc7 30.Qxe7+ Kb6 31.Qb4+ Bb5 32.Rxa8 Nf5+ 33.Kf2 1-0

(18) Robeal,Rafik (1800) - Agdamag,Samuel (1465) [D05]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.19), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 c5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.0-0 d5 6.b3 b6 7.Bb2 Bb7 8.Nbd2 Bd6 9.Ne5 Qc7 10.f4 cxd4 11.exd4 Rc8 12.c3 g6 13.Qe2 Ne7 14.Bb5+ Bc6 15.Nxc6 Nxc6 16.g3 0-0 17.Nf3 Ne4 18.Bd3 Nf6 19.Ne5 Nh5 20.Rae1 Rfe8 21.Bb5 Bxe5 22.fxe5 Qd8 23.Qf3 Qe7 24.Rf2 Rc7 25.c4 Rd8 26.Ref1 Nb8 27.cxd5 exd5 28.Rc1 Rxc1+ 29.Bxc1 Rc8 30.Bh6 a6 31.Bd3 Qe6 32.g4 Ng7 33.Qg2 Ne8

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_937
34.Bf5 Qc6 35.Bxc8 Qxc8 36.Rc2 Qd7 37.h3 Nc6 38.Qf2 Ng7 39.Bxg7 Kxg7 40.Qf6+ Kh6 41.Rxc6 Qa7 42.g5+ Kh5 43.Qf4 Qd7 44.e6 f5 45.exd7 1-0

 

(19) Carron,Joel (1573) - Babayan,Gagik (1790) [C01]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.20), 29.10.2019

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.0-0 Be7 7.Re1 0-0 8.Nc3 a6 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 Bg4 11.Be2 Re8 12.Ne5 Bxe2 13.Nxe2 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Ne4 15.Bxe7 Rxe7 16.f3 Nc5 17.Nf4 c6 18.Qd4 Ne6 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.Rad1 Qa5 21.a3 c5 22.b4 cxb4 23.axb4 Qc7 24.c3 Rc8 25.Rc1 Qc4 26.Qxc4 Rxc4 27.Re3 Rec7 28.Rd3 Rxb4 29.cxb4 Rxc1+ 30.Kf2 Rc4 31.Rb3 g5 32.Rb2 Kf7 33.Ke3 Kg6 34.g4 h5 35.h3 Rc3+ 36.Kf2 h4 37.Rd2 Rc4 38.Rb2 Kf7 39.Ke2 Ke7 40.Kd3 Kd7 41.Kd2 Rf4 42.Ke2 Kc6 43.Rc2+ Kb6 44.Rc8 Rxb4 45.Re8 Kc5 46.Rxe6 d4 47.Rd6 Rb2+ 48.Kd3 Rb3+ 49.Ke4 Re3+ 50.Kf5 a5 51.Rd7 b5 52.e6 Rxf3+ 53.Kxg5 Re3 54.Kf6 a4 55.Kf7 a3 56.e7 b4 57.e8Q Rxe8 58.Kxe8 a2 59.Rc7+ Kd5 60.Ra7 b3 61.g5 b2 62.g6 b1Q 63.Rd7+ Ke6 64.g7 Qg6+ 65.Kd8 a1Q 66.Re7+ Kf6 0-1

(20) Perlov,Alexander (1770) - Rakonitz,David (1639) [E04]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.21), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Nf3 a6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.Nc3 Rb8 8.e4 Be7 9.Bf4 0-0 10.Rc1 b5 11.Re1 Bb7 12.a4 Ba8 13.d5 exd5 14.exd5 Nb4 15.Ne5 Bd6 16.Re2 Bxe5 17.Bxe5 Nd3 18.Rb1 Re8 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.Qd2 Qb6 21.b3 Qd4 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.axb5 axb5 24.Nxb5 Qc5 25.bxc4 Qxc4 26.Bf1 Qxd5 27.f3 Qxf3 28.Bg2 Qxg2+ 29.Qxg2 Bxg2 30.Kxg2 c5 31.Nd6 Rf8 32.Rb3 Ne5 33.Rb5 f6 34.Rxc5 Rd8 35.Rc8 Rxc8 36.Nxc8 Kf7 37.Nd6+ Ke6 38.Ne4 h6 39.h3 f5 40.Nc3 g5 41.Kf2 f4 42.gxf4 gxf4 43.Ne2 Kf5 44.Nd4+ Ke4 45.Nc2 h5 46.Ke2 Nf3 47.Kf2 h4 48.Kg2 Ng5 49.Ne1 f3+ 50.Kf2 Nxh3+ 51.Kf1 Remaining moves unrecorded. Black is completely winning but in time trouble the pawns and the win slipped away. 1/2-1/2

(21) Chea,Na (1601) - Mercado,Adam (1699) [A12]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.22), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.g3 d5 2.b3 Nf6 3.Bb2 Bf5 4.d3 Nbd7 5.Bg2 e6 6.Nf3 Bd6 7.0-0 h6 8.Nbd2 c6 9.Re1 Qc7 10.c4 0-0 11.Rc1 Rad8 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Qc2 Rfe8 14.e3 Qa5 15.Bc3 Bb4 16.Bxb4 Qxb4 17.Ra1 Qb5 18.Bf1 Qb6 19.Qc3 Ng4 20.Nd4 Bg6 21.h3 Ngf6 22.N4f3 Re7 23.Reb1 Rde8 24.d4?? [24.b4!] 24...Ne4 [24...Bxb1] 25.Nxe4 Bxe4 26.Be2 Bxb1 27.Rxb1 Qc7 28.Qd3 Qd6 29.Nh4 g6 30.Ng2 g5 31.Rf1 Nf6 32.Bd1 Ne4 33.Bc2 f5 34.Kh2 h5 35.f4 g4 36.h4 Qb4 37.Bb1 Kg7 38.Rc1 Kf6 39.Rc2 Rc8 40.a3 Qxa3 41.Ra2 Qc1 42.Rxa7 Kg7 43.b4 Nf2 0-1

(22) Baer,Michael (1430) - Babb,Kevin (1803) [D00]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.23), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c6 4.e3 Bf5 5.f3 Nbd7 6.g4 Bg6 7.h4 h6 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 e6 10.Nge2 Bb4 11.a3 Be7 12.0-0-0 Qa5 13.Nb1 Nb6 14.Qc3 Qb5 15.Rh2 Na4 16.Qb3 Qxb3 17.cxb3 Nb6 18.b4?! c4 is a key square in this structure, so White should keep the pawn on b3. 18...Nfd7 19.Nd2 0-0-0 [19...a5 20.bxa5 Rxa5] 20.Rdh1 Nf8 21.Be5 f6 22.Bg3 Bd6 23.Kb1 e5 24.Rg1 Ne6 25.Kc2 Rhe8 26.Kd1?! exd4 [26...Nc4!-/+] 27.exd4 Kd7 [27...Nc4!-/+] 28.Bxd6 Kxd6 29.Re1 Re7 30.b3?! [30.Nb3 Nc4 31.Ng3+/=] 30...Rde8-/+ 31.Rhh1 Nc8 32.Nb1 Kd7 33.Nbc3 Nd6 34.Kd2 f5 35.Rhg1?! [35.Ref1] 35...fxg4?! [35...g5-+] 36.fxg4 g5 37.h5 Nc7 38.a4?! [38.Ref1 Ne4+ 39.Kd1-/+] 38...Ne4+ 39.Nxe4 Rxe4-+ 40.Kd3 Ne6?! [40...Re3+ 41.Kd2 Rxb3] 41.Rgf1?! [41.Ref1] 41...Ke7 [41...Nxd4!] 42.Rg1 Rf8 43.Rd1? [43.Ref1 Rxf1 44.Rxf1 Rxg4] 43...Nf4+?! [43...Rf3+ 44.Kd2 Rf2 45.Rde1 Nxd4] 44.Nxf4 Rfxf4 45.Rde1 Rxg4 46.Rxg4 Rxe1 47.Rg2 Re4 Black has achieved a won R+P ending. 48.Rc2 Rh4 49.b5?! Kd6 [49...Rh3+! 50.Kd2 Rh2+ This goes into an *easily* won pawn ending.] 50.Rf2 Rxh5 51.Rf7 cxb5 52.axb5 Rh1?! [52...Rh3+ 53.Kc2 a6 rids White of a pawn on the queenside, such that the connected passed pawns have no opposition.; 52...a6] 53.Rxb7

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_938
53...Ra1? [53...Rd1+ is Black's last good try: 54.Kc3 Rc1+ 55.Kd3 Rc7 56.Rb8 Rh7 has the rook on an excellent square for support (of the passed pawns) and defense (of a7). Still, White can resist with 57.b6] 54.Rh7 Rh1 (Baer: "Black's time dropped below 5 minutes - no more recording of moves. White was not much better off - about 10 minutes left. Several more moves before black was able to promote a pawn leading to White giving up his rook and resigning a couple of moves later.") (But at this point it's a draw -- Rxa7, back, b6 is something Black must take steps to handle.) 0-1

 

(23) Bielec,John (1790) - Acharya,Venkatagiri (1609) [E37]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.24), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4 7.Qc2 d5 8.Nf3 c5 9.e3 Qa5+ 10.Bd2 Nxd2 11.Qxd2 Qxd2+ 12.Kxd2 b6 13.Be2 Nc6 14.Rac1 cxd4 15.cxd5 dxe3+ 16.Kxe3 Ne7 17.dxe6 Bxe6 18.Nd4 Nf5+ 19.Nxf5 Bxf5 20.Bb5 a6 21.Bc6 Ra7 22.Rhd1 Re7+ 23.Kf3 h5 24.h3 g5 25.g4 Bg6 26.Ba4 Re4 27.Bc6 Rf4+ 28.Kg3 Kg7 29.f3 h4+ 30.Kg2 Rc8 31.Bb7?! Rxc1 32.Rxc1 a5 [32...Rd4 33.Bxa6 (33.Rc6 Rd2+ 34.Kg1 Rxb2 35.Bxa6 Kf8 is a little something but White holds.) ] 33.Rc6?! [33.b3!? Rf6 34.Rd1! Bc2 35.Rd5 Bxb3 36.Rxg5+ Rg6 37.Rh5 Rh6 38.Rg5+ Kf8 39.Be4 a4 40.Kf2] 33...Rf6 34.Rxf6?! Kxf6 35.Kf2 Ke5 36.Ke3 f6 [36...f5 37.Ba6 f4+ 38.Kd2 Kd4 39.Ke2 White appears to hold the line. On Stockfish 10 it keeps coming out "-2.03" (Komodo 10 likes "-0.87") but then the bishops make a lot of moves with no progress.] 37.Bc6 Bb1 38.Bb7 Ba2 39.Ba6 Bb3 40.Bb5 Bd5 41.Ba6 Bc6 42.Bd3 b5 43.b4! a4 44.Be4 Bd7 45.Bd3 Be8 46.Be2 Bc6 47.Bd3 Bd7 48.Be2 f5!?

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_939
49.Bd3? This gets in trouble! White needs d3 for his king. [49.gxf5 Kxf5 50.Bf1 Ke5=; 49.Bf1 f4+ 50.Kd3; 49.Bd1 f4+ 50.Kd3] 49...f4+ 50.Kd2 Kd4 51.Be2 Bc6 52.Bd1 Bd7 53.Be2 Be8 54.Bd3 Bd7 55.Be2 Bc6 56.Bd1 Kc4 57.Kc2 Kd4 58.Kd2 Bd5 59.Be2
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_940
Incredibly, Black needs it to be White's move to win, and passes the move to White by *not* guarding b5. 59...Bc4? [59...Bc6 60.Bd1 would be the third time: draw.; 59...Bb7!! 60.Bxb5 (60.Bd1 Bc6 61.Be2 Bd5! White's move! 62.Bd1 Bc4 63.Bc2 Bf1 64.Bf5 Bxh3 65.Ke2 Kc3 66.Bd7 Kb2 67.Bxb5 Kxa3) 60...Bxf3 61.Bd7 (61.Bxa4 Bg2 62.b5 Bxh3 63.Bd1 Bg2 64.Ke2 Be4 65.Kf2 Kc5 66.Be2 (66.a4 Kb6 67.Kg1 Bd5 68.Bc2 Bf3 69.Bf5 Bd1) 66...Bc2 67.Bf1 Bd1 (67...Ba4) ) ; or 59...Ba8!! 60.Bd1 Bc6 61.Be2 Bd5] 60.Bxc4 bxc4 [60...Kxc4 61.Kc2=] 61.Kc2 c3
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_941
62.b5!? [62.Kc1=; 62.Kd1=; 62.Kb1?? Ke3! 63.Kc2 Kxf3 64.b5 Kg2 65.b6 f3-+] 62...Kc5 63.Kxc3 Kxb5 64.Kd4 Kb6 65.Kc4 Kc6 66.Kb4 Kd5
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_942
67.Kxa4?? [67.Kc3 Kc5 68.Kd3=] 67...Kd4 68.Kb3 Ke3 69.a4 Kxf3 70.a5 Kg3! 71.a6 f3 72.a7 f2 73.a8Q f1Q 0-1

 

(24) Cortinas,Marty (1697) - Tamondong,Cesar (1600) [A57]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (2.25), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.e3 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Nf3 Bg7 8.a4 0-0 9.Ra3 axb5 10.Bxb5 Bb7 11.0-0 Na6 12.e4 Ng4 13.Bf4 Qb8 14.h3 Ne5 15.Nxe5 dxe5 16.Be3 Rd8 17.Qb3 Bf8 18.Bc4 Bc8 19.Nb5 Bd7 20.Rfa1 Definitely a Benko Gambit gone wrong; Black is all but devoid of counterplay. White nicely shifts to an attack on the kingside, with all of Black's pieces on the other side. 20...Rc8 21.Qd3 Nb4 22.Qc3 Na6 23.Qd2 Nb4 24.Rd1 Na6 25.b3 Nc7 26.Nxc7 Qxc7 27.Bh6 Bxh6 28.Qxh6 Qd6 29.Raa1 Qf6 30.Rd3 Qg7

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_943
31.Qxg7+ Okay, as White is after all up a nice passed a-pawn, but still as so often, White should keep the queens on the board. After all, how does Black feel about his queen on g7? [31.Qd2; 31.Qg5; 31.Qh4; 31.Qc1] 31...Kxg7 32.Rad1 Rab8 33.a5 f5 34.f3 Bb5 35.Ra1 [35.exf5 Bxc4 36.bxc4 Rb4 (36...gxf5 37.Re1) 37.fxg6 hxg6 when either rook to the c-file or to the a-file is winning.] 35...Bxc4 36.bxc4 Rb4 37.a6 Ra8 38.a7 [38.Rc3; 38.exf5 gxf5 39.Re3] 38...fxe4 39.fxe4 Kf7 [39...Rxc4!? when White may have difficulties bringing home the point.] 40.Ra6 Ke8 [40...Rxc4!] 41.Kf2 [41.Rc3] 41...Kd7 42.Rda3 Kc7? 43.Re6 [43.Rc6+! Kb7 44.Re6] 43...Kd7 44.Rxe5 Rb7 45.Rf3 Rbxa7?! [45...Ke8!] 46.Rf7 Ra2+ 47.Kg3 Re8 48.Rxh7 Rc2 49.Rg7 [49.Re6 Rxc4 50.Kf4] 49...Rxc4 50.Rxg6 Rc3+ 51.Kf2 Rc2+ 52.Kg1 c4 53.Rc6??
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_944
[53.Ree6 or others] 53...Rg8! Suddenly Black is in the game with a draw! 54.g4 c3?? [54...Rb8! 55.Rf5 Rb1+ 56.Rf1 Rbb2 with a perpetual check.; or 54...Ra8 is the same.] 55.Rf5! Rb8 56.Rf2 [or 56.e5! Rb1+ 57.Rf1 Rbb2 58.e6+ and White mates Black!] 56...Rb1+ 57.Kg2 Rcc1 58.Kf3 [58.e5!] 58...Rh1 59.Kg3 Rbc1 60.g5 Rhe1 61.g6 Rxe4 62.g7 Rg1+ 63.Rg2 Rc1 64.g8Q Re3+ 65.Kh2 Rce1 66.Qc8# 1-0

 

(25) Hansen,Mateo (1583) - Simpkins,Jerry (1426) [C40]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.10), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nxe5 Qe7 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Nxg6 Qxe4+ 6.Be2 Nf6 7.Qh3

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_945
Apparently White just gains an advantage by playing this way. 7...Rg8 8.d3 Qc6 9.Nxf8 Kxf8 10.Qxf5 Na6 11.Bg5 d5 12.Qxf6+ Qxf6 13.Bxf6 Rxg2 14.Nd2 Nb4 15.Bd1 Bg4 16.Bxg4 Nxc2+ 17.Kf1 Rxg4 18.Rc1 Nb4 19.Rxc7 Nxd3 20.Ke2 Nf4+ 21.Kf3 Rg6 22.Be7+ Kg8 23.Kxf4 Re8 24.Rxb7 Rf6+ 1-0

 

(26) Olson,David (1407) - Starr,Albert (1517) [A04]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.26), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.Nf3 b5 2.g3 Bb7 3.Bg2 e6 4.Nc3?! [4.0-0; 4.d3] 4...b4 5.Nb5?? [5.Na4; 5.Nb1] 5...c5!-+ 6.Nxa7 Rxa7 7.0-0 Nf6 8.d4 c4 9.Bg5 Be7 10.c3 b3?! [10...bxc3 11.bxc3 0-0] 11.axb3 Rxa1 12.Qxa1 cxb3 13.Qa7 Bxf3 14.exf3?! [14.Bxf3] 14...Nc6 15.Qa6 0-0 16.Ra1 Nd5 17.Bd2 Qb6 18.Qe2 Nc7 19.f4 Ra8 20.Re1? [20.Rxa8+ Nxa8 21.d5 is almost not so bad! (computer makes it barely more than a pawn)] 20...Ra2 21.Bc1 Nb5 22.d5?! Nxc3 23.Qh5 Nb4 [23...g6 24.Qf3 Nxd5] 24.Be3 Bc5 25.bxc3 Bxe3 26.cxb4 [26.fxe3 Nd3 27.Re2 b2] 26...Bxf2+ 27.Kf1 Bxe1 0-1

(27) Chan,John (1507) - Neygut,Eitan (993) [A80]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.27), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 f5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.h3 b6 4.c3 Bb7 5.Bf4 e6 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.e3 0-0 8.Be2 d6 9.Qb3 Nd5 10.Bh2 a6 11.c4 Nf6 12.0-0 h6 13.Rfe1 Nbd7 14.Bd3 Ne4 15.Nf1 Qe8 16.Qc2 g5 17.Ng3 Ndf6 18.d5 Nxg3 19.fxg3!? Ne4? 20.Bxe4 fxe4 21.Qxe4 e5 22.Rf1 Bc8 23.g4 Bd7 24.b3 c6 25.Bg3 cxd5 26.cxd5 Kg7 27.Rac1 Bd8 28.Be1 Rf6 29.Bb4 Qg6 30.Qxg6+ Kxg6 31.Nd2 Rxf1+ 32.Kxf1 Bb5+ 33.Kf2 Ra7 34.a4 Rf7+ 35.Kg3 Bd3 36.Rc3 e4 37.Bxd6 Be7 38.Rc6 Bxd6+ 39.Rxd6+ Rf6 40.Rc6 Kf7 41.d6 1-0

(28) Gimelfarb,Ilia - Yamamoto,Craig (1500) [C42]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.28), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Be7? 4.Nc3 0-0 5.Bc4 d6 6.Nf3 a6 7.d4 c6 8.Bd3 c5 9.0-0 cxd4 10.Nxd4 h6 11.Nd5 Nc6 12.Nxf6+ gxf6?? 13.Nf5 [13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Bxh6] 13...h5 14.Qxh5 Ne5 15.Bh6 Nxd3 16.Qg4+ Kh7 17.Qg7# 1-0

(29) James,Charles (1480) - Uzakbaev,Nursultan [A80]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.29), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 d5 4.Bxf6 exf6 5.e3 Bb4 6.Bd3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 Be6 8.Ne2 Qd7 9.Nf4 Bf7 10.Qf3 Nc6 11.0-0 Ne7 12.Rfb1 b6? [12...c6] 13.a4 [13.c4!] 13...0-0 14.a5 Rab8 15.Rb4 b5 [15...c5!] 16.a6 Rfe8 17.Qe2 c6 18.Rab1 g5 [18...Rb6; 18...Qc8] 19.Nh5 Qd6 20.Ng3 Bg6 21.f3?! Kf7 22.e4??

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_946
22...f4! 23.e5 [23.Nf1 dxe4 24.fxe4 (24.Bxe4 f5 25.Bd3 Nd5 wins the exchange) 24...Nd5!-+ 25.R4b3 Nxc3!] 23...fxe5 24.Qxe5 Qxe5 25.dxe5 fxg3 26.hxg3 Ke6 27.f4 g4 28.Rf1 Nf5 29.Kh2 h5 30.Re1 h4 31.gxh4 g3+ 32.Kh3 Rh8 33.Bxf5+ Bxf5+ 34.Kxg3 Rbg8+ 0-1

 

(30) Krezanoski,Paul - Martin,Michael (1480) [D38]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.30), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bb4 5.Qc2 Bd7 6.e3 Nc6 7.Bd3 Qe7 8.0-0 Bxc3 9.bxc3 dxc4 10.Bxc4 e5 11.Rb1 b6 12.d5 Na5 13.Bb3 Nxb3 14.Rxb3?? [14.Qxb3] 14...Ba4 15.c4 Bxb3 16.Qxb3 0-0?? [16...Ne4; 16...c5! 17.dxc6 Ne4 18.Ba3 Nc5 19.Qb5 0-0-/+] 17.Ba3= Qd7? 18.Bxf8 Rxf8 19.Nxe5+- Qd6 20.Nc6 Ng4 21.g3 Qh6 22.h4 a5 23.Nd4 Rd8 24.Qc3 Re8 25.c5 Re5

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_947
26.cxb6 [26.d6!! Rxc5 27.Qxc5! bxc5 28.dxc7 Qa6 29.Nf5! (29.Rb1) ] 26...Qxb6 27.Nc6 Re4 28.Qd3 Re8 29.Rb1 Qc5 30.Rb5 Qc1+ 31.Qf1?! [31.Kg2! Qh1+! 32.Kxh1 Nxf2+ 33.Kg2 Nxd3 34.Rb7 turns out to be winning for White.] 31...Qd2 32.Nxa5 g6 33.a3??
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_948
[33.Nc4!+/- Qxa2 34.Rb2 (or 34.Rb7) ] 33...Rxe3! 34.fxe3? (but lost anyway, to ...Re1) [34.Rb8+ Kg7 35.Qa1+ Kh6] 34...Qh2# 0-1

 

(31) Radaelli,Lucas (1444) - Jade,Valerie [D50]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.31), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6?! 3.Nc3 [3.cxd5!] 3...e6 4.Bg5 c5 5.cxd5 cxd4 6.Qxd4 Nc6 7.Qd2 exd5 8.e3 Bb4 9.a3 Qa5 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Rc1 Bxc3 12.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 13.Rxc3 Be6 14.Bb5 Kd7 15.Nf3 a6 16.Bxc6+ bxc6 17.Nd4 Rhc8 18.0-0 Rab8 19.b4 a5 20.bxa5 c5 21.Nb3 c4 22.Nd4 Ra8 23.Rb1 Rxa5 24.Rb7+ Rc7 25.Rxc7+ Kxc7

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_949
26.Nxe6+?? If ever there was a time when this was wrong... 26...fxe6 Black is just winning now 27.Kf1 Rb5 28.Rc1 Kc6 29.f4 Rb3 30.a4 Ra3 31.h4 h5 32.Kf2 Rxa4 33.g4 hxg4 34.h5 Ra7 35.h6 Kc5 36.Rh1 Rh7 37.Rh5 c3 0-1

 

(32) Nicol,George - Hilliard,Michael (1429) [D05]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.32), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Nbd2 Bd6 5.Bd3 0-0 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.Re1 Re8 8.e4 e5 Enough already! 9.dxe5 [9.exd5!+/=] 9...Nxe5 10.exd5?! Nxd3=/+ [10...Bg4!?] 11.cxd3 Nxd5 12.Ne4 [12.Rxe8+ Qxe8 13.Ne4] 12...Bg4 13.Ng3?! Bxf3 14.gxf3 Bf4?! [14...Qd7-+] 15.Qb3?? Bxc1?? [15...Rxe1+] 16.Raxc1 b6?? [16...Rxe1+ 17.Rxe1 b6-/+] 17.Rxe8+ Qxe8 18.Qxd5+- c5 19.d4 Rd8 20.Qc4 Rxd4 21.Qc3 g6 22.Ne4 Qe6 23.b3 Qh3 24.Ng5 Qh6 25.Qe3 Qf8 26.Re1 Rd7 27.Ne4 f5 28.Ng5 Qa8 29.Qe6+ 1-0

(33) Roberts,Joseph - Sachs-Weintraub,Julian (1447) [B00]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Extra San Francisco (2.33), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 b6 3.d4 e6 4.Nc3 Bb7 5.Bc4 Bb4 6.0-0 Bxc3 7.bxc3 d5 8.exd5 exd5 9.Bb5 Nge7 10.Re1 0-0 11.Bd3 Ng6 12.Ba3 Re8 13.Qd2 Na5 14.Rxe8+ Qxe8 15.Bxg6 hxg6 16.Re1 Qa4 17.Bb4 Nc4 18.Qf4 Qd7 19.Re7 Qf5 20.Qxf5 gxf5 21.Ng5 a5 22.Rxc7 axb4 23.Rxb7 f6 24.Ne6 Re8 25.Rxg7+ Kh8 26.Rg3 Rxe6 27.h3 Re1+ 28.Kh2 bxc3 29.a4 Re2 30.Rxc3 Rxf2 31.Kg3 Rd2 32.Rf3 Rxd4 33.Rxf5 Nd2 34.Kf2 Ne4+ 35.Ke3 Rd2 36.c4 Ng3 37.Rxd5 Ra2 38.Kf3 Nf1 39.c5 bxc5 40.Rxc5 Rxa4 41.Rc7 Nd2+ 42.Ke2 Ne4 43.Ke3 Ng3 44.Kf3 Nh5 45.g4 Ng7 46.h4 Ra3+ 47.Kg2 Kh7 48.Rc6 Kg6 49.Rc5 [49.g5=] 49...Ne6 50.h5+ Kf7 51.Rf5 Ng5 52.Rb5 ... Black eventually won on move 70 0-1

(34) Thibault,William (1195) - Cendejas,Jon (1126) [C54]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.35), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.d3 h6? There are much more urgent things to do -- like developing towards castling. 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.c3 Nf6 6.0-0 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_950
8.Nxe5? [8.Qb3!+- shows up Black's fragile position. d5, f7, b7, c5 -- something will give.] 8...Nxe5 9.Bxd5? [9.Qe2 Qe7! 10.Bxd5 Bg4 puts White's undeveloped position under quite a bit of pressure, but keeps a semblance of balance.] 9...Bxf2+? Insufficiently ambitious. [9...Qxd5 10.d4 Bh3!! 11.f3 (11.gxh3?! Nf3+ 12.Kh1 0-0-0 is a disaster) 11...0-0-0 12.gxh3 Rhe8 is not much better.] 10.Rxf2 Qxd5 11.d4 0-0? [11...Be6 is important both to jam up the e-file and to protect the queen.] 12.Qh5 Bg4? [12...Re8 13.dxe5 Rxe5 14.Qf3 Re1+ 15.Rf1 Qxf3 16.gxf3 Re2 is some play for the piece, but not enough.] 13.Qxe5 White can breathe easy now. 13...Qxe5 14.dxe5 Rad8 15.Rd2 Rde8 16.Rd4 f5 17.Nd2 Rxe5 18.Nf3 Bxf3 19.gxf3 [19.Bf4!] 19...Re1+ 20.Kf2 Rfe8
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_951
21.Rd2? [21.Re4!! keeps a winning advantage, e.g. 21...fxe4 22.Kxe1 exf3+ 23.Kf2 Re2+ 24.Kxf3 Rxh2 (24...Re1 25.b3) 25.Bf4 Rxb2 26.Bxc7 should prevail.] 21...f4 [or 21...Rh1=] 22.b3
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_952
22...b5?? [22...Rh1! is a draw. White can't do anything about the doubling on the first rank. Note that running the king to h3 after checks is asking to be checkmated.] 23.Bb2 1-0

 

(35) Gimelfarb,Natan (1118) - Cole,Tony (1425) [C01]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.36), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.0-0 Nxd4 7.Re1+ Be7 8.Be2 Nxf3+ 9.Bxf3 Be6 10.c4 c6 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Qa4+ Qd7 13.Qxd7+ Bxd7 14.Bxd5 Bc6 15.Bxc6+ bxc6 16.b3 "0-0" -- score unreadable. 1/2 67. 1/2-1/2

(36) Sun,Kevin (1100) - Cheng,Andrew (1400) [C71]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.37), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.d4 a6 5.Ba4 b5 6.Bb3 exd4 [6...Nxd4 7.Nxd4 exd4 8.Bd5 (8.c3!?; 8.Qxd4??) 8...Rb8 9.Bc6+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.Qxd4] 7.Nxd4?? Bb7?? [7...Nxd4 8.Qxd4 c5 9.Qd5 Be6 10.Qc6+ Bd7 11.Qd5 c4 The famous "Noah's Ark Trap."] 8.Nc3? Nf6? [8...Nxd4 9.Qxd4 c5 There it is again!] 9.Nxc6 Bxc6 10.Qe2 Qe7 11.0-0 Nxe4? White is doing very well in any case, but still... 12.Nxe4 [12.Nd5! Nc3 13.Nxc3 Snapback] 12...Bxe4 13.Re1 d5 14.Bf4 [14.a4!] 14...c6 15.c3 [15.a4!] 15...g6 [15...Qa7!?] 16.Rad1 Ra7 17.Kh1 Qe6 18.f3 Bf5 19.g4?? [19.Qf2; 19.Qd2] 19...Qxe2 20.Rxe2+ Be6-/+ 21.Bc2 Bg7 22.Rd3 0-0 23.Rde3 Re8 24.Kg2 Rd7 25.a4 c5 26.axb5 axb5 27.b4 d4 28.cxd4 cxd4 29.Rd3 Rc8 30.Bb3 Bc4 31.Bxc4 bxc4 32.Ra3 d3 33.Rd2 c3 34.Rxc3 Bxc3 35.Rd1 Bxb4 36.Kf2 Rc2+ 37.Ke3 Re2# 0-1

(37) Bayaraa,Timothy (1084) - Revi,Frank (1376)
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.38), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 e6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 6.Nf3 Be7 7.Be3 b5 8.Qd2 Qc7 9.Bf4 d6 10.Rd1 Bb7 11.Bxd6 Bxd6 12.Qxd6 Rc8 13.Qc5 Nge7 14.Qg5 0-0 15.Bd3 Ng6 16.Nh4 Nce5 17.f4? Nxf4 18.0-0 Qc5+ 19.Kh1 Nfxd3 20.cxd3 Qd4 21.Rd2 f6 22.Qg3 Rf7 23.Nf3 Qd7 24.Nxe5 fxe5 25.Rdd1 Rcf8 26.Rfe1 b4 27.Ne2 Qb5 28.a3 a5 29.axb4 axb4 30.h3 Rf6 31.Rc1 Rg6 32.Qe3 Qd7 33.Rf1 Rf7 34.Rxf7 Qxf7 35.Qa7 h5 36.Qb8+ Kh7 37.Qxe5 Ba6 38.Nf4 Rh6 39.Rc7 Qg8 40.Nxh5 Kh8 41.Rxg7 Rxh5 (42.Rxg8++) 1-0

(38) Allen,Tom (1400) - Badgett,James (1084)
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.39), 29.10.2019

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 a6 6.Bc4 d6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Qe2 Bg4 9.Rd1 Qc7 10.Bf4 Ne5 11.Bxe5 dxe5 12.Bb3 e6 13.Rac1 b5 14.Nxb5 Qb7 15.Nc7+ Ke7 16.Nxa8 Qxa8 17.Rc7+ Ke8 18.Ba4+ 1-0

(39) Dubensky,Walt (1078) - Rushton,Peter (1237)
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.42), 29.10.2019

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e3 Nc6 4.Nf3 a6 5.Bd3 Bg4 6.0-0 e5 7.dxe5 Nxe5 8.Be2 Nxf3+ 9.Bxf3 Be6 10.b3 c6 11.Bb2 Bd6 12.Re1 c5 13.e4 Qc7 14.Nxd5 Bxd5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.exd5+ Be7 17.d6 0-0-0 18.Bg4+ Kb8 19.dxc7+ Kxc7 20.Rxe7+ Kb8 21.Qe2 Ka7 22.Rxf7 Rde8 23.Qc4 Re5 24.Rxf6 h5 25.Re6 Rg5 26.Be2 Kb8 27.Qf4+ 1-0

(40) Capdeville,Barry (1226) - Sullivan,George (841)
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.43), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Ne2 Nf6 5.d3 b6 6.e5 Nd5 7.c4 Nc7 8.Be3 Be7 9.Ng3 d6 10.Bf4 0-0 11.Be2 dxe5 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Bxe5 Bf6 14.Bc3 Bxc3+ 15.bxc3 g6 16.Bf3 Rb8 17.Qd2 Qf6 18.0-0 Bb7 19.Ne4 Bxe4 20.Bxe4 Ne8 21.d4 Rd8 22.Rad1 Nd6 23.Qe2 Rfe8 24.Qd3 Qg7 25.d5 Nxe4 26.Qxe4 exd5 27.Qd3

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd2_953
27...dxc4?? [27...d4!-+] 28.Qxc4?? [28.Qxd8+-] 28...Rxd1 29.Rxd1 h6 30.g3 Qf6 31.Kg2 Qc6+ 32.Kg1 Qf3 33.Rd3?? Re1# 0-1

 

(41) Ballantyne,Andrew (785) - Frank,Robert (1224)
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (2.44), 29.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Ng4?? Bxg4 5.f3 Be6 6.d4 d5 7.e5 Nfd7 8.Bd2 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qxd4 10.Nc3 Bc5 11.Qe2 Qxe5 12.0-0-0 0-0 13.f4 Qxe2 14.Bxe2 a5 15.Nb5 Bb6 16.g4 f5 17.gxf5 Rxf5 18.Bg4 Rf6 19.Bxe6+ Rxe6 20.f5 Rf6 21.Rdf1 c6 22.Nc3 Na6 23.Na4 Bc7 24.Bc3 Rf7 25.Rhg1 Bxh2 26.Rg2 Be5 27.Bxe5 Nxe5 28.f6 Raf8 29.Rfg1 g6 30.Rf1 Rxf6 31.Rxf6 Rxf6 32.Rg1 h5 33.Re1 Rf5 34.Rg1 d4 35.c3 dxc3 [35...d3] 36.Nxc3 Kg7 37.Ne4 Nb4 38.Nd6 Ned3+ 39.Kd2 Rf2+ 40.Ke3 Rxb2 41.Nf5+ Kh7 42.Nh4 Ne5 43.Ke4 Ng4 44.Kf4 Kh6 45.Nf3 Rxa2 46.Ng5 Rf2+ 47.Kg3 Nd3 48.Nf7+ Kg7 49.Nd6 b5 50.Ne4 Re2 51.Kf3 Re3+ 52.Kg2 Rxe4 53.Kg3 Re3+ 54.Kg2 Nf4+ 55.Kh1 Nf2+ 56.Kh2 0-1

 

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