Chess Room Newsletter #994

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TNM Round 2 Report

by Abel Talamantez

It is hard to believe that in a 28-player 1800+ section, representing the largest top section for our TNM since we resumed live play this year, we have only one perfect score after just two rounds! This is indeed the case, as IM Elliott Winslow is the only player with a perfect 2/2 score. Half point bye requests and drawn games of undefeated players have put Winslow in control of the tournament very early. David Askin tried to grind out a win against Daniel Wang in the final game of the evening, but he could not find the break he needed, allowing Wang to hold the position. It was a Cal-Stanford battle between Nathan Fong and Lucas Lesniewski, in which Fong got the win, defeating Lucas who had been on a tear lately, winning the Carroll Capps Memorial just the week before. There are still many games left, as six more rounds will be played to close out the year.

Adam Mercado (playing white in the picture on the left) gets ready to make a move against Aaron Craig. Daniel Wang (white) held his position agaonst David Askin.

In the under 1800 section, 10 players remain undefeated in the 48-player section, with favorite Adam Mercado among them. We welcome many new players in this section, with some getting their first tournament experience through our TNM. 

We had a two very special guests delivering the lecture prior to the start of round 2. World Junior Champion GM Evgeny Shtembuliak and GM Pasha Vorontsov from Texas Tech were in town and they graciously came down to visit. It was a dynamic lecture that was very well received by those in attendance. They both also had the pleasure of getting the Mechanics' tour from the living legend himself, IM John Donaldson who was also there that evening.

Their lecture was about “move search algorithm." To get a pdf of “move search algorithm,” send a message to [email protected].

GM Pasha Vorontsov and GM Evegeny Shtembuliak pose for a quick picture in front of the MI demo board. IM John Donaldson shows them both the chess annex and the stories behind the pictures.

Here are some games from the round, annotated by GM Nick de Firmian

(1) Heidari,Ako (1955) - Winslow,Elliott (2252) [B42]
MI Nov-Dec TNM 1800+ San Francisco (2.1), 09.11.2021

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 This flexible move was also Bobby Fischer's favorite in this position. 5...Bc5 6.Nb3 Be7 7.0-0 d6 8.Nc3 [White could consider 8.c4 with a Maroczy Bind like position.] 8...Nf6 9.Be3 Nbd7 10.f4 b5 [10...Qc7!?] 11.e5!?N

[White starts the action immediately. There are many other slower moves that have been played instead. 11.a3; 11.a4; 11.Qf3 Bb7 12.a3 Rc8; 11.Qe2; 11.f5] 11...dxe5 12.Qf3 Rb8 13.f5 Bb7 14.Qg3 e4? [14...exf5! 15.Bxf5 g6 16.Bxd7+ Nxd7 17.Rad1 should be a little better for Black; 14...0-0 15.fxe6 fxe6 16.Qh3 Kh8-/+ 17.Qxe6 (17.Nd2 Qc7 18.a4 Bb4! (18...Bd5 19.axb5 axb5 20.Ra7 Rb7 21.Nxb5 Qc8=) ) 17...b4 18.Na4 Bd5 19.Qh3 is also a small edge] 15.fxe6 fxe6 16.Be2 16...Kf7 [16...0-0 17.Nd4 Qe8 18.Nxe6 Rf7+/-] 17.Rad1 Rc8 [17...b4!?] 18.Nd4 Qc7 19.Qh3 Nf8 20.Bh5+ g6 21.Bg4 Qc4 22.Bxe6+ Nxe6 23.b3 White is breaking through! 23...Qxc3 24.Qxe6+ Ke8 25.Bg5?? [25.Rxf6!+- a huge +- 25...Bd5 (25...Rf8 26.Rxf8+ Kxf8 27.Nf5) 26.Qxd5 Qxe3+ (26...Bxf6 27.Nf5 Qc6 28.Nd6+ Kd8 29.Qf7) 27.Kh1 Bxf6 28.Qe6+] 25...Bd5! 26.Qe5 Qc7!= Wily Winslow escapes again! 27.Bxf6?! [27.Qxc7 Rxc7 28.Bxf6 Rf8 29.Bxe7 Rxf1+ (29...Rxe7) 30.Kxf1 Kxe7 (30...Rxe7?? 31.Nxb5) 31.Nxb5 axb5 32.Rxd5 Rxc2 33.Rxb5 Rxa2 34.Re5+ Kf6 35.Rxe4 Rb2 36.Rb4 g5=] 27...Qxe5 28.Bxe5 Rf8 29.Rxf8+ Kxf8 30.c3 Bf7 [>=30...Ba8] 31.Kf2?(+) Rc5 32.Bf4 Rxc3-+ 33.Be3 Ke8 34.Ne2?! Rc2 35.Rd4?! Rxa2 36.Rxe4 Kd7 37.Rd4+ Kc8 38.Rd3 Rb2 39.Rc3+ Kd7 40.Bf4 Bxb3 41.Rc7+ Kd8 42.Ke3 42...Bg5!? [42...Rc2 43.Rxe7 Kxe7 44.Nd4 Rc3+ (44...Rc4) 45.Ke4 Ba2] 43.Rc3 Bxf4+ 44.Nxf4 Bc4 45.Kd4 g5 46.Nh5 Rxg2 47.h3 Rd2+ 48.Ke5 Rd3 49.Rc1 Rxh3 50.Nf6 Kc7 [50...a5] 51.Nd5+ Kb7 52.Nf6 Kb6 53.Rg1 h6 54.Ra1 a5 55.Kd4 a4 56.Nd7+ Ka5 57.Nc5 a3 58.Nb7+ Kb6 [58...Kb4] 59.Nd6 Rd3+ 60.Ke5 Rd5+ White resigns. A great opening and active attack from Ako. He nearly took out the IM. 0-1

(2) Estolas,Brandon (2003) - Clemens,Kristian (1954) [A13]
MI Nov-Dec TNM 1800+ San Francisco (2.3), 09.11.2021

1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Nbd7 5.cxd5 Safe play by Brandon, but it frees Black's position so there are no worries. 5...exd5 6.0-0 Bd6 7.Nc3 c6 8.d3 0-0 9.e4 This active move hits the center and makes room for the white pieces there. 9...dxe4 10.dxe4 Qc7 11.Nd4 a6 This is a little slow and White gains more control of the center. 11...Rd8 is a little better. 12.f4 Bc5 13.Be3 Nb6 14.Nc2 Bg4 15.Qe1 Be7 16.h3 Bc8?! [16...Be6] 17.b3 a5 18.Qf2 Nfd7 19.a4! A nice move to stop Black's activity on the queenside. 19...Re8 20.Rac1 Bd8 21.Nd4 Qd6 22.Rfd1 White has all the pieces in play and Black is operating on just 3 ranks. 22...Qf8

23.Nf5 Bc7 24.Nb5! Bd8 25.Nbd6 Re6 26.e5 g6 You don't even want to know how good the computers rate White's game here! (Oh all right: +7 or so.) So what did he miss? 27.Nd4 [27.Nh6+! Qxh6 28.f5 is best, even if it lets Black get clever with 28...Qxe3 29.Qxe3 gxf5 30.Qf4 Nxe5 31.Nxc8 (still +7)] 27...Rxd6 28.exd6 Nd5 29.Bxd5 cxd5 30.Nb5 Nf6 31.Bc5 Slipping, to "only" +3. [31.Nc7 Bxc7 32.dxc7 followed by lining up on the long diagonal towards Black's king.] 31...Bd7 [31...Ne4!?] 32.Nc3 [32.Nc7] 32...Rc8 [32...Qh6] 33.Nxd5 Ne4? 34.Qe3 [34.Ne7+! Bxe7 35.dxe7 Qe8 36.Qe3 should win easily] 34...Nxc5 35.Ne7+! Kg7 36.Nxc8 Ne6 37.Nb6 Bc6 38.Rxc6 bxc6 39.Nd7 With all the bones crunching it's amazing Black can lift a piece. 39...Qe8 40.Qc3+? [40.Nc5 is best, White is just cleaning up and should claim soon...] 40...f6 White is still winning but it's starting to be problematic. 41.Qxc6 The only move that gets "+-" from Stockfish 41...Nd4!! Kristian seizes his opportunity. What an annoying move to face. 42.Rxd4?! White finally throws away the win, which *was* still there: [42.Qb7! musters various defensive resources to squelch Black's threats: 42...Qe2 43.Ne5+! Kh8 44.Rxd4 Qe1+ (44...Qe3+ 45.Kh2 Qxd4 46.Nf7+ Kg8 47.Nxd8) 45.Kh2 fxe5 46.Rc4!+-] 42...Qe1+ 43.Kg2 [43.Kh2 Qf2+ 44.Qg2 Qxd4=] 43...Qe2+ 44.Kh1 Qf1+ 45.Kh2 Qf2+ 46.Kh1 [46.Qg2 Qxd4 is just equal] 46...Qf1+ 47.Kh2 Qf2+ 48.Kh1 Game drawns by repitition. Brandon had a monster position, but Kristian kept fighting and slipped away. 1/2-1/2

(3) Fong,Nathan (2032) - Lesniewski,Lucas (1855) [D02]
MI Nov-Dec TNM 1800+ San Francisco (2.4), 09.11.2021

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 Bg4 5.c4 e6 6.Qb3 Qb6 Good solid opening play from both sides. 7.Nc3 Nbd7 8.Bf4 Be7 9.h3 Bh5 10.g4 Bg6 11.c5 Qxb3 [Black could also choose the middlegame with 11...Qa6 The endgame is just equal though.] 12.axb3 h5 13.g5 Ne4 14.h4 Nxc3 [14...f6 may be a little more active] 15.bxc3 Be4 16.Bh3! White is getting a little pressure now. 16...Nf8 17.0-0 Bxf3 18.exf3 f5!? Going for a locked up kingside. It does leave the e6 pawn backward. 19.Bg3 Ng6 20.f4 Bd8 21.Kg2 Kf7 22.Kf3 Bc7 23.Ke3

There are some ridiculous pieces here, but White manages to make it work out. 23...Rhb8 24.Rfb1 b5?! [24...a5= looks loose but in fact locks it down.] 25.Ra6! Ne7 26.Rba1 But why can't White just take on a7 then? 26...Rb7?! [26...Ke8 27.Rxa7 Rxa7 28.Rxa7 Kd7 29.Kd3 Nc8 30.Ra1 Rb7 Snug as a bug.] 27.Bf1 [27.Kd3 followed by Re1 gets a higher evaluation but still isn't clear at all.] 27...g6 28.f3 Ke8 29.Be1 Kd7 30.Bd2 Kc8 31.Kd3 Kd7 32.Kc2 Nc8 33.Bd3 Rab8 How to break through? 34.Re1 Ne7 35.Rea1 Nc8 36.Kb2 Bd8 37.Bc2 Bc7 38.Re1 Ne7 39.Rea1 Nc8 40.Bb1 Bd8 41.Kc2 Bc7 42.Kd3 Bd8 43.Bc2 Bc7 44.Re1 Ne7 45.Rea1 Nc8 46.c4 b4? [46...bxc4+ 47.bxc4 dxc4+ 48.Kxc4 Ne7 49.Kd3 Nd5 50.Ba4 Ne7 51.Re1 Rb1=] 47.Bd1 and now: it's a win for White... 47...Bd8 48.Be2 Bc7 49.Kc2 Ra8 50.Bd3 dxc4?? Perhaps Black missed the tactics this walks into. [50...Ne7] 51.Bxc4 Ne7 52.Re1 Nd5 53.Rxc6! [Or 53.Rxe6!] 53...Kxc6 54.Rxe6+ Kd7 55.Bxd5 Rb5 56.Rxg6 And Black's pawns turn out to be the vulnerable ones. There is no hope here to Lucas resigned. 1-0

(4) Riese,Kayven (1900) - Porlares,Teodoro (1746) [B14]
MI Nov-Dec TNM 1800+ San Francisco (2.7), 09.11.2021

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 The Panov-Botvinnik Attack is good for players who like open positions with attacking chances. Other variations of the Caro-Kann can be extemely solid for Black. 4...e6 5.Nf3 Nd7?! This gives White some good posibilities. The standard 5...Nf6 is preferable. 6.Nc3 Ngf6 7.a3 Be7 8.c5 a6 This doesn't help much. White will be getting nice mobile queenside pawns soon. 9.Bd3 Qc7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1 b5 [11...b6 may be a little better, but Black has trouble on the queenside in any case] 12.b4 Re8 13.Bg5 Bb7 14.Bh4 Bf8 15.Ne5 [15.Bg3 is a good alternative] 15...g6 [15...Nxe5 16.dxe5 Nd7 17.Qg4 g6] 16.f4 Bg7 17.Qf3 Nxe5 18.fxe5 Nd7 19.Rf1 Rf8

20.Qh3! keeping an eye on the e6 pawn 20...Rae8 21.Bg3 Nb8 22.a4! remembering there is also good play on the queenside. 22...bxa4 23.Rxa4 Rc8 24.Rfa1 Nc6 25.Qg4 Ra8 26.b5 axb5 27.Nxb5 Rxa4 28.Rxa4 Qd7 29.Qd1 Rb8 30.Nd6 Nd8 31.Ra7 Ra8 32.Qa1 Rxa7 33.Qxa7 Bc6 Clearly White has a strong position with the knight on d6. Can Black hold? 34.Qb8 Bf8 35.Be1 Be7 36.Ba5 Kg7 37.Ba6 Bg5 38.Kf2 f5 39.g3 Qe7 40.Qc7 Qxc7 41.Bxc7 Kf8 42.Nc8?! [42.Bc8! Ke7 43.Bxd8+ Kxd8 44.Nf7+ Kxc8 45.Nxg5 should be an easy with with good knight and extra pawn] 42...Ke8 43.Bd6 Nb7 44.Na7 Kd7 45.Bb8 Na5? [45...Bc1 has much better chances to hold the game] 46.Bc8+ Ke7 47.Bd6+ Black loses material now 47...Kf7 [47...Kd8 48.Bxe6 is certainly lost also] 48.Bc7! 48...Nc4 49.Nxc6 Be3+ 50.Ke2 Bg1 51.h4 Bh2 52.Kf2 A bishop up should be easy for White but Teodoro fights to make it hard. 52...f4 53.gxf4 Bxf4 54.Nd8+ Ke7 55.Nxe6 Be3+ 56.Ke2 Bg1 57.Nf4 Bxd4 58.Nxd5+ Ke8 59.e6 Bxc5 60.Nf6+ Ke7 61.Nxh7 Nd6 62.Bd7 Nf5 63.Bf4 Nd4+ 64.Kd3 Nxe6 65.Bxe6 Kxe6 It is still quite winning for White but you must know how to checkmate with bishop and knight vs. king. 66.Ke4 Kf7 [66...Bf2 67.Ng5+ Ke7 68.Nf3 Bxh4 would jump right to the test.] 67.Ng5+ Kg8 68.Bg3 Ba3 69.Kd5 Kg7 70.Ke6 Bc1 71.Nf7 Ba3 72.Be5+ Kh7 73.Bf6 Bb4 74.Bg5 Be1 75.Nd6 Kg7 76.Bf6+? Woops! 76...Kh7? Back in the hole. [76...Kh6 draws. Mind you, Black was running on 0:04 plus the delay for quite a few moves now.] 77.Kf7? [Here's one winning plan: 77.Bg5 Kg7 78.Ne8+ Kf8 79.Nf6 Kg7 80.Ng4 Bg3 81.Ke7 Be1 82.Bf6+ Kg8 83.Ne5 Kh7 84.Nd3 Bg3 85.Bg5 Kg8 86.Nf4 It is the right bishop and rook pawn pair!] 77...Bb4? [77...Kh6 draws again. You'd think he'd play this with 1 second left!] 78.Ne4 Back on track! 78...Be1 [Now 78...Kh6 79.Bg5+ Kh5 80.Nf6#!] 79.Bg5 Bb4 80.Nf6+ Kh8 81.Kxg6?! [Forget that pawn! Checkmate! 81.Bh6 Bf8 82.Kxf8 g5 83.Bg7#] 81...Be1 82.h5 Bb4 83.h6 Bf8 84.h7 Bh6 85.Ne4 Bg7 [85...Bxg5 86.Nd6! Bf6 87.Nf7#] 86.Be7 [86.Nd6!] 86...Bd4 87.Ng5 Ba1 88.Nf7# 1-0

(5) Barreyro,Romeo (1649) - Suarez,Sebastian (1474) [A03]
MI Nov-Dec TNM u1800 San Francisco (2.16), 09.11.2021

1.f4 d5 2.b3 g6 3.Bb2 Nf6 A good line for Black against Bird's Opening. 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.e3 c5 6.Be2 Nc6 7.0-0 0-0 8.Ne5 Nxe5 9.fxe5 Nd7 10.d4 The position offers even chances. 10...e6 [10...Nb8! would be a good alternative] 11.Nc3 a6 12.Bg4 b5 13.Ne2 Qb6 White has a nice central pawn chain of d4,e5. Romeo plays for tactics though instead of just maintaining it. 14.Nf4 cxd4 15.Bxd4 Qc7

16.Nxe6?! A lot of action! Objectively it's not quite enough for the knight though. 16...fxe6 17.Bxe6+ Kh8 18.Rxf8+ Nxf8 19.Bxd5 Bb7 20.Bxb7 Qxb7 21.Qf3 21...Qxf3 [21...Rb8! would keep the White e-pawns isolated and Black would have a clear edge.] 22.gxf3 Ne6 23.c3 Rd8 24.Rd1 b4?! [24...Kg8! gets the king into the game] 25.cxb4 Nxd4?! 26.Rxd4! Rxd4? This gives White a winning ending with 4 pawns against the bishop. [26...Rc8 makes it hard for White to win] 27.exd4 Bh6 28.Kf2 Kg8 29.a4 Kf7 30.b5 axb5 31.axb5 Ke6 32.Ke2 Bf4 33.h3 Kd5 34.Kd3 Bg3

35.b6! Kc6 36.Kc4 Kxb6 37.Kd5 very nice. Material is equal againt but the active White king and advanced e-pawn win the game 37...Kc7 38.Ke6 Kd8 39.b4 g5 40.b5 Bf2 41.d5 Bd4 42.d6 Bb6 43.Kd5 Kd7 44.e6+ Kd8 45.Kc6 Ba5 46.b6 1-0

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The Perfect Gift: Mechanics' Institute Commemorative Chess Set from House of Staunton

Jose Raul Capablanca visited the Mechanics' Institute in 1916, and a famous picture of him playing inside the chess room against AJ Fink shows the pieces that were a symbol of the Mechanics' Institute. The House of Staunton has made a high quality commemorarive edition of their chess set, which is availbale for sale. There is no better gift for a chess enthusiast these holidays, particulalry if you want to support the Mechanics' Institute as 10% of all proceeds from the purchase of this set goes back to the Mechanics' Institute! 

To purchase your own set or to get one as a special gift, please follow this link HERE

Thank you for all your support!

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Support the Mechanics' Institute and

Save Big in the Process!

Join the Mechanics' Institute, and realize savings on our events and classes while supporting our mission to provide a center for cultural and intellectual advanncement

We are doing a membership drive through the end of the year for new members and to encourage current members to renew. 

• Discount on most chess events or classes.
• Full use of the Library and its services, including online databases, ebooks, and more!
• Free or reduced admission to cultural events, programs, classes, and book groups.
• Access to the Chess Room and its tournaments and classes.
• WiFi access throughout the Library, Chess Room, and 4th floor meeting room.
• Membership access at other membership libraries.

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Chess Teasers From Movies

by Abel Talamantez

For this week's edition, we will see a position from Stanley Kubrick's classic movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. The HAL-9000 computer is playing Frank Poole as black and arrived at this position. Black to move and mate in 4. This position was taken from an actual tournament game in Hamburg in 1910 between A. Roesch and W. Schlage. Good luck! Solution is at the end of the newsletter.

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