Atlanta Tournaments

Atlanta Chess Center
3155A East Ponce de Leon Avenue
Scottdale, Georgia 30079

December 26
Third Annual Time Control Open
4SS - Round 1 G/30, Round 2 G/45, Round 3 G/60, Round 4 G/75
This format sounds fascinating. I would have loved to play in this event, but I didn't find out until the day after.

January 8
January 2005 Atlanta G/45 Championship (4 Round Swiss)
I will be playing in this event.

January 21-23
2005 Atlanta Winter Congress (5 Round Swiss)
The time limit for this tournament is 30/90 SD/1, with an option to play round 1 Saturday morning at a time limit of G/90.
I will be playing in this event, taking advantage of the accelerated first round option.

February 5
February 2005 Atlanta G/45 Championship (4 Round Swiss)
I will not be playing in this event.

February 4-6 2005
Georgian Peach Open (5 Round Swiss, G/120)
I will be playing in this event.
[This event is not at the Atlanta Chess Center.]

[modified]

Another game (new time limit)

I have entered a tournament in January with a G/45 time limit. In order for my wife and me (she might play too) to get some training in before the tournament, we decided to change the time limit of the games we've been playing from G/10 (3 sec delay) to G/45 (5 sec delay). Perhaps this will result in increased quality in our games, although I wouldn't necessarily bet on this. Hopefully, it will at least reduce the number of blunders.

RMD - ALD, 12/28/2004 [B31]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 d6 4. Bb5 Bd7 5. O-O Nf6 6. d3 [This was played in Matulovic-Velimirovic, 1973; more common are 6. d4 and 6. Re1.] g6 7. Bf4 Bg7 8. Bxc6 Bxc6 [=] 9. h3 [I don't really see the point of this move.] Qd7 10. Bg3 [10. Re1] O-O 11. Qe2 b5! 12. d4!? [12. Qe3] b4 13. e5 [13. d5] dxe5 [13. ... Nh5] 14. dxe5 [14. Nxe5] Nh5 15. Ne4 Nxg3 16. fxg3 Bxe4 [16. ... Qd5! with some advantage.] 17. Qxe4 e6 18. Rad1 Qc7 19. Rd6 Rac8 [19. ... Qa5] 20. b3 [20. Rfd1] Rfd8 21. Rfd1 Bf8 22. R6d3 Rxd3 23. cxd3 [This leaves the pawn backward as a target on the semi-open file. Better is 23. Qxd3.] Rd8 24. Rf1 [24. Rd2] Be7 [24. ... Rd5] 25. g4 a5 26. h4 [26. Nd2] Bf8 [26. ... Qa7 - RMD] 27. Ng5 Rd7 28. Rf4!? Rd4 [28. ... Bh6!] 29. Qe3 Rxf4 30. Qxf4 Bg7 31. Nf3 Qc6 32. Kh2 [32. h5 - RMD] Qd5 33. Qe3 Kf8 [Too timid. I gave serious consideration to 33. ... a4!? 34. bxa4 Qxa2 but ruled it out as too risky. But as it turns out after 35. Qxc5 Qxa4 36. Kg3 b3 the advantage lies with Black.] 34. Kh3 h6 35. g5 [Over the board I considered this move inferior, but post-mortem analysis reveals it to be correct.] h5 36. g4 hxg4+ 37. Kxg4 Qc6 [The elapsed times at this point were White 0:30 Black 0:35.] 38. h5 gxh5+ 39. Kxh5 Qc7 40. Qe4 Kg8 41. g6 fxg6+ 42. Qxg6 Qf7 [Best was 42. ... Qc6 43. Kg4 Kf8 =; now White has an edge.] 43. Ng5 Qxg6+ 44. Kxg6 Bxe5 45. Nxe6 Bd6 46. Nd8 [46. Kf6] Bc7 [46. ... Kf8] 47. Nc6 [47. Nb7] Kf8 48. Kf6 Ke8 49. Ke6 Bb6 [49. ... Kf8 50. Kd7 Bf4 51. Nxa5 Kf7 52. Nb7 Be3 53. Kc6 Ke7 54. Nxc5 Bd2 is likewise insufficient to hold the draw.] 50. Kd5? [This allows the Black King in. 50. Kd6 Kf7 51. Ne5+ Ke8 52. Nc4 Bd8 53. Kxc5 gave White the best winning chance.] Kd7 51. Ne5+ Kc7 52. Kc4 [52. Nc4!] Kd6 53. Nf7+ [The last chance was 53. Kb5 but after 53. ... Bc7 54. Nc4+ Kd5 55. Nxa5 Bh2 56. Nc4 Bg1 57. Nb6+ Kd4 58. Nd7 Kd5, White has won a pawn but the position is drawn with best play.] Kc6 [I offered a draw here, but my wife wanted to play on. The rest of the game doesn't really warrant any comment.] 54. Ne5+ Kd6 55. Nf3 Kc6 56. Ng5 Bd8 57. Nf7 Be7 58. d4 cxd4 59. Kxd4 Bc5+ 60. Kc4 Be7 61. Ne5+ Kb6 62. Nd7+ Kc6 63. Nb8+ Kb6 64. Nd7+ Kc6 65. Ne5+ Kb6 66. Ng6 [Avoiding the three-fold repetition although at this point nothing can prevent the draw.] Bd6 67. Kd5 Bh2 68. Ne7 Kb5 69. Nc8 a4 70. Nd6+ Ka5 71. Nc4+ Kb5 72. bxa4+ Kxa4 73. Kc5 Bg1+ 74. Kc6 Bd4 75. Kd5 Bg7 [Here my wife offered a draw, which I accepted. The elapsed times were White 0:39 Black 0:41.]

Keene's Latest "Book"

World Chess Championship - Kramnik Vs Leko 2004
Ray Keene
£10.99/$17.99
157 pages, Hardinge Simpole

Less than 10 days after the match ended the book of the tournament has already hit the shelves

I have been racking my brain but have been completely unable to figure out any scenario in which this is a good thing. A world championship match, and the book is out in 10 days? Superficial-analysis much? If I wanted silly superficial inaccurate off-the-cuff analysis with no depth, I'd analyze the games myself. Keene has been an obscene hack for a long time, but this just takes the cake. What a joke!

Two Games

RMD - ALD, 12/26/2004 [C50]

1. Nf3 Nc6 2. e4 e5 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Bd5 [6. d3] Re8 7. d3 d6 [7. ... Nd4] 8. Ng5 [8. Bg5] Nxd5 9. Nxd5 [=] Ne7? [A mistake; 9. ... h6 is correct. - RMD] 10. Qh5! [I had only seen 10. Qf3. Had I seen this I would not have played 9. ... Ne7.] f6??? [10. ... Nxd5 does not work, but 10. ... Ng6 hangs on although White is obviously much better.] 11. Qxh7+? [Misses a mate in three with 11. Nxe7+! Rxe7 12. Qxh7+ Kf8 13. Qh8#.] Kf8 12. Qh8+? [Missing the much stronger 12. Nxf6! when Black's best is 12. ... d5 (to free up the square d6 for the King's escape) 13. Qh8+ Ng8 14. Qxg8+ Ke7 15. Qxg7+ Kd6 16. exd5 with a strong attack.] Ng8 13. Nf3 [13. b4!? was worth considering.] c6 14. Nc3 [White has won a pawn, but the attack has dissipated.] Bg4 15. Nh4 Kf7 16. Qh7 [16. Nf5] Ne7 17. Nf5? [Now this is a mistake; 17. Bh6!] Bxf5 18. exf5? Rh8! White resigns

As my wife and I occasionally do, we agreed to re-play this game from White's 15th move since my wife was not happy with 15. Nh4, although I did not see anything wrong with it.

RMD - ALD, 12/26/2004 [C50]

1. Nf3 Nc6 2. e4 e5 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Bd5 Re8 7. d3 d6 8. Ng5 Nxd5 9. Nxd5 Ne7 10. Qh5 f6 11. Qxh7+ Kf8 12. Qh8+ Ng8 13. Nf3 c6 14. Nc3 Bg4 15. h3 [I think the original 15. Nh4 was better.] Bxf3 16. gxf3 Kf7 [16. ... d5] 17. Qh4 [17. Qh5+ Kf8 18. f4] Ne7 18. Qg3 Rh8 19. Na4 [I thought my wife was shifting her attention to the queenside, but she did not follow up this move. She didn't even trade the knight for my bishop. I think continuing on the kingside with 19. f4 was better.] Qd7 20. Kg2 Rh7 21. Be3 Bxe3 22. fxe3 Rah8 [22. ... Rh6] 23. Rh1 Ng6 24. Rh2? [24. Rag1] Nh4+ [Missing 24. ... Rh5! (threatening ...Rg5) 25. h4 Nxh4+ winning back the pawn with the better position.] 25. Kf2 f5 [25. ... Rh6 - RMD] 26. Rah1 [26. Nc3] Kf6 27. f4 [27. Rg1] exf4 28. exf4 Re8 29. Qg5+ Kf7 30. Nc3 g6 [30. ... Qc7] 31. a4 [Another move which does not follow from or lead to anything else in the game.] Rh5 32. Qg3 Re6 [Wasted move; 32. ... Qd8.] 33. Re1 Re8 [33. ... fxe4 34. dxe4 d5] 34. Rhh1 b6 35. e5!? [35. Rhg1] dxe5 36. Rxe5 [36. Qe3] Qd4+ [36. ... Rxe5 37. fxe5 f4] 37. Qe3 Qxe3+ 38. Rxe3 Rxe3 39. Kxe3 Ng2+ [39. ... g5!?] 40. Kf3 Nh4+ 41. Kg3 Kf6 42. d4 [42. Ne2] g5 43. Ne2 [43. fxg5+] gxf4+ [43. ... Ng6] 44. Kxf4 [44. Nxf4] Ng6+ 45. Kf3 Rh8 46. Nf4 [46. b4] Nxf4 47. Kxf4 Rh4+48. Ke3 Re4+ 49. Kd3 Kg5 50. Kc4 [50. c4] Kh4 [50. ... f4!] 51. c3 [51. Rf1 to take advantage of the fact that I did not push the f pawn.] Re3 52. Rf1 Kxh3 [This was the pivotal decision of the game; I believe 52. ... Kg5 was stronger. - RMD] 53. Rxf5 Re7 54. b4 [54. a5!?] Kg4 55. Rf8 Kg5 [55. ... Rc7] 56. a5 bxa5 57. bxa5 Rc7 58. a6 Rh7 59. Rc8 Kf5 60. Rxc6 Ke4 61. d5 Rd7 [Chessmaster suggests 61. ... Kf5, but after 62. Re6 Black's chances in the endgame aren't any better than in the actual game.] 62. d6 Ke5 63. Kc5 Ke6 [63. ... Rd8] 64. c4 Ke6 [64. ... Rg7] 65. Kb4? [65. Kc7 Rxd6 66. Re7+ Re6 67. Rxe6+ Kxe6 68. Kc6 and White wins.] Kd4? [I was scared to trade rooks, but the only drawing chance lay in 65. ... Rxd6 66. Rxd6 Kxd6. Now White's win is just a matter of (very simple) technique.] 66. c5 Kd5 67. Rc7 Rd8 68. Rxa7 Kc6 [68. ... Rf8] 69. Rb7 [69. Kc4] Rf8 70. Rc7+ Kd5 71. a7 Ra8 72. Kb5 [72. d7] Ke6 73. Kc6 Rd8 74. Kb7 0-1

Tratado General de Ajedrez

For those who can read Spanish, I highly recommend the four-volume Tratado General de Ajedrez by the late Argentine master Roberto Grau. Although Grau died in 1944, this book has been reprinted many times since then, and I recently came across a $10 copy of volume 1 on the internet here. I think these four volumes (over 1500 pages all told) have everything you need to go from rank amateur to expert.

Volume 1 ("Basic Principles") starts off at the very beginning with the movement of the pieces, simple mates, and elementary tactical concepts like the pin. It also has a great number of short games to work through and many exercises. Volume 2 ("Strategy") goes through a detailed discussion of strategy - the fight for the center, etc., and attack and defense concepts (e.g., the sacrifice on h7, etc.). There are also a good number of classic grandmaster games, analyzed in a great deal more detail than the games in volume 1, with detailed text explaining the ideas behind a position as well as lengthy analytical variations. Once you have mastered the material in the first two volumes, I would be amazed if you did not have a rating in the neighborhood of 1600.

Volume 3 ("Pawn Formations") and Volume 4 ("Advanced Strategy") -- which I have not finished working through -- look to have everything you would need to get from 1600 to expert territory (2000). I would rank them on a par with Dvoretsky's series in terms of pedagogical quality (but with lower expectations regarding the reader's expertise, as well as with more analytical mistakes).

Four Games

ALD - RMD, 12/5/2004 [C42]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 4. Qe2 d5 [4. ... Qe7 or 4. ... d6] 5. d3 Qf6? [5. ... Qe7] 6. Nxf7? [Way to throw an opportunity away. After the natural 6. Nf3, I would have won the Knight. Now the position is even.] Qxf7? [With 6. ... Qxf2+!, Black would even have recovered the pawn.] 7. dxe4 d4 8. Qb5+ Nc6 9. Bc4 Qd7 [9. ... Qg6] 10. Bg5 [10. O-O] Qg4 [10. ... Bd6] 11. Qd5 Qd7 [Qf7+ isn't really a worrisome threat; 11. ... Ne7.] 12. Qxd7+ Bxd7 13. O-O Be7 [13. ... h6] 14. Bf4 [14. Bxe7 Kxe7 15. f4] O-O-O 15. c3 [15. Nd2] Bc5 [15. ... Bf6 16. cxd4 Bxd4 is more accurate.] 16. Rd1 [Because of Black's slight inaccuracy on the last move, White now has 16. b4 Bb6 17. b5 Na5 18. Be2. Otherwise, 16. cxd4 Bxd4 is also an OK way to proceed. The move I selected is a non sequitor.] Bg4 17. Rd2 Rhf8 [Black's pressure provides sufficient compensation for the pawn deficit, so the position is basically even.] 18. Bg3 a6 [18. ... Rfe8] 19. Rd3 [I was trying to set up f3, but this move doesn't actually help make that possible; 19. Bd5.] Be2 20. Be6+ Kb8 21. Rd2 Bb5? [21. ... d3!] 22. c4 Rfe8 [22. ... Ba4 23. b3 d3 gave Black more counterplay than this.] 23. Bd5? [Duh! Of course 23. cxb5 since if 23. ... Rxe6, 24. bxc6. Now Black has a chance to escape.] Bxc4? [23. ... Nb4! 24. Na3 (24. cxb5? Nxd5!) Ba4 25. b3 Bd7 =] 24. Bxc4 Rxe4 25. Re2 [25. Rd1] Rxe2 26. Bxe2 d3 27. Bd1 Nb4 [27. ... d2] 28. Nc3 Bd4 29. Rc1 [29. Bb3!] Bxc3 [29. ... d2! 30. Ra1 Bxc3! (removing a defender of d1) 31. bxc3 Re8! (threatening mate) with strong winning chances.] 30. Rxc3 Nxa2? [30. ... Rd7] 31. Bxc7+ Kc8 [31. ... Ka7 is better, but Black is lost in any event.] 32. Bxd8+? [32. Bg4+! Rd7 33. Rxd3! with an immediate win.] Nxc3 33. bxc3 Kxd8 34. Kf1 b5 35. Ke1 Kc7 36. Kd2 a5 37. c4 [37. Kxd3] Kb6 [37. ... bxc4] 38. cxb5 Kxb5 39. Kxd3 Kb4 40. Ke4 a4 41. Bxa4 Kxa4 42. f4 [It's all over now. Even I couldn't screw this position up.] Kb4 43. g4 Kc5 44. Ke5 g6 45. h4 Kc6 46. Ke6 Kc7 47. f5 gxf5 48. gxf5 Kd8 49. Kf7 h5 50. Kg7 1-0

ALD - RMD, 12/23/2004 [D07]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 [My wife loves this defense, yet I've never learned to play against it properly.] 3. Qa4 [While this move does make an occasional appearance in master play (3. Nf3 Bg4 4. Qa4 = appears as D07/1), I don't really like it. I regretted playing it the second I hit my clock. 3. Nf3, 3. Nc3, 3. cxd5 and 3. e3 are all more common, as well as more suited to my style.] Bd7? [This loses a pawn, although I overlooked it. Correct is 3. ... e6.] 4. Qb3? [I didn't play 4. cxd5 because I mistakenly thought Black could respond 4. ... Nxd4.] Nxd4 [4. ... dxc4] 5. Qd3 [On this square, the White Queen interferes with White's development. Better to abandon the bad strategy commenced on the third move by playing 5. Qd1.] e5 6. cxd5 Nf6 7. e4?! [7. Nc3] Bb4+ [Missing 7. ... Nxd5!? 8. exd5 Bf5 9. Qd2 Bb4 10. Nc3 Nc2+ 11. Kd1 Nxa1.] 8. Bd2 a5 [Chessmaster says 8. ... Nxd5!? is still playable, but I don't see it myself.] 9. a3 [It was time to continue developing with 9. Nc3; I don't know what kind of hypnosis I was under in this game.] Bc5 [Missing 9. ... Ba4! when White can't play 10. axb4 because of 10. ... Nc2+.] 10. Nc3 Nb3 11. Rd1 Ng4! 12. Be3 [12. Nh3] Bxe3 13. fxe3 a4 14. h3??? Nf6? [Missing the mate in three with 14. ... Qh4+!] 15. Nf3 [After all the back-and-forth swings, this position is esentially even.] Nc5 16. Qc2 Qe7 17. Bd3 O-O 18. Nb1 [I was planning Nb1-d2-c4 to put pressure on the e5 pawn, but this plan is absurdly slow. Much better was 18. O-O.] c6 19. dxc6 Bxc6 20. Nbd2 Rfd8 21. Nc4 [21. Be2 is better, although White is already worse off.] Nfxe4 [Or 21. ... Rxd3 22. Rxd3 Bxe4 23. Nfxe5 Nxd3+ 24. Nxd3 Rd8 with the edge for Black.] 22. Nfxe5? [22. O-O was way overdue! Now it's all over for White!] Qh4+! 23. Kf1 Ng3+ 24. Kg1 Nxd3 25. Rxd3 Be4 26. Rxd8+ Rxd8 27. Qf2?? [27. Nf3] Rd1+! 28. Kh2 Rxh1#

As a side note, this game reinforced the fact that my wife's opening repertoire is about 100 years out of style (although perfectly solid and playable nonetheless). Against 1. d4, she plays either the Queen's Gambit Accepted or the QGD Chigorin Defense as in this game. She never even thinks about any of the Indian Defenses. Against 1. e4, she responds 1. ... e5 - never the French or the Sicilian. With White it's 1. e4 almost 100% of the time, and if I respond 1. ... e5, she plays Giuoco Piano or the Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation. I am always torn between spending some time studying these openings or spending time studying variations I am more likely to see from other players in a tournament.

ALD - RMD, 12/26/2004 [D07]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 [At the time, I saw this move as unnecessarily giving up the center, but after the game a quick review of ECO demonstrated that this is quite playable.] 6. bxc3 g6 [6. ... e5 immediately.] 7. Bc4 [7. Nf3] e5 [As long as 6. ... g6 was played, this should be followed up with 7. ... Bg7.] 8. d5 Ne7 [The counter-intuitive 8. ... Nb8 is also worth considering, as happened in Ratner-Terpugov, USSR 1950 (without the intervening Bc4 g6).] 9. Bb3 [9. Nf3] b5 [Huh?] 10. Ne2 Bg4 11. f3 Bd7 12. O-O f5!? 13. a3 [13. a4!] Bg7 14. Bb2 Qb8 15. Qd2 Qb6+ 16. Kh1 f4 [Prematurely releases the pressure on White's center.] 17. c4 O-O-O? [The straightforward 17. ... bxc4 18. Bxc4 Rb8 is necessary.] 18. Nxf4 exf4 [18. ... Rhe8] 19. Bxg7 bxc4? [Trying to be too slick. The plain 19. ... Rhg8 is correct.] 20. Bxh8 [White had better with 20. Bxc4 Rhg8 21. Bd4 c5 22. Bxc5 Qxc5 23. Ba6+ Kb8 24. Rab1+ and a clear win.] cxb3 21. Bd4 c5? [In this line this is not playable; 21. ... Qb7.] 22. dxc6e.p.? [22. Bxc5! when Black has lost a pawn for nothing since 22. ... Qxc5? is not possible because of 23. Rac1!] Bxc6 [22. ... Be8] 23. Bxb6 [23. Rfd1] Rxd2 24. Ba5? [I didn't think so at the time, but there is time for White to play 24. Bxa7!] Re2 25. Rab1 Re3 [25. ... Ba4 is a better way to defend the pawn.] 26. Rfc1 Kb7 27. Rc3 [27. Bd8 Nc8 28. Rc4] Ba4 28. Rc7+ Ka6 29. Bd2 Black resigns

Neither my wife nor I are prone to premature resignation, but in this game I thought my wife could have fought on for at least a while longer. After 29. ... Nc8 30. Bxe3 fxe3, Black is down both exchanges but has two passed pawns as compensation. Of course, with best play I should win, but she should know better than to expect best play from me.

RMD - ALD, 12/26/2004 [C68]

1. Nf3 Nc6 2. e4 e5 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nxe5 Qd4 6. Nxf7? [My wife and I had reached this position once before on 11/27, and she played this move then too. I still don't understand the need for this desperation.] Qxe4+ 7. Qe2 Qxe2+ 8. Kxe2 Kxf7 9. d4 Nf6 10. f3 [The first deviation from our previous game, where my wife played 10. Bf4, which is better than the move in this game.] Bf5 11. c3 Bxb1 [11. ... Re8+] 12. Rxb1 Bd6 13. Kd3 Rhe8 14. b4 [14. Bg5] Nd5 [14. ... b5!? is a move I didn't even consider, but it's definitely worth looking at.] 15. a3 [15. a4] Nf4+ [15. ... Bf4] 16. Bxf4 Bxf4 17. g3 Bg5 [17. ... Re3+ was worth considering, but if not that then I should have played 17. ... Bd6. What I chose just allows White to play 18. f4 with gain of tempo.] 18. f4 Bf6 19. Rhf1 [19. g4] Rad8 20. g4 Kg8 [I considered this move as well as 20. ... Kg6. However, it turns out that 20. ... Be7 was best.] 21. g5 Be7 22. c4 [22. h4! At this point, I was thinking that White has the initiative but Black is definitely winning. I knew that as long as I didn't blunder it was in the bag.] b6 [The first inaccuracy. Better was 22. ... c5 23. d5 c6 stemming Black's initiative.] 23. Kc3 [23. Rbe1] c5 [A second inaccuracy. Now 24. dxc5 bxc5 25. b5 axb5 26. Rxb5 would give White an outside passed pawn.] 24. d5 [Not bad, but not fully capitalizing on Black's error.] cxb4+ [A third inaccuracy; 24. ... Bd6] 25. axb4 c6? [And now finally a downright error. I analyzed all sorts of replies to this but somehow missed the obvious 26. dxc6. I can't believe I was playing so badly that I made four consecutive bad moves. My wife's initiative was making me lose my cool.] 26. dxc6 Rc8 27. b5 axb5 [27. ... a5 - RMD] 28. cxb5 Bd6 [28. ... Rf8] 29. Rbd1 Re3+ [29. ... Rcd8] 30. Rd3 [30. Kc4] Rxd3+ 31. Kxd3 Kf7 [31. ... Ra8 to get some counterplay.] 32. h4 Kg6 [32. ... h5] 33. f5+ Kh5!? 34. Rh1 [34. f6] Bg3 [Despite Black's extra piece, the position is now actually dead even. With 34. ... Bc7 Black keeps some sort of edge.] 35. f6 gxf6 36. gxf6 Rf8 37. Rf1 [It's insanely difficult for the non-grandmasters among us to know if 37. Rf1 or 37. Rc1 is the correct move in this position. That is, which passed pawn should the rook get behind? Chessmaster suggests 37. Rc1, but since that passed pawn is supported and the King is closer to it, I like 37. Rf1 better myself. But what do I know?] Bxh4 38. c7 [38. Kd4! Kg6 39. Kd5 Kf7 40. c7 gave better chances, but I think this position was just too subtle for either one of us to really understand what was going on.] Bg3 [38. ... Rc8 39. Rc1 Kg6 and Black maintained a small advantage.] 39. Rh1+ Kg4 [I did not play 39. ... Kg6 because I was afraid of the pin 40. Rg1, but it turns out that Black's best practical winning chances lay here after 40. ... Rc8 41. Rxg3+ Kxf6 42. Rf3+ Kg7 43. Rg3+ Kh8 44. Re3 Rxc7, where Black now has an extra passed pawn. Now the position is drawn - if I don't screw it up.] 40. Rxh7 Bxc7 [Too soon. The Black King is too far away. Better is 40. ... Kf5 41. Rd7 Bxc7 42. Rxc7 Rxf6.] 41. Kc4?? Rxf6?? [I have no idea what hallucination affected both me and my wife here.] 42. Rxc7 [White's pieces are more active and the Black King is far away from the pawns, so all the winning chances are now with White.] Rf4+ [42. ... Rf5! - RMD] 43. Kd5 Rf5+ ["Patzer sees a check, patzer gives a check." I don't know what I was thinking; 43. ... Rf6!] 44. Kc6 Rf6+ 45. Kb7 Kf4 46. Rc6 Rf7+ 47. Kxb6 Ke5 48. Rc5+ Kd6 49. Rc6+ Kd5 [Chessmaster claims that the correct 49th move for White was 49. Rc2 and that 49. Rc6+ allowed Black to reach a theoretically drawn position with 49. ... Ke5. Some time spent with Comprehensive Chess Endings: Rook Endings confirmed that this is in fact not the case. White's endgame play was flawless. Once upon a time, I could count upon getting excellent chances of winning an even position or drawing an inferior position by going into the endgame. But no longer; now my wife is at least as good as I in the endgame. Ah, well...] 50. Ka5 Rb7 51. Rc8 [51. Ka6] Kd6 [51. ... Ra7+ - RMD] 52. b6 Kd7? [The losing move; 52. ... Rf7 held out some hope.] 53. Rc1 [The correct idea.] Kd6 54. Ka6 Rb8 55. Ka7 Re8 56. b7 Re7 57. Ka8 1-0

Review of "Chess Tactics for the Tournament Player"

If this book were truly representative of "the once-secret Russian method of chess training" no Soviet player would ever have become a grandmaster in the entire course of chess history. This book simply does not live up to the hype. Keep in mind as you read the following that according to the authors the alleged goal of these books is "to provide the knowledge necessary to reach expert strength." Nobody is going to achieve a rating anywhere remotely near expert strength using this book.

My complaints are numerous:
[1] These books violate the basic tenet to know your audience. The material oscillates between being absurdly simple for the alleged target audience to being absurdly unclear. For example, at one point they explain what a pin is. Elsewhere, they provide a complicated example from the Fischer-Spassky 1972 match with absolutely no commentary.
[2] The examples are too sparsely commented (an obscene number of them have no comments at all) to be of any use to a serious student trying to learn from them. As just one ridiculous example, page 180 contains a 19-move analysis with a single comment ("now follows a beautiful variation"); well, thanks, that was very useful. The famous game Lasker-Bauer, Amsterdam 1889, merits a comment on only one move as well.
[3] Many of the examples are downright useless, consisting as they do of a single move. That this book would have any one-move examples boggles my mind. We are given no indication of how the position was arrived at or how the magical move (1. Qa7!!) was decided upon or even why it merits two exclamation points.

On page 14, the authors write, "When studying lessons on tactics, pay close attention to both the means and circumstances that give rise to forced play." Yeah, that's what I thought I was reading this book for. Unfortunately, anyone looking to this book to learn this stuff will go away disappointed. Alburt & Palatnik clearly do not have the ability to teach tactics to their target audience. The book consists of vague generalities illustrated with examples of dubious instructional value.

The bottom line is -- if you are rated below 1600, you will not learn anything from Alburt & Palatnik; try Jeremy Silman's or Yasser Seirawan's books instead. If you are rated above 1600, you will not learn anything from these books either; try Dvoretsky's well-respected books (either the five books of the Dvoretsky-Yusupov school or Dvoretsky's more recent 4-volume School of Chess Excellence series).

Kasimdzhanov-Kasparov match is NOT a go

http://www.fide.com/news.asp?id=605

FIDE announces the termination of negotiations with the candidate organiser of the World Chess Championship match Kasimdzhanov-Kasparov, originally sheduled for January 2005 in Dubai. The organiser from Dubai did not supply FIDE with the required financial guarantees within the deadline set by the FIDE President.

The Kasimdzhanov-Kasparov match is now scheduled to be organised in spring 2005 and FIDE has already entered discussions with other candidate organisers and sponsors. Further information on the progress of these discussions will be officially announced until the end of this year.

Now let me see if I've got this straight. The January 2005 match in Dubai was just a figment of the FIDE President's imagination (as Kasparov suggested in his letter to the FIDE Congress), but this newly announced spring 2005 match with super-duper-secret unmentionable sponsors is legitimate. And we're supposed to believe this because...??? I can live with an idiot running things, and I can live with a crook running things . . . but a crooked idiot is too much to take. FIDE is turning professional chess into a bad joke. Can you imagine if Wimbledon or the Masters did not take place on schedule?

Two games

RMD - ALD, 11/27/2004 [C68]

1. e4 e4 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nxe5 Qd4 [=, ECO] 6. Nxf7? [There's no need for this desperation. After 6. Ng4, White's game is perfectly playable.] Qxe4+ 7. Qe2 [White should not trade queens down material; 7. Kf1.] Qxe2+ 8. Kxe2 Kxf7 9. d4 Nf6 10. Bf4 Bd6 11. Be5 [11. Bxd6] Bxe5 [11. ... Re8] 12. dxe5 Nd5 13. Nd2 [13. Re1] Re8 14. Nc4 b5 15. Ne3 Nxe3 16. fxe3 Rxe5 17. Rhf1+ Ke7 18. h3 Bd7 19. g4 [19. Rf3] Rf8 [19. ... h5] 20. Rfd1 c5 21. Kd3? Rd5+ [21. ... Rf3!] 22. Kc3 [22. Ke2] Rxd1 [22. ... b4+] 23. Rxd1 Rf3 24. Rd3 [24. Rh1] Rxh3 25. g5 Bf5 [25. ... c4] 26. Rd5 Rxe3+ 27. Kd2 Rf3 28. Rxc5 Rf2+ [Patzer sees a check, patzer gives a check; 28. ... Kd6.] 29. Ke3 Rxc2? [29. ... Kd6] 30. Rxf5 Rxb2 31. Re5+ Kd6 32. Rf5 Rxa2 33. Rf7 Ra3+ 34. Ke4 Ra4+ 35. Ke3 g6 36. Kf3 [36. Rxh7] Rh4 37. Kg3 [37. Rf6+] Rh5 38. Kg4 h6 [38. ... a5 ends all resistance.] 39. Rf6+ [39. gxh6] Ke7 [39. ... Ke5] 40. Rxg6? [White can't trade rooks; better to play 40. Rxa6, although the game is lost in any case.] Rxg5+ 41. Rxg5 hxg5 42. Kxg5 c4 0-1

ALD - RMD, 12/11/2004 [A20]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 e4 4. Nd4 [4. Ng5] Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb4 6. a3 [6. d4] Bxc3 7. dxc3 b6 8. c5 O-O 9. cxb6 axb6 10. e3 [10. g3] d5 11. c4 Bg4 12. Be2 [12. Qc2] Be6 [12. ... Bxe2] 13. cxd5 Qxd5 14. Qxd5 Bxd5 15. Nd4 c5 16. Nf5 Ra4 [Odd.] 17. Ne7+ Kh8 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. O-O h6 20. Rd1 Rd8 21. b3 Ra7 22. Bc4 Rad7 23. Bxd5 [23. Ra2] Rxd5 24. Rxd5 Rxd5 25. Bb2 [25. Kf1] Rd3 26. b4 Kh7 [26. ... Rb3] 27. g3 [27. bxc5] c4 28. Rc1 b5 29. Rc3 [29. a4 or 29. Kf1 is better.] Nc6 [29. ... Rd2 30. Bc1 Ra2] 30. Kf1 f6 [30. ... Rd2] 31. Ke2 Kg8 [Black seems to have no plan; 31. ... Ne5.] 32. a4 bxa4 [32. ... Rxc3] 33. Rxc4 Rb3 34. Rxc6 [34. Bc1] Rxb2+ 35. Ke1 [35. Kf1] Rxb4 [35. ... a3!] 36. Ra6 Kh7 37. Kd1 h5 38. Kc2 Kg6 39. Kc3 Rb3+ 40. Kc2 Rb4 41. Kc3 [I would have been happy with a draw by repetition at this point, but my wife would have none of that.] Rb1 42. Rxa4 f5 43. h4 Rf1 44. Ra6+ Kh7 45. Ra2 Kh6 46. Kd4 g5 [46. ... Rc1, =] 47. hxg5+ [Fails to take advantage of Black's inaccuracy on the previous move; 47. Ke5!] Kxg5 48. Ke5 Kg4 49. Rd2 Kf3 50. Kxf5 Rxf2? [This loses the endgame; 50. ... Rh1!] 51. Rxf2+ Kxf2 52. Kf4 Kg2 53. g4 h4 [53. ... hxg4 likewise loses.] 54. g5 h3 55. g6 h2 56. g7 h1=Q 57. g8=Q+ [While playing this position, I was under the impression it was a draw. It turns out I had a win all along and didn't even know it. Because of the bad position of Black's king, there's a win (Comprehensive Chess Endings: Queen Endings section 2.41).] Kf2 58. Qg3+?? [Now it's a draw! White would win with 58. Qa2+! Kg1 59. Qb1+ Kh2 60. Qxh1+ Kxh1 61. Kxe4.] Ke2 59. Qg4+?? [Now it's a win for Black! After 59. Qg5, the position could have been abandoned as a certain draw. Two moves, two blunders. Wow!] Qf3+! 60. Qxf3+ exf3 61. e4 f2 62. e5 f1=Q+ 0-1

One game, twice

RMD - ALD, 12/11/2004 [D01]

1. Nc3 Nf6 2. d4 d5 3. Bg5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. e3 Bd6 6. Bd3 Bxd3 7. Qxd3 Nbd7 [=] 8. Nb5 [8. e4 is recommended in this type of position.] O-O 9. Nxd6 cxd6 10. O-O Qb6 11. Bxf6 [My wife second-guessed herself after playing this, but I don't see anything wrong with it.] Nxf6 12. Rab1 Rac8 13. Rfc1 Rc7 14. Nd2 Rfc8 15. c3 g6 [15. ... e5] 16. f3 Kg7 17. b3 Qa5 18. c4! dxc4 19. Nxc4?! [Setting a trap for Black.] Qxa2?? [The second I hit my clock I realized with horror the point of White's last move. I had fallen for the trap. The way to refute 19. Nxc4 is 19. ... Qa6 20. Re1 b5 21. Nd2 Qxa2 22. Ra1 Qb2 when the queen is able to escape with the extra pawn.] 20. Ra1 Black resigns

Given the interesting position and the idiotic nature of my loss, my wife and I decided to play the same position again.

RMD - ALD, 12/11/2004 [D01]

1. Nc3 Nf6 2. d4 d5 3. Bg5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. e3 Bd6 6. Bd3 Bxd3 7. Qxd3 Nbd7 8. Nb5 O-O 9. Nxd6 cxd6 10. O-O Qb6 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. Rab1 Rac8 13. Rfc1 Rc7 14. Nd2 Rfc8 15. c3 g6 16. f3 Kg7 17. b3 Qa5 18. c4 dxc4 19. Nxc4 Qb5 [My second chance at this position, and still I could not find the right move. 19. ... Qa6 is stronger, retaining an edge for Black. Now the position is even.] 20. e4? [20. Qd2] d5 21. e5 dxc4? [Duh! Because the White Knight is pinned, there's time for 21. ... Nd7, capturing on the next move.] 22. exf6+ Kxf6 23. Rxc4 [23. bxc4] Rxc4 24. bxc4 Qxc4 25. Qxc4 Rxc4 26. Rxb7 Rc1+ 27. Kf2 Rc2+ 28. Kg3 Rxa2 29. h4 a5 [Better to first put a stop to White's ambitions on the queen side with 29. ... h6.] 30. f4 [30. Rb6] a4 [30. ... Rd2] 31. Rb1 [31. Ra7, behind the pawn!] a3 32. Kf3 [32. Rb3] Rd2 [32. ... Rb2] 33. Ra1 [33. Rb4 a2 34. Ra4] a2 34. g3 Rd3+ 35. Kg4 [35. Ke4 since the pawn on g3 can not be taken.] h5+ 36. Kh3 Ra3 37. Kg2 Kf5 38. Kh3 [38. Kf1 also loses.] f6 [Thinking of 39. Kg2 Kg5 when it's all over. But 38. ... Ke4 was faster.] White resigns

2005 U.S. Chess Champions

Hikaru Nakamura of White Plains NY is the new U.S. Chess Champion! The 16-year-old swept the playoff match against Alex Stripunsky 2-0. Rusa Goletiani, also from NY, won her playoff against Tatev Abrahamyan with the same 2-0 score to win the Women's U.S. Championship.

Distribution of Prize Money:
1st. Nakamura - 7, won playoff [$25,000]
2nd. Stripunsky - 7, lost playoff [$17,000]
3rd. Kaidanov - 6, tiebreak formula [$13,000]
4th. Kudrin - 6, tiebreak formula [$10,200]
5th. Shulman - 6, tiebreak formula [$8,100]
6th-8th. Serper, Benjamin and Onischuk - 6 [$5,200]
9th-17th. Goldin, Ibragimov, Gulko, Becerra, Akobian, Kamsky, Wojtkiewicz, Fishbein and Yermolinsky - 5.5 [$4,294.44]
18th-31st. Gurevich, Gonzalez, Bercys, Perelshteyn, Altounian, Christiansen, Milman, Lapshun, DeFirmian, Novikov, Shabalov, Finegold, Lakdawala, Ivanov - 5 [$3,250]
1st women's. Goletiani - 4.5, won playoff [$12,500]
2nd women's. Abrahamyan - 4.5, lost playoff [$9,200]
32nd-39th. Schneider, Lugo, Kriventsov, Burnett, Browne, Casella - 4.5
3rd women's. Krush - 4, tiebreak formula [$7,100]
4th women's. Battsetseg - 4, tiebreak formula [$5,500]
40th-47th. Zilberstein, Martinez, Friedel, Hoekstra, Muhammad and Enkhbat - 4 [$2,525]
48th-54th. Zatonskih, Adamson, Lopez, Kraai, Lein, Zenyuk and Airapetian - 3.5 [$2,400]
55th-60th. LaRota, Shahade, Ross, Vayserberg, Hahn and Levina - 3 [$2,200]
61st-63rd. Kleiman, West and Epstein - 2.5 [$2,200]
64th. Sagalchik - 0.5 [$2,200]

Two games

ALD - RMD, 12/4/2004 [A34]

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d3 Nf6 5.Bg5 Be7 6. g3 O-O 7. Bg2 d5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Bxe7 Ndxe7 10. O-O a6 [I could not find this specific position in the opening books, but it is a very typical position in this line of the English. Chances are even here.] 11. Na4 Qd6 [11. ... Qa5] 12. Rc1 Nb4 [12. ... Bg4] 13. Rxc5?! [13. a3] b5 14. Rxe5 [14. Nxe5 bxa4 15. d4] Bb7? [I don't understand why my wife didn't just grab the piece she had just won.] 15. Nc5 [15. Rxe7 Qxe7 16. Nc3 was better.] Bxf3 16. Bxf3 Qxe5 17. Bxa8? [Missing the intermediate 17. d4!] Rxa8? [17. ... Qxc5! 18. Bg2 Nxa2] 18. d4 Qd5 19. a3 Nbc6 20. e3 h6 21. Qd3 Qa2 [Odd.] 22. Qb3 Qxb3 23. Nxb3 a5 24. Rc1 a4 25. Nc5 g5 [25. ... Na5] 26. Nd7 Kg7 27. d5 Nb8 28. Nxb8 Rxb8 29. e4 Nc8 [29. ... Rc8] 30. f4 Nb6 31. Kf2 Nc4 32. Rc2 Kf6 [32. ... Rd8] 33. Kf3 [33. Ke2] h5 34. h3 Nd6?? [A blunder. Black had the cute 34. ... g4+ 35. hxg4 hxg4+ when White can not respond 36. Kxg4? because of Ne3+.] 35. e5+ Ke7 36. exd6+? [Missing the strong intermediate check 36. Rc7+!] Kxd6 37. fxg5 [It was essential to hang on to the strong passed pawn with 37. Ke4. The extra passed pawn in the center is generally a win (e.g., Rubinstein-Lasker, Saint Petersburg 1909, and Fischer-Ghitescu, Liepzig 1960). Now the position is drawish. ] Kxd5 38. Kf4 b4 39. Kf5 [This dissipates White's remaining advantage. Necessary was 39. Rc7.] bxa3 40. bxa3 Rb3 41. Rd2+ [Pretty much forced.] Kc4 42. g4 [42. Kf6] Rxa3 [With 42. ... h4 Black equalized; now White again has winning chances.] 43. gxh5 Rxg3 44. h6 a3 45. Kf6 Rd3 [Chessmaster recommends 45. ... Rh5, but I think a much stronger defense than either 45. ... Rd3 or 45. ... Rh5 is given by 45. ... Rg3.] 46. Ra2 [Otherwise 46. ... Kc3 with the threat of 47. ... Rd2.] Rf3+ 47. Kg7 Rg3 48. Rxa3? [Why? Now the position is a dead draw. After 48. Kxf7 Rxg5 49. Rxa3, White retains some winning chances.] Rxa3 49. h7 Rh3 50. h8=Q Rxh8 51. Kxh8 Kd5 52. Kg7 Ke6 53. Kf8 Kf5 54. Kxf7 Kxg5 1/2-1/2

RMD - ALD, 12/4/2004 [B45]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 e6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Be7 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Nc3 Qc7 8. O-O Nf6 [Another typical position in this line of the Sicilian. Chances are even.] 9. Qf3 [9. Re1] O-O 10. Be3 [10. Bf4] a5 [10. ... d5] 11. Rfe1 Ba6 12. Bb3 Bb4 13. Bg5 Qe5 14. h4 h6 15. Bxf6 Qxf6 16. Qxf6 gxf6 17. Re3 d5 18. Na4 [18. Rf3] d4 19. Rf3 Kg7 20. a3 Be7 21. Nb6 Ra7 22. Nc4 a4 23. Ba2 e5 24. c3 [24. Nd2] c5 25. Nb6 Rb7? [Chessmaster recommends 25. ... Rb8, but I prefer to save the pawn with 25. ... Bb7.] 26. Nxa4 Bb5 27. b3? [It's a subtle error, but this move gives back the extra pawn to 27. ... Ra8 28. cxd4 cxd4 29. Bb1 Bxa4 30. bxa4 Rb2 31. Ba2 Rxa4.] Bxa4? 28. bxa4 Ra7 29. Bb3 c4! 30. Bd1 d3 [=] 31. g4 [31. Rb1] Rb8 32. Kg2 Rb2 33. Rf5 Bc5 34. Kg3 Rd2 35. g5 hxg5 36. hxg5 Be7 [36. ... fxg5 37. Rxg5+ Kf8] 37. f4!? [37. Bh5] Rxd1? [Insufficient. Black had an edge; there was no reason to get "cute." The simple 37. ... exf4+ 38. Kxf4 fxg5+ 39. Ke3 Rh2 maintained the edge.] 38. Rxd1 Rxa4? [38. ... exf4+ was still correct. Now the advantage switches to White.] 39. gxf6+ Bxf6 40. fxe5 Be7 41. Rdf1 Bxa3? [41. ... Kf8] 42. Rxf7+ Kg8 43. e6 Ra6 [43. ... Ra8] 44. e7 Rg6+ 45. Kh3 Rh6+ 46. Kg4 Bxe7 47. Rxe7 [Time to resign.] Rd6 48. e5 Rd8 49. Re6 [Missing a mate in 7 with 49. Kh5 d2 50. Kg6 d1=Q 51. Rxd1 Kf8 52. Rf7+ Ke8 53. Rh1 Rd6+ 54. exd6 Kd8 55. Rh8#.] d2 50. Rd6 1-0 [50. ... Re8 51. Kg5 d1=Q 52. Rdxd1 Rc8 53. Rd6 Rc7 54. Rg6+ Kh8 55. Rh1+ Rh7 56. Rxh7+ Kxh7]

US Championship Round 9 Resuls

It was an exciting last round. GM Nakamura defeated GM Ibragimov, and GM Stripunsky defeated GM Goldin. Therefore, it didn't matter what happened on any of the lower boards. Nakamura and Stripunsky are now tied for first place at 7 points. There will be a rapid chess playoff tomorrow to decide the titleholder.

On the next boards, Kudrin, Shulman and Serper all won (Goldin and Ibragimov only drew). Joining them at 6 points were Kaidanov, Benjamin and Onischuk, who also won their games.

As the highest women scorers at 4.5 points, Goletiani and Abrahamyan will also meet tomorrow in in rapid chess playoff to decide the U.S. women's champion.

Final standings:

• Stripunsky and Nakamura - 7
• Kudrin, Shulman, Serper, Kaidanov, Benjamin and Onischuk - 6
• Goldin, Ibragimov, Gulko, Becerra, Akobian, Kamsky, Wojtkiewicz, Fishbein and Yermolinsky - 5.5
• Gurevich, Gonzalez, Bercys, Perelshteyn, Altounian, Christiansen, Milman, Lapshun, DeFirmian, Novikov, Shabalov, Finegold, Lakdawala, Ivanov - 5
• Schneider, Lugo, Kriventsov, Burnett, Browne, Goletiani, Casella and Abrahamyan - 4.5
• Zilberstein, Martinez, Friedel, Krush, Hoekstra, Muhammad, Battsetseg and Enkhbat - 4
• Zatonskih, Adamson, Lopez, Kraai, Lein, Zenyuk and Airapetian - 3.5
• LaRota, Shahade, Ross, Vayserberg, Hahn and Levina - 3
• Kleiman, West and Epstein - 2.5
• Sagalchik - 0.5

By the way, if you visit the http://www.uschesschampionship.com/ website, you can find the complete crosstable, round by round results, photos, review articles of each round, annotated games and PGN files containing all the games. Check it out!

Two (very poor) games

ALD - RMD, 12/4/2004 [D07]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Bg5 Ne4 6. Nxd5? [6. Nxe4] Nxf5 7. Nxg5 [7. Qb3] e6 8. Nxf7 [8. Nc3] Kxf7 9. Ne3??? [9. Nc3] Bb4+! White resigns

ALD - RMD, 12/4/2004 [D07]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. cxd5 [An improvement over the previous game.] Nxd5 6. e4 Bxf3 7. gxf3 Nf6 [7. ... Nxc3 (Ribli-Wittmann, Dubai Olympiad 1986) and 7. ... Nb6 (Keres-Terpugov, USSR Championship 1951) have been played before.] 8. d5 Ne5 9. Bf4 Ng6 10. Bg3 [10. Qa4+] e6 [10. ... e5] 11. Bb5+ Nd7 12. dxe6 fxe6 13. Bc4 [13. Qb3] e5 [13. ... Qe7] 14. Qd5 Qf6 15. Qxb7 Nb6? [15. ... Rb8] 16. Qxc7? [16. Nd5! would have demolished Black's position.] Nxc4 17. Qxc4 h5? [Pointless. 17. ... Rd8 put up some sort of defense.] 18. Qb5+! Kf7 [18. ... Kd8 is likewise insufficient.] 19. Qd5+ Black resigns

Two Queen Pawn Games

ALD - RMD, 11/21/2004 [D02]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Bf5 3. Bf4 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. e3 Nf6 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Bd3 [=] Ne4 8. O-O Nxc3 9. bxc3 Bxd3 [Correct; 9. ... Bxc3?] 10. Qxd3 Ba5 [10. ... dxc4] 11. cxd5 [Too slow. White now has a small edge which he foolishly dissipates. Better is 11. Ng5.] exd5 12. c4 [12. Rab1] Nc6 13. cxd5 Qxd5 14. Rfc1 h6 [14. ... Bb6] 15. Rc5 [15. e4] Qe6? 16. d5 Qd7? [16. ... Qf6!] 17. Rd1? [17. Qb5!] Nb4 [17. ... Bb6] 18. Qa3 Qe7? [18. ... b6!] 19. Qxa5? [19. Rxa5] b6 20. Qxb4 Qxc5? [Black is in no position to trade queens; 20. ... bxc5.] 21. Qxc5 bxc5 22. Bxc7 a6 [22. ... Rac8] 23. Rc1 [23. d6] f6 24. e4? [24. Rxc5] Ra7 25. Bb6 [25. d6] Rb7 26. Bxc5 Rfb8 [26. ... Re8] 27. g3 a5 [27. ... f5] 28. Bd4 Rb4 29. e5 a4? [29. ... fxe5] 30. exf6 gxf6 31. Bxf6 a3 [31. ... Rb1 or 31. ... Kf7] 32. d6 Kf7 33. Be7? [33. d7 and Black might as well resign.] Ke6? [Loses. A defense could be put up after 33. ... Rb1 34. Rxb1 Rxb1+ 35. Kg2 Rb2.] 34. Re1+! Kd7 35. Ne5+ Ke8 36. d7+?? [Missing a win. 36. Bh4!! R4b7 37. d7+ Rxd7 38. Nc6+ Kf7 39. Nxb8.] Kxe7 37. Re3 [Another inaccuracy; 37. Re3.] Kxd7 38. Nxb4 Rxb4 [This simplified ending is probably still won for White, but much more accuracy is required now.] 39. Re3 Ra4 40. Kg2 Kd6 41. Kf3 Kd5 42. Re8 [42. g4] Kc5 [42. ... Rc4] 43. Rh8 [43. Re5+] Rd4 44. Rxh6?! [Gives Black too much counterplay; 44. Ke3.] Rd2 45. Rh5+ Kb4 46. Rh4+ Kc3 47. Rh8 Kb2 [47. Rxa2] 48. Ke3 Rc2 49. h4 Kxa2 50. h5 Kb1 [50. ... Rc7] 51. h6 a2 52. Ra8 [52. Rb8+, which I considered and discarded, is stronger.] Rc7 [52. ... Rc8!] 53. g4 a1=Q 54. Rxa1+ Kxa1 [This endgame is lost for Black because his King is too far away to help the Rook with the defense.] 55. g5 Re7+ 56. Kf3 Rh7 57. Kg4 Kb2 58. f4 Kc3 59. Kh5 Rf7 [59. ... Rb7 puts up a stronger defense, but Black is lost in any event.] 60. g6 Rxf4 61. g7 Rf5+ 62. Kg6 Rf3 63. h7 Rg3 64. Kf7 Kd3 65. Kg8 Rd3 66. Kh8 Rd8+ 67. g8=Q Rxg8+ 68. hxg8=Q 1-0

RMD - ALD, 12/3/2004 [D03]

1. Nf3 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 e6 [4. ... h6 is recommended by Chessmaster, but this was played in Kavalek-Quinteros, Hanover 1983 (Informant 36/439), when White got a strong plus out of the opening. I like the text move better.] 5. e4 dxe4 6. Nxe4 Be7 7. Nxf6+ Bxf6 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. c3 O-O 10. Bb5 Ne7 11. O-O Rd8 12. Ne5 Ng6 [12. ... c5] 13. Qh5 Nxe5 14. dxe5 Qf4 [14. ... Qe7] 15. Rfe1 [15. Rad1] Rd2 16. Re2 Rxe2 [16. ... Rd5] 17. Qxe2 a6 18. Bd3 b5? [18. ... Bd7] 19. Be4 [Missing 19. g3 Qa4 20. b3 Qa5 21. Qe4 Rb8 22. Qxh7+ Kf8 23. Qh8+ Ke7 24. Rd1 c5 25. Qxg7, with two pawns to the good and an overwhelming position.] Rb8 20. b4 [20. Qd3] Bb7 21. Bxb7 Rxb7 22. g3 Qf5 23. Kg2 c6 24. a4 Rc7 25. f4 [25. axb5 keeps a small edge; now the position is even.] g6 26. Qe3 [26. h4] Qc2+ 27. Kh3 [27. Kg1] Qf5+ [27. ... Rd7] 28. g4 Qc2 29. Qc5? [29. Rc1 maintained equality.] Qd3+? [Missing 29. ... Rd7, threatening 30. ... Rd2, with a strong attack.] 30. Kh4 h6 [Too slow; 30. ... Qd2.] 31. axb5? axb5? [Missing 31. ... g5+ 32. fxg5 hxg5+ 33. Kxg5 Qd2+ 34. Kh4 Qxh2+ 35. Kg5 Kg7 with a strong attack.] 32. g5? hxg5+ 33. Kxg5 [33. Kg4] Qf5+ 34. Kh4 Qxf4+ 35. Kh3 Qf3+ 36. Kh4 Rd7 37. Rg1? [37. Ra8+ is a stronger defense, although White is still lost in any case. The text move allows a mate in 6 with 37. ... Qh5+ 38. Kg3 Rd3+ 39. Qe3 Rxe3+ 40. Kf4 Qxe5+ 41. Kg4 Qf5+ 42. Kh4 Rh3#.] Qf4+ 38. Kh3 [This allows a mate in 7 similar to the one described before, starting with 38. ... Qf5+, but 38. Rg4 also allows White to create a mating net with 38. ... Rd3+.] Rd3+ 39. Rg3 Qf1+? [Black loses his way; 39. ... Qf5+ mated.] 40. Kh4 g5+? [And now the attack is completely gone. 40. ... Rd2 was necessary to retain mating chances.] 41. Kxg5 Qf5+ 42. Kh4+ Rxg3 43. hxg3 Qe4+ [This queen endgame is completely drawn.] 44. g4 Qd5 45. Qd4 Qxd4 46. cxd4 Kg7? [Forgetting the elementary concept of opposition; 46. ... Kh8!] 47. Kh5? [White could get a strong position by grabbing the opposition with 47. Kg5 Kg8 48.Kf6 Kf8 49. g5 Ke8 50. g6 fxg6 51. Kxg6 Ke7 52. Kg7 Ke8 53. Kf6 Kd7 54. Kf7 Kd8 55. Kxe6.] Kh7 48. g5 Kg7 49. Kg4 Kg6 1/2-1/2

US Championship Round 8 Resuls

After 8 rounds, Stripunsky and Nakamura are in the lead at 6 points. They are followed closely by Kudrin, Goldin, Shulman, Ibragimov and Serper at 5.5 points. The last round is tomorrow.

US Championship Round 7 Resuls

After 7 rounds, Stripunsky and Nakamura are in the lead with 5.5 points. They are followed closely by Kudrin, Goldin and Shulman at 5 points.

At the bottom of the table Sagalchik finally got on the scoreboard by drawing against Esther Epstein.