Chess Room Newsletter #369

"I know Kasparov as well as I know anyone. I know his smell. I can read him by that. I recognize the smell when he is excited and I know when he is scared. We may be enemies, but we are intimate enemies."
~Anatoly Karpov (King’s Gambit by Paul Hoffman, page 104)

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1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News
2) Hikaru Shines in Spain and Corsica
3) Chess Life/Chess Review/CLR on DVD
4) Interesting West Coast Websites
5) Here and There

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The Mechanics' won its final match in the regular season over division leading Dallas 2.5-1.5 to finish 6-4 and second in the West. We will face a tough Miami team in the first round of the playoffs with draw odds.

San Francisco 2.5 vs Dallas 1.5

1. GM Patrick Wolff (SF) vs IM Drasko Boskovic (DAL) 1-0
2. IM Davorin Kuljasevic (DAL) vs IM Vinay Bhat (SF) 1-0
3. IM Dmitry Zilberstein (SF) vs IM John Bartholomew (DAL) 1-0
4. WFM Lilia Doibani (DAL) vs Gregory Young (SF) 1/2-1/2

The following game was a key win for the team. Patrick, who finally got the White pieces after starting the season with three Blacks, defeated a strong opponent who does the difficult job of playing board one for a deep Dallas team ( Boskovic and Kuljasevic's FIDE ratings are respectively 2465 and 2464, Stopa has been over 2480 and Batholomew is 2435) but one that lacks a strong GM on board one. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qc7 5.Nc3 e6 6.Be2 a6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Be3 Be7 9.f4 d6 10.Kh1 0-0 11.Qe1 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.a3 Bb7 14.Qg3 Bc6 15.Rae1 Qb7 Black hits e4 and plans ...a5 and ...b4. 16.Bd3 g6 17.b4 17.f5 is more common. The text aims to prevent Black's plan of playing for ...b4 in radical fashion. 17...a5 18.f5 e5 19.Be3 axb4 20.axb4 Ra3 21.Nd5 21.Bd2 21...Bxd5 21...Nxd5 22.exd5 Bxd5 23.f6 Bd8 24.Qg5 Kh8. 22.exd5 e4 23.Bc1 Ra1 24.Be2 Another possibility was 24.fxg6 hxg6 25.Bxe4 when 25...Rxc1 (25...Nxe4 26.Rxe4 Bf6 27.Qxd6 Ra6 28.Qf4 Qxd5) can be met 26.Bxg6 Rxe1 27.Bd3. 24...Qxd5 25.Bb2 Rxe1 26.Qxe1 Nd7 26...Qc6 was to be considered, not allowing White to play an immediate f6. 27.f6 Bd8 28.Qc1 Kh8 29.c4 Qe6?! 29...Qc6 30.Qh6 Rg8 31.Rf4 g5 would have improved as the Queen on c6 doesn't walk into Bg4. 30.Qf4 Nb6? 30...Ne5 had to be played. 31.Qh6 Rg8 32.Rf4 g5 33.Bg4 1-0 A high class resignation. After 33...Rg6 34.Qxg6 hxg6 35.Bxe6 gxf4 36.Bxf7 Nd7 37.cxb5 White wins the ending: a) 37...Nxf6 38.b6 b) 37...Bxf6 38.Bxf6+ Nxf6 39.Be6 c) 37...Kh7 38.Be6 Nxf6 (38...Ne5 39.g3! (39.Bd4 Bxf6) 39...fxg3 40.Bd4 Bxf6 41.b6 Bd8 42.b7 Bc7 43.hxg3 Nc6 44.Bc3 and White brings his King to the center and mops up. This is the first game that Vinay has lost in the US Chess League over three seasons and almost twenty games. He has played at a high level of excellence despite an extremely busy schedule - first a rigorous undergraduate program at UC Berkeley and now a demanding job near San Jose that means an hour long commute each way to matches after putting in a long day at work. Vinay is the heart and soul of our team and his addition to the roster mid season in 2005 immediately transformed an ordinary team to one of the very best in the USCL. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 Ba6 5.Qc2 Bb7 6.Nc3 c5 7.e4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Nb3 Nc6 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 Nd4 12.Nxd4 Bxd4 13.Bd3 Be5 14.Bg3 Qb8 15.0-0-0 0-0 16.Kb1 This position has been reached many times with a consensus that Black's grip on the dark squares compensates for White's advantage in space. 16...Rd8 16...Rc8 is more common but the text is fine and might save time in the event of a massive series of trades on the d-file. 17.Qe2 d6 18.Bxe5 dxe5 19.f3 Qc7 20.Qe3 Ba6 21.b3 Rd4 22.Ne2 Rd7 23.Bc2 b5 23...Rad8 was equal. Black is trying to unbalance the position. 24.cxb5 Bxb5 25.Nc3 Rc8 26.Kb2 a5 27.Rxd7 Nxd7 28.Rc1 Ba6 29.Na4 Bb5 30.Nc3 Bc6 It would have been more prudent to repeat with 30...Ba6 with an equal position and a likely draw. Looking at Vinay during the game I had the best impression that he was not his usual self and the lack of objectivity shown on this and the next couple of moves is not normal for him. All due credit to Davorin who has played very well for Dallas this season ( #3 in the MVP standings). 31.Bd3 Nb8?! Black had to play 31...Qb7 32.Nb5 Bxb5 (or 32...Rb8 33.a4) 33.Rxc8+ Qxc8 34.Bxb5 with some advantage for White. 32.Nb5 Qd7 33.Be2 Rd8?! Better was 33...Qd8 but after 34.Qa7 White is better. The rest is grim for Black. 34.Rd1 Qe8 35.Nd6 Qe7 36.Qb6 Kh7 37.Nf5 exf5 38.Qxd8 Qa7 39.exf5 Qf2 40.Rd2 Nd7 41.f6 Qe3 42.Qxa5 gxf6 43.Qc3 Qb6 44.Rd6 Nc5 45.Qb4 1-0 The following game was an impressive performance against a tough to beat opponent. 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.dxc5 e6 5.Nf3 Bxc5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Nge7 8.a3 Ng6 9.b4 Be7 10.Re1 0-0 11.Bb2 Bd7 12.c4 dxc4 13.Bxc4 Qc7 14.Nbd2 Rac8 15.Rc1 Qb8 16.Qe2 Rfd8 17.Qe4 a6 18.Qg4 b5 19.Bd3 a5 20.bxa5 Nxa5 21.h4 Nc4 22.Bxc4 bxc4 23.Rb1 Qa7 24.Bd4 Qxa3 25.h5 Nf8 26.Ne4 Bc6 27.Nf6+ Kh8 Trading on f6 doesn't improve: 27...Bxf6 28.exf6 g6 29.Ne5 Qd6 (29...c3 30.Qf4 Nd7 31.hxg6 hxg6 32.Nxg6 fxg6 33.Qh6 Qf8 34.f7+ Kxf7 35.Qh7+) 30.Bb6! (30.Qf4 Nd7=) 30...Re8 31.Rbd1 Qb4 32.Qg5 is decisive. 28.Ng5 Be8 29.Nxe8 Bxg5 30.Nd6 Rxd6 31.exd6 Bf6 32.h6 Ng6 33.Bxf6 gxf6 34.Qxc4 Rg8 35.Qb4 Qa8 36.Qe4 Qf8 37.d7 Qxh6 38.Red1 Rd8 39.Rbc1 Qf8 40.Qb7 Ne7 41.Rc3 Kg7 42.Rg3+ Ng6 43.Rc3 Ne7 44.Rdc1 Rb8 45.Qxb8 Qxb8 46.Rc8 1-0 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Bc4 g6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.Nxd4 cxd4 7.Qf3 Nh6 8.d3 0-0 9.Ne2 Ng4 10.Bxf7+ Everyone plays 10.Bb3. 10...Rxf7 11.Qxg4 d5 The reason is 11...Qc7! immediately recovering the pawn with the better game. 12.Qh4 dxe4 12...Qc7 13.exd5 Qxc2 14.Nxd4 Qxd3 was also possible. 13.Qxe4 Qc7 White maintains equal chances after 13...Qb6 with 14.0-0 Bf5 15.Qf3 Rc8 16.c4 dxc3 17.bxc3 Qb5 18.Rd1 Rd8 19.Nd4 Bxd4 20.cxd4 Rxd4 21.Bh6. 14.Nxd4 e5 15.Ne2 Qxc2 16.Qc4 Qxc4 17.dxc4 e4 18.Rb1 e3 19.Bxe3 Bf5 20.Rd1 Bxb2 21.0-0 Be6 22.c5 Bc4 23.Rd2 Ba3 24.Rfd1 Bxe2 25.Rxe2 Rc8 26.Red2 Bxc5 27.Rd8+ Rf8 28.Rxf8+ Kxf8 29.Rd7 Bxe3 30.fxe3 Rc1+ 31.Kf2 Rc2+ 32.Kf3 Rxa2 33.Rxb7 h6 34.h4 ½-½ Young stars Sam Shankland, Daniel Naroditsky and Nicholas Nip are among the leaders of the Fall Tuesday Night Marathon after two rounds as is 1600 rated Brendan MacIntyre who has defeated Experts in the first two rounds! It not to late to enter the nine round event with byes for the first two rounds.

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In the Casino de Barcelona (October 18-26) tournament, Hikaru Nakamura finished with back to back wins against Illescas and Narciso, finishing the event with 7/9, a full point ahead of his closest rival, Lenier Dominguez of Cuba.

Final Standings

1. GM Hikaru Nakamura- 7/9
2. GM Leiner Perez Dominguez- 6/9
3-4. GM Vugar Gashimov and GM Alexander Beliavsky- 5.5/9
5-6. GM Rafael Vaganian and Michal Krasenkow- 4.5/9
7. GM Josep Pallise Oms-4/9
8. GM Miguel Cordoba Illescas- 3.5/9
9 GM Marc Dublan Narciso- 3/9
10. IM Jordi Fluvia, 1.5/9

He followed this with an impressive Corsica Masters rapid chess handily defeating Bareev and Kasimdzhanov in his final two matches. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.e4 dxe4 8.Nxe4 Nxe4 9.Qxe4 Bb4+ 10.Bd2 Bxd2+ 11.Nxd2 c5 12.dxc5 Qa5 13.a3 Qxc5 14.b4 Qe7 15.Bd3 a5 16.Rb1 axb4 17.axb4 Nf6 18.Qe3 0-0 19.0-0 Rd8 20.Nf3 Qc7 21.Ne5 b6 22.Rfd1 Bb7 23.Bf1 Be4 24.Nd3 Ra3 25.Ra1 Rc3 26.Qf4 Qxf4 27.Nxf4 Rxd1 28.Rxd1 g5 29.Nh3 g4 30.Nf4 Kg7 31.h3 h5 32.hxg4 hxg4 33.Rd6 e5 34.Ne2 Rxc4 35.Rxb6 Bd3 36.Ng3 Rc1 37.Rd6 e4 38.Nf5+ Kg6 39.Ne3 g3 40.fxg3 Bxf1 41.Kf2 Bd3 42.Nd5 Kg5 0-1 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.Qb3 Nb6 9.c5 Nc4 10.Qc2 b6 11.b3 Nxd2 12.Nbxd2 bxc5 13.dxc5 c6 14.b4 Qc7 15.e4 a5 16.a3 Ba6 17.Rfe1 Rfb8 18.e5 Nd7 19.Qc3 Bb5 20.Nd4 Nxe5 21.Nxb5 cxb5 22.Rxe5 Bf6 23.f4 axb4 24.axb4 Ra4 25.Rb1 Rba8 26.Bf1 Ra2 27.Bxb5 R8a3 28.Qd4 Rc2 29.Bf1 Raa2 30.Nf3 Qa7 31.Rd1 Qa3 32.Qxd5 g6 33.Rxe6 Qb2 34.Re8+ Kg7 35.Rd2 Qxb4 36.Qxa2 Qxc5+ 37.Kg2 Rxa2 38.Rxa2 Qd5 39.Rae2 Bc3 40.h4 h6 41.R8e3 Bb4 42.Rc2 Qd1 43.Rce2 Qd5 1-0

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Having trouble thinking what to get your favorite chessplayer for Christmas? Worry no longer. Tim Tobiason of Nebraska has just completed the incredible project of scanning all issues of Chess Review (1933-1969), Chess Life (1946-1969) and Chess Life and Review from 1969 to 1975. This is a tremendous wealth of material much of which was either extremely hard to find (Chess Review 1930s) or difficult to use (Chess Life newspapers from the 1940s and 50s that crumble in your hands). It was also very expensive with years of Chess Review from the early 1930s alone running several hundred dollars a volume. Now you can get all this information for $29 plus $5 shipping. Go to http://stores.ebay.com/Toby-Chess or call (928-246-1580).

Mr. Tobiason, Joan Dubois and Mike Nolan of the US Chess Federation as well as the Executive Board of the USCF are to be commended for the teamwork that made this long overdue project be realized.

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Two West Coast web sites that I can recommend for the historically inclined are:

1. Kerry Lawless' Chessdryad from Hayward, California - devoted to chess in California with games, photos, articles and much more.

2. Phil McCready's The ChessLibrary from Vashon, Washington - specializing in the career of IM Nikolay Minev but also offering many crosstables - primarily from the 1940s to 1980s.

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NM Emmanuel Perez won the Exchange Bank Fall Classic in Santa Rosa this past weekend, scoring 3.5 from 4. Tying for second with three points in the open section of the event which attracted 33 participants overall, were former US Champion IM John Grefe and Expert Clarence Lehman. This was John's first tournament since suffering a near fatal illness a year ago. Although not fully recovered he is doing much better. Mike Goodall, assisted by Paul Stagnoli, organized and directed.

Top Seniors and teams from the recently completed Western States Open in Reno.

Senior:
1st 5.0 E Vaughn Custer
T2 4.5 X Victor Ossipov
T2 4.5 A Robert Bond
T2 4.5 A Hans Morrow
T2 4.5 A Leonard Hill
T2 4.5 B Stan Beckwith
T2 4.5 B Tab Salvo
T2 4.5 D William Parker

Club:
1 Seattle
2 Mechanics I
3 Central Region
4 Mechanics III