Chess Room Newsletter #648

Mechanics’ Institute Chess Club Newsletter #648
October 23, 2013

...Every person has their own moment of lucidity. Even a chess player who is objectively considered as a weaker player can have ingenious ideas. The only question is if he will use that moment of lucidity to make a good result worthy of that ingenious idea...

—Ljubomir Ljubojevic, asked if he had some unique ability to find surprising moves.
From an interview at
http://www.belgrade2013.org/index.php/en/joomla-info-2/news/200-ljubojevic-eng3

1) Mechanics’ Institute Chess Club News

IM Elliott Winslow is the top seed in the 69-player Fall Tuesday Night Marathon which started last night. It is still possible to enter this nine-round event with a half-point bye for round one.

White to move (Doyle–Bachseitz, after 8...dxe5)	Black to move (Bayaraa–Byambaa, after 21. Bg2)
Black to move (Steger–Chea, after 45. Rc2)	Black to move (Hilliard–Lacounte, after 24. Bf3)
	For the solutions, see the game scores (when available) for round 1.

The Mechanics’ entry in the US Chess League lost last night to Los Angeles 2½–1½, but had already clinched a playoff spot last week, when it defeated Arizona 4-0.

Los Angeles 2½ vs 1½ San Francisco
1. GM Melikset Khachiyan (LA) vs GM Jesse Kraai (SF) 1-0
2. IM David Pruess (SF) vs IM Zhanibek Amanov (LA) 0-1
3. FM Luke Harmon-Vellotti (LA) vs FM Andy Lee (SF) 1/2-1/2
4. FM Cameron Wheeler (SF) vs NM Craig Hilby (LA) 1-0

13-year-old Cameron Wheeler beat 2300-rated junior Craig Hilby in a smooth positional effort.

Wheeler–Hilby
1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.Nc3 g6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.0-0 0-0 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.Qd3 Bf5 11.e4 Be6 12.b3 Ng4 13.Bb2 Rc8 14.Qd2 Ne5 15.Nd5 a6 16.Kh1 Bxd5 17.exd5 Nd7 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rfe1 Re8 20.Bh3 Rc5 21.Qd4+ Nf6 22.b4 Rc7 23.a4 b5 24.cxb5 axb5 25.axb5 Rb7 26.Bf1 Qb6 27.Qb2 Ra7 28.Ra6 Qb7 29.Rea1 Rea8 30.Qd4 e5 31.Qc4 e4 32.Qd4 Rxa6 33.Rxa6 Rb8 34.Rxd6 Qe7 35.Rc6 Rd8 36.Bc4 Rd6 37.b6 Qd7 38.b7 Rxc6 39.b8Q Rxc4 40.Qxc4 Qh3 41.Qe5 e3 42.fxe3 Kh6 43.Qcf4+ 1-0

Two Mechanics’ players are among the league’s top scorers.

MI Wednesday Night Blitz, by Jules Jelinek

Hi everyone,

The $70 (minimum) guaranteed prize fund for October (9, 16, 23, and 30) continues tonight at the Mechanics Institute Wednesday night blitz tournaments, in memory of Jay Whitehead. That’s right, a prize fund guarantee of $70 ($35-$21-$14) no matter how many players show up every week. If there are more than 10 players the prize fund will be increased by $7 for each additional player.

If those are not good reasons to make sure that you and your friends come to play in the Wednesday Night Blitz, Kaimi Niemann has graciously donated an incredible 96”x96” quilt reproduction of a signed 1972 Fisher-Spassky world championship poster valued at $280! This will be awarded to the player who achieves the highest overall cumulative score during the entire month of October at the Wednesday night blitz tournament.

Every Wednesday evening is the time for the weekly round-robin blitz tournament at Mechanics Institute Chess Club. As always, signup begins at 6:20 pm; playing starts by 6:40 pm and last entry accepted at 7 pm. Entry is $7 with clock; $8 without clock. Non-member entry is $9 with clock; $10 without clock. Prizes are 50%, 30%, 20% of base entry fees ($7 per player) collected. Time control preferably is 3 minute, increment 2 seconds; otherwise 5 minutes, no increment.

Top finishers last week:

1st - Jules Jelinek
2nd/3rd - Arthur Ismakov and IM Ray Kaufman

2) Berkeley Chess Club News, by Marc Newman

The Annual Berkeley Chess Club Championship starts this Friday and runs for eight weeks. Entry fee is $40 and there is an expanded prize fund. Two half-point bye requests are allowed.

We hope you’ll come out and contend for the championship. Last year’s winner, NM Roger Poehlmann, will be back to try to defend his title.

http://www.berkeleychessschool.org/pages/show/20

Thanks to an incredibly kind donation by an anonymous benefactor, the prize fund for this event is $1000.

3) US G/30 and US G/60 in Santa Clara this Weekend

A National Championship Event
October 26, GPP Enhanced: 50, California Northern
2013 U.S. Game/30 National Championship

5SS G/30 d5 - $8,000 b/167 fully paid entries - 70% guaranteed. Hotel rate $89 until available (book early): Santa Clara Hilton, 4949 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, CA 95054. Free Parking. In 9 sections: Open Section (1900+): $1,500, 700, 300, 100, Top u2300 $200, 100, Top u2100 $200, 100. 1600-1899 Section: $1,000, 400, 100, 100. 1300-1599 Section: $1,000, 400, 100, 100. Under 1300 Section: $1,000, 400, 100, 100. 800-999 Section: Trophies to Top 15 players and Top 5 teams. 600-799 Section: Trophies to Top 15 players and Top 5 teams. 400-599 Section: Trophies to Top 15 players and Top 5 teams. 200-399 Section: Trophies to Top 15 players and Top 5 teams. Under 200 Section: Trophies to Top 15 players and Top 5 teams. Unrated may play in any section but maximum cash prize is $100 except there is no limit in the Open Section. Entry Fee: mailed/online by 10/18: 69 for sections for rating 1000 & higher (GMs/IMs free by 10/18), 49 for sections for ratings under 1000. Add 20 onsite (10 online 10/19-21). Play-up: 20 for 1000+ sections, 10 for under 1000 sections. DISCOUNT: 19 off if registering for US G/30 on October 26 & US G/60 on October 27. Entries for sections under 1000 do not count for cash prize calculations. Discounted dual entries for 1000+ sections count as 84% for cash prize calculation. Winning record required for trophies in the under 1000 sections. Byes: One 1/2 pt bye allowed must commit by start of Rd 2. Reenter with 1/2pt bye in Rd 1 for $29. October 2013 Supp, CCA min, TD discretion used to place players accurately. Schedule for all sections: Onsite Registration: 8-8;30am. Round Times: 9am, 10:30am, 12pm, 1:30pm, 3:15pm. BLITZ SIDE EVENT: Reg Sat 5:30-5:45pm, 10 games x G/5 d0 Sat 6-8pm, sections based on entries. Prizes: 80% of EF collected.. Entry Fee 14 pre-registered, 16 onsite. Register online at BayAreaChess.com/my/usg60g30 or mail payments to Bay Area Chess, 1639 A South Main St., Milpitas, CA 95035. $20 charge for refunds. Info/Form/Entries: http://www.BayAreaChess.com/usg60g30. E: [email protected]. T: 408.409.6596. NS, NC, W. Chess Magnet School JGP

CL Sep/Oct - CLK Oct

A National Championship Event
Oct. 27, California, Northern
TROPHIES PLUS GRAND PRIX POINTS: 50 (ENHANCED)
2013 U.S. Game/60 Championship

4SS G/60 d5 - $12,000 b/247 fully paid entries - 70% guaranteed. Hotel rate $89 until available (book early): Santa Clara Hilton, 4949 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, CA 95054. Free Parking. In 11 sections: Open Section (2000+): $1,500, 700, 300, 100; Top u2300 $200, 100; Top u2100 $100. 1800-1999 Section: $1,000, 500, 200, 100. 1600-1799 Section: $1,000 500 200 100. 1400-1599 Section: $1,000 500 200 100. 1200-1399 Section: $1,000, 500, 200, 100. 1000-1199 Section: $1,000, 500, 200, 100.  800-999 Section: Trophies to Top 15 players and Top 5 teams.  600-799 Section: Trophies to Top 15 players and Top 5 teams.  400-599 Section: Trophies to Top 15 players and Top 5 teams.  200-399 Section: Trophies to Top 15 players and Top 5 teams.  Under 200 Section: Trophies to Top 15 players and Top 5 teams. Unrated may play in any section but maximum cash prize is $100 except there is no limit in the Open Section. Entry Fee: mailed/online by 10/18: 69 for sections for rating 1000 & higher (GMs/IMs free by 10/18), 49 for sections for ratings under 1000. Add 20 onsite (10 online 10/19-21). Play-up: 20 for 1000+ sections, 10 for under 1000 sections. DISCOUNT: 19 off if registering for US G/30 on October 26 & US G/60 on October 27. Entries for sections under 1000 do not count for cash prize calculations. Discounted dual entries for 1000+ sections count as 84% for cash prize calculation. Winning record required for trophies in the under 1000 sections. Byes: One 1/2 pt bye allowed must commit by start of Rd 2. Reenter with 1/2pt bye in Rd 1 for $29. October 2013 Supp, CCA min, TD discretion used to place players accurately. Schedule for all sections: Onsite Registration: 8-8;30am. Round Times: 9am, 11:40pm, 2:20pm, 5pm. BLITZ SIDE EVENT: Reg Sat 5:30-5:45pm, 10 games x G/5 d0 Sat 6-8pm,. Sections based on entries. Prizes: 80% of EF collected.. Entry Fee 14 pre-registered, 16 onsite. Register online at BayAreaChess.com/my/usg60g30 or mail payments to Bay Area Chess, 1639 A South Main St., Milpitas, CA 95035. $20 charge for refunds. Info/Form/Entries: http://www.BayAreaChess.com/usg60g30. E: [email protected]. T: 408.409.6596. NS, NC, W. Chess Magnet School JGP

4) Here and There

FIDE recently announced the 2014 Candidates’ Tournament will take place from March 12 to March 30, 2014 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. That means it is likely that the organizers’ wildcard spot will go to Alexander Grischuk or current Russian champion Peter Svidler.

NM David Presser of Cleveland sends in the following games from the 1969 U.S. Open in Lincoln, Nebraska, where Thomas Wozney, a former US Armed Forces champion, anticipates Ulf Anderson (see Kasparov–Andersson, Moscow 1981) with his exchange sacrifice ...Rxe3. He stands well for most of the game, but fades near the time control (50 moves in 2½ hours).

Robert Byrne–Tom Wozney
US Open, Lincoln, Nebraska 1969

1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. d4 Nf6 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 Nbd7 7. O-O e5 8. Be3 Ng4 9. Bg5 f6 10. Bd2 a5 11. Rc1 Nh6 12. a3 Nf7 13. b4 c6 14. c5 axb4 15. axb4 exd4 16. Nxd4 Qe7 17. cxd6 Qxd6 18. Be3 Ra3 19. Nb1 Rxe3 20. fxe3 Qxb4 21. Ne6 Re8 22. Nxg7 Kxg7 23. Nd2 Nde5 24. Qc2 Be6 25. Rb1 Qe7 26. Nf3 b5 27. Nd4 Bc4 28. Ra1 Bxe2 29. Qxe2 Nc4 30. Nxc6 Qxe4 31. Qf3 Qxe3+ 32. Qxe3 Rxe3 33. Ra7 Rd3 34. Re1 Rd6 35. Ree7 Rxc6 36. Rxf7+ Kh6 37. Rxh7+ Kg5 38. Rhc7 Rd6 39. Rc5+ Ne5 40. Rxb5 Rd1+ 41. Kf2 Rd2+ 42. Kf1 Rc2 43. h3 Kf4 44. Ra3 g5 45. Rb6 Kf5 46. Ra5 Rc1+ 47. Kf2 Rc2+ 48. Kg3 Rc3+ 49. Kh2 Rc2 50. Rd6 g4 51. hxg4+ Kxg4 52. Rxf6 1-0

Former Mechanics’ member IM Jeremy Silman has written an interesting article on Rudolf Speelman, which appears at: http://www.chess.com/article/view/rudolf-spielmann-the-lethal-gentleman.