Chess Room Newsletter #865

Newsletter 865

April 5, 2019

By Abel Talamantez

 

Round 3 of Spring TNM Begins to Separate the Field

The third round of the Spring TNM saw the beginning of the thinning of the field in each section, as players began to position themselves on top of the standings.

In the Championship section, NM Tenzing Shaw defeated FM Josiah Stearman and Sos Hakobyan upset FM Ezra Chambers to give these 2 players the only remaining perfect scores. Returning for round 4 will be GM Patrick Wolff, and WGM Carla Heredia will make her debut. There are still 5 rounds to go so this is far from decided, and the remaining rounds should provide a great deal of action.

In the 31 player A/B section, William Gray has the only perfect 3-0 score. There are some very strong players at 2.5/3, including Kristian Clemens, Jonah Busch, Thomas Maser, Jason Ochoa and Kevin Babb.

The 49 player under 1600 section currently has 5 players at 3-0, including John Chan, Victor Reyes, Walt Dubensky, Susheel Khamkar and Michael Fernicola. This should set up some great action for the remaining rounds.

View the current standings here.

 

Live Twitch Broadcast of TNM Brings the Action to Life!

Our top 10 boards are broadcast, and we have added live commentary on the action by Mechanics' own FM Paul Whitehead. Because WFM Natalya Tsodikova finished her game early with a very nice tactic tailor made for a puzzle book. I invited her to go to the Annex to discuss her game with Paul, and what emerged was an absolutely fun and amazing commentary performance by Natalya and Paul that covered the remaining 9 games over 2.5 hours. It was tons of fun, and our only regret is that Natalya will not be able to finish all her games so quickly :)

A few players came into the broadcast to discuss their games, including FM Kyron Griffith, IM Elliott Winslow and Bruce Ricard. IM Prasanna Rao got the broadcast started providing some commentary on the early part of the round.

If you would like to watch the broadcast, which provided great analysis and commentary, click here.

You can follow our live commentary broadcasts of the TNM on our Twitch channel.

 

Wednesday Night Blitz Report

Expert Arthur Ismakov played the steadiest chess in the April 3rd edition of the Wednesday Night Blitz, and won the 10 player Swiss event with a dominant 10-2 score. FM Kyron Griffith and Expert Jules Jelenik finished in a tie for 2nd-3rd with 8.5 each. Jules ran the event on time as usual.

 

Tony's Teasers

Last week's problem: Mate in 4

1. Rb5+ !! Rb3
2. Bxb3 Ke5
3. c6+ axb5
4. Rc5#

This week's problem, white to move and mate in 3, by Vincent Eaton 1936.

 

Playing a Higher Rated Player

By GM Nick de Firmian

 

(1) Arivoli,Sadhana (1211) - Ja Coyne,Theodore (2088)
Amateur Team West, 02.2019

Here is a well played game from the recent Amateur Team West Championship. What is notable is that White is rated 1211and is ten years old. She is playing an experienced expert rated 2088, a difference of 877 rating points! 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 

White plays the London System, which has become popular of late. Simply developing the dark-squared bishop outside of the pawn chain affords White a very solid position. 2...d5 3.e3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nd2 e6 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.Bg5 

Magnus Carlsen has preferred the retreat 7. Bg3 to contest the h2-b8 diagonal and hinder /\e5. Still the text move is logical. 7...0-0 8.Ngf3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 Bxe5 11.0-0 h6 12.Bh4 b6 13.Bc2 Bb7 

Both sides have developed well and the game is roughly even. 14.Nf3 Bc7 15.Qd3 g5 16.Bg3 Re8 17.Qf5 

White has forced a slight weakening on the kingside, but Black maintains the balance with careful play. 17...Bxg3 18.hxg3 Ne4 19.Ne5 Qe7 20.Ng4 Kg7 21.f3 Nf6 22.Nxf6 Qxf6 23.Qxf6+ Kxf6 

We have reached an even ending. The higher rated player always needs to press for a win, as Magnus has done many times from an even ending. Ja Coyne is looking for a good time to make the d5-d4 break. 24.Rfe1 a5 25.f4 b5 26.a3 Re7 27.Kf2 Bc6 28.Rad1 Rae8 29.b3 h5 30.c4 bxc4 31.bxc4 d4 

The break though attempt, though 31/\dxc4 is a worthy alternative. 32.exd4 Rxe1 33.Rxe1 Rxe1 34.Kxe1 cxd4 35.Kf2 g4 

Placing the pawn on a white square – the same color as the bishops – but it fixes the white pawn on g2 as a permanent target. Can our young player hold up to the pressure and maintain the balance? 36.Bd3 Ke6 37.Bh7 Kd6 38.Bg8 Be8 39.Ke2 Kc5 40.Kd3 f6 41.Bd5 Bg6+ 42.Kd2 Be8 43.Ke2 Bc6 44.Bxc6 Kxc6 

King and pawn endings are always tricky. Material is even and here a question of opposition can decide the game. 45.Kd2 Kd6 46.Kc2 Kc6 47.Kd2 

Draw agreed. Black should not play for more with 47/\Kc5? 48. Kd3 f5 49. a4 Kb4 50. Kxd4 Kxa4 51. Kc3! with an easy win. Well done Sadhana! 1/2-1/2

---

Nick de Firmian's Opening Lab

This week: Grob's Attack 1. g4

We now go into the realm of the highly unusual. While our previous two unusual openings have a clear strategic plan to them, we must say that Grob's attack is played more to confuse the opponent and put him/her in unusual territory. The main strategic aim is to occupy the long h1-a8 diagonal while using the c-pawn to hit at the center and the g-pawn to annoy Black's king's knight or otherwise take space. The big drawback of Grob's attack is that White's kingside can easily become weak.

 

(1)

1.g4

This is a fianchetto of the light squared bishop along with seizing space on the kingside. It discourages the development of Black's king's knight as Nf6 runs into 2...g5 chasing the knight around the board. Black's most usual response is: 1...d5 Attacking the g4 pawn and staking out the center is the most common reply. 2.Bg2 Offering the pawn on g4, which is a major theme of Grob's Attack. Many players on the Black side are unable to resist the tempting morsel. 2...Bxg4 3.c4 

Attacking the d5 pawn and pressuring the long diagonal as well as allowing the development of the white queen to a4 or b3. Many blitz games have continued: 3...c6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Nc3 e6? 6.Qa4+! 

picking up the bishop on g4. Even the better 5/\Nf6 6. Qb3 is annoying.

(2) 

1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Safer for Black is declining the pawn with 2...c6 

3.h3 h5 4.g5 e5 5.d4 e4 6.Nc3 

with roughly equal chances.

(3) 

If you really want to prepare for Grob's Attack I suggest: 1.g4 e5 2.Bg2 h5! 3.gxh5 Qg5! 4.Bf3 Qh4 

with pressure on the dark squares. A game Skembris-Mariotti, Budapest 1983 continued 5.Nc3 Nf6 

6.e4?! White can do better by holding the dark squares with 6. e3 Nc6 7. b3 Nxh5 resulting in a thoroughly unusual position with chances for both sides. 6...Bc5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qe2 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nxh5 

with advantage to Black.

---

TNM Games Round 3

Annotations by IM Elliot Winslow

 

(1) Shaw,NM Tenzing (2287) - Stearman,FM Josiah P (2387) [D17]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.1), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 e6 7.f3 Bb4 8.Nxc4 c5 9.dxc5 Qxd1+ 10.Kxd1 Bxc5 11.e4 Bg6 12.Nb5

12...Na6 [12...Kd7 13.Ne5+ Kd8 14.Bf4 Nbd7 15.Nd3 a6 16.Nxc5 Nxc5 17.Nd6 Ke7 18.b4 Nh5 19.bxc5 Nxf4 20.g3 Nh5 21.Rb1 b5 22.axb5 axb5 23.Rxb5 Ra7 24.Bd3 Nf6 25.Kd2 Nd7 26.Rc1 f6 27.Rb7 Rxb7 28.Nxb7 Rc8 29.Bb5 Rc7 30.Bxd7 Kxd7 31.Na5 e5 32.Rc3 Bf7 33.Nb7?! Kc6 34.Nd8+ Kb5 35.c6 Bc4 36.Rc1 Kb4 37.Ke3 Bb3 38.f4 g6 39.h4 h5 40.fxe5 fxe5 41.Kf3 Bc4 42.Rb1+ Aleksandrov,A (2569)-Lintchevski,D (2553) Minsk 2014 1/2-1/2 (122)] 13.Ncd6+ Ke7 14.Nxb7 Bf2N [14...Bb4 15.Nd4 Nb8 16.Nc2 a5 17.Nxb4 axb4 18.Bd2 1-0, Navara,D (2687)-Lintchevski,D (2484) Pardubice 2009] 15.Bc4 Rab8 16.Na5 Rbc8 17.b3 Bc5 18.Nb7 Rhd8+ 19.Nxd8 Rxd8+ 20.Ke1 Nb4 21.Na3 Nd7 22.Bb2 Nb6 23.Ke2 f5 24.Rhd1 Rc8 25.exf5 Nxc4 26.Nxc4 Bxf5 27.Rd2 Bc2 28.Bd4 Bxb3 29.Bxc5+ Rxc5 30.Ne3 a5 31.Rb2 Bd5 32.Nxd5+ exd5 33.Kd2 Kd6 34.Re1 d4 35.f4 Rh5 36.h3 Rh4 37.Rf1 Kd5 38.Rb3 d3 39.Rc3 Rh6 40.Rc7 Rg6 41.g4 Kd4 42.f5 Rb6 43.Rfc1 Nc2 44.Rd7+ Ke4 45.Rxd3 Nd4 46.Re1+ Kd5 47.Ke3 Rb4 48.Red1 1-0

(2) Diaz,NM Conrado (2343) - Li,NM Eric Yuhan (2228) [D03]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.2), 02.04.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bg5 Ne4 4.Bh4 c5 5.c3 Qb6 6.Qb3 Nc6 7.e3 c4 8.Qc2 Bf5 9.Qc1 e6 10.Nbd2 Qa5 11.Be2 Bd6 12.0-0 0-0 13.Nxe4 Bxe4 14.Nd2 Bg6 15.e4 Bxe4 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Bxc4 Qc7 18.Bg3 e5 19.Bd5 exd4 20.Bxe4 Bxg3 21.hxg3 Rfd8 22.cxd4 Rxd4 23.Bxc6 Qxc6 24.Qxc6 bxc6 25.Rfd1 Rad8 26.Rxd4 Rxd4 27.Rc1 Rd6 28.Rc5 Kf8 29.Ra5 Rd7 30.b4 Ke7 31.a3 Kd8 32.Ra6 Rc7 33.Kf1 Kc8 34.f3 Kb7 35.Ra5 Kb6 36.Rc5 Rd7 37.Ke2 Re7+ 38.Kd2 Rd7+ 39.Kc2 Re7 40.Kd2 Rd7+ 41.Ke2 Re7+ 42.Kf2 Rd7 43.Ke2 1/2-1/2

(3) Chambers,FM Ezra (2336) - Hakobyan,Sos (1829) [C18]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.3), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.h4 Nbc6 8.h5 h6 9.Qg4 Nf5 10.Bd3 0-0 11.Nf3 Qa5 12.Bd2 Qc7 13.0-0 c4 14.Bxf5 exf5 15.Qg3 Kh7 16.a4 Rg8 17.Rfe1 Bd7 18.Qf4 Ne7 19.Bc1 Qa5 20.Ba3

20...g5!? Black opens up at White's king [20...Nc6=] 21.hxg6+ Nxg6 22.Qd2?! [22.Qh2+/=] 22...Qd8=/+ 23.Kf1 Nh4 24.Bc1 Rg6 25.Ke2 Nxf3 26.Kxf3 Qh4 27.g3 Qg4+ 28.Kg2 Rag8 29.Rh1?? [29.Qf4+/=] 29...Qe4+! 30.Kh2

30...Rg5! [30...Qh4+!! 31.Kg1 (31.gxh4? Rg2+ 32.Kh3 f4+; 31.Kg2 Rxg3+ 32.fxg3 Rxg3+ 33.Kf2 Rh3+ mates) 31...Rxg3+ 32.fxg3 Qxg3+ 33.Kf1 Qf3+ 34.Qf2 Qxh1+ 35.Ke2 Rg2] 31.Qd1 f4 32.Re1 Qf5 33.Bxf4 Qh3+ 34.Kg1 Rh5 35.Qf3 Qh2+ 36.Kf1 Bh3+ 37.Ke2 Bg4 0-1

(4) Davila,Carlos (2075) - Griffith,FM Kyron (2452) [B93]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.4), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f4 e5 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.a4 b6 9.Bd3 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Kh1 Bb7 12.Qe1 Rc8 13.Bd2 exf4 14.Bxf4 Nh5 15.Be3 Ndf6 16.Rd1 Ng4 17.Bg1 Bf6 18.Nd4 Re8 19.Qe2 Bxd4 20.Qxg4 Nf6 21.Qh3 Bxg1 22.e5? Rxe5-+ 23.Kxg1 Rh5 [23...Qc7; 23...Rcc5!] 24.Qg3

24...Rcc5 (Doubling on -- the 4th!?) 25.h4 Rh6 26.Be2 Rg6 27.Rxd6 Qf8 0-1

(5) Childress,Jason (2058) - Munkhchuluun,WFM Tsegmed (2125) [C13]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.5), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Bg5 Be7 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Nf3 0-0 8.c3 b6 9.Bd3 Bb7 10.Qc2 Nd7 11.0-0-0 Qe7 12.h4 Rac8 13.Kb1 c5 14.dxc5 Bxe4 15.Bxe4 Nxc5 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.Ng5 [17.g4!?; 17.Be4] 17...g6 18.Bxg6 [18.f4! Kg7 19.h5 Bxg5 20.fxg5 Qxg5 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.b4 Nb7 23.Rd7+ Rf7 24.Rxf7+ Kxf7 25.Qd3+/-] 18...fxg6 19.Qxg6 Qg7 20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.f3 Bxg5 22.hxg5 Rf5 23.b4 Rxg5 24.Qh4 Rxg2 25.Rd8+ Rxd8 26.Qxd8+ Kf7 27.Qc7+ Kg6 28.Qxg7+ Kxg7 29.bxc5 bxc5 30.Rh5 Rf2 31.Rxc5 Rxf3 32.Kc2 Rf7 33.Kd3 Kf6 34.Ke4 Rh7 35.Ra5 Rh4+ 36.Kd3 Rh3+ 37.Kd4 Rh4+ 38.Kd3 Rh3+ 39.Ke4 Rxc3 40.Rxa7 Rc4+ 41.Kd3 Rh4 42.a4 Kf5 43.a5 Ra4 44.a6 Ke5 45.Ra8 Kd6 46.a7 Kc7 47.Re8 Rxa7 48.Re7+ Kb8 49.Rxe6 1/2-1/2

(6) Ricard,Bruce (1892) - Winslow,IM Elliott C (2306) [B22]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.6), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nf3 d6 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 e6 7.Bc4 Nc6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Qe2 0-0 10.Nc3!? [10.Qe4 Bd7 (10...Qc7) ; 10.Rd1; 10.a3 Qb6 (10...Bd7) ; 10.Re1 a6] 10...Nb6? [10...dxe5 11.dxe5 Nxc3 12.bxc3 is the main play. Kotronias in another of his excellent Grandmaster Preparation books give almost six pages to this position! And all right, I'll point out that he gives 12...Qc7 without alternative but plenty of comment. 13.Qe4 a) 13.Bf4?!; b) 13.h4?!; c) 13.Re1 b6 14.Qe4 (14.Bd3) ; d) 13.Bd3 b6 14.Re1 Bb7 15.Ng5 Bxg5 16.Bxg5 Ne7! "This important move should be remembered." (Kotronias) Maybe I'll remember this by quoting it here. Later in the game Ricard forgot that sometimes defense is required...; ; 10...Nxc3 11.bxc3 dxe5 is more popular, but it lets White play 12.Nxe5 (12.dxe5) 12...Nxe5 13.Qxe5 Bd6 14.Qe2 (14.Qe4 Qc7 15.Bd3 f5 with something, but not much) 14...Qc7 (14...b6; 14...Bd7) ] 11.Bd3 f5 Nothing else tried scores remotely well 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.Qe4 g6 14.Bh6 Rf7 [14...Re8!? 15.Rfe1 (15.Qg4 e5 16.Qg3 Nxd4 17.Bxg6? Nxf3+ 18.gxf3 hxg6 19.Qxg6+ Kh8 20.Qh5 (20.Kh1 Rg8 21.Qh5 Qe8-/+) 20...Re7-+) 15...e5 16.d5 Bf5 17.Qe3 Ne7 18.Be4 Bxe4 19.Qxe4 Nf5 20.Be3 Rc8 21.g4 Nxe3 22.fxe3 Rc4 23.Qb1 Rxg4+ 24.Kh1 e4 25.Nd4 Bxd4 26.exd4 e3 27.Qd3 Qg5 28.Rg1 e2 29.Rge1 Re3 30.Qc2 Rxc3 0-1 Alexopoulos, G-Gautschi,R Verona 1978] 15.h4 Scary at the time, but many other moves get the preference by Stockfish: [15.Rae1; 15.Rfe1; 15.Rad1; 15.Qe3; 15.Qg4] 15...e5!? "A wing attack is best met..."etc 16.Ng5 The evaluation has grown to almost 1.00 better for White... 16...Bf5!? [16...Rc7 17.dxe5 (17.Nb5 d5 18.Qf3 e4 19.Qf4 Rd7 20.Rae1+/=) 17...Nxe5 18.Be2 Bf5 19.Qf4+/-] 17.Nxf7 Kxf7[17...Bxe4!? 18.Nxd8 Bxd3 19.Rfd1 Bc2 now Stockfish clears the brush with 20.Nxc6 Bxd1 21.dxe5 dxe5 22.Rxd1 bxc6 23.Bg5 "+/-"] 18.Qe2? [I was relieved he didn't see 18.Qf3 Nxd4 (18...Bxd3 19.Qxd3 Nxd4(19...exd4 20.Ne4 d5 21.Nxf6 is too fragile) 20.f4 is dangerous (20.Bg5) ) 19.Qxb7+ Kg8 was my likely intention, but (19...Qd7 20.Bc4+ Ke8 21.Qxd7+ Kxd7 22.Ba6 I thought comp, computer thinks +-) 20.Bxf5 (before I can get ...Bc8 and ..Rb8/Bb7 in) 20...Nxf5 21.Bg5 Bxg5 22.hxg5 Qxg5 23.Ne4 Qd8 24.Rac1] 18...Nxd4 19.Qd2 d5 20.Bxf5 gxf5 I thought I was doing great here... 21.Bg5? [21.Be3+- busts my dream bubble -- the center falls apart] 21...f4 [21...Bxg5 22.Qxg5 Qxg5 23.hxg5 f4= SF10] 22.Qd1?! Insufficiently defensive-minded [22.Rfe1 Bxg5? 23.Rxe5! and my king's exposed nature comes into play after, say 23...Nc4 24.Qxd4 Nxe5 25.Qxe5 Bxh4 26.Nxd5 SF makes this +-, which is still not so easy to believe... (Oh I do...)] 22...f3!-/+ 23.Bxf6? [23.Qd3; 23.Re1 Qd7 24.Qd3 Qg4-/+] 23...Qxf6-+ Now the attack "plays itself" 24.g3 Rg8 25.Kh2 Rg4 (He'd missed how strong this is) 26.Rh1 Rxh4+ 27.gxh4 At this moment I was slightly relieved, as I'd already all but worked out the final mate. [27.Kg1 wasn't entirely clear yet, but I saw the idea 27...Rxh1+ 28.Kxh1 Qh6+! best first (28...Nc4 was my working intention, but would I notice (1) 29.Qg1! defending against mate 29...Qh6+ 30.Qh2 Qxh2+ 31.Kxh2 (2) 31...Ke6 with a winning ending (for Black)? Inconceivable.) 29.Kg1 Nc4! ...Nd2 is going to be a problem (29...Na4!! even works, if you want a lesson in purpose) 30.Qe1 e4 31.Nxd5 Ne2+] 27...Qxh4+ 28.Kg1 Qg4+ 29.Kf1 Qg2+ 30.Ke1 Qxh1+ 31.Kd2 Nc4+ 32.Kc1 Qh6+ 33.Kb1 Nd2+ 34.Kc1 N2b3+ 35.Kb1 Qg6+ 36.Qd3 Qxd3# 0-1

(7) Wong,NM Russell (2200) - Argo,Guy (1909) [C41]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.7), 02.04.2019
[Argo,Guy/Winslow,Elliott]

Notes by Guy Argo are quoted 1.e4 e5 [In perusing this opening I happened upon a curiousity featuring the Bay Area superstar Daniel Naroditsky (whose MI Trustee father Vladimir was coincidentally even in the Chess Room before this round). This is the "modern" move order to get into the Philidor, although it is unlikely to feature a Black fianchetto. I happened to notice something at the very end... 1...d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.a4!? c6 (5...g6) 6.Bc4 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.h3 (as reccommended by Negi in his Grandmaster Repertoire book) 8...Nxe4!? 9.Nxe4 d5 10.Re1! exd4 (10...dxe4 11.Rxe4! exd4 12.Bf4! Negi and his computer (2014), followed by some games; 10...dxc4 11.dxe5+/= Negi and a few games after again) 11.Bxd5 ("!") 11...cxd5 12.Ng3 ("+/=" Negi) 12...d3 13.Qxd3 Nc5 14.Qd1 Be6 15.Bf4 Rc8 16.Nd4 Qd7 17.Be5 Rfe8 18.Nxe6 Nxe6 19.Nf5 Bf8 20.b3 f6 21.Bb2 Ng5 (21...Kh8 "!?" 22.Qd2 Qc6 23.Re2 Nc5 24.Rd1 Ne4~~ (Pavlovic 2016) +/-/+/= (Stockfish 10) 25.Qxd5? (an echo of the Naroditsky game!) (25.Qf4; 25.Qe1; 25.Qd3; 25.Qc1) 25...Nc3-/+) 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.Ne3 Rd8 24.Qd3 Bc5 (24...Ne6!? 25.Rd1 (25.Bd4+/= in the 0.65 range - Stockfish) 25...Nf4 26.Qf1 Bc5 "with balanced play" (M. Pavlovic 2016)) 25.Rd1 Ne4+/- 26.Nxd5 1-0 Naroditsky,D (2622)-Oratovsky,M (2490) Benasque 2015.a) 26.Bd4+/-; b) 26.a5+/-; c) 26.c4+/-; d) even 26.Ba1+/-; e) So, 26.Nxd5?? and instead of resigning: 26...-- (

26...Qf5!! (only move) 27.Nxf6+ (27.Bxf6 Re8 28.Bh4 Qh5-/+) 27...Kf7!! 28.Qxd8 (28.Qc4+ Kg6 29.Nxe4 Rxd1+ 30.Kh2 Bd4 (30...Bd6+ 31.Nxd6 Rxd6=) 31.Ng3 Qe5 32.f4= (32.c3) ) 28...Qxf2+ 29.Kh1

29...Qf1+!! 30.Rxf1 Ng3+ 31.Kh2 Nxf1+=) ; ] 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 g6 Larsen's combative line [4...Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 (5...g6 I thought ChessBase was broken when I sorted by Black rating and saw nothing but Mamedov games (he's the hero of this move order) 6.Bg5 Bg7 7.Qd2) 6.Bf4 a) 6.Bc4; b) 6.Be2; c) 6.g3!? d5 0-1 (52) Carlsen,M (2837)-Mamedyarov,S (2726) Astana 2012 (6...Nc6 1/2-1/2 (62) Guseinov,G (2645)-Carlsen,M (2832) chess.com INT 2017) ; ] 5.Bc4 [5.Nc3] 5...Bg7 6.0-0 Nf6 [6...Nc6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.f4] 7.Re1 [7.Nc3] 7...0-0 8.Nc3 Re8 [8...Nc6; 8...c6; 8...Nbd7] 9.Bg5 c6 [9...Nbd7] 10.a4 Qa5?! "I liked this move, but the computer prefers h6, Nbd7" (Argo) [10...h6 11.Bh4 Nbd7; 10...Nbd7 11.Qd2+/= (one game) (11.a5+/= (another game)) ] 11.Qd2 Qc5 12.Bb3 [12.Bf1!] 12...Ng4 13.Nf3?! [13.Nce2!] 13...Be6+/= 14.Bxe6 Rxe6! "protecting the d-pawn and pressuring the White e-pawn" 15.h3 Ne5 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 17.Ra3?! "White is (rightly) concerned about tactics involving ...Bxc3 but [17.Ne2! was the antidote" 17...Bxb2 18.Rab1 Bg7 19.Be3 Qc4 20.Bd4!? Rxe4 21.Rb4 Qd5 22.Nf4+/-] 17...Na6 [17...Nd7 "was more accurate"] 18.Be3 Qa5 [18...Qc4!] 19.Bd4 [19.Rd1 Rae8 20.Bd4 Bxd4 21.Qxd4 Qc5=] 19...Bxd4 [19...Qb4 20.Rd1 Nc5=/+] 20.Qxd4 Qb4?![20...Nb4!=] 21.Rd1 [21.Qxb4 Nxb4 22.Re2 a5 (22...d5) ] 21...Qxb2 "My sense was that White's pieces weren't quite coordinated enough to trap my queen. Besides the alternative was unappetizing." 22.Rb3 Qxc2 23.Rbb1= [23.Rxb7 Nc5 24.Rc7 Nxe4 "seemed fine for Black"] 23...Nc5 24.f3 b6 25.Rbc1 Qb2 [25...Qxc1 26.Rxc1 Nb3 27.Qd1 Nxc1 28.Qxc1 "seemed to give White all the winning chances despite the material"] 26.Rb1 Qc2 1/2-1/2

(8) Poling,Scott E (1863) - Tsodikova,WFM Natalya (2185) [E83]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.8), 02.04.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 Nc6 7.Nge2 a6 8.Ng3 h5 9.h4 Re8 10.Qd2 Rb8 11.a3 e5 12.d5 Nd4 13.Bxd4 exd4 14.Nce2 c5 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Nxd4 Qb6 17.0-0-0 Bh6 0-1

(9) Ivanov,Aleksander (2171) - Rudyak,Felix (1865) [D07]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.9), 02.04.2019

1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 dxc4 4.d5 Ne5 5.f4 Nd7 6.e4 Nb6 7.a4 a5 8.Be3 e6 9.Bxb6 cxb6 10.Bxc4 Bb4 11.dxe6 Bxe6 12.Bb5+ Kf8 13.f5 Qh4+ 14.Kf1 Rd8 15.Qc2 Bd7 16.Nf3 Qe7 17.g3 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Bxb5+ 19.axb5 Nf6 20.Re1 Qc5 21.Kg2 Ng4 22.Qe2 Ne5 23.Rd1 Ke7 24.Rd5 Rxd5 25.exd5 Qxd5 26.Qxe5+ Qxe5 27.Nxe5 Kf6 28.Nd7+ Kxf5 29.Nxb6 Rd8 30.Rf1+ Kg6 31.c4 Rd2+ 32.Rf2 Rd4 33.Ra2 Rd6 34.c5 1-0

(10) Kondakov,Adrian (2066) - Uribe,Luiz Antoni (1863) [B33]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.10), 02.04.2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qb6 5.Nb3 Nf6 6.Nc3 e6 7.Be3 Qc7 8.Bd3 a6 9.Qe2 b5 10.0-0-0 Be7 11.f4 d6 12.g4 Nb4 13.g5 Nd7 14.a3 Nxd3+ 15.Qxd3 Bb7 16.Bd4 0-0 17.Rhg1 Rfd8 18.f5 Nc5 19.Qe2 Nxb3+ 20.cxb3 e5 21.Bf2 d5 22.Kb1 dxe4 23.Nxe4 Rxd1+ 24.Rxd1 Qc6 25.Nc3 Bxg5 26.Qxe5 Qf3 27.Bd4 Bf6 28.Qc7 Rc8 29.Qd7 Rd8 30.Qc7 Qxf5+ 31.Ka2 Qc8 32.Bxf6 Rxd1 33.Qg3 1-0

(11) Marcus,Joel (1833) - Anderson,Michael (1943) [A41]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.11), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.d4 g6 2.Nf3 Bg7 3.Bf4 d6 4.e3 Nd7 5.h3 e5 6.Bh2 Nh6 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 f5 9.Nc3 c6 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Qd6 e4 12.Bc4+ Kh8 13.Nd4 Nb6 14.Bb3 Qe8 15.Nce2 Nf7 16.Qb4 g5 17.a4 Ne5 18.a5 Nd5 19.Bxd5 cxd5 20.Nb5 Qd8 21.Rad1 Be6 22.Nbd4 Bc8 23.Nb5 b6

24.Bxe5 Bxe5 25.Rxd5 Qf6? [25...Qxd5! 26.Qxf8+ Qg8! The classic easy-to-miss long backward diagonal save mentioned often by psychologists studying chess! Well, almost-save -- the ever-annoying Stockfish has White still winning after 27.Qe7 (or 27.Qb4) 27...Qe6 (27...Bxb2?! 28.Nc7 Rb8 29.c3) 28.Qxg5 Ba6 29.Ned4 Qg6 30.Qxg6 hxg6 31.Ra1] 26.Rxe5 Ba6 27.Rd5 Qc6 28.Qd4+ Kg8 29.Nbc3 b5 30.Rd6 Qc8 31.Rd7 Rf7 32.Rxf7 Kxf7 33.Nd5 Qd8 Here in the time scramble the scoresheets end; White managed to win 1-0

(12) Boldi,Ethan Kazanjian (2058) - Persidsky,Andre (1814)
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.12), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

last game to finish; no score received 1/2-1/2

(13) Pane,Gianluca (1863) - Askin,David (2013) [D36]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.13), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 Nbd7 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Nf3 Re8 9.0-0 c6 10.Qc2 Nf8 11.Bxf6 [11.Rab1; 11.Rae1; 11.h3] 11...Bxf6 12.b4 Bg4 13.Nd2 Be7 14.b5 c5 15.dxc5 Bxc5 16.Nb3 Bb4 17.a3 Bd6 18.Qd2 Be5 19.Rac1 Qd6 20.h3 Be6 21.a4 Qb4 22.Nd4 Rac8 23.Rc2 g6 24.Nce2 Qe7 25.Rfc1 Rxc2 26.Rxc2 h5 27.Nf3 Bg7 28.Qc1 Qb4 29.Rc7 Qxa4 30.Rxb7 Rc8 31.Qd2 Nd7

[31...Rc5=] 32.Nf4?? [32.Bxg6! Nc5 (32...fxg6 33.Rxd7 Qxb5 34.Re7 Bf7 35.Qa2+/-) 33.Rxf7 Bxf7 34.Bxf7+ Kxf7 35.Qxd5+=] 32...Nc5-+ 33.Nxe6 Nxb7 34.Nxg7 Qa1+ 35.Kh2 Qxg7 36.Qa2 Nc5 37.Qxd5 Nxd3 38.Qxd3 Qf8 [38...Qb2; 38...Qf6; 38...Qc3] 39.g3 Qe7 40.Nd4 Qd6 41.Qe4 Rc7 42.Kg2 Re7 43.Qc2 Qd5+ 44.Kg1 Qd7 45.Kh2 Qb7 46.Qc5 Rc7 47.Qe5 Rc1 48.e4 [48.Nc6] 48...Re1 49.Nc6 Qd7? [49...Kh7!] 50.Ne7+= Kh7 51.Nd5 Qe6 52.Qg5?! [52.Qd4+/=] 52...Kg7 53.Nf4 Qxe4 [53...Qb6!=/+ 54.Kg2! Kg8] 54.Nxh5+ Kf8 55.Qh6+?? [55.Qd8+ Qe8 56.Qd6+ Qe7 (56...Re7?? 57.Nf6+-) 57.Qb8+=] 55...Ke7 ... and Black won in the scramble 0-1

(14) Jensen,Christian (1815) - Lehman,Clarence E (1918) [C57]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.14), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.Bd5 Rf8 7.0-0 d6 8.Bxc6 [8.d3] 8...Bg4 [8...bxc6 9.d3 (9.Nf3; 9.c3?!) ] 9.Nf3 bxc6 10.h3 [10.d3 is a few games 10...Qe8 (10...Qb8; 10...h6) 11.Be3] 10...Bh5 11.Qe2?! Qd7 [11...Qe8!?] 12.d3 [12.Nc3] 12...h6 13.Be3 Nh7?! [13...Nxe4!? 14.dxe4 Bxf3 15.Qe1 (15.gxf3?? Qxh3 is crushing good) 15...Bb6 16.Bxb6 axb6 17.Nd2 Bh5 18.f4+/=] 14.Nbd2+/- Rxf3? 15.Nxf3+- Rf8 16.Kh2! Qe6 17.Rg1 [17.g4] 17...Ng5 18.Nxg5 Bxe2 19.Nxe6 Kxe6 20.Bxc5 dxc5 21.f3 c4 22.dxc4 Bxc4 23.b3 Ba6 24.Rad1 Bb7 25.Rd2 c5 26.c4 Bc6 27.Rgd1 Rf7 28.Rd3 Re7 29.Rd8 Rf7 30.Rg8 Re7 31.Kg3 Rf7 32.Kf2 Ke7 33.Ke3 Ke6 34.g3 Re7 35.Rdd8 Kf7 36.Rgf8+ Kg6 37.a3 a5 38.Rb8 a4 39.b4 cxb4 40.Rxb4 Rd7 41.Rb1 Rd4 42.Rc1 Bd7 43.h4 Bc6 44.Rc8 Rd7 45.f4 exf4+ 46.gxf4 Kh5 47.Rh1 g6 48.Re8 Rd6 49.Re7 Ba8 50.Rxc7 Re6 51.Rc5+ Kg4 52.Re5 Rb6 53.Rb5 Re6 54.Re5 Rb6 [54...Rb6 55.h5! (55.Rg1+ Kxh4 56.Rb5 Re6 57.e5) ] 1-0

(15) Walder,NM Michael (1989) - Gaffagan,Steven (2019) [C92]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.15), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Bb7 10.d4 Re8 11.Ng5 Rf8 12.f4?! Gutman's caveman approach, analyzed by Shamkovich ages ago if memory serves. [12.Nf3 Re8 used to be a popular repetition mechanism to agree to a draw] 12...Na5 [12...exf4 13.Bxf4 Na5! 14.Bc2 Nd5 15.exd5 Bxg5 used to be considered the way to handle White's threatening position, despite ongoing danger in the hands of Yehuda Gruenfeld] 13.Bc2 h6 14.Nf3 exf4 15.Bxf4 d5 16.e5 Ne4 17.Nbd2 Nc4 [17...f5 18.exf6 Nxf6 19.Qe2 Ne4 20.Be5 Bh4 21.g3 Bf6 22.Nxe4 dxe4 23.Bxe4 Bxe4 24.Qxe4 Nc4 25.b3 Nb6 26.Qc6 Qd5 27.Qxd5+ Nxd5 28.Rac1 Be7 29.Kg2 Ba3 30.Rc2 Rf7 31.c4 Nb4 32.Rce2 Raf8 33.Rf1 Re8 34.Nh4 Rxf1 35.Kxf1 Re7 36.Ng6 Rf7+ 37.Bf4 Nd3 38.h4 Kh7 39.h5 Rf5 40.Nh4 Rf7 41.c5 Bc1 42.Ng6 Rf5 43.Re8 Rxh5 44.Nf8+ Kg8 45.Ne6+ Kf7 46.Nxc7 Nxf4 47.gxf4 Bxf4 48.Rc8 Rh2 49.d5 Rxa2 50.d6 Rc2 51.b4 h5 52.d7 Bxc7 53.Rxc7 Ke7 54.c6 a5 55.Rc8 1-0 (55) Sztern,A (2265)-Flatow,A (2265) Sydney 1990] 18.Nxe4 [18.Nxc4 bxc4 19.Nd2 f5 20.exf6 Nxf6 21.Qe2 Ne4 22.Nxe4 Rxf4 23.Nc5 Bxc5 24.Qe6+ Kh8 25.Qg6 Qg8 26.dxc5 Rf6 27.Qg3 Qf7 28.Re2 Rf8 29.Kh2 Bc8 30.Rae1 Re6 31.Re3 Qf2 32.Rxe6 Bxe6 33.Rxe6 Qxc2 34.Re7 Rg8 35.Rxc7 Qxb2 36.Rd7 Qxa2 37.c6 Qa4 38.Qe5 Kh7 39.Qf5+ Kh8 40.c7 Qc6 41.Qxd5 1-0 (41) Gheng,J (2310)-Hankel,D (2193) Boeblingen 2007] 18...dxe4

19.Rxe4! Stockfish likes it! [19.Bxe4; 19.Nd2!?] 19...c5 and this, too! 20.Re2 Nxb2 21.Qd2+/- c4?

22.Rf1? [22.Bxh6 gxh6 23.Qxh6 Nd3 24.Rd1] 22...a5 23.Ne1 Ra6 24.Bb1 Na4 25.Qc2 Rg6 26.e6 f5 27.Re5 Be4 28.Rxe4 fxe4 29.Qxe4 Nxc3 30.Qxg6 Qxd4+ 31.Kh1 Nxb1 32.Qxb1 Rxf4 33.Nf3 Qf6 34.Qxb5 c3 35.Qxa5 1/2-1/2

(16) Melville,Cailen J (1941) - Pryor,Jamieson (2001) [A63]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (3.16), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 0-0 8.Bg2 d6 9.0-0 a6 10.a4 Nbd7 11.Bf4 Qc7 12.Rb1 Rb8 13.Qd2 Re8 14.b4 Nh5 15.bxc5 Nxf4 16.gxf4 Nxc5 17.Rfc1 Bf5 18.Rb4 Qa5 19.Na2 Nxa4 20.e4 Bd7 21.Rbc4 Qd8 22.Nd4 Nc5 23.e5 b5 24.R4c2 Qh4 25.Nb4 Bh6 26.Nf3 Qxf4 27.exd6 Qxd2 28.Nxd2 Bxd2 29.Nc6 [29.Rxd2 Nb3] 29...Bxc1 30.Nxb8 Re1+ 31.Bf1 Bh3 0-1

(17) Gray,William (1962) - Robeal,Rafik (1716) [A49]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (3.17), 02.04.2019

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.b3 g6 3.Bb2 Bg7 4.g3 d6 5.d4 0-0 6.Bg2 Ne4 7.Nbd2 Nxd2 8.Qxd2 Nd7 9.0-0 Nc5 10.Rad1 Ne4 11.Qc1 d5 12.c4 c6 13.Nd2 Bh6 14.e3 Nf6 15.Qc3 Bg4 16.f3 Be6 17.e4 Rc8 18.f4 Bg4 19.Rde1 Qd7 20.e5 Nh5 21.Rf2 Ng7 22.Nf1 Bh3 23.Ne3 Bxg2 24.Rxg2 dxc4 25.bxc4 Nf5 26.e6 Qxe6 27.d5 Qf6 28.Nxf5 gxf5 29.Qf3 Qg6 30.g4 cxd5 31.gxf5 1-0

(18) Babayan,Gagik (1806) - Ochoa,Jason B (1738) [B79]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (3.19), 02.04.2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 0-0 8.Bb3 d6 9.f3 Bd7 10.Qd2 Qa5 11.0-0-0 Rfc8 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Kb1 Rab8 14.Ne2 Qxd2 15.Rxd2 c5 16.c3 Ne8 17.h4 h5 18.Bc4 Bb5 19.Bxb5 Rxb5 20.g4 hxg4 21.fxg4 Nf6 22.c4 Rb4 23.e5 Ne4 24.Rc2 Bxe5 25.h5 Rcb8 26.b3 g5 27.Bc1 f6 28.Bb2 Bxb2 29.Kxb2 Nf2 30.Rg1 a5 31.Nc1 Nh3 32.Re1 R4b7 33.Nd3 a4 34.Rc3 Nf4 35.Nf2 axb3 36.axb3 Ra8 37.Ra1 Rxa1 38.Kxa1 Ne2 39.Re3 Nd4 40.Kb2 Kf7 41.Ne4 Nc6 42.Nc3 Ne5 43.Re4 e6 44.Kc2 f5 45.gxf5 exf5 46.Re1 Nf3 47.Rf1 Nd4+ 48.Kd1 Rxb3 49.Nd5 Rb1+ 0-1

(19) Krasnov,Steven Le (1876) - Babb,Kevin (1641) [A26]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (3.20), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.Nc3 d6 [4...Bb4; 4...Bc5] 5.Nf3 g6 6.a3 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.d3 Nh5 9.Bg5 f6 10.Bd2 f5 11.Qc1 f4 12.Nd5 g5 13.gxf4 gxf4 14.e3 fxe3 15.fxe3 Nf6 16.Qc2 Ne7 17.e4 c6 18.Nxe7+ Qxe7 19.Bg5 Qc7 20.Qd2 Be6 21.Rac1 Rae8 22.b4 Rf7 23.Bh4 Bc8 24.Ng5 Rff8 25.Kh1 Nh5 26.Qe3 Nf4 27.Rce1 Bh6 28.Rg1 Kh8 29.Bf1 a6 30.Rg3 Rg8 31.Be2 Rg6 32.Qg1 Reg8 33.Nf3 Bg4

34.Rxg4 Rxg4 35.Bf6+ Bg7 36.Qxg4 Bxf6 37.Qf5 Qe7 38.Bf1 Qe6?! [38...Qg7!; 38...Rf8] 39.Rd1?! [39.Qxe6 Nxe6 40.Rd1] 39...Qxf5 40.exf5 Kg7 41.d4?! e4-+ 42.Ng1 Kf8 [42...d5] 43.Nh3 Nxh3 44.Bxh3 d5 45.cxd5 cxd5 46.a4 Ke7 47.Bg2 Rg5 I suspect a time scramble 0-1

(20) Lesquillier,Walter (1752) - Cohee,James (1606) [C41]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (3.22), 02.04.2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Bc4 0-0 7.h3 Re8 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.Bb3 Nc5 10.f3 Nxb3 11.axb3 c6 12.Be3 Qc7 13.Qd2 a6 14.Nde2 Be6 15.Nf4 Rad8 16.Qf2 c5 17.Rfd1 Qc8 18.Rd2 h6 19.Rad1 g5 20.Nfd5 Nxd5 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.Rxd5 Qe6 23.Qd2 Qg6 24.g4 Rc8 25.Bf2 Rc6 26.Bg3 Qf6 27.Qc3 Qxc3 28.bxc3 Bf6 29.Rxd6 Rxd6 30.Rxd6 Bxc3 31.Rd7 b5 32.Bf2 Rc8 33.Rd3 Bd4 34.Bxd4 cxd4 35.Rd2 Rc3 36.Kf2 a5 1/2-1/2

(21) Rakonitz,David (1674) - Perlov,Alexander (1720) [E12]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (3.23), 02.04.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.a3 Bb7 5.Nc3 d5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.e3 Be7 8.Bb5+ c6 9.Bd3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 0-0 11.e4 Nd7 12.0-0 c5 13.e5 Rc8 14.Qe2 cxd4 15.cxd4 Nb8 16.Bb2 Re8 17.Rac1 a6 18.Rxc8 Qxc8 19.Rc1 Qd7 20.h3 h6 21.Be4 Rc8 22.Rxc8+ Qxc8 23.Bxb7 Qxb7 24.Qc4 b5 25.Qc3 Nd7 26.Nd2 Nb6 27.Qc2 Nd5 28.Nf3 Qc7 29.Qxc7 Nxc7 30.Kf1 Kf8 31.Ke2 Nd5 32.g3 Ke8 33.Kd3 Kd7 34.Ke4 Kc6 35.Nd2 f5+ 36.Kd3 Nb6 37.Kc3 Kd5 38.Kd3 Na4 39.Bc1 Bd8 40.Nb3 Be7 41.f3 Nb6 42.Na5 Nc4 43.Nxc4 bxc4+ 44.Kc3 a5 45.Bb2 a4 46.Kd2 Bd8 47.Bc3 Bg5+ 48.f4 Be7 49.Bb2 Bd8 50.Bc3 Ke4 51.Ke2 Bb6 52.d5 Kxd5 53.Kf3 Bd4 54.Bd2 c3 55.Bc1 Kc4 56.Ke2 g6 57.g4 Bc5 58.gxf5 gxf5 0-1

(22) Mercado,Adam (1714) - Bradley,Christopher (1604) [B32]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (3.24), 02.04.2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qb6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.c4 Nf6 7.Bd3 g6 8.Nc3 Bg7 9.Qe2 0-0 10.e5 Ne8 11.Be3 Qa5 12.f4 d6 13.0-0 dxe5 14.fxe5 Bxe5 15.Bh6 Ng7 16.Rae1 Bxc3 17.bxc3 Qxc3 18.Qxe7 Be6 19.Be4 Qd4+ 20.Kh1 Rfe8 21.Qh4 f5 22.Rf4 fxe4 23.Rfxe4 Qd8 24.Bg5 Qd7 25.g4 Bxc4 26.Re7 Rxe7 27.Rxe7 Qd1+ 28.Kg2 Bd5+ 29.Kf2 Rf8+ 30.Ke3 0-1

(23) Newey,Richard (1620) - Porlares,Teodoro (1713) [B11]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (3.25), 02.04.2019

1.e4 c6 2.f4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nf2 e6 6.Nf3 Bd6 7.d4 0-0 8.c4 b6 9.Bd3 Bb7 10.0-0 c5 11.Be3 Nbd7 12.Qe2 Qc7 13.Ne5 cxd4 14.Bxd4 Nc5 15.Rad1 Rad8 16.Bc2 Be7 17.b3 a5 18.Qe3 h6 19.Kh1 Ba8 20.Rg1 Nh7 21.Qg3 f5 22.Nc6 Bf6 23.Nxd8 Rxd8 24.Bxf6 Nxf6 25.Rxd8+ Qxd8 26.Qe3 Nh5 27.a3 Qh4 28.b4 Ne4 29.Bxe4 fxe4 30.g3 Qe7 31.Rd1 Kf7 32.Kg1 Qb7 33.Ng4 Nf6 34.Ne5+ Ke7 35.Qd4 Qc7 36.bxa5 bxa5 37.Rb1 h5 38.Rb5 Ne8 39.Qc5+ Qxc5+ 40.Rxc5 e3 41.Rxa5 Be4 42.Kf1 Nd6 43.Ke2 Nf5 44.Ra7+ Kd6 45.g4 hxg4 46.Nxg4 Bc6 47.Nxe3 Nd4+ 48.Kd3 Nb3 49.Rxg7 1-0

(24) Kim,Andy (1619) - Cortinas,Martin A (1686) [E19]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (3.26), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 [4...Bb4+; 4...Ba6] 5.Bg2 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Nc3 [Alpha "I have just begun to gambit pawns" Zero has renewed interest in 7.d5!? exd5 8.Nh4] 7...d6 [7...Ne4! is the well-trod if somewhat staid main move. (If you want more excitement it's going to have to be 4...Ba6!] 8.Re1 [8.Qc2] 8...Ne4 9.Qc2 Nxc3 10.Qxc3 f5 11.h4 Nc6 12.d5 Bf6 13.Qd2 exd5 14.Qxd5+ Kh8 15.Ng5 Qd7 16.Qe6 Rad8 17.Rb1 Bxg5 18.Qxd7 Rxd7 19.Bxg5 Na5 20.Bh3 Nxc4 21.e4 Ne5 22.Re3 Bxe4 23.Rd1 Nf3+ 24.Kf1 Nxg5 25.hxg5 Rdf7 26.Rde1 Bc6 27.Ke2 f4 28.gxf4 Rxf4 29.Kd3 Rf3 30.Bg4 Rxe3+ 31.Rxe3 Re8 32.Rg3 g6 33.Bd1 Kg7 34.Kd2 Bd7 35.Rc3 c6 36.Ra3 a5 37.b4 axb4 38.Ra7 Re7 39.Bg4 Bxg4 40.Rxe7+ Kg8 41.Re4 Bf5 42.Rxb4 b5 43.a4 bxa4 44.Rxa4 Kf7 45.Ra7+ Ke6 46.Rxh7 d5 47.Ke3 c5 48.Ra7 d4+ 49.Kd2 c4 50.f4 c3+ 51.Ke2 Kd6 52.Ra5 d3+ 53.Ke3 d2 54.Ra8 d1Q 0-1

(25) Mays,Jerry L (1700) - McKellar,Daniel (1872) [B34]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (3.27), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Bg7 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Be2 0-0 8.Qd2 d5 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.0-0-0 Be6 11.e5 Nd7 12.f4 Qa5 13.Kb1 Nb6 14.Ne4 Qxd2 15.Nxd2 Rfc8 16.Bc5 [16.Nb3 There's occupation -- and there's control. ..] 16...Rc7 17.g4 Na4 18.Nb3 Rb8 19.Rd4 Nb6?! [19...Nxc5 20.Nxc5 Bc8] 20.Rb4 Bf8 21.Rf1+/- Nd7? [21...Bc8] 22.f5!+- Nxc5?! 23.Rxb8 Nxb3 24.axb3 Bc8 25.fxg6?! That front of pawns had more value than this! [25.e6! fxe6?! 26.fxe6 activate the rooks more than the bishops] 25...hxg6 26.g5?! I wouldn't be happy with this either, losing h4-h5 possibility 26...c5 27.h4 Bh3 28.Rf2 [28.Rf4 might cross to the queenside (Ra4, Ra8)] 28...Kg7 29.h5?! All these pawn moves are inaccuracies, but White is still up a solid Exchange! 29...gxh5 30.Bxh5 e6 31.Rxf8?? What I say! White's advantage plummets. [31.g6 fxg6 32.Bxg6 Kxg6 33.Rbxf8 Finally, connected rooks 33...Kg7 (33...Bf5 34.Rg2+ Kh7 35.Rfg8 This is getting very uncomfortable!) 34.Rb8 (34.Rd8; 34.Re8; 34.Kc1) ] 31...Kxf8 32.g6 Bf5 33.gxf7 Rb7 34.Kc1 Rb4 35.Rg2 Bh7= 36.Bg6 Bxg6 37.Rxg6 Kxf7 38.Rf6+ Ke7 39.Rh6 Rf4 40.Kd2 Rf5 41.Rh7+ Ke8 [41...Rf7 42.Rh1 Rf5 says DRAW a bit more loudly] 42.Rxa7 Rxe5 [42...Rf2+ 43.Kd3 Rh2] 43.Ra5 Kd7 44.Rxc5 Re4 45.Ra5 Kd6 46.Kd3 Ke5 47.c4 Rd4+ 48.Kc3 Rd1 49.cxd5 exd5 50.b4 Rc1+ 51.Kd2 Rc8 52.Rc5 Rb8 53.b5 Kd4 54.b4 Rb7 55.Kc2 Rb8 56.Kb2 Rb7 57.Kc2 Rb8 1/2-1/2

(26) Boldi,Nicholas Ar (1571) - Malykin,Erika (1637) [C50]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (3.28), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 d6 4.d3 Bg4 5.c3 Be7 6.Qb3 Bxf3 7.Bxf7+ Kf8 8.gxf3 Na5 9.Qe6 Nf6 10.b4 Nc6 11.Qb3 a6 12.a3 b5 13.a4 Qb8 14.Be6 Nd8 15.Bf5 bxa4 16.Rxa4 Qb7 17.d4 exd4 18.cxd4 Nc6 19.Be3 Rb8 20.0-0 Nxb4 21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Nfd5 23.Be4 Qb5 24.Na3 Qb7 25.Bxd5 Qxd5 26.Qxd5 Nxd5 27.Rxa6 Nxe3 28.fxe3 Bxa3 29.Rxa3 Ke7 30.Ra7 Rhc8 31.f4 Ke6 32.Rd1 h5 33.Kf2 Rb2+ 34.Kg3 h4+ 35.Kxh4 Rxh2+ 36.Kg4 g5 37.Ra6+ Ke7 38.Kxg5 Rh3 39.Rd3 Rg8+ 40.Kf5 Rh5+ 41.Ke4 Rb8 42.Rd4 Rh4 43.Ra7 Rc8 44.Rd6 Ke8 45.Rg6 Kf8 46.Kf5 Rh5+ 47.Kf6 Rh7 48.e6 Rh8 49.Ke5 c5 50.Kd6 c4 51.Kd7 Rh7+ 52.Kxc8 Rxa7 53.f5 c3 54.Rg4 Ra5 55.Rc4 Rxf5 56.Rxc3 Ke7 57.Kc7 Kxe6 58.Kc6 (unreadable scoresheets: drawn around move 71) 1/2-1/2

(27) Casares Jr,Nick (1600) - Tamondong,Cesar B (1600) [B32]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (3.29), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 b5 8.Nd5 Rb8 9.c3 Nf6 10.Bg5 Be7 11.f3?? [11.Bxf6; 11.Nxe7] 11...0-0?? ["It" says 11...Nxd5-+ 12.Qxd5 (12.exd5 Bxg5 13.dxc6 Be6) 12...Bxg5 13.Qxc6+ Ke7 14.Qd5 Be6 15.Qd3 b4] 12.Nc2?? [12.Bxf6; 12.Nxe7+] 12...h6?? [12...Nxd5 13.exd5 Bxg5 14.dxc6 Qb6] 13.Be3?! [13.Nxe7+; 13.Bxf6] 13...Be6 [13...Nxd5] 14.Qd2 Bxd5 15.exd5 Na5 16.0-0-0[16.b3+/=] 16...Nc4 17.Bxc4 bxc4 18.Nb4 Ra8?

Warning: Complications, blunders ahead! [18...Rb5-/+] 19.g4!+/- e4? From bad to worse 20.h4?! [20.g5 hxg5 21.Nc6 Qd7 22.Rhg1+-] 20...exf3 21.Qd4? [21.g5+/-; 21.Nc6 Qd7 22.g5] 21...Qd7 22.Nc6?? [22.g5+/=] 22...Rfe8?! [22...Nxg4-+ Black has too many pawns to hide behind] 23.Rhg1 Rac8? [23...Bf8!-+ just barely] 24.g5 Nxd5?? [24...hxg5 25.Bxg5 (25.hxg5? Ne4! 26.Qxe4 Bxg5 27.Qxe8+ Rxe8 28.Bxg5 Re4-+) 25...Qf5=/+ 26.Bh6 f2 27.Rxg7+ Kh8 I can't calculate this!] 25.gxh6?? [25.Nxe7+!+- Qxe7 26.Bf2! "Mental patience" 26...Nc7 (26...Qe5 27.Qxd5) 27.gxh6 Ne6 28.Rxg7+ Kh8 29.Qe3+- Nxg7?! 30.hxg7+ Kxg7 31.Rg1+ Kh7 32.Qxf3 Qe6 33.Kd1! is actually best!] 25...g6?? ??? [25...Bf6= according to The Calculator. 26.Rxg7+ (26.Qxd5 Rxe3) 26...Kf8! 27.Qxd5 Rxe3 28.Nd4 Rc5 29.Qa8+ Qe8 30.Qxa6 Rd5 31.Rg4[] Re1= (31...f2=) ] 26.Qg7# 1/2-1/2

(28) Chan,John (1591) - Chui,Kevin [D02]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.30), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.h3 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.c3 Bf5 6.Nbd2 e6 7.Be2 Bd6 8.Bb5 0-0 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.0-0 Bd3 11.Re1 c4 12.b4 Qc7 13.a4 Ne4 14.Nxe4 Bxe4 15.Ng5 Bh2+? [15...Bg6-/+] 16.Kh1 Bg6 17.f4? [17.e4=] 17...Bg3 18.Re2?! [18.Rg1-/+] 18...Bh5-/+ 19.Nf3 [19.Qc2 g6] 19...f5?! [19...f6] 20.Rb2 Rf6?! [20...Qf7=/+] 21.b5 [21.Qf1] 21...c5?! [21...Rff8-/+] 22.dxc5 [22.a5!] 22...Qxc5 23.Qd4 Qxd4 24.Nxd4 e5! 25.fxe5 Bxe5 26.Rf2 g6? 27.Bd2?! [27.Ba3!; 27.a5] 27...Raf8 28.a5 Bg3 29.Rff1 f4? 30.exf4+- g5 31.f5 h6 32.Rab1 [32.Rfb1; 32.Be1; 32.Be3] 32...Bg6? 33.b6 [33.Rf3!] 33...a6? [33...axb6 34.Rf3] 34.b7?! [34.Rf3] 34...Bb8 35.g4 Be8 36.Kg1 Ba4 37.Kg2 Re8 38.Rfe1 Rxe1 39.Rxe1 Rf7 40.Rb1 Re7 41.Kf3 Kf7 42.Rb4 Bd1+ 43.Kf2 Re8 44.Rb6 Ke7 45.Nc6+ [45.Rxh6!; 45.Rxa6!] 45...Kd7 46.Nxb8+ Rxb8 47.Rxh6 Rxb7 48.Rh7+ Kc6 49.Rxb7 Kxb7 50.Bxg5? Where I come from we queen pawns [50.f6] 50...d4 51.cxd4 [51.f6!] 51...c3 52.Ke1 c2 (!) [52...Bb3] 53.Kd2 Kc6 54.f6 Kd7 55.d5 I don't have the heart to point out that [55.f7 queens anyway] 55...c1Q+ 56.Kxc1 Bb3 57.Kd2 Bxd5 58.Ke3 Ke6 59.Kd4?? Bg2 60.Ke3??= [60.h4] 60...Bxh3 61.Kf4 Bf1 62.Bh4 Bd3 63.g5 Bg6 64.Be1 Bh5 [64...Bf5?? 65.f7] 65.Ke4 Bg6+ 66.Kd4 Kf5 67.Bd2 Be8 68.Kd5 Bf7+ 69.Kd6 Be6??+- [69...Ba2 70.Ke7 Kg6 I don't think White is winning anymore!] 70.Kc7??= [70.Ke7 and through] 70...Kg6 71.Kd6 Kf7 72.Bc3 Bf5 73.Bd4 Bc2 74.Bc3 Kg6 75.Kc5 Bb3 76.Kb6 Kxg5?? ??? [76...Bc4=] 77.Kxa6 1-0

(29) Fernicola,Michael - Frank,Robert H (1426) [E34]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.31), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.e3 [An interesting line (recommended by Roiz in *his* Grandmaster Repertoire book on the Nimzo) goes 5.cxd5 Qxd5!? 6.Nf3 Qf5!?] 5...0-0 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 b6 8.Nf3 Bb7 9.cxd5 Qxd5 10.c4 Qe4 11.Bd3 Qg4 12.Be2 Qe4 13.Qxe4 Nxe4 14.Bb2 Nd7 15.0-0 c5 16.Rfd1 Ndf6 17.h3 Rfd8 18.a4 Rac8 19.a5 Okay, look, if you don't start playing worse I'm not going to be able to take this game seriously! 19...Nd7 20.axb6 axb6 21.Ra7 Ba8 22.d5 exd5 23.cxd5 Ndf6 24.Bxf6 Nxf6 25.d6 Bc6 26.Ne5 Be8 27.Bg4 Nxg4 28.hxg4 Ra8 29.Rxa8 Rxa8 30.d7 Bxd7 31.Rxd7 f6 32.Nc6 c4 33.Rc7 b5 34.Nd4 Ra1+ 35.Kh2 Rb1 36.Rc5 b4 37.Rxc4 b3 38.Rc8+ Kf7 39.Rb8 b2 40.Rb7+ Kg6 41.Nf3 h6 42.Nd2 1-0

(30) Dubensky,Walter B (1210) - Jijo,Wilson
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.32), 02.04.2019

1-0

(31) Reyes,Victor - Abdi,Mehron Edwar (1069) [A40]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.33), 02.04.2019

1.d4 Nc6 2.e3 e6 3.f4 f5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.a3 d5 6.Be2 Bd6 7.Ng5 Ne4 8.h4 Ng3 9.Rh3 Ne4 10.b4 0-0 11.Bh5 a5 12.b5 Na7 13.Qe2 a4 14.Bb2 Bd7 15.Nxe4 Bxb5 16.Nf6+ Rxf6 17.Qd2 Rh6 18.Qd1 g6 19.g4 gxh5 20.g5 Rg6 21.Qxh5 c5 22.Qd1 c4 23.h5 Rg7 24.Bc3 Qe7 25.h6 Rg6 26.Qd2 Bd7 27.Bb2 Nc6 28.Nc3 Ra5 29.Kf2 b5 30.Rhh1 b4 31.axb4 Bxb4 32.Qc1 a3 33.Na2 axb2 34.Qxb2 Ra3 35.c3 Bd6 36.Rhb1 Rb3 37.Qc2 Rxb1 38.Qxb1 Kf7 39.Nc1 Rg8 40.Ra6 Rb8 41.Qa2 Qd8 42.Qe2 Ra8 43.Qh5+ Kf8 44.Rxa8 Qxa8 45.g6 Ke7 46.Qg5+ Kf8 47.Qf6+ Ke8 48.g7 Ne7 49.Qf8# 1-0

(32) Simpkins,Jerry (1508) - Khamkar,Susheel S (1033) [C00]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.34), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.e4 e6 2.f4 d5 3.e5 c5 Now both scoresheets say "4.e3". I can't figure out either one. Please record better. Thank you. (0-1 30 or 32) 4.d3!? 0-1

(33) Morgan,Jerry (1491) - Rushton,Peter (1186) [A03]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.35), 02.04.2019

1.f4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bd7 5.b3 a6 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.Ne5 e6 8.Bb2 Bc5 9.Qf3 0-0 10.d3 Nd7 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Nd2 Nf6 13.0-0-0 a5 14.a4 Qe7 15.e4 Ba3 16.e5 Nd7 17.d4 Bxb2+ 18.Kxb2 Rab8 19.Qc3 Rb6 20.h4 Ra8 21.g4 c5 22.dxc5 Nxc5 23.Ka2 Rb4 24.Rb1 Rab8 25.g5 Nxa4 26.Qc6 Nc5 27.f5 exf5 28.Qxd5 Rd8 29.Qg2 Na4 30.Nc4 Nc3+ 31.Kb2 Nxb1 32.Rxb1 a4 33.Ra1 axb3 34.Ra8 bxc2+ 35.Kxc2 Rxc4+ 0-1

(34) Chambers,Don (1127) - Harris,Clarence (1400) [C44]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.36), 02.04.2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bb4+ 5.c3 Bc5 6.Qb3 Na5 7.Bxf7+ Kf8 8.Qd5 Qe7 9.Ng5 h6 10.Bxg8 hxg5 11.Bxg5 Qe8 12.Qxc5+ d6 13.Qd5 Rxg8 14.0-0 Nc6 15.cxd4 Be6 16.Qb5 Rb8 17.d5 a6 18.Qa4 b5 19.Qd1 Qg6 20.f4 Bd7 21.dxc6 Bxc6 22.Nc3 Re8 23.Qg4 Rh8 24.f5 Qh7 25.h3 Re5 26.f6 g6 27.f7 Qh5 28.Qc8+ 1-0

(35) Barreyro,Romeo - Revi,Frank (1375) [B88]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.37), 02.04.2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.0-0 d6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Ne5 8.Bb5+ Bd7 9.Bxd7+ Qxd7 10.f4 Ng6 11.Qf3 Be7 12.Be3 0-0 13.Rad1 a6 14.f5 Ne5 15.Qh3 Neg4 16.Bg5 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 exf5 18.Nxf5 Bxg5 19.Qxg4 Be3+ 20.Kh1 Qxf5 21.Rxf5 Kh8 22.Nxd6 f6 23.Rf3 Bg5 24.h4 Bh6 25.Nf5 Rg8 26.Nxh6 gxh6 27.Qf5 Raf8 28.Rd7 Rg7 29.Rxg7 Kxg7 30.Qd7+ Rf7 31.Rg3+ 1-0

(36) Starr,Albert Mart (1543) - Tabatabai,Ashkon (1138) [A00]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.38), 02.04.2019

1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 d6 3.e3 Nf6 4.d3 Be6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Be2 d5 7.b5 Bc5 8.Nxe5 0-0 9.Nxd7 Qxd7 10.0-0 d4 11.exd4 Bxd4 12.Bxd4 Qxd4 13.Nd2 Nd5 14.Nf3 Qf6 15.a4 Bg4 16.c4 Nc3 17.Qd2 Rfe8 18.Rfe1 Nxe2+ 19.Rxe2 Rxe2 20.Qc1 Bxf3 21.gxf3 Qxf3 22.Qf1 Re5 23.Qg2 Qxd3 24.Qxb7 Rg5+ 25.Kh1 Rd8 26.Rg1 Qd1 0-1

(37) Robertson,Wade (982) - Cole,Tony (1487) [C02]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.39), 02.04.2019
[Robertson,Wade/(Winslow,Elliott)]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Nge7 6.Bd3 c4 7.Be2 Nf5 8.0-0 Be7 9.Na3 [Much stronger is 9.b3 , attempting to disrupt the black pawn chain.] 9...h6 10.Nc2 g5 11.Ne3 h5 12.Nxf5 exf5 13.Kh1 g4 14.Ng1 Be6 15.f4 h4 16.Be3 f6 17.h3 fxe5 18.fxe5 Bg5 19.Bxg5 Qxg5 20.Qc1 Qh5? 21.Qf4?? [Big missed opportunity here with 21.hxg4! fxg4 22.Nh3 with the pinned pawn allowing some maneuver with the poorly positioned knight and eventually winning at least a pawn with 4 pieces working against three on the kingside. (According to Stockfish, even better is 22.Rf6 Bf5 23.Qf4 Ne7 24.Rf1 a5 25.Rxf5 Nxf5 26.Qxf5 Qxf5 27.Rxf5 at least as winning) ] 21...0-0-0 22.hxg4? Trying to find a way to get the Knight out of the corner and into the game, but this poorly conceived move should have been punished. In the end, blacks advanced pawns were a real menace that kept the king in the corner 'babysitting' 22...fxg4 23.Nh3?! Rh6?? Black failed to capitalize on my mistake, and allowed for some counterplay [23...Rdg8!-+] 24.Ng5! (now it's White winning (ECW) 24...Rg8 25.Nxe6 Rxe6 26.Qf5 Qxf5 27.Rxf5 h3 28.g3 [28.Rf6 Rg7 29.Kh2 Ne4 29...Rg5 Nxg5 30.Bxg4 Ke7 Bxh3 Ne6 Kg3 Ng7 Kf4 Ne8 Ne3 b3 b5 b4 Ke7 Rf6 a6 Kg1 Rh5 Kh2 Rg5 Kg1 Rh5 Kh2 Rg5 Kg1 Rh5 Kh2 1/2-1/2 (30) Robertson,W (982)-Cole,T (1487) San Francisco 2019 [Wade A. Robertson]] 28...Ne7 29.Rf4 [29.Rf6 might be a stronger square for this rook.] 29...Reg6 30.Raf1 Kd7 31.Rf8? Here white is trying to trade away a rook with the assumption that it will eventually be able to take the g4 pawn from a controlling position on the file. This turned out to be a bad assumption! 31...R8g7 32.R1f7 Rxf7 33.Rxf7 Ke8 34.Rf6 Rg5 35.Rf4 Nf5 36.Kh2? I was worried about the fork with check on g3, which turns out not to be a threat. Kh2 here allows his knight to infiltrate to a monster square, and the best resource left that I can spot at the table is an angle for draw by repetition. At this juncture white has about 15 minutes left on the clock vs. black greater than 1 hr. [36.Bxg4 Nxg3+ 37.Kh2 Ne2 38.Bxe2 Rg2+ 39.Kxh3 Rxe2+/=; 36.Rxg4! Nxg3+ 37.Kh2 Ne4 38.Rxg5 Nxg5 39.Bg4 Ke7 40.Bxh3 White wins] 36...Ne3 37.b3? [37.Rf6] 37...b5 38.b4 Ke7 [38...Rg8! 39.Rf6 Rf8] 39.Rf6 a6 40.Kg1 [40.Rxa6?? Rf5 41.Rf6 Rxf6 42.exf6+ Kxf6 Black's king sails in (no passed e-pawn to worry about)] 40...Rh5 41.Kh2 Rg5 42.Kg1 Rh5 43.Kh2 Rg5 44.Kg1 Rh5 1/2-1/2

(38) James,Charles (1419) - Sullivan,George (958) [A65]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.40), 02.04.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 a6 7.a4 Nbd7 8.f4 b6 9.Bd3 Bb7 10.Nf3 Be7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Qc2 Kh8 13.b3 Qc7 14.Bb2 c4 15.bxc4 Nc5 16.e5 Nxd3 17.Qxd3 Qc5+ 18.Qd4 dxe5 19.fxe5 Qxd4+ 20.Nxd4 Bc5 21.Rf4 Nd7 22.Re1 Rae8 23.e6 fxe6 24.Rxf8+ Rxf8 25.Ne4 Bxd4+ 26.Bxd4 e5 27.Bc3 h6 28.Nd6 Ba8 29.Bxe5 Nf6 30.Bd4 Rd8 31.Nf7+ 1-0

(39) Olson,David R (1400) - Ahrens,Richard [A40]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.41), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.Nf3 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.d4 b6 (Some might say one fianchetto too many; then there are those who wish they had three bishops. My young students yesterday afternoon had two extra white bishops for their set at home, which I *really* don't understand!) 4.e4 Bb7 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be2 Nc6 7.a3?! Surely there are more important things to be doing 7...Qd7 8.d5 Ne5 9.Nd4 f5?? More than the position can handle! [9...c5 is the best of an already suspect situation] 10.Ne6 Ugh 10...Bf6 11.Nb5!? [11.exf5 gxf5 12.Qc2] 11...Kf7 12.exf5 [It's some sort of hint when the computer prefers 12.Nc3] 12...c6 13.Nbc7 [13.Nc3] 13...Rc8 14.f4 Rxc7 15.fxe5 Bxe5

[15...dxe5] 16.Nxc7? White starts to lose focus [16.fxg6+ hxg6 (16...Kxg6 now something to d3 is mate in three; 16...Ke8 17.g7) 17.Bg4 wins a lot of stuff] 16...Qxc7 17.0-0 Ke8?! [17...Nf6] 18.Bg5 Nf6 19.Qc2? cxd5 20.Qa4+ Bc6 21.Rac1?? Bxa4 22.cxd5 Qb7 23.Rc4 Bb3 24.Rc6 Bxd5 25.Rc2 Bxg2?! [25...Bd4+ 26.Rf2 (26.Kh1 Bxg2#) 26...Bxf2+ 27.Kxf2 Ne4+ 28.Ke3 Nxg5] 26.Rfc1? Kf7? [Perhaps giddy at the drastic turn of fortune Black overlooks 26...Bd4+ and mate] 27.Rc7 Qe4 [27...Bd4+] 28.Bc4+ d5 29.Bb5 Bh1 [29...Bd4+!] 30.R1c2 Bxc7 0-1

(40) Anderson,David - Ansari,Jahaan (1397) [C15]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.42), 02.04.2019

1.e4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Bb4 4.exd5 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 exd5 6.Nf3 Nf6 7.Bg5 0-0 8.c4 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Qe7+ 10.Be2 Re8 11.0-0 Qxe2 12.Qxe2 Rxe2 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Rab1 Rxc2 15.Rfe1 Kf8 16.Nh4 Rxa2 17.Rxb7 Bxb7 18.Nf5 0-1

(41) Roberts,Joseph (1332) - Isreal,Andrew
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.43), 02.04.2019

0-1

(42) White,Andrew Robb - Otterbach,Renate (1225) [E12]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.44), 02.04.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Bg5 h6 4.Bxf6 Qxf6 5.e3 Bb4+ 6.Nd2 b6 7.Ngf3 Bb7 8.Be2 0-0 9.a3 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 d5 11.0-0 dxc4 12.Qd1 Nd7 13.g3 c5 14.dxc5 Nxc5 15.Rb1 Rad8 16.Nd2 Nb3 0-1

(43) Yamamoto,Craig (1500) - Bryan,Robert R (429) [A56]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.45), 02.04.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.e4 g6 4.d4 Nf6 5.d5 e6 6.dxe6 fxe6 7.Bf4 e5 8.Bg5 Be7 9.Qd2 h6 10.Bxh6 Rxh6 11.Qxh6 Bf8 12.Qxg6+ Kd7 13.Nd5 Qe8 14.Qxf6 [14.Nxf6+] 14...Be7 15.Nxe7 Qxe7 16.Qg6 Nc6 17.0-0-0 a6 18.g3 b5 19.Bh3+ Kc7 20.Qg8 Nd8 21.f3 bxc4 22.Qxc4 Nb7 23.Bxc8 Rxc8 24.Qxa6 Rb8 25.Rd3 Qd7 26.Rb3 Ra8 27.Rxb7+ Kd8 28.Qxa8+ Qc8 29.Rb8 Ke7 30.Rxc8 Ke6 31.Rh8 d5 32.Qxd5+ Ke7 33.Rh7+ Kf6 34.Qf7+ 1-0

(44) Hilliard,Michael (1404) - Voight,Victoria
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.46), 02.04.2019

1-0

(45) Caburi,Alwin - Latourette,Nicholas (1347)
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.47), 02.04.2019

1-0

(46) Lintz,Michael Har - Capdeville,Barry (1219) [D02]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.48), 02.04.2019

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nd2 Be7 5.Bd3 0-0 6.Ngf3 Re8 7.Ne5 Nbd7 8.c3 Nf8 9.Qb3 b6 10.Nc6 Qd7 11.Bb5 Bb7 12.Nxe7+ Qxe7 13.Bxe8 Qxe8 14.Bxc7 Bc6 15.a4 N6d7 16.Bg3 a5 17.0-0 Nf6 18.Rfe1 Ne4 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Qd1 Rd8 21.Qg4 Nd7 22.b4 Nf6 23.Qd1 Nd5 24.b5 Bb7 25.Qc2 f5 26.Qb3 Bc8 27.Rf1 e5 28.Bxe5 Be6 29.Qa3 Rc8 30.Rac1 Qf7 31.f3 Nxe3 32.Rfe1 Nc4 33.Qa1 exf3 34.g3 Nd2 35.Rc2 Ne4 36.Rd1 Bb3 37.Rdc1 Bxc2 38.Rxc2 Ng5 39.Qf1 Qh5 40.d5 f2+ 41.Kxf2 Qf3+ 42.Ke1 Qe3+ 43.Qe2 Nf3+ 44.Kf1 Qg1# 0-1

(47) Mayer,Carson - Cowgill,Jackie (1031) [C47]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.49), 02.04.2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5 Nxe5 5.d4 Ng6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Be3 Nxe5 8.dxe5 Qxe5 9.Qe2 Be7 10.0-0-0 0-0 11.g3 c6 12.f4 Qc7 13.Bg2 d5 14.Rhf1 Bg4 15.Bf3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 b5 17.f5 b4 18.Ne2 b3 19.axb3 Rfe8 20.Rd4 Bc5 21.Rd3 Bxe3+ 22.Rxe3 Qa5 23.g4 h6 24.h4 Qa2 25.Kd2 Qxb2 26.g5 Rxe3 27.Qxe3 Ne4+ 28.Kd3 Qa3 29.gxh6 Qa6+ 30.Kd4 Qb6+ 31.Kd3 Qa6+ 32.Kd4 c5+ 33.Kxd5 Qd6+ 34.Kxe4 Re8+ 35.Kf3 Rxe3+ 36.Kxe3 Qd4+ 37.Nxd4 cxd4+ 38.Kxd4 1-0

(48) Gulbis,Andrejs Ju - Wagner,Tyler [C65]
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.50), 02.04.2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Bd6 5.Nc3 0-0 6.d3 Re8 7.Bg5 Nd4 8.Nxd4 exd4 9.Nd5 c6 10.Bc4 cxd5 11.exd5 h6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Re1 Rxe1+ 14.Qxe1 Kf8 15.c3 Bc5 16.b4 Bb6 17.Qe4 dxc3 18.Re1 Bxf2+ 19.Kf1 Bxe1+ 20.Kxe1 c2 21.Qe3 Qa1+ 22.Kd2 c1Q+ 23.Ke2 Qf1+ 0-1

(49) Karle,Ryan - Service,Bruce
Mechanics' Spring TNM: Under 1600 San Francisco (3.51), 02.04.2019

1-0