Gens Una Sumus!
Newsletter #885
Sept 20, 2019
By Abel Talamantez
Table of Contents
- Stearman Continues Dominant TNM With One Big Last Hurdle, Mohammed Suffers First Defeat, Albury Stays Perfect at Brandwein TNM
- Tournament Director's Corner
- Scholastic Corner
- Tony's Teasers
- Wednesday Night Blitz
- 19th JJ Dolan Memorial on October 5
- Paul Whitehead's Column: Chess: images and social media
- Nick de Firmian's Column: Magnificent Magnus
- Brandwein Memorial TNM Games Round 7
- Submit your piece or feedback
Stearman Continues Dominant TNM With One Big Last Hurdle, Mohammed Suffers First Defeat, Albury Stays Perfect at Brandwein TNM
FM Josiah Stearman continued a great run in this TNM with a victory against the always tough WFM Natalya Tsodikova. He is in clear first with 6.5/7, with NM Eric Yuhan Li right behind with 6/7 after his defeat of IM Elliott Winslow. Since Stearman degeated Li in an earlier round, it seems the one last hurdle to get through would be the tournaments #1 seed FM Kyron Griffith, who is currently at 4.5 and in 3rd place. It appears Stearman will be paired against him in one of the last 2 rounds, and is probably the toughest hurdle he will face. In fact, it may be that both Stearman and Li may face him in the last 2 rounds, and their results against him could prove key in who wins the tournament.
On board 1, FM Josiah Stearman (red shirt) is clearly achieving a good chess/school balance with fantastic performances over the board. On board 2, Eric Li (right) continued to keep pace a half point behind with a win over IM Elliott Winslow
In the A/B section, Mansoor Mohammed suffered his first defeat in the TNM after being caught with a nice tactical shot by Ako Heidari. This has created a 3-way tie for first in the section between Mohammed, Heidari and Venkatagi Acharya at 5.5/7.
The chess club was full of action for round 7 of the TNM
In the u/1600 section, it is all Sterling Albury, who continues his perfect game at 7/7 with a win over previously unbeaten John Bielec. He is 2 full points ahead of 2nd place, and has secured at least a tie for first in the section. Let's see if he can complete the perfect game over the next 2 weeks, it is a marathon after all...
For the full standings, please follow this link to our TNM page:
https://www.milibrary.org/tuesday-night-marathon
To watch the broadcast, watch the replay on our YouTube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw3dh9SwMBEg2zBb6AHMT9A
@mechanicschess
Tournament Director's Corner
This week I want to touch on the topic of the 50 move rule in chess, as it came into play during the last game to finish in round 7 of the TNM. The game was between Andy Schley and Jayden Xu, a great matchup against two very tough players. As I walked to supervise that game after Guy Argo finished off a nice win against Davis Askin, I noticed the position was a king and rook vs. a king and rook. Clearly the position is very theoretically drawn, but time was short for both players and clearly at least one of them was hoping for their opponent to blunder and give up the deadly skewer. This can all be seen through our broadcast here at the 3:14:00 mark:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4LY09p-rTE
At a particular point, there was offered an exchange of rooks by Xu, which Schley denied! So Schley wa splaying for the win..but what to do, the game could go on forever!! After the first few moves upon seeing the board, I began counting, and I would say aloud that I was counting and notified the players at move 25, 40, and eventually, move 50, at which I declared the game a draw. It is important for players to know that if a similar situation happens, players do have the right to stop the clock and get an arbiter so they can have the moves counted for them, as both players were under 5 minutes and not required to notate. Players do have the right tp play for a win, as there was mating material on the board, and mistakes in time pressure have happened far too many times to all of us. But players should call a TD in situations where 50 moves might play out, and they can pause the clock in order to do so.
What do and should we teach our kids?
A short Scholastic Corner this week
by Judit Sztaray
I often think about how chess is a universal tool to teach and guide our kids, our youth.
Like other sports, chess can, too, teach them about so many things that can and should be useful in their lives.
Sportsmanship, being kind to each other, no bullying or rude to the other, keeping your integrity, saying no to temptation, winning with grace, lose with dignity are just some of those points that are not connected directly to chess moves and calculating lines, but can be used.
Us, parents and adults must, MUST be leading examples to kids, becuase they are the future and they will also be the guide to others.
So let's use opportinities with chess consciously, and be aware of this specially when we are around kids:
* Always use nice words, be nice to each other, win or lose, respect of each other should come first.
* Emphasize the importance of fair play and never ever give in to that temptation to cut corners. Cheating is the devil.
* Be welcoming, encourage everyone to join in, play and join the community.
* Give back to the community: stop and realize just how lucky we are to be here, play ches and enjoy all what's around us. So give back to the community by any means you can.
Let's use this weekend to get a board out and play a fun game over the board with our kids, and be the leading example we want our society to be.
Reminder on Scholastic tournaments - Next one is tomorrow, 9/22 @ 10AM!
We are holding scholastic swiss tournaments twice a month at Mechanics' Institute Chess Club. Next one is tomorrow, September 22.
The event is a 4 round of G/30;d5 game, and rewards are trophies to players who won more games than lost (winning record.) All others get a medal!
Good place for any player to start who can play through a game, but haven't been to a tournament before!
More information: www.milibrary.org/chess-tournaments/mechanics-institute-sep-scholastic-swiss-2
Register online: https://mechanics-institute.jumbula.com/Tournaments2019/MechanicsInstituteSeptemberScholasticSwiss2
Tony's Teasers
Last week's problem:
White to move and mate in 3; Shinkman,1890
Solution: 1. Be2!! b3 2. Qe6+ Kc5 3. Qd6#
This Week's Problem
White to move, mate in 2; Heathcote 1891
Wednesday Night Blitz Update
FM Paul Whitehead scored a perfect 5-0 to take clear 1st in the Sept.18th edition of the Wednesday Night Blitz.
Second was expert Carlos Davila with 4 points. A distant 3rd with 2.5 points was our mainstay organizer, Expert Jules Jelinek.
19th JJ Dolan Memorial on October 5
3 SS G/75; d5
Next 1-day tournament is a 3 round, G/75;d5 time control Swiss tournament. New this year that we'll have two sections: 1800+ and under1800.
Prize Fund: $720 - based on 40 paid entries.
2 Sections:
1800+: $240, $120, $85
under1800: $150, $65, $60
Entry Fee: $30 for MI members, $35 for non-members.
Family discount: entry fee is $20 for each additional player besides the first (plus late fee if applicable).
Onsite Registration: 9:30AM-9:45AM
Round Times: 10AM, 1PM, 4PM
Time Control: G/75; d5 (Game in 75 minutes with 5 second delay)
More information online: www.milibrary.org/chess-tournaments/19th-jj-dolan-memorial-g75
Flyer: www.milibrary.org/sites/default/files/Dolan_G75.pdf
Multiple benefits: can check your entry for accuracy in advance, will receive Welcome email the day before the tournament with importan information AND will receive a Thank you email with links to rating, pictures and survey. https://mechanics-institute.jumbula.com/Tournaments2019/19thJJDolanMemorialChampionship
Chess: images and social media.
By FM Paul Whitehead
4. Portraits of Glamour.
Chess by itself is quite visually arresting. Armies at war on a high-contrast battlefield, there is geometry and drama readily visible to all.
Add the beauty and allure of a famous face and the effect can be marvelous: chess achieves a glamour its regular practitioners can only dream about…
I like these portraits. I think they reveal something of the sitter and of us. Yet of chess: maybe not so much!
The board may be set up wrong, and those portrayed in these photographs may seem indifferent to chess and its laws, but I do not care a bit.
I am here for the grease paint, the illusion.
I am here to be seduced.
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All images are untitled - follow the links for dates, titles, etc.
https://www.facebook.com/MILibrary/photos/a.240345046171/10154032785216172/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/mechanicschess/photos/a.153126558641429/212690982684986/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/MILibrary/photos/a.240345046171/10153438811196172/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/MILibrary/photos/a.240345046171/10153408131366172/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/MILibrary/photos/a.240345046171/10153820281996172/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/MILibrary/photos/a.240345046171/10153311539931172/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/MILibrary/photos/a.240345046171/10155083524191172/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/MILibrary/photos/a.240345046171/10153574034611172/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/MILibrary/photos/a.240345046171/10153582598811172/?type=3&theater
GM Nick de Firmian's Column
Magnificent Magnus 7: Magnus against the Americans
The World Cup is now underway, down the round of 16 players as of today. Two of these 128 contestants will qualify for the Candidates Tournament to determine the challenger that plays against Magnus next year. Americans are doing well thus far! Jeffrey Xiong just knocked out Anish Giri in the tiebreaks of round 3 and new American Leinier Dominguez beat Wang Hao of China. World number 7 Wesley So made it easily in the 3 rounds without having to endure tiebreaks. Of course, Fabiano Caruana is already in the Candidates Tournament having been the challenger last time. It seems like we Americans have good chances again to produce the challenger. The herculean task however is to beat Magnus in a match. Unless Bobby Fischer comes back from the grave, we have a difficult problem. Magnus seems to just beat the Americans (along with everyone else). Fabiano showed really tough resistance in drawing the classical phase of the match, yet Magnus appeared to be taking few chances then, figuring he would win easily in the rapid games where opening preparation wasn’t as important.
Below we show a couple of examples of Magnus against our American elite. Our young, promising players are full of talent yet need to cross that difficult borderfrom the greats into the absolute best in the world. Bobby Fischer did it – we hope another American can repeat that success.
(1) Magnus Carlsen (2853) - Wesley So (2779) [B90]
Sinquefield Cup St Louis, MO USA (5), 27.08.2015
Wesley So managed to beat Magnus in a game in 2018, but generally he has as tough a time as most top players. In this game he takes an offered pawn but suffers some positional disadvantages. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6
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This is the popular English Attack against the Najdorf. Though is a very aggressive attacking line, the theory has been worked out so that play requires a lot of positional intricacies. 8.f3 Nbd7 9.Qd2 b5 10.0-0-0 Be7 11.g4 b4 12.Nd5 Bxd5 13.exd5 Nb6
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14.Na5!? Usually White has played 14. Bxb6 to save the pawn on d5. Magnus has chosen a very interesting pawn sacrifice instead. 14...Nbxd5 15.Nc4 Nxe3 16.Nxe3 0-0 17.Bc4
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White's idea is that he controls the d5 square, and that the d6 pawn is not a factor in the coming play. Note that White's bishop is much more active than Black's. 17...Nd7 18.h4 a5 19.g5 Rc8 20.Bd5 Nb6 21.Kb1 Qc7
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White has the excellent d5 square under control, but Black is solid and has an extra pawn. What plan can White do to improve his position? 22.Rhf1! Nxd5 23.Nxd5 Qb7 24.f4 The advance of the f-pawn must be dealt with. It cannot be allowed to march up to f6. 24...f5 25.Qe3 e4 26.h5 Rc5 27.h6! The white knight on d5 if immune because Qb3 would pin the rook. Meanwhile Magnus gives So the choice of opening up the kingside or living with a white pawn on h6. 27...g6 28.Qb3 Rf7 29.a4 A classic Magnus move, taking time to close the queenside. 29...Bd8 30.Rd4 Kf8 31.Rfd1 Rc6
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White clearly has excellent compensation for the pawn, but how to make progress? 32.Ne3! Bb6 33.Nc4 White now wins his pawn back, keeping a large positional edge. The white kingside pawns are strong in both the middle game and endgame. 33...Bxd4?! Black must play inventively himself to hold the game. A better chance was to sacrifice the exchange with 33...Rxc4! and then blockade with 34. Bc5. 34.Nxa5 Qb6 35.Nxc6 Bc5 36.Qd5 e3
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37.a5 Qb5 38.Nd8 Ra7 39.Ne6+ Ke8 40.Nd4 Qxa5
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41.Qg8+ Kd7 42.Qxh7+ Kc8 43.Qg8+ Kb7 44.c3! bxc3 45.Qb3+ Qb6 46.Qxb6+ Kxb6 47.bxc3
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All the activity has led to an even material endgame. The protected passed white pawn on h6 is a monster though and Black cannot hold the position. 47...Bxd4 48.Rxd4! Kc6 49.Kc2 Ra2+ 50.Kd1 Rf2 51.Ke1 Kd7 52.Ra4 Ke6 53.Ra8 Rh2 54.c4
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Black must keep the white king away from the e3 pawn, must stop the h6 pawn from advancing and cannot play ...d5 because of Ra6+. He is lost because of zugzzwang! 54...Kf7 55.Rb8! (Pass!) 55...Ke6 56.Rg8 1-0
(2) Carlsen,Magnus - Nakamura,Hikaru [B92]
Tata Steel, 2011
This game was played in the super tournament of Wijk aan Zee. This was the best tournament of Hikaru Nakamura's life as he finished clear first with most of the world's top players attending. However, he still had to play Magnus and that has always been a problem for Hikaru - their personal score is 12-1 in decisive games. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be3 0-0?!
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The opening is a tame variation of the Sicilian Najdorf, yet Nakamura makes a slight inaccuracy and Magnus switches to an aggressive advance. More precise is 8...Be6 to influence the center. 9.g4! Be6 10.g5 Nfd7 11.h4 Nb6 12.Qd2 N8d7 13.f4 exf4 14.Bxf4 Ne5 15.0-0-0
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We have opposite sides castling, so both sides will attack the opposing king. White has a slight advantage as he has a spatial advantage. 15...Rc8 16.Kb1 Qc7 17.h5 Rfe8 18.Ka1! A careful move to put the king as far away from danger as possible. 18...Bf8 19.Nd4 Qc5 20.g6 The action begins. Magnus is happy to sac a pawn on the kingside to open lines. Naka wisely chooses to press his own attack. 20...Nec4 21.Bxc4 Nxc4 22.Qd3 fxg6 23.hxg6 h6 24.Qg3!
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The position is full of tension. Both sides have active pieces which must both attack and defend. 24...Qb6 25.Bc1 Qa5 26.Rdf1 Ne5
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Black threatens 27...Rxc3 followed by ...Qxa2 mate. Magnus takes this key moment to sacrifice a pawn for his own attack. 27.Nd5! Bxd5 28.exd5 Qxd5
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29.Bxh6! gxh6 (29...Qxe3 30. Be3 would allow a quick mate down the h-file.) 30.g7 Be7 (30...Bxg7 31. Nf5) 31.Rxh6 Nf7 White has a raging attack, yet it seems hard to finish Black off. 32.Qg6! Nxh6 33.Qxh6 Bf6 34.Qh8+ Kf7 35.g8Q+
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35...Rxg8 36.Qxf6+ Ke8 37.Re1+ 1-0
Brandwein Memorial TNM Games Round 7
Annotations by GM Nick de Firmian
(1) Tsodikova,Natalya (2196) - Stearman,Josiah P (2427) [B24]
MI Brandwein TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (7.1), 17.09.2019
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 e6?! 6.Nge2? [6.Be3! Nd4? (6...d6 7.Qd2 lines up so that (7.Nh3) 7...Nge7?! can be met by 8.Bh6) 7.Nce2! was famously a number of Smyslov games in the 1950s (back then you could get quite a few points with the same novelty before the news got around!).] 6...Nge7 7.Bg5 d6 8.Qd2 h6 9.Be3 Nd4 10.0-0 Rb8 11.Nd1 b5 12.Nc1 e5 13.c3 Ne6 14.f4
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14...exf4 15.gxf4 f5 16.d4?! This weakens the light squares in White's position. 16...fxe4 17.d5 Nc7 18.Bxe4 0-0 19.a4 Bf5 20.Bg2 a6 21.Ne2 Qd7 22.Nf2!?
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Better to just take the pawn on b5. Black wins a doubled pawn, but it is also the squares that come with it. 22...bxa4 23.Ng3 Qb5 24.Nxf5 Nxf5 25.Nd1 Kh7 26.Bf2 Rfe8 27.Qc2 Qb3 28.Qd3 Bd4! This trade allows Josiah to begin the infiltration. 29.Be4 Bxf2+ 30.Rxf2 c4 31.Qb1
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31...Nxd5! 32.Bxf5 Re1+ 33.Kg2 Qxd1 34.Bxg6+ Kg7 35.Qxd1 Rxd1 36.Rxd1 Ne3+ 37.Kf3 Nxd1 38.Rg2 Rxb2! 39.Bc2+ Kf7 40.Bxa4 [40.Bxd1 Rxg2 41.Kxg2 a3] 40...Rxg2 41.Kxg2 Nxc3 42.Bc2 d5 43.Kf3 d4 0-1
(2) Winslow,Elliott C (2222) - Li,Eric Yuhan (2282) [B94]
MI Brandwein TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (7.2), 17.09.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.Qe2 h6 8.Be3? e5 [8...e6 9.a4 Qc7 10.g4 b6 11.Bg2 Bb7 12.f4 Nc5 13.Bf2 g5 14.fxg5 hxg5 15.Bg3 Nfd7 16.Nf3 Be7 17.Qe3 Ne5 18.Nxe5 dxe5 19.Qf3 f6 20.0-0 0-0-0 21.Rfd1 Qc6 22.b4 Rxd1+ 23.Nxd1 Nxe4 24.Nf2 Nxg3 25.Qxc6+ Bxc6 26.Bxc6 Ne2+ 27.Kg2 Nf4+ 28.Kg1 Bxb4 29.Nd3 Bc3 30.Rb1 Nd5 31.Rf1 Bd4+ 32.Kh1 Ne3 0-1 (32) Geshko,A (1976)-Abdusattorov,N (2432) Porto Carras 2015] 9.Nb3?! b5 10.f3 Bb7 11.0-0-0? Rc8=/+
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12.Qd2 Qc7 [12...b4!] 13.Kb1 [13.a3!] 13...b4 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Nf6 16.Bd3 Nxd5 17.Be4 [17.Bf5 Rb8 18.Ba7 Ra8 19.Bf2] 17...Nxe3 18.Qxe3 Be7 19.Rhe1 0-0 20.Re2-+ Bg5?!
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Here I thought he had let his advantage slip, as my combination through move 24 recovers the pawn. Too bad about the ending being lost... 21.Qa7 Bxe4 22.Qxc7 Rxc7 23.Rxe4 Rfc8
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24.Na1! Rc4! 25.Rxc4 Rxc4 26.Rxd6 e4! 27.Nb3 exf3 28.gxf3 Rh4 29.Rxa6 Rxh2 30.a3 bxa3 31.Rxa3 h5 32.Ra5 Bf4 33.Nc5 h4 34.Nd3 Bg3 35.Rg5 Kh7 36.f4 f6 37.Rg4 Rg2 38.Nc5 h3 39.Ne4 Be1 0-1
(3) Krishnakumar,Sriram (2056) - Boldi,Ethan (2001) [C10]
MI Brandwein TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (7.3), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 h6t
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[3...Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 h6] 4.Be3 Nf6 5.e5 Nfd7 6.f4 c5 7.Nf3 Nc6 Let's just say that were this the usual Steinitz French move order, where ...Nc6 was already in and the pawn was on h7 -- well, not too many players have been hot to play 7...h6. But maybe they should be: Black has a plus score from here in the big database! 8.Qd2 a6 This scores better than [the off the shelf crazy 8...g5!?] 9.Be2 b5!?N 10.a3 Qb6 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.Bxc5 Qxc5 13.b4 Qa7 14.Rd1 Bb7 15.Ne4!? dxe4 16.Qxd7+ Kf8 17.Nd4 Nxd4 18.Qxd4 Bd5 19.Qxa7 Rxa7! 20.c4 bxc4 21.Bxc4 Rd7? Black needs to seek counter play with 21...Ke7! to activate the h8 rook even if he loses a pawn. 22.Bxa6 Ra7 23.b5 Ke7 24.Rc1 f5 25.h4 Rd8 26.Ke2 Rad7 27.b6 Rb8 28.Bc8 Rxb6 29.Bxd7 Rb2+ 30.Ke3 Kxd7 31.Rb1 Ra2 32.Ra1 Rb2 33.Rhb1 Rc2 34.Rc1 Rb2 35.a4 Rb3+ 36.Kd2 Rg3 37.Rg1 g5 38.fxg5 hxg5 39.h5 f4 40.h6 e3+ 41.Kd3 e2+ 42.Kxe2 Be4 43.Rad1+ Ke8 44.Rd4 Bf5 45.Kf2 Rc3 46.Rgd1 Kf7 47.Rd7+ Kg6 48.h7 Rc8 49.a5 Rh8 50.Rh1 g4 51.a6 Be4 52.Rd4 g3+ 53.Kf1 Kf5 54.Ra4 Bc6 55.Ra5 Ke4 56.a7 Ke3 57.Ra3+ Kd2 58.Ra2+ Ke3 59.Rb2 f3 60.Rb3+ Kf4 61.gxf3 Bxf3 62.Rh4+ Kg5 63.Rxf3 Kxh4 64.Kg2 Kg5 65.Rb3 Ra8 66.Rb8 Rxa7 67.h8Q Ra2+ 68.Kxg3 Ra3+ 69.Kf2 Ra2+ 70.Ke3 Ra3+ 71.Kd2 Ra2+ 72.Kc3 Ra3+ 73.Rb3 Ra1 74.Qf6+ Kh5 75.Rb2 Ra3+ 76.Kb4 Rh3 77.Qh8+ Kg4 78.Rg2+ Rg3 79.Qg8+ Kf5 80.Qxg3 Ke4 81.Re2+ Kd5 82.Qd3+ Kc6 83.Qd6+ Kb7 84.Rc2 Ka8 85.Rc7 Kb8 86.Qd8# 1-0
(4) Yan,Rui Yang (2139) - Shaw,Tenzing (2276) [B70]
MI Brandwein TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (7.4), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.g3 Nc6 7.Bg2 Nxd4 8.Qxd4 Bg7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Qd3 Be6 11.h3?
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11...Qc8! 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.exd5 Bxh3 Black is up a pawn in the clear, but somehow the advantage slips away. 14.Re1 Re8 15.c3 Qf5 16.Be4 Qd7 17.Bf4 b5 18.Kh2 Rab8 19.Re2 Qc8 20.Rae1 Though a pawn down Rui has acted calmly and made it difficult to use the extra pawn. 20...Bg4 21.Bf3 Bxf3 22.Qxf3 Qd7 23.Bg5 e5 24.dxe6 Rxe6 25.Rd1 Rxe2 26.Qxe2 Bf8 27.Bf4 Qe6 28.Qc2 Qxa2 29.Bxd6 Bxd6 30.Rxd6 Re8 31.Qd2 Qa5 32.Qd5 Qc7 33.Rd7 Qc4 34.Qxc4 1/2-1/2
(5) Rudyak,Felix (1900) - Wong,Russell (2200) [E01]
MI Brandwein TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (7.5), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.g3 c6 5.Bg2 Nbd7 6.Nc3 dxc4 7.a4 Bb4 8.0-0 Qa5 9.Qc2 Nd5 10.Na2! b5 11.e4 N5f6 12.Nxb4 Qxb4 13.Bd2 Qe7 14.d5?! This initiates action in the center. Simply 14. Rfe1 would leave White with excellent compensation for the pawn. 14...cxd5 15.exd5 Nxd5 16.Nd4 Qc5 17.Nxb5 0-0 18.Nc3 Rb8 19.Nxd5 exd5 20.Rfd1 Rb3 21.Bc3 Bb7 22.Rd4 Nf6 23.Re1 Ne4 24.Bxe4 dxe4 25.Qe2 Qf5 26.Qe3 Rb6 27.Rxc4 Qh3 28.Rb4 Rxb4 29.Bxb4 Ra8 30.Bc3 Qe6 31.Rd1 f6 32.a5 Qc6 33.Bd4 a6 34.Qb3+ Qd5 35.Qxd5+ Bxd5 36.Bxf6 Bb3 37.Rd8+ Rxd8 38.Bxd8 Kf7 39.Kf1 Ke6 40.Ke2 h5 41.Ke3 Kf5 1/2-1/2
(6) Argo,Guy (1859) - Askin,David Benja (2053) [A14]
MI Brandwein TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (7.6), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.b3 c5 7.Bb2 Nc6 8.e3 Qc7 9.Nc3 b6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Qb1 h6 12.d4 Be6 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Rc1 Qd7 15.Qd3 Rac8 16.Rd1 Rfd8 17.Rd2 Qb7 18.Rad1 Qb4 19.Qb5 Qxb5 20.Nxb5 Ne4 21.Re2 a6 22.Nc3 22...f5! would leave Black with more control of the center. 22...Nf6 23.Red2 c4 24.Nd4 Nxd4 25.Rxd4 Bc5 26.R4d2 cxb3?! [26...Bb4!] 27.axb3 Bb4 28.Rd3 Bf5
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29.Na2?! This leads to interesting complications. 29...Bxd3 30.Bxf6 gxf6 [30...Bc2!] 31.Nxb4 Bc2 32.Nxc2 Rxc2 33.Bxd5 Kf8 Black has doubled pawns and a pawn minus, but still should be better as the rooks are powerful. 34.e4 f5 35.Ra1 fxe4 36.Bxe4 Re2 37.Bf3 Re6 38.Bb7 Rdd6 39.Bf3 Re5 40.Ra2 a5 41.Be2 Rb6 42.Bc4 Re1+ 43.Kg2 Rc1? Losing this pawn changes the situation. Now White is playing for the win instead of Black. 44.Rxa5 Rc2 45.Rf5 Rb7 46.Kh3 Kg7 47.Kg4 f6 48.h4 Rd7 49.f4 Rc3 50.Rb5 Re7 51.Rb8 Ree3?! This active move allows White to make real progress. The defensive 51...Rc7 would have been better. 52.Kf5 Rxg3 53.Rg8+ Kh7 54.Rf8 Rh3?! 55.Kxf6! The deadly threat is 56. Bg8+ Kh8 57. Be6+ Kh7 58. Bf5 mate. 55...Rxc4 56.bxc4 Rxh4 57.Kf5 Rh1 58.Rc8 Rc1 59.Rc7+ Kg8 60.Kg6 Kf8 61.Kxh6 Rf1 62.Kg5 Ke8 63.f5 Kd8 64.Rc5 Ke7 65.Ra5 Rc1 66.c5 Kf7 67.Ra7+ Kf8 68.Rc7 Rg1+ 69.Kf6 Ke8 70.c6 Kd8 71.Rd7+ Ke8 72.Ra7 Kd8 73.c7+ Kc8 74.Kf7 Rc1 75.f6 Rh1 76.Kf8 Rh2 77.f7 Rg2 78.Ke7 Re2+ 79.Kf6 Rf2+ 80.Ke6 Re2+ 81.Kd5 Rd2+ 82.Ke6 Re2+ 83.Kd6 Rd2+ 84.Ke5 Re2+ 85.Kd4 Rf2 86.f8Q+ Rxf8 87.Ra8+ Kxc7 88.Rxf8 1-0
(7) Davila,Carlos (2079) - Melville,Cailen (1905) [C10]
MI Brandwein TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (7.7), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6 6.Be3 Nc6 7.Qd2 b6 8.0-0-0 Bb7 9.Bb5 Qd5 10.c4 Qxg2 11.Ne2 0-0-0 12.Kb1 Nb4
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A real action game from two of our most aggressive players. 13.a3?! Too aggressive (but admirable). More circumspect would be 13. Ka1 to save the exchange. 13...Qg6+ 14.Ka1 Nc2+ 15.Ka2 Bxh1 16.Rxh1 Nxe3 17.Ba6+ Kb8 18.fxe3 Qe4 19.Ng3 Qa8 20.e4 Bd6 21.d5 Bxg3 22.hxg3
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22...Qc6! Without this move the black queen would get stuck in the corner and White would win. Now Black is in control. 23.Qc3 exd5 24.exd5 Qd6 25.Bb5 Rdg8 26.Qc2 Rxg3 27.Rxh7 Qf8 28.Rxh8 Qxh8 29.Bc6 a6?! 30.c5! b5 31.d6 cxd6 32.cxd6 Qd8 33.d7 Rg6?! 34.Qh2+ Ka7 35.Qf2+ Kb8 36.Qf4+ Ka7 37.Qd4+ Kb8 38.Qd6+ Ka7 39.Be4?! Carlos is not satisfied to draw after some inaccuracies from Black, but there is no win to be found. Going for the full point is costly. 39...Rg8 40.Qd5 Qc7 41.b3? Qh2+ 42.Ka1 Qe5+ 0-1
(8) Jia,Derek (2040) - Walder,Michael (2011) [B04]
MI Brandwein TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (7.8), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 [3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 g6 5.c4 Nb6 6.exd6 cxd6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 Nc6 10.Be3 Bg4 11.b3 d5 12.c5 Nc8 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 e6 0-1 (38) Aigner,M (2236) -Nakamura,H (2648) Las Vegas 2007] 3...Nb6 4.d4 d6 5.exd6 cxd6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Be3 Bg7 8.Nf3 0-0 9.Be2 Bg4 10.b3 Nc6 11.Rc1 [11.0-0 would have transposed into the famous game Browne-Fischer, Rovinj/Zagreb 1970 -- a 98-move epic that was drawn!] 11...d5 12.c5 Nc8 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 e6 15.0-0 N8e7 16.Nb5 [16.Ne2 Nf5 17.Bg4 Nh4 18.f4 h5 19.Bf3 Qa5 20.Rc2 b6 21.g4 hxg4 22.hxg4 Nb4 23.Bd2 bxc5 24.Bxb4 cxb4 25.Bh1 Rfc8 26.Qd2 Rxc2 27.Qxc2 Qb6 28.Rd1 Bf6 29.Kh2 Kg7 30.Kg3 g5 31.Qd2 Qd6 32.Kf2 Ng6 33.fxg5 Qh2+ 34.Bg2 Qh4+ 35.Kf3 Bxg5 36.Qxb4 e5 37.Ng3 e4+ 38.Kf2 Be3+ 0-1 (38) Aigner,M (2236)-Nakamura,H (2648) Las Vegas 2007] 16...Nf5 17.g4 [17.Bg4] 17...a6 18.gxf5 axb5 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Bg4 Qf6
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21.h4N [Relevant: 21.Rc2 h5 22.Be2 Qh4 23.Rd2 Qxh3 24.Re1 Ne5 25.dxe5 Bxe5 26.Bxb5 Rf3 27.Bd4 Bh2+ 28.Kh1 Bg3+ 29.Kg1 Raf8 30.Qc2 Bh2+ 31.Kh1 Be5+ 32.Kg1 Qg4+ 0-1 (32) Durarbayli,V (2501)-Miroshnichenko,E (2686) Baku 2010] 21...Rxa2 22.Rc2 Rxc2 23.Qxc2 Nxd4 24.Bxd4 Qxd4 25.Bxe6+ Kh8 26.Rd1 Qxh4 27.Bxd5 Bd4 28.Rxd4 Qxd4 29.Bxb7 Rf5 30.c6 Qg4+ 31.Kf1 Qh3+ 32.Ke2 Rxf2+ 0-1
(9) Lehman,Clarence (1900) - Marcus,Joel (1835) [B07]
MI Brandwein TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (7.11), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.g4 h6 5.h4 e5 6.Be3 Be7 7.Be2 c6 8.Qd2?! It would be good to prevent Black's queenside expansion with 8. a4! 8...b5 9.Bf3 Nb6 10.Qe2? [10.b3!] 10...Nc4 11.0-0-0 Qa5! Now Black gets the attack. White has wasted time moving pieces twice in the opening. 12.Rf1 Ba6 13.g5 Nd7 14.gxh6 gxh6 15.Bh5 Rh7 16.Qg4 Nf6 17.Qf5 b4 There is no good advice here. Clarence wisely sacrifices a knight to hold off the attack, but this just delays the inevitable. 18.Nge2 bxc3 19.Nxc3 Nxe3 20.fxe3 Bxf1 21.Rxf1 Rg7 22.d5 c5 23.Be2 a6 24.Bc4 Qb4 25.a3 Qxc4 0-1
(10) Jensen,Christian (1881) - Hakobyan,Sos (1799) [E16]
MI Brandwein TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (7.12), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Nbd2 0-0 7.a3 Bxd2+ 8.Bxd2 d5 9.b3 dxc4 10.bxc4 Nbd7 11.0-0 Rc8 12.Qa4 a6 13.Rfd1 c6 14.Ne5 b5 15.Qb3 Qb6 16.c5 Qc7 17.Nd3 h6 18.f4 Qd8 19.a4 Qc7 20.Bf3 Ra8 21.g4 Rfe8 22.Ne5 Nxe5 23.fxe5 Nh7 24.Be1 Qe7 25.h4 Rf8 26.Be4 Kh8 27.Qd3 g6 28.Bg3 Black is under pressure, having given White the two bishops and more space in the opening. It is natural to lash out, but this gives the bishop more scope. 28...f5?! 29.exf6 Nxf6 30.Be5 Kg8 31.Bd6 Qg7 32.Bxf8 Rxf8 33.Bf3 Bc8 34.Rf1 Rd8 35.e4 Kh8 36.e5 Nd5 37.Bxd5 exd5 38.Rf6 Rg8 39.Qf3 h5 40.g5 bxa4 41.Rf7 Bf5 42.Rxg7 Kxg7 43.Rxa4 Rb8 44.Rxa6 Rb1+ 45.Kf2 Rb2+ 46.Kg3 Rd2 47.Rxc6 Rd3 48.Qxd3 Bxd3 49.Rf6 Bb5 50.c6 Ba4 51.c7 Bd7 52.e6 1-0
(11) Mohammed,Mansoor (1885) - Heidari,Ako (1856) [E15]
MI Brandwein TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (7.9), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 Bb7 6.Bg2 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 c5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Bxb4 cxb4 10.Nbd2 d6 11.Re1 Re8 12.Qc2 a5 13.Rad1 Qc7 This defensive system for Black is quite reasonable and was often played by Yasser Seirawan. Black's doubled b-pawns control good squares. 14.Ng5 Bxg2 15.Kxg2 Nbd7 16.Nde4 h6 17.Nxf6+ Nxf6 18.Ne4 Nd7 19.Rc1 Rec8 20.Qd3 a4?! Weakening the b-pawn. 21.f3 Ra5 22.Qd2 f5 23.Nf2 axb3 24.axb3 Rca8 25.Qxb4 Ra2 26.Qc3 Qa7 27.Qe3 e5 28.Nd3 e4?! 29.fxe4 Re8 30.e5 dxe5 31.Nb4 Ra3 32.Nc6 Qa8 33.d5 Nf6 34.Qf3 [34.Qxb6! Greed would be good here!] 34...Ng4 35.h3 e4 36.Qc3 Nf6 37.Ra1 e3 38.Qb2 Rxa1 39.Rxa1 Qc8 40.Ra7 Kh8 41.Qa1 f4 42.Ne7
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White is winning here, but Black makes a fight of it. 42...f3+! 43.Kxf3? [43.exf3] 43...Qxh3! 44.Ng6+? [44.Qd4] 44...Kh7 45.Qxf6? Qf1+ 46.Kg4 Qxf6 A rare missed sequence from Mansoor. 47.Nf4 Kh8 48.Rb7 Re4 49.Kf3 Re5 50.Kg2 Rf5 51.Rb8+ Kh7 52.Re8 Rxf4 53.gxf4 Qg6+ 54.Kf3 Qxe8 55.f5 g5 56.fxg6+ Kxg6 57.Kf4 h5 58.b4 Qe7 0-1
(12) Drane,Robert (1800) - Acharya,Venkatagi (1706) [C24]
MI Brandwein TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (7.13), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 c6 4.Nf3 d6 5.Nc3 Bg4 6.Qe2 Nbd7 7.h3 Bh5 8.Bd2 Be7 9.a3 b5 10.Ba2 a5 11.g4 Bg6 12.Nh4 Nc5 13.Nd1 Qc7 14.Ne3 Rd8 15.Nhf5 Kf8 16.Nxe7 Kxe7 17.Nf5+ Kf8 18.h4 h5 19.f3 Ne6 20.g5 Ng8 21.b4?? [21.Qf2+/- Bxf5 22.exf5 Nd4 23.Be3! (23.0-0-0?! Nxf5 24.f4 exf4 25.Qxf4 g6) 23...Ne7 24.c3!+/- Ndxf5 25.Bb6 Qd7 26.Bxd8 Qxd8 27.f4] 21...Bxf5 22.exf5 Nd4-+ 23.Qd1 axb4 24.Bxb4 Nxf5 25.Qe2? Ng3 26.Qh2 Nxh1 27.Qxh1 Ne7 28.c4 Qb6 29.0-0-0 c5 30.Bc3 b4 31.axb4 cxb4 32.Bb2 Nf5 33.Qe1 Qe3+ 34.Qxe3 Nxe3 35.Re1 Nf5 [35...Ng2] 36.f4 f6 37.fxe5 dxe5 38.gxf6 Nd4 39.fxg7+ Kxg7 40.Rxe5 Kg6 41.Rg5+ Kh6 42.Re5 Rhf8 43.Bxd4 Rxd4 44.Re6+ Kg7 45.Re5 Kg6 46.Kb2 Rf2+ 47.Kb3 Rxd3+ 48.Kxb4 Rxa2 49.Kc5 Ra5+ 0-1
(13) Maser,Thomas F (1902) - Porlares,Teodoro (1766) [B18]
MI Brandwein TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (7.14), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Nf3 Nd7 7.Bd3 Bxd3 8.Qxd3 e6 9.0-0 Ngf6 10.c4 Be7 11.b3 0-0 12.Bb2 Qc7 13.Ng5 h6 14.N5e4 Rfd8 15.Qf3 a5 16.Rfd1 Nxe4 17.Qxe4 Nf6 18.Qe2 Qf4
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19.d5!? cxd5 20.cxd5 Rxd5 21.Rxd5 Nxd5 22.Bxg7!
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22...Rc8 [22...Kxg7?? 23.Nh5+] 23.Bb2 Bd6 24.Rd1 Nc3 25.Qc2 Nxd1 26.Qxc8+ Bf8 27.Qc2 Nxb2 28.Qxb2 Bd6 29.Nf1 Bc5 30.Qd2 The game is about even after all the complications. Now Black starts to drift. 30...Qf6 31.g3 b6 32.Kg2 e5?! 33.Qe2 Qc6+ 34.f3 Qd5 35.Nd2 Qd4 36.Ne4 Qg1+ 37.Kh3 Bd4 38.Nf6+ Kg7 39.Ng4 f5? 40.Nxe5 Bxe5 41.Qxe5+ Kg6 42.Qe6+ Kg7 43.Qxf5 Qf1+ 44.Kg4 Qe2 45.a4 Qxh2 46.Qe5+ Kg6 47.Qe6+ Kg7 48.Qxb6 h5+ 49.Kf4 Qd2+ 50.Qe3 Qb4+ 1-0
(14) Tamondong,Cesar (1617) - McKellar,Daniel (1854) [D03]
MI Brandwein TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (7.15), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5 Ne4 4.Bf4 c5 5.e3 Bg4 6.Be2 e6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Nbd2 Nxd2 9.Qxd2 0-0 10.c3 Nc6 11.Ne5 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 Bd6 14.f4 f6 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.Rae1 e5 17.Qg4 e4 18.Kh1 f5 19.Qe2 Rac8 20.Rc1 a6 21.g4 Qe6 22.Rg1 cxd4 23.gxf5 Qxf5 24.cxd4 Rxc1 25.Rxc1 Rc8 26.Rxc8+ Qxc8
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27.Kg2 Qc1 28.h4 g6 29.Kh2 Qb1 30.a3 Kg7 31.Qd2 Qd3! 32.Qb4? [32.Qf2] 32...Qe2+ 33.Kh1 Qf3+ 34.Kh2 Qf2+ 35.Kh1 Qxh4+ 36.Kg2 Qg4+ 37.Kh1 Qh3+ 38.Kg1 Qxe3+ A fine queen maneuver by Daniel has netted two pawns. 39.Kh1 Qh3+ 40.Kg1 Qg4+ 41.Kh1 Qxf4 42.Qxb7+ Qf7 43.Qxa6 Qf3+ 44.Kg1 Qg3+ 45.Kh1 Qe1+ 46.Kg2 Qd2+ 47.Kg3 Qe3+ 48.Kg2 Qf3+ 49.Kg1 Qe3+ 50.Kg2 Qxd4 51.Qb7+ Kh6 52.Qb8 Qd2+ 53.Kg3 Qe3+ 54.Kg2 Qf3+ 55.Kg1 e3 56.Qh2+ Kg5 57.Qe5+ Kg4 58.Qe6+ Kf4 59.Qf6+ Ke4 60.Qe6+ Kd3 61.Qa6+ Kd2 62.Qa5+ Kc2 63.Qc3+ Kb1 64.b4 Qd1+ 0-1
(15) Robeal,Rafik (1800) - Mercado,Adam (1699) [A17]
MI Brandwein TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (7.16), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 e6 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 c6 6.0-0 Bd6 7.d3 0-0 8.Nc3 h6 9.a3 a5 10.Be3 [10.e4] 10...Na6 11.Na4 Bg4 [11...c5] 12.Rb1?! [12.Rc1!] 12...c5!-/+ 13.Qb3?!
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13...b5 [13...d4! 14.Bd2 Be6 15.Qxb7 Bd5 16.Qb6 Bc7 17.Qb5 Qe7] 14.Qxb5 Rb8 15.Qxa6 Bc8 16.Qc6 Bb7 17.Qb6 Qxb6 18.Nxb6 Bc6 19.Nxd5 Bxd5 20.b4 cxb4 21.axb4 Bxb4 22.Nd4 Bxg2 23.Kxg2 Nd5 24.Nc6 Ra8 25.Nxb4 axb4 26.Bc5 Rfb8 27.e4 Rb5
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28.exd5?? [28.Rfc1!; 28.Bd4!] 28...Rxc5 29.Rxb4 Rxd5 30.Rb3 Re8 [30...Ra2 31.Kf3 Rd6] 31.Rd1 Rd4 32.Rb2 g6 33.f4 Kg7 34.Kf3 g5! 35.fxg5?! hxg5 36.Re2 g4+ 37.Kf2 Red8 38.Re3 R8d6 39.Ke2 Kg6 40.h4 f5 [40...gxh3] 41.Rf1 Rb4 42.Re5 Rb2+ 43.Ke3 Rb3 44.Rd1 Kf6 45.Re8 Rb4 46.d4 Rb3+ 47.Rd3 Rb1 48.Rd2 Re1+ 49.Re2 Rxe2+ 50.Kxe2 Rxd4 51.Ke3 Ra4 1/2-1/2
(16) Huberts,Alexander (1767) - Cortinas,Martin A (1697) [B33]
MI Brandwein TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (7.17), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Nxe7 Nxe7 11.f3 0-0 12.Qd2 Be6 13.Bd3 Qc7 14.0-0 b4 15.Nb1 Nc6 16.a3 a5 17.Be3 Nd7 18.Qf2 f5 19.Qe2 f4 20.Bf2 Nc5 21.Bc4 Qf7 22.Nd2 Rfc8 23.Rfd1 bxa3 24.Rxa3 Rcb8 25.Bxe6 Nxe6 26.Nc4 Ned4 27.Bxd4 Nxd4 28.Qd3 Qc7 29.c3 Nb5 30.Qd5+ Kh8 31.Ra2 Ra6 32.Rda1 Rc6
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Watch the white knight for the remainder of the game. It becomes a hero. 33.Nxa5 Qb6+ 34.Kf1 Rc5 35.Qd2 Nc7 36.b4 Rb5 37.Nc4! Qc6 38.Nxd6 R5b6 39.Nf7+ Kg8 40.Ng5 Qc4+ 41.Ke1 Rg6 42.Nh3 h6 1-0
(17) Schley,Andrew (1683) - Xu,Jayden (1797)
MI Brandwein TNM: Extra Rated San Francisco (7.18), 17.09.2019
1/2-1/2
(18) Barreyro,Romeo (1657) - Perlov,Alexander (1770) [A58]
MI Brandwein TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (7.19), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.e3 Bxa6 7.Bxa6 Qa5+ 8.Nc3 Qxa6 9.Qe2 Bg7 10.Qxa6 Nxa6 11.Nge2 0-0 12.0-0 d6 13.e4 Rfb8 14.a3 Rb3 15.f3 Nd7 16.f4 Nb4 17.Rf3 Nb6 18.Rb1 Nc2 19.Bd2 Nc4 20.Bc1 Rab8 21.Nd1 Rxf3 22.gxf3 N4xa3 23.bxa3 Rxb1 24.a4 Ra1 25.Kg2 Nd4 26.Ndc3 Nxe2 27.Nxe2 Rxa4 28.Be3 Ra2 29.Kf1 Ra3 30.Kf2 Ra2 31.Kf1 Bh6 32.e5 Kf8 33.h4 Ke8 34.Ng3 Kd7 35.Ne4 Bg7 36.Ng5 dxe5 37.fxe5 c4 38.Nxf7 Ke8 39.e6 c3 40.d6 exd6 41.Bg5 Bf8
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Perlov: "Here, being -7 eval, Romeo found a "resource" 42. Nf7-d5!! threatening Nc7#!. Who cares if It is illegal, the position called for it! I got so off track that I did not notice it right away, and the game continued for 15 more moves..." 42.Ne5 -- 43.Nd3 -- 44.Nf4 -- 45.Nd5
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(The (illegal) position of the game) It certainly made the game more interesting! 45...Ra7 [45...Be7!! 46.Bxe7 a) 46.Nxe7 h6 47.Nd5 (47.Bf6 c2) 47...hxg5 48.Nxc3 Rc2; b) 46.Nxc3 Ra3; 46...Ra5] 46.Nxc3 Ra3 47.Nd5 Ra7 48.Ke2 [48.Nf6+ Kd8! (48...Ke7?? 49.Nxh7+=) 49.Nxh7+ Be7 50.Nf6 Ra5! 51.Kf2 Rf5 52.Ne4 Bxg5 and ...Ke7] 48...Be7! Breaking out! 49.Bf4 Ra5 50.Nc7+ Kd8 51.Bg5 Bxg5 52.hxg5 Kxc7 53.f4 Kd8 54.Kd3 Ke7 55.Ke4 Kxe6 56.Kf3 Kf5 57.Kg3 Ra4 58.Kh3 Rxf4 59.Kg3 d5 0-1
(19) Rakonitz,David (1639) - Mays,Jerry (1700) [E91]
MI Brandwein TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (7.20), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 0-0 5.e4 d6 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.0-0 c5 8.d5 a6 9.a4 Rb8 10.Ra3 b6 11.Re1 Ng4 12.Bf4 Nde5 13.Nd2 f5 14.exf5 Bxf5 15.Bg3 Qd7 16.h3 Nh6 17.Nf3 Nxf3+ 18.Bxf3 Bd4 19.Be4
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19...Bxh3? Three pawns, threat to the B/g3, exposed king, lost game. [19...Bxe4 20.Rxe4 Nf5 21.Bf4 Rf7 Double on the f-file, back the bishop up so that the knight has d4, no problems.] 20.gxh3 Qxh3 21.Ne2 Bxb2 22.Rb3 Qg4? [22...Bf6] 23.Nc3 [23.f3! Bd4+ 24.Kg2!] 23...Qxd1 24.Rxd1 [24.Nxd1 is the computer's preferred move, by a pawn or so.] 24...Bxc3 25.Rxc3 Nf5 26.Bxf5 Rxf5 27.Re3 Rb7 28.Rde1 Rf7 [28...Kf7; 28...b5!?] 29.Bh4 Kf8 30.Re6 White threatens Bg5-h6+ and Rxd6! whichever way the king goes. 30...g5?! 31.Bxg5 Rg7 32.f4 Rxg5+ 33.fxg5 Kf7 34.Kh2 b5 35.axb5 axb5 36.cxb5 c4 37.Rf1+ Kg7 38.Rc1 Rxb5 39.Rxe7+ Kf8 40.Rc7 Rxd5 41.R1xc4 Rxg5 42.Rxh7 Rc5 43.Rxc5 1-0
(20) Chalissery,Jossy (1668) - Sablon,Hadrien (1626) [A06]
MI Brandwein TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (7.21), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.Nf3 d5 2.d3 Nf6 3.Nbd2 c5 4.e4 d4 5.Be2 Nc6 6.0-0 e5 7.Nc4 Bd6 8.Nxd6+ Qxd6 9.c3 Bd7 10.cxd4 cxd4 11.a3 0-0 12.Bd2 h6 13.b4 a6 14.Ne1 Nh7 15.f4 f5 16.fxe5 Nxe5 17.exf5 Rxf5 18.Rxf5 Bxf5 19.Nf3 Nf6 20.Nxe5 Qxe5 21.Qf1 Re8 22.Bf3 Ng4 23.Bxg4 Bxg4 24.Re1 Qb5 25.Rxe8+ Qxe8 26.Qe1 Qa4 Hard to say who's trying to win here; [26...Qxe1+ 27.Bxe1 Be2 28.Bf2 Bxd3 29.Bxd4 would seal the deal right now.] 27.Qc1 Bf5 28.Qf1 Qb5 29.a4 Qxd3 30.Qxd3 Bxd3 31.Kf2 Kf7 32.Kf3 b5 33.a5 Ke6 34.g3 h5 35.Bf4 Kf5 36.Bd2 g5 37.Bc1 g4+ 38.Kf2 Ke4 39.Bf4 Bc4 40.Bd2 Kd3 41.Ke1 Bd5 42.Bf4 Ke4 43.Kf2 h4 44.Bd2 h3 45.Bf4 Kd3 46.Ke1 Bf3 47.Bg5 Ke4 48.Bf4 Bg2 49.Kf2 d3 50.Bd2 Bf3 51.Bc3 1/2-1/2
(21) Cohee,James (1654) - Boldi,Nicholas (1598) [C06]
MI Brandwein TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (7.22), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ne2 Qb6 8.Nf3 Be7 [8...cxd4 9.cxd4 f6 10.exf6 Nxf6 11.0-0 Bd6] 9.0-0 f6 10.Nf4 fxe5 11.Nxe5 Ncxe5 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.Qh5+ Nf7 14.Bxh7 Kd7 15.Ng6 Re8 16.Re1 Bf6 17.Nf4 Nd6 18.Qg4 Kc6
 |
19.Nxd5?? White must have missed the discovered attack on the pawn recapture. But the rook was guarded anyway. [19.Bg6! Re7 20.Nxe6 might look like it sticks one's head in the lion's mouth, but just the same Black can't do anything about it.] 19...exd5 [White must have hoped for 19...Kxd5?? 20.Qf3+] 20.Qa4+ Qb5 21.Qxb5+ Kxb5 22.Rxe8 Nxe8 23.Bf4 Kc6 24.Re1 Bd7 25.Bc2 Nd6 26.Kf1 Nc4 27.Bc1 a5 28.Bb3 Ne5 29.Rd1 c4 30.Bc2 b5 31.f3 g5 32.Rxd5 Kxd5 33.Be4+ Ke6 34.Bxa8 Nd3 0-1
(22) Hack,Richard (1601) - Carron,Joel (1573) [A17]
MI Brandwein TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (7.23), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 e6 3.Bg2 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.d3 0-0 6.Qc2 Nc6 7.e3 Nb4 8.Qe2 dxc4 9.dxc4 Nd3+ 10.Kf1 Bb4 11.Ne4 Nxe4 12.Bxe4 Nxc1 13.Rxc1 Qe7 14.a3 Bd6 15.b4 c5 16.b5 Rb8 17.Qc2 g6 18.h4 f5 19.Bg2 b6 20.f4 Bb7 21.Nf3 Be4 22.Qc3 Qb7 23.Kf2 Qg7 24.h5 Qxc3 25.Rxc3 gxh5?! 26.Ng5 Bxg2 27.Kxg2 Rfe8 [27...h6!? 28.Nf3 (28.Nxe6?? Rf6) 28...Rbd8 29.Rd1 Be7 30.Rcd3 h4 31.gxh4 Rxd3 32.Rxd3 Rd8] 28.Rxh5
 |
White now executes a textbook "Play Against Multiple Weaknesses". 28...Rb7 29.Rh6 Rbe7 30.Rc1 Rg7 31.Rch1 Ree7 32.Rxe6 It was going to be either e6 or h7 that goes... 32...Rxe6 33.Nxe6 Re7 34.Rh6 Bb8 35.Kf3 Rd7 36.Ke2 [36.g4; 36.Rf6!? Rf7 37.Rxf7 Kxf7 38.Nd8+ Kf6 39.Nc6 Bc7 40.Nxa7] 36...Rf7 37.Ng5 Rg7 38.Re6 Kf8 39.Rc6 Ke7 [39...Bc7 40.Rxc7] 40.Rh6 and h7 falls after all. But winning rookpawns isn't what it's about, making passed pawns in the center is the classic strategy with NvB. 40...Bc7 41.Rxh7 Rxh7 42.Nxh7 Ke6 43.Kf3 Bd6 44.g4 Interesting that it's about even between this and [and 44.e4; not to mention 44.Ng5+] 44...fxg4+ 45.Kxg4 Kf7 46.Kf3 Be7 47.Ng5+ Kg7 48.e4 Bd8? 49.Ne6+ 1-0
(23) Khamkar,Susheel (1470) - Casares Jr,Nick (1600) [A23]
MI Brandwein TNM: 1600-1999 San Francisco (7.24), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 [Quite a few people go 2.g3 to avoid Black's next.] 2...Bb4 3.g3 [3.Nd5 Be7 makes no sense, but it's the alleged point.] 3...c6 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.a3?! Bxc3 6.dxc3 d5 [6...d6!] 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.Bg5 Be6 [8...0-0!?] 9.Nf3 [9.c4!] 9...h6 10.Bc1? [10.Bxf6! of course. 10...Qxf6! (10...gxf6+/=) 11.c4! dxc4 12.Nxe5! Nd7! 13.Nxd7 Bxd7 14.Qd2! Rd8! 15.Qb4 a5! keeps a precarious balance.] 10...Nc6 Black's solid center outweighs any talk of two bishops. 11.0-0 0-0 12.b4 b5?! [12...a6] 13.Bb2 [13.a4 a6 14.Be3] 13...Qc7 [13...Qb8!?] 14.Nd2 Rad8 15.Nb3 Nd7 16.e4??
 |
16...Ne7? [16...dxe4!-+ 17.Bxe4? Nf6 wins a piece.] 17.exd5 Nb6 18.Qe2 [18.dxe6!] 18...Bxd5 19.Nc5? Bc4 [19...Bxg2 20.Kxg2 Nc4 is pretty good as well] 20.Qg4 f5 [20...Bxf1] 21.Qh4 Ng6 [21...Bxf1] 22.Qh5 Kh7?! [22...Bxf1-+] 23.Rfd1 Na4? 24.Nxa4 [24.Rxd8! Qxd8 25.Rd1 Qe7 26.Rd7 Qe8 27.Bc1! Nf4!=] 24...bxa4 25.Rxd8 Qxd8 26.Rd1 Qe7 27.Bc1 e4 28.Be3 Qc7 29.Bc5 Rf7 30.Bh3 Qe5 31.Bd4 Qe6 32.Bc5 Ne5 33.Rd6 Qc8? [33...Nf3+! 34.Kg2 g6!-/+] 34.Be3 Qf8 35.Bc5 Qc8 36.Kh1 g6 37.Qd1 Bd3= [37...Nd3=] 38.Qxa4 Be2? [38...e3 39.fxe3 Qb7+ 40.Bg2 Be4 The computer sees perpetual coming...] 39.Bd4 Bf3+? 40.Kg1+- Nc4 41.Rc6 Rc7 42.Rxc7+ Qxc7 43.Qxa7 Qxa7 44.Bxa7 Kg7 45.a4 Kf7 46.a5 Ke7 47.Bf1 Ne5 48.Bb5 Kd6 49.Bb6 Nd3 50.a6 Nxb4 51.cxb4 e3 52.fxe3 Ba8 53.Kf2 g5 54.Bd3 1-0
(24) Bielec,John - Albury,Sterling C (1117) [E35]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.10), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 0-0 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.Qxc3 h6 9.Bxf6 Qxf6 10.e3 Bf5 11.Qxc7 A very risky play. Black gets a terrific lead in development. 11...Rc8 12.Qxb7? Nc6! 13.Qb3 Rab8 14.Qa2
 |
[#] 14...Nxd4! 15.exd4 Rc2 16.Qxd5 Be4! 17.Kd1 [17.Qxe4 Qxf2+ 18.Kd1 Qd2#] 17...Bxd5 18.Kxc2 Qxd4 19.Re1 Qxb2+ 20.Kd3 Rb3# 0-1
(25) Reyes,Victor Hugo (1497) - Simpkins,Jerry (1426) [D00]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.25), 17.09.2019
1.d4 d5 2.e3 f5 3.f4 Nf6 4.Bd3 e6 5.Nf3 Bd6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.c4 0-0 8.cxd5 exd5 9.a3 Ne7 10.Ne5 Ne4 11.Rf3 Rf6 12.Rh3 Be6 13.Nc3 c6 14.Ne2 c5 15.Bd2 c4 16.Bc2 Bc7 17.b4 Ng6 18.Be1 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Rg6 20.Ba4 Bb6 21.Rc1 Rg4 22.Bc2 g5 23.Bxe4 fxe4 24.Bf2 Qd7 25.fxg5 Rxg2+ 26.Kxg2 Bxh3+ 27.Kh1 Qf7 28.Nf4 Be6 29.Qg1 Kh8 30.Qg3 Bf5 31.Rg1 Rg8 32.Qh4 Qe7 33.Nxd5 Qe6 34.Nf6 Rg7 35.Qh6 Qxe5 36.Rd1 Bg6 37.Rd7 Rxd7 38.Qf8# 1-0
(26) Chan,John (1515) - Ahmed,Enile [A80]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.26), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 f5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.h3 h6?! 4.Ne5!?
 |
4...e6?! 5.Ng6 Another one of John Chan's interesting openings. While 3...h6 was dubious, the next move by Black is the real error. 5...Bb4+? 6.c3 Rg8 7.cxb4 So White has won a bishop. 7...Nc6 8.a3 Nd5 9.Ne5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 d6 11.exd6 Qxd6 12.e3 Bd7 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.Qxd6 cxd6 15.Bd2 Kf7 16.Be2 h5 17.b5 b6 18.a4 Rac8 19.Bd1 Rge8 20.Be2 e5 21.0-0 Be6 22.Rfe1 Bc4 23.Bd1 g5 24.a5 Rg8 25.axb6 axb6 26.Ra7+ Kg6 27.Bc2 d5 28.Ba4 Rgd8 29.Nb1 d4 30.exd4 Rxd4 31.Bc3 Re4 32.Rxe4 Nxe4 33.Bxe5 Nf6 34.Nc3 Re8 35.Bxf6 Kxf6 36.Rc7 Re1+ 37.Kh2 Bd3 38.Nd5+ Kg6 39.Nxb6 g4 40.h4 f4 41.Nd5 f3 42.Nf4+ Kf5 43.Nxd3 Re4 44.b3 Rd4 45.Ne1 fxg2 46.Nxg2 Ke4 47.Rc4 1-0
(27) Ansari,Jahaan (1459) - Starr,Albert Mart (1575) [A80]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.27), 17.09.2019
1.d4 f5 2.e3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e6 4.Bd2 b6 5.c4 g6 6.Bd3 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Nc3 Na6 9.a3 c5 10.Rb1 Bb7 11.b4 cxd4 12.exd4 Rc8 13.Nb5 Nc7 14.Nd6 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Ra8 16.c5 Nfd5 17.Be3 Nxe3 18.Qxe3 Nd5 19.Qf3 Bxd4 20.Bc4 Ne7 21.cxb6 Qxb6 22.Nb5 Nc6 23.Rbd1 Ne5 24.Qb3 Nxc4 25.Qxc4 d5 26.Qxd4 Qxb5 27.Rfe1 Qd7 28.Re3 Rac8 29.Rde1 Rc4 30.Qd3 Re8 31.Rd1 Qc6 32.Qd2 Rc8 33.g3 Kf7 34.Kg2 d4+ 35.Rf3 Rc3 36.Qe2 e5 37.g4 Qxf3+ 38.Qxf3 Rxf3 39.Kxf3 Rc3+ 40.Ke2 Rxa3 41.gxf5 gxf5 42.Kf1 Rb3 43.Rc1 Rxb4 44.Rc7+ Kg6 45.Rxa7 f4 46.Ra6+ Kf5 47.Rh6 f3 48.Rxh7 Rb1# 0-1
(28) Rushton,Peter Jam (1237) - Sachs-Weintraub,J.. (1447) [B00]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.28), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Bg4 4.c3 Ne5?
 |
5.Qa4+ Normally not so bad, but 5. Nxe5! Bxd1 6. Bxf7 is checkmate! 5...c6 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.Na3 Nf6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 b5 10.Nxb5 cxb5 11.Qxb5+? [11.Bxb5+] 11...Bd7 12.Qb3 e6 13.d5? White still has attacking chances for the sacrificed material, but needs to get the other pieces involved (s.g. Morphy). This starts the action before the white king is safe. 13...Rb8 14.Qf3 Bb4+ 15.Ke2 exd5 16.exd5 Qe7+ 17.Be3 Bg4 18.Qxg4 Nxg4 19.h3 Nxe3 20.fxe3 Bc5 21.Kd3 Qxe3+ 22.Kc2 0-0 23.Rae1 Qf2+ 24.Re2 Qf6 25.Rb1 Rfe8 26.Rd2 Qf5+ 27.Bd3 Qc8 28.Kd1 g6 29.Rc1 a5 30.Rdc2 Qb7 31.Rxc5 Qxb2 32.R5c2 Qd4 33.Rd2 Qg1+ 34.Kc2 Rbc8+ 35.Kb3 Rxc1 36.Ka4 Qd4+ 37.Kb3 Rb8+ 38.Ka3 Qb4# 0-1
(29) Chen,Bryant Alan (1468) - Baer,Michael A (1430) [E65]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.29), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.c4 Nf6 2.d4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.Nc3 c5 8.e3 Rb8 9.a4 a6 10.b3 b6 11.Rb1 Bb7 12.d5 Nh5 13.Bb2 f5 14.Ng5 Qc8 15.Ne6 Rf7 16.Nxg7 Nxg7 17.f4 Nf6 18.e4 fxe4 19.Nxe4 Nxe4 20.Bxe4 Nf5 21.Qd3 Ng7 22.Rbe1 Qg4 23.Bf3 Qf5 24.Qe4 Qxe4 25.Bxe4 Bc8 26.Kg2 Bf5 27.h3 Re8 28.g4 Bxe4+ 29.Rxe4 Kf8 30.Bxg7+ Kxg7 31.Re6 Kf8 32.h4 Rf6 33.f5 gxf5 34.Rxf6+ exf6 35.Rxf5 Kg7 36.Kg3 Re3+ 37.Rf3 Re5 38.Kf4 h6 39.h5 Kf7 40.Rf1 a5 41.Rf3 Kf8 42.Re3 Kf7 Solid and careful defense by Black to avoid trouble. 43.Re4 1/2-1/2
(30) Cole,Tony (1400) - Cowgill,Jackie (1169) [C55]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.30), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bc4 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+
 |
5...Ke7? Black needs to take the bishop on f7! 6.Nxe4 d5 7.d3 Bg4 8.Bg5+ Kxf7 9.Bxd8 Rxd8 10.Nfg5+ Ke8 11.Qxg4 Bb4+ 12.c3 Be7 13.Ng3 Bxg5 14.Qxg5 g6 15.0-0 Rd7 16.Rae1 Rg8 17.Nh5 Rf8 18.Nf6+ Rxf6 19.Qxf6 Rf7 20.Qe6+ Kf8 21.f4 e4 22.dxe4 d4 23.cxd4 Nxd4 24.Qc8+ Kg7 25.f5 gxf5 26.exf5 Nc6 27.Qxb7 Ne7 28.Qxc7 Kf6 29.Qe5+ Kg5 30.f6+ Nf5 31.Rxf5+ 1-0
(31) Badgett Jr,James (1084) - Roberts,Joseph (1369)
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.31), 17.09.2019
0-1
(32) Dubensky,Walter B (1078) - Robertson,Wade (1249) [A80]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.32), 17.09.2019
1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 g6 4.e3 Bg7 5.Bd3 b6 6.Na4 Bb7 7.Ng5 Bxg2 8.Rg1 Be4 9.Be2 Bc6 10.c3 Ne4 11.h4 Nxg5 12.Rxg5 Bf6 13.Rg2 Bxg2 14.h5 d6 15.b3 Nd7 16.Bb5 a6 17.Be2 b5 18.Nb2 e5 19.dxe5 dxe5 20.f3 Bh4+ 21.Kd2 Nf6+ 22.Nd3 e4 23.Kc2 exd3+ 24.Bxd3 Nxh5 25.Ba3 Be7 26.b4 Qd5 27.e4 fxe4 28.Bxe4 Qxd1+ 29.Rxd1 Rd8 30.Bc6+ Kf7 31.Re1 Rd6 32.Be4 Nf6 33.Re2 Nxe4 34.fxe4 Bh3 35.Bc1 Be6 36.Bf4 Rd7 37.Be5 Rhd8 38.Rf2+ Kg8 39.Bd4 Rf8 40.Re2 Rxd4 41.cxd4 Bxa2 42.e5 Bd5 43.e6 Rf6 44.Re5 c6 45.Kc3 Rxe6 46.Rxe6 Bxe6 47.Kd3 h5 48.Ke4 h4 49.Ke5 Bd5 50.Kf4 g5+ 51.Kg4 Be6+ 52.Kf3 Bxb4 53.Ke3 h3 0-1
(33) Ahrens,Richard Wi (1206) - Martin,Michael J (1574) [D06]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.33), 17.09.2019
1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Bf5 4.e3 e6 5.a3 Be7 6.Nf3 0-0 7.Be2 c6 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.b4 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Nb6 11.Be2 Nbd5 12.Bb2 b5 13.Bd3 Nxc3 14.Bxc3 Ne4 15.Bb2 Qd5 16.Ne5 f6 17.Bxe4 Qxe4 18.Nf3 Rfd8 19.h3 Rd5 20.Nd2 Qh4 21.f4 Rdd8 22.Qf3 Rac8 23.Kh2 g5 24.g4 Bd3 25.Rg1 Kf7 26.Rg3 Rh8 27.Kg2 Bd6 28.Ne4 Bxe4 29.Qxe4 Qh6 30.Rf3 gxf4 31.exf4 Rhg8 32.Re1 f5 33.Qd3 fxg4 34.hxg4 Rxg4+ 35.Rg3 Rxg3+ 36.Kxg3 Rg8+ 37.Kf3 Qh3+ 38.Ke2 Rg2+ 39.Kd1 Qxd3+ 0-1
(34) Thibault,William (1195) - Olson,David (1407) [A43]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.34), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 c5 3.d5 exd5 4.exd5 Nf6 5.Bg5 d6 6.Nf3 Be7 7.Bd3 0-0 8.c4 Bg4 9.0-0 Na6 10.Nc3 Nb4 11.Re1 Nxd3 12.Qxd3 a6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.h3 Bh5 15.Re3 Bg6 16.Qd2 Qd7 Thus far principled play from both players. Now things start to heat up. 17.Rae1 h6 18.Ne4 Bd8 19.g4?! f5!?
 |
20.Nxd6?! Bf6?? The position is full of danger and hard to evaluate. Black could have responded 21... fxg4! when it is White who is in real trouble. Now White takes control as all of his pieces come to important squares. 21.Re6 fxg4 22.Ne5! Bxe5 23.R1xe5 Bf7 24.Rxh6!
 |
24...gxh3 25.Nf5 Rae8 26.Qg5 g6 27.Rh8+! Kxh8 28.Qh6+ 1-0
(35) Acharya,Aravind (1084) - Frank,Robert H (1358) [C44]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.35), 17.09.2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.c3 d5 5.Nbd2 Bc5 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 d4 8.cxd4 exd4 9.Nb3 Bb6 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 Re8 12.Qd2 Ne5 13.Rac1 Ng6 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.h3 Nf4 16.Bd1 Nxh3+ 17.Kh1 Nf4 18.Re1 Bg4 19.e5 Qf5 20.Nfxd4 Qh5+ 21.Kg1 Qg5 22.Qe3 Bxd1 23.g3 Bxb3 24.axb3 Ne6 25.Qe4 Nxd4 26.Qxb7 Ne2+ 27.Rxe2 Qxc1+ 28.Kg2 Rad8 29.Qe4 Qc5 30.f4 Qe7 31.Kf3 Rd4 32.Qc6 Qe6 33.Qb5 Qd5+ 34.Qxd5 Rxd5 35.Rd2 Rb5 36.Ke4 Rxb3 37.d4 Rxg3 38.d5 Re3+ 39.Kf5 Rf3 40.d6 cxd6 41.exd6 Be3 42.Kg4 Bxd2 and Black won. 0-1
(36) Krezanoski,Paul - Capdeville,Barry (1226) [D35]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.36), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.cxd5 exd5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Be7 6.e3 0-0 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.0-0 Re8 9.Rb1 Nf8 10.Qc2 b6 11.b4 Bb7 12.Nb5 Rc8?! This gamibts a pawn for the a-file. Instead 12...c6 would be solid. 13.Nxa7 Ra8 14.Nb5 c6 15.Nc3 Rc8 16.Na4 b5 17.Nc5 Bxc5 18.Qxc5 Ne4 19.Qc2 Rc7 20.Ne5 f6
 |
21.Bxe4? This leads to trouble as the knight has few squares. Simply retreating the knight to f3 leaves White on top. 21...dxe4 22.Ng4 Qd5 [22...h5!] 23.f3 Bc8 24.fxe4 Rxe4 25.Nf2 Re8 26.Bb2 Bf5 27.e4 Bxe4 28.Nxe4 Rxe4 29.a4 Ne6 30.axb5 Nxd4 31.Bxd4 Rxd4 32.Rf5 Rd2 33.Qc5? Qxg2# 0-1
(37) Anderson,David (793) - Bryan,Robert R (390) [B12]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.37), 17.09.2019
1.d4 c6 2.e4 d6 3.c4 c5 4.dxc5 dxc5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 6.Be3 Nc6 7.Bxc5 b6 8.Ba3 Nf6 9.Nc3 g6 10.e5 Nd7 11.Nf3 Ncxe5 12.Be2 Nxf3+ 13.Bxf3 Rb8 14.Rd1 Bg7 15.0-0 Score undeciferable after here, but White won on the 22nd move. 1-0
(38) Chambers,Don (1367) - Dunlap,Steven (1016) [D08]
MI Brandwein TNM: Extra Rated San Francisco (7.38), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 The Albin Counter Gambit is a very practical opening. Black gambits a pawn, and White may have a theorectical advantage but the pracitical problems are hard to manage over the board. 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.Bf4 Be6 6.e3 Bb4+ 7.Nbd2 d3 8.Qa4+ Nc6 9.Qb5? It's not good to move the queen so often in the opening. White had done well thus far, but now the extra development that Black has starts to take a toll. 9...Nge7 10.a3 Bxd2+ 11.Nxd2 0-0 12.0-0-0?! b6 13.Ne4 a6 14.Qb3 Na5 15.Qxd3 Qe8 16.Ng5 g6 17.Qe4!
 |
17...Bf5 18.Qf3 Nb3#
 |
A classic checkmate with just a bishop and knight! 0-1
(39) Nicol,George R - Sullivan,George (873) [A45]
MI Brandwein TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.39), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
The battle of the Georges! 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 e6 3.Nc3 b6 4.e4 Bb7 5.f3 Be7 6.Bd3 0-0 7.Nge2 a6 8.Ng3 d5 9.e5 White has a very nice position, butg must make a strategicaly important decision now. With 10. Nce2! he would be ready to defend the center with pawn to c3 and keep a nice pawn wedge in the center. This is the moment that changes the advantage. 9...Nfd7
 |
10.0-0? c5 11.Be3 cxd4 12.Bxd4 Nc6 13.Be3 Ncxe5 14.Be2 f5 15.f4 Ng6 16.Nh5 b5 17.Qd4 Bf6 18.Qd3 Rf7 19.Nxf6+ Rxf6 20.Bd4 Rf7 21.Bh5 Re7 22.Bxg6 hxg6 23.Rae1 Qc7 24.Qe3 Bc6 25.b3 Rb8 26.Re2 b4 27.Na4 Bb5 28.Be5 Nxe5 29.Qxe5 Qxe5 30.Rxe5 Bxf1 31.Kxf1 Rc8 32.Nb6 Rxc2 33.Nxd5 Rc1+ 34.Kf2 Rd7 35.Nxb4 Kf7 36.Nxa6 Rd5 37.Nb4 Rd2+ 38.Re2 Rd4 39.Nc6? Rxc6 40.a3 Rxf4+ 41.Kg3 Rg4+ 42.Kh3 Rc3+ 0-1
(40) Chambers,Wolfe Na - Yamamoto,Craig (1500) [A36]
MI Brandwein TNM: Extra Rated San Francisco (7.40), 17.09.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.c4 c5 2.g3 g6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.e3 e6 6.Nge2 Nge7 7.d4 cxd4 8.exd4 b6 9.d5 exd5 10.cxd5 Na5 11.d6 Nec6 12.b4 Nb7 13.a3 0-0 14.0-0 Re8 15.Bb2 Re6 16.Qc2 Rb8 17.b5 Nca5 18.Rfd1 [18.Bxb7 Bxb7 19.Rfd1 Nc4 20.Nf4 Rxd6 21.Rxd6 Nxd6 22.Ncd5 Rc8 23.Qd2 Nc4 24.Qe2 Bxb2 25.Rb1 Bxa3 26.h4 Bd6 27.Rd1 Ne5 28.h5 Rc5 29.h6 Bxd5 30.Nxd5 f6 31.f4 Nf7 32.Nxf6+ Qxf6 33.Qe8+ Bf8 34.Rxd7 Nxh6 35.Kg2 Rc2+ 36.Kf3 Qc3+ 37.Ke4 Re2+ 38.Kd5 Qc5#] 18...Nc4 19.Nf4 Rxd6 20.Ncd5 0-1
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