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Chess Room Newsletter #894

Gens Una Sumus!

 

Newsletter #894

Nov 23, 2019

By Abel Talamantez

Table of Contents

 

 

TNM Round 5 Wrap Up

NM Russell Wong Continues a Breakout Tournament With Victory in Round 5, Jonah Busch Survives a Daunting Attack, Venugopal Mani Seperates From the Pack

As we go past the midway point and head to the championship rounds, the Fall TNM is starting to create seperation in all sections. There are still 4 rounds to go, so leaders will need to keep ahead of the players closing in. 

In the Championship section, NM Russell Wong defeated NM Michael Walder to remain perfect in his played games, and is the sole leader at 4.5/5. He is having an outstanding tournament, and is scoring one for the old guard in the open section. In sole secon place at 4/5 is Steven Gaffagan, who has been the beneficiary for two straight weeks of his opponent calling in, but the quality of his play remains strong as he was victorious in his rated extra game aganst Ashik Uzzaman. Tied for 3rd at 3.5/5 is NM Eric Li, NM Michael Walder and Gianluca Pane, who is also undefeated and playing extraordinarly well. 

NM Russell Wong (right) takes on NM Michael Walder in a game of Mechanics' veterans on top of the leaderboard

In the A/B section, what looked like a normal regular Gruenfeld between Adam Mercado and Jonah Busch turned into bombs being thrown with Mercado playing the beautiful 14. Qxf7+!!. Unfortunately, Mercado gave back the advantage and more just 2 moves later with 16. Bb5. Busch was able to hold on for the win, giving him the sole lead with a perfect 5/5. In second place a full point behind at 4/5 is Ashik Uzzaman and Gagik Babayan. Busch is in solid position, but tough players are looking to cut into his lead. 

In the U/1600 section, Venugopal Mani slowed down the Illia Gimelfarb train, handing him his first defeat and moving into a tie for first at 4.5/5. Tied with him is Andy Vincent Ford, setting up a match next week for U/1600 supremacy. There are many players at 4/5, including many known for their dangerous, agressive play including Jerry Simpkins and Mateo Hansen. Also at 4/5 are Eitan Neygut, Illia Gimelfarb and Valerie Jade, who pulled off a big upset of Albert Starr. 

Club view of the 5th round of play

For the complete standings and information for the TNM, please follow this link:

https://www.milibrary.org/tuesday-night-marathon

You can re-live the live broadcast from our Twitch channel by visiting our YouTube page here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgq0aN6oJFs&t=861s

FM Jim Eade and the Eade Foundation: A Commitment to Social Outreach and Justice

We had the great fortune to have FM Jim Eade join our live commnetary again, providing coverage of our TNM games with FM Paul Whitehead. Jim Eade was formerly the Chess Director of the Mechanics' Institute from 1996-1998, right before IM John Donaldson. He has recently left the Board of the US Chess Trust to start his own foundation called the Eade Foundation https://eadefoundation.org/. The goal is to use chess to engage and provide outreach to underserved communities, and the Mechanics' Institute will proudly support this initiative. Stay tuned for future events! 

Below is a fantastic article by WIM Alexey Root about the Foundation and the Mechanics Institute written for ChessBase:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/mechanics-eade-foundation-building-communities

Alexey also wrote an article about a project that involved one our our TNM players William Thibault, which can be found here:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/chess-and-art-good-moves

William Thibault himself came into our broadcast and discussed his project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgq0aN6oJFs&t=861s

His interview starts at the 1:56:50 mark.

Youth Dominates at the Pierre St. Amant Memorial

The St. Amany Memorial was held on Saturday November 16, and despite it being the weekend of the CalChess Grade Level Champioonship, some of the strongest youth in the Bay Area were on hand to dominate the tournament. NM Derek Wu went a perfect 5/5 to win sole first place. In a 3-way tie for 2nd place were WIM Rochelle Wu, CM Adrian Kondakov and Guy Argo. It was a very tough field that also included NM Eric Li. In all, 35 players participated. 

For a full list of the results, please follow this link:

https://www.milibrary.org/chess-tournament-archive?y=2019&t=76&e=239190

Below is an exciting game from the St. Amant Memorial

(1) Sullivan,George - Sankar,Swaminathan [D30]
St Amant, 11.2019

1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6?! This is played surprisingly often, but now White can capture on d5 when Black loses time. 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. e4 or 3. cxd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 both favor White. 3.Nf3 e6 Back to the traditional Queen's Gambit Declined! 4.e3 Bb4+ 5.Nc3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 0-0 7.Bd3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Now we are in a Nimzo-Indian, Black was a little hasty in capturing on c3, yet both players have developed nicely. 8...Nd5 9.Bd2 Nc6 10.0-0 Bd7 11.a3 a6 12.Bd3 b5 13.Rb1 Qe7?! 14.e4 Nf6?! 15.a4 bxa4 16.Qxa4?! Diagram

St_Amant_135

White should try [16.e5 Nd5 17.Bxh7+! Kxh7 18.Ng5+ with a terrific attack] 16...Ne5 17.Qc2 Nxd3?! [17...Nxf3+] 18.Qxd3 Bb5? 19.c4 Bc6 20.Ng5 h6 21.Bb4! Qe8 22.Bxf8 Qxf8 23.e5 White is winning 23...Nd5 24.cxd5 Bb5 25.Qh7# Some mistakes, but an action game. 1-0

Wednesday Night Blitz Update

Experts Jules Jelinek and Carlos Davila tied for 1st Place in the November 20th edition of the Wednesday Night Blitz Tournament with 5 - 1 scores. Tied for 2nd with 4 - 2 were Experts Andy Trattner and Joe Urquhart. The event ran smoothly from start to finish under the eagle eye of director Jelinek.
 
Cheers!
 
 

 

FM Paul Whitehead column: Friendly Rivalries, Part 17.

Paul Cornelius

Paul Cornelius is a strong chess master who got the better of me over a three-year span, with two wins book-ending my one win.  Paul and I are out of touch, but I understand he still lives in the Bay Area – there have been sightings…

Aside from inflicting those painful losses, I remember Paul as one of my comrades-in-chess-mastery of those days, a really nice guy with a sharp chess-mind.

The years 1977-1979 I’ve written about pretty extensively in past MI Newsletters – I was able to play some great players. Not all were to finish with a plus score against me, either. I was scrappy and tough to beat. Especially with white. And I had white in all three games with Paul!

So kudos to Paul Cornelius:

on the scoreboard, he was the better Paul.

(1) Whitehead,Paul A - Cornelius,Paul [A04]
Golden Gate masters op San Francisco (2), 1977
[Whitehead, Paul]

White goes all out, but should have stayed home. 1.e4 e6 2.d3 c5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.0-0 Nge7 7.c3 d6 8.Nh4 0-0 9.f4 f5 10.a3 Rb8

Cornelius_Games_76
Black chooses a nice, flexible set-up. 11.Be3 b6 12.b4 Ambitious, but 12.Nd2 makes sense. 12...Qd7 13.Qb3 Kh8 14.Nd2 Ba6 A nice move that practically forces white to move the Queen back to c2, as 15.b5? fails to 15...Na5. However, as is often the case, white prefers forward-momentum to chess-logic. 15.c4?!
Cornelius_Games_77
White offers the exhange, but this is dubious... 15...Bxa1 16.Rxa1 Bb7 17.Qc3+ Kg8 18.Ndf3 Nd8 19.e5 Nf7 20.exd6 Qxd6 White has some play on the dark squares, but not enough. 21.d4 cxd4 22.Bxd4 Rbc8 23.Re1 Rfd8 24.c5 Qd7 25.Qb2 bxc5 26.Bxc5 Be4 27.Qf6 Nd5 28.Qd4 Qb7 29.Qf2 Nf6 30.h3 Rd3
Cornelius_Games_78
Black has expertly rebuffed white's attempts at play, and now takes over the board. 31.Re3 Rcd8 32.Rxd3 Rxd3 33.Qb2 Nd7 34.Qf2 Nxc5 35.bxc5 Rc3 36.Kh2 Qd5 37.c6 Qxc6 38.Nd4 Qd5 39.Bf1 Rxa3 40.Ne2 Ra2
Cornelius_Games_79
White could resign here. 41.Qe3 Qd3 42.Qf2 Bd5 43.Ng2 Nd6 44.Qc5 Qa6 45.Qc7 Nf7 46.Qb8+ Kg7 47.Qb4 Rxe2 48.Qd4+ Kg8 49.Qd1 Bf3 50.Qd7 Rxg2+
Cornelius_Games_80
Nice techinque by black, but white went hay-wire on move 15. 0-1

 

(2) Whitehead,Paul A - Cornelius,Paul [C16]
San Francisco Bagby San Francisco (5), 1978
[Whitehead, Paul]

A funny game, where a large opening advantage for white slipped away to next to nothing. However, inaccuracies by black started to crop up, soon leading to a fatal pile-up. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 Qd7 5.Bd2 b6

Cornelius_Games_81
Although defensive geniuses throughout time have taken this up (notably Petrosian), I think this kind of stinks. White gains a giant space advantage at no cost, and no matter how he develops his pieces. 6.Nh3!? Ba6 Even this thematic exchange hardly lightens black's burden. 7.Bxa6 Nxa6 8.Nf4 g6 9.Qe2 Nb8 10.a3 Bf8
Cornelius_Games_82
White enjoys some advantage, but around here doesn't play with enough energy. 11.h4 Nc6 12.Qd3 h5 13.Nce2 Nge7 14.b4 Nf5 15.b5 Nce7
Cornelius_Games_83
Maybe playing on the queenside is not such a good idea for white here. 16.f3 Now I'm playing on the Kingside... 16...a6 17.bxa6 Qa4 18.g4 Ng7?! Black starts to go wrong. Taking on g4 then on h4 was correct. The knight is purely defensive on g7. It looks bad. 19.Nc3 Qd7 20.a4 Nc6 21.Nb5 Be7 22.Ke2
Cornelius_Games_84
22...Na5? Black should play 22...Rxa6! and if 23.Nxc7+ Qxc7 24.Qxa6 Nxd4+ with a strong attack. 23.Bxa5 bxa5 24.c4 c6 25.Nc3 Rb8
Cornelius_Games_85
The open b-file spells trouble for Black. And the a-pawn is a monster... 26.c5 Rb2+ 27.Ke3 hxg4 28.fxg4 Rxh4 29.Rxh4 Bxh4 30.Rb1 Rb4
Cornelius_Games_86
31.Na2! Forcing decisive penetration on the b-file. 31...Rxa4 Giving up the exchange in this way hardly helps. 32.Qb3 Rxa2 33.Qxa2 Bd8 34.Rb7 Qc8 35.Qh2
Cornelius_Games_87
1-0

 

(3) Whitehead,Paul - Conelius,Paul [B07]
Berkeley, 1979
[Whitehead, Paul]

I think this is one of the worst thrashings I have ever received as white. 1.e4 Paul annotates this game in Chess Voice, June - September 1979. You can find it on chessdryad.com 1...d6 2.d4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Be3 Nf6 5.f3 c6

Cornelius_Games_88
Standard stuff, I guess. 6.Qd2 b5 7.Nge2 Nbd7 8.g4 Nb6 9.Ng3 h5!
Cornelius_Games_89
This is a good move. Perhaps white should play 10.gxh5 here. 10.g5 Nfd7 11.h4 b4 12.Nd1 c5 13.c3?! 13.a3! is a better approach to the problems in this position. 13...bxc3 14.bxc3 cxd4 15.cxd4 Ne5!
Cornelius_Games_90
A very powerful move, and very unpleasant for white. If now 16.dxe5 Bxe5, with a fork on a1 and g3. 16.Qf2 Nec4 17.Rc1 Nxe3 18.Qxe3 0-0 19.f4?! White's position is bad, but this weakens him even further. 19...Bd7 20.Ba6 Nd5!
Cornelius_Games_91

And now the other knight sacrifices itself for a pawn on the other central square! Beautiful and decisive. Whites position is in ruins after 21.exd5 Qa5+. Cornelius gives "22.Kf2 Qxa6 23.Nc3 Rab8 24.Rc2 Qc4!, with decisive threats." 0-1

Tony's Teasers

Last week's solution for the mate in 2 by Victor Baja originally published in George Koltinowski's Chess column in the San Francisco Chronicle on 10/27/1978.

Solution:

1. Qg1!!  Kxg6

2. Be4#

This Week's Problem: Dr. Andreas Munck, 1924. White to move, mate in 3.

To give some background on this mate in 3, Tony came in on Tuesday afternoon to research which mate in 3 he would choose. He found the position above and put it on the board to ponder.Over the next 30 minutes, GM Nick de Firmian, GM Patrick Wolff, FM Jim Eade and FM Paul Whitehead were gathered around trying to solve it. Even NM Richard Koepcke wandered into the club at that time. It stumped this great collection of talent for quite a few minutes before being solved, so challenge yourself with this special problem for the week!

 

It was hard to tell if the scene of this mate in 3 problem solving looked more like The Last Supper or a scene from Goodfellas

Scholastic Corner

Second Swiss for Kids is coming up this Saturday, 11/23

Join Judit and her daughters for a fun Saturday morning of chess competition. First round starts at 10AM.
 

 

Thanksgiving Camp @ Mechanics' Institute

The fun Thanksgiving break chess camp is ON! We have 12 kids already committeed to attend the camp, so join them and start off the Thanksgiving break the right way!

You can enroll your child to a morning only (9AM-12:30PM), afternoon only (12:30-4PM), or full day camp (9AM-4PM), for one, two or three day.
We prorate the fees, and have a very family friendly cancellation policy!
Limited amount of scholarship is available for those who would not be able to afford the camp, but interested in attending a chess camp!

Coach Andrew Schley is excited to prepare for this camp that already has several students!
Daily activities include the usual quick lectures, then paired play, fun blitz or bughouse, puzzles, tactics, and some surprise activities as well.

Lunch is not included. Any other question, we are happy to answer: [email protected]

More information: www.milibrary.org/chess/thanksgiving-break-chess-camp-mi

Register online at: https://mechanics-institute.jumbula.com/SeasonalCamps/Thanksgivingcamp

 

GM Nick de Firmian's Column

Great Women Chess Players:  Week 5 - Vera Menchik

We must include the first Women’s World Chess Champion in our investigations of great women players. Vera Menchik (born 2-16-1906) won the first ever Women’s World Championship in 1927 and successfully defended her title 6 times. She paved the way in women’s chess also by battling the notion that women can’t compete with men. Menchik entered the 1929 Carlsbad chess tournament and was ridiculed by Viennese master Becker, who said that anybody losing to her would gain membership into the “Vera Menchik Club” as a sign of humiliation. Becker himself became the first member of the club in the Carlsbad tournament. Yet her further victims throughout her career were much more impressive – Sammy Reshevsky, Harry Golumbek, Sultan Khan, Stuart Milner-Barry, Saemisch and even the former World Champion Max Euwe.

Menchik dominated women’s chess in her time and is the longest reigning women’s champion in history, holding the title for 17 years. She won all her matches against women with ease and beat many top male players. Though she had a rough time against the great champions (such as Capablanca or Alekhine) she scored enough against top players to show that women could compete with men if they put their minds to it. Tragically Menchik died in London with her mother and sister in a V-1 flying bomb attack in 1944.

Great Women Chess Players:  Week 5 - Vera Menchik

(1) Vera Menchik - Max Euwe [D17]
Hastings 1931/32 Hastings ENG (2), 29.12.1931

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.e3 Na6 7.Bxc4 Nb4 8.0-0 e6 9.Ne5 Bd6 10.Qe2 Diagram

Great_Women_5_123
We have a complicated Slav Defense in which White holds a little edge. Black would do best to castle or play 10.. Bg6. 10...c5?! This is a decision to allow the check and keep the king in the center. Brave, but not as good as safe play. 11.Bb5+ Ke7 12.e4! Bg6?! An aggressive piece sacrifice. White would be better anyway after 12...cxd4 13. exf5 dxc3 14. bxc3. 13.Nxg6+ hxg6 14.e5 cxd4 15.Rd1 Bc7 16.exf6+ gxf6 17.g3 a6 Diagram
Great_Women_5_124
Black has two center pawns and an open h-file for the piece. Not quite sound, but very dangerous. 18.Be3! Bb6 [18...axb5 19.Bxd4 wins material] 19.Bc4 Kf8 20.Ne4 Kg7 21.Rac1 Rh5 22.Bf4 e5 23.g4!? Rh8 24.Bg3 Qe7 25.Nd2 Rhe8 26.Qe4 Qd7 27.Nf3 Qc6 Menchik has defended very well against the Black attack and now it is the black king in more danger. Euwe tries his luck in the endgame. 28.Qxc6 Nxc6 29.Bd5 Rac8 30.Be4 Rc7 31.Ne1 Rec8 32.Nd3 Ne7 33.Rxc7 Rxc7 34.Kf1 Rc4 35.Bxb7 Rxa4 36.Rc1 g5 37.f3 Ra2 38.Be1 a5?! ....Ba5 would have been better. The Black rook is running out of squares. 39.Bd2 f5 40.gxf5 a4 41.Ke1 a3 42.b4 Kf6 43.Ba6 g4 44.Bc4 Rxd2 45.Kxd2 gxf3 Diagram
Great_Women_5_125
Menchik has played with impressive technique. She is now a rook up, but Euwe is trying to confuse matters with his advanced center pawns. 46.Nc5 Kxf5 47.Bxf7 Bd8 48.Be6+ Kf6 49.Bg4 Nd5 50.Bxf3 Nxb4 51.Be4 Finally the pawns are blockaded and the win is in sight. 51...Be7 52.Nd3 Na2 53.Rc6+ Kg5 54.Rg6+ Kh4 55.Nxe5 Nc3 56.Kd3 Diagram
Great_Women_5_126
1-0

 

(2) Vera Menchik - George Alan Thomas [E85]
London London ENG (4), 04.02.1932

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 Diagram

Great_Women_5_127
The 1930's already had modern openings. Here we have the Saemisch Variation of the King's Indian. 6...e5 7.Nge2 b6?! However, opening theory was not nearly as developed as it is today. Players had to go on their own. The text move is mostly a waste of time in this system. 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.d5 Ne7 10.g4 Nd7 11.Rg1 a5 12.0-0-0 Nc5 13.Ng3 Bd7 14.h4 Diagram
Great_Women_5_128
Both sides are developed in a closed King's Indian position, but White has the more potent attacking set-up. 14...a4 15.h5 Qb8 16.Bh6 Qa7?! This is too slow. Black needs to get some play with 16...a3. 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 Diagram
Great_Women_5_129
18.Nf5+! Nxf5 [18...gxf5 19.gxf5+ is hopeless for Black] 19.gxf5 a3 20.f6+! Kh8 [20...Kxf6 21.Qg5+ Kg7 22.h6+ Kg8 23.Qf6 axb2+ 24.Kb1] 21.Qh6 axb2+ 22.Kb1 Rg8 23.hxg6 fxg6 Diagram
Great_Women_5_130
24.Qxh7+! 1-0

 

(3) Vera Menchik - Sonja Graf-Stevenson [D46]
Semmering Semmering, 1937

Sonja Graf-Stevenson was the second best women's player of the time. She could not successfully compete with Menchik though. 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.e3 c6 6.Bd3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Diagram

Great_Women_5_131
White has just a slight edge from the opening, having got the freeing break e4 in. 9...Nxe4 10.Bxe4 Nf6 11.Bc2 c5 12.dxc5 Qa5 [12...Qxd1 13.Rxd1 Bxc5 Is a safer route, though White would be slightly more active in the endgame.] 13.Be3 Bxc5 14.Bd2 Qc7 15.Bc3 Be7?! It would be better to attend to development and play ...b6 immediately. 16.Qe2 b6 17.Ng5!? Diagram
Great_Women_5_132
17...g6 18.Qf3 White is playing for the immediate attack. Black must be very careful due to the two raking white bishops on c2 and c3. 18...Bb7 19.Qh3 h5 20.Rad1 The white pieces are on aggressive squares and there are many threats, such as sacrificing on g6 or e6. Black should now try the courageous pawn grab on c4, or the straightforward 20...Rad8, which runs into 21. Bxg6! fxg6 22. Qxe6+ with a good edge for White. Sonja tries to shut down the sacrifices with a little trap in mind. 20...Ng4? Diagram
Great_Women_5_133
21.Rd7!! Diagram
Great_Women_5_134

Black resigned, seeing the mate after 21...Qxd7 22. Qxh5! gxh5 23. Bh7 mate! [21.Qxh5?! Qxh2+! 22.Qxh2 Nxh2 Would let Black survive.] 1-0 

2019 Fall TNM Games Round 5

Annotations by GM Nick de Firmian

(1) Walder,Michael (2101) - Wong,Russell (2200) [B06]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (5.1), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 a6 4.Be3 b5 5.Qd2 Bb7 6.f3 d6 7.h4 h5 8.Nh3 Nd7 9.Be2 [9.Ng5 Rc8 10.a4 b4 11.Bc4 (11.Nd1) 11...e6 12.Ne2 c5 13.Ba2 a5 14.Rd1 c4 15.c3 b3 16.Bb1 1-0 (33) Smirin,I (2599)-Bortnyk,O (2602) Saint Louis 2019] 9...Ngf6 10.a3 c5 11.d5 Rc8 12.Nf2 Qc7 13.g4 b4N [Predecessor: 13...Nb6 14.f4 hxg4 15.Bxg4 Nxg4 16.Nxg4 1-0 (30) Scholzen, W (2127)-Mozelius,P (1882) Reykjavik 2012] 14.Ncd1 a5 15.g5 Nh7+/- 16.f4?! White could improve his position before loosening it [16.c3!] 16...0-0 17.0-0 e6 18.c4

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1025
18...bxc3 19.Nxc3 exd5 20.exd5 Nb6?! [20...f5!?; 20...Rce8] 21.Nfe4 Qe7 22.f5!
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1026
22...Bxc3 almost forced 23.Nxc3 Qe5 24.Bf4 [24.Rf2! Nxd5 (24...Qg3+ 25.Rg2 Qxh4 26.Qd3! is an overwhelming position for White) ] 24...Qd4+?! [24...Qxf5 25.Rf2! (25.Bxd6? Qh3=) ] 25.Qxd4 cxd4 26.Nb5
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1027
The game has transformed from a maneuvering middlegame to a tactical endgame. 26...Nxd5 27.Bxd6 [27.Nxd6! Rc2 28.fxg6 fxg6 29.Bd3 Rxb2 30.Bc4! Rc2 (30...Bc6 31.Rad1) 31.Be5] 27...Rfd8 28.fxg6 fxg6 29.Bd3 White is still better but it's still precarious 29...Ne3 30.Rf4? [30.Rfc1! still keeps a big advantage] 30...Nf8? [30...Ba6! 31.Bxg6 Rd7!] 31.Bxf8?! [31.a4+/=] 31...Rxf8 32.Rxd4 Nc2!
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1028
33.Nd6?? [33.Bxc2? Rxc2 is bad news; but 33.Rd6! Nxa1 (a much worse square) 34.Rxg6+ Kf7 35.Nd6+ Ke7 36.Nxb7 when it's just equal.] 33...Nxd4 34.Nxb7 Nf3+ 35.Kh1 Rb8 [35...Rf4!] 36.Be4 Nxh4 37.Rc1 Rfc8 good enough! 38.Rf1 Rc7 39.Nd6 Rxb2 40.Bd5+ Kh7 41.Ne8 Re7 42.Nf6+ Kg7 43.Kg1 Nf5 [43...Re5] 44.Nxh5+ gxh5 45.Rxf5 Re1+ 46.Rf1 Rxf1+ 47.Kxf1 Rb5 0-1

 

(2) Li,Eric (2303) - Boldi,Ethan (2055) [E16]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (5.3), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Qe7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 Bxd2 8.Qxd2 b6 It can't be too bad! Avrukh in his monumental 1.d4 repertoire books, only gives [8...dxc4; 8...Rd8; and 8...Nbd7] 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Nc3 Bb7

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1029
11.Ne5 [11.Rac1 c5 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Nh4 Qd7 14.Rfd1 d4 15.Na4+/- (Avrukh) 1-0 (40) Khismatullin,D (2674)-Fedoseev,V (2597) Khanty-Mansiysk 2013; 11.Nh4!?N Ne4? "A very serious error since the pawn on e4 is extremely hard to defend - it also allows the Nh4 to reenter the game powerfully." (Tisdall) (11...Qe6 was a definite improvement.; 11...g6! Avrukh in GM2) 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Nf5+/- 1-0 (22) Cvitan,O (2560)-Franic,M (2430) Pula 1998 CBM 064 [Tisdall,J]; 11.Qf4 Na6 12.Nh4 g6 13.Qg5 1-0 (44) Razuvaev,Y-Inkiov,V/Calcutta 1986/TD 86\01] 11...Nbd7 12.Nd3 [12.Qf4 Rfe8 13.Nc4 Nf8 14.Ne3 Ng6 15.Qf5 Rad8 16.Nexd5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 Qd6 18.Nc3 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 Qxd4 20.Rad1 Qe5 21.Qf3 c5 22.e3 Qe6 23.h3 1/2-1/2 Lukacs,P-Schneider,A/HUN-ch 1989/TD 89\11] 12...Ne4 13.Qe3 Rfe8 14.Nf4N [Predecessor: 14.Rac1 Nxc3 15.Qxe7 Rxe7 16.Rxc3 Nf6 17.Rfc1 c6 18.e3 a5 19.Rb3 Ra6 20.Bf1 Ne4 21.Ne5 b5 22.a4 Nd2 23.Rbc3 Nxf1 24.axb5 Ra8 25.Kxf1 cxb5 26.Rc7 Rae8 27.Nd7 Ba6 28.Ra7 Bc8 29.Rcc7 Bxd7 30.Rxd7 Rxd7 31.Rxd7 Rb8 32.Rxd5 a4 33.Ke1 g6 34.Kd1 Kf8 35.Kc2 Ke7 36.b3 Rb6 37.bxa4 bxa4 38.Ra5 Rc6+ 39.Kd3 Rb6 40.Rxa4 Rb2 41.f3 Rxh2 42.g4 h5 43.gxh5 Rxh5 Kostic,M (2265)-Prentic,I (2118) Belgrade 2013 1-0 (65)] 14...Ndf6 15.Rac1 a6 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Qc3 c6 [17...g5! 18.Nh3 Nd5-/+] 18.e3 g5 19.Ne2 Nd5? [19...Qe6] 20.Qb3+/- Qb4 21.Qxb4 Nxb4 22.Nc3 f5
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1030
23.g4 [23.f3!?] 23...Bc8 24.Rfd1 [24.a3; 24.f3] 24...Nd3??
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1031
[24...Nd5+/= 25.Nxd5 cxd5 26.f3] 25.Rxd3! exd3 26.Bxc6 Be6 27.Bxa8 Rxa8 28.gxf5 Bxf5 29.Rd1 Re8 30.Nd5 Kf7 31.Nb4 Rc8 32.Nxd3 Rc2 33.Kf1 Ke6 34.Ke1 Be4 35.Rd2 Rc8 36.Ke2 g4 37.Ne1 Kd5 38.Rd1 h5 39.Kd2 h4 40.Nd3 Kd6 41.Rg1 Bf5 42.Re1 Be4 43.Rc1 Rf8 44.Nf4 Rg8 45.Rc3 Rh8 46.d5 Kd7 47.Rc4 Re8 48.a3 b5 49.Rc5 Ra8 50.Kc3 Bf3 51.Ng6 Re8 52.Nf4 Re4 53.Rc6 a5 54.Nd3 b4+ 55.axb4 axb4+ 56.Kd2 Re8 57.Nc5+ Kd8 58.Ra6 Re5 59.Ne6+ Ke7 60.Nf4 Kd7 61.Rb6 Bxd5 62.Rb5 Kc6 63.Rxd5 Rxd5+ 64.Nxd5 Kxd5 65.Kd3 Ke5 66.b3 Kf5 67.Kd4 Kg5 68.e4 Kf4 69.e5 Kf3 70.e6 Kxf2 71.e7 Kg2 72.e8Q Kxh2 73.Qe2+ Kh3 74.Ke3 g3 75.Kf3 g2 76.Qxg2# 1-0

 

(3) Tsodikova,Natalya (2196) - Clemens,Kristian (1956) [C54]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (5.4), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.0-0 0-0 6.c3 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Re1 Bg4 9.Nbd2 Re8 10.b4 Bf8 11.Qb3 Be6 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Rxe5

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1032
13...Qf6?? [13...c6 is excellent, Marshall Gambit-like compensation.] 14.Rxd5 Bxd5 15.Bxd5 Re1+ 16.Nf1 Despite the aggressive rook on e1, White is easily winning. 16...c6 17.Be4 a5 18.Rb1 axb4 19.cxb4 Re2 20.Bf3 Rexa2 21.Bb2 Qd6 22.b5 R2a5 23.bxc6 bxc6 24.Nd2 Rb8 25.Qc3 Rab5 26.g3 Qe6 27.Nc4 Rb3 28.Qc2 Qf5 29.Be4 Qb5
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1033
30.d4? [30.Kg2] 30...g6 31.Qe2 Bg7 32.Bd3 Qb4? [32...Bf6] 33.Ra1? [33.Bc2!] 33...Rxb2 34.Nxb2 Qxb2 35.Rb1 Qxb1+! 36.Bxb1 Rxb1+ 37.Kg2 Bxd4 White can't win this position. 38.Qe4 Rb4 39.Qxc6 Rb2 40.Kf3 Rxf2+ 41.Ke4 Bb2 42.h4 h5 43.Qb6 Rg2 44.Kf3 Rh2 45.g4 hxg4+ 46.Kxg4 Kg7 47.Qb8 Re2 48.Kf3 Rc2 49.Qf4 Rc5 50.Qe4 Rf5+ 51.Kg2 Bf6 52.Qc4 Rh5 53.Qd3 Rxh4 54.Qb3 Rg4+ 55.Kf3 Rh4 56.Kg2 Rh5 57.Qd3 Be5 58.Qe4 Rg5+ 59.Kf2 Rf5+ 60.Kg2 Bf6 61.Qd3 Re5 62.Qb3 Re2+ 63.Kf3 Rh2 64.Qc4 Rh3+ 65.Kg2 Rh5 66.Qe4 Be5 67.Kf3 Rf5+ 68.Kg2 Rg5+ 69.Kf3 Bf6 70.Kf2 Rh5 71.Kg2 Rh6 72.Qd3 g5 73.Qf5 Rh4 74.Qd3 Rg4+ 75.Kf3 Rh4 76.Kg2 Rh6 77.Qf5 Rh8 78.Kg3 Ra8 79.Qd5 Ra3+ 1/2-1/2

 

(4) Pane,Gianluca (1887) - Winslow,Elliott (2248) [D85]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (5.5), 19.11.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Nf3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 c5 8.Rb1 0-0 9.Be2 Nc6 10.d5 Ne5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.Qb3 Not so common 12...e6 [12...Qd6] 13.Bc4?! [13.f4 Bg7 14.c4 Bd4 15.Be3] 13...Qh4 [13...b5!?] 14.Qc2 Rb8 15.Be3 b5 [15...Rd8; 15...b6] 16.Rxb5 Rxb5 17.Bxb5 exd5 18.exd5 [18.Bxc5 Rd8 19.Bxa7 dxe4~/=] 18...Bf5 [18...c4] 19.Bd3 Bxd3 [19...Re8! 20.Bxf5 gxf5 21.Qxf5 Bxc3+ (21...Qc4!?) 22.Ke2 Re5 23.Qc8+ Kg7 24.Qxc5 Bd4 25.Qc1 Qg4+ 26.Kf1 Bxe3 27.fxe3 Rxd5] 20.Qxd3 c4 21.Qc2 Rd8 22.g3 Qg4 23.0-0 Rxd5 24.f4

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1034
24...Rd3?? [24...Bf6 25.Qe4 Rd3 26.Qe8+ Kg7 27.Bc5 Rd8 28.Qe4 Qc8=/+] 25.fxe5 1-0

 

(5) Lehman,Clarence (1900) - Snyder,Larry (2061) [B20]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (5.6), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.b4 The Wing Gambit, which puts Black off his counter-attacking intentions. 2...cxb4 3.a3 d5! The standard counter. 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Nf3 [5.axb4?? Qe5+ has caught many a player.] 5...e5 6.axb4 Bxb4 7.c3 Bd6 8.Na3 Nc6 9.Bc4!? Qe4+ 10.Kf1 with a little threat of 11.Bxf7+! 10...h6 11.d3 [11.d4!= Nf6 12.Bd3 Qd5 13.Bc4 Qa5?! 14.Nb5! Qxa1 15.Nxd6+ Kf8 16.Nxf7 is great for White] 11...Qf5 12.Nb5 Bb8 13.Ba3 Nge7 14.Nd6+ Bxd6 15.Bxd6 0-0 16.Qe2 Be6 17.Bxe7 Bxc4 18.dxc4 Nxe7 19.Nxe5 Rfe8 The opening has gone wrong; Black is no longer up a pawn but has pieces on the right squares, not to mention White's king a perpetual target. 20.g4 Qf6 21.Re1 Qe6 22.f4 f6 23.Nd3 Qxc4 24.Qe6+ Qxe6 25.Rxe6 Nd5 26.Rxe8+ Rxe8 27.Kf2 Nxc3 28.Rc1 Nd5 29.Rc5 Rd8 30.Kf3 b6 31.Rc4 Kf7 32.f5 Ke7 33.Rd4 a5 34.h4 Nc3 35.Ke3 Nd1+ 36.Ke4 Rxd4+ 37.Kxd4 Kd6 0-1

(6) Askin,David (2053) - Marcus,Joel (1850) [B07]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (5.8), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d6 2.Nf3 Nd7 3.e4 Ngf6?! [3...e5 would be a Philidor proper.] 4.e5! dxe5 5.dxe5 Ng4 6.e6! fxe6?! 7.Ng5 Nde5 8.Qe2 Qd4

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1035
9.f4! and White wins a piece. 9...Bd7 10.fxe5 Nxe5 11.Nc3 h6 12.Nf3 Nxf3+ 13.Qxf3 0-0-0 14.Be3 Qd6 15.Bd3 g5 16.0-0-0 Bg7 17.Bb5 Qb4 18.a3 Qa5 19.Bxd7+ Rxd7 20.Rxd7 Kxd7 21.Qxb7 Bxc3 22.Rd1+ Ke8 23.bxc3 Kf7 24.Rf1+ Kg6 25.Qc6 1-0

 

(7) Askin,Michael (2000) - Hakobyan,Sos (1809) [E01]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (5.11), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.Nf3 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.d4 c5 5.c4 cxd4 6.0-0 Nc6 7.Nxd4 Bc5 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.Qc2 Be7 10.Rd1 Bb7 11.b3 Qb6 12.Nc3 Rd8 13.Be3 Qa6 14.Na4 Nd7 15.Rac1 Ba3 16.Rb1 Be7 17.Bd4 e5 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Bc5 Rc8

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1036
20.Bh3 Qc6 21.b4 d4 22.f3 Qb5 23.Bf1 Bc6 24.Bxe7 Qxa4 25.Rb3 Kxe7 26.Bh3 Bd5 27.Qf5 Bxb3 28.axb3 Qc6 29.f4 Qe6 30.Qg5+ Qf6 31.Qg4 Rc7 32.fxe5 Nxe5 33.Qe4 Re8 34.Rf1 Qg5 35.Rf4 Kf8 36.Qxh7 Ng6 37.Rf2 Rc1+ 38.Bf1 Qh6 0-1

 

(8) Maser,Thomas (1914) - Melville,Cailen (1871) [C10]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (5.12), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6 6.Bf4 Nc6 7.Nf3 e5 8.dxe5 Qe7 9.Qd2 fxe5 10.Bg5 f6 11.Bh6 Bxh6 12.Qxh6 Nb4 13.Bb5+ c6 14.Ba4 Bf5 15.0-0-0 Nxa2+ 16.Kb1 Qb4!

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1037
lining up a nice combination 17.Qxf6 Nc3+ 18.Kc1 Qf4+! 19.Rd2 Na2+ 20.Kb1 Bxc2+ 21.Bxc2 Qxf6 22.Kxa2 0-0 23.Rd7 e4 24.Nd2 Kh8 [24...Qe6+?? 25.Bb3] 25.Rd1 Qe6+ 26.Nb3 Rf7 27.R7d6 Qc4 28.R1d2 Re8 29.R6d4 Qa6+ 30.Kb1 Qf1+ 31.Rd1 Qxg2 32.Nd2 Rfe7 33.Nc4 Rf8 34.Ne3 Qxf2 35.Ng4 Qf3 0-1

 

(9) German,Felix (1859) - Davila,Carlos (2118) [D02]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (5.13), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.g3 Nf6 2.Bg2 d5 3.d4 Nbd7 4.Nf3 c5 5.c4 dxc4 6.d5 Nb6 7.Nc3 Nfxd5 8.Nxd5 Qxd5 9.Bd2 Bg4 10.Nh4 Qd7 11.Qc2 e5 12.Rd1 0-0-0 13.a4 Qxa4 14.Qe4 Qd7 15.0-0 f5 16.Qxe5 Bd6 17.Qe3 Rhe8 18.Qa3 Qa4 19.f3 Qxa3 20.bxa3 Bh5 21.Nxf5 Be5 22.g4 Bf7 23.Bg5 Rxd1 24.Rxd1 c3 25.f4 Bb3 26.Rc1 Bd4+ 27.Kf1 Nc4 28.e4 c2 29.Nxd4 cxd4 30.Ke2 h6 31.Bh4 Nb2 32.e5 d3+ 33.Kd2

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1038
33...g5 34.Bg3 Rd8 35.Be1 Ba4 36.Kc3 Nd1+ 37.Kd2 gxf4 38.Be4 Bb5 39.Bh4 Rd4 40.Bf5+ Kc7 41.e6 Ne3 42.Be1 Nxf5 43.gxf5 Re4 44.Kc3 Re5 45.Bd2 Rxf5 46.Rf1 Kd6 47.Rxf4 Rc5+ 48.Kb2 Kxe6 49.Rg4 h5 50.Rg6+ Kf7 51.Rh6 Bc6 52.Bc1 [52.Kc1 Rb5] 52...Rb5+ 0-1

 

(10) Mercado,Adam (1699) - Busch,Jonah (1871) [D85]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (5.9), 19.11.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bg5 c5 8.Rc1 0-0 9.Nf3 Bg4 10.d5 Qa5 11.Qb3 Nd7 12.Bxe7 Rfe8 13.d6 Bxf3 14.Qxf7+ Kh8 15.Qxf3 Qxa2 16.Bb5 Qb2 17.0-0 Qxb5 18.Qh3 Bf6 19.Rfd1 Bxe7 20.dxe7 Rxe7 21.Rd6 Nf8 22.c4 Qe8 23.Rcd1 Rxe4 24.Qc3+ Qe5 25.Qd2 Re8 26.Kf1 Re2 0-1

(11) Babayan,Gagik (1790) - Reyes,Victor Hugo (1497) [C61]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (5.15), 19.11.2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.0-0 Qg5 6.Be2 Bd6 7.d3 Qe5 8.f4 Qc5 9.Nd2 b5 10.e5 Be7 11.Bf3 c6 12.Ne4 Qb6 13.Qe2 Nh6 14.Nd6+ Kf8 15.g4 Bh4 16.g5 Ng8 17.Nf5 Ne7 18.Nxh4 g6 19.Be4 h5 20.gxh6 Rxh6 21.Qf2 Qd8 22.f5 g5 23.Bxg5 Rh8 24.Ng6+ Kg7 25.f6+ Kg8 26.Nxe7+ Kf8 27.Qxd4 d5 28.Bf5 Bxf5 29.Nxf5 Rh5 30.Bh6+ Rxh6 31.Nxh6 Ke8 32.Rf2 Qc7 33.Rg2 c5 34.Qxd5 1-0

(12) Khristoforov,Sergey (1947) - Argo,Guy (1859) [A81]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (5.16), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nd2 d5 6.Nh3 0-0 7.0-0 c5 8.c3 cxd4 9.cxd4 Qb6 10.Nb3 Bd7 11.Rc1 Ba4 12.Nf4 Na6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.e3 Nb4

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1039
15.Nxe6?! Nxa2?? [15...Qxe6 16.Nc5 Bxd1 17.Nxe6 Be2-/+] 16.Bxd5 [16.Nxf8+-] 16...Nxc1? [16...Bxb3 17.Qxb3 Qxb3 18.Bxb3 Nxc1+/=] 17.Nec5+! Kh8 18.Nxa4 Qd6 19.Bxb7 Rab8 20.Nbc5 Rxb7 21.Nxb7 Qc6 22.Qxc1 Qxb7 23.Nc5 Qb5 24.Ne6 Re8 Here the last scoresheet flakes out 1/2-1/2

 

(13) Zeller,William (1776) - Perlov,Alexander (1770) [A57]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (5.17), 19.11.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.b6 g6 6.Nc3 d6 7.e4 Bg7 8.Bd3 Nbd7 9.Nge2 0-0 10.0-0 Nxb6 11.Bg5 Qc7 12.Rc1 Ng4 13.h3 Ne5 14.f4 Nxd3 15.Qxd3 f5 16.Ng3 e6 17.exf5 exf5 18.Rfe1 Bd7 19.Re7 Rfe8 20.Rce1 Rxe7 21.Rxe7 Re8 22.Rxe8+ Bxe8 23.Qxa6 Bxc3 24.bxc3 Nxd5 25.Qa8 Qc6 26.Qxc6 Bxc6 27.Ne2 Kf7 28.Kf2 Bb5 29.a3 Bxe2 30.Kxe2 Nxc3+ 31.Kd3 Na4 32.Kc4 Ke6 33.Kb3 Nb6 34.Bd8 Nc8 35.Kc4 Kd7 36.Ba5 Kc6 37.Bd8 d5+ 38.Kc3 Kb5 39.Kb3 Nb6 40.Bf6 d4 41.Kc2 Kc4 42.Bd8 Na4 43.Ba5 d3+ 44.Kd2 Kd4 45.Bc7 c4 46.Be5+ Ke4 47.g4 c3+ 48.Kc1 Ke3 49.Kd1 Nb2+ 50.Ke1 d2+ 0-1

(14) Latourette,Nick (1583) - Fabiani,Lino (1850) [B72]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (5.19), 19.11.2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.Bc4 Ng4 8.Qd2 Nxe3 9.Qxe3 0-0 10.h4 Qb6 11.0-0-0 Nc6 12.Nde2 Qxe3+ 13.fxe3 Ne5 14.Bb3 Ng4 15.Rde1 Nxe3 16.Nf4 0-1

(15) Robeal,Rafik (1800) - Mays,Jerry (1700) [E61]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (5.20), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 0-0 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 d6 [6...c5!] 7.e3 Nbd7?! [7...c5] 8.Be2 c5 9.0-0 [9.Qc2!] 9...a6 [9...g5 10.Bg3 Nh5 11.Qc2 Nxg3 12.hxg3 b6 (12...e6) ] 10.Rb1 Rb8 [10...g5] 11.b4 cxb4? [11...g5 12.Bg3 Nh5 13.bxc5 Nxg3 14.hxg3 dxc5 15.Qc2+/=] 12.Rxb4 g5 13.Bg3 Qa5? [13...Nh5+/=] 14.Qb1 Nh5? 15.Nd5! [15.Ra4] 15...Nxg3 16.Nxe7+ Kh8 17.fxg3 Nf6 18.Nxc8 Rbxc8 19.Rxb7 g4 20.Nh4 Qd2 21.Qd3 Qxa2 22.Nf5 h5 23.Nxd6 Rc6 24.Nxf7+ Rxf7 25.Rxf7 Kg8 26.Qg6 1-0

(16) Bielec,John (1790) - Lin,Aung (1642) [E32]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (5.21), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 b6 [3...Bb4; 3...d5; 3...c5] 4.Bg5 [4.e4!] 4...Bb7 5.e3 Bb4 6.Qc2 Be4 7.Qb3 Bxc3+ 8.Qxc3 h6 9.Bh4 c5 10.Rd1 Nc6 11.d5 Nb4 12.a3 Nc2+ 13.Kd2 b5 14.f3 g5 15.Bg3 b4 16.axb4 cxb4 17.Qb3 Bg6 18.Bd3 Qa5 19.Bxc2 Bxc2 20.Qxc2 exd5 21.Be5 Ke7 22.Qf5 Qb6 23.Qxf6+ Qxf6 24.Bxf6+ Kxf6 25.cxd5 Ke5 26.e4 f5 27.Kd3 Rac8 28.Ne2 fxe4+ 29.fxe4 a5 30.Ra1 Rc5 31.Rhc1 Rb5 32.Nd4 Rb6 33.Rxa5 Rf8 34.Nf5 b3 35.Rc3 Rb4 36.Rc4 Rb6 37.Kc3 Rfb8 38.Ra7 Rd8 39.Rb4 Rxb4 40.Kxb4 Rb8+ 41.Kc4 Kxe4 42.Ng3+ Ke3 43.Rxd7 Kf2 44.Rh7 Rb6 45.Ne4+ Kxg2 46.d6 Kf3 47.d7 Rb8 48.Nc5 1-0

(17) Xu,Jayden (1774) - Boldi,Nicholas (1653) [D60]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (5.22), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 c6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.e3 Be7 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 a6 9.Qc2 h6 10.Bh4 dxc4 11.Bxc4 b5 12.Bd3 Bb7 13.e4 c5 14.e5 Nd5 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.Nxd5 Bxd5 17.Be4 cxd4 18.Qd3?? Nc5 19.Bh7+ Kh8 20.Qc2 d3?! [20...Bxf3 21.gxf3 g6] 21.Bxd3 Nxd3 22.Qxd3 Bc4-+ 23.Qe3 Bxf1 24.Rxf1 Rfd8 25.g4 Rd5 26.g5 h5! 27.Nd2 Qc5 28.Qf3 Kg8 29.Ne4 Qd4 30.Re1 Rad8 31.Nd6 Qg4+ 32.Qxg4 hxg4 33.Re4 Rd7 34.Kg2 Rd2 35.Rxg4 Rxb2 36.Ne4 Rxa2 37.h4 b4 38.Nc5 Rd5 39.Rc4 a5 40.h5 Rxe5 41.g6 fxg6 42.hxg6 Rg5+ 43.Kf3 Rxg6 44.Re4 Rf6+ 45.Ke3 Rfxf2 46.Nxe6 Rfe2+ 47.Kd4 Rxe4+ 48.Kxe4 Re2+ 49.Kd5 Rxe6 0-1

(18) Chea,Na (1601) - Malykin,Erika (1688) [A00]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (5.24), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.h4 d5 2.d4 Bf5 3.Nc3 e6 4.Bf4 Bb4 5.e3 h6 6.Nge2 Ne7 7.a3 Ba5 8.b4 Bb6 9.Ng3 a5 10.Nxf5 Nxf5 11.Be5 axb4 12.axb4 Rxa1 13.Qxa1 Nc6 14.Bb5 Nxh4

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1040
15.Rxh4 Qxh4 16.Qa8+ Ke7 17.Qxh8 Qh1+ 18.Bf1 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Qh4 20.Bb5 c6 21.Qb8 Bxe3 22.Qxb7+ Kd8 23.Qb8+ Kd7 24.Qd6+ Kc8 25.Ba6# 1-0

 

(19) Agdamag,Samuel (1465) - Rakonitz,David (1639) [E39]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (5.25), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 0-0 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 Bxc5 8.e3 Nc6 9.Nf3 b6 10.Be2 Bb7 11.0-0 Be7 12.a3 a6 13.Rad1 Qc7 14.Bg3 d6 15.h3 Rfd8 16.Rd2 Rd7 17.Rfd1 Rad8 18.b4 Ne5 19.Nxe5 dxe5 20.Rxd7 Rxd7 21.Rxd7 Nxd7 22.Qd3 Qd6 23.Kf1 f5 24.Qxd6 Bxd6 25.Na4 f4 26.Bh2 Kf7

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1041
Prepare to be surprised... 27.Nxb6!? Looks good, yes? But if Black responds correctly (he didn't), it helps Black. [Eye-opening is Stockfish's #1 move: 27.Bg1!! Aiming at b6!? 27...Be7 (27...Bc6 28.Nxb6! Nxb6 29.c5 Bxc5 30.bxc5 Nd7 (30...Nd5 31.Bxa6) 31.f3) 28.f3 a5 29.exf4 axb4 30.axb4 exf4 31.b5 Bc5 32.Nxc5 Nxc5 33.Bd4!+/= keeps both bishop around, to try to run Black aground. (33.Bxc5 bxc5 34.Bd3 Ke7 Black should hold this after all.) ] 27...Nb8??+- Black can't just leave White with that healthy queenside majority. [27...Nxb6 28.c5 Bxc5! (28...Bc7 29.cxb6 Bxb6 30.exf4 picks off a pawn with real winning chances) 29.bxc5 Nd5! (not a bad knight!) 30.Bf3 e4! (30...g5 White might still break out: 31.Ke1 (31.g3 Nxe3+=) 31...Bc6 32.g3+/=) 31.Bxe4 Nxe3+ 32.fxe3 Bxe4 33.exf4 (33.Bxf4 Kf6) 33...Ke7 34.Bg1 e5!? 35.fxe5 Ke6 Black banks on bishops of opposite colors to draw.] 28.c5 Bc7 29.Nc4 g5
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1042
30.Nd6+? Impatient! [30.f3; 30.a4 Nd7 31.f3] 30...Bxd6 31.cxd6 Ke8 32.g3? f3!
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1043
In the movie you'd hear the cell-door slamming shut and echoing down the block. 33.Bc4 Kd7 34.Ke1 Kxd6 35.Kd2 e4 It's okay, Black has another guard 36.g4+ e5 37.Kc3 Nd7 38.Bg3 Nb6 39.Bb3 Bd5 40.Bc2 Bc6 41.h4? Creating losing chances 41...Nd5+ 42.Kd2 Nf6 43.hxg5 hxg5 44.a4 Nxg4 45.Kc3 Nf6 46.Kc4 Bd5+ 47.Kc3 Nd7 48.b5!? Risky, but White has worked out that Black can't make progress without letting the Bg3 in on e5. 48...axb5 49.axb5 Kc5 50.Ba4 Nb6 51.Bc2 Nd7 52.Ba4 Bc4 53.Bc2 Bd5 [53...Bd3!? 54.Bxd3 exd3 55.Kxd3 Kd5 56.e4+ (56.Kc2 e4 is a try, but even there it's looking like only so far and then stop.) 56...Kc5 57.Ke3 g4 58.Bh2 Kxb5 59.Kd3 might be another blockade] 1/2-1/2

 

(20) Cortinas,Marty (1697) - Acharya,Venkatagiri (1609) [A30]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (5.26), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 c5!? Much sharper than the classic development and ...Ne4 [5...Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Nc3 Ne4] 6.e3?! [6.Nc3 cxd4 7.Qxd4 is the Hedgehog.; 6.d5!? exd5 7.cxd5!? Bxd5 8.Nc3 Bc6 9.e4 d6 10.0-0 Be7 11.Nh4 g6 (11...0-0 12.Nf5 Re8 13.Bg5= (13.Bf4!+/-) 13...Bf8+/= (13...Nbd7) 14.Re1 (14.f4!) 14...Nbd7 15.Nxd6 Re6 16.Nf5+/- Qe8?! (16...Qc7) 17.Nd5?!= (17.a4+/=) 17...Bxd5 (17...Rc8!=) 18.exd5 Rxe1+ 19.Qxe1 Qxe1+? (19...g6) 20.Rxe1+/- 1-0 (45) Holt,C (2513)-Shankland,S (2612) Saint Louis 2013) 12.Bh6 Bf8 13.Bxf8 Kxf8 14.Qd2 Ne8 15.Rad1 Kg7 16.f4 Qc8 17.Nd5 Rf8 18.e5 dxe5 19.f5 Qd8 20.f6+ Nxf6 21.Nf5+ Kh8 22.Qh6 Rg8 23.Nxf6 1-0 (23) Gelfand,B (2748)-Andreikin,D (2722) Baku 2014 CBM 163 [Sagar Shah]] 6...Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Nc3 Ne4 9.Qd3 d5 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Rd1 c4 12.Qc2 Re8 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Nd2 b5 15.Bxe4 Bxe4 16.Qxe4 Nd7 17.Qc6 Rb8 18.a4 Rb6 19.Qd5 a6 20.axb5 axb5 21.Ra7 Bd6 22.Ne4 Bc7 23.Bd2 Rbe6 24.Nc3 Rg6 25.Nxb5 Nf6 26.Qxc4 Bb8 27.Qxf7+ Kh8 28.Rb7 Rf8 29.Qe7 Qxe7 30.Rxe7 h5 31.Rc1 Ng4 32.Be1 Rgf6 33.f4 h4 34.Rc5 Ra6 35.Rh5+ Kg8 36.Rg5 Nf6 37.Rgxg7+ Kh8 38.Rgf7 Rxf7 39.Rxf7 Rb6 40.Bc3 Kg8 41.Rxf6 Rxf6 42.e4 Rb6 43.Na3 Kf7 44.Kf2 Ba7 45.Nc4 Ra6 46.Ne5+ Ke8 47.Kf3 Ra1 48.gxh4 Rd1 49.Ke2 Rg1 50.Kf2 Rc1 51.h5 Kf8 52.Kg3 Rg1+ 53.Kf3 Rf1+ 54.Kg2 Rd1 55.f5 Rc1 56.Nc6 Bb6 57.e5 under 5 minutes... 1-0

(21) Mani,Venugopal (1598) - Gimelfarb,Ilia [C70]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.10), 19.11.2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 b5 5.Bb3 Bc5 6.0-0 d6 7.h3 Nf6 8.Re1 Na5 9.c3 Nxb3 10.Qxb3 Be6 11.Qc2 h6 12.d4 exd4 13.cxd4 Bb6 14.d5 Bd7 15.e5 Nxd5 16.exd6+ Be6 17.Qc6+ Kf8 18.Nc3 Nb4 19.Qe4 Bc4 20.Bf4 Bxf2+ 21.Kxf2 Nd3+ 22.Kg1 Nxe1 23.Rxe1 cxd6 24.Bxd6+ Kg8 25.Nd5 Bxd5 26.Qxd5 Ra7 27.Ne5 Qf6 28.Rf1 Qe6 29.Qc5 Rb7 30.Qc6 Re7 31.Bxe7 Qxe5 32.Qe8+ Kh7 33.Qxf7 Rg8 34.Qf5+ Qxf5 35.Rxf5 Kg6 36.Rf8 Rxf8 37.Bxf8 Kf7 38.Bc5 h5 39.b4 Ke6 40.Kf2 Kd5 41.Ke3 Kc4 42.Kd2 a5 43.a3 a4 44.Kc2 g6 45.Be7 Kd4 46.Bf6+ Kc4 47.Kb2 Kd3 48.g4 Ke4 49.Kc3 Kf4 50.gxh5 gxh5 51.h4 Ke4 52.Kd2 Kd5 53.Kd3 Ke6 54.Bd8 Kd5 55.Bg5 Ke5 56.Ke3 Kd5 57.Bf6 Kc4 58.Kf4 Kb3 59.Kg5 Kxa3 60.Be7 Kb3 61.Kxh5 a3 62.Kg5 a2 63.Bf6 Kxb4 64.h5 Ka3 65.h6 b4 66.h7 b3 67.h8Q b2 68.Bxb2+ Kb3 69.Qc3+ Ka4 70.Qa3+ Kb5 71.Qxa2 Kb4 72.Qa3+ Kc4 73.Bd4 Kd5 74.Qc5+ Ke4 75.Qf5+ Kxd4 76.Qe6 Kc5 77.Qd7 Kc4 78.Qd6 Kb5 79.Qc7 Kb4 80.Qc6 Kb3 81.Qc5 Kb2 82.Qc4 Kb1 83.Qe2 Kc1 84.Kf4 1-0

(22) Ford,Andy Vincent - Uzakbaev,Nursultan [C30]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.28), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.f4 d6 Not horrible [2...exf4; 2...Bc5; 2...d5!?] 3.Nf3 [3.fxe5?? Qh4+ really is horrible -- for White!] 3...Nd7 [3...exf4!] 4.Bc4 Ngf6 5.Nc3 [5.Qe2] 5...c6 6.fxe5 [6.Ng5 d5 7.exd5 Nb6 8.fxe5+/-] 6...dxe5?? [6...Nxe5! isn't so bad!] 7.Ng5 Nd5!?

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1044
8.Nxf7!? [8.d3] 8...Kxf7?! [8...Nxc3!? 9.Nxd8! Nxd1 10.Nf7! Nf2 11.Rf1! (11.Kxf2 Bc5+ 12.Ke2 Rf8 13.Rf1 Nb6 14.Bb3 Bg4+ 15.Ke1+/-) 11...Nxe4 12.Nxh8+-] 9.0-0+! N7f6 10.exd5 Bc5+ 11.Kh1 Ke8 12.Qf3 Bd7 13.Ne4 Qe7 14.Nxf6+ gxf6 15.Qxf6?! Qxf6 16.Rxf6 Ke7 17.Rf1 Rhf8 Both scoresheets say "17... Rf8" -- but on move 31 one starts to wonder, and then move 37... 18.d4! Rxf1+ 19.Bxf1 Bxd4 20.Bg5+ Kd6 21.c3 Bb6 22.dxc6 Kxc6 23.Bd3 h5 24.Re1 Bc7 25.a4 a6 26.Be4+ Kc5 27.Be7+ Bd6?? 28.b4+ Kc4 29.Bxd6 Kxc3 30.Bxe5+ Kxb4 31.Rb1+ Kxa4 32.Bc2+ Ka3 33.Bb3 b5 34.Bd6+ b4 35.Bxb4+! Kxb4 36.Bd5+ Kc5 37.Bxa8 a5 38.Bf3 Be8 39.Re1 Bf7 40.Re5+ Kb4 41.Bxh5 Bc4 42.Be2 Bb3 43.Rb5+ Ka3 44.Rxa5+ 1-0

 

(23) Hansen,Mateo (1583) - Allen,Tom (1400) [C63]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.29), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 The Schliemann, or Jänisch Defence. 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Nxe5 dxe4 7.Nxc6 Qd5 [7...Qg5] 8.c4 Qd6 9.Nxa7+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.Qh5+ g6 12.Qe5+ Kf7 13.Qxh8 [13.Nb5 c6 14.Qd4! is a famous finesse in this wild opening line.] 13...Nf6 14.Nb5 Re8 15.b3 Bg7 16.Qxe8+ Qxe8 17.Bb2 Qd7 18.0-0-0 c6 19.Nc3 Ng4 20.Rde1 Ne5 21.Re2?! [21.Re3 Nd3+ 22.Kc2 Nb4+ 23.Kc1 draw? Hmm; 21.Kc2] 21...Nd3+ 22.Kb1 Qg4 [22...b5!-/+] 23.f3!? exf3 24.Rf1 Nxb2?? [24...f2! 25.Rexf2+ Nxf2 26.Rxf2+ Kg8=/+ when ...b5 will try to loosen up White's king position.] 25.Rxf3+ Bf6 26.Ne4! Kg7 27.Nxf6 Qd4

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1045
28.Re7+ Kh6 [28...Kf8 29.Rd7] 29.Rxh7+ Kg5 30.h4+ 1-0

 

(24) Starr,Albert (1517) - Jade,Valerie [A00]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.30), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 Bxb4 3.Bxe5 Nf6 4.c4 0-0 5.e3 d6 6.Bc3 Nc6 7.Bxb4 Nxb4 8.a3 Nc6 9.d4 Na5 10.Bd3 c5 11.Ne2 Re8 12.0-0 Ne4 13.Bxe4 Rxe4 14.Nbc3 Rg4 15.Ng3?! cxd4 16.exd4 Nxc4

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1046
17.Qe2?? [17.Qd3 d5! 18.f4 Qd6; 17.Re1=/+] 17...Rxd4 White has lost a couple pawns, and finds any threats pushed back. 18.Nb5 Rh4 19.Rfe1 Bd7 20.Rab1 a6 21.Nc3 b5 22.Rbd1 Bg4 23.f3 Qb6+ 24.Kh1 Be6 25.Nd5 Qd8 26.Ne4 h6 27.Nb4 d5 28.Nc5
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1047
28...Qc8?? Black stumbles! Any queen move to the b8-h2 diagonal would be winning: [28...Qd6 29.g3 (or else ...Qxc5) 29...Qxg3 30.Rg1 (30.Nxe6 fxe6 31.Qxe6+ Kh8 32.Qe2 Ne3! 33.Ra1 (33.Rd3 Rxh2+) 33...Rf8) 30...Qf4 31.Nxe6 fxe6 32.Qxe6+ Kh8 33.Qe2 Ne3 34.Rd2 d4] 29.Nxe6 Qxe6?? [29...fxe6= 30.Qxe6+ Qxe6 31.Rxe6 finds White holding on. 31...Kf7 32.Rc6 Ra7 33.Rxd5] 30.Qf2!+- Qf6 31.Nxd5 Qg5 32.Ne7+ Kh8 33.Rd5 Qf6 34.Rf5 [34.g3] 34...Qd4
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1048
35.Qxd4? [35.Qg3! Nd6 (35...Rf8 36.Ng6+) 36.Rd5] 35...Rxd4 36.Rxf7 Nxa3 [36...Nd6 37.Nf5! Nxf5 38.Rxf5 Rd3-/+; 36...Re8!? 37.g4 (37.Ng6+?! Kh7-+ (37...Kg8-+) ) 37...Kh7! (37...Nxa3) ] 37.Kg1 Kh7? [37...Rd6-/+; 37...Nc4-/+] 38.Kf2? [38.Nf5!; 38.Re6! is even better: 38...Re8 39.Rg6 Rg8 40.Rxa6] 38...Nc2? [38...Rd2+ 39.Kg3 (39.Re2? Rxe2+ 40.Kxe2 Ra7) 39...Nc4 40.Nf5 Nd6 41.Nxd6 (41.Rxg7+? Kh8) 41...Rxd6 42.Ree7 Rg6+ 43.Kf2 b4-/+; 38...Nc4] 39.Rc1? White had just two moves to draw: [39.Re6; and 39.Re2] 39...Rd2+ 40.Kg3 b4-+ [40...Ra7!] 41.Nc6
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1049
41...Rc8?? [41...a5-+ or anything else but as played!] 42.Nxb4! Rc5 43.h4 a5 44.Nxc2 Rcxc2 45.Rxc2 Rxc2 46.Ra7 Ra2 47.Kh3 Kg6 48.g4 a4 49.Kg3 Kf6?! [49...a3; 49...Kh7; 49...Ra1; 49...Ra3] 50.h5!? Black has a problem of sorts on the kingside! Zugzwang! But he can mark time. And even just giving up the a-pawn lets the king find its way home. 50...a3 51.Kf4 Ra1 52.Ra6+ Kf7 53.Ke3?! [53.Kf5 Rb1 54.Rxa3 Rb5+ 55.Ke4 Rb4+ 56.Ke5 Rb5+ 57.Kf4 it's just 3 vs. 2, quite hard to get anywhere.] 53...a2
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1050
54.Kd2?? [54.Kf4!] 54...Rf1 0-1

 

(25) Martin,Michael (1480) - Simpkins,Jerry (1426) [C40]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.31), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nc3 [3.Nxe5!] 3...d6 4.Bc4 fxe4 5.Ng1 Nf6 6.d3 exd3 7.Qxd3 Nc6 Once again, the Latvian Gambit wins a pawn. 8.Bg5 Be7 9.Nge2 Na5 10.Bxf6 Bxf6

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1051
11.Bf7+ Kxf7 12.Qd5+ Be6 13.Qxa5 Rf8 14.0-0 Qe7?! [14...Kg8] 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.Qxd5+ Kg6 17.Qxb7 Bg5 18.Qe4+ Kh6 19.Rad1 Rab8 20.Rd3 g6 21.Rh3+ Kg7 22.b3 Rf5 23.g4 Rf6 24.f4 d5
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1052
25.Qxd5 [25.Qxe5 Qxe5 26.fxe5 Re6 27.Rc3 Rc8 28.Nf4 Rxe5=] 25...exf4? [25...Bxf4 26.Nxf4 exf4=] 26.Qc4? [26.Qxg5+- Qxe2 27.Qh6+ Kf7 28.Qxh7+ Ke6 29.Qxc7 f3 30.Rhxf3 Rxf3 31.Qc6+] 26...Rb4!-/+ 27.Qc3 f3 28.Nc1 Bxc1 29.Rxc1 Rxg4+ 30.Rg3 [30.Kh1 Kg8! 31.Rxf3 (31.Rg3 Rxg3 32.hxg3 Qd6) 31...Qe2 mates] 30...Rxg3+ 31.hxg3 Qe2 32.Qxc7+ Rf7 33.Qc3+ Kh6 0-1

 

(26) Thibault,William (1195) - Neygut,Eitan (993) [B31]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.32), 19.11.2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Qxd4 Nf6 7.0-0 Bg7 8.e5 Nd5 9.c4 Nc7 10.Re1 Ne6 11.Qh4 h6 12.Nc3 Ba6 13.b3 h5 14.Ba3 d6 15.Rad1 0-0 16.Ne4 Qa5 17.Bxd6 exd6 18.Nxd6 Rad8 19.g4 hxg4 20.Ng5 Nxg5 21.Qxg5 Rxd6 22.Qe7 Rxd1 23.Rxd1 Bc8 24.b4 Qxa2 25.Rd8 Qb1+ 26.Kg2 Qe4+ 27.Kf1 Ba6 0-1

(27) Nicol,George - Chan,John (1507) [C01]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.33), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 c6 2.e4 e6 3.Nf3 h6 4.Bd3 Be7 5.0-0 d6 6.Bf4 Nd7 7.Nbd2 b5 8.c4 a6 9.Qe2 Bb7 10.e5 d5 11.b3 Bf8 12.Rab1 b4 13.Rfc1 g6 14.Rc2 Ne7 15.Rbc1 Nb6 16.cxd5 Nexd5 17.Be3 Nc3 18.Qe1 Nbd5 19.Ne4 Be7 20.Nxc3 bxc3 21.Bc4 Ba3 22.Rd1 Bb2 23.Bxd5 cxd5 24.Bc1 0-0 25.Bxb2 cxb2 26.Rxb2 Rc8 27.Rc1 Qe7 28.Qa5?? Rxc1+ 0-1

(28) Sachs-Weintraub,Julian (1447) - Bryan,Robert (390) [B12]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.34), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 c6 2.e4 Nf6?! 3.e5 Nd5 4.c4 b5?? 5.cxd5 g6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Bd3 d6 9.dxc6 a6 10.Be4 e6 11.c7 Qxc7 12.Bxa8 Qa7 13.Be4 dxe5 14.dxe5 Rd8 15.Qxd8+ Bf8 16.Bh6 Nd7 17.0-0-0 f5 18.Rxd7 Bxd7 19.Qxf8# 1-0

(29) Roberts,Joseph (1369) - Yamamoto,Craig (1500) [B50]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.35), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Be2 Nc6 5.d3 g6 6.d4 Nxd4 7.Nxd4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 Bg7 9.e5 Nd7 10.Qh4 Nxe5 11.Bh6 0-0 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.Qd4 f6 14.0-0-0 Be6 15.Nd5 Nc6 16.Qe4 Kf7 17.g4 Ne5 18.h3 Qa5 19.a3 Rac8 20.f4 f5 21.Qd4 Nd7 22.Rh2 Qc5 23.c4 Qxd4 24.Rxd4 b5 25.b3 bxc4 26.Bxc4 Bxd5 27.Rxd5 Nb6 28.Rxd6+?? Ke8?? [28...Nxc4] 29.Rd4 Nxc4 30.bxc4 Rc5 31.Re2 Rc7 (says "Rb7") 32.g5 Kf7 33.Kc2 Rfc8 34.Kc3 Rb8 35.Rb2 Rbc8 36.a4 Rc5 37.Rb5 R5c6 38.a5 R8c7 39.Kb4 Re6 40.Re5 Rec6 41.c5 Rb7+ 42.Ka4 a6 43.Rb4 Rbc7 1-0

(30) Rushton,Peter (1237) - James,Charles (1480) [B50]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.36), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.h3 a6 4.Bc4 e6 5.Nc3 [5.a4] 5...b5 6.Bf1 [6.Be2] 6...Nc6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qc7 9.a3 Two free moves (Bf1-c4-f1) PLUS h3 and a3 -- this has to be fine for Black! 9...Nf6 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Be3 Another one! 11...0-0 12.Bd3 Bb7 13.Nf3 Rfd8 14.Qd2 d5?! 15.exd5 exd5? [15...Nxd5=/+] 16.Bf4 Qd7 17.Ne2 Ne4 18.Qe3 f5 19.c3 Bf6 20.Rd1 Re8 21.Qc1 Rac8 22.Bc2 Na5 23.0-0 Qe7 24.Rfe1 g5 25.Bd2 f4 26.Ned4 Qd7 27.Nh2 h5 28.f3 Ng3 29.Rxe8+ Rxe8 30.Bd3 Bxd4+ 31.cxd4 Nc4 32.Nf1 Nf5 33.b3 Nxd2 34.Rxd2 Nxd4 35.Qb1 Bc8 36.Bg6 Re6 37.Rxd4 Qg7 38.Rxd5 Rf6 39.Bxh5 Qh6 40.Be8 Be6 41.Re5 Qg7 42.Bh5 Qh6 43.Bg4 Bf7 44.Rc5 Bg6 45.Qc1 Bd3 46.Rc8+ Kg7 47.Qc7+ Rf7 48.Qc3+ 1-0

(31) Frank,Robert (1224) - Harris,Clarence (1464) [A49]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.37), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.0-0 d6 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.d5 Ne5 8.Nxe5 dxe5 9.e4 Bd7 10.f4 exf4 11.Bxf4 Nh5 12.Be3 Qc8 13.Bd4 e5 14.dxe6 Bxe6 15.Bxg7 Nxg7 16.Nd5 Bxd5 17.exd5 Nf5 18.Rf3 Nd6 19.Qd3 Qd7 20.c4 Rae8 21.c5 Ne4 22.b4 Re5 23.Re3 f5 24.Bxe4 fxe4 25.Rxe4 Rxd5 26.Qc4 Kg7 27.Re7+ Qxe7 28.Qxd5 Qe3+ 29.Kg2 Rf2+ 30.Kh1 Qe2 31.Qd7+ Kf6 32.Qh3 Qe4+ 33.Kg1 Rf5 [33...Qe3! 34.Rf1 (34.Kh1 Ke5!) 34...Rf3+ 35.Kh1 (35.Kg2 Qe2+ 36.Kg1 Rxf1+ 37.Qxf1+ Qxf1+ 38.Kxf1 Ke5-+) 35...Ke5!!-+] 34.Qh4+ [34.Rf1 Qxb4 35.Rxf5+ gxf5 36.Qh6+ Ke5-/+] 34...Qxh4 35.gxh4 Ke5? [35...Rf4] 36.Kg2? [36.Re1+ Kf6 37.Re8 Rf4 38.a3] 36...Kd4? [36...Kd5] 37.Rd1+ Ke3 38.Re1+ Kd4 [38...Kd3] 39.Re7 Kc4 40.a3?! [40.Rxc7 Kxb4 41.Rxb7+ Kxc5 42.Rxh7+/=] 40...Kb3? [40...a5] 41.Rxc7 Kxa3 42.Rxb7+- Ka4 43.c6 Rd5 44.c7 Rd2+ 45.Kf3 Rc2 46.Ke4 h6 47.h5 huh and huh 47...Rc4+ 48.Kf3 [48.Kd3; 48.Kd5] 48...g5 49.Kg3 a6 50.h3 Kb3 51.b5 axb5 52.Rxb5+ Ka4 53.Rb7 Ka5 54.c8Q Rxc8 55.Rh7 Rc6 56.h4 Rc3+ 57.Kg4 Rc4+ 58.Kh3 Rxh4+ 59.Kg3 Rxh5 60.Rh8 Rh4 61.Rh7 h5 62.Rf7 Rh1 63.Rf5+ Kb4 64.Rxg5 Rg1+ 65.Kh4 Rxg5 66.Kxg5 1/2-1/2

(32) Ahrens,Richard (1206) - Radaelli,Lucas (1444) [D12]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.38), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nf3 e6 6.Be2 [6.Nh4] 6...Bb4 7.0-0 h6 8.Bd2 Nbd7 9.a3 Bd6 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.b4 0-0 12.Nh4 Bh7 13.f4 a6 14.Nf3 Rc8 15.Ne5 Ne4 16.Nxe4 Bxe4 17.Rc1 Qe7 18.Nxd7 Qxd7 19.Rc3 Rxc3 20.Bxc3 Rc8 21.Qb3 Rc7 22.Bf3 Bxf3 23.gxf3 Qc8 24.Rc1 Rc4 25.Qb2 Qc7 26.Bd2 Rxc1+ 27.Qxc1 Qxc1+ 28.Bxc1 b5 29.h4 Kh7 1/2-1/2

(33) Olson,David (1407) - Cendejas,Jon (1126) [A28]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.39), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.Nf3 Nc6 2.c4 e5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d3 [4.g3; 4.e3; 4.e4] 4...h6 5.g3 Bc5 6.e3 d5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Nxd5 Qxd5 9.Bg2 Bg4 10.e4 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Bb4+ 12.Bd2 Bxd2+ 13.Kxd2 Qa5+ 14.Kc1 Qc5+ 15.Kd2 Qb4+ 16.Kc1 Qc5+ 17.Kb1 0-0 18.Rc1 Qd6 19.a3 Rad8 20.Bf1 Nd4 21.Qd1 Qb6 22.Rc3 f5 23.exf5 Rxf5 24.g4 Rxf2 25.Ra2 Rxh2 26.a4 a5 27.Qc1 Rf8 28.g5 Rh1 29.gxh6 Rfxf1 0-1

(34) Cheng,Andrew (1400) - Badgett,James (1084) [B50]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.40), 19.11.2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 d6 5.Ng5 e6 6.0-0 d5 7.exd5 exd5 8.Re1+ Be7 9.Bb5 a6 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 11.d3 0-0 12.Nf3 Bd6 13.Bg5 Rb8 14.Rb1 Rb7 15.Ne5 Rc7 16.h3 Re8 17.Nf3 Bd7 18.Qd2 Be7 19.Re2 Qc8 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Rxe8+ Bxe8 22.Re1 h6 23.Re2 Bd7 24.Qe1 Kh7 25.Na4 Bxh3 26.Qf1 Qg4 27.Nxc5 Bxg2 28.Qxg2 Qf4 29.Qg3 Qc1+ 30.Re1 Qxc2 31.Qxc7 Qxc5 32.Qxf7 Qb4 33.Qd7 Qf4 34.Qh3 Bxb2 35.Qg3 Qb4 36.d4 Bc3 37.Re6 Qb1+ 38.Kg2 Kg8 39.Re7 Qh7 40.Qb8# 1-0

(35) Li,Katherine (703) - Revi,Frank (1376) [B40]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.43), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 e6 4.d3 Be7 5.g3 b6 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.0-0 a6 8.a3 Qc7 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nf6 11.Nxc6 Bxc6 12.Qe2 0-0 13.b4 d6 14.Bb2 Rae8 15.a4 b5 16.axb5 axb5 17.Nxb5 Bxb5 18.Qxb5 e5?? [18...Qxc2] 19.c3 Rb8 20.Qa5 Qc4 21.Rfe1 Qb3 22.Qa2 Qc2 23.Qb1 Qd2 24.Qc1 Qd3 25.Bf1 Qf3 26.Bg2 Qg4 27.Qd1 Qe6 28.Qd3 Rfd8 29.Rad1 Qb3 30.Rd2 Ra8 31.f4 Ra2 32.Ree2 Qa4 33.fxe5 Qa7+ [33...dxe5] 34.Qd4 Nd7 35.Qxa7 Rxa7 36.exd6 Bf6 37.e5 Nxe5 38.c4 Nxc4 39.Bxf6 gxf6 40.Rd4 Ne5 41.b5 Ra1+ 42.Kf2 Rb1 43.Bc6 Rb3 44.Red2 Rc3 45.Bb7 Rd7 46.Bc6? Nxc6 47.bxc6 Rxc6 48.Ke3 f5 49.Kf4 Kg7 50.Kxf5 Rc5+

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd5_1053
51.Rd5? Rc3? [51...Rxd6!=] 52.g4 Rf3+ 53.Ke4 Rf6 54.g5 Rg6 55.Kf5 h6 56.gxh6+ [56.h4!] 56...Kxh6 [56...Rxh6] 57.R2d4 Kg7 58.Ke4 Re6+ 59.Kd3 f6 60.Kc4 Re5?! [60...Kf7] 61.Rxe5 fxe5 62.Rd5 Kf6 63.Kc5 e4 64.Kc6 Ke6 65.h4 e3 66.Rd3 Rxd6+ 67.Rxd6+ Ke5 68.Rd1 Ke4 69.h5 Kf3 70.Rd3 Kg4 71.h6 e2 72.Re3 Kg5 73.h7 1-0

 

(36) Bayaraa,Timothy (1084) - Sullivan,George (841) [B45]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.44), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 e6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 e5? 6.Nxc6?! bxc6 7.Bc4 Nf6 8.f4 Qa5 9.a3 d6 10.b4 Qc7 11.fxe5 dxe5 12.0-0 Be7 13.b5 0-0 14.Qf3 Bb7 15.bxc6 Bxc6 16.Bg5 Bxe4 17.Nxe4 Qxc4 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Nxf6+ gxf6 20.Qxf6 Qxc2 21.Rf5 Qc5+ 22.Kh1 a5 23.Rg5# 1-0

(37) Serra,Owen (1036) - North,Jeff James [B51]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.45), 19.11.2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Bd7 5.a4 a6 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.d3 e6 8.Bg5 Nb4 9.0-0 Be7 10.Qd2 Bc6 11.Rfe1 0-0 12.Re2 b5 13.Bb3 Qb6 14.Rae1 Bd8 15.Re3 Ng4 16.R3e2 Bc7 17.Qf4 Ne5 18.Qg3 Ng6 19.Re3 d5 20.e5 d4 21.R3e2 dxc3 22.bxc3 Nd5 23.axb5 axb5 24.c4 Ra3 25.Re4 Nc3 26.Rg4 f5 27.exf6 Bxg3 28.fxg3 gxf6 29.Bh6 Re8 30.Nh4 Kf7 31.Rf1 Rg8 32.Bg5 Ke7 33.Bxf6+ Kd7 34.Bxc3 Qb7 35.Rf7+ Ne7 36.Rxg8 Ra8 37.Rgg7 Re8 38.Rxh7 Kd6 39.Bf6 Bd7 40.Bxe7+ Kc6 41.Bg5 Qc7 42.Bf4 e5 43.Be3 Rd8 44.Rh6+ Kb7 45.cxb5 Qa5 46.Bd5+ Kb8 47.Bxc5 Qe1+ 48.Rf1 Qe2 49.b6 Qxc2 50.Bd6+ 1-0

(38) Ballantyne,Andrew (785) - Capdeville,Barry (1226) [C41]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (5.46), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 d6 4.Bc4 Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 c5 8.Nf3 Nbd7 9.Bg5 Re8 10.Re1 Nf8 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qxd8 Bxd8 13.Nxe5 Be6 14.Bb5 N6d7 15.Bf4 a6 16.Ba4 b5 17.Nxb5 axb5 18.Bxb5 Ra7 19.Bg5 f6 20.Bxf6 Nxf6 21.Nc6 Rc7 22.Ne5 c4 23.c3 Clearly both scoresheets are off. WHITE WON ON TIME around move 86. 1-0

(39) Uzzaman,Ashik (1935) - Gaffagan,Steven (2040) [B02]
Mechanics' Fall TNM; Extra Rated San Francisco (5.2), 19.11.2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.f4 a6 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.g3 d5 6.Bg2 Nf6 7.e5 Nd7 8.0-0 Be7 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nxd4 11.Kh1 Nc6 12.f5 Ndxe5 13.fxe6 Bxe6 14.Bf4 0-0 15.Qe1 Ng6 16.Bd2 Nd4 17.Rc1 Rc8 18.a3 b5 19.Be3 Bf6 20.Qd2 Nf5 21.Bg1 Bg5 0-1

(40) Tamondong,Cesar (1600) - Kaplan,Glenn (1668) [E70]
Mechanics' Fall TNM; Extra Rated San Francisco (5.7), 19.11.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 g6 4.e4 Bg7 5.Bd3 0-0 6.Nge2 Nbd7 7.f3 c5 8.d5 a6 9.a4 Ne5 10.0-0 Ne8 11.f4 Nxd3 12.Qxd3 f5 13.Ng3 fxe4 14.Ngxe4 Bf5 15.Qe2 Nf6 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.g4 Bd7 18.Bd2 Qc8 19.h3 b5 20.axb5 axb5 21.Rxa8 Qxa8 22.cxb5 Rb8 23.f5 Qb7 24.fxg6 hxg6 25.Qe4 Kg7 26.Qf4 g5 27.Qe4 Bxb5 28.Rf3 Be8 29.h4 Bg6 30.Qe1 gxh4 31.g5 Be5 32.Bc1 Rh8 33.Bf4 Bd4+ 34.Be3 Qd7 35.Rf4 h3 36.Bxd4+ cxd4 37.Rxd4 h2+ 38.Kh1 Qe8 39.Rf4 Bf7 40.Qe3 Qa8 41.Qd4+ Kg8 42.Rf1 Qa6 43.Qf2 Bg6 44.Qf8+ Kh7 45.Qxe7+ Bf7 46.Qxf7# 1-0

(41) Tomasi,Christopher - Gimelfarb,Natan (1118) [A40]
Mechanics' Fall TNM; Extra Rated San Francisco (5.41), 19.11.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bb4 4.Bd2 exd4 5.Nb5 Bc5 6.Bf4 Bb6 7.Nbxd4 Qe7 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.e3 Qb4+ 10.c3 Qxb2 11.Qc1 Qxc1+ 12.Rxc1 Rb8 13.Rb1 Bb7 14.Be2 Ba5 15.Be5 Ne7 16.Ba6 Bb6 17.Bxb7 Ba5 18.0-0 Bb6 19.Ba6 0-0 20.Bc4 Kh8 21.Bb3 f6 22.Bg3 Nd5 23.c4 Nc3 24.Rb2 Bc5 25.Bxc7 and White won... 1-0, 47. 1-0

 

 

 

 

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