Gens Una Sumus!
Newsletter #904
Feb 7, 2020
By Abel Talamantez
Table of Contents
- Max Wilkerson Memorial TNM
- Botvinik/Falconer Award
- Gross Memorial Report
- FM Paul Whitehead's Column
- TD Corner
- Tony's Teaser
- Scholastic Chess
- GM Nick de Firmian's Column
- TNM Games
- Submit your piece or feedback
2020 Max Wilkerson Memorial TNM Round 4
Round 4 Restart Brings The Action, Exciting Games and Dramatic Finishes Highlight Great Evening of Chess
Round 4 of the Tuesday Night Marathon was played this week on an evening that saw an awards ceremony prior to the start that honored IM John Donaldson and IM Christopher Yoo. More is written about this in the next article, but it set up an exciting evening of chess that was brought to life by this week's commentary team of FM Paul Whitehead, FM Jim Eade and IM Christopher Yoo, who stayed after the awards ceremony to help with commentary.
NM Ruiyang Yan and Kristian Clemens
In the championship section, it was a battle of the best as FM Kyron Griffith played FM Josiah Stearman in a duel of the top two seeds. In a game that brought positional excitement and small advantage swings both ways, the players ultimately played to a draw in a game where both looked to find a win.
Battle of the top 2 boards
IM Elliott Winslow was able to come back from certain defeat to swindle a win away from David Askin. Crucial errors in the endgame gave the opening Elliott needed to take advantage, and he now sits on top of the leaderboard with Stearman at 3.5/4. The "kids" also came through with big wins this week. Ruiyang Yan, Ethan Boldi and Nicholas Weng all won their games and sit at 3/4 along with Griffith.
In the A/B section, Bruce Ricard continues to play quality chess, as he sits alone on top with a perfect 4/4 after defeating Rudolph Breedt. Mechanics' regulars Adam Mercado and Bob Drane are close behind at 3.5/4 and will put forth some resistance in the coming weeks.
Club regulars deep in thought during round 4
Despite 49 players in the under 1600 section, 4 weeks of play has narrowed the perfect scores to just 2 players, Ilia Gimelfarb and Jahaan Ansari. They will likely meet next week in an epic showdown. Also surprising is that there is only one player at 3.5, Max Ross, with many formidable players at 3/4. With 3 full weeks to go, things are far from over.
On a broadcast note, Christopher was a hit with the audience, as we had 364 unique viewers tune in to the TNM broadcast, which is our highest viewership since the Mechanics' - Marshall match. Thank you to all our loyal followers!
FM Jim Eade, IM Christopher Yoo and FM Paul Whitehead
It is never too late to join the marathon! To register, please email us: [email protected]
To watch the replay of the round: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/547035101
For a full list of standings and results from the round, click here
Check out some photos from this round: https://www.facebook.com/mechanicschess/posts/520509015236513
2019 FIDE Botvinik Award and 2019 Neil Falconer Award Presented!
It was a special evening at the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Tuesday evening, as we honored a legend and the future of American chess. Former Chess Director John Donaldson won the 2019 FIDE Botvinik Award, given to coaches and trainers and Christopher Yoo won the 2019 Neil Falconer Award, a yearly award given by the Mechanics' Institute for the highest rated played from Northern California under 18 years of age. At 13 years of age, it seems Christopher will be in the hunt for this award for many years to come!
FM Mark Pinto speaks before handing the FIDE Botvinik Award
John was gracious in accepting the award, and was given a beautiful introduction by Mechanics' Trustee FM Mark Pinto. John gave a short history of how the Captain of the U.S. Olympiad team came to be and how he was given his first opportunity. John was the Captain of the 2016 gold medal team and the 2018 silver. Congratulations to him for this lifetime achievement, and for all his contributions in advancing American chess.
Christopher Yoo is rated 2531, and that was the prize he was given in dollars. He is an IM chasing GM norms, and he mentioned he is taking a very serious approach in his studies and development in trying to earn those norms. What stands out for me is Christopher's history of generosity. Several years ago in San Jose, there was a school that had a thriving chess program, and was a low income 80% Latino community. Christopher came to the school and did a simultaneous exhibition for free, and inspired and entertained these students, and showed that chess does provide a pathway for a feeling of achievement, giving back to the community, and inspiring others to do great things. I cannot think of a finer young man to win this award and we congratulate him and his family for their sacrifice and dedication to his success, and we look forward to following his progress for many years to come.
IM Christopher Yoo accepting the 2019 Neil Falconer Award
Watch the two videos taken during the award ceremony:
IM Yoo receiving his check: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=841645769597113
FM Pinto's introduction to Botnivik Award winner, IM John Donaldson and John's acceptance speech: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=845625349219821
2020 Gross Memorial
The 20th annual Gross memorial championship attracted some of the usual folks but we also had some new folks showing up on that beautiful Saturday morning. In total there were 30 enthusiastic players in two separate sections competing for a total of $540 prize fund.
In the 1800+ section, players were ranging from 1664 to 2444 USCF. The clear winner of the section with 3.5/4 is FideMaster Thijs Laarhoven, from the Netherlands, earning a whopping $180. Tie for second place were FM Kyron Griffith, WIM Rochelle Wu and NM Abhishek Mallela with 3.0/4. Both Rochelle and Abhishek managed to pull a victory against higher rated opponents.
Last round games on the top two boards between FM Laarhoven vs Wu and Wu vs Griffith.
Notable performance was from Brian Fong, who despite playing up and being the lowest rated in this section, achieved a 2/4 and tied for 5th place with 7 other players, beating a 2100+ and drawing a 2200+, placing his performance rating well above his February supplemental rating. Watch out for him at the upcoming US Amateur Team West Championship, he’ll make a killer Board 4 player!
Brian Fong showing a very strong performance during the Gross memorial.
In the under1800 section, Alejandro Canales was the clear winner with 3.5/4 taking home the first place prize. The two way tie for second place was shared between Arjun Shankar and our regular, Mateo Hansen.
Thank you for all the players attending our 1-day weekend tournament. Detailed results are here:https://www.milibrary.org/chess-tournaments/20th-gross-memorial-tournament-g50
and the tournament rating on USCF website is here: http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlTnmtHst.php?14542170
Check out the pictures Abel took during the tournament: https://www.facebook.com/pg/mechanicschess/photos/?tab=album&album_id=518463835441031
FM Paul Whitehead's Column
Famous Chess Games You Should Know – Attack!
By FM Paul Whitehead
I am resuming where I left off in newsletter #898, discussing those essential chess games we all should familiarize ourselves with. The 3 games given below are famous attacking masterpieces with I believe one thing in common: inspiration, in the form of completely unexpected moves.
Adams with his brilliant and repeated offer of the queen, starting with 18.Qg4!
Botvinnik, and the stunning 30.Ba3!!
Finally, Nezhmetdinov with 24…Rxf4! and 26…Bg7!!
The best players seem free of restraint: unconcerned at times with the practical result, they let their imaginations and creativity take over, leaving us games that will live forever.
We move through our games like zombies sometimes, unaware of the hidden possibilities. What seems impossible… might work if we delve deeper.
The lesson here for us is not to be dogmatic, and to try and use the unexpected resources available on the chessboard.
Open your minds and give it a whirl!
(1) Edwin Ziegler Adams - Carlos Torre Repetto [C41]
New Orleans New Orleans, LA USA, 1920
This famous old game features a series of beautiful "deflection" sacrifices used against the "overloaded" black queen. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Qxd4
 |
Morphy's move, and a refreshing alternative to 4.Nxd4. White emphasizes rapid development. 4...Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.0-0 Be7
 |
Now developing with 9.Re1 or 9.Bg5 are possible, but white puts the sword in... 9.Nd5 Bxd5 10.exd5 0-0 11.Bg5 c6 12.c4 cxd5 13.cxd5 Re8 14.Rfe1 a5?!
 |
A pointless move. 14...Qd7 unites the rooks, and black should be fine. 15.Re2 Rc8 16.Rae1 Qd7 Too late! 17.Bxf6! Bxf6? Black's last chance was to hold with the miserable 17...gxf6. Now white wins with a sparkling series of moves. 18.Qg4!
 |
If now 18...Qg4 then 19.Rxe8+. Black's queen needs to stay in touch with the rook at e8, so he plays... 18...Qb5 19.Qc4!!
 |
19...Qd7 20.Qc7!!
 |
White's last 2 moves are really something! Again the black queen scurries away, but after... 20...Qb5 21.a4! Qxa4 22.Re4!
 |
... the black queen is running out of hiding places. She must return to b5, but after... 22...Qb5 23.Qxb7!
 |
...she's finally run out of moves! A brilliant game. 1-0
(2) Mikhail Botvinnik - Jose Raul Capablanca [E40]
AVRO The Netherlands, 1938
This tournament, won by Keres and Fine ahead of Botvinnik (3rd place) was Capablanca's worst. He lost 4 games and was in poor health. Yet that cannot take away from this powerful victory by the future World Champion over the former. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 d5 5.a3
 |
This is known, appropriately enough, as the Botvinnik Variation. 5...Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Bd3 0-0 9.Ne2 b6 10.0-0 Ba6
 |
A principled move: black trades the "good" white bishop. 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 12.Bb2 Qd7 13.a4 Rfe8 14.Qd3 c4
 |
This is a turning point. Black says he's going to win on the queenside. Keeping the tension in the center with 14...Nc7 is a serious alternative. 15.Qc2 Nb8 Black reroutes the knight and prepares to push the queenside pawns. 16.Rae1 Nc6 17.Ng3 Na5 18.f3 Nb3 19.e4
 |
White achieves the e4 advance, and black wins the a-pawn. We are witnessing the clash of chess ideas! 19...Qxa4 20.e5 Nd7 21.Qf2 g6 Stops Nf5 but now f4 and f5 are coming. 22.f4 f5
 |
Black tries to hold up white's attack. 23.exf6 White continues to open lines for attack. 23...Nxf6 24.f5 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 Re8
 |
Black seeks relief with exchanges. 26.Re6 Rxe6 27.fxe6 Kg7 28.Qf4 White brings the queen up for attack. 28...Qe8 Black brings his queen back for defense. 29.Qe5 Qe7
 |
How is white to make progress? Black plans the simple push of his queenside pawns. 30.Ba3!!
 |
This deflecting sacrifice, combined with white's next move, break black's defenses. 30...Qxa3 31.Nh5+! gxh5 32.Qg5+
 |
White wins the black knight. The white queen and e-pawn combine with mating threats - and the threat of promotion! 32...Kf8 33.Qxf6+ Kg8 34.e7
 |
One question remains: can black engineer a perpetual check? 34...Qc1+ 35.Kf2 Qc2+ 36.Kg3 Qd3+ 37.Kh4 The white king must march up the board. 37...Qe4+ 38.Kxh5
 |
38...Qe2+ 39.Kh4 Qe4+ 40.g4 Qe1+ 41.Kh5
 |
Black has run out of checks, and Qf8+ is coming up. An historic win by Botvinnik. 1-0
(3) Lev Polugaevsky - Rashid Nezhmetdinov [A54]
18th RSFSR-ch Sochi URS, 1958
Nezhmetdinov was an imaginative attacking player, with a plus score against Tal amongst his accomplishments. Polugaevsky used to beat him like a drum, but there's this one game... 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 e5 4.e4 exd4 5.Qxd4 Nc6
 |
The game has started a bit unusually, but pretty soon we get a fairly standard looking Kings Indian type of structure. 6.Qd2 g6 7.b3 Bg7 8.Bb2 0-0 9.Bd3 Ng4
 |
A nice active move, and combined with black's next, highlights Nezhmetdinov's creative and aggressive chess. 10.Nge2 Qh4 11.Ng3 Nge5 12.0-0 f5 13.f3 [13.f4 Ng4 14.h3 Bd4+ 15.Kh1 Qxg3 16.hxg4 Qh4#
 |
is a variation given by Nezhmetdinov.] 13...Bh6!
 |
Black swarms white on the dark squares. 14.Qd1 f4 15.Nge2 g5 16.Nd5 g4 Threatens 17...g3 and if 18.h3 Bxh3 crashing through. 17.g3 Taking the bull by the horns. 17...fxg3 18.hxg3 Qh3
 |
The white king is in danger... 19.f4 Be6! [19...Nf3+ 20.Kf2 Qh2+ 21.Ke3
 |
And white would be close to winning!] 20.Bc2 If instead 20.fxe5 Bxd5! threatens 21...Be3+. 20...Rf7! A calm move! Defends c7 and prepares to bring the a8 rook into action. 21.Kf2
 |
The king goes for a walk. 21...Qh2+ 22.Ke3 Bxd5 23.cxd5 Nb4 24.Rh1
 |
24...Rxf4!! 25.Rxh2 [If 25.Nxf4 Nxc2+ and white must give up his queen.; 25.Bxe5 Rf3+ 26.Kd4 Qf2+ 27.Kc4 Qc5# is another possibility.] 25...Rf3+ 26.Kd4 Bg7!!
 |
Black is a full queen down - and white is helpless. The main threat is 27...c5+ 28.dxc5 bxc5 and then 29...c5 mate! 27.a4 c5+ 28.dxc6 bxc6 29.Bd3
 |
The only move. White tries to disrupt the coordination of black's pieces. 29...Nexd3+ 30.Kc4 d5+ 31.exd5 cxd5+ 32.Kb5 Rb8+ 33.Ka5 Nc6+
 |
White resigns. After 34.Ka6 black mates with 34...Rb6 34...Nc5 or Ndb4. A glorious finish! 0-1
Tournament Directors' Corner
Due Color – information on the pairing sheet
Dr. Judit Sztaray, Senior TD, Fide Arbiter
Assigning colors to players can be both a straightforward and an extremely complicated process. The tournament software that TDs use nowadays can be conveniently set to display some of the information regarding the due color of each player. I often enjoy using these specifically to use opportunity to teach players how to understand pairings and color allocations.
Since turning on this function for the TNM pairing sheets, I’m getting more and more questions about: what are those letters after the players’ names, next to their rating? That is the player’s due color!
w or b – due white/black because of alternating or equalizing colors (but possible to get black/white)
W or B – due white/black because of alternating and equalizing colors (But still possible to get black/white if other player has WW/BB.)
WW or BB – Strongly recommended that player get white/black, since player played black/white two times in a row, and no player can play the same color three times (29E5f.)
So let’s review what are those above mentioned reasons one is due white or black.
Determination of the due color is guided heavily by US Chess Federation’s Rules of Chess. So first, let’s review some of the basic guiding principles:
29E. Color allocation.
“The objective in a tournament with an even number of rounds is to give white and black the same number of times to as many players as possible.” – this is quite straightforward and gives you a good idea what you can and should expect.
“in an event with an odd number of rounds, each player should receive no more than one extra white or black above an even allocation. “ – this is actually relevant for our current Wilkerson TNM, since we are having a total of 7 round!
First round is usually pretty simple: coin toss for the first board and alternating the white-black in the consecutive boards.
After the first round, the TDs have the following rules to follow:
27A4. Equalizing colors. Giving as many players as possible their due (correct or expected) color, round by round. Players receive each color the same number of times, whenever practical, and are not assigned the same color more than twice in a row. In odd-numbered rounds, the objective is to limit the excess of one color over the other to one.
27A5. Alternating colors. Players receive alternating colors whenever practical.
So What is DUE COLOR exactly?
* A player who has had an unequal number of whites and blacks is due the color that tends to equalize the number of whites and blacks.
* A player who has had an equal number of whites and blacks is due the opposite color to that he received in the most recent round.
Important: Colors assigned in games won or lost by forfeit do not count in deciding due color. A player who has played no games is due neither white nor black.
What to do if both players who are paired to play each other are due the same color? How to assign colors in a pairing?
Equalization of colors takes priority over alternation of colors.
First, as many players as possible are given the color that tends to equalize the number of times they have played white and black.
After that is accomplished, as many players as possible should be given the color opposite to that which they played in the previous round.
This means:
1. If one player has had an unequal number of whites and blacks, while the other has had equal colors, the player who has had unequal colors gets due color. Example: WBW gets black over BxW, where x denotes any unplayed game—full-point bye, half-point bye, forfeit win, forfeit loss, etc.
2. If both players have had an unequal number of whites and blacks, the player with the greater total color imbalance gets due color. Example: WWBW gets black over xWBW.
Then it gets a bit trickier and we have to dig a bit deeper in the players' color allocation in previous rounds:
3. If both players have had an equal number of whites and blacks, or both are equally out of balance, and if they had opposite colors in the previous round, the players should be given colors opposite to that which they played in the previous round. Example: WWB gets white over WBW.
4. If both players have had an equal number of whites and blacks, or both are equally out of balance, and if they had different colors in one or more prior rounds, priority for assigning color should be based on the latest round in which their colors differed. One or both players should be assigned the color opposite to that which they played in that round. Example 1: WBWB gets white over BWWB, because the first player had black in round two, the latest round in which colors differed. Example 2: BWxBW gets white over BWBxW, because the first player had black and the second had no color in round 4, the latest round in which colors differed.
5. If both players have had the same color sequence, the higher-ranked player gets due color. The higher-ranked player is the player with the higher score. If the players have the same score, the higher-ranked player is the higher-rated (rank is defined in 29A). Note: Rule 5 takes effect only if rules 1-4 do not decide the issue. Unless the players have had identical color sequences, rules 1-4 should be used.
Hope this article will help players understand the process how the color allocations are determined and next Tuesday it'll help YOU read the information on the pairing sheet about your due color!
Interested in reading more? Dig into the US Chess Federation - Rules of Chess online, or get your copy of the book today!
Any questions, or feedback, my inbox is always open: [email protected]
Tony's Teasers
Last week's problem:
White to move and mate in 3. H. D'O Bernard, 1930
Solution: 1. Kg2!! Qd8 2. Bc5 Qd4 3.Na5#
This week's problem:
V. Schirdewan 1932 Mate in 3
Scholastic Chess
This weekend
Kids Swiss tournament - Saturday, February 8 @ 10AM
3 sections: 700+, 400-699, and under400
First round: 10AM and then rolling schedule
Prizes: Trophies to Top 5 trophies, medals to all others!
Ideal for new tournament players - notation and use of clock is not necessary!
More information - Register
NEXT WEEKEND:
2020 US Amateur Team West Nationals - Kids Championship
Saturday, February 15, 2020 @ Hyatt Regency Burlingame
Fun Saturday to play together with many other kids, enjoy chess and learn how to form teams, and play in a team tournament!
No prior tournament experience necessary, and register as an individual, and we'll help form teams!
Trophies to selected Top finishers and medals to everyone else!
BE A PART OF A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND!
Any questions? Email to [email protected] and we'll get back to you very soon!
Save the Date - FREE EVENT - Register online for $0 to secure your spot!
2020 San Francisco Scholastic Championship
Saturday, March 28, 2020 @ Golden Gate Park
Information - Registration - Flyer
GM Nick de Firmian's Column
Practical Openings 3:
The Vienna Game – 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3
We call an opening “practical” when it is easy to learn and gives you good chances, or at least reasonable chances entering the middle game. There is also often the surprise value of a lesser played opening. You will know the important variations, but your opponent may not as he/she usually concentrate on the most popular variations. The Vienna Game has the “quiet” second move 2. Nc3 which doesn’t threaten the black e pawn, so leaves Black with more choice. That can also be a practical advantage since it is easy for your opponent to play if their move is forced.
White’s 2. Nc3 has options over 2. Nf3 in that there is still the pawn break f2-f4 (a la King’s Gambit) or the white queen can come out to f3 or h5 with early threats. Black has defenses if played correctly, yet even then White may be very comfortable with the opening position. The Vienna Game was a weapon for older champions Alekhine, Chigorin and others, but also used by Anand in modern times and in quick games by several of the world’s top players.
(1) White - Black [C25]
Vienna Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Diagram
 |
The defining move of the Vienna Game. It is a logical developing move and so can't be bad. There could well be a resurgence to popularity as some point if someone like Magnus would take on this opening. 2...Nf6 This is Black's most popular reply. Other moves will be considered in our 3rd example. 3.Bc4 This is the main line, which can lead to complications. I suggest one learn this one involved variation if you wish to play the Vienna. Those who wish to avoid any study could play [3.g3 d5 4.exd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bd6 7.Nf3 0-0 8.0-0 with activity for White, though objectively a level position.] 3...Nxe4 Diagram
 |
This is the main line, playing for the fork trick. The calmer 3...Nc6 is considered in the next example. 4.Qh5 [4.Nxe4?! d5 wins the piece back with a slight edge.] 4...Nd6 Defending mate on f7 and threating the c4 bishop. The downside is that the black d-pawn is blocked slowing development. Thus White gets good compensation for the pawn sacrificed. 5.Bb3 [5.Qxe5+ Qe7 is just equal] 5...Nc6 6.Nb5 Attacking the knight on d6 which defends the mate on f7. 6...g6 7.Qf3 f5 8.Qd5 Diagram
 |
8...Qe7 Black must part with material to stop mate on f7. In return he/she gets more development and the pawn center. 9.Nxc7+ Kd8 10.Nxa8 b6 11.Qf3 Bb7 Diagram
 |
White must deal with ...Nd4 coming, but can do that with Qh3. Black has some initiative he is down a whole exchange. 12.d3 Nd4 13.Qh3 Bxa8 Now with 14. c3 or 14. Ne2 White has material and Black must justify it. If this defensive position with extra material is not to your taste, then choose the simpler line with 3. g3. *
(2) White - Black [C30]
Vienna Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 Diagram
 |
This position could also arise by 2...Nf6 and 3...Nc6 (the choice of players who don't like the complications of example 1). 4.d3 Bb4 [4...Na5 5.Nge2 Nxc4 6.dxc4 Bc5 7.0-0 c6 8.Qd3 d6 9.b3 Leaves White with a firmer grip on the central squares.; 4...Bc5 5.Bg5 is reasonable] 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.Nge2 Diagram
 |
7...Na5 Black will have to deal with Nd5 coming soon (after 0-0), so tries to cover that outpost with the c-pawn. 8.0-0 c6 9.a3 Bxc3 10.Nxc3 Nxc4 11.dxc4 d6 12.Qd3 Diagram
 |
White has a more comfortable game with pressure on the d file. The advantage is not so great, but pleasant. *
(3) White - Black [C25]
Vienna Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 Diagram
 |
4.Qg4 Black has chosen symmetrical play, yet cannot copy anymore. 4...g6 5.Qf3 Nf6 6.Nge2 It is important to cover the d4 square. It could be disaster if the black knight were able to jump in. 6...d6 7.d3 Bg4 8.Qg3 Diagram
 |
White has played very crude, direct moves yet has the advantage. e.g. 8...h6 9.f4 Bxe2 10.Nxe2 With the more potent possiblities. *
(4) Jacques Mieses - Mikhail Chigorin [C25]
Ostend Ostend BEL (3), 07.06.1906
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Qg4! Qf6?! Diagram
 |
Better to play 4...g6 as in example 3. 5.Nd5! Qxf2+ 6.Kd1 Kf8 7.Nh3 Qd4 8.d3 Threatening to trap the black queen with 8. c3. 8...d6 9.Qh4 Bxh3 10.Qxh3 White has great play for the pawn with the rook coming to f1 to target f7, and the precarious position of the black queen. 10...Na5 11.Rf1 Nxc4 Diagram
 |
12.Qd7! f6 13.Nxf6! Diagram
 |
13...Qf2 [There is no escape now. Black gets mated after 13...gxf6 14.Rxf6+ Nxf6 15.Bh6+ Kg8 16.Qg7#; 13...Nxb2+ 14.Ke2 doesn't help] 14.Rxf2 Bxf2 15.Nh5 1-0
(5) Alexander Alekhine - Max Euwe [C27]
Alekhine - Euwe World Championship Matc Various Locations NED (27), 06.12.1935
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 The Vienna Game was respected in the previous century and used even in the most important games. It could well be due for a revival. 2...Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Qh5 Nd6 5.Bb3 Be7 6.Nf3 Diagram
 |
[6.Nb5?! g6 7.Qxe5 0-0 just leaves Black with better development] 6...Nc6 7.Nxe5 Nxe5 8.Qxe5 0-0 9.Nd5 Re8 10.0-0 Bf8?! 10...Bg5 is a little more active. 11.Qf4 c6 12.Ne3 Qa5 13.d4 Qh5 14.c3 Ne4 15.f3 Ng5 16.d5 Diagram
 |
White has a small but certain advantage out of the opening. More space and better piece placement. 16...cxd5 17.Nxd5 Ne6 18.Qg4 Qg6 [18...Qxg4 19.fxg4 is a more pleasant ending for White.] 19.Be3 b6 20.Rad1 Bb7 21.Qxg6 hxg6 22.Rfe1 Rac8 23.Kf2 Diagram
 |
This is a World Championship game where the defence is very high quality. Alekhine squeezes the position just as Karpov and Carlsen today does. Black is under pressure with the isolated d-pawn and the white pieces all on good squares. 23...Bc5 24.Bxc5! Bxd5!? [24...bxc5 25.Ba4 Bc6 26.Bxc6 Rxc6 27.Ne3 is very nice for White, but perhaps better than the game continuation.] 25.Bxd5 Nxc5 26.Rxe8+ Rxe8 27.b4 Ne6 28.Bxe6!? liquidating into a better rook ending. 28. Bb7 was also reasonable. 28...dxe6 29.Rd7 Rc8 30.Rxa7 Rxc3 31.Ra8+ Kh7 32.a4 Rb3 33.b5 g5 34.Ke2 e5? [34...Rb2+ 35.Kd3 Rxg2 36.Ra6 Ra2 37.Rxb6 Rxa4 38.Ra6 Rb4 39.b6 Kg6 40.Kc3 Rb1 41.Kc4 and the dangerous b-pawn may win the rook, yet at least Black will have counterchances with kingside play. The game move goes to a quiet death.] 35.Kd2 f6 36.Kc2 Rb4 37.Kc3 Rd4 38.Ra6 Kg6 39.Rxb6 Rxa4 40.Ra6 Rd4 41.b6 Diagram
 |
The powerful b-pawn simply wins the black rook and any counterplay is too slow. Euwe resigned. 1-0
(6) Garry Kasparov (2812) - Fabiano Caruana (2795) [C28]
Ultimate Blitz Challenge St. Louis, MO USA (9.1), 28.04.2016
This was only a blitz game, but worth seeing as it is between two of the world's greatest players. 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.f4 d6 6.Nf3 exf4 7.Bxf4 0-0 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 Be6 10.Bb3 Nd4 11.Rf1 Nxf3+?! [11...Bg4 12.Qd2? Nxe4! 13.Bxd8 Nxd2] 12.Qxf3 Bd4 13.Ne2! Bxb2 14.Rb1 Ba3 15.Nf4 Bb4+ Diagram
 |
16.Ke2! Bg4 17.Qxg4 Nxg4 18.Bxd8 Raxd8?! [18...Rfxd8] 19.Ng6 winning the exchange 19...Bc5 20.Nxf8 Rxf8 21.h3 Nf6 22.c3 Bb6 23.Rf5 Re8 24.Rbf1 c6 25.Kd2 Re7 26.g4 d5? giving up this pawn makes it a definite endgame win 27.exd5 cxd5 28.Bxd5 Be3+ 29.Kd1 Bg5 30.Bb3 b6 31.Re1 Rc7 32.Kc2 g6 33.Rfe5 Kf8 34.Rf1 Kg7 35.d4 Bh4 36.Kd3 Bg3 37.Re3 Bh4 38.a4 Nh7 39.a5 Ng5 40.axb6 axb6 41.Bc4 Ra7 42.Rb1 Rb7 43.Rb5 Bf2 44.Re8 Nxh3 45.Ke2 Bh4 46.Kf3 Ng5+ 47.Kg2 Rc7 48.Rb4 Nh7 49.Kf3 Bf6 50.Ke2 Be7 51.Ra4 Nf6 52.Rb8 Nxg4 53.Rxb6 h5 54.Rba6 h4 55.Ra7 Rxa7 56.Rxa7 Kf6 57.Bd5 Nh6 58.c4 Nf5 59.Kd3 g5 60.c5 g4 61.c6 Bd6 62.Rxf7+ Kg5 63.c7 Bxc7 64.Rxc7 h3 65.Rh7 Nh4 66.Be6 Ng6 67.Rg7 h2 68.Bd5 Kf6 69.Rxg6+ 1-0
2020 Wilkerson Memorial TNM Games Round 4
Annotations by GM Nick de Firmian
(1) Griffith,Kyron Waykuan (2434) - Stearman,Josiah Paul (2445) [B33]
Wilkerson TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (4.1), 04.02.2020
[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.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 f5 Josiah has taken on some serious openings lately. 11.g3 Rare these days, but it has been difficult to meet in the past. 11...Bg7 12.Bg2 f4!? 13.c3 0-0 14.Qh5 [14.Nc2 a5 15.Qh5 (15.0-0; 15.a3) 15...b4 (15...Ne7 0-1 (36) Okara,A (2380)-Parginos,V (2196) Chalkida 2009 CBM 131 Extra [Grivas,E]) 16.0-0 bxc3 17.bxc3 Ne7 18.gxf4 Nxd5 19.exd5 exf4 20.Nd4 h6 21.Nf5 Bxf5 22.Qxf5 Qg5 0-1 (43) with some similar motifs to the game. 0-1 43, Potapov,P (2479)-Kovalev,V (2636) Sochi 2017.] 14...Ne7 15.Nxe7+ Qxe7 16.Nc2
 |
16...h6N [Of course more to the point is 16...a5 17.0-0 Be6 (17...Bb7 18.Rad1?! (18.Rfd1 Rfd8 19.gxf4 exf4 20.Nd4+/= .) 18...Kh8 (18...Qe6! 19.b3 a4~~) 19.Qe2 f5?! (19...Rab8~~) 20.Rd3?! 0-1 (36) Okara,A (2380)-Parginos,V (2196) Chalkida 2009 CBM 131 Extra [Grivas,E] (20.exf5! e4 21.Nd4 b4 22.Rfe1 d5 23.c4 Qf7! 24.f3!+/= .) ) 18.gxf4 exf4 19.Nd4 Rac8 20.Nf5 Bxf5 21.Qxf5 Be5 22.Rad1 Kh8 23.Kh1 b4 24.cxb4 axb4 25.Rd3 Rc5 26.Rg1 Rg8 27.Bh3 Rg6 28.Qh5 Bd4 29.Qf3 Qe5 30.Rgd1 Bxb2 31.Bf5 Rh6 32.Rd5 1-0 (42) Sochacki,C (2414) -Sanchez,J (2533) Haguenau 2013] 17.Rd1 [17.0-0-0!] 17...Be6 18.Nb4
 |
18...Qg5!? 19.Qxg5 hxg5 20.Rxd6 White has won a pawn, but Black retains the two bishops and pressure. 20...Rfd8 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.Nxa6 Bxa2 23.Bf1 Bb3 24.Be2 Bf8 25.gxf4 exf4 [25...gxf4=] 26.Rg1 f6 27.h4
 |
[27.f3+/=] 27...f3! 28.Bxf3 Nothing else 28...Ra8 29.hxg5?! [29.Bd1 Bxd1 30.Kxd1 Rxa6 31.Kc2 when it's going to be hard to keep any pawns on the board. (But who wants to defend R+B v R??)] 29...Rxa6 30.gxf6+ Kh7! 31.Kf1 Bc4+ 32.Kg2 Rxf6 33.Bg4 Ra6 34.Kf3 Bg7 35.Bf5+ Kg8 36.Ke3 Kf7 37.Rb1 Rd6 38.b3 Be6 39.Bxe6+ Kxe6 40.Rc1 Ra6 41.b4 Rc6 42.Kd3 Bh6 43.Rh1 Bg7 44.Rc1 Ke5 45.c4 Rd6+ 46.Ke2 Bh6 47.Rc2 Rd4 48.cxb5 Rxb4 49.Kf3 Rxb5 50.Rc4 Bd2 51.Kg4 Rb8 52.Kf3 Bb4 53.Ke3 Bd6 54.f4+ Ke6 55.e5 Be7 56.Ke4 Rb1 57.f5+ Kf7 58.Rc7 Re1+ 59.Kd5 Rd1+ 60.Ke4 1/2-1/2
(2) Askin,David Benjamin (2027) - Winslow,Elliott C (2223) [E94]
Wilkerson TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (4.2), 04.02.2020
[Winslow,Elliott]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 [7.d5 Nbd7 0-1 (65) Gligoric,S-Fischer,R Siegen 1970] 7...Nbd7 8.d5 Nc5 9.Qc2 a5 10.Bg5 h6 11.Be3 [11.Bh4] 11...Ne8 [11...Ng4 12.Bxc5 dxc5 13.h3 Nf6 14.Nxe5 Nxd5 15.cxd5 Bxe5 16.f4 Bd4+ 17.Kh1 Qh4 18.Qd3 0-1 (65) Gligoric, S-Fischer,R Siegen 1970; 11...b6!] 12.Nd2 f5 13.f3 f4 14.Bf2 Bd7 15.b3 Bf6 16.a3 Na6 17.Rab1 Bh4 18.b4 Bxf2+ 19.Rxf2 axb4 20.axb4 g5 [20...Qe7!?] 21.c5 dxc5 22.Bxa6 bxa6 23.bxc5 White's attack is way ahead of Black's. 23...h5 24.Na2 g4 25.Nb4 g3 26.Re2 Qh4 27.h3 The old saw is that Black needs his light-squared bishop to break through in this sort of blocked pawn situation on the kingside -- but that doesn't mean he can when he does have it. I didn't see any way forward. 27...Nf6 28.Nd3 Rfe8 29.Qc3 Bb5 30.Nc4 Rab8 31.Ree1 Nd7 32.c6 Nb6 33.Nxb6 Rxb6 34.Nc5 Rbb8 [Played against 34...Qe7 35.Nd7] But I overlooked that 35.Ne6! is a double attack. I felt compelled to give up the exchange to keep some sort of play. He shows that it's a mirage. 35...Rxe6 36.dxe6 Qf6 37.Qb3 Re8 38.Red1 Qxe6 39.Qxe6+ Rxe6 40.Rd8+ Kf7 41.Rd7+ Re7 42.Rc1! Ke8 43.Rc5 Rxd7 44.cxd7+ Kxd7 45.Rxe5 Kd6 46.Rd5+ Kc6 47.Rxh5 a5 48.Rd5 a4 49.Rd1 Bc4 50.h4 Bf7 Letting his king into the game 51.Kf1 Kb5 52.Ke1 [52.h5!] 52...a3 53.Kd2 Kb4 54.Kc1 [54.Rb1+ Kc4 55.Kc2] 54...c5 55.Rd7 Bh5 56.Rb7+ Kc3
 |
57.e5?? "Passed pawns must be pushed." (Mednis) [57.Ra7 Kd3 58.Rxa3+ Ke2 59.Ra2+ Kf1 60.Rd2] 57...Bxf3 Quite suddenly Black is winning. 58.gxf3 a2 59.Ra7 g2 60.Ra3+ Kb4 61.Kb2 g1Q 62.Rxa2 Qf2+ 63.Kb1 Qe1+ 64.Kb2 Qxe5+ 65.Kb1 Qe1+ 66.Kb2 Qd2+ 67.Kb1 Qd1+ 68.Kb2 c4 0-1
(3) Yan,Ruiyang (2221) - Clemens,Kristian (2019) [C42]
Wilkerson TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (4.3), 04.02.2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.d4 Be7 7.Bd3 Bg4 8.0-0 0-0 9.h3 Bh5 10.Bf4 Nbd7 11.Re1 c6 12.Be2 Re8 13.d5 c5 14.Nd2 Bxe2 15.Qxe2 Bf8 16.Qd3 a6 17.a4 b6 18.Nc4 Rxe1+ 19.Rxe1 Ne8 20.Ne4 b5 21.axb5 axb5 22.Ncxd6 Nxd6 23.Nxd6 Nf6 24.Nxb5 Qxd5 25.Qxd5 Nxd5 26.Bd6 Nb4 27.Re2 g6 28.Re5 Nxc2 29.Rxc5 Nb4 30.Rc4 Nd3 31.b4 Bxd6 32.Nxd6 Rd8 33.Ne4 Rb8 34.Nf6+ Kg7 35.Nd5 Rd8 36.Nc3 Nb2 37.Rc7 Rd4 38.b5 Rb4 39.g3 Nc4 40.Kg2 h5 41.h4 Nd6 42.Rd7 Nc4 43.Rd4 Kf6 44.Nd5+ Ke5 45.Nxb4 Kxd4 46.Nc6+ Kc5 47.Kf3 Nd6 48.Kf4 Nxb5 49.Nd8 Nd6 50.Ke5 f5 51.Ne6+ Kc6 52.Nf8 Ne4 53.Nxg6 Nxf2 54.Kxf5 Kd7 55.Nf4 Ke7 56.Nxh5 Kf7 57.Nf4 Kg7 58.g4 Nd1 59.Nd5 Nf2 60.g5 Nd3 61.h5 Nc5 62.h6+ Kh7 63.Nf6+ Kh8 64.g6 Ne6 65.Ne8 Nd8 66.g7+ 1-0
(4) Weng,Nicholas (1864) - Walder,Michael (2124) [B87]
Wilkerson TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (4.4), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.0-0 [7.Bb3 b5 (This move order sets up queenside castling and other excitement, but it does allow 7...Nbd7!? 8.Bxe6? now? No thanks.) 8.Bg5 Be7 9.Qf3 Qc7 10.e5 Bb7 11.exd6 Bxd6 12.Qe3 Bc5 13.0-0-0 Nc6 14.Qxe6+ Did Karjakin actually fall out of his chair when Ivanchuk came up with this move? 14...fxe6 15.Nxe6 Qe5 16.Nxg7+ Kf8 17.Ne6+ Kf7 18.Rhe1 1-0 (49) Ivanchuk,V (2751)-Karjakin,S (2732) Melody Amber (rapid), Nice 2008] 7...b5 [7...Nbd7 supposedly encourages 8.Bxe6 fxe6 9.Nxe6 but it's hardly certain what's happening here either.; 7...Be7 8.Bb3 0-0 9.f4 1/2-1/2 (23) De Firmian,N (2575) -Ivanchuk,V (2730) Amsterdam 1996] 8.Bb3 Be7 9.f4 People still sometimes venture the classic attacks with e5, but for quite a while the main lines have been in the Qf3 lines. [9.Qf3 Qc7 (9...Qb6 10.Be3 Qb7) 10.Qg3 probably thanks to a lot of games by and against Kasparov and Gelfand and even Kasparov vs. Gelfand!)] 9...0-0 10.e5 [10.f5 b4!] 10...dxe5 11.fxe5 Nfd7 12.Qh5 [12.Be3!? Nxe5 13.Qh5 Nc4 14.Bxc4 bxc4 15.Rad1 Qc7 16.Rf3 g6 17.Qh6 f6 18.Rdf1 e5 19.Rg3 Bd8 20.Nf3 Nc6 21.Bc5 Be7 22.Rxg6+ hxg6 23.Qxg6+ Kh8 1/2-1/2 (23) De Firmian,N (2575)-Ivanchuk,V (2730) Amsterdam 1996] 12...Nc6 Everything has been tried here for Black, but this is one of the more stable moves. 13.Nxc6 Qb6+ 14.Be3!? Qxc6 15.Rad1?!N [15.Rf3 is the most common move; A recent game: 15.Kh1 Bb7 16.Rf3 Nc5 17.Rg1 g6 18.Qh6 Qxf3 19.gxf3 Bxf3+ 20.Rg2 Rad8 21.Qf4 Bb7 22.Kg1 Nxb3 23.axb3 Bxg2 24.Kxg2 Rc8 25.Qf2 Rfd8 26.Ne4 Rd5 27.Bd4 Kg7 28.c3 Rcd8 29.Nf6 Bxf6 30.Qxf6+ Kg8 31.Be3 Rd2+ 32.Kf1 Rxb2 33.Qxd8+ 1-0 (33) Burrows,M (2156)-Bliumberg,V (2253) Caleta 2019] 15...Bb7 Stopping White's shots on d5; Black is just better. 16.Rd2?! Bc5 17.Rf3
 |
17...Rad8?! [17...Qxf3! is the sort of combinative defense that so characterizes many Najdorf lines. 18.gxf3 Bxe3+ 19.Rf2 g6 and then ...Nxe5.] 18.Re2 g6?! [18...a5; 18...b4; 18...Bxe3+ 19.Rfxe3 Qb6 still looking good (19...Qc5) ] 19.Qg5 Bxe3+ 20.Rfxe3 Nc5 21.h4!? h5?! [21...a5; 21...Rd4! 22.h5 h6! 23.Qxh6 Rg4 Black gets there first. 24.hxg6 Rxg2+ 25.Kf1 fxg6+ is check 26.Ke1 b4] 22.a3 a5 23.Rg3 [23.Kh2] 23...b4 [23...Kh7!?] 24.Qxh5 At this point everything is a draw (well...) 24...Rd7? 25.Qh6! bxc3 26.h5 cxb2?
 |
[26...Qc7!? 27.Rxc3!+/- (27.hxg6 fxg6 28.Rxg6+ Rg7 29.Rxg7+ Qxg7 30.Bxe6+ Nxe6 31.Qxe6+ Kh7 32.Qh3+ Qh6 33.Qxc3 is at least a draw for Black) ] 27.hxg6 b1Q+ 28.Kh2 Rfd8 29.gxf7+ 0-1
(5) Childress,Jason (2073) - German,Felix (1895) [B01]
Wilkerson TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (4.5), 04.02.2020
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.h3 Bf5 7.Bc4 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Re1 0-0 10.Nh4 b5 11.Nxf5 exf5 12.Bd3 g6 13.Qf3 Nc6 14.Bf4 Qd7 15.d5 Nd4 16.Qg3 Nh5 17.Qh2 Nxf4 18.Qxf4 Bf6 19.a3 a5 20.Nd1 g5 21.Qg3 Rae8 22.Nc3 Rxe1+ 23.Rxe1 Re8 24.Rxe8+ Qxe8 25.Qe3 Qd7 26.Qg3 b4 27.axb4 axb4 28.Nd1 h5 29.f4 Qd6 30.c3 bxc3 31.bxc3 Nb3 32.Bc2 Nc5 33.c4 Ne4 34.Qf3 Bd4+ 35.Kh2 g4 36.Qf1 g3+ 37.Kh1 Nf2+ 38.Nxf2 gxf2 39.g3 Qa3 40.Bd3 Qc3 41.Kg2 Qd2 42.Bxf5 h4 43.Bd3 hxg3 44.Kxg3 Qe3+ 45.Kg4 Kg7 46.Qe2 Qc1 47.Qf1 Qe3 48.Qe2 f5+ 49.Kxf5 Qxh3+ 50.Qg4+ Qxg4+ 51.Kxg4 Kf6 52.Kf3 Bc5 53.Ke4 Bb6 54.Bf1 Bc5 55.Bh3 Bb6 56.Kd3 Bc5 57.Ke4 Bb6 58.Kf3 Bd4 59.Kg4 Bc5 60.Bf1 Bd4 61.Kh5 Kf5 62.Kh4 Kxf4 63.Kh3 Ke3 64.Kg2 1/2-1/2
(6) Boldi,Ethan [Kazanjian] (2090) - Kuczek,Kevin W (1982) [A85]
Wilkerson TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (4.6), 04.02.2020
1.Nf3 f5 2.c4 e6 3.d4 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.e3 b6 6.d5 e5 7.Qc2 Be7 8.e4 0-0 9.exf5 e4 10.Nd4 Ng4 11.Qxe4 Nf6 12.Qc2 Na6 13.a3 Ng4 14.Be2 Ne5 15.0-0 Bf6 16.Ne6 Bxe6 17.fxe6 c6 18.f4 Ng6 19.Bd3 Bd4+ 20.Kh1 Qh4 21.Bxg6 hxg6 22.Ne4 cxd5 23.cxd5 Nc5 24.Nxc5 bxc5 25.Qxg6 Rf6 26.Qd3 Rh6 27.h3 Rb8 28.Rb1 Qf6 29.b3 Rh5 30.f5 Rf8 31.g4 Rh4 32.Bf4 Be5 33.Bxe5 Qxe5 34.Rbe1 Qb2 35.e7 Re8 36.f6 Kf7 37.g5 g6 38.Qe3 Qe5 39.Qxe5 dxe5 40.Kg2 e4 41.d6 Reh8 42.d7 1-0
(7) Snyder,Larry (2061) - Lum,Michael K (1914) [D34]
Wilkerson TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (4.7), 04.02.2020
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 c5 4.0-0 Nc6 5.d4 e6 6.c4 Be7 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Nc3 0-0 9.Be3 c4 10.b3 Bb4 11.Qc2 Qa5 12.Bd2 Qb6 13.Na4 Qb5 14.Bxb4 Nxb4 15.Qb2 Nc6 16.Nc3 Qb6 17.e3 Bf5 18.Nd2 Ne7 19.Qa3 Rfe8 20.Rfc1 cxb3 21.Nxb3 Ne4 22.Nxe4 Bxe4 23.Bxe4 dxe4 24.Nc5 Nd5 25.Rab1 Qh6 26.Rxb7 Qh3 27.Qb3 Rad8 28.Nxe4 Kf8 1-0
(8) Ivanov,Aleksandr Yu (2174) - Heidari,Ako (1940) [C89]
Wilkerson TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (4.8), 04.02.2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.Re1 0-0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxd4 12.Qxd4 c6 13.Bxd5 cxd5 14.Be3 Be6 15.Nd2 Bf6 16.Qf4 Qb8 17.Qxb8 Rfxb8 18.a3 a5 19.Nf3 Bf5 20.Bd4 Ra6 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Nd4 Be6 23.f4 f5 24.Kf2 Rab6 25.b4 Ra8 26.Ke3 Kg7 27.h3 Kf6 28.Kf3 h5 29.g3 Bd7 30.Rab1 axb4 31.axb4 Ra3 32.Rb3 Rba6 33.Rxa3 Rxa3 34.Re3 Ra1 35.h4 Rc1 36.Ke2 Ra1 37.Kd3 Ra2 38.Re2 Ra1 39.Rd2 Ke7 40.Re2+ Kf6 41.Nc2 Rd1+ 42.Rd2 Rg1 43.Ne3 Rxg3 44.Kd4 Ke6 45.Ra2 Rh3 46.Ra6+ Ke7 47.Nxd5+ Kf8 48.Ke5 Kg7 49.Rb6 Rxh4 50.Nf6 Be6 51.Rxb5 Rh1 52.Ne8+ Kg6 53.Nc7 h4 54.Rb8 h3 55.Rg8+ Kh5 56.Kf6 Kh4 57.Nb5 Bc4 58.Nd4 Bd3 59.Nf3+ Kh5 60.Ne5 Be4 61.Rh8# 1-0
(9) Chin,Alex Paul (1814) - Persidsky,Andre (1856) [B73]
Wilkerson TNM: Extra Rated San Francisco (4.11), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 Nc6 [6...e6; 6...e5] 7.Be3 g6 8.0-0 Bg7 9.f4 0-0 10.Kh1 Qb6?! 11.Nxc6 Qxc6 12.Bf3 [12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 (and next Nd5) tries to take advantage of the early queen development.] 12...Qc4?! [12...Qc7] 13.Qd3 Qxd3 14.cxd3 Bg4?? 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Bxf3 17.exf6 Bxg2+ 18.Kxg2 exf6 19.Bd4 Rfd8 20.Bxf6 Rxd3 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Rad1 Rad8 23.Rxd3 Rxd3 24.Rd1 Rxd1 25.Nxd1 Kf6 26.Kf3 Ke5 27.Nf2 f5 28.h4 h6 29.Nh3 Kd4 30.Nf4 g5 31.Ne6+ Kd3
 |
32.Nxg5 Kc2 33.b4 Kb2 34.Nf7 [34.h5!] 34...h5 35.Nd6 b5 36.Nb7 Kxa2 37.Nc5 Ka3 38.Nxa6 1-0
(10) Melville,Cailen J (1884) - Pane,Gianluca (1927) [D17]
Wilkerson TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (4.12), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Qc7 8.g3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Bf4 Rd8? [10...Nfd7 is the main move: 11.Bg2 g5!? (11...f6) 12.Ne3!? (12.Bxe5 Nxe5 13.Qd4!?) 12...gxf4 13.Nxf5 0-0-0] 11.Qb3 [11.Qc1!+/-] 11...Nfd7 [11...Be6! 12.Bxe5 Qxe5 13.Qxb7 (13.Nxe5?! Bxb3=/+) 13...Qc5 14.Ne3 (14.Nd2 Bd5!?) 14...Bc8 15.Qb3 Be6 16.Qb7=] 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Bxe5? [13.Bg2+/=] 13...Qxe5 14.Qxb7?
 |
14...Rb8?? [14...Be4! 15.Nxe4 Qxe4 16.f3 Bb4+ 17.Kf2 Qc4-/+ Black's queen and king and the rest of the gang are quite disjointed.] 15.Qxc6+ Bd7 16.Qd5 Qxd5 17.Nxd5 Bc6 [17...Rxb2 18.Bg2 Bd6 19.e3 keeps the extra pawn with a clear advantage.] 18.Bg2 Bxd5 19.Bxd5 Rxb2 20.Bc6+! Kd8??
 |
[20...Ke7 21.Bb5 when the bishops of opposite color might actually matter, although White still has good chances to make something of the pawn.] 21.0-0-0+ Kc7 22.Kxb2 Kxc6 23.Rc1+ [23.Rd4] 23...Bc5 24.Rc2 Rb8+ 25.Ka2 Rc8?? 26.Rd1?? [26.Rxc5+ might have saved forty moves of suffering] 26...Rc7 27.e3 [27.Rxc5+ Kxc5 28.Rc1+ Kd6 29.Rxc7 Kxc7 30.Kb3 probably wins, but might as well hold off to be certain] 27...g6 28.Rd8 a6 29.Rc4 h5 30.h4 Kb6 31.Kb3 Kc6 32.Kc2 Kb6 33.Kd3 a5 34.Rb8+ Ka6 35.Rb5 Rd7+ 36.Ke2 Bb4 37.Rc6+ [37.Rbxb4 axb4 38.Rxb4 is another liquidation into a winning ending, but one or two technique slips could let Black draw.] 37...Ka7 38.Rf6 Rd2+ 39.Kf3 Rd7 40.Kf4 Re7 41.Rd5 Kb7 42.e4 Kc7 43.e5 Be1 44.Ke4 Kb7 45.Rb5+ Kc7 46.Kf3 Rd7 47.Rc5+ [47.e6! fxe6 48.Re5 busts Black up] 47...Kd8 48.Ke4 Ke7 49.Rc1 Bb4 50.f3 Kf8?! 51.Rfc6?! [51.e6!] 51...Rd2 52.R6c2 Rd7 53.f4 Rd8 54.Rc8 Rxc8 55.Rxc8+ Ke7 56.Rc7+ Ke6 57.Rc6+ Ke7 58.f5 gxf5+ 59.Kxf5 Be1 60.Kf4 [60.Rh6] 60...Bd2+ 61.Kf3 Be1 62.Rh6 Bc3 63.Rxh5 Ke6 64.Ke4 Be1 65.g4 Bg3 66.Rh6+ 1-0
(11) Jensen,Christian (1850) - Perlov,Alexander (1825) [A58]
Wilkerson TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (4.13), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 [5...e6 6.Nc3 exd5 7.Nxd5 Be7!? 8.e3 (8.g3!?) 8...0-0 9.Ne2 Nxd5 10.Qxd5 Rxa6 11.Nc3 Rd6 12.Qf3 Nc6 13.Be2 Bb7 14.0-0 Qa8 15.e4 Nd4 16.Qh5 Bxe4 17.Nxe4 Qxe4 18.Bd1 Rg6 19.Qh3 Ne2+ 20.Bxe2 Qxe2 21.a4 Bf6 22.Be3 c4 23.Qf5 Bxb2 24.Rad1 c3 25.Rxd7 Qc4 26.Qb5 Rxg2+ 27.Kxg2 1/2-1/2 (27) Nakamura,H (2787)-Dubov,D (2701) Moscow RUS 2018] 6.a7!? The danger of a little knowledge. [6.Nc3 Bg7 (6...Bxa6 7.e4 Bxf1 8.Kxf1 d6 9.Nf3 Bg7 10.g3 0-0 11.Kg2 Nbd7 12.a4!) 7.e4 (7.a7!? Rxa7 8.e4 0-0 9.Nf3 Qa5 10.Bd2) 7...0-0 (7...Qa5 8.a7! (8.Bd2 Bxa6 9.Bxa6 Qxa6 10.e5 Ng8) 8...Nxe4?? 9.axb8Q Rxb8 10.Nge2 Nxc3 11.Qd2! 1-0, Grigorian,S - Berg,K, Bundesliga Germany 2016. IMs know to resign.) 8.a7! (8.Nf3 Qa5 9.Bd3? (9.Bd2 0-1 (57) Kirszenberg,M (2132) -Vaisser,A (2505) Le Port Marly 2016; 9.Nd2 Bxa6) "allows the elegant" (Avrukh) 9...Nxd5! 10.exd5 Bxc3+ 11.Kf1?! Typical Winslow Neanderthal response. a) 11.bxc3? Qxc3+ 12.Qd2 Qxa1 13.0-0 Bxa6-+ a1) 13...Qf6?? 14.Bb2+- Qb6 15.Ba1?? (15.Bc3+-; 15.Re1+-) 15...f6= 0.00x 16.Qh6 Rf7 17.Bxg6 hxg6 18.Qxg6+ Kf8 19.Ng5 Rg7 20.Nh7+ Kg8 21.Qe8+ Kxh7 22.Qh5+ Kg8 1/2-1/2 (22) Kelecevic,N (2224)-Fuchs,J (2348) Flims 2016; a2) 13...Qg7-/+; 14.Bb2 (14.Ba3 Qg7 15.Bxc5 Bxd3 16.Qxd3 d6 17.Bd4 Qh6 18.Re1 Re8 19.Qb5 Na6 20.h3 Nc5 21.Bxc5 dxc5 22.d6 Reb8 23.Qxc5 exd6 24.Qxd6 Qf8 25.Qd5 Qd8 26.Qc4 Rb2? (26...Rb7 27.g4 Rba7) 27.Ne5-/+ Qe7 28.Re3 Rbxa2?= 29.Nxg6 Qf6 30.Nf4 Ra1+ 31.Kh2 R1a4 32.Qxa4 Rxa4 33.Re8+ Kg7 34.Nh5+ Kg6 35.Nxf6 Kxf6 36.g4 h5 37.Kg3 hxg4 38.hxg4 Ra3+ 39.f3 Kg7 1/2-1/2 (39) Halldorsson,B (2110)-Webb,L (2271) Reykjavik 2017) 14...Qxa2[] 15.Bb1!? (15.Qc3 f6 16.Ra1 Qxa1+ 17.Bxa1 Bxd3; 15.Ra1 Qb3-+ 16.Be4 d6 17.Rb1 f6 18.Bxf6 Qc4 19.Bb2 Qxe4 20.Re1 Qd3 21.Qxd3 Bxd3 22.Rxe7 Rxf3 23.gxf3 Na6 0-1 (23) Gelfand,B (2761)-Carlsen,M (2872) Zuerich 2014) 15...Qc4?? (15...Qb3 16.Re1 d6 17.Rxe7? Nd7!-+ 18.Rxd7 Rab8 (18...Qb5?? 19.h3+- Qxd7? 20.Bf6!) ) 16.Re1 f6 17.Qh6 Rf7
 |
18.Bxg6 Rg7 19.Ng5 hxg6 20.Bxf6 Qf1+ 21.Rxf1 exf6 22.Re1 fxg5 23.Re8+ Kf7 24.Qh8 Kf6 25.Rf8+ Ke5 26.Qxg7+ Kxd5 27.Qg8+ 1-0 (27) Rudd,J (2213)-Webb,L (2286) Cardiff 2016; b) 11.Bd2; c) 11.Nd2; 11...Bg7 12.h4!?-/+ and somehow Winslow won: 1-0 (89) Winslow,E (2323)-Lope,G (2101) Berkeley 2018 (12.Bd2 Qb6 13.Bc3 Bxa6 14.g3 Bxd3+ 15.Qxd3 Qa6 0-1 (52) Wei,N (1783)-Melkumyan,H (2632) London 2015) ) ] 6...Qa5+ 7.Nc3 Rxa7 8.Bd2 Bg7 9.e4 Qb6 10.e5+- Ng8 11.Nb5 Ra8 12.d6 Na6 13.Bc3?! [13.Qb3! Rb8 14.dxe7 Bxe5 15.Nf3 Bg7 16.Bf4] 13...Nh6 14.dxe7! Nf5 15.Nf3 Kxe7 16.Nd6 Nxd6 17.exd6+ Kf8 18.Ne5 [18.Bc4!] 18...Bxe5 19.Bxe5 Qb4+?! [19...Rg8] 20.Bc3 Qe4+ 21.Be2! Rg8 22.0-0 Rb8 23.Bf3 Qh4 24.g3 Qg5 25.Re1 Nb4 26.h4 Qd8 27.Re7 Bb7 28.Bxb7 Rxb7 Black resigned without waiting for 29.Qf3. 1-0
(12) Hakobyan,Sos (1818) - Lehman,Clarence E (1907) [C57]
Wilkerson TNM: 2000+ San Francisco (4.14), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5!? Known in Europe as the Traxler Counterattack, while in the US it's the Wilkes-Barre Variation. Its status remains cloudy. 5.Bxf7+! [5.Nxf7!? Bxf2+!! is quite exclting but probably has been worked out to a draw.] 5...Ke7 6.Bb3!? [6.Bd5 is the "theoretical" followup, but this move seems more natural.] 6...Rf8 7.d3 d6 8.h3 [8.Be3! gets the interest in the articles.; 8.0-0? Bg4 9.Nf3 Nd4 10.Be3 Qe8 1/2-1/2 (22) Paoli,E-Wagman,S Reggio Emilia 1965] 8...h6 9.Nf3 Qe8 A standard maneuver in this line 10.Be3N Bxe3 11.fxe3 Qg6 12.Qe2 Nh5 13.Rg1 Qg3+ 14.Qf2 Bxh3?! 15.Qxg3 Nxg3 16.Kf2+- Nxe4+ 17.dxe4 Bg4 18.Nc3 Kd7 19.Kg3! h5 20.Raf1 Rae8 21.Nh2 Be6 22.Rxf8 Rxf8 23.Bxe6+ Kxe6 24.a3 Ne7 25.Rf1 Rh8 26.Nb5 c6 27.Nc3 g5 28.Nf3 Rg8 29.Kh2 b5 30.b4 Rg7 31.g3 Ng8 32.Kg2 Nh6 33.Nh2 Rf7 34.Nf3 Rg7 35.Nh2 Rf7 36.Rxf7 Kxf7 37.Nf3 Kf6 38.Kf2 Ng8 39.Nd2 Ne7 40.Nb3 Ke6 41.Na5 Kd7 42.Nb3 Ke6 43.Nd2 Ng8 44.a4 a6 45.Nf3 Kf6 46.a5 Kg6 47.Ne2 Nf6 48.Nc3 Ne8 49.Ke2 Nc7 50.Kd3 Kf6 51.Ne2
 |
Is White finally going to proceed? Perhaps with c2-c4 and Nc3, and capture on b5...? In any case, Black decides to strike first. Fatally for him. 51...c5?! 52.bxc5 dxc5 53.Nc3 g4 54.Nh4 c4+ 55.Kd2 b4 56.Na2 b3 57.cxb3 cxb3 58.Nb4 Nb5 59.Nxa6 Na3 60.Kc3 b2 61.Kxb2 Nc4+ 62.Kc3 Nxa5 63.Nb4 [63.Kb4; 63.Nc5] 63...Nb7 64.Nd3 Nd6 65.Nc5 Nf7 66.Kc4 Ng5 67.Kd5 Nf3 68.Ng2 Kg5 69.Nd7 h4 70.gxh4+ Nxh4 71.Nxh4 Kxh4 72.Nxe5 g3 73.Nf3+ Kg4 74.Ne1 Kh3 75.e5 Kh2 76.e6 Kg1 77.Nf3+ Kf2 78.Ke4 1-0
(13) Breedt,Rudolph Frans (1882) - Ricard,Bruce (1849) [B01]
Wilkerson TNM: U2000 San Francisco (4.9), 04.02.2020
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Be2 Nc6 5.0-0 0-0-0 6.c4 Qf5 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.d4 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Nxd4 10.Bd5 e5 11.Qa4 Nxd5 12.cxd5 Bc5 13.Qc4 Bd6 14.Be3 Qg4 15.f4 Nc2 16.Bc5 Bxc5+ 17.Qxc5 Nxa1 18.Nb5 Qd7 19.d6 b6 20.Nxa7+ Kb7 21.Qxc7+ Qxc7 22.dxc7 Kxc7 23.Rxa1 Rd5 24.a4 Ra8 25.Rc1+ Kd7 26.Nb5 Rc8 27.Nc3 Rd2 28.fxe5 Rxb2 29.Rd1+ Ke6 30.Ne4 Rcc2 31.Ng5+ Kf5 32.Nf3 Rxg2+ 33.Kh1 Rgf2 0-1
(14) Davila,Carlos (2066) - Drane,Robert William (1812)
Wilkerson TNM: Extra Rated San Francisco (4.15), 04.02.2020
1-0
(15) Abraham,Renjish (1861) - Mercado,Adam (1789) [A11]
Wilkerson TNM: U2000 San Francisco (4.16), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.cxd5 exd5 4.Bg2 c6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.0-0 Bd6 7.d3 0-0 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.Qb3 Qc8 10.e4 Be6 11.Nd4! [11.e5 d4] 11...Bc5 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.Bh3+/- b6?! 14.Bg5+- Qe8 15.Rae1 [15.Bxf6! Rxf6 16.exd5 cxd5 17.Nxd5!] 15...Kh8 16.exd5?! [16.Bxf6] 16...Qh5 17.Bxf6 Qxh3
 |
18.Be5? [18.Ne4!+- Some cleverness is needed to show a win here: 18...gxf6 19.Nxc5 bxc5 20.Qb7 slips into a won major piece ending.] 18...Nd7!= [18...Rf5!=] 19.d4?! [19.dxe6; 19.dxc6] 19...Nxe5 20.Rxe5 [20.dxe5? Rf5-+] 20...Bxd4=/+
 |
21.Rxe6?? [21.Re4 Bxc3 22.Qxc3 exd5 23.Re7 Qh6=/+] 21...Rf5! 22.Ne2 Rh5 Nice turnaround Adam! 0-1
(16) Babayan,Gagik (1784) - Xu,Jayden (1712) [A22]
Wilkerson TNM: U2000 San Francisco (4.17), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 Nf6 4.e4 a6 5.a3 Bc5 6.d3 d6 7.h3 Be6 8.Nf3 h6 9.Bg2 Qd7 10.Qe2 g5 11.g4 0-0-0 12.Be3 Nd4 13.Bxd4 exd4 14.Na2 Rde8 15.0-0-0
 |
15...d5! 16.e5? [16.cxd5! Bxd5 17.Qc2! Bxa2 18.Qxc5! Rd8! 19.Kd2! (19.Qa7 Qa4! White has to be careful; 19.Kc2 Qa4+ 20.Kd2 b6) 19...Kb8 20.Ra1 Bb3 21.Rhc1 Rhe8 22.Qb4 Qb5] 16...dxc4!-/+ 17.dxc4 Qa4 [17...d3!-/+] 18.Bf1? [18.b4! Qxa3+ 19.Qb2 Qxb2+ 20.Kxb2 Ne4 21.Rhe1!+/=] 18...Qb3 19.Kb1??
 |
19...Bxc4! 20.Qxc4 Qxd1+ 21.Nc1 Qxf3 22.Qxc5 Nd7 23.Qxd4 Qxh1 24.Bc4 Rxe5 25.Bxf7 Qe4+ 26.Qxe4 Rxe4 Jayden kept a clear head in the complications! 0-1
(17) Boldi,Nicholas Armen (1754) - Kaplan,Glenn (1676) [B08]
Wilkerson TNM: U2000 San Francisco (4.18), 04.02.2020
1.e4 d6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.d4 Bg7 5.h3 0-0 6.Bd3 Nbd7 7.Bf4 c5 8.dxc5 Nxc5 9.0-0 Bd7 10.Re1 Bc6 11.Qd2 a6 12.Nd4 Nh5 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Be3 Ne6 15.Rab1 Nf6 16.Na4 Nd7 17.b4 Nc7 18.Red1 Nb5 19.Be2 Na3 20.Rb3 Nb5 21.c4 Nc7 22.Qc2 Qe8 23.c5 d5 24.Nb6 Rb8 25.exd5 Nxb6 26.cxb6 Nxd5 27.Bc5 Nxb6 28.Bxa6 Nd7 29.Be3 Nf6 30.Bc4 Rd8 31.Rxd8 Qxd8 32.a4 Nd5 33.Bc5 Qc7 34.a5 Qe5 35.a6 Qa1+ 36.Qb1 Qa4 37.Bxd5 cxd5 38.b5 Qc4 39.Bxe7 Re8 40.Bg5 Bd4 41.Be3 Bxe3 42.Rxe3 Ra8 43.Qd3 Qc1+ 44.Kh2 Qc5 45.Re2 Rb8 46.Rb2 h5 47.Qb3 h4 48.b6 Qd6+ 49.g3 hxg3+ 50.Qxg3 Rxb6 51.Qxd6 Rxd6 52.a7 Ra6 53.Rb8+ Kg7 54.a8Q Rxa8 55.Rxa8 Kf6 56.Kg3 Ke5 1-0
(18) Mays,Jerry L (1700) - Acosta,Anthony (1762) [B01]
Wilkerson TNM: U2000 San Francisco (4.19), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 d5 2.e5 Bf5 3.d4 e6 4.Nf3 h6 5.Bd3 Ne7 6.c3 c6 7.Qe2 Nd7 8.Nbd2 g5 9.h3 Bg7 10.g4 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 Ng6 12.Nb3 a5 13.Be3 a4 14.Nbd2 b5 15.Nf1 Nb6 16.Ng3 Nc4 17.Nh5 Rg8 18.0-0-0 a3 19.b4 Nb2 20.Qd2 Nxd1 21.Rxd1 Qe7 22.Nxg5 hxg5 23.Bxg5 Qf8 24.f4 Kd7 25.f5 exf5 26.gxf5
 |
26...Nxe5 27.dxe5 Bxe5 28.Qe3 Qd6 29.Kc2 f6 30.Bh4 Rg2+ 31.Rd2 Rag8 32.Qa7+ Qc7 33.Qxc7+ Kxc7 34.Bxf6 Rxd2+ 35.Kxd2 Bxf6 36.Nxf6 Rf8 37.Ng4 Rxf5 38.Kc2 Rf3 39.Kb3 Rxh3 40.Nf2 Black won shortly 0-1
(19) Casares Jr,Nick (1600) - Madhavan,Srikrishnan (1720) [C02]
Wilkerson TNM: U2000 San Francisco (4.20), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3 a5 7.Be2 Nh6 8.0-0 Nf5 9.Bd3 Be7 10.a4 0-0 11.Na3 cxd4 12.Nb5 dxc3 13.bxc3 Qd8 14.Ba3 b6 15.Bxe7 Ncxe7 16.g4 Nh6 17.h3 Ng6 18.Qd2 f6 19.Bxg6 hxg6 20.Nbd4 Nf7 21.Qe3 Re8 22.Rab1 Bd7 23.Ra1 Qc7 24.Rfe1 Rac8 25.Rec1 fxe5 26.Ne2 Bc6 27.Nh4 Kh7 28.Ng3 Ra8 29.c4 Qe7 30.Qd3? Qxh4 0-1
(20) Malykin,Erika (1675) - Poling,Scott E (1828) [A46]
Wilkerson TNM: U2000 San Francisco (4.21), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 Be7 4.Nbd2 h6 5.Bxf6 Bxf6 6.e4 d5 7.e5 [7.c3 keeps the tension and options a bit longer.] 7...Be7 8.c3 c5 9.Bb5+?! White should have higher hopes for this bishop than just trading it off. [9.Bd3] 9...Nc6 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Nb3 Bb6 12.Nbd4 Bd7 13.Qa4 a6!-/+ Black can just laugh off the threats along that diagonal. 14.Nxc6?
 |
[14.Bxc6 is better, but after 14...bxc6 White is just going to have the unenviable situation of two knights with no outposts (...c5 will be coming) versus two bishop with working diagonals.] 14...Bxf2+?? But here something goes horribly wrong in Black's calculations. [14...bxc6? 15.Bxc6+/= would be White's plan working.; 14...axb5! 15.Nxd8 bxa4 16.Nxb7 might look at first like everything is great for White: extra pawn, super outpost on d6. But after 16...f6-+ the outpost is undermined, the knight is still in big trouble, and Black's rooks and bishops will decide. According to the computer, Black is in fact just winning! (or even 16...Ke7!?) 17.c4 a) 17.0-0-0 Ke7; b) 17.0-0 Rb8 18.Nd6+ Ke7 19.c4 (19.Rad1 fxe5 20.Nxe5 Kxd6 21.Nf7+ Ke7 22.Nxh8 Rxh8 is a broken material equality: the two bishops completely outrun the extra rook and extra (but not passed or productive) pawn.) 19...fxe5 20.Nb5 (20.Nf7 Kxf7 21.Nxe5+ Ke8) 20...Bxb5 (or 20...e4 21.Ne5 Be8) 21.cxb5 Kf6 is also Black holding all the trumps.; 17...Ke7! 18.c5 Ba7 and now the b-file is a problem] 15.Kxf2 Qb6+ 16.Qd4 So White took a piece, I then sacrificed a piece, but I'm getting one back, which leaves me ... uh-oh. [16.Ncd4! Bxb5 17.Qb4] 16...Qxb5 17.Nb4 Rc8 18.Qe3 a5 19.Nd4 Qc4 20.Nd3 0-0 21.Rhf1 b5 22.Kg1 Rb8 23.Nf4! Heading for h5, where an extra piece spells mate. 23...Rfc8 Abandoning the king is not a good idea. 24.Nh5 Be8
 |
25.Nf6+ [25.Rf6! is the way to go. The knight works too well with the queen to checkmate!] 25...Kf8 [25...gxf6?! 26.Qg3+ (or 26.exf6) ; 25...Kh8 26.Rf3 (threatening Rh3xh6+) 26...Qc5 (to defend with ...Qf8) 27.Qd3 g6 28.Rh3 Kg7 (28...Qf8 29.Qe3 h5 30.Qg5 and Rxh5+) 29.Qe3 Kf8 30.Rxh6 Ke7 31.Rh8 and Qg5 does not evade mate for long: 31...Bd7 (31...Bc6 32.Nf5+) 32.Nxd5+] 26.Nxe6+ [The annoying computer prefers 26.Nh5!] 26...fxe6 27.Nd7+ Ke7 28.Nxb8 [Black resigned, perhaps seeing 28.Nxb8 Rxb8 29.Qa7+] 1-0
(21) Gurovich,Roman (1714) - Carron,Joel (1645) [D37]
Wilkerson TNM: U2000 San Francisco (4.22), 04.02.2020
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 d5 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.e3 0-0 6.a3 a5 7.Rb1 b6 8.b4 axb4 9.axb4 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Bb7 11.b5 Nbd7 12.0-0 Ne4 13.Qb3 Ndf6 14.Ne5 Nxc3 15.Qxc3 Ne4 16.Qc2 Qe8 17.Bd3 Nf6 18.Qxc7 Rb8 19.Nc6 Nd5 20.Qxb8 Qxb8 21.Nxb8 Rxb8 22.Bd2 Nf6 23.f3 g6 24.e4 Rd8 25.Be3 Nh5 26.Rfc1 Bd6 27.Bf1 Ra8 28.e5 Bb8 29.Ra1 Rxa1 30.Rxa1 Ng7 31.Bd3 Nf5 32.Bxf5 gxf5 33.Bh6 Kh8 34.Bg5 Kg7 35.Be7 Kg6 36.Bd6 Bxd6 37.exd6 Bc8 38.Ra7 1-0
(22) Cortinas,Martin A (1662) - Baer,Michael A (1441) [E04]
Wilkerson TNM: U2000 San Francisco (4.23), 04.02.2020
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 c5 4.c4 cxd4 5.Bg2 dxc4 6.Qa4+ Nc6 7.0-0 e6 8.Ne5 Nd5 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Qxc6+ Bd7 11.Qxc4 Rc8 12.Qxd4 Nf6 13.Bg5 Bc5 14.Qd2 h6 15.Be3 0-0 16.Nc3 Ng4 17.Bxc5 Rxc5 18.Qd4 Rg5 19.Ne4 Rd5 20.Qxa7 Ra5 21.Qd4 Rd5 22.Qc3 Ra5 23.Rfd1 Ra7 24.Qd4 Qb8 25.Rd3 e5 26.Qc3 Bb5 27.Rd2 f5 28.Nd6 Qb6 29.e3 Rc7 30.Qb3+ Rff7 31.Nxf7 1-0
(23) Cendejas,Jon (1274) - Hack,Richard (1567) [C55]
Wilkerson TNM: Extra Rated San Francisco (4.24), 04.02.2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.0-0 0-0 6.Re1 d6 7.h3 Be6 8.b3 h6 9.d3 Qd7 10.Bxe6 fxe6 11.Na4 Bb6 12.Nxb6 axb6 13.c4 Rae8 14.Bb2 Qf7 15.Bc3 Nh5 16.Rf1 Nf4 17.d4 Nxh3+ 18.gxh3 Qxf3 19.Qxf3 Rxf3 0-1
(24) Rakonitz,David (1613) - Morgan,Jerry (1467) [D16]
Wilkerson TNM: U2000 San Francisco (4.25), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
David makes it look easy in this game! 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 e6 [5...Bf5 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4] 6.e3 Bb4 [6...c5!? transposes into the Queen's Gambit Accepted with a "free" a2-a4 for White. This could be a weakness (of b4), but it allows White some later possibilities as well.] 7.Bxc4 0-0 8.0-0 Nd5 9.Bd2 Bxc3 10.bxc3 Nd7 11.e4 N5f6 12.e5 Nd5 13.Bd3 c5?!
 |
Black had various pawn moves to try to stop this, but it's already gone too far. 14.Bxh7+! [14.c4! first would really clinch it. 14...Nc7 15.Bxh7+!] 14...Kh8?! Sometimes this works! But not here. [14...Kxh7 15.Ng5+ Kg8 16.Qh5 N5f6 17.Qh4 White just gets the piece back with a better, no, winning, game. exf6, Bf4-e5, h7 might still crumble.] 15.Bc2 [15.Ng5 g6 16.Qg4 N7f6 17.exf6 Qxf6 18.Qh4 Kg7 19.Nxe6+ fxe6 20.Bg5] 15...cxd4 16.cxd4 b6 17.Ng5 g6 18.Qg4 [18.Ra3! would be the proof that 5.a4 wasn't so bad after all!] 18...Kg7
 |
19.Nxe6+! fxe6 20.Qxg6+ 1-0
(25) Allen,Alex (1671) - Yamamoto,Craig (1500) [C02]
Wilkerson TNM: U2000 San Francisco (4.26), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 c5 2.c3 e6 3.d4 d5 4.e5 cxd4 5.cxd4 Nc6 6.Nf3 Qb6 7.Bd3 Bd7 8.0-0 0-0-0!?N A new move! [There are thousands of games where Black challenged White to prove enough for the center pawn with 8...Nxd4] 9.Nbd2 g6 10.Nb3 h6 11.Bd2 g5 12.Qc2 Kb8 13.Be3 Nb4 14.Qd2 Nxd3 15.Qxd3 Bb5 Black wins the exchange for a won game. 16.Qd1 Bxf1 17.Qxf1 Ne7 18.Bd2 Nc6 19.Qd1 Be7 [19...g4!?] 20.h3 f6 21.exf6 Bxf6 22.Bc3 h5 23.Nc5 g4 24.hxg4 hxg4 25.Nh2 g3! 26.fxg3 e5! 27.Na4 [27.Ng4 exd4! many other moves win 28.Na4 Qc7 29.Bd2 Qxg3 White's king will not survive.] 27...Qc7 28.dxe5 Bxe5 29.Nf3 Bxc3 30.bxc3 Rdg8 31.Rb1 Rxg3 Black has had many alternatives along the way, including here [31...Qxg3! 32.Qe2 Ka8 (32...Rh6) ] 32.Nc5
 |
32...Qd6?? [32...Qf4! 33.Qe2 Qh6 34.Kf2 Rhg8 35.Rg1 Black is just winning, but the extra push is 35...Rxf3+! 36.Qxf3 (36.Kxf3 Rf8+; 36.gxf3 Qh2+ 37.Ke3 Qxg1+) 36...Qd2+ 37.Kf1 (37.Qe2 Rf8+) 37...Re8 38.Nd3 Re3 Black gets there.; 32...Ka8!] 33.Nxb7?? [33.Ne4! pulls the plug on Black's attack AND material: 33...Qg6 34.Nxg3 Qxg3 35.Qxd5 Black will draw, but the win and any advantage is completely gone.] 33...Qg6 [33...Qh6! is even better, if that is possible] 34.Rb2 Kc8?? [34...Qh5-+ (and others) are back in the saddle again.] 35.Qxd5 Craig didn't see a defense and resigned. [Only a computer or a desperate defender would find 35.Qxd5 Rxg2+!? (35...Rh6 was a try, but 36.Nd4 Re3 37.Nf5 Re6 is quite a crazed cover of d6) 36.Rxg2 Qb1+ 37.Kf2 Qxb7 38.Rg8+ Rxg8 39.Qxg8+ Kc7 Black could dream of holding in this ending.] 1-0
(26) Tamondong,Cesar Bercilla (1617) - Hansen,Mateo Stephen (1624) [D74]
Wilkerson TNM: U2000 San Francisco (4.27), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 c6 [5...d5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Nc3 Nb6 8.0-0 Nc6 9.e3 Re8 is still interesting and topical. (9...e5 10.d5) ] 6.0-0 d5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 [7...cxd5] 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.h3 Be6 10.e4 Nb4 11.b3 c5 12.Be3 N8c6 13.Ne2 Qc8?? [13...cxd4 14.Nfxd4 Qd7=] 14.Kh2?? [14.d5+- Bxh3 (14...Rd8 15.Nf4) 15.Bxh3 Qxh3 16.dxc6] 14...cxd4-/+ 15.Nexd4 Rd8 16.Nxc6 Nxc6 [16...Qxc6! 17.Bd2 Qxe4 18.Re1 Qf5] 17.Qe2 Bxa1 18.Rxa1 f6! quick compensation for the missing bishop 19.Rc1 Qd7 20.Qb2 Nb4! 21.Qa3 else ...Rac8 21...Nd3?! [21...a5 change of plans -- now ...Rdc8 will be great] 22.Rd1 Qd6 23.Qxd6?! [23.Qa4 continues the knight annoyance. 23...Qa6 24.Qxa6 bxa6 25.Nd4 Nb4! annoys back, as in the game, with some advantage still.] 23...Rxd6 24.Nd4 Nb4 25.Bf4?! On a lateral rook move by White, Black either saves the bishop with 25...Bf7 or forces its exchange with 25...Rad8. 25...Rd7 26.a3 Now White falls apart 26...Nc2 27.Be3 Rad8 [27...Bf7] 28.Nxe6 Rxd1 29.Nxd8 Nxe3 30.Nxb7 Nxg2 31.Kxg2 As so often, the computer thinks Black has let half of his advantage slip away, while most humans would think: "liquidating into an easy ending win." 31...Kf7 32.Nc5 Rc1 33.b4 Rc3 34.a4 Rc4 35.Kf3 Rxb4 36.Ke3 Rc4 Other than the blunder trade-off on moves 13-14, Black showed a mature Gruenfeld handling. 0-1
(27) James,Charles (1404) - Gimelfarb,Ilia (1599) [D35]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.10), 04.02.2020
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 e6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.g3 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bf5 7.Nh4 Bg4 8.f3 Bh5 9.g4 Nxg4 10.Ng2 Nh6 11.Bxh6 gxh6 12.Qc2 Nd7 13.0-0-0 Bd6 14.Rd3 Qg5+ 15.Re3+ Kd8 16.h4 Qf6 17.Rd3 Re8 18.e4 Bf4+ 19.Kb1 Bg6 20.h5 dxe4 21.fxe4 Bxe4 22.Nxe4 Rxe4 23.Qf2 Bg5 24.Rf3 Qxd4 25.Bd3 Qxf2 26.Rxf2 Re7 27.Rhf1 f6 28.Bf5 Kc7 29.Ne1 Bh4 30.Rd2 Bxe1 31.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 32.Kc2 Rd8 33.Rg2 Re5 0-1
(28) Neugut,Eitan (1322) - Ansari,Jahaan (1461) [A03]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.28), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.f4 e6 [It is worth noting that in the extremely famous game Emanuel Lasker vs. Johann Bauer, Amsterdam 1889, the soon to be world champion played 1...d5 2.e3] 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3 c5 4.Bb2 [4.e3!?] 4...d4 This might seem suspect at first, but it ends up working very well! 5.g3 Nf6 6.c3 Nc6 7.cxd4 cxd4 8.Qc2? Nb4 9.Qc4
 |
9...b5! Chess is a game in which Now Matters. 10.Qc1 Bb7 11.Na3 Rc8 [11...d3; even 11...Nd3+!? 12.exd3 Bxf3 13.Rg1 Rc8 14.Qb1 (14.Nc2 h5! 15.h4 e5! 16.fxe5 Ng4 makes a horrible mess of White's game) 14...Qd5] 12.Qb1 Be4 13.d3 Nxd3+! 14.exd3 Bxf3 15.Rg1 Ng4! Not allowing the king to slip away via f2 16.Nc2 Qa5+! It's checkmate in a few. 0-1
(29) Ross,Max L (1549) - Sachs-Weintraub,Julian (1429) [D00]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.29), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.d4 d5 2.e3 g6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Nbd2 Bg7 5.c4 dxc4 6.Bxc4 [6.Nxc4!?] 6...e5? Not ready! 7.dxe5 [7.Qb3!; 7.Nxe5!] 7...Nxe5? [7...Nh6!? but it's still quite bad.] 8.Nxe5 Bxe5
 |
9.Qb3! Nh6?? [9...Qe7 defends the pawn? 10.Bxf7+! anyway! 10...Qxf7 11.Qb5+] 10.Qb5+ c6 11.Qxe5+ Kd7 12.Ne4 Qe7 13.Nc5+ Kd8 14.Qxh8+ Kc7 15.Nd3 Be6 16.Qe5+ Kb6 17.Bxe6 fxe6 18.Bd2 Rd8 19.Qa5# 1-0
(30) Starr,Albert Martin (1552) - Radaelli,Lucas (1411) [A00]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.30), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.b4 c5 2.b5 d5 3.e3 Bf5 4.c4 e6 5.Bb2 a6 6.a4 axb5 7.axb5 Rxa1 8.Bxa1 Nf6 9.Nf3 Be7 10.Be2 Ne4 [10...Qa5 11.Bc3 Qa2=/+] 11.0-0 0-0 12.d3 Nd6 13.Nbd2 Bf6 14.Ne5 Nd7 15.Nxd7 Qxd7 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Nf3 Rd8 18.Qb3 dxc4 19.dxc4 Qc7 20.Nh4 Ne4 21.Rd1 Bg6 22.Rxd8+ Qxd8 23.g3 Qd2 24.Qd1 Qxd1+ 25.Bxd1 Nd6 26.Be2 Bc2 27.Nf3 Ne4 28.Kf1 Nc3 29.Ne1 Be4 30.Bd3 Kg7 31.f3 Bg6 32.e4 e5 33.g4 h5 34.h3 Kh6 35.Ng2 Kg5 36.h4+ Kh6 37.Ne3 hxg4 38.Nxg4+ Kg7 39.Kf2 Na4 40.Kg3 Nb2 41.Be2 f5 42.Nxe5 fxe4 43.Nxg6 exf3 44.Kxf3 fxg6 45.Kf4 Kf6 46.Ke4 Ke6 47.Kf4 Kf6 1/2-1/2
(31) Simpkins,Jerry (1539) - Roberts,Joseph (1358) [C54]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.31), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 d5
 |
6.dxe5 Nxe4 7.Bxd5 Nxf2 8.Qb3 0-0 9.Rf1 Nd3+ 10.Ke2 Nxc1+ 11.Rxc1 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Qe7 13.Bxf7+ Kh8 14.Qd5 Bg4+ 15.Ke1 Rad8 16.Qe4 Qh4+ 17.g3 Qxh2
 |
18.Nxg4 Qxg3+ 19.Ke2 Rxf7 20.Rh1 g6 21.Qe5+ Qxe5+ 22.Nxe5 Re8 23.Na3 Rxe5+ 24.Kd3 Bxa3 25.bxa3 c5 26.Rag1 Kg7 27.Rh2 b5 28.Rgh1 Rf3+ 29.Kc2 h5 30.Rb1 c4 31.a4 a6 32.axb5 Rxb5 33.Rd1 Kh6 34.Rd6 a5 35.Rc6 Rf4 36.Rg2 Rg5 37.Rxg5 Kxg5 38.Rc5+ Kg4 39.Rxa5 g5 40.Ra6 h4 41.a4 h3 42.Rh6 Kg3 43.a5 h2 44.a6 Rf6 [44...Rh4!] 45.Rxf6 h1Q 46.a7 Qa8 47.Rf7 and Black went on to win. 0-1
(32) Jade,Valerie (1532) - Rushton,Peter James (1294) [C52]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.32), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4!? Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 Qe7?! 7.0-0 Nf6?! 8.Ba3 d6
 |
9.dxe5?! [9.d5!+-] 9...Nxe4?? [9...Nxe5! 10.Qa4+ Kf8 hangs together for Black -- only he has any advantage.] 10.Re1 Bf5 11.exd6 Qd7 [11...cxd6 12.Qd5! (12.Nbd2!; 12.Bxd6?! Qd7 13.Nbd2 0-0-0!) ] 12.Ng5 [12.Nbd2! Might as well get another piece into the fray.] 12...0-0-0 13.Nxe4 Ne5 14.Bb3 Qb5 15.Ba4 Qb6 16.Nbd2 Bxe4 17.Nxe4 c6 18.Rb1 Qa6 19.Nc5 Qc4 20.Rxe5 Bb6 21.d7+ Kc7 22.Ne6+ fxe6 23.Qd6# 1-0
(33) Rothman,Ivan (1487) - Sai,Rohit
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.33), 04.02.2020
1/2-1/2
(34) Bryan,Robert R (373) - Martin,Michael J (1387) [D37]
Wilkerson TNM: Extra Rated San Francisco (4.34), 04.02.2020
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Be7 6.Bd3 0-0 7.0-0 b6 8.a4 Nb4 9.Bc2 a6 10.Bb3 dxc4 11.Bxc4 Bb7 12.e4 Nxe4 13.d5 Nxc3 14.bxc3 Nxd5 15.Bd2 Bf6 16.Ng5 Bxg5 17.Bxg5 Qxg5 18.Ba2 Nxc3 19.Qd2 Qxg2# 0-1
(35) Harris,Clarence (1402) - Ahrens,Richard William (1256) [C01]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.35), 04.02.2020
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 e6 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.c3 Ba5 6.Bd3 0-0 7.0-0 d6 8.Nbd2 Nd7 9.Nc4 c5 10.Nxd6 f6 11.Re1 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Nxe5 13.Nxc8 Qxc8 14.Bc2 Re8 15.Re4 Nc6 16.Rh4 g6 17.Qg4 f5 18.Qg5 Bd8 19.Qh6 Bxh4 20.Qxh4 Nxd4 21.Qxd4 b5 22.Bh6 Qd7 23.a4 e5 24.Qd2 Nf6 25.Bb3+ Kh8 26.Qg5 Qe7 27.axb5 Ng4 28.Qxe7 Rxe7 29.Bg5 Ree8 30.h3 Nxf2 31.Kxf2 Kg7 32.Ra6 e4 33.Ke3 h6 34.Bf6+ Kh7 35.Bd5 1-0
(36) Bayaraa,Timothy (1193) - Chan,John (1506) [C46]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.36), 04.02.2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 a6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Ne5 6.Bf4 Ng6 7.Qf3 d6 8.Bc4 Nf6 9.0-0-0 Bg4 10.Qe3 Bxd1 11.Rxd1 Be7 12.e5 Nh5 13.Bg3 Nxg3 14.hxg3 0-0 15.Nf3 Qc8 16.e6 f6 17.Nd5 Qe8 18.Rh1 Ne5 19.Nxe5 fxe5 20.Qe4 g6 21.f4 c6 22.Nxe7+ Qxe7 23.fxe5 d5 24.Qg4 dxc4 25.Rh6 Rad8 26.Qxc4 Qg5+ 0-1
(37) Olson,David R (1400) - Gimelfarb,Natan (1134) [A28]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.37), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.Nf3 Nc6 2.c4 e5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Qc2 Bc5 5.d3 d6 6.Bg5 Bg4 7.Nd5 Bxf3 8.gxf3 Nb4 9.Qa4+ Qd7 10.Qxd7+ Kxd7 11.Bh3+ Kc6 12.Ne7+ Kb6 13.Kd2 Bxf2 14.a3 h6 15.Bxf6 Be3+ 16.Kc3 gxf6 17.axb4 Bd4+ 18.Kb3 Rae8 19.Nd5+ Kc6 20.Nxf6 Re7 21.Bg2 e4 22.fxe4 Bxf6 23.e5+ Kd7 24.exf6 Rxe2 25.Bxb7 c6 26.Rhg1 Rb8 27.Rxa7 Rxh2 28.Rg7 Rf8 29.Ba6+ Ke6 30.Rc7 Kxf6 31.Rg3 Ra8 32.Rxc6 Ke6 "32.Ba6" -- White won around move 50. 1-0
(38) Lintz,Michael Harry (1376) - Shannon,Rex [D00]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.38), 04.02.2020
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nd2 Bf5 5.c3 e6 6.Be2 Bd6 7.Bg3 e5 8.dxe5 Nxe5 9.Ngf3 Nd3+ 10.Bxd3 Bxd3 11.Nb3 Bc4 12.Ne5 Bxe5 13.Bxe5 Ne4 14.Qg4 Qe7 15.Qxg7 Rf8 16.Bg3 0-0-0 17.Qxh7 Rh8 18.Qf5+ Kb8 19.0-0-0 Nxc3 20.bxc3 Qa3+ 21.Kb1 Bxb3 22.axb3 Qxb3+ 23.Kc1 Rh6 24.Qc2 Qa3+ 25.Qb2 Qa5 26.Rd4 Ka8 27.Kd2 Ra6 28.Rb4 c5 29.Rxb7 Qa2 30.Rb1 d4 31.Qxa2 Rxa2+ 32.R1b2 Rxb2+ 33.Rxb2 d3 34.c4 a6 35.Rb3 Ka7 36.Rxd3 Ra8 37.Rd7+ Kb6 38.Rxf7 Ka5 39.Rb7 Ka4 40.Kc3 Rd8 41.Rb1 Ka5 42.Bc7+ 1-0
(39) Allen,Tom Carter (1426) - Sterling,Isaac (1126) [B21]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.40), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 Nf6?! [6...e6; 6...a6] 7.0-0 [7.e5!? dxe5 8.Qxd8+ Nxd8 9.Nxe5 a6 10.0-0 b5 11.Bb3 Bb7 12.Rd1 h6 13.Rxd8+ Rxd8 14.Bxf7# 1-0 (14) Allen,T (1507)-Habeeb,K (1524) Winter TNM, San Francisco 2011] 7...e6 8.Qe2 a6 9.Rd1 Qc7 10.Bf4 e5?! [10...Bd7; 10...Ne5] 11.Bg3?! [11.Bg5; 11.Nd5! Nxd5 12.exd5] 11...Be7 12.Rac1 0-0 13.Bb3 Nh5 14.Nd5 Nxg3 15.fxg3 [15.hxg3] 15...Qd8 16.a3 Bg4 17.Qd3 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Nd4 19.Rc7 Bg5 20.f4 Bh6 21.Rdc1 Ne6 22.Ne7+ Kh8 23.Nf5?? 0-1
(40) Sullivan,George Thomas (914) - Cole,Tony (1400) [C16]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.41), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 Ne7 5.a3 Ba5 6.Nf3 h6 7.b4 Bb6 8.Bd3 0-0 9.Na4 f6 10.Nh4 fxe5 11.Nxb6 axb6 12.dxe5 Nf5 13.g3 Nxh4 14.gxh4 Qxh4 15.Qe2 Qd4 16.Rb1 [16.Ra2 made for a different analysis until I noticed White's 29th move!] 16...Nc6 17.Bb2 Qh4 18.c3
 |
18...Nxe5? Black should just stay cool -- [18...Bd7; or even 18...Qg5 (stopping 0-0 and threatening e5)] 19.Qxe5 Qxf2+ 20.Kd1 Qg2?! [20...Bd7 21.c4! Qg2 22.Qg3!?+/- gets activated, and gets the queens off as well.] 21.Qe1?? [21.Re1!+/-] 21...Rf3? [21...Rf2-+] 22.Be2= Re3 23.Kd2 Qe4? [23...Qg5 24.h4 Qf4 25.Rf1 Rf3+ 26.Kc2 Qe4+ 27.Kd2 Qf4+=] 24.Qf1? [24.Qf2! is now a win. The best Black can do is 24...Rxe2+ (24...Rh3 25.Rbg1 when White is lining up on g7) 25.Qxe2 Qxe2+ 26.Kxe2 but it's a rook for three pawns, not a bishop, and that makes quite a difference.] 24...Bd7 [24...e5!?] 25.Bd3? [25.Rg1+/-] 25...Qe5 [Here 25...Rxd3+! 26.Qxd3 Qg2+ 27.Qe2 Qg5+ 28.Qe3 Qg2+ is a perpetual] 26.Qf2??
 |
[Now 26.Re1! is the move for the full point.] 26...Rxd3+! 27.Kxd3 Qe4+? [27...Bb5+!?; 27...Rf8! 28.Qe3 Qh5 is looking quite good for Black.] 28.Kd2 Ba4 29.Rbc1 [29.Rhg1 Qc2+ 30.Ke3 Qe4+] 29...Bb5? [29...Rf8 30.Qe2 Qf4+ 31.Qe3 Qf2+ 32.Qe2=] 30.Qe3?? White's king needs an escape (on c1): [30.Rce1; 30.Rcg1; Even 30.Rcf1] 30...Qg2+ 0-1
(41) Chambers,Don (1298) - Wagner,Tyler (1050) [B50]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.42), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 d6 4.0-0 Bg4
 |
5.c3 [5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Ng5+ Ke8 7.Qxg4] 5...Ne5 6.Bb5+ [6.Nxe5 Bxd1 7.Bxf7#] 6...Nc6 7.d4 a6 8.Bc4 cxd4 9.cxd4 e5 10.Bxf7+ Kxf7 11.Ng5+ Qxg5 12.Bxg5 Bxd1 13.Rxd1 Nxd4 14.Rd2 Nf6 15.f3 Be7 16.Be3 Bd8 17.Nc3 Ba5 18.Bxd4 exd4 19.Rxd4 Bb6 20.Rad1 Bxd4+ 21.Rxd4 Rad8 22.g4 h6 23.h3 g5 24.Kf2 Ke6 25.Ne2 Rhe8 26.f4 gxf4 27.Nxf4+ Ke5 28.Ke3 d5 29.Ng6+ Ke6 30.e5 Kf7 31.Rf4 Kxg6 32.Rxf6+ Kg7 33.Kf4 Rf8 34.g5 hxg5+ 35.Kxg5 Rxf6 36.exf6+ Kf7 0-1
(42) Ballantyne,Andrew (877) - Frank,Robert H (1222) [C47]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.43), 04.02.2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.e5 Nd5 8.Bd2 Nxc3 9.Bxc3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 0-0 11.Bd3 Qg5 12.0-0 Qxe5 13.Qd2 d5 14.Rfe1 Qd6 15.Re2 Bg4 16.Re3 c5 17.Rg3 f5 18.Qg5 h6 19.Qg6 Qxg6 20.c4 d4 21.Rb1 Rab8 22.Rb5 Qd6 23.h3 Bh5 24.Bf1 f4 25.Rgb3 c6 26.Ra5 Rxb3 27.cxb3 Qc7 28.Rxc5 Bg6 29.b4 Rf5 30.Rxf5 Bxf5 31.a4 a5 32.b5 cxb5 33.cxb5 Qc1 34.b6 Bd3 35.b7 Qxf1+ 36.Kh2 Qb1 37.b8Q+ Qxb8 38.h4 f3+ 39.g3 Qb1 40.Kh3 Bf5+ 41.g4 Qf1+ 42.Kg3 Qg1+ 43.Kf4 Qxg4+ 44.Ke5 Qe4+ 45.Kd6 Kf7 46.Kc5 d3 47.h5 Qb4+ 48.Kd5 Kf6 49.Kc6 Be4+ 50.Kd7 Qxa4+ 51.Kc7 Ke6 52.Kb6 Qb4+ 53.Ka7 Qb7# 0-1
(43) Dubensky,Walter Barnett (1120) - Johnson,Nathaniel [D30]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.45), 04.02.2020
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 Nc6 4.e3 Nf6 5.c4 h6 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Nc3 a6 8.Be2 Bb4 9.0-0 Bxc3 10.bxc3 b5 11.a3 0-0 12.a4 b4 13.c4 a5 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.Qc1 Nc3 16.Bb5 Na7 17.Qc2 c6 18.Bd3 f5 19.Ne5 Qe8 20.f3 Be6 21.g4 g5 22.gxf5 Bf7 23.Bg3 Nd5 24.Rae1 Rb8 25.Bc4 Rc8 26.e4 Nf4 27.Ng6 Kg7 28.Bxf4 Bxg6 29.Be5+ Kh7 30.fxg6+ Qxg6 31.Bg3 h5 32.Bd3 Kh6 33.Kh1 h4 34.e5 Qg7 35.Bf2 Rxf3 36.Rg1 Rxf2 37.Qxf2 Rf8 38.Qd2 Nc8 39.Qc2 Ne7 40.Be4 Rf4 41.Bxc6 Nxc6 42.Qxc6+ Kh5 43.Qe8+ Kh6 44.d5 b3 45.e6 Qd4 46.e7 Qxd5+ 47.Rg2 h3 48.Qh8+ Kg6 49.e8Q+ Rf7 50.Qe6+ Qxe6 51.Rxe6+ Kf5 52.Rge2 Kg4 53.R6e4+ Rf4 54.Qc8+ Kf3 55.R4e3# 1-0
(44) North,Jeff James (867) - Pagan Griso,Simone [B18]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.46), 04.02.2020
[de Firmian,Nick]
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Nf3 h6 7.Be2 [7.Ne5] 7...Nd7 8.0-0 Ngf6 9.Be3 e6 10.c3 Bd6 11.b4 0-0 12.Qb3 Rc8 13.Rad1 Bb8 14.c4 Qc7 15.d5 cxd5 16.cxd5 Bc2 17.d6 Qd8 18.Qb2 Bxd1 19.Rxd1 b6 20.Rd4 Rc6 21.Rh4 Ne8 22.Bxh6 Qf6 23.Qd2 Bxd6 24.Ne4 Qg6 25.Nd4 Ndf6 26.Nxf6+ Nxf6 27.Nxc6 Qb1+ 28.Bf1 Ne4 29.Qxd6 Nxd6 30.Ne7+ Kh8 31.Bf4+ Qh7 32.Rxh7+ Kxh7 33.Bxd6 Rd8 34.Bf4 Rd4 35.g3 Rxb4 36.Nc6 Ra4 37.Bc4 Rxc4 38.Nxa7 Ra4 39.Nb5 Rxa2 40.Bc7 Rb2 41.Nd6 b5 42.Nxf7 Kg6 43.Ne5+ Kf5 44.Kg2 Ke4 45.Nf3 b4 46.Ng5+ Kf5 47.Nf3 b3 48.Nd4+ Ke4 49.Bb6 e5 50.Nxb3 Rxb3 51.Be3 g6 52.Kh3 Rxe3 53.fxe3 Kxe3 54.Kg2 Ke2 55.g4 e4 56.h4 e3 57.h5 gxh5 58.gxh5 Kd1
 |
This position is equal, so perhaps Black won on time 0-1
(45) Neuberg,Bryan - Hall,Diana [C21]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.47), 04.02.2020
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Bc4 g6 5.Nf3 Qf6 6.Qb3 Nh6 7.e5 Qf5 8.Nxc3 Nc6 9.Nd5 Kd8 10.0-0 Nxe5 11.Nxe5 Qxe5 12.Bf4 Qe4 13.Bxc7+ Ke8 14.Rfe1 Qe6 15.Nf6+ Ke7 16.Bxe6 dxe6 17.Nd5+ 1-0
(46) Tabatabai,Ashkon (962) - Dunlap,Steven (1037) [B44]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.48), 04.02.2020
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.g3 Nge7 6.Bg2 g6 7.e5 Bg7 8.Nxc6 Nxc6 9.Bxc6 Qa5+ 10.Bd2 Qxe5+ 11.Be3 bxc6 12.Nc3 a5 13.0-0 Ba6 14.Re1 Qc7 15.Bd4 Bxd4 16.Qxd4 0-0-0 17.b4 d6 18.bxa5 c5 19.Qe4 d5 20.Qe5 Qxe5 21.Rxe5 Kd7 22.Rb1 Kd6 23.f4 Rb8 24.Rxb8 Rxb8 25.g4 d4 26.Ne4+ Ke7 27.Nxc5 Rb1+ 28.Kg2 Bc4 29.a6 Ra1 30.f5 Rxa2 31.h4 Rxc2+ 32.Kg3 d3 33.Ne4 d2 34.Nxd2 Rxd2 35.Ra5 Rd3+ 36.Kf2 Rd2+ 37.Ke3 Rd5 38.Ra4 Bb5 39.Ra3 Bc6 40.Rc3 Re5+ 41.Kf4 Re4+ 42.Kg3 Ba8 43.Rc8 Re3+ 44.Kf2 Rf3+ 45.Ke1 Be4 46.a7 Ra3 47.Rc7+ Kf6 48.Kd1 Bf3+ 49.Kc2 Bxg4 50.Kb2 Ra5 51.Kc3 Bxf5 52.Kb4 Ra1 53.Kc5 Rc1+ 54.Kb6 Rb1+ 55.Kc5 Rc1+ 56.Kb5 Bd3+ 57.Kb6 Rb1+ 58.Kc5 Rc1+ 59.Kb6 Rb1+ 1/2-1/2
(47) Nicol,George R (1015) - Uzakbaev,Nursultan (1415) [E10]
Wilkerson TNM: U1600 San Francisco (4.49), 04.02.2020
1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Nc3 e6 5.a3 Be7 6.e3 0-0 7.Bd3 Ne8 8.0-0 Nd6 9.e4 dxc4 10.Bc2 f6 11.Re1 Qd7 12.e5 Nf7 13.d5 Ncxe5 14.dxe6 Qxe6 15.Nd4 Qd7 16.Ba4 c6 17.Bc2 c5 18.Bf5 Qxd4 19.Bxc8 Raxc8 20.Nb5 Qh4 21.h3 Rfd8 22.Qa4 Ng5 23.Qxa7 Nef3+ 0-1
Submit your piece or feedback
We would welcome any feedback, articles or "Letter to the Editor" piece. Submit yours today through this Google Form:
You can browse through our archived newsletters using the "next" and "previous buttons".
Want to save this newsletter for reading at a later time? Click here to learn how.
Want to be notified when the next newsletter is published? Join Our Email List →