Chess Room Newsletter #581

Mechanics’ Institute Chess Club Newsletter #581
April 25, 2012

I came into the match against Tigran Petrosian completely exhausted after getting through 98 difficult qualifying games. During the final stages there were bloody matches against Keres, Geller and Tal. The most difficult match was against Keres, which turned into a street brawl. Geller was relatively weak in defence and I only needed to attack him at all costs. I didn’t allow Tal to seize the initiative. That approach brought me success.

However, in order to beat Petrosian I needed something new. It’s very important to be imbued with a sense of the inevitability of your own victory. Your opponent senses that. But for that you need to have spirit and matter in harmony. In my case I was a poor student, unsettled and very far from higher thoughts. In the first match I flung myself at Petrosian like a kitten at a tiger, and it was easy for him to parry my blows. But by the second I’d matured and turned into a bear that was always putting the tiger under pressure, by which I mean I held him in a grip that even if it was loose was constant, and he didn’t like that.

—Boris Spassky, talking about his path to the world championship.

1) Mechanics’ Institute Chess Club News

FIDE Master Frank Thornally defeated Expert Uyanga Byambaa to take over first place with one round to go in the Spring Tuesday Night Marathon. Trailing Thornally’s score of 6-1 by half a point are FIDE Master Andy Lee, National Master Romy Fuentes and Expert Demetrius Goins.
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Expert Kenneth Hills won the Walter Lovegrove Memorial Senior Open (for players 50 and older) last weekend. Hills scored 3½ from 4, drawing only with top-seed International Master Walter Shipman. Joji Escoto, Carl Woebcke and Rod McCalley shared second with 3 points. IM Shipman was among those on 2½.
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Jules Jelinek writes:
Hello everyone,

It’s Wednesday! Time for the weekly blitz chess tournament at Mechanics’ Institute Chess Club. As always, it starts no later than 6:40 pm, with sign-up beginning at 6:20 pm. Entry is $10 with clock, $11 without clock. Prizes are 50%, 30%, 20% of entry fees. Time control preferably is 3 minute, increment 2 seconds; otherwise 5 minutes, no increment.

Also remember to join us at the club for the upcoming Ray Schutt Memorial Blitz Tournament on Sunday May 6th, 1-5 pm. It should be noted that many of the prize winners last year also participate in the Wednesday night blitz tournament.

The winners last week were
1st - Jules Jelinek
2nd - Merim Mesic
3rd - Tom Stevens

Look forward to seeing you tonight.

2) My friend Arthur Wang, the Family Man, Part 3 of 3, by Erik Osbun

We wrote of National Master Art Wang’s death on December 11 last year in MI Newsletter #564. Now we are honored to present the final installment of a three-part tribute, by Arthur’s friend Erik Osbun.

After his time in the army, and now with a family, of course Art’s life changed. I recall that he worked at the Radiation Lab in Berkeley on the mapping of the bubble chamber trails of subatomic particles. This must have been in Luis Alvarez’ domain, as he was the inventor of the bubble chamber. Art also told me that he and his wife had started an import business from Vietnam, no doubt hindered by the awful war. By and large chess activity became a sometime thing, viewed as an opportunity rather than a vocation. In that regard, I also resemble my remark.

We met most usually at events held at Mechanics’ Institute, and at impromptu trips to dinner after the chess fights. Art became more humorous at these times, and I recall trading and inventing such chess limericks as “check ’em and wreck ’em,” “pin ’em and win ’em,” “ rush ’em and crush ’em,” “take ’em and break ’em,” etc. This near nonsense was laughingly uttered in relief from the chess struggles just finished. Art was a good companion.

His chess became even more polished and smooth. If one played him without presenting sharp problems, the endgame became his hunting ground. I evened up my score with Art in 1965 by direct address to this chess characteristic. You may regard the following game, played in the same event, as characteristic of Art’s method of play, which may be regarded as “Smyslovian.”

Arthur Wang - Rex Wilcox,
American Open, Santa Monica, 1965
Ruy Lopez

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. d3

A practical decision is made, but one with good positional characteristics. It retains the pawn at e4 and thereby promotes future play on the light-colored squares, the hallmark of all double king-pawn openings. The line is nowhere treated with enough depth or accuracy in the literature. I could name at least a dozen books, including monographs on the Schliemann variation, in which their surveys are inadequate.

The practical part may be based upon the fact that Art and I had observed our compatriot at the 1959 U.S. Junior, David Krause, lose as White to Charles Weldon of Wisconsin in the complicated variation 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Nxe5 dxe4 7.Nxc6 Qd5 8.c4 Qd6 9.Nxa7+ Bd7 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Bxd7+ Qxd7 12.Qe5+ Kf7 13.Qxh8 Nf6.

4....fxe4 5. dxe4 Nf6 6. 0-0 d6

Quite normal, but the exciting alternative is 6...Bc5 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.Nxe5 0-0 9.Nc3 d6 10.Nd3 Bd4 11.Ne2 Bb6 12.Bg5 Qe8 13.Bxf6 Rxf6 14.Ng3 Qf7 ( Anand - Carlsen, Bilbao, 2008 ). Seemingly inferior here is 14...Ba6 15.Qd2 Qe6 16.Kh1 Raf8 17.f4 ( Osbun - Caldwell, Postal, 1985 ).

Of course this sacrificial variation can be avoided with 7.Nc3.

7. Nc3 Bg4

Rex indicates with this move his intention of castling long. He avoids 7...Be7 8.a3 0-0 9.Bc4+ Kh8 10.Ng5 Qe8 11.Ne6 Bxe6 12.Bxe6 Nd4, which Schliemann expert Mikhail Tseitlin, in his book Winning with the Schliemann, dismisses as “equal”, quoting the game Jasnikowsky - Lipsky, Wroclaw, 1979. Jasnikowsky won after 13.Bc4 Qg6 14.Be3 Nxe4 15.Nd5 Bg5 16.f4 Bh6 17.Bxd4 exd4 18.Qxd4 c6 19.Ne7 Qf6 20.Qxe4 Rae8 21.Bd3 g6 22.Rae1 Bg7 23.c3 Qf7 24.Qe6 Qxe6 25.Rxe6 Bf6 26.Rfe1 Rd8 27.g3 Kg7 28.h4 Kf7 29.h5 Be5 30.Bc4 d5 31.Bxd5 Rxd5 32.Nxd5 Kxe6 33.Rxe5+, Black resigns.

If that’s not enough, and Tseitlin did not identify the flaws, White can play 14.f3 instead of 14.Be3. On 14.f3 Nh5? 15.f4!, and on the better 14.f3 c6 15.Be3 d5 16.Bd3 dxe4 17.Nxe4 Nxe4 18.Bxe4, White has the advantage.

8. h3 Bh5

Capturing on f3 gives White control of the light-colored squares without a fight.

9. a3

Probably the optimum move, Tarrasch recommended this measure so as to have a retreat for White’s king bishop after Bc4. It’s more than that, however, as perhaps can be shown by example. If now 9...Be7, by transposition into the following game: 10.Qd3 Qd7 11.Bc4 h6 12.b4 g5 13.Nh2 0-0-0 14.Be3 Kb8 15.b5 Na5 16.Ba2 Bg6 17.f3 Nh5 18.Nd5 Nf4 19.Nxf4 exf4 20.Bd2 b6 21.Bxa5 bxa5 22.Bd5 Bf6 23.Rab1 Qg7 24.Rfd1 Bf7 25.c4 h5 26.Bxf7 Qxf7 27.Qd5 Qxd5 28.Rxd5 Be5 29.a4 Rdg8 30.Rb3 Kb7 31.c5 Rb8 32.Nf1 c6 33.bxc6+ Kxc6 34.Nd2 Rhd8 35.Rb5 Bc3 36.cxd6 Bxd2 37.Rxd2 Rxb5 38.axb5+ Kxb5 39.Rd5+ Kb4 40.e5 a4 41.e6 a3 42.e7 Rc8 43.Rd1, Black resigns (Osbun - Barry Manthe, National Open, Las Vegas, 1987 ). My inspiration for this game was Art’s play against his strong opponent, Rex Wilcox. I have a warm recollection of old friend, the late Jerry Hanken at the board next to mine, congratulating me.

9....a6?!

This is not a good preparation for castling long, but if 9...Qd7 10.Qd3 0-0-0 11.Bc4 h6 12.b4 as in the Osbun - Manthe game.

10. Bc4 Nd4 11. g4 Nxf3+ 12. Qxf3 Bg6 13. Qe2

Preparing to open up the position with f4.

13....Be7 14. Bb3

The meaning and use of the motto “do not hurry” was well known to Art. He avoids the double-edged 14.f4?! Nxe4! 15.Nxe4 d5.

14....Qd7 15. f4 exf4 16. Bxf4 0-0-0

The choice has been made.

17. Qe3 Kb8 18. Bg3 h5?

An apparently normal attempt for counter-play, but it seals Black’s positional doom. Probably 18...Rdf8 19.Bf2 b6 is a better defense.

19. Bf2 b6 20. g5 Nh7 21. h4

Black’s bad piece at h7 will cost him the game.

21....Rdf8 22. Bd5 Qg4+ 23. Qg3 Qd7?

Trading does not solve Black’s problem: 23...Qxg3+ 24.Bxg3 Rxf1+ 25.Rxf1 Rf8 26.Rxf8+ Nxf8 27.Bf2 Nd7 [ Or 27...c5 28.Ne2 Nd7 29.Nf4 Be8 30.Ne6 g6 ( or 30...Bf8 31.Bg3 ) 31.Ng7 winning a piece. ] 28.Bd4 Ne5 29.Kg2, after which Black is still in difficulties. However, trading now should be tried.

24. Bd4 Rxf1+ 25. Rxf1 Rf8 26. Rxf8+ Bxf8 27. Ne2 Qa4

There is not much else to try, and once the queens are traded off the cash register opens for White.

28. Qd3 Qa5 29. Qc3 Qxc3 30. Bxc3 Be8 31. Nf4 Be7

There is no defense.

32. Bxg7 c6 33. Bc4 Nf8 34. Be2 Ng6 35. Bxh5 Nxf4 36. Bxe8 Kc7 37. Bh6 Kd8
38. Bf7 a5 39. g6 Nxg6 40. Bxg6 Bxh4, and the time control reached, Black resigns.

In 1967, Art went two ahead in our personal score. In one I blew a possibly winning advantage as done before, but in the other I was outplayed. However, at the beginning of the year I tried hard to beat him in the game below. It became a real struggle that I believe merits presentation. Its result determined that we shared first prize in the event. By the way the Mill Valley Open was unreported in The California Chess Reporter, which I rectify as follows. Art and I tied for first with 4½ of 5. On 4 points were David Blohm, Richard Laver, Dennis Fritzinger, Frank Thornally, and Russell Freeman. Rex Wilcox was alone in 8th with 3½. On 3 points were Ziad Baroudi, Curtis Wilson, Norris Weaver, Roland Goudswaard (my old chess friend of my youth in Santa Rosa ), Elmo Mugnani, Peter Grey, Gary Pickler, Carl Huneke, Michael Morris and Larry Jacobsen. Roy Hoppe had the only even score at 2½. There were 37 participants, and I received complete results from Mr. L. A. Post, President of the Mill Valley Chess Club.


Arthur Wang - Erik Osbun
Mill Valley Open, Jan. 8, 1967
Sicilian Defense

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5

The “Early Fianchetto” transposes into a Benoni Defense if White answers 4.d5; into the Dragon variation, if White answers 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.Be3; and into a Maroczy bind, if White answers 4.c4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.Be3.

4....Qa5+ 5. Bd2

Some authorities think that 5.Nc3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qxc3+ 7.Bd2 Qxc5 is good for White, but Black has a pawn. Another common path is 5.c3 Qxc5 6.Be3 Qc7 7.Nbd2 Nc6.

5....Qxc5 6. Bc3 Nf6 7. Bd3 0-0 8. 0-0 d6 9. Nbd2 Bg4 10. h3 Be6 11. Nb3 Qc8
12. Nbd4 Bd7 13. Ne2 Nc6 14. Re1 Rb8 15. Ng3 b5 16. Rb1?!

16.a3 is better, because after 16...a5 17.Qe2 b4 18.axb4 axb4 19.Bd2 a potential pawn target is liquidated.

16....b4 17. Bd2 Rd8 18. c4?!

An effort to counter Black’s intent to play ...d5, but it costs the “minor exchange.” Also possible is 18.Qe2 Be6 19.b3 d5 20.e5 Nd7 21.Bf4 Nc5, a rather complicated affair.

18....bxc3 19. Bxc3 Nb4 20. a3 Nxd3 21. Qxd3 Bb5 22. Qe3 Qa6 23. Rbd1 Bc4
24. Ne2 d5!

Black achieves his goal.

25. e5 Ne4 26. Bd4 Rb3 27. Nc3 e6 28. Qf4 Nxc3 29. Bxc3 Rc8

Black intends to penetrate via the light-colored squares. Seemingly good is the simpler 29...Be2, and if 30.Rd2 Bxf3 31.Qxf3 Rc8. However, this idea is foiled by 30Ng5! Bxd1?? 31.Qxf7+ Kh8 32.Rxd1 with more than adequate compensation for the exchange.

30. Nh2 h5?

A mistake in defense, best is 30...h6! 31.Ng4 Be2 32.Nf6+ Bxf6 33.Qxf6 ( if 33.exf6 g5 ) R3xc3! (not 33...Bxd1? 34.Bd2 ) 34.bxc3 Bxd1 35.Rxd1 Qxa3, and Black will win.

31. g4 hxg4 32. hxg4?

Art pointed out after the game that 32.Nxg4 is stronger. If then 32...Be2? 33.Nf6+ Bxf6 ( if 33...Kf8? 34.Bb4+ and mates! ) 34.exf6 Kf8 35.Rd2 Bc4 36.Qh6+ Ke8 37.Qh8+ Kd7 38.Qg7, and White wins. So probably Black has to give up the exchange with 32...Rxc3, which is not without compensation.

32....Rb7 33. g5 Be2 34. Rd2 Rc4 35. Bd4 Bh5

Black stops a knight invasion via g4, and begins his own invasion via the light-colored squares.

36. Nf1 Rb3 37. Ng3 Rf3 38. Qh4 Qa4 39. Nxh5 gxh5 40. Qxh5 Rf5?

40...Rf4! wins., because it gains control of White’s 4th rank: e.g. 41.Bc3 Rh4 42.Qd1 Rcg4+ 43.Kf1 Rh1+ 44.Ke2 Qe4 mate, or if here 42.Qf3 Rcf4 43. Qg2 ( If 43.Qd3? Rh1+ 44.Ke2 Re4+, and Black wins. ) Qc4+ 44.R1e2 ( if 44. R2e2? Qd3 ) Rcg4 45.Qf3 Rxg5. White is tied up, and more material will fall as a result.

41. Qd1 Rxg5+ 42. Kf1 Qb5 43. Qe2 Qa4 44. Qe3

44.Qd1 repeats, but Art is angling in my time pressure.

44....Rh5

If 44...Bh6!? 45.Qd3 Rg4 46.Be3 defends.

45. Kg2 Qe8?!

More evidence of time pressure appears.

46. Rh1 Rxh1 47. Kxh1 a5 48. Qg5 Qa4 49. Qe3 Rc1+ 50. Kg2 Qc4 51. Qd3 Bh6
52. Qxc4 Rxc4 53. Rd3 a4 54. Bc3 Kh7 55. Kf3 Kg6 56. Ke2 Kf5?

The last chance for progress is 56...Bg5. Black is still better as long as the White rook is confined.

57. Rh3 Bf4 58. Kd3 Bg5 59. Rh7 Kg6 60. Rh8 Bh4 61. Bd4 Bg5 62. Rb8 Bh2
63. Rb7 Bh2 64. Ra7 Bg1

A little trap that is easily avoided.

65. Rb7 Bh2 Draw.

3) Calgary International Chess Classic

Welcome to the Calgary International Chess Classic, which will be held May 15-21. This year marks the 5th year for our festival. GM and IM norms will be possible in the International section, and you can play alongside the stars in the Reserve Section. A variety of other events will also take place, so there will be something for everyone. Whether you are an amateur or a professional, the Calgary International will have something for you.
The festival will see several enhancements this year. The International section will play a 9 round Swiss over 7 days. As well, we have moved the site to the Ramada Inn in downtown Calgary. Players will have better playing conditions with more space in a luxury surrounding. Players will also be able to take advantage of Calgary’s dynamic downtown core and enjoy all the benefits that Calgary has to offer.

Chief Organizer
Tony Ficzere
587.351.0627
[email protected]
calgaryinternationalchessclassic.com