Chess Room Newsletter #583

Mechanics’ Institute Newsletter #583

May 8, 2012

When my opponent’s clock is going I discuss general considerations in an internal dialogue with myself. When my own clock is going I analyze concrete variations.

— Mikhail Botvinnik

1) Mechanics’ Institute Chess Club News

The 6th Annual Ray Schutt Memorial Blitz, held May 6th, was dominated by youth. Leading the charge of the young was 16-year-old Daniel Naroditsky who scored 9 ½ from 10 to take home the $300 first prize ahead of four other International Masters. Tying for second with eight points were 14-year-old Yian Liou, Dharim Bacus and 11(!)-year-old Cameron Wheeler. The 43 participants in this 5-minute chess tournament were treated to a feast by the Schutt family which also sponsored the generous prize fund.

1. IM Daniel Naroditsky 9.5/10
2-4. NMs Yian Liou, Cameron Wheeler and Dharim Bacus 8
5-8. IMs Elliott Winslow and Cyrus Lakdawala, Expert Tanuj Vasudeva (age 10!) 6.5
9-15. IMs Ricardo de Guzman and Ray Kaufman, NMs Dennis Fritzinger and Mike Arne, Experts Arthur Ismakov and Jorge Lopez 6

You can view an assortment of photos of the event, taken by Richard Shorman, at www.chessdryad.com

This class, limited to a maximum of 8 students, is aimed at players below 2000 and is a perfect fit for the Tuesday Night regular who has been stuck for a long time at the same rating. Three-time U.S. Champion de Firmian will offer hands-on instruction, including an in depth analysis of the students’ games.

The cost for the eight classes is $240 for Mechanics’ Institute members and $270 for non-members.

2) US Championship Starts

The US Championship and US Women’s Championship have started. Go to www.uschesschamps.com to catch live action.
•        GM Hikaru Nakamura (2848)
•        GM Gata Kamsky (2804)
•        GM Alexander Onischuk (2736)
•        GM Yasser Seirawan (2723)
•        GM Robert Hess (2717)
•        GM Varuzhan Akobian (2709)
•        GM Alexander Stripunsky (2700)
•        GM Ray Robson (2674)
•        GM Alejandro Ramirez (2668)
•        GM Yury Shulman (2666)
•        GM Aleksandr Lenderman (2665)
•        GM Gregory Kaidanov (2658)

Tournament format: Round robin
________________________________________

The 2012 U.S. Women’s Championship will feature a guaranteed prize fund of $64,000 and 10 players, including
•        IM Anna Zatonskih (2563)
•        IM Irina Krush (2500)
•        WGM Camilla Baginskaite (2419)
•        WGM Sabina Foisor (2413)
•        WGM Tatev Abrahamyan (2350)
•        WIM Viktorija Ni (2349)
•        IM Rusudan Goletiani (2337)
•        FM Alisa Melekhina (2321)
•        WIM Iryna Zenyuk (2329)
•        WFM Alena Kats (2233)

Tournament format: Round robin

3) Hats off to Wayne Christensen!,  by Michael Bacon

Editor - As the average age of USCF members gets continually younger we pay tribute to senior players who continue to excel. One example, as Mr. Bacon recounts below, is Mr. Wayne Christensen. 82-year-old James Harkins of Cleveland is another. Playing in the weekly Parma Quads Rapids (G/30) he consistently holds a rating over 2100 and likely plays more USCF-rated games than any other player over 70 in the country, playing around 150 each year.

I would like to bring to your attention the fantastic result at the Georgia State Championship this weekend (May 5-6) of a fellow senior and one of the true gentlemen of the game, Mr. Wayne Christensen. Wayne finished 4-1, tying for first place with NM Bradley Denton of the Great state of Alabama. Wayne had a GM-level performance rating of 2542! (Editor - raising his rating from 2065 to 2134).

He began the tournament with a draw vs SM Kazim Gulamali, rated 2443, a former Georgia Champion. In the second round he beat Yansen Lokanata, provisionally rated 2183 after his first four games. In the third round he knocked out one of last year’s GA co-champs, NM Richard Francisco, rated 2316. Richard beat GM Shabalov at the recent LOTS. Richard threw in the towel after his defeat. In the fourth round he drew with another NM, Chuck Cadman, 2256. In the final round Wayne put icing on the cake by besting the other of last year’s co-champions, NM Damir Studen, rated 2311.

4) An interesting game from Eduardo Bauzá Mercére

In the Sicilian Defense, the exchange sacrifice Rxc3 is nowadays very common. But not by White! And so good it was that at the first opportunity Black had to give up both his rooks for White’s knights, but to no avail. Three exchange sacrifices in one game is not a record, though; see Chess Note #6273.

Jaime Emma–Isaac Bendayán
Torneo Selección, prel. D, Buenos Aires, 1956

1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. O-O b5 9. f4 Nbd7 10. f5 Bc4 11. a4 Bxe2 12. Qxe2 b4 13. Nd1 Qb6+ 14. Nf2 Rc8 15. Be3 Qc6 16. Na5 Qa8 17. Bg5 Be7 18. Rad1 O-O 19. Rd3 Nc5 20. Rh3 Rfd8 21. Bxf6 Bxf6 22. Nc4 Qc6 23. b3 Nxa4 24. Qh5 Nc3 25. Qxh7+ Kf8 26. Rxc3 bxc3 27. Ne3 d5 28. Nxd5 Rxd5 29. exd5 Qc5 30. b4 Qc4 31. Ne4 Bd8 32. Qh8+ Ke7 33. d6+ Kd7 34. Nc5+ Rxc5 35. bxc5 Qxc5+ 36. Kh1 Qxd6 37. Qh5 Qf6 38. Qf3 Ke7 39. Qxc3 g6 40. Qc5+ Ke8 41. Re1 1-0
Source: Ajedrez, 6/1956, p. 216