Chess Room Newsletter #890

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Friendly Rivalries, Part 15.

The Seattle Futurity and the early 1980’s.

By FM Paul Whitehead

I left off this column about battles with my contemporaries earlier, here:

https://www.milibrary.org/chess-newsletters/877#pauls

The 1970’s were finally over, and as I hit 20 years of age my interest in chess had waned to almost zero.  In the year 1980 I played in exactly one tournament, the Paul Masson American Class Championship in Saratoga.  This time I could not repeat my success of the previous year when I tied with GM Nick de Firmian for 1^st place.  After delivering checkmate on the board(!) in rounds 1 and 2 against masters Dorsch and Krystall, I was ground down by GM Larry Christiansen in the 3^rd round.  A short draw against master Gabriel Sanchez in round 4 finished the year for me – only 4 games of chess!

I had started to look around at other things that interested me in the wider world, and had begun training and working as a nursery school teacher.  Chess was far away…

In 1981 I played in 4 or 5 events, but the increase in activity wasn’t backed up by serious study, and my results were only so-so.  I was occasionally able to pull off a swindle, but my heart wasn’t in it, and it showed in my games and results.  Not one game from the US Open in Palo Alto where I scored 8.5 - 3.5 is worth inclusion here, for example.

But in 1982 I really took my indifference in chess to new heights (or lows, rather).  The year started out somewhat well, and my chess seemed inspired, even if I wasn’t. Playing in the Charles Bagby Northern California Championships at the Mechanics’ Institute in January, I scored a middle of the road 3.5 - 2.5. I won three nice games, vs. Richard Lobo, George Kane and Vince McCambridge - all given in previous columns.  However, I lost to both John Grefe (also given previously) and Charles Powell – the only time Charlie beat me.  A draw with Jeremy Silman rounded out the event for me.

Six months later I found myself visiting and staying with a chess master friend of mine in Seattle over the Summer. While enjoying the warm weather, and visiting my good friend Steve Brandwein down at the famous Last Exit Coffeehouse, I was somehow recruited to play in a newly minted “futurity” tournament.  Back in those days FIDE ratings were rare, but I had one, and so my presence was a chance for local talent to get rated by the World Chess Federation.  I was probably offered a small yet princely sum to participate, as I now cannot imagine another reason why I agreed to play…

The tournament was interesting, however, even if my interest in chess had flagged.  Legendary master Victor Pupols was on board, as well as strong up and comers Eric Tangborn and John Donaldson (future Director of the MI Chess Club).  Other participants included Alexey Rudolph (now Dr. Alexey Root, chess and education maven) and Robert Ferguson, current Attorney General of Washington State.

Dr. Alexey Root

Unfortunately, and unbeknownst to myself, I had walked into what can only be described as the Seattle version of the feud between the Hatfield’s and the McCoy’s!  It turned out that the friend I was staying with (who shall remain nameless), himself a strong master and FIDE rated, had not been invited, or had refused his invitation to the tournament.  I cannot recall, and no matter: he was no friend of some of the players. And two of them in particular, whose identities will be revealed in the games to follow.

 Perhaps another recounting of this tournament and its origins will throw some light here, but, needless to say, I found myself in a predicament: I was in a need to win situation precisely when I felt no need to win!  Chess bored me!  But, if I lost to these two fellas, I was likely out on my ear, and worse yet, out on my ear on those drizzly Pacific Northwest streets!  The couch where I so lazily snoozed would be ripped away: I would find no mercy from my friend.  These were his sworn enemies, and only total victory would satisfy his lust for their blood…

So now, instead of enjoying the occasional glimpse of Yasser Seirawan down at the Exit while strolling around with a coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other, or having deep conversations with beautiful baristas on their breaks like any normal 22-year-old, I found myself deep in the middle of an ancient conflict…

Dear reader, to see how I prevailed (and I did prevail!) look below at these struggles.  Try not to cry- or laugh too loudly.  It’s only chess, but deadly serious too!

(1) Dorsch,Thomas - Whitehead,Paul [E98]
Paul Masson , 1980

Tom Dorsch was a frequent participant in Bay Area tournaments back in the day. He went on to become involved in the politics of chess locally and nationally. I counted Tom as one of my friends in the chess community - we always shared a laugh together over this and that. But in this game the Tom I knew was absent: he gets totally rolled. 1.c4 g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.d4 Nf6 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Nf3 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7

A position seen hundreds of thousands of times. It is hard to believe White will be mated in only 8 moves!9.Ne1 Nd7 10.Nd3 f5 11.f4 exf4 12.Nxf4 Nc5 13.exf5 Nxf5 14.Nd3 Qh4 15.Ne1 Bd4+ 16.Kh1 Ng3# 0-1

 

(2) Whitehead,Paul - Krystall,Danny [C18]
Paul Masson, 1980

Danny Krystall is a master from Southern California. I don't know much about him except that he played in Lone Pine 1974, played a somewhat poor game against me here in 1980, and is still active now in 2019. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Ba5 6.b4 cxb4 7.Nb5 b3+ 8.c3 Nh6 9.Bxh6 gxh6 10.Qxb3

Black's free-wheeling approach to the opening has already put him in a difficult position. 10...Nc6 11.f4 f6 12.Nf3 0-0 13.Bd3 Qb6 14.Qc2 a6 15.Bxh7+ Kh8 16.Qg6! The Queen chases her ally the Bishop right into the Black king's lair, with deadly effect. Black is busted.16...axb5 17.Qxh6 Bxc3+ 18.Kd1 Qc7 19.Nh4! Nxe5 20.dxe5 Qxh7 21.Ng6+ Kg8 22.Qxf8# 1-0

 

(3) Whitehead,Paul - Osbun,Erik [C91]
Cal. Masters, Berkeley, 1981
[chess]

Erik Osbun played chess for over 40 years as a strong master, and as recently as 2018 has written for the MI Chess Club Newsletter. Erik played Bobby Fischer in a clock-simul in 1964 (he lost). Typical of young players, I just saw an older player that I hoped to bamboozle, and bamboozle him I did. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.d4

I played this frequently, as a way to avoid a lot of theory. White allows the pin after...Bg4.9...Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Na5 12.Bc2 Nh5 13.f4 A sacrifice, before Black grips the dark-squares with...Bg5.13...Nxf4 14.Bxf4 exf4 15.Qf3 Bg5 16.Nd2 c5 17.dxc5 dxc5 18.Rad1 Qe7 19.e5 White has the initiative, but the position is fairly level - Black is fine.19...Rad8 20.Qe4 g6 21.b4 Nb7 22.Nf3 Rxd1 23.Rxd1 Rc8 24.Kh2 Bh6 It was safer to redeploy the Knight with 24...Ne8, but White's next is maybe an overreaction...25.e6!? Ditching another pawn. 25...fxe6 26.Ne5 Rc7 27.bxc5 Now 27...Nxc5! 28.Qa8+ Bf8 29.Bxg6?! Qf6! works for Black. But everything is still in a precarious balance, until...27...Qxc5 28.Ng4 Kg7 29.Qxe6 Qe7 30.Qd5 Qc5 31.Qe6 Qe7 32.Qb6!? White shows fighting spirit, avoiding the repetition - and Black goes wrong immediately.32...Nc5? Black needed to try to cover the dark-squares: 32...Bg5! and it's unclear what's going on. Now 2 sharp blows and it's all over. 33.Re1! Qf7 If 33...Qxf7 34.Qf6+ Kg8 35.Nh6#. 34.Qd6! A powerful re-centralizing. Black has no defense. If 34...Bg5 35.Qe5+. 34...f3 35.Qe5+ Kf8 36.Qh8+ Qg8 Black resigns. 37.Re8+ is another end to the story. 1-0

 

(4) Whitehead,Paul - Braley,John [B07]
Seattle Futurity, 1982

I know little of John Braley, and this is the only time we ever met. There is a wonderful and heartfelt tribute by his friend, John Donaldson: https://new.uschess.org/news/john-braley-1944-2017/ This game, and the circumstances surrounding it, are detailed in the article above. It is surely a game no one could be proud of: a win on time in a grisly position, a game where White was outplayed from beginning to end, a game that served as a proxy in a feud the participants themselves didn't fully understand. I bore Braley no ill-will: it was fate -and perhaps fear itself - that handed me this fishy victory. 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6 4.Bg5 Qb6 5.Qd2

White pitches a pawn.5...Qxb2 6.Rb1 Qa3 7.f4 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.fxg5 hxg5 10.Bxg5 White wins the pawn back.10...Ng4 11.Nf3 f6 12.Bh4 Bh6 13.Qd3 Na6 14.Rb3 Qc1+ 15.Qd1 Qe3+ White is busted.16.Qe2 Nb4 17.Qxe3 Nxc2+ White loses a pawn. 18.Kd2 Ncxe3 19.Be2 Nxg2+ White loses pawn number two. 20.Kc2 Bf4 21.Be1 Nxe1+ 22.Rxe1 Nxh2 White loses pawn number three. 23.Nd2 Ng4 24.d5 Kf7 25.Nc4 Rh2 Black is winning...26.Kb1 b5 27.dxc6 Be6 28.Nd5 Bxd5 29.exd5 bxc4 30.Bxc4 30...Ne5 A little better was 30...a5, but we are just quibbling here. 31.Ba6 Rhh8 32.Re2 Rh1+ 33.Kc2 Nxc6?! Questionable. 33...Rc1+ 34.Kb2 Nc4+ 35.Bxc4 Rxc4 wins handily. 34.dxc6 Rc1+ 35.Kb2 Rxc6 36.Bb7 Rac8 37.Bxc8 Rxc8 38.Rb7 Be5+ 39.Kb3 a5 40.Rb5-/+ Black lost on time! 1-0

 

(5) Ferguson,Robert - Whitehead,Paul [A30]
Seattle Futurity, 1982

This game has nothing to recommend it, just a historical note: Robert Ferguson is now the Attorney General for the State of Washington. 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.Nf3 e6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 a6 7.b3

White goes his own way, as 7.d4 leads to Tarrasch - like positions.7...b6 8.Bb2 Bb7 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Bxg2 11.Kxg2 Qc7 12.e4 Qb7 13.f3 And now we have a hedge-hog. Drawn at Black's suggestion - I probably had a movie to go see. 1/2-1/2

 

(6) Whitehead,Paul - Rudolph,Alexey [B06]
Seattle Futurity, 1982

Dr. Alexey Root is now an author, with her focus on chess and education. Back in 1982 she was Alexey Rudolph - a talented chess playing teen with pig-tails! 1.e4 g6 2.d4 d6 3.Nc3 a6 4.a4 Bg7 5.Be3 Nc6

Black plays the opening with sophistication and style.6.Qd2 e5 7.Nge2 f5 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Qxd8+ Nxd8 10.g3 White is content to trade Queens, and is already thinking about an early cappucino at the Last Exit.10...Nf6 11.Bg2 0-0 12.0-0 Nf7 13.Rad1 Nd6 14.Bc5 Rd8 15.b3 Drawn at White's suggestion, I'm almost positive. Coffee time! 1/2-1/2

 

(7) Whitehead,Paul - Donaldson,John W [B31]
Seattle Futurity, 1982

1.e4 IM John Donaldson, author and historian, hardly needs an introduction. Many-time captain of the US Olympic team. Long time Director of the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club (1998-2018). However back in 1982 we were strangers. and I was under a mandate: win, or my goose was cooked! 1...c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1

White plays his favorite set-up. See MI Newsletter #867 in particular.5...Nf6 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nc3 Nc7 8.Bxc6 dxc6 9.Ne4 Ne6 10.b3 Black plays safe and sound. White tries something different.10...0-0 11.Bb2 b6 12.d3 Nd4 13.h3 a5 14.a4 f5 Maybe the wrong idea... see my game vs. Stearman also. 14...Qd5 looks better.15.exf6 exf6 16.Nxd4 cxd4 17.Qf3 Qd5 18.Nd2 Qxf3 19.Nxf3 c5 20.Nd2 White is slightly better.20...Ba6 20...Kf7! to challenge the e-file right away was correct. Black doesn't realize the danger. 21.Re6 Bh6? An outright blunder. Patient defense with 21...Rab8 was in order. 22.Ne4 Wins a pawn and soon the game. 22...f5 23.Nf6+ Kg7 24.Nd7 Rfe8 25.Rxb6

Discouraged, Black resigned. And White, who was faced with the dog house if he had lost, was instead given a hero's welcome! 1-0

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Tony's Teasers

Mate in 3, white to move. Sam Lloyd 1976-1877

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Upcoming Events

CalChess Rapid and Blitz State Championship, October 26-27 at Mechanics'

The CalChess Rapid State Championship will be held on Saturday October 26 and will be a 7-round G/15 +2 tournament with a $5000 prize pool based on 90 entries. The CalChess Blitz State Championship will be on Sunday October 27 and will be a 9-round G/3 +2 (single round) and will also have a $5000 prize pool based on 90 entries. Both these events will be broadcast and we will also have live commnetary by GM Nick de Firmian and FM Paul Whitehead. Come and be a part of this inaugural championship event! To register, follow these links:

https://www.milibrary.org/chess-tournaments/2019-calchess-state-rapid-championship

https://www.milibrary.org/chess-tournaments/2019-calchess-state-blitz-championship

Caroll Capps Memorial November 2-3

The long FIDE rated time control games come back next week with the Caroll Capps Memorial tournament, a 4-round 2-day event with G/90 +30 time control. If you love classical chess, this is the tournament to play. At $50 for non MI members and $45 for MI members, it is the best value in town for 4 FIDE rated games. Information and registration link can be found here:

https://www.milibrary.org/chess-tournaments/48th-carroll-capps-memorial-g90

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Chess Shirts by NM Tenzing Shaw

In order to commemorate the coming 60th anniversary of the Tal-Botvinnik match, Mechanics' player Tenzing Shaw has designed and is selling this very cool chess shirt:

If you are interested, please visit:  https://teespring.com/mikhail-tal-chess?tsmac=store&tsmic=coachess&pid=2&cid=239

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GM Nick de Firmian's Column

Great Women Chess Players:  Week 1- Judit Polgar

Most of the world’s top chess players are men, and that has been even more the case in the past history of chess. There is no physical reason women shouldn’t play as well as men, yet cultural norms, economic opportunities and lack of role models have discouraged most women from the pursuit of a chess career. Chess is a battle of the minds, very combative and intense. In former times women were thoroughly discouraged from such endeavors, yet despite that we saw a few successfully rise to the challenge, particularly in the old Soviet Union. Nowadays there are a fair number of women chess professionals in the world.  These columns of the Mechanics’ newsletter during the Fall TNM will be dedicated to the great women players throughout the years.

This first week we start with probably the best ever woman player – Judit Polgar. Judit comes of course from the famous Polgar family, the three super talented girls taught by their father Lazlo Polgar. The oldest sister Susan (Zsuzsa) and middle sister Sofia have earned the (men’s) GM and IM titles – remarkable achievements themselves. Judit however is at a whole other level, competing with the top men in the world and landing on the world’s top ten of the rating list for a decade. She also has a particular style – super aggressive attacking play! Any soft sentiments about the fairer sex would be extremely misplaced if you sat down across the board from her.

(1) Judit Polgar (2677) - Viswanathan Anand (2781) [B81]
Dos Hermanas Dos Hermanas ESP (1), 06.04.1999

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.g4 Diagram

Judit plays a sharp variation against Anand's Najdorf Sicilian. Many players avoid this continuation as the positons become too wild. 7...e5 8.Nf5 g6 9.g5! gxf5 10.exf5 d5! 11.Qf3 d4 12.0-0-0 Diagram 12...Nbd7 13.Bd2 dxc3 14.Bxc3 Diagram White is two pieces down, but the attacking kingside pawns and lead in development is compensation. The position may be roughly evaluated as even. The most important thing to have here is courage! 14...Bg7?! Perhaps 14...Rg8 would be a better line. 15.Rg1 0-0 16.gxf6 Qxf6 Diagram Black has given back one piece to remain one ahead and has castled. The open g file and active white pieces mean good compensation. 17.Qe3 Kh8 18.f4 Qb6?! [The text allows the attack to build quickly. A better try is 18...Re8] 19.Qg3 Qh6? Diagram [The last good chance was. 19...Rg8 Now White has a forceful way to gain full control of the position.] 20.Rd6! f6 The black queen must keep guard of the bishop on g7 to prevent mate. White's last two moves have targeted the queen and Anand must defend in a way that gives himself a completely tied up position. 21.Bd2! e4 22.Bc4 b5 23.Be6 Diagram Black still has an extra piece, but most of his are stuck, while White's pieces are extremely active. 23...Ra7 24.Rc6 a5 25.Be3 Rb7 26.Bd5 Rb8 27.Rc7 b4 28.b3 Rb5 29.Bc6 Rxf5 Diagram 30.Rxc8! Rxc8 31.Bxd7 Rcc5 32.Bxf5 Rxf5 33.Rd1 Kg8 34.Qg2 Diagram Material is back to even, but there is no hope at all for Black. First the e4 pawn goes, and soon after the black king. Anand resigned. 1-0

 

(2) Judit Polgar (2681) - Garry Kasparov (2838) [C67]
Russia - The Rest of the World Moscow RUS (5), 09.09.2002

Kasparov was the greatest player of his generation. He had a great score against many of his competitors, and truth be told that included Judit. However, she played some good games against Garry such as this. Another game played in Linares 1994 saw Garry make a blundering knight move. The camera showed he released the knight, but then quickly grabbed it again to place it on a different square. The arbiter failed to enforce the losing move and Kasparov won as Judit sat in disbelief. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 Diagram

Kasparov chooses the "Berlin Wall" which has been very hard to crack since the 2000 World Championship match. Perhaps he thought that Judit and her active inclinations would be ill at ease in the ending. 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 Diagram The classic Berline endgame, which has been played hundreds of times now. 9.Nc3 h6 10.Rd1+ Ke8 11.h3 Be7 12.Ne2 Nh4 13.Nxh4 Bxh4 14.Be3 Bf5?! This gives White a little more time - valuable even in the endgame. Safer was the simple development 14...Bd7. 15.Nd4 Bh7 16.g4! Be7 17.Kg2 h5 18.Nf5 Bf8 [18...hxg4 19.hxg4 Bxf5 20.gxf5 Rh5 21.Rh1! Rxf5 22.Rh8+ Bf8 23.Bc5 would lose a piece.] 19.Kf3 Bg6 20.Rd2 Diagram White has some grip on the position and a king side pawn majority. Judit has gotten real winning chances from this opening, which is impressive in itself. 20...hxg4+ 21.hxg4 Rh3+ 22.Kg2 Rh7 23.Kg3 f6?! 24.Bf4! Bxf5 25.gxf5 fxe5 26.Re1! Diagram White has doubled pawns on the kingside. Yet the active pieces give her a clear advantage. 26...Bd6 27.Bxe5 Kd7 28.c4! A powerful move. The threat of 29. c5 forces Kasparov to weaken his pawn structure. 28...c5 29.Bxd6 cxd6 30.Re6 Rah8 31.Rexd6+ Kc8 32.R2d5 Rh3+ 33.Kg2 Rh2+ 34.Kf3 R2h3+ 35.Ke4 Diagram 35...b6 Judit is up just one doubled pawn, but her pieces are on strong squares. She worries not about a few checks on her king. 36.Rc6+ Kb8 37.Rd7 Rh2 38.Ke3 Rf8 39.Rcc7! Rxf5 40.Rb7+ Kc8 41.Rdc7+ Kd8 42.Rxg7 Kc8 Diagram Kasparov played this, but then resigned. The two rooks on the seventh rank completely control the game. 1-0

 

(3) Polgar,Judit (2685) - Mamedyarov,Shakhriyar (2580) [C80]
Bled ol (Men) Bled, 2002

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Nc5 10.c3 d4 11.Ng5! Diagram

This fantastic move was invented by Tal, and first played in the 1981 World Championship match by Karpov against Korchnoi. The point is that 11...Qxg5 12 Qf3 causes a lot of trouble. 11...Bd5 12.Nxf7! Kxf7 13.Qf3+ Diagram 13...Ke6 14.Qg4+ Kf7? This wild position is extremely difficult to play, and Mamedyarov goes astray. It was necessary to play 14...Ke7 with an obscure position. Now Judit is in her element. 15.Qf5+ Ke7 16.e6! Diagram 16...Bxe6 17.Re1 This looks like a position from the games of old - Morphy or Greco. Black is a piece ahead but his king is caught in the center. Judit keeps up the pressure. 17...Qd6 18.Bxe6 Nxe6 19.Ne4! Diagram The white knight and bishop quickly jump into the game. That and the pin on the e-file create a decisive advantage. 19...Qe5 20.Bg5+ Kd7 21.Nc5+! Bxc5 22.Qf7+ Kd6 23.Be7+! Kd5 24.Qf3+ Diagram

Mamedyarov resigned. 24...Kc4 25. b3 is mate! 1-0

 

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2019 Fall TNM Games Round 1

Annotations by GM Nick de Firmian

(1) Griffith,Kyron (2452) - Askin,David (2053) [B12]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (1.1), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.Nbd2 Nd7 7.Nb3 Ng6 8.Be3 Be7 9.0-0 Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 0-0 12.Bg4 c5 13.c3 cxd4 14.cxd4 Qb6 15.Qd3 Rac8 16.Rac1 Rc6 17.f4 f5 18.Be2 Rfc8 19.Rxc6 Rxc6 20.g4 fxg4? Now White gets an overwhelming kingside pawnroller. [20...Nh4 21.Bf2 a5 keeps Black in the game] 21.hxg4 Qc7 22.Bd2 b6 23.a3 a5 24.Bc3 Bxa3 Black gets a pawn, but White crashes through on the other side. 25.f5 Ngf8 26.fxe6 Nxe6 27.Qf3 Ng5 28.Qxd5+ Kh8 29.bxa3 Rxc3

30.Qxd7! Rg3+ 31.Kh2 Rh3+ 32.Kg2 Qb8 33.Bf3 h6 34.Rc1 1-0

 

(2) Askin,Michael (2000) - Li,Eric Yuhan (2303) [E11]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (1.2), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Qc2 b6 9.Bf4 Ba6 10.Nbd2 Nbd7 11.Rfd1 Rc8 12.e4 Nxe4 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Ne5 f5 15.Qa4 Nb8

White has fair compensation for the pawn, but the immediate recapture lands him in trouble. 16.Nxc6?! Nxc6 17.Qxa6 g5! 18.Be3 f4 19.Bd2 fxg3 20.Bh3? [Whte needs to try 20.fxg3 Qxd4+ 21.Kh1 but Black is clearly better.] 20...gxf2+ 21.Kg2 Qd6 22.d5 Nd4 23.Be3 Nf5 24.Bxf2 Qf4 25.Kg1 Bd6 26.Bxf5 Qxh2+ 27.Kf1 Qh1+ 28.Bg1 Rxf5+ 29.Ke2 Qg2+ 0-1

 

(3) Winslow,Elliott (2248) - Lehman,Clarence (1900) [C61]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (1.3), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.0-0 h5?! Bird himself played this a few times [but it's completely eclipsed by the modern 5...Bc5] 6.d3 c6 7.Bc4 b5 8.Bb3 Bc5 9.a4 hitting at a weakness in Black's position. 9...b4 10.Nd2 d6 11.f4 Bg4 12.Qe1 h4 13.f5 Qe7 14.Rf4 Nh6 15.Nf3 Bxf3 16.gxf3 0-0-0 17.Qxh4 f6 18.Qg3 d5 19.Rh4 Kb7 20.Bf4 a5 21.Re1 Qd7 22.Kf1 Ka6 23.Bxh6! gxh6 24.Rg4 Bd6 25.Qg2 Rh7 26.Qf2 Bc5 27.exd5 Qxf5 28.dxc6 Rd6 29.Bc4+ Kb6 30.Qg3 Kxc6 31.Re8 Bb6 32.Bb5+ Kd5 33.Rf4

Black's king has been a bit too brave... 33...Qe5 34.Rxe5+ 1-0

 

(4) Pane,Gianluca (1887) - Tsodikova,Natalya (2196) [E61]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (1.4), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Nf3 0-0 5.Bg5 d6 6.e3 c5 7.d5 Qa5 8.Nd2 h6 9.Bh4 a6 10.e4 b5!? 11.cxb5 axb5 12.Bxb5 g5 13.Bg3

13...Nxe4 14.Ndxe4 Bf5 15.Bd3 Bxe4 16.Bxe4 Bxc3+ 17.bxc3 Qxc3+ 18.Kf1 f5 19.Rc1 Qf6 20.Bb1 f4 21.Qd3 Rf7 Black wins the piece back with a small advantage. 22.h4?! fxg3 23.Qxg3 Qf4 24.Qxf4 gxf4 25.Rh3 Nd7 26.Rb3 Ne5 27.Ke2 Kg7 28.a3 Kf6 29.g3 f3+ 30.Kd2 Ra4 31.Rbc3 Rd4+ 32.Ke1 Rxd5? Black held a clear advantage but now gives away the exchange. 33.Ba2 e6 34.Bxd5 exd5 35.a4 d4 36.Ra3 c4 37.Rd1 Nd3+? This allows White to simplify into a winning rook and pawn ending. The value of the Black pawns is detroyed. 38.Rdxd3! cxd3 39.Rxd3 Ke5 40.a5 Kd5 41.Kd2 Kc4 42.a6 Ra7 43.Ra3 d5 44.g4 Kb5 45.g5 hxg5 46.hxg5 Kb6 47.Rxf3! Kxa6 48.Ra3+ 1-0

 

(5) Walder,Michael (2101) - Melville,Cailen (1871) [A10]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (1.5), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.c4 b6 2.Nc3 Bb7 3.e4 e5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Nxd4 Bb4 7.Be2 Qf6 8.Be3 Nge7 9.0-0 Bxc3 10.bxc3 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Qf4 12.Bf3!? c5?! 13.g3 Qh6 14.Be5 Nc6 15.Bd6 Nd4

16.cxd4 Qxd6 17.d5 0-0 18.Qd3 Rfe8 19.Rfe1 Re7 20.Bg2 with an imminent central pawn roller. 20...Qg6 21.f4 d6 22.a4 Rb8 23.Rab1 Bc8 24.a5 Reb7 25.axb6 Rxb6 26.Rxb6 Rxb6 27.Qa3 Ra6 28.Qb3 f6 [28...Rb6 29.Qa4! worms its way in.] 29.Qb8 Qe8 30.Bh3 Bd7 31.Rb1 Black can no longer hold on. 31...Rb6 32.Rxb6 axb6 33.Be6+ Kf8 34.Qxd6+ Qe7 35.Qxd7 Qxd7 36.Bxd7 1-0

 

(6) German,Felix (1859) - Boldi,Ethan (2055) [E08]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (1.6), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 c6 5.Bg2 Nbd7 6.0-0 Be7 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Qc2 b6 9.Rd1 Bb7 10.Ne5? Nxe5 11.dxe5 Ng4! 12.e4 Bc5?! [12...d4!] 13.Rd2 d4 14.Ne2? [14.Na4 keeps White in the game.] 14...Nxe5 15.b4 d3 16.Qc3

16...dxe2! 17.Rxd8 Raxd8 18.Bd2 Bd4 19.Bf1 0-1

 

(7) Malykin,Erika (1688) - Khristoforov,Sergey (1947) [D03]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (1.7), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5 Nbd7 4.Nbd2 h6 5.Bf4 e6 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.c3 Nh5 9.Bg3 Nxg3 10.hxg3 Nf6 11.Nb3 Be7 12.Bb5+ Bd7 13.Qe2 Bxb5 14.Qxb5+ Qd7 15.Nbd4 a6 16.Qxd7+ Nxd7 17.Ke2 Rc8 18.Nd2 b5 19.Rac1 Nb6 20.b3? Black has a slight advantage in the ending, but this creates a fatal weakness on the c-file. 20...0-0 21.g4 Rc7 22.e4 Rfc8 23.Rh3 Bf6! 24.e5 Bxe5 25.N2f3 Bf4 26.Rch1 Rxc3 27.g5 Rc1 28.gxh6 Bxh6 29.Ne5 Rxh1 30.Rxh1 Bf4 31.Nec6 Bd6 32.f4 Rc7 33.Rf1 Nd7 34.Kd3 Nc5+ 35.Ke2 Ne4 36.Kd3 Nf6 37.Ne5 Nh5 0-1

(8) Uzzaman,Ashik (1935) - Bradley,Christopher (1680) [B23]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (1.8), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 a6?! These days White players take on c6 without even being provoked, so this is a wasted move. 6.Bxc6 bxc6 7.0-0 d6 8.d3 Bg4 9.Qe1 Qc8 10.Qh4 f5 11.Bd2 e5? Opening up the game with his king in the center leads to disaster. 12.fxe5 dxe5 13.exf5 Bxf5

14.Nxe5! Nf6 15.g4! Nxg4 16.Nxg4 0-0 17.Nh6+ Kh8 18.Nxf5 Rxf5 19.Ne4 Rh5 20.Qg3 Qd8 21.Bc3 Bd4+ 22.Kg2 Qd5 23.Rf3 Re8 24.Re1 Bxc3 25.bxc3 Qe5 26.Ref1 Qxg3+ 27.hxg3 Rhe5 28.Rf7 R8e7 29.Rxe7 Rxe7 30.Nxc5 a5 31.Ne4 Kg7 32.Rb1 Re5 33.Rb7+ Kh6 34.g4 Rb5 35.Rxb5 cxb5 36.Nd6 b4 37.cxb4 axb4 38.Ne4 Kg7 39.Nc5 h5 40.gxh5 gxh5 41.Na6 Kf6 42.Nxb4 Ke5 43.a4 Kd6 44.a5 Kc7 45.a6 h4 46.d4 Kb6 47.c4 h3+ 48.Kxh3 Kc7 49.c5 Kb8 50.Nc6+ Ka8 51.Ne7 1-0

 

(9) Boldi,Nicholas (1653) - Busch,Jonah (1871) [C01]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (1.9), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.exd5 exd5 5.d4 Bd6 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.Bg5 c6 10.Qc1 Nbd7 11.Re1 Qc7 12.Nh4 Rfe8 13.Bxh5 Rxe1+ 14.Qxe1 Nxh5 15.Nf5 h6 16.Be3 Bf4 17.Bxf4 Qxf4 18.g4 Nhf6 19.Ne2 Qf3 20.Nfg3 Ne4 21.Rd1 Re8 22.Rd3 Qf6 23.Qf1 Nf8 24.Qg2? Nxg3 25.Nxg3 Re1+ 26.Kh2 Ng6 Material is even but Black has a winning position. 27.Qf3 Qxf3 28.Rxf3 Rd1?! [28...Rc1 29.c3 Rc2] 29.Ra3?! [29.Nf5 Rd2 30.Rb3] 29...Rxd4 30.Rxa7 b5 31.Rc7 Ne5 32.Re7 f6? 33.Nf5 Rd2 34.Rxg7+ Kf8 35.b4?? [35.Kg3!+/-] 35...Rxc2 36.Ra7 Rxf2+ 37.Kg3 Rf3+ 38.Kg2 h5 39.Ra8+ Kf7 40.Ra7+ Ke8 41.Ng7+ Kd8 42.gxh5 Re3 43.h6 Ng6 44.h7 Re7 45.Ra8+ Kd7 46.Nf5 Re5 47.Nh6 Re8 48.Ra7+ Ke6 49.Rg7 Rh8 50.Rxg6 Rxh7 51.Ng4 Rf7 52.Rg8 f5 53.Nf2 Ra7 54.Rg6+ Ke5 55.Rxc6 Rxa2 56.Rc5 Kd4 57.Rxb5? Ke3 58.Rxd5 Rxf2+ 59.Kg3? f4+ 60.Kg4 Rg2+ 61.Kh4?? [61.Kf5 still draws] 61...f3 62.b5 f2 63.Rf5 Ke2 64.Re5+ Kf1 65.b6 Kg1 66.b7 f1Q 67.b8Q Qf6+ 68.Kh5 Qf7+ 69.Kh4 Qh7+ 70.Rh5 Qe4+ 71.Qf4 Qxf4# 0-1

(10) Babb,Kevin (1803) - Lin,Aung (1642) [E24]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (1.11), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 Ne4 6.Qc2 f5 7.e3 0-0 8.Bd3 Ng5? [8...b6!?; 8...Nc6!?] 9.Ne2+/- b6 10.0-0 Bb7 [10...Nc6; 10...Ba6] 11.f3 d6 12.Bd2 Nd7 13.e4?! fxe4 14.fxe4 e5 15.Ng3 Ne6?! 16.Nf5?! [16.c5!+/-] 16...Rf6?! [16...Kh8!=] 17.d5?! Nf4! 18.Bxf4 exf4 19.Rxf4 Ne5?! [19...g6! 20.Nh6+ Kg7 21.Rxf6 Nxf6 22.Qd2 Qe7=] 20.Raf1 Bc8 [20...Kh8] 21.Qe2 Bd7 22.Bc2 a6 23.Qh5 Bxf5 24.Rxf5 Rg6 25.Qe2 Qe7 26.Qf2 Ng4?! 27.Rf7?! [27.Qf3 Ne5 28.Qf4; 27.Qf4?! Nh6] 27...Qe8? [27...Qd8! 28.Qd2 Rf6 29.R7xf6 Nxf6=] 28.Qf4 Ne5 [28...Rf6! 29.Rxf6 Nxf6 30.Qf5 Nd7 31.Ba4 b5 32.cxb5 Nc5] 29.Rxc7 Qd8 30.Rb7 [30.Rf7!] 30...Rf6 31.Qg3 Rxf1+ 32.Kxf1 Qf6+

33.Qf2?? [33.Kg1! Rf8 34.h4 Qf1+ 35.Kh2 g6 36.Rxb6 Qc1!-/+] 33...Qg5!-+ [33...Qh6!-+] 34.Qe2 Qf4+ 35.Kg1 Ng4 36.g3 Qc1+ 37.Bd1 Ne3 38.Qf3 Rf8 39.Rb8 Rxb8 0-1

 

(11) Rakonitz,David (1639) - Robeal,Rafik (1800) [A40]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (1.12), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 b6 2.Nf3 Bb7 3.c4 e6 4.a3 f5 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.g3 Be7 7.Bg2 0-0 8.0-0 d6 9.Re1 Nbd7??

10.Ng5! Qc8 11.Nxe6 Re8 12.Qc2 [12.d5!; 12.Bh3!] 12...Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Nf8 14.Nxf8 Bxf8 15.e4?! [15.Bg5; 15.a4] 15...fxe4?! [15...Nxe4!] 16.Nxe4 [16.Bg5!+-] 16...Qf5 17.Nxf6+ Qxf6 18.Rxe8 Rxe8 19.Be3 g6 20.Qa4 Qf7 21.Rc1 c5 22.dxc5 dxc5 23.Rd1 Qb7+ 24.Kg1 Re7 25.Qc2 Qf3 26.Qd2 [26.Rd8! Kf7 27.Qd2 Qe4 28.h4! Qxc4? 29.Bg5! Re2? 30.Qd7+ Kg8 31.Rxf8+! Kxf8 32.Bh6+ Kg8 33.Qg7#] 26...Re5 White, a clear pawn up, is basically winning. But now he allows a perpetual. 27.Qd8?? It's the rook that needs to go there! [27.Qc1] 27...Rxe3! 28.fxe3 Qxe3+ 29.Kf1 Qf3+ 30.Ke1 Qe3+ 31.Kf1 1/2-1/2

 

(12) Drane,Robert (1800) - Acharya,Venkatagiri (1609) [C23]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (1.13), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 c6 3.Nf3 d5 4.exd5 cxd5 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.Qe2 Bxb5 7.Qxb5+ Qd7 8.Nc3 e4 9.Nd4 Nf6 10.0-0 Nc6 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Qe2 Be7 13.b3 0-0 14.Bb2 Rfe8 15.Rae1 Bd6 16.h3 Rac8 17.f3 Bb8 18.Qf2 Qc7 19.f4 a5 20.Qh4 Re6 21.Ne2 c5 22.Be5 Qa7 23.Qg3 Rce8 24.Bxb8 Qxb8 25.f5 Qxg3 26.Nxg3 Re5 27.Rf2 h5 28.h4 e3 29.dxe3 Rxe3 30.Rfe2 Rxe2 31.Rxe2 Rxe2 32.Nxe2 Ne4 33.Nf4 Nc3 34.Kf1 Kf8 35.a3 c4 36.Ke1 Ke7 37.Nxh5 cxb3 38.cxb3 Nb5 39.b4 axb4 40.axb4 Nd4 41.f6+ gxf6 42.Kd2 Ke6 43.Kd3 Ke5 44.Nxf6 Nf5

45.Nxd5?? [45.Ng4+ Kf4 else 46.h5 46.Nh2 Nxh4 (46...Kg3? 47.h5 Kxh2 48.b5 stretches Black's knight's defensive value) 47.b5] 45...Kxd5 46.h5 Nh6 47.Ke3 Ke5 [47...Kc4 48.Kf4 Kxb4 49.Kg5 Ng8 50.h6 Nxh6 51.Kxh6 Kc4 52.Kg7 Kd4 53.Kxf7 Ke5=] 48.Kf3 Kf5 49.b5 Ng8 50.g4+ Kg5 51.Ke4 Ne7 52.Ke5 Kxg4?? Black had a nice division of labor: the knight stops the b-pawn and the king, the king stops the g- and h-pawns. But not any more! 53.h6 Kg5 54.Kd6 [Actually 54.h7 Ng6+ 55.Kd6 Kh6 56.b6 heads straight for Q v N. Oh, and that pawn on f7 hardly matters.] 1-0

 

(13) Raza,Aezed (1607) - Bielec,John (1790) [A57]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (1.14), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.e3 axb5 6.Bxb5 Qa5+ 7.Nc3 Ba6 8.Bxa6 Qxa6 9.Nge2 d6 10.0-0 g6 11.e4 Nbd7 12.Bg5 Bg7 13.Qc2 0-0 14.f4 Rfb8 15.Rae1 Qa7 16.h3 Nb6 17.b3 c4 18.Kh1 cxb3 19.axb3 Nbd7 20.Bh4 Qc7 21.Nd4 Rb4 22.Nc6 Rb6 23.Na4 Rxc6 24.Qxc6 Qb8 25.Re3 Qa7 26.e5 Nh5 27.exd6 exd6 28.Re7 Rd8

29.Nb6! Bf6 [29...Qxb6 30.Rxd7!+-] 30.Bxf6 Ng3+ 31.Kg1 Nxf1 32.Rxd7 Rxd7 33.Qc8+ 1-0

 

(14) Babayan,Gagik (1790) - Chea,Na (1601) [B06]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (1.15), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 e5 4.dxe5 Nc6 5.f4 Qh4+ 6.g3 Qd8 7.Bc4 Nge7 8.Nf3 Na5 9.Bd3 d6 10.Be3 Bg4 11.exd6 Qxd6 12.e5 Qb4 13.Rb1 Nc4 14.Bxc4 Qxc4+/-

15.Qd4?? [15.Qe2; 15.Kf2; 15.h3] 15...Qc6!-+ 16.0-0 Bxf3 17.Qc5 Qxc5 18.Bxc5 Bc6 19.Rbd1 Rd8 20.Rxd8+ Kxd8 21.Rd1+ Ke8 22.b4 b6 23.Bf2 Nc8 24.Rd4 b5 25.g4 Bf8 26.a3 h5 27.g5 Be7 28.h4 Kf8 29.Ne2 Kg7 30.Rd3 Be4 31.Rc3 c6 32.Ng3 Bd5 33.f5 Bd8 34.e6 Bb6 35.f6+ Kf8 36.e7+ 36...Nxe7 37.Bxb6 axb6 38.fxe7+ Kxe7 39.Ne2 Kd6 40.Re3 Bc4 41.Nc3 Kd7 42.Ne4 Be6 43.Kf2 Ke7 44.Rc3 Rc8 45.Ke3 Bd5 46.Nf6 Bh1 47.Kf4 Rd8 48.Ke5 Rd1 49.Rd3 Re1+ 50.Kf4 Rf1+ 51.Kg3 Ke6 52.Re3+ Kd6 53.Rd3+ Ke6 54.Re3+ Kd6 55.Rd3+ Ke6 56.Re3+ Kf5 57.Nd7 Rg1+ 58.Kh2 1/2-1/2

 

(15) Tamondong,Cesar (1600) - Zeller,William (1776) [E81]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (1.16), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nge2 0-0 7.f3 Nd7 8.0-0? This blunders away an important center pawn. And life is tough after that. [8.Be3] 8...Nxd4-/+ 9.Nxd4 Bxd4+ 10.Kh1 Bg7 [10...Bxc3 11.bxc3 e5] 11.Be3 c6 12.Qd2 Re8 13.Bh6 Bh8 [13...Bxh6 14.Qxh6 e5] 14.f4 Nf6 15.h3 Nh5 16.Kh2 e6 17.Rae1 Qh4?? 18.Rf3 [18.Bg5! Qg3+ 19.Kh1+- and Black's queen is trapped!] 18...Qe7 19.g4 Nf6 20.Bg5?! [20.e5!] 20...Qc7 21.f5?! exf5??

[21...Nd7=/+] 22.gxf5? [22.exf5!+- gxf5 23.Bxf6 Rxe1 24.Qg5+! Kf8 25.Bxh8+- Black is in big trouble 25...Be6 26.gxf5 Bxc4 27.Bxc4 d5+ 28.Rg3 dxc4 29.Bf6 Ke8 30.Qg8+ Kd7 31.Qxf7+! (31.Qxa8) 31...Kd6 32.Qxc4] 22...Nh5= [22...Nd7] 23.Kg2?! Re5? [23...Be5!-/+ Black is back in control.] 24.Be3 Re7 25.Bg5 Re8 26.Bc2 Be5 27.b4 f6 28.Be3 g5 29.Bb3 Kh8 30.a4 Nf4+ 31.Bxf4 Bxf4 32.Rxf4 gxf4 33.Qxf4 Re5 34.Re3 b6?! [34...Qe7] 35.h4 [35.c5!?] 35...Bb7 36.Rg3 Rg8 37.c5 d5 38.Rxg8+ Kxg8 39.Qg3+ Qg7 Black is safely winning the endgame. 40.Qxg7+ Kxg7 41.Kf3 dxe4+ 42.Nxe4 Rxf5+ 43.Ke3 Re5 44.Kf4 Bc8 45.cxb6 axb6 46.Nd6 Be6 47.Bc2 Rd5 48.Ne8+ Kf7 49.Nc7 Rd4+ 50.Kg3 Rxb4 51.Na8 Rg4+ 52.Kf3 Rxh4 53.Nxb6 Rb4 54.a5 Rb5 55.Bxh7 f5 56.Kf4 Kg7 57.Bxf5 Rxf5+ 0-1

 

(16) Xu,Jayden (1774) - Casares,Nick (1600) [D61]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (1.17), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 0-0 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.Qc2 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Nb6 10.Bd3 Nbd5 11.e4 Nb4 12.Qd2 Nxd3+ 13.Qxd3 b5 14.e5 Nd5 15.h4 h6 16.Bxe7 Nxe7 17.Ne4 Nd5 18.Qd2 Qe7 19.Nc5 a5 20.a3 a4

21.g4 Bb7 22.0-0-0 b4 23.h5 bxa3 24.bxa3 Rfb8 25.g5 Ba6 26.gxh6 Be2 27.Qxe2 Rb1+ 28.Kc2 Rb3 29.Rd3 Rab8 30.Rxb3 Rxb3 31.Nxb3 1-0

 

(17) Latourette,Nick (1583) - Mays,Jerry (1700) [C45]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (1.18), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qf6 5.Nxc6 Bc5 6.f3 Qxc6 7.Bf4 Ne7 8.Qd2 a5 9.Nc3 0-0 10.h4 Rd8 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.Qxd5 Bb4+ 13.Kd1 Qxd5+ 14.exd5 d6 15.g4 Bd7 16.Bd3 a4 17.c3 Bc5 18.Kc2 Ra5 19.Rae1 Raa8 20.Re2 Re8 21.Rg2 b5 22.Kb1 Rab8 23.g5 c6 24.Be4 cxd5 25.Bxd5 Bf5+ 26.Ka1 Be6 27.Be4 b4 28.Bd2 d5 29.Bd3 bxc3 30.Bxc3 d4 31.Bd2 Bd5 32.Rf1 a3 33.b3 Bb4 34.Kb1 Bxd2 35.Rxd2 Re3 36.f4?

White overlooks a shot, and Black seizes the opportunity! 36...Bxb3! 37.Bxh7+ Kxh7 38.axb3 Rbxb3+ 39.Ka2 Rb2+ 40.Rxb2 axb2 41.Kxb2 Kg6 42.f5+ Kh5 Scoresheet finally loses it -- but Black won. 0-1

 

(18) Mercado,Adam (1699) - Carron,Joel (1573) [B34]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (1.19), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.f3 0-0 8.Qd2 d5 9.0-0-0 Nxd4 10.Bxd4 dxe4 11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.fxe4 Qxd4 13.Qxd4 Bxd4 14.Rxd4 Be6 15.Bb5 Rac8 16.Bd7 Rc4 17.Rxc4 Bxc4 18.b3 Be2 19.c4 Rd8 20.Bh3 Rd4 21.Re1 Rxe4 22.Kd2 Bd3 23.Rc1 Be2 24.Rc3 Bg4 25.Bxg4 Rxg4 26.g3 Rd4+ 27.Rd3 Rxd3+ 28.Kxd3 e5 29.Ke4 f6 30.Kd5 Kf7 31.c5 Ke7 32.b4 a6 33.g4 h6 34.h4 h5 35.gxh5 gxh5 36.a3 Kd7 37.a4 Kc7 38.b5 axb5 39.axb5

39...b6? This gives White a protected passed pawn, and he can draw the resulting ending. Any king move won. 40.c6 Kc8 41.Ke4 Kc7 42.Kd5 Kc8 43.Ke4 Kd8 44.Kd5 Ke7 45.Ke4 Ke6 46.Kd3 f5 47.Ke3 Kd6 48.Kd3 f4 49.Ke4 Ke6 50.Kf3 1/2-1/2

 

(19) Reyes,Victor Hugo (1497) - Cortinas,Marty (1697) [B31]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (1.20), 22.10.2019

1.e4 c5 2.e5 Nc6 3.f4 d6 4.Bb5 Qb6 5.Bxc6+ Qxc6 6.Nf3 Qe4+ 7.Kf2 Nh6 8.d3 Ng4+ 9.Kg3 Qg6 10.Nh4 Qe6 11.Re1 h5 12.h3 Nh6 13.exd6 Qxd6 14.Kh2 Nf5 15.Nf3 Bd7 16.Nc3 0-0-0 17.Ne5 Be6 18.Nb5 Qb6 19.a4 a6 20.Na3 g6 21.Nac4 Qc7 22.Bd2 Bh6 23.Rf1 b6 24.a5 b5 25.Nb6+ Kb8 26.Qf3 Qb7 27.Nc6+ Kc7 28.Nxd8 Rxd8 29.Qe2 Bg7 30.c3 Kb8 31.Rf3 Qc6 32.Be1 Nd6 33.Bf2 Nb7 34.Rd1 Nxa5 35.b4 Nb7 36.Bxc5 Nxc5 37.bxc5 Qxc5 38.Na4 bxa4 39.Rb1+ Bb3 40.d4 Qd6 41.Qc4 Qe6 42.Qxa4 Ka7 43.Rxb3 Rd6 44.Rf1 Qe3 45.Qc4 Rd7 46.Qc5+ 1-0

(20) Mani,Venugopal (1598) - Capdeville,Barry (1226) [D37]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.10), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 c6 6.e3 0-0 7.c5 Re8 8.Bd3 Nbd7 9.0-0 Nf8 10.h3 Nh5 11.Bh2 f5 12.Ne5 Nf6 13.b4 N8d7 14.Rc1 Nxe5 15.Bxe5 Ne4 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.a4 Bf6 18.Bh2 e5? Breaking too soon, Black lands in trouble after the resulting exchanges. 19.dxe5 Qxd1 20.Rfxd1 Bxe5 21.Bxe5 Rxe5 22.Rd8+ Kf7 23.Rcd1 Re7 24.b5 Rc7 25.b6 axb6 26.cxb6 Re7 27.R1d6 Ra6 28.Rxc8 Rxb6 29.Nb5 Ra6 30.Nd4 g6 31.Rdd8 Kf6 32.Ra8 c5 33.Nb5 Rxa8 34.Rxa8 Ke6 35.Rd8 Rd7 36.Rxd7 Kxd7 37.Kf1 Kc6 38.Ke2 c4 39.Kd2 Kc5 40.Kc3 b6 41.Na3 1-0

(21) Frank,Robert (1224) - Hansen,Mateo (1583) [D94]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.21), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 g6 4.c4 c6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Nxd5 cxd5 8.Bb5+ Nc6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bd2 a6 11.Be2 Bg4 12.h3 Bd7 13.Qb3 Bc8 14.a4 Rb8 15.a5 Bf5 16.Nh4 Bd7

Offering an enticing pawn. 17.Qxd5!? e6 18.Qe4?? [18.Qd6 staying on the bishop holds. 18...Qxh4 19.Qxd7] 18...f5! winning. 19.Qf4 g5 20.Qh2 gxh4 21.g4 hxg3 22.Qxg3 f4 23.Qg2 Rf5 24.Bg4 Rb5 25.Bc3 Qg5 26.Be2 Qxg2+ 27.Kxg2 Rg5+ 28.Kh2 Rf8 29.exf4 Rg6 30.Bd3 Rh6 31.Rg1 Kh8 32.Rg3 Bxd4 33.Bxd4+ Nxd4 34.Be4 Bc6 35.Bxc6 Nxc6 36.Rag1 Nxa5 37.Rg7 Rhf6 38.b4 Nc6 39.Rxb7 Rxf4 40.Rgg7 Rxf2+ 41.Kg3 R8f3+ 42.Kh4 Rf4+ 43.Kh5 Rxb4 44.Rxh7+ Kg8 45.Rhg7+ Kf8 46.Rbd7 Rf5+ 47.Kg6 Ne5+ 48.Kh6 Rh4# 0-1

 

(22) Starr,Albert (1517) - Ahrens,Richard (1206) [A05]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.22), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.b4 g6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.e3 Bg7 4.Nf3 0-0 5.Be2 d6 6.0-0 b6 7.d3 Bb7 8.Nbd2 Nbd7 9.c4 c5 10.b5 Qc7 11.a4 a6 12.Ra3 d5 13.cxd5 Bxd5 14.Nc4 e6 15.Qa1 Rfe8 16.Rc1 axb5 17.axb5 Rxa3 18.Nxa3 e5 19.d4 e4 20.Nd2 h5 21.dxc5 bxc5 22.Nac4 Bxc4? Black will miss this bishop. White now gets a clear advantage. 23.Bxc4 Qd6 24.Rd1 Qb8 25.Nb3 Ne5 26.Bf1 Ned7 27.Nxc5 Nxc5 28.Bxf6 Bxf6 29.Qxf6 Nd3 30.Qc6 f5?? 31.Qxg6+ Kf8 32.Qxf5+ Kg7 33.Qxh5 Rh8 34.Qg5+ Kf7 35.h4 Rg8 36.Qd5+ Kf6 37.Bxd3 exd3 38.Rxd3 1-0

(23) Gimelfarb,Natan (1118) - Chan,John (1507) [C02]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.23), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Nd7 4.c4 dxc4 5.Bxc4 c6 6.Nf3 h6 7.0-0 b5 8.Bb3 a5 9.a3 Ne7 10.Bf4 a4 11.Ba2 Ng6 12.Qc1 Bb7 13.Bg3 Be7 14.Qc2 Ngf8 15.Qd1 Nb6 16.Ne1 Ng6 17.Qh5 Qd7 18.Nd3 Nc4 19.Rc1 Qxd4 20.Rd1 Qb6 21.b3 axb3 22.Bxb3 c5 23.f3 Ne3 24.Re1 c4 25.Bf2 cxb3 26.Bxe3 Qa5 27.Nd2 Qc3 28.Nb4? Bxb4 29.axb4 Rxa1 30.Bf2 Rxe1+ 31.Bxe1 Qc1 32.Kf1 0-0 33.Qg4 b2 34.Qd4 b1Q 35.Nxb1 Qxb1 36.Qd7 Bd5 37.Qxb5 Nxe5 38.Kf2 Nd3+ 39.Ke2 Qxe1+ 40.Kxd3 Qf1+ 0-1

(24) Yamamoto,Craig (1500) - Sun,Kevin (1100) [C50]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.24), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.0-0 d6 6.d3 Be6 7.Be3 Bb6 8.Bb3 0-0 9.Nd5 Bxd5 10.exd5 Ne7 11.c4 c6 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.Qc2 Qc7 14.h3 Rfb8

15.c5! dxc5 16.Bxc5 Bxc5 17.Qxc5 Rb5 18.Qc4 Rab8? 19.Qxf7+ Kh8 20.Rfe1 h6 21.Nh4 Kh7 22.Be6 Rd8 23.Bf5+ Kh8 24.Ng6+ Kh7 25.Nxe7+ Kh8 26.Ng6+ Kh7 27.Qxc7 Rg8 28.Ne7+ Kh8 29.Nxg8 Kxg8 30.Qc8+ Kf7 31.Qe6+ Kf8 32.Rxe5 Rb7 33.Qc8+ Kf7 34.Qxb7+ Kf8 35.Bg6 a5 36.Qf7# 1-0

 

(25) Badgett,James (1084) - James,Charles (1480) [B23]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.25), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4 e6 4.Bc4 a6 5.a4 Nc6 6.Nf3 Nf6 7.Qe2 Be7 8.e5 dxe5 9.fxe5 Nd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.d3 b6 12.Bf4 Bb7 13.Rae1 Qc7 14.Qf2 Na5 15.Ba2 c4 16.d4 Bb4 17.Qg3 Kh8 18.Qh4 Rg8 19.Ng5 Nf8 20.Be3 f6 21.exf6 gxf6 22.Rxf6 Rg7 23.Ref1 Re8

24.Nf7+? [24.Rf7! Qc6 (24...Ng6 25.Qh6) 25.Nce4 is curtains] 24...Qxf7! 25.Bg5?? [White was still winning! 25.Rxf7! Rxg2+ 26.Kh1 Rg4+ 27.Rxb7 Rxh4 28.Rxb6 is "just" a pawn, but it's quite enough here.] 25...Qg8!-+ Any retreat along the 2nd rank was also winning, but this, lining up on the g-file, is best. 26.Ne4 Bxe4 27.Qxe4 Rxg5 28.R1f2 Nd7 29.Rh6 Bf8 30.Rh4 Re7 31.c3 Qg6 32.Bb1 Rg7 33.Qxg6 R7xg6 34.Bxg6 Rxg6 and went on to win. 0-1

 

(26) Martin,Michael (1480) - Dubensky,Walt (1078) [C48]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.26), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Nc3 d6 5.h3 Bd7 6.0-0 Nd4 7.Bxd7+ Qxd7 8.d3 Be7 9.Be3 Ne6 10.Ng5 Nf8 11.d4 exd4 12.Qxd4 c5 13.Qc4 Ne6 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.Rad1 0-0-0 16.b4 d5 17.exd5 exd5 18.Qb3 d4

19.Na4 Qb5 20.Qe6+ Rd7 21.Nxc5 Bxc5 22.Bxd4 Re8 23.Qf5 Qxb4 24.Bxf6 Qb5 25.Bd4 b6 26.Bxc5 bxc5 27.Rxd7 Qxd7 28.Qxc5+ Kd8 29.Qh5 g6 30.Qf3 Re6 31.Rd1 Rd6 32.Qf8+ Kc7 33.Rxd6 Qxd6 34.Qxd6+ Kxd6 35.Kf1 Kc5 36.Ke2 Kb4 37.Kd3 a5 38.c4 Ka3 39.c5 Kxa2 40.Kc2 Ka3 41.c6 Kb4 42.c7 a4 43.c8Q a3 44.Qb7+ Ka4 45.Kc3 a2 46.Kc2 [46.Qb4#] 46...a1Q 47.Qa7+ Kb4 48.Qxa1 1-0

 

(27) Serra,Owen (1036) - Agdamag,Samuel (1465) [B01]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.27), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 d5 2.e5 Bf5 3.d4 e6 4.Nf3 c5 5.Bb5+ Nc6 6.0-0 Qb6 7.Nc3 a6 8.Ba4 Nh6 9.Rb1 Qc7 10.a3 b5 11.Bb3 c4 12.Ba2 Bg4 13.Bxh6 gxh6 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Nxd4 16.Qf6 Rg8 17.Rbc1

17...Qxe5! 18.Qxe5 Nf3+ 19.Kh1 Nxe5 20.f4 Nd7 21.Ne2 Bc5 22.c3 Nf6 23.f5 Ke7 24.Bb1 Rg7 25.Nf4 e5 26.Ne2 Rag8 27.g4 h5 28.Kg2 hxg4 29.hxg4 Rxg4+ 30.Ng3 Rxg3+ 31.Kh2 R3g5 32.Rf3 Rg2+ 33.Kh3 Bd6 34.Rc2 R2g5 35.Kh2 e4+ 36.Rg3 Rxg3 37.Kh1 Rg1# 0-1

 

(28) Sachs-Weintraub,Julian (1447) - Neygut,Eitan (993) [A85]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.28), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Bg5 Bb4 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 0-0 7.f3 Qe8 8.Nh3 d6 9.Qd3 Nbd7 10.e4?

10...e5! Black seizes the moment to open up the game while White's king is still in the center. 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 12.dxe5 fxe4! 13.fxe4 Qxe5 14.Nf2 Re8 15.Ra2 Bf5 16.Re2 Bxe4 17.Nxe4 Nxe4 18.g3 Qxc3+ 19.Qxc3 Nxc3 20.Rxe8+ Rxe8+ 21.Kd2 Ne4+ 22.Kc2 Nc5 23.Bh3 Re2+ 24.Kb1 Kf8 25.Bg4 Re4 26.Bf5 Rxc4 27.Rf1 Kg8 28.Re1 g6 29.Bc8 Re4 30.Rxe4 Nxe4 31.Bxb7 Nc5 32.Bd5+ Kg7 33.Kc2 Kf6 34.g4 Ke5 35.Bg8 h6 36.Kc3 Ne4+ 37.Kb4 c5+ 38.Kb5 d5 39.Bf7 c4 40.Kb4 g5 41.a4 a5+ 42.Ka3 Nf2 43.Bh5 d4 44.Kb2 Ke4 45.Kc2 Ke3 46.Kc1 d3 47.Bf7 d2+ Very nice game by Eitan, making classic use of his lead in development. 0-1

 

(29) Sullivan,George (841) - Radaelli,Lucas (1444) [D11]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.29), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Ne4 5.Bh4 dxc4 6.Nc3 Qa5 7.e3? Nxc3 8.bxc3? Qxc3+ 9.Nd2 b5 10.Be2 e6 White has extra development, but it's not worth the two pawns. 11.0-0 Bb7 12.Ne4 Qa5 13.f4 c5 14.Nxc5 Bxc5 15.dxc5 0-0 16.Bf3 Bxf3 17.Qxf3 Na6 18.Be7 Rfc8 19.Qg3 Kh8! Good defense. 20.Qf3 Qc7 21.Bd6 Qc6 22.Qh5 Nxc5 23.Be5 Qe8 24.Bd4 Nd3 25.a3 c3 26.Qe2 Nc5 27.Bxc3 Nb3 28.Rab1 Rxc3 29.e4 Rac8 30.Rf3 Rc2 0-1

(30) Hilliard,Michael (1429) - Ballantyne,Andrew (785) [D02]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.30), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 Nc6 4.a3 Nd7 5.Bb5 a6 6.Bxc6 bxc6 7.b4 e6 8.Nbd2 Be7 9.Bb2 0-0 10.0-0 Rb8 11.Nb3

11...c5? An aggressive attempt to break up the White queenside, but it just doesn't work. 12.bxc5 a5 13.a4 Ba6 14.Re1 h6 15.Bc3! Re8 16.Nxa5 Nxc5? Desperation. 17.Nc6 Qd7 18.Nxb8 Rxb8 19.dxc5 Bxc5 20.Ne5 Qe7 21.Nc6 Qe8 22.Nxb8 Qxb8 23.Rb1 Qd8 24.Bd4 Bd6 25.Rb2 Qh4 26.g3 Qh3 27.Qf3 c6 28.Rb6 Bc4 29.Rxc6 Bb4 30.c3 Ba5 31.Rc8+ Kh7 32.Qxf7 e5 33.Bxe5 Qg4 34.Rg8 d4 35.Rxg7+ 1-0

 

(31) Li,Katherine (703) - Simpkins,Jerry (1426) [A04]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.31), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.d3 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bg5 Be7 6.g3 0-0 7.Bg2 h6 8.Be3 Nc6 9.0-0 g5 10.d4 f4 11.gxf4 exf4 12.Bd2 g4

13.e5 Nh7 14.Bxf4 Rxf4 15.Ne1 Nxd4 16.Nd5 Ne6 17.Nxf4 Nxf4 18.f3 h5 19.fxg4 Nxg2 20.Qd5+ Kh8 21.Nxg2 Ng5 22.exd6 Be6 23.Qxb7 Bxd6 24.gxh5 Rb8 25.Qxa7 Rb5 26.h6 Bc5+ 27.Qxc5 Rxc5 28.Rad1 Nh3+ 29.Kh1 Nf2+ Another crazy win from the Great One. 0-1

 

(32) Cole,Tony (1425) - Gimelfarb,Ilia [C65]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.32), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 d6 5.d3 Bg4 6.Bg5 Be7 7.h3 Bh5 8.Qd2 h6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.0-0-0??

10...Bxf3! 11.Rhe1 Bg5 12.Re3 Bxe3 13.Qxe3 Bh5 14.Nd5 a6 15.Ba4 b5 16.Bb3 Nd4 17.g4 Bg6 18.Kb1 c6 19.Nb4 a5 20.Nxc6 Nxc6 21.Bd5 Rc8 22.h4 Nb4 23.h5 Bh7 24.Rc1 Nxd5 25.exd5 Rc5 26.Qf3 b4 27.d4 e4 28.Qb3 Rb5 29.Qc4 Rb7 30.Qa6 Qb6 31.Qe2 Qxd4 32.f3 0-0 33.fxe4 Qxe4 34.Qa6 Rc7 35.Qxd6 Rxc2 0-1

 

(33) Chambers,Wolfe - Olson,David (1407) [A36]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.33), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.Rb1 Be7 6.a3 0-0 7.b4 cxb4 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.axb4 Rb8 10.Qa4 Bb7 11.c5 Nd5 12.Qxa7 d6 13.Ne4 f5 14.Nxd6 Bxd6 15.cxd6 Qxd6 16.Ba3?? [16.Qc5=] 16...Qe5?? [16...Ra8-+] 17.Bb2??

[17.Nf3+-] 17...Qe4 18.d3 Qxh1 19.Kd2 Nf6 20.Rc1 Ba8 21.Be5 Rxb4 22.Bd6 Rb7 23.Qa2 Re8 24.Nf3 Qg2 25.Rxc6 Rb2+ 26.Qxb2 Bxc6 27.Nd4 Bd5 28.Kc3 Qxf2 29.Qa1 Ra8 30.Qb1 h6 31.e4 fxe4 32.Nxe6 Bxe6 33.Qb7 Rc8+ 34.Kb4 0-1

 

(34) Cheng,Andrew (1400) - Krezanoski,Paul [C00]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.34), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.e5 Bb4 5.a3 Ba5 6.b4 Bb6 7.Bb2 Nh6 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 a6 10.d4 Ba7 11.Nbd2 Nf5 12.Nb3 Qe7 13.Rc1 b6 14.c4 Nb8 15.cxd5 exd5 16.Qc2 c6 17.Rfe1 Nh6 18.Nh4 Be6 19.Nd2 Rc8 20.Nb3 Nd7 21.Re3

21...c5! 22.bxc5 bxc5 23.dxc5 Nxc5 24.Nxc5 Rxc5 25.Rc3 Rac8 26.Rxc5 Rxc5 27.Qd2 Qc7 28.Rxc5 Qxc5 29.Nf3 Bb8 30.h3 Nf5 31.Qb4 Ba7 32.Qxc5 Bxc5 33.Kf1 h6 34.g4 Ne7 35.Nd4 Ng6 36.Nxe6 fxe6 37.Ke1 d4 38.Bf1 a5 39.Kd2 Nxe5 40.f4 Ng6 41.f5 exf5 42.gxf5 Nf4 43.h4 Kf7 44.Bd3 Kf6 45.a4 Nxd3 46.Kxd3 Kxf5 47.Bc1 g5 48.hxg5 hxg5 49.Ke2 g4 50.Kf1 Ke4 51.Bg5 d3 0-1

 

(35) Revi,Frank (1376) - Nicol,George [D02]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.36), 22.10.2019

1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Ne5 Bh5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Bf4 Nfd7 7.Qc2 f6 8.Nxd7 Nxd7 9.cxd5 e5 10.Bg3 exd4 11.Qe4+ Be7 12.Nb5 Ne5 13.Qxd4 Bd6 14.Qe4 0-0 15.Bxe5 Bxe5 16.Qc4 Bf7 17.e4 c6 18.Nc3 Re8 19.Be2 f5 20.Rd1 Qe7 21.f3 fxe4 22.Nxe4?? cxd5 23.Rxd5 Bxd5 24.Qxd5+ Kh8 25.Qd2 Red8 26.Qe3 Rac8 27.Bd3 Qb4+ 28.Nc3 Bxc3+ 0-1

(36) Jade,Valerie - Chambers,Don (1367) [C65]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.37), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bd6 4.0-0 Nf6 5.Re1 Bc5 6.c3 d5 7.exd5 Qxd5 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.Rxe5+ Qxe5 10.Nxe5 0-0 11.d4 Bd6 12.Nxc6 Bb7 13.Ne5 Rad8 14.Qc2 Be4 15.Qa4 Bxe5 16.dxe5 Bc6 17.Qc2 Rfe8 18.f3 Rxe5 19.Kf2 Red5 20.b3 Rd1 21.Bb2 Rh1 22.Nd2 Rxh2 23.c4 Ng4+ 24.Kg3 Ne3 25.Qc3 Rxg2+ 26.Kf4 Re8 27.Ne4 Bxe4 28.fxe4 Nc2 29.Rh1 f6

30.Rxh7 g5+ 31.Kf5 Ne1 32.Rg7+ Kh8 33.Rh7+ Kxh7 34.Qh3+ Kg8 35.Kg6 Re7 36.Qc8+ 1-0

 

(37) Rushton,Peter (1237) - Ford,Andy Vincent [C02]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (1.38), 22.10.2019

1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e5 c5 4.d4 Ne7 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.Nc3 a6 7.Be2 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Nbc6 9.Nf3 Ng6 10.0-0 Ncxe5 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.b3 Bd6 13.Ne4 Bc7 14.Nc5 Bc6 15.Bb2 0-0 16.Nd3 f6 17.Nc5 Qd6 18.Bxe5 fxe5 19.Nxe6 Qxe6 20.c4 d4 21.c5 Qh6 22.h3 Rf6 23.Bg4 Raf8 24.Qe2 Bb5 25.Qb2 Bxf1 26.Rxf1 d3 27.b4 Kh8 28.b5 d2 29.bxa6 Rxa6 30.Qxb7 Qc6 31.Qb2 Qd5 32.a3 Rb8 33.Qc2 Rxa3 34.Bf3 Qd3 35.Qd1 Rab3 36.Qe2 Qxe2 37.Bxe2 Rb1 38.f3 Rxf1+ 39.Kxf1 Rb1+ 40.Kf2 d1Q 0-1

(38) Bayaraa,Timothy (1084) - Robertson,Wade (1232) [C15]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Extra Rated San Francisco (1.40), 22.10.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Bb4 4.Bd2 Bxc3 [4...dxe4!?] 5.Bxc3 dxe4 6.Qg4 Nf6 7.Qxg7 Rg8 8.Qh6 Rg6 9.Qe3 Nc6 10.Bc4?! [10.f3] 10...Bd7 11.0-0-0 Nd5?! [11...Ne7!] 12.Bxd5 exd5 13.f3 [13.Ne2!] 13...Rxg2 [13...Qg5!] 14.fxe4 Qe7 15.Re1 Be6?? [15...dxe4] 16.Nf3??

[16.exd5! is crushingest: 16...Bxd5 17.Qf4 Be6 18.d5+-; 16.Ne2 and; 16.Nh3 both head for f4, with a won game as well.] 16...dxe4 17.Ne5? [17.Qxe4 0-0-0 18.Rhg1 keeps the balance.] 17...Nxe5 [or 17...f5; 17...0-0-0!?] 18.Qxe4 [18.dxe5 Qg5! 19.Qxg5 Rxg5 20.Rhg1 (20.Rxe4? Bd5) ] 18...Qg5+ 19.Kb1 0-0-0!-/+ 20.dxe5?! [20.Qxe5 Qxe5 21.dxe5 Bf5 22.Rc1 Rdg8 23.Rhf1 Be6] 20...Bf5-+ 21.Qf3 Rxc2 22.Rhg1?? [22.Ka1 Be6] 22...Rxc3+? [22...Rc1#!] 23.Ka1 Rxf3 24.Rxg5 Bg6 25.a3 Rf2 26.h4 Rdd2 27.h5 Bf5 28.Rg8+ Kd7 29.Rg7 Ke6 30.Rg5 Rxb2 31.Rxf5 Kxf5 32.Rd1 Ra2+ 33.Kb1 Rfb2+ 34.Kc1 Ra1+ 35.Kxb2 Rxd1 0-1

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