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Chess Room Newsletter #896

Gens Una Sumus!

 

Newsletter #896

Dec 6, 2019

By Abel Talamantez

Table of Contents


TNM Round 7

Gaffagan Sits Alone At Top Of Championship Section With Two Rounds Remaining, Alexander Perlov Pulls To Within A Point of Jonah Busch In A/B, Venugopal Mani In Control Of U/1600.

In one of the more competetive championship section TNM's, Steve Gaffagan continues his strong play to remain the sole leader with 5.5/7 after securing a hard fought draw against one of the pre-tournament favorites, NM Eric Li. There was a glitch on the DGT for that game, which was unfortunate because it was an exciting game in which it appeared Gaffagan had a strong attack and needed great defensive technique from Eric to hold the draw. We will publish the correct full game in next week's newsletter from the scoresheet. This result keeps Eric in contention with 5/7, tying him for second place with WFM Natalya Tsodikova, who defeated NM Russell Wong. It will be a very exciting final two rounds!

Steve Gaffagan (red) drew NM Eric Li, and WFM Natalya Tsodikova took advantage of a tactical shot opportunity to score a big win against NM Russell Wong

In the A/B section, Jonah Busch (6.5/7) had a half point bye, so Alexander Perlov and Gagik Babayan were playing to try to move a half point closer to him. The result was a win for Perlov, who now sits in sole second place with 5.5/7, a full point behind. It seems Busch and Perlov will face off against each other next week with lots on the line, and it should be an exciting game. Many tough opponents are at 5/7, including Sergey Khristoforov, Ashik Uzzaman, Guy Argo, and Gagik Babayan. If Perlov can score a win against Busch, the door will be open for anyone to take first place in the section. 

Alexander Perlov (left) on board 9 moved to clear second in the A/B section while Venugopal Mani (right) defeated Mateo Hansen on board 10

In the U/1600 section, Venugopal Mani continued his dominance in the section with a win against Mateo Hansen. He now has 6.5/7, the only half point being the result of a half point bye. He is a half point ahead of Illia Gimelfarb, who already has lost to Mani. A whopping six players sit at 5/7, including Mateo Hansen, Albert Starr, Jerry Simpkins, Jon Cendejas, Eitan Neygut, and Valerie Jade. Will Mani pull completely away from the field? Or will one of these contenders take him down and open up the race in the final round? Tune in next week to find out!

For the complete standings and information for the TNM, please follow this link:  https://www.milibrary.org/tuesday-night-marathon

You can re-live the live broadcast from our Twitch channel by visiting our YouTube page here: https://www.youtube.com/mechanicschess

Free Chess Classes at MI!

GM Nick de Firmian shows a game during his Wednesday evening class

Want to learn chess or understand the game better? Have trouble formulating a plan or understanding how to proceed after developing your pieces? Want to better identify weaknesses or imbalances in the game? We offfer a variety of FREE classes throughout the week!

Here is our programming schedule:

Wednesdays: GM Nick de Firmian 5:30pm - 7pm (except last Wednesday of month)

Thursdays: FM Paul Whitehead 5:30pm -7pm (except last Thursday of month)

Saturdays: Coach Andy Trattner 11am -1pm. Kids class welcome to all 18 and under, no experience necessary. Check schedule of dates here: https://www.milibrary.org/events/chess-class-beginners-and-intermediate-players

Sundays: Ewelina Krubnik and Sophie Adams 11am-1pm. women's class.

For the list of classes, please follow this link:

https://www.milibrary.org/chess/calendar

Take advantage of these special opportunities with our amazing coaches!

Wednesday Night Blitz Report

IM John Donaldson found the going a bit rough, but ultimately tied for 1st place
with the unheralded yet strong newcomer Dexter Pacheco.
Both finished with a 9.5 - 2.5 score, a full point ahead of 3rd place Expert Jules Jelinek.
10 players showed up for this thrilling event under the pin-point precision of director Jelinek.
See you next week!
 

Interview with FM James Eade

By FM Paul Whitehead

I don’t believe I had ever met James “Jim” Eade before quite recently – his tenure as Mechanics’ Institute Chess Club Director from 1996 to 1998 coincided with the time of my leaving for Virginia for 15 years.  I missed a lot, chess-wise, in the San Francisco Bay Area during that time.

I originally planned this article as a straight interview, and I asked Jim a few softballs, like:

Q.  How old are you and where are you from?

A.  I was born in 1957.  New Haven, Connecticut.

And:

Q.  What’s your favorite food?

A.  Candied ginger

I don’t know if Jim likes softball, but I do know he loves baseball.

The author of Remember the MacCutcheon, as well as bestsellers Chess for Dummies and Chess Openings for Dummies – books I certainly need to look at if I want to bring my game back up to speed - Jim is also the author of (the amazingly titled) Chess Player’s Bible.

On Jim’s resume -

Past editor of the California Chess Journal.  Served on the executive Board of the USCF.  Past President of Cal Chess.  Past President of the Chess Journalists of America.  American Zone President of FIDE, 2000 – 2002.  Past trustee of the U.S. Chess Trust.

Q.  Proudest achievement in chess?

A.  Organizing the 1995 Pan-Pacific GM Invitational in San Francisco.

(I’m not exactly sure if this was the question… or the answer to the question! But it’s close.  And it allows me to add the tournament book, won by GM Victor Korchnoi and with annotations by GM Nick de Firmian, to the list of books Jim has written.)

There’s more here on Jim’s Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Eade

Besides being a World of Chess Knowledge unto himself and an accomplished FIDE Master, Jim is a friend and fellow traveler with many in the Chess World: the great and the unknown.

I’ve really enjoyed hanging out with Jim while doing commentary on the TNM -  it’s been 3 times now, and I’m looking forward to more.   He takes the pressure off me, and gently points out my mistakes.  We make plans for the future, and talk about the old times as though we’d known each other for years.

I asked Jim what he’s up to now:

Q.  What are you up to now?

A.  I am Chairman and CEO of www.EadeFoundation.org

The Eade Foundation’s goals, as Jim explains, is “Building communities through chess for those who cannot otherwise easily access the chess community”.  I urge you to take a look at Jim’s work, as chess is being increasingly seen as a way to help empower people, to help bring community.

I think Jim likes hanging out at the Chess Club because he feels that kind of community here.  I know that I feel it all the more strongly when Jim’s in the room.

Finally, there’s Jim the chess player.  Here’s a few games that he’s found memorable.  I’ll try to remember what he said about them, and to give a smart preamble to each.

(1) Eade,Jim (2240) - De Firmian,Nick E (2560) [A47]
Labor Day Festival op California, 1993

It's not every day you get to play a strong Grandmaster, let alone draw with one. Jim shows great fighting spirit, matching Nick move-for-move. In the final position Black might be better, but John Grefe's declaration that "black is winning" seems far-fetched. Nick has the strong players uncanny sense of danger - there's danger for black here too, despite the possibility of making a passed pawn on the kings-side. 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 b6 4.e3 Bb7 5.Bd3 Be7

eade_92

6.h3 c5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.c3 0-0 9.Nbd2 cxd4 10.exd4 a6

eade_93

11.Qe2 b5 12.a4 b4 13.c4 d6 14.Rfe1 Re8 15.Bh2 Bf8

eade_94

16.Rad1 g6 17.Nf1 Qa5 18.Qd2 Rad8 19.b3 e5 20.d5 Nb8

eade_95

21.Bc2 Nbd7 22.g4 Nc5 23.Bg3 Bg7 24.Bh4 Rf8 25.Bg5 Rde8

eade_96

26.Ng3 Kh8 27.Nh4 Bc8 28.Bh6 Bxh6 29.Qxh6 Ng8 30.Qd2 Qd8

eade_97

31.Ng2 a5 32.f4 exf4 33.Qxf4 Qf6 34.Rf1 Qxf4 35.Rxf4 Kg7

eade_98

36.Kf2 Nf6 37.Re1 Rxe1 38.Nxe1 Re8 39.Nf3 h6 40.Nd2 Bd7

eade_99

41.Rd4 Re5 42.Nf3 Re7 43.Nd2 Bc8 44.Bd1 Re8 45.Bc2 Kf8

eade_100

46.Rf4 Ke7 47.Nge4 Nfxe4+ 48.Bxe4 Rh8 49.Kg3 Rf8 50.Bc2 f5

eade_101

51.Rf3 Kf6 52.Re3 Bd7 53.Nf3 fxg4

eade_102

1/2-1/2

 

(2) Lobo,Richard (2270) - Eade,James V [E06]
Labor Day Festival op California, 1993

A really nice take-down of one of San Francisco's top Senior Masters. Despite the early exchange of queens white comes under a crushing attack. 14...Ng4! signals the end, and 21...Be3! is just the showy icing on the proverbial cake. 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.g3 0-0

eade_103

6.Bg2 dxc4 7.Ne5 c5 8.dxc5 Qxd1+ 9.Kxd1 Bxc5 10.f4 Nbd7

eade_104

11.Nxc4 Rb8 12.e4 b5 13.Na5 Ba6 14.a3 Ng4 15.Kc2 Nf2

eade_105

16.Re1 b4 17.axb4 Nd3 18.Rd1 Nxb4+ 19.Kb1 Bd3+ 20.Rxd3 Nxd3

eade_106

21.e5 Be3 22.Kc2 Ne1+

eade_107

0-1

 

(3) Eade,Jim (2335) - Au,Leslie [E72]
Hawaii op Hawaii, 1994

This is from another tournament organized by Jim, a futurity in Hawaii. This is a nice, powerful positional win over one of Hawaii's best. In the final position the bishop on c8 is lost. 1.d4 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Ne2 c6

eade_108

6.0-0 Nbd7 7.c4 0-0 8.Nbc3 Qc7 9.h3 e5 10.Be3 b5

eade_109

11.dxe5 dxe5 12.cxb5 cxb5 13.Nxb5 Qb8 14.a4 a6 15.Nd6 Qxb2

eade_110

16.Qd3 Qb4 17.Rfb1 Qa5 18.Qc4 Qd8 19.a5 Ne8 20.Rd1 Nxd6

eade_111

21.Rxd6 Qe7 22.Rc6 Bb7 23.Rc7 Rac8 24.Rb1 Rxc7 25.Qxc7 Bc8

eade_112

26.Nc3 Re8 27.Nd5 Qa3 28.Nb6 Qxa5 29.Qc6 Qa2 30.Rc1

eade_113

1-0

 

(4) Eade,Jim (2320) - Frias Pablaza,Victor J (2485) [A47]
USA-chT Amateur East Parsippany (1), 13.02.1999

Jim includes this game, saying IM Frias was the strongest player he beat, even though he was worse at one point. It's true: 17.cxd5?! was a positional mistake, and black was marginally better. However 20...Bxe5 gave up much: white straightened out his pawns, and black's feints on the kingside were nothing. A tactical oversight: 25...Qf5?? was brutally refuted. In the final position if 27...Ne7 28.Rxf8+ Kxf8 29.Ba3 Qg5 is met by Qc8 mate! 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.e3 b6 4.Bd3 Bb7 5.Nbd2 e6

eade_114

6.0-0 Be7 7.b3 0-0 8.Bb2 cxd4 9.exd4 d6 10.Re1 a6

eade_115

11.c4 Nbd7 12.h3 Re8 13.Re3 Bf8 14.Ne4 Nxe4 15.Bxe4 Bxe4

eade_116

16.Rxe4 d5 17.cxd5 Nf6 18.Re2 Nxd5 19.Rc1 Bd6 20.Ne5 Bxe5

eade_117

21.dxe5 Qg5 22.Re4 Rac8 23.Rec4 Rxc4 24.Rxc4 b5 25.Qc1 Qf5??

eade_118

26.Rc8 Rf8 27.Qc5

eade_119

1-0

Kenn Fong on Guthrie "Mac" McClain

Below is an email sent to us by Kenn Fong on Guthrie "Mac" McClain, published with his permission. We thought it would be fitting given the McClain Memorial coming this weekend

William Guthrie "Mac" McClain (1910-1991)
 
"Mac" [nobody called him anything else] was a master chess player in the age when very few could make a living at chess. Instead he turned his analytical mind to business. His California Municipal Statistics" was the foremost bond rating company in California. 
 
Instead of making a living FROM chess, he made it possible for chess to thrive in Northern California. Besides George Koltanowski, Mac was probably the greatest benefactor of chess in this area. Although he did not trumpet his largesse, we have him to thank for many great events in the Bay Area, including two US Junior Championships; the most notable of which was Bobby Fischer's 1957 Triumph.
 
[After that tournament, Mac lent his car to some of the players to drive to the U.S. Open in Cleveland. Driving through some long stretches of desert, the players tried to teach Bobby how to drive. At some point, the car broke down with some simple malfunction and Mac laughed that the boys were swindled by a small town repair shop and had to call him to wire $200 to replace a fan belt.]
 
He published The California Chess Reporter for decades out of his office at 244 Kearney Street. (I have no doubt he chose the location because it was minutes away from the Mechanics.)
 
Mac was famous for concocting work for chessplayers who were broke. If one were to drive by his home on a summer afternoon, one might see a chessmaster mowing his lawn or painting his garage. It didn't matter if the chessmaster knew how to mow the lawn; what mattered was the chessmaster needed twenty bucks.
 
Mac was not only a supporter of chess; he was a strong competitor. He participated in many of the legendary "North-South" tournaments. [Two of the other participants were novelists Walter Tevis and Fritz Leiber. Tevis wrote "The Hustler," "The Color of Money" and a novel about a teenaged female prodigy, "The Queen's Gambit." Fritz Leiber was known for his fantasy and science fiction including "Farhfed and the Grey Mouser."]
 
Guthrie McClain also was a long time member of the Mechanics Board of Directors. After a long career in business, he retired to a Pulgas, a tiny town upstate but he made frequent trips back to the Bay Area to see family and friends.
 
On the final trip, he had dinner one night with his oldest and dearest friend, another longtime supporter of Bay Area chess, senior master Bob Burger.
 
Bob was a prolific writer and famed oeniphile. After the two had a sumptuous dinner of prime rib with several bottles of excellent red, they retired to the chess table with snifters of brandy.
 
The two must have played thousands of games during their long friendship. They had a habit of hurling caustic commentary at each other.
 
Mac played his move, then clutched his chest, and in the most dramatic way, lunged forward into the board. He was dead as a carp.
 
He'd died the perfect chessplayer's death. After a gourmet meal with several bottles of wine in the company of his dearest friend, then playing a game against that friend, dying right there at the board.
 
It's been over thirty years, but I miss him still. 

Tony's Teasers

 

White to move and mate in 3. N. Hoeg 1905

 

Scholastic Corner

Winter Chess Championship @ Hamilton School in Novato, CA
co-organizing with the Hamilton Chess Club
TOMORROW -- December 7 @ 10AM

Prepare for a full day of fun chess tournament at our friends, the Hamilton Chess Club.
We are co-organizing this fun day where kids can compete in one of three different sections: two of them are non-rated (so no USCF membership is needed), and based on their grade; and the third section is a USCF-rated section for all those who would like to see this counting towards their rating. In all we are expecting around 60-80 kids, but we have a maximum capacity of 100!
Trophies to top 10 players in each section, and medals to all others are guaranteed.
Honored guests will include Novato Mayor Eric Lucan and Mechanics' Institute Trustee and 2-time U.S. Champion GM Patrick Wolff. Also in attendance will be coach of the Hamilton Chess Club, WGM Carla Heredia.
More information: https://www.milibrary.org/chess-tournaments/winter-scholastic-chess-championship-hamilton
Register at: https://mechanics-institute.jumbula.com/Tournaments2019/1stAnnualWinterScholasticChessChampionship
Address:  Hamilton School, 5530 Nave Dr, Novato, CA 94949

Any questions? [email protected]

GM Nick de Firmian’s Column

Great Women Chess Players:  Week 7 – Alexandra Kosteniuk

This week we investigate the play of a modern Women’s World Champion. One who comes from the great Russian tradition of chess, but who embraces modern western culture. There have been great Russian and Soviet teams in both the men’s and women’s Chess Olympiad in the last century. The men are very famous names – Tal, Botvinnik, Karpov, Kasparov, etc. Yet the Russians have had great women players too, and two-time Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk deserves her place in chess history.

Alexandra became Women’s World Champion in 2008 and won gold medals on the Olympic Teams in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Though she has earned her fame by chess ability, it is also her efforts off the chessboard that gets notice. She advanced chess by her attention to marketing and fashion. She was one of the first to have her own website and she pursued commercial opportunities, much like her countrywoman, tennis stars Maria Sharapova and Anna Kournikova.  Alexandra also lived in Miami for some years, following the trend of Sharapova and other Russian stars who live an international life and choose the US as one of their home bases.

(1) Kosteniuk,Alexandra (2472) - Kortschnoj,Viktor (2558) [C13]
SUI-ch 112th Flims (3), 14.07.2012

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 gxf6 Diagram

Kosteniuk_143
Korchoi has chosen the French Defense, as he often did throughout his career. This line of the Rubenstein Variation gives Black the two bishops at the cost of slightly weakened pawn structure and a little less space. 7.Nf3 b6 8.Bc4 Bb7 9.Qe2 c6 10.a4!? Alexandra simply restrains Black on the queenside instead of 10. 0-0-0. 10...Nd7 11.Ng3 Qc7 12.0-0 Nf8?! [12...0-0-0 would be preparing for an all out battle.] 13.Nh5 Rg8 14.a5 b5 Diagram
Kosteniuk_144
15.a6! Bc8 This is not so pleasant, but neither is 15...bxc4 16. axb7. 16.Bd3 Rb8 17.b3 Rb6 18.c4 bxc4 19.Bxc4 c5 20.Rfc1! Bd7 21.Qe3 White has developed with great precision so Black is under pressure. The black king must stay in the center and the black rooks cannot get connected. 21...Rg6?! 22.dxc5 Bxc5 Diagram
Kosteniuk_145
23.Bd3! Rc6 24.Rxc5 Rxc5 25.Bxg6 hxg6 26.Nxf6+ Diagram
Kosteniuk_146
Alexandra has an extra pawn, a safe king and the attack. She brings home the point with forceful play. 26...Ke7 27.b4! Rf5 28.Rc1 Qb8 29.Ng8+ Ke8 30.h3 Nh7 31.Qc3 Qf4 32.Rd1 f6 33.Rd4 Qb8 34.Qd2 Nf8 Diagram
Kosteniuk_147
Black has been pushed back. The finish is near. 35.Qh6 Kf7 36.Qh8 Rf4 37.Nh6+ Ke8 38.Qg7 Diagram
Kosteniuk_148
Korchnoi resigned. He is losing more material and his king has no safe place. If 38...Rxd4 39. Qf7+ etc. 1-0

 

(2) Hou,Yifan (2557) - Kosteniuk,Alexandra (2510) [C97]
Wch (Women) Nalchik (6.1), 14.09.2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.a3 d6 9.c3 Bg4 10.d3 Na5 11.Bc2 c5 12.h3 Bd7 13.d4 Qc7 Diagram

Kosteniuk_149
A classic closed Ruy Lopez position has arisen. Black has equalized here. 14.d5 c4 15.Nbd2 Nb7 16.Nf1 Nc5 17.g4?! This aggressive move has a downside that the dark squares are weakened on the white kingside. 17...h5! 18.N3h2 hxg4 19.hxg4 Qc8 20.f3 Nh7 Starting the maneuvers that give Black control of the kingside dark squares. 21.Ng3 Bg5 22.Nf5 Qd8 23.Kg2 [23.Nxd6? Qb6! 24.Nf5 Bxf5 25.exf5 Nd3+] 23...g6 24.Ng3 [24.Nxd6 Bxc1 25.Qxc1 Qf6 traps the knight] 24...Kg7! 25.Rh1 Rh8 26.Nhf1 Qf6 27.Be3 Bxe3 28.Nxe3 Ng5 29.Qe2 Rag8 30.Raf1 Qf4 31.Rxh8 Rxh8 32.Rh1 Rxh1 33.Nxh1 Nd3! 34.Bxd3 cxd3 35.Qf2 d2 36.Ng3 Diagram
Kosteniuk_150
36...Nxf3 37.Qxf3 Bxg4! Diagram
Kosteniuk_151
Black wins two pawns because of the play from the advanced d-pawn. The game is easily won now. 38.Qf2 d1Q 39.Nxd1 Bxd1 40.Qe1 Bf3+ 41.Kg1 f5 42.exf5 gxf5 43.Qf2 Kg6 44.b3 e4 45.c4 bxc4 46.bxc4 Qg5 47.c5 f4 48.cxd6 fxg3 Diagram
Kosteniuk_152
0-1

 

(3) Kosteniuk,Alexandra (2489) - Edouard,Romain (2666) [B01]
Geneve Masters GpB Geneve (3.1), 28.06.2013

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 c6 8.Be3 e6 9.Bd3 Nbd7 10.0-0 Diagram

Kosteniuk_153
Alexandra has met the Center Counter Defense with classic play and straightforward development. She has a nice edge from the opening. 10...Be7 11.Qg3 0-0 12.Ne2!? b5?! It was better to be solid with 12...Re8 or 12...g6. 13.Bh6 Ne8 14.Bf4 Ndf6 15.Be5 Bd6 16.a4 White has more space on the kingside and now the Black queenside becomes weak. 16...b4 17.a5 Qc7 18.f4 c5 19.c3 cxd4 20.Nxd4 Bxe5 21.fxe5 Nd7 22.Be4 Rc8 23.Nc6 bxc3? Diagram
Kosteniuk_154
Black needed to play 23...Nef6! 24. Ne7+ Kh8 25. Nxc8 Nxe4 though White is still better after 26. Qe3. 24.Bxh7+! Kh8 [24...Kxh7 25.Qh4+ and 26. Ne7 will be mate whether the king goes to g8 or g6.] 25.Qh4 Diagram
Kosteniuk_155

1-0

2019 Fall TNM Games Round 7

(1) Gaffagan,Steven (2040) - Li,Eric (2303) [B88]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (7.1), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Bb3 0-0 9.a4 Nc6 10.Be3 Bd7 11.f3 Safe but reasonable play by White; it's even. 11...Rc8 12.Qe2 Na5 13.Rfd1?!

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1054
13...Qc7 [13...e5! 14.Nf5 Bxf5 15.exf5 Nxb3 16.cxb3 d5] 14.Qf2 Qb8 15.Nde2 Nxb3 16.cxb3 e5 17.Ba7 Qa8 18.b4 Rc4 19.b5 Rb4 20.Ng3 g6 21.Be3 Rc8 22.Qd2 a5 23.Nge2 Be6 24.Rdc1 Nd7 25.Rab1 Bf8 26.h4 Bb3 27.h5 Nc5 28.hxg6 hxg6 29.Kf2 Nxa4 30.Rh1! White has sacrificed a pawn for attacking chances. 30...Nc5 31.Rh2 [31.Bh6! would have been a very serious attack.] 31...Bc4 32.Bxc5?! Rxc5 33.Rbh1 Bg7 Moves corrupted (no scoresheets), drawn in four more moves. 1/2-1/2

 

(2) Wong,Russell (2200) - Tsodikova,Natalya (2196) [C54]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (7.2), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 d6 5.c3 Bb6 6.d3 Nf6 7.a4 h6 8.b4 a5 9.b5 Ne7 10.Nbd2 0-0 11.Bb3 c6 12.Nc4 Bc7 13.Ba3 Re8 14.d4?! This aggressive move ends badly, and Black gets the winning chances. [14.Re1 for example, preparing.] 14...Nxe4 15.dxe5 d5 16.b6 Bb8 17.Bc2 Nxc3 18.Qe1 dxc4 19.Qxc3 Qxb6 20.Qxc4 Be6 21.Qe4 Bf5 22.Qc4 Bxc2 23.Qxc2 Ng6 24.Rab1 Qa6 25.Qb2 Nxe5 26.Nxe5 Bxe5 27.Qxb7 Qd3! 28.Rb3?

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1055
28...Bxh2+! 29.Kxh2 Qxf1 30.Rg3 Qxf2 31.Qxc6 Qf4 32.Bd6 Qh4+ 33.Rh3 Qf6 34.Rf3 Qe6 35.Qb7? Qxd6+ 0-1

 

(3) Clemens,Kristian (1956) - Snyder,Larry (2061) [D94]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (7.3), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.e3 0-0 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 c5 8.0-0 Nc6 9.dxc5 Qa5 10.Qe2 Qxc5 11.h3 a6 12.Bd2 b5 13.Bb3 Bb7 14.Rac1 Qb6 15.Rfd1?! Na5! causes trouble. 16.e4 Nxb3 17.axb3 Rfd8 18.Be3 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Qc7 20.Rc1 Qd7 21.Bc5?! e6?! [21...Qc6! 22.Bxe7 Nxe4 would leave Black with extremely active pieces.] 22.b4 Bf8 23.Ne5 Qc7 24.Nd3 Bc6 25.Bd4 Nd7 26.f3 Qb7 27.Qe3 a5? Too aggressive. 28.bxa5 b4 29.Na2 b3

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1056
30.Nab4! Bb5 31.a6?! [31.Qf4! intending Rc7, Rxc7 and Qf6 should lead to victory] 31...Bxa6 32.Nxa6 Rxa6 33.Nc5 Nxc5 34.Bxc5 Bxc5 35.Qxc5 Ra2 36.Qe5 Ra8 37.Kh2 Rc8 38.Rd1 Ra8 39.Rd3 Rc8 40.Kg3 Ra8 41.Kh2 Rc8 42.Kg3 Ra8 43.Kh2 Rc8 1/2-1/2

 

(4) Walder,Michael (2101) - Pane,Gianluca (1887) [B40]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (7.4), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.e5 Nd5 7.Qg4 g6 [7...0-0 8.Bh6 g6 9.a3! Qa5 10.axb4! Qxa1+ 11.Nd1 is Negi's all-but refutation of the modern treatment versus the Pin Variation] 8.Bd2 Qc7? [8...0-0 is Seirawan's idea...] 9.Qg3 a6 10.Nxd5 Bxd2+ 11.Kxd2 exd5 12.Bd3 Nc6 13.Nf3 White has a clear plus, as Black's bishop on c8 is stuck. 13...b5 14.c3 Bb7

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1057
15.e6! into a nice ending 15...Qxg3 16.exf7+ Kxf7 17.hxg3 Kg7 18.a4 b4 19.a5 Rhe8 20.Rh4 bxc3+ 21.bxc3 d6 22.Nd4 Ne5 23.Rb1 Re7 24.Rb6 Nc4+ 25.Bxc4 dxc4 26.f3 d5 27.g4 Rae8 28.Rh1
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1058
A classic good knight vs. bad bishop. 28...Bc8 29.Rhb1 Kh6 30.Rd6 Bb7 31.Nf5+ Kg5 32.Nxe7 Rxe7 33.Re1 Rc7 34.g3 d4 35.Re5+ Kh6 36.g5+ Kh5 37.Rxd4 Bxf3 38.Rh4# 1-0

 

(5) Jensen,Christian (1867) - Winslow,Elliott (2248) [A62]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (7.5), 03.12.2019
[Winslow,Elliott]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nf3 g6 7.Bg2 Bg7 8.Nc3 0-0 9.0-0 Na6 Known to be dodgier than the standard ...Re8, ...Nbd7, ...a6 stuff, but I wanted to avoid preparation. 10.Nd2 Nc7 11.a4 [11.Nc4 Nfe8!? (11...b5? 12.Nxd6!) ] 11...b6 12.Nc4 Ba6 13.Qb3 [13.Na3!] 13...Qd7 14.Bf4 Bxc4 [14...Nh5 15.Bd2 f5 16.e4 f4 17.Bf3 fxg3 18.fxg3 Qh3 19.Ne2] 15.Qxc4 a6 16.e4 b5 17.Qd3 [17.Qa2 Rfe8 18.Rfe1 b4 19.e5 bxc3 20.exf6 Bxf6 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.bxc3 Bxc3 23.Rb1 Bb4 24.Bh6 Qf5 25.Bf4 Qd3 26.Rf1 c4 27.Qb2 a5 28.Qf6 Nxd5 29.Bxd5 Qxd5 30.h4 Qe6 31.Qd4 c3 32.Kh2 Qe4 33.Qf6 c2 34.Bxd6 Bxd6 35.Qxd6 Qe2 36.Qc6 Rd8 37.Qc7 Qd2 38.Rc1 Qxf2+ 39.Kh3 Qf5+ 40.g4 Rd3+ 0-1 (40) Tomberg,S (1976)-Molchanov,V (2093) St Petersburg 2006; 17.axb5 axb5 18.Qb3 Nh5 19.Be3 b4 20.Ne2 Qb5 21.Qc2 Ra6 22.Rxa6 Nxa6 23.b3 Rc8 24.Rc1 Re8 25.g4 Nf6 26.h3 Nd7 27.Ng3 Nc7 28.Nf1 Qb8 29.Nd2 Nb5 30.f4 Nb6 31.Qd3 Nc3 32.Re1 Qc8 33.Bf2 Re7 34.Bh4 Re8 35.Bg3 Qd7 36.Nc4 Nxc4 37.Qxc4 Bd4+ 38.Kh2 f6 39.h4 Qb5 40.Qxb5 Nxb5 41.g5 Bc3 42.Re3 fxg5 43.hxg5 Nd4 44.e5 Nf5 45.Re4 1/2-1/2 (45) Flesch,J-Kluger,G Budapest 1961] 17...bxa4 Often good, but probably not here. 18.Nxa4 Rab8 19.Rfc1 Rb4 20.Qc2 Nb5

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1059
21.Nxc5? A bit over the top. [21.Nb6!? Qd8! 22.Nc4 (22.Rxa6? Nd4) 22...Nd4 23.Qd1 Nb3 Black wins the exchange but White gets the d6 pawn and a mobile center. 24.Bxd6 Re8 25.e5 Both Stockfish 10 and Fritz 17 are all over the place with this mess.; 21.e5!? Ng4!? (21...Rxf4!? 22.gxf4 Nd4 23.Qd1!? (23.exf6!? Nxc2 24.fxg7 Re8 25.Rxc2 Qf5) 23...Nh5 24.exd6 Nxf4 25.Rxc5 Be5!?) 22.e6] 21...dxc5 22.Qxc5 Rxb2 23.Rxa6 Ng4 24.Be3 Nxe3 25.fxe3 Qg4 26.Qc4 Be5 27.Rb6 Nd6 0-1

 

(6) Lehman,Clarence (1900) - Boldi,Ethan (2055) [A08]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (7.6), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e6 2.d3 c5 3.Nd2 Nc6 4.Ngf3 d5 5.g3 Nf6 6.Bg2 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.Re1 Qc7 9.Nf1 [9.Qe2! asks Black "Now how do you stop e4-e5?"] 9...dxe4 10.dxe4 Rd8 11.Qe2 e5 12.h3 Be6 13.c3 h6 14.g4 a6 15.Ng3 b5 16.g5 hxg5 17.Bxg5 Be7 18.b3 c4

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1060
19.Qc2? [19.b4 would keep White's queenside solid.] 19...cxb3 20.axb3 Nb4! It's as good as over. 21.Qb2 Nd3 22.Qc2 Nxe1 23.Rxe1 Rac8 24.Bd2 Qd7 25.Re2 Qc7 26.Be1 b4 27.c4 a5 28.Qb2 Bd6 29.Qa1 a4 30.bxa4 Bxc4 31.Rb2 Rb8 32.Nh4 Bc5 33.Qc1 b3 34.Qg5 Rd1 35.Nhf5 Rxe1+ 36.Kh2 Ne8 37.Nh5 Qd8 38.Qg3 Bf8 39.Qc3 Qd1 40.Bf3 Qc1 41.Qxe5 Qg5 42.Nhg3 Bd6 43.Qc3 Bxg3+ 44.fxg3 Qc1 45.Qe5 Rd8 46.Ne7+ Kf8 47.Rf2 Qe3 48.Kg2 Bf1+ 49.Rxf1 Rd2+ 0-1

 

(7) Hakobyan,Sos (1809) - Askin,David (2053) [D94]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (7.7), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.cxd5 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nxd5 6.Nf3 g6 7.Bc4 Nb6 8.Bb3 Bg7 9.0-0 0-0 10.d4 Nc6 11.Be3 Na5 12.Bc2 Nac4 13.b3 Nxe3 14.fxe3 Bg4 15.Be4 Rc8 16.Rc1 Qd7 17.h3 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Rc7 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.Bxd5 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 b6 22.Bc6 Qd6 23.Qd5 Qg3 24.Qf3 Qg5 25.Rf1 Bh6 26.Qf4 Qh5 27.Qf2 Qg5 28.Qf4 Qh5 29.Qf2 Qa5 30.Re1 Qc3 31.Bb7 Rd8 32.Kh1 Rd6 33.Re2 Re6

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1061
34.e4? It's been uncomfortable for quite a while, but here he loses control. 34...Rf6 35.Qg1 Qd3! Black is invading now. 36.Re1 Bd2 37.Rd1 Qe2 38.Ba6? Qxa6 39.e5 [39.Rxd2 Rf1] 39...Rf5 40.g4 Rf4 41.Qg2 Bc3 42.e6 fxe6 43.Kh2 Rxd4 44.Qa8+ Kg7 45.Rxd4 Bxd4 46.Qe8 Qe2+ 47.Kh1 Qf3+ 0-1

 

(8) Melville,Cailen (1871) - Thieme,Steffen (2014) [E00]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (7.8), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Bxd2+ 5.Nxd2 d6 6.Bg2 e5 7.Ngf3 Nc6 8.e3 exd4 9.Nxd4 Nxd4 10.exd4 0-0 11.0-0 Bg4 12.Qc2 c6 13.Rae1 Qd7 14.f3 Bf5 15.Ne4 d5 16.Nxf6+ gxf6 17.Qc3 dxc4 18.Qxc4 Rad8 19.Rd1 Be6 20.Qa4 b5 21.Qa5 Rfe8 22.Rfe1 Bc4 23.Re4 f5 24.Bh3 Initiating a bit of craziness. 24...Be2 25.Bxf5! Qxf5

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1062
26.Rxe2? [It's even after 26.Re1! Qxf3 27.R4xe2] 26...Rxe2! 27.Qxd8+ Kg7 28.Rf1 h6! Stopping perpetuals starting with Qg5+ -- but Black's attack continues. 29.Rf2 Qb1+ 30.Kg2 Qxb2 31.Rxe2 Qxe2+ 32.Kh3 Qxf3 33.Qa5 Qf1+ 34.Kh4 Qf6+ 35.Kh3 Qxd4 36.Qc7 c5 37.Qxa7 Qe5 38.Qa5 c4 39.Qd2 c3 40.Qc1 b4 41.Kg4 Qg5+ 0-1

 

(9) German,Felix (1859) - Maser,Thomas (1914) [A61]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: Championship San Francisco (7.12), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.h3 [7.e4 Bg7 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 The "Old Main Line"] 7...Bg7 8.Bf4 [8.e4 0-0 9.Bd3 The "Modern Main Line"] 8...a6 [8...0-0] 9.a4 0-0 10.e3 The "New Modern Main Line" 10...Qc7?! [10...Re8; 10...Ne8!? 11.Be2 Nd7 12.0-0 Qe7 Black's most common continuation revolves around ...Ne5 13.Nd2!? (13.Re1; 13.a5; 13.Qc2) ; 10...Qe7] 11.Be2 Re8 12.0-0 b6N 13.Nd2 Nfd7!? A plan of sorts, but it runs into energetic play, pretty much a refutation. 14.Nc4! [14.Bh2 f5 15.Qb3 Ne5 16.Rae1 Nbd7 17.f4 Nf7 18.Bf3 Nf6 19.e4 fxe4 20.Ndxe4 Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Bd7 22.Bg4 Bxg4 23.hxg4 Re7 24.f5 Rae8 25.Qc2 Bd4+ 26.Kh1 Ng5 27.Bxd6 Qxd6 28.Nxd6 Rxe1 29.Nxe8 Rxf1+ 30.Kh2 Be5+ 31.g3 Nf3+ 32.Kh3 Rh1+ 33.Kg2 Rh2+ 34.Kxf3 Rxc2 0-1 (34) Zisiadis,D (1882)-Kalogeris,I (2082) Greece 2014] 14...Ne5 15.Bxe5 Bxe5 16.Nxe5 Rxe5 17.e4! Nd7 [17...Re8 18.f4 Qd8 White can build for the center break at his leisure, as Black's ...b5 won't be happening, ever.] 18.f4 Re8

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1063
19.e5! The classic "sealer-sweeper" attacking motif, as highlighted by Hans Kmoch in his 1959 "Pawn Power in Chess" 19...Bb7 [19...dxe5 20.f5!] 20.e6? [20.Ne4! dxe5 21.f5] 20...Nf6? [20...fxe6 21.dxe6 Nf6 22.f5 d5 23.fxg6] 21.f5 g5?! 22.Qd2 h6 23.h4! Nh7?! 24.f6!+- Rf8 25.e7 Rfe8 26.Bd3 Nxf6 27.Rxf6 Qxe7 28.hxg5 Qe3+ 29.Qxe3 Rxe3 30.Bh7+ 1-0

 

(10) Perlov,Alexander (1770) - Babayan,Gagik (1790) [D78]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (7.9), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 c6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Nc3 d5 7.0-0 dxc4 8.e4 Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Bxf3 Qd7 11.Bg2 Na6 12.Be3 Nc7 13.Qc2 Rfd8 14.Rfd1 e6 15.Rab1 b5 16.Ne2 Rac8 17.Nf4 Bh6?

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1064
18.Nxg6! Bxe3 19.Ne5 Qd6 20.fxe3 Nce8 21.Qf2 Rc7 22.Qf4 Qe7 23.Rf1 Rb8 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Rf4 Ng8 26.Nxf7+ Qxf7 27.Rxf7 Rxf7 28.Qe5+ 1-0

 

(11) Boldi,Nicholas (1653) - Khristoforov,Sergey (1947) [B19]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (7.13), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bd2 Bd6 [11...Ngf6; 11...Qc7] 12.Ne4 Bc7 13.0-0-0 Ngf6 14.Kb1 Nxe4 15.Qxe4 Nf6 16.Qe2 Qd5

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1065
17.g4!? White starts the standard attack, but forgets one problem ... 17...0-0-0! Black hadn't played 0-0 yet! 18.Rhg1 Ne4 19.Bb4 Ng5 20.Ne5 Bxe5 21.dxe5 Qf3 22.Rde1 Qxe2 23.Rxe2 White threatens to set up another of Hans Kmoch's chess neologisms from his Pawn Power book: the Quartgrip, with f2-f4. 23...Nf3 24.Rh1 Rd4 25.Bc5 Rxg4 26.Bxa7 Rd8 27.Bc5 Rd5 28.Bd6 Rh4 29.Rc1 Rxh5 30.c4 Rd2 31.Re3 Rxf2 32.Ra3 Rhh2 White's attack doesn't quite land, but Black's extra pawns and mounting threats do. 33.Ra8+ Kd7 34.Ba3 Nd2+ 35.Ka1 Nxc4 36.Bc5 Rc2 37.Rf1 Nxe5 38.b4 Kc7 39.Rf8 Rxa2+ 40.Kb1 Rhb2+ 41.Kc1 Nd3+ 42.Kd1 Ra1# 0-1

 

(12) Uzzaman,Ashik (1935) - Mercado,Adam (1699) [E90]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (7.14), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.c4 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.h3 e5 7.d5 a5 8.Be3 Na6 9.Rc1 Nc5 10.Bd3 Nxd3+ 11.Qxd3 Nd7 12.0-0 f5 13.exf5

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1066
13...Rxf5?+/- [13...gxf5-/+] 14.Ne4 Rf8 15.c5 [15.Nfg5 Nf6 16.c5+/=; 15.Nfd2] 15...Nf6? [15...Nxc5 16.Nxc5 dxc5] 16.cxd6 cxd6 17.Nxf6+ Rxf6 18.Nd2 Rf7 19.Qa3 b5 20.Rc6 b4 21.Qb3 Ba6 22.Rfc1 Bb5 23.Rb6 Rb8 24.Rxb8 Qxb8 25.Nc4 Rc7 26.Qd3 [26.Nxa5! Rxc1+ 27.Bxc1+-] 26...Bxc4 [26...Qf8+/=] 27.Rxc4 Qb5 28.b3 a4
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1067
29.Kf1?? This more harms than helps. White has to act now: [29.Qe4+/= Rxc4 30.bxc4 Qb8 31.c5+/=] 29...Rxc4 [29...axb3 30.axb3 Rxc4 31.bxc4 (31.Qxc4 Qxc4+ 32.bxc4 b3 33.Bc1 e4-+) 31...Qa4 32.c5 e4! 33.Qb1 b3 34.c6 b2] 30.bxc4 Qa6?! [30...Qb8! 31.c5 (31.Bc1 b3 32.axb3 axb3 33.Bb2 e4 34.Qe2 Qc7 35.Bxg7 Qxg7 36.Qxe4 Qe5!-+ in queen endings, it's not how many pawns you have, it's how far they've gotten. 37.Qb1 b2-+) ] 31.Ke2?
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1068
[White needs to be ready for Black's coming tactic: 31.Qc2!+/= b3 32.axb3 a3 33.Qa2 e4 34.Bc1 Qa7 35.Qxa3 (35.g3! Qd4 36.Bxa3+/-) 35...Qd4 36.Ke1 Qc3+ 37.Bd2 Qc2 38.b4!?+/=] 31...b3! 32.axb3 a3! 33.Bc1 a2 34.Bb2 Qc8?! [34...a1Q 35.Bxa1 Qxa1-+; 34...Qa7 35.Qe4 a1Q 36.Bxa1 Qa2+ 37.Kf3 Qxb3+ 38.Kg4 Qd1+] 35.Qe4 Qf5 36.f3 Qf4? [36...Qg5 37.g4 Qf4-+] 37.b4? Time matters! [37.c5!? dxc5 38.d6 Qxe4+ 39.fxe4 Kf7 40.Kd3 Ke6 41.Kc2] 37...Bh6?! [37...Qg5! 38.g4 Bh6 39.Qd3 Qf4-+] 38.Qc2? [38.Qxf4 exf4 39.Kd1 Bg7 40.Kc2 a1Q 41.Bxa1 Bxa1 42.Kd3 Kf7 43.Ke4 Bc3 44.b5 Ba5 45.Kxf4] 38...e4? [38...Qe3+ 39.Kf1 Bf4! 40.Qe2 (40.c5 Bg3 41.Qe2 a1Q+! 42.Bxa1 Qc1+) 40...Qb3-+] 39.Qc3! Now White will draw 39...exf3+ [39...Kf7] 40.gxf3 Kf7 [40...Qf8 41.Qa3 Qf4= 42.Qxa2?? Qe3+ 43.Kf1 Qxf3+ 44.Ke1 (44.Kg1 Be3+ 45.Kh2 Qf2+ 46.Kh1 Qg1#) 44...Qe3+ 45.Kf1 Qxh3+] 41.c5 Qh2+ 42.Kd3 Qf4? [42...dxc5 43.bxc5 Qf4=] 43.Kc2? [43.c6!+-] 43...Qf5+ [43...dxc5 44.bxc5 Qf5+] 44.Qd3 Qxh3?? [44...Qxd3+ 45.Kxd3 Bg7 46.Kc2 (46.c6 Bxb2 47.c7 a1Q 48.c8Q Qd1+-+) 46...a1Q 47.Bxa1 Bxa1 48.Kd3-/+] 45.c6 [45.Kb3!] 45...Qg2+ 46.Kb3 Bc1 47.Qc3?? [47.Bd4+-; 47.Ba1; 47.Bc3; even 47.Bh8] 47...Bxb2 48.Qxb2 Qxf3+?= [48...Qxb2+ 49.Kxb2 Ke7-+ Now Black is glad he took on h3! The White pawns are stopped, and the Black h-pawn is ready to run.] 49.Kxa2 Qxd5+? [Somehow 49...Qd3 draws!] 50.Qb3 Qxb3+ 51.Kxb3 Ke6?! [51...Ke7 52.Kc4 h5 53.b5 h4 54.b6 h3 (54...d5+ 55.Kc5! (55.Kb5!; 55.Kxd5??=) 55...Kd8 56.Kd6 Kc8 57.b7+ Kb8 58.Kd7) 55.b7 h2 56.b8Q h1Q 57.Qc7++-] 52.Kc4! d5+ [52...h5 53.Kb5!] 53.Kc5 d4 54.c7 Kd7 55.Kb6 Kc8 56.Kc6 d3 57.b5 [57.b5 d2 58.b6 d1Q 59.b7#!
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1069
] 1-0

 

(13) Robeal,Rafik (1800) - Argo,Guy (1859) [A04]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (7.15), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.Nf3 f5 2.b3 d6 3.Bb2 e5 4.d3 Nf6 5.e3 Be7 6.g3 0-0 7.Bg2 Qe8 8.Nc3 Nc6 9.Qe2 Nd8 10.Nd2 Ne6 11.0-0-0 c6 12.f4 exf4 13.exf4 d5 14.Nf3 Qd8 15.Bh3 g6 16.Ng5? drops a key pawn. 16...Nxg5 17.fxg5 Nh5 18.Rde1 Bxg5+ 19.Kb1 b5 20.Ba3 Bd7! 21.Bxf8 Qxf8-/+ 22.Bg2 Qc5 23.Nd1 Bf6 24.Qe3 d4 25.Qc1 a5 26.Bf3 Ng7 27.Nf2 a4 28.g4 Qa7 29.Qb2 Bh4 30.Re2 Bxf2?! [30...Rf8!] 31.Rxf2 fxg4 32.Be4 Qc5 33.b4 Qd6 34.a3 Nf5 35.Rhf1 Re8 36.Rf4 Ne3 37.R1f2 Nd1 38.Rf6 Qxf6 39.Rxf6 Nxb2 40.Kxb2 Rf8 41.Rd6 Be8 42.Rxd4 Rf2 43.Rd8 Kf7 44.Rc8 Rxh2 45.Rc7+ Ke6 [... and Black held it together to win with, he remembered,14 seconds left!] 0-1

(14) Bielec,John (1790) - Kaplan,Glenn (1668) [E85]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (7.16), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 g6 4.e4 Bg7 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 Nc6 7.Nge2 e5 [7...a6] 8.d5 Ne7 9.Qd2 [9.g4!?] 9...a6 [9...c5] 10.g4 [10.0-0-0!? b5 11.c5!] 10...b5!? 11.cxb5 axb5 12.Nxb5 h5!? 13.gxh5 Nxh5 14.Ng3 Nf4! 15.Ne2 Rb8! Regardless the computer evaluations, you have to love Black's cavalier disregard for pawns. 16.Nxf4 exf4 17.Bxf4

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1070
17...Ba6 [17...f5!?; 17...c6!?] 18.Nc3 [18.a4! keeps the b-file obstructed] 18...Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Nc8 [19...f5!] 20.Ke2 Nb6 21.b3 Re8 [21...Qh4! 22.Be3 (22.Kd3! guards c3 with the king) 22...f5!] 22.Rac1 Qh4 23.Rhg1! Bxc3 24.Rxc3 Nxd5
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1071
25.Qxd5 Qxf4 26.Rxg6+ Kf8 27.Rg2 Re5 28.Qc6?! Better to retreat anywhere along the d-file [28.Qd4!] 28...Rbe8 [28...Rb4!] 29.Rc4
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1072
29...d5 [29...Rh5!] 30.Qc5+! R8e7 31.Ra4! After all that, it's Black's king in trouble. 31...f6 [31...Qxf3+!? 32.Kxf3 dxe4+ 33.Rxe4 Rxc5 34.Rxe7 Kxe7 35.Re2+ and into a "boring" pawn up rook ending, quite good for White.] 32.Qe3! Qh4 33.Kd3 f5 [33...Qh3 34.Re2 f5 35.Kc2] 34.Qf2 [34.Kc2; 34.Ra8+] 34...dxe4+ 35.fxe4 Rd7+ 36.Kc2 Qh5 37.Qf1 [37.Qf4!] 37...Rf7?! 38.Ra8+ Ke7 [38...Re8] 39.Qd3 [39.Qc4! puts the crosshairs on Black's king for a mating attack] 39...Rc5+ 40.Kb2 Ke6 41.Rg6+?? [41.Re8+] 41...Qxg6 42.Re8+ Re7 43.exf5+ Qxf5 44.Qa6+ Kd7?! [44...Kf7] 45.Qc8+ Kd6 46.Qa6+ Rc6 [46...c6!] 47.Rd8+ Rd7 48.Qc8
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1073
48...Qc2+?! [48...Rc2+ is mate in a couple] 49.Ka3 Qc1+ 50.Ka4 Rxd8 51.Qxd8+ Ke5 52.Qe7+ Re6 53.Qg7+ Kd6 54.Qf8+
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1074
54...Kd7? [54...Kc6; 54...Kd5] 55.Qg7+? [55.Qf7+ Kd6 56.Qf8+ Kc6] 55...Re7 [55...Kc6] 56.Qd4+ Kc8 57.Qg4+ Kb7?? [57...Rd7-+] 58.Qb4+ Ka6 59.Qxe7 White is back to a bit better, but it's going to be next to impossible to win after [59.Qxe7 Qf4+ and ...Qxh2] 1/2-1/2

 

(15) Fabiani,Lino (1850) - Chea,Na (1601) [C41]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (7.17), 03.12.2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.g3 Bg4 7.f3 Bd7 8.Bg2 Nc6 9.Nf5 Bxf5 10.exf5 0-0 11.0-0 Qd7 12.g4 Rad8 13.f4 Nb8 14.g5 Ne8 15.Bh3 f6 16.Qd5+ Kh8 17.Qxb7 d5 18.Qxa7 Qc6 19.Qa4 Bc5+ 20.Kh1 Qb7 21.Qb5 Bb6 22.Bg2 Nd6 23.Qxd5 Qc8 24.Qe6 Qa6 25.Qe2 Qc8 26.Nd5 Ba7 27.Qe6 Qa6 28.gxf6 Rde8 29.fxg7+ Kxg7 30.f6+ Kh8 31.Ne7 Bd4 32.Qh3 Rxf6 33.Nd5 Rg6 34.Bd2 Re2 35.Bc3 c5 36.Bxd4+ cxd4 37.Bf3 Rxc2 38.Nb4 Qc8 39.Qxc8+ Rxc8 1/2-1/2

(16) Cortinas,Marty (1697) - Casares,Nick (1600) [E02]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (7.18), 03.12.2019

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 Nbd7 5.0-0 e6 6.c4 dxc4 7.Qc2 Be7 8.Qxc4 0-0 9.Nc3 Nb6 10.Qd3 Nbd5 11.Rd1 h6 12.e4 Nb4 13.Qe2 b6 14.Ne5 Qc7 15.a3 Na6 16.Be3 Bb7 17.Rac1 Rad8 18.Nb5 Qb8 19.Nxc6 Bxc6 20.Rxc6 Rc8 21.Rdc1 Rxc6 22.Rxc6 Rc8 23.Qc4 Rd8 24.Bf4 Qa8 25.Nc3 Nc5 26.Rc7 Ncd7 27.e5 Nd5 28.Nxd5 exd5 29.Bxd5 Qb8 30.Rb7 1-0

(17) Zeller,William (1776) - Reyes,Victor Hugo (1497) [E90]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (7.19), 03.12.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.Bg5 0-0 5.Nc3 d6 6.e4 Bg4 7.h3 Bd7 8.Qd2 Bc6 9.Bd3 Nh5 10.Bh6 b6 11.0-0-0 e5 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Nxe5 Bb7 15.Ng4 Nd7 16.Qh6+ Kh8 17.Bc2 Qe7 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.exd5 f5 20.Rhe1 Qg7 21.Qxg7+ Kxg7 22.Ne5 Nxe5 23.Rxe5 Rf7 24.Ba4 Nf6 25.f3 a6 26.Bc6 Rb8 27.Rde1 b5 28.cxb5 axb5 29.Re7 b4 30.Kc2 Rd8 31.Rxf7+ Kxf7 32.Rd1 Nh5 33.Rd4 Nf6 34.Kb3 Ke7 35.Kxb4 Kd6 36.a4 Rb8+ 37.Kc3 h5 38.a5 Nd7 39.a6 Nb6 40.Rb4 Kc5 41.Rb5+ Kd6 42.Rxb6 Rxb6 43.a7 Ra6 44.a8Q Rxa8 45.Bxa8 g5 46.Kd4 1-0

(18) Raza,Aezed (1607) - Babb,Kevin (1803) [D15]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (7.20), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.a4 e6 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.e3 Nd7 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Bd3 Bd6 11.e4 dxe4 12.Nxe4 Bb4+ 13.Nc3 0-0 14.0-0 b6 15.Be4 Rb8 16.Qe2 a5 17.Rac1 Bb7 18.Nb5 Bxe4 19.Qxe4 Qd8 20.Ne5 Nxe5 21.dxe5 Qg5 22.f4 Qg4 23.h3 Qh4 24.Kh2 Rfd8 25.Nd4 Rd5 26.Nc6 Re8 27.Nxb4 axb4 28.Rfd1 Red8 29.Rxd5 Rxd5 30.Rc8+ Rd8 31.Rxd8+ Qxd8 32.Qxb4 Qc7 33.Qc3 Qb7 34.b4 Kf8 35.Qf3 Qc7 36.Qd3 Ke7 37.Kg3 g5 38.Kg4 gxf4 39.Kxf4 Qc1+ 40.Kg4 Qg5+ 41.Kf3 Qxe5 42.Qe3 Qd5+ 43.Kf2 Qa2+ 44.Kg3 Qxa4 45.Qxb6 [time-scramble] 1/2-1/2

(19) Tamondong,Cesar (1600) - Xu,Jayden (1774) [D02]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (7.21), 03.12.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 c5 5.c4 g6 6.0-0 Bg7 7.dxc5 Nbd7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Nc3 Nxc5 10.Bg5 0-0 11.Rc1 Nce4 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Nd4 Re8 14.e3 a6 15.Qc2 Bxd4 16.exd4 Bf5 17.Qd1 Qd7 18.Re1 Rad8 19.f3 Nxc3 20.bxc3 Bh3 21.Qb3 Bxg2 22.Kxg2 Kg7 23.Rb1 b5 24.Qc2 Rh8 25.Re3 Rde8 26.Rbe1 Rxe3 27.Rxe3 h5 28.Qe2 h4 29.g4 Qd6 30.Re7 h3+ 31.Kg1 Qf4 32.Qe5+ Qxe5 33.Rxe5 Rc8 34.Re3 Rc4 35.Kf2 Ra4 36.Re2 Rc4 37.Re3 Ra4 38.Kg3 Rxa2 39.Kxh3 Ra3 40.Re5 Rxc3 41.Rxd5 Rxf3+ 42.Kg2 Rd3 43.Rd6 a5 44.Rd5 a4 45.Rxb5 Rxd4 46.Kf3 Rd1 47.Ra5 Ra1 48.Kf4 a3 49.Kg5 a2 50.h3 f6+ 51.Kh4 Kh6 52.g5+ fxg5+ 53.Rxg5 Rb1 0-1

(20) Agdamag,Samuel (1465) - Mays,Jerry (1700) [B50]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (7.23), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.Nf3 g6 2.g3 Bg7 3.Bg2 c5 4.0-0 Nc6 5.Re1 Nf6 6.e4 d6 7.c3 0-0 8.d4 Nd7 9.Be3 Qb6 10.Qd2 Nf6 11.Bh6 e5 12.d5 Ne7 13.Bg5 Bg4 14.Na3 Bxf3 15.Bxf3 a6 16.Nc4 Qc7 17.Bg2 b5

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1075
18.Nxe5 dxe5 19.d6 Qd7 20.dxe7 Qxd2?? 21.exf8Q+ The intermezzo move. 21...Rxf8 22.Bxd2 Nd7 23.Bh3 Nb6 24.b3 f5 25.exf5 gxf5 26.Rad1 Nd5 27.c4 Nb6 28.cxb5 axb5 29.Be3 f4 30.Bxc5 Rf6 31.Rd8+ Kf7 32.gxf4 exf4 33.Re7+ Kg6 34.Bxb6 Rxb6 35.Rdd7 Bf8 36.Re6+ Rxe6 37.Bxe6 1-0

 

(21) Acharya,Venkatagiri (1609) - Baer,Michael (1430) [B01]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: AB San Francisco (7.24), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Nge2 a6 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 Bb7 8.f3 e6 9.Bf4 Qd8 10.a3 Bd6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Re1 Nh5 13.Be5 Qg5 14.Qc1 Qg6 15.Nf4 Nxf4 16.Qxf4 Rd8 17.Rad1 Nc6 18.Bxd6 cxd6 19.Ne4 e5 20.dxe5 Nxe5 21.Qg5?? Bxe4 22.Rxe4 Qxg5 23.f4 Nf3+ 24.Kf2 Qc5+ 25.Kxf3 Qh5+ 26.g4 Qh3+ 27.Kf2 Qxh2+ 28.Kf3 Qh3+ 29.Kf2 Qxg4 30.Rg1 Qf5 31.Kf3 Re8 32.Rge1 Rxe4 33.Rxe4 Kf8 34.a4 Re8 35.Rd4 Qh3+ 36.Kf2 Qe3+ 37.Kg2 Qxd4 38.axb5 axb5 39.Kg3 Re3+ 40.Kg4 Re4 41.c4 Rxf4+ 42.Kg5 Qf6+ 43.Kh5 Qh6# 0-1

(22) Hansen,Mateo (1583) - Mani,Venugopal (1598) [E12]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.10), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.Bf4 Bb4+ 5.Nbd2 0-0 6.Qb3 Bxd2+ 7.Nxd2 Bb7 8.Bg5 d5 9.c5 Nbd7 10.Rc1 c6 11.h4 Qc7 12.g3 bxc5 13.Bf4 Qc8 14.Bd6

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1076
14...c4! Black takes over. 15.Qf3 Re8 16.g4 c5 17.Bg2 cxd4 18.Nb3 e5 19.g5 Ne4 20.Ba3 Qd8 21.g6 fxg6 22.Nd2 Qa5 23.b4 cxb3 24.Qxb3 Qxd2+ 25.Kf1 Qf4 26.Bxe4 Qxe4 27.f3 Qe3 28.Qxb7 Qxa3 29.Qxd5+ Kh8 30.Rc7 Nf6 31.Qf7 Qf8 32.Qd5 Nxd5 0-1

 

(23) Gimelfarb,Ilia - Uzakbaev,Nursultan [C62]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.25), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.0-0 Bd7 5.c3 Be7 6.d4 a6 7.Ba4 Bf6 8.Be3 [8.d5 Nce7 (8...Nb8) 9.c4 Ng6 10.Nc3 N8e7 11.Be3 h5 12.Re1 b6 13.b4 1-0 (34) Ivkov,B-Kolarov,A Moscow 1956] 8...Nh6?N [8...Nge7 makes a lot more sense -- and was played a lot (in the 1950s and 60s!).] 9.h3! Ne7?

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1077
10.Bxd7+ [10.g4!? Certainly does appear to win a piece, but it's very dangerous to run away with your king protection like that!] 10...Qxd7 11.dxe5 White could just sit tight with his central advantage and healthier pieces. [say, 11.Nbd2; or 11.Qb3] 11...Bxe5 12.Nxe5 dxe5 13.Qxd7+ Kxd7 14.Rd1+ Ke6 15.Na3 f5?! Same for Black: develop a rook, or just play . ..f6. 16.Bxh6! gxh6 17.exf5+ Nxf5 18.Re1 Rae8 19.Nc4 Kf6 20.Rad1 Re7 21.Ne3?! Black's knight is worse than White's -- don't trade it. 21...Nxe3 22.Rxe3 Rg8 23.Red3 Reg7 24.g3 h5 25.h4 Kf5 26.Kg2 c6 27.Rd8 Rxd8 28.Rxd8 Re7 29.a4 Ke6 30.a5 e4 31.b4 Rf7 32.c4 Ke5 33.c5 h6? [33...Ke6! continues to hold 34.Rd6+ Ke5 35.Kf1!? (35.Rh6? Kd5-/+) 35...Rf3 (35...e3? 36.f4++-) 36.Ke2 Rb3 37.Rd7 Rb2+ 38.Kf1 e3 39.fxe3 Ke4 40.Rxb7 Kxe3 (40...Kf3 41.Rf7+ Kxg3 42.Rf4) ] 34.Rd6 Rf6 35.Rd7 Rf3 36.Rxb7 Rb3 37.Rb6 [37.Rh7! Rb2 38.Kf1 Rb1+ 39.Ke2 Rb2+ 40.Ke3 Rb3+ 41.Kd2 Rxb4 42.Rxh6 Rb2+ 43.Kc3 Rxf2 44.Rxh5+ Kf6 45.Kd4] 37...Rb2 38.Rxc6 e3 39.Kf1 e2+?! [39...Rxf2+ 40.Ke1 Rb2 41.Rxa6 Rxb4 42.c6!? Kd6 43.c7+ Kxc7 44.Rxh6 Black's king has been lured back to a passive position.] 40.Ke1 Kd4 41.Rd6+ Ke4 42.c6 Kf3?! [42...Rxb4 43.Kxe2 Rb2+ 44.Rd2] 43.Rd3+ Kg2 44.Rc3! Rook behind passed pawn -- game over. 44...Rb1+ 45.Kxe2 Rb2+ 46.Ke3 Rxf2 47.c7 Rf3+ 48.Kd4 Rf8 49.c8Q Rxc8 50.Rxc8 Kxg3 51.Rc6 Kxh4 52.Rxa6 Kg5 53.b5 h4 54.Ke3 h3 55.Kf2 h5 56.b6 h4 57.b7 h2 58.Kg2 h3+ 59.Kxh2 1-0

 

(24) Starr,Albert (1517) - Ford,Andy Vincent [A00]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.26), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.b4 e6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.b5 c6 4.c4 d5 5.e3 Be7 6.Nf3 cxb5 7.cxb5 0-0 8.Be2 Ne4 9.0-0 Bf6 10.Qc2 a6 11.d3 Nd6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Nc3 axb5 14.d4 Bd7 15.Rfb1 Rc8 16.Qb2 Nc4 17.Bxc4 Rxc4 18.Ne5 Rc7 19.Nxb5 Bxb5 20.Qxb5 Nc6 21.Nxc6 bxc6 22.Qc5 Qe7 23.Rc1 Qxc5 24.Rxc5 g5 25.g3 f6 26.a4 Kf7 27.a5 e5 28.Kg2 Ke6 29.Kf3 h5 30.h4 Kd6 31.Ke2 exd4 32.exd4 Re7+ 33.Kd3 gxh4 34.gxh4 Re4 35.Rg1 Rxh4 36.Rg6 Rf4 37.Ke3 Rf5 38.Rg7?! [38.f3 Re8+ 39.Kf2 Rb8-/+] 38...Re8+ 39.Kd3 Rf3+ 40.Kc2 Rxf2+ Black must be winning now. 41.Kb3 Rb8+ 42.Kc3 Rf3+ 43.Kc2 Rb4 Someone's scoresheet has "?" by this move, but it's the way to go. Get the rook behind the passed pawn, where it also contributes to the attack. 44.a6

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1078
44...Rxd4?! [44...Rf2+ 45.Kc3 Ra4! 46.a7?! Ra3+ 47.Kb4 Rff3 That's what Black was looking for!] 45.Ra5! Black is still good, but it just got a lot harder. 45...Rh4?= [45...Rf2+!-+ 46.Kc3 (46.Kc1 Rdd2 47.a7 Ra2!) 46...Rc4+ 47.Kb3 (47.Kd3 Rb4 48.Kc3 Rfb2-+) 47...Rf3+ 48.Ka2 Re4 49.Rg1 Re8 50.a7 Ra8 51.Rb1 Kc7] 46.Rg2!=
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1079
46...Rhh3?? [46...Rc4+ 47.Kd2 (47.Kb2?? Rb4+ 48.Kc2 Rb8-+) 47...Rb3! 48.a7[] Rb2+ perpetual.] 47.a7 Rc3+ 48.Kb2 Rb3+ 49.Ka2 Rhg3 50.Rxg3 Rxg3 51.a8Q h4 52.Ra4 Rg2+ 53.Kb1 h3 54.Rh4 h2 55.Rxh2 Rxh2 56.Qb8+ Kc5 57.Qxh2 d4 58.Kc2 Kc4 59.Qe2+ Kb4 60.Kd3 Kb5 61.Qe6 c5 62.Qxf6 Kb4 63.Qb6+ Ka3 64.Qxc5+ Kb3 65.Qxd4 Ka2 66.Qb4 1-0

 

(25) Jade,Valerie - Sachs-Weintraub,Julian (1447) [C87]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.27), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.0-0 Nf6 5.Re1 a6 6.Ba4 Be7 7.c3 0-0 8.d4 b5 9.Bc2 Re8 10.d5 Na7 11.a4 Bd7 12.Nbd2 c6 13.Nf1 cxd5 14.exd5 bxa4 15.Ng3 Bg4 16.h3 Bd7 17.Nh4 Nxd5 18.Nhf5 Nf6 19.Bxa4 Bxa4 20.Rxa4 Nc6

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1080
21.Rg4!! Nxg4?! [21...g6] 22.Qxg4 Bf6
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1081
[22...g6 23.Nh6+ Kf8 24.Qf3 Bf6 25.Ne4 Kg7 26.Nxf6 Qxf6 27.Qxc6] 23.Nxg7! Bxg7 24.Nh5 Kf8 25.Qxg7+ Ke7 26.Bg5+ Kd7 27.Bxd8 Nxd8 28.Nf6+ Ke7 29.Nxe8 Kxe8 30.Rd1 Ke7 31.Qg5+ Kd7 32.Qg4+ Ne6 33.Qb4 Nc7 34.Qxd6+ Kc8 35.Qxe5 Kb7 36.Rd7 Rc8 37.Qe4+ Kb8 38.Qxh7 1-0

 

(26) Simpkins,Jerry (1426) - Allen,Tom (1400) [C57]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.28), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5!? [4...d5 5.exd5 Na5] 5.Nxf7 [The books prefer a conservative (!) approach: 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.Bd5 when Stockfish thinks White is squarely better, but the new Alpha Zero-inspired Fat Fritz (and fanatical theoreticians) are just not so sure. (and the mostly neglected 6.Bb3!? may turn out to be best after all.) ] 5...Bxf2+ 6.Kf1! [6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ massive complications and analysis leading to ... a draw.] 6...Qe7 7.Nxh8 d5! 8.Bxd5?? [8.exd5 Nd4 (8...Bg4 9.Be2 Bxe2+ 10.Qxe2 Nd4 11.Qxf2 0-0-0 12.c3 Rf8 13.cxd4 Ng4 14.Qxf8+ Qxf8+ 15.Ke1 Qf2+ 16.Kd1 exd4 17.Re1 (17.d3!=/+ SF8) 17...d3 18.h3

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1082
18...Qf3+ 19.gxf3 Nf2# 0-1 Cesena,J-Dyke,J from Larry Christiansen's "Attack with Larry C" video "Kitchen Sink #1" 2012) ] 8...Bg4 9.Kxf2 Bxd1 10.Bf7+ Kd7 11.Rxd1 Nxe4+ 12.Kg1 Rxh8 13.Bh5 Qh4 14.Bf3 Nd4 15.Bxe4 Qxe4 16.Nc3 Qf5 17.d3 Rf8 18.Be3 Qg4 19.Bxd4 Qxd4+ 20.Kh1 Rf2 21.Re1 Qg4 22.Rg1 Rxc2 23.Rad1 Qd4 Both scoresheets are readable but nonsense. Black won on move 29 or so. 0-1

 

(27) Cendejas,Jon (1126) - Chan,John (1507) [C01]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.29), 03.12.2019

1.e4 c6 2.d4 e6 3.c4 a6 4.Nc3 h6 5.a3 d6 6.Bd3 Nd7 7.Nf3 b5 8.b3 Qc7 9.Bd2 Be7 10.0-0 e5 11.d5 Nc5 12.Bc2 Bd7 13.Re1 Nf6 14.h3 Qc8 15.b4 Nb7 16.cxb5 axb5 17.Bd3 0-0 18.dxc6 Bxc6 19.Nxb5 Qd7 20.Nc3 Qe6 21.a4 Rfc8 22.Qe2 Bd8 23.a5 Bc7 24.b5 Be8 25.b6 Nc5 26.bxc7 Nb3 27.Bc4 Qe7 28.Bxb3 Rxc7 29.Nd5 Nxd5 30.Bxd5 Rb8 31.Rab1 Rbc8 32.a6 Rc2 33.Qd3 Bd7 34.a7 Be6 35.Bxe6 fxe6 36.a8Q 1-0

(28) Harris,Clarence (1464) - Hilliard,Michael (1429) [B10]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.30), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.dxe4 e5 5.Ngf3 Bd6 6.Nc4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Bxd2+ 8.Ncxd2 Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Nxf3 Nd7 11.Bd3 Ngf6 12.0-0 0-0 13.Nh4 Qb6 14.Qf3 Rad8 15.Qg3 Rfe8 16.Nf5 g6 17.Qg5 Kh8 18.Nd6 Rf8 19.Kh2 Qb4 20.c3? Qxd6 21.Bc4 Nxe4 22.Qe3 0-1

(29) Serra,Owen (1036) - Martin,Michael (1480) [C55]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.33), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.Nc3 d6 7.h3 Be6 8.Bxe6 fxe6 9.Ng5 Qd7 10.Be3 d5 11.f3 d4 12.Bd2 dxc3 13.Bxc3 h6 14.Bd2 hxg5 15.Bxg5 Nh7 16.Be3 Bg5 17.Bf2 Qf7 18.h4 Bf4 19.g3 Qg6 20.g4 Nd4 21.h5 Qg5 22.Kg2 Nf6 23.Rh1 Higher rated player is up two pieces, should be over. But he now has some sort of massive hallucination: 23...Nxg4 24.fxg4 Qxg4+ 25.Qxg4 1-0

(30) Roberts,Joseph (1369) - Dubensky,Walt (1078) [C41]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.34), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Bg5 Qa5 8.Bb5 Nxe4 9.Bxc6+ bxc6 10.Bd2 Nxd2 11.Qxd2 Be7 12.Qe3 Be6 13.0-0 Bc4 14.Rfe1 Be6 15.b3 0-0 16.Rad1 d5 17.Ne2 Qxa2 18.Ne5 d4 Scoresheet stops making sense. 0-1 57 or so. 0-1

(31) Rushton,Peter (1237) - Bryan,Robert (390) [B15]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.35), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.d4 dxe4 5.Ng5 Be7 6.Ngxe4 f5 7.Ng3 Nf6 8.Bd3 0-0 9.0-0 b5 10.Nce2 Nbd7 11.b3 Bb7 12.Nf4 Qe8 13.Nxe6 Rf7 14.Nxf5 Bc5 15.Nc7 Qc8 16.Nxa8 Qxa8 17.dxc5 Nxc5 18.Be2 Rf8 19.Ba3 Nfd7 20.c4 Rxf5 21.cxb5 cxb5 22.b4 Ne6 23.Qxd7 Qf8 24.Qxb7 Rf7 25.Qe4 Re7 26.Bxb5 a6 27.Bc4 h5 28.b5 axb5 29.Bxe7 Qxe7 30.Qxe6+ Qxe6 31.Bxe6+ Kh7 32.Rac1 h4 33.Rfd1 b4 34.Rc4 Kh6 35.Rxh4+ Kg6 36.Rxb4 Kf6 37.Bb3 g5 White won in a few. 1-0

(32) Cole,Tony (1425) - Nicol,George [B23]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.36), 03.12.2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e5 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.Bg5 Be7 8.g4 Bg6 9.Qd2 0-0 10.Nh4 Nfd7 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Nf5 Bxf5 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.gxf5 a6 15.0-0-0 Nc6 16.a3 Nd4 17.Qe3 b5 18.Ba2 a5 19.c3 Nc6 20.Rhg1 b4 21.a4 bxc3 22.Nxc3 Nd4 23.Qh6 Qf6 24.Qh5 Nb6 25.Rg2 Nxa4 26.Nxa4 Ne2+ 27.Qxe2 Kh8 28.Nb6 1-0

(33) Ahrens,Richard (1206) - Tomasi,Christopher [D53]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.37), 03.12.2019

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.e3 b6 7.Be2 Bb7 8.0-0 0-0 9.a3 Na5 10.Ne5 c5 11.f4 h6 12.Bh4 Nd7 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.cxd5 exd5 16.Bf3 Nc4 17.Qe2 Rfe8 18.e4 cxd4 19.Bg4 Qd6 20.Nb5 Qc6 21.Nxd4 Rxe4 22.Nxc6 Rxe2 23.Bxe2 Bxc6 24.Bxc4 dxc4 25.g3 b5 26.Rfe1 f5 27.Re7 a6 28.Rd1 Rc8 29.Ra7 Ra8 30.Rxa8+ 1-0

(34) Thibault,William (1195) - Gimelfarb,Natan (1118) [C30]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.38), 03.12.2019

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.f4 d6 6.Nf3 Ng4 7.Ng5 Nf2 8.Nxf7 Qh4 9.g3 Qh3 10.Ng5 Qg2 11.Qh5+ g6 12.Bf7+ Ke7 13.Nd5+ Kd8 14.Ne6+ Bxe6 15.Qg5+ Kd7 16.Bxe6+ Kxe6 17.Qf6+ Kd7 18.Qf7+ Kd8 19.Qxc7+ Ke8 20.Nf6+ Kf8 21.Rf1 Bb4+ 22.Bd2 Bxd2+ 23.Kxd2 Nxe4+ 24.Ke3 Nxf6 25.fxe5 Ke8 26.Rxf6 Nxe5 27.Re6+ Kf8 28.Rf6+ Kg8 29.Raf1 Ng4+ 30.Kd4 Nxf6 31.Rxf6 Qg1+ 32.Ke4 Re8+ 33.Kf4 Qd4+ 34.Kf3 Qxf6+ 0-1

(35) James,Charles (1480) - Li,Katherine (703) [D35]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.39), 03.12.2019

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 0-0 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.a3 Be6 9.Nf3 a6 10.b4 b5 11.0-0 Qd7 12.Rc1 Bf5 13.Re1 Ne4 14.Bxe7 Nxe7 15.Ne5 Qe6 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Bc2 Ng6 18.Bb3 Qf6 19.Nd7 Bxd7 20.Rxc7 Be6 21.d5 Bf5 22.d6 Qg5 23.Qd5 Nh4 24.Kf1 Qxg2+ 25.Ke2 Bg4+ 26.Kd2 Qxf2+ 27.Kc1 Qxe1+ 0-1

(36) North,Jeff James - Revi,Frank (1376) [B47]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.40), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 [7.e5 Nd5 8.Ne4] 7...Qc7 8.0-0 Be7 9.a3 Bb7 10.b4 0-0 11.Bg5 Qe5 12.Qd2 Ng4 13.Bf4 Qh5 14.Be2 Qg6

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1083
15.Qxd7! Bf6 16.f3 [16.e5!] 16...Bxc3 17.Rad1 e5 18.fxg4?
2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1084
[18.Qxb7 exf4 19.fxg4+/=] 18...Qxe4! 19.Bd3 Qd4+ 20.Qxd4 Bxd4+ 21.Kh1 exf4 22.Rxf4 c5 23.Rf5 Bc8 24.Rh5 g6 25.Rg5 Bf6 26.Rxc5 Bxg4 27.Re1 Rfe8 28.Rf1 Kg7 29.h3 Be2 30.Re1 Bxd3 31.Rxe8 Rxe8 32.cxd3 Rd8 33.Rc7 Bd4 34.a4 Re8 35.g4 Re3 36.Kg2 Rxd3 37.Rd7 Rd2+ 38.Kf3 Bc3 39.Rxd2 Bxd2 40.b5 Ba5 41.Ke4 Kf6 42.h4 h6 43.Kd5 Be1 44.Kc6 Bf2 45.Kb7 Ke5 46.a5 f5 0-1

 

(37) Bayaraa,Timothy (1084) - Badgett,James (1084) [B30]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.41), 03.12.2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 e5 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Ng5 Qb6 6.Qf3 Nd4 7.Qd1 h6 8.Nf3 Be7 9.Nxd4 cxd4 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.Bxd5 0-0 12.d3 Re8 13.0-0 Qg6 14.f4 exf4 15.Rxf4 d6 16.Bxf7+ Kh8 17.Bxg6 Bd7 18.Bxe8 Rxe8 19.Rf7 Be6 20.Qh5 Rg8 21.Rxe7 1-0

(38) Parekh,Raj (1211) - Capdeville,Barry (1226) [C42]
Mechanics' Fall TNM: U1600 San Francisco (7.42), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d3 d6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.c4 0-0 6.Nc3 c6 7.Be2 Nbd7 8.Qd2 Re8 9.d4 Nh5

2019_Fall_TNM_Rd7_1085
10.Qe3? Losing time. [10.Be3+/=] 10...Bxg5 11.Nxg5 Nf4 12.Qg3 Nxe2 13.Nxe2 Nf6 14.Qh4? h6! 15.Nf3 exd4 16.Nfxd4 Rxe4 17.Qg3 Qe7 18.Qd3 c5 19.f3 Rxd4 20.Qc2 Qe3 21.h3 Nh5 22.Rd1 Rxd1+ 23.Qxd1 Qe7 24.0-0 Qf6 25.Re1 Qg6 26.g4 Nf6 27.Nf4 Qg5 28.Qxd6 b6 29.Nh5 Nxh5 30.Re8+ Kh7 31.Kf2 Qh4+ 32.Ke2 Ng3+ 33.Ke3 Nf1+ 34.Ke4 Qe1+ 35.Kf4 Qxe8 36.Qd3+ Kg8 37.Qxf1 0-1

 

(39) Sun,Kevin (1100) - Neuberg,Bryan [C42]
Mechanics' Fall TNM; Extra Rated San Francisco (7.22), 03.12.2019
[de Firmian,Nick]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nxe4 4.Qe2 d5? [4...Nf6?? 5.Nc6+; 4...Qe7! 5.Qxe4 d6+/=] 5.d3 Bd6 6.dxe4 Bxe5 7.exd5 Qxd5 8.f4 0-0 9.fxe5 Re8 10.Qf2 Rxe5+ 11.Be2 Bf5 12.Nc3 Qc6 13.Bf4 Re7 14.Rc1 Qg6 15.0-0 Nd7 16.Bxc7 Rae8 17.Qxf5 Qxf5 18.Rxf5 Ne5 19.Bxe5 Rxe5 20.Rf2 b5 21.Bxb5 Rb8 22.Bc4 Rb7 23.Rcf1 Ree7 24.Nb5 h6 25.Nd6 Rbc7 26.Bxf7+ Kh7 27.Bh5 Rc5 28.Rf7 Rxf7 29.Bxf7 Rc7 30.Bh5 g6 31.Rf7+ Rxf7 32.Nxf7 gxh5 33.b4 Kg7 34.Ne5 Kf6 35.Nf3 Ke6 36.Kf2 Kd6 37.Ke3 Kc6 38.Kd4 Kb6 39.Kc4 a5 40.bxa5+ Kxa5 41.Kd5 and White won1-0

(40) Latourette,Nick (1583) - Chin,Alex Paul (1830) [B01]
Mechanics' Fall TNM; Extra Rated San Francisco (7.23), 03.12.2019

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4 4.Be2 Bxe2 5.Nxe2 Qxd5 6.0-0 e6 7.Nbc3 Qh5 8.Nf4 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 c6 10.Nd3 Nbd7 11.Be3 Bd6 12.f3 0-0-0 13.b4 Nd5 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Rdc1 Nb6 16.a4 Nc4 17.Bf2 b6 18.b5 f6 19.Bg3 e5 20.c3 h5 21.dxe5 fxe5 22.Re1 Rhe8 23.Ra2 Re6 24.Rae2 Rde8 25.Bh4 e4 26.fxe4 dxe4 27.Nb4 Bc5+ 28.Kh1 e3 29.Bg5 Re5 30.Bf4 Re4 31.g3 Nd2 32.Nd5 g5 33.Bxe3 Nc4 34.Nf6 Nxe3 35.Nxe8 Rxe8 36.Rf2 Re7 37.Rf8+ Kc7 38.Rh8 Nd5 39.Rxe7+ Bxe7 40.c4 Nf6 41.Kg2 g4 42.Kf1 Bc5 43.Rh6 Bd4 44.Kg2 Kd6 45.Rh8 Kc5 46.Ra8 Kxc4 47.Rxa7 Kd5 48.h3 Kc4 49.hxg4 hxg4 50.Ra8 Nd5 51.a5 Kxb5 52.axb6 Kxb6 53.Kh2 Kc6 54.Rg8 Ne3 55.Rf8 Kd5 56.Rf7 Be5 57.Rf2 Ke4 58.Rf8 Nf5 59.Kg2 Nxg3 60.Rg8 Kf4 1/2-1/2

 

 

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