Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Newsletter #513The percentage of victories that Aronian gets in difficult, or rather lost, positions is off the scale. How does he manage it? Luck favours the young. I've noticed that with myself. The older you get the less lucky you are. Moreover he's agile. He keeps twisting and turning, not losing his optimism, and that's very important. He doesn't get dejected. Many chess players who end up in a bad position perhaps don't get dejected, but they keep playing clearly under the burden of negative emotions. Many, but not Levon. He keeps playing the way he was playing. That's his style: he keeps twisting and setting traps. Vladimir Kramnik interviewed by Ilya Odessky 1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News 2) Remembering Mike Goodall 3) Here and There 4) Upcoming Events 1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club NewsIgor Traub is leading the Fall Tuesday Night Marathon as the tournament near the half-way mark with a score of 4-0. Just behind him at 3.5 are Peter Zavadsky, Hayk Manvelyan and Christopher Bambou. IM Vladimir Mezentsev won the Carroll Capps in convincing fashion this past weekend with a score of 6-0. NMs Romy Fuentes and Arjoe Loanzon and Experts Evan Sandberg and Samuel Sevian shared second with 4.5 points. The following two games were played with a time control of G/60.
Mezentsev (2398) - Sandberg (2189) 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.c3 Nf6 6.Qe2 0-0 7.e5 Nd5 8.Qc4 Qb6 9.b4 A theoretical novelty, 9. d4 is commonly played here. 9...d6 9...Nc7 was a good alternative. 10.exd6 exd6 10...Ndxb4 11.dxe7 Nxe7 12.cxb4 Be6 13.Qxc5 Bxa1 was also possible. 11.bxc5 Qxc5 12.d4 Qxc4 13.Bxc4 Be6 14.Bb3 Nb6 14...Na5! was still fine for Black, now he starts to suffer a little. 15.Bf4 Bc4 16.Bxd6 Bxf1 17.Bxf8 Bxg2 18.Bxg7 Bxf3 19.Bh6 Bd5 19...Na5 was still okay. 20.Nd2 Bxb3 21.axb3 Re8 22.Nf3 f6 23.Bd2 Re4 24.Kf1 a6 25.Rd1 Kf7 26.Be1 Ke7 27.c4 Kd7 Here 27...Nd7 28.d5 Nce5 looks better. 28.Bc3 f5? The final mistake. 28...Rf4 would have offered more resistance. 29.Rd3 a5 30.Ne5+ Nxe5 31.dxe5+ Kc7 32.f3 Rh4 33.Bxa5 1-0
De Guzman (2454) - Mezentsev (2398) 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 Bg7 4.Nbd2 c5 5.Bxf6 Bxf6 6.Ne4 Bxd4 7.Nxd4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 0-0 9.c4 Nc6 10.Qd2 d6 11.e3 Be6 12.Be2 Ne5 13.b3 d5 14.Qc3 Nxc4 15.Ng5 Qa5 16.Rc1 Qxc3+ 17.Rxc3 Nd6 18.Rc7 Rfe8 19.Bd3 Rac8 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.Kd2 Kg7 23.g4 e5 24.f4 Kf6 25.fxe5+ Kxe5 26.h4 Rf8 27.h5 Rf2+ 28.Kc3 Ne4+ 29.Kb4 Rxa2 30.hxg6 hxg6 31.Rh7 e6 32.Bxe4 Kxe4 33.Rxb7 Kxe3 34.Re7 Kf4 35.Rxe6 g5 36.Kc5 Kxg4 37.Kxd5 Rd2+ 38.Kc5 Rd7 39.b4 Kf5 40.Re8 g4 41.Rf8+ Ke4 42.Kc6 Rg7 0-1 Jules Jelinek won the Wednesday Night MI Blitz on November 11th with a score of 9.5 from 12. Joe Urquhart and Romy Fuentes tied for second with 6.5. The regular series resumes next Wednesday at 6:30 pm. 2) Remembering Mike GoodallThe Mechanics Institute will honor the memory of its long-time member and champion Michael Goodall on Sunday, December 5, from 1 to 5 pm. All are welcome to this remembrance which will offer free food and drink. A 5-double round blitz tournament will be held from 2 to 4 pm. The entry fee is $10 and all those participating will win chess books from Michael's library. Guranteed prizes are 1st $100 2nd $50 3rd $30 and 4th $20 with prices increased if over 20 entries (100 percent payout). The following is Mike's favorite game he played, in part because he had great respect for Nick who he watched develop from a master into one of the very best players in the United States.
Goodall - De Firmian Mike at his peak was a strong Expert who could play like a good master on occasion as he does here against a young Nick DeFirmian, who although not the player he would be in years to come (US Champion, standard bearer on multiple Olympiad teams), was still already an International Master. 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.Nf3 d6 6.d4 Nbd7 7.0-0 e5 8.e4 c6 9.b3 exd4 10.Nxd4 Re8 11.Bb2 Nc5 12.Re1 a5 13.Rb1 Qb6 14.Nc2 Ng4 15.Re2 Ne5 16.Ne3 Ncd3 17.Na4! Nxb2 17...Qa7 18.Bxe5 Nxe5 19.Qxd6 Ng4 was a better way to lose a pawn. 18.Nxb6 Nxd1 19.Rxd1 Ra6 20.Nxc8 Rxc8 21.Rxd6 Mike proceeds to convert his material advantage in fine fashion. 21...Bf8 22.Rd1 Bc5 23.h3 f6 24.Kh2 a4 25.f4 Nf7 26.Ng4 axb3 27.axb3 Kg7 28.Rd7 Ra1 29.h4 h5 30.Nf2 b5 31.e5 fxe5 32.fxe5 Ra7 33.Rxa7 Bxa7 34.e6 Nh6 35.e7 Bxf2 36.e8Q Rxe8 37.Rxe8 bxc4 38.bxc4 Ng4+ 39.Kh3 c5 40.Bf3 Ne3 41.Be2 Kf7 42.Re5 Nf5 43.Kg2 Bd4 44.Re4 Ne3+ 45.Kf3 Nf5 46.Bd3 Nd6 47.Re2 Kf6 48.Ra2 g5 49.hxg5+ Kxg5 50.Ra6 Nf5 51.Re6 Bc3 52.Bxf5 Kxf5 53.Rh6 Kg5 54.Rd6 Bb4 55.Rd5+ Kg6 56.Kf4 Kh6 57.Rd6+ Kg7 58.Kg5 Be1 59.Rd7+ Kf8 60.Rd3 1-0 Source: San Francisco Chronicle, October 26, 1994. 3) Here and ThereUS players shined at the World Senior in Arco, Italy, lead by defending champion GM Larry Kaufman who again tied for first.
Final standings: Mike Schemm of Seattle, rated 1991 USCF, turned in an excellent result with 7 points versus opposition averaging 2095 to tie for 23rd place. NM Jude Acers of New Orleans scored 6/11 including 1.5/4 against a GM and three IMs while Leonid Bondar of Chicago and former Bay Area player Duane Catania of St. George, Utah finished on 5.5. GMs Alexander Onischuk and Georg Meier tied for first in the 2010 Spice Cup with scores of 6.5 from 10 with Onischuk getting top honors with 18 points to Meier's 17 using a +3 for wins, +1 for draws, O for losses scoring system. Other scores in the Category 14 event held on the Texas Tech campus in Lubbock.
3. GM Almasi (HUN 2707) - 14 (6) Anatoly Bykhovsky of Israel and Gergely Antal of Hungary tied for first in the Category 10 (2485) B section with scores of 6-3. American IMs Bryan Smith (5.5) and Dean Ippolito (5) both performed well as did 13-year-old FM Darwin Yang who made his first IM norm with an even score.
Metropolitan Chess Club Grand Opening! IM Norm Event! Category 4 FIDE! 4) Upcoming EventsMechanics' Chess Club Events (go to www.chessclub.org for more information)
Pierre Saint-Amant Memorial - November 20 2011 Berkeley International From January 2 to January 8, an international chess tournament will be held in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA, organized by Arun Sharma (asharma AT math DOT berkeley DOT edu) and David Pruess (pruess AT gmail DOT com). The event is open to any player with a FIDE Rating of at least 2100 or any player under the age of twenty one with a FIDE Rating of at least 2000 (organizers do have discretion to make special exceptions in very rare cases). Note that in order to ensure players of having good chances to make GM norms, the number of players rated U2200 permitted to play will be limited. If you are such a player and wish to enter, you should contact the organizers as soon as possible (and prior to sending your entry), as it is possible that a spot might not be available. The tournament will be a ten round swiss under the following round time schedule:
January 2, 3, 4: 11:00, 6:00 The time control will be 40/90, SD/30 with 30 second increment, and both GM and IM norms will be possible. This tournament starts only a few days after the North American Open (December 26-29) in Las Vegas ends so those planning to attend that would only need to make a small trip afterwards to attend the Berkeley International also. The prize fund for the tournament is:
Overall: 3000 - 1500 - 1000 Any questions should be directed to one of the organizers listed above. Nov. 26-28 or 27-28 California Class Championship GPP: 40 Enhanced California Northern 6SS, 30/90 G/60 (2-day sched rds 1-3 G/60). Hyatt Regency SFO Airport, 1333 Bayshore Hwy., Burlingame, CA 94010. Hotel rate $89. $8,000 b/137 entries (80% guaranteed). 6 sections: Open (2200+ FIDE rated)> 1000-500-200-100-100. X (2000-2199), A (1800-1999), B (1600-1799) & C (1400-1599): 700-300-100-100-100 each. Section DE (1000-1399): 500-200-100 (u1200 200-100-100). The 5th place prize will be awarded only in the 2 largest sections. Unrated prize limit of $200 in all sections except Open. EF: $99 3-day & $98 2-day mailed by 11/23, online by 11/24, Onsite +$25, Play-up +$20. 5% off before 10/26. GMs/IMs free: EF subtr from prize. Re-entry $40. EF Econ Opt: EF minus $30 & 1/2 of computed prize. Nov 2010 Supp, CCA min & TD discretion used to place players accurately. TD/Org: McCumiskey, Langland, Azhar. 3-day sched: Reg Fri 10-11, Rds. Fri/Sat 11:30-5:30, Sun 10, 3:30. 2-day sched: Reg Sat. 9-9:30, Rds Sat 10-12:30-2:45-5:30, Sun. 10-3:30. Max two 1/2-pt byes & must commit bef rd 3. Ent: Bay Area Chess, 1590 Oakland Rd., Suite B213, San Jose 95131. T: 408-786-5515. E: ask@BayAreaChess.com, Info/Form/Entries: BayAreaChess.com/tg. NS, NC, W. Chess Magnet School JGP. Dec. 31-Jan. 2 or Jan. 1-2 New Year Open GPP: 40 Enhanced California Northern 6SS 30/90 G/60 (2-day sched rds 1-3 G/60). Hyatt Regency, 5101 Great America Pkwt, Santa Clara, CA 95054. Hotel rate $79. $7,000 b/118 entries (80% guaranteed). 5 sections: Open (2100+) $1000-500-200-100-100. XA (1900-2099), AB (1700-1899), BC (1500-1699) $700-300-100-100-100 each. CDE (under 1500) $500-200-100 (u1300 200-100-100). The 5th place prize will be awarded in only the 2 largest sections. Unrated prize limit of $200 in all sections except Open. EF: $99 3-day & $98 2-day mailed by 12/28, online by 12/29, Onsite +$25, Play-up +$20. 5% off bef 11/30. GMs/IMs free: EF subtr from prize. Re-entry $40. EF Econ Opt: EF minus $30 & 1/2 of computed prize. Jan 2011 Supp, CCA min & TD discretion used to place players accurately. TD/Org: Langland/Azhar. 3-day sched: Reg Fri 10-11, Rds. Fri/Sat 11:30-5:30, Sun 10, 3:30. 2-day sched: Reg Sat. 9-9:30, Rds Sat 10-12:30-2:45-5:30, Sun. 10-10:30. Max two 1/2-pt byes & must commit before rd 3. Ent: Bay Area Chess, 1590 Oakland Rd., Suite B213, San Jose 95131. T: 408-786-5515. E: ask@BayAreaChess.com, Info/Form: BayAreaChess.com/ny. NS, NC, W. Chess Magnet School JGP. Jan. 14-17 or 15-17 2nd Annual Golden State Open GPP: 150 Enhanced California Northern 7SS, 40/2, SD/1 (3-day option, rds. 1-2 G/75). Concord Hilton Hotel, 1970 Diamond Blvd., Concord, CA 94520 (I-680 Willow Pass Rd exit). Free shuttle between hotel and Concord BART station. Free parking. Prizes $40,000 based on 320 paid entries (re-entries & U1300 Section count as half entries), minimum guarantee $30,000 (75% of each prize). In 6 sections. Open, open to all. $3000-1500-1200-800-600-500-400, clear or tiebreak winner $200, top U2400/Unr $1800-1000. FIDE. Under 2200: $2400-1200-1000-700-500-400-300. Under 2000: $2400-1200-1000-700-500-400-300. Under 1800: $2400- 1200-1000-700-500-400-300. Under 1600: $2000-1000-800-600-400-300-200, top Under 1400 $800-400. Under 1300: $800-500-400-300-200-100-100, top Under 1100 $400-200. Unrated (0-3 lifetime games rated) may enter any section, with maximum prize U1300 $300, U1600 $500, U1800 $700, U2000 $900. Top 5 sections EF: 4-day $154, 3-day $153 mailed by 1/6, all $155 online at chesstour.com by 1/11, $160 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 1/11 (entry only, no questions), $180 at site. GMs free; $130 deducted from prize. Under 1300 Section EF: $4-day $74, 3-day $73 mailed by 1/6, $75 online at chesstour.com by 1/11 (entry only, no questions), $80 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 1/11, $100 at site. All: Special 1 yr USCF dues with magazine if paid with entry. Online at chesstour.com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15. Mailed, phoned or paid at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20. Re-entry (except Open) $60. Mailed EF $5 less to CalChess members. 4-day schedule: Late reg. ends Fri 6:15 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 & 6, Sun 11 & 6, Mon 10 & 4:30. 3-day schedule: Late reg. ends Sat 10:15 am, rds Sat 11, 2:30 & 6, Sun 11 & 6, Mon 10 & 4:30. Byes: OK all, limit 3; Open must commit before rd 2, others before rd 4. Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated. Foreign player ratings: See chesstour.com. HR: Rate of $99-99 has been reduced to about $93-93, even lower for seniors 62 or over, 925-827-2000, for details see www.chesstour.com/gso11.htm, reserve by 12/31 or rate may increase. Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633. Questions: chesstour.com, 845-496-9658. Ent: Continental Chess, c/o Goichberg, Box 661776, Arcadia, CA 91066. $15 service charge for withdrawals. Advance entries posted at chesstour.com. Chess Magnet School JGP. |