Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News #559

(November 9, 2011)

Since most chess players do not have an extraordinary talent, working hard is the only way for them to improve.

GM Peter Lukacs

(New in Chess, 2011 # 6 - p. 59)

1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News

IM Ricardo De Guzman defeated NMs Samuel Sevian and Michael Pearson on the way to winning the 39^th Carroll Capps Memorial last Saturday and Sunday at the Mechanics' Institute.  The former Filipino Olympiad team member's score of 5.5 from 6 put him half a point ahead of the 10-year-old Sevian, whose rating should now go over 2300.

Tying for third at 4.5 in the 52-player field were Pearson, 82-year-old IM Walter Shipman, NM Hayk Manvelyan and fast- rising young A-player Art Zhao, who took a half point from DeGuzman in the last round.

FM Andy Lee of Berkeley is leading the Fall Tuesday Night Marathon with 4 from 4. Top-seed IM Elliott Winslow, NM Hayk Manvelyan and Expert Demetrius Goins are tied for second in the 61-player field with 3.5 points.

Queen's Gambit Declined D52

Demetrius Goins- Hovik Manvelyan

Fall TNM (4) 2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e3 Qa5 7.Bxf6

7.cxd5 Nxd5 and 7.Nd2 are the main ways to combat the Cambridge Springs.

7...Nxf6 8.cxd5 Nxd5

8...exd5 is a reasonable alternative.

9.Qb3 Bb4 10.Rc1 0-0 11.Bd3 Qc7?

Black should have played11...Nxc3 12.bxc3 Bd6 aiming for ...e5.

12.0-0 Nxc3 13.Qxb4!

Black would be fine after 13.bxc3 Bd6, intending ...e5.

13...Nxa2 14.Qc5?

14.Bxh7+! Kxh7 15.Qxf8 was winning.

14...Nxc1 15.Rxc1

As 15.Bxh7+ fails to 15...Kxh7 16.Qh5+ Kg8 17.Ng5 Rd8.

15...Qd8?

This move removes the queen from its defense of f7 which proves fatal. While 15...h6 still allows 16.Bh7+ Black could have met all threats with 15...Rd8 16.Qh5 g6 17.Qh6 f6 followed by ...Qg7.

16.Bxh7+!

Demetrius (!) employs the "Greek Gift".

16...Kxh7 17.Qh5+ Kg8 18.Ng5 Re8 19.Qxf7+ Kh8 20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.Qh7+ Kf8 22.Qh8+ Ke7 23.Qxg7+ Kd6 24.Ne4+ 1-0

Thanks to Peter Sherwood all back issues of the Newsletter can be found at www.chessclub.org, with the last few containing plenty of diagrams to accompany the annotated games.

Hello everyone,

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

Last week's winners where:
1st - Carlos D'Avila

2nd - Jules Jelinek 

3rd - Merim Mesic

Look forward to seeing you tonight.

Jules Jelinek

Weekly Wednesday Night Blitz Coordinator

2) Los Angeles 2.5- San Francisco 1.5

The Mechanics' Institute entry in the 2011 US Chess League ended its season last Monday with a tough loss to cross state rivals the Los Angeles Vibe.

The match started well for the Mechanics' team as Jesse Kraai continued his excellent play by scoring the first point of the night. Not long after Uyanga Byambaa scored an upset draw against an opponent rated over 250 points higher than her, and with Black to boot.  

At the time this extra half point looked to be crucial as throughout the season the Mechanics' suffered on board 4, scoring only 20 percent during the regular season.

With one and a half points in the bag, the Mechanics' needed one more point to clinch the match - in the event of a 2-2 tie LA would advance because of their better regular season record.  

Patrick Wolff looked to have a very promising position on board one but his opponent IM Andranik Matikozian defended extremely well. When Patrick over pressed, Matikozian won putting Vinay Bhat in the awkward position of trying to win from a slightly worse position. He was unable to do as his opponent, IM Zhanibek Amanov, kept his cool and played very well when both players were down to playing on the increment - the time control  was G/75 + 30 seconds a move.

Los Angeles plays Chicago in the Western Division final next week.

San Francisco vs Los Angeles    1. GM Patrick Wolff (SF) vs IM Andranik Matikozyan (LA)  0-1
2. IM Zhanibek Amanov (LA) vs GM Vinay Bhat (SF)  1-0
3. GM Jesse Kraai (SF) vs WGM Tatev Abrahamyan (LA)  1-0
4. NM Konstantin Kavutskiy (LA) vs Uyangaa Byambaa (SF)  1/2-1/2 

Queen Pawn/Pirc B07

Jesse Kraai - Tatev Abrahamyan

USCL (Quarterfinals) 2011

Jesse's opponent in this game, WGM Tatev Abrahamyan, is one of the strongest female players in the United States. Her play this season, particularly the past few weeks, was impressive as she not only defeated several strong players, but did so in powerful style winning several nice attacking games.

This makes Jesse's performance all the more remarkable as he completely takes Tatev out of her element never giving Black a chance. This didn't happen by accident. Jesse plays the opponent and not the board. He is a shrewd psychologist who is able to adapt his style to that which is most unpleasant for his opponent.

Flashy attacking games understandably get top-billing when the judges make their choices for the USCL Game of the Week, but I found Jesse's win over Tatev more impressive than his Game of the Week victory over GM Sadorra.

A very likely USCL all-star this season, Jesse scored 6.5 from 9 for a performance rating over 2700.  He was the Mechanics' MVP this season but an honorable mention goes to fellow GM Vinay Bhat who for the good of the team took Black in all 6 games he played this season.  Vinay has always been the heart and soul of the Mechanics' in the USCL. Without these two players the Mechanics' would definitely not have made the playoffs.

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 g6 3.Bg5 Bg7 4.Nbd2 0-0 5.e4 d6

The more dynamic 5...d5 would suit Tatev's active style much better.

6.Bd3

The game that first attracted my attention to 2.Nf3/3.Bg5 against the KID was the following smooth win by the young Kasparov: 6.c3 Nbd7 7.Be2 e5 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.0-0 b6 10.Re1 Bb7 11.Qc2 h6 12.Bh4 Qe7 13.Bf1 Rfe8 14.b4 a6 15.Nc4 Rac8 16.a4 Qe6 17.Nfd2 Nh5 18.f3 Bf6 19.Bf2 Bg5 20.Ne3 Ndf6 21.c4 c6 22.Nb3 Nd7 23.c5 b5 24.Red1 Be7 25.Nc4 Rc7 26.Nd6 Rb8 27.axb5 cxb5 28.Nxb7 Rbxb7 29.Qa2 Nb8 30.Na5 Qxa2 31.Rxa2 Ra7 32.c6 Ra8 33.Rc2 Bxb4 34.Rd8+ Kg7 35.Bb6 Bxa5 36.Bxa5 Rxc6 37.Rxb8 Rxb8 38.Rxc6 b4 39.Bc7 1-0 Kasparov-Martinovic, Baku 1980.

6...Nbd7 7.0-0 e5 8.c3 Re8 9.Re1 h6 10.Bh4 c6 11.a4 Qc7 12.a5 Nf8 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Nc4 Bg4?!

Black has not chosen the most accurate response to 2.Nf3/3.Bg5 but here she could have at least waited a move for ...Bg4 to save a tempo as White's light-squared bishop is likely to move again soon. 14...Nh5 15.Bf1 Bg4 16.h3 Bxf3 17.Qxf3 Ne6 18.Rad1 Nhf4 19.Rd2 (19.Nd6 is a likely improvement) 19...g5 20.Bg3 Rad8 21.Red1 Rxd2 22.Rxd2 Rd8 23.Qd1 Rxd2 24.Qxd2 was slightly better for White in Sharif-Todorcevic,M , Marseille 1987.

15.h3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 Nh5 17.Bc2 Ne6 18.Rad1 Bf8 19.Rd2 Be7 20.Red1 Nf8?!

20...Rad8 was more stubborn not ceding the d-file to White, but doesn't solve all of Black's problems. 21.Rxd8 Rxd8 22.Bxe7 Qxe7 23.Nxe5 Ng5 24.Rxd8+ Qxd8 25.Qd1 Qxa5 26.Ng4 Kh7 27.Qd2 with the unstoppable threat of h4.

21.Bxe7 Rxe7 22.Bb3 b5?!

22...Ne6 was better. Now Jesse finishes in style.

23.Nd6 Nf4 24.h4!

Preparing to evict Black's one decently played piece and go after f7.

24...N4e6 25.Qf6

The end.

25... Ng7 26.Nxf7 Rxf7 27.Rd7 1-0

3) Here and There

Max Burkett writes about a news item in Newsletter #558. Games of Berkeley, located across the street from the downtown Berkeley BART station continues to sell chess books and equipment to this day.

I knew the owners of East Asia well (I'm in seniorland today, but Bill X and I and were on the same dart team sponsored by "The Loft" owner Gary Orechwa. Gary co-sponsered a master tournament with East Asia (probably in 1971 while I was living in Las Cruces, NM)).

East Asia moved next door to Hardcastle's in 1970 or 1971. East Asia was bought by another friend (Don Reentz, USCF 2050) and renamed "Games of Berkeley". Don and I had a lot of good history before he sold out and moved to Sweden in the late 1980s.   

NM John Blackstone sends along the following game played by future IM Walter Shipman, who was born April 18, 1929, in New York City.

  King's Gambit C39

Walter Shipman - Oscar Tenner
Manhattan CC Ch 1946-1947    

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ng5 d5 6.exd5 Nf6 7.Nc3 h6 8.Nge4 Nh5 9.Bb5+ c6 10.dxc6 Nxc6 11.d4 a6 12.Bxc6+ bxc6 13.Qd3 Bg7 14.Ne2 Qe7 15.Bd2 f5 16.N4c3 0-0 17.0-0-0 Qd6 18.Rhf1 f3 19.gxf3 g3 20.f4 Qg6 21.Rg1 Qg4 22.Nxg3 Nxf4 23.Bxf4 Qxf4+ 24.Kb1 Qxh4 25.Rh1 Qg4 26.Nh5 Kh8 27.Rdg1 Qxd4 28.Nxg7 Qxd3 29.Rxh6+ 1-0 (Source: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, January 23, 1947, p.17)

International Arbiter Frank Berry of Stillwater, Oklahoma, who provided this week's quote, points out that the hotel Almac in IM Walter Shipman's article on the Manhattan CC in Newsletter #558, should actually read the Hotel Alamac (site of New York 1924). This typo was the fault of the Newsletter editor and not IM Shipman.

4) Upcoming Events

At the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club

  Other Events

*Nov. 25-27, 26-27 or 25-26 (class D/E only)*   *California Super Class Championship   GPP: 60 Enhanced*   *

TC 30/90 sd/60 (2-day rds 1-3 G/60 merge in rd 4), DE all 6SSxG/90. SFO Airport Waterfront Marriott, 1800 Bayshore Hwy., Burlingame, CA. Park $1. Hotel $89. Prize: $10,000 b/163 (90% guaranteed). 5 sects. Open (2000+ FIDE rated):1500-700-300-100, top u2300 200-100, top u2100 200-100. A: 1000-500-200-100, top u1900 100. B: 1000-500-200-100, top u1700 100. C: 700-300-200-100, top u1500 100. u1400/unr: 700-300-100, top u1200 400-200-100. 4th place prize in 2 largest sects only. Max unr $300 except in Open. EF:$99 3-day, $98 2-day, mail by 11/21, online by 11/22, Onsite +$25, Play-up +$20. Re-ent $40. EF Econ Opt: EF-20 & 2/3 calc prize (not avail in Open). GMs/IMs free:prize-EF. Nov 2011 Supp, CCA min & TD disc to place  players. Sched: 3-day Reg Fr 10-11, Rds Fr/Sa 11:30-5:30, Su 10-3:30; 2-day  Reg Sa 9-9:30, Rds Sa 10-12:30-2:50-5:30, Su 10-3:30. u1400/unr all: Reg Fri 10-11, Rds Fr/Sa 11:30-3-6:30. Max two 1/2-pt byes, commit bef rd 3. Ent: BayAreaChess, 1590 Oakland Rd., Ste B213, San Jose, CA 95131. Rfnd fee $20. T: 408-806-3500. E: ask@BayAreaChess.com, Info: BayAreaChess.com/tg11<http://bayareachess.com/tg11>. NS, NC, W. Chess Magnet School JGP.   

Dec. 31-Jan. 2 or Jan. 1-2,   GPP:  50 (enhanced)

New Year Open

6SS 30/90 sd/60 (2-day rds 1-3 G/60 merge in rd 4). Hyatt Regency, 5101 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA. Hotel $79! free parking. $6,000 b/97 (80% guar). 3 sects. Open (2000+ FIDE rated): $Gtd 1000-500-200, top u2300 200-100, top u2100 100-100. 1500-1999: 700-300-100, top u1800 400-200, top u1600 200-100. Under1500: 700-300-100, top u1300 300-200, top u1100 100. Unr max $200 except in Open. EF: $99 3-day, $98 2-day mail by 12/27, online by 12/28, Onsite +$25, Play-up +$20. Re-entry $40. EF Econ Opt: EF-20 & 2/3 of calc prize (not avail in Open). GMs/IMs free: prize-EF. Dec 2011 Supp, CCA min & TD discr to place players. Sched: 3-day Reg Sat 10-11, Rds Sa/Su 11:30-5:30, Mo 10 3:30; 2-day Reg Su 9-9:30, Rds Su 10-12:30-2:50-5:30, Mo 10-3:30. Max two 1/2-pt byes & commit bef rd 3. Ent: BayAreaChess, 1590 Oakland Rd., Ste B213, San Jose, CA 95131. Rfnd fee $20. T:408-786-5515. E: ask@BayAreaChess.com, Info/Form: BayAreaChess.com/ny12. NS, NC, W. Chess Magnet School JGP.       

A Heritage Event!  Feb. 18-20   29th Annual U.S. Amateur Team Championship West 

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