Mechanics Institute Chess Room Newsletter #208

"Chess is in its essence a game, in its form an art, and in its execution a science."

1) Mezentsev wins Northern California State Championship
2) Browne, Kudrin and Stripunsky tie in Oklahoma
3) Mechanics' News
4) AF4C announces 2005 US championship wild card selections
5) Clash of the Titans in Lindsborg
6) Here and There 
7) Upcoming Events

GM Lubomir Ftacnik will give a free lecture at the MI this Saturday from 1-2:30 pm. A blitz tournament will follow immediately afterwards.

Mezentsev wins Northern California State Championship

IM-elect Vladimir Mezentsev of Mountain View is the 2004 Northern California Champion, scoring 5 from 6 in the annual Labor Day event held September 4-6 at the Holiday Inn on Van Ness in San Francisco. Mezentsev, who drew with IMs Ricardo DeGuzman and John Donaldson, took home $700 for his efforts. DeGuzman, who scored 4.5, was second, while Donaldson, SM David Pruess and Expert Drake Wang tied for third at 4 in the small open section. Wang, an up-and-coming teenager, had a breakout event, winning four in a row after a first round loss before succumbing to Mezentsev in the last round. Pruess, who took a first round bye, had a very tough loss to DeGuzman while Donaldson was undefeated and earned the right on tie-break to represent Northern California on September 19 in ICC blitz qualifier for the US Championship (Mezentev represents Russia and De Guzman the Philippines). A total of 182 players, one of the better turnouts in recent years for a non-scholastic event, competed in this multi section event directed by Richard Koepcke and John McCumiskey.

2) Browne, Kudrin and Stripunsky tie in Oklahoma

Frank Berry, who organized and directed this event with his twin brother Jim, sent in the following report.

81 players competed in the Stillwater, OK OCF-NAO held last weekend including 5 GMs, 2 WGMs and 2 IMs. GMs Sergey Kudrin, Walter Browne and Alex Stripunsky tied for 1st with 6.5 out of 8, receiving $1,300 apiece. Tying for fourth at 6 pts, goof for $525 apiece, were GM Pavel Blatny, IM Jesse Kraai, IM (WGM) Anna Zatonskih and IM Michael Brooks. GM Alex Wojtkiewicz ended with 5 points losing in the last two rounds to Browne and Kudrin.

The following key game was Browne's second win over perennial Grand Prix champ Wojtkiewicz, in less than a month, and features annotations by the six-time US Champion. Thanks to Frank Berry for sending out this material so quickly. This is in sharp contrast to the US Open, which finished nearly a month ago, and still the last round bulletin has yet to appear!

Browne,W (2500) - Wojtkiewicz,A (2500) [B90]
OCF-NAO Oklahoma (7.2), 06.09.2004
[Browne]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e6 7.Be3 b5 8.g4 Nfd7 9.Qd2 Nb6 10.a4

10.0—0—0 N8d7 11.Bxb5 axb5 12.Ndxb5 Ba6 13.Nxd6+ Bxd6 14.Qxd6 Nc4 15.Qd4 e5 looks good for Black.

10...Nc4

A brand new move by Wojo.

10...bxa4 11.Nxa4 Nxa4 12.Rxa4 Be7 13.g5! Topalov-Anand WAZ, 2004

11.Bxc4 bxc4 12.0—0—0

12.a5 Be7 13.Na4! also causes Black some problems

12...Nd7 13.f4 Bb7 14.f5 e5

14...Nc5 15.fxe6 fxe6 16.Qe2 Rc8 (16...Qd7 17.Qxc4 Nxe4 18.Nxe4 Bxe4 19.Nxe6 d5 20.Nc7+ Kd8 21.Nxd5 Bxh1 22.Bg5+ Ke8 23.Nc7++-) 17.Qxc4 Qd7 18.Rhf1 Nxe4 19.Qxe6+ Qxe6 20.Nxe6 Nxc3 21.bxc3 Rxc3 22.Bd4 Rf3! 23.Rfe1 Kd7 24.Bxg7 Bxg7 25.Nxg7 with good winning chances.

15.Nde2

15.Ne6 fxe6 16.fxe6 Be7 (16...Nf6 17.Qf2 Qe7 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.exd5 and Wojo survives but not so easy!) 17.exd7+ Qxd7 18.Rhf1 and white is better.

15...Qa5

15...Nf6 16.Bg5 Be7 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Nd5 Rb8 19.Nec3 Bxd5; 15...Be7 16.g5 0—0 17.Rhg1 Kh8 18.Nd5 with a big edge.] 16.g5 Bc6 17.Nd5 Qxa4 18.Kb1 [18.Nec3 Qa1+ 19.Nb1 Bxd5! (19...Rb8? 20.Qc3 Bxd5?! 21.Rxd5 with the idea Ra5 with compensation for White.) 20.Qxd5 Rb8 21.b3 cxb3 22.cxb3 Rc8+ 23.Kd2 Qb2+ and Black is much better.

18...Rb8 19.g6

19.Nec3 Qa5 20.Qe2 Bxd5 21.Nxd5 Qa4 22.g6 hxg6 23.fxg6 fxg6 24.Qg4 c3 25.Qxg6+ Kd8 26.Bg5+ Kc8 27.Nxc3 Qb4 28.Qe8+ and white wins.

19...hxg6 20.fxg6 fxg6 21.Nec3 Qa5 22.Qe2

22.Qg2 Kd8 23.Qxg6 Rh3 24.Rhf1 Rxe3 25.Rxf8+ Nxf8 26.Qxd6+ Nd7 27.Qxc6 wins.

22...Bxd5 23.Nxd5 c3

23...Nf6 24.Qxc4 Nxd5 25.Rxd5 Qb4 26.Rxe5+ (26.Qc6+ Kf7 27.Qd7+ Be7 28.Rf1+ Kg8 29.Qe6+ Kh7 30.Bc1 Qxe4 31.Rd3 with a superior position. 31...Bh4) 26...dxe5 27.Qe6+ Be7 28.Qxg6+ Kd8 29.Rd1+ Kc7 black wins

24.b3 Nf6

24...Qa3 25.Nxc3 and white has better pieces and a safer king.

25.Qc4 Be7

25...Nxd5

26.Qc6+

26.Nc7+ Kd8 27.Ne6+ Kd7 28.Nc5+ Ke8 29.Nxa6 Ra8 30.Nc7+ Kd7

26...Kf7 27.Nxe7 Kxe7 28.Rxd6 Rhc8 29.Re6+ Kf7 30.Rxf6+! gxf6 31.Qd7+ Kg8

31...Kf8 32.Bh6+ Kg8 33.Qg7#

32.Qe6+ Kg7 33.Qe7+ Kg8 34.Qe6+ Kg7 35.Rd1 Rxb3+

35...Rc7 36.Rd6 (36.Rd7+ Rxd7 37.Qxd7+ Kh8 38.Qh3+ Kg8 39.Qe6+ Kg7 40.Qe7+ Kg8 41.Bh6+-) ; 35...Rd8 36.Qe7+ Kg8 37.Rg1 g5 38.Bxg5; 35...Rb7

36.Qxb3 Qc7 37.Kc1 Rb8 38.Qe6 Rb7 39.Rd6 Qf7 40.Qxf7+ Kxf7 41.Rxa6 Rb4 42.Rc6 Rxe4 43.Rxc3 Rh4 44.Bg1 f5 45.Kd2 Rg4 46.Rg3 Ra4 47.Bf2 f4 48.Rg4!

Otherwise the pawns are dangerous!

48...Kf6 49.Bh4+ Kf5 50.Rg5+ Ke4?!

I thought 50...Kf6 was more stubborn

51.Rxg6 Kf3 52.Kc3 e4 53.Kb3 Rd4 54.Bf6 Rd6 55.h4 Rb6+ 56.Ka2 Rc6 57.Kb2 e3 58.h5 e2 59.Bh4 Rc5 60.h6 Rh5 61.Be1 Rh1 62.Bb4 e1Q 63.Bxe1 Rxe1 64.c4 Re5! 65.Kc3 Ke4

65...Ke3 66.h7 Rh5 67.Re6+ Kf2 68.Re7 f3 69.Kd2 Kg1 70.Rg7+ Kf1 71.c5 f2; 65...Ke2 66.Kd4

66.h7 Rh5 67.Re6+ Kf5 68.Re7 Kf6 69.Rb7 f3 70.Kd3 Rh2 71.c5 Ke6 72.c6 Kd6 73.c7 Kd7 74.Rb8 1—0

3) Mechanics' News

NM Russell Wong is alone in first with a perfect score after four rounds of the Robert Jordan Tuesday Night Marathon. Tied for second at 3.5 are IM Ricardo DeGuzman, NM Batchimeg Tuvshintugs and Experts Nicolas Yap and Larry Snyder.

Yefim Bukh won last Wednesday's Blitz event with David Ray second. Action resumes this evening at 7pm.

GM Lubomir Ftacnik will give a free lecture on Bishop versus Knight this Saturday at 1pm until 2:30 pm. Immediately afterwards there will be a five double round blitz tournament with a $10 entry free. The first prize of $50 is guaranteed with other prizes based on entries.

4) AF4C announces 2005 US championship wild card selections

The America's Foundation for Chess announces the 2005 US championship wild card selections:

The stated mission of the AF4C is to use two wild card spots in the US Championship to promote the development of exceptionally promising junior players. Last year, in line with our mission, we selected Varhuzan Akobian (based on his being the Samford fellow) and Laura Ross (based on her being the highest rated girl under 16). Those turned out to be fine choices, with Akobian battling for first place in the final round, and Ross benefiting from her experience to earn a qualifying spot for this year's championship at the World Open.

This year one wild card spot has been offered to Salvijus Bercys. Bercys, who is 14 years old, is the #1 US rated player under the age of 16 (USCF rating 2424). He was the 2003 US junior open champion and finished clear second in the 2004 US Junior invitational championship, half of a point behind Milman (who earned a US championship qualifying spot for this victory) and ahead of Josh Friedel, Bruci Lopez, Matthew Hoekstra and Dmitry Schneider (all of whom have earned qualifying spots at other tournaments).

This was an unusual year with so many top juniors earning qualifying spots. Because of this unique situation, the AF4C was in a position to recognize the return of Gata Kamsky to active tournament chess, and offer him the second wild card spot. Gata Kamsky is America's highest rated USCF chess player, and one of the top rated players in the world. In 1996 he played Karpov for the world championship. Having reached the pinnacle of the chess world, Kamsky unexpectedly took a sabbatical from chess to pursue a higher education, and has just recently graduated with a degree in Law. He is preparing to take the NY bar exam.

With the completion of his formal education, Kamsky has returned to chess, is a regular player at the New York Masters and is anxious to participate in the US Championship. As the only American to become the official challenger for the World Championship since Bobby Fischer, Gata is a most deserving contender for the US Championship. His omission at a time that he is actively playing chess would be a serious oversight. As the US Championship is the premier event in America, the AF4C is very excited to have the opportunity to offer to Gata, who is now the number one ranked player in the US, a wild-card spot.

The chairman of the selection committee was AF4C co-founder and board member, Dr. Jim Roberts, and committee members were GM Yasser Seirawan, AF4C president Erik Anderson and chess journalist John Henderson. The committee would like to thank numerous US championship players and others in the chess community for their input into these decisions.

http://www.af4c.org/events.asp

For further information contact John Henderson of the AF4C at +1 (206) 229-9233 or by email: jbhthescots@yahoo.co.uk

John B Henderson

5) Clash of the Titans in Lindsborg

Contact: Mikhail Korenman — 785-227-2224 (KS)
Or Wes Fisk — 785-227-4121 (KS)

Paul Truong — 212-748-9587 (USCF-NY)

"CLASH OF THE TITANS" BATTLE OF TWO WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONS

Schedule of Events

September 18, 2004

8:45 a.m. 100-200 Block of S. Main — Round 1 of Scholastic

Tournament. 300 Students Playing Chess at Tables on Main Street

10:00 a.m. Main Street Chess Parade — The parade's King (Karpov) and Queen (Polgar) will lead a group of scholastic teams, local area bands, and top U.S. Women's Grandmasters (Irina Krush, Anna Zatonskih, and Rusa Goletiani) and GM Yury Shulman and IM Pascal Charbonneau). All teams should be dressed in their chess team T-shirts.

10:30 a.m. City Hall. Press Conference with Anatoly Karpov and Susan Polgar.

11:30 a.m. Main Street — Round 2 of Scholastic Tournament.

Chess Schedule Page 2

1:00 p.m. Main Street — Round 3 of Scholastic Tournament.

2:15 p.m. Main Street — Round 4 of Scholastic Tournament.

3:30 p.m. Main Street — Round 5 of Scholastic Tournament.

5:00 p.m. Smoky Valley H.S. Auditorium — Games 1 & 2 for Karpov — Polgar Match.

6:30 p.m. Main Street — Closing Ceremony for Scholastic Tournament.

7:00 p.m. Chess Caf´, 106 S. Main. Dinner with GM Karpov and GM Polgar as Guest Speakers. Seating is limited — Reservations required: 785-227-2224 or intecsus@yahoo.com

September 19, 2004

All Day Karpov School, 106 S. Main — Grandmasters will be Teaching Master Level Classes for All Students Who can Attend.

1:00 p.m. Smoky Valley H.S. Auditorium — Games 3 & 4 for Karpov — Polgar Match.

4:00 p.m. Smoky Valley H.S. Auditorium — Games 5 & 6 for Karpov — Polgar Match.

6:00 p.m. Smoky Valley H.S. Auditorium — Closing Ceremony for Karpov — Polgar Match

6) Here and There

IM Calvin Blocker set an Ohio simul record scoring 110 wins and 6 draws in an 11-hour marathon held at the Eton Collection shopping center in Woodmere, a Cleveland suburb on August 29. Blocker is a 12-time state champion and the only Ohio native to earn the International Master title.

Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura won the 2004 New York State Championship held September 4-6. Nakamura took home $1600 for his score of 5.5 from 6. Tying for second at 5 were IM Jay Bonin and Igor Nikolayev (the only player to draw with Nakamura).

One of the most successful players of 2004 has been GM Ildar Ibragimov who defeated former Candidate Jaan Ehlvest in the last round of the Atlantic Open held in Washington D.C. on August 27-29. Ibragimov's 4.5 from 5 score earned him $2000. Among those tied for second at 4-1 were US Champion Alex Shabalov and GM Dmitry Gurevich.

7) Upcoming Events

Upcoming Tournaments at the MI

Howard Donnelly Memorial - Sept. 18
J.J Dolan Memorial - October 2
Carroll Capps Memorial - November 6-7
Pierre Saint-Amant - November 20
Guthrie McClain Memorial - December 5 (Sunday)
Jim Hurt Under 1800 - December 11-12

Mechanics Institute Scholastic Quads 2004 Tournaments:

September 25, October 16, November 13, December 18
Open to players age 18 and under
(Limited to first 80 players) Game/45

Rounds : 10:30am, 12:15pm, 2:00pm Late Registration: 9:30am - 10:15am Open: to the first eighty players Note: Quads based on rating. USCF Rated. Unrated players face each other. You must be a USCF member to play in the quads. Time Control: Game in 45 minutes Entry Fee: $20 / $30 day of tournament/ $15 for MI members Checks payable to Mechanics' Chess Club Prizes: Trophies for the winners of each quad



California Events

Sept. 18 Joshua Tree September Open GPP: 6 S. California
5SS, G/45. Faith Lutheran Church, 6336 Hallee Rd., Joshua Tree, CA 92252. $$Top 2 Gtd., class prizes b/30. Open: $200-100. Class A: $75, $50, Class B: $75, $50, Class C: $60, $40, Class D: $60, $40, Class E: $50, $30, UNR: $30. EF: $30. Reg: 8-9:15. Rds: 9:30-11:30-2:00-3:45-5:30. Ent: Mark Muller, PO Box 502, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277. (760) 367-2311. muller29@adelphia.net. W. No time delay allowed.

Sept. 24-26 Los Angeles Open GPP: 50 S. California
5SS, 3-day 40/2, SD/1, 2-day rds. 1-2 G/75 then merges. LAX Hilton, 5711 W Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045. $$10,000 b/200, 60% of each prize guaranteed. In 3 sections: Open: 1500-1000-800-400-200 plus $200(G) bonus for clear first, U2400 200, U2300 200, U2200 750-500-300, U2100 200, U2000 200. EF: $79 if rec'd by 9-22, $81 by credit card at http://www.westernchess.com/, $95 door. Premier (U1900): $$ 750-500-300-100, U1700 500-300-200. EF: $79 if rec'd by 9-22, $81 by credit card at http://www.westernchess.com/, $95 door, no unrated. Amateur (U1500): $$400+trophy-250-100, U1300 100+trophy-50, U1100 100+trophy, Unr 100+trophy, unrated may win unrated prize only. EF: $64 if rec'd by 9-22, $66 by credit card at http://www.westernchess.com/, $75 door. Reg: 5:30-6:30pm. 9-24, 8:30-10am. 9-25. Rds: 3-day 7pm., 11-5:30, 10-4:30. 2-day: 10:30-1:30 (G/75), then merges. All: $25 Best Game prize, all sections eligible. One half-point bye rds. 1-3 if requested with entry. SCCF membership req. of S. Cal. res., $12 reg, $7.50 junior. No checks or credit card entries at door. HR: $89 (310) 410-4000, mention chess. Parking $6/day. Info: John Hillery, admin@westernchess.com. Web site: http://www.westernchess.com/. Ent: SCCF, c/o John Hillery, 835 N. Wilton Pl. #1, Los Angeles CA 90038. State Championship Qualifier. NS, NC, FIDE.

National Events

Sept. 3, 4, 5, 6 23rd North American FIDE Open GPP: 150 Oklahoma 8SS, G/90+30 sec, Holiday Inn (Holidome) 2515 W. 6th Ave (Hwy-51) Stillwater, OK 1-405-372-0800. HR: 60-60-60-60. EF: $50. Free to FIDE rated players. Reg: Fri 11am-12:30pm. Rds: 1-6, 11-4, 11-4, 9-2. $$G 9,900 will not be lowered. $$G$1,500, $1,300, $1,100, $900, $700, $500. 11 plaques. $$G 600 each class X-E & below. Unr $200-$100. 2 byes rds 1-6. OCF req. Free Parking. Ent: Jim Berry PO Box 351 Stillwater, OK 74076. 1-405-624-2281. jaberrycg@aol.com. LS, W. FIDE. Acc pairings may be used

Oct. 29-31. GPP: 80 South Dakota
8th Annual Governor's Cup. 5SS, FULL-K, 40/2, All/1. EF: $55 if by 10/20, $75 at site, GMs, IMs, and over 2400 free. [18 & Under preregistering in RESERVE section pay $35.] Reg: 10/29 4-5PM. Rds: 6; 10-4:30; 9-3:30. BYES: One half-point BYE allowed in RDS 1-3 if requested in advance. Holiday Inn City Centre, 100 West 8th St., Sioux Falls, South Dakota, (605) 339-2000. Ask for chess rate $79. $$10,000 Unconditionally guaranteed. OPEN Section: FIDE Rated. Prizes: $1200-$1000-$800-$600; Master: $500-$300-100; Expert: $400-$250-$100; Under 2000: $200-$100. PREMIER Section [Under 2000]: Prizes: $700-$500-$300; Top B: $300-$200-$100; Under 1600: $175-$100. RESERVE Section [Under 1600]: Prizes: $600-$450-$300; Top D: $250-$150-$75; Under 1200: $150-$100. INFO/ADV ENT: Sioux Empire Chess Foundation, 2100 Slaten Court, Sioux Falls, SD 57103, (605) 338-9431. knudson1@sio.midco.net www.sdchess.org/govcup. Advance Entries will be posted on: www.suburban-chess.org/Tournaments/2004/Governor's%20Cup.htm.

Masrk these two events down on your calendar. The PAN AM Intercollegiate will be held in Kansas right after Christmas.Email Mikhail Korenman for more information at mkorenman@yahoo.com

4th Annual Lindsborg Open December 17-22

GM & IM norms are available; $4,000 guaranteed prize fund!

Rapid Knock-out Tournament Lindsborg, Kansas December 23-25, 2004 $11,500 guaranteed prize fund! 9SS;

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