Chess

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

An augmented prize fund of $515 was awarded to the winners in the 1970 San Francisco City Championship, held at the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club, Dec. 12-13. Complete results:

First, International Grandmaster Walter Browne (Berkeley), 5-0, $175 ($125 plus $50 entry fee in state finals).

Second, James Tarjan, Ted Syrett, Donald Dean, Bill Jones and Larry Hughes, 4-1, $35 each.

"A" Prize, Max Wilkerson and Anthony DiMilo, 3.5-1.5, $27.50 each.

"B" Prize, Charles Pardini, 3.5-1.5, $25; Geremy Ets-Hokin and Curtis Wilson, 2.5-2.5, $7.50 each.

"C" Prize, Gary Tuttle, 2.5-2.5, $20; Marcos Costa and Frank Flynn, 2-3, $5 each.

Best Unrated Players, Gency Anima, 3.5-1.5, $25, and Theodore Sailor, 3-2, $15.

* * *

Had there been a brilliancy prize to confer in this event, Walter Browne's combinational victory over USCF expert Takashi Kurosaki in round three would have been the obvious choice.

White: Walter Browne. Black: Takashi Kurosaki.
San Francisco City Championship, Dec. 12, 1970.
Sicilian Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cd 4.Nd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 0-0 (a) 8.Bb3 Qc7 (b) 9.f3 a6 10.Qd2 b5 11.0-0-0 Bb7 (c) 12.h4 Na5 13.h5 (d) Nb3+ 14.ab Rac8 (e) 15.Kb1 Bc6 (f) 16.Nf5!! (g) gf 17.h6! b4 (h) 18.hg (i) Rfd8 19.Bd4! f4 (j) 20.Bf6 ef 21.Qf2! bc (k) 22.Qh4 Kg7 (l) 23.Qh6+ Kg8 24.Rh4! f5 25.ef Resigns (m)

(a) Black stops White from castling long after 7...Qa5(!), since 8.f3 Nb3 and 8.Qd2 are all answered decisively by 8...Qb4!, e.g., 8.f3? Qb4! 9.Bb3 Ne4! 10.Nc6 Bc3+ 11.bc Qc3+ 12.Ke2 dc 13.Qg1 (of course not 13.fe?? Bg4+ or 13.Bd4? e5!) Nf6 14.Bd4 Qb4 15.Qe3 0-0 16.Rad1 b6!, and Black wins (analysis by Ravinsky in Isaac Boleslavsky's opening treatise, "Caro-Kann bis Sizilianisch," Berlin, 1968, pg. 118).
(b) This time 8...Qa5 9.f3!, followed by aggressive queen-side castling. The "best" line runs 9...b6 10.Qd2 Ba6 11.0-0-0 Ne5 12.Kb1 Nc4 13.Bc4 Bc4 14.Nb3 Bb3 15.ab Rfc8 16.h4 Rc6 17.Nd5! Qd2 18.Rd2 Nd5 19.ed, with Black struggling for the draw (Ibid., pp. 122-23). Better than the text move, however, is 8...d6, transposing into standard "dragon" patterns.
(c) Black's bishop lies relatively dormant here; its proper post (after...d6) is on d7.
(d) Opens the h file whether or not Black takes the time to accept the pawn.
(e) Massing all possible force against the enemy king with 14...Rfc8 offers more counter-attacking chances.
(f) Mistakenly played to anticipate Na4 in reply to Black's intended 16...b4.
(g) A totally unexpected combination that carries the attack to Black.
(h) On 17...Bh8? White wins instantly with 18.Bb6!
(i) Less effective would be 18.Bb6 Qg3! (or 18...Qb6 19.Qg5 Ne8 20.hg Ng7 21.Qh6! and even after 21...f6 Black soon loses) and White must overcome stiffer resistance than in the game.
(j) Best. If 19...e5 (19...bc? 20.Qh6 e5 21,Qf6 ed 22.Qh6), then White wins according to plan after 20 Qh6, e.g., 20...Qd6 21.Be3 Qe7 22.Bg5.
(k) Rushing the queen over to the king side (21...Qe5) also loses to the game continuation.
(l) Forced to avoid mate on the move, but also in small hopes of escaping via f8.
(m) Both 25...Qe5 and 25...f6 lead directly to mate after 26.f6 and 26.Rg4+ respectively.

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