November Chess Round 4

Another roundup of hi-lights and observations

Grand Prix - Group A

Khedkar - Boron 0-1

I thought I (Boron) had played a blunder free game, but my illusions were shattered when I looked at it yesterday.

I was setting up the possibility of a discovered attack on the knight, but after 33. Qe8,


I didn't play the obvious 33...Nf6, which just wins the knight Don't ask me why, I must have had a hallucination. I played 33...Re7 instead. Jay replied 34. Qc6. I in turn played the howler, 34...Qd4 ?? which fails to 35. Qc2+ followed by 36. Nc6 winning an exchange. Jay was very short of time however and did not see it and played 35. Qd6. I shortly won the b pawn and White eventually ran out of time.

Grand Prix - Group B

Pottinger - Lauritson 0-1

Black got a terrific position out of the opening and was piling on the pressure. Carl resisted and after 19...Rc4 had an interesting move available.


20. Qe7+ ,however it is objectively not much better than the move played, 20. Qb3.
White lost a piece after 24. Qb3 (Qd1 apparently holds..covering the rook and also threatening Ra1.) and soon the game.

Silva - Van Wyk 0-1

Black declined a shot to win a pawn 15...Bxh2+ 16. Kxh2 Qc7+.
Black eventually won the a pawn and a classic extra outside passer endgame arose that still gives White a chance to draw. Position after 44. ... Rb2+.

White played 43. Kd3 and after ...Rxf2
White has a challenge to draw. If 43. Kf3, Black has to exhibit a lot of technique to win.

Grand Prix - Section C

Booth- Liu 0-1
25. g4 was the last mistake, 25. Kg1 may hold some chances for drawing.

Wiebe - Gannon 1-0
Black got into early opening problems and never recovered.

Grand Prix - Section D
Magnusson -Gibson 1-0
Black missed a chance to gain an advantage with 17...Nxb3 or 17...Bxc3.

Lorne Gibbons - Aaron Green 0-1
Nimzovich talked about jumping off squares (I'll replace this with his terminology when I find my copy of 'My System"). Check out the e3 square in this game.

Mike Shpan Memorial

Mundwiler - Schulz 1-0

I think Black should have exchanged bishops on d4 on his terms instead of allowing White to exchange on c5. 22...Qh6 looks strange and is in fact a blunder. After Les' 24. Qf5 it's all over.

Fromme - Greenberg 1-0
I think the strategic error here was Blacktrading his knight for the bad bishop on e2, although if followed up with 24...Qe8 instead of 24...Qc8, there are some interesting tactical possibilities.

Kaptsan - Hanrahan 1-0

I thought this game had drawn written all over it, but Black started to drift with 21...Ba8. I would think that taking possession of the e-file was mandatory. White soon after played Re7 and won.

Rutter - Atem 0-1

My computer engine was screaming for White to play d5 on moves 9 to 14 and then it was too late as Black played it ! The position eventually bust open in Black's favour and

After 29...Nxc3
Blair missed a big chance with the zwichenzug (in-between move) 30. Rf1 (no exclam) and White wins easily. Instead Blair played Qxc3 and fell into a mating net.

Kwiatek - Kong 1-0

Very nice combination by Jordan. See Exclam ! site for full details.

Jim Green-Kernetsky DRAW

The King's Indian Attack didn't. Both players proved they have seen this before.

Oberton - Swift 1-0
Arie Wasserman - Campbell DRAW
Wood-Trueman 1-0
Wierda-Letain 0-1
Rating upset of the night. White imprisoned his own rook on b4 and Cory grabbed it free.

Leor Wasserman - Crawford 0-1

Black had a large endgame advantage, but it dissipated to the point where Leor could
draw with 56.Bxf5