Mundwiler - Nikouline 0-1
Alex indicated on chessmanitoba.com that he was lucky.
Yes, he was. White missed 28. Qxh5 winning a full rook.
In the game White could have played 32. Rxg4 fxg4 33. Rxe1 and is fine.
After the queens come off, Black starts winning pawns.
Greenberg - Rutter 0-1
Black offers a sacrifice with 28...Nxf4, but White declines. It must have been a difficult decision. White lost on time soon after he obtained equality.
Babb - Jim Green 1-0
White wins the h pawn and converts the ending.
Kernetsky - Aaron Green DRAW
The players were content to shuffle pieces.
Khedkar - Bince 1-0
Black miscalculates after 29.Ba3, when ...b6 is fine, or as he played but
with 30...Ne3 first, before Rxd1, to not lose the knight.
Evans - Woods 0-1
It goes for wrong White after 26.Bf3 and Black carefully converts.
Leah Green - Leor Wasserman 0-1
Swift - Pang 1-0
31...Bh4 would have won the exchange. Black loses a piece a few moves later, but fights back to obtain drawing chances. His last misstep appears to be 51...Kd7; ke7 may hold the draw.
Kyle Vincent - Mandusic 1-0
Black was doing fine until 15...Qd7. (15...Na5 followed by c6 is preferred.)
However, after 16.c4 Black had 16... Nxd4 with a resultant long forcing sequence where Black wins a pawn. And Black could have played 17...Nxd4 with a similar sequence, but it does not gain a pawn.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
US Open 2008 Dallas
Waldemar Schulz and I (Tony Boron) travelled to Dallas in early August to play in the 109th US Open. The tournament surprisingly had few GMs or IMs, but I was hoping that there were enough FIDE rated players amongst the 379 in attendance to enable me to get my final three required games (and a result) in order to have a FIDE rating on the next list (Oct 1, 2008).
I started out by playing the eventual winner,
IM Enrico Sevillano, in round 1. No points for guessing the result. In typical big swiss fashion, I alternated beating a lower rating player with losing to a higher rated player. I interrupted the pattern in rds 4 and 6 by drawing with a lower rated player and drawing a master, who happened to have a FIDE rating ! So, that was my third FIDE player and now I had a result. So, I should have a FIDE rating on Oct 1, but it will be terribly mediocre. I ended up with 5 points from 9 rounds; my 8th round opponent (who beat me) pointed out that all three of my losses were to Filipinos.
Waldemar lost to a master and expert, but finished strong with 5.5, which appeared to be .5 short of the prizes.
I started out by playing the eventual winner,
IM Enrico Sevillano, in round 1. No points for guessing the result. In typical big swiss fashion, I alternated beating a lower rating player with losing to a higher rated player. I interrupted the pattern in rds 4 and 6 by drawing with a lower rated player and drawing a master, who happened to have a FIDE rating ! So, that was my third FIDE player and now I had a result. So, I should have a FIDE rating on Oct 1, but it will be terribly mediocre. I ended up with 5 points from 9 rounds; my 8th round opponent (who beat me) pointed out that all three of my losses were to Filipinos.
Waldemar lost to a master and expert, but finished strong with 5.5, which appeared to be .5 short of the prizes.
The tournament site was a Westin in the middle of a corporate park, with nothing especially interesting nearby. However, we did see the one must-see in Dallas (at least for folks of our generation) the 
site of President Kennedy's assassination. Very interesting, and although I already knew a lot about the assassination and the conspiracies and controversies surrounding it; actually having seen the site adds another perspect
ive.
The Dallas World Aquarium was also nearby.
site of President Kennedy's assassination. Very interesting, and although I already knew a lot about the assassination and the conspiracies and controversies surrounding it; actually having seen the site adds another perspect
ive.The Dallas World Aquarium was also nearby.
After seeing the fellow below, we joked that if we play something novel in the remaining rounds, it must be called 'the Penguin' a la Tartakower.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
August TNT Round 3
Nikouline - Kernetsky 1-0
It look likes Black could have solved his problems with 26...Bxh5 (or on move 28) and Qe8 .
Surprisingly, Black may have drawing chances with 38...Qe4 with the idea of Rh8 in many lines.
Einarsson - Greenberg 0-1
Black plays a model Benoni (with White's cooperation - 10. a4 is played more than 99% of the time).
17...Nxb2 turns out better than it should - 18. Rb1 Nc4 19. Bxc4 bxc4 20. Na4 regains the pawn.
Bince - Babb DRAW
Black wins a pawn, but a knight ending results where ambition could lose.
Rutter- Evans 1-0
Black looks like he was out of ideas as the knight goes on a tour from a reasonable outpost at b4 to d8. Meanwhile White builds up a decisive pawn push.
Aaron Green - Swift 1-0
Black loses his c7 pawn, White has an easy time after that as Black allows the trading of pieces.
Jim Green - Leor Wasserman 1-0
White wins a rook after 16...exf5
Wood - Kyle Vincent 1-0
The power of the pin.
Goodman - Mandusic 1-0
I don't know why Black didn't play 19...Kxh6 (or on several opportunites after that) and then he can operate on the h-file.
Pang -Letain DRAW
A game of missed chances.
13. cxd5 looks like it wins a pawn.
Black misses 22...h6 23. Ne6 Nf3 winning and after say 24. Qf2 Nxe1 25.Qxe1 Qg3+ 26. Kg1 Rxe6 with Bc5 on tap, White can resign.
Black kept up his resistance in the lost ending until White faltered with 66.g7.
66. Rg3 or Kb2 win easily.
It look likes Black could have solved his problems with 26...Bxh5 (or on move 28) and Qe8 .
Surprisingly, Black may have drawing chances with 38...Qe4 with the idea of Rh8 in many lines.
Einarsson - Greenberg 0-1
Black plays a model Benoni (with White's cooperation - 10. a4 is played more than 99% of the time).
17...Nxb2 turns out better than it should - 18. Rb1 Nc4 19. Bxc4 bxc4 20. Na4 regains the pawn.
Bince - Babb DRAW
Black wins a pawn, but a knight ending results where ambition could lose.
Rutter- Evans 1-0
Black looks like he was out of ideas as the knight goes on a tour from a reasonable outpost at b4 to d8. Meanwhile White builds up a decisive pawn push.
Aaron Green - Swift 1-0
Black loses his c7 pawn, White has an easy time after that as Black allows the trading of pieces.
Jim Green - Leor Wasserman 1-0
White wins a rook after 16...exf5
Wood - Kyle Vincent 1-0
The power of the pin.
Goodman - Mandusic 1-0
I don't know why Black didn't play 19...Kxh6 (or on several opportunites after that) and then he can operate on the h-file.
Pang -Letain DRAW
A game of missed chances.
13. cxd5 looks like it wins a pawn.
Black misses 22...h6 23. Ne6 Nf3 winning and after say 24. Qf2 Nxe1 25.Qxe1 Qg3+ 26. Kg1 Rxe6 with Bc5 on tap, White can resign.
Black kept up his resistance in the lost ending until White faltered with 66.g7.
66. Rg3 or Kb2 win easily.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
George Anderson
Blair Rutter broke the sad news August 7 that George Anderson had passed away:
"The Manitoba chess community is saddened to learn of the passing of George Anderson earlier this week . George's colourful character was matched by his colourful play. He was especially known for his unconventional opening play, particularly the Orangutan (b4) opening. I was among many who fell victim at least once to this unusual attack.
George will also be remembered for opening his home to out-of-towners who came to play chess in Winnipeg. His last rated tournament appears to have been the Abe Yanofsky Memorial in 2007 in which he scored a respectable 3.0 out of 5.0 including a win over Jim Green and a draw against Jordan Kwiatek. Thank you George for adding considerable flair to Manitoba chess. You will be missed. "
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I took a look at George's tournament record.
It appears that he played in his first rated event in the Manitoba Open of
2002, achieving a very respectable provisional rating of 1542. He was one of Winnipeg's most
active players, participating in close to 80 rated events up to his last
event the Abe Yanofsky Memorial of 2007.
He was a dangerous opponent - his victims included:
Gannon, Plocek, Reimer, Shome, Lange, Lorne Gibbons, Wasney, Trueman, Pottinger, Gibson, Proulx, Kohalmi, Tetrault, a young Zaczek, Hoogeveen-Rutter, Rutter, de Groot, Silva, Czarny, Rumpel, Mcpherson, Bist, Cheyne, Jim Green, Wood, the Wassermans, Crawford, Booth, Khedkar, Prince, amongst many others.
He had upset draws with Greenberg, Van Wyk, Joven, Kwiatek.
Personally, he gave me a huge scare in the first round of the 2004 Icelandic Invasion
I was able to squeeze out a draw in the ending, after George had outplayed me earlier.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I took a look at George's tournament record.
It appears that he played in his first rated event in the Manitoba Open of
2002, achieving a very respectable provisional rating of 1542. He was one of Winnipeg's most
active players, participating in close to 80 rated events up to his last
event the Abe Yanofsky Memorial of 2007.
He was a dangerous opponent - his victims included:
Gannon, Plocek, Reimer, Shome, Lange, Lorne Gibbons, Wasney, Trueman, Pottinger, Gibson, Proulx, Kohalmi, Tetrault, a young Zaczek, Hoogeveen-Rutter, Rutter, de Groot, Silva, Czarny, Rumpel, Mcpherson, Bist, Cheyne, Jim Green, Wood, the Wassermans, Crawford, Booth, Khedkar, Prince, amongst many others.
He had upset draws with Greenberg, Van Wyk, Joven, Kwiatek.
Personally, he gave me a huge scare in the first round of the 2004 Icelandic Invasion
I was able to squeeze out a draw in the ending, after George had outplayed me earlier.
Cecil's Saturday Puzzle - August 16, 2008
Cecil's Saturday Puzzle - August 16, 2008 from the Winnipeg Free Press
White to move and mate in 3 (Wurzburg)I tried 1. Nge5+, but after 1...Ke4 I don't see how white can stop the K from escaping to numerous squares on the third rank.
I tried the spectacular 1. Qe6+ but Black escapes through e7
I tried 1.Qxg6 Kxg6 2.Nge5+ Kg5 3.Nf3 Kg6
Well, I gave up and put the engine on it. I'll give you a hint - the first move is not a check.
The key move is 1.Qb6 !
if 1...Kg5 2. Qd8+ Kf5 3. Nf2#
if 1...Ke4 2. Qe3 fe3 3. Nge5#
if 1...Qd3 2. Ne3+ Ke4 3. Bg2#
I tried the spectacular 1. Qe6+ but Black escapes through e7
I tried 1.Qxg6 Kxg6 2.Nge5+ Kg5 3.Nf3 Kg6
Well, I gave up and put the engine on it. I'll give you a hint - the first move is not a check.
The key move is 1.Qb6 !
if 1...Kg5 2. Qd8+ Kf5 3. Nf2#
if 1...Ke4 2. Qe3 fe3 3. Nge5#
if 1...Qd3 2. Ne3+ Ke4 3. Bg2#
Saturday, August 16, 2008
August TNT Round 2
Babb - Oberton DRAW
Both players had weak pawns, the game reduced to rooks and opposite colour
bishops. It looks like White had winning chances however with 59.Ra8 +
and c5. I will guess that time trouble was a factor.
62..Ke8 looks simply winning for Black.
Khedkar - Nikouline 0-1
White plays the very speculative 30.Bxb6; his resulting passed pawns were stopped by Black.
Mundwiler - Rutter 1-0
White sacrifices pieces for an attack with great practical chances.
16...Bxg5 returning some material apparently saves Black. So does the mysterious 18...Ng4, perhaps a move only a computer would find.
Bince - Wiebe 0-1
Black survives early pressure, but is able to simply into a winning ending.
Greenberg - Wood 1-0
It's over quickly, but instructive. The preferred move on Black's sixth is Bb7 and now we know why.
Swift - Jim Green DRAW
23. Rf2? should have been decisive. Just before the end 53...Re3 was simple and strong. but I am going to guess that Black was in time trouble and gave back the exchange to enter what he thought was a winning ending. I believe it is winning if Black plants his knight on d4 watching the f3 square. Then he marches his king to the queenside. White looks quite helpless.
Einarsson - Leah Green 1-0
Leor Wasserman - Goodman 1-0
17. Qxd5? loses a piece for 2 pawns, but Black plays differently and decides to play against White's weak pawns. 19...Nd7 should lose immediately to 20. Rad1.
In the game, 20...Qxe3+ may have given Black a chance to hang on.
Mandusic - Arie Wasserman 0-1
White hangs the e pawn with 17. d4 and soon after he can't protect his king.
Evans-Pang 1-0
Black would have a nice edge with 21...bxc3, but delays one move allowing to White to consolidate. 30...Ba1? just drops the d pawn (although White doesn't take it)
Both players had weak pawns, the game reduced to rooks and opposite colour
bishops. It looks like White had winning chances however with 59.Ra8 +
and c5. I will guess that time trouble was a factor.
62..Ke8 looks simply winning for Black.
Khedkar - Nikouline 0-1
White plays the very speculative 30.Bxb6; his resulting passed pawns were stopped by Black.
Mundwiler - Rutter 1-0
White sacrifices pieces for an attack with great practical chances.
16...Bxg5 returning some material apparently saves Black. So does the mysterious 18...Ng4, perhaps a move only a computer would find.
Bince - Wiebe 0-1
Black survives early pressure, but is able to simply into a winning ending.
Greenberg - Wood 1-0
It's over quickly, but instructive. The preferred move on Black's sixth is Bb7 and now we know why.
Swift - Jim Green DRAW
23. Rf2? should have been decisive. Just before the end 53...Re3 was simple and strong. but I am going to guess that Black was in time trouble and gave back the exchange to enter what he thought was a winning ending. I believe it is winning if Black plants his knight on d4 watching the f3 square. Then he marches his king to the queenside. White looks quite helpless.
Einarsson - Leah Green 1-0
Leor Wasserman - Goodman 1-0
17. Qxd5? loses a piece for 2 pawns, but Black plays differently and decides to play against White's weak pawns. 19...Nd7 should lose immediately to 20. Rad1.
In the game, 20...Qxe3+ may have given Black a chance to hang on.
Mandusic - Arie Wasserman 0-1
White hangs the e pawn with 17. d4 and soon after he can't protect his king.
Evans-Pang 1-0
Black would have a nice edge with 21...bxc3, but delays one move allowing to White to consolidate. 30...Ba1? just drops the d pawn (although White doesn't take it)
Saturday, August 9, 2008
August TNT Round 1
Aaron Green - Babb 0-1
White must have surprised to learn that 18. Ne1 loses a pawn.
Nikouline - Goodman 1-0
A short burst of tactics earns White the point
Ari Wasserman - Mundwiler 0-1
12. Bxh6 would have been interesting.
27.g4 blunders a rook in a roughly equal position.
Kernetsky - Evans 1-0
White's Bxa6 was executable as soon as move 20.
White didn't play the nice deflection move 31. Rxc7; he had a big advantage already
Letain - Bince 0-1
White has a big advantage by move 13, but let's it slip away with 24.Nxd7.
Preferred was 24.Qd2 and with the threat of Na6 winning material. The last mistake was 29.Ra6. The struggle continues after Rd1
Oberton - Leor Wasserman 1-0
Pawn races on both wings. Black plays 31...Rxf3 one move too late.
Pang - Khedkar 0-1
White loses a pawn early, fights back, but loses to a tactic.
Rutter - Mandusic 1-0
Black is cramped, but not in immediate trouble until 16...Nfd7, leaving his bishop without an escape square.
Lorne Gibbons - Czypinski 0-1
White was doing fine until he took his king on a strange walk.
Daniel Wiebe - Kyle Vincent 1-0
The power of the pin.
White must have surprised to learn that 18. Ne1 loses a pawn.
Nikouline - Goodman 1-0
A short burst of tactics earns White the point
Ari Wasserman - Mundwiler 0-1
12. Bxh6 would have been interesting.
27.g4 blunders a rook in a roughly equal position.
Kernetsky - Evans 1-0
White's Bxa6 was executable as soon as move 20.
White didn't play the nice deflection move 31. Rxc7; he had a big advantage already
Letain - Bince 0-1
White has a big advantage by move 13, but let's it slip away with 24.Nxd7.
Preferred was 24.Qd2 and with the threat of Na6 winning material. The last mistake was 29.Ra6. The struggle continues after Rd1
Oberton - Leor Wasserman 1-0
Pawn races on both wings. Black plays 31...Rxf3 one move too late.
Pang - Khedkar 0-1
White loses a pawn early, fights back, but loses to a tactic.
Rutter - Mandusic 1-0
Black is cramped, but not in immediate trouble until 16...Nfd7, leaving his bishop without an escape square.
Lorne Gibbons - Czypinski 0-1
White was doing fine until he took his king on a strange walk.
Daniel Wiebe - Kyle Vincent 1-0
The power of the pin.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Cecil's Saturday Puzzle - August 2, 2008
Cecil's Saturday Puzzle - August 2, 2008 from the Winnipeg Free Press
White to mate in 2 (Funk)
White to mate in 2 (Funk)So what is going on here ? White has a discovered double check with the rook available.
But perhaps
1. Rf1+ is better, protecting the bishop from the queen, but
1...Rg2 2.Bxg2 hg2
Who put that pawn there ? I didn't see it. LOL
What is White's problem - can't protect f4 and the queen is useless. How about
1.Kxg5 ...Qxh1 stops all the mates because now the R on f3 is hanging.
It now occurred to me that we have a problem protecting the rook on f3 and applying mate after an unimpeded Qxh1. So from what square can we cover the rook and give check ? Answer: g4 with a knight. How do we get there ?
1.Nxh3 this also has the point that the bishop will cover the escape square d5.
1..Qxh1 ends that.
I take a short break and look at the position fresh. How else can we get to g4 ?
e6
so 1.Nxe6 ! now when we play 2.Nxg5 the queen covers d5.
And the other mate available is 2.Re3 if Black covers g5.
(Note: Cecil indicates in his column of August 16 - that the primary solution given in the original source is 1. Qa8. Yes that does work. When there is an alternate solution (as above), unintended by the composer, it is known as a cook. Problems that have cooks are said to be cooked.)
But perhaps
1. Rf1+ is better, protecting the bishop from the queen, but
1...Rg2 2.Bxg2 hg2
Who put that pawn there ? I didn't see it. LOL
What is White's problem - can't protect f4 and the queen is useless. How about
1.Kxg5 ...Qxh1 stops all the mates because now the R on f3 is hanging.
It now occurred to me that we have a problem protecting the rook on f3 and applying mate after an unimpeded Qxh1. So from what square can we cover the rook and give check ? Answer: g4 with a knight. How do we get there ?
1.Nxh3 this also has the point that the bishop will cover the escape square d5.
1..Qxh1 ends that.
I take a short break and look at the position fresh. How else can we get to g4 ?
e6
so 1.Nxe6 ! now when we play 2.Nxg5 the queen covers d5.
And the other mate available is 2.Re3 if Black covers g5.
(Note: Cecil indicates in his column of August 16 - that the primary solution given in the original source is 1. Qa8. Yes that does work. When there is an alternate solution (as above), unintended by the composer, it is known as a cook. Problems that have cooks are said to be cooked.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
