Sunday, May 31, 2009
Trevor Vincent repeats as Manitoba Champion
Lorne Gibbons reports that Trevor Vincent won his last round game over Paolo Araullo to repeat as Manitoba Champion. Lorne indicated that he thought Paolo was winning, but in a time scramble Trevor prevailed. Hopefully the game score has been preserved so that we can review what happened.
Albert Boxer Memorial after 4 rounds
Trevor Vincent has just defeated Sam Lipnowski in round 4.
Trevor at 4-0 plays Paolo Araullo, the only player on 3.5, in the final round at 3:30 Sunday.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Albert Boxer Memorial Tournament May 29- 31
The Albert Boxer Memorial tournament is coming up soon - May 29- 31.
This is typically one of the most prestigious tournaments of the year.
The winner of the Albert Boxer Memorial is declared the Manitoba Champion. Place: University of Winnipeg - Room 5L24 Time controls: Fri Game/120, Sat + Sun: 30/90 All/1 (Afternoon rounds are tentative - they will start no later than time listed, but may start earlier at TD's discretion - ) Round 1: Fri 7:00 pm Round 2: Sat 10:00 am Round 3: Sat 3:30 pm Round 4: Sun 10:00 am Round 5: Sun 3:30 pm |
Registration is from 6:30 to 6:55 pm on Friday.
Entry fee of $25 for regular players, $15 for juniors and seniors.
Prize fund to be based on entries.
CFC membership required.
May TNT has been rated
May TNT has been rated; see the CFC site
Congratulations to the following who achieved new rating highs:
Alex Nikouline
Trevor Vincent
Aaron Green
Leor Wasserman
Arie Wasserman
Stephen Lipic
Leah Green
new provisional highs:
Keer Keer
Shashika Kumaragamage
Trevor Menard
Congratulations to the following who achieved new rating highs:
Alex Nikouline
Trevor Vincent
Aaron Green
Leor Wasserman
Arie Wasserman
Stephen Lipic
Leah Green
new provisional highs:
Keer Keer
Shashika Kumaragamage
Trevor Menard
May TNT Round 3
General comment: Pieces dropping everywhere.
Kaptsan - Lipnowski 0-1
White could have held the balance with 33. b3 trading his b-pawn for the a -pawn.
Yes, that trade happened in the game, but under unfavourable circumstances for White.
Nikouline-Czypinski 1-0
Black sacs a knight for some pawns, but no initiative. He soon gives one back to a little tactic and White is able to mop up. Alex prolongs the torture by missing a mate in one at move 36.
Arie Wasserman - Trevor Vincent 0-1
White loved to move his queen's knight in this game, and as a result he gets behind in development - before the sudden end.
Jim Green - Mundwiler 0-1
I am not sure if White realized he could play 15.d4. On the next move, he drops a knight.
Black also decided to prolong the game - 20...Rxh4+ 21. Bxh4 Nxh4, and after a spite check on d8, it would be mate.
Schulz-Lipic 1-0
Black sacrifices an exchange, but perhaps should have followed up with 22...Qxe3 23. Rxe3 Nxe5, with some chances of holding/winning back the exchange.
Boron-Campbell DRAW
Perhaps the worst blunder I have made in a long time. White drops a piece in a simple position.
I mixed up several lines in my mind, when I decided not to play the "normal" 11.Bxe7.
But I still would have been fine after 13.Bxe7. I kept as many pieces as possible on the board, won a pawn and eventually liquidated to a drawn ending with Black's time trouble looming.
Letain-Kernetsky 0-1
Must have been the night for calculation errors - White drops a piece early.
Lauritson-Milord 1-0
Black gets cramped behind his pawns - eventually leaving too many entry points for White's pieces.
Pottinger-Leor Wasserman 0-1
White loses a rook(it could have been just a knight, but whatever) to an unusual skewer.
Greenberg-Keer 1-0
Illegible game score.
Leah Green - Trueman DRAW
This looked like a solid draw, however White slips a bit near the end, 32...Re2 would have netted an exchange. In the final position, Black is winning; I give the method here as it is instructive- 39...Kg4 40. Rg6 Ra2 41. Kf1 Rh2 42. Kg1 Rag2+ 43. Kf1 Kf3
Rutter-Menard 1-0
White exploits the holes in Black's position.
Ott-Kumaragamage 1-0
White wins a couple of pawns early. Black missed getting one back, when he didn't find 24...Rxh3.
Kaptsan - Lipnowski 0-1
White could have held the balance with 33. b3 trading his b-pawn for the a -pawn.
Yes, that trade happened in the game, but under unfavourable circumstances for White.
Nikouline-Czypinski 1-0
Black sacs a knight for some pawns, but no initiative. He soon gives one back to a little tactic and White is able to mop up. Alex prolongs the torture by missing a mate in one at move 36.
Arie Wasserman - Trevor Vincent 0-1
White loved to move his queen's knight in this game, and as a result he gets behind in development - before the sudden end.
Jim Green - Mundwiler 0-1
I am not sure if White realized he could play 15.d4. On the next move, he drops a knight.
Black also decided to prolong the game - 20...Rxh4+ 21. Bxh4 Nxh4, and after a spite check on d8, it would be mate.
Schulz-Lipic 1-0
Black sacrifices an exchange, but perhaps should have followed up with 22...Qxe3 23. Rxe3 Nxe5, with some chances of holding/winning back the exchange.
Boron-Campbell DRAW
Perhaps the worst blunder I have made in a long time. White drops a piece in a simple position.
I mixed up several lines in my mind, when I decided not to play the "normal" 11.Bxe7.
But I still would have been fine after 13.Bxe7. I kept as many pieces as possible on the board, won a pawn and eventually liquidated to a drawn ending with Black's time trouble looming.
Letain-Kernetsky 0-1
Must have been the night for calculation errors - White drops a piece early.
Lauritson-Milord 1-0
Black gets cramped behind his pawns - eventually leaving too many entry points for White's pieces.
Pottinger-Leor Wasserman 0-1
White loses a rook(it could have been just a knight, but whatever) to an unusual skewer.
Greenberg-Keer 1-0
Illegible game score.
Leah Green - Trueman DRAW
This looked like a solid draw, however White slips a bit near the end, 32...Re2 would have netted an exchange. In the final position, Black is winning; I give the method here as it is instructive- 39...Kg4 40. Rg6 Ra2 41. Kf1 Rh2 42. Kg1 Rag2+ 43. Kf1 Kf3
Rutter-Menard 1-0
White exploits the holes in Black's position.
Ott-Kumaragamage 1-0
White wins a couple of pawns early. Black missed getting one back, when he didn't find 24...Rxh3.
Friday, May 22, 2009
May 2009 TNT Round 2
Lipnowski - Boron 1-0
I misplayed the opening, swapping off too many pieces. Even so, I had chances to draw if I do nothing instead of playing Nh4. White is able to blow open the kingside and it is soon over.
Kernetsky - Nikouline 0-1
White is never worse until he blunders with 35.Nd5 - apparently he thought it was check, according to Alex. 35.Ne4 instead should win.
Czypinski- Schulz 1-0
White had this under control from start to finish. White was about to grind the endgame when he gets an unexpected bonus, winning a critical pawn with a small tactic.
Kaptsan-Lauritson 1-0
Note that White could have played the winning Bb4 five moves earlier than he did, at move 19.
Mundwiler-Arie Wasserman 0-1
White has a large advantage and could have pressed with 23. d5, but appears to the lose the thread with 23.e5. Black eventually emerges with a winnable endgame aided by White's time trouble.
Vincent- Leah Green 1-0
Leah joins a long list of players who have been crunched by Trevor's English Opening.
Aaron Green - Greenberg 1-0
13...Rc5 was asking for trouble - and it soon found Black who lost an exchange.
Dawa - Pottinger 1-0
Black was under pressure the entire game. I am not sure how it ended as the game score is missing the last 8 moves.
Keer - Jim Green 0-1
White was doing fine until he failed to move his valuable passer to a7 on move 45 or 46.
Black could only hope to draw from that position.
Leor Wasserman - Rutter 1-0
Was Blair Rutter playing Black ? I did a double take when I saw 1...e5 in response to 1.e4. I have never noted him playing anything but the French. And then he dropped a piece uncharacteristically.
Trueman-Lipic 0-1
23. g4 is a position error, ceding the f4 square. But after a sacrifices and counter-sacrifices by both sides, the position is close to being dynamically equal when White blunders in time trouble.
Black had better (as he admits), but decidedto complicate things with his last knight sac.
Campbell-Ott DRAW
A couple of improvements: 18. O-O-O; 27...Rc3, and in the final position, Black must be winning..
41...Rg4 followed by an eventual Rc2.
Menard -Letain 0-1
15.Be2 is preferred to 15. Be4. The bishop gets kicked around until Black wins the c-pawn and converts the endgame.
Milord-Gibbons 1-0
Lorne is holding until he goes on one of his patented ill-advised king-walks.
I misplayed the opening, swapping off too many pieces. Even so, I had chances to draw if I do nothing instead of playing Nh4. White is able to blow open the kingside and it is soon over.
Kernetsky - Nikouline 0-1
White is never worse until he blunders with 35.Nd5 - apparently he thought it was check, according to Alex. 35.Ne4 instead should win.
Czypinski- Schulz 1-0
White had this under control from start to finish. White was about to grind the endgame when he gets an unexpected bonus, winning a critical pawn with a small tactic.
Kaptsan-Lauritson 1-0
Note that White could have played the winning Bb4 five moves earlier than he did, at move 19.
Mundwiler-Arie Wasserman 0-1
White has a large advantage and could have pressed with 23. d5, but appears to the lose the thread with 23.e5. Black eventually emerges with a winnable endgame aided by White's time trouble.
Vincent- Leah Green 1-0
Leah joins a long list of players who have been crunched by Trevor's English Opening.
Aaron Green - Greenberg 1-0
13...Rc5 was asking for trouble - and it soon found Black who lost an exchange.
Dawa - Pottinger 1-0
Black was under pressure the entire game. I am not sure how it ended as the game score is missing the last 8 moves.
Keer - Jim Green 0-1
White was doing fine until he failed to move his valuable passer to a7 on move 45 or 46.
Black could only hope to draw from that position.
Leor Wasserman - Rutter 1-0
Was Blair Rutter playing Black ? I did a double take when I saw 1...e5 in response to 1.e4. I have never noted him playing anything but the French. And then he dropped a piece uncharacteristically.
Trueman-Lipic 0-1
23. g4 is a position error, ceding the f4 square. But after a sacrifices and counter-sacrifices by both sides, the position is close to being dynamically equal when White blunders in time trouble.
Black had better (as he admits), but decidedto complicate things with his last knight sac.
Campbell-Ott DRAW
A couple of improvements: 18. O-O-O; 27...Rc3, and in the final position, Black must be winning..
41...Rg4 followed by an eventual Rc2.
Menard -Letain 0-1
15.Be2 is preferred to 15. Be4. The bishop gets kicked around until Black wins the c-pawn and converts the endgame.
Milord-Gibbons 1-0
Lorne is holding until he goes on one of his patented ill-advised king-walks.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
May 2009 TNT Round 1
Lipic - Lipnowski 0-1
White's opening play puts no pressure on Black who infiltrates the weak squares and wins the exchange.
Nikouline - Campbell 1-0
It's all over after Black loses the e6 pawn.
Letain - Kaptsan 0-1
White loses his h-pawn to a double attack, and decides to take his chances in a pawn down rook endgame.
Schulz - Milord 1-0
White has the postionl under control throughout.
Leor Wasserman - Mundwiler 0-1
White gains the advantage after 23...Bh6, but soon loses his way with misplaced pieces on the h-file.
Boron - Trueman 1-0
The game is likely equal if 23...Nxf5, instead the d6 pawn is left en prise, and the rest is relatively easy.
Ott-Kernetsky 0-1
Somehow White missed 17. Qxd5 winning a piece. Instead he lost one pawn and was left with many other weak ones.
Lauritson - Menard 1-0
White played the complicated 20. Rxd5, when he had 20. dxe7 which is better and simpler. He was still winning but after the game move, Black has some counterplay potential.
White later misses a mate in one with 37. Qh8#, and again on the next move !! It was almost disastrous as he later played the unnecessary 45. Kh2 ?? as 45. g3 wins easily. Black returns the favour by missing the only move 46...h5 to prevent mate, which in turn would have set up a mate in 8 for him !! Wild.
Rutter - Czypinski 0-1
White rejects a draw by repetition, and instead gambles with 26. Qxb7.
36. Rg2 is an interesting try, but it should lead to a draw with best play also.
Black eventually outplays his opponent in the ending.
Jim Green - Dawa DRAW
Jim must have been disappointed to only draw. 32. f5 with the idea f6 with virtually a forced win. The way White played it is fine too, as it netted him a rook, but allowed some perpetual check possibilities that White couldn't solve in time trouble. 45. Qg2 looks like a solution.
Tayo-Jones - Arie Wasserman 0-1
White's opening play puts no pressure on Black who infiltrates the weak squares and wins the exchange.
Nikouline - Campbell 1-0
It's all over after Black loses the e6 pawn.
Letain - Kaptsan 0-1
White loses his h-pawn to a double attack, and decides to take his chances in a pawn down rook endgame.
Schulz - Milord 1-0
White has the postionl under control throughout.
Leor Wasserman - Mundwiler 0-1
White gains the advantage after 23...Bh6, but soon loses his way with misplaced pieces on the h-file.
Boron - Trueman 1-0
The game is likely equal if 23...Nxf5, instead the d6 pawn is left en prise, and the rest is relatively easy.
Ott-Kernetsky 0-1
Somehow White missed 17. Qxd5 winning a piece. Instead he lost one pawn and was left with many other weak ones.
Lauritson - Menard 1-0
White played the complicated 20. Rxd5, when he had 20. dxe7 which is better and simpler. He was still winning but after the game move, Black has some counterplay potential.
White later misses a mate in one with 37. Qh8#, and again on the next move !! It was almost disastrous as he later played the unnecessary 45. Kh2 ?? as 45. g3 wins easily. Black returns the favour by missing the only move 46...h5 to prevent mate, which in turn would have set up a mate in 8 for him !! Wild.
Rutter - Czypinski 0-1
White rejects a draw by repetition, and instead gambles with 26. Qxb7.
36. Rg2 is an interesting try, but it should lead to a draw with best play also.
Black eventually outplays his opponent in the ending.
Jim Green - Dawa DRAW
Jim must have been disappointed to only draw. 32. f5 with the idea f6 with virtually a forced win. The way White played it is fine too, as it netted him a rook, but allowed some perpetual check possibilities that White couldn't solve in time trouble. 45. Qg2 looks like a solution.
Tayo-Jones - Arie Wasserman 0-1
Cecil's Saturday Puzzle - May 9, 2009
From the Saturday Winnipeg Free Press
White to mate in 2 (Buchwald)
White just needs to give a unblockable check and it will be mate.
Knight checks are unblockable. So if we can get in Ng4 + and protect f4, it will be over.
And if we could check on the c5 diagonal, that would be mate too.
1.Qc7 provides the base for the dual threat.
White to mate in 2 (Buchwald)White just needs to give a unblockable check and it will be mate.
Knight checks are unblockable. So if we can get in Ng4 + and protect f4, it will be over.
And if we could check on the c5 diagonal, that would be mate too.
1.Qc7 provides the base for the dual threat.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Notre Dame de Lourdes active report
Just time to report the top results right now; I follow with more and pictures soon.
I would say a good time was had by all.
Aron Kaptsan, Paolo Araullo, and your blogger tied for first in the top section with 4 -1.
Kaptsan beat Boron in round 3; Paolo beat Aron in rd 4; Boron created the three way tie by stopping Paolo in the final round. Twelve players competed in the top section.
Alex Comte topped the twelve player B section with a perfect 5-0 score.
Full crosstables for Top Section and Second Section have been posted.
One of the highlights of the day was the awarding of trophies to Somerset School team members, the winners of the 2009 Manitoba High School Team Championship (they had won the tournament a few weeks earlier in Winnipeg. I am predicting a dynasty !
Slide show at the top rightof the blog.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
April 2009 TNT Round 4
Boron - Mundwiler 0-1
I counted on 17. f4 to give me an advantage, but I missed that Black can 'step around' the pawn with 17...Bf5. I should then play 18. Bf3, but instead continued with an inferior plan of pushing on the kingside. 25.Rf4 is not the right idea - 25. Bf3 is probably the way to procede. 28. Rxc8 is the final big error; 28.Rb1 would allow White to grovel for a bit, but it is quite lost. Congrats to Les for another first place tie.
Kaptsan- Einarsson 1-0
Black is close to equality if he steps away from a couple of pins with 27...Kh8.
He doesn't, and a few moves later he loses the exchange.
Khedkar - Kernetsky DRAW
I thought White would take control of the c-file with 33.Qc1. Earlier, I thought White was on the verge of winning, but good defence by Black held.
Lauritson - Babb 1-0
Black is doing well until 13...Nd7, which does not solve the problem of the pin on the d-file. White wins 2 pawns, and easily converts to a win.
Aaron Green - Arie Wasserman DRAW
31. Rf1 looks like it wins a rook. Somewhere around move 66, White finally has a decisive advantage, but he must have been a bit shocked when he realized that 70. Rxc5 only draws.
Leah Green - Greenberg DRAW
I was walking by the board while Black was contemplating his 21st move. I thought at the time that 21...Rxe1+ 22.Kxe1 Qg5 23. Qe3 Qxg2 was just winning, and the engines confirm it.
In the game, Black can go into the rook endgame a pawn up with 28...Qxb5.
Rutter-Trinidad 1-0
Black loses his center top a pin on the queen.
There was a nice mate in three available. Since there is no Cecil puzzle this weekend, this will fill in.
White to mate in 3
I counted on 17. f4 to give me an advantage, but I missed that Black can 'step around' the pawn with 17...Bf5. I should then play 18. Bf3, but instead continued with an inferior plan of pushing on the kingside. 25.Rf4 is not the right idea - 25. Bf3 is probably the way to procede. 28. Rxc8 is the final big error; 28.Rb1 would allow White to grovel for a bit, but it is quite lost. Congrats to Les for another first place tie.
Kaptsan- Einarsson 1-0
Black is close to equality if he steps away from a couple of pins with 27...Kh8.
He doesn't, and a few moves later he loses the exchange.
Khedkar - Kernetsky DRAW
I thought White would take control of the c-file with 33.Qc1. Earlier, I thought White was on the verge of winning, but good defence by Black held.
Lauritson - Babb 1-0
Black is doing well until 13...Nd7, which does not solve the problem of the pin on the d-file. White wins 2 pawns, and easily converts to a win.
Aaron Green - Arie Wasserman DRAW
31. Rf1 looks like it wins a rook. Somewhere around move 66, White finally has a decisive advantage, but he must have been a bit shocked when he realized that 70. Rxc5 only draws.
Leah Green - Greenberg DRAW
I was walking by the board while Black was contemplating his 21st move. I thought at the time that 21...Rxe1+ 22.Kxe1 Qg5 23. Qe3 Qxg2 was just winning, and the engines confirm it.
In the game, Black can go into the rook endgame a pawn up with 28...Qxb5.
Rutter-Trinidad 1-0
Black loses his center top a pin on the queen.
There was a nice mate in three available. Since there is no Cecil puzzle this weekend, this will fill in.
White to mate in 3Jim Green - Evans 0-1
White traps his own queen.
Lipic-Magnusson 1-0
23...Rd6 was required to avoid the loss of a piece.
Campbell-Wierda 0-1
26. Qxb5 would have been roughly equal.
Swift-Levesque 1-0
Black's unusual manouevre with the rook (to c5) eventually results in the loss of the exchange.
Milord - Kumaragamage 1-0
Black leaves his king in peril; White finds the decisive blows.
Gibbons-Ott 0-1
19. fxe5 may have been decisive for White. At end the end, White is losing but I think it too early to resign.
White traps his own queen.
Lipic-Magnusson 1-0
23...Rd6 was required to avoid the loss of a piece.
Campbell-Wierda 0-1
26. Qxb5 would have been roughly equal.
Swift-Levesque 1-0
Black's unusual manouevre with the rook (to c5) eventually results in the loss of the exchange.
Milord - Kumaragamage 1-0
Black leaves his king in peril; White finds the decisive blows.
Gibbons-Ott 0-1
19. fxe5 may have been decisive for White. At end the end, White is losing but I think it too early to resign.
Active Tournament in Notre Dame de Lourdes
2nd Annual Rapid Tournament in Notre Dame Manitoba
at Capricorne Cafe.
Registration at 11:00 a.m.
Plans have been made for a chess tournament in Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes for Saturday, May 9. Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes is a bilingual community approximately 120 km southwest of Winnipeg. Check HERE for an online introduction to the community.
The event will be a 5 round active event, 25 minutes a side for each game, much like the Chess and Math events. The entry fee will be $ 10 for adults and $ 5 for juniors.
Location: LE CAFE CAPRICORNE corner hwy 244 and Notre Dame Ave., Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, Manitoba (120 km SW of Winnipeg)
http://www.restaurantica.com/mb/notre-dame-de-lourdes/cafe-capricorn/23113073/map/
Contact: MCA or Manny Araullo [ mannyaraullo AT yahoo DOT com ] or Le Cafe Capricorne at (204) 248-2012
Busy May
Another busy month of chess activity ahead:
May 5 - Registration and first round of the May TNT
May 9 - Active tournament in Notre Dame de Lourdes
May 18-19 Toronto - Canadian Chess Challenge
May 29-31 Albert Boxer Memorial
May 5 - Registration and first round of the May TNT
May 9 - Active tournament in Notre Dame de Lourdes
May 18-19 Toronto - Canadian Chess Challenge
May 29-31 Albert Boxer Memorial
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Cecil's Saturday Puzzle - April 25, 2009
from the Saturday Winnipeg Free Press
White to mate in 3 (Wurzburg)I tried the obvious 1.g8(Q), but ran into stalemate problems. A few days later, the almost equally obvious 1.g8(R) popped into my head. I believe that is the answer.
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