Mundwiler -Rumpel 1-0
Black found himself without any counterplay and his pieces too far away to help against White;s kingside aggression. Two suggestions:
17...Bd3 (which Black plays much later) right away instead of Qb7
and 21...Nh7 keeping the knight closer to assist in the defence, instead of Nd7.
Silva - Lauritson DRAW
Alex Nikouline indicates there is a problem with the game score after move 23.
Greenberg - Kernetsky 0-1
A rare 1. e4 from Harley...7.Nb5 doesn't look like the correct idea.
Jim Green - Kong 1-0
White won a pawn and ground out the endgame.
Rutter - Letain 1-0
17...f5 may have been a subtle positional error that came back later to haunt Black.
I am not sure why White did not play 18. g4 winning a piece for two pawns. Perhaps to kee things under control and not allow any counterplay.
Leah Green - Wierda 0-1
A few too many pawns, then a piece fell to small combinations. White should have tried 8. Nd1 to defend the early threats, then regroup.
Gibbons - Kuropatwa 1-0
White dodged a bullet when Black didn't play 20...Ne4+
Gibson - Lawrence Klusa 1-0
Black just couldn't get developed properly with his Modern Defence while facing a devastating attack.
Mark Klusa - Aaron Green 0-1
Black accumulated small advantages.
Arie Wasserman - Peter Martens 1-0
White made this much more difficult than it should have been. He dominated early, ending up a rook up, then sacrificed the rook to eventually enter an unclear rook and pawn endgame at move 50, that Black could probably hold with best play.
James Martens - Evans 0-1
8. d4 should be considered before playing Qd3.
Leo Wasserman - Kalk 1-0
Black is doing fine, but overestimates the strength of White's d pawn and gives up a rook for it.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
April TNT Round 1
Aaron Green - Mundwiler 0-1
Black slowly outplayed Black from near equality.
Lauritson - Arie Wasserman 1-0
White's superior development led to material gain.
Evans - Liu 0-1
White couldn't hold his isolated d pawn.
Kernetsky-Leor Wasserman 1-0
White was in some trouble after 33.Rxb8
Black played 33... Qh1+, but there is no decisive followup. 33...f4! should win, with the threat of fxg3 leading to mate. If 34. ef4 Bxd4+ 35. Be3 Bxe3+ 36. Qxe3 Qh1+ 37. Kf2 Rh2 leads to mate.
Letain - Gibson 1-0
White sacrifices a piece for a couple of pawns and a winning attack.
Kong - Mark Klusa 1-0
Kong varies from his usual 1.c4
Black should have considered 15...f5, and also 17...c4 - I give one interesting sample line in the link above. Black blunders when he grabs a pawn; when a player of Kong's caliber 'hangs' a pawn, one must take a look and see why.
Lawrence Klusa - Silva 0-1
White entered a long, forced variation with 15. f3 after which Black wins two pawns. But 15. Bg2
Rxe1+ 16. Qxe1 Bxd4 17. Rd1 appears to hold material equality.
Rumpel - Gibbons 1-0
Peter Martens - Greenberg 0-1
Black won a pawn and kept control of the position.
Xue - James Martens 1-0
Black would have fine with the natural 14...e6.
Kalk - Jim Green 0-1
Black played a classic poison-pawn blunder with 8...Qxb2 ??, but neither player realized it.
White's answer in this position should be 9.a3 and how does Black save the queen, short of sacrificing a piece ?
Black slowly outplayed Black from near equality.
Lauritson - Arie Wasserman 1-0
White's superior development led to material gain.
Evans - Liu 0-1
White couldn't hold his isolated d pawn.
Kernetsky-Leor Wasserman 1-0
White was in some trouble after 33.Rxb8
Black played 33... Qh1+, but there is no decisive followup. 33...f4! should win, with the threat of fxg3 leading to mate. If 34. ef4 Bxd4+ 35. Be3 Bxe3+ 36. Qxe3 Qh1+ 37. Kf2 Rh2 leads to mate.Letain - Gibson 1-0
White sacrifices a piece for a couple of pawns and a winning attack.
Kong - Mark Klusa 1-0
Kong varies from his usual 1.c4
Black should have considered 15...f5, and also 17...c4 - I give one interesting sample line in the link above. Black blunders when he grabs a pawn; when a player of Kong's caliber 'hangs' a pawn, one must take a look and see why.
Lawrence Klusa - Silva 0-1
White entered a long, forced variation with 15. f3 after which Black wins two pawns. But 15. Bg2
Rxe1+ 16. Qxe1 Bxd4 17. Rd1 appears to hold material equality.
Rumpel - Gibbons 1-0
Peter Martens - Greenberg 0-1
Black won a pawn and kept control of the position.
Xue - James Martens 1-0
Black would have fine with the natural 14...e6.
Kalk - Jim Green 0-1
Black played a classic poison-pawn blunder with 8...Qxb2 ??, but neither player realized it.
White's answer in this position should be 9.a3 and how does Black save the queen, short of sacrificing a piece ?
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
McPhillips Street Station Casino Saturday, March 29
It was nice to get out and play some active chess, and meet some folks including John Enns and Lawrence Kusla.
The tournament itself resulted in a rare 5-way tie for first with Rolando Bince, Jaroslav Czypinski, Michael Gibbons, Sam Lipnowski, Waldemar Schulz all with 4 points.
Bella Iomdina upset favorite Sam Lipnowski in the first round, but
Sam worked his way back to the top defeating Tony Boron, and Jason Repa along the way. Tony drew with Michael Gibbons and Jason drew with Waldemar Schulz; but 3.5 points was not going to be enough.
Schulz and Gibbons drew in the last round after Waldemar missed a relatively easy win in the knight and pawn endgame.
The tournament itself resulted in a rare 5-way tie for first with Rolando Bince, Jaroslav Czypinski, Michael Gibbons, Sam Lipnowski, Waldemar Schulz all with 4 points.
Bella Iomdina upset favorite Sam Lipnowski in the first round, but
Sam worked his way back to the top defeating Tony Boron, and Jason Repa along the way. Tony drew with Michael Gibbons and Jason drew with Waldemar Schulz; but 3.5 points was not going to be enough.
Schulz and Gibbons drew in the last round after Waldemar missed a relatively easy win in the knight and pawn endgame.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Cecil's Saturday Puzzle
Cecil's Saturday Puzzle - Winnipeg Free Press - March 29, 2008
Pacioli - Da Vinci (?) - Keene
Pacioli - Da Vinci (?) - KeeneBlack to move, White then to demonstrate a mating attack.
I took a stab at this and guessed it was a mate in many. My engine indicates that after Black's best resistance it is a mate in 9. Here are some lines.
I took a stab at this and guessed it was a mate in many. My engine indicates that after Black's best resistance it is a mate in 9. Here are some lines.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
March TNT Round 4
Play over the games at chessmanitoba or on this link
Lipnowski - Mundwiler 0-1
Sam did not react well to Les' surprise use of Bird defence to the Ruy Lopez. 11. h4 must be too commital. 13...Bxg3 ! blows the position open and Black obtained a winning material superiority.
Lauritson - Khedkar DRAW
A solid Cambridge Springs Variation resulted in an uneventful draw.
Rutter - Silva 1-0
The weak dark squares around Black's king led to doom.
Goodman - Schulz 0-1
It appears that White resigned before waiting for 25...Ne2+
Xue - Kong 0-1
In an equal position, White played the interesting, but faulty 23. Ng6
Rumpel - Liu 0-1
12. g4 in front of the castled king is suspect. Eventually White's weak e and f pawns contributed to his loss.
Kernetsky - Aaron Green DRAW
Aaron get another draw witha higher rated opponent.
Wiebe-Mark Klusa 1-0
Leor Wasserman - Jim Green DRAW
Black is a good pawn up and could have pressed for the win, but I suspect he was short of time.
Letain - Campbell 0-1
White missed tactics involving the g4 square.
Evans - Trueman 0-1
I am at loss for words. Rip-snorting chess !
Lawrence Kusla-Lorne Gibbons 1-0
Balck got his pieces tangled up on the queenside and soon loses a piece.
Lipnowski - Mundwiler 0-1
Sam did not react well to Les' surprise use of Bird defence to the Ruy Lopez. 11. h4 must be too commital. 13...Bxg3 ! blows the position open and Black obtained a winning material superiority.
Lauritson - Khedkar DRAW
A solid Cambridge Springs Variation resulted in an uneventful draw.
Rutter - Silva 1-0
The weak dark squares around Black's king led to doom.
Goodman - Schulz 0-1
It appears that White resigned before waiting for 25...Ne2+
Xue - Kong 0-1
In an equal position, White played the interesting, but faulty 23. Ng6
Rumpel - Liu 0-1
12. g4 in front of the castled king is suspect. Eventually White's weak e and f pawns contributed to his loss.
Kernetsky - Aaron Green DRAW
Aaron get another draw witha higher rated opponent.
Wiebe-Mark Klusa 1-0
Leor Wasserman - Jim Green DRAW
Black is a good pawn up and could have pressed for the win, but I suspect he was short of time.
Letain - Campbell 0-1
White missed tactics involving the g4 square.
Evans - Trueman 0-1
I am at loss for words. Rip-snorting chess !
Lawrence Kusla-Lorne Gibbons 1-0
Balck got his pieces tangled up on the queenside and soon loses a piece.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
McPhillips Street Station casino Saturday, March 29
An active tournament (20 minutes per player per game) will be held at the McPhillips Street Station casino on Saturday, March 29 starting at 7:00 p.m.
5 round Swiss.
Entry fee of $20.00.
Prize fund of $500.
Register on-site from 6:00 to 6:50.
Must be age 18 or over, due to casino admittance restrictions.
All players, including first-time tournament players are welcome to participate.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
March TNT Round 3
Kong- Lipnowski 0-1
Black gets the two bishops and gives White an isolated d-pawn.
White could have liquidated his weak d pawn by tactical means by 27.d5 !
Doesn't 30. Nc5 (Bb6) trade pawns with at least equality for White ?
Black's aggressive king moves win the isolated pawn and the game.
Schulz -Mundwiler DRAW
A doubled-edged Benoni resulted in some fighting chess.
29. Qf1 (inspired by the Saturday puzzle move) looks like it would win back the sacrificed pawn, but White plays something else.
White must be winning after 36. Rxf5.
46. b7 may have been the last chance for an easy win; it gets murky after the game's 46.Rxg6+, and I suspect mutual time-trouble.
Liu - Lauritson 0-1
Can White really castle queenside and live ? Somehow, a lot of pieces get exchanged and White can breathe for a few moves. But after 30. f5, Black calculates a winning a king and pawn endgame and exchanges the remaining pieces to win.
Khedkar - Weibe 1-0
Defending a King's Gambit, Black played 18...Qd7, missing the nice shot to follow:
19. Nxg7! <----roll over this area to see move.
Silva - Oberton 1-0
22...c5 locking the centre, gives White the green light to blow open the kingside.
Kernetsky-Rumpel DRAW
The players swapped most of their pieces by move 24 and agreed to a draw.
Rutter- Arie Wasserman 1-0
6...Be6 loses a piece to a classic theme.
Proulx - Goodman 0-1
White refused to move his queen off the f-file and the pin, and paid for it.
Li - Evans 1-0
30...f5 appears to drop the e pawn, but White doesn't take it (perhaps there is a notation error somewhere) 40. ...Re3 would have been very strong and probably wins easily. Black rejects the draw by perpetual on move 43, and loses soon after.
Campbell - Lawrence Klusa 1-0
Every player at some time or another has made the same error as Black in this game at move 10.
Letain - Trueman 1-0
11..Qb6 gives White a target with tempo, he shortly wins a critical pawn and converts to a win.
Lorne Gibbons - Leor Wasserman 0-1
Somehow White survives his early problems and even achieves an advantage until he plays the bizarre 39. Kh4 and soon loses.
Black gets the two bishops and gives White an isolated d-pawn.
White could have liquidated his weak d pawn by tactical means by 27.d5 !
Doesn't 30. Nc5 (Bb6) trade pawns with at least equality for White ?
Black's aggressive king moves win the isolated pawn and the game.
Schulz -Mundwiler DRAW
A doubled-edged Benoni resulted in some fighting chess.
29. Qf1 (inspired by the Saturday puzzle move) looks like it would win back the sacrificed pawn, but White plays something else.
White must be winning after 36. Rxf5.
46. b7 may have been the last chance for an easy win; it gets murky after the game's 46.Rxg6+, and I suspect mutual time-trouble.
Liu - Lauritson 0-1
Can White really castle queenside and live ? Somehow, a lot of pieces get exchanged and White can breathe for a few moves. But after 30. f5, Black calculates a winning a king and pawn endgame and exchanges the remaining pieces to win.
Khedkar - Weibe 1-0
Defending a King's Gambit, Black played 18...Qd7, missing the nice shot to follow:
19. Nxg7! <----roll over this area to see move.Silva - Oberton 1-0
22...c5 locking the centre, gives White the green light to blow open the kingside.
Kernetsky-Rumpel DRAW
The players swapped most of their pieces by move 24 and agreed to a draw.
Rutter- Arie Wasserman 1-0
6...Be6 loses a piece to a classic theme.
Proulx - Goodman 0-1
White refused to move his queen off the f-file and the pin, and paid for it.
Li - Evans 1-0
30...f5 appears to drop the e pawn, but White doesn't take it (perhaps there is a notation error somewhere) 40. ...Re3 would have been very strong and probably wins easily. Black rejects the draw by perpetual on move 43, and loses soon after.
Campbell - Lawrence Klusa 1-0
Every player at some time or another has made the same error as Black in this game at move 10.
Letain - Trueman 1-0
11..Qb6 gives White a target with tempo, he shortly wins a critical pawn and converts to a win.
Lorne Gibbons - Leor Wasserman 0-1
Somehow White survives his early problems and even achieves an advantage until he plays the bizarre 39. Kh4 and soon loses.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Magnus Smith
Very interesting article on this former Manitoban at Chesscafe.
"Magnus Smith won the Canadian championship every time it was held from 1899 to 1906. He dominated Canadian chess as no one would for a generation. When Canada could no longer contain him, Smith moved to New York and rubbed shoulders with the world class of chess – Lasker, Marshall and Capablanca."
"Magnus Smith won the Canadian championship every time it was held from 1899 to 1906. He dominated Canadian chess as no one would for a generation. When Canada could no longer contain him, Smith moved to New York and rubbed shoulders with the world class of chess – Lasker, Marshall and Capablanca."
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Cecil's Saturday Puzzle - March 15, 2008
from the Winnipeg Free Press, March 15, 2008
White to mate in 3 - Healey
White to mate in 3 - HealeyIt's been a long time since I last tried these mate in 3 composed problems. The Saturday problem has a long tradition in the Winnipeg Free Press; the first one I attempted was in 1971.
But they go way back.
Anyway, on to this one. Let's look at the basic features.
The Black king has no squares, it just needs to be checked without block or capture.
Black's knight can't move because of the mate on d6.
The Bishop has to cover the mate on c6, so only Bd7 and Be8 avoid immediate checkmate if it was Black to move.
The knight on b6 is protecting the pawn on d5, otherwise I would like to try moving the knight and delivering mate on b6.
The bishop on a1 is bothering me - what is the relevance of this piece ?
My first try is
1. Rxf4 threating Rxc4+ and then Qc6 mate
then 1...Bd7 2. Nxd7+ Kxd5 3. Rd4 mate, but 1...Be8 is ok
2. Rxc4+ Kb5 and the king runs away via the square vacated by the bishop.
Then I spent half an hour trying other ideas that didn't get too far; I ran out of moves. Then I gave up.
I checked the position with an engine that just happened to be handy and it did not find a mate in 3, but a few mates in 4 which I had already discovered on my own. Concerned, I checked with the author of the column; he suggested 1. Rh1. Sure enough , if I show this to those engines, they say, yes, that would be a mate in 3.
So I tried it with some other engines; Shredder 10 and the old Fritz 5.32 both find 1.Rh1 instantly.
I would like to hear from anyone whose engine does not find 1.Rh1.
Anyway, the point of 1. Rh1 is that White will play 2. Qb1 threatening mate on b4 or 3. Qg1 mate. If you saw this "triangulation" idea without assistance you are quite clever !
So what about the bishop on a1 ? Well, if you remove it, Rg1 still mates in three. But the bishop's absence would introduce a "cook", or alternate solution, in this case 1. Ra1. Note the bishop is the only piece that can be placed on a1 !
But they go way back.
Anyway, on to this one. Let's look at the basic features.
The Black king has no squares, it just needs to be checked without block or capture.
Black's knight can't move because of the mate on d6.
The Bishop has to cover the mate on c6, so only Bd7 and Be8 avoid immediate checkmate if it was Black to move.
The knight on b6 is protecting the pawn on d5, otherwise I would like to try moving the knight and delivering mate on b6.
The bishop on a1 is bothering me - what is the relevance of this piece ?
My first try is
1. Rxf4 threating Rxc4+ and then Qc6 mate
then 1...Bd7 2. Nxd7+ Kxd5 3. Rd4 mate, but 1...Be8 is ok
2. Rxc4+ Kb5 and the king runs away via the square vacated by the bishop.
Then I spent half an hour trying other ideas that didn't get too far; I ran out of moves. Then I gave up.
I checked the position with an engine that just happened to be handy and it did not find a mate in 3, but a few mates in 4 which I had already discovered on my own. Concerned, I checked with the author of the column; he suggested 1. Rh1. Sure enough , if I show this to those engines, they say, yes, that would be a mate in 3.
So I tried it with some other engines; Shredder 10 and the old Fritz 5.32 both find 1.Rh1 instantly.
I would like to hear from anyone whose engine does not find 1.Rh1.
Anyway, the point of 1. Rh1 is that White will play 2. Qb1 threatening mate on b4 or 3. Qg1 mate. If you saw this "triangulation" idea without assistance you are quite clever !
So what about the bishop on a1 ? Well, if you remove it, Rg1 still mates in three. But the bishop's absence would introduce a "cook", or alternate solution, in this case 1. Ra1. Note the bishop is the only piece that can be placed on a1 !
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