Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Newsletter 374

1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News

Congratulations to 10-year-old Kyle Shin who won the Jim Hurt Amateur (under 1800) this past weekend with a score of 5 from 6.

NM Michael Aigner writes about newly crowned World Under 12 Champion Daniel Naroditsky:

Here are four important new media events involving World 12 Champion FM Daniel Naroditsky. The
first article in San Francisco Chronicle appeared last Thursday.

1. Danya was interviewed today at school by KRON 4 for a segment that will appear on the evening
news tonight.

2. Also today, Danya will appear LIVE on NBC 11 during the 5pm newscast.

3. In Sunday's New York Times, chess columnist Dylan Loeb McClain annotated Danya's round 10 win
against Gene Nakauchi of Australia.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/crosswords/chess/02chess.html?ref=todayspaper

4. Last but certainly not least, Chess Room director IM John Donaldson has asked me to spread word
that Danya will go over his favorite games tomorrow at 5:30pm at the Mechanics' Institute, just
before the weekly round for the Tuesday Night Marathon.

To get an idea of how rare an accomplishment Daniel's victory is for an American was consider that only two other US players in the last twenty years (John Viloria in 1998 and Alex Lendeman in 2005) have taken home the gold.

Here is a list of US Players who have medalled since the inception of the event including the Mechanics' Vinay Bhat.

US Medallists in World Youth Championships (1997-2007)

2007 Daniel Naroditsky (gold B-U12) Sarah Chiang (silver G- U10)

2005 Alex Lenderman (gold B-U16)

2001 Hikaru Nakamura (silver B-U14)

1998 Vinay Bhat (B-U14) (=3rd but lost bronze on tiebreak)

1996 Vinay Bhat (bronze B-U12)

1995 Vinay Bhat (shared second bronze on tiebreak B-U12)

1990 Nawrose Nur (gold B-U10)

1988 John Viloria (gold B-U10)

1987 Yvonne Krawiec (gold G-Under 14), Susan Urminska (gold G-Under 10), John Viloria (gold B-U10), Jessica Ambats (silver (tied for 1st but lost on tiebreak)

Note that there were not many countries represented in the inaugural event in 1987. I believe Nawrose was representing the US by 1990 but he may still have been with his native Bangladesh.

2) Chess Charivari

One great untapped resource for those wishing to research chess events from the past are chess columns in local newspapers. Today you will not find many in North America but 100 years ago there were a great number (easily over 60) appearing throughout the continent and even 50 years ago there were quite a few. More and more newspapers are posting their archives online and have search capabilities that spare the hunt in the dark pouring over blurry microfilm that was the only way to get things done in the past. Also very useful in the quest is Ken Whyld's massive Chess Columns: A List, a 587 page book that makes a very good stab at trying to record as much information about as many columns as possible. As Whyld wrote in his introduction in a work of this kind there were bound to be many errors and omissions.

One column you will not find listed in Chess Columns: A List ran in the Winnipeg Tribune from October 31, 1953 to June 19, 1954. The 33 columns that appeared focused primarily on international news, but national and local events were also covered. A typical column featured a chess problem, news and one or two annotated games - often in great depth. Books reviews and the occasional photo rounded things out. Chess Charivari, as Dr. Nathan Divinsky called his column, was meaty and well written but that didn't stop it from being dropped in the summer of 1954. The Winnipeg Tribune gave the case as low readership - in a poll commissioned by the paper out of 120 readers there were only three regular and six occasional readers of Chess Charivari! Divinsky received a total of $160 for his work on his column that deserved a better fate.

The following excerpt gives a small taste of the good stuff to be found in Chess Charivari. Much of the information to be found in it is unavailable elsewhere.

Chess Charivari

by Dr. Nathan Divinsky

Feb 20, 1954

Reshevsky Simultaneous

This event proved to be a highlight in Winnipeg chess. The most enjoyable chess evening fans have had for many years. Dr. W. W. Wright, president of the Manitoba Chess Association introduced the grandmaster.For the first 15 minutes Reshevsky answered questions from the floor, explaining that he would very much like to get Botvinnik ALONE in a match for the world's championship! Then the play began.

Thirty three Winnipeg stalwarts opposed the grandmaster. Having participated ourselves, we can assure our readers that his opening play was faultless, that his speed was phenomenal, and after an hour, a half dozen players had already suffered defeat. The middle game was played at a more reasonable rate. It is here that the grandmaster is at a disadvantage - he does not have sufficient tie to consider all the combinations, whereas the individual player has a bit more time and peace. Several players obtained an advantage, some in position and a few in material. However as more and more fell away, and the ranks were thinned to ten, Reshevsky seemed to be coming around at breakneck speed - and one MUST move when he comes!The difficult part was over, and after only 3 hours of play, 31 had gone down to defeat. Only your editor and Mr. Abe Kussim obtained draws. We expect to hear more of Mr. Kussim in Winnipeg chess.

Though Winnipeg's result compares with Calgary (33 losses and 1 draw) and Vancouver (33 loses and 4 draws), we feel that a much stronger group of players could have participated,. With players like Mogle, Blinder, A. Dreman, B. Deitchman, H. Frank and M. Desser in the line-up we are convinced that several winds would have been scored. To say nothing of I. J. Dreman and H. Yanofsky. Not only would they themselves have had good chances, but they would have helped slow up Reshevsky and given all the others more time to think. We sincerely hope that the next generation of A players will take a more sincere interest and give all chess enthusiasts pleasure and enjoyment. We were happy to see many young and talented players in the line-up.

There were a great number of spectator (close to 100) and they all seemed to be having a wonderful time.

Besides your editor and Mr. Kussim, the following players participated:

E. Budnitsky, C. F. Ashmore, A. Boxer, P. H. Buhr, T. F. Carter, S. F. Cooper, S. Choslovsky, A. D. Divinsky, J. Enns, B. Fortier, J. Filkow, N. Garfinkle, L. Guberman, P. Hildebrandt, K. Knapheus, N. Klassen, P. Katz, W. Krawitz, G. Love, W. R. Mitchell, H. R. MacKean, J. L. Matynia, R. Newbury, J. J. Promislow, S. Pedlar, B. Richman, J. Steigerwald, P. Sidney, J. Shebaylo, A. Vincent, Dr. W. W. Wright.

Reshevsky - Divinsky

Winnipeg (simul) 1954

[Divinsky]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6

I was all set to play the 1...e5, the Budapest Defense, hoping that the complications of the pawn sacrifice would give me some sort of a chance, but D.A. Yanofsky convinced me that playing solidly was the only hope.

3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.0–0 e5 8.Re1 c6 9.Bf1 Ne8 10.Bg5 f6 11.Be3 Nb6 12.Qd2 Be6 13.b3 f5 14.Ng5 Bd7 15.exf5?

Up to this point the game has followed a reasonable pattern. The text is an oversight, which I must admit I was very happy to see.

15...exd4! 16.fxg6

Now if 16.Bxd4 Bxd4 17.Qxd4 Qxg5 and Black is a piece up.

16...dxc3?

There was no hurry to take the piece. Simply 16...hxg6 and White's game is hopeless. Now White gets compensation for the piece.

17.gxh7+ Kh8 18.Qe2 Nf6 19.h3 Qe8 20.Qd3 Qe5 21.f4 Qa5 22.Bd4 Bf5 23.Qxc3 Qxc3 24.Bxc3 Nxh7 25.Bxg7+ Kxg7 26.Re7+ Kg8 27.Rd1 Nxg5 28.fxg5 Rab8 29.g4!

Not 29.Rxd6 because of 29...Nc8 winning the exchange.

29...Bc2 30.Rd2 Bb1 31.Re1 Bh7 32.Rxd6 Rbd8 33.Rh6 Bc2 34.c5 Nd5 35.Bc4 Kg7 36.Re2 Bb1 37.Kh2 Rde8 38.Rxe8 Rxe8 39.Bxd5 cxd5 40.Rd6 Re7

At this point things were moving very quickly and I didn't want to gamble on 40...Be4 41.Rd7+ Kg6 42.Rxb7 Rd8 43.c6 d4 44.Rd7!

41.Rxd5 Bxa2 42.Rd3 a5 43.Kg3 Rc7 44.h4 Kg8

If 44...Rxc5 45.Rd7+; but 44...Kf8 would have saved some time.

45.Kf4 Kf8 46.h5 Rxc5 47.Rd8+ Ke7 48.Rb8 Rc7?

Much stronger is 48...Rb5

49.h6 Bb1

These pawns seem to be growing in size!

50.Rg8 Rc6 51.h7 Bxh7 52.Rg7+ Kf8 53.Rxh7 Rb6 54.Rh3 Kg7 55.Kf5

Here I refused an offer of a draw.

55...Rb5+ 56.Kf4 Rb4+ 57.Kf5 b5 58.Rc3 a4 59.Rc7+ Kg8 60.Kg6 Kf8 61.bxa4 bxa4 Draw

If there are any winning chances, White has them now. An exciting struggle.

A Sam Loyd problem, Geller-Flohr and Petrosian-Smyslov from the 19th USSR Championship (the first without notes and the second heavily annotated) and a review of R. N. Coles The Chess-Player's Weekend Book completed this column.

3) Here and There

2006 US Champion Alexander Onischuk was eliminated in round three of the World Cup leaving Gata Kamsky the only American among the remaining 16 contests from the original 128.

GM Vinay Bhat was just named to the third team of the US Chess League All Stars for second boards. IM John Donaldson got an honorable mention for board three and board four all stars have yet to be annonunced. .

Those who like chess and enjoy mysteries will appreciate Zugzwang (Bloombury 2007, HC, $24.95) by Ronan Bennett. Set in St.Petersberg in 1914 around the time of the great international tournament it starts with a character named Gulko (O.V. not Boris) being killed and not long after the great Rozental (= Rubinstein) makes his appearance. Along with the narrative the author offers the ending phase of Spethmann-Kopelzon, St. Petersberg 1913/4 which is based on the following game.

King-Andrei Sokolov, Swiss TC 2000

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.Nge2 e5 7.h4 h5 8.Nd5 Nce7 9.Nec3 Nxd5 10.Nxd5 Be6 11.c4 Bxd5 12.cxd5 Bh6 13.b4 Bxc1 14.Rxc1 b6 15.Bh3 Nh6 16.Qd2 Kf8 17.0-0 Kg7 18.f4 exf4 19.Rxf4 Re8 20.Qb2+ Re5 21.bxc5 bxc5 22.Rxc5 g5 23.hxg5 Qxg5 24.Rc2 Kh7 25.Rg2 Rg8 26.Qf2 Qe7 27.Rf6 Kg7 28.Rf4 Kh7 29.Bf5+ Nxf5 30.Rxf5 Rxf5 31.Qxf5+ Kh6 32.Qf4+ Rg5 33.g4 hxg4 34.Rxg4 Kh5 35.Rg2 Rxg2+ 36.Kxg2 Qc7 37.Qf5+ Kh6 38.Qf6+ Kh7 39.Kg3 Kg8 40.Kh4 Qb6 41.Kh5 Kf8 42.Kh6 Ke8 43.Kh7 Qc5 44.Qg7 Ke7 45.Qg5+ Ke8 46.Kg8 Qc7 47.Qh6 Qe7 48.Qg7 a6 49.a3 a5 50.a4 Kd8 51.Qf8+ Qe8 52.Kg7 1-0

4) Hikaru Nakamura on Chess.FM

Tune-in for Chess Talk with IM John Watson on ICC Chess.FM. John's weekly 60+ minute show (members only) will feature an interview with leading chess personalities.

John's special guest this week (Tue., 4 Dec.) will be man-of-the-moment GM Hikaru Nakamura, the youngest US champion since Bobby Fischer. In his prodigy days, Hikaru, who at 15 years and 79 days is the youngest US grandmaster ever, broke every Fischer age-group record save for that of US champion. In 2004, at the age of 16, he won the US championship in San Diego.

Hikaru is regarded as something of a legend on ICC (playing under the handle of Smallville), where his status as one of the best blitz players in the world - both o.t.b and online - is seldom challenged. After a lean period on the international scene, Hikaru hit a purple patch in October with big back-to-back victories in two very strong European tournaments: the Magistral D'Escacs in Barcelona, and the Corsican Masters.

JOHN B. HENDERSON

---------------------------------

910 8th Ave, Apt. 1110

Seattle, WA 98104

Cell: 847-347-9593

5) A Chess Poem by Dennis Fritzinger

be careful

when you're playing timed chess,
be careful how your clock ticks--
sometimes tactics decide the game,
and sometimes it's the tock ticks.

6) Upcoming Events

2007 MI Events

Guthrie McClain - December 8th

go http://www.chessclub.org/ for more information

Northern California

I will be running USCF rated chess tournaments in Cupertino ! Events for scholastic (K-12) players will be on Nov 25, Dec 22, Jan 12, and Feb 16. These will all be
trophy prize quads. Please note the earlier start time of 2pm. Please check in before 1:45pm. I will also have an Adult tournament on Nov 24. These are octos, 3-SS. I expect some masters to play in this one. The players will be distributed into sections of 8 each. This allows a first prize of $100 for each section. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Albert Rich
USCF Tournament Director
USCF National Master

albertjrich@yahoo.com

Sacramento Chess Club Weekend Swiss #19, December 15 & 16, 2007 -- Cancelled The tournament site undergoing renovations that will not be complete by the tournament date.

Regional

Dec 8, 2006 3rd Annual Igor Ivanov Memorial.

GPP 15

5SS, G/60, 1^st round is G/45, St. George Chess Club Tournament, 354 E. 600 S. #301, St George, Utah 84770, JUST 120 MILES NORTH OF LAS VEGAS. EF:$35. GMs and IMs free entry. $150 appearance stipend for IMs and GMs; and free room and Lunch. Prize fund: $1200 absolutely guaranteed. $400-225-125, other distributed as class prizes Reg: Friday Dec. 7th, 6:30pm- 7:30pm, Saturday Dec. 9, 8:00am to 8:45am. Please register in advance if Possible. Rds: 1st round 9:00am. Next rounds ASAP. Byes must be submitted before the 2nd round for a half point. Award Ceremony: there will be an Awards Ceremony immediately after the last round. All cash prizes are unconditionally
guaranteed. What to bring: chess clocks, pen. Please turn cell phones off.
Ent: St. George Chess Center, the same address as given above. You can also
register and have questions answered at: www.stgeorgechess.com or call Alan Crooks at1-888-GO-CHESS

December 8-9
9th Annual Joseph Ileto Memorial
5-SS, 30/85, SD/30 (1st 3 rounds), 40/2, SD/1 (last 2 rounds). Sierra Vista Rec Center, 311 N Rural Drive, Monterey Park, CA 91755.
$1400 guaranteed: $400-200-100, U2300, U2100, U1900, U1700, U1500 each $100, U1300, U1100 each $75, Unrated $50.
EF: $30 if received by 12/6, $40 at door.
Special option for HS/below: EF $10, eligible for trophies only (1st-5th). SCCF membership required of So. Californians: $14, $9 jrs. Reg: 9-9:40 a.m.
Rds: 10-2-6, 10-4.
Info: Randy Hough (626) 282-7412, randallhough@yahoo.com.
Ent: SCCF, PO Box 205, Monterey Park, CA 91754.
GP: 10. State Championship Qualifier.

Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Newsletter #374

go http://www.chessclub.org/ for more information