Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Newsletter 430

1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News

Expert Oleg Shakhnazarov defeated IM Walter Shipman in round five of the Winter Tuesday Marathon to maintain his lead. Shakhnazarov, who is making a strong bid to reclaim his master's rating (he was 2337 in the early 1990s), has 4.5 points with Igor Margulis, Stephan Gaffagan and Christophe Bambou a half point behind. Three rounds remain for the 62 competitors.

The El Cerrito Gang of Four, GMs Vinay Bhat, Josh Friedel, Jesse Kraai and IM David Pruess, will make the trip to France in late February to play in Cappelle la Grande.

Book and equipment donations to the Mechanics' are always welcome and are tax deductible due to the M.I.'s 501(c) (3) nonprofit status. If you have any chess books or equipment that have been lying around unused for some time consider donating to the Mechanics'. You will not only get a tax write off but also the satisfaction of seeing things put to good use.

2) Caruana wins B Group in Corus

Corus 2009 will be remembered as the tournament of youth as all three sections were won by players under 20 with 19-year-old Sergey Karjakin taking top honors in the top section, 16-year-old Fabiano Caruana in the B group and 15-year-old Wesley So in the C group.

The progress of Italian-American Fabiano Caruana has been nothing short of amazing the past few years. Take a look at his rating progress:

January 2003 (age 10) 2134

January 2004 (age 11) 2122

January 2005 (age 12) 2219

January 2006 (age 13) 2409

January 2007 (age 14) 2492

January 2008 (age 15) 2598

January 2009 (age 16) 2646

With Corus included, Fabiano will be just shy of 2660. What is so impressive is not that he is the highest rated player in the world under 18 but the huge improvement in strength between ages 12 and 16. By comparison Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin had more gradual development. The only player who has rocketed even faster in his youth is Bobby Fischer who went from an even score in the 1955 US Junior (about an 1800 performance) to a world class player at the 1958 Interzonal. Credit goes to coach GM Alexander Chernin and his parents but primarily to Fabiano who has a great work ethic and really loves chess.

Corus A

Final Standings:
1. Karjakin – 8/13;
2-4. Radjabov, Movsesian and Aronian - 7½;
5-6. Carlsen and Dominguez – 7;
7. Kamsky – 6½;
8-10. Wang Yue, van Wely and Smeets – 6;
11-14. Morozevich, Ivanchuk, Adams and Stellwagen – 5½.

Corus B

Final Standings:
1. Caruana – 8½/13;
2-4. Short, Kasimdzhanov and Motylev – 8;
5-6. Vallejo and Volokitin – 7½;
7. Efimenko – 7;
8. Navara – 6½;
9-10. Reinderman and Hou Yifan – 6;
11. L'Ami – 5½;
12. Mecking – 4½;
13-14. Sasikiran and Werle – 4.

Corus C, Final Standings:

1. So – 9½;
2-3. Hillarp Persson and Giri – 8½;
4-5. Howell and Gupta – 7½;
6. Holzke – 6½;
7. Harika – 6;
8-12. Nijboer, Bosboom, Pruijssers, Bitalzadeh and Iturrizaga – 5½;
13. Leon Hoyos – 5;
14. Romanishin – 4½

3) Nakamura ties for first in Gibralter

Hikaru Nakamura has put on another one of his patented sprints down the finish and tied for first today in Gibralter with fellow GMs Vugar Gashimov, Peter Svidler and Vadim Milov with 7 from 9. Hikaru won his last four games including with the black pieces in the last round against Polish GM Socko rated 2631. Gibraltar was stronger than ever this year with 3 players rated over 2700 and 14 over 2600. More details next Newsletter.

4) Addison and Zemitis

Two of the great gentlemen of Bay Area Chess are featured below. NM Val Zemitis sends in two games played against the late IM William Addison. The first comes just a few years after Addison had moved to San Francisco and the second when he was at the height of his powers.

Val Zemitis writes:

My opponent, William Grady Addison, was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana but his chess career developed in San Francisco. He was awarded the International Master title in 1967 and his best result was second place (+6 -2 =3) after Reshevsky in the 1969/70 U.S. Championship .

White: Val Zemitis

Black: William Addison

Old Indian Defense

San Francisco, March 1954

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nf3 Nbd7 4. Nc3 e5 5. g3 c6 6. e4 a6 7. d5 Nc5 8. Qe2 cxd5 9. cxd5 Qa5 10. Nd2 b5 11. h3 Bd7 12. Qf3 b4 13. Nd1 b3 14. Nc3 Rc8 15. Nc4 Qc7 16. a4 Rb8 17. Be3 Rb4 18. a5 Bb5 19.Nxb5 axb5 20. a6 Ra4

Apparently Black was not satisfied with 20. ...Nxa6 21. Rxa6 bxc4 22. Ra8+ Rb8 23. Ra7 with a draw.

21. Rxa4

21. Nxd6+! Bxd6 22. Bxb5+ Ke7 23. Bxa4 Qa5+ 24. Bd2 Qxa6 25. Bg5 Nxa4 26. Qxb3 If 21. ...Kd8, then 22. Rxa4 Nxa4 23. Nb7+ Kc8 24. Bxb5 Nxb2 25. 0-0 Nc4 26. a7 Kxb7 27. Bc6+.

21. ...bxa4 22. Bxc5 dxc5 23. Qd3 Bd6 24. Nxd6+ Qxd6 25. Qb5+ Ke7 26. Qxa4 Rb8 27. Bb5 Nxe4 28. Bc6 Rb4 29. Qa5 Nxg3 30. fxg3 Re4+ 31. Kd1 Rd4+ 32. Ke2 Rxd5 33. Bxd5 Qxd5 34. Rf1 Qg2+ 35. Rf2 Qe4+ 36. Kf1 Qh1+ 37. Ke2 Qe4+ 38. Kd2 Qd4+ 39. Ke2 Qe4+ 40. Kd2 Qd4+ 41. Ke1 Qe4+ 42. Re2 Qh1+ 43. Kd2 Qd5+ 44. Ke3 f5 45. Rd2 f4+ 46.Kf2 Qh1 47. Qxc5+ Kf6 48.Rd6+ Kf5 49.g4+ Kg5 50.Qxe5+ Kh4 51. Qh5 mate

White: Val Zemitis

Black: William Addison

Castle - Mechanics’ Institute, first board

January 14, 1967

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 c6 4.0-0 h6 5.d3 Bf5 6.Nc3 e6 7.Qe1 Bh7 8.e4 Be7 9.h3 a5 10.Nh2 a4 11.a3 Nbd7 12.e5 Ng8 13.f4 Bc5+ 14.Kh1 Ne7 15.Nf3 Nf5 16.g4 Nd4 17.Nxd4 Bxd4 18.Ne2 Ba7 19.Ng3 Qe7 20.Be3 Bxe3 21.Qxe3 0-0-0 22.b4 axb3 23.cxb3 d4 24.Qe2 Nb6 25.Ne4 Bxe4 26.Bxe4 Nd5 27.Bxd5 Rxd5 28.a4 Qb4 29.Rfcl Rc5 30.Rc4 Rxc4 31.bxc4 Kc7 32.f5 Ra8 33.fxe6 fxe6 34.Qf2 Rf8 35.Qxd4 Rd8 36.Qe3 Qb3 37.Qf4 Rxd3 38.Rf1 g5 39.Qf2 Rxh3+ 40.Kg2 Rc3 41.Qf7+ Kb6 42.Rf2 Rg3+ 43.Kh2 Rh3+ 44.Kg2 Qg3+ 45.Kf1 Rh1+ 46.Ke2 Qxg4+ 0 - 1

5) Upcoming Events

MI Events - full details at www.chessclub.org

Henry Gross Memorial - February 7
A.J. Fink Amateur Championship - March 14-15
Max Wilkerson Open - March 28
Walter Lovegrove Senior Open - April 4-5
Imre Konig Memorial - April 18

Northern California

People's Open ( Berkeley) February 15-16

Hans Poschmann Memorial ( Fremont) March 21-22

Southern California

February 14-16
26th Annual U.S. Amateur Team West
6-SS, 40/2, SD/1. Warner Center Marriott, 21850 Oxnard Street, Woodland Hills, CA 91367.
Four-player teams plus optional alternate, average rating of four highest must be U/2200, diff. between bds. 3 & 4 may not exceed 1000. Dec. list used.
EF: $118 per team if received by 2-13, $30 individual (on line only), $136 at site, under age 18 $86 by 2-13, $100 site.
Trophies and 4 clocks to top 3 teams, U2100, U2000, U1800, U1600, U1400/unr. Trophies (1 large, 4 small) to top college, industrial, junior (under 18), Senior (over 55), U1200. Clocks to best score each board, alternate, and any 6-0. Gift certificate prizes for best team names (1st/2nd).
Reg.: 8:30-10 a.m. 2-14.
Rds.: 11-6, 11-6, 10-4:30.
HR: $119, 800-228-9290, ask for Western Chess. Reserve by Jan. 23 or rates may go up. Parking $6.
Ent: SCCF, c/o John Hillery, 835 N Wilton Place #1A, Los Angeles, CA 90038. On-line entry, help in forming teams, advance entry list: www.westernchess.com.
NS, NC, W. F. WCL JGP.
2009 U.S. Amateur Team Playoff will be held March 21, 2009 on ICC.

Mar. 6-8 or 7-8 Western Chess Congress GPP: 100 Enhanced California Northern

5SS, 40/2, SD/1 (2-day option, rds. 1-2 G/75; U1100 & U900 sections are 6SS, 3/7-8 only, G/65). Concord Hilton Hotel, 1970 Diamond Blvd, Concord CA 94520 (I-680 Willow Pass Rd exit). Free shuttle between hotel and Concord BART station. Free parking. In 8 sections. $$G 20,000. Premier, open to all over 1950 and juniors under 18 over 1800: $1600-900-500-300, clear or tiebreak winner $100, top U2300 $800-400. FIDE. Under 2100: $1400-700-400-300. Under 1900: $1400-700-400-300. Under 1700: $1400-700-400-300. Under 1500: $1200-600-300-200. Under 1300: $1200-600-300-200. Under 1100: $600-300-200-100. Under 900: $600-300-200-100. Unrated must play in U1900 or below with maximum prize U1900 $600, U1700 $500, U1500 $400, U1300 $300, U1100 $200, U900 $100; balance goes to next player(s) in line. Top 6 sections EF: 4-day $119, 3-day $119, 2-day $118 mailed by 2/26, all $120 online at chesstour.com by 3/3, $125 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 3/3 (entry only, no questions), $140 at site. U1100, U900 Sections EF: $57 mailed by 2/26, $60 online at chesstour.com by 3/3 (entry only, no questions), $65 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 3/3, $70 at site. All: FREE TO UNRATED. Unofficial uschess.org ratings based on 4 or more games usually used if otherwise unrated. Special 1 yr USCF dues with Chess Life if paid with entry: online at chesstour.com $30; mailed, phoned or paid at site $40. Re-entry (except Master) $60. Mailed EF $7 less to rated CalChess members. 3-day schedule: Reg. Fri to 6:30 pm, rds Fri 7:30, Sat 11-6, Sun 9-3:30. 2-day schedule: Reg Sat to 10 am, rds Sat 11-2:30-6, Sun 9:30-4. U1100 & U900 schedule: Reg. Sat to 11:30 am, rds. Sat. 12-3-6, Sun. 9-12:30-3:30. All schedules: Byes OK all, limit 2, must commit before rd 3 and have under 2 pts. HR: $99-99-109, 925-827-2000, reserve by 2/20 or rate may increase. Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633. Questions: chesstour.com, 845-496-9658. Ent: Continental Chess, c/o Goichberg, Box 661776, Arcadia CA 91066. $15 service charge for withdrawals. Advance entries posted at chesstour.com. WCL JGP.