Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Newsletter #540

2) Steve Stubenrauch (1956-2011)

One of the kindest and gentlest of American chess players died this past Thursday,
June 9th, in Flagstaff. The cause was a devastating blood clot which followed a stroke
suffered last October.

Life Master (300 USCF rated games played with a rating over 2200) Steve Stubenrauch
was a noted herbalist and acupuncturist with deep knowledge of medicinal plants of the
Americas. Steve had a devoted group of patients that he attended to at the Village Healing
Center in Flagstaff for close to two decades.

Steve Stubenrauch was raised in Santa Barbara and it was there that he first became
acquainted with chess during the Fischer boom of the early 1970s along with a group
of other promising juniors that included future GM Nick deFirmian.

During his studies Steve lived all over the West from Sonoma, to Ashland (Oregon), to
Albuquerque and finally Flagstaff. He always made many friends wherever he lived with his
easy going manner which belied a love of sharp attacking chess.

The following game, played long after Steve's strongest chess years, shows he was still
capable of holding his own against strong opposition.

Western States Open - Reno (5) 2005

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 Na6 6.Nf3 Nxc5 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.Qxc3 Nce4

9.Qc2 b6 10.b4 Bb7 11.e3 0-0 12.Bb2 Rc8 13.Qa4 Qc7 14.Be2 Bc6 15.Qb3 d5 16.Ne5 dxc4

17.Qxc4 Bb7 18.f3 Qe7 19.Qb3 Bd5 20.Qd3 Nd6 21.0-0 Nc4 22.Qc3 Nxb2 23.Qxb2 Bb7

24.e4 Rc7 25.Rfd1 Rfc8 26.Qd4 h6 27.a4 Nh5 28.a5 Nf4 29.Bf1 Rc2 30.axb6 Rxg2+ 31.Kh1

Rxh2+ 32.Kxh2 Qh4+ 33.Kg1 Qg3+ 34.Kh1 Qh4+ 35.Kg1 ½-½

Steve Stubenrauch is survived by his daughters Amy and Tara. A memorial service will be held Monday, Hune 20th at 10am, at Unity Church in Flagstaff.
3) Sam Shankland wins Northern California Championship Title - Part 1

Thanks To Sam Shankland and Salman Azhar for the following material.

Bay Area Chess hosted the 2011 CalChess State Championship at the FremontMarriott. 188 players participated in six sections during May 28-30. The tournament paid out a prize fund $12,000. GM Sam Shankland earned $2,000 of that for his first place finish. The total attendance, the total prize fund, and Shankland's earnings all set a record for a locally organized tournament in the recent history.

This is the first time that CalChess State Championship was held on Memorial Day weekend but the change in schedule dates did not reduce the attendance, in fact, the attendance increased by more than 20 players from last year's championship on Labor Day weekend. Despite thelarge number of entrants this year, the tournament staff did a great job. Senior TD SalmanAzhar organized the event while NTD John McCumiskey served as the Chief TD and Senior TD Tom Langland served as the Assistant Chief TD.

The fight for CalChess State Champion title was intense as several titled players battled to determine who would replace 2010 winner GM Jesse Kraai. Going into the final round, both GM Shankland and IM Vladmir Mezentsev led the field with four points each. GM Shankland won against NM Sevan Buscara, but IM Mezentsev lost out to IM Emory Tate. GM Shankland finished with an impressive score of 5.0, a full point ahead of four-way tie for second place between IM Mezentsev, IM Joel Banawa, IM Emory Tate, and NM Michael Pearson.

GM Shankland won the CalChess State Championship in 2008 and 2009 (with GM JesseKraai) as well, and did not play in 2010. The turning point of the tournament came when heovercame IM Emory Tate, one of the best tacticians in the world who collects GM scalps fora hobby. Despite playing all over the world, GM Shankland says, "I always love to play in Bay Area tournaments because they are well organized and it is like coming home."

Bay area teenager Evan Sandberg won the Expert section with a 5.0 score. He was followed closely by Jeff McCann, Benjamin Dy, and State's Barber representative Neel Apte, with scores of 4.0 each.

The A-section was dominated by James Benett and Yuan Wang, co-champions with with5.0 points each. Damon Moskaoyama trailed close behind with a score or 4.5. The B-section featured a three-way tie for first between FM Tanuj Vasudeva, Jimmy Revelino, and Cailen Melville, each with 5.0. In the C-section Solomon Ge and Faeiq Jfouf dominated, each with 5.5. In the D/E section,David Deng won a clear first with an impressive 6.0.

Long weekends in Northern California are known for great chess tournaments. July 4th weekend in Sacramento, Labor Day weekend in San Francisco, Thanksgiving weekend in Burlingame, and New Year Weekend in Santa Clara offer opportunities to play on more boards in more places.

State Championship 2011, 30.05.2011

Notes by GM Sam Shankland

Playing Emory Tate is usually an interesting experience, even when he loses he

tends to put up a serious fight and create messes all over the board for the player to

try to sort out. However, this particular game was actually my smoothest of the tournament,

and I was very happy to win a clean positional game after playing some really lousy

moves in the rapid games of the 2 day schedule.

The Old Benoni has been one of Tate's main weapons for many years

With this move White tries to disrupt the coordination of the black pieces

4...Bd7 5.a4 Is similar.

Not a terrible move, but very committal- Black has weakened the b6 square

Oddly enough the Black knight would be much better placed on b8 here - the

bishop could get to g4 and exchanging a pair of minor pieces will relieve a lot of black's

problems with his lack of space.

8...b6 could be considered to stop a5, but even still after 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nd2

followed by Nc4 and Be3, I strongly prefer White's position

Fixing the Black queenside.

10...Bxc3!? This anti-positional looking move actually caused me some

mild concern during the game. After 11.bxc3 Ndf6 12.Qd3 Bg4 Black gets

some relief by trading pieces, but the open bfile and strong center promises

White a clear advantage. Clearly my concern was ill-conceived and irrational.

This doesn't seem particularly useful. An alternative was 11...Bxc3 12.bxc3 f5. This

hyper-aggressive lunge falls on its face. For example 13.exf5 Rxf5 14.c4 with a

clear advantage or 11...f5 12.exf5 Rxf5 13.Bd3! when Black's rook must

leave the 5th rank and White will have a clear structural advantage. 11...Rb8

Would be my choice.

White starts preparing his main plan of playing b4

Draw offered. Possible was 13...b5 but unfortunately for Black the nature of

the queenside pawn structure removes the desired effect of this active

lunge - 14.axb6 Nxb6 15.Nxb6 Rxb6 16.Qd2! (winning a key tempo on

the h6 pawn) 16...Kh7 17.b4 and Black is getting blasted apart.

White calmly prepares b4 (14.b4? cxb4 15.cxb4 Bxa1 Is much less effective!). I considered

14.Nd2 but the ridiculous looking 14...f5 15.exf5 gxf5!? concerned me for some reason,

although I don't think this is what Bronstein had in mind when he said "Every Russian

schoolboy knows to recapture on f5 with the pawn". After 16.Nc4 (16.g3 Nxd5) 16...f4

17.Bc1 I didn't like letting my pieces get passive but Black has made a whole

truckload of new weaknesses and White has a colossal advantage.

After the game my opponent told me that he intended to play ...Nf6 first

and only then ...Nb5, but got a step ahead of himself. On14...Nf6 15.Nd2

Nb5 16.Nb6. While this is better than the game continuation for Black, White

is still in the driver's seat with a space advantage and the possibility of a b4 break.

14...f5? trying for active play fails to - 15.exf5 Rxf5 16.c4 Ne5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 18.Bd3.

15...Nd4? 16.Bxd4 cxd4 17.b4! does not bring Black relief.

White does not need to prepare this move as Black will not be able to defend his b4 pawn. 16.Qd2? allows 16...Nf6 and White no longer has Nd2 available.

18...Ng4 19.Ba7 Ra8 20.Bb6 f5 21.Qxb4 and Black's counterplay is optical at best.

Eschewing the last practical chance. 20...Ncxd5! 21.exd5 Nxd5 22.Qb3 Be6!

(22...Nxe3 23.fxe3 Qxa5 24.Nb6 Qg5 25.Bf3 Be6 26.Bd5± Black's pawns are not

accomplishing anything and White should be able to bring the point home.) 23.Bc4

Nxe3 24.Qxe3 d5 25.Bb3 White is much better but he is running out of pawns and

Black has some practical chances.

21.Nc3± /+-

White has more space, better central control,soon full domination of the open c-file,

a healthier pawn majority, weaknesses to attack on b7 and d6, and better pieces.

Black's position is strategically lost.

However, care must be taken!

22.Bf4?? meets a shocking respite: 22...Nfxd5! 23.exd5 (23.Nxd5 Nxd5

24.exd5 Qxe2) 23...Bxc3 24.Qxc3 Nxd5 25.Qd4 Qxe2 (25...Nxf4 26.Qxf4

Qxe2 27.Qxf7+ Kh8 28.Qxg6 (28.Nc4) ) 26.Bxd6 (26.Qxd5 Be6) 26...Ra8

And if anything Black is slightly better.

Very methodical, just improving my position one step at a time. 23.Ba7?!

Rbc8 24.Qxb7? Nb5 and the pawn is taboo: 25.Bxb5 Bxb5 26.Qxe7 Rxe7

With a7 and e4 hanging and a nasty pin on the c-file the tables have turned.

This move seemed so natural and obvious that I completely overlooked

the possibility of 24.Bxg4 Bxg4 25.e5! with a discovery on the g4 bishop,

but I probably would have gone with Bd4 anyway. [24.Bxg4 Bxg4 25.e5

The computer is overwhelmed with enthusiasm 25...Bf5 (25...Qd7 26.e6)

26.exd6 Qf8 27.Bc5 Bxc3 28.dxc7 Bxb4 29.Bxf8 Rxf8 30.cxb8Q; 24.Ba7!? Bxc3

25.Rxc3 Nxd5 26.exd5 Qxe2 looked like more hassle than I wanted to deal

with, but the computer found Qf4 here and says White is still winning. But

still, whenever you get a chance to press a huge positional edge with no

counterplay at all, it's hard to even consider such variations!

The final nail in Black's coffin, although the position was probably beyond

saving anyway. 25...Qe5? 26.Qxe5 Nxe5 (26...dxe5 27.d6 Nb5 28.Nxb5

axb5 29.Rc7; 26...Rxe5 27.Nc4) 27.f4 Ng4 28.Nc4 Was even worse;

25...Nf6 Was probably best, but the result still is basically decided.

White wins the d6 pawn; the rest is agony.

27...Nxe4 28.Nxe4 Rxe4 29.Nxd6 Re7 (29...Rxe2 30.Rxe2 Nxd5 31.Nxf7)

30.Rxc7 Rxe2 31.Rxd7.

29...Nxe8 Hoping to blockade from d6 and break the pawns apart with f5

was perhaps more stubborn, but after transferring a rook to b6 it's hard to

believe Black can resist for too long.

35.Bxb5 Nd6 36.Bxa6 was another way to bring the game to its logical

conclusion.

It was still not too late to blunder! 46.Kh4?? Rxg2 With g5 on the way

I would like to thank Salman Azhar for organizing such a wonderful state championship with a

generous prize fund, and look forward to seeing what the future brings for California Chess.

4) Here and There

The first US Junior Open was held in 1946 and the participants that year and the following included many future stars such as Larry Evans, Walter Shipman, James Cross, Eliot Hearst, Hans Berliner and Paul Poschel but none of them won either event.The honors were taken in Chicago 1946 and Cleveland 1947 by Larry Friedman, who is all but forgotten today except by the doyen of American chess historians, IM Walter Shipman of San Francisco who remembers Friedman as a great talent that never had a chance to fully blossom.Chess Review (August-September 1946, pages 10-11) notes that Larry Friedman was 4th in the 1945 Ohio State Championship while a sophomore at Shaw High School in Cleveland and that he was a product of the Pawns Chess Club which met in the John G. White Collection at the Cleveland Public Library. Another player of note produced by the Pawns Chess Club at the same time was James Harkins Jr., who would become a 2300 rated player and a mainstay of Cleveland chess for over 60 years and going.IM Walter Shipman, who played in the 1947 event, points out that Friedman effectively retired from tournament chess after his two US Junior crowns. He appears on the first USCF rating list (July 31, 1950) at 2284. This list included results back to 1947 so quite likely it only reflects his result in the 1947 US Junior. Shipman remembers that Friedman came out of retirement to play in the 1958 New Jersey Open held in East Orange. Tibor Weinberger won the event with a score of 6 1/2 - 1/2 with Charles Kalme second with 6 points. Friedman did quite well tying with Weaver Adams as the top New Jersey resident with a score of 5.5-1.5. Future Washington State champion Ray Fasano, who was to die in a motorcycle accident in Seattle in the mid-1980s, was one of the top scoring juniors at age 13.William Anderson writes:
Mr. Donaldson,

Given the research that you have done on Bobby Fischer, resulting in two excellent books, I thought that you might find the following of some interest.

In game 21 of the 1972 match vs. Spassky Bobby played the Paulsen variation and his move 8...exd5 instead of the previously played 8...Nxd5 was pronounced a novelty. Several of the English language books on the match mention that Fischer attributed the idea to Adolph Anderssen however, to my knowledge, none of the books followed up on Fischer's comment to explore the origins of the "novelty".

In the book Master of Attack, The Chess Games of Adolph Anderssen edited by Sid Pickard, I found the relevant games. Game #713, page 261 Anderssen v. Minckwitz 1866, informal: Minckwitz had Black and reached the relevant position.After 9.0-0 Bd6 Anderssen played the recommended (in 1972) 10. h3 in stead of NXN chosen by Spassky but lost. I looked at the game with a strong A player, former expert John Peters, whom you might remember from your visits to Alaska and in our admittedly amateur opinions, it seems like Mincwitz handled the position in a very "modern" way.

The second, and final time the position occurs in Anderssen's games is Goring v. Anderssen Leipzig 1877 (game 219 page 108). Goring plays the other recommendation 10. Bf5. Anderssen reaches a winning position but blunders and is mated.

While this is not, strictly speaking, a new discovery, it always bothered me that no one appeared to have followed up on Fischer's comment and researched the source of his "novelty". Those looking for a interesting tournament in a beautiful city noted for its excellent summer weather may wish to venture this August to Portland, Oregon.

Portland Chess Club Centennial Open
$10,000 Guaranteed
August 12, 13 & 14, 2011 Lloyd Center Doubletree Hotel, Portland, OR
TYPE: 6-round Swiss in 2 sections.
TC: 40/120; SD 60

5-GAME SCHEDULE: Players rated 2200 and above
may enter 2nd round with 1 point.
All others: one irrevocable half-point bye
available for any rounds 1-6 if requested
before round 2.

ROUND TIMES: Friday 11 & 7; Saturday 9 & 7;
Sunday 10 & 5;

REGISTRATION: Friday, 9:00am-10:45 am.

ENTRIES: $110. Pre-registration received by August 8
deduct $10. Free entry to GM's and IM's
($100 deducted from any prizes);
Refund of $20 to guests registered at hotel for
at least 2 nights, payable at end of tournament
(one refund per room).

USCF & OCF/WCF membership required;
OSA or out-of-Northwest pay $5 OCF
tournament fee. USCF August list used to
determine ratings. FIDE ratings used for
foreign players without USCF ratings.
Unrated players limited to place prizes
in Championship Section and
U1200/unr in Amateur Section.

FIDE RATED CHAMPIONSHIP SECTION-
Open to all; total prize fund $4500
PRIZES: $2000-1000-500
U2200: $500-300-200
AMATEUR SECTION-Open to all under 2000;
total prize fund $5500
PRIZES: $1000-600-400
U 1800: $500-300-200
U1600: $500-300-200
U 1400: $500-300-200
U 1200/unr: $300-200

SIDE EVENT: Saturday Afternoon Blitz start 3:30 pm;
8 double-round Swiss $20 entry fee; 80% of
entries returned as prizes: 1st 50%; 2nd 25%;
U2000 25%

SPECIAL VISITOR GM SUSAN POLGAR:
Saturday afternoon 10-board clock simul
Sunday morning breakfast topic, "The Bobby
Fischer I Knew."

HOTEL: Lloyd Center Doubletree
1000 N.E. Multnomah; special chess
rate (mention tournament); single
occupancy $99; double occupancy
$109; plus tax. For hotel reservations
call 1-800-996-0510.

Name (Last, First):____________________________________________________________________________________
Address:___________________________________City:________________________State_________ Zip____________
USCF ID __________________________________Rating: ______________________USCF Expire__________________
Email:_________________________________________________________________Bye Requests:__________________
FIDE Rated Championship Section or Amateur Section
Send a check or money order payable to Portland Chess Club to: Mike Morris, 2344 NE 27th Ave, Portland, OR, 97212
The Metropolitan Chess Club of Los Angeles, the 2011 US Chess Federation Club of the Year, will have a busy August this year. From August 12-16 the MCC will hold an invitational chess camp with GMs
Michael Adams, Loek Van Wely and Melikset Khachian serving as instructors. From August 17-21, GMs Mickey Adams, Loek van Wely, Ilya Smirin, Timur Gareev, Dejan Bojkov, Mark Paragua, Mesgen Amanov, Robert Ruck, Dmitry Gurevich and Melikset Khachiyan are currently slated to play in a 9 round Swiss tournament, the 1st Metropolitan International, that will offer the opportunity for GM and IM norms.For more information on these events go to http://www.metrochessla.com/

MI Advanced Chess Camp with GM Nick deFirmian, IMs Vince McCambridge and John Donaldson, FM Mark Pinto and MI Scholastic Coordinator Anthony Corrales from July 24-29 Go to www.chessclub.org for more information.

(more details soon to follow)

6) Upcoming Events

September 3-5 2011 Labor Day Chess Festival 6-SS, 30/90, SD/1 (2-day option rds 1-3 G/60). Golden Geteway Holiday Inn. Van Ness at
Pine, San Francisco. $$B 160 paid entries (not counting free or unrated entries). Six Sections: Master $1500-750-400-350 U2300 $300; Expert $700-350-200-150. "A" $700-350-200-150. "B" $700-350-200-150. "C" $700-350-200-150. "D/E" $700-$350-$200 U1200 $200-150. Unr:
Trophy First. Trophy to top finisher (State Champion) in each section. All, EF: postmarked
by 8/29 $115. $125 at site. Unrateds $20 in the D/E section or may play up to the Master
section for the regular fee. $5 discount to CalChess members. USCF memb. req'd. May
play up one section for add'l $10. GM/IM free entry. Reg.: Sat 9/3 8:30-9:30am, Sun 9/4
8-9am. RDS.: Choice of schedules- 3-day, 2-day merge at round 4, all compete for the same prizes. 3-day schedule: Sat 10:00-3:30; Sun 11:00-4:45; Mon 10:00-3:30. 2-day schedule: Sun 9:30-11:45-2:00-4:45; Mon 10:00-3:30. 1/2 pt bye(s) any round(s) if requested in advance
(byes rds 5-6 must be requested before rd 1). 2011 September Ratings List, CCA minimums and Directors discretion will be used to place players as accurately as possible. Please bring
clocks and equipment. HR: Golden Gateway Holiday Inn (415)-441-4000. INFO: Richard
Koepcke (650)-224-4938. Ent: Richard Koepcke, P.O. Box 1432, Mountain View, CA 94042. No Phone entries. Master Section FIDE Rated. Chess Magnet School JG