Mechanics Institute Chess Room Newsletter #308

Since 1984, when these mad matches with Kasparov began, I never relaxed for more than ten days in a row.

Anatoly Karpov ( in an interview with Izvestia on August 22, 2006)

1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News
2) Aigner runs for Cal Chess Board
3) Americans Abroad
4) Chess Fever 
5) Upcoming Events

1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News

Two rounds into the Paul Vayssie Tuesday Night Marathon there are twelve players remaining with perfect scores in the 61-player field led by NMs Batchimeg Tuvshintugs, Igor Margulis, Frank Thornally and Russell Wong. Also tied for first is Tom Allen, the manager of Stacey's Bookstore, located a block from the Mechanics'. Tom, a TNM regular who is rated 1541, has defeated a 1900 and an Expert in the first two rounds. Well done! Rumor has it that Dick Pound, head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, is monitoring Tom's results.

Last night launched the season for the Mechanics' in the US Chess League ( http://www.uschessleague.com/index.html) . We got off to an excellent start by defeating a tough Dallas team, made up of students from the University of Texas at Dallas, by the score of 3-1..

San Francisco vs Dallas

1. IM Vinay Bhat (SF) vs GM Magesh Panchanathan (DAL) 1-0
2. IM Davorin Kuljasevic (DAL) vs IM David Pruess (SF) 1-0
3. IM Dmitry Zilberstein (SF) vs FM Igor Shneider (DAL) 1-0
4. NM Keaton Kiewra (DAL) vs NM Mark Pinto (SF) 0-1

Former UTD student, IM Daniel Fernandez, wrote up the match from the Dallas perspective at the US Chess League site and his prose is featured in the intro to each game. I have made some brief annotations inside the game scores. A key win for us was Mark Pinto's on board four. This makes Mark's lifetime score in the league three wins and a draw! Give some credit to GM John Fedorowicz. The Fed, a longtime friend of Mark's, introduced him to the Najdorf last year at the HB Global Challenge and it has proved to me a good fit. Dmitry and Vinay sacrificed three pawns between themselves in the first five minutes of the game and quickly had their opponents on their backs. David lost a bitter fight that could have gone either way.

Next Wednesday we play our traditional rivals, the Miami Sharks, who lost twice to us in the regular season last year but knocked us out of the playoffs. They are always dangerous and will be out for a blood after losing 3-1 to Boston in the first round. The match starts at 5:30 PST and may be watched live at the Mechanics' with GM Alex Yermolinsky doing delayed commentary or on the Internet Chess Club.

One of the two expansion teams, Seattle, racked up the first 4-0 score in league history in round one and looks like a strong contender in the West with GM Gregory Serper and IMs Georgy Orlov and Eric Tangborn manning the top boards.

IM Daniel Fernandez writes

Board One

This all-Indian match featuring two of the nicest guys on the chess scene, UTD’s “Indian Pussycat” and 2005 World Open winner, GM Magesh Panchanathan and the talented Vinay Bhat, fresh off his second GM norm last month in Spain, promised to be anything but a friendly game since both players have great fight spirit. Bhat opened with 1.d4 and chose the Trompowsky Attack. Panchanathan took the gambit on b2, which is already dangerous (better options are either e6, d6, or g6) but then went ahead and took the poisoned pawn on c3, which after 9.Bc7! (an idea introduced last year by GM Chernyshov in a win over super-GM Alexander Grischuk) and Panchanathan soon found out how poisoned the b2 pawn was. Although Panchanathan made a valiant effort, his attempt to defend his position was in vain.

Bhat,V (2463) - Panchanthan,M (2530) [A45]
USCL San Francisco vs Dallas Internet Chess Club (1), 30.08.2006

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bf4 c5 4.f3 Qa5+ 5.c3 Nf6 6.d5 Qb6 7.e4

To show you how fast the Tromp develops this move and the ensuing double pawn sacrifice is not even mentioned in Peter Well's acclaimed book on this opening which was published in 2004.

7...Qxb2 8.Nd2 Qxc3 9.Bc7!

This key move, cutting off the Queen's retreat, has garnered some big scalps.

9... b6 10.Rc1 Qa5 11.Be5 Ba6 12.Bc3 Bxf1

Black decided to keep his Queen in the following battle, but White's compensation was never in doubt and he went on to win a beautiful game:

Pavlovic,Milos (2471) - Aleksandrov,Aleksej (2630)
Vrnjacka Banja 2005

12... Qa3 13.Nc4 Bxc4 14.Bxc4 d6 15.Bd2 Qb2 16.Ne2 Qe5 17.Bb5+ Kd8 18.0-0 g6 19.Bf4 Qh5 20.Ng3 Qh4 21.Qd2 h6 22.e5 Ne8 23.Ne4 f5 24.Bg3 Qh5 25.Nxc5 dxc5 26.Bc6 Nc7 27.Bxa8 Nxa8 28.e6 Nc7 29.Rxc5 bxc5 30.Qb2 Nba6 31.Qxh8 g5 32.Qxf8+ Qe8 33.Qxf5 1-0

13.Bxa5 Bxg2 14.Bc3 Bxh1 15.Qa4 g6 16.Nc4 Bh6 17.Rb1 0-0 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.Qxa8 Be3 20.Ke2 Bxg1 21.Bxf6 exf6 22.Rxg1 Nc6 23.Qxf8+ Kxf8 24.dxc6 Bxf3+ 25.Kxf3 dxc6 26.a4 Ke7 27.Rb1 b5 28.axb5 cxb5 29.Rxb5 Kd6 30.Rb7 1-0

Board Two

Kuljasevic hoped to invigorate Dallas with some new blood while Pruess, this year’s Samford Fellowship winner, hoped to continue on last year’s hot streak (David was one win away from winning the USCL MVP award). A typical Benoni, things got out of control quickly as Kuljasevic soon sacrificed an exchange for what appeared to be great long term, as well as short term, compensation. White continued to pile on the pressure, and considering the team situation, declined a perpetual check as Kiewra lost on board 4, meaning both Kuljasevic and I. Schneider had to come away with victories to clinch a tie, but once Igor lost, Davorin Kuljasevic was playing only for pride and the bolster the Destiny's tiebreak points. Kuljasevic ended up turning his pressure into two pawns for the exchange and simplified into a better endgame, which he was able to convert in the mutual time pressure with Pruess. A nice fighting game by both players and the lone bright spot of the evening for the Dallas Destiny. With such inspired play, Davorin may be the key to the Destiny turning things around.

Kuljasevic,D (2423) - Pruess,D (2459) [A73]
USCL San Francisco vs Dallas Internet Chess Club (1), 30.08.2006

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nf3 g6 7.Nd2 Bg7 8.e4 0-0 9.Be2 Na6 10.0-0 Nc7 11.a4 b6 12.f3 Nh5 13.f4 Bd4+ 14.Kh1 Qh4 15.Bxh5 Qxh5 16.Qxh5 gxh5 17.Ne2 Ba6 18.Nxd4 Bxf1

This win of the Exchange might look grubby, but it is typical of David's concrete style. Matters are far from clear.

19.Nf5 Ba6 20.Ra3 Ne8 21.Rg3+ Kh8 22.b3 Rd8 23.Bb2+ f6 24.Nc4 b5 25.axb5 Bxb5 26.Na5 Rb8?

This is an unfortunate square for the Rook. Better was 26...Bd7 when the forcing line 27.Nb7 fails to 27...Bxf5 28.Nxd8 Bxe4 29.Ne6 Rg8 30.Ng5 Bxd5

27.e5! fxe5 28.Nxd6! h6 29.Bxe5+ Kh7 30.h3 h4 31.Rc3 a6 32.Rxc5 Nxd6 33.Bxd6 Rfc8 34.Bc7 Bd7 35.d6 Rb5 36.Rxb5

Both players were down to a couple of minutes here. During the game David thought that 36.Rc3 was more dangerous. 36.Re5 was another choice.

36... Bxb5?

Black might possibly still be holding after this but 36...axb5 37.Nb7 Rg8 38.Nc5 Bc6 was simpler and should draw.

37.Nc4 Rf8 38.Kg1 Kg6 39.Ne5+ Kf5 40.Nf3 Ke6 41.f5+ Kf6 42.Nxh4 Re8 43.Bb6 Re1+ 44.Kh2 Rb1 45.Bd4+ Kf7 46.Nf3 Rxb3 47.Ne5+ Ke8 48.f6 Rd3 49.d7+ Bxd7 50.f7+ 1-0

Board Three

Recently minted IM Dmitry Zilberstein hoped to take it to IM Dmitri Schneider’s younger brother, FM Igor, a recent UTD recruit. Zilberstein wasted no time in doing so by playing the very sharp Marshall Gambit of the Queen’s Gambit declined. Following Big Brother’s analysis, Igor misplayed by playing 12…Qf4+, which led to an eventual loss of a tempo. He should have instead play 12…e5. In such a sharp line the loss of a tempo can often lead to devastating consequences as the game illustrated. Zilberstein eventually won his pawn back, and with the bishop pair and a huge lead in development, these advantages turned out to be too much for the young Igor to handle. This game clinched the match for San Francisco and was another dissapointing start to the USCL season by the Dallas Destiny

Zilberstein,D (2435) - Schneider,I (2387) [D31]
USCL San Francisco vs Dallas Internet Chess Club (1), 30.08.2006

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Qxd4 7.Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8.Be2 Na6 9.Ba5 f6 10.Qd8+ Kf7 11.0-0-0 b6 12.Bc3 Qf4+ 13.Kb1 e5 14.Bd3 Nc5 15.Ne2 Qg4 16.f3 Qe6 17.Bc2 Qe8 18.Qd2 Ne7 19.f4 e4 20.Ng3 Nf5 21.Qe2 Nh6 22.Qh5+ Kf8 23.Qxe8+ Kxe8 24.b4 Ne6 25.Bxe4 Nd8 26.Rhe1 Kf7 27.b5 Be6 28.bxc6 Rc8 29.f5 Bxc4 30.Rd7+ Kg8 31.Bd5+ Bxd5 32.Re8# 1-0

Board Four

The Dallas Destiny have higher rated players on board 4 this season than they did in 2005, and it was showing after the opening, as Keaton Kiewra launched a menacing attack on Pinto’s stranded king. After an aggressive sack on d5 early on, White’s attack was deemed unstoppable by the fans on ICC and it seemed that Dallas was penciling in the victory. The critical mistake by Kiewra was 23.g3?, allowing White’s advantage to slip away. Better was 23.Qf7! (winning instantly) ...Nd7 and then 24.Bf5! Qf4 25.Kd1 when White will soon escape Black’s checks and carry on his decisive attack with three pawns already in the bag. After this mistake Black made forced moves and White could not find a way to break down Black’s defenses and Pinto was able to consolidate his extra piece into a win A heartbreaking loss for Dallas as they had hoped to tie the score with this game, and leave it up to two complicated games on boards 2 + 3 to decide the outcome of the match.

Kiewra,K (2239) - Pinto,M (2217) [B96]
USCL San Francisco vs Dallas Internet Chess Club (1), 30.08.2006

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qc7 8.Qf3 b5 9.0-0-0 b4 10.Nd5 exd5 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.Bd3 Bg7 13.exd5 f5 14.Bxf5 Bb7 15.Rhe1+ Kf8 16.Qe4 Bxd4 17.Qxd4 Rg8 18.Bxh7 Rg7 19.Re8+ Kxe8 20.Qxg7 Qe7 21.Kd2 Kd8 22.Re1 Qh4 23.g3 Qxh2+ 24.Re2 Qh5 25.Qf6+ Kc7 26.Bf5 Nd7 27.Bxd7 Qxd5+ 28.Kc1 Kxd7 29.Qe7+ Kc6 30.Qf6 Rg8 31.b3 Rxg3 32.Kb2 Qd1 33.Re4 Rc3 34.Rc4+ Rxc4 35.bxc4 Kc5 36.Qxf7 Qd4+ 37.Kb1 Bc6 38.f5 Qxc4 39.Qa7+ Kb5 40.Qf2 Bd5 41.f6 Qxa2+ 42.Kc1 Qa1+ 43.Kd2 Qc3+ 44.Kc1 b3 0-1


2006 Standings

EASTERN DIVISION W
L
Points
Boston 1.0
0.0
3.0 (75%)
Baltimore    
1.0
0.0
2.5 (63%)
New York 1.0
0.0
2.5 (63%)
Philadelphia 0.0
1.0
1.5 (38%)
Carolina 0.0
1.0
1.5 (38%)

WESTERN DIVISION W
L
Points
Seattle 1.0
0.0
4.0 (100%)
San Francisco 1.0
0.0
3.0 (75%)
Dallas
0.0
1.0
1.0 (25%)
Miami 0.0
1.0
1.0 (25%)
Tennessee
0.0
1.0
0.0 (0%)

 

2) Aigner runs for Cal Chess Board

This weekend CalChess, the governing body for chess in Northern California, will hold the annual state championship ( see under upcoming events) and its membership meeting. If you an interest in the affairs of Cal Chess this is your opportunity to participate. One of the candidates for office, NM Michael Aigner, who recently tied for second in the US Open, has a thoughtful program that he is running on that bears reading. The decline in adult membership in Northern California has been acute and steps to remedy the situation are urgently needed.

Michael Aigner writes:

I am announcing my candidacy for a position on the CalChess Board of Directors. I have experience serving the local chess community in the the past, from 1999 to 2004, and would like to return to provide further input into the ever-changing face of local chess. Although I have not been a part of the Board in the last two years, I have volunteered many hours as the tournament clearinghouse (maintaining the calendars on the website) and have written numerous stories for the homepage. Quite simply, I care enough about local chess that I would like to make a difference.

My platform is simple: I would like to see CalChess move back towards serving *both* the adult and scholastic communities. In recent years, the organization has spent more than 90% of its efforts on scholastics. Not surprisingly, adult chess in the Bay Area has declined. This decline will, if not reversed, also hurt the scholastics when there aren't enough chess coaches and adult tournaments for top kids. The trickle down will, over time, hurt lower rated kids as well.

I also would like to see CalChess return to its old promises: a print magazine mailed four times a year and tournament discounts. Let's face it, the online CalChess Journal has proven to be a failure as no more than a few dozen local chess players even read it! And back when I joined CalChess in the 1990s, most major weekend tournaments offered discounts to players who were CalChess members--thereby making membership pay for itself for active players. We don't need to reinvent the wheel in order to make CalChess successful.

Please vote for me at the CalChess meeting on September 3 at the Labor Day tournament (Holiday Inn in San Francisco at Van Ness and Pine). All current CalChess members 14 years and older may vote. To sign up, make sure to pay the dues ($15 adult, $13 scholastic, $17 family) with your tournament entry or in person on September 2.

3) Americans Abroad

Congratulations to New York IM Yury Lapshun who tied for first in the Banyoles International Tournament in Spain with Viktor Kortchnoi ( 75-years young), Sergei Tiviakov, Tiger Hillarp Persson, Eduard Fomichenko and Jens Kristiansen at 7 from 9.

Memphis GM Sam Palatnik is currently playing in the rapid tournament held on a cruise ship traveling between his native Odessa and Istanbul.

4) Chess Fever

Noted organizer and director Frank Berry of Stillwater, Oklahoma, writes:

Dear John

Some of your readers may not have had the chance to view the classic Chess Fever, where you can you can see Capablanca, Torre, Marshall, Ilyin-Genevsky, Reti, Yates, Saemisch, Spielmann and Gruenfeld. Chess Fever was filmed during the Moscow 1925 tournament.

I just found out about the video is available for free viewing at google.com.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3727820471573567512&q=chess

5) Upcoming Events

Mechanics' Events

Howard Donnelly Memorial - September 23
J.J. Dolan Memorial - October 28
Carroll Capps Memorial - November 11 and 12
Saint-Amant Memorial - November 18
Guthrie McClain Memorial - December 2
Jim Hurt Amateur - December 16 and 17

Other California Events

Sept 2-4 CalChess Labor Day Championships GPP: 10 California, Northern

6SS, 30/90, SD/1 (2-day option rds 1-3 G/60); Golden Gateway Holiday Inn. Van Ness at Pine, San Fransisco. $$B 160 paid entries (not counting fee for unrated entries.) Six Sections: Master $700-$350-$200; U2400, $300; Expert $400-$200-$100. "A"$350-$175-$100. "B" $350-$175-$100. "C" $350-175-100. "D/E": $350-$175-$100; U1200 $225. Unr: Trophy First. Trophy to top finisher (State Champion) in each section. All, EF: postmarked by 8/28 $65 (Jrs. $55). $75 at site (Jrs $65). 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 (Jrs. $5). GM/IM free entry. Reg: Sat 9/2 8-9:30, Sun 9/3 8:15-9:15am. Rds: Choice of schedules- 3-day, 2-day merge at round 4, all compete for the same prizes. 3-day schedule Sat 10:00-4:00, 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). 2006 August 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) 964-2640. Ent: CalChess, P.O. Box 1432, Mountain View, CA 94042. No phone entries. Master Section FIDE Rated.

September 2-4
28th Annual Southern California Open
6-SS, 40/2, G/1. PECHANGA CASINO/HOTEL, 45000 Pechanga Parkway Temecula, CA 92592. Directions: Take Hwy 79 South from 1-15 for 2 miles, then turn right on Pechanga Parkway and head straight to the Hotel.
$25,000 PRIZE FUND 100% GUARANTEED In 5 sections: Open: 1st $3,000, 2nd $2,000, 3rd $1,000, 4th $600, 5th $500, 6th $300; U2400 $1,000, 2nd $500; U2300 $1,000, 2nd $500;
U2200: 1st $1,200, 2nd $800, 3rd $600, 4th $300.
U2000: 1st $1,200, 2nd $800, 3rd $600, 4th $300.
U1800: 1st $1,200, 2nd $800, 3rd $600, 4th $300.
U1600: 1st $1,200, 2nd $800, 3rd $600, 4th $300.
U1400: 1st $1,000, 2nd $750, 3rd $250; U1200 $400, 2nd $100; Best Unrated $300.
Plus Best Game $100, $50, $50, one reserved for non-Open Sections.
Entry Fee: $130 if recieved by 8/30/06, or only $75 if rating is under 1400 or unrated. All: add $25 for entries after 8/30/06, $50 more for players rated U2000 playing in Open, Unrateds must play in Open or U1400. Registration: 9:00 to 10:30 AM, Round 1 will start at 11AM sharp!
Rounds: 11 AM - 6 PM Sat, 11 - 6 Sunday, 10 - 5 Monday
SCCF Membership Required For All Players ($14 Adult/$9Junior).One half Pt bye OK in Rds 1 - 4, must be requested at least 1 hr before next round. HR: Call 888-732-4264, prices vary, average rate is $199 a day to stay in the luxurious AAA 4 Diamond Pechanga Resort. Consider sharing a room with a friend so you can be close to the action and enjoy all the fine amenities such as the health club, restaurants and fabulous spa. Or you can stay just 3 miles away in the historic old downtown of Temecula at the Ramada Inn 951-676-8770 ($129, if you book 3 nights) or the Roadway Inn 909-676-4833 ($109 a night for 3 nights). Please reserve your room ASAP, as they may sell out by mid August. Ent: SCCF, c/o John Hillery, 835 N. Wilton Place #1, Los Angeles, CA 90038, on line at http://www.westernchess.com/. Inf: Call (619) 239-7166 after 4 p.m., or see our web site at http://Groups.msn.com/sandiegochess.
NS. F. GP: 150. State Championship Qualifer.

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