1) Mechanics' Institute Chess News - Boris Spassky visits
2) US Chess league - MI beats New York
3) Alan Pollard 1947-2006
4) John Grefe is ill
5) Upcoming Events 

Don't forget the Western States Open is this weekend in Reno!

1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News

This past weekend the Mechanics' Institute was honored by a visit from Boris and Marina Spassky. The 10th World Champion, who became a household name in the United States following the Fischer-Spassky match in 1972, gave a series of lectures, talks and a simul. The program began on Saturday morning when Boris met and worked with many of the Bay Areas best juniors including WIM Batchimeg Tuvshintugs, NM Sam Shankland, plus Daniel Naroditsky and Nicholas Nip (respectively the top rated ten and eight-year-old players in the US). Later in the day he faced twenty-five players in a simul scoring 20 wins and five draws. Those splitting the point with Spassky were Alan and Daniel Naroditsky, Ewelina Krubnik, Stanley Eng and Bryan Reinhardt. Among those who lost were NM Albert Rich and Expert Alan Freberg and a slew of Class A players including Bruce "Mustard" Kopet. Part of the exhibition was televised on NBC ( KNTV) that evening on the local news. Heads up to Anthony Corrales for making the latter possible.

Sunday morning Boris gave an advanced lecture for members of the Mechanics' Institute US Chess League team and GM Patrick Wolff. The topic was Rook and Pawn versus Rook. The former World Champion gave a very informative and entertaining talk on the theme of Master and Dog - that to play Rook and Pawn endings correctly you must understand the relationship between the Master (King) and Dog (Rook). Later in the day, after brunch at the Sheraton Palace hotel, Boris gave a 2 hour talk and question and answer to an over flow crowd that warmly greeted one of the greatest ambassadors the game has ever known. The event brought out many well-known faces. Among those attending Spassky's talk were GM Tal Shaked, IM David Strauss, IM Anthony Saidy, SM Richard Lobo, NMs Robert Hammie and Alan Benson and Expert Robert Moore, the noted chess bibliophile.

Sunday night Boris suffered a mild stroke that caused him to have to cancel his talk at the MI on Tuesday and trip to Reno for the Western States Open the following day. Thankfully Boris is making a complete recovery with no diminishment of his physical or mental abilities. Marina and Boris would like to thank the many individuals who have helped and wished them well during their stay in San Francisco. The Spassky's hope to return to San Francisco.

The Mechanics Institute would like to thank Vega Capital Group and the following individuals whose financial contributions helped to make the Spassky's visit possible: Mingsen Chen, Neil Falconer, Andy Ansel, Joe Russell, Charles Maddigan, Jim Flack, Michael Hilliard, Jim Eade, Jerry Lerman and Agnis Kaugars. It is not too late to contribute to the Spassky fund which is still running a deficit. Donations, payable to the Mechanics Institute, are tax deductible and can be sent to 57 Post, Room #408, SF, CA 94104.

I would also like to thank Alan Benson, Patrick Wolff, Sam Shankland, Tony Lama, George Sanguinetti, Steve Brandwein, Anthony Corrales and Agnis Kaugars for their help over the weekend in getting the Chess Room ready for various Spassky activities and to Chris Mavraedis for kindly providing transportation for the Spasskys.

A fantastic collection of photos of Spassky's talk to the kids on Saturday and his simul can be found at http://www.chessdryad.com/ . The team of Richard Shorman, Kerry Lawless and Mark Shelton did a fantastic job.

San Francisco Expert Alan Freberg kindly shares his game with Boris from Saturday's simul.

Boris Spassky v. Alan Freberg
San Francisco Sept. 30, 2006
Mechanics’ Inst. Chess Club Simultaneous—25 boards
Caro-Kann Defence, Bronstein/Larsen variation

1. e4 Spassky had everyone play 1. e4

1...c6

I knew he liked to play the King’s Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. f4) and in fact I saw him play a few KGs before he got to my board. My simple response to the KG has always been the Falkbeer Counter Gambit (2...d5). I knew that would be no good against him, though it has served me well in 5 minute chess.

I played the Caro-Kann Defence (1...c6 and 2...d5) to avoid his KG. At his Q & A the next day he said he had never lost with the KG, spoke of having played many thousands of KGs and that he had played it at every opportunity in the simul.

2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4. Ne4 Nf6 5. Nf6 gf 6. c3 Bf5 7. Nf3 Qc7 8. Nh4 Bg6

Perhaps my first inaccuracy. Varnusz, in “Play the Caro-Kann,” cites the game Durasevic-Hort, Marianske-Lazne 1962 where 7. Nf3 Qc7 8. g3 e6 9. Bg2 Nd7 10. Bf4 e5 11. Be3 O-O-O 12. O-O Kb8 13. Nh4 Be6 14. Qc2 Nb6 was played “with slight advantage to White.” With Spassky’s move order the Bg6 may be misplaced, while playing Be6 blocks the thematic ...e5.

9. g3 Nd7 10.Bg2 O-O-O 11. O-O e6 12. Bf4 Bd6

12...e5 is probably better. 13. Be3 Kb8 would probably have resulted. However, I was nervous about him obtaining the two Bishops in an open position and chose the B exchange instead.

13. Bd6 Qd6 14. Qf3 f5

Again, 14...e5 looks better. I should have aimed for ...e4, ...f5 and Nf6. I thought activating my B was more important. The B did some good work keeping his Rooks off the d1 square in some later fantasy variations, but was otherwise useless at h5. Bad idea.

15. b4 Nf6 16. b5 Bh5 17. Qd3 c5

After this move I’m completely lost. Even though I save myself from his immediate mating attack with 22...a5 my position is a shambles while he has no weaknesses. Taking 17...cb 18. Qb5 leaves me having to play an eventual ...b6 which loses to his a-Pawn’s advance.

18. Qc4 b6 19. a4 Qc7 20. Bc6 Ne4

With 20. Bc6 he takes away my K’s escape square (I had visions of running it over to the safety of the K-side) and sets up the mate. With ...Ne4 I looked at 21.a5 Nd2 22.ab Qb6 23. dc Nc4 24. cb ab with material equality and hopes of running my K to safety.

21. Rfe1 Nd6 22. Qa2 a5 23. d5 f4 24. de fg 25. hg Ne8

Terrible move. 25...fe would have been better, but for some reason his 26. Qe6 looked worse than what actually happened.

26. e7 Rd6

I sacked the exchange as he had several options that included Nf5, Be8 and Ng7—meanwhile my Rook has no good squares. Hmmm—Just thinking--maybe I should have let him play 26.edQ like he did in his game against Bronstein in the 1960 USSR Championship, except that I had no follow up and Spassky did. The next day he spoke at length about that game, David Bronstein and the use of a position from that game in the opening scene of the James Bond movie “From Russia With Love” where Specter’s evil Kronstein played Spassky’s side of the game. Naturally, it was a Kings Gambit.

27. Qc4 Rc6 28. bc Qc6 29.Re5 Bg6 30. Rd1 Nc7 31. Nf5 1-0

Black resigns. Spassky’s comment was “Yes, it is time.” Truth to be told, I could just as easily have resigned at least six moves earlier, but a simul is, to some extent, a group effort. While I doubted that I would get lucky, I could occupy his efforts which might allow others to get lucky—and in the mean time, you never know. In fact, he offered two or three draws to some strong younger players during that time. He was a real gentleman.

Walnut Creek Class A player Clarence Lehman shares his loss to Boris

Spassky-Lehman
SF (Spassky simul ) 9/30/ 2006

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Bc4 Be6 7.Qe2 Be7 8.O-O Nc6 9.d4 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bxc4 11.Qxc4 Qd6 12.a4 O-O 13.Ba3 Qf6 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Rae1 Qd6 16.Ng5 Qg6 17.Ne4 Qf5 18.g3 Rae8 19.Rxf4 Qg6 20.Qd3 f5 21.Ref1 b6 22.g4 Rf7 23.Ng3 Ne7 24.gxf5 Qc6 25.c4 Qxa4 26.Ne4 h6 27.f6 Ng6 28.Rg4 Nf8 29.Rxg7+ Rxg7+ 30.fxg7 Nh7 31.Ng3 Kxg7 32.Nf5+ Kh8 33.Nxh6 Nf8 34.Nf7+ Kg7 35.Ne5 Rxe5 36.dxe5 Qe8 37.Qg3+ Ng6 38.Rf6 a5 39.h4 Kh7 40.Qg5 1-0

More simul games will follow in future Newsletters.

Expert Josh Gutman is guaranteed no worse than a tie for first in the Paul Vayssie Memorial Tuesday Night Marathon after defeating veteran Expert Victor Ossipov in round 7. Gutman, who has scored 3.5 from his last four games against opposition averaging over 2200, has 6.5 from 7, a point ahead of WIM Batchimeg Tuvshintugs and NM Russell Wong.

Ossipov,V - Gutman,J [D02]
Vayssie TNM 2006

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.c3 Qb6 6.Qb3 c4 7.Qxb6 axb6 8.Na3 Bf5 9.Nb5 Ra5 10.Nc7+ Kd7 11.Be2 e6 12.a4 Bc2 13.Bd1 Bxd1 14.Kxd1 Ne4 15.Ke2 g5 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Nxg5 Nxg5 18.Bxg5 Rg8 19.Bf4 Bd6 20.Kf3 Rga8 21.Rab1 e5 22.dxe5 Nxe5+ 23.Bxe5 Bxe5 24.Rhd1 Ke6 25.e4 Rf8+ 26.Ke3 Bf4+ 27.Ke2 dxe4 28.Rd4 Rc8 29.g3 Bd6 30.Rxe4+ Kd7 31.Rd1 Rh5 32.h4 Rh6 33.Kf1 Re6 34.Rg4 Rg6 35.Re4 Rc5 36.Rdd4 b5 37.axb5 Rxb5 38.Rd2 Rc5 39.Kg2 b5 40.f4 Kc6 41.Kf3 h5 42.Re8 Rf5 43.Rde2 Rd5 44.R8e6 Rd3+ 45.R6e3 Kd5 46.Re1 Bc5 47.Rxd3+ cxd3 48.Re5+ Kd6 49.b4 Ba7 50.Ke4 Rxg3 51.Rd5+ Kc6 52.Rxd3 Rxd3 53.Kxd3 Kd5 54.f5 Bf2 55.f6 Bxh4 56.f7 Be7 57.c4+ bxc4+ 58.Kc3 h4 59.b5 h3 60.b6 Kc6 0-1

2) US Chess league - MI beats New York

The San Francisco Mechanics' are the owners of the best record in the US Chess League after defeating the New York Knights 2.5-1.5 while previously undefeated Boston was defeated by an identical score by defending champion Baltimore. This leaves the MI atop the Western Division at 5.5 from 6 with Seattle in the West and Boston in the East both at 5-1. Mark Pinto, possibly the most successful player in the history of the USCL, with 4.5 from 5 the past two seasons, came through once again, defeating higher rated FM Boris Privman in the only decisive game in the match. Mark, like Vince, is a Mechanics' Institute Trustee, and our Trusty Trustees are 4-0 for us this season!

Things were tough on the top three boards. IMs Vinay Bhat and David Pruess finished at almost the same exact moment, ending in draws. It looked at that time the final score would be 2-2 as IM Josh Friedel was a pawn down in a lost Rook ending, but once again he saved the day. Every team successful team needs a "rock" on first board, and Josh is the Mechanics' "rock" holding the fort against strong GMs and enabling everyone else on the team to play on a lower board.

Next Wednesday at 6pm the Mechanics' will square off with Seattle in the first of two Friends and Rivals clashes over the next three weeks to determine the Best in the West. Seattle stumbled against New York two weeks ago but rebounded very successfully this week, defeating Miami by the impressive score of 3.5-.5.

3) Alan Pollard 1947-2006

I am sad to have to write that SM Alan Pollard recently passed away of natural causes at the age of 59 in Southern California. Pollard, was active at the Mechanics off and on over a long period, from perhaps the late 1960s (when he was stationed at the Presidio) up into the early 1980s. Among his victories was a tie for first in the 1982 Carroll Capps Memorial where he shared top honors with Jeremy Silman, Peter Biyiasas, and Vince McCambridge.

Alan, who received the FM title in 1984 and was rated 2426 at his passing, was a participant in the 1983 Northern California Championship ( Bagby Memorial). A picture of the participants in that event can be found on south wall of the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club.

Remembrances of Alan would be greatly appreciated and will be run in the next few Newsletters.

4) John Grefe is ill

International Master John Grefe is very ill and needs assistance. A native of New Jersey, who was born in Hoboken in 1947, John burst onto the world chess scene in 1973 when he tied for first place in the US Championship with GM Lubomir Kavalek and followed this up with two other excellent results in America's strongest event. He was 4th in the 1974 US Championship and equal third in the 1977 US Championship. IM Grefe has won numerous tournaments all over the United States and especially California and a list would fill pages. In the Bay Area he was the 1982 Northern California Champion and shared the title in 1983 with the late Charles Powell and Jeremy Silman.

IM Grefe has written many books the best known of which is probably the Best of Lone Pine: The Louis D. Statham Chess Tournaments 1971-1980, co-authored with Dennis Waterman. Grefe served as editor of Players Chess News in 1986 and has written many articles for different publications over the years including a great piece on the 1977 US Championship that was published in Chess Life. In this event, an applepicker -one of John's many professions over the years-might have won the event had he not started so slowly (minus two after 8 rounds), but his finish with 4 1/2 from 5 is still remembered as is his inventive middlegame play that helped him defeat many a Grandmaster.

If you would like to help John please get in touch with Judee Shipman who writes:.

Donations can be made out to me (Judee Shipman) and sent to:

Judee Shipman

2020 Santa Clara Ave.

(Apt #101)

Alameda, CA 94501

5) Upcoming Events

Mechanics' Events

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

Oct 6-9 24th Annual SANDS REGENCY RENO-WESTERN STATES OPEN GPP: 200 Enhanced Nevada

6SS, A US Championship Qualifying Event! Sepcial Guest: 10th World Chess Champion GM Boris Spassky!!! 3rd year in a row!! (This year’s tournament is dedicated to GM Igor Ivanov) 6SS, 40/2, 20/1, G/1/2. Sands Regency Hotel/Casino, 345 N Arlingotn Ave, Reno, NV 89501.1-800-648-3553 or (775) 348-2200. $$50,000 b/500, $$32,350 GTD. G-$5,000-2500-1200-1200-1000-900-800-700-600-500 in Open Section plus ½ of all other prizes. 6 sections: Open: EF: GMs and IMs free, Masters $139, (2000-2199) $201,(1999-below) $301. $$ Prizes 1-10 listed above, (2400-2499)$1000, (2300-2399) $1000-600-400, (2299-below) $1000-600-400. If a tie for 1st overall then 2 (G/10) playoff for $100 prize fund. (Note: GM/IM w/free entry not eligible for class prizes 2499 and below, may elect to pay entry fee and become eligible. EXPERT: (2000-2199) EF: $138. $$$2,000-1000-500-400-300-200-200-200-200-100-100 (under 2100) $700 “A” Sec. (1800-1999) EF: $137, $$1,900-1000-500-400-300-200-200-200-200-100-100-100. “B” Sec. (1600-1799) EF: $136, $$1,800-1000-500-400-300-200-200-200-200-100-100-100. “C” Sec. (1400-1599) EF: $134, $$1,700-1000-500-400-300-200-200-200-100-100-100-100. “D/Under” Sec.(1399/below -including unrateds) EF: $134 (unrated EF:10 + must join USCF or increase membership for 1 additional year($49 adults, $25 juniors). $$1,500-800-500-400-300-200-200- 200-100-100-100-100, (Under 1200) 700-400-300-500-100 (top unrated wins 1 yr USCF membership plus trophy). Senoirs (65/over) $$500-300-200 (Srs not eligible: provisionally rated, unrated & masters); Club Championship $$1000-500-300-200 decided by total score of 10 (and only 10) players from one club or area ( not eligible -masters and unrated). Trophies to Top 3 (A-D Sections). All: $11 more if mostmarked after 9/10 and $22 more if postmarked after 09/28 or email after 10/04. $20 off EF to Sr 65/over and Jrs 19/under. Players may play up. Unrated players not eligible for cash prizes except Open 1-10. CCA ratings may be used. Note pairings not changed for color alteration unless 3 in a row or a plus 3 and if the unlikely situation occurs 3 colors in a row may be assigned. Reg: (10/05) 5-9 pm, (10/06) 8:30-10 am. Rds: 12-7, 10-7, 9:30-6. Byes available any round (2 byes max) if requested before 1st round. Side Events: Thursday (10/05) 6-7:30 pm GM Larry Evans lecture (free, and dedicated to GM Igor Ivanov). 7:30 Simul ($20) GM Ludomir Kavalek 7:30 Blitz (5 min).

Nov. 25-26 California Classic Thanksgiving Chess Festival GPP: 10 California Northern

4SS, G/45. University of San Francisco-Cupertino, 20085 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, CA 95014. 3 Sections: Expert, Reserve, Booster. All entry must be received by 11/18/2006. All Prizes Guaranteed. Expert (1800+) Grand Prix section, Prizes: $$670; 1st $320-2nd 150-3rd 50. Top U2100, U2000, U1900-$50 each. Available 1-Day Option. 30/90 G/1, 30/90 G/30. Rds: Sat: 10am-3pm. Sun: 1:45pm-5:45pm. On-site Reg: 8:30am-9:30am. Reserve (1200-1800) Prizes: $720; 1st-$320-2nd-$150. Top U1700, U1600, U1500, U1400, U1300-$50 Available 1-Day Option. 30/90 G/1, 30/90 G/30, Rds: Sat: 10am-3pm; Sun: 1:45pm-5:45pm. On-site Reg: 8:30am-9:30am. Booster (U1200): Prizes: Trophies to Top 5 overall. Top U1000, U900, U800, U700- all receive trophies. Max: 1 Trophy/Player. G/45. Available 1-Day Option. Rds: Sun: 10:00am, 12:15am, 2:00pm, 3:45 pm. All Entries To: Jason Gurtovoy, 34249 Fremont Blvd. #158 Fremont, CA 94555 On-site Reg: 8:30am -9:30am. Standard USCF Tie-Breaks will be used for trophies. For More Information: Jason at sfchessclassic@yahoo.com http://www.geocities.com/sfchessclassic for info/advance entries. E-mail: sfchessclassic@yahoo.com. Web Site: http://www.geocities.com/sfchessclassic. Entry: Discounts on Entry Fee for entering Multiple Events in Festival. Please download flyer from www.geocities.com/sfchessclassic for more information. NS, NC, W.