♔ Wachusett Chess Club Games ♔

A Very Instructive Endgame

Watch (and hopefully learn) as two 1500+ players miss forced-win after forced-draw after forced-win after forced-draw...

-Dave Couture

[Event "2006 George Sturgis Memorial"]

[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]

[Date "2006.12.13"]

[Round "3"]

[White "Tom Fratturelli"]

[Black "Dave Couture"]

[Result "1/2-1/2"]

[ECO "B01"]

[WhiteElo "1547"]

[BlackElo "1584"]

[PlyCount "131"]

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nxd5 4. d4 Nc6?!

4...g6 is most common here.

5. Be2 Bf5 6. a3 e6 7. O-O Be7 8. c4 Nf6 9. Nc3 Qd7?

This just gets me into trouble later as Tom slowly strangles me.

10. Be3 O-O 11. b4 h6 12. b5 Nd8 13. Ne5! Qc8 14. Qd2 c6 15. a4 cxb5 16. axb5 b6 17. Bf3 Nb7 18. Nc6 Qc7 19. Ra4 Ng4 20. Bf4 Bd6 21. Bxd6 Qxd6 22. Bxg4 Bxg4 23. Rfa1 a5 24. bxa6 Qxc6 25. axb7 Qxb7 26. Nb5 Rxa4 27. Rxa4 Qe4

Not fearing the 28. f3 fork because of 28...Qb1+.

28. Ra1

NOW I need to worry about the f3 fork, but forget to.

28... Rd8

Of course as soon as I moved the rook, I remembered the fork!  Hmmm... I think this sort of thing explains my rating.

29. f3

My first instinct as soon as I had realized my blunder was that I was going to take with my bishop, but I prefer my next move.  Also, Tom was down to about a minute per move and I liked the complications that 29... Qc6 caused.

29... Qc6 30. fxg4 Qxc4 31. Rb1 e5 32. Rb4 Qe6 33. Qe2 Qe7 34. Rb1 e4 35. Re1 Qb4 36. h3 Rd5 37. Nc7 Rxd4 38. Rf1 Rd2 39. Qe3 Rd7 40. Qf4??

My clock has a feature whereby it beeps when a player has 10 seconds left.  Before Tom made his 40th move, it beeped!  I think he made this move with 8 seconds left!

40... Qc5+ 41. Kh1 Qxc7 42. Qxe4 Qd6?!

I completely overlooked Tom's reply.  Perhaps I should have played 42...Rd8.

43. Qe8+ Kh7 44. Rxf7 Rxf7 45. Qxf7

In "Basic Chess Endings" Reuben Fine writes, "Endings where both sides have queens and pawns are notoriously difficult.  One pawn ahead wins even less frequently than in rook endings, and with two pawns up the win is still not smooth sailing."

The more I looked at this position, the more complex it looked.  It certainly looked like it was going to be tough to advance the pawn and protect myself from a perpetual check at the same time.

45... Qe5 46. Qb3 b5 47. Qd3+ Kg8 48. Qb3+ Kf8 49. Qb4+ Ke8 50. Kg1 Qd5 51. Kf2 Qc4?

Check this out: Fritz gives this as a mistake, giving the line 51... Qf7+ 52. Kg3 and only THEN 52...Qc4.  You may ask, "What if white plays 52. Ke3?"  Then Fritz gives 52...Qe7+! 53. Qxe7+ Kxe7 with the distant opposition and a winning advantage!  Okay back to the game...

52. Qxc4 bxc4 53. Ke2??

This loses, but only if I play Kd7.  Tom should have played 53. Ke3 taking one less move to get to the pawn (pointed out by Parker Montgomery).

53... Ke7??

Here's the winning line given by Fritz: 53...Kd7 54. Ke3 Kc6 55. Kd4 Kb5 56. Kc3 g5! and black wins.

54. Kd2??

Once again giving me a chance to win.  We were both very generous to each other without realizing it at the time.  I thought I had it won from the time we had exchanged queens, by virtue of having the outside passed pawn.  My best calculations, which turned out to be VERY incomplete, showed me winning.

54... Ke6 55. Kc3

55... Ke5??

Giving the draw back to Tom!  As I said previously, my calculations were woefully incomplete.  I still thought I had a forced win here.  I now realize, as Parker pointed out, that 55...Kd5 wins.

56. Kxc4 Kf4 57. Kd5??

The drawing move is 57. g5.  Then if 57...h5, white plays 58. Kd5.  If instead black plays 57...Kxg5, then white plays 58. g3!

57... Kg3??

And the winning move would have been none other than 57...g5!  So then 58. Ke6 Kg3 59. Kf5 Kxg2 and wins.

58. Ke5??

g5 still draws...

58... Kxg2??

...and yes g5 still wins...

59. Kf5??

...and (yawn) g5 still draws.

59... Kxh3 60. g5 h5 61. Kg6 h4??

At this point I was only playing on in the slim hope that Tom would move his king onto the h-file after capturing my pawn.  I was just playing mechanically.  This is one of those points where it would be nice if someone would tap me on the shoulder, clear their throat and say, "Take a REALLY good look at the position."  Hopefully everyone reading this is taking notes ;-)

As Parker pointed out AFTER the game (please read the previous sentences Parker - yuk, yuk), even at this late stage I STILL had a win - 61...Kg4 and it's all over - a full point for a hard night's work, but as I said I didn't even pause for a second to look at it.

62. Kxg7 Kg2 63. g6 h3 64. Kf8

Ah well...

64... h2 65. g7 h1=Q 66. g8=Q+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "LeBlanc Memorial"]

[Date "2006.11.15"]

[Round "5"]

[White "Ken Gurge"]

[Black "Parker Montgomery"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "C96"]

[WhiteElo "1668"]

[BlackElo "1970"]

[PlyCount "116"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d3 Qc7 12.

Nbd2 Re8 13. Nf1 h6 {last book move} 14. Ne3 Bb7 15. Nf5 Bf8 16. Nh2 Kh7 ({0.76 Fritz 9:} 16...d5 17. Ng4 Nxg4 18. Qxg4 Kh8 19. Ne3 d4 {[eval 42,13]})

17. Ng4 Ng8 18. Qf3 ({0.20 Fritz 9:} 18. Nfe3 g6 19. b4 cxb4 20. cxb4 Nc6 21. Nd5 {[eval 86,14]})

18... g6 19. Nfxh6 ({-0.69 Fritz 9:} 19. Nh4 f5 20. Ne3 Qg7 21. Qe2 Qf6 {[eval 21,14]})

19... Bxh6 20. Bxh6 Nxh6 21. Nf6+ Kg7 22. Nxe8+ Rxe8 23. Qg3

Qe7 24. h4 ({-0.95 Fritz 9:} 24. a3 Nc6 25. b4 Qc7 26. bxc5 dxc5 27. Qe3 {[eval -40,14]})

24... Qf6 25. Re3 Bc8 26. Rf3 Qe6 27. h5 Qg4 28. hxg6 fxg6 29. Bb3 ({-1.59 Fritz 9:} 29. Qxg4 {[eval -89,14]})

29... Qxg3 30. Rxg3 Rf8 ({-0.60 Fritz 9:} 30... Nxb3 31. axb3 Nf7 32. Rc1 Nd8 33. d4 exd4 34. cxd4 Ne6 35. d5 {[eval -130,15]})

31. Bd5 Ng4 ({1.25 Fritz 9:} 31... Bb7 32. Bxb7 Nxb7 33. Rd1 Ng8 34. d4 Nf6 {[eval -52,14]})

32. Rf1 ({-1.04 Fritz 9:} 32. b4 cxb4 33. cxb4 Nf6 34. bxa5 Nxd5 35. exd5 Bb7 36. Rg4 Bxd5 {[eval 125,15]})

32...Nf6 33. Bb3 ({-1.54 Fritz 9:} 33. b4 Nb7 34. Re3 g5 35. Rfe1 Kg6 {[eval -108,14]})

33... Nh5 34. Re3 Nf4 35. Bc2 Nc6 36. f3 g5 ({-1.12 Fritz 9:

} 36... d5 37. exd5 Nxd5 38. Ree1 Bf5 39. g3 b4 40. Ba4 Nde7 {[eval -164,15]})

37. g4 ({-2.69 Fritz 9:} 37. g3 Nh5 38. Kf2 Be6 39. a3 Nf6 40. Ree1 {[eval -112,15]})

37... Rh8 38. a4 b4 39. Bb3 Nh3+ 40. Kg2 Nf4+ ({0.00 Fritz 9:} 40... Na5 {[eval -269,14]})

41. Kg1 Kf6 42. Bd5 Ne7 43. Bc4 Nc6 ({0.00 Fritz 9:} 43... Rh3 {[eval -300,14]})

44. Bd5 Nxd5 45. exd5 Ne7 46. c4 Ng6 47. Rf2 ({-3.58 Fritz 9:} 47. Re2 Bd7 48. b3 {[eval -223,18]})

47... Bd7 48. b3 Nf4 49. Rh2 Rxh2 50. Kxh2 Be8 51. Re1 Bg6 52. Rd1 ({-6.96 Fritz 9:} 52. Kg1 Bxd3 53. Re3 Bc2 54. Kf1 Nd3 55. Ke2 Nc1+ 56. Kd2 Bxb3 57. Kxc1 Bxc4 58. a5 Bxd5 {[eval -455,20]})

52... Bxd3 53. Rd2 e4 54. fxe4 Ke5 55. Kg3 Ne2+ 56. Kf2

({-8.16 Fritz 9:} 56. Kf3 Nd4+ 57. Ke3 Bc2 58. Rf2 Bxb3 59. Rf7 Bxa4 60. Re7+ Kf6 61. Ra7 a5 62. Ra8 b3 63. Rb8 Bd7 64. Kd3 {[eval -546,20]})

56... Kxe4 57. a5 ({-12.57 Fritz 9:} 57. Rd1 Kd4 58. Rh1 {[eval -760,20]})

57... Nd4 58. Rb2 Bc2 0-1

Before this game I told Ernest that I needed to be careful against him because he had beaten me once before.  Obviously I wasn't careful enough!  I'm now 1-2 against Ernest in spite of the rating difference.

-Dave Couture

[Event "J. Camille LeBlanc Memorial"]

[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]

[Date "2006.11.08"]

[Round "4"]

[White "Ernest Fandreyer"]

[Black "Dave Couture"]

[Result "1-0"]

[ECO "B01"]

[WhiteElo "1170"]

[BlackElo "1654"]

[PlyCount "137"]

1. e4 d5 2. c3?!

I've never seen this before and in an effort to keep the game from getting too interesting tactically I play the conservative Caro-Kann-like...

2... c6?!

Fritz has no qualms with capturing the pawn, giving the following line: 2...dxe4 3. Qa4+ Nc6 4. Qxe4 Nf6 5. Qe3 Nd5 =/+.

 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Na3 a6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. h3 Bh5 8. g4 Bg6 9. Ne5 e6 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. f3?!

Unnecessarily weakens the kingside.

11... Qc7 12. Be3 Bxa3 13. bxa3?!

Qa4+ is a better way to recapture the bishop.

13... Qxc3+ 14. Bd2?!

It would have been better to play Kf2 and drop the a-pawn instead of the d-pawn.

14... Qxd4 15. Rb1 Qe5+ 16. Qe2 Qxe2+?!

For some reason, Fritz thinks Qc7 is significantly better.  Who am I to question Fritz (especially after THIS game)?

17. Bxe2 b5 18. O-O?!

Drops another pawn.  Gee, I'm up 3 pawns and about 500 rating points.  I guess I can sit back and relax - famous last words!

18... Rxh3 19. Kg2 Rh8 20. Rh1 Rxh1 21. Rxh1 Nbd7 22. Rh8+ Nf8 23. Bb4 N6d7 24. Rg8 a5?

Here I miss a tactic.  My intent was to drive the bishop off the diagonal where it was guarding the knight.  First I'd force it to d6, then I'd play Ra6 to get it off the diagonal.

25. Bd6

Now that he actually PLAYED Bd6 I saw that 25...Ra6 would lose to 26. Bxf8 Nxf8 27. Bxb5+!  I think it was right about here where Angel Soto came by and said "You're in trouble man!"

25... Rc8?!

Now in my "flustration" (if I may coin a word) I follow a weak move with yet another weak move.  25... f5 would have been better first or I could even have CASTLED which I had completely forgotten about!

26. Bxb5

Once I realized that both knights were pinned, I had about 10 seconds where my stomach dropped out thinking that it was going to be a forced mate-in-1 with Rxf8#!

26... Rc2+ 27. Kg3 Kd8 28. Bxf8 Nxf8 29. Rxf8+ Ke7 30. Ra8 Rc5 31. Rxa5 Kf6 32. a4 d4 33. Kf4 Rd5?

Fritz gives the much more aggressive 33...e5+ 34. Ke4 Kg5, but George Mirijanian pointed out that I probably needed to play g5+ here before Ernest did so that I could keep my king safe from checks that could allow him to queen his a-pawn.

34. Ra6?

After I moved I was worried that he was going to play Ra7 which Fritz actually likes.  Fritz gives the following line: 34. Ra7 e5+ 35. Ke4 Rc5 36. f4 exf4 37. Kxd4.

34... d3 35. Bc4?

Ernest misses the chance to push my king back with 35. g5+ Ke7 36. Ra7+ Kd8 37. Ke4 d2 38. Be2 d1Q 39. Bxd1 Rxd1 40. Rxf7 and white is in good shape.

35... d2 36. Bb3 d1=Q 37. Bxd1 Rxd1 38. g5+ Ke7 39. Ra7+ Ke8 40. a5 Ra1

I've been aware for some time that all I should have to do is keep my rook behind his a-pawn and he won't be able to queen it.  Watch how quickly I forget!

41. a6 Rxa2 42. Ke5 Rd2??

I'm amazed at the number of mental lapses I made tonight.  I was thinking that I wanted to keep his king from coming over to assist the a-pawn and completely forgot about keeping my rook behind the a-pawn.  Ernest didn't forget!

43. Rb7! Rd5+ 44. Ke4 f5+ 45. gxf6 gxf6 46. a7 f5+ 47. Kf4 Ra5 48. Rb8+ Kf7 49. a8=Q Rxa8 50. Rxa8 Kf6 51. Ra6 g5+ 52. Ke3 Ke5 53. Ra5+ Kf6 54. Kd4 g4 55. fxg4 fxg4 56. Ke4 g3 57. Kf3 g2 58. Kxg2 e5 59. Kf3 Kf5 60. Ke3 Ke6 61. Ke4 Kd6 62. Rxe5 Kc6 63. Kd4 Kd6 64. Rd5+ Ke6 65. Kc5 Kf6 66. Kd6 Kf7 67. Rf5+ Ke8 68. Rf6 Kd8 69. Rf8# 1-0

Congratulations Ernest!

[Event "LeBlanc Memorial"]

[Site "Leominster"]

[Date "2006.11.08"]

[Round "4"]

[White "Larry Gladding"]

[Black "Ken Gurge"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "B02"]

[WhiteElo "1865"]

[BlackElo "1668"]

[PlyCount "126"]

1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. g3 d6 4. exd6 exd6 5. Bg2 {last book move} c6 6. d4 Nb6 7. Ne2 Bf5 ({0.09 Fritz 9:} 7... d5 8. a4 Be7 9. Nd2 Bf5 10. Nf1 O-O 11. Ne3 {[eval -28,15]})

8. O-O Be7 9. Nd2 d5 10. Nf3 N8d7 11. Re1 O-O 12. Nf4 Re8 13. Nd3 Bf6 14. Nde5 Be4 15. Nxd7 ({-0.95 Fritz 9:} 15. Bf4 Nf8 16. Bh3 Ne6 17. Nd2 Bxe5 {[eval -32,13]})

15... Nxd7 ({-0.49 Fritz 9:} 15... Qxd7 16. c3 Qf5 17. b3 a5 18. Bf4 Nd7 19. h3 {[eval -95,15]})

16. Bf4({-1.11 Fritz 9:} 16. c3 Qb6 17. Re2 Nf8 18. Be3 {[eval -49,13]})

16... Qb6 17. Ne5 ({-1.73 Fritz 9:} 17. c3 Qxb2 18. Qb3 Qxb3 19. axb3 h6 20. Bd6 {[eval -107,13]})

17... Bxe5 ({-0.91 Fritz 9:} 17... Nxe5 18. dxe5 Bxe5 19. Bxe4 Bxf4 20. Bxh7+ Kxh7 21. gxf4 Rxe1+ {[eval -173,14]})

18. dxe5 Bxg2 19. Kxg2 Re6 20. c4 Rd8 ({-0.11 Fritz 9:} 20... dxc4 21. Qxd7 Rd8 22. Be3 Rxd7 23. Bxb6 {[eval -76,14]})

21. cxd5 cxd5 22. Bg5 Rde8 23. Qxd5 Nxe5 24. Rad1 Qc6 ({0.30 Fritz 9:} 24...Qxb2 25. Rb1 Qc3 26. Rec1 Qa3 27. Rxb7 {[eval -29,14]})

25. b4 ({-1.65 Fritz 9:} 25. Qxc6 Nxc6 26. Rxe6 Rxe6 27. Be3 a5 28. h4 b5 29. g4 a4 30. h5 {[eval 30,15]})

25... Qxd5+ ({0.06 Fritz 9:} 25... Nd3 26. Rxd3 Qxd5+ 27. Rxd5 Rxe1 28. Rd7 a6 29. Rxb7 h6 30. Be3 {[eval -165,16]})

26. Rxd5 f6 27. Be3 Ng4 28. Rd7 Nxe3+ 29. Rxe3 Rxe3 30. fxe3 Rxe3 31. Kf2 ({-0.79 Fritz 9:} 31. a4 Re2+ 32. Kg1 Ra2 33. a5 b6 34. Rxa7 bxa5 35. Rxa5 Rb2 {[eval -11,15]})

31... Ra3 32. Rd2 ({-1.43 Fritz 9:} 32. Rxb7 Rxa2+ 33. Kg1 a6 34. h3 Rb2 35. Ra7 Rxb4 36. Rxa6 Kf7 37. Kf2 {[eval -79,16]})

32... b5 33. Ke2 Rc3 ({-0.46 Fritz 9:} 33... Kf7 34. Rb2 f5 35. Kf2 g6 36. h3 g5 37. Rc2 {[eval -148,14]})

34. Rd8+ Kf7 35. Rd7+ Kg6 36. Rxa7 Rc2+ 37. Kf3 ({-0.81 Fritz 9:} 37. Kd3 [eval -27,18]})

37... Rxh2 38. Ra5 h5 39. a3 Ra2 40. Ke3 f5 ({-0.16 Fritz 9:} 40... Kh6 {[eval -118,16]})

41. Kf4 Rf2+ 42. Ke3 Ra2 43. Kf4 Rf2+ 44. Ke3 Ra2 45. Ra6+ ({-1.64 Fritz 9:} 45. Kf4 {[eval 0,20]})

45... Kg5 46. Kf3 h4 ({-0.11 Fritz 9:} 46... Rb2 47. Ra7 g6 48. Ra6 Rb1 49. Kg2 Rd1 50. Kf3 Rd3+ 51. Kf2 {[eval -152,18]})

47. gxh4+ Kxh4 48. Kf4 ({-1.15 Fritz 9:} 48. Rg6 Rxa3+ 49. Kf4 Ra7 50. Kxf5 Rf7+ 51. Ke6 Rb7 52. Kf5 Rd7 53. Ke6 {[eval -11,19]})

48... Rf2+ 49. Ke3 Ra2 ({0.00 Fritz 9:} 49... Rg2 50. Kf4 g5+ 51. Kxf5 Rf2+ 52. Ke4 g4 53. Rh6+ Kg5 54. Rh7 g3 55. Rg7+ Kh4 56. Rh7+ Kg4 {[eval -82,18]})

50. Kf3 ({-1.84 Fritz 9:} 50. Kf4 {[eval 0,21]})

50...Kg5 51. Ra5 g6 52. Kg3 Kh5 ({-0.79 Fritz 9:} 52... Kf6 {[eval -203,19]})

53. Ra8 ({-2.20 Fritz 9:} 53. Kf4 Kh6 54. Rxb5 Rxa3 55. Rc5 Rh3 56. b5 Rb3 57. Ke5 Kg5 58. Kd6 Kg4 {[eval -79,18]})

53... Kg5 ({0.00 Fritz 9:} 53... g5 54. Rh8+ Kg6 55. Rg8+ Kf6 56. Ra8 Ke5 57. Re8+ {[eval -220,18]})

54. Ra5 Ra1 ({-1.17 Fritz 9:} 54... Kf6 {[eval -175,18]})

55. Ra6 ({-3.99 Fritz 9:} 55. Kf3 Rb1 56. Rxb5 Rb3+ 57. Ke2 Rxa3 58. Kd2 Kg4 59. Ra5 Rh3 60. b5 f4 61. Ra6 g5 {[eval -117,18]})

55... f4+ 56. Kf2 ({-5.38 Fritz 9:} 56. Kf3 Re1 57. Kf2 Re3 58. a4 bxa4 59. Rxa4 {[eval -399,19]})

56... Kh5 57. Ra5 ({-5.38 Fritz 9:} 57. Kf3 g5 58. Ra8 Rf1+ 59. Ke2 Rb1 60. Kf3 Rb3+ 61. Ke4 Kg4 62. Kd5 f3 63. Rf8 Rc3 64. a4 {[eval -386,18]})

57... Kg4 58. Rxb5 Rxa3 59. Rc5 Ra2+ 60. Kf1 Rb2 61. b5 g5 62. Rd5 f3 63. Rd4+ ({-#49 Fritz 9:} 63. Ke1 Kf4 64. Rd8 Rxb5 65. Rf8+ Rf5 66. Rd8 g4 67. Rh8 Re5+ 68. Kf1 Kg3 {[eval -746,17]})

63... Kg3 0-1

Notes by Larry Gladding.

J. Camille LeBlanc Memorial

Round 2

Sicilian Defense

Najdorf Variation

White: Mirijanian (1935)   O

Black: Gladding (1865)     1

1. e4 c5  2. Nf3  d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4  Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qc7 (In past games with George I always played 7.....Be7. However, after 8. Qf3 Qc7  9. O-O-O Nbd7 10. g4 , no matter how much theory I studied from this point on George always managed to get a decisive advantage)

 8. Bxf6  gxf6 9. Qh5 (Now I'm out of book. I saw this move as a side note but couldn't remember the continuation. Two references give 9...Qc5 is safe for Black and 9...Qc5 10. Qxc5 dxc5 and Black has the better ending. I had considered Qc5, but rejected it.)

9....b5 10. O-O-O Nc6 11. Nxc6 Qxc6  12. Nxb5?! (12. f5 Qc5 13. Bd3 b4 14. Ne2 Ke7 15. Rhe1 +/- 1.34/10 Fritz 7)

12...Be7 13. Nc3 Rb8 14. Qa5 (14. f5 Qc5 15. Nb1 Ba4  16. Bd3 Ke7 17. Rhe1+/- 1.28/10 Fritz 7)

14....Qb7 15. b3 Bb5 16. Bd3 Be7 17. a4 (17. Rhg1 Fritz 7)

17...Bxd3 18. Bxd3 d5 (18...f5 19. Ne2 fxe4 20. Rg3 Qb6 21. Qh5 Bf6 0.67/11 Fritz 7)

19. Na2 (Black was threatening Bb4 trapping the Queen)

19....dxe4 20. Re3 Bd6 (Fritz recommends 20...f5. Other playable moves are: Rg8, Qd5, Rc8 or Ba3+)

21. g3 Ke7 22. Qh5 Rac8 (22. ...Ba3+  23. Kb1 Rhd8 24. Rhe1 Rd2 25. f5 Qc7 - + -2.41/19 Fritz 7)

23. Rhe1 Rhc8 24. Kb1 Qc6 25. R1e2? (After the game we thought R3e2 was the move but Fritz recommends 25. Rc3 Qd5 26. Qe2 Ba3 27. Rxc8 Rxc8 28. Qxa6)

25....Ba3 26. Nc3 Bb4 27. Nxe4??  (27. Na2 Bd2  28. Rxd2 Rxd2 29. Rc3 Qd7 30. Qa5 -+ -3.80/11 Fritz 7)

27....Rd1+! 28. Kb2 Qxe4 29. Qf3 (Not 29. Rxe4 Ba3+ 30. Ka2 or Ka3 30....Ra1 Mate)

29... Qd4+ 30. c3 Rd2+ 31. Rxd2 Qxd2+ 32. Kb1 Ba3? (32...Rxc3 33. Qb7+ Kd8 34. Rxc3 Bxc3 35. Qb6+ Ke8 -+ 18.05/13 Fritz 7)

33. Qb7+ Qd7 34. Qxd7 Kxd7 35. Kc2 Bc5 36. Rd3+  Ke7 37. h3 Rd8 38. Rf3 Rd5 39. b4 Ba7 40. c4 Rd4  41. Kc3 e5 42. c5 Ke6 43. f5+  Kd5 44. a5 Bb8 45. g4 e4 46. Re3 Be5 and White resigned. (0-1)

[Event "LeBlanc Memorial"]

[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]

[Date "2006.11.01"]

[Round "3"]

[White "Ken Gurge"]

[Black "Martin Laine"]

[Result "1-0"]

[ECO "B07"]

[WhiteElo "1668"]

[BlackElo "1768"]

[PlyCount "107"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Bd3 e5 4. d5 c6 {last book move}

5. Nc3 cxd5 ({0.70 Fritz 9:} 5... Nbd7 6. Nge2 Nc5 7. O-O Be7 {[eval 22,14]})

6. exd5 Bg4 7. Nge2 Qa5 8. f3 Bh5 ({1.10 Fritz 9:} 8... Bd7 9. O-O Na6 10. Be3 Be7 11. Ng3 Nc7 12. Be4 {[eval 68,15]})

9. Ng3 Bg6 10. Bxg6 ({0.38 Fritz 9:} 10. O-O Be7 11. f4 exf4 {[eval 114,12]})

10... hxg6 11. Bd2 ({-0.94 Fritz 9:} 11. Be3 Nbd7 12. Qd3 Rc8 13. O-O-O Nb6 {[eval 45,14]})

11... Nxd5 12. Nce4 Qb6 13. c4 Ne3 14. Bxe3 Qxe3+ 15. Qe2 Qxe2+ 16. Nxe2 Nc6 17. O-O-O O-O-O 18. N4c3 Be7 19. Nd5 Bg5+ 20. Kc2 Rh4 21. b3 f5 22. h3 Re8 23. g3 Nd4+ ({0.50 Fritz 9:} 23... Rh6 24. h4 Bd8 25. b4 Reh8 26. Rhe1 {[eval -61,14]})

24. Nxd4 Rxd4 25. Rxd4 exd4 26. Kd3 ({0.11 Fritz 9:} 26. f4 Bd8 27. Kd3 Kd7 28. a4 a5 29. Kxd4 Re2 30. g4 Bh4 31. gxf5 gxf5 {[eval 50,15]})

26... Kd7 ({0.50 Fritz 9:} 26... Be3 27. h4 Kd7 {[eval 11,14]})

27. f4 Bd8 28. h4 Re4 ({1.00 Fritz 9:} 28... b5 29. h5 bxc4+ 30. bxc4 Rh8 31. Rb1 Bb6 32. Nxb6+ axb6 {[eval 27,15]})

29. h5 gxh5 30. Rxh5 Ke6 ({2.03 Fritz 9:} 30... g5 31. Rh7+ Kc8 32. Rh8 Kd7 33. Rf8 {[eval 104,14]})

31. Rh8 Bf6 32. Re8+ Kf7 33. Rxe4 fxe4+ 34. Kxe4 Bd8 35. Kxd4 Ke6 36. Ke4 g6 37. g4 Bh4 38. Nc7+ Kd7 39. Nb5 a6 40. Nd4 Bg3 41. f5 gxf5+ 42. Kxf5 Be5 43. Nf3 Bh8 44. g5 Ke7 45. g6 Bc3 46. Ng5 Be5 47. Ne6 Bc3 48. g7 Kf7 49. Nd8+ Kxg7 50. Nxb7 Bb4 ({6.29 Fritz 9:} 50... Kf7 51. Nxd6+ Ke7 {[eval 280,20]})

51. Ke6 Kf8 52. Nxd6 Bc5 53. Kd7 Bb4 ({13.48 Fritz 9:} 53... Kg7 54. Ne4 Ba7 55. b4 Kg6 56. c5 Bb8 57. c6 Kf5 58. Nc5 Bg3 59. Nxa6 Ke4 {[eval 752,18]})

54. Nb7 1-0

Eduardo Valadares submitted this game from the 1st Annual Western Mass. Chess Association Memorial tournament held in Palmer.

[Event "1ST Annual WMCA Memorial"]
[Site "Palmer, MA"]
[Date "2006.09.13"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Douglas E Fiske"]
[Black "Eduardo Valadares"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C19"]
[WhiteElo "1972"]
[BlackElo "1405"]
[PlyCount "91"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. a4 Nbc6 8. Nf3 cxd4 9. cxd4 O-O 10. Bd3 h6 11. h4 Nb4 12. Be2 Qc7 13. Rb1 a5 14. c3 Na6 15. Bd2 Bd7 16. h5 f5 17. Rg1 Be8 18. Nh4 b6 19. g4 fxg4 20. Bxg4 Nf5 21. Nxf5 exf5 22. Bf3 Kh8 23. Bxd5 Rd8 24. Bf3 Nb8 25. Qb3 Nd7 26. e6 Nf6 27. Qxb6 Qe7 28. Bf4 Nd5 29. Bxd5 Rxd5 30. Be5 Rxe5+ 31. dxe5 Bxh5 32. Qd6 Re8 33. Qxe7 Rxe7 34. Rb6 Bf3 35. c4 g5 36. Rd6 g4 37. Kd2 h5 38. Rb1 Re8 39. c5 Be4 40. Rbb6 h4 41. c6 h3 42. c7 h2 43. Rb8 h1=Q 44. Rxe8+ Kg7 45. Rd7+ Kg6 46. Rg8+ 1-0

Eduardo Valadares submitted his first round victory from the 66th New England Open in Leominster.

[Event "New England Open"]

[Site "home"]

[Date "2006.09.04"]

[Round "1"]

[White "Srinivasalu Ambati"]

[Black "Eduardo Valadares"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "C02"]

[WhiteElo "1343/4"]

[BlackElo "1489"]

[PlyCount "95"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Be3 Qb6

6. b3 Bd7 7. Nf3 cxd4 8. cxd4 g6 9. Nbd2 Nh6 10. Bd3 Nb4

11. Qe2 Nxd3+ 12. Qxd3 Bb5 13. Qc3 Bg7 14. Qb4 a5

15. Qd6 Qxd6 16. exd6 O-O 17. Rc1 Nf5 18. Rc5 Bc6

19. Ne5 Rfc8 20. d7 Bxd7 21. Nxd7 Rxc5 22. dxc5 Rd8

23. Nb6 d4 24. Bg5 f6 25. Bf4 e5 26. Bg3 Bf8 27. Ne4 Kf7

28. Kd2 Nxg3 29. hxg3 h5 30. f4 Kg7 31. Kd3 Be7

32. Rc1 f5 33. Nd2 e4+ 34. Kc4 d3 35. Nf1 Bf6 36. Nd5 g5

37. Nxf6 Kxf6 38. Kb5 h4 39. c6 Rd5+ 40. Kb6 bxc6

41. Kxc6 Ke6 42. fxg5 hxg3 43. Nxg3 e3 44. g6 f4

45. Ne4 Rd8 46. g7 Kf7 47. Kc5 Rc8+ 48. Kb5 0-1

[Event "Lawrence Memorial"]
[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]
[Date "2006.08.30"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Ken Gurge"]
[Black "George Mirijanian"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C26"]
[WhiteElo "1602"]
[BlackElo "1941"]
[PlyCount "41"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 d6 5. f4 Ng4?

Here is a note from George Mirijanian from the game Laine-Mirijanian, May 17, 2006.

[This is a mistake. Black was better off playing 5...Nc6 or 5...Bg4. Even 5...Be6!? was a viable continuation. But the text move gets Black into big trouble.]

6. f5 Qh4+ 7. g3 Bf2+ 8. Kf1 Bxg3 9. hxg3 Qxh1 10. Qxg4 g6 11. Qg5 Nd7 12. Nd5 f6 13. Nxf6+ Nxf6 14. Qxf6 Rf8 15. Bb5+ c6 16. Bxc6+??

In this tactical minefield 16. Qxd6 was needed to maintain the advantage.

16... bxc6 17. Qxd6 Bd7??

17... Bxf5! gives black equality.  For example: 18. Qxe5+ Be6+

 18. Qxe5+ Kf7 19. Qd6 Ke8 20. Bg5 Rf7 21. Qe5+ 1-0

Notes by Dave Couture.

[Event "Lawrence Memorial"]
[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]
[Date "2006.08.16"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Ken Gurge"]
[Black "Tom Fratturelli"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B77"]
[WhiteElo "1602"]
[BlackElo "1593"]
[PlyCount "35"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Bc4 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Qd2 a6 10. O-O-O Bd7 11. Bh6?!

This move has only been seen once before in the game "Roberto Costantini - Gy Pinter, Szeged 1994".  In that game black won a pawn with 11... Nxd4 12. Bxd7 Nxf3 13. gxf3 Kxg7.

11... Bxh6?! 12. Qxh6 Nxd4 13. Rxd4 b5 14. Bb3 Qa5 15. Nd5

15... Qd8??

This was the deciding move.  15...Nxd5 was needed.

16. Nxf6+ exf6 17. e5! fxe5 18. Rh4 1-0

Ken Gurge contributed this game - a draw in a winning position!  Would YOU have seen it?! (Additional Fritz analysis added by Dave Couture).

[Event "Demulling Memorial"]
[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]
[Date "2006.07.12"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Bruce Felton"]
[Black "Ken Gurge"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D04"]
[WhiteElo "1867"]
[BlackElo "1627"]
[PlyCount "73"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 c5 4. c4 Bg4

The most popular moves here are 4... e6, dxc4, or cxd4.

5. Nc3 e6?!

Fritz prefers 5...cxd4 here giving the following line 6. exd4 Nc6 7. Be3 e6 8. c5 Ne4 9. Bd3 with equality.

6. Qa4+ Qd7 7. Ne5?!

Fritz prefers 7...Nb5 Nc6 8. Ne5 Qc8 9. Nxg4 Nxg4 10. cxd5 exd5 11. Be2 with a small edge for white.

7... Qxa4 8. Nxa4 cxd4 9. exd4 Bb4+ 10. Nc3 O-O?!

Again Fritz - the all knowing all seeing(?) - prefers 10...Nc6 11. Be3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Bf5 13. Bb5 Rc8 14. a3 Bd6 15. Rc1 with equality.

11. a3 Bxc3+ 12. bxc3 Nbd7 13. Nxg4 Nxg4 14. cxd5 exd5 15. Be3?! Rfe8 16. Kd2 Nxe3 17. fxe3 Re7 18. Bd3 Nf6 19. h3 Rc8 20. Rac1 Ne4+ 21. Bxe4 dxe4 22. c4 Rec7 23. c5 b6 24. cxb6 axb6 25. Rxc7 Rxc7 26. Rc1?!

So far neither Bruce nor Ken has made any big, bad blunders, just a few dubious moves.  Here Fritz prefers

26. Rb1 Rc6 27. Rb5 Rg6 28. g4 Kf8 29. Re5 Rh6 30. Rxe4 Rxh3 31. Re5 Rh4 32. Rb5 Rxg4 with a small advantage for white.

26...Rxc1 27. Kxc1 f5 28. Kd2 Kf7 29. g3 g5 30. a4?!

Fritz gives 30. h4 h6 31. hxg5 hxg5 32. Kc3 Ke6 33. Kc4 Kd6 34. a4 Kc6 35. Kb4 Kd5 36. Kc3 with equality.

30...Ke6

31. Kc3?

With this move Fritz gives black a winning advantage.  To preserve winning chances Fritz gives 31. Kc2 Kd5 32. Kc3 h5 33. h4 g4 34. Kb3 f4 35. exf4 e3 36. Kc2 Ke4 37. Kd1 Kf3 38. Ke1 with a clear advantage for black.

31... Kd5 32. h4 gxh4 33. gxh4 h5

34. Kb3??

Again, to preserve ANY chance for a win, white needed to play

34.Kd2 Kc4 35.Ke1 Kb4 36.Kf2 Kxa4 37.Kg3 Kb5 38.Kf4 Kc4 39.Ke5 b5 40.d5 f4 41.d6 fxe3 42. d7 e2 43.d8Q e1Q

34...f4 1/2-1/2??

Here Ken offered Bruce a draw which Bruce accepted.  Unfortunately for Ken he had a win!  Ouch!

35. exf4 Kxd4 36. Kc2 e3 37. f5 Ke5 38. Kd3 Kxf5 39. Kxe3 Kg4  40. Ke4 Kxh4 41. Kf4 Kh3 42. Kf3 and here is the part that Ken, unsurprisingly, hadn't foreseen 14 moves ago(!), 42...h4!  Now white is in zugzwang and is forced to step aside and let the black king escape, march to the other side of the board and win easily (while white has to delay to gobble the h-pawn).

The big question is, how many of US would have played on after 34...f4?  It certainly looks like a draw to ME!

-Dave Couture

George Mirijanian contributed this game (additional comments by Dave Couture (DC)).

Here's my second-round game against Martin.
Martin researched a game I had played against Ken Gurge - I don't know when that was played - and found an improvement on the 6th move that gave him the advantage. After misplaying the opening, I was lucky to draw the game in a position in which Martin accepted my draw offer when he could find no clear win. I have added some notes.

White: Martin Laine (1781)
Black: George Mirijanian (1947)
Vienna Game [C26]
Rd. 2, Wachusett CC Championship
May 17, 2006

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Bc5

[I was not in the mood to enter into the complications of the Frankenstein-Dracula Variation after 3...Nxe4?! 4. Qh5! Nd6 5. Bb3 Nc6 6. Nb5 g6 7. Qf3 f5 8. Qd5 Qe7 9. Nxc7+ Kd8 10. Nxa8 b6 - a position that Martin and I have reached more than once in the past.]

4. d3 d6 5. f4 Ng4?

[This is a mistake. Black was better off playing 5...Nc6 or 5...Bg4. Even 5...Be6!? was a viable continuation. But the text move gets Black into big trouble.]

6. f5! Nf2?

[Black is too greedy. But what he is supposed to do? On 6...h5 7. Nh3 Qh4+ 8. Kf1 Be3 White continues with 9. Nd5! and is winning. And after 6...Qh4+ 7. g3 Qh5 8. h3! Bxg1 9. Qxg4 Qxg4 10. hxg4 Bb6 11. g5 Nc6 12. g6! fxg6 13. fxg6 h6 14. Rxh6! Rxh6 15. Bxh6 Ne7 16. Bf7+ Kf8 17. Bg5 Bg4 18. Kd2 Bh5 19. Rf1! and Black should throw in the towel after 20. g4.]

7. Qh5 g6

[The alternatives were no better. On 7...0-0? would follow 8. Bg5 Qd7 9. Nd5! and on 7...Qe7? would follow 8. Nd5 Qd7 9. Bh6!]

8. Qh6 Nxh1 9. Bg5! f6 10. fxg6

(DC) T Mazuchowski vs. M Bond (1992) continued 10. Qg7 Rf8 11. Nd5 Nd7 12. Qxh7 fxg5 13. Qxg6+ Rf7 14. Nxc7+ Qxc7 15. Qxf7+ Kd8 16. Qg8+ Ke7 17. Qxg5+ Ke8 18. Qg6+ Kd8 19. Qg8+ and white won in 28 moves.

10...fxg5 11. g7 Kd7! 12. Qe6+ Kc6 13. Qd5+

[Worthy of consideration was 13. Bb5+!? Kb6 14. Qb3 - with the devastating threat of 15. Nd5+ - and if Black plays 14...c6 to find a hiding square on c7, there could follow 15. Nd5+! cxd5 16. Be8+! followed by 17. gxh8Q. Even he tries to find a hiding square on a7 with 14...a6, White just continues with 15. Be8+! followed by 16. gxh8Q. But how does one assess this position after ...Bd7?]

13...Kd7

[With this move I offered Martin a draw, which he accepted. However, the game would have been far from over had he played 14. Nf3!? with the threat of 15. Nxe5+.]

(DC) Fritz gives white a winning advantage of 5.63 (e.g., 14. Qf7+ Kc6 15. Bb5+ Kb6 16. Be8! Qxe8 17. Qb3+ Ka5 18. gxh8=Q Bd7 19. Qxb7 etc.

1/2-1/2

Notes by George Mirijanian

Here's my first-round game against Tom Fratturelli that should be of theoretical interest as far as the opening is concerned. I have added a few notes.

White: George Mirijanian (1947)
Black: Tom Fratturelli (1578)
Scandinavian Defense [B01]
Rd. 1, Wachusett CC Championship
May 10, 2006

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 c6

(Black has to play this move sooner or later in order to give his queen an escape route. But most players would probably wait until White has revealed his plans. More usual is first 4...Nf6 and if 5. Nf3, then 5...c6 is OK or even 5...Bf5. For the bolder player, 4...e5?!, Anderssen's Variation, was an option.)

5. Nf3 Nf6 6. Bd2

(The only other sensible continuation was 6. Bc4.)

6...Qc7

(6...Qb6 could be met by 7. Bc4!, for if Black greedily grabs the pawn with 7...Qxb2?! he may get himself into trouble after 8. d5! Nbd7 9. 0-0 Nb6 10. dxc6 bxc6 11. Bb3 Qa3 12. Ne5 e6 13. Qf3, etc.)

7. Bc4 e6?!

(There was no need for Black to shut in his light-squared bishop with this move. Perfectly OK was 7...Bf5 or even 7...Bg4.)

8. Qe2

(After this move, the position is the same as was seen in the game Tal-Mascarinas, Lvov 1981, where Tal's opponent continued with 8...Be7 instead of the move chosen by Fratturelli.)

8...Bd6 9. Ne5

(Also possible was 8. Ne4.)

9...0-0 10. 0-0-0 b5 11. Bd3 Nbd7 12. f4

(White could have been content with 12. Rhe1, but he has other ideas.)

12...b4 13. Ne4 a5 14. g4 c5 15. g5 Nd5 16. Nxd6 Qxd6 17. Qh5 f5?!

(17...g6 was better.)

18. g6! N7f6?

(18...h6 was still possible.)

19. gxh7+ Nxh7 20. Rhg1 Ra7 21. Rg3 Ndf6 22. Qe2 cxd4 23. Rdg1 Re7??

(An oversight that ultimately costs Black the game. Called for was either 23...Rc7 or 23...a5 with counterplay on the queen flank.)

24. Ng6 Rff7 25. Nxe7 Rxe7 26. Re1 Bb7?

(Called for was 26...Rc7.)

27. Bxf5 Rc7 28. Qxe6+ and Black resigned. (1-0)

George M

Notes by George Mirijanian

White: George Mirijanian (1955)
Black: Alan Condon (1454)
Barnes Defense [B00]
Rd. 5, WCC Championship Prelims
May 3, 2006

1. e4 e6 2. d4 f6?!

[This is a highly unusual defense. It is known as the Barnes Defense, since Thomas Wilson Barnes (1825-1874), one of the strongest players in England during the 1850s, used it to defeat Paul Morphy in a friendly game in London in July 1858. When Barnes tried this defense against Adolf Anderssen - in the London International  Tournament in June 1862 - he lost. Barnes is remembered for having scored more wins than anyone else in casual games against Morphy in 1858. He met with a tragic end. He went on a diet, lost 130 pounds in 10 months, and died as a result. In both games that Barnes played his defense, he met 1. e4 with 1...f6, but after 2. d4 played 2...e6, bringing about the position that was reached in the Mirijanian-Condon game.]

3. Nf3 b6

[Barnes' plan was to play 3...Ne7 and follow it up with ...d5.]

4. Bd3 Ba6 5. c4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 d5??

[Called for was 6...Ne7.]

7. exd5?

[7. Qa4+ simply won a piece.]

7...exd5??

[Correct was 7...Bxc3+.]

8. 0-0?

[Once again, 8. Qa4+ gained White a piece.]

8...Bxc3 9. bxc3 Bxc4 10. Bxc4 dxc4 11. Qa4+ Qd7 12. Qxc4 Nc6 13. Re1+ Nce7?

[Correct was 13...Nge7.]

14. Ba3 Kd8?

[It was best for Black to play 14...0-0-0! and not fear 15. Qa6+.]

15. Qf7 Nd5??

[Correct was 15...Ng6! and it looks like all White gains is a pawn following 16. Re8+! Qxe8 17. Qd5+ Qd7 18. Qxa8+ Qc8 19. Qxa7.]

16. Qf8+ and Black resigned. (1-0)


George M

[Event "06 WCC Chmp. Prelims"]
[Site "Fitchburg"]
[Date "2006.04.12"]
[Round "2"]
[White "George Mirijanian"]
[Black "Ken Gurge"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B02"]
[WhiteElo "1955"]
[BlackElo "1596"]
[Annotator "Gurge,Ken"]
[PlyCount "148"]
[TimeControl "300+3"]

{75MB, Fritz9.ctg, DELL}

1. e4 Nf6 2. Bc4 d5 3. exd5 Nxd5 {last book move} 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. h3 Bh5 6. d4 e6 7. Be2 Bb4+ 8. c3 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. Re1 a6 11. c4 Nf6 12. Nc3 Re8 13. Be3 Nbd7 14. Ne5 Bxe2 15. Qxe2 Nb6 16. a3 c6 17. Rad1 Qc7 18. Bf4 Nbd7 19. Qf3 Bd6 20. g4 h6

({1.38 Fritz 9:} 20... Red8 21. b4 a5 22. g5 Ne8 23. Nxf7 Bxf4 {[eval 59,14]})

21. h4 Nh7 22. Ne4 Nxe5 23. dxe5 Bxe5 24. Bxe5 Qxe5 25. Nd6 Qf6 26. Qxf6 Nxf6 27. Nxe8 Rxe8 28. f3 g6 29. Kg2 Kf8 30. Kg3 Ke7 31. Rd2 Rd8 32. Red1 Rxd2 33. Rxd2 Nd7 34. f4 f6 35. b4 b6 36. a4 Nb8

({1.71 Fritz 9:} 36... a5 37. b5 cxb5 38. axb5 Nc5 39. Kf3 g5 40. fxg5 fxg5 41.
h5 a4 42. Ke3 {[eval 113,16]})

37. Kf3 Nd7 38. Ke3 e5 39. g5

({1.09 Fritz 9:} 39. f5 gxf5 40. gxf5 a5 41. b5 cxb5 42. axb5 h5 43. Rg2 Kd6 44. Rg8 {
[eval 168,16]})

39... exf4+ 40. Kxf4 hxg5+ 41. hxg5 f5

({1.73 Fritz 9:} 41...fxg5+ 42. Kxg5 a5 43. Re2+ Kd6 44. b5 cxb5 45. Rd2+ Ke7 {[eval 109,17]})

42. Re2+ Kf7 43. a5 bxa5 44. bxa5 Nc5 45. Ke5 Ne4

({2.61 Fritz 9:} 45... Ke7 46. Rh2 Nd7+ 47. Kd4 Kd6 48. Rh8 Nc5 49. Rd8+ Kc7 50. Ra8 Kd6 51. Ke3 Ne6 {
[eval 144,19]})

46. Rb2 Ke7

({3.92 Fritz 9:} 46... Nxg5 {[eval 234,18]})

47. Rb7+ Kd8 48. Rg7 Nxg5 49. Rxg6 Nf3+ 50. Kd6 Ke8 51. Rg3 Nd2 52. Ke6 Kf8 53. Kxf5

({0.79 Fritz 9:} 53. Rg5 {[eval 326,19]})

53... Nxc4 54. Rc3 Nxa5 55. Kf6 Ke8 56. Rc5 Nb7 57. Rxc6 Kd7 58. Rxa6 Nc5 59. Ra7+ Kd6 60. Ra8 Nd7+ 61. Kf5 Ke7 62. Ra7 Kd6 63. Ra6+ Kd5 64. Ra1 Nc5 65. Rd1+ Kc4 66. Ke5 Nd3+ 67. Ke6 Nf4+ 68. Kd6 Nd3 69. Rh1 Kd4 70. Rh3 Nf4 71. Rg3 Ke4 72. Rg5 Kd4 73. Re5 Nd3 74. Rh5 Nf4
1/2-1/2

 

Probably my biggest enemy during this game was my old nemesis, THE CLOCK!  All credit goes to Richard for playing as well as he did while using MUCH less time than me.

[Event "2006 WCC Championship Prelims"]
[Site "Fitchburg"]
[Date "2006.04.05"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Richard Bennett"]
[Black "Dave Couture"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A00"]
[WhiteElo "1294"]
[BlackElo "1617"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[TimeControl "40/80:SD/30"]

1. h4!?

This is my 140th tournament game as black and the first time I've seen this!  No one was even sure of the name.  George Mirijanian thought it was called the "Meadow Hay", but that is actually the name given to a4.  I had to look it up and found that the actual names for this h4 opening are the Desprez or the Kadas Opening.

1...e5 2. h5 d5 3. d4 exd4 4. Nf3

I don't think the sacrifice is justified given that I've already developed to d5 so I decide to hang on to the extra pawn.

4...c5 5. c3 dxc3 6. Nxc3 Be6 7. e3 Nc6 8. Bb5 Nge7 9. b3 Qb6 10. Bxc6+ Qxc6 11. a4 Nf5 12. Ne5 Qd6 13. f4?

Unnecessarily opens up the kingside.  13. Nd3 would have been better.

13...Be7 14. Qf3?

14. g4 kicking the knight would have prevented my next move.

14...Bh4+ 15. Kd2 d4 16. Nb5 dxe3+ 17. Kc2 Qe7 18. Kb2 Bf6 19. Bxe3 O-O 20. Rad1 Rfd8 21. Rxd8+ Qxd8 22. Bxc5 Qd2+

At this point I'm already down to 24 minutes left for my next 18 moves.

23. Ka3 Bd5??

Shortly after I made my move, I saw his response and hoped he wouldn't see it.

24. Rd1!

No such luck.  A nice move on his Richard's part.  What I needed to do on my 23rd move was something along the lines of Rc8 or Rd8 to really keep the pressure on.

24...Bxf3 25. Rxd2 Bxh5 26. Bxa7

26...Be7+ 27. Ka2?!

A little too tentative.  I think 27. b4 is better.

27...f6 28. Nc4 Rd8 29. Rxd8+ Bxd8 30. Ncd6 Ne3??

Hey what's that piece he's picking up over near my right elbow?!!  As he lifted my knight off the board I closed my eyes and said "Oh God!" loudly enough to disrupt everyone who was still playing - my apologies.

31. Bxe3 b6 32. Nb7 Be7 33. Bxb6 Be8 34. Nc7?

He let's me back into the game just a little bit...

34...Bc6 35. Nc5 Bxg2 36. a5 h5 37. N7e6 h4 38. f5 h3??

These last few moves I was thinking that he had blown the endgame and I was marching on to a comeback victory.  If I had been paying attention and foreseen his next move, I could have just played 38...Bd6!

39. Bc7 Kf7 40. Nd3?? Be4 41. Nf2??

41. Nec5 leads to victory.

41...Bxf5 42. Nd8+?

Nd4 is better here.

42...Ke8 43. Nb7 Be6??

George Mirijanian pointed out that Kd7 was needed here.  I would probably end up with a draw, whereas my move would have thrown the game away if he had played 44. a6, but...

44. Nd3?? Kd7 45. Bh2 g5??

Again it was George who pointed out that I had a "must-play" move here - Kc6!

46. Kb2??

Richard could have put the nail in the coffin here with Nbc5+.

46...Bd5 47. Nbc5+ Kc6 48. b4 f5 49. Ka3?!

I'm pretty sure Kc2 is better, but I'll leave that as an exercise for you Dear Reader so you can get an idea as to how complex this endgame is (you're welcome).

49...f4?

With not a lot of time left on my clock, and trying to decide between f4 and Kb5 I decide to go for broke and make the wrong choice.

50. Ka4 f3??

Continuing on the "going for broke" theme.  Pretty much as soon as I made the move, I realized that his obvious next move was now going to be mate and I didn't have much hope that he would suddenly decide to do something OTHER than make the move he had been planning to make anyway...

51. b5# 1-0

Excellent game Richard!  May we meet again in the championship round.

[Event "Dr. Max Levinger Memorial"]
[Site "Fitchburg"]
[Date "2006.03.29"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Ken Gurge"]
[Black "Bruce Felton"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "1637"]
[BlackElo "1845"]
[Annotator "Gurge,Ken"]
[PlyCount "88"]
[TimeControl "300+3"]

{75MB, Fritz9.ctg, DELL}

Note from Ken Gurge:

Here is another game for the website. It's from last week and the result gave Bruce a share of 1st for the tournament. It's interesting because Bruce plays the dragon rather than his usual hybrid Schevenigan/Najdorf (which I had studied for!). Despite dropping a pawn early, I came up with an exchange sacrifice on move 21 which should have led to at least equality had I followed up with Qh6 after the first check, rather than Qg3+. After Qh6 it seems black must allow a perpetual check or allow white to achieve essential material equality with potential winning chances if black tries too hard for the win. The evaluation is by Fritz 9 which gives 0.00 after the Qh6 line.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. a4 Nc6 7. Be2 Bd7 8. O-O g6 9. Be3 Bg7 10. f4 O-O {last book move}

11. Qd2 Rc8 12. f5 Ne5 13. Nd5 ({-0.39 Fritz 9:} 13. a5 Nc4 14. Bxc4 Rxc4 15. fxg6 fxg6 16. Nb3 Qc7 17. Qd3 {[eval 25,13]})

13... Nxe4 14. Qd1 ({-1.46 Fritz 9:} 14. Qb4 gxf5 15. Nxf5 Bxf5 16. Rxf5 e6 17. Qxe4 exf5 18. Qxf5 Kh8 19. Rf1 {[eval -39,14]})

14... Nf6 ({-0.66 Fritz 9:} 14... gxf5 15. a5 e6 16. Nb6 Rc7 17. c3 Kh8 18. Qb3 {[eval -146,14]})

15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 16. Kh1 ({-1.35 Fritz 9:} 16. c3 Nc4 17. Bh6 Re8 18. fxg6 hxg6 19. Bxc4 Rxc4 20. a5 {[eval -67,13]})

16... Nc6 ({-0.60 Fritz 9:} 16... Nc4 17. Bxc4 Rxc4 18. c3 Qc7 19. Bh6 Rc8 {[eval -135,13]})

17. fxg6 hxg6 18. Qd2 ({-1.53 Fritz 9:} 18. c3 Kg7 19. Nxc6 Bxc6 20. Bg4 e6 21. Bf4 Be5 22. Bxe5+ {[eval -62,13]})

18... Bxd4 19. Bxd4 Nxd4 20. Qxd4 Bf5 ({0.00 Fritz 9:} 20... Rxc2 21. Bd1 Rc7 22. Ra3 Bc8 23. Qd2 Kg7 24. a5 Rh8 25. Be2 {[eval -148,15]})

21. Rxf5 gxf5 22. Qh4 e5 23. Qg3+ ({-1.44 Fritz 9:} 23. Qh6 Re8 24. Ra3 Re6 25. Rg3+ Rg6 26. Rxg6+ fxg6 27. Qxg6+ Kf8 28. Qxf5+ {[eval 0,15]})

23... Kh7 24. Qh3+ Kg6 25. Rf1 Qg5 26. g4 ({-3.73 Fritz 9:} 26. Qd3 {[eval -201,13]})

26... f4 27. Qd3+ Kg7 28. Rf3 Rcd8 29. Rh3 Rh8 30. Rxh8 Kxh8 31. Qd5 ({-5.11 Fritz 9:} 31. c4 Qh4 32. Kg2 Kg7 33. Qc3 Re8 34. Bf3 {[eval -356,14]})

31... Rd7 32. c4 Qg6 33. Qd1 e4 34. Qd4+ Kg8 35. h3 ({-7.50 Fritz 9:} 35. Kg2 {[eval -555,14]})

35... f3 36. Bd1 Re7 37. Qe3 Qf6 38. b3 ({-#17 Fritz 9:} 38. Qf2 Qf4 39. Kg1 d5 40. b4 dxc4 41. b5 {[eval -831,14]})

38... Kf8 ({-9.18 Fritz 9:} 38... f2 39. a5 f1=Q+ {[eval -32750,12]})

39. Kg1 Ke8 40. Kf1 Qb2 41. Qf2 Qxf2+ ({-5.45 Fritz 9:} 41... Qa1 {[eval -823,15]})

42. Kxf2 Kf8 43. Bc2 ({-#13 Fritz 9:} 43. Ke3 Re6 44. h4 Rf6 45. Kxe4 f2 46. Be2 f1=Q 47. Bxf1 Rxf1 48. h5 Kg7 49. Kd5 Rd1+ 50. Ke4 Rg1 {[eval -466,17]})

43... e3+ 44. Ke1 e2 0-1

[Event "Dr. Max Levinger Memorial"]

[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]

[Date "2006.03.22"]

[Round "4"]

[White "Martin Laine"]

[Black "Dave Couture"]

[Result "1-0"]

[ECO "B01"]

[WhiteElo "1741"]

[BlackElo "1617"]

[PlyCount "139"]

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 c6 6. Bc4 Bf5 7. Bd2 e6 8. Qe2 Bb4 9. O-O-O Nd5

A previous game between us had continued 8... Nbd7 9. O-O-O Bb4 10. Nh4 and ended in a 48 move draw.  Perhaps I should reconsider 8...Bb4 or 9...Nd5.

10. Nxd5 Bxd2+ 11. Rxd2 cxd5 12. Bb5+ Nc6 13. a3 O-O 14. Bxc6 bxc6 15. Ne5 Qc7 16. g4 Bg6 17. h4 f6 18. Nxg6 hxg6 19. Qxe6+ Kh7 20. g5 Rae8 21. Qh3 Qf4 22. Qg3 Re4 23. c3 Rfe8 24. Qxf4 Rxf4 25. gxf6 gxf6 26. Kd1 Rfe4 27. Rh3 Kh6 28. f3 Re1+ 29. Kc2 R8e3 30. Rg2 R1e2+ 31. Rxe2 Rxe2+ 32. Kb3 f5 33. a4 a5 34. Ka3 f4 35. b4 Re1

36. bxa5 Rb1 37. a6 Rb6 38. a5 Rxa6 39. Kb4 Ra8 40. Rh2 Rb8+ 41. Ka3 Rb5 42. Ka4 Kh5 43. Rg2 Rb1 44. Rg4 Ra1+ 45. Kb4 Rb1+ 46. Kc5 Rb5+ 47. Kxc6 Rxa5 48. Rxf4 Ra3 49. Kxd5 Rxc3 50. Kd6 g5 51. hxg5 Kxg5 52. Ke5 Re3+ 53. Re4 Rxf3 54. d5 Rf5+ 55. Kd6 Kf6 56. Kc6 Rf1 57. d6 Rc1+ 58. Kd7 Ra1

After this move I had less than 5 minutes left on my clock and I believe Martin had about 40 minutes.  Okay, so he manages his time a little better than I do.

59. Re6+ Kf7 60. Re7+ Kf8 61. Re5 Ra7+ 62. Ke6??

Martin finally gives me a chance to get my king in front of the pawn and draw with 62...Ke8, but with my time running down I miss it and play

62...Ra6?? 63. Rc5 Ra8 64. Rh5 Re8+ 65. Kf6 Kg8 66. Rd5 Rf8+ 67. Ke6 Re8+ 68. Kd7 Rf8 69. Kc7 Rf7+ 70. d7 1-0

All of my games with Martin have been enjoyable and hard-fought.  After this game, my lifetime record against him is a dead-even 1 win, 1 loss, and 2 draws! 

[Event "Dr. Max Levinger Memorial"]
[Site "Fitchburg"]
[Date "2006.03.15"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Ken Gurge"]
[Black "Paul Giovino"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C70"]
[WhiteElo "1637"]
[BlackElo "1747"]
[PlyCount "77"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 b5 5. Bb3 Bc5 6. O-O d6 7. h3 Nge7 8. c3 Ng6 9. d3 O-O 10. Re1 Be6 11. Nbd2 d5 12. Nf1 Re8 13. Ng5 Qf6 14. Qd2 Nf4 15. Nxe6 fxe6 16. d4 Bd6 17. dxe5 Bxe5 18. exd5 Nxd5 19. Bxd5 exd5 20. Qxd5+

20...Kh8 21. Be3 Rad8 22. Qb3 Rf8 23. Rad1 Rxd1 24. Rxd1 Na5 25. Qc2 Nc4 26. Bd4 Bxd4 27. Rxd4 Ne5 28. Nh2 Qg5 29. Qd2 Qg6 30. Rd8 Qb1+ 31. Qd1 Qxd1+ 32. Rxd1 h6 33. b3 c5 34. Rd5 Rf5 35. c4 bxc4 36. bxc4 Rg5 37. f4 Rxg2+ 38. Kxg2 Nxc4 39. Rxc5 1-0

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2005 Games

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Notes by George Mirijanian

Additional comments by Dave Couture (DC) using Fritz 8 for analysis.

White: George Mirijanian (1959)
Black: Bruce Felton (1886)
[B12] Caro-Kann Defense
Round 4, December 21, 2005

1. e4 c6!

The first surprise of the game. I had expected Bruce to play his trusty Sicilian, but perhaps he feared I had something special planned against his 1... c5. But I didn't.

2. d4 d5 3. f3!?

This is the characteristic move of the Tartakower Variation, better known as the Fantasy Variation. It was favored by Saviely Tartakower (1887-1956), who was known for off-beat variations.

3... e6

Evidently, Bruce did not relish playing 3...dxe4 4. fxe4 e5!, since after 5. Nf3 Black has nothing better than 5...Be6! because 5...exd4? allows 6. Bc4! and gives White the advantage. Now Black threatens 4...dxe4 5. fxe4 Qh4+, gaining him the advantage.

4. e5?!

This is not the normal move. More sensible was 4. Nc3, as was played in the game Smyslov-Botvinnik, World Championship Match, Moscow 1958. Also possible was 4. Be3, which offers a gambit after 4...dxe4? 5. Nd2! and now 5...exf3?! gives White rapid development of his pieces following 6. Ngxf3 Nf6 7. Nc4. Better after 4. Be3 would be 4... Qb6!

4... c5 5. c3 Nc6

The position has the looks of the French Defense, which it is, after the loss of tempi by both sides. Theory views this as favorable to Black.

6. f4 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bb4+ 8. Nc3 Nge7 9. Nf3 a6 10. Bd3 Bd7 11. 0-0 b5 12. Ne2 Ba5 13. Kh1 Bb6 14. Be3 Na5?! 15. b3 Rc8 16. Rc1 Rxc1 17. Bxc1 Qc8 18. Bd2

Worthy of consideration was 18. Ba3!? ((DC)Fritz 8 confirms that Ba3 is better.)

18... g6?!

(DC)Fritz 8 gives 18...Nac6 followed by Nf5 as better.

19. Qe1 Nac6 20. Qh4 Ng8 21. Rc1 Qd8 22. Qh3 Qe7 23. g4 Qf8?!

Worth considering was 23...Qa3!?

24. f5 Qg7 25. fxe6 fxe6 26. a4 Nd8? 27. a5?

(DC)Fritz 8 shows that both sides miss the threat of 27. axb5 axb5 28. Nc3 followed by 29. Nxb5.

27... Ba7 28. Rf1?! Nf7 29. Rc1??

(DC)White misses the chance to end the game by attacking immediately with 29. Ng5!, but now with...

29... Ne7?

(DC)Black misses the defensive opportunity Nd8!

30. Qh4 Nc6 31. Kg2 h5 

(DC) Fritz 8 gives 31... O-O as better.

32. g5 Bb8 33. Qg3

(DC) Now we move into the land of missed attacking opportunities that only Fritz and MAYBE Kasparov would see.  Observe: White could have played 33. Nf4! Ne7 34. Bb4 Rg8 35. Bxe7 Kxe7 36. Nxg6+ Ke8 37. Nf4 Bxe5 (what else? 37... Rh8 38. g6 Nd8 39. Nxh5 and now Black has to play 39... Rxh5 because the queen has no safe place to go.) 38. Nxh5 Qh6 39. dxe5 Nxe5 40. Kf1 Nxf3 41. gxh6 Nxh4 42. Nf6+ Kf7 43. Nxg8 Kxg8 and White is going to win the bishop and be up a full rook.

33... Bc7??

(DC) Black misses his chance to stay somewhat in the game with 33... h4.

34. Nh4 Bxa5 35. Be3?

(DC) White misses his chance to put the game away with 35. Bxa5 Nxa5 36. Bxg6 and then Nf4.

35... Ne7 36. Nf4 Nf5?

(DC) Fritz 8 gives 36... Bd8 as better.

37. Nxf5 gxf5 38. h4 Bd8 39. Bxf5?

(DC) Fritz 8 gives 39. Be2 as better.

39... exf5 40. e6 Bxe6??

(DC) 40... Nd6 41. exd7+ Qxd7 would have left Black with a tough, but still tenable position.

41. Nxe6 Qf8??

A "fingerfehler" in the immediate aftermath of mutual time trouble. Bruce let go of his queen and realized, to his horror, what he had done. He stared a long time at the position and both players knew that the game was over without either one saying a word. 1-0

Even if the queen had moved to a "safe" square, like 41...Qg6, White wins after 42. Nxd8 Kxd8 [42...Nxd8?? 43. Qe5+ and 44. Qxh8] 43. Qb8+ Ke7 44. Rc7+, etc.

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Notes by Dave Couture.

Analysis by Fritz 8.

 

[Event "George Sturgis Memorial"]
[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]
[Date "2005.12.21"]
[Round "4"]
[White "George O'Rourke"]
[Black "Dave Couture"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B01"]
[WhiteElo "1834"]
[BlackElo "1553"]
[PlyCount "113"]

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. g3

 

George's favorite anti-Scandinavian weapon!

 

4...g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. Nge2 Nf6 7. d3 c6 8. Bd2 Bg4 9. h3 Be6 10. O-O O-O 11. Nf4 Bd7 12. Re1 Re8 13. Ncd5 Qd8 14. Ne3 Na6 15. Nc4 Nc7 16. Ne5 Nfd5 17. c3 Nxf4 18. Bxf4 Be6 19. d4 Nd5 20. Qd2 Nxf4 21. Qxf4 f6?

 

Just 21...Qd6 would have been good enough for rough equality.

 

22. Nxg6!

 

My first reaction when George played this was "Shoot! (or words to that effect!)  I've lost a pawn - I should have seen that tactic!  Then I realized (mistakenly) that I could get away with getting my bishop out of the line of fire by just recapturing his pawn on h3.

 

22...Bxh3?? 23. Nh4??

 

Luckily George misses the same thing that I missed: 23. Bxh3! e5 24. dxe5 hxg6 25. Rad1 Qe7 26. Qc4+ Kh7 27. Rd7 and the Rook on the e-file is coming over to the h-file next.  I'm not sure if I should give these moves double question-marks. Just because Fritz sees this stuff doesn't necessarily mean that us mere mortals should see it!

23...Bxg2 24. Kxg2 Qd5+ 25. Qe4 Qxe4+ 26. Rxe4 e5?!

 

26...e6 is better.

 

27. Rae1 Kf7 28. Nf5 Rad8 29. Nxg7 Kxg7 30. f4 Kf7 31. fxe5 fxe5 32. Rxe5 Rxe5 33. Rxe5 Kf6 34. g4 h6 35. Kf3 Rd7 36. Kf4 Rg7 37. Rf5+ Ke6 38. Rh5 Rh7 39. Ke4 Kd6 40. b3 Re7+ 41. Kd3 Re6 42. c4 b6 43. Rf5

 

I was worried about George getting his Rook down to the first or second rank, so... clever me, I blocked that possibility with my King...

 

43...Ke7??

 

44. Re5

 

I'm still not sure whether or not George punched me in the gut after he made this move, but it certainly felt like it!  If I had played something like 43...Rg6, I think that, at least theoretically, it's not clear whether this is a win for White or a draw.  Given the 300 point rating difference, and the fact that I was woefully short on time, the reality is that I probably would have just lost further on down the line - truly PRACTICAL analysis!

 

44...Rxe5 45. dxe5 Ke6 46. Ke4 b5 47. a3 a5 48. a4 bxa4 49. bxa4 c5 50. Kf4 Ke7 51. Kf5 Kf7 52. e6+ Kg7 53. Ke5 Kg6 54. Kd6 Kf6 55. e7 Kg5 56. e8=Q Kxg4 57. Qg6+ 1-0

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Notes by George Mirijanian.

White: George Mirijanian (1954)
Black: George O'Rourke (1831)
[B76] Sicilian Defense
Round 5, Nov. 16, 2005

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 0-0 8. Qd2 Nc6
9. 0-0-0

When playing the Yugoslav Attack against the Dragon Variation, another option was to first employ 9. Bc4 before castling queenside and then start the kingside attack with the g- and h-pawns.

9...a6

Black had choices, too. Possible was 9...d5 and after 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bd4 Nxc3 13. Qxc3 Bh6+ 14. Be3 Bxe3+ 15. Qxe3 Qb6 Black stands OK, as was played in Kasparov-Topalov, Amsterdam 1995.

10. Nxc6?!

It was probably more prudent to keep the b-file closed and opt for something like 10. Kb1, as was played in the game Rossolimo-L. Evans, Havana 1952. Even 10. g4! had more merit than the text move.

10...bxc6 11. e5 Nd5 12. Nxd5 cxd5 13. exd6 Rb8 14. c3 e6! 15. Bc5?! Bd7 16. Ba3 Qb6 17. Kb1 Rfc8 18. Ka1 Be5 19. f4?

Called for was 19. h4! with the threat of 20. h5.

19...Bxd6 20. Bxd6 Qxd6 21. c4?!

Again, 21. h4 had to be played.

21...Qb6 22. cxd5 exd5 23. Bd3 Qf6! 24. Bb1?

Worthy of consideration was 24. f5!?

24...Rc4! 25. g3 Rcb4 26. Qc3 d4 27. Qa3 Qb6

Also possible was 27...Rxb2.

28. Rd2 Ra4 29. Qe7 Be6 30. f5??

White's last-ditch effort should have been with 30. a3.

30...Bxa2! 31. Bxa2 Qb3  0-1

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Notes by George Mirijanian.

White: Martin Laine (1754)
Black: George Mirijanian (1945)
[A01] Nimzovich-Larsen Attack
Round 5, Oct. 5, 2005

1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. e3 Nf6

Also good was 3...d5 and after 4. Bb5, then 4...Bd6, as was played in the game Rizzitano-Curdo, 1978.

4. Bb5 d6 5. Ne2 Be7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. d4

GM Bent Larsen, after whom the variation is co-named, has favored 7. f4, but after 7...e4 8. Ng3 Bg4 9. Be2 Bxe2 10. Qxe2 Re8 the position is roughly equal.

7...exd4 8. Nxd4 Nxd4 9. Qxd4 c6 10. Bd3 Ne8 11. Qe4 f5 12. Qf3 g6 13. c4 Bf6 14. Nc3 Qe7 15. Rab1 Qg7 16. Na4 Be6 17. Qe2 Qh6 18. f4 Bxb2 19. Nxb2 Nf6 20. Nd1 d5 21. Nc3 Rfe8 22. h3 Rad8 23. cxd5 Nxd5 24. Nxd5 Bxd5 25. Bc4 Qf8 26. Bxd5+ Rxd5 27. Rbd1 Qc5 28. Rxd5 cxd5! 29. Kf2 d4 30. Qc4+ Qxc4 31. bxc4 dxe3+ 32. Ke2 Kf7 33. Rc1?!

Better was 33. Rd1.

33...Re4 34. g3 Ke8 35. Rc3 Kd7 36. Rxe3 Rxc4 37. Kd3 Ra4  0-1

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Notes by Dave Couture.

[Event "Ed Wheeler Memorial"]
[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]
[Date "2005.11.09"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Martin Laine"]
[Black "Dave Couture"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B01"]
[WhiteElo "1730"]
[BlackElo "1553"]

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 c6 6. Bc4 Bf5 7. Bd2 e6 8. Qe2 Nbd7

8...Bb4 is usually played here.

9. O-O-O Bb4 10. Nh4 O-O-O 11.Nxf5 Qxf5 12. Bd3 Qg4 13. Qxg4 Nxg4 14. Rdf1 Ngf6 15. a3 Ba5 16. Ne4 Bxd2+ 17. Nxd2 Nd5 18. g3 e5?

This move allows 19. Nc4 attacking the e-pawn and threatening 20. Nd6+ followed by 21. Nxf7, forking the rooks.  A better move would have been 18...N5f6 and I would have answered 19. Nc4 with Rhf8.

19. dxe5 Nxe5 20. Bf5+ Kc7 21. Re1 f6 22. f4 Ng6 23. Bxg6 hxg6 24. c4 Nb6 25. Re2 Rhe8 26. Rhe1 Rxe2 27. Rxe2 Rd7 28. b3 Nc8 29. Kc2 Re7 30. Re4 c5 31. Kd3 Rd7+ 32. Kc3 Nd6 33. Re6 Nf5 34. Nf3 Rd1 35. g4 Nd4 36. Nxd4 Rxd4 37. Re7+ Rd7 38. Rxd7+ Kxd7 39. h4 Kd6 40. Kd3 Ke6 41. b4 cxb4 42. axb4 f5 43. g5 Kd6 44. Kd4 b6??

This loses against correct play (see notes below).  Instead 44...a6 is a draw.

45. b5 Ke6 46. c5 bxc5+ 47. Kxc5 Kd7 48. Kd5 Kc7 1/2-1/2

Martin offered a draw here and I accepted.  I thought a draw was the best he could do because I had looked at 49. Ke6 Kb6 50. Kf7 Kxb5 51. Kxg7 a5 52. Kxg6 a4 53. h5 a3 54. h6 a2 55. h7 a1=Q winning.  I hadn't seen the possibility of 51. Kxg6! which would have been a win for white: 51...a5 52. h5 a4 53. h6 a3 54. hxg7! a2 55. g8=Q a1=Q 56. Qd5+ Kb4 57. Qxf5.  Martin had seen this continuation, but didn't trust that he had calculated correctly and realized a miscalculation could have resulted in a loss for him.  After 3 1/2 hours of play it's not unreasonable to mistrust calculations 9 moves ahead!

 

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2005 Wheeler Memorial Tournament

Third Round

November 3, 2005

 

Ken Gurge (1593) v. George Mirijanian (1959)

Bishop's Opening - Blanel Gambit (C27)

(Result 1-0)

(Annotations by Ken Gurge.  Additional annotations by Dave Couture/Fritz 8.)

1.e4, Nf6 2. Bc4, e5 3.Nc3, Nxe4 (Nc6 is the move most often played here. - DC) 4. Bxf7+, Kxf7 5. Nxe4, d5 6. Ng3, Qf6 (more typical is Nc6 and 7.d3 as in Hua-Vladimirov, 2004 and Barber-Hausner, 2001) 7. Qf3, e4?? (likely the losing move, significant material loss can't be avoided after this) 8. Qh5+, g6

9. Qxd5+, Be6? (Pretty much throws away any chance for black.  9...Qe6 keeps black in the game, definitely at a disadvantage, but still in the game. - DC) 10. Qxb7, Nd7 11. Qxe4 (Qxa1!? leads to interesting complications but gives Black more counterplay for his material deficit), Bc5 12. Qf3 (up material White forces Queens off), Rhe8 13. Qxf6+, Nxf6 14. N1e2, h5 15. d3, Bd5 (Continuing the idea of the previous move with an immediate h4 would have been better. - DC)

16. f3 (the e4 square continues to be the focal point of the game and White intends to make it the strong point of his defense against Black's counterplay), h4 17. Ne4, Bb6 18. N2c3, h3 19. g3, Bc6

20. Bd2, Bd4 21. 0-0-0 (finally the King escapes the e file), Rab8 22. b3, a5 23. Nxf6 (trading material without giving up the e4 strongpoint), Bxf6 24. Ne4, Be7 (Black would have been better off playing a4 immediately. - DC) 25. Bc3 (an important diagonal to keep control of), a4

26. Kd2 (stepping up to allow the rooks to contest the a file if opened), Rbd8 27. Rhf1, a3 28. Kc1 (back to safety with the a file closed), Rd5 29. f4, Bd7 30. Ng5+, Kg8

31. Rde1, Bxg5 32. fxg5, Rxe1 33. Rxe1, Rxg5 (major material trades were worth a pawn and Black can't save the a pawn anyway) 34. Rf1, Bf5 35. Bb4, Kf7 36. Bxa3, Ke6

37. Kd2, Kd5 38. Rf4, Bc8 39. c4+, Kc6 40. b4 Bb7 41. Bb2, Kd7 42. Bf6, Rxg3 (initiating a trade to result in bishops of opposite color and a last chance to draw)

43. hg, h2 44. Rh4, h1(Q) 45. Rxh1, Bxh1 46. Ke3, Ke6 47. Bd8, c6 48. a4, Kd7 49. Bb6, Kc8 50. Kf4, Bg2 51. Ke5, Bf1 52. Kd4, Kb7 53. Bc5, Be2 54. b5, Bg4 55. a5, Bd7 56. a6+, (1-0). This is the first time in 27 years that I have been able to beat George!    

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[Event "Raymond W. Fortin Memorial"]
[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]
[Date "2005.09.07"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Eduardo , Valadares"]
[Black "Gary, Brassard"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "1340"]
[BlackElo "1826"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Bf5

4...Nc6 is book here, then if 5. Nf3 Bg4.

5. Nf3 e6 6. a3 Nc6 7. Be2 cxd4 8. cxd4 Qb6 9. Nc3 Rc8 10. O-O a6 11. Na4 Qd8 12. Be3 Be7 13. Rc1 f6 14. b4 fxe5 15. dxe5 Be4 16. Bd4 Bxf3 17. Bxf3 Nxd4 18. Qxd4 Bg5??

18...Nh6 is probably best, so that on 19. Bg4 Nxg4 20. Qxg4, Black can play Kf7 guarding both of the attacked pawns.

 19. Rxc8 Qxc8 20. Qg4 Bh6 21. Bxd5 Qd7 22. Bxe6 Qxa4 23. Rd1 Ne7 24. Bd7+ 1-0

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Notes by George Mirijanian.

Here is one of the most interesting games played in the recent tournament:

[Event: "Frederic S. Lawrence Memorial"]
[Site: "Fitchburg, MA"]
[Date: "2005.08.24"]
[Round: "4"]
[White: "Bruce Felton"]
[Black: "Ken Gurge"]
[WhiteElo: "1872"]
[BlackElo: "1547"]
[Result: "1/2-1/2"]
[Opening: "Queen's Pawn Game"]
[ECO: "D04"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. e3 g6 3. Nd2 d5 4. Be2 Nbd7 5. Ngf3 Bg7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. c4

The game Kovacevic-Ribli, Zagreb 1985, took a different direction with 7. b4 b6 8. a4 c5 9. c3 c4 and a draw quickly resulted.

7...c5 8. b3 b6 9. Bb2 Bb7 10. Bd3 Re8 11. cxd5 Nxd5 12. Rc1 cxd4 13. exd4?! e5 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Bxe5?

Much better was 15...Nf4!

16. Bxe5 Rxe5 17. Nf3 Re8?

Correct was 17...Re7.

18. Bb5 Re7 19. Qd2 Nc7! 20. Qxd8+ Rxd8 21. Bc6 Ne6 22. Bxb7 Rxb7 23. Rfd1 Rxd1+ 24. Rxd1 Rc7 25. Kf1 Kg7 26. g3 f6 27. Ke2 Nc5 28. Kf1? Ne6 29. Rd2 Kf7 30. Ke2 Ke7 31. Kd1 Rd7 32. Kc2 Rxd2+ 33. Kxd2 Kd6 34. Kc3 Kd5 35. b4 b5 36. a3 a6 37. Kd3 h6 38. h3 g5 39. Nd2 f5 40. Nb3 h5 41. Nd2 h4 42. gxh4 gxh4 43. Ke3 Ng5 44. f4 Nxh3 45. Nf3 Kc4 46. Nxh4 Kb3 47. Nxf5 Kxa3 48. Nd4 Nxf4

With this move Black assures himself of at least a draw. But did he have winning chances after 48...Kxb4!? 49. f5 Ng5 50. Kf4 Nf7 51. f6 Kc3?

49. Kxf4 Kxb4 50. Ke3 Kc3 51. Ne2+ Kb2 52. Kd3 a5 53. Nd4 b4 54. Nc6 a4 55. Nxb4 a3 56. Kc4 Kb1 57. Kb3   1/2-1/2

 

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Notes by Ken Gurge.

[Event: "2005 Wachusett Chess Club Championship"]
[Site: "Fitchburg, MA"]
[Date: "2005.06.15"]
[Round: "Final Round (7th)"]
[White: "Ken Gurge"]
[Black: "Bruce Felton"]
[WhiteElo: "1583"]
[BlackElo: "1876"]
[Result: "0-1"]
[Opening: "Sicilian - Scheveningen"]
 

1.e4 c5  2. Nf3 d6  3.d4 cd  4. Nxd4 Nf6  5. Nc3 a6  6. a4 e6  7. Be2 Be7  8. 0-0 Nbd7  9. f4 Qc7  10. Kh1 b6  11. Be3 Bb7  12. Bf3 Rac8  13. Qe1 Nc5  14. Bd2 h6  15. e5 Bxf3  16. Rxf3 Nh7  17. b4 Nd7  18. ed Bxd6  19. Nf5?

Nd5 or Nxe6 are better, winning?

19... 0-0  20. Nxh6+ gh  21. Qh4 f5  22. Rg3+ Kh8  23. Qxh6 Ndf6  24. Re1 Rce8  25. Rg6 Qf7  26. Nd5 Nxd5  27. R1xe6 Rxe6 28. Rxe6 Bxb4  29. Bxb4 Nxb4  30. Rxb6 Qc4  31. h3 Qf1+  32. Kh2 Rg8  33. Rg6 Rxg6  34. Qxg6 Qxf4  35. Kh1 Qe5  36. c3 Nd5  37. c4 Nf4  38. Qxa6 Qb8  39. Qb5 Qd8  40. Qe5+ Qf6  41. Qxf6 Nxf6   42. g4 Nxg4  43. hg fg  44. Kh2 Kg7  45. a5??

Kg3 draws - white gets greedy and loses, pawns separated by only one file can be blockaded by a N.

45... Kf6  46. c5 Ne6  47. a6 Kg5  48. Kg3 Nc7  49. a7 Na8 50. Kg2 Kf4  51. Kf2 Nc7  52. Kg2 g3  53. Kg1 Kf3  54. Kf1 g2  55. Kg1 Kg3  56. c6 Kh3 (0-1).

This victory in the final round gave Felton a share of the club championship with George Mirijanian.  

 

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2004 Games

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Larry Gladding and Tom Fratturelli tallied 4-1 to share top honors in the Harlow B. Daly Memorial tournament, held July 7-August 4. Club champion Bruce Felton scored 3.5-1.5 to tie for 3rd-4th place with Kenneth Gurge of Leominster. Deadlocked in 5th-6th place with 3-2 performances were George Mirijanian and Paul Giovino. Tied for 7th-10th place with 2.5-2.5 scores were Gary Brassard, Michael Meehan, Brian Biglow and Matthew Migliozzi of Fitchburg. Larry Gladding directed. Going into the final round, Felton was leading the field of 20 players with a score of 3.5-0.5, but then he was upset by Class C participant Fratturelli while Gladding defeated Class A rival Brassard:

[Event "Harlow B Daly Memorial"]
[Site "Wachusett CC: First Church Unitarian Universalist, Leominster MA"]
[Date "2004.08.04"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Larry Gladding"]
[Black "Gary Brassard"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1812"]
[BlackElo "1871"]
[Moves "49"]
[Plycount "97"]
[ECO "A15"]
[Opening "English Opening"]

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 b6

{Alexander Alekhine, commenting on his simultaneous exhibition game played (as Black) in March 1929 in New York against consulting players Alex Kevitz and Albert Pinkus, wrote of this move: "One of the different ways of meeting adequately White's opening play. Black intends herewith to transform the game into a typical Queen's Indian Defense.}

3.g3 Bb7 4.Bg2

{Alekhine continues: "Allowing Black to choose a more aggressive form of development. Instead, 4.d4 e6 5.Bg2, etc. would lead to well-known variations.}

4...e6

{Here Brassard departs from Alekhine's continuation, 4...e5, which he played against Kevitz and Pinkus and comments as follows: "This move has its advantages and defects, for the center pawn may become exposed. Still, the experiment was worth trying since not much risk is attached to it."}

5.0-0 Be7 6.b3 0-0 7.Bb2 c5 8.Nc3 Nc6 9.e4 e5 10.d3 d6 11.Nd5 Bc8 12.Ne3 Be6 13.Ng5 Qd7 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.Bh3 Bd8 16.f4 exf4 17.gxf4 Qf7 18.Kh1 e5 19.f5 Qh5 20.Bg4 Nxg4 21.Nxg4 Kh8 22.Qf3 Bf6 23.Qg2 Rf7 24.Rf3 R7f8 25.Rh3 Qf7 26.Rf1 g6??

{This blunder costs Black the game.}

27.fxg6 Qxg6 28.Rh6 Qg5 29.Bc1 Qg7 30.Rfxf6 Rxf6 31.Nxf6 Qxg2+ 32.Kxg2 Kg7 33.Nd5 Kg8?? 34.Rxd6

{...and White eventually won on the 49th move.}

1-0

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2003 Games

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2002 Games

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2001 Games

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2000 Games

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Notes by Dave Couture.

Wayne doesn't miss a trick in this one!
 

[Event "Wachusett Chess Club Winter Swiss 2000"]

[Site "Leominster, MA"]

[Round "2"]

[Date "2000.01.26"]

[White "Wayne Steadman"]

[Black "Dave Couture"]

[WhiteElo "1449"]

[BlackElo "1552"]

[Result "1-0"]

[ECO "A40"] 

 1. d4    e5?!

Yes, I know I shouldn't!

 2. dxe5  Nc6

 3. Nf3   Qe7 

 4. Nc3   Nxe5 

 5. Nd5   Nxf3+ 

 6. gxf3  Qc5??

Qd8 was necessary. White would then have had only a small edge.

 7. b4!   Qc4??

I was definitely in trouble here, but either Qc6 or Qd6 would have been a lot better than what I played.

 8. e4    Bxb4+

 9. Bd2   Bxd2+

10. Qxd2  Qc5

11. Qg5!  Kf8??

 

Protecting the pawn on g7 - oops! After ...d6 I would have ended up down a rook, but still alive.

 

12. Qd8 mate

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1985 Games

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[Event "Wachusett Chess Club 1985 Championship"]
[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]
[Date "1985.07.03"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Brian Warnock"]
[Black "Dave Couture"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2259"]
[BlackElo "1583"]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 c6 4. Bg2 d5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Qb3 e4

 

6...Nc6 is usually played here.

7. d3

 

Siegbert Tarrasch vs Arturo Reggio, Monte Carlo, 1903, continued 7. f3 d4 8. Nxe4 with white winning in 26 moves.

 

7...exd3 8. Qb5+ Qd7 9. Qxd3 d4 10. Ne4 Nxe4 11. Qxe4+ Be7
12. Nf3 Nc6 13. O-O Qf5 14. Qxf5 Bxf5 15. Rd1 Bc5 16. Nh4 Be6
17. b3 Rd8 18. Bb2 Bd5 19. e4 Be6 20. Rac1 b6 21. Nf3 Ke7 22. b4
Nxb4 23. Nxd4 Bxd4 24. Rxd4 Rxd4 25. Bxd4 Rc8 26. Rxc8 Bxc8
27. a3 Nc2 28. Bb2 f6 29. Bf1 Bb7 30. f3 Bc6 31. Kf2 Kd6 32. Bd3
Ba4 33. Ke2 Kc5 34. Kd2 Nd4 35. Ke3 Ne6 36. f4 Bc6 37. h3 b5
38. f5 Nd8 39. Bd4+ Kd6 40. Bxa7 Nf7 41. Kd4 Ne5 42. Bb8+ Ke7
43. Bxe5 fxe5+ 44. Kxe5 1-0

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Notes by Dave Couture (heavily assisted by Fritz 8).

 

[Event "Wachusett Chess Club 1985 Championship Prelims"]

[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]

[Date "1985.03.20"]

[Round "6"]

[White "Roland Booker"]

[Black "Dave Couture"]

[WhiteElo "1895"]

[BlackElo "1559"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "C11"]

 

 1. e4     e6

 2. d4     d5

 3. Nc3    Nf6

 4. e5     Nfd7

 5. Nce2   c5

 6. c3     Nc6 

 7. f4     Qb6

 8. Nf3    Be7

 9. Qc2

 

 9. g3 or a3 are usually played here.

 

 9...        f6

10. Bd2    O-O

11. g4?

Unnecessarily opens up the kingside.  Qb3 was one example of a better move.

11...        cxd4

12. Nexd4  Nxd4?!

12... fxe5 slightly better

13. cxd4   fxe5

14. dxe5   Nc5

15. Be3    Qb4+

Coming at him left,

16. Nd2    Bh4+

right, 

17. Kd1    d4

and center.

18. a3     Qa4

19. b3??

19. Qxa4 Nxa4 20. Bxd4 Rxf4 21. Be3 Rxg4 22. Be2 =

19...        Nxb3!

20. Nxb3??

20. Qxb3 was much better.

20...        dxe3

21. Bd3?   g6?

I didn't need to worry about Bxh7+.  I could have played 21... Bd7! and Bxh7+ would have caused his pieces to get caught in the crossfire.  E.g., 22. Bxh7+ Kh8 23. Bd3 Rac8! 24. Nc5 Qd4 25. Rb1 Qd5 26. Rg1 Rxc5 27. Qb3 Qf3+ with mate soon to follow.

22. Rc1    Qxf4 

23. Qc7    Qxg4+

24. Kc2    e2

25. Rhg1   Rf7??

Looks like a reasonable move doesn't it, trying to force the trade of queens?!

26. Qc5??

Also looks like a reasonable move, but Roland throws away his chance to snatch the win due to the following tactic:  26. Qxf7+ Kxf7 27. Rxg4 e1=Q 28. Rxe1 Bxe1 29. Re4! winning the bishop (the only "escape" square is f2 which loses to the fork Rf4+).

26...        Qf3

27. Bxg6?  hxg6 

28. Rxg6+  Rg7

29. Rxg7+  Kxg7

30. Rg1+   Kh6

31. Qc4?   e1=Q

32. Resigns

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[Event "Wachusett Chess Club 1985 Championship Prelims"]

[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]
[Date "1985.02.20"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Bryant Hopkins"]
[Black "Dave Couture"]
[WhiteElo "1943"]
[BlackElo "1484"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e6  2. d4 d5  3. exd5 exd5  4. Bd3 Nf6  5. c3

 

This is a rare continuation.  Nf3 is usually played here, often followed by O-O and Bg5.

 

5... Bd6  6. Bg5 Qe7+  7. Qe2 Qxe2+  8. Nxe2 Nbd7  9. Nd2 O-O  10. O-O-O h6  11. Bh4 Re8  12. f3 Nh5  13. Rde1 Kf8  14. Bf2 Nf4  15. Nxf4 Bxf4 16. Rxe8+ Kxe8  17. Re1+ Kf8  18. g3 Bd6  19. Nf1 Nf6  20. g4 Bd7  21. Bg3 Bxg3  22. Nxg3 Re8  23. Re5 Be6  24. h4 g6  25. g5 Nd7  26. Re1 h5  27. f4 Bg4  28. Rxe8+ Kxe8  29. f5 Nf8  30. Kd2 gxf5  31. Bxf5 Bxf5  32. Nxf5 Ne6  33. Ke3 Kf8  34. Ng3 Ng7  35. Kf4 Ne6+  36. Ke5 c6  37. Nxh5 Ke7  38. Nf4 Nf8  39. h5 Nh7  40. Kf5 a6  41. h6 Kf8  42. Nh5 Ke7  43. Nf6 Nf8  44. Nh5 Ke8  45. Nf4 b6  46. g6 fxg6+  47. Nxg6 Kf7  48. Nxf8 Kxf8  49. Ke6 1-0

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(*) Answer to the question posed in Steadman-Couture(2008.04.02):

The blunder was 12...Nf6??  Fritz 8 gives Qb8, Qg5, or Qc7 as better moves than Nf6 in spite of the fact that all 3 moves lose the queen!

 

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1980 Games

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[Event "WCC Championship"]
[Site "St. Joseph Club, Cleghorn, Fitchburg, MA"]
[Date "1980.07.20"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Bryant Hopkins III"]
[Black "George Mirijanian"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B00"]
[Opening "Alekhine's Defense, Modern Variation"]
[WhiteElo "1626"]
[BlackElo "1860"]
[PlyCount "54"]
[Moves "27"]
[Board "1"]
[TimeControl "40/90"]
[Annotations "George Mirijanian"]

1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Be2 e6 6. c4 Nb6 7. Be3 Be7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Qc2 Bf5 10. Bd3 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 d5 12. b3 a6 13. Rd1 Nc6 14. Nc3 Rc8 15. cxd5 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 Qxd5 17. Ng5 Bxg5 18. Bxg5 Rfe8 19. Qc3 Ne7 20. Qb4 Ng6 21. f3 h6 22. Be3 Red8 23. Rac1 Qb5?! 24. Qxb5 axb5 25. Rc5 c6 26. Bd2??

{A blunder, which ultimately costs Hopkins the game. Called for was the doubling of rooks along the c-file.}

26...Rxd4 27. Rcc1? Rcd8

{and Hopkins resigned without facing further loss of material.}

0-1

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Central New England Open Games

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From 1961 until 19xx, the WCC organized promoted & sponsored an annual USCF rated chess tournament called The Central New England Open. It was eventually divided into an open section & one or more class sections, but initially I believe it consisted of one large open section only with some prizes given for best score below certain rating criteria, much like the US Open still is today. Early CNEO Tournaments had secondary & tertiary time controls & typical primary time controls were 50 moves in two or two & a half hours, which could result in adjournments &/or delays. By 1971 & probably before that, the tournament was split into three sections, "open", "reserve", & "booster". There were class prizes within each section for best performance under a certain rating. The time control in 1986 was "45 moves in 2 hours, followed by 20 moves in one hour". I believe there were no "sudden death" time control provisions, which meant that after 60 moves had been made, each player would have an additional hour to make another 20 moves & that process would repeat indefinitely as needed to finish the game.

Central New England Open Tournament Statistics
Number	Year	Dates	Location	Players	Winner
1st	1961		VFW Hall, Fitchburg	16	(John Curdo)?
2nd	1962		VFW Hall, Fitchburg		David Lees
3rd	1963	June 22 & 23	VFW Hall, Fitchburg		(David Lees & John Ducharme jr.)?
4th	1964	June 27 & 28	First Parish Church Hall, Fitchburg	82	William Addison
5th	1965	June 26 & 27	Hotel Raymond, Fitchburg
6th	1966		Hotel Raymond, Fitchburg
7th	1967				John Curdo
8th	1968	July 13 & 14	YMCA, Fitchburg	,=	John Curdo & Camille Coudari of Montreal
11th	1971	June ?? & ??	Holiday Inn, Leominster	33, 30, 66 = 129	Bruce Amos & Ian Hambleton; Mirijanian 1st Class A
12th	1972				??; Stephen Brudno, Jon Edwards
16th	1976	June 19 & 20	Holiday Inn, Leominster	28,14,24,36,30=132	Champ: John Curdo, 16-yr-old Girome Bono, & GM Leonid Shamkovich Am: Walter Trice, John Sylvia, & Joel Johnson
17th	1977	June 11 &12	Holiday Inn, Leominster	5rd, 5sec
21st	1981	May 23, 24, & 25	Holiday Inn, Leominster
26th	1986	May 24, 25, & 26	Holiday Inn, Leominster

[Event "Central New England Open"]
[Site "Leominster, Massachusetts"]
[Date "1972.??.??"]
[EventDate "1972.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Brudno,Stephen"]
[Black "Edwards,Jon"]
[ECO "A40"]
[WhiteElo "????"]
[BlackElo "????"]
[Moves "12"]
[PlyCount "24"]

{Steve Brudno and I were both tied for first. I asked him before the game if he'd be interested in a quick draw, sharing $400. He smiled, and declined my offer.}

1.d4

{Well booked up, Steve hoped for a Queen's Gambit}

1...e5

{"Good grief" he exclaimed out loud. After all, here we were in a critical game for first place and this opening has an odor!}

2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Qe7 4.Bf4 Qb4+ 5.Bd2 Qxb2 6.Nc3!

{Steve knows his openings!}

6...Bb4 7.Rb1 Qa3 8.Rb3 Qa5 9.a3 Bxc3

{9...Bxa3 10.Rxa3 Qxa3 11.Nb5+-}

10.Bxc3 Qc5

{headed back to e7 after Kg8-e7-g6}

11.e3 a6 12.Be2!?

{"Good grief!" I exclaimed and I made my move. [12.Bd3!]}

12...Nge7

{Where upon, Steve immediately offered a draw. I took the kind offer without even asking him to make a move.} {It's a fun story, but I hope that you don't take up the Englund Gambit. There are much better responses out there to 1.d4.}

[Event "Central New England Open"]
[Site "Leominster, Massachusetts"]
[Date "1981.05.24"]
[EventDate "1981.05.??"]
[Round "2"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Brian Warnock"]
[Black "William Lukowiak"]
[ECO "A06"]
[WhiteElo "2081"]
[BlackElo "2230"]
[PlyCount "99"]

1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 f6 3.d4 Bf5 4.e3 e6 5.Be2 Bd6 6.c4 c6 7.Nc3 Ne7 8.Nh4 Nd7 9.Nxf5 Nxf5 10.O-O Qc7 11.h3 O-O-O 12.cxd5 exd5 13.a3 Rde8 14.b4 a6 15.Rb1 Kd8 16.a4 Ke7 17.Bd3 Nh6 18.e4 dxe4 19.Nxe4 Nf7 20.b5 axb5 21.axb5 Kf8 22.Nxd6 Nxd6 23.Qc2 g6 24.Bh6+ Ke7 25.Bf4 Kf7 26.bxc6 bxc6 27.Rfc1 Nb8 28.Qc5 Rd8 29.d5 Kg7 30.dxc6 Rhe8 31.Bxd6 Rxd6 32.Rb7 Qxb7 33.cxb7 Rxd3 34.Qb5 Red8 35.Rc8 Kh6 36.Qb6 R8d6 37.Qa7 Nd7 38.b8=Q Nxb8 39.Qxb8 R6d7 40.Qf4+ Kg7 41.Qb4 Rf7 42.Qb8 R3d7 43.Rg8+ Kh6 44.Qf4+ g5 45.Qf5 Rd4 46.g3 Rd6 47.h4 Rd1+ 48.Kg2 gxh4 49.Qf4+ Kh5 50. Qxh4# 1-0

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Here's a rather interesting game from the 1986 Central New England Open, in which [I believe 11 year old at the time] Robert (Bobby) Seltzer competes in the Class A section & loses his first round game to 1939 rated Tony Jones. Within five years of this game Bobby's USCF rating peaked at 2336.

[Event "Central New England Open"]
[Site "Fitchburg, MA"]
[Date "1986.05.24"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Tony Jones"]
[Black "Robert Seltzer"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1939"]
[BlackElo "1833"]
[Section "Class A"]
[TimeControl "45/2, 20/1"]
[Annotator "Robert Seltzer"]
[Plycount "54"]
[Moves "27"]

{Game #209}

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6

{Kann variation of the Sicilian Defense.}

3. d4 c5xd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Be2

{The main line is Bd3.}

5... Nf6 6. Nc3

{If e5, then Qa5+, winning the pawn. 6. Nc3 prevents that.}

6... Qc7

{Stopping the pawn advance e5.}

7. Be3 b5

{Threatening b4 on the next move, winning the e pawn.}

8. f3 d6 9. Qd2

{Leaving the option of castling long.}

9... Be7 10. 0-0 Bb7 11. a3

{Almost totally a waste. a4 is a much better move, although it equalizes: 11. a4 b4, 12. Na2 d5 (if 12. ... a5, Black gets in trouble with 13. Nb5), 13. Nxb4 d5xe4, 14. f3xe4 Nxe4. And Black has a good game.} {If 13. e4xd5, then Nxd5, guarding the b pawn.} {If 13. Bf4, then e5, 14. Bg3 d6xe5, and Black still has a good game.}

11... 0-0 12. Bd3 Nbd7 13. Rac1 d5 14. e4xd5

{This move is forced.}

14... Nxd5 15. Nxd5 Bxd5 16. Ne2 Rfd8

{Hoping to get play on the open d file against White's Queen.}

17. Nf4 Bb7 18. Qf2

{Hoping for an eventual Bb6. This move also gets out of the way of the potential attack on the d file.}

18... Bd6 19. Qh4

{Threatening h7}

19... Nf6 20. Nh5

{Probably a mistake.}

20... Bxh2+ 21. Kh1

{If 21. Qxh2 Qxh2+, 22. Kxh2 Nxh5, White has Bishop pair but Black is up a pawn.}

21... Nd5 22. Nxg7

{Bxh7+ doesn't work: 22. Bxh7+ Kxh7, 23. Nf6+ Kg6, 24. Nxd5 B or Pxd5, and Black ends up ahead a piece because Qxh2 loses to Rh8. Nxe3 Kxg7 isn't as good: 22. ... Kxg7, 23. Qh6+ Kg8, 24. Bxh7+ Kh8, 25. Bg6+ Kg8, 26. Qh7+ Kf8, 27. Bh6+ Ke8, 28. Qg8+ Kd7, 29. Qf7+, and White gets compensation.}

22... Nxe3 23. Qxh7+ Kf8 24. Nxe6

{The idea being if f7xe6, then Qxc7. White overlooked the fact that the Bishop at h2 guards Black's Queen.}

24... f7xe6 25. Qh6+ Qg7 26. Qxe3 Qh8 27. Qc5+

{If not that move, White gets mated.}

27... Bd6+

{White Resigns}

0-1

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Tom Wiedeman Games

Tom Weideman, front left, on a recent visit to the WCC

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These games may be found on Tom Weideman's online blog at: http://fizzycyst.livejournal.com/?tag=chess

Memorable chess games

After a long hiatus from this blog, I found I wanted to share some chess games with a number of people. I didn't want to foist these upon them by email, so I decided to blog them and point here for optional reading. I basically wanted to get these games and their related anecdotes written down somewhere for myself (and possibly my kids someday), while giving other people who might find them interesting a chance to read them without shoving them down anyone's throat.

Each game will get its own separate entry, complete with back story and a small amount of analysis. Warning about the latter: I will on occasion use a computer to analyze positions, but I won't always, and therefore do not guarantee the accuracy of the assessments I reach. The point is that some of the analysis is "artistic", in that it does not delve into every variation and subvariation that can follow, but rather points out interesting aspects of the position, some of which may be nearly irrelevant to determining proper play.

Finally, I want to point out that my most memorable games are not generally my best-played games. They can be classified as "memorable" entirely because of the back story, or because it featured a spectacular finish (though often gratuitously-so), or any number of other reasons. If I remember, I will attempt to give you my playing strength at the time of the game, so that you can put the quality of my play into the proper context, but keep in mind that these entries aren't really a sampling to demonstrate how well I played. They are, as they say, "for entertainment purposes only".

With all that said, I give you my chess memoirs. Enjoy.

I am going to attempt to enter these games in chronological order, and my first game comes from my very first USCF-rated event (and I think only my third tournament of any kind, the other two being unrated scholastic events). I came into the 21-player open tournament ranked 21st, and somehow managed to win my first three games. My final round pairing was a very large step upward from those, however: My 4th round opponent Stephen Ducharme was rated 1653 - more than 200 Elo points higher than my toughest opponent from the first 3 rounds. He was one of two superstar high school players (a recent graduate at the time) from our county scholastic league. This first board from a cross-town rival team is not expected to have much trouble with an alternate from a team whose first board was rated around 1200. But I played well above expectation that day, and I suspect he played well below, so we had a perfect storm.

White: Weideman, Tom
Black: Ducharme, Stephen
Event: Pequoig CC August Open (4)
Round: 4
Date: 1977.08.27
ECO: [A57]
Opening: Benko Gambit
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 b5
{I'm pretty sure I had never seen this before in my life at that point, so I wasn't about to mess around with accepting the gambit.}
4 e3 d6 5 b3 g6 6 Nf3 Bg7 7 Bb2 bxc4 8 Bxc4
{Not the prettiest white position I've ever seen, but at least he is not killing me with a line that he knew inside-out that I had no clue about.}
8... Bb7 9 Nbd2 O-O 10 e4 Nbd7 11 O-O Nb6 12 Re1 a5 13 a4 Qc7 14 Qe2 Nbd7 15 Bb5 Nb8 16 Nc4 Na6
{At this point, my computer rates white as slightly better. That's about to change as my aggressive nature gets the better of me (a common theme throughout my chess career, btw).}
17 e5? Nxd5 18 exd6 exd6 19 Bxg7 Kxg7
{Despite the blunder of the pawn, the evaluation of the position now is only very slightly worse for white, meaning my position has some compensation for the material.}
20 Ne3 Nc3?
{A terrible move. Even a newbie like me could find the right play here.}
21 Qb2 d5
{If his plan was to fork the knight and queen with the pawn to recover the piece, it was faulty in more ways than one. I could simply take the knight and retreat the Q to b2 (keeping the pawn pinned), or...}
22 Bxa6 Rxa6 23 Qxc3+ d4?
{As stated above, this doesn't work at all. Clearly Steve was having a bad day.}
24 Nxd4 Kg8
{Now white is a full piece up and should win easily. What follows characterizes my play in the early years perfectly - gratuitous tactics. I typically did a pretty good job of finding "brilliant" moves when it was completely unnecessary. But to be fair to myself, I should say that Ducharme was a considerably stronger player than me, and the "safe" approach could have ended with him finding resources, considering all the major pieces are still on the board. Keeping him on his heels with a riskier play might have actually been better from a practical perspective.}
25 Ndf5!?
{The computer gives 25 Nef5 as the best move. The reason they are different is, of course, that black doesn't have to take the knight. But if he doesn't, then I'm not giving back the knight, and my move was not dubious after all! It turns out that he does in fact take it, and that makes my move essentially equivalent to the computer's move. Good thing, because judging from the rather weak technique I displayed in finishing-off the game, I needed all the cushion I could get.}
25... gxf5 26 Nxf5 Rg6 27 Ne7+ Qxe7 28 Rxe7 Rxg2+ 29 Kf1 Ba8 30 Rae1 Rg6 31 f3 Bc6 32 Qxc5 Rd8 33 Qf5 Rf8 34 Qxa5 Rf6 35 Qg5+ Rg6 36 Qh5 Rf6 37 R1e3 Rd8 38 Qg5+ Rg6 39 Qf5 Rf8 40 h4 h6 41 Rxf7 Rxf7 42 Qxg6+ Rg7 43 Qxc6 Kh7 44 Re6 Rf7 45 Rxh6+ Kg7 46 Qg6+ Kf8 47 Rh7 Rxf3+ 48 Ke2 Rf2+
{For a brief moment, my heart sank. I was aware of stalemate swindles, even at this tender age, and I was not immediately certain I could escape the checks. Nowadays I wouldn't even need to calculate it out to know that escaping this is easy}
49 Ke3 Rf3+ 50 Kd4 Rf4+ 51 Qe4
{Heh, funny that I didn't select simply 51 Ke5.}
51... Kg8 52 Qxf4 Kxh7 53 Qg5 1-0
{I went to this tournament with someone who was at the time a new friend (and is now one of my oldest friends), Frank Everett. When my dad arrived in the middle of this game to pick me up (I was 15 - too young to drive), Frank told him that I was on the verge of sweeping the tournament. I think my Dad was as stunned as everyone else there, even though he witnessed first hand my 10-month-long obsession with the game, where I pored over library books, played games with friends over the phone, and even played against myself for hours.}
{The entry fee was $5, and the first prize of $25 felt like a small fortune to me. I won many tournaments in the years to follow, but none of them ever felt quite as good as this one.}

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Billl Addison Games

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"The following selection includes two of Addison's games against Fischer, and wins against some of the top American players of his day such as Lombardy and Reshevsky. When going over Addison's games this morning, I was taken by the excitement of many of his contests, and I urge readers to seek out more." -Jennifer Shahade

USA, 1955 [D10]
White: Steiner,Herman
Black: Addison,William
1.c4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 Bf5 5.Qb3 Qb6 6.c5 Qc7 7.Nh4 Bg6 8.a3 e5 9.dxe5 Nfd7 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.e6 fxe6 12.Qc2 Kf7 13.Nf3 Be7 14.b4 a5 15.Rb1 axb4 16.axb4 Ne5 17.Rb3 Ra1 18.Qb2 Bf6 19.Nd4 Ra4 20.Qc2 Na6 21.Rh3 Rxh3 22.Qxa4 Rc3 23.Bd2 Nxc5 24.bxc5 Rc4 25.Qa2 Rxd4 26.e3 Rh4 27.g3 Rxh2 28.Rxh2 Nf3+ 29.Ke2 Nxh2 30.Bh3 g5 31.f4 g4 32.Bg2 b6 33.Qb1 bxc5 34.Qh7 Qb7 35.Qxh2 Qb5+ 36.Ke1 Qb1+ 37.Ke2 c4 38.Qh1 Qd3+ 39.Ke1 c3 40.Bc1 Qc2 41.Ba3 Qb1+ 0-1

U.S. Open, 1957, Cleveland OH, [B10]
White: Fischer, Robert James
Black: Addison, William
1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.Bc4 Bd6 7.Qe2+ Qe7 8.Qxe7+ Kxe7 9.d4 Bf5 10.Bb3 Re8 11.Be3 Kf8 12.O-O-O Nd7 13.c4 Rad8 14.Bc2 Bxc2 15.Kxc2 f5 16.Rhe1 f4 17.Bd2 Nf6 18.Ne5 g5 19.f3 Nh5 20.Ng4 Kg7 21.Bc3 Kg6 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.c5 Bb8 24.d5 cxd5 25.Rxd5 f5 26.Ne5+ Bxe5 27.Rxe5 Nf6 28.Rxe8 Nxe8 29.Be5 Kh5 30.Kd3 g4 31.b4 a6 32.a4 gxf3 33.gxf3 Kh4 34.b5 axb5 35.a5 Kh3 36.c6 1-0

U.S. Championship/Rosenwald New York City, NY (8), 1962 [E66]
White: Addison, William
Black: Mednis,Edmar
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.0-0 a6 8.d5 Na5 9.Nd2 c5 10.Qc2 Rb8 11.b3 b5 12.Bb2 Bd7 13.Rfb1 Qc7 14.Nce4 Nxe4 15.Bxe4 Bxb2 16.Rxb2 bxc4 17.bxc4 Rxb2 18.Qxb2 Rb8 19.Qc3 Rb4 20.a3 Rb7 21.h4 h5 22.Bc2 Qb6 23.Rb1 Qd8 24.Re1 Qb6 25.Bd3 Qd8 26.f4 Bg4 27.Rf1 Qb6 28.f5 gxf5 29.Bxf5 Bxf5 30.Rxf5 f6 31.Rxh5 Kf8 32.Qd3 Ke8 33.Rh8+ 1-0

U.S. Championship, New York, 1962
White: Addison, William
Black: Reshevsky, Samuel Herman
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.O-O e5 8.e4 c6 9.h3 exd4 10.Nxd4 Re8 11.Be3 a5 12.Qc2 Nc5 13.Rad1 Nfd7 14.Nb3 Qe7 15.Nxc5 Nxc5 16.Qd2 Bf8 17.Rfe1 Be6 18.Nd5 cxd5 19.exd5 Ne4 20.Bxe4 Bxh3 21.Bd4 Qc7 22.Qc3 Rac8 23.Bd3 a4 24.Rxe8 Rxe8 25.Re1 Rxe1+ 26.Qxe1 Qd7 27.b4 axb3 28.axb3 Qg4 29.Qe3 Qd1+ 30.Kh2 Bg4 31.Be4 Bh6 32.Qc3 Bd2 33.Qb2 h5 34.Qa3 Bh6 35.Qa8+ Bf8 36.Be3 Bf3 37.Bxf3 Qxf3 38.Kg1 h4 39.Bh6 1-0

U.S. Championship/Rosenwald New York City, NY (10), 1962 [D29]
White: Addison, William
Black: Berliner,Hans
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.0-0 a6 7.Qe2 b5 8.Bb3 Bb7 9.Rd1 Nbd7 10.Nc3 Qc7 11.e4 b4 12.Nd5 exd5 13.exd5+ Be7 14.dxc5 Nxd5 15.Bxd5 Bxd5 16.Rxd5 Nxc5 17.Be3 Nd7 18.Bg5 f6 19.Re1 Nb6 20.Bf4 Qb7 21.Rc5 Rc8 22.Bd6 Rxc5 23.Qxe7+ 1-0

U.S. Championship, Closed New York City NY, 1963 [E60]
White: Addison, William
Black: Byrne,Donald
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Bg2 a6 7.a4 0-0 8.e4 e5 9.h4 Nbd7 10.Bh3 Rb8 11.Nf3 Nb6 12.Bxc8 Qxc8 13.b3 Na8 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.a5 g5 17.Nh2 Bd8 18.h5 Nc7 19.Ng4 Kh7 20.Ne3 Ne8 21.g4 Bc7 22.Ra3 Qd8 23.Qa1 Ng7 24.Ke2 Qc8 25.Qa2 b6 26.axb6 Rxb6 27.Ra1 Qb7 28.Rxa6 Rxa6 29.Qxa6 Qxb3 30.Qa3 Qb8 31.Rb1 Qd8 32.Rb5 Qe7 33.Qa7 Rc8 34.Rb8 Qd8 35.Qa6 Kg8 36.Rb5 Bb8 37.Qb6 Qxb6 38.Rxb6 Rd8 39.f3 Kf8 40.Rb7 Kg8 41.Kd3 Kf8 42.Kc2 Kg8 43.Kb3 Kf8 44.Ka4 Kg8 45.Ka5 Kf8 46.Ka6 Ke8 1-0

Stamer Memorial, San Francisco CA (5), 1964 [A00]
White: Suttles,Duncan
Black: Addison,William
1.g3 Nf6 2.Bg2 d5 3.d3 c6 4.Nc3 e5 5.e4 Bb4 6.Bd2 d4 7.Nce2 Bxd2+ 8.Qxd2 Qe7 9.f3 c5 10.Nh3 Nc6 11.Nf2 Rb8 12.0-0 0-0 13.f4 Ng4 14.Nxg4 Bxg4 15.Rae1 b5 16.h3 Bxe2 17.Rxe2 c4 18.Kh2 Qc5 19.b3 Rfd8 20.Ref2 Rb6 21.h4 h6 22.f5 f6 23.g4 Kf7 24.g5 hxg5 25.hxg5 Rh8+ 26.Kg3 Rbb8 27.Bf3 Qb4 28.Qe2 fxg5 29.Bh5+ Kf6 30.Rg2 Rh6 31.Qg4 Rbh8 32.Rh1 cxd3 33.Kf3 Ke7 34.Qxg5+ Kd6 35.Qxg7 Kc5 36.Rg6 Qd2 37.b4+ Kb6 38.Qxe5 Qe3+ 39.Kg2 Rxg6+ 40.Bxg6 Nxe5 41.Rxh8 Qf3+ 0-1

1965 U.S. Championship, New York City NY (1), [E45]
White: Addison,William
Black: Fischer,Robert
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Nge2 Ba6 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.Nxc3 d5 8.b3 0-0 9.a4 Nc6 10.Bb2 dxc4 11.bxc4 Na5 12.Nb5 c6 13.Na3 Qe7 14.Qc2 c5 15.Be2 cxd4 16.exd4 Rfc8 17.0-0 Rc6 18.Bf3 Nd5 19.Bxd5 exd5 20.Rfe1 Qf8 21.Qf5 dxc4 22.d5 Rg6 23.Nc2 Nb3 24.Ba3 Qd8 25.Be7 Qc8 26.Qxc8+ Bxc8 27.Ra3 Bd7 28.Ne3 Nd4 29.Rd1 Nf5 30.Nxf5 Bxf5 31.d6 Bd7 32.Rc1 Rg4 33.f3 Rd4 34.Kf2 Rc8 35.Rac3 f6 36.Ke3 Rh4 37.g3 Rxh2 38.Rxc4 Rxc4 39.Rxc4 Kf7 40.Rc7 Ke6 41.Rxa7 Rb2 42.f4 Rb3+ 43.Kf2 f5 44.g4 g6 45.gxf5+ gxf5 46.a5 b5 47.a6 Rb4 48.Kg3 Ra4 49.Bf8 h5 50.Be7 Bc6 51.Bf8 h4+ 52.Kh3 Bd7 53.Bh6 Kxd6 54.Kxh4 Bc8 55.Kg5 Bxa6 56.Ra8 Kc7 57.Bg7 b4 58.Be5+ Kd7 59.Kf6 1/2-1/2

1965 U.S. Championship, Closed New York City NY (5) [A48]
White: Bisguier,Arthur
Black: Addison,William
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 Bg7 4.Nbd2 c5 5.c3 cxd4 6.cxd4 Nc6 7.e3 0-0 8.a3 h6 9.Bh4 d6 10.Bc4 Bf5 11.h3 Rc8 12.0-0 e5 13.e4 Bd7 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Ba2 g5 16.Bg3 Qe7 17.Re1 Rcd8 18.Nh2 Be6 19.Bxe6 Qxe6 20.Nhf1 Rd3 21.Re3 Rd7 22.Qb3 Qe7 23.Nf3 Rfd8 24.Rae1 Nh5 25.Rc3 Qf6 26.Ne3 Nd4 27.Nxd4 exd4 28.Ng4 Qg6 29.Rd3 Nxg3 30.fxg3 Rc7 31.Nf2 Rdc8 32.Re2 Rc1+ 33.Kh2 h5 34.Qxb7 Be5 35.Qd5 R1c5 36.Qd7 h4 37.Nh1 Rc1 38.Rf3 g4 39.Qxg4 Qxg4 40.hxg4 Kg7 41.Rf5 Rxh1+ 0-1

1966 U.S. Championship
White: Fischer, Robert James
Black: Addison, William
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.dxe5 c6 10.Be3 Be7 11.Nd2 Nxd2 12.Qxd2 O-O 13.Qc3 Bb7 14.f4 a5 15.a3 b4 16.Qd2 a4 17.Ba2 bxa3 18.bxa3 Bxa3 19.Rfb1 Bc8 20.Bxd5 Qxd5 21.Rxa3 Qxd2 22.Bxd2 Bf5 23.Rb2 Rfd8 24.Be3 h5 25.h3 Rdb8 26.Rxb8+ Rxb8 27.Rxa4 Bxc2 28.Rc4 Rb1+ 29.Kf2 Rb2 30.Kg3 Bf5 31.Rxc6 Rxg2+ 1/2-1/2

U.S. Championship, 1969, New York
White: Addison, William
Black: Lombardy, William James
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nbd7 8.Re1 c6 9.Bf1 Qe7 10.Rb1 Ne8 11.b3 Nc7 12.Ba3 Ne6 13.Ne2 exd4 14.Nfxd4 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 a5 16.Qd2 Nc5 17.Rbd1 Re8 18.Nc2 a4 19.b4 Nxe4 20.Rxe4 Qxe4 21.Re1 Qxe1 22.Nxe1 Bf5 23.Nf3 Be4 24.Ng5 Bf5 25.h3 h6 26.g4 Bb1 27.Nf3 d5 28.Bd3 Bxd3 29.Qxd3 Rad8 30.b5 Re6 31.bxc6 Rxc6 32.c5 d4 33.Qb5 d3 34.Qxb7 Rf6 35.c6 d2 36.Nxd2 Rxd2 37.Bc5 Rc2 38.Qb8+ Kh7 39.Qb5 Rf4 40.c7 Bd4 41.Bxd4 Rxd4 42.Qb7 Rdc4 43.c8=Q Rxc8 44.Qxf7+ Kh8 45.Qf6+ Kh7 46.Qf7+ Kh8 47.Qxg6 R8c6 48.Qe8+ Kg7 49.Qe7+ Kg8 50.Qd8+ Kg7 51.Qd4+ Rf6 52.h4 Kf7 53.Qxa4 Rfc6 54.Qf4+ Ke7 55.Qe4+ Kd7 56.a4 R2c4 57.Qf5+ Kc7 58.a5 Kb7 59.Kg2 Ka6 60.g5 hxg5 61.hxg5 R6c5 62.Qf6+ Kxa5 63.Kg3 Rc1 64.f4 Kb5 65.Qb2+ Kc6 66.Kg4 Kd7 67.Kh5 Rc6 68.Qg7+ Ke8 69.Qg8+ Ke7 70.Qh7+ Kf8 71.Qe4 R1c4 72.Qd5 Kg7 73.Qd7+ Kf8 74.f5 Rc8 75.f6 R4c7 76.Qd6+ Kg8 77.g6 Kh8 78.Kh6 Rc6 79.g7+ Kg8 80.Qd5+ Re6 81.Qxe6# 1-0

Palma De Mallorca Interzonal (1), 1970 [D16]
White: Taimanov,Mark
Black: Addison,William
1.c4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Na6 6.e4 Bg4 7.Bxc4 e6 8.0-0 Nb4 9.Be3 Be7 10.Be2 0-0 11.Ne5 Bxe2 12.Qxe2 c5 13.Rfd1 cxd4 14.Bxd4 Qb8 15.Nc4 Nc6 16.e5 Nd5 17.Nxd5 exd5 18.Na3 Re8 19.e6 Qf4 20.Nb5 Rac8 21.Bxa7 Nxa7 22.Nxa7 Rcd8 23.Nb5 Bc5 24.Qc2 b6 25.g3 Qf6 26.Nc7 Rf8 27.b4 Bxb4 28.Rab1 Bc5 29.Nxd5 Qxe6 1/2-1/2

Palma De Mallorca Interzonal, 1970
White: Addison, William
Black: Gligoric, Svetozar
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O e5 8.d5 Ne7 9.e4 Ne8 10.Nh4 c5 11.dxc6 Nxc6 12.h3 Nc7 13.Nf3 Ne6 14.Nb5 Ned4 15.Nbxd4 exd4 16.b3 Re8 17.Re1 Qb6 18.Bb2 a5 19.a4 Bd7 20.Rb1 Re7 21.Ba3 Nb4 22.Qd2 Rae8 23.Bxb4 axb4 24.Rbd1 Qc5 25.Nxd4 f5 26.Qd3 fxe4 27.Rxe4 Rxe4 28.Bxe4 Bxh3 29.Nb5 Kh8 30.Qd5 Rf8 31.Qxc5 dxc5 32.Bxb7 Bf5 33.a5 Bc2 34.Rc1 Bxb3 35.a6 Ba2 36.a7 b3 37.Rf1 b2 38.Na3 Bc3 39.a8=Q Rxa8 40.Bxa8 Bb4 41.Nb1 Bxc4 42.Rd1 Be6 43.Be4 Kg7 44.Rd6 1-0

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Allan Bennett Games

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As five time WCC Champion, I'm sure Allan Bennett produced some fine examples of chess during his years at the club. At this point in time not one of those game scores is available, so I'll post a few of what I consider interesting or instructional games Allan played in various events at other locations.

At some point I'll publish some detailed notes about this game. Suffice it to say that, any time you can play up nearly 400 rating points & come away with a full point from three time US Champ, GM Larry Christiansen, you've played well! Here Allan does exactly that employing precisely the style which made his famous foe famous, a stellar accomplishment indeed.

[Event "Foxwoods Open"]
[Site "Connecticut USA"]
[Round "1"]
[Date "2002.3.28"]
[White "Bennett, Allan"]
[Black "Christiansen, Larry M"]
[WhiteElo "2257"]
[BlackElo "2653"]
[Result "1-0"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 a6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 b5 6.Bd3 Qb6 7.Nb3 Bb7 8.a4 b4 9.a5 Qc7 10.Na4 d5 11.exd5 Bxd5 12.O-O Nd7 13.Nb6 Nxb6 14.axb6 Qxb6 15.Be3 Qb8 16.Na5 Bd6 17.c4 bxc3 18.Qa4+ Kf8 19.bxc3 Bxh2+ 20.Kh1 Nf6 21.c4 Qe5 22.cxd5 Qh5 23.Be2 Qxe2 24.Kxh2 exd5 25.Rfe1 Qg4 26.Qc6 Rd8 27.Qc5+ Kg8 28.Nc6 Re8 29.Ne7+ Rxe7 30.Qxe7 h6 31.Rxa6 Qh5+ 32.Kg1 Kh7 33.Ra7 d4 34.Bxd4 Re8 35.Qb4 Re4 36.Qb1 1-0

In this game, Allan opens with 1. e4 & Justin plays a fairly standard Center Counter Defense through some typical positions with of course tactical complications. After some tense double edged maneuvers, Allan eventually saves a pawn-down queen ending by swapping queens & using fine endgame technique whittling both himself & Justin down to bare kings to split the point.

[Event "Foxwoods Open"]
[Site "Connecticut USA"]
[Round "3"]
[Date "2002.3.29"]
[White "Bennett, Allan"]
[Black "Sarkar, Justin"]
[WhiteElo "2257"]
[BlackElo "2438"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7.Bd2 e6 8.Qe2 Bb4 9.O-O-O Nbd7 10.Ne5 Nxe5 11.dxe5 Nd5 12.Ne4 Bxe4 13.Qxe4 Bxd2+ 14.Rxd2 O-O-O 15.Rhd1 Nb6 16.Rxd8+ Rxd8 17.Rxd8+ Kxd8 18.Bd3 Nd7 19.f4 Nc5 20.Qe3 Nxd3+ 21.Qxd3+ Ke8 22.b3 Qxa2 23.Qxh7 Qa1+ 24.Kd2 Qd4+ 25.Ke2 Qxf4 26.Qxg7 Qxh2 27.Kd3 Qg1 28.Qh8+ Kd7 29.Qb8 Qb6 30.Qf8 Qb5+ 31.Kd2 Qxe5 32.Qxf7+ Kd6 33.Qxb7 Qg5+ 34.Kd1 Qxg2 35.Qxa7 e5 36.Qe3 Qf1+ 37.Kd2 Qf4 38.Kd3 Qxe3+ 39.Kxe3 Kd5 40.c3 e4 41.Kf4 c5 42.Ke3 Ke5 43.b4 cxb4 44.cxb4 Kd5 45.b5 Kc5 46.Kxe4 Kxb5 1/2-1/2

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John Grefe Games

IM John Grefe US Co-Champ 1973

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Here is his decisive win over Walter Browne, later a six-time winner of the U.S. Championship himself, in the 1973 championship:
Grefe versus Browne, U.S. Championship 1973[4]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 h6 9. Bh4 Qc7 10. 0-0-0 Nbd7 11. Be2 Rb8 12. Qg3 Rg8 13. Rhf1 g5 14. fxg5 Ne5 15. Nf3 b5 16. Nxe5 b4 17. Nxf7 bxc3 18. gxf6 Rxg3 19. fxe7 Rg5 20. Bxg5 hxg5 21. Nxd6+ 1-0

Here is a brilliancy against veteran grandmaster Miguel Najdorf:
Grefe versus Najdorf, Lone Pine 1976[5]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Qe2 c6 8. a4 Qc7 9. h3 exd4 10. Nxd4 Re8 11. Bf4 Ne5 12. Bb3 Nfd7 13. Rad1 Bf8 14. Bc1 Nc5 15. Ba2 d5 16. f4 Ned7 17. e5 Nb6 18. a5 Nbd7 19. Qh5 Ne6 20. Nf5 Qxa5 21. Rf3 Nb6 22. Rg3 g6 23. Qh4 Na4 24. Rxd5!? Qb6+ On 25...cxd5, Shredder analyzes 26.Nxd5 Bg7 27.Nxg7 Kxg7 28.Nf6 h5 29.f5 Rh8 30.Nd7! Bxd7 31.Qf6+ Kg8 32.Kh2 followed by Rxg6+ or fxg6. 25. Be3 Qb4? Rybka considers the queen sacrifice 25...Nxc3! 26.Bxb6 Ne2+ 27.Kh2 axb6 favorable to Black. 26. Rb5! Nxc3 27. Rxb4 Ne2+ 28. Kh2 Nxg3 29. Qxg3 Bxb4 30. Nh6+ Kh8 31. f5! Nd8 32. fxg6 fxg6 33. Qf4 Bf8 34. Nf7+ Nxf7 35. Qxf7 Be6 36. Bxe6 Bg7 37. Bd4 Rad8 38. Bc3 b5 39. Bd7 Rf8 40. Qe7 1-0 (Analysis from chessgames.com)

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Milan Vukcevich Games

Bobby Fischer is the most famous & arguably the strongest player ever to visit any WCC event, however he certainly was not the only world class player to do so.

Milan Rodoje Vukcevich competed in the 1964 Central new England Open held by the WCC in Fitchburg MA at the First Parish Church Hall on main Street. This was a five round tournament & I have none of Vukcevich's games from that tournament. However, his chess career spanned from at least 1955 to 1981 & included such noteworthy opponents as: Arthur Bisguier, Walter Browne, John Curdo, Svetosar Gligoric, Bukhuti Gurgenidze, John Grefe, William Martz, William Lombardy, Miguel Najdorf, Vasily Panov, jack Peters, Tigran Petrosian, Ken Rogoff, Leonid Shamkovich, Yasir Sierawan, Vasilly Smyslov, Jan Timman,

Probably one of the most explosive games one could imagine betweeen a couple of top notch players then or now occurred in 1955 between Milan Vukcevich & Vasilly Panov. The game is a classical French Defense, MacCutcheon Variation mineature wherein Vukcevich presents Panov with a two rook sacrifice. Panov takes one rook & sees that if he takes the second rook, he gets mated nine moves later, so he refuses to bite whereuopn Vukcevich immediately offers the second rook again! This time Panov, either thinking it's now safe or out of sheer exasperation, accepts the bait & proceeds to get mated eight moves later!

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[Event "Smederevo"]
[Site "Smederevo"]
[Round "1"]
[Date "1955.??.??"]
[White "Vukcevich, Milan R"]
[Black "Panov, Vasily"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Moves "21"]
[Plycount "41"]
[Opening "French Defense, MacCutcheon Variation"]
[ECO "C12"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 5.Bd3 c5 6.Nf3 dxe4 7.Bxe4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qa5 9.Bxf6 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Qxc3+ 11.Qd2 Qxa1+ 12.Ke2 Qb2 13.Rb1 Qxb1 14.Nxe6 Bd7 15.Nxg7+ Kf8 16.Ne6+ fxe6 17.Qh6+ Ke8 18.Bg6+ hxg6 19.Qxg6+ Kf8 20.Qg7+ Ke8 21.Qe7# 1-0

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