BCCF E-MAIL BULLETIN #37
Lots of annotated games for your enjoyment this issue. To subscribe, send me an e-mail (swright2@telus.net) or sign up via the BCCF webpage (www.chess.bc.ca); if you no longer wish to receive this Bulletin, just let me know. Stephen Wright [back issues of the Bulletin are available on the BCCF web site: www.chess.bc.ca/newsletters.html] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CANADIAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP Final results for the Canadian Junior are now available (scores out of 9): 8.5 - Zhe Quan (ON) 8.0 - Fanhao Meng (BC) 6.5 - Victor Kaminski (AB) 5.0 - Raja Panjwani (ON), Trevor Vincent (MB), Andrew Boik (AB) 4.5 - Samuel Lipnowski (MB), Lucas Davies (BC), Daniel Kazmaier (AB), Noam Davies (BC), Wylon Wong (ON), Jordan Palmer (ON), Anastasia Kazakevich (AB), Cornelia Dinca (AB), Thomas Kaminski (AB), Ben Daswani (BC) 2.5 - Jason Hutchison (NB), Sadiq Juma (ON) 2.0 - Arthur Baser (AB) All our B.C. representatives finished with 50% except Fanhao Meng, who scored an excellent 8/9, which unfortunately was not enough to win the tournament. He really needed Zhe Quan to lose some points, but Zhe did not oblige. Our four players kindly submitted the following annotated games - many thanks to you all! Meng,F (2273) - Quan,Z (2449) [B10] CAN jun Calgary (4), 03.01.2004 [Fanhao Meng] 1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.cxd5 Nf6 5.Bb5+ Nbd7 6.Nc3 a6 7.Be2 The main line is 7. Qa4, but I found 7. Be2 more like "my style". 7...g6 8.d4 Bg7 9.Nf3 0-0 10.0-0 Nb6 11.Ne5 Nbxd5 12.Bf3 Be6 13.Bg5?! I really had no idea what I was supposed to do here, since I haven't looked this line up in a while. [This is the main line 13.Na4 b6 14.Bd2] 13...Rc8 14.Rc1 Qd6 15.Qd2 Rfd8 16.Rfd1 b5 17.Nd3?! This move might be a mistake, but I couldn't find any other way to develop my position at the time. [17.Ne2 Rxc1 18.Rxc1 Rc8 19.Rxc8+ Bxc8=] 17...Nxc3 18.bxc3 Bd5 19.Bxf6? I wanted to trade off the f6 knight so I can have Nc5 [Better is19.Bxd5 Nxd5 20.Nc5=+] 19...Bxf6 20.Bxd5 Qxd5 21.Qe2 Qc4 22.Kf1 Rc6 23.Nb4 Qxe2+ 24.Kxe2 Re6+ 25.Kf1 Red6 26.Nd3? I made this "deadly" mistake in time trouble [26.f4 g5 27.g3 a5 28.Nc2 gxf4 29.gxf4 Rc6 30.Ne3 Kf8-/+]. 26...e5! 27.Nc5 Rc6 28.Nb3 [28.Ne4 Bg7 29.d5 Rc4-+] 28...exd4?? This move lets the win slip away [28...Rdc8! 29.d5 Rxc3 30.Rxc3 Rxc3 31.d6 Kf8-+]. 29.cxd4 Rcd6 [29...Rc4 30.Rxc4 bxc4 31.Nc5 Rxd4 (31...a5 32.d5 c3 33.Ne4 Be5 34.Rc1=) 32.Rxd4 Bxd4 33.Nxa6=; 29...Rxc1 30.Rxc1 Bxd4 31.Rc6 a5 32.Nxa5=] 30.d5 Kg7 31.Ke2 Rxd5 32.Rxd5 Rxd5 33.Rc6 Re5+ 34.Kf3?? This move leads to death for White. [34.Kf1 (forced) Re6 35.Rxe6 fxe6 36.Nc5=] 34...Rf5+ [34...Re6 35.Rxe6 fxe6 36.Nc5=] 35.Ke2 Re5+?? So close, yet so far. Zhe Quan let the win slip right through his fingers [35...Bh4! 36.g3 Rf6 37.Rc5 Re6+! 38.Kf3 Bf6] 36.Kf3?? Again the same mistake [36.Kf1 forced] 36...Re1?? [36...Rf5+ 37.Ke2 Bh4 38.g3 Rf6 39.Rc5 Re6+ 40.Kf3 Bf6] 37.Rxa6= Now the position is equal. 37...b4 38.Nc5 Ra1 39.Ra4 Be7 ½-½ Lipnowski,S (2154) - Meng,F (2273) [D07] CAN jun Calgary (9), 06.01.2004 [Fanhao Meng] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.cxd5 Qxd5 4.e3 e5 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Bd2 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 exd4 8.Ne2 Bg4!? Since the move leads to an opening sacrifice, I usually don't play it. But since Zhe Quan was winning his game, and I would get second place no matter what, I thought I would give this line a try. 9.f3 Bxf3 10.gxf3 Qxf3 11.Bxd4 Qxh1 12.Bxg7 Qxh2 13.Qa4 0-0-0 14.Bxh8 f6 15.Rd1!? [Better is 15.Qf4 Qh5 16.Nc3±] 15...Ne5 16.Rxd8+ Kxd8 17.Qe4 [17.Qxa7 Nf3+ 18.Kd1 Qf2 19.Qb8+ Kd7 20.Bh3+ Kc6 21.Nd4+ (21.Qe8+ Kb6 22.Qe6+ Ka7 23.Qc4 Qe1+ 24.Kc2 Qd2+ 25.Kb3 Qxe3+ unclear) 21...Nxd4 22.Qe8+ Kb6 23.exd4 Qxd4+= Black gets a prepetual check] 17...c6 18.Bg7?? This move actually loses [18.Qf5 Qh4+ 19.Kd1+-] 18...Ke8 19.Qf5 Kf7 20.Bh8 Qh4+ 21.Kd1 Ne7 22.Qc2? [22.Qf4 Qxf4 23.Nxf4 N7g6 24.Nxg6 hxg6 25.Be2 unclear] 22...Kg8 23.Qc5 N7g6 24.Qxa7 Kxh8 25.Qb8+ Kg7 26.Qxb7+ Kh6 Right after this move, I was in time trouble, so I just played what I thought was right without much calculation. 27.Nd4 Qh1! 28.Qa6 Ng4 29.Kd2 c5 30.Nf5+ Kg5 31.Bd3 N6e5-+ 32.Nd6 Nf3+ 33.Kc2 Nxe3+ 34.Kb3 Nd2+ 35.Ka3 Qd5 36.b3 (forced) Qd4 37.Nf7+ Kh4 38.Qb5 c4 [38...Nec4+!! I missed this flashy move but I was winning anyways 39.Bxc4 (39.bxc4 Qxd3+ 40.Ka4 Qc2+ 41.Ka5 Nxc4+ 42.Ka6 Qxa2+ 43.Kb7 Qb2-+) 39...Nb1+ 40.Ka4 Nc3+-+] 39.Qb8 cxd3 40.Qh2+ Kg4 41.Nh6+ Kg5 42.Nf7+ Kg6 43.Qh6+ Kxf7 44.Qxh7+ Ke6 45.Qg8+ Kf5 46.Qh7+ Kf4 47.Qh2+ Kf3 48.Qh3+ Ke2 49.Qh2+ Kd1 50.Qh1+ Kc2 51.Qc6+ Qc3 52.Qa8 Nxb3! 0-1 Davies,L - Lipnowski,S [B23] CAN jun Calgary (5), 04.01.2004 [Lucas Davies] 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.exd5 exd5 5.d4 [5.Bg2 Nf6 6.Nge2 d4 7.Ne4 Nxe4 8.Bxe4 Nd7 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Bg2 Bd6 11.c3 0-0 12.cxd4 cxd4 13.d3 Re8= Main line (NCO)] 5...cxd4 6.Qxd4 Be6 [6...Nf6 7.Bg5 Be7 8.Bb5+ Nc6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Qc5 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Qe7+ 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7= Main line (NCO)] 7.Bg2 [7.Bb5+ I thought about playing this move during the game but didn't really feel comfortable with leaving my light squares weak on the kingside. I also thought that it seemed logical to leave the bishop on g2 as it puts pressure on the d5 pawn. 7...Nc6 8.Nf3 Nf6 9.0-0 Be7 10.Ne5 A) 10...Rc8 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.Qxa7 0-0 13.Bg5 c5 14.Qa6 d4 15.Nb5 Qd5 (15...Ra8 16.Qc6 Rc8 17.Qg2 Bd5 18.f3±) 16.Rfe1 Bh3 17.f3 h6 (17...Nd7?? 18.c4 dxc3 19.Rad1+-) 18.Bf4 Nh5 19.c4 dxc3 20.Rad1 Qe6 21.Qxe6 Bxe6 22.Nxc3 Nxf4 23.gxf4±; B) 10...Qc7 11.Bf4 Bd6 12.Rfe1 0-0=] 7...Nc6 8.Qd1 [8.Qa4 Another move I thought about during the game, but it seems illogical to put my queen off to the side where it'll just be chased around. 8...a6 9.Be3 b5 10.Qf4 Bd6 11.Qf3 Nge7 12.0-0-0 (12.Nge2 Ne5-/+) 12...Qa5-/+] 8...d4 9.Nce2 [9.Ne4 I didn't like this move during the game because I didn't like the fact that my knight lacks squares to retreat to. The following variation confirms that safe squares are a problem for the night if I want to try to get an advantage. 9...Bb4+ 10.Bd2 Rc8 11.Ne2 f5 12.Ng5 Qxg5 13.Bxc6+ Rxc6 14.Bxb4 Qg4 15.Nf4 Qxd1+ 16.Kxd1 (16.Rxd1 Bxa2 17.Rxd4 g5 18.Ng2 Rxc2=+) 16...Nf6 (16...Bc4 17.Re1+ Kf7 18.Re5 g6 19.b3 Ba6 20.Bc5±) 17.Re1 Kf7 18.Nxe6 (18.Bc5 Rxc5 19.Nxe6 Rb5 20.Rb1 Ne4 21.Nxd4 Rd8 22.c3 Nxc3+ 23.Kc2 Rxd4 24.Kxc3=+) 18...Rxe6 19.Rxe6 Kxe6 20.Bc5 Kd5 21.Bxa7 Nd7 22.c4+ dxc3 23.Be3 (23.bxc3 b6-+) 23...cxb2=] 9...Bb4+ 10.Bd2 Nge7 [10...Qb6 11.b3 Ne5 12.Nf4 Bg4 13.f3 Bf5 14.Nd5 Bxd2+ 15.Qxd2 Qc5 16.f4+=] 11.a3 Bc5 [11...Bxd2+ 12.Qxd2 Qb6 13.0-0-0 Rd8 14.Nf4 Bf5 15.Bh3 Bxh3 16.Ngxh3 0-0 17.Nd3+=12.Nf3 d3 [12...Bc4 13.0-0 0-0 14.Re1 Re8 15.Nf4 Nd5 16.Rxe8+ Qxe8 17.b3 Nxf4 18.Bxf4 Ba6 19.Ng5 Be7 20.Qh5 A) 20...h6? 21.Nxf7 Kf8 22.Bxc6 A1) 22...Qxf7 23.Qf3! bxc6 24.Qxc6 Rc8 25.Qxa6 Rxc2 26.Qxa7 Qxb3 (26...g5 27.Qb8+ Kg7 28.Be5++-) 27.Qxd4+-; A2) 22...bxc6 23.Qa5 Qxf7 24.Qxa6 Qg6 25.Qc4±; B) 20...Bxg5 21.Qxg5 d3 22.cxd3 Bxd3 23.Rc1+=13.Nf4 [13.cxd3 Qxd3 14.0-0 Bb3 15.Qc1 Bc4 16.Nf4 Qb3 17.Re1=] 13...dxc2 14.Qxc2 Qb6 15.0-0 Bb3?!= Overextending himself a bit, Black hasn't completed his developement yet and now has an overloaded queen. Perhaps not enough to make it +=, but not a good move. [15...Bf5 16.Qc3 0-0 17.Rac1 Bd6 18.Rfd1 Bg4 19.Be3 Qc7 20.Nd5=] 16.Qc3 0-0 [16...Nd4? 17.Rae1 0-0 18.Be3 Nxf3+ 19.Bxf3 A) 19...Rac8 20.Bxb7 Bxe3 (20...Rc7 21.Bxc5 Rxc5 22.Qf3+-) 21.Qxe3±; B) 19...Bxe3 20.Qxe3 Nc6 21.Qxb6 axb6 22.Re3 Bc4 (22...Ba4 23.Nd5±) 23.Rc1 Bb5 24.Nd5±] 17.Rac1 Bd6 18.Be3 Qb5 19.Nd2 Na5?± [19...Bxf4! 20.Bxf4 Be6 21.Qc5 Qxc5 (21...Qxb2 22.Rb1 Qd4 23.Qxd4 Nxd4 24.Rxb7 Ne2+ 25.Kh1 Nd5 26.Bd6+=) 22.Rxc5 Rad8=] 20.Nxb3 [20.Bxb7! Somehow I missed this during the game. This especially works well because I'll be able to trade for Black's light-squared bishop. 20...Qxb7 21.Qxa5±] 20...Nxb3 21.Rcd1 I now have the two bishops and Black's pieces are awkwardly placed. The bishop on d6 is a target and it's difficult to find a safe place for it. The knight on b3 isn't really doing much at the moment and ties down the queen. It is also difficult for Black to make use of his rooks because of the bishop on d6. My bishops are also doing a very good job of attacking the pawns on the queenside, tieing down Black's pieces even more. 21...Rfd8 [21...Be5 22.Qd3 Qxd3 23.Nxd3±] 22.Qd3 Qxd3 23.Rxd3 Na5?+- A seemingly natural move, but it turns out to leave Black with a losing position. [23...Bxf4 24.Rxb3 Bxe3 25.fxe3 Rab8 26.Rxb7 Rxb7 27.Bxb7 Rd2 (27...Rb8 28.Rd1 Kf8 29.b4±) 28.Rf2 Rd1+ 29.Kg2±; 23...Nc5?? 24.Rxd6 Rxd6 25.Bxc5 Rd7 26.Bh3 f5 27.Re1+-] 24.Rfd1 Nf5 25.Bc1 [25.Bc5! winning, but during the game I thought that Nc4 was annoying because it threatens Nb2, forking my rooks. The following variation shows that this is nothing to worry about though: 25...g5 (25...Be7 26.Nd5!! Bxc5 27.Nf6+ gxf6 28.Rxd8+ Rxd8 29.Rxd8+ Kg7 30.Rd5+-; 25...Nc4 26.Bxb7 Rab8 27.Be4 Nxb2 28.Rxd6 Nxd6 29.Rxd6 Rxd6 30.Bxd6+-) 26.b4 gxf4 27.bxa5 Be7 28.Rxd8+ Rxd8 29.Rxd8+ Bxd8 30.Bxb7 Bxa5 31.Be4 Ng7 32.Bxa7 fxg3 33.fxg3+-] 25...Rac8 26.Bh3 g6 27.Bxf5 [27.Nd5! Better than what I did in the game, this move shows how weak Black's dark squares really are. 27...Nc4 (27...h6 28.Bf4 Kh8 29.Ne3 Be7 30.Rxd8+ Rxd8 31.Rxd8+ Bxd8 32.Nxf5 gxf5 33.Bxf5 Kg7+-) 28.Bxf5 gxf5 29.Bg5+-] 27...gxf5 28.Rxd6 [28.Nd5 still wins] 28...Rxd6 29.Rxd6 Rxc1+ 30.Kg2 Although it doesn't look it, my position is winning here. Black has an inferior pawn structure on the kingside, an inactive knight on the side and because of my well-placed knight he's going to lose a pawn on the queenside. 30...Rc2 31.b4 Nc4 32.Rd7 Ne3+ [32...Nxa3 33.Rxb7 Rb2 34.Nd3 Rb3 35.Nc5 Rb1 36.Rxa7 Nc2 37.Nd3+-] 33.Kh3 Rxf2 34.Rxb7 Ng4 [34...Nf1 35.Kh4 Rxh2+ 36.Kg5 Nxg3 37.Rxa7 h6+ 38.Kf6+-] 35.Kh4 h6 [35...Rxh2+ 36.Kg5 h6+ 37.Kxf5 Ne3+ 38.Ke4 Nf1 39.Rxa7 Nxg3+ 40.Kf3+-] 36.h3 Ne5 37.Rxa7 Rf1 38.b5 Rg1 Although there's no way Black's going to mate me he continues trying. 39.b6 Kg7 40.Ne2 [40.b7 is more direct: 40...Nf3+ 41.Kh5 Rxg3 42.h4 Rg4 43.Ng2+-] 40...Ng6+ 41.Kh5 Rh1 42.h4 Ne5 43.Nd4 Rf1 44.b7 Nd7 45.Ne6+ Kf6 46.Nc5 Nb8 47.Ra8 Nc6 48.Ra6 1-0 Davies,N (1948) - Boik,A (1980) [B90] CAN jun Calgary (4), 03.01.2004 [Noam Davies] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 Probably a mistake, seeing as he can just transpose into a line with f3 being bad 6...e6 7.Be3 Be7 8.Qd2 b5 9.Be2? Although I did not know it at the time, the position here's just a English attack, and b5 instead of Nc6 will probably just transpose [9.g4 0-0 10.0-0-0 Nc6 11.g5 Nd7 12.h4 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Bb7 14.Kb1 Rc8+=] 9...Bb7 10.0-0 Now my f3 pawn is tied down to e4, but he's done too many slow moves, so my development advantage is too big 10...Qc7 11.a4 bxa4 [11...b4 12.Na2 d5 (12...a5 13.Nb5±) 13.e5 Qxe5 14.Bf4 Qh5 15.Nxb4 (15.g4 Qh3 16.Rfe1 Bc5) 15...0-0 16.Rf2 Nfd7 17.g4 Qg6 18.Bd3 f5 19.Re1±] 12.Rxa4 Nbd7 13.Rfa1 Nc5 14.R4a2 Qc8 15.b4?! [15.Qe1 0-0 16.Qf1 d5 17.e5 Nfd7 18.b4 Ne4=; 15.Rd1 0-0 16.Qe1 Qc7 17.Qg3± Nh5 18.Qf2± is better] 15...Ncd7 16.b5 axb5 17.Rxa8 Bxa8 18.Ndxb5 += 0-0 19.Ra7 Rd8 20.Rc7 Qa6 21.Ra7 [21.Qe1 is quite good for White but by this point I had about 3 minutes left] ½-½ From Ben Daswani: I was extremely happy with my performance at the Canadian Junior. I tied for seventh with a score of 4.5/9 and had an average opposition of 1889. For someone rated 1687, I though that was pretty good! Here are two of my most interesting games (in my opinion). Daswani,B (1687) - Wong,W (1922) [E87] CAN jun Calgary (2), 02.01.2004 [Ben Daswani] After playing this game, I thought I played really well, but after analysing it I found out that I actually just played very dangerously. I didn't play well though. :( 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 Here I was all like "woah" cause I've never seen this before in my life, but luckily it turned into a normal King's Indian. 3.Nc3 g6 4.e4 Bg7 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 e5 7.d5 Nbd7 8.Qd2 Nh5 9.g4 Nf4 The computer said that this gives Black an advantage, but to me it looked like a free pawn, so I took it. 10.Bxf4 exf4 11.Qxf4 Be5 The computer suggested f5 as a possible alternative and, personally, I'd find that a lot more threatening. 12.Qd2 Qh4+ 13.Qf2 Qf6 14.Nge2 Nc5 15.Qe3 Qh4+ 16.Kd2 f5 17.gxf5 gxf5 18.f4? Better is to play Rg1+ first, so that when Kh8, I then play f4, and if Black plays Bxc3 I can take back with check (Qxc3+). 18...Bg7 19.e5 b6? Better is Ne4+. 20.e6 I think my position is pretty dope now. 20...Ba6 21.Nd4 Ne4+ 22.Nxe4? It is wrong of me to just open up lines for him. 22...fxe4 23.e7 According to the computer, I went from crushing to crushed in like three moves. 23...Rxf4 24.Rg1 Kh8 25.Rxg7! I doubt this sac is sound, but I'll give myself an exclam because my opponent was in time pressure. :D 25...Rf2+ (I did see this.) 26.Kc3 Kxg7 27.Bh3 Kf7 28.Rg1 Rxh2?? Much more defensive and much better at avoiding immediate death was Qf4. 29.Be6+ This move ownz0rs him completely. 29...Kf6 30.Rf1+ Kg6 31.Bf7+ Kg7 Here my materialisticness wanted me to play Nf5 and I almost did without thinking, but then I thought I saw a mate (yay!). 32.Ne6+ Kh8 33.Qd4+ 1-0 Dinca,C (1789) - Daswani,B (1687) [B23] CAN jun Calgary (6), 04.01.2004 [Ben Daswani] This was my favourite game from the tournament, and in my opinion my best played one. 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 Ne7 6.Be3 b6 I'm pretty sure that this is not a main line. I don't really know this opening. 7.Nge2 Bb7 8.Qd2 h6 9.0-0 d5 The computer said that this is a good move. 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxd5 Bxd5 12.c3? I think this move is weak; it weakens her pawn structure, and after I trade bishops I can move my queen to d5 whenever I want because it's with check (yay!). 12...Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Nc6 14.f4? A better move is d4, which still stops my knight from reaching e5 and just seems a lot more natural. 14...Qd5+ 15.Kg1 Maybe better is Rf3 and then if I do 0-0-0 or Rd8 she can go Bf2. 15...0-0-0 16.Rfd1 Rd7 17.a3 Better is d4. 17...Rhd8 18.Nc1 Still, better was d4. 18...e5 19.Rb1 e4 20.b4 cxb4 21.cxb4 exd3 Nd4 is even stronger, but both are winning. 22.Kf2 Nd4 23.Qxd3?? Here she only had about five minutes left. 23.Rf1 is the best choice here (I think) but even with that Black is still far superior. 23...Qf3+ 24.Kg1 Ne2+ 25.Qxe2 Rxd1+ 0-1 All the B.C. games will be available in BCBASE Supplement #3 (see below), while the games of all the participants can be found at Jack Woodbury's site, http://www.jackschess.com/CdnJr04/CdnJr04.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VANCOUVER JUNIOR GRAND PRIX # 4 The fourth in the series of Vancouver junior Grand Prix events was held at the Vancouver Bridge Centre on January 11th. Fanhao Meng repeated his performance of the last two events by winning the Open Section with a perfect score, while Luc Poitras, Noam Davies, and Ben Daswani tied for second. The other two sections were also won with perfect scores: Stefan Trandafir took the U1500 Section with Brad Wong second and Vlad Gaciu claiming the U1200 prize, while Kristof Juhasz won the Booster Section ahead of Stoyan Petrov and Alexandra Botez. Thirty-nine players participated. This brings us to the half-way point in the eight-event Grand Prix; here are the current leaders: Open Fanhao Meng 9 Lucas Davies 8 Noam Davies 8 Ben Daswani 7.5 Ivan Petrov 7.5 Luc Poitras 7 Alexander Reid 6.5 Valentina Goutor 5.5 Evgeni Goutor 5 Tiffany Tang 5 U1500 Stefan Trandafir 9.5 Brad Wong 8.25 Vlad Gaciu 5.5 Richard Huang 5.5 Lesley Cheng 5 Lo-Ching Chow 4.5 Remember that the Grand Prix is based on a player's six best results out of the eight events, so there is still plenty of time for the pursuers to catch the leaders. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BCBASE SUPPLEMENT #3 A third supplement to the B.C. Games Database will be available shortly on the BCCF website (www.chess.bc.ca). It contains 484 games, including the Multi-Master Simuls, B.C. Junior, B.C. - WA Matches, and Canadian Junior. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- YAMEI WANG, WFM It was reported last issue that Yamei Wang has an initial FIDE rating of 2125; it now turns out that this is sufficient for her to be awarded the title of Woman FIDE Master - congratulations! [Formerly the title was awarded on the attainment of a 2100 rating after a player had played at least 24 games; the new FIDE regulations now specify "by achieving a published rating [of 2100] at some time or other."] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TD'S CORNER This column will examine the Laws of Chess, to remind and/or educate players and tournament directors alike of some of their details. The full Laws of Chess can be found in the CFC Handbook at www.chess.ca, and should be consulted for the exact wording of each Article mentioned. If anyone has a specific question they would like answered in this column, just e-mail me (swright2@telus.net). KEEPING SCORE (Article 8, Appendix B3) The following applies to regular games only; players are not required to record active or blitz games. Players: Players are required to record the game "as clearly and legibly as possible" (having entered thousand of games into a database from original scoresheets, it appears that many players are not familiar with this directive!) in "algebraic notation." The latter is the official rule, although personally as a TD I would not be bothered if a player used descriptive or some other notation. A player is NOT required to keep score when he has less than five minutes remaining, but if a player does have more than five minutes he IS required to keep recording, EVEN if his opponent has stopped. Furthermore, a player must record his previous move before making another - in effect, these provisions prevent a player from "blitzing" an opponent who is in time trouble. N.B. if a time control includes an increment of 30 seconds or more per move the players MUST keep recording, they are not allowed to stop. If a player has not been recording, as soon as a flag falls he must update his scoresheet before making a move, on his time. If neither player has been recording, the clock is stopped after a flag fall and both players must update their scoresheets, either from the arbiter's copy or by reconstructing the game. A player may shield his scoresheet from his opponent, but the scoresheet should be viewable by the arbiter (when necessary - usually when approaching a time control). Arbiters: The arbiter should monitor the games and make sure the above rules are followed, particularly during time scrambles - in this case the arbiter (or an assistant) should be present to call a flag fall (in a regular game; the arbiter should NOT call the flag in an active game, just observe - the player has to make the claim). The arbiter only needs to record the game if BOTH players have less than five minutes and have stopped recording; if only ONE of the players has less than five minutes the arbiter does not need to keep score, the other player should be doing so. If it is necessary to reconstruct the game, make sure you do so on a SECOND board (in other words, don't destroy the game position until you have a means of recreating it!). This should also be done away from the other competitors, to avoid disturbing them. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THIRTY YEARS AGO by Bruce Harper Thirty years ago last month the Diamond Jubilee Open in New Westminster attracted over 60 players, including six masters. Somehow we managed to hold a ten-round tournament over the Christmas holidays. Is this an experiment worth repeating? We just missed the Golden Jubilee [?! - see end of article], but maybe no one would notice if such an event were held at the end of 2004 . . . The tournament was won by then Canadian Champion Peter Biyiasas. But instead of his 71-move win over Jonathan Berry, I present a fine victory by Alan Hill against Gerry Vigier. Hill was a very strong player who only just missed being in the top tier of B.C chess - which was saying quite a lot. Vigier,G - Hill,A [C04] 1st Diamond Jubilee Open, New Westminster (3), 27.12.1973 1.e4 e6 Hill was a great fan of the French Defence. Later this role was taken over by Paul Brown. 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nc6 Theory frowns on this move, but in practice it often leads to very interesting games. 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nd7 6.Nb3 a5 7.a4 b6 8.h4!? A logical way to begin a kingside attack, although there are other ways to handle the position. 8...Ba6 9.Bxa6 Rxa6 10.h5 h6 11.Nh4 Ncb8 12.Qg4 I think White would have obtained more enduring pressure with 12.f4. 12...c5 13.c3 Nc6 14.Rh3 cxd4 15.cxd4 Ra7! An excellent defensive move, which also brings the rook to a more active square. White's problem is that his queenside is undeveloped, and his b3-knight is poorely placed. "What about Black's kingside pieces?" you might well ask. They're undeveloped too, but since White is attacking there, at least the f8-bishop and h8-rook are doing something useful. 16.Rf3 Nb4 17.Ng6!? Rg8! 18.Qf4 Nb8!
A picturesque position. By declining White's passive knight sacrifice on g6, Black has kept his pawn structure intact and it is hard for White to strengthen his attack. But on the queenside, Black has made significant progress. For an intriguing companion game, see Adams-Agdestein below. 19.Nxf8 Nc2+ 20.Kf1 Nxa1 21.Nxe6 fxe6 22.Nxa1 Qe7 23.Qg4 Rf8 24.Qg6+ Kd7 25.Rxf8 Qxf8 26.Qd3?! White has compensation for the exchange, but this retreat is too passive. 26...Qc8 27.Bd2 Qa6 28.Ke2 Nc6 29.Nc2 Qxd3+ 30.Kxd3 Rb7 31.Na3 Na7 32.Nb5? Preventing 32...b5, but now White will no longer have a piece to cover the light squares. 32...Nxb5 33.axb5 Ke8 34.g4 Rf7 35.f4 Kf8 36.g5? Rf5 37.Bc1 g6! 38.hxg6 h5 39.Kc3 Kg7 40.Kb3 Kxg6 41.Ka4 Rf8 A beautifully played game by Black. 0-1 Adams,M (2660) - Agdestein,S (2595) [B02] Oslo m Oslo (2), 1994 [This game is deeply annotated by Tisdall in Megabase and also by Stohl in his book Instructive Modern Chess Masterpieces] 1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e5 Ne4 4.Qf3 Nxc3 5.dxc3 c6 6.Bf4 Bf5 7.0-0-0 e6 8.Qg3 h6 9.h4 Qa5 10.Kb1 b5 11.Nf3 c5 12.h5 Na6 13.Nh4 Bh7 14.Qg4 b4 15.Bd2 c4 16.Ng6 Rb8 17.Rh3 Be7 18.Bxc4 dxc4 19.Qxc4 Qc5 20.Qxc5 Nxc5 21.Nxh8 Ne4 22.Be1 bxc3 23.b3 Bb4 24.Rf3 Nd2+ 25.Bxd2 Rd8 26.Nxf7 Rxd2 27.Rc1 Ba3 28.Nd6+ Kd7 29.Rxc3 Bxc1 30.Kxc1 Rxf2 31.g4 Rg2 32.Rc4 Re2 33.Rc5 Rg2 34.Nb5 Rxg4 35.Rc7+ Kd8 36.Rxa7 Rg5 37.Nd4 Kc8 38.Nxe6 Rxh5 39.Rxg7 Be4 40.Rg8+ 1-0 [Historical note: the Diamond Jubilee Open was held in 1973 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the BCCF; however, it appears that the BCCF was actually founded in 1916, according to contemporary sources. Which begs the question: what documentation did the BCCF have in 1973 to give the impression that the organization was founded in 1913? Does anyone know/remember/care?] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AN INGENIOUS EXAMPLE OF MY SYSTEM by Aaron Nimzovich Anderssen started the sacrificial style, Morphy and Gruenfeld the pure attacking style, Steinitz the positional style, Tarrasch the scientific style, Lasker the style of styles, Capablanca the mechanical style, Alekhine a style as brilliant as sunlight. But it is a generally known fact that originality and modernism were introduced by me as my own personal inventions and enthusiastically imitated (without being fully understood) by the whole world of chess. For the ridiculously small sum of ten marks, the reader can confirm all this in my monumental work, My System, published by B. Kagan. Before my time, chess was so naive and undistinguished! One or two brutal opening moves, each one involving a vulgar, obvious threat, a common, banal sacrifice, a painfully elementary, bestially raw checkmate - such, more or less, was the course of chess games before my heyday set in. Then I appeared on the scene and the chess world paid heed. The hegemony of matter was shattered at a stroke and the era of the spiritual began. Under my creative guidance, the chessmen, hitherto nothing but highwaymen, pirates and butcher boys, became sensitive artists and subtle instruments of immeasurable profundity. But why waste words !--accompany me, dear reader to the dizzy heights of the following game: Nimzovich-Systemsson, French Defence [ECO wouldn't have it], Copenhagen, 1927 [Annotations by myself] 1.e4 e6 2.h4! My very oldest and latest thought in this opening. To the chess addict nurtured on spineless convention, this move comes like a slap in the face--but calm down, dear reader; after all, you cannot be expected to understand such moves. (Forgive me - it is not your fault, until now no one has opened your eyes and ears.) Wait just a little while, and there will pass before you a miracle of overprotection of more than earthly beauty. (I assume that I rightly surmise that you are quite familiar with my great theory of overprotection.) 2...d5 Black of course has no suspicion of What is coming and continues serenely in classical style. 3.e5! A move of elemental delicacy. (We detest, as a matter of principle, such words as "power" and "strength"; in the first place, such banal expressions make us uncomfortable; and, in the second place, we like even less the brutalizing tendency which such words imply.) Wherein lies the beauty of 3.e5? Why is this move so strong? The answer is as simple as it is astonishing. The move is strong because it is weak! Weak, that is, only in the traditional sense! In reality, that is to say, it is not the move but the Pawn on e5 that is weak--a tremendous difference! In former times, it is true, it was customary to reject any move which created a weakness. Today, thanks to me, this view is obsolete. For, look, my dear reader, the fact that the Pawn on e5 is weak obliges White to protect the Pawn more and more until at last the state of overprotection arises as it were of itself. But, as we have seen (cf. My System), overprotection is practically equivalent to victory. Hence it follows automatically that the "weak" move, 3.e5, is a certain road to triumph. The rest is more or less a matter of technique. 3...c5 All according to a famous precedent. 4.d4 Here it is quite clear that it is more profitable for White first to provoke c5 and then play d4, rather than the other way round, which is the customary course. For, if White first plays d4, there follows c5 and White's d-pawn is under attack. But my clever transposition of moves changes the situation completely. For now Black's c-pawn is suddenly attacked by White's d-pawn! 4...cxd4 What else can Black do? 5.h5! All very clever, original and decisive! Of course the ordinary run of people who envy my every spark of genius but cannot follow my line of reasoning for even three paces, outdo themselves in sneering at me with the poison-dripping epithet, "bizarre." The text move creates confusion in the whole Black army and prepares for the annihilating invasion by the Queen 18 moves later. 5...Qb6 Naturally not 5...Nc6 6 Bb5! etc. Why should Black play the French Defence only to allow the Ruy Lopez Bishop move after all?! 6.h6! An avaricious dullard would never hit on this deeply conceived Pawn sacrifice. 6...Nxh6 After 6...gxh6, White has an even more comfortable game. 7.Qh5!! The reason for this becomes clear after next move. 7...g6 Black threatens to begin a successful siege of the weakling at e5 with Bg7. But White forestalls this. 8.Qh2!! To every fair-minded observer, this move must come as a revelation! All the previous manoeuvres now become clear! White has completed his development brilliantly and proceeds to overprotect e5. Against this, Black is helpless. 8...Nf5 9.Bd3 Note the splendid cooperation of White's forces: while the e-pawn and the King Bishop completely blockade Black's position, the development of the overprotective forces takes place behind the broad backs of these sturdy blockaders. 9...Nc6 10.Nf3 As a rule this is a routine move. But here it is strikingly original and as such occupies a place in the treasury of my intellectual property. 10...h5 Old stuff! 11.b4 A deep trap, as will soon become apparent! 11...Bg7 How Black must have rejoiced when he anticipated his formidable opponent in the occupation of the long diagonal. But . . . 12.Bf4!! . . . how bitterly disappointed he must have been to realize that 11.b4 had only been a trap and Bb2 had not been intended at all. The position of Black's Bishop at g7 is now quite pointless. 11...Be7 would have been relatively better. 12...Bd7 13.Nbd2 Rc8
Black no longer has any good moves! 14.Ke2!! Again, an extraordinarily deep move. White sees through Black's plans, and in addition he prepares a particularly powerful continuation of his strategy of overprotection. 14...Nxb4 Just what White was waiting for. 15.Ne1!! This was the point of his previous move! Black is now forced to exchange off the attacking Bishop at d3. But, with that, even White's King Knight enters the fray with fearful effect at d3, while the square f3 becomes available to the Queen Knight. Surely a grandiose piece of strategy. The fact is that I'm a marvellous player, even if the whole chess world bursts with envy. 15...Nxd3 16.Nxd3! Naturally not 16 cxd3? which would have been quite inconsistent. The Pawn on c2 is unimportant, and Black only wastes precious time by capturing it. 16...Rxc2 17.Rae1!! White continues his overprotection without much ado. 17...a5 This counterattack has no punch. Black would naturally like to get a passed Pawn plus a Rook on the seventh, but it is too late for that. 18.Kd1! Now the menaced Rook must scurry back, for capture on a2 would be much too dangerous. 18...Rc6!! At last, Black gets the right idea: overprotecting his Pawn at e6. But it is already too late. 19.Re2 Ke7 Introduced into tournament play by myself. See note to White's 14th move. The King overprotects e6. 20.Rhe1 Re8! 21.Nf3!
Completing the overprotection of e5 and thus deciding the fate of the game. Black has no defence. Note the aesthetic effect created by White's position. 21...Bf8 Now Black threatens to complete the overprotection of e6 by playing Ng7. But White has prepared a brilliant combination.. 22.g4! Much stronger than the obvious Bg5+ etc. 22...hxg4 23.Qh7!! Now one clearly realizes the masterly understanding of position which went into White's eighth move (Qh2!!). 23...gxf3 Had Black continued overprotecting by 23...Ng7 there would have followed 24.Bg5+ f6 25.Bxf6+ Kf7 26.Ng5 mate. Black's basic error was that he started overprotecting much too late. 24.Bg5 mate One of my best games! I am proud of it if only because Herr Systemsson is one of the strongest Scandinavian players. The game made an overwhelming impression on the players and spectators as well as on my opponent. The game has become famous in Denmark as "the immortal overprotection game." [The above parody, from the hand of Hans Kmoch, was published in the February 1928 issue of Wiener Schachzeitung.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UPCOMING EVENTS To save space, from now on I will only give basic information for events - date, place, and type. Full details for all the events listed here may be found on the BCCF site, www.chess.bc.ca. Junior Events Jan 25 BCIT Junior Open, Burnaby Jan 31 Elementary School Team Championship, Vancouver Feb 8 Island Junior Open #5, Victoria Feb 15 Grand Prix #5, Vancouver Feb 28 Elementary Finals and Secondary School Team Championship, Vancouver Mar 6 South Fraser Valley Elementary Chess Challenge, Surrey Mar 7 Grand Prix #6, Vancouver Mar 7 Victoria Regional Chess Challenge For full details see www.chess.bc.ca or http://members.shaw.ca/victoriachess/ Individual Chess Matches Players interested in participating in rated individual chess matches with other players of comparable or dissimilar ratings can contact Luis E. Azmitia at azmitia@interchange.ubc.ca Please make sure to include in the e-mail: your name, your rating, type of game preferred (i.e. active), and the rating range of possible opponents. Note that the games will be held in the Vancouver area. UBC Tuesday Night Chess January 2004 Dates: January 13th, 20th, 27th, February 3rd Place: UBC Student Union Building, Room 211 Type: 5-round Swiss Little Mountain's Regular Swiss - January Dates: January 12, 19, 26 & February 2. Place: Little Mountain Neighbourhood House, 3981 Main St., Vancouver, BC (near King Edward Ave.) Type: 4-round Swiss Kamloops Grand Prix #1 Date: Jan. 24, 2004 Place: South Kamloops Secondary School Cafeteria, 821 Munro Street, Kamloops, B.C. Type: 4-round Swiss The Long And Winding Road Date: January 24 Place: Fatima Church (315 Walker St. Coquitlam) Type: Regular 4-round Swiss (unrated) Victoria Winter Open Date: January 24-25, 2004 Place: UVic HSD Bldg., Victoria Type: 5-round Swiss Vancouver Class Championships Date: January 30 - February 1 Place: Vancouver Bridge Centre Type: 5-round Swiss Vancouver Saturday Night Chess (1) Dates: Saturdays February 7, 14, 21, 29 and March 6. Place: Vancouver Bridge Centre, 2776 East Broadway (at Kaslo), Vancouver Type: 5-round Swiss Little Mountain's Regular Swiss - February Dates: February 9, 16, 23 and March 1. Place: Little Mountain Neighbourhood House, 3981 Main St., Vancouver, BC (near King Edward Ave.) Type: 4-round Swiss UBC Tuesday Night Chess February/March 2004 Dates: February 10th, 17th, 24th, March 2nd, 9th Place: UBC Student Union Building, Room 211 Type: 5-round Swiss Kelowna Winter Fest Date: February 14-15th 2004 Place: Sandman Inn, 2130 Harvey Avenue, Kelowna, B.C. Tel: 250-860-6409 Type: 5-round Swiss Kamloops Grand Prix #2 Date: Feb. 21, 2004 Place: South Kamloops Secondary School Cafeteria, 821 Munro Street, Kamloops, B.C. Format: 4-round Swiss Little Mountain's Regular Swiss - March Dates: March 8, 15, 22 and 29. Place: Little Mountain Neighbourhood House, 3981 Main St., Vancouver, BC (near King Edward Ave.) Type: 4-round Swiss Vancouver Saturday Night Chess (2) Dates: Saturdays March 13, 20, 27, and April 3, and 17 Place: Vancouver Bridge Centre, 2776 East Broadway (at Kaslo), Vancouver Type: 5-round Swiss UBC Tuesday Night Chess March/April 2004 Dates: March 16th, 23rd, 30th, April 6th, 13th Place: UBC Student Union Building, Room 211 Type: 5-round Swiss Love Me Tender Open Date: Saturday, March 27, 2004 Place: Fatima Church (315 Walker St. Coquitlam) Type: Regular 4-round Swiss Little Mountain's Regular Swiss - April Dates: April 5, 12, 19 and 26. Place: Little Mountain Neighbourhood House, 3981 Main St., Vancouver, BC (near King Edward Ave.) Type: 4-round Swiss B.C. Championship Dates: April 9-12 Place: Vancouver Bridge Centre Type: 8-player round robin Kamloops Grand Prix #3 Date: April 9,10, 2004 Eligibility: for < 2200 only Place: South Kamloops Secondary School Cafeteria, 821 Munro Street, Kamloops, B.C. Type: 6-round Swiss What a wonderful world Date: Saturday April 24 Location: Fatima Church, Coquitlam (315 Walker st.) Type: Regular 4-round Swiss 29th Paul Keres Memorial Date: May 21-24 2004 Location: Croatian Community Centre, Vancouver Type: 6 or 7-round Swiss http://www.keresmemorial.com/ Western Canadian Open Date: July 9-18 2004 Place: Vancouver Airport Conference Resort Type: 10 round single section Swiss Kamloops Grand Prix #4 Date: Sept. 18, 2004 Place: South Kamloops Secondary School Cafeteria, 821 Munro Street, Kamloops, B.C. Type: 4-round Swiss Kamloops Grand Prix #5 Date: Oct. 23, 2004 Place: South Kamloops Secondary School Cafeteria, 821 Munro Street, Kamloops, B.C. Type: 4-round Swiss Kamloops Grand Prix #6 Date: Nov. 20, 2004 Place: South Kamloops Secondary School Cafeteria, 821 Munro Street, Kamloops, B.C. Type: 4-round Swiss
