Renovating the Open

The format for the Open has now settled down after being tinkered with for the past few years. In 1999, the four, three, and two-day schedules were introduced. This put more flexibility in the schedule and allowed players to play at their preferred pace. In 2001, the Booster section was created. This increased the competition in the Reserve section and gave the scholastic and lower rated players a place to call home without running into mismatches for more than half the tournament. The Michigan Open now has something for everyone. Tell your friends at the club and your teammates at school that this is the tournament to play in.

The tournament moved to the western part of the state in Kalamazoo for 2003. With the tournament in southwest Michigan, it drew a handful of players from Indiana. The location was the Radisson Plaza Hotel, which was in the middle of major renovations. The tournament hall seemed to be unfinished, but there was plenty of space to spread out and it was well lit. It was also well insulated from the music from the usual wedding down the hall, as the sound never reached the playing area. This was definitely a tournament worth traveling for. The 151 individuals, four of whom re-entered, that showed up for the main tournament helped make this event a success. There were also four players that filled in to help prevent byes. On Monday, a four round G/45 tournament drew an additional eight players. The winner of the Reserve section was Gary Jones. Ed Mandell took the Booster section on tie-breaks over Brad Feller. For time reasons, we will cover the Reserve and Booster sections of the event in the next magazine. We will also have a profile of long-time Michigan Open participant, John Griffin, in the next issue.

The Open section boasted 47 players, two re-entries, and one fill-in. This was not the strongest Michigan Opens on record. The increase was due to a larger than usual number of under 1800 players choosing to play up. Here is what happened:

4-Day Schedule Rounds 1-2

The four day saw thirteen players take on the challenge of playing all their games with the longer time control. This group was topped, rating-wise, by experts David Hahn and Bob Ciaffone.

Black controls the center and White makes a mistake when he tries to counter:

Alex Balan (1826)
Al Hamood (2042)
Round 1
Sicilian, B40

Notes by Jeff Aldrich

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.g3 Nc6 5.Bg2 d5 6.d3

6.exd5 exd5 7.d4 gives White a much better center than he ends up getting in the game. He should also be a little faster to the e-file.

6...Nf6 7.0–0 Be7 8.Re1 d4

Making his claim for a piece of White's territory and limiting the scope of White's knights.

9.Ne2 e5 10.Nh4

Provoking a king-side weakness, but Black is prepared.

10...g6 11.f4 exf4 12.Bxf4 Nh5 13.Nf3 0–0 14.Bh6 Re8 15.Qd2 Bf8

Covering up the weak dark square on the king-side. White will not be able to take advantage.

16.Bxf8 Rxf8 17.Qh6 Qf6 18.Nf4 Nxf4 19.gxf4 Qg7 20.Qh4 b5 21.Qg5 f5 22.e5 Be6 23.Nd2 Rac8 24.c4?

White can't cover both the fork at c2 and the d-pawn at the same time.

24...Nb4 25.Red1 Nxd3 26.b3 Nb4 27.a3?!

Just pushing the to where it really want to go.

27...Nc2 28.Ra2 Ne3

The promised land. This knight dominates White's position.

29.Rc1 Qf7 30.cxb5 axb5 31.Rb2 c4 32.bxc4 bxc4

Achieving the coveted connected passed pawns. They often prove decisive.

33.Rb7 Rc7 34.Rcb1 c3 35.Rxc7 Qxc7 36.Nf1

36.Rb7? cxd2!

36...c2 37.Rc1 d3 38.Qg3 d2 39.Nxd2 Qc5 40.Qf2 Qxa3 41.Qe1 Rd8 42.Bf3 Qd3 43.Nf1 Nxf1 44.Qxf1 Qe3+ 45.Kg2 Rd2+ 46.Kg3 g5 0–1

No stopping mate.

The battle of Stan:

Stan Jarosz (1984)
Stan Beckwith (1731)
Round 1
Grünfeld: Three Knights (Petrosian), D91

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 0–0 7.Rc1 Nbd7 8.Bd3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Nb6 10.Bd3 Be6 11.Qe2 Rc8 12.0–0 c5 13.dxc5 Rxc5 14.Bxf6 exf6 15.Nd4 Bc8 16.b4 Re5 17.Nf3 Re7 18.Rfd1 Rd7 19.Nb5 a6 20.Na7 Rc7 21.Nxc8 Qxc8 22.Qe1 Rd8 23.Rxc7 Qxc7 24.Rc1 Qd7 25.Be2 f5 26.Rc2 Rc8 27.Qc1 Rxc2 28.Qxc2 Qd6 29.a3 Bf6 30.g3 Kg7 31.Nd2 Qe5 32.Bf3 Qa1+ 33.Nb1 Bb2 34.Kg2 Bxa3 35.Nxa3 Qxa3 36.Qd2 Qa1 37.Bxb7 Nc4 38.Qd4+ Qxd4 39.exd4 a5 40.Ba6 Nd6 41.bxa5 Kf6 42.Bb7 Ke6 43.a6 Nb5 44.f4 h6 45.Kf2 f6 46.Ke3 Kd6 47.Kd3 Kc7 48.Kc4 1–0

3-Day Schedule Rounds 1-2

As usual, the three brought in the most participants. Twenty-five players started their tournaments with G/75 time control. Defending champion Eric Fischvogt was the highest rated in the group. The defending champion finds himself in a battle early:

Tom Mazuchowski (2000)
Eric Fischvogt (2285)
Round 2
French: Chigorin C00

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 e6 2.Qe2!

Punctuation for the right spirit! Eric is thoroughly familiar with everything that can happen after 2.d4 d5 -- witness his round 3 game vs. Randy Ho. So, Tom invites him to a one-on-one game at move 2.

2...c5 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Nge7 5.c3 d5 6.d3

This position should be compared with a classical Dutch with colors reversed. White has no advantage, but he is no worse; in a Dutch, he would be congratulating himself on having achieved the advance of his e-pawn so easily!

6...b6 7.g3 Ba6

Hereabouts Eric shows us why he is a master. From the myriad possible plans he might select, he chooses one that focuses on the weakest point in White's position -- the d3 square.

8.Qf2

Tom doesn't yet realize what is happening or he might select 8.Qc2 to keep more of an eye on d3.

8...Qd7 9.a3 dxe4 10.dxe4 Rd8

A little joke, but one with a positional point: Black increases his grip on the d-file in general and d3 in particular.

11.Nbd2

11.Bxa6?? Qd1#

11...Bd3 12.Bxd3 Qxd3 13.Qe2 Qd7

It could prove difficult to win this position with queens off, so Eric retains the ladies. But this does give White some breathing room.

14.0–0 14.b4!? 14...Ng6 15.Nc4 b5 16.f5!?

A spunky counterpunch. One of the drawbacks of Black's play so far is that he hasn't castled, and this curtails Black's options.

16...bxc4 17.fxg6 hxg6 18.Qxc4

Black was more or less forced into that exchange, and unfortunately it does not work out very well for him. The f7 square is potentially weak and his bishop still hasn't found a way into the game.

18...Be7 19.Bg5 Bxg5 20.Nxg5 Qd2

Eric is provoked by necessity into a counterattack. 20...0–0?? allows the surprising shot 21.e5! and Black cannot recover because of the threat of 22.Qh4 and 23.Qh7#

21.Nf3 Qe3+ 22.Rf2 Rh5??

This is the error that puts Black's position on the critical list. 22...0–0 is still quite risky, but since Black's queen covers g5 White cannot launch an immediate mating attack.

23.Re1?

23.Qa4! at once is even more accurate.

23...Qd3 24.Qa4 Rc8? 24...Qd7 25.g4!!

With this apparently anti-positional move White drives Black's rook off of the fifth rank, making 26.Ne5 possible.

25...Rh3 26.Ne5 Qd6

Nothing else works either: there are just too many targets.

27.Nxf7 Qc7 28.e5 Ke7 29.Qf4 Rf8 30.Qg5+ Kd7 31.Rd1+ Ke8 32.Nd6+ 1–0

A spirited game!

White takes advantage of a strong center:

Krishnan Sudharsan (2015)
Tony West (1771)
Round 2
Queen's Gambit Declined: Pillsbury, D55

Notes by Mark Finegold

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 0–0

This is the so-called “Orthodox” line of the QGD, very popular decades ago but not often seen today. Modern GM's tend to prefer the sharper variations of the Slav and Semi-Slav.

6.e3 c6

Solid, yet a bit passive. Another approach is 6...h6 7.Bxf6 Bxf6 8.Qd2 b6 9.Rc1 Bb7 as in B. Finegold-D. Ippolito, 1994 U.S. Open, and Black has managed to develop his problem queen bishop.

7.Be2 Nbd7 8.0–0 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Nd5 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.e4

If 11.Rc1, we have reached Karpov-Campora, Villarrobledo (rapid) 1997, by transposition. That game continued 11...Nxc3 12.Rxc3 e5 Black must challenge the center eventually 13.Bb3 exd4 14.exd4 Nf6 15.Re1 Qd6 16.Ne5 Bf5 17.Rf3 Bg4? 18.Rxf6! leading to a winning ending for White.

11...Nxc3 12.bxc3 e5 13.Re1 exd4 14.cxd4 Nb6 15.Bf1 Bg4 16.Qb3

It's probably better to get in 16.h3 with tempo, since Black does not want to trade his bishop for a knight and White could use a square for his king.

16...Rad8 17.Rad1 Rfe8 18.h3 Bh5 19.g4?!

A risky idea. Black has a lot of pressure on White's center pawns, particularly with ...c5 coming. White could consider 19.e5!? intending to build up behind his strong center.

19...Bg6 20.Ne5 Qf6 21.Qe3

Black to Move

21...Nd7?

A serious error. Black cannot let his opponent have a strong center for free. Correct is 21...c5! planning the zwischenzug 22.Nxg6 cxd4 and Black is O.K. Also reasonable, if a bit hair-raising, is the sharp line 22.dxc5 Rxe5 23.cxb6 Rxe4 24.Rxd8+ Qxd8 and now 25.Qxe4? Bxe4 26.Rxe4 axb6 27.Bb5 is insufficient because of the check 27...Qd1+ (as well as 27...Kf8 ).

22.f4 h6 23.Bg2 Nxe5 24.dxe5 Qe7 25.Rxd8 Qxd8?!

Better is 25...Rxd8, since the idea of penetrating with ...Qd2 is easily parried.

26.Qxa7 Qd2 27.Qf2 Rd8 28.f5 Bh7 29.Qxd2 Rxd2 30.Rb1 Rxa2?

The only chance to hang on is to keep the White rook out. After the forced 30...Rd7, it's still very difficult. Now it's all over.

31.Rxb7 Kf8

Dropping the bishop, possibly because of time pressure. After 31...Ra8 32.Rc7 Re8 33.Rxc6 Kf8 34.Rc5, White is two pawns up for nothing.

32.Rb8+ Ke7 33.Rh8 c5 34.Bf1 Ra4 35.Rxh7 Rxe4 36.Rxg7 c4 37.Bxc4 Rxc4 38.e6 Rc2 39.Rxf7+ Ke8 40.Rh7 Re2 41.Kf1 Rh2 42.f6 Rxh3 43.Rh8# 1–0

Andy Fletcher (2089)
Dan Dlugas (1743)
Round 2
Vienna Gambit, C29

Notes by Tim McGrew

Sometimes it is instructive to see how a stronger player overcomes a weaker player's resistance -- particularly for those who are weaker than either player. Andy Fletcher, a transplanted Canadian now flourishing on Michigan soil, gives us an object lesson in exploiting 300 rating points.

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3

Step 1: Take your opponent out of the main stream of his opening preparation with a sound, stable move.

2...e5 3.f4

Step 2: Take the game into your own opening preparation if possible.

3...d6

Black is already on unfamiliar ground. The only wholly adequate move here is 3...d5.

4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bb5!

Very nice from a positional standpoint, since now White threatens to ruin Black's pawns.

5...exf4 6.d4

Step 3: When your opponent's unfamiliarity with the opening allows you to do so, take a clear positional edge like space.

6...Bd7 7.Bxf4 Be7 8.0–0 a6 9.Bd3 h6 10.e5

Step 4: Open the center for your more active pieces, preferably before your opponent has castled (but after you have).

10...Nh5 11.exd6

Step 5: Create a little unexpected tactical mayhem.

11...Nxf4 12.dxe7 Nxe7?

Trying to keep the e-file shut, but now Black gets mauled. 12...Qxe7 13.Re1 Be6 14.Be4 is better but still very nice for White.

13.Ne5!

Step 6: Be alert to take advantage of the almost inevitable tactical mis-step.

13...f6 14.Rxf4 fxe5 15.Qh5+ 1–0

A game that makes defeating a strong B player look almost easy.

Black plays aggressive and White takes advantage of the weakness left behind:

Edward Laurin (1830)
Sal Chehayeb (1983)
Round 2
Sicilian: Yugoslav Dragon (Rauzer), B76

Notes by Edward Laurin

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Be3 Bg7 6.Nc3 d6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.f3 0–0 9.0–0–0 d5 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.Qxd5 Qc7 14.Qc5 Qb7 15.Bd4

15.b3 Bf5 16.Bd3 Rac8 17.Qa5 Rc3 18.Bxf5 Rxe3± The gambit is interesting, but I do not feel it is worthwhile given the end positions.

15...e5

15...Bf5 16.Qc3=

16.Bxe5 Bh6+ 17.Kb1 Bf5 18.Bd3 Rac8 19.Qd4 Rfd8 20.Qh4 Rxd3 21.Rxd3

21.Qf6 Kf8 (21...Rxd1+ The reason I did not play the selection of moves - although it turns out good for White. 22.Rxd1 Bxc2+ 23.Ka1 Kf8 24.Rd8+ The move I overlooked in the combination. 24...Rxd8 25.Qxd8#) 22.cxd3+- White enjoys being up two pawns and the exchange.

21...Bxd3 22.cxd3 Qd5

22...Bg7

23.Qf6 Qxd3+ 24.Ka1 Kf8 25.Qh8+ Ke7 26.Qxc8 1–0

3&4-Day Schedules Round 3

Saturday brings together these two schedules into one group. Coming into the round, there were six perfect scores and another seven players one half point behind. Witness the French as it was meant to be played:

Randy Ho (1841)
Eric Fischvogt (2285)
French: Closed Tarrasch, C06

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6

This is, I think, the sharpest and most combative of all of Black's choices in the Tarrasch. White will get a substantial center gratis, but Black's piece play becomes very active and in some lines a sacrifice at e5 rips the position open with catastrophic results. And avoiding the technical tortures of the 3...c5 variations may be, for anyone whose name is not Uhlmann or Korchnoi, an end in itself.

4.e5 Nfd7 5.c3 c5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.Ne2

I have long believed that if White wants to make the game sharp in the 3...Nf6 Tarrasch he should make a study of Korchnoi's gambit variation 7.Ngf3 Qb6 8.0–0 cxd4 9.cxd4 Nxd4 10.Nxd4 Qxd4 11.Nf3 This is similar to, but sounder than, the Milner-Barry Gambit in the Advance French. (And besides, any time that Korchnoi parts with a pawn, you can bet that he has a reason for it!)

7...cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.exf6

9.Nf4!? is worth a glance since it threatens both Nxe6 and a check at h5.

9...Qxf6

Black has a genuine choice of ways to recapture here. In recent master practice, Black favors 9...Nxf6 over Fischvogt's move by nearly a 3 to 1 margin, but there is no obvious reason for this. Both moves make sense and lead to strategically rich middlegames.

10.Nf3 h6

Up to this point the game has rolled along the main theoretical highways. Here we have a choice of exits: should Black establish some control of g5, or is this unnecessary? The other principal idea is 10...Bd6 11.0–0 0–0 12.Bg5 Qf7 with an interesting and complex struggle.

11.0–0

This looks a bit stereotyped. 11.Qc2 looks dangerous, but perhaps this is an illusion. After 11...Bb4+ (or, more enterprisingly, 11...Bd6!? 12.Bg6+ Ke7 13.0–0 Rd8 with sharp play) 12.Bd2 0–0 White will have only a small edge thanks to the coming simplifications. 11.Bb1 Bd6 12.Qd3 has been seen in several recent games. It's hard to say how strong this is since Black has a whole range of plausible moves: ...Ne7, or ...Rf7, or even ...e5!? More tests, as the saying goes, are needed.

11...Bd6 12.Ng3 0–0

A typical position in this line when White has failed to keep his grip on the center. Black's king is quite safe and he has a substantial amount of force directed at e5, preventing a blockade. White needs to be thinking about equalizing here.

13.a3 Rd8

13...e5!? comes into consideration already. White's pieces are indifferently posted (the knight on g3 looks particularly lame) and the opening of the center should therefore favor Black.

14.Bb1 Nf8 15.Be3 Bd7 16.Qd2 Be8 17.Bd3 a5

This is highly refined but again not obviously necessary. Black wants to grip the queen-side with ...a4 in order to fix the weakness of the b3 square. But perhaps Black can just play to rid himself of his problem piece with 17...Bg6, which looks at least equal.; Alternatively, 17...e5!? 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.Nd4 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 Bg6 is a plausible way to generate some piece activity, albeit at the cost of an isolated d-pawn.

18.Rac1 a4 19.Qd1 Na5 20.Ne2 b5

Continuing to tighten the screws in the best Fischvogt manner, taking no unnecessary risks. Now is another good opportunity to get rid of the light-square bishop for one of White's nimble steeds with 20...Bh5 21.Qxa4 Bxf3 22.gxf3 Qxf3 and White should be getting concerned about his king.

21.Nc3 Nc4 22.Qe2 Rab8 23.Na2?

It isn't clear what the idea behind this move was supposed to be.

23...Bh5

Now the pin is hard to shake and the threat of ...e5 is very strong.

24.Nb4 Rdc8

Here I really do think Black can pull the trigger with 24...Bxf3 25.gxf3 Ng6 and White's position is a shambles.

25.Rc3 Ng6 26.Bxg6 Qxg6 27.Qc2

27.Bc1 would defend f3 sideways, permitting White a small amount of relief in what is admittedly still an unpleasant position.

27...Qf6 28.Ne5 Bxe5 29.dxe5 Qxe5 30.Nd3? Qf6 31.Bf4 d4 32.Be5 Qd8 33.Bxb8 dxc3 34.Bg3 Bg6 35.Qe2 Bxd3 36.Qxe6+ Kh8 37.Bh4 Qe8 0–1

White keeps Black on the run:

Abraham Uppal (2077)
Edward Laurin (1830)
Sicilian: Rossolimo, B30

Notes by Edward Laurin

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.e5 e6

5...d5 6.exd6 exd6 7.0–0=

6.Nc3 Ne7 7.Ne4 Nf5 8.d3 Qc7 9.Bf4 Rb8 10.b3 f6 11.g4

Allows Black to reposition with a decent game. 11.0–0 Rg8² (11...fxe5 12.Nxe5±)

11...Nd4 12.c3

12.Nd6+ Bxd6 13.exd6 Qa5+³

12...Nxf3+ 13.Qxf3 fxe5 14.Be3 Qa5

Shouldn't move the queen off the weakened king-side. 14...d5 15.Ng5 Bd6µ

15.Kd2 d5 16.Ng5 d4?

16...Rb7³ Black has time to consolidate his position before thrusting forward since White must also worry about his own position.

17.Qf7+ Kd8 18.Nxe6+ Bxe6 19.Bg5+ Kc8 20.Qxe6+ Kb7 21.Rhc1 Qa3 22.Qd7+ Ka8 23.Qxc6+ Ka7 24.cxd4 cxd4

24...h6 25.Bh4 Qb2+ 26.Kd1 Qxd4² limiting White's advantage.

25.Ke2 Bb4 26.Qd7+

26.Rc2± limits Black's counter-play as well as prepares a doubling of the rooks for a decisive attack. The text removes White's advantage.

26...Rb7 27.Rc7

27.Qc6 appears to be the best chances for drawing, the text allows Black a nice attack.

27...Qb2+ 28.Kf3

Of course, White cannot move to the back rank since the rook falls with check.

28...Rf8+ 29.Ke4

29.Kg3 Qxf2+ 30.Kh3 Rf3#

Black to Move

29...Rfb8?

Black misses the opportunity. 29...Qe2+ 30.Kd5 Qf3+ 31.Kxe5 (31.Kc4 Rfb8 32.Bd8 Ba5 33.Rxb7+ Rxb7–+) 31...Re8+ 32.Qxe8 Rxc7 33.Rc1 Qe2+–+

30.Rac1 Bc3

The above idea is still available.

31.Be7

The above concept now only results in a draw since the f8 square is covered, but is definitely better for Black than the text.

31...Qxc1 32.Rxb7+ Rxb7 33.Bc5+ Ka8 34.Qc8+ Rb8 35.Qxa6# 1–0

A few leaders begin to emerge:

3.0: O’Donnell, Hankinson
2.5 Hahn, Gabbara, Mazuchowski, Kahn

3&4-Day Schedules Round 4

1. O’Donnell 1 Hankinson
2. Mazuchowski 0 Hahn
3. Gabbara 1 Kahn

Hahn holds off the attack and comes through in the endgame:

Tom Mazuchowski (2000)
David Hahn (2165)
Pirc, B08

Notes by Mark Finegold

1.Nf3 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.d4 Bg7 5.h3 0–0 6.Be3 b6

A creative double-fianchetto approach to the Pirc. Other options are 6...c6, 6...d5, and 6...Na6.

7.Qd2

A bit committal. In Short-Torre, Biel (Interzonal) 1985, White tried 7.Bc4 e6 8.0–0 Bb7 9.d5 with a small plus.

7...Bb7 8.Bd3 c5 9.d5 a6 10.a4 Nbd7 11.0–0 Ne8 12.Bh6

Also reasonable is the preparatory 12.Bc4, with the idea of discouraging any counterplay in the center.

12...Nc7 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Qf4 Nf6 15.g4!?

Inviting a thematic counterpunch in the center. White could build up a bit more with 15.Rad1 or 15.Bc4 before launching his attack.

15...e5 16.dxe6 Nxe6 17.Qg3 d5 18.g5?!

A bit overly optimistic. After 18.Rad1 d4 19.Ne2, White retains his central foothold because of the Qe5+ fork. The position is roughly equal.

18...Nxe4 19.Qe5+ Kg8 20.h4

The attack has failed. Hahn gets ready to apply the squeeze in the ensuing pawn-up endgame.

20...Nxc3 21.bxc3 d4 22.Nh2 Qd5 23.Qxd5 Bxd5 24.c4?!

Fixing weak pawns on the color of the opponent's bishop should be avoided unless it is really forced. Better is 24.Ng4.

24...Bc6 25.f4 f5 26.gxf6 Rxf6 27.f5

Maz gets some piece activity, but his material deficit and four isolated pawns make it tough going.

27...gxf5 28.Ng4 Rff8 29.Bxf5 Ng7 30.a5? Nxf5 31.Rxf5 Rxf5 32.Nh6+

Black to Move

32...Kf8?

Overlooking the tactical error behind 30.a5? Correct is 32...Kh8! 33.Nxf5 Rg8+ and White is caught in a painful crossfire (34.Kf1?? Rf8). After 34.Kh2 Rg2+ 35.Kh3 Rxc2 White's position collapses in view of the hanging pawns and threat of Bd7.

33.Nxf5 b5 34.Rf1 Ke8 35.h5?

Much too slow. Better is 35.Re1+ with counterplay (Re5 or Re7+ is coming).

35...Kd7 36.Nh6 Re8

Good enough, but the double-duty move 36...Be4 is even stronger.

37.Rf5 bxc4 38.Rxc5 c3 39.Nf5 Re4?

Probably banged out in time pressure. Instantly crushing is 39...Rg8+ 40.Kh2 Rg5! and Black wins just about everything.

40.Rc4 Rg4+?!

Sometimes you gotta calculate: 40...d3! 41.Rxc3 Rg4+ 42.Kh2 (to avoid ...Rf4+) 42...Be4 43.Ne3 d2! and Black mops up.

41.Kh2 Bb5 42.Rxd4+ Rxd4 43.Nxd4 Kd6 44.Kg3 Kc5 45.Nb3+ Kb4 46.Kf3

White cannot cope with the advanced king and dangerous pawns.

46...Bc4 47.Nd4 Kxa5 48.Ke3 Kb4 49.h6 Bb5 50.Ne6 a5 51.Kd4 Ba4 52.Kd3 Bb5+ 53.Kd4 a4 54.Nf4 Bc4 0–1

White finds his way into the king-side:

Faris Gabbara (2081)
Aaron Kahn (1921)
King's Indian: Fianchetto (Yugoslav), E64

Notes by Don Vandivier

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0–0 5.0–0 d6 6.c4 c5 7.d5 Na6 8.Nc3 Nc7 9.e4 a6 10.a4 Rb8 11.a5 e6?!

Both 11...Bg4 and 11...b5 are good continuations for Black.

12.Qc2 Re8 13.Re1 exd5 14.cxd5 Bg4 15.Bf4 Nh5 16.Be3 Bc8 17.Nd2 b5 18.axb6 Rxb6 19.Nc4 Rb4 20.Ne2 Rb8 21.h3 f5!?

Black comes up with a good plan - to undermine White's center.

22.Nf4 Nxf4 23.Bxf4 Nb5 24.h4 fxe4 25.Bxe4 Rf8

Also possible was 25...Nd4, but it is not stronger than the text move. Black has a nearly equal position.

26.Bg5?! Bf6 27.Bxg6?! hxg6?

The losing move. Black is better after 27...Bxg5! 28.Bxh7+ Kh8 29.hxg5 Nd4 30.Qg6 (30.Qd3 Rb3 31.Qg6 Rb7) 30...Rb7.

28.Qxg6+ Kh8 29.Re8 Qxe8 30.Bxf6+ Rxf6 31.Qxe8+ Kg7 32.Re1 1–0

Black takes too many chances:

Andy Fletcher (2089)
Al Hamood (2042)
Sicilian: Barnes (Bastrikov), B48

Notes by Don Vandivier

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Be3 Qc7 6.Bd3 a6 7.0–0 Nf6 8.Nc3 Ne5 9.h3 Bc5 10.Qd2 0–0 11.Nb3 Bxe3 12.Qxe3 b5 13.a3 Bb7 14.Rad1 d5 15.exd5 Nxd5 16.Nxd5 Bxd5 17.Rfe1 Nxd3

Black stands slightly better in this position.

18.Qxd3 Rac8 19.Nd4 Qf4 20.c3 h6 21.Qe3 Qf6 22.Qg3 Rfd8 23.Rd3 Rc5 24.Rde3 a5?

Black had a solid position and could simply double his rooks with 24...Rdc8 or play other solid moves. Obviously, Black is willing to take risks to win.

25.b4 axb4 26.axb4 Rc4 27.Nxb5 Rf4 28.Nd4 Bc4 29.Rf3 Rxf3 30.Qxf3 Qg5 31.Qe3 Qh5?!

31...Qd5 was a better square for the queen. Now White can swap queens leading to a won ending.

32.Qe5 Qg6? 33.Qc7 Rxd4 34.cxd4 Bd5 35.Qg3 Qc2 36.Qe3?!

Winning quickly is: 36.b5! Qd2 37.Rf1 Qxd4 (37...Bc4 38.b6!) 38.Qb8+ Kh7 39.b6 Qb4 40.Qc7 Qb2 41.Rd1

36...Qb2 37.Qd3 Qxb4 38.Rb1 Qd6 39.Qb5 Qe7 40.Qb8+ Kh7 41.Qf4 Qg5 42.Qxg5 hxg5

And this is a won endgame for White. If you want to see how White ground out the moves, play on.

43.Rc1 f5 44.g3 Kg6 45.Rc7 Kf6 46.Kf1 f4 47.Ke2 Be4 48.Rc8 g6 49.Rc5 fxg3 50.fxg3 Bf5 51.g4 Be4 52.Kf2 Bd5 53.Kg3 Be4 54.Re5 Bd5 55.Kf2 Bc4 56.Ke1 Bd5 57.Kd2 Bg2 58.Re3 Ke7 59.Kc3 Kf6 60.Kb4 Bd5 61.Kc5 Bg2 62.Kd6 Bd5 63.Re2 Kf7 64.Rf2+ Kg7 65.Ke5 Kh6 66.Kf6 Bc4 67.Rh2 1–0

This is the first time that Bob and I have met over the board:

Bob Ciaffone (2100)
Jeff Aldrich (1923)
Semi-Slav, D43

Notes by Jeff Aldrich

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 e6 5.g3 Bd6 6.Bg2 0–0 7.0–0 Nbd7 8.b3 Re8 9.Bb2 Ne4

Just trying to keep an active game going. Other options seemed too passive.

10.Nd2 f5 11.Ncxe4

11.Ndxe4 is probably a little better. The knight left on d2 doesn't have much scope.

11...dxe4 12.e3 e5 13.Qc2 Qe7 14.f4 exd4 15.exd4

Giving Black a passed pawn. This could become dangerous in the long run.

15...Nf6 16.Rfe1 Qf7 17.Nf1

The best option for the knight.

17...Bd7 18.Ne3 Qh5 19.Qe2 Qh6

Not ready to trade queens yet.

20.Qf1 Rf8 21.Bh3 g6 22.Rad1 Rad8 23.Kh1 Nh5 24.Re2?

This move gets hit by a nice combination. 24.d5 looking to open things up in the center would be preferable.

Black to Move

24...Bxf4! 25.gxf4 Nxf4

The knight forks the rook and bishop.

26.Bg2 Nxe2 27.Qxe2 f4

Now a piece must come back and Black ends up the exchange.

28.Ng4 Qh5 29.Nf6+ Rxf6 30.Qxh5 gxh5 31.Bxe4 Bg4 32.Rf1 f3 33.h3 Bxh3 34.Rxf3 Rxf3 35.Bxf3 Bg4 36.Bg2 Re8 37.d5 Re1+ 38.Kh2 Re2 39.dxc6 bxc6 40.Bd4 Bf3 0–1

White starts off strong, but loses his initiative:

Walter Smith (1949)
Alex Balan (1826)
Dutch, A80

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.Nf3 e6 2.d4 f5 3.d5!?

This curious move is a theoretical byway. It has no high-level patrons, perhaps because White could choose to play with both of his center pawns. But it is not bad and at least it leads to novel positions where Black's knowledge of standard Dutch themes may be of less value than usual.

3...d6 4.dxe6 Bxe6 5.Qd3

Feinting at Qb5+, a threat that is easily blocked. The more straightforward 5.Nc3 looks better.

5...Nc6 6.g3 Nf6 7.Bg2 Qd7 8.a3 Bd5 9.Nc3 Be4!

Black has taken advantage of White's somewhat time-wasting play to centralize the bishop that would otherwise languish on e6 behind the f-pawn. White already needs to be thinking about equalizing.

10.Qd1 h6

10...d5 comes strongly into consideration. White will find it very difficult to evict the strong bishop without allowing a pawn to come to e4, and meanwhile the blockade is lifted on Black's dark-square bishop.

11.Nxe4 fxe4 12.Nd2 d5

In a position like this one can always consider the pawn sacrifice 12...e3!? After 13.fxe3, White's isolated pawns on the open e-file are apt to be very weak. But there can be no objection to Alex's move either.

13.c4

Naturally, White plays to break up Black's monster center.

13...dxc4 14.Qa4 Ne5?!

I have the feeling that hereabouts Black lets White off the hook. With something more resolute like 14...0–0–0 15.Qxc4 Nd4!? followed by bringing the rook to the e-file Black would maintain some initiative. Note that 16.Nxe4?? fails to 16...Nf3+ 17.exf3 Qd1#

15.Qxd7+ Nexd7 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 0–0–0

Now the dust has settled for a moment and we find that White has a pair of bishops and a better pawn structure. But Black's queen-side pawns, though awkward, are capable of yielding a passed pawn. White cannot take this sort of position for granted. And Alex, whose endgame skills are excellent, probably felt quite comfortable.

18.0–0?!

Played with middlegame momentum. The position on the board lies in the gray area between middlegames and endgames. White could profitably keep his king closer to the center or even keep open the option of queen-side castling with 18.Bd2 Nc5 19.Bf5+ Kb8 20.Bc3 and White's bishops are a force to be reckoned with.

18...Nc5 19.Bc2

Last chance for 19.Bf5+ Kb8 20.Be3.

19...Nb3 20.Bxb3 cxb3

Now, White has lost the bishop pair and Black's pawn on b3 looks like it could become a headache later on. (Imagine this position with all rooks traded off: White's bishop is glued to c1 by the threat of ...Bxa3! and ...b2.)

21.Be3 a5 22.Rfd1 Be7 23.Bd4 Bf6 24.Bxf6 gxf6 25.Kf1 a4

Now there is no getting rid of the pawn at b3.

26.Ke1?!

White must mobilize his own majority as rapidly as possible. 26.e4 Rhe8 27.f3 c6 28.Kf2 makes more sense.

26...b5 27.Rd3?

But this is a definite positional blunder, saddling White with an isolated pawn on an open file for no good reason. 27.Rac1 followed by the gradual mobilization of the king-side pawns is a much better plan.

27...Rxd3! 28.exd3 Kd7 29.Kd2 Re8 30.h4

Black would welcome 30.Re1? Rxe1 31.Kxe1 because of the breakthrough 31...b4! 32.Kd2 (32.axb4?? a3 and Black queens a pawn.) 32...bxa3 33.bxa3 White's king is now chained to the queen-side, unable to step as far away as the e-file without allowing the b-pawn to queen. So, Black simply brings his king over to the king-side and takes all of White's pawns.

30...Kd6 31.d4 Kd5

31...Re4! is more precise, keeping all of Black's queen-side pawns, e.g. 32.Kd3 Kd5 33.Rc1 Rxd4+ 34.Ke3 c5–+

32.Rc1 Kxd4 33.Rxc7 Re5 34.Rc6 Rf5 35.Ke2?

35.f4 might be a better try here, intending (after an exchange of rooks) to make a run for it with g4-5. Black would probably have to nip this idea in the bud with 35...h5 36.Rd6+ Ke4 37.Kc3 Rc5+ 38.Kb4 and it isn't clear how Black will break through.

35...Rc5! 36.Rxc5??

To have any drawing chances at all, White must keep rooks on the board. It is true that Black threatens to invade at c2, but White should hunker down with 36.Rd6+ Ke5 37.Rd2 Rc2 38.f3 and force his opponent to find the breakthrough 38...b4! 39.axb4 a3! 40.bxa3 b2!–+

36...Kxc5 37.Kd3 b4 38.axb4+ Kxb4 39.Kd2 a3 40.bxa3+ Kxa3 41.g4 b2 0–1

These players must now await the fast paced two day schedule.

2-Day Schedule Rounds 1-4

Eleven players were added to the mix, led by the return of IM Ben Finegold, after taking last year off. He was followed by Dennis Monokroussos at 2349 from Indiana, who lost to Manis Davidovich in round two and promptly withdrew.

Chehayeb gave up a piece for a couple of pawns, but it did not work out:

Ben Finegold (2633)
Sal Chehayeb (1983)
King's Indian, E61

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 0–0 5.Bf4 d6 6.e3 Nbd7 7.h3 c5 8.Be2 cxd4 9.exd4 b6 10.0–0 Bb7 11.Re1 Rc8 12.d5 a6 13.Nd4 Re8 14.Bf1 Nh5 15.Be3 Ne5 16.b3 b5 17.f4 bxc4 18.fxe5 dxe5 19.Nde2 Qa5 20.b4 Qc7 21.Ne4 Red8 22.N2c3 e6 23.d6 Qc6 24.a4 f5 25.b5 Qd7 26.Nc5 Rxc5 27.Bxc5 e4 28.Rc1 axb5 29.Nxb5 c3 30.Nc7 Nf4 31.Qb3 Bd5 32.Nxd5 exd5 33.Rxc3 Bxc3 34.Qxc3 Rc8 35.Qe3 Ne6 36.Ba3 Qxa4 37.Bb2 d4 38.Qg3 Rc2 39.Qe5 Qb3 40.Bxd4 Nxd4 41.Qxd4 Qb8 42.Bc4+ 1–0 Time

A nice positional win:

Curt Armstead (1836)
Dennis Monokroussos (2349)
Round 1
Budapest: Alekhine (Abonyi), A52

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 4.e4?!

This move comes with an impressive pedigree, having been used by Alekhine, but I think it is a dangerous move to essay against a Budapest player. White's structure is loosened, and with a maneuver that is well-known Black can take advantage of this.

4...Nxe5 5.f4 Nec6

So the knight has been driven backwards, but now Black threatens 6...Bc5 with impressive piece play at no material cost. White immediately, and correctly, prevents this.

6.Be3 Na6!

The point: Black is preparing ...Bc5 anyway, and after an exchange of bishops, Black will have a very active knight. In the sequel, White's e-pawn is likely to come under fire.

7.a3?

White is desperately trying to close the barn door with b4, but the horses will already be out by then. The earliest game I can find in this line ran 7.Nf3 Bc5 8.Qd2 0–0 9.Nc3 d6 10.0–0–0 Re8 11.h3 Bxe3 12.Qxe3 Nc5 13.g4 a5 14.Nd4 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 a4 16.Bg2 a3 17.b3 Qh4 18.Qe3 Bd7 19.Nd5 Qd8 20.Qd4 b5 21.e5 Ne6 22.Qe4 bxc4 23.Qxc4 c6 24.Nc3 d5 25.Qf1 Qb6 26.Qf3 Nc5 27.Kc2 Reb8 28.Qe3 d4 29.Qxd4 Be6 30.b4 Qxb4 31.Qxb4 Rxb4 32.Bxc6 Rb2+ 33.Kc1 Bxa2 34.Rd6 Rab8 35.Nxa2 Rxa2 36.f5 Rf2 37.e6 Rb1+!! 0–1, Weichert,P-Richter,K, Bad Saarow 1937. A typical Richter finish! After 38.Kxb1 a2+ 39.Ka1 comes 39...Nb3#; 7.Nc3 Bc5 8.Qd2 0–0 9.Rc1 d6³ Mueller-Froemmel, corr 1987

7...Bc5 8.Bxc5

8.Qd2 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qe7 10.Bg2 Qe6 11.b3 f5 12.e5?? It's wrong, but it feels so right! 12...Nxe5! 0–1 Anders,H-Pohl,W, corr 1987. White can't hold both a1 and e3.

8...Nxc5 9.Nc3 a5!

Stopping b4. Now White is on the defensive trying to hold the e-pawn.

10.Nf3 0–0 11.Be2 Re8 12.e5 d6 13.exd6 Qf6

13...Be6!? looks interesting and thematic. After 14.dxc7 Qxc7 Black's tremendous piece activity will likely get back the pawn with interest.

14.Qd2??

Definitely the wrong square for the queen! 14.dxc7 Qxf4 15.0–0 Qxc7 16.Nd5 gives back the material but at least begins to unscramble White's pieces and give him some play.

14...Nb3 15.d7 Bxd7 16.Nd5?

Panic.

16...Qd6 17.Qd3 Nxa1 18.0–0 Nb3

The ugly truth is revealed: 19.Qxb3 allows 19...Rxe2

19.Ng5 f5 0–1

White has nothing left to play for.

A little more tactical:

Manis Davidovich (2144)
Ron Comstock (1828)
Round 1
Petrov: Cochrane, C42

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7

The Cochrane Gambit has a fair, but not outstanding, theoretical reputation. Black does have a few ways to equalize, but he needs to know exactly what he is doing.

4...Kxf7 5.d4 Qe8

This is one of the better -- and sharper -- defenses. Point one: 5...Nxe4?? leaves Black a pawn down after 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qd5+ Kg7 8.Qxe4

6.Nc3

6.Bc4+?! allows Black to swap out of trouble: 6...Be6! (but not 6...d5?! 7.Bxd5+ Nxd5 8.Qh5+ and White garners three pawns for the knight.) 7.Bxe6+ Qxe6 8.f3 g6 9.0–0 Bg7 10.e5? dxe5 11.dxe5 Qxe5 12.Re1 Qd5 and Black won easily in Gonzales-Zhu Hui, Bled 2002 (0–1, 19).

6...g6 7.Bd3 Bg7

In light of what happens two moves later, we might wonder whether Black should tuck his king on g7 rather than filling up that square with a bishop. But not all is cheese and mushrooms even in this line: 7...Nc6 8.Be3 Kg7 9.0–0 Nb4 10.h3 Nxd3 11.Qxd3 Rg8 12.e5!? There's that move again! 12...dxe5 13.dxe5 Presenting Black with a hard practical problem to solve. 13...Nd7 [13...Qxe5 14.Bd4 Qd6 15.Ne4 Bf5 16.Nxf6 Bxd3 17.Ne8+ Kh6 18.Nxd6 Bxf1 19.Nf7+ Kh5 20.Rxf1 (The “brilliant” 20.Bf6? permits 20...g5–+) 20...Bg7 21.Be3 and White collects a couple of pawns for the exchange since Black is in danger of being mated, e.g. 21...g5 (21...Rgf8 22.g4+ Kh4 23.Kg2 Rxf7 24.f4 Rxf4 25.Bxf4 is a funny line where Black's king remains awkwardly placed even after the heavy exchanges.) 22.Nxg5 Rae8 23.Nf3 when it is hard to say for sure who is more uncomfortable.] 14.Nd5 Nc5 15.Qc3 Ne6 16.Nxc7 Qd7 17.Nxa8 b6 18.Rad1 Qb7 19.Rd8 Be7 20.Rxg8+ Kxg8 21.Nxb6 axb6 22.Bxb6 Qxb6 23.Qxc8+ Kg7 24.c3 Nf4 25.Qd7 Kf8 26.b4 Qa6 27.b5 Qa4 28.Re1 Qc2 29.b6 Qxc3 30.Re3 Qa1+ 31.Kh2 Qf1 32.Qg4 1–0 Vuckovic-Govedarica, Belgrade 2000.]

8.0–0 Rf8 9.e5!

Manis picks just the right time to rip open the center.

9...dxe5 10.dxe5 Qxe5 11.Re1

Around here the awful truth dawns: Black has no choices for his queen and White relentlessly sets up Bc4+.

11...Qc5 12.Be3 Qh5 13.Bc4+ Be6 14.Bxe6+ Kxe6

White to Move.

15.Qd3!

Threatening mate beginning with Bg5+, a threat Black cannot well fend off though 15...g5 is a try.

15...Nc6

This doesn't stop the mate at all.

16.Bg5+ Ne5

16...Kf7 17.Qc4+ Nd5 18.Qxd5#

17.Rxe5+!

Ending all questions.

17...Kxe5 18.Re1+ Ne4 19.Qd5# 1–0

Gold pieces, anyone?

Typical Ben. Nothing exciting out of the opening and just plain outplaying his opponent in the ending:

Dmitriy Obukhov (2041)
Ben Finegold (2633)
Round 2
Benoni: Czech, A56

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e5 4.Nc3 d6 5.g3 h5 6.Bg2 h4 7.Bg5 h3 8.Bf1 Be7 9.Bh4 Qa5 10.Qd2 a6 11.Bxh3 Bxh3 12.Nxh3 b5 13.Ne4 Qxd2+ 14.Nxd2 Nbd7 15.e4 Nb6 16.b3 bxc4 17.bxc4 Na4 18.Ng1 Rb8 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.Rb1 Rxb1+ 21.Nxb1 Kd7 22.Nf3 Rb8 23.0–0 Rb2 24.Nbd2 Rxa2 25.Rb1 Kc7 26.h4 Nb6 27.h5 Rc2 28.Ra1 Kb7 29.Rb1 Kc7 30.Ra1 Kb7 31.Rb1 Ka7 32.Ra1 Nxc4 33.Nxc4 Rxc4 34.Re1 Rb4 35.g4 Rb8 36.Kg2 a5 37.g5 Be7 38.h6 gxh6 39.gxh6 Rg8+ 40.Kf1 Rh8 41.Ke2 Rxh6 42.Rg1 Rg6 43.Rh1 Rg8 44.Nd2 Ka6 45.Rb1 Bd8 46.Nc4 Bc7 47.Kf3 Rb8 48.Rc1 Rb3+ 49.Kg4 Kb5 50.Nd2 Rb4 51.Kf5 Rb2 52.Rd1 c4 0–1

Ben’s much better position helped him find an exchange:

Ben Finegold (2633)
Manis Davidovich (2144)
Round 3
Queen's Pawn: Zukertort (Chigorin), D02

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nc6 3.Bg5 Bg4 4.e3 Qd6 5.Nbd2 f6 6.Bh4 e5 7.Be2 e4 8.Ng1 Bxe2 9.Nxe2 0–0–0 10.a3 Qe6 11.Rc1 g5 12.Bg3 f5 13.h4 f4 14.exf4 g4 15.Nf1 Nge7 16.h5 Nf5 17.Ne3 Bh6 18.c3 Nce7 19.Bh4 g3 20.Nxg3 Bxf4 21.Nexf5 Nxf5 22.Nxf5 Qxf5 23.Bxd8 Rxd8 24.Rc2 e3 25.Re2 exf2+ 26.Kf1 Rg8 27.Rxf2 Qe4 28.Qc2 Bg3 29.Qxe4 dxe4 30.Rf7 h6 31.Rh3 e3 32.Ke2 Bf2 33.g3 Bxg3 34.Kxe3 Bd6 35.Rhf3 Rg5 36.R7f5 Rg1 37.Kd3 Rb1 38.Kc2 Rh1 39.c4 c6 40.c5 Be7 41.Rf7 Bg5 42.Rg7 Rxh5 43.Rf5 Rh2+ 44.Kd3 Rd2+ 45.Kc4 Rc2+ 46.Kb3 Rd2 47.Kc3 Rd1 48.Rg8+ Kd7 1–0 About 20 moves later.

The eldest Finegold puts together a nice positional win:

Lineas Baze (2016)
Ron Finegold (2015)
Round 3
Irregular King's Pawn: St. George, B00

1.e4 b6 2.d4 e6 3.Bd3 Bb7 4.Be3 Nf6 5.Nd2 d5 6.e5 Ne4 7.c3 Nxd2 8.Qxd2 c5 9.Nf3 Be7 10.h4 Qd7 11.a3 Ba6 12.Bc2 Nc6 13.b4 cxd4 14.cxd4 Bc4 15.Bd3 b5 16.0–0 a6 17.Rfc1 a5 18.Bxc4 dxc4 19.Rab1 axb4 20.axb4 Ra4 21.d5 Qxd5 22.Qxd5 exd5 23.Ra1 Rxa1 24.Rxa1 0–0 25.Ra6 Nxb4 26.Rb6 Nc2 27.Rxb5 Rd8 28.Bd4 Nxd4 29.Nxd4 Bxh4 0–1

Here is the summary of leader after the complete merger:

4.0: Finegold, O’Donnell
3.5 Hahn, Gabbara
3.0 Hankinson, Fletcher, Uppal, Jarosz, Aldrich

Hey, where did that last guy come from?!

Round 5

1. Hahn ½ O’Donnell
2. Hankinson 1 Gabbara
3. Aldrich ½ Fletcher
4. Uppal 0 Jarosz

So, where’s Ben? He took a half-point bye for the round to go early and then would come back for the last two rounds on Monday. On board one, Hahn and O’Donnell did not take any chances and drew in sixteen moves. Gabbara started off with a small advantage, but Hankinson’s active king and rook neutralized it and then turned the tables.

I managed to survive constant pressure:

Jeff Aldrich (1923)
Andy Fletcher (2089)
Benko Gambit: Accepted (Fianchetto), A58

Notes by Jeff Aldrich

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5

The Benko Gambit always leads to interesting games. Black gives up his a and b-pawns so that he can pressure White's queen-side.

4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 Bxa6 6.Nc3 d6 7.Nf3 g6 8.g3 Bg7 9.Bg2 0–0 10.0–0 Nbd7 11.Re1 Qb6 12.Rb1 Rfb8

This is exactly the type of set up that Black is looking for out of the opening. All the major pieces lined up against the queen-side.

13.a4 Ng4 14.Bd2 c4 15.e3 Nc5 16.Bf1

Can't let that knight make to d3 alive.

16...Rb7 17.Nb5!?

I have often found that giving a pawn back to get rid of this bishop relieves a lot of pressure.

17...Bxb5 18.axb5 Nd3

A better idea might be 18...Ne4 19.Bxc4 Ngxf2 and those knights are a couple of huge thorns in the middle of my position.

19.Bxd3 cxd3 20.Bc3 Qxb5 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Nd4 Qd7 23.Qxd3

So, I've the opening phase and managed to keep the extra pawn. But, Black still has attacking ideas and I am already starting to get into time pressure.

23...Ne5 24.Qe2 h5 25.Ra1 Rab8 26.b3 h4 27.Rec1 hxg3 28.fxg3 Rh8 29.Ra2 Qh3 30.Qb2

Forcing the Black knight to stay put for a moment.

30...f6 31.Qg2 Qh6 32.Qe2 Kf7 33.Rac2 Rb4 34.Rc3 f5 35.Nc6 Re4 36.Nxe5+ Rxe5 37.Rd1 Qg5 38.Qf2 Qg4 39.Rd2 Ra8 40.Rc4 Qh3 41.Rd1?

Right after we reach the time control, I reel off a lemon of a move. I realized what I did right after I played this and had to leave the tournament hall banging my head.

41...Qh5?!

Fortunately for me, he didn't see the hanging pawn. 41...Rxd5! and the rook is immune as taking it would allow mate.

42.Rcd4 ½–½

Exhausted, I was just happy to take a draw at this point.

White plays aggressive and Black finds a little counterplay:

Abraham Uppal (2077)
Stan Jarosz (1984)
French: Advance (Paulsen), C02

Notes by Jeff Aldrich

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3 c4 7.Be2 f6

A common way to undermine White's pawn structure in the French.

8.exf6 Nxf6 9.0–0 Bd6 10.Re1 0–0 11.Ng5?!

I guess I don't see the point of this move.

11...h6 12.Nf3 Ne4 13.Nbd2 Nxd2 14.Bxd2 Bd7 15.Qb1 Rf6 16.g4?!

Aggressive, no doubt. But, does it do more harm than good?

16...Be8 17.g5 hxg5 18.Bxg5 Bg6

Black has to be happy to get this bishop out side the pawn chain.

19.Qc1 Rf7 20.Nh4 Be4 21.Bh5

With those bishops and the knight, looks like White is putting together a nice attack. But, Stan has an idea to take away his attention.

Black to Move.

21...Bxh2+! 22.Kxh2 Rxf2+ 23.Kg3 Raf8 24.Rg1??

24.Rxe4 dxe4 25.Ng6 at least slows down Black's attack a bit.

24...Qc7+ 25.Kg4 Bf5+ 26.Nxf5 exf5+ 27.Kh4 Qh2# 0–1

A game that has exposed kings on both ends of the board:

Sal Chehayeb (1983)
Mike Semerciyan (1807)
Caro-Kann: Panov, B14

Notes by Don Vandivier

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nf3 Be7 7.c5 0–0 8.Bf4 b6 9.b4 a5 10.a3 Bb7 11.Bd3 Ne4 12.Rc1 axb4 13.axb4 bxc5 14.bxc5 h6?!

Black must play energetically. White has a protected passed pawn, but he has not castled yet and his center could collapse. Therefore, Black would have done better to play 14...Qa5 or 14...Bf6.

15.0–0 g5?! 16.Be3 f5?

This exposes the Black king and leads to a very bad position for Black.

17.Qb3?!

17.Ne5! Kg7 (17...Nc6 18.Qh5 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Kh7 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.c6) 18.Qh5 Qe8 19.Qxe8 Rxe8 20.Rb1

17...Ba6 18.Bxa6 Rxa6 19.Ra1 Rxa1 20.Rxa1 Nc6 21.Nxe4 fxe4 22.Nd2 Qd7 23.Ra6 Bf6 24.Qa4 Rc8 25.Nb3 Bd8 26.h4 Kf7 27.Nd2 Ke8 28.hxg5 Bxg5 29.Qd1 Bxe3 30.fxe3 Qf7 31.Qa4 Qd7 32.Nb1 e5 33.Qd1 exd4 34.exd4

It looks like Black is holding on, but what should he play now?

34...Qf7?!

34...Qg7! threatening to take the d-pawn with check is a better way for Black to hold the position.

35.Nc3 e3?!

Now Black falls apart.

36.Qg4 Rc7? 37.Nb5 Qf2+ 38.Kh2 Rg7

And now White has MATE in 7 moves!

39.Qe6+ Re7 40.Ra8+ Nd8 41.Nd6+ Kf8 42.Rxd8+ 1–0

So, Going into the final day, we have:

4.5: Finegold, O’Donnell
4.0: Hahn, Hankinson, Jarosz
3.5: Fletcher, Gabbara, Mazuchowski, Aldrich

Round 6

1. O’Donnell 0 Finegold
2. Hankinson ½ Hahn
3. Jarosz ½ Gabbara
4. Fletcher 0 Fischvogt (3.0)
5. Mazuchowski 1 Aldrich

O’Donnell was looking pretty good against Ben:

Robert O'Donnell (2147)
Ben Finegold (2633)
Sicilian: Rauzer (Modern), B66

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0–0–0 h6 9.Be3 Ng4 10.Be2 Nxe3 11.Qxe3 Be7 12.Nb3 b5 13.f4 Bd7 14.Bf3 Rb8 15.Rhe1 0–0 16.Kb1 b4 17.Nd5!? exd5 18.exd5 Re8? 19.dxc6 Bh4 20.Qa7! Bxc6 21.Rxe8+ Bxe8 22.Qxa6 Rb6 23.Qa8! Rb8 24.Qa6

24.Qa5

24...Rb6

Hereabouts Ben would be very happy with a draw. But Bob rightly realizes that he can play for more.

25.Qd3 Bb5 26.Qe3 Qc7 27.Bd5 Bf6 28.Nd2 Ra6 29.Ne4! Be7 30.Qd4 Qa5 31.f5 Bc6

I heard word around the tournament hall that round about here Ben had considered offering a draw but felt it would be bad form since his position was lost!

32.Bxc6??

A moment's inattention wrecks all of White's fine play. 32.f6! Bxd5 33.Qxd5 Qxd5 34.Rxd5 Bxf6 35.Nxf6+ gxf6 36.Rb5

32...Qxa2+

Of course! Now Black is back in the driver's seat and never relinquishes the initiative.

33.Kc1 Rxc6 34.f6

34.Qd5 might be a better way to put up resistance, though White's position is pretty awkward in any event.

34...b3! 35.Nc3 Bxf6 36.Nxa2 Rxc2+ 37.Kb1 Bxd4 38.Rxd4 bxa2+

The bitter point: the pawn is more dangerous than the rook.

39.Kxa2 Rxg2 40.h4 Kf8 41.Ka3 Ke7 42.b4 Kd7 43.b5 Rg1 44.Rc4 g5 45.hxg5 hxg5 46.Ka4 g4 47.b6 g3 48.Ka5 Ra1+ 49.Kb5 Rb1+ 50.Ka6 g2 0–1

A near miss for Bob!

On board two, Hankinson and Hahn traded a few pieces, but never really tested the position. Jarosz won a pawn in the middlegame, but Gabbara managed to get the game to boil down to a drawn rook+pawn endgame.

Fischvogt downed Fletcher with a much more active king:

Andy Fletcher (2089)
Eric Fischvogt (2285)
Réti: Dutch, A04

1.Nf3 e6 2.g3 f5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.0–0 Nc6 6.Nbd2 0–0 7.e4 fxe4 8.dxe4 e5 9.c3 a5 10.Qc2 Qe8 11.Nc4 Bc5 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Nxe3 d6 14.Rae1 Qh5 15.Nh4 a4 16.Bf3 Qf7 17.Bg2 Be6 18.a3 Kh8 19.f4 exf4 20.gxf4 Qh5 21.Nhf5 Ng4 22.Nxg4 Bxf5 23.Ne3 Be6 24.Nd5 Rf7 25.Qd2 Raf8 26.f5 Bxd5 27.Qxd5 g6 28.fxg6 Rxf1+ 29.Rxf1 Rxf1+ 30.Kxf1 Qxg6 31.Qd1 Qg5 32.Qe2 Ne5 33.Kg1 Kg7 34.Kf1 Qc1+ 35.Kf2 Qf4+ 36.Kg1 Ng4 37.Bf1 Kf6 38.c4 Ke5 39.Bh3 Qe3+ 40.Qxe3 Nxe3 0–1

Maz gave up a piece for three pawns and then in time pressure, I gave too much back:

Tom Mazuchowski (2000)
Jeff Aldrich (1923)
Caro-Kann: Classical, B19

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Ngf6 11.Bf4 e6 12.0–0–0 Be7 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 Nf6 15.Qe2 Nd5 16.Bd2 b5 17.Ne5 Qd6 18.Qg4 Bf6 19.Rhe1 Rf8 20.f4 0–0–0 21.Nxf7 Rxf7 22.Rxe6 Qd7 23.Rxc6+ Kb7 24.Re6 Kb8 25.f5 Rc8 26.Be1 Bg5+ 27.Kb1 Qc7 28.c3 b4 29.Qf3 bxc3 30.bxc3 Qb7+ 31.Ka1 Nb6 32.Bg3+ Ka8 33.Qe2 Rxf5 34.Rb1 Ra5 35.c4 Qa6 36.Qf3+ Qb7 37.Qxb7+ Kxb7 38.c5 Rcxc5 39.dxc5 Rxc5 40.Bf2 Rc2 41.Bxb6 axb6 42.Rbxb6+ Kc7 43.Kb1 Rxg2 44.Rec6+ Kd7 45.Rg6 Kc7 46.Rbc6+ Kb7 47.Rce6 Rg1+ 48.Kb2 Kc8 49.Re8+ Kd7 50.Rg8 Rh1 51.R8xg7+ Ke8 52.Rh7 Kf8 53.Ra6 Rd1 54.Ra8+ Bd8 55.Rh8+ Ke7 56.Raxd8 Rxd8 57.Rxd8 Kxd8 58.Kc3 Ke7 59.Kd4 1–0

White throws a knight into Black’s position:

Alex Balan (1826)
Greg Bailey (1900)
Caro-Kann: Campomanes, B15

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nf3

5.e6!? is very tempting here. Tal-Campomenes, Leipzig Olympiad 1960, continued 5...fxe6 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.Nf3 g6 8.h4 c5 9.dxc5 Nc6 10.Qe2 Bg7 11.Bd2 Qc7 12.0–0–0 e5 13.Bg5 Be6 14.Nb5 Qb8 15.h5 gxh5 16.Nfd4 Bg4 17.f3 e4 18.fxg4 Nxd4 19.Nxd4 exd3 20.Rxd3 Ne4 21.Nf5 Qe5 22.Nxg7+ Qxg7 23.Rxd5 Nxg5 24.Qb5+ Kf7 25.Rf1+ Kg6 26.Qd3+ Kh6 27.Rh1 1–0. Just in time!

5...e6 6.Bd3 c5 7.Ng5?!

What's this?! 7.dxc5 puts White a tempo up on a reasonably good line of the Steinitz French.

7...Be7 8.Nxe6??!!

Almost a punctuation-defying move. Clearly the sacrifice should not be sound. What is so surprising is that Black must be careful to fend off the coming attack. 8.Qh5!? looks interesting, but Alex is trying to fry much bigger fish.

8...fxe6 9.Qh5+ Kf8 10.Bg6?!

Objectively this should not work, but objectively nothing should work. And it is tempting because it sets up the following check. 10.Qf3+ Kg8 11.Qg4 Nf8!–+

Black to Move.

10...cxd4!

Oops. This is what Alex overlooked -- at the end of all of the forcing moves, his knight will be hanging.

11.Qf3+ Nf6 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.Bh5 dxc3 14.g4

There is no point in appending punctuation now for objective merit: White is lost. But this move does at least carry a threat of g5.

14...g6?!

Black starts to slip. Who could believe that the really dangerous bishop is not the one on h5 but the one on c1?

15.g5! gxh5 16.gxf6 Qc7?

Here is the serious slip that lets the game go White's direction. The check at h6 is just too strong and should have been stopped. 16...h6! closes down the most important attacking line first. Then after 17.b3 e5 18.Ba3+ Kf7 19.Be7 Bg4!–+ the fun and games are over.

17.Rg1

17.Bh6+ Ke8 18.f7+ Kd7 19.Qf6 Qd8 20.Qxc3 e5 21.Qc5+-

17...Qe5+ 18.Kf1

Amazingly, Black is already lost here.

18...h6

The best try is 18...b6 19.Bh6+ Ke8 20.Rg8+! Kd7! (20...Rxg8 21.f7+ is too horrible to contemplate) 21.Rxh8

19.Bf4 Qf5 20.Qg3

20.Qxc3! Nc6 to stop Qc5+. 21.Bd6+ Ke8 22.f7+ is crushing though not so picturesque as the finish in the game.

20...Ke8

20...Qg4 holds out a bit longer, but it is ultimately hopeless because Black's king is still in a bad way and his other pieces are not placed to help: 21.Qxc3 Qxg1+ 22.Kxg1 Nc6 23.Qg3! Rg8 24.Bxh6+ Kf7 25.Bg7+-

21.Qg7 Rh7 22.Qg8+ Kd7 23.Rg7+ Rxg7 24.Qxg7+ Kc6 25.Qc7+ Kb5 26.a4+ Ka6 27.b4 Qh3+ 28.Ke1 1–0

Mate cannot be stopped. After Alex demonstrated this unbelievable game at the club, I asked him what in thunder possessed him to sacrifice the knight on e6. “Oh,” he said with a little smile, “I decided to play like you!”

Ben has now put some space between himself and the field:

5.5: Finegold
4.5: Hahn, O’Donnell, Hankinson, Mazuchowski, Jarosz

Round 7

Hahn gets the task of trying to stop Ben in the last round:

1. Finegold 1 Hahn
2. Mazuchowski ½ O’Donnell
3. Jarosz 0 Hankinson

No surprises today. Ben Finegold is the Michigan Open Champion for 2003. In clear second place, Chris Hankinson scored five and a half points. Robert O’Donnell took third place on tie-breaks over the group of five pointers.

A typical Finegold squeeze:

Ben Finegold (2633)
David Hahn (2165)
Pirc: Roscher, B07

1.d4 d6 2.Nf3 g6 3.e4 Nf6 4.Bd3 Bg7 5.0–0 0–0 6.c3 Nc6 7.h3 e5 8.Re1 a6 9.Na3 h6 10.Nc2 Re8 11.d5 Ne7 12.c4 Rf8 13.b4 Ne8 14.c5 f5 15.Bb2 f4 16.cxd6 cxd6 17.Nh2 g5 18.Be2 Nf6 19.Bf3 Kh8 20.Rc1 Qe8 21.Na3 b5 22.Rc7 Neg8 23.Qe2 h5 24.Rc6 Nh6 25.g4 fxg3 26.fxg3 g4 27.hxg4 hxg4 28.Bg2 Qe7 29.Bc1 Nh5 30.Rc3 Rg8 31.Bd2 Bd7 32.Rec1 Rac8 33.Qe1 Rxc3 34.Rxc3 Qd8 35.Qe3 Nf7 36.Qa7 Bh6 37.Bxh6 Nxh6 38.Qxa6 Qf6 39.Qa7 Rf8 40.Nf1 Be8 41.Rc2 Qg5 42.Qb6 Nf7 43.Rf2 Nxg3 44.Nxg3 Qc1+ 45.Rf1 Qxa3 46.Qf2 Kg8 47.Nh5 g3 48.Nxg3 Qxb4 49.Qf6 Qc5+ 50.Kh2 1–0

Mazuchowski and O’Donnell never strayed very far from even:

Tom Mazuchowski (2000)
Robert O'Donnell (2147)
Sicilian: Richter, B62

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 d6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Be2 Be7 8.0–0 a6 9.Qd2 Qc7 10.f3 0–0 11.Kh1 b5 12.Nxc6 Qxc6 13.a4 b4 14.Na2 a5 15.b3 Bb7 16.c3 bxc3 17.Nxc3 Ba6 18.Nb5 Bxb5 19.Bxb5 Qb7 20.Rac1 Rfc8 21.Rxc8+ Qxc8 22.Rc1 Qd8 23.Qc2 Nd5 24.Bxe7 Nxe7 25.Qc7 Qxc7 26.Rxc7 Rc8 27.Rxc8+ Nxc8 28.Kg1 Kf8 29.Kf2 Ke7 30.Ke3 Na7 31.Bd3 Nc6 32.Bb5 Na7 33.Bd3 ½–½

Hankinson had a little attacking going and then Stan helped things along:

Stan Jarosz (1984)
Chris Hankinson (2111)
Modern, A41

Notes by Jeff Aldrich

1.d4 g6 2.Bf4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.e3 Nd7 5.c3 b6 6.h3 Bb7 7.Be2 e6 8.0–0 Ne7 9.a4 a6 10.Na3 h6 11.a5 0–0 12.axb6 Nxb6

This is a tough position to evaluate. Objectively, it seems even, but I think that Black is better set up for breaking the center. He is looking to make moves like ...e5, ...f5, and even ...g5. White's pieces are out there, but they just don't seem to be doing anything constructive. They will not be able to take advantage of any weaknesses that are created.

13.Bh2 Nf5

The first step in the plan to play ...e5. Black is looking to remove one of the defender of the square.

14.Re1 Kh7 15.Qc2 Nh4 16.Nxh4

Mission accomplished.

16...Qxh4 17.Qd1 e5 18.Bf3 e4 19.Be2 f5 20.Nc4 Nd5 21.Qb3 Rab8 22.Na5 Ba8 23.Qc2 f4 24.Bxf4 Nxf4 25.exf4 Qxf4 26.Bxa6

A pawn of little consequence at the moment. One must be careful about giving up such pawns, because if the game make into the endgame, you might regret it.

26...Rf5 27.b4 Rbf8 28.Ra2 Qh4 29.Re2 Rg5 30.Qd2??

Ending things quickly. 30.Qc1 allows the a-rook to indirectly defend the f-pawn, but Black still has attacking possibilities.

Black to Move.

30...Rxg2+! 0–1

31.Kxg2 e3+ picks up the queen. Not taking the rook only leads to mate.

Hey! I rather be lucky than good any day:

Jeff Aldrich (1923)
Abhijit Manohar (Unr)
Dutch: Queen's Knight, A85

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3

It is a curious fact that one of White's more dangerous ideas in this variation is to deploy this knight at h3.

4...d6 5.e3

This is not a very dangerous setup against the Leningrad Dutch (or should we now say the St. Petersburg Dutch!?). White's position is sound but nothing more.

5...Bg7 6.Bd3 c6 7.0–0 0–0 8.h3 Qe8 9.d5 e5 10.dxe6 Bxe6 11.Bd2 a5 12.Re1 Qd7

12...Na6 heading for c5 is more thematic.

13.Ng5 Re8 14.Na4 Qc7 15.c5

It is very difficult to decide who an exchange of positional commitments will favor. Here White tries to grip the b6 square, but is that compensation enough for sidelining his knight?

15...d5

Black, in turn, locks in his light-square bishop and concedes b6 without a fight. But in exchange for this he has resolved all tension against his center and gripped the e4 square.

16.Bc3?

This is, I think, a case of mis-timing. There is little doubt that the bishop belongs here, staring down its counterpart on g7. But White needs to use the b6 square while it is available. First 16.Nb6 Ra7 and only now 17.Bc3 would activate White's otherwise useless knight. Even if it is only exchanged off after, say, 17...Nd7, that is still a better use for the horse than having him sitting idly on a4.

16...Nbd7 17.Qc2 Ne4 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Nf3 Rf8 20.Nd4 Rae8 21.f3?

This additional weakening of the castle wall creates grave problems.

White to Move.

21...Qg3!

A terrific concept. White can have the piece: Black counts on the opening of the f-file and the path for his remaining knight through e5 to the king-side to swing the balance in his favor.

22.fxe4 fxe4 23.Nxe6+

23.Qc3 looks more tenacious, but with 23...Kg8 Black retains his attacking chances, e.g. 24.Bf1 Ne5 25.Re2 Nf3+ 26.Nxf3 exf3 27.Rf2 Bxh3 28.Qe1 Qg5! threatening 29...fxg2–+

23...Rxe6 24.Bf1 Ref6

24...Ne5! leaves White with insuperable problems. The primary threat is 25...Nf3+ 26.Kh1 Qh2# 25.Qc3 pins the knight, but this just delays the inevitable since after 25...Kg8 White has to give up his queen to prevent immediate mate.

25.Nc3 Ne5 26.Kh1 Rf2 27.Ne2 Qxe3 28.Qc3 Qxc3 29.bxc3 Nd3 30.Reb1 Nxc5 31.Nd4 Rd2 32.Kg1 Rff2 33.a4 Ra2 34.c4 Rfd2?

34...Rxa1 35.Rxa1 Rd2 36.Ne2 d4–+ leaves Black with monster pawns that will certainly cost White a minor piece.

35.Rxa2 Rxa2 36.cxd5 Rxa4? 37.dxc6 Rxd4??

37...bxc6 38.Nxc6 Ra3 would make White work for the full point.

38.c7 1–0