2003 World Open

Ben Finegold didn’t match his first place performance at the World Open from last year, but he still had a solid tournament. Here his three victories:

William Peterson (2242)
Ben Finegold (2631)
World Open, Round 1
Philadelphia, PA, June 2003
Sicilian: Boleslavsky, B59

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 a5 8.a4 Be7 9.0–0 Be6 10.f4 exf4 11.Bxf4 0–0 12.Kh1 Rc8 13.Nd4 Ne5 14.Nf5 h6 15.Qd4 Bxf5 16.exf5 Nc6 17.Qd2 Kh7 18.Rf3 Re8 19.Rh3 Bf8 20.g4 Ne4 21.Nxe4 Rxe4 22.Bd3 Rxf4 23.f6+ g6 24.Qxf4 Ne5 25.c4 Qd7 26.Be2 Qc6+ 27.Kg1 Qb6+ 28.Kf1 Qxb2 29.Raa3 Qb1+ 30.Kf2 Qb6+ 31.Kf1 Qb1+ 32.Kf2 Qb6+ 33.Kf1 Rc5 34.Rab3 Qc6 35.Rxh6+ Bxh6 36.Rh3 Nxg4 37.Bxg4 g5 38.Bf5+ Kg8 39.Qe4 Qxe4 40.Bxe4 Rxc4 41.Bxb7 Rf4+ 42.Rf3 g4 43.Rxf4 Bxf4 44.Kg2 Kh7 45.Bc8 Kg6 46.Bxg4 Kxf6 47.h4 Ke5 48.Kf3 Bh6 49.Bh5 f5 50.Bf7 d5 51.h5 Kd4 52.Be6 f4 53.Ke2 Ke4 54.Bg4 Bg5 55.Bf3+ Kd4 56.Kd2 Bh6 57.Ke2 Kc4 58.Kd2 d4 59.Be2+ Kb4 60.Bd1 f3+ 61.Kd3 f2 62.Ke2 Be3 63.h6 d3+ 64.Kf1 Kc3 65.h7 Bd4 66.h8Q Bxh8 67.Kxf2 Kd2 68.Bb3 Bc3 69.Kf1 Bf6 70.Kf2 Bh4+ 71.Kf1 Kc1 0–1

Renard Anderson (2271)
Ben Finegold (2631)
World Open, Round 5
Philadelphia, PA, July 2003
Sicilian: Scheveningen (Velimirovic), B89

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Be3 a6 8.Qe2 Be7 9.0–0–0 0–0 10.Bb3 Qc7 11.g4 Nxd4 12.Rxd4 e5 13.Rc4 Qd8 14.Rg1 Be6 15.g5 Nd7 16.Qh5 g6 17.Qh6 Re8 18.Rb4 b5 19.Nd5 Nc5 20.Nxe7+ Qxe7 21.Bd5 Rac8 22.Kb1 Qd7 23.f4 Bxd5 24.f5 gxf5 25.exd5 f4 26.Bxf4 exf4 27.Rxf4 Qe7 28.a3 Qf8 29.Qh3 Qg7 30.Rf6 Ne4 31.Rh6 Rc7 32.Qh4 Nd2+ 33.Ka1 Nf3 0–1

Ben Finegold (2631)
Andrei Zaremba (2387)
World Open, Round 8
Philadelphia, PA, July 2003
Slav: Delmar, D12

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Bg6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.a3 Nbd7 9.h3 Be7 10.Bd3 0–0 11.0–0 e5 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Bb1 Rc8 15.Ba2 Nc4 16.Qd3 Qd7 17.Rd1 Rfd8 18.e4 dxe4 19.Qxd7 Rxd7 20.Rxd7 Nxd7 21.Nxe4 b5 22.Bg5 Bxg5 23.Nxg5 a5 24.Re1 Kf8 25.Nh7+ Kg8 26.Ng5 Kf8 27.Nh7+ Kg8 28.Re7 Kxh7 29.Rxd7 f6 30.a4 Ne5 31.Rd4 g5 32.axb5 Kh6 33.Bb3 Rb8 34.Ba4 Rb6 35.Kf1 Nf7 36.Rc4 Ne5 37.Rc8 g6 38.Rc7 Re6 39.Bb3 Rb6 40.g4 1–0

Lineas Baze also went to the World Open and sent in this game:

Lineas Baze (2012)
Adel Said (2102)
World Open U2200, Round 6
Philadelphia, PA, July 2003
Robatsch: Three Pawns, B06

Notes by Lineas Baze

This year, I went 4-3 against other Experts, with two byes. Not good enough for prizes. In this game, I was outplayed, early, but then got into a hard double-rook endgame. My opponent faltered, and I was able to convert it into a win. Black's 20th move could have been better.

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.f4 c6 4.Nf3 d5 5.e5 h5 6.c3 Nh6 7.Be3 Bg4 8.Be2 Nf5 9.Qd2 Nxe3 10.Qxe3 e6 11.Nbd2 Qb6 12.b3 Bf8 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 c5 15.Qd3 Nc6 16.Nf3 cxd4 17.Nxd4 Bc5 18.Nc2 Bf2+ 19.Kd2 h4 20.Rhf1 Ke7

20...g5

21.Qb5 Qxb5 22.Bxb5 Bg3 23.Bxc6 bxc6 24.Nd4 c5 25.Ne2 g5

Too late for this, now. Black loses a pawn. 25...a5

26.Nxg3 hxg3 27.Rae1 gxf4 28.Rxf4 Rh5 29.Rg4± a5 30.Rxg3 a4 31.b4! a3?+- 32.Rf3?±

32.bxc5 A couple of mistakes, here. My 33rd move will, fortunately, convert this into a win.

32...cxb4 33.cxb4+- Rf5 34.Ree3

The rest of my technique is pretty good.

34...Rxf3 35.Rxf3 Rb8 36.Kc3 Rb5 37.g4 d4+ 38.Kc4!

38.Kxd4? taking immediately probably throws away the win.

38...Rxe5 39.Kxd4 Rb5 40.Kc4 Rb8 41.Rxa3 f5 42.gxf5 exf5 43.b5 Kd6

Black has only cheapos left--could have resigned.

44.Rf3 Rc8+ 45.Kb4 Ke5 46.b6 Ke4 47.Rc3 Rb8 48.Kb5 f4 49.Rc7 f3 50.Rf7 Ke3 51.b7 f2 52.Kb6 Rh8 53.Ka7 Rh7

53...Rh4 54.b8Q Ra4+ 55.Kb7 Rb4+ 56.Kc7 Rxb8 57.Kxb8 Ke2+-

54.Rxh7 f1Q 55.b8Q 1–0

Surprisingly, Black queens first, but is down a rook, with no perps.

More Old Games

Mark Finegold sent in a couple more games. These come from 1992:

Sam Palatnik (2616)
Mark Finegold (2257)
New York Open, Round 1
New York, NY, April 1992
Caro-Kann: Panov, B13

Notes by Mark Finegold

1.c4 c6 2.e4

White transposes to a Caro-Kann. I decided to try out one of the sharp lines, on the theory that it's better to play actively against a very strong opponent.

2...d5 3.exd5 Nf6!?

Take that, Mr. GM! After 4.dxc6 Nxc6 Black gets rapid development and dark-square control in exchange for the pawn. I'm not sure if this is considered adequate compensation, but it must be worth something since Palatnik didn't accept the gambit.

4.d4 cxd5 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg4

The game has become a Panov-Botvinnik Attack by transposition.

7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qb3 Bxf3 9.gxf3 Nb6

I believe this is less common than 9...e6, probably because moving the same piece three times while your king sits in the center looks a bit suspicious. But I had a(nother) gambit idea I wanted to use.

10.d5 Nd4 11.Qd1 e5 12.dxe6 Bc5!? 13.Be3?!

This routine move leads to no advantage. Taking on f7 is dangerous because of the open lines around White's king, but at least White gets a pawn for his trouble.

13...Nxe6 14.Bb5+ Kf8 15.Qe2 Bxe3?

This unnecessary capture repairs White's doubled pawns, strengthens his center, and limits the scope of the Ne6. For some reason, I decided that I wanted to defend the slightly inferior ending that arises a few moves later. Much better is something like 15...Qc7, with ....Nf4 or ...Re8 coming soon.

16.fxe3 a6 17.Bd3 Qh4+ 18.Qf2 Qxf2+?!

Better is 18...Qh5

19.Kxf2 Ke7 20.Rhd1 Rad8 21.Be2 Rxd1

Since I end up playing ...f5 shortly, it might have been better just to play it now. I was overly eager to exchange rooks because I did not assess the minor piece ending properly.

22.Rxd1 Rd8 23.Rxd8 Nxd8 24.f4 f5

Black was drifting into time pressure here (time control was at move 30). In the endgame, it's better not to have a lot of pawns on the same color as the opponent's bishop, and soon Black's position falls apart.

25.Bf3 Kd7 26.Ke2 Nc4 27.Na4 b5 28.b3

I had seen this idea, and I was ready to play the desperado blunder 28...Nxe3?? but at the last second I noticed 29.Nb6+ Kc7 30.Na8+ and 31.Kxe3 winning.

28...bxa4 29.bxc4 Ne6 30.Kd3 Kd6

Black made the time control with a few seconds to spare. But with weak pawns and a knight vs. a bishop, it's very bad.

31.Bd5 Nc5+ 32.Kd4 a3?

The last chance is 32...h6, looking for pawn exchanges. Now White mops up.

33.Bg8 Nb3+ 34.Kc3 Na5 35.Bxh7 Kc5 36.Bg8 Nb7 37.Bd5 Nd6 38.Kb3 Ne8 39.Be6 Nd6 40.h4 Ne4 41.Bxf5 Nd2+ 42.Kc2 Nxc4 43.Kd3 1–0

And the pawns march in.

Mark Finegold (2257)
Dexter Thompson (2285)
Boynton Mini-Swiss, Round 3
Detroit, MI, June 1992
Spanish: Closed (Anti-Marshall), C88

Notes by Mark Finegold

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.Re1 0–0 8.a4

White avoids the Marshall Gambit. I thought about defending against it, since I had seen Thompson try the inferior line 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 e4?! a few times. But I had no real preparation against the main lines.

8...Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.c3 Na5 11.Bc2 c5 12.Nbd2 b4

I'm not really sure what White is supposed to do after 8.a4. In any event, what follows is a quick simplification to an endgame and a lot of maneuvering, which suited me since I could not match Thompson's sight of the board.

13.cxb4 cxb4 14.Nc4 Rc8 15.b3 Ne8 16.Be3 Nxc4 17.dxc4 a5 18.Qe2 Nf6 19.Bg5 Nh5 20.Qd2 Bxg5 21.Qxg5 Nf4 22.Qxd8 Rfxd8 23.Rad1 f6 24.Bb1 Kf8 25.Nd2 Ne6 26.Nf1 Nc5 27.Re3 g6 28.Bc2 Ke7 29.f3 Rf8 30.Re2 Ne6 31.Red2 Nd4 32.Ng3 d5

Black exploits a tactic to get rid of his backward pawn. The game is about even.

33.exd5 Bxd5 34.Re1 Be6 35.Bd1 Rfd8 36.Kf2 Rc7 37.Ne2 Nf5?!

Passive. Better is 37...Rcd7

38.Rxd8 Kxd8 39.g4 Ne7 40.Ng3 Nc6 41.f4 exf4?

A serious error. Black should prefer a more solid move like 41...Rd7 or 41...Ke7

42.Rxe6 fxg3+ 43.hxg3

I wanted to keep my king close to the center, but maybe it was more important not to damage my pawn structure.

43...Kd7

An odd move, after which Black is a pawn down for nothing.

44.Rxf6 Ke7 45.g5 Nd4 46.Ra6 Rc5 47.Ke3 Ne6 48.Bf3 Re5+ 49.Kf2 Nc5 50.Ra7+ Kd6 51.Bd1

Black has activated his pieces after some ineffectual moves on my part. Now 51...Ne4+ looks reasonable.

51...Rf5+ 52.Ke3 Rxg5 53.Rxa5 Rxg3+ 54.Bf3

As often happens, I have lost the thread and given back extra material. Now Black could just try 54...h5! and advance his connected passed pawns.

54...Nxb3 55.Rd5+ Ke6??

This blunder loses immediately. Correct was 55...Ke7, avoiding the fork on g4, and my feeling is that it should dissolve into a draw eventually.

56.Kf2!

Trapping the rook because of Bg4+. It's all over.

56...Rxf3+ 57.Kxf3 Nc1 58.a5 b3 59.Rb5 Nd3 60.Rxb3 Nc5 61.a6 Nxb3 62.a7 Nd2+ 63.Ke2 Nxc4 64.a8Q

I was expecting resignation hereabouts, but it's true that I never devoted any study to the ending of Q v. N (or Q v. N + P, for that matter). Perhaps I would lose the thread as we approached the end of sudden death....

64...Nd6 65.Qg8+ Kf6 66.Qxh7 Nf5 67.Kf3 Ng7 68.Kg4 Ne6 69.Qh8+

First mistake! Faster is 69.Qg8

69...Kf7 70.Kf3 Ke7 71.Ke4 Ng5+ 72.Kd5

Avoiding the slightly less accurate 72.Ke5

72...Kf7 73.Qe5 Nh7 74.Qc7+ Kg8 75.Ke6 Kh8 76.Kf7 1–0

Amazing Scholastic Game

Tim McGrew annotated a few games from the Elementary and Primary Team Championships. Unfortunately, I ran out of time and space to fit them into the Scholastic issue back in May. Now that there is a little extra space, here is the most remarkable of games that we received. Be sure to stick around for the end:

Emma Snider (707)
Atulya Shetty (1283)
Michigan Primary Team K-3 Championship, Round 5
Spring Lake, MI, February 2003
Queen's Pawn: Amazon, D00

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.d4 d5 2.Qd3

Perhaps White wants to fight for the e4 square -- a good idea -- but the queen is not the right piece to give assistance here.

2...c5! 3.Bf4 Nc6 4.Nc3?

This allows Black to take over the center -- but only with the right order of moves.

4...Nxd4?

Not this way! 4...cxd4! 5.Nb5 e5! gives Black an extra pawn and a magnificent position in the center.

5.e3! Bf5?!

This looks good, but there is a tactical hole in it.

6.Qd2?

White blinks! 6.Qxf5! Nxf5 7.Bb5+ Qd7 8.Bxd7+ Kxd7 9.Nxd5 and now that the dust has settled the position is close to equal.

6...Nxc2+ 7.Kd1 Nxa1 8.Bb5+

Too late now!

8...Bd7 9.Bxd7+ Qxd7 10.Nf3 Rd8 11.Re1 d4 12.Ne4 e6 13.Bg5 Be7 14.Bxe7 Nxe7 15.Qc2??

We could draw the curtain here, but the final position is rather remarkable.

15...Nxc2 16.Kxc2 d3+ 17.Kb3 c4+ 18.Kxc4 Qd5+ 19.Kb4 a5+ 20.Ka4 Qxa2+ 21.Kb5 Rd5+ 22.Kb6 Qb3+ 23.Ka7 Nc6+ 24.Ka8 0–0# 0–1

There can't be many such finishes in the history of the game!