With the advent of the Booster section, the Reserve section has been a knock-down, drag-out battle from round one. This year was no different as the rating differences were less than 200 points on every board in round one. The attendance for the section was down a little from last year at 56 with one re-entry and three housemen. This was more than made up for by increases in the Open and Booster sections. There were 23 4-day entries, the 3-day had 25, and an additional nine players entered the 2-day schedule.

Rounds 1-4

First, we’ll show you some of the games from the first four rounds and then see where everything stands after all the schedules are merged.

Sometimes there are ideas just below the surface of a game looking to get out:

William Morian (1548)
Kevin Gregory (1711)
4-day, Round 1
Sicilian: Closed, B23

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nge2 Nf6 6.d3 0–0 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd2

This is an instructive moment. White is playing by a system: He intends to swap off bishops on h6, perhaps to play h4-5xg6, and then deliver mate on the h-file. It sounds crude, and it is. But if Black were to make just two lazy moves here (say, ...Rb8 and ...b5) he might find himself on the receiving end of a very effective attack. Fortunately, he is on the alert.

8...Ng4!

Black immediately demonstrates that White needed to make at least one preparatory move like 8.h3 before lining up his queen and bishop. Now Black succeeds in swapping off the prelate and White's attacking chances disappear.

9.d4?!

White recognizes that his original plan cannot be carried out, but this new one should have landed him in even worse trouble.

9...Nxe3

9...cxd4! 10.Nxd4 Nxe3 11.fxe3 (11.Nxc6 Nxg2+! 12.Kf1 Ne3+! 13.Qxe3 Bh3+ 14.Kg1 bxc6 is too horrible to contemplate.) 11...Ne5 leaves White with a ruined central pawn structure -- something that Black is fortunate to achieve later in the game.

10.fxe3

At least now this pawn helps White to control the sensitive d4 square.

10...Bg4 11.0–0 Bxe2 12.Nxe2

Black has traded off his bishop with somewhat less discrimination. Now White manages to reinforce d4 and the game is roughly equal.

12...Qb6 13.c3 Rac8 14.Nf4 Bh6?

Black is probably hoping that he will be able to exploit a pin on the e-pawn when White's knight moves.

15.Bh3

White copies Black's bishop move but with a different and less subtle intent. The inferior 15.Ne2? would allow 15...cxd4 16.cxd4 e5! 17.Kh1 exd4 18.Nxd4 Nxd4 19.Qxd4 Bxe3! picking up an important pawn.

15...Rce8

If instead 15...e6 then 16.d5! would exploit the light square pin nicely.

16.Nd5! Qd8

What a change a few moves have wrought! Now White's center looks very firm and Black's pieces are not effectively posted.

17.Qf2

This is reasonable from a positional standpoint, but White misses the chance for an interesting and unusual tactical shot. The positionally ugly 17.dxc5 has a hidden point: 17...dxc5 18.Bd7!! wins the exchange because 18...Qxd7?? 19.Nf6+ wins the queen.

17...Bg7 18.dxc5?

But now, with nothing on the d-file opposite Black's queen, this is a dreadful positional error ceding Black an excellent outpost at e5.

18...dxc5 19.Rad1

White tries to set up the same sort of threat after the fact, but Black finds a very strong reply.

19...e6! 20.Nf6+

“Winning” the queen, but...

20...Qxf6!

...not really winning anything at all.

21.Qxf6 Bxf6 22.Rxf6 Rd8

Now White has no compensation for his structural inferiority.

23.Rff1 Ne5

The knight settles on the perfect square. White's position is miserable in part because there is really nothing constructive to do. He has no useful pawn breaks, his pawn structure is permanently inferior, and his bishop cannot slice through the center because of his own e-pawn. Probably it is best to put the king on e2, but meanwhile Black can be making plans -- to work his king to e5, say, or to play ...c4 and drop a knight on d3.

24.Bg2 Nc4

Black immediately feints at the pawns.

25.Rfe1 Nxb2 26.Rxd8 Rxd8 27.Re2

27.Rb1 Rd1+ doesn't offer White any hope either.

27...Nc4 28.e5 b6 0–1

White lost here on time. An instructive encounter.

Taking to the endgame:

Kent Hershberger (1491)
Bill Avery (1650)
3-day, Round 1
French: Rubinstein, C10

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Be7 5.Nf3 Nd7 6.Bd3 Ngf6

Black's setup is sound but rather passive.

7.c3

This tame move reinforces a point that doesn't particularly need protection at the moment and does nothing to complete White's development. It is not a blunder, but later when White gets nothing out of the opening he can look back at this move as part of the problem. Experience indicates that 7.Qe2 is the right move here. The queen is very flexibly posted, and at least one recent encounter saw an abrupt and amusing finish: 7...0–0 8.Bg5 b6?? 9.Nxf6+! 1–0, Sermek (2540)-Varini (2085), Nova Gorica 1999. Black drops a full rook after 9...Nxf6 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.Qe4 g6 12.Qxa8+-

7...b6

Thematic -- Black has to get that bishop out somewhere -- but a little loosening.

8.0–0

Another stereotyped move. With the energetic 8.Nxf6+! Nxf6 9.Ne5! White could generate some interesting play, e.g. 9...Bb7 (9...0–0 10.Nc6 Qd6 (10...Qd7 11.Qf3 Nd5 12.Nxe7+ Qxe7 13.Qe4 forces a weakening of the castle wall.) 11.Qf3! Bd7 12.Nxe7+ Qxe7 13.Bg5 and White can fracture Black's pawns and play against them in the endgame.) 10.Qa4+ c6 11.0–0 and White's knight remains, for the time being, the unchallenged lord of the center.

8...0–0 9.Be3

White is apparently trying to prevent ...c5, but the bishop has no positive reason to be on this square.

9...Bb7 10.Nxf6+ Nxf6 11.Bc2 Rc8 12.Qd3?

This realignment of White's pieces to create threats against h7 is reasonable but mistimed.

12...Bxf3!

The damage to White's king-side pawns will outweigh the loss of the bishop pair.

13.gxf3 c5

Black could also play to exploit the weak pawns right away with 13...Qd5 14.f4 Qh5.

14.Kh1 cxd4

Black should probably have kept the tension in the center since White could never have been comfortable with an exchange of queens and would therefore be unable to play dxc5.

15.Bxd4 g6 16.Rg1 Bc5 17.Rad1 Bxd4 18.Qxd4 Qxd4 19.Rxd4 Rfd8

Black has the only winning chances in this endgame.

20.Rgd1!

Maintaining an active rook.

20...Rxd4 21.Rxd4 Kf8 22.Kg2 Ke7 23.Kg3 Rc5 24.Ra4 a5 25.h4 h5 26.Rd4 b5

Black is trying to launch a sort of minority attack.

27.Be4 e5 28.Rd2 Rc4?

Lining up two vulnerable men on the same diagonal. It would be better to follow through consistently with 28...b4! 29.cxb4 Rc4 30.Rd3 Rxb4 31.Ra3 a4 although I'm still not sure why Black is playing on that half of the board.

29.Re2 Nd7 30.f4 f5 31.Bd3

Now Black regrets having left a weakling on b5.

31...Rxf4 32.Bxb5 Rg4+ 33.Kh3 Rf4 34.Bxd7 Kxd7 35.Rxe5 Rxf2 36.Rxa5 Rxb2 37.Ra6 Rc2 38.Rxg6 Rxc3+ 39.Rg3 Rc4 ½–½

Correctly avoiding a fatal exchange of rooks. With the position drastically simplified, the players admitted the inevitable and agreed to a draw.

Black’s over-aggression costs him material:

Peter Nelson (1610)
Scott Ream (1472)
3-day, Round 1
Scandinavian: Modern (Marshall), B01

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 d5 2.exd5

Just recently I realized that if Black intends to play the ...Qxd5-a5 lines, he can meet 2.Nc3 with 2...dxe4 3.Nxe4 Qd5 when White has nothing better than 4.Nc3 Qa5 etc.

2...Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nf6?!

This is definitely an error, albeit a small one. If Black wants to put pressure on White's center then he needs to try 4...Nb6 here instead, after which there are some interesting complications in the center. I keep waiting for someone to make a study of 4...Nb4, the so-called Kiel Variation, which is not nearly as silly as it looks. But this, by contrast with 4...Nb6, is almost pure tactics, e.g. 5.Qa4+ N8c6! 6.d5 b5!! and, unbelievably, White is already worse.

5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 e6 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3

White's space advantage leaves him more comfortable in this Nimzo-Indian sort of position.

9...Nbd7 10.0–0 h6 11.h3 Bh5 12.a4 Ne4?!

This is impetuous: Black needs to castle before he embarks on such escapades.

13.Qc2 Ndf6 14.Ba3

Now castling will be very difficult.

14...b6 15.g4 Bg6 16.Ne5 Nxf2??

Scott is a fearless player, but this is an oversight that gives White material hand over fist. 16...Bh7! is necessary, keeping the bishop aimed at White's queen, when Black is still in the game if not all together happy.

17.Nxg6! Nxh3+ 18.Kh2 Ng5 19.Nxh8

Black has no hope of exploiting White's weakened king-side since his knights do not coordinate well and he cannot effectively bring his queen into the fight. White cleans up effectively now.

19...c5 20.Qd2 Nfe4 21.Qf4 f6 22.Bf3 Nxf3+ 23.Qxf3 Nd2 24.Qc6+ Ke7 25.Ng6+ Kf7 26.Ne5+ Ke7 27.Qb7+! 1–0

Truth is stranger than fiction:

Dan G. Bolda (1600)
Anthony Holden (1430)
3-day, Round 1
Dutch: Hopton, A80

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.d4 f5 2.Bg5!?

I confess that I have a weakness for this odd move. It often leads to strange and interesting positions. If this comment seems obscure, play on and you'll see what I mean!

2...Nf6 3.Bxf6 exf6 4.Nf3

This is a perfectly reasonable move but perhaps a little stereotyped. I like the look of 4.e3, after which White can cause Black some trouble at f5 with moves like Bd3 and Qf3. If Black defends with ...g6, White can consider h4-5.

4...d5 5.e3 Bd6 6.c4

A standard idea from the Trompowsky: White intends to have a 2 to 0 advantage in center pawns.

6...f4!?

This is a very sharp riposte that amounts to a pawn sacrifice.

7.cxd5

This doesn't look like White's strongest retort. 7.c5 Be7 8.exf4 gives White an extra button, though in this structure it will be more difficult than usual to exploit it. Still, this was probably White's best course of action. Black can never play f4 or White will own the e5 outpost permanently.

7...fxe3 8.fxe3 Bb4+ 9.Nbd2

There is really nothing wrong with 9.Kf2 and it actually sets a clever trap based on the undefended bishop at b4: 9...Qxd5? 10.Qa4+ Nc6 11.Bb5! and Black has no time for 11...Be7 because of 12.Nc3 Qd6 13.d5+-

9...Qxd5 10.a3

Now 10.Qa4+ doesn't work because after 10...Nc6 11.Bb5 Bxd2+ comes with check.

10...Bxd2+ 11.Nxd2 Bd7 12.Rc1 Bc6 13.Rc5 Qe6 14.Qb3

14.d5! is actually possible here since 14...Qd6 allows 15.dxc6 Qxc5 16.cxb7 and the pawn cannot be stopped.

14...Qg4?

There was no reason to duck out of the exchange of queens, and this move is tactically incautious. 14...Qxb3 15.Nxb3 Nd7 16.Rc3 0–0–0 is roughly equal and interesting.

White to Move

15.d5?!

One of several tactical shots at White's disposal, but in hindsight perhaps not the best one. 15.Rxc6!? is an interesting attempt to exploit the undefended rook at a8. 15...Nxc6 16.Qxb7 Kd7 17.Qb5 and the twin threats of Qd5+ and d5 ensure that White will pick up some material.

15...Qh4+?

This “active” check gives away Black's last chance at counterplay. He could try to pretend that he was sacrificing the rook with a sequence like 15...Ba4 16.Qxb7 Qd1+ 17.Kf2 Qxd2+ 18.Be2 0–0 19.Qxa8 Nc6!! 20.Qb7 Re8! when Black is actually better.

16.g3 Qh5??

A very unfortunate square for the queen. Now we see a variation on the combination mentioned in the note to White's 14th move.

17.dxc6!! Qxc5 18.cxb7 Qc1+ 19.Ke2

19.Kf2! is more accurate. The knight at d2 is worth nothing compared to the harvest White is about to reap at a8.

19...Qc6 20.bxa8Q

20.Kf2! is still best, threatening, Bb5 and Bg2 and -- amazingly -- Qe6+, which leaves White a piece ahead.

20...Qxa8 21.Qe6+ Kd8 22.Qe4 c6 23.Bh3 Re8 24.Qd4+ Ke7 25.Rd1 Qb7 26.Nc4 Qb5 27.Rd3 Kf8 28.Qd6+ Kg8 29.Be6+ Kh8 30.Bf7 Rxe3+

A last gasp.

31.Kxe3 Qg5+ 32.Qf4 Qc5+ 33.Kf3 Qh5+ 34.Bxh5 1–0

Very entertaining and original chess!

William Richter (1524)
Eldon Dorrington (1650)
4-day, Round 2
Pirc: Kholmov, B07

Notes by Tim McGrew

Eldon Dorrington has a close call when all of the pawns around his king disappear.

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.Bc4 Bg7 5.Bg5

Spectacular traps abound in these Pirc lines with Bc4. 5.Qe2 Nc6 6.e5!? leads to a complete mess where White gets three pieces for the queen and two pawns: 6...Nxd4 7.exf6 Nxe2 8.fxg7 Rg8 9.Ngxe2 White does well here in practice, the leading idea being to castle queen-side and exploit some pins on the central files before Black can set up a brick wall. 5.Nf3 Nbd7?? allows the classic shot 6.Bxf7+! Kxf7 7.Ng5+ Kg8 8.Ne6 Qe8 9.Nxc7+-

5...Nbd7 6.Qd2 c6 7.h3

White often flicks in 7.a4 to prevent the following advance.

7...b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.Bh6

This has less bite when Black has not castled yet, so White might do better to finish developing with Nf3 and 0–0.

9...Bxh6 10.Qxh6 Qc7

The Black monarch heads west.

11.Nf3 0–0–0 12.Qe3 h6?

A pointless move. There was time to defend f7 later if White sent a knight to g5. 12...b4 is the natural follow-up to Black's play, kicking a knight out of position before deciding how to take back a share of the center.

13.b4

This looks like a good time for 13.e5! dxe5 14.dxe5 with the possibility of a subsequent e6 disrupting Black's pawn formation.

13...e5?

A premature break.

14.0–0?

Not seizing his opportunities. 14.dxe5! Nxe5 15.Nxe5 dxe5 16.Qxa7 gives Black serious headaches.

14...g5 15.Nh2?

Why is this horse going into reverse gear? There is still time for 15.dxe5 followed in a move or two by a capture on a7.

15...Nh5 16.d5 a6 17.a4 Nf4 18.axb5 cxb5 19.Nxb5!?

Not bad if followed up properly.

19...axb5 20.Bxb5 f5 21.Ra7! Nb8 22.Raa1?

White fails to see an opportunity in the geometry of the c-file. 22.Ra3! exploits the lined-up and hemmed-in royalty. Black must give back a piece or so with something like 22...Bxd5 23.exd5 Nxd5 24.Qf3 Qb7 25.Qxf5+ Kc7 26.c4 Nxb4 27.Rb1! and White is clearly winning.

22...fxe4 23.Bc6?

After this White's initiative sputters and fades. 23.c4 still offers White something to live for.

23...Bxc6 24.dxc6 Qxc6 25.b5 Qc5 0–1

White is out of ammunition.

Black gives up a piece to create a monster knight:

John Griffin (1500)
Bill Hazzard (1622)
4-day, Round 2
Slav: Delmar, D12

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.b3?!

I mistrust this move since it seems to offer Black piece activity against c3 without any clear reason. The main line -- which is quite interesting -- runs 6.Nh4 Bg4 7.Qb3 with some pressure against the weak pawn at b7.

6...Bb4 7.Bd2 0–0 8.a3 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 Ne4

This knight should give Black equal chances despite White's bishop pair.

10.Qc1?!

Slightly awkward. It is generally a poor idea to relegate the queen to defensive duties like this. 10.Rc1 or 10.Bb2 both deserve consideration.

10...Nd7 11.Nd2 Qh4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.Qd2 Nf6

Black has an awkward bind on White's king-side. Neither f3 nor g3 is playable, but castling queen-side also looks awkward.

14.Kd1?

This move, however, gives White the worst of both worlds. The king is not really whisked far enough away to be out of danger (he would be safer on c1 after castling long), and in the act of unpinning the f-pawn White has also weakened the f2 square.

14...dxc4! 15.f3

Black to Move

15...cxb3!!?

This spirited piece sacrifice is not strictly necessary but it is a lot of fun! 15...Bd3 16.Bxd3 cxd3 17.Qxd3 Rfd8 is also good for Black since White cannot afford to let the center come open, but it is not nearly as exciting.

16.fxe4 Nxe4 17.g3?

White realizes what is coming at f2, but this is the wrong way to stop it. 17.Qe1 Qf2! (But not 17...Nf2+?? 18.Ke2+- and Black ends up two pieces down for a handful of pawns.) 18.Bd3 Qxg2 19.Rf1 c5! 20.Rc1! (20.dxc5 Rad8–+ is crushing.) 20...Nxc3+ 21.Rxc3 Qa2 (And again not 21...Qxh2?? 22.Rh1+- and it is Black whose king is in the greater danger.) 22.Rxc5 b2 and Black's three pawns are probably worth more than the piece, though White can struggle on with 23.Qb4 etc.

17...Qf6!

Now both f2 and d2 are hit by the magnificent knight. White is busted.

18.Qg2 Nxc3+ 19.Kd2 Nd5 20.Bd3 Rad8 21.Rhf1 Qh6 22.Rf3 Nxe3?!

This is flashy, and since it works it is hard to complain. But it is simpler to play 22...e5! 23.dxe5 c5 24.-- and the threat of 24...c4 25.Bxc4? Nxe3+ and 26...Nxg2 more or less ends the game on the spot.

23.Rxe3 Rxd4 24.Rb1 c5 25.Ke2 c4 26.Kf3 cxd3 27.Qd2 Rfd8

Here again 27...Rc8 intending 28...Rc2 is more efficient, but who's counting any more?

28.Rxb3 Qh5+ 29.Kg2 Qd5+ 0–1

When playing a gambit opening, it is important to stay active:

Scott Ream (1472)
Dan H. Bolda (1789)
3-day, Round 2
Caro-Kann: Rasa-Studier, B15

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.d4 d5 2.e4 c6 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.f3 e5 5.Be3

I've written about my “discovery” of this move in one of my ChessCafe columns. (Editor’s Note: visit www.chesscafe.com and look for “The Gambit Cartel”) Unfortunately, my analytical efforts came decades too late, but I still think it is an interesting way to enliven the Milner-Barry Gambit.

5...exd4 6.Bxd4 exf3 7.Nxf3 Nf6 8.Bc4 Qe7+ 9.Ne5 Be6 10.Bd3

White flinches. A gambit opening like this requires a resolute attitude toward development. 10.0–0! is the right idea, not fearing an exchange of minor pieces. 10...Nbd7 (10...Bxc4? 11.Nxc4 leaves Black scrambling to get off the e-file before he loses major material. ) 11.Nxd7 Qxd7 (11...Bxd7 12.Qf3 is a lot more comfortable for White than for Black.) 12.Bxe6 fxe6 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Rxf6 and White has regained his pawn without creating any weaknesses, while Black will have to baby-sit the weaklings at e6 and h7 for the rest of the game.

10...Nbd7

Now Black's bishop is undisputed on e6, and on that rock his entire position can stand firm.

11.0–0?

A tragedy of mistiming!

11...Nxe5 12.Bxe5 Qc5+

Oops!

13.Kh1 Qxe5 14.Bc4 Bd6 15.Re1 Qxh2# 0–1

Don’t help your opponent with his attack:

Anthony Holden (1430)
Robert Goetz (1590)
3-day, Round 2
Queen's Pawn: Stonewall (Gunsberg), D00

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.d4 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nd2

White is keeping open his options as between a Colle and a Stonewall. Black's reaction, though not bad, does not take advantage of the slowness of White's buildup.

4...c5 5.c3 cxd4?!

Since this only frees White's buried bishop and releases the tension in the center, it cannot be good.

6.exd4 Be7

Now both of Black's bishops are condemned to fairly passive roles.

7.f4

Played in the Stonewall spirit. 7.Ngf3 is a good alternative, intending 0–0, Re1 and only then the occupation of e5.

7...0–0 8.Ngf3 b6 9.h4!?

This is energetic but also weakening. 9.Ne5 is positionally indicated and very strong.

9...Nh5??

This is a terrible move, putting the undefended knight on a hot diagonal (d1–h5) and ignoring the standard attacking pattern White has been building up. 9...Ba6! makes much more sense. Black should be trying hard to exchange minor pieces since his own are so much less effective than White's. Light-square bishops would be a great place to begin.

White to Move

10.Bxh7+!?

Every Colle (or Stonewall) player knows this sacrifice and is itching to play it. But is it sound here? It is hard to say; probably so because Black's Nh5 is so poorly placed.

10...Kxh7 11.Ng5+ Kg6

A miserable plank-walk, but Black must defend the knight on h5. 11...Kh6 is a bit more tenacious, but after 12.g4! Nf6 (12...Nxf4 13.Ndf3 Ng6 14.Nxf7+ picks up the queen because of the double check.) 13.Ndf3 g6 14.h5! (Open those lines!) 14...gxh5 15.Ne5 Kg7 16.gxh5 the threat of 17.h6+ followed by a couple of captures on f7 is decisive.

12.Ndf3

Now the threat is Ne5+ followed by some captures on f7 and d8.

12...f6 13.Qd3+ f5 14.g4

The immediate 14.Ne5+ Kh6 (14...Kf6 15.Nh7#) 15.Nef7+ is even more effective, but at this point it hardly matters.

14...Nf6 15.Ne5+ Kh6 16.Ngf7+ 1–0

Know your opening:

Greg Mose (1505)
Clayton Rowland (1428)
3-day, Round 2
Spanish: Closed, C84

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 0–0?!

Black displays some unfamiliarity with the opening. As we shall see, he wants to play a Marshall Gambit. But this requires first 6...b5 and only then 7...0–0

7.c3 b5 8.Bc2!?

Thanks to the transposition of moves, White is able to put his bishop on a diagonal leading to h7. Black should recognize the difference this makes and be reluctant to open the center, but he plows forward.

8...d5!?

This looks just like a Marshall except for the position of the bishop on c2. Is it wise to remove White's e-pawn for him?

9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 Nf6 12.d4 Bd6 13.Re1

Black is all set up. But how should he attack?

13...Bb7

This looks good, occupying the long diagonal. But it must be followed up vigorously.

14.Bg5

Pinning Black's knight looks good, but the bishop is undefended on a hot diagonal (d8-g5) and this fact gives Black one chance for a desperate tactical shot. In hindsight 14.Nd2 looks better.

14...Re8?

Black fails to seize the moment, and his attack disappears. 14...Bxh2+!? makes an interesting mess out of the position. White more or less has to accept the sacrifice because his bishop on g5 is undefended. 15.Kxh2 (15.Kf1 Qd5 16.Qf3 Qxg5 17.Qxb7 Bd6 leaves Black with a strong attack and no material deficit.) 15...Qd5 16.Qf3 By pinning, White ensures that he will remain a piece up. But his pieces do not coordinate well. 16...Qxg5 17.Qxb7 Qf4+ 18.Kg1 Ng4 19.Qf3 Qh2+ 20.Kf1 Rae8 21.Be4 Qh4 22.Kg1 f5! and Black wins back the piece with a very strong attack.

15.Rxe8+!

Now everything works for White.

15...Qxe8 16.Bxf6 Qc6 17.d5 Bxh2+ 18.Kxh2 Qxf6 19.Kg1 Re8 20.Nd2 Bxd5 21.Qh5!

Ugh! The bishop's better position on c2 makes itself felt: White forks h7 and d5.

21...h6 22.Qxd5 1–0

Attacks don’t just happen, they need to be properly prepared:

Robert Moore (1600)
Matt Bolda (1782)
3/4-day, Round 3
Scandinavian: Modern (Panov), B01

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.dxc6?!

White shouldn't be so eager to win a pawn here, since the d4 square falls into Black's hands. 4.d4 has a better theoretical reputation, transposing into the Panov Attack in the Caro-Kann after 4...cxd5 etc.

4...Nxc6 5.Nf3 e5!

Correct play: Black locks down on d4.

6.d3 Bc5 7.Be2 Qb6

This may be going overboard a bit, however. White wants to castle anyway, and once he does the queen will be a bit out of play on b6 -- vulnerable to Nc3-a4 or, if Black's Nf6 can be distracted, Nc3-d5 -- and no longer giving protection to the knight at f6. 7...Bf5 looks more natural, intending to castle king-side and bring a rook to the d-file to press against the backward pawn on d3.

8.0–0 Bf5 9.h3 Nh5?!

Black is bent on an attack, but this is the wrong way to go about it for several reasons.

10.Nc3

I suspect Black was trying to tempt White into winning a piece here. Given some of the crazy attacks I've launched in my time I should be more sympathetic, but I think White can just take the money and run. After 10.g4 Be6 11.gxh5 Bxh3 12.Nc3 Bxf1 13.Qxf1 it is hard to see how Black hopes to make progress.

10...0–0–0?

10...Ng3 still allows White to harass the queen with Na4 or Nd5, but it is probably the best chance for Black now.

11.Nd5

A super knight! Now Black's poor queen placement comes back to haunt him.

11...Qa6 12.g4

So White picks up the piece after all. Black is so uncoordinated that he has little hope of an attack.

12...Ng3 13.gxf5 Nxf1 14.Kxf1 Rhe8 15.a3 e4 16.dxe4 Rxe4 17.Qc2 Rde8 18.Bd3 Nd4 19.Nxd4 Re1+ 20.Kg2 Bxd4 21.Rb1

Bringing the rook to a defended square so that the Bc1 is free to move.

21...Qc6 22.Bf4 Bxf2

This is sheer desperation.

23.Qxf2 Rxb1 24.Bxb1 Qxc4 25.Nc3

But not 25.Qc2?? Re2+! and the tables are abruptly turned.

25...g5 26.Bg3 g4 27.hxg4 Qxg4 28.Qc5+ Kd8 29.Qc7# 1–0

Ending abruptly:

Kent Hershberger (1491)
Dan H. Bolda (1789)
3/4-day, Round 4
Caro-Kann: Classical, B18

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Nf3 Nd7 7.c3

This move doesn't fit with the system White has set out to play. The d-pawn isn't in need of extra protection at the moment, and White needs to be thinking of creative ways to take advantage of Black's somewhat delayed development. 7.h4 h6 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 is one plan, counting on the pawn at h5 to “grip” Black's king-side and provide, believe it or not, some endgame chances since the “quart grip” of White pawns at h5, g4, f4, e5 against Black ones at h6, g7, f7, e6 would permit White to create a passed pawn. (If you don't believe this, try it out!)

7...e6 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Ngf6 10.0–0 Qc7 11.Re1 Be7

The position is just about dead equal now. Black's small spatial inferiority isn't important because he has exchanged his light-square bishop.

12.Ne4 h6 13.Nxf6+ gxf6!?

An interesting decision: Black will castle queen-side and try to create trouble down the g-file.

14.g3?!

This just weakens the castle wall, creating a place for a subsequent ...h5-4 to break open a file. White should be looking at ways to crack open the center before trouble actually materializes. 14.c4 0–0–0 15.d5!? may or may not be good, but it's the right sort of idea here.

14...0–0–0 15.Qc2 Rdg8

Now h5-4 looks almost inevitable. But White, not looking at Black's last move, plays...

16.Bf4??

and is shocked into resignation by

16...Qxf4 0–1

I suppose there's a moral here about not playing blitz...

Black finds a defense that White is not familiar with:

David Whatling (1485)
William Morian (1548)
3/4-day, Round 4
King's Gambit Accepted: Abazzia, C36

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d5

Anyone who plays the King's Gambit needs to book up on the major defenses. This is one of them, and apparently it catches White off his guard.

4.e5?

This already gives Black much better play than he deserves. The main line is 4.exd5 Nf6 and now White must choose among various options, of which the best may be 5.Bb5+ (though 5.Bc4 is also interesting.)

4...Nc6 5.d4 Be6

Black plays the next few moves passively and White ends up with a better position than his 4th move has earned for him. 5...g5 is quite playable here and would make it hard for White to regain his lost material.

6.Bxf4 Be7 7.Be2 Qd7 8.c3 0–0–0 9.0–0 Rf8 10.b4

This is very strong if followed up correctly. But in the sequel White does not play so sharply and Black manages to regain his footing.

10...f6

Time for White to take stock. Black's queen-side castling has left a potential weakness on a7. One way to try to hit that weakness is with Qa4 at the right moment. But what is the right moment?

11.a4?!

This is just a thoughtless pawn rush. Now a4 is unavailable for White's queen and Black's weakness at a7 is not so easily exploited. 11.b5 Nd8 12.Qa4 looks like a better way to give Black a hard time.

11...fxe5 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Bxe5 Rxf1+ 14.Qxf1 Nf6

The exchanges have eased Black's game and now he has an easier time getting play on the king-side.

15.a5?!

White does not realize that the balance of power has shifted and his own position requires some attention. 15.Nd2 at least develops a piece and prepares, if it is necessary, for some reinforcement of the kingside before anything unfortunate happens on the f-file.

15...Rf8

Black consistently pursues a policy of piece activity.

16.b5?

A final useless fling on the queen-side. For the remainder of the game almost nothing significant will happen there.

16...Ne4

This can't be bad, but the other knight move is more punishing. 16...Ng4 17.Qe1 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Bc5+ leaves White with multiple weaknesses and no decent way to cover everything.

17.Qc1 Bf6?!

It's difficult to argue with success, but this looks too slow. 17...Bg5! sets up an unstoppable invasion at e3, after which White cannot help but lose material, e.g. 18.Qc2 Be3+ 19.Kh1 Nf2+ 20.Kg1 Qxb5!! 21.Bxb5 Nd3+ 22.Kh1 Rf1#

18.b6 a6 19.Bxf6 Rxf6 20.Qb2?

Losing his last chance to recover his balance. 20.Nd2! Nxd2 21.Qxd2 cxb6 22.axb6 is acceptable for White, by contrast with what happens now.

20...Rf2 21.Ra2

Black to move and find the crunchiest move.

21...Bh3!! 22.g3

Of course the bishop cannot be touched: 22.gxh3 Qxh3 23.Bf1 Qxh2#

22...Bf1

A pity: Black consistently exploits the pin, but there was a more elegant finish available. 22...Qf5! would be the consistent follow-up, threatening mate in two in two different ways 23...Rf1+ 24.Bxf1 Qxf1# or 23...Rg2+ 24.Kh1 with 24...Nf2#.

23.Bxf1 Rxb2 24.Rxb2 cxb6 25.Rxb6 Qa4

Now Black, with his well-posted knight, has no trouble proving that a queen beats rook, bishop and weak pawns.

26.Re6 Qd1 27.Rxe4 dxe4 28.Na3 e3 29.Kg2 e2 30.Bxe2 Qxe2+ 31.Kh3 g5 32.d5 h5 33.d6 Qf1# 0–1

After three days and four rounds, here is what we have at the top:

4.0: G. Jones, Dorrington
3.5: Fick, Moore
3.0: Moroney, Zubatch, Steen, Blaine, D.G. Bolda, Pratt, Nelson, Wysocki, Brown

Round 5

Here are your pairings:

1. G. Jones ½ Dorrington
2. Zubatch 1 Fick
3. Moore 0 Blaine
4. Nelson ½ Moroney
5. Steen 1 Wysocki
6. D.G. Bolda 1 Brown
7. D.H. Bolda 0 Pratt

On board one, Jones won an exchange, but missed a shot that allowed Dorrington to win it back. Board two saw Fick hang the ever-important d-pawn out a Sicilian and things went down hill from there. Moore had a pretty good game going against Blaine when things went bad:

Robert Moore (1600)
Roger Blaine (1723)
French: Advance (Paulsen), C02

Notes by Tim McGrew

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

Regardless of its objective soundness, Milner-Barry's gambit line 6.Bd3!? is a lot of fun: 6...cxd4 7.cxd4 Bd7 8.0–0 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Nc3 Qxe5 11.Re1 Qd6 (11...Qb8 12.Nxd5) 12.Nb5 etc.

6...f6 7.0–0 fxe5 8.dxe5 Nge7 9.b3 Ng6 10.Be3 Qc7

10...Ngxe5 is a marginal pawn snatch just now: 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.f4 Nc6 13.Bd3 g6 and Black may be able to hold out, but White has some compensation for the pawn.

11.Na3 a6 12.Re1 Be7

At this point Black probably can snatch the pawn with impunity: 12...Ncxe5 13.Nxe5 Qxe5

13.Nc2 0–0 14.g3 b5

White has lost enough time that 14...Ngxe5 15.Nxe5 Qxe5 looks perfectly fine for Black.

15.a3 Bd7 16.Bd3 Be8 17.Bg5?

Both players overlook a tactic here.

17...h6?

17...Rxf3! 18.Bxe7 Ngxe5 (18...Rxd3 19.Qxd3 Ngxe7 also works well.) 19.Be2 Rxc3–+

18.Bc1 c4 19.bxc4 bxc4 20.Bxg6 Bxg6 21.Nfd4 Nd8 22.Nb4 Bc5 23.Qg4 Bxd4 24.Qxd4 a5 25.Nxd5?

A second optical illusion that both players fall for.

25...Qf7?

25...exd5! 26.Qxd5+ looks like a winning fork, and 26...Nf7 allows 27.e6. But after 26...Qf7! White has no time for 27.Qxa8 because of 27...Qxf2+ 28.Kh1 Qxe1+ 29.Kg2 Qf1#

26.Nf4

Here 26.Nb6 is a bit stronger, but White has come out of the tactical flurry with a good position regardless.

26...Bd3 27.Be3

27.Nxd3! cxd3 28.f4 would cement White's advantage.

27...Nc6 28.Qd6 Be4 29.Qxe6 Qxe6 30.Nxe6 Rf7

30...Nxe5! 31.Nxf8 Nf3+ 32.Kf1 Nxe1 33.Rxe1 Rxf8 would afford Black some drawing chances, particularly if he can get rooks off the board.

31.f4 Bf5 32.Nc5 Rb8 33.Rab1??

Eternal vigilance is the price of victory! Now White crashes and burns.

33...Rxb1! 34.Rxb1 Bxb1 35.g4 g6 36.Kg2 Nd8 37.Kg3 Nb7 38.Ne6 Rd7 39.Bd4 Kf7 40.f5 gxf5 41.Nf4 Ke8

Dodging the trap 41...fxg4?? 42.e6+=

42.Nh5 Re7 43.Nf6+ Kf7 44.gxf5 Bxf5 45.Kf4 Ke6 46.Ng8 Rh7 47.h4 Nd8 48.Nf6 Rg7 49.Nh5 Rg4+ 50.Kf3 Nc6 51.Nf4+ Rxf4+ 52.Kxf4 Nxd4 0–1

We did not get a scoresheet from board four, so we’ll move down the list. On board five, Steen got a passed-pawn rolling and used it to win a piece. The eldest Bolda had a couple of his own fast rollers to pass Brown. Dan Bolda Jr. found his king a little over-exposed and Pratt used that to win a rook.

One more Bolda takes advantage of White’s slow development and then drops a bomb:

Ron Gore (1565)
Matt Bolda (1782)
Scandinavian: Modern, B01

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Nf3 Bg4

3...Qxd5 4.Nc3 Qf5!? is possible in this order of moves and would take the game out of the normal channels.

4.Be2

4.Bb5+ is probably stronger since the gambit 4...c6 5.dxc6 Nxc6 doesn't look adequate.

4...Nxd5 5.0–0 Nc6 6.b3?!

This move really doesn't meet the demands of the position. Black has, at the moment, no secured squares in the center, and White should take advantage of this with d4 and c4 in order to secure a spatial advantage.

6...e5?

Positionally this is great; tactically, it is flawed.

7.Bb2

Not alert enough, White plays the “automatic” move. 7.Nxe5! picks up a pawn in broad daylight.

7...Bd6

7...Nf4!? would pose White some interesting problems.

8.Re1 0–0 9.Nxe5?

White is playing with fire. His bishop on b2 is not well placed, his queen-side is still undeveloped, and Black's pieces are pretty well directed toward the center and king-side.

9...Bxe2 10.Rxe2 Nf4!

A very nice shot, exploiting the weakness of f4. Note that if White had left his bishop alone on c1 and played d4 earlier, this move would be impossible.

11.Nxc6 Qg5

Nothing overly subtle about this!

12.g3 Nxe2+ 13.Qxe2 bxc6 14.Qf3 Rfe8 15.d3 Re1+ 16.Kg2 Qd5

At first blush this looks like an innocent attempt by Black to exchange queens in a way that straightens out his pawns, heading into an endgame where he can try to exploit his small material advantage. But there is also a drop of poison in the move...

17.Bc3??

17.Nc3 was necessary to prevent the following debacle.

Black to Move

17...Rg1+! 0–1

No perfect scores this year. But, no one has managed to catch the two leaders:

4.5: G. Jones, Dorrington
4.0: Zubatch, Steen, Blaine, D.G. Bolda, Pratt

Round 6

1. Blaine ½ G. Jones
2. Dorrington 0 Zubatch
3. Pratt 0 Steen
4. M. Bolda 0 D.G. Bolda

Neither leader was able to win against players from the lower score group. Should make for an interesting finish. Our visitor from Indiana first won a pawn, but it gave Jones enough activity to win one back and the game eventually fizzled out into it’s expected result.

Zubatch’s active pieces enabled him to win a pawn and come through in the rook and pawn endgame:

Eldon Dorrington (1650)
Steve Zubatch (1758)
English: Closed Sicilian, A26

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d6 5.Nf3 e5 6.d3 Nc6 7.Bd2 0–0 8.Rb1 Re8 9.0–0 e4 10.Ne1 Bf5 11.Bg5 exd3 12.Nxd3 Qd7 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.Nd5 Bg7 15.Ne3 Bh3 16.Nd5 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 Ne7 18.e3 Qc6 19.Qb3 Rab8 20.Kg1 Qd7 21.Nxe7+ Qxe7 22.Qd1 Qe4 23.b3 Rbd8 24.Nf4 c6 25.Qd3 Qxd3 26.Nxd3 d5 27.cxd5 Rxd5 28.Nf4 Rd2 29.a4 Red8 30.b4 Bb2 31.Kg2 b6 32.Kf3 c5 33.bxc5 bxc5 34.Ne2 c4 35.Nd4 Bxd4 36.exd4 R2xd4 37.Rfc1 Rd3+ 38.Kg2 Rb3 39.Rxb3 cxb3 40.Rb1 Rb8 41.Kf3 Rb4 42.Ke2 Rxa4 43.Rxb3 Ra2+ 44.Kf3 Ra1 45.Rb7 a5 46.Ra7 a4 47.g4 g5 48.Ra5 h6 49.Ke4 Ra2 50.f3 Rxh2 51.Rxa4 Re2+ 52.Kd3 Re6 53.Ra5 Kg7 54.Rd5 Kg6 55.Ra5 h5 56.gxh5+ Kxh5 57.Ra4 f5 58.Ra5 f4 59.Kd4 Re3 60.Ra8 Rxf3 0–1

Steen had his pawns in much better locations. This stretched Pratt’s defenses in the same-color bishop endgame:

Gary Pratt (1565)
Harold Steen (1605)
Sicilian: Barnes (Bastrikov), B47

1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 d6 6.g3 Qc7 7.Bg2 Nc6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.0–0 Be7 10.Be3 Nf6 11.Na4 Rb8 12.b3 0–0 13.c4 e5 14.h3 Rd8 15.Qc2 Be6 16.f4 exf4 17.gxf4 c5 18.Nc3 Qc8 19.f5 Bd7 20.Nd5 Nxd5 21.exd5 Bf6 22.Rae1 Re8 23.Be4 Re7 24.Qg2 Kh8 25.Bf4 Rb6 26.Qg3 Qe8 27.Bc2 Re2 28.Bd3 Rxe1 29.Rxe1 Qf8 30.Kh1 a5 31.Bg5 Bxg5 32.Qxg5 f6 33.Qe3 Rb8 34.Qe7 Qe8 35.Kg2 Qxe7 36.Rxe7 Rd8 37.Kf2 Kg8 38.Ke1 Kf8 39.Re2 Re8 40.Rxe8+ Bxe8 41.Kd2 g6 42.Ke3 Kg7 43.Kf3 a4 44.Bc2 a3 45.Kg4 h5+ 46.Kh4 g5+ 47.Kg3 Kh6 48.h4 g4 49.Bb1 Kg7 50.Bc2 Kf7 51.Bb1 Ke7 52.Be4 Kd7 53.Kf2 Kc7 54.Ke3 Kb6 55.Kd3 Ka5 56.Kc3 Bd7 0–1

Matt Bolda played aggressively against his father, but there was not enough in the position to justify it.

Black makes effective use of the open f-file:

Douglas Fick II (1713)
Roy Almasy (1555)
Italian, C50

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5

Relatively safe, though not quite so safety-conscious as 3...Be7. On the wilder side one can try 3...Nf6, allowing White to win a pawn with 4.Ng5 when Black has a variety of ways to search for compensation.

4.0–0

This is pretty tame. White usually defers castling and plays for a big center with 4.c3 and perhaps 5.d4. These lines of the Giuoco Piano have been worked out extensively in the theory books but they are largely forgotten today. An amateur who made a special study of them could score a lot of points with these old weapons! Of course, the truly untamed spirits would lash out with 4.b4, the Evans Gambit. But that's another story altogether...

4...d6 5.h3?!

White blinks, wasting a tempo to prevent a pin that could be broken by h3 later without loss of time.

5...Qf6?!

This works out well in the game, but that seems to be due to White's lackluster play rather than to the objective merits of an early queen deployment.

6.c3

This isn't too convincing since White lacks the force to ram through d4. 6.Nc3 would make good sense, aiming to drop a knight in at d5.

6...Be6 7.Bb3

This is perfectly playable, but since White is going to capture on e6 in a couple of moves he ends up wasting another tempo.

7...h6

This is not just a meaningless nudge like White's h3: it is the prelude to a king-side assault with ...g5, a lunge that makes sense precisely because White's pawn at h3 provides a target for a subsequent ...g4.

8.d3 Nge7 9.Be3 0–0–0 10.Bxe6+ fxe6!

But not 10...Qxe6? 11.d4 winning material, e.g. 11...d5 12.dxc5 dxe4 13.Nfd2±

11.b4 Bxe3 12.fxe3 g5 13.Nh2 Qg6 14.a4

14.b5 is a little more to the point, e.g. 14...Nb8 15.Qa4 and White is on his way to launching an attack of his own.

14...h5 15.Ra2 Rdg8

15...g4!? is interesting and should leave Black happier than White, though there is no immediate breakthrough after 16.h4 when White tries to keep everything locked up.

16.g3 d5 17.exd5?!

There is still time to dislodge the knight with 17.b5 before starting a fight in the center.

17...Nxd5 18.Re2 e4!? 19.d4 Nce7 20.Rff2 Nf5

Now Black's pieces flow into the weak squares very smoothly.

21.Nf1 h4 22.g4 Ng3!

The knight is untouchable because of the weak pawn at h3.

23.Re1 Qh6 24.Qb3 Rf8 25.c4?

White doesn't realize just how weak his king-side has become. Black explains it to him in a hurry.

25...Rxf2! 26.Kxf2 Qf8+! 0–1

It's mate in a few moves after 27.Kg1 Qf3 28.Nxg3 Qxg3+ 29.Kf1 Qh2 and 30...Rf8#

White was counting on a zwischenzug (the in-between move) to win material, but White had a zwischenzug of his own:

Michael Hill (1333)
Brad Beshore (1654)
English: Sicilian, A21

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.c4 g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.g3 e5 4.Bg2 d6 5.Rb1

This is a really heavyweight position for both sides. Old-fashioned gambits are out: neither side is set to sacrifice his king's bishop on his opponent's king-side!

5...c6

Black is not obligated to play 5...Nc6, which would put the knight in the path of White's oncoming b-pawn.

6.b4 Nf6 7.b5 0–0 8.d3 d5 9.Bg5 dxc4

9...Be6 is a reasonable alternative, reinforcing d5.

10.dxc4 Qa5

There is apparently only one natural way to meet the threat to the knight, but actually this position allows White some alternatives.

11.Bd2

11.bxc6 is possible because 11...Qxc3+? 12.Bd2! Qxc4 13.cxb7 Bxb7 14.Bxb7 gets back the piece with interest.; 11.bxc6 So Black should just play 11...bxc6 when after 12.Bd2 we get something much like the game.

11...Qc7 12.Nh3 Be6 13.Qb3 Nbd7 14.Ng5 Nc5?!

The lure of the counterattack! Black sees that he can both attack b3 and defend e6, but this tactical sortie should give him problems.

15.Nxe6

Good, but perhaps not the most incisive move. 15.Qb4 cxb5 16.Nxb5 Qb6 17.Nxe6 Nxe6 18.Be3 Qa6 19.Qa3 puts Black's queen-side pawns under great pressure.

15...Nxe6 16.Be3

Here 16.bxc6 bxc6 17.Qb7 would give White at least a little initiative since Black has to worry about his fragile c-pawn.

16...Nd4

Black's strong knight balances White's bishop pair.

17.Qb2 Nd7 18.0–0 Nb6 19.Qb4?

This just begs Black to cement his knight in place.

19...c5

Now Black is somewhat better. Keep an eye on that knight!

20.Qa5 f5

20...Rfc8 would defend Black's queen and make it difficult for White to stop ...Nxc4. 21.Nd5 Qd6 22.Nxb6 axb6 Of course 22...Nxe2+ 23.Kh1 axb6 24.Qe1 Rxa2 is very good, probably winning, but Black seems to have had a sixth sense about what was coming.

White to Move

23.Bd5+??

There is a reason that counterattack is considered the most risky of all responses to a direct threat. Here White is trying to get out of an annoying situation but walks into something far worse.

23...Qxd5!! 24.Qxa8

Counting, perhaps, on 24...Rxa8?? 25.cxd5 when White pockets the exchange. But now White wakens Black from his dream.

24...Nxe2# 0–1

Interesting stuff, guys! But can we persuade you to try an Evans Gambit next time?

White sets up Black and is a piece better for it:

Justin Aldrich (1595)
Scott Thach (1410)
French: Exchange, C01

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5

This is supposed to be harmless, but good attacking players like Morphy and Blackburne used it with good results. True, the best players today are stronger than their opponents were. But how about your opponents?

3...exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6

It would be going too far to affix a question mark to this move, but it looks a little too stereotyped and probably indicates that Black isn't familiar with the theory of the Exchange Variation. There is a good argument for 4...Bd6 5.Bd3 Ne7 when Black can use his bad bishop to challenge White's good one by ...Bf5.

5.c3 Bd6 6.Bd3 0–0 7.0–0 Nbd7

This looks a little slow, though it isn't bad. 7...Bg4 is a sensible maneuver, slowing down White's plan to occupy e5 and possibly preparing ...Bh5-g6 to face down White's strong bishop.

8.Re1 c5 9.Nbd2

9.dxc5 would change the character of the game by giving White a structural advantage. But Black's extra space and active pieces give him sufficient counterplay to offset the isolated pawn.

9...Qc7 10.h3 b6 11.Nf1 Bb7 12.Ne3 Rfe8 13.Bd2 Ne4 14.Qc2 Ndf6 15.Nf5 c4 16.Nxd6 Qxd6

Instead 16...cxd3? allows 17.Nxe8 hitting Black's queen and winning the exchange.

17.Bxe4 Nxe4

Black has played actively and stands, if anything, a bit better. His one positional drawback is the bad bishop on b7, but that can be repositioned (perhaps at g6 via f5).

18.Ne5 f6 19.Ng4 Qd7?!

This move is not a blunder but it is hard to justify. I suspect Black wanted to clear d6 for his knight to retreat in the event of f3, but this was unnecessary so long as ...Nxd2 was an option.

20.Bf4 Nd6 21.Qd2 Bc6 22.Bh2 Rad8 23.Qf4 Qf5 24.Qg3!?

This natural looking move conceals a diabolical trap.

Black to Move

24...Ne4??

It is hard to sense danger when you are attacking the opponent's queen with a minor piece, but danger there is! 24...Qg6 would leave the game balanced and interesting.

25.Nh6+ Kf8 26.Nxf5 Nxg3 27.Bxg3

And White emerges a piece up. The rest is anticlimactic.

27...g6 28.Nd6 Rxe1+ 29.Rxe1 Bd7 30.Nb7 Rc8 31.Bd6+ Kg8 32.Re7 Bf5 33.Bf4 Bb1 34.Bh6

Weaving a mating net.

34...g5 35.Nd6! Rf8 36.Rg7+ Kh8 37.Nf7+ Rxf7 38.Rxf7 Bxa2 39.Rf8# 1–0

White throws out a surprise opening, but Black holds on:

Greg Mose (1505)
Robert Smith (1512)
Sicilian: Wing Gambit, B20

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 c5 2.b4!?

In the late 1970's I used this as my “secret weapon” against the Sicilian. Though it is probably not objectively sound, it is a very good practical weapon in amateur chess since Black often puts a foot wrong early.

2...cxb4 3.a3 e6?!

As I was saying...! Many players find this a natural move since it allows Black to recapture on b4 while developing a piece. But the bishop is exposed on b4, and this allows White to build up a strong center at Black's expense.

4.axb4 Bxb4 5.c3 Be7 6.d4 d6

A classic struggle of space against force is in the offing. White has nearly enough for his pawn, and more importantly Black's opening preparation is completely wiped out.

7.Nf3

The unusual move 7.Qg4!? deserves consideration since Black is not well placed to meet the attack on g7.

7...Nf6 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.0–0 0–0 10.e5?!

This central break is mistimed. White's chances lie in a middlegame, and in particular in the possibility of a king-side attack with queens on. Since the queens both stand on the d-file, this push opening the file raises the possibility that Black will force a queen trade -- and then White's prospects will be poor. It looks more reasonable to play 10.Qe2 and follow up with something like Bg5, Rfd1, and Nbd2 before blasting everything open with a central push.

10...dxe5 11.dxe5 Nd7 12.Bf4

12.Qe2 avoids a queen trade, but Black ends up getting the better of the exchanges after 12...Ncxe5 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.Bxh7+ Kxh7 15.Qxe5 Qd5µ

12...Nc5!

Now White can only keep queens on by undergoing contortions with 13.Ne1, so he acquiesces in the trade.

13.Bc2 Qxd1 14.Rxd1 h6 15.Nbd2 b6 16.Nc4 Bb7 17.Nd6

White is trying hard to stir up some activity, but it is difficult now that a king-side assault has been ruled out.

17...Rfd8 18.Nxb7 Nxb7 19.Be4 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Rd8

Black correctly seeks even trades, looking for an endgame where his a-pawn will be the decisive factor.

21.Ra1 Nba5 22.Bxc6?

Falling in with Black's plan of trading pieces.

22...Nxc6 23.g3 Bc5 24.Nd2?

White would love to put this knight on e4, but at the moment his plan is tactically flawed.

24...g5!

Kicking the guard! Now White falls apart.

25.Bxg5 hxg5 26.Ne4 Be7 27.f4 gxf4 28.gxf4 Rd7 29.Kf2 Na5 30.Rg1+ Kf8 31.Ke2 Nb3 32.Rd1

Hopeless, but there is really nothing good to do here.

32...Rxd1 33.Kxd1 Nc5 34.Nd6 Bxd6 35.exd6 Ne4 36.d7 Ke7 37.d8Q+ Kxd8 38.Kc2 Nf6 39.Kd3 Kc7 40.Kd4 Kd6 41.h4 b5 42.c4 b4 43.c5+ Kc6 44.Kc4 a5 45.Kb3 Kxc5 46.Ka4 Nh5 47.Kb3 Nxf4 48.Ka4 e5 49.Kb3 e4 0–1

Things are wide-open:

5.0: G. Jones, Zubatch, Steen, D.G. Bolda
4.5: Moroney, Dorrington, Blaine, Almasy

Wow, that’s a lot of players grouped together at the end. With draws by the top score group, this leaves eight different players with a chance to win the section championship.

Round 7

Here are the pairings and we’ll give the run-down in reverse board order for suspense:

1. Zubatch Steen
2. G. Jones D.G. Bolda
3. Dorrington Blaine
4. Almasy Moroney

Moroney won versus Almasy to move to five and a half points. No scoresheet from the game was submitted. Blaine went on a little king hunt and seemed to have some opportunities left when he and Dorrington repeated moves:

Eldon Dorrington (1650)
Roger Blaine (1723)
English: Anglo-Dutch, A10

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Nf3 c6 7.e3 Bd6 8.d3 0–0 9.0–0 Qe8 10.d4 Ne4 11.Nd2 Nd7 12.Ne2 Ndf6 13.Nf4 g5 14.Nh3 g4 15.Nf4 Nh5 16.Nxe4 fxe4 17.a3 Nxf4 18.exf4 Bf5 19.Be3 Rf6 20.Re1 Rh6 21.h4 gxh3 22.Bh1 h2+ 23.Kf1 Bh3+ 24.Ke2 Bg4+ 25.f3 exf3+ 26.Bxf3 Bxf3+ 27.Kxf3 Qh5+ 28.Kf2 Qh3 29.Qf3 Rf8 30.Qg2 Qg4 31.Qf3 Qh3 32.Qg2 Qg4 33.Qf3 ½–½

Jones won a pawn then took advantage of Black’s weak king-side:

Gary Jones (1754)
Dan G. Bolda (1600)
Caro-Kann: Advance (Short), B12

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 h6 5.Be2 e6 6.c3 c5 7.Nbd2 Nc6 8.Qa4 a6 9.0–0 b5 10.Qd1 cxd4 11.cxd4 Bb4 12.a3 Ba5 13.b4 Bb6 14.Bb2 Nge7 15.Rc1 0–0 16.Nb3 Ra7 17.Nc5 Nb8 18.Kh1 f6 19.exf6 Rxf6 20.Nh4 Ng6 21.Nxf5 exf5 22.Qb3 Kh8 23.Bf3 Ne7 24.Rfe1 Bc7 25.Ne6 Qd6 26.Nxc7 Rxc7 27.Rxc7 Qxc7 28.Bxd5 Nbc6 29.Rc1 Qf4 30.Bxc6 Rxc6 31.Rxc6 Nxc6 32.Qe3 Qd6 33.h3 Qd5 34.Qc3 f4 35.Qc5 Qe4 36.d5 f3 37.Qf8+ Kh7 1–0

With Jones reaching six points, only one of these two players have a chance to catch him:

Steve Zubatch (1758)
Harold Steen (1605)
French: Advance (Paulsen), C02

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3 Nge7 7.Bd3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nf5 9.Bxf5 exf5 10.0–0 Be7 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Ne2 0–0 13.Qd3 a6 14.Bd2 Rac8 15.Rfc1 Na5 16.Rxc8 Rxc8 17.b4 Nc4 18.Bg5 Bf8 19.Ng3 g6 20.Ne2 Qc6 21.Qb3 Qb6 22.Rc1 a5 23.Rb1 axb4 24.axb4 h6 25.Bd2 Ra8 26.Bc3 Ra3 27.Qd1 Qb5 28.Ra1 Qa6 29.Rb1 b5 30.Nd2 Qa4 31.Qxa4 Rxa4 32.Nxc4 dxc4 33.d5 Bxd5 34.Nd4 Be4 35.Rd1 Bxb4 36.Nxb5 Bxc3 37.Nxc3 Ra5 38.Nxe4 fxe4 39.Rc1 c3 40.Kf1 Rc5 41.Ke2 Kf8 42.Ke3 Rc4 43.f3 exf3 44.gxf3 Ke7 45.Kd3 Rc8 46.Rxc3 Rxc3+ 47.Kxc3 Ke6 48.Kd4 f5 49.exf6 Kxf6 50.Ke4 Kg5 51.Ke3 Kf5 52.Kf2 Kf4 53.Kg2 h5 54.h4 ½–½

So, after all those possibilities, Gary Jones is alone at six points and the 2003 Michigan Open Reserve Champion. Finishing at five and a half points were Timothy Moroney in second place, Steve Zubatch in third, and MCA Hall-of-Famer Harold Steen. Now for one more game to round out this report:

William Morian (1548)
Anthony Holden (1430)
Sicilian, B27

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e5?

About the best that can be said for this move is that it does not actually lose a pawn. What it does lose -- or should -- is a lot of time.

3.Nxe5 Qe7 4.Nf3

I don't see anything wrong with 4.d4 d6 (4...cxd4 5.Qxd4±) 5.Nf3 Qxe4+ 6.Be3 when White's pieces come out a lot more smoothly than Black's, e.g. 6...Nf6 7.Nc3 Qe7 8.Bc4 when the attempt to be greedy with 8...Ng4? lands Black in a world of trouble: 9.0–0 Nxe3 10.fxe3 Qxe3+ 11.Kh1 and Black is nearly lost already!

4...d5 5.Bb5+

White could also consider 5.d3 dxe4 6.dxe4 Qxe4+ 7.Be2 Bf5 and now it might even be expedient to give up a pawn for the initiative: 8.0–0 Qxc2 9.Bb5+ Nc6 (forced) 10.Re1+ Be7 11.Qd6 Qxc1!? 12.Qc7! and White will regain the piece on c6 or c8, e.g. 12...Rc8 13.Qxc8+ Bxc8 14.Bxc6+ bxc6 15.Rxc1±

5...Nc6 6.0–0 dxe4 7.Bxc6+

7.Re1 Bg4 8.d3 0–0–0 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Nc3 f5 11.Bg5 Qxg5 12.Nxg5 Bxd1 13.Raxd1 Nh6 14.dxe4+- leaves White a pawn up with lots of weak Black pawns to hunt down in an endgame.

7...bxc6 8.Ne1?

Acquiescing in Black's plans. White's lead in development has disappeared as he huddles down on his first two(!) ranks. 8.Re1 is still best.

8...Ba6 9.d3 f5 10.b3?

When your position is this undeveloped, you cannot afford to expose an undefended rook in the corner.

10...Qe5 11.c3 0–0–0 12.c4??

From this point on the position is unrecoverable. Almost anything was better than dropping a full rook.

12...Qxa1 13.Bf4 Nf6 14.Nc2 Qxa2 15.Nc3 Qxb3

So much for any hopes of trapping the queen.

16.Qa1 Bb7 17.Rb1 Qxc2 18.Qxa7 Qxb1+ 19.Nxb1 Bd6 20.Bxd6 Rxd6 21.Qa2 Rxd3 22.h3 f4 23.Kf1 Rd1+ 24.Ke2 Rhd8 25.Qc2 R1d4 0–1