Here are a few from the Michigan Junior since we did not have space for any in the big Scholastic issue:

Ashlee Payne (1123)
Aaron Kahn (2013)
Round 1
Queen's Pawn, D00

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e3?!

With this move White mixes up the Veresov and the Colle System. Unfortunately, this gives her the worst of both worlds: the knight on c3 blocks the c-pawn while the pawn on e3 blocks the bishop on c1. The standard Veresov move is 3.Bg5 when White can fight for control of the e4-square (f3, Qd3) or can play more slowly with e3 -- now that the bishop is outside of the pawn chain.

3...e6 4.Bd2

This is not an auspicious square for the bishop. 4.Nf3 is preferable.

4...c5!

In view of White's fairly passive play, Black is justified in taking a “Queen's Gambit” stance. This will ensure him ample space in the center.

5.Bb5+ Nc6 6.Nf3 Be7 7.Bxc6+

Exchanges are almost always comparisons. Here White gives up her good bishop for Black's indifferent knight -- a small mistake, but a definite one.

7...bxc6 8.0–0 0–0

White needs to be thinking here about equalizing, and equalizing will require an alteration of the pawn formation -- probably with e4 in order to free the entombed bishop, or if not that then by inducing Black to exchange on d4 so that the bishop is freed naturally. Unfortunately, Black controls the e4-square at the moment, but White can try to change that.

9.b3?

This move, though not a tactical blunder, does not contribute to either of those plans and must therefore be branded as another (albeit minor) mistake. 9.Na4 puts pressure on c5. To avoid exchanges that would free White's position, Black needs to play 9...cxd4. Now after 10.exd4 Ne4, Black is only a bit better -- a big improvement over the situation a few moves ago. 9.Re1 prepares for e4. Play might continue 9...Qc7 10.e4 cxd4 11.Nxd4 dxe4 12.Nxe4 and again White's game has been somewhat freed. This is not a perfect solution to White's problems, but it represents a logical approach to the positional puzzle created by the first eight moves.

9...cxd4

This is not bad, but it wasn't necessary to free White's bishop just yet.

10.exd4 c5 11.Be3 Ba6 12.Re1 Qc7 13.Ne2

Alternatively, White could ease the cramp somewhat by exchanging a pair of bishops: 13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.Bxc5 Qxc5 15.Ne2 Black is definitely better because of his center pawns and White's weak queen-side, but there is no reason for White to resign just yet.

13...Bd6?!

This gives White a chance to play a favorable version of the line recommended in the previous note.

14.g3?

Wrong on two counts. First, this fails to meet White's need for exchanges and space; second, it weakens the king-side rather badly. The right way to free the position is 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Bxc5 Qxc5 16.Ned4 White's idea, if there is time, is to post the other knight on e5 with a flexible blockade of Black's otherwise imposing center. This would very nearly equalize.

14...cxd4 15.Bxd4

15.Nexd4 e5 16.Nf5

15...e5!

Of course. Black immediately shifts his chain of pawns forward a rank and opens the long light-squared diagonal for attacking purposes.

16.Bb2 d4 17.c4 Bb7 18.Nh4 Qc6 19.Kf1?

19.f3 is necessary if White hopes to put up resistance.

19...g5

Even stronger is 19...Ng4! 20.Nc1 Nxh2+ 21.Ke2 Qe4+! 22.Kd2 Bb4+ 23.Bc3 Bxc3#

20.Ng1 gxh4 21.f3 Ng4! 22.Qd2 Ne3+ 23.Kf2 hxg3+ 24.hxg3 f5 25.a3 f4 26.Qd3 fxg3+ 27.Ke2 Rxf3! 28.Nxf3 Qxf3+ 29.Kd2 Be4 30.Qe2 Qxe2+

30...Qf4! would set up deadly discovered checks.

31.Kxe2 Rf8 32.Rf1 Rxf1 33.Rxf1 Nxf1 34.Kxf1 g2+ 35.Kg1 d3 36.Bc1 Bc5+ 37.Kh2 g1Q+ 38.Kh3 Bf5+ 39.Kh4 Qg4# 0–1

Roland Samuel (1520)
John Gattinger (1729)
Round 3
Réti: King's Indian, A08

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c5 4.d3 e6 5.Nbd2 Be7 6.0–0 0–0 7.e4 b6 8.Re1 Bb7 9.c3 dxe4

White to Move

10.dxe4?

White knows that there is a tactic here that has to do with Black's bishop on b7, but he executes it imprecisely. The right move is 10.Ne5! when the knight defends d3 and Black's pawn is pinned against the undefended bishop on b7. Things peter out to approximate equality after 10...Qc7 11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Bxe4 Bxe4 13.Rxe4=

10...Nxe4 11.Ne5 Nd6!

Doubtless this is what White missed. In retreating, the knight defends b7.

12.Bxb7 Nxb7 13.Qg4 Qc7 14.Ndf3 Nc6 15.Bf4!?

Setting up a threat of 16.Nxf7 when Black's queen has to duck.

15...f5?!

This unnecessary thrust creates some long-term problems on the e5 and e6 squares. 15...Nd6 shields the queen along the diagonal, answering the threat for the moment.

16.Qh5 Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Nd6 18.Rad1 Rad8 19.Ng5 Bxg5 20.Qxg5 Rd7 21.Qf4 Rfd8 22.Rd3 Qc6

White to Move

23.Rde3

The right idea is to take tactical advantage of the vulnerability of Black's rook on d8 with 23.Bxd6! Rxd6 24.Rxe6! Black is pinned two ways and must end up at least a pawn down, e.g. 24...Rxe6 25.Rxd8+ Re8 26.Rxe8+ Qxe8 27.Qxf5±

23...Nf7

23...Ne4

24.g4? Nxe5

24...g5 25.Qc4 b5 26.Qf1 f4

25.Rxe5 Rd1 26.gxf5 exf5 27.Qxf5 Rxe1+ 28.Rxe1 Rf8

White needs to be thinking about how to draw an endgame with equal material but fractured king-side pawns and a more exposed king. The first rule in such positions is to get the queens off, particularly since rook endings are notoriously drawish.

29.Qe5

This move is not bad, but it does not help White to achieve the desirable exchange of Queens. The simplest way to a drawn ending is 29.Qe6+! Qxe6 30.Rxe6 and White should hold the position fairly comfortably as long as he does not prematurely exchange rooks.

29...Qg6+ 30.Kf1

Here 30.Qg3 would be better, in line with the comment after Black's 28th move.

30...Qd3+ 31.Kg1 Qc2 32.Qe2

After chiding White for failing to exchange queens, I have to chide him for trying now! Why the sudden change of attitude? Because Black's queen has wandered away from the defense of his king. White should exploit Black's weak back rank with the tactical idea 32.Qd5+! Kh8 33.Qf7! Rg8 (33...Rxf7?? 34.Re8+ mates) 34.Re8! If White had better cover for his king he might actually win here; as matters stand Black can and must take a perpetual check with 34...Qd1+ 35.Kg2 Qg4+ 36.Kf1 Qd1+=

32...Qxe2 33.Rxe2

The queens are off! Now the question is whether White can hold this draw. In theory it shouldn't be too difficult since his king can stop Black's rook from penetrating at e2. In theory...

33...Kf7 34.Rd2 Re8 35.Kf1 Re7 36.Rd3 g5 37.f3 Kg6 38.Kf2 h5 39.h4?

This is the first error, and it's a fairly serious one. Before this move, Black had no passed pawns and no serious hope of creating any.

39...gxh4

Now White's king will be tied down by the passed h-pawns.

40.Kg2?

Going for the pawns -- but White forgets that his king also had the job of stopping an invasion.

40...Re2+

Now it's a massacre.

41.Kh3 Rxb2 42.Rd6+ Kg5 43.a4 Rf2 44.Rd5+ Kf4 45.Rxh5 Rxf3+ 46.Kxh4 Rf1! 0–1

Oops! The mate threat wins a rook.

David Whatling (1505)
Nick Cox (1595)
Round 4
Sicilian: Closed (Zukertort), B23

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4

The Grand Prix Attack is an excellent practical weapon, but one must understand some of the positional objectives behind White's formation. Many players have a rather crude idea of how White should proceed: put a bishop at c4 and throw everything at the king-side. But there are other ways to interpret the setup...

3...d6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2?!

This is a little passive. White is afraid of a “Nutcracker” (my coinage) with ...Nd4. But a better response is an active counter-pin with 5.Bb5. If provoked, White will happily trade on c6 and then set up a pawn structure with d3 that favors his remaining bishop. This is the main positional plan in the Grand Prix.

5...Nf6 6.0–0 g6 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Bxf3 Bg7 9.d3 0–0 10.Ne2 Qc7 11.g4

Very bold! White doesn't have to throw the king-side pawns forward so suddenly to get reasonable play.

11...Rad8 12.Ng3 d5!

A sound decision: an attack on the flank should be met by a blow in the center.

13.Qe1?

This is definitely a mistake. If you intend to create a pawn storm with your own-castled king's pawns, you must keep the center locked. White needs to proceed more gradually with something like 13.e5 Ne8 14.c3, denying Black the opportunity to open the center as happens in the game.

13...dxe4! 14.dxe4 e6

14...Nd4 is also very good here.

15.f5?

White rushes on heedlessly.

15...exf5 16.exf5 Rfe8! 17.Qf2

This walks into a nice elementary tactic. But before you condemn it too harshly, ask yourself where else the queen was supposed to go.

Black to Move

17...Nxg4!

Surprise!

18.Bxg4

White misses the point.

18...Bd4 19.Qxd4 Qxg3+!

Accurate play! The priority of check allows Black to pick up another piece along with the queen.

20.Kh1 Rxd4 21.fxg6 hxg6 22.Bg5 Rxg4!

Relentlessly removing defenders from key squares. This clears e2 for an invasion by the other rook.

23.hxg4 Re2 24.Rf2 Rxf2 25.Bf4 Qg2# 0–1

Look for more exciting Michigan Junior games in the September/October issue of Michigan Chess.