The Action Championship found its way back to the metro-Detroit area for 2003. The attendance was up from last year with 41 players with one houseman. In what seems to be becoming a trend (there were no class B players last year), there was a 400 point gap in the class D/E range with no players rated in between.

Michigan’s other IM, Andrei Florean, was the clear winner with five and a half points out of six. Tying for second was expert Bradley Rogers and C-player Roland Samuel with five points.

Action Games

Kevin Ormechea (840)
Brian Bezrutch (1443)
Round 2
Scotch, C45

Notes by Tim McGrew

Despite the rating mismatch and the final result, this was an interesting game in which Black by no means had everything his own way.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nxd4?!

This is one of those occasions when the rules of thumb don't apply. White's queen will actually be quite strong in the center since Black has no good way to dislodge her.

5.Qxd4 d6

5...Ne7 heading for c6 is perhaps a better plan, despite the loss of time involved.

6.Nc3 Be7?

This is a bluff.

7.Bc4?

Not an intrinsically bad move, just a missed opportunity. White can and should snatch the button with 7.Qxg7! Bf6 8.Qg3 when Black has nothing to show for his pawn.

7...Nf6 8.e5?

White's advantage lies in his greater space, and the pawn structure -- e4 vs. d6, sometimes called the “Spanish Jump Formation” since the pawns are a Knight's jump away from each other -- is the key to that space advantage. For White to trade his e-pawn for Black's d-pawn is for him to give away that spatial advantage. Any normal move like Be3 would be better.

8...dxe5 9.Qxe5 0–0 10.0–0

Now the position is utterly equal.

10...Bd6 11.Qd4??

No, not there!!

11...h6??

Black forgets to look for undefended pieces before he decides on a move. 11...Bxh2+! 12.Kxh2 Qxd4 would have been most convincing.

12.Bf4

White recovers and has a slightly more comfortable position.

12...Be6 13.Rad1

A reasonable idea. White wants to win a pawn on d6 or at least leave Black with a weakness there.

13...Qe7 14.Bxd6 cxd6 15.Bxe6 Qxe6 16.Qxd6

So now White is a pawn up in an otherwise pretty even position! Unfortunately, it does not last.

16...Qf5 17.Nd5?!

Needlessly fancy. 17.Qd3! defends the pawn without giving Black time to activate his rooks along the central files.

17...Nxd5 18.Rxd5 Qxc2 19.Rd2

Correctly defending the second rank, but now the position is looking very drawish again.

19...Qf5 20.Re1 Rfe8 21.Rde2??

21.Rdd1 would hold everything with dead equality.

21...Rxe2 22.Rxe2 Qb1+

Oops!

23.Re1 Qxe1# 0–1

Here is one from the tournament winner:

Andrei Florean (2473)
Bradley Rogers (2050)
Round 3
French: Hanham, C00

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 e6 2.d3

No theoretical duels today, thanks! Florean takes a middlegame approach, counting on his superior understanding of King's Indian Attack formations and perhaps hoping that his opponent will adopt a pawn structure with some microscopic flaws that he can exploit.

2...b6?!

This looks like a bad choice for psychological reasons. Objectively there's nothing wrong with the move, but it leads to the sort of heavyweight position in which an advantage of 400 rating points is apt to show. The straightforward 2...d5 is perfectly safe and easier to play.

3.g3 Bb7 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 d6

At least Black is consistent: he wants a Sicilian setup and is willing to live with a small center.

6.0–0 Nf6 7.Nbd2

White, meanwhile, doesn't have to worry about what Black is doing: he can virtually close his eyes and play these first seven moves.

7...Nbd7 8.Re1 c5 9.Nh4

All in King's Indian mode. With f4 coming up, Black is understandably nervous about castling king-side.

9...Qc7 10.f4 h6

It isn't clear to me what this accomplishes.

11.Nhf3 0–0–0 12.a4

Charge! Now that he has the Black king's permanent address, White wastes no time paying a visit.

12...a6

Sometimes we're disbelieving when we read in the books that a move like this weakens b6. But it does -- seriously. Over the next six moves this becomes painfully apparent.

13.Qe2 Rdg8 14.Nc4 e5?!

Yes, Black needs central space at some point. Unfortunately, this way of trying to get it just makes matters worse.

15.fxe5 Nxe5?

Black is following the rule of thumb about trading in cramped positions. But that rule only works if the exchanges don't leave weak squares in their wake. This exchange leaves b6 even more vulnerable. 15...dxe5 is slightly better, though Black's pieces are mostly on the wrong squares. If this isn't apparent to you, ask yourself how Black could get a knight to the desirable square d4.

16.Nfxe5 dxe5 17.Bh3+ Nd7

Since he stands in a pin, this knight isn't really helping to defend b6 -- in fact, he's another hostage in an escalating crisis on that square. 17...Kb8 puts the king on a bad square, allowing 18.Nxe5! Qxe5?? 19.Bf4+-. The awful looking 17...Kd8 is the only way to keep material level for a few more moves, though Black's position is thoroughly miserable.

18.a5!

Ouch!

18...Bc6

Defending the hostage on d7, but now new lines open everywhere. Even 18...bxa5 only delays the invasion since White has 19.Bd2! and 20.Bxa5+-.

19.axb6 Qb7 20.Nxe5 g5 21.Nxc6 Qxc6 22.Rxa6 g4 23.Bg2

In case you were wondering, 23.Bxg4 is fine too.

23...Ne5 24.Bf4

All of White's pieces find good squares: Black's pieces just look like targets.

24...f6 25.Rea1 c4 26.d4 Nf3+ 27.Bxf3 gxf3 28.Qxf3 1–0

An almost frighteningly smooth performance by Florean.

Jeff Aldrich (1923)
Roland Samuel (1523)
Round 3
King's Indian: Orthodox, E88

Notes by Tim McGrew

The editor of Michigan Chess gives us a lesson in the art of attack -- on the queen-side.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0–0 6.Be3 e5 7.d5 c6 8.Qd2 Na6 9.a3

This wouldn't be my first choice since it seems to weaken b3; then again, it works out well for Jeff. I am not a King's Indian player, so I may simply be uninitiated in the mysteries of this line. But I do worry a bit about 9.dxc6 bxc6 10.Rd1 Rb8 11.Bxa7 when I am not at all sure that Black can find play worth the pawn.

9...Ne8

Black can't seem to make up his mind whether to play for squares on the queen-side or activity on the king-side. 9...Nc5 looks more to the point, intending 10.Qc2 a5

10.Bd3 f5 11.Nge2 f4 12.Bf2 Nac7

But here surely 12...c5 is thematic, closing the center in preparation for launching serious operations on the king-side.

13.b4 a5 14.Qb2 axb4

Black keeps switching back and forth. Now he's playing on the queen-side again, which can only help White.

15.axb4 Rxa1+ 16.Qxa1 g5 17.Qa7 h5 18.Bb6 Qf6 19.Qb8

That's infiltration for you! 19.Bxc7 Nxc7 20.dxc6 is also very painful since the b-pawn is pinned.

19...Qd8 20.c5!

A lovely line-opening move.

20...Rf7 21.Bc4!

Taking up a great diagonal. Black must wish he had closed everything up with ...c5 earlier!

21...dxc5 22.bxc5

22.dxc6

22...g4

This attack is stillborn.

23.d6 gxf3 24.gxf3 Qh4+ 25.Kd1 Be6 26.Bxe6 Nxe6 27.Qxe8+ Nf8 1–0

White gets Black out of his game:

Justin Aldrich (1589)
Tony West (1842)
Round 4
Sicilian: Rossolimo (Fianchetto), B31

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5

A very reasonable Anti-Sicilian line. In fact, this idea is used successfully by Black with colors reversed in the English Opening, so with an extra tempo it should be even better.

3...g6 4.0–0 Bg7 5.Bxc6 bxc6 6.c3

6.d3 is another and very stable approach to the position, intending (in most lines) Nc3, h3, Be3, Qd2 and perhaps Bh6.

6...d6 7.h3 Nf6 8.Re1 0–0 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qb6 11.Nc3 Bb7

Now it is up to White to pick a plan, and he decides on an interesting and aggressive push.

12.e5!? dxe5 13.dxe5 Rfd8 14.Qc2 Nd5 15.e6!?

Consistent aggression!

15...f6

I have some sympathy for this attempt to keep White's pieces out of g5 and e5, but the price Black pays in burying his best bishop is probably too high. 15...fxe6 16.Ng5 Bc8 17.Nxe6 Bxe6 18.Rxe6 must be at least a little better for White in view of Black's four pawn islands.

16.Na4!

Heading for the lovely outpost at c5. Black is being outplayed.

16...Qc7 17.Nc5 Bc8 18.Bd2 Rb8 19.Rab1 Nf4 20.Qc1

This is perhaps not objectively strongest, but it provokes a blunder from Black. 20.Qa4! would drive the wandering Black knight back to a very passive square because of the skewer threat, e.g. 20...Nd5 21.Ba5 Nb6 22.Rbd1± White's position is structurally sounder than Black's and his pieces are vastly more active.

20...Nd3?

Missing a bit of geometry.

21.Nxd3 Rxd3 22.Bf4!

Oops! Now Black will be down in material in addition to his other problems.

22...Qb6 23.Bxb8 Qxb8 24.Qxc6 Rd6?

Sometimes in action chess the desire to make a threat is one's worst enemy.

25.Qe8+ Bf8 26.Qf7+ Kh8 27.Qxf8# 1–0

White extends his king-side pawns hoping for an attack. Instead, he ends up the recipient:

Raymond Burwell (1675)
Marc Wysocki (1635)
Round 4
King's Gambit Declined: Classical, C30

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5 3.Nf3 d6 4.Bc4

It is perhaps slightly more accurate to play 4.Nc3 first, intending to meet 4...Nc6 (4...Nf6 first is better) with 5.Bb5 when White, after a subsequent exchange on c6 and perhaps on e5 as well, will have the superior pawn structure. Of course if White really wants to throw the fat into the fire he can try 4.c3 -- a very ambitious move that tends to lead to positions that are dangerous for both players.

4...Nc6 5.fxe5

This release of tension in the center may be premature.

5...dxe5 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.d3 0–0

In positions like these, minor pieces are everything. Black should be looking to trade off White's most active minor piece with the odd but effective 7...Na5.

8.Bg5 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.g4 Bg6 11.h4

11.Nd5 Be7 12.Nxe7+ Qxe7 13.Qd2

11...h6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.g5?

But this is definitely an overextension.

13...Qf4!

Now White feels a cold wind blowing through the gaps in his pawn formation.

14.Rh3 Bh5 15.Nd5 Qg4! 16.gxh6 Qxh3 17.h7+!?

Nice try!

17...Kh8! 18.Qe2 Qg3+ 19.Kd2 Bxf3 20.Qf1 Qf2+ 0–1

20...Qh2+ is even more effective, but once queens come off the game as a contest is over anyway.

Manis sure knows how to take advantage of opening mistakes:

Marc Wysocki (1635)
Manis Davidovich (2117)
Round 5
Sicilian: Macdonnell, B21

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 c5 2.f4 d5

This is the primary reason that 2.f4 is out of favor.

3.e5

This impetuous advance leaves some holes in White's position. The calmer 3.Nc3 avoids most nasty surprises, but consensus is that it is not sharp enough to give Black any serious trouble.

3...Nc6 4.Nf3 g6 5.c3 Bg7 6.d3 f6!?

An interesting decision.

7.exf6 Nxf6 8.Be2 0–0 9.0–0 Qc7 10.Re1 Nh5 11.g3 e5

Now White needs to be thinking about how to equalize.

12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Bxh5 gxh5 14.Qxh5??

14.fxe5 was forced.

14...Bg4

Oh no!

15.Rxe5 Bxh5 16.Rxh5 Qe7 17.Nd2 Qe3+ 18.Kf1 0–1

This game is a little more positional:

Timothy Moroney (1784)
Bradley Rogers (2050)
Round 5
French: Hanham, C00

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 e6 2.d3 b6 3.Nf3 Bb7 4.g3 c5 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.0–0 d6 7.Be3

It isn't clear yet where this bishop belongs, so White can and should defer its development and stick to the time honored plan of 7.Nbd2 and perhaps 8.c3, waiting until Black commits himself further.

7...Be7 8.Nc3 h5

Black is a little bolder than is wholly wise here.

9.h4

It is hard to brand this as an error, but it loosens the king-side pawns without great need. True, Black has a bishop on the long white diagonal and if he can add an open h-file to his assets he will have some attacking chances. But White should be thinking about cracking open the center here instead of ducking blows. 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 h4 11.f4 hxg3 12.hxg3 looks like a reasonable course and should lead to a sharp middlegame.

9...Nh6 10.d4 Ng4 11.Bg5 Bxg5 12.hxg5 cxd4 13.Nxd4 a6 14.Bh3?!

Missing an opportunity. 14.g6! messes up Black's pawns whether he takes or not, e.g. 14...Nxd4 15.gxf7+ Kxf7 16.Qxd4 h4 17.f4 with the initiative as Black's king is more exposed than White's.

14...Nce5 15.g6?!

Unfortunately, this is not nearly so strong now.

15...Nxg6 16.Bxg4

It seems so natural to win this pawn back, but now the h-file is opened after all -- and White's defensive bishop is gone too.

16...hxg4 17.Qxg4 Qf6 18.Rad1 Ne5 19.Qe2?

White's sense of danger fails him.

19...Qh6!

Now it's unrecoverable.

20.f4 Qh1+ 21.Kf2 Rh2+ 22.Ke3 Rxe2+ 23.Ndxe2 Ng4+ 24.Kd2 Qg2 25.Kc1 Rc8 26.Rfe1 Qf2 27.Rf1 Qe3+ 28.Kb1 Bxe4 29.Nxe4 Qxe4 30.Nc3 Qb4 31.a3 Qc5 32.Rd3 Kf8 33.Rc1 d5 34.Na2 Nf2 35.Rd2 Ne4 36.Rd3 f5 37.Nb4 a5 38.Na2 b5 39.Nc3 b4 40.axb4 axb4 41.Na4 Qa5 42.b3 Nc3+ 43.Nxc3 bxc3 44.Rd4 Qa3 0–1

Greg Bailey (1900)
Jeff Aldrich (1923)
Round 5
Bird: Dutch (Mujannah), A03

Notes by Tim McGrew

One for the miniature department...

1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 c5 3.c4!?

Definitely a move designed to get Black out of the books! Think of it as a threat to enter a Benko Reversed with f4 thrown in -- strange stuff!

3...Nf6 4.g3 Nc6 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Bg4 7.Ne5 Nxe5 8.fxe5 Bh5??

A single moment's inattention throws the game away.

8...Qd7 9.Qa4+ 1–0

Oh no! When queens come off, the knight on d5 is left undefended.

White starts off good, but this is Action chess:

Krishnan Iyer (1417)
Raymond Burwell (1675)
Round 5
Sicilian: Labourdonnais (Löwenthal), B32

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5

These ultra-sharp lines send chills down my spine, particularly when I see non-masters banging out reams of theory.

5.Nb5 d6 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 Nf6

All according to book, but now White's knowledge of the line runs out.

8.f3

This move makes no sense. White should be fighting tooth and nail for the d5 square -- it is his positional compensation for having sidelined his knight. He should either occupy it now with 8.Nd5 or else undermine Black's control of it with 8.Bg5

8...Be7 9.Bd3 Be6

Black plays consistently here, though it might be better to toss in ...b5 a move or two earlier to prevent the redeployment Nc4-e3-d5.

10.Be3 0–0 11.0–0 b5 12.Ne2 d5

Black has achieved all he could possibly have hoped for out of the opening. His pieces are well centralized and active, White's knights are stumbling all over themselves trying to find decent squares, and Black gotten in ...d5 with impunity.

13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bd2 Qb6+

14...Ncb4 is even better, threatening to mess up White's pawn formation by grabbing on d3.

15.Kh1 f5 16.Qe1 Nf6?!

Decentralizing takes some of the pressure off of White. 16...Ncb4 is still the right move.

17.Ng3 f4?

A tactical oversight.

18.Bxf4!

Ahh yes -- the undefended bishop on e6.

18...Rae8 19.Bxe5 Nb4 20.Bxf6 Bxf6??

When it rains, it pours!

21.Qxb4

Strictly speaking the game should be in the bag here. But the clock is probably a major factor now.

21...Qe3 22.Rae1 Qh6 23.b3 Bh4 24.Nf5 Bxf5

White to Move

25.Bxf5??

The wrong way to capture because of a Zwischenzug. 25.Rxe8! first is crushing.

25...Rxe1! 26.Bxh7+ Kxh7 27.Rxe1 Bxe1 28.Qxe1 Qh5 29.Qe4+ Kh8 0–1

This is where the game score ends. White has a lot of pawns but his knight is no match for Black's rook and White is palpably worse here.

Mike Skidmore (1822)
Marc Wysocki (1635)
Round 6
Irregular King's Knight: Latvian, C40

Notes by Tim McGrew

White starts slow but gathers speed steadily until...

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5!?

What a great idea for an action tournament! Wysocki, who is normally a stable and sane player with a solid opening repertoire, offers to take his opponent into uncharted waters.

3.d3

This is completely safe, but it can hardly be the refutation of Black's provocative opening. Mike prefers to head into a middlegame and see what Black can prove there.

3...fxe4?!

This looks slightly dubious to me because it frees White's light-square bishop. 3...Nc6 would leave White cramped but solid.

4.dxe4 Nf6 5.Bd3?!

White continues in “safety first” mode, but this is not an attractive square for his bishop. The more resolute 5.Bc4! would give Black some trouble on the light diagonal. The pawn on e4 is poisoned: 5...Nxe4? 6.0–0! (6.Qd5 is less convincing after 6...Nd6) 6...c6 7.Re1 d5 8.Rxe4! dxc4 (8...dxe4?? 9.Bf7+ picks up Black's Queen) 9.Qe2 with a huge lead in development and multiple soft targets.

5...d6?!

Now it's Black's turn to lock in a bishop. I see nothing wrong with the standard developing move 5...Nc6 intending 6.Nc3 Bb4 and Black has equalized.

6.0–0 g6?

A fianchetto is inappropriate here.

7.Bc4

Realizing his mistake, Mike repositions the bishop on the business diagonal.

7...c6

Taking away the d5 square, perhaps with the thought of nabbing a pawn on e4. But Black is falling dangerously far behind in development and this move weakens the d6 square in the long term. 7...Nxe4?? fails badly now that d6 is unavailable as a retreat: 8.Qd5 picks up a piece.

8.Nc3 Bg4?

This should have fallen prey to a nice tactic.

White to Move

9.h3?

White blinks. 9.Bf7+! works here because after 9...Kxf7 Black's queen is undefended. This gives White the opportunity to regain the piece with interest by 10.Nxe5+! +-

9...Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Bg7

Defending f6 but leaving the knight pinned and d6 weak. 10...Nbd7 would minimize Black's problems.

11.Bg5 Rf8

There isn't much choice, but now it is White and not Black who is calling the shots on the f-file.

12.Rad1

Now White shifts his attention to the weak pawn on d6.

12...Qc7 13.Qd3 Kd7

Don't laugh! Black is very short on good ideas here.

14.f4!

Ouch! The opening of the center will be fatal.

14...Qb6+ 15.Kh1 Qc5 16.fxe5

16.Na4 Qd4 17.Qb3 would trap the queen.

16...Ne8 17.Rxf8 Bxf8 18.Rf1

Relentless! Every weak or undefended point in Black's position is a target.

18...d5 19.exd5 Ng7 20.dxc6+ Kxc6 21.Bb5+

Now White forces mate.

21...Qxb5

21...Kb6 isn't any better: 22.Bd8+ Qc7 23.Nd5+ Kc5 24.b4#

22.Qxb5+ Kc7 23.Nd5+ Kc8 24.Rxf8+ 1–0

Black makes a mistake and it really hurts:

Raymond Burwell (1675)
Justin Aldrich (1589)
Round 6
Philidor: Exchange, C41

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Bd3

Not a great square for the bishop, but White was probably trying to figure out how to avoid falling into the fork trick. The more natural 6.Bc4 0–0 7.0–0 allows the Fork Trick 7...Nxe4 8.Nxe4 d5 9.Bd3 dxe4 10.Bxe4 with approximate equality.

6...0–0 7.0–0 Nbd7 8.Nf5 Nc5 9.Nxe7+ Qxe7

So far both players have proceeded sensibly and the position is about equal.

10.Bg5

This move should send a Red Alert signal out to Black that his king-side pawns are about to be compromised. There are various ways to cope with this problem: unpin the knight (10...Qe5), defend the knight (10...Ncd7), or gain some control of d5 (10...Be6).

10...h6??

But this isn't one of those ways.

11.Nd5!

Of course! The Zwischenzug makes all the difference.

11...Qe5 12.Nxf6+ gxf6 13.Bxh6 Nxd3 14.Qxd3

14.cxd3 may be even stronger since it keeps e4 supported without tying down the queen, thus saving White a move.

14...Re8 15.Rae1

To defend e4 solidly. Now White can mass for the attack.

15...Qh5 16.Be3 Kg7 17.Bd4 Bd7 18.Qg3+

18.Re3 is also very strong.

18...Qg6 19.Re3 Rh8 20.Qf4 Rh5??

Black has overlooked the fact that his f-pawn is pinned. 20...Kh7 keeps Black alive, but it's a miserable existence.

21.Rg3 Rg5 22.Rxg5 Qxg5 23.Qxg5+

It's all downhill from there!

23...Kh7 24.Bxf6 Rg8 25.Qh5# 1–0

Do your eyes deceive?:

Keaton Eckstein (840)
Loyd Gentry (1659)
Round 6
Sicilian: Center Game B21

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Qxd4

Not the most effective continuation here, but not a blunder either and it does get Black out of his preparation.

3...Nc6 4.Qd1 Nf6 5.Bg5?

But this is just a blunder.

5...Nxe4 6.Bf4 e5

Black consistently takes advantage of the exposure of White's bishop to gain some free tempi.

7.Be3 d5 8.Bb5?

This bishop is undefended and should drop off.

8...a6?

But Black is in autopilot mode and doesn't see his opportunity. 8...Qa5+! 9.Nc3 d4! would pick up a piece for free.

9.Bxc6+ bxc6

Black still has a commanding center and an extra pawn. Nevertheless...

10.Nd2 f5 11.Ndf3 Bd6 12.Ne2 0–0 13.Qd3 Nxf2?

There is absolutely no reason to take any risks like this. Black is still winning but he has just made his task more difficult. 13...f4 14.Bd2 Bf5 would mount up pressure without any risk.

14.Bxf2 f4 15.0–0–0 e4 16.Qc3 exf3 17.Qxf3 Rb8 18.Nd4

Correctly centralizing and creating a threat which Black, in his haste to kick White's knight away, overlooks.

18...c5??

This throws the game away.

19.Nc6

It would be even more effective to toss in 19.Qxd5+ first.

19...Qb6 20.Nxb8

Once again 20.Qxd5+ would be even more efficient.

20...Qxb8?

Now Black loses the bishop on d6 as well.

21.Qxd5+ Be6?

Throwing more pieces into the fire!

22.Qxe6+! Kh8 23.Qxd6 Qxd6 24.Rxd6 f3 25.gxf3 Rxf3 26.Rd8+ 1–0

An amazing turn-around and probably the upset of the tournament.