The Third Kalamazoo Scholastic Championships took place on January 25. By now the location at Kalamazoo Valley Community College is as well-known to the younger generation of Michigan chess players as Stan Franklin’s friendly face, and despite glowering weather we had a good turnout with people driving from several hours away to come trade pawns, make friends, and just perhaps win a medal or a trophy.

As usual we divided the players by age into three divisions, and as usual someone had to move up in order to balance the sections. This time Bethel McGrew and Sujay Tyle played up in Division II, much to the dismay of some of the older kids who would have preferred not to have to face them! Perhaps the one person who was happiest about all of this was Ashwin Pillai, who was freed from his perennial trophy game against Bethel in Division III – Bethel told him she would be playing up as a present to him! Ashwin fended off a strong challenge from David Darling to carry off top honors in the 9 and under category. Bethel prevailed in an exhausting battle with up and coming Michael Vriesman to take first in Division II, and Jeremy Newton drew with Ashlee Payne and won his other games to take top honors in Division I, edging out Kurt Benson who grabbed the second place trophy.

Games between juniors are sometimes short and full of oversights, but a few games have survived from this event that show just the opposite qualities. The struggle for top prizes was very fierce, and one of the third round games went over an hour longer than we had bargained for and was settled in a time scramble when a clock was introduced. Here are two games (and a third not from the tournament) that show the sort of tough, scrappy chess that will characterize the next generation of Michigan players.

Bethel McGrew (1076)
Michael Vriesman (1028)
French: Steinitz, C11

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.d4 d5 2.e4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nf3 Bb4?!

This is not by any means a blunder, but it shows that Black is a bit out of his depth in this French position. The theoretically preferred move is 5...c5 gaining some space on the queen-side right away.

6.Bd3 Bxc3+?!

Another small misstep. Usually Black waits for White to provoke this exchange with a3. That puts Black effectively a tempo ahead of where he would have been, and White often takes yet another tempo to play a4 in order to clear the a3 square for his dark-square bishop.

7.bxc3 0–0 8.0–0

This is a fine, solid move, but it is a bit stereotyped. 8.Bxh7+! right away would rock the Black castle to its foundations.

8...Nc6 9.Bf4

Last chance for 9.Bxh7+!

9...f6!

Michael correctly recognizes that he needs to free his cramped position with a pawn break. This is a good way to start the freeing process.

10.Qd2?!

White is intent on developing, but here this allows Black to carry out an important series of exchanges to free his game. 10.exf6! Nxf6 11.Ne5! sinks a piece into the hole at e5.

10...b6?!

10...fxe5! 11.Bxe5 Rxf3! 12.gxf3 Ndxe5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 would go a long way toward freeing Black. The material investment is small, and every single one of White’s pawns is isolated -- making all endings uninviting.

11.c4!?

It is better to take on f6, but this idea is interesting as well. White’s better development and greater space could spill over into nasty tactics if the center comes open.

11...Ne7

11...fxe5 is still best, though now White can mix things up with 12.cxd5 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 exd4 14.dxe6 with a sharp position.

12.cxd5 Nxd5 13.Be4!?

13.Bg3 is objectively strongest, preserving the bishop, but at least White is trying to use her bishops on the increasingly open central lines.

13...c6 14.c4 Ba6?

This brave attempt to get piece activity involves a miscalculation.

15.cxd5! cxd5 16.Bd3!

So White has won a piece for a pawn. But the game is by no means over!

16...Bxd3 17.Qxd3 fxe5 18.Bxe5 Nxe5 19.dxe5?!

19.Nxe5! would put the knight on a dream square and leave Black with no hope of counterplay.

19...a5 20.Rac1 Rc8 21.Rxc8 Qxc8 22.Rb1 Qc7 23.Ng5!? An interesting sortie.

23...Rf5!

This is the only reasonable defense.

24.Nxe6

It might be better to cut down on Black’s counterplay by 24.f4

24...Qxe5 25.Qe3

The correct large strategy: White tries to simplify to make her extra piece count.

25...Qxe3 26.fxe3 Re5 27.Rxb6 Rxe3 28.Ra6 Re4?

This gives White a chance for a quick finish, which she misses.

29.Nc5?

29.Ra8+! Kf7 30.Ng5+ picks up the exchange and renders the win trivially easy.

29...Rc4 30.Rxa5 d4 31.a4 Rc3 32.Kf2 d3

Here a time-delay clock was inserted to speed up the game, with each player having ten minutes. Neither player was wholly comfortable with this, and their nervousness only increased as the time spiraled down.

33.Ke1 g5 34.Kd2

34.g3 would save a king-side pawn, making the win a little cleaner.

34...Rc2+ 35.Kxd3 Rxg2 36.Ra8+ Kg7 37.a5 g4

Michael correctly makes a run for it with the king-side pawns.

38.a6 Rxh2 39.a7 g3

Black hopes that each side will get a queen. 39...Ra2 is the only way to stop the pawn from queening.

40.Rg8+!

Black doesn’t get another chance to put a rook behind the a-pawn.

40...Kxg8 41.a8Q+ Kg7 42.Qa1+ Kg6 43.Qg1!

So the pawn is not only stopped but won.

43...Rh3 44.Qg2 Rh5 45.Qxg3+ Rg5

Now White’s win is “technical” but not necessarily trivial.

46.Qd6+ Kh5 47.Qc7 h6 48.Ne4! Rg4? 49.Qh2+?

A pair of time pressure oversights. 49.Nf6+! would shorten the game.

49...Kg6 50.Ke3 h5 51.Nf2 Rg5 52.Kf4 Rf5+ 53.Kg3 Rg5+ 54.Kh4

This may not be the fastest winning plan, but it is a sensible one. White blockades the pawn so that the queen and knight are free to go after the Black king.

54...Rf5 55.Qg3+ Kh6 56.Ng4+?!

This does simplify the position into a technical win, but I’m sure neither player knew how difficult that particular ending can be! 56.Ne4! would be the logical next step, preparing for Qd6+ and Ng5 when Black’s king is falling into a mating net.

56...hxg4 57.Qxg4 Re5?

The final mistake, moving the rook away from the king. Now White nips off the piece and finishes without further incidents.

58.Qf4+! Kg6 59.Qxe5 Kf7 60.Kg5 Kf8 61.Kf6 Kg8 62.Qg5+ Kh8 63.Qg7# 1–0

A tremendous fighting game from both players.

Ashlee Payne (1028)
Jeremy Newton
Philidor: Exchange, C41

Notes by Tim McGrew

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6

Some years ago Bent Larsen wrote a spunky book entitled Why not the Philidor Defense? I think the question is a good one; the Philidor is a reasonable opening at any level of play and one can play it as aggressively or as quietly as one likes.

3.d4 exd4

Just one of several reasonable choices. 3...f5!? leads to terrific complications. 3...Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 is the main line, sometimes reached by the move order 1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5!? 4.Nf3 Nbd7. 3...Bg4!? is better than its reputation, but only if Black is prepared to play it as a pawn sacrifice. Interested readers who don’t mind being a pawn down in the opening might want to consult my recent “Gambit Cartel” column on this line, the Blackburne Gambit, at www.chesscafe.com.

4.Nxd4

Morphy used to play 4.Qxd4. The two moves are about equal in value.

4...Be7

Larsen was excited about the fianchetto lines beginning 4...g6. I have played both sides of these positions and come to the conclusion that White’s attack is probably a bit faster, but only if White really knows what he is doing.

5.Bc4 c6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.0–0 b5

All of this pawn action looks a bit early, but White has no immediate way to punish Black for it.

8.Bd3 0–0 9.Re1 b4 10.Nce2 d5 11.Ng3

11.e5!? may be a bit stronger. Black’s knight is a bit embarrassed for a good square and meanwhile White’s pieces can move into the center and perhaps even the king-side.

11...dxe4 12.Bxe4 Nxe4 13.Nxe4 c5 14.Nf3 Qxd1 15.Rxd1

After all of the exchanges White no longer has an advantage in space, so Black’s bishop pair gives him an edge.

15...Bg4

15...Bf5!? leads to an interesting set of tactical shots and counter-shots: 16.Nxc5 Bxc5 17.Rd5 Bxf2+ 18.Kxf2 Bxc2 and Black has picked up a pawn, though after 19.Bf4, White’s greater piece activity compensates for the lost peasant.

16.Rd3 c4

Black wants to break up White’s king-side pawn formation, but the same goal can be accomplished with rapid development thanks to the tactics that appear almost by magic when one’s pieces are active. 16...Nc6! threatens 17...Bxf3 18.Rxf3 Nd4! picking up the c2 pawn.

17.Re3 f5 18.Ned2! Bc5 19.Re1

White understandably wants to duck out of harm’s way, but this is a little passive. 19.Re5 Nd7 20.Rd5 Rad8 21.Nxc4 leaves Black with the burden of proving that he has enough for the pawn.

19...c3 20.Nc4

20.Nb3! Bb6 21.Nfd4 a5 22.a4! untangles the knights and gives White time to complete her development with full equality.

20...Bxf3 21.gxf3 Nc6 22.bxc3 bxc3 23.Kg2

23.Be3 is nearly forced. Now the game starts to slide in Black’s direction -- for a while.

23...Nd4! 24.Ne3 Rfe8?

24...f4! chases the guard away, giving White a dismal choice between losing the knight and dropping a full rook, since 25.Nc4 Nxc2 leaves White’s dark-square bishop with no safe place to go to connect the rooks.

25.Rg1

25.f4 would stop the thrust altogether, though Black is still better.

25...f4 26.Nd5 Re2?

Again, Black’s killer instinct fails him. 26...Nxc2! 27.Rb1 Ne1+! 28.Kf1 Nxf3 gives Black two extra pawns, one of which (the one on c3) is a potential monster.

27.Bxf4

27.Nxc3! gets rid of that c-pawn before it can cause problems. After 27...Rxc2 28.Ne4, White is back the game, though Black is still better.

27...Nf5

Black wants the pawn on f2. But this is the less important pawn; he should be trying to get the pawn on c2!

28.Nxc3

After 28.Nf6+! Kf7 (28...Kh8 29.Ne4 Bb6 30.Be5 gives White enough play on the dark squares to hold the position.) 29.Ne4 Bb6 30.Rac1, White has everything nailed down and can begin to untangle her pieces with Rge1.

28...Rxf2+ 29.Kh1 Rxc2?

This looks devastating since it attacks two pieces simultaneously. But what Black really needs to do is to attack three pieces simultaneously! The right move is 29...Rxf3! 30.Rgf1 Rxc3 31.Bd2 Rxc2 32.Rxf5 Bd4! 33.Rd1 Rxa2 and the two extra pawns and safer king should make Black’s victory certain.

30.Rgc1!

Now White’s pieces come alive.

30...Rxc1+ 31.Rxc1 Rd8 32.Ne4 Ba3 33.Rg1

33.Rc7 is slightly more precise, using the rook along the seventh rank. It is not impossible for Black to fall into a mating net here if he plays g6.

33...Bb2 34.Ng5 Nh4 35.Rb1 Bf6 36.Bc7?!

In his Guide to Good Chess, Purdy cautions the student against meeting an attack with a counterattack on a different enemy piece. Here it could have led to a disaster.

36...Rc8 37.f4?

37.Bf4 is forced, but Black wins a pawn by 37...Bxg5 38.Bxg5 Nxf3µ

37...h6 38.Ne6 Kf7 39.Re1 Nf3?

Black is attacking the wrong piece. The rule to remember is “Torment a pinned piece: pin a tormented piece!” Here Black can pin the already tormented knight with 39...Re8! when White must lose a piece

40.Re3 Nd4 41.Nxd4 Rxc7 42.Ne2 Rd7?

Now it is Black’s turn to be shy about seizing the seventh rank. 42...Rc2! is best and gives Black some winning chances despite the reduced material.

43.Kg2 Rd2 44.a4 Bd4 45.Re4!

The only move, but good enough.

45...Bc5 46.Kf3 Rd3+ 47.Kg4 Re3

Black has had enough and forces a trade of one more set of pieces.

48.Rxe3 Bxe3 49.h4 g6 50.h5 g5 51.f5 Kf6 ½–½

Drawn through mutual exhaustion! A fascinating tussle.

Bethel McGrew (1122)
Jeremy Newton (Unr)
Queen’s Pawn: Blackmar-Diemer, D00
B & N Chess Club
Kalamazoo, March 2003

Notes by Tim McGrew

I’ve grumbled before about the difficulty one has in getting scoresheets at scholastic events. The following encounter was not from a rated event, but it was captured in a scorebook. It was a slow (unclocked) offhand game played on March 30, 2003 between the winner of the middle section of the January Kalamazoo scholastic tournament and the winner of the high school section.

1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3

One can only wonder who taught White to play like this!

4...exf3 5.Nxf3 e6 6.Bd3 Bb4 7.0–0 0–0 8.Qe1

Making a bee-line for the king-side.

8...Re8 9.Qh4 c5 10.Bg5!

The pressure is becoming intense.

10...Nbd7

After the game, I asked Bethel what she had intended if Black tried 10...h6. She answered unhesitatingly, “Oh, then I would take on h6 and mate him.” And so she would: 11.Bxh6 gxh6 12.Qxh6 cxd4 13.Ng5 and Black is mated shortly. One of the more attractive variations runs 13...Bf8 14.Bh7+ Kh8 15.Nxf7#

11.Ne4

White just piles on the pressure. 11.Bxh7+ is also good immediately.

11...cxd4

11...h6 is a better defense, but Black is still losing after 12.Nxf6+ Nxf6 13.Bxh6 gxh6 14.Qxh6+-

12.Nxf6+ Nxf6 13.Bxh7+! Kf8 14.Ne5!

Increasing the pressure on f6 and setting the stage for a startling finish.

14...Be7

White to Move – Find the Shot!

15.Qh5!!

A remarkable shot! This queen sacrifice forces mate next move.

15...Nxh5

15...g6 16.Qh6#

16.Rxf7# 1–0

Jeremy teased Bethel good-naturedly about choosing the less artistic way to mate, since 16.Ng6# has a certain aesthetic appeal. Her reply was very pragmatic: “When I see a mate in one, I don’t look for a ‘more elegant’ checkmate -- I just play it!”