2000 MI Women's Championship

Jennifer Skidmore took her seventh title as the top female player in the state. This year, she led the field by more that seven hundred rating points. Placing second on tie-breaks was Beatrice Chapman over third place finisher Rosanna Dyer.

The tournament was held on December 16 at Boynton Middle School in Detroit.

The following game was between the final two perfect scores. Jennifer breaks through with a straight-forward king-side attack:

Jennifer Skidmore (1924)
Beatrice Chapman (1194)
Round 3
[B23] Sicilian: Closed (Zukertort)

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4

This opening definitely fits Jennifer's aggressive style.

3... g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bb5 Nf6 6. O-O O-O 7. Bxc6 dxc6?!

7... bxc6 gives Black the opportunity to challenge in the center with ...d5 later. The text move hands the entire center over to White.

8. d3 Bg4 9. Be3 b6 10. h3 Bd7 11. Qe1 Qc7 12. Qh4 Rfe8 13. Ne2 Nh5 14. c3 f5 15. g4

White can afford to open her king-side like this because the Black pieces are in no position to take advantage of the open king.

15... fxg4 16. hxg4 Nf6 17. f5 Kf7?

This is like stepping into a right-hook.

18. Ng5+ Kg8 19. Nf4 e5 20. fxe6 Bc8 21. e5 Qxe5 22. Rae1 Qd6 23. Nf7 Qe7

24. Nxg6!

Clearing the f-file for the rook.

24... hxg6 25. Bg5 Bxe6 26. Rxf6 Bxf6?

After 26... Qxf7 27. Rxf7 Bxf7, Black has a bishop and rook for the queen with a fighting chance.

27. Bxf6 Qxf7 28. Qh8# 1-0.

Beatrice Chapman takes a space advantage right out of the opening. She manages to win despite a little adversity:

Beatrice Chapman (1194)
Diana Maldonado (896)
Round 2
[C44] Scotch

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 Bd6?

Not a good idea. It blocks in the other bishop and leaves the e-pawn weak. White quickly takes a big space advantage.

4. d5 Nd4 5. Nxd4 exd4 6. Qxd4 f6 7. f4 Qe7 8. Bd3 c5 9. Qf2 Nh6 10. h3 O-O 11. O-O f5?!

Allowing White to eat up more space.

12. e5 Bb8 13. d6 Qe8 14. Nc3 a6 15. Qxc5?

Missing the pin, but White still has all that space as compensation.

15... Ba7 16. Qxa7 Rxa7 17. Be3 Ra8 18. Bb6

With this, black's queen bishop and rook are effectively out of the game.

18... a5 19. Nb5 Qg6 20. b3 a4 21. Nc7 Ra6 22. Nxa6 bxa6 23. Bc4+ Kh8 24. Bd5 axb3 25. cxb3 a5?!

Sacrificing the pawn to activate the bishop. Seems like a good idea, but it allows two connected passed pawns.

26. Bxa5 Ba6 27. Rf2 Rc8 28. Bc7 Nf7 29. a4

White understands that the key to winning lies in those two pawns and immediately starts them rolling.

29... Nd8 30. b4 Bd3 31. b5 Be4 32. Rd2 Bxd5 33. Rxd5 Ra8 34. a5 Qg3 35. b6 Qb3 36. Rdd1 Qb5 37. Rdb1 Qa6 38. Bxd8 Rxd8 39. b7 Rb8 40. Rb6 Qa7?

A better defense is 40... Qc4.

41. Rc1 Re8 42. Rc8 h6 43. Rxe8+ Kh7 44. b8=Q Qxa5 45. Rh8+ Kg6 46. Qe8# 1-0.

A nice come-back victory showing just how important it is to have room to move.

Rosanna Dyer actually had a little bit of an advantage against Jennifer in their first round game, before Rosanna hung a piece. Here, she takes advantage of Black’s adventurous queen:

Rosanna Dyer (745)
Sha'Toirea Drew (634)
Round 2
[C40] Irregular King's Knight: Damiano

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f6?!

They are much better way to protect the pawn.

3. Nc3 Bc5 4. Be2 Nh6 5. h3 Qe7 6. O-O Qf7 7. d3 Qg6

Three queen moves in a row. It is way too early for a maneuver like this. Developing the queen-side should now be a priority.

8. Nh4 Qf7 9. Bxh6 gxh6 10. Bh5 Rf8 11. Bxf7+ Rxf7 12. Qh5 Nc6 13. Nf5 Nb4 14. Nxh6 Nxc2 15. Qxf7+ Kd8 16. Qg8+ Bf8 17. Qxf8# 1-0.

Jennifer Skidmore (1st Place)

Beatrice Chapman (2nd Place)

Rosanna Dyer (3rd Place)

Shevonne Trice (1st Class E)

Keyanna Coleman (1st U600)

Diana Maldonado (1st Class F) & Kelly Cottrell (2nd Class F)

Sha’Toirea Drew (1st Class G) & Glenda Nichols (2nd Class G)

Photos of Jennifer Skidmore & Beatrice Chapman by Peter C. Nixon
All other Photos for this article by Jeff Aldrich