,...., If the ASCII art doesn't line up, use a ,::::::< screen font such as courier, monaco or ,::/^\"``. fixedsys. ,::/, ` e`. ,::; | '. .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. ,::| \___,-. c) ;::| \ '-' Ceremonies of the Horsemen ;::| _.=\ The Journal of the IECC Rank and File `;:|.=` _.`\ Issue 4, Section 1 '|_.=` __\ `\_..==` / .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. jgs .'.___.-'. ('-......-') Editor: Tina Stanton /'-......-'\ Co-Editor: Chuck Ventimiglia `"-......-"` Technical Editor: Robert Mueller ANNOUNCEMENTS & EDITORIAL ------------------------- WE ARE BACK!! Welcome to the new Ceremonies of the Horseman, the Journal of IECC. This issue is in two sections. In Section 1 we have a couple of biographies of IECC members, a biography of a staff member, a couple of game analyses of IECC game and one game analysis of a classic game. In Section 2, we have Web Wanderings, a regular column which will review a chess web site by Steve Ryan, another regular column featuring a discussion of opening moves this month by Chuck Ventimiglia, an article on the honour system by Steve Ryan and a few more IECC game analyses. We plan to publish our Journal every two months. In each issue you will be introduced to a new IECC staff member, learn more about your fellow members through biographies, learn of new chess web sites to visit, game analyses and a section dealing with an Opening [different opening every issue]. We also plan to have informative features for all the membership to enjoy. [Your suggestions are welcome.] This is your Journal. Anything you would like to see in it don't hesitate to send to Tina or Chuck . We are in need of a lot more biographies. Also, have you read a book or article that you think the rest of the membership would find interesting? Why not write about it and have it published in the journal! We encourage and appreciate anyone's constructive criticisms and suggestions. Coming soon -- hopefully in the next issue we will be announcing the winners of the various tournaments of the IECC (i.e., KO's, Class Events, etc.) and interviews with the winners. We would like to take this time to thank all our members who helped in getting this Journal published. We thank David Glew, IECC CEO, for sending us his bio, we'd like to thank Steve Ryan for his article and his review column, also thanks go to John Cashon and Ken Kemerling for sending us their bios and for game analyses we would like to thank Tayhan Tayhan, Sasha Goldshtein, John Falato, Roger Miller, Stefaan Six, Gerald Fielding, Sauli Tiitta. And lastly, we'd like to thank Robert Mueller who proofed the game analyses. Without the help of our fellow IECC members this Journal could not be published. See you next issue! .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. IECC MEMBER BIOGRAPHIES ----------------------- JOHN CASHON (1857 USA) writes ... Several years ago I had retired because of a heart condition. As some of you know I had to stop my games this summer because of a heart attack and emergency bypass graft. As you see I have recovered and I'm trying to get up to speed. I had an OTB rating of over 2000 once, but illness brought that down to the mid eighteen hundreds. I was more noted as a Tournament director with the USCF and did eight or more tournaments a year since 1983 until 1991. I worked mostly in Kentucky, but traveled all over the US doing or assisting in tournaments. I miss the tournaments, but a rather ragged heart keeps me at my console. Play me sometimes, I may not beat you but hopefully will give you a good game. KEN KEMERLING (1094 USA) writes ... I am an average chess player who would like to get better. I'm a college graduate, income-tax preparer, college alumni-association treasurer, runner, science-fiction book reader - especially short-stories. I submitted one for publication - no luck there. Enthusiast also of Baltic philately, quantum-physics (even though I understand little) and Republican politics on the national level. At 46 years of age I do my best to keep in shape. I subscribe, via e-mail, also to information about conservative politics, Buddhism at the fundamental level, and a "Fabric of Reality" list detailing aspects of an extra-dimensional universe (other fascinating stuff I am trying to understand). You can contact me at or . .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. MEET YOUR IECC STAFF -------------------- DAVID GLEW - IECC CEO (1905 ENG) David is 58 and was born in Yorkshire, England. After three years at University College, London he moved around regularly before settling in Nottingham in the mid seventies, where he has lived ever since. He is married with two grown up children, a boy and a girl, who are both successfully pursuing their separate careers. David has spent most of his working life in Executive Recruitment and Advertising Sales ending in the position of Sales Director, from which he took early retirement six years ago. David is now semi-retired, taking life a lot easier, but doing some work for the Health Service from time to time. His hobbies and interests are numerous, but apart from spending time with his wife, and his work in the IECC, some of his interests are cooking, eating out, gardening, walking, ornithology, photography, exercising his two dogs and putting his feet up at the end of the day with a good bottle of red wine. .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. ANALYSIS BY TAYHAN TAYHAN (2500 TUR) -------------------------------------- [Event "Swiss-304.1"] [Site "IECC"] [Date "1998.10.20"] [White "Castillo, Germán"] [Black "Hughes, Dave"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteIECC "1989"] [WhiteCountry "VEN"] [BlackIECC "2040"] [BlackCountry "ENG"] [PlyCount "139"] [ECO "B06"] [Opening "Modern Defence"] 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e5 Ne4 5.Bd3 d5 6.exd6 (6.Bxe4?! dxe4 7.Ng5 c5 =/+) (6.O-O c5 7.c3 Nc6 8.h3 O-O {- Baumstark,T-Koeller,O/Kassel op 1993 (32)}) (After 6.Nbd2 I think it is best to play 6...f5! and if 7.exf6 Nxf6 8.O-O O-O 9.Re1 and a small plus to white as he can use the half open e-file to exploit black's position.} 6...Nxd6 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 Bg4 9.c3 Re8 10.Nbd2 (10.Bf4!? e5! 11.dxe5 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Nc6 and black gets his pawn pack.) 10...Nd7 11.Ne4 e5! {Opening up the centre.} 12.Bg5 {White immediately takes advantage of the weakened d8-h4 diagonal after 11...e5.} 12...Qc8 13.Nxd6 cxd6 14.d5! {At first it looks strange to push a pawn in such a way that it is not protected in any way by the white pieces, but later we see the significance of this move. It has a crushing effect on black's position.} 14...f5! {The threat is 15...e4, winning a piece; also opens up some space for black.} 15.Be2 f4? {This is a mistake. Black is weakening his King side for no good reason.} 16.Nd2 Bxe2 (16...Bf5 17.Bh4 Qc7 18.g4!? fxg3 19.Bxg3 Nf6 20.Bf3 Rac8 21.Nf1 Rf8 22.Ne3 Be4 =/+) 17.Qxe2 h6 18.Ne4! Qc7? (18...hxg5! {Exchange sacrifice is better in this position as black can hold on to the position better with two minor pieces and white's rooks are not active enough to cause too many problems for a while.} 19.Nxd6 Qc5 20.Nxe8 (20.Ne4?? Qxd5 21.Rad1 Qe6 22.Rd6 Qf5 23.Qc4+ Kh8! 24.Qc7 Nf8 -+ {White lost a piece for nothing.}) 20...Rxe8 21.Qc2 Qd6 22.Rad1 b5 {And black almost equalized.}) 19.Bh4 g5 ({A better option would be...} 19...Nc5 20.f3 b6 21.c4 Rac8 22.Rac1 a5 23.Nxc5 bxc5 24.Qe4 Kh7 {but white's bishop will be more active in the end game than the black's bad bishop.}) 20.Bxg5! hxg5 21.Nxg5 Nf6 22.Ne6 {The knight on e6 will distract black´s pieces from moving freely.} 22...Qf7 23.c4 b5! {Black is trying to weaken d5 which supports the knight on e6.} 24.b3 bxc4 25.bxc4 Rab8? {Black gives up to weaken d5. The open b file has nothing to offer.} (25...Rac8! 26.Rab1 Rxe6! 27.dxe6 Qxe6 28.Rb4 e4 =/+ {Black has a lot of pressure in the centre. White seems to be running out of moves here.}) 26.Rab1 Qg6 27.Rb3 Rb6 28.Ra3 Qf7? {Another passive move by black. 28...a6 is preferrable.} 29.g3! Reb8 30.gxf4 Rb2 31.Qd3 e4! (31...exf4 32.Qf5 Nh5 33.Qxf7+ Kxf7 34.Rxa7+ Kg6 -/+) 32.Qh3 Nh5 33.Qg4 Rb1 34.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 35.Kg2 Rb7 36.Rh3 Nf6 37.Qh4 e3 {Black's last attempt to draw if not win the game, but only if white participates.} 38.Rxe3 ({of course not} 38.fxe3?? Qg6+ 39.Rg3 Rb2+ 40.Kh3 Qf5+ -+) 38...Qg6+ 39.Qg5 Qc2 40.Rb3 Qe4+ 41.f3 Qe2+ 42.Kh3 Rf7? (42...Qf1+! 43.Qg2 Qxg2+ 44.Kxg2 Rxb3! 45.axb3 Kf7 {Black may hold onto the position.}) 43.Rb8+ Kh7 44.Qg2 Qxg2+ 45.Kxg2 Kh6 46.h4 Kg6 47.Rd8 Rd7 (47...Nd7 48.Ng5 Re7 49.Ne4 Nb6 50.Rxd6+ Kf5 51.Ng3+ Kxf4 52.Rg6 +-) 48.f5+ Kh6 49.Rb8 {White simply wins using his active rook and pawns.} 49...Re7 50.a4 Ne8 51.a5 Bc3 52.a6 Be5 53.Rb7 Bf6 54.Kh3 Kh5 55.Ng5 Bxg5 {A desperate attempt to win back some pawns.} 56.hxg5 Re3 57.f6 Rxf3+ 58.Kg2 Kg4 59.Rxa7 Rg3+ 60.Kf2 Rf3+ 61.Ke2 Nxf6 62.gxf6 Rxf6 63.Rd7 Rh6 64.a7 Rh2+ 65.Kd3 Ra2 66.Rxd6 Rxa7 67.Rf6! {There is no stopping the passed pawns with the black king isolated and the rook on the f file.} 67...Kg5 68.Rf1 Rd7 69.Kd4 Re7 70.d6 1-0 ANALYSIS BY SASHA GOLDSHTEIN (1966 ISR) ----------------------------------------- CLASSICAL GAME #1 [Event "Wch-m"] [Site "Germany"] [Date "1929.??.??"] [Round "17"] [White "Alekhine, Alexander"] [Black "Bogoljubov, Efim"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D85"] [Annotator "Alekhine, Goldshtein, Fritz 5.00"] [PlyCount "67"] [Opening "Grunfeld Defense"] [Variation "3.f3 d5"] 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 d5 {Although this system isn't as solid, it isn't as easy to play against it as it might seem at the first glance, because White's center position might be weakened. Therefore, White has to play carefully. (Alekhine) It is considered to be a sufficiently strong move against this "declined" Grunfeld. White's idea is to roll-over an easy center with pawns, and achieve an attacking structure, hoping to paralyze Black's counterplay by the presence of an unexchanged Nc3. (Goldshtein)} 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb6 6.Nc3 {Note: Nc3 only gets out when the Black knight has retreated to b6. Now, White is able to establish a strong center, with good chances, but it seems that the practical counter-chances Black has are sufficient to that extent. (Goldshtein)} 6... Bg7 (6... c6!? {Idea: paralyzing White's pawn center's promotion.}) 7.Be3 Bg7 8.Bf2 O-O 9.Nge2 N8d7 10.Ng3 e5 11.d5 cxd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Nb6 14.Qxd8 Rxd8 15.Bxb6 axb6 16.Bc4 {White has achieved a powerful initiative against Black's weak pawns, and he has a severe advantage due to the powerful position of the Bd5 on the outpost: d5. (Goldshtein)} 16... Kf8 17.Bd5 Rd6 18.Ne2 f5 19.Nc3 Ke7 20.Ke2 Rb8 21.Rac1 {Nisha,M-Echeverria,G/WchJW-U14 Szeged 1994/TD 94\01/1-0 (44)}) 7.Be3 Nc6? {7...O-O was necessary, wherein a possible reply might have been 8.f4!. The text move is probably a decisive positional error. (Alekhine) This move, although considered to be a fatal mistake by Alekhine, is not as horrible as its reputation, if White weren't convinced about playing 9.Bd4!, whereas 9.f4 Ng4 doesn't promise White more than a slightly better game. (Goldshtein)} (7... O-O 8.f4!) 8.d5 Ne5 9.Bd4 (9.f4 Ng4 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Bd4 Bxd4 12.Qxd4 O-O 13.Be2 c6 14.dxc6 bxc6 15.Nf3 Qc7 16.h3 Nf6 17.Qe3 Nc8 18.g4 {White has a frightening, powerful center, but he didn't yet castle. Can Black utilize it?} 18... Qb6 19.Qxb6 Nxb6 20.O-O-O Rfd8 21.Rd2 Be6 22.Ne5 Rxd2 23.Kxd2 Rc8 24.Ke3 Nfd7 25.Nxd7 Bxd7 26.Ba6 Rb8 27.b3 f6 28.Rd1 Be6 29.Ne2 c5 30.Nc3 f5 {Black has gotten the tempos to consolide, and now simply trades as much as possible to simplify into a drawn endgame.} 31.Be2 fxe4 32.Nxe4 c4 33.Nc5 Bf7 34.bxc4 Nxc4+ 35.Bxc4 Bxc4 36.Rd7 Bxa2 37.Rxa7 Rc8 38.Ne4 Bd5 {And now the game is totally drawn - especially in the rook endgame, if it will arise. (Goldshtein)} 39.Rxe7 {- Speelman,J-Lputian,S/Hastings 1986/CBM 04}) 9... f6 {forced} (9... O-O 10.f4 Ned7 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.Qd4+ {O-O-O,h2-h4}) 10. f4? {Sufficient to maintain the opening advantage, but 10.a4! would have caused much more problems for Black because he could not then play e7-e5, which would relatively simplify the constrained position of Black's pieces. (Alekhine) Obviously, Bxe5, although doubles Black's pawns, isn't a suggested move, because it gives up the two bishops advantage and some important squares in the center, as well as control over the half-open 'f' file. (Goldshtein)} 10... Nf7 11.a4 e5 {Or else e6 would become a dangerous hole to be exploited. (Alekhine)} 12.dxe6 {Fritz suggested 12.fxe5, where it seems that White will have a strong 'outpost'-pawn on d5, but will suffer from other positional compromises. (Goldshtein)} 12... Bxe6 13.a5 Nd7 14.a6 {In a similar way I have achieved a winning position against Rubinstein, The Hague, 1921. In this position the aforementioned maneuver doesn't emphasize White's advantage to such extent, but it's sufficiently strong anyway. (Alekhine) GAME APPENDED: Alekhine Alexander - Rubinstein Akiba [D30] The Hague, 1921 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 a6 4.c5 Nc6 5.Bf4 Nge7 6.Nc3 Ng6 7.Be3 b6 8.cxb6 cxb6 9.h4 (see White's 11) Bd6 10.h5 (13) Nge7 11.h6 (14) g6 12.Bg5 O-O 13.Bf6 b5 14.e3 Bd7 15.Bd3 Rc8 16.a4 b4 17.Ne2 Qb6 18. Nc1 Rc7 19.Nb3 Na5 20.Nc5 Nc4 21.Bxc4 dxc4 22.Ne5 Bxe5 23.Bxe7 Bd6 24.Bxf8 Bxf8 25.Nxd7 Rxd7 26.a5 Qc6 27.Qf3 Rd5 28.Rc1 Qc7 29.Qe2 c3 30.bxc3 bxc3 31.Qxa6 Rxa5 32.Qd3 Ba3 33.Rc2 Bb2 34.Ke2 Qc6 35.f3 f5 36.Rb1 Qd6 37.Qc4 Kf7 38.Qc8 Qa6+ 39.Qxa6 Rxa6 40.e4 g5 41.Kd3 Kg6 42.d5 fxe4+ 43.fxe4 exd5 44.exd5 Ra4 45.Rd1 Kxh6 46.d6 Kh5 47.d7 Ra8 48.Ke4 Rd8 49.Kf5 Kh4 50.Rh1+ Kg3 51.Rh3# 1-0 A very elegant plan. It is important to note that White's initiative in fact depends on the fact that Black is eventually forced to weaken a series of squares on the flank, because if he captures the pawn (bxa6/gxh6) or allows the capture (axb7/hxg7), he will have a weak, blocked isolani on a7. (Goldshtein)} 14... b6 15.Bb5 {16.Bc6,17.Nb5} 15... Qe7 {16.Bc6 O-O-O!} 16.Nge2 c5 17.Bf2 O-O-O {Playing this risky move, Bogoljubov has probably already planned the piece sacrifice on e5, which definitely surrendered some practical chances for him. (Alekhine)} (17... O-O 18.Nd5 Bxd5 (18... Qd6 19.Nec3 {with White's advantage (Alekhine)}) (19.Qxd5 Rfd8 20. O-O-O Nf8 21. Qb7 {Doesn't leave Black many game-saving chances. (Alekhine)}) 18. Qa4 f5 19. e5 {This push gains space (Fritz 5.00)} (19. Bc4 {useless} 19... Nb8 20.Bxe6+ Qxe6 21.Nb5 Nc6 (21... Rd7)) 19... g5 {Forces White to show his cards, because declining the sacrifice is not a good choice for him. (Alekhine)} 20. Bc4! {Threatening mate: Qc6+ Kb8; Qb7# (Fritz 5.00)} (20. g3 gxf4 21. gxf4 Ndxe5!) 20... Ndxe5! ({Passive resistance, starting with} 20... Nb8 {would quickly turn out hopeless in view of} 21.Bxe6+ Qxe6 22.O-O {with the strong threat 23.b4. But after the text move White has to play very accurately to maintain his advantage. (Alekhine) According to Fritz, white doesn't have a large advantage in this line, but Alekhine has judged the position on the long range, and considering the several weaknesses that Black has on the queenside, where he castled, and the vulnerability of the pawns there, combined with the attacking positions of White's pieces - it's surely of no doubt to shylessly adjudicate the position as better for white, perhaps all due to the theoretical 'mistake' on move 7? (Goldshtein)}) 21. Bxe6+ Qxe6 22. fxe5 Nxe5 23. O-O Qc4! {pointe! (Alekhine) This might be the only point where Alekhine's analysis might've been wrong. Keeping the queens on the board might've been better for Black, that in the opinion of Fritz. It might seem ridiculous because White is attacking on the queenside, but Black might compensate for the lack of material by powerful piece interaction and defensive resources. (Goldshtein)} (23... Nd3 24. Qb5+/=) 24. b4! {Sacrificing another pawn, allowing Black to achieve material balance again, but avoiding the queen trade. (Alekhine)} ({That's exactly the idea of the sacrifice: after} 24. Qxc4 Nxc4 25. Nb5 Kb8 {Black hopes to acquire some more material, and then the endgame would never be perspectiveless for him. After 24.Qc2 follows Qd3, with an almost equal result. White's move in the text, therefore, was completely unexpected by Black. (Alekhine) It seems that the vulnerability of Pb2, and the potential in-coordination between White's pieces give Black several counter-chances that might appear to be unexpected. (Goldshtein)}) 24... Qxb4 ({if now} 24... cxb4 {then} 25.Nb5! Qxe2 26.Rfe1 Qd2 27.Nxa7+ Kb8 28.Nc6+!+-) 25.Qc2 25... Nd3 {The only defense from 26.Ra4 or 26.Qxf5+ (Alekhine)} 26.Rfb1 Qc4 27.Ra4 Qe6 (27... Qf7 28.Bd4! cxd4 (28... Bxd4+ 29.Nxd4 Rxd4 30.Rxd4 cxd4 31.Qxd3 dxc3 32.Qxc3++- {xRh8}) 29.Nd5+! 29... Nc5 30.Nxb6+! axb6 31.Rxb6 {a6-a7+-}) 28. Nb5 Kb8 ({A tighter and longer resistance would be allowed by} 28... Nxf2 29.Kxf2 (29.Nxa7+? Kb8 30.Qxc5? Rd1+!-+) 29... Kb8 {, but even then, continuing} 30.Ng3 Rhf8 31.Ra3! {, followed by 32.Re3 or 32.Rd3, White would increase the pressure in a decisive manner. (Alekhine)}) 29.Ned4! {How typical for Alekhine it is to attack wildly on the Black king, never stopping at a stoplight of material losses. It is noticeable that Alekhine's games are always full of tactics, even if the game itself has been purely positional. Sometimes Alekhine had been using his amazing tactical skills and memory (#1 memory that has ever existed) to calculate nice finishes to his games, and sometimes he used them to play the entire game, from the opening to the sharp middlegame through a complex endgame into a simplified endgame which has been perfectly calculated. Examples of such 'perfect' games mustn't be sought far. (Goldshtein)} 29... Qe4 (29... Bxd4 30.Bxd4 Rxd4 (30... Ne1!? 31.Qb3+/- {(Fritz 5.00)}) 31.Rxd4 Qe3+ 32. Kf1 {and the rook is invulnerable in view of a mate in 2 (Qc7+ and Qxa7#). (Alekhine)}) 30. Nc3 {The rest is forced, and has been perfectly calculated by Alekhine. Bogoljubov continues with tough resistance, but only holds the game for 4 more moves. (Goldshtein)} 30... Qe8 31.Qxd3 cxd4 32.Bxd4 Qe6 {Setting up the last trap: see below. (Goldshtein)} (32... Qf7 33.Ne2 Rhe8 34.Qg3+ f4 35.Qxg5+- {(Fritz 5.00)}) 33.Qf3! (33.Bxg7? {seems attractive but will lead to severe problems (Fritz 5.00) So tempting to win so much material, but the pieces are horribly balanced... (Goldshtein)} 33... Rxd3 34.Bxh8 Qe8!-+ {(Fritz 5.00)}) 33... Qf7 34.Bxb6! {and now after 34... axb6 35.Rxb6+ Kc8 follows 36.Qc6+ Qc7 37.Rb8+! Kxb8 38.a7+ and mate in 2. (Alekhine)} 1-0 {Conclusion: a deep, tactical game, full of direct intercourses, tactics, use of opportunities and mistakes, and some great play by one of the greatest chess players ever - the 4th World Chess Champion (1927-1946), Alexander Alekhine.} ANALYSIS BY JOHN FALATO (2046 USA) ----------------------------------- [Event "Th-M-286.2"] [Site "IECC"] [Date "1999.01.13"] [White "Jaskula, Robert"] [Black "Kriechel, Ben"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteIECC "1905"] [WhiteCountry "POL"] [BlackIECC "1676"] [BlackCountry "NED"] [ECO "C35"] [Opening "King's Gambit--Euwe defence"] 1.e4 e5 2.f4 {The King's Gambit. Not an opening for the timid! It requires a special attitude to play effectively, a love of hand-to-hand tactical skirmishes, the ability to stay cool in a theoretically unsound, but difficult game, often a pawn down, with questionable compensation, and an undeniable enjoyment of booby trapping your opponent's path to the endgame. If this sounds like you, consider yourself a KG candidate!} 2...exf4 3.Nf3 Be7 {The Cunningham Gambit. Fischer's 3...d6 is the modern approach, but this move, and Black's follow up is good also.} 4.Bc4 {White opens f1 for his king in case of 4...Bh4+.} 4...Nf6 {Euwe's remedy. Black can play 4...Bh4+, but the text avoids both the wild 5.g3 fxg3 6.0-0 gxh2+ 7.Kh1 and the awkward position of his bishop if White plays 5.Kf1. The text is not better, not worse, simply a positional continuation.} 5.Nc3 {This move seems to be in Black's favor. White will remain a pawn down, or have to concede development to regain it. Other possibilities: A) 5.d3 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.Bxd5 Qxd5 8.Bxf4 is equal, but not in King's Gambit style. B) 5.e5 is in Black's favor after 5...Ne4 6.0-0 d5. C) 5.Qe2 may be best: 5...d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.Qe5! Nf6 8.d4 Nc6 9.Qxf4. This is probably equal, but the type of position that a gambit player enjoys -- wide open!} 5...Nxe4 {If you don't recognize this as the "Fork Trick," get yourself a copy of "Pawn Power in Chess" by Hans Kmoch! The idea is that after 6.Nxe4 d5, Black regains his piece, and stops White from getting a phalanx of center pawns.} 6.Nxe4 {White can complicate with 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7, but Black comes out OK. For example: 7.Nxe4 d5 8.Nf2 Re8 9.0-0 Nc6 10.d4 g5. This is one of those difficult positions where White may be a pawn down, but hopes to breach that wall of pawns in front of Black's king when there may be a mating attack in the offing. If you're uncomfortable with this position for White, avoid the KG. It's a fairly typical situation, and Black has the theoretical advantage.} 6...d5 7.Bxd5 {if 7.Bd3 dxe4 8.Bxe4 f5 or 7.Qe2 dxc4 8.Qxc4 0-0, both in Black's favor} 7...Qxd5 8.d3 {if 8.Nc3 Qe6+ is uncomfortable for White.} 8...Bf5 {8...g5? 9.Nfxg5! Bxg5 10.Qh5 Qe6 (10...h6? 11.Nf6+) 11.Qxg5 f5 12.Qf6 Rf8 13.Qxe6+ Bxe6 14.Ng5 Bd5 15.Kf2, and White soon will be a clear pawn ahead.} 9.Qe2 {9.Bxf4? Bxe4 10.dxe4 Qxe4+ 11.Qe2 Qxf4 12.Qb5+ Nc6 13.Qxb7 Qe4+, Black wins a piece.} 9...Bxe4 {This move soon brings the game to a crossroad. If 10.Qxe4 Qxe4+ 11.dxe4 g5, and Black is simply a pawn ahead.} 10.dxe4 Qd6 11.Qb5+ {White regains his pawn at the expense of giving Black a huge lead in development. 11.e5 Qb6 12.Bxf4 Qxb2 13.0-0 allows Black to keep the pawn, but maintains a difficult game for both players.} 11...Nc6 {11...Qc6 12.Nd4 regains the pawn with an equal position.} 12.Qxb7 Rb8 {If 12...0-0 13.Bxf4? Qxf4 14.Qxc6 Qe3+, but White can simply respond with 13.Qb3 bringing the queen back into play.} 13.Qa6 Qb4+ 14.Nd2 {This retreat is necessary, White can't concede the e-pawn. White's excursion with the queen won back the pawn, but advanced Black's development.} 14...Bh4+ 15.Kd1 {15.g3 Nd4! is much more complicated, but apparently not better for White: 16.c3 fxg3! 17.hxg3 Bxg3+ 18.Kf1 Qb5+ 19.Qxb5 Nxb5 is just one possibility in this complex position. I'm sure White didn't have his present position in mind when he ventured 2.f4, but while it's an easy game to play for Black, it's not an easy game to win. If he can't make something of his lead in development, and White's king position, White might make something of his slightly better pawn position.} 15...Qd6 {Black could play 15...Qc5 threatening 16...Qxc2+ 17.Kxc2 Nb4+, but his move is logical, protecting his knight and f-pawn while eyeing White's king along the d-file.} 16.c3 O-O 17.Qe2 Rbd8 18.Kc2 Rfe8 19.Rf1 Bg5 20.Re1 {White should be planning on getting his queen side pieces into play. 20.Nf3 to allow Bd2 weakens the protection of the e-pawn, but 20.b3 followed by Bb2 and Rad1 gives White the development he needs.} 20...Qc5 {A nice move. Tactically the threat is 21...Nd4+. Positionally, the play is centering around the pawns on e4 and f4, and the square e5 that beckons to Black's knight. But if 20...Ne5 21.Nf3, and White exchanges the proud knight. See the next note.} 21.Nb3 Qe7 {Notice the result of Black's allowing 21.Nb3 "with tempo": White's knight sits out of play on b3, it was better placed on d2. Black's bishop on g5 is now protected if White decides to play g3, and Black is ready to occupy e5.} 22.g3 {This may not look proper, it eliminates Black's weak pawn on f4, but it isn't easy finding a move for White. He must do something to develop his pieces. The move played should result in a fairly even game, but with Black calling the shots.} 22...fxg3 23.hxg3 Ne5 24.Rd1 {But this is a mistake that leads to an eventual pawn loss. 24.Rh1 continues the struggle.} 24...Rxd1 25.Bxg5 {White can't hold the pawn: A) 25.Kxd1 Bxc1 26.Rxc1 Qg5 nets the g-pawn. (27.Qf2 Nd3). B) 25.Qxd1 Bxc1 26.Rxc1 Nc4 nets the e-pawn.} 25...Qxg5 26.Rxd1 Qxg3 27.Kb1 Qf3 28.Qxf3 {This is wrong on principle, -- don't exchange pieces when you have a permanent disadvantage. Make the opponent work for it. Even though the Black queen has a more commanding position, with the queens on the board it's harder to force a win.} 28...Nxf3 29.Kc2 {Cleaning up on the queen side doesn't work: 29.Rd7 h5 30.Rxc7 h4 then A) 31.Rxa7 h3 32.Ra5 g6 33.Rd5 h2 34.Rd1 Ng1 B) 31.Nd4 Nd2+ 32.Kc2 h3 33.Nf5 Nxe4 34.Rd7 h2 35.Rd1 Nf2 36.Ng3 Nxd1 37.Kxd1 Re5 38.Nh1 Rg5 39.Ke2 Rg1 40.Nf2 Rg2 41.Ke3 Rxf2 42.Kxf2 h1Q} 29...h5 30.Rh1 h4 {Well calculated. Watch the thrust / counter thrust over the next few moves...} 31.Rh3 Ne1+ 32.Kd1 Ng2 33.Rh2 {This costs a pawn, but 33.Nd2 g5 is very strong for Black in any case.} 33...Ne3+ 34.Ke2 Rxe4 35.Kf3 Nf1 36.Kxe4 {Again White exchanges when behind in material. 36.Rf2 makes it more difficult for Black.} 36...Nxh2 37.Nd4 h3 {Good enough, but it spreads out too far, too fast. Better is 37.g5. White hasn't the time to pick on the queen side pawns: 38.Nb5 g4 39.Ke3 g3 and the White knight better return, e.g. 40.Nxc7 h3 41.Nd5 Ng4+ 42.Kf3 g2.} 38.Ke3 Ng4+ 39.Kf3 h2 40.Kg2 Kh7 41.b4 {41.Nb5 f5 42.Nxc7 f4 43.Nd5 f3+.} 41...Kg6 42.a4 f5 43.a5 f4 {This freezes White's knight because of f3+.} 44.Kh1 Kf6 45.Nf3 Kf5 46.Nd2 Ke5 47.Kg2 c6 48.a6 g5 49.Kh1 Nf2+ {At this point, the best way to continue. Black's two connected passers will win the game. This shows that 37...h3 was a bit premature.} 50.Kxh2 g4 51.Nc4+ Ke4 52.Kg1 Nd1 53.Nd6+ Kd3 0-1 {if 54.Nf7 the simplest is 54...g3, and White is helpless. A well played game by Black} .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. WEB WANDERINGS by Steve Ryan (1482 CAN) ----------------------------------------- In this column, which I hope will appear in each future edition of this newsletter, I will review different web sites devoted to chess in general and correspondence chess in particular. If you have favourite sites of your own, please send me the appropriate internet address (to ryansc@granite.mb.ca) and I will take a look. As all our members probably know, just typing “chess” into a search engine returns thousands of results so I don’t think I will run out of things to talk about. I want to devote this first column to the “Correspondence Chess Message Board” (TCCMB) founded by John Knudsen about 1 year ago. TCCMB offers a lively, informative and timely forum for cc players world-wide to discuss issues and questions relating to the game we love. TCCMB places few restrictions (on chess-related messages) but first time users should read the FAQ’s before venturing onto the board itself. TCCMB has a “hard-core” of regular posters with plenty of casual visitors as well. Topics have ranged from new players wanting games to favourite openings, e-mail vs postal chess, spousal attitudes toward chess, “ICCF bashing”, the “reluctance” of the “big boys” to play lower rated players and, of course, the never-ending debate about computers in CC play. One of my favourite quips from this board called the practice of using chess engines “correspondence chess on steroids”. While English predominates, visitors may leave a message in any language they choose and TCCMB has attracted people from all over. Mr Knudsen has recently turned the day-to-day administration of the board over to Lars (Lasse) Viklund but retains ultimate responsibility for its operation. I can’t recommend this site strongly enough, so please stop by and take a peek. TCCMB http://correspondencechess.com/bbs/index.sht Ryan’s Rating: ****/5 .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. RUY LOPEZ OR THE SPANISH GAME by Chuck Ventimiglia (1876 USA) --------------------------------------------------------------- According to Harry Golombek in his "Chess: A History" he says that chess is about 1500 years old. Where exactly, when exactly, and by whom exactly the game of chess was invented we do not know. But it was from Spain, in the mid 1500s', that the first great player of the modern game was to emerge, the famous Ruy Lopez de Segura, a Spanish priest. In the earlier part of his career, Ruy Lopez was an amateur who devoted only his leisure hours to the game. Later, when he found it profitable, through the patronage of Phillip II of Spain, he became what we would call a professional chess player. Quite possibly the first. Unfortunately, we know little about the life of the man who, had such a title then been invented, would have rightfully been called the first world champion of modern chess. We do not know when he was born or when he died. But it seems fairly certain that by 1560 he was Spain's leading player, and he was so good that no one in Rome, at the time the center of chess in Italy, could hold his own against him. During the accession of Pope Pius IV many eccleciastics visited Rome, including Ruy Lopez. While there, he played against the city's leading chess players, and was not impressed. This he recorded in the book on chess which he published on return to Spain in 1561. He and his book prospered. At that time he had rivals in Spanish chess but none nearly as good. As was mentioned earlier one of his patrons and benefactors was King Phillip. Among his gifts was a Rook on a golden chain which Ruy Lopez was to wear round his neck. Although he never became a Bishop it is said that he was called a chess Bishop. He is supposed to have visited Rome again in 1573. Because of his increasing years the task of defeating the Italians became increasingly more difficult. It was during this visit that the then famous Italian chess patron, Giacomo Buoncampagno, the Duke of Sora, presented him with a stipend of 2,000 crowns a year. A handsome some during that time. The Ruy Lopez (or Spanish) Opening is one of the most frequently played openings in chess. It is said that virtually every world champion (past and present) has played it or against it at some stage during their careers. I have read that "When you master the Ruy Lopez you have mastered chess." It was the Ruy Lopez that Gary Kasparov used in his convincing victory over Nigel Short in their 1993 world championship match in London. The main strategic battleground revolves around Black's e5 pawn, which 3.Bb5 indirectly pressurizes. If Black can hold this point he will normally have a defensible position, but if he cannot he is in for a long hard struggle. Ruy Lopez is trademarked by the following series of moves: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 With these moves we have arrived at Ruy Lopez or Spanish Opening. There are many variations of play from this point but all the variations come after the characteristic moves above. .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. WHY CC MUST OPERATE ON THE HONOUR SYSTEM by Steve Ryan (1482 CAN) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Picture yourself sitting before your chess board, about to work on your CC games for the evening, perhaps after a hard day at work, or in the midst of myriad personal problems, or just feeling down in the dumps. You reach for an opponent’s newly arrived postcard or open your e-mail knowing that for a few hours, at least, you can obliterate the world and concentrate on your games. As it turns out, the validity of Murphy’s Law gets proven again; your opponent has made a totally unforeseen move and now you have a “lost” game. The hoped-for tranquillity of the evening evaporates. Annoyance and frustration move in. Recriminations and questions start; Why didn’t I see that move? What’s wrong with me? Why do I play this stupid game? Etc. If the frustration level rises high enough the rationalisations may begin. You convince yourself that you deserve a “break”. Maybe I could consult with the guys down at my chess club. Perhaps I’ll put the position up on my chess engine for a minute - nobody will know. Yes, I have to agree. In all likelihood nobody will know. We, as CC players, have far more opportunity for unethical, or downright dishonest, behaviour than do our OTB cousins. We also have nobody watching us. I believe CC occupies a unique niche due to this fact. We can cheat by altering the arrival date of a postal move; by consulting with chess friends; by using a chess engine on a computer or by doing anything the rules do not permit. The various CC clubs use various rules to govern conduct of play, reflection time, research materials, computer use etc most of which I consider unenforceable. These rules may also have considerable inconsistency from club to club. The basic inability of these clubs to enforce their rules should not preclude the CCCA or IECC or ICCF from establishing them in the first place. How else will you earn an honest win and avoid a chess “forgery”? Must we have the “chess police” and a video camera watching us? Enter the honour system. Of course I have no way of knowing that my postcard arrived Monday instead of Friday as my opponent said. Has he used a computer when the playing rules forbid them? Who knows for sure? I will take my opponent’s word for it, however, if he says the card arrived on Monday or that he did not use a computer. I will take my opponent's word that he does nothing illegal. I must. I have both no way and no wish to prove otherwise. All CC players wanting their pastime to grow and prosper will observe the rules of their club. I much prefer a system where we don’t need it to begin with, but in the absence of enforcement the honour system must prevail or anarchy and CC’s decline will instead. © copyright 1999 S.R. Ryan END .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. ANALYSIS BY ROGER MILLER (USA 1887) ------------------------------------- [Event "CL5-1999.03"] [Site "IECC"] [Date "1999.01.06"] [White "van Bommel, Ton"] [Black "West, Graham"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteIECC "1522"] [WhiteCountry "NED"] [BlackIECC "1614"] [BlackCountry "ENG"] [ECO "B01"] [Opening "Center Counter Game"] 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 (Center Counter/Scandinavian Defense. The Black Queen in taking the pawn is attacked and must move again. This violates opening rules by the Queen having to move twice in the opening but White is denied a central pawn structure.) 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bf5 6.Bd2 (A simple step to free the Knight on c3 and a step closer to a Queen side castle.) 6...c6 7.Bc4 e6 8.Qe2 Bb4 9.O-O-O O-O (Black castles ? Lets look at other options 9...Nbd7 10.a3 Nb6 11.Ne5 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Qa4 13.Bb3 Qb5 14.Qxb5 cxb5 15.Bd2 O-O or 9...Nbd7 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Qc7 12.Bd2 b5 13.Ba2 Be4 14.Kb1 O-O) 10.a3 (The process of pushing Black's attackers back begins and the effects of the early castle by Black is seen and White is the attacker for the rest of the game.) 10...Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Qc7 (I like the positions of both White Bishops as both are aimed at the Black King or can move on the other diagonals to cause more problems for Black.) 12.Ne5 Nbd7 (No problem for the Knight on e5 as it is under attack twice but defended three ways. The White attack is now in full swing with another charge.) 13.g4 (This time with a pawn.) 13...Nxe5 (Still no problem for White.) 14.dxe5 Nxg4 15.Rhg1 (Excellent move as the Black Knight is in trouble and still White aims more sights at the Black King.) 15...Nxh2 (Perhaps 15...Nh6 16.Bd2 Kh8 17.Bxh6 gxh6 18.Bd3 Bxd3 19.Rxd3 f5 20.Rd6 ? But instead with 15...Nxh2 the Knight has no place to go except back into the box after white plays f3.) 16.f3 Nxf3 (If you have to go I guess you might as well take something with you and get the points a little more even.) 17.Qxf3 Rad8 (Next comes my favorite move by White.) 18.Rd6 (Let's look at Black taking the Rook with 18...Rxd6 19.exd6 Qxd6. The game's over for Black 20.Rxg7+ Kh8 21.Rxh7+ Kxh7 22.Qh5+ Kg8 23.Qh8# instead Black plays Bg6.) 18...Bg6 19.Rgd1 Rfe8 20.Qe3 b6 (Attacking the a7 pawn is not on White's mind, it's the Black Queen and the d4 square, then the a4 square later?) 21.Qd4 (The stacked combination of the Rooks and Queen are chilling and next the Black Rook backs out to allow the Queen to retreat and guard the a7 pawn.) 21...Ra8 22.Rd7 Qc8 (The Black Queen retreats.) 23.Be2 (The path to the a4 square is open for White's Queen if attacked by the c6 pawn.) 23...c5 24.Qa4 Rf8 25.Bf3 b5 (The b5 pawn is hanging from a high tree. How about 25...a5 26.Bxa8 Qxa8 lost a Rook for a Bishop but Black keeps the Queen.) 26.Qa5 Rb8 (Rb8? This is the last nail in Black's Queen's coffin with White's next move.) 27.Rc7 (No way out for the Black Queen except for 27...Qe8 which White simply moves 28.Bc6 - Black decides not to continue without its Queen and resigns.) ANALYSIS BY STEFAAN SIX WITH FRITZ 5.00 (1979 BEL) ---------------------------------------------------- The next game is an interesting clash from a strategic point of view. I think it might prove worthwhile to study it a little if you're looking to improve your strategical insights... [Event "P-1455"] [Site "IECC"] [Date "1998.10.10"] [White "Poschmann, Hans"] [Black "Garay, Luis"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteIECC "2215"] [WhiteCountry "USA"] [BlackIECC "2231"] [BlackCountry "ESP"] [ECO "A00"] [Opening "Orang-Utan Opening"] 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 f6 3.b5 d5 4.e3 c5 5.d4 exd4 6.exd4 c4 7.a4!?N [7.Nc3 is the usual move - see the supplementary games Volke-Kupreichik and Sternik-Seczek to get a grasp of what happens in that case.] 7...Bb4+ 8.Bc3 [8.c3?! obviously takes away a nice square to put a piece on] 8...Qe7+ 9.Ne2 a5 [9...Bf5 10.Bxb4 Qxb4+ 11.c3 Qb2 12.Nd2 Ne7 13.Qc1 Qxc1+ 14.Nxc1 a6 15.bxa6 Rxa6 =+ might have been a bit better than the line played. Black now has a space advantage and can try to generate pressure against a4 (and perhaps c3 too). In any case White's pieces aren't doing very much.] 10.g3 Qe4 11.Rg1 Ne7 [11...Bf5 12.Bg2 Qxc2? loses a pawn to 13.Qxc2 Bxc2 14.Bxd5 +/-] 12.Bg2 Qe6 13.Qd2 Qd6 14.Kd1 [14.Qf4!?] 14...O-O 15.Re1 Bg4 16.Kc1 [16.h3 Bh5 17.g4 Bf7 was another way of unpinning the Knight at e2] 16...Be6 [The idea behind this move is to overprotect the base of the pawn chain, so as to keep Black's position solid.] 17.h4! [This is the start of a slow kingside offensive. White's idea is to gain space and exchange pieces to use his space advantage in the endgame where he hopes to force a break in the Black pawn structure. Black's idea is to mobilize his pieces and use them as blockaders for the upcoming assault. He wouldn't like to play a cramped endgame position and therefore avoids swapping pieces.] 17...Re8 18.Qf4 [The swapping idea.] 18...Qd8 ["No, I don't want to."] 19.h5 ["OK, then I will take some more space."] 19...Nd7 20.g4 Nb6 [Black finds it difficult to conduct his pieces to the Kingside.] 21.Bh3 [Covering the base of the pawn chain and clearing the g-file.] 21...Nec8 22.Bd2 ["Take me or I will chase you and join in the attack."] 22...Bxd2+ 23.Nxd2 Nd6 24.Nc3 Nf7 25.Nf3 Qd7 26.Re3 Nh6 27.Nh2 Bf7?! [Allowing for exchanges - 27...Re7 might well have been more tenacious.] 28.Kd2 Rxe3 29.Qxe3 Re8 30.Qg3 Qe7 31.f4 Kh8 32.Nf1 ["What a beautiful square at f5!"] 32...Ng8?! [32...Qd6 is harder to meet 33.Ne3 Re7 a) 34.g5?! would overlook a tactical trick in this apparently calm position; 34...fxg5 35.Qxg5 Bxh5! 36.Bg2 (36.Qxh5?? Qxf4-+ with a double attack on e3 and d4) Bf7 =+ b) 34.Rg1 Qb4 (any other move would allow for the strong push 35.g5!, for example 34...Re8 35.g5! fxg5 36.fxg5 Qxg3 37.Rxg3 Ng8 38.g6 hxg6 39.hxg6 Be6 40.Bxe6 Rxe6 41.Ncxd5 +/-) 35.Rb1 Qd6 and White can't force matters right away, although he's still a bit better here, e.g. 36.Bg2 Be6 37.Re1 Ng8 38.g5 +=] 33.Ne3 Qd6 34.Nf5 Qd8 35.g5! [A pawn sacrifice which allows White to persecute a finishing attack!] 35...fxg5 36.fxg5 Bxh5 37.Nd6 Re7 38.Rf1 Qa8 [The position looks OK for Black, but in fact his pieces are not working harmoniously together and as a consequence his King is going to be endangered.] 39.Bf5! Qa7 [39...g6 40.Re1! gxf5 41.Rxe7 Nxe7 42.Qe5+ Kg8 43.Qxe7+-] 40.Qh4 g6 41.Bc8 [41.Bh3! was also winning: Qb8 42.Qf4 Qc7 43.Be6 Rxe6 44.Nf7+ and Black has to give the Queen.] 41...h6 [41...Qb8 42.Qf4 Nxc8 43.Nf7+ Rxf7 44.Qxb8+-] 42.Rf8 Nd7 43.Bxd7 Re4 [43...Rxd7 44.Qf4 b6 45.Nxd5 leaves the Black King defenseless.] 44.Qf2 1-0 SUPPLEMENTARY GAMES: --------------------- Volke,K (2450) - Kupreichik,V (2525) Minsk 1994 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 f6 3.b5 d5 4.e3 c5 5.d4 exd4 6.exd4 c4 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qf3 a6 10.g3 Bf5 11.Bh3 Be4 12.Qe2 axb5 13.Kf1 Bxc3 14.Bxc3 Ne7 15.f3 Bf5 16.Bxf5 gxf5 17.Nh3 Nbc6 18.Rb1 b4 19.Bxb4 Nxd4 20.Bxe7 Qxe7 21.Qd2 Nxf3 22.Qxd5 Qe4 23.Qb5+ Kf8 24.Qb4+ Kg7 25.Nf2 Qc6 26.Qe7+ Kg6 27.Rxb7 Nd2+ 28.Kg1 Nf3+ 29.Kf1 Nd2+ 30.Kg1 1/2-1/2 Sternik,R - Seczek,K Cr POL 1987 (...) 7.Nc3 Be6 8.Nh3 Bd6 9.Qf3 Ne7 10.Nf4 Bf7 11.Be2 O-O 12.O-O Bb4 13.a3 Ba5 14.a4 Bb4 15.Nd1 Qc7 16.Ne3 Rd8 17.g3 c3 18.Ba3 Qd6 19.Bxb4 Qxb4 20.Rfd1 a6 21.Qg4 Qd6 22.Bd3 Nd7 23.Rdb1 Rac8 24.Rb3 Ne5 25.dxe5 fxe5 26.Nfxd5 Nxd5 27.Nf5 Qf6 28.Rbb1 a5 29.Rd1 Nb4 30.Be4 Be6 31.Qf3 b6 32.g4 g6 33.Ne3 Qxf3 34.Bxf3 Rd2 35.Be4 Rcd8 36.h3 Kg7 37.Kg2 R8d4 38.Kf3 Na2 0-1 ANALYSIS BY GERALD FIELDING (2120 CAN) --------------------------------------- [Event "Th-M-283.2"] [Site "IECC"] [Date "1999.01.13"] [White "Fedorko, Andrew"] [Black "Endean, Andrew"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteIECC "2091"] [WhiteCountry "ENG"] [BlackIECC "1973"] [BlackCountry "ENG"] [ECO "A00"] [Opening "Grob Opening"] [Castling is usually played automatically in every game. In Basman's "Spike" opening, nothing is automatic as one of the opening's purposes is to make your opponent think for himself. The result in this game is no castling!] 1.g4 [Michael Basman's book "The Killer Grob" appeared in 1991. My comments will not be influenced by this book as I have not seen it and I have never played this opening.] 1...d5 2.Bg2 c6 [The usual move. 2...Bxg4 was once considered a mistake but Black has been scoring well with this move also. After 2...Bxg4 White will win the pawn back so it was considered inadvisable to take the weak g4 pawn if you had to pay for it.] 3.h3 e5 4.d4 e4 [Again usual, but perhaps Black's pawn chain is over-ambitious. It now comes under a lot of pressure. 4.d4 was considered strong because after 4...exd4!? the knight can't go to c6. But the bishop can attack the queen by 5.Qxd4 Be7! 6.Nc3 Bf6 as in Simmelink vs. Galow, (corr. 1991). Black could also try 4...Nd7!? 5.c4 dxc4 6.Nc3 (Basman-Strauss, Great Britain, 1984) 6...Qa5 7.Nf3 Bb4 as in De Brito (2145) vs. De La Riva (2420), Alcobendas, 1994] 5.c4 h5 [When you consider that Basman, in numerous games in this opening, has played g5 without being pushed you have to wonder if this move (Black's 5th pawn move) may be both weakening and a waste of precious time. 5...Bd6 is usual and the only 1999 game I could find went 5...Bd6 6.Nc3 Ne7 7.Qb3 h6!? (Evidently to prevent 8.Bg5 f6 9.Bd2). Instead of 7.Qb3, Basman plays 7.g5 here.] 6.g5 Be7 [Basman-Granat, Borehamwood, 1981, went 6...f5 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.Nc3 Nc6 and 9.h4 was played voluntarily. Also seen here have been 6...Bd6 and 6...Ne7] 7.h4 Bf5 [Overprotection of the strong point at e4. But e4 will soon prove to be a weak point. Consistent would be 7...f6 8.Nc3 fxg5 9.hxg5 Bxg5 as in Bettman-Borst, Den Bosch, 1992] 8.Qb3 Qd7 9.Be3 [White wants to protect the d4 pawn and develop the bishop with the same move but the bishop isn't really developed on e3 and the protection proves illusory. He doesn't want to rush 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Nc3 because that enables 10...Nc6. Since 9.e3 is solid but passive perhaps he should be more daring and try 9.Bf4!? dxc4 10.Qxc4 b5 11.Qc3 Na6 12.a3.] 9...dxc4 [Now, this is not as good. Since Bd6 blocks the queen's protection of d5 why not try 9...Bd8!?] 10.Qxc4 Be6 [To develop normally Black may now have to ditch his good bishop and play 10...Na6 11.Nd2 Bb4 12.a3 Bxd2+] 11.Qc2 f5 12.gxf6 [White has nothing if he doesn't continue to attack the pawn chain.] 12...Nxf6 13.Nc3 Na6 14.a3 [Maybe now is the time to take the e pawn, e.g. 14.Nxe4 Nb4 15.Nxf6+ Bxf6 16.Qg6+ Bf7 17.Qe4+ with advantage to White.] 14...Bf5 15.Rc1 [White is the first to show an aversion to castling. With a rook on d1, an open g-file and control of g5 White would then have a definite advantage.] 15...Rd8 [The rook does find work here but I would have played 15...O-O more to get the king off the e8 square and the rook on the f-file than for king safety. The QR may belong on e8.] 16.Nxe4 [A self-pin for a pawn that won't run away. Perhaps 16.Nh3!?. The advantage of the text is to be able to play Nf3 instead.] 16...Rf8? [Perhaps they had a no-castling agreement. Actually, I now prefer 16...Ng4 and castling later, i.e. 17.Nf3 O-O followed by Rde8 and if 18.O-O Rde8 19.Nfd2 Qc7 is good for Black or if 18.Bg5 Rde8 19.Qb3+ Be6 20.Qe3 Bd5 21.Ng3 Bd6 22.Nxh5 Qf7 wins.] 17.Nxf6+ Bxf6 18.Be4 [18.Qa4 Bxd4 19.Bxd4 is fairly level.] 18...Bxd4 19.Rd1 Bc3+! 20.bxc3 Qxd1+ 21.Qxd1 Rxd1+ 22.Kxd1 Bxe4 23.f3 [And a draw is agreed. But the position is less a draw now that it was on move 1. After 23...Bf5 White can take the pawn by 24.Bxa7 and Black can entomb it for a while by 24...c5 but White can then play his trump, the protected passed pawn by 25.e4 Be6 26.Rh2 and if 26...Rf4 Black has no useful moves left. I prefer White. It is true there are bishops of opposite colours but that may not be permanent because White has a Knight as well.] ANALYSIS BY SAULI TIITTA (2200 FIN) ------------------------------------ [Event "CL2-1999.10"] [Site "IECC"] [Date "1999.01.31"] [White "Femmel, Don"] [Black "Shields, Glen D."] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteIECC "2020"] [WhiteCountry "USA"] [BlackIECC "2160"] [BlackCountry "USA"] [ECO "B-15"] [Opening "Caro-Kann"] 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 b5!? [Very rare move. But I think it is better than what is seems!] 4.e5!? [Other alternative is 4.a3 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Nf6 6.Nxf6+ exf6 7.a4! b4 8.Bc4 Bd6 9.Qe2+ Qe7 10.Qxe7+ Kxe7 11.Ne2 Be6 12.Bd3 Nd7 13.0-0 Rac8 14.Re1 and White has a small advantage (Klovan-Gurgenidze, 36th USSR Championship, 1968/69)] 4...e6 [Now Black's plan is to change his worse bishop from c8.] 5.Nf3?! [In game I. Zaitsev-Gurgenidze, 1968/69 White retains the initiative after: (5.a3 a5 6.Nce2 Ba6 7.Nf4 b4 8.Bxa6 Nxa6 9.axb4 axb4 10.Nf3 Be7 11.h4 h5 12.Ng5 Bxg5 13.hxg5 g6 14.g4 h4 15.Be3)] 5...b4 6.Ne2 Ba6! 7.Bg5?! [Better seems to be (7.Nf4 Bxf1 8.Kxf1 c5 9.Be3)] 7...Qb6 8.Be3 c5 9.Nf4 Bxf1 10.dxc5!? Bxc5 11.Bxc5 Qxc5 12.Rxf1=+ [Black has got a small advantage. He has got pressure to c2 and e5 pawns.] 12...Ne7 13.Nd3 [Interesting is 13.Qd2 Nbc6, threat was 14.Nd3. 14.Nh5? (14.0-0-0=) 14...Nf5 15.g4? Nfd4 16.Nxd4 Nxd4 17.0-0-0? b3-+] 13...Qc4 14.Nd2 Qc7 15.Qg4 Ng6 16.Rc1?! [Possibly better is 16.0-0-0 Nc6 17.Nf3] 16...0-0 [Now Black's king is in safe, while White's king is in center.] 17.f4 Nc6 18.Nb3 Rac8?! [18...Na5! 19.Qg3 (19.Nxb4?! Nc4 20.Qe2 Nxb2 is unclear) 19...Nxb3 20.axb3 f6! Now White's king is very badly placed in center. 21.Qg4 Rae8 22.exf6 Rxf6 With the idea of e5.; 18...Rfc8 I think this is the right rook.] 19.Nbc5 Nd4 20.Rf2 Nf5 [Black wants to keep his good knight on board, he doesn't play 20. ...Qa5 21. Nb3 Nxb3.] 21.Qf3 Qa5 22.Nb3 Qb6 23.g4 Nd4 [23...Ngh4? 24.Qh3 Qe3+ 25.Qxe3 Nxe3 26.h3+= It is not wise to trade queens, when White's king is in center.] 24.Nxd4 Qxd4 25.h4?! [Otherwise Black will play a5-a4-a3 and double his rooks into the c-file. Anyway, I think h4 makes things easier for Black.] 25...Nxh4 26.Qg3 Ng6 27.f5 Ne7 28.Rf4 Qb6 29.f6 Ng6 30.Rxb4 [Ok, White got the pawn back, but White's position is quite windy, Black can come inside through c4 and e4 squares.] 30...Qa5 31.a3 Rc4 32.g5 Qc7 [32...Rfc8!? Right away!?] 33.Kd2 Rc8 34.c3 a5 [White cannot take on c4, because then he would lose the e5 pawn.] 35.Rb3 [Sad place for a rook.] 35...Re4 36.Re1 Qc4 37.Rb7 Rg4! [Black wants to play d4, he is not afraid of threats along f-file.] 38.Qf2 d4 [38...Nh4!? 39.fxg7? (39.Re2 Nf5 40.fxg7 d4=+) 39...Rg2-+] 39.fxg7 dxc3+ 40.Kc2 Nf4! [Fastest way to win.] 41.Nxf4 Rxf4 42.Qe2 Qa2! [If 43. Kd3 then 43. ...Qd5+ and 44. ...Qxb7. 0-1] .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. Issue 4 End