Game of the week

September 12, 2021 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "1987 World Open"]  [Site "Philadelphia"]  [White "Patrick Wolff"]  [Black "Larry Christiansen"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "B14"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "81"]  [EventDate "1987.07.??"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventCountry "USA"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Bb4 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8.  Qc2 Nc6 9. Be2 O-O ({The new (2020) edition of ECO gives} 9... Nce7 $11 {  as the main line}) 10. O-O Be7 11. Rd1 Bf6 (11... Ncb4 $1 12. Qb3 b6 13. a3  Nxc3 14. bxc3 Nc6 15. c4 Ba6 $1 $11) 12. Bd3 (12. a3 $5) 12... g6 (12... h6 $11  ) 13. Be4 (13. Bh6 {is slightly better}) 13... Bd7 $6 (13... Nce7 $1 $11) 14.  Bxd5 Nb4 15. Qb3 Nxd5 16. Bh6 Re8 17. Qxb7 Nxc3 18. bxc3 Qc8 $6 (18... Ba4 19.  Re1 $14) 19. Qe4 Bh8 20. Rac1 (20. Qe3 $1 $16) 20... Bc6 21. Qf4 Bxf3 22. Qxf3  Qc4 23. Rb1 Rab8 24. g3 a5 ({Better is} 24... a6 25. Qf4 $14) 25. Qf4 (25. Bf4  $1 $16) 25... Rbd8 26. Rdc1 $6 (26. Bg5 e5 27. dxe5 Rxd1+ 28. Rxd1 Qxa2 29. Bf6  $14) 26... e5 $2 (26... Qxa2 $11) 27. dxe5 Qxa2 (27... Qc6 $5 28. Re1 Qxc3 29.  Rbc1 $16) 28. Rb5 a4 $2 (28... Qe6 29. Rxa5 $16) 29. c4 Re6 $2 (29... Qa3 30.  Rb7 $18) 30. Rb7 f6 31. exf6 $6 {Far from the best move but it doesn't matter;  Black is toast} (31. Qe3 $18 {is best although}) (31. Rb8 $5 Rxb8 32. exf6 $18  {is cuter}) 31... Bxf6 $2 {Black chooses a quick death} (31... Rxf6 32. Qe3 {  prolongs his suffering}) 32. Rb8 Qa3 33. Rd1 $6 ({So White decides to prolong  Black's suffering.} 33. Rxd8+ Bxd8 34. c5 $18 {is the quick method}) 33... Rxb8  (33... Rde8 {is irrelevantly better}) 34. Qxb8+ Kf7 35. Rd7+ Re7 36. Qf8+ Ke6  37. Rd5 Be5 38. Bg5 Qa1+ ({After} 38... h6 {it will take White 21 moves to  checkmate Black}) 39. Kg2 Rc7 ({After} 39... Bd6 {it will take ten moves}) 40.  Qe8+ (40. g4 {Threatening 41. Qg1++ ends the game one move quicker}) 40... Kf5  41. Bf4 1-0

Game of the week

September 5, 2021 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "Chicago Open 1997"]  [White "Nick De Firmian"]  [Black "Aleksander Wojtkiewicz"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "B85"]  [BlackElo "2565"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "77"]  [EventDate "1997.05.??"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "7"]  [EventCountry "USA"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e6 7. a4 Nc6 8. Be3  Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. f4 Re8 11. Kh1 Qc7 (11... Nb4 $5) 12. Bf3 Na5 (12... Rb8 $11  ) 13. Bg1 (13. g4 $5) 13... Bf8 14. Qe1 Rb8 (14... h6 $11) 15. Rd1 (15. Bf2 $5)  15... b6 $2 (15... e5 $1 16. fxe5 (16. Nde2 b5 17. fxe5 dxe5 18. Ng3 Rd8 $11)  16... dxe5 17. Qg3 $1 Bb4 $11) 16. b4 $1 (16. e5 dxe5 17. fxe5 Nd7 18. h3 Bb7  19. Bxb7 Rxb7 $11) 16... Nc4 17. b5 Bb7 18. bxa6 (18. e5 $1 dxe5 19. fxe5 Qxe5  20. Qh4 Bxf3 21. Rxf3 Qh5 22. Qxh5 Nxh5 23. bxa6 $16) 18... Bxa6 19. e5 dxe5  20. Ncb5 Bxb5 (20... Qc8 $5) 21. Nxb5 Qc8 (21... Qe7 $5 22. fxe5 Nd7 23. Nd6  $16) 22. fxe5 Nd5 $6 (22... Nd7 23. Bd4 $16) 23. Rd4 Rd8 (23... Na3 24. Rxd5 $1  exd5 25. Bxd5 Nxb5 26. Bxf7+ Kh8 27. Bxe8 Qxe8 28. axb5 Qxb5 29. e6 $18) 24.  Qe2 Na5 25. Be4 g6 26. Qf3 Rd7 27. Bxd5 (27. Nd6 $1 $18) 27... exd5 28. Rxd5 $6  (28. Nc3 $1 Bg7 29. Nxd5 $18) 28... Qc6 $2 (28... Bg7 29. Rxd7 Qxd7 30. Nd6 $16  ) 29. Rxd7 Qxd7 30. Nd6 Bg7 (30... Bxd6 31. exd6 Nc4 32. Bd4 $18 {offers more  (but futile) resistance}) 31. Qxf7+ $2 (31. Nxf7 Rf8 32. Qe3 $18) 31... Qxf7  32. Nxf7 Nc4 33. e6 Re8 34. Re1 Bf8 $2 (34... Kf8 35. Ng5 h6 36. Nf3 $16) 35.  g4 Nb2 (35... h6 {is irrelevantly better}) 36. Bxb6 (36. Re4 {is even stronger}  ) 36... Nxa4 37. Bd4 Rc8 $2 (37... Bc5 38. c3 $18 {is woefully inadequate but  best for Black}) 38. g5 Be7 $2 {It doesn't matter} 39. Rf1 1-0

Game of the week

August 29, 2021 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "Toronto 1984"]  [White "Michael Wilder"]  [Black "Igor Ivanov"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "E12"]  [WhiteElo "2535"]  [BlackElo "2580"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "80"]  [EventDate "1984.07.??"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "10"]  [EventCountry "CAN"]  [SourceTitle "Inf 03"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 c5 5. d5 exd5 6. cxd5 d6 7. Nc3 (7. e4 a6 8.  Bd3 g6 (8... Nbd7 9. a4 $16 {De Firmian-Wilder, USA 1988}) 9. O-O $14) 7... Be7  (7... Ba6 $1 8. e4 $14) 8. g3 ({Somewhat better is} 8. e4 O-O 9. Bd3 $14) 8...  O-O (8... Nbd7 $5) 9. Bg2 Re8 (9... Nbd7 10. O-O $14 {is slightly better}) 10.  O-O Bg4 (10... Nbd7 11. a4 $14) 11. Qc2 (11. Nd2 $1 $14) 11... Bf8 (11... Na6  12. e4 $14) 12. Nh4 (12. e4 $1 $14) 12... Na6 (12... b5 $1 $11) 13. e4 (13. Bg5  $14) 13... c4 (13... Bd7 $1 $11) 14. Nb5 (14. f4 b5 15. Be3 (15. Nxb5 $2 Qb6+  $19) 15... b4 16. axb4 Nxb4 17. Qd2 a5 $11) 14... Bd7 15. Nd4 $6 (15. a4 g6 16.  Be3 Ng4 17. Bd4 $14) 15... Rc8 (15... Nc5 $11) 16. Nc6 Bxc6 (16... Qc7 $5) 17.  dxc6 Nc5 18. Qxc4 Ncxe4 19. Be3 $2 (19. Bh3 d5 20. Qc2 Rc7 21. Nf5 $16) 19...  d5 20. Qa4 Bc5 21. Nf5 (21. Bh3 Rc7 22. Nf5 g6 23. Nd4 Bxd4 24. Qxd4 (24. Bxd4  $6 Nd2 $15) 24... Rxc6 $11) 21... g6 (21... Qc7 $5 $11) 22. b4 $6 (22. Nd4 Ng4  $15) 22... Nc3 $2 (22... Bxe3 23. Nxe3 d4 $17) 23. Qxa7 $2 (23. Qc2 gxf5 24.  bxc5 $14) 23... Bxe3 24. Nxe3 Rxc6 25. Qa6 Rc8 26. Qd3 $6 (26. Nd1 Ne2+ 27. Kh1  d4 $17) 26... d4 27. Nd1 ({Marginally better is} 27. Nc4 b5 $19) 27... Ne2+ 28.  Kh1 Nc1 29. Qf3 $6 (29. Qb5 {puts up more resistance}) 29... Ne4 30. Qf4 Ne2  31. Qh6 ({According to Stockfish, dumping the queen with} 31. Qxe4 {is best})  31... Rc2 (31... d3 {is the quick method}) 32. a4 $2 (32. Bxe4 Rxe4 33. Qh3 Qd5  $19 {is a lot better (not that it matters)}) 32... Nd2 33. a5 $6 (33. Qh4)  33... bxa5 (33... Nxf1 {is better}) 34. bxa5 $6 (34. Qh3) 34... Nxf1 35. a6  Nfxg3+ 36. hxg3 Nxg3+ 37. Kh2 (37. fxg3 Re1+ 38. Kh2 Qa8 39. Qh3 Ree2 $19)  37... Nh5 38. Bh3 (38. Qxh5 {delays the inevitable checkmate}) 38... Qc7+ 39.  Kg1 Re1+ 40. Bf1 Rxf2 $1 0-1

Game of the week

August 22, 2021 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "1978 Paul Masson Open"]  [Site "Saratoga, CA"]  [White "Florin Gheorghiu"]  [Black "Paul Whitehead"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "E88"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "73"]  [EventDate "1978.??.??"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "4"]  [EventCountry "USA"]  [SourceTitle "CL, Oct 2007"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 O-O 5. Be3 d6 6. f3 e5 {The main line when  this game was played.} 7. d5 c6 8. Bd3 (8. Qd2 $5) 8... cxd5 (8... b5 9. Nge2  b4 10. Na4 c5 11. O-O $14) 9. cxd5 Nh5 10. Nge2 f5 11. Qd2 Nd7 (11... Na6 $5)  12. O-O-O $6 (12. exf5 $16) 12... a6 $2 (12... f4 13. Bf2 $14) 13. exf5 gxf5  14. Ng3 Nxg3 15. hxg3 b5 (15... e4 $5 16. Bh6 Bxh6 (16... exd3 $2 17. Bxg7 $18)  17. Qxh6 Rf7 18. fxe4 Ne5 19. Bc2 Ng4 20. Qh5 Ne3 (20... Nf2 21. exf5 Nxd1 22.  Rxd1 Bd7 23. g4 $16) 21. g4 Nxd1 22. Rxd1 fxe4 23. Nxe4 $16) 16. Bh6 (16. g4 $1  $18) 16... Qe7 $6 (16... Bxh6 17. Qxh6 Nf6 18. g4 Qc7 19. g5 Ne8 (19... Nxd5 $2  20. Bc4 $1 $18) 20. Kb1 $16) 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 (17... Qxg7 $5 18. Rh5 $18) 18. Rh5  $2 (18. g4 Nc5 19. Bc2 b4 20. Ne2 Rb8 21. Kb1 Kg8 22. Rh5 $18) 18... Nc5 $2 (  18... Nf6 19. Rh4 $16) 19. Rdh1 (19. Bc2 $1 $18) 19... Kh8 (19... Nxd3+ 20.  Qxd3 $18 {puts up more resistance}) 20. g4 ({Again} 20. Bc2 $1 $18) 20... b4 ({  Again} 20... Nxd3+ {puts up more resistance}) 21. Ne2 (21. Nd1 $18 {is even  better}) 21... e4 $6 ({Last chance for} 21... Nxd3+) 22. Bc2 Ra7 23. Nf4 Qg7 (  23... Kg8 {is better but not by enough to matter}) 24. Rxh7+ Qxh7 25. Ng6+ Kg8  26. Rxh7 Rxh7 27. Nxf8 Rh1+ 28. Bd1 Kxf8 29. Qg5 Bd7 ({The best try (and it's  not very good) is} 29... e3 30. Qf6+ Ke8 31. Qxd6 e2 32. Qe5+ $18) 30. Kd2 $6 (  {The quick way is} 30. Qf6+ Ke8 31. Qg6+ Ke7 32. gxf5 $18) 30... fxg4 31. Qf6+  (31. fxg4 $1 $18) 31... Ke8 32. Qxd6 (32. Qg6+ $1 Ke7 33. fxe4 $18) 32... exf3  (32... e3+ 33. Kxe3 Rxd1 34. Qxc5 $18 {might hold out a move or two longer})  33. gxf3 Nd3 (33... g3 {is a "better" way to lose (according to Stockfish)})  34. Be2 (34. Qg6+) 34... Nc1 35. Qxb4 $6 (35. Qg6+ Kf8 (35... Kd8 36. d6) 36.  Qf6+ Kg8 37. Qd8+ $18) 35... Nxa2 $2 (35... Nxe2 36. fxg4 $18) 36. Qe4+ Kf7 37.  fxg4 1-0

Just like boxing–only not as clean

August 20, 2021 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

Back in the days of rival world champions, chess was often compared to boxing. That comparison remains apt, only boxing is cleaner.

nytimes.com

www.nytimes.com

Game of the week

August 15, 2021 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "Alicante 1975"]  [White "Heikki Westerinen"]  [Black "Raymond Keene"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "C05"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "91"]  [EventDate "1975.??.??"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. c3 f5 $6 (6... Nc6 {  is the main line}) 7. Ndf3 (7. Ngf3 $14) 7... Be7 (7... Nc6 8. Be3 $14) 8. h4  $6 (8. Ng5 $14) 8... h5 $2 (8... h6 $11) 9. Ng5 Nf8 (9... Qb6 10. a4 $16) 10.  Be3 (10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. b4 Be7 12. Be3 $16 {is a bit stronger}) 10... b6 (10...  cxd4 11. Qxd4 $16) 11. Be2 (11. N1f3 $5) 11... g6 12. c4 (12. N1f3 $16) 12...  Bb7 $6 (12... cxd4 13. Qxd4 Nc6 14. Qd1 dxc4 15. Bxc4 $16) 13. Bf3 $6 (13. N1f3  $16) 13... Qd7 $6 (13... cxd4 14. Bxd4 Bxg5 15. hxg5 $14) 14. Rc1 $6 (14. cxd5  exd5 15. N1h3 $16) 14... Na6 (14... cxd4 $1 15. Bxd4 $14) 15. Ne2 (15. cxd5  exd5 16. dxc5 bxc5 17. b4 $1 c4 (17... Nxb4 18. Bxc5 $16) (17... cxb4 18. Ne2  Nc7 19. Nd4 $16) (17... Rc8 18. bxc5 $14) 18. Rxc4 $1 dxc4 19. Qxd7+ Nxd7 20.  Bxb7 Bxb4+ 21. Kf2 Nc7 22. Bxa8 Nxa8 23. Bxa7 $14) 15... dxc4 16. Rxc4 (16. O-O  $14) 16... Bxf3 17. Nxf3 Rd8 $6 (17... b5 18. Rc1 c4 $11) 18. O-O Nh7 $6 {  Note how this knight sits on h7 for the rest of the game} (18... Qc6 19. a4 $14  ) 19. Rc1 (19. Qa4 $1 $16) 19... Kf7 (19... O-O 20. dxc5 bxc5 21. a3 $14) 20.  Qb3 (20. a3 $5) 20... Qd5 (20... Rhe8 21. Nc3 $16) 21. dxc5 $6 (21. Rc4 $1 $16)  21... Qxb3 22. axb3 Nxc5 23. b4 Nd3 24. Rc7 Nxb4 25. Rxa7 Nd5 26. Bd4 (26. Bd2  $16) 26... Ra8 27. Rfa1 Rxa7 28. Rxa7 Rc8 $6 (28... Rd8 29. g3 Nf8 30. Nc3 $14)  29. Kf2 $6 (29. g3 $16) 29... b5 (29... Nf8 30. Nc3 Ke8 (30... Nxf4 31. Ng5+  Ke8 32. Nb5 $16) 31. g3 Nxc3 32. Bxc3 $16) 30. g3 (30. Nc3 Nxf4 31. Nxb5 $16)  30... Rc7 $6 (30... b4 31. Be3 Rc2 (31... Nxe3 32. Kxe3 Ke8 33. Ned4 Nf8 34.  Rb7 $18) 32. b3 $16) 31. Rxc7 Nxc7 32. Nc3 Bb4 33. Ke3 $2 (33. Bb6 $18) 33...  Ke8 $6 (33... Nf8 34. Nd2 Nd7 35. Nb3 $14) 34. Kd3 Kd7 (34... Nf8 35. Bf2 Ba5  36. Bc5 Nd7 37. Bd6 $16) 35. Bb6 Bxc3 36. Bxc7 $2 (36. bxc3 Na6 37. Nd4 $18)  36... Bxb2 37. Bd6 Bc1 $2 (37... Nf6 $1 $11) 38. Nd4 (38. Bb4 $1 $18) 38... Bb2  (38... g5 $5 {is a swindle attempt that doesn't work but is still better than  the game} 39. Ne2 (39. fxg5 Nxg5 40. hxg5 Bxg5 41. Ke2 h4 42. gxh4 Bxh4 43.  Nxb5 Bg3 $18 {and eventually White may be forced to demonstrate that he can  checkmate with bishop and knight (since he's a grandmaster, prresumably he can)  }) 39... gxh4 40. gxh4 Bb2 41. Kc2 $18) 39. Ne2 $2 (39. Nxb5 $18) 39... Kc6 $2  (39... Nf6 $1 40. Kc2 Ba1 41. Kb1 Ne4 42. Bb4 (42. Kxa1 Nxd6 43. exd6 Kxd6 44.  Nd4 e5 45. Nxb5+ Kc5 46. Nc3 e4 $11) 42... Bxe5 43. fxe5 g5 44. Kc2 $16) 40.  Kc2 Ba1 (40... Nf6 {no longer works but is still an improvement, e.g.,} 41.  Kxb2 Ng4 42. Nd4+ $18) 41. Kb1 Bxe5 (41... Nf6 {is still a (slight) fruitless  improvement}) 42. fxe5 g5 43. Be7 $1 {The knight does not get out of its prison  } f4 (43... Kd7 44. Bxg5 Nf8 45. Nf4 $18 {at least frees the knight}) 44. hxg5  Kd7 (44... f3 45. Nd4+) 45. g6 f3 46. Bc5 1-0

Game of the week

August 8, 2021 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "Boston 1972"]  [White "John Curdo"]  [Black "Norman Weinstein"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "A02"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "59"]  [EventDate "1972.??.??"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. f4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. g3 c5 (3... Nf6 $5 4. Bg2 d5 $11) 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. O-O d6 (  5... d5 $11) 6. d3 (6. e4 e5 $5 7. f5 $5 (7. d3 Nge7 $11) 7... gxf5 8. d3 Nge7  $11) 6... e6 7. e4 Nge7 8. Qe1 $5 (8. c3 O-O $11) 8... O-O (8... Rb8 $5 $11) 9.  Nc3 (9. c3 $5) 9... Qd7 (9... Rb8 $11) 10. Be3 (10. e5 Nd5 $11) 10... b6 (10...  Nd4 $5 $11) 11. Rd1 (11. Bf2 Bb7 $11) 11... Ba6 (11... Nd4 $1 12. Qf2 Nxf3+ 13.  Bxf3 Ba6 $11) 12. Qf2 $6 (12. Rf2 Nd4 $11) 12... d5 13. Bc1 d4 $6 (13... Rad8  $15) 14. Nb1 Rac8 (14... Rad8 $11) 15. Rfe1 (15. a3 $5) 15... b5 $6 (15... e5  $5 $11) 16. g4 $6 (16. Nbd2 $14) 16... f6 17. Kh1 $6 (17. c3 Qc7 18. a3 Bb7 $11  ) 17... e5 $5 (17... Bb7) 18. f5 c4 $6 (18... Bb7 $11) 19. Qh4 $2 (19. c3 $1  cxd3 20. cxd4 Nxd4 21. Rxd3 $14) 19... Nb4 20. Bh3 $2 (20. dxc4 Nxc2 21. Re2  Rxc4 $17) 20... cxd3 (20... Nxc2 $19) 21. cxd3 Rxc1 $1 22. Rxc1 g5 $2 (22...  Nxd3 $19) 23. Qg3 Nxd3 $6 (23... Nxa2 $11) 24. Nxg5 $1 Nxc1 25. Ne6 Rc8 $6 (  25... Qc6 26. g5 fxg5 27. Qxg5 Rf7 28. Qxc1 $14) 26. g5 Kh8 $2 (26... Nd5 27.  exd5 Bb7 28. Bg2 $16) 27. Nxg7 Ng8 $6 (27... Nd5 28. Nh5 $18 {puts up more  (fruitless) resistance}) 28. Ne6 Qe7 29. g6 hxg6 $2 (29... Nh6 {prolongs the  game for no good reason}) 30. fxg6 1-0

Game of the week

July 25, 2021 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "Arandjelovac 1981"]  [White "S. Radojcic"]  [Black "Dragoljub Velimirovic"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "A77"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "68"]  [EventDate "1981.??.??"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 d6 4. Nc3 g6 5. e4 Bg7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Be2 e6 8. O-O  exd5 9. cxd5 Re8 10. Nd2 Nbd7 11. h3 a6 12. a4 Rb8 13. Qc2 (13. a5 $1 $14)  13... Qc7 $6 (13... Ne5 14. f4 $14) 14. b3 c4 (14... Nxe4 $6 15. Ndxe4 Rxe4 16.  Qxe4 Bxc3 17. Ra2 $16) 15. bxc4 b5 $6 (15... Nc5 16. Ba3 $14) 16. axb5 axb5 17.  Rb1 $2 (17. Ra2 $16) 17... b4 18. Nd1 $2 (18. Na2 Qa5 $11) 18... Nc5 19. Bf3 $6  (19. f3 Bd7 20. Bb2 Ra8 $17) 19... Bd7 20. Nb2 $2 (20. Ne3 Ba4 $17) 20... b3  21. Qd1 Nfxe4 (21... Qa7 $1 $19) 22. Nxe4 Nxe4 23. Bxe4 Rxe4 24. Bd2 Rd4 (24...  Ree8 $1 $19) 25. Qc1 Bf5 26. Ra1 Rxd2 $1 27. Qxd2 Bc2 28. Qc1 Qb6 (28... Qc5 $1  $19) 29. Rb1 (29. Ra3 {puts up more (futile) resistance}) 29... Qd4 (29... Bxb1  $19 {is quicker}) 30. Nd1 (30. Qe3 {also puts up more futile resistance}) 30...  Bxb1 31. Qxb1 b2 (31... Qxc4 $19 {is irrelevantly better}) 32. Ne3 Ra8 (32...  Be5 $1 {is also irrelevantly better}) 33. Nc2 $6 (33. Nd1 Ra1 34. Qxb2 Qxb2 35.  Nxb2 Rxf1+ 36. Kxf1 Bxb2 {prolongs the game and allows White to escape into a  piece-down endgame}) 33... Qxc4 34. Re1 Qc3 0-1

Game of the week

July 18, 2021 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "1994 Philadelphia Open"]  [White "Loek Van Wely"]  [Black "David Gertler"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "D20"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "57"]  [EventDate "1994.??.??"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 Nc6 (3... e5 $1 $11 {is the main line}) 4. Be3 (4.  Nf3 $14) 4... Nf6 5. f3 $5 (5. Nc3) 5... e5 6. d5 Ne7 $6 (6... Na5 7. Qa4+ c6  8. Bd2 b6 9. Bxc4 (9. Bxa5 $2 bxa5 10. Nc3 Bb4 $17 {Wcislo-Piesik, Gorzow  Wielkopolski 2008}) 9... Nxc4 10. Qxc6+ Nd7 11. Qxc4 (11. Qxa8 $2 Nxb2 $17)  11... a5 $15) 7. Bxc4 (7. Nc3 $1 $14) 7... Ng6 $6 (7... c6 8. dxc6 Qxd1+ 9.  Kxd1 Nxc6 10. Ne2 Bd7 $11) 8. Ne2 Bd6 (8... Be7 9. Bb5+ $14 {is somewhat better  }) 9. O-O O-O 10. Nbc3 Qe7 (10... a6 11. Qd2 $14 {is also slightly better}) 11.  Qd2 a6 (11... Nh5 $5) 12. Rac1 (12. Bb3 $14) 12... Kh8 $6 (12... Nh5 13. a3 $14  ) 13. Kh1 (13. Ng3 $14) 13... Bd7 (13... Nh5 14. Ng3 $14) (13... b5 14. Bd3 $14  ) 14. Ng3 Nf4 (14... b5 15. Be2 $14) 15. Nf5 $6 (15. Bb3 $14) 15... Bxf5 16.  exf5 Nd7 $6 (16... Bb4 17. g3 b5 18. Bb3 N4xd5 19. Nxd5 Bxd2 20. Nxe7 Bxe3 21.  Rxc7 $14) 17. Ne4 (17. Rfe1 $5 $16) 17... Rac8 18. Bb3 g6 $6 (18... Nh5 19.  Rfe1 Nhf6 20. Qf2 $16) 19. Nxd6 $6 (19. g3 $16) 19... Qxd6 $2 (19... cxd6 20.  Rce1 (20. Bxf4 $6 exf4 21. Qxf4 Qf6 $11) 20... Qd8 21. g3 $16) 20. g3 Nh5 21.  f4 $1 f6 (21... Rce8 22. fxe5 Rxe5 (22... Nxe5 $2 23. Bc5 $18) 23. Bd4 $18 {  is better, which is a good indication of bad Black's position is}) 22. fxe5 $2  (22. fxg6 exf4 (22... hxg6 23. f5 $18) 23. Bd4 c5 24. dxc6 Rxc6 25. Rcd1 $18)  22... fxe5 23. g4 Ng7 24. fxg6 Qxg6 $6 (24... Rxf1+ 25. Rxf1 Qxg6 26. h3 $16)  25. Qg2 $6 (25. Rg1 $18) 25... Qd3 $2 (25... Rxf1+ 26. Rxf1 $16) 26. Bg1 $2 (  26. Rfe1 $18) 26... Qg6 $6 (26... Rxf1 27. Rxf1 $16) 27. Bc2 Qg5 $2 (27... Qh6  28. Rfe1 $18 {would prolong the game with little chance of changing the outcome  }) 28. Qh3 h5 $2 (28... e4 29. Bxe4 h5 30. gxh5 $18 {would prolong the game  with no chance of changing the outcome}) 29. Qd3 1-0

Game of the week

July 11, 2021 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "1978 World Open"]  [White "Michael Valvo"]  [Black "Florin Gheorghiu"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "A30"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "64"]  [EventDate "1978.07.??"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventCountry "USA"]  [SourceTitle "CL, Oct 2007"]   1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 b6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 e6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Qxd4 Be7 8. O-O  d6 9. b3 O-O 10. Bb2 a6 (10... Nbd7 $1 $11) 11. Rfe1 (11. Qd1 $5) 11... Nbd7  12. e4 (12. Qd2 $5) 12... Qc7 (12... Qb8 $1 $11) 13. Qd2 (13. Qe3 $5) 13...  Rfe8 (13... Rac8 $5) 14. Nd4 Bf8 15. Rad1 Rad8 (15... Rac8 $1 $11) 16. Nc2 (16.  h3 Qb8 17. Ba1 Qa8 18. Kh2 $14 {`Gipslis-Kasparov, Moscow 1979}) 16... Qb8 (  16... h5 $1 $11) 17. Qf4 (17. Qe2 $5) 17... Ba8 (17... Rc8 $11) 18. g4 $5 (18.  Ba3 Nc5 $11) 18... Ne5 19. g5 Ng6 20. Qe3 $6 (20. Qf3 Nh4 21. Qg3 Nxg2 22. Qxg2  Nd7 $11) (20. Qg3 Nh5 21. Qg4 Nhf4 $11) 20... Nh5 21. Ne2 d5 $1 {The standard  freeing move against the Maroczy bind} 22. e5 $2 (22. Bf3 Nhf4 23. Nxf4 Nxf4  24. exd5 Nh3+ 25. Kg2 exd5 26. Be5 Qc8 $15) 22... Nh4 (22... dxc4 $1 23. Bf3  Rd3 24. Rxd3 cxd3 25. Qxd3 Bc5 $17) 23. Bf3 (23. cxd5 Qc8 24. Ncd4 Nxg2 25.  Kxg2 Rxd5 $17) 23... Nxf3+ ({The immediate} 23... g6 $1 {is even better}) 24.  Qxf3 g6 25. cxd5 Bxd5 (25... Rxd5 $1) 26. Qg4 $2 (26. Qe3) 26... Ba8 27. Ne3 (  27. Bd4 Rd7 $19) 27... b5 28. h4 (28. Bc3 Qb7 29. Qg2 Rxd1 30. Rxd1 Qc7 31. Qg4  Rd8 $19) 28... Rxd1 (28... Bc5 $1 $19) 29. Rxd1 Rd8 30. Bd4 Qb7 31. Qg2 $2 (31.  f3 Qxf3 32. Qxf3 Bxf3 33. Kf2 Bxe2 34. Kxe2 Ng3+ $19 {would prolong the game})  31... Qf3 32. Rd2 $2 (32. Qxf3 Bxf3 $19 {would also prolong the game but to  what end?}) 32... Qxe2 0-1

ALL THINGS HUMAN

HOMO SUM; HUMANI NIL A ME ALIENUM PUTO.

Category Archives: chess

Game of the week

Game of the week

Game of the week

Game of the week

Just like boxing–only not as clean

Game of the week

Game of the week

Game of the week

Game of the week

Game of the week