Game of the week

May 21, 2023 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "1992 Nor'Easter Open"]  [Site "Watertown, MA"]  [White "Maxim Dlugy"]  [Black "Boris Belopolsky"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "C06"]  [WhiteElo "2685"]  [BlackElo "2297"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "63"]  [EventDate "1992.04.??"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "4"]  [EventCountry "USA"]  [SourceTitle "CH May-June 1992"]  [SourceDate "2009.07.13"]  [SourceVersionDate "2009.07.13"]   1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 b6 7. Ne2 Ba6 8. Bxa6  Nxa6 9. O-O (9. Nf4 $1 Be7 10. Qg4 $14) 9... cxd4 $6 (9... Be7 10. Nf4 $14) 10.  Nxd4 $1 Nac5 $6 (10... Nxe5 $2 11. Qa4+) (10... Rc8 11. Qe2 Nab8 12. f4 $14)  11. f4 (11. b4 $5) 11... g6 (11... b5 $5 12. Nxb5 Nd3 13. Nd4 Bc5 14. N2b3 $16)  12. c4 (12. b4 $1 Nd3 13. Qe2 Nxc1 14. Raxc1 $16) 12... Nb8 $1 (12... Nd3 $6  13. cxd5 exd5 14. N2b3 $18) 13. Qf3 a6 $2 (13... Nba6 14. Rd1 $16) 14. cxd5 $2  (14. b4 dxc4 15. Nc2 Qd5 16. bxc5 $18) 14... Qxd5 15. Qxd5 exd5 16. N2f3 Ra7 $2  (16... Ne6 17. Kf2 a5 18. Be3 $14) 17. Be3 Be7 (17... Bh6 $5) 18. Rac1 (18. f5  $1 $16) 18... O-O 19. Rfd1 Rd8 (19... a5 $5) 20. a3 (20. e6 $1 Bd6 21. exf7+  Rxf7 22. Ne5 $16) 20... Rb7 21. h3 (21. b4 $1 Ne6 22. Nxe6 fxe6 23. Nd4 $16)  21... Kf8 $2 (21... Bf8 22. Rc2 a5 23. g4 $16) 22. g4 $6 (22. b4 Ne6 23. f5 $1  $18) 22... Ke8 $2 (22... Kg8 23. b4 $16) 23. f5 Ne4 (23... a5 24. Kg2 $18 {  is marginally better}) 24. e6 (24. b4 $1 $18 {is even stronger}) 24... gxf5 (  24... Bf6 {puts up the stiffest (though insufficient) defense}) 25. gxf5 (25.  Ne5 $1 {would end the game quicker}) 25... Bf6 (25... Nd6 {is another marginal  and irrelevant improvement}) 26. Rc2 ({So is} 26. Bf4) 26... Nd6 $6 {Hastening  the inevitable} (26... a5) 27. b3 $2 (27. Bf4 {would also hasten the inevitable  }) 27... fxe6 28. fxe6 Rg7+ $6 (28... Ke7 {would delay the inevitable}) 29. Kh2  a5 (29... Rg8 {is yet another irrelevant improvement}) 30. a4 (30. Bf4 $1 {  would end the game quicker}) 30... Ne4 $2 (30... Na6 {puts up more resistance  but why?}) 31. Nf5 Rb7 $2 ({If Black wanted to suffer longer, he could play}  31... Nc5) 32. Rg1 1-0

Game of the week

April 2, 2023 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Site "Marshall Chess Club Championship"]  [Date "1969"]  [White "Andrew Soltis"]  [Black "Asa Hoffmann"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "B06"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "41"]  [EventDate "1969.??.??"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "7"]  [EventCountry "USA"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 2.88"]  [Source "Pickard & Son"]  [SourceDate "2003.01.15"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2003.01.15"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Bg5 c5 (4... Nf6 {, transposing into normal  Pirc lines, is better}) 5. dxc5 Qa5 (5... Bxc3+ $1 6. bxc3 Qa5 7. Ne2 Nc6 $11 {  Morales-Moujan, ICCF email 2019}) 6. Qd2 Qxc5 (6... Bxc3 $1 7. Qxc3 Qxc3+ 8.  bxc3 dxc5 9. a4 $14 {Motylev-Inarkiev, Tomsk 2004}) 7. Nd5 Be6 ({The threat is  } 7... Z0 8. Be3 Qc6 9. Bb5) 8. Be3 (8. c4 $5) 8... Qc8 9. Bd4 (9. c4 $1 $14 {  Teuton-Herbert, Montreal 1989}) 9... Bxd4 $2 (9... Nf6 10. Bxf6 exf6 11. O-O-O  $14) 10. Qxd4 f6 11. O-O-O ({Three years later Soltis chose} 11. Qd2 {That  game also resulted in a quick win for White (but 11. O-O-O is better):} Nc6 (  11... Bxd5 12. exd5 $16) 12. Nf3 (12. O-O-O $16) 12... h5 (12... Bf7 $5) 13.  O-O-O (13. Be2 $16) 13... Kf7 $6 (13... Bf7 14. Nh4 $16) 14. Bc4 (14. Nh4 $1  $16) 14... Nh6 (14... Na5 $1 15. Be2 $16) 15. Bb3 (15. Nh4 $1) 15... Qd8 $6 (  15... Kg7 16. Nh4 $16) 16. Nh4 g5 17. Nf5 (17. Nf3 {is somewhat stronger})  17... Bxd5 $2 (17... Nxf5 18. exf5 Bxf5 19. Nb6+ Kg7 20. Nxa8 $16) 18. Qxd5+  Kg6 19. h4 (19. g4 $1) 19... Qd7 $2 (19... g4 20. f3 $18 {would prolong the  game without changing the result}) 20. Nxh6 ({Again,} 20. g4 $1 $18 {is a  bone-crusher}) 20... Kxh6 ({Throwing in} 20... e6 {would also prolong the game,  also needlessly.}) 21. hxg5+ fxg5 22. Rxh5+ $1 {1-0, Soltis-Botterill, Graz  1972}) 11... Nc6 (11... Nd7 12. Ne2 $16 {is a small improvement for Black}) 12.  Qd2 (12. Qc3 $5 $16) 12... h5 (12... Qd8 13. Kb1 $16) 13. Ne2 (13. f4 $5 $16)  13... Nh6 $6 (13... Qd7 14. f4 $16) 14. h3 (14. Nec3 $1 $16) 14... Kf8 $6 (  14... h4 15. Nec3 $16) 15. g4 g5 (15... hxg4 16. Nef4 $18 {is a slower way for  Black to lose}) 16. f4 (16. gxh5 {is a quicker way for White to win}) 16... Nf7  17. fxg5 Nxg5 (17... fxg5 18. gxh5 $18 {puts up slightly more resistance}) 18.  Nef4 ({Again,} 18. gxh5 {is the quick method}) 18... Ne5 ({Bkack is so far  gone that Stockfish prefers dumping the exchange with} 18... hxg4 19. Ng6+) 19.  gxh5 Bf7 (19... Kf7 {is a meaningless improvement}) 20. h4 (20. Nxe7 $1) 20...  Nh7 $2 {The final blunder} (20... Nxe4 21. Qg2 $1) 21. Rg1 1-0

Game of the week

March 5, 2023 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

An international master snatches defeat from the jaws of victory.

[Event "New York Open 1983"]  [White "Igor Ivanov"]  [Black "Walter Shipman"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "D46"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "45"]  [EventDate "1983.??.??"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 2.88"]  [Source "Pickard & Son"]  [SourceDate "2003.01.15"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2003.01.15"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. c4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O (7. e4 $5  dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Bxe4 Nf6 10. Bc2 b6 11. O-O Bb7 12. Qe2 O-O 13. Rd1 h6 $11  ) 7... O-O 8. b3 (8. e4 dxc4 9. Bxc4 e5 10. Be3 b5 11. Bb3 Bb7 12. a3 a6 13.  dxe5 Nxe5 14. Bf4 Nxf3+ 15. Qxf3 Qc7 $11 {Bergmann-Simmelink, LSS email 2014})  8... e5 (8... b6 9. Bb2 Bb7 10. Re1 Re8 $11) 9. cxd5 cxd5 (9... Bb4 $5 10. Ne4  cxd5 11. Nxf6+ Qxf6 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 Qxe5 $11 {Persidsky-Bertot, San  Francisco 2009}) 10. Nb5 (10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. Nd4 Nxd3 12. Qxd3 $11) 10... Bb8  11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Bb2 (12. Nbd4 Nxd3 13. Qxd3 Ne4 $11) 12... Nxf3+ 13. gxf3 (  13. Qxf3 $4 Bg4 $19) 13... Bh3 14. Re1 $2 (14. f4 $5 $11) (14. Kh1 Bxf1 15.  Qxf1 a6 $11 {Clausen-Sorensen, Denmark 1988}) 14... Ne4 15. f4 ({Of course not  } 15. fxe4 $4 Qg5+) 15... Qh4 16. Qf3 Nd2 17. Qd1 $2 (17. Qg3 Qxg3+ 18. hxg3  Nf3+ $17) 17... Bg4 $4 (17... Re8 18. f3 Qxe1+ $1 19. Qxe1 Nxf3+ $19) 18. Qxd2  Bf3 (18... a6 19. Qc3 f6 20. Nd4 $18 {puts up more resistance}) 19. Bf5 {  Did Black overlook this move when he played 17. ... Bg4?} g6 $2 {Because Black  clearly wants to be put out of his misery} 20. Qc3 f6 21. Be6+ Kg7 22. Nd4 Be4  23. f3 1-0

Game of the week

January 29, 2023 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

Unfortunately, grandmaster Sherzer passed away recently.

[Event "US Junior Championship 1988"]  [Site "Amherst, MA"]  [White "Patrick Wolff"]  [Black "Alex Sherzer"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "C07"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "90"]  [EventDate "1988.??.??"]  [EventType "tourn"]  [EventRounds "9"]  [EventCountry "USA"]  [SourceTitle "Chess Horizons?"]  [Source "ChessBase"]  [SourceDate "1998.11.10"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "1998.11.10"]  [SourceQuality "1"]   1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 Nc6 5. Bb5 $6 (5. exd5 {transposes to the  main line}) 5... a6 6. exd5 $6 (6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O (8. c4 $5)  8... Nf6 $1 (8... Ne7 9. Nb3 Bb6 $11 {Kellmann-Meyer, Fuerth 2016}) 9. e5 Nd7  $11) 6... axb5 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. dxc5 (8. c3 $5 Nf6 9. O-O cxd4 10. cxd4 c5 $15)  8... Bxc5 9. O-O Nf6 10. Nb3 Bd6 11. Be3 $6 (11. Bg5 O-O 12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. Nfd4  f5 $15) 11... O-O (11... Nd5 $1) 12. Bc5 Nd5 13. Re1 Re8 (13... Bxc5 $1 14.  Nxc5 Qe7 $15 {Perez Marco-Calonge Gonzalez, ICCF email 2009}) 14. Bxd6 Qxd6 15.  Qd3 e5 16. c4 bxc4 17. Qxc4 Ba6 (17... h5 $1 18. a4 Bg4 19. Nbd2 f6 20. Ne4 Qc7  $11) 18. Qc5 Qf6 19. Rac1 $2 (19. Nbd2 h6 20. a4 Bd3 21. Ne4 Qf4 $11) 19... Nf4  20. Nxe5 $2 (20. Qe3 Nd3 $19 {puts up more resistance}) 20... Ne2+ (20... Be2  $1 21. Nd7 Nh3+ 22. Kh1 Qxf2 23. Qxf2 Nxf2+ 24. Kg1 Nd3 $19 {is even stronger})  21. Rxe2 Bxe2 22. Nxc6 Qxb2 23. Nb4 (23. Ne7+ Kh8 24. Nf5 {is a minimal  improvement}) 23... h6 (23... Ba6 $1) 24. h3 Qe5 (24... Rad8 $1) 25. Qc6 (25.  Nd4 Qf4 $19 {is another small (and meaningless) improvement}) 25... Bb5 26. Qb7  (26. Qc2 $5) 26... Ba4 (26... Ra4 $1) 27. Nd3 (27. Qc7 $5) 27... Qb8 (27... Qd6  $1) 28. Ndc5 (28. Qxb8 Rexb8 $19 {is an insuffiicient improvement}) 28... Qxb7  29. Nxb7 Bxb3 (29... Re2 $1 $19) 30. axb3 Rec8 (30... Ra2 $1 $19) 31. Re1 (31.  Nc5 {is yet another insufficient improvement}) 31... Rab8 (31... Ra6 $1 $19)  32. Nd6 (32. Na5 $5) 32... Rd8 33. Nc4 Rxb3 34. Re7 $6 (34. Ra1) 34... Rf8 $6 (  34... Rb4 $1 35. Ne5 Rd1+ 36. Kh2 f6 $19) 35. Ne3 (35. g3 Rd8 $19) 35... g6 (  35... Rb1+ 36. Kh2 Rb2 $19) 36. Nc4 (36. g4 {is irrelevantly better}) 36...  Rbb8 (36... Rb4) 37. g3 Rbc8 38. Nd6 Rcd8 39. Ne4 Kg7 40. Nc5 (40. Rb7 $5)  40... Rd1+ 41. Kg2 Rc8 42. Ne4 $2 (42. Rd7 Rxd7 43. Nxd7 Rd8 $19 {would  prolong the game}) 42... Rc2 $6 (42... Re1 $1 $19 {is the quick method}) 43.  Rb7 Rc4 (43... Rd4 $5) 44. Kf3 Rdd4 45. Re7 Kf8 0-1

Game of the week

January 22, 2023 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

In memory of Michael Basman who passed away in October.

[Event "Cambridge 1981"]  [White "Michael Basman"]  [Black "James Plaskett"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "A00"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "39"]  [EventDate "1981.??.??"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. g4 e5 2. Bg2 Ne7 (2... Nc6 3. Nc3 Nge7 4. e4 Ng6 $15) 3. d4 exd4 (3... d5 $5  $15) 4. Qxd4 Nbc6 (4... d5 $5) 5. Qa4 Ng6 (5... Rb8 6. Nc3 b5 $11 7. Nxb5 $2 a6  8. Nd4 Rb4 9. Nxc6 Nxc6 10. Qa3 Rxg4 $17) 6. h4 Bc5 (6... Bb4+ 7. Kf1 Nge7 $11)  7. Nc3 Nxh4 $6 (7... Nge5 $11) 8. Bd5 (8. Be4 $1 $14) 8... Qe7 (8... Ne5 9. Bf4  Nhg6 $11) 9. g5 $6 (9. Bf4 Ng6 10. Bxc7 O-O (10... d6 $2 11. Bxc6+ $18) 11.  O-O-O d6 12. Bxc6 Qxc7 13. Be4 Bxf2 14. Nd5 Qd8 $11) 9... Nf5 (9... Ng6 $1 10.  Nf3 Nb4 11. a3 b5 $6 (11... Na6 $11) 12. Qb3 Nc6 $6 (12... Nxd5 13. Nxd5 $14)  13. Bd2 $16 {Note that 13. g6 is not possible as in the game}) 10. Nf3 (10. Bg2  $5) 10... Nb4 $2 (10... Ncd4 $11) 11. a3 b5 $2 (11... Nxd5 12. Nxd5 Qd6 13. c4  $16) 12. Qb3 Nc6 (12... Bxf2+ 13. Kxf2 Qc5+ 14. Ke1 Nxd5 15. Qxd5 $18 {might  (or might not) prolong the game but it gets the queens off}) 13. g6 $1 fxg6 ({  Stockfirsh may prefer} 13... Ncd4 14. Bxf7+ Kf8 15. Qd5 c6 16. Rxh7 $1 Rxh7 17.  gxh7 cxd5 18. h8=Q+ $18 {but it's just as hopeless}) 14. Bg5 Nfd4 (14... Ncd4 {  is a marginal improvement that won't change the outcome}) 15. Nxd4 Qxg5 $6 (  15... Nxd4 16. Bxe7 Nxb3 17. Bxc5 Nxc5 18. Bxa8 c6 19. b4 Ne6 20. a4 $18 {  is a "better" way to lose, according to Stockfish}) 16. Nxc6 Bxf2+ $2 (16...  Bb7 {but it hardly matters at this point}) 17. Kxf2 Rf8+ $2 (17... Bb7 {  Again, it doesn't matter}) 18. Bf3 $2 {Suddenly, instead of being nine points  up, White is only up three (which more than suffices)} (18. Ke1 {and Black can  resign as he nothing but a single spite check and is down two pieces}) 18...  Qc5+ $2 (18... dxc6 19. Rxh7 $18) 19. Kf1 (19. Ke1 {is much better, according  to Stockfish, but the move played is quite sufficient}) 19... dxc6 20. Qb4 ({  Stockfish prefers} 20. Rxh7 {but since Black resigned, the move played must be  good}) 1-0

Game of the week

September 18, 2022 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "Hoenne Open"]  [Site "Menden 2001"]  [White "Vladimir Epishin"]  [Black "Romuald Mainka"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "E11"]  [WhiteElo "2578"]  [BlackElo "2316"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "55"]  [EventDate "2001.??.??"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "9"]  [EventCountry "GER"]  [SourceTitle "Rochade Europa, June 200"]  [SourceDate "2018.01.27"]  [SourceVersionDate "2018.01.27"]   1. d4 e6 2. c4 Bb4+ 3. Bd2 Bxd2+ 4. Qxd2 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 (5... O-O $1 $11) 6. Nf3  (6. Rd1 $1 $14) 6... Qe7 (6... O-O $1 $11) 7. g3 e5 (7... O-O) 8. Bg2 h6 (8...  O-O 9. Rc1 $14) 9. O-O (9. dxe5 $1 dxe5 10. O-O $14) 9... e4 $6 (9... O-O) 10.  Ne1 O-O 11. Nc2 (11. f3 $1 e3 12. Qd3 $16) 11... c6 12. Ne3 (12. d5 $1 $16)  12... Na6 13. a3 (13. f3 $1 exf3 14. Rxf3 $16) 13... Nc7 14. d5 c5 $6 (14... a5  15. dxc6 bxc6 16. Qd4 $14) 15. f3 (15. b4 $1 $16) 15... exf3 16. exf3 Bd7 $6 (  16... Qd8 17. Rfb1 Re8 18. Bf1 b6 19. b4 $14) 17. Rfe1 (17. b4 $1 $16) 17...  Qd8 18. Bf1 Re8 (18... a6 19. b4 $14 {is a small improvement for Black}) 19.  Bd3 (19. b4 $14) 19... Rb8 20. a4 (20. b4 $5) 20... Na6 $2 (20... Re7) 21. Nb5  Nb4 $2 (21... Bxb5 22. axb5 Nb4 23. Rxa7 $16) 22. Nxd6 Rf8 23. Nef5 Nxd3 (23...  Bxf5 24. Nxf5 $18 {is a very slight improvement for Black}) 24. Qxd3 g6 $2 (  24... a6 25. b3 $18) 25. Ne7+ Kg7 26. Nxf7 $1 Rxf7 $2 (26... Qxe7 27. Rxe7 Rxf7  28. Rxf7+ Kxf7 29. Qe3 $18 {would needlessly prolong Black's wretched existence  }) 27. Qxg6+ Kf8 28. Qxh6+ 1-0

Game of the week

August 28, 2022 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "1988 US Junior Championship"]  [Site "Amherst, MA"]  [White "Daniel Edelman"]  [Black "Stuart Rachels"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "B56"]  [WhiteElo "2421"]  [BlackElo "2466"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "64"]  [EventDate "1988.??.??"]  [EventType "tourn"]  [EventRounds "9"]  [EventCountry "USA"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be3 Ng4 7. Bb5 (7. Bg5  h6 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Bc1 Qb6 10. Qd2 e6 $11) 7... Nxe3 8. fxe3 Bd7 9. O-O e6 10.  Bxc6 bxc6 11. e5 Be7 (11... dxe5 $2 12. Qh5 Qe7 13. Nb3 $1 $18) 12. Qh5 O-O 13.  exd6 Bxd6 (13... Bg5 $2 14. Rae1 $16 {Edelman (!)-Balleisen, ICC INT 2015}) 14.  Ne4 $6 (14. Rad1 Qc7 (14... Qb6 $2 15. Nf3 $18) 15. Ne4 Be7 $11) 14... Be7 15.  Rad1 Qb6 16. Rf3 $6 (16. Ng5 Bxg5 17. Qxg5 Qxb2 $15) 16... c5 17. Rh3 h6 18.  Rg3 Kh8 19. Qe5 $2 (19. Nb3 Be8 (19... Rad8 $5 $17) 20. Qg4 Rg8 $17 {  Schaefer-Heimbuch, Germany 1988}) 19... f6 20. Qh5 Be8 21. Qg4 Rf7 22. Nf3 $2 (  22. Nxe6 f5 23. Qg6 fxe4 24. Qxe4 Qc6 $19 {would prolong the game}) 22... f5  23. Qg6 (23. Qh3 fxe4 $19 {is a very small (and irrelevant) improvement for  White}) 23... fxe4 24. Ne5 ({So is} 24. Qxe4) 24... Rf1+ 25. Rxf1 Bxg6 26.  Nxg6+ Kh7 27. Nxe7 Qxb2 28. Ng6 Qxa2 29. h4 a5 30. Nf8+ (30. Rf7 {is the way  to prolong the game (but, given the hurt he's suffering, why would White want  to?)}) 30... Kg8 31. Nd7 a4 (31... Qxc2 {is stronger but just rubs it in}) 32.  Nxc5 Qd5 0-1

Game of the week

August 21, 2022 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "North Carolina 1991"]  [White "Alexander Ivanov"]  [Black "Roman Dzindzichashvili"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "B01"]  [BlackElo "2555"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "79"]  [EventDate "1991.??.??"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Be2 Nxd5 5. d4 Bf5 (5... c5 $1 6. c4 Nf6 7.  d5 e6 8. dxe6 fxe6 $11) 6. Nf3 e6 7. O-O Be7 8. a3 O-O 9. c4 Nb6 10. Nc3 Bg4 (  10... Nc6 11. Be3 Bf6 12. b4 Bg4 13. Ne4 Bxf3 14. Nxf6+ Qxf6 15. Bxf3 Rfd8 (  15... Nxc4 $2 16. Rc1 Nd6 17. Bxc6 bxc6 18. Rxc6 a5 19. Rxc7 $16) 16. Bxc6 bxc6  17. Qb3 $14) 11. Ne5 (11. h3 $1 $14 {Kosintseva-Mohota, Dresden 2008}) 11...  Bxe2 12. Qxe2 Qxd4 13. Rd1 Qh4 14. Nb5 (14. g3 $5) 14... Nc6 $6 (14... Bd8 15.  Rd4 Qe7 $11) 15. Nxc6 bxc6 16. Rd4 Qf6 17. Rf4 Qg6 $6 (17... Qh6 18. Rg4 $14)  18. Rg4 Qf5 $6 (18... Qxg4 19. Qxg4 cxb5 20. cxb5 $16) 19. Nd4 Qc5 20. Be3 Qd6  (20... g6 21. Nxe6 $18 {is a marginal improvement for Black}) 21. c5 Qd5 22.  Nf3 $2 (22. cxb6 $18) 22... Nc8 $2 (22... h5 $1 23. Rd4 Qxc5 24. Rd7 Nxd7 25.  Bxc5 Bxc5 26. Rc1 $14) 23. Rd1 Qh5 24. h3 Bf6 (24... f5 25. Ra4 $18 {is a bit  better than the game for Black}) 25. Bg5 Bxg5 $2 (25... Qg6 26. Nh4 Qxg5 27.  Rxg5 Bxg5 28. Nf3 $18 {is a lot better than the game for Black (but still  quite miserable and lost)}) 26. Rxg5 $2 (26. Nxg5 Ne7 27. Nxe6 Ng6 28. Nxf8 $18  {is curtains}) 26... Qh6 27. Rd7 Qf6 $2 (27... Re8 28. h4 $16) 28. Qe5 Kh8 (  28... Qxe5 29. Nxe5 {puts up more (futile) resistance}) 29. Rxc7 (29. Rg4 $18 {  is quicker}) 29... a5 (29... Re8 {is a meaningless improvement}) 30. Rg4 a4 $2  (30... Ra7 {is a more meaningful but still insufficient improvement}) 31. Rf4  Qg6 $2 (31... Qxe5) 32. Qc3 $6 (32. Nh4 $18 {and it's over}) 32... Ra7 33.  Rfxf7 $1 Qxf7 34. Rxf7 Raxf7 35. Ng5 Rxf2 $6 (35... Rf6) 36. Nxe6 (36. Qd3 $1)  36... Rf1+ 37. Kh2 Rg8 (37... R8f7 38. Qe5 {and Black might get a few more  miserable breaths}) 38. Qd3 Rf6 $2 (38... Rff8) 39. Ng5 g6 40. Qd4 ({It  doesn't matter in the least but the quick mate is} 40. Qd7 Rg7 41. Qd8+ Rg8 42.  Qxf6+ Rg7 43. Qf8+ Rg8 44. Nf7#) 1-0

Game of the week

August 14, 2022 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "National Open 1985"]  [Site "Las Vegas"]  [White "John Donaldson"]  [Black "Viktors Pupols"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "D30"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "70"]  [EventDate "1985.03.??"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "6"]  [EventCountry "USA"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 c6 3. c4 e6 4. Bf4 (4. e3 Nf6 5. Nbd2 c5 $1 6. cxd5 exd5 7. b3  Bd6 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. Bb2 O-O 10. Rc1 Bd6 $11) 4... dxc4 5. e3 b5 6. a4 $6 (6.  Be2 Be7 $11) 6... Nd7 (6... Bb4+ $1 7. Nc3 Nf6 $15) 7. Be2 Bb4+ 8. Kf1 $6 (8.  Nc3 Ngf6 $15) 8... Ngf6 (8... Bb7 $5 $17) 9. b3 c3 $6 (9... O-O 10. axb5 cxb5  11. bxc4 bxc4 12. Bxc4 Bb7 $17) 10. axb5 cxb5 11. Bxb5 Bb7 12. Na3 (12. Qc2 Rc8  $17 {puts up slightly more resistance}) 12... O-O (12... Qb6 $1 $17) 13. Nc2  Be7 (13... Qb6 $17) 14. Ke2 (14. Qe2 a5 $17 {is a small improvement for White})  14... Ne4 (14... Qb6 $1 $19) 15. Bg3 (15. Bd3 a5 $19) 15... h5 $6 (15... a5 $19  ) 16. Ne5 $2 (16. Ba6 Bxa6+ 17. Rxa6 h4 18. Be5 Qc8 $19 {puts up more  resistance}) 16... Nxe5 17. Bxe5 Nd2 18. f3 Nxb3 (18... h4 $19 {is the quick  method}) 19. Ra4 Na5 $2 (19... Nd2 $19) 20. Qa1 Nc6 21. Bg3 $2 (21. Qxc3 Rc8  $17) 21... a5 (21... h4 $1 {is a lot stronger}) 22. Qxc3 Nb4 (22... Qb6 $1) 23.  Nxb4 axb4 24. Rxa8 Qxa8 25. Qa1 Bc6 $2 (25... h4 26. Qxa8 Rxa8 27. Be1 Ra1 $19)  26. Bd3 $2 (26. Bc4 Bd5 27. Bd3 Qb7 $17) 26... Qb7 27. Qb2 (27. Qb1 Ra8 $19)  27... h4 28. Be1 $6 (28. Bf4 h3 $19) 28... Ra8 (28... h3 $1 $19 {is even  stronger}) 29. Bd2 $2 (29. Kf2 h3 $19 {is an irrelevant improvement.}) 29... h3  30. e4 $2 (30. Rb1 {is also irrelevantly better}) 30... hxg2 31. Ra1 $6 (31.  Rd1) 31... Rxa1 32. Qxa1 Bb5 33. Be3 $2 ({and Stockfish says White is only  down 20.4 pawn equivalences vs. 51.89 with the move played} 33. Kf2) 33...  Bxd3+ 34. Kxd3 Qb5+ 35. Kd2 b3 0-1

Game of the week

August 7, 2022 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

[Event "New York"]  [Site "Marshall CC 1981"]  [White "Maxim Dlugy"]  [Black "Sunil Weeramantry"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "A42"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "61"]  [EventDate "1981.??.??"]  [EventRounds "15"]  [EventCountry "USA"]  [EventCategory "4"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. e4 Nc6 (4... e5 5. d5 a5 6. Bd3 Na6 7. a3 $14)  5. d5 Ne5 (5... Bxc3+ $1 6. bxc3 Na5 7. Bd3 $14) 6. f4 (6. Be2 e6 7. f4 Nd7 8.  dxe6 fxe6 9. Qc2 $14) 6... Nd7 7. Nf3 c6 (7... e5 $1 8. dxe6 fxe6 9. g3 $14) 8.  Be2 (8. Be3 $1 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Ngf6 10. Bd3 $16 {Luehrig-Fritsche, DESC email  2004}) 8... cxd5 (8... Nc5 $1 9. e5 $14) 9. cxd5 Qb6 10. Bd3 $6 (10. Nd2 Bxc3  11. bxc3 $14 {Kaczmarek-Vajas, ICCF email 2017}) 10... Nc5 11. Bb5+ $6 (11. Rb1  $14) 11... Kf8 (11... Bd7 $1 12. Bxd7+ Nxd7 $11) 12. e5 (12. Bd3 $5 Nxd3+ 13.  Qxd3 Bg4 $11) 12... Bg4 (12... a6 $5 13. Be3 axb5 14. b4 Ra3 15. Rc1 Qd8 16.  Qd2 Na6 (16... Nd7 $6 17. Nxb5 $2 $16) 17. Qb2 Rxc3 18. Qxc3 Bd7 $11) 13. Be3  dxe5 $2 (13... a6 14. Be2 (14. b4 axb5 $11) 14... Qxb2 $11) 14. fxe5 Bxe5 $2 (  14... Bxf3 15. Qxf3 Bxe5 16. O-O $16) 15. Nxe5 $1 Bxd1 16. Bxc5 Qc7 (16... Qa5  17. Rxd1 $18 {is a trivial improvement for Black. White has plenty of wood for  the queen.}) 17. Nd7+ Kg7 18. Rxd1 f6 19. O-O Qa5 $2 (19... Rd8 20. d6 $18 {  would prolong the game}) 20. Rf4 (20. d6 $1 {is the quick method}) 20... Rd8 $2  (20... h5 21. d6 $18 {is another way that Black could prolong his suffering})  21. Ra4 Qc7 ({Black's position is so bad that Stockfish recommends the  piece-down position after} 21... Qxb5 22. Nxb5 Rxd7 23. Rxa7 $18 {as  preferable to the game}) 22. d6 Qc8 $6 (22... exd6 23. Bxd6 Rxd7 (23... Qc8 24.  Rc4 {gets truly ugly}) 24. Bxd7 $18 (24. Bxc7 $18)) 23. dxe7 Rxd7 $2 (23... Re8  24. Rc4) 24. e8=N+ $1 Kh6 $2 (24... Qxe8 25. Rxd7+ $18 {prolongs the game but  why?}) 25. Be3+ $6 ({The quick method is} 25. Bf8+ Kg5 26. Rd5+ Rxd5 27. h4+  Kh5 (27... Kf5 28. Ng7+ Ke5 29. Re4#) 28. Ng7+ Kh6 29. Nf5+ Kh5 30. g4#) 25...  g5 26. Bxd7 Qb8 27. Nd6 (27. Re4 $1) 27... Kg6 (27... Kg7 {is better but who  cares?}) 28. Bf5+ (28. Bxa7 $1) 28... Kh5 (28... Kg7) 29. Nf7 Ne7 ({After}  29... Nh6 {, White needs twelve moves to checkmate Black}) 30. g4+ Kh4 31. Bf2+  1-0

ALL THINGS HUMAN

HOMO SUM; HUMANI NIL A ME ALIENUM PUTO.

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