Reading version - New Mexico Chess Organization

Transcription

NDesert Knight N
The official publication of the New Mexico Chess Organization
October 2006
Three tie at Tricentennial
From the Editor
The Albuquerque Open and Santa Fe Open both ended in a three-way tie. In the absence of
masters, our strongest experts and class players got a chance to shine.
Ron Kensek sent a great article about his trip to the National Open, including noteworthy
games against the late GM Aleks Wojtkiewicz and alleged World Open cheater Eugene Varshavsky. Frank Chen and Anna Smoak represented our state well at their respective tournaments of national HS champs held in Chicago. Frank sent three of his upset games and I had a
lot of fun annotating them.
I've made a few format changes for this issue and beyond. Puzzles have their own page; they're
no longer broken up and scattered throughout the magazine as a space-filler. The Top 50 USCF
members list has been discontinued (but the Top 50 Active list will remain). The DK webpage
now has all the games in the issue (and some extras that were cut due to space limitations) in an
interactive Java viewer for easy play-through. View it at http://doubleexclam.home.comcast.net
/DesertKnight/DK_Webpage.htm.
-Ryan McCracken
Editor, Desert Knight
NMCO Officers
Desert Knight Staff
Jeffrey Burch
President
[email protected]
Ryan McCracken
DK Editor
[email protected]
Vice-President
[email protected]
Treasurer
[email protected]
Dale Gibbs
Dean Brunton
Scout Veitch
Tournament
Organizer
[email protected]
Art Byers
Secretary
[email protected]
Susan Koenig
Webmaster
[email protected]
The Desert Knight is the official
publication of the New Mexico
Chess Organization, © 2006.
NMCO is the official state affiliate
of the US Chess Federation.
All games are annotated by Ryan
McCracken and Fritz 9, unless otherwise noted.
Contributors
Ron Kensek Jim Johnston
Jeff Sundell
Damian Nash Richard Sherman Art Byers
Frank Chen
Anna Smoak
Send games, articles and photos for the DK to
NMCO, P.O. Box 4215, Albuquerque, NM
87196, or e-mail the Editor.
Explanation of Symbols
Games in the DK contain punctuation to denote move quality and symbols to denote the
side with the advantage.
Excellent
!!
White winning
+−
Good
!
White advantage ±
Interesting !?
White slight edge ²
Dubious
?!
Equal
=
Bad
?
Black slight edge ³
Blunder
??
Black advantage ∓
Only move ™
Better move
¹
On the cover:
Boris Ratner, Cesar Guevarra, and Munir
Hammad tied for first in the Albuquerque
Tricentennial Open.
Photo: Jeff Burch
2
5
21
23
29
Contents
From the Editor................................................. 2
Letters to the Editor ........................................... 3
President's Message ............................................ 4
Albuquerque Tricentennial Open ............................ 5
A Game from the B&N Simul................................. 21
NM Chess Picnic................................................ 23
Denker and Polgar Report.................................... 24
NM Blitz Championship ....................................... 28
Santa Fe Open ................................................. 29
Upcoming Events .............................................. 37
Puzzles and Problems......................................... 38
My First National Open ....................................... 39
4th Annual DK Quiz............................................ 44
Solutions to Puzzles ........................................... 46
Clubs ............................................................ 47
New Mexico Top 50 ........................................... 48
Letters to the Editor
Richard Sherman received a letter from Paul Phillips' daughter (whose husband, Bill
Syne, used to play at the Coronado Chess Club) regarding his article published in the
June '06 DK. He has given us permission to share it with our readers. -Ed.
Dear Dick,
Thank you so much for sending a copy of the wonderful article you wrote about my
father. What a gift it was to receive it! Today is my sister’s birthday and of course
with the marking of years comes the thought of those (especially my parents) not here
to share the day. The article was an incredible tribute to my father. I know he loved to
talk and have people listen to his thoughts about the world and his experiences. And I
suppose some folks might have felt this to be taxing at times. But your writing reveals
that you truly relished what he had to say and really appreciated who he was. Although he was small in stature, he had an effect on the world and the people who
knew him. As his daughter, I really never got enough of his stories or his wisdom.
Needless to say, I miss him every day and I really am lost at times without him in the
world. Your article brought him back a little bit and I am grateful to you for that.
I was blessed to have such a unique father. Likewise, he was lucky to have a friend
and companion like you who seemed to understand and enjoy him.
As for Bill and chess, I will encourage him to start playing again. Now that our kids
are out of the house, we have more free time.
Thank you so much for the tribute to my father. I will share it with my siblings…it is
priceless.
Sincerely, Joyce Phillips
3
President's Message
All good things must come to an end!
It has been my pleasure and privilege to serve multiple terms as NMCO President and
Vice-President. Having been an expert for nearly 20 years, and having seen my rating
decline significantly during my terms, I am highly motivated to return to over the
board play and move away from administration (anyway, serving in a volunteer organization for six years is a long time!). NMCO is running smoothly with a superb set
of officers, many of whom will remain, so I expect no problems with a transition to a
new president. I will cherish many memories of New Mexico chess activities during
my terms of office, but among my favorites are the Santa Fe Chess Festival held in
August 2004 with Grandmaster Akobian, and the Chess Picnics with our special
guests and chocolate chess set blitz games.
In specific chess matters, I’d like to communicate some information which has not
been finalized at this point, but which the current NMCO board continues to work on
regarding future events. We enjoyed the recent Santa Fe Open so much that we’d like
to make that site permanent for our tournaments, possibly for more than simply the
SFO itself. We’re hoping that local Santa Fe chess players may be able to sustain the
SFO, using NMCO as a source of advertisement rather than setup and operation. We
are strongly considering shuffling the current majors by moving the Albuquerque
Open to the January slot (although we are also contemplating a move into February to
space out our majors and Desert Knight production). If this happens, we would move
the Memorial/Senior Tournament to June in Santa Fe. While the Marriott Hotel is a
very nice site, we cannot afford to continue to play there – our ability to do so in the
past was largely due to unexpected financial donors and money raised through our
other tournaments.
We are also contemplating a joint fundraising event with the Albuquerque Symphony,
and are expanding our marketing and publicity contacts with the hope that these will
eventually pay off for us. We continue to contact numerous Albuquerque merchants
to see whether ads can be purchased in the DK or donations/contributions to our prize
funds can be made. I spoke to the local Rotary Club on September 28 about chess in
New Mexico, and already we’ve had an offer of a restaurant gift certificate and some
suggestions on new playing venues from them. More such community connections
are needed.
Finally, I will again make a call I’ve made repeatedly during my tenure – we need
more volunteers. A handful of the same people do the vast overwhelming majority of
the work to make our tournaments happen, and these same people would prefer to be
playing more chess. Even if you cannot serve as an officer, please donate some time,
game analysis, photos, ideas, or prize-worthy items for the sake of improved chess
throughout New Mexico. The more people volunteer, the less each individual will
have to do. New ideas for fundraising are also welcome.
"Chess, like love, like music, has the power to make men happy." – GM Siegbert
Tarrasch.
Dr. J (Jeffrey Neil Burch)
Outgoing President, NMCO
4
Albuquerque Tricentennial Open
Marriott Hotel, June 24-25, 2006
Munir Hammad and Cesar Guevarra joined NM Senior Champ and #1 seed Boris
Ratner in the winner's circle. Guevarra was content to play in a passive, yet solid
style, defying his opponents to break through. The strategy worked outstandingly
well, despite its occasional positional ugliness, as he first frustrated and broke down
expert Santillan in Round 4, and denied Ratner a clean win in Round 5. Boris was
forced to settle for a draw after trapping his own Rook in his eagerness to finish
things off.
Munir shrugged off a 2nd round pasting at the hands of Carlos Santillan by winning
all of his other games. He capped his performance with a bloody King hunt against
Jeff Sundell, when the latter took liberties with an old King's Gambit line.
The Open and U1800 sections begin round 1
Photo: Jeff Burch
The Under 1800 section was won cleanly by Nathan Mensay. He survived a wild
game in round 3 versus Michael Bustamante, garnering a draw after a tense struggle.
He out-calculated Jonathan Gardner in round 4, and took out the up and coming John
Flores in round 5 to seal the deal.
NM's Polgar representative, Anna Smoak, turned in a strong performance to win the
U1400 section. She does not usually turn in her games for publication, so it's fortunate that her last-round opponent, and 2nd place finisher, Ed Steinfeld, did.
In the U1000 section, Misha Poerio and Michael Brown drew one another and beat all
other comers to tie for first.
5
Desert Knight
October 2006
Pqfo!Tfdujpo
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Name
Boris Ratner
Munir Hammad
Cesar Guevarra
Richard Sherman
Robert Hampton
Carlos Santillan
John Arthur III
Dean Brunton
Peter Berzanskis
Jeffrey Sundell
Douglas Thigpen
Silas Perry
Rodelio Ronquillo
Ruben Sbarge
Ryan McCracken
Rtng.
2138
1820
1690
1804
1682
2074
UNR
1751
1800
1814
1410
1861
1699
1226
1873
1
W9
W11
H-L7
D12
W8
W4
L6
L1
W14
L2
D5
D15
L10
D13
2
W7
L6
W12
D11
W13
W2
L1
W9
L8
W15
D4
L3
L5
B-L10
3
D6
W7
W10
W13
H-D1
L2
H-D11
L3
D9
W14
L4
L12
H--
4
W10
W5
W6
D8
L2
L3
W14
D4
W13
L1
W12
L11
L9
L7
U--
5
Tot.
D3
4.0
W10
4.0
D1
4.0
W12
3.0
W11
3.0
U-2.5
D8
2.5
D7
2.5
W14
2.5
L2
2.0
L5
2.0
L4
1.5
B-1.5
L9
1.0
U-1.0
1st-3rd
1st-3rd
1st-3rd
$133.33
$133.33
$133.33
which can't be evaded by 29...Kf7 due to
30.h4 (with the idea of simply opening
lines) 30...Rh8? 31.Ne4! dxe4 32.d5
with a decisive assault on the pinned N.
27...Nxe8= 28.Qg5 Nf6 29.fxg6 Qb1+
30.Kh2 hxg6 31.Bd2 Ne7? 32.Bf4
32.Nh5+! Nxh5 33.Qxe7+ Kh8 34.Qe5+
picks up a valuable center pawn.
32...Neg8 33.Be5 Kf7 34.Ne2 Qd3
35.Nf4 Qf5 36.Qg3 Nh5
¹36...g5 kicks the N off a good square.
37.Nxh5 Qxh5 38.Qc3 a4 39.Qa5
Mayor Chavez could not attend as planned, so Barry Bitzer, his chief-of-staff,
pushed the first pawn in the following
game.
R: Boris Ratner (2138)
r: Peter Berzanskis (1800)
2006 Albuquerque Tricentennial Open, Round 1
White wins the duel of the Queens.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+
5.bxc3 d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.e3 0−0 8.Bd3
b6 9.Ne2 Ba6 10.0−0 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 c5
12.Ng3 Re8 13.Bb2 c4 14.Qc2 Nc6
15.Rae1 b5 16.f3 a5 17.e4 b4 18.e5
Nd7 19.f4 Qb6 20.Qd2 g6 21.Kh1 f5
22.exf6 Nxf6 23.f5 Rxe1 24.Rxe1 bxc3
25.Bxc3 Kg7?
¹25...Re8 contests the file.
26.h3
26.Qg5! threatens fxg6 followed by
Nf5+ and an attack on the dark squares,
so Black has to admit his mistake and
play 26...Kf7±
26...Re8
26...Nd8 is needed to 'greet' the wQ,
should she land on g5.
27.Rxe8
27.Rf1! gives Black difficulty holding
on to both his Kingside and a5 pawn.
27...Qd8 28.fxg6 hxg6 29.Qg5+− sets
up bothersome N checks on h5/f5,
wdwdwdnd
dwdwdkdw
wdwdwdpd
!wdpGwdq
pdp)wdwd
)wdwdwdP
wdwdwdPI
dwdwdwdw
A pawn must fall...but which?
39...Qd1??
Saving the wrong pawn. ¹39...Ne7
40.Qxd5+ Kf8 41.Qxc4
¹41.Qd8+ Kf7 42.d5 is the simplest
path to victory. The advance of the d−
pawn also helps attack the bK. This is
why Black's 39th was a huge error.
41...Ne7 42.Bd6 Ke8 43.Qe6 1−0
6
Desert Knight
Pushing out the first pawn
October 2006
17...Bc5!
Alertly winning a central pawn.
18.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 19.Kh1 Nxe4 20.Nxe4
Rxe4 21.Qd3
21.Qc2 discourages the doubling of
Rooks. 21...Rae8 22.Bd3
21...Re3 22.Qd7 Re7 23.Qg4 Rae8
24.Bd3 Bc8 25.Qd1 Qg5 26.Ra3? Re3
27.Bc2 g6?
He should not exchange his strong R for
White's offside counterpart. 27...Re2 is a
superior choice.
28.Rxe3 Rxe3 29.Rf3 Be6
29...Rxf3 30.Qxf3 Qc1+ 31.Bd1 Qxc4
secures a solid 2−pawn edge.
30.Rxe3 Qxe3 31.b3 h5 32.Qd3 Qg5
33.Bd1 Qc5 34.Bf3 Kh7 35.Qe4
A pawn down, White should not trade
Q's, which represent his best drawing
chance. The resulting Bishop ending
looks won for Black.
35...b5−+ 36.Qxc6 Qxc6 37.Bxc6 bxc4
38.bxc4 Bxc4 39.Kg1 Kg7 40.Kf2 Kf6
41.Ke3 Ke5 42.Be8?
Pointless. ¹42.h4 gets some pawns off
the light squares, and out of range of the
enemy Bishop.
42...g5 43.Bc6 f5
¹43...Bd5 trades the Bishops, or wins
another pawn, after which White could
resign.
44.Bd7 f4+ 45.Kf2 Be6 46.Be8 h4
Finally fixing all the White pawns on
light squares. The game is essentially
over.
47.Bb5 Kd4 48.Kf3 Bd5+ 49.Kf2 Kc5
50.Be2 Kb4 51.Bb5 Bb3 52.Kf3 Bxa4
53.Bd3 Kc3 54.Bf5 Bc6+ 55.Kg4 Bxg2
56.Kxg5 f3 57.Bd7 f2 0−1
Photo: Jeff Burch
R: Silas Perry (1861)
r: Cesar Guevarra (1690)
Black's extra pawn is just enough to win
the endgame.
1.d4 e6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e4 Nf6
5.Nf3 Qc7
Fritz's book prefers 5...Be7, preparing to
castle, and not committing the Q so
early.
6.Be2 e5 7.0−0 Be7 8.h3 Nbd7 9.Be3
0−0 10.a4 a5 11.Ne1 b6 12.f4
12.d5 is an interesting alternative, with
the idea of eventually exchanging on c6
and gaining b5 or d5 as a support point
for the Nc3.
12...Bb7 13.Nf3 Rfe8 14.fxe5 dxe5
15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Qxe5 17.Bd4
rdwdrdkd
dbdwgp0p
w0pdwhwd
0wdw1wdw
PdPGPdwd
dwHwdwdP
w)wdBdPd
$wdQdRIw
R: Carlos Santillan (2074)
r: Munir Hammad (1820)
The punishment for dropping even a
single pawn can be quite severe.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.a4 0−0
9.0−0 Be6 10.f4 exf4 11.Bxf4 Qc7
I just hate retreating
¹17.Rf5 relieves some pressure on e4.
17.Bxb6 c5 18.Rf5 Qe6 19.Bc7 Nxe4
only trades a wing pawn for a center
pawn.
7
Desert Knight
October 2006
13.Nf4² Bb7 14.Nxd5 Qxd5
14...exd5 15.Bd4 stunts K−side devel−
opment and opens the e−file.
15.Bc4 Qxd2+ 16.Rxd2 Be7 17.Rhd1
Bc6 18.f4 h5 19.g3 Bf3 20.Be2 Bxe2
21.Rxe2 Rd8 22.Red2 0−0 23.Rd7
Rfe8?
Losing a pawn. ¹23...Bf6
24.Ra7 Ra8 25.Rdd7 Bf6 26.Rxf7 a5
27.Rxa8 Rxa8 28.Ra7 Rxa7 29.Bxa7
Bd8
Black should consider 29...g5, trading
pawns and slightly increasing drawing
chances (less targets for White to hit).
30.Kd2 Kf7 31.Kd3 Kg6 32.Ke4 Bc7
33.c4 bxc3 34.bxc3 Kf7 35.c4 Ke7
36.Bd4
36.c5! and 37.Bb6 makes further inroads
into Black's camp. He can't avoid the
Bishop exchange: 36...a4 37.Bb6 Bb8
38.c6 wins easily. Instead, White ends
up working much harder for the point.
36...g6 37.c5 Kd7 38.Be5 Bd8 39.Bd6
Bf6 40.Be5 Be7 41.Bc3 a4 42.Bb4 Bf6
43.Kd3 Kc6 44.Kc4 h4 45.Be1 hxg3
46.hxg3 Be7 47.Bf2 g5 48.Kb4?
This throws away the win, because
White no longer gets a passed pawn on
the K−side. ¹48.fxg5 turns g3 into a
passed pawn.
48...gxf4 49.gxf4
12.Kh1 Nbd7 13.Nd4
Last book move.
13...Rac8 14.Nf5 Bxf5 15.exf5 Ne5
16.Qe1 Rfe8 17.Rd1 Bf8
¹17...Nc4 is a standard move in these
types of positions to get White to trade
one of the Bishops.
18.Qg3 b5?
Inexplicably drops a pawn. ¹18...Qb6
19.axb5 axb5?!
19...Qb8 20.Rb1 axb5 21.Bxb5 Red8±
puts up more resistance.
20.Bxb5 Red8 21.Bg5 Kh8
21...Be7? 22.Bxf6 Bxf6 23.Nd5 wins a
piece.
22.Bxf6 gxf6 23.Nd5 Qxc2 24.Nxf6
Be7?
wdr4wdwi
dwdwgpdp
wdw0wHwd
dBdwhPdw
wdwdwdwd
dwdwdw!w
w)qdwdP)
dwdRdRdK
The wrong direction. ¹24...Bg7 25.Qh4
h6 holds out longer.
25.Qh4 Kg7
25...Bxf6 is answered convincingly by
26.Qxf6+ Kg8 27.Qg5+ Kh8 28.Rc1!
Qe4 29.Qf6+ Kg8 and now the "Rook−
lift" 30.Rc3 decides matters.
26.Qxh7+ Kxf6 27.Qh6+ 1−0
wdwdwdwd
dwdwgwdw
wdkdpdwd
dw)wdwdw
pIwdw)wd
dwdwdwdw
PdwdwGwd
dwdwdwdw
R: Douglas Thigpen (1410)
r: Silas Perry (1861)
White wins an instructive Bishop end−
game.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6
5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 b5 8.f3 Nf6
9.0−0−0 b4 10.Nce2 d5 11.Nxc6 Qxc6
12.exd5 Nxd5
If Black wants the chance to play a
middlegame, he should prefer 12...Qxd5
13.Nf4 Qa5=
Can Black stop all the pawns?
49...Kd5?
Turns the c−pawn loose and loses
quickly. Correct is 49...Bf8, intending
...Bh6. 50.Kxa4 (50.Bd4 a3 only delays
it one move) 50...Bh6 51.Be3 e5 and
Black can easily hold against the a− and
c−pawns.
8
Desert Knight
October 2006
50.Kxa4 Ke4
50...Kc6 51.Kb4 Bf8 52.Bd4! and Black
is one disastrous move too late to play
...Bh6.
51.c6 Bd8 52.Kb5 Bc7 53.Bb6 Bxf4
1−0
allowing Black to get his attack back on
track. ¹23.Bh4
23...Rg7 24.Rec1 g3 25.Bg1
25.Nc7!? Rxc7 26.Rxc7 gxf2 27.Qe2=
25...gxh2³ 26.Bxh2 Qg5
¹26...Bd7 − The Bishop is vulnerable
on c8.
27.Nc7 Rb8 28.Ne6
The more annoying ¹28.Ne8 keeps
Black too busy to get anywhere on the
Kingside. 28...Rg6 29.Nxd6 Bxd6
30.Rxc8+ Rxc8 31.Rxc8+ Kh7 32.Qd2²
28...Bxe6 29.dxe6 Qg6 30.Qd5 Kh7
31.Rg1 Re8 32.Qxa5 Rxe6 33.g3?
Now Black's attack builds steam.
¹33.g4 keeps the Q out of h5.
33...Qh5 34.g4 Qh3 35.Qc3 h5?!
What's the rush? 35...Reg6! increases
the potency of the ...h5 advance.
36.gxh5∓ Rg3?
An odd end to the game. White now
could have escaped by playing 37.Rxg3
fxg3 38.Rg2! and Black doesn't dare
take the Bishop, thanks to 39.Qc7+. 0−1
R: Jeff Sundell (1814)
r: Boris Ratner (2138)
Ratner survived a 4th round scare...
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6
5.d4 0−0 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.0−0 e5 8.Be3
Re8 9.d5 h6
Book moves 9...Ng4 and 9...Nh5 prep
the usual ...f5 advance immediately.
10.Ne1 Nc5 11.f3 a5 12.b3 Nh5 13.Nd3
Nxd3 14.Bxd3 Nf4 15.Re1 f5 16.c5
Nxd3 17.Qxd3 f4 18.Bf2 g5?!
The computer, obviously unaware that
it's not supposed to play on the oppo−
nent's side of the board, and aware that
Black's attack is going a bit too slowly,
prefers 18...dxc5 19.Bxc5 c6 with a
slight edge to White. One example of
the difficulty he faces in improving his
position is 20.Na4 cxd5 21.Nb6 Bf8!
22.Qb5 Ra6 23.Nxd5 Bd7 24.Qc4
Bxc5+ 25.Qxc5 Rc6.
19.cxd6 cxd6 20.Rac1 g4 21.Kh1 Bf8?
R: Munir Hammad (1820)
r: Jeff Sundell (1814)
Black's King gets mugged.
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 d5 4.exd5 Qh4+
5.Kf1 f3 6.Bb5+ c6
6...Bd7 has scored better for Black than
the text, in the few book games I found
with the 5...f3 line.
7.Nxf3 Qh5 8.Qe2+ Ne7 9.dxc6 bxc6
10.Bc4 Kd8?
Frees the Ne7 for immediate action, but
the price (loss of castling) is too high.
Black needed to continue development.
¹10...Nd7± and 11...Nb6.
11.Qe5 Nf5
Black braves the attack, but the alter−
native was 11...Qxe5 12.Nxe5 winning a
2nd pawn.
12.Qa5+ Kd7 13.Ne5+ Ke7 14.Qc7+
Bd7
14...Nd7 does not help much. 15.Nxc6+
Kf6 16.Nc3 adds yet another attacker. If
rdb1rgkd
dpdwdwdw
wdw0wdw0
0wdP0wdw
wdwdP0pd
dPHQdPdw
PdwdwGP)
dw$w$wdK
Find the trapped piece
Boxing the Rook in loses material.
¹21...gxf3
22.Nb5 Re7
22...Rb8 is just a postponement. 23.fxg4
Bxg4 24.Nc7
23.Rc2?
Not only missing a win of material, but
9
Desert Knight
October 2006
White gets bored of attacking, he can
always win some material with Nxa7.
15.Nf3
¹15.Nxf7 and the threat of Qe5+ is so
powerful that Black must shed material
to avoid mate.
15...Kf6 16.Nc3 Nd6 17.d3 h6 18.Ne4+
Nxe4 19.dxe4 Qc5
As in Santillan−Guevarra from round 4,
Cesar is content to sit back and let his
higher−rated opponent dictate play.
9...b6 10.Re1 Qc7 11.h3 Bb7 12.Bd3
Rad8 13.b3 e5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Nxe5
Qxe5 16.Bb2 Ne4 17.Qc2 Nxd2
18.Qxd2 Bd6
18...c4! 19.Bf1 Bd6∓ keeps wBb2 out of
the game a bit longer.
19.f4³ Qe7 20.Qf2
¹20.Qe2 forces a concession like
20...a5 or 20...Ra8.
20...Qc7
20...c4 21.bxc4 dxc4 22.Bxc4 Bc5∓
gives pressure against the weak e3
pawn.
21.Qf1 a5 22.Rad1 Rfe8 23.Re2?
¹23.c4 is needed to stop Black's next.
23...c4!
It was bound to be discovered.
24.bxc4 dxc4 25.Bc2 Bc5 26.Rxd8
Qxd8 27.Bc1 Qf6 28.Bd2 Qe6
28...Be4! gets rid of White's best piece.
29.Kh2 f5 30.Qf2 g6 31.Qg3 Kg7
32.h4 Be4 33.Bd1 h6
Unnecessary. 33...Rd8 is more to the
point, with the idea of ...Rd6 and ...Qd7,
invading on the d−file.
34.Re1 Kf7 35.Kg1 Qd6 36.Qf2 Rg8
¹36...Rd8 37.Re2 Ba3 38.h5 Bc1! and
Black has forced his way in.
37.Bc1 Qf6 38.Bd2 Rd8 39.Be2?! Bd3
39...Rxd2! calls White's bluff. 40.Bxc4+
Bd5 41.Qxd2 Bxc4 and the two power−
ful Bishops are better than White's Rook
and pawn. Queen checks are of no con−
cern, because there are no targets for the
wQ to hit. Black, on the other hand, has
a wide choice of weak pawns to attack.
40.Kh2 Qe6
Positionally, 40...Bxe2 still makes sense,
saddling White with a tall pawn on d2.
Tactically, it pays off immediately.
41.Rxe2 Qc6 wins the a−pawn and cre−
ates an outside passed pawn, which is
sure to give headaches.
41.Bf3 Be4 42.Bd1 Rd5 43.Bc1 Qf6
43...Rd3! 44.Bd2 Qd7 45.Re2 Rd6
rhwdwgw4
0w!bdp0w
wdpdwiw0
dw1wdwdw
wdBdPdwd
dwdwdNdw
P)PdwdP)
$wGwdKdR
"Release the hounds!"
20.Qf4+
It's understandable that a human would
eschew 20.b3! with the idea of Bb2+
and Qb7, picking off the a8 Rook, be−
cause it looks like the Q has trouble get−
ting back out. However, after 20...Bd6
21.Bb2+ Kg6 22.Qb7 she proves too
difficult to trap. For example: 22...Rd8
(22...Qb6 23.Qxa8 Kh7 24.Bd3 Na6
25.e5+ g6 26.Qxh8+ Kxh8 27.exd6+ is
similar) 23.Qxa8 Qb6 24.e5 Na6
25.Qxd8 Qxd8 26.exd6 and White gets
more than enough material for her.
20...Kg6?
At least after 20...Ke7 21.Qxf7+ Kd8,
the King gets a breather.
21.Bxf7+
¹21.Qxf7+ Kh7 22.Ng5+ wins the Q.
21...Kh7 22.Ne5 Qe7 23.Bg6+ Kg8
24.Bf7+ Kh7 25.Ng6 Na6 1−0
R: Cesar Guevarra (1690)
r: Boris Ratner (2138)
White escapes a positional bind like
Houdini out of a straightjacket.
1.d4 Nf6 2.e3 d5 3.Nf3 e6 4.Be2 Be7
5.Nbd2 0−0 6.0−0 c5 7.c3 Nc6 8.a3 a6
9.a4
10
Desert Knight
October 2006
46.Qe1 Kg7 ties White's forces in a
knot. Black can either play for a slow
squeeze with ideas like ...Qd8, ...g5 and
...Ba3−b2(c1), or get down to business
and create a passed pawn with ...b5.
44.Bb2 (diagram) 44...Qd6??
A pity. After building up a dominating
position, he traps his own Rook, and
gives White the chance he's been wait−
ing for. ¹44...Qd8 45.Be2 Rd2
46.Bxc4+ Kg7 47.Re2 Rxe2 48.Bxe2
(48.Qxe2 Qxh4+ 49.Kg1 Qxf4 is also
won) 48...Qd2 finally puts White out of
his misery.
wdwdwdwd
dwdwdkdw
w0wdw1p0
0wgrdpdw
Pdpdb)w)
dw)w)wdw
wGwdw!PI
dwdB$wdw
After 44.Bb2
45.Be2 Bd3
A draw offer − if Black wanted to play
on, he'd try 45...Rd2.
46.Bf3 Be4 ½−½
v2911!Tfdujpo
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Name
Nathan Mensay
Jonathan Gardner
Jim Johnston
Jeffrey Dimiduk
Lazaro Cardenas
Andrew Flores
John Flores
Emre Enginarlar
Mike Bustamante
Ed Sedillo
Michael Torres
Randall Greenup
Bryan Pierce
Shaun Bloom
David Baca
Dean Brown
John Boyd
Edward Lu
Holly McRoberts
Robert Zing
Donald Deland
Arthur Bayley
Dante Archuleta
Nathan Vigil
Charles Mcdaniel
Anthony Flores
Dale Gibbs
Andrew Black
Rtng.
1752
1469
1729
1607
1441
1594
1490
1569
1532
1620
1603
1600
1476
UNR
1597
1400
1457
1437
1415
1353
UNR
1400
1319
1447
1024
1540
1210
1200
1
W17
W21
W24
W18
W10
W20
W25
W23
W28
L5
W19
W22
D14
D13
D16
D15
L1
L4
L11
L6
L2
L12
L8
L3
L7
W27
L26
L9
2
W26
W12
L8
L9
D6
D5
W11
W3
W4
W20
L7
L2
W16
W15
L14
L13
W27
W28
W25
L10
L22
W21
W24
L23
L19
L1
L17
L18
3
D9
W6
W13
W22
W14
L2
W8
L7
D1
W26
B-W18
L3
L5
W19
W21
H-L12
L15
W25
L16
L4
H-W27
L20
L10
L24
B--
4
W2
L1
W11
W8
W9
W16
H-L4
L5
W12
L3
L10
W23
W26
L17
L6
W15
W20
W24
L18
X28
H-L13
L19
H-L14
B-F21
5
Tot.
W7
4.5
W13
4.0
W5
4.0
W10
4.0
L3
3.5
W14
3.5
L1
3.5
W18
3.0
H-3.0
L4
3.0
W17
3.0
W19
3.0
L2
2.5
L6
2.5
W23
2.5
W22
2.5
L11
2.5
L8
2.0
L12
2.0
W27
2.0
W26
2.0
L16
1.5
L15
1.5
H-1.5
B-1.5
L21
1.0
L20
1.0
U-1.0
1st
2nd-4th
2nd-4th
2nd-4th
U1500
U1500
$75
$33.33
$33.33
$33.33
$12.50
$12.50
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 c5
5.c3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Nf6 7.0−0 Bd6 8.Re1+
Be6 9.Bg5 0−0 10.Nbd2 h6 11.Bxf6
Qxf6 12.Nf1
12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.a4 Rfe8=
R: Ed Sedillo (1620)
r: Lazaro Cardenas (1441)
White efficiently converts his extra
pawn.
11
Desert Knight
October 2006
12...Rad8
¹12...cxd4 creates a target on d4, and
while White's defending that, Black can
occupy the c−file.
13.Qa4 Bg4?!
R: Nathan Mensay (1752)
r: Anthony Flores (1540)
Black plays one too many weakening
moves.
1.e4 c5 2.c3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 g6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.Bc4 0−0 8.Bb3
a6 9.0−0 Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nc6
12.Rd1 e5?!
This saddles Black with a weak d6
pawn.
13.dxe5± Nxe5 14.Qe2 Qd7
¹14...Re8 discourages White's e5 ad−
vance.
15.f4 Nc6 16.e5 Rfe8
16...Ne8 17.e6 Qe7 18.exf7+ Rxf7
19.Be3+−
17.Qd2
¹17.Qf2 prepares for a lesser piece to
occupy d6.
17...Nh5 18.Qxd6
¹18.Ne4, in spirit of the last note.
18...Qxd6 19.Rxd6 Bh6?
¹19...g5 is the right way to stir up
counterplay.
wdw4w4kd
0pdwdp0w
wdngw1w0
dB0pdwdw
Qdw)wdbd
dw)wdNdw
P)wdw)P)
$wdw$NIw
14.dxc5 Bxf3
Black wriggles, but in the end he can't
avoid the loss of a pawn.
15.cxd6 Be4 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.Ng3
Rxd6 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Qxe4 Rd2
20.Re2 Rfd8 21.h3 Qd6 22.Rae1 Rd5
23.b3 Rd7 24.c4 Rd4 25.Qe8+ Kh7
26.Re7 Rxe7 27.Qxe7 Qd7 28.Qxd7
Rxd7 29.Re2 f5?
Where is this pawn going? Black, being
a pawn down, shouldn't be presenting
White any more targets.
30.g4 f4
In the spirit of the above note, 30...fxg4
should be played. In general, the side
that is down material should trade
pawns.
31.Re6 Rc7
Hard to decide which is worse: Staying
passive, or giving White a passed c−
pawn. (31...Rd2 32.Rxc6 Rxa2)
32.Kg2 Kg8
32...a5 33.Re5 Ra7 34.Rc5 Ra6 is more
stubborn, holding on to all the pawns
...for now.
33.Kf3 Kf7 34.Rd6 Ke7 35.c5 a5
36.Kxf4 Kf7 37.h4 a4 38.Kf5 a3 39.f4
Re7 40.Rxc6 Re2 41.Ra6 Rxa2
42.Ra7+ Ke8 43.b4 Ra1 44.Ke6 Kd8
45.Kd6 Rd1+ 46.Ke6 Ra1 47.Kf7 a2
48.Kxg7 h5 49.g5 Rh1 50.Rxa2 Rxh4
51.f5 Rxb4 52.f6 1−0
rdwdrdkd
dpdwdpdp
pdn$wdpg
dwdw)wdn
wdwdw)wd
dBHwdwdP
P)wdwdPd
$wGwdwIw
In comes the star player
20.Nd5!
Defends the f−pawn, and threatens forks
on c7 and f6. It's clear that Black's last
move just misplaced his Bishop.
20...Rad8
20...Nd4 21.Nf6+! Nxf6 22.Rxd4 takes
one N, while trapping the other:
22...Nh5 23.g4 Ng7 24.g5.
21.g4 Rxd6 22.exd6 Ng3 23.Nf6+ Kf8
24.Nxe8 Kxe8 25.Bd2 Ne4 26.Re1 f5
27.gxf5 gxf5 28.Bd5 Kd7 29.Bxe4 fxe4
12
Desert Knight
October 2006
30.Rxe4 Kxd6 31.Kf2 Bg7 32.Bc3 1−0
wdwdw4wi
dwdwdw0w
pdw1wdw4
)pdpdp0w
w)w)pdwd
dwdw)w)w
w$w!w)w)
dwdw$wIw
R: Michael Torres (1603)
r: John Flores (1490)
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.cxd5 exd5 4.Nc3 Nf6
5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 Bf5 7.Nf3 c6 8.Be2 0−0
9.0−0 Nbd7 10.a3 Re8 11.b4 a6
12.Nh4 Bg6 13.Nxg6 hxg6 14.Qc2 Ne4
15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Qb3
Nf6 18.a4 Rec8 19.Rac1
White, the player with the Bishop,
should prefer an open position. 19.f3!
unlocks the center pawns and gives
White the half−open f−file to play on.
His Bishop will get the choice of c4, to
pressure f7, or f3, to control the long
diagonal.
19...b5 20.a5 Nd5!
Black, on the other hand, has taken full
advantage of his opportunity to lock the
pawn structure and make his Knight
better than the Bishop.
21.Rb1 Rc7 22.Rfc1 Rac8 23.Re1
White embarks on a very slow plan to
rid himself of the dominant enemy N.
23.Rc5 is better, planning Rbc1 and
maintaining pressure on the backward
c6 pawn.
23...Kh8 24.Bd1 f5 25.Bc2 Rf8 26.Rb2
Qd6 27.Bb1 Re7 28.Ba2 g5 29.Qd1
Re6 30.Bxd5 cxd5
White has finally achieved his aim, but
at the cost of allowing Black to build an
attack at leisure.
31.Qd2
31.Qc1 is a better square.
31...Rh6 32.g3?
This is already the decisive mistake.
Black will plant a pawn on f3, and at−
tack on the weak light squares. Even
though 32.f4 gives Black a protected
passed pawn, White has to try it to slow
down the attack.
Breaking out the can opener
32...f4! 33.exf4
33.Qe2? f3 34.Qf1 Rff6! with the idea
of ...Rxh2 and ...Rh6+, leaves White
helpless.
33...gxf4 34.gxf4
The only way to keep a pawn out of f3,
but this is merely a different form of
suicide.
34...Rxf4 35.Rb3 Rf3 36.Rxf3 Qxh2+
37.Kf1 Qh1+ 38.Ke2 Qxf3+ 0−1
R: Bryan Pierce (1476)
r: Dean Brown (1400)
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.0−0 Nf6
5.d3 0−0 6.Nbd2 c6 7.e4 Qb6 8.c3 Rd8
9.e5 Nh5 10.Qe2 Bg4 11.d4 Nd7
Black's first priority should be rescuing
the offside Nh5. ¹11...Bf8 intends
...Ng7−e6.
12.h3± Be6 13.Ng5 c5 14.Nxe6 fxe6?
Why create weak doubled pawns?
¹14...Qxe6
15.Nf3 cxd4
15...Rf8 is not a whole lot better, be−
cause after 16.Be3 and an eventual Qd2,
black will have to entomb his Bishop on
h8 just to save the errant N.
16.cxd4
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth!
After 16.g4! Black can wriggle, but
16...d3 17.Qe3 Qxe3 18.Bxe3 Nhf6
19.exf6 exf6 20.Rad1 e5 21.Rxd3! e4
22.Rxd5 exf3 23.Bxf3 gives White a
dominating position. Black can't im−
mediately contest the d−file without
losing a pawn: 23...Ne5 24.Rxd8+ Rxd8
13
Desert Knight
October 2006
25.Bxb7 Rb8 26.Bd5+.
16...Rf8 17.Be3 Rac8 18.Qd2 Bh8
19.g4 Ng7 20.Bh6 Rc6 21.Rfc1 Rfc8
22.Rxc6 Qxc6 23.Rc1 Qxc1+ 24.Qxc1
Rxc1+ 25.Bxc1 Ne8 26.Bf1 a6 27.Bd2
Bg7 28.Bb4 Bf8 29.Ng5 Nc7 30.f4 h6
31.Nf3 Nb8 32.h4
32.Ba5! Nb5 33.a4 Na7 corrals the
Knights on one side of the board, then
34.Bd3! lashes out on the other. White's
idea is g5, nailing down the g6 pawn for
consumption.
32...Nc6 33.Bc5 Na8 34.a4 b6 35.Ba3
Nc7 36.g5 h5 37.Bd3 Kg7 38.Kf2 a5
39.Ke3
10.e5± dxe5 11.Nxe5
¹11.dxe5 Ng4 12.e6 punches a hole in
the Kingside.
11...a6 12.0−0 b5 13.Bc2 Rc8 14.Re1
0−0 15.h3 Bc6 16.Bg5 Qc7
16...Bb7 preserves a strong Bishop.
17.Rc1 h6 18.Bf4 Qb7 19.Nxc6 Nxc6
20.Ne4 Rfd8 21.Nc5
21.Nxf6+ exf6 22.d5 Ne5=
21...Qa7 22.Be3 Nd5 23.Bb3?!
¹23.Be4 takes the sting out of
23...Nxe3 24.fxe3 Nxd4!? because
White has 25.Nb7!
23...Nxe3 24.fxe3
wdr4wdkd
1wdw0pgw
pdndwdp0
dpHwdwdw
wdw)wdwd
dBdw)wdP
P)wdwdPd
dw$Q$wIw
wdwdwgwd
dwhw0wiw
w0ndpdpd
0wdp)w)p
Pdw)w)w)
GwdBINdw
w)wdwdwd
dwdwdwdw
There's gotta be some trick here...
24...Ne5?
The right way to undermine the Nc5 is
24...Nxd4! which forces White to bail
out with 25.Bxf7+ Kxf7 26.b4. Black
can't retreat the N (random retreats al−
low 27.Qb3+, and 26...Ne6 27.Qf3+ Bf6
28.Nxe6 Kxe6 29.Rxc8 Rxc8 30.Qg4+
wins for White), but he can recover a
pawn for it after White captures.
25.Qe2 Rxc5?
An unfortunate miscalculation.
26.Rxc5
26.dxc5?! Rc8±
26...Nd3 27.Qxd3 Qxc5 28.Qxg6
The smoke clears, and Black finds him−
self a pawn down with another to fall.
28...Qd6 1−0
That's a nice Bishop on f8
39...Nb4?
Black succumbs to the urge to 'do
something'. A better plan was to sit and
do nothing (even before playing ...a6−
a5), inviting White to find a break−
through.
40.Bxb4 axb4 41.Kd2 Kf7 42.Kc2 Ke8
Desperation − but nothing can change
the fact that Black is virtually playing a
piece down.
43.Kb3 Kd7 44.Kxb4 Kc6 45.Nd2 Kb7
46.Bxg6 1−0
R: Nathan Mensay (1752)
r: Johnathan Gardner (1469)
Black's miscalculation spoils a good
position.
1.e4 c5 2.c3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 g6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.Bc4 Nc6 8.Bb3
Na5 9.Ba4+ Bd7?!
9...Nd7 avoids White's next.
R: Emre Enginarlar (1569)
r: Jeff Dimiduk (1607)
Black's passed pawns are too hard to
handle.
14
Desert Knight
October 2006
turn from whence he came.
34.g4
34.Kd3∓
34...h5
34...f5+ 35.gxf5+ gxf5+ 36.Kf3 f4 im−
proves on the line played in the game.
37.Bd2 Nd4+ 38.Kg2 Nb3 39.Ne4 Kd7
gives White two headaches at once: the
c−pawn and the h−pawn.
35.gxh5 f5+ 36.Kf3 gxh5 37.Bg5 Nf6
38.b4
38.Bxf6 is more stubborn, but probably
insufficient to hold.
38...Nd4+ 39.Kg2 Nd5 40.Kg3 Nc2
41.b5?
As if the h−pawn wasn't bad enough,
Black now gets a passed a−pawn to
boot.
41...axb5 42.Nxb5 a6 43.Na7 Nxa3
44.Nc6 Nb5 45.Kh4 0−1
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5
5.cxd4 Nc6 6.Be3 Bf5 7.Nc3 Qa5
8.Bd3
White should play 8.d5 while he has the
chance. 8...0−0−0? does not escape due
to 9.Qf3.
8...e6 9.Bxf5 Qxf5 10.Nf3 Nf6 11.Qa4
Bd6 12.Nb5 Bb4+ 13.Nc3
13.Qxb4 Nxb4 14.Nd6+ Kd7 15.Nxf5
exf5=
13...0−0
Why not play 13...Qd3 to delay White's
castling? 14.Rc1 0−0 15.Qc2 Qa6
maintains pressure against the White Q−
side.
14.0−0 Rfd8 15.Rac1 Rac8 16.a3 Bd6
17.Rfd1 Qh5 18.Ne2!?
wdr4wdkd
0pdwdp0p
wdngphwd
dwdwdwdq
Qdw)wdwd
)wdwGNdw
w)wdN)P)
dw$RdwIw
R: Edward Lu (1437)
r: Emre Enginarlar (1569)
White misses his chances to get back in
the game.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6
5.Nc3 axb5 6.Nxb5 Qa5+ 7.Nc3 Ba6
8.Nf3 g6 9.Bd2 Qb6 10.Qc2 Bg7 11.g3
0−0 12.Bg2 d6 13.0−0 Nbd7 14.Rfe1
Rfb8 15.Rab1 Bc4 16.e4 Bxa2 17.Nxa2
Rxa2 18.Bc3 Qb3 19.Qxb3 Rxb3
20.Nd2? Rxc3 21.bxc3 Rxd2 22.f4
Accepting the challenge
18...Bxh2+
Not quite a 'free' pawn, but who could
resist?
19.Nxh2 Qxe2 20.Nf3 Nd5
20...Qxb2 21.Rb1 b5 22.Qa6 Qe2
23.Bg5 also gives White compensation
for the pawn. He will get the b5 pawn
back soon.
21.Rd2 Qa6
21...Nb6 22.Qc2 Qb5 23.Ng5 again for−
ces a concession like ...Qf5 or ...g6.
22.Qxa6 bxa6 23.Rdc2 Nce7 24.Ne5
Rxc2 25.Rxc2 Rc8 26.Rc5 f6 27.Nc4
Kf8 28.Kf1 Rxc5 29.dxc5 Nc6 30.Ke2
Ke7 31.Kd3 e5 32.Ke4?!
Not a good outpost for the King (can
Kings even have 'outposts'??), for he is
easily driven back. ¹32.Nd6
32...Ke6 33.Nd6 g6
33...f5+! can't be answered by
34.Nxf5?? Nf6+, so the King must re−
wdwdwdkd
dwdn0pgp
wdw0whpd
dw0Pdwdw
wdwdP)wd
dw)wdw)w
wdw4wdB)
dRdw$wIw
Who retreats to f8?
22...Bf8?!
Tangles up his own pieces. 22...Nf8
23.Rb7 e6 24.dxe6 fxe6 is fine for
Black.
15
Desert Knight
October 2006
of an engine.
28.Rf1
28.Rb8= should have played to keep the
Bf8 and Nh5 tied down.
28...Nd3∓ 29.Be4?
29.e6 Nf6 lets the N back in the game,
but it's better than losing a pawn for
nothing!
29...Nxe5 30.Rxc5 Rd4 31.Bg2 Nxc4
32.Re1 Nf6 33.Rc8 Kg7 34.Rc7 Nb6
35.Rcc1 Nbxd5 36.Bxd5 Nxd5
37.Rcd1 Rxd1 38.Rxd1 e6 39.Kf2
Bc5+ 40.Kf3 h5 41.h3 f5 42.Rc1 Bd4
43.Rc4 e5 44.Ke2 f4 0−1
23.c4?!
23.Rb7 e6 24.Bh3! forces Black to give
back material. 24...Nxe4 (Not 24...exd5
25.exd5 and the Nd7 is trapped)
25.Rxe4 Nf6=
23...Ng4
¹23...e5 gets the e −pawn out of danger,
allowing the re−shuffle ...Bg7 and ...Nf8
in response to Rb7.
24.Rb7 Ndf6 25.e5 dxe5 26.fxe5 Nh5
27.Rb5 Nf2
27...f5 28.Rb8 f4 29.d6 exd6 30.e6 Kg7
31.e7 Bxe7 32.Rxe7+ Kf6 33.Rbe8 fxg3
34.hxg3 Nxg3 35.Re6+ Kg5 is a fun line
to play if you have the calculating skill
V2511!Tfdujpo
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
Name
Anna Smoak
Ed Steinfeld
Deanna Kristek
John Aragon
Kenna Dunn
Larry James
Michael Lott
Broderick Dillon
Arthur Byers
Chris Donahue
Daniel Dunning
Kevin Grimes
Niccolo Hilgendorf
Eliot Ostling
Susan Koenig
John Baxter
Marissa Naranjo
Eugene Hill
Gerard Ortiz
Scout Veitch
Michael Noriega
Gabriel Ewing
Preston Herrington
Patrick Doherty
John Helwick
John Sarracino
Robert Newell
Matthew Hilgendorf
John S. Sarracino
Jeffrey Dunning
Robert Frazer
Douglas Field
Alan Evanston
Rtng.
1356
1269
1059
1237
1166
1123
1284
1275
1357
1270
1311
1100
1181
1078
1262
1387
886
UNR
1271
1071
1174
1001
1312
1113
1375
1073
1316
949
1063
1041
1006
1068
1325
1
W24
W30
W10
W28
W25
W9
W32
W29
L6
L3
D20
W33
W17
W27
W31
H-L13
L21
H-D11
W18
B-D26
L1
L5
D23
L14
L4
L8
L2
L15
L7
L12
2
W21
W14
W16
W22
W8
D7
D6
L5
W32
W28
W23
D13
D12
L2
H-L3
H-L24
W26
L25
L1
L4
L11
W18
W20
L19
D30
L10
W33
D27
B-L9
L29
3
H-W5
L4
W3
L2
L15
L12
D22
W24
W31
D13
W7
D11
W21
W6
W29
W26
W28
U-W27
L14
D8
W30
L9
H-L17
L20
L18
L16
L23
L10
H-U--
16
4
W15
W4
W25
L2
W10
W16
W17
W20
W12
L5
W14
L9
H-L11
L1
L6
L7
W31
W23
L8
D22
D21
L19
H-L3
D30
W29
H-L27
D26
L18
U-U--
5
Tot.
W2
4.5
L1
4.0
W11
4.0
W9
4.0
H-3.5
W19
3.5
W15
3.5
W13
3.5
L4
3.0
W12
3.0
L3
3.0
L10
2.5
L8
2.5
D18
2.5
L7
2.5
W22
2.5
W29
2.5
D14
2.5
L6
2.5
D21
2.0
D20
2.0
L16
2.0
D25
2.0
D27
2.0
D23
2.0
W31
2.0
D24
2.0
W30
1.5
L17
1.0
L28
1.0
L26
1.0
U-0.5
U-0.0
1st
2nd-4th
2nd-4th
2nd-4th
$75
$33.33
$33.33
$33.33
Desert Knight
October 2006
"I've got my eye on you!" Broderick Dillon has the feeling he's being watched.
Photo: Jeff Burch
15.0−0
15.Bg5 takes advantage of Black's last
move; if he trades Bishops, his dark
squares are permanently weak.
15...Bg7 16.Re1 0−0 17.Bf4 Bb7
18.Ng3 Ne7 19.d6 Nd5 20.Qd2
It's curious how White keeps allowing
trades and Black keeps eschewing them.
It should be the exact opposite, given
Black's cramped position.
20...Nxf4 21.Qxf4 f6 22.Qc4+ Kh8
23.e6 dxe6 24.Qxe6 Re8?!
24...Bxf3 is better, weakening the White
pawns.
25.Qxe8+ Qxe8 26.Rxe8+ Rxe8
27.Rb1!
It's more important to get passed pawns
than worry about ...BxN.
27...Bxf3 28.gxf3 Bf8 29.Rxb6 Rd8
30.a4 Bxd6 31.Ne4 Be7 32.Nxf6
32.a5! f5 33.a6! Rd1+ 34.Kg2 fxe4
35.Rb8+ Kg7 36.a7 wins easily. Instead,
White takes the scenic route.
32...Bxf6 33.Rxf6 Ra8 34.Rf4 Kg7
35.Kf1 h5 36.Ke2 Kh6 37.Kd3 Rc8
38.a5 Rc1 39.Ra4 Rc8 40.a6 Ra8
He might as well have left it here on
move 33!
R: Broderick Dillon (1275)
r: John S. Sarracino (1063)
White's outside passed pawn decides
matters.
1.e4 c5 2.b4 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.bxc5 Nc6
5.c4 Ndb4 6.a3 Na6 7.d4 e6?
Creating a big hole on d6. Black must
resort to further clumsiness to fix it.
8.Nf3 b6 9.cxb6 axb6
rdb1kgw4
dwdpdp0p
n0ndpdwd
dwdw)wdw
wdP)wdwd
)wdwdNdw
wdwdw)P)
$NGQIBdR
Chaaaaarge!
10.d5 exd5 11.cxd5 Ne7 12.Bxa6?
White should look to heighten the ten−
sion, not relieve it. ¹12.d6 and Black
has difficulty preventing even slow,
simple ideas like Nc3−d5, Bxa6, and
Nc7+.
12...Bxa6 13.Nc3 Nf5 14.Ne2 g6?
17
Desert Knight
October 2006
41.a7 Kg5 42.h4+ Kf5 43.Ke3 g5
44.Ra5+ Kg6 45.Rxg5+ Kh6 46.Ra5
Kg6 47.f4 Kf6 48.f5 Kf7 49.Kf4 1−0
31.Kg2
White's position is so good it can with−
stand this small bit of clumsiness.
31...Rxf1 32.Kxf1 c3 33.bxc3 Rc8
Even without this mistake, Black is still
quite lost.
34.Bxc8 1−0
R: Eugene Hill (UNR)
r: Robert Frazer (1006)
White takes over once his Rook reaches
d6.
1.e4 d6 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7
5.d4 0−0 6.0−0 e5?
Mistaking a Pirc for King's Indian; in
the KID, Black can get away with (tem−
porarily) losing a pawn on e5. In the
Pirc, he should hit the 'fork trick'
6...Nxe4 7.Nxe4 d5.
7.Bg5
7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Nxe5 picks
off a pawn. The threat to f7 prevents
Black from countering with stuff like
...Nxe4.
7...c6? 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Qe2? Qd6 10.a3
b5 11.Bb3 Nbd7 12.Rad1 Qc7 13.Qe3
Ng4 14.Qe2 Nc5 15.Ba2 h6 16.Be3
Nxe3 17.Qxe3
Less advisable is 17.fxe3 a5∓
17...Qb6?
R: Ed Steinfeld (1269)
r: Anna Smoak (1356)
Black's extra pawn leads to a decisive
Kingside attack.
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Bf4
3.e4 transposes to a French.
3...c5 4.e3 Nc6
4...cxd4 answers 5.Nb5? with 5...Bb4+
6.c3 dxc3 7.Nc7+? Qxc7! 8.Bxc7 c2+
and wins the Q back with interest.
5.Bd3
¹5.Nb5 forces 5...e5 to stop the fork on
c7.
5...cxd4 6.exd4 Nxd4 7.Nf3 Nxf3+
8.Qxf3 Bb4 9.0−0 Nf6
9...Bxc3! kills the annoying N once and
for all.
10.Ne2
Only now does White begin to play like
he's a pawn down. ¹10.Nb5! Ba5 11.b4
Bb6 12.a4! a6 13.Nd6+ Kf8 14.Be5
gives White more than adequate comp−
ensation.
10...0−0 11.a3 Bd6∓ 12.Bg5 Be7
12...h6 ensures that Black gets her ...e5
push in, one way or the other. Fortu−
nately for her, White does not realize the
importance of stopping it, and so misses
several chances, starting with 13.Nc3.
13.Rfe1 h6 14.Bd2 e5 15.Bb5 a6
¹15...Qb6 develops while attacking.
16.Ba4 b5 17.Bb3 Bb7 18.Qd3
18.Ng3 is a better way to try for coun−
terplay.
18...Re8 19.c3 Rc8 20.f4??
A suicidal weaking of the Kingside.
20...Bc5+ 21.Kh1
rdbdw4kd
0wdwdpgw
w1pdwdp0
dphw0wdw
wdwdPdwd
)wHw!Ndw
B)Pdw)P)
dwdRdRIw
What? Come right in? Don't mind if I do.
18.Rd6
Black should not have allowed this in−
cursion.
18...Na4 19.Qxb6 axb6 20.Nxa4 bxa4
21.Rxg6 Be6
¹21...Kh7 22.Rxc6 Bb7 limits the dam−
age.
22.Bxe6 Kh7 23.Rxg7+ Kxg7 24.Bf5 f6
25.Ne1 Rad8 26.Nd3 c5 27.g3 Rd4
28.Kg2 Rfd8 29.Kf3 c4 30.Nb4 Rd1
18
Desert Knight
October 2006
7...Nbd7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bb5 Be7
10.Nc6 Qc7 11.Nxe7 Kxe7 12.0−0
Rhc8 13.Re1 Kf8 14.Nc3 Re8 15.Bc6
Rad8 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.Bxd5 Nf6
18.Bf3 cxd4 19.Qb4+ Kg8 20.exd4
Rxe1+ 21.Qxe1 Rxd4 22.Be3 Rd7
23.Rc1 Qe5?
¹23...Qd8 keeps Black in the game.
24.g4!
The best move in the position − as we'll
see.
24...Be4?
Bad, but Black is still lost after 24...Bg6
25.Rc8+ Ne8 26.Bc6 Re7 27.Bxe8 Rxe8
28.f4! now carries the threat of f5, trap−
ping the Bishop, thanks to White's 24th
move.
wdr1rdkd
dbdwdp0w
pdwdwhw0
dpgp0wdw
wdwdw)wd
)B)Qdwdw
w)wGNdP)
$wdw$wdK
White's gonna get Smoaked
21...e4
¹21...Ng4 swiftly ends the game:
22.Rf1 Qh4 23.Qg3 Nf2+ 24.Rxf2 Qxg3
25.Nxg3 Bxf2.
22.Qc2
22.Qh3 is a last−ditch attempt to defend
the King.
22...Ng4 23.h3 Nf2+ 24.Kh2 Ng4+
25.Kh1 Qh4
¹25...e3 seems even better 26.Rf1 exd2
27.Qxd2 d4−+
26.Nd4
The only humane thing to do, given that
the 'alternative' is... 26.Rf1 Nf2+ 27.Kh2
d4...a steamroller.
26...Bxd4 27.Re2 Qg3 28.hxg4 Qh4#
0−1
wdwdwdkd
0wdrdp0p
w0wdwhwd
dwdw1wdw
wdwdbdPd
dwdwGBdw
P)wdw)w)
dw$w!wIw
Loose Pieces Drop Off
25.Bxe4?
¹25.Rc8+ Ne8 26.Bf4! wins a piece.
25...Qxe4 26.Qe2 Qe6 27.f4?! h6
27...Re7! taunts White to exploit the
back rank. 28.g5 Nd5 29.f5 Qe5
30.Rc8+ Re8 31.Rxe8+ Qxe8 32.Kf2
Qe5∓
28.g5 hxg5 29.fxg5 Ne8 30.Kf2 Qe5
31.Kf3? Re7 32.Rc3 Qd5+ 33.Kf2
Qxa2 34.b4
White shouldn't be trading Queens when
down a pawn.
34...Qxe2+ 35.Kxe2 Kh7 36.h4 f6
37.Kf3 fxg5 38.Bxg5 Re5
and Black eventually won. 0−1
R: Kevin Grimes (1100)
r: Christopher Donahue (1270)
Black swindles his way out of a hope−
less position.
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 Bf5 4.c4 e6
5.Qb3 b6
5...Nc6! and now 6.Qxb7? Nb4 7.Na3
Rb8 8.Qxa7 Ra8 9.Qb7 Rxa3 10.bxa3
Nc2+ works out in Black's favor.
6.Ne5 c5!? 7.Qa4+
7.cxd5 exd5 8.Bb5+ Bd7 9.Nxd7 Nbxd7
10.Nc3 wins a pawn, even after 10...c4
11.Qa4 Bd6 12.Bc6. 10...Bd6 is pro−
bably the best bet, playing it like a gam−
bit.
19
Desert Knight
October 2006
v2111!Tfdujpo
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Name
Misha Poerio
Michael Brown
Justin Helman
Rebecca Deland
Gilbert Quintana
Kathy Schneider
Hunter Ewing
Cameron McMillan
Norman Padilla
Eliz. Wasilewska
Jon Roensch
Isaac Ewing
Jeffrey Sallade
Lin Wang
Joe Schrader
Jack Ingalls
Wendel Brown
Achyut Varier
Johnny Mok
Gabriel Maestas
Scott McFall
Danielle Pierce
Jack Lamm
Timothy Walhood
Jonathan Evanston
Rtng.
942
934
859
486
757
834
796
941
996
860
938
862
538
UNR
UNR
898
648
697
UNR
377
607
UNR
551
UNR
474
1
W17
W13
W19
W16
W22
W14
W15
W21
W18
W24
L23
W25
L2
L6
L7
L4
L1
L9
L3
B-L8
L5
W11
L10
L12
2
W7
W23
W9
W10
H-L8
L1
W6
L3
L4
W25
W20
D22
D21
W17
W24
L15
W19
L18
L12
D14
D13
L2
L16
L11
3
W12
W4
W8
L2
W9
W23
W11
L3
L5
X18
L7
L1
W17
W22
W16
L15
L13
F10
L24
L21
W20
L14
L6
W19
B--
Rtng.
1001
1226
1699
1024
1006
377
1
W6
W5
W4
L3
L2
L1
Tot.
1.0
1.0
1.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
4
D2
D1
L5
W21
W3
D12
W8
L7
W23
W15
W20
D6
W14
L13
L10
W25
B-W24
W22
L11
L4
L19
L9
L18
L16
5
Tot.
W5
4.5
W10
4.5
W7
4.0
W12
4.0
L1
3.5
W13
3.5
L3
3.0
W18
3.0
W16
3.0
L2
3.0
W15
3.0
L4
2.5
L6
2.5
W23
2.5
L11
2.0
L9
2.0
W21
2.0
L8
2.0
W25
2.0
W24
2.0
L17
1.5
B-1.5
L14
1.0
L20
1.0
L19
1.0
1st-2nd
1st-2nd
3rd-4th
3rd-4th
$37.50
$37.50
$25
$25
top UNR
$25
fyusb!hbnft
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
Name
Gabriel Ewing
Ruben Sbarge
Rodelio Ronquillo
Charles McDaniel
Robert Frazer
Gabriel Maestas
The U1000 section
Photo: Jeff Burch
20
Poerio and Brown win!
Photo: J.Burch
Desert Knight
October 2006
A Game from the B&N Simul
saw a little further I think than Mr.
Kraai. It is because on move 17 that
17.Nd4 can be played, the best way to
dominate Black's knight. My chess Idol
has always been Lasker for his approach
of studying the game from back to front;
however, if ever situated across from me
in a tournament you will discover that I
always play for piece activity, and my
favorite theme has always been piece
domination, and trapping Queens, I
think more in the spirit of Alekhine? I
am trying to change my style, to more in
the spirit of my own chess theory which
I am currently writing about.
14...Qxe3 15.dxe3 Nb3
It is after this move that I became too
focused on breaking my knight free with
17.Nd4 a5, a variation that doesn't even
get played.
16.axb4 Nxa1 17.Bd2??
It was exactly this theme of always try−
ing to capture the N that has taken a
rook in the corner by clearing one's
pieces and then taking with a rook that I
was almost sure he would play, and that
I knew had to be wrong, that I was
counting on. The rush of adrenaline and
overconfidence on my part came my
way and instead of trying to think of a
new way such as 17...Nb3 18.Bc3 Ke7!!
which would have probably won me the
game, I plodded on with ideas associ−
ated with 18...a5. 17.Nd4™
17...Nb3 18.Bc3 a5
18...Ke7!! (with the idea of answering
19.Bc4 with ...Be6, as well as holding
the f6 pawn. −Ed.) 19.Ng5 And here I
saw this variation when Mr. Kraai ar−
rived at my board but wasn't sure of
anything else, had I just had 5 seconds
more or would have thought to use a
pass I would have surely played 19...Rf8
which is what I played immediately
when I set the board up at home which
probably would've won. However, I
wanted to win straight up, with no
passes, so I played the variation I was
R: Jesse Kraai (2495)
r: Jeff Sundell (1814)
Barnes and Nobel Simul
Notes by Jeff Sundell/Fritz 8
Before this game, I searched through
Jesse's games, something like 84 of
them in my database. But it was a
Desert Knight pamphlet that I can't find
now, where Steve Sandager played this
variation for Black and lost. I decided,
after going through Kraai's games, that
his weakness was the opening, and late
middlegame mainline patterns. Sandager
had played 6...Nf6 which is way inferior
to the analysis of this line in Khalif−
man's book Opening for White Accord−
ing to Kramnik. Khalifman and Kramnik
are of the opinion that Black should
eventually wrest the initiative from
White after 6...f6. I saw that Kraai had
played this line, so I played that.
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5
Nxd5 5.Qa4+ c6 6.Qd4
First played with recognition, by Alek−
hine. Khalifman's book gives 6.Nxd5 as
better than the text. They give the con−
tinuation 6...Qxd5 7.e4 Qd8 8.d4 Bg7
9.Be3 0−0 10.Be2 Bg4 11.h3 Bxf3
12.Bxf3 Nd7 13.Rd1 Nb6 14.Qb3²,
compared to the game after 14.a3.
6...f6 7.e4 e5 8.Nxe5 Nxc3 9.Qxc3
9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.Nf7+ Ke8 11.Nxh8
Nxe4 12.Bc4 Nd6 13.Bg8 Bg7 14.Bxh7
Bxh8 15.Bxg6+ Ke7 16.d4 Nd7 17.h4
Nf8 18.Bd3 Bf5 19.Ke2 Be6 20.h5 Bd5
21.Kf1 Ne6 22.Be3 f5 23.Re1 Bxa2∓
9...Qe7 10.Nf3 Qxe4+ 11.Be2 Nd7
12.0−0 Bb4 13.Qe3
13.d3 Qe7 14.Qc2 0−0 15.Bd2 Bxd2
16.Qxd2 Nb6 17.Rfe1 Qd6
13...Nc5
I believe this is actually a good reply,
although I did play it to set a trap after
none other than Mr. Kraai's next.
14.a3
This move is not a mistake, as I in fact
21
Desert Knight
October 2006
Monarch to e7 so he can retreat yet an−
other piece with ... Be6 in order to play
...Nc4.
26...g5
It was here after the game that Kraai
pointed out (rightfully so) that he
should've played 27.f3 here followed by
28.Kf2. 26...Rd8 27.f3 Ke7 28.Kf2 Be6
29.e4 Nb3 30.Rd1 Rxd1 31.Bxd1 Nd2
32.Be2 Nc4
27.Rd1 gxf4 28.Bxf4 Rg8+ 29.Bg3 Rd8
30.f3 Rd7 31.Kf2 b5 32.Ra1 Nc4
33.Ra6
And here I thought that there should be
a move instead of this light square sally.
A move, however, which would enable
a light square move. That move I
thought might be 33.b3, simply because
the Knight was still attacking it, and in
the back of my mind was maybe a ...b3
which keeps the target for the black N.
33.b3 Ne5 34.e4 Rd2 35.Ke1 Rd8
36.Ra6 Nd3+ 37.Bxd3 Rxd3 38.Rxc6+
Kf7
33...Kd5 34.e4+ Kc5 35.Bf4 Nxb2
36.Be3+ Kd6 37.Kg3 Be6 38.Bxb5
Here I was, with maybe an equal posi−
tion. The move before, I saw that I could
check the King with ...Rg7; however,
Kraai only had about 5 people left and
seemed to be coming around about
every 20 seconds. 38.Bxb5 surprised me
and I forgot all about ...Rg7+, which
would have enabled ...Bd7 defending
the pawn and maybe(?) the game. In−
stead, I blundered like the 1814 player
that I was with
38...Kc7??
38...Rg7+ 39.Kh4 Bd7 40.Rb6 Rg2
41.Bf1 Rxh2+ 42.Kg3 Rh1 43.Bg2 Rh5
44.Rxb4 Rb5 45.Rd4+ Ke7 46.Bf1 Rb3
47.Bg5+ Ke8 48.Rd6 Na4 49.Bc4 Ra3
50.Bf7+ Kxf7 51.Rxd7+ Kg6 52.Kg4
h5+ 53.Kf4 Rc3 54.Rd6+ Kf7 55.Bf6
Rc5 56.e5 And White should win. The
moral of the story is that the N+B where
even the N is posted well is not as good
continued on p. 46
sure was still equality :( By the way,
according to my new chess theory, the
correct move in this position is actually
19...Bf5! because it is my view that after
a combination, the results of which are
still not over, that Black and White
should now be trying to cover the light
squares! 20.e4 Bd7 21.Bc4 fxg5
22.Bxb3 Rhd8 23.b5 Be6 24.Bxe6−+
19.Bc4 axb4 20.Bxf6 Rf8
It was here that I saw I could take
White's light squared bishop on move 23
with ...Nxc4 and I had intended to whip
these next moves off, which is never a
good way to think; patience is always
better.
21.Bg7 Rxf3 22.gxf3 Nd2 23.Rc1
It wasn't until Mr. Kraai had played this
move that I saw that I could maybe win
a pawn on f3! But I just didn't see that
after 23...Nxf3+ 24.Kg2 that 24...Nh4+
came with check, and if 25.Kg3, then
25...Nf5+ would have won me the game.
I wasn't even looking at the h4 square; I
don't know the reason. Sometimes you
should just look at every square. I will
say that he was coming around rather
fast at this point. In a tournament, I
would have without a doubt played
...Nxf3+.
23...Bh3
Here once again I should have taken the
pawn on f3 or at least taken off the B on
c4 giving me opposite colored bishops
and rooks with the initiative on my side.
23...Nxf3+ 24.Kg2 Nh4+ 25.Kg1 Ke7
26.Bh6 Ra5 27.f4 Nf3+ 28.Kg2 Rh5
29.Kxf3 Rxh6 30.Kg2 Rh5∓; 23...Nxc4
24.Rxc4 Bh3 25.Rc1 g5∓
24.Be2 Kf7 25.Be5 Ke6 26.f4
Who would've thought that my idea to
keep the N in the middle of the 2nd
controlling light squares could be all
that bad? As it turns out, I believe that it
was because of this faulty idea of mine
that the initiative magically passed to
the two Bishops. Here Black should play
...Rd8 followed by retreating the Black
22
NM Chess Picnic
Taylor Park, Albuquerque, NM, July 23, 2006
Clockwise from top left: 1) IM David Pruess defeated Jeff Burch in the 2nd Chocolate Chess Set Challenge; 2) Dale and Mary Gibbs relax. 3) Jeff Sundell faces Pruess.
4) The battle of the Jeffs: Burch vs. Dimiduk. 5) Ramzi's Soccer Camp.
Photos by Art Byers and Ryan McCracken
23
Denker and Polgar Report
Chicago, IL, Aug. 5-13, 2006
Frank Chen and Anna Smoak represented New Mexico at the Denker Tournament of
HS Champions and Polgar Invitational Tournament respectively. Both were held concurrently with the US Open. Chen and Smoak both scored 3.5/6, despite starting in
the bottom half of the pairings.
by Frank Chen
Denker Report
I had a great time at the Denker tournament this year and would like to thank
NMSCO, NMCO, and NSCL for their financial support to make this trip possible. I
expected that the games would be challenging since most of the players were higher
rated than me (I was ranked 35th out of 46), and I’m happy that I managed to pull off
three upsets. In the end, I finished with a 3.5/6.0 score, taking 20th place. It was a
great opportunity for me to meet strong players and explore Chicago. I have enjoyed
playing chess in the past ten years and appreciate many of you for making scholastic
chess in New Mexico so successful. This coming weekend, I will be heading to Houston, Texas for college. I was extremely lucky to receive a full-tuition scholarship from
Rice University. I may be occupied with many activities there, but I will certainly
check NM chess websites to keep myself informed. Thank you all!
by Anna Smoak
Polgar Report
The week of August 5th to August 11th was the week of the most thinking I've had to
do the entire summer. Having returned from Laguna Beach, California not more than
twelve hours earlier, on the morning of August 5th, my mother, my sister, and I were
taking off from the Albuquerque Sunport, heading east.
Hundreds of chess players stayed at the Marriott hotel in Oakridge, a suburb of Chicago. There were three major chess tournaments held there that week: the U.S. Open,
the Denker, and the Polgar. I was participating in the Polgar tournament, the national
tournament for girls. There were one or two representatives from each state. The representatives had to win a qualifying tournament in their home states in order to come
to the Polgar. I was the representative from New Mexico.
This tournament was not new to me. I had participated in it two years before in Ft.
Lauderdale, Florida. For the most part, I knew what to expect and felt confident that I
would do well. I had no idea what was to come.
I was ranked 23rd, and as it turned out, I was right in the middle. That meant that I was
lucky enough to get to play the number one ranked player, the best female chess
player in high school. And as usual, at every major tournament, the top board's games
were projected on a big screen for the whole room to see. You don’t know how intimidating this can be until you’ve actually experienced it. Every player in the room
can see your game and how it’s going and think to themselves, “oh, poor New Mexico.”
Well, after my first loss I wasn’t too upset, I played decently and had already expected this outcome. I was able to enjoy spending some time with my aunt and my
cousin from Ohio. In the next game, I played a tough, yet beatable opponent from
Iowa. Gaining some more confidence from that win, I was paired up with the second
24
Desert Knight
October 2006
highest player in the tournament. Wondering why the world was against me, I went
into that round with a faint hope of winning. After the expected result, a loss, I figured things couldn’t really get much worse.
I was right. I didn’t lose a game the rest of the tournament. I drew one and won two. I
was happy with the final result and ended up 15th in the tournament. The Polgar tournament is a great experience. It introduces very high levels of chess and shows the
talent the young female chess players in the United States possess. It shows people
the future of the game of chess and the high levels of play that are up and coming.
And trust me, people should be scared.
Difo(t!pQQPOFOUT
Rd Pair No.
1 11
2 14
3 25
4 41
5 29
6 16
Name
tnpbl(t!pQQPOFOUT
Rtng. State
Ricky Selzler
Brian Goldstein
Edward Lu
Jesse Brent
Matthew Carlson
Jared Defibaugh
2126
2057
1938
1598
1869
2037
WA
FL
VA
ID
MN
MD
Result
D
L
L
W
W
W
Rd
1
2
3
4
5
6
Placed
Name
4
42
2
30
41
32
Courtney Jamison
Dhrooti Vyas
Louiza Livschitz
Alison Parshall
Shizuyo Ichikawa
Dana Hannibal
Rtng. State
2005
1111
1955
1259
1334
1170
TX
IA
CA
AK
OH
OR
Result
L
W
L
D
W
W
Frank sent his two upset wins, and an upset draw. There is a curious pattern to these
games. In each, Frank's opponent gets a huge attack, starts to play inaccurate moves,
and must watch helplessly as Frank's counterattack finds the mark.
passed h−pawn.
28.h6 Qd8! 29.Qd1
In a funny example of horizon effect,
Fritz gives this "??" − only to suggest it
next move! 29.Rb1 b6 30.Qd1 f5 31.h7
Qh4! 32.hxg8Q+ Rxg8 33.Bxf4 exf4
34.Qf3 fxg3+ 35.hxg3 Qh2+ 36.Qg2
Qxg2+ 37.Kxg2 f4³
29...f5! 30.Kf1?
¹30.Bxf4 is the best option White has.
30...Qh4 31.Kg1 exf4 32.Rg7+ Rxg7+
33.hxg7³
30...Qh4 31.Bxf4 exf4 32.Rg7+ Rxg7
33.hxg7 Qh3+
Black now starts plays automatic moves,
expecting the game to win itself.
¹33...Rg8 brings another piece into the
attack. 34.Kg2 Rxg7+ 35.Kh1 Qf2−+ is
the end.
34.Kg1 Rg8
One move too late. Now that wK is
closer to shelter, it's better to play 34...f3
35.Qf1 Qg4+ 36.Kh1 fxe4.
35.Kh1 Rxg7 36.Qf1 Qxc3 37.Bd3 f3
38.Rd1 Ba4??
Black is ruining his position. ¹38...f4
secures the point. 39.Qxf3 Bg4
R: Frank Chen (1697)
r: Ricky Selzler (2126)
2006 Denker HS Tourn., Round 1
After building an overwhelming attack,
Black relaxes.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+
5.bxc3 c5 6.Nf3 0−0 7.e3 Nc6 8.Bd3 d6
9.0−0 e5 10.Bc2
10.Ng5 Re8 11.Qc2 h6 12.Ne4=
10...Qc7 11.d5 Ne7 12.Nd2 Ne8 13.e4
Ng6 14.Re1 Nf6 15.Nf1 Kh8 16.Ng3
Ng8 17.Nf5 N6e7 18.f4 f6 19.Nxe7
Nxe7 20.f5 g6 21.g4 Rg8 22.Kf2 Kg7
23.Qd2 Kf7 24.Rg1 Bd7 25.Rg3 h5
26.fxg6+ Nxg6 27.gxh5 Nf4
rdwdwdrd
0p1bdkdw
wdw0w0wd
dw0P0wdP
wdPdPhwd
)w)wdw$w
wdB!wIw)
$wGwdwdw
No diagonals for you.
Fritz has difficulty seeing that Black's
planned redeployment will outweigh the
25
Desert Knight
October 2006
40.Qxf4+ Kg8−+ The R must move, but
not off the back rank, so the B is lost.
39.Rb1=
White gains a vital tempo to take the f−
pawn.
39...Kg8 40.Qxf3 Bc2 41.Qxf5
Black's Q and B remain out of action
just long enough for White to grab a
perpetual check.
41...Bxb1 42.Qc8+ Kh7 43.Qh3+ Kg6
44.Qe6+ Kg5 45.Qf5+ Kh6 46.Qh3+
Kg6 47.Qe6+ Kh7 48.Qh3+ Kg8
49.Qc8+ Kf7 50.Qd7+ Kf8 51.Qd8+
Kf7 52.Qd7+ ½−½
wdr4bdkd
0pdwdpdp
w1pdphwd
dwdwdwdw
wdP0Pdw)
dPdwgN)w
PGQdwdBd
dwdw$RdK
A tale of two tactics
23.Nxd4?
¹23.Rxe3 immediately exploits the
newly created pin. The wriggling at−
tempt 23...Nh5!? 24.c5 Nxg3+ (else
White just plays Nxd4) 25.Kg1 Qa5
26.Bxd4! Nxf1 27.Bxf1+− gives the Q a
straight shot to g2. White has a dan−
gerous attack.
23...Bxd4= 24.Rxf6 Qa5
White probably hoped for 24...Bxf6??
25.Bxf6 and a Q check on the g−file
finishes matters.
25.Bxd4? Qxe1+ 26.Rf1 Qxg3 27.Bf6
White continues to play for an attack,
unable or unwilling to believe that the
well has run dry, especially when his
position was so promising five moves
ago.
27...Rd3 28.Rg1 Kf8 29.Qc1 Qe3
30.Qa3+?
A worthless check that just puts the Q
out of play.
30...c5 31.Qb2 Rd4?
There were better ways to keep up the
pressure. ¹31...Bc6 32.Bg5 Qd4 is the
non−sacrificial way to keep the wQ out
of the long diagonal.
32.Bg5??
White's 'attack' has been a dismal fail−
ure; it was time to admit it, grab some
material, and get back in the game.
32.Bxd4 Qxd4 33.Qc1³
32...Qg3 33.Qc1 Bc6 34.Bf6 Bxe4!
White might as well resign after this
move. He can defend the threat of
...Qh3#, but he can't withstand the en−
trance of a third attacker.
35.Qh6+ Ke8 36.Be5 Qh3+ 37.Bh2
R: Matthew Carlson (1869)
r: Frank Chen (1697)
Frank escaped another would−be crush−
ing attack after his opponent played one
lazy move.
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.g3 c6
5.Nbd2 Nbd7 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0−0 0−0
8.Qc2 Re8
8...b6 is the most common move, giving
the Bc8 some squares.
9.Ne5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 Nd7 11.f4 Nf8
11...b5!? is a more active bid for play. It
can't hurt to open the c−file with the wQ
there, either. Instead, Black continues to
develop slowly enough for White to
build up a K−side attack unhindered.
12.b3 Bd7 13.Bb2 Rc8 14.Kh1 Qb6
15.Rac1 Red8 16.e4 Be8 17.f5 Bg5
18.f6 d4 19.h4
19.c5! Qa5 20.Nc4 Qxc5 21.Ba3 secures
the nice d6 outpost for the steed.
19...Be3 20.Rce1 Nd7
¹20...Qa5 21.Nf3 c5² reinforces the d4
pawn and gives the Be8 a diagonal to
play on.
21.Nf3± gxf6 22.exf6 Nxf6?
An oversight, but Black was lost any−
way. ¹22...e5 23.Qe2 Kh8 24.Ng5
Bxg5 25.hxg5 Qc5 26.Bh3 planning
Bf5, Qh5 and/or Rh1 with a strong at−
tack. Black's unfortunately placed Bish−
op hurts his defensive chances.
26
Desert Knight
October 2006
have won by grabbing a pawn and
steering the N towards its strongest post,
d3. ¹19...Nxc5 20.Qc2 (20.Nxc6? Qd6
21.Nd4 Rc8 22.Nc2 Nd3+ and White
had better give back the exchange (al−
ready!) because 23.Kd2 Rxc2+!
24.Kxc2 Qc5+ mates.) 20...Qb6 and
White is in a pitiable position. He can't
possible stop all the potential invasions
on the a−file (...Ra8xa4), b−file (...Rb8)
and long diagonal (...Nfd7, releasing the
Bishop). His N can't even move away
without allowing ...Nb3+ and a 'wind−
mill'.
20.Nxc6 Qxc5+?
Black ends up attacking with just the
Queen. ¹20...Qxa4 21.Qa6 Qb3−+ still
offered attacking chances. ...Nxg4 and
...Nxc5 are both in the air.
21.Qc2= Qa3+ 22.Kd2 d4
¹22...Kh8 23.Nd4 Qb4+ 24.Qc3 Qb8=
23.Bc4?
Under no circumstances should the
pawn be allowed to live. It single−
handedly revitalizes Black's attack.
¹23.Nxd4 Nd5 24.Nb5 Qb4+ 25.Ke2²
leaves Black without a good follow up.
23...d3 24.Qb3 Qd6 25.Bb5?
25.Rc1 Nc5 26.Qa3−+
25...Nd5??
Winning is 25...Nc5 26.Qc4 (26.Qa2
and now Black does get away with
26...Nd5 27.Qxd5 Qf6! and wK has no−
where to hide) 26...Nxg4! 27.hxg4 Qf6
and White has no good answer to the
twin threats of ...Qb2+ and ...Qxf2+.
26.Qxd5!
This move hits like a cold shower.
26...Bc3+??
A move borne of (understandable) frus−
tration. If Black had calmed down, he
might have found our familiar friend,
26...Qf6! which is still strong enough to
keep the result of the game in doubt.
27.Kxc3 Qa3+ 28.Qb3 Qc5+ 29.Kd2
Qd6 30.Qc3 Rc8 31.Ne7+ Qxe7
continued on page 46
Bxg2+ 0−1
The finish is 38.Rxg2 Rd1+ 39.Rg1
Qf3#
R: Frank Chen (1697)
r: Jared Defibaugh (2037)
White is very lucky to survive the at−
tack.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7
5.e3 c6 6.b4 0−0 7.a4 a6 8.c5 Bg4 9.h3
Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Nbd7 11.Bb2 e5
12.0−0−0?
The wrong spot for the King. Black can
easily open the position on the Queen−
side, thanks to White's advanced pawns.
12...e4 13.Qe2 b6 14.g4 bxc5 15.dxc5
¹15.bxc5 at least limits Black to only
one open file.
15...Rb8 16.Na2
16.Qxa6!? Qc7 17.Bb5 Ne5 (17...cxb5
18.Nxb5 gives White play he doesn't
deserve) 18.g5 Nfd7 19.Nxd5?! cxd5
20.Qd6 Qxd6 21.cxd6 gets the Queens
off for a small material investment, but
Black returns the favor: 21...Rxb5!
22.axb5 Rc8+ 23.Kb1 Nd3 and Black
has several weak pawns to target.
16...a5 17.Ba3 axb4 18.Bxb4
w4w1w4kd
dwdndpgp
wdpdwhpd
dw)pdwdw
PGwdpdPd
dwdw)wdP
NdwdQ)wd
dwIRdBdR
A sac so bad, it's good
18...Rxb4!
I really wanted to criticize this move.
Unfortunately, it has one strong, in−
escapable point: It removes White's best
defensive piece.
19.Nxb4 Qa5?
It's hard to blame Black for thinking that
White had no counterplay. Black could
27
NM Blitz Championship
Salvatore Perez Park, August 27, 2006
Jesse Kraai, as the only player possessing a four-digit rating with a "2" at the front of
it, had an easy time winning the state blitz championship. He did not even concede a
single draw.
Young John Flores, after training with the Russians (see the June '06 Desert Knight)
turned in a noteworthy performance, going 11.5 out of 14 to take clear second. He
took out NMCO president Jeff Burch 2-0 in the last round to clinch his place. In fact,
besides the obligatory two losses to Jesse, only Munir Hammad was able to nick him
for a single half-point.
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
Name
J. Kraai
J. Flores
M. Hammad
D. Arellano
N. Miller
W. Hatcher
D. Brunton
J. Burch
J. Stoneking
R. Sbarge*
K. Leeds-Tilley
J. Johnston
F. Perrault
T. Snediker
N. Deshpande
J. Sundell
R. Ronquillo
G. McMillan
J. Aragon
A. Blog
S. Aarons
N. Hilgendorf
G. Ewing
H. McRoberts
A. Clemmer
C. McMillan
J. Nabb
J. Sarracino
J. Sallade
D. Deland
G. Quintana
J. Jones
M. Hilgendorf
S. Blog
J.S. Sarracino
A. Zuo
R. Deland
I. Aarons
Rtng
2383
1380
1700
1626
1505
1791
1706
1940
1588
1197
1473
1628
1298
1755
675
1550
1442
1833
1278
1043
1432
1125
974
1456
1404
846
1304
1116
699
1249
894
1040
937
788
1007
1122
943
902
1
2.0 - 13
2.0 - 29
2.0 - 28
2.0 - 32
2.0 - 37
2.0 - 10
2.0 - 36
2.0 - 19
2.0 - 35
0.0 - 6
2.0 - 33
2.0 - 20
0.0 - 1
2.0 - 22
1.0 - 27
2.0 - 23
1.0 - 31
2.0 - 30
0.0 - 8
0.0 - 12
0.0 - 26
0.0 - 14
0.0 - 16
2.0 - 38
2.0 - 34
2.0 - 21
1.0 - 15
0.0 - 3
0.0 - 2
0.0 - 18
1.0 - 17
0.0 - 4
0.0 - 11
0.0 - 25
0.0 - 9
0.0 - 7
0.0 - 5
0.0 - 24
2
2.0 - 4
2.0 - 12
2.0 - 25
0.0 - 1
1.0 - 6
1.0 - 5
1.0 - 24
1.0 - 9
1.0 - 8
2.0 - 37
2.0 - 14
0.0 - 2
2.0 - 32
0.0 - 11
0.0 - 21
1.0 - 18
2.0 - 26
1.0 - 16
2.0 - 35
2.0 - 29
2.0 - 15
1.0 - 33
1.5 - 30
1.0 - 7
0.0 - 3
0.0 - 17
1.0 - 31
2.0 - 34
0.0 - 20
0.5 - 23
1.0 - 27
0.0 - 13
1.0 - 22
0.0 - 28
0.0 - 19
2.0 - 38
0.0 - 10
0.0 - 36
3
2.0 - 11
1.5 - 3
0.5 - 2
0.0 - 10
1.0 - 7
1.0 - 24
1.0 - 5
2.0 - 16
2.0 - 18
2.0 - 4
0.0 - 1
1.0 - 19
2.0 - 31
2.0 - 17
0.5 - 22
0.0 - 8
0.0 - 14
0.0 - 9
1.0 - 12
1.0 - 27
2.0 - 36
1.5 - 15
1.0 - 26
1.0 - 6
2.0 - 28
1.0 - 23
1.0 - 20
0.0 - 25
0.5 - 37
2.0 - 33
0.0 - 13
1.0 - 38
0.0 - 30
1.0 - 35
1.0 - 34
0.0 - 21
1.5 - 29
1.0 - 32
4
2.0 - 2
0.0 - 1
0.0 - 8
2.0 - 28
2.0 - 25
1.0 - 9
1.0 - 21
2.0 - 3
1.0 - 6
2.0 - 18
0.5 - 13
1.0 - 27
1.5 - 11
2.0 - 24
2.0 - 37
1.0 - 19
1.0 - 20
0.0 - 10
1.0 - 16
1.0 - 17
1.0 - 7
2.0 - 23
0.0 - 22
0.0 - 14
0.0 - 5
2.0 - 30
1.0 - 12
0.0 - 4
1.0 - 34
0.0 - 26
2.0 - 36
1.0 - 33
1.0 - 32
1.0 - 29
1.5 - 38
0.0 - 31
0.0 - 15
0.5 - 35
5
2.0 - 8
2.0 - 13
2.0 - 11
2.0 - 25
1.5 - 14
2.0 - 21
2.0 - 26
0.0 - 1
2.0 - 10
0.0 - 9
0.0 - 3
2.0 - 22
0.0 - 2
0.5 - 5
2.0 - 31
2.0 - 27
2.0 - 19
1.0 - 23
0.0 - 17
0.0 - 24
0.0 - 6
0.0 - 12
1.0 - 18
2.0 - 20
0.0 - 4
0.0 - 7
0.0 - 16
2.0 - 33
2.0 - 38
1.0 - 35
0.0 - 15
1.0 - 36
0.0 - 28
2.0 - 37
1.0 - 30
1.0 - 32
0.0 - 34
0.0 - 29
6
2.0 - 9
2.0 - 5
2.0 - 12
2.0 - 24
0.0 - 2
0.5 - 8
2.0 - 14
1.5 - 6
0.0 - 1
2.0 - 13
1.5 - 21
0.0 - 3
0.0 - 10
0.0 - 7
1.0 - 26
1.0 - 17
1.0 - 16
1.0 - 22
1.0 - 31
1.0 - 25
0.5 - 11
1.0 - 18
2.0 - 35
0.0 - 4
1.0 - 20
1.0 - 15
2.0 - 28
0.0 - 27
1.0 - 36
1.0 - 34
1.0 - 19
2.0 - 37
2.0 - 38
1.0 - 30
0.0 - 23
1.0 - 29
0.0 - 32
0.0 - 33
*Ruben Sbarge won the $20 upset prize for his round 4 wins against G. McMillan.
28
7
2.0 - 7
2.0 - 8
2.0 - 10
2.0 - 9
2.0 - 17
2.0 - 16
0.0 - 1
0.0 - 2
0.0 - 4
0.0 - 3
2.0 - 27
2.0 - 24
2.0 - 26
1.0 - 15
1.0 - 14
0.0 - 6
0.0 - 5
2.0 - 32
2.0 - 34
2.0 - 31
1.0 - 22
1.0 - 21
1.0 - 25
0.0 - 12
1.0 - 23
0.0 - 13
0.0 - 11
2.0 - 36
1.0 - 30
1.0 - 29
0.0 - 20
0.0 - 18
1.0 - 35
0.0 - 19
1.0 - 33
0.0 - 28
1.0 - 38
1.0 - 37
Tot.
14.0
11.5
10.5
10.0
9.5
9.5
9.0
8.5
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
6.5
6.5
6.5
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
5.5
5.5
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
4.5
4.0
2.5
2.5
1st
2nd
3rd
U1700
$100
$50
$25
$25
U1500 $22.50
U1500 $22.50
U1200 $20
U1000 $20
Santa Fe Open
SF Women's Club, October 16-17, 2006
A 3-way tie for first ensued in the Open Section; there was no single dominant performance. Out-of-state visitor Damian Nash was the only player to go undefeated, but
his round 1 draw and round 3 bye kept him from sole first.
Munir Hammad was looking like the favorite to win it all after a quick KO against
Kyle Leeds-Tilley, followed by a victory over the #1 seed, Carlos Santillan, in a sharp
Sicilian struggle, where both sides had advanced passed pawns. He had a perfect
score going into the last round, but he was taken out by Nash, who played a very nice
Kingside attack.
David Langlois suffered a 4th round loss to Hammad, but bounced back with a crushing attacking victory over Santillan in the final round to join the winners.
Pqfo!Tfdujpo
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Name
Munir Hammad
Damian Nash
David Langlois
Carlos Santillan
Derrick Arellano
Kyle Leeds-Tilley
Cesar Guevarra
Neil Miller
Alan Dawson
Jim Johnston
John Arthur
Douglas Thigpen
Holly McRoberts
Rodelio Ronquillo
Ruben Sbarge
Nathan Mensay
Dean Brunton
Rtng.
1853
1970
1846
2054
1684
1535
1815
1698
1660
1736
1706
1562
1428
1680
1226
1776
1751
1
W5
D8
W14
W11
L1
W17
D9
D2
D7
D13
L4
L16
D10
L3
B-W12
L6
2
W6
W9
W15
W16
W12
L1
W13
D10
L2
D8
W14
L5
L7
L11
L3
L4
U--
3
W4
H-W7
L1
W10
W11
L3
W16
W15
L5
L6
B-L14
W13
L9
L8
U--
4
W3
W5
L1
W8
L2
D9
W10
L4
D6
L7
L12
W11
B-D15
D14
H-U--
5
Tot.
L2
4.0
W1
4.0
W4
4.0
L3
3.0
W9
3.0
D7
3.0
D6
3.0
W12
3.0
L5
2.0
W14
2.0
W15
2.0
L8
2.0
H-2.0
L10
1.5
L11
1.5
U-1.5
U-0.0
1st-3rd
1st-3rd
1st-3rd
$100
$100
$100
Jason Stoneking had a relatively easy time winning the sparsely populated U1800
section. He took out his main rival, William Barfuss, in the 4th round.
V2911!tfdujpo
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Name
Jason Stoneking
William Barfuss
Roger Baxter
Eliot Ostling
Nathan Vigil
Steve Anderson
Stephen Aarons
Arthur Bayley
Susan Koenig
Rtng.
1698
1423
1525
1127
1409
1428
1698
1400
1198
1
W5
W7
W8
L6
L1
W4
L2
L3
H--
2
H-W3
L2
B-H-W9
W8
L7
L6
3
W6
H-W7
L5
W4
L1
L3
W9
L8
4
W2
L1
W6
W9
L7
L3
W5
H-L4
5
Tot.
W3
4.5
W6
3.5
L1
3.0
W7
3.0
W8
2.5
L2
2.0
L4
2.0
L5
1.5
B-1.5
1st
2nd
$40
$20
Young Albert Zuo gave a dominating performance to win the U1400 section. His
nearest rivals finished a point and a half behind him (in only a 5-round tournament!).
29
Desert Knight
October 2006
V2511!tfdujpo
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Name
Albert Zuo
John Aragon
John Sarracino
Gabriel Ewing
Robert Newell
Daniel Tellez
Niccolo Hilgendorf
Arthur Byers
Annabelle Romero
B. Trowbridge-Eisman
John Baxter
Douglas Field
Matthew Hilgendorf
Jeremy Jones
Patrick Burke
John S. Sarracino
Rtng.
1260
1312
1121
1014
1227
1126
1205
1338
989
1064
1307
1046
964
1163
1069
953
1
W12
W15
L8
L5
W4
W16
W9
W3
L7
L11
W10
L1
W14
L13
L2
L6
2
W13
W5
W12
W15
L2
L11
L8
W7
H-D14
W6
L3
L1
D10
L4
B--
3
W8
W11
W5
W7
L3
W13
L4
L1
W10
L9
L2
W15
L6
W16
L12
L14
4
W2
L1
W11
W14
W9
W8
W16
L6
L5
W15
L3
D13
D12
L4
L10
L7
5
Tot.
W6
5.0
D3
3.5
D2
3.5
D8
3.5
W14
3.0
L1
3.0
W11
3.0
D4
2.5
W13
2.5
W12
2.5
L7
2.0
L10
1.5
L9
1.5
L5
1.5
W16
1.0
L15
1.0
1st
2nd-3rd
2nd-3rd
$40
$22.50
$22.50
Unrated players are always wildcards; one has no idea how good they actually are. In
this case, Matthew Featherston proved to be a bit too much for the U1000 section,
winning it cleanly 5-0.
V2111!tfdujpo
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Name
Matt Featherston
Jeffrey Sallade
Wendel Brown
Hunter Ewing
Alexander Sadler
Ian Aarons
Elizabeth Wasilewska
Larry Tilley
Isaac Ewing
Sam Goin
Rtng.
UNR
603
660
968
768
869
849
628
861
632
1
W5
W7
W4
L3
L1
W10
L2
D9
D8
L6
2
W3
W6
L1
W9
W8
L2
W10
L5
L4
L7
3
W2
L1
W8
W6
H-L4
L9
L3
W7
B--
4
W4
W3
L2
L1
X10
W7
L6
B-L-F5
5
Tot.
W6
5.0
W5
4.0
W9
3.0
W8
3.0
L2
2.5
L1
2.0
B-2.0
L4
1.5
L3
1.5
L-1.0
1st
2nd
$30
$20
Photo: Jeff Burch
Round 2
30
Desert Knight
October 2006
22.f6 Bxf6 23.Nxf6+ Kh8 24.Nxe8
24.Bxg7+ Nxg7 25.Qh3 is even more
sadistic.
24...Ng6 25.Bxg7+ Kg8 26.Bxf8 Kxf8
27.Nxd6 1−0
r: John Arthur (1706)
2006 Santa Fe Open, Round 1
This game feels almost identical to San−
tillan−Hammad from the Albuquerque
Open! Again, White is allowed to
launch a crushing attack.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.0−0
Nbd7 9.f4 exf4 10.Bxf4 Ne5 11.Kh1
Be7 12.Qe1 0−0 13.Rd1 Qc7 14.Qg3
Rad8 15.Nd4 b5
I'm guessing this move isn't book be−
cause some preliminary defense of the
K−side is needed. 15...Kh8 and
15...Rfe8 both accomplish this goal.
16.a3 Ng6 17.Bc1 Qc8?
One moment's breath is all White needs
to gain a formidable initiative. Better is
17...Qb7 18.Bf3 Qd7±
18.Nf5! Bxf5
18...Kh8 19.Nxe7 Nxe7 20.Bg5 Nfg8
21.Rxd6 is just as bad.
19.exf5 Ne5 20.Bh6
If Black had played 15...Rfe8, he could
have answered this with ...Bf8.
20...Ne8
20...g6 21.Qh4! zeros in on the loose
Nf6. Saving the Rook makes matters
worse: 21...Rfe8 22.Bg5 Ned7 23.fxg6
fxg6 (23...hxg6 24.Rf3 is a killer Rook−
lift) 24.a4! takes over the whole board.
Once wBe2 lands on c4, Black's game
will collapse.
21.Nd5 Qb7
Sadly, Black's 'best' is 21...Kh8. The text
invites a vicious assault.
R: Dean Brunton (1751)
r: Kyle Leeds-Tilley (1535)
White insists on keeping his dark−
square Bishop, even though it sinks him.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 e6 3.Nf3 Be7 4.e3 h6
5.Bh4 Nc6
5...b6 and 5...Ne4 are the book moves.
6.Bd3 b6 7.Nbd2 Bb7 8.a3 0−0 9.Qe2
d6 10.0−0 Nd7 11.Bg3 e5 12.Ba6 Qc8
13.Bxb7 Qxb7 14.c3
I like 14.d5!? Ncb8 15.c4, gunning for a
Queenside space advantage.
14...f5 15.dxe5 Ncxe5 16.Rad1 Rae8
17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.Nf3
It's better to keep the Knight, since the
wBg3 has trouble finding something to
do. ¹18.Bxe5 dxe5 19.e4²
18...Nxf3+ 19.Qxf3 Qxf3 20.gxf3 g5
21.f4 g4 22.Kg2 h5 23.h3 Kf7
23...h4 is more accurate.
24.hxg4 h4 25.Bh2?!
White should sacrifice this useless
Bishop for three pawns. ¹25.gxf5 hxg3
26.fxg3
25...fxg4 26.Rh1 Rh8 27.Rdg1
Burying all the pieces in the corner can't
be right. 27.f3 h3+ 28.Kf1 Reg8 29.fxg4
Rxg4 30.Rd2 puts up more resistance,
although Black's still better.
27...Reg8 28.Kf1?
wdwdwdr4
0w0wgkdw
w0w0wdwd
dwdwdwdw
wdwdw)p0
)w)w)wdw
w)wdw)wG
dwdwdK$R
wdw4n4kd
dqdwgp0p
pdw0wdwG
dpdNhPdw
wdwdwdwd
)wdwdw!w
w)PdBdP)
dwdRdRdK
The Bishop's last gasp
The final nail is driven
31
Desert Knight
October 2006
28...g3! 29.Rg2
The Bishop's gone, so why not kami−
kaze it for the enemy passed pawn?
29.fxg3 hxg3 30.Bxg3 Rxh1 31.Rxh1
Rxg3
29...gxh2 30.Rgxh2 Rg7
and Black won. 1−0
23...Qa7+ 24.Kh1 Nc8 25.f5+−
24.Qd4
More accurate is 24.Kh1, diverting the
N from the d−pawn's path before play−
ing Qd4.
24...Qxd4+ 25.Rxd4 Nf5 26.Rd2 cxb3
26...Nd6 and a defensive stance is indi−
cated.
27.axb3 Rbc8 28.Rd3
28.Bh3! is a really annoying pin.
28...Rc5 29.Kf2 Kf8 30.Ra1 Rd6
31.Rc1 Ke7 32.c4 Kd8
¹32...Rb6±
33.b4?
Returns the favor of Black's 18th.
¹33.g4 boots the horse and paves the
way for wK to advance.
33...Rxc4 34.Rdc3?
34.Rxc4 bxc4 35.Rc3=
34...Ne7
¹34...Rxb4 puts Black in the driver's
seat with his two connected passers and
extra pawn.
35.Rxc4 bxc4 36.Rxc4 Kd7 37.Rd4
Rb6 38.d6 Rxd6 39.Rxd6+ Kxd6
40.Bb7 Nd5 41.Bxa6 Nxb4 ½−½
R: Holly McRoberts (1428)
r: Jim Johnston (1736)
Black is rather fortunate that his gift of a
pawn is returned.
1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.g3 Nc6
5.Bg2 Nf6 6.Ngf3 Qc7 7.0−0 Be7 8.Re1
0−0 9.Nf1 dxe4 10.dxe4 Rd8 11.Qe2 e5
12.c3 Bg4 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6
15.Ne3
This is probably why 12...Bg4 isn't
book.
15...Be6 16.b3 a6 17.Rad1 b5 18.Nd5
Bxd5?
Loses the e5 pawn, and gives White a
passed d−pawn.
19.exd5 Ne7 20.Nxe5 Rab8?
Black had two tricks to watch out for −
this avoids only one of them.
R: Kyle Leeds-Tilley (1535)
w4w4wdkd
dw1whp0w
pdwdwgw0
dp0PHwdw
wdwdwdwd
dP)wdw)w
PdwdQ)B)
dwdR$wIw
Both players throw caution to the wind,
and an amusing Q trap results.
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3
Nc6 5.Bc4 e6 6.Bf4 a6 7.Nf3 b5 8.Bb3
d6
Sometimes chasing pieces is good
21.f4
After 21.Ng4! Black must choose be−
tween a fractured K−side or 21...Bxc3
22.Qxe7 Rd7 23.Qe4 Bxe1 24.Rxe1 and
the minor pieces can harass any block−
aders of the d−pawn.
21...c4 22.Qh5
¹22.bxc4 bxc4 23.Qxc4 wins a 2nd
pawn.
22...Bxe5 23.Qxe5 Qc5+
Top boards battle it out in round 2
32
Photo: Jeff Burch
Desert Knight
October 2006
8...Nge7 9.0−0 Ng6 10.Bg3 Be7 11.Qe2
0−0 is a more solid line for Black.
9.Rc1 Bb7 10.0−0 Nf6 11.Qe2 Be7
12.Rfd1 Nh5 13.Be3 g6?
Wasting time and weakening the dark
squares. Priority #1 is getting the K to
safety. 13...0−0 14.e5 Na5 15.g4 Nxb3
16.axb3 Nf6 17.exf6 Bxf6 gives Black
compensation for his slight material
deficit in the form of weak White
pawns.
14.Nd4?
¹14.e5 Qc7 15.exd6 Bxd6 16.a4! gains
a nice initiative with Black still uncas−
tled.
14...Nxd4 15.Bxd4 0−0 16.e5 Nf4
17.Qg4 b4 18.exd6?
18.Qxf4 Bg5 19.Qg3 Bxc1 20.Rxc1
bxc3 21.exd6 cxb2 22.Bxb2 is fine for
White. Black has to worry about both
the dark squares and passed d−pawn.
18...Bg5?
A trap that shouldn't work. 18...Bxd6
19.Be3 h5 20.Rxd6 hxg4 21.Rxd8
Rfxd8 22.Bxf4 bxc3 23.bxc3−+
remains dominant there.
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3
Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 Bg4? 7.Qb3
7.Bxf7+! Kxf7 8.Ng5+ wins a pawn and
displaces the enemy King.
7...e6± 8.Qxb7 Qc8?
¹8...Nge7 9.Bb5 Qc8 10.Qxc8+ Rxc8±
limits the damage.
9.Ba6 Nge7 10.Nb5 Qxb7 11.Bxb7?
The intermezzo 11.Nxd6+! Kd7
12.Bxb7 Rb8 13.Nxf7 Bxf3 14.gxf3
Rg8 15.Bxc6+ Nxc6 16.Bf4! keeps
White on top.
11...Rd8± 12.Be3 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Rd7
14.Rd1
¹14.0−0−0 connects the Rooks and
defends the b2 pawn.
14...Nd8?
14...d5 15.exd5 Na5 16.Ba8 Nxd5
17.Bxd5 exd5 18.Bxa7 Bb4+ at least
completes development, although Black
is still down a pawn.
15.Nxd6+
¹15.Ba6 threatens Nxa7/d6 and Bb5. At
best, Black will have to lose an ex−
change. 15...Nec6 16.Bc8+−
15...Rxd6 16.Rxd6 Nxb7 17.Ra6 Nc8
18.Ke2 Bd6 19.Rc1 Kd7 20.Bxa7
20.h3 Bb8±
20...Bxh2² 21.Bd4 e5 22.Bb6 Nbd6?
The Knights are now just targets.
¹22...Nxb6 23.Rxb6 Nd8=
23.Rc7+ Ke6 24.Ra8
¹24.Bc5 and Rxc8 wins 2 Knights for
the Rook.
24...Re8 25.Bc5 Bf4 26.a4 h5 27.a5 h4
28.a6 h3 29.Kf1 h2 30.Kg2 Rh8
31.Kh1 Rh6
rdw1w4kd
dbdwdpdp
pdw)pdpd
dwdwdwgw
w0wGwhQd
dBHwdwdw
P)wdw)P)
dw$RdwIw
A sticky situation
19.Be3??
¹19.h4 Bh6 20.Ne2! Nxe2+ 21.Qxe2²
gets White out of the jam. 21...Bxc1?
22.Qe5! f6 23.Qxe6+ Kg7 24.Rxc1
gives White a winning attack.
19...h5 20.Qg3 h4 21.Qg4 f5 22.Bxe6+
Kh7 23.Bxf5 gxf5 0−1
Rdndwdwd
dw$wdp0w
Pdwhkdw4
dwGw0wdw
wdwdPgwd
dwdwdPdw
w)wdw)w0
dwdwdwdK
R: Kyle Leeds-Tilley (1535)
r: John Arthur (1706)
White invades the Queenside early and
One last trick
33
Desert Knight
October 2006
23.dxe7
Qxd4
24.exf8R+
Kxf8
25.Nxd4± leaves White up a pawn)
23.Nxe2 Nxc2 24.Bxc2 Rxc2∓
32.Be3!
Quashes Black's bid to steal the game
with ...Rg6−g1#.
32...Nb6 33.Rb8 Nbc4 34.Bxf4 exf4
35.a7 and White won. 1−0
wdrdrgkd
dpdw1p0p
pGw)whwd
)bdwdPdw
whw!wdwd
dNHw0wdw
w)PdwdP)
$wdBdRdK
Munir avenged his ABQ Open loss to
Carlos. In a sharp Sicilian struggle,
Black's e−pawn emerges as the deciding
factor.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e6 7.0−0 Be7 8.Kh1
0−0 9.a4 Nc6 10.Be3 Bd7 11.f4 Rc8
12.Nb3 Re8
The book move 12...Na5 seems better,
ensuring the N can get to c4.
13.a5 Bf8 14.Bf3 e5
¹14...Nb4 and if 15.g4 then 15...Bc6.
15.f5
15.g4! shows that Black's last move
wasn't timed well. 15...exf4? isn't pos−
sible because 16.Bb6 Qe7 17.g5 wins a
piece.
15...Nb4 16.Qd2 d5 17.Bb6 Qe7
18.exd5
¹18.Rad1 d4 19.Nxd4!? exd4 20.Bxd4
and White's pawn duo gives him com−
pensation.
18...e4
18...Bxf5 19.d6 Qxd6 20.Bxb7 Bxc2
21.Bxc8 Rxc8 22.Qxd6 Bxd6 23.Nc1∓
and Fritz believes Black's two Bishops
and passed e−pawn gives him more than
enough compensation for the material.
19.Bd1
White cooperates too readily with his
opponent's wishes. ¹19.Rae1 Bxf5
20.g4 pries a defender off the e−pawn.
19...e3 20.Qd4 Bb5
Aggressive, but it should also cost Black
his passed pawn. 20...Rxc3! 21.bxc3 e2
22.Bxe2 Nxc2 23.Qd1 Qxe2 24.Qxe2
Rxe2−+
21.d6?
21.Re1 e2 22.d6 Qd7 (22...exd1Q?
Passed pawn shootout
21...Qxd6
21...Qd7! stops the pawn cold and
threatens both ...Rc4 and ...Bxf1.
22.Nxb5 Re4 is merely a different way
to lose the Queen, while 22.Nc5 Rxc5
23.Bxc5 Bxf1 24.Bxb4 e2 wins a piece
for two pawns.
22.Qxd6 Bxd6 23.Nxb5 axb5 24.Re1
Nfd5 25.Bd4? Nxc2 26.Bxc2 Rxc2
27.g3
27.Rac1 Rxc1 28.Nxc1 exchanges the
troublesome Black Rook and gives
White a chance to blockade the pawn.
27...Bb4 28.Rec1 Rec8 29.Rxc2 Rxc2
30.Rc1 e2 31.Rxc2 e1Q+ 0−1
R: Damian Nash (1970)
r: Derrick Arellano (1684)
Notes by Damian Nash/Fritz 8
1.Nc3 d5 2.e4 e6 3.exd5 exd5 4.d4 f5
5.Bf4 Nf6 6.f3
Prevents ...Ne4, but Fritz prefers 6.Qf3.
6...Be7 7.Qd2 Nc6?! 8.Nb5 Bb4 9.c3
Better is 9.Nxc7+ Qxc7 10.Bxc7 Bxd2+
11.Kxd2 Nxd4.
9...Ba5 10.Qe3+
10.0−0−0
10...Kf7 11.0−0−0 Re8 12.Qf2 a6
13.Na3 Qe7
Threatening ...Bxc3, but better was
13...b5 starting an attack on the Q−side.
14.Nc2 Be6 15.Nh3 h6 16.Bd3 Kg8
17.Rde1 Qd7 18.Rhg1
34
Desert Knight
October 2006
Black has had the better game since
move 8 and after White's mistake is now
clearly winning.
21.Rd1 Bg6
21...e4 is bolder and better.
22.b4 e4 23.b5 Ne5?
Black returns the favor with interest.
23...Ne7
24.Ba3 Qe6
24...e3! and Black is still in the game,
because if 25.Qxe3 Nxf3+ 26.Qxf3
Qb6+ 27.Rd4 Rxf3 28.gxf3.
25.Bxf8 Rxf8 26.Qc5 Qf6 27.fxe4 b6
28.Qd4
28.Qe3
28...Qg5 29.Rf1
29.Kh2 avoids what follows.
18.Qh4
18...Bf7 19.Qd2 Rxe1+ 20.Rxe1 Kh7
20...Re8
21.g4
Now white is winning as the defence of
the kingside creates awkward piece
placement.
21...Bg6 22.g5 hxg5 23.Bxg5
Threatening to destroy the K−side
pawns with Bxf6.
23...Qd6?
A blunder that seals Black's fate. Black
overlooked the continuation 23...Qd6
24.Bxf6 Qxf6 25.Ng5+ Kg8 26.Re6
winning the bishop. Better was 23...Nh5
with chances.
24.Bxf6 gxf6 25.Nf4 Ne7
25...Rg8 is the last chance for counter−
play.
26.Re6 Qd7 27.Qe1 Re8 28.Qh4+ Kg7
29.Qxf6+
Kh7
30.Nxg6
Nxg6
31.Qxg6+ Kh8 32.Qh6+ Kg8 33.Rg6+
Kf7 34.Qg7# 1−0
wdwdw4wi
0w0wdw0p
w0wdwdbd
dPdphw1w
Pdw!Pdwd
dw)wdwHP
wdwdwdPd
$wdwdRIw
R: Munir Hammad (1853)
r: Damian Nash (1970)
A rude intrusion
29...Nf3+!
This sacrifice simultaneously 1) forks
the King and Queen (making 30.Kf2??
impossible), 2) closes off the f−file to
stop white's mate threat on f8, and 3)
forces open the g−file for Black's Queen
to enter White's King position with great
effect.
30.Kh1?
30.Rxf3 is the only playable move here,
although it leads to an inferior endgame.
If 30.gxf3, Black has the wicked con−
tinuation 30...Qxg3+ 31.Kh1 Qxh3+
32.Kg1 Qg3+ 33.Kh1 Rf4! when mate
can only be stopped by sacrificing the
Queen with 34.exd5.
30...Qxg3 31.Qf2??
Time pressure creates hallucinations, but
in any case White is already lost.
31...Qh2# 0−1
Notes by Damian Nash/Fritz 8
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 e5
White was carrying a "New In Chess"
magazine with him, so Black uses the
oldest defence, played by Philidor.
4.0−0 Be7 5.c3 Nf6 6.Re1 Bg4 7.h3
Bh5 8.a4
¹8.d4
8...Nxe4 9.Bxf7+ Bxf7 10.Rxe4 0−0
10...d5
11.d3 Kh8 12.Re1 Bh5 13.Nbd2 Bg5
14.Qc2 Bxd2 15.Nxd2 d5
An interesting tactic follows 15...Rxf2
16.Kxf2 Qh4+ 17.Kf1 Rf8+ 18.Nf3
Bxf3 19.Be3 Bd1+ 20.Qf2 Rxf2+
21.Bxf2.
16.Nf1 Qf6 17.Ng3 Bg6 18.Rf1 Rae8
19.f3
19.Be3
19...Qd6 20.Qf2? Bxd3
35
Desert Knight
October 2006
17...Qb6
18.Nf1
¹18.b4 Nc4 19.Bd3 uses the pin to win
the b5 pawn.
18...Bg7 19.Ne3 Qb6 20.Qd2 Rc7
21.Bd3 Rxc1 22.Rxc1 b4 23.Nc4 Nxc4
24.Rxc4 a5 25.Qc2 Bf6 26.Nh2 Bd8
27.Ng4 Kg7 28.b3 f5 29.exf5 Bxd5
Hammad vs. Nash, round 5
wdwgw4wd
dwdwdwiw
w1w0wdp0
0wdb0Pdw
w0RdwdNd
dPdBdwdP
PdQdw)Pd
dwdwdwIw
Photo: J. Burch
R: David Langlois (1846)
r: Carlos Santillan (2054)
White first shuts down Black's Queen−
side play before attacking on the other
wing.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6
5.0−0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 Na5
9.Bc2 c5 10.h3 0−0 11.d4 cxd4 12.cxd4
Qc7 13.Bg5 Bb7 14.Nbd2 Rac8 15.Rc1
h6 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.d5 g6?
A shift in the action
30.f6+ Kh8?
¹30...Bxf6 31.Rc7+ Rf7 32.Nxf6 Kxf6
33.Rc8= White's pressure is enough to
recover the pawn.
31.Bxg6
¹31.Rc8 Bb7 (31...Be6 32.Bxg6! Bxc8
33.Qd2 invades decisively on h6)
32.Bc4! (threatens Qxg6) 32...e4 33.Rb8
threatens both Bd5 and Qd2 (attacking
h6 and d6 at once). Black is lost.
31...Bxc4 32.Qd2 Rxf6??
Black has nothing better than a pawn−
down endgame. ¹32...Qc7 33.Qxh6+
Kg8 34.Be4! Rxf6 (34...Rf7 35.bxc4
Qxc4 36.Qd2!! Qxe4 37.Nh6+ Kf8
[37...Kh7 38.Nxf7 is just as bad]
38.Qxd6+ Ke8 39.Qe6+ wins the Rook
and the Bishop after 39...Re7 40.fxe7
Bxe7 41.Nf5 [41...Qb7?? 42.Nd6+].)
35.Nxf6+ Bxf6 36.Qxf6.
33.Qxh6+ Kg8 34.Qh7+ Kf8 35.Qh8+
Bg8
The scoresheet stops here, but 36.Nxf6
is an easy win for White...Black cannot
even recapture. 1−0
U n i ver s i ty L od g e
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Albuquerque NM 87108
Phone: 505-266-7663
fax: 505-266-0269
We offer:
• Ample parking
• 52 newly redecorated rooms.
• Within walking distance to UNM campus or take the
Central Ave. bus.
See our website for rates
www.university-lodge.com
Make confirmed reservations by Email:
[email protected]
36
Desert Knight
October 2006
Prizewinners (left to right): Matthew Featherston, Jason Stoneking, William Barfuss
More prizewinners (left to right): Damian Nash, David Langlois, Munir Hammad,
Gabriel Ewing, John Sarracino, John Aragon
Photo: Jeff Burch
Photo: J. Burch
Upcoming Events
Scholastic
Monte Vista K-12
Open: Rounds: 8:30, 10:15, 12, 1:45. Other sections: Rounds: 9, 10:30, 12, 1:30. ~100 trophies
and medals awarded. EF: $15, or $10 for an U1100
player playing in the Open section. NM State
Bughouse Championships start at 3:30 p.m. 2
sections: K-6 and Open. Single players are welcome - you'll be paired with a partner. EF:
$15/team, $8/single. On-Site entries are only
allowed for the Bughouse tourney. For more
info., contact Kim Hughes or Gayla Walden (7974107, [email protected]).
Nov. 4
Monte Vista Elementary School, 3211 Monte Vista
Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106. 4 rated sections and 3 UNR. Open: 4-SS, G/45. Rounds:
8:30, 10:15, 12, 1:45. Other Sections: 4-SS, G/30.
Rounds: 9, 10:30, 12, 1:30. Trophies given to top 9
players in each section. EF: $15 single; $10 each
additional sibling. A Bughouse tourney will be
held after the main event. 2 sections: Open and K6. EF: $14/team, $7/single. Contact Laura Blalock:
877-1067 or laurablalock@yahoo. com.
9th Annual Chess Fest
Adult
Albuquerque Open
Nov. 11
Sandia Prep Russell Student Center, 532 Osuna
Road NE, Albuquerque. A K-12 event, 7 sections.
Tentative.
37
Jan. 27-28, '07
Puzzles and Problems
Solutions on Page 46
This set focuses on missed opportunities from the Albuquerque Tricentennial Open.
Six positions are given, but only one of the six players, Kevin Grimes, actually found
the right move or sequence of moves.
Problem 01 is a simple but beautiful game-like motif. The set closes with two compositions. Paul Morton graciously sent a composition inspired by a game he once
played. There is rich line-play in this one, and solvers will find it amusing. The 9th
problem is one of my compositions; the theme is fairly old to problemists, but I imagine few DK readers have seen it. It is relatively easy to solve despite its length.
Johnston-B.Pierce
2006 ABQ Open
Zing-McDaniel
2006 ABQ Open
Problem 01
rhb4wdkd
0pdw1pgp
wdwdwdpd
dwdwdwdw
wdwHwdwd
dwdwdBdw
P)w!wGP)
$wdRdwIw
rdwdkdw4
0w0qdp0p
w0ndwdwd
dwdn0wdw
Qdwdwdwd
dwdPdw)w
P)wHP)B)
$wdwIwdR
rdwdqdnd
0pdwdwdk
wdwdbdpd
dwdp)w!w
wdw)w$wd
dw)Bdwdw
wdwdwdPd
dwdwdwIw
White to play and win
Grimes-Lott
2006 ABQ Open
Dillon-Ewing
2006 ABQ Open
Helwick-Herrington
2006 ABQ Open
rdwdq4wd
dbdndpgk
w0wdpdp0
0w0p)wdw
wdw)wdwH
dP)B)w!w
PGwdwdP)
$wdwdRIw
rdb1kdw4
0p0wdp0p
wgndwdwd
dwdpdwdw
wdBHNdwd
dwdwGwdw
P)Pdw)P)
$wdQIwdR
rdwdw4kd
0pdq0pdp
wdndwdpd
dwGwdwdw
wdPgw)bd
)wdPdNdP
wdwdRdPd
dNdQdRIw
White's best move?
White's best move?
Santillan-Guevarra
2006 ABQ Open
Paul Morton
Original Composition
Ryan McCracken
Original Composition
wdwdwdkd
0wdwhw0w
wdw0whw0
dw0P0Pdw
w1PdNdP)
dBdwdwdw
wdwdwdKd
dRdwdwdR
wdwdwdwd
dwdwdnGw
wdwdw1wd
dw0pdwdw
wdw$wdwd
dwdPiNHR
wdKdPdwd
dwdwdQgr
Kdwdwdwd
dpdpdpdP
k)w)w)wd
)pdwdwdw
w)wdpdwd
dwdwdw)w
wdwdPdwd
dwdwdwdw
White mates in 2
White mates in 10
38
My First National Open
by Ron Kensek
Since the Las Vegas Chess Festival provides chess sets, it was quite a thrill to walk in
the nearly empty ballroom (the night before) with about 800 sets arranged, knowing
I'd be playing on the top 40 or so boards. The only other large tourneys I have played
in were the 1980 World Open (to test my newly acquired master title) and the 1989
Contintental Open (which happened to be held in my birth town of Buffalo that year).
I chatted briefly with Rodelio and Cesar and had already said hello to Tony Flores on
the plane, so the New Mexico contingent was arriving.
The next morning I spoke with former New Mexican (now Arizonan) Gary Sheriff,
who says "hi" and hopes to play in a NM tournament sometime in the future. He hadn't played since 1993, and his only win in the Open section came from "the 10-dollar
kid" Alexander Hamilton, a youngster who had recently moved to Kentucky and became half of the chess-dangerous "new kids on the block" - the other being Alex's
good friend and former New Mexican, Jason Elliott. It's a small world.
During my 1st round game against expert George Trammell (who I later learned was
an Okie who has played in NM a few times and includes a win over the great Steve
Sandager), I was nearly knocked off my chair as I recognized Tom Thrush spectating
my game. When I first started playing in chess tourneys some 33 years ago, Tom was
one of the main organizers in town (Buffalo), and we had lost touch some 20-25 years
ago. Since it was my move, my perception of chess etiquette was to ignore him (as if
my opponent hadn't noticed my reaction?), make my move (it was a situation I needed
to think), and get up for a quick chat while my opponent was thinking. By that time,
Tom had walked away (after silently laughing at my reaction). With a short stroll I
did catch up for an all-too-brief chat. The game still inspires volunteers after all these
years.
In the 2nd round I was paired with my first GM! Chess is wonderfully unique by
sometimes allowing amateurs like myself to have a real game with the pro's. When I
read the pairing, I was thinking of Alex Yermolinsky (who wasn't even playing). I
became worried about what I could remember of the ...Qb6 Sicilian, or even if I knew
anything worth remembering. When my opponent showed up (mildly late), I realized
I had confused GM's and didn't know anything about what my opponent played.
Oddly enough, this actually made me feel much better. The mind is an odd thing.
experience and learning (the hard way)
what "over−extended" means, I have
become more cautious. During this
game, I would not allow myself to seri−
ously consider 5.e5, though the urge was
strong.
5...0−0 6.a4
Necessary to stop complications from
...b5 (if captured, ...Nxe4 and ...Qa5+).
6...d6 7.Be2 e6 8.0−0 exd5 9.exd5 Bg4
R: Ronald Kensek (2343)
r: GM Aleks Wojtkiewicz (2622)
2006 National Open, Round 2
Notes by Ron Kensek
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 Bg7 4.d5 Nf6
5.Nc3
In my younger days, I was always eager
to "punish" opponents who allowed
something like 5.e5. After more years of
39
Desert Knight
October 2006
20...hxg4 21.hxg4 Bd4 22.Bf4 Qd8
23.Bg5 Bf6 24.Be3 Qe7 25.b3 Bh4
Since every pawn move creates a weak−
ness, I realized h4 could be visited by a
Black piece when considering 20.g4.
But even after he played the move, I
couldn't imagine what good would come
of it. Well, shame on me for lack of
imagination!
26.Bf4
Sensibly covering dark squares around
the White King, but once again getting
in the way of the f−pawn, making the
pawn on g4 look odd.
26...Ne5 27.Be2 Nf6 28.f3
Ever wonder why anyone would place
all their pawns on the same color square
as one of their Bishops? Now Black
takes advantage of the weakened dark
squares.
In my early college years, we considered
this to be a "better" Benoni, since c4 is
always available for a White Knight.
The prescription was to meet 9...Bg4
with Nd2 to preserve the Knight, but in
this position I wasn't satisfied with
10.Nd2 Bxe2 11.Qxe2 Re8. Instead, I
was hoping possession of the Bishop
pair would limit Black's options, since
any opening of the position might be
dangerous for Black.
10.h3 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 a6 12.Bf4 Qc7
13.Qd2 Nbd7 14.Rfe1 Rfe8 15.Rxe8+
Rxe8 16.Re1 Qb6 17.Rxe8+
There was no reason to rush this. While
I place his Knight on a worse square, his
Bishop comes to life.
17...Nxe8 18.Nd1 Be5
White's b−pawn is indirectly defended
since 18...Bxb2? 19.c3 Ba3 20.Qa2 traps
the Bishop.
19.Be3
Since I am unwilling to trade Bishops,
Black's grows in strength. Also I get a
different lesson on "harmony". White's
Knight may eventually come back in
play to c4 via e3, so Black encourages
White to place another piece there. I
figured the logjam was temporary, but
my real problem is playing without a
plan. I have a vague notion of advancing
my pawns (probably now on the King
side) to either trade or gain space, but it
is so notional as to be no plan at all.
19...h5 20.g4?
Consistent with my vague plan, but
Black demonstrates this has created an
exploitable weakness.
wdwdwdkd
dpdw1pdw
pdw0whpd
dw0Phwdw
PdwdwGPg
dPdwdPdw
wdP!Bdwd
dwdNdwIw
A sneaky little Bishop
28...Be1!
29.Qxe1 Nxf3+ 30.Bxf3 Qxe1+ wins, or
any Queen retreat drops the d−pawn. I
thought for quite a while here, but real−
ized how bad White's position is and
remains. 0−1
Wojtkiewicz [pronounced voyt-kev-itch (I have already forgotten where the accent is)]
not only tied for first, but won the trophy on tie-breaks. A few weeks later, he also
tied for first at the World Open, then another first tie at a smaller tourney in Columbus, then passed away in mid July at the age of 43. I saw no obvious signs of ill health
(apparently he knew he was ill for some time), though he did pass on a postmortem of
our game ("It's hard to say" was his answer to some questions) - though that could
have been for any number of reasons.
In round 3, I faced Eric Schiller (author, international arbiter and FIDE master). I drif40
Desert Knight
October 2006
ted into a miserable position on the Black side of a Colle, survived to a pawn-down
endgame where I uncharacteristically (at least, I would like to believe) put up little
resistance. Eric suffered a stroke later this summer but is now doing well and hopes to
be "fully functional" soon.
In the fourth round, I met the young expert Benjamin Coraretti, who seems to be
showing up everywhere. He later played in the Open section of the World Open and
the US Open. Since he has now been transplanted to El Paso, TX, he even played in
this year's Pir Maleki in Montezuma. Pal Benko analyzed one of his endgames from
the 2005 World Open in the June 2006 issue of Chess Life.
rest of the game. The threat of a pawn
arriving on e5 keeps White in the game.
12...Ncxe4
Black is consuming enormous amounts
of time for the next few moves, perhaps
having difficulty accepting he cannot
acquire a tangible advantage.
13.dxe5 Qb6+ 14.Qd4 c5 15.Qe3 Ng4
16.Bxf7+ Rxf7 17.Qxe4 c4+ 18.Kh1
Rb8 19.Qe2 Bb7
So Black has given up a pawn for a lot
of fire−power aimed at White's King−
side. He probably should have tried to
combine pressure on White's isolated e−
pawn with the existing pressure on the
defending Nf3, but instead tries for a
knock−out.
20.h3 h5
Exciting in appearance, but the Black
Knight is well redeployed to f5 from h6.
The pawn move essentially gives White
another tempo (ignoring any temptation
to capture the Knight).
21.Bg5 Qg6 22.Bh4 Nh6 23.e6 Rf4?!
Again, another exciting−looking move,
but it makes the pawn on e6 a monster.
Black doesn't have time to both break
through and stop the monster. Time
trouble is now playing a role.
24.Qe5 Rbf8?
Wrong rook.
25.e7 Rxf3 26.exf8Q+ Kxf8 1−0
R: Ronald Kensek (2343)
r: Benjamin Coraretti (2021)
Notes by Ron Kensek
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 Bc5 4.Nc3 d6
5.Na4?!
Lack of preparation led to lack of con−
fidence, especially in openings, so I
found myself trying junk like this to
avoid main lines. Both of us were on our
own, and started playing slowly
(thoughtfully?).
5...Nbd7 6.Nxc5 Nxc5 7.f4 0−0 8.fxe5
On the more natural 8.Nf3, I was wor−
ried about Black opening up the position
before White has castled with 8.Nf3
exf4 9.Bxf4 d5.
8...dxe5 9.Nf3 Qd6 10.0−0
Judging the position to be safe, this is
the first move since the fifth move I
made without a deliberate think session.
I completely overlooked my opponent's
next move. But the tactical gods smiled
on me that day − otherwise White would
be in serious trouble.
10...b5!? 11.Bb3
11.Bxb5 Qb6 is too strong with threats
of ...Nb3+ and ...Qxb5.
11...a5 12.d4!
Forced, and I was very lucky this was
there. If White had to move the c−pawn
(12.a3 Nxb3 13.cxb3), the d3−pawn
would be a permanent weakness for the
I had no way of knowing my fifth-round opponent would later become a world-wide
celebrity (though few actually know his name). For the record, yes, he did wear a hat
– a dark baseball cap.
41
Desert Knight
October 2006
partly since I couldn't find lines I actu−
ally liked.
14.Qe1 Qc7?!
So now Black threatens to lose many
tempi with the Queen! I find it hard to
rationalize some of my choices here.
White gladly accepts.
15.axb4 Qxc2 16.Bxa6!
Threat of 17.Bb5+ and 18.Rxa8.
16...Rxa6 17.Rxa6 Qxb3 18.Ra8+ Kd7
19.Ra3 Qc4 20.Qd2 Nd3 21.Rxd3 Be7
22.Rc1 Qb5 23.Na3 Qa4 24.Nc4 Bxc4
25.Rxc4 Rb8
Now Black is behind in material, though
he at least appears to have sensibly
placed pieces.
26.Qc3 d5
Wow! Opening up the position is the
last thing Black needs. I was trying to
create counterplay...
27.Rc7+ Kd8 28.Ra7 Qxb4 29.Qc7+
Ke8
So, Black is now poised for a sudden
back−rank mate if White gets carried
away...
R: Eugene Varshavsky (2144)
r: Ronald Kensek (2343)
Notes by Ron Kensek
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 b5
9.Be2
White is playing a 6.Be2 line with a
later f3/Be3, but has succeeded in con−
fusing Black, who thinks White has
misplayed the English attack.
9...Nbd7 10.0−0 Nb6 11.Bf2
This should be harmless, but provokes
Black to "strike."
11...b4?
I wanted to play 11...b4 and 12...d5, but
was having trouble working out the de−
tails. So I played 11...b4 since I figured
that had to be "right." The root cause of
Black's problems is the failure to rec−
ognize Black is in no position to open
up the position given his centralized
King (aside from weakening the Queen−
side in its own right). Sadly, none of
Black's next several moves addresses the
root problem.
12.Nb1 Nc4
Trying to slam on the breaks by shield−
ing the Queenside from the Be2. I have
to admit giving in to "hope" chess,
thinking I would gain time from the
threat to b2 though it was supposed to
be just a bluff.
13.a3 Nxb2?
(Moan) Now Black will need to devote
time to a rescue operation leaving the
Kingside frozen as the Queenside gets
mercilessly ripped open. Maybe I felt
honor−bound to carry out the "threat" −
w4wdkdwd
$w!wgp0p
wdwdwhwd
dwdp0wdw
w1wdPdwd
dwdRdPdw
wdwdwGP)
dwdwdwIw
The final blow
30.Rb3!!
Very nice! Defending the mate, overloading the Qb4 (...Qxb3 31.Qxe7#), and
x-raying the Rb8 (...Qd6 31.Rxb8+). 1-0
I chatted with Varshavsky after the game, and both before and after his last round
game. Originally from Russia, now living in NJ, he was given a floor of 2200 by
Goichberg for winning the U2000 section of Foxwoods a couple of years ago. I got
the impression of someone who didn't have a lot of experience but was regaining his
confidence, though there will always be those who will claim he was perfecting his
"technique." He caused an uproar at the later World Open by defeating GM Smirin
and a couple of other strong masters and was suspected of cheating. He was searched
42
Desert Knight
October 2006
a couple of times (apparently each time after he visited the bathroom, at least once
which took a while) but no devices were found and was allowed to finish the tournament (the last two rounds without wearing his hat - he lost badly against two GM's).
One piece of supposedly incriminating evidence was his last 25 moves in the Smirin
game were identical to a particular computer. Having looked at that game, I suggest
the nature of the positions were such that Varshavsky's choices would have been chosen by many experts - with the possible exception of a very small number of positions. We used to call that "playing well." Obviously I don't know if Varshavsky
cheated at the World Open or not, but I am not impressed by the evidence (bathroom
behavior aside - an oddly relevant phrase today). I have no reason to be suspicious
from our National Open encounter, and I suspect many a good expert would also have
thrashed me the way I played.
The last round I played a 15-move draw (but one that took 2.5 hours!) against longtime master Edward Allen. I declined to offer the Najdorf poisoned pawn (but usually
I offer it), and then played very carefully trying to avoid dropping my e-pawn while
developing my pieces in some sensible way. I am much more familiar with Black's
plans than White's, and never really figured out what I was supposed to do with the
Nb3, so I accepted his draw offer. So, 2.5/6 - hardly a great score but more-or-less
maintained my rating (only a small decrease) and a good reminder that I do enjoy
playing. Actually, I am far more excited about having played than I was during the
tournament!
For All Your Real Estate Needs
Silas Perry, Realtor®
(505) 514 3080 Mobile
[email protected]
(505) 291 5222 Office
www.silasperry.com
Contact me any time you need to make a move!
43
4th Annual DK Quiz
by Jim Johnston
This year we go global and ask, "How many of these wacky GMs can you identify?"
Find all you can, guess the other two or three, and email your answers to me at
[email protected] by 12.31.06. The entrant with most correct answers gets a
free entry to the next ABQ Open. To make it even easier, choose your answers from
the names listed and use each one only once: Adams, Aronian, Bisguier, Botvinnik,
Fedorowicz, Fischer, Gheorghiu, Hodgson, Kaidanov, Kamsky, Karpov, Kasparov,
King, Korchnoi, Kraai, Kramnik, Miles, Morozevich, Nakamura, Nimzovich, Norwood, Petrosian, Plaskett, Seirawan, Short, Spassky, Tal, Topalov and Yermolinsky.
known player in Uzbekistan until he had
a win which changed his life! Who did
he beat?
8) At the '04 Calvia Olympiad, he lost to
Morozevich in just 13 moves.
9) His play was just okay against his
friends, but improved against those he
disliked. So he kept a photo of his next
opponent in his apartment and worked
on building up the right level of hatred.
10) In 2001, when Tony Miles died, this
player wrote his obituary. This was perhaps not the best place to brag that he
had slept with Tony’s girlfriend. Name
the cad.
11) In '01, a well-known book finally
came out in an algebraic edition. You
would expect the author to be pleased.
Not at all! He accused the publisher of
changing his analysis to make him look
stupid!
12) This player’s book of games and
articles was called It’s Only Me. The title
was an anagram of his name.
13) The 2000 British championship was
held in a school. The '99 champ decided
that the school chairs were “not too
comfy”, so he brought along his own
padded executive chair. The other players had the best laugh when he lost in
round 2 and had to wheel his chair down
to the lower boards. He then started to
win (comfortably!) and eventually repeated as British champion.
1) In 2006, he won a prize of £250,000,
but not for playing chess. He was on
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.
2) In '06, he was the 1st player to beat
Topalov after the Bulgarian became
world champion.
3) At the '06 Turin Olympiad:
a) He won the trophy for the highest
rating performance.
b) At a party, England board 4 Danny
Gormally punched this player in the
eye. The victim had a lot of friends. So
many of his countrymen wanted to get
even that Gormally was sent home for
his own protection.
c) The US took bronze! Which of our
guys had the highest % score?
d) This US player finished the Olympiad with 3 straight wins.
4) In 2005, he was playing in his country’s national championships. The games
started at 3 in the afternoon, but he still
managed to oversleep and forfeited his
3rd round game.
5) In '05, writing on the internet, he
showed that a last round game in the
American Open had been thrown, so that
the winner would qualify for the '06 US
championships.
6) In '05, a “fan” asked him to autograph
his wooden chessboard, then picked it up
and bashed him on the head with it.
7) In '05, GM Igor Ivanov died. He played in many NM tourneys in the late '80s
and early '90s. Igor was just a little44
Desert Knight
October 2006
14) At the 1994 Moscow Olympiad:
a) He achieved instant stardom when
he won his game against Kasparov.
b) There was a lot of street crime. Dozens of computers were stolen. One
player was robbed at knife point of
$700, but it turned out that the robber
had been hired by his ex-wife to remind him about alimony payments.
15) After the 1st of his divorces, he said
“We were like bishops of opposite colors.”
16) In 1991, when he came dead last at
Linares, he explained that he would have
won more games, but Kasparov was having his food poisoned!
17) In 1988, at the start of the Watson,
Farley and Williams tournament in London, one player was really pleased to be
there. When he flew in to England he
was detained by immigration officers.
They refused to believe that he was a
chess master, and he had no chess books
on him to prove that he was. Indeed, they
first became suspicious because he had
no luggage at all!
18) Did you ever feel that you were a
much better player than your opponent,
yet you still lost the game? When he lost
to Sämisch, this guy stood up in the
middle of the tournament hall and yelled,
“Why must I lose to this idiot?”
19) In 1986, NMCO president Jeff Burch
worked as a TD at the US Open. At the
start of one round, there was a problem
with the pairings and Jeff was sent to tell
the top guys to delay starting their
games. Name the GM who one minute
later asked, “What idiot said not to
start?”
20) In 1980, NM master Ron Kensek
played at the World Open. He drew with
an English player who became a GM in
1989. Who?
21) In 1980, quizmaster Jim Johnston
went to the Knutsford Quickplay (action
chess) in England. In round 3, he played
an 11-year old, when both were at 2/2.
The kid won the game and the section
and went on to become a GM at the age
of 20.
22) At last we have a New Mexican who
beat one of these guys. Twice! In 1973,
at the Washington State U21 champs,
Wayne Hatcher beat this player first in
the round robin and again in the playoff.
23) Everyone who went to Havana in
1966 thought it was the best Olympiad
ever. It had everything!
a) On the evening of the opening ceremony, he was “preparing” in a Havana
bar when he was attacked by a drunk.
He was hit on the head with a bottle,
went to hospital, and had to miss the
first 4 rounds.
b) On the rest day, masters from the
event gave simuls simultaneously to
provide a big display in the main
square. Guess/tell me the total number
of boards played.
c) The USA took silver, mainly due to
a splendid score by Fischer on board 1.
At the start of the next to last round, he
had already scored 13 wins, 2 draws
(to Spassky and Uhlmann) and no
losses. This time, his opponent made
his 15th move and respectfully asked,
“Wanna draw?” Bobby’s famous reply
was, “Of course not!” Great answer,
but he later had to resign. Who beat
him?
d) Fischer won his last game too. Had
he accepted the above draw offer he
would have taken the gold medal for
best % score on board 1. After his loss,
another player ended up with a fractionally higher % score. Who?
Avoid Zeitnot! Send your answers in
soon. In the event of a tie, the answers
received earlier will be the winners. So
google well.
45
Desert Knight
October 2006
having N+B versus the two Bishops, or
even trading that N for B with the ini−
tiative in an opposite colored B vs. R
endgame with opposing pawn major−
ities.
39.Rxc6+ Kd8 40.Rxe6 Rb7 41.Bc6
1−0
Chen-Defibaugh, cont. from p. 27
32.Qxc8+ Kg7 33.Qc3+
33.Bxd7
33...Ne5 34.Bxd3 exd3 35.f4 1−0
Kraai-Sundell, cont. from p. 22
as being up a pawn, even if temporarily
Solutions to Puzzles
Johnston-B.Pierce
1.Nf5! with the twin threats of QxR+
and NxQ+ is too much for Black to
handle in his undeveloped state. He will
not even be able to limit his losses to
one exchange. 1...Qd7 [1...Qf8 2.Ne7+!
leaves the Bc8 as a target 2...Qxe7
3.Qxd8+ Qf8 4.Bc5! again highlights
Black's helplessness; 1...Rxd2 2.Nxe7+
Kf8 3.Rxd2 Kxe7 4.Re1+ and Black
must lose more material.] 2.Ne7+! Kh8
3.Qa5 again targets the Rd8, leaving
Black without a good reply.
Dillon-Ewing
White could have escaped the pawn fork
by 1.Bb5 dxe4 2.Nxc6 maintaining his
material edge, because 2...bxc6 3.Bxc6+
wins an exchange.
Helwick-Herrington
1.Nxd4! not only removes a piece from
Bf3's line of fire, but after 1...Bxe2
[1...Nxd4 2.hxg4 Nxe2+ 3.Qxe2 gives
White two minor pieces for a Rook.]
2.Nxe2, he escapes the Q as well.
Santillan-Guevarra
White found 1.Bc2! Qxc4, but missed
2.Rb8+! Nc8 [2...Kf7 3.Nxd6#; 2...Kh7
3.Ng5+! hxg5 4.hxg5+ Nh5 5.Rxh5#]
3.Rxc8+ Kf7 4.Nxd6+ winning the
Queen.
Zing-McDaniel
White can take immediate advantage of
the two 'loose' black Knights.
1.Bh3! The game continued 1.Rc1 Nce7
and Black got out of the pin. 1...Qd6
2.Rc1 Nde7 3.Bg2 Kd7 4.Nc4 Qf6
5.Nxe5+ Qxe5 6.Bxc6+ Nxc6 7.Qxc6+
Ke7 8.Rc4 f5 9.Qxc7+ leaves White up
2P in the ending.
Paul Morton [orig for DK]
1.Nh2! (threat 2.Nf5#) 1...Kxd4 runs
into the pin−mate 2.Qf4#, while
1...Qxf1 discovers a guard on d4, al−
lowing 2.Ng4#.
Problem 01
1.Rf8! wins the Queen, as she dare not
leave the defense of g6.
Ryan McCracken [orig for DK]
1.h8N e3 2.Ng6 fxg6 3.f7 g5 4.f8N g4
5.Ne6 dxe6 6.d7 e5 7.d8N e4 8.Nc6
bxc6 9.b7 c5 10.b8N# Although the
'cascading Knight promotions' theme is
not new, I had fun constructing my own
version.
Grimes-Lott
White prevailed after 1.Rxf7! Rxf7
1...Qxf7 avoids immediate mate, but still
loses to 2.Bxg6+. 2.Qxg6+ Kg8 3.Qh7+
Kf8 4.Ng6#
46
Cl ub s
list obtained from the NMCO webpage (www.nmchess.org)
Four Corners Chess Club
Still going after 40 years! The club
meets in room 1008 at San Juan College
on Tuesdays. For times and more info,
contact Kent Weisner at 505-598-6442,
or email [email protected].
Westside Chess Club
Casual chess on Thursday nights starting
at 7 p.m. The club meets at Barnes and
Noble on 3701A Ellison Dr. NW, Albuquerque, next to Toys-R-Us. Contact
Holly McRoberts (QueenHJM @aol.
com).
Cherry Hills Chess Club
Meets at the Cherry Hills Library in NE
Albuquerque, every 1st Saturday, if the
meeting room is not booked. One rated
game per meeting. Contact Rod Avery
([email protected]).
Los Alamos Chess Club
Thursday 6:30-10:30 p.m. at the Betty
Ehart Senior Center (downstairs). Contact Gerard Jungman (667-0369, daytime) or Tom Pigott (662-6962).
New Mexico Tech Chess Club
Meets Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. during spring and fall semesters on the NM
Tech Campus in Socorro, in “Old Jones”
2nd floor. Take I-25 exit 150 onto California Street. Turn right into Bullock
Ave. (KFC at the corner). At the third
intersection, you will see the campus.
Keep going straight. The street will
curve left. At the stop sign, turn into the
left parking lot.
Bear Canyon Chess Club
Bear Canyon Senior Center, near Montgomery and Eubank in Albuquerque.
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays at 1 p.m.
A casual, small, friendly group. No organized pairings. Contact Lloyd Gustafson (821-2083).
Foothills Chess Club
The first Sunday of the month from 2-6
p.m. at Foothills Fellowship Church,
located on the SW corner of Candelaria
and Tramway. Contact Oren Stevens at
298-2534 or e-mail orenvstevens@aol.
com. USCF rated games.
UNM Chess Club
Tuesday, 6-9 p.m. Casual chess upstairs
in the Student Union Building. The room
is subject to change, so check with the
SUB information desk or the schedule
displays when you get there. Contact
Mariyam Qassem (President) 264-4136,
or Anthony Chen (Vice Pres) 610-8678.
Borders Book Store - Santa Fe
Monday, 7-10 p.m. on Montezuma in the
Sambusco Ctr, Santa Fe. Casual chess,
lots of blitz, and sometimes some slow
rated games.
Coronado Chess Club
Wednesday, 7 p.m. at the Frontier Restaurant on Central Ave. in Albu-querque,
across from UNM (in the back room).
Two unrated games weekly, G/30. Contact Richard Sherman (839-4218). $10
per year or $1 for one night. Equipment
available.
The Chess Group
Meadowlark Senior Center, 4330 Meadowlark Lane SE in Rio Rancho. Thursdays at 1 p.m. Average age: 70 to 75
years. Contact Paul Morton at 867-9664
(home), 514-6807 (cell) Email: p.morton
@att.net
Advertise in the Desert Knight!
Full Page $70, Half Page $40, Quarter Page $25.
Commercial ads only
47
New Mexico Top 50
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
As of 10/13/2006
Top 50 Active (last 3 years)
#
Name
Name
Rtng.
26 Eric Morrow
Jesse Kraai
2541
27 David Langlois
Ronald Kensek
2321
28 Alexander Kornienko
Tim Pointon
2239
29 Ryan McCracken
Stephen Sandager
2229
30 Jeremiah Miller
Lior Lapid
2221
31 Charles Sandoval
Chris Candelario
2206
32 Dwight Ditrick
Boris Ratner
2135
33 Silas Perry
Robert Haines
2126
34 Jack Shaw
Mark Schwarman
2118
35 Scott Kerns
Jeffrey Martin
2106
36 Daniel Weissbarth
Samuel Echaure
2046
37 Diane Barnard
Tony Schroeder
2025
38 Jeffrey Sundell
Gerard Jungman
2024
39 Derek Christensen
Young Yee
2022
40 Wayne Hatcher
David Ingram
2022
41 Richard Sherman
John Irwin
2010
42 Cesar Guevarra
William Barefield
1975
43 Daniel Spohn
Jeffrey Burch
1941
44 Daniel Reiser
Peter Calhoun
1939
45 Nathan Mensay
Peter Cuneo
1937
46 Frank Chen
Brad Peterson
1930
47 Tad Snediker
Stephen Hoffman
1910
48 Brad Earlewine
John Glenn
1901
49 Charles Burrow
Munir Hammad
1900
50 Scott Watson
Arthur Glassman
1899
Rtng.
1875
1868
1866
1857
1850
1849
1831
1828
1813
1813
1812
1809
1808
1806
1802
1802
1790
1779
1778
1771
1771
1764
1758
1753
1749
A generous contribution to support chess in New Mexico has been made by Mr.
Carlos Garcia of Garcia Infiniti. Garcia Infiniti has a nice website at
www.garciainfiniti.com

Reading version - New Mexico Chess Organization

Transcription

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