LCCC Week 9 League 020816 and a Master Error

League action at LCCC

Week Nine of league play happened this Monday - along with some casual chess and some chess lessons. Pretty much a typical night of great chess action at the club.

First of all, the Thunder defeated the Owls 2 - 1. Congratulations to the winners in this match: Gene M, Luke S and Jay S.

In the match to see if the league even needs to continue - DID NOT settle the matter yet! The 49'ers need two match points to clinch the league.

Paul M got one win for the 49'ers, but Tom H and Sam T drew their game. So, it is up to the featured Board 1 match between Ken T - 49'ers (W) vs Tim R - Tigers (B). This game had to be postponed until next Monday due to work schedule conflicts.

If Ken T wins or draws, the league is over as no one can catch the 49'ers. If Tim wins, then the Tigers earn a match draw and can decide their own fate in the league!

You see the 49'ers have a bye in week 10. So if the Tigers can draw this week 9 match with a Tim R win, then beat the Owls in week 10, then beat the 49'ers in the Position Round - the Tigers will be co-champions with the 49'ers!

Ken T and Tim R will play next Monday at the club. Stop on by and watch this one, while playing some casual chess yourself.

White to move and win .....except he RESIGNED instead!

In  keeping with the 'Never Ever Give Up' theme I had a post or two ago, I found a doozy from a game between an International Master playing White and a Grandmaster playing Black.

Egos and reputations sometimes get in the way of our thinking.
In this situation, an IM did not want to appear rude and make a GM continue to play when it was 'obvious' the game was over.

This type of situation and attitude happens on the international chess stage, the regular Joe weekend tournaments and even in casual games at the club.

Some 'winners' give of the attitude that the 'loser' should accept defeat and quit already. The 'loser' feels this pressure and often does resign - when he should not have yet.

Here is a perfect example as obviously this IM is certainly good enough to spot the saving move IF he had on his battle armor instead of his Peace Sign t-shirt.

White sees:
43. Qxg3          Rxf1+
44. Kh2            hxg3+
45. Kxg3          Nd3 (-10 pawns for White)
and an easy endgame win for Black. Or:

43. Ne6+          Nxe6
and the same endgame lose ensues.

There was the better:
43. Qg1         Nxh3
44. Nf5+       gxf5
45. gxh3        Rxf1+
46. Qxf1       Kg6
and Black's extra pawn and better pawn structure is enough to win (-4.9).

But White has a shocker at his disposal:
43. Nf5+ !
This saves the game and gives White the win!

43. ........          gxf5
44. Qxg3+       hxg3
45. Rxc1       
with the winning endgame on White's side of the board (+3.1 for White).

Never feel pressure to resign your game. If your opponent is all that sure he is going to win, then he should enjoy the process of crushing you as you continue to play. Take any sign that your opponent is trying to get you to "resign already" as a show of weakness that he is not that sure he can actually finish you off. So, play on!