A Successful Kid's Night at LCCC - 021218

Chess is a great game to play while on the physical mend.

The club had a quiet 020518 evening of casual chess with five attendees. But the club was rocking on Kid's Night with fourteen players! It was a nice evening for chess indoors at our beautiful playing room as it was a very cold winter evening.

The Club WILL BE OPEN next week on President's Day, so our 960 tournament will continue on that evening.

Stop by to join the tournament or play some regular casual chess. See you next Monday!

Here is a game played thru the mail (way before the internet). The opening is called the Ruy Lopez and has been analyzed to death for literally centuries.Since it was a postal game, the two players probably referenced books to carry the opening as far as they did without any major blunders.

But the opening and the positional play is still good to see for all players, which is why is is shown here.

1. e4              e5
2. Nf3           Nf3
3. Bb5           a6
4. Ba4           Nf6
5. O-O          Nxe4
6. Re1           Nf6
7. Bxc6         dxc6
8. Nxe5         Be6
Black's king safety has improved. Game is even.

9. Qe2              Bd6
10. d4               O-O
11. Bf4             Re8
12. Nc3            Nd5
13. Nxd5          Bxd5
14. c4               Be6
15. Rad1          Bd7
16. Qh5            Qe7
17. Rd3            f6
White keeps turning up the pressure and Black successfully counters every time.

18. c5               Bxe5
19. dxe5           g6
20. Qd1            Rad8
21. Kf1             Bf5
22. Rxd8          Rxd8
23. Qb3+          Rd5

Position after Black's move #23  .....Rd5

White forks the b7 pawn.

24. Qxb7           fxe5
25. Qxc6           Bd3+?
Finally a slip by Black as he missed 25. ......Qd8 with an even game. White up a pawn positionally.

26. Kg1             Rxc5
27. Qa8+           Kg7
28. Be3?            Rc2
White needed Bd2. Now Black threatens to win the b-pawn.

29. Qb7             Bb5?
White retakes the positional lead as 29. .....Qd6 kept the game even.

30. a4                Qb4
31. Rb1             Qxa4
32. h3?              Qc4
White did not want to worry about a back rank mate when he starts his attack, but this 'slow' move gives Black a slight positional advantage. White should have played 32. Qd5.

33. Qf3             Qa2
34. Rd1             Qxb2??
A blunder that loses the game as White makes no mistakes from now on. 34. ....Bc6 holds things close to equality.
White has to tread correctly as Black still has defensive moves available and some tricks. But.....since it was a postal game......White must have really taken his time.

35. Rd8+           Qb4
36. Qd5             Kf6
37. h4                Rxf2
38. Bxf2            Ba4
39. Qg8             Resigns