Monday 082415 – Casual Chess

Girl Power! Women can play this game too!

We had seven players tonight for casual chess. It was a good night with friends. Come on by and join the group.

Remember, our league is planning to start in mid-September so drop on in, register, and play a few casual games to establish a club rating. Believe me when I tell you – our chess league is a lot of fun – and it is free to all who enter.

Also check out the Michigan Open in Lansing over the Labor Day weekend. Play in it, or stop by to see real chess tournament action.

Now a game that proves females need no special help or treatment to play great chess. Review this game of Jessica Regam – playing White in the National Girls Invitational Tournament in 2014. Thank you to the Michigan Chess Association for publishing the game. Notes are mine and analysis by Igor3000.

1. e4                    e5       

2. Nf3                  Nc6

3. Bb5                 a6

4. Ba4                  Nf6

5. O-O                 b5

6. Bb3                 Bc5

7. c3                    d6

8. d4                    Bb6

9. a4                    Bb7

10. Re1?!               O-O

(=) 10. d5 is better as it is more aggressive, so it would be (+.3).

11. h3                    h6

12. Bc2                  Re8

13. d5                    Ne7

14. b3                    c6

15. c4?                   bxc4

White to move after 15. ....bxc4

(-.5) Jessica’s first misstep. Attacking the Queen-side pawns from the front instead of the base with 15. dxc6, which would have left the game virtually even (-.1).

16. bxc4                cxd5

17. cxd5                Rc8

18. Be3                  Ba5?

Black’s first error. Trading bishops is better for Black than moving off that good g1-a7 diagonal, and leaving White’s bishop on the good c1-h6 diagonal (+.2).

19. Re2                  Bb4

20. Na3                 a5

21. Bd2                 Ba6

22. Nb5                 Qd7

23. Rb1                 Bxb5

24. axb5                Nexd5?

(+2.5) An ill-advised or miscalculated sacrifice. Black tries to open the center for an attack.
Better was 24. ....Bxd2 25. Qxd2, Rc5 26. Qxa5, Ng6 and things are not as bleak for Black at (+.6).

25. exd5                Nxd5

26. Bxb4               Nxb4

27. Ba4                  Qf5

28. b6!                   .........

Black to move after 28. b6!

 Passed pawns must be pushed!

28. .......                Red8

29. Rc1                  Rb8

30. b7                    Rxb7?

(+3.5) The defensive move of 30. .....Qf6 was needed to stop the following tactic.

31. Rxe5!              dxe5??

(-11) It’s over now. Black had to take his lumps and play 31. .....Qd3 and try and stay in the game at (+3.5).

32. Qxd8+             Kh7

33. Rc8                  Qb1+

34. Kh2                 Qe4

35. Nh4                 Qf4+

36. Kg1                 Resigns

Casual Chess Monday 081715 – and Think Fall Chess League

LCCC at the Howell MelonFest was fun for young and old!

A little tired, but no worse for wear, eight regular LCCC players were on hand for some chess action, and to re-hash our fun weekend at the Howelll MelonFest.

One new member joined the club tonight. He learned about us from someone who was at the MelonFest, saw our booth and told him about us. Word of mouth is usually our best recruiter. 

Welcome Joshua R to LCCC!

Well, we are officially in the dog days of summer. Final summer activities and vacations are being planned and done. The start of the school year is now visible on the horizon.

This is a notoriously slow time for chess. After all, especially in Michigan, one must get outside when one can and enjoy the good weather.

But as fall approaches, let’s make plans to have some fun activities when the weather is no longer as friendly to those who venture out into it.

One of the best events held at LCCC is our Chess League! – which starts in late September and can run until Christmas or into the spring, depending on the number of entries. 

Now before you panic about that long of a commitment, the League games are only on EVERY OTHER WEEK (or two weeks sometimes avoiding holidays). So that way you don’t have to be at the club every week if you don’t want to be.

This is a super fun event because Teams are formed according to player strength, making every team competitive. The team forming is done much like a Fantasy League draft.

For instance, most of the time four – person teams are formed with an A, B, C and D ranked player on each team. Then when the Teams are paired for a match, players play only the people in their ranking group!

This makes every game and every match competitive! Every game is fun and exciting because it means something - every single round. And you are playing someone of equal talent so your chances are good – if you play well.

This is a great way to get better at chess and at the same time meet nearly everyone in the chess club. And of course this great League is free to all to join!

Make plans now to join the best chess experience out there this fall – the 2015 LCCC Chess League.

White to move and win!

And for you chess players wanting to get the full tournament chess experience – The 2015 Michigan Open will be in Lansing Michigan on September 4 thru the 7^th. This is always a great event with an added Speed Tournament to enter, and a beginner’s tournament also as an option.

Check out the Michigan Chess Association link on this site.

Now find the best move!

Co-Champions in the 2015 LCCC Fischer Random Chess Tournament!

Paul Mills defeated Vince Valente to tie Vince with 3 points in this very close competition.
Finishing tied for 3rd was Gene McClure and Mike Nikitin.

Congratulations to Paul and Vince!

Here is a 960 game from the Final Round of the 2015 LCCC Fischer Random Tournament. The game was between your humble scribe Mike N with White and Gene M with Black. The winner would finish tied for 1^st or 2^nd, depending on the outcome of the Board 1 game between Paul M and Vince V.

With that as the situation, neither Gene nor I had any reason to play for a draw. So both players would be looking for knockout tactics.

Readers, you are in for a treat. Not only do you have my thoughts and Fritz13’s opinion, you will also get [Gene’s notes and Rybka4’s opinion].

Enjoy playing thru this game and think about what you might have played.

The pieces were placed like this (from left to right): NRBKQBRN- almost a normal set up!

[The first thing I noticed was that only the (1)Knights and Rooks and (2)King and Queen had switched squares, so I thought there wouldn't be as much difference from "normal chess" as in most other 960 positions. - Gene]

Mike N                        Gene M

1. e4                                d6

2. Bc4                              Nb6

[This tempo allowed me to equalize quickly.]

Playing White is suppose to be a bigger advantage than usual in a 960 chess game. Playing this standard opening move in a 960 without thinking it thru, throws away my advantage and gave it to Gene by him gaining the tempo. (-.4).
Gene was last year's 960 Champion, so I knew I would have my hands full the rest of the way.

3. Bb3                             e5

4. c3                                Be6

5. Nc2                             Bxb3

6. ab                                Qe6 ?!

[Rybka gives 6...Qb5 or Ng6]

7. c4                                Ng6

8. d3                                Be7

9. Ng3                             O-O

10. Ne3                             Nf4

Position after 10. .....Nf4

I was OK with my position here. But do I make what looks like the ‘grandmaster move’ of Kc2 because the center is closed and I can keep my pieces active – or – do I take the ‘usual’ option and keep my castling option? I choose incorrectly (-1).

11. Qf1                              c6

[Rybka gave 11. Kc2 (-.2)]

12, Nf5                              g6

13. Nxe7                           Qxe7

14. Be3?                            Qh4?

[Black had a (-0.9) advantage, but embarked on an unwise Queen adventure.]

Taking the knight was better for me. So was 14. Bd2 or the never popular Kc2 (-.6). Instead, the text move hurts me after either 14…..a5 or Nd7-Nc5 as my queenside is now in trouble (-1.2). But Gene tries the king-side (-.3).

15. h3?                              Nh5?

[The game is now even according to Rybka. 15. …..Nd7 or d5 would've maintained a (-0.6) advantage.]

I was happy to remove that pesky knight. Now I liked my position because I think Gene’s queen is in trouble. But it isn’t really (+.2). Igor3000 says I now enjoy a tiny lead in position.

16. Nxh5                           Qxh5

17. g4                                Qh4

18. g5                                f6

19. gf                                 Qxf6

20. O-O-O                         d5

21. ed                                cd

I was not worried, but Igor3000 says I opened the center before supporting my center pawns with 21. Qg2 (-.3).

22. Rd2                             d4

23. Bg5                             Qd6

24. Qe2                             a5

25. h4                                Rfe8

Position after 25. .....Rfe8

I saw this as a race of side pawns – and I liked my chances better. Not only can I knock a hole in Gene’s King’s defense before he can hurt my queen-side, but I will be able to get my queen and rooks into the attack quicker than Gene can attack my queen-side or return to defend the king-side. My analysis of the position is right (+.8), but my execution is slow. I add my queen to the mix instead of hitting with my h-pawn right away (-1). Igor says I lost almost 2 pawns with that error. I lose one for real, and lost my advantage positionally.

That’s why we love chess! One little thing changes a lot.

26. Qe4                             a4?

The move 26….h5 is needed to help with the king side defense (+.3). Another switch in momentum.

27. ba?                               Nxa4

Another switch (-.5)!  Instead 27. b4! The b-pawn is kind of untouchable as it will move the Black Queen out of play from the king-side defense (+1.1). But I missed it.

                                                                                                                                                       

28. Rc2?                            Nc5

I had visions of using my queen-side pawns to cramp my opponent’s space. But I missed Gene’s reply, which forces me to trade queens, lose a pawn and give myself four pawn islands. Not good.

 I am surprised Igor3000 only has me down (-1.2). But as you will see, I did have all the play.

29. Qd5+                           Qxd5

30. cd                                Nxd3

31. Kb1                             Nb4

32. Rc5                              Rfc8

33. Rgc1                            Rxc5

Playing ‘hope chess’, I was hoping for 38. …Nd5+??, 39. Rxc8+, Rxc8 40. Rxc8.

34. Rxc5                            Nd3?

[Rybka shows this as a turning point. 34. ……Nd3? gives White a (+0.6) advantage, while keeping the Knight closer to White's d-pawn with Na6! would've clung to a (-0.4) advantage. Now both sides make "all the right moves" through 40.]

35. Rc7                              Nf4

36. d6                                Ne6

Position after 36. .....Ne6

Passed pawns must be pushed. Although being a pawn down, with a shattered pawn structure of my own and being low on time, I still felt I had all the play.

Igor3000 says it is EVEN here. But what does he know? He’s only rated 3000, so who cares?

37. Re7                              Nxg5

38. hg                                Rd8

39. d7                                Kf8

40. Rxh7                           b5?

This gives White the advantage by bringing his isolated pawn closer to my King where it can be attacked quicker. Black’s rook won’t be much help as it is a little busy stopping my advanced pawn (+1).

41. Kc2                             b4

42. Kd2?!                          e5

43. Ke2?!                          Kg8

44. Re7                              Kf8.

[Draw agreed. Both Mike and I had a little over a minute on our clocks.
Rybka indicates White had a +2.4 advantage, and could have gone up a pawn if he'd taken the e-pawn, abandoning the d-pawn:]

45. Rxe4, Rxd7
46. Re5, Rf7
47. Rxb5, Rxf2+
48. Kxd3, Rf4

Yes, but you need time on the clock and confidence to squeeze out a win. I didn’t feel I had enough of either one. Igor3000 gives White only a (+1) advantage.

A very close game all the way thru.