Sunday Puzzle - 022617

Have a go at this one.

White to move and win material.

2017 Action Tournament Completed

White to checkmate Black in 2 moves. White to move.

The Action Tournament was completed tonight and we had a 3 - way tie for 1st place!

Ken Tack
Paul Mills
Mike Nikitin

They all finished with a 2.5 out of 4 record. Congratulations to the three of you.

Casual chess will be on the calendar for the rest of February and March. Stop by for some chess fun.

Here are a couple puzzles for your enjoyment!

White to checkmate Black in 2 moves. White to move.

Open Chess 021317 - Action Tournament Concludes Next Week

#2 in the world - USA's Fabiano Caruana

We had open chess this week and it was a nice evening of chess and conversation.

Next week our Action Tournament will be concluded. But don't worry if you are looking for an opponent or a lesson. There are always other members around to offer either.

Here we have an entertaining game from our Action Tournament. Now this is a tournament in which each player has 30 minutes on his clock. This faster time limit usually leads to exciting games, with plenty of errors [according to the computer Grandmaster Igor3000], especially near the end of the game.

But those small errors do not mean the game was not well played or very spirited. This game was both!

Paul M vs Vince V, LCCC Action Tournament 2017, Round 2, 30 minute game - 5 second delay.
A05: Reti Opening - Notes by Igor3000

1. Nf3        Nc6
2. g3          Nf6
3. d3          e5
4. Bg2       Bg2
5. O-O       h6
6. e4          O-O
7. c3          d6
8. a4          a5
9. Nbd2     Re8
10. Re1      Be6
11. Nf1      Bg4
12. Ne3     Bh5
The game is even at this point.

13. Qb3        Qd7
14. h3         Bxf3
15. Bxf3      g6??

Position after Black played 16. ........g6??

This gives White strong winning chances. Better for Black was 15. ......Qxh3, 16. Qxb7 Ne7 which is much closer to even than the text move (+1.7 of a pawn lead for White).

16. Ng4       ..........
White avoids the poison pawn of 16. Qxb7??, Bxe3 17. Qb3, Bxc1 18. Rexc1, Rab8 and Black has a won game (-5).

16. ......        Nxg4
17. Bxg4     Qe7
18. Bxh6      Qf6
19. Be3       b6?
Needed was 19. ....Nd8. Now White is dominating with a (+3.8 pawn advantage). But now the moves come faster as time is winding down. White begins to give back the advantage he has built.

20. Qd1?      ..........
White missed 20. Bd7 which secures the win. Now a series of 2nd and 3rd best moves by both sides as clock time is winding down.

20. .......        Rad8
21. Qe2        Kg7
22. Kg2       Qe7
23. h4          Rh8?
24. Rh1?     Rdg8
25. Raf1      Qd8
26. Qd2        d5
27. d4          exd4
28. Bxd4=?  .........
This error throws away the last chance for a win. 28. cxd4 and is becomes clear that White will call all the shots after .....Be7, 29. e5. Instead the game is even with very little time on either clock.

28. ........      Nxd4
29. cxd4      dxe4
30. Rd1       Bb4
Draw agreed to. Exciting game gentlemen!

2017 Action Round Robin Tourney Continues - 020617

White to checkmate in 2 moves!

We had another fun night of chess at LCCC.

We had tournament action to watch. We had casual games played. We had chess lessons given. We had ten players tonight to enjoy it all.

We also welcomed two new players to the LCCC club.Welcome Ryan and Steven R!

Now for a puzzle clipped from a newspaper.

It is a newspaper from Sweden.

It was from a chess article, in a newspaper, in Sweden ....from 1929!

Enjoy - and no using engines. Solution will be placed in the comment section - probably by Dr. Morris.

Nice Night of Casual Chess on 013016 - Round 3 Action Next Week

Nine players ventured to LCCC on a cold Monday night and a warm chess atmosphere was found. Even Swen found his way back to the Club after missing a few sessions. Welcome back Swen.

Next week Round 3 of our Action Tournament continues. But don't worry, there will still be players around for casual chess and / or chess lessons or game reviews.

See you next Monday at 6pm - and tournament action will start by 7pm.

White to move and save himself !

Now for a treat from the "Never Ever Give Up!" department.
This game was called "The Swindle of the Century!"

Two American Grandmasters played each other in the Dubrovnik Tournament in 1950. It was Larry Evans with White and Sammy Reshevsky with Black.

As you can see, Black is one move away from delivering checkmate. White can stop checkmate with Rxg7+, but after Qxg7 White is down a rook and knight for a pawn and really is in no condition to continue the game.

But GM Evans found the Swindle of the Century to take the victory away from a stunned GM Reshevsky.

Can you find it?

Answer will be placed in the comment section .....by someone......eventually! Enjoy.