062617 Monday - Evening of Casual Chess - We are Closed July 3!

A fun night at the chess club this Monday.
And unfortunately, we will be closed for the Fourth of July holiday on Monday July 3rd.

We will return on Monday July 10 at 6pm for our always popular Kid's Night!
If you have a young one - or are young at heart - bring them or yourself by the club for a fun night of chess. Many opponents of all skill levels and ages will be there, and free lessons are available for all those interested.
See you Monday!

Now here is a great win by our own Paul Mills in the Michigan Amateur Championship. He wins against a player rated 600 points higher than him - and with Black!
White makes a standard looking - and very wrong - reply against the French Defense and pays the price. Paul is able to hang on against the higher rated player's onslaught to claim the victory.

[C07: French Tarrasch: 3...c5, 4 Ngf3 and 4 exd5 Qxd5]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.Ngf3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.e5 Ne4 [last book move]

7.Nxe4 [7.Be2!?= should not be overlooked]

7...dxe4³ 8.Ng5 cxd4 9.cxd4?? [¹9.Bb5 saving the game 9...Bd7 10.Nxe4 Nxe5 11.Qb3³] But now Paul takes a four pawn lead in the game! (-4.1)

9...Bb4+–+ 10.Bd2 Qxg5 11.Bxb4 Nxb4 12.Qa4+? [12.Bb5+ Nc6 13.Bxc6+ bxc6–+] White continues to sink (-5).

12...Nc6 13.h4 Qd8 14.Bb5 0–0 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Qxc6 Bd7 [16...Qxd4!? makes it even easier for Black 17.0–0 Rb8 18.b3–+] (-4.4)

17.Qxe4 Qa5+ 18.Kf1 Bb5+ 19.Kg1 Qa6 [19...Rfd8!? makes it easier for Black 20.Kh2–+] Paul is slowly eroding his advantage (-2.5).

20.h5 h6 21.Rh3 f5? [21...Rac8!? 22.Ra3 Qb6 23.Rg3–+] Now the game is close to even (-.5). Paul is only up a half-pawn.

White to make move 22

22.exf6µ Qc6 23.Qxc6 Bxc6 24.fxg7 Rf6 25.Rc1 Bd5 26.Rg3 Rf5 27.Rh3?[27.b3!?µ] White starts to break down again as he is already in time trouble (-1.8).

27...Rg5 28.f3 Rxg7? [28...Bxa2 29.b4–+] That move seemed better but it was not (-1). But White also blunders by not saving the a-pawn (-2).

29.Kf2 Bxa2–+ 30.g4? [¹30.Rg3–+ was needed.] (-3)

30...Bd5 31.Rg3 [31.Kg3 Rf7–+]

31...Rb8 32.Rc2 a5 33.f4 Rb4 [33...Rgb7 might be the shorter path 34.b4 axb4 35.Re3–+]

34.g5 Rf7 35.Rc8+? [35.Rg4 Rfb7 36.gxh6+ Kh7 37.Rg7+ Kxh6 38.Rxb7 Bxb7–+] (-3.4)

35...Kg7 36.gxh6+ Kh7 37.Ke3 Rxb2 38.Rg7+ Rxg7 39.hxg7 Kxg7 40.Rc5 [40.Rc7+ does not help much 40...Kf6 41.h6 Rh2–+] (-5)

40...Rb3+ [¹40...a4 and Black can already relax 41.h6+ Kxh6 42.Ra5 Rb3+ 43.Kd2–+]

41.Kd2 Rf3 [41...a4!? keeps an even firmer grip 42.h6+ Kxh6 43.f5–+]

42.Rxa5 Rxf4 43.Ke3 [43.Kc3 doesn't change the outcome of the game 43...Kh6–+]

43...Rh4 44.Ra7+ Kh6 45.Rd7 Rxh5     0–1

and White runs out of time.

Sorry - Life Got in the Way of Chess Posting - 061917

Tom considers his next move in tournament action.

Readers, your humble scribe needs to apologize for the lack of articles lately. Life, work vacation, and a cold all got in the way of chess writing.

But......the Club has been moving right along. We had another Kid's night which brought us another five new members! That brought the total number of players to 17!

Our next Kid's Night is July 10. It is a great opportunity for kids to meet and play other kids! If we can get some commitment for regular attendance, LCCC would like to offer a free chess tournament with prizes for all. See club officers for details.

We will let the public know if we can be open on July 3 for a regular club night. Everyone is welcome on those nights also!

1. d4           d5
2. e3           c6
3. Bd3        Nf6
4. Ne2        Bg4
5. f3           Bh5
6. Ng3        Bg6
7. O-O       Bxd3
8. Qxd3      e6
9. Nd2        Qc7
10. c4         Bd6
11. f4          Nbd7
12. Nf3       c5
13. cxd5      c4
Black threatens to win material with 14. ....c4xd3.

14. Qc2       exd5
15. Ne5       O-O

White to make move 16.

The game is even at this point. White might have considered 15. e4, dxe4 16. Nxe4.

16. Nf5        Ne4
Black's position is more active. White should have tried 16. Bd2. For Black, 16. ....Nxe5? is seductive, however 17. fxe5, Bxe5 18. dxe5 and White would be up (+2.3).

17. Nxd6     Qxd6
For Black, maybe the natural is better 17. ....Nxd6  18. b3, f6 19. Nxd7, Qxd7 20. Ba3 (-.6). Instead Black is up a half-pawn (-.5).

18. Nxc4     Qc7
19. Na3       Qxc2
20. Nxc2     Nb4
21. Nb4       Ndf6
According to Igor3000, the game is even - with perfect play. But for us mortals it looks like Black's king is safer and White's position is cramped. Cramped positions usually lead to mistakes as the player tries to get some room and counterplay.

22. Nd3        Rc2
23. Ne5?      Rfc8
White ignores the peril of the invasion of his second rank (-1).

24. g4??       Re2
Black's lead now is a killer (-4). White goes after counter play when his king screams for defense with 24. Nd3.

25. g5            Rcc2
26. Nf3          Ng4
27. Bd2?        Nxd2
It doesn't matter at this point but 27. Ne1 was much better (-10).

28. Rac1        Nxf3+
29. White resigns