Casual Chess Night 011518 - Chess 960 Tourney Starts Next Week!

Here is LCCC member Paul Mills in tournament action.

Our FREE Chess 960 tournament starts next week Monday January 22. Be here for all the fun!

Casual chess was played after some games from the 2018 Michigan Class Championship were reviewed.

These reviews of your own tournament games with members of the Club are half the fun of having played in the tournament. And it is very educational for the entire club to review them.

In addition, you get to show off your wins and get some friendly advice about your losses.
We will see some of the games from this tournament posted here for your education or in the case of my games ...laughter.

The tournament results from Club members will also be given after the tournament results are officially revealed.

Here is a game from the 1946 US Championship. I think it was a later round game with no bearing on the final standings as both players played a little off beat. But that is why it has found it's way here.

1. Nf3              d5
2. c4                d4
3. e3                Nc6
4. b4?              .......
Hardly a sound move but it does provoke a mistake by Black. At this point Black is ahead, but not as much as one might think. His lead is a slim (-.3) of a pawn. Just a simple reversal of the universal edge White has with the first move.

4. .....               e5?
Edge thrown away. Now White is up (.8) of a pawn positionally.

5. b5!               e4
6. bxc6            exf3
7. Qxf3            bxc6?
Black down (1.5) as 7. ......Rb8 8. Na3, Ne7 would have kept the game as it was.

8. Qxc6+         Bd7
9. Qe4+           Be7
10. Qxd4!        Bf6
11. Qe4+         Ne7
12. Nc3           Bc6?
Black now down 2 full pawns. Castling was needed here.

13. Qc2           Qd7?
White is safe and two pawns ahead. He should play 14. d4 now - or in a few moves. But Black still is not moving his king to safety and getting his sleep rook on h8 into the game. Now Black is down (2.7).

14. d3?            O-O
A change in the flow of the game in just one move from each. White needed 14. Rb1. Now (1.6)

15. Rb1           Nf5
16. Ne2?!        h6
17. e4              Ba4
18. Qd2           Nh4
19. Qe3??       .........

White pieces have a cramped position. 19. d4 was required. A half pawn lead (-.5) for Black now!

19. .........        Rfe8
20. g3             Rxe4?
Black returns the lead to White (1.4) as 20. .....Bc2 21. Rb5, c6 is an even game at least.

21. Qxe4         Re8
22. Qd5??       Qxd5
White had better chances after 22. Qxe8, Qxe8 23. gxh4. Now Black has a mate in hand!

23. f3               Nxf3+
24. Kf2            Bd4+
25. Nxd4         Qxd4+
26. Be3            Qxe3+
And White resigns in the face of

27. Kg2           Nh4+
28. Kh3           Bd7+
29. Kxh4         Qg5 ++