Chess Club Open This Monday - 111809

The weather did not cooperate with Kid's Night last week. But that is ok. It won't be Kid's Night, but it will still be a Chess Night - and all are invited to play!

So hopefully everyone will stop by this Monday night at 6pm. See you there.

Now for an interesting game I found. White makes one little mis-calcuation and his world crumbles. Ah, such is chess!

1. e4            e5
2. Nf3          d6
3. d4            f5
4. Bc4          exd4
5. Ng5          Nh6
6. O-O          Nc6
7. Nxh7?      ........
Not the best. 7. exf5, Qf6  8. Qh5+, g6  9. Re1+ is more in the spirit of the opening.

7. ……         Ng4
8. Nxf8         Kxf8
9. h3             Nge5
10. Bd5         fxe4
11. Bxe4       d5
12. Bg5         Qd6
13. Bd3         Bxh3
14. gxh3        Rxh3

Position after Black's 14th move. White to move.

It is at this point that White starts to drift. But moving the only pawn near his King to f4 is the play. It protects the bishop, gives space to his rook, give cover for the queen when she moves and takes control of a key square (e5). But de-nuding your King really looks right at first blush.

15. Kg2 ?!        …….
Now Black has 15. …...Nf3 and the King is in trouble!

15. …....            Ng4?!
16. Kxh3??       ……..
Again 16. f4 is needed. White is expecting 16. ……Nce5, 17. Be2, Qg6  18. Bxg4 with a BIG advantage for White (+6). But instead, he actually walked into a mate in 12. Now Black did not see this mate necessarily, but he doesn't have to. He only needs to see that he can now chase the king, and a mate will show up eventually.

16. ……          Qh2+
17. Kxg4         Ne5+
18. Kf5            Re8
19. Bd8           Qh6
20. Rg1           Rxd8
21. Rxg7         Rd6
Here White resigned in the face of :

22. Rg8+          Ke7
23. Rg7+          Qxg7
24. Kf4             Qh6+
25. Kg3            Qg5+
26. Kh2            Rh6+
27. Qh5            Rxh5  mate

Kids Night 11/11/2019 Cancelled Due to Snow!

LCCC closed tonight! See you next week!

Stay warm and safe at home and play chess tonight!
We are cancelling Kid's Night due to poor weather and poor driving conditions!
See you next week!

Mike Nikitin
President, LCCC

Kids Night This Monday! 110819

Paul Morphy - The pride and sorrow of chess masters.

We are having nice crowds at the chess club and we hope to see a return of our younger members for this month's addition of Kid's Night.
Games, lessons or even the ever present Ladder Tournament will be available for the young players. Also a free chess magazine to take home. So come on out to the Club this Monday Night.

Now for an international tournament postal game played in the early 1990's - Tener vs McLellan. Black demonstrates how the best way to answer an attack on the wing is to counter attack in the center!

1. d4          Nf6
2. c4          g6
3. Nc3       Bg7
4. e4          d6
5. f3           O-O
6. Be3        Nc6
7. Nge2      Rb8
8. a3           a6
9. b4           Bd7
10. Qd2      Re8
11. g4?!       .…...

Position after White played 11. g4?! White's King may have too much space!

All book until Black's last move. And White wants to use is board space advantage right away. But Black finds the correct response.

11. ……        b5
12. cxb5        axb5
13. Ng3 ?
White needed 13. Bg2 in order to keep his strong center, develop his last piece and be able to castle to either wing. Now Black pushes back in the center! (-.6) of an advantage for Black now.

13. …..          e5
14. Nxb5        exd4
15. Nxd4        Nxd4
16. Bxd4        Bxg4!
17. Be2 ?!       …….
Black regains the pawn with a slightly larger advantage as the bishop is immune. After 17. fxg4, Nxe4 18. Nxe4, Rxe4 and Black regains his piece with a big plus! The same move 17. Bg2 is still better for White here. Black is now up (-.8).

17. ……         Bh3
18. Kf2 ?      
White's major problem is that his King has no safe haven. Castling king side is now prohibited and castling queen side is castling into air. Staying in the center has a rook and queen X-raying him. Hard to see but 18. Rd1 was the best move. Now Black's advantage is up to (-1.7 pawns).

18. …..           h5
19. Bc4           h4
20. Nf5!?        gxf5
21. Rag1        Ng4+!
McLellan, playing Black, is a teacher of poetry, no accounting. By immediately returning the piece, the Black pieces are left in control of the board, and any hope of counter play by White is a pipe dream. Black is up (-2.1).

22. fxg4         fxg4
23. Bd5          Bxd4+
24. Qxd4        c5!
25. Qc3          Kh7
26. Ra1           …….
White tries hard to keep the Black rooks inactive but McLellan finds a way. 26. Ke2 was better here, as Black is now up (-3.3).

26. …..           Re5
27. Rhe1         Qf6+
28. Kg1           g3!
29. hxg3          Rg8
30. Rf1           Bxf1
31. Rxf1         Qh6
32. Rxf7+       Kh8
33. Rf3 ??       …….
The final blunder in a bad position. As ugly of a move as it is, 33. g4 was needed.

33. ……          hxg3
34. Qb2            g2
White Resigns