My final score of 6.5-2.5 was a half-point better than runners-up Steve Stoyko, Jose Lahoz, and Arthur Feuerstein. We were the four FIDE-rated players in the event. The winning margin was provided by my last-round victory over Steve Fellner, who drew every other game.
Luck played a role in the outcome of the futurity. Besides my two losses, against Jose Lahoz (who was awarded the best game prize for his effort) and Steve Stoyko, I nearly lost a couple more. Twice I offered draws from inferior positions, only to have my opponents Radomskyj and Feuerstein decline and go on to lose. This caused me to remark at the conclusion of the tournament that, if only I had offered draws to Lahoz and Stoyko, I might have gone undefeated!
The futurity took place in Elmwood Park, New Jersey. It was organized by Aviv Friedman and directed by Harrison Coleman.
Round One: King's Indian Defense
Pete Radomskyj (USCF 2276) - Jim West (USCF 2301), Elmwood Park Futurity 6/15/1990
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 O-O 6.Be3 b6 7.Bd3 Bb7 8.Nge2 c5 9.d5 e6 10.Bg5 exd5 11.exd5 Nbd7 12.b3 a6 13.a4 Qc7 14.O-O h6 15.Bh4 Ne5
16.Bc2 Nh7 17.Qd2 f5 18.Nf4 Qf7 19.Ne6 Rfe8 20.Nxg7 Qxg7 21.Bg3 Nf7 22.Rae1 Nf8 23.h3 Qf6 24.Bh2 Rad8 25.Ne2 Re7 26.Nf4 Rde8 27.Rxe7 Rxe7 28.g4 Bc8 29.Bg3 Bd7 30.Rf2 Qa1+ 31.Kg2 g5 32.Rf1 Qh8 33.Ne6 f4 34.Nxf8 Kxf8 35.Bf2 Qf6 36.h4 Ne5 37.Rh1 Be8 38.Bf5 a5 39.Qc2 Bg6 40.hxg5 hxg5 41.Rh6 Kg7 42.Rh1 Bxf5 43.gxf5 Rf7 44.Be1 Qxf5 45.Qxf5 Rxf5 46.Bc3 Rf8 47.Bxe5+ dxe5 48.Rd1 Rd8 49.d6 Kf6 50.d7 Ke6 51.Rh1 Kxd7 52.Rh7+ Kc6 53.Re7 Rd2+ 54.Kh3 Rd3 55.Kg4 Kd6 56.Rg7 Rxb3 57.Rxg5 Rc3 58.Rg6+ Kc7 59.Rg7+ Kc6 60.Rg6+ Kb7 61.Re6 Rxc4 62.Rxe5 Rxa4 63.Kf5 Rd4 64.Re7+ Kc6 65.Ke5 a4 66.Ra7 Kb5 67.Rb7 a3 68.Ra7 Ra4 69.Rxa4 Kxa4 70.Kxf4 a2, White resigns.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Round Two: French Defense
Jim West (USCF 2301) - Jerry McDonnell (USCF 2222), Elmwood Park Futurity 6/16/1990
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 Qd7 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 b6 7.Qg4 f5 8.Qg3 Ba6 9.Bxa6 Nxa6 10.Ne2 O-O-O 11.a4 Nb8 12.a5 Nc6 13.axb6 cxb6 14.O-O Kb8 15.Nf4 Na5
16.Rxa5 bxa5 17.Nd3 Ka8 18.Ba3 Rc8 19.Nc5 Qf7 20.c4 Ne7 21.cxd5 Nxd5 22.Qf3 g5 23.g4 h5 24.c4 hxg4 25.Qg2 Rcd8 26.cxd5 exd5 27.Re1 Rh3 28.e6 Qe7 29.Bc1 Rf3 30.h3 Rxh3 31.Bxg5 Qxg5 32.e7 f4 33.exd8=Q+ Qxd8 34.Qxd5+, Black resigns.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Round Three: King's Indian Defense
Jose Lahoz (FIDE 2265) - Jim West (FIDE 2210), Elmwood Park Futurity 6/16/1990
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 O-O 6.Nf3 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 Nh5 10.c5 Nf4 11.Bxf4 exf4 12.Rc1 h6 13.a4 g5 14.h3 Ng6
15.cxd6 cxd6 16.Nb5 f5 17.exf5 Bxf5 18.Bd3 Ne5 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.Bxf5 Rxf5 21.Nc7 Rc8 22.Qg4 Rf7 23.Ne6 Qd7 24.Qh5 Rh7 25.h4 gxh4 26.Qxh4 Kh8 27.Qh5 Qe8 28.Qf5 Re7 29.Rfe1 Rc3 30.b5 Qf7 31.Qxf7 Rxf7 32.Rxc3 Bxc3 33.Rc1 Ba5 34.Rc4 f3 35.g4 Kh7 36.Kh2 Kg6 37.Kg3 h5 38.Nf4+ Kf6 39.gxh5 Bd2 40.Nd3 Kg5 41.Rc2 Ba5 42.Rc8 Kxh5 43.Rg8 Bd2 44.Rd8 Ba5 45.Nf4+ Kg5 46.Rg8+ Kf6 47.Kxf3 Ke5 48.Re8+ Kd4 49.Re4+ Kc5 50.Ke3 Bc3 51.Kd3 Be5 52.Rc4+ Kb6 53.Ke3 Rf5 54.Nd3 Bg7 55.Ke4 Rf7 56.f4 a6 57.bxa6 Kxa6 58.f5 Re7+ 59.Kf3 Bh6 60.Re4 Rxe4 61.Kxe4 Ka5 62.f6 Kxa4 63.Nc5+ Kb5 64.Nxb7 Kb6 65.Nxd6 Kc7 66.Nc4 Kd7 67.Kf5 Bf8 68.Kg6 Ke8 69.Ne5 Bd6 70.f7+ Kd8 71.Nc4 Bf8 72.Kh7 Ke7 73.Kg8 Bh6 74.d6+, Black resigns.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Round Four: Sicilian Defense
Jim West (USCF 2301) - Tom Cooper (USCF 2268), Elmwood Park Futurity 6/17/1990
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.Na3 b5 10.Nd5 Bg7 11.c3 Ne7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 13.Bd3 f5 14.Nc2 Bb7
15.exf5 e4 16.Be2 Qg5 17.Ne3 Be5 18.g3 O-O 19.Qb3 Rab8 20.O-O-O Rfc8 21.Kb1 Rc5 22.h4 Qg7 23.h5 a5 24.Rh4 Kf8 25.Ng4 d5 26.h6 Qh8 27.Nxe5 Qxe5 28.Qa3 b4 29.cxb4 axb4 30.Qxb4 Qd6 31.Qd4 Bc8 32.Rxe4 f6 33.Re6 Bxe6 34.Qxf6+ Ke8 35.fxe6 d4 36.Qf7+ Kd8 37.e7+, Black resigns.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Round Five: Sicilian Defense
Bernie Friend (USCF 2171) - Jim West (USCF 2301), Elmwood Park Futurity 6/22/1990
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be3 Be6 9.f3 O-O 10.O-O Nbd7 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.exd5 Bf5 13.c4 b6 14.Rc1 a5
15.Nd2 Nc5 16.Nb1 Bg5 17.Qd2 h6 18.Nc3 Bxe3+ 19.Qxe3 Qg5 20.Qxg5 hxg5 21.Rfd1 Rfd8 22.Rd2 Kf8 23.Re1 Ke7 24.Bf1 Kd7 25.Ne4 f6 26.h3 a4 27.Nxc5+ bxc5 28.Bd3 Bxd3 29.Rxd3 Rdb8 30.Re2 Rb4 31.Rc2 Rab8 32.Rdd2 f5 33.Re2 Rh8 34.a3 Rb3 35.Kf2 Rhb8 36.Rcd2 Ke7 37.Ke1 Kf6 38.Kf2 g4 39.hxg4 fxg4 40.fxg4 Kg5 41.Ke1 Kxg4 42.Rf2 R8b7 43.Kd1 e4 44.Rfe2 e3 45.Rc2 Kf4 46.Kc1 Ke4 47.Re1 Rf7 48.Kb1 Rf4 49.Rce2 Kd4 50.Rc2 Rf2 51.Rh1 g5 52.Rh6 e2 53.Re6 Rf1+ 54.Rc1 Re3, White resigns.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Round Six: French Defense
Jim West (USCF 2301) - Vince Klemm (USCF 2216), Elmwood Park Futurity 6/23/1990
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.a4 Nbc6 8.Nf3 Qa5 9.Qd2 Bd7 10.Bd3 c4 11.Be2 O-O-O 12.O-O f6 13.Ba3 Kb8
14.Rfe1 Ka8 15.Bf1 Ng6 16.Bd6 Bc8 17.g3 Rxd6 18.exd6 Qd8 19.h4 h5 20.Bh3 Qxd6 21.Re3 Nf8 22.Qc1 b6 23.Qa3 Qxa3 24.Rxa3 Na5 25.Ra1 Nb7 26.Kh2 Kb8 27.Rae1 Nd6 28.Nd2 Kc7 29.f4 g6 30.Kg2 Bd7 31.Bxe6 Bxe6 32.Rxe6 Nxe6 33.Rxe6 Re8 34.Rxe8 Nxe8 35.Kf3 f5 36.Ke3 Nd6 37.Nf3 Nc8 38.Ne5 Ne7 39.Kd2 b5 40.axb5 Kb6 41.Kc1 Kxb5, draw.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Round Seven: King's Indian Defense
Steve Stoyko (FIDE 2330) - Jim West (FIDE 2210), Elmwood Park Futurity 6/23/1990
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 O-O 6.Nf3 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Ne1 Nd7 10.Nd3 f5 11.Bd2 c5
12.Rb1 Nf6 13.f3 f4 14.g4 g5 15.Be1 a5 16.a3 b6 17.b4 axb4 18.axb4 h5 19.h3 hxg4 20.hxg4 Kf7 21.bxc5 bxc5 22.Kg2 Rh8 23.Bf2 Ng6 24.Rh1 Rxh1 25.Qxh1 Qh8 26.Qxh8 Bxh8 27.Rb6 Ne8 28.Nb5 Ra6 29.Rb8 Ne7 30.Nxc5 Ra2 31.Nc3 Rc2 32.N5a4 Bd7 33.Rb2 Rc1 34.Na2 Ra1 35.Nb6 Nf6 36.c5 dxc5 37.Bxc5 Ng6 38.Bf2 Ke7 39.Nxd7 Nxd7 40.Nc3 Rc1 41.Na4 Ngf8 42.Bb5 Rc7 43.Bc6 Bf6 44.Nc3 Rc8 45.Ba7 Kd8 46.Nb5 Be7 47.Bb7 Rc1 48.d6 Bf6 49.Nc7 Ng6 50.Bf2 Ndf8 51.Nd5 Nd7 52.Ra2 Ke8 53.Nc7+ Kf7 54.Bd5+ Kg7 55.Ne8+ Kh6 56.Be6 Ngf8 57.Bxd7 Nxd7 58.Ra7 Rc8 59.Rxd7 Rxe8 60.Rb7 Ra8 61.d7 Kg6 62.Rc7 Ra2 63.Kf1 Ra1+ 64.Be1 Ra3 65.Bc3 Be7 66.Ke2 Ra2+ 67.Kd3 Rf2 68.Kc4 Rxf3 69.Bxe5 Rf1 70.Kd5 f3 71.Ke6 Bd8 72.Rc8 Ba5 73.Rg8+ Kh7 74.Kf7, Black Resigns.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Round Eight: Sicilian Defense
Jim West (FIDE 2210) - Arthur Feuerstein (FIDE 2235), Elmwood Park Futurity 6/24/1990
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.O-O d5 7.e5 Ne4 8.Bxe4 dxe4 9.Nc3 Nd7 10.Bf4 e3 11.fxe3 Qa5 12.Nb3 Qb6 13.Qd4 Be7 14.Ne4 O-O
15.c4 Qc6 16.c5 a5 17.a4 b6 18.cxb6 Bb7 19.Rf2 Rfd8 20.Nd6 Nxe5 21.Bxe5 Bxd6 22.Rc1 Bxe5 23.Qxe5 Qxb6 24.Qb5 Qxb5 25.axb5 Bd5 26.Nd4 Rd7 27.Rfc2 Kf8 28.Rc8+ Rxc8 29.Rxc8+ Ke7 30.Kf2 Rb7 31.g4 Kd6 32.Ra8 Kc5 33.Rxa5 g6 34.Ra8 e5 35.Rc8+ Kd6 36.Rd8+ Kc5 37.b4+ Kc4 38.Nc6 Rxb5 39.Nxe5+ Kxb4 40.Nd3+ Kc3 41.Nf4 Rb2+ 42.Kg3 Be4 43.g5 Bf5 44.h4 Be4 45.Rd7 Rb7 46.Rd4 Re7 47.Ne2+ Kc2 48.Kf4 Bd3 49.Ng1 Kc3 50.Nf3 Bc4 51.Ne5 Be6 52.Rd3+ Kc2 53.Rd8 Rb7 54.Nf3 Kc3 55.Nd4 Ba2 56.Rh8 Kd3 57.Nc6 Bd5 58.Rd8 Rb5 59.e4, Black resigns.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Round Nine: Sicilian Defense
Steve Fellner (USCF 2211) - Jim West (USCF 2301), Elmwood Park Futurity 6/24/1990
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nf3 Be7 8.Bc4 O-O 9.O-O Qc7 10.Qe2 b5 11.Bd5 Bb7 12.Bxb7 Qxb7 13.Bg5 Nbd7
14.Rad1 Rfc8 15.Bxf6 Nxf6 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.Rxd5 f5 18.Rfd1 fxe4 19.Qxe4 Rc4 20.Qf5 Qc8 21.Qxc8+ Raxc8 22.c3 R8c5 23.Rxc5 Rxc5 24.Kf1 Kf7 25.Ke2 Ke6 26.Nd2 d5 27.a3 Rc8 28.Nb3 Bd8 29.Rd2 Bb6 30.Na1 a5 31.Nc2 Rf8 32.f3 Rc8 33.Ne3 Bxe3 34.Kxe3 Rc4 35.Rd3 a4 36.g3 g5 37.h3 h5 38.Rd2 h4 39.g4 Kd6 40.Rd3 Kc5 41.Kd2 Rf4 42.Re3 e4 43.fxe4 dxe4 44.Re2 Kd5 45.Kc2 Ke5 46.b3 Rf3 47.bxa4 bxa4 48.Kb2 Rxh3 49.c4 Rb3+ 50.Ka2 Rc3 51.Rf2 Rf3 52.Rd2 e3 53.Rd5+ Kf4 54.Rd4+ Kg3 55.c5 Rf2+ 56.Kb1 e2, White resigns.
