Saturday, October 31, 2009

The Incredible Gulko

Like a comic book superhero, mild-mannered Boris Gulko turns into The Incredible Gulko at the chessboard. Not only does the grandmaster from Fair Lawn NJ boast a lifetime plus score against Garry Kasparov, Gulko has also posted a combined record of 8-0-0 in the United States Chess League.

His latest victim was FM Tommy Bartell whose Philadelphia Inventors were outsmarted by the New Jersey Knockouts, in week nine of the USCL.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Improvements for Black in Oen - West


While studying my game as Black against Grant Oen, I found that White missed a strong move in 16.Qg3. Two improvements for Black are:

(1) Instead of 12...Qg5, I might have played 12...Qh4+ 13.g3 Qh6 which takes away the g3 square from White's queen.

(2) After 15.Be2, my 15...h5 weakened the g6 square. So I should have played 15...Nbd7 16.h4 Qh6 17.g4 g5 18.Qg3 Ke7 with the idea of 19...Rxh8.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Photos from ICA Fall 2009 Open

These three pix were taken by me on Sunday at the ICA Fall 2009 Open, in addition to the photos at the ICA website.

The players in the open section prepare for the first round, as TD Lawrence Constance speaks with a chess parent.

Andrew Ng defeated William Dubinsky, in round four.

After the tournament, blogger John MacArthur enters data into his laptop. MacArthur is flanked by two chess students who participated in the open or scholastic section.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Corner Stalemates @ Chess.com

At Jim West Talks Chess, I have a new post on corner stalemates.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Fajarowicz Variation with 4...b6

Here is a drawn game, featuring the 4...b6 line in the Fajarowicz variation of the Budapest defense.

Monday, October 26, 2009

ICA Fall 2009 Open

Yesterday, at the ICA Fall 2009 Open tournament in Hackensack, I finished with a score of 3-1-0.

Here is my win on time forfeit from the first round. My opponent found an ingenious way to draw but fell a few seconds short.

Round One: Philidor Counter Gambit

Grant Oen (USCF 1663) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Hackensack NJ 10/25/2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.dxe5 fxe4 5.Ng5 d5 6.e6 Bc5 7.b4 Bxb4+ 8.c3 Bc5 9.Nf7 Qf6 10.Be3 Bxe6 11.Nxh8 Bxe3 12.fxe3 Qg5 13.Qe2 c6


14.Qf2 Nf6 15.Be2 h5 16.O-O Nbd7 17.Nd2 Ne5 18.Qg3 Qxg3 19.hxg3 O-O-O 20.c4 Rxh8 21.cxd5 Bxd5 22.Rf5 Neg4 23.Nf1 g6 24.Rg5 Rg8 25.Rc1 Kb8 26.Bxg4 Nxg4 27.a4 b6 28.Rc3 Kb7 29.Nh2 Nxh2 30.Kxh2 Rg7


31.Rc1 Be6 32.Rf1 Rf7 33.Rxf7+ Bxf7 34.Re5 Bd5 35.Rg5 Bb3 36.a5 bxa5 37.Rxa5 Bd5 38.Kh3 Kb6 39.Ra1 g5 40.Rb1+ Kc5 41.Ra1 Kc4 42.Rxa7 Kd3 43.Ra3+ Ke2 44.Kh2 g4 45.Kg1 Bc4 46.Rc3 Bb5 47.Ra3 Bd3 48.Rc3 Kxe3 49.Rxc6 Kd2


50.Re6 e3 51.Re5 h4 52.Rxe3 Kxe3 53.gxh4 g3 54.h5 Kf4 55.Kh1 Kg5 56.Kg1 Kxh5 57.Kh1 Kg4 58.Kg1 Kf4 59.Kh1 Ke3 60.Kg1 Ke2 61.Kh1 Ke1 62.Kg1 Be4 63.Kh1 Bf3 64.Kg1 Bg4 65.Kh1 Ke2 66.Kg1 Bf5 67.Kh1 Bh3


68.Kg1 Bg4 69.Kh1 Bf3 70.Kg1 Ke3 71.gxf3 Kxf3 72.Kf1, White forfeits.


Sunday, October 25, 2009

GM Rohde on Golden Age at Marshall CC

On October 27th, at the Marshall Chess Club, grandmaster Michael Rohde will lecture to adult players on the Golden Age of Chess from 1990 to 1998. This was a time when tournaments were aplenty, FIDE still had a constant world championship system in place, and computers were best used as a place to pile chess books rather than refute them.

GM Rohde has many tournament victories to his credit. He finished equal first at the World Open in 1981 and 1989, and again at the U.S. Open in 1991 and 2007. From 1991 to 2006, Rohde authored the Game of the Month column in Chess Life magazine.

The lecture begins at 7pm and is free to club members ($10 non-members).

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Friday, October 23, 2009

Two Victories @ "Contre Gambit Philidor"

At his Contre Gambit Philidor website, Frederic Fournier has provided a link to my victories against Alisa Melekhina and Rusudan Goletiani.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

"Newark Star-Ledger" Column; Hamilton Quads

Like John Moldovan of The Chess Coroner, I buy the Newark Star-Ledger on Sundays for its weekly chess column by Steve Doyle and Peter Tamburro. Twice in the last month, the "ChessMate" column has been omitted with a note that it will return next week.

Moldovan has sent an e-mail to the newspaper, complaining about the chess column's absence. Judging by the response of the assistant managing editor Enrique Lavin, hardly anyone else complained. Here is Lavin's e-mail address: elavin@starledger.com.

Speaking of e-mails, Atomic Patzer has sent me one, advising that this Saturday's quads in Hamilton have been cancelled because the township needs the tables for one of their events. You might want to contact TD Ed Sytnik at his cell phone number 609-351-2437 before driving to Hamilton on October 24th.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

DOCA Has Moved

The Dean of Chess Academy has moved to its new location: 3150 Route 22 West/Branchburg, NJ 08876, phone number 908-595-0066.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Kasparov on Oil and Rhetoric

In his Wall Street Journal column, Garry Kasparov states his opinions on Iranian oil and political rhetoric.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Counter Glamour

Seeing these glamorous photos called to mind a couple of my victories in the PCG.

Round One: Philidor Counter Gambit

Alisa Melekhina (USCF 1990) - Jim West (USCF 2200), New Jersey Open 9/4/2004

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Neg5 exd4 7.Nxd4 Qe7+ 8.Qe2 h6 9.Nge6 Bxe6 10.Nxe6 Kf7 11.Nf4 Qxe2+ 12.Bxe2 Nf6 13.Be3 Bd6 14.O-O-O c6 15.Nh5 Nbd7


16.c4 Rhc8 17.Kb1 Be5 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Bf3 Rc7 20.Nxf6 Nxf6 21.Bxd5+ Nxd5 22.Rxd5 Ke6 23.Rc5 Rxc5 24.Bxc5 b6 25.Be3 Rd8 26.Re1 Kf5 27.h3 h5 28.Bc1 h4 29.Bg5 Bf6 30.Bxf6 Kxf6


31.Re4 g5 32.Ra4 a5 33.f4 g4 34.hxg4 Rd2 35.Rc4 Rxg2 36.Rc6+ Ke7 37.Rh6 Rxg4 38.f5 b5 39.f6+ Kf7 40.Kc2 a4 41.Rh5 Kxf6 42.Rxb5 Kg6 43.Rb8 Rg5 44.Rb4 h3 45.Rh4 Rh5 46.Rg4+ Kf5 47.Rg1 h2 48.Rh1 Ke4

49.Kc3 Kf3 50.b3 axb3 51.Kxb3 Kg2 52.Rxh2+ Rxh2 53.Kb4 Kf3 54.a4 Ke4 55.a5 Kd5 56.Kb5 Rb2+ 57.Ka6 Kc6 58.Ka7 Rb7+ 59.Ka6 Rb5, White resigns.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Round Five: Philidor Counter Gambit

Rusudan Goletiani (USCF 2373) - Jim West (USCF 2227), Marshall Chess Club 9/16/2000

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.exf5 e4 5.Nfd2 Bxf5 6.c4 Nf6 7.Nc3 Be7 8.g3 Nc6 9.Nb3 Nb4 10.Be3 Bg4 11.Qd2 Bf3 12.Rg1 Ng4 13.a3 Nc6 14.Be2 Nxh2 15.O-O-O O-O


16.Qe1 Bg5 17.Nd2 Bxe3 18.fxe3 Qg5 19.Nd5 Rf7 20.g4 Re8 21.Nf4 Nxd4 22.Nxf3 Ndxf3 23.Bxf3 Nxf3 24.Qg3 Nxg1 25.Rxg1 Qc5


26.g5 Ref8 27.g6 hxg6 28.Qxg6 Qxe3+ 29.Kb1 Qxf4 30.Rh1 Qf5, White resigns.


Sunday, October 18, 2009

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 10/17/2009

In yesterday's game/30 Swiss at the Marshall Chess Club, I finished with a score of 3-1-1. Here are my games as Black.

Round Two: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Justin Sarkar (USCF 2440) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 10/17/2009

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be2 Be6 9.Nd5 Nxd5 10.exd5 Bf5 11.a4 b6 12.a5 b5 13.Qd2 O-O


14.Nc1 Nd7 15.Na2 Rc8 16.Nb4 Nb8 17.O-O Bg6 18.f4 exf4 19.Bxf4 h6 20.Bd3 Bxd3 21.Qxd3 Bg5 22.Bxg5 Qxg5 23.Rae1 Rce8 24.Re4 Re5 25.Rfe1 Rfe8 26.Rxe5 Rxe5 27.Rxe5 Qxe5 28.Qc3 f6


29.Qc8+ Kh7 30.Nd3 Qd4+ 31.Kf1 Qa7 32.Qf5+ Kh8 33.Nf4 Qe3 34.h4 Qc1+ 35.Kf2 Qd2+ 36.Ne2 Qxa5 37.Qc8+ Kh7 38.Qxb8 Qb4 39.g3 Qc5+ 40.Kf1 Qxd5 41.Qb6 Qf5+ 42.Ke1 Qxc2


43.Qxa6 Qb1+ 44.Kf2 Qf5+ 45.Ke3 Qe5+ 46.Kf2 Qf5+ 47.Kg1 Qc5+ 48.Kf1 Qf5+ 49.Ke1 Qb1+ 50.Kf2, draw.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Round Four: Philidor Counter Gambit

Rawn Prowell (USCF 1672) - Jim West (2200), Marshall Chess Club 10/17/2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 f5 4.d3 c6 5.Bb3 Na6 6.a3 Nc5 7.Ba2 a5 8.Be3 Qc7 9.b4 fxe4 10.Ng5 axb4 11.axb4 Ne6


12.Nxe4 d5 13.Ng5 Bxb4+ 14.c3 Be7 15.Nxe6 Bxe6 16.Nd2 Nf6 17.O-O O-O 18.f4 Ng4 19.Qe2 Nxe3 20.Qxe3 Rxa2 21.Rxa2 d4


22.cxd4 Bxa2 23.dxe5 Bd5 24.f5 Bb4 25.Ne4 Qxe5 26.f6 Bxe4 27.Qxe4 Qxe4 28.dxe4 Rxf6 29.Rb1 Bc5+ 30.Kh1 b5 31.h3 Re6 32.Rc1 Bd4, White resigns.


Saturday, October 17, 2009

Fischer in Philippines 1967

Here is a video showing photos of Bobby Fischer's visit to the Philippines in 1967.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Kingfishers Downed by NJKO

In week seven of the U.S. Chess League, the Baltimore Kingfishers were downed by the New Jersey Knockouts. The victory guarantees the Knockouts a playoff berth, for the first time in their history.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Canny Moves

Here is a video of a chess simul in which many of the moves were...well, canny! The simul was given in Washington Square Park by an unnamed grandmaster, wearing an AMP can.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

"WSJ" Article on Women's Chess Titles

In a Wall Street Journal article, Barbara Jepson argues in favor of abolishing women's titles in chess.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Pix from Marshall CC October Under 2300

These are photos that I took on Sunday at the Marshall Chess Club October Under 2300 tournament.

This picture shows the upstairs room before the start of the one day schedule.

Between rounds, candidate master George Berg reads a magazine, in the downstairs room.

In round three, FM Boris Privman and Alena Kats played to a draw, on board one. Meanwhile Michael Layevskiy lost to NM Yefim Treger.

Here is a shot of the upstairs room before the fourth round.

In the final round, FM Boris Privman was defeated by NM Yefim Treger who won the tournament with 4 points.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Joe Girardi Discusses Baseball and Chess

Yankees manager Joe Girardi tells William C. Rhoden, sports columnist of The New York Times, how chess helps inform his decisions on the baseball diamond.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 10/11/2009

Playing in the one day schedule, I finished with a score of 2-1-1 today, in a Swiss tournament at the Marshall Chess Club. After being outplayed in the middlegame, I managed to draw the ending, in my final round game.

Round Four: Philidor Defense

Ronald Saylo (USCF 1966) - Jim West (USCF 2206), Marshall Chess Club 10/11/2009

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.e4 e5 5.Bc4 Be7 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 c6 8.a4 a5 9.b3 exd4 10.Nxd4 Nc5 11.Bb2 Re8 12.Qd2 Bf8 13.f3 Qc7 14.Rad1 Bd7


15.Qf4 Ne6 16.Nxe6 Bxe6 17.Bxe6 Rxe6 18.Ne2 Qb6+ 19.Kh1 c5 20.Qg5 h6 21.Qg3 g5 22.Nf4 Rae8 23.Nxe6 Rxe6 24.Bxf6 Rxf6 25.Rd5 Qb4 26.Red1 Qc3 27.e5 Rf5 28.R5d3 Qxe5 29.Qxe5 Rxe5


30.Kg1 Kg7 31.Kf2 Kf6 32.Re3 d5 33.c3 d4 34.Rxe5 Kxe5 35.Re1+ Kd6 36.c4 Kd7 37.Ke2 Bd6 38.g3 f5 39.Kd3 h5 40.Re2 b6 41.Rg2 Ke6 42.Re2+ Kd7 43.Rg2 Ke6 44.h3 g4 45.hxg4 hxg4 46.f4 Be7 47.Rh2 Bd8


48.Rh6+ Kd7 49.Rh7+ Be7 50.Rh6 Bd8 51.Rh7+ Be7 52.Rh6 Bd8 53.Rh7+, draw.


Saturday, October 10, 2009

Taghian on Zurich 1953 at Marshall CC

On Tuesday, October 13th, senior master Taghian Taghian [pictured above, next to Garry Kasparov] will lecture for adult players at the Marshall Chess Club on two games from the Zurich 1953 candidates tournament.

The series is based on The Mammoth Book of The World’s Greatest Chess Games. Taghian will analyze Averbakh - Kotov and Keres - Smyslov.

Tag is well known for excellent teaching skills, especially his ability to break down a complex position into basic elements that a novice can comprehend.

The lecture begins at 7:30pm and is free to club members ($10 non-members).

Friday, October 9, 2009

Fischer's Wife, Child in BBC-HBO Documentary

Bobby Fischer's common-law wife Marilyn and their daughter Jinky will be interviewed in November, for an upcoming BBC-HBO documentary on Fischer.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Fischer's Visit to Asia in 1973

Here is a video of Bobby Fischer's visit to the Philippines, Tokyo, and Hong Kong in 1973.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Sting Operation by Arizona

Despite winning their first five matches of the season, the New Jersey Knockouts got caught in a sting operation by the Arizona Scorpions, in week six of the United States Chess League.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Kreitner - West @ "Contre Gambit Philidor"

At Contre Gambit Philidor, Frederic Fournier has provided a link to my game against Ilan Kreitner.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Tandem Simul and Lecture at Marshall CC


Tomorrow evening, to assist GM Alex Lenderman in winning the World Junior Championship, the Marshall Chess Foundation is presenting a tandem simultaneous exhibition and lecture by Lenderman and GM Giorgi Kacheishvili, who will accompany Alex to Buenos Aires.

The two GM's will alternate moves against their opponents. The simul will be followed by a lecture from both grandmasters.

The event will take place at the Marshall Chess Club, starting at 7pm. Book prizes will be awarded to all participants in the simul who win or draw their games. Refreshments will be served. The simul/lecture fee is $25 for club members (non-members $35).

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 10/4/2009

This afternoon, I won the following PCG at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Three: Philidor Counter Gambit

Ilan Kreitner (USCF 2003) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 10/4/2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.dxe5 fxe4 5.Ng5 d5 6.e6 Bc5 7.Nxe4 Be7 8.Ng5 Bxg5 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qxg5 Qxg5 11.Bxg5 c6 12.Nd2 Bxe6 13.O-O-O Nd7 14.Re1 Kf7 15.h4 Ngf6 16.f3 Rae8


17.Nb3 Bf5 18.Bd3 Bxd3 19.cxd3 c5 20.Kd2 b6 21.Nc1 d4 22.Ne2 Nd5 23.h5 gxh5 24.Ng3 h6 25.Rxe8 Rxe8 26.Bxh6 Kg6 27.Bg5 Rh8 28.Ne4 Nf8 29.Bh4 Ne6 30.Rh3 Ne3 31.Bf2 Nf5 32.g4 Nfg7 33.Bg3 Rf8 34.Bd6 Rf7


35.Rg3 h4 36.Rh3 Ng5 37.Nxg5 Kxg5 38.Ke2 Ne6 39.Rh1 Rd7 40.Be5 Re7 41.Kf2 Nf4 42.Bxf4+ Kxf4 43.Rxh4 Re3 44.g5+ Kxg5 45.Rh7 Rxd3 46.Rg7+ Kf6 47.Rxa7 Rd2+ 48.Kg3 Rxb2


49.Kf4 d3 50.Rd7 c4 51.a4 d2 52.Ke3 c3 53.Ke2 Rb1, White resigns.


Saturday, October 3, 2009

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 10/3/2009

Earlier today, I won this difficult game at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round One: Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Ian Fleischman (USCF 1774), Marshall Chess Club 10/3/2009

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 O-O 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.h4 Ne5 11.Bb3 Qa5 12.O-O-O Rfc8 13.Kb1 Nc4 14.Bxc4 Rxc4 15.Nb3 Qc7 16.Bd4 Be6


17.h5 Rc8 18.hxg6 fxg6 19.g4 a6 20.Rh2 b5 21.Rdh1 b4 22.Na4 Bd7 23.Bxf6 Bxf6 24.Nac5 Rxc5 25.Nxc5 Qxc5 26.Rxh7 Qe5 27.Qxb4 d5 28.R7h6 Be8 29.g5 Rb8 30.Qxb8 Qxb8 31.gxf6 exf6 32.Rh8+ Kf7 33.exd5 g5


34.Re1 Qd6 35.Rhxe8 Qxd5 36.R8e3 Qd2 37.b3 f5 38.Re7+ Kf8 39.R7e5 Qf4 40.R5e3 g4 41.fxg4 fxg4 42.Re8+ Kg7 43.R1e7+ Kg6 44.Rg8+ Kh6 45.Re6+ Kh7 46.Reg6 g3 47.a4 Qd2 48.Rxg3 Qd1+ 49.Kb2 Qd4+ 50.Ka2 Qd1


51.Rg2 a5 52.R8g3 Qh5 53.Rg7+ Kh8 54.Rg8+ Kh7 55.R2g7+ Kh6 56.Rh8+ Kxg7 57.Rxh5, Black resigns.


Friday, October 2, 2009

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Kasparov Interview

Here is a two-part interview with Garry Kasparov, following his match with Anatoly Karpov in Valencia.