Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Bobby Fischer's Wild Oats

In BusinessWorld, Bobby Ang writes about Fischer's wild oats.

Monday, August 30, 2010

NJKO and NY Knights Tonight in USCL





Tonight the New Jersey Knockouts square off against the New York Knights, in the U.S. Chess League. Follow the action at the Internet Chess Club.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Rahway Grand Prix 8/29/2010

Pictured above are the three prize winners in today's grand prix event at Chess Mates, Justin Sarkar (2nd place), Yaacov Norowitz (1st place) and Mauricio Camejo (3rd place) respectively.

Rahul Swaminathan and I tied for 4th place.

Round Four: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Rahul Swaminathan (USCF 2165) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Rahway NJ 8/29/2010

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 b5 8.Bg5 b4 9.Nce2 Be7 10.Ng3 O-O 11.O-O Bb7 12.Re1 Nbd7


13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.Qd2 Qb6 15.Rad1 a5 16.Ba4 Rfd8 17.Kh1 Nd7 18.Bxd7 Rxd7 19.f4 Bf6 20.c3 bxc3 21.bxc3 Rc8 22.Nh5 Bxd4 23.cxd4 Qb5 24.f5 h6 25.Re3 exf5 26.Rb3 Qa4


27.Nf6+ gxf6 28.Qxh6 Rc3 29.Rd3 Qxb3 30.axb3 Rxd3 31.h3 Bxe4 32.Qxf6 Rxh3+ 33.Kg1 Rg3 34.d5 Rxg2+ 35.Kf1 Rg6 36.Qh4 Bxd5 37.b4 axb4 38.Qxb4 Be6 39.Qh4 Kg7 40.Qd4+ f6 41.Qe3 Kf7 42.Qh3 Kg7 43.Qe3 Bf7 44.Qf4 Rg5 45.Kf2 d5


46.Qd4 Rg4 47.Qd3 Bg6 48.Qb5 Re7 49.Qxd5 Rge4 50.Qd8 f4 51.Qd6 Bh5 52.Qc5 Re2+ 53.Kg1 Re1+ 54.Kg2 R7e2+, White resigns.



Saturday, August 28, 2010

GM Mark Paragua Lecture @ Marshall CC

[photo courtesy of "pulsar"]

The Marshall Chess Club proudly presents GM Mark Paragua.

The Filipino grandmaster will give a lecture on the Slav Defense.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010, at 7 pm.

Members free; $10 non-members.

Marshall Chess Club
23 West 10th Street
New York, NY 10011
Phone 212-477-3716
Fax 212-995-9281
http://www.marshallchessclub.org/

Friday, August 27, 2010

Ippolito Simul on November 27th

On November 27th, international master Dean Ippolito plans to break the record for most chess games played simultaneously by one person and the best winning percentage in a simul.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

DOCA FIDE Invitational @ "CLO"

At Chess Life Online, tournament director Aaron Kiedes recaps the 2nd Annual FIDE Invitational.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

More Photos from DOCA FIDE Invitational

These pictures were taken by me during the final weekend of the 2nd Annual FIDE Invitational at the Dean of Chess Academy.









Here is the update from the Dean of Chess website.

The 2nd Annual Dean of Chess Academy FIDE Invitational Final Finishers

The second annual Dean of Chess Academy FIDE Invitational was held from August 13-22nd. The idea is to give several types of often overlooked players the opportunity to achieve a FIDE rating. Academy members, long-time experts and masters, and up-and-coming nationally ranked scholastic players are the three groups meant to have this opportunity.

This year there were 3 FIDE hopefuls. All of them were successful in obtaining a FIDE rating. IM Dean Ippolito won the event with a 9/9 score. For the second year in a row National Master David Grasso finished second, this year with 5.5/9. Life Master James West and Rahul Swaminathan finished tied for third with 5/9 points. All of the games can be found at deanofchess.com.

We would like to thank Aaron Kiedes who directed the event. More such events are planned as the second Dean of Chess Academy is opening next month in Flemington, NJ. Between both centers, more than 50 events will be run on a monthly basis in the 5,000+ square feet available. We are looking forward to attracting all types of players, and are holding Grand Prix events every week.

Here are the final standings:

1st-IM Dean Ippolito 9.0

2nd-NM David Grasso 5.5

3rd-4th- LM James West, Rahul Swaminathan 5.0

5th-Andrew Walker 4.5

6th-8th- FM Stephen Stoyko, Steve Ferrero, Daniel Zhu 4.0

9th-10th- Kevin Chen, Matthew O’Brien 2.0

Monday, August 23, 2010

DOCA FIDE Invitational, Day 5

The 2nd Annual FIDE Invitational ended yesterday at the Dean of Chess Academy.

Round Eight: Benoni Defense

Dean Ippolito (FIDE 2458) - Jim West (FIDE 2090), Branchburg NJ 8/22/2010

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 a6 7.f4 Qc7 8.a4 Be7 9.Nf3 Bg4 10.Be2 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 Nbd7 12.O-O O-O 13.Kh1 Rab8 14.a5 Rfe8 15.g4 Kh8 16.Ra3 Bf8


17.Qe2 g5 18.fxg5 Ng8 19.Nd1 Ne5 20.Bg2 Ne7 21.Bd2 N7g6 22.Rh3 Bg7 23.Ne3 b5 24.axb6 Qxb6 25.Bc3 Qb5 26.Qf2 Qd7 27.Nf5 Rb6 28.Qg3 Reb8 29.Rh5 Rxb2 30.Qh3 Nf8 31.Nxg7 Kxg7


32.g6 fxg6 33.Rxe5 dxe5 34.Bxe5+ Kg8 35.Bxb8 Rxb8 36.e5 c4 37.e6 Qe7 38.Qc3 Rb3 39.Qe5 Rb5 40.Rf7 Rb1+ 41.Bf1, Black resigns.



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

Round Nine: Ruy Lopez, Steinitz Variation

Jim West (FIDE 2090) - Steve Ferrero (FIDE 2153), Branchburg NJ 8/22/2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.c3 Bd7 5.d4 f6 6.O-O Nge7 7.Re1 a6 8.Ba4 b5 9.Bb3 Na5 10.Bc2 Nc4 11.b3 Nb6 12.Be3 Nec8 13.Nbd2 Be7 14.h3 O-O


15.Nf1 Kh8 16.Ng3 Qe8 17.Nf5 Bxf5 18.exf5 Qf7 19.Nh4 Rd8 20.Ng6+ Kg8 21.Nxe7+ Nxe7 22.Qg4 Nd7 23.b4 d5 24.a4 c6 25.Ra3 a5 26.Rea1 axb4 27.cxb4 bxa4 28.Bxa4 Rab8


29.Bd2 exd4 30.Bc2 d3 31.Bxd3 Ne5 32.Qe2 Nxd3 33.Qxd3 Nc8 34.Ra8 Nd6, draw.


Sunday, August 22, 2010

DOCA FIDE Invitational, Day 4

The final weekend of the 2nd Annual FIDE Invitational began yesterday at the Dean of Chess Academy.

Round Six: Budapest Gambit, Fajarowicz Variation

David Grasso (FIDE 2168) - Jim West (FIDE 2090), Branchburg NJ 8/21/2010

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4 4.a3 Nc6 5.Nf3 a5 6.Qc2 d5 7.e3 Be6 8.Nbd2 Nc5 9.Be2 a4 10.O-O dxc4 11.Bxc4 Bxc4 12.Nxc4 Qd3 13.Qxd3 Nxd3 14.Rd1 Rd8 15.Kf1 b5


16.Nd6+ Bxd6 17.exd6 Rxd6 18.Ke2 Nde5 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.Rxd6 cxd6 21.Bd2 Kd7 22.Bc3 Rc8 23.Rd1 Ke6 24.e4 f6 25.Rd5 Rc5 26.f4 Nc6 27.f5+ Kd7 28.Ke3 Rxd5 29.exd5 Ne5


30.Ke4 Kc7 31.h3 Nf7 32.Kf4 Kb6 33.Bb4 Kc7 34.Ba5+ Kd7 35.Bc3 Ne5 36.Ke4 Nf7 37.Kf4 Ne5 38.g4 Nf7 39.h4 h6 40.Ke4 Kc7, draw.



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


I got lucky in this game when my opponent hung his queen.

Round Seven: Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Daniel Zhu (USCF 1765), Branchburg NJ 8/21/2010

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 Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.O-O-O Nc4


13.Bxc4 Rxc4 14.h5 Nxh5 15.g4 Nf6 16.Nde2 Re8 17.e5 Nxg4 18.fxg4 Bxg4 19.e6 Bxe6 20.Bd4 f6 21.Nf4 Bg4 22.Qd3 Rxd4 23.Qxd4 Bxd1


24.Qd5+ e6 25.Nxe6 Bf3 26.Qb3 Qb6 27.Nb5 Qe3+ 28.Qxe3, Black resigns.


Saturday, August 21, 2010

Paternity Test Results Questioned

After paternity test results showed that Bobby Fischer was not the biological father of Jinky Young, despite "strong secondary evidences" like the postcard shown above, the lawyer representing Jinky's mother Marilyn has criticized how the tissue samples were obtained.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Games I Never Played

At 365Chess.com, many of the 66 games that are credited to James R. West were never played by me. Obviously, the 11 Philidors are mine. But I never played in tournaments at Plymouth, Monroe, Manila, or Foxwoods. To paraphrase Yogi Berra, "I didn't play half the games I played!"

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Photos from DOCA FIDE Invitational

Here are pictures taken by me during the first weekend of the 2nd Annual FIDE Invitational at the Dean of Chess Academy.




The following update can be found at the Dean of Chess website.

Surprise Leaders At The 2nd Annual Dean of Chess Academy FIDE Invitational

Many upsets at this year’s FIDE Invitational have led to many surprises in the standings at the midway point. Last year’s winner with 7.5/9 IM Dean Ippolito, has begun this year’s event with a 5-0 score. Second place is a huge surprise though, with the lowest seed, FIDE unrated Daniel Zhu at 3.5/5 on pace for a high FIDE rating. NM James West is tied for third with the second lowest seed, FIDE unrated Andy Walker with 3/5. Last year's 2nd and 3rd place finishers respectively, NM David Grasso and Rahul Swaminathan currently find themselves in the middle of the pack with 2.5/5. One of the pre-tournament favorites FM Steve Stoyko stands at 2/5 with FIDE unrated Matthew O’Brien. Steve Ferrero is currently ninth with 1.5 and Kevin Chen stands at 0.

The tournament will conclude this coming Saturday and Sunday. The mission of the FIDE Invitational is to give NJ residents, who previously haven’t had the opportunity to achieve a FIDE rating, such an opportunity. Also, young up and coming players will get the opportunity as well as higher rated Dean of Chess Academy members. The Dean of Chess Academy hosts FIDE rated quads three Monday nights each month. A second Dean of Chess Academy will be opening next month in Flemington and will also feature more such events. Between the two academies, Dean and his staff are scheduled to run over 50 events per month, one at each center just about every night and weekend. Here is the leader’s favorite game of the tournament so far.

Stoyko (2209) – Ippolito (2458) [E42] 2nd DOCA FIDE Invitational (5) , 15.08.2010
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Nge2 c5 6.a3 Ba5 7.f3 0–0 8.Rb1 Qe7 9.Kf2 Bxc3 10.Nxc3 cxd4 11.Qxd4 Bb7 12.e4 Nc6 13.Qe3 Ne5 14.Be2 Rac8 15.b3 d5 16.exd5 exd5 17.cxd5 Rfe8 18.Re1 Qc7 19.Nb5 Qc2 20.Rb2 Neg4+ 21.fxg4 Nxg4+ 22.Kg1 Nxe3 23.Rxc2 Nxc2 0–1

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Fischer Not Jinky's Father

A paternity test has shown that Bobby Fischer was not the biological father of Jinky Young.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Goeller Wins CJA Best Blog Award

For the second time in three years, Michael Goeller [pictured] of The Kenilworthian has won the Best Blog Award from the Chess Journalists of America.

Monday, August 16, 2010

DOCA FIDE Invitational, Day 3

The first weekend of the 2nd Annual FIDE Invitational ended yesterday at the Dean of Chess Academy.

Round Four: Nimzovich Defense

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Matthew O'Brien (USCF 1995), Branchburg NJ 8/15/2010

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 e5 4.dxe5 Nxe5 5.Nxe5 dxe5 6.Qxd8+ Kxd8 7.Bc4 Ke8 8.Be3 Bb4+ 9.c3 Ba5 10.Nd2 Bb6 11.Bxb6 axb6 12.O-O Ke7 13.Bb3 Be6 14.Nc4 Bxc4 15.Bxc4 Nf6 16.f3 Rhd8 17.Rfd1 Ne8


18.Bb3 c6 19.Kf1 Nc7 20.Ke2 Ne6 21.Bxe6 Kxe6 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.a4 Ra8 24.Ra3 Kd6 25.Kd3 Kc7 26.Kc2 Rd8 27.b4 Rd6 28.Ra2 Rh6 29.h3 Rg6 30.Kd3 Rd6+ 31.Ke2 Rd8 32.a5 bxa5 33.Rxa5 f6


34.h4 g6 35.g4 Kd6 36.Ra1 h6 37.Ke3 Kc7 38.Ra5 Rd1 39.Ra8 Rc1 40.Kd2 Rf1 41.Ke2 Rc1 42.Rf8 Rxc3 43.Rxf6 Rc2+ 44.Kd3 Rh2 45.Rxg6 Rxh4 46.Ke3 Kb6 47.Rg7 c5 48.bxc5+ Kxc5 49.Rxb7 Kd6 50.Rb6+ Ke7 51.Rb5 Kf6 52.Rb6+ Ke7


53.Kf2 Kf7 54.Kg3 Rh1 55.Kg2 Rh4 56.Rb1 Kf6 57.Kg3 Kg5 58.Rb5 Rh1 59.Rxe5+ Kg6 60.Kf4 Rb1 61.Re6+ Kg7 62.Ra6 Rb5 63.e5 Rc5 64.Kf5 Rc7 65.f4 Rc1 66.Ra7+ Kh8 67.e6 h5 68.Kg6, Black resigns.



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

Round Five: Budapest Gambit, Fajarowicz Variation

Andy Walker (USCF 1885) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Branchburg NJ 8/15/2010

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4 4.Nd2 Bb4 5.a3 Bxd2+ 6.Bxd2 Nxd2 7.Qxd2 Nc6 8.Nf3 Qe7 9.g3 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 Qxe5 11.Bg2 O-O 12.O-O a5 13.Rad1 Ra6 14.f4 Qc5+ 15.Qd4 Qxd4+ 16.Rxd4 Rb6 17.Rd2 d6


18.e4 a4 19.Rc1 c5 20.Rc3 f6 21.Rcd3 Be6 22.Bf1 Rd8 23.e5 Kf8 24.Rxd6 Rdxd6 25.exd6 Ke8 26.Be2 Kd7 27.Bd1 Ra6 28.Bf3 Rxd6 29.Rxd6+ Kxd6 30.Bxb7 Bxc4 31.Be4 h6 32.Kf2 g5


33.Ke3 Bd5 34.Bc2 Bc6 35.fxg5 fxg5 36.b3 axb3 37.Bxb3 Ke5 38.a4 h5 39.a5 Bb5 40.h4 gxh4 41.gxh4 Kd6 42.Bf7 Bd7 43.Bxh5 Bb5 44.Be2 c4 45.Bf3 Ba6 46.h5 Ke5 47.Be4 Kf6 48.h6 Bb5 49.Kd4 Ba6 50.Bd5 c3


51.Kxc3 Kg6 52.Bc4 Bc8 53.Kd4 Kxh6 54.Kc5 Kg5 55.Kd6 Kf4 56.Kc7 Bf5 57.a6 Ke5 58.a7 Be4 59.Ba6 Kd4 60.Bb7, Black resigns.