Karsten Muller Analyzes Bird - Morphy

At ChessCafe, GM Karsten Muller [pictured] analyzes Paul Morphy's famous rook sacrifice.

"Brooklyn Castle" Newsletter

A few weeks ago, Intermediate School 318 assistant principal and chess coach John Galvin [pictured] charged $8,000 to his personal credit card so I.S. 318’s champion chess team could travel to the Grade Championships in Dallas, Texas. Eight thousand dollars is a lot of money for nearly all of us; on a teacher’s salary, it’s an astronomical sum. But not spending the money would’ve meant the I.S. 318 chess team – the best and winningest junior high chess team in the country, bar none – might not have been able to compete. More than 65% of I.S. 318’s students (and 87% of those who are members of the chess team) are from homes living below the poverty line and the cost of travel is prohibitively expensive for nearly all of the school's parents. I.S. 318, perpetually underfunded in even the best of times, has seen its budget decimated by a series of deep cuts over the last few years. The best chess team in the country, despite having students who work incredibly hard and a staff whose dedication is astonishing, might not be able to compete in the future. Because of money.

Brooklyn Castle is a documentary that is as much about the five young teens it follows as it is about the ability for public schools to do great things when they have the resources. Once we complete our film we will take it to cities across the country and have local screenings to raise awareness about how vital this afterschool program, and others like it, are for schools. We’re also organizing chess tournaments that pit I.S. 318’s chess team against those of some of the most brilliant minds in this country – at places like Harvard and Columbia and the Google campus – so the kids realize those places are within their reach, and word gets out that public schools across the country are suffering from the crushing effects of budget cuts. We learned in making this documentary that, even with a staff that cares and students that work hard, a lack of resources can undermine even the most hard-won achievements. And we don't think that's fair.

We are very close to completing Brooklyn Castle, but we’re still 17k away from a having a film that’s ready for theaters. We cannot finish the film without your help! Please support – and help spread the word about – our Kickstarter campaign, so we can share the story of I.S. 318 with a nationwide audience and make a positive impact on public schools and school children.

Please visit our campaign here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rescuedmedia/finishing-brooklyn-castle-formerly-chess-movie?ref=card&utm_source=Brooklyn+Castle+List&utm_campaign=5d9059a6fd-Newsletter_10_26_1110_25_2011&utm_medium=email

By the way, that tournament that John Galvin spent $8,000 getting the kids to? The 8th graders came in first place.

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 11/27/2011

On Sunday, I drew this game in a Swiss tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Four: Caro-Kann Defense, Exchange Variation

Jim West (USCF 2207) - Zachary Cohn (USCF 2037), Marshall Chess Club 11/27/2011

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7 6.Ne2 e6 7.Bf4 Bd6 8.Qd2 Nge7 9.Bxd6 Qxd6 10.Qf4 Qxf4 11.Nxf4 Ng6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Nd2 Bd7 14.O-O O-O 15.Rae1 Rab8


16.f4 b5 17.a3 a5 18.Nb3 b4 19.Nc5 Rfd8 20.axb4 axb4 21.Ra1 bxc3 22.bxc3 Be8 23.g4 Ne7 24.Ra7 Nc8 25.Ra5 Nd6 26.f5 exf5 27.gxf5 g5 28.f6 gxf6 29.Rxf6 Kg7 30.Rf2 Ra8 31.Rfa2 Rxa5 32.Rxa5 Nc4 33.Bxc4 dxc4 34.Ne4 f6 35.Ra6 Bg6


36.Ra7+ Bf7 37.Nc5 Kg6 38.Kf2 Bd5 39.Rd7 Rxd7 40.Nxd7 Kf7 41.Nb6 Ke6 42.Na4 Kd6 43.Nc5 Bf7 44.Ne4+ Ke7 45.Ke3 Bd5 46.Ng3 Ke6 47.Ne4, draw.

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 11/26/2011

Yesterday I won this game at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round One: Larsen's Opening

Jim West (USCF 2207) - Michael Bogaty (USCF 1882), Marshall Chess Club 11/26/2011

1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.c4 Nf6 4.e3 e4 5.a3 a5 6.d3 exd3 7.Bxd3 d5 8.cxd5 Qxd5 9.Nf3 Be7 10.O-O Bg4 11.Be2 Be6 12.Qxd5 Bxd5 13.Nbd2 O-O


14.Bc4 Rad8 15.Rfd1 Rd6 16.Kf1 Rfd8 17.Ke1 Bxc4 18.Nxc4 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 20.Kxd1 Ne4 21.Ke2 Nc5 22.Ncd2 b5 23.Ne1 Bd6 24.h3 Ne5 25.f4 Ned7 26.Nd3 Nxd3 27.Kxd3 Nc5+ 28.Kc2 f6 29.Nf3 Ne6 30.f5 Nd8 31.Nd4 c6 32.a4 b4


33.Nf3 c5 34.Nd2 Nc6 35.Nc4 Bg3 36.Kd3 Ne7 37.Nxa5 Nxf5 38.Nb7 Nh4 39.Nxc5 Nxg2 40.a5 Ne1+ 41.Ke2 Nc2 42.Kd3 Na3 43.a6 Bb8 44.Nd7 Ba7 45.Bd4 Bxd4 46.Kxd4 Nb5+ 47.Kc5 Nc7 48.a7 g5 49.Nxf6+ Kg7 50.Ne8+, Black resigns.

GM De Firmian to Lecture at Marshall CC

The Marshall Chess Club presents a lecture by international grandmaster Nick De Firmian.

"Report from the World Youth Chess Championship"

GM Nick De Firmian is acclaimed as one of the world's leading experts on chess openings. He taught the supercomputer Deep Blue the opening moves it used to defeat world champion Garry Kasparov in 1997. A three-time U. S. chess champion, he has represented the United States in seven chess Olympiads and three world championship cycles. Nick is the coach of the U. S. delegation at the world chess championship taking place in Brazil from November 18-26, 2011. The delegation is composed of 64 American players, including 16 members of the Marshall Chess Club.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

7:30pm

Free to club members, guest fee $10

Refreshments will be served.

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

PCG by Lev Zilbermintz @ Chess.com

Lev Zilbermintz [pictured] played the black pieces on board one in this correspondence game, from a team match at Chess.com.

Philidor Counter Gambit

Abu Jasem (Chess.com 1802) - Lev Zilbermintz (Chess.com 1849), Chess.com 10/20/2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.dxe5 fxe4 5.Ng5 d5 6.e6 Nh6 7.Nc3 c6 8.Ngxe4 dxe4 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qe5 Rg8 11.Bg5 Bg7 12.e7 Qd2+ 13.Kxd2 Bxe5 14.Bxh6 g5


15.Bf8 Nd7 16.Bc4 Rg6 17.Nxe4 Nxf8 18.exf8=Q+ Kxf8 19.c3 Bf5 20.Rae1 Bf4+ 21.Kc2 Re8 22.Bd3 Rge6 23.f3 c5 24.g3 Bb8 25.Rd1 Bxe4 26.Bxe4 Rh6 27.h4 gxh4 28.Rxh4 Rxh4 29.gxh4 b6 30.Rd7 Re7 31.Rxe7 Kxe7 32.Bxh7 Kf6


33.Kd3 Bg3 34.h5 Ke5 35.Kc4 Kd6 36.Kb5 Kc7 37.a4 Bf4 38.b4 cxb4 39.Kxb4, draw.

Frederic Fournier Analyzes Kopiecki - West

Frederic Fournier, at Contre Gambit Philidor, analyzes my game as Black against Ed Kopiecki.

New York Knights Win 2011 USCL Title

On Sunday, the New York Knights won the championship match in the United States Chess League, for the second time in three years.

"Understanding Chess" by GM Lombardy

From the downstairs bulletin board at the Marshall Chess Club:

"Understanding Chess"

My System, My Games, My Life

by William J. Lombardy, IGM

I hope this will have been the best book written on chess instruction and how best to learn! Even Fischer Random!

Copy (autographed) $54 - plus $6 shipping.

Check may be sent to:
William Lombardy
12 Stuyvesant Oval - 6B
New York, NY 10009

If one needs to call: (917) 668-9362.

To those I have promised a copy, please call to make arrangements.

Many, many games + 8 pages of photos!

Price of the book coincides with the year 1954 - when I started coaching Fischer.

Available for shipping by this Monday, Nov. 21st. Not available anywhere else.

Marshall CC November Under 2300, Day 2

I finished with a score of 1-1-2 in the under 2300 tournament, at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Three: Sicilian Defense, Paulsen Variation

Jim West (USCF 2207) - Anna Matlin (USCF 2085), Marshall Chess Club 11/20/2011

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Bc5 6.Nb3 Be7 7.O-O d6 8.Nc3 Nbd7 9.Be3 Ngf6 10.a3 b5 11.f4 Bb7 12.Qe2 h5 13.Kh1 Qc7 14.Bg1 h4


15.h3 e5 16.fxe5 Nxe5 17.Bh2 g6 18.Rad1 Nfd7 19.Nd5 Qd8 20.Nd4 Rh5 21.Nf3 Bxd5 22.exd5 Bf6 23.Nxe5 Bxe5 24.Qf3 Qe7 25.Rde1 f5 26.Rf2 Kf7 27.Rfe2 Qf6 28.c3 Qd8 29.Bc2 Bxh2 30.Kxh2 Ne5 31.Qf2 Kg8, draw.

Marshall CC November Under 2300, Day 1

These games were played on Saturday at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round One: Philidor Counter Gambit

Ed Kopiecki (USCF 1951) - Jim West (USCF 2207), Marshall Chess Club 11/19/2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.dxe5 dxe5 6.Qxd8+ Nxd8 7.Nc3 fxe4 8.Nxe4 Nf6 9.Nxf6+ gxf6 10.Be3 Bd6 11.O-O-O Bg4 12.Bh6 Be6 13.Bd5 Bxd5 14.Rxd5 Rg8 15.Nh4 Nc6 16.g3 O-O-O


17.Rhd1 Ne7 18.Ra5 a6 19.c3 c6 20.Ra4 Bc5 21.Be3 Bxe3+ 22.fxe3 Rxd1+ 23.Kxd1 Kc7 24.Ke2 f5 25.Nf3 e4 26.Nd4 Kd6 27.Ra5 c5 28.Nb3 Rc8 29.Ra4 Nc6 30.Nd2 Ne5 31.Nb3 Rc6 32.Na5 Rc7 33.Ra3 b6 34.Nb3 a5 35.Nd2 Kc6


36.Nf1 Nc4 37.Ra4 Nxb2 38.Ra3 a4 39.Nd2 Rd7 40.g4 Rxd2+ 41.Kxd2 Nc4+ 42.Ke2 Nxa3 43.gxf5 Kd5 44.Kf2 Ke5 45.Kg3 Kxf5 46.Kh4 Nc4 47.Kh5 Nxe3 48.Kh6 Ng4+, White resigns.

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

Round Two: Pirc Defense

Jim West (USCF 2207) - Ed Frumkin (USCF 2072), Marshall Chess Club 11/19/2011

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 c5 6.dxc5 Qa5 7.Bd3 Qxc5 8.Qe2 Bg4 9.Be3 Qa5 10.O-O Nc6 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 O-O 13.a3 Nd7 14.Bd2 Qd8 15.Rab1 Rc8 16.Kh1 e6


17.f5 Nce5 18.Qe2 a6 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Rxf8+ Qxf8 21.Rf1 Qe7 22.Rf2 Rf8 23.Rxf8+ Qxf8 24.Nd1 Nc5 25.Bc3 Qf4 26.Bd2 Qg3 27.Be1 Qf4 28.Bd2 Qg3 29.Be1 Qf4, draw.

Lewis Chessmen at The Cloisters

The Lewis Chessmen are on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's branch, known as The Cloisters.

Watch the video.

Frederic Friedel and Frank Brady on NPR

Frederic Friedel (co-founder of ChessBase) and Frank Brady (author of Endgame) are among the guests, on this episode of Radiolab.

Laurie and Brian Hulse at Marshall CC

The Marshall Chess Club cordially invites you to a reception and lecture honoring newly wedded Marshall Chess Club governors Laurie and Brian Hulse.

Please join us for a celebratory reception in honor of the marriage between Laurie and Brian Hulse. Both Laurie and Brian are members of the Marshall Chess Club board of governors, and they first met at the club!

Following the reception, Brian (a FIDE master and 1978 Marshall Chess Club champion) will give a lecture on "Pawn Down Endgames."

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Reception 7pm to 8pm

Lecture 8pm

Refreshments will be served.

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

Frederic Fournier Analyzes 7...Bd6 in PCG

Frederic Fournier analyzes my new move 7...Bd6, at Contre Gambit Philidor.

3 African-American Masters in "NY Times"

[photo by Derrick Bryant]

Three African-American chess players, who became national masters at age 12, are featured in this article from The New York Times.

Marshall November Grand Prix, Day 2

On Sunday, I drew this game in a FIDE rated tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Three: Dutch Defense

Justin Sarkar (FIDE 2394) - Jim West (FIDE 2087), Marshall Chess Club 11/13/2011

1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 e6 4.e4 fxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qh6 Qe7 9.Nxf6+ Qxf6 10.Nf3 Nc6 11.O-O-O d6 12.h4 Bd7 13.h5 O-O-O


14.Qg5 Qxg5+ 15.Nxg5 Rdf8 16.hxg6 hxg6 17.Rxh8 Rxh8 18.Nf3 Rh1 19.Bd3 Rxd1+ 20.Kxd1 Be8 21.c3 Kd8 22.Kd2 Ke7 23.g4 Kf6 24.g5+ Kg7 25.Be4 b6 26.Nh2 Ne7 27.Ng4 Bc6 28.Bc2 Bf3 29.Nf6 Nd5 30.Ne8+ Kf7 31.c4 Kxe8 32.Bxg6+ Kf8 33.cxd5 Bxd5


34.Kc3 Kg7 35.Bd3 c5 36.a3 Bf3 37.b4 cxb4+ 38.axb4 a5 39.bxa5 bxa5 40.Kc4 d5+ 41.Kb5 Be4 42.Be2 Kg6 43.Bg4 e5 44.dxe5 Kxg5, draw.

Marshall November Grand Prix, Day 1

On Saturday, I played these games at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round One: Budapest Gambit, Fajarowicz Variation

Aravind Kumar (FIDE 1889) - Jim West (FIDE 2087), Marshall Chess Club 11/12/2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Nxd2 6.Nbxd2 Nc6 7.a3 Bxd2+ 8.Qxd2 Qe7 9.Qc3 O-O 10.e3 Re8 11.Bd3 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Qxe5 13.Qxe5 Rxe5 14.O-O d6 15.b4 b6 16.e4 Bb7 17.f3 a5


18.Kf2 Kf8 19.Rfe1 h6 20.b5 f6 21.Re2 Rae8 22.Rae1 g5 23.g4 Kg7 24.h3 Bc8 25.Kg3 Be6 26.Rc1 Bf7 27.Rcc2 Rc5 28.Rh2 Rc8 29.Rhf2 c6 30.Rfe2 h5 31.Rf2 h4+ 32.Kg2 cxb5 33.cxb5 Rxc2 34.Rxc2 Rxc2+ 35.Bxc2 Bc4 36.a4 Kf7


37.f4 Ke6 38.Kf3 Bf1 39.Bb3+ Ke7 40.f5 Bxh3 41.Bc4 d5 42.Bxd5 Bf1 43.Ke3 Kd6 44.Bb3 Ke5 45.Bd5 Bg2 46.Bc6 h3, White resigns.

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

Round Two: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Jim West (FIDE 2087) - Frank Paciulli (FIDE 1932), Marshall Chess Club 11/12/2011

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 b5 8.O-O Be7 9.Be3 O-O 10.f4 Qc7 11.a3 Bb7 12.f5 e5 13.Nde2 Nbd7 14.Ng3 Rac8 15.Qf3 h6 16.Rfd1 Rfe8 17.Rac1 Nb6


18.Bxb6 Qxb6+ 19.Kh1 Rxc3 20.bxc3 d5 21.Bxd5 Bxa3 22.Ra1 Bxd5 23.exd5 e4 24.Qe2 Bd6 25.c4 b4 26.c5 Qxc5 27.Rxa6 Bxg3 28.Rxf6 gxf6 29.hxg3 Qd6 30.Qe3 Kh7 31.Kh2 Qe5 32.d6 Qxf5 33.Rd4 Rd8 34.Qxe4 Qxe4 35.Rxe4 Rxd6 36.Rxb4 Rc6 37.c4 Kg6


38.g4 Kg5 39.Kg3 f5 40.gxf5 Kxf5 41.Kf3 Ke5 42.Ke3 f5 43.Rb5+ Kf6 44.Kd4 Kg5 45.c5 Ra6 46.Rb2 f4 47.Kd5 Rf6 48.c6 Rf5+ 49.Kd4 Rf8 50.c7 Rc8 51.Rc2 Kg4 52.Rc3 h5 53.Ke5 Re8+ 54.Kd6, Black resigns.

"Brooklyn 64" on Lecture by Irina Krush

Blogger Brooklyn 64 describes Tuesday's lecture by IM Irina Krush at the Marshall Chess Club.

PCG with 7...Bd6 at Internet Chess Club

Until recently, I did not play at the Internet Chess Club. But a student of mine, who wanted lessons via the ICC using Skype, bought me a one year membership.

At the end of my two hour lessons, if time permits, I sometimes play casual games against my students. On Tuesday, I tried a new move 7...Bd6 in the Philidor Counter Gambit during one such game, at a time control of 20 minutes per player.

Instead of revealing my student's ICC handle, I will give his initials.

Philidor Counter Gambit

C. D. (ICC 1559) - Jim West (USCF 2207), Internet Chess Club 11/8/2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Neg5 exd4 7.Nxd4 Bd6 8.Bd3 Nf6 9.O-O O-O 10.Nge6 Bxh2+ 11.Kxh2 Bxe6 12.Nxe6 Qd6+ 13.Nf4 g5 14.g3 gxf4 15.Bxf4 Qd7 16.Kg2 Nc6


17.Rh1 Rf7 18.c3 Re8 19.Qc2 Ree7 20.Bf5 Qe8 21.Be3 Ne4 22.Bg4 Nxg3 23.Kxg3 Rxe3+ 24.fxe3 Qxe3+ 25.Kg2 Rg7


26.Qf5 Ne7 27.Qf3 Qg5 28.Kh3 Ng6 29.Raf1 Qh4+ 30.Kg2 Nf4+ 31.Qxf4 Rxg4+ 32.Qxg4+ Qxg4+ 33.Kh2 Qe2+ 34.Kh3 Qh5+ 35.Kg3 Qg5+ 36.Kh3, draw.

Review of "Endgame" at "ChessCafe"

At ChessCafe, Steven B. Dowd reviews Frank Brady's Endgame.

Here is the review, by Patrick Wolff, in the Wall Street Journal.

Frederic Fournier Analyzes Hellner - West

At Contre Gambit Philidor, Frederic Fournier analyzes my recent game as Black against Wesley Hellner.

Funding "Brooklyn Castle"

Nelson and Katie Dellamaggiore of Rescued Media need your help in funding their documentary film Brooklyn Castle.

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 11/6/2011

On Sunday, I drew this PCG in a game/30 tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Four: Philidor Counter Gambit

Wesley Hellner (USCF 1869) - Jim West (USCF 2207), Marshall Chess Club 11/6/2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.dxe5 fxe4 5.Nfd2 d5 6.f4 c6 7.Be2 Bc5 8.c3 Ne7 9.b4 Bb6 10.a4 a6 11.Nb3 O-O 12.Nd4 Nf5 13.O-O Qh4 14.Na3 Be6 15.Nac2 Nd7


16.g4 Ng3 17.hxg3 Qxg3+ 18.Kh1 Qh3+ 19.Kg1 Qg3+ 20.Kh1 Qh3+, draw.

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 11/5/2011

At the Marshall Chess Club, I drew this game on Saturday in a game/60 tournament.

Round Three: Sicilian Defense, Sozin Attack

Jim West (USCF 2207) - Matthew Herman (USCF 2418), Marshall Chess Club 11/5/2011

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bc4 Qb6 7.Nde2 g6 8.O-O Bg7 9.a3 O-O 10.Be3 Qd8 11.f3 Bd7 12.Qd2 Re8 13.Rad1 Ne5 14.Ba2 b5


15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Bc6 17.Bxc6 Nxc6 18.Nd4 Ne5 19.b3 Qd7 20.h3 a6 21.Rf2 Nc6 22.Nxc6 Qxc6 23.Bd4 Bxd4 24.Qxd4 a5 25.Rd3 Rec8 26.e5 dxe5 27.Qxe5 Rc7 28.Rfd2 Qc5+ 29.Qxc5 Rxc5 30.Rd8+ Rxd8 31.Rxd8+ Kg7 32.Ra8 a4 33.bxa4 bxa4 34.Rxa4 Rxc2


35.Ra7 Kf6 36.Kh2 g5 37.h4 gxh4 38.Ra4 h5 39.Rxh4 Kg5 40.Re4 e6 41.Kh3 Ra2 42.Re5+ Kf6 43.Rxh5 Rxa3 44.Rb5 e5 45.Kg4 Ra4+ 46.Kg3 Kf5 47.Rc5 f6 48.Rb5 Ra6 49.Rb4 Ra5 50.Rc4 Ra6 51.Rb4 Kg5 52.Rg4+ Kf5, draw.