Monday, October 31, 2011

Westfield Quads 10/30/2011

Despite downed trees and power outages from Saturday's snowstorm, 42 players showed up on Sunday at the quads in Westfield.

Round One: Dutch Defense

Boris Privman (USCF 2230) - Jim West (USCF 2208), Westfield NJ 10/30/2011

1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 e6 4.e4 fxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Nc5 d6 7.Nd3 Nc6 8.Nf3 O-O 9.g3 Bd7 10.Bg2 Qe8 11.Qe2 Qh5 12.O-O-O Rae8


13.Nf4 Qf7 14.Bh3 Bd8 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Kb1 g5 17.Nd3 Qg7 18.Bg4 Nxd4 19.Nxd4 Bxd4 20.c3 Bf6 21.f4 e5 22.Bxd7 Qxd7 23.fxe5 Bxe5 24.Nxe5 Qf5+ 25.Qd3 Rxe5 26.Qxf5 Rfxf5 27.Rd2 Kg7 28.Kc2 h5 29.Rg2 g4 30.Kd2 a5 31.a4 Rf3


32.Re2 Kf6 33.Rxe5 dxe5 34.Ke2 e4 35.Rd1 e3 36.Rd5 Rf2+ 37.Kxe3 Rxh2 38.Rxa5 b6 39.Rd5 Ke6 40.Rg5 Rxb2 41.Rxh5 Ra2 42.Rh6+ Kd5 43.Rh5+ Kc6 44.Rh6+ Kb7 45.Kf4 Rxa4+ 46.Kf5 Rc4 47.Rg6 b5 48.Rxg4 Rxc3


49.Rb4 Rxg3 50.Rxb5+ Kc6 51.Rb1 Re3 52.Kf4 Re7 53.Rc1+ Kd7 54.Rd1+ Kc8 55.Rc1 Re2 56.Kf3 Re6 57.Kf4 Kd7 58.Rd1+ Rd6 59.Rc1 Re6 60.Rd1+ Ke7 61.Rc1 c6 62.Kf5 Kd7 63.Rd1+ Rd6 64.Rc1 Rd5+ 65.Ke4 Kd6 66.Rh1 Rd2 67.Ke3 Rd5 68.Ke4 Kc5 69.Rc1+ Kb6 70.Rb1+ Kc7 71.Rc1 Kd6 72.Rh1, draw.



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Round Three: Budapest Defense, Fajarowicz Variation

Michael Ainsworth (USCF 2046) - Jim West (USCF 2208), Westfield NJ 10/30/2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4 4.a3 Nc6 5.Qc2 d5 6.Nf3 Bf5 7.Qd1 dxc4 8.Nbd2 Qd5 9.e3 O-O-O 10.Be2 c3 11.bxc3 Nxc3 12.Qb3 Qxb3 13.Nxb3 Nxe2 14.Kxe2 Bd3+ 15.Ke1 Be7 16.Bb2 Rhg8


17.Nbd4 Be4 18.Ke2 g5 19.h3 h5 20.Rhd1 g4 21.hxg4 hxg4 22.Ne1 Bf8 23.Rac1 Bh6 24.f3 Nxd4+ 25.Bxd4 gxf3+ 26.gxf3 Bc6 27.Kf2 Bf8 28.Rd3 Be7 29.Ng2 Rd7 30.Rh1 Bc5 31.Nf4 Bxd4 32.exd4 Rgd8 33.Rhd1 Bb5 34.R3d2 Ba4 35.e6 fxe6 36.Nxe6 Bxd1 37.Nxd8 Bxf3 38.Ne6 Bd5


39.Nc5 Rf7+ 40.Ke1 b6 41.Nd3 Bc4 42.Rf2 Rxf2 43.Nxf2 c5 44.dxc5 bxc5 45.Ne4 Kc7 46.Nxc5 Kc6 47.Ne4 Kb5 48.Kd2 a5 49.Nc3+ Kc5 50.Kc2, draw.


Sunday, October 30, 2011

Garry Kasparov on Russia Policy of U.S.

Garry Kasparov criticizes the Russia policy of the United States, in an interview with Eli Lake.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Matty W. Kelley Reviews "Brooklyn Castle"

At NorwoodPatch, Matty W. Kelley reviews the documentary film Brooklyn Castle.

Friday, October 28, 2011

E-mail from Burkhard Forbrich

Dear Mr. West:

I have come to like your blog, especially as you mostly play openings preferred by Morphy and Fischer. What about 14.Nxc6 in your recent game against Fabbri?

Regards from Germany,

Burkhard Forbrich

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


After the game, my opponent suggested 14.Nf3 as a way for White to keep his extra material, for example by 14...Qf6 15.Qg2. Your move 14.Nxc6 could lead to 14...Qc5 15.Ne5 Nxe5 16.Rxe5 Bxe5 17.Qxe5 Be6 18.Be3 Qc6 19.Qg3, again with a material advantage for White. But, as I told Fabbri, I was more concerned with completing my development by 14.Bf4 (which led to a positional plus for me) than with holding on to material.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Knockouts Rein In Knights for First Win

The New Jersey Knockouts won their first match of the season by reining in the New York Knights, in week nine of the U.S. Chess League.

Check out last night's games from boards one, two, three, and four.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Nathan Resika Wins FIDE Mondays

FM Nathan Resika [pictured] won the FIDE Mondays tournament at the Marshall Chess Club, defeating me in the final round with a rare move in the Pirc Defense.


In the diagram, arrived at via the 6...Na6 line in the Austrian Attack, Resika has just played 7...Ng4 instead of the usual 7...Nd7 or 7...Ne8.

At ChessLab, I could find only a few games where Resika's move was played. The best plan for White seems to be 8.h3 Nh6 9.Be3 c5 10.d5.

Our game on Monday night proceeded 8.h3 Nh6 9.Ne4 c5 10.c3 cxd4 11.cxd4 Qb6 12.O-O Nb4 13.Be3 Nd5 14.Bc1 Nf5 15.Qa4 Nb4 16.Bb1 dxe5 17.fxe5 Nc6 18.Kh1 Ncxd4 when "the fat lady sings."


As you may have guessed from his picture, in addition to being a FIDE master, Nathan Resika is also an accomplished opera singer.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Wu Leads Marshall CC Championship

After the first weekend, twelve-year-old Christopher Wu [pictured] leads the Marshall Chess Club championship with 4 wins plus a half point bye.

Wu has defeated WIM Shernaz Kennedy, FM Asa Hoffmann, NM James Black, and NM Yefim Treger.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Pix from Hamilton Quads 10/22/2011

These pictures were taken by me during the Hamilton quads on Saturday.





Sunday, October 23, 2011

Hamilton Quads 10/22/2011

On Saturday, I won my quad at Hamilton with a score of 2-0-1.

Round One: Dutch Defense

Gregory Nolan (USCF 2217) - Jim West (USCF 2208), Hamilton NJ 10/22/2011

1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.Nf3 a5 5.O-O b6 6.c4 Bb7 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Bd2 O-O 9.a3 Bxc3 10.Bxc3 Ne4 11.Qc2 d6 12.Rfe1 Nd7 13.Nd2 Ndf6


14.f3 Nxc3 15.Qxc3 Qe7 16.e4 fxe4 17.fxe4 e5 18.d5 a4 19.b4 axb3 20.Nxb3 Ra4 21.Nc1 Rfa8 22.Nd3 Bc8 23.Qb3 R4a5 24.Nb4 Bd7 25.Bf3 Qe8 26.Qc3 Qg6 27.Kh1 Rf8 28.Bg2 Raa8 29.Ra2 Ng4 30.Kg1 h5 31.Nd3 Qh6 32.Nf2 Nxf2 33.Rxf2 Rxf2 34.Kxf2 Rf8+ 35.Kg1 h4


36.Rf1 Rxf1+ 37.Bxf1 hxg3 38.hxg3 Be8 39.Bg2 Bg6 40.Kf2 Qg5 41.Qe3 Qxe3+ 42.Kxe3 Kf7 43.Bf3 Kf6 44.Bg2 Kg5 45.Bh3 Be8 46.Kd3 Ba4 47.Kd2 Bb3 48.Kd3 Bd1 49.Kd2 Bg4 50.Bg2 Bd7 51.Bf3 Bh3 52.Ke2 Bc8 53.Kd3 Bg4 54.Bg2 Bh5 55.Bh3 Bf3


56.Ke3 Bd1 57.Kd2 Bb3 58.Kc3 Ba2 59.Kd3 Bb1+ 60.Ke3 Bc2 61.Bd7 Bb3 62.Kd3 Bd1 63.Bh3 Bg4 64.Bg2 Kf6 65.Bf1 Ke7 66.Kc3 Kd8 67.Kd3 c5 68.Kc3 Kc7 69.Kc2 Kb7 70.Kc3 Ka6 71.Bd3 Ka5 72.Kb2 Bd1 73.Kc1 Bb3 74.Kb2 Bd1 75.Kc1 Bf3 76.Kc2 Ka4 77.Kb2 Bd1


78.Bf1 Ka5 79.Kc1 Bf3 80.Bd3 Bg4 81.Kb2 Bd7 82.Kb3 Ba4+ 83.Kc3 b5 84.cxb5 Bxb5 85.Bc2 Ba4 86.Bd3 Bd1 87.Bc4 Bf3 88.Bd3 Ka4 89.Kb2 Bd1 90.Bc4 Bf3 91.Bd3 Ka5 92.Kc3 Bh5 93.Kc2 Ka4 94.Kb2 Bg6 95.Bc2+ Kb5 96.Kc3 Be8 97.Bb3 Ka5 98.Bc2 Ba4 99.Bd3 Bd1 100.Kb2 Ka4 101.Bc4 Bf3


102.Bd3 c4 103.Bc2+ Kb5 104.Kc3 Be2 105.Kd2 Bg4 106.Kc3 Kc5 107.Bb1 Bd1 108.Ba2 Bb3 109.Bxb3 cxb3 110.a4 b2 111.Kxb2 Kb4 112.a5 Kxa5 113.Ka3 Kb5 114.Kb3 Kc5 115.Kc3 g6, White resigns.



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

Round Two: Sicilian Defense

Jim West (USCF 2208) - Dragan Milovanovic (USCF 2243), Hamilton NJ 10/22/2011

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Bb5+ Nbd7 7.Nf5 a6 8.Bxd7+ Qxd7 9.O-O Qc6 10.Ng3 h6 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.exd5 Qc7 13.a4 Be7 14.a5 O-O 15.Be3 f5


16.Bb6 Qc4 17.b3 Qh4 18.Ra4 Qg5 19.f4 Qg6 20.Rc4 exf4 21.Nh5 Bg5 22.Nxf4 Bxf4 23.Rfxf4 Rf7 24.h3 Bd7 25.Rc7 Re8 26.Kh2 Bc8 27.Rfc4 Rxc7 28.Rxc7 f4 29.Qf3 Bf5 30.Bd4 Be4 31.Qf2 Qg3+ 32.Qxg3 fxg3+ 33.Kxg3 Bxd5 34.Rxg7+ Kf8 35.Rg6 Re2


36.Rxd6 Bxg2 37.c3 h5 38.Rh6 Bd5 39.Rh8+ Ke7 40.b4 Bf7 41.Rb8 Bd5 42.c4 Bxc4 43.Rxb7+ Ke6 44.Bc5 Re4 45.Rh7 h4+ 46.Rxh4 Rxh4 47.Kxh4 Kf6 48.Kg4 Kg6 49.h4 Be2+ 50.Kf4 Kh5 51.Be7 Bb5 52.Ke5 Bf1 53.Kd4 Kg4 54.Kc5 Kh5 55.Kb6 Kg4, draw.



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Round Three: French Defense, Exchange Variation

Jim West (USCF 2208) - Luis Rodriguez (USCF 1971), Hamilton NJ 10/22/2011

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bb4+ 6.c3 Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.Bg5 Bg4 9.Nbd2 c6 10.Qc2 h6 11.Bh4 Nbd7 12.Rae1 Re8


13.h3 Bxf3 14.Nxf3 Qc7 15.Bg3 Bd6 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.Nh4 Rxe1 18.Rxe1 Re8 19.Rxe8+ Nxe8 20.Qe2 Ndf6 21.Nf5 Qf4 22.g3 Qc7 23.Qe7 Qxe7 24.Nxe7+ Kf8 25.Nc8 a6 26.Nb6 Nd6 27.a4 Ke7 28.a5 Nd7 29.Nxd7 Kxd7 30.Kf1 Ke6 31.Ke2 Kf6 32.f4 Ke6


33.g4 f5 34.gxf5+ Nxf5 35.Bxf5+ Kxf5 36.Kf3 g5 37.fxg5 Kxg5 38.Kg3 Kg6 39.Kg4 h5+ 40.Kf4 Kf6 41.h4 Kg6 42.Ke5 Kh7 43.Kf6 Kh6 44.b3 Kh7 45.Kg5 Kg7 46.Kxh5 Kf6 47.Kg4 Kg6 48.h5+ Kf6 49.h6 Kg6 50.h7 Kxh7 51.Kf5 Kh6 52.Ke6 Kg5 53.Kd6 Kf4 54.Kc7 Ke4


55.Kxb7 Kd3 56.Kxc6 Kxc3 57.Kxd5 Kxb3 58.Kc5 Ka4 59.Kb6, Black resigns.


Saturday, October 22, 2011

Bad Information at "goodreads"

According to goodreads, Lynda West and James L.W. West [pictured] co-authored my book The Philidor Countergambit in 2002.

At least, they got the publisher Chess Enterprises right!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

A Less Than Perfect Storm in USCL









In week eight of the U.S. Chess League, the match between the New England Nor'easters and the New Jersey Knockouts was a less than perfect storm, ending in a tie.

Get blown away by last night's games from boards one, two, three, and four.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Pix from ICA Fall 2011 Open

On Sunday, I snapped these photos during the ICA Fall 2011 Open tournament in Hackensack NJ.








Tuesday, October 18, 2011

FIDE Mondays 10/17/2011

Last night, I drew this game at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Five: Caro-Kann Defense, Exchange Variation

Jim West (USCF 2208) - Taner Ture (USCF 1989), Marshall Chess Club 10/17/2011

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Nd2 e6 9.Ngf3 Bxf3 10.Nxf3 Bd6 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.O-O O-O 13.Rae1 Rab8 14.Ne5 b5 15.a3 a5


16.Re3 b4 17.axb4 axb4 18.Qc2 Ne7 19.Rh3 Ng6 20.f4 bxc3 21.bxc3 Rfc8 22.g4 Qa3 23.g5 Ne4 24.Bxe4 dxe4 25.Qxe4 Rxc3 26.Rxc3 Qxc3 27.Nxg6 hxg6 28.Rd1 Rb2 29.Qd3 Qc6 30.d5 Qc5+ 31.Kh1 Qf2 32.Qg3 exd5 33.Qxf2 Rxf2 34.Rd4 Kf8 35.Kg1 Ra2 36.Rxd5 Ra4


37.Rd8+ Ke7 38.Rh8 Rxf4 39.h4 Ke6 40.Kg2 Kf5 41.Kg3 Ra4 42.Rh7 Ra3+ 43.Kf2 Kg4 44.Rxg7 Kxh4 45.Rxf7 Kxg5 46.Kg2 Kg4 47.Rb7 Ra2+ 48.Kg1 g5 49.Rb3 Kh4 50.Rc3 g4 51.Rb3 Kg5 52.Rc3 Re2 53.Ra3 Kf4 54.Rb3 Re3 55.Rxe3 Kxe3


56.Kg2 Kf4 57.Kf2 Kg5 58.Kg3 Kh5 59.Kg2 Kh4 60.Kh2 g3+ 61.Kg2 Kg4 62.Kg1 Kg5 63.Kg2 Kh4 64.Kg1 Kh3 65.Kh1 Kg4 66.Kg2 Kf4 67.Kg1 Kf3 68.Kf1 g2+ 69.Kg1 Kg3, stalemate.