PCG with 4.exf5 @ "The Kenilworthian"

At The Kenilworthian, blogger Michael Goeller [pictured] analyzes the move 4.exf5 in the Philidor Counter Gambit.

Here is a link to my game as Black against IM Justin Sarkar, mentioned in the comments.

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 1/29/2012

In Sunday's game/60 Swiss tournament at the Marshall Chess Club, I played the following game.

Round Two: Center Counter Defense

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Samuel Englard (USCF 1824), Marshall Chess Club 1/29/2012

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7.Bd2 e6 8.Bb3 Nbd7 9.Qe2 Bb4 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Qc7 12.O-O-O O-O 13.Kb1 a5


14.Nh4 Bg6 15.Nxg6 hxg6 16.g3 b5 17.Bd2 Nd5 18.Bxd5 cxd5 19.h4 b4 20.h5 bxa3 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.Qxe6+ Rf7 23.Rh8+ Kxh8 24.Qxf7, Black resigns.

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 1/28/2012

On Saturday, I finished with a score of 1-1-2 in a game/45 Swiss at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Three: English Opening

Yefrem Zats (USCF 2001) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 1/28/2012

1.c4 f5 2.Nf3 b6 3.g3 Bb7 4.Bg2 e5 5.O-O d6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.d3 a5 8.b3 Be7 9.d4 e4 10.Ng5 Qc8 11.d5 O-O 12.f3 exf3 13.exf3 Na6 14.Re1 Re8 15.Ne6 Nc5


16.Bb2 Nxe6 17.Rxe6 Qd8 18.Qd3 g6 19.Rae1 Bc8 20.R6e2 Bd7 21.Re3 Bf8 22.Rxe8 Nxe8 23.Ne2 Bg7 24.Bxg7 Nxg7 25.Qc3 Qf8 26.f4 Re8 27.Nd4 Rxe1+ 28.Qxe1 Qf6 29.Qe3 Kf8 30.Bf3 Qe7 31.Kf2 Qxe3+ 32.Kxe3 Ke7


33.Ne2 h5 34.Kd4 Ne8 35.a3 Nf6 36.h3 Be8 37.b4 axb4 38.axb4 Nd7 39.Nc3 Nb8 40.Ne2 Nd7 41.Nc3 Nb8 42.Ne2, draw.

Zilbermintz Game @ "Contre Gambit Philidor"

At Contre Gambit Philidor, Frederic Fournier provides a link to the blitz game between FM Christian Stevens and Lev Zilbermintz.

Deadline for Chess Blogging Carnival

Today is the deadline for submitting material to The Best of Chess Blogging Carnival.

Newark Gambit and Zilbermintz Gambit

Here is a Newark Gambit miniature, at a time control of 5 minutes, by Lev Zilbermintz [pictured].

Philidor Counter Gambit

FM Christian Stevens (Canada) - Lev Zilbermintz (USA), Internet Chess Club, 1/25/2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Bc4 b5 5.Bb3 fxe4 6.Ng5 d5 7.Nxe4 dxe4 8.Qh5+ Kd7 9.Qf7+ Ne7 10.Qe6+ Ke8 11 Qf7+ Kd7, draw.

On February 2nd, Evan Rabin and Lev Zilbermintz are scheduled to play a 10 game match featuring the Zilbermintz Gambit.

Frederic Fournier Analyzes Two PCG Draws

At Contre Gambit Philidor, Frederic Fournier analyzes my drawn games as Black against Ed Kopiecki and Rachel Gologorsky.

IM Kopec Lectures Tonight at Marshall CC

Please join us on Tuesday, January 24th, at 7pm for a lecture by international master Dr. Danny Kopec, entitled "New Tests, Sicilian Mastery, Millennium Champions, and More."

IM Kopec has been one of the country's premier chess writers, educators, and players for several decades. His interactive lectures are instructive as well as entertaining. Dr. Kopec is a professor of computer and information science at Brooklyn College.

This lecture is free for members; guests are welcome to attend for a $10 fee. Refreshments will be served.

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

Marshall January Under 2300, Day 2

At the Marshall Chess Club, I finished the under 2300 tournament with a score of 1-0-3.

Round Four: Philidor Counter Gambit

Rachel Gologorsky (USCF 2032) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 1/22/2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.exf5 e4 5.Qe2 Qe7 6.Ng5 Nf6 7.Ne6 Bxe6 8.fxe6 d5 9.Bg5 Qxe6 10.Qb5+ Qc6 11.Qb3 Qb6


12.Qxb6 axb6 13.Nd2 Nbd7 14.f3 exf3 15.Nxf3 Bd6 16.Bd3 O-O 17.O-O, draw.

Marshall January Under 2300, Day 1

Yesterday I played this game at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Two: Philidor Counter Gambit

Ed Kopiecki (USCF 1932) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 1/21/2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.dxe5 dxe5 6.Qxd8+ Nxd8 7.Nxe5 fxe4 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Bg5 Bd6 10.f4 Ne6 11.O-O-O Nxg5 12.fxg5 Bxe5 13.gxf6 gxf6 14.Nxe4 Bf5 15.Rhe1 Bxe4 16.Rxe4 Rd8 17.Rde1 Kd7 18.g3 c6 19.Rg4 Kc7


20.Be6 Rde8 21.Rg7+ Kb6 22.Bf5 Bxb2+ 23.Kxb2 Rxe1 24.Bxh7 Re3 25.h4 Rxg3 26.Rxg3 Rxh7 27.Rg6 f5 28.Rf6 Rh5 29.Rf7 a5 30.Kb3 Ka6 31.c4 b5 32.cxb5+ cxb5 33.Rf6+ Kb7 34.Kc3 Kc7 35.a3 Kd7 36.Ra6 a4 37.Rb6 Rxh4 38.Rxb5 Ke6 39.Ra5 Re4


40.Kd3 Kf6 41.Ra8 Kg5 42.Ra5 Kg4 43.Rb5 Rf4 44.Ke2 Kg3 45.Ra5 Kg2 46.Ke3 Kg3 47.Ke2 Re4+ 48.Kd3 Kg4 49.Rb5 Rf4 50.Ke2 Kg3 51.Ra5 Rf2+ 52.Ke1 f4 53.Rxa4 Ra2 54.Ra8 Ra1+ 55.Kd2 Kf2 56.Kc3 f3 57.Kb4 Rh1 58.Rf8 Rh4+ 59.Kb5 Ke3


60.Rxf3+ Kxf3 61.a4 Ke4 62.a5 Kd5 63.a6 Rh1 64.a7 Ra1 65.Kb6 Kd6 66.Kb7 Rb1+ 67.Kc8 Rc1+ 68.Kb7 Rb1+ 69.Kc8 Ra1 70.Kb8, draw.

Karl Dehmelt Wins DOCA Championship

At the Dean of Chess Academy, FIDE masters Karl Dehmelt [pictured, right] and Steve Stoyko [pictured, left] tied for first place with 5.5 points, in the club championship.

Karl Dehmelt was awarded the championship mug on tie-breaks.

IM Dean Ippolito and Steve Ferrero tied for third place with 5 points.

Social Chess Clock

Turn your Android phone into a chess clock.

Marshall Masters 1/17/2012

On Tuesday, I drew a pair of opposite colored bishops endgames, at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Two: Sicilian Defense, O'Kelly Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Miro Reverby (USCF 2241), Marshall Chess Club 1/17/2012

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.c4 d6 4.Nc3 Bg4 5.Be2 Nc6 6.O-O Nf6 7.d3 g6 8.Be3 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Bg7 10.Rb1 O-O 11.Nd5 e6 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 13.Qd2 Nd4 14.Bxd4 Bxd4 15.g3 Rb8


16.a4 b5 17.axb5 axb5 18.Kg2 bxc4 19.dxc4 Rb4 20.Rfc1 Qb6 21.Rc2 Rb8 22.Be2 Qa7 23.h4 Qa2 24.Qd1 Rxb2 25.Rbxb2 Rxb2 26.Rxb2 Qxb2 27.Qd3 h5 28.Qf3 Kg7 29.Bf1 Qc2 30.Qe2 Qc1 31.Qf3 Qh6 32.Qf4 Qxf4 33.gxf4 f5 34.exf5 gxf5 35.Be2 Kg6


36.Bf3 Bf6 37.Kg3 Be7 38.Bb7 Bf6 39.Bf3 Bd4 40.Bb7 Kf6 41.Bf3 Kg6 42.Bb7 d5 43.cxd5 c4 44.dxe6 c3 45.e7 Kf7 46.Bd5+ Kxe7 47.Bb3 Bf6 48.Bc2 Ke6 49.Bd3 Be7 50.Bc2 Bf6 51.Bd3 Kd5 52.Bxf5 Kc4 53.Be4 Kb3 54.f5 c2 55.Bxc2+ Kxc2 56.f4 Kd3


57.Kh3 Ke3 58.Kg2 Kxf4 59.Kh1 Kg3 60.Kg1 Kg4 61.Kh1, draw.

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

Round Three: Budapest Gambit, Fajarowicz Variation

Juan Sena (USCF 2200) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 1/17/2012

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4 4.a3 Nc6 5.Nf3 a5 6.g3 d6 7.Bg2 Be6 8.Nd4 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Nc5 10.Nd2 dxe5 11.Qxe5 Qd6 12.Qxd6 Bxd6 13.b3 O-O 14.Bb2 Rab8 15.a4 Bf5 16.Bd4 Rfe8


17.Bxc5 Bxc5 18.Bf3 b6 19.e3 Rbd8 20.Ra2 Bb4 21.Ke2 Bd3+ 22.Kd1 Bb1 23.Rb2 Bc3 24.Rxb1 Rxd2+ 25.Kc1 Rxf2 26.Bd1 Rxe3 27.Bc2 Ree2 28.Bd3 Rxh2 29.Bxe2 Rxh1+ 30.Bd1 Rh2 31.Bf3 Rf2 32.Bd5 Rf1+ 33.Kc2 Rxb1 34.Kxb1 h5 35.Bf3 g6 36.Kc2 Be5


37.g4 hxg4 38.Bxg4 f5 39.Bf3 Kg7 40.Kd3 Kf6 41.c5 bxc5 42.Kc4 g5 43.Kxc5 g4 44.Bc6 f4 45.Kb5 Bc3 46.Kc4 Bb4 47.Kd3 Ke5 48.Bd7 g3 49.Ke2 Kd4 50.Kf3 Bd6 51.Be6 Kc3 52.Bc4 c6 53.Kg2, draw.

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 1/16/2012

On Monday, this game ended in a draw at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Three: French Defense, Exchange Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Jacob Berman (USCF 1920), Marshall Chess Club 1/16/2012

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Bd3 Ne7 6.O-O Nbc6 7.Re1 Bg4 8.c3 Qd7 9.Nbd2 O-O-O 10.b4 f6 11.Qa4 b6 12.b5 Na5 13.Ba3 Kb8


14.Bxd6 Qxd6 15.Qb4 Nc8 16.Qxd6 Nxd6 17.Re7 Rd7 18.Rae1 Kc8 19.h3 Bf5 20.Bxf5 Nxf5 21.Rxd7 Kxd7 22.a4 Re8 23.Kf1 Rxe1+ 24.Kxe1 Nd6 25.Kd1 Nac4 26.Nxc4 Nxc4 27.Kc2 Ke6


28.Ne1 Kd6 29.Nd3 c6 30.bxc6 Kxc6 31.Nf4 g6 32.h4 Kd6 33.g4 Na5 34.g5 f5 35.h5 gxh5 36.Nxh5 Nc4 37.Nf6 Ke6 38.Nxh7 f4 39.g6 Nd6 40.g7 Kf7 41.Nf6 Kxg7 42.Nh5+ Kf7 43.Nf4 Ne4 44.Nxd5 Nxf2


45.Kb3 Ne4 46.Kb4 Ke6 47.c4 Nd6 48.Nc7+ Kd7 49.Nb5 Nc8 50.a5 Kc6 51.d5+ Kb7 52.c5 Ne7 53.c6+ Kb8 54.axb6 axb6 55.c7+ Kc8 56.Kc4 Nf5 57.Kc3 Kd7 58.Kd3 Ne7, draw.

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 1/14/2012

On Saturday, I drew this game at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Four: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Hubert Herring (USCF 1774), Marshall Chess Club 1/14/2012

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e5 7.Nde2 Nbd7 8.Bg5 Be7 9.O-O O-O 10.Bb3 h6 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 12.Ng3 b5 13.a3 Re8 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Bxd5 Rb8 16.c3 g6 17.f4 Bb7


18.fxe5 Bxd5 19.Qxd5 Rf8 20.exd6 Bxd6 21.Rf3 Qc7 22.Raf1 Rbd8 23.Qb3 Rde8 24.Kh1 Kg7 25.Qc2 h5 26.Rd1 Qe7 27.Nf1 Bc7 28.c4 Qxe4 29.Qxe4 Rxe4 30.cxb5 axb5 31.Rb3 Rb8 32.g3 Re2 33.Rd2 Re5 34.Kg2 Ba5 35.Rc2 b4 36.axb4 Rxb4 37.Rxb4 Bxb4


38.h4 Rb5 39.Ne3 Bc5 40.Nd1 Bd6 41.Nc3 Rc5 42.Rd2 Bc7 43.Rd5 Rc4 44.Rd3 Ba5 45.Kf3 Rb4 46.Rd5 Bc7 47.Rb5 Rg4 48.Ne2 Rc4 49.b3 Rc2 50.Rb4 Bxg3 51.Nxg3 Rc3+ 52.Kf4 f6 53.Rb7+ Kh6 54.Ne4 Rc6


55.Rf7 g5+ 56.hxg5+ fxg5+ 57.Nxg5 Kg6 58.Rb7 Rf6+ 59.Kg3 Kxg5 60.Rb5+ Kg6 61.b4 Rf1 62.Rc5 Rb1 63.b5 Rb4 64.Rc6+ Kg5 65.b6 h4+ 66.Kg2 Kg4 67.Rg6+ Kf5 68.Rh6 Kg4 69.Rg6+ Kf5 70.Rh6 Kg4, draw.

Saturday Chess Camp at "Chess Mates"

Starting on January 21st, I will be an instructor (along with owner Arthur Macaspac) at a Saturday chess camp from 9am to 1pm, organized by Chess Mates in Rahway.

The fees, including lunch and snacks, are $55 per day for club members and $60 for non-members. There is a $5 discount for advance registration, at least 4 days prior.

Yesterday at Chess Mates, I substituted as instructor for GM Leonid Yudasin who was away.

Michael Berrios - Vrithik Umapathy

At the Dean of Chess Academy, two of my students played this game, in the Friday night league.

King's Indian Attack

Michael Berrios (USCF 1026) - Vrithik Umapathy (USCF 1207), Branchburg NJ 1/13/2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3 Nf6 4.d3 d5 5.Nbd2 Bc5 6.Bg2 Be6 7.O-O O-O 8.c3 Qd6 9.b4 Bb6 10.a4 a6 11.Ba3 Ne7


12.b5 Bc5 13.Bxc5 Qxc5 14.Qc2 d4 15.c4 c6 16.Nb3 Qd6 17.Ng5 Rac8 18.Nxe6 fxe6 19.c5 Qd7 20.b6 Ng6 21.Nd2 Qf7 22.Nc4 Ne8 23.Qd2 Qf6 24.f3 h5 25.Rf2 Kf7, draw.

Fajarowicz Variation with 4.a3 b6

GM Viktor Moskalenko's analysis of 4.a3 b6, in the variation named after Sammi Fajarowicz [pictured], is critiqued at chess.com.

Administrator Alert to "chessgames.com"

The Kibitzer's Corner at chessgames.com has this comment from Poisonpawns: "Here is a game I played against West in 2006. I will never forget, he would not shake my hand after the game. I thought that wasn't cool. When he had beat me a few years before, I shook his hand and went over the game."

On January 4, 2012, I e-mailed an administrator alert to chessgames.com which reads, in part: "I have no recollection of ever refusing to shake an opponent's hand, either before or after a game, in nearly 40 years of tournament play. As a chess coach, I teach my students to shake their opponent's hand, regardless of the outcome of the game. Very often when I resign a game, my resignation takes the form of a handshake."

Marshall CC Book Fair 2012

The Marshall Chess Foundation presents the Marshall Chess Club book fair.

Come and browse.

All proceeds benefit the Marshall Chess Foundation.

With thousands of books, periodicals, tournament bulletins, opening and endgame collections.

Members only preview sale: Friday, January 13th, 6pm to 9pm.

Public book sale: Saturday, January 14th, 12 noon to 6pm.

Significant discounts for club members on both days!

Marshall Chess Club
23 West 10th Street
New York, NY 10011
Phone # 212-477-3716
www.marshallchessclub.org/

Another DVD Review of "BFATW"

At citypaper.com, Lee Gardner reviews the documentary film Bobby Fischer Against the World, available on DVD.

Marshall January Grand Prix, Day 2

On Sunday, I finished the Marshall January Grand Prix tournament with a score of 2-1-1, at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Three: King's Indian Defense

Aigboje Aregbeyen (USCF 1733) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 1/8/2012

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bg5 Nbd7 4.e3 h6 5.Bh4 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.c3 O-O 8.Nbd2 c6 9.O-O Qe8 10.a4 e5 11.Nc4 Qe6 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Nd6 Ne8


14.Bc4 Qxd6 15.Qb3 Nc5 16.Qc2 Bf5 17.Qe2 g5 18.Rfd1 Qe7 19.Bg3 Ne4 20.Ne1 Nxg3 21.hxg3 Nd6 22.Ba2 Rad8 23.Rac1 Bg6 24.b4 a6 25.Nd3 Bxd3 26.Rxd3 e4 27.Rd2 b5 28.Rdc2 Nc8 29.axb5 axb5 30.c4 Qxb4 31.Rb1 Qd6 32.cxb5 cxb5 33.Rxb5 Qd3


34.Bc4 Qxe2 35.Bxe2 Kh8 36.Rc7 Rd2 37.Bg4 Nd6 38.Rb6 Ne8 39.Re7 Nf6 40.Bf5 Nd5 41.Rd7 Nxb6 42.Rxd2 Nc4 43.Rd7 Re8 44.Rc7 Nd6 45.g4 Nxf5 46.gxf5 Kg8 47.g4 Be5 48.Rc4 Kg7 49.Kg2 Bb8 50.f3 exf3+ 51.Kxf3 Be5 52.Rc2 Re7 53.Rd2 f6


54.Rc2 Ra7 55.Rd2 h5 56.gxh5 Ra4 57.Rd7+ Kh6 58.Rd8 g4+ 59.Kg2 Ra2+ 60.Kh1 Kxh5 61.Rh8+ Kg5 62.Kg1 Kxf5 63.Kh1 Ke4 64.Rg8 Kxe3 65.Rxg4 Kf3 66.Rc4 Ra1+ 67.Rc1 Rxc1#.

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

Round Four: Caro-Kann Defense, Exchange Variation

Jim West (FIDE 2104) - Kadhir Pillai (FIDE 1963), Marshall Chess Club 1/8/2012

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7 6.Ne2 Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.Na3 a6 9.Qb3 Bxe2 10.Bxe2 Nf6 11.O-O e6 12.Nb1 Bd6 13.f4 O-O 14.Be3 Ne4 15.Bd3 f5 16.Nd2 b5


17.Rae1 b4 18.Qc2 bxc3 19.bxc3 Qa5 20.Nb3 Qa4 21.Rc1 Rac8 22.Nc5 Qxc2 23.Rxc2 Bxc5 24.dxc5 a5 25.Rb1 Rb8 26.Rb6 Rfc8 27.Bd4 Rxb6 28.cxb6 Nxd4 29.cxd4 Rxc2 30.Bxc2 Nd6 31.Ba4 Nb7 32.Bd7 Kf7 33.Bc8 Nd8 34.Kf2 Ke7 35.Ke3 Kd6 36.Kd3 Kc6


37.b7 Nxb7 38.Bxe6 Nd6 39.g4 fxg4 40.hxg4 g5 41.fxg5 Ne4 42.Bf5 Nxg5 43.Ke3 Kd6 44.Kf4 Nh3+ 45.Kg3 Ng5 46.Kh4 Nf3+ 47.Kh5 Nxd4 48.Bxh7 Ne6 49.g5 d4 50.Kg4 Ke5 51.Bc2 Ng7 52.Kf3 Ne6 53.g6 Kf6


54.Ke4 d3 55.Kxd3 Kxg6 56.Kc4+ Kf6 57.Bb3 Nc7 58.Kc5 Ke7 59.Kb6 Kd6 60.a4 Nd5+ 61.Kxa5 Nc3 62.Kb4 Nxa4 63.Bxa4, draw.