Green Light for Greenbacks

According to Garry Kasparov, this is the model that has turned European politics into a playground for Putin's oligarchs.

Thursday Action, Round 3, 6/27/2019

On Thursday, I won this game in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Three: Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Kelvin Tavarez (USCF 1077), Marshall Chess Club 6/27/2019

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 Nxd4 10.Bxd4 a6 11.O-O-O b5 12.Bd5 Rb8 13.h4 h5 14.Kb1 Bd7

15.Rhe1 b4 16.Ne2 Nxd5 17.exd5 Bxd4 18.Nxd4 e5 19.dxe6 fxe6 20.Nxe6 Bxe6 21.Rxe6 Qxh4 22.Rxg6+ Kf7 23.Rxd6 Rfd8 24.Rxd8 Rxd8 25.Qxd8, Black resigns.

Thursday Action, Round 2, 6/27/2019

On Thursday, I drew this game in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Two: London System

Robert Cherubin (USCF 1372) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 6/27/2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.e3 O-O 5.h3 c5 6.c3 cxd4 7.cxd4 d5 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.a3 a5 10.O-O Ne4 11.Nbd2 Nxd2 12.Qxd2 Bf5 13.Bxf5 gxf5 14.Rac1 Rc8

15.Rc3 Qd7 16.Rfc1 e6 17.Ne5 Nxe5 18.Bxe5 Bxe5 19.dxe5 Rxc3 20.Rxc3 b6 21.f4 Rc8 22.Kf2 Rxc3 23.Qxc3 Kf8 24.g3 Ke7 25.h4 Kd8 26.Qd4 Qc6 27.b4 Qc2+ 28.Kf3 Qe4+ 29.Qxe4 dxe4+ 30.Ke2 axb4 31.axb4 h5

32.b5 Ke7 33.Kd2 f6 34.Kc3 fxe5 35.fxe5 Kf7 36.Kc4 Kg6 37.Kd4 Kh6 38.Kc4 Kg7 39.Kd4 Kg6 40.Kc4, draw.

GM Shankland Simul at Marshall CC

2018 U.S. champion GM Sam Shankland will give a simultaneous exhibition against 30 challengers at the Marshall Chess Club, on July 9th at 6:30pm.

Prizes will be awarded for wins and draws.

Registration is now open on the club website.

Under 2400, Round 4, 6/23/2019

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

Round Four: French Defense, Exchange Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Iris Mou (USCF 2015), Marshall Chess Club 6/23/2019

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.c3 Nge7 7.O-O Bg4 8.Re1 Qd7 9.Nbd2 f6 10.b4 O-O 11.Qc2 Bf5 12.Bxf5 Qxf5 13.Qxf5 Nxf5 14.Nf1 Rfe8 15.Bd2 Kf7

16.Rxe8 Rxe8 17.Re1 Nb8 18.Rxe8 Kxe8 19.Ne3 Nxe3 20.Bxe3 Nd7 21.Kf1 Nb6 22.Ke2 Kd7 23.h3 Kc6 24.Kd3 Kb5 25.Bc1 a5 26.bxa5 Kxa5 27.Nd2 Kb5 28.Nf3 Ka4 29.Ne1 Ba3 30.Bf4 c6 31.Kc2 Nc4

32.Nd3 b6 33.h4 Be7 34.h5 Ka3 35.Kb1 g6 36.hxg6 hxg6 37.Bc1+ Ka4 38.g4 Nd6 39.f3 Nb5 40.Kc2 Bd6 41.Nb2+ Ka5 42.Nd3 Ka4, draw.

Under 2400, Round 3, 6/22/2019

On Saturday, I won this game in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Three: Sicilian Defense, Alapin Variation

Toshinori Underwood (USCF 1975) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 6/22/2019

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.Qxd4 e6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Qe4 d6 8.exd6 Bxd6 9.Bc4 Nf6 10.Qe2 O-O 11.O-O Qc7 12.h3 h6 13.Be3 b6 14.Re1 Bb7 15.Nbd2 Rad8

16.Nd4 Nxd4 17.Bxd4 Be7 18.Bd3 Qc6 19.Nf3 Nh5 20.Be4 Qxe4 21.Qxe4 Bxe4 22.Rxe4 Nf6 23.Bxf6 Bxf6 24.Kf1 Rd7 25.Ree1 Rfd8 26.Ke2 Kf8 27.Red1 Ke7 28.Rxd7+ Rxd7 29.Rd1 Rxd1 30.Kxd1 Kd6 31.Kd2 Kd5 32.Kd3 b5

33.b3 Kc5 34.Nd2 Be7 35.Ne4+ Kc6 36.c4 a6 37.Nd2 Bb4 38.Nb1 Be1 39.f3 Kc5 40.a3 bxc4+ 41.bxc4 h5 42.Nc3 Bxc3 43.Kxc3 h4 44.Kd3 g5 45.Kc3 a5 46.Kd3 f5 47.a4 e5 48.Kc3 e4 49.fxe4 fxe4 50.Kb3 Kd4, White resigns.

Under 2400, Round 2, 6/22/2019

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

Round Two: French Defense, Exchange Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Anthony Wong (USCF 1954), Marshall Chess Club 6/22/2019

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Bd3 h6 6.O-O Ne7 7.Re1 O-O 8.c3 Bf5 9.Bxf5 Nxf5 10.Qd3 Ne7 11.Nbd2 Nd7 12.Nf1 Ng6 13.Ng3 c6 14.Bd2 Qc7 15.Re2 Rae8 16.Rae1 Qb8

17.Kf1 Rxe2 18.Rxe2 Re8 19.Rxe8+ Qxe8 20.Qe2 Qxe2+ 21.Kxe2 Nf4+ 22.Bxf4 Bxf4 23.Ne1 g6 24.Nd3 Bd6 25.Nf1 Kg7 26.h3 h5 27.a4 Kf6 28.Nd2 Ke6 29.b3 Ke7, draw.

Thursday Action, Round 2, 6/20/2019

On Thursday, I finished with a score of 2-2-0 in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Two: French Defense, King's Indian Attack

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Thomas Burke (USCF 1809), Marshall Chess Club 6/20/2019

1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.Ngf3 Bd6 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 d4 7.a4 e5 8.Nc4 Nge7 9.O-O O-O 10.Bd2 Ng6 11.h4 f5 

12.exf5 Bxf5 13.Ng5 h6 14.Bd5+ Kh8 15.Nf7+ Rxf7 16.Bxf7 Bh3 17.Bxg6 Bxf1 18.Qxf1 Bc7 19.Be4 Qf6 20.Qh3 Rf8 21.Rf1 Ne7 22.Bg5 Qf7 23.Bxe7 Qxe7 24.Bxb7 Rf6 25.Be4 Qe8 26.b3 a6 27.Bg2 Qb8 28.Nd2 Ba5 29.Ne4 Rf8

30.Qe6 Re8 31.Qxa6 Bb4 32.Qc4 Rc8 33.Bh3 Rc7 34.f4 exf4 35.Rxf4 Re7 36.Qd5 Qc7 37.Rf8+ Kh7 38.Bf5+ g6 39.Qg8#.

Thursday Action, Round 1, 6/20/2019

On Thursday, I won this game in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round One: Sicilian Defense, King's Indian Attack

Michah Saperstein (USCF 1784) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 6/20/2019

1.Nf3 c5 2.d3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Nbd2 Bg7 5.Bg2 Nf6 6.e4 d6 7.O-O O-O 8.c3 Rb8 9.h3 e5 10.Nh4 b5 11.Ndf3 b4 12.Be3 bxc3 13.bxc3 Qa5 14.Qd2 Ba6

15.Bh6 Ne7 16.g4 Rfc8 17.Qg5 Qd8 18.Nf5 Nxf5 19.gxf5 Qf8 20.Bxg7 Qxg7 21.c4 h6 22.Qg3 Nh5 23.Qg4 Nf4 24.fxg6 Qxg6 25.Qxg6 fxg6 16.Nh4 Kh7 27.Rfd1 Rb2 28.Bf1 Rcb8 29.Nf3 Bc8 30.h4 Bg4

31.Bg2 Nxg2 32.Kxg2 Rf8, White forfeits.

GM Checa to Compete in U.S. Junior

In July, former Marshall Chess Club champion GM Nicolas Checa [pictured] will compete in the U.S. Junior Championship.

Sunday Game/50, Round 3, 6/16/2019

On Sunday, I finished with 3 draws in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Three: Philidor Defense

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Aidan Ahram (USCF 1906), Marshall Chess Club 6/16/2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Bg5 O-O 7.O-O-O Be6 8.Kb1 a6 9.Be2 Nc6 10.Qd2 Nb4

11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.Nd5 a5 13.a3 Nxd5 14.exd5 Bd7 15.Rdg1 b5 16.g4 g6 17.g5 Bg7 18.Nd4 Qe7 19.Bg4 Qe4 20.Bxd7 Bxd4 21.Bc6 Rab8 22.Re1 Qh4 23.f3 Be5 24.Re4 Qh3 25.f4 Bg7 26.Rhe1 b4

27.axb4 Rxb4 28.Rxb4 axb4 29.Qxb4 Qc8 30.Qb5 Qb8 31.Qxb8 Rxb8 32.Re8+ Rxe8 33.Bxe8 Bd4 34.Bd7 Be3 35.f5 Bxg5 36.fxg6 hxg6 37.c4 f5 38.Kc2 Be3 39.Kd3 Bg1 40.h3 Kg7 41.Ke2 Kf6 42.Kf3 Bd4 43.b3, draw.

Sunday Game/50, Round 2, 6/16/2019

On Sunday, this game was played in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Two: Budapest Gambit, Fajarowicz Variation

Ryan Chen (USCF 1704) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 6/16/2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4 4.Nd2 Bb4 5.Ngf3 Nc6 6.a3 Bxd2+ 7.Nxd2 Nc5 8.b4 Ne6 9.Nf3 O-O 10.e3 a5 11.b5 Ne7 12.Bd3 h6 13.O-O Nc5 14.Bc2 b6 15.Bb2 Bb7 16.Nd4 Be4 

17.Bxe4 Nxe4 18.Qc2 Nc5 19.f4 d6 20.Rad1 dxe5 21.Ne6 fxe6 22.Rxd8 Raxd8 23.Bxe5 Rd7 24.Rd1 Rfd8 25.Rxd7 Rxd7 26.e4 Ng6 27.h3 Nxe5 28.fxe5 Rd4 29.Qc3 Rd3 30.Qc1 Nxe4, draw.

Sunday Game/50, Round 1, 6/16/2019

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

Round One: King's Indian Attack

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Kylan Huang (USCF 1720), Marshall Chess Club 6/16/2019

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Bf5 4.O-O e6 5.d3 Be7 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.Bg5 O-O 8.Nh4 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.Nf3 h6 11.Bd2 Qd7 12.a3 Rad8

13.b4 a6 14.Rb1 b5 15.Qc1 d4 16.Na2 Rfe8 17.Qb2 e5 18.Kh2 Bf8 19.e4 Na7 20.Nc1 Nc8 21.Nb3 Nb6 22.Nh4 Na4 23.Qc1 Nh7 24.g4 Bg6 25.Nf5 f6 26.Kh1, draw.

WOCC Early Summer Quads

3-RR. G/100 d5. EF $20. Registration: 7pm to 7:45pm on June 18. (Advance entries welcome). Prizes: $60 to first in each section. Rounds: 8pm each round at the West Orange Chess Club.

Make up games are possible but not guaranteed.  A game that would be made up would have to be played on a date and venue offered by the opponent willing to extend that courtesy.  Such a game should be played no later than the last date of the tournament.  Exceptions to this policy would have to be discussed with the chief tournament director.

If possible, the most up-to-date ratings will be used to form the sections.

United States Chess Federation (USCF) membership must be paid up through to the last day of the tournament.

For any questions regarding the details of this event or to enter in advance, please contact chief tournament director John Hagerty via e-mail at buickchess@gmail.com or by phone at 973-736-3433 between the hours of 10am and 10pm.

The tournament committee, as allowed by USCF affiliate rules, reserves the right to make changes and modifications to the above specifications for the proper governance of the tournament.

This information is subject to change.

Thursday Action, Round 4, 6/13/2019

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

Round Four:  Pirc Defense

Jacob Pope (USCF 2073) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 6/13/2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Qd2 c6 6.O-O-O b5 7.f3 b4 8.Na4 Qa5 9.b3 Ba6 10.a3 Bxf1 11.Rxf1 Qb5 12.Qe2 bxa3 13.Kb1 Nbd7 14.Ka2 Rb8

15.Nc3 Qb4 16.Qd2 c5 17.dxc5 Nxc5 18.Nge2 O-O 19.Rb1 a5 20.Na4 Nxa4 21.Qxb4 axb4 22.bxa4 Rfc8 23.Rhc1 Nd7 24.c3 bxc3 25.Rxb8 Rxb8 26.Kxa3 Nc5 27.Rc2 Rb3+ 28.Ka2 Rb4

29.Nxc3 Bxc3 30.Rxc3 Rxa4+ 31.Kb1 h5 32.Be3 Ne6, and drawn in ? moves.

                                      Final Position

Thursday Action, Round 2, 6/13/2019

On Thursday, I won this game in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Two: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Anthony Kozikowski (USCF 2129), Marshall Chess Club 6/13/2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 Nbd7 7.Bb3 Nc5 8.f3 e6 9.Be3 Be7 10.Qd2 Qc7 11.O-O-O b5 12.g4 Bb7 13.g5 Nfd7

14.h4 Nxb3+ 15.Nxb3 Nb6 16.Bxb6 Qxb6 17.Qd4 Qxd4 18.Rxd4 Bc6 19.Na5 Rc8 20.Nxc6 Rxc6 21.Rf1 h6 22.f4 hxg5 23.hxg5 Rh2 24.Rd2 Rh3 25.Rg2 b4 26.Nd1 Rc4 27.f5 g6 28.f6 Bd8

29.Nf2 Bb6 30.Nxh3 Rxe4 31.Kd1 d5 32.Nf4 a5 33.Nd3 a4 34.Rf4 Rxf4 35.Nxf4 Bc5 36.Rh2 Be3 37.Rh8+ Kd7 38.Nxg6 fxg6 39.f7 Bc5 40.f8=Q Bxf8 41.Rxf8 e5 42.Rg8 Ke6 43.Rxg6+ Kf5 44.Rd6 d4 45.g6, Black resigns.

Thursday Action, Round 1, 6/13/2019

On Thursday, I played this game in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round One: Falkbeer Counter Gambit

Nazzareno Bertini (USCF 1621) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 6/13/2019

1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 e4 4.d3 Qxd5 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Bd2 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 Ne7 8.Qb1 O-O 9.Ne2 exd3 10.cxd3 Nbc6 11.d4 Bf5 12.Qc1 Rfe8 13.Qd2 Rad8 14.O-O-O Qxa2

15.Qe3 Nd5 16.Qg3 Qb1+ 17.Kd2 Qc2+ 18.Ke1 Nxc3 19.bxc3 Rd6 20.Rd2 Qc1+ 21.Rd1 Qe3 22.d5 Qxg3 23.hxg3 Nb8 24.Kf2 Bg4 25.Rd2 Bxe2 26.Bxe2 Nd7 27.Bf3 Nc5 28.Rd4 f5 29.Rhd1 a5 30.c4 b6

31.g4 fxg4 32.Bxg4 h6 33.Bf3 Rf6 34.g3 a4 35.d6 cxd6 36.Rxd6 Rxd6 37.Rxd6 Ne4+ 38.Bxe4 Rxe4 39.Rxb6 Rxc4 40.Ra6 h5 41.Kf3 Rc3+ 42.Kg2 a3 43.Kh3 Kh7 44.Kh4 g6 45.Ra7+ Kh6 46.Ra6 Rc1

47.Kh3 Rc3 48.Kh4 Kg7 49.Kh3 Rb3 50.Kh4 Kf7 51.Kh3, draw.

My Summer 2019 Teaching Schedule

On Wednesday afternoons, from late June to early August, I will coach a chess camp at Hudson Montessori School for 101 Discoveries.

Crash Dieting

[photo by Parsippany police]

Between rounds at the USATE 2019, Premier Chess CEO Evan Rabin and I dined at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse inside the Parsippany Hilton where the event was held.

Edison Quad, Round 3, 6/8/2019

On Saturday, I finished with a score of 2-0-1 at the quad in Edison.

Round Three: Sicilian Defense

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Arthur Shu (USCF 670), Edison NJ 6/8/2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 g6 5.dxc5 Bg7 6.cxd6 exd6 7.Bb5+ Nc6 8.O-O O-O 9.Bf4 a6 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.Qxd6 Qb6 12.Qa3 a5 13.h3 a4 14.Rad1 Ba6 15.Rfe1 Rfe8

16.Bd6 Re6 17.Nxa4 Bb5 18.Nxb6 Rxa3 19.Bxa3 Nxe4 20.Nd4 Bxd4 21.Rxd4 Ba6 22.Rdxe4 Rd6 23.Bxd6, Black resigns.

Edison Quad, Round 2, 6/8/2019

On Saturday, I won this game at the quad in Edison.

Round Two: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Eric Li (USCF 1606) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Edison NJ 6/8/2019

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.O-O Nbd7 10.f4 Rc8 11.f5 Bc4 12.Bxc4 Rxc4 13.Qd3 Qc7 14.Rac1 O-O

15.Na5 Rb4 16.a3 Nc5 17.Qe2 Qxa5 18.axb4 Qxb4 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Qxb2 21.f6 Bxf6 22.Rxf6 gxf6 23.Bh6 Qd4+ 24.Kh1 Re8 25.Qf3 Qe4 26.Qxf6 Qg6 27.Qh4 Kh8 28.Rf1 Rg8

29.g4 Qe4+ 30.Kg1 Rxg4+ 31.Qxg4 Qxg4+ 32.Kh1 f5 33.Rg1 Qf3+ 34.Rg2 Qd1+ 35.Rg1 Qxd5+ 36.Rg2 Qxg2+ 37.Kxg2 Kg8 38.Kf3 Kf7 39.Ke3 Ke6 40.c4 b5 41.cxb5 axb5 42.Kd2 Kd5 43.Kc3 Kc6, White resigns.

Edison Quad, Round 1, 6/8/2019

Pictured are Roman Rychkov and Eric Li.

On Saturday, I drew this game at the quad in Edison.

Round One: Ruy Lopez, Exchange Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Roman Rychkov (USCF 2147), Edison NJ 6/8/2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.O-O f6 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 c5 8.Nb3 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Bd6 10.Be3 b6 11.a4 Bg4 12.f3 Be6 13.Nc3 Ne7 14.a5 Bxb3 15.cxb3 b5 16.Nd5 Nc6

17.Rdc1 Nb4 18.Bxc5 Nxd5 19.Bxd6 cxd6 20.exd5 Kd7 21.Rc6 Rhe8 22.Rac1 Ra7 23.Kf2 Re5 24.Rc8 Rxd5 25.Rg8 Ke6 26.Re1+ Kf7 27.Rc8 b4 28.Rb8 Rxa5 29.Rxb4 Rb5 30.Ree4 Rab7 31.Rxb5 Rxb5

32.Re3 d5 33.Rd3 Ke6 34.Ke3 Rb4 35.Kd2 d4 36.Kc2 Kd5 37.Rd1 Rb6 38.Re1 Re6 39.Ra1 Kc5 40.Kd3 Re3+ 41.Kd2 Rxb3 42.Rxa6 Rxb2+ 43.Kd3 Rxg2 44.Ra5+ Kd6 45.Rh5 Rf2 

46.Kxd4 Rxf3 47.Rxh7 Rf4+ 48.Ke3 Rg4 49.Kf3 f5 50.h3 Rg1 51.Kf2 Rg6 52.Rh8 Ke5, and drawn in ? moves.

                                          Final Position