Sunday Game/50, Round 3, 10/27/2019

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

Round Three: Dutch Defense

Wesley Hellner (USCF 1868) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 10/27/2019

1.d4 f5 2.f4 Nf6 3.e3 b6 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Bb7 6.O-O Be7 7.c4 O-O 8.Nc3 a5 9.b3 Na6 10.Bb2 Bb4 11.a3 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Ne4 13.Bb2 d6 14.Rc1 Qe7

15.Qe1 Nb8 16.Nd2 Nxd2 17.Qxd2 Nd7 18.Qc3 Nf6 19.Bf3 Be4 20.Rcd1 Rac8 21.Qd2 Ba8 22.d5 exd5 23.cxd5 Rce8 24.Rfe1 Ne4 25.Qd4 Nf6, draw.

Sunday Game/50, Round 2, 10/27/2019

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

Round Two: Larsen's Opening

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Royal Buchanan (USCF 1848), Marshall Chess Club 10/27/2019

1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 g6 3.e3 Bg7 4.f4 d5 5.Nf3 O-O 6.a4 b6 7.Be2 Bb7 8.O-O Nbd7 9.Na3 e6 10.Qe1 c5 11.Bb5 a6 12.Bxd7 Qxd7 13.Ne5 Qd8 14.Qc1 Rc8 15.d3 Qe7

16.Nb1 Rfd8 17.Nd2 Nd7 18.Nxd7 Qxd7 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Qb2+ d4 21.e4 b5 22.axb5 axb5 23.Ra7 Ra8 24.Rfa1 Qc6 25.Rxa8 Rxa8 26.Rxa8 Bxa8 27.Nf3 f6 28.Qa3 Bb7 29.Qa7 Kh6 30.h3 f5 31.Ne5 Qc7

32.b4 cxb4 33.Qxd4 b3 34.cxb3 Qc1+ 35.Kh2 Qxf4+ 36.Kh1 fxe4 37.Ng4+ Kh5 38.Nf6+ Kh4 39.Nxe4 Bxe4 40.dxe4 Qf1+ 41.Kh2 Qf4+ 42.Kg1 Qc1+ 43.Kh2 Qf4+ 44.Kg1, draw.

Sunday Game/50, Round 1, 10/27/2019

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

Round One: London System

Ellis Wong (USCF 1504) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 10/27/2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 g6 3.e3 Bg7 4.Nd2 O-O 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 cxd4 7.cxd4 d5 8.Ngf3 Nc6 9.a3 a5 10.O-O Bf5 11.Qc2 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 e6 13.Qb3 Qd7 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.Bxe5 Nh5 16.Nf3 f6 17.Bg3 Nxg3 18.hxg3 b5

19.Rac1 Rfc8 20.Rfd1 a4 21.Qb4 Bf8 22.Qd2 Rc4 23.Rxc4 bxc4 24.Qc3 Qb5 25.Rd2 Rb8 26.g4 Bd6 27.Qc2 Qb3 28.g3 Qxc2 29.Rxc2 Kf7 30.Kf1 e5 31.Ke1 e4 32.Ng1 Bxa3 33.bxa3 Rb1+ 34.Kd2 Rxg1 

35.Rb2 Ra1 36.Rb7+ Ke6 37.Rxh7 Ra2+ 38.Ke1 Rxa3 39.Ra7 c3 40.Rc7 Kd6 41.Rc5 Rb3 42.Kd1 a3 43.Kc2 a2 44.Ra5 Rb2+ 45.Kxc3 Rxf2 46.g5 fxg5 47.g4 Re2 48.Kb3 Rxe3+ 49.Kxa2 Rd3 50.Ra6+ Ke7 51.Rxg6 Rxd4 52.Rxg5 Kf6 53.Rf5+ Ke6

54.Rf2 e3 55.Rf1 Rxg4 56.Kb3 Ke5 57.Kc3 Ke4 58.Re1 d4+ 59.Kc4 d3 60.Kc3 Rg8 61.Rh1 Rc8+ 62.Kb3 d2 63.Kb2 Kd3 64.Ka2 Rc1 65.Rxc1 dxc1=Q 66.Kb3 Qb1+ 67.Ka3 Kc4 68.Ka4 Qb4#.

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Thursday Action, Round 3, 10/24/2019

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

Round Three: Budapest Gambit, Fajarowicz Variation

Tyler Ross (USCF 1711) - Jim West (USCF 2208), Marshall Chess Club 10/24/2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Nxd2 6.Nbxd2 Nc6 7.e3 Qe7 8.Be2 Bxd2+ 9.Qxd2 Nxe5 10.O-O Nxf3+ 11.Bxf3 O-O 12.Qa5 d6 13.Qb4 Rb8 14.Rac1 b6

15.Qb5 a6 16.Qa4 a5 17.a3 Bd7 18.Bc6 Rbd8 19.Bxd7 Qxd7 20.Qxd7 Rxd7, draw.

Thursday Action, Round 2, 10/24/2019

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

Round Two: Larsen's Opening

Jim West (USCF 2208) - Mark De Dona (USCF 2052), Marshall Chess Club 10/24/2019

1.b3 b6 2.Bb2 Bb7 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 f5 5.Be2 Nf6 6.O-O Bd6 7.a4 a5 8.Na3 O-O 9.Nc4 Re8 10.Nfe5 Nc6 11.f4 Bxe5 12.Nxe5 d6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Bf3 Qd7

15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Rc1 Re7 17.Bxc6 Qxc6 18.Qf3 Qxf3 19.Rxf3 Kf7 20.Rh3 Ke8 21.Rh6 Rf7 22.Rf1 Kd7 23.Rf3 Rg8 24.Kf2 Kc6 25.Rg3 Rxg3 26.Kxg3 b5 27.axb5+ Kxb5 28.Kf3 c5 29.Ke2 c4 30.Kd1 Kb4

31.bxc4 a4 32.Kc1 Ka3 33.d4 Ka2 34.c5 dxc5 35.dxc5 a3 36.c6 Ka1 37.c7 Rxc7 38.Rxf6 Rb7 39.Rxe6 Rb1+ 40.Kd2 a2 41.e4 Rb4 42.Kc3 Kb1 43.Ra6 Rxe4 44.Rb6+ Kc1 45.Ra6 Re3+ 46.Kd4 Re4+ 47.Kc3 Kb1 48.Rb6+ Ka1 49.g3 Re1

50.Rb5 Rb1 51.Re5 Rb7 52.Re1+ Rb1 53.Re5 Rf1 54.Rb5 Rf2 55.Rxf5 Rf3+ 56.Kd2 Rf2+ 57.Kc3 Rxh2 58.Re5 Rh1 59.f5 Rf1 60.f6 Rf3+ 61.Kd2 Rxf6 62.Rb5 Rf2+ 63.Kc1 Rg2 64.Rb3 h5 65.c4 Rg1+ 66.Kc2 Rf1

67.Rc3 Rf2+ 68.Kc1 Rf1+ 69.Kc2 Rf5 70.c5 Rf2+ 71.Kc1 Rf1+ 72.Kc2 Rf6 73.c6 Rf2+ 74.Kc1 Rf1+ 75.Kc2 Rf2+ 76.Kc1, draw.

Thursday Action, Round 1, 10/24/2019

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

Round One: Philidor Counter Gambit

Prec Syku (USCF 1957) - Jim West (USCF 2208), Marshall Chess Club 10/24/2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Ng3 e4 7.Ne5 Nf6 8.Be2 Bd6 9.O-O O-O 10.c4 c6 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Bg5 Qe8 13.Qb3 Bxe5 14.dxe5 Qxe5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Rad1 Be6 17.Qxb7 Nd7

18.b3 f5 19.Qb4 f4 20.Nh1 Kh8 21.Qd4 Qxd4 22.Rxd4 Ne5 23.f3 e3 24.g3 fxg3 25.Nxg3 Bh3 26.Re1 Nxf3+ 27.Bxf3 Rxf3 28.Rxd5 Re8 29.Rh5 Bg4 30.Rg5 Bh3 31.Rh5 Bg4, draw.

From "Chess.com" e-Mail Match with Lev

Candidate master Lev Zilbermintz [pictured] sends this game from an unrated e-mail match.

Philidor Counter Gambit

Jacob Chudnovsky (USCF 2449) - Lev Zilbermintz (USCF 2120), Chess.com 10/15/2019-10/21/2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Neg5 exd4 7.Bd3 Qe7+ 8.Kd2 Qf6 9.Qe2+ Be7 10.Bxh7 Nc6 11.Re1 Bg4 12.Bxg8 Rxg8 13.h3 Bf5 14.g4 Bd7 15.Kd1 O-O-O 

16.Ne6 Rde8 17.Bg5 Qxe6 18.Qxe6 Bxe6 19.Rxe6 Rgf8 20.Rxe7 Nxe7 21.Nxd4 Rxf2 22.Rc1 Nc6 23.Nxc6 bxc6 24.c4 Re4 25.cxd5 cxd5 26.Rc5 Rd4+ 27.Kc1 Rc4+ 28.Rxc4 dxc4 29.Be3 Rh2 30.Bxa7 Rxh3 31.Bd4 g6 32.g5 Rg3 33.Bf6 Rg2 

34.a3 Kb7 35.Kd1 Ka6 36.Ke1 Ka5 37.Kf1 Rc2 38.Ke1 Ka4 39.Kd1 Kb3 40.a4 Rxb2, White resigns.

Under 2400, Round 4, 10/20/2019

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

Round Four: Ruy Lopez, Exchange Variation

Jim West (USCF 2205) - Carter Ho (USCF 1686), Marshall Chess Club 10/20/2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.O-O f6 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 Bd6 8.Be3 Qe7 9.Nc3 Bd7 10.f4 O-O-O 11.Qf3 h5 12.h3 Qf7 13.Nb3 Ne7 

14.Bc5 Kb8 15.Bxd6 cxd6 16.Rad1 Nc8 17.f5 Qe7 18.Rfe1 Be8 19.Qf4 Ka8 20.a4 Bf7 21.Nd4 Rd7 22.b3 Rhd8 23.Nf3 Qf8 24.Rd3 Qe7 25.Qg3 Be8 26.Nd4 Bf7 27.Nf3 Be8 28.Nd4 Bf7 29.Nf3, draw.

Under 2400, Round 3, 10/19/2019

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

Round Three: English Opening, Symmetrical Variation

John Walton (USCF 1719) - Jim West (USCF 2205), Marshall Chess Club 10/19/2019

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.Nc3 e6 6.O-O Nge7 7.Rb1 O-O 8.Ne4 d6 9.d3 b6 10.b3 d5 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Ned2 Bb7 13.Bb2 d4 14.Nc4 Qd7 15.a3 Rac8

16.e4 dxe3 17.Nxe3 Rcd8 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rb2 Qxd3 20.Rd2 Qc3 21.Qa1 Qxa1 22.Rxa1 Rxd2 23.Nxd2 Na5 24.b4 Bxg2 25.Kxg2 Nb7 26.Rc1 Rc8 27.b5 Nd6 28.a4 Ndf5 29.Nc2 Rd8 30.Nc4 h5 31.a5 Nc8 32.axb6 axb6

33.Ra1 Nd4 34.Ra8 Nxc2 35.Nxb6 Nd4 36.Rxc8 Rxc8 37.Nxc8 Nxb5 38.Nb6 Nd4 39.f4 f5 40.Kf2 h4 41.Ke3 Kh6 42.Nd7 Ne6 43.Nf6 h3 44.Kd3 g5 45.fxg5+ Kxg5 46.Nd5 f4 47.gxf4+ Nxf4+ 48.Kc4 Nxd5 49.Kxd5 Kf4 50.Kxc5 Kf3

51.Kd4 Ke2 52.Ke4 Kf2 53.Kf4 Kg2 54.Ke3 Kxh2 55.Kf2 Kh1 56.Kg3 h2 57.Kf2, stalemate.

Chess Expert & Inventor

[photo by Robert W. Lieberman]

11-year-old Gary Leschinsky [pictured] of Mahwah NJ is a chess expert and inventor.

Thursday Action, Round 3, 10/17/2019

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

Round Three: King's Indian Attack

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Boris Privman (USCF 2227), Marshall Chess Club 10/17/2019

1.Nf3 d6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O c5 5.e4 Nc6 6.d3 Nf6 7.Nbd2 O-O 8.a4 Nd4 9.c3 Nxf3+ 10.Nxf3 Bd7 11.Re1 Bc6 12.Qc2 e6 13.d4 Qc7

14.dxc5 dxc5 15.Bf4 Qa5 16.Ne5 Rfd8 17.Nc4 Qa6 18.Bf1 Ne8 19.Nd6 Qa5 20.Nc4 Qa6 21.Nd6, draw.

Thursday Action, Round 2, 10/17/2019

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

Round Two: King's Indian Defense

Jay Bonin (USCF 2380) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 10/17/2019

1.d4 Nf6 Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 O-O 5.Bg5 c5 6.e3 d6 7.Be2 h6 8.Bh4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bd7 10.O-O Nc6 11.Qd2 Rc8 12.Rad1 a6 13.Nb3 Be6 14.f4 Re8 15.e4 Na5

16.e5 Nxb3 17.axb3 dxe5 18,Qxd8 Rcxd8 19.Rxd8 Rxd8 20.fxe5 Ne8 21.Bxe7 Rd7 22.Bf6 Rd2 23.Bxg7 Nxg7 24.Rf2 Rxb2 25.Bd1 Rxf2 26.Kxf2 Nf5 27.Nd5 Nd4 28.Ke3 Nc6 29.Ke4 a5 30.Bg4, draw.

Thursday Action, Round 1, 10/17/2019

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

Round One: Philidor Counter Gambit

Tawfik Berro (USCF 1154) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 10/17/2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Nc3 e4 7.Ne5 Nf6 8.Be3 Bb4 9.Be2 O-O 10.O-O c6 11.f4 Be6 12.g4 Bd6 13.f5 Bc8 14.Bg5 Nbd7 15.Bf4 Qc7

16.g5 Ne8 17.Nxe4 Nxe5 18.Nxd6 Nxd6 19.Bxe5 Bxf5 20.c4 Qe7 21.Qd2 Nxc4 22.Bxc4 dxc4 23.Rae1 Qd7 24.Rf3 Rae8 25.Rg3 b5 26.Qg2 Qd5 27.Ra3 Qxg2+ 28.Kxg2 Rf7 29.h4 Rd7 30.Re2 Bd3 31.Rf2 Rf8

32.Ra6 Be4+ 33.Kf1 Rxf2+ 34.Kxf2 Rb7 35.Ke3 Bd5 36.Ra3 b4 37.Ra6 b3 38.axb3 Rxb3+ 39.Kd2 Rxb2+ 40.Kc3 Rb3+ 41.Kc2 Rb7 42.Kc3 g6 43.Bd6 Kf7 44.Bc5 Ke6 45.Bxa7 Kf5 46.Ra1 Kg4 47.Bc5 Kxh4, White resigns.

Sunday Game/50, Round 3, 10/13/2019

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

Round Three: Philidor Counter Gambit

Timothy Ng (USCF 1883) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 10/13/2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 f5 4.d3 c6 5.Bb3 Na6 6.Nc3 Nc5 7.O-O Nxb3 8.axb3 Nf6 9.Bg5 Be7 10.Re1 O-O 11.d4 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 fxe4 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Rxe4 Bf5

15.Re3 Bg4 16.dxe5 Bxf3 17.Rxf3 Qxe5 18.Rxf8+ Rxf8 19.c3 a6 20.Qd2 d5 21.Re1 Qf6, draw.

Sunday Game/50, Round 2, 10/13/2019

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

Round Two: Caro-Kann Defense, Exchange Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Zara Suryadevara (USCF 1436), Marshall Chess Club 10/13/2019

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 e6 7.Nf3 Qb6 8.Qb3 Be7 9.Nbd2 Bd7 10.O-O O-O 11.h3 h6 12.Rfe1 Rfc8 13.Ne5 Na5

14.Qxb6 axb6 15.Ndf3 Nc4 16.Bxc4 dxc4 17.d5 Ra6 18.Nxd7 Nxd7 19.dxe6 fxe6 20.Rxe6 Bf6 21.a3 Nc5 22.Re2 Nd3 23.Be3 b5 24.Rb1 Rd8 25.Bd4 Rdd6 26.Bxf6 Rxf6 27.Nd4 Rab6 28.g3 Rg6 29.Kh2 Rbf6 30.f4 Rb6

31.Rf1 Rgf6 32.Kg2 Nc5 33.f5 Nb3 34.Nxb3 cxb3 35.g4 Rbd6 36.Rf3 Rd1 37.Rfe3 Rfd6 38.Re8+, Black forfeits.

Kasparov: Russia's Tactics & China's Strategy

According to Garry Kasparov, the technological threats from Russia and China are different: Russia's threat is "tactical" while China's is "strategic."

Thursday Action, Round 4, 10/10/2019

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

Round Four: Sicilian Defense

Prec Syku (USCF 1880) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 10/10/2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 e6 4.O-O Nf6 5.e5 dxe5 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.d3 O-O 8.Nc3 Nbd7 9.Nf3 a6 10.a4 b6 11.Bf4 Bb7 12.Re1 Re8

13.Bg3 Nh5 14.Qe2 Nxg3 15.fxg3 Bf6 16.Kh1 Qc7 17.Rab1 Bc6 18.Ne4 b5 19.Nxf6+ Nxf6 20.axb5 axb5 21.Bb3 Bxf3 22.gxf3 Rac8 23.c3 c4 24.dxc4 bxc4 25.Bc2 Qc6 26.h3 Nh5 27.Kh2 Qc7 28.f4 g6 29.Be4 Red8

30.Bf3 Nxf4 31.gxf4 Qxf4+ 32.Kg2 Rd2 33.Rbd1 Rxe2+ 34.Rxe2 Qg5+ 35.Kh2 Rd8 36.Rxd8+ Qxd8 37.Kg2 Qg5+ 38.Kf2 Qh4+ 39.Kg2 h5 40.Re4 Qg5+ 41.Kf2 Qc5+ 42.Kg2 Qb5 43.Be2 Qxb2 44.Kf2 Qxc3 45.Rxc4 Qxh3, and Black wins in ? moves.

                                       Final Position

Thursday Action, Round 1, 10/10/2019

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

Round One: French Defense, Exchange Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Nazzareno Bertini (USCF 1660), Marshall Chess Club 10/10/2019

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Bd3 Ne7 6.O-O Bf5 7.Re1 Bxd3 8.Qxd3 O-O 9.Bg5 f6 10.Bh4 Ng6 11.Bg3 Bxg3 12.hxg3 Nc6 13.c3 Qd7 14.Nbd2 Rae8

15.Kf1 Rxe1+ 16.Rxe1 Re8 17.Rxe8+ Qxe8 18.Qb5 Nge7 19.Qxb7 Qd7 20.Qb5 Qd6 21.Qd3 g5 22.b4 Nd8 23.a4 Nf7 24.a5 c6 25.Nb3 Nd8 26.Nc5 Kg7 27.Ke2 h6 28.Qe3 Kf7 29.Kd2 Qc7 30.Ne1 Ng6 31.Nc2 f5 32.Qd3 f4

33.Qf5+ Kg7 34.Qd7+ Qxd7 35.Nxd7 fxg3 36.fxg3 Kf7 37.Ne3 Ke6 38.Nc5+ Kf6 39.Kd3 h5 40.b5 cxb5 41.Nxd5+ Kf7 42.Nc7 h4 43.gxh4 Nxh4 44.g4 Nf3 45.Nxb5 Nc6 46.a6 Nh2 47.Ne4 Kg6 48.d5 Ne5+ 49.Ke2 Nhxg4 50.Nxa7 Nc4

51.Nc8 Kf5 52.Nxg5 Kxg5 53.a7 Kf4 54.a8=Q Nge5 55.d6 Kf5 56.Qd5 Nb2 57.d7 Nbd3 58.Qxd3+ Nxd3 59.Kxd3, Black resigns.