February BloGGGgs

Mark Weeks at About.com.:chess includes my post Rank and File Amateurs in his round-up of February blogs pertaining to the GGGg controversy at the USATE 2008.

I propose that, in the future, the letters USATE stand for United States of America Team East. The pejorative word "amateur" does not belong in the title of such a prestigious event. I say this as one whose team won the USATE 1999.

Brady Lecture on Fischer

What was Bobby Fischer really like?

Who better to ask than his biographer! In a lecture last September at the Marshall Chess Club where he is president, Frank Brady recounted many anecdotes about the former world champion.

Polgar CC Photos

Yesterday I took these photos at the Polgar Chess Center.

This is the view from Queens Boulevard.

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Here you see the Polgar Chess Center from inside. If you look closely at the mirror on the far wall, you can see my reflection as I take this picture with my cell phone.

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Tournament director Leonid Zakinov accepts an entry fee from Helene McIntosh.

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In the kitchen, you can heat food in the microwave oven.

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Here is the back room where you can eat your lunch or play skittles chess.

Polgar CC Quads 3/16/2008

With a score of 3-0-0, I won my game/45 quad today at the Polgar Chess Center. These are the games.

Round One: Center Counter Defense

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Gabor Schnitzler (USCF 1874), Polgar Chess Center 3/16/2008

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bc4 Bg4 5.f3 Bc8 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.d4 Nb6 8.Bb3 Nbxd5 9.Nge2 e6 10.O-O Be7 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.c3 O-O 13.Qd3 g6 14.Bh6 Re8 15.Ng3 c6 16.Rae1 Bf8

17.Rxe8 Qxe8 18.Bxf8 Qxf8 19.Re1 Be6 20.f4 Re8 21.h3 Bd7 22.Qd2 Re7 23.Re5 Rxe5 24.fxe5 Ne8 25.Qg5 Ng7 26.Bc2 Ne6 27.Qe3 Kg7 28.Nf1 Qd8 29.Nh2 Qg5 30.Qxg5 Nxg5 31.Kf2 f6


32.h4 Nf7 33.exf6+ Kxf6 34.g4 b6 35.Ke3 Nd6 36.Bd3 c5 37.dxc5 bxc5 38.Kf4 Nf7 39.Nf3 a5 40.g5+ Ke6 41.h5 Nh8 42.Ne5 Be8 43.h6 Ke7 44.Ng4 c4 45.Bc2 Bf7 46.Nf6 Kf8 47.Nxh7+ Ke7 48.Nf6 Kd6


49.Ng4 Bg8 50.Ne5 Bh7 51.a3 Kc5 52.Nd7+ Kd6 53.Nf6, Black resigns.



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Round Two: Falkbeer Counter Gambit

Raven Sturt (USCF 2082) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Polgar Chess Center 3/16/2008

1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 e4 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Qe2 Qe7 6.d4 c6 7.d6 Qe6 8.Nh3 Bxd6 9.Ng5 Qe7 10.Ngxe4 O-O 11.Nxd6 Qxd6 12.Qd3 Re8+ 13.Be2 Na6 14.a3 Nc7 15.O-O b6 16.Be3 Ba6 17.Qd2 Bxe2 18.Nxe2 Ncd5

19.Bf2 Ne4 20.Qd3 Nxf4 21.Nxf4 Qxf4 22.Be3 Qd6 23.Rae1 Qg6 24.Bf4 Nf6 25.Qxg6 hxg6 26.Be5 Ng4 27.Bf4 Rad8 28.c3 Rxe1 29.Rxe1 Nf6 30.Bg5 Kf8 31.Bxf6 gxf6 32.Kf2 Rd5 33.Re4 a5

34.c4 Rf5+ 35.Ke2 a4 36.g4 Ra5 37.Kd3 f5 38.Rf4 fxg4 39.Rxg4 Rf5 40.Re4 Rf2 41.Re2 Rxe2 42.Kxe2 Ke7 43.Kd3 Ke6 44.Ke4 f6 45.h3 Kd6 46.Kf3 b5 47.cxb5 cxb5 48.Ke4 f5+ 49.Kd3 Kd5 50.h4 f4 51.Kc3 Ke4, White resigns.



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Round Three: Philidor Counter Gambit

Kassa Korley (USCF 2113) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Polgar Chess Center 3/16/2008

1.Nf3 d6 2.e4 e5 3.d4 f5 4.exf5 e4 5.Qe2 Nf6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Nh4 O-O 8.g3 d5 9.Nd2 Nc6 10.Nb3 a5 11.a4 b6 12.Bg2 Ba6 13.Qd2 Bc4 14.Nc1 Ng4 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.Ra3 g5

17.fxg6 Rxf2 18.gxh7+ Kxh7 19.Qd1 Qg5 20.Bh3 Ne3 21.Kxf2 Nxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Rf8+ 23.Kg2 Nxd4 24.Rxd4 Qxc1 25.Bf5+ Rxf5, White resigns.

Bobby Fischer, the Greatest?

Who was the greatest chess player of all time?

Certainly Bobby Fischer's name belongs in the discussion. According to readers of Chess Informant, Fischer was the best player of the 20th century.

Cavett at Fischer Commemoration

Former TV talk-show host Dick Cavett spoke on Sunday during the Fischer commemoration at the Marshall Chess Club, site of "The Game of the Century" against Donald Byrne.

October-December 2005 "ACN"

On pages 11-12, you will find my article on the Philidor Counter Gambit, in the October-December 2005 issue of Atlantic Chess News.

Cheese or Chess Books?

After reading this e-mail dated March 10th from Jon D'Souza-Eva of Oxford, I am uncertain whether "Danish cheese" or copies of My 61 Memorable Games were involved!

Hi Jim,

My name is Jon, I'm a chess player from Oxford in England. I noticed that your blog mentioned the hoax/scam book "My 61 Memorable Games". I just wanted to point out that Larry Evans didn't actually get to the bottom of this mystery.

It seems to me that the truth was much more mundane and that it was a simple scam by Ed Trice (of www.gothicchess.com - the one who claimed to be setting up a Fischer vs Karpov Gothic Chess match),....

The only alternative that I can think of is that Ed Labate made up all the e-mails on this page. I can't see anything to indicate that anyone apart from Trice (and possibly his sister-in-law in Canada) were involved.

Best wishes,
Jon

Bobby Fischer Memorial Tournament

Today the Bobby Fischer Memorial tournament begins in Villa Martelli, Argentina.

Alice Dong - Ziping Liu

A couple of weeks ago, Ziping Liu won his quad in Westfield with a score of 2-0-1. Here is Ziping's victory against Alice Dong.

Round Two: Pirc Defense

Alice Dong (1396) - Ziping Liu (1419), Westfield NJ 2/24/2008

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.g3 0-0 6.Bg2 c6 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.h3 e5 9.Be3 Re8 10.Qd2 Qc7 11.Bh6 a5

A safer move for Black is 11...Bh8, preserving his dark-squared bishop.

12.Nh4

This move is a mistake that costs White material. She should play 12.Bxg7.

12...exd4 13.Ne2 Nxe4 14.Qf4 Ndc5 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Nxd4 Bd7

Black is living dangerously. He should consolidate by playing 16...Qd8, prepared to meet 17.Rae1 by 17...Qf6.

17.Rae1 Nf6 18.Kh2

White misses a chance to regain her pawn with an equal position by 18.Ndf5+ Bxf5 19.Nxf5+ Kg8 20.Qd4 Qd7 21.Nxd6 Nfe4 22.Bxe4 Nxe4 23.Rxe4 Rxe4 24.Qxe4 Qxd6.

18...Be6 19.Qg5 Qd7 20.f4 h6 21.Nxe6+ Qxe6 22.Rxe6 hxg5 23.Rxe8 Rxe8 24.fxg5 Nh7 25.Rd1

Instead, 25.Nf3 leaves Black with only a slight advantage after 25...d5.

25...Re2

Now Black has a winning position.

26.Rc1 Nxg5 27.a3 a4 28.b4 axb3 29.cxb3 Nxb3 30.Rb1 Nc5 31.Ra1 Rb2, White resigns.

Fischer Commemoration

Today Bobby Fischer would have been 65 years old. To honor his birthday, the Marshall Chess Club will have a Fischer commemoration, including a speech by a grandmaster and a video, starting at 1 o'clock this afternoon. There is free admission to all chess players.

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 3/8/2008

With a score of 3-0-2, I tied for second place today in a game/30 Swiss at the Marshall Chess Club. Here are my games.

Round One: Ruy Lopez

Jim West (USCF 2207) - Al Casanova (USCF 1823), Marshall Chess Club 3/8/2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 a6 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.O-O d5 9.e5 Ne4 10.Nc3 Bf5 11.Qa4 Bd7 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Ng5 c5

14.Qc4 Be6 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Qxe6+ Be7 17.dxc5 Qd7 18.Qxd7+ Kxd7 19.Be3 Rab8 20.b3 Kc6 21.Rac1 Rb5 22.Rc4 Bxc5 23.Rfc1, Black resigns.



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Round Two: Budapest Gambit, Fajarowicz Variation

Paul Szuper (USCF 2150) - Jim West (USCF 2207), Marshall Chess Club 3/8/2008

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.c4 e5 4.dxe5 Ne4 5.Nbd2 Bf5 6.Qb3 Nc5 7.Qe3 Be7 8.exd6 Qxd6 9.Nd4 Bg6 10.Nb5 Qd7 11.Qe5 O-O 12.Qxc7 Qe6 13.e3 Nc6

14.Qg3 Rac8 15.a3 a6 16.Nc7 Rxc7 17.Qxc7 Nd4 18.b4 Nc2+ 19.Kd1 Na4 20.e4 Nxa1 21.Bd3 Nc3+ 22.Ke1 Nxe4 23.Bxe4 Bxe4 24.Nxe4 Qe4+ 25.Be3 Nc2+


26.Ke2 Nxe3 27.fxe3 Qxg2+ 28.Kd3 Rd8+ 29.Kc3 Bf6+ 30.Kb3 Qxh1, White resigns.

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Round Three: Nimzovich Defense

Jim West (USCF 2207) - Jay Bonin (USCF 2383), Marshall Chess Club 3/8/2008

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bg4 5.Be3 e6 6.Be2 Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.Nd2 Bxe2 9.Qxe2 d5 10.exd5 exd5 11.a3 Re8 12.h3 a6 13.Qd3 Qd7 14.Rae1 Na7 15.Bf4 Nb5

16.Nxb5 axb5 17.Be5 Qc6 18.Re2 Nd7 19.Rfe1 Nxe5 20.Rxe5 Bd6 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.Rxe8+ Qxe8 23.Kf1 b4 24.axb4 Bxb4 25.c3 Bd6


26.g3 Qe6 27.Kg2 f5 28.Qf3 c6 29.Nb3 b6 30.Nc1 Qe4 31.Nd3 h5 32.h4 Kf7 33.Qxe4 fxe4 34.Nc1 Ke6 35.Nb3 Kf5 36.Nd2 g5 37.hxg5 Kxg5 38.Nf1 h4 39.gxh4+ Kxh4 40.Ne3 Bf4


41.Nf5+ Kg4 42.Ne7 Bc1 43.b3 Bb2 44.Nxc6 Bxc3 45.Ne7 Bxd4 46.Nxd5 Kf5 47.Kf1 Ke5 48.Nb4 b5 49.Ke2 Bxf2 50.Kxf2 Kd4 51.Ke2 Kc3 52.Nd5 Kxb3 53.Nc7 b4 54.Nd5, draw.

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Round Four: Philidor Counter Gambit

Justin Karp (USCF 2000) - Jim West (USCF 2207), Marshall Chess Club 3/8/2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Neg5 exd4 7.Nxd4 Qe7+ 8.Be2 h6 9.Ngf3 c6 10.O-O Qf6 11.Re1 Bb4 12.c3 Bd6 13.Bd3+ Ne7 14.Bc2 O-O 15.Qe2 Na6

16.a3 Nc7 17.c4 c5 18.Nb3 Bg4 19.Nbd2 Rae8 20.Qf1 Ng6 21.h3 Rxe1 22.Qxe1 Re8 23.Qf1 Bf5 24.Bxf5 Qxf5 25.cxd5 Nf4 26.Nc4 Ne2+ 27.Kh1 Qxd5 28.Nxd6 Qxd6 29.Bd2 Nd4


30.Nxd4 cxd4 31.Qc4+ Kh8 32.Rc1 Ne6 33.Re1 Qc6 34.Qxc6 bxc6 35.Re4 Kg8 36.f4 c5 37.b4 c4 38.f5 c3 39.fxe6 cxd2 40.Rxd4 Rxe6 41.Rxd2 Re3 42.Ra2 Rb3 43.Kg1 Kf7 44.Kf2 Ke6


45.Re2+ Kd6 46.Re3 Rb2+ 47.Kg3 g5 48.Rf3 Ke5 49.Kh2 h5 50.Rf7 a5 51.bxa5 Rb5 52.a6 Ra5 53.Ra7 Rxa3 54.Ra8 Kf6 55.Rh8 h4 56.Ra8 Ra2 57.a7 Kg7 58.Kg1 Kh7 59.Kf1 Kg7 60.Ke1 Kh7 61.Kd1 Kg7 62.Kc1 Kh7


63.Kb1 Ra3 64.Kb2 Ra4 65.Kb3 Ra1 66.Kc4 Rc1+ 67.Kd5 Rd1+ 68.Ke5 Ra1 69.Kf5 Ra5+ 70.Kg4 Kg7 71.Re8 Rxa7 72.Kxg5 Ra2 73.Kxh4 Rxg2, draw.

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Round Five: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Jim West (USCF 2207) - Rodelay Medina (USCF 2271), Marshall Chess Club 3/8/2008

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 b4 11.Na4 Bb7 12.e5 dxe5 13.Nxe6 Qxd1 14.Raxd1 fxe6 15.Bxe6+ Kh8 16.fxe5 Ne4 17.Rxf8+ Bxf8 18.Nb6 Be7 19.Nxa8 Bxa8

20.Bd5 Bxd5 21.Rxd5 Kg8 22.Rd4 Nc5 23.Rxb4 Nc6 24.Rc4 Nxe5 25.Rxc5 Bxc5 26.Bxc5 Nc4 27.b3 Nd2 28.Be3 Ne4 29.a4 Kf7


30.Kf1 Ke6 31.Ke2 g5 32.Kd3 Kf5 33.b4 g4 34.b5 axb5 35.axb5, Black resigns.