Marshall January Under 2300 1/11/2014

On Saturday, I had three draws at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round One: Dutch Defense

Wesley Hellner (USCF 2016) - Jim West (USCF 2221), Marshall Chess Club 1/11/2014

1.c4 e6 2.d4 f5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bf4 Bb4 5.Nf3 O-O 6.h3 b6 7.e3 Bb7 8.Be2 Ne4 9.Rc1 d6 10.O-O Bxc3 11.bxc3 Nd7

12.Nd2 Nxd2 13.Qxd2 e5 14.Bh2 Qg5 15.d5 Nc5 16.f3 f4 17.e4 Rf6 18.Kh1 Raf8 19.Rg1 Bc8 20.g4 h5 21.Bf1 hxg4 22.hxg4 Rh6 23.Rg2 Kf7 24.Kg1 Rfh8 25.Rc2 Rh4 26.Qf2 Bxg4 27.Rxg4 Rxh2 28.Qxh2 Rxh2 29.Rxh2 Qf6

30.Rh7 Na4 31.Bh3 Nxc3 32.Rh5 Ne2+ 33.Kf2 Nd4 34.Rgg5 Kg8 35.Rg2 Qf7 36.Rhg5 Qf6 37.Rh5 Qf7 38.Rhg5 Qf6 39.Rh5, draw.

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Round Two: Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation

Jim West (USCF 2221) - Elias Stern-Rodriguez (USCF 1601), Marshall Chess Club 1/11/2014

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 Bd7 10.h4 Rc8 11.Bb3 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.O-O-O a5

14.a4 bxa4 15.Nxa4 Be6 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.b3 Qc7 18.Kb1 Nxe4 19.fxe4 Bxd4 20.Qxd4 Qxc2+ 21.Ka1 Qxb3 22.Rd3 Qc2 23.Rd2 Qc4 24.Nb2 Qxd4 25.Rxd4 Rf2 26.g3 Rcc2 27.Rb1 Rg2 28.Ra4 Rxg3 29.Rxa5 Rg4 30.h5 Rxe4 31.hxg6 hxg6 32.Rg5 Ree2 33.Rxg6+ Kf7 34.Rg3 e5

35.Rf1+ Ke6 36.Rb3 e4 37.Kb1 Ke5 38.Rc1 Rxc1+ 39.Kxc1 d5 40.Kd1 Rh2 41.Ke1 Kf4 42.Nd1 d4 43.Nf2 e5 44.Rb8 e3 45.Rf8+ Kg5 46.Rg8+ Kf5 47.Rf8+ Ke6 48.Ng4 Rh5 49.Nxe3 dxe3 50.Rf3 Kd5 51.Rxe3 Kd4 52.Ra3 Rh2

53.Rb3 Rc2 54.Ra3 Ke4 55.Rb3 Kf4 56.Ra3, draw.

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Round Three: French Defense

Jim West (USCF 2221) - William Hu (USCF 1877), Marshall Chess Club 1/11/2014

1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 Bc5 5.e5 Nfd7 6.d4 Be7 7.Bd3 c5 8.c3 Nc6 9.O-O cxd4 10.cxd4 Qb6 11.Qa4 f6 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.Bb5 Bd7 14.Bxc6 Bxc6 15.Qb3 Qxb3 16.Nxb3 h6

17.Re1 Ne4 18.Ne5 Bb4 19.Re3 Bb5 20.f3 Nf6 21.a3 Bd6 22.Bd2 Bxe5 23.Rxe5 Kf7 24.Rae1 Rhe8 25.R5e3 b6 26.Rc3 Rac8 27.Rec1 Rxc3 28.Rxc3 Bc4 29.Nc1 Rc8 30.Nd3 Nd7 31.Bf4 Ba6 32.Rxc8 Bxc8

33.Kf2 Kg6 34.Bd6 Ba6 35.Nf4+ Kf7 36.h4 g6 37.g4 Bc4 38.h5 g5 39.Ng2 Bb3 40.Ne3 b5 41.f4 gxf4 42.Bxf4 Kg7 43.Kf3 Nb6 44.Be5+ Kf7 45.g5 hxg5 46.Kg4 Nc4 47.Nxc4 Bxc4 48.Kxg5 a5 49.h6 Bd3 50.Bc7 a4 51.Be5 Bf5

52.Bg7 Be4 53.Kf4 Kg6 54.Ke5 Bf5 55.Kd6 Kh7 56.Bf8 Bh3 57.Ke5 Bf5 58.Kf6 Bh3 59.Bg7 Bf5 60.Kg5 Bh3 61.Be5 Bf5 62.Bf4 Bh3 63.Kf6 Bf5 64.Ke5 Bh3 65.Kd6 Bf5 66.Kc5 Bd3 67.Kb4 Be2, draw.

Pix from January Grand Prix 1/5/2014

On Sunday, I snapped these photos during the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

ASE Chess Class at Central Avenue School

This afternoon, I will teach my first chess class at Central Avenue School, in the after school enrichment program conducted by Enrich and Grow Academy.

ASE Chess Class at Essex Fells School

Today I will begin to teach an after school enrichment class on chess at Essex Fells School.

Master Factory at Marshall CC

Warning!  Hard hats required!  The Marshall Chess Club is opening the doors of the Master Factory!

If you are rated over 1850 and would like to take your game to the next level, this program is for you!  Two of the world's most accomplished chess trainers have teamed up to offer this unique program, designed to raise talented class A players and experts to the level of master.  Students will learn nuanced opening ideas, methods of constructing middle game plans and, of course, the techniques necessary to convert the full point in the endgame.

Giorgi Kacheishvili is a two-time Georgian national champion and has won many of the largest open tournaments in the United States and overseas.  He is renowned for his work as a chess coach and trains scholastic players through grandmasters.

Tamaz Gelashvili is also a former Georgian champion, several time member of the Olympiad team, in addition to winning many national and international tournaments.  He has many years of experience developing junior players.

Class will be held at the Marshall Chess Club.

Tuesdays

7pm to 9pm

Open to all ages

Minimum of 1850 USCF rating required

Cost: $245/month; $195 for Marshall Chess Club members

1 free Marshall tournament included in fee!

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

Photos from Marshall GM Norm Qualifier

These photos were taken by me on Sunday, during the Marshall GM Norm Qualifier tournament.

National master Oscar Maldonado drew against senior master Matthew Herman.

International master Akshat Chandra beat FIDE master Rotislav Taborsky.

FIDE master Leif Pressman defeated national master Alexander King.

Marshall January Grand Prix 1/5/2014

On Sunday, playing in the two day schedule, I finished with a score of 2-1-3 in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Six: Torre Attack

Michael Layevskiy (FIDE 1983) - Jim West (FIDE 2065), Marshall Chess Club 1/5/2014

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 Bg7 4.c3 c5 5.Nbd2 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Nc6 7.e4 O-O 8.Qb3 Nxd4 9.cxd4 d6 10.Bd3 h6 11.Bh4 Qa5

12.Qc3 Qxc3 13.bxc3 g5 14.Bg3 Nh5 15.Nf1 e5 16.d5 Nf4 17.Bxf4 exf4 18.Kd2 f5 19.f3 fxe4 20.Bxe4 Bf5 21.Rb1 Bxe4 22.fxe4 b6 23.Kd3 Rfc8 24.c4 Rc5 25.Rb3 Ra5 26.a3 Be5 27.h3 Rc8 28.Nd2, draw.

Marshall January Grand Prix 1/4/2014

Yesterday I played this game at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Four: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Bora Yagiz (FIDE 1897) - Jim West (FIDE 2065), Marshall Chess Club 1/4/2014

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 a6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Qf3 g6 7.Qg3 Bg7 8.Nf5 Bxf5 9.exf5 Nc6 10.fxg6 hxg6 11.Bd2 Qb6 12.Nd1 Ne4 13.Qe3 Qxe3+ 14.Nxe3 O-O-O

15.Bc1 d5 16.Be2 Nd4 17.Bd1 e6 18.O-O Nd6 19.c3 N4f5 20.Be2 d4 21.cxd4 Nxd4 22.Bd1 N4f5 23.Rb1 Nxe3 24.Bxe3 Kb8 25.Ba4 Nc4 26.b4 Bh6 27.Bxh6 Rxh6 28.Rbd1 Rxd1 29.Bxd1 Rh4 30.g4 f5 31.Be2 b5

32.Kg2 Ne5 33.Kg3 Rh8 34.h3 Rc8 35.Kf4 Nf7 36.gxf5 exf5 37.Re1 Re8 38.Kf3 Ne5+ 39.Ke3 Nc6+ 40.Kd2 Nxb4 41.Rg1 Re6 42.a3 Nd5 43.Bf3 Nf4 44.h4 Ka7 45.h5 Nxh5 46.Bxh5 gxh5 47.Rg5 Rh6 48.Rxf5 h4 49.Re5 h3 50.Re1 h2 51.Rh1 Kb6

52.Ke3 Ka5 53.Kf4 Ka4 54.Kg5 Rh8 55.f4 Kxa3 56.f5 b4 57.f6 b3 58.f7 b2 59.Kf6 Ka2 60.Kg7 b1=Q 61.Kxh8 Qxh1 62.f8=Q Qa1+ 63.Kg8 Qg1+ 64.Kf7 Qf2+ 65.Kg6 Qxf8 66.Kg5 h1=Q 67.Kg4 Qg2+, White resigns.

Chess Trainer on iPhone and Web

Simon Louchart has developed Chess Trainer, an iPhone app that helps people to improve their chess.  These free lessons are targeted at beginners to teach them the basics.  Now Simon has made a web version.

Each lesson is about 250 pages long and focuses on different aspects:

lesson 1 -  piece and pawn moves, captures, special moves, checkmate, and stalemate;

lesson 2  -  piece values, captures, exchanges, and threats;

lesson 3 -  tactical patterns (such as forks, skewers, etc.), "find the right move" puzzles, and opening principles.

Pix from New Year Action 1/1/2014

During the New Year's Day tournament, I photographed the action at the Marshall Chess Club.

 

New Year Action 1/1/2014

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

Round Four: Philidor Counter Gambit

Claudio Mariani (USCF 1902) - Jim West (USCF 2221), Marshall Chess Club 1/1/2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Ng3 e4 7.Ng1 Nf6 8.Bg5 Bd6 9.c4 O-O 10.c5 Be7 11.Be2 b6 12.b4 a5 13.a3 axb4 14.axb4 Rxa1 15.Qxa1 bxc5 16.bxc5 Nc6

17.Bb5 Bd7 18.Bxc6 Bxc6 19.N1e2 Qa8 20.O-O Qxa1 21.Rxa1 Ra8 22.Rxa8+ Bxa8 23.Nf5 Bf8 24.Nc3 Bc6 25.Bf4 Ne8 26.Ne3 g5 27.Bxg5 Bg7 28.Nf5 Kf7 

29.Nxg7 Nxg7 30.Bf4 Ne6 31.Be5 h5 32.h3 Kg6 33.Kf1 Kf5 34.Bh8 Nf4 35.Be5 Ne6 36.Bh8 Nf4 37.Be5, draw.

Marshall Sunday Game/45 12/29/2013

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

Round Two: Modern Defense

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Ciprian Solomon (USCF 1707), Marshall Chess Club 12/29/2013

1.e4 g6 2.d4 d6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.f4 Nd7 5.Nf3 e6 6.Be3 a6 7.a4 b6 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.O-O Ne7 10.e5 O-O 11.Qe1 Nf5

12.Bxf5 exf5 13.Qh4 Qxh4 14.Nxh4 Rfe8 15.Rae1 Nf8 16.Nf3 d5 17.h3 Ne6 18.Ng5 Nd8 19.g4 h6 20.Nf3 fxg4 21.hxg4 Bf8 22.f5 c5 23.fxg6 fxg6 24.Ne2 Bc8 25.Nf4 cxd4 26.Bxd4 Be6 27.Bxb6 g5 28.Nh5 Bg7 29.Nf6+ Bxf6 30.exf6 Nc6 31.Kh2 Kf7 32.Kg3 Bd7

33.c3 Rxe1 34.Rxe1 Kxf6 35.Bd4+ Nxd4 36.Nxd4 Re8 37.Rxe8 Bxe8 38.a5 Ke5 39.Kf3 Ba4 40.b4 Bd1+ 41.Kg3 Ba4 42.b5 Kd6 43.bxa6 Kc7 44.Nf5 Bb5 45.a7 Bc6 46.Nxh6 Kb7 47.Nf7 Kxa7 48.Nxg5 Ka6 49.Nf3 Kxa5

50.Kf4 Kb6 51.Ne5 Be8 52.Nd3 Bg6 53.Ke3 Bf7 54.Kd4 Kc7 55.Nf4 Kd6 56.g5 Bg8 57.g6 Ke7 58.Nxd5+ Ke6 59.Nf4+ Kf5 60.Ke3 Ba2 61.Kf3 Bb3 62.Kg3 Kf6 63.Kh4 Ba2 64.Kh5 Kg7 65.Kg5 Bb3 66.Nh5+ Kf8 67.Kf6 Ba2

68.Ng3 Bb1 69.Nf5 Ba2 70.g7+ Ke8 71.Nh6 Kd7 72.Ke5 Kc6 73.Kd4 Be6 74.g8=Q Bxg8 75.Nxg8 Kd6 76.c4 Kc6 77.c5 Kc7 78.Kd5 Kd7 79.c6+ Kc7 80.Kc5 Kc8 81.Kd6 Kd8 82.c7+ Kc8 83.Ne7+ Kb7 84.c8=Q+ Kb6 85.Qc6+ Ka5 86.Qb7 Ka4 87.Kc5 Ka3 88.Kc4 Ka2 89.Kc3 Ka1 80.Qb2#.