Thursday, March 31, 2011

Kings Knight Chess Club Challenge

Last Saturday, the Kings Knight Chess Club Challenge took place at Hudson Mall in Jersey City.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Frederic Fournier Analyzes 2 Games in PCG

At Contre Gambit Philidor, Frederic Fournier analyzes two recent games of mine as Black in the Philidor Counter Gambit, against James Drasher and Alice Dong respectively.

My first round game against Lev Zilbermintz in Westfield was not a PCG because I opened with 1.b3 in order to avoid it!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Pix from Westfield Quads 3/27/2011

During the Westfield quads on Sunday, I took the following pictures.












Monday, March 28, 2011

Westfield Quads 3/27/2011

On Sunday, I won the following game at the quads in Westfield.

Round Two: Philidor Counter Gambit

Alice Dong (USCF 2018) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Westfield NJ 3/27/2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.exf5 e4 5.Nfd2 Bxf5 6.c4 Nf6 7.Nc3 c6 8.h3 h6 9.g4 Bg6 10.Bg2 d5 11.O-O Bb4 12.cxd5 Bxc3 13.bxc3 cxd5 14.Ba3 Nc6 15.Nb3 b6 16.Rc1 Qd7 17.Re1 O-O-O


18.c4 dxc4 19.Rxc4 Kb8 20.Qc1 Rc8 21.Qb2 Bf7 22.Nc5 Qd5 23.Rec1 Ka8 24.Na6 Qxc4 25.Rxc4 Bxc4 26.Nb4 Nxb4 27.Bxb4 Rhe8 28.Bd6 Bd5 29.Be5 Bb7 30.Qe2 Re7 31.h4 h5


32.g5 Rc1+ 33.Kh2 Ng4+ 34.Kh3 Rxe5 35.dxe5 Rc3+ 36.Bf3 Rxf3+ 37.Kg2 Rxf2+ 38.Qxf2 Nxf2 39.Kxf2 Bd5 40.a3 b5 41.Ke3 Kb7, White forfeits.


Sunday, March 27, 2011

"Armageddon Your Pieces" USAT Champions

Yesterday the United States Amateur Team playoffs were won by the team from the South, "Armageddon Your Pieces" [pictured]. They defeated "West Orange Krush" and "For Whom the Azbel Tolls" to take the title.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Pix from Thursday Night Action 3/24/2011

Before the start of Thursday night's game/30 tournament at the Marshall Chess Club, I snapped these photos.





Friday, March 25, 2011

Thursday Night Action 3/24/2011

Last night, I drew this game at the Marshall Chess Club in a game/30 tournament.

Round One: Philidor Counter Gambit

James Drasher (USCF 1907) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 3/24/2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.a3 fxe4 6.Bxg8 exf3 7.Bd5 Nxd4 8.Bxf3 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 Qf6 10.Qxf6 gxf6 11.c4 Be6 12.b3 O-O-O 13.O-O Rg8 14.g3 Be7 15.Nc3 c6 16.Be3 Kb8


17.a4 h5 18.Rac1 h4 19.Kh1 f5 20.Rfe1 hxg3 21.fxg3 Bg5 22.Rc2 Bxe3 23.Rxe3 e4 24.Ne2 d5 25.Nd4 Bc8 26.c5 Rdf8 27.Rf2 Rg4 28.Rf4 Rxf4 29.gxf4 Rg8 30.Rg3 Rxg3 31.hxg3 Kc7 32.Kg2 Kd8 33.b4 a6 34.Kf2 Bd7 35.Ke3 Ke7 36.Nb3 Kf6 37.Na5 Bc8


38.Nb3 Kg6 39.Nd4 Bd7 40.Ne2 Kh5 41.Kd4 Kg4 42.Ke3 Bc8 43.Kf2 Kh3 44.Ke3 Kg2 45.Nd4 Kxg3 46.Ne2+ Kg4 47.Nd4 Bd7 48.a5 Kh5 49.Ne2 Kg6 50.Nd4 Kf6 51.Ne2 Be8 52.Nd4 Bh5 53.Nc2 Bg4 54.Nd4 Ke7 55.Nc2 Bh3 56.Kd4 Kf6 57.Ke3 Bf1 58.Kf2 Bc4 59.Nd4, draw.


Thursday, March 24, 2011

Pix from Marshall CC on Weekend

Last weekend, while playing in tournaments at the Marshall Chess Club, I took these pictures.




Wednesday, March 23, 2011

"Contre Gambit Philidor" on Kreitner - West

At Contre Gambit Philidor, Frederic Fournier likes my game as Black against Ilan Kreitner.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Remembering Peter Winston

In The New Yorker, movies editor Richard Brody [pictured] remembers former U.S. junior chess champion Peter Winston who disappeared mysteriously in 1978 after a disastrous tournament.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 3/20/2011

Although advertised as Marshall CC Game/35 Swiss, yesterday's tournament at the Marshall Chess Club had a time control of game/30.

Round Four: Budapest Gambit, Fajarowicz Variation

James Black (USCF 2116) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 3/20/2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.Nbd2 Nc6 6.a3 Bxd2+ 7.Bxd2 Nxd2 8.Qxd2 Qe7 9.Qc3 O-O 10.Rd1 Re8 11.Rd5 b6 12.e3 Bb7 13.Bd3 Rad8 14.O-O Nb8 15.Rc1 c5


16.e4 Bxd5 17.cxd5 d6 18.Bb5 Rf8 19.exd6 Qxe4 20.Bc4 Nd7 21.Ng5 Qe5 22.Ne6 Qxc3 23.Rxc3 Ne5 24.Nxd8 Rxd8 25.Bb5 Rxd6 26.f4 Ng6 27.f5 Ne5 28.Re3 f6 29.Bc6 Nxc6 30.dxc6 Rxc6


31.Rd3 Rc7 32.Kf2 Kf7 33.Kf3 g6 34.g4 gxf5 35.gxf5 c4 36.Rc3 Rc5 37.Kf4 b5 38.Rh3 Kg8 39.Rg3+ Kf8 40.Rh3 Rc7 41.Rc3 a5 42.h4 b4 43.axb4 axb4 44.Rc2 b3 45.Rc3 h5 46.Ke4 Rc5 47.Kf4 Ke7 48.Ke4 Re5+ 49.Kf4 Rc5 50.Ke4 Kd6


51.Kd4 Rxf5 52.Kxc4 Rf4+ 53.Kxb3 Rxh4 54.Rf3 Ke5 55.Ka3 f5 56.b4 Ke4 57.Rf1 Rg4 58.Ka4 f4 59.b5 Rg6 60.Ka5 Ke3 61.Rc1 f3 62.Rc6 Rg5 63.Re6+ Kf2 64.Ka6 Kg2 65.b6 f2 66.Re2 Kg1, White resigns.


Sunday, March 20, 2011

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 3/19/2011

In yesterday's game/60 Swiss at the Marshall Chess Club, I won this game.

Round Two: Philidor Counter Gambit

Ilan Kreitner (USCF 2007) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 3/19/2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.dxe5 fxe4 5.Ng5 d5 6.e6 Bc5 7.Nxe4 Be7 8.Ng5 Bxg5 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qxg5 Qxg5 11.Bxg5 c6 12.Bd3 Bxe6 13.Nc3 Nd7 14.O-O-O Ngf6 15.Rde1 Kf7 16.f3 Rhe8


17.a3 Nc5 18.Kd2 Nxd3 19.cxd3 Bd7 20.Rxe8 Rxe8 21.b4 Nh5 22.Rb1 a6 23.a4 Ng7 24.b5 axb5 25.axb5 Ne6 26.bxc6 Bxc6 27.Bh6 g5 28.h4 gxh4 29.Rh1 Rg8 30.Ne2 Rxg2 31.Rxh4 d4 32.Ke1 Kg6


33.Bc1 Bxf3 34.Nxd4 Nxd4 35.Rxd4 Rg1+ 36.Kd2 h5 37.Rd6+ Kf5 38.Kc2 Rg2+ 39.Kc3 h4 40.Rd4 Rg4 41.Be3 h3 42.Rd8 h2 43.Rf8+, White forfeits.


Saturday, March 19, 2011

"Atomic Patzer" Tops List of 30 Chess Blogs

The Guide to Online Schools has a list of 30 Terrific Chess Blogs. Their favorite blogger is Atomic Patzer [pictured].

Friday, March 18, 2011

More Book Reviews of "Endgame"

Here are more book reviews of Frank Brady's Endgame at OregonLive, Chessvine, and Failure Magazine.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Gee - West @ "Contre Gambit Philidor"

At Contre Gambit Philidor, Frederic Fournier provides a link to my game as Black against Howard Gee [pictured].

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Liz Garbus Interview, Part 2

You can watch the second part of the Liz Garbus interview by Elliot Kotek.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Bobby Fischer Memorial Speed Tournament

The Marshall Chess Club presents

BOBBY FISCHER MEMORIAL

Speed Chess Tournament

Friday, March 18, 2011

9-round Swiss system, game/5 minutes

$1,000 GUARANTEED!

$300—$150—$100—$50

Under 2400/unrated: $50, under 2200: $50, under 2000: $50, under 1800: $50

Best senior born in or before 1951: $75—$50

Best junior born in or after 1997: $50—$25

Entry fee: $25, members $15

Registration: 6:15-6:45pm


Rounds: 7-7:30-7:50-8:10-8:40-9-9:20-9:40-10

Three byes possible, request at entry

World Blitz Chess Association (WBCA) rules—USCF membership NOT required!

This tournament has been made possible through the generosity of Mr. Paul M. Albert Jr.

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

Monday, March 14, 2011

NYC Senior Championship, Day 2

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

Round Four: Philidor Counter Gambit

Howard Gee (USCF 1924) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 3/13/2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.exf5 e4 5.Ng5 Nf6 6.d5 Bxf5 7.Be2 Be7 8.g4 Bc8 9.Nc3 O-O 10.Ngxe4 Nxe4 11.Nxe4 Qe8 12.O-O Qg6 13.Ng3 a5 14.f4 Bh4


15.g5 Bxg3 16.hxg3 Na6 17.g4 Bd7 18.Bd3 Qf7 19.c4 Nc5 20.Bc2 a4 21.f5 Rae8 22.Qf3 b5 23.Bd2 bxc4 24.Qh3 Nd3 25.Bxd3 cxd3 26.Qxd3 g6 27.fxg6 Qxg6 28.Rxf8+ Rxf8 29.Qxg6+ hxg6 30.Rc1 Rc8


31.Rc4 c5 32.Bf4 Bb5 33.Re4 Re8 34.Rxe8+ Bxe8 35.Bxd6 Bf7 36.Bxc5 Bxd5 37.a3 Bb3 38.Kf2 Kf7 39.Ke3 Ke6 40.Bd4 Kd5 41.Bc3 Kc4 42.Kd2 Kd5 43.Kd3 Bc4+ 44.Ke3 Bb3 45.Bf6 Kc4 46.Kd2 Kd5 47.Ke3 Kc4, draw.


Sunday, March 13, 2011

NYC Senior Championship, Day 1

Yesterday I had a "senior moment" in the NYC Senior Championship, being held at the Marshall Chess Club. I played 39.Re2?! instead of 39.Re4 but still managed to draw.

Round One: Sicilian Defense, Accelerated Fianchetto

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Paul Rachlin (USCF 1877), Marshall Chess Club 3/12/2011

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 O-O 8.Bb3 a5 9.f3 d5 10.exd5 Nb4 11.Nde2 a4 12.Nxa4 Nfxd5 13.Bf2 Bd7 14.Nac3 Nxc3 15.bxc3 Nc6 16.O-O Qc7


17.Qd2 Ne5 18.Rad1 Rad8 19.Nd4 Nc4 20.Qe2 Nb2 21.Rb1 Qxc3 22.Qe3 Na4 23.Ne2 Qxe3 24.Bxe3 Nc3 25.Nxc3 Bxc3 26.Rfd1 Bc6 27.Bb6 Rd2 28.Rxd2 Bxd2 29.Rd1 Bc3 30.Rd3 Be5 31.a4 Ra8 32.a5 Rc8 33.Kf2 Kg7 34.Re3 Bd6 35.c4 e6 36.c5 Be7 37.Bc4 Be8 38.Re5 Bf6


39.Re2 Bd4+ 40.Ke1 Bxc5 41.Bd3 Bxb6 42.axb6 Bc6 43.Rc2 Bd7 44.Rb2 f5 45.f4 Kf6 46.Be2 Bc6 47.Rc2 Rd8 48.g3 Rd6 49.Rb2 e5 50.fxe5+ Kxe5 51.Kf2 Kd4 52.g4 Be4 53.gxf5 gxf5 54.Rb5 Rh6 55.Rb4+ Ke5 56.Kg1 f4 57.Rb5+ Kd4 58.Bh5 Ke3 59.Rb3+ Bd3


60.Bf3 Rg6+ 61.Kh1 Kxf3 62.Rxd3+ Ke2 63.Rb3 f3 64.Rb2+ Ke3 65.Rb3+ Ke4 66.Rb4+ Ke5 67.Rb5+ Ke6 68.Rb2 Rf6 69.Kg1 Rg6+ 70.Kf1 Rg2 71.Rb3 Rxh2 72.Rxf3 Rb2 73.Rh3 Kd5 74.Ke1 Rxb6 75.Rxh7 Re6+ 76.Kd2, draw.