Stripunsky Wins New Yorker Open

With 6 points out of 7, grandmaster Alexander Stripunsky won the New Yorker Open.

The photo shows the top three boards in the final round. GM Mikheil Kekelidze lost to senior master Yaacov Norowitz, GM Alexander Stripunsky beat NM Adam Maltese, and GM Sergey Kudrin defeated candidate master George Tom.

New Yorker Open, Day 2

On Sunday, I drew this game in the under 2400 section at the New Yorker Hotel.

Round Five: Philidor Counter Gambit

Levy Rozman (USCF 2091) - Jim West (USCF 2200), New Yorker Open 5/29/2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Neg5 exd4 7.Qxd4 Nf6 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.Qh4 Qe7+ 10.Kd1 Qb4 11.Re1+ Be7


12.Qxb4 Nxb4 13.Bb5+ c6 14.Bd2 a5 15.a3 Na6 16.Bd3 Nc5 17.Bf4 Nxd3 18.cxd3 h6 19.Bd6 Ng8 20.Nh4 hxg5 21.Ng6 Rh6 22.Nxe7 Nxe7 23.Bxe7 Kf7 24.h3 g4 25.h4, draw.

New Yorker Open, Day 1

Playing in the three day schedule of the under 2400 section at the New Yorker Open, I won a couple of difficult games on Saturday before taking a half point bye in the third round.

Round One: French Defense, Exchange Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Brandon Nydick (USCF 1911), New Yorker Open 5/28/2011

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.O-O O-O 7.Nc3 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nb5 c6 10.Nxd6 Qxd6 11.Bg5 Nbd7


12.g4 Bg6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Re1 Rae8 15.Rxe8 Rxe8 16.Bxg6 Qxg6 17.Qd3 Qxd3 18.cxd3 Re2 19.Rb1 f6 20.Kf1 Re8 21.b4 Kf7 22.b5 c5 23.Rc1 Rc8 24.dxc5 Rxc5 25.Rxc5 Nxc5 26.Ke2 a6 27.bxa6 Nxa6 28.Kd2 Ke6 29.Kc3 g6 30.Nd4+ Ke5


31.Ne2 b6 32.f4+ Kd6 33.Nd4 Nc5 34.h4 h6 35.h5 gxh5 36.gxh5 Ne6 37.Nxe6 Kxe6 38.Kd4 Kd6 39.a4 Ke6 40.f5+ Kd6 41.Kc3 Kc5 42.d4+ Kc6 43.Kb4 Kc7 44.Kb5 Kb7 45.a5 bxa5 46.Kxa5 Kc6 47.Ka6 Kc7 48.Kb5 Kd6 49.Kb6 Kd7 50.Kc5 Ke7 51.Kxd5 Kd7


52.Kc5 Kc7 53.d5 Kd7 54.d6 Kd8 55.d7 Kxd7 56.Kd5 Ke7 57.Kc6 Ke8 58.Kd6 Kf7 59.Kd7 Kf8 60.Ke6 Kg7 61.Ke7 Kg8 62.Kxf6 Kh7 63.Ke7 Kg7 64.f6+ Kg8 65.f7+ Kh7 66.Kf6 Kh8 67.f8=Q+ Kh7 68.Qg7#.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Round Two: King's Indian Attack

Jasmine Chen (USCF 1923) - Jim West (USCF 2200), New Yorker Open 5/28/2011

1.Nf3 d6 2.g3 e5 3.Nc3 f5 4.d3 Nf6 5.e4 Be7 6.Bg2 c6 7.Qe2 O-O 8.O-O b5 9.exf5 b4 10.Ne4 Nxe4 11.dxe4 Ba6 12.Qd2 Bxf1 13.Bxf1 a5 14.b3 Nd7 15.Bb2 Nc5 16.Re1 Qb6


17.a4 bxa3 18.Bxa3 a4 19.Bxc5 Qxc5 20.bxa4 Rxa4 21.Bd3 Qa5 22.Qe3 Ra8 23.Kg2 Qa7 24.Qe2 Ra1 25.Rxa1 Qxa1 26.Qe3 Qa7 27.Qd2 Qc5 28.Qe2 Ra4 29.Qe1 h6 30.h4 Bd8 31.Qe2 Kh8 32.Ng5 Bxg5 33.hxg5 d5 34.Qh5 Qf8 35.f3 dxe4 36.fxe4 Rd4


37.gxh6 gxh6 38.Qg6 Rd6 39.Qh5 c5 40.Kh3 Rd4 41.Qg6 c4 42.Bf1 Rxe4 43.Qe6 Qg8 44.Qxh6+ Qh7 45.Qxh7+ Kxh7 46.Kg2 c3 47.Bd3 Rd4 48.Bb5 Rd2+ 49.Kf1 Rxc2 50.f6 Rc1+ 51.Ke2 Kg6 52.g4 Kxf6 53.Bd7 Kg5 54.Bf5 Rg1 55.Kd3 Rg3+ 56.Kc2 Rxg4 57.Bxg4 Kxg4 58.Kxc3 Kf3


59.Kd2 e4 60.Ke1 Ke3 61.Kf1 Kd2 62.Kg2 e3 63.Kh2 e2 64.Kg2 e1=Q 65.Kh2 Qf2+ 66.Kh1 Qf3+ 67.Kg1 Qe2 68.Kh1 Ke3 69.Kg1 Kf3 70.Kh1 Qg2#.

"BFATW" Trailer and Reviews

You can watch a trailer from the documentary film Bobby Fischer Against the World or read reviews by Will Sloan, Catherine, Dogwoof, Fred Topel, and Jay Stone.

Speed Chess at the Highest Level

Here is a chess video from the International Space Station.

Summer Chess Camps at Marshall CC

New York City Chess Inc. has created special camps that will take place at the Marshall Chess Club this summer.

Featured instructors include GM Lev Alburt, IM Irina Krush, GM Rashad Babaev, GM Giorgi Kacheishvili, GM Tamaz Gelashvili, and SM Yaacov Norowitz.

HBO Premiere of "BFATW" in NYC

[photo by Michael Loccisano]

After yesterday afternoon's Bryant Park Chess Challenge, 200 special guests including Henry Kissinger viewed the documentary film Bobby Fischer Against the World at the HBO building next door.

Bryant Park Chess Challenge Today

HBO and the Marshall Chess Club present

Bryant Park Chess Challenge

Speed Chess Tournament

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

4pm

7-round Swiss-system, game/5 minutes

Byes available for the first two rounds, players must request byes before the start of round one.

$2,100 guaranteed!

$1,000—$500—$300

U 2200/unr $150--U 2000 $150

Entry fee: free!

Please contact the Marshall Chess Club to reserve a spot.

Space is limited!

Venue: Bryant Park Fountain Plaza (6th Avenue and 41st Street).

Rain location: the Marshall Chess Club.

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

Please bring chess sets and clocks if possible.

This tournament has been made possible through the generosity of Home Box Office, Inc.

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

Pix from Hamilton Quads 5/21/2011

These pictures were taken by me on Saturday at the Hamilton quads.

Hamilton Quads 5/21/2011

On Saturday, I played in quad two at Hamilton and finished with a score of 3-0-0.

Round One: Latvian Gambit

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Steve Ferrero (USCF 1949), Hamilton NJ 5/21/2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.d3 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bg5 Be7 6.Qd2 O-O 7.O-O-O Nc6 8.Kb1 Be6 9.exf5 Bxf5 10.d4 Nxd4 11.Nxd4 exd4 12.Qxd4 Be6 13.Bd3 d5 14.Rhe1 Bf7


15.Re3 h6 16.Bxh6 gxh6 17.Rg3+ Kh8 18.Qf4 Ng8 19.Rxg8+ Kxg8 20.Qxh6 Re8 21.Bh7+, Black resigns.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Round Two: Budapest Gambit, Fajarowicz Variation

Ari Minkov (USCF 1982) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Hamilton NJ 5/21/2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4 4.Nd2 Bb4 5.a3 Bxd2+ 6.Bxd2 Nxd2 7.Qxd2 Nc6 8.Nf3 Qe7 9.Qc3 O-O 10.e3 Re8 11.Bd3 Nxe5 12.Qxe5 Qxe5 13.Nxe5 Rxe5 14.Kd2 d6 15.Rhe1 b6 16.f4 Re7 17.e4 f6 18.Re3 a5 19.b3 Bb7 20.g3 Rae8 21.Rae1 h6


22.Kc3 Kf8 23.b4 axb4+ 24.axb4 Ra8 25.Kb3 Ra7 26.e5 dxe5 27.fxe5 Rxe5 28.Rxe5 fxe5 29.Rxe5 Ra8 30.Bg6 Rd8 31.h4 Bc6 32.Rf5+ Kg8 33.Rf7 Be8 34.Rxc7 Bxg6 35.g4 Rd4 36.g5 hxg5 37.hxg5 Bf7


38.Kc3 Rg4 39.Rc6 Rxg5 40.Rxb6 Rg3+ 41.Kd4 Rg4+ 42.Ke5 Rxc4 43.Kd6 g6 44.Ke7 Kg7 45.Rb7 Re4+ 46.Kd6 Kf6 47.Rb6 Re6+, White resigns.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Round Three: English Opening

Joshua Hill (USCF 2085) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Hamilton NJ 5/21/2011

1.c4 c5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.O-O e6 6.d3 Nge7 7.Nc3 O-O 8.a3 d5 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Rb1 b6 11.Qc2 Bg4 12.e3 Rc8


13.h3 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Nd4 15.Qd1 Nxf3+ 16.Qxf3 Qd7 17.Kg2 Rcd8 18.e4 dxe4 19.dxe4 Qd3 20.Bg5 Qxf3+ 21.Kxf3 f6 22.Be3 f5 23.exf5 Nxf5 24.Ne4 Nd6+ 25.Bf4 Bh6 26.Nxd6 Rxd6 27.Kg2 Bxf4 28.gxf4 Rxf4 29.Rfd1 Rfd4 30.Rxd4 Rxd4 31.Rc1 a5


32.Rc3 a4 33.Kf3 Kf7 34.b3 Ke6 35.Ke3 Kd5 36.f3 g5 37.bxa4 Rxa4 38.Rb3 Kc6 39.Kf2 h6 40.Re3 Rh4 41.Re6+ Kb5 42.Kg3 c4 43.a4+ Kxa4 44.Rxb6 c3 45.Kf2 Rxh3 46.Ke2 c2 47.Kd2 Rh2+ 48.Kc1 h5 49.Kb2 h4 50.Rg6 Rg2 51.Rh6 Kb4 52.f4 gxf4 53.Rxh4 Rf2


54.Rh3 Kc4 55.Kc1 Kd4 56.Rh8 Ke3 57.Re8+ Kf3 58.Rg8 Rg2 59.Re8 Re2 60.Rg8 Kf2, White resigns.

Frank Brady at Chess Scoop

At Chess Scoop, Frank Brady (Marshall Chess Club president and author) discusses the upcoming New York International and his book Endgame.

Pix from Westfield Quads 5/15/2011

On Sunday, I took these pictures before the start of the Westfield quads.

"Quentre" at Marshall CC Tomorrow

THE MARSHALL CHESS CLUB PROUDLY PRESENTS A CONCERT BY QUENTRE

Friday, May 20, 2011

7:30pm in the Great Hall

Quentre is an exploresome foursome, New York freelancers who explore musical literature both new and familiar. Members Jim Ferraiuolo on oboe and flute, Brenda Vincent [pictured] on violin, Denise Cridge on viola, and Deb Spohnheimer on bass have delighted audiences in downtown art venues and rococo halls alike. Special guest artist Stanley Hunte on violin will be joining Quentre for the world premiere of two new works by composer Merrill Clark.

Mozart, Telemann, Hindemith, Clark, and Dohnányi

$15 admission; $10 for members
~ complimentary refreshments ~

Marshall Chess Club
23 West 10th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues)
New York, NY 10011
Phone 212-477-3716
http://www.marshallchessclub.org/

Monokroussos on PCG @ ChessCube

For $2.50 at ChessCube, you can purchase a video by FM Dennis Monokroussos on the Philidor Counter Gambit. I downloaded it today.

Monokroussos recommends the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Neg5, avoiding the "timid" 6.Ng3 and the "rash" 6.Nxe5.

Ken Rogoff on Debt Ceiling and Chess

In an interview with the Associated Press, international grandmaster Ken Rogoff [pictured] talks about the debt ceiling and his obsession with chess.

Westfield Quads 5/15/2011

Yesterday I drew this game at the quads in Westfield.

Round Three: Sicilian Defense, Taimanov Variation

Jim West (USCF 2204) - Alice Dong (USCF 1961), Westfield NJ 5/15/2011

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nb5 d6 6.Bf4 e5 7.Be3 Nf6 8.Bg5 a6 9.N5c3 Be7 10.a4 Be6 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.Nd5 O-O 13.Nbc3 Nd4 14.Bd3 Bg5 15.O-O f5


16.exf5 Nxf5 17.Be4 Ne7 18.Nxe7+ Qxe7 19.Bd5 Kh8 20.Bxe6 Qxe6 21.Qd5 Qxd5 22.Nxd5 Rac8 23.c3 Rc5 24.Rfd1 Rd8 25.g3 a5 26.h4 Bf6 27.Rac1 b5 28.axb5 Rxb5 29.b4 axb4 30.cxb4 Kg8 31.Rc7 e4 32.Kf1 Be5 33.Rc4 e3 34.Nxe3 d5 35.Rc5 Rxc5 36.bxc5 d4


37.Ng4 Bc7 38.Ke2 h5 39.Nh2 Rd5 40.Rc1 d3+ 41.Kd1 d2 42.Rc2 Ba5 43.Nf3 Rf5 44.Nxd2 Rxf2 45.c6 Bc7 46.Ne4 Rf5 47.Rc5 Rxc5 48.Nxc5 Bxg3 49.Ne6 Kf7 50.c7 Bxc7 51.Nxc7 Kf6 52.Ne8+ Kf5 53.Nxg7+ Kg4 54.Ke2 Kxh4 55.Kf3 Kg5 56.Nxh5 Kxh5, draw.

Article on Fischer in "The Observer"

In The Observer, Andrew Anthony [pictured] gives a synopsis of the book Endgame and the film Bobby Fischer Against the World.

NYC Chess Kids in "WSJ"

New York City chess kids are featured in this Wall Street Journal article.

"West Orange Krush" on Cover of "Chess Life"

Congratulations to four Jersey boys for making the cover of Chess Life magazine!

They are Jose Fernandez, NM Peter Radomskyj, Victor Rosas, and IM Mikhail Zlotnikov of the USATE 2011 winning team West Orange Krush.

Pix from Marshall CC on Saturday and Sunday

On Saturday and Sunday, I snapped these photos at the Marshall Chess Club.