NJ Knockouts Begin USCL Season Tonight

Tonight at 7:15, the New Jersey Knockouts begin their season in the United States Chess League when they square off against the Carolina Cobras.

Follow the action on the Internet Chess Club.

Schedule Change for After School Chess

There has been a schedule change for the after school chess program through Enrich and Grow Academy.

On Friday afternoons, I will be teaching at Center Grove School in Randolph, not at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Academy in Wayne as previously reported.

Classes begin the week of September 26th.

Henley to Lecture at Marshall CC Tuesday

The Marshall Chess Foundation proudly presents international grandmaster Ron Henley.

“The Dzindzi Indian Defense”

Grandmaster Ron Henley is one of the country’s most distinguished tournament players, authors, and coaches. As the longtime head coach of the twelfth world champion Anatoly Karpov, Henley has gained rare insights into the thoughts and decision making processes of chess at the very highest level. In this lecture, GM Henley will focus on the Dzindzi Indian Defense, an opening that he plays on a regular basis with Black.

Tuesday, August 30, 2010
7:00pm
Lecture fee: members free, non-members $10

Refreshments will be served.

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

My 60 Memorable Years

In between an earthquake and a hurricane, I celebrated a milestone birthday.

Irene Closes Marshall CC, Cancels Westfield

Due to Hurricane Irene, the Marshall Chess Club will be closed this weekend.

Sunday's quads in Westfield have also been canceled.

Aug. 28 Westfield Quads
CANCELED DUE TO THE HURRICANE: 3 RR, G/45. Westfield Y, 220 Clark St., Westfield, NJ 07090. Prizes: $50 to first in each section. EF: $20, $15 Members. Reg.: 1:30-2:15 p.m. Rds.: 2:30-4:20-6:10 p.m. Info: Todd Lunna 732-526-7163, lunnaco@aol.com, www.westfieldchessclub.com.

Lake Hopatcong 1923

In August 1923, the Ninth American Chess Chess Congress took place in Lake Hopatcong NJ.

Player 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 Total
1 Frank James Marshall (USA) x 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 10½
2 Abraham Kupchik (USA) 0 x 1 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10½
3 Dawid Janowski (FRA) ½ 0 x 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 10
4 Edward Lasker (USA) 0 1 0 x ½ 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 9
5 Morris Schapiro (USA) ½ 0 ½ ½ x 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 8½
6 Roy Turnbull Black (USA) 0 ½ ½ 0 0 x 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 7
7 Oscar Chajes (USA) 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 x 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 6½
8 Oscar Tenner (USA) 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 x ½ 1 1 0 1 1 6½
9 Vladimir Sournin (USA) 0 0 0 1 0 0 ½ 0 x 1 1 1 ½ ½ 5½
10 John Stuart Morrison (CAN) ½ 0 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 x ½ ½ 1 1 5
11 Albert Hodges (USA) ½ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 ½ x ½ 1 ½ 4
12 Marvin Palmer (USA) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 ½ ½ x 1 0 3
13 Anthony Santasiere (USA) ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 x ½ 2½
14 Horace Bigelow (USA) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ x 2½

Hellner - West @ "Contre Gambit Philidor"

Frederic Fournier gives a link, at Contre Gambit Philidor, to my game as Black against Wesley Hellner.

Review of Benson's Book "Bobby Fischer"

Leonard Cassuto reviews photographer Harry Benson's book Bobby Fischer.

FIDE Mondays, Round 6

The FIDE Mondays tournament ended last night at the Marshall Chess Club. I finished with a score of 2-0-4.

Round Six: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Benjamin Katz (FIDE 2104) - Jim West (FIDE 2134), Marshall Chess Club 8/22/2011

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.Qf3 Qd7 10.Qg3 O-O 11.Bh6 Ne8 12.Be3 Bb7 13.Rad1 Nc6


14.f4 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Qc7 16.f5 e5 17.Be3 Kh8 18.a3 Nf6 19.Qf3 Bc6 20.Rfe1 a5 21.Bg5 b4 22.axb4 axb4 23.Bxf6 Bxf6 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.Rxd5 Ra5 26.Rxa5 Qxa5 27.Rd1 Be7 28.Qf1 Bd8 29.Rd5 Bb6+ 30.Kh1 Bc5


31.f6 Qd8 32.fxg7+ Kxg7 33.Rd3 Qh4 34.Rf3 Kh8 35.Rxf7 Rxf7 36.Bxf7 Qf2, draw.

Romanenko Wins Manhattan Open

International master Vladimir Romanenko [pictured] won the Manhattan Open at the New Yorker Hotel on tiebreak over grandmaster Alexander Shabalov.

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 8/21/2011

In today's game/30 Swiss tournament at the Marshall Chess Club, I finished with a score of 2-1-2.

Round Four: Philidor Counter Gambit

Wesley Hellner (USCF 1939) - Jim West (USCF 2204), Marshall Chess Club 8/21/2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Be2 f5 5.d4 fxe4 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Ng3 e4 8.Ne5 Nf6 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Be3 Bd6 11.O-O O-O 12.c4 g6 13.c5 Be7


14.Qd2 Ng4 15.Bxg4 Bxg4 16.h3 Be6 17.Kh2 Rf7 18.Ne2 Bf8 19.Ng3 Bg7 20.a4 a5 21.Rab1 Bc8 22.b4 axb4 23.Rxb4 Ba6 24.Rfb1 Rf8 25.R1b2 Qd7 26.Kg1 Rfe8 27.Ne2 Qf7 28.Ng3 Qf8 29.Bf4 Qf7 30.Be3 h5 31.Ne2 Kh7 32.Ng3 Qf8 33.Bf4 Bh6


34.Be3 Bxe3 35.fxe3 h4 36.Nh1 Qf1+ 37.Kh2 Rf8 38.Rb1 Qf5 39.R4b2 Bd3 40.Re1 Qg5 41.Nf2 Rxa4 42.Ng4 Raa8 43.Rb7 Rf7 44.Qb4 Raf8 45.Rb8 Rxb8 46.Qxb8, draw.

Hamilton Quads 8/20/2011

Today I won this game at the Hamilton quads.

Round Two: Dutch Defense

Joshua Hill (USCF 2061) - Jim West (USCF 2204), Hamilton NJ 8/20/2011

1.c4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.Nf3 a5 5.O-O b6 6.Ne5 Ra7 7.Nc3 Bb7 8.Nf3 Ra8 9.d4 Bb4 10.Nb5 Be7 11.Bf4 Na6 12.Rc1 O-O 13.a3 Ne4


14.Nd2 Nxd2 15.Bxb7 Nxf1 16.Bxa8 Qxa8 17.Qxf1 d6 18.Qg2 Qxg2+ 19.Kxg2 Bf6 20.Be3 e5 21.dxe5 Bxe5 22.b3 f4 23.gxf4 Bxf4 24.Rc3 g6 25.f3 Bxe3 26.Rxe3 Kf7 27.Kf2 Re8 28.Rc3 Ke7 29.e4 Kd7 30.Ke3 Nc5


31.b4 axb4 32.axb4 Na6 33.Rb3 Nb8 34.Nc3 Nc6 35.Nd5 Ra8 36.f4 Ra2 37.Nf6+ Ke7 38.Nxh7 Rxh2 39.Ng5 Rc2 40.Kd3 Rg2 41.Kc3 Rg4 42.Nh3 Rh4 43.Kd2 Nxb4 44.Nf2 Nc6 45.Ke3 Na5 46.Rb4 Rh5 47.Ra4 Kd7 48.Ng4 Rh3+ 49.Kd2 Nb3+ 50.Kc2 Nc5


51.Ra8 Nxe4 52.Rg8 Rf3 53.Rg7+ Kc8 54.Rxg6 Rxf4 55.Ne3 Nc5 56.Kc3 Kb7 57.Rg7 Rf3 58.Re7 Kc6 59.Kd2 Rf2+ 60.Kc3 Re2 61.Kd4 Rd2+ 62.Kc3 Rd3+ 63.Kc2 Rd4 64.Rh7 Re4 65.Kd2 Ne6 66.Kd3 Re5 67.Nd5 Rxd5+ 68.cxd5+ Kxd5 69.Rh5+ Kc6


70.Kc4 Nc5 71.Kb4 Nd3+ 72.Kc4 Ne5+ 73.Kb4 b5 74.Rh8 Nd7 75.Rh5 Nc5 76.Rh8 Kb6 77.Kc3 Na6 78.Kd4 c6 79.Rh7 d5 80.Rh8 b4 81.Ra8 c5+, White resigns.

American Presidents and Chess

In his "Double Rooks" column, Carl Jacobs writes a brief history of American presidents and their fondness for chess, in parts one and two.

Alejandro Melchor on Newark Gambit

Alejandro Melchor [pictured] of Barcelona writes "Black has a ruinous position" in the Newark gambit after 5.Bb3 fxe4 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.Qh5+ Kd7 8.dxe5 c6 9.O-O.


Perhaps Black can play 8...Kc6 9.Qe2 Bc5 10.Nc3 Kb7 11.Nxe4 Bb6.

Brenner - West @ "Contre Gambit Philidor"

Besides providing a link to my game as Black against Stav Brenner, Frederic Fournier also mentions Alejandro Melchor's suggested move 5.Bb3 against Lev Zilbermintz's line in the PCG.

FIDE Mondays, Round 5

This game ended in a draw last night at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Five: Dutch Defense

Jay Bonin (FIDE 2323) - Jim West (FIDE 2134), Marshall Chess Club 8/15/2011

1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 e6 4.e4 fxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Nf3 Qe7 8.c3 b6 9.Bd3 Bb7 10.Qe2 Nc6 11.O-O-O O-O-O


12.Ba6 Nb8 13.Bxb7+ Kxb7 14.Rhe1 a6 15.Kb1 Rde8 16.d5 exd5 17.Rxd5 Qf7 18.Qd3 Qg6 19.g3 Re6 20.Nfg5 Bxg5 21.Rxg5 Qxg5 22.Nxg5 Rxe1+ 23.Kc2 Re7, draw.

Fall Schedule at Enrich and Grow Academy

This fall, I will be teaching after school chess classes through Enrich and Grow Academy, as follows: Mondays at Shongum Elementary School in Randolph, Tuesdays at Saint Elizabeth Montessori School in Parsippany, and Fridays at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Academy in Wayne.

Marshall CC August Under 2300, Day 2

Playing in the two day schedule, I finished with a score of 2-0-2 in the under 2300 tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Three: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Ed Kopiecki (USCF 2046) - Jim West (USCF 2204), Marshall Chess Club 8/14/2011

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.O-O-O Nbd7 10.Bd3 b5 11.Rhe1 Bb7 12.Qg3 O-O-O


13.Bxb5 axb5 14.Ndxb5 Qb6 15.e5 Nc5 16.Qh3 dxe5 17.fxe5 Ba6 18.exf6 gxf6 19.Bf4 Bxb5 20.Nd5 Rxd5 21.Rxd5 Bc6 22.Rh5 Rg8 23.Rxh7 Qa5 24.Rd1 Qa4 25.Bg3 Be4 26.Rd2 Qxa2 27.Kd1 Bxh7 28.Qxh7 Rd8 29.Rxd8+ Bxd8 30.Qxf7 Qd5+ 31.Kc1 Qxg2


32.b3 Qc6 33.Kb2 Ne4 34.c4 Nxg3 35.hxg3 Qd7 36.Qf8 Qd4+ 37.Kc2 Qf2+ 38.Kb1 Qxg3 39.Ka2 Qf2+ 40.Kb1 Qb6 41.Kc2 Qc6 42.Kc3 Kd7 43.Qf7+ Be7 44.b4 Qf3+ 45.Kb2 Qe2+ 46.Kb3 Qd3+ 47.Ka4 Qxc4 48.Ka5 Qxb4+ 49.Ka6 Kc7 50.Qxe6 Qa4#.

Marshall CC August Under 2300, Day 1

This game was played earlier today, at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round One: Philidor Counter Gambit

Stav Brenner (USCF 2064) - Jim West (USCF 2204), Marshall Chess Club 8/13/2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Nxe5 dxe4 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Nxg6 Nf6 9.Qe5+ Kf7 10.Nxh8+ Kg7 11.Bg5 Be7 12.O-O-O Nbd7 13.Qe6 Kxh8


14.g3 Qg8 15.Bxf6+ Bxf6 16.Qxg8+ Kxg8 17.Bg2 Bg5+ 18.Kb1 Nf6 19.h4 Bh6 20.Rde1 Bg4 21.Bxe4, draw.

Dan Herman a.k.a. Phi Beta Rapa

Besides being a tournament director and chess coach, Dan Herman [pictured] also writes and performs rap music.

On Tuesday night, August 16th, Dan will be performing hip hop music, under his professional name Phi Beta Rapa, at Coffee Works in Voorhees.

You can register for a free ticket here.

Wednesday Chess League 8/10/2011

At the Dean of Chess Academy, I won this game last night in the Wednesday chess league.

Center Counter Defense

Jim West (USCF 2204) - James Mennella (USCF 2000), Branchburg NJ 8/10/2011

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bc4 Bg4 5.f3 Bf5 6.g4 Bc8 7.Nc3 Nbd7 8.g5 Nb6 9.Bb5+ Nfd7 10.f4 a6 11.Be2 h6 12.g6 f6 13.d4 Nb8 14.Bf3 Bf5 15.Qe2 Bxg6


16.Bh5 Bf7 17.Bxf7+ Kxf7 18.Qe6+ Ke8 19.f5 Qd7 20.Bf4 Qxe6 21.dxe6 c6 22.O-O-O Nd5 23.Nge2 Rg8 24.Nxd5 cxd5 25.Bxb8 Rxb8 26.Nf4 g5 27.Nxd5 h5 28.Kb1 Bh6 29.h3 Rd8 30.c4 Kf8 31.a4 Rd6 32.a5 h4 33.Rhg1 Ke8 34.Rg4 Kd8 35.Nb6 Rc6 36.d5 Rc7 37.b4 Bf8 38.c5 Rg7


39.Kb2 Ke8 40.Kb3 Rh7 41.Rgd4 Rg7 42.c6 Rh7 43.cxb7 Rxb7 44.Rc1 Rb8 45.Rdc4 Rd8 46.Rc8 Bh6 47.Rxd8+, Black resigns.

After School Chess at TECCS

Starting on September 7th, I will be teaching after school chess classes on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons at The Ethical Community Charter School [TECCS] in Jersey City, as an employee of 101 Discoveries founded by Natasha Kalenchits.

FIDE Mondays, Round 4

In last night's game at the Marshall Chess Club, I managed to draw an inferior ending.

Round Four: Modern Defense

Jim West (FIDE 2134) - Yefim Treger (FIDE 2205), Marshall Chess Club 8/8/2011

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 a6 4.a4 d5 5.exd5 Nd7 6.Bf4 Ngf6 7.Be5 O-O 8.Bc4 Nxe5 9.dxe5 Ng4 10.Nf3 Nxe5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.Qf3 Qd6 13.Bb3 Bf5 14.h3 b5 15.axb5 axb5 16.Rxa8 Rxa8 17.O-O Ra5


18.g4 b4 19.Nd1 Bc8 20.Ne3 Ba6 21.Rb1 Bd4 22.Qe4 Bxe3 23.Qxe3 Bb7 24.Rd1 e6 25.c3 exd5 26.Qe8+ Qf8 27.Qxf8+ Kxf8 28.cxb4 Rb5 29.Rd4 c5 30.Rd2 c4 31.Bd1 Rxb4 32.Bf3 Ke7 33.Bxd5 Bxd5 34.Rxd5 Rxb2 35.Rc5 Rc2 36.g5 Kd6 37.Rc8 c3


38.Kg2 Rc1 39.Kf3 Ke5 40.Rc7 c2 41.Ke2 Kd6 42.Rc3 Ke6 43.Kd2 Rf1 44.Kxc2 Rxf2+ 45.Kd1 Kf5 46.Ke1 Rh2 47.Rg3 Kf4 48.Rg4+ Kf3 49.Rh4 Ke3 50.Kd1 Kf3 51.Rxh7 Kf4 52.Rxf7+ Kxg5 53.Rh7, and drawn in ? moves.


This is the final position.

Sergey Kudrin to Lecture at Marshall CC

The Marshall Chess Club presents international grandmaster Sergey Kudrin

“Gata Kamsky’s Quest for the 2012 World Championship”

Sergey Kudrin has been a dominant force on the U.S. chess scene for decades. Kudrin is a three time U.S. Open champion, a three time world championship contestant, and (together with GM Mark Paragua) the reigning Marshall Chess Club champion. He is also one of the country’s most respected chess coaches.

In his lecture, GM Kudrin will present and analyze some of the most interesting and instructive games of the current world championship cycle, as well as share personal insights on the unique challenges of the competition.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

7:00pm

Lecture fee: members free, non-members $10

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

"BFATW" Film Reviews

Here are reviews of Bobby Fischer Against the World from Phil on Film and Cine Vue.

Marshall August Grand Prix, Day 1

These games were played earlier today at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round One: Ruy Lopez, Exchange Variation

Jim West (FIDE 2134) - Ed Kopiecki (FIDE 2031), Marshall Chess Club 8/6/2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.O-O Bg4 6.h3 h5 7.d3 Qf6 8.Nbd2 Ne7 9.Nc4 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Qxf3 11.gxf3 Ng6 12.Rd1 O-O-O 13.Be3 c5 14.a4 b6 15.a5 Kb7 16.axb6 cxb6


17.b4 f6 18.bxc5 Bxc5 19.Bxc5 bxc5 20.Rdb1+ Kc7 21.Rxa6 Rb8 22.Ra7+ Kc6 23.Rba1 Nf4 24.Kh2 Ne2 25.R1a6+ Kb5 26.Ra5+ Kb4 27.Ra3 Kb5 28.c3 Nxc3 29.Rxc3 g5 30.Rb3+ Kc6 31.Rxb8 Rxb8 32.Ra6+ Kb5 33.Rxf6 Rd8 34.Nxe5 c4 35.dxc4+ Kc5 36.Rf5 Rd2 37.Kg2 g4 38.fxg4 hxg4 39.Nf3+, Black resigns.

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

Round Two: English Opening

Kyle Moon (FIDE 2054) - Jim West (FIDE 2134), Marshall Chess Club 8/6/2011

1.g3 c5 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 e6 6.O-O Nge7 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nb5 O-O 9.Nbxd4 Nxd4 10.Nxd4 d5 11.cxd5 Nxd5


12.e4 Nf4 13.gxf4 Qxd4 14.Qxd4 Bxd4 15.Rd1 e5 16.fxe5 Bxe5 17.f4 Bg4 18.Rd3 Bc7 19.e5 Bb6+ 20.Kh1 Rad8 21.Rd6 Bc5 22.Rd2 b6 23.h3 Bf5 24.Kh2 Rd4 25.Rf2 Rd1 26.Rf1 Rfd8 27.Rxd1 Rxd1


28.Bf3 Rf1 29.Bg2 Rf2 30.Kg3 Rc2 31.Bd5 h5 32.Bb3 h4+ 33.Kxh4 Rg2, White resigns.