Thursday Night Action 11/29/2018

On Thursday, I finished with a score of 0-0-3 plus a half point bye in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Three:  Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Nura Baalla (USCF 1898) - Jim West (USCF 2215), Marshall Chess Club 11/29/2018

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be3 O-O 9.Qd2 Be6 10.O-O-O Nbd7 11.g4 b5

12.Qf2 Rb8 13.h4 Nb6 14.Na5 Qc7 15.h5 Nc4 16.Nxc4 bxc4 17.g5 Nd7 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.exd5 c3 20.b3 Qa5 21.Kb1 Qa3 22.Bc1 Qc5 23.Be3 Qa3 24.Bc1 Qc5 25.Be3 Qa3 26.Bc1, draw.

Magnus Carlsen Retains Title

World champion Magnus Carlsen retained his title by defeating Fabiano Caruana in rapid chess.

Sudden Death Today at World Championship

Today is the day when the world chess championship will be decided.

"Chess Mates" Championship, Day 2

On Saturday, I finished with a score of 4-0-0 plus a half point bye in the club championship at Chess Mates.

Round Three: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Jim West (USCF 2204) - Art Macaspac (USCF 2200), Rahway NJ 11/24/2018

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 Nbd7 8.f4 Nc5 9.f5 Be7 10.Qf3 O-O 11.Be3 Qc7 12.O-O e5 13.Nde2 Nxb3 14.axb3 b5 15.g4 h6 16.h4 b4

17.g5 bxc3 18.Nxc3 Bb7 19.gxf6 Bxf6 20.Qg4 Kh7 21.Rf2 Qe7 22.Rg2 Rg8 23.h5 Rac8 24.Rd1 Rgd8 25.Nd5 Bxd5 26.Rxd5 Rc6 27.b4 Rc4 28.c3 Rdc8 29.Kf2 Qd7 30.Kf3 Qc6 31.Rgd2 Rd8 32.R2d3 Qa4

33.Rd2 Rc6 34.Qg1 Qb3 35.Qd1 Qxd1 36.Rxd1 Kg8 37.Ra1 Bg5 38.Rda5 Bxe3 39.Kxe3 g6 40.fxg6 fxg6 41.hxg6 Kg7 42.Rxa6 Rxa6 43.Rxa6 Kxg6 44.b5 Kg5 45.b6 Rb8 46.b4 h5 47.c4 h4 48.c5 h3 49.Kf3 h2 50.Kg2 Rh8 51.Kh1 d5

52.exd5 e4 53.Ra2 Kf4 54.b7 Ke5 55.Ra8, Black resigns.

"Chess Mates" Championship, Day 1

On Friday, I played these games at Chess Mates in the club championship.

Round One: Sicilian Defense, Sveshnikov Variation

Jim West (USCF 2204) - Eric Levin (USCF 1474), Rahway NJ 11/23/2018

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.Na3 b5 10.Nd5 Be6 11.c3 Be7 12.Nc2 f5 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.Nce3 Be6 15.g3 Rc8 16.Bg2 Na5 17.O-O Nc4

18.Nxc4 Rxc4 19.a4 O-O 20.axb5 axb5 21.Ra8 Rc8 22.Rxc8 Bxc8 23.Qd3 Bd7 24.Nxe7+ Qxe7 25.Rd1 Be6 26.Qxd6 Qxd6 27.Rxd6 b4 28.Ra6 bxc3 29.bxc3 Rc8 30.Ra8 Kf8 31.Rxc8+ Bxc8 32.Kf1 Ke7

33.Ke2 Kd6 34.Ke3 f6 35.Bf1 h6 36.f4 exf4+ 37.Kxf4 Be6 38.Bd3 Ke7 39.Ke4 Kd6 40.Kd4 Bd5 41.c4 Bf7 42.c5+ Kc7 43.Be4 Ba2 44.Bd5 Bb1 45.Ke3 Bg6 46.Kf4 Bh7 47.Be4 Bg8 48.Kg4 Bf7 49.Kf5 Be8

50.Kxf6  h5 51.h4 Kd7 52.Bg6, Black resigns.

          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

Round Two: English Opening

John Moldovan (USCF 1792) - Jim West (USCF 2204), Rahway NJ 11/23/2018

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.e3 Bg7 5.d4 d6 6.d5 Ne5 7.Nxe5 Bxe5 8.Qc2 Bg7 9.Bd3 Nf6 10.O-O O-O 11.h3 a6 12.a4 Bd7

13.a5 b6 14.axb6 Qxb6 15.Bd2 Rfb8 16.Rfb1 Ne8 17.Na4 Bxa4 18.Rxa4 Qb3 19.Bc1 Qxc2 20.Bxc2 Nc7 21.b4 Bc3 22.Ba3 cxb4 23.Bxb4 Bxb4 24.Raxb4 Rxb4 25.Rxb4 Ra7 26.e4 a5 27.Ra4 Na8 28.Bd3 Nb6 29.Ra3 Nd7 30.Kf1 Nc5

31.Ke2 a4 32.Kd2 Kg7 33.Kc3 h5 34.Bc2 h4 35.f4 g5 36.e5 gxf4 37.Kd4 Kh6 38.Bf5 Kg5 39.Bg4 Rb7 40.exd6 exd6 41.Bf3 Rb3 42.Rxb3 Nxb3+ 43.Kc3 Nc5 44.Kb4 Kf5  45.Bd1 Ke5 46.Bxa4 Nd3+ 47.Kc3 Ne1

48.Kd2 Nxg2 49.Ke2 Ne3 50.Bb5 Nf5 51.Be8 Nd4+ 52.Kf2 f5 53.Bh5 Ke4 54.Bf7 Nb3 55.Be6 Nc5 56.Bf7 f3 57.Bh5 Nd3+ 58.Kf1 Kf4 59.Bf7 Nc5 60.Kf2 Ne4+ 61.Kf1 Kg3 62.Be6 f4 63.Bc8 Nd2+, White resigns.

Photos from "Chess Mates" Championship

At the Chess Mates blog, I have posted photos from the club championship which took place on November 23rd and 24th.

Brooklyn Friends School Grand Prix

Magnus Effect in Norway

[photo by Linda Bournane Engelberth]

In Norway, chess is cool.

NBC News Story on Fabiano Caruana

Alastair Jamieson reports from London.

"NY Times": Checkmate or Stalemate?

When will Magnus or Fabiano win a game at the world chess championship?

FIDE Mondays 11/19/2018

On Monday, I played this game at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round One: Stonewall Attack

Wesley Hellner (USCF 1882) - Jim West (USCF 2204), Marshall Chess Club 11/19/2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.f4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nbd2 b6 7.O-O c5 8.c3 Ba6 9.Bxa6 Nxa6 10.Qe2 Nb8 11.Ne5 Nfd7 12.Ndf3 f6 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Bd2 Nc6 15.Rae1 Rae8

16.Qd3 c4 17.Qc2 f5 18.Qd1 b5 19.Re2 Nd8 20.Be1 Nb7 21.a3 Nd6 22.Bh4 h6 23.h3 Ne4 24.Nd2 Qe6 25.Nxe4 Qxe4 26.Qc2 Qxc2 27.Rxc2 Bf6 28.Bg3 a5 29.Be1 e6 30.Bd2 h5 31.a4 Rb8 32.axb5 Rxb5 33.Bc1 Rfb8

34.g4 hxg4 35.hxg4 Kf7 36.Rh2 Rh8 37.Rxh8 Bxh8 38.g5 Bg7 39.Rf2 Rb8 40.Rc2 Bf8 41.Bd2 Rb3 42.Kf2 a4 43.Bc1 Be7 44.Kf3 Kg7 45.Ke2 Rb8 46.Kf3 Rh8 47.Kg2 Kf7 48.Re2 Ke8 49.Kg1 Kd7 50.Kg2 Kc6 51.Kg1 Kb5

52.Kg2 Ra8 53.Kf1 Rh8 54.Kg2 Bd6 55.Rd2 Bc7 56.Re2 Ba5 57.Rd2 Rh7 58.Rc2 Bc7 59.Kg1 Bd6 60.Kg2 Ka5 61.Kg1 Rh8 62.Kg2 Rb8 63.Kf3 a3 64.bxa3 Ka4 65.Rh2 Kb3 66.Bd2 Bxa3 67.Rh6 Rg8 68.Ke2 Kc2

69.Rh7 Bb2 70.Re7 Rh8 71.Be1 Bxc3 72.Bf2 Rg8 73.Rxe6 Bb4 74.Rb6 Ba3 75.Ra6 Bb4 76.Rb6 Ba3 77.Ra6 Bb2 78.Rd6 c3 79.Rxd5 Kb1 80.Be1 c2 81.Bd2 c1=Q 82.Bxc1 Bxc1 83.Rd6 Re8 84.Rb6+ Ka2

85.Rxg6 Rxe3+ 86.Kd1 Ba3 87.Rf6 Rd3+ 88.Ke2 Rxd4 89.Rxf5 Bc1 90.Kf3 Rd1 91.g6 Rg1 92.Ra5+ Kb3 93.f5 Bd2 94.Rd5 Bh6 95.Rd7 Kc4 96.Rh7 Bf8 97.Rf7 Bh6 98.Rd7 Rf1+ 99.Ke4 Re1+, draw.

Westfield Grand Prix 11/18/2018

On Sunday, I finished with a score of 2-1-1 in the tournament at Westfield.

Round One: Sicilian Defense

David Zhurbinsky (USCF 2093) - Jim West (USCF 2202), Westfield NJ 11/18/2018

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.f3 a6 6.c4 g6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.Be3 Nc6 9.Be2 O-O 10.O-O Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Be6 12.Qd2 Rc8 13.b3 Re8 14.Rac1 Nd7

15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Qd4+ Kg8 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.cxd5 Qb6 19.Qxb6 Nxb6 20.Rfd1 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Rc8 22.Rxc8+ Nxc8 23.f4 Kf8 24.e5 Nb6 25.Bf3 Nd7 26.e6 Nc5 27.g4 Nd3 28.f5 Nc1 29.Be4 Nxa2 30.g5 Nc3

31.fxg6 fxg6 32.Bf3 a5 33.Kf2 a4 34.bxa4 Nxa4 35.Ke3 Nc5 36.Kd4 Kg7 37.h4 Na6 38.Be2 Nc7 39.Bc4 Kf8 40.Bb3 Ne8 41.Bc2 Ng7 42.Kc4 Nf5 43.Be4 Nxh4 44.Kb5 Nf5 45.Kb6 Kg7 46.Kxb7 h6 47.gxh6+ Nxh6

48.Kc6 Kf6 49.Kd7 g5 50.Bf3 g4 51.Bg2 g3 52.Ke8 Ng4 53.Kd7 Ne3 54.Bf3 g2 55.Bxg2 Nxg2 56.Kc7 Nf4 57.Kc6 Nxe6, White resigns.

          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

Round Two: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Jim West (USCF 2202) - Alexander Hu (USCF 1959), Westfield NJ 11/18/2018

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 Nbd7 8.f4 Qc7 9.O-O Nc5 10.Qf3 Be7 11.f5 O-O 12.Be3 e5 13.Nde2 b5 14.Nd5 Qd8

15.Nxf6+ Bxf6 16.Bd5 Rb8 17.Rad1 Qc7 18.b4 Na4 19.Bb3 Nb2 20.Rd2 Bb7 21.Ng3 Be7 22.Nh5 Nc4 23.Bxc4 Qxc4 24.f6 Bxe4 25.Qg4 g6 26.fxe7 Rfc8 27.Nf6+ Kg7 28.Qxe4, Black resigns.

          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

Round Four: Budapest Gambit, Fajarowicz Variation

Tejas Rama (USCF 2162) - Jim West (USCF 2202), Westfield NJ 11/18/2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4 4.Nd2 Bb4 5.Ngf3 Nc6 6.a3 Bxd2+ 7.Bxd2 Nxd2 8.Qxd2 Qe7 9.Qc3 O-O 10.Rd1 Re8 11.Rd5 b6 12.e3 Bb7 13.Be2 Rad8 14.O-O Nb8

15.Rd2 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 Qxe5 17.Qxe5 Rxe5 18.Rfd1 d6 19.Kf1 Nd7 20.g3 Nf6 21.Bg2 a5 22.h4 g6 23.Rd4 Rde8 24.Ke2 h5 25.Bf3 Kg7 26.Bc6 R8e7 27.b4 axb4 28.axb4 Ng8 29.R4d3 Nh6 30.f4 R5e6 31.Bd5 Rf6 32.e4 Ng4

33.Ra1 Nh6 34.Ra7 Kh7 35.Kd2 Ng8 36.Rda3 g5 37.hxg5 Rg6 38.Ra8 f6 39.Rxg8 Rxg8 40.gxf6 Rd7 41.Be6 Rdd8 42.Bxg8+ Rxg8 43.e5 dxe5 44.fxe5 Kg6 45.Ke3 Kf5 46.Ra7 Kxe5 47.Rxc7 Rxg3+ 48.Ke2 Rg6 49.f7 Rf6

50.Rc6 Rxf7 51.Rxb6 Kd4 52.c5 Kd5 53.Ke3 Ra7 54.Kf4 Rg7 55.Rb8 Kc6 56.Ke5 Rg5+ 57.Ke6 h4 58.Rb6+ Kc7 59.Rd6 Rh5 60.Rd2 h3 61.Rh2 Kc6 62.b5+ Kxc5 63.Kf6 Kxb5 64.Kg6, draw.

GM Maurice Ashley on "The Daily Show"

Grandmaster Maurice Ashley talks chess with Trevor Noah.

Marshall CC November 2018 News

The New York Marshalls qualify for the PRO Chess League.

Pix from Sunday Game/50 11/11/2018

On Sunday, I photographed the players during the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.