From Don Carrelli Memorial with Lev

Candidate master Lev Zilbermintz [pictured] sends the following game with notes.

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Yesterday I played in the Don Carrelli Memorial tournament in Westfield.  I began by defeating Errol Singh (USCF 1904) and drawing NM Sameer Mujumdar.  Then I defeated NM Mark Kernighan (USCF 2206) after he repeatedly refused draw offers. The last game was against Merric Hu, who is a master these days.

The game was reminiscent of Graif - Zilbermintz, Westfield 2014.  It was another Philidor Counter Gambit, del Rio Attack. The combat lasted 42 moves.

Round Four: Philidor Counter Gambit

Merric Hu (USCF 2212) - Lev Zilbermintz (USCF 2045), Westfield NJ 9/15/2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5  4.dxe5 fxe4 5.Ng5 d5 6.e6 Bc5! 7.Nf7 Qf6 8.Qe2 

The database gives three games with this line. They are James Mason - Otis Field, Jr., New York 1868, 0-1/27;  Pessi-Popescu, Bucharest 1995, 1-0/47; and Kocsis - Aladics, 33rd Harkany Tenkes Cup, Hungary 2009, draw/10. 

8...Nc6

Mason - Field, New York 1868, continued 8...Bxe6 9.Nxh8 Nc6 10.c3 O-O-O 11.Be3 d4 12.cxd4 Nb4  13.Qd2 Bxd4 14.Qxb4 Bxb2 15.Be2 Nh6 16.Qa4 Bc3+ 17.Kf1 Ng4 18.Qxa7 Nxe3+ 19.Qxe3 Bxa1 20.Qa7 Bd4 21.Qa8+ Kd7  22.Bb5+ Ke7 23.Qa3+ c5 24.f3 Bg4 25.Nd2 exf3 26.Nxf3 Bxf3 27.gxf3 Qh4, 0-1.  

Pessi - Popescu, Bucharest 1995 saw 8...a6? 9.Nxh8 Bxe6 10.c3 Nc6 11.Be3 d4? 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qxc5 dxe3 14.Qxe3 O-O-O, 1-0/47.

9.Nxh8 

Kocsis - Aladics, Hungary 2009 continued 9.c3 Bxe6 10.Nxh8 O-O-O, drawn.

9...Bxe6  10.c3 O-O-O 11.Nd2 Ne5! 12.Nb3 Nd3+ 13.Kd2 Bxf2 14.Kc2

Here I thought long over my next move.  The problem is that so many candidate moves are playable. What attracted my attention was 14...Ne1+ 15.Kb1, but then how to continue the attack?  After spending 12 minutes on the analyses, I came up with the solution.

14...Ne1+ 15.Kb1 e3!

This prevents the bishop on c1 from coming out. Now White's forces are divided in two.

16.a4 d4!

The game is over at this point, since 17.Nxd4 Rxd4! 18.cxd4 Qf5+ wins for Black.

17.Qb5 c6! 18.Qb4 Qf5+ 19.Ka2 Nc2!! 

Annihilation!  White pieces never really got into the game.

20.Bd3 Nxb4+, White resigns.

After winning the game, I thought that I might have qualified for the Under 2200 prize.  Next thing I knew, NM Roman Malyshev was congratulating me on winning the tournament altogether!!  This was a total surprise for me, as there were at least 10 masters in the tournament.  These included Boris Privman, Yefim Treger, Sameer Mujumdar, Sam Barsky, Mauricio Camejo, just to name a few.

Winning this tournament with clear first place, 3.5/4 points, had to be my biggest success in years.  I won the first place prize of $225.  

From Westfield with Lev

Candidate master Lev Zilbermintz [pictured] annotates his game against William Graif at the Westfield quads.

Round Three: Philidor Counter Gambit

William Graif (USCF 2134) - Lev Zilbermintz (USCF 2111), Westfield NJ 2/9/2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.dxe5 fxe4 5.Ng5 d5 6.e6

The Del Rio Attack, first proposed by Ercole del Rio in 1750.

 6...Bc5! 

The other move here is 6...Nh6.

 7.Nf7 Qf6 8.Be3 d4! 9.Bg5 Qf5

 On 9...Qg6 10.Be2!  So, it is necessary to provoke the blocking of the g4 square.

10.g4 Qd5 11.c4 Qxe6 12.Nxh8 Nc6! 

First rook sacrifice. The knight on h8 is not coming out.

13.Na3 Ne5 14.Bg2 Nd3+ 15.Kf1 

Maybe 15.Ke2 was better.

15...Nf6 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Qe2 e3! 18.Qf3 Nxf2! 

Now Black has two passed pawns and very active minor pieces.

19.Qxf6 gxf6 20.Nb5

Going for the other rook?  White can have it!

20...d3!! 

Morphy would have been proud!

21.Nxc7+ Kf8 22.Nxa8 Bxg4!! 

Now all of Black's minor pieces are active.

23.h3 Be2+ 24.Kg1 Nxh1 25.Bxh1? 

Perhaps 25.Nc7!? was better, trying to get the knight into play. Now it is all over.

25...Bd1! 26.b4 e2+ 27.Kg2 e1=Q 28.bxc5 Bf3+ 29.Kxf3 

29...Qxa1 30.Ke3 Qxh1 31.Kxd3 Qxh3+ 32.Kd4 Kg7 33.Nc7 Qd7+ 34.Nd5 Kxh8 

35.Ke3 Qe6+ 36.Kf3 f5 37.Kg3 Qe1+ 38.Kg2 Qd2+ 39.Kf3 Qxa2 40.Ne3 Qa3 41.Kf4 Qxc5 42.Nxf5 Qxc4+, White resigns. 

Winning this game allowed me to be part of a 4-way tie for first place. Every player in the quad -- Mauricio Camejo, Errol Singh, William Graif, me -- scored 1.5 points, losing one game to each other. Since first prize was $60, each player received $15.

I think this was my most beautiful game so far: 19th century type attacking game, Morphy style; both black rooks sacrificed!

Rahway Swiss 4/21/2012

On Saturday, I won this game at Chess Mates in the game/45 Swiss tournament.

Round Two: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

William Graif (USCF 2043) - Jim West (USCF 2226), Rahway NJ 4/21/2012

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.g4 b5 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 12.g5 Nd7 13.Bd3 Bb7 14.h4 O-O-O 

15.Qe2 Nc5 16.Nb3 d5 17.e5 g6 18.h5 Kb8 19.Nd4 b4 20.Nb1 Qa5 21.a3 bxa3 22.Nxa3 Qa4 23.Qe3Rc8 24.Kb1 Ne4 25.Bxe4 dxe4 26.Rh3 Rhd8 27.Qg1 Bc5 28.c4 e3, White forfeits.

Rahway Quad 4/14/2012

Yesterday at Chess Mates, in the game/45 quad, I won an inferior endgame when my opponent blundered.

Round Two: Philidor Counter Gambit

William Graif (USCF 2049) - Jim West (USCF 2213), Rahway NJ 4/14/2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 f5 4.d3 c6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Qe2 Be7 7.Ng5 Qc7 8.Bf7+ Kf8 9.Be6 h6 10.Nf7 Rh7 11.exf5 Bxe6 12.fxe6 Qc8 13.f4 Qxe6 14.fxe5 Kxf7 15.exf6 Qxe2+ 16.Kxe2 Bxf6

17.Ne4 Be7 18.Bf4 d5 19.Nd6+ Bxd6 20.Bxd6 Ke6 21.Bg3 Na6 22.Rae1 Kd7 23.Rhf1 Re8+ 24.Kd2 Rxe1 25.Kxe1 g5 26.Kd2 Ke7 27.d4 Rg7 28.Be5 Rg6 29.c3 c5 30.Ke3 b6 31.a3 cxd4+ 32.Kxd4 Nc5 33.Kxd5 Nd3

34.b4 Nxe5 35.Re1 Rd6+ 36.Kxe5 Re6+, White resigns.

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 8/16/2008

Playing in a game/60 Swiss today, I finished with a record of 1-0-3 at the Marshall Chess Club. My games follow.

Round One: Philidor Counter Gambit

William Graif (USCF 1649) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 8/16/2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 f5 4.d3 c6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Bxf6 Bxf6 8.O-O f4 9.d4 Qe7 10.Qd3 a5 11.a3 Na6 12.Rad1 Be6 13.Bxe6 Qxe6 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Qd6 Qxd6 16.Rxd6 Ke7 17.Rfd1 Rhd8 18.Rxd8 Rxd8 19.Rxd8 Kxd8

20.Kf1 b5 21.Ke2 Kd7 22.Kd3 Ke6 23.Nd2 Be7 24.Nb3 a4 25.Nc1 Nc5+ 26.Kd2 Nb7 27.N1a2 Na5 28.Nb4 Kd7 29.f3 Nc4+ 30.Kc1 Bc5 31.Ne2 g5 32.Nd3 Be3+ 33.Kd1 Kd6 34.c3 h5 35.g3 Nd2 36.gxf4 exf4 37.Ne1 g4 38.Nd4 gxf3 39.Nexf3 Nxe4 40.Nf5+ Kd5 41.Nxe3 fxe3 42.Ke2 Nd6 43.Ne1 Nc4 44.Nd3 Ke4


45.Nc5+ Kf4 46.Nd3+ Kg4 47.Nb4 Kh3 48.Nxc6 Kxh2 49.Nd4 h4 50.Nxb5 Kg2 51.Nd4 h3 52.Nf3 h2 53.Nxh2 Kxh2 54.Kd3 Kg3 55.Kxc4 e2 56.Kb5 e1=Q 57.Kxa4 Kf4 58.Kb5 Qd2 59.b4 Qxc3 60.a4 Ke5 61.Ka5 Kd6 62.Kb5 Kc7 63.a5 Qc6#.

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Round Two: Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Tony Blum (USCF 1940), Marshall Chess Club 8/16/2008

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 Ne5 12.O-O-O Nc4 13.Bxc4 Rxc4 14.h5 Nxh5 15.g4 Nf6 16.Nde2 Be6

17.Bh6 Bh8 18.e5 Nxg4 19.fxg4 Bxe5 20.Bxf8 Qxf8 21.g5 Qg7 22.Kb1 a6 23.Qe1 b5 24.Rh4 Bg4 25.Qh1 Bxc3 26.Nxc3 Bxd1 27.Rxc4 bxc4 28.Nxd1 Qd4 29.c3 Qd2 30.Qg1 d5


31.Ne3 d4 32.cxd4 Qxd4 33.Qc1 Qe4+ 34.Nc2 Qd3 35.a3 f6 36.gxf6 exf6 37.Qe1 Kf7 38.Kc1 h5 39.Nb4 Qd6 40.Qe4 Kg7, draw.




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Round Three: Falkbeer Counter Gambit

Alena Kats (USCF 1980) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 8/16/2008

1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 e4 4.d3 Qxd5 5.Qe2 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Bd2 Bxc3 8.Bxc3 Bg4 9.dxe4 Bxe2 10.exd5 Bxf1 11.Kxf1 Nxd5 12.Bxg7 Rg8 13.Re1+ Kd7 14.Be5 f6 15.c4 fxe5 16.cxd5 exf4

17.Nh3 Rf8 18.Kf2 Na6 19.Re4 Nc5 20.Rd4 Rae8 21.Nxf4 Rxf4+ 22.Rxf4 Nd3+ 23.Kf3 Nxf4 24.Kxf4 Re2 25.g4 Rxb2 26.Kg5 Rf2 27.Kh6 Rf7 28.g5 Kd6 29.h4 Kxd5 30.h5 c5 31.g6 hxg6 32.hxg6 Rf6 33.Kh7 c4 34.g7 Rf7 35.Kh8 Rxg7 36.Kxg7 c3

37.Kf6 Kd4 38.Ke6 b5 39.Kd6 c2 40.Kc6 a6 41.Kb6 Kc3 42.Kxa6 b4 43.Kb5 b3 44.axb3, draw.

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Round Four: Sicilian Defense, Sozin Attack

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Anna Ginzburg (USCF 1900), Marshall Chess Club 8/16/2008

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 Be7 8.Be3 O-O 9.O-O Na5 10.f4 Nxb3 11.axb3 a6 12.Qf3 Nd7 13.Qh3 e5 14.Nf5 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne5 16.Nd5 Ng6 17.Be3 Bg5 18.Bb6 Qd7 19.Bd4 Qd8 20.Nb6 Be6 21.Nxa8 Qxa8

22.Bxg7 Bxf5 23.exf5 Kxg7 24.fxg6 hxg6 25.Qc3+ Kg8 26.Rf3 Qa7+ 27.Kh1 Qc5 28.Qxc5 dxc5 29.Raf1 f5 30.g3 Re8 31.h4 Bf6 32.h5 Bxb2 33.hxg6 Kg7 34.Rxf5 b6 35.Rd5 Re6 36.Rfd1 Rxg6 37.Rd7+ Kh6 38.R7d6 Bd4 39.Rxg6+ Kxg6 40.Kg2 a5


41.Kf3 Kf5 42.g4+ Kg5 43.Rh1 Kg6 44.Rh5 b5 45.Ke4 a4 46.bxa4 bxa4 47.Rh3 Bb2 48.g5 a3 49.Rh6+ Kxg5 50.Ra6 c4 51.Kd5 c3 52.Ra4 Kf5 53.Kc4 Ke4 54.Kb3+ Ke3 55.Ra8 Kd2 56.Rd8+ Kc1 57.Rh8 Kd2 58.Rh1 Ke2 59.Rh2+ Kd1 60.Rh3 Kc1


61.Rh1+ Kd2 62.Rg1 Ke2 63.Rh1 Kd2 64.Rh2+ Kc1 65.Ka2 Kd1 66.Kb1 Ke1 67.Rh8 Kd2 68.Rd8+ Ke2 69.Rd3 Ke1 70.Ka2 Kf2 71.Kb3 Ke2 72.Rd8 Ke1 73.Rd7 Kf2 74.Re7 Kf3 75.Re8 Kf2, draw.