Game One of Match Drawn in 42 Moves

In game one of their world championship match, Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin agreed to a draw after 42 moves.

"ABC News" on World Championship Match

Verena Dobnik previews the match between champion Magnus Carlsen and challenger Sergey Karjakin.

Pix from Marshall November Weekend FIDE

Last weekend, I photographed the players during the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

                                             Saturday

                                               Sunday

GM Sergey Karjakin in "NY Times"

[photo by Max Avdeev]

Alex Hawgood profiles grandmaster Sergey Karjakin [pictured].

Marshall November Weekend FIDE 11/6/2016

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

Round Four: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

George Berg (FIDE 1981) - Jim West (FIDE 2015), Marshall Chess Club 11/6/2016

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.g3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Bg2 O-O 9.O-O Nbd7 10.a4 b6 11.Re1 Bb7 12.Nd2 Rc8

13.Nf1 Nc5 14.Bg5 Ne6 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Ne3 Nc7 17.Re2 Qd7 18.Ncd5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 Bxd5 20.Qxd5 Rc5 21.Qd3 a5, draw.

Marshall November Weekend FIDE 11/5/2016

On Saturday, I won this game in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Two: Pirc Defense

Jim West (FIDE 2015) - Victor Chen (FIDE 1653), Marshall Chess Club 11/5/2016

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Bd3 Bg4 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 e5 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.f5 c6 11.Be3 Nbd7 12.a4 b6 13.O-O Qe7

14.g4 Ne8 15.Bc4 Nd6 16.Bb3 Kh8 17.Rad1 Rad8 18.Kh1 a6 19.Rd2 b5 20.axb5 axb5 21.Rfd1 Ne8 22.Bb6 Nxb6 23.Rxd8 Nf6 24.Rxf8+ Bxf8 25.fxg6 fxg6 26.Rf1 Nbd7 27.g5 Nh5

28.Qf7 Qxf7 29.Rxf7 Kg8 30.Rxd7+, Black resigns.

Russian Hackers to Target Carlsen?

Magnus Carlsen has turned to Microsoft to protect him from Russian hackers.

"NY Times" Article on World Championship

John Leland previews the upcoming match between Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin.

Pix from Halloweekend 10/30/2016

On Sunday, I snapped these photos during the weekend tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Kasparov in "NY Times" on U.S. Election

Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov opines that the U.S. presidential election is not rigged.

Countdown to Carlsen - Karjakin Match

[photo of South Street Seaport by Agon Limited]

A.J. Steigman interviews Kyrillos Zangalis, Michael Stanton, Espen Agdestein, and Ilya Merenzon.

Marshall No Draws Halloweekend 10/30/2016

On Sunday, I finished with a score of 1-1-4 in the tournament at the Marshall Chess Club.

Round Six: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Ed Kopiecki (USCF 2046) - Jim West (USCF 2218), Marshall Chess Club 10/30/2016

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.Nd5 Rxd5 20.Rxd5 Qxb5 21.Bf4 Qc4 22.Qf3 exd5 23.Rxe7 Nd3+ 24.Qxd3 Qxf4+ 25.Qd2 Qxd2+ 26.Kxd2 Rg8 27.g3 Rg7 28.Ke3 Kd8 29.Ra7 Bc8 30.b4 Be6 31.b5 Rg4

32.c3 Kc8 33.a4  Rc4 34.Kd2 d4 35.cxd4 Rxd4+ 36.Ke3 Rb4 37.h3 Kb8 38.Ra6 f5 39.h4 h5 40.Kf3 Kb7 41.Ke3 Bb3 42.Rh6 Bxa4 43.Rxh5 Rxb5 44.Rh7 Bb3 45.h5 Be6 46.h6 Rb1 47.Rg7 Rh1 48.h7 Kc6

49.Kd4 Kd6 50.Ke3 Ke5 51.Rg5 Rxh7 52.g4 Rh3+ 53.Kf2 Kf4 54.Rg7 fxg4 55.Kg1 f5 56.Ra7 Bd5 57.Ra4+ Be4 58.Rb4 Kg3 59.Rb3+ Bf3 60.Rxf3+ Kxf3 61.Kf1 Rh1#.