Birthday Boy

Yesterday Fabiano Caruana, America's youngest grandmaster, turned 15 years of age.

U. S. Open in Progress

The 2007 United States Open chess tournament is underway in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Marshall Chess Club Swiss 7/29/2007

There was a game/30 Swiss today, in which I finished 2-1-2, at the Marshall Chess Club. The following were my best efforts.

Round Two: Budapest Gambit, Fajarowicz Variation

Ilye Figler (USCF 2313) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Marshall Chess Club 7/29/2007

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Nxd2 6.Nbxd2 Nc6 7.a3 Bxd2+ 8.Qxd2 Qe7 9.Qc3 O-O 10.Rd1 Re8 11.Rd5 b6 12.e3 Bb7 13.Bd3 Rad8 14.h4 Nb8

15.b4 c5 16.Rh3 cxb4 17.axb4 Bxd5 18.cxd5 Rc8 19.Qd4 d6 20.e6 fxe6 21.dxe6 Nc6 22.Bxh7+ Kh8 23.Qe4 d5 24.Qxd5 Qxb4+ 25.Kf1 Qa5 26.Qe4 Qa1+ 27.Ne1 Ne5 28.f4 Rc1 29.fxe5 Rxe1+ 30.Kf2 Rf1+ 31.Kg3 Qe1+ 32.Kg4 Qd1+ 33.Kg5 Qd8+ 34.Kg4 Qd1+ 35.Kg5 Qd8+, draw.

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Round Four: Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

Jim West (USCF 2200) - Nelson Farber (USCF 1923), Marshall Chess Club 7/29/2007

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 b5 8.O-O Bb7 9.Re1 b4 10.Nd5 exd5 11.Ba4+ Nbd7 12.exd5+ Be7 13.Nf5 O-O 14.Nxe7+ Kh8 15.Bg5 Qa5


16.Bxd7 Nxd7 17.Bf4 Qc5 18.Nf5 Qxd5 19.Qxd5 Bxd5 20.Bxd6 Rfe8 21.Bxb4 Nf6 22.Bc3 Rad8 23.a3 Be4 24.Bxf6 gxf6 25.Ne3 Rd2 26.Rad1 Red8 27.Rxd2 Rxd2 28.Rc1 f5 29.Nf1 Rxc2 30.Rxc2 Bxc2 31.Ne3 Bb1 32.b4 Bd3 33.f4 Kg7 34.Kf2 Be4 35.g3 Kf6 36.Ke2 Ke6 37.Kd2 Kd6 38.Kc3 f6 39.Kd4 h5 40.h3 Kc6 41.g4 hxg4 42.hxg4 Kb5 43.gxf5 Bb1 44.Nd5 Kc6 45.Nxf6 Bxf5 46.Nd5 Kb5 47.Nc3+ Kc6 48.Ke5 Bh3 49.a4 Bf1 50.f5 Bc4 51.Kf6 Kd7 52.b5 axb5 53.axb5 Kc7 54.Ke7, Black resigns.

West - Truong

Congratulations to newly-elected USCF Executive Board member Paul Truong! Recently I played this game against Truong in a game/30 quad at the Polgar Chess Center, run by grandmaster Susan Polgar who also was elected to the Executive Board.

Round Two: Sicilian Defense

Jim West (USCF 2223) - Paul Truong (USCF 2283), Polgar Chess Center 12/3/2006

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 b5 7.Bb3 Bb7

Usually Black plays ...e6 before bringing the bishop to b7.

8.f3 Nbd7 9.Be3 Nc5 10.Qd2 e6 11.O-O-O Rc8 12.Kb1 Be7 13.g4 Nxb3 14.axb3?! d5!

White should have captured with 14.Nxb3 to restrain this move. In the game, Black could have been slightly better by 16...b4.

15.g5 Nh5 16.exd5 Bxd5?! 17.Nxd5 Qxd5 18.Ne2 Qxd2 19.Rxd2 Bc5 20.Bxc5 Rxc5 21.Rhd1 O-O

22.h4 Rf5 23.Rd3 g6 24.Rh1 Rc8 25.c3 Rcc5 26.b4 Rc4 27.b3 Rc7 28.Kb2 Kg7 29.Ra1 Nf4 30.Nxf4 Rxf4, draw.

A likely conclusion might have been 31.Rxa6 Rxh4 32.Rb6 Rh2+ 33.Kb1 Ra7 34.Rxb5 Rh2+ 35.Kb1 Rh1+ with a repetition of position.

Humans Beat Computer at Poker

How about this for a "man bites dog" story?

Although computers have surpassed humans at chess, checkers, and backgammon, we still have the upper hand when it comes to poker.

Marshall Swindle

Ordinarily I would not post a victory against an eight-year-old kid. But when he later becomes America's youngest grandmaster, I make an exception. This Philidor Counter Gambit was played at the Marshall Chess Club. The time control was game/60.

Fabiano Caruana (USCF 1780) - Jim West (USCF 2228), Marshall Chess Club 3/25/2001

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 f5 4.d4 Nc6 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.d5 Nb8

In light of White's next move, it may have been better for Black to interpolate 6...f4 before retreating with 7...Nb8.

7.f4! fxe4 8.O-O Bg4?!

Worthy of consideration is 8...Ng4!?.

9.Qd2 Nf5 10.h3 e3 11.Qd3 e2 12.Re1 h6 13.hxg4 hxg5 14.Qxf5 c6 15.dxc6??

White wins easily after 15.Qg6+.

15...Qb6+, White resigns. 

This forgettable game makes both players look bad: me, for getting outplayed in my favorite defense; and Caruana, for allowing a swindle in a winning position.

108th Annual U.S. Open

The 2007 United States Open chess tournament begins this Saturday, July 28th, at the Crowne Plaza in Cherry Hill.

Ferrero Plays PCG

At this year's U.S. Amateur Team East tournament, Atlantic Chess News editor Steve Ferrero won in round two with the Philidor Counter Gambit. Ferrero was my teammate and captain on Insufficient Losing Chances. Actually, the game started out as a Latvian Gambit before transposing into the PCG.

Eric Mattelson (USCF 1771) - Steve Ferrero (USCF 1886), USATE 2/17/2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nc3 d6 4.d4 fxe4 5.Nxe4 exd4

Ferrero avoids the complications following 5...d5 6.Nxe5 or 6.Neg5.

6.Qxd4 Nf6 7.Bg5 Be7 8.O-O-O O-O 9.Nxf6+

Another line, giving White a slight plus, is 9.Bc4+ Kh8 10.Nxf6 Nc6 11.Qe4 Bxf6 12.h4.

9...Bxf6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Bc4+ Be6 12.Rhe1 Bxc4 13.Qxc4+ Qf7 14.Qxf7+ Rxf7 15.Re8+ Rf8 16.Rde1 Nc6 17.Rxa8 Rxa8

Perhaps White has a tiny advantage in this position.

18.c3 h6 19.b4 a6 20.Kc2 Kf7 21.Kd3 b5 22.Nd4 Ne5+ 23.Kc2 g5 24.Rf1 Nc4 25.Re1 Ne5 26.Rf1 Re8 27.f4 gxf4 28.Rxf4+ Kg6 29.Kb3 h5 30.a4 c6

Now the position is equal. But, after White's next move, it is Black who stands slightly better.

31.Re4?! Rf8 32.Ne6 Rf2 33.Rd4?

White needed to play 33.Re2, relying on 33...Rxe2 34.Nf4+ followed by 35.Nxe2.

33...Nc4 34.Rxc4 bxc4+ 35.Kxc4 Rf7 36.Nd8 Rc7 37.Ne6 Rc8

Black has a clear advantage.

38.g3 Kf5 39.Ng7+ Kg4 40.h3+ Kxg3 41.Nxh5+ Kxh3 42.Ng7 Kg4 43.Ne6 Kf5 44.Nd4+ Ke4 45.Nc2 d5+ 46.Kc5 Kd3 47.Nd4 Kxc3 48.Nxc6 d4, White resigns.

Zlotnikov - Zaichik

Here an international master outplays a grandmaster in a rook-and-minor-piece ending, from round six of the New Jersey Futurity International 2007.

IM Mikhail Zlotnikov (FIDE 2367) - GM Gennadi Zaichik (FIDE 2473), NJ Futurity International 7/10/2007

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.e3 c5 4.Nbd2 Nc6 5.c3 cxd4 6.exd4 Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.Be2

Eighth move alternatives for White include 8.Qa4, 8.Bb5, and 8.Bd3. The position is similar to the exchange variation of the Caro-Kann.

8...Qc7 9.0–0 e6 10.Ne5 Nxe5

Black should have swapped bishops by 10...Bxe2 11.Qxe2 before exchanging on e5.

11.Bxh5 Nc6 12.Be2 Bd6 13.Bd3 0–0 14.Nf3 Rab8 15.Qe2 Rfe8 16.Re1 e5

Black would like to start a minority attack, but 16...b5? loses a pawn to 17.Bxb5.

17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 Bxe5 19.Be3 Bh2+ 20.Kh1 Bf4 21.Qf3 Bxe3 22.Rxe3 Qb6 23.Rb1 Rxe3 24.Qxe3 Qxe3 25.fxe3 Re8 26.Re1 Kf8

Now both players have a weak center pawn.

27.Re2 Re5 28.Kg1 Ke7 29.Kf2 Nd7 30.g4 h5 31.Bc2 Nf6 32.Kf3 Kd6 33.Rd2 g6 34.Rd4 Nh7 35.gxh5 Rxh5 36.h4 Nf8?


Black should have played 36...Nf6 with an equal position.

37.c4 Ke7 38.cxd5 Kd6 39.Rf4 f5 40.e4 fxe4+ 41.Bxe4 Nd7


Now White forces a winning rook-and-pawn endgame.

42.Bxg6! Ne5+ 43.Kg3 Nxg6 44.Rf6+ Kd7 45.Rxg6 Rxd5 46.Rg7+ Kc6 47.Rf7 Rd8 48.h5, Black resigns.

Know When to Fold Them

Computers have already surpassed human opponents at chess, checkers, and backgammon.

Now they are trying their hand at poker.

Cherry Hill Swiss 7/21/2007

At today's game/30 Swiss in Cherry Hill, I finished with a record of 1-1-3.

Two of my draws were as Black against masters.

Round Two: Philidor Counter Gambit

Leroy Dubeck (USCF 2242) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Cherry Hill NJ 7/21/2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Nf3 f5 4.exf5 Bxf5 5.d4 e4 6.Qe2 d5 7.Qb5+ Nc6 8.Ne5 Nge7 9.Bg5 Be6 10.Bxe7 Bxe7 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Qxc6+ Kf7 13.Nb5 Bd6 14.Nxd6+ cxd6 15.Be2 Qe7 16.O-O Rhc8 17.Qa4 Kg8

18.c3 Qg5 19.f4 Qh6 20.Qc2 Rf8 21.Qd2 Rf7 22.Qe3 Rb8 23.b3 Rbf8 24.g3 Bh3 25.Rfe1 Qg6 26.Bf1 Qe6 27.Bg2 g5 28.Rf1 gxf4 29.Rxf4 Rxf4 30.gxf4 Bxg2 31.Kxg2 Qg4+ 32.Qg3 Rxf4 33.Rf1 Qxg3+ 34.hxg3 Rxf1 35.Kxf1 Kf7 36.Ke2 Ke6 37.Ke3 Kf5 38.c4 dxc4 39.bxc4 h5 40.a4 a5 41.c5 d5 42.Kf2 Ke6 43.Ke3 Kf5 44.Kf2, draw.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Round Three: Sicilian Defense

Boris Baczynskyj (USCF 2232) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Cherry Hill NJ 7/21/2007

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.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.Qxg7 Rdf8 15.Qg3 b4 16.Na4 Rhg8 17.Qf2 Nd7

18.c4 Qa5 19.Bc2 Nc5 20.Nb3 Qxa4 21.Nxc5 Qxa2 22.Bb3 Qa5 23.Nxb7 Kxb7 24.e5 Rd8 25.Qf3+ Kb6 26.g3 dxe5 27.Rxe5 Qa1+ 28.Kc2 Qxd1+ 29.Qxd1 Rxd1 30.Kxd1 Bf6 31.Rh5 Bxb2 32.Kc2 Bc3 33.Ba4 f5 34.Rh6 Rg6 35.Rxh7 e5 36.fxe5 Bxe5 37.Rf7 Rf6 38.Rxf6+ Bxf6 39.Bd7 Kc5 40.Kb3 a5 41.Be6 Be5 42.Bxf5 a4+ 43.Kxa4 Kxc4 44.Be6+ Kc3 45.Bf7 Bd6 46.Kb5 Kd4 47.Kc6 Be5 48.Bg6 Ke3 49.Kd5 Bxg3 50.hxg3 Kf3, draw.

Checkers Solved

A computer program Chinook has solved the game of checkers. With proper play, the game should end in a draw. It took Chinook eighteen years to arrive at this conclusion.

There is no need for chess players to worry. It would take eons for computers to solve chess.