A few changes have been made to this blog.
1. To make things easier, anonymous posting has been allowed. I've done this to assist blog readers that may not be very internet savvy but whose remarks would nevertheless be interesting. If this becomes a problem, then I will switch settings back to requiring a google account to post on this blog.
2. Posts can now be emailed to a friend if blog readers wish to take advantage of this feature. Just click on the envelope with the small arrow on it at the bottom of the post you wish to e mail to a friend. You will need to provide your friend's e mail address, your own e mail address, and your name. Google/blogspot will do the rest.
3. If you scroll to the very end of this page then you will find a very interesting quote by the late David Bronstein. Bronstein was a one-time challenger for the World Championship and was one of the greatest players NOT to be world champion (along with the likes of Paul Keres and others). He edited one of the greatest tournament books in the history of chess; I mean the book Zurich International Chess Tournament 1953. I may add other quotes to this one or replace it by other famous quotes from the history of chess. Enjoy!
4. I am planning to make use of Nikolai Pilafov's Chess Viewer Deluxe on this blog if it is possible. This will take some time, however. In the meantime, "Game Replayer" from ChessVideos.tv works well enough, although a game viewer with annotations as well would be even better.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The Mike Shpan Memorial TNT wraps up for another year.
Here's my game against Daniel Oberton (1978) in the final round of the Shpan Memorial TNT. I lost the game but the news wasn't all bad. (See my comments.)
1. c4 c5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Rb8 6. a3 a6 7. Rb1 b5 8. cxb5
axb5 9. b4 c4 10. Nd5?
In hindsight, I should have just played 10. a4 immediately.
10... e6 11. Nc3 d5
Black has just gained two tempi for FREE. D'oh!
12. a4 bxa4 13. Qxa4 Bd7 14. b5 Ra8
15. bxc6 ?! I was very unhappy with my play to this point and decided to give up the queen for two minors and the exchange. I figured, without full calculation, that I would have much more activity than Black and be able to get a pawn or two back ... or maybe even a whole piece.
However, better is 15. Qc2 (as Daniel pointed out after the game). White may even have a slight plus.
15... Rxa4 16. cxd7+ Qxd7 17. Rb8+ Ke7 18. Nxa4 Qxa4 19. Rb7+ Kd6 20. Ng5
Better may be 20. Rxf7 Nh6 21. Rb7 and Black has the upper hand but isn't outright winning.
20... Nh6 Now that he is getting his king side pieces into play, Black has a decisive advantage.
21. Nxf7+ Nxf7 22. Rxf7 c3 23. O-O
My engine prefers 23. d3 although Black still has the upper hand. However, during the game, I didn't like the idea of leaving the passed pawn alone.
23... cxd2 24. Bxd2 Be5 25. Rc1 Rb8 26. Rfc7
Better is 26. Bg5 ! Re8 27. Rxh7 Bb2 28. Re1 and Black stands only slightly better.
26... Rb1 27. Rxb1 Kxc7 28. Rc1+ Kd7 29. Bh6 Qa2 30. Bf3 Bf6 31. h4 Qb2 32. Rd1 Ke7 33. Bc1 Qc3 34. Be3 d4 35. Rc1 Qa3 36. Bh6 and Black still has the upper hand.
36... g5 ? 37. Rc7+ Kd8 38. Rxh7
Better is 38. Rf7 ! Be7 39. hxg5 The position is level and White should be able to draw in this line. However, I was already in serious time trouble.
38... gxh4 39. gxh4 Bxh4 40. Rh8+ Kd7 41. Rh7+ Ke8
42. Bc6+ I missed what looked like my last chance for a draw with 42. Rh8+ Kf7
The Black king has to come forward to avoid the draw by repetition. Running the other way faces the possibility of a check from the h6 bishop along the h2-b8 diagonal and a discovered attack on Black's h4 bishop - which would be winning for White. The Queen cannot win against the 2 bishops and a rook.
If ever Black plays 42... Ke7 ?? then it is instant death with 43. Bf8+ and White dines on the free queen. Black also had to avoid playing the king to d6 while the possibility of Bf8+ was available as this would lose the bishop
at least.
If Black tries 42... Kd7 then we have 43. Rh7+ and with 43... Be7 there follows 44. Bg5 and a win for White. In this line, 44. Bf8 also wins with 44... Qc1+ 45. Kg2 Qg5+ 46. Kf1 Qg8 47. Rxe7+ Kd8 48. Ra7 and Black cannot capture the bishop with 48... Qxf8 ?? since 49. Ra8+ follows, winning for White again.
Following the drawing line with 42... Kf7 we have 43. Rh7+ Kg8
43... Kf6 ?? 44. Bg7+ Kg6 45. Be4+ Kg5 46. Bxd4 loses for Black. At the very least White gets the draw quite easily.
43... Kg6 ?? 44. Be4+ Kf6 45. Bg7+ Kg5 46. Bxd4 also loses for Black.
So, now we have 44. Rg7+ Kh8 45. Be4 ... with the threat of the perpetual (or winning the Black queen). 45... Bf6 46. Rf7 Be7 and White has a forced draw. 47. Rh7+ Kg8 48. Rg7+ Kh8 [48... Kf8 ?? 49. Rg3+ just wins outright for White.] 49. Rh7+ and so on.
So I missed the draw. Those aren't easy against a 1978 rated player.
42... Kd8 43. Rd7+
43. Bf4 exposes the Black bishop to attack and is probably a better move.
43... Kc8 44. Rh7 Qb4
Much better for Black is 44... Qa1+ 45. Kg2 Qe1 46. Rf7 Qxe2 which looks winning.
45. Kg2 Qb1 46. Bb7+ Kd8 47. Rh8+ Ke7 48. Bf8+ Kf7 49. Bf3 Be7 50. Bh5+ Kf6
51. Bxe7+
51. Rh6+ Kg5 52. Bg7 keeps all 3 pieces on the board and so is probably a better line.
51... Kxe7 52. Re8+ Kd7 53. Rh8 Qe4+ 54. Bf3 Qg6+ 55. Kf1 e5 56. Bh5 Qg7 57. Ra8 Qh6 58. Bf3 Qf4 59. Ra7+ Kd6 60. Ra6+ Kc5 61. Ra5+
White flags. I had zero seconds showing on the clock for the last few moves so I made the move ... and resigned.
Even though I gave up the queen, the exchange gave me some play. A more careful examination of the position after 41 moves would have given me the half point. The success of James Atem in my rating group, however, bumped him up to a tie for first overall and netted me a few unexpected dollars in prize money despite the loss. 0-1
1. c4 c5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Rb8 6. a3 a6 7. Rb1 b5 8. cxb5
axb5 9. b4 c4 10. Nd5?
In hindsight, I should have just played 10. a4 immediately.
10... e6 11. Nc3 d5
Black has just gained two tempi for FREE. D'oh!
12. a4 bxa4 13. Qxa4 Bd7 14. b5 Ra8
15. bxc6 ?! I was very unhappy with my play to this point and decided to give up the queen for two minors and the exchange. I figured, without full calculation, that I would have much more activity than Black and be able to get a pawn or two back ... or maybe even a whole piece.
However, better is 15. Qc2 (as Daniel pointed out after the game). White may even have a slight plus.
15... Rxa4 16. cxd7+ Qxd7 17. Rb8+ Ke7 18. Nxa4 Qxa4 19. Rb7+ Kd6 20. Ng5
Better may be 20. Rxf7 Nh6 21. Rb7 and Black has the upper hand but isn't outright winning.
20... Nh6 Now that he is getting his king side pieces into play, Black has a decisive advantage.
21. Nxf7+ Nxf7 22. Rxf7 c3 23. O-O
My engine prefers 23. d3 although Black still has the upper hand. However, during the game, I didn't like the idea of leaving the passed pawn alone.
23... cxd2 24. Bxd2 Be5 25. Rc1 Rb8 26. Rfc7
Better is 26. Bg5 ! Re8 27. Rxh7 Bb2 28. Re1 and Black stands only slightly better.
26... Rb1 27. Rxb1 Kxc7 28. Rc1+ Kd7 29. Bh6 Qa2 30. Bf3 Bf6 31. h4 Qb2 32. Rd1 Ke7 33. Bc1 Qc3 34. Be3 d4 35. Rc1 Qa3 36. Bh6 and Black still has the upper hand.
36... g5 ? 37. Rc7+ Kd8 38. Rxh7
Better is 38. Rf7 ! Be7 39. hxg5 The position is level and White should be able to draw in this line. However, I was already in serious time trouble.
38... gxh4 39. gxh4 Bxh4 40. Rh8+ Kd7 41. Rh7+ Ke8
42. Bc6+ I missed what looked like my last chance for a draw with 42. Rh8+ Kf7
The Black king has to come forward to avoid the draw by repetition. Running the other way faces the possibility of a check from the h6 bishop along the h2-b8 diagonal and a discovered attack on Black's h4 bishop - which would be winning for White. The Queen cannot win against the 2 bishops and a rook.
If ever Black plays 42... Ke7 ?? then it is instant death with 43. Bf8+ and White dines on the free queen. Black also had to avoid playing the king to d6 while the possibility of Bf8+ was available as this would lose the bishop
at least.
If Black tries 42... Kd7 then we have 43. Rh7+ and with 43... Be7 there follows 44. Bg5 and a win for White. In this line, 44. Bf8 also wins with 44... Qc1+ 45. Kg2 Qg5+ 46. Kf1 Qg8 47. Rxe7+ Kd8 48. Ra7 and Black cannot capture the bishop with 48... Qxf8 ?? since 49. Ra8+ follows, winning for White again.
Following the drawing line with 42... Kf7 we have 43. Rh7+ Kg8
43... Kf6 ?? 44. Bg7+ Kg6 45. Be4+ Kg5 46. Bxd4 loses for Black. At the very least White gets the draw quite easily.
43... Kg6 ?? 44. Be4+ Kf6 45. Bg7+ Kg5 46. Bxd4 also loses for Black.
So, now we have 44. Rg7+ Kh8 45. Be4 ... with the threat of the perpetual (or winning the Black queen). 45... Bf6 46. Rf7 Be7 and White has a forced draw. 47. Rh7+ Kg8 48. Rg7+ Kh8 [48... Kf8 ?? 49. Rg3+ just wins outright for White.] 49. Rh7+ and so on.
So I missed the draw. Those aren't easy against a 1978 rated player.
42... Kd8 43. Rd7+
43. Bf4 exposes the Black bishop to attack and is probably a better move.
43... Kc8 44. Rh7 Qb4
Much better for Black is 44... Qa1+ 45. Kg2 Qe1 46. Rf7 Qxe2 which looks winning.
45. Kg2 Qb1 46. Bb7+ Kd8 47. Rh8+ Ke7 48. Bf8+ Kf7 49. Bf3 Be7 50. Bh5+ Kf6
51. Bxe7+
51. Rh6+ Kg5 52. Bg7 keeps all 3 pieces on the board and so is probably a better line.
51... Kxe7 52. Re8+ Kd7 53. Rh8 Qe4+ 54. Bf3 Qg6+ 55. Kf1 e5 56. Bh5 Qg7 57. Ra8 Qh6 58. Bf3 Qf4 59. Ra7+ Kd6 60. Ra6+ Kc5 61. Ra5+
White flags. I had zero seconds showing on the clock for the last few moves so I made the move ... and resigned.
Even though I gave up the queen, the exchange gave me some play. A more careful examination of the position after 41 moves would have given me the half point. The success of James Atem in my rating group, however, bumped him up to a tie for first overall and netted me a few unexpected dollars in prize money despite the loss. 0-1
Sunday, December 9, 2007
The origin and history of Exclam!
J. Ken MacDonald has put together a complete collection of back issues of Exclam! (the Manitoba chess publication that inspired the title of this weblog) and made the following remarks over at ChessTalk:
Ken's remarks can be found over at ChessTalk until they scroll off into oblivion:
J. Ken MacDonald
Please feel free to share any remarks you may have about Ken's comments or this publication in general. It's as simple as getting a google account.
EXCLAM! started as "Manitoba Chess Association Newsletter" in December/1987 with volume 1, # 1. January/1988 began again with volume 1, # 1. This format seems to have been an "offset type printing" of 3-10 pages per issue. It ran this format (I think, as these earliest issues are photocopies) until volume 2, # 2, February/1989. (15 issues had been published up to that point.) Then, I have originals which begin with volume 2, issue # 1 again, dated April/1989. The format at this point is a large size thin magazine with a paper cover and approximately 20pp. Thereafter, it ran approximately 6 issues per year with varying dates during the year. Less and less issues were published as the magazine matured. Volume 7 (1994) had two issues. 1995 had had a single small format issue. 1996 had two and then a final issue in 1999.
Ken's remarks can be found over at ChessTalk until they scroll off into oblivion:
J. Ken MacDonald
Please feel free to share any remarks you may have about Ken's comments or this publication in general. It's as simple as getting a google account.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
"H" is for Harry Houdini
Here's my game against Nathan Wood from Round 5 of the Shpan Memorial last night.
Wood, Nathan (1603) - Hanrahan, Nigel (1723)
[ECO = B19] Caro-Kann: Classical/Capablanca Variation
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3
7.h5 Nathan noted after the game that this move might have been a great help later on.
7...Nd7 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Ngf6 10.Bd2 e6 11.0-0-0 Bd6 12.Ne2 Qc7 13.c4 b6 14.Nc3
14...0-0 Alternately, 14...Bf4 15.Bxf4 Qxf4+ 16.Qe3 Qxe3+ 17.fxe3 a6 The position is equal here.
15.g3 Rfb8 16.Kb1 Qb7 17.Rde1 Ng4 18.Ne4 Bc7 19.Qe2 b5 20.c5 b4 21.Nfg5 Ngf6 22.Nxf6+ Nxf6 23.Nxf7 Kxf7 24.Qxe6+
24...Kg6 This is a "box" or only move. (The term comes from a ChessBase symbol.) White simply missed this possibility. If you play the Caro-Kann then you'll sometimes need a mobile and intelligent king who can remain calm while under heavy attack.
Much worse for Black is 24...Kf8 25.Bxh6 Bd8 26.Bf4 ... which looks winning for White.
25.g4 (Edited to add: Tony Boron points out in the comments that 25. h5+ is very good for White.) Qc8 26.h5+
Much better for White is 26.Qxc6 A change of strategy from a mating net to the creation of a couple of united passed pawns would have given White the upper hand and created further problems for Black.
26...Kh7 27.Qf7 Ba5 28.Re7
Good for White is 28.Bxh6 Qf8 29.Qg6+ Kg8 30.Re6 The c6 pawn should drop and White has the upper hand.
28...Qf8 I found another box move. If 28...Qg8 then 29. Qxf6, White gets his piece back, and the attack continues. 29.Qg6+
29...Kh8?? An awful move made in time trouble.
29...Kg8 is another box move for Black here. White cannot take with 30. Bxh6 since the e7 rook is floating. I just plain missed this ... and so did my opponent who followed my blunder with one of his own. It's a remarkable thing how often this happens in chess. After 29...Kg8 30.Re6 Qf7 and Black can hold.
30.Bxh6?? Seeing this move, I thought that Caissa, goddess of Chess, was smiling upon me.
Much better, and winning for White, is 30.Rf7! Qxf7 ( 30...Qg8?? 31.Bxh6 wins as well) 31.Qxf7 Rf8.
30...Qxe7 31.Bxg7+? The bishop yells "Banzai!" in a final Kamikaze attack. 31...Qxg7 32.Qxg7+ Kxg7 0-1
"Another Hanrahan swindle," I said to Jim Green, following the game. Actually, it was more of an escape than an act of thievery. "H" is for Harry Houdini. It must have been a double disappointment for Nathan who mustered a fine attack against me and just failed to close despite having plenty of time to find the win (with an hour on the clock to my few minutes).
I think I've got a game viewer working at last. Thanks to ChessVideos.tv I still want to use Nikolai Pilafov's viewer but that will take a little longer. Here is the game:
Wood, Nathan (1603) - Hanrahan, Nigel (1723)
[ECO = B19] Caro-Kann: Classical/Capablanca Variation
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3
7.h5 Nathan noted after the game that this move might have been a great help later on.
7...Nd7 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Ngf6 10.Bd2 e6 11.0-0-0 Bd6 12.Ne2 Qc7 13.c4 b6 14.Nc3
14...0-0 Alternately, 14...Bf4 15.Bxf4 Qxf4+ 16.Qe3 Qxe3+ 17.fxe3 a6 The position is equal here.
15.g3 Rfb8 16.Kb1 Qb7 17.Rde1 Ng4 18.Ne4 Bc7 19.Qe2 b5 20.c5 b4 21.Nfg5 Ngf6 22.Nxf6+ Nxf6 23.Nxf7 Kxf7 24.Qxe6+
24...Kg6 This is a "box" or only move. (The term comes from a ChessBase symbol.) White simply missed this possibility. If you play the Caro-Kann then you'll sometimes need a mobile and intelligent king who can remain calm while under heavy attack.
Much worse for Black is 24...Kf8 25.Bxh6 Bd8 26.Bf4 ... which looks winning for White.
25.g4 (Edited to add: Tony Boron points out in the comments that 25. h5+ is very good for White.) Qc8 26.h5+
Much better for White is 26.Qxc6 A change of strategy from a mating net to the creation of a couple of united passed pawns would have given White the upper hand and created further problems for Black.
26...Kh7 27.Qf7 Ba5 28.Re7
Good for White is 28.Bxh6 Qf8 29.Qg6+ Kg8 30.Re6 The c6 pawn should drop and White has the upper hand.
28...Qf8 I found another box move. If 28...Qg8 then 29. Qxf6, White gets his piece back, and the attack continues. 29.Qg6+
29...Kh8?? An awful move made in time trouble.
29...Kg8 is another box move for Black here. White cannot take with 30. Bxh6 since the e7 rook is floating. I just plain missed this ... and so did my opponent who followed my blunder with one of his own. It's a remarkable thing how often this happens in chess. After 29...Kg8 30.Re6 Qf7 and Black can hold.
30.Bxh6?? Seeing this move, I thought that Caissa, goddess of Chess, was smiling upon me.
Much better, and winning for White, is 30.Rf7! Qxf7 ( 30...Qg8?? 31.Bxh6 wins as well) 31.Qxf7 Rf8.
30...Qxe7 31.Bxg7+? The bishop yells "Banzai!" in a final Kamikaze attack. 31...Qxg7 32.Qxg7+ Kxg7 0-1
"Another Hanrahan swindle," I said to Jim Green, following the game. Actually, it was more of an escape than an act of thievery. "H" is for Harry Houdini. It must have been a double disappointment for Nathan who mustered a fine attack against me and just failed to close despite having plenty of time to find the win (with an hour on the clock to my few minutes).
I think I've got a game viewer working at last. Thanks to ChessVideos.tv I still want to use Nikolai Pilafov's viewer but that will take a little longer. Here is the game:
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