Game of the week

A lot of the old geezers have retired form tournament play so the USCF now lists me as the third rated sixty-seven year old in blitz; but I was only the fourth best player in the UMass Chess Club this semester. The most impressive player was Rod Hajaj, who won every tournament he played in.

Nimrod Hajaj-Alan Lasser

11/29/18

UMass Chess Club

game/15

1.d4 Nf6

2.c4 d6

3.Nf3 Bg4

4.Nc3 Nbd7

5.e4 e5

6.Be2 Be7

7.Be3 O-O

8.d5 a5

9.Nd2 Bxe2

10.Qxe2 Nc5

11.g4 h6?! +1.10/25

11...a4 +0.21/22 12.h4 c6 13.Bxc5 dxc5 14.g5 Nd7 15.Rh3 Nb6 16.Rd3 Qe8 17.Qg4 Rd8 18.O-O-O

11...Nfd7 12.h4 +0.46 Stockfish

12.h4 Nfd7

13.g5 g6

14.O-O-O h5

15.Nf1 f6?! +1.39/22

15...Re8 +1.00/22 16.Ng3 Bf8 17.Kb1 17. Nxh5 gxh5 18. Qxh5 Bg7 19. Kb1 a4 20. Rdg1 Nf8 21. Qf3 Nd3 22. h5 Bh8 23. Ne2 Nf4 24. Ng3 +3.23 Stockfish 17...Nb6 18.Bxc5 dxc5

15...Kg7 16.Ng3 Rh8 17.Rhg1 Kg8 18.Qc2 a4 19.Kb1 Bf8 20.f3 Qb8 21.Rgf1 Bg7 +0.81 Stockfish

16.Ng3 Qe8?! +2.32/20

16...Rf7 +1.44/21 17.Kb1 17. Nxh5 gxh5 18. g6 Rg7 19. Qxh5 f5 20. Qxf5 Qf8 21. h5 Qxf5 22. exf5 Bf6 23. h6 Re7 24. Rdg1 +3.18 Stockfish 17...Rg7 18.gxf6 Bxf6 19.Rdg1 Kh8 20.Nb5 Rc8 21.Rh2 Rh7 22.Nf1 Nf8 23.Nd2 Bxh4 24.Nf3 Bf6 25.Ng5 Rg7 26.f3 Kg8 27.Rhg2 c6 28.dxc6

16...fxg5 17.Nxh5 gxh4 17...gxh5 18. hxg5 Kg7 19. Rxh5 Rh8 20. Rdh1 Rxh5 21. Qxh5 Qh8 22. Qd1 Qf8 23. g6 Qf6 24. Rh7+ Kg8 25. Qh5 +5.34 Stockfish 18.Qg4 Qe8 19.Rdg1 Qf7 20.Kb1 Qh7 21.Qxg6+ Qxg6 22.Rxg6+ Kf7 23.Rg7+ Ke8 24.Rh7 Nf6 25.Nxf6+ Rxf6 26.R1xh4 Rf7 27.Rxf7 Kxf7 28.Rh7+ Kf6 29.f4 Nd3 30.fxe5+ Nxe5 31.Bf2 Ng6 32.Bd4+ Kg5 +2.63 Stockfish

17.Rdg1?! +1.42/20

17.Nxh5 f5 18.Nf6+ Bxf6 19.gxf6 fxe4 20.h5 g5 21.Rdg1 Kh8 22.Rxg5 Nd3+23.Kc2 Nxf6 24.Rg6 Nf4 25.Bxf4 exf4 26.Rhg1 Rg8 27.Rh6+ Nh7 28.Rxg8+Qxg8 29.Qxe4 Re8 30.Qg6 +4.15 Stockfish

17...Kh7? +3.60/21

17...fxg5 +1.42/20 18.hxg5 Kg7 18...Rf4 19. Nb5 Rc8 20. Nxh5 gxh5 21. Bxf4 exf4 22. Nd4 Bf8 23. Nf5 f3 24. Qxf3 Ne5 25. Qxh5 +1.70 Stockfish 19.Kb1 19. Rxh5 gxh5 20. Nxh5+ Kh8 21. g6 Rf6 22. Nxf6 Nxf6 23. Nb5 Bd8 24. f3 Kg7 25. Qg2 a4 26. Kc2 Rb8 27. Bh6+ Kg8 28. Rh1 Nxd5 29. exd5 e4 30. fxe4 +4.06 Stockfish 19...a4 20.Rh4 Rh8 21.Nb5 Rc8 22.f4 exf4 23.Bxf4 Ne5 24.Bxe5+ dxe5

18.Nxh5 gxh5? +6.13/28

18...Kh8 +3.61/20 19.Kb1 Bd8 20.Nxf6 Bxf6 21.gxf6 Nxf6 22.Bxc5 dxc5 23.Qe3 Kh7 24.h5

18...Rh8 19.Ng3 fxg5 20.h5 20. hxg+ 20... Kg8 21. f4 exf4 22. Rxh8+ Kxh8 23. Qh2+ Kg8 24. Rh1 Nf6 25. Qh6 Qf8 26. Qxg6+ Qg7 27. Qxg7+ Kxg7 28. gxf6+ Bxf6 29. Nh5+ Kf7 30. Bxc5 dxc5 31. Nxf4 +7.02 Stockfish 20...Kg7 21.Nb5 Rc8 22.Kb1 Qf7 23.Nxc7 Rcf8 23...Rc7 24. hxg6 Rxh1 25. Rxh1 Qxg6 26. Nf5+ Kf7 27. Rh6 Qxh6 28. Nxh6+ Kg6 29. Nf5 Nf6 30. Bxc5 dxc5 31. d6 Bxd6 32. Nxd6 +8.92 Stockfish 24.Qg4 Qf3 25.Ne6+ Kg8 26.Qxf3 Rxf3 27.hxg6 Rxh1 28.Rxh1 Bf8 29.Nf5 Nxe4 30.Rh7 Nef6 31.g7 Kxh7 32.Nxg5+ Kg6 33.gxf8=Q Nxf8 34.Ne7+ Kg7 35.Nxf3 +6.71 Stockfish

20.Qxh5 Rh8

23.h5 Rh6

25.Nxf4 exf4

26.Bxf4 Qd7? +19.74/22

26...Qh8 +3.69/27 27.f3 27. b3 Re8 28. a3 Bf8 29. b4 Na4 30. Bxh6+ Qxh6 31. Qd7+ Re7 32. Qxa4 Kg8 33. Rg4 axb4 34. Qxb4 +9.41 Stockfish 27...Rf8 28.Bd2 Ra8 29.Rg3 b6 30.Bxh6+ Qxh6 31.f4 Rf8 32.Rf3 Bd8 33.Rhh3 Be7 34.Rfg3 Bd8 35.Re3 Be7 36.Rh1 Bd8 37.Rh4 Re8 38.Rhh3

28.Qf4+ Kg7

30.g7+ Kh7

33.Qg3+ Now White simply queens after 33...Kf8 34.h7 1-0

[Event "game/15"]

[Site "UMass Chess Club"]

[Date "2018.11.29"]

[Round "?"]

[White "Nimrod Hajaj"]

[Black "Alan Lasser"]

[Result "1-0"]

[ECO "A53"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.e4 e5 6.Be2 Be7 7.Be3 O-O 8.d5 a5

9.Nd2 Bxe2 10.Qxe2 Nc5 11.g4 h6 $6 { +1.10/25 } ( 11...a4 { +0.21/22 } 12.h4

c6 13.Bxc5 dxc5 14.g5 Nd7 15.Rh3 Nb6 16.Rd3 Qe8 17.Qg4 Rd8 18.O-O-O ) (

11...Nfd7 12.h4 { +0.46 Stockfish } ) 12.h4 Nfd7 13.g5 g6

14.O-O-O h5 15.Nf1 f6 $6 { +1.39/22 }

( 15...Re8 { +1.00/22 } 16.Ng3 Bf8 17.Kb1

{ 17. Nxh5 gxh5 18. Qxh5 Bg7 19. Kb1 a4 20. Rdg1 Nf8 21. Qf3 Nd3 22. h5 Bh8

23. Ne2 Nf4 24. Ng3 +3.23 Stockfish } 17...Nb6 18.Bxc5 dxc5 ) ( 15...Kg7

16.Ng3 Rh8 17.Rhg1 Kg8 18.Qc2 a4 19.Kb1 Bf8 20.f3 Qb8 21.Rgf1 Bg7

{ +0.81 Stockfish } ) 16.Ng3 Qe8 $6 { +2.32/20 } ( 16...Rf7 { +1.44/21 }

17.Kb1

{ 17. Nxh5 gxh5 18. g6 Rg7 19. Qxh5 f5 20. Qxf5 Qf8 21. h5 Qxf5 22. exf5

Bf6 23. h6 Re7 24. Rdg1 +3.18 Stockfish } 17...Rg7 18.gxf6 Bxf6 19.Rdg1

Kh8 20.Nb5 Rc8 21.Rh2 Rh7 22.Nf1 Nf8 23.Nd2 Bxh4 24.Nf3 Bf6 25.Ng5 Rg7 26.f3

Kg8 27.Rhg2 c6 28.dxc6 ) ( 16...fxg5 17.Nxh5 gxh4

{ 17...gxh5 18. hxg5 Kg7 19. Rxh5 Rh8 20. Rdh1 Rxh5 21. Qxh5 Qh8 22. Qd1

Qf8 23. g6 Qf6 24. Rh7+ Kg8 25. Qh5 +5.34 Stockfish } 18.Qg4 Qe8 19.Rdg1

Qf7 20.Kb1 Qh7 21.Qxg6+ Qxg6 22.Rxg6+ Kf7 23.Rg7+ Ke8 24.Rh7 Nf6 25.Nxf6+

Rxf6 26.R1xh4 Rf7 27.Rxf7 Kxf7 28.Rh7+ Kf6 29.f4 Nd3 30.fxe5+ Nxe5 31.Bf2 Ng6

32.Bd4+ Kg5 { +2.63 Stockfish } ) 17.Rdg1 $6 { +1.42/20 } ( 17.Nxh5 f5

18.Nf6+ Bxf6 19.gxf6 fxe4 20.h5 g5 21.Rdg1 Kh8 22.Rxg5 Nd3+ 23.Kc2 Nxf6

24.Rg6 Nf4 25.Bxf4 exf4 26.Rhg1 Rg8 27.Rh6+ Nh7 28.Rxg8+ Qxg8 29.Qxe4 Re8

30.Qg6 { +4.15 Stockfish } ) 17...Kh7 $2 { +3.60/21 } ( 17...fxg5

{ +1.42/20 } 18.hxg5 Kg7

{ 18...Rf4 19. Nb5 Rc8 20. Nxh5 gxh5 21. Bxf4 exf4 22. Nd4 Bf8 23. Nf5 f3

24. Qxf3 Ne5 25. Qxh5 +1.70 Stockfish } 19.Kb1

{ 19. Rxh5 gxh5 20. Nxh5+ Kh8 21. g6 Rf6 22. Nxf6 Nxf6 23. Nb5 Bd8 24. f3

Kg7 25. Qg2 a4 26. Kc2 Rb8 27. Bh6+ Kg8 28. Rh1 Nxd5 29. exd5 e4 30. fxe4

+4.06 Stockfish } 19...a4 20.Rh4 Rh8 21.Nb5 Rc8 22.f4 exf4 23.Bxf4 Ne5

24.Bxe5+ dxe5 ) 18.Nxh5 gxh5 $2 { +6.13/28 } ( 18...Kh8 { +3.61/20 } 19.Kb1

Bd8 20.Nxf6 Bxf6 21.gxf6 Nxf6 22.Bxc5 dxc5 23.Qe3 Kh7 24.h5 ) ( 18...Rh8

19.Ng3 fxg5 20.h5

{ 20. hxg+ 20... Kg8 21. f4 exf4 22. Rxh8+ Kxh8 23. Qh2+ Kg8 24. Rh1 Nf6

25. Qh6 Qf8 26. Qxg6+ Qg7 27. Qxg7+ Kxg7 28. gxf6+ Bxf6 29. Nh5+ Kf7 30.

Bxc5 dxc5 31. Nxf4 +7.02 Stockfish } 20...Kg7 21.Nb5 Rc8 22.Kb1 Qf7

23.Nxc7 Rcf8

{ 23...Rc7 24. hxg6 Rxh1 25. Rxh1 Qxg6 26. Nf5+ Kf7 27. Rh6 Qxh6 28. Nxh6+

Kg6 29. Nf5 Nf6 30. Bxc5 dxc5 31. d6 Bxd6 32. Nxd6 +8.92 Stockfish }

24.Qg4 Qf3 25.Ne6+ Kg8 26.Qxf3 Rxf3 27.hxg6 Rxh1 28.Rxh1 Bf8 29.Nf5 Nxe4

30.Rh7 Nef6 31.g7 Kxh7 32.Nxg5+ Kg6 33.gxf8=Q Nxf8 34.Ne7+ Kg7 35.Nxf3

{ +6.71 Stockfish } ) 19.g6+ Kg7 20.Qxh5 Rh8 21.Qf5 Nd3+ 22.Kb1 Nf4 23.h5

Rh6 24.Ne2 Nc5 25.Nxf4 exf4 26.Bxf4 Qd7 $2 { +19.74/22 } ( 26...Qh8 { +3.69/27 } 27.f3

{ 27. b3 Re8 28. a3 Bf8 29. b4 Na4 30. Bxh6+ Qxh6 31. Qd7+ Re7 32. Qxa4 Kg8

33. Rg4 axb4 34. Qxb4 +9.41 Stockfish } 27...Rf8 28.Bd2 Ra8 29.Rg3 b6

30.Bxh6+ Qxh6 31.f4 Rf8 32.Rf3 Bd8 33.Rhh3 Be7 34.Rfg3 Bd8 35.Re3 Be7 36.Rh1

Bd8 37.Rh4 Re8 38.Rhh3 ) 27.Bxh6+ Kxh6 28.Qf4+ Kg7 29.h6+ Kh8 30.g7+ Kh7

31.g8=Q+ Rxg8 32.Rxg8 Kxg8 33.Qg3+

{ Now White simply queens after 33...Kf8 34.h7 } 1-0

Alan Lasser

blacklightmazes@icloud.com

website: blacklightmazes.com

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NEW BRITAIN CHESS CLUB BY NORMAN BURTNESS

PROGRESS REPORT FOR COVENTRY CHESS CLUB AT MILL BROOK PLACE

Our Top-U1600 prize kicked in for the first time at our November tournament. Whenever we get 12+ players, a $30 entry-fee credit is awarded to the top player, rated under 1600, who scores the most points.

Joshua Berkun, age 14, Hayes Goodman, age 14, and Carl Fetteroll have tied for this prize at the Chess Club. They each get equal shares this $30 prize.

As a result of his 2-1 performance in this tournament; Goodman picked up 49 points to his regular rating, and 59 points to his quick rating.

I have made some decisions about the Coventry Chess Club. I will not be conducting scholastic tournaments at the Coventry Chess Club.

It is quiet and peaceful to play at the Coventry Chess Club. Running a kids-only tournament in the same room at the same time would ruin it for the adults.

Besides, I intentionally keep kids and adults together in same group. We want our junior players, who are serious about improving their play, to play chess with adults, It's the best way to get better at chess.

For 2018 we averaged 11 players to each tournament. I want this to grow to 16 players each month.

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12/15 Derek Meredith wins the Holiday Party Open in Coventry.

12/13 Hans Niemann goes undefeated with 12-0 and wins the National K-12 Blitz Championship at the 2018 National K-12 Grade Championships in Orlando, FL.

12/9 Results of 45th NECA in Stamford (83 players).

12/8 Jan van de Mortel is the new President of the CSCA. Results of the CSCA Annual Meeting election of Directors and Officers.

12/8 27 players participated in the CCO Scholastic Speed Championship held ahead of the CSCA Annual Meeting in Newington: results and US Chess rating report.

12/5 45 players at DIG 2018 Fall in Weston.

12/3 Punyavrat Upadhyay wins the Mouja Studio 3rd Scholastic in Manchester.

11/18 102 players participated in the Greenwich Country Day Scholastic in Greenwich.

11/17 Derek Meredith and Joe Bihlmeyer tied for first place at the Yankee Peddler Open in Coventry.

11/10 Jithu Sajeevan won the Greater Hartford Scholastic Championships at Hall in West Hartford (results). NBCC President Norman Burtness reports.

CSCA WEBSITE CONTINUES ON WITH MANY MORE REPORTS AND PHOTOS

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