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Saturday, March 21, 2020
FINAL EDITION - CONNECTICUT CHESS MAGAZINE # 200
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FINAL EDITION - CONNECTICUT CHESS MAGAZINE # 200
This is the final edition of the Connecticut Chess Magazine
until further notice. Alan Lasser is ending his column.
I thank Al for all of his work for us these past forty years.
I thank Joe Bihlmeyer for his dedication to our program in Coventry.
Thanks to top helpers; Mark Denihan, Dan Smith, Abe Mondal.
I thank Bob Cyr for becoming our new chess historian.
I wrote my weekly newspaper column from 1976 through 2000.
I produced and mailed out many small booklets under different
names; CC Newsletter, CC Quarterly, CC Weekly, CC Magazine.
My mission was always to promote clubs and tournaments.
So far 45 years I remain resolute in my dedication to chess.
I pray our chess community will be able to meet again soon.
Gens Una Sumus
Rob Roy
This is CCM 200
GAME OF THE WEEK by Alan Lasser
CORONA VIRUS SHUTS CHESS COLUMN
The long-cherished purpose of this weekly is to encourage people to play in their local chess clubs and chess tournaments. Unfortunately, it could be a year or two before normal chess activity resumes. This column depends upon a constant flow of over-the-board play; before the coronavirus, I rarely used a game more than two weeks old, the game in this issue was played last month. That’s not what the readers signed up for so I am announcing a hiatus.
You don’t win a lot of chess games when your king occupies the g5 square on move eighteen. Many times this is the way to play against the ancient bishop sacrifice on h7. After Kh7 and the usual Ng5+, the retreat to Kg8 will be the subject of a mating attack starting with Qh5. Sometimes the only chance to survive is to advance the king into the teeth of the onslaught with Kg6. The pieces in this game aren’t set up exactly like that, the Qh5 threat of mate on h7 can be defended by Nf6, but Kg6 is still the best move. The winner provided some notes on the game, from which I quote.
Timothy Hall (2017)-Nimrod Hajaj (2164)
2/15/20 USATE
1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 e6
3.Nc3 Bb4
4.e3 O-O
5.Nf3 c5
6.Bd3 d5
7.O-O dxc4
8.Bxc4 cxd4
9.exd4 b6
10.Qe2 Bb7
11.Rd1 Bxc3 "I thought for 20-30 minutes before taking on c3. I wanted a clear follow-up that did not allow him to play Bd3 and c4 immediately."
11...h6 12.Bf4 Qe7 13.Ne5 Nc6 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.a3 Bd6 16.Be5 Rad8 17.Rac1 Nd5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Bxd5 exd5 20.Re1 -0.10 Stockfish
12.bxc3 Qc7
13.Bb2
13.Bd3 Qxc3 14.Bb2 Qc7 15.Rac1 Qd6 16.d5 Bxd5 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Bxh7+ Kxh7 19.Rd4 Rd8 20.Qe3 Kg7 21.Rh4 Kf8 22.Nd4 Qe5 23.Qa3+ Qd6 = Stockfish
13...Nbd7 "Bf3 is more accurate, but the lines are way too complicated. I did consider it, but did not see a way to trap the White queen. Now Bf3 is a big threat."
13...Bxf3 14.gxf3 14.Qf3 Qxc4 15. Qxa8 Nc6 16. Qb7 Nd5 17. Ba3 Rb8 18. Qd7 Rd8 19. Qb7 Na5 20. Qxa7 Qc8 21. c4 Nc6 -0.77 Stockfish 14...Nc6 15.Kh1 Ne7 16.Bb3 Nh5 17.c4 Ng6 18.d5 Nhf4 19.Qe4 Rfd8 -0.69 Stockfish
14.Bd3 Nd5 "Black has to play accurately to prevent c4.”
15.g3?! -0.84/23
15.Ng5 -0.14/22 15...Nf4 15... h6 16. Nh3 Rfe8 17. Rac1 e5 18. Re1 Rad8 19. f3 N5f6 20. Qd2 Nf8 21. Bb5 Re6 22. Bd3 exd4 -0.46 Stockfish 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.Qe3 Nxg2 18.Qg3 Nf4 19.Qh4 Ne2+ 20.Kf1 Qf4 21.Qh3 Ng1 22.Kxg1 Qxg5+ 23.Kf1 Qg2+ 24.Qxg2 Bxg2+ 25.Kxg2 Kxh7 26.c4 Rac8 27.Rac1 Rfd8 28.Ba3 Re8 29.c5 Nf6 30.c6 Nd5 31.Bd6 Red8
15.Qc2 h6 16.Bf1 Rfc8 17.Rac1 a6 18.Qb3 b5 19.c4 bxc4 20.Bxc4 Qb6 21.Ne5 Qxb3 22.axb3 Nxe5 23.dxe5 a5 -0.03 Stockfish
15...Nxc3 "Requires calculation, but it works.”
16.Bxh7+ Kxh7
17.Ng5+? -2.96/22
17.Qc2+ -0.97/24 17...Kg8 18.Ng5 Nf6 19.Qxc3 Qxc3 20.Bxc3 Rfc8 21.Rdc1 Ne8 22.Bd2 22. a3 Nd6 23. Kf1 Bd5 24. Nh3 Rc4 25. Nf4 Rac8 26. Nxd5 exd5 -1.53 Stockfish 22...Bd5 22... Nd6 23. a4 Bd5 24. Nh3 Nf5 25. Be3 Rxc1+ 26. Rxc1 Bb3 27. Ra1 Rc8 -1.79 Stockfish 23.a4 Nd6 24.Nh3 Nf5 25.Be3 Bb3
17...Kg6 "'Kg8 was my plan, but in this move order I realized I could be up a piece." 18. Qd3 Nf6 19. Qxc3 Qxc3 20. Bxc3 Rfc8 21. Rdc1 Bd5 22. a3 Ne8 23. Nh3 Rc4 24. Nf4 Rac8 25. Nxd5 exd5 -1.58 Stockfish
18.Qd3+ Kxg5
19.Bxc3 f5
20.d5?! -4.02/22
20.f3 -3.40/21 20...Kg6 21.Re1 21. Rf1 Nf6 22. Bd2 Qd7 23. Bf4 Rac8 24. Rf2 Qd5 25. Re1 Kf7 26. Re5 Qc4 27. Qxc4 Rxc4 -7.04 Stockfish 21...Bd5 22.Rec1 Qc4 23.Qd2 Qa4
20.Rac1 Qd6 21.d5 Kg6 22.dxe6 Qc6 23.f3 Nc5 24.Qe3 Qxf3 25.Qxf3 Bxf3 26.Rd2 Nxe6 27.a4 Rfe8 -6.11 Stockfish
20...Bxd5?! -2.92/21
20...Kg6 -4.02/22 21.Rac1 21. dxe6 Qc6 22. f3 Nc5 23. Qe3 Qxf3 24. Qxf3 Bxf3 25. e7 Rfe8 26. Rd6+ Kh7 27. Re1 Be4 28. Bd2 Rxe7 -7.00 Stockfish 21...Nc5 22.Bd4 Bxd5 23.Rc3 Rh8 24.h4 Rhc8 25.Qe3 Kh7 26.a3 Qb7 27.Bxc5 bxc5 28.f3 c4 29.Kg2 Qb2+ 30.Rd2 Qb1 31.Qg5 Rab8
21.Qd4?! -4.51/23
21.Bxg7 -2.92/21 21...Rf7 21...Rg8 22. Rac1 Nc5 23. Qd2+ f4 24. Bd4 Raf8 25. Re1 Qh7 26. Re5+ Kh6 27. Bxc5 bxc5 28. Rxc5 Rf5 -5.08 Stockfish 22.Bd4 Kg6 23.Rac1 Qb7 24.a3 e5 25.Bb2
21…Nf6
22.Qh4+?! -6.17/16
22.Rac1 Qd7 23.f3 Kg6 24.Kf2 Rac8 25.a3 Qb7 26.Qe3 Rc4 27.Bxf6 gxf6 28.Rxc4 Bxc4 -7.81 Stockfish
22…Kg6
23.Bxf6 gxf6
24.g4?! -9.50/23
24.Qb4 -6.06/23 24...Rac8 24...Qb7 25. h4 Rac8 26. Rd2 Rfd8 27. h5+ Kg7 28. Rad1 Bf3 29. Qxd8 Rxd8 30. Rxd8 Bxd1 31. Rxd1 Kh6 32. a3 Kxh5 -9.92 Stockfish 25.a4
24…Rh8
25.gxf5+? -60.92/21
25.Qg3 -9.50/24 25...f4 26.Qd3+ Kg5 27.Rac1 Qh7 27...Qb7 28. f3 Bxf3 29. Rf1 Rh3 30. Rc3 Bg2 31. Qxh3 Bxh3 32. Rxh3 Kxg4 -21.79 Stockfish 28.Qxh7 Rxh7 29.Kf1 Rxh2 30.Ke2 Kxg4 31.Rg1+ Kf5 32.a3 Rah8 33.Rc3 b5
25…Kf7
26.fxe6+ Bxe6
27.Qe4 Qxh2+
28.Kf1 Bh3+
29.Ke1 Rhe8 0-1
https://beta.chesstempo.com/pgn-viewer/
Cut & Paste the code below, and LOAD into webpage above
[Event "USATE"] [Site "New Jersey"] [Date "2020.02.15"] [Round "2"] [White "Timothy Hall"] [Black "Nimrod Hajaj"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E54"] [WhiteElo "2017"] 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Nf3 c5 6.Bd3 d5 7.O-O dxc4 8.Bxc4 cxd4 9.exd4 b6 10.Qe2 Bb7 11.Rd1 Bxc3 { "I thought for 20-30 minutes before taking on c3. I wanted a clear follow-up that did not allow him to play Bd3 and c4 immediately." } ( 11...h6 12.Bf4 Qe7 13.Ne5 Nc6 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.a3 Bd6 16.Be5 Rad8 17.Rac1 Nd5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Bxd5 exd5 20.Re1 { -0.10 Stockfish } ) 12.bxc3 Qc7 13.Bb2 ( 13.Bd3 Qxc3 14.Bb2 Qc7 15.Rac1 Qd6 16.d5 Bxd5 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Bxh7+ Kxh7 19.Rd4 Rd8 20.Qe3 Kg7 21.Rh4 Kf8 22.Nd4 Qe5 23.Qa3+ Qd6 { = Stockfish } ) 13...Nbd7 { "Bf3 is more accurate, but the lines are way too complicated. I did consider it, but did not see a way to trap the White queen. Now Bf3 is a big threat." } ( 13...Bxf3 14.gxf3 { 14.Qf3 Qxc4 15. Qxa8 Nc6 16. Qb7 Nd5 17. Ba3 Rb8 18. Qd7 Rd8 19. Qb7 Na5 20. Qxa7 Qc8 21. c4 Nc6 -0.77 Stockfish } 14...Nc6 15.Kh1 Ne7 16.Bb3 Nh5 17.c4 Ng6 18.d5 Nhf4 19.Qe4 Rfd8 { -0.69 Stockfish } ) 14.Bd3 Nd5 { "Black has to play accurately to prevent c4." } 15.g3 $6 { -0.84/23 } ( 15.Ng5 { -0.14/22 } 15...Nf4 { 15... h6 16. Nh3 Rfe8 17. Rac1 e5 18. Re1 Rad8 19. f3 N5f6 20. Qd2 Nf8 21. Bb5 Re6 22. Bd3 exd4 -0.46 Stockfish } 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.Qe3 Nxg2 18.Qg3 Nf4 19.Qh4 Ne2+ 20.Kf1 Qf4 21.Qh3 Ng1 22.Kxg1 Qxg5+ 23.Kf1 Qg2+ 24.Qxg2 Bxg2+ 25.Kxg2 Kxh7 26.c4 Rac8 27.Rac1 Rfd8 28.Ba3 Re8 29.c5 Nf6 30.c6 Nd5 31.Bd6 Red8 ) ( 15.Qc2 h6 16.Bf1 Rfc8 17.Rac1 a6 18.Qb3 b5 19.c4 bxc4 20.Bxc4 Qb6 21.Ne5 Qxb3 22.axb3 Nxe5 23.dxe5 a5 { -0.03 Stockfish } ) 15...Nxc3 { "Requires calculation, but it works." } 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 17.Ng5+ $2 { -2.96/22 } ( 17.Qc2+ { -0.97/24 } 17...Kg8 18.Ng5 Nf6 19.Qxc3 Qxc3 20.Bxc3 Rfc8 21.Rdc1 Ne8 22.Bd2 { 22. a3 Nd6 23. Kf1 Bd5 24. Nh3 Rc4 25. Nf4 Rac8 26. Nxd5 exd5 -1.53 Stockfish } 22...Bd5 { 22... Nd6 23. a4 Bd5 24. Nh3 Nf5 25. Be3 Rxc1+ 26. Rxc1 Bb3 27. Ra1 Rc8 -1.79 Stockfish } 23.a4 Nd6 24.Nh3 Nf5 25.Be3 Bb3 ) 17...Kg6 { "'Kg8 was my plan, but in this move order I realized I could be up a piece." 18. Qd3 Nf6 19. Qxc3 Qxc3 20. Bxc3 Rfc8 21. Rdc1 Bd5 22. a3 Ne8 23. Nh3 Rc4 24. Nf4 Rac8 25. Nxd5 exd5 -1.58 Stockfish } 18.Qd3+ Kxg5 19.Bxc3 f5 20.d5 $6 { -4.02/22 } ( 20.f3 { -3.40/21 } 20...Kg6 21.Re1 { 21. Rf1 Nf6 22. Bd2 Qd7 23. Bf4 Rac8 24. Rf2 Qd5 25. Re1 Kf7 26. Re5 Qc4 27. Qxc4 Rxc4 -7.04 Stockfish } 21...Bd5 22.Rec1 Qc4 23.Qd2 Qa4 ) ( 20.Rac1 Qd6 21.d5 Kg6 22.dxe6 Qc6 23.f3 Nc5 24.Qe3 Qxf3 25.Qxf3 Bxf3 26.Rd2 Nxe6 27.a4 Rfe8 { -6.11 Stockfish } ) 20...Bxd5 $6 { -2.92/21 } ( 20...Kg6 { -4.02/22 } 21.Rac1 { 21. dxe6 Qc6 22. f3 Nc5 23. Qe3 Qxf3 24. Qxf3 Bxf3 25. e7 Rfe8 26. Rd6+ Kh7 27. Re1 Be4 28. Bd2 Rxe7 -7.00 Stockfish } 21...Nc5 22.Bd4 Bxd5 23.Rc3 Rh8 24.h4 Rhc8 25.Qe3 Kh7 26.a3 Qb7 27.Bxc5 bxc5 28.f3 c4 29.Kg2 Qb2+ 30.Rd2 Qb1 31.Qg5 Rab8 ) 21.Qd4 $6 { -4.51/23 } ( 21.Bxg7 { -2.92/21 } 21...Rf7 { 21...Rg8 22. Rac1 Nc5 23. Qd2+ f4 24. Bd4 Raf8 25. Re1 Qh7 26. Re5+ Kh6 27. Bxc5 bxc5 28. Rxc5 Rf5 -5.08 Stockfish } 22.Bd4 Kg6 23.Rac1 Qb7 24.a3 e5 25.Bb2 ) 21...Nf6 22.Qh4+ $6 { -6.17/16 } ( 22.Rac1 Qd7 23.f3 Kg6 24.Kf2 Rac8 25.a3 Qb7 26.Qe3 Rc4 27.Bxf6 gxf6 28.Rxc4 Bxc4 { -7.81 Stockfish } ) 22...Kg6 23.Bxf6 gxf6 24.g4 $6 { -9.50/23 } ( 24.Qb4 { -6.06/23 } 24...Rac8 { 24...Qb7 25. h4 Rac8 26. Rd2 Rfd8 27. h5+ Kg7 28. Rad1 Bf3 29. Qxd8 Rxd8 30. Rxd8 Bxd1 31. Rxd1 Kh6 32. a3 Kxh5 -9.92 Stockfish } 25.a4 ) 24...Rh8 25.gxf5+ $2 { -60.92/21 } ( 25.Qg3 { -9.50/24 } 25...f4 26.Qd3+ Kg5 27.Rac1 Qh7 { 27...Qb7 28. f3 Bxf3 29. Rf1 Rh3 30. Rc3 Bg2 31. Qxh3 Bxh3 32. Rxh3 Kxg4 -21.79 Stockfish } 28.Qxh7 Rxh7 29.Kf1 Rxh2 30.Ke2 Kxg4 31.Rg1+ Kf5 32.a3 Rah8 33.Rc3 b5 ) 25...Kf7 26.fxe6+ Bxe6 27.Qe4 Qxh2+ 28.Kf1 Bh3+ 29.Ke1 Rhe8 0-1
GOING BACK IN TIME
with Bob Cyr
Dear chess friends:
I hope that all is well with you and your family during this coronavirus outbreak. Stay safe and sound.
Below is the ultimate NBCC Chess Trivia test. The first person to answer all questions correctly will get a free meal with beer on me. Good luck!
The answers to this test can be found by logging onto this site:
The Ultimate New Britain Chess Club Trivia Challenge
Please take some time to test your knowledge about the NBCC.
Please e-mail your answers to Bob Cyr at doctork87@yahoo.com. Good luck!
1. Who holds the record for being the youngest member to win the
New Britain Chess Club Championship? a) Danny Rozovsky b) Eric Godin c) James Nitz d) Mike Casella 2. In what year did the Greater Hartford Chess Club host a special
banquet to honor Arkadijs Strazdins for his decades of devoted service to Connecticut chess? a) 1989 b) 1993 c) 1997 d) 2002 3. Which of these USCF National Masters gave a simultaneous chess
exhibition at the New Britain Chess Club in 1979? a) Kerry Leahy b) Dr. Joseph Platz c) James Bolton d) Richard Bauer 4. Which of these New Britain Chess Club memorable events occurred
during the 1960s? a) First New Britain Summer Open Chess Championship b) Membership reached all-time high of 119 c) Club moved to New Britain Quartette Club d) Arkadijs Strazdins elected club president 5. Who was the only New Britain Chess Club member to hold each of
the four officer positions at different times throughout his membership? a) Edmund Roman b) Jan Cendrowski c) Robert Corr d) Arkadijs Strazdins 6. How many matches have been held between the New Britain Chess Club
and the Springfield Chess Club of Massachusetts? a) 12 b) 18 c) 22 d) 28 7. What college team did the New Britain Chess Club team tie for
first place with in the class B tournament of the 1952 Connecticut Chess League? a) Central Connecticut State College b) Wesleyan c) University of Connecticut d) Yale 8. Who served the most consecutive years as secretary of the
New Britain Chess Club? a) Boleslaw Gryboski b) Peter Kloskowski c) Daniel Lechowicz d) Robert Milardo 9. What was the score of Super Match I held between the
Boylston Chess Club and the combined forces of the New Britain Chess
Club and the Hartford Chess Club? a) 14 ½ - 16 ½ b) 17 - 19 c) 24 ½ - 12 ½ d) 15 - 15 10. Which of these milestones in New Britain Chess Club history
occurred third? a) First use of computerized pairing software b) First Planet Earth Chess Championship c) First appearance on television d) First lecture and simultaneous exhibition by a GM BONUS QUESTION How many New Britain Chess Club members defeated Grandmaster
Samuel Reshevsky in his simultaneous chess exhibition at
Trinity College in Hartford on March 9, 1986?
2020 MILL BROOK PARK OPEN APR. 18
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED
