Hans Niemann, a former CT player, defeats World Champion Magnus Carlsen round 3 Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis.

Sorry to miss a week sending this out.  I guess I was drained after two tournaments on consecutive weekends.  Congrats to the winners of the Summer Open, Ian Harris and Nakul Ramaswamy!  The tournament was a beautiful day in the (Wickham) Park.

 

ALL TOO HUMAN

 

The news that has rocked the chess world has a Connecticut angle to it.  Hans Niemann, a former CT player, defeated World Champion Magnus Carlsen in the third round of the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis.  Hans spent his high school years living in Connecticut and playing tournaments at the Fairfield County Chess Club.  He currently lives "out of a suitcase" in New York City, jetting off to tournaments around the world. Here is a link to his Wikipedia page: 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Niemann

 

The win against Carlsen would have been big enough as an announcement of Niemann's entry to the very top level of chess competition and race to succeed the outgoing World Champion, but Carlsen's dropping out of the tournament the next day and cryptic tweet elevated it to huge controversy.  Wikipedia does an excellent job of fairly explaining it so I would like to focus on the game itself, which I (and Stockfish) analyse here:

 

https://lichess.org/study/taIJzUtz

 

The game itself shows no signs of computer assistance, containing the inevitable human mistakes from a long and complex game.  Niemann outduels Carlsen in a magnificent endgame to extract the full point. 

 

Having watched Hans in several interviews and noting his great confidence and single minded devotion to chess, I would like to offer one piece of unsolicited advice:  Learn from the tragic life of Bobby Fischer, who accomplished everything in the chess world at the cost of everything that is most important in life.  You also have a great talent but let it be your servant rather than your master.

GAME OF THE WEEK -- USCF in Hamden CT Sept 24

  This game, between two ex-experts who will probably be playing in the Westerly Chess Club Championship on September 22, is hard to explain.  After the game my baffled opponent didn’t know what he did wrong, anyone would think that the isolated doubled pawns on the queenside should be weaknesses and the two bishops should be a strength.  It doesn’t appear to make sense, but the computer confirms that Black seems to have an advantage.  

 

Mike Smith(1944)-Alan Lasser(1939)

9/8/22

Westerly Chess Club

game/15

1.c4 c6 

2.Nc3 d5 

3.d4 Nf6 

4.Nf3 Bf5 

5.Qb3 Qb6 

6.Qxb6 axb6 

7.cxd5 Nxd5 

8.Nxd5 cxd5 

9.Bf4 Nc6 

10.e3 e6 

11.a3 Bb4+ 

12.Nd2?! -0.52/28

12.Kd1 +0.11/28 12...Be7 12...Kd7 13. Rc1 Bd6 14. Bxd6 Kxd6 15. Be2 h6 16. Nd2 Rhc8 17. Nb3 Na5 18. Nxa5 Rxc1+ 19. Kxc1 bxa5 +0.07 Stockfish 13.Bc7 Bd8 14.Bxd8 Rxd8 15.Bb5 f6 16.Ke2 O-O 17.Rhc1 Rc8 18.Rc3 Na7 19.Bd3 Bxd3+ 20.Kxd3 Rxc3+ 21.bxc3

12...Bxd2+ 

13.Kxd2 Na5 

14.Bb5+?! -1.09/28

14.Rd1 -0.60/27 14...Rc8 15.Bd3 Nb3+ 16.Ke2 Bxd3+ 16...Ke7 17. Bxf5 exf5 18. f3 Kd7 19. h4 b5 20. Rhg1 g6 21. g3 Rhe8 22. Rge1 Rc2+ 23. Kd3 Rc4 -1.14 Stockfish 17.Kxd3 Ke7 18.Rb1 Rc6 19.Rhd1 f6 20.e4 dxe4+ 21.Kxe4 Rc4 22.Be3 Rd8 23.f4 Rc6 24.Kf3 Rcd6 25.Kf2 Kf7 26.Rd3

14…Ke7 

15.Ke2 Rhc8?! -0.44/28

15...Nb3 -1.15/28 16.Rae1 Rhc8 17.Kf1 Rc2 18.h4 Nd2+ Stockfish thinks this variation is -4.64 after 19. Kg1 Rxb2 20. a4 Bc2 21. Rc1 Nc4 22. e4 Bxa4 23. Bxc4 dxc4 24. Rxc4 Bc6

16.Rac1 Nc4?! +0.19/26

16...Nb3 -0.39/29 17.Rxc8 17. Bc7 Ra5 18. Bd6+ Kxd6 19. Rxc8 Rxb5 20. Rd8+ Ke7 21. Rb8 e5 22. g4 Bg6 23. dxe5 Ke6 -2.39 Stockfish 17...Rxc8 18.Re1 Rc2+ 19.Kf1 Rxb2 20.a4 Nd2+ 20... Bc2 21. Kg1 Ra2 22. h4 Na5 23. Rc1 Kd8 24. g4 Nb3 25. Rf1 Nd2 26. Rc1 Bxa4 27. Bd3 b5 28. Bxh7 b4 -2.82 Stockfish 21.Kg1 Ne4 22.f3 Nc3 23.Ra1 Bc2 24.Bc7 Nd1 25.Bf4 Rb1 26.Rxb1 Bxb1 27.Bc7 Nxe3 28.Bxb6 Nc4 29.Bc5+ Kd8 30.a5

17.Bxc4 dxc4 

18.Rc3 b5 

19.f3?! -0.86/30

19.Kf3 -0.16/25 19...Bd3 20.e4 f6 20...Rd8 21. Ke3 Kd7 22. g4 b4 23. axb4 Ra2 24. b3 b5 25. bxc4 bxc4 = Stockfish 21.Re1 21. Bd2 b4 22. Rxd3 cxd3 23. Bxb4+ Kd7 24. Bc3 Rxa3 25. bxa3 Rxc3 26. Ke3 Rxa3 = Stockfish 21...Rd8 22.d5 exd5 23.exd5+ Kf7 24.d6 g5 25.Re7+ Kf8 26.Bg3 Re8 27.Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Kg4 Bg6 29.f4 h5+ 30.Kf3 Be4+ 31.Ke3 Bc6+ 32.Kd2 Rd8 33.fxg5 fxg5 34.Be5

19...Bd3+ 

20.Kd2? -2.33/30

20.Kf2 -0.86/29 20...b4 21.axb4 Ra2 22.Kg3 Rxb2 23.Ra3 Rxb4 24.Rha1 24. e4 Rb3 25. Rha1 Kd7 26. h4 f5 27. exf5 Bxf5 -3.40 Stockfish 24...Rb3 25.e4 Rd8 25... Kd7 26. h4 f5 27. exf5 Bxf5 28. Bc1 Kd6 29. Ra5 c3 30. R1a3 Rb1 31. Rc5 Rxc5 32. dxc5+ Kd5 33. Rxc3 Kd4 -4.13 Stockfish 26.Kf2 Rd7 27.R1a2 Rb1 28.Ke3 f5 29.Bg5+ Kf7 30.Bh4 b5 31.Ra7 Rxa7 32.Rxa7+ Kg6 33.exf5+ exf5 34.g4 fxg4 35.fxg4 h5 36.gxh5+ Kxh5 37.Be7 Re1+ 38.Kf3 Be4+ 39.Kf2

20…b4 

21.axb4 Ra2 

22.Rhc1? -5.09/28

22.Rxd3 -2.44/26 22...cxd3 23.Kxd3 Rxb2 24.Ra1 Rb3+ 25.Kd2 Rxb4 25...f6 26. h4 Rxb4 27. Ra2 Rb5 28. h5 Rd8 29. Ke2 Rxh5 -5.71 Stockfish 26.g4 Rb2+

22...Rxb2+ 

23.Ke1 Rxg2?! -4.26/28

23...Ra8 -5.39/28 Black avoids the blunder 23...Rb4 24.Rd3 24.Rxd3 cxd3 25.Rd1 Rxg2 26.Kf1 Rb2 26...Rc2 27. e4 Raa2 28. Bg3 Rcb2 29. d5 exd5 30. exd5 Rb3 31. d6+ Kd7 -11.07 Stockfish 27.Ke1 Ra3 28.b5 Rxb5 29.e4 Rb4 30.Bd2 Rxd4 31.Rb1 Ra2 32.Rxb7+ Rd7 33.Rb4 f5 34.e5 Rd5 35.f4 g5

24.e4?! -6.85/28

24.Ra3 -4.26/28 24...g5 25.Rxd3 Rg1+ 26.Kd2 Rxc1 27.Bxg5+ f6 28.Ra3 Rb1 29.Bf4 Rb3 29...Rxb4 30. e4 Rb3 31. Ra7 h5 32. Ra2 Rxf3 33. Bg3 Rd3+ 34. Kc2 Rxd4 -10.33 Stockfish 30.Ra2 Rxb4 31.Kc1 Rb3 32.Ra7 Kf7

24.Rxd3 Rg1+ 25.Kd2 Rxc1 26.Ra3 -8.75 Stockfish

24...Ra8 next will come 25...Ra2 with mating threats 0-1

 

 

[Event "game/15"]

[Site "Westerly Chess Club"]

[Date "2022.09.08"]

[Round "?"]

[White "Mike Smith"]

[Black "Alan Lasser"]

[Result "0-1"]

[BlackElo "1939"]

[ECO "D15"]

[WhiteElo "1944"]

 

1.c4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bf5 5.Qb3 Qb6 6.Qxb6 axb6 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Nxd5

cxd5 9.Bf4 Nc6 10.e3 e6 11.a3 Bb4+ 12.Nd2 $6 { -0.52/28 } ( 12.Kd1

{ +0.11/28 } 12...Be7

{ 12...Kd7 13. Rc1 Bd6 14. Bxd6 Kxd6 15. Be2 h6 16. Nd2 Rhc8 17. Nb3 Na5

18. Nxa5 Rxc1+ 19. Kxc1 bxa5   +0.07   Stockfish } 13.Bc7 Bd8 14.Bxd8 Rxd8

15.Bb5 f6 16.Ke2 O-O 17.Rhc1 Rc8 18.Rc3 Na7 19.Bd3 Bxd3+ 20.Kxd3 Rxc3+

21.bxc3 ) 12...Bxd2+ 13.Kxd2 Na5 14.Bb5+ $6 { -1.09/28 } ( 14.Rd1

{ -0.60/27 } 14...Rc8 15.Bd3 Nb3+ 16.Ke2 Bxd3+

{ 16...Ke7 17. Bxf5 exf5 18. f3 Kd7 19. h4 b5 20. Rhg1 g6 21. g3 Rhe8 22.

Rge1 Rc2+ 23. Kd3 Rc4   -1.14   Stockfish } 17.Kxd3 Ke7 18.Rb1 Rc6 19.Rhd1 f6

20.e4 dxe4+ 21.Kxe4 Rc4 22.Be3 Rd8 23.f4 Rc6 24.Kf3 Rcd6 25.Kf2 Kf7 26.Rd3 )

14...Ke7 15.Ke2 Rhc8 $6 { -0.44/28 } ( 15...Nb3 { -1.15/28 } 16.Rae1 Rhc8

17.Kf1 Rc2 18.h4 Nd2+

{ Stockfish thinks this variation is -4.64 after  19. Kg1 Rxb2 20. a4 Bc2

21. Rc1 Nc4 22. e4 Bxa4 23. Bxc4 dxc4 24. Rxc4 Bc6 } ) 16.Rac1 Nc4 $6

{ +0.19/26 } ( 16...Nb3 { -0.39/29 } 17.Rxc8

{ 17. Bc7 Ra5 18. Bd6+ Kxd6 19. Rxc8 Rxb5 20. Rd8+ Ke7 21. Rb8 e5 22. g4

Bg6 23. dxe5 Ke6  -2.39   Stockfish } 17...Rxc8 18.Re1 Rc2+ 19.Kf1 Rxb2 20.a4

Nd2+

{ 20... Bc2 21. Kg1 Ra2 22. h4 Na5 23. Rc1 Kd8 24. g4 Nb3 25. Rf1 Nd2 26.

Rc1 Bxa4 27. Bd3 b5 28. Bxh7 b4   -2.82   Stockfish } 21.Kg1 Ne4 22.f3 Nc3

23.Ra1 Bc2 24.Bc7 Nd1 25.Bf4 Rb1 26.Rxb1 Bxb1 27.Bc7 Nxe3 28.Bxb6 Nc4 29.Bc5+

Kd8 30.a5 ) 17.Bxc4 dxc4 18.Rc3 b5 19.f3 $6 { -0.86/30 } ( 19.Kf3

{ -0.16/25 } 19...Bd3 20.e4 f6

{ 20...Rd8 21. Ke3 Kd7 22. g4 b4 23. axb4 Ra2 24. b3 b5 25. bxc4 bxc4   =  

Stockfish } 21.Re1

{ 21. Bd2 b4 22. Rxd3 cxd3 23. Bxb4+ Kd7 24. Bc3 Rxa3 25. bxa3 Rxc3 26. Ke3

Rxa3   =   Stockfish } 21...Rd8 22.d5 exd5 23.exd5+ Kf7 24.d6 g5 25.Re7+ Kf8

26.Bg3 Re8 27.Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Kg4 Bg6 29.f4 h5+ 30.Kf3 Be4+ 31.Ke3 Bc6+ 32.Kd2

Rd8 33.fxg5 fxg5 34.Be5 ) 19...Bd3+ 20.Kd2 $2 { -2.33/30 } ( 20.Kf2

{ -0.86/29 } 20...b4 21.axb4 Ra2 22.Kg3 Rxb2 23.Ra3 Rxb4 24.Rha1

{ 24. e4 Rb3 25. Rha1 Kd7 26. h4 f5 27. exf5 Bxf5   -3.40   Stockfish }

24...Rb3 25.e4 Rd8

{ 25... Kd7 26. h4 f5 27. exf5 Bxf5 28. Bc1 Kd6 29. Ra5 c3 30. R1a3 Rb1 31.

Rc5 Rxc5 32. dxc5+ Kd5 33. Rxc3 Kd4   -4.13   Stockfish } 26.Kf2 Rd7 27.R1a2

Rb1 28.Ke3 f5 29.Bg5+ Kf7 30.Bh4 b5 31.Ra7 Rxa7 32.Rxa7+ Kg6 33.exf5+ exf5

34.g4 fxg4 35.fxg4 h5 36.gxh5+ Kxh5 37.Be7 Re1+ 38.Kf3 Be4+ 39.Kf2 ) 20...b4

21.axb4 Ra2 22.Rhc1 $2 { -5.09/28 } ( 22.Rxd3 { -2.44/26 } 22...cxd3 23.Kxd3

Rxb2 24.Ra1 Rb3+ 25.Kd2 Rxb4

{ 25...f6 26. h4 Rxb4 27. Ra2 Rb5 28. h5 Rd8 29. Ke2 Rxh5  -5.71  

Stockfish } 26.g4 Rb2+ ) 22...Rxb2+ 23.Ke1 Rxg2 $6 { -4.26/28 } ( 23...Ra8

{ -5.39/28  Black avoids the blunder  23...Rb4 24.Rd3 } 24.Rxd3 cxd3 25.Rd1

Rxg2 26.Kf1 Rb2

{ 26...Rc2 27. e4 Raa2 28. Bg3 Rcb2 29. d5 exd5 30. exd5 Rb3 31. d6+ Kd7  

-11.07   Stockfish } 27.Ke1 Ra3 28.b5 Rxb5 29.e4 Rb4 30.Bd2 Rxd4 31.Rb1 Ra2

32.Rxb7+ Rd7 33.Rb4 f5 34.e5 Rd5 35.f4 g5 ) 24.e4 $6 { -6.85/28 } ( 24.Ra3

{ -4.26/28 } 24...g5 25.Rxd3 Rg1+ 26.Kd2 Rxc1 27.Bxg5+ f6 28.Ra3 Rb1 29.Bf4

Rb3

{ 29...Rxb4 30. e4 Rb3 31. Ra7 h5 32. Ra2 Rxf3 33. Bg3 Rd3+ 34. Kc2 Rxd4  

-10.33 Stockfish } 30.Ra2 Rxb4 31.Kc1 Rb3 32.Ra7 Kf7 ) ( 24.Rxd3 Rg1+ 25.Kd2

Rxc1 26.Ra3 { -8.75  Stockfish } ) 24...Ra8

{ next will come 25...Ra2 with mating threats } 0-1

 

 

Alan Lasser

blacklightmazes@icloud.com

website:  bla[Event "game/cklightmazes.com

 

Hamden CC September Showdown

 

 

Play More Chess Academy

Saturday, September 24, 2022

EVENT OVERVIEW

Tournament:  HCC September Showdown USCF G/45 Quads
Date/Time:   Saturday, September 24, 2022;  1:00PM.  Round 1 at 1:00PM; subsequent rounds ASAP.
Location:  Play More Chess Academy, 1227 Whitney Ave., Hamden, CT 06517
Format:  Four-person round-robin quads (3 games); G/45, d5   (Estimated round times 1:00pm, 2:45pm, 4:30pm. Tournament is expected to finish approximately 6:00pm. Some sections/quads may finish sooner). Players will be grouped in quads by USCF rating (or FIDE if no USCF).  Adults of all levels are welcome.  Children under 13 years old must be rated 1000+ to be eligible to participate.
Byes:  No byes permitted as this a three round tournament.  All participants are expected to complete all of their games. 
Entry fee: $25-40  (Discounts for early entry and for Hamden Chess Club members)
Entry deadline:  Early entry discounted fee: Thursday midnight before tournament;  Regular entry deadline: Sat. 11:00AM day of tournament.  No on-site registration.
Prizes:  $60 1st each quad; if one Swiss section is necessary a 2nd place prize of $30 for that section
Refunds/Cancellation Policy:  If you cannot play in this event, you may withdraw by emailing: info@PlayMoreChess.com.   A request for a refund may be made no later than Thursday 11:59 PM  (Thursday Before Tournament). Refunds must be requested by email and are subject to a $15 cancellation fee to cover administrative and credit card processing charges. 

Additional Details:

• USCF membership is required prior to registering for this tournament - available at uschess.org 
• Chess sets, clocks and scoresheets are provided.  No need to bring anything.
• Questions: please email: info@playmorechess.com

Address:

1227 Whitney Ave.
Hamden, CT 06517
United States

Sections:

Grand Prix Points:

Prize Fund:

FIDE Rated: No

Handicap Accessible: No

Residency Restriction: No

Online Event: No

ORGANIZER OVERVIEW

Hamden Chess Club

Email: info@playmorechess.com

Phone: 203-680-8456

Website: https://PlayMoreChess.com

 

https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/CT-reacts-to-death-of-Queen-Elizabeth-II-who-led-17428410.php?src=rdctplocal

Zoom Link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89546934763?pwd=VFk5OUxDU1FrQytHNlNYcTNJS1NRZz09

 

We have some interesting games from the Summer Open and Show Up tournaments https://lichess.org/study/01LojpRH

 

If time permits, we may tackle some more chess theory.

 

Hope to see you at 5,

 

Rick