Sunday, September 22, 2019

FUN FACTS ABOUT THE NBCC BY BOB CYR

GOING BACK IN TIME  by Bob Cyr

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sat. Nov. 16, 2019

Yankee Peddler Open

$160-1st, $80-2nd. Guaranteed.

3 Round Swiss, G/60;d5 Affects both quick and regular rating. Round Times: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45.  Entry Fees: $35 Cash Only On-site Only: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. No Advance Entry. One Section. Accelerated Pairings. Wheelchair Accessible. USCF TLASite: Mill Brook Place1267 Main St., Coventry, CT 06238 Across street from Bidwell Tavern is our stone building at rear of parking lot 

 

Oct 26  Leaf Blower Open  Amherst MA

 

Nov 16  2019 Yankee Peddler Open  Coventry CT

USCF TLA

 

Dec 14  2019 Holiday Party Open  Coventry CT

USCF TLA

 

 

COVENTRY CHESS CLUB 2020 CALENDAR

Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31)

JAN 18  2020 GREATER HARTFORD OPEN

FEB 22  2020 EASTERN CONNECTICUT OPEN

MAR 21  2020 CONSTITUTION STATE OPEN

APR 18  2020 MILL BROOK PARK OPEN

May thru August  -  No Tournaments

SEP 26  2020 CONNECTICUT HARVEST OPEN

OCT 17  2020 CHARTER OAK OPEN

NOV 14  2020 CONNECTICUT YANKEE OPEN

DEC 12  2020 NUTMEG STATE OPEN

 

 

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Nov. 16   2019 Yankee Peddler Open

3SS, G/60 d5. Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31), Coventry, CT 06238. EF: $35 Cash Only Onsite Only. $$GTD: $160-80. Reg.: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. Rds.: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45. INFO: ConnecticutChess@Gmail.com Dir: One Section. Accel.Pairings. https://ConnecticutChess.blogspot.com W.


Nov. 16   2019 Yankee Peddler Open   Web Listing


Dec. 14   2019 Holiday Party Open

3SS, G/60 d5. Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31), Coventry, CT 06238. EF: $35 Cash Only Onsite Only. $$GTD: $160-80. Reg.: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. Rds.: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45. INFO: ConnecticutChess@Gmail.com Dir: One Section. Accel.Pairings. https://ConnecticutChess.blogspot.com W.


Dec. 14   2019 Holiday Party Open   Web Listing 

 

 

GAME OF THE WEEK   by Alan Lasser

 

Long-time readers will recall the issues where I did an extensive statistical analysis of 500 chess games in an attempt to determine which was better, the bishop or the knight. The study revealed that the bishops averaged 2.75 captures per game compared to the knight’s 2.53, but it was the knight that took more queens and delivered more checkmates.

It seems that we are missing crucial information from the inventors of chess, that simple mathematical formula that explains why a piece that moves on diagonals and only plays on half the squares would be the rough equivalent of the piece that goes anywhere it wants and hops around in an “L”.


In the last round of the Saint Louis Fall Classic two grandmasters tried 1…Na6, giving White the chance to exchange a bishop for a knight on move three, with the question of whether the open file would be worth the two weak pawns. Both White players declined, preferring to keep the bishop with an opportunity to possibly castle queenside into a less hostile environment. Stockfish does not agree with them.


Perhaps on that day there was something in the water. One of the rarest of chess formations, the full rank, appeared on the board. That ridiculous rank lasted for more moves than any other I have seen as it evolved into an incredible full rank of pawns. You have to see it to believe it.

GM Hrant Melkumyan(2653)-GM Olexandr Bortnyk(2602)
9/18/19
2019 Saint Louis Fall Classic
1.d4 Na6
2.e4 c6
3.Nf3
3.Bxa6 bxa6 4.c4 e6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Qc2 Ne7 7.c5 dxc5 8.Qxc5 Qc7 9.Qc2 Ng6 10.h4 h5 11.Bg5 e5 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Bb4+ 14.Nd2 O-O 15.Bf4 Rd8 16.O-O Bxd2 17.Bxd2 Qxe5 18.Rac1 +1.26 Stockfish at 44 ply
3…g6
4.c4 Bg7
5.Nc3 d6
6.Be2
6.h3 e5 7.Be3 exd4 8.Nxd4 Nf6 9.Qd2 O-O 10.O-O-O Re8 11.f3 d5 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.e5 Nd7 14.f4 Nb6 15.Ndb5 Re6 16.Kb1 Qf8 17.g4 Bd7 18.Nd6 Bc6 19.Bxb6 axb6 20.Bxa6 Rxd6 21.Bd3 Rdd8 22.Rhe1 Qc5 23.a3 Re8 24.g5 Bf8 25.h4 b5 26.Na2 Qb6 27.Bc2 b4 28.Nxb4 Ra5 29.Re3 Rea8 30.Rb3 Qa7 31.h5 Ba4 32.hxg6 fxg6 33.Nxd5 Bxb3 34.Bxb3 Kh8 35.Rh1 b6 36.e6 Bg7 37.e7 1-0 Akobian-Ipatov 2019
6...Bg4
6...f5 7.exf5 Bxf5 8.Be3 Nf6 9.h3 O-O 10.O-O Nc7 11.a4 a6 12.Qb3 Ne4 13.Rfe1 Nxc3 14.bxc3 +1.10 Stockfish
6...Nf6 7.O-O O-O 8.Qc2 Qc7 9.Bf4 Nh5 10.Be3 e5 11.Rad1 Bg4 12.a3 f5 13.d5 f4 14.Bc1 Nf6 15.b4 +0.88 Stockfish
7.Be3 Bxf3
8.Bxf3 e5
9.d5 c5
10.Qb3 Rb8
11.Nb5 Ra8
12.g4 Nc7
13.h4 Nxb5
14.Qxb5+ Qd7
15.a4 a5
16.g5 h5
17.Bg2 f5
18.Bd2 Ne7
19.Ke2 Qxb5
20.axb5 b6
21.b4 the most ridiculous rank I have ever seen
21…cxb4
22.Bxb4 Kd7
23.Bd2 Rhf8
24.Be3 Rab8
25.f3 Kc7
26.Rhd1 Rbd8
27.Bh3 Rf7
28.Ra2 Bf8
29.Rad2 f4?! +0.60/28
29...Ra8 +0.24/24 30.c5 bxc5 31.Ra1 Nc8 32.Rda2 Kb6 33.Bd2 Rfa7 34.exf5 Ne7 35.f6 Nxd5 36.Be6
29...Rb8 30.Ra2 Rd8 31.Kd3 Bg7 32.Bf1 Rff8 33.Be2 Ra8 34.Kc3 Rfd8 35.Kb3 Rd7 36.Bd3 Rf8 37.Rf1 Rdd8 38.Be2 Rb8 39.Kc3 Ra8 Stockfish thinks White is up by 1.13 but the mindless maneuvering of this variation makes it apparent that the position is a draw.
30.Bf2 Nc8
31.Ra2 Kb7
32.Rda1 Rc7
33.Kd3 Be7
34.Be1 Kb8
35.Be6 Bf8
36.Bc3 Re8
37.Bxa5?! +0.28/30
37.c5 +0.98/29 37...Rxc5 38.Bf7 Rd8 39.Bxg6 Bg7 39...Be7 40. Be1 Rh8 41. Rb2 Rc7 42. Bf5 Bd8 43. Bf2 Rg8 44. Bxc8 Rxc8 45. Rbb1 +2.58 Stockfish 40.Be1 Rh8 41.Rb1 41. Bf5 Rd8 42. Bf2 Rxb5 43. Rc1 Na7 44. Rac2 Rb3+ 45. Kd2 Bh8 46. Rc7 Rb2+ 47. Ke1 +3.17 Stockfish 41...Kb7 42.Bf2 Rc7 43.Rc2 Rxc2 44.Kxc2 Na7 45.Bf7 Bf8 46.Kd3 Bg7 47.Kc3 Bf8 48.Kc4 Bg7 49.Be6 Nc8 50.Kb3 Rf8
37…bxa5
38.Rxa5 Nb6
39.Ra6 Rb7
40.Bf7 Rxf7
41.Rxb6+?! 0.00/31
41.c5 dxc5 42.Rxb6+ Rb7 43.Raa6 c4+ 44.Kxc4 Rc8+ 45.Rc6 Rbc7 46.Rb6+ Ka7 47.Kb3 Rxc6 48.Rxc6 Rd8 49.Ra6+ Kb7 50.Rxg6 Bd6 51.Rh6 Kb6 52.Kc4 Rc8+ 53.Kd3 Kc5 54.b6 Rb8 55.g6 Rg8 56.b7 Rg7 57.Rxh5 Rxg6 58.Rh8 Rg3 59.Rc8+ Kb6 60.b8=Q+ Bxb8 61.Rxb8+ Kc7 62.Re8
41…Rb7
42.Rba6 Kc7
43.c5 dxc5
44.Kc4 Reb8
45.Rf6 Be7
46.d6+ Bxd6
47.Rd1 Rb6
48.Rxg6 Bf8
49.Rxb6 Rxb6
50.Ra1 Kb7
51.Kd5 Rxb5?!
51...Rg6 -0.59/26 52.Ra4 Rd6+ 52...Rb6 53. Kxe5 Rxb5 54. Kxf4 Rb4 55. Ra5 Rb3 56. e5 c4 57. Ke4 c3 58. Kd3 c2+ 59. Kxc2 Rxf3 60. e6 Be7 61. Rd5 Kc6 62. Rd7 Bd6 63. Rh7 Rg3 64. Rxh5 Be7 65. Kd1 Kd5 66. Rh6 Bc5 67. Ke2 Kd6 68. g6 Kxe6 -0.23 Stockfish
52.Ke6 Kb8?! +0.76/29
52...Rb3 -0.04/30 53.Kf7 Bd6 54.g6 Rxf3 55.g7 Rg3 56.g8=Q Rxg8 57.Kxg8 Kb6 58.Kf7 c4 59.Kg6 c3 60.Rc1
53.Rc1? -0.37/26
53.Kf7 Bd6 54.Rd1 Rb7+ 55.Ke6 Be7 56.Rd7 Rxd7 57.Kxd7 Bf8 58.Ke8 Bg7 59.Kf7 c4 60.Kxg7 c3 61.g6 c2 62.Kh8 c1=Q 63.g7 Qe1 64.g8=Q+ Kc7 65.Qf7+ Kb6 66.Qf6+ Kb7 67.Qe7+ Kc6 68.Qe6+ Kb7 69.Qd5+ Kc8 70.Qxe5 Qxh4 71.Kh7 Kd7 72.Qb5+ Kd8 73.Qd5+ Kc7 74.Qc5+ Kb7 75.Kh6 Qg3 76.Qxh5 +5.77 Stockfish
53...Bg7?! 0.00/31

53...Rb7 -0.37/26 54.Kxe5 Kc7 55.Kf6 55. Kxf4 Kc6 56. e5 Kd5 57. Rd1+ Ke6 58. Rd8 Be7 59. Re8 Rb1 60. g6 Rg1 61. Rc8 Rxg6 -2.53 Stockfish 55...Kd7 55... Kd6 56. Rd1+ Kc6 57. Rc1 Rc7 58. Ke6 Bg7 59. e5 Rb7 60. Kf5 Re7 61. Kg6 Kd5 62. Kxh5 c4 63. Kg4 Bxe5 -3.84 Stockfish 56.Kg6 Ke6 57.Kxh5 Rb2 58.Rg1 Rh2 59.Ra1 Rg2 60.Ra8 Be7 61.g6
54.Kf5 Kc7
55.Kg6 Bf8
56.Kxh5 Rb3? +1.35/26
56...Rb6 +0.01/27 57.Kg4 Kd7 57...Rc6 58. h5 c4 59. h6 c3 60. Kh5 Kb6 61. g6 Rc7 62. g7 Bxg7 63. hxg7 Rxg7 64. Rxc3 = Stockfish 58.Kf5 Rb3 59.Rd1+ 59. Rf1 c4 60. h5 Rb8 61. Kg6 c3 62. h6 Rb6+ 63. Kh7 c2 64. Rc1 Rc6 65. g6 Bxh6 66. Kxh6 Ke6 67. g7 Kf7+ 68. Kh7 Rg6 69. Rxc2 Rxg7+ = Stockfish 59...Ke8 60.Rf1 c4 61.Kxe5 c3 62.Rc1 Ba3 63.Rc2 Bb4 64.Kd4 Rb2 65.Kd3 Rxc2 66.Kxc2 Kf7 67.h5 Kg7
57.Kg4? 0.00/31
57.Kg6 +1.35/26 57...Rb7 57...Rxf3 58. Kf7 Rh3 59. Kxf8 Rxh4 60. g6 f3 61. g7 Rf4+ 62. Ke7 Rg4 63. Kf7 Rf4+ 64. Ke6 Rg4 65. Rxc5+ +.09 Stockfish 58.Kf7 Bd6 59.h5 Kc6+ 60.Kg6
57…Rb2
58.h5 Kd7
59.Kf5 Rg2
60.Rd1+ Ke8
61.g6 Bh6
62.Ra1 c4
63.Ke6 Kd8? +1.19/27
63...Kf8 +0.17/31 64.Rc1 64. Ra7 c3 65. Ra8+ Kg7 66. Ra7+ Kf8 = Stockfish 64...Rg5 64... Rh2 65. Rxc4 Rxh5 66. Rc7 Kg8 67. Rh7 Rh2 68. Kf6 Rh1 69. Ra7 Rg1 70. Ra8+ Bf8 71. Rc8 Rb1 72. Kxe5 Kg7 73. Kxf4 = Stockfish 65.Rxc4 Rxh5 66.Rc7 Kg8 67.Rb7 Rh3 68.Kf6 Bf8 69.Rb8 Rg3 70.Ra8 Rh3 71.Rc8 Rg3 72.Rb8 Rh3 73.Ra8 Rg3 74.Rc8 Rh3 75.Rd8 Rg3 76.Rc8
64.Rd1+? +0.02/26
64.Ra8+ +1.19/27 64...Kc7 65.Ra4 Rc2 66.Kxe5 c3 66...Kc6 67. Kf6 Kc5 68. e5 c3 69. Ra1 Re2 70. Rc1 c2 71. g7 Bxg7+ 72. Kxg7 Kd5 73. Kf6 Rxe5 74. h6 Rh5 75. Rxc2 Rxh6+ +.09 Stockfish 67.Rc4+ Kd7 68.Kf6 Re2 69.Rxc3 Re3 70.Rc1 Rxf3 71.e5 Re3 72.Rd1+ Ke8 73.e6 f3 74.Ra1 Kd8
64...Kc7? +1.72/28
64...Kc8 +0.02/26 65.Rc1 Ra2 66.Kxe5 66. Rxc4+ Kb8 67. Rb4+ Ka7 68. Rb3 Ra6+ 69. Kf5 Ra4 70. Kxe5 Ra5+ 71. Kf6 Ra6+ 72. Ke7 Ra5 73. Rd3 +10.78 Stockfish 66...Ra5+ 67.Kd6 Ra6+ 68.Ke7 Ra7+ 69.Ke6 Rc7 70.Rc3 Rc5 71.e5 Kd8 72.Kf6 Rc6+ 64...Kc8 is a loss for Black
64...Ke8 The alternative loses, 64...Kc8 65.Rc1 Ra2 66.Rc4 Kb8 67.Rb4 Ka7 68.Rb3 Ra6 69.Kf5 Ra4 70.Ke5 Ra5 71.Kf6 Ra6 72.Ke7 Ra5 73.Rd3 65.Rc1 Rh2 66.Rxc4 Kf8 67.Kf6 Bg7+ 68.Kg5 Rh3 69.Rc8+ Ke7 70.Rc7+ Kf8 71.Rf7+ Kg8 72.Rb7 Bf8 = Stockfish
65.Rc1 Rg5? +4.83/29
65...Kd8 +1.72/28 66.Rxc4 Ra2 67.Rb4 Kc7 67...Ra6+ 68. Kxe5 Kc7 69. Rb3 Bg7+ 70. Kxf4 Ra8 71. Kg4 Bh6 72. f4 Kc6 73. Rd3 +9.72 Stockfish 68.Rb3 Ra6+ 69.Kxe5 Bg7+ 70.Kxf4 +11.29 Stockfish
66.Rxc4+ Kb7
67.Rc5 Rxh5
68.Rxe5 Rh1
69.Kf7
69.Kf6 Kc6 70.Re7 Bf8 71.Re8 Bh6 72.e5 Rh5 73.Rh8 Kd5 74.Rh7 Kc6 75.e6 Kd6 76.Rd7+ Kc6 77.Ra7 Kb6 78.Rh7 Kc6 79.Kf7 +54.17 Stockfish
69…Kc6
70.Re8 Ra1
71.Rh8? +0.68/32
71.e5 Ra7+ 72.Re7 Ra8 73.Kf6 Kc5 74.Rh7 +66.28 Stockfish
71…Ra7+
72.Ke6 Bg7
73.Rc8+?! +0.42/30
73.Rd8 +0.73/29 73...Kc5 74.Kf5 Kc4 75.Kxf4 Ra5 75... Ra6 76. e5 Rxg6 77. Kf5 Rg3 78. f4 Re3 79. Rg8 Bh6 80. Rc8+ Kd5 81. Rh8 Bg7 82. Ra8 Bh6 83. Rd8+ = Stockfish 76.e5 Bxe5+ 77.Ke4 Ba1 78.f4 Ra4 79.Rc8+ Kb5+ 80.Kf5 Ra2 81.Rc1 Bg7 82.Rc7 Ba1 83.Ke4 Kb6 84.Rc1
73.Rh7 This line is a draw, Stockfish looks out to move 110 without making real progress. 73...Kc5 74.Kf5 Rb7 75.Kg5 Ra7 76.Kxf4 Kd6 77.Kf5 Ra5+ 78.Kg4 Bf6 79.f4 Ke6 80.Rc7 Ra4 81.Rc5 Bg7 82.e5 Bh6 83.Rc6+ Ke7 84.Rf6 Re4 85.Kg3 Re3+ 86.Kh4 Re4 87.Kg4 Ra4 +0.47 Stockfish
73…Kb6
74.Re8 Ra3
75.Re7?! 0.00/28
75.Rg8 +0.42/24 75...Ba1 75...Bh6 76. Kf7 Kc5 77. e5 Rxf3 78. Rh8 Rh3 79. g7 Bxg7 80. Rxh3 Bxe5 +0.10 Stockfish 76.e5 Ra5 77.g7 Bxe5 78.Rb8+ Bxb8 79.g8=Q Bc7 80.Kd7 Rc5 81.Qf7 81. Qb3+ Ka5 82. Qb1 Be5 83. Qb7 Ka4 84. Qb6 Rc4 85. Qe6 Rc7+ 86. Ke8 Rc5 87. Qa2+ Kb5 88. Kd7 Kb4 Stockfish thinks White is winning here by 1.84 but it can't make any progress over the next 25 moves so I suspect that the Black position can hold the draw. 81...Be5 82.Qb3+ Ka5 83.Ke6 Bc7 84.Qb1 Re5+ 85.Kd7 Rc5
75…Ba1
76.g7 Bxg7
77.Rxg7 Rxf3
78.e5 Re3
79.Rf7 f3
80.Kd5 Rd3+
81.Ke4 Ra3
82.Kd5 Rd3+
83.Ke6 Kc6
84.Rf4 Re3
85.Rc4+ Kb5
86.Rc2 Re2
87.Rc3 f2
88.Rf3 Kc5
89.Rf4 Kc6
90.Rf3 ½-½

 

 

GOING BACK IN TIME  by Bob Cyr

The New Britain Chess Club Fun Facts

A wealth of historical data has been compiled about the NBCC over the decades. Below are some of the most interesting and unique facts about our organization.

 

 

Question Answer
NBCC founding January 26, 1901
NBCC member who created the NBCC nickname
"The Heart of Connecticut Chess"
FM Richard Bauer
Highest membership in the NBCC 119 (1973)
Most players competing in a NBCC tournament 78
(2009 New Britain Summer Open Chess Championship)
Most players competing in a NBCC quick chess tournament 34 tie
(Quick chess tournaments for Richard Lee and Robert McDaniel)
Most scholastic players competing in a NBCC tournament 35
(2018 New Britain Summer Open Chess Championship)
Most female players competing in a NBCC tournament 5
(2019 New Britain Bughouse Chess Tournament)
Most NBCC past or present members competing in a non-club event 32
(2017 Bradley Open Chess Championship)
Player to travel the farthest to play in a NBCC tournament Alexander Polak
(Alex is a resident of Leiden, the Netherlands)
Longest duration for the NBCC at a venue 35 years
(New Britain Quartette Club: 1975 - 2010)
NBCC's first presence in the newspaper Early 1890s
NBCC's first presence on the internet 1999
(The first NBCC website was created by William Grzesiak)
NBCC's first presence on television May 14, 2009
(PBS series "All Things Connecticut" -
This project was piloted by Rob Roy)
First use of pairing software for a NBCC tournament 2007 New Britain Winter Open Quick Chess Tournament
(The ideas were created by Randy Shane and Douglas Fiske)
First online registration for a NBCC tournament 2016 New Britain Summer Open Chess Championship
(The idea was created by Norman Burtness)
First outdoor NBCC tournament 1975 New Britain Summer Open Chess Championship
First annual NBCC Christmas party 2005
First annual NBCC Oktoberfest dinner party 2006
First annual parties hosted by NBCC members at their home 2005: Derek Meredith
2007: Kevin Zimmerman
First international chess trip offered by a NBCC member Gert Hilhorst
(Trip to Amsterdam, the Netherlands)
 
Yours in chess and time,
 
Robert Cyr
NBCC Historian
Lifetime NBCC Member
USCF Local Tournament Director
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COVENTRY CHESS CLUB   by Rob Roy

Most Frequent Players in Coventry

30 Joe Bihlmeyer

17 Art Nagel

17 Rob Roy

15 Derek Meredith

14 Mark Bourque

12 Hayes Goodman

11 Dan Smith

10 Joshua Berkun

10 Larry Lafosse

 

CHESS NEWS LINKS

The GM diet: How to lose weight while barely moving

How Chennai became India’s ‘Soviet Union in miniature’

The Hardest 1 Move Mate In The World

25 Years Of The Week In Chess

Standing on the shoulders of giants

App-Controlled Chess Board

How To Sponsor An Event On Chess.com‎

Chess can burn hundreds of calories

Milwaukee Club For Young People

St. Louis Chess Club’s Fall Classic

FIDE World Fischer Random Championship

PAST ISSUES OF CONNECTICUT CHESS MAGAZINE

The Early Life Of Pal Benko‎ 

 

 

CHESS COLUMNS FROM THE PAST   by Rob Roy

Rob Roy authored 1,300 chess columns for Waterbury Sunday Republican 1977-2000.  The coverage enabled Waterbury Chess Club to be successful.

A different column will appear in Connecticut Chess Magazine each week.

 

Saturday, September 14, 2019

INSPIRATIONAL CHESS PROGRAM BY DAN PELLETIER

 

AN INSPIRATIONAL CT CHESS PROGRAM

BY COACH DAN STARBUCK PELLETIER


“DIG, Inc. was founded in 2013 by Dan Starbuck Pelletier in Connecticut. DIG
stands for Determination, Integrity, Growth. DIG (www.TeamDIGUSA.com)
initially focused on individual and small group soccer and chess practices in
Wilton and Weston, training over 1,000 different players since 2013.

In December 2015, a DIG coach and Dan were having dinner together in South
Norwalk, Connecticut. They decided that it was time to give back on a regular
basis. DIG then went on to launch ‘DIG Lesson for Lesson’ on January 1, 2016.

The ‘DIG Lesson for Lesson’ mission statement is: For every DIG lesson paid for,
a kid in economic need can attend a DIG lesson for free. Since that night in the
restaurant, DIG has hosted over fifty free soccer lessons in Bridgeport, CT, over
forty free chess lessons in Bridgeport, CT, over 150 free chess lessons in Hartford,
CT, and nine free chess lessons in Framingham, MA. The total attendance at these
free lessons has surpassed 5,000.

We have written some stories of chess players successes in my biography on our
website: https://www.teamdigusa.com/coach-dig-chess-soccer-dan-pelletier/
USCF NM Derek Meredith has done tons for these kids in Hartford by driving
them, sponsoring them, and teaching them. Same with Kevin Zimmerman.

Rob Roy has sponsored them and provided food for them. When these kids go to
tournaments, they go with nothing. It is very expensive to get them registration,
food, and transportation, but I have great people with us to help.


PHOTO: Coach Dan with his chess students

 

Clean and Green Laundromat in Glastonbury gave $500 for three of them to go
to the Boston Chess Congress Tournament, where one of them won the U1250
division, winning $372. Other people helped sponsor that too. I could list another
ten people who have given time or money to help these kids, and that is just Hartford.

I am really focused on Bridgeport now, and we are growing fast. I just got two of
our chess players in elementary school who are from Nigeria and received full
scholarships to Easton Country Day School, which I think is $21,000 a year. We
are taking some of the Bridgeport kids to tournaments like the Hartford kids and
will have success.

An anonymous donor gave a large amount of money to help this program. The money has been used for registration, food, transportation, and equipment for these kids. It is not just the really good players. We have also just given something to do to kids who have nothing to do.

The moral of the story is that chess is connecting people who have resources and experience to young people who really could use some help. It gives them a common ground even though their cultures and upbringing are completely different.

 

 

Nov. 16   2019 Yankee Peddler Open

3SS, G/60 d5. Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31), Coventry, CT 06238. EF: $35 Cash Only Onsite Only. $$GTD: $160-80. Reg.: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. Rds.: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45. INFO: ConnecticutChess@Gmail.com Dir: One Section. Accel.Pairings. https://ConnecticutChess.blogspot.com W.


Nov. 16   2019 Yankee Peddler Open   Web Listing


Dec. 14   2019 Holiday Party Open

3SS, G/60 d5. Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31), Coventry, CT 06238. EF: $35 Cash Only Onsite Only. $$GTD: $160-80. Reg.: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. Rds.: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45. INFO: ConnecticutChess@Gmail.com Dir: One Section. Accel.Pairings. https://ConnecticutChess.blogspot.com W.


Dec. 14   2019 Holiday Party Open   Web Listing 

 

 

COVENTRY CHESS CLUB 2020 CALENDAR

Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31)

JAN 18  2020 GREATER HARTFORD OPEN

FEB 22  2020 EASTERN CONNECTICUT OPEN

MAR 21  2020 CONSTITUTION STATE OPEN

APR 18  2020 MILL BROOK PARK OPEN

May thru August  -  No Tournaments

SEP 26  2020 CONNECTICUT HARVEST OPEN

OCT 17  2020 CHARTER OAK OPEN

NOV 14  2020 CONNECTICUT YANKEE OPEN

DEC 12  2020 NUTMEG STATE OPEN

 

 

GOING BACK IN TIME  by Bob Cyr

Greetings, chess friends:
 
I thought that I would share this inspirational chess story.
 
Some of you know who Dan Pelletier is, but I wanted to share his incredible story about his successes with his DIG chess program.
 
I hope you are inspired just like I was when I read it. This article can be viewed at 
 
 
 
Yours in chess and time,
 
Robert Cyr
NBCC Historian
Lifetime NBCC Member
USCF Local Tournament Director
 

 

Sat. Nov. 16, 2019

Yankee Peddler Open

$160-1st, $80-2nd. Guaranteed.

3 Round Swiss, G/60;d5 Affects both quick and regular rating. Round Times: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45.  Entry Fees: $35 Cash Only On-site Only: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. No Advance Entry. One Section. Accelerated Pairings. Wheelchair Accessible. USCF TLASite: Mill Brook Place1267 Main St., Coventry, CT 06238 Across street from Bidwell Tavern is our stone building at rear of parking lot 

 

 

CHESS NEWS LINKS

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7 Questions About The 2019 FIDE Chess World Cup

The Top 10 Chess Books Every Chess Player Should Read‎

Chess Is The Ultimate Test Of One's Mental Toughness

 

 

 

Norman Burtness, President 

New Britain Chess Club

newbritainchessclub@gmail.com

www.newbritainchessclub.com

 

 

Please Renew your membership:

The success of the NBCC depends on the contributions and support of our chess community.  Membership dues are needed to pay for the use of the facilities, to purchase equipment and to run the club.  

Benefits of a NBCC Membership include:

Casual play every week

Reduced tournament entry fee

Support of chess in CT

Participation in member only events, such as our Club Championship 

Membership dues for the 9/1 - 8/31 club year are:

  • Regular $65 

  • Children and full time students: $50

  • 2nd family member: $35

  • 65+ yrs old or out of state college student: $35

  • Special $35 in case of a Financial Hardship

You can also pay with check or cash at the club or renew by PayPal on our website.

NBCC membership page and PayPal link

 

GAME OF THE WEEK   by Alan Lasser

 

This week at a tournament in Spain there was an interesting theoretical endgame, which probably means you’ll never see it again in your life.  After the final pawn left the board on move 82, White had two knights and Black had a rook and a bishop.
 
The winning idea is to exchange the bishop for one knight when the other knight is too far away from its king to be defended.  If the knight is not kept close to the king in a rook versus knight ending it can be hunted down and trapped.  
 
The other problem was the fifty move rule.  The endgame database says the position on move 82 is a mate in 163 moves.  Just in time, on the fiftieth move, the bishop is exchanged for a knight.
 
If you want to skip ahead to move 82 and start there;  the White king is on c5 and the knights are on b5 and d6, the Black king is on f5 and the rook is on a6 and the bishop is on h2.
 
IM Carles Diaz Camallonga(2440)-GM Kevel Oliva Castenada(2470)
9/9/19
2019 Sabadell Open(Spain)
 1.e4 e5 
5.d3 d6 
16...Nxg3
18...Be6
47.Nec4 h3 48.Rh1 Bg6+ 49.Ke2 Bf5 50.Ne3 Be6 51.Ng2 Bg4+ 52.Kd3 Rf2 53.Ne3 Be6 -0.38 Stockfish
47...Bg5
52...h3
55.Bf4
60...cxb5
102...Rc2
110...Kf3
116...Ke2
119...Ke3

 

 

 

 


ConnecticutChess.Blogspot.Com

Acquisition Stats - August 1 - 31, 2019

662 Direct URL
640 Facebook
557 Search
 36  Referrals from US Chess
  3   from CT Chess
  2   from WachusettChess.org
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Our web pages (above) are being found by the search engines.

One third of our readers originate on Facebook.


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You can unsubscribe anytime.

 

 

 

COVENTRY CHESS CLUB   by Rob Roy

 

 

 

 

NOV. 16   2019 YANKEE PEDDLER OPEN

3SS, G/60 d5. Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31), Coventry, CT 06238. EF: $35 Cash Only Onsite Only. $$GTD: $160-80. Reg.: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. Rds.: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45. INFO: ConnecticutChess@Gmail.com  Dir: One Section. Accel.Pairings. https://ConnecticutChess.blogspot.com  W.  USCF TLA

 

DEC. 14   2019 HOLIDAY PARTY OPEN

3SS, G/60 d5. Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31), Coventry, CT 06238. EF: $35 Cash Only Onsite Only. $$GTD: $160-80. Reg.: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. Rds.: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45. INFO: ConnecticutChess@Gmail.com  Dir: One Section. Accel.Pairings. https://ConnecticutChess.blogspot.com  W.  USCF TLA

 

 

COVENTRY CHESS CLUB 2020 CALENDAR

Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31)

JAN 18  2020 GREATER HARTFORD OPEN

FEB 22  2020 EASTERN CONNECTICUT OPEN

MAR 21  2020 CONSTITUTION STATE OPEN

APR 18  2020 MILL BROOK PARK OPEN

May thru August  -  No Tournaments

SEP 26  2020 CONNECTICUT HARVEST OPEN

OCT 17  2020 CHARTER OAK OPEN

NOV 14  2020 CONNECTICUT YANKEE OPEN

DEC 12  2020 NUTMEG STATE OPEN

 

 

 

PAST ISSUES OF   CONNECTICUT CHESS MAGAZINE

 

Coventry Chess Club

Miles - Direction - Town

30 - N - Sturbridge MA
  4 - E - UConn Storrs
34 - SE - New London
32 - SW - Middletown
21 - W - Hartford
30 - W - New Britain
34 - NW - Springfield MA
35 - NW - Bradley Airport


Coventry Chess Club is worth driving 35 miles to get to.  Since we moved to Mill Brook Place (July 2018) we average 12 players per tournament.  

WE ARE UNABLE TO GUARANTEE PRIZES DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.

This past summer we lost money at every tournament.  Despite poor turnout we paid out the guaranteed prizes, but failed to cover expenses. We averaged only 9 players per tournament.

Next summer, our tournaments will not guarantee the prize fund.

Prizes will be "based on 8 entries, more per entries" $100-1st, $50-2nd.   

September thru April we go back to GUARANTEED $160-1st, $80-2nd. 

Rob Roy, Coventry Chess Club

 

CHESS COLUMNS FROM THE PAST   by Rob Roy

1977 - 2000, Rob Roy wrote 1,300 Waterbury Sunday Republican chess columns.  The column helped his Waterbury Chess Club to become very successful.

Clerks at the newspaper office were the ones who re-typed hard-copy into the newspaper system, they made many typos with chess notation. All future editions of Connecticut Chess Magazine will feature a different column.

 

 

Saturday, September 7, 2019

GOING BACK IN TIME BY BOB CYR

GOING BACK IN TIME  by Bob Cyr

 
Greetings, chess friends:
 
Here is another time travel experience. Here is what about I about the first "odds" tournament held at the club when Mike Pascetta and Derek Meredith took over as president and vice president, respectively, in 2010. This is mentioned in the 2010 NBCC newsletter. Listed below are the 18 prior winners of this series of tournament, which are part of the club archives. 
 
Tonight, the club is hosting its 19th in this series of tournaments. 

On September 7, the new club administration held its first tournament, an eight round Swiss-system time odds event, the first in club history. According to Mike Pascetta, the 1st “What Are the Odds Blitz Chess Tournament” allowed the players to “receive more time than their higher-rated opponents in order to level the playing field.” Everyone enjoyed the event. And, after three hours of spirited play, FM Richard Bauer captured first place.

XVIII: Nelson Castaneda and Suhas Kodali

XVII:  Raghav Arun and Daniel Pascetta
XVI:   Max Krall and Mark Rovensky
XV:    Manav Ramprasad and Nelson Castaneda
XIV:   Mark Bourque
XIII:  Joseph Bihlmeyer
XII:   Alexander Ruth
XI:    Joseph Bihlmeyer, David Herscovici, Allen Mo, James Wilkin.
X:     James Wilkin
IX:    Daniel Pascetta
VIII:  Alexander Ruth
VII:   Dennis Prawira
VI:    Nelson Castaneda
V:     Nelson Castaneda
IV:    Nelson Castaneda
III:   Richard Bauer
II:    Richard Bauer
I:     Richard Bauer

On September 7, the new club administration held its
first tournament, an eight round Swiss-system time odds event, the first in
club history. According to Mike Pascetta, the 1st “What Are the Odds
Blitz Chess Tournament” allowed the players to “receive more time than their
higher-rated opponents in order to level the playing field.” Everyone enjoyed
the event. And, after three hours of spirited play, FM Richard Bauer captured
first place. 
 
Yours in chess and time,
 
Robert Cyr
NBCC Historian
Lifetime NBCC Member
USCF Local Tournament Director
 

 

 

 

Sat. Nov. 16, 2019

Yankee Peddler Open

$160-1st, $80-2nd. Guaranteed.

3 Round Swiss, G/60;d5 Affects both quick and regular rating. Round Times: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45.  Entry Fees: $35 Cash Only On-site Only: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. No Advance Entry. One Section. Accelerated Pairings. Wheelchair Accessible. USCF TLASite: Mill Brook Place1267 Main St., Coventry, CT 06238 Across street from Bidwell Tavern is our stone building at rear of parking lot 

 

 

Connecticut State Chess Association

 

Connecticut's FM Kapil Chandran achieved an IM norm at the US Masters held in Greenboro, NC. Kapil scored 5 out of 9 and beat GM Kamil Dragun (2614) in the process.

The top scholastic player from Connecticut, 16-year-old IM Hans Niemann, scored 5.5 out of 9 missing a GM norm on half a point. Hans beat GM Hrant Melkumyan (2661) and was in a third-place tie for the U2500 (fide) prize.  Final Standings.

 

WELCOME OUR NEWEST CHESS CLUB

 

HAMDEN CHESS CLUB (USCF ID A6054128)

ROD GROFF

PLAY MORE CHESS ACADEMY

1890 DIXWELL AVE SUITE 101, HAMDEN, CT, 06514.

email: HamdenChessClub@PlayMoreChess.com

Web Site: https://PlayMoreChess.com

Casual Play, USCF Rated Events, Unrated Events, Blitz Events, Bughouse, Sets Available, Clocks Available, Chess Items for Sale, Classes Offered, Chess Camps, Private Lessons Offered, Under Age 18 Welcome, Beginners Welcome, Refreshments. 

 

 

Norman Burtness, President 

New Britain Chess Club

newbritainchessclub@gmail.com

www.newbritainchessclub.com

 

 

NBCC Weekly News Sept. 6, 2019

This Week’s News Items:

  • Oktoberfest Tournament starts September 10, 2019

  • What are the Odds? Results

  • Time to Renew Your NBCC Membership before Oktoberfest starts

  • Training Class 6:15-7:00 - Suhas Kodali 

 

Oktoberfest Winners

2018 Open: Nelson Castaneda and Joseph Bihlmeyer, U1800: Laxma Dendi

2017 Open: Dennis Prawira, U1800: Harold Blanchard

2016 Open: Nelson Castaneda, U1800: Bill Campbell

2015 Open: Nelson Castaneda and Mark Bourque, U1600: Ybelka Granger

2014 Open: Nelson Castaneda and David Herscovici, U1700: Swastik Chaki

2013 Open: Derek Meredith, Douglas Fiske, and Allen Mo, U1700: John Twombley and Kevin Zimmerman

2012 Open: Derek Meredith, U1700: Brian Kosnoff and Jason Homiak

2011 Open: Nelson Castaneda, Derek Meredith, and Yogesh Raghunathan, U1700: Jonathan Aiythurai

2010 Open: Nelson Castaneda, U1600: Andris Strazdins

2009 Open: Nelson Castaneda, U1600: George Himes

2008 Open: James Nitz, U1600: Kevin Berry

2007: Dennis Prawira

2006: James Nitz and Daniel Rozovsky

 

What are the Odds? Tournament Results

CONGRATULATIONS TO Shaina Mezheritzsky, perhaps the youngest tournament winner ever at NBCC for tying for 1st place with Phiron Hin, Nelson Castaneda and Arijit Chakraborty.  Each winner won 5 of their 6 matches.

In the “What are the Odds?” tournament, players are given a time handicap based on rating.  The total time for the game is 10 minutes, with no delay. For every 100pts difference in rating, the stronger player loses 1 minute and gives it to the weaker player, up until a 400 pt ratings difference where the time is 9 min vs. 1 minute.  

 

Please Renew your membership:

The success of the NBCC depends on the contributions and support of our chess community.  Membership dues are needed to pay for the use of the facilities, to purchase equipment and to run the club.  

Benefits of a NBCC Membership include:

Casual play every week

Reduced tournament entry fee

Support of chess in CT

Participation in member only events, such as our Club Championship 

         and Christmas Party

Membership dues for the 9/1 - 8/31 club year are:

  • Regular $65 

  • Children and full time students: $50

  • 2nd family member: $35

  • 65+ yrs old or out of state college student: $35

  • Special $35 in case of a Financial Hardship

You can also pay with check or cash at the club or renew by PayPal on our website.

NBCC membership page and PayPal link

 

Training Class 6:15-7:00

On Tuesday, Sept 10, Expert Suhas Kodali will be training on the features of lichess, a free online chess website that many club members have been using to improve their game. We will look at how you can submit your games on lichess for analysis. We will also look at how you can use lichess to analyze your own games.teach.

 

 

GAME OF THE WEEK   by Alan Lasser

 

  This is a chess 960 game from the recent Champions Showdown.  The starting position here is actually move eight.  My Hiarcs software program can handle an artificially created position, but it doesn’t understand the chess960 castling rules.

In order to create a pgn I have to start the game on move eight, after both sides have castled.  On move eight the pawns look like a regular opening, with a piece or two on a funny square.  Fischer Random works pretty much every time, you get a real chess position to play and no extensive opening preparation seems possible. 

A switch to Fischer Random would make chess more fun for the titled players, all that time they spend on the computer doing opening research must be a drag for them. Most players don’t have as much memory for opening preparation;  a master on this mailing list writes that his opponents usually don't play more than five moves of book main lines.  
 
So if we don’t know the openings all that well anyway, why couldn’t millions of chess players make the switch to this new game to help keep a few thousand grandmasters from driving themselves crazy?  
 
The cynics might say that it’s just a plot to sell us the new chess equipment that generates random starting positions, but that’s the same thing they said when digital chess clocks came out, and in the long run, the switch to digital clearly improved the game.  
 
Another obstacle is those 30,000 chess books in the Cleveland Public Library.  Our game probably has the greatest literature of any game, of any sport, of any human competition;  a switch would turn the opening books into so much Latin.  On the other hand, each of the new 960 openings would require several books written about them, so let a thousand authors bloom.  
 
We don’t get much chance to see Kasparov play chess anymore.  I wanted to show you Kasparov’s win from this day, but the last castle in that game is on move nineteen, which didn’t leave much game to analyze.  So this is all of the former World Champion’s play I will show you, the remaining moves from a five minute game of 960.
 
 
The starting position with Black to move is:
 
 White-Kg1, Qc1, Rb1, Rf1, Ba1, Bg2, Nd3, Nf3
             p-a2, b4, c5, d2, e2, f2, g3, h2
 
 Black-Kg8, Qc8, Rb8, Rf8, Ba8, Be7, Nf6, Nh6 
             p-a7, b5, c7, d7, e6, f5, g7, h7
 
 

GM Gary Kasparov-GM Fabiano Caruana

960 Champions Showdown, Blitz round, 9/5/19

1...Bd5
21...Nh5 22.Neg2 Ngf6 
24...Bf6
29...Rxe6

 

 

 

Carissa Yip

America’s top-ranked female chess player

 

 

 

 


ConnecticutChess.Blogspot.Com

Acquisition Stats - August 1 - 31, 2019

662 Direct URL
640 Facebook
557 Search
 36  Referrals from US Chess
  3   from CT Chess
  2   from WachusettChess.org
------
2200

Connecticut Chess Magazine sends weekly updates to subscribers.

Our web pages (above) are being found by the search engines.

One third of our readers originate on Facebook.


Subscribe to our Email Newsletter, it is free.

You can unsubscribe anytime.

 

 

 

COVENTRY CHESS CLUB   by Rob Roy

 

 

 

 

NOV. 16   2019 YANKEE PEDDLER OPEN

3SS, G/60 d5. Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31), Coventry, CT 06238. EF: $35 Cash Only Onsite Only. $$GTD: $160-80. Reg.: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. Rds.: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45. INFO: ConnecticutChess@Gmail.com  Dir: One Section. Accel.Pairings. https://ConnecticutChess.blogspot.com  W.  USCF TLA

 

DEC. 14   2019 HOLIDAY PARTY OPEN

3SS, G/60 d5. Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31), Coventry, CT 06238. EF: $35 Cash Only Onsite Only. $$GTD: $160-80. Reg.: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. Rds.: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45. INFO: ConnecticutChess@Gmail.com  Dir: One Section. Accel.Pairings. https://ConnecticutChess.blogspot.com  W.  USCF TLA

 

 

COVENTRY CHESS CLUB 2020 CALENDAR

Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31)

JAN 18  2020 GREATER HARTFORD OPEN

FEB 22  2020 EASTERN CONNECTICUT OPEN

MAR 21  2020 CONSTITUTION STATE OPEN

APR 18  2020 MILL BROOK PARK OPEN

May thru August  -  No Tournaments

SEP 26  2020 CONNECTICUT HARVEST OPEN

OCT 17  2020 CHARTER OAK OPEN

NOV 14  2020 CONNECTICUT YANKEE OPEN

DEC 12  2020 NUTMEG STATE OPEN

 

 

 

PAST ISSUES OF   CONNECTICUT CHESS MAGAZINE

CHESS COLUMNS FROM THE PAST   by Rob Roy

1977 - 2000, Rob Roy wrote 1,300 Waterbury Sunday Republican chess columns.  The column helped his Waterbury Chess Club to become very successful.

Clerks at the newspaper office were the ones who re-typed hard-copy into the newspaper system, they made many typos with chess notation. All future editions of Connecticut Chess Magazine will feature a different column.

 

 

Monday, September 2, 2019

FROM NBCC PRESIDENT NORMAN BURTNESS

 

Norman Burtness, President 

New Britain Chess Club

newbritainchessclub@gmail.com

www.newbritainchessclub.com

 

 


President's Message

Our 2018-2019 membership years comes to a close. We finish the year with 101 members, the 3rd time in the last 5 years we have broken the 100 mark!

The NBCC officers officially start their terms, with Norman Burtness, President; Suhas Kodali, Vice President; Mario Guevara-Rodriguez, Secretary; and David Herscovici, Treasurer.

Following his election last June, Laurent Lafosse was unable to fulfill the duties as Treasurer due to a change in work commitments, and David Herscovici was appointed to take his place.

I again want to thank Gert Hilhorst for his work for the last 4+ years as treasurer, taking over admirably after the passing of long-time treasurer Andris Strazdins.

On a personal note, I had the pleasure of seeing Danny Rozovsky last weekend when he was in town. He has graduated from Berkeley with a degree in math, and has started working for Universal Tennis, where he is designing a Tennis Rating software to replace the current ranking system. Danny was responsible for getting me back into playing chess seriously after a 30 yrs absence when as a 2237-rated 9th grader, he came to my chess club at school and promptly destroyed me. We then played regularly and he showed me a whole new world of chess strategy I had never seen before.

 

54th NBCC Summer Open Report

Congratulations to Mark Bourque for edging out Joe Hricko on tie-breaks to take home the 1st place trophy.

Kyle Triplett won the U1619 section and Ethan Shemo went 5-0 in the U919 section to take 1st place.

It was nice to see Gaetano Bompastore at the Open. It was just a year ago coming home from this event that he had his terrible accident. He is still in a wheel chair, but was in good spirits.

We all wish you, Gaetano, the best for your continued recovery.

 

NBCC Quick Chess Championships Results

The 2-week Quick Chess Championships finished on Tuesday. The winners are:

Open section: 1st: Nelson Castaneda, 2nd: Joe Bihlmeyer, 1st U2000: Joe Hricko

U1700 section: 1st: Kyle Triplett, 2nd: Mahesh Mahabaleshwar, 1st U1200 and 1st U1000:

four-way tie (all under 1000): Phiron Hin, Shritan Vijay, Sai Ganesh Senguttuvan and Adam Miller

Thanks to David Herscovici for ably directing his 1st tournament as Chief Tournament director.

Complete results can be found on the crosstable. USCF Crosstable - NBCC Quick Chess Championships



 

 

Sat. Nov. 16, 2019

Yankee Peddler Open

$160-1st, $80-2nd. Guaranteed.

3 Round Swiss, G/60;d5 Affects both quick and regular rating. Round Times: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45.  Entry Fees: $35 Cash Only On-site Only: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. No Advance Entry. One Section. Accelerated Pairings. Wheelchair Accessible. USCF TLASite: Mill Brook Place1267 Main St., Coventry, CT 06238 Across street from Bidwell Tavern is our stone building at rear of parking lot 

 

GOING BACK IN TIME  by Bob Cyr

  
Today, the 2019-2020 club season begins. Let us put our best efforts to help our incoming club officers: Norman Burtness, president; Suhas Kodali, vice president; Mario Guevara-Rodriguez, secretary ; David Herscovici, treasurer.
Like Norman said, we thank Gert Hilhorst for serving as our club treasurer for four years, after the passing of longtime treasurer Andris Strazdins, who was treasurer for forty-two years. Gert did WONDERS for our club as treasurer. Excellent job, Gert!
 
I will continue to serve as club historian.
 
Tony Yablonski is now officially the longest-standing member at 57 years. Joe Mansigian is also officially a lifetime member of the club, only one of two in our organization. We thank Joe for continuing to make updates to the club website and for his many years of service as club president after the Strazdins era. 
 
Best of luck to our club officers.
 
Thank you for supporting the club. Let us break the all-time membership record of 119 set back in 1973. It is possible. Promotion of the club is key for this historic achievement to be broken. One of the promising things that I see in our club lately are the newest tournament directing staff: Michael Smith, Mario Guevara-Rodriguez, Suhas Kodali, David Herscovici, and Kyle Triplett.
 
And we can't forget our instructors Joe Bihlmeyer, Nelson Castaneda, Suhas Kodali, Will Torress, Richard Bauer, and Derek Meredith for their contributions. Wow, our club is blessed with this overwhelming support! Keep up the outstanding work!
 
Yours in chess and time,
 
Robert Cyr
NBCC Historian
Lifetime NBCC Member
USCF Local Tournament Director
 

 

Connecticut State Chess Association

 

Connecticut's FM Kapil Chandran achieved an IM norm at the US Masters held in Greenboro, NC. Kapil scored 5 out of 9 and beat GM Kamil Dragun (2614) in the process.

The top scholastic player from Connecticut, 16-year-old IM Hans Niemann, scored 5.5 out of 9 missing a GM norm on half a point. Hans beat GM Hrant Melkumyan (2661) and was in a third-place tie for the U2500 (fide) prize.  Final Standings.

 

 

WELCOME OUR NEWEST CHESS CLUB

 

HAMDEN CHESS CLUB (USCF ID A6054128)

ROD GROFF

PLAY MORE CHESS ACADEMY

1890 DIXWELL AVE SUITE 101, HAMDEN, CT, 06514.

email: HamdenChessClub@PlayMoreChess.com

Web Site: https://PlayMoreChess.com

Casual Play, USCF Rated Events, Unrated Events, Blitz Events, Bughouse, Sets Available, Clocks Available, Chess Items for Sale, Classes Offered, Chess Camps, Private Lessons Offered, Under Age 18 Welcome, Beginners Welcome, Refreshments. 

 

GAME OF THE WEEK   by Alan Lasser

 

I went to see Pawn Sacrifice and it’s a sad movie, the emphasis is on Fischer's madness, hoping to explain sympathetically the disturbing evolution of his personality. I thought the movie overplays the insanity during his championship years. The man we see in the movie is unlikely to be the writer of My 60 Memorable Games.
As for the chess in the movie, there are still a few mistakes. Fischer opens Shakhmatny, the old Russian chess magazine, and the first moves he puts on the board are a4 and a5. The clocks are set at 3:30 for speed chess. There were no live broadcasts of the match, Americans watched PBS to see Shelby Lyman relay the moves on a demo board. Although it makes absolutely no difference in the telling of the story, the leads are truly miscast, bearing scant semblance to the people who inspired them. The exception is Boris Spassky, they actually found an actor who looks like Boris. The portrayal of the KGB is pretty much right on.
The good news is that the movie does not say that chess causes mental illness.

In all of my recorded chess career, I have never had a fortress position. As I watched this game unfold on the internet, I thought perhaps the passed pawns on the board would give someone winning chances, but the grandmasters split the point. The computer agrees that weakening the fortress and advancing the pawns is wrong.

GM Deep Sengupta-GM David Howell
10/6/15
2015 Pokerstars International
draw

1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bb5 a6
4.Ba4 Nf6
5.O-O Be7
6.d3 b5
7.Bb3 d6
8.a3 O-O
9.Nc3 Be6
10.Nd5 Na5
11.Nxf6+ Bxf6
12.Bxe6 fxe6
13.b4 Nc6
14.c3 a5
15.Be3 Qd7
16.a4 Rfb8
17.axb5 Rxb5
18.bxa5 Rbxa5
19.Rxa5 Nxa5
20.Qc2 Nc6
21.Rb1 Qc8
22.g3 Qa6
23.Kg2 Kf7
24.h4 h6
25.g4 Ke8
26.g5 hxg5
27.hxg5 Be7
28.Rh1 Kd7 The Black king adopts a fortress posture before his queen even comes off.
29.Rh7 Qc8
30.d4 Qg8
31.Rh3 exd4
32.cxd4 Qf7
33.Qc4 Ra5? +4.99/24
33...Rb8 +0.79/23 34.Bd2 Rf8 35.d5 exd5 36.exd5 Ne5 37.Nxe5+ dxe5 38.f3 Qf5 39.Qa4+ Kc8 40.Qe4 Kd8 41.Rh7 Bc5 42.Rh8 Qxe4 43.Rxf8+ Bxf8 Stockfish brushes aside 33...Rb8 34.Bd2 Rf8 by pinning the knight and threatening d5, 35.Qa4 Bd8 36.Be3 Ke7 37.Qc6 +6.46
33...Bd8 34.Rh8 Ne7 35.Qb5+ Kc8 36.Nh4 d5 37.Nf3 Ng6 38.Ne5 + 1.48 Stockfish
34.Bd2 Ra3
35.d5? +1.71/24
35.Qb5 +5.00/26 35...Rxf3 36.Rxf3 Qh5 37.Rg3 Qg6 38.Rg4 Qh5 39.f3 d5 40.exd5 exd5 41.Qxd5+ Bd6 42.Qf5+ Kd8 43.Bf4 Ne7 44.Qf8+ Qe8 45.Qxe8+ Kxe8 46.Be5 Nf5 47.Re4 Kf7 48.d5 g6 49.f4 Ne7 50.Rd4 Ke8 51.Rd3 Kd7 52.Kg1 Nf5 53.Rb3 Bc5+ 54.Kh1 35.Qb5 threatens 36.d5 winning a piece
35…Nd8
36.Qb5+ Kc8
37.Bc1?! +1.33/23
37.Be3 +1.80/22 37...Qg6 38.Qb4 Ra1 39.Rh8 Kd7 40.Bd4 Ra8 41.Qb5+ Kc8 42.dxe6 Qxe4 43.Qd7+ Kb7 44.Kg3 Qxe6 45.Rxd8 Qxd7 46.Rxd7 Re8 47.Bxg7 Kc8 48.Rxe7 Rxe7 49.Bf6 Re8 50.Nd4 c5 51.Nf5
37.Qb4 Ra8 38.Qc4 g6 39.Be3 Bf8 40.Rh8 Qg7 41.Bd4 e5 42.Bb6 Rb8 43.Bxc7 Qxc7 44.Qa6+ +2.36 Stockfish
37...Ra8?! +2.19/24
37...Ra7 +1.33/23 38.Rh8 exd5 39.Qxd5 Qxd5 40.exd5 Kd7 41.Rg8 c6 42.dxc6+ Nxc6 43.Rxg7 d5 44.Rh7 Ra8 45.Kg3 Ke6 46.Be3 Rb8 47.Kh3 Ra8
37...Ra1 38.Be3 exd5 39.exd5 Qf5 40.Qc4 Nf7 41.Qd4 Ra2 42.Qxg7 +1.65 Stockfish
38.Rh8 exd5
39.exd5 Qf5
40.Kg3 Ra1?! +3.13/24
40...Rb8 +2.33/22 41.Qe8 Qd7 42.Qg6 Rb4 43.Bf4 c6 44.dxc6 Qxc6 45.Qxg7 Qe4 46.Rh4 Rb7 47.Be3 Qd5 48.Rh8 Qf5 49.Qa1 Kc7 50.Qc3+ Kd7 51.Qc4 Rc7 52.Qg8 Kc8 53.Qe8 Qe4 54.Rh4 Qc6 55.Qh5 Rb7 Stockfish evaluates 40...Rb8 as +4.17 after 41.Qc4 Kd7 42.Be3 c5 43.Bd2 Kc7 44.Ba5 Kb7 45.Qb5 Ka7 46.Qa4
40...Ra7 41.Qe8 Qd7 42.Qg8 Ra4 43.Rh4 Rxh4 44.Nxh4 +2.82 Stockfish
41.Qe8? +1.72/27
41.Be3 +3.13/24 41...Ra3 42.Qe8 Qd7 43.Qf7 Ra4 44.Nd4 Bxg5 45.Qxd7+ Kxd7 46.Bxg5 Nf7 47.Rf8 Rxd4 48.Rxf7+ Kc8 49.Rf5 Kd7 50.Be3 Rd1 51.Rg5 Ke8
41…Qd7
42.Bb2 Rd1?! +2.24/23
42...Ra2 +1.72/26 43.Bxg7 Qxe8 44.Rxe8 Kd7 45.Rh8 Ra5 46.Rh7 Ke8 47.Bh6 Rxd5 48.g6 Ne6 49.Kg4 c5 50.g7 Nxg7 51.Bxg7 Kf7 52.Bd4+ Ke6 53.Be3 Rd1 54.Ng5+ Bxg5 55.Kxg5 Rg1+ 56.Kf4 Kd5 57.Rc7 Rb1 42...Ra2 43.Qd7 Kd7 44.Bg7 Ra5 45.Rh7 Ke8 46.Bb2 Rd5 47.g6 Ne6 46.g7 Ng7 49.Bg7 +2.75 Stockfish
42...Rb1 43.Qxd7+ Kxd7 44.Bxg7 Rb5 45.Rh7 Ke8 46.Bc3 Rxd5 47.g6 Ne6 48.g7 Nxg7 49.Bxg7 +2.29 Stockfish
43.Bxg7?! +1.45/26
43.Qf7 +2.24/23 43...Rd3 44.g6 Kb7 45.Qf4 Rxd5 46.Bxg7 Qe6 47.Qg4
43…Qxe8
44.Rxe8 Kd7
45.Rg8? +0.20/25
45.Rh8 +1.46/25 45...Nf7 46.Rh5 Rxd5 47.Kg4 c5 48.g6 Rxh5 49.Kxh5 Nd8 50.Bb2 Ne6 51.g7 Nxg7+ 52.Bxg7 Ke6 53.Kg6 d5 54.Ne5
45…Rxd5
46.g6 Ne6
47.Bb2 Rb5
48.g7 Rxb2
49.Rd8+ Bxd8
50.g8=Q Rb3
51.Qf7+ Be7
52.Kg2 Rb4
53.Qf5 c6
54.Nd2?! -0.30/25
54.Ne1 0.00/24 54...Rf4 55.Qa5 Bd8 56.Qh5 Rh4 57.Qf5 Rh5 58.Qf7+ Be7 59.Nd3 Rd5 60.Nb4 Re5 61.Nd3 Rg5+ 62.Kf1 54.Ne1 Rf4 55.Qa5 Bd8 56.Qh5 Rd4 57.Qh7 Be7 58.Kf1 Rd1 59.Qc2 Rd4 +0.11 Stockfish
54...Rf4
54...d5 55.Nf3 Kd6 56.Qe5+ Kd7 57.Qf5 = Stockfish 54...d5 55.Nf3 d4 56.Ne5 Kd6 57.f4 d3 58.Nd3 +3.44 Stockfish
54...c5 55.Ne4 Rb8 56.Nc3 Rf8 57.Qh3 Bf6 58.Nd5 Be5 59.Qg4 c4 60.Nb6+ Kc6 61.Nxc4 Nf4+ 62.Kf1 Rh8 63.Ke1 Kc5 64.Ne3 Rb8 +1.15 Stockfish, Black takes a big risk to break the fortress and advance either pawn.
55.Qa5 Bd8
55...d5 56.Qa7+ Nc7 57.Nf3 Bf6 58.Qb7 Bc3 59.Qb8 Rg4+ 60.Kf1 Rf4 61.Kg2 = Stockfish
56.Qa6 Rg4+
57.Kf1 Rb4
58.Qa3 Rd4
59.Nf3 Rd1+
60.Ke2 Rd5
61.Qa7+ Bc7
62.Qa4 Rf5
63.Qh4 Rf7
64.Qh3 Ke7
64...c5 65.Ng5 Rf6 66.Ne4 Rf4 67.Nc3 Ba5 68.Qh7+ Kc6 69.Qh1+ Kd7 70.Nd5 +1.15 Stockfish
64...d5 65.Nd4 Re7 66.Kd1 Bd6 67.Nf5 Rf7 68.Qh5 Nd8 69.Qg4 Rf6 70.Ng7+ Ne6 71.f4 c5 72.Kc2 c4 73.Nxe6 Rxe6 74.Qf5 d4 75.Qb5+ Ke7 76.f5 Re5 77.Qb7+ Kf6 78.Qc6 Ke7 79.f6+ Ke6 80.f7 Re2+ 81.Kd1 Rf2 +0.44 Stockfish
65.Qh4+ Kd7
66.Qh3 Ke7
67.Qh4+ ½-½

 

 

COVENTRY CHESS CLUB   by Rob Roy

 

 

 

 

NOV. 16   2019 YANKEE PEDDLER OPEN

3SS, G/60 d5. Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31), Coventry, CT 06238. EF: $35 Cash Only Onsite Only. $$GTD: $160-80. Reg.: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. Rds.: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45. INFO: ConnecticutChess@Gmail.com  Dir: One Section. Accel.Pairings. https://ConnecticutChess.blogspot.com  W.  USCF TLA

 

DEC. 14   2019 HOLIDAY PARTY OPEN

3SS, G/60 d5. Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31), Coventry, CT 06238. EF: $35 Cash Only Onsite Only. $$GTD: $160-80. Reg.: 9:45 am - 10:10 am. Rds.: 10:30, 1:30, 3:45. INFO: ConnecticutChess@Gmail.com  Dir: One Section. Accel.Pairings. https://ConnecticutChess.blogspot.com  W.  USCF TLA

 

 

COVENTRY CHESS CLUB 2020 CALENDAR

Mill Brook Place, 1267 Main St. (Rt 31)

JAN 18  2020 GREATER HARTFORD OPEN

FEB 22  2020 EASTERN CONNECTICUT OPEN

MAR 21  2020 CONSTITUTION STATE OPEN

APR 18  2020 MILL BROOK PARK OPEN

May thru August  -  No Tournaments

SEP 26  2020 CONNECTICUT HARVEST OPEN

OCT 17  2020 CHARTER OAK OPEN

NOV 14  2020 CONNECTICUT YANKEE OPEN

DEC 12  2020 NUTMEG STATE OPEN

 

 

 

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CHESS COLUMNS FROM THE PAST   by Rob Roy

1977 - 2000, Rob Roy wrote 1,300 Waterbury Sunday Republican chess columns.  The column helped his Waterbury Chess Club to become very successful.

Clerks at the newspaper office were the ones who re-typed hard-copy into the newspaper system, they made many typos with chess notation. All future editions of Connecticut Chess Magazine will feature a different column.