My friends have taken pity on me and I am now in possession of updated cross tables for all three clubs; AACC, SCC and Saratoga Staunton. Bill Townsend shared his immaculately printed cross tables with me Thursday at the Schenectady Club. Many thanks to Mr. Townsend.
To begin with the most recent news to come out of Schenectady: The rescheduled game Kanakamedala - Mockler was played and Mr. Mockler won. More of that later. The play-off game between Dilip Aaron and Richard Moody was not played. Mr. Moody ran into some difficulties with his job and was not able to attend. He spoke with the TD and decided to forfeit the game sending young Dilip Aaron through to the Schenectady Finals.
With the decision regards the participants made early, Bill Townsend paired the contestants for play in the Finals next week. The scheduled games are:
Little - Aaron
Chi - Sells
Phillips - Le Cours
The early clash of the two top rated players may take some of the drama out of the contest, or maybe not. There were more than a couple of upsets on the way to the Finals, and nothing says we can not see more. The consolation Swiss for all comers is also going to begin next week at SCC. If you did not qualify, or you’re just looking for some chess, it is a nice event with one game per week for five weeks. Come on down!
When I last wrote about the standings in the qualifying play for the Albany Area Chess Club, it was not clear to me just what the standings were, especially in Section 2. Section 1 has been decided as I recently reported Gordon Magat defeated Tim Wright in a playoff after they finished tied for first place at 4 ½ - ½ each. There is one more game to play in Section 1; Kemp - Alowitz. It is a fight to see which player ends up ahead of the other in the standings. A battle of pride no doubt, and that sort of struggle can make for fighting chess.
Section 2 is another matter. Dean Howard has finished his schedule and scored 4 - 1. Yet to be played is the game Henner - Lack. My best information is the game will take place next week. Mr. Henner, 3 - 1 has the chance to tie with Mr. Howard, if he can defeat Mr. Lack. The game promises to be a fight. If Jonathan Lack wins, he will overtake Peter Henner for second place, in which event Howard goes on to play Gordon Magat for the title.
The Saratoga Staunton Club’s contest is some way from the finish in one sense, there several games to be played. In another sense the key decision has been known for a few weeks. Steve Taylor has sown up the title. With one game to play versus Lee Battes, Taylor has won six, lost none, and no one can catch him. In second place is Bill Little, 4 ½ - 1 ½ with one game to play with Lee Battes, and Jonathan Feinberg, 4 ½ - 2 ½ with no games remaining to be played. Mr. Battes has scored thus far 1 - 2 with games against Taylor, Little, Le Cours and Hrebenach to be played. If Mr. Battes sweeps those contests he can take over second spot. Following in the standings are: Alan Le Cours, 2 ½ -3 ½, and Jeff Hrebenach 1 - 5. Both have Battes to play.
Now, after the news, a game. Yogi K. has had a tough event, losing all but one game. In this game, at move number 8, he had a chance to grab a significant advantage. Unfortunately, his chess imagination failed him at a critical moment. Afterwards, the game toddled along more or less equal for awhile. Then with an embarrassment of riches, two open files, the a and the f-files, Mr. Kanakamedala just did not seem to have a plan.
Kanakamadala, Yogi - Mockler, Michael [C50]
SCC Ch Prelim A Schenectady, NY, 27.01.2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.0–0 Bc5 5.d3 h6 6.Nc3 d6 7.h3 Qe7 8.Be3 Nd4? 9.Nd5?,..
Up to here, all the foregoing has been well known for almost one hundred and fifty years at least. Black’s 8.., Nd4; is an error. Standard is 8..., Bxe3 9 fxe3 0-0 10 Nh4 Qd8; and White has only tiny advantage. An alternative I like is 8..., a6 9 Bxc5 dxc5; 10 a4 Qd6; clamping down on d4. Both approaches give Black reasonable play but no real advantage. Why is game move so wrong? The answer is; 9 Bxd4 Bxd4 10 Nxd4 exd4 11 Nb5, and if 11..., c5 12 Nxd6! Qxd6 13 e5, recovering the piece. Further it appears White could grab a pawn also after say 13..., Qe7 14 exf6 Qxf6 15 Re1+ Be6? (Better but not appealing is 15..., Kf8; when Black has problems with the Rook at h8 as well as a wandering King.) 16 Bxe6 fxe6 17 Qh5+, collecting the pawn at c5. All this is known theory in the Giuoco Pianissimo, the so called Quiet Game. Frequently this quiet game turns into very forceful tactics that leave one side or there other with a solid advantage. It is an opening that we don’t see much played by elites and not too often by local club players either. Being out of the limelight is probably the reason few are booked up on the tricks in the opening.
White missing his chance throws the game back towards equality. Now both sides have to begin again to play for an advantage.
9..., Nxd5 10.Bxd5 c6 11.Bc4 b5
Michael wants to win the game. The text grabs space and contemplates trading off the White light squared Bishop.
12.Bb3,..
The alternative 12 Bxd5, really doesn’t promise White any more than the text.
12..., Nxb3 13.axb3 Bxe3 14.fxe3 0–0 15.c4,..
Both players do not find the best moves for the next few turns. Black has the Bishop for a Knight imbalance and he has given White a pair of doubled pawns. He ought to be thinking of breaking open the position so the Bishop can gain scope and maybe further damaging the White pawns. White has the half open a and f-files that beckon the doubling of his Rooks somewhere. Changing the pawn structure, unless it is to un-double one of the pair of doubled pawns should not be on the White agenda.
At this specific point, it is logical to play 15 b4, setting the stage for un-doubling the b-pawns if Black expands on the Q-side. It is possible White was concerned about an eventual .., d6-d5; .., d5xe4; plan by Black. For example; 15 b4 d5 16 exd5 cxd5 17 Qd2 Re8 18 d4 exd4 19 Nxd4 a6 20 Rf3, secures the d4 outpost for the Knight, leaves the Black Bishop somewhat curtailed in scope and also makes progress towards effectively doubling the Rooks on the f-file. It can be concluded a quick execution of the plan outlined for Black does not help him much at all.
15..., Bb7!?
Logical is 15..., Rb8; to take advantage of the potential opening of the b-file.
16.d4?!,..
This move is doubtful. A better try is some move by the Queen to e1, or c2 to reinforce the pawn on e4.
16..., c5?
Why not 16..., exd4? After that move Black picks up a pawn and White gets some counter-play; 17 exd4 Qxe4 18 Re1 Qg6 19 Kh1 bxc4 20 bxc4 Rb8; and the Black pieces are coming to life not to mention an extra pawn is nice to have in the bag. Michael may have not cared for letting the White Rooks have some potential activity, but the tactics in the position prevent them from becoming too much of a problem.
17.d5 a6
The game is settling back to equality. The blocked center does not promise much good in the future for the Black Bishop.
18.Ra5,..
Not bad out rightly but what is the point? Doubling on the a-file as long as the Bishop is around has little promise for the Rooks. 18 Qd3, seems a reasonable move for White shoring up the center pawn wall.
18..., Qc7 19.Qd2 Rae8!?
More logical is 19..., Rfb8; to pressure the backward b-pawn if Black is allowed to capture on c4 with b-pawn. Mr. Mockler does, however, dangle a bright and shiny pawn out there to tempt Yogi.
20.cxb5 axb5 21.Rxb5?,..
And his youthful opponent grabs the material. The next moves should be a lesson to players facing more experienced opponents; pawns offered need not be pawns taken, the hidden costs can be fearsome. Some better is 21 b4, but Black is building towards a real advantage. His is just the easier game to play.
21..., Ba6 22.Ra5 Bxf1 23.Kxf1 f5
With three moves Black has turned what was looking like a dour struggle about whose minor piece will be better in a position with all the major pieces in the mix, into a completely won game.
24.Ra6 fxe4 0–1
White is going down a full Rook and there is not much reason for the game to go on. I had to leave the club rooms before the formal resignation was made. Assuming no earthquake, fire or flood interfered it was not long before the end came.
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