Calderone Sells From SCC and an AACC Update

Reaching back almost two weeks here is a game from the first round of the Schenectady Championship Finals. Zack Calderone has improved much over the past year or two. Not the least of his accomplishments was to qualify for the SCC Finals. He made the grade, and now he is in with the some of the best of the local players. In his first outing, Zack has a terrible time against Philip Sells.

Calderone, Zack - Sells, Philip [A45]
SCC Championship Finals Schenectady, NY, 12.01.2012

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bh4?!,..

A risky and not often played alternative to 3 Bf4. Here is now play goes in the Bf4 variation among the Grandmasters;

(1231535) Miladinovic, Igor (2605) - Milanovic, Danilo (2495) [A45]
Montenegro Team Championship, Herceg Novi (6), 08.09.2007
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bf4 c5 4.f3 Qa5+ 5.c3 Nf6 6.Nd2 cxd4 7.Nb3 Qb6 8.Qxd4 Qxd4 9.cxd4 e6 10.e4 Nc6 11.Rc1 d5 12.e5 Nd7 13.Bb5 a5 14.a4 Na7 15.Be2 Nc6 16.Bb5 Na7 17.Bf1 Nb6 18.Nc5 Bxc5 19.dxc5 Nd7 [19...Nxa4 20.b3] 20.Bb5 [20.Bg3] 20...Nc6 21.Ne2 f6 22.exf6 gxf6 23.Bd6 Nde5 24.f4 Nf7 25.f5 Nxd6 26.cxd6 Kd7 27.Nd4 Kxd6 28.Bxc6 bxc6 29.fxe6 c5 30.Nb5+ Kc6 31.0–0 Ba6 32.Rxf6 Bxb5 33.e7+ Kd7 34.axb5 Kxe7 35.Rh6 c4 36.b6 a4 37.Rd1 Rad8 38.b7 Rb8 39.Rxd5 Rxb7 40.Ra5 Kf7 41.Rxa4 Kg7 42.Rc6 Rd8 43.h3 Rd2 44.Raxc4 Rdxb2 45.Rg4+ Kf7 46.Rc8 R2b4 47.Rgg8 Kf6 48.Kh2 R4b6 49.Rg4 Rb4 50.Rf8+ Ke6 51.Re8+ Kf6 52.Rf8+ Ke6 53.Rg5 R4b5 54.Rgg8 Rf7 55.Ra8 Rfb7 56.h4 Kf6 57.g3 R5b6 58.Kh3 Rg7 59.Rgf8+ Kg6 60.Ra5 Kh6 61.Rf3 Rgb7 62.Rff5 Rg6 63.h5 Rc6 64.Kh4 Rb1 65.Ra4 Rh1+ 66.Kg4 Rhc1 67.Raa5 R6c4+ 68.Rf4 Rxf4+ 69.gxf4 Rg1+ 70.Kf5 Kxh5 71.Ra2 Kh6 72.Kf6 Rg6+ 73.Kf7 Rg7+ 74.Ke6 Rg6+ 75.Kf5 Kg7 76.Ra7+ Kg8 77.Ke5 Rb6 78.f5 Rc6 79.Kf4 Rb6 80.Kg5 Rc6 81.Ra8+ Kg7 82.Ra7+ Kg8 83.f6 Rc1 84.Rg7+ Kf8 85.Kf5 Rg1 86.Ke6 Rb1 87.Kf5 Rg1 88.Rxg1 h5 89.Rf1 h4 90.Ke5 ½–½

The variation played in the game has fewer examples, but there are some between no mean opponents;

(344025) Danielian, Oganes (2440) - Hebden, Mark (2520) [A45]
9th Cappelle Open, Cappelle la Grande (9), 1993
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bh4 g5 4.Bg3 c5 5.e3 Qb6 6.Nc3 Nxg3 7.hxg3 cxd4 8.Qxd4 Qxd4 9.exd4 Bg7 10.Nd5 Kd8 11.c3 e6 12.Ne3 d5 13.g4 Bd7 14.Bd3 h6 15.Ne2 Bc6 16.b4 a6 17.a4 Nd7 18.Kd2 Nf6 19.Ng3 Bf8 20.Nh5 Nxh5 21.Rxh5 Be8 22.Rh3 f6 23.Bc2 Rc8 24.Rah1 Rc7 25.a5 Rg8 26.g3 h5 27.gxh5 g4 28.R3h2 f5 29.h6 Rh7 30.Nxf5 exf5 31.Bxf5 Rhh8 32.Rh4 Be7 33.Rxg4 Rxg4 34.Bxg4 Bg5+ 35.f4 Bxh6 36.Bf3 Bf7 37.c4 Kc7 38.Kc3 Rg8 39.g4 Bg7 40.f5 Rh8 41.Rxh8 Bxh8 42.g5 dxc4 43.f6 b5 44.axb6+ Kxb6 45.d5 Kc7 46.Kxc4 Kd6 47.Kd4 Bg8 48.Be4 Bf7 49.Bg2 Bg8 50.Bh1 Bf7 51.Be4 Bg8 52.Bg2 Bf7 53.Bf3 Bg8 54.Be2 Bxd5 55.Bxa6 Bc6 56.Bc4 Be8 57.Ke4 Bg6+ 58.Kf4 Bc2 59.Be2 Bg6 60.Bf3 Bd3 61.Be4 Bb5 62.Kf5 Kd7 63.g6 Ke8 64.Bd5 Kf8 65.Kg5 Be8 66.Bc4 Bf7 67.Bd3 1–0

3..., g5 4.f3!?,..

The standard book here is 4 Bg3. Rybka sees this alternative as OK also.

4..., gxh4 5.fxe4 c5 6.e3 Bh6
Very little is really new under the Sun. In 2001 two decent players gave the game line this treatment;

(637242) Dumitrescu, Dragos (2333) - Jakovenko, Dmitrij (2551) [A45]
Pardubice Open (4), 23.07.2001
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bh4 g5 4.f3 gxh4 5.fxe4 c5 6.e3 Bh6 7.Kf2 cxd4 8.exd4 e5 9.Nf3 Nc6 10.c3 d6 11.Nbd2 exd4 12.cxd4 Bg4 13.Bb5 0–0 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Rf1 h3 16.g3 Rb8 17.Qc2 f5 18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5 Qb6+ 0–1

Away back when I was learning the game, Trompowsky himself tried 3 Bh4 and rained down destruction on an unwary opponent;

(37412) Trompowsky,Octavio - Cantero,Ronaldo [A45]
Montevideo (15), 1954
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bh4 g5 4.f3 gxh4 5.fxe4 Bh6 6.Nf3 e6 7.Nc3 b6 8.e5 Rg8 9.Ne4 Bg7 10.e3 Bb7 11.Bd3 Nc6 12.0–0 Nb4 13.Nfg5 h6 14.Qh5 Rf8 15.Rxf7 Qxg5 16.Rxf8+ Kxf8 17.Nxg5 1–0

7.Bc4 e6

According to the computer Black is already somewhat better. Of course not 7..., Bxe3?; because 8 Bxf7+, recovering the material and leaving the Black King bare and shivering in the cold.

8.Qf3,..

It would be more logical to play 8 Qe2, keeping f3 open for the Knight. An interesting point made by a GM who worked with Korchnoi in his heyday; the great K said the Knights belong on f3/c3 (f6.c6) unless there is a very good reason not to do so. Those are the natural squares for the Knights, anything else has to be justified. I think the GM that told me that was Har-Zvi, but I could be wrong.

8..., Nc6 9.c3 Qg5 10.Kf2 cxd4 11.exd4?,..

The most natural reply and wrong for specific tactical reasons. White had to play 11 cxd4, not letting the Black Queen in behind the lines.

11..., Qc1!

This may have been a shock to Zack. The move is very pretty indeed pinning both White Knights. Geroge Dipre played something similar in a game with me in the SCC event a few years ago. I remember the impact clearly. It was almost like a blow to the body taking my breath away. Only by dint of huge effort was I able to swindle my way out the bind George had on the position. Zack makes a valiant effort, but he is in trouble to the end this time.

12.Qe2 Rg8 13.g3 h3 14.Na3,..

Surrendering material but who can blame the young man. It was done because nothing else looks useful, and maybe Black will let down his guard while basking in the glow of having a whole Rook in his pocket. The continuation; 14 b4 b6 15 Bd3 e5 16 Qc2 Qe3+ 17 Kf1 Rf6 18 Nxh3 Rf6+ 19 Nf2 exd4; is not really appealing. The finish is pretty easy to understand

14..., Qxa1 15.Nb5 Kd8 16.Qh5 Qc1 17.Qh4+ Qg5 18.Qxh3 d5 0–1

Mr. Sells stayed focused winning in just four more moves. Calderone loves tactics. He plays the Max Lange Attack, and you have to love them to enter that old, hoary swamp of almost forgotten tricks and stratagems. Philip Sells can combined with the best of the local talent. This time Zack missed the critical point and was defeated. A few more experiences such as this and he will develop a sense of danger. That is what is absolutely required when playing good calculators like Sells.

Wednesday night the AACC met to catch up on some delayed games. Two were played; Henner-Howard that was drawn, and Alowitz-Lack that Jon Lack won. The Henner-Howard contest created a four way tie at the top with; Henner, Lack, Magat and Howard all on 5 points. Henner has a game to play with Cory Northrup. A draw or a win with Northrup gives Henner fist place.

Glen Perry clarified the playoff picture. He is using tie breaks, and under the system, the finalists for the title will be Henner and Howard regardless of the outcome of the Henner-Northrup .

Mr. Lack won from Arthur Alowitz in an Exchange Variation of the French. It had an effect on the under 1800 playoff picture. Mr. Alowitz needed a win to tie with Mr. Caravaty for first under 1800, and a draw would have allowed his a good chance to obtain the second chair in the under 1800 playoff. That was not to be. Play was even through the first 16 moves. Arthur erred there and the slight edge he had accumulated went away instantly. After the mistake, Mr. Lack held on to is extra pawn to take the full point on move 51.

In the under 1800 contest, if Cory Northrup defeats Henner will be in the match. I did not query the TD about the tie breaks if the game is drawn, then both Alowitz and Northrup will have three points.

My reports of the standings previously had been missing at least one result. Last night Glen Perry gave me the correct cross table, and here are the standings;

1-4 Dean Howard 5-3
1-4 Gordon Magat 5-3
1-4 Jonathan lack 5-3
1-4 Peter Henner 5-2 with one game to play
5 Chris Caravaty 4-4
6 Tim Wright 3 ½ - 4 ½
7 Arthur Alowitz 3-5
8 Cory Northrup 2 ½ - 4 ½ with one game to play
9 Jason Denham 2-6

More soon especially the Henner-Howard game.