Wednesday night at the Albany Area Chess Club saw the first rounds of two matches of two games each for titles. Gordon Magat and Dean Howard began their battle for the Championship trophy. At the same time Glen Perry and Arthur Alowitz opened their contest for first place in what the Club calls the “Lower Half”. Essentially the “Lower Half” is an under 1800 contest.
Black had success in both matches. In both games we see the Queen’s Gambit Declined, Classical variation. Gordon followed the recommendations of many Grandmasters not rushing Ng1-f3 early and obtained a good game. Dean fought back relying on his great experience with the Tartakower set-up - a finachetto of the Q-side Bishop. As time dwindled the pressure White had down the c-file was intense. The crisis was met by Black with tactics. After a flurry of threats and counters, what looked to be a drawn ending resolved itself in Mr. Howard’s favor during Mr. Magat’s time shortage. An exciting game to watch played at a high level with both sides contributing ideas.
Magat, Gordon - Howard, Dean [D54]
AACC Championship Match Guilderland, NY, 09.03.2011
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.Bg5 h6 5.Bh4 Be7 6.e3 0–0 7.Rc1 b6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Be2 Bb7 12.Bf3 c6 13.Ne2 Nd7 14.0–0 Rac8 15.a3 Nf6 16.Qa4 a5 17.Qb3 Qc7 18.Nf4 Ba6 19.Rfd1 Bc4 20.Qc2 Qd6 21.b3 Ba6 22.Qb2 Rfe8 23.Rd2 Rc7 24.Rdc2 Bc8 25.b4 Bf5 26.Rc3 g5 27.Ne2 g4 28.Ng3 Bd7 29.Bd1 axb4 30.Qxb4 Qxb4 31.axb4 Ra8 32.Ne2 Ne4 33.R3c2 Nd6 34.Nc3 Nc4 35.b5 Bf5 36.e4 dxe4 37.Nxe4 cxb5 38.f3 Kg7 39.Be2 Re7 40.Bxc4 bxc4 41.Rxc4 gxf3 42.gxf3 Bxe4 43.fxe4 Rxe4 44.d5 Re2 45.R1c2 Ra1+ 46.Rc1 Raa2 47.Rh4 Rg2+ 48.Kh1 Rgd2 49.Rg1+ Kh7 50.Rf1 f6 51.Rh5 b5 52.d6 b4 53.d7 Rxd7 54.h4 Rdd2 55.Rxf6 Ra1+ 0–1
In the next game Glen Perry put his knight on f3 early. Hans Berliner argues against such deployment in his book; The System. While I haven’t found many GMs actually saying the same thing in so many words, a review of games played show the GMs, in their practice, don’t hurry the Knight to that post so much in recent years. In the 1980s it seemed purely a matter of style whether the Knight landed on f3 early or not. Since then the top flight players hold that development back until it is clear the expansion of the White center by f2-f3 and e3-e4 is not possible. In any event, Glen’s approach worked well, and he obtained the better game out of the opening. In the middle game White offered the trade of two Rooks for the Black Queen. Arthur grabbed this opportunity instantly. The game then presents an opportunity to examine the imbalance of Rooks versus Queen. The sages (Lasker, Tarrasch, Fine, Bronstein, Purdy, Soltis) say success turns on the safety of the Rooks’ King. If the King is exposed, the Queen’s capacity for double attacks often swings the game in her favor. If the King is safe, the Rook pair can be effective against the Queen. In this game Arthur’s King is secure, the Rooks are doubled and all targets well defended. Glen tries mightily to loosen up the Black formation but never succeeds. A slip in the middle game costs White material. Mr. Alowitz demonstrates a command of technique allowing no counter-play and brings home the full point.
Perry, Glen - Alowitz, Arthur [D60]
AACC Playoff Match Lower Half Guilderland, NY, 09.03.2011
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 0–0 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.0–0 Nb6 9.b3 Re8 10.Qc2 Nbd7 11.Rfe1 Nf8 12.h3 Ng6 13.e4 dxe4 14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.Bxe4 Bd7 17.Rac1 Rab8 18.Qd2 Rbd8 19.Qa5 a6 20.d5 cxd5 21.Bxd5 Bc8 22.Be4 Qd6 23.Rcd1 Qxd1 24.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 25.Kh2 Red8 26.Qc7 R1d7 27.Qb6 Rd6 28.Qe3 R6d7 29.g4 Rd6 30.c5 R6d7 31.b4 f6 32.Kg3 e5 33.h4 Nf4 34.Qb3+ Kh8 35.Qc4 Rd1 36.a4 Rh1 37.Nh2 Rc1 38.Qa2 Rc3+ 39.Nf3 Be6 40.Qa1 Rc4 41.Bxb7 Rxb4 42.Bxa6 Ra8 43.Bb5 Rxb5 44.Qd1 Rxc5 45.Qd6 Rca5 46.g5 Rxa4 47.g6 hxg6 48.Nh2 R4a6 49.Qc7 R6a7 50.Qb6 Bf5 51.f3 Nh5+ 0–1
I will analyze both games in my next posts.
Thursday was busy at SCC. The second Schenectady team, the Geezers, faced RPI in a CDCL match. The Geezers won 3 ½ - ½. It should be said the fight was closer than the score line implies. On the first board Michael Mockler was never clearly better and perhaps was worse for much of the middle game until a miscalculation by Carlos Varela led to mate. Brian Furtato of RPI made a good fight against John Phillips. Mr. Phillips exploited his Q-side pawn majority in late middle game to win. Max Katz had the better of it out of the opening against Richard Chu, the Geezers captain. Some natural looking trades converted the middle game to a Rook and pawns on both sides ending that was drawn. A newcomer, William Montross for Geezers defeated Ronald Adomako of RPI in a tricky Bishops of the same color with pawns ending. I have most of the games from this match and will get them on the blog shortly.
While the RPI - Geezers match went on, make-up games in the Swiss and the Finals were also played. Philip Sells lost on time(!) to Alan Le Cours deciding the Championship title. This result gave the trophy to Patrick Chi.
The standings with all games complete are:
1 Patrick Chi 3 - 1
2-3 Phillip Sells 2 - 2
2-3 John Phillips 2 - 2
4-5 Alan Le cours 1 ½ - 1 ½
4-5 Dilip Aaron 1 ½ - 1 ½
DNF Bill Little 0 - 2
I am not certain and have to defer to Bill Townsend, the keeper of the club archives, but Patrick maybe the youngest champion ever at Schenectady. Congratulations to our new title holder!
Completing round three of the Consolation Swiss was the game Connors - Stanley. Mr. Connors won when Mr. Stanley missed a forking attack. I am not sure when round four of the Swiss will be paired and played.
More soon.
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