The Check Is in the Mail - August 2018

Sixty-nine year old Harry Ingersol (born 28 June 1949) is our 2017 Absolute Correspondence Chess Champion.  Scoring an undefeated plus six, Harry’s win, his second in Absolute play, demonstrated his dominance among the best of correspondence chess. Harry has finished third in Absolute play twice, in 2011 and 2015. Twice, he has finished second or tied for second in 2014 and 2016. And, he has won the tournament outright in 2010 and now in the 2017 event. Besides his dominance of the Absolutes, Harry has had equally impressive successes: second place in the 2017 Electronic Knights and was awarded the tile of International Correspondence Chess Master in 2017.

GAME OF THE MONTH

When a Master of the initiative meets a Master of defense, the game is sure to be difficult. Ingersol also makes it look beautiful.

[pgn][Event "17A01"]
[Site "ICCF"]
[Date "2017.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Ingersol, Harry"]
[Black "Jacobs, Charles"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E27"]
[WhiteElo "2418"]
[BlackElo "2394"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]{AUG} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 O-O {
Bologan-Korobov, 10th Karpov Poikovsky 2016 had an edge to White after 6. ...
c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. dxc5 Qa5 9. e4 Nf6 10. Ne3 +=} 7. cxd5 exd5 8. e3 Bf5 {
Recent choices have been 8...Nh6, 8...c5.8...Re8 and 8...b6} 9. Ne2 Re8 10. g4
{Volkov-Takrovy, Dubai 2013 saw 10. Ng3 Bg6 11.Bd3 Nbd7 12.00 Nb6 13. Ra2 with
roughly even chances. Wuth 10. g4 White presents Black with a thorny problem
-- with his lead in development and White's Pawn pushes is 10...Bg4 playable ?}
Bg6 {Braun-Yankelevich, Beblincia 2017 continued 10...Bg4 11 fxg4 Nxg4 12. Ng3
Nxe3 13. Bxe3 Rxe3+ 14. Kd2 Qg5 15. Kc2 c5 16. Bd3 offers Black some play.} 11.
h4 h6 {Apparently an innovation. Can Black's lead in development contain
White's Pawn avalanche ? 11...h5? is not a solid defense -- 12. g5 Nfd7 13.
Nf4 Nb6 14. Bd3 Bxd3 15. Qxd3 Nc6 16. Nxh5 is too strong. 15. ...g6 fails to
16. Nxg6 fxg6 17. Qxg6+ Kf8 18. Qxh5 when the Black King has no shelter.
Klissa-Intagrand, Freestyle Open 2014.} 12. Nf4 {Equal is 12. g5 Nh5 13. Bh3
Nc6 14. Bg4 Na5 15. Kf2 Qd6 when Black's position holds.} Nc6 {Black has
insufficient compensation for the Pawn after 12...Bh7 13. Qb3 c6 (Else after
g5 the d-Pawn is lost) 14. Qxb7 Qd6 15. Kf2 Nbd7 16. Qa6.} 13. Kf2 Na5 {Full
mobilization with ...Qd6 and ...Rad8 to follow seems to be a more logical
choice, but Black has his difficulties.} 14. Bd3 $6 {Diagram # White refrains
from the "obvious" 14. Nxg6 fxg6 15. Bd3 Qd6! when Black is worse but has some
counterplay to a deeper play -- 14. ...Bxd3 15. Qxd3 Nh7 16. Kg3 Nf8 17. Ra2!
Ne6 18. e4 dxe4 19. fxe4 a6 20. Rf2 b5 21. Qf3 with an attack.} Qd6 $1 {
Indirectly protecting g6 as 15. Nxg6 fxg6 16. Bxg6 is met by 16...Nxg4+!} 15.
a4 {Both removing a3 from attack and planning to activate the Bishop.} Rad8 16.
Nxg6 {Against Black's active defense, it is unlikely that White's direct
attack will succeed so he turns to his other advantage -- an endgame featuring
the two Bishops and better Pawn structure.} fxg6 17. g5 Nh5 18. Qg1 Nb3 19. Ba3
Qe6 {Black can't survive after 19...Qc6 20. Re1 Qxa4 21. gxh6 Qxa3 22. Qxg6
Qd6 23. h7+ Kh8 24. Qxh5} 20. Re1 Nd2 21. Qg4 Qf7 22. Bc1 Ne4+ 23. Kg2 Nxc3 {
Black's counterplay disappears after 23...Neg3 24. gxh6 Nf5 25. hxg7 when he
has no defense to White's coming e4.} 24. gxh6 Rd6 25. Rhg1 Rf6 26. a5 $1 {
This is a briliant move that only makes sense when you remember White's game
plan -- this is an endgame not a middlegame that White is playing for. The
a-Pawn will more than justify its right to exist in the distant future.} c6 27.
Ref1 Ree6 28. Kh1 Kh8 29. Bd2 Nb5 30. hxg7+ Nxg7 31. Rg2 Nd6 {A word should be
said about Black's excellent defensive play in this game. Without it, White's
excellent aggressive play wouldnotshine as brightly. Black has coordinated his
forces to make a third-rank stand.} 32. Rfg1 Nc4 33. h5 $1 {The h-Pawn is
untouchable -- 33...gxh5 34. Qxg7+ Qxg7 35. Rxg7 is fatal. After 33...Nxh5 34.
Bc1 Ng7 35. Rh2+ Kg8 36. Qh4 Qf8 37. e4! Kf7 38. e5 Rxf3 39. Bxg6+! Rxg6 40.
Rxg6 Kxg641. Qg4+ is the end. Finally, 33...Nxd2 34. hxg6 Rxg6 35. Bxg6 Qxf3
36. Qh4+ Kg8 37. Qh7+ Kf8 38. Qh8+ Ke8 39. Qxg7+ Kd6 40. Qh8 wins.} g5 34. Bg6
Rxg6 {If the Queen moves away, 35. Qxg5 is decisive.} 35. hxg6 Rxg6 36. Rh2+
Kg8 37. Rb1 {Whte could elect the winning exchange of Queens after 37. Qc8+
Qe8 (27...Qf8? 28. Rh8+!) 38. Qxe8+ Nxe8 39. e4 but Ingersol envisions an even
quicker win.} Nd6 38. a6 b5 39. Bb4 Ndf5 {With all his pieces huddled around
his King, Black might feel a degree of safety, but...} 40. Bc5 $1 {White
focuses a laser beam on a distant square in Black's camp.} Nh6 41. Qc8+ Kh7 {
Now Black cannot afford the Queen exchange.} 42. Qf8 $1 {Black resigns as 42...
Qd7 43. Rc1! Qc7 44. Qe7 will be fatal. A notable game by both sides wherein
attack triumphs over defense.} 1-0[/pgn]

JULY RESULTS

Walter Muir

            James Mahooti      18W08         6-0

            Thomas Kirk         18W07   4 ½-1½

            John Badger          18W07    4 ½-1½

Absolute

            Harry Ingersol        17A01   9-3

Swift Quad

            Alan Ong        16SQ01           3-3

            David  Stone    16SQ01          3-3

Trophy Quad

            Anthony Francis    17Q03    6-0

John Collins

            Nicole Niemi       16C07      6-0

An elegant conclusion – Black faces loss of Queen or King at the end.

[pgn][Event "18EN04"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2018.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Walsh, Patrick"]
[Black "Miller, Paul"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C43"]
[WhiteElo "1609"]
[BlackElo "1916"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]{AUG} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. dxe5 Nc6 6. O-O Be7 7. Nc3
Nxc3 8. bxc3 Bg4 9. Re1 O-O 10. h3 Bh5 11. g4 Bg6 12. Bxg6 hxg6 13. Qd3 Qd7 14.
Bf4 Rae8 15. Rab1 Bc5 16. Bg5 Na5 17. Rbd1 Qe6 18. Qxd5 Qb6 19. Bh4 c6 20. Qd3
Be7 21. Bxe7 Rxe7 22. e6 Qc5 23. Re5 Qb6 24. Qd6 Rxe6 25. Rxe6 fxe6 26. Qe7 Qb2
27. Qxe6+ Kh7 28. Ng5+ Kh6 29. Qe7 Qxc2 30. Nf7+ Kh7 31. Qxf8 Qxd1+ 32. Kh2 g5
33. Nxg5+ Kh6 34. Qh8+ Kg6 35. Qe8+ 1-0[/pgn]

White faces a virtual plague of Rooks and a Knight.

[pgn][Event "17N04"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2017.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Walker, Brent"]
[Black "Salmon, Chris"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E45"]
[WhiteElo "1837"]
[PlyCount "84"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]{AUG} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Nge2 Ba6 6. Ng3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3
d5 8. Ba3 Bxc4 9. Bxc4 dxc4 10. e4 Qd7 11. O-O Qb5 12. Qc2 Nc6 13. f3 O-O-O 14.
Rfb1 Qa6 15. Bc1 h6 16. a4 Na5 17. Qe2 Qb7 18. Ra2 Qc6 19. Rb4 g5 20. f4 Nb3
21. Be3 Nxe4 22. Rxc4 Nxg3 23. hxg3 Qe4 24. fxg5 Qb1+ 25. Kf2 Na5 26. Rb4 Qf5+
27. Ke1 hxg5 28. Qa6+ Kb8 29. Rf2 Rh1+ 30. Kd2 Qg4 31. Qe2 Qxg3 32. Rf3 Qg4 33.
Rxf7 Qxe2+ 34. Kxe2 Ra1 35. Rb5 Ra2+ 36. Kf1 Nc4 37. Rf3 Rh8 38. Kg1 Ra1+ 39.
Kf2 g4 40. Rg3 Rhh1 41. Ke2 Ra2+ 42. Kd3 Nd6 0-1[/pgn]

GAMES FROM THE 2017 ABSOLUTE

Kingside attack versus queenside attack is always exciting.

[pgn][Event "17A01"]
[Site "ICCF"]
[Date "2017.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Millett, John"]
[Black "Bussom, Andrew"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E99"]
[PlyCount "65"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]{AUG} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8.
d5 Ne7 9. Ne1 Nd7 10. Be3 f5 11. f3 b6 12. b4 Nf6 13. c5 Nh5 14. a4 Nf4 15. Bc4
a5 16. Nd3 fxe4 17. fxe4 Bh6 18. Bd2 g5 19. Nb5 Neg6 20. g3 Nh3+ 21. Kh1 Rxf1+
22. Qxf1 Bg4 23. bxa5 bxa5 24. Qg2 Bg7 25. c6 h5 26. Rf1 Nhf4 27. gxf4 Nh4 28.
Qg3 gxf4 {Diagram #} 29. Bxf4 exf4 30. Nxf4 Qe7 31. Ne6 Rb8 32. h3 Be5 33. Qe3
1-0[/pgn]

Rooks generally do a good job of protecting each other until both are attacked.

[pgn][Event "17A01"]
[Site "ICCF"]
[Date "2017.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Procopi, John"]
[Black "Wilson, Abe L"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D38"]
[WhiteElo "2280"]
[BlackElo "2051"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]{AUG} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Nbd7 7. e3 c5
8. dxc5 Qa5 9. Rc1 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 O-O 11. Nd4 Ne4 12. Bf4 Ndxc5 13. f3 Nf6 14.
Qd2 Bd7 15. c4 Qxd2+ 16. Kxd2 Rac8 17. Be5 Be6 18. Be2 Rfd8 19. Bxf6 gxf6 20.
cxd5 Rxd5 21. Rc3 Rc7 22. Rd1 b6 23. Ke1 Rd8 24. a4 a5 25. Bb5 Rd5 26. g4 h5
27. h3 Rc8 28. Ke2 hxg4 29. hxg4 Rdd8 30. Rcc1 Kg7 31. Kf2 Rh8 32. Kg3 Rh6 33.
Rb1 Rch8 34. Kf4 Rh2 35. Bc6 Rb8 36. Kg3 Rhh8 37. Rd2 Bc4 38. Nf5+ Kg6 39. e4
Bd3 40. Re1 Bc4 41. Rd6 Be6 42. Bb5 Rhd8 43. Rh1 Rh8 {Diagram #} 44. Rxb6 Nb3
45. Rxb8 Rxh1 46. Ne7+ Kg7 47. Nd5 Nd4 48. Nf4 Kh7 49. Bd3 Rg1+ 50. Kf2 Ra1 51.
Nh5 1-0[/pgn]

An unusual game – White sacrifices the exchange for a Pawn, twice.

[pgn][Event "17A01 "]
[Site "ICCF"]
[Date "2017.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Miettinen, Kristo"]
[Black "Ingersol, Harry"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C68"]
[WhiteElo "2429"]
[BlackElo "2420"]
[PlyCount "148"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]{AUG} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 h5 7. d3 Qf6
8. Nbd2 g5 9. b4 Qg7 10. Nc4 Bc8 11. Bxg5 f6 12. Bd2 Bxh3 13. Nh4 O-O-O 14. a4
Ne7 15. Ne3 Bd7 16. Qf3 Rg8 17. g3 Qf7 18. Rfb1 Bh6 19. b5 Bg5 20. bxa6 bxa6
21. Qh1 Be6 22. Rb2 c5 23. Rab1 Nc6 24. Nf3 h4 25. Nxg5 fxg5 26. Nf5 hxg3 27.
fxg3 Rh8 28. Qg2 Rh5 29. g4 Rh7 30. Be1 c4 31. Qf3 c3 32. Rb7 Qf8 33. Bg3 Ba2
34. Qf1 Qc5+ 35. Kg2 Bxb1 36. Rxb1 Nb4 37. Qe2 a5 38. Rc1 Nc6 39. Rb1 Qa3 40.
d4 Qa2 41. Rd1 exd4 42. Qa6+ Kd7 43. Rxd4+ Nxd4 44. Nxd4 Ke7 {Diagram #} 45.
Qxa5 Qc4 46. Qxg5+ Ke8 47. Bf2 Rf7 48. Kg3 Rf8 49. Be3 Kd7 50. Qh5 Rde8 51. e5
Qf1 52. Qh6 Kc8 53. Qc6 Qe1+ 54. Kg2 Qb1 55. Qa8+ Qb8 56. Qd5 Qb7 57. Qxb7+
Kxb7 58. e6 Rg8 59. Kf3 Rgf8+ 60. Kg2 Rg8 61. Kf3 c5 62. Nb3 Kc6 63. Nxc5 Ref8+
64. Kg3 Rf5 65. Nd3 Kd6 66. Bd4 Rfg5 67. Nf2 Kxe6 68. Kf4 Rd5 69. Ke3 Rgd8 70.
Bxc3 Rc5 71. Ne4 Rc4 72. Ba5 Ra8 73. Bb6 Ke5 74. Nc5 Kd5 0-1[/pgn]

It is a familiar enough story – A kingside attack versus a queenside attack.

[pgn][Event "17A01 "]
[Site "ICCF"]
[Date "2017.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rizzo, Robert"]
[Black "Ellis, James R"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C84"]
[WhiteElo "2266"]
[BlackElo "2086"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]{AUG} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 O-O
8. Nc3 d6 9. a3 Bg4 10. Be3 Nd4 11. Bxd4 exd4 12. Nd5 Nd7 13. h3 Bxf3 14. Qxf3
c6 15. Nxe7+ Qxe7 16. Qg3 Nc5 17. Ba2 Na4 18. Rab1 c5 19. f4 Rac8 20. Qe1 Nb6
21. Qa5 Qa7 22. Qd2 Rfe8 23. Rf3 Qe7 24. Re1 Na4 25. c3 dxc3 26. bxc3 Nb6 27.
g4 d5 28. e5 c4 29. d4 Qxa3 {Diagram #} 30. Bb1 Rc6 31. h4 b4 32. Qc2 Rh6 33.
g5 b3 34. Qf2 Rc6 35. f5 Na4 36. f6 Qb2 37. Qg3 Nxc3 38. Rxc3 Qd2 39. h5 Qxd4+
40. Kf1 Rf8 41. Bxh7+ Kh8 42. Rf3 1-0[/pgn]