Check Is In The Mail: February 2022

Greetings!

Our first game comes from Walter Muir Quad 21W21 where Lelan Conti and Errol Acosta tied for first with a 4-2 score. In the game it appeared White gained an early advantage. However, Black turned the tables at some point to emerge with the victory. Of particular interest was the skillful way Mr. Acosta forced resignation.

[pgn] [Event "2021 Walter Muir E-Quad (21W21)"] [White "Conti, Lelan (1215)"] [Black "Acosta, Errol (1145)"] [Result "0-1"] 1.e4 e6 2.d3 c5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.c3 g6 5.Bg5 Nge7 6.Bf6 Rg8 7.Be2 Bg7 8.Bxg7 Rxg7 9.Nbd2 d6 10.O-O Ne5 11.Re1 Bd7 12.a3 Qb6 13.Qb3 Qxb3 14.Nxb3 b5 15.d4 Nxf3+ 16.Bxf3 c4 17.Nd2 Nc6 18.g3 Ne7 19.Nf1 Bc6 20.Ne3 f5 21.Nc2 fxe4 22.Bxe4 d5 23.Bg2 Kd7 24.Bh3 Nf5 25.Ne3 Rf8 26.Ng4 h5 27.Ne5+ Kd6 28.Nxc6 Kxc6 29.Rxe6+ Nd6 30.f4 Kc7 31.Bg2 Re8 32.Rae1 Rxe6 33.Rxe6 g5 34.Re5 gxf4 35.Rxd5 h4 36.Rc5+ Kd7 37.Bc6+ Ke6 38.Kg2 hxg3 39.h3 Nf5 40.Rxb5 Ne3+ 41.Kg1 Nc2 42.Re5+ Kd6 43.Ba4 Ne3 44.b4 g2 45.Re4 f3 46.Rf4 Rg3 47.Be8 Nd1 0-1 [/pgn]

Our second game comes from the pen of Robert Irons who submitted this draw against CCM Richard Perry, noting that it was his first draw against a Master. A taut game throughout with multiple threats lying under the surface at key junctures, Robert and Richard eventually “give peace a chance” and split the point.

[pgn] [Event "2021 Walter Muir E-Quad (21W37)"] [White "Irons, Robert (2034)"] [Black "Perry, Richard (2196)"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.e4 b4 10.Na4 c5 11.e5 Nd5 12.O-O cxd4 13.Re1 Be7 14.Nxd4 O-O 15.Qg4 Re8 16.Bb5 Kh8 17.Bd2 Rc8 18.a3 a6 19.Bd3 Nf8 20.axb4 Nxb4 21.Bxb4 Bxb4 22.Red1 Be7 23.Be4 Qc7 24.Bxb7 Qxb7 25.Qf3 Qxf3 26.Nxf3 g5 27.Nc3 Rc6 28.h3 Kg7 29.Ne4 h6 30.g3 Rb8 31.b3 Rb4 32.Nd4 Rcb6 33.Kg2 Ng6 34.Ra5 f6 35.exf6+ Bxf6 36.Ra4 Bxd4 37.Rxd4 Rxd4 38.Rxd4 Ne5 39.b4 Rc6 40.Nc5 a5 41.Re4 Kf6 42.f4 Nf7 43.Rc4 Kg6 44.f5+ exf5 45.bxa5 Nd6 46.Rd4 1/2-1/2 [/pgn]

Game 3 is a decisive game in the 2021 Absolute Championship where Daniel Horwitz upends eventual champion Tim Corkum from the white side of a French Defense. 50.b5 is a particularly sly and excellent finish.

[pgn] [Event "2021 Absolute Championship (21A01)"] [White "Horwitz, Daniel (2341)"] [Black "Corkum, Tim (2357)"] [Result "1-0"] 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.c3 a6 8.Ne5 Bd6 9.Be2 Bxe5 10.dxe5 Qxd1+ 11.Bxd1 Nd5 12.h4 Bd7 13.h5 h6 14.c4 Ne7 15.Bd2 O-O-O 16.Bc3 Bc6 17.f3 b5 18.Kf2 bxc4 19.Rh4 Bd5 20.Be2 g6 21.Rah1 g5 22.Rg4 Kb7 23.f4 gxf4 24.Rxf4 Rdg8 25.Rh2 Rg5 26.g4 Nc6 27.Rxf7 Nxe5 28.Rf4 Kc6 29.Kg3 Kd6 30.Kh4 Rhg8 31.Rh3 c5 32.Rg3 Ke7 33.Re3 Kd6 34.Bd1 Bb7 35.Rg3 Ke7 36.Re3 Kd6 37.b4 cxb3 38.axb3 Bd5 39.Be1 Nc6 40.Rf6 Ne5 41.Rg3 R5g7 42.Bc3 Rh7 43.Bc2 Rhh8 44.b4 c4 45.Bd4 Nd7 46.Rf1 e5 47.Bb2 Rf8 48.Bf5 Be6 49.Rd1+ Ke7 50.b5 1-0 [/pgn]

I included this as game 4 despite the game ending prematurely because the ending – to me – is particularly interesting. Mr. Pokorny plays a rare sideline as White against Mr. Roha’s Sicilian Defense. In the heart of an attack, White sacs a knight and notes about his last move that he’s "still not too sure about it..."

I can’t find a forced win (although I may not be looking well/hard enough) but it may exist and it’s worth exploring for those interested in checking it out. White’s play does put Black in a very precarious position. And it looks like White can bail out into a forced draw by repetition if he can’t find a forced win.

[pgn] [Event "2021 Email Match (21LM59)"] [White "Pokorny, Mack (1992)"] [Black "Roha, Tom (1743)"] [Result "1-0"] 1.e4 c5 2.a3 g6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bg7 5.d3 e6 6.Ba2 Nf6 7.f4 d6 8.Nf3 O-O 9.O-O a6 10.Qe1 b5 11. f5 exf5 12.Qh4 fxe4 13.dxe4 c4 14.Bg5 Qb6+ 15.Kh1 Nh5 16.Nd5 Qb7 17.g4 f6 18.gxh5 fxg5 19.Nxg5 h6 20.Rxf8+ Bxf8 21.hxg6 1-0[/pgn]

To close out the month I submit this fully-annotated game from Richard Morgan, the victor of Collins Quad 19C16. A fine strategic game, I’ll forego any notes and let Mr. Morgan’s quality annotation speak for itself.

[pgn][Event "2019 Collins Quad (19C16)"] [White "Morgan, Richard (1987)"] [Black "Hall, Ronald (1878)"] [Result "1-0"] 1.d4 f5 {At this point I thought he made a good choice due to my lack of experience with the Dutch Defense.} 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O O-O {Just basic development.} 6.b3 d6 7.Bb2 Ne4 8. Nbd2 Nc6 9.Ne1 {I began thinking about the placement of my knights to strengthen e5 and positional ideas began to settle in.} d5 {I really didn’t like the knight posted here. However, I didn’t foresee any danger as of yet.} 10.Ndf3 b6 11.Nd3 {overprotection of e5} Bb7 12.e3 a5? {This, to me, seemed a bit weakening of Black’s position.} 13.c4 {preparation to open c file} e6 14.Rc1 Rac8 15.a3 {I felt that b4 could be trouble if Black settled into it.} Rfe8 {The opening just seemed passive to me on the Black side.} 16.cxd5 exd5 17.Qc2 Kh8 {I felt that the knight on c6 needed better placement.} 18.Nf4 Qd6 19.Nd3 {I realized that I needed to use the e5 square for movement and possible freedom for my b2 bishop.} Kg8 {Marking time. He doesn’t seem to have many options.} 20. Rfd1 {I felt that the file would soon open.} Qe7 {Placing the queen in front of the rook doesn’t seem best.} 21.Nfe5 {I wanted to create play, open the file, and free the bishop all at once.} Nxe5 {This allowed a passed pawn and increased pressure.} 22.dxe5 Ng5 23.b4 c6 {I think this allowed me too much freedom. Maybe 23….axb was best?} 24.bxa5 {destroying pawn structure} bxa5 25.f4 {forcing the knight to make a decision} Ne6 26. Bd4 {overprotecting c5} Bf8 27.Nc5 Nxc5 28.Qxc5 {I wanted the queen exchange to simplify and to dominate c5.} Qxc5 29.Bxc5 Bxc5 30.Rxc5 {At this point I felt in total control and was in no hurry. His pawns are frozen and require constant protection.} Ra8 31.Rd4 Ra7? 32.Ra4 {doubling up on the pawn} Rea8 33.Kf2 Kf7 34.h3 {Looking for possible kingside play as well now. What did Nimzovich call this…the theory of two weaknesses?} Ke7 35.g4 Kf7 36.Kg3 h6 37.Bf1 {bring the last piece into action} Ke7 38.Bd3 {more pressure} Ke6 39.h4! h5 40.gxh5 gxh5 41.Be2! 1-0 [/pgn]

Next month, more games!

Regards,

Larry

Recent Event Winners

20T09, Joseph Kuspa, 6-0

21W18, Robert Heisler, 5-1
21W38, Brandon Vila, 5.5-.5
21W39, Jeffrey Reger, 5.5-.5

21VP06, Philip Haase, 6-0