The Check is in the Mail: July 2020

IM Oliver Koo of Ohio has won the 21st United States Correspondence Chess Championship.

Oliver Koo (courtesy subject)

[pgn][Event "21st USCCC "] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2018.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Koo, Oliver"] [Black "Fass, Robert N"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D41"] [WhiteElo "2443"] [BlackElo "2435"] [PlyCount "129"] [EventDate "2018.??.??"] {JUL 20} 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 e6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O d5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. d4 Nc6 9. e4 {The other major line here is 9. Nxd5 exd5 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Bg5 with an edge as in Grischuk-Nepomniachtchi, Piterenka 2012.} Nxc3 10. bxc3 cxd4 11. cxd4 b6 12. Rb1 {This mysterious Rook move works out well for White, but the standard move 12. Bb2 still seems better.} Bb7 13. d5 { Holmlund-Wintzer, Bundesliga 1997 saw 13. Qa4 Na5 14. Ne5 f6 15. Nc4 Qxd4 16. Nxb6 Qxa4 17. Nxa4 Bc6 which was eventually drawn.} exd5 14. exd5 Nb4 15. Nh4 Nxa2 {Taking the d-Pawn is not any better -- 15...Nxd5 16. Nf5 Bf6 17. Qg4 g6 19. Nh6+ Kg7 20. Rd1 leaves Black all tied up.} 16. Bb2 Bxh4 17. gxh4 Qxh4 18. Ra1 {White keeps the balance by 18 f4 followed ny Rf3 and/or Qd4.} Qc4 {On 18.. .Nb4, White plays 10. Ra3 and transfers the Rook to the kingside.} 19. Qd2 Rfc8 {Now if 19...Nb4 all White's pieces spring to life with 20. Rfc1 Qg4 21. Ra3} 20. Bxg7 Qc2 21. Qd4 {White wants to avoid 21. Qg5 Qg6 banking on the eventual weakness of Black's kingside to do him in.} Nc3 22. Kh1 Ne2 23. Qf6 Qg6 24. Bf3 Re8 25. Rg1 $1 Nxg1 26. Rxg1 Qxf6 27. Bxf6+ Kf8 28. Bg7+ Ke7 {Black must come into the firing range of the two Bishops as 28...Kg8 29. Be5+ Kf8 30. Bd6+ Re7 31. Bxe7+ Kxe7 32. d6+ is a winning endgame forWhite.} 29. d6+ Kxd6 30. Bxb7 Rad8 {Diagram # An interesting endgame now follows: the two Bishops will dominate the proceedings because of the exposed nature of the Black King.} 31. Ba6 Re4 32. Bf6 Rde8 33. Rd1+ Kc6 34. Rc1+ Kd6 35. Kg2 R8e6 36. Bb2 Rg4+ 37. Kf1 Rh4 38. Rc2 Reh6 {The h-Pawn was taboo: 38...Rxh2 39. Ba3+ Kd7 40. Bc8+} 39. Ba3+ {For the next eight moves there is a dance between the White pieces and the Black King. Black manages to lose only the f-Pawn, but that is enough for White to win.} Ke5 40. Rd2 Rxh2 41. Bb2+ Kf4 42. Rd4+ Ke5 43. Rd1+ Ke6 44. Bc4+ Kf5 45. Rd5+ Ke4 46. Rd2 Kf5 47. Bxf7 {Having won the free passage way for the f-Pawn, White has estabished a winning position.} Rc6 48. Bb3 Rc5 49. Rd6 Rh1+ 50. Kg2 Rb1 51. Be6+ Kf4 52. Bf6 {The White forces work in unison to cut the Black King off to half the board. Meanwhile the threat is Rd4 mate.} Re1 53. Bh4 Ke5 54. Bg3+ Kf6 55. Bg8+ Ke7 {On 55...Kg7 56. Bb3 the Black King lacks safe territory.} 56. Rd4 Rg5 57. Bxh7 a5 58. Kf3 Rg7 59. Bf5 Rf7 60. Kf4 Rf1 61. Bh4+ Kf8 62. Kg5 {With the entrance into the battle of the White King, White just overwhelms Black.} Rg1+ 63. Bg3 Ke7 64. Rd7+ Kf8 65. Rd6 {Black has three problems: his queenside is about to fall, his King is in a mating net, and the f-Pawn is about ready to start moving. Resignation is appropriate.} 1-0 [/pgn]

21st USCCC Crosstable

JUNE RESULTS

John Collins

Christian Von Huene 18C09 6-0

Jeffrey Bosch 18C15 5 ½-½

Joseph Farrell 18C05 5 ½-½

Walter Muir

Joseph Korman 20W01 4-2

Trophy Quad

Alex Dunne 19Q07 5-1

[pgn][Event "20W01 "] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2020.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Korman, Joseph"] [Black "Anderson, Clarence"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A04"] [WhiteElo "1913"] [BlackElo "1773"] [PlyCount "41"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] {JUL 20} 1. b3 f5 2. Bb2 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Nf3 g6 5. Be2 Bg7 6. O-O O-O 7. d4 d6 8. c4 Nbd7 9. Nc3 e5 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Ng5 Re8 12. c5 Nxc5 13. Qxd8 Rxd8 14. Bc4+ Kf8 15. Rfd1 Rxd1+ 16. Rxd1 h6 17. Ba3 b6 18. Nf7 {Diagram #} e4 19. Bxc5+ bxc5 20. Ne5 g5 21. Rd8+ 1-0 [/pgn]

Walter Muir 20W01

Black shows superior combinational powers in this Golden Knights game

[pgn][Event "19N12"] [Site "USCF"] [Date "2019.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Garner, Mark"] [Black "Walker, Barry"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A03"] [WhiteElo "1846"] [BlackElo "2214"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] {JUL 20} 1. f4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 Bf5 4. Bg2 h6 5. O-O e6 6. d3 Be7 7. Nc3 O-O 8. Qe1 Bh7 9. e4 c5 10. Ne5 d4 11. Ne2 Nfd7 12. Nxd7 Qxd7 13. h3 Nc6 14. a3 Rfd8 15. g4 {Diagram #} c4 16. Bd2 Rac8 17. Qf2 b5 18. Ng3 b4 19. f5 c3 20. bxc3 dxc3 21. fxe6 fxe6 22. Be1 Rf8 23. Bf3 Nd4 24. Qg2 b3 25. cxb3 c2 26. Bb4 Rxf3 27. Bxe7 Rxg3 28. Qxg3 Ne2+ 29. Kg2 Nxg3 30. Kxg3 Qxe7 0-1 [/pgn]

OBITUARY

Charles Hiber (courtesy subject)

Charles Hiber born 5/28/41, died 4/22/20.

[pgn][Event "12C06"] [Site "?"] [Date "2012.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Molina, Carlos"] [Black "Hiber, Charles"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E13"] [WhiteElo "1823"] [BlackElo "1959"] [PlyCount "102"] {JUL 20} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Bb7 7. e3 g5 8. Bg3 Ne4 9. Qc2 Nxg3 10. hxg3 Qf6 11. Ne5 c5 12. f3 cxd4 13. exd4 Nc6 14. Qe4 d5 15. cxd5 exd5 16. Qxd5 Rd8 17. Qb5 Rxd4 18. Nxc6 Bxc3+ 19. bxc3 Bxc6 20. Qe2+ {Diagram #} Re4 21. fxe4 Qxc3+ 22. Kf2 Qxa1 23. Qc4 Qf6+ 24. Kg1 O-O 25. e5 Qe6 26. Qxe6 fxe6 27. Rxh6 Bd5 28. Rg6+ Kf7 29. Rxg5 Bxa2 30. Rh5 Kg6 31. Rh4 a5 32. Bd3+ Kg5 33. Rd4 Rb8 34. Kf2 Bd5 35. Ke3 b5 36. Kd2 b4 37. Bc2 b3 38. Bb1 Bxg2 39. Ra4 Rb5 40. Kc3 Rxe5 41. Kxb3 Bc6 42. Ra3 Kg4 43. Kc4 Bf3 44. Bc2 Rd5 45. Re3 e5 46. Bf5+ Kxf5 47. Rxf3+ Ke4 48. Ra3 Rd4+ 49. Kc5 a4 50. Ra1 Kf3 51. Re1 Re4 0-1 [/pgn]

Thomas Dorsch

Thomas Dorsch (courtesy subject)

Thomas Dorsch, born November 3, 1942, died April 17, 2020. Thomas was a Life Master.

[pgn][Event "CCLA Reg match"] [Site "corr"] [Date "1991.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Taylor, David"] [Black "Dorsch, T."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B22"] [PlyCount "49"] [EventDate "1991.??.??"] [EventType "game"] [Source "Chess Mail"] [SourceDate "2001.03.30"] {JUL 20} 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. Bc4 Qc7 6. Qe2 Nb6 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Nf3 d5 9. exd6 Qxd6 10. Nxd4 Bd7 11. O-O a6 12. Re1 Rd8 13. Bg5 Nd5 14. Nd2 Nf4 15. Bxf4 Qxf4 16. N2f3 e6 17. Be4 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 Qc7 19. Qf3 b5 20. a4 Bc5 21. axb5 axb5 {Diagram #} 22. Nc6 Rc8 23. Ra6 Bb6 24. Rxb6 Qxb6 25. Ne5 1-0 [/pgn]

GAMES FROM THE 21st USCCC

[pgn][Event "21st USCCC "] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2018.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Woodard, Daniel"] [Black "Musitani, Cesar"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D30"] [WhiteElo "2418"] [BlackElo "2354"] [PlyCount "151"] [EventDate "2018.??.??"] {JUL 20} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nbd2 Nbd7 6. b3 Bd6 7. Bb2 b6 8. Bd3 O-O 9. Qe2 Bb7 10. O-O Qe7 11. Rad1 Rad8 12. e4 dxe4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 Nf6 15. Qh4 h6 16. Rfe1 Nd7 17. Qg4 Ba3 18. Ba1 Rfe8 19. Bc2 Qf8 20. Re3 Bd6 21. Rde1 Bb4 22. R1e2 Bd6 23. Qh4 Be7 24. Qe4 g6 25. h4 Qg7 26. Bc3 Bd6 27. Qd3 Bf4 28. Re4 Bd6 29. h5 gxh5 30. Rh4 Nf6 31. Kf1 Be7 32. Rf4 Ng4 33. d5 Nf6 34. Be5 cxd5 35. Re3 dxc4 36. Qc3 cxb3 37. Bxb3 Rc8 38. Qb2 Rc5 39. Bxf6 Bxf6 40. Qxf6 Qxf6 41. Rxf6 Rc1+ 42. Ke2 Kg7 43. Rf4 Rd8 44. Nd4 Ba6+ 45. Kf3 Rd7 46. Kg3 Rh1 47. Nf3 Rc7 48. Ne5 Bb5 49. Ree4 a5 50. a4 Rc3+ 51. Re3 Rxe3+ 52. fxe3 h4+ 53. Rxh4 Re1 54. Nc4 Bxc4 55. Bxc4 Rxe3+ 56. Kf4 Re1 57. Bb5 Rd1 58. Ke3 Re1+ 59. Kf2 Rd1 60. Rc4 Rd8 61. Rc6 Rb8 62. Ke3 Kg6 63. Kf4 Kf6 64. Rc7 Rg8 65. Bc6 h5 66. Rb7 e5+ 67. Ke3 Rg3+ 68. Bf3 Kg7 69. Rxb6 f5 70. Kf2 h4 71. Rb5 e4 72. Be2 e3+ 73. Kf1 h3 74. gxh3 f4 75. Rf5 Rxh3 76. Rxf4 1-0 [/pgn]

[pgn][Event "21st USCCC "] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2018.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Schakel, Corky"] [Black "Ingersol, Harry"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2435"] [BlackElo "2490"] [PlyCount "109"] [EventDate "2018.??.??"] {JUL 20} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Nxc6 dxc6 7. Qxd8+ Kxd8 8. Bf4 Be6 9. O-O-O+ Ke8 10. Be3 g6 11. f4 h5 12. Bd3 Bh6 13. Rhf1 Nd7 14. Rde1 b5 15. a4 f6 16. Kb1 Rc8 17. a5 Kf7 18. Rf2 h4 19. Rd2 Rc7 20. g3 Bh3 21. Nd1 Bg7 22. Nf2 hxg3 23. hxg3 Be6 24. f5 Bc4 25. b3 Bxd3 26. Nxd3 Ne5 27. Nxe5+ fxe5 28. fxg6+ Kxg6 {Diagram #} 29. Red1 Bf6 30. Bc5 Kg5 31. Rd8 Rc8 32. R8d7 Rhe8 33. Ra7 Ra8 34. Rxa8 Rxa8 35. Rd7 Kg4 36. Bxe7 Bg7 37. Bc5 Bf8 38. Bxf8 Rxf8 39. Re7 Kxg3 40. Rxe5 Kf4 41. Re6 c5 42. Kb2 b4 43. Rc6 Kxe4 44. Rxc5 Rf4 45. Rc4+ Ke5 46. Rc6 Kd5 47. Rxa6 Kc5 48. Rb6 Rf7 49. Rb8 Rh7 50. c4 Rh2+ 51. Kb1 Rh1+ 52. Kc2 Rh2+ 53. Kd1 Rh1+ 54. Ke2 Rh2+ 55. Kf1 1-0 [/pgn]

[pgn][Event "21st USCCC "] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2018.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Jenkins, Richard"] [Black "Ingersol, Harry"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A17"] [WhiteElo "2263"] [BlackElo "2490"] [PlyCount "134"] [EventDate "2018.??.??"] {JUL 20} 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Qa4+ Bd7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 c5 7. g3 Nc6 8. Bg2 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. d3 h6 11. Qb3 Qc7 12. Nb5 Qb8 13. d4 Na5 14. Qd3 c4 15. Qd2 Qd8 16. Nc3 Bc6 17. Rd1 b5 18. d5 Nxd5 19. Nxd5 Bxd5 20. Qe1 Qb6 21. b4 Nb7 22. e4 Bc6 23. Nd4 e5 24. Nxc6 Qxc6 25. Bb2 a5 26. bxa5 b4 27. Bxe5 Rxa5 28. Bf4 Qc8 29. e5 Nd8 30. Bf1 c3 31. Bd3 h5 32. a3 bxa3 33. Rdc1 Ne6 34. Rxc3 Qb7 {Diagram #} 35. Be4 Qb6 36. Be3 Qb8 37. Rb3 Qxb3 38. Qxa5 Rd8 39. Kg2 h4 40. Rc1 Qb2 41. Rc2 Qb1 42. Qa4 Qd1 43. Qa6 Qd7 44. h3 hxg3 45. fxg3 Rb8 46. h4 Rb3 47. Qa8+ Bf8 48. Qa7 Qxa7 49. Bxa7 Rb5 50. Bf2 Ra5 51. Ra2 Bb4 52. Bb1 Rxe5 53. Rc2 Bc5 54. Ba2 Bxf2 55. Rc8+ Kh7 56. Kxf2 Nd4 57. Bc4 Ra5 58. Ba2 Nf5 59. Kf3 Ne7 60. Rc7 Ng6 61. Ke2 Ne5 62. Kd2 f5 63. Kc3 Kg6 64. Kb4 Ra6 65. Kb3 Kh6 66. Rc3 Ng4 67. Bb1 Nf2 0-1 [/pgn]

[pgn][Event "21st USCCC "] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2018.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Hill, Grayling V"] [Black "Schakel, Corky"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E99"] [WhiteElo "2413"] [BlackElo "2435"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "2018.??.??"] {JUL 20} 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 f4 12. Bf2 g5 13. Rc1 Ng6 14. c5 Nxc5 15. b4 {Diagram #} Na6 16. Nd3 h5 17. Nb5 b6 18. Be1 Qd7 19. a4 Bf6 20. Bd2 Bd8 21. Qc2 Rf7 22. Qc6 Qxc6 23. Rxc6 g4 24. Nf2 Rg7 25. fxg4 hxg4 26. g3 Bg5 27. Bc1 Bd7 28. Nxd6 Bxc6 29. dxc6 Nxb4 30. Nf5 fxg3 31. Bxg5 gxf2+ 32. Rxf2 Nf4 33. Bc4+ Kh7 34. Bxf4 Rf8 35. Bd2 1-0 [/pgn]