The August Check is in the Mail

Gary Boye of Buffalo, New York and Robert Irons of Elmira, New York, shared first place in the 2015 Swift Quad 15SQ14. GAME OF THE MONTH Black essays an aggressive line against his opponent, but White adopts such a flexible development that there are no targets for Black’s aggression.  The result is White’s  pieces are coordinated against Black’s somewhat awkward ones.  

[pgn] [Event "15SQ14"] [Site "?"] [Date "2015.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Irons, Robert"] [Black "Shannon, Paul"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A10"] [WhiteElo "1831"] [BlackElo "1746"] [PlyCount "41"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] {AUG} 1. Nf3 f5 2. c4 {The opening thus becomes a Denglish, a cross netween an English and a Duttch. The opening is designed to tame the ferocity of the Dutch player by avoiding direct combat in the center.} Nf6 3. g3 {White can also play 3. b3 here when setting up a Stonewall formation as was done in Zageris-Shannon, Walter Muir 2012 does not quite equalize -- 3. b3 e6 4. Bb2 Be7 5. g3 00 6. Bg2 d5 7.00 c6 8. d3 when White contols both critical central squares e4 and e5.} e6 {A more modern approach here is 3...g6 and fianchettoing the Bishiop. This has proved effective in meeting White's treatment of leaving the center relatively undefined by Pawn moves, Jakovenko-Mamedyarov, Tashkent 2014.} 4. Bg2 Be7 {The insistence of constructing a Stonewall formation can crumble. Bu Xiangzhi-Fedoseev, China-Russia match 2015 saw 4...d5 5.00 Bd6 6. Nc3 00 7. d3 c6 8. e4! with advantage to White.} 5. O-O O-O 6. Nc3 d5 {A 2500+ rated Master E. Gleizerov has had some mixed success with 6....d5 here. An earlier game of his, Collutiis-Gleizerov, Alghero Open 2011 saw 6...c6 7. d3 d6 with an early draw.} 7. cxd5 {Inferior is Wood-Arnold, 17 US Preliminary 7. b3 d4 8. Nb5 Nc6 9. Bb2 e5 10. d3 a6 11. Na3 Qe8 with a slight Black pull.} exd5 {Relatively uninvestigated here is 7...Nxd5 which looks playable.} 8. e3 c6 {Too ambitious is 8...Nc6 9. d3 with a shaky Black center, Hollande-Owen, Corres. 2013. Now Black has established his Stonewall formation, but White has not played in typical Stonewall fashion, although Sadler scored an impressive win in Griffith-Sadler, 4NCL 2013 after 8...Nc6 9. Ne2 Bd6.} 9. b3 Qe8 { Meier-Gofshtein, France 2010 saw 9...Na6 here with the plan of ....Nc5 keeping contact with the sensitive e6 square.} 10. Bb2 {Diagram # Andersen-Vojinovic, Biel 2015 continued with queenside actrion after 10. d3 Qh5 11. Rb1 Na6 12. a3, though White would seem to do better with an immediate 10. Bb2 as in the game.} Na6 {The Knight can be used to defend Black's weak e6 square from c7. Once there, Black may try ...a5 and queenside action.} 11. Ne2 {The Knight heads toward f4 where it exudes strength on the center and kingside.} Nc5 12. d3 Be6 {Bravery ? Black seeks to challenge White;s coming influence over e6, but a better way of doing this might be 12...Ne6 13. Nf4 Bd6 with some control over the square.} 13. b4 Ncd7 {After the more ambitious retreat of 13...Na6 comes 14. b5! anyway with the continuation 14...cxb5 15. Nf4 Bf7 16. Ne5 Nc7 17. Rc1 Bd6 18. Nxf7 Rxf7 19. Bxf6 gxf6 20. Bh3 with a plus to White.} 14. b5 {White could continue with 14. Nf4 or 14. N3d4 and 15. Nf4, but the text move is good also,} c5 15. Nf4 Bd6 {Nlack can stay in the game in an unpromising ending of two healthy Bishops against two passive Knights after 15...Bf7 16. Ng5 Bd6 17. Qb3 h6 18. Nxf7 Bxf4 19. exf4 Qxf7 20. Rac1} 16. Nxe6 Qxe6 17. Ng5 Qe8 { Better 17...Qe7 but White remains with a healthy plus.} 18. Qb3 Nb6 19. Bxf6 c4 {White is just two Pawns plus after 19...Rxf6 20. Bxd5+ Nxd5 21. Qxd5+ Kh8 22. Qxb7} 20. Bxd5+ Nxd5 21. Qxc4 1-0[/pgn]

            15SQ14

Irons	1831		½\0	11	11	4½
Boye	1788	½1		1F	11	4½
Shannon	1746	00	01		11	3
White	1981	00	00	00		0-6

TONY WEST SWEEPS 15W38                  WALTER MUR 6-0

Tony West 15W38

West	1979		11	11	11	6-0
Jex	1868	00		½1	1½	3-3
Badger	1847	00	½0		½1	2-4
Anderson	1934	00	0½	½0		1-5

  Tony West of Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, won the 2015 Walter Muir with a perfect 6-0 score.  This victory sends Tony’s ELO over into the Expert rating.  Congratulations, Tony ! The tactics in this game make it fun – for Black.

[pgn] [Event "15WM38"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2015.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Jex, Joshua"] [Black "West, Tony"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B22"] [WhiteElo "1868"] [BlackElo "1979"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] {AUG} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 c4 7. Bc2 g6 8. Na3 d6 9. Qe2 d5 10. b3 Bg4 11. bxc4 Bxf3 12. gxf3 d4 13. Bb2 Bg7 14. f4 O-O 15. Qe4 f5 16. Qg2 dxc3 17. Bxc3 Nd4 18. Bb3 Qd7 19. h4 Rad8 20. h5 gxh5 21. Rg1 Rf7 22. Bxd4 Qxd4 23. O-O-O Kf8 24. Qg5 Rc8 25. Nc2 Rxc4 26. Bxc4 Qxc4 27. Rg3 Nd5 28. Rb3 {Diagram #} Nxf4 29. d3 Qc6 30. Kb1 Bxe5 31. d4 h6 32. Qh4 Bd6 33. Rg1 Rg7 34. Rxg7 Kxg7 35. Qg3+ Kh7 36. Rc3 Qh1+ 37. Kb2 Ne2 38. Qh3 Qc1+ 39. Kb3 Qb1+ 40. Kc4 Qxa2+ 0-1[/pgn]

THE 20^th OLYMPIAD HAS STARTED The United States team appears well balanced with four Grandmasters and two Senior International Masters. Only Germany, with six Grandmasters, and Spain, with five Grandmasters, have entered a more powerfully titled team. On the US team, playing Board One, is GM Stephen Ham.  Board Two is GM Daniel Fleetwood.  Board Three is held down by GM Jon Ostriker.  Board Four has GM Jason Bokar.  Board Five is SIM Kenneth Holroyd.  Board Six is SIM Wolff Morrow.  It is a strong team and I wish them good skill in their games. An interesting opening marks this game from the 2013 Golden Knights semifinals.  If 15. Bg7 Na5 !

[pgn] [Event "13Ns06"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2013.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Doerr, William"] [Black "Buss, Michael"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B06"] [WhiteElo "2187"] [BlackElo "2430"] [PlyCount "72"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] {AUG} 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. dxc5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Nf6 6. e5 Ne4 7. Qd4 Qa5 8. e6 f6 9. Qb4 Qxc5 10. Qxc5 Nxc5 11. exd7+ Bxd7 12. Be3 Na4 13. Bc4 Nxc3 14. Bh6 Nc6 15. Ne2 Nxe2 16. Kxe2 Nd4+ 17. Kd3 Rd8 18. Kxd4 Be6+ 19. Kc3 Rc8 20. Be3 Kf7 21. Kd2 Rxc4 22. Rhc1 b6 23. c3 Rd8+ 24. Ke2 Rd5 25. a3 g5 26. h3 Ra5 27. Kd2 Rca4 28. Ke1 Bd5 29. Kf1 Bc4+ 30. Ke1 f5 31. Bd4 e5 32. Be3 f4 33. Bd2 Rxa3 34. Rxa3 Rxa3 35. Rb1 b5 36. f3 Ra2 0-1[/pgn]

Black captures a “poisoned”  b-Pawn which causes his King to flee from g8 to a7 and safety.

[pgn] [Event "15WM39"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2015.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Shannon, Paul"] [Black "Gitananda, Rama"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B23"] [WhiteElo "1746"] [BlackElo "1626"] [PlyCount "102"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] {AUG} 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 g6 3. f4 Nc6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bb5 Nd4 6. O-O Nxb5 7. Nxb5 d6 8. a4 Bd7 9. d3 a6 10. Nc3 e6 11. Qe1 Ne7 12. Ne2 O-O 13. c3 Bc6 14. Ng3 d5 15. f5 dxe4 16. dxe4 Qd7 17. Be3 exf5 18. Bxc5 Rfe8 19. exf5 Nxf5 20. Qf2 Nxg3 21. Qxg3 Re2 22. Rf2 Rxf2 23. Qxf2 Bxa4 24. Ng5 Bc6 25. Rf1 f6 26. Nf3 Rd8 27. Nd4 Qd5 28. Nxc6 Qxc6 29. Bd4 Qc4 30. Qe3 Qf7 31. Qf2 f5 32. Bb6 Re8 33. Bc5 Qc4 34. Be3 Bf8 35. Bd4 Re2 36. Qg3 Rxb2 37. Qe5 Qc6 38. Qh8+ Kf7 39. Qxh7+ Ke8 40. Re1+ Kd8 41. Qh4+ Kd7 42. Qh3 Kc7 43. Qg3+ Bd6 44. Qh3 Bc5 45. Qg3+ Kb6 46. Bxc5+ Qxc5+ 47. Kh1 Ka7 48. h3 Qf2 49. Kh2 Qxg3+ 50. Kxg3 Rc2 51. Re3 a5 0-1[/pgn]

JULY RESULTS Walter Muir Rama Gitananda    16W03   5-1 Samuel Younkin  15W20  6-0 David Stone             15W26  5-1 A puzzling game – When Black misses 29…e4, the game turns against him.

[pgn] [Event "16EN05"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2016.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Ellison, John"] [Black "Cobb, Jeffrey"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A00"] [WhiteElo "1756"] [BlackElo "1894"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] {AUG} 1. e3 Nf6 2. b4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Nc3 b6 5. Nf3 Bb7 6. Bd3 d6 7. O-O Nbd7 8. h3 c5 9. bxc5 bxc5 10. dxc5 Nxc5 11. Bb5+ Nfd7 12. Nd4 O-O 13. Bxd7 Qxd7 14. Qd2 Ba6 15. Rd1 Rab8 16. Ba3 Rfc8 17. Bxc5 Rxc5 18. Rab1 Rbc8 19. Rb3 e5 20. Nf3 Bc4 21. Rbb1 d5 22. Rb4 Qc6 23. a3 h6 24. Na4 Rb5 25. Nb2 Rxb4 26. axb4 Qb5 27. Nxc4 Qxc4 28. Qxd5 Qxc2 29. Ra1 Rc7 30. Ra5 Kh7 31. Rc5 Qb1+ 32. Kh2 Rxc5 33. bxc5 Qb8 34. g3 Qc7 35. c6 a5 36. Nd2 a4 37. Qb5 a3 38. Qb7 Qa5 39. c7 1-0[/pgn]

OBITUARY Carrie Goldstein of Roslyn, New York has died.  Carrie was born in 1936 and held a correspondence rating of a Class A player

[pgn] [Event "Scan"] [Site "corr"] [Date "1994.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Goldstein, Carrie"] [Black "Creasey"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B01"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "1994.??.??"] {AUG} 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. h3 Bh5 7. g4 Bg6 8. Ne5 e6 9. h4 Bb4 10. Bd2 Nbd7 11. Nc4 Qa6 12. h5 Bxc3 13. hxg6 Qc6 14. Rh4 Qe4+ 15. Be2 Bxd2+ 16. Qxd2 Qxg6 17. f4 O-O-O 18. Bf3 h5 19. Qg2 hxg4 20. Bxb7+ Kb8 21. Rxh8 Rxh8 22. Ba8 Nd5 23. Bc6 Nxf4 24. Qd2 Nd5 25. O-O-O N7b6 26. Nxb6 cxb6 27. Bxd5 exd5 28. Qf4+ Kb7 29. Qf2 f5 30. Qe2 Re8 31. Qb5 Qe6 32. c4 dxc4 33. d5 Qe3+ 0-1[/pgn]

TWO MORE BY TONY WEST Once again the Catalan Opening demonstrates that development and the center may be worth a stray Pawn or two on the queenside.

[pgn] [Event "15WM38"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2015.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "West, Tony"] [Black "Jex, Joshua"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D30"] [WhiteElo "1979"] [BlackElo "1868"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] {AUG} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 e6 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 b5 6. O-O Bb7 7. b3 cxb3 8. Qxb3 Nd7 9. a4 a6 10. Ne5 Ne7 11. Ba3 Nd5 12. Bxf8 Kxf8 13. Nd2 f6 14. Nxd7+ Qxd7 15. Ne4 Kf7 16. Nc5 Qc8 17. f4 Re8 18. e4 Nb6 19. f5 Nc4 20. fxe6+ Kg8 21. Rad1 Qc7 22. e5 fxe5 23. Rf7 Re7 24. Qf3 Rd8 25. Rf1 h6 26. Rf8+ Rxf8 27. Qxf8+ Kh7 28. Be4+ g6 29. Bxg6+ Kxg6 30. Rf6+ Kg5 31. Qxh6+ 1-0[/pgn]

[pgn] [Event "15WM38 "] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2015.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "West, Tony"] [Black "Anderson, Clarence"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A52"] [WhiteElo "1979"] [BlackElo "1934"] [PlyCount "55"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] {AUG} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. e3 Nxe5 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd2 d6 7. f4 Ng6 8. Bd3 Nh4 9. g3 Nf5 10. Qf3 Nc6 11. Nge2 Be6 12. O-O-O Na5 13. e4 Nh6 14. f5 Bxc4 15. f6 {Diagram #} Bxd3 16. fxg7 Rg8 17. Qxd3 Ng4 18. Qb5+ Nc6 19. Qxb7 Kd7 20. Qb5 Bc5 21. Bf4 Be3+ 22. Bxe3 Nxe3 23. Nd4 Rb8 24. Qxc6+ Kc8 25. Ncb5 Rb6 26. Nxa7+ Kb8 27. Qxb6+ cxb6 28. Nac6+ 1-0[/pgn]

Quote:  Purdy:  In correspondence chess where there is virtually no time limit, one learns the disadvantages of rigidly adhering to a fixed plan.