The October Check is in the Mail

Grayling Hill won the 20^th United States Correspondence Chess Championship with an undefeated 8 ½-3 ½ score, a point ahead of second place Larry Parsons.  Tying for third were John Ballow, Wolff Morrow, and Ciaran O’Hare.. GAME OF THE MONTH From the first move to the last, Black relies on his superior piece activity to overcome White’s spatial and material edge in an exciting game worthy of future anthologies.

[pgn] [Event "20 USCCC"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2014.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Ingersol, Harry"] [Black "Hill, Grayling V"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2417"] [BlackElo "2379"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] {OCT} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 {And so begins one of the most ferocious battles on the board -- a war between space (White) and development (Black).} c5 {The choice here is to keep the balance in the center by 4...d5 or accentuate the lead in development by 4....c5.. Black chooses the latter.} 5. d5 O-O 6. e4 Re8 7. Nge2 {White already is a bit awkward in developing his kingside as 7. Bd3 drops a Pawn to 7...exd5 8. cxd5 Nxd5.} d6 8. Ng3 {White has three choices here, none of them happy. After 8. Nf4 Black does very well with +7 =4 =11 and after 8. a3, Black again is in the lead scoring _4 -1 -3. Ingersol's choice of 8. Ng3 scores an even +3 -3 =7.} b5 {Striking at the White center while the King is still on e1. Now 9. cxb5 exd5 is unpleasant for White.} 9. Bf4 {This is the most popular try at the momentfor White in this position, but it continues to leave the King in the center. The questiin is is the White Pawn chain secure enough to keep e1 safe ? Sangueta-Lakman, IND 2014 saw 9. Be2 bxc4 10.00 Bxc3 11. bxc3 exd5 12. exd5 Nbd7 13. Bxc4 Nb6 14. Qb3 Bd7 15. Bg5 h6 16. Bxf6 Qxf6 =+} Qb6 {A tacit offer of a Pawn that makes the game very exciting. Rybka gets the King outof the danger zone by 10. Kf2 promising White a reasonable advantage. Instead, White elects to go after the d-Pawn and the reader is invited in to one of the most exciting battkles of the year.} 10. a3 {Volkov-Karavade, Abu Dhabi 2012 continued 10. dxe6 Bxe6 11. Qxd6 bxc4 12. Qxb6 axb6 13. Be2 with a slight pull for Black.} Ba5 11. dxe6 { White foregoes the chance to get his King out of danger (11. Kf2!?) and instead takes Black's challenge to win some Pawns ay the cost of developing NBlack's forces.} Bxe6 12. Qxd6 {Ingersol has been here before, facing 12... bxc4 13. Qxb6 axb6 14. Kf2 Bxc3 15. bxc3 in Ingersol-Schmidt, Finland Jublilee 2014 scoring the point.} Qb7 $5 13. cxb5 {There is no improvement by 13. Qxc5 Rc8 14. Qf2 bxc4 15.000 Bxc3 when White's long term survival is doubtful.} Rd8 14. Qxc5 Bb6 15. Qg5 h6 16. Qh4 Nbd7 17. O-O-O {Diagram # And now begins the second stage of the battle: Black is three Pawns down but strongly mobilized while White's forces are scattered and uncoordinated. Still his Pawn center prevents Black's pieces from tearing open his position.} Ba5 18. Nf5 {Stopping 18...Rac8 because of 19. Ne7+ and forcing the exchamge of one of Black's attacking pieces but his Pawn center is thus damaged.} Bxf5 19. exf5 Rac8 20. Kb1 {After 20. Bd2 Qd5!! gives Black a wiining attack after 21. Be2 Qb3!} Bxc3 21. bxc3 Nd5 22. Rc1 $5 {An improvement over Cuccumini-Sgherrs, Italy CC 2015 which saw 22. Bd2 a6 23. c4 qxb5 26. cxd5 Qxd5 25. Qb4 Nc5 26. Bxb5 Nd3 27. Bxd3 Qxd3+ 28. Ka1 Rc2 with the advantage to Black.} Nc5 23. Bc4 $6 {White is still playing for a win, but with 23. Bxh6!? gxh6 24. Qxh6 Qe7 25. f6! Nxf6 26. Bc4 with four Pawns for the piece and an exposed Black King, he has some chances for a draw..} Qd7 $1 {From now on Black's initiative proves more valuable than the three Pawns invested.} 24. Rc2 Qxf5 25. Bxd5 Qxd5 26. c4 { Black has better chances after 26. Be3 Qd3 27. Bxc5 Rxc5 28. Qe4 Qxb5+ 29. Rb2 Qa5 30. Qb4 Qc7 31. Rc1 Rc4 32. Qb7 Qxh2 33. Qxa7 Qd6} Qd3 27. Be5 f6 28. Bc3 a6 $1 {Black begins the final loosening of the White King's Pawn shield.} 29. Re1 {Fatal is 29. bxa6 Rb8+ 30. Bb4 Qxa3} axb5 30. cxb5 Nb3 31. Qe4 {After 31. Qb4 Nd4 ends White's struggles. Now White aims for an endgame witn two passed Pawns for the piece, but Black is in full control.} Rxc3 32. Qxd3 Rcxd3 33. Rc7 Rd2 34. b6 Rxg2 35. b7 Kh7 36. Rd7 $1 {White hopes to prevent 36...R8d2 with inevitable mate.} Rxd7 $1 {Black could win prosaically by 36...Rb8 37. Ree7 h5 38. h4 Kh6 39. Rf7 Nc5 40. Rc7 Nxb7 41. Rxb7 Rxb7 42. Rxb7 g5 43. hxg5+ hxg5 but Grayling's continuation is more in keeping with the character of Black's attack.} (36... Rb8 37. Ree7 h5 38. h4 Kh6 39. Rf7 Nc5 40. Rc7 Nxb7 41. Rxb7 Rxb7+ 42. Rxb7 g5 43. hxg5+ fxg5) 37. b8=Q Nc5 $1 38. Qc8 {With the the threat of ...Rb7+ in the air, Black has to hide his Queen but keep b7 under guard.} Rb7+ 39. Ka1 Nb3+ 40. Kb1 Rb5 {Threat:: 41...Nd4+ and mate follows.} 41. a4 Rb4 42. Qf5+ Rg6 43. Kb2 {There is no salvation by 43. Ka2 Nd4 44. Qd3 Rxa4+ 45. Kb2 f5 ad the g6 Rook comes back to life in two directions.} Nd4+ {A remarkable game.} 0-1 [/pgn]

SEPTEMBER RESULTS Walter Muir David Wright        16W08   5-1 Logan Ripley            15W28   4-2 Jerry Blankenship 16W01   6-0 Juan Lopez                16W11   6-0 Logan Ripley            15W28   4-2 Daniel Whitted      16W02  3 ½-2 ½ Edward Detrick     16W02  3 ½-2 ½ David Wright           16W32  4 ½-1 ½ Ronald Roberts     16W32  4 ½-1 ½ Bryant Vernon        15W27  4 ½-1 ½ Vernon Young         16W14  5 ½-½ Trophy Quad Errol Acosta               15Q04   4 ½-1 ½ A suitable title for this fight might be “a good time was had by all”. SICILIAN DEFENSE (B34)   

[pgn] [Event "15Q04"] [Site "?"] [Date "2015.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Gibson, Carl"] [Black "Acosta, Errol"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B34"] [WhiteElo "1065"] [BlackElo "1363"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] {OCT} 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. e5 Ng8 8. Bc4 Bg7 9. Bf4 e6 10. O-O d5 11. Bd3 Ne7 12. Re1 O-O 13. b4 Nf5 14. a4 Rb8 15. Na2 Nh6 16. Rb1 d4 17. Qf3 Bb7 18. Be4 Nf5 19. Bxf5 exf5 20. Nc1 c5 21. Qh3 c4 22. e6 fxe6 23. Rxe6 Be4 24. Rd6 Qe7 25. Rb2 Bxc2 26. g3 d3 27. Ra2 Rxb4 28. Rc6 Qe1+ 29. Qf1 Qxf1+ 30. Kxf1 Bb1 31. Bd6 Bxa2 32. Bxb4 Rb8 33. Nxa2 a5 34. Bxa5 Rb1+ 35. Kg2 Rb2 36. Nc1 d2 37. Bxd2 Rxd2 38. Rxc4 1/2-1/2[/pgn]

Black foresees the destructive Rook lift after 24…Kg7 25. Qg3+ Kh8 26. Qf4 Kg7 27, Re3 OWEN’S  DEFENSE (B00)  

[pgn] [Event "16WM01"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2016.01.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Blankenship, Jerry T"] [Black "Davis, John"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B00"] [BlackElo "1129"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] {OCT} 1. e4 b6 2. d4 Bb7 3. Bd3 e6 4. Nf3 c5 5. c3 Nf6 6. e5 Nd5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O Be7 9. a3 O-O 10. c4 Nc7 11. Nc3 d5 12. exd6 Bxd6 13. Ne4 Be7 14. Qe2 h6 15. Bf4 Ne8 16. Rad1 Qc8 17. Rfe1 Nd7 18. Bb1 Ndf6 19. Nc3 Qc6 20. Nd5 Bd8 21. Ne5 Qc8 22. Nxf6+ Nxf6 23. Bxh6 gxh6 24. Qe3 {Diagram #} 1-0[/pgn]

White has it pretty much his own way until the very end of the game when he faces an unstoppable h-Pawn. NIMZOINDIAN DEFENSE (E32)  

[pgn] [Event "15WM32 "] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2015.10.04"] [Round "?"] [White "Coleman, Lawrence"] [Black "Roberts, Ronald"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E32"] [BlackElo "1230"] [PlyCount "90"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] {OCT} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b6 7. Bg5 Bb7 8. e3 h6 9. Bh4 c6 10. Bd3 d5 11. Nf3 Nbd7 12. O-O g5 13. Bg3 Qe7 14. Nd2 Nh5 15. Rae1 Nxg3 16. hxg3 f5 17. b4 Qf7 18. f4 g4 19. Kf2 Qg6 20. Rh1 Rf7 21. c5 b5 22. Ra1 Rh7 23. a4 bxa4 24. Rxa4 h5 25. b5 cxb5 26. Bxb5 Nf6 27. c6 Bc8 28. Ba6 Ne8 29. Bxc8 Rxc8 30. Qc5 Rcc7 31. Nb3 Nf6 32. Nd2 Qe8 33. Rha1 Rxc6 34. Qa3 Rc2 35. Ke1 Ne4 36. Nxe4 dxe4 37. Ra2 Rxa2 38. Qxa2 Qe7 39. Ra6 h4 40. Rxe6 Qb4+ 41. Qd2 Qc4 42. Re8+ Kf7 43. Rb8 Kg6 44. Rb4 Qc6 45. Qb2 h3 0-1[/pgn]

Bryant Vernon is nothing but methodical in this game. ENGLISH OPENING (A21)  

[pgn] [Event "15WM27"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2015.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Vernon, Bryant"] [Black "Fuller, Tom"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A21"] [BlackElo "1694"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] {OCT} 1. d4 d6 2. c4 e5 3. Nc3 exd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6 5. Qd2 Nf6 6. b3 a5 7. e3 g6 8. Bb2 Bg7 9. Nf3 O-O 10. Be2 Re8 11. O-O Ne4 12. Nxe4 Bxb2 13. Nxd6 Qxd6 14. Qxb2 Bg4 15. h3 Bxf3 16. Bxf3 Ra7 17. Rad1 Qe5 18. Qxe5 Nxe5 19. Be2 c5 20. Rd5 b6 21. Rfd1 Re6 22. Rd6 Rae7 23. Rxe6 Rxe6 24. f4 Nc6 25. Kf2 Kf8 26. a3 Ke7 27. Bf3 Nd8 28. g4 Nc6 29. g5 Rd6 30. Rxd6 Kxd6 31. Bxc6 Kxc6 32. a4 Kd6 33. e4 Ke6 34. e5 Ke7 35. Ke3 Kd7 36. Ke4 Ke6 37. h4 Ke7 38. f5 Kd7 39. fxg6 1-0[/pgn]

BOGO-INDIAN DEFENSE (E11) White: Vernon Young  (0000) Black: John Davis  (1274) 2016 Walter Muir Black puts up an excellent fight for many moves only to fade in the end.  

[pgn] [Event "16WM14"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2016.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Young, Vernon"] [Black "Davis, John"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E11"] [BlackElo "1274"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] {OCT} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 a5 5. Nc3 O-O 6. e3 d6 7. Qc2 c5 8. a3 cxd4 9. axb4 dxc3 10. Bxc3 Nc6 11. Be2 b6 12. O-O Qc7 13. Rfc1 e5 14. b3 Bb7 15. bxa5 bxa5 16. Qf5 Ne7 17. Qb1 Be4 18. Qb2 Nd7 19. Ng5 Bb7 20. Bf3 Bxf3 21. Nxf3 Rfb8 22. Qc2 Nf6 23. Ra4 Nc6 24. Rca1 Qb6 25. b4 Nd7 26. Qf5 Rb7 27. b5 Ne7 28. Qg4 Rba7 29. Nd2 Nc5 30. R4a3 a4 31. h4 Nb3 32. Nxb3 axb3 33. Rxa7 Rxa7 34. Rxa7 Qxa7 35. Qd1 Nf5 36. Qxb3 Qb6 37. g3 g6 38. Qb4 Ne7 39. Bxe5 Nc6 40. Qxd6 1-0[/pgn]

GAMES FROM THE 20^TH USCCC When White plants a Pawn on d6, it paralyzes the future target – d7 QUEEN’S INDIAN DEFENSE (E12)  

[pgn] [Event "20 USCCC)"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2014.03.01"] [Round "?"] [White "Parsons, Larry"] [Black "Horwitz, Daniel M"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E12"] [WhiteElo "2364"] [BlackElo "2333"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] {OCT} 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. d4 b6 4. a3 Ba6 5. Qc2 Bb7 6. Nc3 c5 7. e4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bc5 9. Nb3 Nc6 10. Bg5 Nd4 11. Nxd4 Bxd4 12. Nb5 Bc5 13. e5 a6 14. Nd6+ Bxd6 15. exd6 Rc8 16. b4 h6 17. Bh4 O-O 18. f3 g5 19. Bf2 Nh5 20. h4 Qf6 21. O-O-O g4 22. Kb1 gxf3 23. gxf3 Kh8 24. Qd2 e5 25. Rg1 Nf4 26. Re1 Rfe8 27. Bxb6 Bxf3 28. Be3 Bb7 29. c5 Qxh4 30. Kb2 Rb8 31. Bf2 Qf6 32. Rg4 Re6 33. Bd4 Nd5 34. Rxe5 Rxe5 35. Qh2 Rbe8 36. Re4 Kg8 37. Rxe5 Rxe5 38. Bxe5 Qg5 39. b5 1-0[/pgn]

  SICILIAN DEFENSE (B77)  

[pgn] [Event "20 USCCC"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2014.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Ballow, John"] [Black "Gleyzer, Leonid"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B77"] [WhiteElo "2376"] [BlackElo "2292"] [PlyCount "115"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] {OCT} 1. Nc3 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. e4 g6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Bb3 d6 9. f3 Nxd4 10. Bxd4 Be6 11. Qd2 Qa5 12. O-O-O Bxb3 13. cxb3 Rfc8 14. Kb1 Rc6 15. g4 Rac8 16. a3 a6 17. h4 h5 18. b4 Qd8 19. gxh5 Nxh5 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. f4 Qh8 22. f5 gxf5 23. Rdg1+ Kf8 24. exf5 Rc4 25. Rh3 Rf4 26. Ka2 Rxf5 27. Nd5 Rd8 28. Rc3 Nf6 29. Nxf6 Qxf6 30. Qg2 e5 31. Qxb7 Qxh4 32. Ka1 Qf6 33. Qxa6 Rf3 34. Rc8 e4 35. Rxd8+ Qxd8 36. Qc6 Rf5 37. Rh1 Qf6 38. Qa8+ Ke7 39. Qxe4+ Qe5 40. Qb7+ Kf6 41. Qc8 Rf3 42. Rh6+ Kg5 43. Qc1+ Rf4 44. Rh1 Kf6 45. b5 Rf3 46. Qh6+ Ke7 47. Qh4+ Kd7 48. Qa4 Qf4 49. Qa7+ Ke6 50. Re1+ Kf6 51. b6 Re3 52. Rb1 d5 53. b7 Rb3 54. Qa6+ Kg7 55. Rg1+ Kf8 56. Qa8+ Ke7 57. Re1+ Kf6 58. Qd8+ 1-0[/pgn]

Black’s problems revolve around a magnificently posted Knight on e4  that has no where to go. QUEEN’S PAWN GAME (E10)  

[pgn] [Event "20 USCCC"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2014.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Morrow, Wolff"] [Black "Motta, Paul"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E10"] [WhiteElo "2422"] [BlackElo "2392"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] {OCT} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. a3 a6 6. e3 Be7 7. Qc2 O-O 8. b4 Bd7 9. Bb2 h6 10. c5 Nh7 11. Bd3 f5 12. Ne5 Nxe5 13. dxe5 Ng5 14. Ne2 Qe8 15. Nf4 Ba4 16. Qe2 Bd8 17. h4 Ne4 {Diagram #} 18. g4 Bb5 19. Bxb5 axb5 20. Rh2 Ra4 21. Rc1 d4 22. exd4 c6 23. gxf5 exf5 24. d5 1-0[/pgn]

Quote:  By correspondence you can play a better game -- Roger Chapman A White Knight’s fifth visit to the d4 square proves decisive. SICILIAN DEFENSE (B64)  

[pgn] [Event "20 USCCC"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2014.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "O'Hare, Ciaran"] [Black "Buss, Michael D"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B64"] [WhiteElo "2437"] [PlyCount "141"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] {OCT} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O O-O 9. f4 d5 10. e5 Nd7 11. Bxe7 Qxe7 12. Nf3 Nb6 13. Kb1 Bd7 14. h4 Qc5 15. h5 Na5 16. h6 g6 17. Qd4 Qxd4 18. Nxd4 Rac8 19. Re1 Nc6 20. Nf3 Ne7 21. Nd1 Bc6 22. Nf2 Nd7 23. Rh3 a6 24. c3 Nc5 25. Ng5 Rc7 26. Bd3 Nf5 27. Bc2 Ne7 28. Nf3 b5 29. Nd4 Ba8 30. Ng4 Nd7 31. Rc1 Rb8 32. Bd3 Nc8 33. Rhh1 Ne7 34. Rhd1 Re8 35. Re1 Rec8 36. Rcd1 Rb8 37. a3 Nc6 38. g3 Na5 39. Ka2 Nb7 40. Nf2 Nd8 41. Nf3 Nc6 42. Rc1 Rbc8 43. Ng4 Na5 44. Re2 Nb7 45. Nf2 Nbc5 46. Rd1 Bb7 47. Nd4 Nb8 48. g4 Nc6 49. Ree1 Ba8 50. Nf3 Ne7 51. Be2 Kh8 52. Kb1 Bb7 53. Ng5 Rf8 54. Bd3 Bc8 55. Bc2 Bd7 56. Nd3 Nxd3 57. Bxd3 f5 58. exf6 Rxf6 59. Re3 Ng8 60. Nf3 Rxf4 61. g5 Rc8 62. Rde1 Rcf8 63. Nd4 {Diagram #} Rg4 64. Nxe6 Bxe6 65. Rxe6 Rxg5 66. Rxa6 Nxh6 67. Bxb5 Nf5 68. a4 d4 69. c4 d3 70. Rd1 Rd8 71. c5 1-0[/pgn]