Razvan Azamfirei takes 16W07
Razvan Azamfirei is a 19-year-old student at Yale University majoring in molecular, cellular, and Developmental Biology. He also is a chess player as indicated in his victory in a Walter Muir tournament.
GAME OF THE MONTH
Razvan entered this tournament as an unrated. He finished with a 2119 ELO.
One might expect a refined positional game from a Princeton student. Instead, be prepared for an out-and-out brawl.
[pgn]
[Event "16W07"]
[Site "ICCF"]
[Date "2016.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Azamfirei, Razvan"]
[Black "Wittenstein, Stuart"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A80"]
[BlackElo "1942"]
[PlyCount "93"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]
{SEP} 1. d4 f5 {The Dutch Defense can count among its adherents Magnus Carlsen
and Hikaru Nakamura. It seeks an unbalanced position with fighting chances for
a win..} 2. Nc3 {There are a number of second move approaches to fighting the
Dutch. There are the gambit approaches -- 2. h3 Nf6 3. g4; and 2. e4 fxe4 3.
Nc3; the positional approaches -- 2. g3 Nf6 3, Bg2; or 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3; or
the teasing 2. Bg5, all of which can lead to interesting struggles. And
finally, as in this game, 2. Nc3.} Nf6 3. Bg5 {After 3. e4 fxe4 4. Bg5 Nc6 5.
d5 Ne5 6. Qd4 Nf7 7. Bxf6 exf6 8. Nxe4 Whiite has more space, but Black has
the two Bishops. Equal chances.} d5 {The big boys have all but given up on 3..
.e6 in favor of the more pugnacious 3...d5. White has the easier game to play
after 3...e6 4. e4 fxe4 5. Nxe4 Be7 6. Bxf6 Bxf6 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. c3 00 9. Bd3 as
in Zherebukh-Kamsky, National Open 2016.} 4. Bxf6 {The major alternative leads
to a psuedo-Stonewall -- 4. e3 e6 5. Ng3 Be7 6. Bd3 00 7.00 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9.
Ne2 c5 as in Aronian-Giri, Paris 2016} exf6 5. e3 Be6 6. Qf3 {This and 6. Bd3
are the most popular continuations. 6. Bd3 can easily transpose into the text
but there is another approach based on 6. Bd3 Qd7 7. Nge2. Nc6 8. a3 g6 9.00 =
Jobava-Neiksans, Rapid 2011} Qd7 7. Bb5 {This is the latest try for the
initiative, avoiding the defensive 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. a3 which is still playable.}
Nc6 8. Nge2 a6 {More or less transposing into the game are 8...000 9.000 a6 as
in Ledfger-Addison, 3rd Servetr Open 2015 and 8.. ..g5 9. Nc1 000 10. Nd3} 9.
Bxc6 {The latest efforts by White feature 9. Ba4 g5 10. g3 000 11. h4 as in
Volkov-Badmatsyrenov, Moscow 2015 when Black is doing well.} Qxc6 10. Nf4 {
Guix Torres-Andersen, Sant Marti Open 2014 continued 10. a3 000 11. Nf4 g5 12.
Nxe6 Qxe6 13.000 h5 with equal play as Black's Bishop is balanced by his poor
Pawn structure.} O-O-O {Black avoids an interestting struggle of two Bishops
versus two Knights which occurs after 10.. .Bb4 11.00 000 12. Nce2 Qd7 13. Nd3
Bd6 14. Nc5 Qe7 15. b4. This position favors the better tactician,
Gormally-Rendle, BCF 2003.} 11. Nxe6 {Exchanging this handsome Knight for the
beast on e6 is a solkid positional move. Blackwill have to be careful of his
damaged Pawn structure though chances remain balanced.} Qxe6 12. O-O-O g5 13.
Ne2 {While the queenside remains balanced and neutral, White directs his
attention to the damaged kingside.} Bd6 14. Ng3 f4 15. exf4 Bxf4+ 16. Kb1 {
Diagram #} Rhe8 $2 {Black falters and the endgame is strongly in White's favor.
Best was to go intoa heavy piece endgame with 16...Bxg3! 17. hxg3 Qe4! 18.
Qxe4 dxe4 with good drawing chances.} 17. Nh5 Qe2 18. Rd3 Qxf3 19. Rxf3 Bd2 {
A further slip and the game is beyond repair. Black had to try his luck with a
Rooks endgame after 19....Re2 20. Nxf4 gxf4 21. Rxf4 Rd6} 20. Nxf6 Re2 {After
20....Rf8 21. Rd1 Bb4 22. Rdd3 White is clearly better.} 21. Nxh7 Rde8 22. a4
Be1 23. Nf6 R8e6 {Better was 23. ..Rf8 24. Nxd5 Rxf3 25. gxf3 Bxf2/} 24. Nxd5
Bxf2 25. c3 Rd2 26. Ka2 Ree2 27. Rf8+ {Even sharper was 27. Rb1 Kd7 28. Rf5
Be3 29. g3 g4 30. Re5 Bf2 31. Nf6+} Kd7 28. Rb1 c5 29. Nb6+ Kc7 30. a5 cxd4 31.
Rc8+ Kd6 32. Nc4+ Kd7 33. Rg8 Rc2 {Black can make Whjite struggle for a while
with 33...dxc3! 34. Nxd2 cxd2 35. Rxg5 Be3 36. Rf5 Ke6 37. Rf3 Kd5 38. Kb3 Ke4
39. Kc2 Rxg2 and though White should still win, the game is not yet over.} 34.
Kb3 dxc3 35. bxc3 Ke7 36. Rf1 Be3 37. Rg7+ Ke6 38. Rxb7 {But now with two
extra Pawns anda safe King, it is over.} Bc1 39. Rb6+ Ke7 40. Rxa6 Rxg2 41.
Ra7+ Ke6 42. Rff7 Bf4 43. a6 Rc1 44. Rae7+ Kd5 45. Rf5+ Kc6 46. Na5+ Kd6 47. a7
1-0[/pgn]
16W07
| Azamfirei |
0000 |
|
1½ |
11 |
11 |
5 ½ |
| Harrison |
1987 |
0½ |
|
½½ |
11 |
3 ½ |
| Wittenstein |
1942 |
00 |
½½ |
|
11 |
3-3 |
| Davis |
1860 |
00 |
00 |
00 |
|
0-6 |
DUTCH DEFENSE (A80)
AUGUST RESULTS
Trophy Quad
Paul Ciarrocchi 14Q07 5-1
Victor Palciauskas
Philip DeAugustino 14P04 5-1
Peter Dollard 14P04 5-1
John Collins
Ben McGahee 14C16 4 ½-1 ½
Stephen Newman 14C02 5 ½-½
Walter Mir
Razvan Azamfirei 16W07 5 ½-½
Brian Perry 16W10 4-2
Ralph Vecchio 16W10 4-2
Jay Hall 16W04 5 ½-½
Swift Quad
Allan Ong 15SQ06 5-1
Steve White 15SQ06 5-1
NORTH AMERICAN INVITATIONAL
The 13
th North American Invitational Correspondence Chess Championship is now underway. Leading the pack of eleven Masters, International Masters, and senior International Masters is Larry Parsons with a 2420 Elo. Close behind are Harry Ingersol, 2409; SIM Thomas Biederman, 2406; and Daniel Woodard, 2404; Chris Torres, 2394; Juan Gustavo Mercader Martinez, 2368; Paul Morley, 2362; Donald Harvey, 2360; Craig Sadler, 2310; George Bukowski, 2299; and IM Valer-Eugen Demian.
200 rating points and a Rook down, battered by White’s sharp attack, Black pulls off an ingenious escape to victory.
RUY LOPEZ (C64)
[pgn]
[Event "16W10"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Perry, Brian"]
[Black "Cardenas, Inoel"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C64"]
[WhiteElo "1794"]
[BlackElo "1584"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. O-O Nge7 5. c3 a6 6. Ba4 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. d4
exd4 9. cxd4 Bb6 10. Ng5 O-O 11. Qh5 h6 12. Nxf7 Rxf7 13. Bxf7+ Kh8 14. Bxh6
Bg4 15. Qh4 Ng6 16. Qxg4 gxh6 17. Qxg6 Qf8 18. Bd5 Ne7 19. Qe6 c6 20. Bb3 Bxd4
21. Nc3 Be5 22. Qf7 Qd8 23. Rad1 Qc7 24. f4 Bg7 25. f5 Rf8 26. Qh5 Kh7 27. Rd3
Bf6 28. Rh3 Bd4+ 29. Kh1 Rf6 30. Rff3 d5 31. exd5 cxd5 32. Rd3 Qf4 33. Qf3 Qe5
34. Qe2 Nxf5 35. Qd1 Re6 36. Rhf3 {Diagram #} Ng3+ 0-1[/pgn]
OBITUARY
Stephen Wharry of Tulsa, OK was born October 23, 1955 and died August 1, 2016. Stephen carried a Class A rating.
QUEEN’S GAMBIT DECLINED (D52)
[pgn]
[Event "Golden Knights"]
[Site "corr"]
[Date "1991.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Newsom, Gary"]
[Black "Wharry, Stephen"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D52"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "1991.??.??"]
[EventType "corr"]
[Source "Chess Mail"]
[SourceDate "2001.03.30"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Nf3 Qa5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8.
Qd2 N7b6 9. Bd3 Nxc3 10. O-O Bb4 11. a3 Ncd5 12. axb4 Qxb4 13. e4 Qxd2 14. Bxd2
Nf6 15. Ba5 Nfd7 16. Bb4 a6 17. Ra5 f6 18. Nd2 Kf7 19. f4 Re8 20. Rh5 h6 21.
Nc4 Nxc4 22. Bxc4 b5 23. Ba2 Kg6 24. g4 a5 25. Bd6 Kh7 26. Rf3 Nb6 27. g5 fxg5
28. fxg5 Kg6 29. Rhh3 hxg5 30. e5 g4 31. Bb1+ Kg5 32. Rhg3 Nd5 33. h3 Kh5 34.
Rxg4 1-0[/pgn]
Ralph Vecchio shows that the French Defense when he plays it sometimes has fangs.
FRENCH DEFENSE (C17)
[pgn]
[Event "16WM10"]
[Site "ICCF"]
[Date "2016.05.11"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Cardenas, Inoel"]
[Black "Vecchio, Ralph"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C17"]
[WhiteElo "1367"]
[BlackElo "1783"]
[PlyCount "48"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]
{SEP} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Ne7 5. Qg4 c5 6. a3 Qa5 7. Bd2 cxd4 8.
Qxd4 Nbc6 9. Bb5 O-O 10. Bxc6 Nxc6 11. Qf4 d4 12. Ne4 Bxd2+ 13. Nxd2 Nxe5 14.
Ngf3 Nxf3+ 15. Qxf3 Qb5 16. Nb3 e5 17. O-O-O Be6 18. Nd2 Rac8 19. Kb1 Rfd8 20.
Rhe1 Rc3 21. Qh5 d3 22. cxd3 Qxd3+ 23. Ka1 Rxa3+ 24. bxa3 Qxa3+ 0-1[/pgn]
In the first part of the game White makes a number of Queen moves to win a Pawn. In the middle part, Black sacrifices a Pawn to make attacking moves with his Queen. In the finale,. White uses his Queen to try to make an unsuccessful perpetual check.
BISHOP’S OPENING (C24)
[pgn]
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.04.25"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Dailido, Sergey Victorovich"]
[Black "Schakel, Corky"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C24"]
[WhiteElo "2337"]
[BlackElo "2344"]
[PlyCount "86"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 c6 4. Nf3 d5 5. Bb3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Bxd2+ 7. Qxd2 Qd6 8.
Qg5 Nbd7 9. exd5 cxd5 10. Nh4 Nc5 11. Qxg7 Rg8 12. Qh6 a5 13. O-O Ra6 14. a3
Qe7 15. Nf3 e4 16. Re1 Nxb3 17. cxb3 Rxg2+ 18. Kxg2 exf3+ 19. Kf1 Ne4 20. Qh5
Rg6 21. Qxf3 Bg4 22. Rxe4 dxe4 23. Qe3 Qh4 24. Ke1 Bf3 25. Nd2 Rg1+ 26. Nf1 Qf6
27. Rb1 Bg2 28. Kd2 Rxf1 29. Rxf1 Qxb2+ 30. Ke1 Qxa3 31. dxe4 Qa1+ 32. Kd2 Bxf1
33. e5 Qb2+ 34. Kd1 Bg2 35. e6 Bd5 36. exf7+ Kxf7 37. Qf4+ Ke8 38. Qa4+ Ke7 39.
Qh4+ Kd6 40. Qd8+ Kc6 41. Qe8+ Kc5 42. Qe7+ Kb5 43. Qd7+ Bc6 0-1[/pgn]
When White discovers he can’t capture the g-Pawn because of …Bxc3, his game goes steadily downhill..
GRUNFELD DEFENSE (D87)
[pgn]
[Event "16WM07"]
[Site "ICCF"]
[Date "2016.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Harrison, Joel"]
[Black "Azamfirei, Razvan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D87"]
[WhiteElo "1987"]
[PlyCount "64"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8.
Ne2 O-O 9. O-O Nc6 10. Be3 Na5 11. Bd3 b6 12. Rc1 Bb7 13. d5 e6 14. c4 exd5 15.
cxd5 f5 16. f3 fxe4 17. fxe4 Rxf1+ 18. Qxf1 Qe7 19. Nf4 Rf8 20. Qe2 Bc8 21. Qc2
Bd7 22. Ne2 Be5 23. Qd2 Qf6 24. g3 g5 25. Nc3 Bh3 26. Be2 Nb7 27. Qd3 c4 28.
Qc2 Nd6 29. Qd2 h5 30. Qe1 h4 31. a4 Qg6 32. Bf2 g4 0-1[/pgn]
FRENCH DEFENSE (C16)
[pgn]
[Event "15SQ06"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Ong, Allan"]
[Black "White, Steve"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C16"]
[WhiteElo "1562"]
[PlyCount "133"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]
1. d4 d5 2. e4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c6 5. a3 Be7 6. Qg4 g6 7. Bd3 f5 8. Qd1 Bg5
9. f4 Bh6 10. Nf3 Qe7 11. O-O Nd7 12. Ng5 Nb6 13. Be3 Bd7 14. Qd2 O-O-O 15. b3
Bg7 16. Ne2 h6 17. Nf3 Kb8 18. c4 Be8 19. Nc3 Qc7 20. Rfb1 Bf8 21. c5 Na8 22.
b4 a6 23. a4 Ne7 24. Rb2 Nc8 25. b5 a5 26. b6 Naxb6 27. cxb6 Nxb6 28. Rab1 Bb4
29. Rxb4 axb4 30. Rxb4 Kc8 31. a5 Nc4 32. Bxc4 Qxa5 33. Ra4 Qb6 34. Bd3 Kd7 35.
Qa2 Bf7 36. Nd2 Rb8 37. Nb3 Rhc8 38. Nc5+ Ke7 39. Ne2 Qd8 40. Ra7 Rc7 41. Qa3
Ke8 42. Bd2 Qc8 43. Nc3 b5 44. Rxc7 Qxc7 45. Na6 Qa7 46. Qd6 Rb7 47. Qxc6+ Kf8
48. Nc5 Qa1+ 49. Kf2 Re7 50. Bxb5 Qb2 51. Ke3 Qa1 52. Kf2 Qb2 53. Nd7+ Kg7 54.
Ke2 g5 55. g4 gxf4 56. gxf5 Re8 57. Nf6 Re7 58. Nfxd5 Bh5+ 59. Kd3 Be8 60. Qb6
Bxb5+ 61. Qxb5 Rb7 62. Qxb2 Rxb2 63. fxe6 f3 64. Ne4 Rb5 65. Nb4 Rb8 66. Nd6 f2
67. Ke2 1-0[/pgn]
ENGLISH OPENING (A32)
[pgn]
[Event "14C02"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pashkov, Vladimir"]
[Black "Newman, Stephen"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A32"]
[WhiteElo "1611"]
[BlackElo "1661"]
[PlyCount "57"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Qd3 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 h6 7. a3 Ba5 8. g3
Nc6 9. Nxc6 dxc6 10. Qxd8+ Bxd8 11. Bg2 O-O 12. O-O e5 13. h3 Re8 14. e4 b5 15.
c5 a5 16. Nd5 cxd5 17. exd5 e4 18. d6 Bd7 19. Re1 Rc8 20. b4 a4 21. f3 exf3 22.
Bxf3 Bc6 23. Rxe8+ Nxe8 24. Kf2 Nxd6 25. cxd6 Bb6+ 26. Be3 Bxe3+ 27. Kxe3 Re8+
28. Kf2 Bd7 29. g4 1/2-1/2[/pgn]
Quote:
From my experience you need about a 1500-1700 level of chess understanding to have a chance at excelling on ICCF.-- Wolff Morrow
FRENCH DEFENSE (C01)
[pgn]
[Event "16WM04 "]
[Site "ICCF"]
[Date "2016.02.18"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Hall, Jay"]
[Black "Nelson, Christopher"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1630"]
[BlackElo "1387"]
[PlyCount "135"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Bd6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Bg5 Be6 7. Bb5+ c6 8.
Bd3 Nbd7 9. O-O Qc7 10. Re1 O-O 11. h3 h6 12. Be3 Rfe8 13. Nh4 Bf4 14. Qd2 Bxe3
15. Rxe3 Kh8 16. Rae1 Nf8 17. Bf5 Bxf5 18. Nxf5 Qd7 19. Re5 Re6 20. Nh4 Rae8
21. f4 Qd8 22. g3 N8d7 23. Rxe6 Rxe6 24. Rxe6 fxe6 25. Ng6+ Kg8 26. Qe3 Qe8 27.
Ne5 Nf8 28. Ne2 a5 29. Qa3 Ne4 30. Kg2 Qd8 31. Qb3 Qc7 32. Qd3 Nd7 33. Nc3 Ndf6
34. Nxe4 Nxe4 35. a4 Qb6 36. b3 Qb4 37. Qe3 Kf8 38. h4 Ke7 39. Kf3 h5 40. Kg2
Kf6 41. Nd7+ Kf5 42. Ne5 Qd2+ 43. Qxd2 Nxd2 44. Nd3 b6 45. Ne5 c5 46. dxc5 bxc5
47. Nc6 Kf6 48. Nxa5 Ke7 49. Nb7 Ne4 50. a5 Kd7 51. a6 Kc7 52. Nd8 Kb6 53. Nxe6
g6 54. Nf8 Kxa6 55. Nxg6 Kb5 56. g4 hxg4 57. h5 Nf6 58. h6 Nh7 59. Ne7 d4 60.
Kg3 Kb4 61. Nd5+ Ka3 62. Kxg4 Kb2 63. Kf5 Kxc2 64. Kg6 d3 65. Kxh7 d2 66. Ne3+
Kd3 67. Nc4 Kc2 68. Nxd2 1-0[/pgn]
Chess is a battle:
NIMZOVICH DEFENSE (B01)
[pgn]
[Event "12N20"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Caskey, Timothy"]
[Black "Buss, Michael"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B01"]
[WhiteElo "1843"]
[BlackElo "2416"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.04.21"]
{SEP} 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Nc3 Qh5 6. Be2 O-O-O 7. O-O
Nf6 8. h3 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Bxe2 10. Ncxe2 e5 11. c3 exd4 12. cxd4 Bd6 13. Qc2 Rhe8
14. Be3 Nd5 15. Nc3 Nxe3 16. fxe3 Rxe3 17. Rf5 Qg6 18. Nd5 Rxh3 19. Rc1 Qg3 20.
Re5 g6 21. Nxc7 Qh2+ 22. Kf1 Qf4+ 23. Ke2 Qg4+ 24. Kf1 Rh1+ 25. Kf2 Qf4+ 0-1[/pgn]
