The March Check is in the Mail

James Tracz 2011 Golden Knights Champion James Tracz of Farmington Hills, Michigan is the clear winner of the 2011 Golden Knights Championship, an improvement over his tie for first  place in the 2006 event.  Ceding only a draw in each of the three rounds, Tracz cruised to a victory over runners-up Patrick Ryan and Thomas Chromczak.

[pgn] [Event "11Nf03"] [Site "?"] [Date "2011.??.??"] [White "Addis, Edward"] [Black "Tracz, James"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "2250"] [BlackElo "2397"] [PlyCount "70"] [EventDate "2011.??.??"] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 4. Bc4 {[The main line of the Scandinavian Defense continues with 4. d4. The early bishop move allows White to play his knight to the e2 square and avoid a potential pin by Black on the g4 square.]} Nf6 5. d4 {[Getting back into the main lines of the Scandinavian Defense.]} a6 {[A solid approach, taking control of the b5 square.]} 6. Nge2 {# } Qc6 {[A critical decision for Black where I decide to to grab a pawn.This does have some risk and a safer approach would be 6. ... b5 continuing with sound development.]} 7. Qd3 Qxg2 8. Rg1 Qh3 ({Bad for Black would be} 8... Qxh2 {where} 9. Bf4 {would give White a large lead in development.}) 9. Be3 { [White has to avoid the exchange of queens and is now set to castle queenside.] } Bf5 10. Qd2 Nc6 11. O-O-O {#} O-O-O $146 {[This is a novelty, which was an idea of Vassilios Kotronias in his book The Safest Scandinavian.]} ({Play continued with} 11... e6 12. Nf4 Qh4 13. Qe2 Bd6 14. Nfd5 Ng4 {in Madl 2385 - Feher 2295 ( Hungary 1997).}) 12. Nf4 ({Kotronias gives the variation} 12. Bxf7 e5 13. d5 Nb4 14. f4 Nxc2 15. Rg3 Qh6 {and says White's dark squared bishop lacks good squares.}) 12... Qh4 13. Bxf7 e5 14. Be6+ Kb8 ({But not} 14... Bxe6 {because after} 15. Nxe6 Rd7 16. d5 {White has an active position.}) 15. Bxf5 exf4 16. Bxf4 Rxd4 17. Bg3 Qh5 18. Bd3 Bb4 {[Black completes his development and White's bishop pair do not give him enough compensation for the pawn.]} 19. Qe2 $2 {[White's queen is exposed on the open e-file.]} Qa5 {[Avoiding the exchange of queens and keeping the pressure on White with 20. ... Re8 to follow.]} 20. Nb1 Re8 21. Qf1 Qxa2 22. c3 Na5 {[The knight joining the attack is decisive for Black.]} 23. cxd4 ({No better is} 23. cxb4 {where Black can win with the forcing variation} Nb3+ 24. Kc2 Na1+ 25. Kc1 Rxb4 26. Rd2 Nb3+ 27. Kc2 Nxd2) 23... Nb3+ 24. Kc2 Nxd4+ 25. Kc1 Nb3+ 26. Kc2 Qa4 {[Setting up the discovered check with 27. ... î ..d2 winning White's queen.]} 27. Nc3 Bxc3 28. Kxc3 Nd5+ 29. Kc2 Nb4+ 30. Kc3 Na2+ 31. Kc2 Nd4+ 32. Kb1 Nb4 33. Bc4 Qc2+ 34. Ka1 Nb3+ 35. Bxb3 Qxb3 {[Black can force mate after 36.Kb1 Qa2+ 37.Kc1 Qa1+ 38. Kd2 Qxa2 mate.]} 0-1 [/pgn]

  JANUARY RESULTS John Collins Allen Woollen 17C16 6-0 Palciauskas Rick Johnson   17V02   6-0 Barry Walker and David McCann tied for first in John Collins Memorial 16C11.  McCann finished with an undefeated score but ceded three draws.

[pgn] [Event "16C11"] [Site "?"] [Date "2016.??.??"] [White "McCann, David"] [Black "Funston, David"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B90"] [WhiteElo "2153"] [BlackElo "2307"] [PlyCount "59"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 g6 7. g4 Bg7 8. Bg2 O-O 9. Be3 Qc7 10. Qd2 Nc6 11. O-O-O Bd7 12. Bh6 Rfd8 13. Bxg7 Kxg7 14. g5 Ne8 15. Nd5 Qb8 16. f4 e5 17. Nf3 b5 18. h4 Bg4 19. h5 Qa7 20. Rh4 Bxh5 21. f5 Kg8 22. Nf6+ Nxf6 23. gxf6 Kf8 24. Qh6+ Ke8 25. fxg6 fxg6 26. Rxh5 Rd7 27. Rh2 Qc5 28. Bh3 Rc7 29. Be6 Nd8 30. Qxg6+ 1-0 [/pgn]

[pgn] [Event "16C11"] [Site "?"] [Date "2016.??.??"] [White "Flowers, Brian"] [Black "Walker, Barry"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C00"] [WhiteElo "2186"] [BlackElo "2164"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. Nf3 b6 2. e4 Bb7 3. d3 e6 4. g3 Nf6 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O d5 7. Nbd2 c5 8. Re1 Nc6 9. e5 Nd7 10. Nf1 Qc7 11. Bf4 h6 12. g4 O-O-O 13. Bg3 h5 14. h3 hxg4 15. hxg4 Nf8 16. N1d2 Ng6 17. c4 Nb4 18. Qb3 dxc4 19. dxc4 Rd3 20. Qd1 Bxf3 21. Bxf3 Rhd8 22. Bg2 Rxd2 23. Qf3 Bh4 24. a3 Bxg3 25. fxg3 Nd3 26. Red1 Ndxe5 27. Qf1 Nh4 28. Rxd2 Rxd2 29. gxh4 Nxg4 30. Qf3 Qh2+ 31. Kf1 Rf2+ 32. Qxf2 Nxf2 33. Kxf2 Qxh4+ 0-1 [/pgn]

Patrick Schilling of Rochester Hills. Michigan won the 2017 John Collins  Memorial 17C09 with an undefeated 5-1 score.   Unfortunately I have no scores to show his victory. Cesar Tamondong of Redwood City, California  scored 5 ½ - ½ to win the 2018 Swift Quad 18SQ06. In this game Pedersen sacrifices a Pawn to gain the initiative, but soon finds himself in full retreat as Tamondong scores the point.

[pgn] [Event "18SQ06"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.??.??"] [White "Pedersen, Roger"] [Black "Tamondong, Cesar"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B23"] [WhiteElo "2054"] [BlackElo "2073"] [PlyCount "48"] [EventDate "2018.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bc4 e6 6. O-O Nge7 7. d3 O-O 8. Qe1 d6 9. f5 gxf5 10. Qg3 Kh8 11. Ng5 Nd4 12. Qh3 h6 13. Bb3 Bd7 14. Nf3 f4 15. Nxd4 cxd4 16. Ne2 e5 17. Qh5 f5 18. g3 fxe4 19. dxe4 Qb6 20. Kg2 Bc6 21. gxf4 Bxe4+ 22. Kh3 d5 23. Ng3 Qe6+ 24. Qg4 Bg2+ 0-1 [/pgn]

2019 ABSOLUTE PLAYERS NEEDED 2019 Absolute players still needed.  Here is your chance to play against the top players in US Chess.  I will take the top 13 players who send me their bid to play (no entry fee!) at  Click here to show email address TOP 30 POSTAL PLAYERS February

1	Menke, John R	IL	USA	2513
2	Buss, Michael	IN	USA	2459
3	Ingersol, Harry	CA	USA	2433
4	Tseng, Wilbur	IL	USA	2428
5	Adams, Gary	AZ	USA	2410
6	Tracz, James	MI	USA	2399
7	Bonsack, Laurence	CA	USA	2389
8	Rizzo, Robert	NY	USA	2373
9	Connelly, Thomas	VA	USA	2365
10	Walters, Gary	OH	USA	2364
11	Magat, Gordon	NY	USA	2362
12	Rodriguez, Keith	FL	USA	2361
13	Daves, Dana	NC	USA	2358
=13	Miettinen, Kristo	NY	USA	2358
15	Lewis, Chris	VA	USA	2352
16	Levine, Joel	NY	USA	2345
17	Procopi, John	DE	USA	2344
18	Burmeister, Ferdinand	CA	USA	2339
19	Corkum, Tim	WI	USA	2336
20	Jacobs, Charles	AK	USA	2333
21	Ellis, James	GA	USA	2330
22	Cross, Gregory	TX	USA	2323
23	Millett, John	CA	USA	2314
=23	Ratner, Boris	AZ	USA	2314
25	Ryan, Patrick	NJ	USA	2311
26	Rogers, Bradley	MI	USA	2257
27	Grabove, Matthew	AB	FOR	2252
=27	Funston, David	CA	USA	2252
29	Porter, David	MD	USA	2250
30	Barber, Richard	CO	USA	2238

  A Queen sacrifice enters a winning endgame.

[pgn] [Event "18SQ06"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.??.??"] [White "Dunne, Alex"] [Black "Pedersen, Roger"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B14"] [WhiteElo "2150"] [BlackElo "2054"] [PlyCount "49"] [EventDate "2018.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 g6 4. cxd4 d5 5. exd5 Nf6 6. Nc3 Nxd5 7. Qb3 Nb6 8. Bb5+ Bd7 9. Nf3 Bg7 10. O-O O-O 11. Re1 e6 12. Bg5 Bf6 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. a4 Bxb5 15. Qxb5 Qe7 16. d5 Na6 17. a5 Nc8 18. dxe6 fxe6 19. Rad1 Nd6 {Diagram #} 20. Qd5 exd5 21. Rxe7 Rfe8 22. Nxd5 Rxe7 23. Nxe7+ Kf7 24. Nxg6 Kxg6 25. Rxd6+ 1-0 [/pgn]

Quote: Correspondence chess usually produces some of the best games that your ability will permit you to play -- Mike Henebry 2011 Golden Knights Games In the end the more aggressive White pieces determine the winner.

[pgn] [Event "11Ns08"] [Site "?"] [Date "2011.??.??"] [White "Tracz, James"] [Black "Addis, Edward"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E38"] [WhiteElo "2402"] [BlackElo "2257"] [PlyCount "123"] [EventDate "2011.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 Na6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Qxc3 Nxc5 8. f3 d5 9. cxd5 b6 10. Bg5 exd5 11. e3 O-O 12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. Ne2 Re8 14. Kf2 Ba6 15. Nd4 Bxf1 16. Rhxf1 Rc8 17. Qd2 Qd6 18. Kg1 Ne6 19. Nb5 Qd7 20. Nc3 d4 21. e4 Qd8 22. Nd5 Kg7 23. Rad1 f5 24. Rfe1 fxe4 25. fxe4 Qg5 26. Qf2 Kh8 27. Qxf7 Rg8 28. g3 Qe5 29. Qf5 Rg5 30. Qxe5+ Rxe5 31. Nf4 Ng5 32. Kg2 Rxe4 33. Rxe4 Nxe4 34. Rxd4 Rc2+ 35. Kh3 Ng5+ 36. Kg4 Nf7 37. Kf5 Nh6+ 38. Kg5 Rxh2 39. Rd8+ Ng8 40. Nh5 Rf2 41. g4 Rf7 {Diagram #} 42. Ra8 b5 43. Rb8 a6 44. Ra8 Rf2 45. b4 Rf1 46. Rxa6 h6+ 47. Kg6 Rg1 48. Nf6 Nxf6 49. Rxf6 Rxg4+ 50. Kxh6 Rh4+ 51. Kg5 Rd4 52. Rb6 Rd3 53. Rxb5 Rxa3 54. Kf6 Rb3 55. Rb8+ Kh7 56. b5 Rb1 57. b6 Rb2 58. Ke6 Kg7 59. Kd6 Kf7 60. Kc6 Rc2+ 61. Kb7 Ke7 62. Rc8 1-0 [/pgn]

Faced with the destructive power of … Rf2+  White tries to resist with 27. Bf5.  It does not work.

[pgn] [Event "11Nf03"] [Site "?"] [Date "2011.??.??"] [White "Eisthen, Robert"] [Black "Vaughan"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B71"] [PlyCount "72"] [EventDate "2011.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. f4 Nc6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Bd3 O-O 9. O-O Bg4 10. Qe1 Rc8 11. Be3 Bxf3 12. Rxf3 Ng4 13. Bd2 Nd4 14. Rh3 Qb6 15. Kf1 e6 16. Rb1 h5 17. a3 d5 18. exd5 Rfe8 19. dxe6 Rxe6 20. Qh4 Rce8 21. Nd5 Qc5 22. Nc3 Bf6 23. Qg3 Nxc2 24. Bxc2 Bxc3 25. Bxc3 Re2 26. b4 Qb6 { Diagram #} 27. Bf5 (27. Bd3) 27... gxf5 28. Rb2 Rxb2 29. Bxb2 Rd8 30. Bc3 Qa6+ 31. Ke1 Qe6+ 32. Be5 Qc4 33. Bc3 Qe4+ 34. Kf1 Qb1+ 35. Ke2 Qe4+ 36. Kf1 Rd1+ 0-1 [/pgn]

White does not use the 1-2 punch here;  it’s the 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 punch.

[pgn] [Event "11Nf03"] [Site "?"] [Date "2011.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Cross, Gregory"] [Black "Addis, Edward"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C23"] [WhiteElo "2296"] [BlackElo "2250"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2017.07.03"] [EventType "corr"] 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3 Qe7 5. d4 Bb6 6. O-O Nf6 7. h3 O-O 8. Re1 c6 9. a4 Nbd7 10. b3 Re8 11. Ba3 Bc7 12. Ng5 Rf8 13. Nd2 c5 14. Nf1 Nb6 15. Bd3 Bd7 16. f4 Ne8 17. Nf3 cxd4 18. cxd4 exf4 19. Qd2 Qe6 20. a5 Nc8 21. e5 Qh6 22. N1h2 Bd8 23. Ng4 Bxg4 24. hxg4 a6 25. Rac1 Be7 26. Re2 g6 27. g5 Bxg5 28. Qb4 Rb8 29. Rec2 {Diagram #} Ng7 30. exd6 Rd8 31. d7 Na7 32. Qc5 Nc6 33. Nxg5 Rxd7 34. Nxf7 (34. Nf3) 34... Kxf7 35. Bc4+ Kf6 36. d5 Ne5 37. Bb2 Re8 38. Re2 Nf5 39. Rxe5 Rxe5 40. Re1 Ne3 41. Qb6+ (41. Qd4) 1-0 [/pgn]