My apologies

May 8, 2019 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

I failed to post a game of the week on Sunday. Too busy. But this Sunday I promise a little known game where William Steinitz punishes his opponent’s lack of development and then on the following Sunday a win by Mark Ginsburg over Roman Dzindzichashvili. As always, these are games which aren’t included in ChessBase’s mega databases.

Game of the week

April 28, 2019 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

  [Event "Matsatlan 1988"]   [White "Viktor Gavrikov"]  [Black "Gyula Sax"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "A31"]  [WhiteElo "2545"]  [BlackElo "2610"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "43"]  [EventDate "1988.??.??"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qb6 6. Nb3 e6 7. g3 Ne5 8. e4  Bb4 9. Qe2 d6 10. f4 Nc6 11. Be3 Bxc3+ 12. bxc3 Qc7 13. Bg2 O-O ({The  alternative here (preferred by Stockfish) is} 13... e5 14. c5 dxc5 15. Bxc5 Bg4  16. Qe3 (16. Qd2) 16... b6 (16... Nd7 $1) 17. Ba3 O-O-O $11 {Smejkal-Gdanski,  Polanicza Zdroj 1991}) 14. c5 dxc5 15. Bxc5 Na5 $2 (15... Rd8 16. e5 Na5 17.  exf6 Nxb3 18. axb3 Qxc5 19. Qe5 $1 Qb6 $11 {Uhlmann-Van der Wiel, Baden-Baden  1992}) 16. Bxf8 $6 $146 (16. Bd4 $1 Nc6 (16... b6 $1 $14) 17. e5 Nd5 {  Tukmakov-Langeweg, Biel 1995} 18. Bc5 $16) 16... Nxb3 17. axb3 (17. Rd1 $1  Qxc3+ 18. Kf1 Kxf8 19. axb3 Qxb3 20. e5 Bd7 $1 21. Rd3 Qb1+ 22. Qd1 Qxd1+ 23.  Rxd1 Nd5 24. Bxd5 exd5 25. Kf2 $11) 17... Qxc3+ 18. Kf2 Qd4+ $2 (18... Ng4+ $1  19. Qxg4 Qd4+ 20. Ke2 Qb2+ 21. Ke3 Qc3+ $11 (21... Qxb3+ $4 {throws away the  perpetual by allowing the black queen to interpose, e.g.,} 22. Kf2 Qb6+ 23. Kf1  Qb5+ 24. Qe2)) 19. Kf3 e5 20. h3 (20. f5 $4 Bxf5 $1 21. exf5 $2 e4+ {and White  gets mated}) 20... h5 21. Qc2 $1 Ng4 $4 (21... Kxf8 $16 22. Rhd1 Qb6 23. Qd3  Bf5 $1 24. Ke2 Be6 25. fxe5 $16) 22. Bc5 1-0

Game of the week

April 21, 2019 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

  [Event "Oakham Young Masters 1984"]  [White "Pia Cramling"]  [Black "Joseph Gallagher"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "B93"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "52"]  [EventDate "1984.04.??"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "9"]  [EventCountry "ENG"]  [SourceTitle "Unknown"]  [SourceDate "2009.03.03"]  [SourceVersionDate "2009.03.03"]   1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 e5 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. a4  Be7 9. Bd3 O-O 10. O-O Qc7 11. Nh4 (11. Kh1 {is the most common move here, e.g.  ,} Re8 (11... exf4 12. Bxf4 Ne5 13. Nxe5 dxe5 14. Bg5 Be6 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16.  Rxf6 gxf6 17. Nd5 Bxd5 18. exd5 Rfd8 19. Qh5 Kf8 20. Rf1 Ke7 $17 {is ECO's  erroneous evaluation based on} 21. c4 a5 $1 {So says ECO but in reality it  should be ?!} (21... Qb6 $11) 22. Qh4 (22. b3 $14) 22... Rd6 23. Rf5 Rb6 $17 {  G. Garcia-A. Petrosian, Tunja 1987, Informant 44/(306); Stockfish rates the  position as equal}) (11... Nc5 12. Qe1 (12. Bd2 $11 {is better according to  Stockfish}) 12... Re8 13. fxe5 dxe5 14. Qg3 Bd8 $11) 12. Nh4 exf4 (12... d5 $11  {according to Stockfish is strangely not in the database}) 13. Nf5 $1 {  According to Stockfish, a few hundreths of a pawn better than the more usual} (  13. Bxf4) 13... Nc5 14. Rxf4 Bxf5 15. Rxf5 Qc6 $11 {Khalifman-Shneider, Lvov  1985}) 11... g6 $2 (11... Nc5 12. Qe2 Bg4 $15) 12. f5 $16 d5 13. exd5 Nxd5 $6 (  13... e4 14. Be2 Bd6 15. g3 b6 16. Be3 ({Better is} 16. Ng2 $16 {with the plan  (according to Nunn) of Bh6 and Ne3 supporting the pawns on d5 and f5}) 16...  Bb7 17. Qd2 $16 {but a draw was agreed to here in Sax-Andersson, London 1980})  14. Nxd5 Qc5+ 15. Be3 Qxd5 16. fxg6 hxg6 $2 (16... fxg6 17. Qg4 Rxf1+ 18. Rxf1  Nf8 19. Nf5 $1 Bxf5 20. Rxf5 $16) 17. Nxg6 $4 {Can you spell U-N-S-O-U-N-D?} (  17. Qg4 $1 {wins in all lines, e.g.,} Qe6 {best, according to Stockfish} (17...  Nb6 18. Qg3 {and the twin threats against b6 and g6 can't be parried}) (17...  Nf6 18. Nxg6 $1 Bxg4 19. Nxe7+ Kg7 20. Bh6+ $1 Kxh6 21. Rxf6+ Kg7 22. Nxd5 Rad8  23. Ne3 Kxf6 24. Nxg4+ $18) (17... Bxh4 18. Bxg6 $18) 18. Nf5 Nc5 19. Nh6+ Kh8  20. Bf5 $1 $18) 17... fxg6 18. Qg4 Rxf1+ 19. Rxf1 Nf8 20. Qg3 $2 (20. Bc4 Bxg4  21. Bxd5+ Kh8 22. Bxb7 Rb8 23. Bxa6 Rxb2 $17) 20... Bc5 $6 (20... e4 $1 $19)  21. Bxc5 Qxc5+ 22. Kh1 Kg7 23. Qg5 $2 (23. b3 $1 Be6 24. Qg5 Qc7 25. h4 Bd5 26.  h5 Qd6 27. h6+ Kh7 $17) 23... Qd6 $19 24. h4 Nh7 25. Qg3 Bd7 26. Re1 Rh8 0-1

No game of the week this week

April 14, 2019 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

Sorry but it’s that time of the year and the IRS has prior claims on my time. It will return next week.

Game of the week

April 7, 2019 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

  [Event "Paul Keres Memorial 1991"]  [Site "Vancouver, BC"]  [White "Lubomir Ftacnik"]  [Black "Zvonko Vranesic"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "D37"]  [WhiteElo "2590"]  [BlackElo "2401"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "78"]  [EventDate "1991.05.??"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "6"]  [EventCountry "CAN"]  [SourceTitle "Canbase"]  [SourceDate "2015.08.19"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2015.08.19"]  [SourceQuality "1"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 ({The immediate}  6... c5 {is more common}) 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Bg3 ({The main line here is} 8. Nxd5)  8... Nxc3 (8... c5 9. Bd3 cxd4 10. exd4 N7f6 11. Ne5 Nb4 $11 {Macieja-Nakar,  Dallas 2017}) 9. bxc3 c5 10. Bd3 cxd4 (10... b6 11. Be4 $6 (11. O-O $11) 11...  Ba6 12. Bxa8 $6 (12. Bd3 $11) 12... Qxa8 $15) 11. exd4 $5 (11. cxd4 Qa5+ 12.  Nd2 Nb6 $11) 11... h6 $6 (11... b6 12. O-O (12. Be4 Ba6 13. Bxa8 $2 (13. Qa4  $11) 13... Qxa8 $17) 12... Bb7 $11 {Colin-Koziak, Sautron 2015}) 12. O-O Qa5 ({  Better is} 12... Nf6 13. Ne5 $14) 13. Qb3 (13. Ne5 $1 $16) 13... Nf6 14. Rfe1 (  14. a4 $1 $14) 14... Bd7 15. c4 (15. Ne5 $14) 15... b6 $6 (15... Rac8 $14) 16.  a4 Rac8 17. Bf4 $1 Qb4 18. Qa2 (18. Qc2 $1 Nd5 19. Bd2 Qd6 20. Ne5 $16) 18...  Rfd8 19. a5 (19. Ne5 $14) 19... Bc6 $11 20. axb6 Bxf3 21. gxf3 axb6 22. Be5 Ra8  (22... Nd7 $1 $11) 23. Qe2 Rxa1 (23... Bd6 $1 $11) 24. Rxa1 Nd7 $6 (24... Bd6  $1 $11) 25. Bc7 $14 Rc8 ({Better is} 25... Rf8) 26. Qe4 Nf6 $6 (26... g6 27.  Bf4 $14) 27. Qb7 $16 Re8 28. Qxb6 Qd2 29. Bf1 $2 (29. Qb3 $1 $16) 29... Nd7 30.  Qb3 (30. Qa7 Bf6 $11) 30... Qxd4 $11 31. Rd1 Nc5 32. Rxd4 (32. Qb5 $5 Qxd1 33.  Qxe8+ Bf8 34. Kg2 $11) 32... Nxb3 33. Rd7 Nc1 (33... Kf8 $11) 34. Bb6 Nb3 35.  Rc7 (35. Be3 $11) 35... Kf8 36. c5 Rb8 $4 (36... Bd8 37. Rb7 Na5 38. Ra7 Nc6  39. Rd7 Bf6 $11) 37. c6 $18 Bc5 (37... Rxb6 38. Rc8+ Bd8 39. c7) 38. Rb7 Rc8  39. c7 Bxb6 1-0

Game of the week

March 31, 2019 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

  [Event "Manchester, NH"]  [Site "Queen City Open 2005"]  [White "Josh Friedel"]  [Black "Braden Bournival"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "B14"]  [WhiteElo "2477"]  [BlackElo "2280"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "51"]  [EventDate "2005.02.??"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "4"]  [EventCountry "ENG"]  [SourceTitle "CH April-June 2005"]  [SourceDate "2006.10.08"]  [SourceVersionDate "2006.10.08"]   1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Bb4 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8.  Qc2 ({Another possibility is} 8. Bd2 {e.g.,} Nc6 9. Bd3 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. a3  Bf6 12. Qc2 h6 13. Rad1 Nxd4 14. Nxd4 Bxd4 15. Nxd5 Qxd5 16. Be3 e5 $11 {  Shchekachev-Rausis, France 2000}) 8... Nc6 ({Or} 8... O-O 9. Bd3 h6 10. O-O Nc6  11. a3 Bd6 $11) 9. Be2 (9. Bc4 Nb6 10. Bb5 O-O 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. O-O c5 $11)  9... O-O 10. O-O Re8 (10... h6 11. Rd1 Nce7 (11... Ba5 $5) 12. Ne5 Qc7 13. Bd2  Bd6 14. Qe4 {Akesson-Hillarp Persson, Stockholm 2000} Nf6 $11) (10... Be7 11.  Rd1 Ncb4 (11... Bf6 {The old main line here} 12. Qe4 Nce7 13. Bd3 g6 14. Bh6  Re8 15. h4 Bd7 $11 {Adams-Magem Badals, Debrecen 1992}) 12. Qb3 b6 13. a3 Nxc3  14. bxc3 Nc6 15. c4 Na5 {I. Gurevich-Seirawan, San Francisco 1999} (15... Ba6  $1) 16. Qc2 $11) (10... Nce7 11. Bd3 (11. Bd2) (11. Nxd5) 11... h6 12. a3 Bd6  13. Qe2 Bd7 14. Nxd5 exd5 $11 {Marin-Holmsgaard, Andorra 2004}) 11. Rd1 (11.  Bc4 $5) 11... Bf8 (11... Bd6 $11) 12. Ne5 (12. Bg5 Qa5 $6 (12... Be7 $11) 13.  Ne4 $6 (13. Bd3 $14) 13... Bd7 14. a3 $11 {Wolff-Speelman, New York 1990})  12... Nxe5 $6 $146 (12... Nxc3 13. Qxc3 Bd7 14. Bf3 (14. Qf3 Nxe5 15. dxe5 Qc7  $11) 14... Rc8 15. Qb3 Nxe5 16. dxe5 b6 $11 {Sveshnikov-Tukmakov, Budapest 1996  }) 13. dxe5 Qc7 {What do you do when you've just blundered against a much  higher rated opponent? If your sense of etiquette is such that you have no  problem annoying people by bombarding them with spam,* you annoy your opponent  by offering a draw.} 14. Bd3 Qxe5 $6 (14... h6 15. Nxd5 Qxc2 16. Nf6+ gxf6 17.  Bxc2 fxe5 18. Ba4 $14) 15. Bxh7+ Kh8 16. Qa4 (16. Be4 {is a bit stronger})  16... Nxc3 (16... Bd7 $1 17. Qh4 (17. Qxd7 Nxc3 18. bxc3 Red8 19. Bf4 $1 (19.  Qxd8 $4 Rxd8 20. Rxd8 $4 Qe1#) 19... Qxf4 20. Qxd8 Rxd8 21. Rxd8 Kxh7 22. Rxf8  $11) 17... Be7 18. Qh3 Nf6 19. Be4+ Kg8 20. Bxb7 $14) 17. bxc3 Rd8 18. Bf4  Rxd1+ 19. Rxd1 Bd7 20. Qe4 Qb5 $2 (20... Qxe4 21. Bxe4 Bb5 22. Bxb7 $16) 21.  Be5 $18 Be7 (21... Qa4 {would prolong the game a bit, e.g.,} 22. Rd4 Qa3 23.  Qb1 Bc6 24. Rh4 {etc.}) 22. c4 $1 Qa4 (22... Qc5 {loses a piece but saves the  king (for the time being)}) 23. Qg4 Bf6 24. Qh5 Qa5 {Black decides to put a  quick end to his suffering by stepping into a checkmate} 25. Bg6+ Kg8 26. Qh7+  1-0

* See https://www.wired.com/2003/08/swollen-orders-show-spams-allure/.

Game of the week

March 24, 2019 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

  [Event "Leeds 1990"]  [White "John Nunn"]  [Black "Glenn Flear"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "C80"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "55"]  [EventDate "1990.??.??"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5  Be6 9. Nbd2 Nc5 10. c3 d4 11. Bxe6 ({Karpov introduced the amazing piece sac}  11. Ng5 {against Korchnoi in 1978 but it's been analyzed out} Qxg5 ({Korchnoi  declined with} 11... dxc3 12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. bxc3 Qd3 {and was lucky to escape  with a draw. Interestingly, in the 1989 Batsford Chess Openings II, Kasparov  gave} 14. Bc2 $6 Qxc3 15. Rb1 O-O-O $15 {but in his 1995 match against Anand,  14. Bc2 got an exclam (in his Informant notes) and he uncorked 15. Nb3!!}) 12.  Qf3 O-O-O 13. Bxe6+ fxe6 14. Qxc6 Qxe5 15. b4 Qd5 $1 16. Qxd5 exd5 17. bxc5  dxc3 18. Nb3 d4 19. Ba3 $11) 11... Nxe6 12. cxd4 Ncxd4 13. a4 (13. Ne4 {  is the old main line, e.g.,} Be7 (13... Qd5 $5) 14. Be3 Nf5 15. Qc2 O-O 16.  Neg5 $11 {Karpov-Korchnoi, 16th match game, 1981}) 13... Rb8 ({Stockfish gives  } 13... Nc6 {as best, e.g.,} 14. Qe2 Be7 15. Qe4 Nb4 16. axb5 O-O 17. bxa6 Rxa6  18. Rxa6 Nxa6 19. Nc4 $14) (13... Bc5 14. Ne4 Bb6 15. Nfg5 Qd5 {has been  played many times but Stockfish's} 16. a5 $1 $14 {does not appear to be in the  database}) (13... Be7 14. Nxd4 Nxd4 15. Ne4 Ne6 16. Be3 O-O 17. f4 $16 {  gave Karpov a crushing win and the world championship in the 18th and final  game of his 1981 match against Korchnoi}) 14. axb5 axb5 15. Nxd4 (15. Ne4 $1  $14) 15... Nxd4 $2 (15... Qxd4 $11) 16. Ne4 ({Even stronger, according to  Stockfish, is} 16. Nb3 Nxb3 17. Qxb3 Qc8 18. Rd1 Qe6 19. Qxe6+ fxe6 20. Ra6 $16  ) 16... Be7 $6 (16... Qd5) 17. Be3 Nc6 $2 (17... Ne6 18. f4 $16) 18. Qg4 $18 g6  $2 (18... Qd5 19. Ra6 $18 (19. Qxg7 Qxe5 $16)) 19. Bh6 Nxe5 20. Qf4 Nd3 (20...  f6 {is a whole pawn equivalent better but what's the difference between being  up the equivalent of six pawns and being up the equivalent of seven pawns?})  21. Qe3 f5 22. Rad1 ({Again, not that it matters but} 22. Rfd1 {is a whole  pawn equivalent better}) 22... fxe4 23. Qxe4 Kd7 {In an apparent attempt to  end his misery quickly, the Black king walks the plank rather than endure} (  23... Rb6 24. Rxd3 Rd6 25. Rfd1 {etc.}) 24. Rxd3+ Bd6 25. Qg4+ (25. Rxd6+ {  leads to mate in 12 (don't you hate computers?)}) 25... Kc6 26. Rc1+ Kb7 27.  Qe4+ Kc8 28. Qe6+ 1-0

Game of the week

March 17, 2019 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

  [Event "Columbus, Ohio"]   [Date "1988"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Sergey Kudrin"]  [Black "Benjamin Finegold"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "C06"]  [WhiteElo "2545"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "49"]  [EventDate "1988.??.??"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 (3... c5 {is, of course, the main alternative with  }) (3... Nc6 {being an alternative although Stockfish says that}) (3... Be7 {  is best}) 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2 Qb6 (7... cxd4 8. cxd4 f6 9.  exf6 (9. Nf4) 9... Nxf6 10. Nf3 Bd6 11. O-O O-O 12. Bf4 {is probably the main  line.}) 8. Nf3 cxd4 9. cxd4 f6 (9... Bb4+ 10. Kf1 Be7 (10... O-O $2 11. Bxh7+)  11. g3 $14 {A. Sznapik-Minev, Eksjö 1980}) 10. exf6 Nxf6 11. O-O Bd6 12. Nc3 (  12. Re1 O-O 13. Nc3 Bd7 14. Bg5 (14. h3 $14 {Stockfish}) 14... Ng4 $6 (14... h6  $11 {Stockfish}) 15. Bh4 Nh6 $6 (15... g6 {or}) (15... Qxb2) 16. Bg3 $14 {  Van der Wiel-Short, Biel 1985}) 12... O-O 13. Bg5 (13. Be3 Bd7 14. Rc1 (14. Ne5  Bxe5 15. dxe5 Qxb2 16. exf6 Qxc3 17. fxg7 Qxg7 $11) 14... Qd8 15. Qe2 $14) (13.  h3 Bd7 14. Re1 $14 {Proehl-Holzke, Germany 1999}) 13... a6 $6 (13... Bd7 $11) (  13... h6 $11) 14. a3 (14. Rc1 $1 Qxb2 15. Na4 Qa3 16. Nb6 $16) 14... Kh8 (14...  Bd7 $11) 15. Bc2 Qc7 16. Qd3 Qf7 $6 (16... g6 $14) 17. Bh4 Qh5 ({Again} 17...  g6 $14 {according to Stockfish}) 18. Bg3 Bxg3 $6 ({Stockfish gives the inhuman  (but very computer-like) move} 18... Bb8 {as best, e.g.:} 19. Na4 Ba7 20. Bd6  Bd7 21. Nc5 $16 (21. Bxf8 {isn't quite as good})) ({Stockfish also prefers the  move human} 18... e5 {to the text, e.g.} 19. dxe5 Bxe5 20. Nxe5 Nxe5 21. Qd1  $16) 19. fxg3 (19. hxg3 $2 Ng4 $19) 19... Bd7 20. h3 Qh6 21. g4 g5 $6 (21...  Ng8 22. g5 Qh5 23. Rae1 $16) 22. Nxg5 $1 $18 {Overloading the defenders of h7}  Nxd4 (22... Qxg5 23. Rxf6) 23. Nxh7 $1 Nxc2 (23... Nxh7 24. Qxd4+ $18) 24. Nxf8  Nxa1 25. Rxf6 $1 1-0

Game of the week

March 10, 2019 by Robert Huntington | 1 Comment

  [Event "New York 1950"]  [White "Reuben Fine"]  [Black "Arnold Denker"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "B43"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "61"]  [EventDate "1950.??.??"]  [SourceTitle "StarBase 4.56"]  [SourceDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2004.11.04"]  [SourceQuality "2"]   1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g3 {Avoiding the main  lines of the Najdorf before the Najdorf had main lines} b5 7. Bg2 Bb7 8. O-O e6  {transposing to the Taimanov Variation} 9. a3 Qc7 10. g4 (10. f4 {appears to  have been the main line as in, e.g., Czerniak-Kotov, Venice 1950 where after}  Be7 11. g4 Nc6 12. Be3 $2 (12. Nxc6) 12... h5 $1 {White self-destructed with  an unsound piece sacrifice on b5.}) 10... Nc6 (10... h6) 11. g5 Nd7 (11... Nxd4  12. Qxd4 (12. gxf6 $6 Nc6 13. fxg7 Bxg7 $15) 12... Ng4 (12... Nd7 13. a4 b4 14.  Qxb4 d5 15. Qd4 $14) 13. h3 Ne5 14. f4 Nc4 $11) 12. Nde2 g6 (12... Be7 $11) 13.  Be3 $6 (13. Qd3 $1 Nce5 14. Qg3 Bg7 $11) 13... Bg7 (13... h6 $1 14. gxh6 Bxh6  $15) 14. Qd2 Nde5 15. b3 O-O $11 16. Rad1 Rfd8 17. h3 b4 $2 (17... Rac8 $11)  18. axb4 d5 $6 (18... Nd7 $16) 19. exd5 Nxb4 20. d6 $1 $18 {Did Black perhaps  miss this move?} Qc8 21. Ne4 {Or this move?} Nd5 $6 (21... Bxe4 22. Bxe4 Rb8 {  offers stiffer resistance}) 22. Bd4 Nd7 (22... f5 23. Nc5 Rxd6 24. c4 $18) 23.  c4 (23. Bxg7 Kxg7 24. c4 {is even stronger since Black then doesn't have} e5 {  hitting the bishop}) 23... e5 24. Ba1 f5 25. cxd5 fxe4 26. Ng3 Nc5 27. Qe3 Nd3  28. Qxe4 Nf4 29. Rc1 Qb8 {I can't call this a blunder even though Stockfish rates 29... Nxh3+ as five pawns better} 30. Rc7 Re8 31. Rxg7+ $1 1-0

Game of the week

March 3, 2019 by Robert Huntington | Leave a comment

  [Event "Harvard Open 1991"]  [White "GM Pat Wolff"]  [Black "IM Joe Fang"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "C88"]  [WhiteElo "2585"]  [BlackElo "2414"]  [Annotator "ATH"]  [PlyCount "68"]  [EventDate "1991.05.??"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "4"]  [EventCountry "USA"]  [SourceTitle "CH, July-Aug 1991"]   1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4  Rb8 $5 (8... b4 {and}) (8... Bb7 {are the main lines}) 9. axb5 axb5 10. c3 b4 (  {Three years later, at the 1994 New York Open, Fang played} 10... d5 {  (slightly better according to Stockfish) against Wolff and lost in 35 moves  (Inf 61/342)}) 11. d4 bxc3 12. d5 (12. bxc3 exd4 13. e5 Ne8 14. cxd4 $14 {  Dvoirys-Jumabayev, Pavlodar Open 2010 (drawn in 62 moves)}) 12... Nd4 (12...  cxb2 13. Bxb2 Bb4 14. dxc6 Bxe1 15. Nxe1 Nxe4 16. Bxe5 Qe7 17. Nf3 $14) 13.  Nxd4 exd4 (13... cxb2 $1 14. Bxb2 exd4 15. Bxd4 Bb4 16. Re2 $14) 14. bxc3 dxc3  15. Nxc3 $2 (15. e5 $1 $16) 15... Bb4 $11 16. Bd2 d6 17. Ba4 $2 (17. f3 $11)  17... Ng4 18. h3 Nxf2 $2 (18... Ne5 $17) 19. Kxf2 Qf6+ (19... Bc5+ {is better,  e.g.} 20. Kg3 Bd4 21. Kh2 $1 Qh4 22. Re3 (22. Ne2 $2 Be5+ 23. Kg1 Bxh3 $1 24.  gxh3 Qxh3 25. Bc2 Qh2+ 26. Kf1 Qh3+ 27. Kf2 Qh2+ $11) 22... Bxe3 23. Bxe3 $14)  20. Qf3 Qd4+ 21. Qe3 Qf6+ $2 (21... Qe5 $16 {is better}) 22. Ke2 $18 Ba6+ (  22... Qg6) 23. Kd1 {and the white king escapes} Bc5 $6 (23... Qe5) 24. e5 (24.  Qf4 $1) 24... Qg6 (24... Qxe5 25. Qe4 Qh5+ {is a bit better}) 25. Qe4 dxe5 26.  Qxg6 fxg6 27. Bc2 $6 (27. Ne4 $18) 27... Bc4 28. Ra4 Bb4 (28... Bf1 {is better}  ) 29. Re4 Rf1+ 30. Be1 Bxc3 31. Raxc4 Ba5 32. Ra4 Rb5 33. Rxe5 $4 (33. Rxa5 $1  Rxa5 34. Ke2 $18) 33... Rxd5+ $1 34. Bd3 ({Oops.} 34. Rxd5 Rxe1#) 34... Rxe5  0-1

ALL THINGS HUMAN

HOMO SUM; HUMANI NIL A ME ALIENUM PUTO.

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