Eric Rosen in U.S. Junior Closed

Nice interview with Eric on WLS TV here:

 

Of course, Eric is no stranger to the Closed: he did very well last year, and he has the knack of raising his game a notch in top-level events.

The event starts July 10th: more info at the St. Louis website.

For the norm

Back to last month's New York International: Adarsh Jayakumar had a sizable opening advantage against Alan Stein, but it evaporated in the middle game, and it seemed that either player could win. Then Adarsh sets an subtle, lethal trap....

The agony of defeat

Before we go back to celebrating Adarsh Jayakumar's wins, let's look at a painful loss.  (Not that you or I would have done any better: it's hard for me to see just where Adarsh went wrong.)

From the Philadelphia International

Adarsh Jayakumar was on track to pick up his third IM norm, but faded at the end.  Here's a nail-biting win against Columbian GM Gildardo Garcia from Round 2:

The trapper trapped

My opponent in the following game responded to my King's Gambit with the bizarre 2...f5? The Symmetrical Defense to the Queen's Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c5?!) is dubious enough, but the same thing on the kingside really should lose by force. I won a rook with the little tactical trick 3.exf5 exf4 4.Qh5+ g6 5.fxg6 Nf6 6.g7+! Nxh5 7.gxh8(Q), and was quite confident of victory. Sure, he can try to trap my queen on h8, but that never works in these positions, right? To my dismay, however, I couldn't figure out how to extricate my queen, and managed to lose the game!

I later learned that Chigorin-Hruby, Vienna 1882 had continued 7...Qh4+ 8. Kd1 Nf6 9. Bc4 d5 10. Nf3 Bg4 11. Be2 Bxf3 12. Bxf3 Nbd7 13. Re1+ Kf7 14. b3 Rb8 15. Bb2 Bh6 16. Bxf6 Qxe1+ 17. Kxe1 Rxh8 18. Bxh8 c6 19. Nc3 1-0. My opponent deviated with 7...Qe7+ 8.Be2 Nf6, intending to trap the queen with an eventual ...Bg7. One possible improvement is 11.Bxc7!?, when 11...Qxc7? would be met by 12.Qxf6. Another improvement is 12.0-0 (rather than my 12.0-0-0), when the rook on f1 X-rays Black's pieces on the f-file. Yet another improvement is 13.Nf3 0-0-0 14.Ne5! Then 14...Bg7 would be met by 15.Nxc6!, winning spectacularly (15...bxc6 16.Ba6#; 15...Rxh8 16.Ne7+ and 17.Nxf5; 15...Qxe2 16.Nxa7+), while 14...Nxe5 15.dxe5 Bg7 (or 15...Nd7 16.e6!) would allow me to get a lot of wood for my queen with 16.exf6 Qxf6 17.Qxd8+. Instead, my 13.Bc7? was an eccentric idea, intended to prevent him from castling. I continued my weak play by overlooking his 15...Bh6+ winning my queen, and resigned. Embarrassment city.

Chicago chess players: "There are many good ones, but no club"

This Chicago Tribune story is hot off the presses (belated hat-tip to Keith Ammann).

P.S. 7/5/2012: the original link didn't work, so I uploaded the image of the 1887 newspaper article, thinking that one could click on it to magnify it.  Oops!  If you're dying of curiosity, you can download the image to your desktop, open in Windows Paint, and resize to (say) 250% to read.

But it ain't *that* interesting :-)

 

ugly HTML, beautiful event

The Chicago Class is an Illinois Tour event!


5th annual
CHICAGO CLASS

July 20-22 or 21-22, 2012 - Wheeling, Illinois

$20,000 GUARANTEED PRIZES

July 20-22 or 21-22   Illinois
Trophies Plus Grand Prix Points: 120 (enhanced)

5 round Swiss, 40/2, SD/1, d5 (2-day option, rounds 1-2 G/75, d5).
No residence requirements.

At the luxurious Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel, 601 North Milwaukee Avenue, Wheeling IL 60090. From Chicago, I-294 north to US-45 north; from Milwaukee, I-94 to Lake Cook Rd to US-45 south). Free parking.  

In 8 sections; no unrated allowed in Master or Expert.  Rated players may play up one section.

Master Section (2200/up): $2000-1000-600-400, clear win or 1st on tiebreak $100, top U2400 $800-400. FIDE rated.

Expert Section (2000-2199): $1400-700-400-200.

Class A Section (1800-1999/Unr): $1400-700-400-200.  No unrated may win over $900.

Class B Section (1600-1799/Unr): $1400-700-400-200.  No unrated may win over $700.

Class C Section (1400-1599/Unr): $1200-600-400-200.   No unrated may win over $500.

Class D Section (1200-1399/Unr): $1000-500-300-200.  No unrated may win over $300.

Class E Section (Under 1200/Unr): $1000-500-300-200.  No unrated may win over $200.

Under 1000 Section: (Under 1000/Unr): $200-100-60-40, trophies to first 5, top Under 800, Under 600, Unrated.  No unrated may win over $100.

Balance of any limited prize goes to next player(s) in line.

PRIZE LIMITS: If any post-event rating posted at uschess.org 7/19/11-7/19/12 is more than 30 points over section maximum, prize limit $500.

Top 7 sections entry fee: 3-day $103, 2-day $102 mailed by 7/11, all $104 ONLINE at chesstour.com by 7/16, $110 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 7/16 (entry only, no questions), $120 at site. No checks at site, credit cards OK.

Under 1000 Section entry fee: $70 less than top 7 sections entry fee.

Online late entries accepted from 7/17 to 2 hours before your first game (same fee as on site late entries).

All: Online or mailed entry fee $5 less to ICA members; join/renew at ilchess.org. An ICA Tour event.

Special 1 year USCF dues with paper magazine if paid with entry.  Online at chesstour.com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15.  Mailed, phoned or paid at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20.  Re-entry $50; not available in Master Section. GMs free, $80 deducted from prize.

Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated.

3-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 am & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 4:30 pm.
2-day schedule: Reg. ends Sat 10 am, rds. Sat 11 am, 2:30 pm & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 4:30 pm.

Half point byes: OK all rounds, Master must commit before rd 2, others before rd 3.

Hotel rates: $103-103-103-103, 800-937-8461, 847-777-6500, reserve by July 6 or rate may increase.

Room sharing: If you want to share a room to save money, see or post this on the CCA FORUM, or email us and we will post it for you.

Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633, or reserve car online.
Bring set, board, clock if possible- none supplied.

Ratings:  July official USCF rating list used.  Foreign player rating info. 
Entry: Continental Chess, Box 249, Salisbury Mills NY 12577. $15 service charge for refunds. No smoking. Questions:chesstour.com, DirectorAtChess.us, 845-496-9658. Advance entries posted at chesstour.com. Chess Magnet School Junior Grand Prix Points available.

It's not easy making norms

Not only does the master have to win against 2400+ players, he or she also has to find a way to beat well-prepared experts who play active, solid chess.  (And all the young players today seem to be well-prepared...)  The stronger player needs to find winning chances, preferably without creating losing chances....

Adarsh proves up to the task, but the modestly-rated Sarah Chiang had chances of her own until late in the game.

Michael Adams annotates...

...his simul win against Steffen Klug of the Downers Grove Chess Club.

Daniel Parmet's report on the simul (with scores of all ten games) can be found here.  At the risk of repeating myself, I had a wonderful evening, as I'm sure that those who attended GM Adams's lecture and simul at the North Shore Chess Center also did.  He's a really nice guy!

...Nxc4??

How many people do you suppose have blundered with ...Nxc4??, dropping a piece to Qa4+? I'm thinking that the number is literally in the billions. Note, incidentally, that Black's 1.d4 d6, an opening without a name, can already be considered a little bit of a trap. The best responses are 2.e4 (with a possible transposition to a Pirc after 2...Nf6 3.Nc3 g6, although 2...e5!? and 2...Nf6 3.Nc3 e5!? are also reasonable) or 2.Nf3, as in this game. If White plays the natural 2.c4?!, 2...e5! already gives Black a plus score, especially if White trades queens with 3.dxe5?! dxe5 4.Qxd8+. Instead, 3.Nc3 is still OK for White, transposing to a line of the English that arises after 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 d6 3.d4!? - as long as he doesn't follow Hübner-Kasparov, Hamburg 1985, a crushing win for Black.

GM Karsten Müller annotates endings from Chicago Open

Good stuff on ChessBase.  Don't miss the endgame between GMs Shabalov and Sargissian, beginning at move 75.  (It's hard to win clear first in the Chicago Open unless you win at least one drawn ending!)

I'd just happened to see GM Yermolinsky's instructive comments on the Shabalov-Sargissian game on ICC this past Sunday.  It's the June 3rd entry in Yermo's "Every Russian Schoolboy Knows" series, "Bishop vs. Knight - Part 1."

Adarsh Jayakumar wins second IM norm

The International Master title requires three norm performances: the 5th New York International Open is Adarsh's second.  He scored 6-3 in a strong field.  Congratulations to Adarsh!

FM Eric Rosen just missed a norm with 5½-3½.  Another veteran of the Illinois Chess Association's Warren Junior Program is IM Zhe Quan, who is now a Canadian citizen and who plays top board for New York University.  Zhe Quan scored 6-3 and was in contention for a Grandmaster norm.

All rook endings are drawn...

...except for the ones that aren't. The comments to Jim Duffy's game made me take another look:

Fabijonas-Duffy, CICL Individual Championship
After 33...Ke6
White to play and draw
(more than one solution, but there's a simple route)

After 46.g4
Find Black's best move

After 48...Rxa1
Find White's best move

The Pinnacle of Manly Chess

Surely the above is an apt description of the King's Gambit. (If "Manly Chess" is too sexist, please substitute "Swashbuckling Chess" or some such.) If you don't believe me, take a look at Spassky-Bronstein, USSR Championship 1960. And of course the Immortal Game. But then again, there's yawners like Ivanchuk-Nakamura, Cap d'Agde 2010, an endgame grind.

In my old age I have belatedly taken up the gambit, at least in unrated Internet blitz games against random players. Very manly, I know. Here is one such example. Since I usually prefer Pusillanimous Chess, I didn't know book against the Falkbeer Counter Gambit. Although my 6.Be3 has been played, it turns out that the main line is the picturesque 6.Nf3 Bc5 7.Qe2 Bf5 8.Nc3 Qe7 9.Be3!, when 9...Nxc3 is met by 10.Bxc5!, as in the brilliancy Bronstein-Tal, 1968. Later in the game continuation, my 10.Be2? got me in trouble; correct was 10.Qe2! playing for a favorable ending. They do such things in the modern King's Gambit (is that an oxymoron?). Despite my weak opening play I managed to mate my opponent off the board in traditional KG fashion.

IM Florin Felecan camp at Northside Prep, June 25-29!

If you're a student looking for something to do this summer (or a parent looking for something for your kid to do), this sounds like a great way to start the summer!  $225 is a very reasonable price for five days of instruction.

Problem: June 25th is Monday, so you'd better ask Mom and Dad now!

Avoid rook endings at all costs...

...if you're playing Jim Duffy.  When Jim won the second section of last month's CICL Individual Championship (Larry Cohen won the first section, with the same 3-0 score as Jim), I asked him to send me his effortless first-round game.  He pointed out that he had won an even more seemingly colorless game in the second round.

Some players have a modest rating, but are exceptionally strong in one phase of the game.  If you are strong in the endgame, you will save many lost games and win most of your "hopelessly drawn" games. Cultivate your strengths!

Active rook + active king = won game.  Jim provides some light notes.

Mark your calendars for the Illinois Open, Sept. 1-3!

Come join us Labor Day weekend: it's a great event for grandmasters, serious amateurs, and folks who just want to have a weekend of fun.

Note that the thirty-second increment begins at move 1.  So the time control of 40 moves in 90 minutes, followed by sudden death is 30 minutes, is only slightly faster than the "old" 40 moves in 2 hours followed by sudden death in 1 hour.  And you are guaranteed a minimum thirty seconds for every move, no matter how long the game!

FIDE Rated!

60 Grand Prix Points

Sep 1 - 3, 2012

2012 Illinois Open State Championship

Oakbrook, IL

6R-SS. Open Section (40/90 SD/30 + 30/sec incr).
Reserve and Booster Sections (G/90 + 30/sec incr).
Doubletree Hotel 1909 Spring Rd., Oakbrook, IL 60523 - Phone 630-472-6000.

$8500 Guaranteed + $250 Isaac Braswell Fighting Chess Award in Open Section. 3 sections: Open, Reserve (U1800), Booster (U1400).

Prizes (non-IL players eligible for max 3rd place in Overall Prizes and 2nd place prize for rating bracket prizes):

Open - Overall: $1600-1000-300, (2399-2200): $350-275-200; (2199-2100): $250-200; (2099-2000): $200-100; (1999-1900): $200-100; (1899-1800): $200-100;

Reserve (U1800) - Overall: $750-450-225; (1699-1600): $250-200-150; (1599-150): $150-100; (1499-1400): $150-100;

Booster (U1400) - Overall: $250-125-75; (1299-1200) - $100-50; (1199-1100): $100-50.
Open & Reserve FIDE Rated.
Free Entry for IL FIDE titled players (WFM & above).

EF: $64 by 08/04/2012, $96 by 08/18/2012, $128 thereafter and on-site.
No checks at site, credit cards ok.
Online registration preferred.
No phone entries.
Re-entry: $60 with 1/2 pt in first two rds only.
Rd 6 bye must committ by end of Rd 2 otherwise zero pt.
Players in contention for prizes must play final rd or have 1/2 pt bye committed to by the end of Rd 2 otherwise ineligible for prizes.

Special Rules for Playing Up: $10 more if 150 pts or less from cut off of section, $25 more if 151-300 pts from cut-off, $50 more if 301+ pts from cut-off (Example: 1620 wants to play in open, 180 pts from cut-off, pay $25 more to play up).

NOTE: Playing up fee paid in cash at the door - players will be registered in their normal rating section unless you come to the TD room to request playing up.
Schedule: 10am and 4pm each day.

Mailed entries: North American Chess Association, 4957 Oakton Street, Suite 113, Skokie, IL 60077.
All mailed entries must be received by 8/24/2012.
Questions: sevan@nachess.org.
No Phone Calls.
Advance entries and online registration at: http://www.nachess.org/ilopen2012.

Hotel: $91/night + tax.
Ask for Chess Rate.
Boards, Sets, Clocks Provided.
Must use organizer provided equipment.
Chess vendor onsite.
August Rating Supplement.

Special Workshops: Chess in Education plus TD/Rules Workshop. 1-day Scholastic Event.
See website for details on Workshops and Scholastic Event.
USCF and ICA mbrshp required for main event.

Chess Magnet School JGP.

The information shown above is based on information in USCF records prior to publication of the TLA in Chess Life (or Chess Life for Kids.)
As such, the information shown above is subject to change. 
Please check the TLA in Chess Life (or Chess Life for Kids) for any corrections, updates or other changes. 
In special cases, changes that are made after the publication of Chess Life may be found on theTournament Listings by State page. 
Sponsoring Affiliate: A6021470, NORTH AMERICAN CHESS ASN.

July 14th: Evanston Tri-Level

I was chatting on Facebook last night with NM Jon Burgess: he'll be there, and I'm hoping to be there, too.

$5, such a deal!  The play is serious, the atmosphere is casual and congenial.

Details here.

2012 Chicago Class in Wheeling July 20-22

Another mail cut-and-paste: (kids, this is what the internet looked like in 1994).  The Chicago Class is an Illinois Tour event!


5th annual
CHICAGO CLASS

July 20-22 or 21-22, 2012 - Wheeling, Illinois

$20,000 GUARANTEED PRIZES

July 20-22 or 21-22   Illinois
Trophies Plus Grand Prix Points: 120 (enhanced)

5 round Swiss, 40/2, SD/1, d5 (2-day option, rounds 1-2 G/75, d5).
No residence requirements.

At the luxurious Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel, 601 North Milwaukee Avenue, Wheeling IL 60090. From Chicago, I-294 north to US-45 north; from Milwaukee, I-94 to Lake Cook Rd to US-45 south). Free parking.  

In 8 sections; no unrated allowed in Master or Expert.  Rated players may play up one section.

Master Section (2200/up): $2000-1000-600-400, clear win or 1st on tiebreak $100, top U2400 $800-400. FIDE rated.

Expert Section (2000-2199): $1400-700-400-200.

Class A Section (1800-1999/Unr): $1400-700-400-200.  No unrated may win over $900.

Class B Section (1600-1799/Unr): $1400-700-400-200.  No unrated may win over $700.

Class C Section (1400-1599/Unr): $1200-600-400-200.   No unrated may win over $500.

Class D Section (1200-1399/Unr): $1000-500-300-200.  No unrated may win over $300.

Class E Section (Under 1200/Unr): $1000-500-300-200.  No unrated may win over $200.

Under 1000 Section: (Under 1000/Unr): $200-100-60-40, trophies to first 5, top Under 800, Under 600, Unrated.  No unrated may win over $100.

Balance of any limited prize goes to next player(s) in line.

PRIZE LIMITS: If any post-event rating posted at uschess.org 7/19/11-7/19/12 is more than 30 points over section maximum, prize limit $500.

Top 7 sections entry fee: 3-day $103, 2-day $102 mailed by 7/11, all $104 ONLINE at chesstour.com by 7/16, $110 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 7/16 (entry only, no questions), $120 at site. No checks at site, credit cards OK.

Under 1000 Section entry fee: $70 less than top 7 sections entry fee.

Online late entries accepted from 7/17 to 2 hours before your first game (same fee as on site late entries).

All: Online or mailed entry fee $5 less to ICA members; join/renew at ilchess.org. An ICA Tour event.

Special 1 year USCF dues with paper magazine if paid with entry.  Online at chesstour.com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15.  Mailed, phoned or paid at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20.  Re-entry $50; not available in Master Section. GMs free, $80 deducted from prize.

Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated.

3-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 am & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 4:30 pm.
2-day schedule: Reg. ends Sat 10 am, rds. Sat 11 am, 2:30 pm & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 4:30 pm.

Half point byes: OK all rounds, Master must commit before rd 2, others before rd 3.

Hotel rates: $103-103-103-103, 800-937-8461, 847-777-6500, reserve by July 6 or rate may increase.

Room sharing: If you want to share a room to save money, see or post this on the CCA FORUM, or email us and we will post it for you.

Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633, or reserve car online.
Bring set, board, clock if possible- none supplied.

Ratings:  July official USCF rating list used.  Foreign player rating info. 
Entry: Continental Chess, Box 249, Salisbury Mills NY 12577. $15 service charge for refunds. No smoking. Questions:chesstour.com, DirectorAtChess.us, 845-496-9658. Advance entries posted at chesstour.com. Chess Magnet School Junior Grand Prix Points available.

GM Maurice Ashley at North Shore Chess Center this Saturday!

Maurice Ashley is a wonderful "explainer" and very entertaining.  His broadcast persona is the "John Madden of chess," breaking down difficult concepts into easy-to-understand chunks for the general public.  But just like John Madden, GM Ashley understands his game at a much deeper level.

Info here!  The lecture and simul is at 5500 West Touhy in Skokie this Saturday.

Upcoming lectures include GM Loek Van Wely on July 28th and GM Alexander Onischuk on August 11th.