Bloomington Normal Chess Club

2021.01.Twin City Chess Club Games

Upload 2021.01.04 Simul Games Here

Upload 2021.01.11 Games Here

Upload 2021.01.18 Games Here

We start 2021 off with a bang as new member Nicholas Bruha takes on the rest of us in a simul.

[Event "mentosandcoke simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/ITwNjRCk"] [Date "2021.01.05"] [Round "1"] [White "Bruha, Nicholas, mentosandcoke"] [Black "JosephOAlford"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D85"] [WhiteElo "1989"] [BlackElo "1920"] [PlyCount "45"] [EventDate "2021.01.04"] [TimeControl "G/30; 10"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. h3 {Be3 is most common. Rb1 and Bb5+ are also played. This prevents a pin of the knight which is protecting the center.} O-O {Passive. The whole point of Black’s defense is to attack the White center. Fritz says get on with that with cd or Nc6} 9. Be2 Nc6 10. Be3 cxd4 11. cxd4 Qa5+ {The alternate plan is f5, still attacking the center} 12. Bd2 {Qd2 is equality. Black would be happy.} Qd8 {Qa3 is the other common continuation. How is White to protect the center?} 13. d5 {The bishop escorts the sleeping elephant to heaven. But who’s guarding the king?} Bxa1 14. Qxa1 Nb8 15. O-O {Might as well develop the last piece since Black has nothing off the first rank. On Bh6 Black should play f6 and return the material.} f5 {Hindsight suggests f6} 16. Bh6 Rf7 17. Ng5 Qe8 18. Nxf7 Qxf7 19. Bc4 {Fritz calls this an error only because Rc1 or Qc3 would be even better.} fxe4 20. d6 e6 21. Re1 b5 {Allowing Re4 followed by Rf4 is death.} 22. Bxb5 Bb7 23. Be8 {Deflecting the queen from protection of g7. Well played} 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "mentosandcoke simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/pqu6hQS5"] [Date "2021.01.04"] [Round "1"] [White "Newman, Steven, quassialeaf"] [Black "Bruha, Nicholas, mentosandcoke"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C53"] [BlackElo "1989"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "2021.01.04"] [TimeControl "G/30; 10"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. b4 Bb6 7. b5 Na5 8. O-O Nxc4 9. dxc4 d6 10. Nbd2 a6 11. Qe2 Be6 12. Bb2 h6 13. a4 Nh5 14. Rad1 {Missing the threat to the bishop costs a piece. Rab or Rfe Nf4; Qf1. Crafty likes g3 despite the hole in the White castle. Both Fritz and Crafty like a5. Fritz also comes up with Nd4 Nf4; Qf3 Nh3+; gh ed} Nf4 15. Qe1 Nd3 16. Qe2 Nxb2 17. Rde1 {Ra1. White’s pieces are centralized, but not coordinated.} Nxa4 18. Qe3 {Mouse slip? I susect he meant Qd3. There is no take-back in simul play.} Bxe3 19. Rxe3 axb5 20. cxb5 Nc5 21. Rd1 Ra2 22. Nf1 Bc4 23. Ng3 Bb3 24. Rde1 Ne6 25. Nf5 Nf4 26. Kh1 Be6 27. N3h4 g6 28. Nxh6+ Kh7 29. N6f5 gxf5 30. Nxf5 Bxf5 31. exf5 Rg8 32. Rg3 Rxg3 33. fxg3 Nxg2 34. Re4 Qg5 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "mentosandcoke simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/uRn3N5bW"] [Date "2021.01.04"] [Round "1"] [White "Bruha, Nicholas, mentosandcoke"] [Black "Erickson, Darren, LaughingVulcan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D11"] [WhiteElo "1989"] [BlackElo "826"] [PlyCount "19"] [EventDate "2021.01.04"] [TimeControl "G/30; 10"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Bg4 {Fritz is not impressed, prefering Nf6 for equality or dc for a slight edge.} 4. Ne5 Be6 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Nc3 g6 {Fritz prefers Nd7 or Nf6} 7. g3 {Solid. Fritz prefers Qb3 or e4} Nf6 8. Bg2 Bg7 9. O-O O-O 10. Qb3 {A power failure took Black out of the game. Fritz gives White a slight advantage after either Qb6 or Nc6} 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

The first round of our January tournament

[Event "Casual Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/4FXxb2FH"] [Date "2021.01.12"] [Round "1"] [White "Johnson, Jeremy Scott, JSBach71"] [Black "JosephOAlford"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A13"] [WhiteElo "1512"] [BlackElo "1920"] [PlyCount "110"] [EventDate "2021.01.11"] [TimeControl "G/60; 5"] {White is Jeremy Scott Johnson, known on lichess as JSBach71 and on Discord as Ender8484 says his rating is 15 years old. He has been playing postal chess.} 1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d3 {I expected d4. e3 is also playable.} dxc4 4. dxc4 Qxd1+ 5. Nxd1 Nc6 6. e4 Nb4 {Fritz says this attack is much less strong than just Nf6 or Bb4+} 7. Ne3 Bc5 {Again, Nf6 is stronger.} 8. a3 Bxe3 9. axb4 Bh6 {Bc1 Black hopes to place his bishop on the long diagonal. That does not happen.} 10. Nf3 g6 11. Bxh6 Nxh6 12. Be2 Ke7 13. O-O {White has the better position out of the opening. Time for some brilliant middle-game play.} a6 14. b5 Bd7 15. Ne5 Rhd8 {Fritz says ab is equal. I was looking for development.} 16. Rfd1 Be8 17. Rxd8 Rxd8 18. bxa6 bxa6 19. Rxa6 Rd2 20. Kf1 Rxb2 21. Ra7 { Brilliant middle game play if often enhanced when the opponent blunders a piece. I expected f3 (Fritz likes f4 to protect the knight) when I would have time to protect c7} Rb1+ 22. Bd1 Rxd1+ 23. Ke2 Rb1 {hoping for Rc7+ Kd6; Rc8 Ke5; Rc8 Ke4} 24. f3 {Fritz calls that a blunder which Black should punish with Rb2+} Kd6 25. Nd3 Rb8 {I am very aware that my poor knight has no escape, so I am guarding the approaches.} 26. c5+ Kc6 27. Ke3 f6 28. Kd4 Nf7 29. f4 Nd8 30. Kc4 Bf7 31. e5 f5 {Note that fe; Ne5 is mate!} 32. Nb4+ Rxb4+ {Fritz says Black survives Kd7; Na6 Rb7} 33. Kxb4 Nb7 {Equality, says Fritz: Ra6+ Kd5; Ra7 Kc6} 34. Ra8 g5 {The bishop is in danger and fg would weaken White’s e-pawn.} 35. fxg5 Bg6 {Now Nc5 was possible.} 36. Ra6+ Kd5 37. c6 {The last drawing chance was Ra7 with the repetition mentioned above} Nd8 38. Kb5 f4 {Both players miss Nc6; Rc6 Be8} 39. Ra7 {White notices that Bd3 kills the rook} Bd3+ 40. Kb4 {Ka4 Kc6 is obviously a lost cause} Nxc6+ 41. Kc3 Nxa7 42. Kxd3 Kxe5 43. Ke2 c5 44. h4 Nc6 45. Kf2 Ke4 46. h5 Ne5 47. g3 Ng4+ 48. Kg2 f3+ 49. Kf1 c4 50. g6 hxg6 {Fritz points out c3 when both queen, but Black’s queen mates} 51. hxg6 c3 52. g7 Nf6 53. Ke1 c2 54. Kd2 f2 55. Kxc2 f1=Q 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "Rated Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/HkCP0lbS"] [Date "2021.01.12"] [Round "1"] [White "Dane_Sorensen"] [Black "quassialeaf"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C27"] [WhiteElo "000"] [BlackElo "000"] [PlyCount "44"] [EventDate "2021.01.11"] [TimeControl "G/60; 5"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Nxe4 {Playable. Fritz suggests Qh5 with multiple threats.} d5 5. Bxd5 Qxd5 6. d3 Nc6 7. c3 {This leaves the d-pawn very weak. Nf3 and 0-0} Be6 8. Nf3 O-O-O 9. O-O Qxd3 10. Qxd3 Rxd3 11. Nfg5 {Fritz says develop with Be3 or Re1} Bd5 12. b4 {That loses one of the knights. Ng3 or f3 per Fritz} f6 13. b5 Nd8 14. c4 Bxc4 15. Nf3 Bxb5 16. Be3 Nc6 17. Nc5 Bxc5 18. Bxc5 b6 19. Ba3 Rxa3 20. Rfd1 Rd8 21. Rdc1 Nd4 22. Ne1 Ne2+ {Game over. Each player used about 15 minutes of the allocated 60 minutes. Obviously, playing much too fast.} 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "Casual Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/4sBEoMIo"] [Date "2021.01.19"] [Round "2"] [White "Newman, Steve, quassialeaf"] [Black "Bafna, Mihir, MBafna"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E34"] [WhiteElo "000"] [BlackElo "1828"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "2021.01.18"] [TimeControl "G/60; 5"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. Nf3 O-O 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 c5 8. e3 Nc6 9. Bd3 Qc7 10. O-O h6 11. h3 Na5 12. cxd5 c4 13. Be2 exd5 14. Ne5 Nb3 15. Rb1 Ne4 {A little too aggressive, says Fritz. Now Bc4 wins a pawn.} 16. Bf3 Bf5 17. Rxb3 {This sacrifice is not sound (though it is the 2nd choice for Fritz), but Black is ready to play Ng3 attacking both rooks.} cxb3 18. Qxb3 Rfd8 19. Bxe4 Bxe4 {de, says Fritz, preparing for a king-side assault and leaving no weaknesses behind.} 20. f3 Bh7 21. Bb2 Rac8 22. Rc1 {Fritz wants the more active e4, hoping for de fe with three attacks on f7} h5 {depriving the knight of an escape square, but Fritz says this gives White time for c4.} 23. Qd1 {Thinking to protect the knight when it retreats to d3, but Fritz says c4} Qb6 24. Qe2 {Ba1 Now the queen is overloaded protecting both bishop and knight.} f6 25. Nd3 Bxd3 26. Qxd3 Qxb2 27. Rb1 Qxc3 28. Qxc3 Rxc3 29. Rxb7 Rxa3 30. Re7 a5 31. Kh2 h4 32. f4 a4 33. g4 Ra2+ 34. Kg1 Rb8 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "Casual Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/ZKMNe9Vo"] [Date "2021.01.19"] [Round "2"] [White "Smith, Jeff, UKWildcat"] [Black "Johnson, Jeremy Scott, JSBach71"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "1435"] [BlackElo "1512"] [PlyCount "113"] [EventDate "2021.01.18"] [TimeControl "G/60; 5"] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. d4 Bg4 6. Be2 c6 7. Be3 Nbd7 8. O-O g6 9. h3 Bf5 10. Bc4 e6 11. Ne5 b5 {Not Ne5; de Qe5??; Bd4 Fritz likes Ne5 de but then Qd1; Rad Nd5} 12. Bb3 Bg7 13. g4 {Fritz calls this a blunder. He likes Qf3 or Nd7 Nd7; Qf5 emphasizing the weakness of c6.} Be4 {Fritz says b4 is needed. Now White could trade on d7 and play g5 to win a piece.} 14. Nxe4 Nxe4 15. Qf3 Nxe5 16. Qxe4 {Ever vigilant Fritz calls for de Qe5; Bf4 winning the knight.} Nd7 17. c3 {You’ve got him on the run, says Fritz. Bf4 Qd4; Qc6} O-O 18. Rad1 Nf6 19. Qf3 a5 20. Bf4 Qd7 21. Be5 a4 22. Bxf6 axb3 23. Bxg7 Kxg7 24. a3 {I would have taken the pawn, but Fritz says keeping the file closed is better.} Qd6 25. Rfe1 Rfe8 26. Qe4 Ra4 27. Qe5+ Qxe5 28. dxe5 Rf4 29. Kg2 f5 {That opens lines that White is quick to seize.} 30. g5 c5 31. Rd7+ Kg8 32. Kg3 Re4 {Fritz rates Ra4 or Rc4 better than this.} 33. Rxe4 fxe4 34. Kf4 Rf8+ {Black says, hey, I can use open files too.} 35. Ke3 Rf3+ 36. Kxe4 Rxf2 37. Rb7 b4 38. axb4 cxb4 39. Rxb4 Rxb2 40. c4 Rh2 {The losing move. Fritz gives two alternates h5; gh allows the king to come forward and recover the pawn instead of getting trapped. Or Re2+; Kd4 b2} 41. Rxb3 Rf2 42. c5 Kf7 43. Rb7+ Ke8 44. c6 Kd8 45. Rxh7 Rd2 46. Rg7 Rh2 47. Rxg6 Rxh3 48. Rxe6 Rg3 49. Kf5 Rf3+ 50. Kg6 Kc7 51. Rf6 Re3 52. Kf7 Rxe5 53. g6 Kd8 54. g7 Re7+ 55. Kg6 Rxg7+ 56. Kxg7 Kc7 57. Kf7 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.