Bloomington Normal Chess Club

2021.01.Twin City Chess Club Games

Uploads for 2021.01:

2021.01.04 Simul

2021.01.11

2021.01.18

2021.01.25

[Event "January Tournament"] [Site "https://lichess.org/beXuqTTM"] [Date "2021.01.25"] [Round "3"] [White "Newman, Steven, quassialeaf"] [Black "JosephOAlford"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D30"] [BlackElo "1920"] [PlyCount "94"] [EventDate "2021.01.04"] [TimeControl "G/60; 5"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Ne5 Nbd7 5. Nc3 dxc4 {Fritz shows a slight advantage for Black after Bb4 or Bd6 or c6. Equality after this.} 6. Qa4 {A little too aggressive, says Fritz. Nc4 is equal.} c6 7. e4 {A lot too aggressive, says Fritz. Just trade on d7 and take the pawn with the Queen.} Nb6 {Why are you mis-placing your knight, says Fritz. Trade on e5, play b5 to protect your extra pawn, and move your knight.} 8. Qd1 Bb4 9. f3 Bxc3+ {Oh, you are not going to sacrifice your knight, says Fritz. Where are the pieces to back up that sacrifice? Just 0-0 was better.} 10. bxc3 Nxe4 11. fxe4 Qh4+ 12. Ke2 Qxe4+ 13. Be3 {Just Kf2. Now Black has a target.} Nd5 {First f6.} 14. Qd2 {Nc4 protects e3 and threatens Nd6+. It appears f5 immediately is better.} b5 15. Re1 {It’s time for the king to run. Kd1 Qb1+; Ke2 (not Qc1 Nc3+). Fritz prefers Kf2 or Rg1 with g3 and Bg2 coming} f5 {Fritz says this is now better than f6 first.} 16. Nf3 {That just gives Black the piece. With 3 extra pawns, the game is over. Fritz now likes Kd1 better than Kf2 when f4 wins the bishop.} f4 17. Ng5 Qxe3+ 18. Qxe3 Nxe3 {Fritz says fe3 is better because of the open lines for attack.} 19. Kf3 O-O 20. h4 h6 21. Nh3 Nd5 22. Rc1 Bb7 23. Be2 c5 24. Kf2 Rae8 25. Bf3 cxd4 26. cxd4 e5 27. Rhe1 exd4 28. Rxe8 Rxe8 29. Re1 Rxe1 30. Kxe1 Bc6 31. Bxd5+ Bxd5 32. Nxf4 Be4 33. a3 Kf7 34. g3 a5 35. Ne2 d3 36. Nc3 Bc6 37. Kd2 b4 38. axb4 axb4 39. Nd1 Ke6 40. Ne3 Bb5 41. g4 c3+ 42. Kc1 d2+ 43. Kd1 Ba4+ 44. Ke2 d1=Q+ 45. Nxd1 Bxd1+ 46. Kxd1 b3 47. Kc1 Ke5 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "January Tournament"] [Site "https://lichess.org/GQiFNQsN"] [Date "2021.01.25"] [Round "3"] [White "Johnson, Jerremy Scott, JSBach71"] [Black "Kumar, Prithiv, Prithiv3"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A22"] [WhiteElo "1512"] [BlackElo "1387"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2021.01.04"] [TimeControl "G/60; 5"] 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. Nf3 {Fritz is not impressed. Now either Black pawn could chase a knight out of the center.} Nc6 5. d4 e4 {Fritz likes either pawn capture. Now White seizes an initiative.} 6. Ne5 Nxe5 7. dxe5 d4 8. exf6 dxc3 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 10. bxc3 {White maintains a slight initiative, but Fritz says Bg5 is much stronger, gaining several tempi.} gxf6 11. Bg2 f5 12. Bg5+ Be7 13. Rd1+ Ke8 14. Bf4 Be6 15. Bh3 {Very passive, says Fritz. Black’s bishops rake the board. White’s bishops are much less effective. f3 to activate the g2 bishop.} c6 16. O-O h5 {Fritz wants to open lines to White’s king.} 17. Rb1 b6 18. a4 Bxc4 {Hey, what happened to opening lines? Fritz wants h4.} 19. Bxf5 Bxe2 {Fritz likes Bd5. Black’s king is on that soon-to-be opened e-file.} 20. Rfe1 {Good, says Fritz, but Be5 is even better.} Bd3 21. Rb2 {Again, Fritz prefers Be4} Bc5 22. Bxe4 Bxe4 23. Rxe4+ Kf8 24. Rd2 Re8 {Kg7 leaves White with all the developed pieces, but this loses a pawn.} 25. Rxe8+ Kxe8 26. Bg5 Be7 {f6 now, not next move, says Fritz, but Black still has a bad game.} 27. Re2 f6 28. Bxf6 Rh7 29. h4 {Fritz likes Kf1 to gain a tempo on the race to the queen-side. Or c4 to better restrain Black’s pawns. White will still trade both pieces} Kd7 30. Bxe7 Rxe7 31. Rxe7+ Kxe7 32. f4 {That appears to be the bad move. With f3 (now or later) White secures the king-side against the enemy king. Then an immediate b5; ab cb; Kf1 a5; Ke2 a4; Kd2 a3; Kc2 a2; Kb2 and White wins. Or f3 Kd6; Kf2 Kc5; Ke2 Kc4; Kd2 Kb3; g4 and White wins. Fritz is still showing a White advantage, but not nearly as much.} Kf6 33. Kf2 Kf5 34. Kf3 b5 35. axb5 cxb5 36. Ke3 a5 37. Kd2 a4 38. Kc2 {Fritz is now showing equality. Neither king can capture the backward pawn without allowing the forward pawn to queen.} Kg4 {Ke4 or Ke6. Black must be able to stop White’s c-pawn as well as his f-pawn. He will never be able to take the g-pawn.} 39. Kb2 Kf5 40. Ka3 Ke4 {From here Fritz shows equality in all lines.} 41. Kb2 Kd5 42. Ka3 Ke4 43. Ka2 Kd5 44. Ka3 Ke4 1/2-1/2 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "January Tournament"] [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 "January Tournament"] [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.

The first round of our January tournament

[Event "January Tournament"] [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 "January Tournament"] [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.

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.