Bloomington Normal Chess Club

2023.03

2023.03 Uploads:
2023.03.02
2023.03.09
2023.03.14
2023.03.21
2023.03.30

[Event "Rated Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/SZ5mbNAJ"] [Date "2023.03.30"] [Round "5"] [White "Newman, Steven"] [Black "Brown, Dajuan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D20"] [WhiteElo "1688"] [BlackElo "1667"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "2023.03.02"] [TimeControl "G/60; 6"] {ratings are by lichess} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nc3 e6 4. e4 Bb4 5. Bxc4 Ne7 6. Nge2 a6 7. O-O Bxc3 {The threat of a fork by Qa4+ is better met with 0-0} 8. bxc3 Nbc6 9. f4 Na5 {The deployment of the knights to the queen-side is not effective. Again, 0-0 is the best move.} 10. Bd3 Nec6 11. Ba3 Bd7 12. Rb1 Qf6 13. e5 Qh6 14. Ng3 O-O-O 15. Ne4 f6 16. Nc5 {With a threat of Na6 bxa6; Ba6 mate!} b6 {Nb8 to protect a6} 17. Nxa6 {Ba6+ seems more to the point since after Kb8 the b-pawn is pinned. White could also just play Qe2 since bxc5 unleashes a bloodbath starting with Ba6+} fxe5 18. dxe5 {fxe5 brings the second rook into the attack. Qe3+ is irrelevant.} Nxe5 {An interesting sacrifice, but not sufficient} 19. fxe5 Qe3+ 20. Kh1 Qxe5 {Bb5; Qf3 Qf3; Rf3 Rd3 still leaves White a piece ahead.} 21. Qf3 {Threatening Qa8 mate!} Bc6 22. Qh3 Qxc3 {Seeking to recover a piece, but this opens the c-file for the White rooks.} 23. Qxe6+ Bd7 24. Qe4 Bc6 {I was expecting Qg4+ Bd7; Qf3 Bc6; Bf5+ winning the Black queen. White gains time with another mate threat.} 25. Qf4 Bxg2+ 26. Kxg2 Rxd3 27. Bb4 {Rfc is simpler} Qc6+ 28. Kg1 Rhd8 29. Rfc1 R8d4 30. Qxc7+ Qxc7 31. Rxc7+ Kd8 32. Be7+ Ke8 33. Re1 Rd1 34. Bh4+ Re4 35. Rc8+ Kd7 36. Rd8+ Kc6 37. Rdxd1 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event ""] [Site "The Proving Ground"] [Date "2023.03.21"] [Round "3"] [White "Frank, Cole"] [Black "Alford, Joseph"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C78"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "2023.03.02"] [SourceDate "2023.03.21"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 Bc5 6. O-O d6 7. h3 {Too passive for Fritz who wants Bc6+ or c3} h6 8. c3 O-O 9. Re1 b5 10. Bc2 Bb7 11. Nbd2 {Fritz does not approve of this Spanish Torture massing of pieces on the king-side. He says it is time for d4.} Re8 12. Nf1 d5 13. exd5 Nxd5 14. Ng3 b4 {But this throws away most of Black’s advantage. Logical moves are Qd7 or Bb6} 15. Ne4 Bb6 16. c4 Nf6 17. Qe2 Nd4 18. Nxd4 Bxd4 19. Rb1 Nxe4 20. dxe4 Qf6 21. Be3 Rad8 22. Ba4 Bxe4 {This favors White, says Fritz. The rook should move to e7 or e6} 23. Bxe8 {Fritz says this is good enough for equality, but Bd4 is much better.} Qg6 24. Qg4 Qxg4 25. hxg4 Bxb1 26. Bxf7+ Kxf7 27. Rxb1 c5 {Be3 followed by a rook penetration} 28. Rd1 Kg6 {Ke7 With the pieces off the board, Black is better.} 29. Kf1 Rf8 30. Ke2 Bxe3 31. Kxe3 Rf4 32. Rd6+ Kg5 33. b3 Rf6 {Black has over-extended. White is now better.} 34. Rd5 Rc6 35. Rxe5+ Kxg4 { Material equality, but Black’s king is in constant danger and White’s king is ready to attack.} 36. Ke4 h5 {Now Black does not control g4} 37. f3+ Kh4 38. f4 Rg6 39. Kf3 Rg3+ 40. Kf2 Rd3 41. Rxc5 Rd2+ 42. Kf3 Rd3+ 43. Ke2 Rg3 44. Kf2 Rd3 45. g3+ Rxg3 46. Rxh5+ Kxh5 47. Kxg3 Kg6 48. Kg4 Kf6 49. c5 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event ""] [Site "The Proving Ground"] [Date "2023.03.14"] [Round "3"] [White "Alford, Joseph"] [Black "Frank, Cole"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B34"] [PlyCount "74"] [EventDate "2023.03.07"] [SourceDate "2023.03.14"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Bg7 5. Bc4 Nc6 6. c3 Nf6 7. Qe2 d5 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. O-O O-O 11. Rd1 Be6 12. Bb3 Qc7 13. c4 Nb6 14. Nc3 Rad8 15. Be3 Rxd1+ 16. Rxd1 Rd8 17. c5 Nd5 18. Ne4 {this loses the b-pawn and the game.} Nxe3 19. fxe3 Bxb3 20. axb3 Rxd1+ 21. Qxd1 Bxb2 {Simple. Fritz prefers Qe5 or even better f5.} 22. b4 Qe5 23. Qd3 Ba3 {imaginative. Fritz prefers simple moves like h6 or Kg7} 24. Qxa3 Qxe4 25. Kf2 Qh4+ 26. Kf1 Qxh2 27. Qxa7 Qh1+ 28. Kf2 Qh4+ 29. Kf3 Kg7 30. Qb8 h5 31. Qe5+ Qf6+ 32. Qxf6+ {Ke4. Now Black’s king is close enough that b5 doesn’t work.} Kxf6 33. Ke4 Ke6 34. Kd4 g5 35. Ke4 f5+ 36. Kf3 Kd5 37. g3 Kc4 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "JosephOAlford simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/naPxTIgr"] [Date "2023.03.09"] [Round "2"] [White "JosephOAlford"] [Black "bitterroot88"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C65"] [WhiteElo "1890"] [BlackElo "1688"] [PlyCount "74"] [EventDate "2023.03.02"] [TimeControl "G/60; 5"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O a6 {Black must protect e5 before initiating this trade} 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. Nxe5 Bd6 {Not Ne4; Re1} 7. Nf3 Ng4 8. h3 Ne5 9. d4 Nxf3+ 10. Qxf3 O-O 11. c4 Re8 12. Nc3 b5 {The rook hanging on a8 makes this inadvisable. Bd7 is better.} 13. cxb5 axb5 14. e5 Bf8 15. Nxb5 Ba6 16. Qxc6 Bxb5 {Fritz shows a slight Black advantage after Re6; Qc7 Bb5} 17. Qxb5 Qxd4 18. Be3 Qe4 {I expected Qe5 which is 2nd choice for Fritz. He likes Qe4 better, though both moves favor White.} 19. Rfc1 Rxe5 20. Qc6 Rc8 {Pinning the pawn. Fritz says trade queens and play Bd6} 21. Qxe4 Rxe4 22. Rc6 f5 23. Rac1 Bd6 {Blunder, but it is not clear how Black can stop the queen-side pawns. } 24. Rxd6 f4 25. Bb6 Rce8 26. Bxc7 f3 27. gxf3 Re2 28. Rd8 Kf7 29. Rxe8 Kxe8 30. b4 Rxa2 31. b5 Ra3 32. Rb1 Rxf3 33. b6 Rf8 34. b7 Kd7 35. b8=Q Rxb8 36. Bxb8 Kc6 37. Kg2 h5 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "JosephOAlford simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/SpmIAgUx"] [Date "2023.03.09"] [Round "2"] [White "JosephOAlford"] [Black "daone309"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C65"] [WhiteElo "1890"] [BlackElo "1668"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2023.03.02"] [TimeControl "G/60; 5"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Bc5 5. Nc3 O-O 6. d3 d6 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. Nd5 Qd8 10. c3 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 12. b4 Bb6 13. Nxb6 {Fritz is not impressed with White’s king-side attack. Starting here, he shows a slight advantage to Black.} axb6 14. g4 Bg6 15. Nh2 d5 16. exd5 Qxd5 17. Bc4 Qd8 18. f4 b5 {sacrificing a pawn to free the king-side. Fritz thinks Black may be giving up too much.} 19. Bxb5 f5 20. Bxc6 bxc6 21. fxe5 Qh4 22. Kg2 fxg4 23. Qxg4 Qxg4+ 24. hxg4 Rxf1 25. Nxf1 Bxd3 26. Nd2 Ra3 27. e6 Kf8 28. Nb3 Bc4 29. Nd4 {sacrificing a pawn to get the a-pawn moving. Black should take the a-pawn. Fritz prefers taking the c-pawn} Rxc3 30. a4 {And now Fritz evaluates to a slight advantage to Black again. He prefers Re1 with e7+ and a knight helping to queen.} c5 {This is not a sacrifice since Black recovers the pawn immediately. Black breaks up White’s queen-side pawns, but Fritz likes g6 either before or after Bd5+ to keep out the knight.} 31. bxc5 Bd5+ 32. Kf2 Rxc5 33. a5 Ke7 34. a6 {Please, win my e-pawn letting my a-pawn queen.} Ba8 35. a7 Rd5 36. Ke3 Re5+ 37. Kd3 Be4+ 38. Kc3 Rc5+ {The bishop had to return to a8. White has winning chances after Ba8; Ra6 with Nf5+ coming.} 39. Kb4 Rg5 40. Nf5+ {Note that a8/Q is not sufficient. Ba8; Ra8 c5+ with a win for Black!} Kxe6 41. Re1 Rxg4 42. a8=Q 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "Rated Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/VjxxhuvP"] [Date "2023.03.02"] [Round "1"] [White "Newman, Steven, bitterroot88"] [Black "Brown, Dawon, daone309"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D06"] [WhiteElo "1731"] [BlackElo "1615"] [PlyCount "126"] [EventDate "2023.03.02"] [TimeControl "G/60, 6"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 {The pawn should be defended by a pawn, either e6 or c6. Now White could grab the center with cd Nd5; e4 or cd Qd5; Nc3 with e4 to follow} 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Bf4 {Fritz says play in the center with cd Nd5; e4} Bf5 5. Nb5 e5 6. dxe5 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 {Bd2 is much safer. See the next note.} Ne4 { Second choice for Fritz. It is logical to use the attacked knight to increase the attack on c3, but here d4 would give Black an overwhelming attack. Okay, just a better attack after d4; Bd2} 8. Qxd5 Qxd5 {Big advantage to Black, but Fritz agrees that Nc3 is deadly} 9. cxd5 Nd4 {Advantage shifts back to White. Again, Nc3 is a killer} 10. O-O-O {Rc1 is a good defense that does not lose a rook} Nxf2 11. Rxd4 Bxc3 12. bxc3 Nxh1 13. e4 {Not a bad move, but Be3 to trap the knight is better.} Bd7 14. a4 {Wasting time. Be3 and g3 and Bg2 with an even game.} O-O {Saving the knight with Nf2 should be a priority over the next few moves.} 15. g3 c5 16. dxc6 {activating Black’s pieces. Rd2 and Bg2} Bxc6 17. Bb5 Bxb5 18. axb5 Rad8 19. Ne2 h6 {Last chance to bring the knight back into the game.} 20. Be3 Rde8 21. Rd5 f6 22. Bd4 fxe5 23. Rxe5 Rxe5 24. Bxe5 Nf2 25. Nf4 Nxe4 26. Kc2 g5 27. Nd3 Rf5 28. Bd4 Rxb5 29. Bxa7 Ra5 30. Bd4 Ra2+ 31. Nb2 Kf7 32. c4 Ke6 33. Kd3 Kf5 34. Ke3 Nd6 35. h3 Ra1 {Fritz points out Rb2; Bb2 Nc4+ and White can resign.} 36. g4+ Ke6 37. c5 Nb5 {Nf7 to protect the pawns. White should reply Bg7} 38. Nd3 Nxd4 39. Kxd4 Rf1 40. c6 bxc6 41. Nc5+ Kf6 42. Ne4+ Kg6 43. Ke3 Rh1 44. Nf2 Re1+ 45. Kd4 Rc1 46. Ne4 c5+ {Why give up the pawn? It is a useful distraction for an attack on White’s pawns.} 47. Nxc5 Rh1 48. Ne4 Rxh3 49. Nf2 Rf3 50. Nd3 Kf6 51. Ke4 Rxd3 {Thinking the king will now penetrate which does not happen. But it should. Fritz says yes to the trade.} 52. Kxd3 Ke5 (52... Kg6 53. Ke3 h5 54. gxh5+ Kxh5 55. Kf3 Kh4 56. Kg2 Kg4 57. Kh2 Kf3 58. Kh3 g4+ 59. Kh2 Kf2 60. Kh1 Kg3 61. Kg1 Kh3 62. Kh1 g3 63. Kg1 g2) 53. Ke3 Kf6 54. Ke4 Kg6 55. Kf3 h5 56. gxh5+ Kxh5 57. Kg3 g4 58. Kg2 Kh4 59. Kh2 g3+ 60. Kg2 Kg4 61. Kg1 Kh3 62. Kh1 g2+ 63. Kg1 Kg3 1/2-1/2 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.