Bloomington Normal Chess Club

First Virtual Club Games

Club members gathered in the club Discord server on Thursday, April 16th to test the concept of running virtual games through the Lichess.org platform. Here are the game results, with annotations from Joseph Alford.

Link to PGN file of all games is here.

Players:Open                                                              Page 1

 No.             Name              ID    Exp.  St Gr Rate  Pts
    1 JosephOAlford(Alford)     10279241 9999 IL     1500  3.0
    2 LaughingVulcan(Erickson)  12739236 0520 IL     1500  0.0
    3 MihirBafna(Bafna)         13737414 0320 IL     1500  1.0
    4 UKWildcat(Smith)          12816225 0420 IL     1500  2.0


TCCC First Virtual Tournament -- Open                         Wall Chart, Page 1

      Name/State ID               Group  Rate  Rnd 1   Rnd 2   Rnd 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------
   1. JosephOAlford(Alford)             |1500 |  W 4  |  B 2  |  W 3  |
         IL  10279241                   |     |  1.0  |  2.0  |  3.0  |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
   2. UKWildcat(Smith)                  |1500 |  B 3  |  W 1  |  B 4  |
         IL  12816225                   |     |  1.0  |  1.0  |  2.0  |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
   3. MihirBafna(Bafna)                 |1500 |  W 2  |  B 4  |  B 1  |
         IL  13737414                   |     |  0.0  |  1.0  |  1.0  |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
   4. LaughingVulcan(Erickson)          |1500 |  B 1  |  W 3  |  W 2  |
         IL  12739236                   |     |  0.0  |  0.0  |  0.0  |
----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "First TCCC Virtual Tournament"] [Site "https://lichess.org/OovkGGs6"] [Date "2020.05.01"] [Round "3"] [White "Alford, Joseph"] [Black "Bafna, Mihir"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1900"] [BlackElo "1828"] [ECO "B22"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [PlyCount "52"] [TimeControl "G/60 inc 5"] [Annotator "Joseph O. Alford"] 1.e4 c5 2.c3 g6 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O Rb8 6.a4 d6 7.Re1 Nf6 8.d4 Bg4 9.dxc5 {I saw that this would allow Ne5, but that lets me win a pawn and a pawn is worth a little trouble.} 9...Ne5 {Fritz agrees that this is a bad move. dc; Qe2 Ne5; Nbd2 favors White but not as much.} 10.Bb5+ Kf8 { Interposing with any minor piece allows cd} 11.cxd6 Bxf3 {Nf3+; gf costs a piece.} 12.dxe7+ Qxe7 13.gxf3 Rd8 14.Qe2 a6 {The bishop could retreat to c4. Black’s knight can’t take on c4 and f3. I figured if he takes my bishop then he develops my rook. And, when ahead, trade.} 15.f4 Neg4 16.e5 {Black resigned, thinking he was losing a piece. But here is where the game really begins. The next moves are (mostly) according to Fritz.} 16... axb5 17.exf6 {Fritz prefers ab. During the game, I saw that winning a piece on Black’s side of the board would cost me my bishop to a rook check. I saw that I would have all my pieces tied down defending b1. But count the pawns. I went for it.} 17...Qxe2 18.fxg7+ Kxg7 19.Rxe2 Rd1+ 20. Kg2 Rxc1 21.axb5 {Fritz suggests either f5 or h3, both moves that I would need later. I did not consider either a5 or Re7 trying to pass the a-pawn or double rooks on the 7th. More Fritz ideas.} 21...Rd8 22.b3 {Fritz says defending with b3 as I did in the post-mortem is a blunder. He still likes f5 or h3.} 22...Rdd1 23.Rb2 Rg1+ 24.Kf3 Rce1 {oops. Mihir said the in post-mortem, hey! I’m mating you. well, no, but it’s bad.} 25.Re2 {Fritz points out that f5 N5+ and a fork will cost me a rook} 25...Nxh2+ 26.Ke3 Rxb1 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "First TCCC Virtual Tournament"] [Site "https://lichess.org/MVHxdjgd"] [Date "2020.05.01"] [Round "3"] [White "Erickson, Darren"] [Black "Smith, Jeffrey"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "826"] [BlackElo "1435"] [ECO "C42"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [PlyCount "48"] [TimeControl "G/60 inc 5"] [Annotator "Joseph O. Alford"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nxe4 {First d6; Nf3 and then Ne4} 4.Qe2 d5 5.Nc3 {d3 Nf6?? (Qe7; de Qe4; ed); Nc6+ wins the queen} 5...Nxc3 6.bxc3 {dc3 to bring the bishop into the game.} 6...Be7 7.Nf3 O-O 8.d4 Re8 9.g3 {White does need to 0-0, but this is too slow. Be3} 9...Ba3 {Fritz likes Bb4} 10. Be3 Bb2 11.Rb1 Bxc3+ 12.Nd2 {Fritz says Kd1 is less painful} 12...Nc6 13. Rb3 {Too slow. there is no saving the pawn. Qd3 or Kd1.} 13...Bxd4 14.Qd3 Bxe3 15.fxe3 d4 16.Bg2 {e4. The pawn needs to stay alive long enough for White to 0-0} 16...Rxe3+ 17.Qxe3 dxe3 18.Rxe3 Nd4 19.O-O Nxc2 20.Re4 { Maybe he’ll play Qd2 allowing Re8 mate} 20...Bf5 {When ahead, trade.} 21. Rxf5 Qxd2 22.Rfe5 {Again threatening mate} 22...Kf8 23.Re2 Qd4+ 24.Kh1 Qd1+ 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "First TCCC Virtual Tournament"] [Site "https://lichess.org/1TZkxveQ"] [Date "2020.04.24"] [Round "2"] [White "Erickson, Darren"] [Black "Bafna, Mihir"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B42"] [WhiteElo "826"] [BlackElo "1828"] [PlyCount "114"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [TimeControl "G/60 5 inc"] [Annotator "Alford, Joseph"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Qc7 6. a3 {0-0} Nf6 7. Bg5 { Fritz points out that this allows Ne4; Be4 Qe5 and Black has won a pawn. He suggests instead 0-0, almost always a good idea. Other suggestions are c4 to prevent d5 or f4 beginning a king-side attack or Nc3. I like 0-0.} Bc5 {Black does not worry about Bf6 because that would open a file leading to the White king.} 8. c3 {Nf3} Qb6 9. Be3 {White has weaknesses on b2, f2, and d4. This protects only two of those. Qc2 protects the second rank and gives White a move to protect the knight because of Bd4; cd Qd4??; Qc8+ After Black castles (Fritz suggests Nc6 instead), White can move the knight.} Qxb2 10. Nd2 Qxc3 11. Qc2 {Protecting d3, but leaving a1 unguarded} Qxa1+ 12. Qb1 Qxb1+ 13. Nxb1 Bxd4 14. Bxd4 Nc6 15. Bc5 b5 16. O-O Bb7 17. f3 Ne5 18. Rd1 Rc8 19. Bb4 Nxd3 20. Rxd3 Rc1+ 21. Kf2 Rxb1 22. h3 Rxb4 23. axb4 O-O 24. Rd6 Bc6 25. Rd2 Ra8 26. Ra2 Kf8 27. Ke3 Ke7 28. Kd4 d6 29. e5 dxe5+ 30. Kxe5 Nd5 31. Rb2 f6+ 32. Kd4 Kd6 33. f4 Nxf4 34. Rd2 Nd5 35. Ke4 f5+ 36. Kf3 a5 37. bxa5 Rxa5 38. Ke2 b4 39. Kd1 b3 40. Kc1 Rc5+ 41. Kb2 Rc2+ 42. Rxc2 bxc2 43. Kxc2 Ne3+ 44. Kd2 Bxg2 45. Kxe3 Bxh3 46. Kd4 g5 47. Ke3 g4 48. Kd4 g3 49. Ke3 g2 50. Kd4 g1=Q+ 51. Kc4 Bf1+ 52. Kb4 Qc5+ 53. Kb3 Kd5 54. Kb2 Kd4 55. Kb3 Qc1 56. Kb4 Qb2+ 57. Ka5 Qb5# 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "First TCCC Virtual Tournament"] [Site "https://lichess.org/a4P2iA20"] [Date "2020.04.23"] [Round "2"] [White "Smith, Jeffrey"] [Black "Alford, Joseph"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C29"] [WhiteElo "1435"] [BlackElo "1920"] [PlyCount "70"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [TimeControl "G/60 5 inc"] [Annotator "Alford, Joseph"] 1. e4 e5 2. f4 {The King’s Gambit is an excellent choice against a stronger player. Few people play it these days, so if you have studied some lines you can quickly gain an overwhelming attack.} Nf6 {Iago’s Defense (Ignore And Get Out Springer) is my favorite response to this opening.} 3. Nc3 {I think this is the best response. fe Ne4; Nf3 Ng5; d4 Nf3+; Qf3 Qh4+; Qf2 Qf2+; Kf2 and White’s long-lasting attack does not exist.} d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nxe4 dxe4 6. Qe2 {Qe4 and also Qb5+. I think d4 ed; Bd3 would give White a better game.} Bf5 7. g3 {Much too slow. I expected Qb5+ Nd7; Qb7 Rab; Qa7 Bc5 wth what I hoped would be a powerful attack for my pawns.} Nc6 8. Bg2 Nd4 9. Qc4 {Qd1 looks safer} b5 10. Qc3 Bb4 11. Qxd4 Qxd4 12. c3 Bxc3 13. dxc3 Qd3 14. Bf1 Qd5 15. Be3 {preventing e3 and hoping to activate the rook} Rd8 16. Be2 O-O 17. g4 Bg6 18. Nh3 f5 19. Nf4 Qxe5 20. gxf5 Bxf5 21. O-O g5 22. Bd4 {Ng2} Rxd4 23. cxd4 Qxd4+ 24. Kh1 gxf4 25. Rg1+ Kh8 26. b3 f3 27. Bxb5 f2 28. Rgd1 Qc5 29. Bc4 e3 30. Kg2 e2 31. Bxe2 Be4+ 32. Kf1 Qe3 33. Bg4 Bd3+ 34. Rxd3 Qxd3+ 35. Be2 Qh3# 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "First TCCC Virtual Tournament"] [Site "https://lichess.org/BrjspEXV"] [Date "2020.04.17"] [Round "1"] [White "Alford, Joseph"] [Black "Erickson, Darren"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C68"] [WhiteElo "1500"] [BlackElo "1500"] [PlyCount "35"] [EventDate "2020.04.16"] [TimeControl "G/30d5"] [Annotator "Joseph O. Alford"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 {dc so that Ne5 can be met with Qd4; Nf3 Qe4+ and Black has a better game based on the two bishops} 5. O-O Bb7 {d6 to protect e5 and to give the bishop access to the center.} 6. Nxe5 Nh6 {Not Qe7; Nf3 Qe4; Re1 However, this is a terrible place for the knight. It has place to go and does not do a good job of protecting the king. Nf6 was better. Or d6 or Be7} 7. d4 d6 8. Nf3 Be7 9. Nc3 {The engine suggests BxN, but that open g-file goes both ways and White’s king is on this end of it.} Qd7 10. e5 Nf5 {000 BxN for White would give Black some attacking chances on the g-file.} 11. d5 {opening lines against the king which is still stuck in the center.} cxd5 12. Nxd5 Bxd5 {000 or 00 would be better, though this move should not lose.} 13. Qxd5 Qb5 {But this move does lose. 0-0 would protect everything.} 14. Qxa8+ Bd8 15. Bg5 O-O 16. Bxd8 Qxf1+ {Qd7 would recover a piece, but Black would still be down a rook. Black is “getting it over with”.} 17. Rxf1 Rxd8 18. Qxd8# 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "First TCCC Virtual Tournament"] [Site "https://lichess.org/HWQmAV4w"] [Date "2020.04.17"] [Round "1"] [White "Bafna, Mihir"] [Black "Smith, Jeff"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C62"] [WhiteElo "1721"] [BlackElo "1500"] [PlyCount "114"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [TimeControl "G/30d5"] [Annotator "Joseph Alford"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. c3 Bd7 5. O-O Nf6 6. Qe2 Be7 7. Rd1 O-O 8. Ba4 a6 9. Bc2 Bg4 10. d3 d5 11. Nbd2 dxe4 12. dxe4 Qc8 13. Nf1 Rd8 14. Bg5 Rxd1 { Why give White the d-file? Qe6} 15. Rxd1 h6 16. Bh4 g5 {I don’t like this weakening of Black’s King-side. I still like Qe6 with Rd8 to follow} 17. Bg3 Nh5 18. h3 Nxg3 19. Nxg3 Bxf3 {This frees up White’s pieces to attack the weakened King-side. Be6} 20. Qxf3 Bc5 {That’s a one-piece attack. Perhaps Qe6; Bb3 Qf6, White’s control of the d-file and Black’s weak king-side pawns look very bad for him.} 21. Nf5 Kh7 22. Qh5 Qe6 23. Bb3 {Fritz suggests Rd7 is even stronger.} Qg6 24. Bxf7 Qxh5 25. Bxh5 Rd8 {Generally, you don’t trade when you are behind, but White’s rook cannot be allowed access to the 7th rank.} 26. Rd5 Rxd5 27. exd5 Ne7 28. b4 {White refutes this nicely. I would have played Bf2+ to pass the e-pawn.} Bxb4 29. cxb4 Nxf5 30. Kf1 Kg7 31. Ke2 Kf6 {Fritz actually calls this a blunder with either Kd3 or Bf3 as slightly plus for White. He likes e4 to hold back the White king.} 32. Kd3 Nd6 33. a4 Kf5 34. Bg4+ Kf6 {Kf4; g3 mate would be embarassing.} 35. g3 b6 36. h4 a5 37. hxg5+ { A serious mistake that costs the b-pawn. ba was correct} Kxg5 38. Be6 {Be2 to keep out both the king and the knight and to blockade the e-pawn. Fritz also shows ba Kg4; a6 Nc8; Ke4 as only slightly in Black’s favor.} axb4 39. Kc2 Ne4 40. Kb3 Nxf2 41. Kxb4 e4 42. Kc4 {Kc3 is a better try to get in front of the e-pawn.} e3 43. Kc3 Ng4 44. Kd3 h5 45. Ke2 Kf6 46. Kf3 {I did not realize this was a blunder. Kd3 Ke5; Bf7} Ke5 {The black king is going to crowd the White king and queen the e-pawn} 47. Bxg4 {Bf7 is the best chance.} hxg4+ 48. Kxe3 Kxd5 49. Kf4 c5 50. Kxg4 c4 {Ke4 or Kd4. Now White has a chance.} 51. Kh5 { Wrong way. Kf3 Kd4; Ke2 Kc3; g4 White’s effort to get in front of Black’s pawn has forced Black to block his own pawn. Now both sides should queen.} (51. Kf3 Kd4 52. Ke2 Kc3 53. g4 Kb3 54. g5 c3 55. g6 c2 56. g7 c1=Q 57. g8=Q+ Kxa4) 51... Ke6 52. g4 Kf7 53. Kh6 Kg8 54. g5 c3 55. g6 c2 56. g7 c1=Q+ 57. Kg6 Qg1+ 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.