#747 Smith-Morra Gambit

I have uploaded a replay board and zip file with several Smith-Morra Gambit games. My simul loss to IM Mark Esserman is included along with model GM/IM examples for Black and a look at a critical piece-sac:

White must try 9.Nd5!

Otherwise he's worse.

#746 More Rahway Games

The 4 games I played at Chess Mates on June 30 and August 29 (+1-3=0) have been uploaded in java-replay and PGN.

#745 Forthcoming Posts

Unlike previous years, I will not be taking an extended holiday hiatus.

So, between now and January 6th, stay tuned for...

• Updates on my ongoing ICCF games and the UKR-USA mis-match
• My crummy Chess Mates games from June 30 & August 29
• A long-postponed post on the Smith-Morra Gambit
• The preliminary Kenilworth CC Calendar for 2011
• A correspondence flashback to 1991-92
• Games from the New Year's Eve event I'm playing in
• And even more stuff!

#744 Trustees Resolution

Lou Sturniolo deferred his term as KCC Trustee and will serve from 2012-2014. Pat Mazzillo will serve from 2011-2013, as voted on December 23rd.

Bill Sokolosky's term expires at the end of 2011. Greg Tomkovich has 2 years left (2011 & 2012).

#743 Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays to all my chess friends, acquaintances and readers.

#742 Kenilworth Ch. Starts January 13th

The 21st 20th Kenilworth Chess Club Championship will begin on Thursday, January 13th, 2011 and run through February 10th, 2011. Here are the details :

21st KCC Championship

• non-rated
• 5-round Swiss
• January 13th-February 10th, 2011
• G/90 time control
• Rounds to start at 8:20 p.m. every Thursday, for the duration of the event.
• Prizes : TBA
• EF: $10 entry fee + $5 anti-forfeit deposit + dues (= $30 for most players)
• KCC membership is required (Dues: $7.50 for those age 17 or less, $10 for those age 65+, $15 for everyone else)
• Register with TD Geoff McAuliffe by 8:20 p.m. on 1/13/2011

19 players took part in the 20th 19th Championship, which was won by NM Arthur Macaspac.

#741 Business Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the Kenilworth Chess Club's Annual Business Meeting:

- USATE sponsorship in the amount of one full entry fee ($145) was approved. Funds will be divided between teams that contain 4 KCC members and use KCC (or Kenilworth) in the team name.

- The 2011 Club Championship will be non-rated but will otherwise use the same format as 2010.

- Membership rates for 2011 will be the same as 2010


- The following officers were elected by acclamation:

• President: John Moldovan
• Vice President: Ian Mangion
• Treasurer and Tournament Director: Geoff McAuliffe
• Secretary: Joe Renna

- Pat Mazzillo and Lou Sturniolo were elected Trustees (by acclamation) but it was later learned (by checking a KCC Minutes post from Jan. 4th) that just 1 spot should have been up for grabs.

#740 Consultation Notes

A replay board and zip with notes to and rants about the KCC's recently concluded consultation game have been uploaded.

#739 GSCL Round 3 Games

I uploaded the 3rd round Garden State League games more than a week ago but forgot to post the links (replay, PGN) here.


In case you haven't been keeping-up, Kenilworth's Karpovs (3-0) are in 1st place, having beaten Summit, Sparta & Chess Mates.

The Kortchnois (1-1) are tied for 5th. They've lost to Summit & defeated Sparta.

#738 John Ballow Wins 18th USCCC

John Ballow has clinched 1st place in the 18th U.S. Correspondence Championship. He scored 9.5/14 and did not lose a game. Gary Walters can match the 9.5 but has a loss and would thus lose on tiebreaks.

In a recent email, John wrote "My best game was against Wilson (rated at one time over 2400 USCF). I traded my queen for 3 minor pieces" with 31.Nxe6!!

Here it is:

John Ballow 2355 - Abe Wilson 2200

18th USCCC 2009-10

C92 Ruy Lopez

Closed Defense

Flohr-Zaitsev Variation

PGN of all the completed 18th USCCC games (91 of 105)

Ballow's profile.

ICCF-US press release.

The release states that John started playing cc in 2007 but, as I mentioned in post #733, we played via postal in 1991-92.

#737 Black Wins KCC Consultation Game

Black won the consultation game held at the Kenilworth Chess Club 12/9 & 12/16.

PGN, replay & annotations will follow.

Adjourned Position

31. f4 {sealed move} Qe6 32. Kf2 Rb5 33. c4 Rc5 34. Qc3 Qf6 35. Qd2 Rc6 36. Ra3 Rb6 37. Ra2 Rb3 38. Ke2 Ra6 39. Ra3 Rab6 40. Rxb3 Rxb3 41. Kf1 {Black resigned} 0-1

#736 USA Trails Ukraine

After two and a half weeks of play in their correspondence match vs.the Ukraine, the United States trails 1-0 and is losing in 5 other games. All the damage is taking place on the lower boards.

Some contests are already at turn 27 but twelve have yet to begin. Mine, an English and a French, are at moves 3 and 7.

Here is the finished game:

[Event "Ukraine - USA Rossolimo-100 Memorial"]
[Site "ICCF"]
[Date "2010"]

[White "Sukhanitskij, Stanislav"]
[Black "Lewis, Jerome A"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B01"]

[PlyCount "51"]
[EventDate "2010.11.29"]
[WhiteTeam "Ukraine"]
[BlackTeam "USA"]

{board 56, Scandinavian Defense}

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 a6 6. g3 Bg4 7. Bg2 Nc6 8. O-O g6 $2 $146 9. Bf4 Qd7 10. d5 Nb4 11. Qd2 Rd8 12. Ne5 Qc8 13. a3 Nbxd5 14. Nxg4 Qxg4 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 e6 17. Qc3 Rxd5 18. Qxh8 Ke7 19. Bxc7 h5 20. Be5 g5 21. Bf6+ Ke8 22. Bg7 Qf3 23. Qxf8+ Kd7 24. Rae1 h4 25. Re3 Qh5 26. Rc3 1-0

PGN of all 128 games (5-move delay, no ECO codes)

Crosstable