#1279 Kenilworth Championship - Round 2 Annotations

Against Paul Gottlieb, I made a tactical error on move 13, that went unpunished, & stumbled my way to victory:

[Event "27th Kenilworth Club Championship"] [Site "Kenilworth, NJ"] [Date "2018.01.11"] [Round "2"] [White "Moldovan, John"] [Black "Gottlieb, Paul"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E32"] [WhiteElo "1802"] [BlackElo "1575"] [Annotator "Moldovan,John"] [PlyCount "57"] [EventDate "2018.01.11"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "USA"] [Source "Moldovan, John"] [SourceDate "2018.01.19"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2018.01.19"] [SourceQuality "1"] {Board 5. G/75+5 (delay). E32 Nimzo-Indian Defense, Classical Variation (by transposition)} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. Bg5 O-O {This is considered premature as the K's position usually makes breaking the pin more of an issue.[#]} (5... Bb7 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 g5 8. Bg3 Ne4 9. Qc2 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 d6 {(Hasek - Vecsey : Prague 1928), which classified as a Q's Indian, rather than a Nimzo, is the main line.}) 6. Qc2 {This avoids doubled Ps} ({but} 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 Bb7 8. Bd3 {(Kalabar - Censer : London Olympiad 1927) offered the best chance of exploiting the enemy's move order & gaining an edge.}) ({If} 6. e4 h6 7. Bh4 {Black keeps the balance with} g5 $1 8. Nxg5 $1 Nxe4 $1 {(Sendinc - A. Mueller : Frankfurt 1999)}) 6... h6 7. Bh4 Bb7 8. a3 {Perhaps I should have omitted this} ({& opted for} 8. e3 d6 9. Bd3 Nbd7 10. O-O {(Gilg - Ahues : Kecskemet 1927) instead.}) 8... Bxc3+ 9. Qxc3 d6 10. Nd2 $5 {With the ambitious idea of building a big center with f3 + e4.} (10. e3 Nbd7 11. Bd3 Qe8 {(E. Khan - Eperjesi : Budapest 1993) is equal.}) 10... Nbd7 11. f3 e5 (11... c5) (11... Rc8 {favored by Karpov, Kramnik & Anand}) (11... d5) ({&} 11... Re8 {are good, too.}) 12. d5 (12. e4 $142 exd4 $140 13. Qxd4 {I . Sokolov - Luther : Politiken Cup, Copenhagen 1991}) 12... a5 {[#] With ideas of ...Nc5 & ...a4.} ({I expected} 12... c6 $146 13. dxc6 Bxc6) 13. b3 $2 $146 {This is positionally desirable but tactically flawed.} (13. e4 $142 $11 {(E. Popov - Razumichin : correspondence, Russia 2001), reinforcing d5 & keeping my Q protected,}) ({or} 13. e3 a4 14. Bd3 $11 {Fustar - Marinkov : Belgrade 2009}) 13... Nc5 $2 (13... Nxd5 $1 14. Bxd8 Nxc3 15. Bxc7 d5 {would have given Black a clear plus.}) 14. e3 g5 $2 (14... Nxd5 $142 $1 15. Bxd8 Nxc3 16. Bxc7 a4 $1 $11) 15. Bf2 {Now White has the advantage.} Ne8 $2 (15... e4 $142 $16) 16. h4 $6 (16. e4 $142) 16... Qf6 $2 (16... f5 $142 $16) ({or} 16... g4 $16) 17. Be2 $2 (17. hxg5 $142 hxg5 18. e4 $18) 17... e4 18. Qxf6 ({Not} 18. Nxe4 $4 Nxe4 $19) 18... Nxf6 {[#]} 19. hxg5 hxg5 20. O-O-O $2 (20. f4 $142 g4 (20... gxf4 21. exf4 $18) 21. Bh4 $16) 20... exf3 $4 {Giving me the g-file makes no sense.} (20... b5 $142 21. cxb5 Bxd5 $14) 21. gxf3 $18 Rfe8 22. Kc2 b5 (22... Kf8 $142) 23. e4 bxc4 24. bxc4 Ba6 $2 (24... Kf8 $142) 25. Bd4 Kg7 $2 (25... Ncd7 $142) 26. Rdg1 (26. f4 $142 $1) 26... Kg6 $2 (26... Ncd7 $142) 27. Rg2 $6 (27. f4 $142 $1) 27... Nfd7 $2 {[#]} (27... Rh8 $142 28. Rxh8 Rxh8 29. f4 Ncd7) 28. f4 $1 f6 ({If} 28... Nxe4 {then} 29. Bh5+ Kf5 (29... Kh7 30. Bxf7#) 30. Bg4+ Kxf4 (30... Kg6 31. f5#) 31. Rf1+ Nf2 $8 32. Rfxf2#) 29. Bh5+ {Black resigns. Time left - Moldovan 19:16, Gottlieb 13:13. Estimated time used - Moldovan 58:09, Gottlieb 64:12. Longest thinks: White - 9 minutes for 13.b3?. Black - 6 minutes at turns 13, 14, 15 & 16.} ({After} 29. Bh5+ Kg7 30. Bxe8 (30. fxg5 Rh8 31. gxf6+ Kf8 32. Rg7) 30... Rxe8 31. Rxg5+ {White wins an Exchange & P.}) ({ However, even} 29. Rxg5+ $142 $3 fxg5 30. Bh5+ Kh7 $8 31. Bf7#) 1-0

#1278 Kenilworth Championship - Round 2 Photos

Captions to follow.

#1277 Kenilworth Championship - Round 2 Results

Luis Ruales (697) & Sam Abujawdeh (unrated) late-joined.

Additional late-joins permitted until the start of round 3 at the TD's discretion.

2nd round results, by board number:

1. Benitez 0-1 Kernighan
2. Selling 1/2-1/2 Pelican
3. Abujawdeh 1/2-1/2 McCorkell
4. Ruales 0-1 McAuliffe
5. Moldovan 1-0 Gottlieb
6. Tomkovich 1-0 Dovydaitis

Standings after round 2 of 7:

1. Kernighan 2.0
= 2-4. Selling, Pelican, McAuliffe 1.5
= 5-9. Benitez, Moldovan, Abujawdeh, Tomkovich, McCorkell 1.0
10. Ruales 0.5
= 11-12. Gottlieb, Dovydaitis 0.0

Photos and my win will follow.

#1276 Kenilworth Championship - Round 1 Photos

Captions to follow.

#1275 Kenilworth Championship - Round 1 Annotations

My loss to Gilberto Benitez:

[Event "27th Kenilworth Club Championship"] [Site "Kenilworth, NJ"] [Date "2018.01.11"] [Round "1"] [White "Benitez, Gilberto"] [Black "Moldovan, John"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B08"] [WhiteElo "1835"] [BlackElo "1802"] [Annotator "Moldovan,John"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "2018.01.11"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "USA"] [Source "John Moldovan"] [SourceDate "2018.01.16"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2018.01.16"] [SourceQuality "1"] {Board 3 G/75+5 (delay) B08 Pirc Defense 2 Knights Variation Not having played a single game in 6 weeks, I was reluctant to enter the tournament but there was an odd number of sign-ups. So, at the last-minute, I stepped in. Retirement will wait yet again.} 1. e4 g6 {The French, Caro-Kann & Sicilian were all considered.} 2. d4 Bg7 (2... d6 {has little independent significance. Play usually transposes to standard orders.}) 3. Nf3 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 {Now we have a Pirc.} (4... a6 $5 {, Tiger's Modern, is the main alternative.}) 5. h3 { This is a dual-purpose move. It stops ...B or Ng4 & prepares Be3.} (5. Be2 O-O 6. O-O {is the main line.}) 5... O-O 6. Be3 {[#]} a6 {! And. Martin} (6... d5 { , which was 1st played in D. King - McNab : London 1988,} 7. exd5 $140 ({or} 7. e5 Ne4 8. Nxe4 dxe4 9. Ng5 c5 $132 {Roeder - Gutman : Mengen 1990}) 7... Nxd5 8. Nxd5 Qxd5 {was an option.}) 7. Bd3 (7. a4 {, restricting Black's planned Q-side expansion, is the typical reply.}) 7... Nc6 (7... b5 $142 {B. Sikora Gizynska - Fojcik : Poland 1978, /\ ...Bb7 (putting e4 under pressure) + ... Nbd7 & ...c5.}) 8. a3 b5 {This discourages 0-0-0} ({but} 8... e5 $142 9. d5 Ne7 {F. Faco Gome - Montagna : correspondence, Brazil 1993}) 9. b4 $5 {A big surprise.} ({I expected} 9. O-O {Vazquez - Bustelo : Piriapolis 1987}) ({or} 9. Qd2 {which was tried in Hammond - G. McArthur : correspondence, IECC 2001.}) 9... Nd7 ({Previously seen here was} 9... Bb7 10. Qd2 e5 $11 11. d5 $6 Ne7 12. O-O c6 13. dxc6 Bxc6 $15 {Estela - S. Rodriguez : Cali 2015.}) 10. Qd2 Bb7 { This returns to known practice.} ({I didn't care for} 10... e5 11. d5 Nd4 ( 11... Ne7 12. a4 f5 13. Bg5 bxa4 14. O-O Qe8 15. Rxa4 $14) 12. Bxd4 exd4 13. Ne2 {but} Ne5 14. Nfxd4 f5 $1 15. exf5 Nxd3+ 16. cxd3 Bxd4 17. Nxd4 Qf6 18. Qc3 Bxf5 {yields compensation for the P.}) 11. Bh6 $146 {[#]} (11. Ne2 Nb6 12. O-O e5 13. d5 Ne7 {was played in Hughes - Thollin : Gibraltar 2008.}) 11... Nxd4 $1 {Offering the Exchange.} (11... e5 $143 12. Bxg7 Kxg7 13. d5 Ne7 (13... Nd4 $5 14. Nxd4 exd4 15. Ne2 c5 $1 (15... Re8 $6 16. a4 $14 (16. Nxd4 $2 Bxd5 $1 $15)) 16. dxc6 Bxc6 17. Nxd4 Qf6 18. c3 d5 $44) 14. O-O c6 15. dxc6 Bxc6 $11) 12. Nxd4 Bxd4 13. Bxf8 $6 {This gives Black an edge.} (13. Bxb5 $142 $1 Bg7 14. Be2 $11) 13... Qxf8 14. Rb1 Qg7 15. Ne2 Bb6 16. O-O {[#]} Nf6 (16... Qe5 $142 $1 $15 17. Ng3 $140 $4 Qxg3 $19) 17. Ng3 h5 18. Rfe1 $2 (18. Kh1 $142 h4 19. Ne2 Nxe4 20. Bxe4 Bxe4 21. Nc3 Bb7 22. Nd5 Qd4 23. Nxe7+ Kf8 $44 24. Qg5) 18... Nd7 19. c4 $2 (19. Kh1 $142 $15) 19... bxc4 (19... Ne5 $142 $17) 20. Bxc4 Ne5 $2 $44 (20... e6 $142 $17) 21. Bb3 $2 (21. Bd5 $142 c6 22. Bb3) 21... Kh7 $2 ( 21... Qf6 $142 $17) 22. Kh1 (22. Qg5 $142) 22... Qf6 (22... e6 $142) 23. f4 { [#]} Nc6 $2 (23... Ng4 $142 $1 $44 24. hxg4 $140 $4 Qh4#) 24. Bd5 Qh4 $6 (24... e6 $142 25. Nxh5 $1 Qd4 $8 (25... gxh5 $4 26. e5 dxe5 27. Qc2+ $18) 26. Qxd4 Bxd4 27. Bxc6 Bxc6 28. Ng3 Bb6 $14) 25. Kh2 $2 (25. Rec1 $142 Qxg3 26. Rc3 Qf2 27. Qxf2 Bxf2 28. Bxc6 Bxc6 29. Rxc6 Bb6 30. a4 a5 31. b5 $16) 25... e6 26. Bb3 $2 (26. Bxc6 $142 Bxc6 27. Rec1 Bb7 28. a4 $14) 26... Nd4 $44 (26... a5 $142) 27. Bd1 $2 (27. Bc4 $142) 27... Rg8 {This discourages f4-f5 & my follow-up prevents it.} (27... a5 $142 $1 $17) 28. Rf1 f5 29. Rc1 $6 (29. Qe1 $142 $15) 29... Rg7 (29... fxe4 $142 30. Rxc7+ $140 $4 Bxc7 31. Qxd4 d5 {I looked this far then stupidly stopped.} 32. Ne2 (32. Qa7 $2 {is refuted by} Bxf4 $1) 32... Qe7 $19) 30. Rc4 {[#]} (30. Qe1 $142) 30... e5 $2 {After being equal or better for more than 90% of the game I fall into a trap & apart.} (30... Qf6 $142 $17) 31. fxe5 dxe5 32. exf5 gxf5 33. Nxf5 Nxf5 $4 (33... Rxg2+ $8 34. Qxg2 Bxg2 35. Nxh4 Bxf1 $16 {, with chances to hold, was required.}) 34. Rxh4 Rxg2+ 35. Qxg2 Bxg2 36. Rxf5 {Black resigns. Time left - Benitez 7:27, Moldovan 10:41 Estimated time used - Benitez 70:33, Moldovan 67:19 Longest thinks: White - 11 minutes for 18.Rfe1? Black - 10 minutes for 29...Rg8 This was my first 1... g6 loss in 34 games, covering 5 years (+28-1-5)!} 1-0

#1274 Kenilworth Championship - Round 1 Results

The 27th Kenilworth Club Championship got underway on Thursday night with a 10 player field.

Here is the full list of participants, by rating:

1. LM Mark Kernighan 2217
2. Ed Selling 1845
3. Gilberto Benitez 1835
4. John Moldovan 1802
5. Bob Pelican 1635
6. Greg Tomkovich 1648
7. Geoff McAuliffe 1612
8. Paul Gottlieb 1566
9. Jack McCorkell 1455
10. Joseph Dovydaitis ----


Opening round results, by board number:

1. Kernighan 1-0 Tomkovich
2. Dovydaitis 0-1 Selling
3. Benitez 1-0 Moldovan
4. Pelican 0-1 Gottlieb

1/2 point byes: McCorkell & McAuliffe


Standings after round 1 of 7:

= 1-4. Kenighan, Selling, Benitez, Pelican 1-0
= 5-6. McAuliffe, McCorkell 0.5
= 7-10. Moldovan, Tomkovich, Gottlieb, Dovydaitis 0.0

Photos and my interesting loss will follow.

Late-joins permitted until the start of round 3 at the TD's discretion. For event details, see post #1273.

#1273 Kenilworth Championship Format Revised

With 1 late-addition & possibility of others joining the Kenilworth Championship (which started last week), changes to the tournament's format were required.

27th Kenilworth Club Championship

Format Changes:

- The Championship will be run as a 7-round swiss, from January 11th through February 22nd.
- There will be no rest weeks.
- Players are allowed 2 half-point byes. Rounds 1-6 only. Please notify Geoff McAuliffe or John Moldovan at least 8 hours in advance.
- Players who have not used 2 byes may request a 7th round postponement.
- March 1st & 8th have been reserved as snow dates.
- Trophies will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, U1700.
- Best Game &/or Biggest Upset trophies will be awarded, if warranted.

This new info has been posted on our web site & a revised Online TLA has been submitted to the USCF.

#1272 Kenilworth Championship Starts Next Week

The 27th Kenilworth Club Championship starts next Thursday, January 11th.

Here are the events' details:

January 11 - 27th Annual Kenilworth Chess Club Championship: Round 1, 8:30 p.m.

• NON-RATED
• 5 to 7 rounds. 2 sections: Championship & Reserve.
• The Championship Section will be a 6 to 8 player Round-Robin. Participants will include the top 4-6 rated players entered plus the 2016 & 2017 Kenilworth CC Champions. The 2017 Reserve Section winner may also play in this section, if he so chooses.
• The Reserve Section will be a Swiss or RR of the same length as the Championship Section.
• G/75 with 5 second delay time control.
• Rounds will commence at 8:30 p.m. on January 11, 18 & 25 + February 1 & 8. If 6th & 7th rounds are necessary, they will be played on February 22nd & March 1st.
• Postponed games from Rounds 1-5 will be made-up on February 15th. Postponed games from rounds 6-7 would be made-up on March 8th.
• Cost: $10 entry fee + dues + $5 anti-forfeit deposit = $30 for most players.
• KCC membership is required. Dues for 2018 are $10 for age 17 or less, $10 for those age 65+, $15 for everyone else.
• Prizes: Trophies to 1st & 2nd in each section. Additional trophies may be awarded if the number of entries warrant doing so.
• Register with Treasurer Geoff McAuliffe during our 1/4 meeting and or before 8:25 p.m. on 1/11 @ Kenilworth Community Center, 575 Boulevard, Kenilworth, N.J.
• Late-joins allowed prior to round 2, at the TD's & Club President's discretion. For example: The late-joiner would make an even number of players in a section.
• The Tournament Committee reserves the right to make changes as are deemed necessary for the good maintenance of the tournament.

LM Mark Kernighan won last year, also in 2008 & 2015. Other past Champions include LM Scott Massey (who has won the title 12x!!), Rene Ray (1996), FM Steve Stoyko (2005, 2006, 2007), IM Yaacov Norowitz (2009), LM Arthur Macaspac (2010, 2012), NM Ken Chieu (2011) and IM Praveen Balakrishnan (2013, 2014) and John Moldovan (2016).

Round by round coverage of the tournament will be posted on the Chess Coroner Blog.

For stories of past championships, see the 2005 Club Championship website, 2006 Championship website, the Chess Coroner Blog and the KCC Tournaments Blog.

#1271 Tonight's Kenilworth CC Meeting Canceled

Tonight's Kenilworth CC meeting has been canceled, due to the winter storm.

The next meeting will be on Thursday, January 11th.

Join us then for round 1 of our Club Championship!