#1292 Kernighan Wins Kenilworth Championship

LM Mark Kernighan won the 27th Kenilworth Championship held January 11th thru February 22nd. It is the 3rd club title in 4 years for Kernighan & his 4th overall.

I finished 2nd & the scored the biggest upset.

Gilberto Benitez was 3rd. Greg Tomkovich topped all U1800 players.


7th round results:

Gottlieb 0-1 Kernighan
Moldovan 1/2-1/2 Selling
McAuliffe 1/2-1/2 Benitez
Tomkovich 1-0 Ruales
Dovydaitis 0-1 McCorkell

Pelican: 1 point bye


Final Standings:

1. Kernighan 6.5
2. Moldovan 5.0
3. Benitez 4.5
= 4-5. Selling, Tomkovich 4.0
= 6-8. Pelican, McAuliffe, McCorkell 3.5
9. Gottlieb 2.5
10. Dovydaitis 2.0
11. Ruales 1.5
12. Abujawdeh 1.0 (withdrawn)

A crosstable, photos from the final round and notes to my game will follow.

#1291 Missing Or Lost Pages

During the Kenilworth CC site's move to a new host in December many of my java-replay pages were lost or misplaced.

It will take some time to note what I need to move or re-upload and fix the problem.

#1290 Kenilworth Championship - Round 6 Annotations

My win over McAuliffe:

[Event "27th Kenilworth Club Championship"] [Site "Kenilworth, NJ"] [Date "2018.02.15"] [Round "6"] [White "Moldovan, John"] [Black "McAuliffe, Geoff"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D41"] [WhiteElo "1802"] [BlackElo "1612"] [Annotator "Moldovan,John"] [PlyCount "55"] [EventDate "2018.01.11"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "USA"] [Source "Moldovan,John"] [SourceDate "2018.02.17"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2018.02.17"] [SourceQuality "1"] {Board 2. G/75+5 (delay). D41 Queen's Gambit, Semi-Tarrasch Defense.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 Nxd5 {Thanks to frequent use by Vladimir Kramnik this is back in fashion} ({but} 4... exd5 {, which I faced in round 4, remains best. }) 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Be7 {This is a favorite of Kenilworth member Bob Sherry.} (6... c5 {/\ ...cxd4 followed by ...Bb4+ is the norm.}) 7. Nf3 (7. Qg4 $5 g6 { Landgren - H. Karlsson : Stockholm 1994} 8. Bc4 $146 c5 9. Ne2 {was an option.} ) 7... c5 8. Bb5+ {?! Tsesarsky} Bd7 9. Bd3 $1 cxd4 ({For} 9... O-O {see Karpov - Kegelij : simul, Kamp Lintfort 2004 & my 2011 draw vs. J. Demetrick.}) 10. cxd4 O-O (10... Bb4+ $143 11. Bd2 Bxd2+ 12. Qxd2 $16 {Soulas - Alozy : correspondence, ICCF 2008 & Krumm - Heidrich : correspondence, Germany 2008}) ( 10... Qa5+ 11. Bd2 Bb4 12. O-O Bxd2 13. Nxd2 $16 {Ererdem - Micoogullari : Manavgat 2015}) 11. O-O {[#]} Bc6 $146 (11... Nc6 12. Bd2 Rc8 13. Rb1 $14 { was played in Cumming - Saint Louis : correspondence, ICCF 2012.}) 12. Re1 Bb4 {This gains a tempo on my R but side-tracks a K-side defender.} 13. Re2 (13. Re3 $142 $1 $16) 13... Nd7 14. Qb3 a5 (14... Qa5 {was expected.}) 15. Bf4 Re8 16. Rc1 Rc8 $2 {[#]} (16... Nf8 $142 $14) {Now I gain 2 pieces for a R.} 17. d5 $1 exd5 18. exd5 Rxe2 19. Bxe2 Nc5 20. Rxc5 Bxc5 21. dxc6 Rxc6 {White is close to winning. He has a material advantage & the B pair.} 22. Bc4 (22. Qxb7 $142 Rb6 23. Qe4) 22... Rb6 $2 (22... Qe7 $142 $16) 23. Qc2 Rb4 $2 (23... h6 $142) 24. a3 $4 {This gives Black a chance to get back in the game. [#]} (24. Ng5 $142 $1 $18 {-> was right.}) 24... Rb6 $4 (24... Rxc4 $1 25. Qxc4 Qd1+ 26. Qf1 {, when Black wins the a3P & creates connected passers, would have given Geoff chances to hold.}) 25. Ng5 $1 {Now I have a winning attack.} Bd6 $2 (25... Kf8 $142) 26. Nxf7 Qe7 (26... Qf6 27. Ng5+ Kf8 $8 (27... Kh8 28. Qxh7#) 28. Nxh7+ { was little or no improvement.}) 27. Nxd6+ (27. Ng5+ $142 Kf8 $8 (27... Kh8 28. Qxh7#) 28. Qf5+ Qf6 (28... Ke8 29. Qc8+ Qd8 $8 30. Bf7+ Ke7 (30... Kf8 31. Qxd8#) 31. Qe6+ Kf8 32. Nxh7#) 29. Nxh7+ Ke7 30. Nxf6 gxf6 31. Qe6+) 27... Kf8 $2 {This allows mate in 3.} (27... Kh8 28. Nf7+ Kg8 29. Ng5+ Kf8 30. Qf5+ Ke8 31. Qc8+ Qd8 32. Bf7+ Ke7 {would've held-out a number of moves longer.}) 28. Qf5+ {[#] &, rather than play to the bitter end, my opponent resigned. Time left - Moldovan 19:07, McAuliffe 15:27. Estimated time used - Moldovan 59:13, McAuliffe 62:53. Longest thinks: White - 7 minutes at moves 17, 25 & 26. Black - 8 moves for 25...Bd6? Despite the big mistake at move 24, this was my best game of the tournament.} (28. Qf5+ Qf6 29. Qc8+ Ke7 30. Qe8#) 1-0

#1289 Kenilworth Championship - Round 6 Photos

Captions to follow.

#1288 Kenilworth Championship - Round 6 Results

In round 6 of the Kenilworth Championship, I defeated Geoff McAuliffe:

Round 6 Results:

Pelican 0-1 Kernighan.
Moldovan 1-0 McAuliffe
Benitez 1-0 Dovydaitis

1/2 point byes: Selling, Tomkovich, Gottlieb, McCorkell
1 point bye: Ruales


Standings, after 6 of 7 rounds:

1. Kernighan 5.5
2. Moldovan 4.5
3. Benitez 4.0
4. Selling 3.5
= 5-6. Tomkovich, McAuliffe 3.0
= 7-9. Pelican, Gottlieb, McCorkell 2.5
10. Dovydaitis 2.0
11. Ruales 1.5
12. Abujawdeh (withdrawn) 1.0

Photos, notes to my win & round 7 pairings to follow.

Post updated 2/21 @ 12:16 a.m.

#1287 Kenilworth Championship - Round 5 Annotations

My draw versus Kernighan:

[Event "27th Kenilworth Club Championship"] [Site "Kenilworth, NJ"] [Date "2018.02.08"] [Round "5"] [White "Kernighan, Mark"] [Black "Moldovan, John"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A48"] [WhiteElo "2252"] [BlackElo "1802"] [Annotator "Moldovan,John"] [PlyCount "98"] [EventDate "2018.01.11"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "USA"] [Source "Moldovan, John"] [SourceDate "2018.02.11"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2018.02.11"] [SourceQuality "1"] {Board 1. G/75+5 (delay). A48 King's Indian Defense vs. London System.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. Nbd2 d6 {This is okay} ({but} 4... c5 $142 $1 5. e3 $140 cxd4 $1 (5... d6 {was played in Alekhine - Euwe : London 1922}) 6. exd4 d5 { , transposing into an Exchange Caro-Kann.}) 5. e4 Nbd7 {This may be inaccurate. } (5... O-O {C. Watson - Euwe : London 1922}) ({&} 5... Nc6 {(Auffenberg - Chirkov : Weymouth, ENG 1968) are good alternatives.}) 6. Bc4 c6 {[#]} ({ A rare reply. Castling is usual & the engine recommends} 6... c5 {Sukandar - Richards : Melbourne 2014.}) 7. Qe2 $146 {Already a new move.} ({Previously seen here were:} 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1 {Vink - Kerstens : Hengelo 1997}) (7. Bb3 { Wagle - Kirschner : Schoeneck 2002}) ({&} 7. h3 d5 8. Bd3 Qa5 9. c3 dxe4 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. Bxe4 {Burch - Coburn : England 2010}) 7... d5 (7... O-O {/\ ... Nxe4!}) ({&} 7... Nh5 8. Be3 e5 {were options.}) 8. Bb3 (8. exd5 cxd5 9. Bd3 ( 9. Bb3 a5 $11) 9... Nh5 10. Be3 Qc7 {is of little or no improvement.}) { Now the game takes-on a Gurgenidze CK character.} 8... dxe4 9. Nxe4 Nxe4 10. Qxe4 Nf6 11. Qe2 {[#]} O-O $6 (11... a5 $142 12. a4 Bg4 13. c3 (13. Bxf7+ Kxf7 14. Ne5+ Ke8 15. Nxg4 Nxg4 16. Qxg4 Qxd4 $11) 13... Nd5 14. Bg3 Qb6 $11) 12. O-O (12. h3 $142 $14 {preventing the following.}) 12... Bg4 {Black is a tempo down vs. 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bf4 dxe4 6.Nxe4 Nd7 7.Bc4 Ngf6 8. Nxf6+ Nxf6 9.0–0 0–0 10.Qe2 Bg4 (D. Mann - Athens : correspondence, IECG 1998, with transposition) but White's extra move (Bb3) is of no benefit.} 13. Rad1 Nd5 14. Bg5 h6 15. Bc1 (15. Bh4 $143 Bf6 $1 16. Bg3 a5) 15... Qc7 16. h3 Bxf3 17. Qxf3 e6 18. Rfe1 Rad8 19. c3 Rd7 {[#]} 20. h4 Qd8 21. h5 g5 22. Bc2 Nf6 23. Re5 Rd5 $2 (23... Re8 $142 $11) 24. Bb3 $6 (24. Qe2 $142 $14) 24... Rd7 25. Qh3 Nd5 26. Re4 Nf6 (26... c5 $142 $1 27. dxc5 Nf4 28. Qf3 Rxd1+ 29. Qxd1 Qxd1+ 30. Bxd1 Nd3 31. Be3 Nxb2) 27. Ree1 Qc7 {Time check: White has 26 minutes left vs. Black's 18.} 28. Bc2 Rfd8 29. Rd3 {[#]} c5 {Black finally (some 25 moves late!) gets in his thematic break & eliminates White's space advantage.} 30. dxc5 $8 (30. Be3 $4 cxd4 31. Bxd4 $2 {loses to} Rxd4 $1 32. Rxd4 Rxd4 33. cxd4 Qxc2) 30... Rxd3 31. Bxd3 Qxc5 32. Be2 Qa5 {Black offers a draw.} 33. a3 {White declines but his outside majority & B pair are only illusory advantages.} Qa4 34. Qf3 b6 35. Rd1 Rxd1+ 36. Bxd1 Qe4 {This forces a Q trade.} 37. Qxe4 Nxe4 {[#]} 38. Kf1 Bf8 $6 (38... f5 $142 $1) 39. Bf3 Nf6 40. Be3 Bd6 41. Bd4 Nd7 $6 (41... e5 $142 $11) 42. Ke1 $5 (42. Bc6 e5 43. Bxd7 exd4 44. cxd4 $14 {wins a P but creates an opposite Bs ending.}) 42... Bc5 {This forces a trade of Bs.} 43. Bxc5 Nxc5 (43... bxc5 $142 $1) 44. Kd2 Kf8 45. Bc6 { [#]} (45. b4 $142 Nd7 46. Kd3 Ke7 47. Kc4 {but} Kd6 48. Kb5 Kc7 49. Ka6 Kb8 { gets Black to the Q-side in time.}) 45... e5 $2 (45... Ke7 46. b4 Kd6 (46... Na6 $5) 47. bxc5+ Kxc6 48. cxb6 axb6 $11 {was right.}) 46. Ke3 (46. g4 $1 Ke7 47. b4 Ne6 48. Ke3 $16 {would have given White winning chances.}) 46... f5 $1 47. Bd5 $2 (47. b4 $142 $11) 47... Ke7 $2 (47... Na4 $142 $17) 48. g3 $4 (48. b4 $142 $15) 48... Nd7 $2 (48... Na4 $142 $19) 49. Kd3 $4 (49. Bb3 $142 $17) 49... Nf6 $19 {[#] Black offers a draw. White accepts. Game drawn by agreement. Time left - Kernighan 0:40, Moldovan 6:14. Estimated time used - Kernighan 78: 25, Moldovan 72:46. Longest thinks: White - 9 minutes for 3.Bf4. Black - 7 minutes for 6...c6.} 1/2-1/2

#1286 Kenilworth Championship - Round 5 Photos

Captions to follow.

#1285 Kenilworth Championship - 5th Round Results

In round 5 of the Kenilworth Championship, I drew LM Mark Kernighan.

5th round results, by board number:

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

Dovydaitis: 1 point bye.


Standings after round 5 of 7:

1. Kernighan 4.5
2. Moldovan 3.5
= 3-5. Benitez, Selling, McAuliffe 3.0
= 6-7. Pelican, Tomkovich 2.5
= 8-10. Gottlieb, McCorkell, Dovydaitis 2.0
11. Abujawdeh (withdrawn) 1.0
12. Ruales 0.5

Photos & notes to my game will follow.

#1284 Early Start For Tomorrow's Westfield Quads

A reminder: Tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday.

So, the Westfield Quads will be starting at 10:35 a.m.

Registration begins at 10.

#1283 Kenilworth Championship - 4th Round Annotations

Here is my win over Tomkovich:

[Event "27th Kenilworth Club Championship"] [Site "Kenilworth, NJ"] [Date "2018.02.01"] [Round "4"] [White "Moldovan, John"] [Black "Tomkovich, Greg"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "1802"] [BlackElo "1618"] [Annotator "Moldovan,John"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "2018.01.11"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "USA"] [Source "The Chess Coroner #1283"] [SourceDate "2018.02.01"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2018.02.01"] [SourceQuality "1"] {Board 2. G/75+5 (delay). D35 Queen's Gambit, Exchange Variation.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 ({For} 4... Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5 7. Rb1 {see Anand's Tata Steel win over Hou Yifan.}) 5. Bg5 Be7 6. Qc2 (6. e3 Bf5 $140 $2 7. Bxf6 $1 Bxf6 8. Qb3 $16 {(Ghitescu - Benites : Reykjavik 1957) was a good alternative.}) 6... O-O (6... Nc6 $143 {Attacking the unprotected d4P.} 7. e3 Nb4 $2 {Sakharov - Lutikov : Kiev 1960} 8. Qb3 $16) 7. e3 {[#]} Be6 {This looks a bit suspect as the B can become subject to Ne2-f4.} ({For} 7... Re8) ({&} 7... h6 8. Bh4 b6 $1 {see my archives.}) 8. Bd3 h6 9. Bh4 Nbd7 10. Nge2 $1 (10. Nf3 {would have transposed into my 2012 USATE draw vs. P. Balakrishnan.}) 10... Rc8 11. O-O c5 12. Rac1 (12. Nf4 $142 $1 c4 $140 { Jolowicz - Hoefer : Langenwang 1993} (12... Qb6 13. Rad1 cxd4 14. exd4 Bg4 15. Be2 $14 {Kanko - Vayrynen : Naantali 1997}) (12... cxd4 13. exd4 $14 Bd6 $2 14. Nxe6 fxe6 15. Qe2 $16 {Feliciano - Dias : Osasco 2012}) (12... a6 13. Rad1 c4 { Vrolijk - Vuckovic : Prague 2016} 14. Bg6 $1 $14) 13. Bg6 $1 $14) 12... cxd4 ( 12... c4 13. Bf5 Bd6 {would have equalized.}) 13. Nxd4 Nc5 {[#]} 14. Nxe6 $146 {Grabbing the B pair.} (14. Qb1 Nfd7 15. Bxe7 Qxe7 16. Bf5 {was played in Banusz - Ladanyi : Budapest 2001}) ({but} 14. Bf5 {was best of all.}) 14... fxe6 {This reinforces d5 but weakens his e6 & g6 squares.} ({I expected} 14... Nxe6 {looking to dissolve the isolonus with ...d4.}) 15. Bg6 Nce4 16. Qd3 Nc5 ( 16... Nxc3 $142 17. Rxc3 Rxc3 18. Qxc3 Qc8) 17. Qb1 (17. Qd4 $142 $14) ({or} 17. Qe2 $14) 17... Ncd7 (17... Ng4 $142 $11) 18. Rcd1 $2 (18. Bg3 $142 $14) 18... Ne5 19. Bc2 {Stubbornly holding onto the 2 Bs.} (19. Bg3 $142 Nxg6 20. Qxg6) 19... Nc4 20. Ne2 ({Moving the steed avoids threats such as} 20. a3 $2 Nxa3 21. bxa3 Rxc3 $17) 20... Qb6 {[#]} 21. Nd4 $6 (21. Nf4 $142 $1 g5 $140 22. Ng6 Rf7 23. Nxe7+ Rxe7 24. Bb3) (21. Bb3 $143 $4 Nxe3 $1 $19) 21... Nxb2 (21... Ng4 $142 22. Bxe7 Qc7 23. g3 Qxe7) ({Not} 21... Qxb2 $2 22. Nxe6 $16) 22. Nxe6 Qxe6 $2 (22... Nxd1 $142 23. Nxf8 Nc3 (23... Nxf2 $4 24. Ng6 $18) 24. Qxb6 axb6 25. Ng6 Bd6 $11 {was right.}) 23. Qxb2 {White has a textbook setup against the isolated d-pawn: control of d4 + pressure against d5.} b6 (23... Rc4 $142 24. Bg3 Bd6) 24. Bb3 Rc5 25. Rd4 Rd8 $2 (25... g5 $142 26. Bg3 Ne4 $16) 26. Rfd1 $4 {Missed win #1.} (26. e4 $142 $18 Nxe4 $140 27. Re1 Bxh4 28. Rexe4 Bxf2+ 29. Kxf2 $8) 26... Kh8 $2 (26... g5 $142 27. Bg3 Ne4 $14) 27. Qb1 (27. h3 $142 $16) 27... Qc6 $4 (27... g5 $142 28. Bg3 Ne4 $14) 28. Qf5 $2 {Missed win #2.} (28. e4 $142 $18 {taking advantage of the pins against the Nf6 & Pd) 5, + the weaknesses at e7 (loose B) & d8 (insufficiently protected R).}) 28... Rc1 29. h3 $1 Rxd1+ 30. Rxd1 Qc5 $2 (30... Qd7 $142 $16) {Now I trade 1 advantage (the B pair) for another & pick-up the d5P.} 31. Bxf6 Bxf6 32. Rxd5 Rxd5 33. Bxd5 $1 $18 {/\ 34.Qe6 + 35.Qg8#.} ({Not} 33. Qxd5 Qxd5 34. Bxd5 {& an opposite Bs ending.}) 33... Qc1+ 34. Kh2 Qc7+ 35. g3 Qe5 $2 {[#]} (35... Qd6 $142 {&, although the light squares around Black's K are very weak, White still has work ahead.}) 36. Qc8+ Kh7 37. Bg8+ {This wins the enemy's Q} ({but even} 37. Qg8+ $142 Kg6 $8 38. Bf7+ Kg5 (38... Kf5 39. Qh7+ g6 (39... Kg5 40. Qg6#) 40. Qxg6#) 39. Qh7 {which forces mate in 2.}) 37... Kg6 38. Qc2+ Qf5 (38... Kh5 39. Bf7+ g6 (39... Kg5 40. Qg6#) 40. Qxg6#) 39. Bh7+ {Black resigns. Time left - Moldovan 19:34, Tomovich 44:38. Estimated time used - Moldovan 50:02 (not including 8:39 in-transit), Tomovich 33:37. Longest thinks: White - 4:17 for 14.Nxe6. Black - 6 minutes for 21...Nxb2. Not my best game but it was good enough to give me a chance to tie for 1st next week.} (39. Bh7+ Kxh7 (39... Kh5 40. Qxf5+ Bg5 (40... g5 41. Qg6# (41. Qg4#)) 41. Qg6# (41. Qg4#)) (39... Kg5 40. Qxf5#) 40. Qxf5+) 1-0

No photos this week, due to my late arrival.

#1282 Kenilworth Championship - 4th Round Results

In round 4 of the Kenilworth Championship, I defeated Greg Tomkovich (with my trusty QGXV) and moved into 2nd place.

4th round results, by board number:

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

Pelican: 1/2 point bye.


Standings after round 4 of 7:

1. Kernighan 4.0
2. Moldovan 3.0
= 3-4. Selling, McAuliffe 2.5
= 5-8. Benitez, Pelican, Tomkovich, McCorkell 2.0
= 9-11. Abujawdeh (withdrawn), Gottlieb, Dovydaitis 1.0
12. Ruales 0.5

Notes to my game will follow.

#1281 Mikell's Plot To Perform At The USATE

Featuring Michael O'Connor

 

Will be performing at the Parsippany Hilton

1 Hilton Court

Parsippany, NJ 07054

On Saturday, February 17th,  from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Prior to the 48th annual U.S. Amateur Team East chess tournament.

The concert is open to the public.

#1280 Kenilworth Championship - Round 3 Results

In round 3 of the Kenilworth Championship, I won by forfeit.


3rd round results, by board number:

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

Standings after round 3 of 7:

1. Kernighan 3.0
2. McAuliffe 2.5
= 3-5. Moldovan, Tomkovich, McCorkell 2.0
= 6-7. Selling, Pelican 1.5
= 8-10. Benitez, Abujawdeh, Gottlieb 1.0
11. Ruales 0.5
12. Dovydaitis 0.0

No games or photos this week.