The 2006 New Year Open-A Weekend and a Monday at the Chess Club

I've used the same format I employed in my comments on the 32nd Annual Eastern Open so the entry is split into 3 days with my impressions on anything and everything to do with the tournament that I experienced on those particular days.

Day 1: The first day of the biggest (to the best of my knowledge) open tournament to happen in Kansas City in awhile showed promise for a smoothly run event. My first game was an exhausting 3-4 hour 84 move marathon in which I barely managed to squeeze out a win but definitely an interesting battle! This was followed by a complete screw up in the second game which I managed to lose in a mere 23 moves but that provides an important lesson in playing to your strengths since I chose the Two Knights Defense when my track record with it is very poor. These long time controls have been brutal but allow for some very interesting games since you generally have the time to find creative moves.

Day 2: This was another smoothly run day with no major hiccups that I was able to notice and my play was fairly decent although I didn't play particularly well after gaining the advantage of a pawn in the second game but managed to rise to the occasion in a tense rook endgame with careful play to garner the point. The first game provided a reminder that one quick inaccurate move can kill an otherwise meticulously played slow paced game since a wrong relocating of the rook after easing the pressure in a tough position left me down a pawn with a subsequent loss of the game. There's been a phenomenal level of sportsmanship displayed by all of my opponents and I noticed this trend in observation of other player's encounters as well. This day was also marked by feverish bughouse activity in the skittles room that provided for a lively spectacle apart from the main event.

Day 3: The last day of the tournament wasn't nearly as packed as the first two because of the beginning of the work week and thus many people took byes to be at their respective places of employment but there was still a decent number of players. I ended up being reminded of the importance of having a fighting spirit and playing tough even in the face of what may appear as a hopelessly lost situation when I was faced with a bishop vs knight endgame with 3 pawns down but managed to create an outside passer. This led to a pawn race with both sides queening but I had the move and was thus able to continuously check my opponent's king with the outcome being a draw by perpetual check with proper play but I traded queens on the basis of visualizing the resulting king/pawn endgame as drawn but this turned out to be a misvisualization leading to a loss. There appeared to be no major problems in the operation of the tournament and the atmosphere was just as pleasant as the previous two days with excellent sportsmanship being displayed as far as I could tell.

The Manley Nick Takes a Stab at Annotating a Capablanca Classic

This represents my first attempt to seriously annotate a historical game and I put forth the best effort I could but a much more comprehensive analysis can be found here.

My source for this famous game is The Most Instructive Games Of Chess Ever Played:62 Masterpieces Of Chess Strategy by the late Irving Chernev who was and continues to be one of the most prolific chess authors of all time.The comments I make on moves will reflect the fact that my understanding of what is occurring is a combination of my own perceptions and what I have absorbed from Chernev's own annotations of this classic battle but the wording is always entirely my own unless otherwise indicated.

"Rook On The Seventh Rank"

Jose Raul Capablanca-Savielly Tartakower

New York 1924

Dutch Defense

1.d4 f5
2.Nf3 e6
I think Capablanca was aiming to prevent any ...e5 breaks in the center on black's part with Nf3 but my knowledge of the subtleties of the Dutch Defense is severely limited so I'll let Ray's comments inform..."2. Nf3 is mainly to prevent Bb4+ (or pin) lines that were popular at the time after the "usual" 2. c4. This is why sometimes it is better to go into a classical Dutch by way of 1...e6, then 2...f5, so White may already have committed to 2.c4...if that is an option you want to keep."

3.c4 Nf6
It's best to play c4 before Nc3 since it allows more pressure on the central d5 square while leaving the option of Nc3 open as a possibility for further pressure.
4.Bg5 Be7
The most active square for the bishop since it pins the knight which makes it superior to 4.Bf4
5.Nc3 0-0
The queenside knight hops into the fray with additional pressure on the central d5 square.
6.e3 b6
The black bishop has no scope along the c8-h3 diagonal so black opts for the b7-h1 diagonal while e3 creates an outlet for the light squared bishop while simultaneously propping up the central d4 pawn.
7.Bd3 Bb7
The kingside bishop takes up it's most active post.
8.0-0 Qe8
The logical and crystal clear play of Capablanca in this game is a pleasure to behold!
9.Qe2 Ne4
The queen moves to support an advance of white's king pawn that will accentuate his edge in central space.
10.Be7 Nc3
11.bc3 Qe7
The important feature about this position is that Capablanca possesses an edge in central space and he should restrict black's ability to challenge this.
12.a4 Bf3
The newly weakened pawn on c3 would have come under fire after ...Qa3 so Capa puts an end to that idea.
13.Qf3 Nc6
There is another significant positional feature on the board now in the form of the different minor pieces possessed by white and black.
14.Rfb1 Rae8
The black rook is positioned to support an ...e5 break in the center that would diminish the space edge white holds.
15.Qh3 Rf6
But Capa puts an end to this notion! The advance of the e-pawn will now be met by Bf5 with advantage to white
16.f4 Na5
This leaves a backward pawn on e3 but solidifies white's control of e5 thus securing white's superior center control for the time being.
17.Qf3 d6
The queen will support an e4 advance which should open up b1-h7 diagonal for white's bishop at some point.
18.Rbe1 Qd7
The battle rages in the center with both sides aiming for central breaks.
19.e4 fe4
and Capa beats Tartakover to the punch!
20.Qe4 g6
The scope of the bishop along the b1-h7 diagonal has been tremendously improved while black's knight languishes on the sidelines.
21.g3 Kf8
The important f4 pawn is given further support.
22.Kg2 Rf7
It seems that black has trouble finding a worthwhile plan.
23.h4 d5
This move lashes out at black's pawn on g6 with the intention of opening the h-file or weakening black's kingside pawn structure and this idea is helped by the fact that white's bishop points in the same direction so the feature of bishop vs knight seems to be taken into consideration in the choice of plan by Capablanca.
24.cd5 ed5
25.Qe8+ Qe8
26.Re8+ Ke8
The exchanges have left Capablanca with a kingside pawn majority and the plan of attack on that side of the board initiated by 23.h4 is still in the air.
27.h5 Rf6
The rook hastens to defend the twice attacked g6 pawn but Capablanca gains the h-file in the ensuing exchanges.
28.hg6 hg6
29.The h-file is immediately seized and an attempt to prevent the penetration of the rook to the seventh rank by ...Rf7 is met by the winning pin Bg6
30.Rh7 Rc6
The late but still great Irving Chernev had some wise words of wisdom to say about this move.
"Rook to the seventh-the magic move in Rook and Pawn endings.What is the secret in the strength of this move? It is this:
(a) The Rook is in perfect position to attack any Pawns that have not yet moved-those still standing on the second rank.
(b) The Rook is prepared to attack any Pawns that have moved,by getting behind them without loss of time. The Pawns would be under constant threat of capture,no matter how many squares they advanced on the file.
(c) The Rook's domination of the seventh rank confines the opposing King to the last rank,preventing him from taking any part in the fighting."
-Irving Chernev from The Most Instructive Games Of Chess Ever Played on pg.19
31.g4 Nc4
The c-pawn is still taboo because of Bg6 in response and the resulting connected passed pawns would be a force to be reckoned with.
32.g5 Ne3+
The g-pawn is locked down and is now a fixed target.
33.Kf3 Nf5
34.Bf5 gf5
A combined attack on the g-pawn by bishop and rook has been prevented but the exchange of bishop for knight has left white with a protected passed pawn.
35.Kg3 Rc3+
This is considered a particularly brilliant move on Capablanca's part as he willingly gives up a host of pawns for the purpose of obtaining a superior position.
36.Kh4 Rf3
The black rook is now far more active!
37.g6 Rf4+
The great Capa gives up another pawn but a spot for the king's journey to the tasty square f6 is vacated.
38.Kg5 Re4
The capture ...Rd4 leaves the rook on the wrong file to deal with the oncoming threats of mate.
39.Kf6 Kg8
The classic rook and king mate is threatened!
40.Rg7+ Kh8
Capa checks before threatening mate again.
41.Rc7 Re8
This rook retreat by black is forced as Rc8+ ...Re8 Re8++ was threatened if black took a tempo to capture the d-pawn or make an alternative move of any kind.
42.Kf5 Re4
The passed pawn must not be allowed to queen! So Capa snaps it off.
43.Kf6 Rf4+
The black rook is still given no time to capture the d-pawn as Rc8+ ...Re8 Re8++ is once again threatened
44.Ke5 Rg4
The king readies to snatch a black pawn to add a second passed pawn to his list of advantages.
45.g7+ Kg8
The variation ...Rg7 Rg7 ...Kg7 Kd5 is not pleasant for black as he will have trouble stopping white from queening his passed d-pawn.
46.Ra7 Rg1
The correct pawn to take first since the d-pawn is blockaded and not moving anytime soon.
47.Kd5 Rc1
The d-pawn falls and Capa is blessed with a pretty much won game.
48.Kd6 Rc2
The king gives the d-pawn some breathing room so it can triumphantly march up the board.
49.d5 Rc1
The d-pawn inches forward but the king will have to step out of the way for further progress to be made.
50.Rc7 Ra1
The exchange ...Rc7 Kc7 would be instantly disastrous for black as the d-pawn would quickly queen.
51.Kc6 Ra4
A passed pawn appears on the board for black but alas it is too late to change the outcome.
52.d6 Resigns

It won't be possible for black to stop the queening of the d-pawn without decisive material loss so Tartakower tipped over his king.

A Tribute to Mikhail Tal "The Magician from Riga"-8th World Champion of Chess From 1960 to 1961

The late Mikhail Tal (Nov.9th 1936-June 28th 1992) or Misha as he was affectionately called was known for his combinative flair, insatiable appetite for chess, and warm likeable personality which makes him a hell of a guy in my book. It's a pleasure to read about a man who treated the game of chess in a serious and professional manner while simultaneously exhibiting an ability to have a light hearted attitude towards it.

"His enthusiasm for the game he loved was unquenchable,In his later years he was afflicted by severe health problems which would have crushed a lesser man,but he never complained about his difficulties and continued to play chess right up to his death.Misha hated to postpone a game;even if he had to slip out of his doctor's grasp,he would try to make it somehow."
- Pg. 6 of The Life And Games Of Mikhail Tal-Everyman Chess Edition.

What a wonderful passion for Cassia!

"Generosity of spirit was natural to Tal.He seemed interested only in creating the fantastic on the chessboard,not in using the influence his achievements could have given him to wield power among his colleagues.Unlike many of his fellow chess Olympians,he remained unpresuming,accessible and good humored,willing to play chess with all comers.When other world champions would be too conscious of their ranking to indulge relative patzers,Tal would play blitz with nearly anyone.Since the universal club tradition at speed-chess sessions is that the winner keeps playing and the loser gives up his place,Tal was often to be seen at the board with a long line of players queued up behind his opponent,waiting for their turn against the legend.When he was relaxing in a local cafe or tavern between rounds wherever chess took him,he was both celebrity and one of the group.Complete strangers would recognize him of course,and invite him to their table.It would have been more than enough to shake hands and be pleasant but Tal would routinely join the group,swapping stories,and sharing laughs.No wonder he was loved by the public.
-Three Days With Bobby Fischer and other Chess Essays: How to Meet Champions and Choose Your Openings by GM Lev Alburt and Al Lawrence pg.37-38

It's truly a tragedy that heavy consumption of acholol and frequent smoking likely led to an early demise at age 56 for this terror on the chessboard.These bouts of ill health and kidney problems were thankfully never able to diminish his passion for the royal game and he continued to create interesting pieces on the board right up to his death.

Thank you Misha for your exciting play at the board and passionate commitment to chess!

R.I.P. Mikhail Tal

Chess as Art, Science, Sport, and War Combined

The inspiration for this piece was a shirt worn by a fellow chessplayer I made the acquaintance of at the 32nd Annual Eastern Open in DC which read "Chess is not Art, Science, or Sport-Chess is War" or something along those lines that led me to realize chess can represent a constellation of all of the above.

I am not trying to make the argument that one can't think of other apt descriptive terms for our beloved game but the above four are the exclusive focus of this post.

Chess as Art:

"From my close contact with artists and chess players I have come to the conclusion that while all artists are not chess players,all chess players are artists"
- Surrealist Artist Marcel Duchamp from pg.75 of Bobby Fischer Goes to War: How the Soviets Lost the Most Extraordinary Chess Match of All Time by David Edmonds and John Eidinow

There's a need to add the caveat that not all chessplayers are equally able artistically since the positions I create on the board are not of the same quality as say a Fischer or Capablanca creation but the quote has significance nonetheless.

It's true that the beauty of the positions and ideas that can potentially arise on the chessboard fully make the game deserving of the label artistic although not all positions are created equal artistically speaking.

I've taken the liberty of going through my game collections and selecting some choice positions that I find supportive of chess as an art form.

1. The end position of the fifth match game between Frank James Marshall and Jose Raul Capablanca is very picturesque since Capablanca's king is in the open but is impervious to all checks while mate in two is threatened with only the short delaying of the inevitable possible to white.

2. The final position of the second game from the classic text Three Hundred Chess Games that was played between the famous German player Siegbert Tarrasch and a fellow by the name of Mendelsohn.

Chess as Science: The game of chess can't be described as an exact science because of the immense complexities involved but it's possible to isolate a scientific element in the discovery and articulation of general principles to aid players in making decisions on the board. It's not possible to engage in a dogmatic application of abstract guidelines because the concrete or specific nature of the position before you must always be taken into account but they can certainly be useful in conjunction with specificity.

Chess as War:
The origins of the game of chess as a bloodless imitation of human warfare make this connection an obvious one to make but I'd like to discuss it within the specific context of the ideal of what I perceive as civilized chessic warfare.

I like to think of chess as a kind of civilized warfare when both players exhibit good sportsmanship and manners in dealing with one another while still retaining a warrior like resolve to win at the board. It's important to have a fighting spirit and strive to make things difficult for your opponent with the aim of defeating them in the war occurring on the 64 squares that make up the chessic battlefield but this can be done in an overall humane setting.There shouldn't be any diminishing of one's willingness to trimuph over their opponent but simply the practice of appropriate maturity, civility, and victory achieved within the boundaries of the game.