Colorado Springs Chess News

Game Of The Week

Back in April (http://cschess.webs.com/apps/blog/show/2929366-breaking-the-glass-barrier), I had a couple requests for the game of the week. I was only able to honor one of those requests that week. But I never forgot about the other one. It was a loss of mine to Renard Anderson in the Colorado Springs Open.

I have published 4 of my losses each of the past 3 years (not counting team games), and this year I have published 3 so far. So, I figured I would keep the 4-loss tradition going and finally get to Martin Deschner’s request.

Of course, the game is five months old now, but I still remember it. It was one of those long games that make it past the first time control and almost to the end of the second. I was so focused on trying to find a way out of the mess I had gotten myself into that I didn’t realize it was almost midnight and the only people left in the building for the past couple of hours were Renard, myself, and Buck Buchanan, the tournament director.

I never really had a chance to win, but I just couldn’t give up fighting for a draw. I could see the writing on the wall, but I just couldn’t make any sense of it. Maybe if Daniel had been there, we all could have gone home much earlier.

“This man Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”

(Daniel 5:12)

However, I played on for 76 moves before the time and position had deteriorated so badly the writing on the wall was clear to me. I have had 12 USCF-rated games go past 75 moves. As I looked at the 12 games, I noticed something interesting. Before this game, I had 4 losses, 4 wins, and 3 draws in these long games. All 4 losses occurred before 2003 and when I was under 1800. All 4 wins occurred after 2004 and when I was over 1800.

I also noticed, while playing Renaissance chess this year, that if I had an opponent who seemed to know what they were doing, I would avoid the complicated middle game stuff and head for a drawn endgame. Then I would win the game on some endgame blunder. It failed just once, as I had one draw in about 200 games. I did have one loss this year, but that was an opening blunder on my part. Otherwise, this was the best performance I’ve had in my 10 years of Renaissance chess.

Perhaps a better understanding of the end game is what pushed me into the A class. Now if only I can figure out what will push me over the 1900 barrier?

Writing On The Wall

http://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game-replayer.php?id=94399

[Event "Colorado Springs Open"]

[Site "http://cschess.webs.com/"]

[Date "2007.03.03"]

[Round "3.1"]

[White "Anderson, Renard"]

[Black "Anderson, Paul"]

[Result "1-0"]

[ECO "B12"]

[WhiteElo "2224"]

[BlackElo "1888"]

[PlyCount "151"]

[EventDate "2007.03.03"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. h4 h5 5. c4 e6 6. a3 a5 7. Nc3 Be7 8. cxd5 exd5

9. Be2 g6 10. Nf3 Na6 11. g3 Nc7 12. Be3 Ne6 13. Qd2 b5 14. Ng5 Nxg5 15. hxg5

b4 16. Na4 Bd7 17. g4 h4 18. f3 Rb8 19. Bd1 bxa3 20. bxa3 Rb5 21. O-O Kf8 22.

Kh2 Kg7 23. Qc1 Qb8 24. Kh1 Bf8 25. Bf4 Qe8 26. Rf2 Qe6 27. Rc2 Be7 28. Be2 Rb3

29. Rc3 Rb8 30. Rb1 Rxb1 31. Qxb1 Kh7 32. Bd3 c5 33. Nxc5 Bxc5 34. Rxc5 Ne7 35.

Rxa5 Nc6 36. Ra6 Rb8 37. Rb6 Ra8 38. Qb2 Qe7 39. Bc1 Qd8 40. Rb5 Nxe5 41. dxe5

Bxb5 42. Bxb5 d4 43. Qb3 Qe7 44. a4 Kg7 45. Bf4 Rd8 46. Bd3 Qc5 47. e6 Qa5 48.

Qd1 fxe6 49. Qe2 Qd5 50. Be5+ Kf7 51. Bf6 Rc8 52. Bxg6+ Kf8 53. Bd3 Kf7 54. Kg2

Rc3 55. Qe4 Qxe4 56. Bxe4 Rc4 57. a5 Ra4 58. Be5 Ra2+ 59. Kh3 Rd2 60. g6+ Kg8

61. a6 Ra2 62. Bxd4 Rxa6 63. Kxh4 Ra5 64. Bf6 Rc5 65. Kg3 Rb5 66. Kf4 Ra5 67.

Bd4 Rb5 68. Bd3 Rd5 69. Ke3 Kf8 70. Bc4 Rg5 71. Bxe6 Rxg6 72. Bf5 Rh6 73. g5

Rh1 74. g6 Rg1 75. g7+ Kg8 76. Be4 1-0

This Week In Chess

Tuesday July 31, 2007

On July 24th, the CSCC had 20 members in attendance. In the USCF-rated ladder game (G90), Jerry Maier made the right moves against Tom Mullikin and Judah Mauger manhandled Mike Filppu.

Most of the participants played in the club-rated ladder games (G15). Each player faced an opponent similar in rating in a 2 game match. Here are the results:

Player Score

Paul Anderson 2.0

Karl Nathaniel 2.0

Mike Makinney 2.0

Virgil McGuire 1.5

Renae Delaware 0.5

Jeff Fox 0.0

Kale Duncan 0.0

Joe Pahk 0.0

Comments From Email

Reynolds, Randy, Tuesday, July 24, 2007 4:11 PM

Sniff… your newsletter is just so patriotic, it makes me want to emancipate my opponent’s attack every game now…. We need something else patriotic to bookend your Chessysburg Address.

Give me your isolated, your weak,Your doubled masses yearning to breathe free,The backwards refuse of your wrecked structure. Send these, the aimless, gambit-tossed to me. I lift my queen beside the golden eighth rank.

Hm… Uh… yeah… Yours is still better. Have a good one, and congrats on the milestone!

[Comment is about this newsletter: (http://cschess.webs.com/apps/blog/show/2929206-five-score)]

Upcoming Events

7/31 Bughouse tournament, CSCC

8/1,8,15,22,29 Poor Richard's Book Store August Open, CSCC

8/7 Speed tournament, CSCC

8/11-12 Pikes Peak Open, CSCA

8/14 Fort Collins 2nd Tuesday August, CSCA

8/14 Ladder games, CSCC

Colorado Springs Chess Club: CSCC (http://springschess.org/)

Denver Chess Club: DCC (http://www.denverchessclub.org/)

Boulder Chess Club: BCC (http://www.geocities.com/boulderchessclub/)

Colorado State Chess Association: CSCA (http://colorado-chess.com/)

Wyoming Chess Association: WCA (http://www.wyomingchess.com/)

Kansas Chess Association: KCA (http://www.kansaschess.org/)