What A Difference A Day Makes For Nakamura

A Round 7 loss playing White against Aronian.

[Event "3rd Sinquefield Cup 2015"]
[Site "Saint Louis"]
[Date "2015.08.30"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Black "Aronian, Levon"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C88"]
[WhiteElo "2814"]
[BlackElo "2765"]
[Annotator "Robot 1"]
[PlyCount "102"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[EventCountry "USA"]
[TimeControl "40/7200:3600+30"]

1. e4 {13} e5 {15} 2. Nf3 {34} Nc6 {6} 3. Bb5 {4} a6 {9} 4. Ba4 {4} Nf6 {5} 5.
O-O {7} Be7 {4} 6. Re1 {4} b5 {5} 7. Bb3 {3} O-O {6} 8. a4 {3} b4 {7} 9. d4 {3}
d6 {5} 10. dxe5 {17} dxe5 {5} 11. Qxd8 {23} Rxd8 {8} 12. Nbd2 {4} h6 {140} 13.
Bc4 {71} Bd6 {136} 14. a5 {126} Re8 {141} 15. Bd3 {642} Nd7 {769} 16. b3 {769}
Nc5 {76} 17. Bc4 {64} Be6 {74} 18. Bb2 {89} f6 {98} 19. Bxe6+ {1321} Rxe6 {330}
20. Nc4 {651} Rb8 {12} 21. Nfd2 {354} Rb5 {105} 22. Ra2 {136} Nb7 {310} 23.
Rea1 {59} Bc5 {144} 24. Kf1 {5} Re7 {198} 25. Ke2 {517} Rd7 {90} 26. Nf1 {734}
Bd4 {359} 27. Nfe3 {427} Bxe3 {144} 28. Nxe3 {15} Kf7 {279} 29. f3 {44} Ke6 {
249} 30. g4 {109} Nc5 {246} 31. Nc4 {197} Ke7 {551} 32. Bc1 {38} Ne6 {69} 33.
Be3 {26} Ncd4+ {108} 34. Kf2 {7} Ng5 {95} 35. Bxg5 {221} fxg5 {521} 36. Rd1 {6}
Ke6 {81} 37. Rd3 {186} Rf7 {50} 38. Ra1 {92} Rb8 {189} 39. Rad1 {15} Rbf8 {51}
40. Nxe5 {0} Kxe5 {0} 41. Rxd4 {22} Rxf3+ {0} 42. Ke2 {259} Rf2+ {0} 43. Ke1 {7
} Rf1+ {110} 44. Ke2 {1} R8f2+ {50} 45. Ke3 {4} Rf3+ {6} 46. Ke2 {1} R1f2+ {7}
47. Ke1 {3} Rxh2 {57} 48. Rd5+ {1029} Kf4 {19} 49. R1d4 {40} Kxg4 {132} 50. Rc5
{217} Rg3 {144} 51. Kf1 {35} Rc3 {19} 0-1

Excellent Win By Nakamura against So

Analysis by Deep Fritz 14

[Event "3rd Sinquefield Cup 2015"]
[Site "Saint Louis"]
[Date "2015.08.29"]
[Round "6"]
[White "So, Wesley"]
[Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E99"]
[WhiteElo "2779"]
[BlackElo "2814"]
[Annotator "Deep Fritz 14 x64 (10m)"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{E99: King's Indian: Classical Main Line: 9 Ne1 Nd7 10 f3 f5} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4
g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O {Black has a cramped
position} Nc6 (7... exd4 8. Nxd4 Nc6 9. Be3 $11) 8. d5 $14 {White threatens to
win material: d5xc6} Ne7 9. Ne1 {Black has a cramped position} Nd7 10. f3 f5 {
Attacks the pawn chain} 11. Be3 f4 {Black gets more space} 12. Bf2 g5 13. Nd3 {
White plans c5} Ng6 14. c5 Nf6 15. Rc1 Rf7 16. Kh1 h5 {Black prepares the
advance g4} 17. cxd6 cxd6 18. Nb5 a6 19. Na3 b5 20. Rc6 {The white rook on an
outpost} (20. Nb1 h4 $14) 20... g4 {Playing against the pawn chain} 21. Qc2 Qf8
22. Rc1 Bd7 {Black threatens to win material: Bd7xc6} (22... Bb7 23. Rc7 $14)
23. Rc7 (23. Rb6 Rc8 24. Qd1 Bh6 25. Rxa6 b4 26. Nxb4 Nxe4 $14) 23... Bh6 24.
Be1 h4 25. fxg4 f3 (25... h3 $5 {looks like a viable alternative} 26. Bf3 Bxg4
27. Bxg4 Rxc7 28. Be6+ Rf7 $11) 26. gxf3 $16 Nxe4 {White has a new protected
passed pawn: g4} 27. Rd1 $4 {with this move White loses his initiative} (27.
Rxd7 Rxf3 28. Bxf3 Qxf3+ 29. Qg2 Qxd3 30. Rd1 $19) 27... Rxf3 $17 28. Rxd7 $4 {
leads to further unpleasantness} (28. Ba5 Bxg4 29. Bb6 $19) 28... Rf1+ $19 29.
Kg2 Be3 30. Bg3 (30. Bf2 Rxf2+ 31. Nxf2 Qxf2+ 32. Kh1 $19) 30... hxg3 31. Rxf1
(31. Bxf1 {is one last hope} Nh4+ 32. Kh3 $19) 31... Nh4+ 32. Kh3 Qh6 33. g5
Nxg5+ 34. Kg4 Nhf3 $3 {Clearance: h4} 35. Nf2 (35. Bxf3 Qh3# {Mate attack
Clearance}) (35. Rxf3 Qh3# {Mate attack Clearance}) (35. -- $140 Qh3# {Mate
threat}) 35... Qh4+ 36. Kf5 Rf8+ 37. Kg6 (37. Rf7 {doesn't change anything
anymore} Rxf7+ 38. Kg6 Qh7#) 37... Rf6+ $3 {Clearance: g5} 38. Kxf6 (38. Kxf6
Ne4+ {Mate attack Clearance Pinning}) 38... Ne4+ 39. Kg6 (39. Kf5 {cannot
change what is in store for White} Qf4+ 40. Ke6 Qf6#) 39... Qg5# 0-1

Excellent Sacrifice and Win By Aronian As Black Against So

Enjoy!!

[Event "3rd Sinquefield Cup 2015"]
[Site "Saint Louis"]
[Date "2015.08.26"]
[Round "4"]
[White "So, Wesley"]
[Black "Aronian, Levon"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E20"]
[WhiteElo "2779"]
[BlackElo "2765"]
[PlyCount "56"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 c5 5. d5 O-O 6. e4 d6 7. Nge2 a6 8. a4 Ba5
9. Bd2 exd5 10. cxd5 Nh5 11. g3 Nd7 12. Bg2 b5 13. g4 b4 14. Nb1 Qh4+ 15. Kf1
Ne5 16. Be1 Qf6 17. gxh5 Nxf3 18. Bf2 Bg4 19. Qc1 Nd4 20. Nxd4 cxd4 21. e5 dxe5
22. Nd2 Rac8 23. Qb1 b3 24. Nxb3 Bb6 25. a5 Ba7 26. Kg1 Bf5 27. Be4 Qg5+ 28.
Kf1 Qf4 0-1

Topo Defeats Magnus Yet Again!

[Event "3rd Sinquefield Cup 2015"]
[Site "Saint Louis"]
[Date "2015.08.23"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Topalov, Veselin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B51"]
[WhiteElo "2853"]
[BlackElo "2816"]
[Annotator "Robot 1"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[EventCountry "USA"]
[TimeControl "40/7200:3600+30"]

1. e4 {3} c5 {10} 2. Nf3 {6} d6 {5} 3. Bb5+ {12} Nd7 {33} 4. O-O {12} Ngf6 {106
} 5. Re1 {26} a6 {37} 6. Bd3 {34} b5 {330} 7. c4 {29} g5 {15} 8. Nxg5 {1756}
Ne5 {72} 9. Be2 {196} bxc4 {799} 10. Na3 {1002} Rg8 {401} 11. Nxc4 {1201} Nxc4
{295} 12. d4 {6} Nb6 {896} 13. Bh5 {440} Nxh5 {435} 14. Qxh5 {43} Rg7 {606} 15.
Nxh7 {300} Qd7 {301} 16. dxc5 {174} dxc5 {141} 17. e5 {377} Qc6 {1117} 18. f3 {
662} Qg6 {144} 19. Nf6+ {92} Kd8 {9} 20. Qxg6 {117} Rxg6 {14} 21. Ne4 {8} Bb7 {
388} 22. h4 {26} Rc8 {174} 23. h5 {33} Rg8 {20} 24. Bd2 {65} Nc4 {100} 25. Bc3
{28} Bh6 {128} 26. Rad1+ {78} Ke8 {175} 27. Rd3 {120} Bf4 {37} 28. Nf2 {84} Bc6
{125} 29. Nh3 {199} Bg3 {44} 30. Re2 {1} Bb5 {19} 31. Rd1 {1} Bc6 {82} 32. Nf2
{36} Bxe5 {50} 33. Ng4 {16} Bxc3 {9} 34. bxc3 {1} Kf8 {8} 35. Kf2 {1} Rh8 {9}
36. Ne5 {3} Nxe5 {23} 37. Rxe5 {1} Be8 {13} 38. g4 {1} f6 {7} 39. Re6 {3} Bb5 {
8} 40. Rde1 {0} Rc7 {0} 0-1

See also for more decisive games:
http://en.chessbase.com/post/sinquefield-01-five-decisives-games

Pillsbury vs. Lasker------Is The Computer Wrong?

Pillsbury lost the following game to Lasker in St. Petersburg after Lasker effectively sacrificed his two rooks on the same square. Kasparov noted in his Predecessors book, Volume 1, that computer analysis did not see the combination that Lasker did over the board. What follows is a Deep Fritz 14 analysis in pgn with verbose commentary. You be the judge.

[Event "St Petersburg 1895/96"]
[Site "St Petersburg"]
[Date "1896.01.04"]
[Round "4.1"]
[White "Pillsbury, Harry Nelson"]
[Black "Lasker, Emanuel"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D50"]
[Annotator "Deep Fritz 14 x64 (10m)"]
[PlyCount "64"]
[EventDate "1896.??.??"]

{D50: Queen's Gambit Declined: Dutch-Peruvian Gambit} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3
Nf6 4. Nf3 c5 5. Bg5 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nc6 {Black threatens to win material: Nc6xd4}
7. Qh4 (7. Bxf6 gxf6 8. Qh4 dxc4 $11) 7... Be7 8. O-O-O Qa5 9. e3 {Covers d4} (
9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. Bxe7 Nxe7 $15) 9... Bd7 10. Kb1 h6 11. cxd5 exd5
12. Nd4 O-O 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Qh5 Nxd4 15. exd4 Be6 16. f4 Rac8 17. f5 Rxc3 (
17... Bd7 $142 $5 18. Qf3 Ba4 $17) 18. fxe6 $11 (18. bxc3 $2 {looks very
tantalising, but} Bd7 19. h4 Qxc3 $19) 18... Ra3 19. exf7+ $4 {hands over the
advantage to the opponent} (19. bxa3 Qb6+ 20. Kc2 Rc8+ 21. Kd2 Qxd4+ 22. Ke1
Qe3+ 23. Be2 fxe6 24. Qh3 Bc3+ 25. Kf1 Rf8+ 26. Bf3 $17) 19... Rxf7 $19 20.
bxa3 Qb6+ 21. Bb5 Qxb5+ 22. Ka1 Rc7 $4 {Black has a mate threat. gives the
opponent new chances} (22... Qc4 $142 {Black has a promising position} 23. Kb1
Bxd4 24. Rxd4 Qxd4 $19) 23. Rd2 $11 Rc4 24. Rhd1 (24. Re1 Qa5 (24... Rxd4 $4 {
that pawn is deadly bait and will cause Black grave problems} 25. Re8+ Kh7 26.
Qf5+ g6 27. Qxf6 Qxe8 28. Qxd4 $18) 25. Re8+ Kh7 26. Qf5+ g6 27. Re7+ Bxe7 28.
Qf7+ Kh8 29. Qe8+ Kg7 30. Qxe7+ Kg8 31. Qe8+ Kh7 32. Qf7+ Kh8 33. Qf6+ Kh7 34.
Qe7+ Kh8 35. Qf8+ Kh7 36. Qf7+ Kh8 37. Qf6+ Kh7 38. Qe7+ Kh8 39. Qf8+ Kh7 40.
Qf7+ $11) 24... Rc3 $4 {Black threatens to win material: Rc3xa3. Black loses
the upper hand} (24... Qc6 $142 25. Kb1 Bg5 $17) 25. Qf5 Qc4 (25... Rxa3 $2 {
fails because of} 26. Qe6+ Kh7 27. Rc1 $16) 26. Kb2 $4 {gives the opponent
counterplay} (26. Kb1 $142 $14 {would bring relief}) 26... Rxa3 $19 27. Qe6+ (
27. Kb1 $142 Bxd4 $1 {Deflection: a2} 28. Re1 Qb4+ 29. Kc1 Qc3+ 30. Qc2 Qa1+
31. Qb1 Rc3+ 32. Rc2 Be3+ 33. Rxe3 Qxb1+ 34. Kxb1 Rxe3 35. Rd2 $19) 27... Kh7
$4 {Black has a mate threat. allows the opponent back into the game} (27... Kh8
$142 28. Qe8+ Kh7 $19) 28. Kxa3 $4 {stumbles just before the finish line} (28.
Qf5+ $142 {the only rescuing move} Kh8 29. Kb1 $11 (29. Kxa3 $4 {is refuted by
the following mate in 4} Qc3+ 30. Ka4 b5+ 31. Kxb5 Qc4+ 32. Ka5 Bd8#)) 28...
Qc3+ 29. Ka4 b5+ $1 {Mate attack} 30. Kxb5 (30. Kxb5 Qc4+ {Mate attack}) 30...
Qc4+ 31. Ka5 Bd8+ 32. Qb6 Bxb6# (32... axb6#) 0-1

LCC Will Meet On Wednesday Evenings Beginning In September

First September meeting will be at The Grindstone Cafe on Wednesday September 2 from 6pm until 9pm. See you all then!!!

Two More Plates From Gizycki's A History of Chess

Two Plates From The Marvelous Gizycki Book A History of Chess

What I really like about the book is that it doesn't take a pure chronological approach. It's approach is thematic with chapters like Chess In Poetry and Prose and Chess and Machines.

A History of Chess by Jerzy Gizycki

I just came across this wonderful book in a used book store (Green Mountain Books) here in Lyndonville, VT where I live. It's in very good condition, no dust jacket, but no wear on the cover--just fading a little where it was exposed to light. The binding is in excellent condition, no marking in the book and all the plates are attached where they should be. This is the 1972 English translation from the Polish edition of 1960. My cost was $8.He was a film critic and television presenter. He was a chess bibliophile. His great passion was apparently chess.The book contains many stills from German, Soviet and Eastern European films involving chess. A Polish poster on Facebook gave me the following link.

http://pzszach.org.pl/index.php?idm=1&idm2=39&idn=524