Month: July 2021

July 25, 2021

Friday’s victory by the A team against the Forest Hall C team by a game score of 4-0 (4-2.5 after handicap) saw them join the B team in round 2. Not a surprise given that the smallest rating difference was over 250 but the handicap system means that one small accident can put the higher rated team out of the competition.

So, the major congratulations have to go to the B team who a week earlier beat the Forest Hall A team against similar odds. Although they lost 3-1 on game score this became a 3.5-3 win after handicap with Lewis Self getting the giant-killing win.

Here is Lewis’ game with his thoughts from the game:

[pgn height=500 initialHalfmove=1 autoplayMode=none]

[Event “Northumberland Summer Knock Out”]
[Site “South Shields Chess Club”]
[Date “15.07.2021”]
[Round “1”]
[White “Lewis Self”]
[Black “Stuart Skelsey”]
[Result “1-0”]

1. e4 d6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. d4 Bg7 5. Bc4 O-O 6. O-O c6 7. Re1 b5 8. Bb3 b4
2. Nb1 {I wasn’t sure if I should have placed my knight on a5 instead of moving
   backwards but I felt it had no moves available as b6, c5 and c3 were protected
   and b2 wouldn’t be moving anytime soon.} 9… Bg4 10. Bg5 Qa5 11. Bh4 {I was
   considering e5 to defend the bishop but didn’t want to give up the d5 square.}
   11… Nbd7 12. h3 Bxf3 13. Qxf3 e5 {I was planning on playing e5 myself so this
   move makes a lot of sense} 14. dxe5 dxe5? (14… Nxe5 15. Qf4 {Nh5 defends
   everything}) (14… Qxe5 15. Bg3 {I had missed b2 was undefended}) 15. Nd2 Nh5
3. Nc4 Qc7 17. Be7 a5 18. Bxf8 Bxf8 {I was expecting Rxf8 to defend the
   weakness on f7} 19. Rad1 {The computer says the best move was Nxa5 which I had completely overlooked threatening checkmate on g8. Instead I chose to ignore the threat of a4 and trade everything into a winning endgame.} 19… a4 20. Rxd7 Qxd7 21. Nb6 Qb7 22. Qxf7+ Qxf7 23. Bxf7+ Kxf7 24. Nxa8 Nf4 25. Nb6 a3 26. bxa3 bxa3 27. Nc4 Ke6 28. Na5?? {Obvious blunder. Was too focused trying to attack the pawns} 28… Bb4 29. Rb1? {Re3 is better} 29… Bxa5 30. Rb3 Ne2+ 31. Kf1 Nd4 32. Rxa3 Bb4 33. Ra7 Be7 {Was expecting h6 or h5. Pinning the bishop to h7 makes little sense.} 34. a4 Nxc2 35. a5 Nd4 36. a6 Nb5 Rb7 {Threatening Rxb5 and queening} 37… Bc5 38. Rxh7 Kf6 39. g4 Bd4 40. h4
   {My opponent had less than a minute on the clock and resigned. My plan was to
   push through for a second passed pawn by pushing the king up to support
   the g and h pawns.} 1-0 [/pgn]

July 24, 2021

First, massive congratulations to Jay Steel for solving the 5×5 Rubik’s Cube under pressure before the last round of last week’s themed blitz – Larsen’s 1. b3. Speaking of which, well done to Kevin Rowden and Paul Bielby who finished 1st and 2nd in that tournament. Full details here.

It was also very nice to see themed blitz first-timers Lauren Rowden, Jack Rowden and Gray Pattinson. Welcome!

For this Thursday’s theme (29th July) we go for the Leonhardt Gambit against the Scandinavian Defence. Play will begin with black to play after 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. b4

Two YouTube videos to help with your preparation / enjoyment. First a video from one of this column’s favourite YouTubers, IM Miodrag “The Butcher” Perunovic. Second, Eric Rosen’s first instructional video gives an alternative way of playing the gambit.

July 11, 2021

Last Thursday, 8th July, the Noteboom themed blitz was won by Brian Towers with 6/7. Ray Wynarczyk was second with 5.5/7 and Jay Steel and Paul Bielby were equal third with 5/7. Full details here. For the statisticians, this was a bit better for white with W15, =1, B12.

This coming Thursday, 15th July, there is a match in the summer knock-out tournament so there won’t be a themed blitz. The next one will be a week later on 22nd July. After the long variations of the last couple of weeks we are going for the shortest possible theme, Larsen’s Opening, black to move after 1. b3.

Two YouTube videos to help with your preparation. First, a long introductory video from St Louis Chess Club’s “Chess Openings Explained” series.

Second, the excellent Simon Williams commentating on a 15+10 game he played against one of his students. One way of looking at this video is of two players making it up as they go along, something I’m sure we’re all familiar with.

Another way of looking at it is to see it as an example of the rich transpositional opportunities in this opening. Black, Simon’s student isn’t sure how to respond and so plays a reversed London System. Simon replies with a reversed Leningrad Dutch. As usual the Ginger GM gives excellent explanations of his thoughts as he plays.

July 3, 2021

We’re back, folks!

We held a themed blitz last Thursday, 1st July, on the Marshall Gambit in the Semi-Slav. Congratulations to Jay Steel who won with 5.5 out of 6. Paul Bielby was second with 4.5 and Kevin Rowden third with 3.5. For those who suspect that it isn’t a great white gambit the statistics from Thursday would appear to back you up: 6 white wins, 11 black wins and 1 draw. Full details here.

The Marshall Gambit (4. e4) arises in the Semi-Slav when white chooses the most aggressive response to black’s triangle of pawns. If white plays more sedately with 4. Nf3 then black gets the chance to grap the c pawn and play the Noteboom.

This Thursday, 8th July, we will give you a chance to extend your knowledge of the Semi Slav with the Noteboom. Play will begin with white to play after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. a4 Bb4 6. e3 b5 7. Bd2 a5 8. axb5 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 cxb5 10. b3 Bb7 11. bxc4 b4 12. Bb2 Nf6

As usual two YouTube videos for your preparation. First a long video in the “Chess Openings Explained” series from St Louis Chess Club. I think this was the first video that Jonathan Schrantz did and he was very nervous, couldn’t pronounce ‘Noteboom’ and struggled with Chessbase a few times but the content is excellent and it is worth putting up with his first timer fluffs.

The second one is Alireza Firouzja’s win over Donachenko in this year’s Tata Steel tournament.