Philadelphia Inventors - Round 4 Recap

Philadelphia Inventors - Round 4 Recap

The Philadelphia Inventors faced an ever increasing challenge.   The various pre-match predictions heavily favored Boston Blitz, a higher rated team led by a one of the nation’s most promising stars.   For a while, it seems as if the predictions will materialize,  however, tenacious fighting defense and luck produced a surprising final outcome.

The Inventors lineup included IM Tom Bartell, FM Dov Gorman, FM Peter Minear and the team secret weapon NM Todd Bryant.  All four games displayed enterprising and fighting chess and after a roller-coaster battle, Philly won 3 – 1 and a kept its surprising first place in the GM-heavy East division.

Boston Blitz			Philadelphia Inventors
IM Samuel Sevian: 2571	0.5	0.5	IM Tom Bartell: 2448
FM Denys Shmelov: 2473	0.5	0.5	FM Dov Gorman: 2400
NM Chris Williams: 2310	0.0	1.0	NM Peter Minear: 2365
NM Ilya Krasik: 2264	0.0	1.0	NM Todd Bryant: 2201
Average Rating: 2405			Average Rating: 2354
Boston Total	1.0	3.0	Philadelphia Total

Following are recaps of the games:

Sevian,Samuel (2571) - Bartell,Tom (2448) [B12]

USCL Week 4 Internet Chess Club, 17.09.2014

 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Ne7 8.Nd2 Nbc6 9.N2f3 Be4 10.0–0 Bxf3 11.Nxf3 Nf5 12.Bf4 h6 13.g4 Nfe7 14.c4 h5 15.h3 hxg4 16.hxg4 Ng6 17.Bg3 dxc4 18.Bxc4 Be7 19.Qb3 Qb6 20.Rfd1 Nh4 21.Bxh4 Bxh4 22.Qxb6 axb6 23.Bb5 Be7 24.Rac1 Rxa2 25.Bxc6+ bxc6 26.Rxc6 0–0 27.Rxb6 Ra4 28.Nh2 Rc8 29.Kg2 Rc2 30.Rb8+ Kh7 31.Rd3 Rf4 32.Rf3 Rxf3 33.Nxf3 Bc5 34.Ng5+ Kg6 35.Ne4 Bd4 36.Rb5 Bxb2

½–½

IM Bartell used his pet Caro Kann last week to beat GM Emil Anka.  This week his opponent was Samuel Savien, a young rising star.   The game started as the Advanced variation and Black used the fashionable 9. B-e4 plan.   The evaluation hovered around an equality for most of the opening until around move 18 when White was able to provide more scope for his pieces and Black’s pieces were somewhat uncoordinated.   White seem to choose the wrong plan around move 24 of exchanging his a2 pawn for Black’s c6 which allowed Black to be more active.  

 

31. R-d3 was a mistake (R-d7 is better) and Black could even fight for a small advantage based on the strength of his bishop.   The game ended peacefully a couple of moves later.

 

Gorman,Dov (2400) - Shmelov,Denys (2473) [B12]

USCL Week 4 Internet Chess Club, 17.09.2014

 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.c4 e6 5.Nc3 Nd7 6.Nge2 Ne7 7.Ng3 Bg6 8.h4 h6 9.h5 Bh7 10.Be3 Nf5 11.Nxf5 Bxf5 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Qb3 Rb8 14.Rc1 Be7 15.Qd1 0–0 16.Bd3 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 Rc8 18.Rh3 f5 19.exf6 Nxf6 20.Ke2 Bd6 21.g4 Nh7 22.Qg6 Rf6 23.Qd3 Qf8 24.Rhh1 Bf4 25.Nb5 Re8 26.Rhf1 Ng5 27.Nc3 Qd6 28.Kd2 Ref8 29.Kc2 Bxe3 30.fxe3 Qg3 31.Rxf6 Rxf6 32.Qb5 Qxg4 33.Qxb7 Qf5+ 34.Kb3 Rf7 35.Qb8+ Kh7 36.a3 Nf3 37.Ka2 Qxh5 38.Nb5 Qh2 39.Qe8 Ng5 40.Qa8 Rf2 41.Rb1 Re2 42.Qxa7 Rxe3 43.Qb6 Ne4 44.Rc1 Nd2 45.Qc7 Qf2 46.Qc2+ Ne4 47.Qxf2 Nxf2 48.a4 Rf3 49.Rf1 g5 50.a5 g4 51.a6 g3 52.a7 Rf8 53.Rg1 Ne4 54.Nc7 h5 55.a8Q Rxa8+ 56.Nxa8 Kg6 57.Nc7 Kf5 58.Rf1+ Nf2 59.b4 h4 60.b5 h3 61.b6 g2 62.Rxf2+ Ke4 63.Re2+

½–½

  

This entertaining game, and a candidate for GOTW, started as the advanced variation of the Caro Kann.   After the initial opening moves, White started to drift and Black deployed his pieces effectively to gain the advantage.   White initiated a king march to the queen-side in search of safety.   Black started to drift due to time pressure and White was able to gain counter-play on the queen-side.

 

After 45.Qc7 Qf2 46.Qc2+ The position became unclear and White was looking better and better.   55. b4 seems to be winning for White as he will reach first in the pawn race.   However, after missing this opportunity, black was a full rook down, but with connected passed pawns which concluded the game in a draw.

Williams,Chris (2310) - Minear,Peter (2365) [C77]

USCL Week 4 Internet Chess Club, 17.09.2014

 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.h3 g6 7.0–0 Bg7 8.c3 0–0 9.Nbd2 h6 10.Re1 Be6 11.d4 exd4 12.cxd4 d5 13.e5 Nh7 14.Nf1 Ng5 15.Nxg5 hxg5 16.Be3 b5 17.Bc2 f5 18.exf6 Qxf6 19.Rc1 Bf5 20.Bxf5 gxf5 21.Bxg5 Qg6 22.Qf3 Nxd4 23.Qxd5+ Kh8 24.h4 c6 25.Qd7 Rae8 26.Ng3 Rxe1+ 27.Rxe1 f4 28.Ne4 Nc2 29.h5 Qxh5 30.Rd1 f3 31.Be7 Rg8 32.Ng3 Qh7 33.gxf3 Be5 34.Qe6 Bxb2 35.Kg2 Qg6 36.Rh1+ Kg7 37.Qd7 Qe8 38.Qe6 Qg6 39.Qd7 Qe8 40.Bf6+ Kxf6 41.Rh6+ Kg5 42.Qh3 Ne1+ 43.Kf1 Nxf3 44.Rh5+ Kf6 45.Qf5+ Ke7 46.Qxf3 Kd8 47.Rh7 Rg7 48.Rh6 Kc7 49.Qd3 Be5 50.Qe3 Kb7 51.Ne4 Re7 52.Nc5+ Ka8 53.Nxa6 Bb8 54.Qd2 Rd7 55.Qc2 Rd6 56.Rh3 Qd7 57.Qb3 Rd1+ 58.Kg2 Qg4+ 59.Rg3 Bxg3 60.Qxg3 Qxg3+ 61.Kxg3 Kb7 62.Nc5+ Kc7 63.f4 Ra1 64.f5 Kd6

0–1

This was certainly one of Peter’s luckiest wins ever.  Peter had faced Chris once before at USATE many years ago, and he was prepared for Chris’s uncompromising approach.   The opening seemed fairly normal, but Black’s plan of h6, Be6, and d5 was not effective and White gained an advantage.  Blacks  probably should have played 9. ...b5, followed by the typical plan on the queenside with moves such as Na5 and c5.  In Black attempts to create counterplay with 17. ...f5, his king became exposed and he was in great danger for most of the middlegame. However, a Houdini act was destined to follow.   

 

In time scramble White could not find better continuations (R-e6!) and Black kept fighting.   Black’s king started of what felt to the spectators as the Long March through China.   However, once the king reached d8 on its way to a8, it seemed safe and Black started to think about a win. 

 

Bryant,Todd (2201) - Krasik,Ilya (2264) [E32]

USCL Week 4 Internet Chess Club, 17.09.2014

 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0–0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b6 7.Bg5 Bb7 8.Nf3 d6 9.e3 Nbd7 10.Bd3 e5 11.Bf5 exd4 12.Qxd4 Nc5 13.Qh4 h6 14.Bxh6 gxh6 15.Qxh6 Be4 16.g4 Ne6 17.Rg1 Re8 18.g5 Ng4 19.Qh7+ Kf8 20.Bxe4 Nc5 21.Rxg4 d5 22.g6 Qf6 23.gxf7 Rxe4 24.Rg8+ Ke7

1–0

Todd, in his first USCL year is defining himself as the Inventors’ secret weapon having scored his second win in a row.  Ilya surprised us with a Nimzo-Indian but seem a uncomfortable with the defense selecting an unusual setup.  12… N-c5 is a mistake (12… Q-e8 is a better alternative).

13.Qh4! h6 [13...h5!?] 14.Bxh6! [Intuitive and strong,] 14...gxh6 15.Qxh6 [A bizarre position. White is down a piece, but Black's pieces can barely move due to mate threats.]

15...Be4 [15...Bc8 16.g4! Nce4; 15...Nce4 16.Ng5 Nxg5 17.Qxg5+ Kh8 18.Qh6+ Kg8 19.g4!! The main justification of this whole sacrifice. Black can't do anything about g5xf6 19...Bxh1 20.g5; 15...Ne6 16.Ng5 is the same line; 15...Re8 16.Ng5 was my idea. Bh7+ is going to lead to a brutal discovery. 16...Qe7 (16...Be4 17.g4!! again) 17.Bh7+ Kh8 18.Be4+ Kg8 19.Bxb7 Nxb7 20.Rd1!! an amazing idea that the computer finds. Black is helpless against the rook lift; 15...Qe7 16.g4 with similar play]

16.g4!! [everything is hanging and we are down a piece, but our attack is unstoppable.]

16...Ne6 [16...Nd3+ 17.Kf1 Ne5 (17...Bxf3 18.g5; 17...Bxf5 18.gxf5 Nxf2 19.Rg1+ N2g4 20.h3) 18.Rg1!!; 16...Bxf3 17.g5 Nd3+ 18.Kf1 i is hopeless; 16...Bxf5 17.gxf5 Nd3+ 18.Ke2 Nxf2 19.Rhg1+! (19.Kxf2?? Ng4+) 19...N2g4 20.Rxg4+ Nxg4 21.Rg1 was one of the key lines I saw in the game.; 16...Re8 the toughest defense. 17.Ng5! threatening Bh7 disasters 17...Nd3+ 18.Kf1 Nxf2 19.Rg1!!]

17.Rg1! [another slow move, setting up a fatal discovered check.]

17...Re8 [17...Bxf3 18.g5 and mate is going to happen on g7 or h7]

18.g5 Ng4 19.Qh7+ Kf8 20.Bxe4 Nc5 21.Rxg4 d5 22.g6 Qf6 23.gxf7 Rxe4 24.Rg8+ Ke7 [and Black resigned in view of 25.f8Q+ Ke6 26.Qh3+ leading to mate] 1–0

Strong and determined display by Todd, and a game that should have been a candidate for GOTW.