Pelletier -Polgar interesting Blitz games!

The Grandmaster Group of the 40th annual Biel Chess Festival 2007 started with a blitz tournaments. The tournaments were won by Radjabov.

Above is an interesting blitz game video between Yannick Pelletier from Switzerland and Judith Polgar from Hungary. If you want to go direct to their games, slide trough the video to 2 minutes and 31 second.

Pelletier - Polgar, Biel Blitz 2007, 28.07.2007

I believe the opening of this game is The King Indian Bayonet started with
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. b4 a5 10. Ba3 Nd7 11. bxa5 Rxa5 12.Bb4 Ra8 13. a4 ...........20.Bxa5 g4 21.c5 dxc5 22.Nc4 Ng6 23.Nxc7 Nxc7 24.d6 Qh4 25.dxc7 f3 26.g3 Qh3 27.Ne3 Bh6 28.Qc2 Nf4 29.Bc4? this was the desiecive mistake. White should have played 29. Bc3 and the game is unclear. The interseting thing is Judith play all the move instantly and it's aloost all accurate (best move) according to Fritz accurate 29...Ne2+ 30.Bxe2 Bxe3 31.Bxf3 Rxf3 32.Qb1 Bd4 33.Qb8 Rxg3+ 34.hxg3 Qxg3+ 35.Kh1 Qh3+ 36.Kg1 g3 37.Qb6 Qh2# 0-1

Nearly Beat IM Virginijus Dambrauskas !

IM Virginijus Dambrauskas

I played a rapid (30 minutes game) against IM Virginijus Dambrauskas in the Internet Chess Club this morning. The game were interesting for me because I managed to get a winning game but unfortunately lost on time. After the game, I search for some information about him and found that Virginijus Dambrausk is an International Master from Lithuania, born on 1962.

Below are the game:

hairulov (2023) - EEJ (IM Virginijus Dambrauskas)(1961)
ICC Internet Chess Club, 22.07.2007 Rapid (30 Minutes)
B60: Sicilian: Richter-Rauzer:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 g6

I have faced this kind of position before. Black offer white to weaken his pawn formation in the centre ( double f pawn and weak d pawn) but he will get the bishop pair and open position that suite nicely for the double bishop. The weak double f pawn were not so serious because black can get rid of it with f5 and open the diagonal for his black bishop on g7. 7.Nxc6 [Fritz suggest 7.Bxf6 exf6 8.Bb5 Bd7 9.Ba4 Nxd4 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.Qxd4] 7...bxc6 8.Bxf6 exf6 9.Bc4 Bg7 10.0–0 I was afraid to castle queenside because of the open b file and dangerous attack by black g7 bishop. [Fritz suggest 10.Qd2 f5 11.0–0–0 fxe4 12.Qxd6 Qxd6 13.Rxd6 Bxc3 14.bxc3] 10...0–0 11.Qd2 I spent a huge time on this move thinking what i should reply if black play 11...f5. I decided that i should consistently attack the d6 pawn to justify my plan in the opening. 11...f5 12.Rad1 fxe4 [12...Be5 Is more accurate because it force white to play 13.f4 Bxc3 14.bxc3 fxe4 15.Qxd6 Bg4] 13.Qxd6 Qb6?! [13...Qxd6!? must be considered 14.Rxd6 Be5 15.Rxc6 Bb7=] 14.Nxe4± Qxb2 15.Rb1 [15.Qxc6? leads to nothing 15...Bb7 16.Bxf7+ Rxf7–+] 15...Qxc2
At this stage i'm quiet confident with my position. [15...Qe5!? 16.Qxc6 Bg4²] 16.Qxc6+- Be6 17.Rfc1 [17.Rbc1 Rac8 18.Qxe6 fxe6 19.Rxc2] 17...Rfc8??
leading to a quick end [17...Rac8 18.Qxe6! Demolishes the pawn shield. I failed to find this move in my calculation. 18...Qxb1 (18...fxe6?? 19.Rxc2 Kh8 20.Ng5+-) 19.Rxb1 fxe6 20.Bxe6+ Kh8 21.Bxc8 Rxc8± Winning a pawn.] 18.Qxa8? [18.Qxe6! nails it down 18...Qxc1+ (18...fxe6 19.Rxc2) 19.Rxc1 fxe6 20.Bxe6+ Kf8 21.Bxc8+-] 18...Qxc1+ [18...Rxa8?? a fat bite, but... 19.Rxc2 Bf5 20.Re2+-] 19.Rxc1 Theme: Deflection from b2 19...Rxa8 20.Bxe6 fxe6 21.Rc7 This position that i'm heading for in my calculation. I think white have slight advantage due to his control on the 7th rank. 21...a5 22.g3 a4 23.Nc5 e5 24.h4 a3 25.Ne4 Kf8 26.Ng5 Kg8 27.Ne6 [27.Kg2 h6 (27...Rb8 28.Ra7 Bf8 29.Nxh7 Bg7 30.Ng5) 28.Ne4 h5±] 27...Bh6 28.g4 Re8 29.Nc5 [29.g5! Rxe6 30.gxh6 Ra6 31.Rg7+ Kh8 32.Re7 Kg8 33.Rxe5 Kf7] 29...e4 Black intends e3 30.g5 Bg7 31.Kg2 Bb2 [31...Bb2 32.Kf1 e3=] 32.Nd7 e3 [32...Re7 33.Rc8+ Kg7 34.Nb6=] 33.fxe3 [33.Nf6+ Bxf6 34.gxf6 Kf8 35.fxe3 Rxe3 36.Rxh7 Re2+ 37.Kf3 Rxa2=] 33...Rxe3= 34.Rc8+ [34.Nf6+ Bxf6 35.gxf6 Re2+ 36.Kf3 Rxa2 37.Rg7+ Kh8 38.Ra7= Should be draw.] 34...Kf7 35.Nf8 [35.Rc2 Re4=] 35...Re2+ 36.Kf3 Rh2 37.Nxh7 Rxh4 38.Rc7+ Ke6 [38...Kg8!? is an interesting alternative] 39.Nf8+ Kd6 40.Rd7+ Kc6 41.Ra7 [41.Rd2!? looks like a viable alternative 41...Rh5 42.Rg2= Defending the g5 pawn.] 41...Kb6 42.Rf7 Rh1 43.Kg2? [43.Ke4 Ra1 44.Kd3 Rxa2 45.Nxg6 Ra1µ] 43...Rh5?? letting the wind out of his own sails [43...Ra1 is winning for black. 44.Nxg6 Rxa2–+] 44.Ne6 Bc1 [44...Kc6 45.Ra7] 45.Rg7 [45.Rf6 Rh4 46.Rxg6 Kc6] 45...Kb5 [45...Bxg5 would keep Black alive 46.Rxg6 Rh6 47.Rxh6 Bxh6=] 46.Rxg6± Now the g pawn is protected and a serious threat. 46...Kc4 47.Rg8 [47.Rf6 Kd5 (47...Bxg5? 48.Rf5) 48.g6± Ke5 (48...Bh6 49.Nd8) 49.g7] 47...Kc3 [47...Kd5 would keep Black in the game 48.Nc7+ Kc6=] 48.g6+- Kb2?? an oversight. But Black was lost anyway. [48...Rh6+-] 49.g7 Bh6 [49...Kxa2 there is nothing better in the position 50.Rd8 Bb2+-] 50.Rb8+ Kxa2 51.g8Q
At this point i have about 16 second left but i was confident that i can checkmate him. 51...Ka1 [51...Rd5 cannot change destiny 52.Nd4 Bg7 53.Qxd5+ Ka1 54.Nc2#] 52.Qh8+ [52.Qh7! whould finish him instantly but in time trouble i could not find it. 52...Rh2+ 53.Kxh2 Bf4+ 54.Nxf4 a2 55.Qg7#] 52...Ka2 53.Qc3 [53.Qh7 Rh1 54.Kxh1 Be3 55.Qb1#] 53...Bg7 [53...Rh2+ is no salvation 54.Kxh2 Bf4+ 55.Kg2 Bxb8 56.Qc2+ Ka1 57.Nc5 a2 58.Nb3#] 54.Qc2+? [54.Qb3+ Would have finish the game nicely. 54...Ka1 55.Qxa3#] 54...Bb2 Now black can last a few move (second) longer. 55.Qc4+ [55.Qb3+ Ka1 56.Rd8 Rh2+ 57.Kxh2 Be5+ 58.Kg2 Bd4 59.Rxd4 a2 60.Rd1#] 55...Kb1 56.Qf1+ [56.Rd8 Bd4 57.Qb3+ Kc1 58.Rxd4 Rh2+ 59.Kxh2 a2 60.Rd1#] 56...Ka2+- 57.Nd4! a forceful and devastating end 57...Rg5+ [57...Bxd4 58.Qc4 Theme: Double Attack] 58.Kh3 Rh5+ Unfortunely i lost on time here.[58...Rh5+ 59.Kg4 Rc5 60.Nb5 Rc8 61.Rxc8 Bf6 62.Qc4+ Kb2 63.Qc1+ Ka2 64.Qxa3+ Kb1 65.Rc1# Is shown by Fritz later.] 0–1

A Game With Brother Tyron Lee

Tyrone Lee : Standing on the right

I played a blitz game against Tyrone Lee of Chicago and Los Angeles. He was a mainframe Cobol Programmer for several years but now a Chess Professional....!?....His highest USCF rating was 2165. He mentioned that he possess talents in several other areas and am currently seeking any other suitable employment!

[White "Iam2good2day"]
[Black "hairulov "]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2065"]
[BlackElo "2053"]
[Annotator Fritz 8]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.c4 Nf6 8.Nc3 e6 9.0–0 Be7 10.Qd3 0–0 11.h3 a6 12.Bf4 Qb6 13.a3 Rfd8 [13...Qxb2?? the pawn must remain untouched 14.Rfb1 Qxc3 15.Qxc3 Nxe4 16.Qb3+-; 13...Rfd8 14.b4 Qc7=; 13...Qxb2?? taking the pawn will bring Black grief 14.Rfb1 Qxc3 15.Qxc3 Nxe4 16.Qb3+-] 14.b4 Rac8 15.Rfd1 Qa7 16.Rac1 Qa8 17.Nd4 Be8 18.Bh2 b6 19.Nce2 [19.Qe2!?= is the best option White has] 19...Qxe4 20.f3 Qxd3 21.Rxd3 d5 22.Rdc3 a5 [22...dxc4 23.Rxc4 Rxc4 24.Rxc4 Bf8–+; 22...a5 23.bxa5 bxa5; 22...dxc4 23.Rxc4 Rxc4 24.Rxc4] 23.c5= axb4 24.axb4 bxc5 25.bxc5 Nd7 [25...Bc6!?= deserves consideration] 26.c6 Don't underestimate that pawn 26...Nb6 [26...Nf6] 27.Nb5?? gives the opponent new chances [27.Rb3 and White gets the upper hand 27...Nc4 28.c7+-] 27...Nc4–+ 28.c7 Rd7 29.Ned4 Bc5 30.Kh1 Bxd4 31.Nxd4 e5 [31...Rcxc7?! 32.Bxc7 Rxc7 33.f4] 32.Nb5 Re7 [32...Re7 33.Rd3 Bxb5 34.Rxd5 Ba6–+] 33.Rb3 f6 34.Rd3 [34.Bg1–+] 34...Bxb5 35.Rxd5 Na3 [35...Ba6 36.Rd8+ Re8 37.Ra1–+] 36.Rd8+ Re8 37.Rc3 [37.Rd5–+] 37...Nc4 [37...Nc4 38.Rxe8+ Rxe8–+] 0–1

Shortest Checkmate Possible.

Chess is a nice game that many unthinkingable moves exits that is beyond normal people imagination. For example, normal people who know how to play the moves knows about the scholar mates or checkmate in 4 moves. They always think that it is the shortest possible way to win the game. But, almost all of them don’t know that there’s shorter way to checkmate. ( of course it is not a force move) .

I tell my fellow friends that the shortest way to end a chess game is by checkmating your opponent in two move. He couldn’t believe it and ask me to prove it. Unfortunetly i fail to to make him understand without showing it in the chess board . So i decided to show him by posting the moves with diagram in my blog so that he can view it in his personal computer.

The shortest checkmate possible is in fact a two move. Checkmate won by black. Observe below:1. g4 e5 2. f3 Qh4++

1.g4

1... e5

2. f3

2...Qh4++ checkmate!!!


As you can see, this is the shortest Checkmate possible in the game of Chess.

Tactical Puzzle : Office Mate being Checkmate!

New Pacific Hotel, Kota Bharu Kelantan

I had a meeting at New Pacific Hotel, Kota Bharu, Kelantan from 15-17 Jul7 2007. During free time i played a game with my fellow office mate . His not a serious chess player but he said that during universities time he always played with his roomate untill dawn. Black to move and win

I reach this position in one of my social game with him. Find the winning combination for black.

Sam Sloan USCF Executive Board Candidate Statements!

Photo : Sam Sloan

I’ve just read an interesting article about United State Chess federation (USCF) Executive Board Candidates Statements in the April 2007 Chess Life Magazine issue. In 2007 the USCF will hold an election to elect three (3) members to the USCF Executive Board for terms of four (4) years beginning at the conclusion of the 2007 Delegates Meeting and one (1) member to complete the remaining two (2) years of Robert Tanner's term, effective with the certification of election results.
The 10 candidates, in the order in which they will appear on the ballot, are:Susan Polgar, Randy Bauer, Mike Goodall, Joe Lux , Sam Sloan, Stephen Jones, Paul Truong, Jim Berry, Don Schultz, Mikhail Korenman .

Reading the candidates statements, I’ve really shocked by what Sam Sloan statements.

“ Ever since I took office last August, I have fulfilled or tried to fulfill every campaign promise I made. I have tried to determine why the USCF lost two million dollars in past years. I have exposed payments made by board members to their political allies. I have in most cases (but not in all cases) stopped wasteful expenditures. Most importantly, I have opened the doors to the inner sanctum and exposed political deals and secrets which are not secret anymore.Tremendous efforts were made to stop me from taking the office to which I had been elected. Efforts have been made to censure me, to reprimand me, and to recall me. Big bucks are going to be spent this year to stop me from being re-elected, and for good reason. It is up to you, the voters, to decide whether you want to return to the politics of secrecy, whether you want the door that I have opened to be slammed shut again.The delegates, in their wisdom, have voted to give me 100 words to explain my court case in Virginia. I have eight children. One of them is Shamema, whom many of you met when I used to bring her to international chess tournaments. When Shamema was eight years old, she was kidnapped by persons unrelated to us and taken to Virginia. When I came to Virginia to try to rescue my kidnapped daughter, I was immediately arrested, tried and convicted of attempted abduction of my daughter ”.



Photo: FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov holding Sam Sloan son !

This person really have a colourful live..... I've search for more information about Sam, and this is what i get...

USCF candidate, taxi-driver, polygamist, gadfly – all these epitaphs fit one of the most colorful personalities in world chess. Sam Sloan has been jailed in Afghanistan, fought Pakistani kidnappers, had lunch with terrorist mastermind bin Laden, fled US courts who want access to his father's alleged $50 million fortune. And you thought chess players led dull lives?
Sam was born in 1944 and grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia. He went to the University of California at Berkeley, majoring in math. He is a fairly strong chess player, has lived in many different countries. He has been married to ladies with names like Dayawathie Pedigedera Rankoth, Anda Baumanis, Shamema Honzagool, Shanti Latha Vithange and Kayo Kimura, from whom he has eight children. In 1979 he changed his name to M. Ismail Sloan, but still uses the name Samuel H. Sloan when appropriate.
Sloan runs the web site which is, shall we say, optimised for length and simplicity of design. It is essentially a super-blog, started a decade before blogs were invented. Some of the articles are very long and require real commitment on the part of the reader. Many have Midi files of classical music running in the background. They can be turned off by clicking the "Stop" button of your browser.
We must mention that Sam Sloan has been responsible for a few canards in the past, most famously reporting that Peter Leko was involved in a fatal car crash in December 2002. We do not take responsibility for the veracity of the following report, although we did contact Sam and got a great deal of corroborative information, which is added in the second part of this article. It contains a lot of new information on the reclusive chess genius Kamsky.

I've found a new chess site at http://www.chess-videos.com/.

This site contain a chess forums that feature game analysis, opening discussion, free instructional videos, and lots of other information. The front page features weekly or bi-weekly updates that highlight their best content

.

I've just generated a chess diagrams (above) using some of their tools.

Ivanchuk Strange Behaviour!

Congratulation to Vassily ivanchuk for winning the The Aerosvit tournament in Foros, Ukraine, took place from 17th-30th June 2007. Vassily Ivanchuk took clear first with 7.5/11 half a point clear of Sergey Karjakin. He won this strong event which consist strong participants like Peter Svidler, Shirov and Karjakin.

.I noticed a "typical" behaviour of Ivanchuk during this tournament. In the opening ceremony, he wore a pink trousers (Ivanchuk seat behind Shirov- picture below!) where as others participant wore nice coat.




Ivanchuk at the opening ceremony seat behind Shirov


The famous pink pants he wore in the 1st round against Karjakin but .......
at the closing and price giving ceremony he wore a complete suite!



"Big Chucky", as Ivanchuk is called, has been described by Viswanathan Anand as the most eccentric player in the chess world. Anand, tongue-in-cheek, gave his view on Ivanchuk like this
....He’s someone who is very intelligent ... but you never know which mood he is going to be in. Some days he will treat you like his long-lost brother. The next day he ignores you completely.
The players have a word for him. They say he lives on 'Planet Ivanchuk'. ... I have seen him totally drunk and singing Ukrainian poetry and then the next day I have seen him give an impressive talk.
For a while he was trying to learn Turkish. Don’t ask me why ... Everyday is a surprise with him....

p/s : Latest news : Vassily Ivanchuk's hot streak continues as he wonThe Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup takes place in Odessa, Ukraine from 4th-6th July 2007 with 7/9 half a point clear of Alexander Grischuk!!!!

Readers all over the world!

It's a nice feeling for me when i discover from http://sitemeter.com/that my chess blog were read by people from all around the world. Although my blog are far away from reaching the standard and traffic volume compare to Chessvibes, Susan Plogar Blog, Gilachess (Malaysia top Blog) etc.etc. I fill that i manage to add some "spice" to chess community by blogging articles about chess.

As a so called "retired" tournament chess player, i'm no longer play actively in chess tournament because of the "standard excuse" - family and work commitment. But i found that it's impossible for me to forget chess completely. I always keep in touch with international and local chess news/event through the internet(Chessbase.com, Internet Chess Club, Gilachess.com and others site).

Although i'm not actually an IT savvy person (and didn't have IT background-i'm in human resoucers by qualification!) but blogging have taught me many new thing about internet tools. I'm planning to add different type of article in my blog by doing some interview with chess players/friends and maybe some "live" tournament report.
Hope that i will have the time to do that because i love chess so much.

Digital Chess Clock

I,ve just buy a digital chess clock from Thomas Voon(Paradise Star Enterprise, Penang, Malaysia). It cost about RM 150 (including delivery charge) or approximately USD 44.00.

The clock is made from China and it's actually " a multi" purpose clock because it can be used for Royal Chess, Chinese Chess or Go. I don't have problem with that because it have a simple button to choose whatever game i want to play.

The clock is quite light and it use 2 battery. ( c type). So far i don't have the opportunity to use it in a real game but surely i will try it .