"Chess Course" Idea and Summer Tournament

Steve Stoyko and I discussed the idea of organizing a chess course, on the model of one running at MetroWest Chess Club in the Boston area. There, Josh Friedel is teaching an intensive opening repertoire course built around Larry Kaufman's excellent "textbook" The Chess Advantage in Black and White. IM James Rizzitano is even giving a special class on the Bb5 Anti-Sicilians that Kaufman recommends. It's a great idea, of course, and a good book to choose -- though not one exactly to Steve's tastes. He also wants to do something more original as a step toward writing his own book. So it would be a great opportunity for him to start doing that. We are going to meet next week to discuss it more and create a calendar, with plenty of lead-time for advertising around the various clubs and online. We would also have to plan the repertoire, since it would be one he'd build from scratch, likely around the isolated queen pawn positions he lectured on previously at the club. We'd use mostly xeroxed articles as readings, unless there is a good-enough book, supplemented by some online materials and game files. Suggestions and ideas from club members (or anyone else who might attend) are welcome.

The Summer Tournament continued with more people joining, but I did not pay close attention to the evening's results. I will have to find out from Greg Tomkovich and post again later. I did notice that Mark Kernighan, as usual, suffered through a frightening attack against his King in a Sicilian but did his usual "Houdini" trick and won. I also won my game, this time against Javier Moreno. After he beat Joe Demetrick last week I was very curious to see how he played. I think he needs to work on his openings, as you'll agree--but for someone who does not read chess books generally, he is quite good. Here is the game in PGN:

[Event "Kenilworth CC Summer Tournament"]
[Site "Kenilworth, NJ USA"]
[Date "2005.06.09"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Moreno, Javier"]
[Black "Goeller, Michael"]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "76"]
[TimeControl "G60"]

1. e4 Nc6 2. Nf3 d6 {A rather typical position arising from the Nimzovich Defense.} 3. a3 $6 Bg4 {Black is now relatively equal. White really gains next to nothing from his pawn push, since no Black piece is kept out of b4.} 4. d3 e6 5. Be2 Nf6 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bxf6 $6 {Willingly surrendering the two Bishops is not a good idea in this relatively open position.} Qxf6 8. c3 O-O-O 9. b4 $6 (9. d4 $5) 9... d5 {"The best way to meet an attack on the wing is in the center."} 10. exd5 (10.b5 $2 dxe4 11. bxc6 exf3 12. cxb7+ Kb8 13. Bxf3 Bxf3 14. gxf3 Qg6 $17) 10... exd5 11. b5 (11. d4) 11... Ne5 12. Nd4 (12. Nxe5 Qxe5 13. d4 Qe6 14. h3 Bh5 15. Kf1) 12... Bxe2 13. Qxe2 Bc5 $1 14. O-O (14. Nb3 $2 Bxf2+ $1 15. Qxf2 $4 Nxd3+ $19) {This appears to win a pawn fairly easily. But keeping material on theboard to organize a kingside attack was probably a stronger option, especially given Black's lead in development.} 14... Bxd4 (14... Rhe8 $1 15. Nb3 Qh4 $5 16. h3 Bd6 17. d4 Ng6 $36) 15. cxd4 Ng6 16. Qb2 $6 (16. Qg4+ Kb8 17. Nc3 h5 $17) 16... Nf4 17. a4 Nxd3 18. Qc3 Nf4 19. Kh1 Ne2 20. Qd3 (20. Qh3+ Kb8 21. Nc3) 20... Qxd4 21. Qxd4 Nxd4 22. Nc3 Nb3 {With the idea of inviting the Rook to abandon the back rank while repositioning the Knight to support a pawn push tod3 and beyond.} 23. Ra3 Nc5 24. Rd1 d4 25. Na2 Rhe8 26. a5 $2 d3 27. b6 $2 d2 $1 28. Re3 axb6 29. axb6 Nd3 30. h3 $2 Nxf2+ 31. Kh2 $2 Rxe3 32. Rf1 Re1 (32... d1=Q 33. Rxd1 Rxd1 34. g4 Ne4 $1 {mates more quickly.}) 33. Rxf2 d1=Q 34. g4 Qd6+ 35. Kg2 Qc6+ 36. Kg3 Rg1+ 37. Kh4 g5+ 38. Kh5 Qg6# 0-1

The Summer film festival was put on hold as a good turn-out prompted lots of games, discussion, and analysis. Besides, there was a good basketball game.... I had prepared to show Luzhin's Defense, which I may bring again next week. It is a flawed film--mostly because its main character is so unlikable. If we do not get to see it, I don't much mind.