Tournament Wrap-ups

White to play and mate in six after 23...b6?

At the club last night I learned how the New Jersey Open and the KCC Summer Tournament wrapped up.

I was not able to attend the last day of the NJ Open and friends playing did not stay until the end. It turns out that Tom Bartell won for a second year in a row after drawing as Black with Kapengut in the last round. His third round game with Bady was featured last week. I was hoping he would come by the club last night so I could get another one of his games from the event for the blog to do a proper wrap-up. (If you are reading this, Tom, maybe you can send me one!)

I have also been waiting on the final game from the Kenilworth Chess Club's Summer Tournament, which concluded last week with a victory by Mark Kernighan against Greg Tomkovich to decide first and second. Inching me out for third place was Devin Camenares, who won two games against Pat Mazzillo -- including one where Pat again tried 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe4 Nxe5?! (hey Pat, don't you read my blog?)

The Kernighan-Tomkovich game could be put in a textbook, especially with its pretty finish (which could have been even prettier as you can see from the notes). White to play and mate in six or less from the diagram above. Hint: it involves a Queen sac (or two if Black declines the first time). You can view the game online, download the PGN or get it below.

[Event "KCC Summer Tourney"]
[Site "Kenilworth, NJ USA"]
[Date "2005.09.01"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Kernighan, Mark"]
[Black "Tomkovich, Greg"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "53"]
[TimeControl "G60"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Rc1 Rd8 $6 ({More standard is} 9... Nxc3 10. Rxc3 dxc4 11. Bxc4 b6 12. O-O $14) 10. Qc2 f5 $6 {Too weakening of e5. White's plan now is to finish development and then move his Knight at f3 to allow Pf3, kicking the Black Knight back, followed by e3-e4 with a much better game.} 11. Bd3 c6 {As Kernighan put it, "these moves do not combine well." If Black wants a Stonewall position, he should not also play h6 and Rd8.} 12. O-O Nd7 13. a3 $5 {A temporizing move, hoping Black wil play Ndf6 allowing Ne5!} Ndf6 $6 14. Ne5 $1 Bd7 15. f3 Nd6 16. c5 $5 { White has a growing space advantage.} Nf7 17. Ng6 $1 Qe8 18. e4 fxe4 $2 { It is a mistake to open the f-file, which becomes the main avenue for White's attack.} 19. fxe4 Ng5 20. e5 Nfh7 21. Rf4 (21. h4 $5 Nf7) 21... Bc8 22. Rcf1 Qd7 23. Qf2 b6 $2 ({Necessary was} 23... Qe8 {- now Black can force mate.}) 24. Rf8+ $1 Nxf8 25. Qxf8+ Rxf8 ({The better} 25... Kh7 26. Ne7+ Ne4 27. Nxe4 $3 Rxf8 28. Nf6+ Kh8 29. Ng6# {would have made for a prettier finish.}) 26. Rxf8+ Kh7 27. Rh8# 1-0