Russ Makofsky, Chess Instructor

Russ Makofsky, who teaches chess at the Village Chess Shop, which he also helps manage, is featured in Channel Thirteen's "New York on the Clock" series.  Hat tip Susan Polgar.

2010 US Open, Round 8 Update

GM Alejandro Ramirez continued his dominating performance at the 111th U.S. Open and Jerry Hanken Memorial in Irvine by beating GM Alexander Shabalov last night in a wildly tactical 8th round game.



With the victory, Ramirez has the best chance of winning the tournament.  For a comprehensive report written before the 8th round, see "Ramirez & Shabalov Lead in Irvine" at the USCF site. Among the more interesting news it mentions: former Kenilworth Chess Club president and founding member Mike Wojcio won the golf tournament (which he also directs). 


There are a number of bloggers reporting from the scene, including Dana MacKenzie, Mark Ginsburg, and Polly Wright.  You can see today's final round online at Monroi.

Lasker's Defense to the Queen's Gambit Webliography

GM Ronen Har-Zvi's five-part series at ICC on Lasker's Defense to the Queen's Gambit Declined (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 Ne4) inspired me to take a look around the net to see if there are any good online resources


General Articles and Videos


Lasker's Defense to the Queen's Gambit Declined at the Kenilworth CC website
Based on a series of lectures by FM Steve Stoyko at the Kenilworth Chess Club, this article presents a complete Queen's Gambit repertoire for Black centered on Lasker's Defense.  This may be the most complete article on the Lasker's Defense available on the web and it includes an extensive bibliography of print sources.  Recommended lines often diverge from standard theory to make the Lasker's Defense into more of an active weapon than a drawing line.  This article is a condensed version of several other articles which can be found on the Articles page of the Kenilworth Chess Club website under "Queen's Gambit."  











Annotated Games

• Krush-Zatonskih, US Women's Championship 2009 annotated by Lubomir KavalekA nice win by Zatonskih, aided by Krush's errors.  You can play over the game online from Chessgames.
• Krush-Zatonskih, US Women's Championship 2009 annotated by Ben Finegold at St. Louis CC website A nice java replay with annotations (many the same or similar to those at ChessVibes)
• Zatonskih Clinches 2nd Consecutive U.S. Women's Championship Title at ChessVibesIncludes java replay of the game Krush - Zatonskih, annotated by Chris Bird and Ben Finegold based on discussion with the players.
• Karpov - Yusupov Match by Jeremy SilmanSome useful general commentary on the use of the Lasker's Defense in the Karpov - Yusupov match.
• A Selection of Kramnik's Games at ChessCountryFeatures the game Kramnik-Lutz, Germany 1994, with annotations.
  

Topalov - Anand, World's Championship, Game 12

Topalov - Anand, Queen's Gambit Declined, Lasker Defense (D56), 0-1This game, with which Anand retained the world title, is surely a major reason for resurgent interest in Lasker's Defense.  It is now widely annotated.

• Giri on Game Twelve by Anish Giri at ChessBase
• World Championship, Game 12 annotated by Dennis Monokroussos
• Sofia R12 at ChessBase 
• Chessdom on Game 12 with Alexandra Kosteniuk  and others commenting live
• Anand Keeps World Championship Title by Alexandra Kosteniuk
• Anand - Topalov World Championship Game 12 by Mark Crowther at TWIC
• Anand Wins Championship by Jack Peters for the LA Times
• Anand Beats Topalov, Retains World Title at ChessVibes with game 
• Campeonato Mundial, Partida 12 by Antonio Torrecillas
• Polgar: World Chess Champion Successfully Defends His Title by Susan Polgar at Lubbock Online. 
• With One Blunder, Challenger Lets Champion Keep Title by Dylan Loeb McClain in The New York Times
• Queen's Gambit Declined, Lasker's Defense (D57) at Chessgames.com A useful site for checking out some games with the line.

Melekhina's Milner-Barry Gambit

Melekhina - Forestier

Position after 9.Nbd2!?

I have annotated the game Melekhina - Forestier, which features an unusual variation of the Milner-Barry Gambit against the French Defense.  WIM Alisa Melekhina has demonstrated some excellent preparation in her games at the World Junior and Girls under-20 Chess Championship in Poland, where she has started with a perfect 2-0 score.  Let's hope she can maintain her stamina through this grueling 13-round tournament.

2010 U.S. Inter-service Chess Championship

Local players Donald Carrelli (Kenilworth Chess Club president and a Marine Sergeant) and Arthur Macaspac (owner of Chess Mates of Rahway and an Army Captain) are playing in the 2010 U.S. Interservice Chess Championship at the Naval Station in Great Lakes, Illinois. Macaspac, who has twice won the All Army Championship, won both of his early round games--including a nice victory over Darwin Nyberg where he forced mate in a double Rook ending. The best chess players in the service are participating, including Air Force champion, Lt. Col. Douglas Taffinder.  You can follow the games and results at Monroi (requires free login).  The top finishers get to represent the U.S. at the NATO chess championship in Denmark come October.

Mad Dog Bites Hippo

I have annotated the game Esserman - Benjamin, 3rd NY International 2010 played last month at the Marshall Chess Club (tournament details here).  I have a fondness for the "mad dog" approach to the Pirc and Modern, with an early Bc4 pointing like a sharp canine tooth toward Black's jugular at f7.  But ever since Colin McNab's article on "Blunting the Bishop at c4" in Dangerous Weapons: The Pirc and Modern, I've been seeing a lot of hippopotamus set-ups against the line 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Bc4, when Black often plays 4...e6!? (see diagram above).  I was almost ready to give up on this aggressive approach, until I saw IM Marc Esserman's brilliant victory over GM Joel Benjamin--one of many upsets at the NY International.