The Complete Alrick H. Man Vienna Gambit Theme Tournament

I have posted analysis of Carlos Torre's two games from the Alrick H. Man Vienna Gambit Theme Tournament with Spielmann's favorite line 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Qf3!?  Analysis suggests that it is an interesting alternative to the standard 5.Nf3, if not quite as strong.

Position after 5.Qf3!?

As this completes my analysis of the Vienna Gambit and of the nine games from the tournament, I have also posted a Complete Tournament Games and Vienna Gambit Analysis (PGN) which includes all of the games previously annotated plus two additional games.   I hope my analysis is useful to those who would want to try out this interesting opening.   

See also:

• The Critical Line of the Vienna Gambit
• Torre and Marshall Victories over the Vienna
• Vienna Gambit Traps from the Alrick H. Man
• The Alrick H. Man Vienna Gambit Theme Tournament
• The Dimock Theme Tournaments and the Brooklyn Daily Eagle
• Torre - Norwood, Alrick H. Man Theme Tournament
• Vienna Gambit (C29) Bibliography

Torre and Marshall Victories over the Vienna

I have annotated G. Gustafson's games against Carlos Torre and Frank Marshall (PGN) from the Alrick H. Man Vienna Gambit Theme Tournament of 1924-1925.  The games demonstrate that Arthur Kaufmann's concept of playing Qe2 against most of Black's defenses following 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3 is probably most accurate, as shown in Torre - Norwood, Smirka - Torre, and Torre - Marshall (to be annotated soon) from the same event. Gustafson's less challenging 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.d3 against Carlos Torre and 5.Nf3 Bc5 6.d4 against Frank Marshall proved completely unsatisfactory.

Gustafson - Torre after 31.Rxf1
Black to play and mate in two.

Gustafson - Marshall after 8.Qe2
Black to play and win material.

Tricky Bishop in the Bird Defense (C61)

I have annotated the game Balakrishnan - Goeller, Garden State Chess League 2014, played last week at Rutgers University.  It features the Bird Variation of the Ruy Lopez (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4), which has long been a favorite of mine. In fact, I have played the line that we reached in the game well over a hundred times in tournaments and online blitz: 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.O-O Bc5 6. d3 c6 7. Bc4 d5. So it was quite a surprise to see the tricky Bishop retreat 8.Bb3! which was completely new to me.

Position after 8.Bb3

As my analysis shows, this move poses some very difficult problems for Black in the 5...Bc5 line of the Bird.  For one thing, Black cannot get rid of his doubled pawns with 8...dxe4? due to 9.Bxf7+ or 9.Qh5 with a big edge for White.  And the natural 8...Ne7 (which I played without thinking) will directly transpose (after 8.Bb3! Ne7 9.f4! f5) to a line that usually arises by the move order 5.O-O Bc5 6.d3 c6 7.Ba4 Ne7 8.f4 f5 9.Bb3 d5.  This has long been known to give White a big edge.  

Despite my set-back in the opening, which eventually cost me a pawn, I managed to get some play on the king-side by opening up the h-file.  In fact, late in the game I had a chance to win with a surprising shot (see diagram).  I missed it, but I regained my pawn for a draw with 28....Qe7, threatening Qh7 and Qxb4.  What was the stronger move?

Black to play and win after 28.Qf2.

Praveen recently won the Kenillworth Chess Club Championship for the second time in a row (see 2013 and 2014). That is an impressive achievement for a sixth grader!  The game I've annotated was the third we have played in as many years. All three games have featured the Bird Variation of the Ruy Lopez and are included in my notes. 

Previous posts on the Bird Defense:

• Ruy Lopez Bird's Defense (C61) Update
• Bird's Defense Bibliography (C61)
• Bird Blitz

KCC Consultation Game Concludes

Consultation Game
White to play after 41...Nfe8.

I have annotated the now complete Kenilworth Chess Club Consultation Game (PGN) which concluded this past Thursday.  We thought that White's best try following the sealed move of 31.Bf5! was to bring his king to the queenside to aid the bishops in attacking the pawns there.  However, I had prepared a defense to that plan that I think might have held.  During the game, the White team obviously contemplated an alternative winning try, which I had not considered during the adjournment but also discuss in my notes.  In the diagram above, after much thought, the White team played the vacillating 42.Ke4 and the game eventually petered out to a draw.  What might have been the better try to play for a win?  I am tempted to send this game in to Pal Benko to see if he'd consider telling us how White might have continued from the adjourned position to win this game, as the White team did appear to have good winning chances.

The club is closed on Thursday, November 22nd, for the Thanksgiving holiday.  On Thursday, November 29th, I will deliver a lecture on the tactics of the Urusov Gambit at the club, which I am busy preparing.  More on that in a future post.

2012 KCCC Gets Irrational in Round 2

Black to play.

I have annotated the game Hart - Goeller from the second round of the 2012 Kenilworth Chess Club Championship.  The game quickly reached a rather "irrational" position so that we ended up spending a lot of time just on the opening.  It was an interesting game to play, however, and made me think again about the Dunst Opening (with 1.Nc3) which used to be part of my own repertoire.

2012 KCCC Opens with a Gambit

White to play after 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 b5 3.Bxb5 c6

I have annotated Goeller-Komunicky, from the 21st Annual Kenilworth Chess Club Championship, which began on Thursday night with a strong turnout.  My game featured the old Anderssen Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 b5.  I can't decide how to annotate that move now, since on close analysis it almost seems playable, especially after the book line (which I chose) with 3.Bxb5 c6 4.Be2(?!) Nf6 5.d3 d5 6.f4 which should grant Black equality after 6...dxe4! with the idea of 7.fxe5 Bc5! Fortunately my opponent played differently and I won a nice game.  In the future, I will have to remember that best is 4.Ba4! heading for a sort of Evans Gambit reversed with an extra tempo for White, as I discuss in my notes.

Addled Adelaide

Position after 4.d4?!

I have analyzed the game Carrelli - Goeller, KCC Summer Tourney 2011, played this past Thursday night at the Kenilworth Chess Club.  It was a wild game and featured the Adelaide Counter Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 Nc6 3.Nf3 (3.Nc3 can be met by 3...Bb4!? -- my patented Anti-Pierce line) 3...f5! when White tried 4.d4?! leading to an odd looking position (see diagram above).  Both sides played inexactly, we ended up going down a rather confusing path...

Bird Defense Fishing Pole

Black to play
What's the best move to continue the attack?

I have annotated the game Balakrishnan - Goeller, KCC Summer Tourney 2011, from which comes the diagram above. 


On Thursday night I played young Praveen Balakrishnan in Round 6 of the Kenilworth Chess Club summer tourney, employing my favorite Bird Defense to the Ruy Lopez. For the second week in a row, I found myself sacrificing material for a direct attack on my opponent's king. In this case, I employed what Brian Wall likes to call "the fishing pole" theme: dangling my Knight at g4 for capture in order to open the h-file. My young opponent, who obviously had never been hooked before, gobbled the Knight and went down to speedy defeat. At least it is very unlikely he will ever fall for that trap again.


Brian Wall plays the Fishing Pole via the Berlin Defense with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Ng4!? trying to provoke 5.h3 h5! and the bait has been set and is hard to resist.  See Lee - Wall, Kansas Open 2007 for a nice illustration.  Wall has posted endless examples of his "Fishing Pole" online and in the Unorthodox Openings Yahoo group. If you have a spare 15 minutes or so, it's worth checking out his Fishing Pole: First Blood Part 1 and Part 2 on Youtube, which examine a game where GM Walter Browne lost to the Fishing Pole in a simul, intercutting scenes from Rambo for dramatic effect.  If nothing else, it will definitely help you to resist the bait yourself!

The Kernighan Experience

Goeller - Kernighan
White to play.

I have annotated Goeller - Kernighan, KCC Summer Tourney 2011, from Thursday night.   As often happens in my games with Mark, I sacrificed material to drive his King into the open and had a great attack going until I lost on time.  I call this "the Kernighan experience."  You might prefer to call it "repetition compulsion." But I found the experience very enjoyable despite the potentially traumatic result.  Always in my games with Mark I am reaching toward Tal-like artistry, but that perfect game remains always just outside my grasp.  I came pretty close this time to grabbing it, which was satisfaction enough for me.


Before we started, Ian Mangion (seated at the next board) joked that I should definitely play for a sac at f7 as he had done in a recent win over Mark.  At that point, I decided to try the Cochrane Gambit if Mark went in for his usual Petroff. When Mark played the Caro-Kann, however, I said to Ian, "Oh well, no f7 sac." But the idea was definitely planted in my head and likely influenced my play in the game.  In the diagrammed position above, I began my attack by playing 12.f5! exf5 13.Nxf5 gxf5 14.Nxf7!!

Albin Revisited

Woolverton - Pritchard
Black to play.

I have annotated the game Woolverton - Pritchard, London 1959, which is exactly the type of game likely  to inspire people to try the Albin Counter-Gambit -- besides being a nice early example of my favorite 5...Nge7 variation (a line that is nicely covered in Nigel Davies's Gambiteer II).  

• The Albin Counter-Gambit: Morozevich - Mengarini Variation
• Albin Counter Gambit Bibliography
• Topalov - Morozevich, Amber 2005
• The Albin Counter-Gambit in Question

Winning with a Forced Draw in the Petroff

Black to play after 6.Nxf7!?

I have annotated the game Mangion - Kernighan, KCC Quads 2011, which featured the Petroff line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 d5 5.Nxe5.  I have previously analyzed 5.dxe5 in my "Anti-Petroff Repertoire with d4."  However, 5.Nxe5 is the more popular move, and though it leads to more symmetrical positions it can be very sharp and interesting.  Kernighan's response 5...Nd7 was recently analyzed in "Plugging Away at the Petroff" (Chess Life, March 2011), where Andy Soltis told how the famed Harvard economist Ken Rogoff developed the line, which theory had previously frowned upon, and helped make it the most popular response to 5.Nxe5.  Soltis also points out that Mangion's surprising 6.Nxf7!? (shades of The Cochrane Gambit) was first played in Zaitsev - Karpov, Leningrad 1966 (a "GM draw" frequently repeated, including in a 2009 US Championship game).  

Mangion had looked over these lines and felt secure in being able to force a draw with 6.Nxf7!? against his higher rated opponent.  After 6....Kxf7 (Karpov's 6....Qe7! is probably more interesting -- see my annotations) 7.Qh5+ Ke6!? 8.Qe2 (threatening f3 to regain the piece with attack), Kernighan likely should have chosen 8...Kf7 when White simply repeats with 9.Qh5+ etc. splitting the point.  Instead, he chose the more "principled" but losing continuation 8....Kd6? when followed a typical Kernighan king walk and speedy victory for Mangion.

With his win over NM Kernighan, Mangion (rated 1971) has beaten two masters in as many weeks (having defeated KCC Champion Ken Chieu in the first game of the quad).  If he has success in his final game, he should break the 2000 rating barrier.

Another McDonnell - La Bourdonnais Attack

White to play.  What's the best plan of attack?

I have annotated the game Goeller - Sherer, Kenilworth CC Championship 2011, from the fourth round of the club championship played Thursday night.  It was my second McDonnell - La Bourdonnais Attack (1.e4 e6 2.f4) of this tournament, and a very complex and interesting game.  Of course, it probably could have been even better if I didn't have to play the second half of it with less than a minute plus 5 second increment on my clock.  I definitely have to work on my time management!  But despite my time challenge, I still managed to pull off a win, putting me in contention for the championship next week in a final round game with tournament leader Ken Chieu.

The Double Swindle

Black to play.  Is there anything worth trying?

White to play.  Should he accept a draw?

I have annotated the game Mangion - Goeller, Kenilworth Chess Club Championship 2011, from the third round this past Thursday.  It's not a pretty game and I clearly should have lost.  But I was saved by an amazing double swindle.  In the first diagram above, I played the tricky 19...Be7!? to which Ian immediately responded (as I had hoped) 20.Qxe5! when quickly followed 20...Bg5+ 21.Bxg5 Rxe5.  But that was only half the swindle.  The more important part was that as I took his Queen off the board, I offered a draw, suggesting that it was a magnanimous gesture toward a worthy opponent who otherwise was killing me.  Ian immediately accepted, too stunned by the surprising turn of events to notice that a draw was not his best option....

King's Indian, Fianchetto and Gallagher Variation

I have annotated the game Carrelli - Goeller, Casual Correspondence 2010, just completed this past week, which featured the Gallagher Variation against White's Fianchetto in the King's Indian Defense.  In my notes to the game, I explore some of Black's other possibilities against the Fianchetto Variation, so it may be of value even to those not interested in the Gallagher specifically.  I learned a lot about the opening from the game, and while I now have some reservations about the Gallagher as Black, I found it is definitely full of dynamic piece play and tactics, which can make it an exciting line against the otherwise dull fianchetto.  White has to watch out, and it is easy to miss a shot even in correspondence.  In the diagram below, for instance, it is Black to play and win at least a pawn utilizing a classic KID motif.

Carrelli - Goeller, after 23.bxc5?

Black to play

I have just started playing "turn based" online correspondence at Chess.com (as both "urusov" and "kenilworthian") and find I really enjoy it.  The standard time control gives you 3 days per move, so you can fit chess into even a busy schedule. Chess.com sends you an email whenever it is your move, so it is easy to keep track.  Seems a nice way to keep in touch with chess buddies you only see occasionally.  I also like that they now sync up with your Facebook account, which makes for a smooth and easy login.  Highly recommended.

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.

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.

Smashing the Finegold Defense to the Smith-Morra

Continuing our series on the Smith-Morra Gambit, we consider the Finegold Defense as shown in the game Esserman - Finegold, ICC 2006.  The Finegold Defense (1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 d6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.0-0 Be7 8 Qe2 a6), first described in Bob Ciaffone and Ben Finegold's book Smith-Morra Gambit, Finegold Defense (Gameplayer 2000), also available at ChessExpress, presents a real challenge to the Smith-Morra player, not only because it can be reached by various move orders but because there are so few good examples of White's play against the line -- especially with what may well be White's best plan, as recommended by Hannes Langrock: 9 e5! dxe5 10 Nxe5 0-0 11 Rd1 Nbd7 12 Bf4! (see diagram below).
 

Ciaffone himself endorses this line as likely White's best try, though he says he has never faced it in a game.  If any readers have played games that reached this position, please send them my way!  Meanwhile, enjoy Esserman's smashing example of one way to attack the Finegold, played against Finegold himself.

Remember: IM Marc Esserman will be giving a lecture on the Smith-Morra (that will feature some similar smashing games) at the Kenilworth Chess Club on April 15, 2010 ("Tax Day") at 8:15 p.m.  The lecture is open to the public and admission is $10.

USATE 2010, Round 1

 

Vicary - Massey
Black to play.

 

Stoyko-Katz
White to play and win.

 

Moore - Goeller
Black to play and win a pawn.

I got to meet the lovely Elizabeth Vicary (whose chess coaching at Brooklyn's IS 318 I've long admired) when our teams were paired in the first round of play at the US Amateur Teams East in Parsippany.  I have posted three of the games from our match with notes (also in PGN).  The games were relatively short and we won the match 4-0.  

On Board 1, FM Steve Stoyko played the odd 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Bd3!? idea in the French that was featured in an SOS article.  Looking at his game almost convinces me to give it a try and the concluding attack (see diagram) was very attractive.  On Board 2, NM Scott Massey played Ms. Vicary and I joined them for the post-mortem (where I wish I had more interesting things to say).  Scott got excellent counterplay on the queenside in a Dragon-like Pirc and won a pawn--though it should have been two says Fritz--with a nice shot (see diagram). I would have liked to get Ed Allen's score as well, since it featured a classic Nd5 sac in the Sicilian (all book likely), but he had gone.  My own game was essentially over on move four (see diagram).  

I think the team is in very good form and I look forward to play today.  (Oh, and the Hilton has admirably anticipated my fears of a general stomach flu outbreak by supplying plenty of hand sanitizer).

Gelfand - Nakamura, Bursa 2010

Gelfand and Nakamura Post Mortem

The internet response to the game Gelfand - Nakamura, 7th World Team Championship, Bursa Turkey 2010, has been almost electric. It is a game with all of the bells and whistles typical of a brilliancy, made all the more special because of the players themselves: the U.S. Champion sacrificed a piece and then left his queen hanging for six moves against the recent winner of the World Cup.  Incredible.  

Gelfand - Nakamura
Black to play.

Commentators point out the similarities to Beliavsky - Nakamura 2009 and Roozmon - Charbonneau 2008. Here are some notes from around the web:

• Nakamura Annotates Gelfand Scorcher by GM Hikaru Nakamura at the USCF website
  
• Bursa WTC: Nakamura beats Gelfand in round five at ChessBase
• Ben's Blog: Hikaru leads U.S. to victory over Israel, Robson draw clutch by Ben Finegold 
• Round 5 Games from Bursa by Dennis Monokroussos
  
• World Teams '10: Messing with Zohan by Mig Greengard
• Nakamura Brilliancy Beats Gelfand by Malcolm Pein at TWIC
• Russia and USA Lead at World Team Championship at ChessVibes
  
• Beliavsky and Gelfand Hopelessly Confused by Nakamura’s King’s Indian by Mark Ginsburg

Thomson - Stoyko, Kenilworth 2010

Thomson - Stoyko, Kenilworth 2010

White to play and draw.

I have annotated the game Thomson - Stoyko, Garden State Chess League 2010, played Thursday night at the Kenilworth Chess Club in the match between Summit and Kenilworth.  Steve Stoyko chose an interesting approach as Black against Simon Thomson's Tarrasch French, closing up the center and setting up a classic struggle on opposite sides of the board. Though the pawn structure gave White great potential for a kingside attack, Stoyko struck first with a queenside attack, eventually sacrificing a piece in order to create dangerous passed pawns in that region. Thomson battled back with a dangerous kingside attack (despite the exchange of Queens) and should have been able to force a draw by perpetual check (see diagram above) with the surprising 33.Bxh6! But time pressure mistakes gave Black the point. Steve said after the game that practically every move was "a study in choices." Sort of a "Stoyko Exercise" at every turn!