Plano as Chess Mecca

On April 10th, I played in a one day chess tournament at the Plano Chess Club. The event involved five rounds at various time controls...g/30, g/30, g/45, g45, and g/60. There were twelve players in the "Open" Section (above USCF 1300). Most of the players were 1600+.

Ten more people played in a "Novice" section (USCF 900 - 1300?), and there were about ten children who played in a "Scholastic Novice" section (under USCF 900). So the event had roughly thirty players. The "Open" section contained a seven year old girl who won at least two games! Thankfully, I did not play a chess game with her!

I'm sure you are breathlessly awaiting news of my performance! Well, I won two of five games. In Round 1, I played White with a USCF 1600 player and won via checkmate in a time scramble - I played Gucco Piano (the quiet game) -1- e4 -2- Nf3 -3- Bc4. In Round 2, I played a 1715 player as Black - I played Albin Counter Gambit -1- d4 d5 -2- c4 e5 he obtained a two pawn advantage almost immediately, and I got ground into dust. In Round 3, I played Jim Hollingsworth (1832), and gave the game everything - I am proud of my play - however, superior talent prevailed, and Jim won via checkmate. In round 4, my opponent (1694), surprised me with -1- d4 -2- Bc4 and moved a knight to g5 instead of a bishop in the early game. He sacrificed a knight for a pawn which led to sizable material gains and totally superior position - he won, although I put up some decent resistance, considering I had virtually no development and sizable material deficit. In Round 5, I'm in a bit of discouragement - thinking that I might go home with 4 straight losses - my opponent is a bit worse than me - he is 0-4. We begin playing, it is clear that my opponent can play chess, but he loses a knight for a pawn, and later in the game, allows a two move combination that loses his rook, so he resigns.

The Plano Chess Club has a first class facility and the tournament director is highly skilled. I will play in more chess events at the Plano Chess Club! Is Plano chess worth a 300 mile trip for Victoria Chess Club members? Maybe! Plano also has a tremendously good "Chinese Barbeque" restaurant about three blocks from the Plano Chess Club.

One more brief thought - not about chess - this was my first trip (ever) to Plano. I was struck by the opulent wealth of the place - every house seemed to be a brand new two story four bedroom brick. Plano has a large Asian community - every business in the shopping center where I ate lunch (bank, dentist, realtor, restaurant) had Japanese and English lettering on its door!

Chess In A Cloud of Smoke and Three Days Grace

During the past few days, I have been in "training" with my chess buddy Ken Henkelman for the Plano Chess Open. We play about seven or eight games a week, and Ken has been winning the great majority of games - I still haven't learned how to properly defense this version of the Latvian Gambit - -1- e4 e5 -2- Nf3 f5 -3- Bc4

We occasionally play chess at "Fast Eddie's" in Waco, a semi-luxury pool hall/bar on Friday or Saturday nights, with heavy music blaring and cigarette smoke hanging in the air.

I was there on Friday night, April 9th (just before the Plano chess tournament). Ken won the first thee games (including two Latvian Gambits), although I played with some skill. It is the fourth game, an 81 move draw as White (Gucco Piano/Scicilian) that I would like to present to you for your consideration - there won't be much annotation - maybe I could have won in the endgame, or maybe not. But I love this game. Enjoy!

DEVRIES (White) HENKELMAN (Black)
CASUAL GAME - April 9, 2010 Fast Eddie's Pool Hall/Bar
WACO TX

-1- e4 c5
-2- Nf3 Nc6
-3- Bc4 Nf6
-4- d3 g6
-5- Bg5 Bg7
-6- 0 - 0 0 - 0
-7- c3 d6
My 7th move is trying to neutralize Ken's King Indian Bishop.
-8- h3 a6
-9- QN to d2 Be6
-10- Re1 Qd7
-11- Kh2 b5
-12- B x B Q x B
-13- a3 Ne5
-14- N x N Q x N
-15- Nf3 Qe6
-16- Qc2 QR to c8
-17- e5 P x P
-18- R x P Qd6
-19- g3 Nd5
-20- Re2 f6
-21- Bd2 e5
-22- c4 P x P
-23- P x P Nb6
-24- b3 Qc6
-25- Qc3 Rf7
-26- Rook on a1 to e1 e4
-27- Nh4 f5
-28- Qc2 Rd8
-29- Be3 Rd3
-30- Ng2 R on f7 to d7
-31- Nf4 R on d3 to d6
On Move 30 and 31, some nice moves by my Knight.
-32 h4 Bd4
-33- Rd1 B x B
-34- R x R Q x R
-35- P x B Qd1
-36- Ne6 Q x Q
-37- R x Q R x Q
-38- N x P on c5 R x P on e3
-39- Rd2 Kg7
-40- Rd6 Nc8
-41- R x P on a6 Re1
-42- Ne6 check Kf7
-43- Nf4 e3
-44- Re6 Ra1
-45- R x P R x P on a3
-46- c5 Ne7
-47- Rc3 Nc6
-48- Kh3 Kf6
-49- Re3 Nd4
-50- Nd5 check Kg7
-51- Re7 check Kh6
-52- Nf6 g5
My 52nd move threatens mate in one, but Ken creates escape square for his King with -52- ....g5.
-53- P x P check K x P
-54- N x P check Kg6
-55- Nf8 check Kf6
-56- Re3 Nc6
-57- Nd7 check Kg5
-58- Rc3 Rc7
-59- Nb6 Rh7 check
-60- Kg2 Kg4
-61- Rc4 check Kg5
-62- b4 Ne5
-63- Rc3 Rc7
-64- b5 f4
-65- P x P K x P
-66- c6 Ke4
-67- Na8 Rg7 check
-68- Kf1 Rf7 check
-69- Ke2 Kd4
-70- Rc1 Nc4
-71- R x N !?!?!? K x R
I'm not sure if this was the right move - it is a bold exchange sacrifice.
-72- c7 R x P
-73- N x R Kc5
-74- Kd3 Kb6
Black can take my last pawn or my knight. Because checkmate is impossible with King and Knight vs King - I give up the knight, and the game becomes King and Pawn vs King. My endgame skills have been less than stellar (!) for a long time (although I did win a game in the Victoria Open and a game in the Plano Open (April 10th) with well played endgames).
-75- Kc4 K x N
-76- Kc5 Kb7
-77- b6 Kb8
-78- Kb5 Kb7
Ken has infinitely greater endgame knowledge than me.
-79- Kc5 Kb8
-80- Kc6 Kc8
-81- b7 Kb8
****DRAW****

The game concluded at 11 PM - we were too tired to carefully review it. However, Ken said, "I should have placed my King in front of my pawn". I'm not sure it was possible to do that, once the position became "King and Pawn vs King".

Could I have won this game by getting a pawn to a safe queening square?

Maybe some reader could show me how this game could have been won.

A Class "A"ct - Ralph Belter's Tourney Play

Belter Srivastava

1.d4 d5
2.Nf3 Nc6
c5 first is better
3.Bf4 Nf6
4.e3 Bg4
5.c4 e6
6.Qb3 Bb4
7.Nbd2 Bxf3
8.gxf3 Bxd2
9.Kxd2 Rb8
Probably 7. Nc3 is better, but I have played this line several times. My king is fairly safe behind the pawns and my 2 bishops and open g file have won me a number of games.
10.Bd3 o-o
11.Rhg1 g6
12.Bg5 Re8
13.f4 h6
This is an error, but it does have a deep point that I missed. Who would expect a 9 year old rated 667 to play a positional sac?
14.Bxh6 Nh7
Another error. With 14… Ne4 it is about even, but this is still part of a deep plan that I missed.
15.Bxg6 winning 15…. Qh4
Only now did I see the idea. His last 2 moves opened the diagonal for the Q which now hits f2 and h2. Besides both bishops hang. How did this happen?
16.Bxf7 The calm 16. Bd3 wins.
In the maze I thought I saw another win.
16….Kxf7
17.Rg7 Kf6
18.Rxh7 I had planned 18. Bg5 here but only now saw the N/h7
18…..Qxf2
19.Kd3 a6
Correct here is !9… Kg6 when he gets the edge. Still I was amazed at the idea of playing …b5 and opening more lines.
20. Bg5 I am not going to give him another shot at …Kg6!
21….Kf5
21Rf7 Kg4
This is the final error. On 21…Kg6 22. Rf6 and 23.Qd1 I probably win too, but he still can cause problems with 23…Nb4. I was very glad he missed that Qd1 is with check.
22.Qd1 Kh3
23.Qh5 Actually 23. Rh7 is quicker, but I saw this first.
23…. Kg2
24.Qg4 Kxh2
25.Rh7 Qh4
26.Rxh4 mate Whew.