Simul on June 7th!

Come celebrate CCGC's one year anniversary with a simul, teaching demo, and chess book sale (and did I mention free chess cake?)! Class A player and co-winner of the Victoria Open, Ralph Belter, will host a simul at Jason's Deli, 6pm on June 7th. Please bring your boards - and if we have a tie or a draw, enjoy a free meal from Jason's!

Keeping it Local

I just returned to Waco from Victoria, after a wonderful two day visit with my daughter, Lisa. I was lucky enough to play some chess at the Victoria Chess Club's regular Monday night meeting. (Lisa and I played a couple games near Lighthouse Beach at Port Lavaca on Sunday evening - Lisa played one of her best games and beat me!).

I only played one game - a long game with Victoria Chess Club member Robert Stryk.
The result was a draw - I could not convert a King and Pawn vs King ending into a queened pawn and winning advantage. After the game, Robert Stryk kindly showed me how I could have won the game.

The game consumed more than two hours and several chocolate ice cream cones.
Robert and I enjoyed this game. I present it to you for your consideration.

JOHN DEVRIES vs ROBERT STRYK
Casual Chess Game - Victoria Chess Club
May 17, 2010

WHITE (DeVries) BLACK (Stryk)

-1- e4 g6
-2- d4 Bg7
-3- f4 d6
-4- h3 QNd7
-5- Nf3 c5
-6- c3 Nf6
-7- Bd3 0-0
-8- 0-0 e6
-9- Be3 a5
-10- QNd2 b6
-11- Qc2 Ba6
-12- B x B R x B
Black's Rook seems to be in an awkward position.
-13- QRd1 b5
-14- P x P P x P
-15- Nb3 Qc7
-16- Rd2 a4
-17- Nc1 Rc8
-18- R on f1 to d1 Qc6
-19- Rd6 Qc7
Black decides not to trade his Queen for two Rooks.
-20- R x R Q x R
-21- Ne2 Nb6
-22- Ng3 Nc4
-23- Qe2 Qc6
-24- Bc1 Qc7
-25- Kh1 Rd8
-26- R x R Q x R
-27- b3 P x P
-28- P x P Nb6
-29- Be3 N on f6 to d7
-30- e5 c4
-31- P x P N x P
-32- Bd4 Bh6
-33- Qe4 Qc8
-34- Ne2 Bf8
-35- g4 Nc5
-36- B x N B x B
-37- N on f3 to d4 b4
-38- P x P B x P
-39- f5 Nd2
-40- Qf4 Qb7 check
-41- Kh2 Qd5
-42- P x P at f5 check P x P
-43- Qf6 Nc4
-44- N x P Q x P at e5 check
-45- Q x Q N x Q
-46- Kg2 Kf7
-47- N on e6 to d4 Be5
-48- Nf3 N x N
-49- K x N Ke6
-50- Ke4! h6
-51- h4 Kf6
-52- Nf4 Bf2
-53- Nd5 check Ke6
-54- h5 g5
-55- Nc7check Kf6
-56- Nd5 check Ke6
-57- Nc7 check Kd6
-58- Nd5 Bg3
-59- Ne3 Ke6
-60- Nf5 Be5
-61- N x RP Ba1
I have a one pawn advantage - I should win this game! But my victory depends on endgame knowledge.
-62- Nf5 Bf6
-63- Nd5 check B x N
-64- K x B Kf6
-65- Ke4 Ke6
(At this point, per Robert Stryk, I could have won game as follows)
-66- Kd4 Kf6
-67- Kd5 ! Kf7
-68- Ke5 Kg7
-69- Kf5 Kh6
-70- Kf6 Kh7
-71- K x P Kg7
-72- Kf5 Kh7
Per Robert, Kf5 is decisive move. Instead, I turn a victory into a draw because I do not know how to play the endgame right.

-66- h6 Kf6
-67- h7 Kg7
-68- h8 = queen K x Q
-69- K x P Kg7
I think I should win the game because I have K + P vs K. I am wrong.
-70- Kh5 Kh7
-71- g5 Kg7
-72- g6 Kg8
-73- Kh6 Kh8
-74- Kg5 Kg7
-75- Kf5 Kg8
-76- Kf6 Kf8
-77- Ke6 Kg7
-78- Kf5 Kg8
-79- Kg5 Kg7
-80- Kh5 Kg8
-81- Kh6 Kh8
-82- Kg5 Kg7
-83- Kf5 Kg8
-84- Kf6 Kf8
All roads seem to lead to stalemate, so I take the draw.

A Lesson in Linguistics?

I have played many thousands of chess games, and have heard the chess term Zugzwang many times, but my chess skill level has never progressed to the point where it actually appeared in one of my games - until now. Zugzwang occurs when a chess player would rather pass (make no move) than make any move, because any move would lead to a weakening of his position and certain defeat. Of course, there are no "passes" allowed in chess, so when Zugzwang hits, many chess players quickly resign. This happened in a recent game with my chess buddy Ken Henkelman. The game (I played White) involved the usual Gucco Piano vs Scicilian/Dragon/King's Indian Two Knight Defense. I played well throughout the game, and Ken gave away a pawn in the late middle game, which increased his difficulties. Finally, the game ended with Zugzwang. It is the first time that I have ever won a game against a strong player with the Zugzwang tactic. I present this game for your consideration.

CASUAL CHESS GAME - JOHN DEVRIES vs KEN HENKELMAN
May 12, 2010 Waco Tx Barnes & Noble

WHITE (DeVries) BLACK (Henkelman)
-1- e4 c5
-2- Nf3 Nc6
-3- Bc4 Nf6
-4- d3 g6
-5- 0-0 Bg7
-6- c3 0-0
-7- Bg5 d6
-8- h3 a6
-9- QNd2 Be6
-10- Re1 Qd7
-11- Kh2 QRc8
-12- Rc1 h6
-13- Be3 b5
-14- B x B Q x B
Ken and I have played this variation before - I am always a bit surprised that Ken takes with the Queen rather than the King Bishop pawn.
-15- b3 Ne5
-16- N x N Q x N check
-17- g3 g5
-18- f4 P x P
-19- B x P Qe6
-20- Qf3 Nd7
-21- Qe3 Ne5
-22- Nf3 Kh7
-23- c4 P x P
-24- QP x P Nc6
-25- KRd1 Nd4
-26- Qd3 Qg6
-27- N x N B x N
-28- Be3 Be5
-29- Bf4 Qf6
-30- Rf1 Rg8?
Ken loses a pawn.
-31- B x B Q x B
-32- R x P check Rg7
-33- R x R check K x R
-34- Qe2 Rf8
-35- Qg4 check Kh7
-36- Rc2 Rg8?
-37- Qf5 check Q x Q
-38- P x Q Kg7
It can't ever hurt to trade queens when you are one pawn ahead.
-39- Rf2 Kf6
-40- g4 Rg5
-41- Re2 h5
-42- Re6 check Kf7
-43- Re4 P x P
-44- RP x P Kf6
-45- Kg3 Rg8
-46- Rf4 Rh8
-47- g5 check Kf7
-48- g6 check Kf8
-49- Kg5 Rh2
-50- f6 Rg2 check
-51- Kf5 Rf2 check
-52- Rf4 R x R
-53- K x R P x P
-54- Kf5 Kg7
-55- a3 a5
-56- a4! Zugzwang! Resigns

"Gambit it Out"

Henkelman vs DeVries Casual Chess Game
Latvian Gambit, May 11, 2010

This is another "grind it out" game involving two minor pieces vs rook in long endgame.

HENKELMAN (WHITE) DEVRIES (BLACK)
-1- e4 e5
-2- Nf3 f5
-3- Bc4 P x P
Ken chooses -3- Bc4 on every Latvian Gambit chess game now.
-4- N x P d5
-5- Qh5 check g6
-6- N x P Nf6
An oft-repeated pattern.
-7- Qh4 P x N
-8- Q x R P x B
-9- Na3 Be6
-10- b3 Nc6
-11- P x P Kf7
-12- Bb2 Bg7
Another oft-repeated pattern.
-13- Q x Q R x Q
-14- Bc3 a6
-15- 0 - 0 Bh6
-16- QRd1 Bg4
-17- f3 P x P
-18- P x P Bh3
-19- Rf2 Bg5
-20- d3? Be3
Ken will lose the exchange.
-21- Nb1 B x R check
-22- K x B Nd4
I should win this game - but I don't. Perhaps -22- ...Bf5 is better
-23- Rd2 c5
-24- Ba5 Re8
Is -24- ...Rd7 better?
-25- Nc3! Nd7?
-25- .. Bf5 better
-26- Ne4! Bf5?
(-25- .....Re5
-26- f4 ....Rh5)
-27- Nd6 check Kf8
Ken wins the exchange.
-28- N x R K x N
-29- Bc3 Kf7
-30- Ke3 Nc6
-31- f4 Nf6
-32- Kf3 Nd4
White = 14, Black = 13
-33- Kg3 Nh5
-34- Kh4 N x P at f4
Material is even.
-35- B x N P x B
-36- Kg3 Nh5 check
-37- Kf3 g5
-38- Re2 g4
-39- Kf2 Nf4
-40- Re5 Be6
-41- Re4 Ng6?
-42- R x P at d4 Nh4
White has one pawn advantage.
-43- Rd8 Nf3
-44- Kg3 Ne1
-45- Rb8 N x BP
-46- R x P check Kg8
-47- Rb6 Bf5
-48- Rd6 Nb4
-49- d4 N x RP
-50- R x P Nc3
-51- Kf4 Bd3
-52- Ra3 Ne2 check
-53- Ke3 B x P
Material is even for Black and White.
-54- d5 Kf8
-55- d6 Ke8
-56- Ra7 Kd8
-57- Rg7 Bb5
The bishop is tied to the defense of the knight.
-58- R x P Kd7
White has regained material advantage.
-59- Rg6 Ba6
-60- h4 Nc1
-61- h5 Nd3
-62- h6 Ne5
-63- Rg7 check K x P
-64- h7 Nc4
-65- Kf2 Nd2
-66- h8 = queen Ne4 check
-67- Kg1 Resigns

The Washington Generals Win One!

My good friend Ken Henkelman and I have continued our casual games chess rivalry - and it has been rather discouraging in recent weeks - Ken won eight games in a row, some of them fairly easily, and consistently squashed my Latvian Gambit. Then I woke up, and fought Ken to an exciting draw and won another "quiet game" (Gucco Piano). The true facts of our relative chess strength (Ken is 1800, I am 1400) returned to our chess board, and Ken won nine more games in a row - some were close, some were not - and I wondered if I should keep playing this guy. I kept remembering the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies National League baseball team, who set a major league record for consecutive losses at 23. But tonight, there was a wonderful breakthrough. I may have found a way to stymie Ken in our Latvian Gambit games (-1- e4 e5 -2- Nf3 f5 -3- Bc4).

As most everyone knows, the Washington Generals are the opponents of the Harlem Globetrotters, and they always manage to find a way to lose. My chess ego was slipping to Washington Generals status, but it has been reborn, because I just beat Ken in an original Latvian Gambit game where my superior minor pieces (Bishops and Knights) overwhelmed Ken's rooks. In Ken's words, "I put the screws to him". Sometimes, David can beat Goliath. I offer this game for your consideration.

CASUAL GAME - KEN HENKELMAN VS JOHN DEVRIES
MAY 2, 2010 WACO TX

WHITE (Henkelman) BLACK (DeVries)
-1- e4 e5
-2- Nf3 f5
-3- Bc4 P x P (f5 x e4)
-4- N x P d5!
-5- Qh5 check g6
-6- N x P at g6 Nf6 (the only move)
-7- Qh4 P x N
-8- Q x R P x B
I get two minor pieces - Bishop and Knight - for Rook.
-9- Nc3 Kf7
-10- 0-0 Bf5
-11- Re1 Nc6
Now I can move my Bishop against Ken's Queen.
-12- b3 Bg7
-13- Qh4? Nd4
Exchanging queens would have been better for White.
-14- Rb1 N x P at c2
-15- Rd1 P x P
-16- R x P b6
-17- Ne2 Nd4
-18- N x N Q x N
-19- Bb2 Qa4!
-20- Qf4 Nd5!
-21- Qg3 B x B
I win a minor piece!
-22- Rb1 Bd4
-23- a3 Rh8
Claiming the open h file for my rook.
-24- h3 Qd7
-25- Rc1 c5
-26- Qg5 Qd6
-27- Kf1 Bf6
This forces trade of Queens when I have minor piece advantage.
-28- Qg3 Q x Q
-29- R x Q Nf4
-30- Rb3 Rd8
-31- g4 Be6
I have strong parallel Bishops.
-32- Re3 Nd3
-33- Rb1 Ba2
-34- Rd1 Bc4
-35- Kg1 Bd5
-36- Kf1 Bg5
-37- Rg3 Bf4
-38- Rg1 Ne5
-39- d4? Bc4 check
-40- Kg2 R x P
-41- R x R P x R
Ken's first rook is gone and I have connected pawns in the center.
-42- Re1 e3
-43- P x P B x P
-44- a4 Ke6
-45- Kg3 d3!
-46- Rd1 Bb3
-47- Rb1 d2
-48- a5 b5!
-49- h4 d1 = Queen
-50- R x Q B x R
Now I have a crushing material advantage.
-51- g5 Bh5!
-52- Kg2 Ng4
-53- Kf3 b4
-54- Ke4 Kd6!
-55- Kd3 Kc5
-56- Kc2 Kb5
-57- Kb3 K x P
My greatest problem now is to avoid a stalemate.
-58- Ka2 Ne5
-59- Kb3 Nf3
-60- Ka2 N x P at h4
-61- Kb3 Nf3
-62- Ka2 N x P
I grab Ken's last pawns.
-63- Kb3 Ne4
-64- Ka2 g5
-65- Kb3 g4
-66- Ka2 g3
-67- Kb3 g2
Resigns