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

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.

How to Grow Your Chess Club

Bob Rasmussen is the president of the Fresno Chess Club, the 2009 Chess Club of the Year. CLO is pleased to report that Bob has recently accepted the additional role as the USCF Clubs Committee chair. Bill Goichberg of the USCF Executive Board said, "This committee rarely had an active chair, but Bob is very enthusiastic and led the rebuilding of the Fresno club from 15 members to several hundred during the past few years, so I am optimistic. Anyone interested in discussing how to build a chess club or joining the committee is welcome to call Bob at 559-708-8100."

Indeed, Bob has high hopes for American chess clubs. He told CLO, "I would like bring chess to the more mainstream than it is. I welcome phone calls from anyone who is trying to grow a club or help to make chess more popular." Bob is not much of an email man, but don't be shy-he really wants to hear from you. See other contact info on the Fresno Club's official website.

You may recall the name Bob Rasmussen from Chess Life Magazine, where his club was profiled in the June 2009 issue. You can log in as a member and review the article here.

Bob believes a chess club, especially those that like Fresno, lack outside funding or a permanent space, must follow the same principles as a business. "The Fresno Chess Club is a proud chess club since 1930. Four years ago we were down to 15 members. We lost a lot of members to the Internet and so we put our heads together and we went over reasons why people might quit going and things we would like to see from a club. And we applied those things and now we have 350 paid members. We believe that building a chess club is pretty much an exact science. If you do certain things, your club is going to grow."

The Fresno club added a Friday night session because it allows more people to come out. It's also important to Bob that members all have comfortable seating and that newcomers are given a warm introduction. Some things that seem obvious to Bob are not intuitive for some of the chess organizers he spoke with. "They tell me how hard it is to talk to newcomers when they're in the middle of the game." Bob says, "and they wonder why it's hard to attract more members to their club", Bob says, "Like any business, the new customer is the one you have to make feel comfortable."

The club outgrew their former location Carl's Jr., so they moved to Denny's. The restaurant's only demand is they spend more than $100 a night. "We spent $400 on the first night."

Tuesday "Ladies' nights" are a new addition to the club menu. 9Queens Tucson all women chess clubs were also captured in the New York Times. Such evenings, Bob said, end up benefiting both genders. "If the ladies can stick the guys with the kids and the dishes on Tuesday night, they are more understanding when the men want to run off to chess club on Monday or Friday night."

Bob also gives ample credit to the Mechanics Institute in San Francisco and director IM John Donaldson. The club "rolls out the red carpet" on the Fresno club's annual visits to the Mechanics. "John is such a gentleman. He gives us a simul when we go there, without a charge. He's helped show us the right way to treat our members by the way he treats us."

Contact Bob Rasmussen at 559-708-8100, find out more about the club at the Fresno Chess club website and check out the feature Chess Life Magazine article on the club.

A Gucco Piano (Quiet Game) Chess Game‏

I'm in training for the big Victoria Open chess tournament this coming Saturday! My chess compadre Ken Henkelman and I have played about ten games a week for the past several weeks, and I am winning about 1/3 of our games and drawing a few others. Tonight I scored an exciting win in the "Gucco Piano" (the quiet game) opening. I have basically abandoned my gambits with the White pieces against Ken, because I have learned that if you give Ken an extra pawn, even to gain more rapid development, you generally get smashed. So I have been using "normal" openings with White in recent games with Ken - hence the "Gucco Piano".

I gradually build up a substantial positional and material advantage, and the game ends with a beautiful discovered check position. I submit this game for your consideration.

DEVRIES vs HENKELMAN 03-22-2010

WHITE (DeVries) BLACK (Henkelman)


-1- e4 c5
Ken chooses the Scicilian Defense.
-2- Nf3 Nc6
-3- Bc4 Nf6
Ken chooses the "Two Knights Defense." I have played the first 3 moves for the Gucco Piano.
-4- d3 g6
-5- Bg5 Bg7
I ignore Ken's "King's Indian Defense."
-6- c3 0- 0
My pawn move keeps Ken's bishop from dominating the diagonal.
-7- 0 - 0 d6
-8- h3 Bd7
White's 8th move prevents pin of knight against White queen.
-9- QNd2 a6
-10- Re1 Re8
-11- Qc2 Qc7
-12- QRc1 e6
-13- a3 QRd8?
Black Rook would have been better placed on c8.
-14- d4 P x P
-15- P x P Qb6
-16- e5 P x P
-17- P x P Nd4
-18- N x N Q x N
-19- P x N Bh8
I have a minor piece advantage.
-20- Nf3 Qb6
-21- Ne5 Bc8
-22- Ng4 Qd4
-23- Qc3 Qc5
-24- Nh6 check Kf8
Forcing the exchange of queens when I am ahead in material.
-25- Qb4 Q x Q
-26- P x Q Rd4
-27- Ba2! R x P on b4 ?
A pawn sacrifice that wins the game for me.
-28- Rc7 Rd8
Black's 28th move saves him from checkmate, temporarily.
-29- R x P on f7 check Ke8
-30- Re7 check Kf8
-31- R x P on h7 check Ke8
Threatening R x B on h8 checkmate.
-32- f7 check Kd7
-33- B x R Bg7
-34- R x B Rf4
A beautiful discovered check finish.
-35- f8 queen check Resigns