The Marshall Spectator
September 4, 2024 edition
In This Issue: From The Skittles Room Games from the Marshall Labor Day Invitational, by GM Aleksandr Lenderman Annotated Game from the New York 1924 Centennial - Part 2, by GM Prithu Gupta A Home for Chess Enthusiasts, by Vladimir Lionter Chess Toons En Passant Problems, Problems, curated by Alexander George Editor's Note
Welcome back, fellow chess players, to this edition of the Marshall Chess Club's fortnightly bulletin, The Marshall Spectator.
A special announcement from the Executive Director, Carlos Chavez:
Adult members, join us for our Adults Only Tournament (ALTO) on September 28th, 2024. Only the grown ups get to compete with each other in this special tournament we have the 4th week of every month. The format consists of 3 swiss system games at a time control of 60 minutes with a 10 second delay per move. Round times are at 12:30pm, 3:30pm, and 6:30 pm. Entry fee: $25 and prizes: $250 based on 20 paid entries. Â
Also, save the following dates on your calendar: our very first club Rapid and Blitz Championship will take place on October 11th-13th.
Our second edition of the Women's Championship will be on November 15th-17th with a minimum prize fund of $5,000. We will also have our first Senior Championship for players 50 and older on November 15th-17th. Both events will have qualifications to the Club Championship.
Our Amateur Championship will be November 22nd-24th with qualifications to the Club Championship. To top it off and end the year on a big note we will have our famous Club Championship on December 12th-15th with a minimum prize fund of $10,000! Save the dates!
Don’t forget - for parents of our scholastic and youth players - join us on Tuesday, September 24 from 5pm-9pm for a parent BBQ. We will have food, music, casual blitz, and a good time. ONLY FOR PARENTS AND THEIR SCHOLASTIC/YOUTH MEMBERS.
In other club news, we would like to congratulate Marshall Chess Club Member and rising star, Chenxuan Ling, who became the club’s newest National Master after crossing the 2200 rating threshold in last weekend’s Saturday Game 50 Open.
In a related story, the Marshall Spectator is thrilled to report that Marshall Member and NYC Chess Phenom Brewington Hardaway has just achieved his third and final GM Norm at an event in Spain.
On the topic of Norms, this last weekend the Marshall Chess Club hosted the 2024 NYCChess Norms Labor Day Round Robin Invitational event. There were 4 sections, a 10 player, 9 round GM Norm section, a 10 player, 9 round IM Norm section, an 18 player, Scheveningen Section, and an 8 player double round robin section.
The games from the top three sections can be seen here and here.
GM Aleksandr Lenderman provides annotations to some of his games from the event in this issue, and stay tuned for this thoughts on some of the other games played by the norm earners in the next issue of The Marshall Spectator.
Congratulations to IM Kyron Griffith on winning the GM A section with 7/9 and earning his 2nd Grandmaster Norm!Â
Congratulations to FM Samrug Narayanan on earning his 3rd IM Norm with 5.5/9!
Congratulations to IM Mykola Bortnyk on winning the IM B section with 5.5/9!
Congratulations to GM Michael Rohde, IM Justin Sarkar, and FM Joshua Colas on being the top scoring Masters in the Scheveningen C section with 7.5/9!
Congratulations to Max Mottola on being the top scoring Challenger with 5/9!Â
Congratulations to GM Andrew Tang on being the top scoring Masters in the Scheveningen D section with 6.5/8!
Congratulations to IM Josiah Stearman on being the top scoring Challenger with 6.5/8!Â
Looking ahead to the fall, we are happy to announce a continuation of our Grandmaster Chess Classes with a Fall Chess Class with Grandmaster Djurabek Khamrakulov. The classes begin starting on Tuesday, October 1. For further details or to register for the classes please visit our website.
Over the last two weeks we have had a plethora of events for our members to play in.
The Rated Beginner Open on August 25 had 27 players registered and was won by Radna Lumbotsyrenov, Arthur Luetkemeyer, and Sofiya Hodzhamkulyyeva who scored 3 out of 3 to earn $112.67 each.
The Saturday Game 50 Open on August 24 had 59 players registered and was won by IM Jay Bonin who scored 4 out of 4 to win the $354 first place prize. Joseph Otero, Dylan Kang, and Jeremy Yoon scored 3.5 out of 4 to win $98.33. Caleb Garcia won a $118 class prize for his 3 out of 4 performance. Â
The Under 2000 Morning Action on August 24 had 23 players registered and was won by Davin Chen, David Campbell and Jayden Feng, who scored 3 out of 3 each to win $67.33, while Kenny Bollin won a class prize of $87 for his 2 out of 3 performance.
The FIDE Blitz on August 23 had a remarkable turnout, with 63 players registered. The event was won by IM Liam Putnam, who scored 8 out of 9 to win the $305 first place prize. FM Aleksandr Lenderman and IM Alesander Katz scored 7.5 out of 9 to earn $76.25, while Linxi Zhu also won $76.25 for his 6.5 out of 9 score. Harper Wallace won $76.25, scoring 6 points, while the following 4 players earned $38.13 for their 6 out of 9 score: Kiren Nasta, FM Jonathan Subervi, Paul Schepel, and Dominic Paragua.
The Brother John McManus Action on August 22 had 46 players registered and was won by FM Tanitoluwa Adewumi and Vladimir Bugayev, who scored a perfect 4 out of 4 to win $141 each. Yusuf Mansurov scored 3.5 to win $85, while the following 6 players earned $28.33 for their performance: Andrey Pichugov, Mitchell Stern, Joseph Otero, Aileen Lou, Jephson Mathew, and Alvin Lou.
The Marshall Masters on August 20 had 24 players registered and was won by IM Nico Chasin, who scored a perfect 4 out of 4 to win the $320 first place prize. The following 5 players shared in the remaining prize funds, earning $80 each for their 3 out of 4 score: Aditeya Das, Linxi Zhu, Cameron Goh Jinghan, Max Mottola, and Sasha Schaefer. Â
The Adult Rapid on August 20 had 6 players registered and concluded with Chris Weldon, Hoai Xuan Luong, and Harmeet Singh Bagga winning $10 each for their 3 out of 3 score.
We look forward to seeing you at the club soon!
Games from the Marshall Labor Day Invitational, by GM Aleksandr Lenderman
I got invited into the Scheveningen D section in the Marshall Chess Club Labor Day Invitational tournament, where four masters would play against four challengers. The challenger field is quite strong and included two international masters: IM Aleksandr Ostrovskiy, the organizer of the event, and GM-elect Josiah Stearman, who has all the GM norms but hasn't yet broken the necessary 2500 FIDE to get the GM title. Rounding out the challengers field are two young rising star players around 2200 FIDE: Nitesh Cherekuri and Carter Ho. The other masters in our group include GM Andrew Tang, who is the reigning Centennial Open Champion, and experienced IMs Yury Lapshun and Vojtech Sochacki. After two somewhat uneventful draws against Alex Ostrovskiy, I played a mini-match rounds 3-4 against Josiah Stearman, who has also drawn his first two games against Andrew Tang, albeit much more fighting draws than my draws. I was looking forward to interesting fights with Josiah, who I knew to be a very uncompromising, fighting player.
Lenderman, Alex vs. Stearman, Josiah Marshall Chess Club Labor Day Invitational
You can play through the games with annotations here.
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 The first mini-surprise. Seemed to me like he was aiming for Kings Indian, which from what I checked he hasn't really done that much, although he's done so many things that it was very hard to predict what he'll play.
3. g3 I decided to try to also surprise him, and not go into Nc3 followed by e4 sharp lines, where I figured he was prepared very well for me based on my previous games. (3. Nc3)
3... Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O d6 6. Nc3 Another mini-surprise. I simply wanted to avoid playing what I've played before, and just play a chess game, since from what I'm aware, modern engines have made Kings Indian quite playable for black, and it is hard for white to prove an advantage in some of the main lines, which I used to play a lot. (6. d4)
6... e5 7. d3
The point. I wanted to transpose into the English opening, and play with the pawn on d3, to potentially play for a minority attack on the queenside.
7... c6!? Josiah also threw a wrinkle, and deviated from more common paths of Nc6. He now, intends on playing for d5, probing me to play... 8. e4!? Be6 9. Ng5!? I decided to gain a tempo and try to play for f4, which I thought is quite double-edged, but I didn't see a better plan. (9. b4 d5 I was a bit concerned about d5, and even though the pawn on e5 is hanging, I was worried about the loose pieces on the long diagonal. 10. exd5 cxd5 11. Nxe5 The engine said it's safe for me but during the game I wasn't so sure.) (9. Rb1 Would also be a viable alternative, getting the rook away from the a1 square on the long diagonal, and potentially preparing b4 next move.)
9... Bg4 10. f3 Bc8 11. f4 Ng4?! Tempting and also something that I expected, but was a bit too optimistic, especially given black's poor queenside development at the moment. (11... b5! Was a strong idea here for Josiah based on the tactic 12. cxb5 cxb5 13. Nxb5?? Qb6+)
12. Kh1 exf4 13. gxf4 h6?! (13... f5 Was more accurate.) 14. Nf3 (14. f5!? I briefly considered this but wasn't sure how good it is compared to Nf3. 14... Nxh2 15. Kxh2 hxg5 I have compensation for the pawn but not sure about beyond that.) 14... f5?! (14... Nd7) 15. h3 Not bad but I had better opportunities here. (15. Qe1 Was good and flexible.) (15. c5! I could've really played against his knight on g4, and for initiative, exploiting his poor development. 15... dxc5 (15... fxe4 16. dxe4 dxc5 17. Qe1) 16. e5)
15... Nf6 16. e5?! (16. Qe1 Once again, Qe1 was more flexible, and fxe4 isn't so scary. 16... fxe4 17. Nxe4) 16... Nh5 17. Ne2?! (17. Rg1 Was more useful and a better way to stop Ng3.)
17... c5 18. Qe1 (18. b4!?) 18... Nc6 (18... Kh7) 19. Ng3 Was pre-planned but I had an interesting alternative in (19. Nh4 Kh7 20. Rg1 Ne7 21. Be3)
19... Nxg3+ 20. Qxg3 Kh7 21. Be3 dxe5 (21... Be6) 22. fxe5 Qe7 23. Bg5! The best way to pose problems. Perhaps, Josiah missed this move when he took on e5 followed by Qe7, since otherwise, he could've played Be6 on move 21.
23... Qc7?! (23... Qe8) 24. Qh4! Nd4?! With this move, Josiah offered me a draw. I was a bit surprised, since I thought I couldn't be worse and I was ahead on the clock. I guess, Josiah overestimated his position and was very optimistic throughout the whole game. (24... Re8) 25. Nxd4! cxd4 26. Be7! Here, I thought I had the game, and started relaxing a bit too much (never a good idea). Now, Josiah started playing very resourcefully and started to fight back.
26... Bd7! A very strong practical choice, and objectively good too. When the trend isn't in your favor, the general good advice is to try to imbalance the game, and to try to change the trend, even if it means doing something a bit drastic. I didn't expect this move, and unfortunately, I didn't spend enough time being a perfectionist here.
27. Bxf8?! The start of the wrong direction. (27. Bd6! I briefly looked at this move and discounted it wrongfully due to Qd8, but there, I have a completely risk free position, up a pawn, not giving him any counterplay whatsoever. It was just practically such a good choice. 27... Qd8 (27... Qb6 Most likely, Josiah would play this, but even here, white has a large advantage in many ways, simplest being 28. c5 Qb5 (28... Qxb2 29. Rab1) 29. Bxf8 Rxf8 30. Qxd4) 28. Qxd4 (28. Qxd8 Even this, would win an exchange in a safe way.) 28... Bc6 Somehow, I saw this as counterplay for black, but nothing can be further from the truth. Black's king is weaker and white is totally dominating with the bishop on d6, and also an extra pawn on top of it. 29. Qf2)
27... Rxf8 28. Qe7?! It wasn't my first intension. Just a bad oversight. (28. Qxd4 I should've simply gone with my first intension, a variation which I saw and I'm quite safe here too. 28... Bxe5 29. Qxa7 Bc6 30. Rae1 Black has a very slight bit of counterplay, but no where near enough, white should still be winning here.) 28... Re8 29. Qd6?
A horrible mistake which lets go of the lost part of my advantage. (29. Qf7 Turns out I can still play against his weak king, but this is already very concrete, and by making inaccuracies the last two moves, I have severely complicated my task of winning this game. 29... Rxe5 30. Rae1 Re3 31. Rxe3 dxe3 32. Bd5! h5 33. Rg1 Qd6 34. c5!)
29... Bxe5 Somehow I must've totally forgot about Re3 in the end of this line. Simply inexplicable. 30. Qxc7 Bxc7 31. Bxb7 Re3 Suddenly, this position is equal, and his pawns supported by his two strong bishops are very dangerous. I'd say that black's position is easier to play.
32. Rf3 g5 33. Rxe3 dxe3 34. d4 h5 35. c5?
A natural move but a losing move. (35. Kg2! Already, this is the only move to save a draw. 35... f4 36. Rh1! Kg6 37. Kf3 Bxh3 38. Rxh3 g4+ 39. Ke2 gxh3 40. Be4+ Creating a narrow fortress. However, given the trend of this game, it was going to be very difficult to find such a defense.)
35... f4 36. Kg2 Bf5? During the game I thought this move was clever to stop Be4, but actually, this was a mistake that gave me a chance to draw again. (36... g4 37. Be4+ Kg7 38. hxg4 hxg4 39. Rh1 f3+) 37. b4? (37. Rh1 Kg6 38. Kf3 g4+ 39. Ke2 Somehow, this is still a draw.)
37... g4 38. hxg4 hxg4 39. a4 Bd8 40. a5 Bd3 41. b5?? Simply a blunder of the pawn. Somehow I only associated Bd3 with Be2 followed by f3. (41. Bf3!! Might've still given a narrow hope for a study-like draw. 41... gxf3+ 42. Kxf3 Kg6 43. Kxf4 Bg5+ 44. Kf3 Kf5 45. Rg1!! Don't ask me why! Seems like it's to threaten Rxg5 and lure the bishop to a worse h6 or f4 square. (45. Re1 Be4+ 46. Ke2 Bc6. Here black wins. 47. d5 Bxd5 48. Kd3 Be4+ 49. Kc4 Kf4 Now, black wins due to king getting access to the f4 square.) 45... Bf4 46. Re1! Only now! 46... Be4+ 47. Ke2 Bc6 48. d5 Bxd5 49. Kd3 Bc6 (49... Be4+ 50. Kc4) 50. Rxe3 Bxe3 51. Kxe3 Ke5 52. b5 Bxb5 53. c6 Bxc6 54. Kd3 Now, it's an obvious draw due to the a-pawn with the wrong colored bishop.)
41... Bxb5 42. Be4+ Kg7 43. Rb1 e2 A painful loss for me with lots of mistakes, missed opportunities, and lots of inexplicable decisions. Nonetheless, a very interesting fight, a game I'm very happy to share as a game with lots of instructional value. 0-1
Lenderman, Alex vs. Cherukuri, Nitesh Marshall Chess Club Labor Day Invitational
After a difficult day against Josiah, spoiling a winning position, I wanted to redeem myself by playing well against the rising star, Nitesh.
1. d4 Nf6 A slight surpirse. In the recent times, I noticed that Nitesh has been playing d5. (1... d5 Here, I had an interesting idea in store.)
2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O d5 Also a slight surprise. I thought he played KID in the past, so d6 instead of d5 would be a bit more consistent with KID.
6. c3!? (6. c4 This is of course the main line, but I wanted to get him out of main line theory if possible, especially since I played the main line before in the database.)
6... c5?! My opponent blitzed this move out and I was a bit annoyed that he was even prepared against an early c3, and I thought black is just fine, but then, after the game, my opponent told me that he actually confused his line! (6... a5!? 7. a4 b6 (7... c5 8. dxc5 Na6 Is what my opponent told me that he intended to do.)) (6... c6 is also a good, solid alternative.)
7. dxc5 a5 8. c4!? (8. Be3 I also considered this. 8... Ng4 I sort of stopped my calculation though after this. 9. Bd4 e5 10. h3 exd4 11. hxg4 dxc3 12. Nxc3 Bxg4)
8... Na6 9. Nc3 dxc4 10. Qxd8 (10. Ne5 Was my original intension but I wasn't sure about Qc7. 10... Qc7 11. c6!? Be6 (11... Rd8 12. Nb5) 12. Bf4 g5 With a total mess.) (10. Be3! This was the best move 10... Qc7 11. Qa4 Ng4 12. Nd5 Qd8 13. Qxc4 ½-½ (59) Nihal,S (2652)-Van Foreest,J (2691) Malmo 2021)
10... Rxd8 11. c6 bxc6 12. Ne5 Nb8?!
This move didn't seem natural to me, and I told my opponent that once I saw this move appear on the board, I felt like I had to be better. (12... Nb4! Was a strong concrete solution. My opponent was afraid of a3, however, black has a nice antidote against it. 13. a3 Nfd5! The key idea (13... Nc2?! 14. Nxc6 Leads to an advantage for white (the line he saw).) 14. Nxc6 Nxc6 15. Bxd5 Bxc3 16. Bxc6 Ra6 17. bxc3 Rxc6) (12... Bb7 Even this move was better than Nb8.)
13. Nxc4 Be6 14. Nb6! The only way to get an advantage. 14... Ra6 15. Nba4 Nd5?! 16. Rd1! My opponent went into a very long think tank after this move, making me believe he missed it. Once again though, I relaxed a bit after I played a move they missed, and started making mistakes, a reoccuring pattern for me in this tournament. I thought I already practically won the game, but it's still far from over after resilient defense.
16... Rc8 17. Ne4?! Played after a long thought and let go of a big part of my advantage. Here, clearly, my thinking process was wrong. I didn't look at enough candidate ideas. I basically only considered a quiet move like Ne4, or Nxd5 cxd5 Bxd5, and I spent too much time going into depth into the Nxd5 cxd5 Bxd5 branch, without realizing that there are some other very promising ideas in the starting position. (17. Nxd5 cxd5 18. Be3! Somehow I didn't consider this simple developing move, even though white is now, much better. (18. Bxd5 I only considered Nxd5 with conjunction of Bxd5, which I correctly assessed as unclear. 18... Rd6! 19. e4 Bg4 The mistake I made though was going too deep into this position without branching out and considering more candidate ideas.)) (17. Bxd5! It's very disappointing that I didn't even consider this move, somehow. 17... cxd5 18. Nxd5 And now, black doesn't even have Rd8 or Rd6. White gets a stable up a pawn position with a better game. Perhaps, I didn't consider Bxd5 since it's not a "pretty move," as it's very unnatural giving up the bishop on g2, and also, the bishop pair.)
17... Nd7 18. Ng5 Nf8!? I missed this. 19. Rb1?! Here I thought for a long time, and considered many different ideas, but once again, missed a strong candidate idea. (19. Nxe6 Nxe6 20. Bh3! I missed this strong idea. Now I rupture his pawn structure since f5 isn't playable due to e4! with a winning position. (20. Bxd5 I only calculated Bxd5 in this position, and perhaps, also e4. 20... cxd5 21. Rxd5 Rc4 And I stopped here, since black equalizes here.) 20... f5 21. e4)
19... h6?!
I was quite happy to see this, as now, at least, I get the Nxe6 line from the previous move, up a tempo. (19... Bg4! Would be rather awkward for me. I'd need to make a rather difficult choice here, neither of which is super promising anymore. 20. f3 (20. Bf3 I'd probably play this to keep a small edge. At this point when I played Rb1 on a previous move I was already ok just playing for a small plus.) 20... Bd7 21. e4 c5!)
20. Nxe6 Nxe6 21. Bd2 (21. Bh3! Was once again, strong.) 21... Rb8 22. Be1?! (22. Kf1) 22... Rb5?! A strange awkward move, putting rooks into a pin. (22... Nb4! 23. a3 Nc2 24. Bd2 Ncd4 25. Kf1 However, black still has practical chances here.) 23. e3 (23. e4? Nb6 Perhaps, my opponent was hoping for this, where Bf1 won't be playable now due to Nxa4.)
23... Ra7 24. Rbc1 Rc7 25. b3 (25. Bf1 Rb8 26. b3 This was probably more clinical. 26... Nb4 27. a3)
25... Nb4 26. Bxb4 axb4 27. Rxc6 Rxc6 (27... Be5 Perhaps, this offered slightly more chances, though I think white's winning chances are greater than black's drawing chances, especially considering that my opponent was in time pressure.)
28. Bxc6 Rb8 29. Rd7 Rc8?! (29... Bf6) 30. Bd5 Now, it's over, since I am hitting e7 and also am threatening Bxe6, spoiling his pawn structure.
30... Kf8 31. Rb7?! Rather careless in a winning position. 31... Rc1+ (31... Nd8! 32. Rxb4 Rc1+ 33. Kg2 e6 34. Bf3 Ra1 would offer better holding chances for Black.)
32. Kg2 Bc3 33. Bxe6 fxe6 34. Rc7 Ke8 35. Kf3 Kd8 36. Rc4 Ra1 37. Nxc3 bxc3 38. a4 Rc1 39. Ke4 Rc2 40. f4 Here, my opponent resigned, as my queenside pawns will be unstoppable in the long run. I'd probably play a few more moves, trying to create desperate kingside counterplay, but Black's position should be hopeless. I was hoping to finally get a win after a lackluster 1.5/4 start, and also happy with the fact that the game was an interesting instructive game for both me and my opponent. 1-0
GM Aleksandr Lenderman, Marshall Spectator Contributor
Annotated game from the New York 1924 Centennial - Part 2, by GM Prithu Gupta
Nakada, Akira v. Mirzoev, A. New York 1924 Centennial You can play through the game with annotations here.
1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. b3 One of my own favorites from my career. 6…c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5
(7... exd5 the other main move in this position. 8. d4 Nc6 9. Bb2 Ne4 10. Nc3 (10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Nc3 Nxc3 12. Bxc3 d4 13. Bb2 Bg4) 10... Bf6)
8. Bb2 b6 (8... Nc6 9. Nc3 (9. d4 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Bf6 12. Qd2 Nf4 13. gxf4 Qxd2 14. Nxd2 Bxb2 15. Rad1 Bf6 16. Nc4 Rb8 17. b4 Rd8) 9... Bf6 10. Qc1 b6 11. Nxd5 exd5 12. d4 Nxd4 13. Nxd4 cxd4 14. Qd2 Ba6 15. Rfe1 Re8 16. Bxd4 Bxd4 17. Qxd4 Bxe2)
9. d4 cxd4 (9... Bb7 a much better alternative. 10. e4 (10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Nc3 (11. Nbd2 Nf6) 11... Nxc3 12. Bxc3 Nd7) 10... Nf6 11. e5 Nd5 12. dxc5 bxc5 13. Na3 Nc6 14. Nc4 Qc7 15. Nfd2 Rad8)
10. Nxd4 Bb7 11. e4 Nf6 12. e5 (12. Nc3 Bc5 13. Nc2 yields White a pleasant edge.)
12... Nd5 13. Nd2 Nc6 14. Nc4 Nxd4 15. Qxd4 Qd7 16. Rad1 White keeps on mounting pressure. 16…Rad8 17. Qg4 Rfe8 18. h4 simple yet effective play!
He gives his opponent absolutely no air to breathe! 18…Bf8 19. h5 b5 20. Nd2 (20. Nd6 would've gone better with Akira's energetic playing nature, but the need to not complicate matters in an already much better position is totally understandable as well. f5 (20... Bxd6 21. exd6 f6 22. h6 Qf7 23. Ba3 b4 24. Bxb4 Nxb4 25. Qxb4) 21. Qe2 Bxd6 22. exd6 Qxd6 23. h6 g6 24. Qxb5)
20... h6 21. Ne4 Kh8 22. a3 Kramnik-esque play! Waiting for his opponent to make more mistakes in an already suffocating position, while maintaining solidarity among his own pieces.
22…a5 23. Rfe1 b4 24. a4 Qc8 25. Rc1 Qb8 (25... Qa8 26. Nd6 Bxd6 27. exd6 Nc3 Pretty much the only breather Black had after the opening in this game.) 26. Nd6 Bxd6 27. exd6 Nc3 28. Rxc3 bxc3 29. Bxc3 f6 (29... e5 30. Rxe5 Rxe5 31. Bxe5 f6 32. Bxf6 gxf6 33. Qf4)
30. Qg6 (30. Bxf6 gxf6 31. Qg6 Bxg2 (31... Rd7 32. Qxf6+ Rg7 33. d7 Rf8 34. Qxh6+ Rh7 35. Qd2 White's pawns are way too advanced and black's king, way too weak.) 32. Qxf6+ Kg8 33. Qg6+ Kh8 34. Qxh6+ Kg8 35. Re5)
30... Bxg2 31. Bxf6 Rd7 32. Qxh6+ (32. Kxg2 gxf6 33. Qxf6+ Kg8 34. Re4 Rg7 35. d7 Ree7 White has no resources whatsoever.)
32... Kg8 33. Qg6 Bh3 (33... Qa8 34. h6 Bh3 ) 34. g4 Rf7 (34... Rf8 Prevents h6. 35. Be7 Qb4 36. Qxe6+ Rf7) 35. h6 Qb7 36. h7+ Kh8 37. Bxg7+ Rxg7 38. Qxe8+ Kxh7 39. Qh5+ Kg8 40. Qxh3 Black has no real compensation for the missing material.
40…Qb4 41. Rd1 Rxg4+ 42. Kf1 Kf7 43. d7 Rh4 44. Qf3+
An extremely interesting and turbulent game that ended in victory for the player who played better since the very beginning. 1-0
GM Prithu Gupta, Marshall Spectator Contributor
A Home for Chess Enthusiasts: My Perspective on The Marshall Chess Club
Be sure to read Vladimir Lionter’s Article on the Marshall Chess Club on ChessBase News here.
Becoming a member of the Marshall Chess Club feels like stepping into a piece of living history, a testament to the enduring legacy of chess in New York City. The significance of the Marshall Chess Club has only grown since the closure of the Manhattan Chess Club in 2002, making it the sole venue in New York City where FIDE-rated tournaments are regularly held.
   Walking through the doors for the first time, I couldn't help but wonder how the neighbors of this iconic institution feel. Do they share a sense of pride in living next to such an important cultural landmark, or does the steady flow of visitors create challenges for them?
   One of the most endearing aspects of the Marshall Chess Club is its coziness. The building itself has a quaint charm, with a sense of intimacy that you don't find in many modern venues. The second floor, where parents and coaches can comfortably observe games, adds to this homely feel. I like that the club has such historical exhibits as chess tables where Jose Raul Capablanca, Robert Fischer, Magnus Carlsen played. It is also nice that there is a chess book collection for those who like to read classic books, which are gradually being replaced by tablets and smartphones. This space also speaks to the community-centric nature of the club. I was surprised to learn that even players with ratings around 1200, who are relatively new to the competitive scene, engage in coaching here. This is a testament to the club's inclusive environment, where players of all levels are encouraged to contribute and grow.
   The importance of places like the Marshall Chess Club in the United States cannot be overstated. Unlike many other countries where chess is institutionalized, amateur chess in the U.S. thrives largely due to the passion and initiative of individual chess players. The Marshall Chess Club is a beacon of this spirit. It is a place where newcomers are welcomed, veterans share their wisdom, and the love of the game is passed down through generations.
   And another unique aspect of the Marshall Chess Club is its annual membership fee. This fee, while modest in comparison to other clubs or activities in New York City, serves an important purpose—it helps distinguish true chess enthusiasts from those who are merely looking for a free experience. The commitment required to become a member is more than just financial; it's a testament to one's dedication to the game and the community.
   I've tried convincing several friends and acquaintances who enjoy chess to join the club, but as soon as the membership fee was mentioned, their enthusiasm waned. Responses like "Oh, no, maybe next time" or "I'll wait until my next paycheck" were common. These reactions highlighted a crucial point for me: being part of a club like Marshall requires more than just a casual interest in chess. It's about investing in a community, valuing the history and tradition that come with it, and showing a genuine commitment to the game. The fee, in this sense, acts as a filter, ensuring that those who walk through the club's doors are there for the right reasons—because they truly love chess.
   For me, joining the Marshall Chess Club wasn’t just about improving my skills or competing in tournaments; it was about becoming part of a vibrant community. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting out, the club offers a unique environment where chess is not just a game, but a shared experience. It’s a place where the past and present of New York City’s chess culture converge, making it a must-visit for anyone passionate about the game.
Vladimir Lionter, Marshall Chess Club Member
Chess Toons
En Passant
Long before Miller Moss earned the USC starting quarterback job, he sat in front of a chess board at the Santa Monica Public Library. He was just 3 years old, his eyes full of wonder, barely able to peer over the chess pieces at his opponents, who were often several decades his senior.
Alireza Firouzja, the Iran-born Frenchman, is a rekindled talent after the 21-year-old triumphed unbeaten in this week’s $350,000 Sinquefield Cup at St Louis.
Hans Niemann and Magnus Carlson will soon face off in a long-awaited rematch, so here is everything you need to know about how and when to watch the upcoming Speed Chess Finals showdown.Â
IM Brewington Hardaway earned his third and final GM norm on Saturday, August 31 along the way to his 7½/10 score and tied-sixth finish in the Sants - City of Barcelona International Chess Open 2024.
Problems, Problems, curated by Alexander George
F. Philidor, source unknown
White to move and draw.
François-André Danican Philidor (1726-95), a giant in the history of chess, left us with much to chew on in his Analyse du Jeu des Echecs. This problem is not from that work but still offers some food for thought.
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Last issue’s puzzle, J. Vancura, 1922
White to move and win.
Solution to last week’s puzzle: Vancura, 1922: 1.Bh7 (Kd5? draw) Kxf7 2.Bg6+ Kxg6 3.h7 Kxh7 4.Kd5 Kg8 5.Ke6 Kf8 6.f7 and wins.
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Alexander George
Editor's Note
As always, if you have any feedback, comments, or would like to submit an article please contact us directly at td@marshallchessclub.org.
Enjoy, and thanks for reading!
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