Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020 COLORADO STATE CHESS ASSOCIATION
COLORADO CHESS INFORMANT
When the Grim Reaper
Decides to Play
®
The Colorado State Chess Association, Incorporated, is a
Section 501(C)(3) tax exempt, non-profit educational corpora-
tion formed to promote chess in Colorado. Contributions are
tax deductible.
Dues are $15 a year. Youth (under 20) and Senior (65 or older)
memberships are $10. Family memberships are available to
additional family members for $3 off the regular dues. Scholas-
tic tournament membership is available for $3.
● Send address changes to Ann Davies.
● Send pay renewals & memberships to Dean Brown.
● See back cover for EZ renewal form.
The Colorado Chess Informant (CCI) is the official publication
of the CSCA, published four times a year in January, April,
July and October.
Articles in the CCI do not necessarily reflect the views of the
CSCA Board of Directors or its membership.
In This Issue
3. President’s Notes
CSCA President Paul Covington
4. 4th CSCA Board Meeting
5. Checkmate COVID-19
7. When the Grim Reaper Decides to Play
Fred Eric Spell
9. Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev
Richard “Buck” Buchanan
21. Colorado Chess Club Directory
22. My Games With Rudolf Petters
Curtis Carlson
30. A Perfect Win for White in Komodo 14.1?
Colin James III
32. A Perfect Draw for Black on 1.e4 in 12 Moves
Colin James III
33. Practical Review of Komodo 14.1 With Switches
Colin James III
34. The Chess Detective
NM Todd Bardwick
36. Tactics Time!
Tim Brennan
38. Tactics Time! (Bonus)
Tim Brennan
From the Editor
I do hope everyone is well and this pandemic has not hit you too
hard. Amazing that I never thought I would experience this in
my lifetime. Well, here we are today dealing with this as best we
all can.
For the time being there will be changes in chess competition
both here in Colorado and all over the world, so stay tuned.
It is with sadness that longtime Colorado player Dr. Mikhail
Ponomarev has passed away. “Buck” Buchanan has submitted an
overview of his life along with games from his time in Colorado.
Dr. Ponomarev’s passing comes not long after the death of an-
other Colorado stalwart, NM Imre Barley. May they both rest in
peace.
May Caissa be with you.
Fred Eric Spell
k
Colorado Chess Informant
Page 2
July 2020
Informant Article Submission Deadlines:
January issue - December 21 / April issue - March 21
July issue - June 21 / October issue - September 21
(Email articles to [email protected])
© 2020 Colorado State Chess Association
CSCA Board of Directors
President:
Paul Covington [email protected]
Vice President:
Brad Lundstrom
Secretary:
Ann Davies
Treasurer:
Dean Brown [email protected]
Junior Representative:
Griffin McConnell
Members at Large:
Lior Lapid
Gracie Salazar
CSCA Appointees
USCF Delegates:
Richard “Buck” Buchanan
Paul Covington [email protected]
CCI Editor:
Fred Eric Spell
Correspondence Chess:
Klaus Johnson
Scholastic Chess:
Lior Lapid
Webmaster & Tournament
Clearinghouse:
Dean Clow
CSCA Historian:
Todd Bardwick
Volume 47, Number 3
On the cover:
“Death is Only a Game”
by Wyldraven www.deviantart.com/wyldraven
www.ColoradoChess.com
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
President’s Notes:
We have several items of interest to share. And as much as we want to get back to normal over the board
chess, we believe it is more important to put player safety first. This causes a ripple effect for a host of
decisions. First, the Board faced a very difficult decision, what to do about the Colorado Open Extravaganza
we had planned for this September 4-6. After much discussion, it was clear that as much as we love our chess
family and playing chess it was just not worth the risk of conducting an Over-The-Board event when the stakes
to human life are so high. So the OTB event and the Induction into the Colorado Hall of Fame’s second group
of inductees are postponed until next year.
We will have an online Colorado Open Championship 2020. It will be held on the same weekend (Sept 4-6,
2020) and we are working on the details. Brad is working with me on the details. Our starting point is: Event
will be held on Chess.com; the games will be Friday night 7:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 10:00am and
6:00pm. These times may change so watch this webpage for updates. Entry fees prize funds, instructions on
how to register and login, and other details will be posted soon.
I am extremely disappointed that taking this action is necessary, however, our members’ safety is even more
important! I believe you understand.
Second is the Membership meeting. We may be forced to violate our By-Laws this year by not have an in-
person membership meeting. Most of the item that would normally be in that meeting can be accomplished on
our website. However, Board election is not one of those. If you are interested in a particular board position
please submit your name to me and I will post on the website. Include your qualifications and speech that you
would normally make at the meeting. I know this is irregular, but I don’t know what else to do.
The AAUW Grant for “Colorado All Girls After School Chess Club” was awarded to CSCA because of Ann
Davies’ efforts. This $5,700.00 grant will start in January 2021 not September 2020 as previously advertised
due to the uncertainity of how the school districts will be operating this Fall. The women who instruct these
classes will receive payment for their work. Equipment will be provided. Any Denver area ladies interested?
CSCA will need volunteers (our grant does not cover this program) for the Denver Chess league
reorganization and management. This is primarily coordinating with chess coaches at the schools about their
playing schedules (can be done from anywhere). My goal for this is to be an on-line program so travel is
reduced AND acceptibility is increased. Additionally, I want to expand this program to statewide, possibly into
districts or zones where the winners of each area could have a playoff sometime after Spring-break each year.
Contact me at (719) 310-7542 or by email at [email protected] for additional information and
to volunteer!
Paul Covington
CSCA President
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 3
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
4th CSCA Board Meeting / May 4, 2020
Board Members: Paul Covington, Brad Lundstrom, Ann Davies, Dean Brown, Lior lapid; Absent: Gracie Salazar & Griffin
McConnell (these were excused absences). Members in attendance: Shirley Herman
Meeting called to order: After informal discussion, the following decisions and motions were made.
Reopening Colorado Chess:
• Class 2020: Canceled
• Colorado Online Championship 2020 - a fundraiser for COVID-19 through The Salvation Army food bank. Additional information
on website.
• Southern Colorado Open, July 25-26, 5 round Swiss, Dean and Paul are putting this on in Colorado Springs to restart OTB chess
Governor allowing ... details on website.
• Colorado Open 2020, Festival to celebrate Colorado Chess September 4, 5, &6. Hall of Fame induction, Fischer 960, CO-2020
5SS, Membership meeting. Details on website.
AAUW (American Association of University Women) grant: Ann wrote a grant request and Kevin polished the words in the
request: result—CSCA will be receiving a grant for Chess training for girls in Title 1 schools. Stipulations on how to operate the
program, funds for chess equipment and pay for lady instructors. (Grant amount $ 5,700.00).
• Ordered 200 chess sets for this program to supplement previous chess sets ordered. The Templeton Fund (Ann’s charity),
Scholastic, and general fund ordered 80 chess sets. Some are to replace/supplement the worn scholastic sets, most were for Title 1
program Ann started and use in another tuition free program that is ongoing.
• The 80 sets were ordered from US Chess on reduced price when the US Chess National Elementary tournament was canceled.
Cost: $ 460.00 (40 for scholastic, 20 for title 1, and 20 for CSCA reserves. All were $5.75 each).
• The 200 sets were ordered from US Chess on reduced price when the US Chess National Junior High School tournament was
canceled. Cost: $ 1,175.81 (included sets & boards at $ 5.25 each & shipping $ 125.81). These sets support the AAUW grant.
FIDE World Championship for Disabled Scholastic players: Coming to Denver July 2021. This is a major event which will
feature chess teams from all over the world. CSCA is working with Chess Educators of America who will host this event. Kevin
McConnell worked diligently to bring this event to Denver. CSCA will be asking Colorado chess players to volunteer time and effort
to support this special event.
Treasurer’s report: Before the expenditures mentioned above, CSCA’s accounts were:
• Main: $ 14,474.96
• Scholastic: $ 20, 013.99
• Scholarship: $ 838.19 (this account includes funds designated for special overseas invitational events for scholastic players
($478.19), facebook donations, and other ear marked funds (George Mikhailavich’s Memorial event for his Grandfather - $360)).
Special thanks to Lior for setting up this Zoom meeting, Ann for her dedicated work on the AAUW grant and board members for
participation, ideas, and support!
Board approved two resolutions:
1. The COOF-2020 was declared a one time tournament membership event with free membership for June 20, 2020 to all who sign
up to play.
2. The Board voted to extend All Standard memberships for six months as compensation for the schedule changes due to COVID-19.
Meeting adjourned.
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 4
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
Press Release - Final Results Colorado Chess Players Checkmate COVID-19
Colorado chess players statewide and some very special world class guest players teamed up to help in the economic aftermath of
COVID-19 and benefit The Denver Salvation Army Food Programs.
Project commits 100% of funds raised by donations in a statewide online chess tournament.
Initial goal of $500 was surpassed... and was it ever, as our 112 players and friends raised $3410!
Colorado State Chess Association(CSCA) President, Paul Covington welcomed a hugely diverse team that united with shared a love
of chess and a passion to help others in our community.
Paul has a 47 year history as a Salvation Army volunteer and patron. Paul be presenting our final check on behalf of CSCA as our
state associaton president.
World class masters teamed up with chess players of all ages and skill levels to compete in one big section where any player could
play anyone else as results over six rounds completed. Many of our state players battled against some of the world’s best today!
Players from ages five to 89 were involved in this event.
All types of good people sharing a common goal.
Tournament featured a fun ten minute per player, per game time control and the six rounds ran 10am to 1pm Saturday morning,
June 20th with all games played online.
Imagine a golf or tennis tournament where every entrant has a shot of competing with world class players?
That was the fun and unique challenge to our participants.
All Colorado chess players welcomed our very special guests:
International Grandmaster Alexander Fishbein, the most successful player in Colorado history. Past US Junior champion,
World Open co-champion, internationally acclaimed chess prodigy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Fishbein
International Master Keaton Kiewra, chess prodigy and nine time Nebraska state champion. https://www.chess.com/member/
Keaton87
Life Master Brian Wall, twelve time Colorado Champion and most active tournament player.
Master Lior Lapid, two time Colorado Chess Champion and President of Pals Chess Academy.
Master Zachary Bekkedahl, founder and President of Chessmates, and Fort Collins legendary scholastic chess coach.
And an incredible last minute surprise... International Grandmaster Timur Gareyev entered. Timur, one of the world’s most
famous players is the all time Guiness Book of World Records holder in blndfold chess and he completed all six rounds playing
blindfolded - without sight of the board with the aide of a chess student in San Diego! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timur_Gareyev
Final Results:
1st with 6 wins with no loses for 6 points: Grandmaster Alex Fishbein
2nd with 5 wins and one draw for 5.5 points: International Master Keaton Kiewra
3rd with 5 wins and one loss for 5 points (on tie break points): Colorado Master Brian Wall
Also with 5 wins and one loss for 5 points were three additional players: Grandmaster Timur Gareyev (the World Blindfold
Champion) who played all games Blindfolded!! and Fort Collins Chessmates scholastic star Aiden Sirotkin, and a player with the
login of: Bharatasuryakepri. These players all performed exceptionally!
Thank you to all our awesome chess players and their wonderfully generous families and friends; also the CSCA board for their
support and encouragement.
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 5
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
Special thanks to our excellent Tournament Director: Alayne Wilinsky of the Denver Chess Club.
A wonderful day of many great chess performances and a record setting event raising $3,245.00 for those in need in our community!
Colorado Chess Association contacts:
President, Paul Covington phone (719) 310-7542 - email [email protected]
Vice President, Brad Lundstrom phone (970 415-3855 - email [email protected]
The Colorado State Chess Association, Incorporated, is a Section 501(C)3 tax exempt, non-profit educational corporation formed to
promote chess in Colorado
Salvation Army contact:
Rachael Fowler
PR & Special Events Director
The Salvation Army Intermountain Division
Office: 303-860-5460 | Cell: 619-768-3671
Website: imsalvationarmy.org
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 6
CSCA President Paul Covington - Captain Caleb Fankhauser - CSCA Treasurer Dean Brown
(Salvation Army)
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
Twenty-Twenty started out innocently enough - like every year
before it, a grand party was welcoming what everyone thought
would be good times all year long. Politics aside - the economy
was good, jobs were plentiful and there was a relatively good
sense that it would continue. Very few could have predicted
what awaited us all, and I do mean - all!
It started with grumblings of something viral brewing in a far off
land, and not the computer kind either. Something that would
eventually bitch-slap the human race again and again with the
avalanche of more than just a physical affliction. Since this
magazine is mostly about chess in Colorado, that is the track I
will stay on. I will leave all else for others to lament about.
The last Colorado tournament held before it hit the fan was the
Senior Open - and the huge question of not only why, but how
could it be held was asked and grumbled by many. As far as I
know, no one became ill and the tournament was completed,
albeit with certain precautions established beforehand. Then the
hammer fell - everything shut down, not just here but all around
the world as well.
FIDE, the International Chess Federation, decided to go forward
with the Candidates Tournament in Ekaterinburg Russia in late
March - with many objections - even from some players (one
candidate even refused to attend). And it was only when the
Russian Federation decided to halt travel to and from Russia was
the tournament paused, resulting in the players and their staff
hastily making arrangements to return home. Fortunately they all
were able to return safely. I still recall the opening ceremony
picture of a crowded hall with no one wearing a mask except
GM Hou Yifan (sitting lower right in the picture below) - quite a
site.
One by one, not only here in Colorado, but around the country
and around the world - tournaments, meetings and anything to
do with face-to-face chess interaction were cancelled. The worse
yet was that nobody knew when it all would resume. As bad as
the spread became it seemed that only history could give us a
glimpse as to how long it would last. A hundred years ago it
took two years for ‘Influenza A’ to run its vicious course
resulting in millions dead. And it is still with us today still
resulting in thousands dying every year. So what is happening
now needs to be taken seriously until some sort of vaccine is
developed.
Fortunately until the time arrives to resume over-the-board
competition it all has moved to the internet. A place where one
can play against anyone from around the world - even in some
cases, against Grandmasters themselves. There are so many
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 7
When the Grim Reaper Decides to Play
by Fred Eric Spell
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
servers that are offering such online modes of play that it just
comes down to a player’s preference. Web portals like
Chess.com, Lichess.org, USChess.org, Chess24.com and many
others are running tournaments every day of the week. The thirst
for play has exploded to such a degree that even the World
Champion has bought into online play himself, not only as a
player but as an investor.
(World Champion Magnus Carlsen promoting his Chess Tour)
The CSCA Board of Directors has now embraced the obvious
and will hold the venerable Colorado Open online, albeit
modified (see page 3 of this issue). The Denver Chess Club as
well as the Colorado Springs Chess Club are also holding online
tournaments so check them out by searching online chess servers
or contact their officers (you can find their contact information
at the clubs websites or go to the ‘Colorado Chess’ group on
Facebook).
(An example of a game played online between two Colorado
players - their monikers should be recognizable to all.)
BrianWall (2249)
shtivelband (2308)
3+0 Rated Blitz / lichess.org / July 8, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3 g6 5.d4 Bg7 6.Bxf4 Nc6 7.Bc4
Bg4 8.Ne2 Nf6 9.Qd3 0–0 10.0–0 d5 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.Bg5 Qd7
13.c3 Rae8 14.Rae1 h6 15.Bc1 Bf5 16.Qd1 Nb6 17.Bd3 Bxd3
18.Qxd3 Re7 19.Nf4 Rfe8 20.Rxe7 Qxe7 21.h3 Qe4 22.Qxe4
Rxe4 23.Kf2 g5 24.Nh5 Nd5 25.Nxg7 Kxg7 26.g3 f5 27.Re1
Rxe1 28.Nxe1 Kf6 29.Nd3 b6 30.Bd2 h5 31.c4 Nde7 32.d5 Nb8
33.Bc3+ Kf7 34.Be5 Na6 35.b4 Ng6 36.b5 Nxe5 37.Nxe5+ Kf6
38.Nd7+ Ke7 39.Nxb6 cxb6 40.bxa6 Kd6 41.h4 g4 42.Ke3 b5
43.cxb5 Kxd5 44.b6 1-0
Of course with online play comes the specter of the obvious -
cheating. The various servers that host online play are very well
aware of the possibility so that they have programs that can
detect cheating by players making consistently best moves. The
penalties can be severe and if you are caught you could find
yourself banned quite possibly for life. Another factor thrown in
is that time controls are sped up so if someone wants to cheat
they would have to be most dexterous with their hands as well as
eyes.
On the professional level something unique is utilized not only
to combat cheating but to give the audience an audio/visual treat
- live cameras focusing on the players themselves. If their eyes
and fingers are caught dancing off screen everyone would
suspect that something is up and... goodbye Grandmaster.
Watching and hearing the players reactions is quite a show onto
itself. These types of broadcasts are turning out to be so popular
that they just may be kept after over-the-board play resumes.
We shall see.
So for the foreseeable future, here we are. Yes, it is a little
maddening being cooped up at home with no tournaments to
travel to and face each other in competition but this is the reality
for now. Hopefully this will soon pass - and it will eventually -
but nobody knows just how long it will take. Hang in there.
Finally let us give a shout-out to those energetic individuals who
are organizing and presenting all things chess online and wish
them continued success. And let us give an even bigger shout-
out to those on the front lines everyday - medical field workers,
food supply workers and all the others providing and taking care
of us in these most trying of times!
k
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 8
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 9
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev
1926 - 2020
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
by Richard “Buck” Buchanan, with scanned picture submissions by Gary Hale-Betchan
Mikhail Philippovich Ponomarev was born on January 23rd, 1926, in Sverdlovsk, USSR to Philipp Ponomarev and Marfa
Ponomarev (Musikhina).
At 17 years of age, he enlisted in the Soviet Naval Medical Academy, and served on the frontlines of WWII. He continued his
studies at the Academy after the war, and became a Medical Doctor and head physician of his regiment. He also earned his PhD in
psychoneurology, and published numerous scientific studies in the top Soviet medical journals about naval aviation and the selection
of pilots for different types of aircraft. Mikhail was on the short list for consideration to become the first doctor in space, but got in
trouble with Soviet authorities over some of his personal writings in which he was critical of the communist political system. Mikhail
went into private practice after serving 20 years in the Soviet military. He continued his writings about the violent founding of the
Soviet Union, and continued his criticism of the communist regime, which lead to increased legal trouble and eventually landed him
in political prison and concentration camps. Mikhail spent a total on 11 years behind bars because of his political views and
dissemination of his writings to associates and international correspondents.
Mikhail fathered 3 children, Mikhail (46), Lyuba (44), and Philipp (37), and successfully moved his family to the USA in 1990, two
years after filing for Political Asylum through the US Embassy in Moscow during President Reagan’s infamous visit. Mikhail
became an accomplished author in the US when he began publishing his political writings. Mikhail also became quite successful in
his lifelong hobbies of chess and poetry. He earned the title of chess master and Colorado State Chess Champion multiple times, and
published several books of poetry, one of which is a trilogy written in the form of Dante’s Divine Comedy. Mikhail is survived by
his 3 children and four grandchildren, Nicholas, Lucas, Michael, and Nina.
When Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev arrived in Colorado from the Soviet Union in 1990, he immediately became part of the chess scene.
One of Colorado’s best players, he won many tournaments and could defeat any of the state’s best. He played sharp, alert chess, and
had his own unique style. He played unusual openings and frequently found himself behind in material; but his tactical alertness and
deep understanding of positions earned him many points and tournament prizes.
I spent time with him in his early years here. He wrote an article about his win over now-GM Jesse Kraai that I helped him edit. It
was published in the January 1992 Chess Life under our pen names.
(Below are a selection of his games while living in Colorado)
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 10
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (Unrated)
Raymond Haskins (2200)
DCC April Tournament / April 1990 - Round 3
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 Nbd7 4.Qd3 g6 5.e4 dxe4 6.Nxe4 Bg7 7.0-0-0 0-0 8.Kb1 Nxe4 9.Qxe4 Nf6 10.Qh4 Qd5 11.Ne2 Ne4
12.Nc3 Nxc3+ 13.bxc3 e5 14.Bf6 Be6 15.c4 Qd7 16.d5 Bf5 17.Bd3 e4 18.Be2 Qd6 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.g4 Qb4+ 21.Kc1 Bd7 22.Qg3
Rfe8 23.Qe3 a5 24.h4 f6 25.g5 f5 26.Qd4+ Kg8 27.h5 Qa3+ 28.Kb1 Qb4+ 29.Ka1 Qd6 30.hxg6 Qxg6 31.Bh5 Qg7 32.Qxg7+ Kxg7
33.Bxe8 Bxe8 34.c5 Rd8 35.d6 cxd6 36.cxd6 Rd7 37.Rd5 Bf7 38.Rd4 b5 39.Kb2 Bc4 40.Rh6 a4 41.Rf6 Bg8 42.Rxf5 (This was Dr.
Ponomarev’s first published Colorado win. He was unrated going into the tournament.) 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (Unrated)
William Engels (2007)
May Daze / May 26, 1990 - Round 2
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Bf5 3.f3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.Nxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 h6 7.Bh4 Ne3 8.Qd3 Nxf1 9.exf5 Nxh2 10.Rxh2 c6 11.0-0-0 Nf6
12.Ne2 Qc7 13.Bg3 Qd7 14.c4 Rd8 15.Nf4 Qc8 16.Re1 Rd7 17.Kb1 Rg8 18.Rhh1 Qd8 19.Bf2 Qc7 20.g3 Kd8 21.Re2 Kc8 22.Rc1
Kb8 23.Be3 Ka8 24.Rc3 g5 25.fxg6 e5 26.gxf7 Rxg3 27.Ne6 Qc8 28.Qf5 exd4 29.Bxd4 Rxf7 30.Bxf6 Be7 31.Nd4 Rg1+ 32.Kc2
Qf8 33.Rxe7 Rxf6 34.Qxf6 1-0
Mike Shedd (2104)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (Unrated)
May Daze / May 27, 1990 - Round 3
1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.d4 c6 6.a3 Ne4 7.Nxe4 dxe4 8.Nd2 f5 9.f3 Bd6 10.g3 exf3 11.Qxf3 0-0 12.c5 Bc7 13.Bc4
Kh8 14.0-0 e5 15.b4 exd4 16.exd4 Nxc5 17.Bb2 Na4 18.Qb3 b5 19.Bd3 Be6 20.Qc2 Nxb2 21.Qxb2 Bb6 22.Nf3 Bd5 0-1
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (Unrated)
Raymond Haskins (2213)
May Daze / May 27, 1990 - Round 4
1.d4 e6 2.e4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.Qg4 cxd4 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bd3 Qc7 7.Qg3 f6 8.exf6 Qxg3 9.f7+ Kxf7 10.hxg3 Nf6 11.Bf4 Bb4+ 12.Nbd2 h6
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Colorado Chess Informant
13.0-0-0 Ng4 14.Rde1 Nxf2 15.Rhf1 Nxd3+ 16.cxd3 Rf8
17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.Bd6+ Kg6 19.Bxf8 Ba5 20.Bc5 Nc6 21.Rf8
Bd8 22.Nf3 Bd7 23.Kd1 Rc8 24.Bxa7 Ba5 25.Rxc8 Bxc8
26.Ne5+ Kf6 27.Nxc6 Bxe1 28.Bd4+ e5 29.Nxe5 Bxg3
30.Nc4+ Ke7 31.Ne3 Bf2 32.Ke2 Bxe3 33.Kxe3 ... (And the
game was drawn later.) ½-½
Chris Clevenger (1982)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2346)
1990 Colorado Open / September 1, 1990 - Round 1
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nc3 e5! 6.Be3 exd4
7.Bxd4 Nc6 8.Qe2+ Be6 9.Bxb6 axb6 10.Nf3 Bb4 11.Qe3 Qf6
12.Be2 Ra3!! 13.0-0 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Rxc3 15.Qe4 0-0 16.Bd3 g6
17.Qe2 Nb4 18.Ne5 Nxd3 19.Nxd3 Bxc4 20.Rad1 Rd8 21.Qe5
Rd6 22.Qe8+ Kg7 23.Ne5 Bxf1 24.Rxd6 Qxd6 25.Qxf7+ Kh6
26.Qf4+ g5 27.Nf7+ Kg7 0-1
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2346)
Mark Scheidies (2152)
1990 Colorado Open / September 2, 1990 - Round 4
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 h6 4.Bh4 Bf5 5.f3 Nbd7 6.Nxd5!
Nxd5 7.e4 Bxe4 8.fxe4 Ne3 9.Qd3 Nxf1 10.Qxf1 g5 11.Bg3 e6
12.0-0-0 Bd6 13.e5 Be7 14.Qb5 Qc8 15.Ne2 c6 16.Qd3 b5
17.Rdf1 Nb6 18.Rf2 Qd7 19.Rhf1 0-0-0 20.Rxf7 Rdf8 21.Qg6
Rxf7 22.Rxf7 Rf8 23.Rxf8+ Bxf8 24.Qg8 Qe7 25.Nc3 Kd7
26.Ne4 Na4 27.Nf6+ Kc7 28.Be1 b4 29.Nh7 Bg7 30.Qa8 Kb6
31.Qb8+ Qb7 32.Qxb7+ Kxb7 33.Bxb4 c5! 34.dxc5 Bxe5
35.Ba3 Bxh2 36.Nf8 Bf4+ 37.Kd1 e5 38.Ne6 Kc6 39.c4 a5
40.Nd8+ Kc7 41.Nf7 h5 42.g3 h4! 43.gxh4 gxh4 44.Nd6 h3
45.Ne4 h2 46.Nf2 Kc6 47.Ke2 e4 48.Nh1 Nxc5 49.b4 axb4
50.Bxb4 Nd3 51.Bd2 Nc1+ 52.Kd1 Bxd2 53.Kxd2 Nxa2 54.Ke3
Nc3 55.Kd4 Na4 56.Kxe4 ½-½
Randy Canney (2345)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2346)
1990 Colorado Open / September 3, 1990 - Round 5
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Bf5 3.c4 e6 4.Qb3 Nc6 5.Bd2 Rb8 6.e3 a6 7.Be2
Nf6 8.0-0 Be7 9.c5 Ne4 10.Nc3 0-0 11.a3 e5 12.dxe5 Nxe5
13.Rad1 Nxf3+ 14.Bxf3 Nxc5 15.Qxd5 Bd3 16.b4 Bxf1
17.Kxf1 Ne6 18.Qf5 g6 19.Qc2 c6 20.Ne4 Qc7 21.Bc3 Rfd8
22.Bf6 Rxd1+ 23.Qxd1 Bf8 24.g3 Bg7 25.Qa1 Rd8 26.Bg4 h5
27.Be2 Rc8 28.Bc4 b5 29.Bb3 Kh8 30.Ng5 Nxg5 31.Bxg7+
Kh7 32.Qf6 Ne4 33.Qb2 Nd2+ 34.Qxd2 Kxg7 35.Qd4+ f6
36.Kg2 Rd8 37.Qe4 Qd6 38.h3 f5 39.Qc2 Kh6 40.e4 Qd3
41.Qc1+ Kh7 42.Bc2 Qd2 43.Qb1 f4 44.e5 fxg3 0-1
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2346)
Jesse Kraai (2312)
1990 Colorado Open / September 3, 1990 - Round 6
1.d4 c5 2.d5 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.Be2 0-0 7.Nd2
Na6 8.0-0 Nc7 9.a4 e6 10.Nc4 exd5 11.exd5 b6 12.Bf4 Nfe8
13.Qd2 Ba6 14.Ne3 Bxe2 15.Qxe2 Nf6 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bh4 Qd7
18.Qf3 Nh7 19.Qe2 Rae8 20.Qd3 f5 21.Bg3 f4 22.Bxf4 Rxf4
23.Qxg6 Nf8 24.Qg3 Rf6 25.Nc4 Rg6 26.Qd3 Qg4 27.g3 Qd4
28.Rad1 Qxd3 29.Rxd3 Bxc3 30.bxc3 Nd7 31.Ne3 Ne5 32.Rdd1
Ng4 33.Ng2 Rg7 34.h3 Nf6 35.c4 Ne4 36.Rd3 Ng5 37.f4 Nh7
38.Kf2 Nf6 39.Kf3 h5 40.Ne3 Rd7 41.g4 hxg4+ 42.hxg4 Rf8
43.g5 Nh7 44.Kg4 Rg7 45.Nf5 Rd7 46.Re3 Re8 47.Rfe1 Rxe3
48.Rxe3 Kf8 49.Nh4 Rg7 50.Kh5 Kg8 51.Nf5 Rd7 52.Kh6 a6
53.Ne7+ Kf8 54.Ng6+ Kg8 55.f5 b5 56.axb5 axb5 57.f6 Nf8
58.Ne7+ Kf7 59.g6+ Nxg6 60.Nxg6 bxc4 61.Kg5 Nxd5 62.Rh3
Nxf6 63.Rf3 Ke6 64.Rxf6+ Kd5 65.Kf5 Kd4 66.Ke6 Rb7
67.Rf3 c3 68.Nh4 d5 69.Nf5+ Kc4 70.Nd6+ 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2337)
Timothy Williams (1982)
DCC July Tournament / July 1990 - Round 2
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 Bb4 4.Qg4 Nf6 5.Qxg7 Rg8 6.Qh6 Rg6
7.Qh4 Nxe4 8.Qxh7 Qf6 9.Nf3 Nc6 10.Bd2 Nxd2 11.Nxd2
Nxd4 12.0-0-0 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Nc6 14.Bd3 Rxg2 15.Rhg1 Rxg1
16.Rxg1 Ke7 17.Rg8 b6 18.h4 Bb7 19.Rxa8 Bxa8 20.h5 Ne5
21.h6 Nxd3+ 22.cxd3 Qxc3+ 23.Kd1 Kf8 24.f4 Qf6 25.Nf3 Qg6
26.Qh8+ Qg8 27.Qf6 Bc6 28.Ng5 Qg6 29.Nxe6+ Kg8 30.Qd8+
1-0
Sage Mo (1828)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2323)
1991 St Patrick’s Open / March 16, 1991 - Round 1
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nxd5 4.Bc4 Be6 5.Qf3 c6 6.Nh3 Nc7
7.d3 Nd7 8.Bxe6 Nxe6 9.Ng5 Nxg5 10.Bxg5 g6 11.0-0-0 Qa5
12.Qe3 0-0-0 13.Bh6 Bxh6 14.Qxh6 e5 15.Rhe1 f5 16.Qg7 Qb6
17.d4 Rhg8 18.Qxh7 exd4 19.Nb1 c5 20.Qf7 Rgf8 21.Qc4 Rfe8
22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.b4 Qc6 24.bxc5 Re5 25.Qxd4 Rxc5 26.Na3 a6
27.Qd6 Qa4 28.Rd3 g5 29.Qd4 Qc6 30.Qd6 Qa4 31.Qd4 Qxd4
32.Rxd4 b5 33.Kd2 Ne5 34.f3 Kc7 35.Nb1 Nc4+ 36.Kd3 Re5
37.c3 Re3+ 38.Kc2 Re2+ 39.Kc1 Rxg2 40.h4 gxh4 41.Rxh4
Rxa2 42.Rd4 Rf2 43.f4 Kc6 44.Kd1 Ne3+ 45.Ke1 Rb2 46.Na3
Rb3 47.Kd2 Rxa3 48.Kxe3 Rxc3+ 49.Kd2 Rc4 50.Rd8 Rxf4
51.Kc3 a5 52.Rc8+ Kb7 53.Rf8 a4 54.Rf6 b4+ 55.Kb2 Rf2+
56.Kb1 a3 57.Ka1 b3 0-1
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2323)
Edwin Schreiber (1984)
1991 St Patrick’s Open / March 16, 1991 - Round 2
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 e6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 Bxf6
7.Nf3 Bd7 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.c3 g6 10.Qe2 Qe7 11.d5 Nd8 12.0-0-0
Bg7 13.Bc4 exd5 14.Bxd5 0-0 15.Rhe1 Be6 16.Kb1 Bf5 17.Nd4
c6 18.Bb3 Re8 19.Nxf5 gxf5 20.Ng3 Qxe2 21.Rxe2 Rxe2
22.Nxe2 Ne6 23.Rd7 Rb8 24.Bxe6 fxe6 25.Nf4 e5 26.Nh5 Bh8
27.Ng3 f4 28.Ne4 Bg7 29.Kc2 a5 30.f3 b6 31.Kd3 b5 32.Nd6 c5
33.Ke4 b4 34.c4 a4 35.h4 h5 36.Nf5 Bf6 37.Nh6+ Kh8 38.Kf5
Bxh4 39.Kg6 Rb6+ 40.Kxh5 Bf2 41.b3 axb3 42.axb3 Bd4
43.Kg5 Re6 44.Nf7+ Kg8 45.Kf5 Re8 46.Nd6 Rf8+ 47.Kg6 Ra8
48.Ne4 Ra6+ 49.Nf6+ Rxf6+ 50.Kxf6 e4+ 51.Kg6 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2323)
Jim Burden (2096)
Marathon II / April 27, 1991 - Round 3
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.exd6 cxd6
7.Nf3 0-0 8.Qd2 Re8 9.Bc4 Nc6 10.Bh6 Bh8 11.0-0-0 a6 12.h4
b5 13.Bd5 Bb7 14.h5 Nb6 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Bxf7+ Kxf7
17.Ng5+ Kg8 18.Qd3 1-0
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 11
Dr. Ponomarev & Buck’s article that appeared
in Chess Life magazine / January 1992 (pages 32-33).
(The game score is on the previous page.)
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2269)
Sean Scott (2141)
1991 Al Wallace Memorial / November 3, 1991 - Round 4
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bg7 5.c3 Nd7 6.Nf3 Ngf6
7.Bd3 Nxe4 8.Bxe4 Nf6 9.Bd3 0-0 10.0-0 c6 11.Re1 h6 12.Ne5
Nd7 13.Ng4 Kh7 14.Qe2 Nf6 15.Ne5 Be6 16.Nxg6 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2280)
Keith Oxman (2025)
1991 Membership Meeting Open / September 1, 1991 - Round 2
1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 e5 3.c4 c6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Qb3 Ne7 6.Nc3 d4
7.Ne4 Nbc6 8.Ng5 Nd5 9.Nxf7 Kxf7 10.Bxd5+ Ke8 11.d3 Bxg4
12.Bf7+ Kd7 13.Qxb7+ Kd6 14.Bd2 Rb8 15.Qa6 Rb6 16.Qc4
Qf6 17.Rc1 Be7 18.Ba5 Kd7 19.Bxb6 axb6 20.Bd5 Bc5 21.Nf3
Bb4+ 22.Kd1 Bc5 23.Qb5 Rc8 24.b4 Bxf3 25.Bxf3 Bxb4
26.Bg4+ Kd8 27.Qd5+ Ke7 28.Qd7+ 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2273)
David Dustin (1936)
1992 MayDaze / May 2, 1992 - Round 1
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 Nbd7 4.Qd3 e6 5.0-0-0 Be7 6.f3 c6
7.e4 dxe4 8.fxe4 0-0 9.Nf3 Re8 10.e5 Nd5 11.Ne4 Bxg5+
12.Nexg5 Nf8 13.c4 Ne7 14.h4 Qc7 15.h5 h6 16.Ne4 Rd8 17.g4
Kh8 18.Nd6 Ng8 19.g5 Rd7 20.Bh3 hxg5 21.Nxg5 Nh6 22.Rdf1
Re7 23.Qf3 Kg8 24.Rhg1 Rb8 25.Nge4 Bd7 26.Rxg7+ Kxg7
27.Qf6+ 1-0
Michael Shedd (2000)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2273)
1992 MayDaze / May 2, 1992 - Round 2
1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.b3 c5 5.Bb2 Nc6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4
Bb4+ 8.Bc3 Qa5 9.Bxb4 Nxb4 10.Nd2 e5 11.Nb5 0-0 12.a3
dxc4 13.Bxc4 Nc6 14.0-0 Rd8 15.b4 Qb6 16.Qc2 a5 17.Nf3 Bg4
18.Ng5 Bh5 19.Qb3 Rd7 20.Nd6 Rxd6 21.Bxf7+ Bxf7 22.Nxf7
Rd5 23.e4 Nd4 24.Qa2 axb4 25.exd5 Kxf7 26.Qc4 b3 27.d6+
Kf8 28.Qc7 Qxc7 29.dxc7 Rc8 30.Rfe1 Nc2 31.Rad1 Rxc7
32.Rxe5 Nxa3 33.Re2 Rc2 34.Red2 b5 35.Kf1 b4 36.Ke1 Nc4
37.Rd8+ Kf7 38.Rb8 b2 39.Rxb4 Ne4 40.f3 Ned2 41.f4 b1Q 0-1
Zygmond Mayer (2106)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2294)
Wyoming Open / May 16, 1992 - Round 1
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bc4 b5 5.Bb3 Bg4 6.f3 Bc8
7.Nc3 b4 8.Ne4 Nxd5 9.d4 e6 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Qd2 0-0 12.Ne2
f6 13.Bh4 a5 14.c4 a4 15.Bc2 Nb6 16.Qd3 f5 17.Bxe7 Qxe7
18.Nf2 Ba6 19.b3 axb3 20.Bxb3 c5 21.0-0 Nc6 22.Qe3 Nxc4
23.Bxc4 Bxc4 24.dxc5 Ra3 25.Qd2 Qxc5 26.Rfc1 Qe5 27.Rxc4
Qxa1+ 28.Rc1 Qxa2 29.Rc2 b3!! 30.Rb2 Qa1+ 31.Nc1 Ra2!
32.Nfd3 Rd8 33.Qc3 Rxd3! 34.Qxc6 Rd1+ 35.Kf2 Qxb2+
36.Kg3 Qxg2+ 37.Kf4 Qxh2+ 38.Ke3 Qd2# 0-1
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2294)
Michael Mulyar (2306)
Wyoming Open / May 16, 1992 - Round 2
1.d4 e6 2.e4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bb5+ Nc6 6.Qe2+ Be7
7.dxc5 Nf6 8.Nb3 0-0 9.Be3 Ng4 10.Nf3 Re8 11.0-0 a6 12.Ba4
Bf6 13.Rad1 Qe7 14.c3 Qe4 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Nbd4 Bd7
17.Rfe1 Qg6 18.Qd3 Re4 19.Nd2 Nxh2 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.Qc2
Bxd4 22.Kxh2 Be5+ 23.Kg1 Bg4 24.f4! Bxd1 25.Rxd1 Bf6
26.Rd6 Qg3 27.Qd2 Rc8 28.Bf2 Qg4 29.Qe3 Be7 30.Rd2 Qe6
31.b4 f5 32.Qe2 Rd8 33.Be3 a5 34.b5 cxb5 35.Qxb5 Rc8 36.c4
g5 37.Rd5 gxf4 38.Bxf4 Qc6 39.Bd6 Qxb5 40.cxb5 Bxd6
41.cxd6 Kf7 42.b6! Ke6 43.d7 Rd8 44.Rxa5 Rxd7 45.Rb5 Rd8
46.a4 e3 47.Kf1 f4 48.b7 Rd1+ 49.Ke2 Rd2+ 50.Ke1 1-0
David Fletcher (2115)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2294)
Wyoming Open / May 17, 1992 - Round 4
1.f4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6 3.e3 Bb7 4.b3 h5 5.Bb2 h4 6.Bxf6 exf6 7.c4
Nc6 8.Be2 g5 9.0-0 Qe7 10.Nc3 g4 11.Nd5 Qd6 12.Ne1 f5
13.Qc2 Ne7 14.Nxe7 Bxe7 15.d4 Qe6 16.Qd3 Be4 17.Qd2 h3
18.g3 0-0 19.Bd3 Bb7 20.Nc2 d5 21.Rfe1 Rad8 22.Nb4 a5
23.Nc2 Bf6 24.c5 Rfe8 25.b4 axb4 26.Qxb4 Ra8 27.cxb6 cxb6
28.a4 Ba6 29.Qb3 Bxd3 30.Qxd3 Ra5 31.Reb1 Rea8 32.Ne1
Rxa4 33.Rxa4 Rxa4 34.Nc2 Be7 35.Qb3 Rc4 36.Kf2 Qe4!
37.Ne1 Rb4 38.Qxb4 Bxb4 39.Rxb4 Qh1 0-1
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2294)
Dan Joelson (2148)
Wyoming Open / May 17, 1992 - Round 5
1.g4! g6 2.Bg2 Bg7 3.c4 c5 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.Qa4 e5 6.e3 Nge7 7.a3
a5 8.Nd5 Ra6 9.Ne2 0-0 10.d3 d6 11.h3 Nxd5 12.cxd5 Ne7
13.Bd2 Bd7 14.Qc2 b5 15.e4 f5 16.exf5 gxf5 17.g5 f4 18.Bf3
Nf5 19.h4 a4 20.Be4 h6 21.0-0-0 h5 22.Rdg1 b4 23.Qd1 Qb6
24.Qc2 Rc8 25.Kd1 Nd4 26.Qc1 bxa3 27.bxa3 Qb3+ 28.Ke1
Qxa3 29.Qxa3 Nc2+ 30.Kd1 Nxa3 31.Bf3 Bf5 32.Bxh5 Bxd3
33.Nc3 Nc4 34.Be2 Nb2+ 35.Kc1 a3 36.Bxd3 Nxd3+ 37.Kc2
Nb4+ 38.Kb3 Rb8 39.Kc4! a2 40.Ne4! Nc2 41.Bc3 Rb1 42.h5
a1Q 43.Bxa1 Rbxa1 44.Rxa1 Nxa1 45.Kb5 Ra2 46.Nxd6 Nb3
47.h6 Nd4+ 48.Kb6! Rb2+ 49.Kc7 Rxf2 50.h7+ Kf8 51.Ra1
Bh8 52.g6 Kg7 53.Rg1 f3 54.Ne8+ Kf8 55.g7+ Bxg7 56.Rxg7
Rh2 57.Rg8+ Ke7 58.d6+ Kf7 59.h8Q Rxh8 60.Rxh8 f2
61.Rh7+ Kf8 62.Rh1 Kxe8 63.d7+ Kf7 64.Rf1 Ne6+ 65.Kd6 1-0
Jeffrey Maguire (2044)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2316)
Colorado Class Championship / July 25, 1992 - Round 2
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Be3 e5! 6.d5 Bf5
7.Nc3 N8d7 8.Nf3 Be7 9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 Re8 11.Rc1 Bg6
12.Nd2 f5 13.f4 Bf6 14.Bf3 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne5 16.Bxe5 Bxe5
17.Kh1 Qh4 0-1
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2316)
Michael Mulyar (2337)
Colorado Class Championship / July 26, 1992 - Round 3
1.g4 e5 2.Bg2 h5 3.gxh5 Nf6 4.c4 Nxh5 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Nc6
7.Qe4+ Be7 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Qc2 Ne5 10.Bf4 Ng6 11.Bg3 Nh5
12.0-0-0 Nxg3 13.hxg3 Rxh1 14.Bxh1 c6 15.f4 Qc7 16.Be4 Nf8
17.Nf3 d6 18.Nd4 g6 19.f5 Bxf5 20.Bxf5 gxf5 21.Qxf5 Qd7
22.Kb1 Ne6 23.Nf3 Nf8 24.Qa5 b6 25.Qa4 0-0-0 26.Ne5 Qf5+
27.Nd3 Kb7 28.e4 Qc8 29.Rf1 f6 30.Rf5 Ne6 31.Qd1 Nc5
32.Rh5 Qe6 33.Qe2 Qg8 ½-½
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 13
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
James Burden (2213)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2320)
Denver Open / June 27, 1992 - Round 4
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 Bg4 4.h3 Bf5 5.d3 h5 6.Nbd2 Nf6
7.b3 e5 8.Bb2 Bd6 9.Nh4 Be6 10.e4 Qd7 11.Qe2 d4 12.0-0-0 a5
13.Rdf1 Nb4 14.a3 Na2+ 15.Kd1 Bxa3 16.Ba1 a4 17.f4 Nc1
18.Qf2 axb3 19.fxe5 bxc2+ 20.Kxc2 Qa4+ 0-1
Mark Scheidies (2162)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2318)
Colorado Open / September 6, 1992 - Round 3
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Bf5 6.Bg5 Qb6
7.Qd2 Nd7 8.e3 Ngf6 9.Bxf6 Nxf6 10.a3 Bd6 11.Be2 Ne4
12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Nh4 Be6 14.g3 g5 15.Ng2 0-0-0 16.b4 f5
17.0-0 h5 18.f4 exf3 19.Rxf3 h4 20.gxh4 Qc7 21.Bd3 Bxh2+
22.Kh1 Bg3 23.Bxf5 Bxf5 24.Rxf5 Bxh4 25.Kg1 Bg3 26.Qe2
0-1
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2318)
James McCarty (2360)
Colorado Open / September 6, 1992 - Round 4
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 c6 4.Qd3 Nbd7 5.e4 dxe4 6.Nxe4
Nxe4 7.Qxe4 h6 8.Bd2 Nf6 9.Qd3 g6 10.Nf3 Bf5 11.Qb3 Qb6
12.Bc4 Qxb3 13.Bxb3 Bg7 14.Ne5 e6 15.f3 g5 16.0-0-0 Nd7
17.Nc4 Bf8 18.g4 Bg6 19.h4 gxh4 20.Rxh4 0-0-0 21.Rdh1 Bg7
22.c3 c5 23.Bf4 Bf8 24.Nd6+ Bxd6 25.Bxd6 cxd4 26.cxd4 Nb8
27.Be5 Rh7 28.Rxh6 Rxh6 29.Rxh6 Nc6 30.Bxe6+ fxe6
31.Rxg6 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2296)
Michael Ginat (2364)
Colorado Closed / March 1993
1.d4 e6 2.e4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ndf3
Qb6 8.Ne2 cxd4 9.cxd4 f6 10.exf6 Nxf6 11.0-0 Bd6 12.a3 0-0
13.Nc3 Bd7 14.Re1 Rae8 15.Bc2 Re7 16.Qd3 Be8 17.Ne5 Bxe5
18.dxe5 Bg6 19.Qe2 Nd4 20.exf6 Nxe2+ 21.Rxe2 Rxf6
22.Bxg6 hxg6 23.Bg5 Ref7 24.Bxf6 Rxf6 25.Rae1 Kf7 26.b4 g5
27.Na4 Qa6 28.Nc5 Qxa3 29.Nxb7 Qxb4 30.Nd8+ Kg6
31.Nxe6 a5 32.h3 a4 33.Nc7 Qc4 34.Ne8 Rf4 35.Re6+ Kh7
36.Re7 Re4? 37.Nf6+ Kg6 38.Nxe4 dxe4 39.R1xe4 Qc1+
40.Re1 Qc3 41.R1e6+ Kh7 42.Re3 Qc1+ 43.Kh2 Qc5 44.R7e5
Qc7 45.g3 a3 46.Re7 Qc5 47.R7e5 Qb4 48.R5e4 Qa5 49.Re1 a2
50.Ra1 Qf5 51.Re2 g4 52.hxg4 Qxg4 53.Raxa2 Qf3 54.Re3
Qh5+ ½-½
James Burden (2179)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2296)
Colorado Closed / March 1993
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 e6
7.Be3 Nc6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Nbd2 0-0 10.h3 Bf5 11.a3 a5 12.Re1 Bf6
13.Nb3 Nd7 14.Bd3 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 a4 16.Nc1 Re8 17.Qc2 e5
18.d5 Ne7 19.Ne2 b5 20.Red1 bxc4 21.Qxc4 Nf5 22.Qc2 e4
23.Nfd4 Nxe3 24.fxe3 Bg5 25.Qc3 Nb6 26.Nf5 Bf6 27.Qb4 Re5
28.Neg3 h5 29.d6 h4 30.Ne7+ Bxe7 31.dxe7 Qxe7 32.Qxe7
Rxe7 33.Nf5 Re5 34.Rf1 Nd5 35.Rac1 Rb8 36.Rc5 Rbe8
37.Ra5 Nb6 38.Ra7 Rc5 39.Rb7 Nd5 40.Ra7 Re5 41.Nxh4
Nxe3 42.Ra8+ Kh7 43.Rxf7 Rc1+ 44.Kh2 Nf1+ 45.Kg1 Ng3+
46.Kf2 Rf1+ 47.Kxg3 Rxf7 48.Rxa4 g5 49.Nf3 exf3 50.gxf3
Ref5 51.b4 Rxf3+ 52.Kg2 Kg6 53.b5 Rf2+ 54.Kg1 Rb2
55.Ra6+ Kh5 56.a4 Rd7 0-1
Jerry Kearns (2328)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2296)
Colorado Closed / March 1993
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 Nc6
7.Be3 e6 8.0-0 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Nxc4 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 11.Qa4 Nb6
12.Qxc6+ Qd7 13.Qxd7+ Kxd7 14.Nc3 f5 15.Rac1 c6 16.Bf4
Bd6 17.Bxd6 Kxd6 18.Rc2 a5 19.Rfc1 Rhc8 20.Kf1 g5 21.Ke2
h5 22.Kd3 Rab8 23.Re1 Nd7 24.Rce2 Re8 25.b3 c5 26.dxc5+
Nxc5+ 27.Kc2 Rec8 28.f3 Rb7 29.Rd1+ Ke7 30.Rd4 Kf7
31.Rc4 Rb4 32.Rd2 Rxc4 33.bxc4 Kf6 34.Nb5 h4 35.Na7 Rb8
36.Nc6 Rb6 37.Nxa5 Ra6 38.Nb3 Rxa2+ 39.Kc3 Ra3 40.Kb4
Rxb3+ 41.Kxc5 h3! 42.gxh3 Rxf3 43.Kd6 e5 44.c5 e4 0-1
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2296)
Robert Karnisky (2214)
Colorado Closed / March 1993
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bh4 c5 4.f3 g5 5.fxe4 gxh4 6.Nf3 e6
7.Nc3 cxd4 8.Qxd4 Rg8 9.e5 Nc6 10.Qe4 Bb4 11.Qxh7 Bxc3+
12.bxc3 Rf8 13.Qe4 Qa5 14.Qe3 b6 15.g3 Bb7 16.Rg1 hxg3
17.Rxg3 0-0-0 18.Rg5 Qa3 19.Bg2 Rg8 20.h4 Nb4 21.Qd2
Rxg5 22.hxg5 Qb2 23.Rd1 Nxa2 24.Qf4 Qxc3+ 25.Kf1 Nb4
26.Qxf7 Nxc2 27.Rd3 Qc5 28.Qf4 Nb4 29.Rd1 Nc6 30.Rc1 Qa3
31.g6 Rf8 32.Qh6 Qe7 33.Rc4 Kc7 34.Rf4 Rg8 35.Rf7 Qe8
36.Qh7 Bc8 37.Qh6 Kb8 38.Qd2! Rxg6 39.Qd6+ Kb7 40.Ng5!
Ka6 41.Bxc6 dxc6 42.Qa3+ Kb5 43.Rf4 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2318)
Robert Karnisky (2179)
Colorado Class Championship / July 25, 1993 - Round 4
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bh4 c5 4.f3 Qa5+ 5.c3 g5 6.fxe4 gxh4
7.e3 Bh6 8.Nd2 cxd4 9.exd4 Rg8 10.Ngf3 Qh5 11.Qa4 Bxd2+
12.Nxd2 Nc6 13.Be2 Qg5 14.0-0-0 Qxg2 15.Bf3 Qf2 16.e5 a6
17.Rdf1 Qe3 18.Re1 b5 19.Qc2 Qh6 20.Rhg1 Rg6 21.d5 Na5
22.Be4 Bb7 23.Bxg6 hxg6 24.Qd3 Nc4 25.d6 Qf4 26.dxe7
Qxd2+ 27.Qxd2 Nxd2 28.Kxd2 Kxe7 29.Rg4 Rh8 30.Ke3 Rh5
31.Kd4 Ke6 32.Rf4 g5 33.Rf6+ Ke7 34.Ref1 Rh7 35.Rg1 Rg7
36.Rh6 g4 37.Rxh4 Bf3 38.Rh6 a5 39.Ke3 Rg8 40.Rb6 Bc6
41.h4 g3 42.Kf4 g2 43.h5 Rh8 44.h6 Rxh6 45.Rxg2 Rh4+
46.Rg4 Rh2 47.a4 bxa4 48.Ke3 a3 49.bxa3 Ra2 50.Rxc6 dxc6
51.Ra4 Rh2 52.Rxa5 Rh4 53.Kd3 Ke6 54.Kc2 Re4 55.Rc5 Rxe5
56.Rxc6+ Kd7 57.Rc4 f5 58.a4 Ra5 59.Kb3 Ke6 60.Kb4 Ra8
61.a5 Kd5 62.Rf4 Rb8+ 63.Ka4 Ke5 64.Rf1 f4 65.a6 Ke4 66.c4
f3 67.Ka5 Rb2 68.Ra1 f2 69.a7 Ra2+ 70.Rxa2 f1Q 71.a8Q+
Ke3 72.Qe8+ Kd3 73.Qd7+ Kc3 74.Qd2+ 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2313)
Paul Connors (2053)
Colorado Open / September 4, 1993 - Round 2
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 e6 3.e4 h6 4.Bxf6 Qxf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 g6 7.e5
Qd8 8.Bd3 d5 9.Qd2 b6 10.Ne2 Ba6 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 12.h4 h5
13.Ng5 Qd7 14.a3 Nb8 15.Qd3 Nc6 16.Qf3 Bg7 17.0-0-0 Nd8
18.g4 Qe7 19.gxh5 Rxh5 20.Nf4 Rh8 21.Rdg1 Bh6 22.Kb1 c5
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Colorado Chess Informant Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
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Colorado Chess Informant
23.c4 Nc6 24.cxd5 Nxd4 25.Qe4 Qb7 26.Qg2 Bxg5 27.Qxg5
Qa6 28.dxe6 Qc4 29.exf7+ Kd7 30.Qxg6 Nb3 31.Rd1+ 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2313)
Michael Shedd (2000)
Colorado Open / September 5, 1993 - Round 4
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Bf5 3.f3 e6 4.e4 Bg6 5.Nge2 c5 6.exd5 exd5
7.Nf4 Nf6 8.Nxg6 hxg6 9.Bg5 c4 10.Qd2 a6 11.g3 Bb4 12.0-0-0
0-0 13.a3 Ba5 14.h4 Qd6 15.Bf4 Qc6 16.g4 b5 17.h5 gxh5
18.g5! Bxc3 19.bxc3 Nh7 20.Rxh5 f5 21.Qh2 Qg6 22.Be2 Re8
23.Rh1 Nf8 24.Be5 Nbd7 25.Rh8+ Kf7 26.f4 Qc6 27.Bxg7!
Kxg7 28.Qh7+! Nxh7 29.R1xh7+ 1-0
Todd Bardwick (2225)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2293)
Colorado Closed / March 1994
1.e3 d5 2.f4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.d4 e6 5.c3 Be7 6.Bd3 Bh4+ 7.g3
Be7 8.Nbd2 f5 9.Qa4 Bxf3 10.Nxf3 Bf6 11.Ne5 Bxe5 12.dxe5
Qd7 13.Qc2 h5 14.Bd2 0-0-0 15.0-0-0 Nge7 16.c4 h4 17.cxd5
exd5 18.Bc3 Qe6 19.b3 g6 20.Be2 Kb8 21.g4 fxg4 22.Rhg1 g3
23.hxg3 h3 24.g4 a5 25.Bf3 h2 26.Rg3 Rh4 27.Qf2 a4 28.b4 d4
29.Bxd4 Nxb4 30.Bh1 Nxa2+ 31.Kd2 c5 32.Rb1 Nb4 33.Qf3
Qa2+ 34.Ke1 Qxb1+ 35.Kf2 Nd3+ 36.Ke2 cxd4 0-1
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2293)
Jonathan Revusky (2147)
Colorado Closed / March 1994
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 e6 3.e4 Be7 4.e5 Nd5 5.Bd2 c5 6.Qg4 g6 7.c4 f5
8.Qg3 Nc7 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Nf3 Nc6 11.h4 Be7 12.h5 Kf7
13.Ng5+ Kg7 14.Nc3 Qe8 15.0-0-0 h6 16.Nf3 g5 17.Bd3 Qf7
18.Nb5 Nxb5 19.cxb5 Nb4 20.Bb1 b6 21.Bc3 Nd5 22.Rxd5 1-0
Todd Bardwick (2239)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2310)
Colorado Closed / April 1995
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 c6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.a4 Bb4 6.g3 Nd7 7.Bg2
a5 8.0-0 Ngf6 9.Qc2 0-0 10.Na2 Nb6 11.Nxb4 axb4 12.a5 b3
13.Qc3 Nfd5 14.Qe1 Nd7 15.e4 N5f6 16.Bf4 Qe7 17.Ne5 Nxe5
18.Bxe5 Ng4 19.Qc3 Nxe5 20.dxe5 Qc5 21.Rfc1 Rd8 22.Bf1 g6
23.Bxc4 Rd4 24.Bxb3 Qxe5 25.Bc2 Qd6 26.Rd1 e5 27.Rxd4
exd4 28.Qd2 c5 29.Bd3 Be6 30.Qc2 Qc7 31.b4 c4 32.Bf1 Rc8
33.Rd1 Qd6 34.b5 Qe5 35.Qa4 d3 36.a6 bxa6 37.bxa6 Qc5
38.a7 Ra8 39.Ra1 Bg4 40.Bg2 d2 41.e5 Rxa7 42.Qe8+ Kg7
43.Rxa7 d1Q+ 44.Bf1 Qxa7 45.Qc6 Bh3 46.Qf6+ Kg8 0-1
Ian MacLellan (1989)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2279)
Denver Open / July 2, 1995 - Round 4
1.e4 d5 2.Nc3 d4 3.Nce2 Nc6 4.Ng3 e5 5.Bc4 Na5 6.Bb3 Nxb3
7.axb3 d3 8.Nf3 dxc2 9.Qxc2 Bd6 10.0-0 Bg4 11.Qc3 Qf6
12.Ne1 Ne7 13.f4 h5 14.d4 exd4 15.Qc2 Qg6 16.f5 Qf6 17.Nh1
h4 18.Nd3 Nc6 19.Nhf2 Bh5 20.Nh3 Qe7 21.Bg5 f6 22.e5 Bxe5
23.Rfe1 fxg5 24.Kh1 0-0 25.Nxe5 Nxe5 26.Ra5 d3 27.Qc3 Rxf5
28.Raxe5 Qxe5 29.Rxe5 Rf1+ 30.Ng1 Rd8 31.Re7 Bf7 32.Qd2
h3 33.Qxg5 Rxg1+ 34.Kxg1 d2 35.Re8+ Rxe8 36.Qxd2 hxg2
37.Kxg2 c5 38.Qc3 b6 39.Kg3 Re4 40.Qd3 Rb4 41.Qd2 Rxb3+
42.Kf4 Rb4+ 43.Ke5 Rd4 44.Qf2 a5 45.h4 a4 46.h5 Rd5+
47.Kf4 Rxh5 48.Qg3 b5 49.Kg4 c4 50.Qc3 Rd5 51.Qg3 Be6+
52.Kh4 Kh7 53.Qe3 Bf7 54.Qe4+ Kg8 55.Qe1 Rd3 56.Qh1 Rb3
57.Qa8+ Kh7 58.Qe4+ Bg6 59.Qh1 Kg8 60.Qd5+ Kh7 61.Qh1
Bf5 62.Qf1 Kg6 63.Qg1+ Kf6 64.Qd4+ Ke6 65.Qb6+ Ke5
66.Qc7+ Ke4 67.Kg5 g6 68.Qc6+ Kd3 69.Qd6+ Kc2 70.Qh2+
Kb1 71.Qg1+ Ka2 72.Kf4 Rxb2 73.Ke3 c3 74.Kd4 b4 75.Kc4
Rb1 76.Qa7 a3 77.Kb5 c2 78.Qf7+ b3 0-1
Richard “Buck” Buchanan (2103)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2272)
Colorado Open / September 4, 1995 - Round 5
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4
7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.a3 a5 10.0-0 Bd6 11.e4 e5 12.Be3 0-0
13.Ne2 Re8 14.Qc2 exd4 15.Nexd4 Ne5 16.Be2 Nfg4 17.Bg5
Qb6 18.h3 c5 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.Nxb5 Bxe4 21.Qc4 Qg6
22.Bxg4 Qxg5 23.Rfe1 Bd5 24.Qf1 h5 25.Be2 Qf4 26.g3 Qe4
27.f3 Qe3+ 28.Kg2 h4 29.Rad1 Qg5 30.Kh1 Bxg3 31.Qg2 Qe5
32.Nc3 Bxe1 33.Rxd5 Qe6 34.Bc4 Bxc3 35.bxc3 Qe1+ 36.Kh2
Qxc3 37.Rxc5 Qd4 38.Rc7 Qf4+ 0-1
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2286)
David Hartsook (2049)
Loveland Open / February 18, 1996 - Round 4
1.d4 f5 2.g4 fxg4 3.e4 d6 4.Nc3 g6 5.h3 g3 6.fxg3 Bg7 7.Nf3
Nf6 8.Be3 c6 9.Qd2 Qc7 10.0-0-0 Nbd7 11.Ng5 Nb6 12.e5 dxe5
13.dxe5 Nfd5 14.e6 Nxe3 15.Qxe3 0-0 16.Re1 Nd5 17.Nxd5
cxd5 18.Bg2 b6 19.Bxd5 Bb7 20.Bxb7 Qxb7 21.Nf7 Qd5
22.Kb1 Rac8 23.Rh2 Qb5 24.Qb3 Qc5 25.h4 Qd4 26.h5 Rc5
27.hxg6 hxg6 28.c3 Qd3+ 29.Qc2 Qxg3 30.Reh1 Rf5 31.a3 Qe3
32.Re2 Qf3 33.Rg1 R8xf7 34.exf7+ Kxf7 35.Reg2 Bf6 36.Rxg6
Qf2 37.Qe4 Re5 38.Qc4+ e6 39.Qc7+ 1-0
Brian Wall (2261)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2275)
Colorado Closed / May 1996
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 c6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Qxd4
7.Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8.Ne2 Na6 9.Bc3 Nf6 10.Qd6 Bd7 11.0-0-0
Qxc4 12.Ng3 Qc5 13.Bxa6 Qxd6 14.Rxd6 bxa6 15.Rhd1 Nd5
16.Bxg7 Rg8 17.Bd4 f5 18.Nh5 0-0-0 19.g3 Rg6 20.Be5 Rh6
21.Nf4 Rxh2 22.Nxe6 Re8 23.Nc5 Rxe5 24.Nxd7 Kc7 25.Nxe5
Kxd6 26.Nd3 a5 27.Rd2 h5 28.Kd1 h4 29.gxh4 Rxh4 30.Kc2
Rc4+ 31.Kb3 Rd4 32.Kc2 Nb4+ 33.Kc3 Rxd3+ 34.Rxd3+ Nxd3
35.Kxd3 Kd5 36.a4 Ke5 37.Ke3 Kf6 38.Kf4 Kg6 39.Ke5 Kg5
40.f3 a6 41.b3 c5 42.Ke6 Kf4 43.Kf6 ½-½
James McCarty (2382)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2257)
Colorado Open / September 2, 1996 - Round 6
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Be3
Bf5 8.Nc3 e6 9.Nf3 Bg4 10.Be2 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Qh4+ 12.Bf2 Qf4
13.Qc1 Qf5 14.Qb1 Qxb1+ 15.Rxb1 0-0-0 16.c5 Nd5 17.Nxd5
Rxd5 18.Rd1 Ne7 19.Bd3 Rd7 20.b4 a6 21.a3 Nd5 22.c6 Rd8
23.cxb7+ Kxb7 24.0-0 Be7 25.Be4 c6 26.f4 g6 27.Rc1 f5
28.exf6 Bxf6 29.Rfe1 Rhe8 30.Kh1 Rd6 31.Rf1 Ne7 32.a4 Nd5
33.b5 cxb5 34.axb5 axb5 35.Rc5 Rb6 36.Rb1 b4 37.f5 gxf5
38.Bxd5+ exd5 39.Rxd5 f4 40.Rf5 Re4 41.d5 Ra6 42.Bc5 Ra1
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
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Colorado Chess Informant
43.Rxa1 Bxa1 44.Rf7+ Ka6 45.Ra7+ Kb5 46.Bxb4 Bd4 47.Re7
Rxe7 48.Bxe7 Kc4 49.d6 Bc5 50.Kg2 Kd5 51.Kf3 ½-½
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2269)
Renard Anderson (2346)
Colorado Closed / March 1997
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 Bf5 4.f3 Nbd7 5.g4 Bg6 6.Nh3 h6
7.Bh4 c6 8.Qd2 Qa5 9.Nf4 Bh7 10.Nd3 e6 11.Bg3 Nb6 12.Ne5
Nfd7 13.e3 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 0-0-0 15.Bd3 f6 16.Bg3 Nc4 17.Bxc4
dxc4 18.0-0 Bd6 19.Bxd6 Rxd6 20.Ne4 Qxd2 21.Nxd2 Bxc2
22.Nxc4 Rdd8 23.Rf2 Bg6 24.Rc1 Rhe8 25.Rd2 Bf7 26.e4 Kb8
27.Kf2 e5 28.Ke3 exd4+ 29.Rxd4 Rxd4 30.Kxd4 Rd8+ 31.Ke3
Kc7 32.h4 g6 33.Nd2 b6 34.f4 a5 35.a3 a4 36.Rf1 c5 37.f5 g5
38.hxg5 hxg5 39.Rh1 Kd6 40.Rh6 Ke7 41.e5! fxe5 42.Ne4 Rd1
43.f6+ Kd8 44.Nxg5 Bd5 45.Rh8+ Kd7 46.f7 Bxf7 47.Nxf7
Re1+ 48.Kd2 Re4 49.Rh5 Rd4+ 50.Ke3 Ke6 51.Nxe5 b5
52.Nd3 Rxg4 53.Rxc5 Rg3+ 54.Kd2 1-0
Craig Wilcox (2101)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2269)
Colorado Closed / March 1997
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c6 3.g3 Bf5 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.0-0 Qc8 6.c4 Bh3 7.cxd5
cxd5 8.Qa4+ Nc6 9.Nc3 Bxg2 10.Kxg2 Qd7 11.Nb5 a6 12.Ne5
Qc8 13.Nc3 b5 14.Nxb5 axb5 15.Qxb5 Ra6 16.Bd2 Nd7
17.Nxd7 Kxd7 18.Qxd5+ Ke8 19.Qb5 e6 20.Rfc1 Bd6 21.Rc2
Kd7 22.Rac1 Qa8 23.e4 Rb8 24.Qd3 Ke8 25.Kg1 g6 26.e5 Bb4
27.Bg5 Be7 28.h4 Bxg5 29.hxg5 Nb4 0-1
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2269)
Brian Wall (2210)
Colorado Closed / March 1997
1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.f4 e6 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Bxd7+
Qxd7 8.Nf3 exd5 9.Nxd5 Nc6 10.0-0 Nge7 11.c3 0-0 12.Be3
Rad8 13.Qd3 Nxd5 14.exd5 Ne7 15.Bf2 Rde8 16.a4 h5 17.Rfe1
b6 18.b3 Nf5 19.Ra2 Rxe1+ 20.Bxe1 Re8 21.Re2 Rxe2 22.Qxe2
Kf8 23.Bd2 Qb7 24.Qd3 a6 25.Kf2 b5 26.axb5 axb5 27.Ng5
Ne7 28.c4 bxc4 29.bxc4 Qb2 30.Kg3 Nf5+ 31.Kh3 Qa1 32.Qb3
Qb2 33.Qxb2 Bxb2 34.g4 hxg4+ 35.Kxg4 Ke7 36.Kf3 Nd4+
37.Ke4 Nf5 38.Kd3 Nd4 39.Be3 Nf5 40.Bf2 Kf6 41.Kc2 Bd4
42.Bg3 Ne3+ 43.Kb3 Ng2 44.Ne4+ Ke7 45.f5 gxf5 46.Bxd6+
Kd7 47.Bxc5 fxe4 48.Bxd4 f5 49.c5 e3 50.c6+ Kd6 51.Bc5+
Kc7 52.Kc3 e2 53.Bf2 e1Q+ 54.Bxe1 Nxe1 55.h4 Ng2 56.h5
Nf4 57.h6 Nxd5+ 58.Kd4 Ne7 59.Ke5 Ng6+ 60.Kxf5 Nf8
61.Kf6 Kxc6 62.Kf7 Nh7 63.Kg7 Ng5 64.Kg6 Ne6 ½-½
Jerry Kearns (2334)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2269)
Colorado Closed / March 1997
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4
7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bd6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Bxe4 Bb7 11.0-0 Qc7
12.Bd3 h6 13.e4 e5 14.Be3 exd4 15.Bxd4 0-0 16.Rc1 a6 17.a4
b4 18.Qb3 Rad8 19.h3 c5 20.Be3 Bf4 21.Rfe1 Bxe3 22.Rxe3
Qf4 23.Rc4 Qd6 24.Qc2 Qe6 25.Qe2 a5 26.Rc1 Rfe8 27.Bb5
Bc6 28.b3 Qg6 29.Bxc6 Qxc6 30.Nd4 Qf6 31.Nb5 Qe5 32.g3
Nb6 33.f4 Qe7 34.Qc2 c4! 35.bxc4 Qc5 36.Kf2 Re7 37.Kf3
Red7 38.Re2 b3! 39.Qb2 Nxa4 40.Qa3 Rd3+ 41.Kg2 Qxa3
42.Nxa3 b2 0-1
Randy Canney (2357)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2269)
Colorado Closed / March 1997
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.c4 Nb6 6.c5 N6d7
7.Bc4 e6 8.h3 Bf5 9.Nc3 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.b4 b6 12.Bf4 Nc6
13.Qa4 Ndb8 14.Rad1 bxc5 15.dxc5 Qc8 16.b5 e5 17.bxc6 exf4
18.Nd5 Bxc5 19.Rfe1 Be6 20.Ng5 Bxd5 21.Rxd5 Bd6 22.Qc2
g6 23.Bb3 Na6 24.Qc4 Rb8 25.Ra5 Rxb3! 26.axb3 Bb4
27.Qxa6 Bxe1 28.Qxc8 Rxc8 29.Rxa7 Bb4 30.Ne4 f5 31.Nf6+
Kf7 32.Nxh7 Be7 33.h4 Bxh4 34.b4 Ke6 35.b5 Kd6 36.Rb7 Ra8
37.b6 Ra1+ 38.Kh2 Bxf2! 39.g4 Bxb6 40.gxf5 gxf5 0-1
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2269)
Michael Shedd (2089)
Colorado Open / August 30, 1997 - Round 2
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 e6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 Bxf6
7.Nf3 0-0 8.Qd3 b6 9.Nxf6+ Qxf6 10.Qe4 c6 11.Bd3 g6
12.0-0-0 Bb7 13.h4 Nd7 14.h5 Kg7 15.Qe3 Rh8 16.Ne5 Nxe5
17.dxe5 Qe7 18.h6+ Kf8 19.Be4 Ke8 20.Rd6 f5 21.Bf3 Kf7
22.Rhd1 Rhd8 23.g4 Rxd6 24.exd6 Qf6 25.gxf5 exf5 26.d7 Qe7
27.Qc3! Qg5+ 28.Kb1 Rd8 29.Qg7+ Ke6 30.Qxh7 Qf6 31.Re1+
Kd6 32.Qg7 Qxg7 33.hxg7 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2269)
Renard Anderson (2230)
Colorado Open / August 31, 1997 - Round 4
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 Nbd7 4.Qd3 g6 5.e4 dxe4 6.Nxe4 Bg7
7.Nc3 c6 8.Nf3 0-0 9.Be2 Qa5 10.0-0 e5 11.Qd2 exd4 12.Nxd4
Ne4 13.Nxe4 Qxd2 14.Bxd2 Bxd4 15.Nd6 Nb6 16.c3 Bg7
17.Nxc8 Rfxc8 18.Rad1 h6 19.g3 Re8 20.Rfe1 Rad8 21.Kf1
Re4 22.Be3 Rde8 23.a3 Na4 24.Bc1 Nc5 25.f3 R4e7 26.Bc4
Rxe1+ 27.Rxe1 Rd8 28.Be3 Na4 29.Rb1 Nb6 30.Bb3 Re8
31.Kf2 Bf8 32.Rd1 c5 33.Rd2 Kg7 34.Ba2 Be7 35.h4 Rc8 36.b3
Rc6 37.Bb1 c4 38.Be4 Rd6 39.Rxd6 Bxd6 40.Bd4+ f6 41.b4
Be5 42.Bxe5 fxe5 43.Ke3 Na4 44.Kd2 b6 45.Bd5 Kf6 46.Bxc4
1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2282)
Randy Canney (2305)
Colorado Closed / March 1998
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 Nbd7 4.f3 c6 5.Qd2 b5 6.a3 Qa5 7.b4
Qb6 8.e4 e6 9.e5 Ng8 10.Rb1 a5 11.Nh3 axb4 12.axb4 Ne7
13.Bxe7 Bxe7 14.Be2 Ra3 15.f4 f6 16.Nf2 0-0 17.0-0 Kh8
18.Ncd1 g5 19.fxg5 fxe5 20.g6 Rf4 21.g3 Qxd4 22.Qc1 Ra2
23.gxf4 exf4 24.Rb3 e5 25.Nc3 Ra8 26.Qd1 Qxd1 27.Rxd1 Nf6
28.gxh7 e4 29.Re1 Bf5 30.Bd1 Bd8 31.h3 Bg6 32.Kf1 f3
33.Nb1 Ra2 34.Bxf3 Rxc2 35.Be2 d4 36.Rg3 Kxh7 37.Bg4 Bb6
38.Bd1 Rb2 39.Rb3 Ra2 40.Re2 Ra1 41.Reb2 Nd5 42.Ra3 Ne3+
43.Kg1 Rxa3 44.Nxa3 d3 45.Kh2 Bd4 46.Rb1 Nd5 47.Ng4 e3
48.Bf3 d2 49.Rh1 Nxb4 50.Kg3 Bd3 51.Nb1 Nc2 52.Rd1 c5
53.Nxd2 exd2 54.Rxd2 c4 (55.Rxd3 draws. Usually Dr.
Ponomarev was the aggressor in a wild fighting game like this.)
½-½
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
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Colorado Chess Informant Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 18
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Colorado Chess Informant
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2282)
Matt Galman (2126)
Colorado Closed / March 1998
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.exd6 cxd6
7.Nf3 h6 8.Be3 0-0 9.Qd2 Kh7 10.h4 e5 11.h5 g5 12.0-0-0 Nc6
13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Ne4 f5 15.Nd6 Nf6 16.Bxg5 e4 17.Qf4 exf3
18.Nxf5 hxg5 19.Qxg5 Qc7 20.Qg6+ Kh8 21.h6 Bxh6+
22.Qxh6+ Nh7 23.Qxf8# 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2282)
Craig Wilcox (2090)
Colorado Closed / March 1998
1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c5 4.Be3 Qa5 5.Qd2 cxd4 6.Bxd4 Bxd4
7.Qxd4 Nf6 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.Qd2 0-0 10.a3 Kg7 11.h3 d6 12.g4 a6
13.g5 Nd7 14.Be2 Nde5 15.Nh4 b5 16.f4 Nc4 17.Bxc4 bxc4
18.Nd5 Bb7 19.0-0-0 Rab8 20.Rhe1 Qb5 21.Qc3+ Kg8 22.Nf3
Qc5 23.Nd4 Rfe8 24.Nf3 Na7 25.Qd4 Rbc8 26.a4 Bxd5 27.exd5
c3 28.b4 Qc7 29.Nh2 Qd7 30.Ng4 h5 31.gxh6 f6 32.Qxf6 exf6
33.Nxf6+ Kf7 34.Nxd7 Rxe1 35.Rxe1 Rc7 36.h7 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2224)
David Landers (2037)
US West Festival Open / November 14, 1998 - Round 2
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 e6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 Bxf6
7.Nf3 0-0 8.c3 Nd7 9.Qc2 b6 10.h4 Bb7 11.Bd3 g6 12.h5 e5
13.hxg6 hxg6 14.0-0-0 exd4 15.cxd4 Kg7 16.Ng3 Bg5+ 17.Kb1
Bxf3 18.gxf3 Nf6 19.Rdg1 Nd5 20.Be4 Rc8 21.Bxd5 Qxd5
22.f4 Be7 23.Nh5+ Kg8 24.Rxg6+ Kh8 25.Rh6+ 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2231)
Edward Frumkin (2006)
US Senior Open / November 10, 1998 - Round 3
1.d4 g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.e4 c6 4.Bc4 d6 5.a4 Nf6 6.Bg5 Nxe4
7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Nxe4 Rf8 9.Qd2 Qc7 10.Bh6 e5 11.Nf3 Bg4
12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Qd6 Qxd6 14.Nxd6+ Ke7 15.Bxg7 Rxf3
16.Nc8+ Kd8 17.Nd6 Ke7 18.Bxe5 Nd7 19.Bc3 Rxc3 20.bxc3
Kxd6 21.f3 Re8+ 22.Kf2 Bf5 23.Rhd1+ Kc7 24.Rd2 Nb6 25.g4
Bd7 26.a5 Nc4 27.Rd4 Ne5 28.Re4 Nxg4+ 29.Rxg4 Bxg4
30.fxg4 Re4 31.Kf3 Rc4 32.Ra3 g5 33.h3 a6 34.Kg3 Rf4 35.Ra1
Rc4 36.Ra3 Rf4 37.Rb3 Ra4 38.Kf3 Rxa5 39.Ke4 Ra2 40.Kf5
Ra5+ 41.Kf6 Rd5 42.Kg7 a5 43.Kxh7 Rd2 44.Kg6 Rh2 45.c4
Rxc2 46.Kxg5 Rxc4 47.h4 a4 48.Ra3 b5 49.h5 c5 50.h6 Kb6
51.h7 1-0
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2231)
IM Igor Ivanov (2426)
US Senior Open / November 12, 1998 - Round 5
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 e6 4.e4 Bb4 5.e5 h6 6.Bxf6 gxf6
7.Qg4 c5 8.Bb5+ Nc6 9.Qg7 Rf8 10.Nge2 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Qb6
12.Rd1 fxe5 13.Qxe5 Qxb5 14.Ndxb5 Nxe5 15.Nc7+ Ke7
16.Nxa8 Kd6 17.Ke2 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Bd7 19.Rb1 Kc6 20.Rb4
Rxa8 21.Rh4 Rg8 22.Rg1 Rg6 23.f4 Nc4 24.g4 Nd6 25.Rb1 f5
26.h3 Ne4 27.Rb3 b5 28.Ke3 Kc5 29.Ra3 Bc6 30.Rxa7 Nxc3
31.Rh7 d4+ 32.Kd2 fxg4 33.Rxg4 Rf6 34.Rh4 e5 35.R7xh6
Rxh6 36.Rxh6 e4 37.f5 e3+ 38.Ke1 Bd5 39.f6 Ne4 40.h4 b4
41.Rg6 Bxa2 42.h5 b3 43.f7 bxc2 44.f8Q+ Kc4 45.Rc6+ 1-0
Eric Billaux (2093)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2231)
Colorado Closed / February 1999
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.c5 N6d7
7.Bc4 e6 8.Be3 b6 9.h3 Bf5 10.Nc3 bxc5 11.d5 c6 12.dxe6 Bxe6
13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.Ng5 Qe7 15.0-0 Ne5 16.Re1 Nbd7 17.f4 h6
18.Nge4 Nf7 19.Qa4 Nb6 20.Qxc6+ Qd7 21.Qxd7+ Nxd7
22.Nb5 Kd8 23.b3 a6 24.Nbc3 Rc8 25.Red1 Ke8 26.Na4 Nd8
27.Rac1 Rc6 28.Naxc5 Nxc5 29.Nxc5 Be7 30.b4 Rf8 31.g4 g5
32.fxg5 Rf3 33.Re1 Bxg5 34.Bxg5 hxg5 35.Kg2 Ra3 36.Re2
Rb6 37.Rb2 Ke7 38.Ne4 Nc6 39.b5 axb5 40.Nxg5 Ne5 41.Rcb1
Rc6 42.Re2 Nd3 43.Kh2 b4 44.Re3 Rxa2+ 45.Kg3 Ra3 46.Rxb4
Nxb4 47.Rxa3 Kf6 48.h4 Nd5 49.Rf3+ Kg6 50.Nf7 Rc3
51.Ne5+ Kh6 52.Rxc3 Nxc3 53.g5+ Kh5 54.Nd3 Ne4+ 55.Kf4
Kxh4 56.g6 Kh5 57.g7 Nf6 58.Ke5 Kg6 ½-½
Brian Wall (2212)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2225)
Colorado Closed / March 2001
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 exd6 6.Bd3 Nc6
7.Ne2 Qh4 8.Be3 Nb4 9.Nbc3 Nxd3+ 10.Qxd3 Bd7 11.a4 Qg4
12.b3 Bf5 13.Qd2 Qxg2 14.Rg1 Qc6 15.d5 Qd7 16.a5 Nc8
17.Nd4 Bg6 18.a6 c5 19.axb7 Qxb7 20.Nc6 Be7 21.Nb5 0-0
22.Qa5 Bf6 23.Ra3 Qd7 24.Nc7 Qf5 25.Rxg6 fxg6 26.Qd2 Nb6
27.Nxa8 Qb1+ 28.Ke2 Rxa8 29.Nxa7 Nc8 30.Nb5 Rxa3
31.Nxa3 Qxb3 32.Qd3 Qb2+ 33.Kf3 Be5 34.h3 Nb6 35.Nb5
Qb4 36.Nc7 Qxc4 37.Qxc4 Nxc4 38.Bf4 Bxf4 39.Kxf4 Kf7
40.Nb5 Ke7 41.h4 h6 42.Nc7 Ne5 43.Ke4 Ng4 0-1
Stephen Towbin (2083)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2203)
Colorado Open / September 2, 2001 - Round 3
1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 c6 3.g5 e5 4.d3 Be7 5.h4 h6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Nxe5
Be6 8.f4 hxg5 9.hxg5 Rxh1+ 10.Bxh1 Nd7 11.Nxd7 Qxd7 12.e4
dxe4 13.Bxe4 0-0-0 14.Be3 Re8 15.Kf2 f6 16.g6 Nh6 17.Bxa7
Ng4+ 18.Kg3 Rh8 19.Qd2 f5 20.Bf3 Rh2 21.Qxh2 Nxh2
22.Kxh2 Qe8 23.Nc3 Qxg6 24.Ne2 Bd5 25.Rg1 Qh6+ 26.Kg2
Qh5 27.Nd4 Qg4+ 28.Kf1 Qxf4 29.Ke2 Qe5+ 30.Kd1 Bf6
31.Rf1 g6 32.c3 Kc7 33.Rh1 Bg8 34.Re1 Qa5 35.Bb8+ Kxb8
36.Re8+ Ka7 37.Rxg8 Bxd4 38.cxd4 Qxa2 39.Rxg6 Qxb2 40.d5
Qd4 41.Ke2 cxd5 42.Re6 f4 43.Bg4 Qb2+ 44.Kf3 Qh2 45.Bf5
Qg3+ 46.Ke2 f3+ 47.Kf1 Qg2+ 48.Ke1 f2+ 0-1
Imre Barlay (1905)
Dr. Mikhail Ponomarev (2200)
Colorado Springs Open / March 6, 2005 - Round 4
1.d4 d5 2.c4 Bf5 3.Nc3 e6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Qb3 Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6
7.Nf3 Na5 8.Qa4+ c6 9.Ne5 b5 10.Qd1 Nc4 11.Nxc4 dxc4 12.a3
Nd5 13.Qd2 a5 14.g3 b4 15.Nxd5 Qxd5 16.Rg1 Rb8 17.Bg2
Be4 18.f3 Bg6 19.Kf2 bxa3 20.bxa3 Rb3 21.Bf4 c5 22.e4
Qxd4+ 23.Be3 Qxd2+ 24.Bxd2 c3 25.Bc1 c4 26.Rd1 Bc5+
27.Ke1 Ke7 28.Bf1 c2 29.Rd5 Rb1 30.Rxc5 Rxa1 31.Kd2 Rb8
32.Rxc4 f5 33.Bd3 fxe4 34.fxe4 Rd8 35.Kxc2 Rxc1+ 36.Kxc1
Rxd3 37.Rc7+ Kd6 0-1
k
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 19
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 20
This is an add-on to DuWayne Langseth’s excellent article in the
January 2020 Colorado Chess Informant about the late Imre Barlay.
This item comes from the May 1959 issue of Chess Review.
From the article (picture scanned and sent by Gary Hale-Betchan) ...
In the California Intercollegiate Championship at California State Polytechnic College in San Luis Obispo,
Imre Barlai of San Diego State College won with a perfect 5-0. Ernest Mitsunga of San Jose State came
second with 4-1...
Imre Barlai and Zoltan Kocsis escaped from Hungary, made the U.S. emergency quota, and came to San
Diego State when that college put in for some Hungarians. Barlai barely made it, in a truck load of refugees
which was stopped by a Russian tank but let go when a diplomatic car full of reporters happened by. He had
later to cross a field of machine-gunners. But he reached Vienna and a job at American headquarters.
Colorado Chess Informant
Page 21
COLORADO CHESS CLUB DIRECTORY
Boulder Chess Club: Meets Wednesdays at the University
Memorial Center (First Floor) on the CU Boulder campus, 6:30-
9:30pm. 1669 Euclid Avenue, 80309. www.BoulderChess.com.
Carbondale Chess Club: Meets every Tuesday from 6:00pm
until the wee hours at Kahhak Fine Arts & School, 411 Main
Street, Carbondale, 81623. All levels and ages are welcome and
chess coaching is available. Please contact Majid Kahhak at
(970) 704-0622 or email: [email protected].
Castle Rock Chess Club: Meets every Monday from 6:00-
9:00pm at the Philip S. Miller Library, 100 South Wilcox Street,
Castle Rock, 80104.
Chess Knights: (Highlands Ranch) Meets on the 2nd & 4th
Wednesday evenings from 7:00-9:00pm. Highlands Ranch Li-
brary, 9292 Ridgeline Boulevard, 80129.
Information is also available on the Chess Knights’ Web site at
HighlandsRanchLibraryChess.org.
Contact: Frank Atwood (720) 260-1493 or by email:
Chessmates Chess Club: (Fort Collins) 4825 South Lemay
Avenue, 80525. Mondays & Thursdays 5:00-6:30pm for Ad-
vanced players, Tuesdays for Beginners from 5:15-6:15pm. In-
structed by Zachary Bekkedahl. For more information contact
Zachary Bekkedahl by email at [email protected] or go to
www.chessmatesfc.com.
Colorado Springs Chess Club: Meets Tuesday evenings,
7:00-10:00pm, in the ballroom of the Acacia Apartments build-
ing, 104 East Platte Avenue. Scheduled activities every meeting
at 8:00pm (must show up by 8:00pm or you might be locked
out). For information see our website at www.SpringsChess.org
or email Richard “Buck” Buchanan at [email protected] or
call (719) 685-1984.
Craig Chess Club: Call Rick or Mary Nelson, (970) 824-
4780 to schedule play.
Denver Chess Club: Meets on Tuesdays, 6:00-10:00pm at the
Third Christian Reformed Church, 2400 South Ash Street, Den-
ver. (303) 733-8940. www.DenverChess.com.
Denver Chess / Meetup.com: This group is run through the
social site Meetup.com, and our page is www.Meetup.com/
Learn-to-Play-Chess/. Players must join in order to receive in-
formation and sign up for events. Contact: David Costantino at
[email protected] or through the group’s Meetup.com page.
Durango Chess Club: Meets on Wednesdays from 6:00-
9:00pm at Durango Joe’s Coffee Shop, 732 East College Drive.
Fort Collins Chess Club: Currently meets Tuesdays,
7:00pm, in the food court of the Lory Student Center (2nd level),
Colorado State University. You can email Randy Reynolds at
On the web - groups.yahoo.com/group/fort_collins_chess.
Fort Lewis College Chess Club: Meets Thursday nights in
the X-treme room which is located the College Union Building,
the club is sponsored by the school and is a USCF affiliate club.
For more info, contact Andrea Browne at (970) 247-6239.
Grand Junction Chess Club: Meets Mondays at 6:30pm in
the Safeway at Starbucks, 2901 Patterson Road. Call Rick Lova-
to at (970) 243-1073.
Grand Junction Junior Chess Club: Meets every 3rd Sat-
urday of the month at the Knights of Columbus Building, 2853
North Avenue. Call Rand Dodd at (970) 245-4015.
Greeley Chess Club: Meets Wednesdays, 6:00-9:00pm at
Your Place Coffee, 2308 West 17th Street, Greeley. Contact
Brad Lundstrom at [email protected]. Or call him at
(970) 415-3855.
Lafayette Chess Club: Meets Mondays, from 6:00-9:00pm at
the Mojo Coffeehouse, 211 North Public Road in Lafayette. For
more information send an email to [email protected] or
contact Victor Creazzi at (303) 332-7039.
Longmont Chess Club: Meets Wednesdays from 6:30-
9:00pm. Check www.LongmontChess.com for current meeting
location. Email Todd Burge at [email protected] or
call (720) 220-5240.
North Jeffco Chess Club: Meets Thursdays from 7:00-
10:00pm at the Grandview Tavern & Grill, 7427 Grandview
Avenue in Arvada. Email [email protected] for more information.
Northeast Denver Chess Club: Meets Mondays and Thurs-
days from 4:00-8:00pm at 2575 Vine Street, Denver. Call (303)
320-6716 for more info.
Pagosa Springs Chess Club: Meets on Tuesdays (6:00-
9:00pm) and on Saturday mornings (9:00-Noon) at Nello’s Res-
taurant, 135 Country Center Drive, #A. For more information
contact Anthony Steventon by email at [email protected]
or at (970) 731-3029.
Parker Chess Club: Meets every Thursday from 7:00-
9:00pm at the new Parker library in Parker, CO. All levels and
ages welcome. Contact John Brezina at [email protected].
Pueblo Chess Club: Meets at the Hanging Tree Café, 209
South Union, 81003 on Tuesdays and Thursdays after 6:30pm.
For more info contact Liz Nickovich at [email protected] or
by phone at (719) 696-8389.
Rifle Chess Club: Meets Thursdays, 6:30-9:00pm, at City
Hall. For information email Dane Lyons at [email protected].
Stonebridge Games Chess Club: (Longmont) Meets Tues-
days at 5:00pm. 449 Main Street, Longmont. Call (303) 776-
3796 for more info.
k
Volume 47, Number 3
www.ColoradoChess.com
July 2020
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
My Games With Rudolf Petters
(& More)
by Curtis Carlson
“We’re not in this ‘together’. We’re in this simultaneously.” -
Vincent Ferrari
“The weakness of the dark squares means a weakness of the
neighboring light squares as well.” - GM David Bronstein
“If you want to reach the heights, you should study the entire
history of chess. I can’t give any clear logical explanation for
it, but I think it is absolutely essential to soak up the whole of
chess history.” - GM Vladimir Kramnik
“To be a socialist or a flat-earther requires denying basic
evidence of reality.” - David McElroy
“What we do know is that in the past, open institutions and
policies have resulted in wonderful new goods and services.
Based on that, we can predict with a high degree of confidence
that if open institutions and policies continue, we will continue
to benefit from wonderful new goods and services.” - Arthur
Diamond, Jr.
“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched
to everything else in the universe.” - John Muir
“There is a lot of value in driving the pieces into disharmony
or passitivity or just generally noticing a very bad piece or a
very good piece. This should cause you to think about how to
improve a bad piece if it is your own, or how to challenge a
very good piece if it is your opponent’s.” - IM Erik Kislik
“To escape mass poverty requires a move from familiar
economic habits, arrangements, customs, and patterns to new
economic habits, arrangements, customs, and patterns.” -
Donald J. Boudreaux
Rudolf Petters (1920-1992) was Colorado champion in 1954
(the year I was born) and again in 1960 when I was in
Kindergarten. I first saw him at the 1970 Colorado Open. He
was a large, impressive European with a heavy accent and a
powerful, interesting Steinitzian playing style. My early chess
education was edified in 1968 by Fred Reinfeld’s Winning
Chess, Chess Traps, Pitfalls, and Swindles, and How to Think
Ahead in Chess, but they emphasized tactics and did little to
prepare me for closed positions. (“Many people in their youth
enthusiastically read chess books. Through their books the
authors frequently become somebody’s first chess teachers.
Reflection on the read material helps to develop chess views
and abilities.” - GM Vasily Smyslov) My previous article made
me wonder what a computer might think of our four tournament
games, which are analyzed here. The first was on October 2,
1971, in the third round of the Wyoming Open when I was a
1661 rated high school senior, and at 2063 Rudy was second
ranked behind Robert Wendling. After he beat me easily in a
zany Denver Open King’s Gambit blitz game I had more than
the typical B player’s veneration for him. My position was bad
out of the opening but managed to equalize with opposite
colored Bishops. As always, notes are mine with help from
Houdini 6.02 with 4 CPUs, ChessBase 14, and whatever
engines happen to be online.
“Telescopes are time machines that literally allow us to see
objects as they were in the past.” - Amber Straughn
“If you lose the power to laugh you lose the power to think.” -
Anthony McCarten
“In Capablanca’s games, we sense cohesion, elegance, and
singularity of intent. Not so from Korchnoi, who is, in a way,
the anti-Capa.” - IM Cyrus Lakdawala
Rudolf Petters thinks hard at the 1971 Colorado Open
“You need to constantly put yourself in the minds of the
opponents and study their game along with your own.” - GM
Vishy Anand
On Facebook my longtime friend Max Burkett recently said,
“I saw your photo of Rudolph Petters against whom I played
1st board in an early 1960s Colorado - New Mexico match. We
each won a game. After the game he told me about his life -
from surviving WWII on the Eastern Front to being a Denver
paperboy with a bunch of kids.” I remember him having two or
three daughters and working for the Denver Post, but knew no
more. Thanks to Max for sharing this memory.
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 22
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
“ Every so-called “market failure” is also an entrepreneurial
opportunity, and those opportunities do not go unexploited for
long.” - Steve Horwitz
“Under the rule of experts, knowledge is imposed on the
system. Knowledge should instead emerge from the system.” -
Roger Koppl
Wyoming Open
Round 3 / October 2, 1971
Curtis Carlson (1661, age 17)
Rudolf Petters (2063, age 51)
C60 TC: 50/2 (https://denverchess.com/games/view/19269)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.d3 Bg7 5.Nc3 Nge7 6.Be3 Nd4
7.Bc4 c6 8.Bxd4 exd4 9.Ne2 O-O 10.O-O d5 11.exd5 cxd5
12.Bb3 a5 13.a3 (13.a4=) 13...a4 14.Ba2 Bg4=+ 15.Ng3?
(White is only slightly worse after 15.Nd2 or 15.Ne1=+)
15...Rc8-/+ 16.Rc1 Bh6 17.Rb1 Bxf3 (This maintains an edge
for Black but since White is very passive Black has time to
expand on the queenside. HCE likes 17...Qd6! followed
by ...Nc6, and b7-b5-b4 with advantage.) 18.gxf3? (Right was
18.Qf3 Rc2 19.Rfe1 fighting on a pawn down.) 18...Qc7-/+
(Still good was 18...Qd6 19.Re1 Rc7, which is close to -+)
19.c4 dxc3 20.bxc3 Qxc3 (HCE prefers 20...Qd7-/+ when the
c3 pawn is hard to defend.) 21.Qxa4 Qxd3?! (Now it’s almost
even again. 21...Rc7 22.Qh4 Kg7 -/+ HCE) 22.Rxb7=+ Nf5=
(22...Ra8=+ was the only try for advantage.) 23.Qd1 Qxa3
24.Nxf5 gxf5 25.Qxd5= (A draw could have been agreed to
here but Rudy persisted due to the large rating difference.)
25...Rc5 26.Qb3 Qxb3 27.Bxb3 Bf4 28.Rd1 Rc6 29.Rdd7
Rg6+ 30.Kf1 Rf6 31.Kg2 Kg7 32.Re7 Kg6 33.Red7 h5 34.h4
Kg7 35.Re7 Kg8 36.Red7 Rg6+ 37.Kf1 Rf6 38.Kg2 Kg7
39.Re7 Bd2 40.Red7 Ba5 41.Re7 Bd8 42.Red7 Rb6 43.Rxb6
Bxb6 44.Rd5 Bd8 45.Kh3 f4 46.Rf5 Bc7 47.Rxh5 Rb8
48.Bxf7 Rb2 49.Bd5 Rxf2 50.Be4 Bd6 51.Rh7+ Kf6 52.Rh6+
Ke7 53.h5 Be5 54.Rg6 Rf1 55.Kg2 Ra1 56.h6 Bd4 57.Kh2
Ra2+ 58.Kh3 Ra1 59.Kg4 Rg1+ 60.Kxf4 Rxg6 61.Bxg6 Kf6
62.Be4 Bb2 63.Kg4 Bc1 64.h7 Kg7 65.f4 Bxf4. We adjourned,
but agreed to split the point without further play. I drew another
expert! My future was so bright I had to wear shades.
“Everything changes for the better when you take ownership
of your problems.” - Robert J. Ringer
“One of the marks of great players isn’t they don’t make
errors, but rather that they adapt seamlessly to the errors and
begin course corrections the instant they identify their
mistakes.” - IM Cyrus Lakdawala
“But save us from the man who lives up to his own standards,
save us from the man of clean conscience, he’s the man that
will beat us.” - Ayn Rand
Denver Open
Round 5 / July 2, 1972
Curtis Carlson (1832, age 18)
Rudolf Petters (1979, age 52)
C44 TC 40/2 (https://denverchess.com/games/view/19298)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 (After our previous game I avoided
the Ruy Lopez) 3...exd4 4.c3 d5 5.Bb5 (This blind developing
move leads to interesting play, where White gives up a pawn
and the bishop pair to damage Black’s structure. Bob
Wendling asked me if it was book, since he’d only seen the
obvious 5.de which is probably best. I of course knew no
theory and just made moves. Black is already better after
5.e5!? de 6.Nc3 d4 7.Nb5 Bg4, and 5.Bd3 Bg4 gives Black
easy equality.) 5...dxe4 6.Nxd4 Bd7=+ 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bc4 Nf6
(Move order makes a difference! Better is 8...Bd6 to answer
9.Qb3 with Qe7.) 9.O-O=+ (The passitivity of my youth is
unbelievable. HCE gives 9.Qb3 Nd5 10.Bd5 cd 11.Qd5 Be7
12.O-O O-O= which is better than White should have had.
Interesting is 9.Qb3 Bd6!? 10.Bf7 Ke7 11.Bc4 Qe8= HCE,
which is also better than what White would have had after
8...Bd6.) 9...Be7 10.Nd2 O-O 11.Re1 Bf5=+ 12.Qa4 c5
(12...Bd6=+ HCE) 13.Bb5= Bd6 14.h3 Rb8 15.Bc6 Bf4 (HCE
says it’s still equal after this but Black should probably keep
his dark squared bishop since they protect his c pawns, and
Black’s weakened structure is more of a liability with fewer
pieces on the board. Simply 15...h6 was good, since 16.Ne4
Ne4 16.Be4 is well answered by 16...Re8-/+. Also reasonable
was 15...Qe7= HCE.) 16.Nb3 (White should probably grab
the annoying e4 pawn with 16.Ne4 Bc1 17.Rac1 Ne4 18.Be4
Be4 19.Qe4 Rb2=) 16...Qd6 17.Na5? (The knight takes the
long route to c4. Right was 17.Bf4 Qf4 18.Qc4= HCE.)
17...Bxc1 18.Raxc1 Qf4-/+ (18...Qd2 19.Rcd1 Qg5-/+ was also
very strong when a storm is brewing around White’s king.)
19.Nc4 g5!? (After this natural move Black has no
advantage. 19...Qg5-/+ was very hard to meet.) 20.Rcd1= Be6
21.b3 Rbd8 22.Ne3 h5
“I wish that my fellow economists would pay less attention to
aggregate demand and more attention to economic
coordination.” - Donald J. Boudreaux
“One aspect of logical chess is that we often realize that
certain moves must be played sooner or later. Barring
immediate threats we can create or must deal with, such moves
are usually the most logical. In most cases, it is flexible to play
those moves first.” - IM Erik Kislik
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 23
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
23.Qxa7 (There’s no need to worry about king safety when
there’s a pawn hanging! This is actually HCE’s first choice
but 23.c4= was also OK. “Go out on a limb - that’s where the
fruit is!” - fictional TV character Diane Lockhart.) 23...Qe5
24.Qa5 g4 25.hxg4 Bxg4?!+= (The bishop is badly placed
here. HCE prefers 25...Ng4=) 26.Rxd8= (26.Rd4!+= HCE
didn’t even occur to me. We were both low on time and
moving quickly.) 26...Rxd8 27.Nc4 (27.c4= HCE. Moving
pieces away from the king is probably not best although
HCE says it’s still equal.) 27...Qf4?+- (27...Qe7= HCE. Black
needs to keep an eye on the c7 pawn.) 28.Qxc5+/- (28.g3! Qf5
29.Qc7+- HCE) 28...Rd3
“In fact there is, I believe, an inherent ‘justice’ in chess - that
those who are brave and willing to dive headlong into the
abyss, are favoured over those who err on the side of caution,
always looking for the easy route.” - GM Danny Gormally
“Every time we humans adapt, we expand the range of the
spiritual.” - Howard Bloom
29.Ne3?= (29.Qe5 Qe5 30.Ne5 Rc3 31.Ng4 hg 32.Be4+/- was
best. As usual I was more worried about losing a pawn than
favorable simplification. “Finding the path out of a
middlegame jungle is considerably easier if the player knows
what kind of endgame he should be aiming for.” - GM Mihail
Marin) 29...Rd6?+- (This turns out well due to White’s weak
response. Best was 29...Rd2 30.Nf1 Ra2= HCE. Also good
was 29...h4= stopping g3.) 30.Nxg4?? (A gross blunder that
changes the assessment from +- to -+. 30.a4! Rd2 31.Nf1+-
was right. Now the game is over. “There are so many ways to
go wrong in chess. A game may be ‘won,’ but it isn’t over until
it is over! One little mistake late in the game can ruin an
otherwise well-played game.” - Chuck Ensey) 30...Nxg4 31.g3
(Too late! Black’s next is what I missed on move 30.)
“In desperate situations, it is too late to be afraid. You must
examine every choice, explore every hope - forcing variations
first among them - as they can sharply alter the course of the
game.” - IM Mark Dvoretsky
“Rules are just guidelines for stupid people.” - House
(fictional TV character)
31...Rxc6! (Of course! I should have resigned here but we
were moving quickly to make time control.) 32.Qd4 Qf6
33.Rxe4 Qxd4 34.cxd4 Rc1+ 35.Kg2 Rc2 36.a4 Rxf2+ 37.Kg1
Rb2 38.Re7 Rxb3 39.Rxc7 Rxg3+ 0-1 (“In chess, you don’t
beat the board. It’s more important to beat the player on the
other side. Everyone thinks you make the best moves, but it’s
more about who makes the last mistake on the board.” - GM
Vishy Anand). One move before move 40 but way too late to
shake hands. This game is painful to think about, not only of bad
play but also of bad manners. In my youth polite behavior
wasn’t always forthcoming, but Rudy was very nice and said I
should have won. When I said the better man won he smiled.
This game wasn’t good, but better than remembered. The
passing of many years creates myopic memories on and off the
chessboard, and they get more distorted when they’re myopic to
begin with.
“I’m old enough to remember when there was still a travel
industry. But that was back in the old days, in early March.” -
Robert Higgs
“If you put the government in charge of the Sahara Desert in
five years there would be a shortage of sand.” - Milton
Friedman
Moscow 1958: 15 year old Bobby Fischer crosses swords with
GM Tigran Petrosian. They should have had a bigger clock!
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 24
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
“The economy will get going again when people feel safe no
matter what the law says. The economy is us. So stop looking
for a plan and start thinking about what it would take for you
to feel safe resuming bits of normality. We will decide, not
them.” - Steve Horwitz
“In life’s unforgiving arithmetic, we are the sum of our
choices.” - George F. Will
“Complete absence of imperfections is consistent with
efficiency only if the cost of accomplishing this objective is
zero.” - Harold Demsetz
Naylin Memorial
Round 5 / January 28, 1973
Curtis Carlson (2054, age 19)
Rudolf Petters (1997, age 53)
C76 TC 40/2 (https://denverchess.com/games/view/19300)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 (Back to the tried and trust Ruy!)
3...g6 4.O-O Bg7 5.c3 d6 6.d4 a6!? (This move order allows
7.Bc6 bc 8.de de 9.Qa4 Bd7 10.Rd1+/- HCE. As usual I made
perfuntory developing moves with no attention to detail.)
7.Ba4 Bd7+= 8.dxe5 (This is OK since it blocks Black’s dark
squared bishop, but most common and probably best is
8.Re1 maintaing tension.) 8...dxe5 9.Qe2 Nge7 10.Rd1 O-O
11.Be3 b6 (11...Qe8= is Plachetka-Suba 1977) 12.Nbd2 (This
is natural, but HCE’s first choice is 12.Na3 {Suetin-
Nezhmetdinov 1956}, where on a3 the knight can still head
to c2 or c4 without blocking the d file. The typical Nbd2-f1-
e3/g3 is less effective with a pawn on g6 since White can’t
easily play Nf5. Also reasonable were 12.Bc2+=, 12.Bb3+=,
and 12.h3+=) 12...Qc8 13.Nf1 Nd4 14.cxd4 Bxa4 15.b3 exd4!?
(This leads to an exchange of dark squared bishops which is
dangerous for Black. Right was 15...Bb5= HCE.) 16.Bxd4
Bb5 17.Qc2= (17.Qe3 or 17.Qb2 are += HCE.)
17...c5? (This is a serious error that allows White to keep his
f1 knight. HCE gives 17...Bd4 18.Rd4 c5 19.Rd2 Bf1 20.Kf1
Nc6=) 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.a4? (White wrongly provokes a bad
exchange. Right was 19.Qb2 f6 {or 19...Kg8} 20.Ne3+- HCE.
Suddenly 12.Nbd2 loox OK. “It is not important which pieces
you exchange but those that remain on the board” - GM
Siegbert Tarrasch) 19...Bxf1 20.Kxf1+= Nc6 21.Rd6= (Again
very routine. A better try was 19.Qc3 Kg8 20.Rd6 Qc7
21.Qf6+/-, but Black has 22...Re8= HCE.) 21...Qc7 22.Rad1
Rad8 23.Qd2= Nd4?!+= (This simplifies into an ending
where White is better. 23...Rfe8 or 23...Rd6 24.Qd6 Qd6
25.Rd6 Rc8= HCE.) 24.Nxd4 Rxd6 25.Nf5+ gxf5 26.Qxd6
Qxd6 27.Rxd6 fxe4 28.Rxb6 Rd8 29.Rxa6 Rb8 30.Rc6 Rxb3
31.Rxc5 Kg6 32.a5+= (Too weak, too slow! White should
have prevented 32...f5 with 32.g4, which HCE says is +/-)
32...Ra3?+/- (32...f5=) 33.Rc6+? (33.g4+/- was still right.)
33...Kg5 34.a6 f5= 35.g3 Ra2 DRAW on my offer. Rudy
seemed very relieved, but there was no hope to win with Black’s
active rook and secure pawns. 36.Re6 Kh5 37.Kg2 Kg4
38.h4+=. If White had played 32.g4 and Rf5 he could have
brought his king to the queen side to chase Black’s rook off the a
file, but that concept was too deep for my adolescent brain. This
game is also embarrassing to think about, but at least I was more
respectful than before. At age 19 I was finally approaching the
maturity of a 13 year old.
“The worst people, with the worst ideas, are now centrally
planning your poverty.” - David E. Shellenberger
“In chess, we need to have flexible nodes of thought and to be
open to suddenly shifting gears from sharp execution of a
direct idea to a tenacious defence if the situation demands it.” -
IM Erik Kislik
Denver Open
Round 3 / June 30, 1973
Rudolf Petters (2003, age 53)
Curtis Carlson (1979, age 19)
A23 TC 40/2 (https://denverchess.com/games/view/19301)
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 c6 (Later in life I had reasonable
success with ...Bb4 continuations.) 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 cxd5
6.Qb3 Nc6 (I knew no theory and had to find moves over the
board. I was surprised to find this was considered best!)
7.Nxd5 Nxd5 (ChessBase 14 has six games with this move,
but none by a GM. It’s first choice of HCE and Stockfish 11
although 7...Nd4 is most common since it hits White’s queen
instead of luring it to d5. 8.Nf6 gf 9.Qd1 Qc7 10.Kf1 Nc2
11.Rb1 Be6 12.b3 Rc8= is Hodgson-Illescas Cordoba 1993)
8.Qxd5 Qxd5!? (8...Bd6= and 8...Qb6= are better. Black
should keep queens on the board.) 9.Bxd5+= Nd4 10.Kd1
Bf5 11.d3= (According to HCE the simplifying 11.Nf3+= is
best.) 11...Rd8!?+= (I don’t remember why I rejected the
stronger 11...O-O-O=) 12.Bxb7 e4 (Playing for compli-
cations. 12...Bc5 and 12...Be7 were better.) 13.Ba6!? (13.g4
Bg4 14.Be4+/- was obvious and good when it’s hard to see
compensation for two pawns. 13...Bg6 14.e3 Ne6 15.d4 is also
depressing for Black.) 13...exd3 14. Bxd3!? (14.ed Bc5+=)
14...Nxe2 15.Nxe2 (15.Ke2 Bd3 16.Kf3 Be7 is equal since
Black’s bishop pair and better development is worth a
pawn.) 15...Rxd3+ 16.Ke1? (An inexplicable blunder. 16.Bd2
Be7 17.Nc3 O-O= HCE.) 16...Bb4-+ 17.Nc3 Rxc3 18.bxc3
Bxc3+ 19.Ke2 Bxa1 0-1 move 50. This game gave little
satisfaction since Rudy was unrecognizable (moves 13 and 16).
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 25
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Colorado Chess Informant
I think the 1973 Denver Open was his last tournament. My life
record against him was better than desereved.
“Every life history is the history of suffering.” - Arthur
Schopenhauer
I last saw Rudy at the CU student center in Boulder in 1982. We
we analyzed some positions and played a couple of offhand
games. At age 62 he was still 2000+ strength. According to
FamilyTreeNow.com and Chessgames.com he was born
December 21, 1920, and died November 29, 1992. RIP Rudy.
You will never be forgotten.
“If you want to know the ultimate truth of life, rites and rituals
are a huge obstacle. But if you are interested in social stability
and harmony, as Confucius was, truth is often a liability,
whereas rites and rituals are among your best allies.” - Yuval
Noah Harari
“A great book should leave you with many experiences, and
slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while
reading.” - William Styron
Endgame Studies
“Top grandmasters use studies as part of their training
programs to improve their creativity and out-of-the-box
thinking, to polish their calculating skills, to enrich their
arsenal of tactical weaponry and to deepen their endgame
understanding. And no less importantly: to keep sharp in
general and intensify their joy in chess!” - IM Yochanan Afek
1234 Modern Endgame Studies #513
Somoff - Nasimovitch / 1928
White to play
The given solution is A: 1.g6 Rg2 2.g7 Rg7 3.b8/B (3.b8Q or
3.b8R allows 3...Rg1 4.Ka2 Ra1 5.Ka1=) 3...Rg1 4.Ka2 Kb7
5.Bh2 Rg2 6.Rh8+-, and B: 3...Rg8 4.Ra7 Kb6 5.Rc7 Rb8
6.Rc4+-, but in line A 6...Rc2 7.Kb1 (7.Ka3 Rc1 8.b5 a5 gets
nowhere) 7...Rb2 8.Kc1 Kc6 is drawn since White loses his last
pawn, and in B HCE says 6...Kb5 is equal. 5.Ra8 Kb7 6.Ra3
Rb8 7.Rc3 Kc6 8.Rc4 Kb5 9.Rd4 Ka4 is also drawn, according
to tablebases at Syzygy and Shredder. But instead of the
execrable 1.g6? White wins easily with 1.b8B Kb7 2.Ra7 Kb8
3.Ra3 Rg2 4.Rc3 Rg5 5.Rc4 (+- HCE), which is similar to line
B after 6.Rc4 except Black’s king is passive. Sometimes the
simplest moves are best! GM Larry Evans was right when he
said computers would refute analysis of many old positions.
“Sometimes we search for the truth in abyssal depths, when we
can find it just one step away from us...” - GM Mahil Marin
“I never feel more like my father’s daughter than when
correcting risible linguistic absurdities.” - Sarah Skwire
“I wonder if people are going to realize that the policies they
were so quick to adopt are causing a global depression.” -
Sean Malone
In 1983 the Czechoslovakian composer Jindřich Fritz (1912-
1984) published an interesting book called Česká studie (Czech
Study) with 644 compositions; a web site about him is at
http://www.arves.org/arves/index.php/en/endgamestudies/
studies-by-composer/418-fritz-jindrich-1912-1984.
This is position #239
White to play
The given solution is 1.Kb7! Nb2! 2.Ne3 Kg6 3.Kc6 Kg5
4.Kc5 Kf4 5.Kd4=, since White holds after 5...Kf3 6.Nd1! Nd1
7.Kd3=. But instead of the affable 1...Nb2? Shredder’s tablebase
says Black wins with 1...Nf2! 2.Ne3 Kg6 3.Kc6 Kg5 4.Kc5 Kf4
5.Kd4 Kf3 and now 6.Nd1 doesn’t work because of 6...Ke2!
7.Nc3 (7.Nb2 Nd3-+ wins at once) 7...Ke1 8.Ke5 (other moves
are worse.) 8...Nd3 9.Kd4 Nc1-+. White is helpless to
stop ...Ne2 or ...Na2 deflecting White’s knight. The difference is
instead of being loose on b2 the knight is protected on f2 once
Black’s king reaches f3. Assiduous accuracy is necessary to
achieve victory.
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 26
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Colorado Chess Informant
“Losses loom larger than gains.” - David Asch
“In general, the less material on the board, the more precise
your moves need to be.” - FM Fred Lindsay
“Tartakover was once asked whom he considered the greatest
chess player of all. He replied: “If chess is a battle, Lasker; if it
is a science, Capablanca; if it is an art, Alekhine.” - Martin
Beheim
Leipzig 1960
Fischer reading Tal’s palm, predicted he would lose his title to
a young American. Whereupon Tal said to Lombardy,
“Congratulations William, you are the next world champion!”
“If we stop lying to each other how will we ever get to the
truth?” - Brenda Lee Johnson (fictional TV character)
“I think after these quarantines are over the psychiatric clinics
will be full!” - GM Alexander Grischuk
This is position #240
The given solution is 1.Bh4! Kd5 2.a6 Ke4 3.a7 Kf3 4.Bg3!
Re8 5.Be5! Rd8 6.Bd6 Rc8 7.Bc7=, but instead of the
eleemosynary 1...Kd5? Shredder gives 1...Kb5! 2.Be1 Rg6!
when things are no longer in abeyance. Zugzwang forces White
to move his bishop to a vulnerable square that lets Black gain
time with his king: 3.Bd2 Kc4 4.Be1 (4.a6 Ra6 5.Kg2 Ra2-+ )
4...Kd3 5.a6 Ke2 6.a7 Ra6 7.Bf2 Kf3-+. The best path from c6
to f3 isn’t direct! Computers make things look so easy, but the
animus between White’s bishop and Black’s rook still makes a
deep impression. “In our permanent search for absolute truth
we are often surprised to find that the path we would like to be
more or less straight is in fact a breathtaking spiral. Some
statements that seemed to be definite truths in a certain
moment are refuted by new discoveries, which, in their turn,
will soon lose their validity, eventually being replaced again by
the previous conclusions.” - GM Mihail Marin
“Food for thought: a bucket of KFC chicken is more expensive
than a barrel of oil.” - Kenneth Lovering
“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are
free, they are not equal; and if they are equal, they are not
free.” - Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
“At the end of the game, the king and the pawn go back in the
same box.” - Italian Proverb
1234 Modern Endgame Studies #578
F. Sackman / 1910
White to play
The given solution is 1.c7 Rc6 2.e7 Rhe6 3.Nd6! Rcd6 4.Kc4
Rc6 5.Kd5 Kg7 6.e8/Q Re8 7.Kc6=, but Shredder says Black
wins with 4...Kg7! 5.c8/Q Rc6 6.Qc6 Rc6 7.Kd5 Rc8 8.Ke6
Re8 9.Kd7 Kf7-+. While the rook was desirous of being behind
the c pawn, it was better to allow promotion! Natural moves
aren’t always best.
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation,
because your character is what you really are, while your
reputation is merely what others think of you.” - John Wooden
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 27
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
“There is a generally accepted division of chess players into
those who calculate variations and those who think in schemes
by laying stress on the strategic elements of chess play.” - GM
Garry Kasparov
“The formation of my style was influenced to a great extent by
A. Alekhine’s book My Selected Games. In many of his games
reigned logic. Alexander Alekhine was looking not for certain
moves, but sought to perceive the depth of chess, the logic of
events on the board, and only then to find the best
continuations with regard to the chosen plan of game.” - GM
Vasily Smyslov
1929: Former World Champion Jose R. Capablanca gives a
simul two years after being dethroned by Alexander Alekhine.
It’s unfortunate there wasn’t a rematch.
“In practice, budget deficits are bad and trade deficits are
good. Most people miss this truth.” - Donald J. Boudreaux
“Korchnoi is a player who lacks a sense of enoughness.
Absolutely confrontational, he never seems to back down or
play it safe and is never satisfied with previous gains. There is
no sense of a job well done. As long as his opponent is among
the living, Korchnoi remains in a perpetual state of agitation.”
- IM Cyrus Lakdawala
1234 Modern Endgame Studies #637
V&M Platov / 1910 White to play
The given solution is 1.Rd3 Ka4! (1...Ka2/b2 2.c7 Rc4 3.Rd2
& 4.Rc2+-) 2.c7 Rc4 3.Rd4! Rd4 4.Nd3 Rd3 5.Kc2+-, but
Shredder and Syzygy tablebases say it’s a draw after 5...Rd6!
6.c8Q Kb5 7.Qe8 Rc6 8.Kb3 Ng6 saving the knight. But
instead of the indolent 2.c7? White wins with 2.Nc2! Rc4
3.Rd4+-. If 2...Rb8 3.Ra3 and 4.Rb3 wins Black’s rook. The
only other try is 2...Rb1 but after 3.Kd2 it’s over. It’s curious
the composers missed this easy win.
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you
look at change.” - Robert J. Ringer
“Just because those in political power can do something, does
not mean that they should. In fact, that is one of the hard
lessons of constitutional government. We want restraints
precisely when they will pinch and annoy those in power. “ -
Peter Boettke
Chess Poem
“There’s real poetry in the real world. Science is the poetry of
reality.” - Richard Dawkins
My longtime friend Dr. Victor Contoski (retired University of
Kansas professor) won the 3rd US Correspondence Chess
Championship:
http://www.iccfus.com/crosstables/usccc_finals/uscccf03.htm).
He has generously allowed me to share this intriguing poem:
ORGANIZING A CHESS CLUB
You lie in your bed.
Your secretary comes in.
She bows and informs you
that you already have already
enrolled two grandmasters
Beethoven and Hayden.
She hands you a yellow sheet
a letter from your best friend
in high school
a crack chess player
who has come down
from the north.
Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky
have sent in their applications.
Outside your home
crickets click their telegraph keys.
Overhead a hawk circles.
You nod and close your eyes.
Now you can play.
--Vic Contoski
“One of the most difficult things in chess (and in life) is to
make choices. When everything is forced, then only good
nerves and precise calculation is needed, but when two or
more apparently equivalent ways are possible then the
probability of a mistake increases.” - GM Mihail Marin
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 28
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
“Another basic belief that supports prosperity is that the
potential for wealth is limitless because it is based on ideas and
insights, not fixed because of scarce resources.” - Michael
Porter
“The best thing government can ever do, is absolutely
nothing.” - Theodore Lee
“One of the benefits of learning chess, in my opinion, is to
learn that life isn’t just black and white. Every situation is
extremely complicated and it has many contributing factors to
it. It is an art to examine everything, assess what’s most
important and find the truth.” - Mike Zaloznyy
Chess TED Talks &
Other Useful Links
There’s a fine GM Judit Polgar TED talk at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-ttu7dyBCU.
As she says, “Chess is not only a game, sport, and part of
culture - it is an essential educational tool... chess gave me life
skills which I use in everyday life, whatever I do.”
Her sister GM Susan Polgar also has a TED talk at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c956hc2TdjY.
GM Garry Kasparov’s TED talk is at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP8xt8o4_5Q.
GM Avetik Grigoryan has a good article at
https://chessmood.com/blog/learn-the-right-lessons-from-your-
mistakes.
Prolithic author IM Cyrus Lakdawala analyzes an interesting
tactical middlegame at http://view.chessbase.com/
cbreader/2020/5/26/Game952304625.html?fbclid=IwAR2U-
JuHY_ita3NExlXMnBNLOnb3D8i61lsq9nE12Xzo5kwT3mCy
SyyEVIY.
As he says, “The secret of luring our opponent into a trap is
that our geometry must feign total innocence.” In this game the
trapper got trapped.
“Being smart is knowing how to get out of a tough situation.
Being wise is not getting into it in the first place.” - John
Drexel
“We should not be surprised by marriages between people who
would never have been friends.” - Arthur Schopenhauer
My articles are like a box of chocolates: you never know what
you’re going to get! I appreciate being able to share memories.
I agree with GM Mihail Marin who said, “Every time I publish
a new book it feels as if I am blessed with yet another child.
How else could I describe my thoughts when holding in my
hands something created by me and which bears in it so much
of my intimate self?” Thanks (again) to Mike Archer for pix
used in this article. Please send comments, corrections,
suggestions, and anything embarrassing to Brian Wall:
k
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 29
IM Cyrus Lakdawala learns Anti-Sicilians Move by Move
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
We use the chess engine Komodo 14.1 to produce a perfect
win for White using its strongest opening D37.
[D37] Queen’s gambit declined (QGD) with 5...exd5
1.c4 Nf6 2.d4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3
4...a6
[4...c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3
(8.Be2 b4 9.Na4 Be7 10.a3 a5)
8...a6]
5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5
6...Be7
[6...c6 7.e3 h6
(7...Bf5 8.Qb3 b5 9.Ne5 Bd6 10.Be2 0–0 11.0–0 Ra7
12.Rae1 Re8 13.f4 h6 14.Bh4 a5 15.Rc1 Rc7 16.Bh5
Ree7 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Ne2 Qf8 19.Nxc6 Rxc6 20.Rxc6
Nxc6 21.Qxd5 Be6 22.Qxc6 Qe8 23.Qxb5 Bc4
24.Qxc4)
8.Bh4
(8.Bxf6 Qxf6 9.Bd3 Be7 10.Qb3 0–0 11.0–0 Nd7
12.Rfe1 Qd6 13.e4 dxe4 14.Nxe4 Qc7 15.Rad1 Nf6
16.Bc2 Nd5 17.Ne5)
8...Be6 9.Bd3 Nbd7 10.Qc2
(10.Rc1 Bd6 11.0–0 0–0 12.Qc2 Qc7 13.Bg3 Rfc8
14.Bxd6 Qxd6 15.h3 b5 16.Rfd1 Rc7 17.Ne2 Rac8
18.Qd2 Nb6 19.b3 Nbd7 20.Qa5 c5 21.dxc5 Nxc5
22.Nfd4 Bd7 23.Bf5 Ne6 24.Rxc7 Rxc7 25.Bb1 Nxd4
26.Nxd4 Rc8 27.Bd3 g6 28.Ne2 Kg7 29.Qd2 Qe5
30.Nd4 Ne4
(30...Qg5 31.Kf1 Qe5 32.Rc1 Rxc1+ 33.Qxc1
Qd6 34.Qa1 Kg8 35.Ne2 Bc6 36.Qd4 Nd7
37.f3 Bb7 38.Kf2 b4 39.h4 h5 40.Nf4 Qc5
41.Be2 a5 42.Nd3 Qxd4 43.exd4)
31.Bxe4 dxe4 32.f4 Qc5 33.b4 Qc3 34.Nb3 Qxd2
35.Rxd2 Be6 36.Nc5 Kf8 37.Nxe6+ fxe6 38.Rd6 Ke7
39.Rxa6 Rc1+ 40.Kh2 Rb1 41.a4 Kf6 42.axb5 Rxb4
43.b6 Rb3 44.Ra4 e5 45.Rxe4 exf4 46.exf4 Rxb6
47.Kg3 Rb3+ 48.Kg4 Ra3 49.Rd4 Ke6 50.Rb4)
10...Bd6 11.Rc1 (Transposes as 11.0–0 0–0 12.Rac1 Re8) 11...0
–0 12.0–0 Re8 13.a3 a5 14.Rfe1 Rc8 15.Qd2 Qb6 16.Bg3 Bxg3
17.hxg3 Qd8 18.b4 axb4 19.axb4 Qe7;
6...Be6 7.e3 Be7 8.Bd3 0–0 9.Rc1 Nbd7 10.0–0 Re8 11.Qc2 h6
12.Bh4 c6 13.h3 Rc8 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.dxe5 Nd7 16.Bxe7 Qxe7
17.f4 g6 18.Ne2 c5 19.Qd2 b5 20.Rf3 c4 21.Bc2 Nc5 22.Nd4
Ne4 23.Bxe4 dxe4 24.Rf2 Qc7 25.Qe1 Kh7 26.Rd1 Rcd8
27.Rfd2 Bc8 28.Rc2 g5
(28...Qc5 29.a4 Rd7 30.b3 Bb7 31.axb5 axb5 32.bxc4
bxc4 33.Rb1 Bd5)
29.b3 Rg8 30.bxc4 bxc4 31.Qf1 Bxh3 32.Rxc4 Qa5 33.Kh2 Bg4
34.Rdc1
(34.Re1 Qd2 35.Rc7 Rd7 36.Rxd7 Bxd7 37.fxg5 Rxg5
38.Re2 Qa5 39.Qxf7+ Rg7 40.Qf6 Rg6 41.Qf7+ Rg7
42.Qf6 Rg6 43.Qe7+ Rg7 44.Qd6 Bg4 45.Rf2 Qe1
46.Qf8 Qxe3 47.Rf7 Qg5 48.Qxg7+ Qxg7 49.Rxg7+
Kxg7 50.Kg3 Bc8 51.Kf4 Kg6 52.Nc2 Be6 53.a3 h5
54.g3 Bc8 55.Ne3 Bb7 56.Nf5 Ba8 57.Nd4 Bd5 58.Nf5
Ba8 59.Ne7+ Kf7 60.Nc8 Kg6 61.Nd6 e3 62.Kxe3 Kg5
63.e6 Kf6 64.Ne8+ Ke7 65.Ng7 Kf6 66.Nxh5+ Kxe6)
34...Rd7 35.Rc6 gxf4 36.Qxf4 Rg5 37.Qxe4+ Kg7 38.e6 Re7
39.Qf4 Qe5 40.Qxe5+ Rxe5 41.exf7 Rxf7 42.Rxa6 Rxe3
43.Rcc6 h5 44.a4 Rd7 45.Nb5 Rd2 46.Ra7+ Kg8 47.Rg6+ Kh8
48.Rf6 Rf3 49.Rd6 Rff2 50.Rxd2 Rxd2 51.Kg3]
7.e3 0–0 8.Bd3 h6 9.Bh4 Bg4 10.0–0 Nbd7 11.Qc2 Be6
12.Rac1 Re8 13.h3 c6 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.dxe5 Nd7 16.Bxe7
Qxe7 17.f4 g6 18.b3 Rac8 19.Ne2 c5 20.Qd2
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 30
A Perfect Win for White in Komodo 14.1?
©Copyright 2020 Colin James III
All Rights Reserved
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
20...Rcd8
[20...b5 21.Bc2 Rcd8 22.a3 f5 23.b4 Nb6 24.Bb3 Nc4 25.Qc3
Bf7 26.Rfd1 a5 27.bxc5 Qxc5 28.Nd4 Rb8 29.Ra1 Rb6 30.Rdc1
Kh7 31.Qd3 b4 32.axb4 Rxb4 33.h4 h5 34.Kh2 Kg8 35.Nc2
Rb6 36.Qc3 Ra8 37.Nd4 Rb4
(37...Ra7 38.Qe1 Be8 39.Rab1 a4 40.Bxc4 dxc4
41.Rxb6 Qxb6 42.Rxc4 a3;
37...Qe7 38.Kg3 Qb4 39.Qd3 a4 40.e6 Rxe6 41.Nxe6
Bxe6 42.Qc3 Qxc3)
38.Rd1 a4 39.Qe1 Nb2 40.Rdc1 Nc4 41.Qg3 Kh7 42.Bxc4 dxc4
43.Nf3 Kg8 44.e6 Be8 45.Ne5 Qe7 46.Nxg6 Qxe6 47.Ne5+ Kh7
48.Nf3 Qe7 49.e4 fxe4 50.Ng5+ Kg8 51.Ra3 Ra6 52.Re3 Bg6
53.f5 Bxf5 54.Nxe4+ Rg6 55.Ng5 Be6 56.Qe5 c3 57.Kg1 Qf6
58.Qc7 Rxg5 59.hxg5 Qd4 60.Qxc3 Qxc3 61.Rexc3 Rb2]
21.Bb1 b6 22.Nc3
22...Nf8
[22...Qh4 23.Rcd1 b5 24.Nxd5 Bxd5 25.Qxd5 Nxe5 26.Qb7
Rxd1 27.Rxd1 Rd8 28.Rf1 Nd3 29.Bxd3 Rxd3 30.f5 g5 31.Qe7
Qh5 32.Rf3 Kh7 33.Qe8 Rd1+ 34.Kh2 Rd2 35.Rg3 c4 36.bxc4
bxc4 37.Qc8 c3 38.Qxc3 Qd1 39.e4 Rd7 40.Qc8 Qd6 41.e5 Qc7
42.Qxc7 Rxc7 43.Re3 Kg7 44.Kg3 Rc2 45.e6 fxe6 46.fxe6 Kf8
47.e7+ Ke8 48.Ra3 Kxe7 49.Rxa6 h5 50.Kh2 Rc5 51.a4 h4
52.Rb6 Rc4 53.a5 Ra4 54.a6 Ra1 55.Rb7+ Ke6 56.Rh7 Kf5
57.Ra7 Ke6 58.Ra8 Kf6 59.a7 Kg7 60.g4 hxg3+ 61.Kxg3 Ra5
62.Kf3 Ra2 63.Kg4 Ra5 64.Kf3 Ra4 65.Kg2 Ra2+ 66.Kf1 Kh7
67.Ke1 Ra6 68.Kd2 Ra3 69.Kc2 Ra2+ 70.Kd1 Ra1+ 71.Ke2
Ra2+ 72.Ke3 Ra3+ 73.Kd4 Ra6 74.Kc3 Ra3+ 75.Kd2 Kg7
76.Kc2 Ra6 77.Kb3 Ra1 78.Kc4 Ra3 79.Kd5 Ra1 80.Kc5]
23.e4 dxe4
24.Qe3
[24.Qf2 e3 25.Qxe3 f5 26.exf6 Qxf6 27.Ne4 Qe7 28.b4 Bd5
29.bxc5 Nd7 30.cxb6 Bxe4 31.Qxe4 Qxe4 32.Bxe4 Rxe4
33.Rfd1 Rb4 34.Rc7 Rxb6 35.Rdxd7 Rxd7 36.Rxd7 Rb2 37.a3
Rb3 38.Rd6 Rxa3 39.Rxg6+ Kh7 40.f5 Ra2 41.Rd6]
24...Bf5 25.g4 Ne6 26.gxf5 gxf5 27.Kh2 Kh8 28.Rg1 Rg8
29.Bxe4 fxe4 30.Nxe4 Nd4 31.Nf6 Rg6 32.Qd3 Rxf6 33.exf6
Qxf6 34.Qe3 Kh7 35.Rcf1 Nf5 36.Qe4 Rd4 37.Qg2 Ne7
38.Kh1 c4 39.bxc4 Rxc4 40.Rf3 b5 41.a3 Rc8 42.Re3 Ng6
43.f5 Qxf5 44.Rf1 Qd7 45.Ref3 Nh8 46.Rf5 Rc3 47.h4 Rxa3
48.Qe4 Kg8 49.h5 Rg3 50.Rg1 Rg7 51.Rxg7+ Kxg7 52.Qe5+
Kg8 53.Kg2 b4 54.Rf3 Qd2+ 55.Kh3 Qd7+ 56.Kh4 Qc6
57.Kg3 a5 58.Qxa5 Qd6+ 59.Kh3 Qe6+ 60.Qf5 b3 61.Kg2
Qe2+ 62.Kg1 Qd1+ 63.Kh2 Qc2+ 64.Kh3 Qc6 65.Rxb3 Qh1+
66.Kg4 Qd1+ 67.Rf3 Kg7 68.Qe4 Kf8 69.Qe3 Qa4+ 70.Kg3
Qa1 (#28) 71.Qa3+ 1–0
If this result of perfect play beyond Depth 51 is repeatedly
replicated, then chess is decidable because White has advantage
of the first move that is sustained to an effectively forced win.
We discovered no counter example to falsify our result. We
found bugs in the consistency of the statistics for ply strength.
k
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 31
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
A Perfect Draw For Black
on 1.e4 in 12 Moves
©Copyright 2020 / Colin James III - All Rights Reserved
Chess engine Komodo 14.1 produces a perfect draw for Black
against 1.e4 as B22: Sicilian: 2.c3 4...d6 at depth 50 or more and
in 12 or less moves.
[B22] Sicilian with 2.c3, 4...d6.
1.e4 c5 2.c3
White’s options to 2.c3
as 2.Nc3 d6 or 2.Nf3 e6
(2...d6) are weaker and
lead to Black equality
sooner.
2...Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nf3 d6 5.exd6 Nc6 6.d4
White’s options to 6.d4
as 6.Bb5 Qxd6 or 6.Na3
e6 are weaker and lead
to Black equality sooner.
6...cxd4 7.Nxd4 Qxd6 8.Be2
White’s options to 8.Be2
as 8.Na3 e6 or 8.Bc4
Qe5+ are weaker and
lead to Black equality
sooner.
8...Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Bd7 10.0-0
White’s options to 10.0-
0 as 10.c4 Nb4, 10.Na3
e5, or 10.Bf3 Qe6+ are
weaker and lead to
Black equality sooner.
10...e5 11.Qc4 Nb6 12.Qb3 Bc6 = (0.00)
White’s continuation is equality as 13.Bb5 Be7 or 13.Re1 Be7.
This means the strongest moves for White after 1.e4 lead to
Black equality in 12 or less moves. This implies White is best
using 1.c4 to lead into D37 and the Queen’s Gambit Decline
(QGD).
We note that White’s 2.c3, while the strongest chess machine
ply against 1...c5, may violate our recent advance (or
confirmation) of a theoretical principle not found in the
literature. Because the weakest squares initially are the bishop
pawns at c2, f2, c7, and f7, to move those pawns may weaken
those squares. (The same technically applies to 1...c5, or for that
matter to 1.c4 as a lead into D37 QGD.) In the example of this
experiment, that principle may well be borne out, because
White’s failure to gain meaningful initiative appears to evolve
from 1.e4, 2.c3 rather than from 1.c4 in the first place. From a
symmetrical central viewpoint, White ends up with two missing
center pawns while Black obtains a pawn at e5.
This experiment by chess machine requires replication to be
definitive.
k
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 32
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
Practical Review of Komodo 14.1 With Switches
©Copyright 2020 / Colin James III - All rights reserved
Our goal is using the Komodo 14.1 (K14.1) chess engine version, without demand upgrades, to find the optimal lines from the first
move. The approach is to streamline the process in the shortest amount of time.
These switch options were used. In tab Change Main Engine > Advanced, the maximum hash table size is selected. This defaults to a
lesser amount than is chosen. Permanent brain and Use Tablebases are turned off. The latter switch ignores databases so as to test the
engine without assuming collective experience of masters’ games. Smart CPU usage is on which has to do with how the engine is
loaded on hardware. In the tab > Engine parameters, Threads is set to the maximum number of CPUs on the computer. (That number
is seen when running the program by increasing the number of CPUs to the maximum.) We set Table Memory to the maximum as
1024. We believe this switch was critical for our experiment because it dedicated the largest size for the table memory model. All
other switches on the Advanced page were set off, except for: Use LMR; Null Move Pruning; and Use Syzgy (with Syzgy 50 Move
Rule and Smart Syzgy).
We began the experiment from the tab Home > New Game > Infinite Analysis. We arbitrarily chose five lines in the engine pane
with the magnifier button, then waited about 11 hours until Depth=46 was reached in the figure below, meaning that we obtained
Level 45.
Using the tab Analysis > Classify Opening, we found the lines were named:
1. (0.34) D37: Queen’s Gambit Declined: 5.Bf4
2. (0.30) B63: Sicilian: Richter-Rauzer: 7...Be7 and Unusual Black 7th moves
3. (0.30) D37: Queen’s Gambit Declined: 5.Bf4
4. (0.29) D30: Queen’s Gambit Declined: Systems without Nc3
5. (0.15) E14: Queen’s Indian: Classical Variation (4.e3)
The reader already noticed that Lines 1 and 3 share the same moves to ply 6.Bg5 where the lines diverge as 6...c6 (0.34) or 6...Be6
(0.30). Apparently K14.1 deemed Line 1 (0.34) was more aggressive than the more passive Line 3 (0.30). As Brian Wall is quick to
point out, the values are nearly identical if rounded off at (0.3). This is due to the level of accuracy of the measurements as displayed
by K14.1. The ply value of +0.30 with a margin of error of ±0.01 is in the interval of +0.31 to +0.29; and similarly, the ply value of
+0.34 is in the interval of +0.35 to +0.33.
This experiment captures the effect that 1.d4 is marginally best by test, not 1.e4. However, the response to 1.e4 is not 1...e5 for the
Spanish but rather the Sicilian as 1...c5. Also of interest is that the optimal Line 1 commences in the English Opening as 1.c4 but
quickly transposes into the Queen’s Gambit Declined.
In closing we iterate that the results in the figure for an obtained Level 45 may surely vary with more powerful hardware
configurations and for periods longer than 11 hours.
We ask, “Does Line 1 end in an effectively forced machine vs. machine win?”; to which, “We are still working on that, in search of
the perfect machine win as White”.
k
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Page 33
Page 34
®
Deflection by NM Todd Bardwick
(Reprinted with permission of the Author, the United States Chess Federation & Chess Life magazine.)
Deflection is a chess tactic where a piece is deflected away from defending another piece or critical square.
Deflections often occur as part of a combination where the deflected piece is essential to the defense.
Deflection is method used to remove the guard or defender which is often referred to as an overworked piece.
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
The Chess Detective
Here is an example from a game between Valentine Green and
Wilhelm Steinitz from London, England, in 1864.
Position after 31.Re3 / Black to move
Steinitz played 31...Rd2+! and White Resigned. If White plays,
32.Rxd2 the rook is deflected from protecting the queen,
allowing Black to play 32...Qxb1. 32.Kf1 or 32.Ke1, results in
32...Qh1 mate.
Here is another example of a deflection from a game from the
2010 Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, between
Tiger Hillarp-Persson and Fernando Peralta. White notices that
Black’s queen is the only defender of his light-squared bishop.
Position after 18...Bd7 / White to move
He chases her away with 19.a4! and Black Resigns. After
19...Qxa4 20.Ra1 Qb5 21.Ra5, the bishop is lost.
Here is a more complicated deflection problem. Notice White’s
queen is attacked once, and defended once, by the rook on d1.
Position after 19.Qd6 / Black to move
Black plays, 19...Rac8+ The start of a series of checks that
forces the deflection. 20.Kb1 Be4+ 21.Ka1 Rc1+! Deflecting
the rook from defending the queen. 22.Rxc1 Qxd6 23.Rhd1
Qb6 24.Rxd7 Bxf3 25.Rxd8+ Qxd8 26.Ba6 Bc6! Blocking the
threat of Rc8 and saving the queen by offering the bishop. 27.b4
Qd6 28.f4 g6 and Black went on to win.
Alexander Moiseenko was White against Vladimir Potkin in this
game from the 2003 European Chess Championship in Silivri,
Turkey.
When you see a square you would like to get a piece to, but your
opponent has it defended, look for ways to deflect the defender.
k
NM Todd Bardwick is the author of
‘Chess Strategy Workbook’,
‘Chess Tactics & Combinations Workbook’ &
‘Attacking the Chess King Workbook for Rated Players’.
He can be reached at www.ColoradoMasterChess.com
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
NM Todd Bardwick’s books can be purchased at Amazon.com here:
https://tinyurl.com/y4dk56ky
Page 35
Colorado Chess Informant
Page 36
1. J.C. MacNeil - Jason McEwen
DCC April / 2019
Black to move
2. Brian Rountree - Jonathan Brown
CSCC April Quick Six / 2019
Black to move
3. Paul Covington - Brian Rountree
Club Chess!! Strong Swiss / 2019
Black to move
One of the best ways to improve your game is to study tactics, such as the following,
from games played by Colorado players. Answers are on the next page.
6. Clifton Ford - Rhett Langseth
Colorado Springs Open / 2019
Black to move
4. Alex Yermolinsky - Josh Bloomer
Port of Dubuque / 2019
Black to move
5. Frank Deming - Ayush Vispute
Colorado Springs Open / 2019
Black to move
8. Jason McEwen - William O’Neil
DCC May / 2019
White to move
9. Mark McGough - Paul Anderson
CSCC May Swiss / 2019
Black to move
Tactics Time! by Tim Brennan
Volume 47, Number 3
www.ColoradoChess.com
July 2020
7. Rhett Langseth - Sara Herman
Colorado Springs Open / 2019
Black to move
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
Page 37
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Tactics Time Answers:
1. 19...Ng4 threatens both ...Qh2# and ...Bxg5 winning a piece. White cannot meet both
threats.
2. 25...Qxf5, winning a piece, was missed in the game. White cannot recapture because of the
back rank mate threat.
3. 24...Qxd3!! wins a piece. 25.Qxd3 Rxe3+ 26.Qxe3 Nxe3.
4. Josh exterminated the Yermonator with 33...Nf3+!! Clearing the back rank with check, so
he can play 34.bxa1Q+ on the next move. If he had made a queen first, he gets checkmated,
33. bxa1Q?? 34.Qxh6+ Kg8 35.Nf6# Congrats on the GM scalp Josh!
5. 34...Rxc3+ 35.bxc3 Qxc3+ 36.Bc2 Qxc2#
6. 26...Rg1+!! 27.Kh2 Qe5+ 28.Kxg1 Ne2+ forking the king and queen.
7. 23...Rc1+!! 24.Qxc1 Nxd3+ forks the king and queen.
8. 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.Rb6 and Black cannot protect both the bishop and the knight.
9. Black has a cute checkmate with knight and pawn, 73...Nc3+ 74.Ka1 b3 75.c8N b2#.
k
Colorado Chess Informant
Page 38
1. Michael McNamara - Vyacheslav Pupko
DCC June / 2019
White to move
2. Mukund Gurumurthi - J.C. MacNeil
DCC June / 2019
Black to move
3. J.C. MacNeil - Phillip Brown
DCC June / 2019
Black to move
One of the best ways to improve your game is to study tactics, such as the following,
from games played by Colorado players. Answers are on the next page.
6. Neil Bhavikatti - Brian Wall
DCC July / 2019
White to move
4. Nicholas Torres - Jason McEwen
DCC June / 2019
Black to move
5. Vibi Varghese - Ben Gurka
DCC June / 2019
Black to move
8. Paul Anderson - Chris Motley
CSCC July Quick Six / 2019
Black to move
9. Gunnar Andersen - Richard Shtivelband
Colorado Closed / 2019
White to move
Tactics Time! by Tim Brennan
Volume 47, Number 3
www.ColoradoChess.com
July 2020
7. Jason McEwen - Phillip Brown
DCC July / 2019
White to move
www.ColoradoChess.com
Colorado Chess Informant
Page 39
Volume 47, Number 3 July 2020
Tactics Time Answers:
1. 23.Bf5+ discovered attack on the Black queen.
2. 23...g4 attacking the pinned bishop.
3. JC’s queen got food poisoning from the a7 pawn she just grabbed after 26...Ra8 trapped
her.
4. 22...Nb3+ forks the White king and queen. The c2 pawn is pinned.
5. 9...Nxe4 alertly grabs a pawn that appears to be defended, but isn’t. If 10.Qxe4 Bxc3+
11.bxc3 Qxc3+ forking the king and rook.
6. 44.Ne5 threatens the Black queen and a back rank checkmate with Rh8#. Black cannot meet
both threats.
7. 31.Re4 traps the Black bishop.
8. 32...Rd8, which was missed in the game, pins the knight, which can’t be protected, and
can’t move because of the back rank mate threat.
9. 21.Rxe6! Black cannot recapture because of the double pin after 21...Qxe6 22.Bd5.
k
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