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EMPIRE CHESS Summer 2015 Volume XXXVIII, No. 2 $5.00

Honoring Brother John is the Right Move.

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Vice President Last year’s Annual Meeting asked for new ideas on how the New York Polly Wright State Chess Association inducts members into its Hall of Fame. 57 Joyce Road Eastchester, NY 10709 [email protected] One issue NYSCA would like to address is how to evaluate many of the historical figures that have participated in chess in New York. NYSCA Treasurer Karl Heck started its Hall of Fame with contemporaries, and while there are players 5426 Wright Street, CR 67 with long careers in the Hall of Fame, true players of the historical past East Durham, NY 12423 aren’t in our Hall of Fame. [email protected]

Membership Secretary For example, it is almost infathomable that Frank Marshall, a former New Phyllis Benjamin York State Champion and namesake and founder of the State’s most famous P.O. Box 340511 , is not in our Hall of Fame. Brooklyn, NY 11234-0511 [email protected] , , , and I.A. Board of Directors Horowitz were all New York State Champions between 1931 and 1943. Upstate Downstate William Townsend Phyllis Benjamin That group of players was most of the U.S. Olympic Team that ruled the Bill Goichberg Dr. world in the 1930’s, and would be the Nakamura, So, and Caruana of their Shelby Lohrman Mark Kurtzman time. They also published chess books that remain in print today Karl Heck Lenny Chipkin Ron Lohrman Ed Frumkin Polly Wright Though after World War II travel opened up more and the FIDE cycle made Steve Immitt the the center of the chess world, the New York Sophia Rohde Championship retained a great deal of strength. GM Larry Evans, a Harold Stenzel longtime columnist, won in 1948. World Correspondence Champion won in 1953. and also won in the 1950’s, and World Champion Candidate won in 1962, Clearinghouses Zip Codes under 12000 (downstate) Bill Goichberg Great champions of chess organizing also were winners of our biggest [email protected] tournament. The Genesee Cup has John Collins and Sunil Weeramantry’s

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EMPIRE CHESS Where organized chess began in America Volume XXXVIII, Number 2 – Summer 2015

Cover: Samantha Giknis (l) presents Brother John McManus with the Make the Right Move Hall of Move plaque at the organization’s annual picnic in June at Christian Brothers Academy in Colonie.

From the Editor...... 2 Table of Contents …...... 3 New York State Open by Bill Townsend………………………………………...... ………...... 4 Material Imbalance by Zachary Calderon……………………………………………………...... 8 Familiar Faces Top 15th Queens Team by Ed Frumkin………………………………………………...... 9 Western New York News by Carter Arker…...... 11 Why I Quit by Neil Bellon……...... 14 NYSCA's Discount Program ...... …...... 15 News from the Marshall by Frank Romano...... 16 Colwell’s Drop-In Watertown Visit byy Don Klug………………………..……………………………...... 18 Fritz/Ulvestad by Richard Moody……...... 20 Open Lines by Karl Heck………………………………..…..………………………………...... 22 Mid-Hudson Chess News by Dr. Craig Fisher………………………………..…..………………………………...... 25 New York State Champions: History and Listing by Bill Townsend……………...... 26 Updated New York State Chess Club Directory ……………………………………………………………………………..28 New York ………………………………...... ,,,,,……...30 Editor: Karl Heck, [email protected]. Webmaster: Daniel Heck, www.nysca.net.

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Summer is here! Former Albany champion Dean Howard wins at the 23rd New York State Open by Bill Townsend The 23rd Annual New York State Open took place pointed out that this section had two unrated players, May 15 to 17 in Lake George Village, a summer something you don’t usually see in a senior event. resort community in the southern Adirondacks. My One of them, Ralph Vecchio, was 77 years old and recollection is that Lake George is pretty sleepy the playing in his first over-the-board tournament. He weekend before Memorial Day, but that wasn’t the finished with 2-3, but wasn’t exactly a neophyte: he case this year. The entire town seemed to be admitted to playing some postal games previously. dedicated to being ready for tourists on May 15, in fact the playing site, the Tiki Hotel, was just opening The Under-1610 section was won by Joe Fratianni for the season the first day of the event. On Sunday with 4½-½. In clear second place with 4-1 was the weather was beautiful and summerlike, so visitors Alexander Benis, who started as the section’s lowest- to the town were enjoying a typical Lake George rated player at 976. Tied for third with 3½-1½ were weekend summer day experience, with perhaps only David Kennedy, David Stearns and Mingrui Liu. a third of the usual crowds. Everybody wins! The Under-1210 section finished in a two way tie as But this isn’t a travelogue, it’s a tournament report. Fred Lethbridge, Jr. and David Craig both finished The overall turnout was about 80 players, a little with 4-1. Waldemar Palaitis was clear third with 3½- down from last year’s total. The Open section was 1½. Henry Olynik and Steven Danko tied for fourth won by former Albany Area Chess Club champion with 3-2. Olynik, the only player to defeat Dean Howard, the fourth highest rated player at the Lethbridge, was also top under 1000. Vineeth Reddy start of the event. He took a bye in the first round and (2-3) was top under 800, Luke Murphy (1½-3½) was then won his last four games to finish all alone at the top under 600 and Nwachukwu Ugochukwu (1-4) top with 4½-½. Last year’s winner, GM Alexander was top unrated player. Ivanov, was not present this time out. Another Capital District player, former Schenectady champion David The New York State Open also featured a Blitz Finnerman was in second place with an undefeated 4- tournament on Saturday night, won by WFM Martha 1. Tied for third with 3½-½ were Dale Sharp (the Samadashvili and Daniel Cooper, both with 6-2. event’s highest rated player at 2208), WFM Martha Interestingly, both players were undefeated, scoring Samadashvili, (the event’s only titled player) Daniel four wins and four draws. Ethan Zornow was clear Cooper and Benito Surya. Tied for seventh place with third with 5-3. Tied for fourth with 4-4 were Benito 3-2 were: Jarrod Tavares, William Hu, Peter Henner, Surya, Zachary Saine, Doug Ryan, Krishna Mutnuri Zachary Saine, Sandeep Alampalli and Peter Craig. and Philip Anderson. The last three players split the The last two named players tied for first Under 1,810. top under 1800 prize.

One of the main features of this tournament is a There was also a Mixed Doubles prize for the best Senior section, which sometimes is almost as strong two-player male/female team in the regular as the Open section, in spite of being limited to tournament. Not surprisingly a team featuring the players under 1910. Tied for first with 4-1 were highest-rated female, Martha Samadashvili, won first Antonio Lorenzo and Joshua Kuperman. Incidentally, prize. William Hu was her partner. The pair scored Lorenzo was co-winner of this section last year too. 6½ points. In second place with 4½ were Catherine Tied for third with 3½-½ were John Lawless, Vitaliy Ryan and Doug Ryan. In third place with 3 points Rovenskiy and Gyula Varosy. Roveskiy won the prize were Juliette Murphy and Edward Murphy. for top player under 1710. Tied for sixth with 3-2 were: Michael Corrigan, Andrew Palmer and Paul Steve Immitt was chief tournament director for the Kolojeski. Something interesting that Steve Immitt New York State Chess Association.

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Ah, the games, the games! I was well pleased with 26...Ke7? the number of games I got from this event, over 60 of Black essentially walks into the variation above, but them, including many of the key contests. For he's also lost after the superior 26...Ke8 27.Nf7 Rd5 example here is the game that decided first place in 28.N7e5. the Open section, kindly provided by Mr. Howard. If 27.Ne5! Rbxd4 28.Nxc6+ Kf6 29.Rxd4! Rxd4 you’d like to see Dean’s own analysis of this game, 30.Nxd4 h6 out the ENYCA website blog: The can't take the because the then http://www.enyca.org/home/blog/. sprints to the goal line. 31.Ne4+ Kg6 32.Nc6 Be1 33.Ne5+ 1–0 Dean Howard (2000) – David Cooper (1980) [C63] 23rd New York State Open Here is another of Howard’s wins, this one from Open section, Round 5 Round Three. There is a sense of grim finality to this Lake George Village, NY, May 17, 2015 game. White fails to get his pawn back and 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 Black gets a bunch of looming Queenside pawns, The Schliemann Defense, a very aggressive choice which inevitably crushes his opponent. for Black. Going into the final round there were three players with 3 1/2, so it's clear that Black was Jonanthan Kuehne (1964) – Dean Howard (2000) planning on going big or going home. [E04] 4.d3 Nf6 5.0–0 fxe4 6.dxe4 Bc5 7.Bxc6 23rd New York State Open True, White wins the e-pawn, but I think he is better Open section, Round 3 QGA after 7.Nc3 d6 8.Bg5 0–0 9.Bc4+ Kh8 10.Nd5. Lake George Village, NY, May 16, 2015 7...bxc6 8.Nxe5 0–0 9.Nd3 Bb6?! 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 9...Nxe4 would get Black his pawn back with close to 6.Bd2 a5 7.a3 Bxd2+ 8.Nbxd2 b5 9.Ne5 an even game. White should break up Black's queenside pawns with 10.e5! 9.b3 cxb3 (9...c3? Just loses a pawn 10.Nb1 Bb7 Now this little guy proves to be a big headache. 11.Nxc3) 10.Qxb3 c6 11.Rc1 Bb7 and he has a 10...Ne4 11.Nd2 Nxf2? healthy amount of play for his pawn minus. This costs material and the attack winds up fizzling, 9...Nd5 10.e3 Bb7 11.Qh5 but not terribly attractive for Black is 11...Nxd2 Again, breaking up the pawns with 11.a4 looks best. 12.Bxd2 d6 13.Qe2. 11...Qe7 12.Ne4 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Nc5 0–0 12.Nxf2 Ba6 13.Nf3 Bxf1 14.Qxf1 15.e4 Nf6 16.Qe2? Essentially Black has given up two pieces for a , Stopping Black's next move with 16.Qg5 is a bad bargain for him. recommended here. 14...Qe8 15.Qe2 Qg6 16.c4? 16...e5 17.dxe5 A bad idea as we shall see. White should It’s better to keep the center closed at the cost of a immediately unpin the Knight with 16.Kh1. pawn: 17.d5 Qxc5 18.dxc6 Qxc6. 16...Kh8? 17...Qxe5 18.Qe3 Ng4 19.Qf4 Qxc5 20.Qxg4 f5 Alas, here Black misses a chance to make things 21.Qg5 h6 22.Qh5 Bxe4 23.Bxe4 Rae8 24.0–0 Rxe4 really interesting with an : 25.Rfd1 Rfe8 26.Qg6?! 16...Rxf3! 17.Qxf3 Rf8 18.Bf4 Qc2 19.Rf1 Qxc4 20.g3 This actually misplaces the White . Better is and I think White is still winning this but it’s much 26.Qf3 but no matter how you slice it, it's no fun more of a challenge than the game. defending a position two pawns down. 17.b4 d6? 26...Re2 27.Rf1 R8e6 28.Qh5 Qe5 29.Rad1 Rd6 Again, 17...Rxf3! 30.Rxd6 cxd6 31.Qh4 Kh7 32.Qd8 b4 18.Be3 Black just keeps creeping forward and there isn't Essentially the end of the Black pressure on the much White can do to stop it. Kingside. The traffic now starts going the other way. 33.axb4 axb4 34.Qc8 c3 35.bxc3 bxc3 36.Qc4 c2 18...Rab8?! 19.c5 dxc5 20.bxc5 Ba5 21.Bd4 Rfd8 37.h4 Rd2 38.Kg2 Qe4+ 39.Qxe4 fxe4 40.Rc1 e3 0–1 22.Qe4 Qxe4 23.Nxe4 Rb4 24.Rd1 24.Bc3 looks a bit superior to the text. Second-place finisher David Finnerman also had a 24...Kg8 25.e6 Kf8 26.Neg5 great tournament, picking up nearly 60 rating points A more decisive finish would be 26.e7+! Kxe7 27.Ne5 in the process. Here he is outplaying the event’s only but as it turns out this sort of happens anyway. master-strength player. 5

Not a usual move in the French, but not unknown, NM Dale Sharp (2208) – David Finnerman (1907) and not bad. [B09] 4...Nc6 5.Qg4 Nf6 6.Qxg7 Rg8 7.Qh6 Rg6 8.Qe3 23rd New York State Open dxe4 9.0–0–0 Qxd4 Open section, Round 4 Pirc/Modern Pretty bold, but Black can get away with it. This Lake George Village, NY, May 17, 2015 seems to be one of the main lines of this variation. 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 a6 6.Bd3 10.Nb5 Bxd2+ Nc6 7.d5 Nb8 8.0–0 0–0 9.Qe2 c6 10.Bd2 Black is better after 10...Qxe3 11.fxe3 (11.Nxc7+? This may be a tiny inaccuracy because after 10.Be3 would be a ) 11...Bd6 and Black is a cxd5 11.exd5 Nbd7 White now has 12.Bd4. comfortable pawn up. 10...cxd5 11.exd5 11.Rxd2 Qxe3 12.Nxc7+ Ke7 13.fxe3 Rb8 14.h3? White doesn't get nearly enough for the pawn after The White Knight needs to get while the getting's 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.exd5 Bxb2 13.Rab1 Bf6. good with 14.Nb5. 11...Nbd7 12.Bc4? 14...a6 15.a4 Bd7 16.g4 Kd8 After this Black seems slightly better. Superior for A better way to get at the Knight: 16...Ne5 17.Rd4 White are 12.Be3 and; 12.f5. Rc8. 12...b5 13.Bb3 17.Nxa6 bxa6 18.Bxa6 Nd5 19.Bb5 Kc7 Now White seems to be stuck defending, and over- Better is 19...Ncb4 but it requires a bit of far-seeing defending, his d-pawn while Black just calmly 20.Bxd7 Kxd7 21.c4 Rf6! and Black is winning. develops around it. 20.Ne2 Nxe3 21.Nf4 Rg5? 13...Nb6 14.a3 Bb7 15.Qd3 Nfd7 16.Rae1? A major error. Black is still winning after 21...Rf6 It's difficult to see, but this natural-looking move 22.Nh5 Rf3 23.Be2 Rf2 24.Bb5 Rxd2. winds up costing White his d-pawn. Black is still 22.Re1 Nd5 23.Rxe4 Nxf4 24.Rxf4 f5 25.b3 h5 better after 16.Ba2 Nc5 17.Qe3 Nc4 18.Bxc4 bxc4 26.gxh5 Rxh5 27.Rd3 19.Qe2 Bxc3 20.Bxc3 Bxd5 but this is an Gives Black an opportunity. Better is 27.Rc4. improvement for White over the text. 27...Ne5? 16...Nc5 17.Qe2 Nxb3 18.cxb3 Bxd5 19.Qxe7 Bxb3 Second best. Better is 27...e5! 28.Bxc6 Bxc6 29.Rc4 20.Ng5? Rh6 and Black is better but White's queenside pawns This allows Black to win more material, but White's are still a potential problem. best is the dispiriting 20.Qxd8 Raxd8 21.Be3. 28.Rc3+ Kd6 29.Rd4+ Ke7 30.Rc7 Rd8 31.a5 20...Nc4 21.Bc1 Nxa3 22.f5 Qxe7 Uh-oh. My chess analysis engine still thinks that 22...Nc2 seems to be a bit better, but the text gets the Black has a tiny advantage, but when I saw White job done. make this move I knew Black was in trouble. 23.Rxe7 Bf6 24.fxg6? Bxe7 25.gxh7+ Kg7 26.bxa3 31...Rxh3 Rac8 27.Bb2 Bxg5 0-1 In a critical position like this, grabbing a random Down a Rook and a pawn, White decides to call it pawn seems very risky. In fact the best my computer quits. can come up with is the 31...f4 32.Rxf4 Kd6 33.Ra7 Nc6. Here is one of the money games from the last round 32.a6 Ke8? of the Senior section. Going into the final round The losing move. The game looks pretty close to even former Schenectady champion John Lawless was after 32...Rhh8 33.a7 f4 34.a8/Q Rxa8 35.Bxd7 Nxd7 leading the section by half a point, and at one point 36.Rcxd7+ Ke8 37.Rg7. he was winning this game. How it slipped away from 33.a7 Rh1+ 34.Kb2 Rh7 35.Rb7 him is very instructive – his opponent managed to tie It's game over - the a-pawn is going to Queen. him up with multiple pins and John simply didn’t see 35...Re7 36.Rb8 1–0 how serious this was until it was too late. Here is a game from the other winner of the Senior Joshua Kuperman (1743) – John Lawless (1783) section, Antonio Lorenzo, who also was a co-winner [C15] last year. What interested me about this contest was 23rd New York State Open the King and pawn ending, and the amount of stuff Senior section Under 1910, Round 5 French that the players missed in that segment of the game. Lake George Village, NY, May 17, 2015 Of course it’s easy for me to be critical here in the 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd2 comfort of my own house with no clock ticking and a 6

computer helping me analyze. And to be frank, I 43.Kd4? think few players would have caught the fact that the Holy cow! White, unwilling to take a , decides h4 square, far away from the scene of most of the to lose instead. Of course the game is draw after action, would be so very important to the outcome. 43.fxe4 fxe4 44.Kxe4 Kc6. 43...exf3 44.Ke3 f2 45.Kxf2 Kc6 46.Kf3 Kd5 Neil Marcus (1780) – Antonio Lorenzo (1768) 47.Kf4 Ke6 [D51] Black gets to hold onto his extra pawn, and White is 23rd New York State Open toast. Senior section U1910, Round 2 QGD-Slav 48.h3 h4 49.Kg5 Ke5 50.Kxh4 f4 51.Kg4 Ke4 52.h4 Lake George Village, NY, May 16, 2015 f3 53.Kg3 Ke3 54.h5 f2 0–1 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e4 dxe4 7.Nxe4 Qa5+ 8.Bd2 Bb4 9.Nxf6+ Ever had a bad day? Sure, we all have. Although Even meaner is taking away black's ability to castle unrated at the start, Gyula Varosy was obviously an with 9.Nd6+! Ke7 10.c5. experienced player. His post-tournament rating 9...Nxf6 10.Bd3 Bxd2+ 11.Qxd2 Qxd2+ 12.Nxd2 turned out to be 1903. However, even experienced Bd7 13.0–0–0 b5 14.f3 bxc4 15.Nxc4 Ke7 16.Ne5 players can make an elementary oversight. Rhd8 17.Ba6 Nd5 18.Rhe1 f6 19.Nxd7 Rxd7 20.Bc4 Rad8 Joshua Kuperman (1743) – Gyula Varosy (Unr.) White's initial advantage has dissipated, the game is [C57] about even. 23rd New York State Open 21.Re2 Rd6 22.Bxd5 Rxd5 23.Red2 c5 24.dxc5 Senior section Under 1910, Round 2 Two Knights Rxc5+ 25.Kb1 Rxd2 26.Rxd2 h5 27.b3 g5 28.Kb2 Lake George Village, NY, May 16, 2015 e5 29.b4 Rb5 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 It has been impressed on me that in Rook and pawn 6.d4 Be7 7.Nxf7 Nxd4?? The Fried Liver Attack endings a passive Rook should be avoided. A bit usually continues 7...Kxf7 8.Qf3+ Ke6 9.Nc3 but better for Black seems to be 29...Rc4 30.Kb3 Rh4 Black has a mental lapse. It happens to all of us. He 31.h3 g4 32.hxg4 hxg4. resigned before White could play 8.Nxd8. 1–0 30.Kc3 Ke6 31.a4 Rb7 32.b5 g4 33.Rd8 gxf3 34.gxf3 Rc7+ 35.Kb3 Rd7? But it’s all good. The following day he got to take I think this is a mistake, but is it a game-losing advantage of someone else’s bad day. mistake? White's extra Queenside pawn makes the Andrew Palmer (1739) – Gyula Varosy (Unr) King and pawn ending look very good for him. At any [A22] 23rd New York State Open rate, Black holds the balance after 35...f5 36.Re8+ Senior section Under 1910, Round 5 English Kd5 37.Rf8 f4 38.Rd8+ Ke6 39.a5 e4 40.fxe4 f3 Lake George Village, NY, May 17, 2015 41.b6 axb6 42.axb6 Rf7. 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nxd5? 36.Rxd7 Kxd7 37.Kc4 Kd6 This is just bad, bringing the Black Queen to a great In spite of my computer's misgivings, this seems to be square in the middle of the board. In essence White best for Black: 37...Kc7 38.Kc5 h4 39.a5 f5 40.Kd5 spends the rest of the game apologizing for this move. and White wins. 5.Bg2 or; 5.Qb3 were both fine. 38.a5? 5...Qxd5 6.f3? This seems to be obvious, but apparently it allows Better, but still no fun is 6.Nf3 e4 7.Nh4 Bc5. Black a drawing resource. The winning idea is 6...Bc5 7.Bg2 0–0 8.e3 something neither player seems to consider: 38.h4! Too slow. White's best seems to be 8.Nh3. taking away an important from Black. 38...Kc7 8...Rd8 9.Qe2 Nc6 10.a3 Be6 11.Nh3 Qb3 12.Kf2? 39.Kc5 f5 40.a5 e4 41.fxe4 fxe4 42.Kd4. The losing move, but it's hard to sing the praises of 38...f5? 12.Bf1. Instead it is now Black who plays 38...h4! and White 12...Bc4 13.Qd1 Qd3 can't quite win: 39.h3 f5 40.b6 axb6 41.axb6 Kc6 Black could play 13...Bxe3+ right away. 42.b7 Kxb7 43.Kd5 e4 44.fxe4 fxe4 45.Kxe4 Kc7 and 14.Qf1? the Black King gets in front of the h-pawn to draw. Allows a winning , but this may have just 39.b6? been White asking to be put out his misery. Again 39.h4! puts Black in . 14...Bxe3+! 15.dxe3 Qc2+ 16.Kg1 Bxf1 17.Bxf1 39...axb6 40.axb6 Kc6 41.b7 Kxb7 42.Kd5 e4 Rd1 0–1 7

The Scholastic Column: Material Imbalance By Zachary Calderon

Material imbalances are probably some of the most outmaneuver a Queen, a Knight dominates a Rook, or exciting imbalances in a chess game. There are a a Queen outplays two Rooks. couple times where a material imbalance could be good, and other times when you want to avoid it. In this case, however, its the other way around! 1...Rxe7 2. Rxe7+ Kf8 Let's not confuse a material imbalance with being down in material, first of all. Being down in material Now, of course, to play 3. Re8+?? would be a means that, for instance, your opponent has seven blunder, since 3...Qxe8 4. Rxe8+ Kxe8 gives Black a pawns and you have six. A material imbalance would winning endgame. Rather, it would be best to be where your opponent has seven pawns and you maintain the solid nature of White’s position by have four pawns and a Knight, for example. I keeping everything protected. For instance, R1e2 remember one blitz game I played where I sacrificed would be a good way to start, followed by R7e3, both of my Knights in the endgame to reach a should that Rook ever be attacked. Even though position where I had seven pawns for his two Knights White is down a pawn, it is still anyone’s game, as and two pawns. It was a thrilling game that I actually the White Rooks protect everything, including the managed to win, simply because I handled my vulnerable Queenside. Next White can play moves imbalance better. like f3 and g4 and h4 and start a Kingside if he wants, or he can simply sit quietly and So first thing is first - when is it best to go into a wait for a draw. What does a drawing plan look like? situation where material is imbalanced? Let’s take a It would involve White blockading, as such. look at the position below.

Despite the fact that Black's is one In this position, White is currently down a pawn. If square from Queening, it has no way of achieving he were to simply remove his Queen from the e-file, this! In fact, if anyone has winning chances, it’s say, with Qd2, then Rooks would be exchanged and White. Black's King is cut off from the e file, and if White's game would slowly deteriorate. White can win the c2 pawn his chances will be very nice. Black must avoid moves like Re2 at all costs However, by playing 1. Qxe7+!, from White, since without checks White just wins the c2 pawn. A winning plan for White may look White stays in the game. Technically, White evens something like Kh2, g3, Rf1, f3 and Rf2, followed by out material as well (A Queen is worth nine pawns capturing the c2 pawn and trying to grind out a win. while Rooks are vauled at five each,) but I personally never believed in point values for the pieces. There So, when do you go for them and when do you not go are so many times when and Rook for them? If you find yourself down in direct material 8

(like six pawns to seven pawns) as compared to 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 Qb6 8. Na4 Qa5+ 9. c3 indirect material (say, five pawns for a pawn and a c4 10. b4 Nxb4!? 11. cxb4 Bxb4+ Knight) then go for it. However, if you're up in material, don't take the imbalance. Unless it gives The first thing to notice is that White cannot preserve you a decisive edge, it will make winning just that his right to castle, as any move to the King will much harder. be met by c3 and c2+ from Black, winning substantial material. White is forced to play 12. Kf2 Let’s take a look at a much lesser-known material b5 and now we see the idea behind Black's sacrifice. imbalance in the French Defense. Even though he only has two pawns for the Knight, his c-pawn is a protected passed pawn, and his b- pawn has the potential to become one as well. In fact, rather than the passive 13. Nb2, which hangs on to the extra pawn, White is recommended to play 13. Nc5, which will give back the pawn eventually (Bxc5 followed by Bb7 and Rc8 to collect the pawn). White will enjoy more mobility, and be able to use the d4 square as a square of attack in assaulting the Kingside.

So overall, material imbalances are nothing to fear. We know how to fight, say, a Queen with a Queen, but we aren't as comfortable with using a Rook and Knight against a Queen. Imbalances can be the difference between losing a game and drawing or

even winning a game. So keep your eye out for them, There is a line in the French where Black sacrifices a and good luck! Knight for three pawns, however, that line has been more or less discredited. This line, however, is relatively unknown and unexplored. We reach this position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 ______th “Alekhine’s Gun” and “Capablanca’s Machine”), Familiar Faces Top 15 “M to the 4th” (Mulazim Muwwakkil (1871) and Queens Team Mikhail Mordukhay (1747)) at 1809, and the by Ed Frumkin “Unstoppable Knights” (Guy Rawlins (1689) and Jim Sorotnik (1545)) at 1617.

th The 15 Queens Team Championship began with 10 th Other regulars took on new partners, including New teams on April 10 and ended with 11 and a house York State Hall of Famer Ed Frumkin (2012) and Jay team. This tournament, which who begun in 2001, is Kleinman (1868) as “219 Years” at 1940, Charles for two-player teams whose ratings average under Hua (1699, new to our club) and Jonathan Phanstiel 2000, with prizes for the top two teams overall, top (1654) as “East Meets West” at 1676½, New York team with average rating below 1700 and for the top State Chess Hall of Famer Joe Felber (2000) and score on Board 1 and Board 2. Philip Mathew (1310) as the “Christian Brothers” at

1655 and Paul Denig (1589) and Paul Drazil (684) as Teams with the same composition as last year “Two Paul” at 1136½. In week two Ken Cruz (1721) included the top-ranked “Double Checks” (Bill and Frank Drazil (1590) came in as “Oldtimers” at Arluck (2111) and Ira Cohen (1833)) with a 1972 1655.5 with a ½ point bye and Paul Radak (1279) average, the “Benighted Knights” (Ed Kopiecki and Marcus Francis (1182) as the “Housemen” (2044) and Ken Sasmor (1866)) at 1955, the (1230½). The defending champion “Islanders” of “Steinitz Eccentrics” (Dick Murphy (1911) and Brian Karen and Frank Paciulli, the only team to ever Tony Lorenzo (1854)) at 1882½ (they change their sweep all four matches, did not fit under the cap in team name every year: prior names included 9

2015, as Frank entered with a different partner and Frank was playing very well and was up an exchange then had to withdraw when he found out he’d be on and some pawns when Frumkin salvaged a pawn call for work on Friday nights. down draw vs. Muwwakkil, only to see Frank fall into a bizarre mating net after missing a chance to The first round pairings of M to the 4th vs. Double trade Queens. Arluck drew with Charles Hua while Checks, Benighted Knights vs. East Meets West, Cohen lost to Phanstiel, creating yet another match Christian Brothers vs. 219 Years, Steinitz Eccentrics upset. Wrath of Caro Khan swept the Oldtimers, vs. Unstoppable Knights and Two Paul vs. Wrath of Christian Brothers and Unstoppable Knights drew on Caro Khan (team on the left side of pairing had White both boards and the last match was also drawn, Paul on Board 1 and Black on Board 2) saw the higher- Denig beating Paul Radak and Paul Drazil losing to ranked team with one notable exception: the top Marcus Francis. table’s match ended in a sweep by M to the 4th. In the third match, Felber-Frumkin was a short draw, Now there were three teams at 2½-½, two at 2-1, one leaving the responsibility to Kleinman to defeat Paul at 1½-1½, three at 1-2 and three at ½-2½. Radak, who was subbing for Philip Mathew. In the Final round pairings were M to the 4th vs. Benighted fourth match, Sirotnik drew with Lorenzo. The Knights, Steinitz Eccentrics vs. Wrath of Caro Khan, Benighted Knights and Wrath of Caro Khan swept Unstoppable Knights vs. East Meets West (the latter their matches. having draw odds for the Under 1700 team prize), Double Checks vs. 219 Years, Oldtimers vs. The second round pairings were Wrath of Caro Khan Housemen and Two Paul vs. Christian Brothers. vs. Benighted Knights, 219 Years vs. Steinitz Eccentrics, Oldtimers vs. M to the 4th, Double Checks The Benighted Knights swept, with Ken Sasmor vs. Christian Brothers, East Meets West vs. completing a 4-0 tournament to sew up the Board 2 Housemen and Unstoppable Knights vs. Two Paul. prize. The Steinitz Eccentrics also swept, with Dick Lawson and Kopiecki drew while Sasmor beat Glad. Murphy going 4-0 to take the Board 1 prize. As a Frumkin won a pawn from Murphy and then result, Ken Sasmor raised his rating 86 points to blundered several times to lose, while Kleinman and 1875, and Dick Murphy gained 100 points to break Lorenzo drew. Muwwakkil beat Cruz while Frank 2000 for the first time since 2000 at age 82!! They Drazil beat Mordukhay, giving us our first drawn each won a board prize of $66 and their teams each match. Arluck beat Felber while Mathew drew received $42 per player ($110-$55 for the Top Two Cohen. East meets West and the Unstoppable teams). East Meets West swept its match to take the Knights swept their matches. U1700 team prize of $66. The Double Checks and 219 Years drew on both boards, while the Oldtimers After two rounds, the Benighted Knights and Steinitz and Christian Brothers each swept its match. Eccentrics were 2-0, M to the 4th had 1½, Double Checks, 219 Years, Wrath of Caro Khan, East Meets You may be wondering what the significance of the West, Oldtimers and Unstoppable Knights all had 1, team name “219 Years” was. Remember a big fire in and Christian Brothers, Housemen and Two Paul Edgewater, New Jersey in February? John Sterling, were at 0-2. the radio voice of the Yankees, lived there and claimed (facetiously, I hope) that he lost 80,000 ties Third round pairings were Benighted Knights vs. in the fire. If he wore one tie a day, it would take Steinitz Eccentrics, M to the 4th vs. 219 Years, East approximately 219 years to wear each one once… Meets West vs. Double Checks, Wrath of Caro Khan Ed Frumkin and Joe Felber directed and organized vs. Oldtimers, Christian Brothers vs. Unstoppable the event for the Queens Chess Club. Knights and Housemen vs. Two Paul. The Benighted Knights and Eccentrics drew their match, as Murphy and Sasmor each won with the Black pieces. Frumkin had to find a replacement for Kleinman due www.nysca.net -- your source for to the latter’s 10 year old son’s Little League game New York State Chess and recruited Frank Bloise (1508), who came all the way from Rockland County (Kleinman is IM Jay Information. Now on at Bonin’s landlord and Frank Bloise is one of Bonin’s @nystatechess. students, so the board was “kept in the family”). 10

Western New York News by Carter Arker The Can-Am International in Buffalo drew 89 players, including some big guns, to Amherst’s Peter Killinger won the Under 1200 section with a Daemen College for an event with a $10,000 perfect 5-0 score. Blaze Veljovski, Michael guaranteed prize fund. Cleversley and Lulzim Sylejmani all tied for second with three points. The Open section ended in a three-way tie among GM’s and Robert Kenneth McBride directed this event for the Hungaski, and Canadian IM Razvan Preotu, all with Rochester Chess Center with assistance from Ron 4-1 scores, and splitting $3,050 for their efforts. The Lohrman. top three drew their round-robin among themselves and beat the rest of the field. The two New York The Rochester Chess Center and community said a GM’s drew in the last round. tearful good-bye to FM and former World Senior Champion Isay Golyak in May with a going-away GM Sergey Kudrin, FM Kyron Griffith and party. A fixture at the Rochester Chess Center unheralded Ontario Expert Terry Song tied for basically since it opened, Golyak and his wife moved fourth with 3 ½ points. Song upset Griffith (2428) in to Florida after two parties: one at the Rochester the third round, and beat NM Samuel Copeland in the Chess Center on May 16th and one at the Community last round to move decisively into the Expert class. Chess Club of Rochester on May 20th.

Kevin Yi-Xiao Yie and Ontario’s Eugene Hua tied for FM Golyak is shown below with Ken McBride (l) first in winning the Under 2000 with 4-1 scores in a and Adam DeSantis (right), courtesy of the Rochester closely-contested 17-player section. The top two Chess Club blog. players both went undefeated, yet did not face each other as Yie drew in the first two rounds and then won three straight, while Hua drew in rounds three and four.

Ontario’s Yuetong Zhao was clear third with 3 ½ points, losing to Hua in the last round. Jamestown organizer and A-player Mark Clark, Benito Surya and Emory Parish tied for fourth with three points.

Another long-time Western New York chess organizer, Tom Warner, led a group of four players with four points in a tight Under 1800 section. Joey Orozco, Gary Hua and Mathanhe Kaneshalingam joined the tie at the top, with Warner and Hua going undefeated and drawing in the last round. Since coming to the United States after the collapse Chris Darling, Robert Beaubien and Bryan of the , Golyak has player 4,555 games, Cleversley tied for fifth with 3 ½ points, with the vast majority of them at the Rochester Chess Orozco’s win over Darling being the difference Club. Golyak has an 82 percent winning percentage between clear first and fifth. and won 3,271 games in his rated career here against only 340 losses, but was always smiling win, lose or Jacob Casey completed a perfect score with a 5-0 draws. result in the Under 1500 section in his first rated tournament, with an impressive 2118 performance May the 84-year-old Golyak and his wife enjoy their rating. Ontario’s Dorian Kang was clear second with remaining years in the warmth of the Sunshine State. four points, losing only to Casey in the fourth round. He warmed the hearts and minds of chess players in Brian Martin was clear third with 3 ½ points. Western New York throughout his years in Rochester.

11

The Rochester Chess Club blog says it best. Rick Zhou won the Youth section with three points. The tournament was directed by Ken McBride and Isay Golyak is the nicest chess player in Rochester. Michael Lionti.

Isay has been a wonderful mentor, friend and There also was a three-way tie at the top in the May chess teacher and he will be missed. 31 tournament, with FM Igor Nkolayev, Matt Slowski and Lev Paciorkowski tying for first. Like Good luck and Godspeed, Isay. June 6, Nikolayev took a half-point bye while the other two players drew. Four players tied for fourth with two points: Expert Abraham Glasser, veteran Sherman Cunnigham, Samuel Liu and Richard Motroni.

Christopher Gargan won the Youth section with three points in the 26-player event. Kenneth McBride and Michael Lionti directed.

The Mermorial Day weekend Saturday tournament at the Rochester Chess Center brought 26 players out and true to form, there were no perfect scores in the top section. Lev Paciorkowski, Marijan Procyk and Abraham Glasser tied for first with 2 ½ points. The top two boards all drew, creating a logjam at the top.

Four players tied for fourth: FM Igor Nikolayev, who drew Derek Linton in round two before taking a half-

point bye, Linton, Andrew Colwell and Pranav Naturally, FM Golyak’s last game in Rochester was Senthil Kumar. Nikolayev and Linton were win. undefeated.

The Rochester Chess Center has had Saturday rated Judith Ugalde won the Youth section with four Swisses basically since the Center opened, but the points. Michael Lionti and Kenneth McBride Sunday schedule has been more varied. Recently, the directed the event. Center began hosing Sunday Qiuads.

Twenty-nine players participated in the April 2 Lev Paciorkowski won the June 6 Quad with a through 16 Western New York Championship, an perfect 3-0 score. He also won the May 31 event, event sponsored by the newly-active Amateur Chess which turned out to be a six-player Swiss. Association of Western New York. Paciorkowski also swept that tournament with a perfect 3-0 score. Rising junior Pranav Senthil Barry Davis, a veteran Buffalo player, swept the field Kumar was clear second with two points. Kumar with a perfect 5-0 score. Expert Don Christie and won the May 17 Quad, though, with three points. All John Nugent Zillion tied for second with four points, of these events were directed by David Campbell. with both second-place players losing in the third

round. Twenty-three players contested the June 6 Saturday

Rochester Chess Center tournament. FM Igor Glenn Westcott and Thomas Callea tied for fourth Nikolayev, Expert Abraham Glasser and Doug with 3 ½ points. Stenclik tied for first with 2 ½ points. Nikolayev took a half-point bye in the last round, while Glasser Brian Sayers directed the tournament as well as and Doug Stenclik were drawing. playing in it and scoring three points. The Amateur

Chess Association has been extremely active since Expert Lev Paciorkowski, Pranav Senthil Kumar and beginning in 2014, and a new chapter in Western Arjun Ganesh tied for fourth with two points. New York chess has begun.

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Spring also brought the conclusion of another season Perry won League Five with a 9 ½-1 1 /2 score, while of the Rochester and Buffalo Interscholastic Chess Geneva Middle School won League Six with a 11-1 Leagues. A total of 51 teams participated in 11 record. Twelve Corners Middle School of Brighton Leagues, 36 in Rochester and 15 in Buffalo. The won League Seven with a 5-1 record, and Webster Leagues have been in operation since 1993-1994, and Spry won League Eight with a perfect 8-0 record. bring team chess to schools throughout Western New York and the Finger Lakes region. Events are The Rochester Area Interscholastic Chess Playoff combined whenever possible with MasterMinds and tournament was won by Wilson High School, who Academic Challenge Bowl to maximize participation placed second in League One with nine points. and minimize cost. Wilson had the only perfect score in the playoffs, though, going 4-0 in the tournament and scoring at Buffalo had three leagues in 2014-15. League One least 30 points in each playoff match. Their final- was won by St. Francis with a perfect 10-0 score. round win was a 40-0 sweep of School for the Arts. Pioneer High School swept League Two with a perfect 12-0 score, and Pioneer Middle School and Pittsford A lead a group of four teams with three Park School tied for top honors in League Three with points and finished second on tiebreaks. Webster 10-2 scores. Schroeder, the third-place finisher in League FOur, finished third in the playoffs. School of the Arts was The Buffalo playoff tournament was held at Sweet fourth and Brighton was fifth. Home High School on April 23 and was won by Pioneer High School with a perfect 4-0 score, giving Separate individual championships were held at the them a perfect season in the league. Pioneer’s only Rochester Chess Center on May 9th. Lev close call was in the third round, as they beat Paciorkowski of Brighton High School was the 2015 Canisius 23-17. Bishop Timon, Canisius, Park individual champion. Owen Shriver, also of School and Pioneer B tied for second with three Brighton, placed second. Three players from Wilson points, with Park School also only losing to the Magnet School completed the top five, with Peter champions. Carter third, Webster Kehoe fourth and Sam Cherin fifth. Pioneer also won the championship in 2011 and 2013, so it seems it is “odd year lucky” for them. The Civil War to Civil Rights tournament was held May 16 by the Archangel 8 Chess Academy in In Rochester, eight Leagues were contested. League Buffalo. Three players tied for first in the 14-player One was won by Brighton with an 11-1 score. event: Expert Kevin oulhac, Benjamin Runnell and League Two was won by School of the Arts, also Patrick Robinson. Roulhac won his first three games, with an 11-1 score. Brockport swept League Three and then lost to Runnell in the last round to fall into with a 12-0 score, and Pittsford won League Four by the tie for first. James Paul and Jerome Green tied one point over Victor with a 10-2 score. for fourth with 2 ½ points. Michael McDuffie directed.

th The 137 New York State Championship.

Albany Marriott, Colonie, NY

Become part of the Labor Day tradition!

13

Why I Quit Online Chess by Neal Bellon ([email protected])

Online chess is all the rage. A game is available 24-7 supposed to handle any addiction: eliminating it without leaving the comfort of your home. Many completely. diehard OTB (over-the board) tournament players Online play takes time away from legitimate chess play chess online as a supplement to their live play, study which is the focus of this article. While I’m not a Due to my schedule, my study time now ranges fan, as indicated by this article’s title, many contend between limited and non-existent so I have found it that online chess has some positives: more productive to use my precious study hours to review my games and work through chess problems.  It provides an opportunity to play chess for I’m a huge fan of Chess Mentor learning software those who can’t leave the house for various (chess.com) and I’ve been slowly working through reasons (health, transportation issues, etc.) or (again) Ray Cheng’s Practical Chess Exercises. As a who have no local clubs in their area result, I feel a bigger sense of accomplishment and am better prepared for my weekly club game.  It’s extremely convenient, providing round- the-clock access to a game There’s too much inappropriate behavior during online games  For OTB players, it acts as “training” where To be fair, the online servers are much better at you can experiment with openings, new cracking down on unsportsmanlike behavior, but ideas, etc. there’s only so much they can do. I got tired of the immature comments, repeated draw offers, and  Blitz games - typically G/5 - provide abandoning of games in lost positions. It was excellent tactical training. lowering the integrity of the Royal Game.

Now while the above are all valid points for many Playing on a computer is too inanimate players, it is my contention that the negatives I will Holding a mouse and looking at a computer screen is outline below far outweigh any positives - at least in not chess. There’s nothing like sitting across from a my experience. Since I stopped playing online, my live opponent, touching the pieces, hitting the clock, OTB play has improved and I’ve been much happier and sweating it out. The thrill of playing the winning with my game in general. To be clear, when I say move is much more satisfying in a live game. “online chess” I am referring to the typical quick time controls that dominate online play (G/5, G/10, etc.) It hurts your OTB game Here are the specific reasons why I stopped: Let me state first that online servers are great resources for instructional purposes. There are many It’s highly addictive to an egregious degree videos, articles, and puzzles that are excellent and I recall that scene from the show House of Cards instruction rich. However, playing quick-rated time when Kevin Spacey asks his press secretary if he controls online did little to help my OTB game and plays video games, and he replies that he sold his X- definitely hurt it to a certain degree. For me, online box on eBay because it was too addicting. The same play encouraged impulsivity and challenged my was true for me (figuratively) with online chess, and I disciplined, controlled approach to the game. suspect it’s true for others as well. I would intend to play “just a few games” and then study some At the time of this writing, I have stopped playing middlegame problems, but would end up playing online for a little over a year. I don’t miss it and my much longer than planned and skip the studying. If I OTB rating is the highest it’s been (fingers crossed) was winning I would want to ride that streak, and if I and hopefully will continue in an upward direction. was losing, I would feel the need to get back my rating points. As a result, I handled it the way you’re

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NYSCA: Get Your Discounts and Be a Board Member!

NYSCA has approved a new way for affiliates and organizers of the New York State Championship and New York State Open to support us. Organizers that offer a significant entry fee discount for the NYSCA events as well as other tournaments that the organizer holds. The State Scholastic Championship, which is the largest funder of NYSCA, is unchanged by this change in membership criteria. It is worth noting that the traditional membership- required model remains in effect, and may be used by any organizer, as has been the case throughout NYSCA's history.

In 2015, membership at the State Championship and State Open will not be required, but members will be offered a $7 discount on their entry fee to the event. Continental Chess Association (CCA) is also offering a $5 discount at its other tournaments in New York, including the Long Island Open andManhattan Open. It should be noted that CCA revived the New York State Open in May in Lake George, and the event has been a success for NYSCA. NYSCA is willing to work with any other organizer on other NYSCA events.

NYSCA wants to work with organizers to expand the discounts. Organizers that offer the discounts will have their events advertised in Empire Chess, posted on the NYSCA web site and advertised through NYSCA's facebook and twitter feeds. By accessing NYSCA's group of committed tournament chess players, the discounts in entry fee will more than pay for itself with increased entries and the ability to obtain entries from further away. NYSCA is also working on internet options for membership verification and purchase.

NYSCA is also looking for Board members. Elections are held in every odd-numbered year, and not only do Directors get to help NYSCA grow chess from Montauk to Niagara, they also have the opportunity to vote in USCF elections. There are elections in Upstate and Downstate New York. Please let us know if you would like to be on the next ballot.

Help us make NYSCA the best chess organization it can be in the best chess state in the country. It will make us better, and your events better as well.

NEW YORK STATE CHESS ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP FORM

Name:______Address:______City:______State:______Zip:______

E-Mail:______USCF ID:______

$20 for four printed issues $12 for two printed issues (Winter and Summer)

Mail to: Phyllis Benjamin, Secretary, NYSCA, PO Box 340969, Brooklyn, NY 11234. (please note new address)

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Notes from the Marshall by Frank Romano

The June Grand Prix drew 41 IM , NM Juan Sena and NM Nicholas players to the world-famous club, and was won by Karas tied for third with 2 ½ points in the Eric Balck Chinese Senior Master Qibiao Wang with 4 ½ points. directed tournament. Wang took a half-point bye in the first round and then won four straight games to move to the top. The May edition of the monthly Marshall Masters was held on May 19 and there was a five-way tie for GM Michael Rohde and New York State Chess Hall first in the 22-player event. U.S. Chess League of Famer IM Jay Bonin tied for second with four organizer IM Greg Shahade, IM Jay Bonin, New points, with both players being undefeated. Bonin York State Scholastic Champion NM Joshua Colas, took a half-point bye in the first round and drew GM FM Alisa Melekhina and NM Ted Belanoff all tied Mark Paragua in round four, while Rohde took a half- for first with 3-1 scores. All were undefeated except point bye in round four, and also drew Paragua, in Belanoff, who lost to Bonin in the first round and round three. Paragua and New York State Junior won three straight working back through the field. High School champion Marcus Miyaska tied for fourth with 3 ½ points. The top two boards drew in the last round, which Shahade drawing Colas and Bonin drawing The June 6 and 7th event was directed by Gregory Melekhina. NM Dan Lapan and FM Ilye Figler tied Keener. for sixth with 2 ½ points. Bryan Quick directed for the Marshall. Flag Day in brought 54 players to the Marshall for their Sunday Game/60 tournament. Thirty-seven players gathered at the Marshall on Three players tied for first with 3 ½ points: GM Memorial Day, May 25, to participate in the five- Michael Rohde, NM Alexander King and FM Boris round Marshall Memorial Madness. Two players Privman. Rohde drew Zachary Martin in the second were the maddest of them all with 4 ½ points: GM round, so it was King and Privman battling for the Mark Paragua and FM Asa Hoffman split the top honors on Board One in the last round. When they spot. Paragua took a last-round, half-point bye, while drew, Rohde moved into the tie with a last-round win Hoffman drew IM Jay Bonin in the third round and over Jay Bonin. won his remaining games.

NM Hans Niemann, NM William Graif and NM NM Gary Huang was clear third with four points, Aaron Shlionsky tied for fourth with 3-1 scores, with losing to Paragua in round four. IM Jay Bonin, FM Niemann and Shlionsky going undefeated. Boris Privman, Yefrem Zats, Jose de Villa and Frank Piculli all tied for fourth with 3 ½ points. Jermaine Jarret Petrillo won the Under 1600 section of the Reid directed. tournament with 3 ½ points, winning three straight games in the 15-player section after taking a half- Memorial Day was also the end of the five-round point bye in the first round. Patrick Thomas and FIDE Slow Monday tournament, where top-section Liran Zhou tied for second with 3-1 scores. players play one game a week to improve or earn a FIDE rating. Jermaine Reid directed for the Marshall. The tournament was won by an undefeated IM Jay On Saturday, June 13, 23 players contested the Bonin, who went 5-1 with four wins and two draws. Marshall Game/45. Nicolas de T Checa won the NM Todd Bryant and new NM Majur Juac tied for event outright with a perfect 4-0 score, unusual for a second with 4 ½ points. Juac was undefeated with weekend Marshall tournament. GM Michael Rohde three wins and three draws, including one to Bonin in was clear second with 3 1.2 points. Rohde took a the second round. Bryant lost to Bonin in the fourth first-round, half-point bye, which meant he never round, and conceded a half-point bye in round three. played de Checa. NM Ricardo Perez-Billinghurst was clear fourth with a 4-2 score. 16

Two players tied for first in the Under 1800 section: very strong Marshall Masters, which Gregory Keener Alexander Solovyov and Ignacio Cuervo both scored directed. The GM’s both lost to the frontrunners in five points.Justin Grgas was clear third in the 33- the last round. player section with 4 ½ points. Gregory Kenner directed for the Marshall. April 24 brought a FIDE-rated Blitz tournament to the Marshall. The nine-round, 26-player event was May 5th was the Marshall Tuesday Action won by GM Zviad Izoria with eight points, besting tournament, a regular event at the Club. The event the field by a full point. Izoria was undefeated with was a triumph for New York State Chess Hall of an impressive performance where he only yielded Famer IM Jay Bonin, who swept the 10player field draws to GM’s Hedinn Steingrimsson and Maxim with a perfect 4-0 score. Dlugy, who were second and third respectively in the event. FM Boris Privman and NM Ted Belanoff tied for second with three points, both losing to Bonin in the Steingrimsson scored 7-2, coming back from a upset Bryan Quick directed tourmament. second-round loss to FM Arben Darcha. Dlugy had 6 ½ points, losing only to Steingrimmson and IM Jay The first weekend of May brought the May Marshall Bonin, who placed fourth with six points. The Grand Prix to the Club, and 55 players participated in tournament was directed by Gregory Keener for the the event. Marshall.

Former US Champion Maxim Dlugy led a group of The March 19th through April 16th version of the six players at the top with 4-1 scores. Also at four Marshall FIDE Thursday drew 22 players and was were former New York State Champion Nicolas de T won by NM Brian Hulse with 4 ½ points. Hulse only Checa, IM Jay Bonin, SM Praveen Balakrishman, yielded a draw to Expert George Berg in the third NM Stanislave Busygin, and NM Aravind Kumar. round. Experts Edward Kopiecki and Jeffrey Dlugy and de Checa won the first three rounds and Tannenbaum, along with Ethan Genger, tied for third took two half-point byes, while the others scored full with three points in the Frank Brady directed event. points in the last round to catch the leaders. Gregory Keener assisted.

NM Alexander King, George Berg and rising junior The April Grand Prix at the Marshall drew 44 players Weslet Wang tied for seventh with 3 ½ points. from the third through the fifth for five rounds of slow chess. Gregory Keener directed with assistance from Oscar Garcia. Five players tied for first with four points: GM Maxim Dlugy, who won his first three games and Twenty-one players contested the April Marshall took two half-point byes to end the event, FM Ilye Master on April 28, and two tied for first. They were Figler, NM Rostislave Taborsky, and Experts Icelandic GM Hedinn Steingrimsson and French IM Vladimir Polyakin and Justin Chen. Figler, the Colmban Vitoux, who is a semi-regular at the tournament’s third-highest rated player, lost to Marshall. While they both had a draw, they did not Polyakin in the first round and won four straight to draw each other. Steingrimmson drew GM Mark work his way back through the field, beating IM Jay Paragua in the third round, while Vitoux drew Expert Bonin in the last round. Taborsky and Chen were Eric Balck in the second round. undefeated.

New York State Scholastic Champion Joshua Colas Bonin was clear sixth with 3 ½ points. His loss to was clear third with three points, losing to Paragua in Figler in the last round prevented him from winning the second round. the event outright.

Paragua, GM Zviad Izoria, IM Jay Bonin and NM Gregory Kenner directed with assistance from Tyrell Marriott tied for fourth with 2 ½ points in a Jermaine Reid.

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COLWELL’ S ‘DROP IN’ WATERTOWN VISIT by Don Klug

“Drop in” visitor, chess player and musician Andrew Mr. Colwell sees this as a waste of time that benefits Colwell has surprised many with his success in winning all three early 2015 local Watertown Chess Club events. We noted his 2015 Blitz title in the White. He thinks 11....b6 is a better choice 12. Qd2 spring issue of Empire Chess magazine, and now he Bb7 13. Rfd1 Rc8 14. Bc2. has completed two successive undefeated tournaments: the rapid 2015 Quick March and the 12. Bb1 Be6 13. b3 a6 14. Qd2 Spring Classic Round Robin, scoring a perfect 11-0. Threatening the b4 Knight and d6. 14... Qe7 15. Rd1 Rfd8 16. Bb6 Rd7 17. a3 Andrew Colwell was visiting family for the 2013 holidays when he “dropped in” to the Watertown Chess Club to play in the annual non-rated Holiday Tournament. After the holidays, Mr. Colwell returned to Mongolia where he studied and gathering ethno- musicology information for his future dissertation. He surprised us with his “drop in” return to the North Country this winter while awaiting school to begin. He used the time to study the royal game and play in several Rochester and the Watertown tournaments. His USCF rating has soared nearly 200 points to 1887 since late February.

Andrew will be leaving the area to pursue higher educational goals at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. We want to congratulate Andrew 17….. Nc6 18. Nd5 Bxd5 19. cxd5 Na7 20. a4 Nc8 and bid him well in his coming endeavors. Andrew Notice how the Knight has had to retreat from b4 to has succeeded in winning three of four tournaments c8. and accumulating a record of +18-3=0 in Watertown. 21. Be3 Qd8 22. a5 Rc7 23. Bd3 Nd7 24. b4 Ne7 25. Andrew will be leaving the area in first place in the Rac1 Rac8 26. Rxc7 ongoing 2015 club standings with a record of +13- White decides to trade rooks to limit the "Expert's" 2=0, and a huge four-game point lead over the field counter play options. of twelve members. Too bad that he can’t stay around 26... Rxc7 27. Nc3 Rc8 28. Na4 Qc7 ? \ for the club championship in the fall. 28... f5 29. Bg5 f4. 29. Qe1 f5 30. Rc1 Below is his fourth-round win in the WCC Spring Black's move 28...Qc7 was a waste of time. Classic against Club Champion Dr. David Kistler. 30... Qd8 31. Bg5 Bf6 32. Be3 White chooses to keep b6 in his crosshairs, but ...} WCC Spring Classic 2015 (32.Bd2 Rxc1 33. Bxc1 Qc7 34. Qc3 Qd8 {with the Colwell, Andrew 1792 Bishop eyeing b2 and a3.}) Kistler, David 2121 32... f4 33. Bf2 g5 34. Nb6 Nxb6 35. axb6 Round 4, April 16, 2015 Fixing the Black b-pawn as a target. King’s Indian Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 Nc6 7. Bd3?! A seldom seen move in this opening. Usually White plays...7. Nge2 Nd7 8. Qd2 e5 9. d5 Ne7. 7... e5 8. d5 Nd4 9. Nge2 c5 10. dxc6 Nxc6 11. O-O Nb4

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35...Ng6 36. Rc3 Qd7 37. Qc1 Rxc3 38. Qxc3 Bd8 39. b5 axb5 40. Qb4 h5 41. Bxb5 Qe7 42. Qc3 g4 If 51... Bh4 52. Qg1 Qf3 53. Bxf4 Qxf4+ 54. Kd3 Bf2 43. g3 55. Qh1+ Kg6 56. Qh3 Bxb6 57. Bd7 Ba5 58. Bf5+ White has the superior position and wants to keep the Kf7 59. Qh7+ Kf8 60. Qxb7= {or} (60. Qh8+ Kf7 61. Bishop at f2 while waiting for the higher-rated player Qh7+=) to err. 52. Qg4 Nh5 53. Bd7 Nf6 43... fxg3 44. hxg3 gxf3 45. Qxf3 h4 46. Qg4 Kh7 Black is looking for the Queen and Bishop , but,,, 47. Be3 hxg3 48. Qxg3 Nf4 49. Kf1! Qf7 50. Ke1 54. Bf5+ Kh8 55. Qh3+ Kg8 ?? If White plays 50. Qf3 Qh5 51. Qxh5+ Nxh5 52. Ke2 Under pressure, Black overlooks the move 55…Qh5. Nf6 53. Kd3 Black seems to be in a position to hold 56. Be6 1-0 on to the draw. 50... Qh5 51. Kd2 Qf7??

FIDE Master Fisher Crushes Watertown Open Field by Don Klug

FIDE Master William Fisher traveled to the 12... d5 13. cxd5 cxd5 14. Nc5 fxg3 15. fxg3 Qd6 Thousand Islands region in early May to visit with 16. Re3 friends and decided a win could 16. Nxb7 Qb4 17. Nc5 Bxf3 18. Bxf3 Rxf3 losing the help pay travel expenses. Mr. Fisher easily cruised by piece) Andrew Colwell, Ken Chamberlain and Ft. Drum 16... b6 17. Nb3 Nc6 18. h3? Bxh3! Expert Rudy Tia before quickly crushing Newburgh resident David Antonucci in round four. Mr. Antonucci and SSG Tia tied for second place with upset wins over local Expert Dr. David Kistler. An upcoming young Ashton Keith tied with Gouverneur attorney Michael Gebo for the Under 1800 prize. The fourth round championship game follows.

2015 Watertown Open Antonucci, David, 1958 FM Fisher, William 2449 Round 4, May 2, 2015 Dutch Defense

1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 c6 8. Re1 Nh5 9. e4

9. Qb3 Qc7 10. h3 e5 11. c5+ d5 12. Nxe5. 19. Ne5? 9... f4 10. e5 Bg4 11.exd6 exd6 12. Ne4 Another error, 19. Bxh3 Qxg3+ 20. Bg2 Nf4 21. Qd2, 12. Re4 Nd7 13. gxf4 Ndf6 14. Re, and White is fine but it does not matter, White can resign anytime. ...the previous recommended counter 9. Qb3 doesn't 19…Bxg2 20. Kxg2 Nxe5 21. dxe5 Bxe5 22. Rd3 work now… 12. Qb3 ?? Bxf3 13. Bxf3 fxg3 14. c5+ Bxg3 23. Bh6 Rf2+ 24. Kg1 Rh2 25. Rxd5 Bf2+ d5 15. hxg3 Rxf3. (with mate in one) 0-1

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Fritz/Ulvestad Analysis: by Richard Moody Jr. advantage White. White will get in d4 when Black The Fritz is one of the main lines of the Two Knights' Defense that leads to a slight advantage for White. can play 11...Be7 12.d4 exd4 13.cxd4 O-O +/= The Ulvestad has very little independent value because most commonly it transposes to the Fritz. We will now look at the wild and wooly Berliner

Here are the starting moves in the Ulvestad: Gambit and present the classic game Estrin-Berliner 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 b5--- won by ICCF GM Berliner. It is, according to GM 6.Bf1 Andy Soltis, one of the top 100 games ever played in ….is the main line. Black can avoid the the 20th century and is presented here in its entirety. It to the Fritz (6...Nd4 7.c3) by playing 6...h6 but this is the only correspondence game to make the top 100 makes no sense to me. White now can just play list. 7.Nxf7 Kxf7 8.dxc6 Qd5 9.Nc3 Qxc6 10.Nxb5 Bf5 11.Nc3 Rd8 12.a3 & White has a comfortable plus Dr. Berliner, the winner of the 1953 New York State two pawns up. White threatens d3/Qf3 +/- Championship and the first non-New Yorker to win the event, was so confident of his analysis he The Fritz, 5.exd5 Nd4 6.c3 b5 7.Bf1 is the main line claimed that his gambit refuted 4.Ng5. Actually it targeting the weak b-pawn. leads to the largest plus by White of any major opening. 7...Nxd5 Online members tried to argue that 8.cxd4 is better than 8.Ne4. Here are the starting moves of the Berliner Gambit With best play by Black both variations are only +/=. but before looking at the Berliner game, I will present Fritz's book in a competing variation: 5.exd5 Nd4 Here is the former variation: 8.cxd4 Qxg5 9.Bxb5+ 6.c3 b5 7.Bf1 Nxd5 8.Ne4 Qh4 9.Ng3 Bb7 10.cxd4 Kd8 10.O-O Bb7 11.Qf3 Rb8 12.dxe5 Ne3 13.Qh3 O-O-O 11.Be2 Nf4 12.O-O Rxd4 13.Bf3 e4 Qxg2+ 14.Qxg2 Nxg2 15.d4 Be7! (15…Nh4?! 14.Bg4+ Kb8 15.Nf5 Qg5 16.Nxd4 h5 17.d3 hxg4 16.Bg5+ Be7 17.Bxh4! Bxh4 18.Nc3 or 18.b3 +/= to 18.Bxf4 Qxf4 19.g3 Qh6 20.h4 g5 21.dxe4 gxh4 +/-) 16.Be2 Nh4 17.Rd1 Nf3+ 18.Bxf3 Bxf3 19.Rd3 22.Nf5 Qg5 23.Qd2 This is the last move in Fritz's Ba8 +/= Fritz 14 was able to hold all the endgames. book and it evaluates the position as about 3+.

White has an advantage here that means he can make The Berliner Gambit starts with 8.Ne4 Qh4 9.Ng3 Black sweat the draw. There are a large number of Bg4 10.f3 e4 11.cxd4 Bd6. 12.Bxb5+ endgames that are tough to win. For example when (I prefer 12.Qe2) the Knight gets to c3, Black might try …Bb4 to steer for a Bishops of opposite color ending. There are also Here is the game Estrin-Berliner played in the 5th a huge number of Rook and pawn endings a pawn up Correspondence World Championship. GM Berliner that are all theoretical draws which doesn't mean that won the Fifth Championship, held from 1865-68. White won't win against inexact play by Black. GM Yakov Estrin was an over-the-board IM and Humans often lose Rook and pawn endings a pawn correspondence World Champion, winning the down. seventh title from 1972-76. Berliner is one of two American World Correspondence Champions, with The next variation is 8.Ne4 Victor Palciauskas winning the Tenth Championship Black can play quietly with 8...Ne6 when the active from 1978-84. Knights give Black just about full for the pawn after 9.Bxb5+ Bd7. GM and I According to most experts, it is one of the finest spent a half-hour looking at 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 and endgames ever played: It continued: 5. exd5 b5 6. concluded that Black had equality. White can try to Bf1 Nd4 7. c3 Nxd5 8.Ne4 Qh4 9. Ng3 Bg4 10. f3 improve with 10.Bc4 Bc6 11.O-O but the position e4 11. cxd4 Bd6 12. Bxb5+ Kd8 13. O-O exf3 14. soon becomes closer to equality rather than any real Rxf3 Rb8 15. Be2? This is the critical mistake. With 15.Bf1 White has a 20

big plus after 15...Re8 16.Nc3 Nb4 17.d3 Bxf3 Longtime Binghamton-area player Ed Kelley won the 18.Qxf3 Qxd4+ 19.Kh1 Bc5 20.Nge2 Qf2 21.Qxf2 Open section of the tournament with 3 ½ points, Bxf2 22.Nd1 +/-. yielding a last-round draw to Syracuse player Ken 15…Bxf3 16. Bxf3 Qxd4+ 17. Kh1 Bxg3 18. hxg3 Chamberlain up a full point in the tournament. Rb6 19. d3 Ne3 20. Bxe3 Qxe3 21. Bg4 h5 22. Bh3 Chamberlain and Pennsylvania Expert Antonio g5 23. Nd2 g4 24. Nc4 Qxg3 25. Nxb6 gxh3 26. Qf3 Scalzo tied for second with 2 ½ points. hxg2+ 27. Qxg2 Qxg2+ 28. Kxg2 cxb6 29. Rf1 Ke7 30. Re1+ Kd6 31. Rf1 Rc8 32. Rxf7 Rc7 33. Rf2 In the Reserve section, Harold Riley won with three Ke5 34. a4 Kd4 35. a5 Kxd3 36. Rf3+ Kc2 37. b4 points, besting Robert McGuinness by half a point. b5 38. a6 Rc4 39. Rf7 Rxb4 40. Rb7 Rg4+ 41. Kf3 John Cordisco directed. b4 42. Rxa7 b3 0-1 Members of Syracuse’s Southside Academy chess In the 12.Qe2 variation, Black is just a piece down team took chess to a match against the Syracuse Fire with insufficient compensation. Black can try Department on Thursday, June 4. While the Berliner's suggestion of 12...Be6? But this loses firefighters were adults and are known as the Bravest, several ways. White gets a big plus with 13.Qxb5+ it was the children from Southside Academy that won and the King is forced to an awkward square. I chose the most games in the match. The match received to sacrifice a Rook here where in typical anti-gambit coverage on Channel 3 TV in Syracuse, and over 150 fashion White gives back just enough material to likes on the Syracuse Fire Department Facebook squelch the attack and seize the with page. 13.Nc3!! Nxc3 14.dxc3 Bxg3+ 15.hxg3 Qxh1 16.Qxb5+ and it doesn't matter whether Black stays Below are two picture from the event. a piece down or not White is still much better after either 16...Kf8 +/- when White has a Bishop and two pawns for the Rook and will soon pick up the c-pawn with a big initiative or Black can sacrifice a piece with 16...Bd7 17.Qe5+ Be6 18.d5 O-O 19.dxe6 +/-

The alternative to 12...Be6 is 12...O-O 13.fxg4 Bxg3+ 14.Kd1 Fritz after several minutes of thought evaluates the position as about +2 and plays 14...c6 15.Nc3 Rfe8 16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.b3 a6 18.Bb2 Bd6 19.Rc1 Rac8 20.Rc3 Bb4 21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.a3 Bd6 23.b4 +- Black obviously has other tries but after 14...b4 15.d3+- or 14...Nf6 15.g5 Ng4 16.Kc2 +-

In summary Black can emerge with only a small disadvantage in either the 8.Ne4 variation or the 8.cxd4 variation. The Berliner Gambit on the other hand is a win for White and 9...Bb7 is also +-.

Central New York News by Karl Heck

Experts Antonio Scalzo and Rudy Tia, Jr. won a closely-contested 61th Binghamton Open held on May 26. Both players had 2 ½ points, and splitting their games against each other.

John Cordisco directed for the Chess Center.

Cordisco’s Chess Center in Binghamton held the 60th Binghamton Open on Sunday, April 19.

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Open Lines..tidbits about the chess world. by Karl Heck

 Amelie Phung of New York won the Under 8 Girls section of the North American Youth Chess Championship held in Toluca, Moexico. Phung had a perfect 8-0 score, winning the tournament by two full points. Fellow New Yorker Lucas Foerster-Yialamas was second in the Under 8 Open section with an 8-1 score, losing only to the frontrunner American Aghilan Nachiappan in the third round. Congratulations to these New York rising stars on their outstanding accomplishments. This tournament was held in Tarrytown in 2014.

 It is possible that the 2016 FIDE will be held in New York, During the closing ceremony for the 2014 World Championship, it was stated that the next championship would be held in the United States. New York and St. Louis are the most likely locations for this event. The World Trade Center in New York City hosted ’s 1995 victory over in what was Kasparov’s last successful title defense. New York also hosted the World Chess Championship in 1891, which Wilhelm Stenitz defeated Isidor Gunzberg, and hosted portions of the 1894 and 1907 World Chess Championships.

 Long-time New York City International Master Justin Sarkar earned his third GM and completed a key step to becoming a . Sarkar scored 6 ½-2 ½ in the University of at Brownsville May GM Norm Tournament, and now needs to raise his FIDE rating from 2408 to 2500 in order to be awarded the title. Sarkar attributed the improvement in his play in an article in Chess Life Online to a move to Ossining, NY, just outside New York City and a better ability to focus on chess through personal growth.

Sarkar earned the IM title in 2001, when he was 20. He placed second in the 10-player tournament, behind Russian GM Andrey Stukopin. Getting the GM norm, though, is worth its weight in gold. Sarkar’s fourth-round win against Texas Grandmaster Holden Hernandez is shown below.

University of Texas at Brownsville, 2015 White: IM Justin Sarkar Black: GM Holden Hernandez Nimzo-Indian Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c55.dxc5 OO 6.a3 Bxc5 7.Nf3 Nc68.Bg5 Nd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.e3 Qa511.exd4 Qxg5 12.Qd2 Qg6 13.f3 d514.c5 Nd7 15.Bb5 Nb8 16.OO Bd717.Bxd7 Nxd7 18.b4 a6 19.Rfe1 Nb820.a4 Nc6 21.b5 Nb4 22.Reb1 Qc223.Ra2 Qxd2 24.Rxd2 a5 25.Na2 Nxa 226.Rxa2 Rfc8 27.Rc2 Kf8 28.Kf2 Ke729.Ke3 g5 30.h4 h6 31.Rh1 Rc732.hxg5 hxg5 33.Rh7 R ac8 34.g4 Rg835.Rch2 Rcc8 36.R2h6 Rcf8 37.f4 Ke838.Kf3 Ke7 39.f5 exf5 40.gxf5 g4+41.Kg3 Rg5 42.Rb6 Rxf5 43.Rhh6 Kd844.Rxb7 Kc8 45.Rhb6 1-0

In a companion IM-norm event in Brownsville, New York junior FM Michael Bodek won the tournament and earned his last-needed IM norm with a score of 7 ½-1 ½. Bodek cruised to six wins in the first seven rounds, getting draws in the last two rounds to win the tournament and earn the norm with half a point to spare. Congratulations to both players, and thank you to the folks in Brownsville for making this tournament a reality.  The FIDE Chess 2015 will be held in , , the hometown of former World Champion Garry Kasparov, from September 10 to October 4, 2015. The 128-player, single-elimination

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tournament will qualify two players for the 2016 FIDE . Two-game mini- matches are played in an elimination format until the final, which is four games.

Former New York stars U.S. Champion GM and GM are both qualified in the top five of the tournament, as is New York-born GM Sam Sevian at 14 years old. Current New York State Champion and former World Champion challenger GM Gata Kamsky is also qualified. Caruana recently changed his federation back to the United States from Italy, and will be flying the Stars and Stripes at the World Cup.

Caruana and Nakamura were the two top finishers of the FIDE Grand Prix 2014-15, and therefore will be moving on to the Candidates in any event, but will be participating in the World Cup. The winner of the World Cup will receive $120,000, and full coverage will be available on chess24.com.

 The 2015 US Championship in St. Louis was a triumph for New York native GM Hikaru Nakamura and current and long-time New Yorker GM Irina Krush, who swept out the competition Krush won the Women’s Championship with an 8 ½-2 ½ score, besting the field by a full point. She had seven wins and only one loss, in the third round to new American IM Nazi Paikidze. She drew second-place finisher WGM Katerina Nemcova in the last round in a game that didn’t ultimately affect the Championship.

Nakamura scored 8-3 in a very competitive championship that saw World Top 10 lose four games, including a controversial forfeit loss for illegal notetaking. Nakamura was undefeated with five wins and six draws, working carefully but effectively through the field, and getting a last-round win against GM to clinch top prize. Webster University’s GM was second with 7 ½ points, and So was third with 6 ½. As this was a FIDE Zonal year, ultimately an even score was sufficient to qualify for the FIDE World Cup as Nakamura and So were seeded in by rating. New York State Champion GM Gata Kamsky, Corning native GM Sam Sevian and got over the cut line to get into the running for the World Championship.

The Open Championship was Nakamura’s fourth. He won previously in 2005, 2009 and 2012. Krush won the Women’s Championshp for the seventh time and this was her fourth straight Championship. She also won in 1999, 2007 and 2010 along with the current 2012-15 streak.

 New York’s National Girls’ Invitational Tournament representative Ella Papanek tuned up for the National tournament in April by tying for second in the 35-player Under 16 section of the 12th All-Girls National Championship in with 4 ½ points. Papanek was on Board One in the last round, losing to the champion, Maggie Luo of Virginia. Fellow New Yorker Florizelle Songco also tied for second in the section.

In other sections of the All-Girls Nationals, Sarah Ascherman placed fifth in the Under 18 section with a 4-2 score, Nancy Wang tied for fourth in the Under 14 section with 4 ½ points, and Yassamin Emsani tied for second in the Under 12 section with five points. New Yorkers Nivedita Morris and Maya Doron-Repa tied for first in the Under 10 section with 5 ½ points. Morris drew Anh Nguyen of Texas, the other co-champion, in the last round. Aayushma Rai and Louise Huston tied for second with five points in the Under 8 section.

The All-Girls Nationals drew 359 players, an increase of 37 from 2014.

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 USCF staffer Joan DuBois, a native New Yorker and fixture of the USCF office when it was in Newburgh, celebrated her 45th anniversary with USCF at their offices in Tennessee. When Ms. DuBois started with USCF, the organization had about 10,000 members and had never been World Champion. A lot has changed since she joined the chess world.

 The United States placed ninth in the Women’s World Team Championship, held in Chengzu, in April. New Yorker FM Alisa Melekhina scored 4-4 for the USA, one of two Americans who got four points in a very difficult tournament. won the event.

 On the men’s side, GM and former New York State Scholastic Champion led the way for the men in the World Team Championship in Tsaghkadzor, Armenia in April. Lenderman scored 5-2 in the tournament, with four wins, one loss and two draws, winning the Gold Medal on Board Two with a 2818 performance rating. The US team as a whole finished fifth in the ten-team competition. Seeded ninth, the US ended up out of the medals but with a performance that exceeded expectations. Here is one of Lenderman’s wins against former World Championship challenger Vassily Ivanchuk

World Team Championship, Armenia 2015 White: Lenderman, Alex Black: Ivanchuk, Vassily

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 OO5.Nf3 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.OO c6 8.Qc2 Nbd79.Rd1 Qc7 10.d5 c xd5 11.Nb5 Qb812.cxd5 Nc5 13.Nd2 a5 14.Nc4 Ncxe415.f3 Bd7 16.a4 Bxb5 17.axb5 Nc518.N b6 Ra7 19.Be3 Rd8 20.Ra3 Bf821.Rda1 Qc7 22.b4 Qxb6 23.bxa5 Rxa524.Rxa5 Nxd5 25.Bf2 Bh6 26.R5a3 Nf427.Ra8 Kg7 28.Bc4 Rxa8 29.Rxa8 Qc730.Kf1 Qd7 31.Qd1 Nce6 32.g3 Nh33 3.Bb6 Neg5 34.Bc5 Nf4 35.Bxd6 Qh3+36.Ke1 Ng2+ 37.Ke2 Nf4+ 38.Ke1 Ng2+39.Ke2 Nf4+ 4 0.Kd2 Nfe6 41.Kc3 Qf542.h4 1-0

 World Champion ’s loss on time in the super-tournament highlighs some of the points on manners and awareness that our columnist Neal Bellon has been featuring in his columns.

World Champion or not, you have to know the rules for each tournament. You also have an obligation to show up to the game on time and ready to play. Carlsen was a minute late. That minute could have been used to win the game or listen to the pre-tournament announcements many players find boring and a waste of time, but explain rules like this one.

The time control for the Norway tournament is 40 minutes in two hours, followed by 60 minutes with a 30 second increment added from Move 41, is slightly different from the normal FIDE rules. However, part of being a competitor is knowing the rules, and his opponent, Vasily Topolov, made sure he knew the correct time controls.

The World Champion and highest-rated player in the world started the Grand Chess Tour Norway tournament with three losses and one draw, likely the worst start of his career. The psychological damage of losing a won game on time no doubt was one reason for the historic slump.

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MID-HUDSON VALLEY CHESS VASSAR-CHADWICK CHESS CLUB (please visit www.Vassar-Chadwick.com!) By Dr. Craig Fisher FM William Fisher wins May Vassar 3-Round Swiss

FM William Fisher had a strong 3 wins and 0 losses performance in the Vassar-Chadwick May 2015 3-round Swiss to win the eight-player event by a full point. Expert Leo Freyvert was second place with a 2 – 1 mark. George Oliveras won the Booster section trophy on tie breaks and Will Karafelis won the biggest upset trophy. Craig Fisher directed. Eric Horsboll wins Vassar Spring Quick

In a strong field of 10 that included three experts and three A-players, Eric Horsboll stood all alone in first place at the end of April 27th Vassar Spring Quick tournament with 3 ½ points. Horsboll won his first three rounds and then drew fellow Expert Leonid Preyvert in the last round to win the tournament. Alqi “Archie” Dore won the Booster Section with an undefeated 3-1 score, with two wins and two draws. Mike Mendez won the Biggest Upset prize for his last-round win over Expert Ernie Johnson, rated almost 300 points above him. Coldenham Vassar Memorial Tournament 2015

Expert Ernie Johnson won the April 25 Coldenham Vassar Memorial Tournament with a perfect 3 – 0 score on the way to becoming the Vassar-Chadwick 2015 Memorial Chess Champion. Three people tied for second place with 2 points. Leonid Freyvert took the 2nd place trophy home based on tiebreaks over Lonnie Kwartler and Peter Barkman. FM Fisher Wins 37th Dutchess County Championship

Thirty-three players competed in the 37th Annual Dutchess County Chess Championship, held from February 23 through March 23 at the Vassar-Chadwick Club. One Master and five Experts led the field with the following interesting results.

FM Will Fisher (2445) was clear first with a score of 4.5 out of 5. Fisher conceded a draw in the third round to class-A player Colin Denniston. Mark Courtney (1866) 2nd place with a score of 4 losing only to Will Fisher, Leonid Freyvert (2039) and Colin Denniston (1937) all tied for second place with 4-1 scores. Fisher and Freyvert won top class prizes. Denniston was undefeated with a last-round draw against Expert Ernie Johnson preventing a tie at the top. Freyvert lost in the first round to Michael O’Connor in the first round and then won four straight to work his way back through the field. . Michael O’Connor (1652) gained over 100 rating points with two wins over Experts as well as earning him the Top B trophy. He was also the Tournament Director. Hernan Salazar won the Top C Trophy.

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New York State Chess Association Champions Year Champion Site 1919 Abraham Kupchik Troy 1878 Judge James R. Cox Auburn* 1920 Jacob Bernstein Albany 1879 H.A. Richmond Auburn 1921 Jacob Bernstein Syracuse 1880 Rev. Samuel R. Calthrop Syracuse* 1922 Jacob Bernstein Buffalo 1881 Rev. John Costello Tunkhannock,PA 1923 Rudolph Smirka Syracuse * 1924 Carlos Torre Rochester 1882 George H. Thornton Buffalo 1925 Hermann Helms Buffalo 1883 (Jan.) Rev. Samuel R. Elmira 1926 Milton Hanauer Rome Cathrop 1927 Rudolph Smirka Rome 1884 (Dec.) Niles D. Luce Elmira* 1928 Anthony E. Santasiere Buffalo* 1884 Niles D. Luce Elmira 1929 Buffalo* 1885 Niles D. Luce Elmira* 1930 Anthony E. Santasiere Utica 1886 Dr. J.M. Cassety Albany 1931 Fred Reinfeld Rome 1887 Eugene Delmar New York City 1932 Nathan Grossman Rome 1888 No contest 1933 Fred Reinfeld Syracuse 1889 Samuel Lipscheutz New York City* 1934 Robert Levenstein Syracuse* 1890 Eugene Delmar New York City 1935 Isaac I. Kashdan Binghamton 1891 Eugene Delmar New York City 1936 Isaac I. Kashdan Poughkeepsie 1892 Albert B. Hodges Skaneateles* 1937 David S. Polland Cazenovia 1893 Albert B. Hodges New York City* 1938 Arnold S. Denker Cazenovia 1894 Albert B. Hodges New York City 1939 Arnold S. Denker Hamilton 1895 David G. Baird New York City 1940 Robert Willman Hamilton 1896 Nicolai Jasnogrodsky New York City 1941 Reuben Fine Hamilton 1897 Eugene Delmar New York City 1942 A. Horowitz Cazenovia 1898 Gustav H. Koehler New York City 1943 Israel A. Horowitz Syracuse* 1899 Samuel Lipscheutz New York City* 1944 No contest William M. DeVisser 1945 George M. Kramer Saratoga Springs 1900 Frank J. Marshall New York City* 1946 Anthony E. Santasiere Cazenovia 1901 Julius Finn New York City 1947 Albert S. Pinkus Endicott 1902 Berthold Lasker New York City* 1948 Larry M. Evans Endicott 1903 Otto Roething New York City* 1949 Rochester 1904 No contest 1950 Eliot S. Hearst Binghamton 1905 No contest 1951 James Sherwin Syracuse 1906 Hermann Helms New York City 1952 John W. Collins Cazenovia 1907 Julius Finn New York City 1953 Hans Berliner Cazenovia 1908 Julius Finn New York City 1954 William Lombardy Binghamton 1909 Clarence S. Howell New York City 1955 Edmar Mednis Cazenovia 1910 Jose R. Capablanca New York City 1956 Anthony E. Santasiere Buffalo 1911 Paul F. Johner New York City 1957 August Rankis Binghamton 1912 Jacob Rosenthal New York City 1958 Mitchell Saltzberg Cazenovia 1913 Leonard B. Meyer New York City 1959 August Rankis Schenectady George J. Beihoff 1960 Erich W. Marchand Cazenovia 1914 Roy T. Black New York City 1961 Herbert Seidman Cazenovia 1915 Abraham Kupchik New York City* 1962 Pal C. Benko Poughkeepsie 1916 Harold E. Jennings Buffalo* 1963 George Mauer Cazenovia 1917 Oscar Chajes Rochester Mitchell Saltzberg 1918 Kenneth S. Howard Rochester 1964 Ithaca

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1965 John T. Westbrock Ithaca 1994 Michael Rohde Saratoga Springs 1966 Raul Benedicto Syracuse 1995 Saratoga Springs 1967 Erich W. Marchand Canandaigua Victor Frias 1968 Roger B. Johnson Schenectady 1996 Ronald Burnett Saratoga Springs 1969 Erich W. Marchand Corning Michael Rohde 1970 Erich W. Marchand Rochester 1997 Jay Bonin Saratoga Springs 1971 Herbert Seidman Syracuse* 1998 Ronald Burnett Saratoga Springs 1972 Ken Rogoff Syracuse 1999 Jay Bonin Saratoga Springs 1973 Jonathan Tisdall Buffalo 2000 Joel Benjamin Saratoga Springs 1974 Paul Jacklyn Albany * Dmitry Schneider 1975 Sunil Weeramantry Albany Daniel Edelman 1976 Leonid Shamkovich Albany 2001 Joel Benjamin Rochester 1977 Leonid Shamkovich Albany Sunil Weeramantry 1978 Edward Formanek Syracuse Chuck Cadman 1979 Vitaly Zaltsman Albany 2002 Joel Benjamin Kerhonkson 1980 Roman Dzindzichashvili New York City Alex Stripunsky 1981 Ken Regan New York City Aaron Pixton 1982 Jay Bonin Albany Michael Rohde 1983 Mikhail Zlotnikov Albany 2003 Aaron Pixton Kerhonkson* 1984 Maxim Dlugy Syracuse 2004 Hikaru Nakamura Kerhonkson 1985 Joel Benjamin Rockville Center 2005 Gata Kamsky Monticello 1986 Anthony Renna Binghamton 2006 Teddy Coleman Albany* Joel Benjamin 2007 Hikaru Nakamura Albany* Walter Shipman 2008 Alex Lenderman Albany 1987 Robert Byrne Saratoga Springs 2009 Giorgi Kacheishvili Albany Joel Benjamin 2010 Aleksandr Ostrovskiy Albany* 1988 Vince McCambridge Rye 2011 Michael Chiang Albany* 1989 Michael Rohde Albany 2012 Raven Sturt Albany* 1990 Roman Dzindzichashvili Kingston Joel Benjamin 2013 Nicholas de T Checa Albany 1991 John Fedorowicz Rockville Center 2014 Gata Kamsky Albany 1992 Joel Benjamin Saratoga Springs 1993 Michael Rohde Saratoga Springs

Election Issue! Be Sure to Vote.

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New York State Updated Chess Club Directory

Rochester Chess Center [email protected] Don Klug 221 Norris Drive buffalo chess.blogspot.com 315-408-1850 Rochester, NY 14610 for additional information. www.watertownchessclub.com Ron Lohrman, 585-442-2430 Monday and Wednesday: 4:30-10 Southern Tier Sullivan Chess Club p.m. Hornell Chess Club 707 Mohawk St., Chittenango Tuesday, 6-8 p.m. Hornell Intermediate School Mondays, 6:00 p.m. Friday, 6:30-10 p.m. Park Street, Hornell John Wolf, 315-687-3356 Saturday: 10 a.m-10 p.m. (Summer: Arkport Community [email protected] www.nychess.org Room)Fred Harris, 607-295- 9858 Capital Region Niagara Falls Chess Club [email protected] For Capital Region and Hudson Wegmans, Military Road, NF Thursday, 6:30 p.m. Valley clubs, go to: Wednesday, 6:30-10:30 p.m. www.enyca.org Harish Srinivasan Elmira/Corning Chess Club [email protected] Manos Diner, Monday Albany Area Chess Club 118 College Ave. Elmira Hamilton Union Presbyterian Westfield Chess Club Raynesford Taylor Bacorn Church CJ’s Pizza, 77 E. Main St., 607-734-8602 2291 Western Ave., Guilderland Westfield Monday, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, 7 p.m. Wednesday, 5-8 p.m. Thu. Barnes & Noble, 821 CR 64, Chuck Eson, [email protected] [email protected] Big Flats East Greenbush Chess Club University of Buffalo CC Central New York Sunshine Day Care, across from UB North Campus, 108 Clemens Seymour Library Chess Club Greenbush Reformed Church, East Hall Seymour Public Library Greenbush Tuesday & Thursday, 6:30 p.m. 176 West Genesee Street, Auburn 14 Hayes Road Scott Zdunczyk Second Saturday of the Month, 1-4 Wednesdays 6:30-10 p.m. [email protected] p.m. Bill Matters, 518-477-2820 Tom McKellop www.eastgreenbushchessclub.or Lakeshore Chess Club 315-252-3789 g Lake Shore Library [email protected] Route 5, Guilderland Chess Club Thursdays, 6-11 p.m. Syracuse Chess Club Guilderland Public Library Don Hoak, 716-627-2643 Pop’s Media Café 2228Western Avenue, Guilderland Shoppingtown Mall Friday, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Stars of CC 3649 Erie Blvd. E, De Witt Philip Sells, Audubon Library, Amherst Tuesdats, 6-9 pm. [email protected] Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. Anton Ninno [email protected] www.syracusechess.com Greenwich Chess Club Greenwich Free Library, Jamestown Chess Club Watertown Chess Club Greenwich Chautauqua Chess Assoc. HSBC Building Thursday, 7 p.m. 111 W. 2nd St., Suite 210, 120 Washington Street John Hartnett, Mark Clark, 716-763-6825 Watertown [email protected] Thu., 6-9 pm,. Sat. 10:30-3:30. Tuesdays, 7-11 p.m.

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Saratoga Staunton Chess Club 914-831-3707 United Methodist Church Saratoga Springs United Methodist Alan Abrams – Treasurer 470 East Meadow Ave. Church TheBobPeretzChessClub.blogspot. East Meadow, NY 11554 (5th Avenue and Hennings Road) com Neil Bellon Sunday, 7:00 p.m. Mondays 7:45PM – Midnight Thursdays, 7:15 – 10:30 PM Alan LeCours, 518-583-0400 www.lichessclub.com [email protected] Westchester Chess Club Trinity Lutheran Church Long Island Chess Nuts Schenectady Chess Club 25 Crane Road, Scarsdale Old County Rd., Garden City Niskayuna Community Center Thursday, 7:30-11:00 p.m. Margarita Lanides 2682 Aqueduct Rd., Niskayuna Polly Wright [email protected] Thursday, 7:30 p.m. 914-961-6346 516-739-3907 Richard Chu, President [email protected] Thu. & Fri., 4-6 pm [email protected] www.westchesterchessclub.com Many Scholastic locations om Marshall Chess Club Nassau Chess Club Hudson Valley 23 W 10 St, NYC 1st Presbyterian Church of Mineola King’s Knight CC Dr. Marcus Fenner, Manager Main & First Sts. Mineola Rosendale Café 212-477-3716 Harold Stenzel, 435 Main St., Rosendale Weekdays, 1:00-12:00 pm 631-218-4440 Ken Evans, 845-331-8186 Weekends, noon – midnight Monday, 7 - 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, 7 p.m. Marshallchessclub.org [email protected] [email protected] nassauchessclub.webs.com Queens Chess Club Middletown Chess Club All Saints Lutheran Church Syosset Chess Mates Chester Senior Center, 1784 Kings 164-02 Goethals Avenue, Jamaica Walt Whitman Elem. School Highway, Chester (w) Friday, 7:30 pm to Sat 12:30 Woodbury, NY 11797 Lonnie Kwartler, 845-469-4451 am; events start at 8:15 pm Randi Gertler / Marc Berger Wednesday, 8:00 p.m. Ed Frumkin, 212-677-3224 (516) 381-1755 [email protected] Tuesdays 4:30-7 p.m. Vassar-Chadwick CC www.queens-chess.com [email protected] Vassar College, Poughkeepsie www.lichessmates.com Monday 7 pm (Marist summer) Staten Island Chess Club Craig Fisher, 845-462-5630 Saint Paul’s-Saint Luke’s Lutheran Chess Clubs are the lifeblood of [email protected] Church chess activity in New York. www.vassar-chadwick.com 164 Decker Ave., S.I. Support your local club. Wednesday, 7-12 p.m. Supporting your local chess club Walden Chess Club Jackson Hueckel, 718-354-0923 allows chess activities in your Josephine-Louise Public Library www.sichessclub.com community to flourish in ways 5 Schofield St, Walden, that Internet chess will never be Saturday 10am-2pm, Max Pavey Chess Club able to replace. 845-778-7621 Recreation Center

New York City/Westchester 48 Macy Rd., Briarcliff Be part of your chess community, The Bob Peretz Chess Club Stanley Kravitz, 914-232-4836 and make your chess club part of (Formerly -Yonkers Friday, 7 p.m. your community! Check Chess Club) [email protected] White Plains YMCA www.nysca.net for updated chess 250 Mamaroneck Ave. Long Island club information. White Plains, NY 10601 Long Island Chess Club

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Upcoming NYSCA-Sponsored and Major Tournaments

JUNE 25, JULY 2, 9, AUG. 6,20, 27 SEP. 3, 17, 24 Marshall Thursday Action 4-SS, G/25 d5. $325 b/28: $100-75-50. U2200, U1900: $50. EF: $40, MCC Mbrs. $20. Rounds.: 7-8:15-9:30- 10:45. Limit two byes; request by rd. 2.marshallchessclub.org 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.

JUNE 27, JULY 11,18,25 AUG 1,8, 15,22,29 Rochester Chess Center Saturday Tournaments! 3-SS, G/60 d5. Rochester CC, 221 Norris Dr., Rochester, NY 14610. 585-442-2430. Prizes based on entries. EF: $15, RCC members $13. $2 less for HS and Pre-HS. Reg.: 1-1:45 pm. Rds.: 2-4-6. One bye available, request at entry. www.nychess.org. Also, Youth tournament, G/30 d5, every Saturday morning 10am-1pm, trophies and prizes. EF: $5.

JUNE 28 4th Sunday Quads - in memory of Norma Shelly and Bill Little Albany Area Chess Club, resumption of Sunday Quads. 3R Quad w/8, 12 o/w SS, G/60 d5. 251 New Karner Rd., Colonie,NY. Two Sections:U1900, U1500. Prize: 1st $30. EF: $15 cash,check, no cc. Rds.: 10, 12:30, 3. Reg.: 9:15-9:45, 1/2 bye 2nd rd. only, req before 1st rd. Membership in USCF must be current. Adv. entry to: [email protected] by Thurs. before event. C. Eson TD.

Tuesday Night Quads – Brooklyn Strategist Brooklyn Strategist, 333 Court St., Brooklyn, NY. G/25 d5. Every Tuesday night 7 p.m. EF: $20. 1 bye available. Prizes: 1st, 2nd, Under 1800 - approimately 60% payout. Food & drink available onsite. Contact: 718- 576-3035.

JULY 27, AUG. 3,10, 17 103nd Nassau Grand Prix 4-SS, 40/80 d0. 1st Presbyterian Church, 1st & Main Sts., Mineola. 2 sections. Open: EF: $36 by 3/27. $$ (630 b/20, top 2 G) 180-120, U2100, 1900, 1700/UR each 110. Booster: open to U1500/UR. EF: $19 by 3/27. $$ (210 b/14) 90, U1300, 1100/UR each 60. Both: 2 byes 1-4 (Last rd bye must be req before rd. 3 and is irrevocable). $10 more for non-memb. EF $7 more at site. Reg ends 7:15 PM. Rds.: 7:15 each Mon. April ratings used. Info only: [email protected]. Ent: Harold Stenzel, 80 Amy Dr., Sayville, NY 11782.

JUNE 30, JULY 21, AUG. 18 Marshall Masters at the Marshall Chess Club. 4-SS, G/25 d/5. 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716. Open to players rated over 2000 plus all players scoring a plus score at any MCC Open or Under 2300 event since the last Masters. EF: $40, members $20, GMs $10 (returned on completion of tournament). $500 Guaranteed 170-130-100. Top Under 2300 $100. Special prize for biggest upset. Reg.: 6:15-6:45. Rounds.: 7- 8:15-9:30-10:45 p.m. Limit two byes.

JULY 15-19 8th NY International - CHAMPIONSHIP SECTION 9-SS, 40/90, SD/30 +30. Only open to players currently rated 2000+ (USCF or FIDE). FIDE ratings used for pairings and prizes. FIDE rated.Prizes $9,000 unconditionally guaranteed! $4000-2000-1000, U2400 FIDE: $1000- 500, U2300 FIDE $500. Entry Fee: $200. Players not rated USCF or FIDE over 2200: $300. GM’s Free. Local IM’s: $150, foreign IM’s: $100. $25 less: For MCC members & foreign players not taking byes. All $50 more if received after June 30. Schedule: Wed. 7pm, Thurs. – Sun. 11am & 6pm. Byes: 2 byes available, must commit before round 3; limit 1 bye in rounds 8-9. FIDE IM/GM norms possible; must play all rounds. Last year 2 norms were achieved! Playing site: In honor of the Marshall’s 100th year anniversary, the NY International is returning home to 23 W. 10th St. this year. Registration: Call MCC with credit card, mail check, or online. Limited to 70 players! Register early! 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716, www.marshallchessclub.org.

JULY 23-26 8th New York International – Under 2200 SECTION7-SS, 40/90, SD/30 +30. Open to all players rated U2200 and unrated. No FIDE ratings over 2200. USCF Ratings used for pairings and prizes. FIDE Rated. Prizes $8,000 based on 70 paid entries. $3000-2000-1000, U1900: $1000-500, U1600: $500. Entry Fee: $200 if received by June 30; $250 in July. $25 less for MCC members. Schedules: 4-day: Thurs. 7pm, Fri. – Sun. 12:30pm & 6pm. 2-day: Sat. 9-10:10-11:20am (G/25 d5) then merge with 4-day. Byes: 2 byes available, must

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commit before round 3. Registration: Call MCC with credit card, mail check, or online.Limited to 70 players! Register early! www.marshallchessclub.org. 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.

AUG. 21-23 OR 22-23 14th annual Manhattan Open TROPHIES PLUS GRAND PRIX POINTS: 120 (ENHANCED) 5SS, 40/110, SD/30 d10 (rounds. 1-2 G/60 d10). Hotel Pennsylvania, 401 Seventh Ave (32nd-33rd St., across from Penn Station), New York 10001.$20,000 guaranteed prizes. In 6 sections. Open: $2000-1000-600-400, clear/tiebreak win $100 bonus, top Under 2400/Unr $600-300. FIDE.Under 2200: $1500-800-400-200, top U2000/Unr $600-300. Under 1900: $1500-800-400-200, top U1700 $600-300. Under 1600: $1200-600-300-200, top U1400 $500-250. Under 1300: $800-400-200-100, top U1100 $300-150. Under 1000: $500-250-150-100, trophies to first 3, top U800, U600, Unr. Mixed doubles bonus prizes: best male/female 2-player “team” combined score among all sections: $800-400-200. Team average rating must be under 2200; teammates may play in different sections; teams must register (no extra fee) by 2 pm 8/22. Unrated may enter any section, with prize limit U1900 $700, U1600 $500, U1300 $300, U1000 $200; balance goes to next player(s) in line. Top 4 sections EF: $128 at chessaction.com by 8/19, $140 phoned to 406-896-2038 (no questions) by 8/17, 3-day $138, 2-day $137 if check mailed by 8/12, all $150 (no checks, credit cards OK) at site, or online until 2 hours before game. GMs free; $100 from prize. Under 1300 Section EF: all $30 less than top 3 sections EF. Under 1000 Section EF: all $60 less than top 3 sections EF. Online entry $5 less to NYSCA members ($12/yr with 2 issues Empire Chess, $20/yr 4 issues, may join with entry). Re-entry $60, not available in Open. No checks at site, credit cards OK. Unofficialuschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated. Special 1 year USCF dues with magazine if paid with entry. Online atchessaction.com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15. Mailed, phoned or at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20. 3-Day Schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm. Rds. Fri 7, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. 2-Day Schedule: Reg. ends Sat 10 am. Rds. Sat 11, 2 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. Half point byes available all rounds, limit 2 byes, Open must commit before rd. 2, others before rd. 3. HR: $129-139-149-159 plus required $15/night facility fee, 1-800-223-8585, reserve by 7/24 (earlier is better) or rate will increase, ask for Continental Chess Association rate. Facility fee includes high speed WIFI in room, unlimited local & long distance calling, and unlimited use of Ballys Total Fitness located next door to the hotel. Ent: chessaction.com or Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803. $15 service charge for refunds. Questions:chesstour.com, chesstour.info, DirectorAtChess.US, 347-201-2269. Advance entries posted at chessaction.com (Online entries posted instantly). Blitz tournament Sat 9:30 pm, enter by 9:15 pm.

AUG. 30: 62nd Binghamton Open 4-SS, G/65 d5. Prizes: $300 b/26. Open-$100-$60-$30; Reserve-$50-$40-$20 (U1700). Trophies: 1-3 Reserve section. Advance Entry: EF's Reduced! Open-$20 Reserve-$15 (U1700) $5 more on site-cash only on site. Schedule: Registration on site 8:45–9:15 AM. Rounds: 9:30-12Noon-2:30-4:45. Free & board to all new players under 18 years of age. Mail Entry: checks payable to: "Cordisco's Corner Store", 308 Chenango St., Binghamton, NY 13901 (607) 772-8782, [email protected].

SEPT. 4 2nd annual New York State Blitz Championship (BLZ) TROPHIES PLUS GRAND PRIX POINTS: 15 (ENHANCED) Out of state welcome; NYS Blitz title to top NYS resident,. 5SS, G/5, d0, double round, 10 games, Albany Marriott (see NY State Championship). $$ 1000 guaranteed: $300-150-100, U2000/Unr $160-80, U1700/Unr $140-70. EF: $40, NYSCA members $35, at site only, no checks. Free to GMs; $40 deducted from prize. Reg. ends 8 pm, rounds. 8:30, 9, 9:30, 10, 10:30. Bye: 1. Blitz rated, but higher of regular or blitz used for pairings & prizes.

SEPT. 4-7, 5-7 and 6-7: The 137th New York State Chess Championship. Albany Marriott, Wolf Road, Colonie, NY. America's Labor Day Tradition. See back cover.

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A HERITAGE EVENT! USCF JUNIOR GRAND PRIX! SEPTEMBER 4-7, 5-7 OR 6-7 137th annual NY State Championship

TROPHIES PLUS GRAND PRIX POINTS: 100 (ENHANCED) Out of state welcome. 6-SS, 40/110, SD/30 d10 (2-day option in Under 2100 & below, rounds. 1-3 G/40 d10). Albany Marriott, 189 Wolf Rd., Albany 12205 (Thruway Exit 24, I-87 north to Wolf Rd., Exit 4). Luxurious hotel with indoor/outdoor pool, sauna, fitness center, free parking, free airport shuttle, many restaurants in area.

$$G 13,000. In 5 sections. Open: $1500-700-500-300, top Under 2300/Unrated $800-400. State title and $100 bonus to top NYS resident (both decided on tiebreak if tied). Under 2100: $1000-500-300-200, top Under 1900 $400. Under 1800: $1000-500-300-200, top Under 1600 $400. Under 1500: $800-400-200-100, top Under 1300 $300. Under 1200: $500-300-200-100, trophy to first 3, top Under 1000, Under 800, Under 600, Unrated.

Mixed doubles bonus prizes: best male/female 2-player “team” combined score among all sections: $500-300- 200. Team average must be under 2200; teammates may play in different sections; teams must register at site (no extra fee) before both players begin round 2; teammate pairings avoided but possible. Unrated may not win over $200 in U1200, $400 U1500 or $600 U1800.

Top 4 sections EF: $98 online at chessaction.com by 9/2, $110 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 8/31 (entry only, no questions), 4-day $109, 3-day $108, 2-day $107 if check mailed by 8/26, all $120 at site, or online until 2 hours before game.

Under 1200 Section EF: All $30 less than top 4 sections EF.

All: Online entries $7 less to NYSCA members (NYSCA dues $12/yr with 2 issues Empire Chess or $20/yr with 4 issues; join or renew together with entry.) Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated. Special 1 year USCF dues with paper magazine if paid with entry. Online at chessaction.com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15. Mailed, phoned or paid at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20. Re- entry $60, all sections but Open. GMs free, $90 deducted from prize. No checks at site, credit cards OK.

3-day schedule: Reg. ends Sat 11 am, rounds. Sat 12 & 6, Sun 12 & 6, Mon 10 & 3:30. 4-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rounds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 6 pm, Sun 12 & 6, Mon 10 & 3:30. 2-day schedule: Reg. ends Sun. 10 am, rounds. Sun 11, 1:30, 3:30, 6, Mon 10 & 3:30, no 2-day schedule in Open.Bye: all, limit 2, Open must commit before rd. 2, others before rd. 4.

HR: $102-102, 800-443-8952, 518-458-8444, reserve by 8/27 or rate may increase. NYSCA meeting 9 am Sun. Car rental: 800-331-1600, use AWD D657633, or reserve car online through chesstour.com.

Entries: chessaction.com or Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803. Questions: www.chesstour.com, DirectorAtChess.US, 347-201-2269. $15 service charge for refunds. Advance entries posted at chessaction.com (online entries posted instantly).

NYS Blitz Championship Friday 8:30 pm, enter by 8 pm.

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