QCC 2006 Championship

(1) Arluck,William (2037) - Cruz,Kenny (1700) [A40]
2006 Queens Club Championship (2), 13.10.2006
[Tamarkin,Lawrence]

1.d4 c5 2.d5 g6 3.e4 Bg7 4.c4 b5 5.cxb5 a6 6.bxa6 Bxa6 7.Bxa6 Rxa6 8.Ne2 d6 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Nec3 Nbd7 11.Nd2 0-0 12.Qe2 Qa8 13.Nc4 Rb8 14.Bd2 Nb6 15.Nxb6 Raxb6 16.b3 Nd7 17.Na4 Qa6 18.Rae1 Qxe2 19.Rxe2 R6b7 20.Bc3 Bxc3 21.Nxc3 Rf8 22.f4 Rb4 23.e5 c4 24.bxc4 Rxc4 25.Rf3 Rfc8 26.Nb5 dxe5 27.fxe5 Rc2 28.Rfe3 Rxe2 29.Rxe2 Rc5 30.e6 Rxb5 31.exd7 Rxd5 32.Rxe7 Kg7 33.Kf2 Kf6 34.Re2 Rxd7 35.a4 Rd5 36.Ra2 Ra5 37.Ke3 Ke5 38.Kd3 Kd5 39.Kc3 Kc5 40.Kb3 f5 41.Re2 Ra7 42.Re5+ Kd4 43.Rb5 Ke4 44.a5 g5 45.Ka4 Diagram 45...f4?? [>=45...g4! 46.Rb4+ Ke3 47.g3 Kf2 48.Kb5 Kg1 49.Kb6 Ra8 50.a6 Kxh2 51.Kb7 Rxa6 52.Kxa6 Kxg3 53.Rb3+ Kf4 Evidently with at least a draw - There may be some winning lines in there if black had played correctly at move 45, but the position is very complex and demanding where either side can still go wrong.] 46.Rxg5 Rd7 47.a6 Rd2 48.Kb5 1-0

(2) Bellon,Neal (1661) - Bryant,Jehron (1417) [A80]
2006 Queens Club Championship (2), 13.10.2006
[Tamarkin,Lawrence]

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 f5 This kind of dutch attempt is probably not good. Black should generally only play the dutch when White has committed himself to d4 and c4. 3.Bf4 Nf6 4.e3 d5 5.Bd3 c6 6.Nbd2 White does well with this cagey opening - 2 examples, [6.0-0 Bd6 7.c4 0-0 8.Nbd2 b6 9.a3 a5 10.Qc2 Ne4 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.Ne5 Bb7 13.Bxe4 fxe4 14.f3 exf3 15.Ndxf3 Qe7 16.Qb3 Ra6 17.cxd5 exd5 18.e4 a4 19.Qe3 Ra8 20.exd5 cxd5 21.Rae1 Nd7 22.Nxd7 Qxd7 23.Qe6+ Qxe6 24.Rxe6 Ba6 25.Rc1 Rfc8 26.Rxc8+ Rxc8 27.Rxb6 Rc1+ 28.Kf2 Rc2+ 29.Ke3 Re2+ 30.Kf4 Bc4 31.Ng5 g6 32.Rb8+ 1-0 Panzer,P (2285)-Turner,M (2225)/Krumbach 1991/TD] 6...Be7 [6...Qb6 7.Rb1 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.c4 Ne4 10.h3 Nd7 11.Ne5 Qa5 12.Ndf3 Nxe5 13.Bxe5 Qxa2 14.Bc7 Bd8 15.Qc2 Bxc7 16.Ra1 Qxa1 17.Rxa1 Nd6 18.Ne5 Nf7 19.Nf3 g6 20.b4 Bd7 21.Qb3 a6 22.g3 b5 23.cxb5 cxb5 24.Be2 Rfc8 25.Ne1 Nd6 26.Nd3 Bb6 27.Nc5 Bxc5 28.dxc5 Nc4 29.Bxc4 bxc4 30.Qc3 Rcb8 31.g4 Kf7 32.g5 Kg8 33.h4 Be8 34.Kh2 Bf7 35.Kg3 Rb7 36.Ra4 Be8 37.Ra5 Raa7 38.Ra1 Bf7 39.Qf6 Ra8 40.c6 Rbb8 41.Qe7 Kg7 42.c7 Re8 43.Qf6+ Kg8 44.b5 a5 1-0 Reilein,C (2300)-Pflug,M (2210)/Bayern 1999/EXT 2001] 7.h3 0-0 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.c4?! After what I said before I have to be consistant and say that I don't trust this move - Perhaps there is a better way for White to play for advantage in this position... 9...Ne4 10.cxd5 cxd5 A more principled continuation here is, 11.Qc2 [11.Rc1!? Qa5 12.Bb1 and I would then play for 13.Nb3, 14.Ne5 and a lator f3, Re1 and e4 to crack black apart.] 11...Ndf6 12.Rac1 Bd7 White seems to have a slight edge in this position anyway. 13.Qc7?! Seems to make things easier for black - I am also a complete 'novice' on this type of formation but my 'gut feeling' is that neither side should want piece exchanges on the other guys terms! [13.Ne5 Rc8 14.Qd1 Qa5 15.Nxe4 fxe4 16.Nxd7 Nxd7 17.Bb1 With a slight advantage.] 13...Bc6 14.Qxd8 Raxd8 15.Rc2 completely equal - Junior 10 engine. 15...Nxd2?! Not right - Black should continue to enjoy the Knight being on e4, at least for now - White has to go to a lot of trouble to get rid of it without promoting black's control of the center - This is basically one of the most important dutch opening's themes... 16.Rxd2 Ne4 17.Rc2 Bf6 18.Ne5! Even though another Knight has taken up the previous ones place on e4, somehow White is quite superior (+1.22) after getting his own Knight to e5 - Perhaps this is because black can't use a knight on d7 to get rid of the one on e5. 18...Bxe5 19.Bxe5 Ng5 20.Rfc1 Rd7 21.f3 Nf7 22.Bg3 Rc8? This makes things even worse, better was 22...Nd6 hanging on... 23.Bb5 [23.b4! Is even stronger when black seems to have no defense to the various threats that whites pieces are generating along the c-file - For example, 23...Rdd8 24.b5 Bd7 25.Rc7! And black can't seem to move without something hanging...] 23...Nd8 24.Bh4 Perhaps 24.Be2 with the same above-mentioned plan still worked - In any event White's position is still so good that most moves win here. 24...a6 25.Bxa6 Good enough to win. 25...Ra8 26.Bd3 Rxa2 27.Bg3 [27.b4 Ra3 28.Rc3 Rxc3 29.Rxc3 Is suggested by Junior 10 as completely irresistable.] 27...Kf7 28.b4 Rxc2 29.Rxc2 Ba4 30.Ra2 b5 31.Bc2 Ra7 32.Bb8 Ra8 33.Bd6 Ra7 34.Bc5 Ra8 35.Bd3 Rb8 36.g4! g6 37.gxf5 gxf5 38.e4! Usually this 'good move' is connected with White plan's against the dutch in the early part of the game! 38...fxe4 39.fxe4 Rb7 40.Rf2+ Ke8 41.exd5 Rg7+ 42.Kf1 exd5 43.Re2+ Kd7 44.Bf5+ Kc7 45.Bg4? Gives away all of the advantage! [45.Kf2 Nc6 46.Ke3 Bd1 47.Re1 Bh5 48.Rf1 Rg3+ 49.Kf4 Is somewhat better for White - Not sure if its winning...] 45...Bb3? Missing the best chance which is, [45...Bd1! 46.Re5 Bxg4 47.hxg4 Rxg4 48.Rxd5 Ne6 49.Rd6 Rg6 50.d5 Nf4! And black would even be a little bit better! - After this last mistake White wins without any further incident...] 46.Re7+ Rxe7 47.Bxe7 Bc4+ 48.Kf2 Nc6 49.Bc5 Kd8 50.Ke3 Ne7 51.Kf4 Ng6+ 52.Kg5 Bd3 53.Be6 Be4 54.Bg8 Ne7 55.Bxe7+ Kxe7 56.Kh6 Kf8 57.Bxh7 Kf7 58.h4 Kf6 59.h5 Kf7 60.Bg6+ Kf6 61.Kh7 Kg5 62.Kg7 Bf5 63.Bxf5 Kxf5 64.h6 Ke4 65.h7 Kxd4 66.h8Q Kc4 67.Qc8+ Kxb4 68.Qc2 Ka3 69.Kf6 b4 70.Ke5 b3 71.Qb1 b2 72.Kxd5 Kb3 73.Kd4 Ka3 74.Kc3 Ka4 75.Qxb2 Ka5 76.Qb7 Ka4 77.Qb4# 1-0

(3) Bonin,Jay (2340) - Blake,Brian (1854) [E97]
2006 Queens Club Championship (2), 13.10.2006
[Update ]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6?! International master Jay Bonin knows his lines against the King's Indian that I consider it almost a blunder to dare play this opening against him, unless one has the understanding and memory for the variations of a strong I.M. Jay can now go into one of his 'auto-pilot' lines against this opening which adds even more strength to his already high-rating. 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 0-0 5.e4 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4! This 'bayonette-line of the King's Indian defense has been in Jay's repertoire from even before it was unversually popular - In addition to that the line still performs at a statistically higher success-rate then even other lines of the KID - It is strongly advised to all King's Indian Defense players to put in hundreds of hours of work if they wish to make this line work for them (against strong players like Jay) Otherwise you should choose a safer sub-variation... Even Gary Kasparov the formost practitioner of the KID for many years gave it up in the last few years of his official career because of the share memory work-load as well as the success-rate of some of his closest rivels with some of these lines! 9...a5 10.bxa5 Rxa5 11.Nd2 c5 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.a4 Be6 14.Nb3! Of Jay finds natural tempo-gaining moves quite easily! [14.Qc2 c5 15.Nb3 Ra8 16.f4 Nc6 17.fxe5 dxe5 18.Nb5 Nd7 19.Bd2 Nd4 20.N3xd4 exd4 21.Bf4 Be5 22.Qd2 Bxf4 23.Qxf4 Nb6 24.Nc7 Rxa4 25.Nxe6 fxe6 26.Qe5 Rxa1 27.Qxe6+ Kh8 28.Qe5+ Qf6 29.Qxf6+ Rxf6 30.Rxa1 Rf4 31.Bd3 Nd7 32.g3 Rf8 33.Ra7 Ne5 34.Bf1 d3 35.Re7 Nf3+ 36.Kg2 d2 37.Be2 Nd4 38.Bd1 Rb8 39.Rf7 Rb4 40.Rf2 Rb2 41.Kf1 Kg7 42.Rg2 Kf6 43.Kf2 Ra2 44.Rg1 Ra3 45.Bg4 h5 46.Bd7 Rf3+ 47.Kg2 Re3 48.Rd1 Re2+ 49.Kf1 Rxh2 50.Ba4 Ke5 0-1 Keatinge Clay,A (2278)-Rajlich,V (2297)/Budapest 1999/CBM 073 ext was a hearwarming success story for black!] 14...Ra8 15.Ba3 Nc8 [15...c5 16.Qd3 Nc6 17.Rfd1 Nd4 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Nb5 Rxa4 20.Qb3 Ra5 21.e5 Ne8 22.f4 f6 23.exd6 Nxd6 24.Nxd4 cxd4 25.Rxd4 f5 26.Rxd6 Bd4+ 27.Kf1 Qxd6 28.Bxd6 Rxa1+ 29.Bd1 Rc8 30.Ke1 Bxc4 31.Qb4 Rc1 32.Qa4 Rd8 33.Be7 Rb8 34.Kd2 Rc3 35.Bc2 Rc8 36.Bb4 Re3 37.Qd7 Re2+ 38.Kd1 Ree8 39.Qxd4 Red8 40.Bd6 Rc6 41.Bd3 Bf7 0-1 Patsyk,A (2214)-Gulkov,I (2491)/Dubna 2000/EXT 2002, was another success-story for black, but note the rating-difference of the two players!] 16.Qc2 Qc7 Brian is playing very solid, good moves so far, [16...Nb6 17.c5!? Nc4 18.Bxc4 Bxc4 19.cxd6 Bxf1 20.Rxf1 Rb8 21.a5 Is evaluated as +0.72 in Whites favor by Junior 10 (Which of course thinks like a computer). One of Jay's strengths is that he also thinks like an aggressive chess engine in many positions and this is exactly the type of line that he would be likely to play!] 17.Rfd1 Rd8 18.Qd2 Bf8?! Could well be a mistake, perhaps, [18...Rd7 19.a5 Qa7 20.h3 Rb8 21.Rdb1 Rdb7 22.Qc2 Qa6!? Very-hard type of move to see! 23.c5! Easy Bonin-like move to see! (When you know his style of playing...) 23...Qa8 24.Nd2! (24.cxd6? Bxb3 Wins for black and is his idea when playing 22...Qa6...) 24...Rxb1+ 25.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 26.Ncxb1 Qxa5 27.cxd6 c5! And black has equalized - But look how incredibly difficult that was --- In order to do so you either have to see amazing unthematic continuations like a chess engine does, or you have to be extremely well-prepared going into the game. Even assuming you have done all that look what we are left with here - White still has a slight advantage (+0.20) in a still very-complicated explosive position... No wonder this opening does so well for White.] 19.Nc5!? There it is - A typical 'Jay Bonin' style knight-leap. The engine evaluation also instantly soars up to +0.53! 19...Nb6 White is + 0.78. [19...Bg4 20.Bxg4 Nxg4 21.Nb3 Qa7 and White is still +0.74 better here. Unfortunately you just can't allow this level of advantage to the I.M.] 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.c5!? And yet another pawn-thrust that Jay has played dozens, if not 100's of times! [Curiously, Junior 10 likes (the possibly better continuation), 21.a5! Rxa5 (21...Nc8 22.Bb2 Is just very-strong for White.) 22.Nb5! cxb5 23.Qxa5 bxc4 24.Bxc4! +1.27. But of course the text-move is more in Jay's style.] 21...dxc5 22.Qa2 Kf7 23.Rxd8 Qxd8 24.Rd1 Qc7 25.Bc1 Qa7 [25...Nxa4!? 26.Nxa4 Qa5 27.Be3 (27.Qb2 Qxa4 28.Be3 Be7 29.Bf3 Transposes.) 27...Qxa4 28.Qb2 Be7 29.Bf3 c4! 30.Qxe5 Ra5 31.Qc7 c3 32.Rc1 c2 And according to Junior 10 black is actually 0.40 better here, so it would appear that Brian missed a fantastic opportunity! Of course we mustn't forget that we are only human and the clock is running down on us pretty quickly - The player on the defensive will usually miss such complicated 'good-lines' such as this one. Note that this line only even existed because Jay went for his more 'stylistic move choice' 21.c5!?] 26.Bc4? Jay as we know favors Knights, and being human, even the mighty and great I.M. Jay R. Bonin messes up from time to time - Of course you really got to be on your toes to know when! [26.Be3! Qa5 27.Qb1 Qxc3 28.Qxb6 Rxa4 29.Qxc6 Assures him a very-slight advantage.] 26...Nxa4? Now this move is bad again! Here Brian could play the the much superior, [26...Nxc4! 27.Qxc4 Qa6 28.Qa2 (28.Qxa6 Rxa6 29.Be3 Be7 30.Rb1 Ng4 31.Bc1 Ra7 32.f3 Nf6 33.Rb6 Rc7 34.a5 Nd7 35.Ra6 c4 And black is fine.) 28...Qa5! 29.Qb1 Rd8 30.Rxd8 Qxd8 31.Be3 c4-/+ And after all this, once again the position is nearly completely equal! From from a psychological point of view its easy to see why he didn't grap this opportunity - Previously he must have been calculating lines with Nxa4 and Nxc4 - So having previously chosen not to take the c4 bishop it is only natural that it would be extremely difficult to alter ones thought process enough to see that here it works out well for oneself, so he goes back to ...Nxa4 (which worked before, though he didn't realize that was so), and convinces himself that it is working here now (but unfortunately now it doesn't) In deference to Brian I have many times played much worse then he is in games against Jay and I am only trying very hard to decipherthe thought-processes of the players involved. (As well as my own!). I should also note that Brian is playing this game at a much higher-level then his 1854-rating would lend one to think he should.] 27.Bxe6+ With this move Jay once again seizes the advantage... 27...Kg7 28.Nxa4 Jay judges that he has the superior endgame from this position and proceeds accordingly, [28.Ne2!? Is prefered by Junior 10, but after, 28...Nb6 (28...Nxe4 29.Rd7++- ) 29.Qb2 Qa4 30.Nc3 Qb4 31.Qd2 c4 32.Qh6+ Kh8 33.Qg5 Qe7 When even after all this black is ok.] 28...Qxa4 29.Qxa4 Rxa4 30.f3 Rd4 31.Re1 Bd6 [31...c4!? 32.Bb2 Rd8 33.Bxe5 Re8 34.Bxf6+ Kxf6 35.Bxc4 Ke5 36.Rb1 Rd8 And black has very-good drawing-chances because of the opposit-colored bishops. Never-the-less this is very hard to see from the earlier position and even here White has the more pleasant position...] 32.Be3 Rd3 [32...Rb4 33.Ra1 Ne8 34.Bd7 Rb3 35.Kf2 Nc7 36.Rd1 Rb2+ 37.Kg3 Nb5 38.Bxc6 Nd4 39.Bd5 Ne2+ 40.Kf2! Nc3+ 41.Rd2 Is a line only the chess-engines are going to find (and maybe some GM's) Black is not dead yet but the engine evaluates things as +0.51 in White's favor - Just about a clear-advantage.] 33.Kf2 Now its +0.83 in Whites favor - During the rest of the game the players continue to exchange mistakes and the evaluation keep on changing wildly... In view of how long the game was going on, and how tired the players must have been at this point it is hardly surprising that Jay ultimately powers his way through to victory - Perhaps its this kind of situation that makes the higher-rated player - They tend to take advantage more more consistantly in their chances & escape more often from their lapses... 33...Ne8! After this move the postion is drawn 34.Rc1!? [34.Ke2! Rc3 35.Kd2 Ra3 36.Rb1 (36.Rc1 Nc7= 37.Bd7 Kf6 38.Bxc6 Ne6 39.Bd5 Nf4 40.Bxf4 exf4= ) 36...Nc7 37.Rb7 Kf6 38.Bc4 Ra4 39.Kd3 Ra3+ 40.Bb3 g5 41.Kc4 Ra1 42.h3= h5 PW III] 34...Nc7 35.Bc4 Ra3 36.Rd1 Ne8 37.g4 h6 38.h4 Ra7 39.g5 h5 40.Kg3 Kf8 41.Rb1 Ra4 42.Bf1 Rb4 43.Rc1 Ke7 44.Bxc5 Bxc5 45.Rxc5 Kd6 46.Rc3 Nc7 47.Bc4 Nb5 Black should probably have kept the Knight on to try to survive. 48.Bxb5 cxb5 49.Rc8 Junior now says Equal though! 49...Ra4? [49...Rb1! 50.Rg8 b4 51.Rxg6+ Kc7 52.Rg7+ Kc6 53.Rg6+ With a draw.] 50.Rg8 Ra3 51.Rxg6+ Kc5 52.Rg8 Ra7 53.g6 b4 54.g7 Rc7 55.f4!? After this black's game was completely finished... 55...exf4+?! While I was watching this move seemed forced but it turns out, things are still far from clear here! - After, [55...b3! Even if this really does lose it should be played - Black has no time to spare! 56.Kf3! (56.f5? b2 57.Rb8 Rxg7+ 58.Kf3 Rg4 59.Rxb2 Rxh4 60.Rf2 Kd6 Looks like a draw to me.) 56...exf4 57.Kxf4 b2 58.Rb8 Rxg7 59.Rxb2 Rg4+ 60.Kf5 Rxh4 61.e5 Rh3 (61...Rh1 62.Rd2 (62.Re2 Rf1+ 63.Kg6 Rg1+ 64.Kxh5 Rg8! Draws!) 62...h4 63.e6 (63.Re2 Rf1+ 64.Ke6 h3 65.Rh2 Rf3 Is also a draw.) 63...Rf1+ 64.Ke5 Re1+ 65.Kf6 h3 66.e7 Kc6 67.Kf7 Rf1+ 68.Ke8 Kc7 69.Rc2+ Kb6 And because of the h-pawn I think black keeps the draw in hand! - Its possible that my analysis is flawed somewhere and that Jay really was still winning this ending. In any case I know I would have lost this same position to him even if it were a draw - Another reason to study these rook and pawn endings all the more!) ] 56.Kxf4 The rest of the moves are not guaranteed but I think that White is now completely winning from this point on in any case... 56...b3 57.Ke5 b2 58.Rb8 Rxg7 59.Rxb2 Re7+ [59...Rg4 ] 60.Kf5 Kd4 61.Rb4+ Kc5 62.Ra4 Rf7+ 63.Kg5 Rf2 64.e5 Kc6 65.Ra6+ Kd5 66.e6 Rg2+ 67.Kxh5 Re2 68.Kg6 Rg2+ 69.Kf7 Rf2+ 70.Ke8 Rh2 71.e7 Rxh4 72.Kd8 Rd4 73.e8Q 1-0

(4) Bryant,Nigel (1407) - Frawley,James (1618)
2006 Queens Club Championship (2), 13.10.2006

*

(5) Dippolito,Paul (711) - Drazil,Paul (573)
2006 Queens Club Championship (2), 13.10.2006

*

(6) Fusto,John (1239) - Bauer,Andrew (1626)
2006 Queens Club Championship (2), 13.10.2006

*

(7) Fusto,John (1239) - Bauer,Andy (1626) [C42]
2006 Queens Club Championship (2), 13.10.2006
[Tamarkin,Lawrence]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.c4!? Unusual move; most often played is 5.d4. [5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Bf4 Is red-hot at the top now; My man G.M. Roman Dzindzichashvili Recommended this in his DVD's and Videos.] 5...Be7 6.d4 0-0 7.Be2 c5 8.Be3 Nc6 9.Nbd2 f5 10.Nxe4 This loses - Better was, [10.d5 Keeping a slight-edge.] 10...fxe4 11.Nd2 cxd4 12.Bxd4 Nxd4 13.Nxe4 Nxe2 14.Qxe2 Qa5+ 15.Nc3 Bf6 16.0-0 Qc5 17.Rfd1 Bh3? What is this? [17...Bxc3 Wins with no difficulty at all.] 18.Qf3? Missing a big chance to be back in the game, [18.gxh3! Rae8 19.Ne4 (19.Qf1 Bh4+- ) 19...Bxb2 20.Rab1 Bd4! 21.Nxc5 Rxe2 Was black's idea (According to wonderful and aggressive engine Junior 10), but unfortunately for blacks imagination white is now equal after, 22.Rxd4 dxc5 23.Rd7 b6 24.Rxa7 Rf6 ] 18...Bg4 19.Qd5+? Even here better was, [19.Qxg4 Bxc3 20.bxc3 Qxf2+ 21.Kh1 Rae8 Although this time it looks like black has just enough to win the game.] 19...Qxd5 20.Rxd5 Be5 21.c5 Be6 22.Rd3 Bc4 23.Re3 Bd4 24.Re4 Bxf2+ 25.Kh1 d5 26.Re7 Bxc5 27.b3 Bxe7 28.Re1 Bb4 0-1

(8) Kleinman,Jay - Chernick,Steve [C86]
2006 Queens Club Championship (2), 13.10.2006
[Jay Kleinman]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.Qe2 Nf6 6.0-0 Be7 7.c3 0-0 8.d3 b5 9.Bb3 Be6 10.Bc2 Qd7 11.Nbd2 Rfe8 12.Rd1 Bf8 13.Nf1 d5 14.Ng3 Bc5 15.Nxe5? [15.d4= ] 15...Nxe5 16.d4 Bg4 [16...Ba7 17.dxe5 Bg4=/+ ] 17.f3 Ba7 18.fxg4 dxe4 [18...Nexg4= ] 19.g5 Saved from extinction, this pawn now becomes a permanent thorn in Black's position. 19...Nd5 20.Nxe4 Qc6 21.Qh5 With dreams of a brilliant mate. 21...Ng6 No more dreams; back to real life. 22.Qf3 Ne5 23.Qh3 Ng6 24.Kh1 b4 25.Qd3 bxc3 26.bxc3 Rad8 27.Rf1 Qd7 Hanging more material, but Black was in serious time pressure here. 28.Qxa6 c6 29.Ba3 Ra8 [29...Ne3 30.Bb3 Nxf1 31.Nd6! Ng3+ 32.hxg3 Re7 33.Rf1+/- ] 30.Qd3 Bxd4 Barely making the time control, and thus explaining why Black missed that the Ba3 would be covered. 31.cxd4 Ndf4 32.Rxf4 Rxa3 33.Rxf7 Rxd3 34.Rxd7 Re3 35.Rf1 Nf8 36.Rdf7 Ne6 37.Nd6 Rd8 38.Nf5 Re2 39.Ne7+ Kh8 40.Bb3 g6 41.Nxc6 Re8 42.Bxe6 R2xe6 43.Ne5 Kg8 44.Ra7 Rb6 45.Nd7 1-0

(9) Kleinman,Jay (1922) - Chernick,Steven (1510)
2006 Queens Club Championship (2), 13.10.2006

*

(10) Kleinman,Jay (1922) - Chernick,Steven (1510)
2006 Queens Club Championship (2), 13.10.2006

*

(11) Lorenzo,Antonio (1805) - Frumkin,Ed (2048) [B08]
2006 Queens Club Championship (2), 13.10.2006
[Tamarkin,Lawrence]

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bc4 0-0 6.Bb3 Nc6 7.h3 e5 More often played is, [7...Na5 ] 8.Be3 [8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Bg5 Be6 10.Bxe6 fxe6 11.Qxd8 Raxd8 12.Nb5 (>=12.0-0 h6 13.Be3 g5 14.Rad1 Is +0.48 according to Junior 10.) 12...a6 (12...Rf7 Is equal.) 13.Nxc7 (13.Na3 b5 14.c3 Rd7 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Ke2 g5 17.Rhd1+/- + 0.64 Junior 10 engine. Fritz powerbook 2005.) 13...h6! 14.Nxe6 hxg5 15.Nxf8 Bxf8 Is equal according to the engine. These modern defense positions are extremely confusing!] 8...Qe7 9.0-0 Na5 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Qe2 Nxb3?! Aside from appearing a little rushed (The White bishop is not getting away), the engine indicates that White's position is getting significantly stronger after this move. Better was, [11...c6!? 12.Rfd1 b5 With relative equality. Having previously taken up the modern defense I can understand the attraction of the opening; On the other hand after a number of failiers through my own inability to fully understand how GM Tiger Hillarp Persson plays it (Even though I own this remarkable book!), I am amazed at Ed's dedication to the Modern defense opening over the years.] 12.axb3 a6 13.Rfd1 Bd7 13...b6 keeping the rook out may be better. [13...b6 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 a5 16.Ra4 Ba6 17.Qd2 f5 18.Bh6 Is just slightly better for White.] 14.Ra5 Bb5? According to the engine the losing move. [14...b5 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Rxd5 Rfd8 And there is nothing obviously winning for White.] 15.Nxb5 axb5 16.Rxb5 Nxe4 17.Rxb7 f5?! Black is in trouble but should creat no further openings toward his King. [>=17...Rfd8 ] 18.Qc4+ Rf7 Diagram 19.Bb6! Rc8 20.Ba5 Bf6 21.Bb4 Qe8 22.Rd5 Nd6 23.Bxd6 cxd6 24.Qb4 Rxb7 25.Qxb7 Rxc2 26.Rxd6 Rc1+ 27.Kh2 e4 28.Rxf6 exf3 29.Qd5+ Kg7 30.Re6 Qb8+ 31.g3 Qc7 32.Qd4+ Kg8 33.Qf6 Qc8 34.Re7 Qf8 35.Qe6+ [35.Qe6+ Kh8 36.Re8 Or even Junior's prefered 36.Rf7 is very easy.] 1-0

(12) Murphy,Richard (1969) - Sugar,Zoltan (1759) [C26]
2006 Queens Club Championship (2), 13.10.2006
[Tamarkin,Lawrence]

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.exd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 c6 6.Nf3 This is the sort of solid opening structure that I like to try from time to time myself. 6...Bd6 One high-rated game continued here, [6...Nxc3 7.bxc3 Bd6 8.0-0 0-0 9.Re1 Nd7 10.d4 exd4 11.cxd4 Nb6 12.Qd3 h6 13.c4 Be6 Diagram 14.Rxe6! fxe6 15.Bxh6 Rxf3 16.Bxf3 Qf6 17.Bd2 Rf8 18.Bg2 Qxf2+ 19.Kh1 c5 20.Be3 Qf6 21.Re1 cxd4 22.Bxd4 e5 23.Be3 Qe7 24.Qd1 Bb4 Diagram 25.c5 Bxe1 26.cxb6 e4 27.bxa7 Qb4 28.Qd5+ Kh8 29.Bxe4 Qa5 30.Qxa5 1-0 Motwani,P (2455)-Jonsson,B (2420)/Hafnarfirdi 1992/CBM 029 - A very nicely played game. Grandmaster Paul Motwani has also written some really imaginative and excellent chess books! ] 7.0-0 0-0 8.d3 Nd7 9.Re1 Qc7 [9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 Qa5 Was worth considering.] 10.Ne4 Be7 11.c4 N5f6 12.Nc3 The following variations are not of course completely guaranteed, but does seem to indicate that some special thinking is needed to play this Opening/Middlegame well, [12.d4!? Nxe4 13.Rxe4 f5 14.Rxe5! Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Bf6 16.Bf4 g5 17.Be3 Bxe5 18.dxe5 f4 (18...Qxe5 19.Bxg5 Qxb2 20.Bf4+/- ) 19.Bc5 Rd8 (19...Be6!? 20.Bxf8 Rxf8 21.Qd6 Qf7 22.b3+/- ) 20.Qh5 Qxe5 21.Bb4 ] 12...Re8 13.a3 a5 14.Rb1 Bc5 [14...Qd6 15.d4 exd4 16.Bf4 Qc5 17.Nxd4 a4 (17...Qxc4? 18.Rc1 Qa6 19.Nf5+- ) 18.Be3 Qa5 19.Rc1= ] 15.d4!? Finally White goes for it! 15...exd4? [>=15...Ba7 16.Be3 Rd8+/= ] 16.Rxe8+ Nxe8 17.Nxd4 Nf8 18.Ne4 Be7 19.Bf4 [19.Be3 Nf6 20.Nxf6+ Bxf6 21.Qh5+/- ] 19...Qd7 20.Qd2 Ne6 21.Nf5 Nxf4 22.Nxe7+ Qxe7 23.Qxf4 Be6 24.Bf1 h6 25.Re1 Rd8 And here in a now completely equal position, Black lost on time. (Zoltan was about 20 minutes late arriving for the game). 1-0