November 2012 NWC online color edition

Cover: The National Chess Day celebration group photograph taken in Boise, ID. Photo by Jeffrey Roland and Frank Niro. This photo also appeared in Chess Life magazine.

This was my fourth and final issue as Interim Editor.

November issue of Northwest Chess

Summary: 32-page issue with National Chess Day Events, Washington Chess News by Russell “Rusty” Miller, Idaho Chess News by Jeffrey Roland, Oregon News by Frank Niro, and a Dr. Ralph Hall Northwest Grand Prix report by Murlin Varner.

Contents:
National Chess Day in Boise.........Cover
Northwest Chess Information Page..........2
Contents, From the Publisher’s Desk............3
National Chess Day Events, October 13, 2012......4
Washington Class Championships — Entry Form....9
Washington Chess News by Russell “Rusty” Miller...10
Idaho Chess News by Jeffrey Roland...............18
Oregon News by Frank Niro....................23
Western Idaho Open — Tournament Flyer...........27
Dr. Ralph Hall Northwest Grand Prix by Murlin Varner...28
Seattle Chess Club Tournaments and Events....31
Upcoming Events.....................Back Cover

2013 National Chess Day Announced

From Michael Atkins, USCF Executive Board member:

"Moved that this year’s National Chess Day, Saturday Oct 12th, be promoted in Chess Life and CL Online by a program of free TLAs for tournaments with National Chess Day in the title and free rating fees as established in a recent motion. National Chess Day 2013 will be Saturday, October 12th. In order to promote National Chess Day as a day for special activities and promotion of chess throughout the country, the following is proposed:

Any Rated Beginner Open that includes "National Chess Day" in its TLA title gets both a free TLA and free rating fees.
Any 1-day event for Oct 12 which has "National Chess Day" in its TLA title gets a free TLA. Any 2-3 day event held over a period which encompasses Oct 12-13, which has "National Chess Day" in its TLA title, will get free TLA and free rating fees

For organizers/affiliates, In the TLA, be sure to mention National Chess Day in the title and that it actually happens on Saturday Oct 12, and then expect to receive an e-mail from the office explaining how to get the free rating fee.

Organizers are encouraged to submit articles and photographs for publication for Chess Life Magazine and Chess Life Online.

Affiliates are encouraged to plan a tournament or an event of any kind in order to promote chess on National Chess Day.

The USCF will send out at least one e-mail blast to all TDs and Affiliates before April 22 to enable organizers to have 6 weeks to plan events before the June 10 TLA deadline for getting Chess Life TLA's in August and September."

No doubt we will do something this year in Lexington, KY. Details will be posted when available.

Read about last year's National Chess Day events here

2013 Roland vs. Niro Match

A best of 12-game USCF-rated match played between Jeff Roland and Frank Niro. Click here to access the story and games.

The first ten games will be played in Idaho . Game #11 will be in St. Louis, MO, in July and Game #12 in Madison, WI, in August.

John Gray passes away at 88

Long time runner and race walker John Gray passed away on January 10 at the age of 88. A member of the North Medford Club, John competed in the Boston Marathon 34 times with 6 top-35 place finishes. He finished 11th in the 1964 Olympic Trials marathon held in Yonkers NY. He was also an avid race walker, earning many New England championship and national age group medals and writing a book, "Racewalking for Fun and Fitness". A schoolteacher and coach in Massachusetts through much of his life, John closed his career on Cape Cod working as the sports editor of the Cape Codder in Orleans for twelve years.

John Gray is standing (left) next to Paul Schell in the 1993 photo above. Kneeling is Rick Bayko. It was the last time I saw John. Rest in Peace, old friend.



And here's a photo of John and I back in 1967. We are both standing. Gary O'Zias is in the photo with us.

October NWC online color edition

Cover: Steven Breckenridge; photo by Jeffrey Roland.

This was the third of my four issues as Editor.

October 2012 Northwest Chess

Summary: 48-page issue with Oregon Open report and games; Oregon Open Gallery of Past Champions; Additional U.S. Open Games and Photos; Washington News by Russell “Rusty” Miller; Emerald City Open report by Carol & Fred Kleist; Idaho News by Jeffrey Roland; Oregon News by Frank Niro; Book Review by IM John Donaldson and a Dr. Ralph Hall Memorial Northwest Grand Prix report by Murlin Varner.

Contents:

Steven Breckenridge photo credit: Jeffrey Roland..Cover
Northwest Chess Information Page......2
Contents, USPS Statement of Ownership......3
Six-Way Tie at 2012 Oregon Open.................4
Oregon Open Gallery of Past Champions........8-9
2012 Oregon Open crosstables.............11-12
30th Annual Sands Regency - Reno - Entry Form...13
Additional U.S. Open Games and Photos.....14
National Chess Day Events, October 13, 2012.....24
Washington Class Championships - Entry Form.....25
Washington News by Russell “Rusty” Miller.........26
Emerald City Open by Carol & Fred Kleist.....29
Oregon News by Frank Niro..................35
Washington Challengers Cup - Announcement.......39
Book Review by IM John Donaldson............40
Western Idaho Open - Tournament Flyer...........45
Dr. Ralph Hall Northwest Grand Prix by Murlin Varner...46
Seattle Chess Club Tournaments and Events....47
Upcoming Events.....................Back Cover

Northwest Chess web site

Grapefruit League 2013

Last weekend Tash and I were able to catch our first two Spring training games together. We saw the Orioles defeat the Phillies in Sarasota, FL, and then watched the Red Sox take on Tampa Bay down coast in Fort Myers.

Game time in Bradenton, Orioles vs. Phillies, March 3, 2013

If only we had brought some cash, this chapel on the water behind our hotel in Bradenton, FL, was available for the right price.

Yep, that's the name of the restaurant and, yep, we ate there. Sarasota, FL.

The Boston Red Sox Spring training venue in Ft. Myers, FL, is a miniature Fenway Park, more or less.

One of the Red Sox' biggest fans, pictured here, was guardedly optimistic concerning another World Series championship in 2013.

Red Sox newcomer Jonny Gomes, as "the beard" was in its formative stages.

September Northwest Chess online color edition released

Photo taken by Jeff Roland at the 2012 U.S. Open in Vancouver, WA, a re-shoot of a well known image of Viktors Pupols (standing) and Yasser Seirawan (sitting) originally snapped in 1974.

As announced earlier this month, the publishers of Northwest Chess magazine have approved the online availability of back issues of color versions of the magazine with approximately a three month delay from release date. The capability of producing color .pdf versions of the magazine originated with the introduction of new software last August.

The September 2012 issue was the second of four issues during my tenure as Editor.

September 2012 Issue of Northwest Chess

Summary: 32-page issue with "U.S. Open Games & Photos," Idaho chess news, "Rupel vs. Pupols: 2012 OR Senior," Washington chess news, "Oregon News: Raptis vs. Eagles," and a Dr. Ralph Hall Memorial Northwest Grand Prix report.

Contents:
Cover: Historic Pupols-Seirawan photo 38 yrs. later.....Jeff Roland
Page 3: From the Editor’s Desk..............................Frank Niro
Page 4: U.S. Open Games & Photos................Various Contributors
Page 15: 30th Annual Sands Regency - Reno, NV...........Entry Form
Page 16: Idaho News.......................................Jeff Roland
Page 22: Rupel vs. Pupols: 2012 OR Senior............David Rupel
Page 23: Washington Class Championships..............Entry Form
Page 24: Washington News.................Russell “Rusty” Miller
Page 26: Oregon News: Raptis vs. Eagles.............Frank Niro
Page 28: Dr. Ralph Hall Northwest Grand Prix......Murlin Varner
Page 31: Seattle Chess Club Tournaments..............Fred Kleist
Back Cover: Upcoming Events..........................Jeffrey Roland

Sloan Case Competition team returns to UAB

Pictured, l.r., Katie Strausser, Frank Niro, Rachel Ann DeSantis, Natasha Niro, Rachna Badlani

For the second year in a row, Tash and I are privileged to accompany the case competition team from Cornell to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The UAB Health Administration Case Competition provides graduate students from CAHME-accredited health administration programs an opportunity to put what they have learned into practice with a real-life, real-time case. It is designed to be a capstone experience for the graduate school experience.

Student teams from around the country present their recommendations before a national team of judges. The first, second and third place teams receive cash awards. The 7th Annual Health Administration Case Competition will be hels from February 27 to March 1, 2013.

Last year's results:
1st Place: Rush University
2nd Place: Army-Baylor University
3rd Place: Virginia Commonwealth University

Finalists: University of Central Florida, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and University of Iowa.

Honorable Mention: Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, St. Louis University, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, and University of South Carolina.

Northwest Chess releases online color versions of magazine (with 3-month delay)

Cover: The picture, taken by Jeff Roland when he and Frank Niro went to Crossville, Tennessee, shows the highly dedicated USCF staff that we have all come to appreciate over the years! The black & white version of this cover was modified for mailing purposes to provide room for mailing labels.

The publishers of Northwest Chess magazine have announced the online availability of back issues of color versions of the magazine with approximately a three month delay from release date. The capability of producing color .pdf versions of the magazine originated with the introduction of new software last August.

For the record, I was the Editor of Northwest Chess from August 2012 through November 2012 and assisted in the training of the current editor, Jeffrey Roland. I served as his Assistant Editor during a short transition period.

August 2012 Issue of Northwest Chess

Summary: 48-page special U.S. Open edition produced by Editor Frank Niro and Assistant Editor Jeff Roland. Includes U.S. Open related content, an article by Frank Niro about the late Dr. Ralph L. Hall, the "Most exciting game of 2011," a reprint of Yasser Seirawan's fictional story "Hapley’s Project," Idaho chess news, a report on the Oregon Senior Championship, and a Grand Prix update.

Contents
Cover: Members of the U.S. Chess Federation Staff in front of the
U.S.C.F. offices in Crossville, TN. (left to right: Judy Misner, Joe
Wright, Joan DuBois (in the car), Traci Lee, Susan Houston, Chuck
Lovingood, Joshua Van Winkle, Cheryle Bruce, Alan Kantor, USCF
Executive Director Bill Hall. Photo credit: Jeffrey Roland
Page 3: The Publisher’s Desk...............................Duane Polich
Page 4: Letter from Mayor of Vancouver...............Timothy D. Leavitt
Page 5: U.S. Open returns to the Pacific Northwest.......Russell Miller
Page 7: 2012 U.S. Open Schedule..............................USCF Staff
Page 10: Dr. Ralph L. Hall (1930-2011).......................Frank Niro
Page 18: Most exciting game of 2011.......................Roua vs. Chen
Page 22: Hapley’s Project...............................Yasser Seirawan
Page 37: Idaho News......................................Jeffrey Roland
Page 38: Oregon Senior Championship......Frank Niro & Brian Berger
Page 42: Northwest Grand Prix.............................Murlin Varner
Page 47: Seattle Chess Club Tournaments.....................Fred Kleist
Back Cover: Upcoming Events........................Various Contributors

Games from the 2013 Cardinal Open

NM John Stopa (left foreground) faces GM Alex Yermolinsky in the 2013 Cardinal Open held in Columbus, Ohio.

Note: This article is continued from January 31, 2013.

GM Andre Diamant vs. FM Carl Boor [C10]
36th Cardinal Open, Columbus, OH
Rd. 3, January 26, 2013
[Notes courtesy of Andre Diamant]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.g3 b6 6.Bg2 Rb8

This idea was played before by GM Judith Polgar against GM Mamedyarov. Mamedyarov preferred the move 7.Ne2.

7.Nf3 Bb7 8.Qe2 Ngf6 9.Nxf6+ Nxf6 10.0–0 Bd6 11.b3 0–0 12.Bb2 Qc8 13.c4 Nd7 14.Rfd1 Re8 15.Rac1

My development is over and now I have to find some plan to break black’s fortress.

15...Be7

White's idea for now is just prevent all black ideas like c5 or e5 with the doubling the rooks.

16.Rc2! Bf6 17.Rcd2 a6 18.h4 b5

Black is tired of waiting and tries to free his position.

19.Rc2 bxc4?!

19...Be7 would be better in order to keep the tension in the position.

20.Qxc4

Now black needs to play precisely or he will be lost.

20...c5

20...Be4 21.Rcc1 Qb7 22.Ne5 Bxg2 23.Nxd7 Bh3 (23...Bd5 24.Qxc7 Qxc7 25.Rxc7; 23...Rbd8 Fails to 24.Nxf6+ gxf6 25.d5!! White's black squared bishop is dominating!) 24.Qc6 Qxc6 25.Rxc6+- White wins a pawn.



21.Qe2!

A surprising retreat, which puts pressure on blacks position.

21...Bd5 22.dxc5 Bxb2 23.Rxb2 a5

23...Qxc5 24.Qxa6 Nf6 was a better way to defend.

24.Rc2 a4 25.bxa4 Rb4 26.c6 Nf6 27.Nd4 Rxa4 28.Nb5

Now the position is already lost for black.

28...Rd8 29.c7 Rd7 30.Qe3 Rc4 31.Rdc1 1–0

Black can't avoid loss of material after Na7.


GM Alex Yermolinsky (2540) vs. John Stopa (2200) [D10]
36th Cardinal Open, Columbus, OH
Rd. 2, January 26, 2013
[Notes courtesy of John Bath]

This short game ends with a surprising pawn move.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 Bg4 5.f3 Bd7 6.Bd3 e6 7.Nge2 dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5 9.d5 exd5 10.Nxd5 Nc6 11.Nec3 Nxd5 12.Nxd5 Qh4+ 13.g3 Qxc4? [13...Qd8=]



14.b3!! 1–0


John Stopa (2200) vs. GM Alexander Shabalov (2651) [B23]
36th Cardinal Open, Columbus, OH
Rd. 1, January 25, 2013
[Notes courtesy of John Bath]

John Stopa reaches a won position against GM Shabalov, but cannot find the "Houdini move".

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.f4 Bg7 4.Nf3 a6 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 e6 7.0–0 Nge7 8.d3 0–0 9.Be3 Nd4 10.Qd2 d5 11.exd5 exd5 12.Bxd4 cxd4 13.Ne2 Qb6 14.a4 Nf5 15.a5 Qc5 16.b4 Qd6 17.Rfe1 h5 18.Rab1 Be6 19.Nc1 b6 20.Nb3 bxa5 21.bxa5 Rab8 22.Bh3 Rb4 23.Ng5 Bd7 24.Nf3 Rfb8 25.Ne5 Be6 26.Rbc1 Ra4 27.Qf2 Rbb4 28.Re2 Bf6 29.Rce1 Kg7 30.Nf3 Qc6 31.Ng5 Bd7 32.Bxf5 Bxf5 33.Re7 Bxe7 34.Rxe7 Kg8? 35.Qe1! Rb8 36.Nxf7! Kf8



37.Ng5?

37.Nd8!! Qf6 (37...Rxd8? 38.Qe5!+- and mate is unavoidable) 38.Re8+ Kg7 39.Ne6+ Bxe6 40.Rxb8 and white has too many threats; one line goes 40...Bf7 41.Nc5 Ra2 42.Rb6 Qf5 43.Qe7 Rxc2 44.Ne6+ Kh7 45.Nxd4 Rc1+ 46.Kf2+-

37...Qd6 38.Rf7+ Kg8 39.Ra7 Rab4 40.Qe2 Rf8 41.Nh7 Rc8 42.Ng5 Rf8 43.Nh7 Rc8 44.Ng5 ½–½


Vikram Srivastava (1888) vs. Bill Turner (2067) [B01]
36th Cardinal Open, Columbus, OH
Rd. 2, January 26, 2013
[Notes courtesy of John Bath]

Black is winning after 11 moves, but White fights back to an equal position with a brilliant sacrifice on move 21. However, he misses some interesting tactics that would have maintained equality, and falls into a worse position. His 39th move allows black's king to penetrate, and the game is soon over.

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Be2 Nc6 5.d4 0–0–0 6.Be3 Nf6 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Bxf3 Qb5 9.Nc3 Qxb2 10.Ne2 Ne5 11.dxe5? Rxd1+ 12.Rxd1 Qxe5 13.0–0 e6 14.Bf4 Qc5 15.c4 Bd6 16.Be3 Qa5 17.Rb1 c6 18.Nd4 h5 19.Rfd1 Qe5?! 20.g3 g5?



21.Bxc6!! bxc6 22.Nxc6 Qe4 23.Nxa7+ Kd7 24.Nb5 Rb8 25.Rxd6+ Ke7= 26.Rbd1

26.Bc5!! Nd7 27.Rd4+ Nxc5 28.Rxe4 Nxe4=

26...Qxc4 27.Na3 Qxa2 28.Bxg5

28.Bc5! Ke8 (28...Nd5? 29.Rb6+!; 28...Ne4? 29.R6d2+) 29.Nb5! 30.Rxe6+!! fxe6 31.Nd6+! Ke7 32.Nb7+ Qxc5 33.Nxc5=

28...Qxa3 29.Rd7+ Kf8 30.Bxf6 Kg8 31.h4 Qf3 32.Rd8+ Rxd8 33.Rxd8+ Kh7 34.Bg5 Kg6 35.Rd4 f6 36.Be3 e5 37.Rd2 Kf5 38.Kh2 Kg4 39.Kg1? Kh3! 40.Kf1 Qh1+

40...f5!

41.Ke2 f5! 42.Rd8 Qe4 43.f3 Qc4+ 44.Kf2 f4 45.gxf4 exf4 46.Bd2 Qc5+ 47.Ke2

47.Kf1 Qb5+ 48.Ke1 Kg2 49.Bc3 Kxf3 50.Kd2 Qe2+ 51.Kc1 Kg4–+

47...Qe7+ 0–1


IM Justin Sarkar (2520) vs. Richard Parry (1825) [D56]
36th Cardinal Open, Columbus, OH
Rd. 2, January 26, 2013
[Notes courtesy of John Bath]

Richard Parry gives IM Justin Sarkar a tough fight before finally succumbing.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 0–0 6.Nf3 h6 7.Bh4 Ne4 8.Bxe7 Qxe7 9.Rc1 Nxc3 10.Rxc3 c6 11.h4 Nd7 12.g4 e5 13.cxd5 e4 14.dxc6 bxc6 15.Nd2² c5 16.dxc5 Nxc5 17.g5 Bf5 18.gxh6 Rfd8 19.hxg7 Nd3+ 20.Bxd3 Rxd3 21.Rxd3?! exd3 22.Qh5 Bh7 23.Nf3 Rc8?

23...Qe4!? 24.Ng5! d2+ (24...Qxh1+?? 25.Kd2–+) 25.Kxd2 Qd5+ 26.Ke2 Bd3+ 27.Ke1 Qxh1+ 28.Kd2 Kxg7 29.Qxf7+ Kh6 30.Ne6 Qg1 31.Kxd3 Qb1+ 32.Kd4 Qxb2+ 33.Ke4 Qc2+ 34.Kf3 Qg6 is unclear; 23...Qb4+! 24.Kf1 Qxb2 25.Ng5 Qa1+ 26.Kg2 Qxg7 27.Qxh7+ Qxh7 28.Nxh7 Kxh7 29.Kf3 favors White.

24.Ng5!+- d2+ 25.Ke2 d1Q+ 26.Rxd1 Rc2+ 27.Kf1 Bd3+ 28.Rxd3 Kxg7 29.Qh7+ Kf6 30.Rd6+ Ke5 31.Ra6 Rc1+ 32.Kg2 Qc7 33.Qe4# 1–0


Matthew Webber (1692) vs. Benjamin Tancinco (1666) [B46]
36th Cardinal Open, Columbus, OH
Rd. 5, January 27, 2013
[Notes courtesy of John Bath]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.e5 Bb4 8.Bd2 f6 9.Ne4 Bxd2+?!

9...Qb6 10.c3 Be7 +/=

10.Qxd2 fxe5 11.Nd6+± Kf8 12.Bc4 Ne7?! 13.Qg5! Qa5+ 14.c3 Qc5? 15.0–0–0 h6 16.Qh4

16.Qh5! g6 17.Qh4 Rh7 18.Qf6+ Kg8 19.b4! Qa7 20.Nxc8! Rxc8 21.Rxd7!+-

16...g5?

16...e4!? 17.Nxc8 Rxc8 18.Rxd7 Qg5+ but white should still win after 19.Qxg5 hxg5 20.Rd6 Nd5 21.Rxe6 Nf4 22.Rxe4

17.Qh5! Rh7 18.Qe8+ Kg7 19.Qxe7+ Kg8 20.Qe8+ Kg7 21.Qf7+ Kh8 22.Qf8# 1–0


USCF History for Michel R. Anders, USCF Life Member

November 1986 - Joined the United States Chess Federation

April 1987 – Organized and directed his first USCF-rated chess tournament

April 1990 - Recognized as a Senior Tournament Director

December 1991 – Reached his peak rating of 1774 at the Battle of Erebor Open in St. James, MD

August 1996 – Became Associate National Tournament Director

May 1997 – Defeated his highest rated tournament victim David Saville (2132) in the Bluegrass Chess Club tournament in Lexington, KY

August 2003 - Mike flew Grant Perks of Ohio to Stewart Airport in Newburgh, NY, for his first meeting with the USCF staff as Interim ED

July 2004 – Awarded 2nd Category Title following the National US Action in Bloomington, IL

January 2005 – Took National TD Exam but did not pass, presumably due to unconventional answers aimed at exercising his legendary sense of humor

December 2005 – Won his 250th regular rated game at the Circle City Chess Club in Indianapolis

April 2008 – Worked as a floor TD at the National HS Championship in Atlanta, GA

February 2009 – Was the book vendor at the U.S. Junior Chess Congress held in Anderson, Indiana

April 2009 – Served as section chief in the 246-player K-3 division of the scholastic Super Nationals IV in Nashville

July 2012 – Chief TD at the final tournament he organized, the 3rd Bulldog Open, in the Albany, KY on behalf of the USCF affiliate where he worked (Clinton County School District Chess Club)

July 2012 – Won his final rated game against Glen O’Banion (1737) at the Bastille Day En Passant tournament in Lexington, KY

November 2012 – Worked his last of nearly 200 USCF-rated tournaments when he served as Asst. TD at the 21st Kings Island Open in Cincinnati

December 2012 – Played his last chess tournament at the Kentucky Action Championship in Lexington