Re: Long Days of Summer

Steve:  The last-round game between John Coffey and Michael Morris-Pearce was extremely exciting and seems worthy of comment.  Morris-Pearce, who seems to be improving rapidly, played a brilliant positional concept involving the sacrifice of two pawns to obtain a monster passed pawn on d7.  John's position appeared to be on the brink of collapse, but thanks to his prolonged, tenacious defense, he ultimately garnered a full point when he seemed on the brink of taking a "zero" for the round.

 

John:  Michael is improving rapidly.  He seemed to benefit from the long time control, because after a very long think he offered me a pawn and then a rook sacrifice that caught me completely off guard.  Up to this point I was up a pawn and overly complacent.  It seems that after the rook sac I could have still been winning, but the combination (25. ... Nh3+ 26. Kf1 Rf8!)  was almost too subtle to see over the board.    I also made the mistake running my king to the corner when 26. ... Nf7 would have been better.  After this I found myself having to play nearly perfect moves (according Stockfish on my iPhone) just to stay alive.  On at least one move I offered him my knight (28. ... Nf7)  just so I could reach an unfavorable ending which seemed like my best option.  Later I deliberately gave him a chance to sacrifice his queen (34. Qxf7+!), again so that I could reach an unfavorable ending which was my best option.  Finally I set up a combination where I would give him a rook for a bishop and pawn (37. ... Rxd7)  to once again reach an unfavorable ending, but I was confident enough in my endgame skills to think that I might survive.   However, at this point Michael played the combination wrong and went down 2 pawns. 

I am sure that he had multiple ways to win.

This is the strongest 1184 I have ever played.  Even after I reached a won ending, he put up a tough fight.  He feels like someone who could be 1800 in a year.  At long games I am pretty sure he is at least Class B strength already.

[Event "Long days of summer "]
[Site "American fork"]
[Date "Jul 27, 2013"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Michael-Morris Pearce"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Qe7 5. Bg2 Nc6 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Nc3 b6 8. O-O
Bxc3 9. Bxc3 Ne4 10. Rc1 Bb7 11. Nd2 Nxc3 12. Rxc3 d6 13. e3 Nd8 14. e4 c5 15.
Nf3 Bxe4 16. Re3 f5 17. d5 e5 18. Rfe1 Nf7 19. Bf1 Bxf3 20. Qxf3 Ng5 21. Qd1 f4
22. gxf4 Rxf4 23. Bg2 Rxc4 24. Rxe5 dxe5 25. d6 Qd8 26. Qd5+ Kh8 27. Qxc4 Rc8
28. Qd5 Nf7 29. d7 Rc7 30. Rd1 Kg8 31. Qe6 Kf8 32. Bf1 Qg5+ 33. Kh1 Qe7 34. Qd5
Qh4 35. Qf3 Ke7 36. Qd5 Kf8 37. Bc4 Rxd7 38. Qa8+ Qd8 39. Qxd8+ Rxd8 40. Rxd8+
Nxd8 41. Kg2 Ke7 42. Kf3 Ne6 43. h4 Nd4+ 44. Ke4 Kd6 45. a4 g6 46. f4 exf4 47.
Kxf4 Ne6+ 48. Ke4 h6 49. Bd3 g5 50. hxg5 Nxg5+ 51. Kf5 Nh3 52. Bc4 Nf2 53. Kg6
Ng4 54. Be2 Ne5+ 55. Kxh6 c4 56. Kg5 Kc5 57. Kf5 Kd4 58. Bd1 Nd3 59. b3 Nf2 60.
bxc4 Nxd1 61. a5 Kxc4
0-1

As I was leaving the tournament, I saw a clever last round win by Eric Hon against Allen Bolen in a position that I was sure was a draw.

All this tough competition in Utah might discourage people who haven't played in a while from coming back to tournaments.   We have a number of people who will probably reach the expert class in the near future.  Congrats to Bryan Leano for winning the tournament and making 2000.  That is quite an accomplishment.

Thanks to Petro and Grant for their efforts in running the tournament.

Crazy chess game

[Event "Long days of summer "]
[Site "American fork"]
[Date "Jul 27, 2013"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Michael-Morris Pearce"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Qe7 5. Bg2 Nc6 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Nc3 b6 8. O-O
Bxc3 9. Bxc3 Ne4 10. Rc1 Bb7 11. Nd2 Nxc3 12. Rxc3 d6 13. e3 Nd8 14. e4 c5 15.
Nf3 Bxe4 16. Re3 f5 17. d5 e5 18. Rfe1 Nf7 19. Bf1 Bxf3 20. Qxf3 Ng5 21. Qd1 f4
22. gxf4 Rxf4 23. Bg2 Rxc4 24. Rxe5 dxe5 25. d6 Qd8 26. Qd5+ Kh8 27. Qxc4 Rc8
28. Qd5 Nf7 29. d7 Rc7 30. Rd1 Kg8 31. Qe6 Kf8 32. Bf1 Qg5+ 33. Kh1 Qe7 34. Qd5
Qh4 35. Qf3 Ke7 36. Qd5 Kf8 37. Bc4 Rxd7 38. Qa8+ Qd8 39. Qxd8+ Rxd8 40. Rxd8+
Nxd8 41. Kg2 Ke7 42. Kf3 Ne6 43. h4 Nd4+ 44. Ke4 Kd6 45. a4 g6 46. f4 exf4 47.
Kxf4 Ne6+ 48. Ke4 h6 49. Bd3 g5 50. hxg5 Nxg5+ 51. Kf5 Nh3 52. Bc4 Nf2 53. Kg6
Ng4 54. Be2 Ne5+ 55. Kxh6 c4 56. Kg5 Kc5 57. Kf5 Kd4 58. Bd1 Nd3 59. b3 Nf2 60.
bxc4 Nxd1 61. a5 Kxc4
0-1

Chess Game

[Event "Long Days of Summer"]
[Site "American Fork"]
[Date "Jul 27, 2013"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Allen Bolen"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. dxe5 dxe5 8. Bg5
Nc6 9. O-O Bg4 10. Qxd8 Rfxd8 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Nd5 Bg7 13. Nxc7 Rac8 14. Nd5
f5 15. h3 Bh5 16. Bd3 Rf8 17. Ng5 Rce8 18. Nc7 Re7 19. Nge6 Rff7 20. Nxg7 Kxg7
21. Nd5 Re8 22. f3 f4 23. Rfd1 Nd4 24. Kf2 g5 25. c5 Rd7 26. b4 Bf7 27. Nc3
Red8 28. Be2 Nc2
1/2-1/2

Chess Game

[Event "Long Days of Summer"]
[Site "American Fork"]
[Date "Jul 27, 2013"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Grant Hodson"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bf5 5. Qb3 Qb6 6. Nd4 Bd7 7. cxd5 Qxb3 8.
Nxb3 Nxd5 9. Nc5 Nb4 10. Kd1 b6 11. Nxd7 Nxd7 12. a3 Nd5 13. Bc4 e6 14. Ke2 Be7
15. b4 Nxc3+ 16. dxc3 Bf6 17. Bb2 O-O 18. Rad1 Rfd8 19. Rd2 b5 20. Bb3 Nb6 21.
Rhd1 Nd5 22. Rd3 a5 23. g3 axb4 24. axb4 Rdc8 25. f4 Nxb4 26. cxb4 Bxb2 27.
R1d2 Ba3 28. Rd4 Kf8 29. e4 Ke7 30. Rd7+ Ke8 31. R7d4 Rd8 32. g4 Rxd4 33. Rxd4
Rd8
0-1

Chess Game

[Event "Long Days of Summer"]
[Site "American Fork"]
[Date "Jul 27, 2013"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Bryan Leano"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 b6 6. f3 d6 7. e4 Nbd7 8. Bd3
e5 9. Ne2 O-O 10. O-O Bb7 11. Qc2 Re8 12. Bd2 Qe7 13. Ng3 g6 14. Bg5 exd4 15.
cxd4 c5 16. d5 Qe5 17. Qd2 Kh8 18. f4 Qd4+ 19. Kh1 Nxe4 20. Nxe4 Rxe4 21. f5
Rg4 22. Be3 Qg7 23. h3 Rg3 24. f6 Qf8 25. Bh6 Rxd3 26. Bg7+ Kg8 27. Qxd3 Qe8
28. Rae1 Ne5 29. Qe2 Qa4 30. Rf4 Bxd5 31. Rh4 h5 32. Qd2 Bc6 33. Qh6 Bxg2+ 34.
Kh2 Nf3+ 35. Kg3
1-0

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 20, 2013"]
[Round "3"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Isaac Balter"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Qe7 5. e3 Ne4 6. Qc2 Nxd2 7. Nbxd2 Bxd2+
8. Qxd2 O-O 9. Bd3 Nc6 10. Rc1 d6 11. O-O a5 12. d5 Nb8 13. Qc2 Kh8 14. c5 Na6
15. Bxa6 Rxa6 16. cxd6 Qxd6 17. Qxc7 Qxc7 18. Rxc7 exd5 19. Rfc1 Bg4 20. Rxb7
Bxf3 21. gxf3 g6 22. Rcc7 Kg7
1-0

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 20, 2013"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Ben Balter"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 e6 4. Bb5 d5 5. Bxc6+ bxc6 6. Nf3 Nf6 7. e5 Nd7 8.
O-O Rb8 9. d3 Be7 10. Na4 O-O 11. b3 f6 12. Bb2 Ba6 13. exf6 Bxf6 14. Bxf6 Qxf6
15. Qe2 Bb5 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. fxe5 Qh4 18. Nc3 Qd4+ 19. Kh1 Qxc3 20. Rae1 Qd4
21. c4 Ba6 22. h3 Rxf1+ 23. Rxf1 Rf8 24. Rxf8+ Kxf8 25. Qf3+ Kg8 26. Qh5 g6 27.
Qg5 Kf7 28. Qf6+ Kg8 29. Qxe6+ Kg7 30. Qe7+ Kh6 31. Qf8+ Kh5 32. Qf3+ Kh6 33.
Qf8+ Kg5 34. e6 Qa1+ 35. Kh2 Qe5+ 36. g3 Qe2+ 37. Kg1 Qe1+ 38. Kg2 Qe2+ 39. Kg1
Qe1+ 40. Kg2 Qe2+ 41. Kg1
1/2-1/2

Chess game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 20, 2013"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "David Catalini"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 O-O 8. O-O
b5 9. Bd3 Bb7 10. Qe2 a6 11. Rfd1 Nbd7 12. Rac1 h6 13. Bh4 Rc8 14. a4 b4 15.
Ne4 Nxe4 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Bxe4 a5 18. Nd2 Nf6 19. Bf3 c5 20. Bxb7 Qxb7 21.
Rxc5 Rxc5 22. dxc5 Qc6 23. Qb5 Qc7 24. Nb3 Qe5 25. Nd4 Qd5 26. c6 Qa2 27. b3
Ne4 28. Qxa5 Qxf2+ 29. Kh1 Qxe3 30. Rf1 Nf2+ 31. Rxf2 Qe1+
0-1




Best wishes,

John Coffey

Chess Game

[Event "Quick "]
[Site "Salt Lake Community College"]
[Date "Jul 6, 2013"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Ben Balter"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 e6 4. Nf3 d5 5. Bb5 d4 6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. Na4 Ba6 8. b3
c4 9. Bb2 c5 10. Ne5 Nf6 11. d3 Qa5+ 12. Kf2 c3 13. Bc1 Bb5 14. Re1 Bxa4 15.
bxa4 Qxa4 16. f5 Be7 17. fxe6 fxe6 18. Kg1 O-O 19. Bg5 Qe8 20. Rf1 Rb8 21. h3
Bd6 22. Nc4 Bc7 23. Bxf6 Rxf6 24. Rxf6 gxf6 25. Qg4+ Kh8 26. Rf1 Qe7 27. Qh4
Rf8 28. Qf2 f5 29. exf5 exf5 30. g4 f4 31. Re1 Qf7
0-1 as much as I can remember which is not all of it. I think that
the opening is curious, which is followed by both sides vying for
initiative.

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 6, 2013"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Brian Leano"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e3 b5 6. a4 Bb4 7. Bd2 a5 8. axb5
Bxc3 9. Bxc3 cxb5 10. Ne5 Bb7 11. Qg4 g6 12. Qf4 Nf6 13. d5 O-O 14. Nc6 Bxc6
15. Bxf6 e5 16. Qh4 Qd6 17. Be7 Qxd5 18. Rd1 Qe4 19. Qxe4 Bxe4 20. Bxf8 Kxf8
21. Rd8+ Ke7 22. Rh8 Nd7 23. Rxa8 Bxa8 24. Kd2 Kd6 25. b3 Kc5 26. bxc4 b4 27.
Be2 Bxg2 28. Ra1 Kb6 29. Bd3 Nc5 30. Kc2 a4 31. f4 Ka5 32. Rg1 e4 33. Rxg2
exd3+ 34. Kb2
0-1. As best as I can remember.

French Chess Game

[Event "Quick "]
[Site "Salt Lake Community College"]
[Date "Jul 6, 2013"]
[Round "1"]
[White "David Catalini"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nh6 8. Nbd2
Nxd4 9. O-O Nxe2+ 10. Qxe2 Bd7 11. Re1 Bb5 12. Qd1 Bc5 13. Nb3 Bxf2+ 14. Kh1
Bxe1 15. Bxh6 gxh6 16. Qxe1 Bc4 17. Nbd4 Bd3 18. Qd2 Bg6 19. Rc1 Kd7 20. Qxh6
Rac8 21. Rxc8 Rxc8 22. h3 Qxb2 23. h4 Qc1+ 24. Qxc1 Rxc1+ 25. Kh2
0-1