2014-12-30

An Embarrassing Chess Game

The higher ranked players didn't do so well, including a master and a couple of strong 2100 players. My opponent had just beaten a strong 2100 player, and it came down to him and me to win the top section.

[Event "G/30"]
[Site "Louisville Meijer Grocery"]
[Date "Dec 29, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Daro Mott 1985"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 c5 4. b4 (This caught me completely by surprise.) cxb4 5. a3 Nc6 6. axb4 Bxb4 7. c3 Be7?! 8. d4
f6 9. Bd3 fxe5 10. dxe5 Qc7 11. Qe2 Bd7 12. O-O Nh6 13. Bxh6 gxh6 (This is not as bad for black as it looks.) 14. Na3 Na5?? (Trying to play positionally.)
15. Nb5 Bxb5 16. Bxb5+ Kd8?? (Missing the next move. Hoping for a6, b5, Nc4. Even after Nc6, Nd4 is winning.) 17. Nd4 Qb6 18. Qg4 (I liked Rfb1 for him. I could resign here but I wanted to see what he would do. He could possibly make a mistake.) Kc8 19. Qg7 Qd8 20. Rxa5 (I thought Nxe6 was better.)
1-0

2014-12-29

Chess Game

[Event "G/30"]
[Site "Louisville Meijer Grocery"]
[Date "Dec 29, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Meghan Waters 1700's"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. c4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Be3 Re8 8.
h3 Ne4 9. Qc2 Bf5 10. Qc1 c6 11. a3 Bxc3+ 12. bxc3 Nd7 13. Be2 Qe7 14. O-O Ng3
15. Re1 Nxe2+ 16. Rxe2 dxc4 17. Re1 Qf6 18. Qd2 Be4 19. Bg5 Qf5 20. Nh4 Qd5 21.
f3 Bd3 22. Be7 f6 23. g4 c5 24. dxc5 Nxc5 25. Qf2 Nb3 26. Rad1 b6 27. Nf5 Qd7
28. Bd6 g6 29. Nh6+ Kg7 30. g5 Qxd6 31. Rxe8 Rxe8 32. gxf6+ Qxf6 33. Ng4
0-1

Short but wild chess game

[Event "G/30"]
[Site "Louisville Meijer Grocery"]
[Date "Dec 29, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Jonah Ponze 1910"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 c6 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 Nbd7 8. O-O
dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nb6 10. Bd3 Nbd5 11. Be5 Ng4 12. Bg3 Ndxe3 13. fxe3 Nxe3 14. Qb1
Nxf1 15. Bxh7+ Kh8 16. Kxf1 g6 17. Bxg6 fxg6 18. Qxg6 Qxd4 19. Qh6+
1-0

Chess Game

[Event "G/30"]
[Site "Louisville Meijer Grocery"]
[Date "Dec 29, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Meghan Waters 1700's"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. c4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Be3 Re8 8.
h3 Ne4 9. Qc2 Bf5 10. Qc1 c6 11. a3 Bxc3+ 12. bxc3 Nd7 13. Be2 Qe7 14. O-O Ng3
15. Re1 Nxe2+ 16. Rxe2 dxc4 17. Re1 Qf6 18. Qd2 Be4 19. Bg5 Qf5 20. Nh4 Qd5 21.
f3 Bd3 22. Be7 f6 23. g4 c5 24. dxc5 Nxc5 25. Qf2 Nb3 26. Rad1 b6 27. Nf5 Qd7
28. Bd6 g6 29. Nh6+ Kg7 30. g5 Qxd6 31. Rxe8 Rxe8 32. gxf6+ Qxf6 33. Ng4
0-1

2014-12-25

Fwd: Chess Game

[Event "Action"]
[Site "Meijers"]
[Date "Dec 24, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "William fuller"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 a6 7. a4 g6 8. h3 Bg7
9. Nf3 O-O 10. Bd3 Re8 11. O-O Nbd7 12. Bf4 Qc7 13. Nd2 Nh5 14. Bh2 Ne5 15. Be2
Nf6 16. Qc2 b6 17. f4 Ned7 18. Nc4 Bb7 19. e5 dxe5 20. d6 Qc6 21. Bf3 e4 22.
Be2 Nd5 23. Nxd5 Qxd5 24. Rad1 Bd4+ 25. Kh1 Kg7 26. f5 f6 27. fxg6 hxg6 28. Ne3
Qg5 29. Bf4 Qh4 30. Bg4 Bxe3 31. Bxe3 f5 32. Qc3+ Qf6 33. Qd2 Qe6 34. Bh6+ Kf7
35. Qg5 Qf6 36. Rxf5 gxf5
0-1 Eventually. Missed chances to win on the last couple of moves.

Chess Game

[Event "G/30"]
[Site "Meijer Louisville"]
[Date "Dec 22, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Harlamert"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 h6 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8. Qg4
O-O 9. O-O-O c5 10. f4 cxd4 11. Nb5 Nc6 12. Nf3 f6 13. Nbxd4 Nc5 14. f5 Nxe5
15. Qf4 Nxf3 16. Qxf3 e5 17. Qe3 Qf7 18. Nb5 d4 19. Qa3 b6 20. Nd6 Qd7 21. Bc4+
Kh7 22. Ne4 Bb7 23. Nxc5 bxc5 24. Rhg1 Rfd8
0-1 eventually

Chess Game

[Event "G/30"]
[Site "Meijer Louisville"]
[Date "Dec 25, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Melvin Person"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Be7 7. e3 h6 8.
Bh4 O-O 9. Bd3 Re8 10. O-O c6 11. a3 Nh7 12. Bg3 Ndf8 13. Qc2 Bd7 14. Ne5 Be6
15. b4 Rc8 16. f4 Bf6 17. a4 a6 18. a5 Be7 19. Rab1 Bd6 20. Na4 Nf6 21. Nb6 Rc7
22. f5 Bc8 23. Qf2 Qe7 24. Na8 Bxe5 25. dxe5 Ne4 26. Bxe4 dxe4 27. Nxc7 Qxc7
28. Qc2 Qe7 29. Qxe4
1/2-1/2 eventually. Unfortunately I got into an ending where I couldn't make progress.

2014-12-13

Chess Game

[Event "3 Round Circus"]
[Site "UU"]
[Date "Dec 13, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Dietrich Geisler"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 Nc6 7. Be3 e5 8. d5
Ne7 9. O-O Ng4 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bh4 f5 12. h3 Nf6 13. Nd2 g5 14. Bg3 Ng6 15. f3
Nh5 16. Bf2 Nhf4 17. Re1 Nxe2+ 18. Nxe2 Nf4 19. Qc2 fxe4 20. Nxe4 Qd7 21. Nxf4
exf4 22. Rad1 b6 23. Nc3 a6 24. Bd4 Bxd4+ 25. Rxd4 Qg7 26. Rd2 Bf5 27. Ne4 Rae8
28. Qa4 a5 29. Nf6+ Qxf6 30. Rxe8 Rxe8 31. Qxe8+ Kg7 32. Re2
1-0

Chess Game

[Event "3 Round Circus"]
[Site "UU"]
[Date "Dec 13, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Alex Alan"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. Nbd2 d6 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Re1 Be7 8. c3
O-O 9. e4 c5 10. Qc2 e5 11. h3 cxd4 12. cxd4 Rc8 13. Qa4 exd4 14. Nxd4 Nc5 15.
Qa3 d5 16. exd5 Qxd5 17. N2f3 Ne6 18. Qxe7 Nxd4 19. Re3 Rfe8 20. Qa3 Rxe3 21.
Bxe3 Nxf3+ 22. gxf3 Qxf3 23. Kf1 Qh1+ 24. Ke2 Bf3+ 25. Kd2 Qxa1 26. Bc2 Ne4+
27. Kd3 Qf1+ 28. Kd4 Qc4+ 29. Ke5 Qe6+
0-1

Chess Game

[Event "3 Round Circus"]
[Site "UU"]
[Date "Dec 13, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Stephen Black"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 exd5 4. cxd5 d6 5. e4 h6 6. Nc3 Ne7 7. f4 f5 8. e5 a6
9. Qa4+ Kf7 10. e6+ Bxe6 11. dxe6+ Kxe6 12. Qb3+ Kf6 13. Qxb7 Nbc6 14. Bc4 Na5
15. Nd5+ Kg6 16. Nxe7+ Qxe7+ 17. Qxe7 Bxe7 18. Bd5 Rac8 19. Bd2 Nc6 20. Nf3 Bf6
21. Bc3 Rhe8+ 22. Kd2 Bxc3+ 23. bxc3 a5 24. h4 h5 25. Ng5 Ne7 26. Bf7+ Kf6 27.
Rhe1 g6 28. Re6+ Kg7 29. Rae1 Nd5 30. Rxg6+ Kh8 31. Rh6+ Kg7 32. Rh7+ Kf6 33.
Bxe8 Nxf4 34. Bxh5 Rf8 35. Rh6+ Kg7 36. Re7+ Kg8 37. Reh7 Nxg2 38. Rg6#
1-0

2014-12-06

Chess Games from Quick

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "2014.12.06"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Coffey"]
[Black "Degooyer"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B08"]

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Be2 c5 6. dxc5 Qa5 7. O-O Qxc5 8.
Be3 Qa5 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. Rad1 Bg4 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Bxf3 Ne5 13. Be2 Rc8 14. f4 Nc6
{Eventually.  I don't remember much of this game} 1-0

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "2014.12.06"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Bolen, Allen"]
[Black "Coffey, John"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B25"]
[PlyCount "64"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. d3 Nc6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. e4 Rb8 8. h3
b5 9. Be3 b4 10. Ne2 d6 11. Qd2 Nd7 12. Rab1 Qa5 13. Bh6 Nde5 14. Nxe5 dxe5 15.
Bxg7 Kxg7 16. Ra1 Rd8 17. b3 Qb6 18. Kh2 a5 19. f4 Qc7 20. Rf2 Nd4 21. Raf1 f6
22. h4 h6 23. fxe5 Qxe5 24. Nf4 g5 25. hxg5 hxg5 26. Nd5 Rh8+ 27. Kg1 Qxg3 28.
Re1 Qh2+ 29. Kf1 Bh3 30. Rxf6 Qh1+ 31. Kf2 Qxg2+ 32. Ke3 Qg3+ 0-1


[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "2014.12.06"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Coffey, John"]
[Black "Catalini, David"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E91"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. d4 O-O 5. e4 d6 6. Be2 e6 7. O-O h6 8. Qc2 a6
9. Be3 Ng4 10. Bf4 e5 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Bg3 Nc6 13. Rad1 Nd4 14. Nxd4 exd4 15.
Nd5 c5 16. Bc7 Qd7 17. Bb6 Qd6 18. Bc7 Qd7 19. Bg3 Qd8 20. Bc7 Qd7 21. a4 Be5
22. Bxg4 Bxh2+ 23. Kxh2 Qc6 24. Ne7+ 1-0

The games are reconstructed the best that I can remember.  I think that my second round is accurate but I am not sure.

It has been a very long time since I won a Saturday quick tournament.

Best wishes,

John Coffey

2014-11-23

Chess Game

[Event "Utah Chess Championship"]
[Site "U of U"]
[Date "Nov 23, 2014"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Eric Hon"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. c3 Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Ngf3 Nc6 7. Bd3 Qb6 8. Qb3
Qxb3 9. axb3 cxd4 10. cxd4 Nb4 11. Ke2 Be7 12. Nb1 O-O 13. Nc3 Nb6 14. Na4 Bd7
15. Nxb6 axb6 16. Bd2 Nxd3 17. Kxd3 Bb5+ 18. Ke3 f6 19. Rxa8 Rxa8 20. Rc1 Kf8
21. Bc3 f5 22. Ne1 Rc8 23. f4 g5 24. g3 Kf7 25. Bd2 gxf4+ 26. gxf4 Rc6 27. Bc3
Rc8 28. Bd2 Rc6 29. Bc3 Rc8 30. Nf3 Rg8 31. Rg1 Rxg1 32. Nxg1 Kg6 33. Kf3 Kh5
34. Kg3 Bh4+ 35. Kf3 Bd3 36. Ke3 Be4 37. Bd2 Bc2 38. b4 Bd1 39. Bc3 Kg4 40. Bd2
Bc2 41. Bc3 Bd1 42. Bd2 h6
1/2-1/2

Chess Game

[Event "Utah Chess Championship"]
[Site "U of U"]
[Date "Nov 23, 2014"]
[Round "4"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Andrew Roach"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Be2
a6 9. e4 c5 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Qc2 Bb7 12. Bg5 Qb6 13. O-O Rc8 14. Bd3 h6 15.
Bh4 O-O 16. Rac1 Qa5 17. a3 b4 18. Bxf6 Nxf6 19. Qa4 Qxa4 20. Nxa4 Be7 21. axb4
Bxb4 22. Nb6 Rxc1 23. Rxc1 Nxe4 24. Rc4 Rd8 25. Rxb4 Rxd3 26. Kf1 a5 27. Ra4
Rb3 28. Nc4 Ba6 29. Ke1 Bb5 30. Rxa5 Bxc4 31. Ne5 Bd5 32. f3 Nf6 33. Ra7 Re3+
0-1

2014-11-22

Round 3

[Event "Utah State Chess Championship"]
[Site "U of U"]
[Date "2014.11.22"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Morris-Pearce, Michael"]
[Black "Coffey, John"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1806"]
[BlackElo "2024"]
[TimeControl "G/90 inc 30"]

 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 h6
7. Be3 c5 8. Qg4 Kf8 9. Nf3 cxd4 10. Bxd4 Nc6 11. O-O-O Nxd4 12. Rxd4 Bc5 13.
Rd2 a6 14. Rh3 Kg8 15. Qf4 b5 16. Nd4 Qc7 17. Nf3 f6 18. Rxd5 exd5 19. Nxd5 Qb8? (Qc6)
20. Rg3 Kf8 21. Rxg7 Kxg7 22. Nxf6 Nxf6 23. Qxf6+ Kg8 24. Qg6+ Kf8 25. Qf6+ Ke8
26. Qxh8+ Bf8 27. Bd3 Qb6 28. Qh7 Ra7 29. Bg6+ Kd8 30. Qg8 Qc5 31. b4 Qxb4 32.
Qd5+ Rd7 33. Qb3 Qa3+ 0-1

Chess Game

[Event "Utah State Chess Championship"]
[Site "U of U"]
[Date "Nov 22, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Bryan Leano"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. g3 O-O 5. Bg2 Nc6 6. O-O a6 7. d4 d6 8. d5
Na5 9. Qd3 c5 10. e4 Rb8 11. Bf4 b5 12. cxb5 axb5 13. Rfe1 b4 14. Nd1 Qb6 15.
Rc1 Ba6 16. Qd2 Nc4 17. Qc2 Nh5 18. b3 Nxf4 19. gxf4 Na3 20. Qd2 c4 21. e5 c3
22. Qe3 Qxe3 23. fxe3 g5 24. Nd4 Bb5 25. Nf5 dxe5 26. Nxg7 Kxg7 27. fxe5 Rbc8
28. Nf2 h6 29. Red1 Nb1 30. Rd4 c2 31. Rxb4 Nc3 32. Rxc2 Ne2+ 33. Rxe2 Bxe2 34.
Be4 f5 35. Bd3 Rc1+ 36. Kg2 Bxd3 37. Nxd3 Rc2+ 38. Kg1 Rfc8 39. Rd4 Rxa2 40. d6
exd6 41. exd6 Rcc2 42. Nf2 Rxf2
0-1

Narrow Escape. Disaster averted.

[Event "Utah State Championship"]
[Site "U of U"]
[Date "2014.11.21"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Scott, Jeff"]
[Black "Coffey, John"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C14"]
[WhiteElo "1800"]
[BlackElo "2025"]
[TimeControl "G/90 inc 30"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5
Nfd7 6. h4 h6 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8. f4 a6 9. Qd2 c5 10. Nf3 Nc6 11. O-O-O b5 12. g4
b4 13. Na4 cxd4 14. Nxd4 Nxd4 15. Qxd4 O-O 16. g5 h5 17. g6 Bb7 18. Bd3 Bc6 19.
Nb6 Nxb6 20. Qxb6 Bb5 21. Qd4 f5?! 22. Qf2 Rfc8 23. Qe2 Bxd3 24. Qxh5?! Qc5 (Forces a draw.  At this point I saw
that white couldn't defend his king.) 25.Qh7+ Kf8 26. Qh8+ Ke7 27. Qxg7+ Kd8 28. Qf6+ Kd7 29. Qf7+ Kd8 30. Qf6+ Kd7 31.
Qf7+ Kd8 32. Qg8+?? (White has to take the perpetual because any attempt to defend his king loses.)
 Kc7 33. Qxc8+ Rxc8 34. Rxd3 Kd7 35. c3 bxc3 (with the idea of 36. Rxc3 Qe3+) 36. bxc3 Qa3+ 37.
Kd2 Qxa2+ 38. Ke3 Qg2 39. Rb1 Rc4 40. g7 Re4# 0-1

2014-11-16

Bronstein versus Delay

How to set a Chronus clock (and others) for increment.

I have been studying all the different modes on the Chronus chess clock.

It wasn't clear to me at first that the clock supports increment, but it does.  The way it supports increment is to have two time controls where the first time control is the starting time and the second time control is one that repeats over and over and has a time equal to the increment.  For both time controls the number of moves has to be set to 1.  The Chronus clock has a mode designed specifically for this where you don't have set the number of moves and that mode is CH-P5.  (The "CH" is for CHess and the "P" is for "Progressive".)

For simplicity, for anyone at the tournament who is not sure how to set their clock, I would tell them to use CH-P5.

An alternative to using CH-P5 is to use CH-P1.  The disadvantage is that you have to manually set the numbers of moves to be 1 for both time controls.  This mode has one advantage in that it displays a "flag" when the time runs out, so it is my preferred mode.

Personally I think that it is better to set clocks with all beeps off so as to not disturb other players.

​The Saitek Competition Pro clock supports increment by using one of the "Fischer" modes listed on the bottom of the clock.  Either 4A or 4B mode should work. The cheaper blue version of the Saitek clock does not support increment.  

The DGT North American clock should use mode 14.

As far as I can tell, the DGT 2010 clock already has a preset for 90 minutes with 30 second increment.  It is mode 17.  If a different increment time control is desired then use mode 18.

John Coffey

2014-11-15

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Nov 15, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Michael Morris-Pearce"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 h6 7. Be3 c5 8. Qg4
Kf8 9. Nf3 cxd4 10. Bxd4 Nc6 11. O-O-O a6 12. Rh3 Kg8 13. Rg3 Qf8 all computer analysis up to this point. Kevin and I have practiced this repeatedly. 14. Qf4 f5
15. Nxd5 exd5 16. e6 Nf6 17. Qxf5 Nxd4 18. Rxd4 Ne4 19. Rxe4?? A touch take problem. Qxf5 20. Re3 Bc5
21. Re5 Qf4+ 22. Kb1 Bxf2 23. Rg6 Bxh4 24. Rxd5 Bxe6. Not the best but simplifies. 25. Rxe6 Rd8 26. Rxd8+
Bxd8 27. Re8+ Kh7 28. Bd3+ g6 29. Re4
0-1 Eventually.

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Nov 15, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Val Bradshaw"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. a3 Bd7 7. b4 cxd4 8. cxd4
Rc8 9. Bb2 Nge7 10. Be2 Na5 11. Nbd2 Nf5 12. Rb1 Nc4 13. Nxc4 dxc4 14. Rc1 a5
15. Rxc4 Rxc4 16. Bxc4 axb4 17. Qb3 Be7 18. axb4 Qxb4+ 19. Bc3 Qxb3 20. Bxb3
O-O 21. O-O Ra8 22. Bc2 Rc8 23. Bxf5 Rxc3 24. Be4 b5 25. Rb1 b4 26. h3 Bc6 27.
Bxc6 Rxc6 28. Kf1 Kf8 29. Ke1 Ke8 30. Kd2 Kd7 31. Kd3 Rc3+ 32. Kd2 Kc6 33. Ne1
Bg5+ 34. Ke2 Kb5
0-1 eventually.

2014-10-29

Chess Game

[Event "Casual speed game"]
[Site "Applebees"]
[Date "Oct 29, 2014"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Shahram Nazarinia"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. a3 Bd7 7. Be2 Nh6 8. b4 cxd4
9. cxd4 Nf5 10. Bb2 Be7 11. Nc3 Nfxd4 12. Nxd4 Qxd4 13. Qxd4 Nxd4 14. Nxd5 Nc2+
15. Kd2 exd5 16. Kxc2 Ba4+ 17. Kd2 Bg5+ 18. Kd3 Rc8 19. Kd4 Rc2 20. Rac1 Rxe2
21. Rc8+ Bd8 22. Bc3 Kd7 23. Rxd8+ Rxd8 24. Rf1 Bb5 25. g3 Re4+ 26. Kxd5 Bc6+
27. Kc5 b6#
0-1

2014-10-19

Casual Chess Game

[Event "Casual game at Target"]
[Site "Salt Lake City"]
[Date "2014.10.19"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Coffey, John"]
[Black "Grotzinger, Al"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2024"]
[BlackElo "1700"]
[PlyCount "62"]
[TimeControl "15m d2"]

1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bg4 5. h3 Bxf3 6.
Qxf3 Nd7 7. Ng5 Ngf6 8. d4 e6 9. Be3 h6 10. Ne4 Nxe4 11. Qxe4 Nf6 12. Qd3 Be7
13. Be2 Nd5 14. c4 Nxe3 15. fxe3 Bh4+ 16. Kd1 Qg5 17. g4 Bf2 18. e4 O-O-O 19.
d5 exd5 20. cxd5 cxd5 21. Rc1+ Kb8 22. e5 Qxe5 23. Qb3 Rd7 24. Bb5 Re7 25. Bd3
f6 26. Bb5 d4 27. Qf3 Be3 (27... Qxb5 28. Qxf2 Qd3+ 29. Qd2 Qf3+ 30. Kc2 Re2)
28. Bd3 Bxc1 29. Kxc1 Qe3+ 30. Qxe3 Rxe3 (30... dxe3 {is better.}) 31. Kd2 Rhe8
0-1 eventually

2014-10-06

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Oct 4, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Vishwa Srinian"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. dxe5 dxe5 8. Bg5
Nbd7 9. O-O h6 10. Bd2 Nc5 11. Qc2 Nfxe4 12. Nxe4 Bf5 13. Bb4 Bxe4 14. Qd2 b6
15. Qe3 Bf5 16. Bxc5 bxc5 17. Qxc5 e4 18. Rad1 Qb8 19. Nd4 Bd7 20. b3 Qb6 21.
Qd5 Rad8 22. c5 Qf6 23. Qc4 Bg4 24. Bxg4 Rxd4 25. Rxd4 Qxd4 26. Qxd4 Bxd4 27.
Rc1 e3 28. Rc4 exf2+ 29. Kf1 Be3 30. Bd7 Rd8 31. c6 f5 32. g3 g5 33. a4 f4 34.
a5 h5 35. Re4 Kf8 36. Re5 Rb8 37. gxf4 gxf4 38. Rxh5 Rxb3 39. Bh3 Rb1+ 40. Ke2
Re1+ 41. Kf3 f1=Q+ 42. Bxf1 Rxf1+ 43. Ke2 Rf2+ 44. Kd3
0-1 eventually.

2014-10-04

Chess game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Oct 4, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "David Catalini"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. g3 Nc6 5. Bg2 Nf6 6. Ngf3 dxe4 7. dxe4 e5 8. O-O
Be7 9. c3 O-O 10. h3 a6 11. Qe2 b5 12. Rd1 Be6 13. Nf1 Qc7 14. b3 c4 15. b4 a5
16. Bd2 axb4 17. cxb4 Bxb4 18. Bxb4 Nxb4 19. Rdb1 Qc5 20. Ne1 Rfb8 21. Qd2 c3
22. Qg5 h6 23. Qh4 Bxa2 24. Rc1 Bb3 25. Rxa8 Rxa8 26. Ne3 c2 27. N1xc2 Nxc2 28.
g4 Qa3 29. Rxc2 Bxc2 30. Nxc2 Qc1+ 31. Kh2 Qxc2 32. g5 hxg5 33. Qxg5 Qxf2 34.
Qxe5 Ra2 35. Qg5 Qxg2+
0-1

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Oct 4, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Ben Balter"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Ng8 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 d6 7. Bb5 a6 8. Bd3
dxe5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Nxe5 Qa5+ 11. Nc3 Qxe5+ 12. Be3 e6 13. O-O Bd6 14. g3 Qa5
15. Bxh7 Bxg3 16. Bxg8 Bxh2+ 17. Kg2 Qf5 18. Rh1 Qh3#
0-1

2014-10-03

Chess Game

[Event "Casual Speed Game"]
[Site "Mad Greek"]
[Date "Oct 2, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Chip"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 c5 4. exd5 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Qf6 6. Nf3 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 Bc5 8.
Be3 Bb4 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. dxe6 Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 fxe6 12. Nxe6 Bxb5 13. Nc7+ Kd7 14.
Nxb5 Kc6 15. c4 Nd7 16. O-O-O a6 17. Rd6#
1-0

2014-09-30

Attacking game.

You can decide for yourself if you think that this game is instructive.  My opponent made 4 major blunders which makes the game not so good.  The only reason I present it is that the king attack at the end had just a little finesse to it.


2014-09-27

Chess Game

[Event "Casual Speed Game Salt Lake City."]
[Site "Mad Greek, Redwood Road"]
[Date "2014.09.25"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Coffey, John"]
[Black "NN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D21"]
[PlyCount "33"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 c5 4. e3 cxd4 5. Bxc4 dxe3 6. Bxf7+ Kxf7 7. Qxd8
exf2+ 8. Kxf2 Nc6 9. Ng5+ Kf6 10. Qxf8+ Ke5 11. Qf4+ Kd5 12. Nc3+ Kc5 13. Be3+
Nd4 14. Qc7+ Kb4 15. Nd5+ Kb5 16. a4+ Ka6 17. Nb4# 1-0

2014-09-25

Adolf Anderssen vs Howard Staunton

[Event "London 1851."]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1851.09.21"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Adolf Anderssen"]
[Black "Howard Staunton"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B43"]
[Annotator "Coffey,John"]

1. e4 c5 2. d4 (2. Nf3 {Houdini considers this to be only slightly better.})
2... cxd4 3. Nf3 (3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qd3 {
With a minuscule advantage according to Houdini.}) (3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 {
Houdini thinks is equal.}) 3... e6 (3... e5 {Make more sense.} 4. Bc4 (4. Nxe5
?? Qa5+) 4... Nf6 5. O-O Qc7 6. Qe2 =) 4. Nxd4 Bc5?! {Houdini thinks that
this is much worse than natural moves like Nc6 or Nf6. Now Be3 would have the
threat of Nxe6.} 5. Nc3 (5. Nb5 {or Be3 gives white a slight advantage.}) 5...
a6?! (5... Qb6 6. Na4 (6. Be3!? Nc6 (6... Qxb2?? 7. Ndb5 Bxe3 8. Rb1) 7. Na4
Qa5+ 8. c3) 6... Qa5+ 7. c3 Bxd4 8. Qxd4 {
with just a slight advantage for white.}) 6. Be3 {Threatening Nxe6.} (6. Bf4 {
Is minuscule better.} Qb6? 7. Na4 Qa5+ 8. c3 Bxd4? 9. Qxd4 {Threatening g7.
} Nf6 10. Qb4 {with the possibility of Nb6. We can see that Black's dark
squares are really weak.}) 6... Ba7 {Violates opening principles by moving the
piece twice in the opening. Instead d6, Bb4 and Qc7 were better.} 7. Bd3 {
e5 is better. Qg4 is the strongest.} (7. Qg4 Qf6 (7... Nf6 8. Qxg7 {Is winning.
}) (7... g6 {
White plays e5 or Qg3 or O-O-O and he is dominating the dark squares.}) 8. e5
! Nh6 (8... Qxe5 9. Nf3 Qf5 (9... Qf6 10. Bg5 Qg6 11. Ne4 Nh6 12. Nd6+ Kf8 13.
Qf4) 10. Qxg7 Qf6 11. Bh6! {is winning.} Bxf2+ 12. Ke2! (12. Kxf2?? Nxh6
13. Qxf6 Ng4+)) 9. Qe4 Qg6 10. h3! Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 {
White has the better game.} 12. g4! Bxe3?! {
Black can't afford to get greedy.} 13. Qxe3 Qxc2?? 14. Rb1 {
with the threat of Bd3.} Qg6 15. Bd3 f5 16. exf6 Qxf6 17. g5 Nf5? 18. gxf6
Nxe3 19. fxg7) 7... Ne7 {Black seems to not care about his dark squares.} (7...
d6 {is better.} 8. Qg4?! Nf6 9. Qxg7 Rg8 10. Qh6 Rxg2) 8. O-O (8. Qg4 {
is slightly stronger.} O-O 9. e5 Qc7 {White has a choice of Qg3, Qh5, Qh3 and
even O-O with a slightly better game because of his strength on the kingside.}
10. O-O!? Qxe5?! 11. Nf3 f5 (11... h5 12. Qb4 Nbc6 (12... Qf6?? 13. Bg5) 13.
Qxe7) (11... Qa5 12. Bxa7 Rxa7 13. b4 Qc7? 14. Bxh7+ Kh8 (14... Kxh7 15. Qh5+
Kg8 16. Ng5 Rd8 17. Qxf7+ Kh8 18. Nce4 Qe5 (18... b5?? 19. Qh5+ Kg8 20. Nf6+)
19. Qxe7) 15. Qh5 Qf4 16. Ng5 g6 17. Bxg6+ Kg7 18. Qh7+ Kf6 19. Nce4+ Ke5 20.
Qg7+ f6 21. Qxe7 d5 22. Qc7+ Kd4 23. Qc3#) (11... Qf6 12. Bg5) (11... Qc7 12.
Bxh7+ Kxh7 (12... Kh8 13. Qh5 Ng8 14. Bxg8+ Kxg8 15. Ng5 Rd8 16. Qxf7+ Kh8 17.
Nd5! exd5 18. Qh5+ Kg8 19. Qh7+ Kf8 20. Qh8+ Ke7 21. Qxg7+ Kd6 22. Qf6#) 13.
Qh5+ Kg8 14. Ng5 Rd8 15. Qxf7+ Kh8 16. Nce4 {
With the threat of Nf6 or Qh5+ and then Nf6.} Qe5 17. Qxe7 Nc6 18. Nf7+) 12.
Nxe5 fxg4 {0.22/23} 13. Bxa7 Rxa7 14. Ne4 d5 15. Nd6 Nbc6 16. Nxc8 Nxc8 17.
Rae1 Re8 18. Nxg4) 8... O-O (8... d6 {
Is slightly better because it prevents e5 and if white were to play} 9. Qg4?!
O-O {Has the threat of Bxd4 (to prevent Nf5 followed by Bg5), Bxd4 e5.}) 9. Qh5
(9. e5 {is slightly stronger.}) 9... Ng6 (9... d6 {is a little better.}) 10. e5
{Prior to London 1851, the first international chess tournament, Howard
Staunton was considered to be the best player in the world. By winning the
tournament and in this game beating Staunton, the German Adolf Anderssen
dominated the game until Paul Morphy came along. After Morphy retired,
Anderssen was still considered to be the best active player in the world.
However, the best player in the world missed that Nf3 potentially going to g5
is very strong and he continues to miss this for the next two moves.} (10. Nf3
Nc6 11. e5 Bxe3 12. fxe3 h6 13. Ne4 {With a strong position.  Now if ...} Nce7
14. Rae1 d5 (14... Qb6?? 15. Nf6+ gxf6 (15... Kh8 16. Ng5 Qb4 17. Ng4 Kg8 18.
Bxg6 Nxg6 (18... fxg6 19. Nxh6+ gxh6 (19... Kh8 20. Rxf8+) 20. Qxh6 Rf7 21.
Rxf7 Qxe1+ 22. Rf1 Qxe3+ 23. Kh1) 19. Nxf7 Rxf7 20. Qxg6 Rf8 (20... Rxf1+ 21.
Rxf1 Kh8 22. Nxh6 gxh6 23. Qxh6+ Kg8 24. Qg5+ Kh8 25. c3 Qc5 (25... Qxb2 26.
Qh6+) 26. Rf3) 21. Nf6+ Rxf6 22. exf6 Qf8 23. fxg7 Qxg7 24. Qe8+ Kh7 25. Rf7)
16. exf6 Nf5 17. Ne5 Nxe5 (17... Kh7 18. Ng4) 18. Bxf5 exf5 19. Qxh6) 15. exd6
Nf5 (15... Nc6 16. g4 Qd7 17. g5 e5 18. gxh6 Qh3 19. Ng3 Bg4 20. Qxh3 Bxh3 21.
hxg7 Kxg7 22. Rf2 {With a winning advantage.}) (15... Nd5 16. Nfg5 Ne5 17. Nxe6
Bxe6 18. Qxe5 {With a winning advantage.}) 16. c4 Nxd6 17. Nxd6 Qxd6 18. Bxg6
fxg6 19. Qxg6 {With a strong advantage.}) 10... Qc7 (10... Bxd4 {
Houdini thinks that this is Black's only chance of survival.} 11. Bxd4 Nc6 12.
Bc5 Ncxe5 (12... Re8 13. f4 b6 14. Ba3 Bb7 15. Ne4 Qh4 16. Qxh4 Nxh4 17. Nd6
Reb8 18. Be4 {is strong for white.} Ra7 19. g3 Ng6 20. Nxb7 Rbxb7 21. Bd6 Ra8
22. f5 Nf8? (22... Ngxe5 23. fxe6 fxe6 24. Bxe5) (22... Nh8 23. Rae1 a5 24.
g4) 23. Bxf8 Rxf8 (23... Kxf8 24. fxe6) 24. fxe6) 13. Bxf8 Qxf8 {
With just a slight advantage to white.}) 11. Rae1 (11. Nf3 {
Is now winning. This leads to some rather long variations.} Nc6 (11... h6 12.
Bxh6 gxh6 13. Qxh6 d5 14. exd6 Qd7 15. Ne5 Qxd6 16. Nxg6 f5 17. Bxf5 Rxf5 18.
Ne4 Qd4 19. Ne7+ Kf7 20. Qh7+ Ke8 (20... Qg7 21. Nd6+ Kf6 (21... Kf8 22. Ng6+)
22. Ng8+) 21. Nxc8 Nc6 22. Rad1 Qe5 (22... Qxe4? 23. Qg8+ Rf8 24. Nd6+) 23.
Qg8+ Rf8 24. Qg6+ Rf7 25. Ned6+ Kd8 26. Qg8+ Rf8 27. Qxf8+ Kc7 (27... Kd7 28.
Qe8+ Kc7 29. Nb5+ axb5 30. Rd7+) 28. Qf7+ Kd8 29. Nb5+ Kxc8 30. Qe8+) 12. Ng5
h6 13. Nxf7 Rxf7 14. Qxg6 {This alone is enough to see that white is better.
To understand that White is crushing black then we have to look much deeper.}
Kf8 15. Qh7 {Rae1 is also good.} Nxe5 16. Bxa7 Rxa7 17. Rae1 d6 18. Qh8+ Ke7
19. Rxe5! dxe5 20. Bg6 Bd7 21. Qg8 Be8 22. Bxf7 Bxf7 23. Qxg7 {
White at the very least will pick up some pawns on the king side.} Ra8 24. Ne4
Rd8 (24... Rg8 25. Qf6+ Ke8 (25... Kf8?? 26. Rd1 Ke8 27. Nd6+ Kf8 28. Nxf7 Rg6
(28... Qe7 29. Rd8+) 29. Qxg6 Qxf7 30. Qxh6+ Ke7 (30... Ke8 31. Qh8+) 31. Qg5+)
26. Rd1! Rg6 27. Qh8+ Ke7 28. h4 h5 29. Rd2 {
Other choices are good too.  With the idea of Nd6 and Nc8+.}) 25. c3 Qb6 (25...
h5?! 26. Ng5 Rf8 (26... Ke8 27. Nxe6) 27. Rd1 (27. Nxe6!?) 27... e4 28. Nxe6)
26. Qxh6 {Qf6+ first transposes to the interesting line that follows...} Qxb2
27. Qh4+ Ke8 28. Qh8+ Ke7 29. Qf6+ Ke8 30. Ng5 Rd7 (30... Bg8 31. Qg7) 31. Qh8+
Ke7 32. Qg7 Ke8 33. Nh7 Kd8 (33... Rc7 34. Rd1 Qa3 35. Qh8+) 34. Nf6 Qd2 (34...
Re7 35. Qf8+ Be8 36. Rd1+) (34... Rc7 35. Qf8+) (34... Be8 35. Nxd7 Bxd7 36.
Rd1 Qb5 37. h4) 35. Nxd7 Qxd7 36. h4 {Qxe5 is also good.}) 11... b5 {
Taking the knight on d4 was the only hope.} 12. f4 {
For reasons we have already seen, Nf3 is winning.} Bb7 {The best. Black no
longer fears Nf3 because of Bxe3+, Rxe3 Qb6 (h6 will transpose), Nd1 h6, Bxg6
fxg6, Qxg6 Rxf4.} 13. Ne4 (13. f5 {Is stronger.} Qxe5 (13... Nxe5 14. fxe6 Nxd3
15. Rxf7 {Threatening Rxf8+ and Qf7#} Nc6 {To connect the rooks.} 16. Nf5 Qe5
17. cxd3 {With strong threats.  For example ...} Rxf7 (17... Kh8 18. Ne4 Rxf7 (
18... Qxe6 19. Nf6 h6 (19... Qxf6 20. Rxf6 gxf6 (20... Rxf6 21. Bxa7) 21. Bxa7
Nxa7 (21... Rxa7 22. Qh6) 22. Re7) 20. Qxh6+) (18... Bxe3+ 19. Rxe3 Rxf7 (19...
Qxb2 20. Ng5 Qc1+ 21. Kf2 h6 22. Nxh6 Qd2+ 23. Kg3 Qxe3+ 24. Kh4 Qe1+ 25. g3
Qb4+ (25... Qxe6 26. Rxf8+ Rxf8 27. Nhf7+) 26. Ng4+) (19... Kg8 20. Rh3 dxe6
21. Nf6+ Qxf6 22. Rxf6 Rxf6 (22... h6 23. Nxh6+) 23. Qxh7+) (19... h6 20. Rxg7
Qxg7 21. Nxg7) 20. Ng5) (18... dxe6 19. Ng5 Qxf5 20. Rxf5 h6 21. Qg6) (18...
Qxb2 19. Ng5 Bxe3+ 20. Rxe3 Qc1+ 21. Kf2 h6 22. Nxh6 Qd2+ 23. Kg3 Qxe3+ 24. Kh4
Qe1+ 25. g3) 19. Ng5 g6 (19... Qxf5 20. Nxf7+) 20. Nxf7+ Kg8 21. Ne7+ Kf8 (
21... Kg7 22. Qh6+ Kf6 23. Nxe5) (21... Nxe7 22. Nh6+) (21... Kg7 22. Qh6+ Kf6
23. Nxe5) 22. Qxh7 Qxe3+ (22... Qg7 23. Nxg6+) (22... Bxe3+ 23. Kh1 Qh5 (23...
Kxe7 24. Nxe5+) (23... Qg7 24. Nxg6+) (23... Qf6 24. Nxg6+) (23... Qxe6 24.
Nxg6+) 24. Nxg6+) (22... Qxe6 23. Nxg6+) 23. Rxe3 Bxe3+ 24. Kf1 Kxe7 (24... Nd8
25. Nxg6+) (24... Ne5 25. Nxe5 Ke8 26. Nd5) 25. Ng5+ Kd6 (25... Kf6? 26. Ne4+
Kf5 (26... Kxe6 27. Qxg6+ Ke5 28. Qf6+) 27. g4+ Kf4 (27... Kxe6 28. Qxg6+) 28.
Qf7+ Ke5 (28... Kxg4 29. Qxg6+ Bg5 (29... Kf4 30. Qg5+) (29... Kh4 30. Nf6) 30.
Qxg5+) 29. Qg7+ Kf4 (29... Kxe6 30. Qf6+) (29... Kd5 30. Qxd7+) 30. Qf6+ Kxg4
31. Qxg6+) 26. Qxd7+) 18. Qxf7+ Kh8 19. exd7 Rg8 20. d4 Bxd4 21. Nxd4 Nd8 (
21... Nxd4 22. Qxg8+) 22. Qf5) 14. Bf2 Qf6 15. fxg6 {
Wins a piece but black gets some material back...} fxg6 16. Qg4 h5 17. Qxg6
Qxg6 18. Bxg6 Rxf2! 19. Kxf2 Bxd4+ 20. Kg3 h4+ 21. Kh3 {
White has an advantage.}) 13... Bxe4 14. Bxe4 Nc6 15. Nxc6 (15. c3 {Gives white
more of an advantage because he doesn't have to worry about the pin on the e3
bishop which might be used later to attack the black king.}) 15... dxc6 16. g4
(16. Kh1 {Gives a slight advantage because of the potential attack on the king
side and it eliminates the pin problem after black plays Bxe3, Rxe3 and a move
like Qa7 or Qb6.}) 16... Rad8 (16... Bxe3+ 17. Rxe3 Qb6 18. Rfe1 (18. Qh3 {
Equalizes because the pin is a problem for white.}) 18... Rfd8 19. Kf1 (19. Kh1
?? Qxe3 20. Rxe3 Rd1+ 21. Kg2 Nxf4+) 19... Rd1! 20. R3e2 Qd4 {
Black has plenty of initiative and white has none.}) 17. Kh1 {Why is the only
move that gives white an advantage here? Wouldn't he like to play f5?} (17. f5
? Bxe3+ 18. Rxe3 Qa7 {The pin is too troubling.} 19. Rff3 Nxe5 {
With the threat of Nc4.} 20. Rh3 h6 21. g5 Nc4 22. gxh6 Nxe3 {Black is winning.
} 23. hxg7? Ng4+ {Forces mate.}) 17... c5 (17... Rfe8 {
Both Rfe8 and Bxe3 would help black withstand the coming onslaught.}) 18. Rf3 (
18. f5 {Is stronger.} Nxe5 (18... Qxe5 19. Bg2 Ne7 (19... Qxb2 20. fxg6) (19...
exf5 20. gxf5 Ne7 21. Bg5) 20. Bg5 Qc7 21. f6 gxf6 22. Bxf6 Bb8 {
With the idea of Qxh2+.} 23. Re5! {Wins.}) 19. f6 Ng6 20. fxg7 Kxg7 (20...
Rfe8 21. Rf3 {Looks simple enough.} f5 {Complicates things.} 22. gxf5 exf5 23.
Bxf5 Qxg7 (23... Re5 24. Rg1 Qxg7 {Is roughly the same.}) 24. Rg1 Rd6 25. Bf4 {
It is minuscule better to chase the rook first.} Rc6 26. Bh6 {Is crushing.})
21. Bg5 {0} f6 22. Bh6+ Kh8 23. Bxf8 Nxf8 (23... Rxf8 24. Bxg6) 24. Rxf6 Bb8
25. Rf7 Qxh2+) 18... Qa5 {All other choices succumb to f5 and f6 or Rh3 and g5.
So why does 18. ... Qa5 prevent immediate disaster?  The plan is to gain a
couple of tempos to eliminate one of White's bishops that can be used to
attack the king. After Ref1 Qb4, Bd3 c4 one of the bishops will fall or be
traded.} (18... c4? 19. Bxa7 Qxa7 20. f5 Nxe5 21. f6 Ng6 22. Rh3 h6 23. fxg7
Kxg7 24. Qxh6+ Kf6 {White goes on a lengthy king hunt.} 25. Bxg6 Ke7 (25...
fxg6? 26. Qh4+ Kf7 27. Qh7+ Kf6 28. g5+ Kf5 (28... Kxg5 29. Qh4+ Kf5 30. Rf3#
) 29. Rf3+ Kxg5 30. Rg3+ Kf4 (30... Kf6 31. Qxg6+ Ke7 32. Qxe6#) (30... Kf5 31.
Qxg6+ Kf4 32. Qe4#) 31. Qh6+ Kf5 32. Qg5#) 26. Rf3 Qb6 (26... fxg6?? 27. Qg7+
Kd6 28. Qxa7) 27. Qg7 Qc6 28. Qf6+ Kd7 29. Bxf7 Kc7 30. Rxe6 Qc5 31. Re7+ Kb8
32. Qf4+ Qd6 (32... Rd6 33. Rd7) (32... Kc8 33. Be6+) (32... Ka8 33. Qe4+) 33.
Qxd6+ {The computer prefers Qe4 but then white has to endure a bunch of checks
and it is far simpler to just trade queens.} Rxd6 34. g5) 19. Ref1 {The correct
move because we will see later that the rook will be useful on f3 after the
other rook goes to h3. It is either this or Rg1 or Rff1 or c3 or Bf2 (which
disallows a later Bh6) c4, Bg3.} Qa4 {Rh3 h6  is imminent and maybe at some
point Bxg6 or g5. Oddly enough, Qa4 is the losing move. Qb4 which doesn't look
much different, maintains near equality because after Bd3 black can play c4
and bring his queen back to e7 to defend the king side.} 20. Bd3 {
Obviously Rh3 doesn't work because it hangs the bishop with check.} Qxa2 (20...
c4 {Is slightly better because it allows black to eliminate one of the bishops
that will be used to attack his king.}) 21. Rh3 h6 22. g5 (22. Bxg6 {Doesn't wo
rk as well because it gives black time to play Qd5+ and Qd7 which helps defend
g7 now that the f7 pawn has moved. After this black can try for c4 to try to
trade off the dark square bishop that can be used in the attack.}) 22... Rxd3
23. cxd3 Qd5+ {The best chance to slow the onslaught.} 24. Rff3 {The problem
with Kg1 is that black has time to play Ra8 and c4 denying white's dark square
bishop a chance to participate in the attack. White is still winning, but not
as quickly.} Ne7 {Apparently all choices are bad.} (24... Rb8 {
Allows black to survive a little longer.}) (24... Qxd3 {Also allows black to
survive longer because he can harass the white king with checks.}) 25. gxh6 g6
{To prevent hxg7.} 26. h7+ (26. Qg5 {Also wins.}) 26... Kh8 (26... Kg7?? 27.
h8=Q+) 27. Qg5 {Better than Qh4 because if f6 or f5, exf6 Nf5, Qxg6.} Nf5 (
27... f6 28. exf6 Nf5 (28... Qxg5 29. fxg5 {
Prevents mate but this position is just too good for white.} Nf5 30. f7 Nxe3 (
30... Rxf7 31. Bf4 Rxh7 32. Be5+ Kg8 33. Rxh7 Kxh7 34. Rh3+ Kg8 35. Rh8+ Kf7
36. Rh7+) 31. Rxe3 Rxf7 32. Rxe6 Rf8 33. Rxa6 Bb8 34. Rxg6 Be5 35. b3 Bg7 36.
Kg2 Rc8 37. Ra6) 29. Qxg6 Qb7 {Prevents mate but the position is lost.} (29...
Qd7?? 30. Rfg3 Qb7+ (30... Qf7? 31. Qg8+ Rxg8 32. hxg8=Q#) 31. Kg1 Nxg3 32.
Rxg3 Qf7 33. Qg7+)) 28. Qf6+ {Forces mate in all variations.} Ng7 29. f5 Qb3 (
29... g5 30. Bxg5 Qxe5 31. Qxe5 Bb8 32. Qxb8 {Or Qf6.} Rxb8 33. Bf6 Rg8 34.
Rfg3 b4 35. hxg8=Q+ Kxg8 36. Rxg7+) 30. Bh6 Qd1+ 31. Kg2 Qe2+ 32. Rf2 {
The checks mean nothing.} 1-0

2014-09-20

Chess Game as a House Man

[Event "Friday Night Fray (Extra game)"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2014.09.19"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Harston, Wesly"]
[Black "Coffey, John"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1431"]
[BlackElo "2012"]
[PlyCount "76"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[TimeControl "g/30"]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 c6 4. Bg2 d5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. d4
exd4 7. Qxd4 Nc6 8. Qd3 Be6 9. Bg5 Be7 10. Qb5 Qb6 11. Qxb6 axb6 12. e3 O-O 13.
Nge2 Rfd8 14. O-O h6 15. Bf4 Bd6 16. Bxd6 Rxd6 17. Rfd1 Rdd8 18. Nf4 d4 19.
exd4 Rxd4 20. Rxd4 Nxd4 21. Nxe6 Nxe6 22. Bxb7 Ra7 23. Bg2 Nc5 24. Nd5 Nfd7 25.
Ne7+ Kf8 26. Nc6 Ra4 27. Bd5 Nf6 28. b3 Ra3 29. Bc4 b5 30. Bxb5 Nxb3 31. Rb1
Nd2 32. Rb2 Nf3+ 33. Kg2 g5 34. Rb3 Ne1+ 35. Kf1 Nc2 36. Rxa3 Nxa3 37. Ke2 Nxb5
38. a4 Nc3+ 0-1

2014-09-18

Chess Game

[Event "Casual G/15"]
[Site "Mad Greek"]
[Date "Sep 18, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "NN"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Be2 O-O 6. O-O b6 7. Bf4 Bb7 8. e5
dxe5 9. dxe5 Nfd7 10. e6 fxe6 11. Ng5 Rf6 12. Bc4 Qc8 13. Nxe6 Kh8 14. Bg5 Rf5
15. Re1 Ne5 16. Bb3 Nbd7 17. Bxe7 Qg8 18. Nxc7 Rc8 19. Bxg8
1-0

2014-09-14

Funny chess match

That looks like 16 year old Utah chess Grandmaster Kaydon Troff who makes an appearance at the end.

2014-09-11

Chess Game

[Event "Louisville G/30"]
[Site "Game store"]
[Date "Sep 11, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Chris Bush"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. a3 Bd7 7. b4 cxd4 8. cxd4
Rc8 9. Bb2 Nge7 10. Nc3 Ng6?! (Na5 or else white has the advantage. )
11. g3 Be7 12. Qd2 O-O 13. Bg2 f6 14. exf6 Bxf6 15.
Na4 Qb5? 16. Nc5 Nce7 17. a4 Qc6 18. b5 Qc7 19. Rc1 Qb8???? (Major
blunder. Lost anyway.) 20. Nxd7
1-0

Chess game

[Event "G/30"]
[Site "Louisville game shop"]
[Date "Sep 11, 2014"]
[Round " 2"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Mike Thomas"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Bb4+ 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. Nf3 b6 5. e3 Bb7 6. Bd3 d5 7. Qa4+ Nc6 8. Ne5
Bxd2+ 9. Bxd2 O-O 10. Nxc6 Qd7 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Rc1 a6 13. O-O b5 14. Qc2
1-0

Chess Game

[Event "G/30"]
[Site "Louisville Game Shop"]
[Date "Sep 11, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Jim Lawson 1800"]
[Black "John Coffey 2012"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. Nbd2 c5 6. c3 d5 7. O-O Nc6 8. Bb5
Bd6 9. dxc5 bxc5 10. Qa4 Qc7 11. Re1 a6 12. Bf1 O-O 13. Qh4 Ne7 14. Bd3 e5 15.
e4 Ng6 16. Qg3 Nf4 17. exd5 Nxd3
0-1

2014-09-10

Chess Game

[Event "Louisville G/30"]
[Site "Meijer Grocery"]
[Date "2014.09.08"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Coffey, John"]
[Black "Person, Melvin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D37"]
[WhiteElo "2012"]
[BlackElo "1890"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventType "rapid"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 a6 6. e3 Nbd7 7. cxd5 exd5 8.
Rc1 c6 9. Bd3 O-O 10. O-O Re8 11. Qc2 Nf8 12. Rfe1 Nh5 13. Be5 f6 14. Bg3 Nxg3
15. hxg3 Bg4 16. a3 Rc8 17. b4 a5 18. Rb1 axb4 19. axb4 Ra8 20. b5 c5 21. Nxd5
Be6 22. Nxe7+ Qxe7 23. Qxc5 Qf7 24. e4 Rec8 25. Qb4 Nd7 26. d5 Bg4 27. Nd2 Ne5
28. Bf1 Rc2 29. f4 Raa2 30. Nb3 Nd3 31. Qd4 Nxe1 32. Rxe1 Be2 33. Rxe2 Rxe2 34.
Bxe2 Rxe2 35. d6 1-0 eventually

Chess Game

[Event "Louisville g/30"]
[Site "Meijer Grocery"]
[Date "Sep 8, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Coffey 2012"]
[Black "Chris Bush 2090"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 b5 6. Be2 Bb7 7. O-O Nd7 8. Re1
Bb4 9. Bd2 Ne7 10. Nxb5 cxb5 11. Bxb4 Bxe4 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Bxc4 bxc4 14. Rxe4
O-O 15. d5 Nb6 16. dxe6 fxe6 17. Ne5 Qc5 18. Qe2 c3 19. Nd3 cxb2 20. Qxb2 Qd5
21. Rg4 Rf7 22. Rd4 Qf5 23. g4 Qf6 24. Ne5 Rff8 25. Qe2 Nd5 26. Re1
0-1 eventually

2014-09-08

Chess Game

[Event "Louisville G/30"]
[Site "Meijer Grocery"]
[Date "2014.09.08"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Water, Mehgan"]
[Black "Coffey, John"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C01"]
[WhiteElo "1760"]
[BlackElo "2012"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[EventType "rapid"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. c4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Be3 Re8 8.
Bd3 Nc6 9. O-O Bg4 10. a3 Bxc3 11. bxc3 Ne4 12. Rc1 Qd6 13. cxd5 Qxd5 14. c4
Qa5 15. d5 Nd8 16. h3 Bh5 17. Bd4 c6 18. dxc6 Nxc6 19. Bxe4 Rxe4 20. Bc3 Qf5
21. g4 Bxg4 22. hxg4 Qxg4+ 23. Kh1 Qh3+ 24. Nh2 Rh4 25. Qd6 Rd8 26. Qg3 Qxg3
27. fxg3 Rxc4 28. Nf3 Rd3 29. Ne5 Nxe5 30. Bxe5 Rxc1 31. Rxc1 f6 32. Bf4 Rxa3
33. Rc8+ Kf7 34. Rc7+ Kg6 35. Rxb7 a5 36. Kg2 Ra2+ 37. Kh3 a4 38. Rb4 Kf5 39.
Rb7 g5 40. Rb5+ Kg6 41. Be3 h5 42. Rb4 g4+ 43. Rxg4+ hxg4+ 44. Kxg4 0-1

2014-09-02

[Event "Louisville G/30"]
[Site "Meijer Grocery"]
[Date "2014.09.01"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Fuller, William"]
[Black "Coffey, John"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D00"]
[WhiteElo "2164"]
[BlackElo "2003"]
[PlyCount "55"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[TimeControl "30d5"]
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 c5 5. Be2 Nc6 6. O-O Bd6 7. b3 O-O
8. Bd3 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Nxe5 Bxe5 11. Bb2 Bxh2+ 12. Kxh2 Ng4+ 13. Kg3 Qd6+
14. f4 Nxe3 15. Qh5 Nxf1+ 16. Rxf1 f5 17. Nxd5 Be6 18. Rh1 Bxd5 19. Qxh7+ Kf7
20. Qxg7+ Ke8 21. Bb5+ Bc6 22. Be5 Qe6 23. Rh8 Qf7 24. Rxf8+ Qxf8 25. Qxb7 Qg8+
26. Bg7 Qxg7+ 27. Qxg7 (Bxb5) Bxb5 28. Qg8+ 1-0


[Event "Louisville G/30"]
[Site "Meijer Grocery"]
[Date "2014.09.01"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Coffey, John"]
[Black "Harlamert, Johnny"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A59"]
[WhiteElo "2003"]
[BlackElo "1830"]
[PlyCount "65"]
[TimeControl "30d5"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 Bxa6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4
Bxf1 8. Kxf1 d6 9. Nf3 Bg7 10. g3 O-O 11. Kg2 Nfd7 12. Qe2 Qa5 13. Bd2 Qb6 14.
a4 Na6 15. Rhb1 Nc7 16. Be3 Qb4 17. Qc2 e6 18. dxe6 fxe6 19. Rd1 d5 20. exd5
Bxc3 21. dxe6 Qb7 22. Rxd7 Qxf3+ 23. Kg1 Nxe6 24. Qxc3 Nd4 25. Bxd4 cxd4 26.
Qxd4 Qf6 27. b4 Qxd4 28. Rxd4 Rf3 29. b5 Raf8 30. b6 Rxf2 31. b7 Kg7 32. b8=Q
Rxb8 33. Kxf2 1-0
[Event "Louisville  Action"]
[Site "Meijer"]
[Date "2014.09.01"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Dillard, Steve"]
[Black "Coffey, John"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C01"]
[WhiteElo "1928"]
[BlackElo "2003"]
[PlyCount "90"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[TimeControl "30+5"]
1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Bd3 Bd6 6.
Qe2+ Qe7 7. Qxe7+ Bxe7 8. O-O O-O 9. Nc3 c6 10. Bf4 Nbd7 11. Rfe1 Re8 12. Ne5
Nxe5 13. Bxe5 Be6 14. Re2 Nd7 15. Bg3 Bf6 16. Be5 Bg4 17. f3 Bxe5 18. dxe5 Bh5
19. Rae1 Nc5 20. Bf5 Ne6 21. Bxe6 fxe6 22. Nd1 Rf8 23. Nf2 c5 24. Nd3 Rac8 25.
c3 c4 26. Nf2 b5 27. a3 a5 28. Ng4 b4 29. axb4 axb4 30. Ne3 Bg6 31. Nc2 Bd3 32.
Rd2 bxc3 33. bxc3 Bxc2 34. Rxc2 Rb8 35. Kf2 Rb3 36. Ke3 Rfb8 37. Kd4 Kf7 38. f4
Rb1 39. Ree2 R8b5 40. Red2 Re1 41. Re2 Rbb1 42. Kc5 Rbc1 43. f5 Rxc2 44. Rxe1
Rxg2 45. fxe6+ Kxe6 0-1 eventually

2014-08-24

[Event "FBF"]
[Site "Salt Lake City"]
[Date "2014.08.23"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Coffey, John"]
[Black "Hoisington, Steve"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D48"]
[WhiteElo "2010"]
[BlackElo "1850"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3
dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. O-O Bb7 10. Qe2 c5 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. e4 e5 13. Bg5
Be7 14. Rfd1 h6 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Nxb5 axb5 17. Bxb5 Bc8 18. Rd5 Ra7 19. Rad1? (Nxe5!!)
O-O 20. Qd2 Qb6 21. Bxd7 Bxd7 22. Rxd7 Rxa2 23. Rb1 Qc6 24. Rd5 Qc4 25. Qe3 Re8
26. h3 Qc2 27. Qd3 Rxb2 28. Rxb2 Qxb2 29. g3 Rc8 30. Kg2 1/2-1/2

2014-08-23

Chess game

[Event "Farewell Bobby Fischer"]
[Site "U"]
[Date "Aug 23, 2014"]
[Round "4"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Eric Hon"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 c5 3. c4 e6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nc3 Be6 6. e3 Nf6 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. O-O
a6 9. Bd2 c4 10. Bb1 b5 11. Ne5 Nxe5 12. dxe5 Ng4 13. f4 d4 14. Ne4 dxe3 15.
Bc3 Qxd1 16. Rxd1 Be7 17. f5 Bxf5 18. Nd6+ Bxd6 19. Bxf5 Bc5 20. Bd4 Bxd4 21.
Rxd4 Nxe5 22. Re1 O-O 23. Rxe3 Ng6 24. Kf2 Rfd8 25. Ree4 Rxd4 26. Rxd4 Kf8 27.
Be4 Ra7 28. Rd8+ Ke7 29. Rb8 Ne5 30. a3 Kf6 31. Ke3 g6 32. Kd4
0-1

Chess Game

[Event "Farewell Bobby Fischer"]
[Site "U"]
[Date "Aug 23, 2014"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Juan Zhang"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O 8.
O-O Re8 9. Nbd2 Be6 10. Re1 Nbd7 11. c3 c5 12. Ne5 cxd4 13. cxd4 Qb6 14. Bg3
Qxd4 15. Nxd7 Bxg3 16. Nxf6+ gxf6 17. hxg3 Qxd3 18. Ne4 dxe4
0-1

Chess Game

[Event "Farewell Bobby Fischer"]
[Site "U"]
[Date "Aug 23, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Sam Mason"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 b6 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Bb7 7. Bg5 h6 8.
Bh4 O-O 9. Nf3 d6 10. e3 Nbd7 11. Nd2 e5 12. d5 a5 13. Be2 c6 14. e4 cxd5 15.
exd5 Qc7 16. O-O b5 17. Rfc1 bxc4 18. Bxc4 g5 19. Qg3 Nh5 20. Qg4 Ndf6 21. Qf3
gxh4 22. Ne4 Qe7
0-1

Chess Game

[Event "Farewell Bobby Fischer"]
[Site "U"]
[Date "Aug 23, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "David Catalini"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 e6 3. c4 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 Bd6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. e4 Re8 8. Bd3
Bc7 9. O-O d6 10. h3 a6 11. a4 Nbd7 12. Bf4 Nf8 13. Re1 Ba5 14. Nd2 Ng6 15. Bh2
Ne5 16. Nc4 Nxc4 17. Bxc4 Bxc3 18. bxc3 Nxe4 19. Qc2 Nf6 20. Rxe8+ Nxe8 21. Re1
Nf6 22. Qd3 b6 23. Qg3 Ne8 24. Qh4 Nf6 25. Qg3 Ne8 26. Qh4 Nf6 27. Qg3
1/2-1/2

If 26. ... g5 27. Rxe8!

2014-08-02

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Aug 2, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Val Bradshaw"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. Ne5 Bf5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. Nc3 Qd8 7. Qb3 e6 8.
Qxb7 Nd7 9. Nxd7 Rc8 10. Ne5 Ne7 11. e4 Qxd4 12. Nf3 Qd8 13. exf5 Nxf5 14. Bg5
Be7 15. Rd1 Nd6 16. Rxd6 Qxd6 17. Qxc8+ Qd8 18. Qxd8+ Bxd8 19. Bxd8 Kxd8 20.
Ne5 Ke7 21. Nxc6+
1-0




Best wishes,

John Coffey

2014-07-19

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 19, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Aaron Case"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Be7 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O
Kh8 9. Re1 Ng8 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. e4 dxe4 12. Nxe4 f5 13. Nc3 Ndf6 14. Bxf5 Qb4
15. Bd3 Qxb2 16. Qb3 Qxb3 17. axb3 a6 18. Ne5 Ne7 19. Ra2 Nd7 20. Rae2 Nxe5 21.
Rxe5 Bd7 22. Na4 Rad8 23. Nc5 Ng6 24. Bxg6 hxg6 25. Nxe6 Bxe6 26. Rxe6 Rxd4 27.
Rxg6 Rd3 28. Rg3 Rfd8 29. Rge3 Rd2 30. g3 R8d3
1-0

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 19, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "David Vasquez"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 b6 4. d4 Bb4 5. e3 Bb7 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. Bxc3 Ne4 8.
Bd3 d6 9. O-O Nd7 10. Nd2 Nxc3 11. bxc3 O-O 12. e4 e5 13. f4 Qf6 14. Qg4 Qe6
15. Qh4 Qf6 16. Qh3 Qe6 17. Qh4 Qf6 18. Qh3
1/2-1/2

2014-07-16

Re: chess motivation and taking it seriously

Follow up email to the email I sent yesterday below...


Jordan,

You say you lost your motivation because chess is a hard game. You
say that you don't want to become a strong player, but deep down you
do.

Chess is a hard game. It is also a fun game. It is also a rewarding
game. And it is a game that is not as hard as you think if you know
the right things to study. This is why I created my website.

I enjoy studying tactics, memorizing openings, studying endgames,
looking at Grandmaster games, playing in tournaments, playing speed
chess, memorizing my best games and using those games to teach other
people. I love it all with a passion.

You have to find whatever it is that makes chess fun. If the book you
are studying is dull, find a different book. Figure out what you
enjoy and do that. It is better if what you enjoy involves other
people. If you have a true passion for chess as I do, then you will
want to share what you learned with other people. It helps you to
teach other people.

A friend and I will practice the same opening against each other for a
month or two at a time. (We play other people as well otherwise this
would get dull.) This is a good way to learn the openings.

Best wishes,

John Coffey




On Jul 15, 2014, at 10:15 PM, John Coffey <john2001plus@gmail.com> wrote:

Someone was asking me how he should get motivated to get better at chess ...


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John Coffey
Date: Tue, Jul 15, 2014 at 6:46 PM
Subject: Re: chess motivation and taking it seriously
To: "fearlessj07@.com"


Jordan,

I think that you have the impression that becoming a class A player is
some great burden, extremely difficult and requires that you be
brilliant. Although there is some hard work involved, I don't think
that it is any of these things. I don't actually think that it is
that hard to get to 1800.

There are different ways to get to 1800. The younger you are the
easier it is to get there by playing a great deal, especially speed
chess like several hours per week. The more the better.

It helps to play in tournaments not only for the practice, but also so
that you can study your games. The most useful part of your games to
study is the opening because there is a reasonably good chance that
you will face the same opening again. Usually after a long
tournament where I have thought really hard, I will find that I have a
temporary boost in ability that might last a week, or 10 days or maybe
2 weeks. If you study your games from the tournament then the boost
can last longer. The real fun of this, and the part that I find the
most beneficial, is when I play a "brilliant" game, or one that I
played particularly well, then I memorize the game and show or "teach"
the game to others. Here is an example (actually from a speed game)
...

[Event "Casual Speed Game"]
[Site "Wingers"]
[Date "Jul 13, 2014"]
[Round "6"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Shawn Wester"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d6 2. e4 c5 3. dxc5 Qa5+ 4. Nc3 dxc5 5. Bd2 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Bc4 Bxf3 8.
Qxf3 Ne5 9. Bb5+ Kd8 10. Qf5 f6 11. O-O-O Nd3+ 12. cxd3 Qc7 13. Nd5 Qd6 14.
Ba5+ b6 15. Nxb6 Qc7 16. Nc4
1-0

My website http://www.entertainmentjourney.com/index1.htm is full of
interesting and instructive games like this. I seriously think that
if people slowly commit these to memory (and maybe show them to
others) that they could use this to get to class A or even Expert.
The games on my website also serve to teach about openings.

I think that one of the easiest ways to improve is to study about 30
minutes of tactics per day, especially at night.

I know that your question is about motivation so I have been saving my
response for last. The important part is to find that which is most
entertaining, whether it be playing, studying tactics or games or
whatever. I found myself not as motivated to study tactics as I
would like, but then I found a tactics app on my iPad that was "more
fun" and consequently I have been more motivated to use it. In short,
find what entertains you about chess and explore that. If you don't
find some aspect of chess entertaining then maybe chess is not your
game.

It can help a great deal to either have some sort of chess mentor and/or
people who are strong friends because you regularly play
chess together. Chess is a social game and the social aspect
motivates us to play it.

Best wishes,

John Coffey

2014-07-14

Carlsen's BIG Blunder (World Rapid Chess Championship 2014)

Casual speed Game

Play chess online

2014-07-12

Chess Game

[Event "Casual Speed Game"]
[Site "CB"]
[Date "Jul 12, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Ben Balter"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 b5 5. dxe6 fxe6 6. cxb5 d5 7. Nc3 a6 8. bxa6
Bxa6 9. e4 Bxf1 10. Kxf1 Nc6 11. exd5 exd5 12. Bg5 d4 13. Qe2+ Kf7 14. Qc4+ Kg6
15. Ne4 Qd5 16. Nh4+ Kh5 17. Qe2+ Ng4 18. Qxg4+ Kxg4 19. h3+ Kh5 20. g4#
1-0

2014-07-05

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 5, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Issac Balter"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 h6 7. Qh5 g6 8. Bxe7
Qxe7 9. Qe2 O-O 10. O-O-O c5 11. f4 cxd4 12. Rxd4 Nc6 13. Rd3 b6 14. h5 g5 15.
Qg4 Ndxe5 16. fxe5 Nxe5 17. Qg3 Nxd3+ 18. Bxd3 d4 19. Ne4 f5 20. Nf2 e5 21.
Bc4+ Kg7 22. Qb3 Bb7 23. Nf3 g4 24. Nh4 Qg5+ 25. Kb1 Qe3 26. Qb5 Rad8 27. Nd3
f4 28. Re1 Qxe1+ 29. Nxe1 Rfe8 30. Nd3 Kf6 31. Nxf4 Kg5 32. g3 Kf6 33. Bd5 exf4
34. Be6 Rxe6 35. Qf5+ Ke7 36. Ng6+ Kd6 37. Qxf4+ Kc5 38. Qc7+ Bc6 39. b4+ Kb5
40. Qxd8 Re1+ 41. Kb2 Re2 42. Qxd4 Re4 43. Qd3+ Kxb4 44. Nf4 Ka5 45. Qa3+ Kb5
1-0

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 5, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Val Bradshaw"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bf5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Qb3 Qd7 7. Ne5 Qc7 8.
Bf4 e6 9. Ng6 Bd6 10. Bxd6 Qxd6 11. Nxh8 b6 12. Nb5 Qd7 13. Rc1 Nc6 14. Qa3
O-O-O 15. Rxc6+ Kb8 16. Rc7 Qxc7 17. Nxc7 Rxh8 18. Nb5 a5 19. Qd6+ Kb7 20. Qc7+
Ka6 21. e4 Ra8 22. Nd6+ b5 23. Bxb5#
1-0




Best wishes,

John Coffey

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 5, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Aaron Case"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Be2 Nbd7 8. O-O
Ne4 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. Nd2 f5 12. c5 Nf6 13. b4 Nd5 14. Qb3 Bd7 15.
a4 Be8 16. b5 Rb8 17. bxc6 e5 18. Qxd5+ Bf7 19. Qxe5 Qxe5 20. dxe5 bxc6 21.
Rab1 Bd5 22. Nc4
1-0

2014-06-22

Chess Game

[Event "Utah Senior Championship"]
[Site "Park City Utah"]
[Date "2014.06.21"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Coffey, John"]
[Black "Gordon, Steve"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A80"]
[WhiteElo "2018"]
[BlackElo "2100"]
[Annotator "Coffey,John"]
[PlyCount "100"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[TimeControl "75"]

1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e3 e6 6. Bd3 Bd6
7. Ne5 {Apparently not good.  The game is now equal.  Instead White can castle with a
sliight advantage.} Qc7 8. O-O Nbd7 9. Nxd7 Bxd7 10. Ne2 O-O-O 11. b4 Rdg8 12.
a4 {Apparently Bxd6 or c4 or Rb1 were slightly better.} g5 13. Bxd6 Qxd6 14. b5
Ng4 {Suddently black has a slight advantage.} 15. g3 h5 16. bxc6 Bxc6 17. h3
Nf6 18. Kg2 {Now I am lost.  With f3 white maybe hangs on.} h4 19. Rh1 Ne4 20.
Bxe4 dxe4 21. g4 Rf8 22. d5 {A miscalculation on my part.} exd5 23. gxf5 Rxf5 {
Now I realized that the Nd4 that I had planned on playing, to be followed by
Qg4, fails to Rxf2+.} 24. Qd4 {Kg1 and Rh2 puts up more resistance.} Rhf8 25.
Raf1 Qf6 26. Qxf6 R5xf6 27. Nc3 {
Seeing nothing else, but I am better off letting the pawn go.} d4 28. exd4 e3+
29. d5 Rxf2+ 30. Rxf2 Rxf2+ 31. Kg1 Rxc2 {Apparently Bd7 was better.   From
here I try to put up a little bit of resistance.} 32. dxc6 Rxc3 33. cxb7+ Kxb7
34. Kg2 Rc5 {For reasons we will soon see, Rc2+ followed e2 was stronger.} 35.
Kf3 Re5 36. Ke2 Kc6 37. Rg1 Kd5 38. Rg4 Ke6 39. Rb4 Kf5 40. Rc4 Re4 41. Rc5+ {
Apparently Rc7 is significantly better.} Kf4 42. Ra5 Rb4 {
Re7 intending g4 is better.} 43. Rxa7 Rb2+ 44. Ke1 Ra2 45. a5 Kg3 46. Re7 Kxh3
47. Rxe3+ {Here he almost played the natural looking Kg2 which would lead to a draw after Re2+. Since he didn't fall for my trick, everything goes downhill quickly.} Kg4 48.
Re4+ Kf3 49. Re5 g4 50. Rf5+ Kg2 0-1

Chess Game

[Event "Utah Senior Championship"]
[Site "Park City"]
[Date "2014.06.21"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Tew, Bradley"]
[Black "Coffey, John"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E21"]
[WhiteElo "1491"]
[BlackElo "2018"]
[Annotator "Coffey,John"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[TimeControl "75"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 b6 5. Nf3 Bb7 6. a3
Bxc3 7. Bxc3 Ne4 8. Qc2 d6 9. Nd2 Nxc3 10. Qxc3 f5 11. O-O-O O-O 12. Rg1 {
This gives black a little opportunity on the kingside.} Qh4 13. Nf3 Qxf2 {
Risky.  I have to worry about my queen getting trapped.} 14. d5 exd5 15. cxd5
Qc5 {I wanted to play Nd7 instead but I was worried about my queen.} 16. Qxc5
bxc5 17. Ng5 Bc8 18. Rd3 h6 19. Nf3 Nd7 20. g4 {Tactically not good.} fxg4 21.
Rxg4 Ne5 22. Rg3 Nxd3+ 23. exd3 Bb7 24. h4 Bxd5 25. Nh2 {
Making things much worse.  Instead Nd2 or Be2.} Rf2 {I had analyzed Rh3 Be6
(overlooking Re8), Re3 Rxh3, Rxe6 Rh1, Re1 (Apparently Kd2 is better) Rf8.} 0-1

Chess Game

With this game I got greedy and won material on the kingside by pushing all my pawns.  After that my king was a little exposed and I had a great deal of difficulty coordinating my pieces.  In the end, the extra material won.

I thought that Marti played way above her rating.  Marti meant to play c6 on the second move but touched her king knight and we went into the Marshal which I don't particularly like for Black.

[Event "Utah Senior Championship"]
[Site "Park City"]
[Date "2014.06.21"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Coffey, John"]
[Black "Olsen, Marti"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D06"]
[WhiteElo "2018"]
[BlackElo "1274"]
[Annotator "Coffey,John"]
[PlyCount "97"]
[TimeControl "75"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. e4 Nf6 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Ne2 (e5)
g6 7. Nbc3 Bg7 8. d5 Ne5 9. Bb5+ c6 10. Ba4 O-O 11. f4 Neg4 12. h3 Nh6 13. g4
Nhxg4 14. hxg4 Nxg4 15. dxc6 Qb6 16. Rf1 Ne3 17. Bxe3 Qxe3 18. Qd2 Bxc3 19.
bxc3 Qxd2+? 20. Kxd2 bxc6 21. Bxc6 Rb8 22. Rab1 (Rfb1) Ba6 23. Bd5 e6 24.
Rxb8 Rxb8 25. Bb3 Rd8+ 26. Ke1 Kg7 27. Kf2 Rd2 28. c4 Bc8 29. Ke3 Rd8 30. e5
Bb7 31. Nc3 a6 32. Rd1 Rc8 33. Ne4 Bc6 34. Rd6 a5 35. Rd4 a4 36. Bd1 a3 37. Bb3
h5 38. Rd2 Rh8 39. c5 h4 40. Rh2 h3 41. Ng5 Bg2 42. c6 Bxc6 43. Rxh3 Rb8 44.
Rh7+ Kg8 45. Rxf7 Rxb3+ 46. axb3 a2 47. Ra7 Bd5 48. Rxa2 Bxb3 49. Ra6 1-0

2014-06-21

Chess Game

[Event "Utah Senior Championship"]
[Site "Park City Utah"]
[Date "Jun 21, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Frank Montierth (1348)"]
[Black "John Coffey (2018)"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. f4 Qb6 6. Nf3 Bd7 7. Be2 Rc8 8. O-O Nh6
9. Be3 Qxb2 10. Nbd2 Qxc3 11. Bf2 Nxd4 12. Nxd4 cxd4 13. Rc1 Qxc1 14. Qxc1 Rxc1
15. Rxc1 Nf5 16. Nf3 Bc6 17. Nxd4 Ba3 18. Rc2 Ne7 19. Nxc6 Nxc6 20. Bb5 Kd7 21.
Bxc6+ bxc6 22. Bxa7 Ra8 (c5!) 23. Bf2 c5 24. Bxc5?? Rc8 25. Rc3 Bxc5+
26. Kf1 Bb4 27.
Rb3 Rc4 28. a4 Rxf4+ 29. Ke2 Re4+ 30. Re3? Rxe3+ 31. Kxe3 Bc3 32. Kf4 Bxe5+
0-1

2014-06-05

Re: Chess quiz

This is an interesting chess quiz. If you wanted to cheat, you can
look at the source of the web page and not only see the correct moves
, but the scores it gives alternate moves.

4 friends at work showed this to me. Two of them got ratings in the
1200's and two of them got ratings in the 1500's. Between the 4 of
them they only got 1 puzzle correct. I took the quiz, only spent 25
minutes on it, got just 3 correct and a rating of 1890. The puzzles
are difficult.

http://www.chessmaniac.com/ELORating/ELO_Chess_Rating.shtml

2014-06-01

Kayden

It looks to me like Kayden's results might be good enough to  get him over 2500 and finally make Grandmaster.  (I haven't tried to calculate a rating, but he did beat Ben Finegold.)  Going into the last round he is tied for second place.

For some reason the website is not allowing me to download all the games.  There is this win...

[Event "2014CCSCSLInvitational"]
[Site "Saint Louis"]
[Date "2014.05.31"]
[Round "7.4"]
[White "Troff, Kayden"]
[Black "Gorovets, Andrey"]
[Result "1-0"]
[LiveChessVersion "1.4.2"]
[BlackElo "2446"]
[WhiteElo "2484"]
[ECO "E91"]

1. d4 {[%clk 1:30:57]} Nf6 {[%clk 1:29:05]} 2. c4 {[%clk 1:31:16]} g6
{[%clk 1:29:23]} 3. Nc3 {[%clk 1:31:36]} Bg7 {[%clk 1:29:44]} 4. e4
{[%clk 1:31:57]} d6 {[%clk 1:30:07]} 5. Nf3 {[%clk 1:32:18]} O-O {[%clk 1:30:30]}
6. Be2 {[%clk 1:32:16]} c5 {[%clk 1:30:27]} 7. O-O {[%clk 1:30:56]} Re8
{[%clk 1:29:20]} 8. Be3 {[%clk 1:23:02]} Ng4 {[%clk 1:29:25]} 9. Bg5
{[%clk 1:20:20]} h6 {[%clk 1:29:28]} 10. Bh4 {[%clk 1:18:49]} cxd4
{[%clk 1:14:40]} 11. Nxd4 {[%clk 1:18:22]} Bxd4 {[%clk 1:13:49]} 12. Qxd4
{[%clk 1:05:51]} e5 {[%clk 1:12:31]} 13. Bxd8 {[%clk 1:06:10]} exd4
{[%clk 1:12:55]} 14. Nd5 {[%clk 1:05:55]} Rxd8 {[%clk 1:13:09]} 15. Nc7
{[%clk 1:03:56]} Na6 {[%clk 1:11:28]} 16. Nxa8 {[%clk 1:04:15]} d3
{[%clk 0:57:55]} 17. Bxd3 {[%clk 1:01:55]} Be6 {[%clk 0:57:17]} 18. Be2
{[%clk 0:58:33]} Rxa8 {[%clk 0:56:45]} 19. Rfd1 {[%clk 0:58:39]} Nf6
{[%clk 0:56:01]} 20. f3 {[%clk 0:56:21]} Ne8 {[%clk 0:56:17]} 21. g4
{[%clk 0:46:54]} g5 {[%clk 0:56:16]} 22. Kf2 {[%clk 0:46:54]} Kf8
{[%clk 0:51:08]} 23. h4 {[%clk 0:45:23]} Ke7 {[%clk 0:51:12]} 24. Rd2
{[%clk 0:44:55]} Nc5 {[%clk 0:49:47]} 25. Rh1 {[%clk 0:38:43]} Nf6
{[%clk 0:49:42]} 26. Ke3 {[%clk 0:36:53]} a5 {[%clk 0:49:38]} 27. b3
{[%clk 0:30:39]} Rc8 {[%clk 0:36:15]} 28. Rhd1 {[%clk 0:24:48]} Rc6
{[%clk 0:36:14]} 29. Rd4 {[%clk 0:21:46]} Rb6 {[%clk 0:33:51]} 30. hxg5
{[%clk 0:20:18]} hxg5 {[%clk 0:34:16]} 31. Rb1 {[%clk 0:20:04]} Nfd7
{[%clk 0:33:09]} 32. Kd2 {[%clk 0:18:20]} Ne5 {[%clk 0:30:00]} 33. Kc3
{[%clk 0:18:03]} Rc6 {[%clk 0:30:10]} 34. Rh1 {[%clk 0:13:12]} Ng6
{[%clk 0:30:20]} 35. Bd1 {[%clk 0:11:56]} Nd7 {[%clk 0:29:58]} 36. a4
{[%clk 0:10:13]} Kf6 {[%clk 0:23:33]} 37. Rh2 {[%clk 0:07:14]} Ke7
{[%clk 0:21:50]} 38. Rh5 {[%clk 0:06:06]} Rc5 {[%clk 0:21:51]} 39. Rh2
{[%clk 0:03:53]} Nde5 {[%clk 0:21:43]} 40. Rdd2 {[%clk 0:03:27]} Nh4
{[%clk 0:20:16]} 41. Rh3 {[%clk 0:03:01]} Neg6 {[%clk 0:20:22]} 42. Rhh2
{[%clk 0:03:04]} Rc8 {[%clk 0:16:22]} 43. Rh3 {[%clk 0:01:54]} Rh8
{[%clk 0:15:46]} 44. Rdh2 {[%clk 0:01:17]} Kf6 {[%clk 0:15:43]} 45. Rd2
{[%clk 0:00:51]} Ke7 {[%clk 0:14:39]} 46. Rdh2 {[%clk 0:01:11]} Rh6
{[%clk 0:14:58]} 47. Rg3 {[%clk 0:00:55]} Ne5 {[%clk 0:14:55]} 48. Rhh3
{[%clk 0:01:03]} Rf6 {[%clk 0:14:48]} 49. Kd4 {[%clk 0:01:13]} Rh6
{[%clk 0:10:39]} 50. Kc3 {[%clk 0:01:31]} Kd7 {[%clk 0:10:40]} 51. Kd4
{[%clk 0:01:03]} b6 {[%clk 0:08:24]} 52. Ke3 {[%clk 0:01:08]} Neg6
{[%clk 0:08:28]} 53. Rh2 {[%clk 0:01:01]} Kc6 {[%clk 0:08:42]} 54. Rg1
{[%clk 0:00:54]} Kc5 {[%clk 0:07:52]} 55. Rgh1 {[%clk 0:01:16]} Nf4
{[%clk 0:07:42]} 56. Kf2 {[%clk 0:00:58]} Rf6 {[%clk 0:04:34]} 57. Ke3
{[%clk 0:01:00]} Nfg2+ {[%clk 0:03:58]} 58. Kf2 {[%clk 0:01:03]} Nf4
{[%clk 0:01:10]} 59. Ke3 {[%clk 0:01:13]} Bd7 {[%clk 0:01:20]} 60. Rg1
{[%clk 0:01:18]} Nfg6 {[%clk 0:00:45]} 61. Rg3 {[%clk 0:01:30]} Ne5
{[%clk 0:00:49]} 62. Rd2 {[%clk 0:01:33]} Bc6 {[%clk 0:00:52]} 63. Rf2
{[%clk 0:01:40]} Neg6 {[%clk 0:00:48]} 64. Rd2 {[%clk 0:01:38]} Kb4
{[%clk 0:00:43]} 65. Rd4 {[%clk 0:01:45]} Ne5 {[%clk 0:00:43]} 66. Rh3
{[%clk 0:01:29]} Kc3 {[%clk 0:00:39]} 67. Rd2 {[%clk 0:01:21]} Kb4
{[%clk 0:00:35]} 68. Rf2 {[%clk 0:01:16]} Neg6 {[%clk 0:00:39]} 69. Rd2
{[%clk 0:01:36]} Kc5 {[%clk 0:00:36]} 70. Rdh2 {[%clk 0:01:16]} Nf4
{[%clk 0:00:42]} 71. Rxh4 {[%clk 0:01:33]} gxh4 {[%clk 0:00:36]} 72. g5
{[%clk 0:01:59]} Rg6 {[%clk 0:00:37]} 73. Kxf4 {[%clk 0:02:24]} f6
{[%clk 0:00:47]} 74. gxf6 {[%clk 0:01:40]} Rxf6+ {[%clk 0:01:07]} 75. Ke3
{[%clk 0:01:58]} Rh6 {[%clk 0:01:14]} 76. f4 {[%clk 0:02:06]} h3 {[%clk 0:00:36]}
77. f5 {[%clk 0:01:14]} Kb4 {[%clk 0:00:37]} 78. Kf4 {[%clk 0:01:30]} Rh4+
{[%clk 0:00:54]} 79. Kg5 {[%clk 0:01:55]} Rh8 {[%clk 0:00:49]} 80. f6
{[%clk 0:01:48]} Bxe4 {[%clk 0:00:38]} 81. f7 {[%clk 0:02:05]} d5
{[%clk 0:00:36]} 82. Kf6 {[%clk 0:00:58]} Bg2 {[%clk 0:00:33]} 83. Kg7
{[%clk 0:01:15]} Rd8 {[%clk 0:00:50]} 84. cxd5 {[%clk 0:01:26]} Bxd5
{[%clk 0:00:36]} 85. f8=Q+ {[%clk 0:01:47]} Rxf8 {[%clk 0:01:03]} 86. Kxf8
{[%clk 0:02:09]} Bg2 {[%clk 0:01:11]} 87. Ke7 {[%clk 0:02:33]} b5
{[%clk 0:00:35]} 88. axb5 {[%clk 0:02:55]} Kxb5 {[%clk 0:01:04]} 89. Kd6
{[%clk 0:03:11]} Kb4 {[%clk 0:01:21]} 90. Ke5 {[%clk 0:03:34]} Kc3
{[%clk 0:01:40]} 91. Kf4 {[%clk 0:03:54]} Kb4 {[%clk 0:01:33]} 92. Ke3
{[%clk 0:04:12]} Kc3 {[%clk 0:01:52]} 93. Ke2 {[%clk 0:04:34]} Kb4
{[%clk 0:01:35]} 94. Kd2 {[%clk 0:04:59]} Ka3 {[%clk 0:01:25]} 95. Kc3
{[%clk 0:05:21]} Bf1 {[%clk 0:01:30]} 96. Bg4 {[%clk 0:05:09]} 1-0

2014-05-31

Chess Game

As best as I can remember...

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "May 27, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Val Bradshaw"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 g6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Bf4 Bg4 7. Qb3 b6 8.
Qxd5 Qxd5 (Nd7. Was planning Nb5 with threat of Qa8) 9. Nxd5 Kd7 10.
Nc7 e5 11. Nxa8 exf4 12. Rc1 Bxf3 13. exf3 Bxd4 14.
Rd1 Nc6 15. Bb5 Ne7 16. Rxd4+ Ke6 17. Nc7+ Kf6 18. Rd6+ Kg7 19. Bxc6 Rc8 20.
Ne8+ Kf8 21. Bb5 Rc1+ 22. Rd1 Rc5 23. Nd6 Re5+ 24. Kd2 Nd5 25. Kc1 Nb4 26. Rhe1
Rc5+ 27. Kb1
1-0 eventually

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "May 27, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "David Catalini"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. cxd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 Qd8 5. e4 e5 6. d5 Bb4 7. Qa4+ Nc6 8.
dxc6 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 O-O 10. Ba3 bxc6 11. Bxf8 Qxf8 12. Nf3 Qe8 13. Be2 Bd7 14.
O-O c5 15. Qa5 Nxe4 16. Qxc7 Nxc3 17. Rfe1 e4 18. Bc4 Be6 19. Bxe6 Qxe6 20.
Qxc5 Qf6 21. Nd4 Na4 22. Qc6 Qd8 23. Qxa4 h6 24. Rxe4 Qd6 25. Re8+ Rxe8 26.
Qxe8+ Kh7 27. Qxf7 Qxd4 28. Qf5+ Kh8 29. Rc1 g6 30. Rc8+ Kg7 31. Qf8+
1-0

Chess Game

I wasn't sure if I could remember the move order but I think that this is it.

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "May 27, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Bryon Leano"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. f4 O-O 8.
Nf3 c5 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. O-O-O a6 11. h4 b5 12. dxc5 Nxc5 13. Bd3 b4 14. Ne2 a5
15. Ng5 h6 16. Nf3 Ba6 17. Bxa6 Rxa6 18. g4 a4 19. Rh3 b3 20. cxb3 Nb4 21. Nfd4
Ne4 22. Qe1 axb3 23. a3 Rc8+ 24. Kb1 Nc2 25. Qf1 Nxa3+ 26. bxa3 Qxa3
0-1

2014-05-24

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "May 24, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "David Vasquez"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. d4 c6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e3 b5 7. Be2 Be7 8. O-O
O-O 9. a4 b4 10. Nb1 a5 11. Bxc4 Nbd7 12. Nbd2 Nb6 13. Bb3 Ba6 14. Re1 h6 15.
Bh4 Rc8 16. Rc1 g5 17. Bg3 c5 18. dxc5 Rxc5 19. Nd4 Qc8 20. Rxc5 Qxc5 21. Qb1
Rc8 22. Nxe6 Qc6 23. Nd4 Qd7 24. Qg6+ Kh8 25. Bxf7 Nbd5 26. Be5
1-0

Chess Game

[Event "SLCC Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "May 24, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Aaron Case"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bf5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Qb3 b6 7. Ne5 e6 8. Bf4
Be7 9. Qa4+ Nbd7 10. Nc6 Qc8 11. e4 dxe4 12. Ba6
1-0

2014-05-11

Chess games from Utah Game/60 championship.

[Event "Utah G/60"]
[Site "UU"]
[Date "2014.05.10"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Aaron Case"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D13"]
[PlyCount "45"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Bf4 a6 7. Qb3 e6 8. e3
Be7 9. Be2 O-O 10. O-O Nh5 11. Rac1 f5 12. Bc7 Qe8 13. Ne5 Nhf6 14. a4 Ne4 15.
a5 Nd2 16. Qa2 Nxf1 17. Bxf1 Nxe5 18. Bxe5 Qd7 19. Na4 Bd8 20. Nb6 Bxb6 21.
axb6 Qf7 22. Rc7 Bd7 23. Rxb7 1-0 Although it might not seem clear, white is 
winning.


[Event "G/60 Championship"]
[Site "Salt Lake City"]
[Date "2014.05.10"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Michael Morris-Pearce"]
[Black "John Richard Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1659"]
[BlackElo "2009"]
[ECO "C13i"]
[EventDate "2014.05.10"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.h4 h6 7.Bxe7 Qxe7 8.Qg4
O-O 9.O-O-O c5 10.f4 cxd4 11.Rxd4 Nc6 12.Rd3 Ndxe5 13.fxe5 Nxe5 14.Qg3
Nxd3+ 15.Bxd3 d4 16.Ne4 e5 17.Nf3 f6 18.Neg5 hxg5 19.hxg5 Kf7 20.gxf6 Qxf6
21.Nxe5+ Ke8 22.Bb5+ Kd8 23.Rd1 Qf4+ 24.Qxf4 Rxf4 25.g3 Rf5 26.Rxd4+ Kc7
27.Re4 Kd6 28.Nc4+ Kc5 29.b4+ Kxb5 30.Nd6+ Kc6 31.Nxf5 Bxf5 32.Re5 g6 33.
c4 Rh8 34.Rc5+ Kd6 35.Rd5+ Ke6 36.Rd2 Rh1+ 37.Kb2 Rb1+ 38.Kc3 Rc1+ 39.Kd4
Rg1 40.Re2+ Kd6 41.Re8 Rxg3 0-1


[Event "Utah G/60 Championship"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.05.10"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Coffey, John"]
[Black "Roach, Andrew"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D48"]
[WhiteElo "2009"]
[BlackElo "2057"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3
dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. O-O c5 10. dxc5 Nxc5 11. Be2 Bd6 12. b4 Nce4 13.
Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qd4 Nf6 15. Rd1 Bc7 16. Qc5 Bd7 17. Bb2 Rc8 18. Qg5 Rg8 19. Qh4
h6 20. a4 Nd5 21. Qe4 Qe7 22. axb5 axb5 23. Rxd5 exd5 24. Qxd5 Qe6 25. Qb7 Qb6
26. Qe4+ Qe6 27. Qb7 Qc6 28. Qxc6 Bxc6 29. Rc1 Bd7 30. Nd4 1-0 eventually.  I had stopped
recording at this point and the game is minutely better for black..  In the time scramble I managed
to get the better ending and win.  

Around move 12 I saw a way to get the initiative and I was indeed winning for most of the game.   


[Event "Utah Game/60 Championship"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.05.10"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Leano, Bryon"]
[Black "Coffey, John"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C14"]
[WhiteElo "2019"]
[BlackElo "2009"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7
Qxe7 7. f4 O-O 8. Nf3 c5 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. O-O-O a6 11. h4 b5 12. dxc5 Nxc5 13.
Bd3 f6 14. exf6 Nxd3+ 15. Qxd3 Qxf6 16. g3 Bb7 17. Ng5 g6 18. h5 h6 19. Nxd5
Qf5 20. Qxf5 Rxf5 21. Nxe6 Rxd5 22. Rxd5 Nb4 23. Rdd1 Bxh1 24. Rxh1 Re8 25. Nd4
Nxa2+ 26. Kb1 Nb4 27. hxg6 Re4 28. Nf5 h5 29. Rd1 Re8 30. c3 Nc6 31. Rd7 1-0

Not a good game on my part.  I hope to do better next time.


[Event "Utah Game/60 championship"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.05.10"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Coffey, John"]
[Black "Hodson, Grant"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D52"]
[WhiteElo "2009"]
[BlackElo "1639"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3
Qa5 7. Nd2 Bb4 8. Qc2 O-O 9. Be2 dxc4 10. Bxf6 Nxf6 11. Nxc4 Qg5 12. O-O b5 13.
f4 Qh6 14. Ne5 Bb7 15. Rf3 g6 16. Ne4 Nxe4 17. Qxe4 f5 18. Qc2 Qg7 19. Qb3 {
Overlooking Nxc6 Rac8, Bxb5} Qe7 20. Rg3 Rf6 21. Rc1 Rc8 22. Bf3 c5 23. Nd3 {
a3 is stronger} Bd2 24. Bxb7 Qxb7 25. Rxc5 a6 26. Qc2 Rxc5 27. Nxc5 Bxe3+ 28.
Rxe3 Qc8 29. b4 h6 30. Qb3 Kf7 31. d5 exd5 32. Qxd5+ Kg7 33. Re7+ Kf8 34. Rd7 {
Both Rh7 and Ra7 are better.} 1-0

2014-05-10

Chess Game

[Event "Utah G/60"]
[Site "UU"]
[Date "May 10, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Aaron Case"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Bf4 a6 7. Qb3 e6 8. e3
Be7 9. Be2 O-O 10. O-O Nh5 11. Rac1 f5 12. Bc7 Qe8 13. Ne5 Nhf6 14. a4 Ne4 15.
a5 Nd2 16. Qa2 Nxf1 17. Bxf1 Nxe5 18. Bxe5 Qd7 19. Na4 Bd8 20. Nb6 Bxb6 21.
axb6 Qf7 22. Rc7 Bd7 23. Rxb7
1-0

2014-04-19

Chess Game

[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Apr 19, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Catalini"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 dxc4 8. Bxc4
b5 9. Bd3 a6 10. O-O Nbd7 11. Qe2 Bb7 12. Rac1 Re8 13. e4 Rc8 14. e5 Nd5 15.
Ne4 Bxg5 16. Nexg5 h6 17. Nh3 c5 18. Rfd1 c4 19. Bb1 Qb6 20. Nd2 f5 21. exf6
N7xf6 22. Ne4 Nxe4 23. Qxe4 Nf6 24. Qg6 Qc6 25. Nf4 Rcd8 26. f3 e5 27. d5 Qb6+
28. Kh1 exf4 29. Bf5 Qd6
0-1