ICC game tangent vs yoshi. First place in ICC tournament.

Well, it is nice to be lucky.  After I had a draw with one master in the ICC USCF online rated tournament, this FIDE Master thought that I had forced mate, when I really didn't.  After he resigned, I told him that I hadn't found the path to victory yet.  So through sheer dumb luck, I finished the tournament in first place 

>uscf You won!!! Congratulations! This is your 9 1st place finish

> During the 5 rounds, you collected 4.5 points

>uscf 

>   4.5 yoshi

>   4.0 tangent NO-Mind

>   3.5 cool64chess

>   3.0 darvid ThePontiff panorama KingsBishop xiaoqixia

>   2.5 IAlwaysWin ROWLAND BotanicalKnight rjp1888

>   2.0 TheBlackVeil canary2016 Fineas-Fogg Zephyr capatal1 getRooked

>   1.5 JRussell2 Ethius

>   1.0 Celtruler coolbaja tigeriz cyborg86

>   0.5 BIRDSMAN racertripplex

> 

>    __________  __  ______  _   __________  __   ____ _    ____________

>   /_  __/ __ \/ / / / __ \/ | / / ____/\ \/ /  / __ \ |  / / ____/ __ \

>    / / / / / / / / / /_/ /  |/ / __/    \  /  / / / / | / / __/ / /_/ /

>   / / / /_/ / /_/ / _  _/ /|  / /___    / /  / /_/ /| |/ / /___/ _  _/ 

>  /_/  \____/\____/_/ |_/_/ |_/_____/   /_/   \____/ |___/_____/_/ |_|

> 

>    Congratulations yoshi and Thanks to all :-)

[Event "ICC tourney 1318 (12 3)"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2017.09.30"]
[Round "5"]
[White "tangent"]
[Black "yoshi"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ICCResult "White resigns"]
[WhiteElo "1982"]
[BlackElo "1711"]
[Opening "Queen's Indian: Capablanca variation"]
[ECO "E16"]
[NIC "QI.06"]
[Time "19:06:22"]
[TimeControl "720+3"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Bb4+ 6. Nbd2 O-O 7. O-O d5 8.
Qc2 Nbd7 9. Rd1 c5 10. cxd5 Bxd5 11. e4 Bb7 12. e5 Bxd2 13. exf6 Bxc1 14.
fxg7 Kxg7 15. Raxc1 Rc8 16. dxc5 Rxc5 17. Qa4 Rxc1 18. Rxc1 Nc5 19. Qxa7 Nd3
20. Rd1 Bxf3 21. Bxf3 Qd4 22. Rd2 Rc8 23. Qb7 Rc1+ {White resigns} 0-1

​Computer analysis gives 24. Bd1 Rxd1+ 25. Rxd1 Qxf2+ 26. Kh1 Ne1 27. Rxe1 Qxe1+ 28. Kg2 Qe2+ 29. Kh3 Qxb2 with a strong advantage for Black.

​

Leap PQ-9907

Somebody at the Columbus Chess Club has this little chess clock, and said that they only paid $18 for it.  For $18, I think that it is pretty terrific.

https://www.amazon.com/Compact-Digital-Chess-Clock-LEAP/dp/B00NIFO8FM/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_201_lp_img_2

Less than $15 on ebay:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/232118763370

Wholesale chess has their own version of this clock which costs more:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHgneZ-7GY8 

The clock has a low profile, which means that it is not as tall as most chess clocks.  It is also a little smaller than average.  For me, with a bad, and recently often painful shoulder, it took a little extra effort to hit the button.  I had to reach ever so slightly further, but my shoulder noticed the difference.  I don't think that it is noticeable for anybody else.

The clock has options for both increment and delay, but according to the manual you cannot use both at the same time, which is no big deal.  It also has a count up mode. 

The clock is really easy to set.    I thought it was easier to learn how to set the clock by just experimenting with it, than it was to read the slightly confusing English/Chinese manual.  The clock only remembers the last time control you set.  This is not as a big of deal as it sounds, because it is pretty easy to change the time control.  You reset the clock by turning it off and on.

The clock only supports one time control.  If you had more than one time control with the same level of increment or delay, then maybe you could use the count up mode, or for something like 40/2 d5 followed by G/60 d5 you could set the time to 3 hours.

At this price it was for me a no brainer to order one.  The clock appears to be well made made enough, although a little on the cheap side, naturally.  However, even if it wears out in a year, I still will have gotten my money's worth.

--

Best wishes,

John Coffey

http://www.entertainmentjourney.com

Queen Pawn

[Event "Greenwood Chess Club"]
[Site "Kroger"]
[Date "Sep 11, 2017"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Dmitry Gusev"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 Qxf6 8.
e3 O-O 9. Bd3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 c6 11. O-O Nd7 12. e4 Nb6 13. Bd3 c5 14. e5 Qe7 15.
Qe2 f5 16. exf6 Rxf6 17. Ne5 c4 18. Nxc4 Nd5 19. Rac1 Nf4 20. Qe4 Nxd3 21. Qxd3
b6 22. d5 Ba6 23. d6 Bxc4 24. dxe7 Bxd3 25. Rfd1 Kf7 26. Rxd3 Kxe7 27. Rcd1 Rf7
28. Rd7+ Kf8 29. Rxf7+ Kxf7 30. Rd7+ Kf6 31. Kf1 Rc8 32. Rxa7 Rxc3 33. Ke2 Rc2+
34. Ke3 g5 35. g3
0-1 eventually on time.

I would disagree.

Re: Thinking method.

I guess the first game was not as good as I thought.  I hung a rook and neither my opponent nor I saw it for a couple of moves.  :☺  However, I was low on time.

​​

-- 

Best wishes,

John Coffey

http://www.entertainmentjourney.com​

On Fri, Sep 8, 2017 at 9:44 PM, John Coffey <john2001plus@gmail.com> wrote:

Something I have tried recently, which is to try to learn something new from every game, causes me to look deeper for new ideas, instead of just being on autopilot against lower rated players.  Whereas I normally use less time than my opponents, now I have been using more, and I am frequently getting into time trouble.  I needed to adopt this method, because I play mostly lower rated players, even online.

Maybe not every move was perfect, but if I had been on autopilot, I might have missed 11... dxe3 followed by 12.... Qxd3.    14... Qf5, good or bad, was an effort to get something more out of the position, along with 17... Nd4.  I am not sure if 22... f5 was correct after 23. Kd1, but my 23... Nf6 was a speculative sacrifice that led to a sharp variation.  My opponent could have picked up a pawn or two at the risk of tactics, but he chickened out.   I think that my 29... Rf8 was a dud, but I was low on time.  Finally, 46... Bxg3 and 47... Rd1 led to a mating net.

[Event "Live Chess"]

[Site "Chess.com"]

[Date "2017.09.08"]

[Round "?"]

[White "skuhl99"]

[Black "john2001plus"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "A05"]

[WhiteElo "1570"]

[BlackElo "1854"]

[Annotator "Coffey,John"]

[PlyCount "96"]

[EventDate "2017.??.??"]

[TimeControl "900+10"]

1. Nf3 {7} Nf6 {101} 2. c4 {3} c5 {8} 3. b3 {6} g6 {4} 4. Bb2 {2} Bg7 {0} 5. g3

{2} O-O {3} 6. Bg2 {2} Nc6 {14} 7. O-O {5} d5 {9} 8. d3 {4} d4 {50} 9. a3 {9}

a5 {13} 10. Nbd2 {7} e5 {5} 11. e3 {29} dxe3 {39} 12. fxe3 {4} Qxd3 {5} 13. Re1

{65} Bg4 {285} 14. Bf1 {81} Qf5 {63} 15. e4 {62} Bxf3 {42} 16. Qxf3 {27} Qxf3 {

16} 17. Nxf3 {3} Nd4 {14} 18. Bxd4 {58} exd4 {12} 19. Rab1 {48} Rfe8 {55} 20.

Bd3 {4} Nd7 {14} 21. Kf2 {78} Bh6 {36} 22. Ke2 {47} f5 {24} 23. Kd1 {26} Nf6 {

201} 24. exf5 {110} Ng4 {2} 25. Re2 {114} Rxe2 {35} 26. Bxe2 {25} Ne3+ {14} 27.

Ke1 {68} gxf5 {2} 28. Bd3 {13} Re8 {30} 29. Kf2 {4} Rf8 {58} 30. h3 {11} Kg7 {

25} 31. b4 {5} axb4 {9} 32. axb4 {1} Ra8 {2} 33. bxc5 {3} Ra2+ {2} 34. Ke1 {22}

Ng2+ {3} 35. Kf1 {38} Ne3+ {1} 36. Kg1 {10} Rd2 {2} 37. Rxb7+ {8} Kf6 {2} 38.

Rb6+ {11} Kg7 {1} 39. Rb7+ {3} Kg8 {2} 40. Rb8+ {7} Bf8 {2} 41. Ne1 {21} Kf7 {

13} 42. c6 {4} Bd6 {15} 43. Rb7+ {3} Ke6 {4} 44. c7 {1} Kd7 {3} 45. c8=Q+ {27}

Kxc8 {2} 46. Rxh7 {1} Bxg3 {10} 47. Be4 {214} Rd1 {66} 48. Bb7+ {6} Kb8 {4} 0-1

In the following game, 10. d5 might  not have been technically the best, but it was sharp.  I was counting on him playing 11... Bxb2 because then 12. Rb1  caused him some headache.

[Event "Live Chess"]

[Site "Chess.com"]

[Date "2017.09.08"]

[White "john2001plus"]

[Black "natalia6"]

[Result "1-0"]

[ECO "A40"]

[WhiteElo "1860"]

[BlackElo "1724"]

[TimeControl "900+10"]

[EndTime "18:02:06 PDT"]

[Termination "john2001plus won by resignation"]

[CurrentPosition "2r3k1/p1p1N1pp/4pp2/8/5B2/4P2P/P4PP1/6K1 b - - 1 26"]

1.Nf3 {[%clk 0:15:09]} Nc6 {[%clk 0:15:04]} 2.d4 {[%clk 0:15:17]} e6 {[%clk 0:15:02]} 3.c4 {[%clk 0:15:25]} Nf6 {[%clk 0:15:07]} 4.Nc3 {[%clk 0:15:27]} Bb4 {[%clk 0:15:07]} 5.Bg5 {[%clk 0:15:36]} O-O {[%clk 0:15:10]} 6.e3 {[%clk 0:15:42]} d5 {[%clk 0:15:13]} 7.Bd3 {[%clk 0:15:15]} Re8 {[%clk 0:15:12]} 8.O-O {[%clk 0:15:01]} dxc4 {[%clk 0:15:01]} 9.Bxc4 {[%clk 0:15:04]} Qe7 {[%clk 0:14:45]} 10.d5 {[%clk 0:12:00]} Bxc3 {[%clk 0:14:27]} 11.dxc6 {[%clk 0:12:07]} Bxb2 {[%clk 0:14:19]} 12.Rb1 {[%clk 0:12:13]} Qa3 {[%clk 0:13:30]} 13.Qc2 {[%clk 0:11:50]} bxc6 {[%clk 0:12:30]} 14.Qxb2 {[%clk 0:11:05]} Qxb2 {[%clk 0:12:20]} 15.Rxb2 {[%clk 0:11:11]} Ne4 {[%clk 0:12:26]} 16.Bf4 {[%clk 0:11:16]} Nd6 {[%clk 0:12:32]} 17.Rc1 {[%clk 0:10:14]} Nxc4 {[%clk 0:12:31]} 18.Rxc4 {[%clk 0:10:21]} Bd7 {[%clk 0:12:19]} 19.Ne5 {[%clk 0:09:38]} Rab8 {[%clk 0:11:59]} 20.Rcb4 {[%clk 0:09:41]} Rxb4 {[%clk 0:11:40]} 21.Rxb4 {[%clk 0:09:51]} Bc8 {[%clk 0:11:33]} 22.Rb8 {[%clk 0:09:25]} Rd8 {[%clk 0:11:36]} 23.h3 {[%clk 0:09:24]} f6 {[%clk 0:11:33]} 24.Nxc6 {[%clk 0:09:26]} Re8 {[%clk 0:11:37]} 25.Rxc8 {[%clk 0:09:31]} Rxc8 {[%clk 0:11:45]} 26.Ne7+ {[%clk 0:09:39]}  1-0

Since I have been applying this method, I felt like my chess has been "on".  A couple of weeks ago I would have told you that I was in a slump.  

--

Best wishes,

John Coffey

http://www.entertainmentjourney.com

​

Thinking method.

Something I have tried recently, which is to try to learn something new from every game, causes me to look deeper for new ideas, instead of just being on autopilot against lower rated players.  Whereas I normally use less time than my opponents, now I have been using more, and I am frequently getting into time trouble.  I needed to adopt this method, because I play mostly lower rated players, even online.

Maybe not every move was perfect, but if I had been on autopilot, I might have missed 11... dxe3 followed by 12.... Qxd3.    14... Qf5, good or bad, was an effort to get something more out of the position, along with 17... Nd4.  I am not sure if 22... f5 was correct after 23. Kd1, but my 23... Nf6 was a speculative sacrifice that led to a sharp variation.  My opponent could have picked up a pawn or two at the risk of tactics, but he chickened out.   I think that my 29... Rf8 was a dud, but I was low on time.  Finally, 46... Bxg3 and 47... Rd1 led to a mating net.

[Event "Live Chess"]

[Site "Chess.com"]

[Date "2017.09.08"]

[Round "?"]

[White "skuhl99"]

[Black "john2001plus"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "A05"]

[WhiteElo "1570"]

[BlackElo "1854"]

[Annotator "Coffey,John"]

[PlyCount "96"]

[EventDate "2017.??.??"]

[TimeControl "900+10"]

1. Nf3 {7} Nf6 {101} 2. c4 {3} c5 {8} 3. b3 {6} g6 {4} 4. Bb2 {2} Bg7 {0} 5. g3

{2} O-O {3} 6. Bg2 {2} Nc6 {14} 7. O-O {5} d5 {9} 8. d3 {4} d4 {50} 9. a3 {9}

a5 {13} 10. Nbd2 {7} e5 {5} 11. e3 {29} dxe3 {39} 12. fxe3 {4} Qxd3 {5} 13. Re1

{65} Bg4 {285} 14. Bf1 {81} Qf5 {63} 15. e4 {62} Bxf3 {42} 16. Qxf3 {27} Qxf3 {

16} 17. Nxf3 {3} Nd4 {14} 18. Bxd4 {58} exd4 {12} 19. Rab1 {48} Rfe8 {55} 20.

Bd3 {4} Nd7 {14} 21. Kf2 {78} Bh6 {36} 22. Ke2 {47} f5 {24} 23. Kd1 {26} Nf6 {

201} 24. exf5 {110} Ng4 {2} 25. Re2 {114} Rxe2 {35} 26. Bxe2 {25} Ne3+ {14} 27.

Ke1 {68} gxf5 {2} 28. Bd3 {13} Re8 {30} 29. Kf2 {4} Rf8 {58} 30. h3 {11} Kg7 {

25} 31. b4 {5} axb4 {9} 32. axb4 {1} Ra8 {2} 33. bxc5 {3} Ra2+ {2} 34. Ke1 {22}

Ng2+ {3} 35. Kf1 {38} Ne3+ {1} 36. Kg1 {10} Rd2 {2} 37. Rxb7+ {8} Kf6 {2} 38.

Rb6+ {11} Kg7 {1} 39. Rb7+ {3} Kg8 {2} 40. Rb8+ {7} Bf8 {2} 41. Ne1 {21} Kf7 {

13} 42. c6 {4} Bd6 {15} 43. Rb7+ {3} Ke6 {4} 44. c7 {1} Kd7 {3} 45. c8=Q+ {27}

Kxc8 {2} 46. Rxh7 {1} Bxg3 {10} 47. Be4 {214} Rd1 {66} 48. Bb7+ {6} Kb8 {4} 0-1

In the following game, 10. d5 might  not have been technically the best, but it was sharp.  I was counting on him playing 11... Bxb2 because then 12. Rb1  caused him some headache.

[Event "Live Chess"]

[Site "Chess.com"]

[Date "2017.09.08"]

[White "john2001plus"]

[Black "natalia6"]

[Result "1-0"]

[ECO "A40"]

[WhiteElo "1860"]

[BlackElo "1724"]

[TimeControl "900+10"]

[EndTime "18:02:06 PDT"]

[Termination "john2001plus won by resignation"]

[CurrentPosition "2r3k1/p1p1N1pp/4pp2/8/5B2/4P2P/P4PP1/6K1 b - - 1 26"]

1.Nf3 {[%clk 0:15:09]} Nc6 {[%clk 0:15:04]} 2.d4 {[%clk 0:15:17]} e6 {[%clk 0:15:02]} 3.c4 {[%clk 0:15:25]} Nf6 {[%clk 0:15:07]} 4.Nc3 {[%clk 0:15:27]} Bb4 {[%clk 0:15:07]} 5.Bg5 {[%clk 0:15:36]} O-O {[%clk 0:15:10]} 6.e3 {[%clk 0:15:42]} d5 {[%clk 0:15:13]} 7.Bd3 {[%clk 0:15:15]} Re8 {[%clk 0:15:12]} 8.O-O {[%clk 0:15:01]} dxc4 {[%clk 0:15:01]} 9.Bxc4 {[%clk 0:15:04]} Qe7 {[%clk 0:14:45]} 10.d5 {[%clk 0:12:00]} Bxc3 {[%clk 0:14:27]} 11.dxc6 {[%clk 0:12:07]} Bxb2 {[%clk 0:14:19]} 12.Rb1 {[%clk 0:12:13]} Qa3 {[%clk 0:13:30]} 13.Qc2 {[%clk 0:11:50]} bxc6 {[%clk 0:12:30]} 14.Qxb2 {[%clk 0:11:05]} Qxb2 {[%clk 0:12:20]} 15.Rxb2 {[%clk 0:11:11]} Ne4 {[%clk 0:12:26]} 16.Bf4 {[%clk 0:11:16]} Nd6 {[%clk 0:12:32]} 17.Rc1 {[%clk 0:10:14]} Nxc4 {[%clk 0:12:31]} 18.Rxc4 {[%clk 0:10:21]} Bd7 {[%clk 0:12:19]} 19.Ne5 {[%clk 0:09:38]} Rab8 {[%clk 0:11:59]} 20.Rcb4 {[%clk 0:09:41]} Rxb4 {[%clk 0:11:40]} 21.Rxb4 {[%clk 0:09:51]} Bc8 {[%clk 0:11:33]} 22.Rb8 {[%clk 0:09:25]} Rd8 {[%clk 0:11:36]} 23.h3 {[%clk 0:09:24]} f6 {[%clk 0:11:33]} 24.Nxc6 {[%clk 0:09:26]} Re8 {[%clk 0:11:37]} 25.Rxc8 {[%clk 0:09:31]} Rxc8 {[%clk 0:11:45]} 26.Ne7+ {[%clk 0:09:39]}  1-0

Since I have been applying this method, I felt like my chess has been "on".  A couple of weeks ago I would have told you that I was in a slump.  

--

Best wishes,

John Coffey

http://www.entertainmentjourney.com

1st place in online speed tournament.

Against tougher competition, I wouldn't have expected to come in first, and would have been pleased with 3rd place, but I scored 3 upsets to come in first in the USCF Online rated Chess.com speed tournament.

​First, I beat a National Master, who was the top player.

​[Event "Live Chess"]

[Site "Chess.com"]

[Date "2017.09.06"]

[Round "?"]

[White "john2001plus"]

[Black "Dare-Dare"]

[Result "1-0"]

[ECO "A04"]

[WhiteElo "1777"]

[BlackElo "2135"]

[Annotator "Coffey,John"]

[PlyCount "91"]

[EventDate "2017.??.??"]

[TimeControl "180+2"]

1. Nf3 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Ng5 Nf6 4. d3 h6 5. Nxe4 e5 6. Nbc3 Bb4 7. Bd2 O-O 8.

Be2 d5 9. Nxf6+ Rxf6 10. O-O Nc6 11. a3 Bxc3 12. Bxc3 Bf5 13. Bg4 Qd6 14. Re1

Raf8 15. Bf3 Be6 16. Qe2 d4 17. Bd2 Bd5 18. Bxd5+ Qxd5 19. f3 Qd6 20. c4 Rf5

21. b4 Nd8 22. b5 R8f7 23. Bb4 Qg6 24. Qe4 Qg5 25. Qd5 Rxf3 26. Rxe5 c6 27.

Rxg5 cxd5 28. Rxd5 Rxd3 29. Rxd8+ Kh7 30. Rf1 Rc7 31. c5 b6 32. c6 a6 33. Rd7

Rc8 34. a4 axb5 35. axb5 Rb3 36. Be7 Rxb5 37. Bf6 Rg8 38. Bxd4 Kh8 39. Rff7

Rb1+ 40. Kf2 Rb4 41. Rxg7 Rxg7 42. Bxg7+ Kg8 43. c7 Rc4 44. Rd8+ Kxg7 45. c8=Q

Rf4+ 46. Kg3 1-0

Then I beat Mohamed Elshazy, who is a local FIDE member.

[Event "Live Chess"]

[Site "Chess.com"]

[Date "2017.09.06"]

[Round "?"]

[White "Coupra"]

[Black "john2001plus"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "A46"]

[WhiteElo "1977"]

[BlackElo "1794"]

[Annotator "Coffey,John"]

[PlyCount "68"]

[EventDate "2017.??.??"]

[TimeControl "180+2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 cxd4 5. exd4 Qb6 6. b3 Nc6 7. c3 d5 8. Bd3

Bd7 9. O-O Rc8 10. Nbd2 Be7 11. Re1 O-O 12. h3 Na5 13. b4 Nc4 14. Nxc4 dxc4 15.

Bc2 Nd5 16. Bd2 Bf6 17. Ne5 Bxe5 18. Rxe5 a5 19. a3 axb4 20. axb4 Ra8 21. Rb1

Ra2 22. Be4 f6 23. Rh5 g6 24. Rxh7 Rxd2 25. Qxd2 Kxh7 26. Qe2 Kg7 27. Bxd5 exd5

28. Qf3 Qe6 29. Qg3 Ra8 30. Qc7 Qf5 31. Re1 Ra2 32. Re7+ Kh6 33. f3 Qg5 34. g4

Qc1+ 0-1

​Finally, I beat  a higher rated player to come in first.​

​[Event "Live Chess"]

[Site "Chess.com"]

[Date "2017.09.06"]

[White "john2001plus"]

[Black "SpeedyChess11"]

[WhiteElo "1809"]

[BlackElo "1877"]

[TimeControl "180+2"]

[ECO "E17"]

[Termination "john2001plus won by checkmate"]

[Result "1-0"]

[CurrentPosition "1Q6/8/8/7B/R7/6K1/k4P2/8 b - - 10 81"]

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 e6 3.c4 b6 4.a3 Bb7 5.Nc3 g6 6.Bg5 Bg7 7.e4 h6 8.Bxf6 Qxf6 9.e5 Qe7 10.Bd3 Nc6 11.O-O O-O 12.Qc2 Kh7 13.Rfe1 Na5 14.Ne4 d5 15.exd6 cxd6 16.b4 Nc6 17.Rad1 Rad8 18.d5 Ne5 19.Nxe5 dxe5 20.d6 Qe8 21.c5 Bxe4 22.Bxe4 bxc5 23.bxc5 Qb5 24.Bd3 Qc6 25.a4 a6 26.Be4 Qe8 27.c6 f5 28.d7 Qe7 29.Bd3 e4 30.Bxa6 Be5 31.c7 Rxd7 32.c8=Q Rxc8 33.Bxc8 Rc7 34.Qd2 Bc3 35.Qd7 Bxe1 36.Qxe7+ Rxe7 37.Rxe1 Rc7 38.Bxe6 Ra7 39.Bb3 Kg7 40.Ra1 Kf6 41.Bc4 Ke5 42.Bb5 Kd4 43.Kf1 Kc5 44.Ke2 Kb4 45.Kd2 Ka5 46.Be8 g5 47.Bg6 Rd7+ 48.Kc2 Rc7+ 49.Kd2 Rd7+ 50.Ke2 Rd4 51.Bxf5 Rc4 52.Ra2 Rd4 53.Ke3 Rd1 54.Bxe4 Re1+ 55.Re2 Rh1 56.h3 Kxa4 57.Kf3 Rc1 58.Kg4 Rc7 59.Kh5 Rf7 60.Kxh6 Kb4 61.Kxg5 Kc5 62.Kg4 Rg7+ 63.Kf3 Kd4 64.Ba8 Rf7+ 65.Kg3 Kd3 66.Bf3 Rg7+ 67.Kh2 Rf7 68.Re3+ Kd4 69.h4 Rh7 70.h5 Rh6 71.g4 Rf6 72.g5 Rf4 73.g6 Rh4+ 74.Kg3 Rxh5 75.Bxh5 Kd5 76.g7 Kd4 77.g8=Q Kc5 78.Qd8 Kb4 79.Re4+ Ka3 80.Qb8 Ka2 81.Ra4#  1-0​

​I thought that my first round was amusing just from a tactical perspective:

[Event "Live Chess"]

[Site "Chess.com"]

[Date "2017.09.06"]

[White "JoeKempsey"]

[Black "john2001plus"]

[WhiteElo "1250"]

[BlackElo "1777"]

[TimeControl "180+2"]

[ECO "C01"]

[Termination "john2001plus won by resignation"]

[Result "0-1"]

[CurrentPosition "1b2r1k1/pp1n1pp1/2p4p/8/7P/Q4BPK/PPb2q2/8 w - - 0 25"]

1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bd6 6.Be2 O-O 7.O-O c6 8.Re1 Re8 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Qd2 Bg4 12.Rad1 Nd7 13.h3 Bf4 14.Qd3 Bf5 15.Ne4 dxe4 16.Qa3 exf3 17.Bxf3 Bxc2 18.Rxe8+ Rxe8 19.Rf1 Bb8 20.Rc1 Qf4 21.g3 Qxc1+ 22.Kg2 Qd2 23.h4 Qxd4 24.Kh3 Qxf2  0-1

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Best wishes,

John Coffey

http://www.entertainmentjourney.com

Chess structures/imbalances.

A friend from Salt Lake City has been asking me on Facebook to analyze his games.   In response to one game, I wrote ...

I think that I see in this game what I see in other's people's games, which is that people just react to their opponent's moves.  In the game of chess, there are structural imbalances that should determine the best course of action.

Of course, I have read Silman, who talks about imbalances.  Essentially Silman says that what is different from your position and your opponent's position is what determines your plan.  

However, I look at it at a more fundamental level, because I look at the structure on the board.  That structure almost always tells me what to do.  And I don't move a single pawn without considering how the change in structure will impact the game.  

Of course, experience is a major factor in figuring out the correct plan.  That must be the case, since I notice that masters seem to find really good moves almost effortlessly.  I think that what is happening is that masters identify the imbalances really easily.  Even in positions that seem to a casual observer to be relatively quiet, masters will identify a weak piece, a weak square, etc.

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Best wishes,

John Coffey

http://www.entertainmentjourney.com

Columbus (movie). Copy of Facebook Post.

So somebody made a movie in the hometown where I grew up, staring of all people, John Cho. I have always felt a strong bond to Columbus, Indiana, a town of 45,000 people, which has some national fame for its architecture. Every week I go to the Columbus Chess Club where I started playing chess 42 years ago. I actually wanted to move back to Columbus, but for various reasons chose a house about 30 miles away, closer to Indianapolis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3dcnV6Z9Zs

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Best wishes,

John Coffey

http://www.entertainmentjourney.com