2019-05-31

McCutcheon Variation

One website spells it "MacCutchoen Variation", but this looked wrong to me, so I did some research and found the person who invented the opening.  It was a 19nth century master.  His win against the world champion in a simultaneous exhibition brought the opening to the public attention.

[Event "New York simul"]
[Site "New York simul"]
[Date "1885.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Wilhelm Steinitz"]
[Black "John Lindsay McCutcheon"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C12"]
[PlyCount "99"]
[EventDate "1885.??.??"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bxf6 gxf6 7. Nf3 f5 8. Bd3
c5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. O-O Nc6 11. Qd2 Qe7 12. Qf4 Bd7 13. Nb5 O-O-O 14. c4 Be8
15. Rfc1 Kb8 16. a3 a6 17. Nc3 dxc4 18. Bxc4 Nd4 19. Ne2 Nxf3+ 20. Qxf3 Bc6 21.
Qh3 Ka7 22. b4 Bb6 23. Nc3 Rhg8 24. Bf1 Rd2 25. Nd1 Qg5 26. Rxc6 bxc6 27. Qc3
Qf4 28. Qxc6 Rxd1 29. Qxb6+ Kxb6 30. Rxd1 Qxe5 31. a4 Qf4 32. a5+ Kc7 33. g3
Qxb4 34. Bxa6 Qxa5 35. Be2 Rd8 36. Rc1+ Kd6 37. Rd1+ Ke7 38. Rxd8 Qxd8 39. Kg2
Qd5+ 40. Bf3 Qd3 41. Bb7 Qb5 42. Bf3 Qa5 43. h3 Qb5 44. g4 Qd3 45. Bb7 Kd6 46.
Ba8 Kc7 47. Bf3 fxg4 48. Bxg4 Qd5+ 49. Bf3 Qf5 50. Be2 0-1

"I have no respect for a man who can spell a word only one way."  - Mark Twain.

2019-05-25

john2001plus vs karre1234

Started the ICC USCF Online rated tournament in 3rd place, but finished first.  It helped that the one higher rated player fell for a trap in the opening.  

I played about as well as I ever have in this time control of 12+3.  I was more focussed on positional ideas and I wasn't making tactical blunders that I know of.   At that speed, there are going to be inaccurate moves.  Most of the games I was in time trouble.

This game below is fun for tactical reasons.


[Event "ICC tourney 1651 (12 3)"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2019.05.25"]
[Round "2"]
[White "john2001plus"]
[Black "karre1234"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ICCResult "Black checkmated"]
[WhiteElo "1728"]
[BlackElo "1162"]
[Opening "QGD semi-Slav: 5.e3"]
[ECO "D45"]
[NIC "SL.08"]
[Time "17:30:08"]
[TimeControl "720+3"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 e6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Re8 8.
Bd2 Nbd7 9. Nxd5 Nxd5 10. cxd5 Bxd2 11. dxc6 Ba5 12. cxd7 Bxd7 13. Ne5 Bc8
14. Bxh7+ Kxh7 15. Qh5+ Kg8 16. Qxf7+ Kh8 17. f4 Kh7 18. Rf3 Be1 19. Rxe1
Qh4 20. Rh3 Qxh3 21. gxh3 Rd8 22. Ng4 Bd7 23. Nf6+ Kh8 24. Qh5#
{Black checkmated}
1-0


Although technically I should have won this, I was low on time, so I was glad to get the draw.  My opponent is pretty strong, with an OTB rating in the 2100's, so I was somewhat fearful that this game go south on me.

My 15. Ba6 move was very dubious, so I regrouped and tried to find a different plan.


[Event "ICC tourney 1651 (12 3)"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2019.05.25"]
[Round "4"]
[White "john2001plus"]
[Black "lagarto300"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ICCResult "Game drawn by repetition"]
[WhiteElo "1740"]
[BlackElo "1830"]
[Opening "King's Indian: Andersson variation"]
[ECO "E92"]
[NIC "KI.18"]
[Time "18:31:05"]
[TimeControl "720+3"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 d6 3. c4 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. e4 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. dxe5 dxe5 8.
Bg5 h6 9. Qxd8 Rxd8 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Nd5 Rxd5 12. cxd5 c6 13. Rc1 Bg4 14.
dxc6 Nxc6 15. Ba6 Nb4 16. Bc4 Bxf3 17. gxf3 Nc6 18. Rg1 g5 19. Bd5 Nd4 20.
Rg3 Bd8 21. h4 Kg7 22. hxg5 hxg5 23. Kd2 Kf6 24. Rh1 Ba5+ 25. Kd3 Rc8 26.
Rh7 Rc2 27. Rxf7+ Kg6 28. Rxb7 Rd2+ 29. Kc4 Rc2+ 30. Kd3 Rd2+ 31. Kc4 Rc2+
32. Kd3 Rd2+ {Game drawn by repetition} 1/2-1/2


--

2019-05-24

I wrote this on Facebook

Of all the chess players that I have known, the name that sticks out the most is "Steve".  I have known so many Steves who play chess, in both Indiana and Utah. 

Best wishes,

John Coffey

White to play 2nd attempt.

2019-05-06

Chess Game

[Event "Greenwood Chess Club"]
[Site "Kroger"]
[Date "May 6, 2019"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Brayden"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. O-O a6 5. Bd3 g6 6. c3 Bg7 7. Bc2 e5 8. d4
Ne7 9. d5 O-O 10. Bg5 f6 11. Be3 f5 12. Ng5 Nf6 13. exf5 Nxf5 14. Ne6 Bxe6 15.
dxe6 Qe7 16. Bb3 b5 17. Bd5 Nxd5 18. Qxd5 Nxe3 19. fxe3 Rxf1+ 20. Kxf1 Rf8+ 21.
Kg1 Re8 22. Qc6 Bh6 23. e4 Be3+ 24. Kh1 Bc1 25. a4 Rf8 26. h3 Qf6 27. Na3 Qf1+
28. Kh2 Bf4+ 29. g3 Bxg3+ 30. Kxg3 Qf2+ 31. Kg4 Qf4#
0-1