8th U.S. Amateur North
by Don Vandivier, Editor - Michigan Chess
Page updated 7/7/01 11:00 a.m.
The 8th U.S. Amateur North Championship was held May 26-27 at Boynton School in Detroit Michigan. Pete Nixon directed the tournament and 67 players attended. Twenty-two Players played in the Under 2200 section forty-five played in the Under 1600. Players came from Michigan, Wisconson, Illinois, Florida and Ontario. Three former champions participated: Tom LaForge who went on to win the national playoff in 1997; Chris Sims, who was co-champion of the U1600 in 1999; and Donte Gillam the 2000 U1600 champion. This year the playoff was scheduled for June 10 on USCL.
Stanley Jarosz (2056)
Tony West (1709)
Round 1
Queen's Gambit, D36
Notes by Don Vandivier
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 Nbd7 8.Qc2 h6 9. Bh4 c6 10. Nf3 Re8 11. O-O Nh5
The "book line" is 11... Ne4 12. Bxe7 (12. Bxe4 Bxh4) 12... Qxe7 13. b4 Ndf6 14. b5 c5 15. dxc5 Nxc5 and Black has active piece play for his isolated d-pawn.
12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Rab1 Nhf6 14. b4 b6 15. Rfc1 Bb7 16. Na4 Rec8 17. Qb3 Rab8 18. Bf5 Rd8 19. Rc2 Ne4 20. Rbc1 Nd6 21. Bxd7 Rxd7 22. Ne5 Rc7 23. Nxc6 Bxc6 24. Rxc6 Rxc6 25. Rxc6
Nc4 26. Nc3
Black is down a pawn. Does he have compensation?
26...Qd7
26... Nxe3 27. fxe3 Qxe3+ 28. Kf1 Re8 29. Qd1 Qf4+ 30. Qf3 Qc1+ 31. Qd1 Qf4+ forces a draw.
27. Nxd5?
I know it looks good, but this move is bad.
27... b5?
but not because of this move...
27... Nd2! 28. Nf6+ gxf6 29. Qc2 Nf3+ ! 30. gxf3 Qh3! and White has great difficulties. For example: 31. Rxf6 Kh8 32. Rf4 h5!! and the Rook check on g8 is decisive.
28. Rc5
Now it is Black who is in difficulty - being down 2 pawns.
28... a6 29. a4 Qg4 30. h3 Qe2 31. Qc3 Qd1+ 32. Kh2 Qxa4 33. e4?!
33. Ne7+ Kf8 34. Nf5 Qa2 35. d5 f6 36. Rc6 and White wins 36... Kg8 37. Qd4 Qxf2 37... Qb2 38. Rxc4 38. Rxf6
33... Qa2 34. Qg3
Also winning was 34. Nf6+ ! gxf6 35. Qg3+
34...Rf8 35. Ne3?
Jarosz might have been in time pressure. White has a forced crush: 35. Nf6+ ! Kh8 36. Nh5 g6 37. Qf4 Kh7 38. Rc8 !!
35... Nd2 36. Qf4 Qb2 37. Rc2?
All the 'pretty lines' are gone... but White should still have a win after: 37. e5 Qxb4 38. Nd5 Nf1+ 39. Kg1 Qd2 40. Ne7+ Kh8 41. Ng6+ Kg8 42. Qxd2 Nxd2 43. Nxf8 Kxf8 44. Rc8+
37... Qxd4 38. f3 g5 39. Nf5 Nf1+ 40. Kh1 gxf4 41. Nxd4 Ng3+ 42. Kg1 Rd8 43. Nc6 Rd1+ 44. Kf2 Rf1# 0-1
George Ringel 1434
Paul Grams 1700
Round 1
Sicilian: Closed, B50
Notes by Don Vandivier
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bd3 Nc6
Black doesn't get carried away by White's choice of an annoying opening.
4. c3 Nf6 5. O-O a6 6. a4?
White can't have his cake and eat it too! If he's going to play the hideous 3. Bd3 line he has to quickly play the Bishop to c2
6...Bg4 7. Bc2 Ne5
Uh-oh...
8. d3 Nxf3+ 9. gxf3 Bh3 10. Re1
White, who had the option of dictating the type of game he wanted because he gets to move 1st, has managed to fall behind in development, obtain doubled pawns, an exposed King and no counterplay - all in 10 moves!
10... e6 11. Bg5 Be7 12. Qd2?
Another lemon.
12... Nxe4 13. fxe4 Bxg5 14. Qe2 e5 15. Qf3 Be6 16. c4
Now the Bishop on c2 is as good as a pawn.
16... O-O 17. Nc3 f5 18. Qg2 Rf6 19. Kh1 Rh6
I like 19. Bf4 better.
20. Rg1 Rg6 21. Qf3 f4
I like: 21... Qe7 22.exf5 Rf8 23. Nd5 Qf7
22. Rg2 Bh4 23. Rxg6 hxg6 24. Rg1 g5 25. h3 g6 26. Bd1 Kf7 27. Qg2 Qb6
Black says, "Now that you're on the K-side I'm gonna munch on your Q-side"...
28. b3 Qb4 29. Nb1 Rh8
30. f3?
A horrible move
30... Bg3 0-1
Yinghan Yang (1695)
Bill Avery (1621)
Round 3
Pirc, B09
Notes by Don Vandivier
1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. f4 Nf6 5. Nf3 c5 6. dxc5 Qa5 7. Bd3 Qxc5 8. Qe2
a6 ?!
Black had a choice of four "book moves", 8...0-0, 8...Bg4, 8...Nc6 or 8...Nbd7. The move played puts Black behind in development.
9. Be3 Qb4 10. Bd2 Qb6 11. e5 dxe5 12. fxe5 Nfd7 13. Nd5 Qd8 14. e6
14. Bc3 was a suitable alternative
14...fxe6 15. Ng5 Nf6 ?!
After 15...Ne5 16. Nf4 Qb6 17. Bc3 O-O Black is better.
16. Nf4
16... e5 ?
16... Qb6 17. Ngxe6 Bh6 and no matter what white plays, Black is still in the game. One example is: 18. Be3 Qa5+ 19. c3 Qe5
17. Nfe6 Bxe6 18. Nxe6 Qd6 19. Nxg7+ Kf7 20. Bh6 Rg8 21. Bc4+ Nd5 22. Qf3+
22 0-0! + gave Mate in 6 moves!
22... Qf6 23. Bxd5+
23. Qxd5+ also Mates.
23... e6 24. Bxe6+ Ke7 25. Qa3+
Mate is unavoidable.
1-0
Jennifer Skidmore (1932)
Joseph Boronka (1656)
Round 3
King's Gambit, C33
Notes by Don Vandivier
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 d6 4. d4 g5 5. h4 Bg7 6. c3 h6 7. Nf3 Qe7 8. Qe2 Bg4 9. Na3
Nf6 10. Bd3?
White is getting into some serious trouble. Better was10. e5 dxe5 11. Qxe5
10... Nh5! 11. Qf2 Ng3 12. Rh2 Nxe4 13. Qe2 d5 14. Bd2 c6 15. O-O-O Nd7 16. Re1 f5 17. Qf1 O-O-O
Black has survived the Gambit and is 2 pawns up with an excellent position.
18. Nc2 Qf6 19. Nb4 Nb6 ?! 20. Ne5 Bh5 21. Ba6 Qe7?
21... Rd6 was much better
22. Nexc6 Qc7 23. Nxd8 Kxd8 24. hxg5 hxg5 25. Qh1?
25. Bd3 should be played.
25...Ng3 26. Qg1 bxa6 27. Kb1 a5 28. Nd3 Nc4 29. Bc1 Qb6 30. Qf2 Ne4 31. Rxe4 fxe4 32. Nc5 e3
and Black went on to win.
0-1
Tony West (1709)
Mark Krisler (1952 )
Round 4
French: Irregular, C00
Notes by Don Vandivier
1. e4 e6 2. d4 b6 3. Nf3 Bb7 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. Nbd2 Nc6 6. c3 Qe7 7. O-O O-O-O
Mark LOVES castling on opposite wings for attacking purposes - and he's good at it too!
8. Re1?!
Fritz suggests an immediate assault with 8. b4 ! Nb8 9. a4 and Black would have difficulties. I agree with this idea. If White dilly-dallies around Black will have chances with his K-side pawn storm.
8...h6 9. d5 Nb8 10. Qa4 g5!?
Black starts his pawn advance on White's King immediately.
11. Bf1
So White decides to go on the defense... more aggressive was: 11. Qxa7 g4 12. Nd4 exd5 13. e5 d6 14. Bf5+ Nfd7 15. e6 fxe6 16. Bxe6 Qf6 17. Bxg4
11... g4 12. Nd4 exd5 13. Nb5 Re8 14. Nxa7+ Kd8 15. e5 Ne4 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Be3 Bg7 18. Rad1 Bxe5 19. g3 h5 20. Nb5 h4
White can't get at Black's King, but Black continues to open up lines against the White King.
21. Qa7 Kc8 22. Qa4 hxg3 23. Na7+ ?!
What's the point of this move? It sends the knight back to a square where it has no play.
23... Kd8 24. fxg3 f5 25. Ba6 ?
(See Diagram next column)
25. Bb5 is a little better but runs into difficulties after: 25...Rh5 26. Bc6 Nxc6 27. Nxc6+ Bxc6 28. Qxc6 Qh7
25... Qh7 ! 26. Bg5+ Re7 27. Bxe7+
27. Rd2 Bxg3 !
27... Kxe7 28. Rd2 Bxa6 29. Red1 Bd3
Well, that stops that idea...
30. Nb5
30. Rg2 Bxg3
30... Bxg3 31. Qd4 Bxh2+
and it's Mate in 3
0-1
Daniel Schey (1653)
Jennifer M. Skidmore (1932)
Round 4
Queen's Gambit, D35
Notes by Bob Ciaffone
In this game, white selects an innocuous opening variation. Then a series of imprecise moves puts his position under pressure. Finally, a tactical oversight turns a bad game into a lost one.
1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5
White defines the pawn structure rather early, entering the calm cove of the Queens Gambit Declined, Exchange Variation.
3... exd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Bg5 Be7 6.Nf3
Since the knight has options, it is more accurate to play 6.e3.
6... c6 7. e3 Bg4
Black tries to take advantage of the early Nf3 to develop her problem piece, the queen-bishop.
8. Qb3 Qb6 9. Qxb6 axb6
It is a mistake to think white has in any way inflicted a wound on the black pawn structure by this manuver. Black's center is strengthened and the Ra8 has an open file.
10. Ne5 Be6 11. Bd3 O-O 12. f4
I fail to see why white did not castle before making this committal move.
12... Re8 13. f5 Bc8 14. O-O Na6 15. a3 Nc7 16. b4 c5 17. bxc5 bxc5 18. Bf4 Nh5 19. Nb5 Nxb5 20. Bxb5 Rd8 21. g4 Nxf4 22. Rxf4 cxd4 23. exd4
White has more space, but there have been so many exchanges this is not of much weight.
23...Rxa3 24. Rxa3 Bxa3 25. Kf2 Bb2 26. Ke2 g5 27. fxg6 fxg6 28. Kd3
Black has won a pawn, although the white rook and king are more active than their counterparts.
28... Be6 29. Rf6 Rd6 30. h3?
This dumps the exchange; white should have retreated the rook, as by 30.Rf2.
30... Bf5+ 31. Rxf5 gxf5 32. gxf5 Rh6
Black is up the exchange, and her active rook decides the game.
33. Kc2 Bxd4 34. Nf3 Bf6 35. Bd7 d4 36. h4 Bxh4 37. Nxd4 Rd6 38. Be6+ Kg7 39. Nf3 Bf6 40. Ne1 h5 41. Nd3 h4 42. Nf4 Kh6 43. Kb3 Kg5 44. Ng6 h3 45. Bc8 h2
This game illustrates that an exchange that promotes a rook-pawn to a knight-pawn is often not good, even though it brings about doubled pawns.
0-1
The following game is quite impressive. Both sides avoid traps in the line and play the precise moves from the Opening, 17 moves deep! Then on move 18 Black plays "out-of-book" but trys to return to book on move 19. The results are devasting and should be studied by every player who either plays the attack or plays 1…e5. Unfortunately, the scoresheet I received had no names on it! Therefore, this is our "Mystery game".
U/1600 Section - Mystery Game
White ?
Black ?
Round 4
Max Lange Attack, C55
Notes by Don Vandivier
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. O-O Nf6
An alternative to entering the Max Lange Attack Proper is: 5... d6 6. c3 but can get pretty wild after 6... Bg4 7. Qb3 Qd7 8. Nxd4 Na5 9. Bxf7+ Ke7 10. Be6 Bxe6 11. Qxe6+ Qxe6 12. Nxe6 Kxe6 13. b4
6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. Re1+ Be6 9. Ng5 Qd5 10. Nc3 Qf5 11. Nce4 O-O-O 12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. g4 Qd5 14. fxg7 Rhg8 15. Nf6 Qd6 16. Nxg8 Rxg8 17. Bh6
This is all "book" and Black should avoid the Max Lange Attack if he doesn't want to play from this position.
17... e5
Now I find this very interesting... the "book variation" continues
with 17...d3 and it's obvious that if Black plays ...e5 White has g5 protecting the Bishop from the Black Queen. But watch what happens here.
18.g5 d3?
Can't play it now! After 17 "book moves" and one move not in the book, you can't return to the book line. Black is completely busted after this move.
19. Qg4+ Qd7?!
19...Kb8 was better but still losing.
20. Qxc4 Bxf2+ 21. Kxf2 Qf5+ 22. Kg3 Ne7 23. Qg4 d2 24. Rxe5 Qxg4+ 25. Kxg4
This was a nice game. It's unfortunate that the players will never receive credit because they left their names off the scoresheet!
1-0
David Granik (1909)
Lawrence D. Buttler (1950)
Round 5
Irregular King's Pawn, B00
Notes by Bob Ciaffone
One of the most important chess concepts is the role of pieces in supporting a pawn advance. Controlling space with pawns properly supported with pieces is a positional advantage. Without piece support, a pawn advance leads to a lost game, because squares behind the pawns will be taken over by the enemy, with dire consequences. In this game, white gains space, but falls behind in development. The result for his position is horrific.
1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. e5
White crosses the central dividing line with a pawn at move three, without gain of tempo. This is not yet a bad move, but it certainly sets the tone for the game.
3... Bf5 !
Black realizes the need for developing the bishop outside the pawn chain, to insure its activity.
4. g4
This time white gains space with tempo.
4... Be4 5. f3 Bg6
Black has two pieces developed to white's none, but white's pawns have advanced, gaining space. The position looks about even.
6. c3 ?!
white moves another pawn, this time to guard a point in his position that was already adequately defended. He should have developed a piece.
6... f6
Black immediately starts whittling away at the white center.
7. Bf4
7. e6 ? Qc8 8. Qe2 Nd8 9. f4 Bxb1 ! 10. Rxb1 Qxe6 As we see, white cannot advance the e-pawn without losing it.
7...fxe5 8. dxe5 e6 9. Qb3
With two knights and one bishop still in the barracks, white gets his queen into action; a basic chess error.
9... Rb8 10. h4 ?
Disgusting. Just look at the white position, without paying attention to
black's. White has only two pieces off the back rank, but five pawns advanced.
This is a sure sign of a poor concept of the relationship between pieces and
pawns.
10... Be7 11. Bg3 h5 12. g5 Bc5 !
Black gets the bishop into the fight, preparing to occupy "for life" f5.
13. Ne2
At move thirteen white makes his first knight move. The knight is the only piece that must get to the front line before it can attack enemy terrritory, so the knight should move off the back rank early on.
13... Nge7 14. Bh3 Bf5 15. Nd2 Qd7 16. a4 Bxh3 17. Rxh3 Nf5 18. f4 Ne3 19. a5 b6 20. a6 O-O
White's position is absolutely dreadful. The dispersion of his pawns have opened up numerous squares for enemy pieces. Despite the fact that he has one pawn on the sixth rank and two pawns on the fifth rank, he has no piece past the third rank.
21. Rc1 b5 22. Qa2 Qf7 23. b4 Bb6 24. Nf3
White has advanced pawns even further, but not his pieces.
24... Qf5 25. Rh2 Qe4 26. Nd2 Qf5 27. Qb1 Qg4 28. Nf1 Nxf1 29. Kxf1 Nxe5
White surrenders. Even though he is down only one pawn at this moment, the fight is over. Chess is a game based on war. This is an instructive example for the necessity of supporting the infantry with tanks, planes, and artillery, instead of sending them into the enemy.
0-1
Robert F. Moore (1600)
David Schey (1653)
Round 5
Ruy lopez , C78
Notes by Bob Ciaffone
In this game, white is given a golden opportunty by his opponent's odd opening concept of advancing a pawn in the castled king position. But instead of capitalizing on this, he goes about is business as if nothing has happened, and is duly punished. A your opponent's error can become a virtue unless you alter your plans and punish it.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
The Ruy lopez, the top player's favorite against 1...e5 for the last four centuries.
3... a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Bc5
This line has been popular for black among the top grandmasters of late.
6. d3
Hardly the move to strive for a positional advantage. White should aim for c3 and d4.
6... b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 h5?
Looks aggressive, but what is the positional idea behind it?
9. Bc2 ?!
Why anyone would want to take a bishop off an attacking diagonal that goes to the heart of the enemy position and defend a pawn not under attack is a mystery to me.
9... O-O
Do we now see the positional point for 8...h5 to be a preparation for kingside castling? Give me a break.
10. d4 !
Better late than never.
10... Bb6 11. h3 Bb7 12. Nbd2??
White totally ignores both tactics and obvious positional ideas. What squares were weakened by the ridiculous move h5? Obviously, g6 and g5. How can white take advantage of the error? The move 12.Bg5 screams to be played, and black will quickly regret the unnecessary weakening of his kingside by being fixed in an unbreakable pin.
12... exd4 13. cxd4 Nxd4 14. Nxd4 Bxd4 15. Nf3 Bb6 16. Re1
Isn't white ever going to play Bg5 and exploit that h5 move?
16... Re8 17. Nd2?
This was his third chance to play Bg5; now his bishop can't even move.
17...Qe7 18. b3 Qe5 19. Rb1 Qd4 20. Qf3 Qc5 21. Qd3
I guess he forgot that he had just moved this piece to protect f2. He should move the Bc2. Now the roof caves in on white.
21... Qxf2+ 22. Kh2 Qxe1 23. Nf3 Qf2 24. Bf4 Bxe4
The moral to this game is to pay attention to your opponent's moves instead of getting wrapped up with your own plan.
0-1
Stanley Jarosz (2056)
Jennifer M. Skidmore (1932)
Round 5
Queen's Gambit, D45
Notes by Bob Ciaffone
In this game, white grinds out an advantage, first of one pawn, then two. Then he sacrifices an exchange, underestimating the power of a rook in the endgame, and black obtains a draw.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6
Black selects the SemiSlav Opening, characterized by the pawn triangle c6-d5-e6.
4. e3
White shows a willingness to enter the Meran variation of that opening.
4...Nf6 5. Nf3 Be7
An unusual move. Normal is 5...Nbd7.
6. Bd3 dxc4
Black properly waits for the Bf1 to move before taking on c4.
7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. O-O
The immediate 9.e4 would have been more testing of black's idea.
9... Bb7 10. e4 c5 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. e5 Nd5 13. Ne4 Be7 14. Qe2 Nd7
White has emerged from the opening with a space advantage due to the pawn one5, but black has a solid position.
15. Rd1
15.Bd2 planning Rac1 looks more accurate to me.
15... Qc7 16. Bd2 Nxe5
Is black simply winning a pawn?
17. Nxe5 Qxe5 18. Bxb5+
This shot gets the pawn back and disrupts the black position. Taking the bishop drops the Bb7.
18... Kf8 19. Bd3 h5 20. Rac1 h4 21. Nc3 Bd6 22. Qxe5 Bxe5 23. Nxd5 Bxd5 24. b3 h3 25. g3 Bf3 26. Re1 Bd4 27. Rc4 e5 28. Rec1 Bg4
The dust settles. Black has managed to maintain material equality, but the white rooks are more active than their black counterparts.
29. Be4 Rb8 30. Bc3
Bb6 31. Bxe5 Re8 32. Bd6+ Kg8
White's manuvers have won a pawn.
33. Bc6 Re6 34. Bd7 Rxd6 35. Bxg4 Rhh6 36. Rc8+ Kh7 37. R8c2 Kg6 38. Kf1 Kg5 39. Bc8
I do not understand why black gave up the a-pawn here.
39...f5 40. Bxa6 Rdf6 41. f4+ Kg6 42. Bb5 Kf7 43. b4 Rd6 44. a4 Be3 45. Rc7+ Kg8 46. R1c2 Kh7 47. Bd7 Rhf6 48. Ke2 Bb6 49. Rb7 Rd4 50. Rxb6?
White was winning, and simply playing 50.a5 looks decisive. Now white sacrifices an exchange, which looks like it ought to win also, but an interesting endgame ensues, where white has three pawns for the exchange, but is unable to get the full point.
50...Rxb6 51. Bxf5+ g6 52. Bxh3 Rdxb4 53. Bd7 Re4+ 54. Kf3 Re1 55. Bb5 Rbe6 56. Rc3 Kh6 57. Kg4 R1e4 58. h4 Re3 59. Rxe3 Rxe3
A remarkable position. White does not
have any way to make progress, and the game ends in a draw.
60. a5 Rb3 61. Be2 Rb2 62. Bd3 Rb3
This is a remarkable display of the power of a rook in the endgame.
1/2-1/2
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