Correspondence Chess / 2009 Electronic Knights / 2011 Absolute
Correspondence Chess Roundup
Recapping the 2009 Electronic Knights and 2011 Absolute correspondence chess events By FM ALEX DUNNE
2009 Electronic Knights Championship
The winner of the event was not a surprise. Wilbur Tseng repeated his 2008 victory, but not without some struggle. Tseng brought in a perfect preliminary round and a perfect final round but was held to two draws in the semifinal round by Tim Corkum and Harold Brown. All in all it was another impressive performance by Tseng who has won most of the important tournaments conducted by USCF—with the exception of the Absolute which even now he is contesting.
For those of you unfamiliar with Wilbur Tseng picture a modern Renaissance man who paints on the chessboard. Why a Renaissance man? A whiz kid in school, winning more than 100 math and science competitions, a published author of many medical papers (a notable title is “Neurotoxic Lesions of the Dorsal Hippocampus Disrupt Auditory-cued Trace Heart Rate (Fear) Conditioning in Rabbits” with co-authors Matthew McEchron and John Distehoft), owner of a Chicago restaurant (and occa sion al chef), scientist at Northwestern University Medical School, and correspond ence chess master, and all this at 33 years of age. Those are some strong credentials along with two-time winner of the Electronic Knights Championship. Here is Wilbur Tseng at work:
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Slav Variation (D31) Wilbur Tseng (2342) Salvatore Calvanico (1993) 2009 Electronic Knights Final
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 e6 4. e4 This potential gambit line has
few adher ents among the top players who generally seek soundness over adventure.
4. ... dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 Statistically the scoring preference
(54 percent to 50 percent) is given to 6. Bd2 here. That gambit line can lead to some wild fights as in Joop J. van Oosterom-Viktor Vasilievich Tomkovich, World Cham pi onship 15 Final which saw 6. Bd2 Qxd4 7. Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8. Ne2 Na6 9. Bf8 Ne7 10. Bxg7 Nb4 11. Qd6 Nd3+ 12. Kd2 Nf5 13. Qxd3 Qxd3 14. Kxd3 Nxg7 eventu ally drawn.
6. ... Nf6 An immediate attack on the center
with 6. .... c5 as in Oliveira-Lafarge Santorroman, Vinage Memorial 2007, should transpose.
7. Nf3 0-0 8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Qa5 10. Be2!
Offering an indigestible c-pawn—
10. ... Qxc3+ 11. Bd2 Qb2 12. Bb4! and Black’s queen is in major trouble. A probable continuation could be 12. ... Rd8 13. Rb1 Qa2 14. Qc1 c5 15. Bxc5 b6 16. Bb4 a5 17. Be7 Re8 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Nd2! e5 20. Ra1.
10. ... c5 11. 0-0!?
(see diagram top of next column) Once again Tseng offers the c-pawn.
This time it looks edible but Black is soon disillusioned.
11. ... Qxc3 12. Bd2 Qb2 13. Rb1! Please, sir, may you have another? 13. ... Qxa3 14. Qc2
it only gets worse. Worth a try was 16. ... Nbd7 17. Bd6 Nxc5.
17. Rfd1 Ne8 18. Bd3 Those pieces that did not look so
threatening have in four moves buffed up while Black’s two extra pawns have little say.
18. ... f5 19. Rb5 Qe7 20. c5 e5 Black tosses a pawn back for
What does White have for his two-
pawn offering? Complete mobilization even though none of his pieces at first appear threatening to Black. Yet right now Black must attend to the threat of 15. Ra1 winning the queen.
14. ... Qa6 15. dxc5 Qc6
The queen was still not safe on a6— the threat was Ne5 followed by Ra1. 16. Bf4 Qxc5 Black’s game was difficult but now
freedom but this only aids White’s pieces. Even after Black’s best with 20. ... Nc6, White strengthens his position with 21. Bc4 a6 22. Rb3 Na5 23. Rbd3 Nxc4 24. Qxc4 with an iron grip on the position.
21. Nxe5 Nc6 22. Bc4+ Kh8 23. Nxc6 bxc6 24. Rb3 a5 25. Re3 Qxc5 26. Qe2 Bb7 27. Rh3
With the threat of mate in two.
27. ... Nf6 28. Bd6 Qb6 29. Rb3, Black resigned.
Black must lose at least a rook.
Second place was won by Stephen McGregor of Houston, Texas, who also had a perfect first round. In round two he ceded two draws to Barry Endsley and Patrick Ryan. Stephen, who was born March 4, 1958, has played chess since high school. He thought himself a very good player but his first tournament resulted in a humiliating defeat at the hands of a 10-year-old. Of course Stephen was only 13 at the time, but it made him so angry he began studying the game instead of just relying on his instincts. Consequently he fell in love with the game and has been playing ever since. In particular he loves blindfold chess and correspondence chess (CC). It has been through CC through the years that he has made some good friends and learned about cultures outside the USA. Stephen is a certified public accountant.
What is a complete game of chess? It would have to have an interesting opening, enterprising play by both sides, a sacrifice or two, a mixture of attack and defense, and a sharp yet delicate endgame. Here it is.
34 January 2014 | Chess Life
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76