This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
USCF National Events / 2014 US Open


also in memory of Mitchell Denker. Win - ning the tournament was memorable not just because I won the tournament, but mainly because of the fact that the tournament was held in honor of two great men; one being one of the greatest American chess players of all time, and the other being a loving and caring guy who was a wonderful organizer of the Denker Tournament of High School Champions. The Denker Tournament of High School


Champions was held in Orlando, Florida at the Rosen Centre Hotel, where the state high school champions of each of the 50 states of America joined in one location to compete for the title in a six-round tournament. I arrived from the small state of Rhode Island, which of course is not known for its abundance of chess players. Before the start of the tournament, I was definitely a bit nervous, as I was playing in one of the strongest scholastic tourna - ments in the country. However, it is only human to feel a bit uneasy before the start of every tournament. Nevertheless, I was able to get off to a great start of 3/3, which included wins over Pennsylvania’s Roman Cano, Maine’s Matthew Fishbein, and Oregon’s Aaron Grabinsky. In the fourth round I was paired against


the northern Californian Colin Chow. It was an interesting game where I had some pressure, but objectively the position was not enough for an advantage, and the game was a draw. Still standing strong and tied for first at 3½/4, I knew that the last two rounds would be crucial in the fight for first place. In the fifth round I was paired against New Jersey’s Chris Wu, who is a strong player I have played before. Luckily for me I was able to gain a decisive advan - tage out of the opening, and despite mak ing some inaccuracies, I was eventually able to win the game. Coming into the last round, New York’s Josh Colas and myself were leading the tournament with 4½/5, while a few people were not far behind with 4/5. Thus, in the last round I was paired against Josh.


Symmetrical English (A38) Christopher Gu (2447) Josh Colas (2363) Denker Tournament of High School Champions (6), Orlando, Florida, 07.29.2014


1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Qa5?!


This move is usually held until after


both sides castle so that the queen will be nicely placed on h5 to aide in a kingside attack. So this seems dubious now because White is not castled yet, and thus can take advantage of the misplaced queen on h5. Josh told me after the game that he mixed up the move order. 7. ... 0-0 8.


0-0 Qa5 is correct. 8. Nb3 Qh5 9. h3! Now White has this move available and


can gain a lot of space by kicking around the misplaced queen.


9. ... 0-0 10. g4 Qe5 11. f4 Qc7 12. e4 d6 13. Be3


draw would have probably been enough to clinch first place, I figured I had a slight edge with no losing chances, so why not try to press?


23. b3 Kf8 24. Kc2 e6?! This inaccuracy allows me to generate


some favorable tactics as his b7-pawn is always unprotected. 24. ... Bc8 protecting the b7-pawn 25. Kd3 e6 would be about equal.


25. dxe6 fxe6 25. ... Bxe6 26. e5 dxe5 27. Bxb7 grants


White a clear advantage due to Black’s weak a6-pawn.


26. e5!


Despite the computer’s disagreement,


I believe White has a slight edge due to his space advantage.


13. ... Na5!


A good move as Black has less space and thus seeks to trade pieces.


14. Nxa5 Qxa5 15. Qd2 Be6 16. Nd5 Qxd2+ 17. Kxd2 We arrive at a typical Maroczy bind


endgame. White has more space but objectively Black should be OK. White can press without much risk, which was what I wanted.


17. ... Nxd5 18. cxd5 I didn’t like capturing with the e-pawn


(18. exd5 Bd7) because Black gets lots of counterplay after say ... Rfc8 and ... b7- b5.


18. ... Bd7 19. Rac1 Rfc8 The continuation 19. ... Bxb2 20. Rc7


unnecessarily allows my rooks to become very active.


20. Rxc8+ Rxc8 21. Rc1 Rxc1


The line 21. ... Bxb2 22. Rxc8+ Bxc8 23. Bxa7 was also possible. 22. Kxc1 a6


An important move that secures an


advantage. The vulnerability of the b7- pawn is crucial for White.


26. ... d5 26. ... dxe5 27. Bxb7 exf4 28. Bxf4 Bb5


This may have been better, but White would still retain an advantage with 29. Bg2, preventing Black from playing ... Bf1 and preparing the expansion of White’s pawns on the queenside.


27. Bc5+! Ke8 28. Bd6 Black now has a serious problem with


his dark-square bishop. Either his bishop remains imprisoned by White’s f4- and e5-pawns, or he trades it off and leaves himself with a bad light-square bishop. Josh choose the latter.


28. ... Bh6 29. g5 Bf8 30. Kd3 Bb5+ 31. Kd4


Here Josh offered a draw. Although a


31. ... Bxd6? This gives White an extremely strong


www.uschess.org 39


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