Sponsored by the London Chess Center
| US Championships 2000 Seattle Round 10 Report by John Henderson |
AN OFFER YOU CAN’T REFUSE
Round 10 (October 5, 2000)
Benjamin, Joel - Seirawan, Yasser 1-0 73 C11 French Defence
Shabalov, Alexander - Fedorowicz, John P 1-0 27 B67 Sicilian Rauzer
De Firmian, Nick E - Ivanov, Alexander 0-1 54 B19 Caro Kann (Main Line)
Christiansen, Larry M - Yermolinsky, Alex 1/2 34 B88 Unknown
Gulko, Boris F - Gurevich, Dmitry 1/2 35 A29 English Opening
Serper, Grigory - Kaidanov, Gregory S 1/2 25 D27 Queen's Gambit Accepted
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ch-USA Seattle USA (USA), 25 ix-7 x 2000 cat. XIV (2586)
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2
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1. Benjamin, Joel g USA 2577 * = = 1 = = 1 1 0 = . = 6.0 2664
2. Shabalov, Alexander g USA 2601 = * 0 1 . = = 0 = 1 1 1 6.0 2652
3. Gurevich, Dmitry g USA 2542 = 1 * 0 = = = . = = = 1 5.5 2628
4. Seirawan, Yasser g USA 2647 0 0 1 * 1 0 = = . = 1 1 5.5 2610
5. Kaidanov, Gregory S g USA 2624 = . = 0 * = = = 1 = = 1 5.5 2616
6. De Firmian, Nick E g USA 2567 = = = 1 = * 0 = = = = . 5.0 2587
7. Ivanov, Alexander g USA 2567 0 = = = = 1 * = = . = = 5.0 2589
8. Christiansen, Larry M g USA 2563 0 1 . = = = = * = = = = 5.0 2592
9. Gulko, Boris F g USA 2643 1 = = . 0 = = = * = = 0 4.5 2538
10. Serper, Grigory g USA 2574 = 0 = = = = . = = * 0 = 4.0 2517
11. Fedorowicz, John P g USA 2533 . 0 = 0 = = = = = 1 * 0 4.0 2520
12. Yermolinsky, Alex g USA 2596 = 0 0 0 0 . = = 1 = 1 * 4.0 2515
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Round 9 (October 5, 2000)
Shahade, Jennifer - Gorlin, Yelena 1/2 39 C06 French Tarrasch
Khan, Anna - Groberman, Elina 1/2 43 A26 English Opening
Epstein, Esther - Baginskaite, Camilla 0-1 61 B90 Sicilian Najdorf
Sagalchik, Olga - Frenklakh, Jennie 1-0 46 D36 Queen's Gambit Exchange
Burtman, Sharon - Airapetian, SH 1-0 40 A90 Dutch Defence
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ch-USA Women Seattle USA (USA), 25 ix-3 x 2000
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
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1. Baginskaite, Camilla wm USA 2287 * = = = 1 1 1 1 0 1 6.5 2312
2. Groberman, Elina USA 2054 = * = = 1 = 1 1 = 1 6.5 2338
3. Shahade, Jennifer m USA 2238 = = * = 0 = = 1 1 1 5.5 2232
4. Khan, Anna wm USA 2257 = = = * = = = = = = 4.5 2150
5. Epstein, Esther wm USA 2224 0 0 1 = * 1 0 = 1 = 4.5 2153
6. Gorlin, Yelena USA 2110 0 = = = 0 * 1 = 1 0 4.0 2123
7. Sagalchik, Olga USA 2145 0 0 = = 1 0 * 1 1 0 4.0 2119
8. Frenklakh, Jennie f USA 2133 0 0 0 = = = 0 * 1 1 3.5 2084
9. Burtman, Sharon wm USA 2089 1 = 0 = 0 0 0 0 * 1 3.0 2043
10. Airapetian, SH USA 2072 0 0 0 = = 1 1 0 0 * 3.0 2045
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AN OFFER YOU CAN’T REFUSE
WELL, here’s an offer that Sam Sloan can only wish for in his wildest wet dream. Since the US Championships were being held in Seattle, it was felt that the USCF Policy Board should at least arrange a meeting there, too – just to see how it should be done after their tragic decision to originally cancel this historic tournament.
Arriving at the Town Hall playing venue, our very reliable press officer and ex-editor of Inside Chess, Mike Franett, innocently asked me: “Would you like to shoot some USCF Policy Board members?” Without any hesitation, the reply was made with a large smile on my face: “Only too gladly, Mike! But I’m afraid I’ve only got my camera with me!”
Mike Franett and Don Schultz
One old administrative wonk on show today was none other than the legendary Chessdon himself, Don Schultz, the former president of the USCF (Come back, Don, all is forgiven!). Now, “the Don” has a wealth of experience in the murky administrative machinations of both the USCF and Fide: from behind the scenes political manoeuvres involving Soviet accusations of cheating at the 1972 Fischer-Spassky match to Gazza’s tantrums with IBM during the Kasparov vs. Deep Blue match in 1997. He’s been there, seen it and kindly lent a helping hand to bury the bodies.
Don has recently written an eyewitness account of all the shenanigans in the chess world in his book, CHESSDON, which GM Larry Evans reviewed in one of his syndicated columns thus: "This memoir is a valuable and accurate rendition of tempestuous events that shaped chess history in the last half of the 20th century."
And believe me, it’s an enlightening read. Starting in a humble way as organizer of a small town chess club, the story rapidly moves to Schultz’s rise to the top of the USCF administration ladder to Iceland and purported KGB attempts to influence the 1972 Spassky-Fischer match. A defection in Thessalonika, an attempt at ping-pong style diplomacy in Dubai, KGB blackmailing of a FIDE official in Moscow, and a terror-stricken KGB colonel in Merano are constant reminders of how corrupt governments attempt to use international sports for selfish political gain.
David Anderton
Against this background and a seemingly never-ending stream of anecdotal encounters with players and officials, CHESSDON (available at Don’s website: http://www.chessdon.com) gives the reader an insight into the seedy world of chess - the good, the bad and the ugly (but mainly the ugly!). My own particular favourite anecdote being a Fide Presidential board meeting where Don discovered our very own British Chess Federation delegate, David Anderton, looking through his briefcase before an important vote! David, being the proper English gentleman he is (and let’s not forget a lawyer to boot!), innocently explained that he “thought” that someone had left it behind and was only “trying” to establish who the rightful owner was. Now, for me, David’s street cred would have rocketed sky-high if only he’d have been found rifling through Kirsan Iljumzhinov’s briefcase – at least we might have discovered a damn sight more than where the bodies were buried!
Joel Benjamin and Garry Kasparov. Will Joel spill the beans?
And while we’re on the subject of behind-the-scenes chess exposés, our very own Joel Benjamin, the man credited with being the “chess brains” behind IBM’s Deep Blue, has told us that he’s about to go to print with his own book that’s going to lift the lid (or even the hard drive) on that infamous 1997 match in New York that so infuriated Garry Kasparov. I wonder if Garry will get a copy?
And, as if Garry didn’t have enough worries on his mind as he starts the defence of his title in London against Vladimir Kramnik (Honest, Malcolm, I’m getting the first flight back!), he’s just received an offer he can’t refuse to play another World Championship match (Typical! Wait long enough and two come along at the one time!). The World Computer Chess Champion program SHREDDER, written by Stefan Meyer-Kahlen, has challenged numero uno to a match with the title of "Absolute World Chess Champion" (Forgive me, but wasn’t that supposed to the title for last year’s aborted match against Anand?). Showing nice timing as they announced it on the eve of Gazza’s title bash in London, SHREDDER’s agent, the Munich based company MILLENNIUM 2000, issued the challenge which is allowing Kasparov to choose all the essential playing conditions (Brave. Very brave indeed!). Ossi Weiner, Managing Director of MILLENNIUM 2000, announced his plan to give Kasparov every opportunity to satisfy himself that he would be playing under the best possible conditions. Now, if I were Garry here, I’d be thinking about asking for no electricity in the playing hall...
Meanwhile, back in the Seattle playing hall, the man that’s partially responsible for some of Kasparov’s antipathy towards computers in the first place, Joel Benjamin, took a big step towards his third US title after finding a Deep Blue-like knight sacrifice in the opening to defeat overnight leader Yasser Seirawan.
Joel Benjamin vs Yasser Seirawan
Benjamin,J (2630) - Seirawan,Y (2703) [C10]
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nd7 [The super-solid Rubinstein Variation.] 5 Nf3 Ngf6 6 Nxf6+ Nxf6 7 Bg5 c5 8 Bb5+ Bd7 9 Bxd7+ Qxd7 10 Qe2 0–0–0!?N [This is new. More usual has been ..Be7 and 0–0.] 11 Rd1 [Benjamin declares his intentions by castling on opposite wings. If Seirawan had adopted the set-up as the note above, White would have castled queenside.] 11 ..Qc7 12 0–0 cxd4 13 Nxd4 a6 14 Nxe6!!
[A move that rocked Seirawan - not to mention the pressroom and commentary room. Just like IBM's Deep Blue in the crucial sixth and final game against Kasparov, Benjamin finds a devastating knight sacrifice on e6 in the opening – an offer that his opponent couldn’t refuse.] 14 ..fxe6 [Black’s doomed: 14 ..Re8 15 Rd8+!! Qxd8 (15 ..Rxd8 16 Nxc7) 16 Qc4+ Kb8 17 Nxd8 Rxd8 18 Qxf7 wins easily.] 15 Qxe6+ Rd7 [15 ..Kb8 16 Bf4! Qxf4 17 Rxd8+ Ka7 18 Qf7!] 16 Bxf6 gxf6 17 Rd4!
[The culmination of the knight sacrifice on move 14: Black can't stop White's dual threats of 18 Rc4 and 18 Rfd1.] 17 ..Bc5 18 Rc4 Kb8 [Black's best practical chance: 18 ..b6 19 b4 Qd6 20 Qxd6 Rxd6 21 bxc5 Rc6 22 Rd1!, and the double rook ending is a lost cause for Black.] 19 Rxc5 Qxc5 20 Qxd7 Qxc2 21 Qd6+ Ka8 22 Qxf6 Rc8 [Safety first!] 23 h3 Rc6 24 Qd4 Rc4 25 Qh8+ Rc8 26 Qe5 Rc5 27 Qe3 Rc8 28 Qb3 Qe2 [28 ..Qxb3 29 axb3 Rc2 30 Rb1 is, of course, hopeless.] 29 a4 h5 30 Qb4 Rc4 31 Qf8+ Ka7 32 b3 Rc3 33 Qb4 Qd3 34 Re1 Qd2 [34 ..Rxb3? 35 Qc5+ Kb8 (35 ..Rb6 36 a5!) 36 Re8+ Qd8 37 Rxd8#] 35 Rf1 [35 Re7?? Rc1+!] 35 ..Qd3 36 h4 Rxb3 37 Qc5+ Ka8 38 Qc8+ Ka7 39 Qc5+ Ka8 40 Qxh5 [As White slowly, but surely, unravels, the kingside pawns will seal Black's fate.] 40 ..Qe4 41 Rd1 Rb1 42 g3 b5 43 axb5 axb5 44 Kh2 Rxd1 45 Qxd1 Kb7 46 h5 Kc6 47 h6 b4 48 Qh5 Qh7 49 Kg2 Kb6 50 Qg4 Ka5 51 Qg7 Qe4+ 52 Kh2 Qf3 53 Qa7+ Kb5 54 h7 Qh5+ 55 Kg2 Qd5+ 56 Kg1 Qd1+ 57 Kh2 Qh5+ 58 Kg1 Qd1+ 59 Kg2 Qd5+ 60 f3! Qd2+ 61 Qf2 Qh6 62 Qe2+ Kb6 63 Qd3 Kc5 64 g4 Qg7 65 Qf5+ Kd6 66 g5 b3 67 Qf6+!
[Nicely simplifying down to a won ending.] 67 ..Qxf6 68 gxf6 b2 69 f7 b1Q 70 f8Q+ Kc6 71 Qf6+ Kd5 72 Qg5+ Ke6 73 h8Q 1–0
Joining Joel in first place is Alexander Shabalov who, with yet another exciting game, beat John Fedorowicz.
Shabalov vs Fedorowicz round 10
Shabalov,A (2662) - Fedorowicz,J (2629) [B67]
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6 6 Bg5 e6 7 Qd2 a6 8 0–0–0 Bd7 9 f3 Rc8 10 Kb1 Be7 11 h4 h5 12 Nxc6 [12 f4!? b5?! 13 Bxb5 axb5 14 Ndxb5!] 12 ..Rxc6 13 Bd3 b5
[13 ..Qa5!? 14 f4 Ng8 A) 15 e5!? f6 (15 ..dxe5 16 Bb5 Rd6 17 Bxd7+ Kxd7 18 Qf2!) 16 Bg6+ Kd8 (16 ..Kf8? 17 Rhf1) 17 Bf7!? fxg5 18 hxg5; B) 15 f5 15 ..Bf6! 16 Bxf6 (16 Ne2??) 16 ..Nxf6 17 Qg5 Qe5! (17 ..0–0 18 fxe6 Qxg5 19 hxg5) 18 Ne2 0–0 19 g4 Nxe4 20 Bxe4 Qxe4 21 Nc3 Rxc3 22 bxc3 Qa4 23 Qc1 Bc6 24 Rhe1 Qc4 25 gxh5 exf5 26 Rg1 Be4 27 Rxd6 Qxc3 28 Qb2 Qxb2+ 29 Kxb2 Kh7 30 h6 g6 31 h5 Rg8 32 hxg6+ (32 Rd7 Kxh6 33 Rxf7 g5–+) 32 ..fxg6 33 Kc3 Kxh6 34 Kd4 Kh5 35 c4 g5 36 Ke5 Re8+ 37 Kf6 g4 38 Rd4 Rf8+ 39 Ke7 Rc8 40 Kf6 Rc6+ 41 Ke5 Kg5 42 Rd8 Rc5+ 43 Kd4 Ra5 44 Rf1 Bf3 45 Rg8+ Kf4 46 Rg7 Kg3 47 Rg5 Kf4 48 Rg7 Rxa2 49 Rxb7 g3 50 Rg7 g2 51 Rg1 Rc2 52 c5 Be4 53 Ra1 Rd2+ 54 Kc4 Kf3 55 Rxa6 Bd3+ 56 Kc3 Bxa6 57 Kxd2 Kf2 58 Rf7 Bc8 0–1 Shirov,A-Kozul,Z/Budapest 1996/CBM 56] 14 Rhe1 [The White pieces are all lined-up for the assault.] 14 ..b4 15 Ne2 Qb6 16 Nf4 a5? [Black had to defend his vulnerable seventh rank with 16 ..Rc7 . Now White simply crashes through.] 17 e5! dxe5 [17 ..Ng8 18 Nh3 and the White queen will infiltrate on g5.] 18 Ng6!
18 ..fxg6 19 Bxf6 gxf6 20 Bxg6+ Kf8 21 Qxd7 Kg7 22 Qxe7+ Kxg6 23 Rd7 Qc5 24 Qg7+ Kf5 25 g4+ Kf4 [25 ..hxg4 26 Qxg4#] 26 Qxf6+ Kg3 27 Rd2 1–0