Saturday, October 17, 2009

Marshall g/30: Justus beats Asa Hoffman!

I took Alexis, Pobo, Shawn, Rashawn, Azeez, Rawn, Miguel, Justus, James, and Danny to the Marshall to play in the g/30 tournament today.

Shawn Swindell (now 1798!)

...was white against Sam Barsky. What crushing move did he miss here?


This is the position six or ten moves later. What's white's best course of action?


Justus won 3.5/5 and $107. He beat Asa Hoffman, a 1900 and a 1400, drew Boris Privman, and lost to Jay Bonin; his new rating is 2128. (also he's eleven!)

Williams, Justus - Hoffman, Asa [B07]
17.10.2009
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4 Qa5 5.Qf3 e5 6.fxe5 dxe5 7.dxe5 Ng4 8.Bd2 Nxe5 9.Qg3 Nbd7 10.0–0–0 Qd8 11.Nf3

11... Qe7 12.h4 h5 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.Bf4 f6 15.Bxe5 Qxe5 16.Qg6+ Ke7

17.Bc4 Be6 18.Bxe6 Kxe6 19.Rhf1 Rh6 20.Qf5+ Qxf5 21.exf5+ Kf7 22.Rd7+ Kg8 23.Rxb7 Bd6 24.Ne4 Be5 25.Rd1 g6 26.Rdd7 gxf5 27.Rg7+ Kh8 28.Nc5 Bd4 29.Ne6 Be3+ 30.Kd1 Re8 31.Rge7 Rxe7 32.Rxe7 f4 etc. 1–0  


Answers to Shawn's Game's Questions

1.Nh4!! is devastating. The only moves to stop 2. Nxg6# are : 1... Bh8 2.Nxg6+ Kg7 3.Rxd8 Rxd8 4.Rxd8 Qxd8 5.Nxh8 Kxh8 6.Qe6 or 1...Ne7 2.Qd3 Ra8 3.Rd7.


After the game, Shawn and I found the simplifying idea 1.Qb3+ Ke8 2.Ncd4! (forcing the exchange of queens-- white is up two pawns and winning a5 immediately) Qxb3 3.Nxb3
During the game, Shawn chose the good move 1.Na3 Qe2 but then let it slip away with 2.Nxe5+? Bxe5 3.Qxe5 Qxf2 4.Nc4?? (4.Qc3!) 4...Qg3+ 5.Kh1 Qe1+=
  

James Black

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4 comments:

Michael Goeller said...

Wow -- incredible kids! I think Swindell (what a great name for a chessplayer!) missing Nh4 is understandable: though simple, it seems so far removed from the action down the d-file that you might not think of it right away, until you see g6 as a target.

Anonymous said...

I didn't find Nh4 despite spending several minutes and knowing something was there, but I found Qb3 pretty quickly because I always look at checks first.

Marty

Anonymous said...

What if after Nh4 Black replies Rxd6, and then after cxd6, Qf7 ... ?

lawrence muggerud said...

Anon 3:08, d7