The Amateur Eye – Hellish is the blitz game.

The popular Sicilian runs into a left hook 1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 c:d4 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. c:d4 d6 7. Nc3 N:c3 8. b:c3 d:e5 9. d5 Nb8 10. Ne5 Qc7 11. Bb5 Bd7 12. N:d7 N:d7 13. Qd4 a6 14. Bf4 Qd8 15. Bd3 Nf6 16. c4 g6 17. a4 Bg7 18. O-O O-O 19. Be5 Qd7 20. Rab1 Ne8 21. B:g7 N:g7 22. a5 Rfc8 23. Qe5 Qd6 24. Q;d6 e:d6 25. Rb7 Rc5 26. Ra1 Ne8 27. Kf1 Kf8 28. Ke2 Nc7 29. Ke3 Re8 30. Kd4 h5 31. Rb6 Ra8 32. Re1 Kd7 33. Re8 N:e8 34. Ra6+ Rc8 35. Rb6 Ra8 36. a6 Nc7 37. c5 d:c5 38. K:c5 Re8 39. Rb7 Re1 40. a7 Resigns (1-0).

The Amateur Eye – Blitzing Game– King’s Indian Attack

Blitz is becoming very popular. Once World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik gave it a negative training review. My personal view is it is fun, fun, fun! It has the advantage that the players must think fast and rely upon their study of chess and experience.

The King’s Indian Attack ( KIA ) was a favorite of young Bobby Fischer and elder senior master (and in my view a GM) Issay Goliak , a good friend and fellow member of the Rochester Chess Club. He won a brilliant game, defeating Mark Taimanov to take lst place in the annual World Seniors Championship held in Italy. using this attack against a French setup. I choose one here from Blitz Training play which I hope will give you a joy in viewing this French Defense sideline from the KIA.

l. e4 e6 2. d3 b6 3. Nf3 Bb7 4. g3 d5 5. Nbd2 c5 6. Bg2 Nf6 7. O-O Be7 8. Re1 O-O?! Illogical when using the QB fianchetto idea in defending and keep Q-side castling as a good plan option.

9. e5 Ng4?! Perhaps the Knight would be better perched at d7.

10. h3 Nh6 11. g4

Depriving the Knight of the f4 square.

11. …. Nc6

Black should have tried 11. …. Kh8 12. Nf1 Nf8 avoiding premature thrusts that weaken the King position.

12. Nf1 d4 13. Ng3 Rc8 14. B:h6! g:h6 15. Qd2 h6 16. N:g5 h:g5 17. Nh5 Kh8 18. f4! Qc7 19. f:g5 R:g8 20. Qf4 Qe7 21. Nf6 Rg7 22. Re2 a6 23. a3 White with this move is prepared to launch the final assault having stopped any meaningful counter play.

23. …. Rf8 24. Rf1 Rc8 25. h4 Rf8 26. Kh2 Nd8 27. B:b7 Q:b7 28. Ne4 Qc7 29. Nd6 Nc6 30. h5 Nd8 (Nb7!? 31. Qf6 Kg8 32. Rf3 Nb7 3. Ne4 c4 34 g6+ h:g6 35. h6 Rh7 36. Rh3 c3 37. Qg7+!! R:g7 38. Nf6+ Kh8 39. hg7+ K:g7 40. Rh7! Mate.

A bang-up finish and well played.

The Amateur Eye- Only One Kramnik- a unique style to be sure.

Former world chess champion announced his retirement from chess was reported in New In Chess magazine. I once read that chess players never quit and its hard for me to see this great player who defeated Kasparov and won the title by using one of my favorite defenses against the Ruy Lopez— the Berlin leave the game permanently. Of course he has nothing to prove; his accomplishments are wondrous possessing a unique style that reminds me of viewing through a scientific lens.

Here, I choose one from 1996 what might be called from his apprenticeship era. It reflects full mastership of every phase of the game and a burning desire to put a beauty on the 64 squares for all to enjoy and learn from.

White: GM B. Gelfand vs. Black: GM V. Kramnik, Slav Defense, 1996– Berlin, Germany.

Here we find 1. d4 being the opening choice of Gelfand to which Kramnik answered in kind.

l. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. g4 Bb4

An interesting plan developed in opening analysis so it will be interesting how Kramnik handles it. He breaks a golden rule to not waste time by moving a piece twice let alone the very following play with the same bishop. It makes sense because Gelfand in launching 7. g4 has left the king position weakened.

8. Bd2 Qe7 9. a3

To force an exchange but Kramnik thought a better way was 9. g5 B:c3 10. B:c3 Ne4 11. Bd3. This would avoid weakening the Q-side position of the King.

9. …. B:c3 10. B:c3 b6!

11. Bd3 Ba6

Immediately laying siege to c4.

12. Qa4

This awkward attempt to defend e4 from a Knight invasion to this center square seems to negate any point of the g-pawn sally up the board.

12. …. d:c4 13. Q:a6 c:d3 14. Q:d3 O-O 15. g5 Nd5 16. Bd2

Preparing to gain space with 17. e4 without allowing N:c3 to solve one problem but Kramnik’s next packs a real punch.

16. …. f5!

This move shatters Gelfand’s dream with Bd2 because now the Knight takes up a strong central position and becomes the most valuable piece at the moment in Kramnik’s camp since it cannot be driven away without creating a consequence no one would wish for. Now, white’s worry also centers on the King’s central position which requires castling on the Q-side.

17. O-O-O c5!

Kramnik now launches attacks against the white set up.

18. Kb1 b5

This move now points out the poor judgment of playing 9. a3.

19. Q:b5 Rab8

The hungry rooks are using the b-file to infiltrate the enemy squares.

20. Qa5 Rb3 21. Ka2 Rfb8 22. Rb1 e5

Black uses the pawns to open lines for the White army’s destruction.

23. Rhc1 Qe6 24. Ka1 e:d4 25. R:c5 N:c5 26. Q:c5

Here you have to see that Kramnik has placed his heavy guns in reach of the opponent’s monarch. The pretty finish comes after Kramnik had positioned his heavy weapons for the final assault.

26. …. Nc3! 27. N:d4Gelfand relies upon this Knight move for defense of his position. But such dynamic force usually has a brilliant stroke to finish with a mating attack. It happens here: 27. …. R:b2!! A nifty move brings about a very pretty mating attack. Black doesn’t play to win material but to checkmate the King.

28. R:b2 Qa2+ follows with check mate.

The Amateur Eye- A Sicilian Defense shows no sex discrimination in the hands of a female tiger.

Judit Polgar came out of the ancient country of Hungary at an early age when most played with dolls. Judit preferred to play with chessmen taught the game with two older sisters by her father partially as an experiment in training and home education per his beliefs that proper training enabled children to excel in early development. It used to be that children should not be taught chessplay until age 12 or 13 as mentioned in chess literature ala Tarrasch and Nimsowitsch.

White: A. Shirov vs. Black: Judit Polgar Opening: Sicilian Defense , Buenos Aires 1994. A theme tournament.

After 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6

This adds defense to the f7 square, known as an initial weak point from my lesson on square count in the initial start of play since only the kings can defend f2/f7 squares. It acts here as a bloc of the bishop attacking on the a2-g8 diagonal, thus crimping one of the major lines that develop the king bishop to c4.

3. d4 c:d4 4. N:d4 Nc6 5. Nc3 d6!

This I prefer as it tends to bind White again to avoid a common black defense posture.

6. g4!

An aggressive attack of the kingside and gains square count.

6. …. a6 7. Be3 Nge7

Notice how Knights tend to support one another which is a product of their geometric movement.

8. Nb3 b5!

Well played. Black envisions a mobile Queenside counter action since White looks to castle Q-side (O-O-O) in support of the king side pawn roll-up.

9. f4 Bb7 10. Qf3 Development as planned but putting the Q on the same diagonal as the black fianchetto bishop at b7 could spell problems which makes one wonder if black is on to something of a counter assault threat.

10. …. g5!! a brilliant shot that upsets no doubt Shirov’ planned kingside pawn invasion.

11. f:g5 Ne5 12. Qg2

This is forced to protect against black’s b4 and follow-up B:e4 wrecking the white center.

12. …. b4

The talented youth continues to chop wood.

13. Ne2 h5!!

To quote Dr. Nimsowitsch: “A move on the wing with the aim on the center, betokens the hand of the master.”

14. g:h5 Nf5 15. Bf2 Q:g5 16. Na5 Ne3!

No rest at all.

17. Qg3 Q:g3 18. N;g3 N:c2+ 19. Kd1 N:a1 20. N:b7 b3 21. a:b3 N:b3 22. Kc2 Nc5 23. N:c5 d:c5 24. Be1 Nf3 25. Bc3 N:d4+ 26. Kd3 Bd6 27. Bg2 Be5 28. Kc4 Ke7 29. Ra1 Nc6 White surrenders and resigns (0-1).

Today, Judit writes a really brilliant column for NEW IN CHESS. She is a Grandmaster and achieved for women talents in chess to wipe out the notion that women can’t compete at the men’s level and depth of skill. Her sister and former world woman champ Susan and a Grandmaster teaches chess and coaches a world-class university chess squad in the USA. Last I heard was Sofia is married and both sisters thought Sofia was the strongest of the three growing up. She plays or played for Hungary on the Chess Olympic Team but doesn’t compete in major tournaments.

Suzanne Albright – Pres. Grand View Beach Association has strong views concerning the David Andreatta opinion column regarding Plan 2014. She counters the idea raised about razing sites along Lake Ontario as being a hideous idea as possible solution to rising water levels in the Great Lakes region, especially affected being home and business owners having properties along Lake Ontario, thousand islands, and other St. Lawrence river regions. She mentions the history of water regulations being two previous plans prior to the 2014 plan set up to regulate the region water level by IJC of 1958DD to be based on its managed outflow discretion to be within a four-foot range. Plan 2014 adjusted it to a seven-foot range. It was estimated to effect about 60% of shore-line properties including areas in Canadian cities, etc. Such cost to buy homes for example of lake front properties would be astronomical let alone the loss of tax revenues. Some of the blame is at the door of utilities and shipping along the great lake region by the IJC. There is always a scapegoat using mental insanity as an excuse. Right. There you go!

The Amateur Eye- Fallacies of Historical Factual Truths by Leftists in America

I side with Cal Thomas who noted in his final paragraph which he wrote: “The Times’ attempt to shape history to fit its own biases is not journalism. If public schools follow its lead, they will resemble schools in countries where freedom is not the prevailing tenet and antithetical to what the Founders gave us. America’s greatness eventually led to the freeing of slaves and a chance at a better life for their descendants.

Kindred adds to this by having children learn about our journey through time in war and peace. The Constitution and freedoms striven for and achieved despite hardships and human bondage experienced not only by slaves but by many who find violence and hatred disguised as truisms when they are nothing more than wolves at the door of our tranquility as a people.

The Amateur Eye -Reinfeld–author/player

Fred Reinfeld (1910-1964) was a prolific writer who authored many books covering a number games and interesting hobbies. Among his chess books authored were classics like The Human Side of Chess and too many that were penned mostly for meeting living expenses–yet they were sorely needed to fill an era sadly lacking print especially on chess play. In chess he was once ranked among the top ten players in America and recognized the value and joy of correspondence.

The following game is also published in Chess Life by Bruce Pandolfini in his excellent column.

White: Fred Reinfeld vs. Black: James Narraway Correspondence Chess (1929) /The Ruy Lopez (C83)

l. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O N:e4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. d:e5 Be6 9. c3 Be7 10. Be3 O-O 11. Nbd2 Bg4

Both players go with standard opening book lines where now 12. Re1 might be considered as well as the text. Reinfeld chooses to sharpen with a tactical blow to get out of the pin by the bishop.

12. N:e4 d:e4 13. Qd5

With this move, Reinfeld stops the pin with this counterattack.

13. …. e:f3 14. Q:c6 f:g2 15. Q:g2 Qd7 16. Rfe1 c5

BP suggests 16….Bh3 was to be studied as it seems to effect time which is so important in chess.

17. Bh6 g:h6 18. e6 Qc8 19. e:f7+ Kh8 20. R:e7 Bh3 21. Qd5 Qg4+ 22. Kh1 Qg5 23. Rg1 Bg4 24. R:g4 Black resigns (1-0).

Bruce will be the featured guest on Chess Life podcast.

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Don’s Coffee & Tea Break

Before law and technology inserted so much complication into life, a person’s word was honored. So often today people seem to discover that it is no longer looked upon as a golden rule.

Pickles finds the crux of family life for the elderly troublesome sometimes. For example, Earl tells Opal that he is taking Rosco for walk in the park. Opal reminds him that he needs to take a doggie doodie bag to which he says good idea. She adds that he needs to take one for Rosco, too!

Garfield and Jon are giving the evil eye to each other. Jon tells Garfield that he has his eye on Garfield to which the cat replies in like fashion. Jon says this is disturbing to which Garfield thinks,”weird?!”.

The Amateur Eye- Africa

A great article appears in the August issue of Chess Life magazine titled “Cote d’Ivoire through a Newcomers’ Lens—The 2O19 Grand Chess Tour kicked off with a brand new event in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on the Ivory Coast of Africa.–an excellent article contribution by WFM Maria Emelianova. CHESS LIFE issue August 2019.

And you got to see: Reinfeld Played Chess by Bruce Pandolfini. Reinfeld was noted for writing many trash chessbooks but I always found his books most enjoyable and valuable to its popularity in America. His contributions did much to bring to America some wonderfully researched articles and books on chess. His writings were overshadowed by what an amazing chess talent and game player he was.

The Amateur Eye – Chess Exploring Mail Tidbits

Correspondence chess is rarely covered in CHESS LIFE magazine. In the past I have touched on it and also did a piece on the Trompowsky Attack (A45) Refer August 2019 issue, pg. 41.

“Finding the possibilities” is how James Tracz likes cc play.

White: James Tracz vs. Black: Abe Wilson Golden Knights Final 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. Bf4 c5 4. f3 Qa5+ 5. c3 Nf6 6. d5 Qb6 7. Bc1 e6 8. e4 e:d5 9. e:d5 Bd6 10. Na3 O-O 11. Bd3 Re8+ 12. Ne2 Bf8 13. Nc4 Qd8 14. Ne3 Aimed at d5 and f5 control.

14. …. d6 15. O-O Nbd7 16. Ng3 A research study of previous play that went 16. a4 Ne5 17. Bb1 b6 18. c4 g6 19. h3 was evaluated as better for black so he sees going his own way the right time to go anew. That is the plus of playing by mail.

16. ….g6 17. f4 Bg7 18. a4 Qc7 19. c4 a5 20. Bd2 Qb6 21. Re1 Bh6 22. Nef5 Bf8 23. Bc3 Qd8 24. Ne3 Bg7 25. Qf3 b6 26. Ngf5 Bf8 27. Qh3 h5 28. g4 g:f5 29. N:f5 Ne5 30. f:e5 d:e5 31. g:h5 e4 32. h6 Kh7 33. Bc2 Be7 34. Qf1 Rg8+ 35. Kh1 B:f5 36. Q:f5+ K:h6 37. R:e4 Rg6 38. Rh4+ Kg7 39. Qh3 Resigns (1-0).