“That’s what chess is all about. One day you give your opponent a lesson, the next day he gives you one.” -Bobby Fischer
In the fifth round of the Ga Open, played Saturday night, Reece Thompson sat down behind the Black pieces to battle grizzled veteran IM Ronald Burnett. Both were undefeated, having won the four prior contests.
IM Ronald Burnett vs Expert Reece Thompson
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 d6 3. c4 Nbd7 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bf4 g5 7. Bd2 Bg7 8. h3 O-O 9. Qc2 a6 10. a4 Re8 11. e4 c5 12. d5 e6 13. dxe6 fxe6 14. e5 dxe5 15. Ne4 Qc7 16. Bc3 Nxe4 17. Qxe4 Nf6 18. Qg6 Qf7 19. Qxf7 Kxf7 20. Nxe5 Ke7 21. Nd3 Bd7 22. Nxc5 Bc6 23. Nd3 e5 24. Nb4 Be4 25. f3 Bf5 26. O-O-O Kf7 27. g4 Bd7 28. a5 Ba4 29. Rd6 Rad8 30. Rxd8 Rxd8 31. Bd3 Nd7 32. Bc2 Nc5 33. Nd5 Bc6 34. b4 Ne6 35. Be4 Nf4 36. Nxf4 Bxe4 37. fxe4 exf4 38. Bxg7 Kxg7 39. Rd1 Rxd1 40. Kxd1 Kf6 41. b5 1-0
A check of http://www.365chess.com shows these players having played the position most often after the move 4…c6:
As Black
Vladimir P Malaniuk 46 games
Joerg Hickl 45 games
Alonso Zapata 28 games
This caused me to reflect upon the time Craig Thompson, the father of Reese, and I were conversing at a chess tournament when GM Alsonso Zapata appeared. The conversation ended so Craig could talk with the GM about lessons for his son. The most often played fifth move is e4, the choice of both SF and the Dragon, the program known as Komodo; it has scored 57%. The second most popular move, g3, has scored 56%. 5 Bg5 has scored 54%.
6 Bh4 has been played far more often than any other move, scoring 56%. The move chosen by IM Burnett, 6 Bf4, has only scored 44%! Stockfish gives 6…b5, a TN. After 6…g5 Houdini brings the Bishop all the way back to c1, but SF plays 7 Bd2.
Roman Chytilek (2415) vs Vladimir Sargeev (2472)
CZE Ch T1 East 2005
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. d4 Nbd7 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6 6.Bd2 e5 7. Qc2 Qc7 8. e4 g6 9. h3 exd4 10. Nxd4 Bg7 11. O-O-O O-O 12. Bf4 Ne5 13. g4 a6 14. Qd2 c5 15. Nb3 g5 16. Be3 b5 17. Qxd6 Qxd6 18. Rxd6 b4 19. Nd5 Nxe4 20. Ne7+ Kh8 21. Nxc8 Raxc8 22. Rd5 f5 23. Nxc5 f4 24. Bd4 Nxc5 25. Bxc5 Rfe8 26. b3 a5 27. Bd6 Nf7 28. Kd2 Bc3+ 29. Kd3 Rc6 30. c5 Nxd6 31. Rxd6 Rxd6+ 32. cxd6 Rd8
33. h4 Rxd6+ 34. Ke4 Kg7 35. hxg5 hxg5 36. Bc4 Kg6 37. Bd5 Rd8 38. Rd1 Kf6 39. Rh1 Kg7 40. Rd1 Re8+ 41. Kf3 Rd8 42. Ke4 Kf6 43. Rh1 Re8+ 44. Kf3 Rd8 45. Ke4 Re8+ 46. Kf3 1/2-1/2 (It looks like a three-fold repition after 45 Ke4)
The last round saw Mr. Thompson giving a lesson…
Maxwell Feng (1784) vs Expert Reece Thompson
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. e5 f6 5. Nf3 fxe5 6. dxe5 Nh6 7. h3 Nf7 8. Bf4 Be7 9. Bd3 Nb4 10. a3 Nxd3 11. cxd3 O-O 12. d4 Bd7 13. Qd2 c5 14. O-O Qb6 15. Be3 Rac8 16. Kh1 cxd4 17. Bxd4 Bc5 18. Bxc5 Rxc5 19. Rac1 Nh6 20. Nd4 Rc4 21. Nf3 Be8 22. Ne2 Rxc1 23. Qxc1 Nf5 24. Qc3 Bb5 25. Qd2 h6 26. b3 Bxe2 27. Qxe2 Qxb3 28. Ra1 Rc8 29. Ne1 Rc4 30. Qd2 Qc3 31. Qe2 Qxa1 0-1
ALicia Keys ft. John Mayer ~ Lesson Learned
Armchair Warrior 