The 15TH MICHAEL ANDERSON MEMORIAL SC SENIOR OPEN 2023 was contested 2023-11-11 thru 2023-11-12.
There were a total of twenty six players in one section. Although this writer understands the reason for only one section, the dearth of Senior players, there was a huge disparity in the strength of the opponents in some of the games. It has been my experience that 1600, the beginning of class B, is a demarcation line in Chess. Once a player reaches class B he has learned to stop giving away pieces. Frankly, if one is rated below 1600 he is considered a “chumpy lumpy” and the expectation is that he will be beaten like a drum by higher rated players. Nevertheless, because of the exigencies of the tournament only one section can be understood.
Six players tied for first place with a 3-1 score in the four round tournament:
DR. ALEXANDER MATROS 2388 SC
MIKE SAILER 2190 SC
RANDAL FERGUSON 2098 SC
MICHAEL ANTHONY SHEAF 2048 OH
JOHN TIMMEL 2024 NC
DANIEL J. QUIGLEY 1700 SC
Four players tied for second place by scoring 2 1/2 points:
PETER BEREOLOS 2311 TN
CHRIS L. CHAMBERS 2003 GA
WAYNE CHRISTENSEN 2037 SC
ROGER DEAN JOHNSON 1907 SC
TD Gene Nix reports, “IM Alexander Matros’s tiebreaks won the trophy and title of SC Senior Champion. Chris Chambers was the top Georgia finisher with 2.5.”
Gene Nix
is an officer and gentleman, and a driving force in South Carolina Chess. This writer and former player has long hoped someone, anyone, in the Great State of South Carolina, would step forward and direct the tournament in order for Gene to participate because my lifetime score versus the man I think of as “Scotty,” the Chief Engineer on the Starship Enterprise,
is a loss in one of my favorite openings, the gxf variation of the Caro Kann. Gene was a Chief Engineer in the Navy, and currently his two daughters are serving and protecting our country in the Navy. They do not come any better than Gene Nix. Still, this former player would come out of retirement just to have the possibility of evening the score. (Insert you know what kinda grin here)
There was an upset prize in the SC Senior. These are the games that were in contention:
Rd 4 James Altucher (2032) vs Daniel Quigley (1700) 0-1; 332 points
Rd 1 Peter Bereolos (2311) vs Chris Chambers (2000) 0-1; 311 points
Rd 1 Daniel Quigley (1700) vs Michael Matson (1400) 0-1; 300 points
Rd 1 Wayne Christensen (2037) vs Bill Corbett (1826) 0-1; 211 points
Rd 1 Leroy Dillard (1300) vs Benjamin Blair (1500) 1-0; 200 points
Although Daniel Quigley looks somewhat out of place in the list of the top six players, one can see from the above he figured prominently in the outcome of the tournament. The top three games will be featured.
Daniel Quigley 1700 vs Michael Madson 1400
2023 SC Senior RD 4
A30 English, symmetrical variation
- c4 c5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. a3 Nf6 6. Rb1 O-O 7. b4 cxb4 8. axb4 Rb8 9. d4 e6 10. b5 Ne7 11. e4 d6 12. Nge2 b6 13. O-O Bb7 14. f4 Qc7 15. Qd3 Rfc8 16. Rb4 a5 17. bxa6 Bxa6 18. Nb5 Bxb5 19. cxb5 Qc2 20. Rd1 d5 21. e5 Nd7 22. Rb2 Qxd3 23. Rxd3 Ra8 24. Rc3 Rxc3 25. Nxc3 Nf5 26. g4 Ra1 27. Nb1 Nxd4 28. Kf2 Bf8 29. Be3 Bc5 30. Nd2 Ra3 31. Nb1 Rb3 32. Rxb3 Nxb3 33. Nc3 Bxe3+ 0-1
Viewing the game for the first time it was shocking to see Quigley did NOT play 9 b5. 365Chess shows five games having reached the position after 8…Rb8. Only one featured the move I, and Stockfish, would have played.
Tal Shaked (2490) vs Ernest Schlich
Event: Cardoza US op
Site: Kona Date: 08/01/1998
Round: 1 Score: 1-0
ECO: A36 English, ultra-symmetrical variation
1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.a3 Nf6 6.Rb1 O-O 7.b4 cxb4 8.axb4 Rb8 9.b5 Na5 10.d3 b6 11.e4 d6 12.Nge2 Bd7 13.Ba3 Qc8 14.Bb4 Re8 15.O-O Nb7 16.Ra1 Ra8 17.Ra3 Bh3 18.Qa1 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 Nc5 20.Bxc5 Qxc5 21.Rxa7 Rac8 22.Qa3 Qh5 23.Nf4 Qh6 24.Nfd5 Ng4 25.h3 Ne5 26.Rd1 1-0
https://www.365chess.com/game.php?back=1&gid=1031038&m=18
The above game produced vivid memories because of the players. After a harrowing trip across the country, from Atlanta to LA in two days, driving a brand new Ford Probe, an architect had won in a raffle at a convention of, you guessed it, architects, I was called at the last minute to drive because the fellow given the assignment cancelled at the last moment. When the owner called asking if I would take the trip I asked when he needed me. “How soon can you get here?” If a driver did not have the car waiting at the agreed time the company incurred a penalty. Knowing the Sands Western States Open was happening that weekend my only thought was, “Just get me to the round on time!” That was a favorite expression of one of the Road Warriors, Senior Master Brian McCarthy (https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2021/04/24/brian-mccarthy-r-i-p/). The hammer was put down and I took off like a bat out of hell,
stopping only for brief rest periods that would not qualify as a nap. The only stop of any duration was to take a shower at a truck stop. Nearing LA in the wee hours it was amazing to see the expressway already filled with vehicles at o’dark thirty. The car was at the office of the architect when he arrived. “You did not have the car washed,” he said. After giving him the explanation he said, “The contract called for it to have been washed.” The contract also called for the man to take me to the Greyhound station. He waited for hours before driving me to the ‘Hound.
The man handed me a twenty dollar bill for the tip. Keep in mind he had won the car and it was already sold, and his office was on Wiltshire Blvd, close to where Robert F. Kennedy
had been brutally murdered at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California
by the security officer, Thane Eugene Cesar,
who it is now thought by many, was a member of one of the official secret US Government organizations. The killer ‘escorted’ RFK by grabbing him by the arm and leading him into the pantry, which was not the original plan, Stan. The bullets that killed him came from down below RFK and went into his head. The only man near enough to do that was, you guessed it, Thane Eugene Cesar. Having time to wait on the next bus which would leave hours later, causing me to miss the first round, I went to the hotel where RFK had been brutally assassinated to visit the site. That was not possible because no one could visit the site. The architect handed me a twenty dollar bill for the tip. Livid, I yelled, “That’s all you’re gonna give me for what I’ve done?!” He produced a excrement eatin’ grin prior to saying, “You are lucky I’m giving you that because the contract specified the car be washed.”
“Mister,” I said, “Mickey Mantle once gave me a FIFTY DOLLAR BILL FOR A FOUR DOLLAR FARE WHEN I WAS DRIVING A CAB!!!”
The dude drove off, looking back at me with that excrement eatin’ grin while giving me the finger. Nevertheless, the last laugh was mine because while looking back at me the excrement eatin’ grin was completely wiped away when a truck looking somewhat like the truck driven by the Clampett’s of The Beverly Hillbillies TV fame
crashed into the dudes brand new Ford Probe, with metal objects falling on and into the Probe. It took some time to stop laughing… After catching the Greyhound bus we had to cross the infamous Donner Pass.
Our driver pulled over to place snow chains on the tires. When he began leaving there was a Big Rig approaching. Since it was mandatory to pull over in order to put chains on the tires, our driver started forward. Unfortunately, the Big Rig driver did not pull over and slammed into the Greyhound bus. While waiting for another ‘hound to continue the journey someone overheard my name, “Bacon.” The dude mentioned something about the history of the infamous Donner Pass which included humans having to resort to cannibalism. The rather large man said something about if the need for that arose I would be the first one eaten. The retort was fired immediately. “I don’t know about that, fat boy. Sure looks like there is much more meat on you than me, Tubby!” That brought the bus down with laughter. Needless to say, this intrepid traveler would now be far too late to play in the Western States Open. Arriving at the Sands
agoda.com
somewhat worse for the wear reality reared it’s ugly head and the decision was made to not play in the tournament. Needing a place to scrub my filthy carcass and a place to sleep, Tal Shaked,
overhearing my conversation with the organizer, Jerry Weikel, a good man, offered me floor space for only a ten spot in his room being shared with another player. Tal was very nice and showed me his laptop and how he was using it to prepare for games. Not playing turned out to be OK because GM Larry Evans,
hearing my story, took me out to lunch and we talked for some time. Upon reflection, I had the time of my life not playing, but you know how it is wanting to play and not being able to play, because as the song by Jackson Browne says, “The only time life seems too short is the time we get to play.”
After falling in love with Reno the decision was made to stay and play, so to speak. A room was taken at an old hotel that had been around since the days of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
It was said that many outlaws, such as Billy the Kid,
had stayed at the hotel. There was only a wash basin in the room. To take a shower one had to walk to the end of the hallway. After noticing an add in the local newspaper I applied for a job with the Reno Rodeo. A really nice looking thirty something woman opened the door of the trailer, took one look at me and asked, “Where didja get the hat?”
“Cheyenne,” was all I said.
“It’ll work,” she said. “What can you do?”
“Whatever it takes,” was the reply.
“You’re hired,” she said as one of the prettiest smiles I’d ever seen developed.
“You don’t even know my name,” I said.
“You’re gonna tell me, aren’t you?” She smiled again, and when she did her face lit up like a Christmas tree. She was the owner’s daughter. I was smitten.
It was quite an experience providing lasting memories, but a return trip to Atlanta was made because the 1996 Olympics were coming to Atlanta and my friend from the cab driving daze the previous decade, TDub, had a brand spaknin’ new Crown Vic running on propane waiting for me at Checker Cab Company.
Where were we? Oh yeah, the SC Senior. The game below garnered the top prize and big bucks, thirty US greenbacks.
James Altucher 2045 vs Dan Quigley 1700
2023 SC Senior Round 4
B13 Caro-Kann, exchange variation
- e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. Bf4 Nxd4 6. Nd2 Nf6 7. c3 Nc6 8. Ngf3 Bg4 9. Qb3 Qb6 10. Qxb6 axb6 11. O-O e6 12. Rfe1 Be7 13. h3 Bxf3 14. Nxf3 O-O 15. a3 Rac8 16. Rad1 Rfd8 17. g4 h6 18. Re2 Bd6 19. Be3 Bc5 20. Bc1 g5 21. Rde1 d4 22. c4 Bd6 23. b4 Bf4 24. Bxf4 gxf4 25. Nd2 Nd7 26. Kg2 e5 27. Kf3 f6 28. h4 Ra8 29. Nb1 Kf7 30. Rg1 Rg8 31. Ree1 Rg7 32. Be4 Ke7 33. Rd1 Rag8 34. Bd5 Rh8 35. Be4 Rhg8 36. Bd5 Rh8 37. Be4 h5 38. gxh5 Rxg1 39. Rxg1 Rxh5 40. Rg7+ Kd6 41. Kg4 Rh8 42. Bf5 Ne7 43. Nd2 Rxh4+ 44. Kxh4 Nxf5+ 45. Kh5 Nxg7+ 46. Kg6 Ne6 47. Ne4+ Ke7 48. Nd2 d3 49. Kf5 Ng5 50. a4 Nf8 51. c5 bxc5 52. b5 Nfe6 53. Kg4 e4 54. a5 e3 0-1
5 Bf4 is an dreadful move. 6 Nd2 is not shown at 365Chess.
We have now come to the game of the tournament, even though the winner received only a double sawbuck for the second place prize. It was an incredible game, filled with myriad vicissitudes.
One of the best, if not the best, things about playing Chess is the people encountered and the friendships made. Let me state up front that Chris Chambers, aka, The Discman, (https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/the-discman/)(https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2014/05/17/the-discman-part-deux/)(https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2023/03/08/the-discman-plays-the-leningrad-dutch/), is considered a friend for whom I have great respect and admiration. Therefore there is absolutely no way this writer, and friend, can be objective about this game. It was another great honor to have received the thoughts of the Discman concerning the game. Chris was a regular at the Wednesday night G15 tournaments when working at the House of Pain. Almost each Wednesday evening Chris would bring me a printout of The Week In Chess. (https://theweekinchess.com/) That was before I, or the Atlanta Chess Center, had a computer. Early in his career Chris worked for the Atlanta Braves and knew one of my friends from the old neighborhood, Susan Bailey, who also worked for the Atlanta Braves for decades prior to becoming an assistant to Henry Aaron to end her career. Mutual interests often develop into a friendship. This even though this writer, and former player, defeated Chris in a tournament game in his home state of Tennessee. This occurred right after Chris scored 8 out of 12 ((+6-2=4) in the 1998 US Open in Boston, earning the National Master certificate and title. His final round win was against FM Sunil Weeramantry (one of the top trainers in the US, and the step-father of GM Hikaru Nakamaru), clinched the Top Expert prize, and his rating topped 2200 for the first time. It was a long, hard fought, game in which Chris fought like a mongrel dog in a vain attempt to avoid defeat. Later Chris showed how I could have finished the game much earlier with a tactic that had been missed. Chris was a much stronger player than yours truly and it was one of the best games I have ever played. Chris and I have shared myriad emails over the years and my eyes light up at the sight of one of his emails appearing in my inbox. Chris has sent me a plethora of his games, usually with annotations, and such was the case with this one, which begins: “S.C. Senior Round 1 (not for publication).”
Over the years this writer has been inundated with emails from people in the Chess community, most of whom I have known, some of whom were new to me. Not once have I ever betrayed a confidence, I am proud to report.
FM Peter Bereolos vs NM Chris Chambers
2023 SC Senior RD 1
A68 Benoni, four pawns attack
- d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O
- Be2 b5 10. e5 dxe5 11. fxe5 Ng4 12. Bf4 Nd7 13. e6 fxe6 14. dxe6 Rxf4 15. Qd5 Bxc3 16. bxc3 Bb7 17. Qxb7 Nb6 18. e7 Qc8 19. Qxc8 Rxc8 20. O-O-O Re8 21. Rd8 Kf7 22. Ng5 Kxe7 23. Rxe8 Kxe8 24. Bxb5 Ke7 25. Re1 Kd6 26. Rd1 Ke7 27. Re1 Kd6 28. Re6 Kd5 29. Re7 Ne5 30. Rxa7 c4 31. a4 Rf1 32. Kd2 Rf2 33. Kd1 Rxg2 34. Nxh7 Ke4 35. Re7 Nd5 36. Nf6 Nxf6 37. Bc6 Nd5 38. Bxd5 Kxd5 39. a5 Ra2 40. Rg7 Rxa5 41. Ke2 Ra2 42. Ke3 Rxh2 43. Kf4 Rf2 44. Kg5 Rf3 0-1
There are five games at 365Chess with the move 15…Kh8. There are no games with 15…Bxc3. There is a reason.
After spending much time reviewing the game you are about to see this salvo was fired at The Discman:
Chris,
You obviously know I would never put into print anything you’ve written, or said, in confidence. Therefore I respectfully ask if you would allow me to print the following only:
“Finally after all these years and a number of attempts I got Peter. I first played him in the 1989 U.S. Open in Chicago. This is my best win since returning to tournament play back in April 2022.”
I can take “No” for an answer. I’ve spent most of the day working on the post…
I liked this:
(Withheld)
I am proud to report that after Ron (IM Ron Burnett) defeated me in a long, hard fought battle, he said, “I didn’t know you were so strong.” Hearing that caused me to puff up like a puffer fish…
nocaB
The reply came only a short time later:
christopher chambers
Nov 18, 2023
“Yeah I’d be fine with that Mike.
I’d also be fine with you showing the key position after 35…Nd5 (below).
Peter had seen this coming and had planned to play 36.Bc6 which looks great at first blush, as both Knights (!) are pinned to the king. But after 36.Bc6 Black has the devastating 36…Kd3, unpinning both knights AND threatening mate with Rg1. Only now did White realize that after 36.Bc6 Kd3 37.Rxe5 Rg1+ interposing the rook with 38.Re1 gets mated after 38…Nxc3+. I love the irony you see in a chess game from time to time. After 36.Bc6 it looks like both knights are helpless, but after 36…Kd3 neither are guarded but both are immune…AND each is threatening to capture the piece that one move ago was threatening to capture his compatriot, in addition to the mate threats.
White realized the peril and gave up a piece with 36.Nf6+ to avoid mate (instead of 36.Bc6), but the resulting position is hopeless and Black won shortly thereafter.”
The lesson to be learned from this game is to NEVER GIVE UP!
If you play a bad, or even losing move, DO NOT GIVE UP ON YOURSELF! If you play badly in the opening, try to play better in the middle game. If you play weakly in the middle game, you still have a chance to redeem yourself in the ending. NEVER, EVER, GIVE UP!
After checking the pairings at the Atlanta Chess Center every player had to walk up the stairs, where this picture was located, placed there by the man behind the House of Pain, L. Thad Rogers:
Armchair Warrior 
[…] completion of the post, The 15TH MICHAEL ANDERSON MEMORIAL SC SENIOR OPEN 2023, on Nov 22, 2023 (https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2023/11/22/the-15th-michael-anderson-memorial-sc-senior-open…😉 this writer sat back with relief, knowing it would be the last post made by the Armchair Warrior. […]
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