The 28th World Senior Chess Championships (http://www.wscc2018.european-chessacademy.com/index.php/en/) began today in Maribor, Slovenia. The USA contingent is being led by FM Nathan Resika (2124), number 49 on the list of entrants in the 50+ tournament. Michael A. Gilbert (1921) and unrated David Jones are also playing in the section. Leonid Bondar (1931) and Mariano Acosta (1721) are playing in the 65+ section. There are no USA women participating in the two sections only for women.
In the first round GM Henrik “Polar Bear” Danielsen (2504) of Iceland
was paired with Antonio Lopez Pereyra (2066), from Spain. GM Danielsen left the Polar Bear in Iceland so his opponent moved his f-pawn on move one! The opening turned into a Leningrad Dutch.
1. g3 f5 2. d4 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. c4 O-O 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. d5 Na5 9. Qa4 c5 10. dxc6 bxc6 11. Rd1 Bd7 12. c5 Nb7 13. Qb3+ 1-0
Lopez Pereyra was no doubt left dazed and confused.
Todaze lesson is to DEFEND YOUR PIECES! Everyone who knows me is more than a little aware that the first thing I teach is: 1) Why did my opponent make that move? 2) What move do I want, or need, to make? 3) AM I LEAVING ANYTHING EN PRISE?
GM Karen Movsziszian (2513) of Armenia faced Andres Belmont Hernandez (2080), of Mexico, with the game transposing after the third move into a Bird!
1. g3 Nf6 2. Bg2 d5 3. f4 Nc6 (See 3…g6 below) 4. Nf3 e6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 O-O 7. e3 b6 8. Kh1 Bb7 9. Qe2 a5 10. a4 Qb8 11. Nc3 Rd8 12. Nd1 Ra7 13. Nf2 Ba6 14. c4 dxc4 15. dxc4 Bb7 16. b3 Nb4 17. e4 Nd7 18. Bb2 Nc5 19. Nd4 Ra8 20. Rad1 Nc6 21. Qe3 Nxd4 22. Bxd4 Bc6 23. g4 Qb7 24. g5 Rd7 25. Bb2 Rad8 26. Rxd7 Rxd7 27. h4 f5 28. gxf6 Bxf6 29. Bxf6 gxf6 30. Rg1 Rg7 31. Qd4 Kf7 32. Bf3 Rxg1+ 33. Kxg1 Qc8 34. Ng4 e5 35. fxe5 Bxe4 36. Nh6+ Kg6 37. Bxe4+ Kxh6 38. Qe3+ Kh5 39. Bf3+ Kg6 40. Qf4 Qe6 41. h5+ Kg7 42. h6+ Kg6 43. exf6 Qf5 44. Qxf5+ Kxf5 45. f7 Ne6 46. Kf2 Kg6 47. Ke3 Kxh6 48. Bd5 Nf8 49. c5 bxc5 50. Kd3 Kg7 51. Kc4 Nd7 52. Kb5 h5 53. Kxa5 Nb8 54. Bf3 Kxf7 55. Bxh5+ Ke7 56. Kb5 Kd6 57. Be8 Ke7 58. Bg6 Kd6 59. Be4 Ke5 60. Bf3 Kd6 61. a5 Nd7 62. a6 Nb6 63. a7 c4 64. bxc4 c6+ 65. Kxb6 1-0
Gata Kamsky (2638) vs Samuel Sevian, (2600)
US Chess Masters 2016
Greensboro, North Carolina USA 08/27/2016
1. g3 Nf6 2. Bg2 d5 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. d3 O-O 6. O-O Re8 7. Qe1 Nc6 8. e4 dxe4 9. dxe4 e5 10. f5 gxf5 11. Nh4 Nxe4 12. Nxf5 Bxf5 13. Rxf5 Nd6 14. Rf1 e4 15. c3 Ne5 16. Qe2 Nd3 17. Bf4 f5 18. Na3 Be5 19. Be3 Qd7 20. Rad1 Qg7 21. Nc2 Rf8 22. Nb4 f4 23. gxf4 Nxf4 24. Bxf4 Bxf4 25. Nd5 Be5 26. Qh5 Rfe8 27. Qh3 Kh8 28. Kh1 Rf8 29. Qh5 Rxf1+ 30. Rxf1 Rg8 31. Bh3 Nc4 32. Ne7 Qxe7 33. Rf7 Qxf7 34. Qxf7 Nd6 35. Qxc7 a6 36. Bf5 Rg7 37. Qd8+ Rg8 38. Qe7 Nxf5 39. Qxe5+ Ng7 40. Qxe4 Rb8 41. Qe7 h5 42. Qc7 Re8 43. Qxb7 Re2 44. Kg1 Kh7 45. c4 h4 46. c5 h3 47. c6 Rg2+ 48. Kf1 Kg6 49. c7 Nf5 50. Qb6+ 1-0
Annotations to the Senior game can be found at http://live.chessbase.com/watch/28th-WSCC-Open-50-2018.
Armchair Warrior 