USATS 2017 Correction

The number posted for making reservations at the Kissimmee, Florida Holiday Inn that we had posted earlier is incorrect. It has been corrected on the relevant post. The correct number is

888-465-4329   (888-HOLIDAY)

Thanks to Joe Sanderlin for bringing this to my attention! I have let the organizer of the event know, as the incorrect number (which was earlier connecting to a Medical Alert Bracelet line) is on their website and on their flyers as well.

Games & a trick from the World Rapid Championships

I was watching the coverage of the 2016 edition of the FIDE World Rapid Championships today and saw a game of some interest to the many of us in the club that play the French Defense. Anna Muzychuk playing White mated Alina Kashlinskaya in 23 moves in a French Defense Exchange Variation. Not only that, the queens came off the board on move seven! A lesson on how NOT to play the French Exchange as Black.

[Event "World Rapid Women 2016"] [Site "Doha QAT"] [Date "2016.12.27"] [Round "8.1"] [White "Muzychuk, Anna"] [Black "Kashlinskaya, Alina"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C01"] [WhiteElo "2558"] [BlackElo "2429"] [PlyCount "45"] [EventDate "2016.12.26"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Bd6 6. Qe2+ Qe7 7. Qxe7+ Bxe7 8. Bf4 c6 9. h3 Ne4 10. O-O O-O 11. Re1 Bf5 12. Nbd2 Nxd2 13. Rxe7 Nxf3+ 14. gxf3 Bxh3 15. Rxb7 Re8 16. Kh2 Be6 17. Re1 Rd8 18. Bc7 Rc8 19. f4 g6 20. f5 gxf5 21. Rg1+ Kf8 22. Bd6+ Ke8 23. Rg8# 1-0

Yuck! On a more amusing note, the game between Nepomniachtchi and Aronian featured a nice trick in the endgame. Here's the position:

The moves 68 Rb6-b5+ Ke5-d4 have just been played. Nepo has almost achieved his goal, which is to capture the a-pawn and bishop, securing a draw. But there's a trick! If now 69 Rxa5 Kc4 and White finds himself on the losing end of a mating attack!

Aronian is a real artist at the board, and this is just another example.

However, Nepo realized there was a rat and played 69 Rh5 instead, and eventually made the draw. I'll try to remember to post the whole game score later.

Merry Christmas

Now don't strain your eyes....

White to play and mate in 8 moves!https://t.co/fPEDHmr07b pic.twitter.com/WtdJreUrha

— lichess.org (@lichessorg) December 25, 2016

Dumpster Diving on a sunny afternoon - somewhere not here, somewhen not now.

[Event "Live Chess"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.12.12"] [Round "?"] [White "fischerrevange"] [Black "THDurham"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1761"] [BlackElo "1764"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] [TimeControl "180+2"] 1. f3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 2. e4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} d6 {[%emt 0: 00:02]} 3. d4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 4. c3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Bg7 { [%emt 0:00:04]} 5. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:01]} 6. Bd3 {[%emt 0: 00:02]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 7. d5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} b6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 8. Ne2 { [%emt 0:00:01]} Na6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 9. b4 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Nb8 {[%emt 0:00:04] } 10. O-O {[%emt 0:00:02]} a5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 11. b5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Nbd7 { [%emt 0:00:10]} 12. c4 {[%emt 0:00:14]} Nc5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 13. Bxc5 {[%emt 0: 00:03]} dxc5 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 14. h3 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Ne8 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 15. Nbc3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 16. a4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} f5 {[%emt 0: 00:05]} 17. Rc1 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Bh6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 18. Rc2 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Be3+ {[%emt 0:00:02]} 19. Kh1 {[%emt 0:00:02]} f4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 20. Qa1 { [%emt 0:00:06]} Qg5 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 21. Nd1 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Bd4 {[%emt 0:00: 04]} 22. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} exd4 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 23. Nf2 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Nf7 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 24. Qd1 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Ne5 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 25. Re1 { [%emt 0:00:03]} Qg3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 26. Ng4 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Bxg4 {[%emt 0:00: 17]} 27. hxg4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} g5 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 28. Bf1 {[%emt 0:00:17]} Rf6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 29. Kg1 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Rh6 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 30. Qd2 {[%emt 0:00:15]} Nxf3# {[%emt 0:00:19]} 0-1