14th Parkersburg Homecoming
Benjamin Good
2007.02.15
The 14th Annual Parkersburg Homecoming chess tournament was held on August 22. This event is held every year on the Sunday of the Parkersburg Homecoming. Apart from the chess tournament, there are many events held such as a beauty pageant and a rubber ducky race.
This year's event drew 13 players in the open section. The open section winner was again Thomas Magar of Pittsburgh, PA. He finished with a perfect 4-0. Robert Canary returned to tournament chess and finished in a second-place tie with John Roush and Jim Fuller, at 3-1. The non-rated section was won by Theodore Paul. Steven Aguilar finished in second.
Here are some games from the event.
Magar (2200) - Skeen (1687)
Modern Defense
1. d4 g6 2. e4 c5 3. d5 d6 4. c4 Bg7 5. Bd3 e5 6. Nc3 a6 7. Nge2 Ne7 8. O-O O-O 9. Be3 Nd7
Over the next several moves, Black shuffles his pieces with an aim of playing ...b5. Perhaps a better option is playing ...f5 with play similar to a King's Indian Defense.
10. Qd2 Nf6 11. f3 Ne8 12. Ng3 Qd7 13. Rab1 Nc7 14. a3 Rb8? 15. b4
Black waited one too many moves to play ...b5. After 14...b5, White may switch directions and play 15. f4. Now White has a clear advantage.
15...cxb4 16. axb4 b6? 17. c5 b5?? 18. cxd6 Ncxd5
18...Qxd6 19. Bc5 followed by d6 also wins a piece.
19. exd5 Qxd6 20. Nge4 Qd8 21. Bc2 Nf5 22. Bc5 Ne7 23. Rbd1 Bd7 24. Bb3 Kh8 25. Ne2 f5 26. Ng5 Bh6 27. Nf7+ Rxf7 28. Qxh6 Ng8 29. Qe3 Qe8 30. f4 e4 31. Nd4 Nf6 32. Ne6 h6 33. Nc7 Qc8 34. d6 Rf8 35. Qc3 Qd8 36. Ne6 Bxe6 37. Bxe6 Qe8 38. d7 Qxe6 39. Bxf8 Rxf8 40. d8=Q 1-0
Adams (1396) - Rutherford (1896)
Caro-Kann Defense, Advance Variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Bd3 Bxd3 5. Qxd3 e6 6. Nf3 g6 7. Bg5 Qb6 8. b3 Ne7 9. O-O Nd7 10. c4
c4 is a double-edged move in an Advance Caro-Kann without the light-squared bishop. Black can sometimes place a knight on d5 and hold back any White attack. The pawn on d4 can possibly become a target as well. In this position the move seems correct.
10...Nf5?!
This begs for White to play g4. After 11. g4 Ne7 12. Nc3 White has gained tempo and can think about trading on d5, followed by Na4 and a rook to c1.
11. Nc3 h6 12. Bd2 Be7 13. Na4?!
This isn't so good before a trade on d5 because of the pin. 13. cxd5 cxd5 14. g4 Ng7 15. Rac1 is good for White.
13...Qa6 14. Nb2 b6 15. a4 Kf8 16. b4 Qb7 17. cxd5 cxd5 18. Rfc1 Kg7 19. g4 Nh4 20. Nxh4 Bxh4 21. Qh3 Bg5 22. Bxg5? hxg5 23. Qg3
White has managed to open the position for Black. White will likely have to trade pieces to avoid serious trouble leaving Black with better endgame chances.
After 23. Qe3 Rh4! 24. Qxg5 Rah8 25. Qf4 Rxh2 26. Qxh2 Rxh2 27. Kxh2 Nb8! White has to tread lightly. Black threatens ...Qe7 and ...Nc6 and one false step can lead to a Black win.
23...Rh4 24. f4 Rah8 25. Rc2?!
Taking the g5 pawn leads to similar problems as in the previous note, but the position is likely better than the one that results from the move actually played.
25...Rh3 26. Qf2 R8h4 27. fxg5 Rxg4+ 28. Kh1 Rxg5 29. Rf1
After 29. Rac1 White gets some counterplay. Black could still have gone for the queen versus two rooks endgame by playing 26...Rxh2.
29...Rf5 30. Qg2 Rxf1+ 31. Qxf1 Rh5 32. Rf2
32. Qc1 Nxe5!? 33. dxe5 d4+ looks very difficult for White.
32...Nf8 33. Rc2 Qe7 34. Nd3 Qh4 35.Qf4 Qe7 36. Ne1?? Rf5
36...Qxb4 is also good. After the text, 37. Qd2 is answered by 37...Qh4 threatening ...Rf1+. Black is now winning. White didn't have much he could do, but a waiting move like 36. Rc1 was better than the move played.
37. Qg3 Qxb4 38. h4 Rf1+ 39. Kg2 Qxe1 40. Qxe1 Rxe1 41. Rc7 a5 42. Rb7 Rd1 43. Rxb6 Rxd4 44. Rb5 Rxa4 45. Kf2 Ra1 46. Ke2 a4 47. Kd2 a3 48. Ra5 a2 49. Kc2 Rh1!
A common rook and rook-pawn tactic.
50. Kb2 a1=Q+ 51. Rxa1 Rxa1 52. Kxa1 0-1
Rutherford - Magar
Grunfeld Defense
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 c5 8. Bc4 O-O 9. Be3
9. h3 first (to prevent ...Bg4) has also been played.
9...Bg4 10. O-O Nc6 11. e5 Qc7 12. Qc2
After 12. Qe2, White must still respond to ...Bxf3 with gxf3 because of the hanging bishop on c4. 12. Qe2 Bxf3 13. Qxf3? cxd4 followed by 14...Nxe5.
12...Bxf3 13. gxf3 Rac8
Black calmly builds pressure on the White center.
14. Qe4? cxd4 15. cxd4 Nxe5! 16. Bb3 Nc6 17. Rac1 Qd7 18. Rfd1 a6 19. Kg2 Na5 20. Bc2 Rfd8 21. d5? Rc4 22. Qd3 Rh4 0-1
Best (1697) - Canary (1919)
Queen's Gambit Declined
1. d4 e6 2. c4 d5 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6 5. Nc3 Bd6 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O Bg4 9. h3 Bh5 10. Be2 Nbd7 11. b3 Re8
White has not played very aggressively for this opening. Black is at least equal.
12. Bb2 Qe7 13. Qc2 Bg6 14. Bd3 Ne4 15. Rfe1 Rac8 16. Rac1 a6 17. Nd2 Nxd2 18. Qxd2 Bb4 19. Bxg6 hxg6
While ...hxg6 is the normal type of recapture on g6, ...fxg6 should be considered here. Black could possibly make use of the f-file.
20. Qd3 Nf6 21. Red1 Ba5 22. a3 Bc7 23. Qf1 Qd6 24. g3 g5
White has played passively and Black correctly goes on the offensive.
25. Qg2 g6 26. Ne2 Kg7 27. Kf1 Re7 28. Rc2 Rh8 29. Rd3 Rhe8
Black is uncertain how to proceed and shuffles pieces around for a few moves. White cannot do anything but the same.
30. Nc3 Qe6 31. Bc1? Rh8
31...Qf5! threatens the rook on d3 along with pinning the f2 pawn. White must either move a rook (which allows ...Rxe3) or he must play 32. Ke2, which is followed by 32...g4 33. h4 c5! 34. dxc5 d4!
32. g4 Ree8 33. Ne2 Rh7 34. Ng1 Reh8 35. f3 Qd6?
Black should not allow 36. e4. After e4, White will break free from the bind he was in.
36. f4? gxf4 37. exf4 Re8?
Black should first play ...Ne4. With the h3 pawn only attacked once, White should now play 38. Nf3 aiming for either e5 or g5.
38. Re2 Ne4 39. b4 Bb6 40. Qf3
Again Nf3 should be played.
40...f6 41. Rg2 Qe7 42. f5 g5 43. Re2 Qd6 44. Rd1 Rhh8 45. Kg2??
White has blundered. Black gains tempo by threatening mate and also takes over the g3 square.
45...Bc7 46. Kf1 Qg3
46...Ng3+ is more convincing.
47. Rg2 0-1
I do not have the remaining moves if there were any. Black is winning, though. 47...Qxf3+ 48. Nxf3 Rxh3 and so on.
Parli (1537) - King (1285)
Queen's Gambit Declined
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 b6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 Bb7 7. Qc2 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. cxd5 exd5?
A seemingly harmless recapture, however White has a wicked reply in 10. Bb5+. After 10...c6 11. Nxd5 wins, and after 10...Nd7 11. Ba6!! also wins. Therefore 10...Kf8 is best. After 10...Nd7 11. Ba6, there follows:
A) 11...Bxa6 12. Nxd5 Qd6 13. Nxc7+ Kd8 14. Nxa6
B) 11...Nxc3 12. Bb7 Rb8 13. Bc6 Ne4 14. Ne5
B1) 14...Nc5 (or Nf6) 15. Bxd7+ Nxd7 16. Nc6
B2) 14...Qb4+ 15. Ke2
Black should first play 9...Nxc3 before recapturing on d5.
I should point out that this was all computer analysis. I could not fault anyone for not seeing the Ba6 move.
10. Bd3 f5
Now that the knight on e4 is guarded, Black can reply to Bb5+ with ...c6.
11. O-O-O O-O 12. h4 Nd7 13. Ng5 h6
Black doesn't need to play ...h6 as White's knight isn't causing any problems. 13...c5 or 13...Rac8 should be played.
14. Ngxe4 fxe4 15. Bf1 Rac8 16. g4 c5 17. Bb5 Nf6 18. g5?
White is a bit hasty. Rdg1 first to prevent ...Ng4 is better.
18...Ng4 19. Rdf1 cxd4 20. exd4 a6 21. Ba4
21. Be2 is better, but Black still has a large edge.
21...b5 22. Bb3 b4 23. Qe2 Rf3 24. gxh6 bxc3 25. hxg7 cxb2+ 26. Kxb2 Qf6 27. Qxe4?? Rxb3+! 0-1
Magar - Roush (2003)
Queen's Indian Defense
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 Ne4 7. Qc2 f5 8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 O-O 10. O-O Na6
Black aims for a standard plan of doubling the c-pawns and pressuring the c4 pawn.
11. Nd2 Nd6 12. f3 c5 13. e4 fxe4 14. fxe4 Rxf1+ 15. Nxf1 e5 16. d5
The center has been closed. While it appears White has lost any attacking chances, he still has a slight edge in development.
16...Qh4 17. Be3 Nc7 18. Bf2 Qe7 19. Ne3 Nce8
Black attempts to bring his knight towards the defense of his kingside. 19...Rf8 could also be played.
20. Rf1 g6 21. Bg3 Qg5?
White takes over the f-file and Black has little to defend with. Black must bring another piece to the defense instead of moving the queen. White's 22. Qf2 guards the knight with tempo.
22. Qf2 Ng7?
White now wins the queen with the following sequence.
23. Bh4 Qf4 24. Qe1! Qh6 25. Ng4 1-0
Canary - Rutherford
Colle System
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 g6 5. O-O Bg7 6. Nbd2 d5 7. c3 O-O 8. Re1 Bb7
Somewhat of an odd opening system has been played. White can't go on autopilot as in normal Colle lines. Black seems well poised to answer any e4 break as both bishops would hit at the center pawns. 9. e4 cxd4 10. cxd4 Nxe4 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. Bxe4 Bxe4 13. Rxe4 e6 looks good for Black.
9. Ne5 Ne4 10. Nf1 Nd7 11. Nxd7 Qxd7 12. f3 Nf6
An interesting sequence of moves. White moved his knight to e5 only to trade it off two moves later and put the d2 knight on f1. This isn't bad, however, as from g3 the knight will also support e4 while being out of the way of the dark squared bishop should it be ready to move. Black's last move perhaps was not best, since the knight is out of the way of his bishop on d6 instead of f6.
13. Qe2 Rfe8 14. f4
White changes directions a bit and decides to stop Black from playing ...e5.
14...Ne4 15. Ng3 Nxg3 16. hxg3 c4 17. Bc2 f5
The knights are gone and the h-file is opened. At first glance, it appears Black controls the key squares in the position. White must try to undermine the Black pawns and he attempts to do so starting with the next move.
18. b3 Rec8 19. Kf2?! cxb3 20. Bxb3 Rxc3 21. Bb2 Rc7 22. e4
White forces the position open at the cost of a pawn. This looks to be very risky. I doubt that White has sufficient compensation if Black continues with 22...fxe4 23. Qxe4 Kh8. If White plays 24. Qe6, Black trades and plays ...Bc8 and is better. The best is probably 24. Qd3 Rac8.
22...e6?! 23. exf5 exf5 24. Rad1
Black has opened the e-file, which only White can use. 24. Qe6 is likely a better move, to activate the rooks deeper into the Black position. 24. Rad1 is not necessary as the pawn is not under serious attack. It appears that maybe his idea was to play Ba3. This doesn't seem to accomplish anything, though, as there is no real possible invasion on e7, and Black can play ...Bf6 or ...Bf8 anyway.
24...Bf8 25. Qd2 a5! 26. a3 a4 27. Ba2 Rac8 28. Qd3 Rc2+
28...b5 should also be considered.
29. Re2 Rxe2+ 30. Qxe2 Re8 31. Qf3 Qe6 32. Bb1 Ba6 33. Bd3 Bxd3 34. Qxd3 Bd6
Black is now attempting to form an attack against the king. Ideas of ...g5 fxg5 f4 come to mind.
35. Rc1 Kf7?! 36. Rc6 Qe1+ 37. Kf3 Re4?? 38. Rxd6 g5 39. fxg5 f4??
Instead of playing ...g5 on move 35, Black incorrectly tries to use only the rook and queen to form a mating net. Black could still have forced a draw on moves 38. 38...Re3+ 39. Qxe3+ Qf1 leads to perpetual check. The same idea is possible on move 39.
40. Rf6+ Kg7 41. Rxf4 1-0
Price (1115) - Parli
King's Indian Attack
1. e4 e6 2. Qe2
This is a relatively new way of leading to a King's Indian Attack. White can place a rook on d1 if Black later trades on e4. The attempt to play ...Nc6-d4 is usually stopped by c3 which gives the option of Na3-c2 with play towards b4 or d4 pawn advances. See Good - Michael, 2006 State Championship for another example of this system.
2...c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d6 5. Bg2 g6 6. O-O Bg7 7. Nc3
The position is turning more into a bad (for White) variation of a Closed Sicilian. The knight cannot do much from c3 in this type of position. ...Nd4 could be played now or soon afterwards.
7...Nge7 8. d3 O-O 9. Be3 Rb8 10. Rfd1 e5 11. a3 Be6
Black calmly develops, but he cannot be stopped from playing ...Nd4, ...b5, etc.
12. Ng5 b5?!
Black should play ...Nd4 now so that he does not have to recapture on e6 with the pawn. The e6 pawn can become a target after White plays Nxe6, Qg4, Bh3, etc. He may not win the pawn, but he will force Black on the defense.
13. Nxe6 fxe6 14. Qd2 Qb6?! 15. Bh3 Nd8 16. Bg5
Another idea is 16. b4 to take advantage of queen's position on the diagonal of his bishop. White can use this pin to exchange on c5, wrecking the pawn structure. White may also be able to pressure the b5 pawn after the exchange on c5.
16...Nec6 17. Ne2 Re8 18. Rab1 d5?
Black tries to gain space on the queenside, but this move allows White to reactivate his pieces to good effect. 19. exd5 exd5 20. Nc3 d4 21. Ne4
19. f4 exf4 20. exd5 exd5 21. Nxf4 Nd4?
21...Re5! forces White to part with his bishop. Black will now lose the d5 pawn.
22. Bg2 c4 23. Bxd5+ Kh8 24. Kg2
24. Kh1 is a bit safer. There is another square with which to interpose a piece, and no threat of ...Re2+.
24...Nf5 25. Ne2?
White loses the initiative with this retreat. Better is 25. Re1.
25...Ne6 26. Bxe6 Qxe6 27. Re1 cxd3 28. Qxd3 h6 29. Bf4 Rbd8 30. Nc3!
30. Nc3 is an excellent move that takes quite a bit of nerve to play. 30. Qxb5 is hard to figure out. It appears that White holds after 30. Qxb5 Qe4+ 31. Kh3 (forced because of ...Nd4) Qf3 32. Nc3.
30...Qc6+
The endgame after 30...Rxd3 31. Rxe6 Rxg3+ 32. hxg3 Rxe6 33. Nxb5 g5 34. Bc1 a6 35. Nc3 Bxc3 36. bxc3 Re2+ appears to be drawn, while 34. g4 Nh4+ 35. Kh3 gxf4 36. Kxh4 looks dangerous for White.
31. Qf3 Qxf3+ 32. Kxf3 Nd4+ 33. Kf2 Rxe1 34. Rxe1 Nxc2 35. Re7 a6 36. Be5 Bxe5 37. Rxe5 ½-½
Canary - Magar
Grunfeld Defense
This was the critical board one match-up of the final round. Canary had not been playing OTB chess for some time before this tournament, but so far he had done well. Now he must play a master in the final round.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Qb3 O-O 8. Bc4 c5
An unusual queen placement for White has brought this Grunfeld into uncharted territory. An online database search shows 8 games, 7 of which were won by Black. Considering White is already coaxed into playing dxc5 on move 9, I don't consider this a good system for White.
9. dxc5 Nc6 10. Ne2 Na5 11. Qb4 Nxc4 12. Qxc4 Be6 13. Qb5 a6
Black is pushing White around. The position is soon becoming very dangerous. Taking the pawn just adds to White's troubles by opening the b-file for a Black rook. Black will soon prevent White from castling by ...Bc4 and/or ...Qd3.
14. Qb1 Bc4 15. Bd2 Qd7
Black calmly adds more fuel to the fire. White is helpless.
16. f3 Rfd8 17. Qb2 Rac8 18. Nd4 Rxc5 19. Ne2?
Black now crashes through. 19. Rd1 is the only hope, but after 19...f5 White will be hard pressed to get his king to some sort of safety and not lose a piece in the process.
19...Bxe2 20. Kxe2 Qd3+ 21. Ke1 Rxc3 22. Bxc3 Bxc3+ 23. Qxc3 Qxc3+ 24. Kf2 Rd2+ 25. Kg3 Qe5+ 26. Kh3 Qh5+ 0-1
Roush - Skeen
Center Counter Defense
1. e4 g6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Be2 Nf6 6. c4 Qd8 7. O-O O-O 8. Nc3 Bg4 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 c6
The position has reached a sort of Center Counter Defense line. White seems to have his usual slight edge in the opening.
11. Be3 Nbd7 12. Qc2 e5 13. Rad1 Qe7?! 14. Rd2
14. d5 should also be considered. If 14...cxd5 15. cxd5 is strong (15...Nb6 16. Bxb6 followed by d6), and if 14...Rfc8 15. dxc6 bxc6 16. Rd2 White maintains the advantage due to the pressure on c6 and d-file. 13. d5 is not as strong as 14. d5 because of the queen's possible recapture on b6.
14. Rd2 Rfe8 15. Rfd1 e4 16. Be2 Nb6 17. d5
Black does not prevent d5, and White finally decides it is time to play it.
17...cxd5 18. cxd5 Nfd7 19. Qb3
19. d6 is also possible.
19...Nc5 20. Qb5 Bxc3?? 21. Bxc5 Qc7 22. bxc3 Nd7 23. Bd4 a6 24. Qb3 1-0