The Gambler

Game Of The Week

This week's game comes from the Colorado Springs Chess Club's July Mating Game.  This tournament has its origins back in 1991 with a different name, in a different time.  Of course, change is inevitable and, over the course of its 29 year history, the event has morphed into a two-week, four-round, dual-rated tournament (4SS, G/45;d/10).

In the first week, Joel Brown got his loss published because I was looking for a Pin tactic.  He wasn't too happy with me for making his first game in print a loss.  His mood didn't improve when we had a dispute about the prize money.

It all started when Joel played Bishop to c3 with a double attack on the Queen and Rook.  He called me over to his game to claim his prize money.  I told him things look good, but I should wait until the result is official, but, for a taste of your whisky, I'll give you some advice:

You never count your money

When you're sittin' at the table

There'll be time enough for countin'

When the game's done

You see, with an upset win over NM Buck Buchanan, Joel was going to qualify for the 2nd place prize and the Under prize.  While Buck seemed to have this game under control, he went after the left most Pawn.  It was a gamble that didn't pay off.

During the Renaissance period, the rules of chess were changing dramatically with the introduction of the Mad Queen and new names for the pieces.  But these chess innovators also felt the need to name all the Pawns.  The name they gave to the left most Pawn was The Gambler because it is always a risk to capture it.

So, if you want to solve this puzzle, for a taste of your whiskey, I'll give you some advice:

Every player knows

That the secret to survivin'

Is knowin' what to throw away

And knowin' what to keep

'Cause one move's a winner

And every move's a loser

With the position looking bad, the question is, "Do you hold 'em or do you fold 'em?"

White to move

The Gambler

[Event "July Mating Game"]
[Site "https://cschessnews.blogspot.com/"]
[Date "2019.07.23"]
[Round "4.3"]
[White "Buchanan, Richard"]
[Black "Brown, Joel"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B40"]
[WhiteElo "2000"]
[BlackElo "1378"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "2019.07.16"]
[TimeControl "2700"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd3 a6 7. Bd2 e5 8. Nf3 Nc6 9. O-O h6 10. a3 Bc5 11. Nd5 d6 12. c4 Bg4 13. h3 Bxf3 14. Qxf3 Nxd5 15. cxd5 Nd4 16. Qd1 O-O 17. b4 Bb6 18. Be3 Qd7 19. Kh1 Rac8 20. Rb1 Rc3 21. a4 Rfc8 22. b5 a5 23. f4 Ra3 24. Bc1 Rac3 25. Bb2 R3c7 26. fxe5 dxe5 27. Qh5 Qd6 28. Rbc1 Rxc1 29. Qxf7+ Kh8 30. Rxc1 Rf8 31. Qxb7 Rf2 32. Bxd4 Bxd4 33. Qa8+ Kh7 34. Qxa5 Qa3 35. Rd1 Qb3 36. Rd2 Bc3 37. Rxf2 Bxa5 38. Bc2 Qe3 39. Rf8 Qc1+ 0-1

https://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game-replayer.php?id=114581

This Week In Chess

On July 23rd, the Colorado Springs Chess Club finished the July Mating Game (4SS, G/45;d/10).

Standings. July Mating Game

# Name Rtng Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Rd 4 Tot Prize

1 Aleksand Bozhenov 1971 W10 W2 W4 W6 4.0 $36.00 1st + GOW
2 Joel N Brown 1378 W5 L1 W7 W9 3.0 $16.50 2nd
3 Christophe Motley 1690 L8 W9 W5 W4 3.0 $16.50 2nd
4 Grayson Ed Harris 1646 W9 W8 L1 L3 2.0
5 Mark McGough 1824 L2 W10 L3 W8 2.0
6 Paul D Anderson 1950 H--- H--- W8 L1 2.0
7 Kenneth Macrae 1264 H--- U--- L2 W10 1.5
8 Jonathan An Brown unr. W3 L4 L6 L5 1.0
9 Richard Buchanan 2000 L4 L3 W10 L2 1.0
10 Dean W Brown 1459 L1 L5 L9 L7 0.0

The Dark Horse

Game Of The Week

This week's game comes from Earle Wikle's IHOP Quick event.  He runs the event on the 1st and 3rd Friday nights.  It has four rounds that last about an hour each (G24d5).  The games are the longest you can play without effecting your standard USCF rating.  So, it is considered quick chess.

Earle and I seem to do equally well in this time control as our ratings are very close together.  This time he was higher rated going into the game, and I was the underdog.

Since chess ratings are a statisical reflection of the likelyhood of victory, the odds makers probably would have made the betting on this game as even money.  However, Shirley Herman would have put all her chips on Earle, as she always bets on the higher rated.  Upsets just don't exist in her world.  There is no such thing as a dark horse.

The dark horse is a horse racing term that referred to a horse about which the odds makers didn't have any information.  The odds makers were in the dark.  Therefore, the horse would have few people betting on him.  He would be a long shot.

Even though I wasn't much of a long shot in this game (except in Shirley's book), I was playing the Black pieces, which is another factor that makes it slightly less likely to get a win.  In addition, I hadn't castled, and my King was under attack.

  Black to move

“When a King falters, it can take a community to help him stand…”

This quote comes from a new chess movie coming out in April.  It was oddly appropriate for my game with Earle.  While my King looked in trouble, he was actually quite well supported.  I didn't find the best move, but my pieces rallied to put enough pressure on Earle and provide a happy ending.  You will just have to go see the movie to see how that one ends...

Based upon a powerful true story, THE DARK HORSE is the uplifting portrait of a man searching for the courage to lead, despite his struggles with mental illness.  The film features a stunning, award-winning performance by Cliff Curtis [“Fear the Walking Dead”] as Genesis “Gen” Potini, a brilliant but troubled New Zealand chess champion who finds purpose by teaching underprivileged children about the rules of chess and life.  THE DARK HORSE comes to theaters on April 16th...  

The Dark Horse

[Event "IHOP Quick March"]
[Site "https://cschessnews.blogspot.com/"]
[Date "2016.03.04"]
[Round "3.2"]
[White "Wikle, Earle"]
[Black "Anderson, Paul"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "1950"]
[BlackElo "1954"]
[PlyCount "76"]
[TimeControl "1440"]

1. d4 c6 2. e4 d6 3. Bd3 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. Be3 e5 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. Qe2 Qc7 8. O-O-O Nf6 9. f3 Be6 10. g4 Nbd7 11. Bc4 Nf8 12. Bc5 Bxc4 13. Qxc4 Bh6+ 14. Kb1 Rd8 15. Nge2 Ne6 16. Bxa7 Rxd1+ 17. Rxd1 b6 18. Nb5 cxb5 19. Qxb5+ Kf8 20. Bxb6 Qb7 21. Qxe5 Kg7 22. Bd4 Nxd4 23. Nxd4 Re8 24. Qg3 Be3 25. e5 Nd5 26. Nf5+ gxf5 27. gxf5+ Kh8 28. Rd3 Rg8 29. Rb3 Rxg3 30. hxg3 Qa6 31. a3 Qf1+ 32. Ka2 Qxf3 33. f6 h5 34. c4 Nb6 35. c5 Nc4 36. c6 Qxc6 37. Rb8+ Kh7 38. Rf8 Nxe5 0-1

https://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game-replayer.php?id=106204

This Week In Chess

On March 8th, the Colorado Springs Chess Club continued its March Swiss 90 (4SS, G90+30).  8 players joined.

Standings. March Swiss 90

# Name ID Rtng Rd 1 Rd 2 Tot Prize

1 Brian Jo Rountree 12477167 1809 W8 W4 2.0
2 Paul Dou Anderson 12728345 2050 D6 W7 1.5
3 Josh S Bloomer 12626102 2231 H--- W6 1.5
4 Mark McGough 11366481 1852 W5 L1 1.0
5 Scott Ch Williams 15755696 1089 L4 W8 1.0
6 Alemayeh Mekonnen 14604218 1547 D2 L3 0.5
7 Joseph H Pahk 12795426 1724 H--- L2 0.5
8 Daniel J Rupp 15768473 917 L1 L5 0.0

CS Open Results

By Buck Buchanan

4.5 Gunnar Andersen
4.0 Chris Peterson
4.0 Daniel Herman
4.0 Justin Alter
4.0 Brian Wall
4.0 Earle Wikle
3.5 Mark Krowczyk
3.5 Paul Baxter
3.5 Duwayne Langseth
3.5 Sam Bridle
3.0 Rhett Langseth
3.0 Jason Loving
3.0 David Logan
3.0 Sara Herman
3.0 Adam Steed
2.5 Ronald Rossi
2.5 Alex Cacas
2.5 Joseph Pahk
2.5 John Byrne
2.5 Robert Carlson
2.5 Vibi Varghese
2.5 Calvin Dejong
2.5 Ron Farrar
2.0 Dean Brown
2.0 James Mulberry
2.0 Jason F Lee
2.0 Tara Martinez
2.0 Clifton Ford
2.0 Kathy Schneider
2.0 Charles Minskey
1.5 Rollin Leavitt
1.5 William Wolf
1.5 Sullivan McConnell
1.5 George Lombardi
1.5 Eugin Pahk
1.5 Dean L McNeely
1.5 Travis Crow
1.0 Daniel Rupp
1.0 David Green
1.0 Anthea Carson
0.5 Robin McIntosh
0.0 Gary Bagstad