CHESS HORIZONS
Cambridge Springers First At U. S. Amateur Team East
by NM Greg Kaden
The 40th Annual“ World” Amateur Team Championship attracted 271 teams and 1131 players to lovely Parsippany, New Jersey on February 13-15, 2010. For many players, the event was more than just an chance to play in one of the most enjoyable chess tournaments of the year. It was an opportunity test the devotion of their spouses and significant others by choosing a three-day-weekend of chess over romantic Valentine’ s Day activities. After six competitive, and decidedly un-romantic, rounds, the second-seeded“ Cambridge Springers”( FM Bill Kelleher, IM Joe Fang, expert Len Morrissey and A-player Anatoly Levin and WIM Vesna Dimitrijevic as alternate) claimed first place on tiebreaks and a year of bragging rights, with a score of 5 1 / 2- 1 / 2. Two New York-based teams,“ Hunter High School” and the tastefully-named“ Our Weiner Is Looking To Mate”, fell short on tiebreaks and settled for second and third place, respectively.
The local chess scene was wellrepresented in Parsippany. While only 48 players identified Massachusetts as their current state of residence( at least for purposes of receiving their Chess Life magazine), there were many other familiar faces in attendance, including numerous Bostonarea college students and out-ofstaters who have made recent appearances at area events.
Several of the top teams also had a local flavor. Apart from the tournament champs, three teams with strong Massachusetts ties finished with solid 5-1 scores:“ The
Bill Kelleher and Joe Fang
Shmelov Money”( SM Denys Shmelov, FM Charles Riordan, expert Derek Slater and newlyminted Class A player Matt Phelps);“ Lordy, Lordy, I Can’ t Believe She’ s Forty”( FM Paul MacIntyre and experts Evan Rabin, David Plotkin and Nick Panico); and“ The Jackson Four: Long Live The King”( NM Lawyer Times, NM Carey Theil, NM Greg Kaden and expert Charlie Mays).
After tiebreaks, The Jackson Four was awarded the prize for the highest scoring Massachusetts team.
White: Greg Kaden Black: David Kaufman [ C11 ] French Defense Annotated by Greg Kaden
1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3
The Two Knights is hardly the most challenging line against the French, but it can give White active piece play and interesting tactical
opportunities. 3... Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. d4 c5 6. dxc5 Bxc5 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Bf4 f6
8... O-O invites the classic " Greek gift " sacrifice 9. Bxh7 +, which leads to mate after 9... Kxh7 10. Ng5 + Kh8?? 11. Qh5. Although Black can stay in the game after 10... Kg6, 11. Qd3 + f5 12. Qg3 Ndxe5 13. Nxe6 + Ng4 14. Nxd8 Bxf2 + 15. Qxf2 Nxf2 16. Nxc6 Nxh1 17. Ne5 + Kh7 18. Nxd5 leaves White with a clear edge. 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. Qe2 O-O 11. O-O- O Bd6?!
Black should not be in such a rush to exchange his good bishop. More common( and more sensible) is 11... Qa5, as in Kosteniuk- Giddins, Port Erin 1999, which continued 12. Kb1 Nb4 13. Be5 Bd7 with mutual chances. 12. Bxd6 Qxd6 13. Rhe1 Bd7 14. Kb1?
Inaccurate. Better is 14. h3, which preserves the option of
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