Country rank by average rating of top 10 players
Top Countries
1. Russia 191 GM's
2. Ukraine 72 GM's
3. Israel 42 GM's
4. China 25 GM's
5. Azerbaijan 17 GM's
6. United States of America 65 GM's
58. Australia 3 GM's
71. New Zealand 1 GM
Russia has a total of 1906 titled players compared to New Zealand's 28!
The Top 5 Players
1. GM V. Topalov (Bulgaria) 2813
2. World Champion V. Anand (India) 2788
3. GM M. Carlsen (Norwegian) 2772
4. GM L. Aronian (Armenia) 2768
5. GM D. Jakovenko (Russia) 2760
New Zealand's Top 5
1. GM M. Chandler 2518
2. IM P. Wang 2465
3. IM R. Dive 2371
4. FM R. Nokes 2327
5. IM A. Ker 2321
Local players
Wanganui
J. McDonald 2080
C.Burns 2054
Palmerston North
M. King 1963
J. Davis 1939
Friday, July 3, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Oceania Zonal 2009
The Oceania Zonal begins soon with rounds 1 and 2 being played today. Lets hope the New Zealand contingent can inflict some suffering on our Australian counter parts and bring home some master titles and norms.
http://www.gardinerchess.com/oceaniazonal/oceaniazonal2009.htm
Thursday, June 11, 2009
10/10 Tournament game
Davis,Justin (1881) - Holdaway,Stewart (1641) [D07] Palmy Club 10/10 (5.1), 05.2009
1.Nf3
It is important to realise this is a game where each side has only 10 minutes each for the entire game. So blitz rules apply. I will elaborate more on this in a following article.
1...d5 2.d4 Nc6 3.c4 Bg4
Stewart is playing his favourite Chigorin defence and white will stumble his way along a main line surprisingly.
4.Nc3
4.e3 e5 5.Qb3 Bxf3 6.gxf3 exd4 7.cxd5 Ne5 8.exd4 Nd7 9.Nc3 Qe7+ 10.Be3 Qb4 11.Qc2 Ngf6 12.Bb5 Rd8 13.0-0-0 a6 14.Ba4 Be7 15.Rhg1 g6 16.Bh6 b5 17.Bb3 Nb6 18.Rge1 Kd7 19.Bf4 Rc8 20.a3 Qa5 21.Bg5 Ng8 22.Bxe7 Nxe7 23.Ne4 Rb8 24.Nf6+ Kd8 25.Rxe7 Kxe7 26.Qxc7+ Nd7 27.Qxa5 1-0 Steinitz,W-Chigorin,M/Havana 1889
4...Nf6 5.e3 e6 6.Be2
6.h3 Bh5 7.cxd5 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 exd5 9.Bd2 Bb4 10.Bd3 0-0 11.0-0 Qe7 12.Rfd1 Rfd8 13.Rab1 Rab8 14.a3 Bxc3 15.Bxc3 Ne4 16.Be1 Re8 17.Rbc1 Qd6 18.Rc2 Re6 19.Rdc1 Rbe8 20.Qd1 Ng5 21.Bf5 Rf6 22.Qg4 Ne4 23.Bxe4 dxe4 24.Qg3 Qd7 25.b4 Rg6 26.Qh2 h6 27.b5 Ne7 28.Rxc7 Qxb5 29.Qe5 Qxe5 30.dxe5 Rb6 31.e6 fxe6 32.Bc3 a6 33.a4 Kf7 34.Bd4 Rb3 35.a5 Kg6 36.g4 Rb5 37.Rd7 e5 38.Bb6 Nc6 39.Rcd1 Re7 40.R7d6+ Kf7 41.h4 Re6 ½-½ Williams,S-Jones,G/Swansea 2006
6...Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nd2?!
An unnecessary move which gives black a chance to push for more than equality. Now this statement is true in theory but in a blitz game white is just taking the game in his prefered direction. Davis prefers positions with a clear strategic plan and does not like to have his King attacked. At the cost of development he has enabled a trade of pieces which simplifies the position. His center and King-side will now be more stable and he will be able to start his plan of Queen-side expansion. The benefit of a long term plan is extremely valuable.
9...Bxe2 10.Qxe2 b6?!
10...Qd7 Finishing development is more important than stopping a white pawn coming to c5. The reason c5 is not a threat is black can counter the pawn chain with an e5 break or simply b6 after the bishop has retreated. It is also important to realise that white is behind in development.
11.a3 Ne7 12.b4 c5
A double edged move which is not bad in itself but causes black to play on white's side of the board.
12...Ng6 13.c5 Be7 14.c6 a6 And white's queenside push is premature.
13.dxc5 bxc5 14.b5
White is continuing with his simple plan and now has a potential passed pawn on the Queen-side. 14...a6 15.a4 Bc7
15...axb5! This throws a spanner in the works. White would love to recapture with a pawn but it just doesn't work out very well.
16.axb5? Rxa1 and off goes the rook
16.cxb5 Qa5 17.Bb2 c4 18.Rfc1 Ng6 19.Nf3 Nd7 And black has an excellent outpost on d3 for a knight, the Queenside pawns are blocked and white has no clear way to make progress.
best is 16.Nxb5 Be5 17.Ra3 Atleast in this variation white has not given black some good piece play.
16.Ba3 Qd6 17.g3 Rfd8
Better is 17...Ba5 18.Rfc1 Bxc3 19.Rxc3 Rfc8
18.bxa6 Qe5?!
18...Ba5=
19.Nb5
19... Rxa6?
Now black is losing a piece. And soon the game.
20.Nf3 Qh5 21.Nxc7 Qxh3?
Stewart makes a valiant effort to try a K-side attack but his material deficit is just too much.
22.Nxa6 Ng4 23.Rfb1 e5 24.Qf1 Qh6 25.Nxc5 e4 26.Qg2 exf3 27.Qxf3 Qh2+ 28.Kf1 Rd6 29.Qxg4?!
29.Rb8+ Nc8 30.Rxc8+ Rd8 31.Rxd8#
29...Rf6 30.Ra2 Qh1+ 31.Ke2 Qxb1 32.Rb2
1-0
1.Nf3
It is important to realise this is a game where each side has only 10 minutes each for the entire game. So blitz rules apply. I will elaborate more on this in a following article.
1...d5 2.d4 Nc6 3.c4 Bg4
Stewart is playing his favourite Chigorin defence and white will stumble his way along a main line surprisingly.
4.Nc3
4.e3 e5 5.Qb3 Bxf3 6.gxf3 exd4 7.cxd5 Ne5 8.exd4 Nd7 9.Nc3 Qe7+ 10.Be3 Qb4 11.Qc2 Ngf6 12.Bb5 Rd8 13.0-0-0 a6 14.Ba4 Be7 15.Rhg1 g6 16.Bh6 b5 17.Bb3 Nb6 18.Rge1 Kd7 19.Bf4 Rc8 20.a3 Qa5 21.Bg5 Ng8 22.Bxe7 Nxe7 23.Ne4 Rb8 24.Nf6+ Kd8 25.Rxe7 Kxe7 26.Qxc7+ Nd7 27.Qxa5 1-0 Steinitz,W-Chigorin,M/Havana 1889
4...Nf6 5.e3 e6 6.Be2
6.h3 Bh5 7.cxd5 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 exd5 9.Bd2 Bb4 10.Bd3 0-0 11.0-0 Qe7 12.Rfd1 Rfd8 13.Rab1 Rab8 14.a3 Bxc3 15.Bxc3 Ne4 16.Be1 Re8 17.Rbc1 Qd6 18.Rc2 Re6 19.Rdc1 Rbe8 20.Qd1 Ng5 21.Bf5 Rf6 22.Qg4 Ne4 23.Bxe4 dxe4 24.Qg3 Qd7 25.b4 Rg6 26.Qh2 h6 27.b5 Ne7 28.Rxc7 Qxb5 29.Qe5 Qxe5 30.dxe5 Rb6 31.e6 fxe6 32.Bc3 a6 33.a4 Kf7 34.Bd4 Rb3 35.a5 Kg6 36.g4 Rb5 37.Rd7 e5 38.Bb6 Nc6 39.Rcd1 Re7 40.R7d6+ Kf7 41.h4 Re6 ½-½ Williams,S-Jones,G/Swansea 2006
6...Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nd2?!
An unnecessary move which gives black a chance to push for more than equality. Now this statement is true in theory but in a blitz game white is just taking the game in his prefered direction. Davis prefers positions with a clear strategic plan and does not like to have his King attacked. At the cost of development he has enabled a trade of pieces which simplifies the position. His center and King-side will now be more stable and he will be able to start his plan of Queen-side expansion. The benefit of a long term plan is extremely valuable.
9...Bxe2 10.Qxe2 b6?!
10...Qd7 Finishing development is more important than stopping a white pawn coming to c5. The reason c5 is not a threat is black can counter the pawn chain with an e5 break or simply b6 after the bishop has retreated. It is also important to realise that white is behind in development.
11.a3 Ne7 12.b4 c5
A double edged move which is not bad in itself but causes black to play on white's side of the board.
12...Ng6 13.c5 Be7 14.c6 a6 And white's queenside push is premature.
13.dxc5 bxc5 14.b5
White is continuing with his simple plan and now has a potential passed pawn on the Queen-side. 14...a6 15.a4 Bc7
15...axb5! This throws a spanner in the works. White would love to recapture with a pawn but it just doesn't work out very well.
16.axb5? Rxa1 and off goes the rook
16.cxb5 Qa5 17.Bb2 c4 18.Rfc1 Ng6 19.Nf3 Nd7 And black has an excellent outpost on d3 for a knight, the Queenside pawns are blocked and white has no clear way to make progress.
best is 16.Nxb5 Be5 17.Ra3 Atleast in this variation white has not given black some good piece play.
16.Ba3 Qd6 17.g3 Rfd8
Better is 17...Ba5 18.Rfc1 Bxc3 19.Rxc3 Rfc8
18.bxa6 Qe5?!
18...Ba5=
19.Nb5
19... Rxa6?
Now black is losing a piece. And soon the game.
20.Nf3 Qh5 21.Nxc7 Qxh3?
Stewart makes a valiant effort to try a K-side attack but his material deficit is just too much.
22.Nxa6 Ng4 23.Rfb1 e5 24.Qf1 Qh6 25.Nxc5 e4 26.Qg2 exf3 27.Qxf3 Qh2+ 28.Kf1 Rd6 29.Qxg4?!
29.Rb8+ Nc8 30.Rxc8+ Rd8 31.Rxd8#
29...Rf6 30.Ra2 Qh1+ 31.Ke2 Qxb1 32.Rb2
1-0
Palmerston North Club Rapid Chess Championship
Thursday June 18 will be the start of the 6 round swiss Rapid Championship. The schedule is 2 rounds a night over 3 nights. The Palmy club is open every Thursday night at 7:30pm at Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School on Ferguson Street.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Waitakere Licensing Trust Open 2009
May 30-June 1 2009 - 32nd Waitakere Licensing Trust Open, Auckland
This tournament is shaping up to be quite a strong and popular event. Here is the link for entrie's so far with over 50 to date including GM Jones, IM Dive and FM Smith as the top seeds.
This tournament is shaping up to be quite a strong and popular event. Here is the link for entrie's so far with over 50 to date including GM Jones, IM Dive and FM Smith as the top seeds.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
RIP Richard Sutton 1938 - 2009
New Zealand chess has lost a great player.
A tribute article from the Otago Daily times is here.
http://otagochess.wikispaces.com/ODT090505
A tribute article from the Otago Daily times is here.
http://otagochess.wikispaces.com/ODT090505
Friday, May 8, 2009
Palmy 60/60 game
Baker,J (unr) - King,M (1885) Palmy Club 60/60 (5.1), 30.04.2009
I finished the tournament on a perfect score but my last round opponent played a nice game to come within a whisker of beating me. John Baker had defeated 2nd seed Stephen Taylor earlier in the tournament and would no doubt have finished higher up in the standings if he didn't default round 4.
26.Bxh6! gxh6
Black could decline the sacrifice by 26...Qd6 27.Bf4 Qd7 and still have some compensation for the pawn deficit. Being the stronger player I thought the sacrifice must be accepted as a matter of honour. It must be refuted! Sometimes one's ego can blur the lines of common sense.
27.Qxh6 Qd6?
I would like to say I saw the whole Bf8 line and was not satisfied with a draw by repetition so decided to sac my Queen. Reality is I missed the fact the Queen covered the f4 square!
27...Bf8 28.Qf6 Qc7 29.Qg5+ Bg7 30.Nd5!? Qd6 31.Nf6+ Kf8 32.Nh7+ Kg8 33.Nf6+ Kf8 =
28.Rf4! Qxf4
Still losing but possible to play is 28...Rc5 as pointed out by Stewart after the game 29.Rcf1 Bg5 30.Rg4 Re5 31.Rxg5+ Rxg5 32.Qxg5+ Kf8 33.Qf6 Rd7 34.e5 Qc6 35.Bd5
29.Qxf4 Bd6 30.Qh6 Bf8 31.Qg5+ Bg7 32.Rf1 I should also mention that I am down to my last 7 minutes 15 behind my opponent and the time control is flat rate!
32...Kf8
33.Nxb5?
Right at the point where the final blow should be delt white has a brain explosion. Caught in my time pressure he is moving too quickly not thinking about his moves and ultimately gives me the chance I was praying for.
Winning is 33.Ne2! White doesn't have a mate but black is just lost suffering from an ultimately indefensible position.
33...axb5 34.Qh5
34.h4! And the march of the h-pawn up the board will ensure an edge for White still.
34...Rd7 35.Rf4?! Rc2 36.e5?? After playing 30 odd moves and gaining a winning position white throws it all away in the space of 3 moves!
36...Bxg2+ 37.Kg1 Ne2+
White's best is to give his queen for the knight or suffer heavy material losses with Kh2 so white resigned.
0-1
I finished the tournament on a perfect score but my last round opponent played a nice game to come within a whisker of beating me. John Baker had defeated 2nd seed Stephen Taylor earlier in the tournament and would no doubt have finished higher up in the standings if he didn't default round 4.
26.Bxh6! gxh6Black could decline the sacrifice by 26...Qd6 27.Bf4 Qd7 and still have some compensation for the pawn deficit. Being the stronger player I thought the sacrifice must be accepted as a matter of honour. It must be refuted! Sometimes one's ego can blur the lines of common sense.
27.Qxh6 Qd6?
I would like to say I saw the whole Bf8 line and was not satisfied with a draw by repetition so decided to sac my Queen. Reality is I missed the fact the Queen covered the f4 square!
27...Bf8 28.Qf6 Qc7 29.Qg5+ Bg7 30.Nd5!? Qd6 31.Nf6+ Kf8 32.Nh7+ Kg8 33.Nf6+ Kf8 =
28.Rf4! Qxf4
Still losing but possible to play is 28...Rc5 as pointed out by Stewart after the game 29.Rcf1 Bg5 30.Rg4 Re5 31.Rxg5+ Rxg5 32.Qxg5+ Kf8 33.Qf6 Rd7 34.e5 Qc6 35.Bd5
29.Qxf4 Bd6 30.Qh6 Bf8 31.Qg5+ Bg7 32.Rf1 I should also mention that I am down to my last 7 minutes 15 behind my opponent and the time control is flat rate!
32...Kf8
33.Nxb5?Right at the point where the final blow should be delt white has a brain explosion. Caught in my time pressure he is moving too quickly not thinking about his moves and ultimately gives me the chance I was praying for.
Winning is 33.Ne2! White doesn't have a mate but black is just lost suffering from an ultimately indefensible position.
33...axb5 34.Qh5
34.h4! And the march of the h-pawn up the board will ensure an edge for White still.
34...Rd7 35.Rf4?! Rc2 36.e5?? After playing 30 odd moves and gaining a winning position white throws it all away in the space of 3 moves!
36...Bxg2+ 37.Kg1 Ne2+
White's best is to give his queen for the knight or suffer heavy material losses with Kh2 so white resigned.
0-1
Palmy 60/60 Game
Taylor,S (1605) - Holdaway,S (1580) [B12]Palmy Club 60/60 (Round 3), 04.2009
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Bd3?!
Richard Reti in the book Masters of the Chess board comments on this move best.
"Although white controls more territory, Black has the better bishop after the exchange on d3. As white is consequently inclined to be weak on white squares, correct play by his opponent will make it impossible for him to break through with f4-f5, which ordinarily be the form of attack indicated. It seems, therefore, that in this variation of the Caro Kann Black has rather the advantage."
Better is 4.Nf3 going for the short system or if you prefer the sharp stuff the complicated 4.Nc3 and 5.g4 is interesting.
4...Bxd3 5.Qxd3 e6 6.Nf3 Qb6
6...Nd7 and c5 was a little safer. The queen may become harassed later.
7.0-0
The rest of the game the notes are supplied by Stewart Holdaway taken from the weekly Palmerston North Club chess Magazine.
7...c5 8.b3 cxd4 9.Qxd4 Bc5 10.Qf4
Even better looks to be 10.Qg4 hitting the weak g7 square. 10...g6 11.c4 dxc4 12.bxc4 Looks good for white.
10...Ne7
The position is now equal. My plan was pretty simple. Gang up on the e5 pawn.
11.Ba3 Ng6 12.Bxc5 Qxc5 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.Re1
14.c4 dxc4 15.Na3 0-0 (15...Nxe5?! 16.Nxe5 Qxe5 17.Nxc4) 16.Nxc4 Rd8=
14...Nc6 15.Qe2
15.c4 dxc4 16.Na3 Qd8 (16...Ngxe5 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.Nb5 and white is better) 17.Qxd8+ Rxd8 18.Nxc4 Ke7 gives black a slight advantage.
15...0-0
This was the position I had envisioned when I played 12...Qxc5. I thought Black must be slightly better because white has ti defend e5, is weak on the dark squares and Black will be able to put pressure on the c-file.
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Bd3?!
Richard Reti in the book Masters of the Chess board comments on this move best.
"Although white controls more territory, Black has the better bishop after the exchange on d3. As white is consequently inclined to be weak on white squares, correct play by his opponent will make it impossible for him to break through with f4-f5, which ordinarily be the form of attack indicated. It seems, therefore, that in this variation of the Caro Kann Black has rather the advantage."
Better is 4.Nf3 going for the short system or if you prefer the sharp stuff the complicated 4.Nc3 and 5.g4 is interesting.
4...Bxd3 5.Qxd3 e6 6.Nf3 Qb6
6...Nd7 and c5 was a little safer. The queen may become harassed later.
7.0-0
The rest of the game the notes are supplied by Stewart Holdaway taken from the weekly Palmerston North Club chess Magazine.
7...c5 8.b3 cxd4 9.Qxd4 Bc5 10.Qf4
Even better looks to be 10.Qg4 hitting the weak g7 square. 10...g6 11.c4 dxc4 12.bxc4 Looks good for white.
10...Ne7
The position is now equal. My plan was pretty simple. Gang up on the e5 pawn.
11.Ba3 Ng6 12.Bxc5 Qxc5 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.Re1
14.c4 dxc4 15.Na3 0-0 (15...Nxe5?! 16.Nxe5 Qxe5 17.Nxc4) 16.Nxc4 Rd8=
14...Nc6 15.Qe2
15.c4 dxc4 16.Na3 Qd8 (16...Ngxe5 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.Nb5 and white is better) 17.Qxd8+ Rxd8 18.Nxc4 Ke7 gives black a slight advantage.
15...0-0
This was the position I had envisioned when I played 12...Qxc5. I thought Black must be slightly better because white has ti defend e5, is weak on the dark squares and Black will be able to put pressure on the c-file.
16.Nbd2
16.c4 dxc4 17.bxc4 Rfd8 gives black a slight edge.
16...Rfd8 17.Rac1
Stephen was critical of this move after the game and argued he should have played. 17.c4 then if 17...d4 18.Rad1. However c3 (stopping d4) is the best move when after 18...Qb6 black has a slight pull.
17...Rac8 18.c4 d4
I have finally got the passed pawn I wanted.
19.Qe4 Rd7 20.h4
I was expecting this as I thought it was the only way for White to get counter play. However, I didn't realise how strong it was.
20...h6
Stopping all those nasty Ng5 ideas.
21.h5 Nge7 22.Nb1 Rcd8 23.Na3 a6 24.Nb1 Nf5 25.g4 Nfe7 26.Nbd2
26.Qd3 leaves black with only a small advantage.
26...d3
I was convinced I wa winning now. But...
27.a3 Nd4 28.Kg2 Nec6
29.Nxd4??
The losing mistake but black was already on top. Better is [29.g5 hxg5 30.Nxg5]
29...Rxd4 30.Qe3 Rxg4+ 31.Kh3 Rg5 32.f4 Rxh5+ 33.Kg4 Rf5 34.Rc3 Qe7 35.b4 g5! 36.fxg5 Rxg5+ 37.Kh3 Rh5+ 38.Kg2 Qh4 39.Rg1 Rg5+ 40.Kf1 Rxg1+ 41.Qxg1+ Qg5 42.Qf2 Nxe5 43.Ne4 Qf5 44.Nf6+ Kg7 45.Qxf5 exf5 46.Nh5+ Kg6 47.Nf4+ Kh7
White now oversteps the time limit
0-1
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Palmerston North Club 60/60 tournament
Final Standings
1st
5/5
Mathew King 1885
2nd=
4/5
JuYoung Kim 1358
Dennis Davey 1309
4th=
3/5
Stewart Holdaway 1580
Stephen Taylor 1605
Terry Lee 908
David Kweon unr
8th
2.5
John Baker
9th=
2/5
Johan Van Vuuren
Ricky Kim
Dan Kim
Ryan Kim
Jay Lee
14th
1.5/5
Frank Visser
John Kim (t)
John Kim (s)
17th=
1/5
Jacob King
Andrew Parker
Jake Kim
Jack Jung
1st
5/5
Mathew King 1885
2nd=
4/5
JuYoung Kim 1358
Dennis Davey 1309
4th=
3/5
Stewart Holdaway 1580
Stephen Taylor 1605
Terry Lee 908
David Kweon unr
8th
2.5
John Baker
9th=
2/5
Johan Van Vuuren
Ricky Kim
Dan Kim
Ryan Kim
Jay Lee
14th
1.5/5
Frank Visser
John Kim (t)
John Kim (s)
17th=
1/5
Jacob King
Andrew Parker
Jake Kim
Jack Jung
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