SPOT ON CHESS PUZZLES: Upsets for USA, Americans abroad.

SPOT ON CHESS PUZZLES: Upsets for USA

Americans abroad and at play: Spotlight on Americans Gata Kamsky and Ray Robson!

Ray Robson is playing in the Prague Grandmaster event while Gata Kamsky has put in an appearance in the Dortmund “A” Open. After two rounds Gata has scored one and half out of two after being “tricked” into a drawn endgame. Or what I like to call being given the old cheapo! Gata Kamsky is one of my favorite players - after his amazing run in the dual candidates cycles for the PCA and FIDE. It was a surreal run, that ended in alternate universe endings where in one cycle Kamsky triumphed while in the other, an exhausted Gata - who arrived immediately after competing in another event - had to face Anand in the finals and lost that match. But what historical stories from those years 1994 to 1996!

Ray Robson had a significant win against former title challenger Boris Gelfand in Prague. But his loss was also instructive so, with due apologies to GM Ray Robson, we review his instructive loss this time out. Next time we will look at Robson triumphant! Both of our Games today are in the Ruy Lopez Opening! So without further ado: Enjoy! ~ S.

GAMES:

Deac vs Robson; Prague

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 O-O 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1 Re8 11. Bf4 Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Ne8 13. c3 d5 14. Nd2 Bf5 15. Qe3 c6 16. Re1 h6 17. h3 Bg5 18. g4 Bg6 19. Bxg5 hxg5 20. Nf3 f6 21. h4 gxh4 22. Nxh4 Be4 23. f3 Bh7 24. Bd3 Bxd3 25. Qxd3 Rc8 26. Qf5 Nd6 27. Qe6+ Nf7 28. Ng6 Rb8 29. Kg2 Qd6 30. Qf5 Nh6 31. Qh5 a5 32. f4 Kh7 33. f5 Kg8 34. Re6 Qc7 35. Ne7+ Kf8 36. g5 Ng8 37. Qh8 Resigns 1-0

Kamsky vs Coenen, Dortmund Open “A”

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. d3 d6 9. a3 Re8

ECO: C88 Which means this is the Closed Ruy Lopez: Anti-Marshall System

10. h3 h6 11. Nc3 Bf8 12. Bd2 Be6 13. Bxe6 Rxe6 14. Nd5 Ne7

A previous game went:
( 14... Re8 15. c4 Nxd5 16. cxd5 Ne7 17. Qb3 c6 18. dxc6 Nxc6 19. Rec1 Qb6 20. a4 Rab8 21. axb5 axb5 1-0 Schwabeneder,F (2435)-Rodriguez Polo,M (2176) Davos Challenge op 2022 (3) ) If you have a database like Chessbase you should use it to look up these lines to help you learn the opening. Chessgames.com is an online option - among many. Some free some pay to play.

15. c4 c6 16. Nxf6+ Rxf6 17. Rc1 Qd7 18. b4 Ng6 19. Nh2 d5 ( 19... Re6 is superior. ) 20. Qg4 Qa7 21. Nf3 bxc4 ( 21. c5 ) 22. dxc4 Nf4 23. Bxf4 Rxf4 24. Qg3 Rxe4 25. Rxe4 dxe4 26. Nxe5 c5 27. Rd1 Qb8 28. Nd7 Qxg3 The position is equal. 29. fxg3 cxb4 30. Nxf8 Kxf8 31. axb4 Rb8 32. Rb1 Rc8 33. c5 Rb8 34. Kf2 Rb5 35. Ke3 f5 36. g4 g6 37. gxf5 gxf5 38. Rf1 Rxb4 39. Rxf5+ Kg7 40. Rd5 Rc4 41. Rd7+ Kf6 42. Rd6+ Kg5 43. c6 h5 44. g3 h4 45. g4 a5 46. Rd5+ Kg6 47. Rxa5 Rxc6 48. Ra3 Kg5 49. Kxe4 Re6+ 50. Kf3 Rf6+ 51. Kg2 Rb6 52. Kf3 Rb5 53. Rd3 Ra5 54. Ke4 Ra4+ 55. Rd4 Ra3 56. Rd5+ Kg6 57. Rd3 Ra4+ 58. Kd5 Kg5 59. Rf3 Rxg4 60. hxg4 Kxg4 61. Ke4 h3 62. Rf8 h2 63. Rh8 Kg3 64. Ke3 Kg2 65. Rg8+ Kf1 66. Rh8 Kg2 1/2-1/2 Draw.