You talk about stressful, strange nights… I got to the match quite a bit early, thought I’d help Matt set up, and What do I see? Everything already set up and ready to go. Wow, I thought, Matt is on his game today. Then, I find out that USCL commissioner, and world traveler, IM Greg Shahade is going to pay us a visit. My first thoughts, darn, no Fritz display on the back wall of the playing room… for our audience only… players aren’t allowed to look up. My next thought, what did we do wrong? Did someone complain? Is Jorge going to be fined?

As it turned out, all the anxiety was for naught, as the minute I met Greg, I felt as if I had known him for years. He is an amazingly charismatic person and very easy to like. Not at all the !@#$%$# that Jorge and Matt had described to us. He even lowered himself to engage me in a game of 5-minute chess, which, of course, I was obliged to loose… league rule 1406.7… “no person associated with any team shall upstage the commissioner”.

But, for all his friendliness, Greg definitely has an air of authority about him. For example, he immediately claimed Chris Bird’s spot in the back of the room as his own and began setting up his PC. Well, Chris was furious and objected to being relegated to the back room. Whereupon, Greg threatened to forfeit our third board, Marc Esserman, if Chris insisted on yapping further… league rule, 1309.6… “the commissioner may forfeit anyone, anytime he wants, for any reason.”

With that resolved, Greg… or the “Commish”, as he likes to be called (actually, he asked us to call him Sir.)… settled in to monitor league games and observe what was to be a closely contested match between the Boston Blitz and the Baltimore Kingfishers. Then came the Commish’s next demand… “I need food! I’m starving!”… no problem Sir… pizza was on order… league rule, 1735.6… “If the commissioner visits a league site, his favorite food must be provided by that site’s host.”

Mercifully, the match started… and a furious machine-gun tapping could be heard from the Commish’s corner of the room. Who knew the Commish had taken a speed typing course… would it disturb the players?… not at all, in fact, it turned out to be Boston’s secret weapon in this very close match.

The first to take advantage of this secret weapon was fourth board and noise sensitive NM Ilay Krasik…

NM Ilya Krasik (BOS) vs. Ian Harris (BAL) — Board 4

I was sure that Ilya would unceremoniously ask the Commish to “Shut up” at some point during the game. He usually shouts at an audience member at least once during a match. But, Ilya was in a zone this night… and he was not to be denied as he dispatched his opponent in a most professional manner.

1. d4 f5 2. Nc3…

This move has become quite popular against the Dutch. After seeing this game and Marc Esserman’s only loss this year in round one, I can understand why.

2… Nf6 3. Bg5 d5 4. Bxf6 exf6 5. e3 c6?!

From going over some top level games in this variation, I believe the preferred setup is 5… Be6 and 6… Nc6. Development is Black’s highest priority in these first few moves and Mr. Harris’s next few moves don’t seem to do the trick.

6. Bd3 Bd6 7. Qf3 g6 8.Nge2 Qc7?!

I think I heard a muffled laugh from Ilya at this move. Again, this is not a good developing move.

9. h3 h5?

Talk about leading with your chin.

Just now the speed typing in the back of the room seemed to take on a strange cadence… Yes, I know it did… 4-taps… board 4… then 7-taps… the g-file… then 4-taps…. Of course, g4!. Did Ilya hear it?… or was it in my imagination.

10. g4!…

Position after 10.g4!…

Black has not gotten a grasp on this opening. He is simply lost after Ilya’s aggressive 9.h3… and 9.g4…

10… Qh7 11. O-O-O h4 12. Rhg1 Kf7 13. gxf5 gxf5 14. Nf4 Bxf4 15. Qxf4 Be6
16. Qc7+ Kf8 17. Qd6+…

Slightly better is 17.Qd8+ Kf7 18. Qd6 Nd7 19.Ne2… just to keep the Queens on the board and with the threat of Nf4… White dominates.

17… Qe7 18. Qxe7+ Kxe7

With the Queens off, White’s advantage is smaller but still winning. Ilya correctly takes the simple route to victory… risking nothing.

19. Rg7+ Kd6 20.Ne2…

I had to chuckle after this move as Black is so lost, White can afford to ignore the win of a pawn. Plus, I think the tapping in the back of the room agreed with Ilya.

Position after 20.Ne2…

20.Rxb7… allows 20… f4 with some slight hope to complicate. Ilya allows no counterplay.

20… Nd7 21. Rdg1 b6 22. Nf4 Rad8 23. Ng6 Rh5 24. Nf4 Rhh8 25. Kd2 Rh6 26. b3
c5 27. Bb5 a5 28. Ke2 Rhh8 29. Kf3…

Position after 29. Kf3…

Black is practically out of moves.

29… Rb8? Why not get it over?

The tapping screamed out Ilya’s next move…

30. Nxe6 {Black resigns} 1-0

What a nice trouncing of the Dutch. Of course, it isn’t Game of the Week quality due to the not-so-good play of his opponent… and the use of our secret weapon… right… don’t tell me you didn’t hear anything?

Boston (1 – 0)

Well, never mind.. Let’s get on to our second board, SM Denys Shmelov who was facing a very intimidating opponent.

SM Denys Shmelov (BOS) vs. GM Sergey Erenburg (BAL) — Board 2

We all knew this was a tough pairing for the team. But, we also knew that Denys can hang in there with the best of them. He is such a strong defensive player that he often wins when we think he is losing… and GM Erenburg is among the best attacking players in the league. So, a defensive strategy was in order.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. e4…

This is the position that Denys had planned for the game. It can be quite drawish… if Black allows it.

7… dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Qxe4 e5!?

No draw here… Black intends to fight to the death.

10. dxe5 O-O

White may now play a well known and still unclear Queen sacrifice. In fact, this may be considered the main line here.… Didn’t Denys here the tapping coming from the room’s corner?… clearly exd was recommended.

11. exd Re8 12.Qxe8 Qxe8+ with a very tough game for both sides.

Analysis Position after 12… Qxe8

White has Rook, Bishop and pawn for the Queen.

11. Be2 Re8!

Maybe Denys had expected the rather drawish…

11… Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Qa5+ 13.Bd2 Qxe5 14.Qxe5 Bxe5 15.O-O-O…

Position after 11… Re8!

After the game move, Black has a moderate advantage.

12. Bf4?!…

This is not losing, but it is the worst of several choices. Best seems 12.Be3… but Black keeps an edge with the complex 12… Qa5+ 13.Bd2 Bb4 14.O-O-O Bxd2+ 15.Rxd2 Qxa2 16.Bd3 g6 and Black seems to be on top.

12… Nxe5 13. O-O-O?…

This is the losing move. After the game, Denys said that he rejected the much better move… 12. Nxe5… because of 12… Bxe5 13. Bxe5 Qa5+ 14. Bc3 Qxc3+ 15.bxc Rxe4 and Black has crippled White’s pawn structure.

Analysis Position after 15… Rxe4 Can White draw?

But, after 16.O-O-O! Bg4 17.Bd3!… White has good chances to draw given the few pieces left.

After the game move, White’s pieces are fatally uncoordinated.

13… Nd3+ ?!

GM Erenburg misses the outright winner… but, counter-intuitive 13… Nd7!
When White’s Queen cannot guard both Bishops. Therefore, 14.Be5 Bxe5 15.Nxe5 Qe7 16. f4 f6 wins a piece… We can forgive GM Erenburg as he didn’t have the Commish’s tapping to aid him.

14. Qxd3 Bxf4+ 15. Kb1 Qb6 best.

Black is threatening the f-pawn. Undoubtedly, Denys is losing. So, he decides to chuck the pawn… At this point, there was no helpful tapping from the corner.

16. Rhe1 Qxf2 17. Qe4 Bg4 18. Qxf4 Rxe2 19. Rxe2 Qxe2 20. Rd2 Qf1+ 21. Kc2 Be6
22. Qd4 Qxc4+ 23. Qxc4 Bxc4 24. Rd7 b6 25. g3 h6

Black is just two pawns down.

Position after 25… h6

The rest is technique… of which, GM Erenburg has plenty. Even the Commish’s infernal tapping couldn’t help us now… if only he would invoke rule 1309.6 (see above)…

26. Rc7 Re8 27. Rxa7 Re2+ 28. Kc3 Bd5 29. Nd4 Rxh2 30. Nf5 Be4 31. Ne7+
Kh7 32. Kd4 Bh1 33. b4 Rd2+ 34. Ke5 c5 35. bxc5 bxc5 36. a4 c4 37. Rc7 Re2+
38. Kd4 Re4+ 39. Kc3 Re3+ 40. Kxc4 Rxg3 41. a5 Ra3 42. Kb5 Be4 43. Nc8 Rb3+
44. Ka4 Rb7 45. Rc4 Bd3 46. Rc3 Bb5+ 47. Ka3 Ba6 48. Nd6 Ra7 49. Rc6 Bd3 50.
Kb4 h5 51. Rc3 Ba6 52. Rc6 h4 53. Nf5 h3 54. Ng3 Rb7+ 55. Ka3 Re7
{White resigns} 0-1

The match is even… Boston (1 – 1)

Next to finish was Boston first board and de facto team leader GM Larry Christiansen. It was Larry who made Greg feel right at home with his congenial greeting “What the hell are you doing here?”… Would this stop our secret weapon from helping out?…

GM Larry Christiansen (BOS) vs. GM Leonid Kritz (BAL) — Board 1

Larry has been experimenting with some odd openings this year… two Pirc’s and a Philidor?… but, I can’t say these openings were the cause of his troubles… maybe the time it takes to play them leads to a disadvantage at crucial points… I don’t know, but,
in each game he has been lost… and come away with an unbelievable 2-1 record.

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 d5 5. h3…

Hmmm… What to do? White’s strategy is to limit the movement of Black’s Bishop.

Here there are several high level games as examples…
Topalov-Shirov (0-1) 1994 continued… 5…Nf6 6.Bf4 f6 with a typically strange modern type of game.
Schmaltz-Kasparov ( ½ ) 1998 ICC Blitz game gave 5… Nf6 6.e5 Ne4 7.Bd3 Nxc3 8.bxc3 c5 with fairly even play.
Svidler-Krasenkow (1-0) 2000 followed a very dynamic path… 5…Nf6 6.e5 Ne4 7.Nxe4 dxe4 8.Ng5 c5 9.e6 Bxe6 10.Nxe6 fxe6 11.dxc5 Qd5 and Black’s tripled pawns aren’t really that bad.

As you can see, this type of game is anything but classical. I think the Commish’s tapping was silent at this point… perhaps still stewing from Larry’s terse greeting.

5… dxe4 6. Nxe4 Nf6?!

A calmer way was Makropoulou-Burmakin (0-1) 2008 6… Nd7 7.Bd3 Ngf6

7. Nxf6+ exf6!?

Position after 7…exf6!?

This seems a strange recapture. Of course, 7…Bxf6 8.Bh6… looks to cut off the Black King. But, 8… Qb6!? puts the kibosh on White’s plans for a simple advantage.
For example, 9.b3 c5! or, 9.Be2 c5! with complications. Therefore, White would probably just continue 8.Bc4… and 9.O-O… with a small advantage.

Larry’s move is typical of many of his games. He often accepts this type of Kingside structure.

8. Bc4 O-O 9. O-O Nd7 10. Re1 b5 11. Bb3 Nb6 12. Bd2 Re8 13. Ba5 Be6 14. Qd2
Qd7 15. Bxe6 Rxe6 16. Rxe6 Nc4 17. Qc3 fxe6 18. a4 e5

The game is about equal.

Position after 18… e5

Boston’s secret weapon was still silent… but, Larry didn’t need any help here. My feeling was that he had the kind of position he wanted. Now, he was looking to create winning chances.

19. axb5 cxb5 20. dxe5 fxe5 21. Qb3 Kh8 22. Bc3 Rf8 23. Re1 Rf5?!

Well, I guess 23… Re8 was better, but drawish.

Position after 23… Rf5?!

GM Kritz now finds a wonderful move to gain a nice advantage.

24. Qa2!… He will simply drive the Knight away.

24… Qc7 25. b3 Nb6 26. Qa1 Nd7

White has a large and perhaps winning advantage here.

Position after 26… Nd7

The culmination of White’s strategy after 24… Qa2. He can now put Black in (almost) Zugzwang with 25.Re3!… the point is that g4 is a threat, but, more importantly, White’s Bishop and Knight are protected. For example… 25… Kg8 26. Qa6… the Queen is free to roam.
28… Bh6 29.Qe6+ Rf7 30.Rd3 Bf4 31.Qe8+ Kg7 32.g3 Nf6 33.Qd8 Qxd8 34.Rxd8 Ne4 35.Nxe5 Rf5 36.Nd3+ Nxc3 37.Nxf4…

Analysis position after 37. Nxf4…

White is on top.
I admit, there are many possible options in this line… but, the idea is that once White’s Queen is back in the game, Black is suffering… and probably lost.

27. Rd1 h6

Now, White has a nice edge, but, Black is in the game.

28. Rd2 Kh7 29. Qa5 Qb7?!

Allowing the Queen infiltration is probably not best. But, Larry decides that suffering with the Queen’s on is a better option. His instincts prove correct.

30. Qd8 Rf7 31. Qh4?!…

Fritz likes 31. Rd6… to counter 31…Bf8 with 32.Bxe5 Nxe5 33.Nxe5 Bxd6 34.Nxf7 Qxf7 35.Qxd6… and White is winning… but, it is a Queen ending and Black is a tricky guy.

After the game move, Black is alive.

31… Bf6 32. Qg4?!… (32.Qb4… or 32.Qg3… keep a small advantage) 32… e4

The game is equal

33. Nh4 Nf8?

33… Bg5! Keeps things equal as White’s Queen is tied to the Knight. For example,

34.Re2 Qc7 35.Bd4 Rf4 36.Qe6 Bxh4 37.g3 Nf8 38.Qe8 Bxg3 39.fxg3 Rf3 40.Bf2 e3 41.Rxe3 Rxe3 42.Qxe3 Qxc2

Position after 33… Nf8?

After the game move, White has a nice combination to win a pawn with the better position. 34.Nxg6! Nxg6 35.Bxf6… and the Bishop cannot be taken since the Rook check on d7 will pick up the Queen. Similarly, if 34… Bxc3 35.Nxf8+… and the Knight is immune.

34. Bb4 Bxh4 35. Qxh4 Ne6 36. Qg4 Nf4 37. Rd8?!…

Better is 37.Bd6! Ne6 38.Qe5 Ng7 39. Re2… and the e-pawn will fall.

37… Qc7 38. Qc8?!…

38.Rc8 Qd7 39.Qxd7 Rxd7 Keeps a nice advantage for White.

Position after 38.Qc8…

Again there was no tapping in the back of the room… The Commish was out in the hall shouting at one of his minions over his cell phone… “Did he touch the Queen?… Eeee! Less than 5 minutes?” I don’t know that Larry heard… but, I sure did… of course… Queen… Eeee… 5!

38… Qe5!

The Commish comes through in crunch time… and Larry too, of course!
After this move, the draw is in hand… or is it?

39.Rd7 Ne2+ 40. Kf1 Ng3+ 41. Ke1 Qa1+ 42. Rd1 Qf6 43. Bc5??…

This just loses.

Position after 43.Bc5??…

Of course, 43.Qc5… holds a draw…

43… e3 44.Qxe3 Nf5 45.Qf3 Qe6+ 46.Qe2 Qc6 47.Rd3 Qxg2

43… Qc3+ 44. Rd2 e3! {White resigns} 0-1

Wow! What a turn-around. Great comeback… by the Master of comebacks (at least this year). To put things in perspective… GM Kritz believed that Boston was won on Board 3… so he needed to win to draw the match. A valiant display of team spirit… He took one for his team… but, Caissa may make fools of us all… and a draw would have drawn the match.

Boston (2 – 1)

Marc Esserman was not a happy camper on board 3… not at all… as he had seen his sure win slip into drawishness… Let me tell you, you don’t want to be around when Marc is not playing his best… He truly cares a bit too much and is much too hard on himself… In a game that looked to be another easy winner for Marc, he found himself struggling to get a grasp on a technical endgame… Let’s take a look…

FM Shinsaku Uesugi (BAL) vs. SM Marc Esserman (BOS) — Board 3

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O O-O 5. c4 d6 6. d4 Nc6 7. d5 Na5 8.
Nfd2 c6 9. Nc3 cxd5 10. cxd5 Bd7 11. Nb3 Nc4 12. Nd2…

I guess White can afford to waste a few tempi… if he has no ambitions. Black is now slightly better. Thankfully, the secret weapon was eating some pizza… and Marc was concentrating without distraction.

12… Rc8 13. Nxc4 Rxc4 14.Qb3 Qc7 15. Be3 Rc8!?

15 moves before Marc offers a pawn… an all time record.

Position after 15… Rc8?!

The first thing we (in the audience) asked… Can White take? Naaah! Look at Black’s c-file control… there must be something. Let’s see…

16.Bxa7 b5
After the game, Marc told us that this is what he intended… but, he wasn’t sure it would work… just going on instinct.
17.Be3 b4 18.Nb1 Ng4 19.Bg5 Qa7 20.Nd2 Rc2 21.Rab1 h6 22.Be4 Ba4 23.Qxb4 hxg5 24.Bxc2 Rxc2 25.Qxg4 Rxd2 26.Qc8+ Bf8 27.Qc3 Rxd5

Analysis position after 27… Rxd5

Looks complicated… Is it better for Black with the two Bishops for a Rook… if he can coordinate them. Back to the game… White declines the offer…

16. Rfc1 b5 17. h3 Qb7 18. a4 b4 19. Na2 Rxc1+ 20. Rxc1 a5 21. Kh2 Rxc1
22. Nxc1…

Position after 22. Nxc1… Is it a draw?

After the exchange of Rooks, things look very drawish. Marc now makes something out of nothing.

22… Qc8 23. Nd3 Bf5 24. Qd1 Be4?!

Oh! Mark didn’t listen to the Commish’s tapping… Didn’t he pick up on the code?

If Black wants to win, and Marc does, trading pieces is not the way to go. Best are waiting moves such as 24… Nd7 or 24… h5 that try to slightly improve things while waiting to for a mistake.

25. Bxe4 Nxe4 26. Qc1?…

There is really nothing to fear for White after 26.Qb3… If Black should attack and win the d-pawn, White will simply win the a-pawn with Bb6… This is too dangerous for Black… unless he wants to play his King all the way to the Queenside first… and the tap…tap…tap… in the back of the room didn’t recommend this.

26… Qxc1 27. Bxc1…

Position after 27.Bxc1…

From this position Black has a series of forced moves that win… (if I didn’t miss any tricks)

27…Nc5! 28.Nxc5… forced, 28… dxc5 29.b3… again forced 29… c4! 30.bxc4 b3
31.c5 Kf8

Analysis position after 31… Kf8

Black is in the square of the White’s passed pawn and will win White’s Bishop.
But, can White get his King to the queenside fast enough to hold.

32.Kg2 b2 33.Bxb2 Bxb2 34.e4 Ke8 35.f4 e6 36.Kf3… This looks like a win for Black… 36… Bd4 37.c6 exd5 38.exd5 f5 39.g4 Ke7

Analysis position after 39… Ke7

Did I miss something? Who knows… but, I put my money on Black after 27…Nc5!

28… Nf6

But this is just as good, isn’t it? Marc retreats… which should win a pawn.

28. Nf4 Nd7?!

28… Bh6 or 28… h6 and g5 also win the pawn. Marc is worried about a pawn up minor piece ending being a draw… but, I think this is just over thinking the position.

29. Nd3 Nb6 30. b3 Nxd5 31. e4 Nc3 32. Be3 Nxe4 33. Bb6 Nd2 34. Bxa5 Nxb3
35. Bxb4…

Position after 35.Bxb4… Can Black win?

Black has won a pawn, but, can he win? It really doesn’t look promising. Where’s that distracting tapping when you need it? The Commish was out of ideas…

35… Bd4 36. Kg2 Kf8 37. Kf3 Ke8 38. Ke4 Ba7 39. Kd5 Kd7 40. Kc4 Nd4
41. f4 Kc6 42. Bc3 Ne2 43. Nb4+ Kb7 44. Be1 e6 45. a5 Ng1 46. a6+ Kc7
47. Kb5 Nf3 48. Bc3 Bd4 49. Kc4 Bxc3 50. Kxc3 Ng1 51. a7 Kb7
52. Nc6 Ne2+ 53. Kd3 Nxg3 54. Nd8+ Kxa7 55. Nxf7 Nf5 56. Ng5…

Position after 56.Ng5…

Now, Black can keep winning chances with
56…h6 57.Nxe6 Kb7 58.Nf8 Ne7 59.Ke4 Kc6 60.Kd4…

Analysis position after 60.Kd4… Can Black win?

From the position above, I have my doubts as to a win for Black. It is very difficult if there at all. I can’t find a way for Black to make progress without allowing the elimination of the pawns… Can you?

56… Kb6 57. Nxh7 Kc6 58. Nf8 Kd5 {Game drawn by mutual agreement} 1/2-1/2

Marc was so upset, he couldn’t even accept congratulations on winning the match. Only, later, when he realized that GM Kritz played too hard to win on board 1 due to Marc’s game seeming won did Marc realize that it’s not the execution that counts… it’s the threat.

Boston (2.5 – 1.5)

Ok, so the Commish likes Boston more than any other team in the league… he told us so… I’m not making it up. And, he used his powers of speed typing and screaming into his cell phone to manipulate the result of this very close match. Now, I really don’t know if he did it consciously… it could have been a Freudian sub-whatever thing… But, you all heard the codes… right… It wasn’t only me.

So, you decide… according to rule 1934.2 “The commissioner may not show prejudice toward any team… even the one he likes best.”

Is he guilty… or, is he the best Commish any league every had? I think we in Boston might vote the latter… Come back anytime, Greg… The Commish Rules!