What is a team? For me, and other fans it’s something to hold on to, something to make a part of yourself… so that when it has success, you feel successful; of course, when it fails, you also fail. Strangely, we also serve who only stand and watch… as I know that the support our team gets helps them as much as they help us.
But, what do the team players get out of it? What does it mean to them?

“What I spent, I had; What I kept, I lost; What I gave, I have.” Henry Ward Beecher.

Team members give everything they have to a common cause… holding back nothing and, win or lose, gaining everything. I am not eloquent enough to describe the feeling of this night as each team member refused to fail and carried the team to a perfect victory over the Carolina Cobras. To the Cobras I can only say we know how it feels.

My apologies… the waxing philosophic has ended…and the match begins with another swashbuckling tale from, who else, SM Marc Esserman…

SM Marc Esserman (BOS) vs. FM Oleg Zaikov (CAR) — Board 2

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 f5

This seems to be a version of the Latvian gambit. The usual move order is
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5… According to the ultimate source on everything, Wikepedia, “The Latvian Gambit is an aggressive but dubious chess opening, which often leads to wild and tricky positions.” This one is not so tricky as the moves 3.Nc3 Nc6 (to reach the game position) are simply ridiculously bad for Black.

However, the Black side has been ventured by Frank Marshal and Saviely Tartakower and they both won! I wondered how Marc would react to getting a taste of his own medicine… I remarked to Matt Phelps that this game would be a race to see who would sac a piece first. How could I have doubted?

4. d4 fxe4 5. Nxe5 Nf6 6. Bc4 d5 7. Nxd5!…

It only took seven moves… a record even for Marc, I’m sure.

Position after 7.Nxd5!…

This position has occurred quite a few times, the first in 1912, Gyula Breyer – Zoltan Balla, 1-0 after only 14 moves. Could Marc meet this challenge?

7… Nxd5 8.Qh5+ g6 9. Nxg6 hxg6

The only move. There is a very pretty mate if Black tries 9… Nf6 10. Bf7+!! Kxf7
(10… Kd7 is mate in 10, but this is cuter) 11.Ne5+ Ke6 12. Qf7+ Kd6 13. Nc4… Mate.

Analysis Position after 13. Nc4… Mate!

10. Qxg6+ Kd7 11. Bxd5 Nxd4!

This is the toughest move for White to overcome. I couldn’t find any games where it had been played.
The previously mentioned Breyer-Balla game continued… 11… Qe8
12. Bf7 Qe7 13.Bg5 Ne5 14. Qf5+… Black resigns… as the Black Queen will fall to the Bishop.

12. Bg5 Qe8 13. Bf7 Qe5 14.O-O-O?…

This very nice developing move is actually a mistake. According to Fritz White’s advantage dropped
from +- 4.00 to +-1.45… still winning, but not so easy as we will see.

Position after 13… Qe5 What should White play?

Take a few minutes to look at this position. White is winning… he can feel it. But, what is the quickest and easiest way? Well, I don’t like to brag… but, I saw the best move in just a few minutes… I’m sure Marc saw it also. But, when playing the game, there is a tendency to want it all… King safety and the attack. Of course, 14. Rd1!… if then,
14… Bd6 15. Bf6 Nc2+ 16. Kd2… and the Knight and/or Rook will fall and White still has two pawns and a winning attack.

some other possibilities…

(14. Rd1 c5 15. Bf6 Qf4 16. Be8+ Kc7 17. Qf7+ Kb8 18. Bxh8 Nxc2+ 19. Kf1
Bd6 20. Qxf4 Bxf4 21. Bg6 Kc7 22. Bxe4 Nb4 23. a3 Nc6 24. Bf6 Be6 25. h4 Bb3
26. Re1 Bd2 27. Rb1 Bc4+ 28. Kg1 Re8 29. f3 Be3+ 30. Kh2 Rf8 31. Bc3 Nd4 32.
Rhe1 Bf2 33. Bxd4 Bxd4 34. g4 Bf2 35. h5 Ba2 36. Ra1 Bf7 37. h6 Be6 38. g5 Bf5
39. Bxf5 Rxf5 40. Re7+ Kc6 41. g6 Rh5+ 42. Kg2 Bh4 43. Re6+ Kd5 44. g7 Rg5+ 45.
Kh3)

(14. Bf6 Rh6 15. Bxe5 Nxc2+ 16. Ke2 Rxg6 17. Bxg6 Nxa1 18. Bxe4 Nb3 19.
axb3 Bd6 20. Bc3)

After the game move, White is safer, but the win is not easy.

14… c5!

Black will get two strong center pawns for his troubles.

If 14… Bd6 15. Bf6 Qf4+ 16. Kb1 Rf8 17. Rxd4 Kc6 18. Be8+ Kb6 19. Bd8 Kc5
20. Rhd1… and White will take the d6 Bishop next move.

15. c3 Kc7 16. cxd4 cxd4 17. Kb1 Bf5

Things are just messy. This is actually Black’s dream position out of this horrible opening… of course, he is still lost.

Position after 17… Bf5

Wow! I had a headache thinking about the game. White must be very precise to keep the win.

After the game, Marc thought that he missed 18. Qf6!?… in this position, and it is true that this keeps a large advantage
after 18. Qf6 Qxf6 (18… Bg7 19. Rc1+ Kd7 20. Be6+) 19. Bxf6 Rh7 20. Bg8 Rd7 21. Rxd4 Bc5
22. Rxd7+ Kxd7 23. Rd1+ Kc6 24. Bd5+ Kc7 25. g4 Bxg4 26. Rc1 Kb6 27. Bxe4 Rf8
28. Be5 Bxf2 29. Bc7+ Ka6 30. Rc3 Bd4 31. Ra3+ Kb5 32. Bxb7… and Black is up two pawns in a complicated
middle/end game. Fritz calls it nearly winning at +/- 1.40.

However, there was a better move… 18. Bf6!… (+-1.75) again Wow!… only a computer could play it. Just an example of one of several complex lines… 18… Qf4 19. g3! Bxg6 20. gxf4 Bxf7 21. Bxh8 d3 22. f3 Bd6 23. fxe4 Rxh8 24. Rxd3… and White has 2 Rooks and three pawns vs. Black’s two Bishops and Rook.

Analysis position after 24.Rxd3… a technical win?

I imagine that this was not the type of game Marc anticipated after such a great start to this game. After the game move, things look equal.

18. Rc1+?!…

Marc criticized this move as a mistake leading to equality and Fritz agrees… at least until you play it out. But, I am not sure. I went through several long lines with Fritz and White always seemed to grab a large advantage leading to a win. I just don’t know if GM technique would draw this.

18… Kd7 19. Qf6 Bg7?? Losing immediately. But, let’s take a look at one possible line after the move that Marc thought would draw… 19… Bd6!

20. Qxe5 (20. Bb3!… may be even better for White.)20… Bxe5 21. Rc5 Raf8
(21… Rhf8 22. Rxe5 Rxf7 23. Rd5+ Ke6 24. Rxd4) 22. Rd5+ Kc6 23. Rc1+ Kb6
24. Rxe5 Rxf7 25. Ka1 Rc8 (25… Rxh2? Bd8+ 26.Ka6 Ra5 Mate) 26. Rd5 Rxc1+
27. Bxc1 d3 28. Re5 Bh7 29. Be3+ Kc6 30. Kb1 Rg7 31. g3 Kd6 32. Bf4 Re7
33. Rg5+ Ke6 34. Kc1 Rf7 35. Kd2 Rf5 36. Rg7 Rf7 37. Rxf7 Kxf7 38. g4!…

Analysis Position after 38. g4!…

Although there are Bishops of opposite colors, I believe White is winning. Fritz calls it +/- 1.08…

38… Ke6 39. Ke3 Kd5 40. h4 Bg6 41. h5 Bf7 42. f3 exf3 43. Kxf3 Kd4
44. Bd2 Kd5 45. Ke3 Be6 46. Kf4 Bg8 47. g5 Ke6 48. g6 Kf6 49. Bc3+ Ke7
50. h6 d2 51. Bxd2 Kf6 52. h7 Bxh7 53. gxh7 Kg7 54. Ke5… and White wins

I know it’s long winded… but, other variations led me to the same conclusion… the game is not equal after Marc’s 18. Rc1+?… it may indeed be winning… only in an arduous sort of way. But, now back to the spectacular ending…

20. Be6+!!… {Black resigns} 0-1.

Final Position after 20.Be6!!…

Did anybody in the room (or on the internet, for that matter) see this one coming?

If 20. Bxe6… 21. Qe7#…

If 20… Qxe6 21. Qxg7+ Kd6 (21… Ke8 22. Qxh8+
Kd7 23. Qxa8) 22. Qc7+ Kd5 23. Qc5#)

Another spectacular game from Mr. Esserman… a beautiful 20 move miniature.
Boston (1 – 0)

The second to finish was NM Ilya Krasik. Never to be outdone in excitement, Ilya always entertains us… sometimes in a bad way… but not today as, strangely, he seemed in control all the way. Maybe this is a trend…. Naahh!

NM Ilya Krasik (BOS) vs. NM Udayan Bapat (CAR)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 g6 7.f4 Bg7 8.Bb5+ Nfd7 9.Nf3…

More common is 9.a4… or the flexible 9. Bd3… to prevent Black’s coming expansion.

9… 0–0 10.0–0 a6 11.Bd3 b5 12.Kh1 Bb7 13.a3…

This seems to be the first original move of the game. Fritz gives White about a half pawn advantage.

13… Nf6

Slightly better may be 13… c4 followed by …Re8 and …Nc5 if allowed since White has weakened b3 a bit.

14.f5 Nbd7?!

This is a slight mistake.

Position after 14… Nbd7?!

According to Fritz, equal is …
14…gxf5 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bh4 Nbd7 17.e5 dxe5 18.Bxf5 Qc7 19.Nd2 Nxd5 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 21.Ne4 Be6 22.Be7 Rfe8 23.Bxe6 Rxe7 24.Bxf7+…

Analysis Position after 24.Bxf7+…

White has an attack for his pawn. But, this is a computer type variation and I can’t blame Black for developing… a very human instinct when faced with obscure lines.

15.Bg5?!…

This is only equal. The move to put the pressure on is 15.fxg!… if now 15… fxg White has 16. Ng5… aiming for the e6 hole. If Black avoids this with 15… hxg?! White plays for an even stronger Kingside attack with 16. Bg5… and an eventual Qe1 and Qh4.

15… h6 16.Bf4 Ne8

Again, possible was 16… gxf5 is best when White’s Bishop cannot go to g5. If then, 17.Bxd6 Re8 18. e5 Nxd5 19. Nxd5 Bxd5 20. Bxf5 Bxf3 21. Qxf3 Nxe5 21. Bxe5 Bxe5 and Black has a pawn and equality.

After the game move, things remain more complex.

17.fxg6 fxg6 18.Qd2 g5 19.Bg3 Qe7 20.Rae1 Nef6 21.e5!?…

Ilya prefers the sharp side of equal… This is what keeps us (the audience) fascinated with his games.

Position after 21.e5!?…

Just another quiet positional game for Ilya. Now things get interesting as his opponent finds the best reply.

21… Nh5! 22.e6 Nxg3+ 23.hxg3 Nb6 24.Bg6 b4 25.axb4 cxb4 26.Ne4 Bxd5 27.Bf7+ Rxf7

This is best.

Position after 27… Rxf7

Black correctly decides that 27… Kh8 cannot be played as 28. Qxb4 Rab8 29.Qxd6… is just too strong. And 28… Nc4 29.Nc3! Bxf3 30.gxf… gives White a large advantage as Nd5 is coming.

28.exf7+ Qxf7 29.g4?!…

Best was 30.Qxb4… The difference is that after the game move, Black has 29… Nc4 30.Qb4 Qd7 hitting the g-pawn and if 31.b3 a5 gives Black an advantage. The game should now be equal.

29… Nc4 30.Qxb4 Qg6?!

[30...Qd7! 31.Qb3 (31.b3 a5 =/+)Qc6 (31...Qxg4 32.Qd3 Qh5+ 33.Kg1 Bf7 34.b3 Nb2 35.Qxd6... +/=) 32.Qc2 Nxb2 33.Qxc6 Bxc6 34.Nxd6]

With an equal but unbalanced game.

Analysis Position after 34.Nxd6…

31.Nc3…

Also good is 31.Ng3!… as Black cannot take the b-pawn after

31.Ng3! Bxb2 32.Nf5 Bf6 33.Rc1 Rc8 34.Nd2… White is winning

31…Bf7 [31...Be6 32.b3 Ne5 33.Qxd6 is very good for White.]

32.Qb7 Re8 33.Rxe8+ Bxe8 34.Qc8 Ne5 35.Nxe5 Bxe5?! (35…dxe5 makes things more difficult)
36.Nd5 Kg7

It has been a long hard struggle and the winning move for White is finally available…

Position after 36…Kg7

Do you see it?

37.Nc7?!…

This move keeps a moderate advantage… but not winning. Better was…
37.Ne7! Qd3 38.Nf5+ Kf8 39.Rc1 Qb3 40.Qd8 Qe6 41.Rf1 Kg8 42.Ne7+… winning the Bishop and the game

37…Bf7 38.Qd7 h5??

Oh!.. a clunker 38…Bf4 keeps Black playing.
39.Re1 Be5 40.Rc1 Bf4 41.Rd1 Qc2 42.Ne6+ Kf6 43.Re1 Qd2 44.Qd8+ Kg6 45.Nf8+ Kg7
46.Qe7 Qxb2 47.Ne6+ Kg6 48.Nxf4+ gxf4 49.Qxd6+ Qf6 50.Qd1

39.Rf5!…

a pretty move.

8/2NQ1bk1/p2p2q1/4bRpp/6P1/8/1P4P1/7K b – - 0 39
Position after 39.Rf5!…

Black is surrounded and will lose his Queen.

39… Kg8 [39...hxg4 40.Rxg5 Qxg5 41.Ne6... winning the Queen for Rook] 40.Qd8+ Kh7 41.Qe7 Black resigns 1–0
Boston (2 – 0)

A very nice game by Ilya. I don’t think that he was ever in real danger of losing. That’s two flawless, under control games in a row… What happened to the old Ilya who had to be lost in order to win?… I think we’ll miss him… Not!

Next to finish was top board and two Bishop connoisseur, GM Eugene Perelshteyn… all I can say is… He got the two Bishops… and his opponent almost made him choke on them.

IM Jonathon Schroer (CAR) vs. GM Eugene Perelshteyn (BOS) — Board 1

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5 Ne4 6. cxd5 Nxg5 7. Nxg5 e6 8. Nf3…

Just in case you think the Gruenfeld is boring… also possible is
8. Qd2 Bh6 9. h4 f6 10. dxe6 fxg5 11. d5 c6 12. e4…
When White is down a piece for two pawns and the attack.

Analysis position after 12.e4…
However, it may revert to its terribly positional reputation after…
12… Bxe6 13. dxe6 Qxd2+ 14.Kxd2 Ke7 15. hxg5 Bxg5+ 16. Kc2 Kxe6
Not the best line, but a fun possibility for us non-positional types. Now, back to our game…

8… exd5 9. e3 O-O 10. Be2 Re8

10… c6 11. b4 Qd6 slows down White’s queenside a little.

11. b4 c6 12. O-O a6 13. a4 a5!?

13… Bf5 kept things about equal. Eugene plays to unbalance the game.

Position after 13…a5!?

White now has a very slight and very positional edge… just the type of game GM Perelshteyn likes.

14. b5 Bf8 15. Ne5 Bd6 16. Nd3 Nd7

The game is equal.

17. Bf3 Nf6 18. Re1 Ne4 (18… Bf5 may be slightly better) 19. Bxe4 dxe4 20. Nc5 f5

20… Bxc5 21. dxc5 Qg5 is more active. But, Eugene loves those Bishops.

21. bxc6 bxc6 22. Rb1?!…

According to my buddy, Fritz, this is a big mistake. But, even I doubt my friends now and again.
After 22. Qb3+ Kg7 the game is about equal.

Position after 22. Rb1?!…

Fritz suggests that Black can now take command with…
22… Bxc5 23. dxc5 Qxd1 24. Rexd1 Re5 grabbing a pawn… but, at what cost.
25. Rd8+ Kf7 26. Rb3 Rxc5

Analysis Position after 26… Rxc5

Fritz gives Black a -/+ 1.16… almost winning. This is the kind of position that looks suspicious to us humans. However, I played out several variations and I don’t see a way for White to make progress. Black, on the other hand, has a plan… free his last two pieces. For example… 27. h4 Kf6 threatening …Bb7 28. Rf8+ Kg7 29.Re8 Rc4
Grabbing another pawn if the Knight moves? 30. Re7+ Kf6 31. Rxh7 Be6 with advantage to Black.

Analysis Position after 31… Be6

Now, I know that there are innumerable other possibilities. I played through some, but, I don’t see that White comes out on top. Rather, it is Black who makes progress. Just throwing it out there for discussion… Is it a draw or win, and for who?

22… Ra7?!

After this, White has a slight advantage.

23. Qb3+ Rf7 24. Qb6?!… again giving Black the chance to get out of trouble.

Position after 24. Qb6?!…

Consider, 24… Qxb6 25. Rxb6 Bxc5 26. dxc Re5! 27. Rxc6 Bb7 and Black will win the c-pawn with advantage.
Better was 24. Ne2 Qh4 25. Ng3 Bc7 26. Qc4…

24… Qf6?! After this, White’s simply wins a pawn.

25. Qxa5 h5 26. Rb6?!…

Why give the exchange? This can be no more than equal, although complex. There are other moves
to keep an advantage, for example…
26. Ne2 g5 27. Rec1 h4 28. Qa8 h3 29. g3… with advantage White.

26… Bc7 27. Qb4 Bxb6 ( Black might interpolate… 27… Qd6 28. g3 Bxb6 29.
Qxb6 g5) 28. Qxb6 h4 29. h3…

29. a5 h3 30. a6 Bxa6 31. Qxa6 hxg2 32. Qc4 Kh8 33. d5 cxd 34. Nxd5… keeps White on top.

29… g5 30. a5 f4?

This should lose. 30… g4 had to be played with White having a large edge.

31. N3xe4 Qg6 32. f3 Bf5 33. a6 Ra8 34. exf4…

Winning easily was 34. Nd3 Re7 35. Ne5 Rxe5 36. dxe5 Bxe4 37. fxe4 Qxe4
38. Qb7 Rf8 39. Qe7…

34… gxf4 35. Kh2… (34.Nd3! Bxh3 35.Re2 Qg7 36. Ne5… is good for White)
35… Rg7 36. Re2 Kh8 37. Ra2 Rag8 38. Qb2 Bxh3?

Again, this should lose although good moves are hard to come by here.

Position after 38… Bxh3?

White can now push the pawn to victory.
39. a7 Qxg2+ 40. Qxg2 Rxg2+ 41. Rxg2 Bxg2 42. Nf6 Ra8 43. Kxg2 Rxa7
and the endgame is winning, though there is work to do.

39. Kxh3?…

All White’s hard work down the proverbial drain… He is lost.

39… Qf5+ 40. Kh2 h3 41. gxh3…

Also lost is… 41. Kg1 Qh5 42. Ne6 (42. d5 hxg2 43. Qxg7+ Rxg7 44. Rxg2 Rxg2+ 45. Kxg2 cxd5 46. a7 Qe8
47. Nc3 d4 48. Nb5 Qe2+ 49. Kg1 Qxf3) 42… Rxg2+ 43. Qxg2

41… Qxh3+ 42. Kxh3 Rh7# 0-1

Final position…

The old Qxh3 trick… It was nice of IM Schroer to allow the mate… of course, he saw it coming, even in time pressure. I can’t say this is one of Eugene’s best… but, he is still perfect in the league… and Boston is still perfect in the match. Boston (3 – 0)

To remain perfect the match hinged on the skill of Blitz first timer and first lady, WGM Anya Corke. I’ve been told that our newest member will be annotating her game for the blog… So, I will not do so here. However, I will show one position from her game.

FM Ron Simpson (CAR) vs. WGM Anya Corke (BOS) — Board 3

1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 c5 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Bc5 6. Nb3 Ba7 7. Qe2 d6 8. Nc3
Nc6 9. Be3 Nge7 10. a4 O-O 11. O-O Bd7 12. Rfd1 Qc7 13. Kh1 Bxe3 14. Qxe3 Rad8
15. f4 Nb4 16. Nd4 Qc5 17. e5 Nxd3 18. Rxd3 dxe5 19. fxe5 Ng6 20. Rad1 Qxe5 21.
Qf3 Qc7 22. Ne4…

Black has won a pawn and could grab another on a4.

Position after 22. Ne4…

White is suffering and needs to mix it up a bit. Anya now plays my favorite move of the game… 22… Bc8 A Karpovian move if ever I saw one. Of course, taking the pawn is probably better… but, this Lady not only has class… she has technique. She went on to easily win with no complications… or none that I saw. But she’ll tell us more, I’m sure.

22… Bc8 (22… Bxa4!?…) 23. Qf2 e5 24. Nb3 Bg4 25. Rxd8 Rxd8 26. Rxd8+
Qxd8 27. h3 Be6 28. Nbc5 Bc8 29. Nd3 f5 30. Nc3 Qd6 31. Qa7 e4 32. Qa8 Ne7 33.
Nc1 f4 34. Qa7 Qd2 35. Qg1 Qxc2 36. N1e2 f3 37. Ng3 Qxb2 38. Ncxe4 Qxg2+ 39.
Qxg2 fxg2+ 40. Kxg2 b6 41. Nd6 Bd7 42. Nc4 Nd5 43. Nb2 Nc3 {White resigns} 0-1

Boston (4 – 0)

Well, congrats to Anya on her first win for the Blitz… and many more to come. And a round of applause for every team member. It seemed to me that they each gained momentum from the other boards… It’s a strange thing a team. There is truly no “I’ in Team… but there is a “WE”… if you turn the “M” upside down. And “we” are all Boston Blitz teammates.