What do Poltergeist and Chess Players have in common?… give up?… They both move things in sometimes inexplicable ways. In the case of the latter, it often results in a match loss. Such was their lot last week, as Blitz pieces flew mysteriously to all the wrong squares as our heroes took a thumping from the New England Nor’easters, losing (0.5 – 3.5) in what can only be described as a disturbingly unnatural nightmare.

I offer as evidence…

Esserman drew again (3 draws this season)!?? And this time with White against IM David Vigorito’s King’s Indian.
(Blitz 0.5 – NE 0.5)

Jorge played the Black side of a Benko Gambit against GM Sam Shankland, and then attacked on the Kingside!??
(Blitz 0.5 – NE 1.5)

Vadim plays the stodgy Berlin versus NM Alex Cherniack’s Ruy Lopez… and gambits a pawn!?? (Blitz 0.5 – NE 2.5)

Ilya destroy’s NM Ben Goldberg’s Gruenfeld defence (as I predicted) winning 3 pieces for Queen and pawn by move 13… But wait,,, this middle/endgame is only equal??, or is it??
(Blitz 0.5 – NE 3.5)

Paranormal activity?… to say the least. And Marc was one victim as he just couldn’t get his fingers to cooperate… the pieces seemed to have their own peaceful plan.

IM Marc Esserman (BOS) vs IM David Vigorito (NE) – Board 2

1.c4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.g3 0–0 6.Bg2 Nc6 7.0–0 a6 8.h3 Bd7 9.e4 e5 10.d5 Nd4 11.Be3… Safe and good, but more aggressive and possibly better, and more Marc’s style, is… [11.Nxd4 exd4 12.Qxd4 Qc8 13.h4 Ng4 14.Qd1… White is a pawn up.

Analysis Position after 14.Qd1...

Black must prove compensation for the pawn.] 11…Nxf3+ 12.Qxf3 Qc8 13.Bg5 Nh5 14.Kh2… = and again more aggressive is… [14.g4 Nf4 15.Bxf4 exf4 16.Qxf4 White is a pawn uo, but facing two strong Bishops.] 14…Qe8 It’s nice to have your cake and eat it too… However, Black could have taken over the initiative with either 14… b5 or 14… f5. [14...f5 15.Bd2 f4 16.g4 Nf6 17.Qd3 Qd8 with a slight advantage for Black.] 15.Qd3 f5 16.c5?!! Now this is Marc’s style… questionable, but complex, and therefore good.

Position after 16.c5?!!

Perhaps safer was… [16.exf5 gxf5] 16…f4 17.c6?!! even worse, but great. 17…bxc6 18.dxc6 Bxc6… Black is up a pawn… but, now White has things to do… and that is Marc’s game. 19.g4 Bf6 20.Bh6?!! this is almost losing… but good. better was… [20.Bxf6 Nxf6 21.g5 Nh5 22.Bf3 Ng7 -/+ (–1.00)] 20…Ng7 21.Rac1 Rf7! Black is winning.

Position after 21… Rf7!

Just slowly untangle and ease the extra pawn to victory… no problem.

22.Nd5 Bd8 23.Bxg7 Kxg7 24.Rfd1 a5 25.Bf3… Marc thought that this move assured a draw and it sure looks like Black will have trouble getting his pieces untangled. But, the computer likes Black big time after… [25...Ra7 26.Qa3 Bd7 27.Rd2 c6 28.Nc3 Bc7 Black seems a solid pawn up. –+ (–1.87)]
25…Bb5 26.Qd2 c6 Strangely, the Bishop in front of the pawn is not as good.
27.Nc3 Bb6 28.Nxb5 There goes the two Bishops.
Game drawn by mutual agreement. ½–½

Final Position after 28.Nxb5…

Only Black can play for a win here after…
[28...cxb5 29.Rc2 Bd4 30.Rdc1 Black still has a large advantage. But, Bishops of opposite color seem drawish if we imagine all pawns on the Queenside gone.]
Boston (0.5 – 0.5)

Jorge’s game was very difficult. A Benko gambit usually means Black has Queenside pressure, not so, in this strange reversal of roles.

GM Sam Shankland (NE) vs SM Jorge Sammour-Hasbun (BOS) – Bd 1

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.Nf3 Bg7 8.g3 d6 9.Bg2 Nbd7 10.Rb1 Nb6 11.b3 Bc8 12.Nh4 h6 13.Qc2 Qd7 14.0–0 g5 15.Nf3…

Position after 15.Nf3…

15… Qf5?! Possibly special preparation. Fritz evaluates this as much better for White +/- (1.28) [Book is ... 15...Nfxd5 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.Bd2 Bb7 18.a4 Rc8 19.Rbd1 Nf6 20.Ne1…]

Analysis Position after 20.Ne1…

Black seems slightly better. This was the only possibility for a good game that I saw for Black. The rest is in White’s favor.
16.e4 Qg6 17.Bb2… [17.b4 Nbxd5 (17...cxb4 18.Rxb4) 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.bxc5 0–0 20.Bd2 and White is just a pawn up.] 17…0–0 18.Rfd1 Bg4 19.h3 Bd7 20.Qe2 Rfe8 21.a4 e6 [21...c4 22.Ra1 cxb3 23.a5 White is winning.] 22.dxe6 Rxe6 23.Qf1… [better is... 23.e5 dxe5 24.Nxe5 Qf5 25.Bxa8 Rxe5 26.Qa6 +- (2.30)] 23…Bc6 24.Nd2 Nfd7 25.Nd5 Bxb2 26.Rxb2 Bxd5 27.exd5 Ree8 [27...Re7] 28.Qb5 Red8 29.a5!… Obvious and strong.

Postion after 29.a5!…

There is no hope now.
29…Nc8 30.Nc4 Rb8 31.Qc6 Qf6 32.Qc7 Ra8 33.Re2 Ra7 34.Qc6 Nb8 35.Qb5 Na6 36.Rde1 Nc7 37.Qc6 Kg7 38.Re3 Na6 39.Rf3 Qd4 40.Ne3 Ne7 41.Qb6 Rdd7 42.Rd1 Qe5 43.Bf1 Nb4 44.Nc4 Qe4

Position after 44… Qe4

45.Re3?!… [Winning immediately is... 45.Rxf7+ ! 45...Kxf7
Analysis Position after 45… Kxf7

Well, it was a pretty enough combination to deserve a look.
(45...Kg6 46.f3 traps the Queen) 46.Qxa7 Rxa7 47.Nxd6+ Kf8 48.Nxe4]
45…Qc2 The Queen is needed near the King and Black is losing, but he can make things tough with… [45...Qg6 46.Rxe7 Rxe7 47.Nxd6 Rxa5 48.Qxa5 Qxd6 49.Bg2 +- (1.48)] 46.Nxd6 Qxd1 47.Ne8+ Kh7 48.Qf6 Qd4 49.Qxf7+ Kh8 50.Nf6 Black resigns 1–0
Boston (0.5 – 1.5)

And how was our Berlin defence doing… you know they are always drawish… well, not so good.

NM Alex Cherniack (NE) vs. NM Vadim Martirosov (BOS) – Board 3

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0–0 Nxe4 5.d4 Be7 6.dxe5 0–0 7.Qd5 Nc5 8.Be3 d6 [8...Ne6 9.Nc3 f6 10.exf6 Bxf6 11.Bc4 is better for White.] 9.Bxc5 dxc5 10.Bxc6 bxc6 Now, here’s an interesting position if I ever saw one.

Position after 10…bxc6

The problem here is that, although the evaluation may be equal, Black’ pawns are so bad that it is up to Black to prove it.

11.Qxc6… [11.Qe4 Qd5 12.Qe3 =] 11…Rb8 12.Nc3 Bb7 13.Qa4 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Rb4 [14...Qd2 15.Ne4 Qd5 16.b3 Qxe5 =; Or, the rather long... 14...Rxb2 15.Rad1 Qe8 16.Qa3 Rb6 17.Nd5 Rg6+ 18.Kh1 c6 19.Nf4 Rg5 20.Qe3 Qb8 21.Rfe1 Qc7 22.Nd3 Rf5 23.Nxc5 Bxc5 24.Qxc5 Rxf3 25.Rd6 Qb6 =] 15.Qc6 Rh4? In Vadim’s words, “a bogus attack”. Black is now much worse, possibly losing. Still with struggling equality is… [15...Rxb2 16.Rfd1 Qe8 17.Qe4 c6 =]

Position after 15…Rh4?

Black’s pieces do not bode well for an attack. He can only hope for a bad mistake on White’s part.

16.Rad1 Qc8? After this, Black has no counterplay. [16...Qb8 17.Nd5 Bd8 18.Rfe1 Rh6 19.Qxc5 Qc8 20.Ne3 Qh3 21.Nf1 Qxf3 22.Rd3 Qf5 23.Qxa7 Black's game hangs by a thread +-(1.40) ] 17.Rd7 Rh6 18.Qxc7 Qa6 19.Ne4… The move Vadim missed when he played 15…Rh4.
19…Rg6+ 20.Ng3 Bg5 21.Qxc5 Qxa2 22.b3 Qb2 23.Rfd1 h5 24.R1d6 Qc1+ 25.Kg2 h4 26.Rxg6 fxg6 27.Qc7!… very nice.

Position after 27.Qc7!…

Winning the h-pawn and the game.
27…Bh6 [27…Kh8 28.Rxg7 Bh6 29.Rxg6…] is also winning for White as 31.f4… is threatened.
28.Qc4+ Kh7 29.Qxh4 Qxc2 30.Qc4 Qxc4 31.bxc4 Re8 32.Rxa7 Rxe5 33.Ne4 Bf4 34.Nf6+
Ouch!…Black resigns 1–0
Boston (0.5 – 2.5)

Can anyone stop this out of control train? How about board 4? White is winning, yes?… Oops! Those gremlins got us again.

NM Ilya Krasik (BOS) vs. NM Ben Goldberg (NE) – Board 4

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qa4+ Bd7 6.Qb3 dxc4 7.Qxc4 0–0 8.Bf4 c6 9.e4 b5 10.Qb3 a5 [Theory is... 10...Be6 11.Qc2 Qa5 12.Bd2 b4 13.Nd1 Qb6 14.Be2 With a slight edge for White.] 11.e5 Be6 12.exf6 Bxb3 13.fxg7 Kxg7 14.axb3 Na6 Is this, as they say, dynamically equal.

Position after 14…Na6

We humans watching this game assumed easy win for White. But it is not so easy. [Let's try... 14...Qd7 15.Be2 Qf5 16.Be3 Qc2 17.Bd1 Qf5 18.0–0 Nd7 19.Re1 Rfc8 20.h3 h5 21.Rc1 Nf6 22.Ne5 Qe6 23.Bc2 Qd6 24.Ne4 Nxe4 25.Bxe4 Ra6 26.Rc3 a4 27.bxa4 bxa4 28.Rc5 Qb8 29.Re2 a3 30.bxa3 Rxa3 31.Re1 e6 32.Nxc6 Qd6 33.Rec1 and with all the pawns on one side, Black is still in the game.] 15.Be2 Nb4 16.0–0 Qd7 17.Rac1 Qe6 18.d5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 Qxd5 20.Rfd1 Qe4 21.Be3 Rfd8 22.Nd4 Rac8 23.Bf3 Qh4

Position after 23… Qh4

24.Rc5?!… After this, Black is slightly better. [24.Nxc6 Rxd1+ 25.Rxd1…

Analysis Position after 25.Rxd1…

Looks like White will win the a-pawn, for example... 25...Kg8 26.Bc5 Re8 27.Nxa5 Qf6 28.Nc6 e5 29.Be4 h5 30.f3 h4 31.h3 Kh7 32.Bb4 Qe6 33.Bd5 Qf5 34.Bc3 Rc8 may be equal... ] 24…h6 25.g3 Qf6 26.Bf4… This makes things worse. [26.Bg4 e6 Black has a smaller edge than in the game.] 26…Kh7 27.Be5 Qxf3 28.Nxf3 Rxd1+ 29.Kg2 f6 30.Bc3 b4 Better, and close to winning for Black is… [30...Rd5 31.Rxd5 cxd5 32.Bxa5 e5] 31.Bd2 e5 32.Be3 Rd5 33.Rc4 c5 34.Kf1… [34.Nd2 f5 35.Rc2 and planting the Knight on c4 is equal.] 34…Kg7 35.Nd2 f5 36.Ke2 g5 37.f3 Kg6 38.g4!…
Ilya jumps on a slight edge for White.

Position after 38.g4!…

38…fxg4 39.fxg4 h5 40.Ne4… [40.gxh5+ Kxh5 41.Ne4 Kg6 42.Nxg5 Rh8 43.h3 Rh5 44.h4 is close to winning for White.]

Analysis Position after 44.h4…

40…hxg4 41.Nxg5?!… better was… [41.Nf2 ! 41...Rh8 42.Rxg4 Rxh2 43.Rxg5+ Kf6 44.Rg8 Ke6 45.Ra8 With only a very slight edge to White.] 41…Rh8

Position after 41…Rh8

42.Ne4?… The losing move… I think. [42.Rxg4 Rxh2+ 43.Kf3 Kf5 44.Ne4 Rxb2 45.Rg5+ Ke6 46.Rg6+ Kf7 47.Ra6 Rxb3 48.Ng5+ Ke8 49.Ke4 Rd1 50.Bxc5 is very complicated dynamic equality.]

Analysis Position after 50.Bxc5…

A position worthy of study. The rest is easy.

42…Rxh2+ 43.Nf2 Kf5 44.Ke1 g3 45.Ne4 g2 46.Kf2 Rd3 47.Ng3+ Ke6 48.Rc1 Rxb3 49.Bxc5 Rxb2+ 50.Kg1 Rh8 51.Bf2 a4 52.Ne4 Rh1+ White resigns 0–1

A second straight defeat and the first win for the Nor’easters over the Blitz in their entire history (only one season).
Boston(0.5 – 3.5)

The Blitz are now in 5th place, only one game out of first. We had our chance to put an end to these guys… but, oh those New England Poltergeist… Look out league… They’re Baaack!