This is a training exercise for you. Black to move. Once you find a good move for Black write down a possible continuation. Hint: Black should be slightly better. Post your lines in the comments section. I will post the solution later, if required. 

​Here we go. 

Beinai 2430 vs NCM Vas Sladek, ICC blitz October 2017

​

Sometimes you get lucky online when you run into a strong 2400 rated opponent who is willing to blitz out a lot of games in one sitting. Today I started off with a win but only got two draws after that. Still, it's great training!



[Event "ICC 3 0 u"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2017.10.24"]
[Round "?"]
[White "NCM Vas Sladek"]
[Black "beinai"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A45"]
[WhiteElo "1907"]
[BlackElo "2430"]
[PlyCount "47"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. h4 c5 4. d5 b5 5. Nd2 Nxg5 6. hxg5 e6 7. g6! fxg6 8.
dxe6 dxe6 9. e3 a6 10. Bd3 Qf6 11. Qf3 Qxf3 12. Ngxf3 Nc6 13. Bxg6+ Kd8 14.
Rxh7 Rxh7 15. Bxh7 Bd6 16. O-O-O Ke7 17. Ne4 Bc7 18. Nxc5 Bb6 19. Ne4 Bd7 20.
Bg6 Rf8 21. a3 Nd8 22. Ne5 Bc8 23. Nd6 Nb7 24. Nxc8+ 1-0 (24. ..Rxc8 25. Rd7+ Kf6 26. Rxb7 Bc5 27. b4 and White will be up several pawns)

[Event "ICC 3 2"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2017.10.21"]
[Round "?"]
[White "IM David Strauss"]
[Black "NCM Vas Sladek"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A20"]
[WhiteElo "2110"]
[BlackElo "1924"]
[PlyCount "60"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
1. c4 e5 2. g3 d6 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. Nc3 Be6 5. Nd5 Qd7 6. d3 f5 7. e4 Nf6 8. Ne2
Be7 9. h3 O-O 10. Be3 h6 11. exf5 Bxf5 12. g4 Bh7 13. Ng3 Kh8 14. Qd2 Nd4 15.
O-O c6 16. Nxe7 Qxe7 17. Rae1 Qd7 18. f4 Rae8 19. f5 d5 20. cxd5 Nxd5 21. Be4
Qd8 22. Qg2 Nxe3 23. Rxe3 Qg5 24. Ree1 g6 25. fxg6 Bxg6 26. Bxg6 Qxg6 27. Ne4
h5 28. gxh5 Qxh5 29. Nf6?? Rxf6! 30. Rxf6 Rg8 (31. Qxg8+ Kxg8 -+ ) 0-1

Titled players are generally much better endgame players. This blitz game shows how much work it is to hold endgames against strong players. Exchange pawns and keep your King active. Once my King parked on g3 it was a draw.


​[Event "ICC 3 2"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2017.10.21"]
[Round "?"]
[White "NCM Vas Sladek"]
[Black "IM David Strauss"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A41"]
[WhiteElo "1898"]
[BlackElo "2136"]
[PlyCount "133"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
1. d4 d6 2. Bg5 c5 3. c3 cxd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6 5. Qa4 Nf6 6. Nf3 e6 7. Nbd2 Be7 8.
e3 O-O 9. Be2 Bd7 10. Qc2 Re8 11. O-O Qc7 12. Rac1 Rab8 13. Rfd1 b5 14. a3 a5
15. e4 Qb7 16. Nd4 Nxd4 17. cxd4 h6 18. Bf4 Rec8 19. Qd3 Rxc1 20. Rxc1 Rc8 21.
Rxc8+ Qxc8 22. Nf3 d5 23. exd5 Nxd5 24. Bd2 b4 25. axb4 Bxb4 26. h3 Qb7 27. Ne5
Be8 28. Bf3 Bxd2 29. Qxd2 Qb4 30. Qxb4 Nxb4 31. Nc4 a4 32. Bd1 Nd3 33. Bc2 Nb4
34. Bd1 Bb5 35. Nb6 Nd3 36. Bxa4 Ba6 37. b3 Kf8 38. f3 Ke7 39. Kh2 Kd6 40. Nc4+
Kd5 41. Ne5 f6 42. Nxd3 Bxd3 43. Kg3 Kxd4 44. Kf4 Kc3 45. Ke3 Bc2 46. g4 Bxb3
47. Bd7 Bd5 48. f4 Kc4 49. h4 Kc5 50. Be8 Kd6 51. Ba4 e5 52. fxe5+ Kxe5 53. Bc2
Be6 54. Kf3 g5 55. hxg5 hxg5 56. Bd3 Bd5+ 57. Kg3 Kd4 58. Bf5 Ke3 59. Bd7 Be4
60. Bc8 Bd3 61. Bd7 Kd4 62. Be6 Ke5 63. Bc8 Bc4 64. Bb7 Be6 65. Ba6 Kd4 66. Bb7
Ke3 67. Bc6 1/2-1/2

Attacking is always more fun than defending. This was a fun blitz game to play. Please share yours!


[Event "ICC 3 0"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2017.10.22"]
[Round "?"]
[White "NCM Vas Sladek"]
[Black "miniking"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A40"]
[WhiteElo "1861"]
[BlackElo "1710"]
[PlyCount "47"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
1. d4 g6 2. Bg5 Bg7 3. c3 d6 4. e4 Nd7 5. Nf3 h6 6. Bh4 a6 7. Nbd2 b5 8. Bd3
Bb7 9. Qe2 Nb6 10. O-O Qd7 11. e5 e6 12. Rfd1 Ne7 13. Bg3 O-O 14. h4 Kh7 15. h5
Rab8 16. Rac1 Rbe8 17. Bh4 Qc8 18. g4 Bxf3 19. Nxf3 Ned5 20. Qe4 dxe5 21. hxg6+
fxg6 22. Qxg6+ Kg8 23. Nxe5 Nf4 24. Qh7# 1-0

The Tri-Cities chess team had a rough start to the season in September, losing to the very strong Chigorin chess club. But the team came back nicely in round 2, scoring a decisive 6.5-2.5 win against SFU. David and Sherry were joined by chess expert Marek Radzikowski.
​We lost round one 2-1when David lost on time in a winning position. The 15 5 time control is very fast. I play practice games at this time control to get used to it.
​We won round two 2.5-0.5 and then shut out our opponents in round three 3-0.

Well done!

​I hope to make my season debut if my son's soccer schedule allows it. But perhaps this team doesn't need me.....see you in November.

​This is the best picture I have. Tri-Cities chess team is in the foreground. Left to right, Marek, David and Sherry.

​

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting the Bahamas first FM titled player Cecil Moncur online. So far I have a good 4.5-1.5 score against him. Not only is he a titled player, he also likes to play longer time control games. This, of course, is the recommended approach. Longer games produce much better moves and better players. Just don't tell that to all of the blitz addicts.

​Cecil picked up his FM title by scoring well in the last chess Olympiad. Good for him. I will feature some of his Olympiad games in a future blog post.

​Also, this post is another example of the internet improving people's chess lives. Since I still see chess players face to face, I get some balance. But where do you access titled chess players in the Lower Mainland? You don't! Unless you log on online like I do.

The game below features an exchange Slav opening with a stonewall f4 set-up; White allows Rxb2+ and eventually gets mated. It took me "forever" to find the mate as the clock was ticking.





[Event "ICC 30 5"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2017.09.17"]
[Round "?"]
[White "FM Cecil Moncur"]
[Black "NCM Vas Sladek"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D10"]
[WhiteElo "1816"]
[BlackElo "2058"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bf4 Nc6 6. e3 e6 7. h3 Bd6 8. Bxd6
Qxd6 9. f4 O-O 10. Bd3 Bd7 11. Nf3 Rac8 12. O-O a6 13. a3 Na5 14. Ne5 Be8 15.
g4 b5 16. g5 Nd7 17. Qh5 g6 18. Qh6 Nc4 19. Ng4 f6 20. Bxc4 bxc4 21. Kg2 Rb8
22. Rab1 Qc6 23. h4 f5 24. Ne5 Nxe5 25. fxe5 Rf7 26. h5 Rfb7 27. hxg6 Rxb2+ 28.
Rxb2 Rxb2+ 29. Rf2 Rxf2+ 30. Kxf2 Bxg6 31. Qh1 Qb6 32. Na4 Qb3 33. Nc5 Qc2+ 34.
Kf3 Kf7 35. Qe1 Qh2 36. e4 Bh5+ 37. Ke3 f4# 0-1



​

Well, this was fun. As Black I survived White's pressure on the b7 pawn. As everything cleared up White's Queen was too late switching back to her King side. This is what normally happens. When you play the Black pieces, White has a small edge. Therefore, you have to equalize first and then look for more. So stay patient as Black.

​I hope you too will score some nice wins against FIDE titled players. Share your games by pasting them into the comments below.

​See you at the chess club on Thursdays at 6pm.

[Event "ICC 3 0"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2017.10.15"]
[Round "?"]
[White "FM Jotun"]
[Black "NCM Vas Sladek"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A21"]
[WhiteElo "2060"]
[BlackElo "1860"]
[PlyCount "68"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. Nf3 Be6 4. g3 Nc6 5. d3 Be7 6. Bg2 f5 7. Rb1 a5 8. a3 h6
9. b4 axb4 10. axb4 Nf6 11. b5 Nb8 12. Nd2 Bc8 13. Bb2 O-O 14. Ra1 Rxa1 15.
Qxa1 Nbd7 16. Qa7 f4 17. O-O Nc5 18. Ba3 b6 19. Nd5 Nxd5 20. Bxd5+ Kh8 21. Bg2
Bg4 22. Re1 Bf6 23. Bxc5 dxc5 24. Ne4 Be7 25. Nc3 Bd6 26. Nd5 Be6 27. Bf3 Bxd5
28. Bxd5 Qg5 29. Bg2 fxg3 30. hxg3 h5 31. Qb7 h4 32. gxh4 Qxh4 33. Qe4 Rf4 34.
Qg6 Qxf2+ 0-1

[Event "ICC 3 0"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2017.10.14"]
[Round "?"]
[White "NCM Vas Sladek"]
[Black "Ira57"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D52"]
[WhiteElo "1872"]
[BlackElo "1868"]
[PlyCount "62"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
1. d4 d5 2. Bg5 Nd7 3. Nf3 Ngf6 4. e3 c6 5. c4 e6 6. Nc3 Qc7 7. Bd3 Be7 8. O-O
h6 9. Bh4 O-O 10. Rc1 Qd8 11. Re1 b6 12. Qe2 Bb7 13. Bg3 Re8 14. e4 dxe4 15.
Nxe4 Nf8 16. Red1 Rc8 17. a3 a5 18. h3 Nxe4 19. Bxe4 Bd6 20. Ne5 Qe7 21. Qf3
Bxe5 22. dxe5 Rc7 23. Rd6 Rec8 24. Rcd1 Nd7 25. b4 axb4 26. axb4 Nb8 27. Qg4
Na6 28. Bh4 g5 29. f4 (attacking is always more fun than defending) Kh8 30. fxg5 Rg8 31. Qh5 Qf8 1-0

​It's over after 32.Rd8.....

Sometimes you get lucky late at night. I did recently when Bulgarian grandmaster Evgeny Ermenkov played 20, 4 0 blitz games against me. What a thrill. Yes, he crushed me but I had more chances than the 18-2 score would indicate. The very last game finally brought a victory. It's the GM scalp everyone looks for.

[Event "ICC 4 0"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2017.10.14"]
[Round "?"]
[White "NCM Vas Sladek"]
[Black "GM Evgeny Ermenkov"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A40"]
[WhiteElo "1823"]
[BlackElo "2134"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. e4 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 Nd4 8. Be2
Bxf3 9. Bxf3 c5 10. dxc6 bxc6 11. O-O Ne7 12. b3 a5 13. g3 O-O 14. Bg2 Qd7 15.
Rc1 f5 16. Ne2 c5 17. f4 Rae8 18. fxe5 dxe5 19. Nc3 Kh8 20. Nd5 Nec6 21. Qd2
Nb4 22. Rf2 Qd6 23. Rcf1 Nbc2 24. Bh6 f4 25. Bxg7+ Kxg7 26. gxf4 exf4 27. Rxf4
Rxf4 28. Rxf4 Ne6 29. Rf6 Ncd4 30. Qf2 Qe5 31. Rf7+ Kh8 32. Nf6 Ng5 33. Qh4 (diagram) Re7
34. Rxe7 Qxe7 35. Qxg5 Ne6 36. Qe5 Qd8 37. Nd5+ Ng7 38. Bh3 h5 39. Qf6 Qe8 40.
e5 a4 41. e6 axb3 42. axb3 1-0


Diagram below. Black to play. White is threatening mate on h7 and the black rook on e8.