*For a superior formated version of this issue looking as it was intended (especially the annotation in the FigurineCB Aries SP font), download the .jpg, or better, the .pdf version on the home page.*

SHAVER WINS, 3-0
Cibotarica, Lovelace, Also Present

Section winners Randy Lovelace left, and Jack Shaver right, display their trophies.
photo by John Thomas                 photo by Carol Shaver

Two of three Hickory/Lenoir-Rhyne Chess Club members entering the 2006 Fall Foothills Chess Tournament, held October 28, 2006 at Hibriten High School Library, won their sections with perfect scores.

Randy Lovelace defeated the three other highest-rated players at the tournament, including fellow member Alex Cibotarica, to win the Open, or “A” section. Member Jack Shaver overcame three higher-rated players to achieve his first perfect tournament result and win section "C".

In other results, Kent Wheeless and Robbie Earp each also won all three games to win sections "D" and "E", respectively.  Brad Reece and Randy Wheeless tied for first place in section "B" with two wins and a draw apiece

Cibotarica, with a 1-2 showing, placed third in the Open section, his worst tournament result ever.

Twenty players participated in the tournament.  Another is tentatively planned for December.

(Games on pages 4 & 5  All page numbers refer to the original formatted edition)

In This Issue:

Foothills Holiday 2 Tourney Results…    p.2

Downtown Tournament A Success…...  p.2

L-R Chess Player Reminisces………...  p.2

Mitelman Beats GM Christiansen……    p.3

Games From Foothills Tournaments…    p.4

Cibotarica/Lovelace………………..…  p.4

Wheeless/Cibotarica……………….…   p.4

Cibotarica/Lovelace 2 -The Revenge-..   p.5

Greenlee/Cibotarica………………….    p.5

Lovelace/Greenlee……………………  p.5

Lovelace/Wheeless……………….…..  p.5

Chess and Religion……………….…..   p.6

                                -AND-
           Too many pictures of the Editor?!?

A History of the Hickory Chess Club

By Larry Robinson

The Hickory Chess Club began in the year 2000. One evening over dinner Michael Mitelman and Larry Robinson decided that they would like to combine their efforts to give birth to such a club in Hickory.

After attempting many different venues, the YMCA offered to cooperate with the club and assigned them a room and a meeting time on Saturday mornings. They informed their membership about the club and also there were newspaper articles about the meetings. Only two or three adults and three or four children came to the early meetings and eventually even those few lost interest and the YMCAs' idea was dropped.

Next, advertising the club in the local papers was tried, but as that produced no results, they were left with the only other option; spread the news by word of mouth. Once three or four players showed interest, the first meeting was held in the basement at Larry's house. The meetings continued to be held there for three years and the membership grew to about 9 or 10 on good meeting nights. Usually, however, there were fewer than that in attendance.

STILL PLAYING “CHEST”

Three year-old Elizabeth Shaver, above, considers  the odds that she’d be photographed at the board while her favorite uncle was winning his section in a tournament a continent away. photo by Kelly Taylor

Hickory Chess Club Elects Officers

L-R: John Shaw, Vaughn Dagenhart, Ted Bost, Larry Robinson, Jack Shaver. photo by Lee Robbins
Inset: Doug Burkholder

Following five years’ service as president of the Hickory/Lenoir-Rhyne Chess Club, Larry Robinson decided in March it was time to step down.

Vaughn Dagenhart, one of the most senior members, was elected President. John Shaw, one of the highest-rated members, agreed to serve as Vice President.

Jack Shaver was elected Secretary. Ted Bost remains as Treasurer, and Doug Burkholder as Faculty Advisor.

Robinson is still a leader in the club not only for his status as Founder and President Emeritus, but his enthusiasm for chess and the respect and affection in which he is held.

CVCC/Hickory Hobby Shop Tournament Rocks The Square

Hickory saw its highest-profile chess event in years with a tournament held on Union Square Saturday, July 8.

Sponsored by the Catawba Valley Community College Chess Club and Hickory Hobby Shop, as well as other downtown businesses, the tournament was the brainchild of CVCCCC coach Ken Mann and Hickory Hobby Shop owner Dick Monahan.

“Our biggest intention was of course to promote chess which I feel we did. Not just in playing but in talking to passers by and explaining that chess is more than a game but has principles applicable to life in general- local businesses benefited from the exposure as well,” Mann said.

Games were played not only at Hickory Hobby Shop, but also Tee’s Coffee Co., Larry’s Music Madness, Groucho‘s Deli, Bisque & Beads, Tasteful Beans, and Drips.

Entering the tournament were Christopher Williams, George Skelton, Kelly G. Teague, John Thomas, Jerry Saxe, Ed Cooper, and Jacob Lunow.  Hickory/L-R Chess Club members playing were Tom Bell, Larry Robinson, Lee Robbins, Ubaldo Gonzalez, Randy Lovelace, Vaughn Dagenhart and Robert Locke.

At stake in the double-elimination tournament  was not only a cast-metal theme chess set crafted by local artist Bill Landis, courtesy of Hickory Hobby Shop, but free lunch for the top four players, courtesy of Groucho‘s Deli. The winner got choice of sets based on the American Civil War,  the Battle of Waterloo, the King’s & Cardinal’s Musketeers, or the Crusades.

Over four hours of chess saw the field narrowed to a final game between Randy Lovelace and John Thomas. Lovelace emerged victorious to choose the Civil War set.

“The tournament was enjoyed by sponsors and contenders alike.  We would like to do this again sometime,” Monahan said.

By Bill Wall

It's been almost 30 years since I was a student at Lenoir-Rhyne College, where I graduated with a B.S. in Physics in 1979.

I lived in Stony Point and Taylorsville, and previously attended Mitchell Community College in Statesville and Wilkes Community College in North Wilkesboro, where I was Student Government Association President. I was also the President of the chess clubs at these schools, including Lenoir-Rhyne.

While a student at Lenoir-Rhyne, I was elected President of the North Carolina Chess Association, and was its President from 1978 to 1980. In 1980, I was elected President of the Ohio Chess Association after leaving North Carolina and stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio as an Air Force officer.

While at Lenoir-Rhyne, I organized several chess tournaments at the college. These were rated chess tournaments for members of the U.S. Chess Federation. The school also had its own strong chess team which included myself and other Lenoir-Rhyne students such as Dennis Davidson, Randy Bowers, David Gitlin, Darrell Keller, Bob Gantt, and Bill Thigpen. The faculty advisor was Dr. Emmanuel Gitlin, who taught Russian at Lenoir-Rhyne. I took his class so I could read Russian chess literature. I had a large collection of Russian chess magazines and books that I had picked up over the years.

There were other chess tournaments in the area, including the Pewter Cup in Hickory, the Dogwood Opens in Statesville, the Mimosa tournaments in Morganton, and the Lawrence Pfefferkorn Opens in Winston-Salem. The Lenoir-Rhyne Chess Club had its club championship every  year,  and  I won in 1977, 1978, and 1979. Our club played other schools in the area, including the community colleges as well as Appalachian State University.

 James Kern, the faculty head of the physics department once told me that if I had time for chess, that I wasn't getting enough astronomy and physics homework. He soon allowed me more work in the school observatory at night. I still played chess, but I was more tired with day classes and night astronomy work.

I eventually graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne, served 25 years in the Air Force and at NASA as an electrical engineer and physicist, and played lots of chess. I am now Chief Computer Security Engineer at Harris Corporation in Melbourne, Florida.

As for chess, I have written 29 chess books, briefly made chess master, won three state amateur (non-master) championships, played on the Air Force Chess Team every year, and now enjoy playing hundreds of chess games every year online on the Internet (my handle is Ajeeb). I keep an active web site at http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/7378/chess.htm filled with chess trivia, chess games, humor, chess history, chess traps, and a little bit of everything related to chess.

Mitelman/Christiansen
Simul, Nashville, TN, 11/16/78
Annotations by Chessmaster 5000

1.e4  King's Pawn Opening.
...c5 The venerable Sicilian Defense creates an unbalanced position, giving both sides full rein for play, & lets Black call the shots, somewhat.

2.Nf3 S.D./King's Knight Variation. This normal response avoids commit­ting moves, like f4, d3, or Nc3, with different rationales, & prepares d4.
...d6 S.D./Kopec Variation.

3.d4 S.D./K.V.
...cxd4 S.D./Tartakower Variation.

4.Nxd4 S.D./Normal Variation.
...Nf6 S.D./Benko Variation. The Knight attack on the e4 pawn forces White to commit to its protection.

5.Nc3,Nc6 S.D./Sozin Variation 5.Nc3 Nc6.

6.Bc4 S.D. /S.V. 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bc4.
...Qb6 Out of Opening Book.

7.Nxc6,bxc6 N for N. Material even.

8.O-O,g6

9.Be3 Ends pin on f2 & threatens Q.
...Qb4 Moves to safety- attacks Bc4.

10.Qd3 Protects White's c4 Bishop.
...Bg7 Clears the way for O-O.

11.h3,O-O

12.a3 Threatens Black's Queen.
...Qa5 Moves it to safety.

13.b4 Attacks Black's Queen.
...Qh5 Moves it to safety.

14.Rad1,Bb7

15.Ne2,d5 Attacks Bc4.

16.exd5 Rescues Bc4- isolates c6.
...cxd5 Attacks Bc4.

17.Ba6 Safer square, threatens  Bb7, blocks a7
...Bxa6 Skewers & attacks Q.

18.Qxa6 Blocks a7. Material even.
...Rfc8 Threatens c2.

19.Bc5 Rescues c2 & threatens e7.
...Ne4

 20.Nf4 Threatens Black's Queen.
... Nxc5 Slightly better is Qg5.

21.Qxc8+ Forks King and   a8 Rook.
...Rxc8 Protects Black's King.

22.Nxh5 Attacks Black's pawn at d5.
... gxh5

23.bxc5 Creates passed c5. pawn.
...Rxc5 Protects d5, attacks c2. Wins Q, R, & N for Q, B, N, & pawn.

24.Rd2 Removes threat on c2.
...e6

25.Rb1 Seizes the open file.
...Be5

26.G3,Kg7

27.Kg2,h4

28.Rb4 Slightly better is gxh4.
...hxg3 Isolates h3 and f2 pawns .

29.fxg3 Isolates h7, & wins p for p.
...Rc3 Attacks a3 and blocks c2.

30.Rb3 Protects White's pawn at a3.
...Rc4

31.Rb4 Slightly better is Re2.
... Rc6 Slightly better is Rxb4.

32.Rf2,Bd6 Attacks Rook at b4.

33.Rb7 Safe, pins f7 and attacks a7.
...Bc7 Slightly better is Rc7.

34.Rxa7 Makes passed a3. Wins p.
...Rc3 Blocks c2.

35.G4,Kg6

36.Rb7 Seizes open file.
...e5

37.Rb3 Protects a3 & threatens R.
...Rc4 Moves it to safety.

38.Rbf3,e4 Yields 39 Rf6+ Kg7 40 Rxf7+ Kg8 41 R7f5 Bd6 42 Rxd5 Bxa3 43 Rg5+ Kh8 44 Rd2 Rc8 45 Re5 Bb4- wins 1 p for 2. Better- Bd8, yielding 39 Re2 f6 40 Rd2 d4 41 Rdf2 Be7 42 Rf5 Rc3- no  exchange.

39.Rf6+ Safer, checks, & blocks f7.
...Kg7 Moves it out of check.

40.Rxf7+ Checks- wins p.
...Kg8 Moves out of check.

41.Rf8+ Checks Black's K.
...Kg7 Forced. Moves out of check.

42.R8f7+ Leads to 42 Kg8, with no captures. Better is R2f7+, yielding 42 Kg6 43 Rf5 Kg7 44 R8f7+ Kg8 45 Re7 Rxc2+ 46 Kf1 d4 47 Rxe4 d3 48 Re8+ Kg7, which wins p for p.
...Kg8 Out of check.

43.Rd7 Threatens Black's d5.
... e3 Threatens White's Rook at f2.

44.Re2 Moves to safety, threatens e3, and blocks Black's pawn at e3.
...d4 Safer position and protects e3.

45.Kf3,Be5

46.Re7 Moves behind passed e3 and threatens Black Bishop.
...Bf6 Safer square & threatens Re7.

47.Ra7 Moves it to safety.
...Rc5

48.a4,h6 

49.a5,Rc6

50.Rb7 Takes control of open file.
...Bg5 Blocks White's pawn at g4.

51.Rb6 Threatens Black's rook.
...Rc7 Leads to 52 a6 Rf7+ 53 Ke4 Bf4 54 a7 Rxa7 55 Kxf4 Rf7+ 56 Kg3 Kg7 57 Re6, winning pawn for Bishop. Better is Rc4, leading to 52 a6 Kf7 53 Rb7+ Kf6 54 Rh2 Bh4 55 Rb6+ Kg5 56 Re6 Ra4, Yielding no exchange.

52.a6 Rf7+ Checks White's king.

53.Ke4 Out of check & threatens d4.
...Rf4+ Leads to 54 Kd3 Rf8 55 a7 Bf4 56 Rf6 Rxf6 57 a8(Q)+ Kg7 58 Qb7+ Kf8 59 Qc8+ Ke7 60 Kxd4. Better is d3, leading to 54 Rb8+ Kg7 55 Kxd3 Rd7+ 56 Ke4 Re7+ 57 Kd5 Kg6 58 c4 Bf4 59 Rg8+ Kf6, gaining Queen for  Rook and pawn.

54.Kd3 Out of check- blocks d4.
…resigns  

1-0 

Kent Wheeless/Jack Shaver
2006 Foothills Holiday 2 r.1 (2/18/06)

1)e4,e5 2)Nf3,Nc6 3)Bc4,Nf6 4)Ng5, d5 5)exd5,Nxd5 6)Nxf7,Qd7 7)Nxh8, Bc5 8)O-O,b6 9)Qf3,Nf6 10)Nf7,Bb4 11)Nc3,Na5 12)Qe2,e4 13)b3,Nxc4 14)bxc4,Qxf7 15)Rd1,Ba6 16)Nxe4, Nxe4 17)Qxe4+,Qe7 18)Qxa8+  1-0

Jack Shaver/Peter Slivka
2006 Foothills Holiday 2 r.2

1)e4,e5 2)Nf3,Nf6 3)Nxe5,Nxe4 4)d3,d6 5)dxe4,dxe5 6)Qxd8+,Kxd8 7)Nc3,Nc6 8)a3,Nd4 9)Bd3,c5 10) Be3,c4 11)O-O-O,cxd3 12)Rxd3, Bc5 13)Na4,b6 14)b4,Bd7 15)Re1, Bxa4 16)bxc5,bxc5 17)c3,Bb5 18)Rd2,Kc7 19)cxd4,exd4 20)Bf4+, Kc6 21)e5,d3 22)e6,c4 23)Be5,f6 24)Bd4,Rad8 25) e7,Rxd4 26)e8(Q)+,Rxe8 27)Rxe8, Kd5 28)Rd8+,Ke4 29)Rxd4+, Kxd4 30)Rb2,a6 31)Rb4, Kc3 32)f4, Bc6 33)g4,a5 34)Rb6,Ba4 35)Rd6,g5 36) fxg5,fxg5 37)Rd5,Bb3 38)Rd7,a4 39) d5,h6 40)Rd6,Ba2 41)Rd5,Kb3 42) Rb5+,Kxa3 43)Kd2, Bb3 44)Kc3, Ka2 45)Rb4,a3 46)Rb6, Bc2 47)Rb4, Bb3 48)Rb6,Kb1 49)Rb4,a2  0-1

Jayson Miller/Jack Shaver
2006 Foothills Holiday 2 r.3

1)d4,d5 2)c4,dxc4 3)Nc3,Nf6 4)Bg5, e6 5)Bxf6,gxf6 6)e3,Nc6 7)Bxc4,e5 8) d5,Nb4 9)a3,Na6 10)b4,Bf5 11)e4, Bg6 12)Nf3,Qe7 13)Qb3,O-O-O 14) O-O,f5 15)Rfe1,Bh6 16)a4,Nxb4 17) a5,fxe4 18)Nxe4,f5 19)d6,cxd6 20) Be6+,Kb8 21)Nc3,Nc6 22)a6,b6 23) Bd5,Na5 24)Rxa5,e4 25)Nd4,Rc8 26) Nc6+,Rxc6 27)Bxc6,Bf7 28)Bd5,Bxd5 29)Nxd5,Qe8 30)Rc1,Bxc1 31)Rb5, Kc8 32)Nxb6+,axb6 33)Rxb6,Qg6 34)a7,Kc7 35)Rb7+ Kc6 36)Qb5#  1-0

Jack Shaver/Jayson Miller
2006 Fall Foothills Tournament r.1 (10/28/06)

1)e4,d6 2)d4,b6 3)Nf3,Bb7 4)Nc3, Nd7 5)Be3,g6 6)Bc4,Bg7 7)Qd3,e5 8)dxe5,dxe5 9)Bg5,Ngf6 10)O-O-O, O-O 11)Nd5,c6 12)Nxf6+, Bxf6 13)Bxf6,Qxf6 14) Qxd7,Rab8 15)Qc7, Rfc8 16)Rd6,Qf4+ 17)Nd2, Rxc7 18)f3,c5 19)g3,Qe3 20)Rd3,Qf2 21)Nb1,Bc6 22) Nc3,b5 23)Bd5,Bxd5 24)exd5,Rd7 25)Ne4,c4 26)Nxf2,cxd3 27)Nxd3, Rxd5 28)Re1,Re8 29)f4, e4 30)Ne5,f6 31) Nc6,e3 32)Re2,Re6 33)Nxa7, Red6 34)b3,Rd1+ 35)Kb2, Re6 36)Nxb5, Rd2 37)Nc3,f5 38)a4, Kf7 39)b4,Rd4 40)b5,Kf6 41)Re1,g5 42)a5,gxf4 43)gxf4,Rxf4 44)a6,Rd4 45)a7,Re8 46) b6,Rb4+ 47)Kc1,Rxb6 48)Nd5+,Kg5 49)Nxb6,f4 50)a8(Q), Rxa8 51)Nxa8, Kg4 52)Kd1,Kf3 53)Re2,Ke4 54)Nb6, f3 55)Nc4,f2 56)Nxe3,Kf3 57)c4, resigns  1-0

Peter Slivka/Jack Shaver
2006 Fall Foothills Tournament r.2

Jack Shaver/Bobby Stroud
2006 Fall Foothills Tournament r.3

Alex Cibotarica/Randy Lovelace
2006 Foothills Holiday 2 r.1 (2/18/06)
Annotations by Fritz 8 10s

1.e4,e6 2.d3,d5 3.Nd2,Nf6 4.g3, [4.Ngf3 Nc6=] 4...dxe4 5.dxe4,Bc5 6.Bg2,Nc6 7.c3 Guards b4 7...Ne5 8.Bf1,Nd3+ 9.Bxd3,Qxd3 10.Qe2, Qxe2+ 11.Nxe2,b6 12.b4, Be7 13.0–0 [13.a4 Nd7³] 13...Bb7 14.f3 Guards g4 14...0–0 [14...Ba6 15. Kf2³] 15. Nb3,e5 16.Be3,Rfd8 17. Rfd1,Rxd1+ 18.Rxd1,Rd8 [18 ...Ne8 19.Kf2³]

19.Rxd8+,Bxd8 20. c4,Kf8 21.Nc3, c6 22.a4,Ba6 23.c5, Bc4 24.Nd2,Be6 [24...Bd3 25.b5 cxb5 26.axb5=] 25. Kf2,Nd7 26.cxb6,axb6 27.f4,exf4 28.gxf4,f6 [28...f5 29.exf5 Bxf5 30. Nde4=] 29.Ke2 [29.b5 cxb5 30.   Nxb5 f5²] 29...c5 [29...f5!?=] 30.bxc5², Nxc5 31.a5,Bc8 32.Nd5, Ba6+ [32...Bb7!?²] 33.Kf3,Nd7 [33 ...Bb7!? 34.f5 g6 35.axb6 Nd7 36. fxg6 hxg6±]

!

34.Nxb6,Nxb6 35.Bxb6, Be7 36.Nb3,Bc4 37.Nd4,Ke8 38.Nf5, g6 39.Ne3,Ba6 40.Nd5,f5?? shortens the misery for Black [40...Kd7 41.Nc7 Bc8+-] 41.Nc7+ [41.Nc7+ Kd7 42.Nxa6 fxe4+ 43.Kxe4+-]  1–0

Amelia Wheeless/Alex Cibotarica
2006 Fall Foothills r.1 (10/28/2006)
Annotations by Fritz 8 10s

1.e4,Nf6 2.e5,Nd5 3.d4,d6 4.Nf3,  Nc6 5.Bc4,Nb6 6.Bb3,dxe5 7.dxe5 [7.Nxe5!? should be considered 7...Nxe5 8.dxe5 Qxd1+ 9.Kxd1=] 7...Qxd1+³ 8.Kxd1,Bg4 9.Bf4,a5 10.c3 Controls b4+d4 [10.a4 e6³] 10...a4 11.Bc2,Nc4 12.Ke1,Bxf3 13.gxf3,N4xe5 14.Be4 [14.Nd2 e6µ] 14...Kd7 [14...0–0–0!?µ] 15.Bxe5, Nxe5 16.Bxb7 [16.Nd2 e6µ] 16...Nd3+ [¹16...Rb8 and Black gets the upper hand 17.Be4 Rxb2–+]

17.Kd2,Rb8 18.Kxd3,Rxb7 19.Kc2, e6 20.Nd2,Bd6 21.Rad1,Rbb8 22.Rb1,f5 [22...Rhd8 23.Nc4µ] 23.Rhg1,g6 24.h4,Ke7 25.Nc4,Bf4 26.Rbd1,c5 27.h5,g5 28.Rb1,Kf6 29.Rge1,Rhe8 30.Rbd1,h6 31.Re2 Flag [31.Re2 Rbd8 32.Rde1³]    1–0

Alex Cibotarica/Randy Lovelace
2006 Fall Foothills r.2
Annotations by Fritz 8 10s and Randy Lovelace

1.e4,e5 2.Nf3,Nc6 3.Bc4,Nf6 4. Ng5,d5 5.exd5 Nd4 [5...Nxd5!? 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7.Qf3+ Ke6=] 6.d6,Qxd6 7.c3 [¹7.Bxf7+!? looks like a viable alternative 7...Ke7 8.c3=] 7...Ne6= (If 7. Nxf7 Qc6 8. Nxh8 Qxg2 9. Rf1 Qe4+ 10. Be2 Nf3 mate.)

8.Nxe6,Bxe6 9.Bxe6,fxe6 10.0–0, Qd3 11.Qb3 [11.Re1 0–0–0=] 11 ...Qd5 [¹11...0–0–0µ] 12.c4²,Qc6 13.  Re1 [13.d3!?= deserves thought] 13...Bc5³ 14.Nc3,0–0 15.Re2,Rad8 16.h3,Rd3 [16...Nh5 17.d3 Ng3–+] 17.Qc2? [¹17.Qb5³ would hold out] 17...Rg3–+ 18.Ne4, Nxe4 19.Qxe4, Qxe4 20.Rxe4,Bxf2+ [¹20...Rxf2 makes it easier for Black 21.Rg4 Rxg4 22.hxg4 Rxd2+ 23.Kf1 Rf2+ 24. Ke1 Rxg2–+] 21.Kh2, Rd3 22. Rxe5 ?? an oversight. But White was lost anyway. [¹22.Rb1–+] 22...Bg3+   0-1

Leroy Greenlee/Alex Cibotarica
2006 Fall Foothills r.3
Annotations by Fritz 8 10s

1.e4,Nf6 2.e5,Nd5 3.d4,d6 4.c4,Nb6 5.f4,dxe5 6.fxe5,Nc6 7.Be3,Bf5 8.Nf3,e6 9.Nc3,Qd7 10.Be2 [10.d5 exd5 11.cxd5 Nb4²] 10...Bg4 11.0–0, 0–0–0 Increases the pressure on d4

12.b3 Covers a4 [12.Na4 Bxf3 13.Nxb6+ axb6 14.Bxf3 Nxd4=] 12 ...Bb4,13.Rc1 [13.Ne4 h6=] 13...Qe7 14.h3 [¹14.Nb5!? is a viable option 14...Kb8 15.Qc2=] 14...Bxf3µ 15.Rxf3 [15.Bxf3 Nxd4! Black forges ahead 16.Bf2 f5µ] 15...Nxe5 16.dxe5? Exploits the pin.  [¹16.Rf2 and White can hope to survive 16...Bxc3 17.Rxc3µ] 16...Rxd1+–+ 17.Rxd1 Bc5 18.Bxc5 Qxc5+    0-1

Randy Lovelace/Leroy Greenlee
2006 Fall Foothills r.1
Annotations by Fritz 8 10s

1.d4,Nf6 2.Nf3,b6 3.Bg5,Ne4 4.Bh4,g6 5.e3,Bg7 6.Nbd2,Bb7 7.Bd3,Nxd2 8.Qxd2,d6 Consolidates e5 9.e4,Nd7 10.0–0,0–0 11.c3,Re8 12.Rfe1,c5 13.b4,cxd4 14.cxd4,Rc8

15.Rac1,Rxc1 16.Rxc1,Qa8 17.Bb5 White plans d5 17...Bxe4? [¹17... Qd8 18.Qc2 a6±] 18.Bxd7+-, Rd8 19.Bh3,Bxf3 20.gxf3,Qb7 21. d5,a5 [21...Re8 22.Re1+-] 22. bxa5,bxa5 23.Qxa5,Ra8 24.Qxa8+ 1–0

Randy Lovelace/Amelia Wheeless
2006 Fall Foothills r.3
Annotations by Fritz 8 10s

1.d4,Nf6 2.Nf3,e6 3.Bg5,d5 4.e3, Nbd7 5.Nbd2,c6 Secures b5 6.Ne5 [6.Bd3 Qb6²] 6...Bd6 7.f4,c5 8.c3,b6 [8...h6!? 9.Bh4 Qb6=] 9.Bd3,Qc7 10.0–0,Bb7 11.Qf3,h6 12.Bh4,Nh7 [12...a6 13.Rad1²]

13.Qg4,Bf8?? another bit of territory lost [¹13...0–0±] 14.Nxf7! Demolishes the pawn shield 14...Ndf6 [14...Kxf7 Decoy theme: f7 15.Qg6 The nicest combinations are those leading to mate] 15.Qxe6+,Qe7 16.Bb5+ [16.Bb5+ Bc6 17.Bxc6+ Nd7 18.Bxd7#]   1–0

Chess and Religion

By Tom Bell

The fun of visiting a chess club is not only playing chess, but learning about the eclectic lives of those who attend.

One learns a lot during the meetings about topics such as stock markets, renaissance fairs, and faith.  Chess and religion, in fact, have had a long and interesting relationship through the centuries, and have not always been harmonious.

During the 1979 Iranian Revolution, chess was banned there.  This is ironic, since that country (Persia) was the first to import chess from India, and the word "checkmate" comes from the Persian shat mat, "The King is Dead."  Chess was said by the Ayatollah Khomeni to encourage "gambling, debauchery and inatten­tion to the five daily prayers."  Others in Iran objected to chess because they feel that the chess pieces are graven images.  The game's legality has since been allowed nationwide, though it is occasionally banned by local religious leaders.

Neighboring Iraq currently faces many pressing problems.  In the most current elections, the party which received the most votes was that of Grand Ayatollah Al-Sistani, the leading Shiite cleric in the country, who is a moderate and promotes cooperation with US forces.  Unfortunately, Sistani's official position   on    chess  (as  of  2005)   is  that it is "absolutely forbidden" for the reasons listed above.  Whether this becomes the law of the land remains to be seen.

In Christianity, chess has been both vilified and blessed.  Admirers of the game stretch the centuries from Thomas Becket to Billy Graham, while it was banned by the Pilgrims and by John Peckman (Archbishop of Canterbury), who placed any unrepentant players in the realm on a diet of bread and water.  Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) authored a treatise entitled Spiritual Chess, where she explained that the King of Love, Jesus, allows himself to be checkmated by a Christian's meager efforts.  She noted, however, that she herself was not allowed to play the game in the convent where she lived.   Moreover, the actual pages that she wrote about chess were removed from her codex for a time by successors who thought chess was out of place in her spiritual writings.  Nonetheless, as a result of her simile, Saint Teresa was proclaimed the Roman Catholic patron saint of chess at her beatification in 1614.

It seems that both faith and chess in America today face a common challenge: disinterest by the general public.  Their relevance in the next generation will be interesting to see unfold.

Editor modestly contemplates his recent tournament result.  photo by Carol Shaver , effects by Kelly Taylo