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Hickory Chess Club Finds It’s Fun to Play at the YMCA

The Hickory Chess Club has returned to its roots with a new meeting place at the Foundation YMCA on First Street NW..

"Location, location, location," said club President Vaughn Dagenhart. "A big part of the Y’s mission is wholesome recreation, and chess is nothing but; it’s a good fit."

Club founder Larry Robinson says that it’s nice to be back. "The club used to meet at the YMCA in its early days," he said.

"The new facility is a good place for chess and they want us here," Robinson said.

Tuesdays, 5-7:30 P.M. find the Hickory Chess Club in meeting room A of the YMCA Miller Teen Center, 701 1st St. NW, Hickory. All ages and skill levels welcome.

One on one lessons are available to beginners.

Call 322-1493 or 874-0668 for more information, or visit hickorychessclub.org.

Jones, Wheeless, Sweep Tournament, 4-0

Cibotarica, Lovelace, Shaver, Also Present

West Caldwell, Hibriten and South Caldwell high schools’ chess clubs held the 2006 Foothills Holiday Tournament Dec. 9 at West Caldwell High School.

Twenty-six students and adults competed in a Four-Round Swiss. The tournament also collected canned food for a West Caldwell High food drive, and $150 for needy families.

Standings- Section A: First place, Ellis Jones of Bryson City, Tenn.; second- tie, Hickory Chess Club members Randy Lovelace and Alex Cibotarica.

Section B: First, N.C. Chess Association president Randy Wheeless of Charlotte; 2nd, John Simonsen of Johnson City, TN.

Jones placed first overall in the tournament, and Wheeless second.

Section C: First, CCC&TI’s Brad Reese.

Section D: First, Hibriten’s Jayson Miller; second, South Caldwell's Bobby Stroud; third, Mike Taladay of Hudson; fourth, Johnson City, TN’s Andrew Simonsen; fifth, Anthony Snyder of Maiden H. S.

Section E: Six-way tie- West Caldwell’s Matt Embler and Dustin Hartley, Charlotte home schooler Kent Wheeless, Robbie Earp and James Huff of Hibriten, and Hickory Chess Club’s Jack Shaver. Also competing were Peter Slivka of South Caldwell, Tim Ballas of West Caldwell and David Simonsen of Johnson City, TN.

Section F: Three-way tie- Louis Bullock and Winston White of West Caldwell and Logan Bost of Maiden High.

Section G: First, Tyler Austin of CCC&TI, second, Ashton Leatherman of Maiden; third, Hibriten’s Jonathan Curtis.

.For information on future Foothills tournaments, contact Tournament Director John Thomas at jthomasATcaa.k12.nc.us.

From the Ridiculous to the Sublime:  Member’s Tournament Games

Jack Shaver/Randy Lovelace
2006 Foothills Holiday Tournament
Round One (12/9/06)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Bd3? Nxd4 7.Be3 Ne6 8.Qd2 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Qxc3? Nxc3 0-1

Logan Bost/Jack Shaver
2006 Foothills Holiday Tournament r2r

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bb4 5.O-O Bxc3 6.dxc3 Nxe4 7.Re1 Nd6 8.Bg5 f6 9.Bh4 Nxc4 10.Qd5 Nxb2 11.Re4 d6 12.Rae1 Bf5 13.R4e3 Na4 14.Nd4 Nb6 15.Qb3 Qd7 16.Nxf5 Qxf5 17.f3 O-O-O 18.g4 Qf4 19.Bg3 Qc4 20.f4 exf4 21.Bxf4 Qxf4 22.Qe6+ Kb8 23.Qf7 Qxg4+ 24.Kf1 g5 25.Re7 Nxe7 26.Qxe7 f5 27.Qf6 f4 28.Re7 Qf3+ 29.Ke1 Rhf8 30.Qg7 Qxc3+?? 31.Qxc3 g4? 32.Qxc7+ Ka8 33.Qxb7# 1-0

Jack Shaver/Ashton Leatherman
2006 Foothills Holiday Tournament r3

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 c6 4.Nf3 f6 5.Be3 Nxe3 6.fxe3 d6 7.exf6 exf6 8.Nc3 Nd7 9.e4 d5 10.exd5 Qc7 11.dxc6 bxc6 12.d5 Bc5 13.Nd4 Bxd4 14.Qxd4 Ne5 15.Bd3 Bd7 16.d6 Qd8 17.Qe4 Bg4 18.h3 Bh5 19.g4 Bg6 20.Qd4 Qb6 21.d7+ Kd8 22.Qd6 Qe3+ 23.Ne2 Qb6 24.O-O-O Qe3+ 25.Kb1 Qh6 26.Qe6 Nxd7 27.Qxc6 Rb8 28.Bxg6 Qxg6 29. Qxd7# 1-0

David Simonsen/Jack Shaver
2006 Foothills Holiday Tournament r4

1.d4 d5 2.e3 Nc6 3.Bd2 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.h3 Bd6 6.a3 Nf6 7.Bb5 Qd7 8.Bxc6 Qxc6 9.Nc3 O-O-O 10.O-O Nd7 11.Nh4 Be4 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Bb4 e5 14.dxe5 Bxe5 15.c3 Nc5 16.Bxc5 Rxd1 17.Raxd1 Qxc5 18.Rb1 Qd6 19.Rfd1 Qf6 20.Rd5 Rd8 21.Ra5 a6 22.Ra4 Qxh4 23.Rc1 Rd2 24.b4 Qxf2+ 25.Kh1 Qxg2# 0-1

Alex Cibotarica/Robbie Earp
2006 Foothills Holiday Tournament r1

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nh6 4.d4 d5 5.exd5 exd4 6.dxc6 bxc6 7.Bxh6 gxh6 8.Qxd4 Qxd4 9.Nxd4 Bg4 10.O-O O-O-O 11.c3 Bg7 12.Nxc6 Rd6 13.Nxa7+ Kb7 14.Nb5 Re6 15.Bd5+ Rc6 16.Bxc6+ Kxc6 17.Nd4+ Bxd4 18.cxd4 Bf5 19.Nd2 Bd3 20.Rfe1 Kd5 21.Nf3 Rc8 22.Rac1 c6 23.Re5+ Kd6 24.Re3 Kd7 25.Rxd3 1-0

Mike Taladay/Alex Cibotarica
2006 Foothills Holiday Tournament r2

1.f4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 c5 4.d3 Nc6 5.Be2 Bg4 6.Nbd2 e6 7.0–0 Bd6 8.b3 0–0 9.Bb2 Nd7 10.a3 b5 11.Qe1 f6 12.Qg3 Bxf3 13.Qxg7+?? Kxg7–+ 14.Rxf3 Rg8 15.Rh3 Ne7 16.Rf1 Nf8 17.Bg4 Kf7 18.Nf3 18...Rxg4 19.Rh6 20.Rh3 c4 21.bxc4 bxc4 22.Nd4 Qb6 23.Bc3 cxd3 24.cxd3 Rc8 25.Ba1 Bxa3 26.f5 exf5 27.Rhf3 Rc1 0–1

Alex Cibotarica/John Simonsen
2006 Foothills Holiday r3
Annotations by Fritz 8 10s

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.c3 [¹4.Ngf3!?= is worth thought] 4...cxd4³ 5.cxd4 Nc6 6.Ngf3 Bb4 [6...dxe4 7.Nxe4 Nge7 8.Bc4=] 7.e5² White wins space 7...Nge7 8.a3 Ba5 9.Bd3 Bd7 10.b4 Bb6 11.Nb3 Rc8 12.Be3 0–0 13.0–0 a6 Prevents intrusion on b5 14.Re1 Nf5 15.Bxf5 exf5 16.Bg5 Qe8 17.Nc5 Bxc5 18.bxc5 h6 19.Bd2 Be6 20.Rb1 Qe7 21.Rb6 Rc7 22.Qb3 Re8 23.Rb1 Rb8 24.Bc3 Kh7 25.Ne1 Qh4 26.Qd1 g6 [26...Kg8!?±] 27.Nd3+- Nxd4?? terrible, but the game is lost anyway [¹27...Na7+-] 28.R1b4 f4 29.Rxd4 g5 [29...Qe7 does not improve anything 30.Rxf4 Rc6 31.Rb2+-] 30.Ba5 Bf5 [30...Rcc8 doesn't avoid ? 31.Qb1 Qg4 32.f3+-] 31.Rxh6+! Wrecks pawn shield

31...Kxh6 [31...Qxh6+ 32.Bxc7] 32.Bxc7 Rg8 [32...Rh8 doesn't save day 33.h3 (‹33.Rxd5 Kg7 34.h3 Bxh3+-) 33...Kg7 34.Qf1+-] 33.Rxd5 f3 [33...Qh5 changes nothing 34.Rd6+ Be6 35.f3+-] 34.Qxf3 Be4 [34...Qe4 is no help 35.Rd6+ Rg6 36.Qxe4 Bxe4 37.f3+-] 35.Rd6+ [¹35.Qf6+ quicker 35...Kh7 36.Rd4 Rg6+-] 35...Rg6 [35...Kh7 vain try to changes courses36.Qxf7+ Rg7 37.Qf6+-] 36.Rxg6+ [¹36.Qxf7 better 36...Qg4 37.f3+-] 36...fxg6 [36...Bxg6 desperation 37.e6 Qa4+-] 37.Qf8+ Kh7 38.Qf7+ Kh6 39.Ne1 [39.Qg8 g4 40.Qh8+ Kg5 41.Qf6+ Kh6 42.Qxh4+ Kg7 43.e6 g5 44.Qxg5+ Bg6 45.Qe7+ Kg8 46.Be5 Bxd3 47.Qf7#] 39...Bc6 [39...Qg4 otherwise it's curtains at once 40.Qe8 Kg7+-] 1–0

Ellis Jones/Alex Cibotarica
2006 Foothills Holiday r4
Annotation by Fritz 8 10s

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 g6 3.e3 Bg7 4.Nf3 d6 Prevents intrusion on e5 5.Be2 Nh5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 0–0 8.0–0 Nd7 9.Nbd2 g5 10.Bg3 Nxg3 11.hxg3 e5 12.c3 Qe7 13.Re1 e4 14.Nh2 f5 15.Qb3+ Kh8 16.Nhf1 [16.g4 Nb6³] 16...c6 Covers b5 17.f4 [17.g4 fxg4 18.Bxg4 d5³] 17...gxf4 18.exf4 Nf6 19.Ne3 Be6 20.Qa3 h5 [20...Qd7 21.Rf1µ] 21.Kf2 Ng4+ 22.Bxg4 hxg4 [Weaker is 22...fxg4 23.Nxe4 Rad8 24.Re2²] 23.Rh1+ Kg8 24.Rh2 [24.Rh5 a5³] 24...Kf7 25.Rah1 Kg6 [¹25...b5!?= must definitely be considered] 26.Ndc4± Rfd8 [¹26...Rad8±] 27.Ne5+ [¹27.Rh5 Bxc4 28.Nxc4+-] 27...Kf6= 28.N5c4 b5 29.Nd2 c5 [29...Rh8 30.Rxh8 Rxh8 31.Rxh8 Bxh8 32.Nb3=] 30.d5 Bc8 31.Qb3 [31.Kg1 a5²] 31...Qb7 [31...Bd7!?= deserves consideration] 32.Rh7 Rg8 [32...Qa6 33.Nxg4+ Kf7 34.Ne3+-] 33.R1h6+ Bxh6? Exploits pin [¹33...Kf7±]

34.Rxb7+- Eliminates defender b7 34...Bxb7 35.Qxb5 Rg7 36.Ndc4 Rd8 37.Qa4 [37.b4 cxb4 38.Qxb4 Rgd7 39.Nxd6 Rxd6 40.Qxb7 Bg7+-] 37...Ba8? [37...Rgd7 38.Qxa7 Ra8 39.Qb6+-] 38.b4?? hands over the advantage to the opponent [¹38.Nxf5 seems even better 38...Kxf5 39.Ne3+ Kf6 40.Qxe4+-] 38...Rc7?? terrible, but the game is lost in any case [38...cxb4 39.cxb4 (‹39.Qxb4 Rb7 40.Qa5 Rdd7²) 39...Rh7 40.Nxd6 Rxd6 41.Qe8+-] 39.b5 [¹39.Qa5 and White can celebrate victory 39...Rdd7 40.Nxd6+-] 39...Bf8 40.Na5 Be7 [¹40...Rb8+-] 41.Nc6 Bxc6 42.bxc6 [¹42.dxc6!? Ke6 43.c4+-] 42...Rb8± 43.Qa3 Bd8 44.Nc4 Ke7?? shortens the misery for Black [¹44...Be7+-] 45.Qc1 Rcc8 [45...Kf7 otherwise it's curtains at once 46.Qh1 Kg6+-] 46.Qh1 e3+ 47.Kxe3 Bc7 48.Qh7+ Kf6 49.Qh6+ Kf7 50.Qe6+ Kg7 51.Qxf5 [51.Qe7+ Kg8 52.Nxd6 Bxd6 53.Qxd6 Re8+ 54.Kd3 Kg7 55.Qd7+ Kg6+-] 51...Re8+ 52.Kd2 Rb1 [52...Re7+- desperation] 53.Qd7+ [53.Qd7+ Kf8 54.Qxc7+-] 1–0

(Score garbled under time pressure; the above contains several interpolated moves. Caveat emptor.)

Randy Lovelace/Anthony Snyder

2006 Foothills Holiday r2

1.d4 Nc6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d5 Nb8 4.Nc3 e6 5.a3 5...exd5 6.Nxd5 Nc6 7.e4 d6 8.Bc4 Nxe4 9.Qe2 f5 10.0–0 g6 11.Bd3 Bg7 12.Bxe4 fxe4 13.Qxe4+ Be5? 15.Nf6+ Kd8 16.Nxd7+ Kxd7 17.Nxe5+ dxe5 18.Rad1+ Ke8 19.b4 Bf5 20.Qc4 Nd4 21.Qxc7 Rc8 22.Qe7# 1–0

Randy Wheeless/ Randy Lovelace

2006 Foothills Holiday r3

Annotation by Fritz 8 10s

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nd4 [5...Nxd5 6.Nxf7 Kxf7 7.Qf3+ Ke6 8.Nc3=] 6.c3 b5 [6...Nf5 7.Qe2 Nd6 8.Bb3²] 7.cxd4 [¹7.Bf1!? Nf5 8.Bxb5+ Bd7 9.Qe2±] 7...bxc4² 8.Qa4+ Qd7 9.Qxc4 exd4 [9...Qxd5 10.Qxd5 (‹10.Qxc7 Bd6 (‹10...exd4 11.0–0 Bd7 12.Re1+ Be7 13.d3²) 11.Qc3 Qxg2–+) 10...Nxd5 11.dxe5=] 10.Qxd4 [10.0–0 Qxd5 11.Qxc7 Be7²] 10...Ba6 11.Nc3 Bd6 Blocks the pawn on d5 12.d3 Covers c4+e4 12...0–0 13.0–0 [13.Nge4 Rfe8 14.Be3 Be5²] 13...Bb7 [¹13...c5 and Black has air to breath 14.Qh4 Bxd3=] 14.Nge4± Nxd5? [¹14...Be7±] 15.Nxd5+- Bxd5

16.Bh6! Demolishes the pawn shield [16.Qxd5?? White must not take the bishop, otherwise he will bring himself grief 16...Bxh2+ Demolishes the pawn shield 17.Kxh2 Qxd5–+] 16...Bxh2+ [16...gxh6 A deflection 17.Nf6 Theme: Double Attack] 17.Kxh2 f5 [17...f6 cannot change destiny 18.Nc3 Rfd8 19.Be3+-] 18.Bxg7! Demolition of pawn structure 18...fxe4 [18...Qxg7 Theme: Deflection from d5 19.Qxd5] 19.Bxf8 Rxf8 20.dxe4 Qg4 [20...Qd6+ the only chance to get some counter-play 21.Kg1 Bb7+-] 21.Qxd5+ Kh8 22.Qe5+ Kg8 23.Qg3 [23.Rac1 makes it even easier for White 23...c6 24.Rxc6 Qf4+ 25.Qxf4 Rxf4+-] 23...h5 [23...Qxg3+ doesn't change anything anymore 24.Kxg3 Re8 25.Rac1+-] 24.Qxg4+ hxg4 25.f3 gxf3 26.gxf3 [26.Rxf3 keeps an even firmer grip 26...Re8+-] 26...Kf7 [26...Rb8 doesn't improve anything 27.b3+-] 27.Rfc1 Rh8+ [27...Ke6 does not improve anything 28.Kg3 Kd6 29.f4+-] 28.Kg2 Rg8+ 29.Kf2 Rb8 [29...Rc8 hardly improves anything 30.Rc6 Ke7 31.Rh1+-] 30.Rxc7+ Ke6 31.b3 [31.Rac1 Rd8 32.f4 Rd2+ 33.Ke3 Rd7 34.f5+ Kd6 35.R1c6+ Ke7 36.f6+ Ke8 37.e5 a6 38.e6 Rxc7 39.Rxc7 Kd8 40.Rd7+ Ke8 41.Ra7 Kd8 42.f7 a5 43.f8Q#] 31...a5 32.Rac1 a4 33.R7c6+ [33.R1c6+ Ke5 34.Re7+ Kf4 35.Rf7+ Ke5 36.Rf5+ Kd4 37.Rd5#] 33...Ke5 34.R1c5+ 1-0

Randy Lovelace/Andrew Simonsen

2006 Foothills Holiday r4

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 cxd4 5.exd4 Bd6 6.Ne5 Qf6 7.Bg3 Nc6 8.Bb5 a6 9.Bxc6+ bxc6 10.Nxc6 Bxg3 11.hxg3 Bd7 12.Ne5 Rb8 13.b3 Qf5 14.Nd2 Bb5 15.c4 dxc4 16.bxc4 Bd7 17.Nxd7 Kxd7 18.Qa4+ Ke7 19.0–0 Qg5 20.Nf3 Qh5 21.Ne5 Nf6 22.Qxa6 Rhd8 23.Rab1 Ng4 24.Nxg4 Qxg4 25.Rxb8 Qxd4 26.Rb7+ Rd7 27.Rxd7+ Qxd7 28.Qa3+ Qd6 29.Qxd6+ Kxd6 30.Rb1 Kc5 31.Rb7 Kxc4 32.Rxf7 Kd4 33.Rxg7 h6 34.Rh7 Ke5 35.Rxh6 Kf5 36.a4 e5 37.a5 Ke4 38.a6 Kd3 39.a7 e4 40.a8Q e3 41.Rd6+ Ke2 42.Qa2+ Ke1 43.Qb1+ Ke2 44.Qd1# 1–0

Hickory Chess Club
hickorychessclub.org

Officers:

Vaughn Dagenhart President
cvdagATaol.com

John Shaw Vice-President
JSPhilidorATearthlink.net

Ted Bost Treasurer
tbostATcharter.net

Jack Shaver Secretary
jack_shaverAThotmail.com

Mike Mitelman Founder
M1CHAELATADELPHIA.NET

Larry Robinson Founder
larrynormarATaol.com

Hickory Chess Bulletin

Jack Shaver Editor
jack_shaverAThotmail.com

Contributors:

Kelly Taylor- photography

Alex Cibotarica, Randy Lovelace- games

The Bulletin welcomes submissions of games, book reviews, or any chess-related material. Any. Show the editor’s email account some love.