National Open Round 6

Ben Finegold - Ali Morshedi
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. d3 d6 9. a4 b4 10. Nbd2 Na5 11. Ba2 c5 12. Nc4 Nxc4 13. Bxc4 Be6 14. Bxe6 fxe6 15. c3 Rb8 16. d4 bxc3 17. bxc3 exd4 18. cxd4 Nd7 19. Qe2 Qb6 20. dxc5 Nxc5 21. Be3 Qc6 22. Bxc5 dxc5 23. Ne5 Qc7 24. Nc4 Rb4 25. a5 Qf4 26. Rad1 g6 27. Rf1 Qc7 28. g3 Qc6 29. h4 Qb5 30. Rc1 Bd8 31. Rfd1

31...Bxa5 32. Qg4 Rf6 33. Qg5 Kg7 34. Nxa5 Rb2 35. Qe5 Rbxf2 36. Rb1 Qxa5 37. Rd7+ 1-0

Selected pictures:

National Open Round 5

Jaan Ehlvest - Ben Finegold
1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 g6 5. d4 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Bg4 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 e6 10. Rd1 Nbd7 11. Bd2 a5 12. Be1 Qb8 13. Rac1 Ne8 14. Qe2 Nd6 15. b3 Re8 16. Qc2 Rc8 17. a4 Re8 18. Ne2 Qa7 19. Nf4 dxc4 20. Bxc4 Nxc4 21. bxc4 e5 22. dxe5 Nxe5 23. Bc3 Rad8 24. Bd4 Qa6 25. c5 Rd7 26. Ne2 Rde7 27. Ng3 Nd7 28. Bxg7 Kxg7 29. Rd4 Nf6 30. e4 h5 31. h4 Ng4 32. Qd2 Qa8 33. Rd6 Kh7 34. Rd1 Qc8

35. f3 Nh6 36. Nxh5 Ng8 37. Ng3 Re5 38. h5 gxh5 39. Qf4 Kg7 40. Nf5+ 1-0

National Open Rounds 3 and 4

So far, It's like Chicago

Well, I have 2 wins with black and 2 draws with white!  Anyways, I was too tired to play this morning, and offered an early draw and went to sleep!  I awoke about 30 minutes before round 4, showered, got dressed, and actually played well!

I will be right in the middle of the 3 pointers tomorrow, so I will get paired way down (2200-2300) or way up (2700).... we shall see!

There are many GMs who played in the 2-day schedule, and some are not doing well and will likely withdraw.  There are over 20 GMs playing in the event, and most of the them have 2.5 or 3 out of 4.

Tomorrow is the money day!

---Ben

Round 3
Ben Finegold - Adithya Balsubramanian
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 Bg7 4. Nbd2 d5 5. e3 1/2-1/2

Round 4
Shijie Chen - Ben Finegold
1. g3 d5 2. Bg2 Nf6 3. Nf3 c6 4. O-O Bf5 5. d4 e6 6. b3 Nbd7 7. c4 Bd6 8. Ba3 Bxa3 9. Nxa3 O-O 10. Nc2 Qe7 11. e3 Rfd8 12. c5 b6 13. Rc1 bxc5 14. dxc5 e5 15. Nb4 Nb8 16. Nh4 Bg4 17. f3 Bc8 18. f4 e4 19. Qd4 a5 20. Nc2 Na6 21. Ne1 Nd7 22. f5 f6 23. Rf2 Ne5 24. Bf1 Nc7 25. h3 g5 26. fxg6 hxg6 27. g4 Ne6 28. Qb2 Ng5 29. Rf4 Kg7 30. Rc2 Rh8

31. Rcf2 Rxh4 32. Rxf6 Bd7 33. Rd6 Kh7 34. Rff6 Rh8 35. Qf2 Kg7 36. Qf4 Ngf7 0-1

2013 National Open Rounds 1 and 2

I scored 1.5 out of 2 thus far, playing two players rated 2210.  There are about 20 GMs playing, and the 3-day and 2-day schedules will merge for round 4 tomorrow night.

Ray Robson and Jaan Ehlvest also have 1.5 out of 2, and there are 12-14 players with 2-0.

The tournament is a lot of fun, and the pairings are tough, as Robson played a GM in round 2!

Round 3 is at 10AM local time.

--Ben

Round 1
Ben Finegold - Ilia Serpik
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. Bf4 Bb4+ 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Nf3 Qe7 7. Qb3 a5 8. a3 a4 9. Qc2 Ba5 10. e3 Ngxe5 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. O-O-O Bxc3 13. Qxc3 d6 14. Rd5 f6 15. Ra5 Rxa5 16. Qxa5 Qd7 17. Bxe5 fxe5 18. Bd3 O-O 19. f3 b6 20. Qa8 Qe8 21. Kd2 Kh8 22. h4 Bd7 23. Qxe8 Rxe8 24. Be4 Rb8 25. Kc3 g6 26. h5 Kg7 27. h6+ Kf6 28. g3 Re8 29. Rh2 Re7 30. Kd3 Re8 31. f4 exf4 32. gxf4 b5 33. cxb5 Bxb5+ 34. Kd4 c5+ 35. Kd5 Bc4+ 36. Kxc4 Rxe4+ 37. Kd3 d5 38. Rg2 c4+ 39. Kd2 d4 40. exd4 Rxd4+ 41. Ke3 Rd3+ 42. Ke4 Rh3 43. Rc2 Rxh6 44. Rxc4 Rh2 45. Rxa4 Rxb2 46. Ra6+ Kg7 47. Ra7+ Kh6 48. Kf3 Rb1 49. a4 Rf1+ 50. Ke3 Re1+ 51. Kf3 Rf1+ 52. Ke3 Re1+ 53. Kf2 Re4 54. Kf3 Re1 55. a5 Rf1+ 56. Ke3 Ra1 57. a6 Ra4 58. Kf3 g5 59. fxg5+ Kxg5 60. Rg7+ Kh6 61. Ra7 Kg6 62. Ra8 Kg7 63. Ra7+ Kg6 64. Ra8 Kg7 65. Ra7+ Kg6 66. Ra8 1/2-1/2

Round 2
Kenneth Wallach - Ben Finegold
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. a4 e6 4. f4 d5 5. Nf3 dxe4 6. Nxe4 Nc6 7. d3 Nf6 8. g3 Be7 9. Bg2 O-O 10. O-O Qc7 11. Kh1 b6 12. Ne5 Bb7 13. Nxc6 Bxc6 14. Nxf6+ Bxf6 15. Bxc6 Qxc6+ 16. Qf3 Qd7 17. Ra2 Rac8 18. b3 b5 19. axb5 axb5 20. Bb2 Bxb2 21. Rxb2 g6 22. Ra1 Qd4 23. Rba2 c4 24. bxc4 bxc4 25. Kg2 cxd3 26. Qxd3 Qf6 27. c4 Rfd8 28. Qc2 Qd4 29. Rc1 Qc5 30. Qc3 Rd4 31. Rac2 Rcd8 32. Qe3 Qc6+ 33. Kh3 Rd3 34. Qf2 h5 35. Rb1 h4 36. Qg2 Qd6 37. Qe4 hxg3 38. hxg3 Qa3 39. Rg1 Qc5 40. Re1

40...Qh5+ 41. Kg2 Rd2+ 42. Re2 Rd1 43. Kf2 Rh1 44. c5 Qh3 45. Kf3 Rdd1 46. Qa8+ Kg7 47. Qa3 Rhf1+ 48. Rf2 Qh5+ 49. Ke3 Rde1+ 50. Kd4 Qd5+ 51. Kc3 Rxf2 52. Rxf2 Re3+ 0-1

Selected pictures taken by Ben:

Chicago Open Final Report

Spencer and I both drew our Sunday morning rounds, and withdrew to get home at a reasonable time.

I played well against IM Danny Fernandez, but was not able to muster up enough to win.  If I had played my last game, and won, I would have won a little $$$, but since $200 is deducted from GMs prizes, it would not have amounted to much.

Spencer was better as well, and perhaps even winning at one point, but his game ended the same as mine, with a Rook versus an advanced passed pawn, which was drawn.

Ray Robson, Nikola Mitkov, and Josh Friedel tied for first in the Open Section with 7-2.  The guy who beat me (Edward Porper) scored a GM norm, when he later drew Wesley So, and beat Yaroslav Zherebukh and Conrad Holt! He tied for 4th with 6.5-2.5.

I'm off to Las Vegas next week for the National Open.  I teach a one day chess camp Thursday, June 6, and play in the tournament June 7-9. I am guessing the National Open will be similar in size and strength to the Chicago Open.

---Ben

Chicago Open Round 8

Daniel Fernandez - Ben Finegold

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. cxd5 Qxd5 4. e3 e5 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. Bxc3 exd4 8. Ne2 Nf6 9. Nxd4 O-O 10. Nxc6 Qxc6 11. Rc1 Bg4 12. Qc2 Rad8 13. Bd4 Qxc2 14. Rxc2 Rfe8 15. Be2 Bxe2 16. Rxe2 Nd5 17. Rd2 Nb4 18. a3 Rxd4 19. Rxd4 Nc2+ 20. Kd2 Nxd4 21. exd4

21... Kf8 22. Kd3 Re7 23. Rc1 Ke8 24. Rc5 b6 25. Rc2 Kd7 26. d5 Kd6 27. Kd4 Re1 28. Rc6+ Kd7 29. Rc2 Kd6 30. Rc6+ Kd7 31. Rc2 a5 32. h4 Kd6 33. Rc6+ Kd7 34. Rc2 f5 35. g3 Kd6 36. Rc6+ Kd7 37. Rc2 g6 38. b3 a4 39. b4 Ra1 40. Rc3 Ra2 41. f4 Rb2 42. Kc4 Kd6 43. Kb5 Rb3 44. Rc6+ Kxd5 45. Rxc7 Rxa3 46. Rxh7 Rxg3 47. Kxa4 Rg4 48. h5 gxh5 49. Rxh5 Rxf4 50. Rh6 Rd4 51. Rxb6 f4 52. Rf6 Ke4 53. Ka5 f3 54. b5 Rd5 55. Rxf3 Kxf3 56. Kb6 Rd1 57. Kc6 Rc1+ 58. Kd6 Rb1 59. Kc6 Ke4 60. b6 Rc1+ 61. Kd6 Rb1 62. Kc6 Ke5 63. b7 Ke6 64. Kc7 Rc1+ 65. Kd8 Rb1 66. Kc7 Ke7 67. b8=Q Rxb8 68. Kxb8 1/2-1/2

Chicago Open Round 7 - Ben Wins

I won my game in round 7.  I played creatively and well for the most part.  A very fun game to watch!  I have 4.5-2.5 and will be paired up in round 8.

Lenderman is in clear first with 6-1.  The top two seeds, So and Zherebukh are out of the running for $$$.  A tough event.

Spencer drew his game.  He has 3-2.

--Ben

Ben Finegold - Thomas Ulrich
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 a6 5. Bg5 Nc6 6. Qe3 Nf6 7. Bxf6 gxf6 8. Nbd2 b5 9. a4 Bd7 10. axb5 axb5 11. Rxa8 Qxa8 12. Bxb5 Qa1+ 13. Ke2 Qxh1

14. Bxc6 Bxc6 15. Qb6 Bh6 16. Qxc6+ Kf8 17. Nf1 Qxg2 18. Ng3 e6 19. Qc8+ Kg7 20. Nh5+ Kg6 21. Qxh8 Kxh5 22. Qxf6 Qg7 23. Qh4+ Kg6 24. Qg3+ Kh5 25. Qh4+ Kg6 26. c3 Qf8 27. e5 f6 28. Qg4+ Kf7 29. exf6 Kxf6 30. Nd4 Qc8 31. Qh4+ Bg5 32. Qxh7 e5 33. Nf3 Qc4+ 34. Qd3 Qc6 35. Nxg5 Kxg5 36. h4+ Kh6 37. h5 e4 38. Qd4 Kxh5 39. c4 Kh6 40. Ke3 Qa6 41. Qxe4 Qa1 42. Qd4 Kh7 43. Ke4 Qh1+ 44. f3 Qh4+ 45. Kd5 Qh5+ 46. Kxd6 Qxf3 47. Kc7 Qf7+ 48. Qd7 Kh8 49. c5 Qf4+ 50. Kc8 Qb4 51. Qh3+ Kg8 52. Qg2+ Kf8 53. c6 Qb5 54. Qf3+ Ke7 55. Qa3+ Ke8 56. Qe3+ Kf7 57. Qa7+ Kf8 58. Qb7 Qe5 59. Qb4+ Ke8 60. c7 Qd5 61. Kb8 Qe5 62. Qb7 Kd7 63. b4 Qe8+

64. c8=R+ Kd6 65. Qc7+ 1-0

Chicago Open Round 6 - No Understanding

I thought I was winning my game, after my opponent castled, but I could not find a winning shot and was eventually losing.  I figured Houdini would show me a win or two I missed, but, instead, Houdini treated me like my round 5 opponent, saying I did not understand the position at all!  I was worse/lost the whole game, and was lucky my opponent took my offered draw with 1 move left in the time control.

Spencer was winning his game but made a bad move followed by a blunder and lost.

Tough day for the Finegold's ....

--Ben

Bradley Denton - Ben Finegold
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e5 4. Nc3 d6 5. e4 Be7 6. g3 Nbd7 7. Bg2 Nf8 8. Nge2 Ng6 9. a3 h5 10. b4 cxb4 11. axb4 h4 12. Be3 Ng4 13. Bxa7 Bd7 14. c5 Qc8 15. cxd6 Bxd6 16. O-O

16...hxg3 17. hxg3 Ke7 18. Re1 Rh2 19. Qd3 Qh8 20. Qf3 Qh5 21. Bc5 Rh8 22. Red1 Rxg2+ 23. Qxg2 Nh2 24. f4 exf4 25. Nxf4 Qe5 26. Bd4 Nxf4 27. Bxe5 Nxg2 28. Bxd6+ Kxd6 29. Kxg2 Ng4 30. Kf3 Rh6 31. Rdc1 Ke5 32. Ra7 Rh2 33. Ra2 Rh6 34. Ra7 Rh2 35. Ra2 Rh6 36. Nd1 Rf6+ 37. Kg2 Bb5 38. Nc3 Bd3 39. Rd2 Kd4 1/2-1/2

Selected Round 6 pictures:

Chicago Open Round 5 - An Odd Opponent

Some losses hurt more than others.  I was upset when I lost this round, since I felt my opponent was quite weak. Unfortunately, my fears were worse than expected!  I made the terrible mistake of analyzing the game with my strange opponent.  He kept trying to "explain" the game to me.  Of course, his chess understanding is minimal, and almost everything he said was totally nuts.  He kept saying he was easily winning the whole game, and tried to show all the "wins" he missed.  I thought it was about equal.

Of course, I played badly in time trouble, but, I was never worse than .1 the first 32 moves, and it was mainly equal.  Then I got way too overconfident after move 45, since I could sense his confusion.

I saw after Na4, I saw Rc6! was a draw, but could find no better (Houdini says I am +.45 after Rc6!) so I tried something else (Rc1).  It was just equal, but I went totally nutty the last 5 moves of the game.  Strange. He always thought he was winning... some people amaze me. And I lose to these people.  :(

I really wish I did not analyze with my opponent.  Losing to such a fool infuriates me.  I used to beat weak players like him routinely, now they try to "explain" the game to me... sigh...  I don't mind getting outplayed, and I often make one move blunders.. but when I lose due to a 1 move blunder (Nh4?? g4??) and my opponent thinks he outplayed me throughout.. arrgh...

Maybe my opponent will look at the game with an engine and apologize for his idiotic analysis tomorrow (lol, I know that won't happen).

Spencer drew (he was much better, then worse).

Spencer has 2.5 out of 3.  I have 3 out of 5.

It's games like this that make me want to quit chess... 10-20 years ago I never lost to players this weak.  :(

--Ben

Ben Finegold - Edward Porper
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bd2 Qe7 8. a3 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 a5 10. b3 O-O 11. e3 e5 12. d5 Nb8 13. Be2 Bg4 14. h3 Bh5 15. O-O Nbd7 16. b4 axb4 17. axb4 b5 18. cxb5 Nxd5 19. Bd2 N7b6 20. Rfc1 Bg6 21. Qd1 Rxa1 22. Rxa1 f5 23. Ra7 Kh7 24. Qc1 Ra8 25. Ra5 Rf8 26. Ra7 Qd8 27. Bd1 Qb8 28. Ra5 Kh8 29. Bb3 Bh5 30. Bd1 Qe8 31. Ra7 Kh7 32. Qc2 Kg8 33. e4 fxe4 34. Qxe4 Bg6 35. Qe2 Qb8 36. Ra3 Nf4 37. Qf1 Be4 38. Re3 Qb7 39. Kh2 Bd5 40. Rc3 Ne6 41. Be3 Ra8 42. Be2 Ra2 43. Qd1 Na4

44. Rc1 Nb2 45. Qd2 e4 46. Nh4 Nd3 47. Rc2 Rxc2 48. Qxc2 Qxb5 49. Nf5 Kh7 50. g4 Bb7 51. Kg1 Qxb4 52. Bd2 Qb5 0-1

Chicago Open Round 4

Ben won.

Tigran Ishkhanov - Ben Finegold
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e5 4. Nc3 d6 5. e4 Be7 6. g3 Nbd7 7. Bg2 Nf8 8. Nge2 Ng6 9. h3 h5 10. Be3 h4 11. g4 Nh7 12. Qd2 Bg5 13. f4 exf4 14. Nxf4 Ne5 15. b3 O-O 16. O-O Bd7 17. Nd1 b5 18. Nd3 Qe7 19. N1f2 f6 20. Nxe5 fxe5 21. Nd3 Bxe3+ 22. Qxe3 a5 23. Nb2 bxc4 24. Nxc4 Bb5 25. Rxf8+ Nxf8 26. Na3 Ba6 27. Bf1 a4 28. Bxa6 Rxa6 29. Nc2 axb3 30. axb3 Rxa1+ 31. Nxa1 Ng6 32. Nc2 Nf4 33. Kh2 Qa7 34. Qc3 Qa6 0-1

Selected pictures

Chicago Open Round 3 - Boring Draw

I was slightly worse with white from moves 13-30, then finally equalized.  Not a great game from my point of view.

Spencer won, and he played well.

I think Lenderman is the only player with 3-0.

---Ben

Ben  Finegold - Michael Kleinman
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 Bg7 5. Qb3 e6 6. Qa3 Nc6 7. Nf3 Ne7 8. Bd2 O-O 9. Bd3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 b6 11. O-O Bb7 12. Be2 Qd6 13. b4 Ned5 14. Nxd5 Bxd5 15. Rfd1 Ne4 16. Bc1 c5 17. bxc5 bxc5 18. Bb2 Rfb8 19. Rac1 cxd4 20. Qxd6 Nxd6 21. Bxd4 Bxd4 22. Nxd4 Rb2 23. a4 Ra2 24. Ra1 Rxa1 25. Rxa1 Rc8 26. Nb5 Nxb5 27. axb5 e5 28. f3 Rc7 29. Kf2 Kf8 30. h4 Be6 31. g4 h6 32. f4 exf4 33. exf4 Ke7 34. Ke3 Kf6 35. Ra6 Ke7 36. f5 gxf5 37. gxf5 Bxf5 38. Rxh6 Be6 39. Rh8 Bc4 40. Ra8 Bxe2 41. Kxe2 Rb7 42. Kf3 Kf6 43. Kf4 Rxb5 1/2-1/2

Selected pictures from Round 3:

Chicago Open Round 2

Wu-hoo!

I won my second round against Christopher Wu.  I played the Philidor, and my opponent went for a sharp variation with Ng5, Bxf7+ etc... but erred badly with b3.

Many GMs and IMs drew and lost in round 1.  You can see results/pairings/games etc. on www.chicagoopen.net and Live games on www.monroi.com

Round 3 begins 7PM Central Time.  Spencer starts his first round in the U2300 tonight as well.

--Ben

Christopher Wu - Ben Finegold
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. Ng5 O-O 7. Bxf7+ Rxf7 8. Ne6 Qe8 9. Nxc7 Qd8 10. Nxa8 b6 11. Be3 Ba6 12. Nxb6 Qxb6 13. b3

13...d5! 14. dxe5 Bb4!! 15. Bxb6 Bxc3+ 16. Qd2 Bxd2+ 17. Kxd2 Nxe4+ 18. Ke3 Nxb6 19. f4 Nc3 20. g3 Rd7 21. Rae1 d4+ 22. Kd2 Bb7 23. Rhf1 Bg2 24. Rg1 Be4 25. g4 Re7 26. Rxe4 Nxe4+ 27. Kd3 Nc3 28. Re1 Nxa2 29. Kxd4 Nb4 30. Re2 Rd7+ 31. Kc5 Nxc2 32. Re4 Kf8 33. h4 Ke7 34. f5 Rd5+ 35. Kc6 Nd4+ 36. Kb7 Rd7+ 37. Ka6 Nxb3 38. Kb5 Rd5+ 39. Kc6 Na5+ 0-1

Selected pictures from Round 2:

Eric Rosen, Josh Friedel, Alex Yermolinsky

Florin Felecan, Young Angelo, 

Fidel Corrales Jiminez, Var Akobian

Wesley So, Daniel Fernandez

John Bryant (left)

Seth Homa, Aleksandr Lenderman

Alexander Shabalov, Walker Griggs