Tactics Time Chess Newsletter: Always Be Closing

Published: Sun, 10/06/13

Tri Lakes Open - Black to Play

Hey there, -- It is fall here in Colorado and the temperature is dropping like pieces in a Under 1000 section!

Reminds me of a poem...

Spring has sprung
Fall has fell
Winter is coming
and it's colder than...usual!

This weekend I am playing in Fred Spell's Tri Lakes Open in Monument. There is a really good turnout, with 56 players. Here is a tactic from my first round game, Black to move.

Reader Tactic

Joseph DeCapua sent me a very interesting game, with a cool tactic from a game that he played on ICC.

White to move.

Here is the complete game.

[Event "ICC 45 45"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2012.05.29"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Q2012"]
[Black "Tempiese"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1593"]
[BlackElo "1442"]
[ICCResult "Black checkmated"]
[Opening "Blackmar gambit"]
[ECO "D00"]
[NIC "QP.08"]
[Time "10:12:36"]
[TimeControl "2700+45"]

1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3 e5 5. d5 c6 6. fxe4 Bb4 7. Bg5 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 Bg4 9. Be2 Bxe2 10. Nxe2 Nbd7 11. O-O Qb6+ 12. Kh1 O-O 13. Rb1 Qa6 14. dxc6 Qxc6 15. Qd3 Nc5 16. Qc4 Nfxe4 17. Be7 Nd2 18. Qxc5 Qxc5 19. Bxc5 Rfc8 20. Bb4 Nxf1 21. Rxf1 a5 22. Bd6 f6 23. Rb1 Rd8 24. Bc7 Rd2 25. Ng3 Rxc2 26. h3 Rxa2 27. Rxb7 a4 28. Bd6 a3 29. Nf5 Ra1+ 30. Kh2 a2 31. Rxg7+ Kh8 32. Be7 Rh1+ 33. Kxh1 a1=Q+ 34. Kh2 Qf1 35. Bxf6 Qf4+ 36. Rg3#
{Black checkmated}
1-0

October 2013 Colorado Chess Informant

The latest issue of the Colorado Chess Informant, October 2013, is out!

Editor Fred Spell did a great job as always. We are lucky to have him here in Colorado!

The Tactics Time Column is on page 24.

The magazine is a 32 page PDF, and is free for anyone to read on http://coloradochess.com

Richard "Buck" Buchanan gave me a really nice shout out on his report about the Pikes Peak Open on page 18. Buck writes:

We had a good, strong event with lots of fighting chess, upsets, and glorious games. (Also note the round 2 pairings Brian vs. Brian, Tim vs. Tim, Mark vs. Mark.) Half a point below Brian's 4.5 came Jackson Chen, Kevin Seidler, Mark Schlagenhauf, and the amazing Tim Brennan, whose sharp tactics helped him earn an Expert's rating (with a little help from Yours Truly as well). Other who impressed were Karl Irons, Mark Krowczyk, and Ron Rossi.

There were great games played; I especially recommend Sage-Brennan, Baffo-Seidler, Krowczyk-Peterson, and Samuel-Irons.

A.B.C - Always Be Closing!

Yesterday at the Tri Lakes Open, Anthea cracked me up. She was playing a guy who hadn't played a rated game in something like 12 years. I didn't catch his name, but Fred Spell made a nice announcement welcoming him back to the tournament scene.

Anyway, after the game Anthea started right into a sales pitch to this guy for the Tactics Time eBooks. I asked her about it later. She said "Oh I wasn't trying to give him any sales pitch - I just think they are really great books, and I love reading them, and was recommending them to help!"

So I thought that was really cool - I thought she was being like the Glengarry Glen Ross type salesmen, but she is just really excited about how great the tactics books are, and how much they are helping people!

Tactic Answers

Problem 1: 16...h6 removes the defender of the White Bishop on e4. White cannot move the Knight and still protect the Bishop which is under attack.

You can play through this game here:
http://www.viewchess.com/cbreader/2013/10/6/Game478442570.html

Problem 2: 36. Rg3# Joseph writes: I "blocked" a Queen check with my Rook, and uncovered a "Discovered Check Mate" !!!

You can play through this game here:
http://www.viewchess.com/cbreader/2013/10/6/Game478886206.html

Hope you have a great Sunday!

I will be heading back to the Tri Lakes Open, then taking a 4th round bye so I can watch game 3 of the National League Playoffs - Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals! Let's Go Bucs!

Happy Tactics!

Your Friend,

Tim Brennan

tim@tacticstime.com