Indiana State Chess

Association

Unsound Lines
Volume 1, Issue 1

June 2010
June 19, INDIANA STATE CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS Indi-
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Req'd: ISCA. OSA. Reg: 8:45-9:15am. Rds: 9:30-1-4-7:30.
ENT: Roger Blaine, P.O. Box 353, Osceola IN 46561 574-
257-9033. INFO: reblaine@hotmail.com.
www.indianachess.org. NS NC W.
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ONSHIPS Indiana State Masters/Generatons Champion-
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Tournament
Announcements
Indiana State Chess
Association

Unsound Lines
Volume 1, Issue 1

June 2010
Herron & Monokroussos tie the 2009 State
ChampionshipHerron wins Memorial
Congratulations to the current
State Champions Dennis
Monokroussos and Mike Her-
ron for the resulting victories.
Both newbie's to the title one
distinction is this being Her-
rons 25th consecutive attend-
ance at The State. Also, con-
grats to the Reserve Champi-
ons Mathew Leach and John
Wortinger for their title split.
Some other mentionables in-
clude 09 State Champ Garrett
Smith for his performance rat-
ing of 2245 and Greg Steels
performance rating of 2113
and large gain in rating points.
The Indiana Memorial Open
transformed from the Indiana
Open is a tourney established
to honor Indiana Players that
have passed. We honored this
year, State Champions and
Hall of Fame members. The
unstoppable Mike Herron won
with 4.5 points. And some
other mentionables are Ariel
Ofek with a 2363 performance
rating and Albert Nelms with
the most rating point gain.
Note from the President:
Welcome and hello ISCA
members, it is an honor to
serve as President for another
year with such a distinguished
group of chess players. Just a
couple of reminders, we have
two upcoming tourneys. The
Indiana Class Championships
on June 19th and the Masters/
Generations Champs on the
weekend of July 24th and
25th. I hope you can attend to
compete in these heritage
events. The tentative dates for
the upcoming State Champi-
onship is October 1st, 2nd &
3rd, mark your calendars.
Hope to see you at the board.
From Mike Herron, Indianapolis:
Hi everybody, I had a great U.S. Open this
year. I finished at 6-3 with 5 wins, 2 losses,
and 2 draws. I played 4 games against
"mortals" (3 1800's and a 1500) and dominat-
ed 4-0, and I played 5 against the scary guys
(a GM, 3 2300+ FM's, and a 2200+ master)
and got 1 win, 2 losses, 2 draws. My rating
should jump 20+ points into the 2140's now.
Of course the highlight for me was in round
5, when I got my first win vs. a Grandmaster.
It was also the highest-rated player I'd ever
beaten. I've had several requests for annota-
tions, so here they are. I'm pretty much sending this to
everyone, so if anyone isn't interested and/or has already
seen the game, of course feel free to delete.
Mike Herron (2124) vs. GM Larry Kaufman (2444) Round 5, 2009 U.S.
Open
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5 Ne4 4.Bf4 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.e3
Qb6 7.Qb3 c4 This is a forcing line that almost works, but
not quite. The idea is to use the pin on my a-pawn after the
queen exchange to get in the b4 advance and then overrun
my queenside by attacking my weak pawn(s). It would
yield him a big advantage if it weren't for my 14th move.
8.Qxb6 axb6 9.a3 b5 10.Nbd2 Nxd2 11.Nxd2
b4 12.cxb4 Nxb4 13.Rc1 Nc6 The alternative 13...Nd3+ is
bad because after 14.Bxd3 cxd3 I will be able to surround
and win the d3 pawn. After his choice, if he gets in 14...b5
and 15...b4 he will be positionally winning due to my weak
b2 pawn.
14. Nb1 (!) One of three moves in the game that I'm really
proud of. It totally changes the evaluation of the position
from an advantage for black to a slight pull for white. It's
counterintuitive to "undevelop" the knight instead of bring-
ing out the bishop (14.Be2?), but the key to the whole
game now is to stop b5 & b4. Now if 14...b5, then 15.Nc3
wins a pawn. Kaufman had missed 14.Nb1 and sank into a
long think.
14...e6 15.Nc3 f5 I'm not sure that I understand this
move. His c8 bishop is looking pretty bad right now. One
amusing line that he rightly avoids is 15...Na7?? to prepare
16...b5 because then I win with 16.Na4! intending 17.Nb6,
i.e. 16...Bd7 17.Nb6 Rd8 18.Bc7.
16.Be2 Be7 17.h4 0-0 18.h5 Bd7 19.Bf3 I already
wanted to play 19.g4 here, but after 19...fxg4 20.Bxg4 he
has 20...Nxd4! where black looks okay, i.e. 21.Nxd5 exd5
22.Bxd7 Rad8.
19...Na5 (?) The GM underestimates my next move.
20. g4(!) The second move that I really like in this game.
With his knight on a5, he no longer has the Nxd4 resource
PRESIDENT:
Gary J Fox PH (574)722-4965
ISCA, P.O. Box 114, Logansport, IN 46947
E-Mail: president@indianachess.org
VICE-PRESIDENT:
Nate Criss
E-Mail: vicepresident@indianachess.org
SECRETARY:
Roger Blaine
P.O. Box 353, Osceola, IN 46561
E-Mail: secretary@indianachess.org
TREASURER:
Jerry Christner
E-Mail: treasurer@indianachess.org
eMagazine EDITOR:
Dennis Monokroussos
E-Mail: editor@indianachess.org
HISTORIAN:
Tom Byers Ph. (574)722-1137
ISCA, P.O. Box 114, Logansport, IN 46947
E-Mail: historian@indianachess.org
MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR:
David Washburn
ISCA, P.O. Box 114, Logansport, IN 46947
E-Mail: membership@indianachess.org
DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE:
Drew Hollinberger
E-Mail: drew@indianachess.org
I SCA Board of
Di rectors
Chief TD Adviser / Clearinghouse
Roger Blaine E-mail: td@indianachess.org
Master Adviser
Lester VanMeter E-mail: master@indianachess.org
eMagazine Adviser
Ben Inskeep E-Mail: ben@indianachess.org
Adviser-at-Large
Steven J Steppe Ph(812)299-5111
53 E. Antler Dr., Terre Haute, IN 47802
E-Mail: steve@indianachess.org
Adviser-at-Large
Mike Turner E-mail: mike@indianachess.org
Presi dent s Advi sory
Cabi net
in the above line. He sank into a deep think at this point,
and I started to realize that 20.g4 was even better than I'd
thought when I played it. My threat is just 21.gxf5. Then if
21...exf5 22.Bxd5+, and if 21...Rxf5 22.Bg4 Rff8 23.Nxd5
winning a pawn. If he tries to defend with 20...g6, then
21.hxg6 hxg6 22.gxf5 gxf5 23.Ke2 where my rooks and
bishops will slice his king to pieces.
20...Nb3 21.Rd1 fxg4 22.Bxg4 Rad8 23.Bc7 Rc8 24.Be5
Rfd8(?!) A very understandable decision because of the
rating difference between us, but one that is bad from a
purely objective chess point of view and comes back to bite
him. He should play 24...Rcd8. Then if I attack g7 as in the
game he can defend with Rf7. The problem for him is that I
simply force a draw by repetition of moves by 25.Bc7 Rc8
26.Be5 Rcd8 27.Bc7. He has to draw because he has to
keep the bishop on d7 to protect e6, and he has to protect
the bishop on d7 to prevent Nxd5. He is unwilling to give a
lowly expert like me a draw, so he consents to an inferior
position in the hopes of outplaying me later in the game to
win. He doesn't make any more missteps that I can find,
but unfortunately for him, I play very well the rest of the
way and his position is too bad. There proves to be no way
to keep me from penetrating on g7.
25.Rg1 Bf8 26.Ke2 Kf7 27.Rg3 ... I was quite optimistic
here. The threats to e6 & d5 keep him tied up, so how can
he defend g7? I ran into Nate Criss outside the tournament
room at this point and told him that I had the advantage
against the GM with a beautiful position.
27...Be7 28.Rdg1 Bf6 29.Bxf6 gxf6 30.Bh3 He has
gotten his pawn off of g7, but my rooks are still penetrating
on that square. If he tries 30...Rg8 then 31.Rxg8 Rxg8
32.Rxg8 Kxg8 33.Nxd5! wins a pawn. That pin on the h3-
d7 diagonal bedevils him for a long time (moves 20-36).
30...Ke7 31.Rg7+ Kd6 32.Rxh7 Rh8 33.Rgg7
Rxh7 34.Rxh7 Nc1+ 35.Kd2 Nd3 He's down a pawn, but
he seems to be getting it back now. This position got a
diagram in the tournament bulletin.
36. Nxd5 (!) The third move that I really like in this
game. I would have enjoyed playing this move against
anyone, but to get to play it against a GM is just a dream.
That h3-d7 diagonal pin is still working for me--if 36...exd5
(or 36...Kxd5) 37.Rxd7+ wins easily.
36...Nxf2 37.Rxd7+(!) I didn't really look at other
moves like 37.Nxf6 much because I was totally sure that
the knight ending was a clear win. I didn't see any way that
I could mess it up.
37...Kxd7 38.Nb6+ Kc7 39.Nxc8 Nxh3 Definitely not
39...Kxc8? 40.Bxe6+, Resigns.
40. h6 Ng5 41. Ne7 The win is fairly straightfor-
ward. The game continuation shows what happens if he
goes to collect the h-pawn--my king just walks into his
From Mike Herron, Indianapolis:
Hi everybody, I had a great U.S. Open this
year. I finished at 6-3 with 5 wins, 2 losses,
and 2 draws. I played 4 games against
"mortals" (3 1800's and a 1500) and dominat-
ed 4-0, and I played 5 against the scary guys
(a GM, 3 2300+ FM's, and a 2200+ master)
and got 1 win, 2 losses, 2 draws. My rating
should jump 20+ points into the 2140's now.
Of course the highlight for me was in round
5, when I got my first win vs. a Grandmaster.
It was also the highest-rated player I'd ever
beaten. I've had several requests for annota-
tions, so here they are. I'm pretty much sending this to
everyone, so if anyone isn't interested and/or has already
seen the game, of course feel free to delete.
Mike Herron (2124) vs. GM Larry Kaufman (2444) Round 5, 2009 U.S.
Open
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5 Ne4 4.Bf4 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.e3
Qb6 7.Qb3 c4 This is a forcing line that almost works, but
not quite. The idea is to use the pin on my a-pawn after the
queen exchange to get in the b4 advance and then overrun
my queenside by attacking my weak pawn(s). It would
yield him a big advantage if it weren't for my 14th move.
8.Qxb6 axb6 9.a3 b5 10.Nbd2 Nxd2 11.Nxd2
b4 12.cxb4 Nxb4 13.Rc1 Nc6 The alternative 13...Nd3+ is
bad because after 14.Bxd3 cxd3 I will be able to surround
and win the d3 pawn. After his choice, if he gets in 14...b5
and 15...b4 he will be positionally winning due to my weak
b2 pawn.
14. Nb1 (!) One of three moves in the game that I'm really
proud of. It totally changes the evaluation of the position
from an advantage for black to a slight pull for white. It's
counterintuitive to "undevelop" the knight instead of bring-
ing out the bishop (14.Be2?), but the key to the whole
game now is to stop b5 & b4. Now if 14...b5, then 15.Nc3
wins a pawn. Kaufman had missed 14.Nb1 and sank into a
long think.
14...e6 15.Nc3 f5 I'm not sure that I understand this
move. His c8 bishop is looking pretty bad right now. One
amusing line that he rightly avoids is 15...Na7?? to prepare
16...b5 because then I win with 16.Na4! intending 17.Nb6,
i.e. 16...Bd7 17.Nb6 Rd8 18.Bc7.
16.Be2 Be7 17.h4 0-0 18.h5 Bd7 19.Bf3 I already
wanted to play 19.g4 here, but after 19...fxg4 20.Bxg4 he
has 20...Nxd4! where black looks okay, i.e. 21.Nxd5 exd5
22.Bxd7 Rad8.
19...Na5 (?) The GM underestimates my next move.
20. g4(!) The second move that I really like in this game.
With his knight on a5, he no longer has the Nxd4 resource
in the above line. He sank into a deep think at this point,
and I started to realize that 20.g4 was even better than I'd
thought when I played it. My threat is just 21.gxf5. Then if
21...exf5 22.Bxd5+, and if 21...Rxf5 22.Bg4 Rff8 23.Nxd5
winning a pawn. If he tries to defend with 20...g6, then
21.hxg6 hxg6 22.gxf5 gxf5 23.Ke2 where my rooks and
bishops will slice his king to pieces.
20...Nb3 21.Rd1 fxg4 22.Bxg4 Rad8 23.Bc7 Rc8 24.Be5
Rfd8(?!) A very understandable decision because of the
rating difference between us, but one that is bad from a
purely objective chess point of view and comes back to bite
him. He should play 24...Rcd8. Then if I attack g7 as in the
game he can defend with Rf7. The problem for him is that I
simply force a draw by repetition of moves by 25.Bc7 Rc8
26.Be5 Rcd8 27.Bc7. He has to draw because he has to
keep the bishop on d7 to protect e6, and he has to protect
the bishop on d7 to prevent Nxd5. He is unwilling to give a
lowly expert like me a draw, so he consents to an inferior
position in the hopes of outplaying me later in the game to
win. He doesn't make any more missteps that I can find,
but unfortunately for him, I play very well the rest of the
way and his position is too bad. There proves to be no way
to keep me from penetrating on g7.
25.Rg1 Bf8 26.Ke2 Kf7 27.Rg3 ... I was quite optimistic
here. The threats to e6 & d5 keep him tied up, so how can
he defend g7? I ran into Nate Criss outside the tournament
room at this point and told him that I had the advantage
against the GM with a beautiful position.
27...Be7 28.Rdg1 Bf6 29.Bxf6 gxf6 30.Bh3 He has
gotten his pawn off of g7, but my rooks are still penetrating
on that square. If he tries 30...Rg8 then 31.Rxg8 Rxg8
32.Rxg8 Kxg8 33.Nxd5! wins a pawn. That pin on the h3-
d7 diagonal bedevils him for a long time (moves 20-36).
30...Ke7 31.Rg7+ Kd6 32.Rxh7 Rh8 33.Rgg7
Rxh7 34.Rxh7 Nc1+ 35.Kd2 Nd3 He's down a pawn, but
he seems to be getting it back now. This position got a
diagram in the tournament bulletin.
36. Nxd5 (!) The third move that I really like in this
game. I would have enjoyed playing this move against
anyone, but to get to play it against a GM is just a dream.
That h3-d7 diagonal pin is still working for me--if 36...exd5
(or 36...Kxd5) 37.Rxd7+ wins easily.
36...Nxf2 37.Rxd7+(!) I didn't really look at other
moves like 37.Nxf6 much because I was totally sure that
the knight ending was a clear win. I didn't see any way that
I could mess it up.
37...Kxd7 38.Nb6+ Kc7 39.Nxc8 Nxh3 Definitely not
39...Kxc8? 40.Bxe6+, Resigns.
40. h6 Ng5 41. Ne7 The win is fairly straightfor-
ward. The game continuation shows what happens if he
goes to collect the h-pawn--my king just walks into his
Phone: 574-722-4965
E-Mail: info@indianachess.org
Web: www.indianachess.org
P.O. Box 114
Logansport, IN 46947
Indiana State Chess Association
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Bronze: Gary J Fox
queenside. And if he tries to stop the h-pawn with the
knight and keep his king on the queenside I would win
with something like 41...b5 42.Ng6 Nh7 43.Kc3 Kc6
44.Kb4 Kb6 45.a4 bxa4 46.Kxc4 Ka5 47.Kc5.
41...Kd7 42.Ng6 Ke8 43.Kc3 Kf7 44.Nf4 e5 45.dxe5
fxe5 46.Nd5 ... A great square for the knight. His king
& knight won't be able to get close enough to head off
my queenside pawns.
46...Kg6 47.Kxc4 Ne4 48.b4 Kxh6 49.a4 Kg6 50.Kb5
Kf7 51.Kb6 Nd6 52.Kc7 Ke6 53.Nc3 e4 54.a5
Ke5 55.b5 Nc4 56.a6 bxa6 57.bxa6 Nxe3 58.a7
Kd4 59.Ne2+ Kd3 60.Nf4+ Resigns, 1-0.
Cue in whatever primal scream of triumph you'd
like here. (I waited until I was in the hotel park-
ing lot before I began any actual screaming!) To
say that I was happy after this game would be a
bit of an understatement. I don't think my feet
touched the ground until sometime the next
morning.