ICCF US Olympiad 18 Team Qualifies for the Finals!



The ICCF-US Olympiad team has qualified for the 18th Olympiad Final. The team of GM Dan Fleetwood, SIM Jerry Weisskohl, SIM Keith Holzmueller, SIM Michael Proof, IM Bill Boucher, and SIM Tim Murray scored +9-2=36 with one game remaining. The Team Captain was Franklin Campbell. With only two teams qualifying in each Prelim section, ICCF-US maintains a record of qualifying for all Olympiad Finals, 13 to 18.



Michael Proof strikes gold ! Michael Proof won his section with +3-0=5.



GAME OF THE MONTH

Michael Proof turns in a mini-masterpiece with this positional attacking game. The Black King is always the main target as White appears to be striking only at the squares around him in this exciting King hunt with no checks.



SICILIAN DEFENSE (B90)

6294



1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Be7 9.Qd2 h5 10.0–0–0

Modern theory seems divided between the attacking continuation with 10. 000 and the positional treatment with 10. Be2 Nbd7 11. Nd5 Bxd5 12. exd5 as in Mamedon-Vilmaz, Athens 2009

10...Nbd7 11.Kb1

In Tilburg 1998, Anand tried the innocuous 11. g3 against Sadler.

11...Rc8 12.Bd3

Also popular here is 12. h3 to control g4 so that White may play f4 without allowing ...Ng4.

12...Nc5 13.Nxc5 dxc5 14.Qf2

This is an improvement over Shabalov-Zhang Zhong, US-China 2001 where Shabalov played 14. Qe2

14...Qc7 15.Be2

The d5 square is the key square here.

15...b5 16.f4 0–0

Oltean-Orsolic, corres. 2007 continued 14...Qa5 15. Be2 00 16. Nd5 +=

17.f5 Bd7 18.Nd5

White plays for a sound positional advantage rather than continuing the attack with 18. Bg5

18...Nxd5 19.exd5 c4 20.d6!

Deflecting the Bishop after which White plants a killer Pawn on f6.

20...Bxd6 21.f6 g6

Without hope is 21...gxf6 22. Qxf6

22.g4!

While 22. Bxh5!? is strong, 22. g4! leaves the Black King without resource.

22...c3

Black counterpunches well but remains one punch behind.

23.b3 Qa5 24.gxh5 Bf5 25.Bf3 Qa3 26.Bc1 Qb4 27.Qg2 e4 28.hxg6 fxg6 29.Bg4 Kf7

Not 29...Rxf6? 30. Bxf5

30.Rd5!

White would unduly rush things with 30. Bxf5 gxf5 31. Qg7+ Ke6 and White lacks a good continuation. Instead White continues to effectively dominate the d-file.

30...Bxg4 31.Qxg4 Rcd8 32.Rg1 1-0

A little finesse -- after 32...Rg8 33. Rgd1 e3 34. R1d4 ends the game.



USCF CORRESPONDENCE CHESS ONLINE

It’s coming and may be here by the time you read this paragraph (Editor's Note- Indeed, log in to the server to play at http://chessserver.rmrdevelopment.com/.) Beta testing has been going on and a number of games have been played. The official announcement is just a few kilobytes away. Be prepared for a June introduction to CC online and later a further expansion of the USCF webserver.



MAY RESULTS

Walter Muir

Mark Cheathem 11W22 6-0

Carl Siefring 11W36 5 ½-½

David Wright 12W02 4 ½-1½

John Davis 12W02 4 ½-1½



Trophy Quad

David Sherman 09Q18 4 ½-1 ½



John Collins

Tim McGill 10C35 5 ½-½



KING’S INDIAN DEFENSE (E95)



6293



400 GAME CC Match Challenge



If you are interested in playing a 400 game postal match, 20 games in 20 selected openings against a prisoner, contact me.



IM Carl Siefring won a forfeit plagued Walter Muir.



SICILIAN DEFENSE (B97)



6292



LEARN CHESS BY MAIL ! Lessons given by mail, telephone, ICC – many different ways. I specialize in players rated 800-2100 who would like to improve their game. Contact me for information. Alex Dunne, 324 West Lockhart St., Sayre, PA 18840 or [email protected]

Chess booklet for sale: 2004 Golden Knights Championship -- booklet of the 57th USCF CC Championship -- $10.00 postage paid. 35 pages, 90+ games



OBITUARY

Aart Rackwitz

Born June 2, 1929, died April 7, 2012

Aart Rackwitz of Concord, CA was a Master CC player who finished second in the 1984 Golden Knights. Here is an exciting game against the up-and-coming Frank Camaratta.



CARO-KANN DEFENSE (D41)



6291



Glen Proechel

Born Jan. 3, 1938, died April 14, 2012

Glen was fluent in English, German, Russian, Spanish, French, and Klingon. He won a number of OTB tournaments in his native Minnestota. Glen was active in Golden Knights play in the 90’s and played successfully at the international level. Earlier this year Glen came back to domestic play, but health problems forced him to withdraw.



SICILIAN DEFENSE (B21)



6290



Caution: heavy machinery is used in this game.



6289



GAMES OF THE US OLYMPIC TEAM



Who said draws aren’t fun?



SICILIAN DEFENSE (B92)



6284



Weisskohl shows remarkable defensive strength in this draw.



CARO-KANN (B12)



6285



After 29. g4 Black has to worry about his Knight offside on a5. After 29...g5, he has to worry about his King as well.



KING’s INDIAN DEFENSE (E66)



6286



On Move 82 the Nalimov Tables find a win in 21 moves.



SICILIAN DEFENSE (B80)



6287



When g6 comes – and it will come – Black’s game collapses.



RUY LOPEZ (C99)



6288



See a pdf index of Alex Dunne's columns. Also login as a member to read his current Chess Life Magazine cover story on Abe Wilson, two-time Golden Knights champ.

