davidmoodychess (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} davidmoodychess) wrote,@ 2006-05-23 20:32:00 |
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Chess for no good reason, part 34
1976 U.S. Open
After the 1975 U.S. Open finished, I didn't play another tournament game for a year. This isn't to say I wasn't playing; I took up correspondence chess around this time, and soon had about 100 games going at once. This was far too many to be very beneficial, but simple experience helped my play somewhat.
The 1976 U.S. Open sticks in my mind for several reasons. First, it was played in a building on the campus of George Mason University rather than a hotel or conference center. The nearest lodging, if you didn't fancy the dormitories, was a couple of miles away. This led directly to my meeting GM Arnold Denker.
I was hoofing it one day when a car pulled up and the driver asked if I wanted a ride. It turned out to be Denker, busy campaigning for some USCF office or proposal. When he learned that I wasn't a Delegate some of the chuminess went out of his manner, but he remained civil during the entire ride and even picked me up a couple more times.
I even had one of my blitz games observed by Edward Lasker. He was rolling by in his wheelchair, and stopped to watch. I recognized him immediately, and got so nervous that I started blundering horribly. After the game, he commented nicely that "You could have played better", but I was too tongue-tied to reply and he quickly left.
Finally, there was the incident that dated back to the end of the 1975 Open, when all the Michigan players gathered together and talked about their goals. The Experts wanted to become Masters, the A-players Experts, and so on. My goal was a little different. "Right now, I'm still 12 rating points ahead of that 11-year-old kid, Joel Benjamin. Next year, I still want to be ahead of him!"
Sure enough, in round one of the 1976 U.S. Open, I was one board ahead of Joel Benjamin! Of course he was paired down while I was paired up, but still...
Which brings us to the game, unfortunately. I play the White side of the Sveshnikov. Unfortunately, Black isn't playing the black side of the Sveshnikov, so my moves are ill-fitting and my position quickly disintegrates.
Moody,David (1576) - Holroyd,Ken (2076) [B80]
U.S. Open Fairfax, Va. (1), 15.08.1976
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Ndb5?!
The first misstep. Black quickly kicks this knight into oblivion.
7...a6 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.Na3 b5 10.Ne2
Since White does not have control of d5 as in the Sveshnikov, this knight too must go into exile.
10...Bb7 11.Ng3 Qb6 12.Be2 Nc6 13.c3 Rc8 14.0–0 Qc5 15.Nc2 Ne5 16.Nd4 Nc4 17.Qc2 h5 18.Rfe1 h4 19.Nf1 Qg5 20.Nf3 Qf4 21.Bd3 h3 22.Qe2 hxg2 23.Ng3 Nxb2
And now, to top it off, White sees a cheapo that isn''t there and overloads his own queen.
24.Bxb5 ? axb5 25.Qxb5 Bc6 26.Qa6
Unable to be in two places at once, she tries the effect of a third.
26...Bd7 27.Re3 Nc4 0–1
I have one consolation from this game. Holroyd couldn't keep up with Joel Benjamin either.
1976 U.S. Open
After the 1975 U.S. Open finished, I didn't play another tournament game for a year. This isn't to say I wasn't playing; I took up correspondence chess around this time, and soon had about 100 games going at once. This was far too many to be very beneficial, but simple experience helped my play somewhat.
The 1976 U.S. Open sticks in my mind for several reasons. First, it was played in a building on the campus of George Mason University rather than a hotel or conference center. The nearest lodging, if you didn't fancy the dormitories, was a couple of miles away. This led directly to my meeting GM Arnold Denker.
I was hoofing it one day when a car pulled up and the driver asked if I wanted a ride. It turned out to be Denker, busy campaigning for some USCF office or proposal. When he learned that I wasn't a Delegate some of the chuminess went out of his manner, but he remained civil during the entire ride and even picked me up a couple more times.
I even had one of my blitz games observed by Edward Lasker. He was rolling by in his wheelchair, and stopped to watch. I recognized him immediately, and got so nervous that I started blundering horribly. After the game, he commented nicely that "You could have played better", but I was too tongue-tied to reply and he quickly left.
Finally, there was the incident that dated back to the end of the 1975 Open, when all the Michigan players gathered together and talked about their goals. The Experts wanted to become Masters, the A-players Experts, and so on. My goal was a little different. "Right now, I'm still 12 rating points ahead of that 11-year-old kid, Joel Benjamin. Next year, I still want to be ahead of him!"
Sure enough, in round one of the 1976 U.S. Open, I was one board ahead of Joel Benjamin! Of course he was paired down while I was paired up, but still...
Which brings us to the game, unfortunately. I play the White side of the Sveshnikov. Unfortunately, Black isn't playing the black side of the Sveshnikov, so my moves are ill-fitting and my position quickly disintegrates.
Moody,David (1576) - Holroyd,Ken (2076) [B80]
U.S. Open Fairfax, Va. (1), 15.08.1976
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Ndb5?!
The first misstep. Black quickly kicks this knight into oblivion.
7...a6 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.Na3 b5 10.Ne2
Since White does not have control of d5 as in the Sveshnikov, this knight too must go into exile.
10...Bb7 11.Ng3 Qb6 12.Be2 Nc6 13.c3 Rc8 14.0–0 Qc5 15.Nc2 Ne5 16.Nd4 Nc4 17.Qc2 h5 18.Rfe1 h4 19.Nf1 Qg5 20.Nf3 Qf4 21.Bd3 h3 22.Qe2 hxg2 23.Ng3 Nxb2
And now, to top it off, White sees a cheapo that isn''t there and overloads his own queen.
24.Bxb5 ? axb5 25.Qxb5 Bc6 26.Qa6
Unable to be in two places at once, she tries the effect of a third.
26...Bd7 27.Re3 Nc4 0–1
I have one consolation from this game. Holroyd couldn't keep up with Joel Benjamin either.
