Bronx Chess Days at CES 70 Bronx

James Black, Danny Feng, and Matheu Jefferson (a non-318 player) tied for first at the CIS tournament today at CES* 70. James won the blitz playoff. Below are some positions from IS 318 players games, arranged as a quiz. The questions should be answered in order, since later questions sometimes give away earlier answers.

David Kim

1. David Kim - Praveen ??? white to play and win.

David told me he reviewed the Max Lange Gambit last night after losing several blitz games to teammate Shawn Swindell (who for some reason is playing 1.... e5?!) I'm so happy when the kids study their openings and it pays off.

Danny Feng

2. Jonathan Hildalgo - Danny Feng black to move

Henry Cali

3. Michael Williams- Henry Cali. Black is up two pawns and so easily winning, but what's the fastest way?

4. The previous position developed into this, when black inexplicably played 38... g3, but went on to win anyway after 39. fg hg 40. hg Kc4. How could white have improved?

Randy Rivera

5. Randy Rivera is black in this position against former 318 player Ezequiel Quinones. Ezequiel has played against the French Fort Knox (1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3/d2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bd7) enough to know a good set-up for white (Nf3, Bd3, 0-0, c4, b3, Bb2), but here he used an inaccurate move order. What's the best way for Randy to take advantage?


6. same game. Is black ready to play 18 ... e5?


7. Still the same game. Here black retreated with 20... Nd7? Why (exactly) does this lose?

Lequasiah Lawrence

8. Lequasiah is white in this position and has been trying to attack for a long time. Her opponent just gave her a big chance with ...Rd2. How could she have won immediately?

Anita Maksimiuk


Anita - Jonathan

9. Anita is a rapidly improving player, but here she missed the move that all kids have trouble with. The game continued 8... Ne4 9. Nxe4 d5 10. Bd3 dxe4 11. Bxe4. How could white have improved?

Matheu Jefferson - Shawn Swindell

10. Matheu won a nice game against Shawn, but he didn't see mate in five here. white to move.

answers!!
1) 8. Bxe6! Bxe3 9. Bxf7+ Rxf7 10. Nxf7 Bxf2+ 11. Rxf2 Kxf7 12. e5 (D)

and white wins a piece.

2) 1... Ne5! wins at least a pawn:

2. Nxe5 Bxe5 3. Be1 Bxb2 or

2. Qc2 Nf3+ 3. Kf1 Qa8 4. Bc4 Nxh2+ 5. Kg1 Nf3+ 6. Kf1 Qe4 or

2. Qg2 Nxd3 3. Bxd3 Be7 forking the two bishops or

2. Qb5 Qxb5 3. Bxb5 Nf3+ 4. Kf1 Nxd2+

3) 1... d4 followed by ...Kd5xc4 is the easiest.

4) White could have turned the tables with 40. h4!

5) Ezequiel should have castled before playing b3. Randy missed his chance to keep the king in the center with
8... Bxf3 9. Qxf3 Bb4+ 10. Bd2 Bxd2+ 11. Kxd2 O-O (11... c5)

6) no, because white answers 18... e5 19. c5! Bf8 20. dxe5

7) best is 21. Bxh7+ Kxh7 22. Qf5+ Kg8 23. Rxd7, theatening the queen and f7.

8) 1. Qe6+! wins immediately: 1...Kf8 2. Qxf6 or 1... Kg7 2. Qe7

9) Kids miss en passant a lot. Anita forgot she could take the forking pawn: 10. exd6 e.p.

10) 24. Rxf7+! Kxf7 25. Rf1+ Ke7 (25... Ke8 26. Qg6+ Kd7 27. Qf7#

*CES= community elementary school; it's the same as PS (=public school)