Duane and the Destroyers won our first league tournament this year. The team consisted of Duane Hart, Chuck Nelson, Jason Barrett, and Rod Dailey. Congratulations!

The club raised $60 this year for Chess in the Schools (the Hilda Blowers Foundation). Thanks to all who contributed. We now have a target to exceed next year!

White smiles and plays his move --

But who shall the victor prove?

He plops his Pawn right on e4

Proclaiming "Mate!" -- but is there more?

(Answer on last page)

hen I first started playing chess, I noticed that I often lost due to a Bishop lurking in the corner that I hadn't noticed. I dubbed my affliction "Bishop blindness" and strove to pay more attention to the clerics.

Since then, I have realized that the problem wasn't limited to the Bishops. Any piece that seemed to move in a way I wasn't expecting could do me in. What I was really suffering from was an erroneous assumption that pieces move in only one direction (similar to Pawns)!

At the beginning of the game our pieces start out near us, and venture forth towards our partner. Our partner's pieces perform a similar dance in reverse: moving menacingly towards us. Of course, this only holds true in the very first moves of the game, but sometimes this one-way notion of how the pieces move gets carried unconsciously into the middle game.

For a time, I thought this might be something unique to my own chess inabilities. But then I came across this position, with Samuel Reshevsky (one of the top grandmasters) playing White:

Under extreme time pressure, Reshevsky played Qxg6+?? This is exactly the type of move I make when struck by "Bishop blindness". The Bishop on b1, so close to the White player, went unnoticed until the reply Bxg6 caused White to resign.

So what's the cure for this malady? There may not be one. But simply being aware of this human foible may help us to avoid its consequences in the future.

Starting with this issue, we are just going to publish the games which Ken deems to be the most interesting. These could still come from all skill levels. We will continue to provide all submitted games for downloading from our website, but these may have little or no analysis. When you download the games, the opening information (opening name and ECO number) will be found in place of the players' names.

The games that we will publish in the newsletters will have more extensive analysis (by Ken and his computer). Ken says that he will be very frank in his analysis since the names have been removed to protect the losers (which, at some point, means all of us)!

2. f4 The signature move of the Sicilian "Grand Prix" attack. In the repertory of every attacking player!

4. Bc4 h6TD A theoretical deviation (TD)!. Black must be worried about 5.Ng5 with pressure on f7. Score +0.10. Book continues with 4...e6 5.Nc3 a6 6.a4 Nf6 7.O-O d5 8.exd5 exd5 9.Ba2 Be7 10.d3 O-O +0.18

5. O-O e5 Score -1.11. Contrary to the idea behind his 4th move, Black now gives White the opportunity to put pressure on the point f7 with 6.fxe5. Better is REBEL CENTURY: 5...Nf6 6.Nc3 a6 7.d3 Na5 8.e5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Qd4+ 10.Rf2 Nxc4 -0.13

6. d3 Score +0.33. REBEL CENTURY: 6.fxe5 Be6 7.Bxe6 fxe6 8.d4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 +1.27

8. a3 Score +0.27. White still has a chance here to build up K-side pressure as follows: REBEL CENTURY: 8.fxe5 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 dxe5 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Qg3! a6 12.Qxe5+ +1.04. The move 8.a3 prepares an escape square at a2 for White's K-side bishop, anticipating Black Q-side activity with ...a6 and ...b5. This is too soon, as Black still needs to work on development of his K-side.

…Bg4

9. h3?! Score -1.67. Allowing Black to win a pawn with 9...Nxf3+10.gxf3 Bxh3. 10.Kh1 loses the exchange as in the game.

12. Qxf1

A critical point. Until now the game was approximately even. Suddenly, first Black and then White tries to give the game away!

…Nxg4?? Score -4.77. Black does not see the danger lurking at his b5 square! Nor does White! REBEL CENTURY 12...a6!! 13.Qf3 b5 14.Bb3 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ra7 16.a4 b4 17.Nd5 Nxd5 +1.66

13. g3?? Score -2.12. REBEL CENTURY 13.Bb5+!! Qd7 14.Bxd7+ Kxd7 15.Nd5 Nf6 16.fxe5 Nxd5 17.exd5 +5.36. Black must sacrifice his queen. If instead, 13...Kd2, then White mates with 14.Nd5+ Ke6 15.f5++

…a6

20. Rg1 White trys to put complications into the game, hoping Black will slip up!

21. Nxe7+?! Score -2.98. REBEL CENTURY 21.Qxg3 Bg5 22.Bf4 f5 23.Bxd6 fxe4 24.Qe5 Re8 25.Ne7+ -1.48

30. a5 c4 30...b4 locks the q-side. Black is more interested in opening it up, giving his rooks more scope.

33. Ke6 Kg6!? This forces White's king to be trapped in the center, and vulnerable.

37. Bxe5 f4 Black prefers to do nothing on the q-side, as his pawns are on White squares, leaving the White bishop with no targets over there!

White resigns 0-1

4. Nxd4 White can play a Sicilian Gambit here with 4.c3 dxc3 5.Nxc3 e6 6.Bf4 Bb4 7.Bd6 Bxd6 8.Qxd6 a6 9.O-O-O -0.09. With an advantage in development for the pawn sac.

…g6 With this move Black goes into Sicilian accelerated dragon variations.

6. Nxc6 More usual here are:

A: 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 (Sozin attack) O-O 8.Bb3 a5 8.a4 Ng4 9.Qxg4 Bxd4 10.Bxd4 Nxd4 11.Qh4 +0.19.

B: 6.Nb3 Nf6 7.Be2 d6 8.O-O O-O 9.Bg5 a6 10.a4 b6 11.f4 Bb7 12.Bf3 -0.06.

…bxc6

7. Bd2 e6 Score -0.20. Out of book. ECO B34 Sicilian Accelerated Dragon. The opening continues 7...Rb8 8.b3 e6 9.Rb1 Ne7 10.Bd3 O-O 11.Na4 d5 12.O-O f5 +0.21. Or Black can move into a King's Indian type of setup with 7...d6 8.Bd3 Nf6 9.Rb1 O-O 10.O-O a6 -0.04.

22. Rfd1?! Score -1.83. A well played game so far, but with this rook move White loses the exchange after 22...Nxd2 23.Rxd2 Bh6. Better is REBEL CENTURY 22.Bg5 Rc6 23.Rfe1 Rfc8 24.Be7 -0.23

…Rfd8?! Score +0.31. And Black overlooks the rook exchange as well! REBEL CENTURY 22...Nxd2! +1.89

23. a5?! Score -1.94. Again overlooking ...Nxd2! for Black.

…Bf8?! Score +0.38. Again overlooking ...Nxd2! +2.00.

24. Nb3 Score -0.86. Finally, White covers the d2 square! A case of chess blindness for both White and Black for 4 moves! REBEL CENTURY suggests a better line for White is 24. Bg5 Rd6 25.Bf4 Rdc6 26.Nd3 Nd6 27.Nc5 h5 28.Bg5 Nf5 29.Na4 -0.23

…Nb2

26. Rc2?! Score -1.34 Now Black wins a pawn with 26...Nxb4! because if 27. cxb4 Rxc2. REBEL CENTURY 26.Rcd1 Rd6 27.f4 Bg7 28.Rf3 Nb2 29.Rc1 Nc4 30.Be3 -0.36

…Rc4?!

28. cxb4?! Score -3.48. Loses rook and pawn for knight. Less damaging is REBEL CENTURY 28.Rb2 Nc6 29.Rb7 Rb8 30.Rxb8 Nxb8 31.Nd3 Bg7 32.Rc1 -1.38, and White is only down a pawn.

…Rxc2

29. Nb3?! Score -4.63. This loses yet another pawn with 29...Rb2 30.Bg5 Rc8 31.Nc1 Rxb4

…Rb2 White finally throws in the towel. 0-1

4. Bf4 The London system

…Nc6

6. Bg5 Out of book. ECO D02 Queen's Pawn. Score +0.02. More often played here are

A: 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.Ne5 O-O 8.Bd3 Bxe5 9.dxe5 Nd7 10.Bg3 Ncxe5 11.Bxe5 Nxe5 12.Bxh7+ Kxh7 13.Qh5+ Kg8 14.Qxe5 -0.21

B: 6.Bd3 Qb6 7.Qc2 Bd7 8.Nbd2 Be7 9.O-O Rc8 10.Qb1 +0.27

C: 6.Be2 Bd6 7.Bxd6 Qxd6 8.O-O O-O 9.Nbd2 e5 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.c4 -0.05

…Be7

14. Bxe4 Bd8 Score +0.47 CENTURY +1.19 14...Rd8 15.hxg6 fxg6 16.dxc5 Qxc5 17.Qb3 Kg7 18.Nd4 Na5

15. Ne5?! Score -2.10 CENTURY -0.48 15.dxc5 Qf6 16.O-O-O Be7 17.hxg6 fxg6 18.Rh6 Ne5 19.Qb3

…Nxe5

16. dxe5 Qe6 Score +1.45 CENTURY +2.20 16...Qxe5 17.hxg6 fxg6 18.Rd1 Qe7 19.Rh6 Qg7 20.Qb3 Kh8

17. O-O-O Black now felt that f5 would be a great move, blocking the b1-h7 diagonal. Black even considered the en passant capture in reply and liked the result. What he totally failed to notice was a2-g8 diagonal!

…f5?? It would be hard to dream up a worse move. Score -4.96 CENTURY +1.38 17...Qxe5 18.hxg6 hxg6 19.Kb1 Re8 20.Rd5 Qe6 21.Rdd1 Qf6

18. Bd5 And Black could now resign.

…Bc7 Score -7.39 CENTURY -5.59 18...Qxd5 19.Rxd5 g5 20.Qb3 c4 21.Qb4 a5 22.Qb5 Be7 23.Rd2 Be6

19. Bxe6+ Score +6.08 CENTURY +8.13 19.Qb3 Re8 20.hxg6 Bxe5 21.Rxh7 Bf6 22.Bxe6 Bxe6 23.Qxb7

…Bxe6

21. Rh6 Score +5.30 CENTURY +6.57 21.f4 Rf7 22.g4 Re8 23.Qh2 Kf8 24.gxf5 Bxf5 25.Rd5 Rc8 26.Qh8

…Bxe5 Score -7.49 CENTURY -5.62 21...Kg7 22.Rdh1 Bxe5 23.Rh7 Kg8 24.Re7 Rfe8 25.Rxe8 Rxe8

22. f4 Score +5.25 CENTURY +7.88 22.Rxg6+ Kf7 23.Rxe6 Kxe6 24.Qb3 Kf6 25.f4 Rad8 26.fxe5

…Bg7

23. Rxg6 Rf6 Score -7.50 CENTURY -5.88 23...Rae8 24.Rd6 Bc4 25.Rg5 Rxe3 26.Rd7 Bf7 27.Qxf5 Re1

24. Rg5 Score +5.89 CENTURY +7.76 24.Rxf6 Bxf6 25.g4 Kf8 26.Rd6 Ke7 27.Rxe6 Kxe6 28.Qxf5

…Kf7 Score -7.15 CENTURY -5.79 24...Raf8 25.e4 a6 26.g4 fxe4 27.Qxe4 Bxa2 28.Rd7 Bf7

25. Qe2 Score +6.07 CENTURY +8.29 25.g4 Kf8 26.gxf5 Bf7 27.Qg2 Bh6 28.Qxb7 Re8 29.Qxa7

…Rh8 Score -9.25 CENTURY -6.44 25...Kf8 26.Qb5 Rc8 27.Rd7 Bh6 28.Qxb7 Bxd7 29.Qxd7 Rcc6

26. Qb5 Rg6 Score -17.33 CENTURY -10.34 26...b6 27.Rd7+ Kf8 28.Rdxg7 Rf7 29.Rxf7 Kxf7 30.Qa6 Ke8

28. Qc6 Score +10.30 CENTURY +20.71 28.Rd6 Rh1+ 29.Kd2 Rxg5 30.fxg5+ Kg6 31.Rxe6+ Kh5 32.Qf3+

…Rc8 ?? Black failed to consider the reply Rxg6 which wins the Bishop. Now mate in 9 moves starting with 29. Rxg6+ Kxg6 30.Qxe6 Bf6 31.Rd7 Rf8 etc. CENTURY -10.30 28...Rhh6!? 29.Qc7 a5 30.Rd8 Rh1 31.Kd2 Rxg5 32.fxg5 Kg6

31. Qxc8 Black resigns. 1-0

To White's surprise, Black grabs the Pawn

Declaring, "Oh, it's en passant,

Pawn to e3 seals your fate,

And right back at you comes your "Mate!"