|
|
|
Tales Told Tall Chess
Let me say it right up
front, I am not an accomplished tournament chess player. I am, though a
chess teacher who specializes in teaching beginners, especially children,
in the Northern New England area. I have taught literally thousands of
people to play chess. My interest is in promoting chess as a lifelong
passion. To that end, I run a few regular chess clubs and occasional chess
events:
Ongoing... Wednesdays, 6:30-9:00pm, Open
Chess Night, Parlin Library, Everett, MA.
Ongoing... Second Thursday of Each Month, 5:00-6:30pm, Open
Chess Night, Weeks Public Library, Greenland, NH.
Upcoming
Chess Nights:
Thursday,
March 6
Thursday,
April 3
Thursday,
May 1
Thursday,
June 12
Thursday,
July 10
Mondays, January 28-March 17 (except February 23 and March 3),
3:00-4:30pm, Drop in Chess, Rye Public Library, Rye, NH.
I also offer individual and group lessons as well as
simultaneous demonstrations (simuls) and tournaments. I have a giant (17
foot) chess set that is available to add fun and interest to parties and
events.
Tales Told Tall Chess
Team
Middle School Division,
2007 NH State Championships. First Place: Harrison Moran. Second Place:
David Martino. Seventh Place: Tyler Doherty. Tenth Place: Tim
Chevalier.
Eric Moreau at the 2007
NH State Championship. Eric placed 3rd in the High School Division
Epping Scholastic Chess
Tournament: Tyler Doherty, David Martino (2nd place, Intermediate
Division), Avary Bell, Eric Moreau. [front row] Nick McConnell (2nd place,
Reserve Division), Tim Chevalier (1st place, Intermediate Division), Ben
McConnell (1st place, Reserve Division).
Middle School Team sweeps
in Belchertown, MA: Coach Sullivan, Tyler Doherty, Avary Bell, (front
row) Harrison Moran, Tim Chevalier
Sweep of the Open
Division in Pelham, NH: Harrison Moran, Tyler Doherty, David
Martino.
|
 |
|
Upcoming
Scholastic Chess Tournaments
in
the Seacoast NH Area:
Saturday,
February 23, Harrisville
Saturday,
March 8, Epping High School
Saturday, March 22,
Rye Public Library
Saturday, March 29,
State Individual Championships
Saturday,
April 5, NH Girls Championship, Laconia
Saturday, April 12,
State Team Championships
New
Hampshire Scholastic Chess
|
|
Mike
and Chess in the News:
Greenland
Teen Becomes NH Girls Chess Champ
(Fosters
Daily Democrat, September 27, 2007)
Greenlander
on the Move
(Rye
Reflections, September 2007)
Seacoast
kids capture state chess titles
(Portsmouth
Herald, March 28, 2007)
Checkmate,
Baker Free Library
brings
chess alive
(Bow
Times, Nov. 8, 2006)
Meeting
of Young Minds
(Portsmouth
Herald, November 5, 2006)
Chess
Kings
(Portsmouth
Herald, October 27, 2006)
Yet
another way to lose a piece
(Boylston
Chess Club Blog, April 24, 2007)
Greenland
Library chess team second in state (Portsmouth Herald, April 14,
2006)
Librarian
believes chess can move kids off the couch
(Boston Globe, February
12, 2006)
Chess
master shows no mercy
(Portsmouth
Herald, November 28, 2005)
Chess for fun
(Melrose Mirror, June 6, 2003)
|
|
Links:
US
Chess Federation New
Hampshire Chess Federation Massachusetts
Chess Association
|
My Games (and some from my students):
These are not presented as examples of top level chess,
you can find those anywhere. Quite the opposite, these are regular games by
average players (me included), that others like us can look at and ask,
"Would I have done this in the same situation?" Go ahead and send
me your analysis; I'd love to see it.
New
England Open, Manchester, NH, September 2, 2007. G/60 White: David Hoyt (1585) /
Black: Michael Sullivan (1506)
|
1. e4..Nc6
2. d4..e6
3. Be2..Nf6
4. Bf3..d5
5. e5..Nd7
6. c3..f6
7.
exf6..Nxf6
8. Bg5..Be7
9. Bh5..Nxa5
10.
Qxa5+..g6
|
11.
Bxe7..Qxe7
12.
Qh6??..e5
13.
dxe5..Nxe5
14. Kd2..Ng4
15. Qf4..Rf8
16.
Qd4..Rxf2+
17.
Kc1..Qe8+
18.
Qd1..Ne3!!
0-1 |
Three days after a 53 move positional monster
of a game, here I was in a tactical battle. My students make fun of me for
hiding in strong positions and grinding games out; no more! This one ends
with a real tactical coup. Play through white's 14th move and see if you
can find the win. Remember the object of the game; it's not winning
pieces, it's checkmate.
This one earned me a share of second place at the New England Open
Sunday Swiss.
|
Capitol
City Chess Club, Bow, NH, August 30, 2007. G/75 White: Steven Wilson (1377) /
Black: Michael Sullivan (1512)
|
1. d4..Nf6
2. Bg5..e6
3. e4..Be7
4. Nc3..d5
5. e5..Ne4
6.
Bxe7..Qxe7
7. Bd3..Nxc3
8. bxc3..Nd7
9. Qg4..f6
10.
Qh5+..Qf7
11.
Qxf7+..Kxf7
12. f4..f5
13. Nf3..h6
14. Kd2..Nb6
15. h3..Nc4+
16.
Bxc4..dxc4
17. Rab1..a6
18. a4..c6 |
19. a5..Rb8
20.
Rb6?..Rd8!
21. Ke3..Rd8
22.
Rhb1..Rxa5
23.
Rxc6..bxc6
24.
Rxb8..Bd7
25. Rb7..Ke7
26. Rb4..Ra1
27. Rxc4..a5
28. Rc5..a4
29. Ra5..a3
30. Ra8..a2
31. Ke2..c5
32. Ra7..Kd8
33. Nd2..c4
34. Nf3..Kc8
35. Kd2..Kb8
36. Ra3..Bc6 |
37.
Ke2..Bxf3
38.
gxf3..Rh1
39.
Rxa2..Rxh3
40. Ra6..h5
41. Rxe6..h4
42.
Re8+..Kc7
43. d5..Rh2+
44. Kd1..h3
45. d6+..Kd7
46.
Re7+..Kd8
47.
Rxg7..Rh1
48. Ke2..h2
49. Rh7..Rc1
50.
Rh8+..Kd7
51.
Rh7+..Kc6
52.
Kd2..h1=QRxh1
53.
Rxh1..Rxh1
0-1 |
Here's a 53 move monster that proves the value of
passed pawns. The threat of escorting one outside passed pawn after
another keeps me (black) in this game. When the final blow is landed, I
was down three pawns, but it wasn't enough. |
Amherst
Scholastic Chess Tournament, Amherst, NH, January 20, 2007. G/30 White: Jacob
Dworkin (1024) / Black: Eric Moreau (1235)
Nimzo-Indian.
|
1. d4..Nf6
2. Nc3..e6
3.
e4(a)..Bb4
4. Qd2..Bxc3
5.
Qxc3..Nxe4
6.
Qd3..Nd6(b)
7. Nf3..0-0
8. Ng5..g6
9. Qh3..h5
10.
Bd3..f5(c)
11.
g3?(d)..Nc6
12. c3..Re8
13. 0-0..e5
14.
bxe5..Nxe5
15. Bc2..Ng4
16.
f3(e)..Ne3
17.
Bb3+..Kg7
18.
Rf2..Qxg5
19.
f4..Qg4(f)
20.
Qxg4..Nxg4
21. Rf3..b6
22. Bd5..c6
23.
Bc4??..Nxc4
24. b3..Nd6
25. h3..Nf6
26.
Ba3..Nde4
27.
Re1..Nd2
|
28.
Rfe3..Nf3+!
29.
Rxf3..Rxe1+
30.
Rf1..Rxf1
31.
Kxf1..Ne4
32.
Bb2..Nxg5+
33. Kg2..Ne4
34. h4..Kf7
35. a4..Bb7
36. c4..c5
37.
Ba3?..Nd2+
38.
Kg3..Nxb3
39.
a5?..Nxa5
40.
Bb2..Nxc4
41. Bc3..Re8
42. Kf2..d5
43. Kf1..d4
44. Ba1..d3
45. Bc3..a5
46. Kf2..d2
47.
Bxd2..Nxd2
48. Kg2..c4
49. Kf2..c3
50. Kg2..c2
51. Kf2..c1
52.
Kg2..Qf1+
53.
Kg3..Qg2++ |
Eric Moreau,
a junior at Portsmouth High School and a member of the Tales Told Tall
Scholastic Chess Team, gives a lesson on the importance of mobility by
leaving his opponent with very little of it.
(a) Skipped
a move. 3. Bg5, then after 3. ..Bb4 4. Qd3.
(b) Nf6
would have been better. Watch how this move hinders black's development.
(c) 10.
..b6. Black is up in material but behind in development. This move could
have been used to activate his bishop and knight.
(d) A
purposeless pawn move that removes protection on h3 and f3, and restricts
the movement of white's queen. Black will take advantage of this later on.
(e) 16. f4
would have been the move.
(f) Here is
the cost of the white queen's immobility. Up a knight and a pawn, black
forces the queen trade and all is lost.
|
Upper
Valley
Scholastics, Hanover,
NH, November 18, 2006. G45
White:
Harrison
Moran (1267) / Black: Warren Anthony Palmer (Unr).
Caro-Kann
Defense Advance Variation
Harrison
Moran was the 2006 New Hampshire Elementary Co-Champion. He is aggressive and
quick-developing; you don't waste time if you want to stay on the board with
him. He also knows the value of mobility, and this game proves it.
|
1.
e4..Nf6
2.
Nc3..c6
3.
d4..d5 (a)
4.
e5..Nfd7
5.
Bd3..Qb6
6.
Nf3..a6
7.
b3..c5
8.
Ne2..Qb4+ (b)
9.
Bd2..Qb6
10.
c3 (c)..f6
11.
Bf4..Qe6 (d)
12.
Qc2..fxe5
13.
Bxe5..Nxe5
14.
Nxe5..Nd7
15.
Nxd7..Bxd7
16.
dxc5 (e)..Bb5 (f)
17.
Bxb5..axb5
18.
0-0..Rc8 (g)
|
19.
Nd4..Qa6
20.
b4..h6
21.
Qd3..e5
22.
Re1..Bd6 (f)
23.
Qg6+!..Ke7
24.
cxd6+..Kd7
25.
Rxe5..Qxd6
26.
Qf7+..Kd8
27.
Ne6+..Qxe6
28.
Rxe6..Rxc3
29.
Qxg7..Re8
30.
Rxe8+..Kxe8
31.
Qxc3..Kd7
32.
Qc5..Ke6
33.
Re1+..Kf5
34.
Qxd5+..Kf4
35.
Re4++
|
(a) Transposing from an Alekhine’s Defense to
Caro-Kann. Black will rue not getting his queen side bishop in the game.
(b) A good example of wasted moves in the form of a
cheap check. White’s bishop is likely going to d2 anyways, the Queen’s
check and then retreat both constitute a loss of tempo.
(c) White’s 8th and 9th moves
help to isolate black’s queen on her half of the board, and generally
constrict black’s movement. White has much more mobility.
(d) Black’s lack of mobility begins to show. Black
cannot sustain his Queen at e6 (12. Qc2, 13. Bf5) but 11. … Nc6 would
further isolate the queen and lead to the inevitable pawn push to e6.
Black plants his queen and hopes to trade out of the constriction, but
white’s more mobile minor pieces win the day.
(e) White has won the grand exchange, established a
strong pawn on the 5th rank, and black has little more mobility
than he did before.
(f) Impatient move. Up a pawn, white is happy to
trade, doubling blacks pawns on an isolated b file. White’s doubled
pawns will soon be connected by his b pawn, forming a defensive wall.
Black needs to free his trapped king’s bishop and find somewhere to hide
his king. Also, black’s h pawn is in jeopardy. 16. ..g6
17. 0-0..Bg7 and black may yet castle out of this.
(g) One more wasted move. White’s response is
obvious and would have happened anyways.
(f) Desperate move but likely forced. 22. .. Qf6 would
be answered by 23. Qf3..Qg5 24.
Qxd5. White’s queen is still so much more mobile than black’s queen.
Is there a theme here? |
Upper
Valley
Scholastics,
Hanover
,
NH
, November 18, 2006. G/45 White: Stuart Guertin (854) / Black: David
Martino (918)
Ruy Lopez.
|
1.
e4..e5
2.
Nf3..Nc6
3.
Bb5..Nge7
4.
d3..a6
5.
Bxc6..Nxc6
6.
Bg5..f6
7.
Be3..d6
8.
Nc3..Be6
9.
Nd5..f5
10.
Qd2..h6 ?!
11.
Nh4!..Ne7
12.
Nxe7..Bxe7
13.
Ng6..Rg8
14.
Qb4..b6 (a)
15.
0-0-0..c5
16.
Qd2 ??..Bg5 (b)
17.
Bxg5..hxg5
18.
h4..Bf7 ?
19.
exf5..Bxg6
20.
fxg6..gxh4
|
21.
f4..Qf6
22.
fxe5..dxe5
23.
Rde1?..Rh8
24.
Qc3..Qg5+
25.
Kb1..0-0-0 (c)
26.
Rxe5..Qxg2
27.
Rhe1..h3
28.
R5e2..Qxg6
29.
Rh2..Qg3
30.
Reh1..Qg2 !!
31.
Rxg2..hxg2
32.
Rg1..Rh2 ?? (d)
33.
Qxg7..Rh1
34.
Rxg2..Rxg1
35.
Qxg1..Kc7
36.
b3..b5
37.
Qxc5+..Kb8
38.
Kb2..Rc8
39.
Qb6..1-0 |
David
Martino, in his first year of scholastic chess, makes a brilliant play for
a sure win. Sadly, he took so much time figuring the combination that he
rushed on the coup d'grace move and dropped his rook one square short of
where he intended, but that doesn't distract from the pure beauty of the
move. Play through white's 30th move and see if you can find the win.
(a) A lost
opportunity for white? 14. Bxh6?
(b) Black returns
the favor. 16. .. f4 wins the bishop.
(c) Tentative
move. White could have played 25. Qd2 and invited a queen trade. Black has no
defense for Rxe5.
(d) The move, of
course, is 32. .. Rh1. Forcing 33. Qe1..Rdh8.
|
Western Massachusetts Memorial, September 9, 2006.
Round 1. White: Mike Sullivan (1487) / Black: John Dould (1874). Vienna
Game.
| 1. e4..d6 |
8. dxe6..hxg5 |
Here's a quick one - all of 14 moves - that shows off both
the flexibility and the attacking possibilities of the Vienna Game. Which is
worth more in opening game, three pawns or a knight? |
| 2. Nc3..g6 |
9. exf7+..Kh7 |
| 3. Bc4..Bg7 |
10. Bxg5..Bh6 |
| 4. Nf3..Nf6 |
11. h4..c6 |
| 5. d4..0-0 |
12. e5..Qe7 |
| 6. Ng5..e6 |
13. Bxf6..Qd7 |
| 7. d5..h6 |
14. e6.. 1-0 |
Queen City Open Sunday Swiss, G/60, February 27, 2005.
White: Mike Sullivan (Unr.) / Black: Lee Darling (1421). Vienna Gambit.
| 1. |
e4..c6 |
21. |
Rh3..Qe4 (c) |
(a) Let the trades begin! This early appearance of the Grand Exchange set the
tone for the game, but was it too early? It does mobilize whites King side rook,
which ultimately dictates the pace of the game.
(b) Would g6 have been better?
(c) A trade under pressure to open the f file, but the isolated black bishop
means black will be short on material on the King's side.
(d) White's real advantage is pawn structure, time to use it.
(e) Black attempts to even the material on the King side of this now very
regionalized game.
(f) Not the time to trade with White's pawn advantage in the center,
especially since that advantage will expand as soon as the trade is over.
|
| 2. |
Nc3..d5 |
22. |
Qxe4..fxe4 |
| 3. |
f4..dxe4 |
23. |
c4 (d)..dxc4 |
| 4. |
Nxe4..Bf5 |
24. |
bxc4..Bd8 (e) |
| 5. |
Nc3..Nc6 |
25. |
Rg3..Bh4? |
| 6. |
d3..e6 |
26. |
Rg4..Bf2 (f) |
| 7. |
Nf3..Bc5 |
27. |
Bxf2..Rxf2 |
| 8. |
Be2..Nbd7 |
28. |
Rxe4..Rc2 |
| 9. |
d4..Bb6 |
29. |
d5..exd5 |
| 10. |
0-0..0-0 |
30. |
cxd5..Rff2 |
| 11. |
Be3..Rc8 |
31. |
Rg4..Rf5 |
| 12. |
Ne5 (a)..Nxe5 |
32. |
Re1..Rc5 |
| 13. |
fxe5..Nd5 |
33. |
Rd4..Kf8 |
| 14. |
Nxd5..cxd5 |
34. |
d6..Rfxe5 |
| 15. |
Bd3..Bxd3? (b) |
35. |
Rxe5..Rxe5 |
| 16. |
Qxd3..Rc4 |
36. |
d7.. 1-0 |
| 17. |
c3..f5 |
|
|
| 18. |
b3..Rc7 |
|
|
| 19. |
a4..Rcf7 |
|
|
| 20. |
Rf3..Qh4 |
|
|
Game 1: Round 3, Massachusetts Open 1 Day Swiss, U2000
division, G60. White: Anu Raman / Black: Mike Sullivan. May 29, 2005. My opponent is Anu Raman (1364), a
careful, well-schooled youngster. King's Indian defense.
| 1. |
d4..Nf6 |
31. |
Re2..Ra8 |
| 2. |
c4..e6 |
32. |
Rf3..a4 |
| 3. |
a3..g6 |
33. |
bxa4..Nxa4 |
| 4. |
Nf3..d6 |
34. |
h3Nc5 |
| 5. |
Nc3..Bg7 |
35. |
Kh2..Ra2 |
| 6. |
Qc2..0-0 |
36. |
Ref2..Nxe4 |
| 7. |
b3..a6 |
37. |
Bxe4..Rxf2 |
| 8. |
Bb2..c5 |
38. |
Rxf2..Rxe4 |
| 9. |
d5..Qa5 |
39. |
Rc2..b3 |
| 10. |
Rc1..b5 |
40. |
Rc1..b2 |
| 11. |
e4..b4 |
41. |
Rb1..Rxc4 |
| 12. |
axb4..Qxb4 |
42. |
h4..Rxh4+ |
| 13. |
Bd3..exd5 |
43. |
Kg3..Rh5 |
| 14. |
exd5..Re8+ |
44. |
Re1..Rxd5 |
| 15. |
Be2..Ne4 |
45. |
Re8+..Kf7 |
| 16. |
Nd2..Bf5 |
46. |
Re1..Rc5 |
| 17. |
f3..Nxc3 |
47. |
Rf1+..Bf6 |
| 18. |
Bxc3..Bxc2 |
48. |
Rb1..Rc1 |
| 19. |
Bxb4..Bd3 |
49. |
Rxc1..bxc1 |
| 20. |
Ne4..cxb4 |
50. |
Kf3..Qc4 |
| 21. |
Bxd3..f5 |
51. |
g4..Bg5 |
| 22. |
0-0..fxe4 |
52. |
Kf2..Qd3 |
| 23. |
fxe4..Nd7 |
53. |
Kg2..Bh4 |
| 24. |
Rce1..Nc5 |
54. |
Kg1..Qc2 |
| 25. |
Bc2..Re5 |
55. |
Kh1..Bg3 |
| 26. |
Re2..a5 |
56. |
g5..Qh2 |
| 27. |
Rf3..Rf1 |
|
0-1 |
| 28. |
Rfe3..Rg5 |
|
|
| 29. |
Rd2..Rh5 |
|
|
| 30. |
Rg3..Re5 |
|
|
|
