G3: NM Andrew Vasquez

Summer Workshop
MERALCO, Pasig City
Simul Play
W: Rhal SOL CRUZ
B: NM VASQUEZ

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 e6 4 d3 Qc7 5 g3 a6 6 Bg2 b5 7 O-O Bb7 8 Bg5 Nf6 9 BxNf6


9... gxBf6 10 Ne2 Be7 11 b3 Rg8 12 c4 h5 13 Qd2 Ne5 14 Nh4
RYBKA suggests 14 NxNe5!? QxNe5 15 Qh6 =

14... f5 15 Nf3 fxe4 16 dxe4 Bxe4 17 Nxe5 BxBg2 18 KxBg2 Qxe5 19 Qe3 QxQe3 20 fxQe3

According to RYBKA, Black has the advantage on any of these moves: 20... Rb8 [-1.34], 20... h4 [-1.30], or 20... d6 [-1.19].

G2: NM Andrew Vasquez

Summer Workshop
W: Rhal SOL CRUZ
B: NM Andrew VASQUEZ
MERALCO Chess Club
Day 2 Game 3
Result: 0-1

G1 NM Andrew Vasquez

Summer Workshop

MERALCO, Pasig City

W: NM Andrew VASQUEZ
B: Rhal SOL CRUZ

Day 1 Game 1

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4

In opening theory, this early fight for the central squares is called as the SCOTCH GAME. It was brought back into fashion by Kasparov when he played it in his World Championship Matches.

3... exd4
A center pawn should always be taken if this can be done without too great danger. Nimzovich in My System


4 Bc4 - Scotch Gambit

4... Nf6
Black can transpose into the Two Knights Defense with 4...Nf6 or he can continue the Scotch with 4...Bc5 5.c3 and now 5...Nf6 will transpose into a safe variation of the Giuoco Piano. Black can instead accept the gambit with 5...dxc3 but this is riskier because White will gain a lead in development. http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Chess/Scotch_Gambit

Transposition to the Two Knights is often played, as in:

a. Lie vs Carlsen http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1469791
b. Sveshnikov vs Rodriguez http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1225215
c. Petrosian vs Navara http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1470225 

d. Nakamura vs Ganguly http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1371274

5 O-O
The main line is 5 e5 - Advance Variation.

5... d6
This pawn move has never been played at GM level. Usual is 5... Nxe4:
a. Friedel vs Onischuk http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1324051
b. Kokolias vs Sorokin http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1334355

6 c3 dxc3 7 Qb3














7 ... Qe7

This blocks the development of the KB and delays castling.

[7 ... Qd7 8 Nxc3 Na5 9 Qb4 Nxc4]
It is useful to exchange the opponent's strongest pieces. Popov in Chess Lessons

8 Nxc3 g6?? 9 Bg5 +-
You must try to react to a pin as soon as possible, or even try to avoid being pinned. Yusupov in Build Up Your Chess

PLSCA

W: Rhal SOL CRUZ
B: Daren DIVINAFLOR
2nd PLSCA Cup Round 2
Manila City

1 e4 e6 2 Nf3 d6 3 Nc3
COMMON SENSE IN CHESS, "Bring your N's out before developing your B's, especially the QB."

3 ... c6 4 g3 d5 5 exd5
MY SYSTEM, "A center pawn should always be taken if this can be done without too great danger."

5 ... cxd5 6 d4
THE IDEAS BEHIND THE CHESS OPENINGS, "Always try to maintain at least one pawn in the center."

6 ... Bd7 7 Bg2
CHESS FUNDAMENTALS, "Placed on the long diagonal, the B is posted for its maximum potential control of the central squares as well as eyeing the opposite wing of the enemy's camp."

7 ... Nf6 8 O-O
THE CHESS PLAYER'S HANDBOOK, "It is mostly advisable to castle the K pretty early in the game, and to do so on the K's side, because he is less subject to an attack, and better able to repel one on that side than the other."

8 ... Be7 9 Bg5
LOGICAL CHESS, "In the opening, a B is best placed for attack when it controls a diagonal passing through the center or when it pins a hostile N and renders it immobile."

9 ... O-O 10 Qd3 g6?
THE MODERN ART OF ATTACK, "One of the most common weakness occurs when an ill-advised pawn move is made in front of the K."













MANUAL OF CHESS, "The target for the attack has to be a weakness in the hostile position."

11 Rad1 Nc6 12 Rfe1
CHESS FUNDAMENTALS, "In the opening, R's may have no open files, yet they will usually stand better on the central files since there is the potential of pawn exchanges which open a file."

It is interesting to note that Rhal's selected moves are identical with RYBKA's top recommendation, which has a value of +0.40, 11 Rfe1 and 12 Rad1.

12 ... Nb4 13 Qd2 Rc8 13 a3
BEST LESSONS OF A CHESS COACH, "Do not let enemy pieces remain in your territory unchallenged."

13 ... Na6 15 Ne5













LEARN FROM GARRY KASPAROV'S GREATEST GAMES, "N's operate best near the center of the board, the squares on the 5th rank of the e & d files."

This is the STEINITZ THEORY, accumulation of small advantages, in action.

15 ... Bd6??? 16 BxN!
THE TEN MOST COMMON CHESS MISTAKES, "Skill, in fact, might be defined as the ability to exploit the other guy's mistake."

16 ... QxB 17 NxB Qe7 18 NxR QxN 19 Nb5 Be7 20 Nxa7 Rd8 21 Nb5 h6 22 Nc3 Bg5 23 f4 Bf6 24 Qe2 Qe7 25 Qe3 b6 26 Bh3 Re8 27 f5 gxf5 28 Qxh6 Bg5 29 Qh5 Kg7 30 Bxf5! Nc7 31 Qh7+ Kf6 32 Bh3 [1-0].