R1 Sol Cruz vs Tapia

Hail Mary Cup
RR G/45

R3 Sol Cruz vs Tapia

MERALCO YOUNG HEROES CUP
R3, G/30'

R4 Sol Cruz vs Sanguan

Father's Day Cup
Meralco, Pasig City
R4 G/25

R2 Sol Cruz vs Corpin

Valentine Cup
MERALCO, Pasig City, PHL

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 
The Exchange Variation of the Caro Kann Defense.


3... cxd5 4. Bd3 
Lasker vs Tartakower in 1923
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1264562 
Fischer vs Czerniak in Nathania 1968
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044279 
Fischer vs Petrosian in Beograd 1970

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044326

Kasparov vs Morgulev in USSR 1977
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1069681 
Morozevich vs Grischuk in Prague 2002
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1250539 
Yifan vs Mkrtchian in World Ch 2008
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1504423 
Svidler vs Motylev in Bundesliga 2012
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1643385 

The most popular move though is 4. c4 - Panov-Botvinnik Attack.


4... Nc6 5. c3 Nf6 6. Ne2 

The main line is 6. Bf4.

6... e6 7. O-O Bd6 8. Bf4 O-O 9. Nd2 Re8 10. Bxd6 Qxd6 11. Ng3 
Rybka offers 11. f4 then 12. Nf3, to prevent the opening of the e-file which Black controls by Re8.

11... e5 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Bf5 Qb6 14. Nb3 a5 15. Qd4 Qc7 16. Rfe1 Bxf5 17. Nxf5 Nc6 18. Qd3 Qf4 19. Nbd4 Ng4 20. Qg3 Qxg3 21. Nxg3 Nxd4 22. cxd4 Kf8 23. Rxe8+ Rxe8 24. Rc1 Nf6 25. Kf1 Ne4 26. f3 
In this minor piece ending where White has control of the c-file, simplification through 26. Nxe4 is the key to winning; if Black captures with 26... dxe4, then White has a passed pawn on the d-file which is the goal of endgame play, and if Black captures with 26... Rxe4, White activates the R via 27. Rc5 and the rest is a matter of technique.

26... Nd2+ 27. Kf2 b6?? 28. b3 a4 29. Rd1 Nxb3 30. axb3 +- a3 31. Ra1 Ra8 32. Ra2 
The correct strategy is to make use of the extra piece; 32. Nf5 or 32. Nf1.

32... b5 33. Nf5 
Fix the weakness by 33. b4.

33... b4 34. Ne3 Rd8 35. Nc2 Rb8 36. Ne3 Rd8 37. Nc2 Rb8 38. Ke2 Ke7 39. Kd3 Kd6 40. Nxb4?
Rhal blundered in time trouble, but is still winning with his new passed b-pawn.

40... Rxb4 41. Rxa3 Rb6 42. Kc3 h5 43. Ra5 h4 44. b4 

44... Kc6 45. Rc5+ Kd6 46. b5 +-

46... g5 47. g3 hxg3 48. hxg3 Rb8 49. Rc6+ Kd7 50. Kb4 Ra8 51. Kc5 Ra3 52. Rd6+ Kc7 53. Rxd5 Rxf3 54. Rxg5 Rf1 55. Rg7 Rc1+ 0-1

Sol Cruz vs FM Bersamina

Training Game

Round "2"
Meralco, Pasig City

White "Rhal Sol Cruz"
Black "Paulo Bersamina"
ECO "B13"
WhiteElo "2145"
BlackElo "1679"

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 Nf6 6. Ne2 g6 7. O-O Bg7 8. Nd2 O-O 9. Nf3 Bg4 10. Ng3 Bxf3 11. Qxf3 e5 12. Bg5 Re8 13. Bb5 e4 14. Qe2 h6 15. Be3 Qd6 16. h3 a6 17. Bxc6 bxc6 18. c4 Kh7 19. c5 Qb8 20. Qd2 Ra7 21. Ne2 Rb7 22. b3 Nd7 23. Qa5 Qc7 24. Qxc7 Rxc7 25. Rac1 Rb7 26. Rc2 Ra8 27. Rfc1 a5 28. Nc3 Rb4 29. Rd2 f5 30. g3 Nxc5 31. dxc5 d4 32. Bxd4 Rxd4 33. Rxd4 Bxd4 34. Ne2 Rd8 35. Kf1 Be5 36. Rc2 Kg7 37. Ke1 Kf6 38. Rd2 Rd5 39. Rxd5 cxd5 40. Nf4 Bxf4 41. gxf4 Ke6 42. a3 d4 43. b4 axb4 44. axb4 Kd5 45. h4 Kc6
46. Kd1 Kb5 47. Kd2 d3 48. Kd1 Kc6 49. Kd2 1/2-1/2

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1652628

R3 Sol Cruz vs Tan

Alphaland Kiddies
Makati City
R3 14-Under G/25
W: Rhal Sol Cruz
B: Hiryll Tan
Caro Kann

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 - Exchange Variation

3... cxd5 4 Bd3 Nf6 5 Ne2 Bg4 6 f3 Bh5 7 c3 e6 8 O-O Bd6 9 Bf4 Bxf4 10 Nxf4 Bg6 11 Nxg6 hxg6 12 Bb5+ Nbd7 13 Nd2 Qc7 14 f4 O-O-O 15 a4 Rh7 16 Rc1 a6 17 c4 Qb6? 18 cxd5+ Kb8 19 Nc4 Qa7  

Result: 0-1

G2 IM Oliver Barbosa

White: Rhal Sol Cruz
Black: IM Oliver Barbosa
Caro-Kann Defense

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 - Exchange Variation
A nice simple line used by Bobby Fischer, Bent Larsen and Eduard Rozentalis; you don't need to know many variations, just play through a few nice games. The pawn structure is the same as in a Queen's Gambit Declined Exchange Variation so it's quite good to play this with White if you play QGD with Black; just one kind of position to understand. 
Openings for Club Player at ChessCafe.com

3... cxd5 4 Bd3 Nc6 5 c3 Qc7 6 Nf3 Bg4 7 Be3 
This is a passive move and just made the valuable B function as a big pawn. 7 Bg5 is better.

7... e6 8 Nbd2 Bd6 9 O-O? 
With the IM's B and Q alignment plus the pin on the Q, castling loses a pawn.

9... Nge7 
But the IM gives Rhal a chance and heads on to the middlegame; 9... Bxh2+.

10 Qc2 h6 11 h3 Bf5

12 b3
[12 Rac1]


12... O-O
Either 12... Nb4 or 12... Bxd3 gives Black the advantage.


13 Nh4??
[13 Qb1 or 13 a3]


13... Bxd3
The IM is simply playing along, 13... Nb4 wins.


14 Qxd3 Rac8 15 c4 dxc4 16 bxc4 Rfd8 17 Nhf3 Nf5 18 Nb3
[18 Qe4]


18... Nb4 -+ 
Finally, IM Barbosa steps on the gas.

19 Qd2 Qxc4 20 Rac1 Qb5 21 Rxc8 Rxc8 22 Rc1 Rd8 23 Nc5 Nd5 24 Qe1 Bxc5 25 Rxc5 Qa4 0-1 

NM Efren Bagamasbad

MERALCO Summer Workshop
12-Board Simul Match

W: SOL CRUZ, Rhal Jr.

B: NM BAGAMASBAD, Efren

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c3

Always try to maintain at least one pawn in the center.
Fine in Ideas Behind the Chess Openings

This is the Caro Kann Defense, Exchange Variation, Rubinstein Line. It was recommended by NM Erwin Carag when Rhal was preparing for the Palarong NCR 2010. It is a rare line used in Fischer vs Petrosian in USSR vs The Rest of the World 1970.

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044326
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1250539
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1504423
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1587234

4... Nc6 5.Bd3 g6 6.Nf3

The first principle of opening play is rapid development of all the pieces.
Yusupov in Build Up Your Chess

6... Bg4 7.h3
Do not let enemy pieces remain in your territory unchallenged.
Weeramantry and Eusebi in Best Lessons of a Chess Coach

7... Bxf3 8.Qxf3 Bg7 9.Be3
In order to obtain its full working force, a B must be provided with open diagonals.
Pachman in Modern Chess Strategy

[9.Bf4]

9... e6 10.O-O

Nothing is more important that safeguarding your K by castling early, within the first dozen of moves, if possible.

Evans in The 10 Most Common Chess Mistakes

10... Nge7 11.Nd2 O-O 12.Rfe1

A R placed on the central files, commanding open or semi-open lines, contributes strongly to center control.
Heisman in Elements of Positional Evaluation

12... a6 13.Nf1
You should try to identify the least active piece, the worst piece, in your camp, and you look for a way to activate it.
Kosikov in Elements of Chess Strategy

[13.Bf4 or 13.Qg3 - 14.Nf3]

13... Nc8 14.Rac1
[14.Bf4 or 14.Qg3]

14... Nd6 15.Ng3
[15.Bf4 or Nd2 or Rb1 or Qg3 or Bd2]

15... b5 16.b3

Pawns are at their strongest in their initial positions, and the golden rule is: Don't move a pawn until you are forced to.

Pritchard in The Right Way to Play Chess

[16.Bf4]

16... Rc8 17.Bf4! Qd7 18.Rc2
[18.Qe2 - 19.Qd2]

18... b4

19.Bxa6??
[19.Qe3]

19... bxc3
Fortunately, NM Efren "did not notice" the winning continuation 19... Nxd4 -+.

20.Bxc8 Nxc8

21.Be3
[21.Qxc3 +-]

21... Nxd4 22.Bxd4 Bxd4 23.Ne2 Bg7 24.Nxc3 Nd6 25.Rec1 Qa7 26.Qf4 Nf5 27.Qa4
A Q trade not only ends the prospect of middlegame shocks, such as enemy counterattacks, it considerably increases the ways of converting an edge in the endgame.
Soltis in Turning Advantage into Victory

27... Qb8 28.Qb5 Qd6 29.Ne2 Qe5 30.Rc8 Nd6 31.Rxf8+
Simplification is desirable if we have superiority in material.
Nimzovich in My System

31... Bxf8 32.Qd3 Ne4 33.f3

Rhal's offered a draw and the NM accepted. However, 33.Ng3 is "+-".

Result: 1/2-1/2

R5 AQUINO

XAVIER INVITATIONALS
GRADE SCHOOL GROUP
SAN JUAN CITY
W: SOL CRUZ, RHAL JR. - LA SALLE
B: AQUINO, ANGEL - IMACULADA


RESULT: 1-0

Annotations:

4.c4
This is World Champion Alexander Alekhine's move vs: Tartakower in Paris 1925, Euwe in Bern 1932, Eliskases in Buenos Aires Olympiad 1939, among others.

6... Be7
In the just concluded Corus Tournament, 6... Bb4 was played in Naiditsch vs Nisipeanu.

19.Bb5
A blunder in time trouble, Rhal will loose his N & B for a R. Luckily, Angel was also in time trouble and did not see the correct move and also made a blunder.

Luck often enough will save a man. If his courage hold.
The 13th Warrior

Sol Cruz vs NM Cabellon

Event: Abe BELEN Memorial Simul
Site: Fitness Center, MERALCO
Date: Sept 25, 2009
W: Rhal SOL CRUZ
B: NM Gerrry CABELLON
Result: 0-1

Sol Cruz vs Geraldino

Shell National Championship R2
Kiddies Division
W: Rhal SOL CRUZ
B: Jhon Rey GERALDINO
CARO-KANN DEFENSE - Exchange Variation.



1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 PxP PxP 4 Nf3 Nc6 5 Nc3 Nf6 6 Bb5 a6 7 Bd3 e6 8 Bg5 Be7 9 O-O O-O 10 Ne2 h6 11 BxN BxB 12 b3 Bd7 13 c4 PxP 14 PxP Qc7 15 Rc1 e5 16 PxP BxP 17 NxB QxN 18 Re1 ... [1/2-1/2]

NM Nelson Villanueva

 











HERNANDEZ CUP
Simul Play
MERALCO, Pasig City

1 e4 c6 
The c6 move creates a set-up known as the CARO-KANN DEFENSE, named after Caro of Berlin and Kann of Vienna. 

2 Nf3 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4
MANUAL OF CHESS, "Get the knights into action before both bishops are developed."

This is the TWO KNIGHTS ATTACK (ECO B10). It is popular among World Champions such as Lasker, Smyslov, Tal, Petrosian, Fischer and Karpov. However, Fischer, who played in the MERALCO-sponsored the Beat Bobby Fischer Series in the 1960's, believed in it the most as evidenced by his games vs: Addison in USA 1957, Cardoso in Portoroz IZT 1958, Portisch and Barcza in Stockholm IZT 1962, and Panov in Skopje 1967.

4 ... Bf5 5 Ng3 Bg6 6 Be2 Nf6 7 O-O
THE CHESS PLAYER'S HANDBOOK, "It is mostly advisable to castle the K 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."

Castling is like a man building a house who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when flood arose, the river burst against the house but could not shake it, because it had been well built.

7 ... e6 8 d4
THE IDEAS BEHIND THE CHESS OPENINGS, "Always try to maintain at least one pawn in the center."


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 c3 Nbd7 11 Ne5 Nxe5 12 dxe5 Nd7 13 Bxe7 Qxe7 14 Qd6 Qxd6 15 exd6











15 ... Rfd8 16 Rad1 Nb6 17 b3
RYBKA, "17 c4!? must definitely be considered."


17 ... Nc8 18 Bd3 Rxd6 19 Bxg6 hxg6 20 Rxd6 Nxd6 21 Rd1
MASTERING THE CHESS OPENINGS, "R's like to have open files, preferably ones that extend vertically as far as possible into the enemy camp."

21 ... Nb5 22 c4 Nc7?? 23 Rd7
LOGICAL CHESS, "The posting of a R on the 7th rank, in the middle game or the ending, is a tremendous positional advantage."


23 ... Rc8 24 Ne4! Ne8











25 Ng5??
RYBKA, "25 Rxb7 +-"


25 ... b5 26 Nxf7 bxc4 27 bxc4 Rb8 28 h3

[1/2-1/2]











Rhal's active pieces and better pawn structure prompted NM Villanueva to offer a draw which he quickly accepted. This is his first draw against a titled player!

RYBKA evaluates this position as winning for W; +1.64.

There are two players who won their games; Danny Degollado, 2006 E-Day Simul Winner vs now-GM Wesley So, and Jonas Santiago, 2008 Aguila Memorial Cup Champion. Two other junior players drew their games; Justin Lim and Earl Cabugao.