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MACA Chess Horizons Magazine Article
 Games Potpourri
 Nathan Smolensky
  December 2015
 

A collection of notable games from the top players in Massachusetts. Note that FIDE ratings are used for the U.S. Championship and tournaments abroad.

GM Samuel Sevian, the youngest American GM ever and a Southbridge resident, has been brewing up a storm on the world stage, besting some of the biggest names in the game.  

GM Samuel Sevian (2511)
GM Jan Timman (2593)
Tata Steel Chess Tournament
01.25.2015
Pirc (B07)
 
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 c6 5. h3 Bg7 6. f4 Qb6 7. Qc1 Na6 8. a3 Qa5 9. b4 Qc7 10. Nf3 Nh5 11. Bd3 Ng3 12. Rg1 c5 13. Bf2 Nh5 14. g4 Nf6 15. e5 Nd7 16. Nd5 Qb8 17. bxc5 dxc5 18. f5 Nc7 19. c4 Nxd5 20. cxd5 cxd4 21. e6 
 
 
Ne5 22. Bb5+ Kf8 23. Nxd4 h5 24. g5 gxf5 25. Qc2 Qd6 26. Rc1 fxe6 27. Qxc8+ Rxc8 28. Rxc8+ Kf7 29. dxe6+ Qxe6 30. Nxe6 Nf3+ 31. Kd1 Rxc8 32. Rg3 Kxe6 33. Rxf3 a6 34. Bd3 Rf8 35. Bc2 Ke5 36. Be1
 
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GM Kayden Troff (2532)
GM Samuel Sevian (2531)
U.S. Championships
04.07.2015
English, Symmetrical (A34)
 
1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nge2 e6 7. Nf4 Nc6 8. O-O d6 9. a3 Bd7 10. Rb1 a5 11. d3 Rb8 12. Nb5 d5 13. b3 d4 14. exd4 Nxd4 15. Nxd4 cxd4 16. b4 axb4 17. axb4 b5 18. c5 Qc7 19. Ne2 Ne8 20. Bb2 e5 21. f4 Rd8 22. fxe5 Bg4 23. Rf4 h5 24. Bxd4 Bh6 25. Bf2 Bxf4 26. gxf4 Qd7 27. c6 Qxd3 28. Qxd3 Rxd3 29. Ng3 Nc7 30. Ne4 Bf3 31. Nc5 Ra3 32. Nd7 Rc8 33. Rc1 Bxg2 34. Kxg2 Nd5 35. f5 Nf4+ 36. Kf1 Nd3 37. Nb6 Re8 38. Rd1 Nxf2 39. Kxf2 Rc3 40. Rd6 Rxe5 41. fxg6 Rc2+ 42. Kf3 Re6 43. gxf7+ Kxf7 44. Rd7+ Kf6 45. Nd5+ Ke5 46. c7 Ra6 47. Kg3 Rd6 48. Rd8 Rxc7 49. Nxc7 Rxd8 50. Nxb5 Kf5 51. Nc7 Rd3+ 52. Kf2 Rb3 53. Nd5 Ke5 54. Ne7 Ke6 55. Nc6 Kd6 56. Nd4 Rxb4 57. Nf3 Ke6 58. Kg3 Kf6 59. Nh4 Rg4+ 60. Kh3 Rf4 61. Kg3 Kg5 62. Nf3+ Kf5 63. Nh4+ Ke4 64. Kh3 Rg4 65. Nf5 Kf4 66. Nd4 Kg5 67. Nf3+ Kf6 68. Nh4 Ra4 69. Kg3 Kg5 70. Nf3+ Kf5 71. Nh4+ Ke4 72. Ng2 Ra3+ 73. Kh4 Kf3 74. Ne1+ Kf2 75. Kxh5 Kxe1 76. h4 Kf2 77. Kg6 Kg3 78. h5 Kg4 79. h6 Ra6+ 80. Kg7 Kg5 81. h7 Ra7+ 82. Kg8 Kg6 83. h8=N+ Kf6
 
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GM Samuel Sevian (2511)
GM Vladimir Potkin (2608)
Tata Steel Chess Tournament
01.13.2015
Sicilian, Paulsen (B48)
 
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Qd2 Nf6 8. f4 Bb4 9. Bd3 Na5 10. a3 Bxc3 11. Qxc3 Qxc3+ 12. bxc3 d5 13. e5 Ne4 14. Nb3 Nc4 15. Bxc4 dxc4 16. Na5 Bd7 17. Bd4 Rc8 18. Nxb7 Bc6 19. Na5 Bd5 20. Rb1 Kd7 21. Ke2 f5 22. Ke3 h6 23. h4 g5 24. hxg5 hxg5 25. fxg5 Nxg5 26. Rxh8 Rxh8 27. Rb4 Rh4 28. Nxc4 f4+ 29. Kf2 Ne4+ 30. Ke2 Ng3+ 31. Kd2 Bxg2 32. Nb6+ Ke8 33. Bf2 Rh5 34. Rxf4 Ne4+ 35. Kd3 Rh3+ 36. Kd4 Nxc3 37. Rf6 Ke7 38. a4 Bc6 39. Be1 Nxa4 40. Nc4 Bd5 41. Nd6 Rf3 42. Rh6 Rf4+ 43. Ke3 Rf3+ 44. Kd2 Nb6 45. Rh7+ Kf8 46. Rc7 Rf4 47. Kd3 Rf3+ 48. Ke2 Rf4 49. Bd2 Bc4+ 50. Kd1 Rf1+ 51. Be1 Rf4 52. Bg3 Rd4+ 53. Ke1 Ba2 54. Bf2 Rb4 55. Be3 Kg8 56. Bg5 Rg4 57. Bf6 Nd5 58. Ra7 Rf4 59. Rxa6 Bb1 60. Ra8+ Kh7 61. c4 Nxf6 62. exf6 Rxf6 63. c5 e5 64. Rd8 Bd3 65. c6 e4 66. Kd2 Rf2+ 67. Ke3 Re2+ 68. Kd4 Rc2 69. Rd7+ Kg6 70. c7 Ba6 71. Nxe4 Bc8 72. Re7 Bh3 73. Ke5 Bf5 74. Kd6 Rc1 75. Nc5 Rd1+ 76. Kc6 Rc1 77. Re2 Bh3 78. Rh2 Bc8 79. Rh8 Bf5 80. Rf8 Bh3 81. Rf3 Bc8 82. Kd6 Rc2 83. Rf8 Bh3 84. Nd3 Kg7 85. Rf3 Bc8 86. Ne5 Rc1 87. Rf7+ Kh6 88. Rf8 Rd1+ 89. Ke7 Bb7 90. Rb8 Rb1 91. c8=Q
 
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GM Wesley So (2788)
GM Samuel Sevian (2531)
U.S. Championships
04.03.2015
Semi-Slav (D45)
 
1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O dxc4 9. Bxc4 b5 10. Bd3 Bb7 11. a3 Rc8 12. Ng5 c5 13. Bxh7+ Kh8 14. f4 g6 15. Bxg6 fxg6 16. Nxb5 Qe7 17. Qxg6 Bb8 18. dxc5 Rxc5 19. Nd4 Rg8 20. Qh6+ Nh7 21. e4 Ndf6 22. b4
 
 
 
22... Rcxg5 23. fxg5 Be5 24. Bb2 Ng4 25. Qh5 Qxg5 26. Qh3 Qe3+ 27. Qxe3 Nxe3 28. Rf2 Ng5 29. Kh1 Nc4 30. Bc3 Nxe4 31. Rf7 Nxc3 32. Rxb7 Bxd4 33. Rf1 Rg7 34. Rb8+ Kh7 35. g3 e5 36. Rff8 Ne3 37. h4 Ne4 38. Rh8+ Kg6 39. h5+ Kg5 40. h6 Rf7 41. h7 Rf1+
 
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IM Steven Zierk – BOS (2562)
IM David Vigorito – NE (2511)
U.S. Chess League – Week 3
09.08.2015
Caro-Kann (B18)
 
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. Nf3 Nd7 7. h4 h6 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bd2 Ngf6 12. O-O-O Be7 13. Ne4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 Nf6 15. Qe2 Qd5 16. c4 Qe4 17. Qxe4 Nxe4 18. Be3 f5 19. g3 Bg5 20. Nxg5 hxg5 21. g4 f4 22. f3 Nd6 23. c5 fxe3 24. cxd6 Rf8 25. Rd3 Rxf3 26. Re1 Rd8 27. Rdxe3 Rxe3 28. Rxe3 Rxd6 29. Re5 Rxd4 30. Rxg5 Kf7 31. Kc2 Rd5 32. Rg6 e5
 
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IM David Vigorito – NE (2511)
IM Jonathan Schroer – CAR (2427)
U.S. Chess League – Week 7
10.06.2015
English (A11)
 
1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Bf5 5. O-O e6 6. b3 Nbd7 7. Bb2 Be7 8. d3 h6 9. Nbd2 O-O 10. Qc2 Bh7 11. Bc3 a5 12. a3 b5 13. cxb5 cxb5 14. b4 Qc7 15. Qb2 Nb6 16. Be5 Qb7 17. Nb3 Na4 18. Qd4 axb4 19. axb4 Rfc8 20. Rfc1 Ne8 21. Bh3 Bf8 22. Qf4 Qe7 23. Nc5 Nxc5 24. Rxa8 Rxa8 25. bxc5 Rc8 26. c6 g5 27. Qe3 Qa3 28. Nd4 Bc5 29. Qd2 Bxd4 30. Bxd4 Qd6 31. f4 gxf4 32. Qxf4 Qxf4 33. gxf4 b4 34. Kf2 Bf5 35. Bxf5 exf5 36. Ke3 f6 37. Rc5 Kf7 38. Rxd5 Ke6 39. Rc5 Nc7 40. Kd2 Nd5 41. e4 fxe4 42. dxe4 Nxf4 43. Rf5 Rd8 44. Ke3 Ng2+ 45. Kd3 b3 46. Rxf6+ Ke7 47. Rf2 Ne1+ 48. Kc4 Kd6 49. Rf6+ Ke7 50. Rf1 Nc2 51. Bf6+ Ke6 52. Kxb3 Ne3 53. Bxd8 Nxf1 54. Kc4 Nd2+ 55. Kd3 Nf3 56. Bc7 h5 57. Bf4 h4 58. Ke3 Ne1 59. c7 Kd7 60. Be5 h3 61. Bg3 Nc2+ 62. Kf3 Nd4+ 63. Kg4 Ne6 64. Be5 Nc5 65. Kf5 Nb3 66. Bf4 Nc5 67. Bg3 Na6 68. Kf6 Nc5 69. Kf5 Nb3 70. Bd6 Nd4+ 71. Kg4 Nb5 72. e5 Nxc7 73. Bxc7 Kxc7 74. Kf5 Kd7 75. Kf6 Ke8 76. Ke6
 
1-0
 
 
IM Steven Zierk – BOS (2562)
GM Julio Becerra – MIA (2616)
U.S. Chess League – Week 6
09.29.2015
Ruy Lopez, Exchange (C68)
 
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 h5 7. d3 Qf6 8. Nbd2 Ne7 9. Re1 Ng6 10. d4 Nf4 11. hxg4 hxg4 12. g3 gxf3 13. Qxf3 Ne6 14. dxe5 Qh6 15. Nb3 g5 16. Be3 Bg7 17. Kf1 Bxe5 18. c3 O-O-O 19. Ke2 Qg7 20. Rad1 Rde8 21. Rh1 b6 22. Qf5 Kb7 23. Nd2 f6 24. Rxh8 Qxh8 25. Nc4 Qh5+ 26. Ke1 Qh1+ 27. Ke2 Qh5+ 28. g4 Qh8 29. Nxe5 fxe5 30. Bxg5 Qg8 31. Bh6 Re7 32. f3 Rh7 33. Qf6 a5 34. b3 a4 35. Rh1 axb3 36. axb3 Nc5 37. Qxe5 Qxb3
 
 
38. Ke3 Qc2 39. Rh5 Qc1+ 40. Ke2 Rxh6 41. Rxh6 Qxh6 42. g5 Qh3 43. Qf6 Qg2+ 44. Ke3 Qg1+ 45. Kf4 Nd3+ 46. Kf5 Qg3 47. Ke6 Nf4+ 48. Kf7 Qxf3 49. Qf5 Qf1 50. e5 Qc4+ 51. e6 Nh5 52. g6 Ng3 53. Qe5 Ne4 54. g7 Qf1+ 55. Ke8 Qg2 56. Qxe4 Qxg7 57. Qf5 Qg8+ 58. Kd7 Qc8+ 59. Ke7 Qg8 60. Qf7 Qh8 61. Qg6 Qxc3 62. Ke8 b5 63. e7 b4 64. Kf8 Qc5 65. Qd3 Qf2+ 66. Kg7 Qg1+ 67. Kf7 Qf2+ 68. Ke6 Qa2+ 69. Kd7 Qf7 70. Qe4 b3 71. Qb4+
 
1-0
 
 
FM Dov Gorman – PHI (2403)
GM Alexander Ivanov – MIA (2628)
U.S. Chess League – Week 1
08.25.2015
Queen’s Pawn Game (A41)
 
1. d4 d6 2. Nf3 Bg4 3. c4 Nd7 4. Nc3 e5 5. e4 Bxf3 6. gxf3 Ne7 7. Be3 Ng6 8. Qd2 Be7 9. O-O-O exd4 10. Qxd4 O-O 11. f4 f5 12. exf5 Nh4 13. Bh3 Bf6 14. Qd5+ Kh8 15. Ne4 Qe8 16. Ng5 Nb6 
 
 
17. Qd3 Qa4 18. Bxb6 axb6 19. a3 b5 20. Ne6 bxc4 21. Qc2 Rfc8 22. Qxa4 Rxa4 23. Kc2 Ra5 24. Rhe1 h6 25. Re4 d5 26. Re3 c6 27. Nd4 c5 28. Ne6 d4 29. Re5 d3+ 30. Kc1 Nf3 31. Rd5 d2+ 32. Kc2 c3 33. bxc3 Rxa3 34. Bg4 Rxc3+ 35. Kb1 Ra8 36. Rxc5 Ne1
 
0-1
 
 
GM Eugene Perelshteyn – BOS (2592)
FM Deepak Aaron – ATL (2416)
U.S. Chess League – Week 1
09.25.2015
King’s Indian Attack (A07)

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. O-O Bd6 5. d4 O-O 6. c4 b6 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Nc3 Re8 9. Qc2 h6 10. Re1 Bb7 11. Nb5 Qd7 12. Nxd6 cxd6 13. Bd2 Nc6 14. e3 Rec8 15. Qa4 Ne4 16. Rec1 a5 17. Be1 Ba6 18. Nd2 Nf6 19. a3 Rc7 20. Qd1 Rac8 21. f3 Qe6 22. Bf2 Be2 23. Qe1 Bb5 24. h4 a4 25. g4 Bd3 26. Rc3 Bc4 27. Nxc4 dxc4 28. e4 d5 29. e5 Ne8 30. Qd1 Ra7 31. f4 Nc7 32. f5 Qd7 33. g5 Nb5

 

34. Rg3 Ne7 35. gxh6 Nxf5 36. Bh3 g6 37. Rg5 Kh8 38. Bxf5 gxf5 39. Qh5 c3 40. bxc3 Nxc3 41. Kh2 Ne4 42. Rag1 Qe6 43. Rxf5 Rc2 44. Rg2 Rac7 45. h7 Rc8 46. Rxf7 Rxf2 47. Rgxf2 Nxf2 48. Rxf2 Qe7 49. Qg4 Rf8 50. Rf3 b5 51. Qg5 Qe8 52. Rg3 Qf7 53. e6 Qxh7 54. Qe5+

1-0

 

IM Richard Wang is a newcomer to the Massachusetts chess scene, having arrived in town to attend Harvard University. He joined the Boston Blitz in the U.S. Chess League to rousing success.

IM Richard Wang – BOS (2425)
GM Zviad Izoria – MAN (2638)
U.S. Chess League – Week 7
10.07.2015
Queen’s Pawn Game (A40)
 
1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 c5 3. e3 d5 4. Bd3 c4 5. Be2 b5 6. a4 b4 7. c3 bxc3 8. Nxc3 Nc6 9. b3 Qa5 10. Bd2 Bb4 11. Rc1 cxb3 12. Qxb3 Nge7 13. O-O O-O 14. Bb5 Rb8 15. Qc2 Ba6 16. Bxa6 Qxa6 17. Nb5 Bxd2 18. Nxd2 Rfc8 19. Qd1 Qa5 20. Rc5 Qb4 21. Qc2 Na5
 
 
 
22. Rb1 Rxc5 23. dxc5 Qg4 24. Nxa7 Rxb1+ 25. Qxb1 h6 26. Qb5 Nc4 27. Nf3 Nf5 28. h3 Qe4 29. c6 Ncd6 30. c7 Qc2 31. c8=Q+ Nxc8 32. Qe8+ Kh7 33. Nxc8 d4 34. exd4 Nxd4 35. Ne7 Nxf3+ 36. gxf3 Qc1+ 37. Kg2 Qg5+ 38. Kf1 Qc1+ 39. Ke2 Qc2+ 40. Ke3 Qc3+ 41. Kf4 Qc7+ 42. Kg4 h5+ 43. Kxh5 Qe5+ 44. Kg4 f5+ 45. Kh5 f4+ 46. Kg4
 
1-0
 
IM Marc Esserman (2426)
GM David Navara (2736)
Reykjavik Open
03.17.2015
Sicilian, Najdorf (B90)
 
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Ng4 7. Bc1 Nc6 8. h3 Nf6 9. Be3 e6 10. g4 h6 11. Bg2 Be7 12. Qd2 Ne5 13. b3 g5 14. f4 gxf4 15. Bxf4 b5 16. O-O Bb7 17. Bxh6 Rc8 18. Be3 Qc7 19. g5 Qxc3 20. gxf6 Bxf6 21. Qf2 Bh4 22. Qf4 Rg8
 

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