Shamkovich Simultaneous Exhibition in Albert Lea Saturday, Jun 12 2021 

Chess tag 9:14 am

On Tuesday, March 8, 1977, J. D. Elshoff and I traveled from Austin, Minnesota to Albert Lea, Minnesota for a simultaneous exhibition by Grandmaster Leonid Aleksandrovich Shamkovich. Born June 1, 1923, he studied physics at Leningrad State University. He earned his Grandmaster title in 1965 and worked closely with World Champion Mikhail Tal during that year. Shamkovich left the Soviet Union in 1972 for Israel. Then he moved to Canada where he won the 1975 Canadian Open in Calgary. Later that year he emigrated to the United States where he tied for first in the 1976 and 1977 U. S. Opens. He died April 22, 2005.

I was thrilled to participate in my first simultaneous exhibition. I don’t remember how we learned about the event, where it was held, or how much we paid. When Shamkovich opened with d4, I chose to respond with a Nimzo-Indian, my typical choice during that period. Little did I know that the Nimzo-Indian was one of Shamkovich’s favorite openings. The Grandmaster returned to my board faster and faster as his opponents accepted defeat. I was surprised when he offered me a draw. Three or four other games were still underway but nearing completion when I gladly accepted his draw offer. After all games finished, he spent a few moments reviewing our game and giving me suggestions.

Shamkovich, Leonid – Green, Thomas A [E38] Albert Lea simul, 08.03.1977

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 Na6 6.a3 Qa5 7.Bd2 Nxc5 8.Nf3 0-0 9.e3 Na6 10.Bd3 b6 11.0-0 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Qh5 13.b4 Bb7 14.Ne5 d6 15.Be2! Qg5 16.Bf3 Bxf3 17.Nxf3 Qg6 18.Qxg6 hxg6 19.Rfd1 Ne4 20.Be1 Rac8 21.Rac1 Rfd8 22.Nd4! Nc7 23.Nc6 Rd7 24.f3 Ne8 25.Ne5 Rdc7= 26.fxe4 dxe5 27.c5 b5? (bxc5) 28.Bg3 f6 29.h4 Kf7 30.Kf2 Ke7 31.Rd2 Rd7 32.Rxd7+ Kxd7 ½-½

A reporter for the Albert Lea Evening Tribune showed up at the beginning of the exhibition but didn’t stay to its conclusion. Much to my surprise, the paper’s initial article reported that the Grandmaster had won all his games. I believe one other player also drew the Grandmaster. A memorable simul!

Many years later, while playing in the 2000 Golden Knights, I was paired against Jeffory Johnsrud in 00-NF 1. Johnsrud was an Expert from Albert Lea, Minnesota. I discovered that he had also played in the Shamkovich simultaneous exhibition. Small world.

 

Mastering Correspondence Chess: 2000-2003 Events Friday, Jun 4 2021 

Chess tag 3:04 pm

In 2000, I entered Golden Knights (U. S. Open Correspondence Chess Championship) section 00-N 28. With a Master rating of 2249, I topped the seven-player section comprised of one Expert, four Class A players, and one Class B player. With a target on my back, could I maintain my new rating? Yes! My 6-0 score in the preliminary section qualified me for a semi-finals section where I scored 5.5-0.5 to advance to the finals. My 2.5-3.5 record gave me a fourth Golden Knight’s pin and earned $50 in prize money. Here is my Dutch Defense against my highest rated opponent in the preliminary section Expert, Michael Horvath, Forest Hills, New York.

Horvath, Michael (2004) – Green, Thomas A (2249) [A85] 00-N 28, 2000

1.d4 f5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.Bf4 d6 6.e3 0-0 7.Be2 Nbd7 8.Qc2 c6 9.h4 Re8= 10.Rd1 Qb6 11.0-0 e5 12.dxe5 (c5!) dxe5= 13.Bh2 Ng4 14.Bg3 Nc5 15.Nh2 Nxh2 16.Bxh2 Be6 17.Rd6 Rad8 18.Rfd1 Rxd6 19.Rxd6 Qc7 20.Qd1 Qe7 21.Bg3 Nd7 22.Rd2 Nb6 23.Qb3 f4 24.Bh2? (exf4=) fxe3 25.fxe3 Bh6 26.Nd1 Qxh4 27.g3 Qe4 28.Rd6? Bh3 29.Bf1 Bxf1 30.Kxf1 Rf8+ 31.Nf2 Bxe3 32.Bg1 Bxf2 33.Bxf2 Qh1+ 34.Ke2 Qg2 35.Qe3 Nxc4 36.Rxg6+ hxg6 37.Qxa7 0-1

I came out on top against the Caro-Kann played by Class A player John Dragonetti, Reston, Virginia.

Green, Thomas A (2249) – Dragonetti, John (1965) [B17] 00-N 28, 2000

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bc4 Ngf6 6.Ng5 e6 7.Qe2 Nb6 8.Bb3 h6 9.N5f3 c5 10.Bf4 Nbd5 11.Be5 cxd4 12.0-0-0 Qa5 13.Nxd4 Bd7 14.f4 Be7 15.f5! exf5 16.Bxd5 Nxd5 17.Nb3 Qxa2 18.Rxd5 Be6 19.Qb5+! Kf8 20.Nf3 Bxd5 21.Qxd5 Qa6 22.Bc3 Rd8 23.Qxf5 Qe6 24.Qxe6 fxe6 25.Nbd4 Rd6 26.Re1 Kf7 27.Ne5+ Kg8 28.Ng6 Bf6 29.Rxe6 Rxd4? 30.Bxd4 Bxd4 31.Nxh8 Kxh8 32.Re7 b5 33.c3 Bc5 34.Rb7 Bb6 35.Kc2 Kg8 36.Rxb6! axb6 37.Kb3 Kf7 38.Kb4 1-0

My play as White against my usual opening as Black, a Scandinavian Defense, was effective against Crawford Daniels, Orange, New Jersey.

Green, Thomas A (2249) – Daniels, Crawford (1863) [B01] 00-N 28, 2000

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bf5 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bd2 c6 8.Qe2 Bb4 9.Ne5 Nbd7 10.0-0-0 Nxe5 11.dxe5 Nd7 12.a3 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 Qc7 14.Bb4 0-0-0 15.Bd6 Qb6 16.Rd2 Rhe8 17.g4 Bg6 18.f4 Nc5 19.f5! exf5 20.gxf5 Bxf5 21.Qf2! Rxd6 22.exd6 g6 23.Bxf7 Rd8 24.Re1 Rxd6? 25.Re8+ Kc7 26.Qg3 1-0

In this encounter I’m playing the Scandinavian Defense against John Cave, Westbury, New York.

Cave, John (1803) – Green, Thomas A (2249) [B01] 00-N 28, 2000

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.h3 Bh5 6.g4 Bg6 7.Ne5 e6 8.Bg2! c6 9.a3 Be7 10.Nd2 Nf4 11.Qf3 Nxg2+ 12.Qxg2 Bxc2 13.Qf3 f6 14.Qc3 fxe5 15.Qxc2 Qd5 16.0-0 exd4 17.Nb3 d3 18.Qc3 Bf6 19.Qc5 Qxb3 0-1

Here is a King’s Gambit Declined played by Otis Burgess, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Green, Thomas A (2249) – Burgess, Otis (1891) [C30] 00-N 28, 2000

1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5 3.Nf3 d6 4.c3 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.d4 Bb6 7.Na3 Nge7 8.d5 Nb8! 9.fxe5 Bxb5 10.Nxb5 0-0 11.exd6 cxd6 12.Bf4 Ng6 13.Bg3! Ne5 14.Nxd6 Qxd6 15.Nxe5 Re8 16.Qh5 g6= 17.Qg4 Rxe5? (f5!=) 18.Qc8+! Kg7 19.0-0-0 a5? 20.Rhf1 Be3+ 21.Kc2 Ra7 22.Rxf7+! 1-0

The lowest rated player in the section, Donald Schultheis, Baltimore, Maryland, played the longest game against me, another Scandinavian Defense. I was lucky to come away with the full point.

Schultheis, Donald (1782) – Green, Thomas A (2249) [B01] 00-N 28, 2000

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.c5 N6d7 7.Be2 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Qb3 b6 10.Bf4 0-0 11.Rc1 Nf6 12.cxb6 cxb6 13.Nbd2 Nd5 14.Bg3 Nd7 15.Ba6! Bg5 16.Nxg5 Qxg5 17.Ne4 Qg6 18.f3 Bf5 19.Bb7 Bxe4 20.Bxa8 Rxa8 21.Qa4 N7f6 22.Qxa7! Rf8 23.fxe4 Qxe4 24.Re1 Qxd4+ 25.Bf2 Qxb2 26.Rab1 Qd2 27.Rbd1 Qc2 28.Rc1 Qd2 29.Qa4 h6 30.Rc2 Qd3 31.Qb3 Qxb3 32.axb3 Ra8 33.Rb2 Ra3 34.Bg3 b5 35.b4 Kh7 36.Bd6 Kg6 37.h3 Ne3 38.Bc5 Nc4 39.Rf2 Nd5 40.Rf3 Rxf3 41.gxf3= Kf5 42.Kf2 g5 43.Kg3 f6 44.h4 h5 45.Rd1 Ne5 46.Ra1 gxh4+ 47.Kxh4 Nxf3+ 48.Kxh5 e5 49.Ra5! Nd4 50.Kh6? (Bxd4!=) Ke4! 51.Kg6? f5 52.Kg5 f4 53.Kh4 Nc3 54.Ra8 f3 55.Kg3 Ke3 56.Ra3 f2? 57.Rxc3+ Kd2 58.Kxf2 Kxc3 59.Ke3 Nc2+ 60.Ke4 Nxb4 61.Ba7 Nc6 62.Bc5 b4 0-1

In 2001, I was assigned to Golden Knights section 00-NS 9. My rating had climbed to 2266, but I knew it was going to be a challenge to maintain it as I faced one Master, four Experts, and a Class A player. I succeeded by scoring 5.5-0.5. My only draw was against the King’s Gambit Accepted played by Expert Jason Braun, Rockville, Maryland.

Green, Thomas A (2266) – Braun, Jason (2130) [C39] 00-NS 9, 2002

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 Nf6 6.d4 d6 7.Nd3 Nxe4 8.Bxf4 Bg7 9.c3 0-0 10.Nd2! Re8 11.Nxe4 Rxe4+ 12.Kf2 c5! 13.dxc5 dxc5 14.g3 Qb6 15.Kg2 Nc6 16.Qd2 Be6 17.Kh2 c4 18.Bg2 Bf5 19.Bxe4 Bxe4 20.Nf2 Rd8 21.Qe2 Bf3 22.Qc2 Bxh1 23.Rxh1 h5 24.Re1 Qa5 25.Re4 f5 26.Re2 Qd5 27.Rd2 Qf3 28.Rxd8+ Nxd8 29.Kg1 Qd5! 30.Qd1 Qxd1+ 31.Nxd1 Ne6 32.Bb8 f4! 33.gxf4 Bf6 34.Ne3 Bxh4 35.Bxa7 Nxf4 36.Nxc4 Be7 37.Na5 Nd3 38.b3= b5 39.Nc6 Kf7 40.Nxe7 Kxe7 41.Kh2 ½-½

I succeeded in gaining the full point against the Najdorf Sicilian of Master Lee Battes, Mechanicville, New York.

Green, Thomas A (2266) – Battes, Lee (2201) [B96] 00-NS 9, 2002

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Nc6 8.Be2 h6 9.Bh4 Qb6 10.Nb3 Be7 11.Bf2 Qc7 12.Qd2 b5 13.a3 Rb8 14.Bf3 Bb7 15.0-0 Nd7 16.Nd4 Nxd4 17.Bxd4 Bf6 18.Bxf6 Nxf6 19.Rad1 Rd8 20.e5! Bxf3 21.Rxf3 Qb6+ 22.Qd4 Nd5 23.Nxd5 Qxd4+ 24.Rxd4 exd5 25.Rxd5 Ke7 26.Rc3 dxe5 27.Rxe5+ Kd6 28.Rd3+ Kc6 29.Re7 Rxd3 30.cxd3 Rd8 31.Rxf7 Rxd3 32.Rxg7 Rd2 33.Rg6+ Kd5 34.Rxh6 Rxb2? 35.Rxa6 Ke4 36.h4 Kxf4 37.h5 Rb1+ 38.Kh2 Rc1 39.Rg6 Rc5 40.g3+ Kf5 41.g4+ Kf4 42.h6 Rc2+ 43.Kh3 Rc1 44.g5 1-0

My Dutch Defense came through against Expert Robert Gibson, Covington, Virginia.

Gibson, Robert (2152) – Green, Thomas A (2266) [A80] 00-NS 9, 2002

1.d4 f5 2.Bg5 g6 3.e3 Bg7 4.Nd2 d6 5.f4 Nf6 6.Qf3 c6 7.0-0-0 Be6 8.c4 (Bxf6=) Qa5 9.Kb1 Ne4! 10.Nxe4 fxe4 11.Qe2 b5! 12.d5 Bf7! 13.Qc2 bxc4 14.Bxc4 cxd5 15.Bb5+ Nd7 16.Qc6? 0-0 17.Qxd7 Rab8 18.Qxe7 Bxb2 19.a4 Qb4 0-1

My Scandinavian Defense transposed into an Alekhine’s Defense which resulted in claiming the full point against Expert Glenn Ruiz, Lacombe, Louisanna after I trapped his Rook.

Ruiz, Glenn (2107) – Green, Thomas A (2266) [B02] 00-NS 9, 2002

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nxd5 4.Bc4 e6 5.Nf3 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Re1 c6 8.d4 Nxc3 9.bxc3 Nd7 10.Qe2 c5 11.d5 exd5 12.Qxe7 Qxe7 13.Rxe7 dxc4 14.Be3 b6 15.Nd2 Nf6 16.Nxc4 Be6 0-1

Expert Jay Lukovitch, Levittown, New York, used a French Defense without success.

Green, Thomas A (2266) – Lukovitch, Jay (2050) [C10] 00-NS 9, 2002

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nc6 5.Nf3 Be7 6.c3 Nf6 7.Bd3 Bd7 8.0-0 h6 9.Re1 Nh7 10.Qe2 0-0 11.Bf4 g5 12.Be3 b6 13.Ne5 f5 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Nd2 Na5 16.Nf3 Bd6 17.Rad1 c6 18.Bc1 Rf6 19.Ne5 Qc7 20.f4 g4 21.Qf2 h5 22.Re2 b5 23.Rc2 Rb8 24.b4 Nb7 25.a3 a6 26.c4 Nd8 27.d5 cxd5? 28.cxb5 1-0

The final game from this section finds me using the Scandinavian Defense for a quick win against Class A Z. L. King, Menard, Illinois.

King, Z L (1829) – Green, Thomas A (2266) [B01] 00-NS 9, 2002

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.dxc6 Nxc6 5.Nf3 e5 6.d3 e4 7.Ng5 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.Qb3 exd3 10.Be3 Nd4 11.Bxd4 d2+! 12.Kxd2 Qxd4+ 13.Bd3 Qxf2+ 14.Kc1 0-0-0 15.Nce4 Qxg2 16.Qxb4 Qxh1+ 17.Kc2 Qxa1 18.Nc5 Qd1+ 19.Kc3 b6 20.Nxf7 Rxd3+! 0-1

In 2003, I was assigned to Golden Knights section 00-NF 1 with my rating at 2283. My six opponents included three Experts and three other Masters. My 2.5-3.5 record was good enough to earn a fourth Golden Knights pin and a check for $50. I lost to Walter J. Brower, a higher rated Master (2362) from Hopewell, New Jersey, and Expert Jeffory Johnsrud, Albert Lea, Minnesota. Interestingly, although we didn’t know each other, in 1977 Johsrud and I both played Grandmaster Leonid Shamkovich at his simultaneous exhibition in Albert Lea. I drew the Grandmaster! Surprisingly, Expert Jason Braun, Rockville, Maryland, and I were paired again following our draw in the semi-finals section. We switched colors and I gained my only win in the section with the following Dutch Defense.

Braun, Jason (2156) – Green, Thomas A (2283) [A80] 00-NF 1, 2003

1.d4 f5 2.Bg5 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3 Bg7 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.Nf3 Ne4 7.Bf4 Nxc3 8.bxc3 c5 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Nxd7 11.0-0 Qa5 12.Qb1 b6 13.a4 Rc8 14.Qb5 Qxc3 15.a5 Qc4! 16.Qxc4 dxc4 17.axb6 axb6 18.Ra7 h6 19.dxc5 Nxc5 20.Rb1 Kf7 21.Ne5+ Bxe5! 22.Bxe5 Ra8 23.Raa1 Rxa1 24.Rxa1 Rd8 25.Bd4 Rd5 26.f4 Ne4! 27.Bxb6 Rd2 28.Rc1 c3 29.Ba5 g5 0-1

I felt fortunate to draw against the Caro-Kann of the higher rated Chuck Cullum, Scituate, Massachusetts.

Green, Thomas A (2283) – Cullum, Chuck (2343) [B17] 00-NF 1, 2003

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bc4 Ngf6 6.Ng5 e6 7.Qe2 Nb6 8.Bb3 h6 9.N5f3 c5 10.Bf4 Nbd5 11.Be5 Qa5+ 12.Nd2 b5 13.c4 bxc4 14.Bxc4 Nb6 15.Bb5+ Bd7 16.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 17.Ngf3 cxd4 18.Bxd4 Bc5 19.0-0 Bxd4 20.Nxd4 Qb6 21.N2f3 0-0 22.Rac1 Rac8 23.b3 Nd5 24.Rc4 Rxc4 25.bxc4 N5f6 26.Nb3 Rc8 27.Rc1 a5 28.Rc2 a4 29.Nbd4 Qb1+ 30.Qf1 Rb8 31.Nd2 Qb6 32.Nb5 Qc5 33.Nc3 Qf5 34.Qd1 Ne5 35.Nf1! Nxc4 36.Nxa4 Rb4 37.Qe2 Qe4 38.Nc5 Qxe2 39.Rxe2 Nd5 40.Nd3 Ra4 41.Rc2 Nd6 42.h3 Ra3 43.Nc1 Kf8 44.Nd2 g5 45.Rc5 Ra8 46.Ndb3 Ke7 47.Ra5 Rxa5 48.Nxa5 Nc3 49.Nc6+ Kf6 50.Kf1 Nc4 51.g4 Nd2+ 52.Ke1 Nf3+ 53.Kf1 Nd2+ ½-½

Master Daniel Woodard, Las Vegas, Nevada used my favorite opening as Black against e4, the Scandinavian Defense, against me. Our hard-fought game ended in a draw.

Green, Thomas A (2283) – Woodard, Daniel (2246) [B01] 00-NF 1, 2003

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4 4.f3 Bf5 5.Bb5+ Nbd7 6.c4 e6 7.dxe6 Bxe6 8.d5 Bf5 9.Nc3 Bb4 10.Nge2 

0-0 11.Bxd7 Nxd7 12.0-0 Nc5 13.Nf4 Re8 14.Nce2 Qf6 15.Kh1 Nd7 16.Qd4 Qh4 17.Ng3 Bg6!= 18.b3 Bd6 19.Bb2 Be5 20.Nxg6 Qxd4 21.Bxd4 Bxd4 22.Rad1 Be3 23.Nh4 g6 24.d6 c6 25.f4 f5 26.b4 Nb6 27.d7 Red8 28.Nhxf5 gxf5 29.Nxf5 Nxc4 30.Rfe1! Bxf4 31.Re4 Bd2 32.Rxc4 Rxd7 33.Rg4+ Kh8 34.Re4 Rdd8 35.g4 a5 36.bxa5 Bxa5 37.Rxd8+ Rxd8 38.h4 Bc3 39.Re7 Rb8 40.h5 Bb4 41.Rc7 Ba5 42.Rd7 b5 43.g5 Rf8 44.Nd6 Kg8 45.Ne4 Rf7 46.Rd6 Rc7 47.Nf6+ Kf8 48.g6 hxg6 49.hxg6 Re7 50.Rxc6 Re1+ 51.Kg2 Re2+ 52.Kf3 Rxa2 53.Nh5 Ra3+ 54.Ke4 Bc3 55.Rc7 b4 56.g7+ Bxg7 57.Nxg7 Ra1 58.Rb7 Rd1 59.Ne6+ ½-½

Expert Webster Phillips, Montclair, New Jersey successfully used an Alekhine’s Defense to gain a draw.

Green, Thomas A (2283) – Phillips, Webster (2027) [B03] 00-NF 1, 2003

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6 9.Nf3 Qd7 10.Be2 Rd8 11.0-0 Bg4 12.c5 Nd5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.Ng5 Bxe2 15.Qxe2 Rd7! 16.Qf2 Nd8! 17.Nf3 Be7 18.Rad1 f6 19.Qe2 0-0 20.b4 f5 21.Qd2 b5 22.Qe2 a6 ½-½

This was my last foray in correspondence chess. Correspondence chess provided me with the opportunity to improve my play by systematically studying openings, experimenting with middlegame tactics, and considering endgame techniques using various piece configurations. I learned from my mistakes and the good play of my opponents. I met an assortment of interesting people throughout the United States and international players from Europe. I stopped playing postal chess with the advance of chess software. My initial goal was to play in a Golden Knights final. I did that four times! My rating improved from 900 (using an earlier rating system) to 2273!

 

Mastering Correspondence Chess: 1995-1998 Events Thursday, May 27 2021 

Chess tag 3:04 pm

In 1995, I entered another section of the Golden Knights (U. S. Open Correspondence Chess Championship), 95-N 62. With my rating 2076, I won the section with a 6-0 record. I succeeded in advancing to the semi-finals and finals thereby earning another Golden Knights pin. In the preliminary section, Sean Murphy, Chicago, Illinois, tried a Bird’s Opening against me in his first correspondence tournament. It didn’t go well. A miniature!

Murphy, Sean (1215) – Green, Thomas A (2076) [A02] 95-N 62, 1995

1.f4 f5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 g6 4.b3 Bg7 5.Bb2 0-0 6.Be2 b6 7.0-0 Bb7 8.d3 c5 9.Nbd2 Nd5 10.Qc1 Bxb2 11.Qxb2 Nxe3 12.Rfe1 Nc6 13.Nh4? e5 0-1

Michael Albanese, Angola, New York, had won a Class postal section with a 6-0 score. He didn’t fare as well against my Dutch Defense in the following game.

Albanese, Michael (1672) – Green, Thomas A (2076) [A85] 95-N 62, 1995

1.c4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.d4 g6 4.e3 Bg7 5.f3 0-0 6.Bd3 d6 7.e4 fxe4 8.fxe4 Ng4 9.Nh3? Bxd4 10.Rf1 Nxh2 11.Rxf8+ Qxf8 12.Qd2? Bxh3 13.Qf4 Bxg2 14.Qxf8+ Kxf8 15.Nb5 Bb6 16.Bh6+ Kf7 17.a3 Nd7 18.b4 Ne5 19.Be2 Bxe4 20.Bf4 Nhf3+ 21.Bxf3 Nxf3+ 22.Kd1 c6 23.Nc3 Bd4 24.Rc1 Bd3 25.Na4 g5 26.Bg3 h5 27.c5 h4 28.cxd6 hxg3 29.Nc5 g2 0-1

Against Chester Gall, Fountain Valley, California, my Scandinavian Defense brought home the point after his weak 12th move.

Gall, Chester (1801) – Green, Thomas A (2076) [B01] 95-N 62, 1995

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.c3 Bd6 8.Ne5 Bxe2= 9.Qxe2 0-0 (Bxe5!)  10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.c4 Nf4 12.Qe4? (Bxf4) Qh4! 13.Bxf4 Bxf4 14.g3 Bxg3! 15.Qxh4 Bxh4 16.Nd2 Bf6 17.Nb3 a5 18.a4 Rfb8 19.Nc5 Rxb2 20.Rfd1 h6 21.Ne4 Bh4 22.Rd2 Rb4 23.c5 Rd8 0-1

Devin Jardenil, Madera, California, finished 2nd in this section, only losing to me. He applied a French Tarrasch against me that I was able to subdue.

Green, Thomas A (2076) – Jardenil, Devin (1900) [C08] 95-N 62, 1995

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Ngf3 Nf6 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8.0-0 Be7 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Nb3 Ne6 11.Nfd4 0-0 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.Qe2 Qd7 14.Re1 Ne4 15.Be3 e5 16.c4! Bb4 17.Red1! Nf6 18.cxd5 Nxd5? 19.Qc4 Rad8 20.Bg5 Be7 21.Bxe7 Qxe7 22.Rxd5 Qf7 23.Rc5 1-0

In 1996, I was assigned to semi-finals Golden Knights section 95-NS 4. Rated 2109 against a very tough field, I succeeded in advancing with 4 wins and 2 draws, a 5-1 record. I drew Oliver Chernin, Darien, Connecticut and Bruce Robison, Las Vegas, Nevada. I succeeded drawing the much higher rated Chernin using the Leningrad Variation of the Dutch Defense which I learned after our game that he also plays and successfully did so in this section against Bruce Robison. Chernin told me that he had defeated Grandmaster (GM) Dmitry Guerevich, GM Michael A. Rohde, International Master (IM) Vincent E. McCambridge, and IM Jay Richard Bonin in over-the-board (OTB) play. He also had draws with GM Gata Kamsky, GM Arthur B. Bisguier, GM Alexander Fishbein, and IM Walter J. Shipman in OTB play. Heady stuff to compete with this guy.

Chernin, Oliver (2423) – Green, Thomas A (2109) [A88] 95-NS 4, 1996

1.c4 f5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.0-0 0-0 6.Nc3 d6 7.d4 c6 8.d5 Bd7 9.Rb1 Na6 10.b4! Rc8 11.dxc6 Bxc6 12.b5 Bxf3! 13.exf3 Nc5 14.f4 Qa5 15.Bd2 Qa3 16.Qc2 e6 17.Rfe1 Rfd8 18.Re3! Ng4 19.Rf3! Rd7 20.h3! Nh6 21.Nd1 Qa4 22.Qc1! Ne4 23.Bb4 Rdc7 24.Bf1! d5 25.Ra3? (Nc3) Qxb5! 26.Ba5 Qc5 27.Bxc7 Rxc7 28.Rab3 b6 29.Ne3 d4 30.Nd1 (Nc2) Nf7 31.Kg2 e5 32.f3 Ned6 33.fxe5 Nxe5 34.Nb2 b5! 35.Qf4 bxc4 36.Rb8+ Kf7! 37.Qh4 Qd5 38.Be2 Nc6 39.Ra8 Re7 40.Bd1 Qa5 41.Qf4 Re3 42.h4 Nb5 43.Rc8? Qxa2 44.Rxc6 Qxb1 45.Nxc4 Qxd1 46.Nxe3 Qe2+ 47.Kh3 Qxe3 48.Qb8 Qe1! 49.Qb7+ Kg8! 50.Rc8+ Bf8 51.Kg2 Qe2+ 52.Kh3 ½-½

Here is my draw against the English Opening employed by the higher rated Bruce Robison.

Robison, Bruce (2318) – Green, Thomas A (2109) [A10] 95-NS 4, 1996

1.c4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 d5 7.d3 c6 8.e4 fxe4 9.dxe4 dxc4 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bf4 b5 12.Ne5 Bc5 13.Nxc6 Nxc6 14.e5 Nd5! 15.Nxd5 Bb7 16.Nc3 Qe7 17.Nxb5 Nxe5 18.Bxe5 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 Qb7+ 20.Kh3 Qxb5 21.Qg4 Rf7 22.Qxe6 Re8 23.Qd5 Qd7+ 24.Qxd7 Rxd7 25.f4 Be3 26.Rae1 Bd2 27.Re2 c3 28.bxc3 Bxc3 29.Rc1 Rd3 30.Rec2 Bxe5= 31.Re1 Re6 32.fxe5 Rd5 33.Rce2 Kf7 34.Kg4 Rg6+ 35.Kf4 Rd4+ 36.Re4 Rd2 37.R1e2 Rxe2 38.Rxe2= Ra6 39.Kg4 g6! 40.Rf2+ Ke7 41.h4 Re6! 42.Kf4 Ra6 43.Rd2 Ra4+ 44.Kf3 Ra5 45.Rd6 Kf7 46.Rf6+ Kg7 47.Rc6 Rxa2= 48.Rc7+ Kf8 49.Ke4 a5 50.Kd5 Rg2 51.Rc3 Ke7= 52.Ra3 h5 53.Rxa5 Rxg3 54.Ra7+ Kf8 55.Ke6 Rf3 56.Ra4 Kg7 57.Kd7 Rd3+ 58.Ke7 g5 59.hxg5 Kg6 60.e6 Kxg5 61.Re4 h4 62.Ke8 ½-½

Chernin shared with me his game against Robison in which Chernin used the Leningrad Variation of the Dutch Defense. A remarkably interesting game.

Robison, Bruce (2318) – Chernin, Oliver (2423)

95-NS 4, 1996

1.c4 f5 2.d4 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.Nc3 Qe8 8.d5 a5 9.Ne1 Na6 10.Nd3 c6 11.Qb3 e5 12.Be3 c5 13.Qb6 Ng4 14.Qxa5 Nxe3 15.fxe3 g5 16.e4 f4 17.Qb6 Rf6 18.gxf4 gxf4 19.e3 Nb4! 20.Nxb4 cxb4 21.Qxb4 Qh5 22.exf4 exf4 23.Bf3 Rg6+ 24.Kf2 Qxh2+ 25.Ke1 Bh3 26.Qb6 Bxf1 27.Kxf1 Rg3 0-1

Back to my games from this section. Here is a winning King’s Gambit Declined against Christopher Braider, Boulder, Colorado. This was the second time we played. I lost with Black in section 81-NS 5.

Green, Thomas A (2109) – Braider, Christopher (2034) [C30] 95-NS 4, 1996

1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5 3.Nf3 d6 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.e5 dxe5 9.fxe5 Nc6 10.exf6 Re8+ 11.Be2= Bg4! 12.Kf1! Bxf3 13.gxf3 Nxd4 14.Ne4 Rxe4 15.fxe4 Qxf6+ 16.Kg2 Qg6+ 17.Kh3 Re8 18.Bd3 Nc6 19.Rf1! Rd8 20.Qe2! h5 21.Bb1! Ne5 22.Bc2 Nd3 23.a4 Bf2 24.Qf3 Ne1 25.Rxe1! Bxe1 26.Be3 Bf2? 27.Bxf2 Rd2 28.Bd1 1-0

My King’s Gambit Accepted against Gregory Cross, San Antonio, Texas resulted in a protracted battle with a decisive result.

Green, Thomas A (2109) – Cross, Gregory (1921) [C34] 95-NS 4, 1996

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d6 4.d4 g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ng1 Bh6 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Bb5 a6 9.Bxc6+ bxc6 10.Qd3 Qf6 11.Bd2 Ne7 12.0-0-0 a5! 13.e5 Qf5 14.Ne4 Ba6 15.Nf6+ Qxf6! 16.Qxa6! Rxa6 17.exf6 Nd5 18.Ne2 Nxf6 19.Bxf4 Bxf4+ 20.Nxf4 d5 21.Rhf1 Ne4 22.Nh5 Ke7 23.Rde1 c5 24.c4! Rh6 25.Rf5! Kf8? 26.Rxd5 Nd6 27.dxc5 Re6 28.Rxe6 fxe6 29.Re5 Nf5 30.Rxe6 Nxh4 31.g3 Ng6 32.Rc6 Kf7 33.Rxc7+ Ke6 34.Ra7 Ne5 35.Ra6+ Kf5 36.b3 Rc8 37.Rxa5 Nd3+? 38.Kc2 Rxc5? 39.Rxc5+ Nxc5 40.Nf4 Ne4 41.a4 Nxg3 42.a5 Kxf4 43.a6 Ne4 44.a7 g3 45.a8Q g2 46.Qb8+ Kf3 47.Qh2 Ng3 48.c5 Ne2 49.Kd2 g1Q 50.Qxg1 Nxg1 51.c6 h5 52.c7 h4 53.c8Q h3 54.Qc6+ Kf2 55.Qc5+ Kg2 56.Ke3 h2 57.Qg5+ Kf1 58.Qg3 1-0

Here is another victory with White. This one is against the French Tarrasch of Terry Tuohy, Oswego, Illinois.

Green, Thomas A (2109) – Tuohy, Terry (2163) [C06] 95-NS 4, 1996

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ne2 Qb6 8.Nf3 cxd4 9.cxd4 f6 10.exf6 Nxf6 11.0-0 Bd6 12.Nc3 0-0 13.Be3 Bd7 14.a3 Be8 15.Ng5 Ne7 16.Re1 Bh5 17.f3 h6 18.Nxe6 Bxh2+ 19.Kxh2 Qxe6 20.Bf4 Qd7 21.Be5 Bg6 22.Bb5 Qd8 23.Ba4 Rc8 24.Rc1 a6 25.Bb3 Kh8 26.Qd2 b5 27.Nxd5! Nexd5 28.Rxc8 Qxc8 29.Bxd5! Qd7 30.Bb3 Kh7 31.Rc1 Qf5 32.Rc6 Nd7? 33.Rxg6! 1-0

In 1998, I competed in my third finals Golden Knights section, 95-NF 2, earning another Golden Knights pin with a respectable 3.5-2.5 record. My rating climbed to 2174 nearing the magic Master rating of 2200. My only loss was against Corky Schakel, rated 2293 from Lakeland, Minnesota. I registered three draws against higher rated opponents. Here is my draw against the Sicilian Defense of Steve Sinding, Harleysville, Pennsylvania.

Green, Thomas A (2174) – Sinding, Steve (2302) [B33] 95-NF 2, 1998

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 Bg7 11.Bd3 Ne7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 13.c3 f5 14.0-0 0-0 15.Nc2 Bb7 16.exf5 Qg5 17.Ne3 h5 18.Bc2 d5 19.Nxd5 Rad8 20.Be4 Bxd5 21.Bxd5 Qxf5 22.Qb3 Rd6 23.Rad1 Rfd8 24.Bb7 Rxd1 25.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 26.Qxd1 Qg6 27.g3 Bf8 28.h4 Bc5 ½-½

Another draw against a higher rated opponent, Floyd Halwick Preston Hollow, New York. This time using the Scandinavian Defense.

Halwick, Floyd (2239) – Green, Thomas A (2174) [B01] 95-NF 2, 1998

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.Ne5 Bxe2 7.Qxe2 Nd7 8.0-0 Nxe5 9.dxe5 c6 10.Rd1 Qc7 11.Nd2 0-0-0 12.Nf3 Bc5 13.a3 Ne7 14.b4 Rxd1+ 15.Qxd1 Rd8 16.Qe2 Bb6 17.c4 Qd7 18.Bb2 Ng6 19.c5 Bc7 20.g3 h6 21.Rc1 Qd3 22.Qxd3 Rxd3 23.Kg2 Rd5 24.Re1 ½-½

One more draw against a higher rated opponent, Michael Vanya, Washington, District of Columbia. This time using a Dutch Defense.

Vanya, Michael (2304) – Green, Thomas A (2174) [A80] 95-NF 2, 1998

1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 d5 4.f3 Nc6 5.Qd2 e6 6.e4 dxe4 7.0-0-0 Bb4 8.a3 Ba5 9.Bc4 exf3 10.gxf3 Bxc3 11.Qxc3 Ne4 12.fxe4 Qxg5+ 13.Kb1 fxe4 14.Nh3 Qe7 15.Rhg1 e5? 16.dxe5 Qxe5 17.Qe3 Rf8 18.Rge1 Bf5 19.Ng5 Rf6 20.Rd5! Qe7 21.Nxe4 Bxe4= 22.Qxe4 Qxe4 23.Rxe4+ Kf8! 24.Rd7 Rc8 25.Re1 Nb8 26.Rde7 Nc6 27.Rd7 Nb8 ½-½

Here is a win against the Caro-Kann of James Addison, Walterboro, South Carolina. When he resigned he told me “I never had trouble with Ng5-h3 lines before, but you kept me from generating any counterplay at all!”

Green, Thomas A (2174) – Addison, James (2158) [B17] 95-NF 2, 1998

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bc4 Ngf6 6.Ng5 e6 7.Qe2 Nb6 8.Bb3 Bd6 9.N1f3 h6 10.Nh3 Qc7 11.c4 Nbd7 12.c5 Be7 13.Bf4 Qd8 14.0-0 0-0 15.Rfe1 Nd5 16.Rac1 N7f6 17.Be5 b6 18.Nf4 Bb7 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Nd2 Bg5 21.Rcd1 Bxd2 22.Qxd2 Re8 23.Qd3 Qg5 24.Bc2 g6 25.Qh3 Rad8 26.Re4 h5 27.Bd6 Rd7 28.Re5 Qd8 29.Qg3 Nf6 30.h3 Ba6 31.Rg5 h4 32.Qxh4 Nh7 33.Bf4! Rxd4? 34.Rxd4 Qxd4 35.Rxg6+! 1-0

In 1997, I entered Golden Knights section 97-N 42 where I scored 5-1, four wins and two draws. My rating was at 2141. Here is my win against the Kan Variation of the Sicilian Defense of William Edde, Escondido, California.

Green, Thomas A (2141) – Edde, William (2034) [B43] 97-N 42, 1997

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 b5 6.Bd3 Bb7 7.0-0 Ne7 8.Qh5 Nbc6 9.Nxc6 Nxc6 10.Bg5= Be7 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Rad1 g6 13.Qh6 Qc5 14.a3 g5 15.Rfe1 0-0-0 16.a4 Ne5 17.Be2! Bc6 18.Ra1 Nc4 19.axb5 axb5 20.Bxc4 bxc4 21.Qf6 Rhg8 22.Reb1 Rg6 23.Qxf7 Rgg8 24.Qf3 g4 25.Qg3 Rdf8 26.Na4 Qd4 27.Rd1 Qa7 28.b3 Rg5 29.Nb2 Qc7 30.Nxc4 Qf4 31.Nd6+ Kc7 32.b4 Qxg3 33.hxg3 Ra8 34.Rxa8 Bxa8 35.c4 Bc6 36.c5 Ba4 37.Ra1 Bc2 38.Ra8 Rxc5 39.bxc5 1-0

Here is an easy win against the Four Knights Variation of the Sicilian presented by equally rated James Fisher, Deer Park, Texas.

Green, Thomas A (2141) – Fisher, James (2123) [B45] 97-N 42, 1997

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Ndb5 Bc5 7.Nd6+ Ke7! 8.Bf4 Qb6 9.Qd2! Qxb2 10.Rb1 Qa3 11.Nc4 Qa6 12.Bc7 b6 13.Nxb6 Qxb6 14.Bxb6 axb6 15.Bb5 Rd8 16.0-0 Bb7 17.Rfe1 Ne5 18.Na4 Rxa4 19.Bxa4 d6 20.Rb4 Neg4 21.Re2 Ba6 22.Bb5 Nxf2?? 23.Rxf2 Bxb5 24.Rxb5 Nxe4 25.Rxc5! 1-0

Richard Harrison, stationed in Turkey using an APO address, drew me employing the Falkbeer Counter Gambit.

Green, Thomas A (2141) – Harrison, Richard (2104) [C32] 97-N 42, 1997

1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 e4 4.d3 Nf6 5.dxe4 Nxe4 6.Nf3 Bc5 7.Qe2 Bf5 8.Nc3 Qe7 9.Be3 Bxe3 10.Qxe3  Nxc3 11.Qxe7+ Kxe7 12.bxc3 Be4 13.Ng5 Bxd5 14.0-0-0 Rd8 15.c4 Be6 16.Rxd8 Kxd8 17.Nxe6+ fxe6 18.Bd3 Nd7 19.Bxh7 Ke7 20.g3 Rd8 21.Re1 Nc5 22.Bf5 Kf6 23.Bg4 Rd4 24.Be2 b6 25.Bf1 Re4 26.Kd2 Rxe1 27.Kxe1 e5 28.Ke2 exf4 29.gxf4 Kf5 30.Kf3! Na4 31.Bh3+ Kf6= 32.Ke3 ½-½

I also drew Jack Shaw, Albuquerque, New Mexico using a Scandinavian Defense. Shaw had been playing postal chess for fifty years!

Shaw, Jack (2046) – Green, Thomas A (2141) [B01] 97-N 42, 1997

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.h3 Bh5 6.g4 Bg6 7.Ne5 Nc6 8.Nxg6 hxg6 9.Bg2 Qd6 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 0-0-0 12.Qf3 Qe6+= 13.Qe3 Qc4 14.Qd3 Qxd3 15.cxd3 e5 16.d5! Ne7 17.c4 c6 18.Ba3 cxd5 19.Bxe7 Bxe7 20.Bxd5 f6 21.Ke2 Bc5 22.h4 Kc7 23.Rab1 b6 24.f3 Rh6 25.Rh3 Rdh8 26.Rbh1 ½-½

In 1998, I qualified for the Golden Knights semi-finals section 97-NS 9 where I scored 4.5-1.5. My only loss was to Don Collins, Parma, Ohio who was rated 2475. My rating was 2180. Here is my win using a King’s Gambit Accepted against Lynn Ainsworth, Ellsworth, Maine. Interestingly, Ainsworth and a son were both graduates of Ohio Wesleyan University.

Green, Thomas A (2180) – Ainsworth, Lynn (2053) [C39] 97-NS 9, 1998

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 Bg7 6.d4 d6 7.Nxg4 Bxg4 8.Qxg4= Bxd4 9.Nc3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Nd7 11.Rb1 Qe7 12.Qxf4 Ngf6 13.Rxb7 Nxe4 14.Rh3 Ndc5 15.Re3! 0-0 16.Rb4! f5 17.Bc4+ Kh8 18.Bd5 Rab8 (Ne6!) 19.Bb2! Na4 20.Ba1! Qg7 21.Rxb8! Rxb8 22.Bxe4 fxe4 23.Qxe4 Rb1+? 24.Kf2 1-0

I won by forfeit against the much higher rated Jerry Wheeler, Nashville, Tennessee. Wheeler, a Life Master who won the Under 2200 section of the 1990 World Open, played a Sicilian Defense.

Green, Thomas A (2180) – Wheeler, Jerry (2455) [B27] 97-NS 9, 1998

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.c3 Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.cxd4 d5 6.e5 Bg4 7.Bb5+ Nc6 8.Nbd2 Nh6 9.Bxc6+ bxc6 10.0-0 0-0 11.h3 Bd7 12.Nb3 Nf5 13.Bf4 Bh8 14.Rc1 1-0

I used my Scandinavian Defense to gain the point against Joseph Tan, Roslyn, New York. Tan didn’t like the stress as a programmer, so he was working in a bowling pro shop. He carried a 200+ league average with a perfect 300 game to his credit.

Tan, Joseph (2170) – Green, Thomas A (2180) [B01] 97-NS 9, 1998

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.Re1 Be7 8.c3 Qd7 9.Nbd2 0-0-0 10.Nc4 Bf6 11.Nce5 Bxe5 12.Nxe5 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 Nxe5 14.dxe5 h6 15.c4 Nb4 16.Be3 Qc6 17.b3 a6 18.f4 Nd3 19.Red1 Qe4 20.Rf1 Rd7 21.Qf3 Qxf3 22.Rxf3 Rhd8 23.Kf1 Nb4 24.Bc5 Nc2 25.Rc1 Rd2 26.Be7 R8d7 27.Bf8 h5 28.Bxg7 Nd4 29.Rh3 Nf5 30.Bf6 R7d4 31.Bg5 Rxa2 32.Rxh5 Kd7 33.Kg1 Rdd2 34.Kh1 Rxg2 35.Rh3 Rgb2 36.Rd1+ Kc6 37.Bd8 b6 38.Kg1 Nd4! 39.b4 Ne2+ 40.Kf1 Nxf4 41.Rh7 Rf2+ 42.Kg1 Rg2+ 43.Kh1 Rgd2 0-1

I was evenly matched against former OTB Master William Naff, Peoria, Illinois and able to draw with the Scandinavian Defense.

Naff, William (2184) – Green, Thomas A (2180) [B01] 97-NS 9, 1999

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.h3 Bh5 6.c4 Nb6 7.Nc3 e5 8.g4 exd4 9.Nxd4 Bg6 10.Bg2 c6 11.0-0 Be7 12.f4 h6 13.f5 Bh7 14.c5! Bxc5 15.Re1+ Kf8 16.Be3 Na6 17.b3 h5 18.a3 hxg4 19.hxg4 Bd6 20.g5 Be5= 21.g6 Bg8 22.Ra2 Qc7 23.Rd2 Re8 24.Qf3 Bf6 25.Ne4! Nd5 26.Nxf6 Nxf6 27.Red1 Rh4 28.Ne2   fxg6!= 29.Nf4 Bf7 30.Rd4 Kg8 31.fxg6 Bxb3 32.Rc1 Rg4 33.Bf2 Ba2! 34.a4 c5 35.Qa3!= Bf7! 36.Qd3 Ba2 37.Qc2 Be6 38.Nxe6 Rxg2+! 39.Kxg2 Qc6+ 40.Kg1 cxd4 41.Qxc6 bxc6 42.Rxc6 Nb4 43.Rd6 d3 44.Nc5 Kf8 45.Nxd3 Ne4 46.Rd7 Nxd3 47.Rxd3 Nxf2 48.Kxf2 Re6 49.Rd7 a6 50.a5 Rxg6 51.Ra7 Re6 ½-½

 

Mastering Correspondence Chess: 1990-1993 Events Thursday, May 6 2021 

Chess tag 1:07 pm

In December 1989, I started working as a professional librarian at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. In 1990, I entered Golden Knights (U. S. Open Correspondence Chess Championship) section 90-N 77 where I finished 2nd with a 5-1 record. My only loss was to Unrated James Thomas who topped the section with 5.5-0.5. Here is my Scandinavian Defense against David Moszkowicz, Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Moszkowicz, David (1807) – Green, Thomas A (1883) [B01] 90-N 77, 1990

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 e6 7.0-0 Nc6 8.b3 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Nxd4 10.Bxb7 Rb8 11.Be3! c5 12.Be4 f5 13.Bxd4 cxd4 14.Bc6+ Kf7 15.Re1 Bb4= 16.Rf1 Qc7 17.Qh5+ g6 18.Qf3 Kg7 19.Rc1 Bd6?  (Rhc8) 20.g3 Bc5 21.Nd2 e5 22.Bb5 e4 23.Qd1 Qb7 24.a3 d3 25.b4 Bd4 26.Rab1 a6 27.Nb3 Bxf2+! 28.Kxf2 axb5 29.Na5? Qd7 0-1

The following game documents my win against the Bronstein-Larsen Variation of the Caro-Kann essayed by Rolf Andersen, Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

Green, Thomas A (1883) – Andersen, Rolf (1834) [B16] 90-N 77, 1990

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7.Ne2 e6 8.Ng3 Bg6 9.h4 h5 10.Bf4 Bd6 11.Qd2 Qc7 12.Bxd6= Qxd6 13.0-0-0 Nd7 14.Rhe1 0-0-0 15.Bb3 Qf8 16.Kb1 e5 17.f4 Qh6 18.f5 Qxd2 19.Rxd2 Bh7 20.Bxf7 Nc5 21.Nxh5 Bg8 22.Bg6 exd4 23.Red1 d3 24.cxd3 Rd6 25.d4 Na6 26.Re1 Nc7 27.g3 Bd5 28.Nf4 Rhd8 29.Re7 Bc4 30.b3 Bg8 31.Ne2 Nd5 32.Re4 b6 33.h5 R6d7 34.h6 Bh7 35.Rc2 Kb7 36.Nf4 Rg8 37.Nxd5 cxd5 38.Rg4 Re7 39.Kb2 a5 40.Rh4 Rge8 41.Bxe8 1-0

In 1991, I was assigned to semi-finals Golden Knights section 90-NS 41. I finished with a perfect 6-0 record! Here is my win against the Richter-Rauzer Sicilian Defense offered by Silvio Canto, Grand Prairie, Texas.

Green, Thomas A (1956) – Canto, Silvio (1943) [B64] 90-NS 41, 1991

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 Be7 8.0-0-0 0-0 9.f4 h6 10.Bh4 e5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 Qa5 13.Kb1 Rad8 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Nd5 Qxd2 16.Rxd2 Be7 17.Bb5 Rfe8 18.Re2 Bh4 19.g3 Be7 20.Rhe1 Bf6 21.Bxc6 bxc6 22.Nb4 Rc8 23.Nd3 Re7 24.c4 Rb8 25.c5 e4 26.Rxe4 Rxe4 27.Rxe4 d5? 28.Ra4 Rb7 29.Ra6 Rc7 30.Ne5 Be7 31.b4 Rb7 32.Rxc6 Rxb4+ 33.Kc2 Rb5 34.Rc8+ Kh7 35.c6 Rc5+ 36.Kd3 Rc1 37.Nxf7 g5 38.Rc7 1-0

In the following game I successfully played a Dutch Defense against the higher rated Chris Caligari, Hudson, New Hampshire. By the way, I explored using the Dutch Defense while living in Waupun, Wisconsin where many Hollanders lived.

Caligari, Chris (2020) – Green, Thomas A (1956) [A80] 90-NS 41, 1991

1.d4 f5 2.g4 fxg4 3.h3 d5 4.Bf4 Nf6 5.Nc3 gxh3 6.Nxh3 Bf5!= 7.Nb5 Na6! 8.Ng5 c6 9.Nc3 Nb4 10.Rc1! h6 11.a3 Na6 12.Be5 e6 13.e4 dxe4 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Ngxe4 Qg6 16.Qf3 Nc7 17.Be2 0-0-0 18.Rd1 Nd5 19.Kf1 Nxc3 20.Nxc3 Be7 21.Qe3 Bxc2 22.Bd3 Bxd3+ 23.Rxd3 e5! 24.d5 Bg5 25.Qe4 Qxe4 26.Nxe4 Bc1 27.Ke2 Bxb2 28.d6 b6 29.Rg1 Rd7 30.Rb1 Bd4 31.Rc1 c5 32.f4 Re8 33.f5 Rf7 34.Rg3 Rd8 35.a4 Rdd7 36.Rf1 Kb7 37.Kd3 a6 38.Rg6 b5 39.axb5 axb5 40.Kc2 Kc6 41.f6 gxf6 0-1

In 1993, I was assigned to finals Golden Knights section 90-NF 6. I received my second Golden Knights pin, although my record was a dismal 2-4. Now rated as an Expert (or Candidate Master) at 2046 I defeated William Guttieri, rated 2092, while drawing John Blood rated 2110 and Kerry Lamus, rated 2204. Here is my win against the French Defense of the higher rated William Guttieri, Stockton, California.

Green, Thomas A (2046) – Guttieri, William (2092) [C08] 90-NF 6, 1993

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Ngf3 Nf6 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8.0-0 Be7 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Nb3 Nfe4 11.Be3 0-0 12.Nxc5 Nxc5 13.Rc1 Rc8 14.c4 dxc4= 15.Rxc4 Qxd1 16.Rxd1 Rcd8 17.Rxd8 Rxd8 18.g3 b6 19.Kg2 Re8 20.Ne5 Bf6 21.Nc6 a6 22.b3 Nd7 23.Nb4 a5 24.Nd5 Bd8 25.Rc8 Rf8 26.a4 f6 27.Rc6 Re8 28.Bxb6 Nxb6 29.Nxb6 Be7 30.Nc4 Ra8 31.Rc7 Bb4 32.Rb7 Be1 33.Ne3 Rf8 34.Kf1 Bb4 35.Nd5 Bd6 36.Ke2 Re8+ 37.Kd3 Rd8 38.Kd4 Kf8 39.f4 Ba3 40.Ke4 Bb2 41.Rb5 Ra8 42.Nc7 Ra7 43.Ne6+ Ke8 44.Rb8+ Kf7 45.f5 Ke7 46.Nxg7 Rd7 47.Ne6 Bc3 48.g4 h6 49.Rh8 Bd2? 50.Rh7+ Kd6 51.Rxd7+ Kxd7 52.Kd5 Ke7 53.Kc6 Bc3 54.Nc5 Kf7 55.Nb7 h5 56.gxh5 Kg7 57.Kb5 1-0

Here is the Scandinavian Defense that I used against John Blood from Bellflower, California to escape surprisingly with a draw.

Blood, John (2110) – Green, Thomas A (2046) [B01] 90-NF 6, 1993

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.c4 Nb6 7.0-0 Be7 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nc3 Nc6 10.b3 0-0 11.Be3 Re8 12.Qd2 Bg6 13.Rae1 Bf6 14.Rd1 Qe7 15.Bd3 Bxd3 16.Qxd3 Rad8 17.Qb1 g6 18.Ne4 Bg7 19.Nc5 Rb8 20.Rfe1 Qf8 21.Qe4 e5  22.dxe5 Nxe5 23.Qf4! c6 24.Nxe5 Bxe5 25.Qh4 Bc3 26.Ne4 Rxe4 27.Qxe4  Bxe1 28.Rxe1 Re8 29.Qd4 f5 30.Rd1 Re4 31.Qc3 f4 32.Bc1 Qe7? 33.Bb2 Kf7 34.Qh8 Re1+ 35.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 36.Kh2 Qxf2 37.Qxh7+ Ke6 38.Qxg6+ Kd7 39.Be5 Nc8 40.Qf5+ Kd8 41.Bxf4 Qd4 42.Bg5+ Kc7 43.Bf4+? (h4) Kd8!= 44.Bg5+? Kc7 45.Bf4+? (h4) Kd8! 46.Qf8+ Kd7 47.Qf5+? Kd8 ½-½

I successfully drew Master Kerry Lamus from Everett, Washington who employed a Bronstein-Larsen Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Green, Thomas A (2045) – Lamus, Kerry (2204) [B16] 90-NF 6, 1991

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7.Ne2 e6 8.Ng3 Bg6 9.h4 h5 10.Bf4 Bd6 11.Qd2 Qc7 12.Bxd6 Qxd6 13.0-0-0 Nd7 14.Rhe1 0-0-0 15.Bb3 Qc7 16.Qe3 c5 17.a3 Kb8 18.Ne2 cxd4 19.Nxd4 a6 20.Nf3 Nc5 21.Bc4 b5 22.Bf1= Rc8 23.Re2! Ne4 24.Ne1! Rhd8 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 26.g3 Nc5 27.Bg2 e5 28.Qf3 e4 29.Qe3! f5 30.f4 f6 31.b4 Na4 32.Rd2 Rc8! 33.Bh3 Qc3 34.Qxc3 Rxc3 35.Rd8+! Kb7 36.Rd7+ (Rg8!) Rc7 37.Rd6 Rc6 ½-½

While the 1990 Golden Knights tournament was in progress, I entered the 1991 Golden Knights. With my rating 1903, I was assigned section 91-N 15 where with a 5-1 score I tied for first with Scott Hanlon, St. Johns New Foundland, Canada. Hanlon and I drew each other and Bruce Beardsley. Sadly, one of my opponents, B. F. Brodersen, died in Flagstaff, Arizona during this event, the third time we had been paired against one another. Here is my draw with the higher rated Scott Hanlon, co-winner of the section, who played a Sicilian Defense against me.

Green, Thomas A (1903) – Hanlon, Scott (2158) [B33] 91-N 15, 1991

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 Bg7 11.Bd3 Ne7 12.Ne3 f5 13.exf5 d5 14.Qg4 Rg8! 15.0-0-0 e4 16.Qh4 exd3 17.f6 Bxf6! 18.Qxf6 b4 19.Nb1 dxc2 20.Nxc2 Qa5 21.Rhe1 Be6! 22.f4 Rc8 23.Rd2 Rg6 24.Qd4 b3 25.axb3 Rxg2 26.Qa4+ Qxa4 27.bxa4 Rxd2 28.Kxd2 Rc4! 29.Nc3 Rxf4 30.b4 Rf2+ 31.Re2 Rxe2+ 32.Kxe2 Kd7 33.Ke3 ½-½

Here is my Scandinavian Defense against Bruce Beardsley, Tacoma, Washington that resulted in a draw. Beardsley, who also drew Hanlon and another player, finished third at 4.5-1.5.

Beardsley, Bruce (2011) – Green, Thomas A (1903) [B01] 91-N 15, 1991

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.c5 Nd5 10.Qb3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 b6 12.Ba3 a5 13.cxb6 cxb6 14.h3 Be6 15.Bc4 a4= 16.Qb4! Nc6 17.Qb5 Na7 18.Qb4 Nc6 19.Qb5 Na7 ½-½

I celebrated my draws with higher rated opponents and showed no mercy against lower rated opponents. Here is my win using a Dutch Defense against Glenn Clevenger, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Clevenger, Glenn (1704) – Green, Thomas A (1903) [A80] 91-N 15, 1991

1.d4 f5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bf4 d6 5.Nd2 Bg7 6.e4 0-0 7.Bc4+ Kh8 8.Qe2 Nc6 9.Nb3 Nxe4 10.Nxe4 fxe4 11.Qe3 Nxd4! 12.Nxd4 e5 13.Bg5 exd4 14.Qg3 Qe8 15.0-0 Be6 16.Qb3 Bxc4 17.Qxc4 Qc6 18.Qe2 Rf5 19.Bh4 Rc5 20.Rae1 Re8 21.f4 Rxc2 22.Qg4 e3 23.f5 Re4 24.Qg5 Re5 25.Rf3 Rxb2 26.Qg4 gxf5 27.Qh5 d3 28.h3 d2 29.Qf7 dxe1Q+ 30.Bxe1 Qe8 31.Qxc7 Rb1 32.Kf1 Rc5 33.Rxe3 Rxe1+! 34.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 35.Kxe1 Rxc7 36.Ke2 Rc2+ 0-1

In 1993, I was assigned to semi-final Golden Knights section 91-NS 37 where I finished 3rd with a 4.5-1.5 score. My only loss was to Hans Pirolt from Alpharetta, Georgia who was rated 2277. My draw was with Samer Adli, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Pirolt and Adli tied for 1st with 5-1 records. Here is my Dutch Defense using the Leningrad System that garnered a half-point against the much higher rated Adli.

Adli, Samer (2333) – Green, Thomas A (1972) [A88] 91-NS 37, 1991

1.c4 f5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.0-0 0-0 6.Nc3 d6 7.d4 c6 8.Bf4 h6 9.Rc1 g5 10.Bd2 Qe8 11.e3 e5= 12.h3 e4 13.Nh2 Nbd7 14.Ne2 b6 15.a4 Bb7 16.a5 d5 17.Bb4 Rf7 18.b3 Rd8 19.Qc2 dxc4 20.bxc4 c5 21.Bd2 cxd4 22.exd4 Rc8 23.Rfd1 Ba6 24.Qa2! b5 25.c5 Bb7 26.Qb3 a6 27.Nf1 Bd5 28.Qb4 Bc4? (Be6) 29.Rxc4 Nd5 30.Qb3 bxc4 31.Qxc4 Qe6 32.Ne3! N7f6 33.Nc3 Rd8 34.Rb1 Re7 (Nc7) 35.Bf1! f4 36.gxf4 gxf4 37.Nexd5 Nxd5 38.Nxd5 Rxd5 39.Rb6? Qf7= 40.Rd6 e3 41.Be1! Rxd6 42.cxd6 Re8 43.fxe3 Bf6 44.Qxa6 Kh8!= 45.Bg2 fxe3 46.Qb7 Qc4 47.Qc6= Rc8! 48.Qxc4 Rxc4 49.Kf1! Rxd4 50.a6 Ra4 51.Bb7 ½-½

Interestingly, I played Alex Dunne, Sayre, Pennsylvania, and Chess Life columnist, for the second time, and won! Surprisingly, Dunne, rated 2207, only drew Pirolt and finished at the bottom of the section with 0.5-5.5. Dunne did not repeat his opening play from our first game as he only recalled that we had previously played after he made the initial moves of his Nimzowitsch Defense.

Green, Thomas A (1972) – Dunne, Alex (2207) [B00] 91-NS 37, 1993

1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.d5 Ne5 5.Qd4 Ng6 6.Qxe4 Nf6 7.Qa4+! Bd7 8.Bb5 a6 9.Bxd7+= Qxd7 10.Qxd7+ Nxd7 11.Nf3 Nc5 12.b4 Nd7 13.a3 Nge5 14.Nxe5 Nxe5 15.0-0 g6 16.Nd1 Nc4 17.Ne3 Bg7 18.Rb1 Nd6 19.c4 a5 20.b5 b6 21.g3 Ne4 22.Bb2 Bxb2 23.Rxb2 Kd7 24.Re1 Nc5 25.Rd2 Ne4 26.Rde2 Nd6 27.Ng4 Nxc4? 28.Rxe7+ Kd6 29.Nf6! Rhd8 30.a4 Rac8 31.f4 Nb2? 32.R1e5 Kc5 33.d6+! 1-0

Thomas Horvat, Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, was undefeated in his preliminary section. Here is my win in the semi-finals using the Four Pawns Attack against his Alekhine’s Defense.

Green, Thomas A (1972) – Horvat, Thomas (1963) [B03] 91-NS 37, 1993

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Bf5 7.Nc3 e6 8.Nf3 Be7 9.Be3 Nc6 10.d5 exd5 11.cxd5 Nb4 12.Nd4 Bd7 13.e6 fxe6 14.dxe6 Bc6 15.Qg4 Bh4+ 16.g3 Bxh1 17.Bb5+ c6 18.0-0-0 0-0 19.gxh4 N6d5 20.Bc4! Qf6! 21.Bg5 Bf3! 22.Qh3 Qg6= 23.e7! Bxd1 24.exf8Q+ Rxf8 25.Nxd1 Kh8 26.Qe6 Qxe6! 27.Nxe6 Re8 28.Nc5 b5 29.Bb3 a5! 30.a3 a4 31.Bxa4 (axb4=) bxa4 32.axb4 Re2 33.h3 Nxb4 34.Nc3   Rc2+ 35.Kb1 a3 36.bxa3= Rxc3 37.axb4 Rxh3 38.Kc2 h6 39.Bd8 Kg8 40.Nb3 Kf7 41.Nd4 c5 42.bxc5 Ke8 43.Bb6 Rxh4 44.c6 Rf4 45.Kd3 Rf6! 46.Ke4 h5 47.Kd5 h4 48.Bc7 h3 49.Be5 g6? (Rh6=) 50.Nb5 Ke7 51.Bxf6+ Kxf6 52.Nd6 h2 53.Ne4+ Kf5 54.Nf2 Kf4 55.c7 Kf3 56.c8Q 1-0

Another higher rated player that I defeated in this section was Michael D’Alfonsi, a free-lance writer who moved to Concord, California from Pleasant Hill, California during our game. Although he considered 40-50 postal games his optimum number, he was playing 60 during our encounter. Here is our game where he used an English Opening.

D’Alfonsi, Michael (2167) – Green, Thomas A (1972) [A10] 91-NS 37, 1993

1.c4 f5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.e3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.c5 b6= 7.cxb6 axb6 8.0-0 e6 9.d4 Ne4 10.Nxe4 fxe4 11.Ne1 Bb7 12.Nc2 d6 13.f3 exf3 14.Bxf3 Nc6 15.e4 Na5 16.Bd2 c5 17.Bc3 Qd7 18.Rc1 Nc4 19.Qd3 Ba6!  20.Bg4? Rxf1+ 21.Qxf1 Ne3! 22.Qf4 Nxc2 23.Rxc2? cxd4 24.Bb4 Rf8 0-1

Sam Botshon, Rockaway Park, New York, is another opponent who died during our game. This game, a Sicilian Defense, was adjudicated as a win for me.

Green, Thomas A (1972) – Botshon, Sam (1993) [B33] 91-NS 37, 1993

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 Be6 11.Bd3 f5 12.0-0 Rc8 13.Qh5 h6 14.c4 Rg8 15.exf5 Bxd5 16.cxd5 Nb4 17.Be4 Rc5?? (Bg7!) 18.Qd1 Qa5? 19.Nb1 Qc7 20.Nc3 a5 21.a3 Na6 22.Bd3 Ke7 23.Bxb5 1-0

 

Mastering Correspondence Chess: 1982-1988 Events Monday, Apr 26 2021 

Chess tag 1:36 pm

In 1982, I played in another I.C.C.F. (International Correspondence Chess Federation) World Tournament (WT) event, WT/I/661. My opponents in this Class A equivalent tournament were from the Federal Republic of Germany, German Democratic Republic (2), Sweden, U.S.S.R. (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), and the United States. I finished with 3.5-2.5 with losses to Lothar Stammer, German Democratic Republic, and Jonathan Souba, United States (Evansville, Indiana). I drew Nils Lindholm, Sweden using the following Queen’s Indian Opening.

Lindholm, Nils – Green, Thomas A [E19] WT/I/661, 1982

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Nc3 Ne4 8.Qc2 Nxc3 9.Qxc3 f5 10.d5 Bf6

11.Qd3 Na6 12.Nd4 Nc5 13.Qd1 Qe7 14.Rb1 a5 15.Bf4 d6 16.dxe6 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 Nxe6 18.Nxe6 Qxe6 19.Qd5 Qxd5+ 20.cxd5 Rae8 21.Rfc1 Rf7 22.Kf1 Re4 23.b3 Rfe7 24.Rc2 g5 25.Bc1 Kf7 26.Bb2 Bxb2 27.Rbxb2= Rd4 28.Rd2 Rxd2 29.Rxd2 Ke8 30.Rd4 Kd7 31.e3 Re4 32.Ke2 Rxd4 33.exd4 b5 34.h3 c6 ½-½

In U. S. Chess Federation postal play, with my rating at 1402 (note: U. S. postal chess used a different rating system from over-the-board (OTB) chess until 1986. A rating of 900 was considered equivalent to Class C OTB 1500), I entered a Class A section, 82-C 415. My only win was a comedy of errors against Frederick Sprenger, Greenvale, New York, whose second move, f3, is highly unusual.

Sprenger, Frederick (1374) – Green, Thomas A (1402) [D00] 82-C 514, 1982

1.d4 Nf6 2.f3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.Nc3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Bg2 c6 10.h4 Bb4! 11.Bg5 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3= Qa5 13.Nxg6? Qxc3 14.Kf1 hxg6 15.Rh3 Qc4+ 16.Kg1 Nbd7 17.Rb1 0-0-0? 18.Rhb3 Nb6 19.Rb4! Qa6 20.Bf1? Qa5 21.c4 Rd7? 22.Bxf6? gxf6 23.c5 Nd5 24.Ra4 Qc7 25.Qe1 Qf4 26.Bh3 f5 27.Rb3 fxg4 28.Bf1 a6 29.Bg2 Nc7 30.Bxc6 bxc6 31.Rab4 Nb5 32.d5 Qf5 0-1

In 1983, I entered another International Correspondence Chess Federation event, WT/I/818, which I won with a 5.5-0.5 record. My opponents were from Bulgaria, Federal Republic of Germany (2), German Democratic Republic, Poland, and Sweden. Robert Bieluszewski, my opponent from Poland, requested coffee with each move. I eventually sent him some coffee. Here is his Nimzowitsch-Larsen Opening loss against me.

Bieluszewski, Robert – Green, Thomas A [A01] WT/I/818, 1984

1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 d5 4.Bb5 Bd6 5.f4 f6 6.fxe5 fxe5 7.Nf3 Qe7! 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.Nxe5! Qh4+! 10.g3 Qh3 11.Qe2 Nf6 12.d3? 0-0 13.Nd2 Ng4 14.Ndf3 Bxe5 15.Bxe5 Rxf3! 16.Qxf3 Nxe5 17.Qf4 Bg4 18.Kd2 Re8! 19.Raf1 Bf3? 20.Rhg1? Qxh2+ 21.Kc3 Qh5 22.d4 g5! 23.Qf5 Be4 24.Qf6 Nf3 25.Rh1 Qg4 26.Qxc6? Rf8 27.Rh6 Qxg3 28.Qe6+ Kg7! 0-1

My only draw in WT/I/818 was a Sicilian Najdorf with Wilfried Schiller from the Federal Republic of Germany.

Schiller, Wilfried – Green, Thomas A [B99] WT/I/818, 1984

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 Nbd7 10.g4 b5 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 12.g5 Nd7 13.f5 Nc5 14.f6 gxf6 15.gxf6 Bf8 16.a3 Rb8 17.Bh3 b4 18.axb4 Rxb4 19.Rhe1 Qb6 20.Nd5! Bh6+ 21.Kb1! Rxb2+ 22.Ka1 exd5 = 23.exd5+ Kf8! 24.Qe2 Rb1+! 25.Rxb1 Qa5+ 26.Kb2 Qb4+  27.Ka2 Qa4+ 28.Kb2 Qb4+ ½-½

In Golden Knights (U. S. Open Correspondence Chess Championship) section 84-N 59, my rating had dropped to 1042, but I finished with a 5-1 record, only losing to V. L. Webb, 1210, who had a perfect 6-0 score. Here is my win against Michael Skibniewski’s Classical Caro-Kann. Skibniewski lived in Morganville, New Jersey.

Green, Thomas A (1042) – Skibniewski, Michael (900) [B18] 84-N 59, 1984

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Bd3 Qxd4 6.Nf3 Qd8 7.Qe2 Nf6 8.Bd2 Bxe4 9.Bxe4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 e6 11.0-0-0 Nd7! 12.Bc3 Qe7 13.Rhe1 Nf6! 14.Qh4 Nd5 15.Qxe7+ Bxe7 16.Bxg7 Rg8 17.Be5! Rxg2 18.Bg3! f5 19.Rxe6 Kf7 20.Rxe7+! Kxe7 21.Nh4 Rxg3! 22.Nxf5+ Kf6 23.Nxg3 Re8 24.Rd4 Re7 25.Kd2 Ke6 26.c4 Nf6 27.f4 Rg7 28.Ke2 Ke7? 29.Nf5+ 1-0

In 1984, I was assigned board 82 for USA in a match against West Germany. I drew my game as White and won the following game against Holger Weber’s Trompowsky Attack. This game was published in International Match News (February 1986) with the following note: “Tom Green writes, ‘My opponent has provided me with exciting play.’ He wasn’t kidding! This slugfest occurred on board 82 of the West German match. According to openings expert Hugh Meyers, Diemer of the Black Mar Diemer fame played this opening many years ago and is responsible for the name. This opening is also known as the Ochsenfrosch Gambit, the Krabbe Gambit and the Bullfrog.” 

Weber, Holger – Green, Thomas A [A45] USA-W. Germany, 1984

1.d4 Nf6 2.g4 Nxg4 3.e4 d6 4.Nc3 Bd7 5.Nf3 e5 6.Bc4 exd4 7.Ng5? Qf6 8.Bxf7+ Kd8 9.Ne2 Nxf2? 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.Nxd4 Nxh1 12.Bd5 c6 13.Nf7+ Ke8 14.Bb3 Rg8 15.Bf4 d5 16.exd5 c5 17.d6 g5 18.0-0-0=  gxf4 19.Re1+ Be7? 20.dxe7 Rg6 21.Nf5! Bxf5 22.Nd6+! Rxd6 23.Bf7+! Kd7 24.e8Q+ Kc7 25.Be6?? Bxe6! 26.Rxe6? Nd7 27.Qxa8 Rxe6 28.Qg8 Rg6? (Rf6) 0-1

In Golden Knights semi-finals section 84-NS 52, after moving to Waupun, Wisconsin where I was director of the Waupun Public Library and rated 1276, I finished 3-3. I met one of my opponents, Gary Henderson, a transportation analyst rated 1394, at the New York Open. He had offered to house me at his place in Brooklyn, but I preferred a hotel room at the site of the tournament in Manhattan which I shared with Michael Wangen, a chess friend from Minnesota. Gary ended up spending a lot of time between rounds with us in our room. He also took us to a Chinatown restaurant. Curiously, he and Wangen ended up playing each other in the Expert section (I was playing in the Class A section) where, I believe, they drew. Here is Henderson’s postal game win against my King’s Gambit.

Green, Thomas A (1276) – Henderson, Gary (1394) [C36] 84-NS 52, 1985

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d5 4.exd5 Nf6 5.Bb5+ c6 6.dxc6 bxc6 7.Bc4 Nd5 8.0-0 Be6 9.Bb3 Bd6 10.d4 0-0 11.c4! Nf6 12.c5 Bc7 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.Qb3 Nd5 15.Qb7 g5? 16.g4? (Nc3) h5= 17.h3! hxg4 18.hxg4 e5!  19.dxe5 Qd7 20.Kf2 Bd8 21.Qb3 Na6! 22.Qd3 Nxc5 23.Qg6+ Qg7 24.Qxc6 Nb4! 25.Qb5 Rb8! 26.Qc4 Rf7 27.Kg2 Nbd3 28.Rd1? (Nc3) Nxe5 29.Qxc5? Nxf3! 30.Kxf3 Qh6 31.Rd6 Qh1+ 32.Kf2 Bb6 33.Rxb6 Qh4+ 34.Kf1 axb6 35.Qd5 Re8 36.Bd2 Qh3+ 37.Qg2 Qd3+ 38.Kg1 Re2 0-1

Francisco Doreza, a higher rated player living in Los Angeles, California, tried the Falkbeer Counter Gambit against me in this Golden Knight semi-final section. Interestingly, he told me that he plays the King’s Gambit as White.

Green, Thomas A (1276) – Doreza, Francisco (1338) [C31] 84-NS 52, 1985

1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nc3 Qe6 5.fxe5 Qxe5+ 6.Be2 Bg4 7.d4! Qe6 8.Qd3 Nf6 9.Bf4 Na6? 10.Qb5+ Qc6 11.Qxc6+ bxc6 12.Bxa6 Rb8 13.Na4 Rb4 14.b3! Rxd4 15.Be3 Re4 16.Kf2 Re5 17.Bd3 a5 18.Nf3 Ne4+ 19.Bxe4 Rxe4 20.Rhe1 Bb4 21.c3 Be7 22.Bd4 Bxf3 23.Kxf3 Re6 24.Bxg7 Rg8 25.Bd4 Rg5 26.Be3 Rge5 27.Rad1 Bd6 28.g3 Ke7 29.Nb2 h5?? (Kf8) 30.Nc4 Rf5+ 31.Kg2 f6 32.Bb6 Bxg3 33.Rxe6+ Kxe6 34.hxg3 cxb6 35.Rd6+ Ke7 36.Rxc6 Rg5 37.Kh3 b5 38.Nxa5 Rd5 39.Rb6 1-0

In 1986, while living in Waupun, Wisconsin, the U. S. postal rating system changed to resemble over-the-board ratings. Now rated 1791, I played a match against Brian Grancorvitz, rated 1533, an inmate in the Waupun Correctional Institution, a maximum-security penitentiary. Grancorvitz was convicted of murder in a Readstown tavern. I learned that a friend volunteering as an EMT in Viola, Wisconsin responded to this incident. Small world! Grancorvitz used the name Adrian Lomax in our games. We played two games, one with each color, which he graciously resigned after he was transferred to another prison.

In 1983, the International Correspondence Chess Federation approved the formation of the APTB (Anglo-Pacific Tournament Bureau).  In 1986, I played in one of the first Anglo-Pacific Tournaments, AP1-4. This new organization offered an alternative way to reach the World Championship. I won this section with a 5.5-0.5 record which allowed me to ascend to a higher section (H) equivalent to Expert or Candidate Master. Here is my King’s Gambit against Gilbert Stone that was published by Bill Wall in 500 King’s Gambit Miniatures Collection II (Moon Township, PA: Chess Enterprises, 1996) page 45. Stone lived in Bluefield, West Virginia.

Green, Thomas A – Stone, Gilbert [C34] AP1-4, 1986

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d6 4.d4 g5 5.h4 f6 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.Qd3 Bd7 8.a3 a6 9.Be2 Bh6 10.Bd2 Bg4? 11.0-0-0 Qd7 12.Nd5 0-0-0 13.Rh2 Nge7? 14.Nxf6 Qe6 15.hxg5 Qa2 16.Bxf4 1-0

My draw using a Sicilian Scheveningen/Najdorf in AP1-4 was against Steven Martin, who moved to Independence, Ohio from Michigan during the game. He finished 2nd in the section with 3 wins and 3 draws.

Martin, Steven – Green, Thomas A [B87] AP1-4, 1986

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 b5 8.0-0 Be7 9.Qf3 Qc7 10.Qg3 0-0 11.Re1 Nc6 12.Nxc6 Qxc6 13.Bh6 Ne8 14.Nd5 Bd8 15.Nf4 Bf6 16.c3 Kh8 17.Bg5 h6 Bxf6 Nxf6 19.e5 dxe5 20.Rxe5 Re8 21.Nd3 Rd8 22.Re3! Bb7 23.Ne5 Qe8 24.Rae1 Rd2 25.R3e2 Rad8 26.Qe3 Rxe2= 27.Qxe2 Nd7 28.Nd3 Qe7 29.Qe3 Nf6 30.h3 Kg8 31.a4 Qc7 32.axb5 axb5 33.Nc5 Nd5 34.Bxd5! Bxd5 35.Ra1 e5 36.Nd3 e4 37.Nb4 Bb7 38.Nc2 Rd3 39.Qe2 Qf4 40.Rd1 Qd6 41.Nd4 Qd5! 42.f3 Qc4 43.Kf2 Rxd1 44.Qxd1 exf3 45.Nxf3 Kh7 46.Qd7 Bc6 47.Qd4 Qa2 48.Qd2 f5 49.Nd4 Qd5 50.Nf3 Qe4 51.Qe3 Bd5 52.Qxe4 ½-½

In 1987, I entered Golden Knights section 87-N 213 with a rating of 1812. I topped the section with a 5.5-0.5 record. My draw was with Daniel Fortier, rated 1808. I enjoyed several of my wins. Bart Bevins, a Hilton Hotel and Casino security staff member in Reno, Nevada, for example, fell prey to my Scandinavian Defense.

Bevins, Bart (1467) – Green, Thomas A (1812) [B01] 87-N 213, 1987

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bc4 Bg4 5.f3 Bf5 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.Nge2 Nb6! 8.Bb5+ Bd7 9.Bxd7 Qxd7 10.d4= 0-0-0 11.0-0 g6 12.Bf4 Nfxd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bd2 e5 16.dxe5 Qf5 17.f4? Bc5+18.Kh1 Ne3 19.Ng3 Nxd1 20.Nxf5 Rxd2 21.Raxd1 Rxd1 22.Rxd1 gxf5 23.g3 Rd8 24.Rxd8+ Kxd8  25.c3 Be3 26.Kg2 Bc1 27.b3 Bb2 28.c4 Ke7 29.Kf3 h5 30.h3 c5 31.g4 fxg4+ 32.hxg4 hxg4+ 33.Kxg4 Ke6 34.Kg5 Bxe5! 35.fxe5 Kxe5 36.Kg4 Ke4 37.Kg5 f5 38.a3 f4 39.Kg4 Ke3 0-1

Brien Smith, Hamden, Connecticut, was an engineer with the Department of Transportation. He was another casualty of my Scandinavian Defense.

Smith, Brien (1358) – Green, Thomas A (1812) [B01] 87-N 213, 1987

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nxd5 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.Bxd5 Qxd5 6.Nc3 Qh5 7.h3 Bg4 8.Rg1 Bxf3! 9.Qxf3 Qxf3 10.gxf3 Nd4 11.Kf1 0-0-0 12.Rb1 Nxf3 13.Rg3 Nxd2+ 14.Bxd2 Rxd2 15.Rc1 e5 16.Ne4 Rd4 17.Ng5 Rd7 18.Rf3 f6 19.Ne4 Be7 20.Rg3 g6 21.h4 f5 22.Nc3 Bxh4 23.Rh3 Bf6 24.Na4 e4 25.Rb3 Rd2 0-1

I met B. F. Brodersen, living in Flagstaff, Arizona after relocating from Minneapolis and rated 1619, for the second time through postal chess. We were destined to meet a third time. In this encounter, Brodersen, instead of responding with another King’s Gambit, sketched a French Tarrasch Opening that, unfortunately for him, resulted in a miniature.

Green, Thomas A (1812) – Brodersen, B F (1619) [C07] 87-N 213, 1987

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Ngf3 cxd4 6.Bc4 Qd6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Nb3 Nc6 9.Nbxd4 Nxd4 10.Nxd4 Bd7 11.b3 0-0-0 12.Bb2 Qc7 13.Qe2 h5 14.Nf3 Ng4! 15.h3 Bc6 16.Rfd1 Rxd1+ (Bc5!) 17.Rxd1 Bc5 18.hxg4 hxg4 19.Ne5 1-0

William Schneider, originally from Michigan, retired to San Gabriel, California when I played him. In addition to chess, he told me that he often visited the racetrack. I gave this new, unrated player a run for his money when he accepted the proffered pawn in my King’s Gambit.

Green, Thomas A (1812) – Schneider, William [C36] 87-N 213, 1987

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d5 4.exd5 Nf6 5.Bb5+ c6 6.dxc6 bxc6 7.Bc4 Nd5 8.0-0 Bd6 9.Nc3 Be6 10.Ne4 0-0 11.Nxd6 Qxd6 12.Bb3 Nc7 13.d4 Bxb3 14.axb3 Nd7 15.Nh4 Qe7 16.Nf5 Qg5 17.Rxf4 Nd5 18.Rf1 Qf6 19.Nh6+! gxh6 20.Rxf6 N5xf6 21.Bxh6 Rfe8 22.Qf3 Re4 23.Qg3+ Rg4 24.Qc3 Rg6 25.Qxc6 Re8 26.Bd2 Re2 27.Be1 Kg7 28.Bg3 h5 29.Re1 Rxe1+ 30.Bxe1 Nf8 31.Qa4 Ne6 32.Bg3 Rg4 33.Be5 Kg6 34.Qxa7 Nd5 35.Qa8 Ne3 36.Qg8+ 1-0

In the 1987 Golden Knights semi-finals, section 87-Ns 32, rated 1839, I finished 3.5-2.5. I lost to George Kirby, rated 2145, and Robert Hicks, rated 1898. However, I defeated Donald Cotten, from Upland, California, rated 2639 and the highest rated player that I have ever played, when he accepted my pawn in a King’s Gambit Opening.

Green, Thomas A (1839) – Cotten, Donald (2639) [C34] 87-NS 32, 1988

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d6 4.d4 g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ng1 f3 7.gxf3= Be7 8.Be3 Bxh4+ 9.Kd2 h5 10.Nc3 f5 11.exf5! Bxf5 12.Bd3 Bxd3 13.Kxd3 g3 14.Qe1! Kd7 15.Nge2 Nh6 16.Bxh6! Rxh6 17.Qf1! Bf6 18.Qh3+ Kc6 19.Qf5 a6 20.Rxh5 Rxh5= 21.Qxh5 Nd7 (Kb6!=) 22.Nxg3 1-0

In 1988, I advanced to a Higher-Class section of the Anglo-Pacific Tournament, APH-15. I finished 2nd with a 5-1 record. My only loss was to Joseph Austin who won the section with a 5.5-0.5 record. I recorded a win with this miniature Scandinavian Defense against Maurice Carter from Fairborn, Ohio.

Carter, Maurice – Green, Thomas A [B01] APH-15, 1988

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 g6 6.h3 Bg7 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Be3 c5 9.d5 Na6 10.Qd2 e6 11.dxe6 Bxe6 12.b3 Qxd2+ 13.Bxd2 Nb4! 14.Kd1 Rfd8 15.Kc1? Rxd2! 16.Kxd2 Rd8+ 17.Ke2 Bf5 18.Rc1 Nd3 0-1

In 1988, my opponents in International Correspondence Chess Federation WT/I/7/1120 were from Austria, Federal Republic of Germany (2), Finland, and German Democratic Republic (2). I finished 3.5-1.5 with the result of one game unknown (to me) in my weirdest international event. Three games were adjudicated after two years of play. I won two of them: one against Detlef Shűßler, German Democratic Republic and the other against Josef Oberpiller, Federal Republic of Germany. My adjudicated game against Joachim Walter, German Democratic Republic, was never reported back to me. My only loss was the result of my worst correspondence clerical error ever. That was in in my game against Harald Steiner, Austria. Here is my adjudicated win using a King’s Gambit Accepted against Detlef Shűßler.

Green, Thomas A – Shűßler, Detlef [C34] WT/I/7/1120, 1988

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e5 Nh5 5.d4 d5 6.c4 Be6 7.cxd5= Bxd5 8.Be2 Be7 9.0-0 b6? 10.Nc3 Bb7 11.Ne1 g6 12.Bxh5 gxh5 13.Rxf4 Rg8? 14.Qxh5 Rg7 15.Nb5 Bd5 16.e6! Bxe6 17.Qe5? (Re4) Rg5= 18.Nxc7+ Kd7 19.Nxe6 Rxe5 20.Nxd8 Rxe1+ 21.Kf2 Rh1! 22.Nxf7 Rxh2? 23.Bd2 Ke8 24.d5 Rh5 25.d6 Rd5 26.Bb4 Bh4+ 27.g3 adjudicated 1-0

Joachim Walther, German Democratic Republic, played a French Tarrasch Opening that required adjudication after two years of play. However, I never learned the result. What do you think should be the result? Is it a draw or does Black have enough of an advantage to claim a win?

Green, Thomas A – Walther, Joachim [C08] WT/I/7/1120, 1988

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Ngf3 Nf6 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8.0-0 Be7 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Nb3 Nxb3 11.axb3 0-0 12.Qd4 Qc7 13.Rxa7 Bc5 14.Rxa8 Bxd4 15.Rxf8+ Kxf8 16.Nxd4 Ng4 17.f4 b5 18.Bd2 Nf6 19.Ra1 g6 20.c3 Qb6 adjudicated

I committed a grave clerical error against Harald Steiner, Austria, in his Caro-Kann. Sending a move in postal play is like touch move in over-the-board play. In one of my U.S. postal tournaments, I had an opponent plead that I wouldn’t want to win a game because of his clerical error. In that game, I claimed victory. In my game against Steiner, I cried (to myself).

Green, Thomas A – Steiner, Harald [B16] WT/I/1120, 1988

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6 6.Nf3 Bf5 7.Bd3 Bg6 8.0-0 Nd7 9.Bf4 Qa5 10.Re1 0-0-0 11.a3 Re8 12.b4 Qh5 13.c4 e5 14.dxe5 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 fxe5 17.Qd7+?? (I made this move thinking that I had already sent Rad1) 0-1

 

Mastering Correspondence Chess: 1978-1981 Events Saturday, Apr 17 2021 

Chess tag 2:54 pm

The 1978 Golden Knights (U. S. Open Correspondence Chess Championship) was a breakthrough event for me. It was the first time that I qualified for the finals and earned a Golden Knights pin. In 78-N 247, with a rating of 1224 (note: U. S. postal chess used a different rating system from over-the-board (OTB) chess until 1986. A rating of 900 was considered equivalent to Class C OTB 1500) I finished with a 5-1 record losing only to Joseph Dinan with an astronomical 1538 rating. I did even better in the semi-finals with a 5.5-0.5 score. My draw was against Alejandro De Jesus Romero who was rated 1074. My best-known game was a win against Gary W. Sahr. We had identical 1288 ratings. Gary Sahr, from Circleville, Ohio, tried a Falkbeer Counter Gambit against my King’s Gambit that was published on page 43 in Chess Life (April 1982). This game is also in The King’s Gambit as White by Robert Raingruber, Lou Maser, and Larry Christiansen (Davenport, IA: Thinkers’ Press, 1984) pages 92-96. I owned this book for six months before I realized that my game was featured as the “Illustrative Game” on the Falkbeer Variation in Chapter 11. The King’s Gambit by John Shaw (Guilford, CT: Quality Chess, 2013) page 599 also references this game. 

Green, Thomas A (1288) – Sahr, Gary (1288) [C31] 78-NS 101, 1980

1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 c6 4.Nc3 exf4 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.d4 Bd6 7.Qe2+ Kf8 8.Ne5 cxd5 9.Bxf4 Nc6 10.0-0-0 a6 11.Qe3 Be6 12.Be2 Qc7 13.Rhf1 b5 14.Bxb5 Bxe5?? 15.dxe5 d4 16.Rxd4 Ng4 17.Qe4 axb5 18.Rd6 Rc8?? 19.h3 Ngxe5? 20.Bxe5 Nxe5? 21.Qxe5 b4? 22.Qxe6 bxc3 23.Rxf7+ 1-0

In the 1978 Golden Knights 78-NF 37 finals I only scored 2 points, but one was a French Tarrasch against Al Klomparens, from Miami, Florida, who had the highest rating in the section, 1616.

Green, Thomas A (1424) – Klomparens, Al (1616) [C08] 78-NF 37, 1981

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Ngf3 a6 6.Be2 c4 7.0-0 Bd6 8.b3 b5 9.a4 c3 10.axb5 cxd2 11.Bxd2 Ne7 12.c4! Nd7 13.c5 Bc7 14.bxa6 0-0 15.b4 Nf5 16.b5 1-0

In 1979 I played in my first international chess tournament, WT/II/337, sponsored by the ICCF (International Correspondence Chess Federation). My opponents were rated equivalent to Class B. I won the section with a 5.5-0.5 record which qualified me to advance to the next higher class. My opponents were from Austria, the Federal Republic of Germany (2), the German Democratic Republic, Sweden, and the United States.

The following Grob Attack was against Helmut Ulrich, from the Federal Republic of Germany, who finished 3.5-2.5. This miniature appeared in the October 1982 issue of Chess Life (page 30). Here is Alex Dunne’s introduction: “The first of our last three games is a miniature from international play. Postal players tend to be eclectic (if not sometimes eccentric) in their opening repertoire. This is usually done to prevent an opponent from indulging in a ‘Battle of the Books.’ Here, Thomas Green (1474) of Austin, Minn., turns the spike into his opponent’s flesh when White miscombines, not foreseeing that, after Black’s 10 … Bxd4! (11. Qxd4? Nf3+, winning the Queen), White’s King perishes.”

Ulrich, Helmut – Green, Thomas A [A00] WT/II/337, 1979

1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 c6 3.h3 e5 4.d3 Bc5 5.Nf3 Nd7 6.e4 Ngf6 7.g5 dxe4 8.Nxe5? Nxe5 9.gxf6 Qxf6 10.d4 Bxd4! 11.0-0 Bxh3! 12.Bxh3 Nf3+ 13.Kh1 Qe5 0-1

As I immersed myself in correspondence chess, I discovered my optimum number of simultaneous games. My first assignment was 6 games. By qualifying for a semi-finals section and starting a new section, I had 12 games. It didn’t take long before I had 40 games in progress. That number, of course, kept me terribly busy especially if I returned from vacation and faced finding moves for 40 games within three days. I discovered my optimum number of games was 18 with 6 in the opening, 6 in the middle game, and 6 in the endgame.

In the 1980 Golden Knights one needed 5 points to advance. In section 80-N 73 I was rated 1244 and scored 4.5-1.5. I lost to Michael Price rated 1362 and drew Bill Stern rated 900. This qualified me for a Squires (Golden Knights losers bracket) semi-final section, 80-SqS 35 where I was rated 1322 and finished 1st with a 5.5-0.5 record. My only draw was a Symmetrical English against L. Brochard, from Trumbull, Connecticut, who finished 2nd with a 5-1 record.

Brochard, L (916) – Green, Thomas A (1322) [A34] 80-SqS 35, 1981

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.e4 Nc6 5.g3 d6 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.d4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Qb6 10.Ncb5 Rd8

11.Be3!  e5 12.Ne6! Qa5 13.Nxd8 Qxd8 14.Rc1 a6 15.Nc3 Ng4 16.h3 Nxe3 17.fxe3 Be6 18.Nd5 Bf8 19.Qf3 Rc8 20.Qe2 Qg5 21.Kh2 Nb8 22.h4 Qg4 23.Qxg4 Bxg4 24.Bf3 Bxf3 25.Rxf3 Nd7 26.b3 Nc5 27.Nc3 f6 28.Rff1 Kf7 29.Rfd1 ½-½

In the 1980 Golden Knights Squire-Finals I was rated 1444 but only scored 2-4. It was an honor, however, to play Alex Dunne, from Sayre, Pennsylvania, rated 1516, and correspondence chess columnist for Chess Life. He had recently published my Falkbeer Gambit against Gary Sahr and proceeded to show me how Black should play the Falkbeer Counter Gambit. A lesson from a Master.

Green, Thomas A (1444) – Dunne, Alex (1516) [C32] 80-SqF 4, 1982

1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 e4 4.d3 Nf6 5.dxe4 Nxe4 6.Nf3 Bc5 7.Qe2 Bf5 8.Nc3 Qe7 9.Be3 Nd7 10.Nb5 0-0= 11.0-0-0 Nc3 12.Nxc3 Qxe3+ 13.Qxe3 Bxe3+ 14.Kb1 Bxf4 15.Be2 Nc5 16.Rhf1 Bg6 17.g3 Bd6! 18.Nh4 Rfe8 19.Nxg6 hxg6 20.Rfe1 Re3 21.Bb5 Rxe1 22.Rxe1 a6 23.Bf1 f5 24.Bh3 Kf7 25.Re2 Kf6 26.Kc1 Be5 27.Nd1 Rh8 28.Bf1 f4 29.Rf2 g5 30.c3 Ne4! 31.Re2 fxg3 32.hxg3 Nxg3 33.Rf2+ Bf4+ 34.Kc2 Nxf1 35.Rxf1 Ke5 36.c4 Kd4 37.b3? Rh2+ 38.Kb1 b5 39.Nb2 Ke3 40.a4? bxa4 41.Nxa4 g4 42.Nb2 g5 0-1

Tyler Thompson, a faculty member at Garrett Theological Seminary, challenged select students to a chess game. He had a small set in his office where a student could stop by and make a move whenever convenient. Upon graduating we continued to play through the mail. When my minister wife was assigned to the Viola United Methodist Church, she became the Thompson’s minister as they summered in a rustic cabin in Viola. I gifted him membership in the U. S. Chess Federation and in 1981 challenged him to a rated postal match. We played two games which I won in 81-PM 114. Years later he gave me a copy of his book, Freedom in Internment: Under Japanese Rule in Singapore 1942-1945 (Kefford Press) which detailed his survival as a prisoner of war in Singapore during World War II (and where he learned how to play chess). After his death, I visited Singapore and saw Wesley Church where he served and toured the Changi Museum where his book was on display.

In the 1981 Golden Knights section 81-N 107, with a rating of 1320, I finished 5.5-0.5. My only draw was a Sicilian Defense against the highest rated player, Howard Rauch, from Tenafly, New Jersey and rated 1486.

Rauch, Howard (1486) – Green, Thomas A (1320) [B50] 81-N 107, 1981

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3 Nf6 4.h3 g6 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 7.Qe2 Bg7 8.d4 e6 9.0-0 Qc7 10.Nbd2 0-0 11.b3 Rac8 12.Bb2 Nh5 13.g4? Nf4 14.Qe3 e5! 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Kh2 Rfd8 17.Rg1 Nf8 18.Rab1 Rd3 19.Qe1 Qe7 20.Rg3 Rcd8 21.Nf1 N8e6 22.Ne3 b6 23.c4 Nd4 24.Nxd4 exd4 25.Nd5 Qe5 26.Nxf4 Qxf4 27.Bc1 Qc7 28.f4 Rxg3 29.Kxg3 Re8 30.Bd2 f5? 31.e5 Bxe5 32.fxe5= Rxe5 33.Qf2 Re3+ 34.Kg2 Qc6+ 35.Kh2 Qc7+ 36.Kg2! ½-½

In the 1981 Golden Knights semi-final, 81-NS 5, with my rating at 1462, I garnered only two draws to finish 1-5. I drew Edward Kopiecki rated 1614 and James A. De Mamiel rated 1452. One of my losses was to David Marshall, from Kansas City, Missouri and rated 1198. While playing in the 1982 U. S. Open, I met David Marshall who told me that he was living in his car during the two-week chess tournament held in St. Paul, Minnesota. He gained some notoriety at that event by being the first to beat the computer program BELLE. Marshall, a young Expert, studied BELLE’s first-round game and prepared an opening line against it for his game in round three. BELLE, by the way, finished 7-5. Marshall shared an interesting anecdote with me: he played at least one correspondence tournament blindfolded. That is, he played his games from memory rather than setting up a chess board and toiling over his next move. Unfortunately for me, he did not use that method in our correspondence game. He often sent an “if move;” if you make this move, I will do this move. His psychological ploy worked on me as I attempted to avoid his suggested moves.

Alex Dunne’s July 1983 column in Chess Life featured my game with David Marshall from the 1981 Golden Knights Semifinals. Here is Dunne’s introduction: “This month’s column demonstrates that postalites can play excellent chess regardless of their ratings. Given enough time, lesser-rated players can find master-rated moves. Fifth World Correspondence Champion Hans Berliner once commented on postal chess: ‘It is just as if we are playing a tournament game that is adjourned after each move.’ By using the adjournment to analyse, calculate, and plan the best riposte, works of beauty are created.

Rob Salgado, the 1975 Golden Knights champion, has this suggestion for postalites about how to use that ‘adjournment’ time: ‘Don’t just wait until you get a postcard to sit down and work out a move. Set aside a sheet of paper with your opponent’s name on it, and whenever you’re in the mood, record your thoughts about the position in pencil. This method has several advantages, one of which is that you don’t have to wait for a postcard if postal chess is on your mind! Besides reducing the amount of analysis you will have to perform in the relatively short time after you receive your opponent’s move, it really adds a dimension to your thinking when your ideas are allowed to ripen awhile in your subconscious. Also, your approach will be more relaxed without the immediate pressure of having to make a reply. You can amend your lines as your understanding deepens.’

Our Game of the Month features David Marshall of Kansas City, Missouri, taking on Thomas Green of Austin, Minnesota, in a melee that finds Black overwhelmed by too many surprise ‘sealed moves.’” Dunne’s notes are interspersed in the game.

Marshall, David – Green, Thomas A [B99] 81-NS 5, 1982

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 (if move) 4.Nxd4 Nf6 (if move) 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5

Part of the mystique of postal chess is the treatment of the opening. Book lines, the distilled wisdom of numberless masters, are almost certainly the strongest moves available; thus, the player with the better library has an advantage. Scholars, researchers, and those who put their trust in other players’ ideas search for the previously played moves instead of striking out on their own. The adventuresome might try the lesser known 6 a4, 6. h3, or 6. Qf3 in an attempt to exhaust his opponent’s books, but the true believer will have information on even those lines.

e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 Nbd7

So far the game has followed standard book lines. From this position the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings lists 140 master games and much analysis. How can the postalite choose among the most analysed line (usually the last column), but the more ambitious postalite chooses a move that he thinks may rehabilitate a variation previously thought inferior because he has an improvement in mind

10.Kb1?!

ECO gives Black the advantage after this move. To play such a move, the White player must have planned an improvement, run out of his book, or have had a great deal of confidence in his chess skill. b5

Black faithfully – and who can fault him? – follows established lines.

11.Bd3 b4 12.Nce2  Bb7 13.g4 

Here is White’s “improvement.” The only listing in ECO is 13. Rhe1, when 13 … h6! 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Qe3 Qc5 16. Qg1 g5 17. Nb3 Qxg1 18. Rxg1 Bd8 led to an advantage for Black in Troianescu-Fischer (Natanya 1968). The player who slavishly follows the book is now faced with a position unlike published analysis. Thus are innovations, for better or worse, born, and both players are thrown on their own resources.

h6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 

Black should play 14 … Bxf6 15. h4 0-0-0 with a difficult struggle. But Black’s two Bishops should offer him equality at the very least, rendering White’s innovation harmless. After 14 … gxf6, White has play against Black’s weakened pawn structure.

15.Ng3 Nc5 (if move) 16.Rhe1 Rc8

Black, naturally, would like to attack using the c-file as a base of operations, but safer would be 0-0-0? Followed by … Kb8 and Rc8, safeguarding the King. With the Black King stuck in the center, White will plan to engineer a central explosion; Black should try to steer toward a favorable endgame.

17.Qe2 Rg8 18.h4 Kd7?!

Black seeks safety for the King, but his King is more exposed on d7 than e8 – there is no easy escape to the Queenside. Black’s game is already difficult because he can undertake no active plan: 18. … Nxd3 19. Rxd3 d5?! 20. Exd5 Bxd5 21. Ndf5! Is too strong for White. 

19.Nf3? Na4?!

Black misses his last opportunity to get into the game by 19. … Nxd3, simplifying and forcing 20. cxd3 because 20. Rxd3 allows 20. … Rxg4! 21. Ne5+ fxf5, when White cannot take the Rook. Now the game of maneuvering becomes a tempest with White’s open invitation to battle, 20. e5.

20.e5 Bxf3 (if move)

Black strives to keep the game closed (20. … dxe5?? 21. Bb5, mate!) and to simplify by killing a White piece.

21.Qxf3 d5 22.Nf5! Nc3+

Suddenly an explosion occurs on the Queenside. Over the board, such a surprise might be devastating, but with enough time to work through the complications, White finds the way to put away his higher-rated opponent.

23.bxc3 bxc3 24.Bb5+

This sacrifice is especially pretty, being both line-closing (the b-file) and line-opening (unmasking the d-file) at the same time. Black cannot refuse the sacrifice because24. … Kd8 25. Rxd5+! exd5 26. Qxd5+ Bd6 27. Nxd6 axb5 28. exf6! Leaves him defenseless.

axb5 25.Rxd5+! Ke8

The Rook is immune: 25. … exd5 26. Qxd5+, and now either 26. … Ke8 27. exf6 or26. … Bd6 27. exd6 exposed Black to an unstoppable onslaught.

26.Nd6+ Bxd6?!

Discouraged by the whirlwind, Black fails to find the best defense. After 26. … Kf8 27. Nxc8 exd5 28. Nxe7 Qxe7 29. Qxc3, White has much the better ending, but Black can fight on.

27.exd6 Qd7 28.g5!

White continues the attack, loosening the pawn formation that defends Black’s King. After an eventual f4-f5, Black will be unable to defend by … e6-e5 if his base on f6 is destroyed. The end is near.

Kd8 29.Rd3 fxg5 30.fxg5 hxg5 31.Qf6+ Ke8 32.Rxe6+

Elegant to the last – White winds up with a final sacrifice.

fxe6 33.Re3 1-0

There is no defense after 33. …Qf7 34. d7+ Qxd7 35. Rxe6+

Here is my draw using a King’s Gambit Declined against Edward Kopiecki, rated 1614.

Green, Thomas A (1462) – Kopiecki, Edward (1614) [C30] 81-NS5, 1982

1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5 3.Nf3 d6 4.c3 Nf6 5.fxe5 dxe5 6.Nxe5 0-0 7.d4 Bd6 8.Nf3 Nxe4 9.Bd3 Re8 10.0-0 Nd7 11.Bc2 Ndf6 12.Qd3 Bf5 13.Ne5? Bxe5? 14.dxe5 Rxe5 15.Qxd8+! Rxd8 16.Bf4 Re7 17.Bxc7! Rxc7 18.Rxf5 Nd6 19.Rf2 Nc4! 20.Bb3 Ne4 21.Re2 Re7 22.Kf1 Ncd2+ 23.Nxd2= Nxd2+ 24.Ke1 Rxe2+ 25.Kxe2 Nxb3 26.axb3 a6 27.Ra4 f5 28.Rc4 Rd7 29.b4 Kf7 30.b5 axb5 31.Rc5 Kf6 32.Rxb5 Kg5 33.Ra5 Kg4 34.Ra1 f4 35.Rc1 f3+ 36.gxf3+ Kh3 37.c4 Kxh2 38.c5 h5 39.b4 h4 40.Rc4 h3 41.Rg4 Kh1 42.b5 h2 43.c6 bxc6! 44.bxc6 Ra7 45.Rg6 Ra2+ 46.Kd3 Ra3+ 47.Ke4 Rxf3 48.Kxf3 ½-½

Here is my draw against a Sicilian Najdorf played by James De Mamiel, from Pine Valley, California and rated 1452.

Green, Thomas A (1462) – De Mamiel, James (1452) [B98] 81-NS 5, 1982

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 h6 9.Bh4 g5 10.fxg5 Nfd7

11.Bg3 Ne5 12.Qh5 Bxg5 13.Be2 Qb6 14.Bxe5 dxe5 15.Nf3! Qxb2 16.Nd1 Qb4+! 17.c3 Qe7 18.0-0 0-0 19.h4 Bf6 20.Nf2 Bg7 21.Ng4! f6 22.Nxh6+ Bxh6 23.Qxh6 Qg7 24.Qh5 Bd7 25.Nh2 Nc6 26.Ng4 Be8= 27.Nh6+ Kh7 ½-½

In 1981, I was board 12 on the MINNDAK (Minnesota Dakota) team paired against L. D. Ackerly, Cumbria, England, representing the BCCA (British Correspondence Chess Association). Ackerly won both games.

Also in 1981, I was assigned board 18, Class IV representing the CCLA (Correspondence Chess League of America) against K. Warren, Scotland team captain. The CCLA was the original U. S. affiliate of ICCF (International Correspondence Chess Federation), the world-wide governing body of correspondence chess. I drew one game and won this King’s Gambit Accepted miniature.

Green, Thomas A – Warren, K [C34] CCLA-SCCA, 1981

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e5 Nh5 5.Be2 d6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.d4 f6? 8.d5 fxe5 9.dxc6 e4? 10.Nd4+- Ng3 11.Rxf4 g5 12.Bh5+ Ke7 13.Rf7+ Ke8 14.Rd7+ Nxh5 15.Qxh5# 1-0

 

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