St. Petersburg Chess Club 540 4th Avenue North

This Sunday (10-02-16) the Chess Club will be open from 1PM till 5PM. Every Sunday from now on, we will be open, so come on down and play a game or more! I will be there.     Gene

Welcome to the newest St. Petersburg Chess Club website!

This is where you can keep up to date with upcoming tournaments, news and interest games presented to you by SPCC.

Memberships are $60.00 per year for adults, $30.00 for students per year or $5.00 per day.

First time visit is free!

Each Member that brings in a NEW member will get $10.00 off his/her next years Dues!

CLICK on the “Tournaments” above for the latest information on upcoming events!

If the Web Site is down, Please check back again soon!

Friday night speed chess, most of the time called “Blitz”, starts about 8:00 pm. But if Blitz is not your “speed”, play with different time controls or without the clock. But play, one on one with an opponent you can see! Online chess is mostly cheaters (using cell phone or computer engine) now days. Sure you might play one game against someone, but some how the next game you play that person plays at 2800 strength! So play with people you can see!! The world is becoming a digital playground, people are not able or want to face their fellow humans today. You see the masses walking in a daze with some kind of digital device in their hands. Do I need to mention spelling or grammar? Studies have been released saying that cell phone are as addicting as level 4 narcotics. Please, put down the cell phone and pick up a pawn.  We are open at 5:30 pm on Fridays and some of the better players (experts or masters) show up around 8 pm. Come on down to the oldest chess club in the nation in the same location. Love to see you, young and old, male or female, well just every body! If you want to learn how to play or learn to play even better, we can help as we have the best chess coaches in Tampa Bay!  The club is open Mondays, Wednesday and Friday from about 1 pm till the last member leaves and locks the door.   It is your move! 1. e4… best by test!

Gene Randolph , President

We wish to thank the parents for bring their children down to the chess club on Fridays.

From about 5:30 pm to around 8:30 pm the kids play chess and learn new ways to beat the adults! I just love it!

Christmas party information will be finalized shortly, so watch for updates!!

Come to the Chess Club to play REAL people, not online computers!

The Club will be closed on December 2 and 3 do to the removal of the 83 year old floor and installation of a new floor! The checkered board square pattern will remain because we belong to the National Historic Registry. This is great news for the Club because we will have a new floor for the Annual Meeting and Party December 21. All are welcome to the Party!  Please bring a dish to add to the feast!          Merry Christmas!!       December 1 Sunday@ 1:00pm we will some help moving the tables and stuff outside so the floor can be done!

Update:

The floor looks Great!! New baseboards also! So we painted the columns .  I wish to thank the people that helped me get the stuff out and into the club during this time! The floor took longer expected to install (5 days) but the wait was worth it!

Come to the Chess Club to see the beautiful floor etc.

The World Chess Championship 2013 between the defending champion Viswanathan Anand and the challenger Magnus Carlsen is going to take place 07-28 November, 2013, in Chennai, India. For THose of you that don’t know where that is, I don’t….well it’s 10 hours and 30 minutes ahead of us. This means that the start will be 4:30 am on the 7th of November. Saturday 3pm their time! Check out the link to TCEC with computer analysis. I will keep up to date with the results!

Game 1:   Was a quick 16 move draw. 3 move repetition Anand forced with the black pieces. First game nerves, maybe they will feel better tomorrow. Anand was happy to get a draw with the black pieces. (Game 2, I hope we see better chess than Carlsen’s double fianchetto opening that says I want a draw.)

Game 2:  Another 3 move repetition quick draw. Neither player is willing to fight to win. Anand says you have to beat me, Carlson says he is scared to make a mistake early in the match. This is just boring! I want to see fireworks!

Game 3:  51 move draw, that’s more like it! It is clear that Anand is playing for a draw. This is how Anand plays, not to lose. Anand hopes that his opponent will error and when they do he usually win or draw. Anand style of play keeps him below 2800. Still he is a good player.  I’m waiting for Magnus to show up….

Game 4, Anand–Carlsen, ½–½

Carlsen chose the solid Berlin Defence to the Ruy Lopez. He grabbed a pawn at move 18, and a complex position developed. Black remained a pawn up, but “Anand found a fantastic resource in 35.Ne4! which helped him to finally open up the black king and equalise the play.  Great Game! Finally the battle has begun!

Game 5, Carlsen–Anand, 1–0

With this win, Carlsen took a 3–2 lead. Anand’s 45…Rc1+ has been called the decisive mistake, and after that move White was able to defend the a3-pawn, exchange bishops, and win a second pawn. Instead, 45…Ra1, attacking White’s a3-pawn, would have kept the balance.  Here are the moves of the game:     Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Slav, Marshall Gambit (ECO D31)
1. c4 e6  2. d4 d5  3. Nc3 c6  4. e4 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bb4+  6. Nc3 c5  7. a3 Ba5  8. Nf3 Nf6  9. Be3 Nc6  10. Qd3 cxd4  11. Nxd4 Ng4  12. 0-0-0 Nxe3  13. fxe3 Bc7  14. Nxc6 bxc6  15. Qxd8+ Bxd8  16. Be2 Ke7  17. Bf3 Bd7  18. Ne4 Bb6  19. c5 f5  20. cxb6 fxe4 21. b7 Rab8 22. Bxe4 Rxb7 23. Rhf1 Rb5 24. Rf4 g5  25. Rf3 h5  26. Rdf1 Be8 27. Bc2 Rc5  28. Rf6 h4  29. e4 a5   30. Kd2 Rb5  31. b3 Bh5  32. Kc3 Rc5+ 33. Kb2 Rd8  34. R1f2 Rd4  35. Rh6 Bd1  36. Bb1 Rb5  37. Kc3 c5  38. Rb2 e5  39. Rg6 a4 40. Rxg5 Rxb3+ 41. Rxb3 Bxb3 42. Rxe5+ Kd6  43. Rh5 Rd1  44. e5+ Kd5 45. Bh7 Rc1+ 46. Kb2 Rg1   47. Bg8+ Kc6 48. Rh6+ Kd7  49. Bxb3 axb3 50. Kxb3 Rxg2 51. Rxh4 Ke6  52. a4 Kxe5  53. a5 Kd6  54. Rh7 Kd5  55. a6 c4+  56. Kc3 Ra2 57. a7 Kc5 58. h4 1–0

Garry Kasparov   ” Tarrasch said, “before the endgame the gods have placed the middlegame.” Sadly for Anand, in the endgame the gods have placed Carlsen!”

 Game 6, Anand–Carlsen, 0–1 

Another win for the Mighty Magnus! The endgame God! Anand played button grabber while Magnus shoved a button down his throat! The score now is 4-2.

Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence (ECO C65)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 0-0 6.0-0 Re8 7.Re1 a6 8.Ba4 b5 9.Bb3 d6 10.Bg5 Be6 11.Nbd2 h6 12.Bh4 Bxb3 13.axb3 Nb8 14.h3 Nbd7 15.Nh2 Qe7 16.Ndf1 Bb6 17.Ne3 Qe6 18.b4 a5 19.bxa5 Bxa5 20.Nhg4 Bb6 21.Bxf6 Nxf6 22.Nxf6+ Qxf6 23.Qg4 Bxe3 24.fxe3 Qe7 25.Rf1 c5 26.Kh2 c4 27.d4 Rxa1 28.Rxa1 Qb7 29.Rd1 Qc6 30.Qf5 exd4 31.Rxd4 Re5 32.Qf3 Qc7 33.Kh1 Qe7 34.Qg4 Kh7 35.Qf4 g6 36.Kh2 Kg7 37.Qf3 Re6 38.Qg3 Rxe4 39.Qxd6 Rxe3 40.Qxe7 Rxe7 41.Rd5 Rb7 42.Rd6 f6 43.h4 Kf7 44.h5 gxh5 45.Rd5 Kg6 46.Kg3 Rb6 47.Rc5 f5 48.Kh4 Re6 49.Rxb5 Re4+ 50.Kh3 Kg5 51.Rb8 h4 52.Rg8+ Kh5 53.Rf8 Rf4 54.Rc8 Rg4 55.Rf8 Rg3+ 56.Kh2 Kg5 57.Rg8+ Kf4 58.Rc8 Ke3 59.Rxc4 f4 60.Ra4 h3 61.gxh3 Rg6 62.c4 f3 63.Ra3+ Ke2 64.b4 f2 65.Ra2+ Kf3 66.Ra3+ Kf4 67.Ra8 Rg1 0–1

Game 7, Anand–Carlsen, ½–½

The scores after seven games is 4.5-2.5 in favor of the Norwegian challenger. In the remaining five games, Anand gets two whites and three black games.  “I have the lead and this result suited me fine,” said Carlsen about this game at the press conference. “We assessed the match and I will keep trying,” said Anand who is two games down in the best of 12 series.

Game 8, Carlsen–Anand, ½–½

The eighth game of the FIDE World Championship Match finished in draw after 33 moves of play. Carlsen preserved the two points advantage, and with four games to go needs only 1,5 points to become World Champion. This is the Magnus system of the Berlin Defence with the white pieces. Forced draws, as he has shown several times before in previous play against super GM’s. After the Game a doping control was performed. The press conference was delayed for a few minutes because the players were being introduced to anti-doping control protocols (how to pee in a cup). The samples were given after the press conference. In the meantime the players were accompanied by officials to prevent any kind of rules intrusion. I wonder who they thought was cheating?+

Game 9, Anand–Carlsen, 0–1 

Anand played a sharp line against the Nimzo-Indian Defence that gave him attacking chances. Carlsen defended accurately, creating counterplay on the queenside, and ultimately queening his b-pawn withcheck while Anand was shifting his heavy pieces over to his mating attack. Anand should have replied to the check with 28.Bf1—ChessBase gives the best line as 28.Bf1 Qd1 29.Rh4 Qh5 (Black must sacrifice his new queen in order to stave off checkmate) 30.Nxh5 gxh5 31.Rxh5 Bf5 32.g6 Bxg6 33.Rg5 Nxf6 34.exf6 Qxf6 35.Rxd5 Re8, which is probably a draw. Instead, Anand blundered with 28.Nf1 and resigned after 28…Qe1, since after 29.Rh4, Black can play 29…Qxh4, and after 30.Qxh4, Black emerges a rook up. Here are the moves of the game: 

Nimzo-Indian Defence, Sämisch Variation (ECO E25)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. cxd5 exd5 8. e3 c4 9. Ne2 Nc6 10. g4 0-0 11. Bg2 Na5 12. 0-0 Nb3 13. Ra2 b5 14. Ng3 a5 15. g5 Ne8 16. e4 Nxc1 17. Qxc1 Ra6 18. e5 Nc7 19. f4 b4 20. axb4 axb4 21. Rxa6 Nxa6 22. f5 b3 23. Qf4 Nc7 24. f6 g6 25. Qh4 Ne8 26. Qh6 b2 27. Rf4 b1=Q+ 28. Nf1 Qe1 0–1

“The position was extremely imbalanced. Fear of being mated was there,” said Carlsen speaking after the game in a crowded press conference.
Anand later admitted that playing all out for victory was paramount, “There was not much of choice. I needed to change the course of the match drastically.”

With the score 6-3, Carlsen needs a single draw from the three remaining games to win his maiden world chess title. If he does it he will become the 20th player and first Norwegian in the history of world chess to win the title.  Here are the moves of the game.

Game 10, Carlsen–Anand ½–½

With this draw, Carlsen won the World Championship match 6½–3½, thus becoming the 16th undisputed world chess champion.

Sicilian Defence, Rossolimo Variation (ECO B51)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. d4 cxd4 5. Qxd4 a6 6. Bxd7+ Bxd7 7. c4 Nf6 8. Bg5 e6 9. Nc3 Be7 10. 0-0 Bc6 11. Qd3 0-0 12. Nd4 Rc8 13. b3 Qc7 14. Nxc6 Qxc6 15. Rac1 h6 16. Be3 Nd7 17. Bd4 Rfd8 18. h3 Qc7 19. Rfd1 Qa5 20. Qd2 Kf8 21. Qb2 Kg8 22. a4 Qh5 23. Ne2 Bf6 24. Rc3 Bxd4 25. Rxd4 Qe5 26. Qd2 Nf6 27. Re3 Rd7 28. a5 Qg5 29. e5 Ne8 (diagram) 30. exd6 Rc6 31. f4 Qd8 32. Red3 Rcxd6 33. Rxd6 Rxd6 34. Rxd6 Qxd6 35. Qxd6 Nxd6 36. Kf2 Kf8 37. Ke3 Ke7 38. Kd4 Kd7 39. Kc5 Kc7 40. Nc3 Nf5 41. Ne4 Ne3 42. g3 f5 43. Nd6 g5 44. Ne8+ Kd7 45. Nf6+ Ke7 46. Ng8+ Kf8 47. Nxh6 gxf4 48. gxf4 Kg7 49. Nxf5+ exf5 50. Kb6 Ng2 51. Kxb7 Nxf4 52. Kxa6 Ne6 53. Kb6 f4 54. a6 f3 55. a7 f2 56. a8=Q f1=Q 57. Qd5 Qe1 58. Qd6 Qe3+ 59. Ka6 Nc5+ 60. Kb5 Nxb3 61. Qc7+ Kh6 62. Qb6+ Qxb6+ 63. Kxb6 Kh5 64. h4 Kxh4 65. c5 Nxc5 ½–½

The St. Petersburg Chess Club’s Christmas Party will be held on December 21 this year. Elections and Club Speed Tournament are the same day! We ask that all that come to the party bring a dish or soft drink or a variety of snacks. Please let me (Gene) know what you intend to bring so we don’t have 50 bags of chips and nothing to drink!

We have dodged major problems this year. One particularly bad problem was the potential  closing of the club forever! With the help of the members, we beat that monster down! I wish to thank all who helped me this year and you know who you are, I am very grateful.

The President

We invite Tampa chess players to come to St. Petersburg Chess Club for tournaments run by the U.S.C.F. rules and regulations with complete fairness! We do not recommend or condone  playing in Hoffer’s Chess Academy Tournaments!!! SEE the latest site information  for Future Events At the St. Petersburg Chess Club!