It’s been an amazing season for Goldenberg, racking up an impressive 8-1-1 record, and he finishes off the regular season in style, being the first Board Four game to take the top honor this season.
1st Place: John Michael Burke (NJ) vs NM Ryan Goldenberg (MAN) 0-1
NM Goldenberg began a tactical melee with 20… Ng3+! with his consistent enormous pressure eventually taking its toll on White
IM Salvijus Bercys (1st Place, 3 Points): Least worst game this week - had a struggle, mistakes were made, but they were logical mistakes as normal humans make. Not randomly lose a game up a piece or give a Pawn for no reason. Anyway, could have went either way easily. To avoid a mess in this opening next time, just trade dark squared Bishops earlier…and that’s it for Black’s activity. I would know…
IM Aleksandr Ostrovskiy (1st Place, 3 Points): This week’s selection featured three unusual and entertaining games. In this Kan battle, Goldenberg flung his h-pawn up the board and was no doubt looking for some nasty tactics. However these ambitions were not so simple to realize, particularly because Burke’s 18. Ng5! created the possibility of a timely Nh3. With no checkmate and a very suspicious set up, Goldenberg played the original 18… Ke7!? After this Karpovian display, White tried to instigate some trouble by grabbing the a-pawn. However this tactical operation allowed Black to finally coordinate his pieces in landing an offensive strike. Instead a simple move like 19. Rad1 looks to have sufficed as Black does not seem to have a real threat. With 20… Ng3+! Black broke through with his attack. The real point of this sacrifice was the follow up with 22… Bxe4!, setting up a threat of 23… Rh1+ 24. Kxh1 Qh6+ 25. Nh3 Qxh3. The players reached an unbalanced position where danger continued to lurk around White’s naked King. Under pressure, White lost his Queen and the game when he allowed 33… Rf2. White’s position looks shaky, but maybe some funky move like 33. Nxe6!? allows him to make a draw due to the strong outside passed pawn. An exciting game, and one that I simply liked more than the other candidates.
FM Alex Barnett (1st Place, 3 Points): It’s awesome when that ghetto h5 ng3 stuff works because most of the time Black gets crushed. Awesome to see the Kan still alive and kicking.
IM Victor Shen (3rd Place, 1 Point): Pretty sure White was winning at some point when Black decided to go nuts with some random Kingside attack. Then White didn’t win, so Black won.
Chess.com (3rd Place, 1 Point): 21% of vote
Total score of Burke vs Goldenberg: 11 Points
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2nd Place: FM Tom Bartell (PHI) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 1-0
With 39. Qh1!, FM Bartell forced his opponent continue a very unfortunate King march which White used to good effect
Chess.com (1st Place, 3 Points): 45% of vote
IM Salvijus Bercys (2nd Place, 2 Points): Is it just me or did GMs in USCL recently started liking the move h5 to lose a game? Heck, play 1… h6 and 2… h5 to make games shorter please if everything comes down to a senseless sacrifice.
IM Aleksandr Ostrovskiy (2nd Place, 2 Points): Nothing too surprising in this English Opening, although IM Bartell’s 17. Rh4 was a tad original. GM Gelashvili enjoyed some play on the open a-file and a sound structure. White was pretty solid too, so Black decided to try to grab the initiative with the interesting 24… h5!?, eliminating White’s slightly cramping g5 pawn and more importantly, allowing his center pawns to roll. The interesting idea proved effective as after 33… Qb2 Black definitely had some pressure. However 34… Kxh6? was a tad brave. Instead maybe Black could try 34… Qd2, aiming to liquidate to an endgame with superior Rooks and a more legitimate chance to capture the h-pawn. Instead Black found himself with a King on d4. Although picturesque, such situations usually end in checkmate.
IM Victor Shen (2nd Place, 2 Points): This was very strange. Thought Black was doing pretty well until he gave up his h-pawn. Okay, I guess it was creative to get the Kingside attack rolling and it definitely got an interesting position (computer improvements can probably be found). But then Black took a dangerous pawn on h6 and got mated. Oops.
FM Alex Barnett (3rd Place, 1 Point): Lol this game seemed like just a boring English game until Black’s King decided to march up to d4.
Total score of Bartell vs Gelashvili: 10 Points
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3rd Place: Nicky Korba (LA) vs WFM Amanda Mateer (ARZ) 0-1
Despite a piece deficit, WFM Mateer had done a fantastic job of putting pressure on her opponent and finally broke through with 40… Rxb2+!, winning decisive material
IM Victor Shen (1st Place, 3 Points): All the games were weird this week. Thought the piece sac for long term compensation was pretty cool, White blundered later but was already under pressure for some time, so its not surprising in a practical game. Also, Black won with the Benoni. The other two candidates won with normal, acceptable openings, which is far less exciting.
FM Alex Barnett (2nd Place, 2 Points): Benoni is awesome too. I was wondering if Black would realize that her Bishop on g4 was about to get trapped, but she just sacrificed it, no problem. Then it seems like she got good control over the dark squares and took over the board.
Chess.com (2nd Place, 2 Points): 31% of vote
IM Salvijus Bercys (3rd Place, 1 Point): White is up a piece then loses. This game is too easy to pick on so I just won’t say anything about White’s “technique”.
IM Aleksandr Ostrovskiy (3rd Place, 1 Point): White had a beautiful position, and then he was up a piece. But sometimes switching from offense to defense is a bit annoying: you have to worry and threats and move your King from g1 to g3 and then to d1, you have to put your pieces on funny squares and be some sort of contortionist. But then again, you are up a piece so it is a fair trade. Mateer had no worries. The Bishop on e5 looked beautiful, she was on the attack, and the way to play was clear and easy. Full marks for setting maximal problems to the opponent, no marks for converting a piece advantage.
Total score of Korba vs Mateer: 9 Points