Van Wely wins Chicago Open

Position No. 6111: White to play and win. From the game Alexander Shabalov- Alexander Stripunsky, U.S. Championship, St. Louis 2010.

Solution to Position No. 6110: White gains the exchange by 1 Ne5! (not 1 Nc5?? because 1…Nf6 favors Black) Rxd7 2 Nxd7+ Ke7 3 Nxb6 axb6, and 4 a4! b4 5 a5 breaks through decisively.

The Continental Chess Assn., organizer of many of the country’s largest tournaments, conducted the 695-player Chicago Open over the Memorial Day weekend in Wheeling, Ill. The $10,000 first prize in the Open section helped attract a deep field, with 23 grandmasters.

Dutch grandmaster Loek Van Wely scored an undefeated 71/2-11/2 to take the prize and a $200 bonus for finishing clear first. Next at 7-2 were GMs Michael Adams (England), Victor Mikhalevski (Israel), Evgeny Najer (Russia) and Jiri Stocek ( Czech Republic).

The small contingent from California did very well. Entering the final round, GM Varuzhan Akobian (North Hollywood) and IM Sam Shankland (Orinda) shared the lead with Van Wely. However, Van Wely defeated Shankland and Akobian lost to Adams, once ranked fourth in the world.

Glendale residents Tatev Abrahamyan and GM Melikset Khachiyan finished with 6-3. Abrahamyan boosted her rating over 2400 and earned an International Master norm. She defeated former U.S. champion GM Alexander Shabalov, as she did in their previous meeting in 2006.

Local news

The Southern California Chess Federation’s Candidates tournament will be held Saturday and Sunday at Chess Palace in Garden Grove. Spectators are welcome to watch some of the best local players compete.

The Los Angeles Chess Club, 11514 Santa Monica Blvd. in Los Angeles, held its strongest quad ever on June 1. Varuzhan Akobian rushed back from Chicago to win with a score of 3-0. Garush Manukyan was second at 2-1.

The club championship takes place next weekend, with three 60-minute games scheduled on Saturday and three more on Sunday. For full information, call Mick Bighamian at (310) 795-5710.

Expert Barry Lazarus won the 36-player Spring Open at the La Palma Chess. Chris Roberts was second. The club will begin the four-round Igor Ivanov Memorial at 7 p.m. Friday in Central Park, 7821 Walker St. in La Palma. For more about the club, see lapalmachess.741.com.

Arthur Hovhannisyan won the AAA Chess Club’s Summer Scholastic on June 5 in Glendale. Other sections were won by Arthur Bedrian (K-7) and Narek Avetisyan (K-4). Harry Keshishian directed the 62-player tournament.

Today’s game

GM Varuzhan Akobian-Keaton Kiewra, Chicago Open, Wheeling 2010: 1 d4 e6 2 c4 b6 3 e4 Bb7 Sometimes called the English Defense. 4 Bd3 f5?! Very provocative. Safer alternatives include 4…Nc6 5 Ne2 Nb4 and 4…Bb4+ 5 Bd2 Bxd2+ 6 Nxd2 Nh6, intending …f7-f5. 5 exf5! White must sacrifice a Rook to challenge Black’s idea. Bxg2 6 Qh5+ g6 7 fxg6 Bg7 8 gxh7+ Kf8 9 Bg5! Black can probably stand 9 hxg8Q+ Kxg8 10 Qg4 Bxh1. Nf6 10 Qh4 Bxh1 11 Ne2 A tabiya. Even the materialistic computer thinks White gets sufficient compensation. c5 New, but ineffective. Since the 1980 game Magerramov-Psakhis, which led to a White victory after 11…Nc6 12 Nd2 e5 13 0-0-0 e4 14 Bxe4 Bxe4 15 Nxe4 Rxh7 16 Qf4 Kf7 17 N2c3, Black has not managed to rehabilitate 4…f5. 12 Nf4 Possibly 12 Nd2 Nc6 13 0-0-0 is even stronger. Nc6 13 Nd2 Nxd4 If 13…cxd4 14 0-0-0 Ne5 15 Rxh1 Nxd3+ 16 Nxd3 Rxh7 17 Qxd4, White has plenty for the exchange. 14 0-0-0 Bc6?! His only chance is to abandon the Bishop by 14…Nf5 15 Bxf5 exf5 16 Ng6+ Kf7 17 Nxh8+ Qxh8 18 Rxh1 Nxh7. 15 Nh5 Nf5 16 Bxf5 exf5 17 Nxf6 Qe7 A dangerous post, but 17…Qc7 allows 18 Re1, threatening mate by 19 Nxd7+ Qxd7 20 Be7+. 18 Nde4! fxe4 19 Nxd7+ Qxd7 20 Rxd7 Bxd7 Black has enough material, but he cannot stop White’s threats. 21 Qf4+ Ke8 22 Qd6 Not bad, but the amazing 22 h4! will cost Black a Rook by 22…Rxh7 23 Qxe4+, as 22…Rc8 23 Qd6 24 Kf7 24 h5! is even worse. Kf7 Useless is 22…Bxb2+ 23 Kxb2 Rxh7 because 24 Qg6+ Rf7 25 Qxe4+ picks off a Rook. 23 Qxd7+ Kg6 24 h4 Seeing 24…Kxh7 25 Qf5+ Kg8 25 Qe6+ Kh7 26 Qxe4+. Rae8 25 Be7 Bf6 After 25…Bd4 26 Qe6+, neither 26…Kg7 27 h5 nor 26…Kxh7 27 Qf7+ Bg7 28 Bf6 holds out long. 26 h5+! Kf7 Or 26…Kg5 27 Qd5+ Kf4 28 Bxf6. 27 Bxc5+ Be7 28 Qf5+ Bf6 29 Bd4, Black Resigns. The only plausible reply, 29…Re6, would drop material to 30 Qg6+ Ke7 31 Bxf6+ Rf6 32 Qg7+.