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Games played in advance (Round Seven)
There were two games played in advance: Chiong-Adu and Rogers-Belorusov. These two games were scheduled for round 7, but the players involved needed to adjust their playing schedules for personal reasons. Both games are also referenced at round seven link.
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Chiong-Adu, 1-0. This game featured an unusual Benoni position with IM Adu mounting a quick attack with the queen sally 12
Qh4. The problem with this idea was that black surrendered the two bishops and white plowed into his queenside with a skillful minority pawn attack. Black was in full retreat and his position became restricted resulting into a loss of material. An exchange to the good, IM Chiong executed superb technique to break Adu's blockaded fortress and attacked overloaded pieces. Adu resigned in lieu of the pending 56.Rxg6.
Rogers-Belorusov, ½-½. This encounter broke out of the gate in exciting fashion with a speculative line in the French. "Pete" Rogers, a creative and tenacious player, sacked a pawn for swift development and active piece play. A tense middle game ensued, but Pete lost another pawn after a series of exchanges. The game ended in an 80-move draw in which both players shuffled pieces for 40 moves in an opposite-colored bishop ending.
Standings: Chiong, 2; Rogers, 1½; Formanek, Charbonneau, Muhammad, 1; Belorusov, ½; Kriventsov, Adu, Simpson, Schneider, 0.
Games from Round Seven (link to Penn State)
Player Photo Gallery
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Round Two
Charbonneau-Chiong, ½-½. This was somewhat of a middlegame slugfest as pieces flew around about the board. The Canadian Junior Champion did most of the attacking, but the game reached a climax and after massive exchanges resulted in opposite-colored bishop draw. It was a fun ride!
Formanek-Schneider, 1-0. A typical Advanced French. Schneider's 9
Nh6!? invites 10.Bxh6 after which Black receives play on the dark squares and on the open files. Formanek gained an initiative on the queenside and burrowed in on black's position. Black attempted to relieve the gridlock in his position by advancing his passed c-pawn. That pawn wouldn't run very far before it was surrounded. With a pending two pawn deficit and white's menacing a-pawn, Schneider resigned.
Rogers-Simpson, 1-0. This was a match where both players know each other well. Simpson is an ambitious attacker known for his wildly aggressive forays. However, he is such a dangerous player that he has to be taken seriously. Rogers is a super-solid player and never backs down from a fight. Simpson trotted out his pet Center Counter, but it was Rogers who went for the jugular vein. Rogers' 19.Nxg7! created weaknesses around the black king, and Simpson attempted a counterattack on the g-file. Heavy fighting ensued and white penetrated onto black's 1st rank. The kingside weaknesses would prove fatal to Simpson and after 40.Rg4+, he would suffer massive losses.
Muhammad-Kriventsov, 0-1. A Grunfeld that got tactical early. "Stas" Kriventsov sacked an exchange early and started raining missiles in the direction of Muhammad's exposed king. Black's bishop was a tower of strength and with the queen and rook created a batter of threats. The white king never found safety and was soon cast into a mating net.
Belorusov-Adu, ½-½. This encounter saw an unusual treatment against the French, and the Russian almost paid dearly. Black established a menacing d-pawn and pushed it all the way the brink of the end zone. White deflected attention to the kingside where he was trying to weave a mating net. Adu had to give up his passed pawn, but fell into passivity as white's rooks invaded the seventh. Adu played actively and was able to create a common rook ending known to be theoretically drawn.
Standings: Chiong, Rogers, 2½; Formanek, 2; Charbonneau, 1½; Kriventsov, Muhammad, 1; Adu, Belorusov, ½; Simpson, Schneider, 0.
Games from Round Two (link to Penn State)
Player Photo Gallery
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