Philadelphia Open Rd8-Michael Song(CAN)

Rd8

Michael Song scored 4.5/9 at the Philadelphia Open.

Michael Song at the Canadian Junior Ch 2012 

Photo-Chess and Math

More on Philadelphia

Here is his tough round 8 win.

Song,Michael (2189) – Harriott,Tyrell (2249)
Old Indian g3[A55]
7th Philadelphia Open Philadelphia USA (8), 31.03.2013

Position 1

Black has given up his queen for a R+N but white is taking aim at the queenside in a very complicated position. What do you recommend for white now?

White to Play

32…Ng8

Philadelphia Open 2013 Rd7-IM Cheng, Bindi(CAN)

Rd7
IM Cheng,Bindi cruised to an effortless win with a rare treatment of the Be3 Grunfeld Exchange.

Cheng,Bindi (2409) – Chandra,Akshat (2265) 
Grunfeld 7.Be3 c5 8.Rc1[D85] 
7th Philadelphia Open Philadelphia USA (7), 30.03.2013

Position 1

Black’s kingside is wide open. What do you recommend for white?

White to Play

27…f5

Philadelphia Open 2013, Bindi Cheng

TWIC 960

IM Bindi Cheng won a nice thematic game on the black side of Sicilian Scheveningen, playing the whole board.

Wu,Christopher (2244) – Cheng,Bi (2409) 
Sicilian Scheveningen[B85]
7th Philadelphia Open Philadelphia USA (4), 29.03.2013

Position 1
Black’s pieces are ready for action as play is taking play over the whole board. What do you recommend for black?

Black to Play

26.Nf4

Philadelphia Open 2013 Rd6,IM Hambleton A

TWIC 960

The 3.Nd2 h6 is now quite fashionable. In rd6, Xiong gambited the d-pawn against IM Hambleton but got nothing and Hambleton consolidated while doing nothing really special.

Xiong,Jeffrey (2330) – Hambleton,A (2463) 
French 3.Nd2 h6[C03]
7th Philadelphia Open Philadelphia USA (6), 30.03.2013

Position 1

White is staking everything on the f5 break for the pawn. Black has various options open. What do you recommend for black?

• 26…Nxa3(white is bluffing-take the material and consolidate)
• 26…Bf8(safely keep the P+)
• Something else

Black to Play

26.Rae1

Philadelphia Open 2013 Rd4,IM Hambleton A(CAN)

TWIC 960
IM Hambleton,A played a thematic Queen’s Indian in rd4, playing a textbook game after gaining the bishop pair.

27.Qd2

Black broke out with the thematic 27…b5 and concluded the game with a nice attacking finish.

More on the Philadelphia Open 2011

Here is the feature game.

Baginskaite,C (2283) – Hambleton,A (2463) 
Queen’s Indian 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qa4[E15]
7th Philadelphia Open Philadelphia USA (4), 29.03.2013

Position 1
Black successfully broke out of a hedgehog formation and now has the c-file and the c4 outpost. What do you recommend for black now?

Black to Play

32.f4

Philadelphia Open 2013 Rd5-Song,M(CAN)

TWIC 960
Veteran GM Shabalov played a nice positional game to squash Song’s King’s Indian in rd5 of the Philadelphia Open.

Shabalov,A (2557) – Song,Michael (2189)

Averbakh 6…c5[E74]

7th Philadelphia Open Philadelphia USA (5), 29.03.2013

More on Shabalov
 

Position 1
Black is trying for some kingside counterplay with 18…f5. What do you recommend for white?

White to Play

18..f5

Philadelphia Open 2013 Rd8-IM Bindi Cheng

TWIC 960

Here is a queenless game/ending won by IM Bindi Cheng with instructive technique.

Homa,S (2307) – Cheng,Bi (2409) 
Sicilian 2.c3 d5[B22]
7th Philadelphia Open USA (8), 31.03.2013

Position 1

White has just exposed the b-pawn with 31.a3 hoping the cover the pawn with 31…Nxb3 32.Nb5. What do you recommend for black?

Black to Play

31.a3

Philadelphia Open 2013 Rd8-IM Hambleton,A(CAN)

TWIC 960
GM Panchanathan,M played a strong game to beat IM Hambleton from a symmetrical pawn center.

Panchanathan,M (2579) – Hambleton,A (2463)

French 3.Nd2 h6[C03]

7th Philadelphia Open Philadelphia USA (8), 31.03.2013

Position 1
Black’s Ne4 is trying to escape a nasty pin with 23…Ne4-g5. What do you recommend for white?

White to Play

23…Ng5

Philadelphia Open 2013 Rd2-IM Cheng,B(CAN)

TWIC 960
GM Van Kampen got the better of IM Cheng when black was too generous with the queenside. Van Kampen pressed hard with the bishop pair and passed queenside pawns for the win.

GM Van Kampen

More on Van Kampen

Van Kampen,R (2592) – Cheng,Bi (2409)

Sicilian 3.Bb5+ Nd7[B51]

7th Philadelphia Open Philadelphia USA (2), 28.03.2013

Position 1
White has two pawns and the strong bishop pair for the exchange but now Rc1 and the d5-pawn are under attack. What do you suggest for white now?

White to Play

24…Nd3

Philadelphia Open 2013 Rd3-IM Hambleton,A(CAN)

TWIC 960
IM Hambleton,A got into a tactical brawl with GM Corrales Jimenez who eventually prevailed in a hard game to analyze. Black started well with a lead in development but Hambleton fought back in a complex battle.

Here is the feature game.

Hambleton,A (2463) – Corrales Jimenez,F (2601)

Semi-Slav 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.e4 [D45]

7th Philadelphia Open USA (3), 28.03.2013

Position 1
Both sides are trying to kill each other off but black has the immediate threat after 25..Re3. What do you recommend for white?

White to Play

25…Re3