This weekend I am enjoying my duties as a coach at the CalChess Grade Level Championship in Stockton. I will be posting tournament crosstables, games and photos both nights of the tournament. This blogger is extremely grateful that Calchess President Tom Langland performed the chief tournament director duties.
Below is a very instructional game played by Srinath Goli (Mission San Jose Elementary School) who demonstrated to his opponent why masters prefer 4. c3 rather than 4. O-O in the Italian Game. This game is a real gem and is the best performance I have seen from Srinath to date.
[Event “Grade Level Championship”]
[Site “Stockton”]
[Date “2009.11.21”]
[Round “1”]
[White “Li, Jack”]
[Black “Goli, Srinath”]
[Result “0-1”]
[PlyCount “84”]
[TimeControl “g60”]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. d3 Bg4 7. Bg5 Nd4 8. Nd5 Nxf3+ 9. gxf3 Bh3 10. Re1 h6 11. Nxf6+ gxf6 12. Be3 Rg8+ 13. Kh1 Bg2+ 14. Kg1 Bxf3+ 15. Kf1 Bxd1 16. Raxd1 Bxe3 17. Rxe3 Qd7 18. b3 O-O-O 19. a4 f5 20. Bb5 Qe6 21. Bc4 Qf6 22. Rf3 f4 23. b4 Qh4 24. Bxf7 Rg7 25. Be6+ Kb8 26. Rh3 Qf6 27. Bf5
Rdg8 28. Ke2 Rg1 29. Rxg1 Rxg 30. f3 a6 31. Kf2 Rg5 32. c4 h5 33. b5 axb5 34. axb5 h4 35. Rxh4 Ka7 36. Rh3 Rxf5 37. exf5 Qxf5 38. Kg2 Qxd3 39. Rh8 Qxc4 40. h4 Qxb5 41. Kh3 Qd7+ 42. Kg2 Qg7+ 0-1