Did you feel chess shockwaves on the Richter Scale!!!

Alex Richter defeated GM Timur Gareyev in Round 4 of the Carl Dunn Memorial AKA the 6th annual Port of Burlington Open. Alex went on to win. It seemed as if GM Gareyev came to Burlington on his way from Kansas visiting his mother, en route to Chicago and then France and then who knows where else, to pick up the $1000 first prize along the way. But he was stopped dead in his track on round 4 by Alex Richter. Alex playing white was able to develop a crushing king side attack and work into a checkmate. No stalk of celery could save GM Gareyev from a determined Alex Richter. (note Anish Lodh Pictured with Stalk of Celery waiting for GM Gareyev to appear in round 2)

(1) Richter,Alex (2329) - Gareyev ,Timur (2694) [C87]

Carl Dunn Memorial POB VI (4), 09.02.2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.0–0 Nf6 [Alex and Timur playing a standard Ruy Lopez. Except maybe Timur read Ruy's book and positioned himself with the sun to his back.]

6.Re1 Bg4 7.c3 Be7 8.d3 Nd7 9.Nbd2 Nc5 10.Bc2 d5 11.h3 Bh5 12.Qe2 d4 13.Nf1 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 a5 15.a4 Ra6 16.Qg4 g6 17.Qg3 Bh4 18.Qf3 Bg5 19.Nd2 0–0 20.Nc4 Ra8 21.Qg3 Bh4 [what is it to control the e1–h4 diagonal?]

22.Qg4 h5 23.Qe2 Bg5 24.Rf1 Bxc1 25.Raxc1 Qg5 26.Rcd1 Rad8 27.g3 h4 28.Kh2 Kg7 [Timur appears to be in control]

29.Rg1 Rh8 30.f4 hxg3+ [exf4 is better]

31.Rxg3 Qxf4 32.Rf1 Qh4 33.Qf3

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Rdf8 or Qe7 puts GM Gareyev firmly in control]

33...Rd7? 34.b4 axb4 35.cxb4 Ne6 36.b5

moving the knight guarding e5, the pawn on f7 is ready to fall. I think Robert Beelman may remember President Kennady talking about something called the "domino theory"

36...Ncd8 37.Nxe5 Re7 38.Rg4 Qh5 39.Qf6+ Kg8 40.Rf3 Rh7 41.Bb3 Rg7 42.Rfg3 Re8 43.Nxf7 Rxf7 44.Bxe6 Rxe6 45.Rxg6+

Black Resigns

1–0

In the Reserve Section Local (well sort of, Josiah's dad Matt grew up next door to Carl Dunn) Josiah Power went 3-0 with a 1st round bye (the man likes to sleep in) to win the Section with a score of 3.5 Nipping at his heals were Arnie Gatton and Jacob Vigil who shared the 2nd and 3rd place with scores of 3.0

The Rated Beginners Open was a mixed bag of players with many collegiate, youth and adults wanting to try rated over the board chess. Vamsi Siddanth Challa went 5.0 to sweep the section, in second place was the King of the North, John Snow with a 4.0, and in third Saifan Hashmi with a 3.5

Back to the Open Second place was a tie between GM Gerayev and FM Alexander Velikanov In the U2000 section a three way tie with 3.5 Luis Peralta, Ben Boaz and Troy Curfman. The U1800 section was a tie between Ft. Madison's own Robert Beelman and Mohit Sreejan Bayyarapu.

And of course a special thank you and remembrance to Carl Dunn. He was a great chess player and director and president of the IASCA. I was pleased and honored to have his widow Marlene attend and share his memory with us.