Kosokin and Shetty tie for 1st in the 2024 Leather Jackets
By Bill Broich, NTD, IA
National Masters Valeriy Kosokin and Anshul Shetty scored 4.5 points each to tie for first in the 2024 Leather Jackets tournament held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on March 1-3. Shetty, a 14-year-old from suburban Chicago, just earned the National Master title by cracking 2200 in January, battled the veteran Kosokin to a draw in the final round of this five-round FIDE-rated event. Shetty is not new to the Leather Jackets; he won the event last year!
Thirty-five players competed in this annual event including four National Masters, five Experts, and 13 class A players. The field had an average rating of 1875 and a median rating of 1944. Ratings ranged from 1413 to 2317. Players from Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin competed.
Top-ranked Frank Johnson captured second place out-right with 4 points and three players, Aiden Li, Joseph Pregon, and Rowan Riney tied for third place. Riney, of St. Louis, MO had an impressive tournament performance gaining 87 rating points! Sergey Popov also had a nice performance gaining 64 rating points.
Congratulations to all who competed! It was great to see Iowa’s Harring, Denker, and Barber representatives all compete in this event! I want to thank Nick Risko for bringing four players from St. Louis and Srinivas Rao from Chicagoland for spreading the word about chess in Iowa! The four players from St. Louis and six players from suburban Chicago significantly strengthen this event adding one Master, three experts, two class A players, and 4 class B players. Without these ten players, the tournament would not be a success.
National Master Valeriy Kosokin has black against Artemii Khanbutaev on board one in the fourth round of the 2024 Leather Jackets Open, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Khanbutaev takes a break from playing NM Kosokin on board one to observe Anshul Shetty and Anjaneya Rao battle on board two. All three junior players live in suburban Chicago. Shetty and Rao attend Fischer Middle School in Aurora, Illinois.
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[Event "Cedar Rapids Leather Jackets"]
[Site "Cedar Rapids, IA"]
[Date "2024.03.02"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Gokul Thangavel"]
[Black "Anshul Shetty"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2087"]
[BlackElo "2203"]
[TimeControl "90+30"]
[Annotator "Anshul"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[ECO "D01"]
[Opening "Rapport-Jobava System"]
1. d4 { For my third-round game in the Cedar Rapids Leather Jackets I was facing Gokul Thangavel who is a strong player who just finished college. I knew Gokul played d4 but I was unsure of what he would play after Nf6. Still I
managed to play an exciting game without making any errors in the opening } 1... Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 { The Jobava London is an extremely aggressive opening for white, and I knew that in the game I would have to defend accurately to bring in the full point. } 3... a6 4. e3 g6 5. h4 { Already showing aggressive ideas } 5... h5 6. Be2 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 { An interesting counter shot I found on the board which greatly weakens white's center and prevents many attacking ideas. } 8. dxc5! { The only move that maintains white's slight advantage. Any other move fails to
Qb6 or Qa5 } 8... Qa5 9. Qd2 O-O 10. O-O Qxc5 11. Ne5 Nbd7 12. Na4 Qa7 13. Qb4?! { A scary move with many threats such as Qxe7 or Nxd7, Bxd7, and Nb6 with a huge advantage for white. } 13... Ne4!! { The only move in the position that maintains equality, the idea is that if Qxe7?? then Bf6! and the Knight on e5 is lost } 14. Nxd7 Bxd7 15. Nb6 a5! { A move that simplifies the position and allows me to gain a slight edge. Another variation I was calculating was 15... e5 16. Bxe5 a5 17. Qe7 Rfe8 18. Qxd7 Rad8 } 16. Qxe7 Qxb6 17. Qxd7 Qxb2 18. Bd3 Qa3 19. Bxe4!! { An amazing idea, if Bxa1 then Bxd5 and white's bishop are incredibly powerful giving him more than enough compensation for the rook. } 19... Rad8 {19... Bxa1? 20. Bxd5 Bf6 21. Qxb7} 20. Qxb7 dxe4 21. Rab1 Qxa2 22. Qxe4 a4! {Even though I am down a pawn in this position I have enough compensation due to my passing A pawn and powerful bishop } 23. Be5?! { My opponent, already low on time, makes the position far more complicated that necessary simpler was 23. Rb4 a3 24. Ra4 With good pressure on the A pawn preventing me from pushing it further 24... Qb2 25. Bg5 Rc8 26. Qd5 With equality } 23... Rde8 24. f4?? { At this move I was quite shocked I assumed he would play (24. Ra1 Qe6 25. f4 f6 26. Qxg6 fxe5 27. Qxe6+ Rxe6 28. Rxa4 Rfe8 With a complicated
but defendable endgame } 24... f6 25. Qxg6 fxe5 26. Rb7 Rf7 27. fxe5 Rxf1+ 28. Kxf1 Rf8+!! { The move my opponent probably missed any other move such as 28... Qa1+ 29. Ke2 Qxe5 30. Rxg7+ completely loses for black making Rf8 the
only move in the position } 29. Kg1 Qa1+ 30. Kh2 Qxe5+ 31. g3 a3 32. Ra7 Qc3?? { A bad inaccurate move, I was calculating the best move Qa1 but I was worried about 32... Qa1 33. Qe6+ Kh8 34. Rf7 Rxf7 35. Qxf7 where I couldn't see an accurate way to defend from perpetual and safeguard my a3 pawn } 33. Qe6+?? { An unfortunate blunder under extreme time pressure, he should have played Kg2 which even with time is very challenging to see } 33... Kh8 34. Qg6 Rf2+ 35. Kh3 Qc8+ 36. g4 Qxg4+! { Simplifying the position into a winning endgame } 37. Qxg4 hxg4+ 38. Kxg4 Bf8 39. e4 Rxc2 40. e5 Bc5 41. Ra4 a2 42. e6 Rc4+! { The final shot effectively finishing the game } 43. Rxc4 a1=Q 44. Re4 Be7 45. Kh5 Qf6 46. Ra4 Qf5+ 47. Kh6 Bf8# { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1
On the left, Niko Nixon of Iowa City, Iowa’s Denker representative and on the right, Nehanraj Ramesh, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa’s Barber representative.
2024 Harring representative Irene Fei of Ames anticipates her next move as Christian Dawson observes.
Chief TD, Bill Broich, Co-champions NM Anshul Shetty and NM Valeriy Kosokin, and Chief Organizer, Shawn Kmetz
Pair | Player Name |Total|Round|Round|Round|Round|Round|
Num | USCF ID / Rtg (Pre->Post) | Pts | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
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1 | ANSHUL P SHETTY |4.5 |W 24|W 15|W 8|W 7|D 2|
IL | 15752957 / R: 2203 ->2222 | |B |W |B |W |B |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 | VALERIY KOSOKIN |4.5 |W 21|W 18|W 23|W 10|D 1|
IA | 15212732 / R: 2200 ->2212 | |W |B |W |B |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 | FRANK B JOHNSON |4.0 |W 16|W 4|D 7|D 8|W 15|
IA | 12652092 / R: 2317 ->2314 | |B |W |B |W |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 | AIDEN LINYUAN LI |3.5 |W 28|L 3|W 20|D 13|W 10|
IL | 30387428 / R: 2002 ->2017 | |W |B |W |B |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 | JOSEPH JEFFERY PREGON |3.5 |D 22|D 13|W 25|D 14|W 19|
IA | 15834640 / R: 1960 ->1968 | |W |B |W |B |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 | ROWAN RINEY |3.5 |L 7|W 35|W 32|D 12|W 18|
MO | 15929228 / R: 1735 ->1822 | |W |B |W |B |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 | ANJANEYA SRIPATHY RAO |3.0 |W 6|W 14|D 3|L 1|D 12|
IL | 16442373 / R: 2174 ->2171 | |B |W |W |B |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 | GOKUL THANGAVEL |3.0 |W 32|W 30|L 1|D 3|D 13|
IA | 13749596 / R: 2084 ->2086 | |B |W |W |B |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 | ALEC DANIEL AIMDILOKWONG |3.0 |W 26|D 27|D 12|H |H |
IA | 17127332 / R: 2069 ->2072 | |B |W |B | | |
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10 | ARTEMII KHANBUTAEV |3.0 |W 34|W 17|W 27|L 2|L 4|
IL | 30784129 / R: 1952 ->1976 | |B |W |B |W |B |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 | JASMIN ZULIC |3.0 |L 23|W 19|D 21|D 22|W 25|
IA | 12626843 / R: 1986 ->1970 | |W |B |W |B |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 | NIKO R NIXON |3.0 |H |W 22|D 9|D 6|D 7|
IA | 15980255 / R: 1952 ->1964 | | |B |W |W |B |
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13 | NEHANRAJ RAMESH |3.0 |D 31|D 5|W 30|D 4|D 8|
IA | 31163791 / R: 1944 ->1943 | |B |W |B |W |B |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
IA | 30015588 / R: 1923 ->1939 | |W |B |B |W | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
15 | MIKHAIL KORENMAN |3.0 |W 36|L 1|W 28|X |L 3|
IL | 12803377 / R: 1921 ->1922 | |W |B |W | |B |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
16 | LUKE O HENGEN |3.0 |L 3|L 28|W 36|W 33|W 26|
NE | 30728935 / R: 1824 ->1822 | |W |B |W |B |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
17 | JAMES F MCLAUGHLIN |2.5 |W 25|L 10|L 14|W 28|D 20|
MO | 11243053 / R: 2100 ->2100 | |W |B |W |B |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 | VOLODYMYR BARANOVSKYI |2.5 |W 33|L 2|D 24|W 21|L 6|
IA | 30450378 / R: 1974 ->1954 | |B |W |B |W |B |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
19 | ROBERT LOUIS REYNOLDS |2.5 |D 29|L 11|W 31|W 24|L 5|
IA | 11332722 / R: 1978 ->1951 | |B |W |B |W |B |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 | NICHOLAS RISKO |2.5 |L 27|W 31|L 4|W 30|D 17|
| 16404388 / R: 1795 ->1806 | |B |W |B |W |B |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
21 | IVAN MAKSIMOV |2.5 |L 2|W 26|D 11|L 18|W 33|
WI | 30635923 / R: 1737 ->1761 | |B |W |B |B |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
22 | SERGEY POPOV |2.5 |D 5|L 12|W 29|D 11|D 24|
IA | 16026648 / R: 1628 ->1692 | |B |W |B |W |B |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
23 | BEN J DARR |2.0 |W 11|W 29|L 2|F |U |
IA | 14133594 / R: 1845 ->1869 | |B |W |B | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
24 | SAMRAAT JAGDISH JAGD ZAGADE |2.0 |L 1|W 36|D 18|L 19|D 22|
IA | 16147973 / R: 1792 ->1789 | |W |B |W |B |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
25 | DAVID J EACKER |2.0 |L 17|W 33|L 5|W 29|L 11|
IA | 12656345 / R: 1725 ->1731 | |B |W |B |W |B |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
26 | JAMES S ELLIS |2.0 |L 9|L 21|W 35|X |L 16|
WI | 10314372 / R: 1700 ->1700 | |W |B |W | |B |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
27 | JAMES NEAL II |1.5 |W 20|D 9|L 10|U |U |
IA | 12884217 / R: 2218 ->2201 | |W |B |W | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
28 | MR. GURUGRAHAN GURUMOORTHI |1.5 |L 4|W 16|L 15|L 17|D 31|
NE | 30149738 / R: 1684 ->1683 | |B |W |B |W |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
29 | ASHVATH REDDY PITTALA |1.5 |D 19|L 23|L 22|L 25|W 36|
IL | 30813081 / R: 1645 ->1634 | |W |B |W |B |W |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
30 | CHRISTIAN DAWSON |1.5 |B |L 8|L 13|L 20|H |
IA | 16745417 / R: 1587 ->1569 | | |B |W |B | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
31 | KELTON HOLM |1.5 |D 13|L 20|L 19|H |D 28|
IA | 30017685 / R: 1422 ->1449 | |W |B |W | |B |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
32 | SENAD SARKIC |1.0 |L 8|B |L 6|F |U |
IA | 12712212 / R: 1923 ->1897 | |W | |B | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
33 | STEPHEN PAUL BEAN |1.0 |L 18|L 25|B |L 16|L 21|
IA | 12424784 / R: 1660 ->1619 | |W |B | |W |B |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
34 | CHRISTIAN DAWSON |1.0 |L 10|B |U |U |U |
IA | 16745417 / R: 1587 ->1569 | |W | | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
35 | BENJAMIN WILLIAM BRATZ |1.0 |L 14|L 6|L 26|D 36|H |
IA | 30610479 / R: 1413 ->1406 | |B |W |B |B | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
36 | NOAH B BRUGGEMAN |0.5 |L 15|L 24|L 16|D 35|L 29|
KS | 15732892 / R: 1564 ->1524 | |B |W |B |W |B |
