QUOTE OF THE MONTH

� W. E. Napier

Most correspondence organizations offer thematic tournaments for their members. What is a thematic tournament? In a thematic tournament all participants play the same opening and usually the same variation of that opening. Usually each participant plays two games, one with White and one with Black, with each opponent.

Thematic tournaments are an ideal way to learn a new opening or test out innovations in your favorite lines. Different opening choices are available from different organizations, and the available thematic tournaments vary from month to month. Some of the available thematic tournaments are: an APCT e-mail Evans Gambit tournament; an ASPCC opening of the year and also a continuous thematic section with various openings. ICCF has the richest choice of openings with, among others, Morra Gambits, Latvian Gambits, Petroff Defenses, B80 Sicilians, Leningrad Dutches, Gruenfelds, Cochrane Attacks, Evans Gambits, and Marshall Gambits.

The Wilkes-Barre variation of the Two Knights Defense is a rare visitor to OTB chess. It is just too wild for mere mortals with a clock limiting their search for survival. In the following game, Black shows some of the poison associated with the Wilkes-Barre Variation.

C57

W: Westner

B: Ralph Brachtel (2380)

Wilkes-Barre Thematic, 1991

This is the infamous Wilkes-Barre counter attack. Back in the early 30s, the Wilkes-Barre Chess Club discovered this surprising system and played many games with other clubs. The logic behind 4. ... Bc5 is simple and bloodthirsty: the attack belongs to the better developed side. By branding 4. Ng5 a "beginner�s move," moving a piece twice in the opening, Black prepares his own systematic attack on f2, backed up with an extra developing move or two. If a pawn or two, a rook, or even a few pieces go into the box, what does it matter when a king is at stake?

White elects to take a small gain rather than enter into the eye of the hurricane. BCO2 quotes 5. Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6. Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7. Kg1 Qh4 8. g3 Nxg3 9. hxg3 Qxg3+ 10. Kf1 Rf8 11. Qh5 d5 12. Bxd5 Nb4 13. Bc4 b5! with advantage to Black (Klem� Hentsgen, correspondence, 1969), and notes that 6. Kf1 leads to unclear play. What more could Black ask?

This has been considered White�s best since the 70s, but die hard Wilkes-Barre fanatics have found new ideas to rejuvenate Black�s attack. Black�s total investment in this position is one pawn, the f7-pawn. For this pawn, Black will have two attacking moves � ... Nd4 and ... Rf8. Black�s pieces will focus on White�s kingside. So, for a small amount of material, Black will have a large amount of attack. Is the Wilkes-Barre sound? This column will not attempt to answer this question. Is playing the Wilkes-Barre fun? You bet!

The Real American Wilkes-Barre, a book by Ken Williams of the Wilkes-Barre Chess Club, suggests that 6. ... d6, proceeding "with discreet development that imposes a burden on White," is best, since 7. Nf7? Qf8 8. Nxh8 loses to 8. ... Bxf2+! 9. Kxf2 (or 9. Kf1, when 9. ... Bg4 wins) 9. � Nxe4+ leads to mate.

ECO lists this retreat as only good for equality, favoring instead 7. 0-0 d6 8. c3 Bg4 9. Qb3 h6 10. d4 Bb6 11. h3 Na5 12. Qc2 hxg5 13. hxg4 c6 14. b4!, when White has a substantial advantage (Estrin� Schmidt, correspondence, 1972). A notable improvement on Black�s play is Bendig�Hucula (correspondence 1993), where Black varied with 11. ... hxg5 12. hxg4 Qd7! 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. Bxg5 Qxg4 15. Bxf6+ Rxf6, and Black�s attack was quickly decisive.

A key idea in this variation: the missing f-pawn offers Black�s queen a quick entrance to the kingside.

This idea is critical to the whole variation. White must control his center before the Black pieces overwhelm the kingside. The king on e7 is a potential target that must be aimed at. If the center remains closed, Black�s kingside attack will become too strong. If the center is fluid, then the Black king will be a promising target.

This is part of White�s plan when he plays 6. Bd5. By destroying the c6-knight, Black�s control of the center is weakened and the d5 bishop is not a target to be exchanged on d5, thus opening up the f-file for Black.

Here is the critical point in the game. Up to this move, White�s play has been thematic, keeping the central lines open since the Black king is exposed. By first playing 13. exd6+, White keeps his chances alive. Now White�s e5-pawn will shield the Black king.

White allows the attack to slip through his fingers. Now the defense weakens. After 15. Nd4 Qxe2 16. Nxe2 Ba6 17. c4 dxc4 18. Nc3 Rad8, Black is for choice, but there is a lot of counterplay.

Black deprives the knights of the all important central squares. Now 16. Nd4 is met by 16. ... Bg4 17. f3 cxd4 18. fxg4 d3+ 19. Kh1 dxe2, and Black wins.

It�s easy to prove White is lost after this move, but what else can he do? Black�s pieces are better placed for defense and offense. A full point to Black this round for the Wilkes-Barre.

The threat is 20. ... Nxg2, not to win the Exchange by the fork of queen and rook, but to win the king by withdrawing to f4 with the threat of ... Qg4+.

After 20. g3, Black proceeds with 20. ... Ng2 21. Qd4 Nxe1 (but not 21. ... Rxf3 22. Qxd5!) 22. Nxe1 Bxc5 23. Qxc5 Qe2 24. Qc6+ Kf7 25. Qxc7+ Kg8, when the White game falls apart.

And how does White play this wild line? Check the next game for a demonstration that not all the attack belongs to Black.

C57

W: Ralph Brachtel (2380)

B: Csecselics

Wilkes-Barre Thematic, 1993

� Robert Sanders (Dallas, Texas) notes that, though he felt lost in the opening, he felt a strong desire to win this game. Consequently, he spent more time thinking during this game than any other game in his life.

A02

W: Emanuel Kelmenson (1608)

B: Robert Sanders (unrated)

USCF CC, 1996

� John Knudsen, who has far and away the best correspondence chess web page ever, (http://www.arrowweb.com/ chess/INDEX.HTM), sends in this game that he notes is "not too bad."

D41

W: John Knudsen (1985)

B: Al Erkel (2275)

ASPCC, 1998