NCAA chess wars

93rd NCAA Athletic Season 2017 NCAA Chess Team Championship Seniors

San Beda College (SBC), 30.0/36 Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), 26.0/36

DLS-College of Saint Benilde (DLSCSB), 25.5/36 Arellano University (AU), 24.0/36 Colegio de San Juan de Letran ( CSJL), 20.0/36

San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R), 15.5/36 Mapua University (MU), 13.0/36 Jose Rizal University (JRU), 11.0/36 University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHSD), 8.5/36

Emilio Aguinaldo College ( EAC), 6.5/36

Most Valuable Player: FM Mari Joseph Turqueza SBC

Coach of the Year: Ildefonso Datu — SBC Individual Awards ( gold medalists): Bd01 FM Mari Joseph Turqueza — SBC 6.5/7; Bd02 McDominique Lagula — SBC 6.5/7; Bd03 Marc Christian Nazario — SBC 5.5/7; Bd04 Prince Mark Aquino SBC 5.5/7; Bd05 Louie John Alegria — LPU 4.0/5; Bd06 Virgen Gil Ruaya — LPU 4.5/6

The Most Valuable Player of the tournament was FM Mari Joseph Turqueza, born Oct. 8, 1992. That name is very familiar to me — I remember that six years ago Turqueza while still a high school student represented the Philippines in the 2011 World Junior Championship held in Chennai, India. He finished with 7.0/13, 48th place out of 125, but I considered it a success. Why? The quality of his games were great. He defeated the highly regarded Indian Srinath Narayanan, now a GM and one of the top players of his country.

Turqueza, Mari Joseph (2235) — Narayanan, Srinath (2371) [D02] 50th World Juniors Chennai IND

(7.30), 09.08.2011 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 cxd4 5.0–0 d5 6.Nxd4 Be7 7.c4 0–0 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.e4 Nb6 10.Nc3 Bd7 11.Qe2 Na4 12.Nxa4 Bxa4 13.Qc4 Be8 14.Be3 Nd7 15.Rac1 Ne5 16.Qb3 Rb8? Overlooking White’s combination. He should have played 16...Bd7 here.

1 7. N x e 6 ! fxe6 18. Qxe6+ Nf7 19. Rfd1 Bd6 20.e5 Bd7 21.Qd5 Ba4 22. Rd4 Bxe5 23.Rxa4 Qf6 24.Rxa7 Bxb2 25.Rc7 Rbd8 26. Qb3 Bd4 27. Bxd4 Qxd4 28.Raxb7 Qa1+ 29.Bf1 Rd1 30.Rxf7 Rxf1+ 31.Kg2 Rg1+ 32.Kh3 1–0

Black resigns. After 32...Qf1+ 33.Kh4 g5+ 34.Kxg5 the checks are at an end and mate cannot be prevented anymore.

He also brought down one of the tournament’s top seeds, GM Jorge Cori of Peru.

Cori Tello, Jorge (2514) — Turqueza, Mari Joseph (2235)

[E05] 50th World Juniors Chennai IND

(12.26), 14.08.2011 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0 dxc4 7.Ne5 Nc6!

Blundering a pawn? No, this is a pawn sacrifice to fully activate Black’s forces. You will see from the game how effective it is.

8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.e3 Rb8 10.Qa4 c5 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.Qxc4 Qd6 13.Qc2 Rd8 14.Nc3 Ba6! 15.Rd1 Bd3 16.Qd2 Qe7 17.Qe1 e5 18.b3 e4 19.Bb2 Bb4 20.h3 h5 21.Bf1 Bxf1 22.Qxf1 Rxd1 23.Rxd1 Rd8 24. Nb5 h4 25. Nxa7? Rxd1 26.Qxd1 hxg3 27.Nc6 Qe6 28.Qd8+ Kh7 29.Qxc7

I think this is where Cori made his miscalculation. He had reckoned only on 30...Qxh3 31.Qxg3 where the Black offensive is stopped and White wins because of his passed queenside pawns. But Black has a zwischenzug. 29... Bd6 30. Qd8 Qxh3 31. fxg3 Qxg3+ 32.Kf1 Ng4 33.Ke2 Qf2+ 0–1

See? Mari Joseph Turqueza was uncowed by his opponent’s GM title and went for the throat, as he always done. I dubbed him “Turqueza the Warrior” and predicted that this is only the first of many future triumphs.

That was six years ago and I am afraid FM Mari Joseph Turqueza has sort of lagged behind. His rivals in that tournament, GMs Dariusz Swiercz, Ray Robson, Ivan Salgado Lopez, Vasif Durarbayli and SP Sethuraman have all reached superGM status (ELO 2600+) while he is still languishing at 2294. Back in 2011, he was already ELO 2235!

Our national chess federation is failing us in not developing our strongest prospects and if we continue in this fashion the Philippines will continue sinking down the country lists.

Anyway, pontificating aside, Turqueza was obviously the strongest player in this year’s NCAA. Aside from the queen sacrifice I showed BW readers last Tuesday, here is a brevity against Emilio Aguinaldo College’s top board. [SBC] Turqueza, Mari Joseph — [EAC] Borillo, Allan Kenneth P. [D15] 2017 NCAA Chess (SENIORS) JPL Freedom Hall, LPU, Intram (1.1), 06.08.2017 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Bf5

I went over all the Black games of Allan Borillo and it appears he has no opening preparation — just a bunch of irregular lines. I believe his coach ought to be fired.

The line he played here is NOT the Baltic Defense, which is 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Bf5, introduced by Keres during his very young days but still considered suitable only as a surprise weapon. The position on the board is known to be bad for Black — he has weaknesses on the queenside for no compensation. 4.Nc3

Most authors recommend that White continue 4.cxd5! and now 4...cxd5 5.Qb3, attacking both b7 and d5, is very good for White, even the great Emanuel Lasker couldn’t hold this position: 5...Qc8 6.Nc3 e6 7.Bf4 a6 8.Na4 Ra7 9.Nb6 Qd8 (9...Qc6 10.Bxb8 Bc2 11.Qc3 Qxb6 12.Qc8+ Ke7 13.Bxa7) 10.Bxb8 Qxb8 11.Qa4+ Ke7 12.Rc1 g5 13.Ne5 Nh6 14.Nc8+ 1–0 (14) Caro, H-Lasker, E Berlin 1890; 4...Bxb1! 5.Rxb1 Qxd5 6.a3 Nf6 7.e3 Nbd7 8.Qc2 e6 (8...e5? 9.Bc4 Qa5+ 10.b4 Qc7 11.Ng5 1–0 (17) Istratescu, A (2587)- Gidel, J (2137) Elancourt 2004) 9.Bc4 White is just better. 4...Nf6 5.Qb3

Perhaps more to the point is 5.cxd5 cxd5 first before 6.Qb3, as now 6...Qb6? just loses a pawn to 7.Nxd5.

5...b6? This is the fatal mistake and Black is not given a second chance. The correct move is 5...Qb6. 6.cxd5 Nxd5

[6...cxd5 7.e4! dxe4 (7...Bxe4 8.Bb5+ Nbd7 9.Nxe4 dxe4 10.Ne5 e6 11.Bg5 wins) 8.Ne5 e6 9.Bb5+ Nfd7 (9...Nbd7 10.g4 Bg6 11.d5!) 10.g4 Bg6 11.h4 a6 12.Bg5 White has a decisive advantage] 7.Ne5 Be6 8.e4 Nxc3 9.Qxc3

How does Black defend the c6–pawn? 9...Qc8

[9...Bd7 10.Qf3 Be6 (10...f6 11.Bc4 e6 12. Qh5+ you can figure out the rest) 11.d5! cxd5 12.Bb5+ Nd7 13.exd5 wins] 10.Be3 g6 11.d5 <D>

POSITION AFTER 11.D5

11...cxd5 12.Qxc8+ Bxc8 13.Bb5+ Bd7 14.Rc1 Bg7

A merciful death. 14...e6 15.Rc8+ Ke7 16.Nxd7 is more painful 15.Rc8# 1–0

Consider this a horror story. Don’t repeat Black’s opening.

San Beda’s Marc Christian Nazario did not have any real rivals on board 3 and he made a big difference in the play-off rounds. This is not to say he is invulnerable — the following drubbing from San Sebastian’s Bernales served as a good wake-up call. [SSC-R] Bernales, Carl Lemuel P. — [SBC] Nazario, Marc Christian

[C55] 2017 NCAA Chess (SENIORS) JPL Freedom Hall, LPU, Intram (8.2),

03.09.2017 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Bxd5 Qxd5 7.Nc3 Qd8 8.h3 Bd6

The opening has been a success for Black. He has the two bishops, no structural weaknesses and a clear path t conjuring up a kingside attack.

9.0– 0 0– 0 10. d3 h6 11. Re1 Re8 12.Be3 Bf8 13.Qe2 Bd7 14.Rad1? Nd4! 15.Qf1

Otherwise he loses a piece: 15.Bxd4 exd4 16.Ne4 f5 15...Nxf3+ 16.gxf3 Qh4

Black has a very strong attack with no material investment. 17.Kh2 Bc6

I’d say 17...Re6 was stronger — it discourages white’s queen from occupying the g-file because of ...Rg6. 18.Qg2 Qh5 19.Ne4 Kh7 20.Rg1 Qf5 21.Qg4 Bd7 22.Qh4 Kh8?

Nazario commits the mistake of forgetting that his opponent also knows how to attack. 23.Bxh6! gxh6 24.Nf6 Bg7 25.Rxg7! Kxg7 26.Rg1+ Kf8 27.Rg8+

[27.Qb4+ Re7 28.Rg8# is, of course, faster]

27... Ke7 28. Nxe8+ f6 29. Qxf6+ Qxf6 30.Nxf6 Rc8 31.Rxc8 1–0

After 31. Rxc8 Bxc8 32. Ng8+ Ke6 33.Nxh6 White is three pawns up in an easily won endgame.

In the playoff rounds, though, Nazario was properly warned, and he scored 2/2 to reel in the championship. [AU] Caranyagan, Carlo — [SBC] Nazario, Marc Christian [C20] 2017 NCAA Chess (SENIORS) JPL Freedom Hall, LPU Manila (10.1),

10.09.2017 1.e4 e5 2.c4 Nc6 3.g3 Bc5 4.Bg2 d6 5.Ne2 f5 6.d3 Nf6 7.Bg5 Bxf2+ 8.Kd2 Nxe4+ 9.dxe4 Qxg5+ 10.Kc3 Bd4+ 11.Nxd4 exd4+ 12.Kc2 fxe4 13.Re1 Bf5 14.Bxe4 0–0 15.Nd2 d5 16.cxd5 Bxe4+ 17.Nxe4 Qxd5 18.Qg4 Ne5 19.Qg5 Qc4+ 20.Kd1 Nf3 21.Qc1 Qd3+ 22.Nd2 Nxe1 23.Qc4+ Qxc4 0–1

[SBC] Nazario, Marc Christian — [LPU] Mendiogarin, Jhoemar D. [B10] 2017 NCAA Chess (SENIORS) JPL Freedom Hall, LPU Manila (11.1),

17.09.2017 1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.cxd5 Nf6 5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Bc4 g6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.d3 0–0 9.Nf3 a6 10.Qa3 b6 11.0–0 Bb7 12. Re1 Re8 13. Bf4 b5 14. Bb3 Rc8 15. d4 Qb6 16. Qb4 Bf8 17. Be5 Red8 18.Rad1 Ng4 19.d6 e6 20.Bf4 Nh6 21.d5 exd5 22.Bxd5 Qc5 23.Qxc5 Nxc5 24. Bxb7 Nxb7 25. d7 Ra8 26. Bc7 Nc5 27. Bxd8 Rxd8 28. Ne4 Ne6 29.Ne5 Bb4 30.Re2 Ba5 31.Nc6 Bb6 32.Nxd8 Bxd8 33.Nc5 1–0