Playing for lots of money
Many decades ago, a million dollars in $10,000 bills was visible at Binion’s Horseshoe Casino. Several such amounts have been used as inducements to draw thousands of players to the city’s World Series of Poker, an event first held at the Horseshoe.
If good for poker, then why not chess too? The answer is being sought by successful entrepreneur Amy Lee and Grandmaster Maurice Ashley. Recently, for the second time, they organized the Millionaire Open in Las Vegas. That overall guaranteed amount was generously distributed throughout various rating sections, so even nonmasters left with lots of cash. An added inducement was a final drawing for a chance for one player to walk home with a whole million for himself. In total, this competition offered the largest prize fund ever for an open chess tournament. Just under 700 competitors showed up hoping to go home a bit wealthier.
Taking down the largest chunk was U.S. Champion Hikaru Nakamura who was presented with a check for $100,000 for placing first in the Open Section [See featured game]. In the lowestrated section, the winner left with $30,000. In a section only for unrated players, first prize was $3000
“Gardez Votre Reine” (“Guard Your Queen”)” was the warning expected in past times when you were threatening your opponent’s most powerful piece. In our somewhat less-polite age, no heads-up is required, so queens are more at risk. In fact, coaches generally advise against bringing them into battle too hastily. Against Nakamura, one Grandmaster took that risk and lost in just 11 moves. His queen popped out for an early foray and found itself hopelessly cut off by enemy forces: [Bareev, Evgeny-Nakamura] 1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 c6 3.Bf4 Qb6 4.b3 Nf6 5.e3 Nh5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 Nd7 8.Ne5 Nxe5 9.Qxh5 Ng4 10.Bg3 g6 11.Qh4 Bg7. In this position, the queen is threatened by ... Bf6. To avoid losing it, Black would have to jettison too much material, so he surrendered immediately.
Game of the week Nakamura-Le, Quang Liem Millionaire Chess Las Vegas
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5(A) 4.Bg5(B) h6 5.Bxf6 Qxf6 6.Qb3(C) c6 7.e3 Qe7!?(D) 8.Nbd2 Qb4 9.Qc2 Nd7 10.a3 Qa5 11.Be2 dxc4 12.0–0 Be7 13.Nxc4 Qc7(E) 14.b4 0–0 15.Rac1 Rd8 16.Qb3 a6 17.Bd3 Nf6 18.Bb1(F) Bd7 19.e4 Be8(G) 20.e5 Nh7 21.Qe3 b6 22.Rfd1(H) a5?(I) 23.d5!! Rxd5(J) 24.Rxd5 exd5 25.Nxb6 Rd8 26.Nxd5(K) Qb7(L) 27.Nxe7+ Qxe7 28.bxa5 Ra8 29.a6! Nf8(M) 30.Bd3 Ne6 31.Nd4 Nxd4 32.Qxd4 Rd8 33.Qc3 c5 34.Bf1(N) Rd5 35.Qa5 Bc6 36.a7 Ba8 37.Rb1 Kh7 38.Rb8 c4 39.Qa6 Rd2 40.Rxa8 Qc5!(O) 41.Rh8+! Kxh8 42.a8Q+(P) 1-0.
A) A Queen’s Pawn game has emerged. The most popular alternate move would have been 3...b6 to be followed by 4...Bb7, the Queen’s Indian Defense. B) 4.Nc3 and 4.g3 are straightforward alternatives. C) A lesser-played move, perhaps forcing Black out of his preparations. Usual is 6.Nc3.
D) Hoping to trade queens to lessen tensions, but it just wastes time.
E) After moving his queen five times, Black is substantially behind in getting out his forces. Meanwhile, White controls more territory.
F) Amateurs to pros already are thinking of a queen in front of that bishop diagonally to invade at ‘h7.’
G) Cramped quarters. H) Optimum deployment of all of his forces has been achieved. I) Black cracks. Attempting to break free, he steps into a clever combination. J) 23...exd5 24.Nxb6 Rab8 25.Nxd5 and 23...cxd5 24.Nxb6 are painful also.
K) It is possibly splitting hairs, but 26.Bxh7+ Kxh7 27.Nxd5 Rxd5 28.Qe4+ Kg8 29.Qxd5 cxd5 30.Rxc7 could be slightly better. L) 26...Rxd5 27.Qe4 (the threat mentioned earlier) 27...Ng5 28.Qxd5 cxd5 29.Rxc7 Nxf3+ 30.gxf3 Kf8 31.bxa5 is easily winnable. M) If 29...Rxa6, then the double-attack appears again after 30.Qd3.] N) It is just a matter now of queening his a-pawn.
O) Never say die! Black threatens mate, but White stops that quickly.
P) Black resigned, but the contest might have continued 42...Kh7 43.Qe4+ g6 44.Qf6 with an easy win.