UTAH CHESS
By Grant Hodson
Josh Smith is another of our Utah State Champions. He was the 2005 Blitz Champion as well as Co-Champion at the Utah Open (and winner of the trophy over Damir Trtanj in a blitz playoff). He drew Igor Ivanov (see last game), which was Igor’s last rated game before he died. The following outlines some of Josh’s chess activities and includes some interesting games against formidable opponents.
Time Heals All Wounds
By Josh Smith
I pushed my first pawn at the age of 18, slowly working my way through reserve sections to achieve a 1798 rating. I learned how to play a solid positional game, as well as defend against vicious attacks. I then formed a brilliant plan to retire from chess for awhile to study and return to tournament play much stronger. My romantic, albeit not original strategy, was to come back and win the U1800 section of the World Open while staking my claim as the strongest B player on the planet.
Alas, as my career and family grew, I had less and less time for chess. My vague notions of studying were soon replaced by tens of thousands of speed chess games on the Internet Chess Club. I enjoyed incredible success playing bullet and blitz, surpassing the 2400 mark in both categories and leaving thousands of titled players in my wake. Notable scalps include Nakamura, Dzindzichashvili, Christiansen, Schmaltz, Grischuk, Fedorowicz, and Dreev. I was fast, really fast—frequently accused of being a computer. My friends coined the term “Josh Chess,” which meant you won on time in lost positions.
Still I was not content, as I was all too aware that my game had not improved. I just did not have the patience to sit down and study. I did commandeer the services of three-time US Champion, GM Larry Christiansen and spent time with GM Roman Dzindzichashvili while he was in Denver. I even read Pandolfini’s Endgame Course (which to this day remains the only book in my extensive collection that I have actually read), all in an attempt to play a decent game.
After a three year hiatus, I returned to tournament play. No surprise—my game had not significantly improved. I was able to take first place in four consecutive Denver Chess Club tournaments (scoring 16/17 altogether), but other than that, I was inconsistent and could go no higher than mid 1800s. I had no success against anyone rated over 2000. They simply outworked me both strategically and tactically. I remember the following game against NM Paul Nikitovich very clearly:
Anthea’s Clubhouse March 15th, 2003 (G/60)
White: Josh Smith (1885) – Never beaten anyone rated over 2000
Black: NM Paul Nikitovich (2234) – Colorado Open/Closed Champion
The trap had been laid. The unsuspecting master walked into it..
This is a Christiansen innovation that limits the black queen escape squares.
GM Christiansen had drilled the Trompowsky into my head eight hours a day for a week. Following his advice, I found myself in this dominant position. 10. …, Qg6 was black’s best try.
This begins a series of inaccurate moves by white. Certainly 13. e4 would have led to a decisive material advantage.
This lemon throws away most of white’s advantage. Apparently moves like 19. Bg5 are beyond my tactical understanding.
19. …, Rf8
Fritz 8 believes that black needs to trade queens with 23. …, Qb1+ 24. Ke2, Qf5. Certainly not optimal, but puts an end to white’s attack.
Black could have resigned with no shame after 24. Bxd6! with an overwhelming attack for white. Plagued by tactical errors, white hands black his first advantage of the game.
This move earns two question marks because of the fact that it loses the game outright. 26. Rxd6+, Nd7 27. Rxd7+, Kxd7 28. Rd1+, Kc6 29. Qxe7 seals the deal fairly effectively. It earns one exclamation point based on the conditions. I had enjoyed a winning position throughout the game and was over confident. I attacked with reckless abandon. Paul’s clock slipped below 30 seconds. Frantically, he moved in an effort to avoid losing on time. With a 30 minute advantage on the clock, I proceeded to blitz him as I had so often done in speed chess games.
His queen swept across the board and checkmated my arrogant king. I was stunned. What deep power does a master have that allows brilliance to flow forth in times of chaos? How had he been so tenacious? Where had his will to win come from? I was crushed by my own inability to win what should have been such an easily won game. I do not think I will ever forget a move or thought from that game. It took me time to recover; I did not play another game of chess for over a year.
My career took me to Utah where I continued to play on the Internet Chess Club. I was determined to get better and found myself playing 15 minute standard games to achieve a 2300 rating. I was unable to play over the board with any success, but scored many victories against strong masters on the internet. I started to feel as though I was simply a clock player able to physically move pieces faster than most other people. As long as the game was under 15 minutes long, I could create enough confusion and distraction in the position while running my king around in circles long enough for me to win the game on time. “Josh Chess” all over again.
One day I put out a seek on ICC for a standard game and it was instantly accepted by GM Alexander Goldin! GM Goldin took clear first in the 1998 World Open in Philadelphia with 8.5/9. He drew one game against GM Gregory Kaidanov with the black pieces while besting all of his other colleagues to garnish a 2900+ performance rating. Needless to say, facing this 2700+ USCF Grandmaster with black pieces was a daunting prospect, but I was prepared and eager to do battle.
Internet Chess Club February 23rd, 2005 (G/15)
White: GM Alexander Goldin (2515) – Former Russian U18 and U26 Champion
Black: Josh Smith (2249) – Still never beaten anyone rated over 2000
This locks out white’s bishop for the rest of the game.
Unnecessarily weakening the dark squares around white’s king.
Much stronger was 32. …, Qh2+ 33. Kf1, Nh5 34. Ng4, Qh1+ 35. Kf2, Bg3+ 36. Ke3, Qxg2 37. Qe2, Qxh3 with a dominant position.
Missing out on the opportunity to have a completely won game with 35. …, Rf4 36. gxh3, Qxh3 37. Kg1, Qxf3.
A silly attempt to checkmate my opponent. Through passive play, the position holds very little potential for either side.
Alexander tries his best to add life to the position with a bishop sacrifice, but regardless of whether it is accepted or not, the position is still drawn. White’s extra pawn does more to hinder winning chances then to enhance them. Then it happened again; I lost my mind.
I walked away from my pawns and he walked right over and gobbled them up. Once again I had failed to plan out my moves. I resigned in disgust.
Both my games with Paul and with Alexander ended with the chess goddess ripping my heart from my chest after smiling so kindly upon me throughout the game. I wondered why I faltered at peak moments and masters prevailed? All this left me hopeless, desiring, but failing, to create something beautiful on the board just like those masters. The truth of the matter is that playing chess well is hard work. It has many idiosyncrasies. You must be patient and understanding, cautious and brave. Chess is a constant search to find solutions for whatever challenge is thrown at you. The lessons that chess teaches are so beautiful and so profound. They mirror life itself.
Chess requires consistency and balance. It requires getting up when you get knocked down. There have been instances where chess players have chosen death rather than face the memories of missed opportunities and poor decisions. Johannes Minckwitz chose to end his suffering by stepping in front of a train. Curt von Bardeleben threw himself out the window of his boarding house. Agnes Van Wyk murdered her entire family before taking her own life after losing to a nine-year-old boy.
I understand this feeling of utter disgust and disregard for life after losing a chess game. I do not mind losing as long as the position merits such a thing, but to falter in a drawn or won position is failure to use the strength of mind that makes chess fun.
Many chess players reach a point somewhere under 2000 where skill peaks and their game plateaus. It is at that point that masters dig in with grit and determination. Sometimes, chess players struggle in social situations and lose sight of other things in life, but they are committed to chess. The people that I dream of being able to imitate are those people who excel while keeping a balanced lifestyle. They are artists and mathematicians, creating on a chessboard. It is the refinement of that consistency that separates the men from the boys, the sharks from the fish, and the master from the patzer.
Like life, chess is what you make of it.
I understand and accept my strengths and weaknesses more clearly these days. I know that have the tactical ability of a 1200 rated player, so I work very hard to ensure that my opponents have no play at all. I try to bore them to death by applying a python-like hold on the position until they finally get so frustrated that they sacrifice something at the wrong time. Than I am able to capitalize. I was even able to do this successfully against GM Christiansen in a simul. I am not greedy; I just do not like my opponents having any play. I will accept lesser advantages based on my inability to calculate the strongest lines. I like to keep the game simple enough for my brain to handle.
Utah Open October 29th, 2005 (G/120)
White: Josh Smith (1862) – No longer afraid of players over 2000
Black: NM Jeff Phillips (2196) – 4 points away from regaining a master rating
Jeff is a very fast, very strong player. This is a rare oversight for him.
This is another inaccuracy by black. After recapturing, I found myself torn between which weakness I should focus my energy on.
I am sure the most accurate play was 15. Qb3+ picking up the knight, but I think in simple terms. I love to minimize my opponents play and keep things clear in my mind.
I calculated very carefully here as I was very wary of the sacrificial shots that black has with Rg6 and Rh6 lines. Feeling safe in the knowledge that he could not bring harm to my king, I proceeded with my plan.
The threat is so much greater than the execution. I never even played a check on the a2-g8 diagonal, but it was a serious threat that he had to think about every single move. I would rather have a three pawn advantage and not have to worry then think about the checks on f2 and carry a 9 pawn advantage.
Keep it simple. Now that his knight and rook are virtually useless, I am free to play the rest of the game by myself waiting for my opponent to resign.
After ten years and nearly 100 chess tournaments, I had finally beaten a master in a standard game! I had scored 3.5/4 in the tournament, and only one other player had matched that score: GM Igor Ivanov. We were scheduled to play on board one in the last round. I sat nervously thinking of the situation I faced. The question was hardly how could I defeat a GM, but rather how could I avoid losing? Certainly the mere mention of his name commands incredible respect. He has a plus score against the World Champions he has faced. He could literally perform a blindfolded simultaneous exhibition against the strongest players in Utah and come away unscathed. Even in this, the last stage of his life as he struggled with cancer, he was a fearsome competitor.
Utah Open October 29th, 2005 (G/120)
White: Josh Smith (1862) – Sacrificial lamb offered as last meal…
Black: GM Igor Ivanov (2538) – Playing the last tournament game of his life…
I had been playing each move very carefully, making sure that I played as correctly as possible. I waited patiently with the advantage of white pieces for the grandmaster to commit to some form of aggression. He had thought for 20 minutes before playing 11. …, Ne4 and I was comfortable with that decision.
This move confused me. It seemed that black’s light squared bishop has limited room to move. I thought long and hard about taking the initiative with 16. Rd2. Then I thought deeper about his kingside play vs. my center control and thought it best to trade queens while I had the chance.
Another surprising move. I wanted to make it difficult for him to trade off his light squared bishop and make him work to free himself.
There were a lot of ways for black to go wrong, of course, but the grandmaster side stepped all complications.
I sat for 20 minutes trying to figure out why I was being given a pawn here. Clearly black would have an active position and my extra pawn was doubled but it did not seem necessary. Perhaps he was worried about h3, g4 lines.
The wily old grandmaster threw caution to the wind as he tried to find play on the queenside. A second pawn was thrown away. I spent a lot of time making sure that I was not weakening my position and carefully responded.
Down on time and not wishing to get into a tactical slugfest, I avoided going for the win as a draw was sufficient to tie for first place. Fritz 8 suggested lines starting with 27. Rb1, Ra7 28. Bd2, Kf8 followed by doubling rooks on the b file and pushing the h pawn. It took 10 moves to find some sort of discernable advantage, and I still would not know how to play for a win if I achieved that position. I am sure that this is how grandmasters outwork other grandmasters in these positions, but I passed on such complications and kept things simple.
Shocking to the crowd of spectators around us, but pleasing to my eyes.
I gently placed my rook back on c2 indicating that I was not pushing for more. My draw offer was accepted with a smile as Igor made peace with this world. He died on November 17, 2005. He is the greatest player that I have ever faced in a standard game. It was an honor to participate in his last tournament game on this earthly plane.
Igor, Damir Trtanj, and I all tied for first place. Igor was not feeling well and left directly after our game. I won a blitz match against Damir for the trophy—rather like throwing Brer Rabbit in the briar patch. That is the story of how an 1800 player became a Utah Chess Champion.