Monday, June 22, 2009

Congratulations to the new International Master Marc Esserman

Congratulations International Master Marc Esserman on your IM title!

Photo: Tony Cortizas

On June 19th, in the second round BCF board member Marc Esserman defeated GM Zbyneil Hracek at the 2nd Annual Marshall Chess Club New York International at the world-famous Marshall Chess Club in New York City.
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Marc already had 3 IM norms, with the third one being earned in Berkeley 2008. A final requirement for the IM title, Marc needed to get his Fide rating over 2400 and he reached that milestone after his round 2 game with Hracek. Since a rating requirement for a title may be achieved at any point during a tournament so even if Marc finishes under Fide 2400, he has still fulfilled the IM rating requirement.
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And Markc did it with a Smith Morra gambit an opening that Esserman has used with great success, and one of my favorites as well. Harry Lyman recommended that I use it in the early 70's and I have come back to e4 and playing the Smith Morra against c5 again. You have a lot of play for the pawn and many people decline taking the pawn, as did GM Hracek against Marc.
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Marc Esserman 2441 GM Zbyneil Hracek 2664
1. e4 c5
2. d4 cxd4
3. c3 d3
4. Bxd3 g6
5. c4 Bg7
6. Nf3 d6
7. h3 Nf6
8. O-O O-O
9. Nc3 Nbd7
10. Be3 b6
11. Rc1 Bb7
12. Bb1 a6
13. Qe2 Re8
14. Rfd1 Qb8
15. b3 Nc5
16. Nd2 e6
17. b4 Ncd7
18. Nb3 Rc8
19. f4 Qc7
20. Qe1 Re8
21. Qf2 Rac8
22. Bd3 h5
23. Nd2 Rb8
24. Nf3 Ba8
25. Rf1 Qd8
26. f5 exf5
27. exf5 Bxf3
28. Qxf3 Ne5
29. Qd1 d5
30. cxd5 Nxd5
31. Nxd5 Qxd5
32. fxg6 fxg6
33. Bc4 Qxc4
34. Rxc4 Nxc4
35. Bf4 Rbc8
36. Qd7 Kh7
37. Bg5 Ne5
38. Qb7 Rc6
39. Bf6 Rxf6
40. Rxf6 Kh6
41. Rd6 h4
42. Qe4 Kh5
43. Rd5 Bf6
44. Qf4 1-0
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Another interesting note is that BCF member Andrew Wang is also playing in this tournament.

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Thank You
Mike Griffin
06/22/2009

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