Grandmaster Jesse Kraai won the 2010 CalChess Labor Day State Championship held Sept. 4-6 at the Golden Gateway Holiday Inn.
The only 6-0 score in the event was made in the Class A section. Ted Belanoff, a 19-year-old UC Berkeley student, finished 1.5 points ahead of the field.
Belanoff, the state junior high school champion in 2005, said about his last-round game that he was surprised at how unsalvageable his opponent's position became after an early mistake.
Tong-Belanoff in a Javascript clickable display
White: Benjamin Tong (1865)
Black: Ted Belanoff (1962)
Event: CalChess Labor Day State Championship
Date: 2010-09-06
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3
If 2. d4 exd4, then White gains time going forward with 3. Qxd4, but 3…Nc6 gets the time right back.
2. ... Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4
But now 4…Nxd4 is a mistake, because White gains time with 5. Qxd4 which Black can't recover.
4. ... Bc5 5. Be3 Nxd4 6. Bxd4 Bxd4
So Black has erred, but given his full-point lead over the field, his desire to simplify is understandable.
7. Qxd4 Qf6 8. Qc3
White has a clear advantage after 8. e5 Qb6 9. Qxb6 axb6 10. Nc3, when Black will have to make another concession before developing his bishop, while White is ready for 11. Nd5 or 11. Nb5.
8. ... d6
White stood plainly better after 8. ... c6 9. Be2 Qg6 10. O-O Ne7 11. Nd2 O-O 12. f4 d5 13. f5 Qh6 14. f6 Ng6 15. exd5 cxd5 16. fxg7 Re8 17. Rae1 Be6 18. Qd4 Qh4 19. Nf3 Qxd4+ 20. Nxd4 Kxg7 in Laursen-Berg, Denmark Politiken Cup 2009, though the game was drawn in 35.
9. Qxc7 Qxb2 10. Bd3
Black reaches a comfortable endgame after 10. Qc3 Qc1+ 11. Ke2 Bg4+ 12. f3 Rc8 13. Nd2 Qxf1+ 14. Rhxf1 Rxc3 15. fxg4 Rxc2 but Black is much less secure on 10. f3 Qxa1 11. Bb5+ Bd7 12. Bxd7+ Kf8 13. Qxd6+ Ne7 14. O-O where Black has gained some material, but his pieces are disconnected.
10. ... Qc1+ 11. Ke2 Bg4+
This is why White needed to play f2-f3 at move 10, so this wouldn't be a check.
12. f3 Qxh1 13. Bb5+ Kf8 14. Qxd6+ Ne7 15. fxg4
The cleverest try is 15. Kf2, threatening to lock up the queen with 16. Bf1, but Black can run out with 16…Qc1 or play 16…h5, a witty move of his own.
15. ... Qxg2+
Black is as active as White, and even has the safer king, so it's pretty much over.
16. Kd1 Qxg4+ 17. Kc1
17. Be2 Qg1+ 18. Kd2 h5 {with 19…Rh6 to come. -+
17. ... Qg5+ 18. Nd2 Qxb5 19. Rb1 Qc6 0-1
