#189 Kernighan wins Hoffman Memorial

There were a couple of surprises in the final round of the John Hoffman Memorial Swiss last night but not in the battle for 1st place where, as expected, top seed NM Mark Kernighan defeated Bob Sherry to finish at 3-0, 1 point ahead of Bob, Joe Renna & this reporter.

Mark used his pet line against the Nimzo-Indian (4.Bd2), caught his opponent in an opening trap (8...Nbd7?! - see 1st diagram) & stole a pawn with 9.Nxd5! Black had partial compensation for the loss & tried to whip up an attack against White's drafty King but 13...Qg5+?! (N; 13...c5 +=) gave his prey a free step toward safety & 14...Rf6? allowed consolidation.

Kernighan-Sherry
after 8...Nbd7?!

White to play

As for the upsets... Joe won when Ted Mann allowed his Royal couple to get forked (23...Rxc4??) & I convincingly beat CCC Champ/KST leader Ari Minkov (next diagram); who, I'm sorry to say, gracelessly refused to offer a cursory "gg" afterwards.

Moldovan-Minkov
after 21...Ba6

White to win

Anyway, before my Sicilian blood comes to a full boil, I'd better give the links for the final standings, java-replay & zipped PGN. Notes to my game (& perhaps more) will follow at some point.