The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (August 30): Chuckie wins the Tal; 11 Players Boycott Women's Chmpship

[Jack Rabbit]

Chuckie Defeats and Overtakes Moro to Win the Tal



Ukrainian grandmaster Vassily Ivanchuk defeated reigning Russian national champion Alexander Morozevich in the seventh round of the Mikhail Tal Memorial Tournament to come from behind to win the nine round event that finshed Wednesday.

Ivanchuk was also victorious over Hungarian GM Peter Leko in round six to begin his move. After six round, Morozevich was in the lead with 4½ points, while Ivanchuk had 2 victories and 4 draws for 4 points. Thus, Ivanchuk's win in round seven put him in the lead, a half point ahead of Morozevich.

Chuckie, as he is known to his fans, drew his remaining two games to end the event with 6 points out of nine games: 3 wins, 6 draws and no defeats. Meanwhile, Morozevich dropped his eighth round game to American grandmaster Gata Kamsky to fall further back. Moro took a short draw in the final round and settled for a disappointing second place tie among four players.

The other second place finishers were Israeli grandmaster Boris Gelfand, who won only one game but suffered no losses, former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia and Ukrainian GM Ruslan Ponomariov.

For the 39-year-old Ivanchuk, the Tal championship is the latest in a year-long run high finishes in elite tournaments which has seen him playing the best chess of his life.



Women's Knock Out Championship Begins in Russian Caucasus; 11 Players Boycott



The Knock Out Tournament to name the Women's World Chess Champion began Friday in Nalchik in the north Caucasus Kabardino-Balkaria region of Russia without the eleven women who were invited to attend.

The boycott of the event is in reaction to recent Russian invasion of the Republic of Georgia. The six Georgian women who were invited sent a letter to FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov asking that the event be postponed and relocated for safety. Ilyumzhinov responded by pleading with the women to play in Nalchik, saying that it would be wrong to mix politics and sport.

The six Georgians include former women's world champion Maia Chiburdanidze, who became world champion in 1980 at the age of 17 by defeating Nona Gaprindishvili in a match. The others are Lela Javakhishvili, Sopio Gvetadze, Maia Lomineishvili, Sopiko Khukhashvili and Nino Khurtsidze.

Kirsan (everybody calls the FIDE president by his first name), in addition to being the president of FIDE, is also the president of the Autonomous Russian Republic of Kalmykia, a post to which he was appointed by then-Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The other players who are not participating in the event are Tea Bosboom-Lanchava of Holland, who is a native of Georgia; Irina Krush of the United States, who is a native of Ukraine; grandmaster Marie Sebag of France; Karen Zapata of Peru; and Ekaterina Korbut of Russia.



Youth Crush Seniors in Amsterdam

A five-member team of Rising Stars defeated a five-member team of experienced grandmasters ranging in ages from 41 to 77 in the annual Youth-Experience Team Match in Amsterdam.

The event finished yesterday with the Youth Squad taking 33½ out of a possible 50.

China's Wang Yue was the leading scorer for the Rising Stars with 8½ points out of ten. For this, Wang wins an invitation to next spring's Melody Amber Rapid/Blinfold Tournament in Nice.



Calendar


Grand Slam Final, Bilbao 2-13 September.

Anand-Kramnik World Championship Match, Bonn October 14-November 2. Twelve rounds.

European Club Cup, Kallithea (Greece) 16-24 October.

Asian Championships, Tehran 21-30 October.

Chess Olympiad, Dresden 12-25 November.

Topalov-Kamsky World Championship Semifinal Match, Lvov 26 November-15 December. Eight Rounds.

FIDE Grand Prix, Doha 13-29 December.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This week's games

Your humble hare acknowledges the assistance of Fritz 6.0 on analysis.

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Chess Mérida, a true type font that can be downlaoded free here.

BLACK
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WHITE
White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Ivanchuk - Morozevich, Tal Memorial, Round 7, Moscow

Vassily Ivanchuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vassily Ivanchuk - Alexander Morozevich
Tal Memorial Tournament, Round 7
Moscow, 25 August 2008

West India Game: Indian Queen's Gambit (Exchange Opening) (Grünfeld Defense)

1.c4 Nf6 2.d4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4

• If 7.Nf3 c5 then:
• If 8.Be3 Qa5 then:
• If 9.Bd2 0-0 10.Be2 then:
• If 10...cxd4 11.cxd4 Qd8 12.Rc1 gives White the advantage in space (Cramling-Dronavalli, IT, Istanbul, 2008).


• 10...Bg4 11.0-0 Rd8 12.Ng5 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 Qa6 14.Qxa6 Nxa6 15.d5 c4 16.Be3 Rac8 gives White the advantage in space (Korchnoi-I. Smirin, IT, Biel, 2002).
• If 9.Qd2 Nc6 10.Rc1 cxd4 11.cxd4 Qxd2+ 12.Kxd2 0-0 then:
• 13.d5 Rd8 14.Ke1 then:
• If 14...Na5 15.Bg5 Bd7 16.Bd3 Rdc8 17.Ke2 e6 18.Be3 exd5 19.exd5 b5 20.Nd2 a6 21.Ne4 Bf5 22.f3 Be5 23.g4 Bxe4 24.Bxe4 Rxc1 25.Bxc1 Nc4 26.h4 a5 27.Bg5 Re8 28.Kd3 Nb2+ draw (van Wely-Ftacnik, Bundesliga, Bonn, 2001).
• 14...Nb4 15.Bd2 Na6 then:
• 16.Bg5 Kf8 17.Bxa6 bxa6 18.Ke2 h6 19.Bf4 f5 20.exf5 g5 21.Be3 Rxd5 22.g4 e6 23.f6 Bxf6 24.h4 Bd7 25.Kf1 Kg7 26.hxg5 hxg5 27.Rc7 Rc8 28.Rxa7 Kg6 29.Rh5 Rh8 draw (Nielsen-Hracek. Euro ChT, Panormo (Greece), 2001).
• 16.Bb5 e6 17.Bxa6 bxa6 18.Ba5 Rd6 19.Bc7 Rd7 20.dxe6 fxe6 21.Bf4 a5 22.Ne5 Rd4 give White the advantage in space (Keene-Jansa, Esbjerb, 1981).
• 13.Bb5 f5 14.exf5 Bxf5 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Rxc6 Rab8 17.Kc3 Be4 18.Rc7 Rf6 19.Ra1 Ra6 20.a4 Bf6 21.Ne5 Rab6 22.Nd7 Rb3+ 23.Kd2 Rb2+ 24.Ke1 Rb1+ 25.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 26.Kd2 Rb2+ 27.Kc1 Rb1+ 28.Kd2 draw (Browne-Vaganian, Ol, Thessaloniki, 1984).
• If 8.Rb1 0-0 9.Be2 then:
• 9...cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qxa2 12.0-0 Bg4 13.Bg5 h6 14.Be3 Nc6 15.d5 then:
• 15...Bxf3 16.gxf3 Nd4 17.Bd3 Qa3 18.f4 Qd6 19.Rxb7 Rfb8 20.Qb1 Nf3+ 21.Kg2 Nh4+ 22.Kh1 g5 23.Rg1 gxf4 24.Bc5 Qe5 25.Bd4 Rxb7 26.Qxb7 Qxd4 27.Qxa8+ Kh7 28.Bb1 is equal (Krasenkow-Svidler, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 2000).
• 15...Na5 16.Bc5 Bf6 17.e5 Bxe5 18.Rb4 Bxf3 19.Bxf3 Rae8 20.Be3 Nc4 21.Bxh6 Nd6 22.Bxf8 Rxf8 23.h4 Rc8 24.Be4 Qa5 25.Ra4 Qb5 26.Bb1 Rc5 is unclear: White has the equivalent of an extra pawn, but Black has more than enough space to compensate (Kramnik-Anand, IT, Dos Hermanas, 1996).
• If 9...Nc6 10.d5 Ne5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 then:
• 12.Qd2 e6 13.f4 Bc7 14.0-0 exd5 then:
• 15.exd5 Ba5 16.d6 b6 17.Bf3 Rb8 18.Ba3 Qf6 19.Bb4 Bf5 20.Rbc1 c4 21.Bxa5 bxa5 gives Black the advantage in space (Marzolo-Brkic, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 15.dxe6 fxe6 16.Qe3 Bb7 17.Bc4 Kh8 18.Bxe6 Qf6 19.Bb3 g5 20.Qe2 gxf4 21.Bxf4 Qxc3 22.Kh1 Qd4 23.Bc2 Rae8 24.Rbd1 Qb2 gives Black a spatial edge and an attack on a loose pawn (Vokac-Stohl, Zlin, 1995).
• If 12...b6 13.f4 Bg7 14.0-0 e6 then:
• 15.d6 Bb7 16.Bf3 e5 17.c4 Qe8 18.Bb2 Rd8 19.Rbd1 Bc6 20.Qc1 exf4 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Qxf4 gives White a comfortable lead in space (Kamsky-Razuvaev. Op. Paris, 1990).
• 9...b6 10.0-0 Bb7 11.Qd3 Ba6 12.Qe3 Qd7 then:
• 13.dxc5 Bxe2 14.Qxe2 bxc5 15.Qc4 Qc6 16.e5 Nd7 17.Re1 e6 18.Bg5 Rfb8 19.Rbd1 Nb6 20.Qe2 Qa4 21.Rd6 Nd5 22.c4 Nc3 23.Qd3 Nxa2 24.Rd1 Nb4 25.Qe4 Nd5 is unclear: Black has an extra pawn and White has a narrow lead in the space count (Markos-Greenfeld, Euro ChT, León, 2001).
• 13.Bxa6 Nxa6 14.Qe2 Nc7 15.Rd1 Qa4 16.Rb3 cxd4 17.cxd4 Ne6 18.e5 gives White a small advantage in space (Zaja-I. Smirin, Croatian ChT, Pula, 2001).
• 8.Bb5+ then:
• 8...Nc6 9.0-0 cxd4 10.cxd4 0-0 11.Be3 Bg4 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Rc1 Qa5 then:
• 14.Qd2 Qxd2 15.Nxd2 Rfd8 16.Nb3 a5 17.f3 Be6 18.Nc5 Bxd4 19.Bxd4 Rxd4 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Rxc6 Rd2 22.Rf2 Rd1+ 23.Rf1 Rd2 24.Rf2 draw (Ftacnik-Krasenkow, IT, Djakarta, 1996).
• 14.Rxc6 Qxa2 15.Rc7 Qe6 16.h3 Qd6 17.Rc5 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 e6 19.e5 Qd7 20.Ra1 Rfb8 21.g4 Bf8 22.Rca5 Qb7 23.Kg2 Be7 24.d5 gives White the advatage in space (Anand-Shirov, Amber, Monte Carlo, 1999).
• 8...Bd7 9.Bxd7+ Qxd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Be3 cxd4 12.cxd4 Nc6 13.d5 Ne5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Rc1 Rfc8 16.Qb3 b5 17.f4 Bg7 18.e5 a5 19.Bc5 b4 20.Rfd1 Rc7 21.Be3 Rxc1 22.Rxc1 give White a subtantial advantage in space (Kholmov-Timoshchenko, Soviet Ch cycle, Rostov-on-Don, 1976).

7...c5 8.Ne2 0-0 9.0-0 Nc6 10.Be3 Na5

• If 10...Bg4 11.f3 Na5 then:
• 12.Bd3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Be6 14.d5 Bxa1 15.Qxa1 f6 then:
• 16.Qd4 Bf7 17.Bh6 Re8 18.Bb5 e5 19.Qf2 Re7 20.Bd3 Rc8 21.f4 Nc4 is equal (Topalov-Shirov, IT, Morelia-Linares, 2008).
• If 16.Bh6 then:
• 16...Qb6+ 17.Nd4 Bd7 18.Rb1 Qc5 19.Rc1 Qb6 20.Bxf8 Rxf8 21.h4 4 gives the advantage in space to White (Bronstein-Boleslavsky, Candidates' Trmt, Budapest, 1950).
• 16...Re8 17.Kh1 Rc8 18.Nf4 Bd7 19.e5 Nc4 20.e6 Ba4 21.Nxg6 hxg6 22.Bxg6 Ne5 23.Be4 Bc2 24.Bxc2 Rxc2 25.Qd1 Kh7 26.f4 Kxh6 27.fxe5 Qc8 28.exf6 Rg8 29.f7 is balanced and, after some more moves, the players agreed to a draw (Korotylev-Timofeev, Russian Ch Qual, Tomsk, 2004).
• 16.Rb1 Bd7 17.Bh6 Rf7 18.e5 fxe5 19.Qxe5 b5 20.Be3 Qb8 21.Qc3 Qd8 22.Qe5 Qb8 23.Qc3 Qd8 draws by repetition (Kavalek-Timman, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1978).
• If 12.Bxf7+ Rxf7 13.fxg4 Rxf1+ 14.Kxf1 cxd4 15.cxd4 e5 then:
• 16.Kg1 Rc8 17.d5 Nc4 18.Bf2 Nd6 19.Ng3 Bh6 20.h4 Bf4 21.g5 Qd7 22.Qf3 White still has the extra pawn.(Jussupow-Sutovsky, IT, Essen, 2001).
• 16.d5 Nc4 17.Bf2 Qf6 18.Kg1 Rf8 19.Qe1 Bh6 20.Ng3 Qa6 21.Kh1 Qa4 22.Qe2 b6 23.h4 Bf4 24.Nf1 Nd6 25.Re1 Rc8 26.g3 Rc2 27.Qf3 Qxa2 gives Black a huge advatage in space (K.Georgiev-Ivanchuk, IT, Reggio Emilia, 1989).
• If 10...Qc7 11.Rc1 Rd8 then:
• 12.Bf4 Qd7 13.d5 Na5 14.Bd3 then:
• 14...e5 then:
• 15.Bg5 Re8 16.c4 b6 17.Qd2 Nb7 18.Bh6 f6 19.Bxg7 Qxg7 20.f4 Nd6 21.Kh1 Bd7 22.Ng1 Qh6 23.Rce1 f5 24.Qc3 fxe4 25.fxe5 exd3 26.exd6 Rxe1 27.Rxe1 d2 28.Rd1 Qf4 29.Rxd2 draw (Balashov-Ftacnik, Trnava, 1988).
• If 15.Be3 Qe7 16.Qd2 b6 17.f4 c4 18.Bc2 exf4 19.Bxf4 Nc6 20.Nd4 Nxd4 21.cxd4 Ba6 22.Rf3 gives White the advantage in space (Jussupow-Kamsky, Tilburg, 1992).
• If 12.Qd2 Qa5 13.Rfd1 then:
• 13...Bd7 14.Bh6 cxd4 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Qf4 Be8 17.cxd4 e5 18.dxe5 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Qxe5 20.Qxe5+ draw (Polugaevsky-Vaganian, IT, Linares, 1985).
• If 13...Bg4 14.f3 Ne5 15.Bd5 Rxd5 16.exd5 Nc4 17.Qd3 Nb2 18.Qb1 Nxd1 19.Qxb7 Rd8 20.Rxd1 Bc8 21.Qxe7 Bf8 22.Qf6 gives White the advantage in space (Ftacnik-Stohl, IT, Trnava, 1984).

11.Bb5!?

• If 11.Bd3 b6 12.Rc1 cxd4 13.cxd4 e6 14.Qd2 Bb7 then:
• If 15.Bh6 Qe7 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 then:
• 17.Rc3 Rac8 18.Rfc1 Qd7 19.f3 Rxc3 20.Qxc3 Rc8 21.Qb2 f6 22.Rxc8 Qxc8 23.Kf2 Kf7 is equal (Saric-Sebenik, IT, Brno, 2006).
• 17.Rc2 Qd7 18.Qb4 Rac8 19.Rxc8 Qxc8 20.f3 Ba6 21.Bxa6 Qxa6 22.Kf2 Qd3 23.Qc3 Qxc3 draw (Minescu-Giemsa, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 15.h4 Qd7 16.Bh6 Bxh6 17.Qxh6 Nc6 18.Bb5 a6 19.Bxc6 Bxc6 is equal (Cramling-Andersson, IT Heninge, 1989).

11...Bd7

• The alternative is ]11...cxd4 12.cxd4 f5 13.e5 Bd7 14.Bd3 Bc6 15.Rc1 with equality.

12.Bd3 b6 13.Rb1 e5

• If 13...cxd4 14.cxd4 f5 15.Nf4 then:
• If 15...e5 16.dxe5 Bxe5 17.Bc2 then:
• 17...Rf7 18.Qd5 Bxf4 19.Bxf4gives White the advantage in space.
• 17...Kh8 18.Bd4 Nc6 19.Bxe5+ Nxe5 20.Nd5 gives White a fine game.
• 15...fxe4 16.Bxe4 Rc8 17.Bd5+ Kh8 18.Ne6 gives White an excellent game.

14.dxc5 Ba4?!

• Black sacrifices a pawn hoping to gain time in order to post his pieces more ideally.
14...bxc5 15.Bxc5 Re8 16.Ba6 Be6 17.Rb5 gives White the advantage in space.

15.Qd2?!

• 15.Qxa4! Qxd3 16.Ng3 Rfd8 17.Rfc1 Nb7 18.Rd1 Qxc3 19.Rdc1 gives White a strong initiative.

15...Qd7

• In spite of his inaccuracy on the last move, White still has the advantage in space.
• 15...bxc5 16.c4 Bc6 17.Nc3 Nb7 18.Nd5 also gives White the advantage in space.

16.cxb6 axb6 17.Nc1 Rfc8?!

• While this second pawn sacrifice is temporary, it is somewhat dubious.
• 17...b5! 18.Qe2 Qc7 19.Bxb5 Rfb8 20.Qd3 Rd8 defends better.

BLACK: Alexander Morozevich
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WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 17...Rf8c8

18.Rxb6

• When in doubt, take the pawn. (Steinitz)

18...Bf8

• A better follow up to the sacrifice is 18...Nc4 19.Bxc4 Rxc4 20.f3 Qc7 21.Ne2 Rd8 when Black puts pressure on the c-pawn.

19.Ra6!

• Being two pawns to the good, forcing exchanges is a good policy.

19...Qb7 20.Rxa8 Qxa8 21.Nb3 Nxb3

• The failure of the pawn sacrifice is indicated by the fact that White must exchange Knights in order to recover the pawn, and he'll still have another pawn to make up.
• No better than the text is 21...Nc4 22.Bxc4 Rxc4 23.f3 when:
• After 23...Qc8 24.Rc1 Ba3 25.Rc2 Bb4 26.Qd5 Rxc3 27.Rxc3 Bxc3 White remanis a pawns to the good.
• After 23...Qb8 24.Rc1 Bxb3 25.axb3 Qxb3 26.Qd3 White still has an extra pawn.

22.axb3 Bxb3

• Black has regained the pawn sacrificed on move 17, but his poisition is no better now than before. White's outside passed pawn is a distinct advantage.

23.Rb1!

• White still has the initiative.

23...Qa3 24.h3 Be6 25.Rc1 Rd8

• A sharper defense is 25...Qa4 26.Qe1 Qd7 27.Qf1 Ba3 28.Ba6 Rc7, but White's c-pawn still plays the tune.

26.Qc2 Bb3 27.Qb1 Ba2 28.Qb5 Rc8?

• 28...Bd6!? 29.Be2 Rc8 30.Rd1 Be6 31.c4 the advancing distant passer is an advantage for White.
• After 28...Be6 29.Be2 Bg7 30.c4 Qa8 31.Qb1 Rb8 32.Qc2 White still has the outside passed pawn.

BLACK: Alexander Morozevich
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WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 28...Rd8c8

29.Qxe5!

• The loss of this pawn is permanent.

29...Bc5

• Exchanging pieces whn down in material is not a good idea.
• Better is 29...Bg7 30.Qg3 Be6 31.Be2 Bxc3 32.Bf4 Qa5 33.Rb1, which takes care of the distant passer, but White still has the extra pawn.

30.Bxc5!

• White's material advantage is magnified.

30...Rxc5 31.Qb8+ Kg7 32.Qf4 Qb2

• If 32...Bc4 33.Bb1 f6 34.Qe3 then:
• 34...Rb5 35.Rd1 Rb2 36.e5 Qe7 37.exf6+ leaves White up by two pawns.
• After 34...Ra5 35.Rd1 Qb3 36.Qd4 White remains up by two pawns.

33.Qe3 f6 34.Bf1

• With a two pawn advantage, White wins faster by exchanging Rooks.
• 34.Qxc5 Qxc1+ 35.Kh2 Qd2 36.Qd4 magnifies the advantage.

34...Qxc1

• By contrast, Black should avoid exchanges, but now it make little difference.
• 34...Re5 35.Rd1 Qb7 36.Bd3 Bf7 37.Qd4 Ra5 38.Rb1 gives White the initiative.

35.Qxc5 Qe1 36.Qd4

• 36.c4 Bb3 37.Qc7+ Kh6 38.Qe7 holds the advantage.

36...g5 37.c4 Qc1 38.c5 Be6

• 38...h5 39.Qd7+ Kg6 40.Qf5+ Kg7 41.e5 fxe5 42.Qxe5+.

39.f3 h5 40.Kf2 h4 41.Qe3 Qc2+ 42.Kg1 Bc4

• Black again offers to exchange, although already in the hole materially.
• No better is 42...Kf7 43.Be2 Ke7 44.e5 Qa4 45.exf6+ Kxf6.

43.Bxc4 Qxc4 44.Kh2 Kf7

• After 44...Kg6 45.Qa3 f5 46.Qe3 f4 47.Qa3 Qb5 48.Qa7 Black has no good moves.

45.Qa3 Ke6 46.Qa7 Qc1

• 46...Qc3 47.Qb6+ Kd7 48.Qd6+ Kc8 49.Qe7 holds the advantage.

47.Qb6+ Kf7 48.Qd6 Qf4+

• White is still up by two pawns after 48...Qa3 49.Qd7+ Kf8 50.e5 Qxc5 51.Qd8+ Kf7 52.Qxf6+.

BLACK: Alexander Morozevich
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WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 48...Qc1f4+

49.Qxf4

• The outside passer and White's pawn structure make the King-and-pawn ending is eqaily won for White.

49...gxf4 50.Kg1 Ke6 51.Kf2 Kd7 52.Ke2 Kc6 53.Kd3 Kxc5 54.Kc3

• White has the opposition. Black is forced to move back.

54...Kd6 55.Kd4 Ke6 56.Kc4 Kd6 57.Kb5 Ke6 58.Kc6 Ke5 59.Kd7 f5 60.exf5 1-0

• If 60...Kxf5 then White wins with 61.Kd6 Kf6 62.Kd5 Kf5 63.Kd4 Kf6 64.Ke4.
• Alexander Sergeyevich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Mamdeyarov - Gelfand Tal Memorial, Round 6, Moscow

Boris Gelfand
Photo: RussiaChess.org


Shakhriyar Mamedyarov - Boris Gelfand
Tal Memorial Tournament, Round 6
Moscow, 24 August 2008

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Anti-Meran Gambit (Moscow Defense)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2

• If 9.Ne5 Bb7 10.h4 g4 11.Nxg4 Nbd7 12.Nxf6+ Qxf6 then:
• 13.Qd2 Rg8 14.0-0-0 Nb6 15.Qe3 b4 16.e5 Qf5 17.Ne4 0-0-0 18.Be2 c5 19.dxc5 Qxe4 20.Rxd8+ Kxd8 21.Qxe4 Bxe4 22.cxb6 axb6 23.Rd1+ Kc8 24.Rd4 gives White a strong game (Bocharov-Vitiugov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• If 13.Be2 0-0-0 14.e5 Qf5 15.a4 b4 is equal (Radjabov-Cheparinov, FIDE Grand Prix (Rd 5), Sochi, 2008).

9...Bb7 10.e5

• If 10.h4 g4 11.Ne5 h5 12.0-0 Nbd7 13.Qc2 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Bg7 then:
• If 15.Rad1 15...0-0 16.Bg3 Nd7 17.f3 then:
• 17...c5 18.dxc5 Qe7 19.Kh1 a6 20.a4 Bc6 21.Nd5 exd5 22.exd5 Be5 23.f4 Bg7 24.dxc6 Nxc5 25.Rd5 Ne4 gives Black more activity (Aronian-Anand, World Ch Trmt, Mexico City, 2007).
• 17...Qb6 18.Kh1 c5 19.d5 Ne5 20.fxg4 hxg4 21.Qc1 Nd3 22.Bxd3 cxd3 23.Rxd3 b4 24.Ne2 exd5 25.exd5 Rae8 26.Rd2 Bh6 27.Bf4 is equal (van Wely-Kobalia, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2005).
• 15.b3 cxb3 16.axb3 0-0 17.Bg3 c5 18.e5 Nd5 19.Nxb5 is equal (Grischuk-Karjakin, FIDE Grand Prix (Rd 1), Sochi, 2008).

10...Nd5

• 10...Nh5 11.a4 b4 12.Ne4 c5 13.Nfd2 Nxg3 14.Nf6+ Ke7 15.fxg3 Nd7 16.Nxc4 cxd4 17.0-0 Bg7 18.Bh5 Rf8 19.Nd6 Nxe5 20.Nxb7 Qb6 21.a5 Qxb7 22.Qxd4 Nd7 23.Rad1 Bxf6 24.Qd6+ Ke8 25.Qxe6+ Be7 26.Rxf7 Black resigns (Li Shilong-Stopa, Op, Cappelle la Grand, 2006).

11.0-0

• 11.h4 Qa5 12.Rc1 g4 13.Nd2 c5 14.Nce4 cxd4 15.0-0 h5 16.a4 a6 17.b4 Qd8 18.Bxc4 bxc4 19.Nxc4 Nc3 20.Nxc3 dxc3 21.Nd6+ Bxd6 22.exd6 Qf6 23.Qd3 0-0 24.Rxc3 Bd5 draw (Kasparov-Tal, Moscow, 1982).
• If 11.Nd2 Nxc3 12.bxc3 c5! 13.Bf3 Bd5 14.Ne4 Nd7 15.Nd6+ Bxd6 16.Bxd5 then:
• 16...Be7?! 17.Bc6 Rb8 18.d5 Rb6 19.a4 b4 20.Bb5 h5 is equal (Wojtaszek-V. Georgiev, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 16...exd5! 17.exd6 Qf6 18.0-0 cxd4 19.Qe1+ Kf8 20.cxd4 Qf5 yields an extra pawn to Black.

11...Nd7 12.Nd2 Qb6 13.a4 a6 14.Nde4 0-0-0 15.Bh5!?

• White tries something more aggressive than the game which has been followed to now.
• 15.Qd2 c5 16.axb5 axb5 17.Nxd5 Bxd5 18.Nc3 Nb8 19.b3 cxb3 20.dxc5 Bxc5 21.Nxd5 Rxd5 22.Qc3 Rhd8 23.Qxb3 draw (Halkias-Motylev, Euro Ch, Polvdiv, 2008).

15...Nf4!

• 15...f5?! works to White's advantage after 16.exf6 N5xf6 17.Nxf6 Nxf6 18.Be5 Be7 19.Bf7.

16.Bxf7

• 16.Bxf4 gxf4 17.Bxf7 Nxe5 18.Bxe6+ Kb8 19.axb5 cxb5 gives Black a small advantage in space.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Position after 16.Bh4f7:p

16...Nxe5!

• Having a slight advantage in space and better development, it is to Black's advantage to open the center.

17.Bxe6+ Kb8 18.Ne2?!

• If 18.axb5 cxb5 19.d5 b4 20.Na4 then:
• 20...Qb5 21.Bxf4 gxf4 22.Qh5 Nd3 23.Qg6 Bd6 is equal.
• If font color="darkred"]20...Qxe6? loses to 21.dxe6! Rxd1 22.Rfxd1 when:
• 22...Bxe4 23.Bxf4 gxf4 24.Rd8+! Kc7 25.e7 wins immediately.
• 22...Ned3 23.Nd2 Bd5 24.Bxf4+ Nxf4 25.Nxc4 gives White a material advantage.

18...Bg7 19.Nxf4 gxf4 20.Bxf4 Rxd4 21.a5?

• White grabs a little space, but this also concedes to Black a 3:1 pawn
• 21.Qe1 Qc7 22.Qe3 Rd3 23.Qe2 Rd4 is equal.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Position after 21.a4a5

21...Qd8!

• Also good is 21...Rxd1! 22.axb6 Rxa1 23.Rxa1 Ka8 24.Bd2 Nd3 when Black is more mobile and active.

22.Qe2

• 22.Qg4 looks more active, but after 22...Qc7 23.Qf5 Rf8! 24.Bxe5 Qxe5 25.Qxe5+ Bxe5 26.Rfe1 Rfd8 Black's central dominance is unmistakable.

22...Re8 23.Rad1 Ka8!

• 23...Rxe6? allows White to turn the tables with 24.Rxd4 Qxd4 25.Rd1 Qa7 26.Rd7.

24.Be3 Rxd1 25.Rxd1

• 25.Qxd1 Nd3 26.Qg4 Bxb2 27.Qg6 Rh8 leaves Black a pawn up.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Position after 25.Rf1d1:R

25...Nd3!

• The Knight is particularly well-placed here and will be difficult to dislodge.

26.Bf5 Qd5 27.Qg4 Bxb2 28.h4

• If 28.Qg6 Rg8 29.Qh7 c5 30.Bxc5 then:
• 30...Rg7 31.Qh8+ Qg8 32.Qxg8+ Rxg8 33.Be3 h5 gives Black more mobility and activity.
• 30...Rg5 31.Bg6 Bd4 is equal.

28...Bd4

• If 28...Rg8 29.Qf3 c5 then:
• If 30.Bh7 Re8 31.Bg6 Qg8 then:
• 32.Qg3 Rxe4 33.Bxe4 Qxg3 34.Bxb7+ Kxb7 35.fxg3 the advanced queenside pawns decide in Black's favor.
• 32.Bf5 Re5 33.Bxh6 Qh8 34.Bg5 Qe8 wins for Black.
• If 30.Bxh6 Bd4 31.Bg5 Qe5 then:
• 32.Bf6 Qxf6 33.Rxd3 Bxf2+ 34.Kf1 34...Qe5 35.Bh7 Re8 36.Rd7 Bxh4 37.g3 Bxe4 gives Black a prohibitive material advantage..
• 34.Kxf2 Qxh4+ 35.g3 Qh2+ 36.Ke1 cxd3 wins for Black.
• 32.Bh7 Rg7 33.Bf5 Bxf2+ 34.Kf1 Rf7 gives Black an extra pawn.

29.Bg6 Rg8 30.Bxd4

• If 30.h5 c5 31.Bxd4 Qxd4 32.Qg3 Rd8 then:
• After 33.Qe3 Qxe3 34.fxe3 Bxe4 35.Bxe4+ Kb8 the queenside pawns decide in Black's favor.
• After 33.Qh4 Rf8 34.Kh2 Rf4 35.Qxf4 Nxf4 36.Rxd4 cxd4 Black wins easily.

30...Qxd4 31.Qe6 Qd5

• 31...Rg7 32.Kf1 c5 33.Bf5 b4 34.f3 Rxg2 wins a second pawn and now:
• If 35.Qe8+ Ka7 36.Kxg2 Nf4+ then:
• 37.Kg3 Ne2+ 38.Kg4 Qxd1 39.Qe7 Qg1+ 40.Kh5 Qe3 leaves Black with two extra pawns.
• 37.Kh2 Qxd1 38.Qf8 Nd3 leaves Black two pawns to the good.
• 35.Kxg2 Nf4+ 36.Kg3 Nxe6 37.Rxd4 Nxd4 leaves Black two pawns up and his queenside pawns assure him of victory.

32.Qe7 c5 33.f3

• If 33.Bf7 Rxg2+ 34.Kxg2 Qxe4+ 35.Qxe4 Bxe4+ 36.f3 Bf5 preserves Black's advantage.

33...Qd4+ 34.Kh1 Qg7 35.Qxg7 Rxg7 36.h5 b4 37.Kg1 Bxe4 0-1

• After 37...Bxe4 Black wins by 38.Bxe4+ Ka7 39.Bxd3 cxd3 40.Rxd3 c4 41.Rd4 Rc7.
• Grandmaster Mamedyarov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Wang Yue - Agdestein, Team Match, Round 2, Amsterdam

Wang Yue
Photo: ChessBase.com


Wang Yue - Simen Agdestein
Team Match, Round 2
Amsterdam, 21 August 2008

Hollander Game: Kangaroo Defense

1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4

• Black steers into less teoretical lines.
• 4...d5 5.Bf4 c6 6.e3 Be7 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Qc2 Ne4 is a variation of the Dutch Queen's Gambit (Stonewall Defense).

5.Qb3 Qe7

• 5...a5 6.g3 b6 7.Bg2 Bb7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Bg5 Bxc3 10.Qxc3 h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Rac1 d6 13.Rfd1 Be4 14.c5 bxc5 15.dxc5 Qxc3 draw(Yusadin-Azmaiparashvili, PCA Qual, Gronigen, 1993).

6.Bd2

• If 6.g3 then:
• 6...b6 7.Bg2 Bb7 8.0-0 Bxc3 9.Qxc3 0-0 10.b4 a5 11.b5 d6 12.Bb2 Nbd7 13.Rac1 Rae8 14.Rfd1 Ne4 15.Qc2 Ndf6 16.Ne1 Ng4 17.Nd3 f4 18.Nxf4 Rxf4 19.f3 Ne3 20.Qd3 Nxg2 21.Kxg2 Qg5 22.c5 Bd5 23.cxb6 cxb6 24.Rc7 Rg4 25.Kf1 Rf8 26.Ke1 Rxg3 White resigns(Vyzmanavin-Ulibin, Russian Ch, Elista, 1995).
• 6...Ne4 7.Bg2 Nc6 8.0-0 Na5 9.Qa4 Bxc3 10.bxc3 b6 11.Ng5 Bb7 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.Ba3 Qg5 14.Bxe4 fxe4 15.Rab1 h5 16.Rb5 Qg6 17.h4 e3 18.Rg5 exf2+ 19.Rxf2 Qb1+ 20.Rf1 Qe4 21.Re5 Qg6 22.Rg5 Qe4 23.Re5 Qg6 24.Kh2 0-0-0 25.Rg5 Qe4 26.d5 draw(Dreev-Short, Izonal, Manila, 1990).

6...Bxc3

• 6...b5 7.e3 Bb7 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 Bxc3 10.Bxc3 Ne4 11.d5 Na6 12.Rad1 d6 13.dxe6 Nac5 14.Qc2 Nxe6 15.b4 a5 16.a3 f4 17.Rd3 axb4 18.axb4 N4g5 19.exf4 Nxf4 20.Re3 Nxe2+ 21.Qxe2 Nxf3+ 22.gxf3 Qg5+ 23.Kh1 Rxf3 24.Rxf3 Qg4 White resigns(Laurine-Keres, TT, Tallinn, 1936).

7.Bxc3 d6 8.g3 Nbd7 9.Bg2 Ne4 10.0-0 Nxc3 11.Qxc3 0-0 12.Rfe1

• 12.e4 fxe4 13.Nd2 d5 14.cxd5 exd5 15.Qxc7 Qg5 16.Qc3 Nf6 17.f3 Bf5 18.fxe4 Nxe4 19.Nxe4 Bxe4 20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.Rxf8+ draw(W. Schmidt-Skalkotas, Op, Athens, 1987).

12...e5

• 12...Nf6 13.Nd2 d5 14.f3 c6 15.e4 Qf7 16.cxd5 exd5 17.e5 gives White the advantage in space(Botvinnik-Nenarokov, Soviet Ch, Odessa, 1929).

13.e4!?

• 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.e3 Nxf3+ 15.Bxf3 Rb8 16.Bg2 Qe5 17.Bd5+ Kh8 18.Rac1 draw(García-Ciocaltea, West German Ch, Bochum, 1981).

13...f4 14.c5

• 14.Rad1 fxg3 15.hxg3 b6 16.Re2 exd4 17.Nxd4 Ne5 is equal.

14...dxc5 15.dxc5

• If 15.dxe5 fxg3 16.hxg3 a6 17.Red1 then:
• 17...Nb6 18.Nh4 Rb8 19.f4 g5 20.fxg5 Qxg5 21.Rf1 is equal.
• 17...Re8 18.Rd2 b6 19.Rad1 Kf8 20.a3 b5 21.e6 gives White a good game.

15...Nxc5

• If 15...fxg3 16.hxg3 a5 17.Rad1 then:
• 17...a4 18.Bh3 Nxc5 19.Bxc8 Raxc8 20.Nxe5 gives White the advantage in space.
• 17...Ra6 18.Rd5 c6 19.Rd6 gives White a comfortable advantage in space.

16.Rac1 b6 17.b4

• 17.Nxe5 fxg3 18.fxg3 Bb7 19.b4 Ne6 20.Rcd1 gives White the advantage in space.

17...Na6 18.Nxe5 c5?!

• 18...Nxb4 19.Qxc7 Qxc7 20.Rxc7 Nxa2 21.gxf4 Rxf4 22.Ra1 Be6 is unclear: White has more activity at the moment, but Black has an extra pawn and his two connected passers on the queenside have potential.

BLACK: Simen Agdestein
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Wang Yue
Position after 18...c7c5

19.b5!?

• White misses an opportunity.
• Better is 19.Qc4+ Qe6 20.b5 Qxc4 21.Nxc4 Nb4 22.Bf1 when:
• 22...Nxa2 23.Ra1 Nc3 24.Nxb6 wins a pawn after24...Rb8 25.Nxb8 R(either)xc8 26.Rxa7.
• 22...fxg3 23.hxg3 Nxa2 24.Ra1 Nc3 25.Nxb6 also wins a pawn.

19...Nc7 20.a4 Be6 21.Nd3

• The position is equal.
• If 21.Nc6 Qf7 22.gxf4 Qxf4 23.Ne7+ then:
• 23...Kf7! 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.exd5 Rad8 26.Rcd1 is equal.
• 23...Kh8? 24.Qg3 Rae8 25.Nc6 Qf7 26.Nxa7 leaves White a pawn up.

21...fxg3 22.hxg3 Rad8

• 22...a6 23.bxa6 Rxa6 24.Nb2 Rb8 25.f4 Kh8 26.Qc2 remains equal.

23.Ne5 Qf6 24.f4 Rd4 25.Ra1 a6?

• If 25...a5 26.bxa6 Nxa6 27.Nc6 then:
• If 27...Rxe4 28.Qxf6 Rxe1+ 29.Rxe1 Rxf6 30.Rb1 then:
• 30...Nb4 31.Nxb4 Bf5 32.Rb2 cxb4 33.Rxb4 is equal.
• 30...Bd7 31.Ne7+ Kf8 32.Nd5 Rg6 33.Nxb6 Be8 34.Kh2 is equal.
• 27...Rd7 28.Qxf6 gxf6 29.Rab1 c4 30.f5 Bf7 31.Rxb6 gives White an extra pawn.

26.Nc6!

• 26.bxa6? transposes into the previous note.

26...Rxe4 27.Qxf6 Rxe1+ 28.Rxe1 Rxf6

BLACK: Simen Agdestein
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Wang Yue
Position after 28...Rf8f6:Q

29.a5!!

• The late Dutch theoretician Hans Kmoch dubbed this maneuverthe Sneaker.

29...Nxb5

• The game is decided in White's favor.
• If 29...axb5 then 30.axb6 Na6 31.Rxe6 Rxe6 32.Bd5 wins.
• If 29...bxa5 30.b6 Rf8 31.bxc7 then:
• If 31...Bc8 32.Re5 a4 33.Ne7+ then:
• If 33...Kf7 then 34.Bd5+ Kf6 35.Ng8+ wins.
• If 33...Kh8 34.Nxc8 a3 35.Nd6 a2 36.Re1 wins.
• If 31...Bd7then 32.Bd5+ Kh8 33.Be6 wins.

30.axb6

• The squeeze play works.

30...Nd6

• If 30...Nd4 31.b7 then:
• After 31...Rf8 32.Rxe6 Nxe6 33.Ne7+ Kh8 34.Nc8 the pawn must queen.
• 31...Nxc6 32.Bxc6 Rf8 33.Rxe6 leaves White a piece up and the pawn still isn't stopped.

31.Rxe6 Rxe6 32.Bd5 Kf7 33.Nd8+ Ke7 34.Nxe6 c4 35.Bxc4 1-0

• White is a piece to the good.
• Simen resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Stellwagen - Korchnoi, Team Match, Round 6, Amsterdam

Viktor Korchnoi
Photo: Wikipedia


Daniel Stellwagen - Viktor Korchnoi
Team Match, Round 6
Amsterdam, 26 August 2008

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Open Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4

• This has been Korchnoi's favorite response to 1.e4 for decades.

6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Nc5

• If 9...Be7 10.c3 0-0 11.Bc2 f5 then:
• If 12.Nb3 Qd7 13.Nbd4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 c5 15.Nxe6 Qxe6 16.f3 Ng5 17.a4 then:
• If 17...Rad8 18.axb5 axb5 then:
• 19.Qe2 Qb6 20.Bxg5 Bxg5 21.f4 Be7 22.Kh1 d4 23.c4 bxc4 24.Qxc4+ Kh8 gives White a small advantage (Gharamian-Usachyi, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2006).
• 19.Bxg5 Bxg5 20.f4 Be7 21.Kh1 Kh8 22.Qd3 Qb6 23.g4 c4 24.Qh3 Qc6 25.Qg2 fxg4 26.f5 Bc5 27.Qxg4 Rde8 28.f6 gxf6 29.Bxh7 Rxe5 30.Bf5 Rf7 31.Rae1 d4+ 32.Be4 Qe6 33.Bf5 Qc6+ 34.Be4 Qe6 35.Bf5 Qc6+ draw (Karjakin-Carlsen, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).
• 17...g6 18.Kh1 Qc6 19.Bxg5 Bxg5 20.f4 Be7 21.Qf3 c4 22.Rfd1 Rfd8 23.b4 a5 24.axb5 Qxb5 25.Ba4 Qb6 26.b5 Qe6 27.Rd2 Ra7 28.Rad1 Rad7 29.g3 Kg7 30.b6 Rb7 31.Rxd5 Rxd5 32.Qxd5 Qxd5+ 33.Rxd5 Rxb6 34.Rxa5 Rb1+ 35.Kg2 Rc1 36.Ra7 Kf8 37.Ra8+ Kg7 38.Ra7 draw (Khairullin-Fressinet, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
• 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.Nb3 Bg4 14.Qd3 Qd7 15.Nbd4 Nxd4 16.cxd4 Bxf3 17.Qxf3 Bd6 18.Bf5 Qf7 19.Re1 Rae8 20.Rxe8 Nxe8 21.Bc8 Nf6 22.Bh3 Qe8 is equal (Stefansson-Fressinet, Op, Reykjavik, 2006).

10.c3 Bg4 11.Re1

• If 11.Bc2 Be7 12.Re1 then:
• If 12...Qd7 13.Nf1 Rd8 14.Ne3 Bh5 then:
• 15.b4 Ne6 16.g4 Bg6 17.Nf5 0-0 18.a4 Rfe8 19.axb5 axb5 20.Bd3 Rb8 21.Qe2 Ncd8 22.Ra5 c6 23.Be3 Bf8 24.h3 Qc7 25.Rea1 gives White more space and command of the open a-file.(Cheparinov-Erdogdu, Euro Ch, Antalya, 2004).
• 15.Nf5 0-0 16.Nxe7+ Nxe7 17.Be3 Na4 18.Qd3 Ng6 19.e6 fxe6 20.Ne5 Nxb2 21.Nxd7 Nxd3 22.Nxf8 Nxe1! 23.Bxg6 Bxg6 24.Nxg6 Nc2 25.Ne7+ Kf8 26.Nc6 Rd6 27.Bc5 Nxa1 gives Black the material advantage (Marjanovic-Korchnoi, Simulx, Belgrade, 1987).
• If 12...0-0 13.Nb3 Ne6 14.Qd3 g6 15.Bh6 Re8 then:
• 16.Nfd4 Ncxd4 17.cxd4 Bf5 18.Qe2 Bxc2 19.Qxc2 c5 20.dxc5 Rc8 21.c6 gives White a menacing extra pawn (Laznicka-Simacek, TT, Pardubice, 2004).
• 16.Rad1 Bf5 17.Qd2 Bxc2 18.Qxc2 Qd7 19.Rd3 Rad8 is equal (Geller-Unzicker, Bad Worishofen, 1992).

11...Nxb3

• 11...Nd3 12.Re3 Nxc1 13.Rxc1 Na5 14.Rd3 c6 15.c4 Nxb3 16.axb3 Bf5 17.Rd4 Be6 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Nf1 Rc8 20.Rxc8 Qxc8 21.Ne3 Bc5 22.Rd3 Bxe3 23.Rxe3 0-0 24.Nd4 b4 gives Black a small advantage in space (Smeets-Jussupow, Team Match, Amsterdam, 2007).

12.Nxb3 Be7 13.Qd3 Qd7 14.Nfd4 Nxd4!?

• Black's novelty is good for equality.14...Nd8 15.h3 Bh5 16.Nf5 Bg6 17.Nxg7+ Kf8 18.e6 fxe6 19.Qd4 Kg8 20.Bh6 gives White a great deal more freedom as Black' King's Rook is imprisoned (Kosashvili-Haba, Euro ChT, Haifa, 1989),

15.cxd4

• 15.Qxd4 0-0 16.Nc5 Bxc5 17.Qxc5 Rfe8 18.b3 c6 is also equal.

15...a5 16.Qg3 a4 17.Nd2

• 17.e6 Bxe6 18.Qxg7 0-0-0 19.Nc5 Bxc5 20.dxc5 d4 remains equal.

17...0-0 18.Nf1

• 18.Nf3 Qf5 19.Bh6 Ra6 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.h3 is equal.

18...Ra6 19.Bf4 Rg6 20.Qc3?!

• 20.Qd3! Bf5 21.Qd2 b4 22.Rac1 Rc8 23.Ng3 Be6 is equal.

BLACK: Viktor Korchnoi
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Daniel Stellwagen
Position after 20.Qg3c3

20...c5!

• The pawn sacrifice breaks up White's center and opens lines for Black's pieces.

21.dxc5 d4 22.Qd2

• If 22.Qd3 Bxc5 then:
• If 23.Ng3 Rd8 then:
• If 24.Rac1 Bb4 25.Bd2 Bxd2 26.Qxd2 Be6 27.a3 Bc4Black's d-pawn will advance.
• 24.Bd2 Be7 25.Ba5 Ra8 26.Bd2 Rc6 27.Qxb5 Rc2 gives Black more than enough space to make up for the pawn minus.
• After 23.Rec1 Bf5 24.Qd2 Be7 25.Ng3 Be6 26.f3 Bc4 Black's d-pawn will advance.

22...Bxc5 23.Rac1 Bb6 24.Ng3?!

• 24.b4 axb3 25.axb3 Qd5 26.Ng3 Qxb3 gives Black an extra pawn.

24...Qd5 25.a3 h5

• Stronger is 25...Rd8 26.Qd3 Be6 27.Ne4 Ba5 28.Re2 Qa8.

26.h4!

• The game is again equal.
• 26.Qd3 Be6 27.Ne4 h4 28.Red1 h3 29.g3 Rd8 continues to give Black a small advantage in space.

26...Qd8 27.Bg5?!

• If 27.Qd3! Qxh4 28.Qxb5 Qe7 then:
• 29.Ne4 Qd7 30.Qd3 Bf5 31.b4 remains equal.
• 29.Qxa4? h4 30.Ne4 Bf3! 31.g3 hxg3 32.fxg3 d3+ gives Black a winning position.

27...Ba5 28.Qd3 Rxg5!

• The text is stronger than 28...Qd7 29.Re4 Bb6 30.f3 Be6 31.Qd2 Bd5 32.Ree1 Ra8, when Black still has the advantage in space.

29.hxg5 Bxe1 30.Rxe1 Qxg5 31.Qxd4 Rd8!

• 31...h4 32.Ne4 Qg6 33.Re3 Be6 34.Nc3 remains equal.

32.Qc3 Rd5 33.Nf1 Qe7?!

• Black is more active after 33...Bd7 34.Nh2 Qd2 35.Nf3 Qxc3 36.bxc3 Rd3 37.Rc1 Be6.

34.f4?

• White must now win a pawn.
• 34.Nh2! Be6 35.Nf3 Qc5 36.Qa5 Qc2 37.Qa8+ Qc8 38.Qxc8+ Bxc8 39.Re4 is equal.
• 36.Qxc5?! Rxc5 37.Nd4 g5 38.Nf3 Rc2 39.Nxg5 Rxb2 gives Black the distant pawn majority.

BLACK: Viktor Korchnoi
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Daniel Stellwagen
Position after 34.f2f4

34...Qa7+!

• The text is stronger than 34...Qd7!? 35.Ne3 Rd3 36.Qc5 h4 37.Rc1 Rd2, when Black's overall advantage is modest.

35.Ne3 Rd4 36.g3

• 36.Kh2 Rxf4 37.Nxg4 hxg4 38.Qc8+ Kh7 39.Qc2+ g6 40.Kg3 Qd4 leaves Black a pawn to the good.

36...Qd7 37.Nf1

• 37.Qc5 Rd3 38.Nf1 Qb7 39.Ne3 Qf3 40.Nf1 Bh3 sets up Black to win a pawn.

37...Rc4 38.Qd2

• 38.Qe3 Rc2 39.Qe4 Rxb2 40.Re3 Qf5 41.Qc6 Rb1 wins a pawn for Black.

38...Qxd2 39.Nxd2
BLACK: Viktor Korchnoi
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Daniel Stellwagen
Position after 39.Nf1d2:Q

39...Rc2!

• Black now wins an extra pawn and will nurse the advantage home.

40.Ne4 Rxb2 41.Re3

• If 41.Ra1 then after 41...Kf8 42.Kf1 Be2+ 43.Kg1 Bf3 44.Ng5 Bd5 Black threatens to win another pawn with 45...Rg2+.

41...Rb3 42.Kf2 Be6

• If 42...Rxe3? 43.Kxe3 b4 44.axb4 a3 then:
• 45.Nc3! Be6 46.b5 a2 47.Nxa2 Bxa2 48.Kd4 Be6 49.b6 Bc8 is equal.
• If 45.Nc5? Black wins after 45...Be6 46.f5 a2.

43.Re1 Bd5 44.Ng5

• If 44.Nd6 then after 44...Rxa3 45.Rd1 Rf3+ 46.Ke2 Bb3 47.Rh1 Rxg3 Black is up by two pawns.

44...Rd3 45.f5 f6 46.exf6

• The sacrifice 46.e6 fxg5 fails to 47.e7 Rf3+ 48.Kg1 Bc6.

46...gxf6 47.Re8+

• After 47.Ne4 Black wins by 47...Kg7 48.g4 h4 49.Nd6 Rf3+ 50.Kg1 Rxa3.

47...Kg7 48.Ne6+ Kf7 49.Rh8

• 49.Rd8 Rf3+ 50.Ke2 Rxf5 51.Nf4 Bc4+ 52.Kf3 Kg7 53.Rc8 Re5 leaves Balck up by two pawns.

49...Rf3+ 50.Ke2 Rxf5

• Also good is 50...Rxg3 51.Rh7+ Kg8 52.Rxh5 Bc4+ 53.Kd2 Rxa3 winning a second pawn.

51.Nf4 Re5+ 52.Kd2

• If 52.Kf2 Be4 53.Rh6 b4 54.Nxh5 Rxh5 55.Rxh5 bxa3 then:
• 56.Ra5 Bc2 57.Ra7+ Kg6 gives White no way to stop the a-pawn from promoting.
• 56.Rh4 loses quickly to 56...a2 57.Rxe4 a1Q.

52...Bf3 53.Rh7+ Kg8 54.Rc7 Rg5 55.Rc8+ Kf7 56.Rc7+ Ke8 57.Rc3

• 57.Ke3 Rxg3 58.Kf2 h4 59.Rc3 Bb7 60.Rxg3 hxg3+ 61.Kxg3 b4 allows the pawn to sneak by.

57...Bh1

• Stronger is 57...Rxg3 58.Ke1 h4 59.Kf2 Bb7 60.Rxg3 hxg3+ 61.Kxg3 b4! putting Black up by two pawns and ready to create an advanced passer..

58.Ke2 Kd7 59.Kf2

• If 59.Rd3+ Kc6 60.Rc3+ Kd6 61.Rd3+ Bd5 then:
• 62.Kf2 Re5 63.Rd2 Kc6 64.Rc2+ Bc4 leaves Black two pawns up.
• 62.Kd2 Kc5 63.Re3 Bc4 64.Kc3 Kd6 leaves Black two pawns up.

59...Bd5 60.Rd3 Kc6 61.Rd2

• If 61.Rc3+ then after 61...Bc4 62.Kf3 Kd6 63.Ke4 Bd5+ 64.Nxd5 Rxd5 Black remains up by two pawns.

61...Bc4 62.Rd8 Rg8!

• Black forces White to decide to exchange Rooks or allow Black to get his Rook behind the pawns.
• Also good is 62...Kc5 63.Kf3 b4 64.Rc8+ Kd4 65.Ra8 bxa3 66.Rxa4 a2.

63.Rd1 Rh8 64.Rh1
BLACK: Viktor Korchnoi
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Daniel Stellwagen
Position after 64.Rd1h1

64...b4!!

• Again, the Sneaker (see Wang-Adgestein, note to White's 29th move.

65.axb4 Kb5 66.g4

• If 66.Ng6 Ra8 67.Rxh5+ Kxb4 then:
• If 68.Rh1 (
  
• If 68.Ne7 then 68...a3 69.Rh1 a2 70.Ra1 wins.

70...Ka3 ) 68...a3 69.Nf4 a2 70.Ra1 Kc3Black wins.]
66...h4 67.Nh5 a3

• Black has a completely won game.
• If 67...f5! 68.Nf6 fxg4 69.Nxg4 a3 then:
• 70.Ne5 a2 71.Nxc4 Kxc4 72.Ra1 Kb3 73.b5 Kb2 White must surrender the Rook to stop the pawn.
• If 70.Ke3 a2 71.Kd4 Kxb4 then:
• 72.Ne5 Bb3 73.Nd3+ Ka3 74.Ra1 h3 one of the pawns must queen.
• 72.Ne3 Bb3 73.Ke4 h3 74.Ke5 h2 White must lose his Rook.

68.Nxf6 a2 69.Ra1 Kxb4 70.Kg2 Kc3 71.Kh3

• After 71.Nh5 Rf8! 72.Kh3 Rf1 White must surrender the Rook.

71...Kb2 72.Rxa2+ Bxa2 73.Nh5 Kc3 74.Kxh4 Be6 0-1

• 75.Kg3 Rg8 76.Nf6 Rg6 leaves Black a piece to the good.
• Mh. Stellwagen resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Alaa el Din - Koneru, Women's Knock Out, Round 1, Nalchik

Koneru Humpy
Photo: ChessBase.com


Yorsa Alaa el Din - Koneru Humpy
FIDE Knock Out Women's Championship, Round 1/Game 1
Nalchik, 29 August 2008

Bird Game

1.f4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 g6

• If 3...e6 4.e3 c5 then:
• 5.Ne2 Nc6 6.Ng3 Be7 7.Bd3 a6 8.0-0 b6 9.c3 Bb7 10.Bc2 Rc8 11.d4 h5 12.f5 h4 13.Nh1 Ne4 14.fxe6 fxe6 15.Nf2 Nxf2 16.Rxf2 is equal (Bird-Showalter, US Chess Congress, New York, 1889).
• 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 Nc6 9.d4 a6 10.Qd3 Qc7 11.g3 Rfe8 gives Black better development. (Krahl-Berends, Cyberspace, 2002).

4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 0-0

• 5...d4 6.Nb5 c5 7.c3 a6 8.Na3 Nc6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nc4 Qc7 11.cxd4 cxd4 12.b3 Rd8 13.Bb2 Bf5 14.Rc1 Rac8 15.Nce5 Qb6 is equal (Wade-Nievergelt, Belgrade, 1954).

6.0-0

• 6.d3 Nc6 7.0-0 Bg4 8.Ne5 Nxe5 9.fxe5 Nd7 10.h3 Be6 11.d4 c5 12.e3 f6 13.Nxd5 fxe5 14.Rxf8+ Nxf8 15.dxc5 e4 is equal (Jacobsen-Hoi, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 1988).

6...b6!?

• The players throw away the book early.
• 6...d4 7.Nb5 c5 8.d3 Nc6 9.e4 dxe3 10.Bxe3 Qb6 11.Na3 Be6 12.Ng5 Bd5 gives Black the more active game (Wisse-Wolff, Cyberspace, 2003).

7.d3 Bb7

• The position is equal.

8.Qe1?!

• White does not need to prepare the pawn advance.
• Better is the immediate 8.e4 after which could come 8...dxe4 9.Ng5 Qd4+ 10.Kh1 Rd8 11.Ngxe4 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 with equality.

8...d4!

• This is like driving a stake into White's development.
• 8...c5 9.e4 d4 10.Ne2 Nc6 11.e5 Nd5 is equal.

9.Nd1 c5 10.e4 dxe3!?

• If 10...Nc6! 11.e5 Nd5 12.e6 f5 then:
• 13.Ng5 Nc7 14.g4 fxg4 15.Qh4 h5 gives White the advantage in space.
• 13.Rf2 Qd6 14.Re2 h6 gives White the advantage in space.

11.Nxe3

• White has restored the balance.

11...e6

• Black will used d5 as a pivot point.

12.Qe2

• 12.Nc4 Nc6 13.Nce5 a6 14.Bd2 Qc7 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 is equal.

12...Nc6 13.c3 Qc7

• 13...Nd5 14.Re1 Re8 15.Nc4 a6 16.Nce5 Rc8 remains equal.

14.Bd2?

• If 14.Re1 Rad8 15.Nc4 a6 16.Be3 Ng4 then:
• 17.Bc1 b5 18.Ncd2 Nf6 19.Nb3 Na5 20.Nxa5 Qxa5 reamins equal.
• If 17.Rad1 Nxe3 18.Qxe3 Ne7 then:
• 19.Qe2 b5 20.Nce5 Bd5 21.Ng5 Qb6 allows White to exchange out of a spatial disadvantage.
• 19.Nce5 Bd5 20.a3 Rd6 21.d4 Nf5 gives Black more power up the middle.

BLACK: Koneru Humpy
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Yorsa Alaa el Din
Position after 14.Bc1d2

14...Rad8!

• Black prepares to put pressure on White backward center.
• Her winning plan will also include restaining the advance of White's central pawns and launching a direct attack on the White King.

15.Rad1 Rfe8 16.Bc1 Nd5 17.Ng5

• 17.Rfe1 Re7 18.Nc4 Bxc3!! 19.bxc3 Nxc3 wins the exchange, netting Black the equivalent of a pawn.

17...h6 18.Nf3

• If 18.Ne4 then 18...f5 19.Nf2 Bxc3 20.bxc3 Nxc3 wins the exchange.

18...Nxe3 19.Bxe3 e5 20.Qf2

• 20.Qc2 exf4 21.Bxf4 Qd7 22.Qf2 Ba6 pins White's center, giving Black a strong position.

20...Ba6 21.Qe2 Bb7 22.Qf2
BLACK: Koneru Humpy
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Yorsa Alaa el Din
Position after 22.Qe2f2

22...Ba6!

• Black moves to win the d-pawn, which is not only attacked but pinned. White's entire position is under restraint.
• Also good is 22...exf4 23.Bxf4 Qd7 24.a3 Ba6!.

23.Ne1

• No matter how White plays, Black wins a pawn.
• 23.Rfe1 Rxd3 then:
• If 24.Rxd3 Bxd3 25.fxe5 Nxe5 26.Nxe5 Rxe5 then:
• 27.Rd1 Qe7 28.Rxd3 c4 29.Rd1 Rxe3 Black is a pawn up.
• After 27.Bf4 Rxe1+ 28.Qxe1 Qd7 Black is a pawn up.
• 24.fxe5 Nxe5 25.Nxe5 Rxd1 26.Rxd1 Qxe5 leaves Black a pawn to the good.
• After 23.Qe2 Black wins a pawn with 23...exf4 24.Bxf4 Rxe2 25.Bxc7 Rd7 26.Bf4 Rxb2.

23...e4!

• Black wins the pawn.

24.Rd2 exd3 25.Nf3

• If 25.f5 Ne5 26.fxg6 fxg6 then:
• 27.Bf4 c4 28.Nf3 Nxf3+ 29.Bxf3 Qf7 Black remains up a pawn with an aggressive position..
• After 27.Qf4 c4 28.Bd4 Rf8 29.Qh4 Rxf1+ 30.Kxf1 Qf7+ puts Black up a pawn.

25...Ne7 26.Re1 Nd5 27.Bf1

• 27.h3 Re7 28.Bh1 Qd7 29.Ne5 Bxe5 30.fxe5 Qxh3 Black is two pawns up.

BLACK: Koneru Humpy
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WHITE: Yorsa Alaa el Din
Position after 27.Bg2f1

27...Nf6!

• The Knight is headed for g4 in order to spearhead an attack on the White King.
• 27...Nxe3 28.Rxe3 c4 29.Rxe8+ Rxe8 30.Nd4 Bb7 leave Black a pawn to the good and setting up a direct attack on the White King.

28.Qg2

• No better is 28.Rdd1 Bb7 29.Bg2 Ng4 30.Qd2 Bd5 31.h3 Qc6.

28...Ng4 29.Bf2 c4 30.Qh3

• White also looses quickly after 30.Rxe8+ Rxe8 31.h3 Nf6 32.Bd4 Ne4 33.Rd1 Bb7.

30...Bc8

• Also good is 30...Rxe1 31.Bxe1 Qc5+ 32.Kh1 Bb7 33.Qxg4 Qe3.

31.Qg2 Bb7 32.Qh1

• White just picked Sarah Palin as her running mate. This move hoists the white flag.

32...Rxe1!

• Black wraps it up.

33.Bxe1 Qc5+ 34.Bf2 Nxf2 35.Rxf2 d2 0-1

• Lights out.
• Yorsa resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Hou Yifan - Khaled, Women's Knock Out, Round 1, Nalchik

Hou Yifan
Photo: ChessBase.com


Hou Yifan - Mona Khaled
FIDE Knock Out Women's Championship, Round 1/Game 1
Nalchik, 29 August 2008

Spanish Petit Royal Game: Cozio Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nge7

• The Cozio Defense had more popularity in the years prior to the First World War than now.

4.Nc3

• A modern system of development is 4.0-0 g6 5.c3 Bg7 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 d5 8.exd5 Nxd5 9.Re1+ Be6 10.Bg5 Qd6 11.Nbd2 0-0 12.Ne4 Qb4 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.Qc1 giving Whiute more activity.

4...g6

• 4...d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.0-0 Ng6 7.Be3 Be7 8.Qd2 0-0 9.Rad1 Bg4 10.Be2 Qe8 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Bxf3 exd4 13.Bxd4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 Bf6 15.Qb4 Bxc3 16.Qxc3 Qc6 17.Qxc6 bxc6 18.g3 gives White the more active game by virtue of his Rook at d1 (Dr. Tarrasch-Hollander, Match, Nuremburg, 1892).

5.d4 exd4 6.Nd5

• 6.Nxd4 Bg7 7.Be3 0-0 8.0-0 d6 9.Qd2 Bd7 10.Rad1 Re8 11.Be2 Qc8 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 gives White the advantage in space (Spielmann-Tartakover, Match, Vienna, 1913).

6...Bg7

• 6...Nxd5 7.exd5 Qe7+ 8.Kf1 Ne5 9.Qxd4 f6 10.Bf4 Bg7 11.Re1 0-0 12.Nxe5 fxe5 13.Bxe5 Bxe5 14.Rxe5 gives White more space and better development (P. Johner-Tartakover, Karlsbad, 1911).

7.Bg5 h6 8.Bf6 Bxf6

• 8...Kf8 9.Bxg7+ Kxg7 10.0-0 d6 11.Nxe7 Qxe7 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Qxd4+ f6 14.Rfe1 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Sterk-Reti, Debrecen, 1913).

9.Nxf6+ Kf8 10.0-0 Nf5!?

• 10...Kg7 11.Nd5 d6 12.Bxc6 Nxc6 13.Nxd4 Re8 14.Nb5 Rxe4 15.Ndxc7 Rb8 16.Nxd6 Rd4 17.Nde8+ Kg8 18.Qf3 gives White more freedom (Bae-Tallaksen, Norwegian Ch, Kristiansund, 2001).

11.Nd5!?

• More aggressive is 11.Nxd7+ Bxd7 12.exf5 gxf5 13.Nxd4 Qf6 14.Nb3.

11...Ng7 12.Bc4

• The game is equal.
• 12.Nf4! a6 13.Bc4 Ne6 14.Ne2 Qf6 15.Bd5 is also equal.

12...Ne6 13.Qd2 b6?!

• By developing the Queen's Bishop on the flank, Black condemns her d-pawn to backwardness.
• 13...d6! 14.Nb4 Ne5 15.Nxe5 dxe5 16.Nd3 Qd6 is equal.

14.c3 Na5 15.Be2!

• White finds the move that offers the most flexibility.
• 15.Bd3 c6 16.Nf4 Nxf4 17.Qxf4 dxc3 18.bxc3 is equal.

15...c6 16.Nf4 dxc3?

• Black is slightly behind in space and should exchange.
• 16...Nxf4! 17.Qxf4 dxc3 18.Qe5 f6 19.Qxc3 Kg7 20.Rad1 is equal.

BLACK: Mona Khaled
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 16...dc3:p

17.Nxe6+!

• Normally, White should avoid exchanges, but this weakens Black's kingside.

17...fxe6 18.Qxc3 Kg8

• A more stubborn resistance is 18...Rg8 19.Rad1 Qe7 20.Rd2 Nb7 21.b4.

19.Rad1 Qe8

• White is targeting the backward d-pawn.
• 19...Rh7 20.Qd2 c5 then:
• 21.Ne5! Qh4 22.Nxg6 Qf6 23.Nf4 Bb7 24.Nh5 Qg6 25.Ng3 gives White more space and activity..
• 21.e5? Bb7 22.Qe3 Bd5 23.a3 is equal.

20.Ne5 h5 21.b4 Nb7 22.Rd3 Kh7

• 22...a5 23.Nxg6!! then:
• 23...Rh6 24.Bxh5 axb4 25.Qf6 threatens 26.Ne7+, winning immediately.
• 23...Qxg6 24.Rg3 is lights out.

23.Rh3 Nd8

• 23...d5 24.Nxg6!! then:
• 24...e5 25.Nxh8 d4 26.Qd3 Bxh3 27.Qxh3 Nd8 28.f4 Kxh8 29.Bxh5 Qe7 30.fxe5 is cirtains.
• 24...Qxg6 25.Bxh5 Qh6 26.Bf7 Qxh3 27.Qxh3+ Kg7 28.Qc3+ Kxf7 29.Qxh8 gives White a Queen for two minor pieces.

BLACK: Mona Khaled
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 23...Nd7b8

24.Nxg6!!

• A pretty sacrifice wraps up the game.

24...Kxg6

• 24...Qxg6 drops the Queen to 25.Bxh5 Qh6 26.Bg4.

25.Rg3+ 1-0

• White mates on the next move.
• Mona resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Update (Monday): Few upsets in Nalchik's First Round

The first round has been completed in the FIDE Women's Knock Out Championship in Nalchik, Russia with few surprises.

The biggest upset of round one was the victory of Armenian-American Kat Rohonyan over Ukrainian IM Natalia Zhukova. Ms. Rohonyan won the first Firday game and Zhukova the second Saturday. This lead to the playoff round yesterday, which Ms. Rohonyan won in the rapid phase by drawing the first game (in which she played Black) and winning the second.

Some suspense was involved as the when the tie-break between Poland's Monika Socko and Sabina-Francesca Foisor of Romania came down to the Armageddon game with Foisor playing Black, giving her the odds of draw. As she ran out of time with only one Knight each and Kings left on the board, Foisor claimed a draw by insufficient force. However, had Foisor misplayed the position, a checkmate was possible. Mrs. Socko appealed the ruling by the arbiter. The appeals committee ruled in Mrs. Socko's favor.

Due to the anti-Russian boycott of the event by some players, two matches ended in double default. These were the matches between Maya Lomineishvili and Sopiko Khukhashvili, both of Georgia, and between Sopio Gvetadze of Georgia and Ekaterina Korbut of Russia. As a result, Koneru Humpy of India and Russia's Alexandra Kosteniuk, both among the favorites to place high in the tournament, advance to the third round by default. In round 4, Koneru will play the winner of the match between Mrs. Socko and Hoang Thanh of Hungary by way of Vietnam while Kosteniuk awaits the winner of the match between her compatriot Tatiana Kosintseva and the reigning US women's champion, Anna Zantonskih.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Update (Tuesday): Matveeva eliminates reigning champ in Nalchik; Bilbao trmt begins

Nalchik: Reigning Women's Champion Xu eliminated in Second Round



Xu Yuhua of China, the reigning women's chess champion, was eliminated from the defense of her title in the second round of the FIDE Women's Championship Knock Out by Russian international master Svetlana Matveeva today.

Matveeva was a semi-finalist two years ago at the knock out tournament in Ekaterinburg when she was eliminated by Xu. Xu went on to defeat Alisa Galliamova in the final match to claim the title.

Matveeva will play Anna Ushenina of Ukraine in the third round beginning Thursday. Tomorrow will be played the second-round tiebreaks in order to resolve matches that ended 1-1 during the last two days.

Also advancing to the third round are: 14-year-old Chinese WGM Hou Yifan; Pia Cramling (Sweden); Lilit Mkrtchian (Armenia); Shen Yang (China), who scored a major upset over her compatriot, Zhao Xue; Tatiana Kosintseva (Russia); Ruan Lufei (China); and Hoang Thanh Trang (Hungary). Koneru Humpy of India and Russia's Alexandra Kosteniuk advanced without second-round opposition due to the boycott of 11 players to protest the Russian invasion of Georgia.

The most important of tomorrow's tiebreaks will feature former champion Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria against Ju Wenjun of China. Other tiebreaks pit Viktorija Cmilyte (Lithuania) against Nadezhda Kosintseva (Russia); reigning girls' champion Drovavalli Harika (India) against Anna Muzychuk (Slovenia); Nguyen Thi Thanh An (Vietnam) against Elena Sedina (Italy); Inna Gaponenko (Ukraine) against the only surviving American player, Kat Rohonyan of Baltimore.


Bilbao Masters begins today



The Bilbao Masters' Tournament, the final leg of the FIDE Grand Slam for 2008, began today in Spain.

The other legs of the 2008 grand slam were the Corus A Tournament in Wijk ann Zee, played in January; the Morelia-Linares Tournament in Mexico and Spain in February and March; and the MTel Masters' Tournament in Sofia in May.

The participants in Bilbao are: reigning world champion Vishy Anand (India); 17-year-old Magnus Carlsen (Norway); Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine); former FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria); Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan); and Levon Aronian (Armenia).

The only decisive game in the first round saw Magnus Carlsen, playing Black, defeat Levon Aronian in 51 moves.

[nickgutierrez]

10. I like the Bilbao scoring system.

3-1-0 - that's something I can wrap my head around as a soccer fan, and it rewards players that push for wins. That's important in a big GM tournament like this one.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. I'd like to watch how that plays out

It might be better than an idea I've kicked around chess discussion boards of just making games won the first tiebreak universally. One still gets the same number of points for two draws on the hand and a win and a loss on the other, but the player with a win and a loss will finish ahead of the one with two draws on tiebreak.

For those who don't know what we're talking about, in Bilbao the winner of a game will be awarded 3 points and each player will be awarded a single point for a draw.