Volume 137

DECEMBER 2017

EUROPEAN TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP: A WONDERFUL VICTORY FOR AZERBAIJAN AND A GREAT SURPRISE BY CROATIA RUSSIAN WOMEN IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

ANALYSING THE BEST GAMES FROM THE 16TH, 15TH AND 14TH 4NCL CONGRESS

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706 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE December 2017

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Photo editor David Llada #LondonPlaysChess 2018 Prepress Specialist 729 Milica Mitic 709 European team championship – Crete – Photography th th Anastasiya Karlovych, Josip Asik, 27 October to 7 November 2017 A wonderful victory for ECU oicial, Saint Louis Chess Club Azerbaijan and a great surprise Advertising by Croatia Stephen Lowe By GM Aleksandar Colovic

ST TH Enquiries 724 London Chess Classic 1 – 11 [email protected] December Where giants meet ISSN 0007-0440 By IM Shaun Taulbut © The British Chess Magazine Limited 732 Champions Showdown in St. Louis Company Limited by Shares Topalov’s crushing Registered in England No 00334968 defeat by Nakamura Postal correspondence: By GM Aleksandar Colovic Albany House, 14 Shute End Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 1BJ 736 Analysing the best games from the 16TH, 15TH AND 14TH 4NCL congress Subscription How Alan Merry paved his path to [email protected] the British Knockout 12 monthly issues By IM Shaun Taulbut UK: £55 | RoW: £85 750 sHARK ATTACK Printed in the UK: by Lavenham Press Ltd Theo Slade Cover photography: Shutterstock 756 The perception of chess in the 17th century: ‘It hath wounded my conscience, and broken my peace’

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European team championship – Crete – 27th October to 7th November 2017

A wonderful victory for Azerbaijan and a great surprise by Croatia By GM Aleksandar Colovic Photo: ECU official / Anastasiya Karlovych More info at: @euroteamchess2017 The European Team Championship took Ian Nepomniachtchi – Luka Lenic place from 27th October to 7th November in the Creta Maris Resort in Hersonissos 21st European Teams Hersonissos GRE (1.1) on the island of Crete. The winners in the men’s section were the three highest ranked XIIIIIIIIY teams, but the roads that took them there 9-+-tr-sn-mk0 were quite different... 9zp-+-+-zpp0 The main favourites Russia started with 9-zp-+p+-+0 three team wins, yet their play was not 9+Pwq-+-+-0 smooth. Having Nepomniachtchi on the team can be either a blessing (when 9P+L+Q+-+0 he is in good form) or a curse (when he 9+-+-+-+-0 isn’t). Unfortunately for the Russians, 9-+-+-zPPzP0 Nepomniachtchi showed it was a case of the latter when he blundered badly in 9+-+-tR-mK-0 Round 1. xiiiiiiiiy

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White is obviously dominating, but By far the biggest Nepomniachtchi’s next turned out to be a surprise was the team of bad omen for the Russian team - in both matches they lost Nepomniachthi lost his Croatia. In spite of being game. ranked 14th they were leading the tournament 29.£c6?? Blundering a simple double- attack. after 5 rounds and were playing mature chess 29.¥b3 keeps the pressure and advantage. under the tutelage 29...£b4= Black wins a pawn now and is of their captain GM out of danger. White will regain the pawn Zdenko Kozul, a former by taking on e6 and the position will be European Champion drawn. Bosnia (which didn’t participate), Croatia, 30.¢f1 £xa4 31.g3 h6 32.¥xe6 ¤xe6 Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Serbia ½–½ and Kosovo*) – only the Croatians staged a performance worthy of the great chess past Nepomniachtchi (which in Russian means of the region. ‘the one who doesn’t remember’) lost two games in Crete and both of them in matches Ivan Saric on Board 1 was confident, should the Russians lost – to Hungary and eventual have beaten Grischuk and made comfortable winners Azerbaijan. draws with Gelfand and Aronian. He also played the following exciting game in the match of the penultimate round which the The second-ranked Azerbaijan were Croats won thanks to wins by Bosiocic on considered out of contention as they lost Board 2 (who scored 6/8) and Martinovic as early as Round 1 to Italy. After a 4-0 on Board 4. sweep of Austria they only managed a draw Christian Bauer - Ivan Saric against Spain. But then something ‘clicked’ and they won all the remaining matches, European Team Championship (8.1) bar the last one when a draw was sufficient for first place (more on this below). 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.¥g5 This has become fashionable recently. It is no Third-ranked Ukraine also lost early, in wonder White players are looking for ways Round 2 - to the Netherlands. They lost to do something against the Slav and the again in Round 4 to Turkey, but from that Trompowsky-looking move is just the latest moment on they did not lose a single game idea. and the last round 2-2 secured them a place on the podium. 4...¤c6 5.¤c3 f6 Carlsen played 5...¤f6 in the rapid game against Grischuk 6.¥xf6 By far the biggest surprise was the team gxf6 7.e3 a6 8.¦c1 ¥f5 9.¥d3 ¥g6 10.f4 of Croatia. In spite of being ranked f5 11.h4 h5 12.¤f3 and in spite of having a 14th they were leading the tournament dead ¥g6 he managed to draw, ½–½ (39) after 5 rounds and were playing mature Grischuk,A (2761)-Carlsen,M (2832) Paris chess under the tutelage of their captain FRA 2017. GM Zdenko Kozul, a former European Champion. Of all the teams which 6.¥d2 ¥g4 Things start to become participated from the once mighty chess creative. Black copies White and White nation of Yugoslavia (now broken up into copies Black now with his next move.

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7.f3!? XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-wqkvlntr0 9zpp+-zp-zpp0 9-+n+-zp-+0 9+-+p+-+-0 9-+-zP-+l+0 9+-sN-+P+-0 9PzP-vLP+PzP0 9tR-+QmKLsNR0 xiiiiiiiiy Out of the once mighty chess nation of 7.£b3 is the usual way to react after Black’s Yugoslavia only the Croatians achieved a bishop has left the queenside 7...£d7 result worthy of respect – fourth place 8.£xd5 ¤xd4 9.¦c1 £xd5 10.¤xd5 ¦c8 again with an almost symmetrical position where Black is OK. 12...£xe2+ 13.¤gxe2 ¥d6 14.¥f4 is a better endgame for White, but Black can 7...¥h5 Breaking the symmetry. hope for a successful defence.

7...¥d7 would have been funny 8.¤xd5 13.¤e4! A fantastic move. White starts ¤xd4 (8...e6 9.¤f4 ¤xd4 10.e3 ¤c6 an attack with his king in the centre and 11.¥c4 gives White the initiative) 9.¦c1 kingside undeveloped. ¤c6 10.e4 ¦c8 11.¥e3 e6 12.¤c3 ¤h6 13.¥e2 with a slightly more pleasant 13.¤a4 was no less good, but definitely position for White. much less pleasing! 8.e4 e6 9.exd5 exd5 10.¥b5 ¥f7 11.£e2+ 13...dxe4 14.¥xc6 bxc6 14...e3 15.¥e4+ £e7?! 11...¥e7 12.¤h3 ¢f8 with the idea ¢b8 16.¥a5! b6 17.a3! with the idea ¥b4 ¥d6, and ¤ge7 and the position should and a strong attack. be fine for Black, his smooth development compensating for the misplaced king. 15.£a6+ £b7 16.¦xc6+ ¢b8 17.¥f4+ ¢a8 18.£xb7+ ¢xb7 19.¦c7+ ¢a6 12.¦c1 0–0–0 20.¦xf7 ¤e7 21.¢f2 ¤d5 21...¦xd4 22.¤e2 ¦b4 23.fxe4 ¦xe4 24.¥d6 ¤g6 XIIIIIIIIY 25.¦d1 is winning for White - after the 9-+ktr-vlntr0 exchange of the bishops the g7–pawn will 9zpp+-wqlzpp0 fall. 9-+n+-zp-+0 22.¥d2 ¦b8 23.b3?! 23.fxe4! was 9+L+p+-+-0 better, but it required a precise evaluation of the rook endgame after 9-+-zP-+-+0 23...¦xb2 24.¤f3 ¥b4 25.exd5 ¥xd2 9+-sN-+P+-0 26.¤xd2 ¦xd2+ 27.¢e3 ¦xa2 28.¦c1! when Black still suffers due to the bad 9PzP-vLQ+PzP0 king on a6. 9+-tR-mK-sNR0 xiiiiiiiiy 23...e3+! 24.¥xe3 ¦c8?

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XIIIIIIIIY 9-+r+-vl-tr0 9zp-+-+Rzpp0 9k+-+-zp-+0 9+-+n+-+-0 9-+-zP-+-+0 9+P+-vLP+-0 9P+-+-mKPzP0 9+-+-+-sNR0 xiiiiiiiiy 24...¥b4! would have actually equalised The final round match between for Black - in an amazing transformation Azerbaijan and Ukraine, is the subject of a Black is now two pawns down but has lot of speculation a lead in development and is himself attacking as he threatens ...¦he8 25.¤h3 ¦bc8 26.¦c1 ¦he8 27.¦xc8 ¦xc8 and The Croatians deserved a medal and they White needs to be careful here 28.a3! ¥a5 would have finished 3rd had Azerbaijan 29.¥f4 ¦c2+ 30.¢g1 is safer (30.¢g3 g5 beaten Ukraine in the last round. 31.¥b8 h5! and White’s king is in danger now 32.¦xa7+ ¢b5 33.a4+ ¢b6) 30... With two games remaining Azerbaijan g5 31.¥d6 ¦c1+ 32.¢f2 ¦c2+ with a had a winning position on Board 3 and perpetual. a dead drawn position on Board 1. But then almost simultaneously both games 25.¤e2 Now White consolidates and the ended in a draw, after Naiditsch on two extra pawns win him the game. Board 3 found a way not to win against Ponomariov. The controversy was further 25...¥b4 26.¦c1 ¦ce8 27.a4 ¢b6 28.¦c4 fuelled by Nepomniachtchi’s (him again!) ¥e1+ 29.¢xe1 ¦xe3 30.a5+ ¢xa5 tweets (see below) and comments about 31.¦c5+ ¢b4 32.¦xd5 ¦he8 33.¦b7+ the outcome of the match. Here is the end ¢a3 34.¦xa7+ ¢b2 35.¢f2 ¦xe2+ of the decisive game of that match, so 36.¢g3 with a technically winning rook you can judge for yourself: endgame. 1–0

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Arkadij Naiditsch - Ruslan Ponomariov Quite unexpectedly, Azerbaijan won

st 3-1. The tone of the match was set 21 European Teams Hersonissos GRE (9.1) by Mamedyarov’s excellent win over XIIIIIIIIY Grischuk, using a forgotten opening idea by Lajos Portisch. On Board 2 Radjabov beat 9-+-+-+-+0 Nepomniachtchi, on Board 4 Mamedov 9tR-+-+-+-0 beat Dubov and it was only on Board 3 that 9p+-zpk+-+0 the Russians scored, with Matlakov beating 9+-+-zp-+-0 Naiditsch. 9-+-zp-+-+0 Alexander Grischuk – 9zP-+-+-+-0 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 9-zPP+-sn-+0 21st European Teams Hersonissos GRE (8.1) 9+K+-+-+-0 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 a6 4.¥a4 d6 5.0–0 xiiiiiiiiy ¥d7 6.¦e1 g5!? Typical Mamedyarov, 38...e4 39.¦xa6? 39.¢c1 e3 40.b4 and trying to sharpen the position as soon as Black cannot make progress while White’s possible. It is notable that he finds ways to play is straightforward. 40...¢e5 41.¦xa6 spice things up in classical openings like d5 42.b5 ¢e4 43.¦e6+ ¢f3 44.b6. the Spanish and the Caro-Kann.

39...e3 40.¢c1? After this it’s a draw. 7.¥xc6 7.d4 was played in the first game with this variation. A strike in the centre as a 40.¦a8! still wins for White 40...¢f7 (40...¢d7 classical reaction to a wing attack, the game 41.¦a7+ ¢e6 42.¢c1 transposes to 41 ¦a7). was spoilt by an early blunder by Korchnoi. 7...g4 8.¥xc6 ¥xc6 (8...bxc6!? transposes A) 41.¢c1 the difference is that now the to our game) 9.¤fd2 £h4 10.¤c4 ¥g7 black king is further away from the centre. 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.¤c3 (12.¤a5!?) 12...¦d8 41...d3 42.cxd3 ¤xd3+ 43.¢d1 ¤xb2+ 13.¤d5?? (13.£e2 ¤e7 14.b3 0–0 15.¥a3 44.¢e2 ¤c4 45.¢d3 ¢e7 (45...¢e6? kept a pleasant edge for White) 13...¥xd5 46.¢xc4 e2 47.¦e8+) 46.a4; 14.exd5 g3! 15.hxg3 £xc4 and Black is a piece up: 0–1 (32) Korchnoi,V-Portisch,L B) And for the sake of comparison let’s see Wijk aan Zee 1968. the analogous line with the game only with a white rook on a7 41.¦a7+ ¢e6 42.¢c1 7...bxc6 8.d4 g4 9.¤fd2 exd4 10.¤b3 d3 43.cxd3 ¤xd3+ 44.¢d1 ¤xb2+ ¤e7 11.¤xd4 ¥g7 12.¤c3 0–0 45.¢e2 ¤c4 46.a4 ¢d5 47.¢d3 and Black will lose the e-pawn 47...¢c5 48.¦c7+! XIIIIIIIIY being the difference fromthe game. 9r+-wq-trk+0 9+-zplsnpvlp0 40...d3! This is the difference! 9p+pzp-+-+0 41.cxd3 ¤xd3+ 42.¢d1 ¤xb2+ 43.¢e2 9+-+-+-+-0 ¤c4 43...¤c4 44.¢d3 ¢d5 45.a4 ¢c5 and now White doesn’t have the check from c7. 9-+-sNP+p+0 ½–½ 9+-sN-+-+-0 9PzPP+-zPPzP0 The title was decided in the direct duel 9tR-vLQtR-mK-0 between Russia-Azerbaijan in Round 8. xiiiiiiiiy

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Black can be fairly happy with the outcome of the opening. He has a compact position with a pair of bishops. On the other hand, White has easy development and better central control.

13.¥g5 Provoking ...f6 to blunt the ¥g7.

13...f6 14.¥e3 £e8 Now Black uses the fact that the f-pawn has moved and transfers the queen to the kingside.

15.£d3 15.£d2 ¥h6 15...£g6 transposes to the game.

15...£f7 15...£g6 was an alternative, but The winning team - Azerbaijan - lifting White has 16.¥f4! preventing ...f5 with the the trophy idea 16...f5 17.e5.

16.£d2 16.¥f4 ¤g6 17.¥g3 ¤e5 18.£e2. 18.f3 is what the engine suggests, but to a human this is an awful anti-positional 16...£g6 Preventing ¥h6. move, weakening the kingside and playing on the flank where you’re weaker. In 16...c5!? 17.¤b3 (17.¤de2 ¥c6 18.¤f4 the best engine tradition, the move is f5! shows the hidden potential of Black’s deeply prophylactic as it prevents Black’s position – the twobishops are controlling the further expansion on the kingside while whole board.) 17...¤g6 (…17...¥c6 18.¤a5) the weaknesses created can easily be 18.¥h6 ¥xh6 19.£xh6 ¦ae8 with ...f5 to controlled. 18...¦ab8 (18...f5 19.e5; 18... follow and Black’s activity is significant. h4 19.fxg4 ¥xg4 20.¦e3! ¦f1; 18...gxf3 19.¤xf3; 18...¦ae8 19.fxg4 hxg4 20.¦ad1) 17.¥f4 h5 19.fxg4 hxg4 20.¤b3 ¦be8 and, though Black is still somewhat better, he doesn’t XIIIIIIIIY have a straightforward plan as in the game. 9r+-+-trk+0 9+-zplsn-vl-0 18...h4 19.a4 £h5 20.¥e3 Liberating f4 9p+pzp-zpq+0 for the knight, but Black is faster. 9+-+-+-+p0 20...h3 21.¤ce2 It is understandable that Grischuk did not want to weaken the light 9-+-sNPvLp+0 squares around his king, but it was a choice 9+-sN-+-+-0 between two evils. 9PzPPwQ-zPPzP0 21.g3 f5 22.¤de2 fxe4 23.¥d4 ¥xd4 9tR-+-tR-mK-0 24.¤xd4 d5 with a clear pawn up. xiiiiiiiiy Black is solid in the centre and grabs space 21...hxg2 22.¤f4 £h7 23.¤fe6 on the kingside. White’s problem is that he Eliminating Black’s light-squared bishop does not have a clear plan as the advance and thus fighting for light-square control. on the queenside doesn’t bring anything. 23.¤xg2 ¤g6 ¤e5. 18.b4?! Things start to go sour for White after this. 23...¥xe6 24.¤xe6

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£e4+ 38.¢g1 £xe3+ 39.¢h1 and White XIIIIIIIIY should draw without too many problems now. 9r+-+-trk+0 9+-zp-sn-vlq0 28...£xf5 29.¥g5 ¤f3+ 30.¦xf3 gxf3 The protected passed pawn on g2 (!) decides the 9p+pzpNzp-+0 game easily. 9+-+-+-+-0 31.¥h6 £d5 32.£c1 ¥c3 33.¦e3 33.¦d1 9PzP-+P+p+0 £h5 ¥e5 34.¥f4 ¦xf4! 35.£xf4 ¥e5. 9+-+-vL-+-0 9-+PwQ-zPpzP0 33...¥d4 34.¦d3 ¦e8 35.c3 35.¥e3 ¥xe3 9tR-+-tR-mK-0 36.¦xe3 ¦xe3 37.fxe3 £c4 38.£e1 £e2. xiiiiiiiiy 35...¥xf2+! 36.¢xf2 ¦e2+ 24...¤g6! Black is also fighting for light- 0–1 square control, which is more important than material in this position! This victory is a third European title for 25.¤xf8 ¦xf8 26.¥f4 f5 27.exf5 ¤h4 28.¦a3? Azerbaijan, after their wins in 2009 and 2013.

XIIIIIIIIY Their team is the same in all team 9-+-+-trk+0 championships and, in such cases, everything 9+-zp-+-vlq0 depends whether one or more players will be 9p+pzp-+-+0 in good form and make a huge score. 9+-+-+P+-0 This year it was Rauf Mamedov on Board 4 who scored an amazing 8/9 and was the key player 9PzP-+-vLpsn0 they could rely on. Mamedyarov on Board 1 9tR-+-+-+-0 was playing at his usual level while Radjabov’s 9-+PwQ-zPpzP0 return to form (he is in an upward trend after winning the Geneva Grand Prix this summer) 9+-+-tR-mK-0 also benefited the team as they got a reliable xiiiiiiiiy Board 2. Their victory over Russia in what was In his usual time-trouble Grischuk fails to a title-decider showed that they are a confident realise that he has to defend f5 with the queen.. team capable of the highest achievements.

28.£d3! would have saved the game for Azerbaijan were White even though the position remains considered out of dangerous 28...¥xa1 (28...¤f3+ 29.¢xg2 contention as they lost £h3+ 30.¢h1 ¥xa1 31.¦xa1 is OK for White.; 28...¥d4!? 29.¦ad1 ¤f3+ 30.¢xg2 as early as Round 1 to £h3+ 31.¢h1 ¤xe1 32.¦xe1 ¥xf2 33.¦e6 Italy. After a 4-0 sweep of with enough counterplay; 28...£xf5 29.£xf5 Austria they only managed ¦xf5 30.¥g3 ¤f3+ 31.¢xg2 ¥xa1 32.¦xa1 with a draw) 29.¦xa1 ¦e8!? ¤f3–e1 a draw against Spain. But 30.£c4+ £f7 31.£xc6 (31.£xf7+? ¢xf7 then something ‘clicked’ 32.¥g3 ¤f3+ 33.¢xg2 ¤e1+ 34.¢f1 and they won all the ¤xc2 35.¦b1 ¦b8 wins for Black) 31...¤f3+ 32.¢xg2 ¤d4 33.£b7 White must keep an remaining matches, bar the eye on the long diagonal 33...£xf5 34.¥e3 last one when a draw was ¤xc2 35.¦c1 ¤xe3+ 36.fxe3 d5 37.£xc7 sufficient for first place

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The troubled English team

Unfortunately, one of the biggest disappointments of the championship was the English team. Their troubles started as early as Round 1 when they drew with Romania. The culprit was their most experienced player – Nigel Short.

Victor Bologan – Nigel Short Short came up short: Not a very good 21st European Teams Hersonissos GRE (1.1) event for the English team XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-+-+0 49.¦c7 f5™ In order not to be mated, Black 9+-+-+-+-0 must allow a passed f-pawn. 9-+-sN-zpk+0 9+-tR-zp-zpp0 50.exf5 ¥xf3 51.¦g7+ ¢f6 52.¦f7+ ¢g5 53.¦g7+ Bologan was in time-trouble so 9-+-+P+-zP0 he repeated moves first before trying for 9+-+-+PzP-0 more. 9r+-+l+-+0 53...¢f6 54.¦g6+ ¢e7 55.¦e6+ ¢d7 9+-+-+-mK-0 56.¤c4 e4?? xiiiiiiiiy XIIIIIIIIY Short was pressing in a symmetrical position for a long time but now loses his 9-+-+-+-+0 focus. 9+-+k+-+-0 48.hxg5 ¢xg5?? The other two recaptures 9-+-+R+-+0 led to a draw. 9+-+-+P+p0 9-+N+p+-+0 I was watching the game at the board when Short played this and his body language 9+-+-+lzP-0 clearly showed he missed White’s next 9r+-+-+-+0 move. Objectively though, even after this the game should be a draw: it is just that 9+-+-+-mK-0 now the tables are turned and, from being xiiiiiiiiy the side that has applied pressure, Black is This allows White to fully harmonise his now on the receiving end. Even a player pieces, after which Black is helpless. of Short’s experience failed to adjust to this abrupt change in the character of the 56...¥g4 would have drawn as Black position. is fighting the main enemy, the passed f-pawn. 57.¤xe5+ ¢d8 58.¤xg4 (58.¦f6 Better was 48...¥xf3=; 48...fxg5 49.¦xe5 ¢e7 59.¦f7+ ¢d6 60.¤xg4 hxg4 is an ¥xf3=. easy draw as White’s king is cut off on the

716 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE December 2017 first rank and Black deals with the f-pawn.) 31.f6?? 31.¦xg5 £a1+ 32.¢d2 £b2+ 58...hxg4 59.¦e4 ¦a1+! 60.¢f2 ¦a5 is 33.¥c2 (33.¢d1 £a1+ is a perpetual) the most precise defence. 61.¦xg4 ¦xf5+ 33...¦d8+ 34.¤d5 e4 is a mess and as usual 62.¢e3 ¢e7. in such cases the engine finds a perpetual. 35.f6 e3+ 36.¢d3 (36.¢xe3 ¤xd5+ 57.¤e5+ ¢d8 58.f6+– Black’s scattered army 37.cxd5 £c1+ 38.¢f3 £f1+ 39.¢g3 cannot deal with White’s compact forces. £g1+ with a perpetual) 36...£d4+ 37.¢e2 £d2+ 38.¢f3 £f2+ 39.¢g4 58...¦g2+ 59.¢f1 e3 The only way to £g2+ 40.¢h4 £h2+ with a perpetual. distract White from promoting, but it only brings brief respite. 31...¦d8+ After 31...¦d8+ White will get mated or lose a lot of material. 32.¥d5 60.¤f7+ ¢c7 61.¦e7+ ¢b6 62.¦xe3 ¥d5 ¤f5 33.£g6 £xc3 34.f7 (34.£xf5 £xc4) 63.¦d3 h4 63...¥b7 64.¤d8 threatening 34...£d3+ 35.¢e1 £b1+ 36.¢f2 £c2+ both f7 and ¦b3. 37.¢e1 £c1+ 38.¢f2 £d2+ 39.¢f3 e4+ 40.¢xe4 £e3+ 41.¢xf5 £f4+ 42.¢e6 64.¦xd5 ¦xg3 65.¤e5 h3 66.¦d2 ¦g5 ¤f8+ 43.¢e7 ¦d7+ 44.¢xf8 £b8# 67.f7 ¦f5+ 68.¢g1 ¢c7 69.¦d7+ ¢c8 would have been a very nice finish. 70.¦e7 0–1 1–0

In Round 5 England struggled and barely The English team scored a good 3:1 win in won (2.5:1.5) against the second Greek Round 2 against Norway, then narrowly lost team whose players on average had 200 to Poland in Round 3 (2.5:1.5). But the fourth ELO points fewerthan the English players. match brought further disappointment. Short’s finest effort was his win against Kovalev of Belarus, where he used a fine Short didn’t play well in the tournament, attacking motif. but he got lucky in Round 4 when this win allowed the team to draw with Italy. Nigel Short – Vladislav Kovalev Sabiano Brunello - Nigel Short European Team Championship (6.2) European Team Championship (4.2) XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-+-+rmk0 9-tr-+-+-mk0 9+-+l+p+p0 9zp-+-sn-+n0 9p+-zp-zPp+0 9-+-+-zp-wQ0 9sn-zpP+-+-0 9+-zp-zpPtRP0 9-zp-+P+-+0 9-+P+L+-+0 9+P+-+-tRP0 9+-sN-+-+-0 9PwqLwQNtRP+0 9Pwq-+-+-+0 9+-+-+-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 9+-+K+-tR-0 31...¦ae8 32.¢h2!! Short definitely knows xiiiiiiiiy the motif, having played a match against 30...fxg5 Short was lost for most of the the man himself - the idea of improving game but now it should be a draw. But the the position of the king before a final Italian falters in time-trouble. attack was introduced by Kasparov against

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Karpov, more specifically in games 16 and 20 of their matches in 1986 and 1990 respectively. Curiously enough, in both Interesting these games White played ¢h2 on move 31. Here Short plays it one move later. games and 32...£xa2 33.¤g1! Another beautiful manoevre. The knight heads to g5. moments 33...£b2 33...¤xb3 also loses after from Crete 34.£h6 ¦e5 35.¦xb3 is simpler (35.¤f3 ¦h5 36.¤g5 is nice, but after Black’s only defence 36...¥e8 White must play the only move 37.¥d1! ¦xh6 38.¦xa2 where he is two pawns down, but with a winning position in view of the comic position of Black’s pieces on the kingside.) 35...¥a4 36.£e3 ¥xb3 37.¥xb3 £a1 38.¤f3 with a winning position.

34.¤f3 Threatening £h6 and ¤g5.

34...¦e5 35.¦g5 ¦xg5 35...¦ee8 36.e5.

36.£xg5 ¤xb3 37.£h6 g5 38.e5 1–0

It is difficult to say why the English performed badly – all the players lost rating points, ranging between Jones’s 4.4 to It is difficult to follow all the games in such a McShane’s 15.8 points. From things like big team event so here I present a few games team chemistry to physical fitness – those and fragments that I found interesting. are just some of many factors that can affect a team’s performance... Erwin L'Ami – Sergei Movsesian The other UK team, Scotland, scored a fine win over Macedonia in Round 3 while their European Team Championship (4.2) other team victory came in Round 8 against XIIIIIIIIY Kosovo* (the Serbian province which declared independence in 2008 but is not 9-+-+r+-+0 recognised by the UN), which finished last. 9+-+rzPp+-0 9pzp-+-zP-mk0 All English players lost 9+-zp-+P+p0 rating, ranging between 9-+-zp-sNpzP0 Jones’s 4.4 to McShane’s 9zP-+-zP-+-0 15.8 points 9-zP-+-mK-+0 9+-+R+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy

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42.e4 White has played 42. e4 (some would say 41 moves too late) and reached XIIIIIIIIY a very picturesque position where Black is 9-+-tR-+-+0 completely helpless. 9+-+-+p+-0 42...¢h7 43.¤d5 ¦b8 44.¢g3 Black 9-+-wQpmkp+0 resigned as he had probably had enough. 9+-+-+-+p0 White wins simply by advancing the central pawns. 9-tr-+-+-zP0 9+-+-zP-zP-0 44.¢g3 b5 45.¤f4 ¢h6 46.e5 ¦e8 47.e6. 9-wq-+-zP-+0 1–0 9+-+-+-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy Chess is an adventurous game and This should have lost. sometimes even the simplest positions can unexpectedly spring to life. 40...¦b7 was more resilient 41.£f8+ ¢h7 42.£g8+ ¢h6 43.¦d4! blocking the long Zoltan Almasi – Daniil Dubov diagonal. 43...f5 44.¢g2 and Black will see no end of trouble with his weakened king. European Team Championship (4.4) XIIIIIIIIY 41.£f8?? After this the tables are 9-+-+-+k+0 unexpectedly turned. The fact that Almasi made this blunder after the time control, when 9+-+-+p+-0 he had more than enough time to calculate 9-+-+p+p+0 the winning ways, means that the lines are far 9+-+-+-+p0 from easy, either to calculate or understand. 9-zP-wQ-+-zP0 41.¦a8! is sort of a waiting move, improving 9+-+-zP-zP-0 the position of the rook, liberating d8, and preparing for the final assault. Black 9r+q+-zP-+0 is helpless as he cannot secure his king. I 9+-+-+RmK-0 assume Almasi was looking for a direct win xiiiiiiiiy and failed to realise that here White should 36...£b2 A rather dull position which first prepare as Black’s king cannot escape you would expect to finish in a draw to safety. 41...£c3 (41...£c1+ 42.¢g2 ¦b1 very soon. Black’s activity more 43.£f4+ ¢g7 44.£d4+ mates quickly.) than suffices to round up the passed 42.¢g2! another move that accentuates b-pawn. However, strange things start Black’s helplessness 42...¦c4 43.£d8+ to happen. ¢e5 44.¦a5+ ¦c5 45.£c7+ ¢d5 46.e4+ ¢d4 47.£d6+; 41.¦c8! with the same ideas 37.£f4 ¦a4? 37...¢g7 38.¦d1 e5 draws on the as 41 ¦a8.; 41.¢g2 even this was good, as spot as the queen cannot defend both b4 and f2. after 41...¦b7 42.£f8 White threatens to harass the king in similar ways as in the line 38.¦d1! White activates the rook and after 40...¦b7 42...£e5 43.¦a8! again this now Black is in trouble. King attacks in very important move that liberates d8 and queen and rook positions are known to be still allows the rook to use the fourth rank. extremely dangerous. White has a winning attack here.

38...¦xb4 39.¦d8+ ¢g7 40.£d6 ¢f6? 41...£c1+ 42.¢h2 ¦b1 Shockingly, now White’s king cornered on h2 is in the

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 719 12/137 greater danger. To his credit, Almasi didn’t It is an easy draw now. Black will take on panic, managed to adjust and found the only e3 but the weak pawn on g6 plus White’s moves to draw this dangerous position. active rook guarantee a draw.

43.£h8+ ¢f5 44.g4+™ Absolutely the 56...¦f1 57.f4 ¦f2+ 58.¢g3 ¦f3+ 59.¢g2 only move! ¦xe3 60.¦a5 ¦e4 61.¢g3 ¢f1 62.¢f3 ¦e1 63.¦a2 ¦b1 64.¦f2+ ¢g1 65.¦g2+ 44...¢xg4 45.¦d4+ ¢f3 46.£a8+ ¢e2 ¢f1 66.¦f2+ ¢e1 67.¦e2+ ¢d1 68.¦e6 ¦b3+ 69.¢g2 ¦b2+ 70.¢g3 XIIIIIIIIY ½–½ 9Q+-+-+-+0 9+-+-+p+-0 The following game shows that Black is 9-+-+p+p+0 doing quite all right in one of the main lines 9+-+-+-+p0 of the Reti Opening. A resurrected line led 9-+-tR-+-zP0 to a devastating attack. 9+-+-zP-+-0 Levan Pantsulaia – Oleg Korneev 9-+-+kzP-mK0 European Team Championship (8.3) 9+rwq-+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy 1.c4 ¤f6 2.¤f3 c6 3.g3 d5 4.¥g2 ¥f5 What an amazing journey for the Black king! This line in the Reti was considered bad for Black for a very long time. The discovery 47.¦f4 47.£g2 was another option, with that Black can sacrifice the b7–pawn for a similar rook endgame after 47...£f1 strong initiative changed the verdict and 48.¦f4 £xg2+ 49.¢xg2. now the line is considered very good for Black. 47...£g1+ 48.¢h3 £f1+ 49.¢h2 £g1+ 50.¢h3 £h1+ 51.£xh1 ¦xh1+ 52.¢g2 5.cxd5 Fischer played 5.£b3 £b6 6.cxd5 e5 53.¦a4 ¦d1 53...¦c1!? 54.¦a2+! (6.£xb6 axb6 7.cxd5 ¤xd5! keeping (…54.¦a7? ¦c4) 54...¢e1 55.¢f3 ¢f1 the queenside pawns together) 6...£xb3 56.¦a6 e4+ 57.¢g3 ¢e2 58.¢g2 should 7.axb3 cxd5 (7...¤xd5 is what Polugaevsky still draw for White. played in a later game.) 8.¤c3 ¤c6 9.d3 e6 10.0–0 ¥e7 11.¥e3 ¤g4 12.¥f4 with 54.¦a7 f5 55.¦a5 ¦c1 55...e4 56.¦a6. a balanced endgame: ½–½ (38) Fischer,R- Polugaevsky,L Palma de Mallorca 1970. 56.¦xe5 5...cxd5 6.£b3 ¤c6! The point behind XIIIIIIIIY Black’s opening play. Everything else is 9-+-+-+-+0 just bad. 9+-+-+-+-0 7.£xb7 Otherwise White’s play doesn’t 9-+-+-+p+0 makesense, but now Black has excellent 9+-+-tRp+p0 compensation. 9-+-+-+-zP0 7...¥d7 8.£b3 e5 9.0–0 9.d3 is an 9+-+-zP-+-0 alternative 9...¦b8 10.£d1 ¥b4+ 11.¤fd2 and now both 11...£c8 (and 11...h5 offer 9-+-+kzPK+0 Black great game.) 9+-tr-+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy

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9...e4 10.¤e1 ¦b8 11.£d1 h5! ¤d4! was more forcing.

XIIIIIIIIY 19.e4 19.£e1 ¥h3 20.£f1 ¥xg2 21.£xg2 9-tr-wqkvl-tr0 g4 22.¤h4 £e5 also wins for Black. 9zp-+l+pzp-0 19...g4 20.e5 £g7! 21.exd6 gxf3 22.exf3 9-+n+-sn-+0 £xg3 9+-+p+-+p0 XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+p+-+0 9-tr-+k+-tr0 9+-+-+-zP-0 9zp-+lsnp+-0 9PzP-zPPzPLzP0 9-+-zP-+-+0 9tRNvLQsNRmK-0 9+-+p+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy After only 11 moves Black has a dangerous 9-+-+-+-+0 attack in the Reti! White players must look 9+-sNP+Pwq-0 for other ways to play against this line as 9PzP-+-+L+0 this is definitely not what one dreams of when playing with White. 9tR-vLQ+-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 12.d3 12.h4 g5! 13.hxg5 ¤g4 h4. The rest is just aesthetically pleasing. We rarely get to see an attack on the king that 12...h4 13.¤c3 hxg3 14.hxg3 e3! 15.fxe3? ends with a mate in the centre of the board.

XIIIIIIIIY 23.¤e2 £h2+ 24.¢f2 £h4+ 25.¢f1 ¥h3 9-tr-wqkvl-tr0 26.£c2 ¥xg2+ 27.¢xg2 ¦g8+ 28.¢f1 9zp-+l+pzp-0 ¦c8 29.£b3 £h1+ 30.¢f2 ¦g2+ 31.¢e3 ¤f5+ 32.¢f4 £h6+ 33.¢xf5 £h5+ 9-+n+-sn-+0 0–1 9+-+p+-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-sNPzP-zP-0 9PzP-+P+L+0

9tR-vLQsNRmK-0 Tense moments from the last round xiiiiiiiiy 15.¥xe3 was the only move to repel the attack 15...d4 16.¥f4 dxc3 17.¥xb8 cxb2 18.¦b1 £xb8 19.£c2 £d6 with an unclear position

15...¥d6 Black’s attack is crushing now.

16.¦f4 16.¦f3 ¤e5.

16...g5 17.¦xf6 £xf6 18.¤f3 18.¤xd5 £e5.

18...¤e7 18...¥xg3 19.¤xd5 £h6 20.e4

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 721 12/137 Women’s championship: Russia in a league of their own If the men’s tournament saw the three 45...¤d7 White dominates, but Black’s highest-ranked teams finish on top (with position is resilient. Muzychuk finds a a slight permutation between numbers 1 curious tactical idea. and 2) the women’s tournament saw the first four finish first, without permutations! 46.¤c7!? ¦xc7? 46...¤xf6 was better, Russia was in a league of their own, as after 47.¥e6+ ¢g7 48.gxf6+ ¢xf6 allowing only a single drawn match and 49.¤xa6 ¦f8 White cannot reach either of winning the rest. They won the tournament Black’s weaknesses on d6 or a5 as they can with a round to spare. easily be defended by the rook.

Second were Georgia, third Ukraine and 47.¥e6+ ¢h8 48.¦f7 ¦b7 49.¦xd7? fourth Poland. Unfortunately White misses her chance to crown the cute idea started on move 46. There is very little room for surprises in women’s chess in view of the domination 49.¢d2!! puts Black in zugzwang. 49... of those teams. The teams with the biggest h6 (49...¥xc4 50.bxc4 b3 51.¢c1 is difference between starting rank and the tactical idea behind the king move; eventual finish were Romania (ranked 49...¦c7 50.¦e7 h6 51.gxh6 ¥c8 52.g4 9th, finished joint 4th) Spain (ranked ¦b7 53.g5 total domination by White. 12th, finished shared 6th) and, somewhat 53...¦c7 54.¦e8+ ¢h7 55.¥g8+ ¢h8 surprisingly, the Macedonian team I was 56.¥f7+ ¢h7 57.¦e7 ¢h8 58.¥xg6) coaching (ranked 30th, finished shared 50.¥xd7 ¢g8 51.¦e7 hxg5 52.¦e8+ ¢f7 20th). 53.¥c6 ¦a7 otherwise ¦a8 and the a5– pawn will fall. 54.¦e6 wins the d6–pawn The finish of the following game could with a winning position as all the other have been a small masterpiece. Black pawns are weak.

Anna Muzychuk – Marie Sebag ½–½

European Women's Team Championship (5.1) XIIIIIIIIY 9-+r+-snk+0 Russian women 9+-+-+-+p0 were dominant. 9l+-zpNtRp+0 Allowing only 9zp-zpPzp-zP-0 one match to end 9PzpP+P+L+0 with a draw, 9+P+-mK-zP-0 they decisively 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 took the first place xiiiiiiiiy

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Organisational shortcomings: Plain food and expensive refreshments

A few words about the organisation. Usually the Greeks are very good organisers. I remember playing at the same venue in 2007 where the breakfast buffet had goat’s milk, goat and cottage cheese among other things and was at least twice as big. This year not only there was no goat’s milk, but neither were therescrambled eggs, pancakes, feta cheese or olives(!). The tea was free for breakfast but cost 2.5 EUR (a bit over £2) for lunch and dinner and the food selection was extremely limited and of low quality.

The biggest rip-off, however, was that the players were required to pay for the refreshments during the game (2 EUR for a cup of coffee) in spite of the fact that every player has to pay 100 EUR (just under £90) for refreshments and airport transfer, which is part of the regulations. The only free thing was a half-litre bottle of water and even those ran out rather quickly during some rounds.

I personally tried to complain about all this but to no avail – I actually never managed to find the main organiser. It is shameful that these celebrations of chess are turning more and more into profit-generating events as the respect for both the game and players diminishes.

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London Chess Classic 1ST – 11TH December

Where giants meet By IM Shaun Taulbut Photo: Josip Asik and BCM archive The London Chess Classic (LCC) - the most prestigious chess event in the UK, and one of the top annual events in the world - is the last leg of the Grand Chess Tour, taking place from 1st to 11th December. The event represents the final battleground for nine players on the tour fighting for LCC prizes and for the title of the winner of one of the most significant chess events in the year. It is a wonderful thing that Mickey Adams of England had a seat among the top players at the LCC, thanks to the wildcard invite.

When this BCM’s December copy goes out, the tournament will be nearing its end, and we Unlike many other will bring you a detailed report and analysis in our January issue. In this issue, we would like chess events to remind our readers of the great history and around the world, importance of the LCC and how things stand the London Chess for this year’s event. Classic is renowned The Classic is arguably the strongest chess for its massive event held in Britain, possibly matched only audience, a rarity by the famous 1936 Nottingham tournament ’ which brought together in one place giants such in today s chess as Botvinnik, Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine, arenas Euwe and Flohr among others.

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Born out of ambition and inspiration of Malcolm Pein, the Classic features great games but is also a place debate and discussion about the future of chess

Born out of the ambition and inspiration of Malcolm Pein, the Classic features great games but is also a place for debate and discussion about the future of chess. Combining tournaments for players of all levels, talks and training events - the Classic is a unique event not only for chess in Britain. Unlike many other chess events around the world, the London Chess Classic is renowned for its massive audience, a rarity in today’s chess arenas.

This year is the ninth London Chess Classic, having started in 2009. The format has changed following the start of the Grand Chess Tour. In the early Classics there were more opportunities for the top British players to test themselves against the best, but the Grand Chess Tour has only the best players in the world, so among British players only Mickey Adams has a sufficiently good rating for inclusion. Fortunately, the British Knockout tournament held at the same time has very good prizes and is a wonderful opportunity for the top British players.

Standings on the Tour before this year’s London Chess Classic are as follows: The players are competing for a total prize fund of $300,000 (£225,000) with a first prize of $75,000 (£56,250) together with the Grand Chess Tour Prize fund of $150,000 (£112,500). GRAND CHESS TOUR 2017 Standings After Paris, Your Next Move, Sinquefield Cup & Sant Louis Rapid & Blitz POS. PLAYER EVENTS GCT PRIZE PLAYED POINTS MONEY 1 GM MAGNUS CARLSEN 3 34 $113,750 2 GM MAXIME VACHER-LAGRAVE 3 31 $126,250 3 GM LEVON ARONIAN 3 25 $76,250 4 GM SERGEY KARJAKIN 3 20.5 $60,000 5 GM HIKARU NAKAMURA 3 20 $57,500 6 GM WESLEY SO 3 15.5 $47,500 7 GM VISWANATHAN ANAND 3 14 $60,000 8 GM IAN NEPOMNIACHTCHI 3 12.5 $37,500 9 GM FABIANO CARUANA 3 12 $32,500

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As we live in the age of erasing boundaries between humans and machines, and as chess played an important role in bringing the power of the mind and the machine together, it is notable that the first round was played at Google’s offices in Kings Cross

World No 1 Magnus Carlsen is the favourite to win, his nearest rival in the GCT being Maxime Vachier−Lagrave, who paradoxically has won more money but comes to London three points behind Carlsen. While at this stage we don’t know who the winner will be, it is likely that the event will be packed with tough matches probably leading to a lot of draws.

There is one other interesting thing about this year’s Classic: as we live in the age of erasing boundaries between humans and machines, and as chess played an important role in bringing the power of the mind and the machine together, it is notable that the first round was played at Google’s offices in King’s Cross. Other rounds will take place at London Olympia.

In the early Classics there were more opportunities for the top British Players to test themselves against the best, but the Grand Chess Tour has only the best players in the World so that only Mickey Adams has a sufficiently good rating for inclusion

Fide Open

The LCC is accompanied by a big FIDE open, bringing together players of all levels and age. This year we have a very strong nine round open with a first prize of £ 5,000, and a total prize fund of £ 22,500. There are numerous grandmasters playing and the strongest entrant so far by rating is Alexander Motylev of Russia (Rating 2675). The FIDE Open starts on 2 December 2017, finishes on Saturday 9th December 2017 and is followed by the Super Blitz on Sunday 10th December. The Super Blitz, on Sunday 10th December 2017, has a first prize of £ 2,000 and a total prize fund of £10,000.

After 4 rounds only 3 players achieved a 100% score: Armenian GM Hrant Melkumyan, 13−year−old Indian IM Sarin Nihal, and the 22−year old Uzbek GM Jahongir Vakhidov. Among English players, Gawain Jones and Jonathan Hawkins are in the top pack with solid chances.

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British Knockout

This knockout tournament featured the strongest British players, apart from Mickey Adams who was playing in the London Chess Classic. Last year’s winner Nigel Short started well with a 2:0 victory against 4NCL qualifier Alan Merry. In the semi−finals Short lost to Luke McShane while David Howell defeated Matthew Sadler. As we are writing this, the first game of the finals between Luke McShane and David Howell ended with a draw. The first prize is £20,000, with £10,000 for the losing finalist, £5,000 for the losing semi−finalists and £2,500 for the losing quarter−finalists.

Matthew Sadler made his debut in the competition; Matthew is not a professional chessplayer but has retained his strength including playing for Guildford in the 4NCL.

The first round is on 2 December at the Hilton London Olympia and the other rounds are at London Olympia.

British Knockout 2017 1 2 3 4 5 QTR-FINAL 1 Nigel Short 2687 1 1 - - - 2 Alan Merry 2422 0 0 - - - 0 QTR-FINAL 2 Matthew Sadler 2687 1 ½ - - - 1 ½ Jonathan Rowson 2563 0 ½ - - - ½ QTR-FINAL 3 David Howell 2685 1 ½ - - - 1 ½ Jonathan Hawkins 2573 0 ½ - - - ½ QTR-FINAL 4 Gawain Jones 2659 ½ 0 - - - ½ Luke McShane 2649 ½ 1 - - - 1 ½ SEMI-FINAL 1 Nigel Short 2687 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 2 Luke McShane 2649 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 3 SEMI-FINAL 2 David Howell 2685 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 3 Matthew Sadler 2687 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 2 FINAL David Howell 2685 1 2 3 Luke McShane 2649 1 0 1

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Pro Biz Cup 30 November 2017

The LCC kicked off with the 5th Pro Biz Cup which offers businessmen the chance to team up with top grandmasters and combine forces on the chess board. This year’s event was hosted by Deep Mind and its founder Demis Hassabis, who was playing with Mickey Adams. The event took place in the Google’s London office.

The winners of the three−round Pro Biz Cup were the Russian/Serbian pair, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi and businessman Rajko Vujatovic, who finished a point ahead of everyone else. Mr Vujatovic (who has a FIDE rating of 2222) has been a winner of the event before!

There were several players from the London Chess Classic paired with players from business. The teams and scores were as follows:

Points Points 1 Nepomniachtchi / Vujatovic 2 ½ 5 Aronian / Bapite 1 ½ 2 Mortazavi / Norwood 2 6 Carlsen / Flowers 1 3 Nakamura / Green 2 7 Vachier-Lagrave / Betthauser ½ 4 Kasparov / Chapman 2 8 Adams / Hassabis ½

It is interesting that Garry Kasparov was playing with Terry Chapman. The two know each other well from their odds challenge match, which Kasparov won. In 2001 Chapman played a 4−game charity match against Kasparov who started each game with six instead of eight pawns. Chapman drew the second game and won the third, but lost the overall match 2.5−1.5. As it was reported back in the day, the match was born out of a debate with friends on what would it take to defeat the world champion? Chapman said - two pawns - and that’s how the story started...

Chris Flowers - of the global investing firm J.C Flowers & Co − was playing with World Champion Magnus Carlsen.

An interesting pairing was Ali Mortazavi and David Norwood. Ali Mortazavi is CEO of Silence Therapeutics and a strong chess player who worked with David Norwood at Evolution.

LCC Winners YEAR PLAYER YEAR PLAYER 2009 MAGNUS CARLSEN 2014 VISWANATHAN ANAND 2010 MAGNUS CARLSEN 2015 MAGNUS CARLSEN 2011 VLADIMIR KRAMNIK 2016 WESLEY SO 2012 MAGNUS CARLSEN 2017 ? 2013 HIKARU NAKAMURA

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London to host FIDE World Chess Championship Match 2018

Evening Standard Editor George Osborne played a friendly game against Carlsen (Twitter) #LondonPlaysChess 2018 By Milan Dinic FIDE and World Chess - the commercial by journalist and hipsterish guests from rights holders to the FIDE Chess the world of PR and marketing. Among Championship cycle − have announced well−known British chess faces there were that the next World Chess Championship Leonard Barden (who complained of being Match will be held in London, from 9−28 invited in the very last minute), Malcolm November 2018. Also, the following year Pein and Dominic Lawson, as well as chess will be a ‘Year of Chess’ in Britain, with author and coach Julian Simpole. the aim of raising the profile of the game. The star of the event was Magnus Carlsen In a 12−game Match the current world who in a brief speech pointed out he has fond champion 27−year−old Magnus Carlsen will memories of playing in London, referring to defend the title he has been holding since the Classic in 2009 which he won. 2013 when he defeated Anand. His opponent will be the winner of the FIDE World Chess “It’s a great thing for me to be here again. Candidates Tournament in March. I’m looking forward to finding out who my opponent will be and, hopefully, I will be able The grand announcement about the World to bring much joy to young and old chess fans Championship Match was made in London’s in the UK and abroad”, Carlsen said. elite Kensington roof gardens club. Interestingly, it seemed that the people from Georgios Makropoulos, FIDE’s Deputy the chess community were outnumbered President, said that FIDE is very pleased to

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 729 12/137 bring the Match to the British capital: “London Carlsen: is a great capital to hold the match and has a “It’s a great thing for great tradition in chess events. We think it’s an excellent city to have the championship”. me to be here again. I’m looking forward Makropoulos mentioned that, in addition to to finding out who the match, next year there will be “activities my opponent will be before, during and after the match” in London and across the UK to popularise and, hopefully, I will chess. He also suggested that the Mayor be able to bring much of London will provide help for this. “We joy to young and old should tell everybody that chess is beautiful, and we will do it here in London”, said the chess fans in the UK FIDE Deputy President. and abroad”

Ilya Merenzon, CEO of World Chess, pointed - himself a big chess fan and thought to out that chess is now one of the world’s be the only politician who showed interest most popular computer games, “but it has in chess whilst in government - made an long−standing traditions, and we believe that appearance and gave a speech announcing London is the perfect setting for the next the big news and suggesting that the Championship Match. We are transforming event will give a tremendous boost for the the sport and making it modern and hip, but country, London and chess in Britain. mindful of millennia−old traditions - and we hope to conduct this transformation as Osborne, who also brought his dad to the gracefully as London does.” event, had to leave quickly as they were going to a football match, but not before Interestingly, the event in Kensington was Carlsen signed a chess board as a gift for organised in partnership with the London the daughter of the ex−Chancellor. Evening Standard, owned by the Russian billionaire father and son team - Alexander The previous match for the title of World and Evgeny Lebedev. Whether or not there Champion was held in New York in 2016 - was a Russian connection here or not, when Sergey Karjakin tried to take over the Evening Standard editor, George Osborne throne but failed, losing 9:7. That event was Interested in attending the match? Here’s where to look!

According to the organisers, details of ticket pricing and booking will be made available soon; however, chess fans can already book online tickets and start receiving subscriber− only benefits at www.london2018.worldchess.com. World Chess will provide a free live broadcast of the moves of the Match exclusively on www.worldchess.com and media partner sites.

The premium online broadcast will cost $15 (just over £11) for the Match or $25 (£18.50) for the full year and will include multi−camera video feed, behind−the−scenes access, studio show with expert commentary and special guests, as well as other subscriber−only benefits, such as limited edition merchandise, the possibility of asking grandmasters questions during press conferences and more. Ten percent of all digital tickets will go towards increasing the prize fund for the Match.

730 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE December 2017 followed by more than 1,5 billion people online. All hopes are that London 2018 will Evening break that record, as well as topping the number of those attending. Standard editor, George Osborne – Although it is still unknown who the challenger himself a big chess fan will be, the favourites are Wesley So, Fabiano Caruana and Sergey Karjakin. It is, however, and regarded to be certain that Carslen will be under the spotlight. the only politician Called “the Mozart of chess”, the Norwegian who showed chess prodigy became a grandmaster at the age of 13 in the Moscow Aeroflot Open in February interest in chess 2004. He has reached the highest rating of any whilst in government – chess player ever - 2882 - surpassing the living made an appearance legend of chess and long−time chess king, Garry Kasparov (whose personal best was and gave a speech 2851 points). announcing the big news and suggesting London’s bid for the event prevailed from a field that reportedly included pitches by that the event will give Japan, South Korea and Singapore. a tremendous boost for the country, The Championship Match will have a prize London and fund of EUR 1,000,000. chess in Britain Official hashtag: #LondonPlaysChess.

The Candidates Tournament will be held in Berlin from 10 to 28 March 2018. The winner will earn the right to challenge the defending world champion Magnus Carlsen in the London match in November. Here is a list of qualifiers for the March 2018 tournament:

THE CANDIDATES WORLD PLAYER RATING RANKING RUS Sergey Karjakin 2760 14 ARM Levon Aronian 2801 2 CHN Ding Liren 2774 11 AZE Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2799 4 RUS Alexander Grischuk 2782 9 USA Fabiano Caruana 2799 3 USA Wesley So 2788 6 RUS Vladimir Kramnik 2787 7

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Champions Showdown in St. Louis

Topalov’s crushing defeat by Nakamura By GM Aleksandar Colovic, Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club The Champions Showdown in St. Louis took The pairs were Nakamura−Topalov, part from 9−14 November and it consisted Caruana−Grischuk, So−Dominguez and of a series of matches between several top Carlsen−Ding Liren. players. The players played against each other with various time controls: first there Perhaps the least interesting from a sporting were 4 games at 30 minutes each to finish perspective was the match Nakamura− the game, then 6 games at 20 minutes to Topalov. The latter has already publicly finish, then 8 games at 10 minutes to finish expressed his withdrawal from official and, eventually, 12 games at 5 minutes to competitions, while Nakamura is famous for finish. his rapid skills. The final result confirmed the forecasts as the total score was 21−9 in Removing the ubiquitous increment showed Nakamura’s favour with Topalov managing the true intention of the organisers - they only 3 wins. However, this match brought wanted a show. Show and fun, even for the most interesting theoretical duels, with the players, because the loser of the match both players using the Queen’s Gambit was still getting 40,000 USD (£30,000) Declined. Nakamura chose the Exchange while the winner collected 60,000 USD Variation but he lost two and drew one in (£45,000). the 10−minute games:

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Hikaru Nakamura - Veselin Topalov This position is considered quite safe Champions Showdown G10 Saint Louis USA (2.1) for Black and Topalov didn’t have many problems either. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 ¥e7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.¥f4 c6 In the next two games Topalov 14.¦fe1 ¦fe8 15.¦ac1 15.e5 £g6 16.£xg6 switched to 5...¤f6 6.e3 ¥f5. ¤xg6 17.b4 f6=.

A) 7.£b3 was Nakamura’s choice in the 15...dxe4 16.¤xe4 £d5 17.¤c3 £d6 next White game 7...¤c6 8.g4 ¤xg4 9.£xd5 18.£c4 ¤f6 19.¤e5 ¦f8 20.g4?! Too £c8 (9...£xd5 is a major alternative. Both risky. moves should give Black a satisfactory game.) 10.a3 ¤f6 11.£g2 0–0 12.¥c4 ¤a5 20.¦cd1=. 13.¥a2 c5 14.dxc5 £xc5 and Black is fine: ½–½ (38) Nakamura,H (2780)-Topalov,V 20...¦ac8 21.h3 ¤fd5 22.¤e4 (2749) Saint Louis USA 2017; XIIIIIIIIY B) 7.¤ge2 0–0 8.¤g3 ¥e6 9.¥d3 c5 9-+r+-trk+0 10.dxc5 ¥xc5 11.0–0 ¤c6 12.a3 a novelty, 9zp-+-snpzpp0 but Black equalises easily after the usual 12...d4 13.¤a4 ¥e7 14.e4 the only way if 9-zppwq-+-+0 White wants to achieve more than a dull 9+-+nsN-+-0 equality, but Black is fine here as the knight on a4 is indeed dim. 14...¤d7 15.¤f5 ¤de5 9-+QzPN+P+0 16.¤xe7+ £xe7 17.¦c1 ¦ad8 18.¦e1 b6 9+-+-+-+P0 0–1 (55) Nakamura,H (2780)-Topalov,V 9PzP-+-zP-+0 (2749) Saint Louis USA 2017. 9+-tR-tR-mK-0 6.£c2 ¥d6 7.¥xd6 £xd6 8.e3 ¤e7 xiiiiiiiiy 9.¥d3 b6 9...g6?! 10.f3! is known from the 22.¤xd5 ¤xd5 23.£b3 should be OK for nostalgic Kasparov-Karpov match in 2009 White, but why did he play g4, then? 10...¤d7 11.¤ge2 and White is better here as Black didn’t manage to exchange the 22...£h6! Black takes over the initiative ¥c8: 1–0 (33) Kasparov,G (2812)-Karpov,A now. (2619) Valencia 2009. 23.£b3 ¤f4 24.¢h2 ¤ed5 25.£g3 f6 10.¤f3 ¥a6 11.0–0 ¥xd3 12.£xd3 0–0 26.¦xc6? 13.e4 ¤d7 XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9-+r+-trk+0 9r+-+-trk+0 9zp-+-+-zpp0 9zp-+nsnpzpp0 9-zpR+-zp-wq0 9-zppwq-+-+0 9+-+nsN-+-0 9+-+p+-+-0 9-+-zPNsnP+0 9-+-zPP+-+0 9+-+-+-wQP0 9+-sNQ+N+-0 9PzP-+-zP-mK0 9PzP-+-zPPzP0 9+-+-tR-+-0 9tR-+-+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy 26.¤xc6 ¦ce8 27.¤c3 ¤xc3 28.£xc3

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¤e2 29.£b3+ ¢h8 30.¦c2 £f4+ 31.¢g2 When Topalov was White he chose the £e4+ is a perpetual check popular line with 5.¥f4 and Nakamura stayed true to his usual choices. Again, the 26...¦xc6 27.¤xc6 f5 A double attack on Black player emerged victorious with two both knights. wins and a draw. 0–1

The final result confirmed the forecasts as the total score was 21-9 in Nakamura’s favour with Topalov managing only 3 wins. However, this match brought the most interesting theoretical duels

Veselin Topalov – Hikaru Nakamura XIIIIIIIIY Champions Showdown G10 Saint Louis USA (3.1) 9r+l+-trk+0 1.c4 ¤f6 2.¤c3 e6 3.¤f3 d5 4.d4 ¥e7 9zpp+-+pzpp0 5.¥f4 0–0 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 ¥xc5 8.a3 ¤c6 9-+n+psn-+0 9.£c2 Topalov deviated in the 7th 5–minute 9wq-vlp+-+-0 game 9.b4 ¥e7 10.cxd5 exd5 (10...¤xd5 is an alternative 11.¤xd5 exd5 12.¥d3) 9-+P+-vL-+0 11.¥e2 ¥e6 12.0–0 ¤e4 (12...¤h5 has 9zP-sN-zPN+-0 been played by Vaganian and appears a 9-zPQ+-zPPzP0 better option 13.¥g3 ¤xg3 14.hxg3 ¥f6 and Black is quite comfortable thanks to 9+-mKR+L+R0 the good control of the d4–square: ½–½ xiiiiiiiiy (44) Van der Sterren,P (2535)-Vaganian,R Topalov’s choice in the 3rd 10–minute game. (2605) Breda 1999) 13.¦c1 ¥f6 14.¤a4?! (14.¤xe4! dxe4 15.¤d2 ¥b2 16.¤xe4! 10.¦a2 was played in the 1st 5–minute ¥xc1 17.£xc1 would have been more in game 10...¥e7 11.b4 £d8 12.h3 b6 Topalov’s style, with excellent compensation 13.cxd5 exd5 14.¥e2 ¥e6 15.¤g5 ¦c8? for White) 14...¦c8 now Black is OK: ½–½ (15...d4 16.¤xe6 fxe6 17.¤e4 ¦c8 and (58) Topalov,V (2749)-Nakamura,H (2780) Black’s activity equalises comfortably.) Saint Louis USA 2017. 16.¤xe6 fxe6 17.¥a6 winning material, though Topalov somehow even managed 9...£a5 10.0–0–0 to lose from this position. 0–1 (53)

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Carlsen vs Ding Liren: The match turned out to be a wipeout. The final score of 22-8 speaks for itself. Ding Liren managed to win only 2 games from 30

Topalov,V (2749)−Nakamura,H (2780) Worth noting is that Caruana’s latest Saint Louis USA 2017. weapon with Black, the Queen’s Gambit Accepted, successfully passed the test since 10...¥e7 11.¢b1 a6 12.¤d2 b5 13.¤b3 he was always getting good positions and £b6 14.cxd5 exd5 15.¥g5 ¥e6 16.¥xf6 scored 5 draws with only 1 loss. ¥xf6 17.¤xd5 ¥xd5 18.¦xd5 ¦ac8 with excellent compensation for Black. The match So-Dominguez was another one decided with a spurt in the second half XIIIIIIIIY of the match. So won 5 games in a row 9-+r+-trk+0 (games 16 to 20) and won the second half 9+-+-+pzpp0 by 11.5−3.5. The final score was 17−13. 9pwqn+-vl-+0 Carlsen and Ding Liren: The match−up 9+p+R+-+-0 between the World Champion and one of his potential challengers (Ding Liren has already 9-+-+-+-+0 qualified for the Candidates tournament next 9zPN+-zP-+-0 year) was the one that drew most of the attention. 9-zPQ+-zPPzP0 In theory, it should have showed how far Carlsen 9+K+-+L+R0 is ahead of his immediate pursuers. In practice, xiiiiiiiiy the match turned out to be a wipe−out. The 0–1 final score of 22−8 speaks for itself. Ding Liren managed to win only 2 games from 30 and was beaten on all fronts by a determined Carlsen The closest match should have been who didn’t experiment in the openings and took Caruana-Grischuk. Grischuk is a former it very seriously to demonstrate his superiority. blitz world champion and known for his prowess at faster time controls while the The performance of the World Champion seems same cannot be said about Caruana. But as to indicate that he has overcome the crisis and is the time controls got shorter the American well back on the road to his best chess. was getting better and, in the end, he won comfortably 17−13. Caruana won the At the London Classic we will see if this second half of the whole match (games 15 will also translate to classical chess. Let’s to 30) by 12−4, winning 9 and losing only 1! hope the short wait will be worthwhile...

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 735 12/137 ANALYSING THE BEST GAMES FROM THE 16TH, 15TH AND 14TH 4NCL CONGRESS How Alan Merry paved his path to the British Knockout By IM Shaun Taulbut Chess events in Britain have reached the pinnacle, with the London Chess Classic and the British Knockout. The path to the zenith of the chess year in Britain was paved by 4NCL events, bringing together the best players on the isles. Here are some of the top games from the three recent 4NCL events. 4NCL 16TH CONGRESS The 4NCL held its 16th Congress from 3rd to 5th November 2017 at the Holiday Inn in Coventry. The Open tournament had a strong entry including a number of Grandmasters, with the first prize being a place in the British Knockout tournament. 4NCL 16TH CONGRESS Placing Open Points Prize 1st Alan Merry 4½ BKO 2nd = James Adair 4 £237.50 Andrew Greet 4 £237.50 Simon Williams 4 £237.50 Peter Sowray 4 £237.50 Rating Thivyaa Rahulan 2½ £50.00 Placing Major Points Prize 1st Nick Burrows 4½ £500.00 2nd = Nigel Holroyd 4 £112.50 Dominic Bennett 4 £112.50 Mark Abbott 4 £112.50 Ovidiu Angheluta 4 £112.50 Rating Andrew Di-Vetta 2½ £50.00 Placing Minor Points Prize 1st John Green 4½ £500.00 2nd = David Collyer 4 £112.50 Shlok Verma 4 £112.50 Lavanya Maladkar 4 £112.50 David Fowler 4 £112.50 Grading (U115) Feng Zhu 2½ £50.00

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Alan Merry won the Open section and 15...¤c8 This is too passive as now White qualified for the British Knockout ahead can switch his attention to the kingside of the grandmasters; here is one of his exploiting the lack of black pieces to wins. defend the king. Alan B – James Merry Jackson Better is 15...¦ad8 16.¤a4 £b5 17.¤ac5 16th 4NCL Congress 2017 Coventry ENG (3.3), and if 17...¥c8 (17...f6 18.¤xb7 £xb7 04.11.2017 19.¥f4 d5 20.¤c5 £c8 21.£c2 with an edge for White is best) 18.e5 ¥xe5 1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 g6 4.¥xc6 19.¦xe5 dxe5 20.£xd8 ¦xd8 21.¦xd8+ bxc6 5.0–0 ¥g7 6.¦e1 e5 ¢g7 22.¥xe7 £e2 23.h4 with a winning advantage of rook and two pieces against XIIIIIIIIY the queen. 9r+lwqk+ntr0 9zp-+p+pvlp0 15...d5 is also worth consideration then if 16.¥xe7 (16.¤a4 is good after 9-+p+-+p+0 16...£b5 17.¤ac5 and if 17..dxe4 (17... 9+-zp-zp-+-0 a5 18.a4 £b6 19.¤xa5 £xa5 20.£xa5 ¦xa5 21.¤xb7 ¦xa4 (21...¦a7 22.exd5 9-+-+P+-+0 ¦xb7 23.d6 f6 24.¥c1 with advantage 9+-+-+N+-0 to White) 22.exd5) 18.£d7 wins) 9PzPPzP-zPPzP0 16...¦xe7 17.exd5 ¦xe1+ 18.£xe1 cxd5 19.¤xd5 ¥xd5 20.¦xd5 ¥xb2 is 9tRNvLQtR-mK-0 equal. xiiiiiiiiy Black takes control of the centre but White 16.£f4 With the plan of ¥f6 exchanging is ahead in development and can break the off the defender; 16.¥h6 ¥h8 holds on for centre open if he wishes. Black.

7.c3 7.d3 ¤e7 8.¥e3 d6 9.a3 a5 is slower 16...¥e5 17.£h4 ¥a6 18.¦e3 Threatening and allows Black to consolidate. to swing the rook over to the kingside so Black tries to prevent the rook from coming 7...¤e7 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 exd4 10.¤xd4 to h3. White has a slight edge because of his better development. Black has the bishop 18...¥c4 19.¤d2 ¥e6 20.¤f3 ¥h8 21.e5 pair but no immediate good square for the d5 queen’s bishop. XIIIIIIIIY 10...0–0 11.¤c3 d6 12.¥g5 The logical move 9r+n+r+kvl0 with the threat of ¤xc6 puts pressure on Black. 9zp-+-+p+p0 12...¥b7 12...f6 13.¥f4 does not bode well 9-wqp+l+p+0 for Black as the pawn on d6 is a weakness. 9+-+pzP-vL-0 13.£d2 Another strong move, with the 9-+-+-+-wQ0 plan of ¥h6 aiming to exchange the dark- 9+-sN-tRN+-0 squared bishops. 9PzP-+-zPPzP0 13...¦e8 14.¦ad1 £b6 15.¤b3 The knight 9+-+R+-mK-0 retreats, uncovering the white pieces against xiiiiiiiiy the black pawn on d6, so Black must defend.

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 737 12/137 XIIIIIIIIY Black must prevent the white knight from coming to e4 eg 21...dxe5 22.¤e4 h5 9r+-wqrvlk+0 23.¥f6 £xb2 24.£g5 ¥g7 25.¥xg7 9+l+-+pzp-0 ¢xg7 26.¤xe5 ¤b6 27.£f6+ ¢g8 9p+-zp-sn-zp0 28.¤xg6 wins. 9snpzp-zp-+-0 22.¥f6 £c7 The only defence is 22... 9-+-zPP+-+0 h5 but White still wins after 23.¤d4 c5 (23...£xb2 24.¥xh8 ¢xh8 25.¤e4 9+-zP-+NsNP0 dxe4 26.£f6+ ¢h7 27.¤xe6 fxe6 9PzPL+-zPP+0 28.£f7+ ¢h6 29.£xe8) 24.£g5 cxd4 9tR-vLQtR-mK-0 (24...¢h7 25.¤xd5 ¥xd5 (25...cxd4 26.¤xb6 ¤xb6 27.¦xd4) 26.¤f5) A standardxiiiiiiiiy position has been reached and 25.£h6. White chooses to advance in the centre.

23.£h6 Black cannot prevent ¤g5 and 15...cxd4 16.cxd4 exd4 Black chooses to mate. liquidate the centre and open the position 1–0 with ...d5.

17.¤xd4 ¦c8 18.b3 Aiming to fianchetto the queen’s bishop allows Black to carry The grandmasters at the event had a out his planned advance. difficult time, Mark Hebden being downed by Sarah Longson. 18...d5 19.e5 ¤e4 20.¤xe4 dxe4 21.¥xe4 ¥b4 Sarah N Longson – Mark Hebden XIIIIIIIIY 9-+rwqr+k+0 16th 4NCL Congress 2017 Coventry ENG (1.2), 03.11.2017 9+l+-+pzp-0 9p+-+-+-zp0 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥c4 ¤f6 4.d3 ¥e7 5.0–0 0–0 6.¦e1 d6 7.c3 ¤a5 9snp+-zP-+-0 XIIIIIIIIY 9-vl-sNL+-+0 9r+lwq-trk+0 9+P+-+-+P0 9zppzp-vlpzpp0 9P+-+-zPP+0 9-+-zp-sn-+0 9tR-vLQtR-mK-0 9sn-+-zp-+-0 A tacticalxiiiiiiiiy move which has the drawback of weakening the kingside; 21...¦xe5 22.¥xb7 9-+L+P+-+0 ¦xe1+ 23.£xe1 ¤xb7 24.¥e3 ¤c5 with 9+-zPP+N+-0 an equal position; 21...¥xe4 22.¦xe4 ¤c6 9PzP-+-zPPzP0 23.¥b2 £d5 is also playable. 9tRNvLQtR-mK-0 22.£g4 The only good move, threatening xiiiiiiiiy ¥xh6. Black chases the White bishop, leading to a Ruy Lopez. 22...¦xe5 After 22...¥xe1 23.¥xh6 g6 24.¥xg6 ¢h8 25.¥g7+ ¢xg7 26.¤f5+ 8.¥b5 a6 9.¥a4 b5 10.¥c2 c5 11.¤bd2 ¢f8 27.¥h7 and mate on g8 cannot be ¦e8 12.¤f1 h6 13.¤g3 ¥f8 14.h3 ¥b7 prevented; Also after 22...¥xe4 23.¦xe4 15.d4 ¢h8 24.¥e3 ¥c3 25.¤f5 g6 26.¤xh6

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£c7 27.¦c1 White is winning. 60.¢g5 ¦e1 61.f6 b1£ 62.¦xb1 ¦xb1 63.f7 ¦b8 64.¢g6 ¢d4 65.¢g7 ¢e5 23.¥xh6 £f6 24.¥xb7 The exchange 66.f8£ ¦xf8 67.¢xf8 ¢f4 68.a5 wins. means that the rook on c8 is undefended and must move. 59.¦xb4 ¢xb4 60.f6 b2 61.f7 b1£ 62.f8£+ ¢c4 63.£f7+ ¢c3 64.£f6+ ¢c4 65.£e6+ 24...¦d8 25.¦xe5 £xe5 26.£xg7+ 26.¥e3 ¢c3 66.£e5+ ¢d2 67.£d4+ ¢e2 68.£f2+ ¤xb7 27.¦c1 ¥a3 28.¦c8 ¦f8 29.¤f3 £d6 30.¥d4 f6 31.¤h4 ¦xc8 32.£xc8+ ¢h7 This check forces a queen exchange. 33.£xb7 £xd4 34.£xg7+ ¢xg7 35.¤f5+ 1–0 ¢g6 36.¤xd4 is also very strong for White.

26...£xg7 27.¥xg7 ¢xg7 28.¤c6 ¤xc6 Peter Sowray beat Keith Arkell in the 29.¥xc6 ¦d2 The ending with the opposite following battle. bishops is not easy but White should win. Peter Sowray – Keith Arkell

30.a4 ¥c3 31.¦c1 b4 32.¥e4 ¢f6 33.¦c2 th ¦d1+ 34.¢h2 ¢e5 35.¥h7 ¢f4 36.¦e2 16 4NCL Congress 2017 Coventry ENG (4.4), 36.g3+ ¢f3 37.¥f5 is good when Black 05.11.2017 must retreat as after 37...¦f1 38.¥d3 ¦xf2+ 39.¦xf2+ ¢xf2 40.¥xa6 ¥e5 1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 ¥b4 4.e3 c5 41.h4 ¥xg3+ 42.¢h3 ¥f4 43.¢g4 ¢e3 5.¤ge2XIIIIIIIIY cxd4 6.exd4 d5 7.a3 44.¥b7 ¥e5 45.a5 ¥b8 46.h5 wins. 9rsnlwqk+-tr0 36...f5 37.¦e3 ¢g5 38.¦e6 38.g3 f4 9zpp+-+pzpp0 39.¦e6 fxg3+ 40.¢xg3 ¦g1+ 41.¢f3 9-+-+psn-+0 ¦h1 42.¢g2 ¦d1 43.¦xa6 is good. 9+-+p+-+-0 38...¦d2 39.¢g3 ¦d3+ 40.¢h2 40.f3 f4+ 9-vlPzP-+-+0 41.¢h2 ¦d1 42.¦xa6 ¥d4 43.¦g6+ ¢h5 9zP-sN-+-+-0 44.h4 should win for White but does allow Black some chances so White retreats. 9-zP-+NzPPzP0 9tR-vLQmKL+R0 40...¦d7 40...¦d2 is best, repeating the position. A slowerxiiiiiiiiy variation from White but still 41.h4+ ¢g4 42.¥g6 ¦d2 43.f3+ ¢xh4 with some venom. After 43...¢f4 44.¢h3 is good. 7...¥e7 8.¤f4 0–0 9.cxd5 ¤xd5 10.¤fxd5 44.¥xf5 ¢g5 45.¥e4 ¢f4 46.¦xa6 ¦b2 exd5 11.¥e2 ¤c6 12.0–0 ¥f6 13.¥e3 47.¥d5 ¥e1 48.¦f6+ 48.¦e6 threatening ¥e6XIIIIIIIIY 14.¤a4 ¦e4+ is winning. 9r+-wq-trk+0 48...¢e5 49.¦e6+ ¢xd5 50.¦xe1 ¦xb3 9zpp+-+pzpp0 Now Black has drawing chances. 9-+n+lvl-+0 9+-+p+-+-0 51.¦e4 ¢c5 52.f4 ¦b1 53.f5 b3 54.¦e8 ¦f1 This is not the best; moving the king forward 9N+-zP-+-+0 was better as now White is able to play g4. 9zP-+-vL-+-0 55.¦b8 ¢c4 56.g4 ¢c3 57.¢g2 ¦f4 9-zP-+LzPPzP0 58.¢g3 ¦b4 After 58...¦f1 59.¢h4 b2 9tR-+Q+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 739 12/137

An equal position in which the knights are 27...¥xh3 28.¤f4 White offers the aiming for an outpost. exchange; after 28.¦e1 ¦e8 29.£f4 White is slightly better. 14...b6 15.¦c1 ¤a5 Black also aims for an outpost for his knight on c4. White decides 28...£d7 After 28...¥xf1 29.hxg6, to retreat, attacking d5. threatening ¤h5+, is very dangerous for Black eg. 29...¦h8 30.gxf7 £g5+ 31.¢xf1 16.¤c3 a6 Not 16...¤c4, when 17.¤xd5 ¢xf7 32.¦g6 £f5 33.¥xd5+ ¢e7 wins a pawn 34.¦e6+ ¢d7 35.¥c6+ ¢c7 36.¥xa8 ¦xa8 37.¦e5 £g4 38.¤d5+ ¢c6 17.b4 ¤c6 18.£d2 Aiming at the kingside; 39.£h6+ ¤d6 40.¤e3 £xd4 41.£h1+ the switchback 18.¤a4 keeps a slight edge ¢b6 42.£xa8 £xe5 43.¤d5+ wins. for White. 29.¥xd5 ¥xf1 29...£g4+ is best after 18...¤e7 19.g4 Preventing Black from 30.¥g2 ¥xg2 31.h6+ ¢xh6 32.¤xg2+ coming to f5 and also with the threat of g5. ¢g7 Black is better. This thrust is double-edged. 30.hxg6 19...g6 20.h3 ¥g7 21.¥h6 The exchange of dark-squared bishops is desirable as the black XIIIIIIIIY bishop is attacking the White pawn on d4. 9r+-+-tr-+0 9+-+q+pmk-0 21...¤c8 22.¥xg7 ¢xg7 23.¥f3 b5 9p+R+-+P+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9+p+L+-+-0 9r+nwq-tr-+0 9-zPnzP-sN-+0 9+-+-+pmkp0 9zP-+-+-+-0 9p+-+l+p+0 9-+-+-zP-+0 9+p+p+-+-0 9+-wQ-+lmK-0 9-zP-zP-+P+0 xiiiiiiiiy 9zP-sN-+L+P0 A splendid intermezzo, with the threat of 9-+-wQ-zP-+0 ¤h5+ 9+-tR-+RmK-0 30...¥e2 31.gxf7 £g4+ After 31...¦xf7 xiiiiiiiiy 32.¤e6+ ¢g8 33.£g5+ ¢h8 34.£h6+ Cementing an outpost on c4 for his knight; ¢g8 35.¤f4 £g4+ 36.Kh2 and the threat 23...¤d6 24.¤xd5 ¤b5 25.¤f4 ¤xd4 26.£e3 of ¦g6 is decisive. ¤xf3+ 27.£xf3 is slightly better for White. 32.¥g2 ¢xf7 32...¦xf7 is met by 33.¦g6+ 24.¤e2 ¤b6 25.¦c6 25.¦c5 ¤c4 26.£c1 £xg6 34.¤xg6 ¢xg6 35.¥xa8. £f6 27.¤f4 ¦ad8 28.¦d1, with a position that is almost equal, is also playable. 33.£c2 ¦g8 After 33...£xf4 White masters as follows 34.£h7+ ¢e8 35.¦e6+ ¢d8 25...¤c4 26.£c1 h5 Aiming to break open 36.£e7+ ¢c8 37.¦c6+ ¢b8 38.¦b6+ ¢c8 the position against the white king; after 39.¥b7+ ¢b8 40.¥c6+ ¤xb6 41.£b7# 26...£h4 27.¤f4 h5 28.gxh5 is better for White eg 28...¥xh3 29.¤xg6 is winning. 34.£h7+ ¦g7 35.¦c7+ ¢f6 36.¤d5+ After 36...¢e6 37.¦xg7 wins so Black resigned. 27.gxh5 The game now becomes very tactical. 1–0

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4NCL 15TH CONGRESS This congress was held in Doncaster at the Holiday Inn from 8th−10th September 2017. Peter Wells and Alan Merry shared first place. 4NCL 15TH CONGRESS Placing Open Points Prize 1st Wells Peter K 4½ £300.00 2nd = Merry Alan B 4½ £300.00 Adair James R 4 £33.33 Hebden Mark L 4 £33.33 Jarmany John 4 £33.33 Rating Yoon Jacob 4 £50.00 Placing Major Points Prize 1st Burrows Nick 4½ £400.00 2nd = Ter-Gevorkian Aram 4 £60.00 Whitehead Mark A 4 £60.00 Burns Martin J 4 £60.00 Tamas Szilard 4 £60.00 Wiratunga Ishan Vh 4 £60.00 Rating Raghavendra Mahima £50.00 Placing Minor Points Prize 1st Fisher Neal 4 £400.00 2nd Fowler David J 3½ £42.86 3rd= Killarney Simon A 3½ £38.00 Ainsley Geoff J 3½ £38.00 Wilson Richard 3½ £38.00 Boustred Noel J 3½ £38.00 Duffell Andrew 3½ £38.00 Mendis Vidura 3½ £38.00 Grading Hara R Malcolm 3½ £50.00

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Here is a very interesting game played by 17.£xe5 ¥xe5 18.¦xe5 ¥xd3, with a Alan Merry, on his path towards reaching slight edge for Black but not enough to win. the British Knockout. 13.exf6 ¦xf6 14.¤e3 e5 Richard L Britton – Alan B Merry XIIIIIIIIY 15th 4NCL Congress Doncaster (5.2), 9r+l+-+k+0 10.09.2017 9zp-wq-sn-vl-0 1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.¤d2 g6 4.¤gf3 ¥g7 9-zpn+-trpzp0 5.g3 ¤e7 A flexible development of the 9+-zppzp-+-0 knight; White is likely to advance with e5 9-+-+-+-zP0 so BlackXIIIIIIIIY does not play the horse to f6. 9+-+PsNNzP-0 9rsnlwqk+-tr0 9PzPP+QzPL+0 9zppzp-snpvlp0 9tR-vL-tR-mK-0 9-+-+p+p+0 xiiiiiiiiy A critical move; White should now play 9+-+p+-+-0 actively with the temporary piece sacrifice 9-+-+P+-+0 15.¤xe5, the only move to challenge the 9+-+P+NzP-0 Black strategy. 9PzPPsN-zP-zP0 15.¤h2 Too passive; After 15.¤xe5 £xe5 9tR-vLQmKL+R0 (15...¤xe5 16.¤xd5 ¤xd5 17.¥xd5+ ¦f7 18.¥f4 ¥b7 19.¥xe5 ¥xe5 20.¥xf7+ 6.¥g2xiiiiiiiiy c5 7.0–0 ¤bc6 8.¦e1 b6 Black £xf7 21.£xe5 £f3 22.£e6+ ¢h8 23.£h3 chooses to develop his queenside rather defends with a winning advantage) 16.¤xd5 than immediately castle kingside retaining then if 16...¤xd5 (After 16...£xe2 17.¤xf6+ the option of castling on the queenside. ¥xf6 18.¦xe2 ¥b7 (18...¤d4 19.¦xe7 wins) 19.c3 White’s rook and two pawns are 9.e5 £c7 10.£e2 h6 With the positional threat slightly better than the two pieces) 17.£xe5 of ...g5 gaining space, which White prevents. ¤xe5 18.¥xd5+ is winning.

11.h4 0–0 12.¤f1 f6 15...¦d6 Black defends his centre satisfactorily XIIIIIIIIY now with a big advantage in the centre. 9r+l+-trk+0 16.a3 ¥e6 17.¥d2 ¦f8 18.¦ad1 ¤d4 9zp-wq-sn-vl-0 The monster knight is difficult to get rid 9-zpn+pzppzp0 of since White playing c3 will weaken the 9+-zppzP-+-0 pawn on d3 badly. 9-+-+-+-zP0 19.£f1 ¤ef5 20.¤xf5 ¥xf5 Black has a 9+-+P+NzP-0 big space advantage and White has little 9PzPP+QzPL+0 room for his pieces. 9tR-vL-tRNmK-0 21.¦c1 £d7 22.¥e3 £b5 23.¥xd5+ A tactical mistake in a bad position. A sharpxiiiiiiiiy continuation, aiming to take the centre over. 23...¦xd5 24.c4 £d7 25.cxd5 ¥h3 Trapping the queen, so White resigned. Slower was 12...¥a6 13.¤e3 h5 14.c3 0–1 ¤xe5 15.¤xe5 £xe5 16.¤xd5 ¤xd5

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4NCL 14TH CONGRESS

The Open tournament was won by James Adair with 4.5/5 with three players tied on 4/5, including Alan Merry who lost a tactical struggle against Louise Head after a brilliant queen sacrifice. It is not every day you see a 2400+ player lose to someone who has 400+ fewer ELO points... 4NCL 14TH CONGRESS Open Points Prize 1st James Adair 4½ £400.00 2nd = Clement Sreeves 4 £100.00 Alan Merry 4 £100.00 John Merriman 4 £100.00 Rating Gwilym Price 3½ £50.00 Major Points Prize 1st = Meyrick Shaw 4 £100.00 Dominic Bennett 4 £100.00 George Crockart 4 £100.00 David Ireland 4 £100.00 Tim Woodward 4 £100.00 Mat Dydak 4 £100.00 Andy Pollock 4 £100.00 Rating Eddie Hurst 3 £50.00 Minor Points Prize 1st Ethan Chung 4½ £400.00 2nd Rob Henley 4 £200.00 3rd = Lee Bullock 3½ £20.00 Neal Fisher 3½ £20.00 Peter Wood 3½ £20.00 Nigel Morris 3½ £20.00 Roy Hadfield 3½ £20.00 Rating Saaed Hassani 3½ £50.00

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Louise Head (2012) – Alan B Merry (2427) Black has the edge, or 15.¤dxb5 ¥a6 16.f3 c6, winning material; so White aims 14th 4NCL Congress 2017 Wokeield ENG (1.2), to simplify. 14.07. 2017 15...dxe5 Best is the exchange sacrifice 1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 g6 3.¤c3 ¥g7 4.e4 d6 5.h3 15...¦xe5 16.¤c6 £e8 17.¤xe5 when 0–0 6.¤f3 e5 7.¥e3 the intermezzo 17.. b4 18.¤b5 £xe5 19.¥d4 £e7 20.¦he1 ¥e6 21.g5 ¤d5 XIIIIIIIIY 22.¥xg7 £xg5+ 23.£d2 £xd2+ 9rsnlwq-trk+0 24.¦xd2 ¢xg7 is good as Black’s extra 9zppzp-+pvlp0 pawns give full compensation for the 9-+-zp-snp+0 exchange. 9+-+-zp-+-0 16.¤dxb5 £e7 Good is 16...£xd3 17.¦xd3 ¥a6 with only a slight edge 9-+PzPP+-+0 for White; 16...¥b7 17.£xd8 ¦axd8 9+-sN-vLN+P0 is also playable but Black opts for 9PzP-+-zPP+0 complexity. 9tR-+QmKL+R0 17.g5 Now White should be better because xiiiiiiiiy of the central control of his pieces. This line is strong if Black does not play actively since White can close the 17...¤h5 18.¤d5 £f8 Tucking the queen centre and follow up with £d2 and g4. away has its risks.

7...exd4 8.¤xd4 ¦e8 Black plays against the 19.£c4 White pawn on e4, taking advantage of the slight delay in White developing the kingside. XIIIIIIIIY 9r+l+rwqk+0 9.¥d3 9.f3 ¤h5 10.£d2 ¤c6 gives Black 9+-zp-+pvlp0 sufficient counterplay on the dark squares. 9-+-+-+p+0 9...¤bd7 9...¤c6 is also playable but this 9+N+Nzp-zPn0 line is more complex and retains more tension in the position. 9-+Q+-+-+0 9+-+-vL-+P0 10.Qc2 ¤c5 11.0–0–0 a6 11...a5 is also 9PzP-+-zP-+0 worth consideration but Black has a particular idea in mind. 9+-mKR+-+R0 xiiiiiiiiy 12.g4 b5 Black sacrifices a pawn to open White has deadly threats now including lines against the White king and queen. ¥c5 trapping the Black queen. White could have also played 19.¤bxc7 ¥e6 13.cxb5 ¤xd3+ 14.£xd3 axb5 20.¤xe8 £xe8 and then not 21.¤c7 (21.¤c3 ¤f4 with practical chances Black offers his b-pawn, relying on the for Black) because 21...¦c8 is good for open files for his rooks and the two bishops. Black.

15.e5 The alternatives were unattractive: 19...c6 20.¥c5 White snares the Black eg 15.£xb5 ¥a6 16.£c6 ¤d7, when the queen but now the Black pieces spring White queen is awkwardly placed and into action; after 20.£xc6 ¥e6 21.¥c5

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¥xd5 22.¦xd5 ¦ac8 23.¤c7 ¦e7 strong, stopping the White knight from 24.¥xe7 £xe7 25.¦c5 £xg5+ 26.¢b1 coming back to c3. After 24.¢d2 ¥e6 Black has some counterplay. 25.£c2 ¦ec8 Black has a winning position - eg 26.£e4 ¥b4+ 27.¢e2 20...cxd5 21.£b4 Winning the queen for ¥d5 28.£xe5 ¦e8 29.£xe8+ ¦xe8+ two pieces, but now 30.¢d3 ¤f4+ 31.¢xd4 ¦e4# Black springs to life. 24.¢d2 ¦c4 Unfortunately, 24...d4 25.¦c1 XIIIIIIIIY is now playable for White 9r+l+rwqk+0 9+-+-+pvlp0 25.a3 ¥e7 26.¦hg1 ¦b8 27.¦c1 ¦h4 27...¤f4 28.¦xc4 dxc4 29.£xc4 ¦d8+ 9-+-+-+p+0 is strong, eg. 30.¢e1 ¦c8 31.¤c7 ¤e6 9+NvLpzp-zPn0 32.£b5 ¦xc7, when Black’s minor pieces 9-wQ-+-+-+0 are as good as the queen. 9+-+-+-+P0 28.¦c7 ¥d8 29.¦a7 ¥b6 Black has taken 9PzP-+-zP-+0 the initiative again with good chances. 9+-mKR+-+R0 30.¦e7 ¦xh3 30...¥a5+ 31.¢d1 ¦xh3 xiiiiiiiiy 32.£xd5 (32.f3 ¤f4 33.¦xe5 ¦h2 34.¦xf5 21...¥f5 Cutting off the White king’s gxf5 and Black is winning because of the escape is the key to the Black plan. threat of ...¦d2+ and ...¤e2+) 32...¦d3+ wins. 22.¥xf8 ¥xf8 23.£b3 31.£xd5 ¦d3+ 32.£xd3 ¥xd3 33.¢xd3 XIIIIIIIIY ¤f4+ 33... ¥xf2 is a better try: 34.¦f1 9r+-+rvlk+0 e4+ 35.¢c4 e3 36.¤c3 ¤g3 37.¦b1 9+-+-+p+p0 ¦c8+ 38.¢d3 ¦d8+ 39.¢c4 ¦c8+, with 9-+-+-+p+0 a probable draw by perpetual check. 9+N+pzplzPn0 34.¢c4 ¤e6 35.b4 ¥xf2 36.¦f1 ¦c8+ 37.¢d5 ¦d8+ After 37...¦c2 38.¤d6 9-+-+-+-+0 ¤xg5 39.a4 h5 40.a5 h4 41.a6 h3 42.a7 the 9+Q+-+-+P0 White a-pawn is too quick. 9PzP-+-zP-+0 38.¤d6 ¤f4+ 39.¢xe5 ¤d3+ 40.¢d5 9+-mKR+-+R0 ¥g3 41.¦e8+ Exchanging the rooks, xiiiiiiiiy when the White queenside pawns will be The two bishops are very active here. decisive; so Black resigned. 1–0 23...¦ec8+ A pity; 23...d4 was very

The Four Nations Chess League

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 745 12/137 Openings for Amateurs The Winawer with 5.dxc5 by Pete Tamburro, [email protected] Years ago, I bought the AVRO tournament book by Euwe (‘Analyzen’ AVRO’s Wereld- Schaak-Tournooi). Right away, I was impressed by Fine’s stunning crush of Botvinnik’s Winawer with the still little-played 5.dxc5. Two rounds later he just missed a win against Capablanca with 5.¥d2. Along with 4.exd5, which I start students with, I also show them 5.¥d2 and, soon after, 5.dxc5. Why?

Students and club players are more comfortable with learning freer positions. The ‘drudgery’ of closed, interminable manoeuvring positions doesn’t appeal. Indeed, let them grow a little with these lines and they can graduate later. It was difficult to find a really good lesson game between strong players, but the Aronian game from 2002 popped up, so it got dusted off. Let’s hope you enjoy it...

Levon Aronian – Viktor Gasthofer Neckar op-A 6th Deizisau (4), 30.03.2002

1.e4 e6 2.¤c3 d5 3.d4 ¥b4 4.e5 c5 5.dxc5 Bogoljubov defeated Alekhine with this in 1937, the year before Fine beat Botvinnik. XIIIIIIIIY 5...¤c6 If you play this as White, you have 9rsnlwqk+ntr0 to be prepared for the pawn push. Very 9zpp+-+pzpp0 sharp play ensues. 5...d4 6.a3 (6.£g4 ¤e7 7.a3 ¥a5 8.b4 dxc3 9.£xg7 transposes to 9-+-+p+-+0 the line below.) 6...¥a5 (No good comes 9+-zPpzP-+-0 from 6...dxc3 7.£xd8+ ¢xd8 8.axb4 cxb2 9.¥xb2 ¤c6 10.b5; nor from 6...¥xc3+ 9-vl-+-+-+0 7.bxc3 £a5 8.£xd4 ¤c6 9.£c4 ¤xe5 9+-sN-+-+-0 10.£b4 £d8 Black shouldn’t repair 9PzPP+-zPPzP0 White’s pawns by exchanging. 11.£d4 £f6 protecting e5 and g7 12.¥f4 ¤c6 13.¥b5 9tR-vLQmKLsNR0 ¥d7 14.£e3± and White has control over xiiiiiiiiy key squares like e5 and d6. The broken

746 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE December 2017 pawns are actually a nuisance to Black. The 17.0–0 a6 18.¥e2 b5 19.¦fe1 ¦a7 20.¥f1 bucket of bolts suggested castling queenside, ¢f7 21.¥xe5 fxe5 22.¤d3; however, White presumably to shore up pawn protection may want to avoid exchanges, considering with the king. Both sides can castle on either Black’s cramped state.) 10...h5! Trying to side, so it will be an interesting contest.) exchange queens by £g4. 11.¤f3 £g4 12.¤b5 £xg3 13.fxg3 ¢f8 14.c3 and White A) Or the attractive piece sacrifice. Another still has a space advantage, control of d4 good lesson on maintaining the initiative by and e5 as well as the semi-open f-file for the sacrificing material when your opponent is rooks against the black king, but Black has cramped. 7.£g4 dxc3 8.b4 ¤e7 9.£xg7 ¦g8 defensive resources to protect f7, so a patient 10.£xh7 ¥c7 11.¤f3 ¤d7 12.¥b5 (12.¥g5 French player can defend here. ¤xe5 13.¤xe5 ¥xe5 14.£xg8+ ¤xg8 15.¥xd8 ¢xd8 16.h4 ¥d7 17.h5 ¢e7 18.h6 6.¤f3 ¤ge7 Black might have considered ¥f4 19.h7 ¤h6 20.¥d3=) 12...a6 13.¤g5 6...¥xc5 7.¥d3 f6 where we get something ¦xg5 14.¥xd7+ ¢xd7 15.¥xg5+– When similar to the Classical French with ¤f6 you show this variation to a student, it’s very and ¤fd7. Chris Baker, in ‘A Startling valuable to go over all the alternatives and Chess Opening Repertoire’ used this line to how they would meet them. Good training!; startle White. It’s a fight, though if White chooses 8.exf6.8.Qe2 may be worth a try. B) 7.b4 dxc3 8.bxa5 £xd1+ 9.¢xd1 ¤e7 10.¤e2 ¤d5 11.h4 ¤c6 12.¦h3 ¤xe5 7.¥d3 13.¤xc3 0–0 14.¤e4 f5 15.¤d6 ¤d7 16.¥b2 ¤xc5 17.¢e1 f4 18.¦d1²; Another XIIIIIIIIY reasonable-looking alternative for Black is to 9r+lwqk+-tr0 triple White’s pawns with 5...¥xc3+ 6.bxc3 9zpp+-snpzpp0 ¤e7 You might ask why White would put up with the damaged pawn structure. Look at 9-+n+p+-+0 the way the kingside attack emerges - very 9+-zPpzP-+-0 clear and logical. The absence of the Winawer bishop is telling. 7.£g4 (7.c4 ¤bc6 8.¤f3 9-vl-+-+-+0 £a5+ 9.¥d2 £xc5 10.cxd5 exd5 11.¦b1 9+-sNL+N+-0 ¤g6 12.¦b5 £a3 13.¥d3 £xa2 14.0–0 0–0 9PzPP+-zPPzP0 15.e6 ¥xe6 16.¤g5 d4 17.¦xb7 ¤ce5 18.£h5 h6 19.¤xe6 £xe6 20.¥e4=) 7...£a5 8.¥d2 9tR-vLQmK-+R0 0–0 9.¤f3 ¤bc6 10.¥d3 £xc5 And now a xiiiiiiiiy familiar position to chess students arises, so The natural nature of the minor piece it reinforces what they have already learned placement and its potential against an from The Art of the Checkmate by Renaud unprotected kingside is very easy to and Kahn. 11.¥xh7+ ¢xh7 12.£h5+ ¢g8 comprehend. Thus, Black’s desire to get a 13.¤g5 ¦d8 14.£xf7+ ¢h8 15.£h5+ minor piece over there is also understandable. ¢g8 16.0–0! ¤xe5 17.¦ae1 ¤5g6 18.¦xe6 Botvinnik decided that a sharper approach ¥xe6 19.£h7+ ¢f8 20.¤xe6++–; Playable was needed and went with d4. for Black is the simple 5...¥xc5 6.£g4 g6 7.¥d3 £b6 8.£f4 (8.£g3 ¤c6 9.¤f3 ¤b4 7...¤g6 There are several chess sources that 10.¥b5+ ¥d7 11.¥xd7+ ¢xd7 12.0–0 have insufficient analysis of Botvinnik’s ¤xc2 13.¦b1 ¤e7 14.¥d2 ¤d4 15.¤g5 choice. 7...d4 8.a3. ¤ef5 16.£h3 h5 17.¤xf7 ¦hc8 18.¤g5) 8...¤c6 9.¥d2 £b4 (9...£xb2 10.¦b1 £a3 A) 8...dxc3 9.axb4 cxb2 10.¥xb2 ¤xb4 11.¤f3) 10.£g3 (Playable is 10.¤xd5 £xf4 11.¤g5 (11.¥e4 £xd1+ 12.¢xd1 0–0 11.¤xf4 ¥d4 12.¤f3 ¥xb2 13.¦b1 ¥xe5 13.¢e2 ¥d7 14.¤d4) 11...¤xd3+ 12.cxd3 14.¤xe5 ¤xe5 15.¥b5+ ¢f8 16.¥c3 f6 0–0 13.¤e4 £d5 14.0–0²;

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B) 8...¥a5 9.b4 ¤xb4 10.axb4 ¥xb4. Before I wax too poetic about this opening for White it is important to understand that B1) And right here you will find annotators the game is equal in this position. This giving an exclamation mark for Fine’s produces the great challenge for amateurs in 11.¥b5+ Botvinnik played 11...¤c6. Euwe chess. You have an equal position, but you gave (11...¥d7 as best and equalising and are comfortable with it. You have common suggested that White should have castled sense move possibilities for the future: ¦e1 on move 11. The ironic part is that, when or £e1, ¥g5, even ¤e2 to g3. However, you ask a student, they almost invariably putting a plan together when you have pick 0–0 rather than move the bishop a questions like, ‘Do I plot a kingside attack?’, second time in the opening.); ‘Do I overprotect e5?’, ‘Is there anything I should do about the queenside?’… can be B2) 11.0–0 ¥xc3 (11...dxc3 And now a daunting. Let’s see what GM Aronian does. further appreciation of the deserted Black kingside is developed after 12.¤g5 ¤f5 9.¥g5 ¥e7 The queen ending up on d7 either 13.£h5) 12.¦b1 ¤c6 13.¤g5 h5 (13...h6 now or one move later did not appeal to Black 14.¤e4) 14.f4 h4 15.f5 (15.h3) 15...exf5 because of the bishop buried on c8. 9...£c7 16.¥xf5 ¤xe5 17.£e2 d3 18.cxd3 ¥d4+ 10.¤b5 £d7 11.c3 0–0 (11...¤gxe5 12.¤xe5 19.¢h1 ¥xf5 20.¦xf5 £e7 21.¥e3± ¤c6 ¤xe5 13.¥f4 f6 14.¥xe5 fxe5 15.£h5+) 22.¦e1 ¥f6 23.¤e4 0–0–0 24.£f1 ¦he8 12.¦e1 a6 13.¤bd4 £c7 14.¥xg6 fxg6 15.¦c1 25.¥f2± And now the White c5 pawn £b6 16.¦e2 ¥xd4 17.cxd4 h6 18.¥e3 g5 19.h4 supports a knight outpost on the crucial g4 20.¤e1² White’s a bit better here, but a good d6 square. The black queen has to move deal can go wrong for both sides. White’s ability because of the discovery after the check, to put his knight on d3, followed by ¤c5 or ¤f4 but the additional tactics against e8 will (another way is g3 with ¤g2) and doubling his prevail. This line is a good way to see your rooks on the c-file, gives him some constructive opening piece placement take advantage of thoughts for upcoming moves. a certain type of position where sacrificing material for open lines now becomes a 10.¥xe7 £xe7 11.£e2 ¤f4 Who wouldn’t well-learned theme. play this? However, castling is better as all Black does is firm up White’s position. 8.0–0 8.¥e3 b6 9.cxb6 ¥xc3+ 10.bxc3 axb6 11.0–0 ¤gxe5 12.¤xe5 ¤xe5 13.a4 12.£e3 ¤xd3 13.cxd3 0–0 Good knight ¥d7 14.£b1 ¤xd3 15.¥xb6 £f6 16.cxd3 vs. bad bishop moment. It’s also interesting 0–0 17.a5². that Aronian keeps d4 vacant for a while so as to keep the ¤d4 option. White could 8...¥xc5 play it the other way as well.

XIIIIIIIIY 14.a3 Another way was 14.¤b5 ¥d7 9r+lwqk+-tr0 15.¤d6 f6 16.d4 and the knight outpost idea 9zpp+-+pzpp0 works again. White will get to the c-file with his rooks a good deal more easily than 9-+n+p+n+0 Black, who has a c8–problem. 9+-vlpzP-+-0 14...¥d7 15.¦ac1 ¦fc8 15...f6 16.exf6 9-+-+-+-+0 £xf6 17.d4. 9+-sNL+N+-0 9PzPP+-zPPzP0 16.¤d4 The offer to exchange knights, and later queens, in this game puzzled me. White 9tR-vLQ+RmK-0 should make it harder for Black to exchange xiiiiiiiiy off things. One way of approaching this with

748 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE December 2017 a student is to take off all the pieces. The 26.h3 Tricky, but worth considering was pawn structure is a draw. 16.¦c2. 26.f5!? ¦e8! 27.fxe6+ ¥xe6 28.¤b5 ¦b8

16...¤xd4 17.£xd4 £c5 18.¤e2 £xd4?! A) 29.exf6 ¢xf6 30.¤c7 ¥f7 31.¤b5 An active black queen on the queenside ¥e6 32.¦f1+ ¢e7=; would have begun with 18...£a5. B) 29.¤xa7 ¥d7 30.¢c3 fxe5 (30...¦a8 19.¤xd4 ¢f8 20.f4 ¢e7 21.¢f2 ¦xc1 31.e6+ ¥xe6 32.¤b5) 31.¦xe5 ¦a8 22.¦xc1 ¦c8 32.¦xd5 ¥e6 33.¦a5 b6 34.¦a4 ¥d7=;

XIIIIIIIIY C) 29.d4 ¥d7 30.¤c7 ¥c6 31.exf6 ¦c8 9-+r+-+-+0 32.¤e6 gxf6 33.¤f4. 9zpp+lmkpzpp0 9-+-+p+-+0 26...f5 27.¢e3 27.¦c1 ¦xc1 28.¢xc1². 9+-+pzP-+-0 27...¢g6 28.¦b1 ¢h6 29.a4 ¢g6 30.a5 9-+-sN-zP-+0 ¢f7 31.b4 ¢e7 32.¢d2 ¥e8 33.b5 ¦c5 9zP-+P+-+-0 XIIIIIIIIY 9-zP-+-mKPzP0 9-+-+l+-+0 9+-tR-+-+-0 9zpp+-mk-zp-0 xiiiiiiiiy 9-+-+p+-+0 This is the fruition of White’s plan from his 9zPPtrpzPp+p0 opening decision not to play d4. The dark- squared outpost for the knight is immune 9-+-sN-zP-+0 from harm. Is it enough? Should he trade 9+-+P+-+P0 rooks and go good knight against bad 9-+-mK-+P+0 bishop? Where would the breakthrough be - f5? Or the king over to the queenside? 9+R+-+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy 23.¦e1 One way to enhance the ‘occupy White’s plan was to ‘gain space’. Too often, d4 with a piece’ theme was 23.¦xc8 ¥xc8 amateurs don’t understand that gaining 24.¤b5 ¥d7 (24...a6 25.¤d6) 25.¤d6 b6 space allows you to penetrate further into 26.¢e3 f6 27.¢d4². your opponent’s position, where, because of your closeness, for example, to the 23...h5 24.¢e3 f6 25.¢d2 ¢f7 eighth rank, you can find tactical solutions to your strategic issues. White misses a XIIIIIIIIY great chance here. 9-+r+-+-+0 9zpp+l+kzp-0 34.¦c1 A real shock move would have been: 34.¤c6+!! ¥xc6 (34...bxc6 35.b6) 35.bxc6 9-+-+pzp-+0 bxc6 36.¦b7+ ¢d8 37.¦xa7 g6 38.g3 ¦b5 9+-+pzP-+p0 39.¢c3 c5 40.¦a8+ ¢c7 41.¦a6 ¢d7 42.h4 ¦b1 43.¦a7+ ¢d8 44.¦a8+ ¢c7 9-+-sN-zP-+0 45.¦g8 ¦a1 46.¦xg6 ¦a3+ 47.¢b2 ¦xd3 9zP-+P+-+-0 48.a6 ¢b6 49.¦xe6+ ¢a7 50.¦h6 ¦xg3 9-zP-mK-+PzP0 51.¦xh5 ¢xa6 52.¦xf5 ¦e3 53.h5+–. 9+-+-tR-+-0 34...¦xc1 35.¢xc1 b6 36.a6 ¥d7 37.¢d2 xiiiiiiiiy h4 38.¢c3±

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far to the kingside to defend the pawn, XIIIIIIIIY then: 9-+-+-+-+0 9zp-+lmk-zp-0 38...¢f7 39.¢b4 ¢g6 39...¥e8 40.¤f3. 9Pzp-+p+-+0 40.¤c6 and it’s over. 9+P+pzPp+-0 1–0 9-+-sN-zP-zp0 The hemmed-in French bishop is no match 9+-mKP+-+P0 for the knight. 9-+-+-+P+0 We have seen the exchange Winawer, 9+-+-+-+-0 the ¥d2 Winawer and the dxc5 xiiiiiiiiy Winawer. They are reasonable off the Black resigned. It’s an interesting beaten track approaches for White position. The white king goes to b4 to that have fairly clear plans. Active, protect the b5 pawn. Then, White can natural development is encouraged in threaten and take the pawn on h4 with all three. I would love to hear anyone’s the knight, because if the king goes too experiences with them...

by Theo Slade In the FIDE Grand Prix, players are offered a draw in a playable position, which awarded points based on their standing in was accepted. This meant that Shakhriyar each tournament. Each player plays three Mamedyarov and Alexander Grischuk tournaments out of four, and the two instead qualified for the Candidates’, even players who earn the most points qualify though they were not even playing in that for the Candidates’ Tournament. This is tournament! That was because Grischuk the main reason why players enter the and Mamedyarov had already played in Grand Prix because the prize money is three of the legs. much less than for a normal tournament of this calibre. In Mamedyarov’s three tournaments, each of nine rounds, he had five Whites, which Going into the last round of the final leg of meant that he had three extra Whites over the Grand Prix, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave the course of the series. This was because was White against Dmitry Jakovenko, and each tournament was mutually exclusive Teimour Radjabov was also White against when it came to colour distribution. Richard Rapport. MVL and Radjabov both Obviously, this is quite a big and unfair had to win to qualify for the Candidates’, advantage, especially when the stakes are but MVL lost, and Radjabov unbelievably so high.

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Nevertheless, you still have to credit 8...¤bd7 9.0–0 £b6 10.£c2 ¥b7 11.b3 Mamedyarov since in the first leg he tied Now that White has played a pawn break, for first with two others on 5.5/9, in the we reach a crisis. Whilst 11...c3? may look second tournament he came second, again tempting, forcing the d2–knight back to its on 5.5/9, and finally in the third leg he starting square. scored 5/9, which meant that he tied for fourth with six others. Each of his first two 11...cxb3! was better. 12.¤xb3 The point tournaments netted him 140 points, whilst is that 12...a5 keeps Black’s queenside his last event brought him 60, for a total together, and Black retains a slight edge of 340, which was higher than all 23 of his after 13.¥xf6 ¤xf6 14.¤e5 0–0. competitors! 12.¤b1 c5 13.¤xc3 cxd4 14.¤xb5 This game was played in Mamedyarov’s last leg of the Grand Prix, and what a game XIIIIIIIIY it was! 9r+-+k+-tr0 9zpl+n+pzpp0 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov - Ernesto Inarkiev 9-wq-+psn-+0 Geneva Grand Prix Baku (2), 07.07.2017 9+N+-+-vL-0 9Pvl-zp-+-+0 1.d4 ¤f6 2.¤f3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.¥g5 ¥b4+ 9+P+-zPN+-0 5.¤bd2 5.¤c3 is the most popular move here, but Mamedyarov, as is his wont, goes 9-+Q+LzPPzP0 his own way. 9tR-+-+RmK-0 If Black does not take up the challenge with xiiiiiiiiy 5...dxc4, then White is better because of Mamedyarov correctly does not the misplaced b4–bishop. It is not optimally recapture the d4–pawn, instead creating positioned since there is no White knight on a queenside majority and in the c3 for it to exchange. meantime threatening ¤c7+, forking Black’s king and a8–rook. 6.e3 b5 7.a4 c6 8.¥e2 XIIIIIIIIY Whilst 14...¦c8 may look tempting, seemingly gaining a tempo on the white 9rsnlwqk+-tr0 queen, but in reality Black is pushing 9zp-+-+pzpp0 White’s queen to a better square. 9-+p+psn-+0 14...0–0 was more shrewd, not allowing 9+p+-+-vL-0 White the option to capture the d4– pawn with his queen; 14...dxe3 runs 9PvlpzP-+-+0 into 15.¥xe3, kicking Black’s queen 9+-+-zPN+-0 around, 15...£d8 then following through 9-zP-sNLzPPzP0 on White’s initial threat: 16.¤c7+ ¢e7 17.¤xa8 £xa8 18.¦fd1 White is 9tR-+QmK-+R0 winning due to his extra exchange, better xiiiiiiiiy coordinated pieces, and superior king White has some compensation for the placement. pawn in the form of an extra central pawn, superior development, and Black’s 15.£b2 Now that White has the option of weakened queenside that White can probe taking on d4 with his queen, Black is forced with a well-timed b3. into trying to stop that by playing:

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15...a6 , which is obviously not as useful as It even takes the engine a while to spot this castling kingside. one. Black was threatening ...¦c2, forking White’s queen and e2–bishop, as well as 16.a5 A crafty move, nudging Black’s ...axb5. This backwards move counters both queen to a more vulnerable square. threats expertly as it is a removal of the guard tactic. The b4–bishop defends against 16...£c5 17.exd4 ¤d6+ forking Black’s king and queen, so Mamedyarov simply attacks the b4–bishop. XIIIIIIIIY Notice how all of this keeps coming back 9-+r+k+-tr0 to Black’s misplaced queen, which has now 9+l+n+pzpp0 gobbled up three of Black’s seventeen moves. 9p+-+psn-+0 18...¥e7 19.¤c3 Now that both sides have 9zPNwq-+-vL-0 retreated their attacked pieces, Black thinks 9-vl-zP-+-+0 he finally has time to castle... 9+P+-+N+-0 19...0–0 Black should have defended against 9-wQ-+LzPPzP0 this with 19...¤e4, when Black’s queen just about wriggles out after the computer line 9tR-+-+RmK-0 20.¥d3 £g6 21.¤e2 £h5 22.¤f4 £h6 xiiiiiiiiy 23.¥e3 g5 24.¤e2 ¤d6 . Now White can capture on d4 with tempo! Despite both players in this game being 20.¤h4 over 2700, we can see very basic principles here. Black’s king is still stuck in the centre XIIIIIIIIY whilst his queen is being kicked around! 9-+r+-trk+0 17...£f5 18.¥d2 9+l+nvlpzpp0 9p+-+psn-+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9zP-+-+q+-0 9-+r+k+-tr0 9-+-zP-+-sN0 9+l+n+pzpp0 9+PsN-+-+-0 9p+-+psn-+0 9-wQ-vLLzPPzP0 9zPN+-+q+-0 9tR-+-+RmK-0 9-vl-zP-+-+0 xiiiiiiiiy 9+P+-+N+-0 But he does not! 9-wQ-vLLzPPzP0 1–0 9tR-+-+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy Amazingly, Black’s Queen is trapped! The move of the game! Therefore, Black resigned, not a move too soon.

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A new book seeks to re-introduce a sense of enchantment around the figure of the chess-player From Morphy to Fischer, from mystery to the supernatural By John Sharples, the author of the book A Cultural History of Chess- Players: Minds, Machines & Monsters (MUP, 2017)

My book concerns books, as well as Bobby the cultural history of Fischer’s early career and chess−players, beginning 1972 match with Boris with the game’s arrival Spassky. Some of these into medieval Europe are familiar topics, some and ending with Garry less so. Kasparov’s defeat by the IBM supercomputer Deep The book has three Blue in 1997. broad sections - Minds, Machines, and Monsters In the intervening chapters − considering how the are considerations of chess−player has been the early−modern chess− represented in terms player, the Automaton of mental faculties, Chess−Player, the chess− materially, or as one who player in Victorian shares cultural space with literary and urban those on the margins of culture, the chess−player society. Although there in detective fiction, are numerous works on Gothic fiction, and comic chess, such as Richard

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I have tried to engage books. It is hoped that even experienced followers of the game’s history will find with unfamiliar something new. issues, such as the representation of Based on these motivations and challenges, the broad conclusion of the book is that chess-playing animals the chess−player is a kaleidoscopic cultural or the chess-playing figure. The most fundamental consequence super-villain in of this is resistance to the idea of the chess− player as an unchanging figure, rejecting comic books the notion of a singular cultural identity in Eales’s excellent Chess: The History of a favour of plural cultural identities. Game, I felt there was an opportunity to approach the figure of the chess−player, as Two examples, from many, can illustrate opposed to the game, in a cultural sense. this. Chapter two considers the writing of nineteenth−century chess−writer I also felt a need to cause some George Walker and the ambiguous disruption. Tidy consensus in any field status of the chess−player in Victorian is unwelcome. One significant aim of literary and urban culture. Exploring my work is to re−start conversation and the Café de la Régence, Walker found provoke discussion amongst historians, a volatile atmosphere. Straightforward theorists, and chess−players about the labels of respectable and disreputable way cultural identities are formed, are inadequate when considering his applying modern theoretical approaches descriptions. Further, Walker’s first− to the chess−player. Harold Murray’s hand account slipped back−and−forth twisting 1913 A History of Chess was between the present and the historical something of an inspiration, although café in a hallucinatory fashion, my work is somewhat more compact describing a space where the past and less divergent. Another aim was seeped in and was re−played, and where to re−introduce a sense of enchantment heroes and legends like François−André around the figure of the chess−player. Philidor enjoyed a posthumous life. Re−reading accounts of Paul Morphy in Walker describes a chess−player who Europe or Bobby Fischer in Reykjavik, is dream−like and ghost−like, a figure for example, one finds that feelings of One significant mystery and the super−natural surround them. Any reduction of the chess−player aim of my work to a figure akin to sports professionals is to re-start is to be regretted. Following a thematic conversation and organisation of the material, rather than strictly chronological or geographical provoke discussion structures, my work does not aim to be amongst historians, either comprehensive or definitive. A theorists, and chess- book, after all, is a finite space. players about the way Certain events, such as Bobby Fischer’s cultural identities 1972 World Championship match, were are formed, applying too important to exclude, but I have tried to engage with unfamiliar issues, such as the modern theoretical representation of chess−playing animals or approaches to the the chess−playing super−villain in comic chess-player BCM Book review

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I felt there was an opportunity to The perception of approach the figure chess in the 17th of the chess-player, as opposed to the game, century in a cultural sense composed of a series of juxtaposed impressions and historical images, ‘It hath affirming his vision of chess−play as a continuous cultural practice with a just− passed Golden Age. wounded my Chapter seven, meanwhile, demonstrates conscience, how Bobby Fischer’s early career was viewed in relation to the wider contemporary cultural image of the US chess−player in and broken the 1950s and 1960s (bespectacled, obtuse, and ageing), utilising differences in his ’ appearance and behaviour to emphasise my peace otherness. Mythologies of the game enabled the formation of all kinds of identities - A LETTER FROM A MINISTER TO HIS personal, national, and cultural - around the FRIEND, CONCERNING THE GAME OF newcomer. In all his incarnations, Fischer’s CHESS. cultural power was constrained by a media largely unfamiliar with the game which From a broad side, printed at London, depicted variously a powerless schoolboy in the year 1680 and a chess genius; a professional chess− player who was poor and almost unknown; SIR, and the leader of US chess but a supernatural, alien force. Within these two chapters and the I here send you my reasons for my disusing book as a whole, expectations of the chess− and declining the game of chess. This I player collide with lived experience. premise, that I think recreation to be in itself lawful, yea, that like physick it is to some My work seeks to show that representations persons, and in some cases very needful. Also of the chess−player are often creative acts that this game of chess is not only lawful, but used to articulate a number of anxieties it may be the most ingenious and delightful pertaining to the mind, body, and society, that ever was invented. Others seem to be affirming pre−existing social structures. calculated for children, this for men; in most others there is much of contingency, in this The chess−player figure needs to be understood there is nothing but art. But, though it be never as a living thing, but also as an imagined and so lawful and eligible in itself, yet to me it is an historical space − a site of reflection on the inexpedient. And there are some particular present and a record of the past. reasons why I am fallen out with this exercise, and, I believe, shall never be reconciled to it Conversation and corrections can be again; and they are such as follow: targeted at the author. Email: [email protected] I. It is a great time−waster: How many Twitter: @jjsharples precious hours (which can never be

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Several years ago I heard this saying: ‘If you hate someone, teach them chess’. The reasoning was that, once they understand the game and the rules more than a non−playing spectator, the person will get so enchanted with chess that they will fall behind on other, personal and professional responsibilities... Needless to say, anyone who enjoys chess has had experiences when they were late or tired because they spent way too much time staring at a certain position, in an attempt to reach for the essence of Caissa, only to fall prey to her spell...

Today we view chess a splendid game, stimulating for the mind, body and character. However, it wasn’t always looked at in that way. As John Sharpless explains in his recent book A̔ cultural history of chess−players: Minds, machines, and monsters’, chess was seen as a distraction from God, and both the Catholic and the Orthodox Church repeatedly condemned the game. Furthermore, ‘all seven of the deadly sins appeared at times in association with chess−play, manifested in the actions of the chess−player’ (Sharpless, p.19).

In his work, Sharpless also refers to ‘A Letter from a Minister to a Friend Concerning the Game of Chess’ of 16th April 1680, which explains the author’s arguments for ‘disusing and declining’ chess. Thanks to the diligence of our own columnist Pete Tamburro, we bring you the letter in full, as it was published in 1680. Milan Dinic, Editor recalled) have I profusely spent in this game? O chess, I will be avenged of thee for the loss of my time! It is a true saying, that it is more necessary thriftiness to be sparing and saving of time than of money. One offered on his death−bed a world of wealth, for an inch of time; and another, with great earnestness, cried out, when she lay a dying, Call time again! Call time again! This I heard, says a worthy minister, and I think the sound of it will be in my ears so long as I live.

II. It hath had with me a fascinating property: I have been bewitched by it; when I have begun, I have not had the power to give over. Though a thing be never so lawful, yet I ought not to suffer myself to be brought under the power of it. I will not use it till I find I can refuse it. Reason and religion shall order my recreation.

III. It hath not done with me, when I have done with it. It hath followed me into my study, into my pulpit; when I have been praying or preaching, I have (in my thoughts) been playing at chess; then I have had, as it were, a chess−board before my eyes; then I have been thinking how I might have obtained the stratagems of my antagonist, or make such and such motions to his disadvantage; nay, I have heard of one who was playing at chess in his thoughts (as appeared by his words) when he lay dying.

IV. It hath caused me to break many solemn resolutions, nay, vows and promises. Sometimes I have obliged myself, in the most solemn manner, to play but so many mates at a time, or with any one person and anon I have broken these obligations and promises, and after vows of that kind I have made enquiry how I might evade them; and have sinfully prevaricated in that manner; and that not once only but often.

V. It hath wounded my conscience, and broken my peace. I have had sad reflexions upon it, when I have been most serious. I find, if I were not to die, the remembrance of this BCM Book review game would greatly trouble me, and stare me in the face. I have read in the life of the

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famous John Huss, how he was greatly troubled, for his using of this game, a little before his death.

VI. My using [footnote: Being a minister of the gospel, and charged with the care of souls] of it hath been scandalous and offensive to others. Some godly friends (as I have understood) have been grieved by it; and others (as I have reason to fear) have been hardened by it. Great inconveniences have arisen from the places where, and the persons with whom I have used this game.

VII. My using of it hath occasioned much sin, as passion, strife, idle (if not lying) words, in myself or my antagonist, or both. It hath caused the neglect of many duties both to God and man.

VIII. My using of it doth evince, I have little self−denial in me. If I cannot deny myself in a foolish game, how can I think I either do or shall deny myself in greater matters? How shall I forsake all for Christ, when I cannot forsake a recreation for him?

IX. My using it is altogether needless and unnecessary to me. As it hinders my soul’s health, so it doeth not further my bodily health. Such is my constitution (being corpulent and phlegmatick) that, if I need any exercise, it is that, which is stirring and laboring. I cannot propound any end to myself in the use of it, but the pleasing of my flesh.

X. My using of it hath occasioned (at times) some little expence of money. This is the least, and therefore I mention the last. I should think much to give that to relieve others wants, that I have wasted this way at several times upon my own wantonness.

....[He then goes on to quote from Mr. Baxter, his is ‘Christian Direction’, page 464, which is a passage on recreation in general with respect to God.

The above broad side was found on pages 361−363 in The Harleian Miscellany or a Collection of Scarce, Curious, and Entertaining Pamphlets and Tracts, as well in manuscript as in print, Found in the Late Earl Of Oxford’s Library, Interspersed with Historical, Political and Critical Notes. Vol. VIII. London: Printed for Robert Dutton, GRACECHURCH−STREET. 1810.

Max Barascudts, Cardinals Playing Chess, 1900 (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

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Carlsen vs. Karjakin World Chess Championship New York 2016, by GM Lev Alburt and NM Jon Crumiller A book for which you do not need a chessboard By Pete Tamburro There has been a noticeable decline in great tournament and match books in recent decades. New York 1924 and Zurich 1953 (by Bronstein or Najdorf) are among the memorable we loved from the distant past. In the 21st century, the San Luis book stands out. Interestingly, the Najdorf book and Alekhine book have been put into algebraic and reformatted in attractive style by Hanon Russell in the last few years. Their popularity demonstrates that chess players are still desirous of such works.

Those fortunate to have Harry Golombek’s The World Chess Championship 1948 or World Chess Championship 1954 can appreciate what we have missed in recent years. Reaffirming that is the publication of a beautiful volume of Keres’ book on the 1948 match tournament. Seirawan’s Five the beginning of each game, 244 game Crowns in 1997 was a quality book, and many diagrams and 223 analysis diagrams with chess fans consider Tal’s book on his match about 15 pages of notes per game. Game with Botvinnik the best of the lot. Individual ten has 36 pages devoted to it with 30 tastes will determine the ‘best’ one. game diagrams and an astonishing 55 analysis diagrams. A new candidate for such honours is Alburt and Crumiller’s book on last year’s You do not even need a chessboard for this world championship. There are excellent book. It is the most user-friendly book you notes by the two authors, who are not shy could ask for, and enjoyable for the expert about using computers, online sources, player and the average chess fan. The other GM acquaintances and magazine authors take time out to instruct as well. articles to supplement their very clear It is a lavish production, much in colour, analyses. Enhancing it all are the specially complete with over 100 photos, colour boxed notes and commentary by former commentary, the move by move computer world champ Vladimir Kramnik, who assessment graph we all got used to seeing clearly put great effort into his analysis at the match, the detailed rules and an and his commentary. opening index.

It’s a 336 page book with, not counting Anyone who loves chess should have this BCM Book review the three ‘key position’ diagrams at on their bookshelf!

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 759 12/137 QUOTES AND QUERIES natural born

By Alan Smith 6109 Joseph Henry Blackburne (1841 – £xe5 8.d4! as in a famous brilliancy 1924) was the most versatile of the 19th Anderssen - Schallopp Berlin 1864. century British chessplayers. He was equally at home in all phases of the game 6.d4 £h4+? and, also, excelled as a simultaneous and XIIIIIIIIY blindfold player. 9rsnl+k+-tr0 Blackburne has been the subject of two 9zppzp-+pzpp0 games collections. Firstly, the 1899 volume Mr Blackburne’s Games at chess edited 9-+-vl-+-sn0 by P. Anderson Graham which covered his 9+-+-sN-+-0 match and tournament career to that point 9-+LzPpzP-wq0 and also gave numerous examples of his prowess as a simultaneous player. 9+-+-+-+-0 9PzPP+-+PzP0 More recently, Tim Harding’s Joseph Henry Blackburne, a chess biography gave a 9tRNvLQmK-+R0 detailed view of his life and playing career. xiiiiiiiiy The columnist suggested 6...¥xe5 7.fxe5 The following two games should be new to ¤f5 8.0-0 £xd4+ but after 9.£xd4 ¤xd4 readers as they were not included in either 10.¥xf7+ Black needs to find 10...¢d7! volume. just to stay on the board. Joseph H. BLACKBURNE – 7.g3 £h3 8.¥f1 £e6 9.¤c3 ¥b4 10.£e2 Herbert JACOBS £d5 11.a3 ¥a5? This leads to the win of a pawn but it is only a temporary success. City of London CC Summer tournament 1897 Better was 11...¥xc3. 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.¤f3 dxe4 The usual 12.b4 £xd4 13.¥b2 ¥b6 14.¦d1 £e3 response, 3...¥g4 is met by 4.¥e2. 15.£xe3 ¥xe3 16.¤d5 ¥b6 17.¤c4! 0-0 18.¤cxb6 axb6 19.¤xc7 ¦a7 20.¤d5 4.¤xe5 ¥d6 4...¤d7 5.d4 exd3 6.¤xd3 is ¥g4 20...¤d7?? loses a piece to 21.¤e7+ equal. ¢h8 22.¤xc8.

5.¥c4 ¤h6 5...¥xe5 6.fxe5 ¤c6! is the 21.¥e2 b5 22.¤c3 b6 23.¤xb5 correct approach, but not 6...£d4? 7.£e2

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XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9-sn-+-trk+0 9r+lsnk+-tr0 9tr-+-+pzpp0 9zppzp-wqpvl-0 9-zp-+-+-sn0 9-+-zp-+nzp0 9+N+-+-+-0 9+-+P+-zp-0 9-zP-+pzPl+0 9-+-+P+-+0 9zP-+-+-zP-0 9+-sN-vLNzP-0 9-vLP+L+-zP0 9PzPPwQL+K+0 9+-+RmK-+R0 9+-+-+R+R0 xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy White has an extra pawn and the bishop pair; Black’s pieces lack scope. 16.¤xg5!? A thematic sacrifice.

23...¦e7 24.¦d5 f6 25.h3 ¥e6 26.¦d6 16...hxg5 17.¦xh8+ ¤xh8 Gunsberg ¥f7 27.¥g4 ¤d7 28.0-0 ¦c8 29.¤d4 dismissed the alternative capture 17...¥xh8 ¤f8 Black has nothing better: 29...¥c4 18.¥xg5 f6 19.¥h5, but White has no more 30.¦c6! ¦xc6 31.¤xc6 ¥xe2 32.¤xe7+ than a draw after 19...fxg5 20.¥xg6+ ¢d7. ¢f7 33.¦e1 winning. 18.¥xg5 f6 19.¥h5+ ¤hf7 20.e5!? dxe5 30.g5 ¤e6 31.gxh6 ¤xd4 32.¦xd4 ¦xc2 XIIIIIIIIY 33.¥b5 ¥h5 34.¦d8+ Kf7 35.¥a4 ¦e2 36.f5 ¦a7 37.¥b3+ ¢e7 38.hxg7 9r+lsnk+-+0 9zppzp-wqnvl-0 1-0 9-+-+-zp-+0 Illustrated London News, 31st July 1897 9+-+Pzp-vLL0 9-+-+-+-+0 It is noteworthy that Herbert Jacobs played in seven cable matches between 9+-sN-+-zP-0 Great Britain and the USA, scoring 9PzPPwQ-+K+0 +4=2-1. 9+-+-+R+-0 xiiiiiiiiy Joseph H. BLACKBURNE – 20...fxg5 21.e6 ¤xe6 22.dxe6 ¥xe6 23.¤d5 Robert STEEL £d7?? loses to 24.£xg5 ¥e5? 25.£g8#, but 23...£d8! is a tougher nut to crack. Simpson's Divan 1894 21.¤e4 fxg5 22.d6! £e6 Black cannot play 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.¥c4 £h4+ 4.¢f1 22...cxd6 on account of 23.¤xd6+ ¢f8? g5 5.¤c3 ¥g7 6.d4 d6 7.g3 fxg3 24.¤xf7 ¤xf7 25.¦xf7+ £xf7 26.£d8+! 8.¢g2 h6 9.hxg3 £g4 10.¤f3 ¤e7 while 23...¢d7 is met by 24.¤f5+. 10...¤f6 11.e5 ¤h5 12.£e1 0-0 was worth a try. 23.£g5 £h3+ 24.¢f2 £xf1+ 25.¢xf1 ¢f8 26.£e7+ ¢g8 27.dxc7 ¥e6 11.¥e2 £d7 12.¥e3 ¤bc6 13.£d2 28.cxd8=£+ ¤xd8 29.£e8+ ¤g6 14.¦af1 ¤d8 15.d5 £e7 Black is struggling to coordinate his forces. 1-0

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Daily News 2nd July 1894 7.0-0 ¥e6 8.¦e1 £d7 9.¤xf7!

W.H.Cozens writing in the BCM in XIIIIIIIIY 1974 opined ’Chess seemed like a native 9r+-+kvl-tr0 language to him.’ 9zppzpq+Nzpp0 9-+n+l+-+0 6110 Robert Steel lived between 1839 9+-+n+-+-0 and 1903. He was an active member of 9-+Lzp-+-+0 chess clubs in Liverpool and Calcutta. He was a strong enough player to defeat Bird, 9+-+-+-+-0 Blackburne and Mason on equal terms. 9PzPP+-zPPzP0 The following brisk miniature makes it very 9tRNvLQtR-mK-0 clear that he was not a player to be trifled with. xiiiiiiiiy Robert STEEL - Em LASKER 9... ¥b4

Simpson's Divan 1895 9...¢xf7 runs into 10.£f3+ ¢g8 11.¦xe6!

1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥c4 ¤f6 4.d4 exd4 10.c3 0-0 11.¤g5 5.¤g5 d5 6.exd5 ¤xd5? Black transposes into an outmoded defence and soon runs 1-0 into trouble. Instead he needed to find 6...¤e5 or 6...£e7+! 7.¢f1 ¤e5 Standard, 12th June 1895 Corection

In the Q&Q article in the Novemebr 2017 BCM (p.697) we published a photo of Bent Larsen playing Klaus Darga in 1964 in Amsterdam. The caption to the photo read "Bent Larsen under the watchful eye of Boris Spassky, Amsterdam 1964". The caption is correct, but unfortunately the headshot of Spassky, who is standing next to Larsen watching the game, was cut out during the typesetting process. The caption therefore gave the erroneous impression that Larsen's opponent, Klaus Darga, was Boris Spassky. Thanks to Neil Kaplan for pointing this out, and apologies for any confusion! Editor

Bent Larsen under the watchful eye of Boris Spassky, Amsterdam 1964

762 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE December 2017 Problem World by Christopher Jones [email protected] Grandmaster of Chess Composition Solutions are given on page 766

XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9L+-+-+-+0 9K+n+-+-+0 9+-+-+K+-0 9+p+-+L+-0 19-+-+-+-+0 9ltr-+PzpN+0 9+-+-+-+-0 29+-zp-+kzp-0 9-+-+-+N+0 9-+-+N+-zp0 9+-+-+ptRp0 9vl-+-wQ-zpP0 9-+-+-+-zP0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-+rvlk0 9+-+-+r+-0 xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy Michael Lipton (Brighton) David Shire (Canterbury) Mate in 2 Mate in 2 Original ORIGINAL Dedicated to Barry Barnes − 80 XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9R+-+-+q+0 9-+-sN-+-+0 9+-+-+pzp-0 9+-+-+N+-0 39-+-+-tR-+0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+NvL-+-0 49+-zpk+-+-0 9p+-+k+PmK0 9-zp-zp-+-zp0 9+-+-+p+-0 9+PzpPzpPzpP0 9-+-+-zP-+0 9nwq-+rvlp+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+KsnRtrl0 xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy Christer Jonsson (Sweden) Pierre Tritten (France) Helpmate in 2 - 2 solutions Helpmate in 2.5 (b)f1=wB Original ORIGINAL

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Endgame Studies The answers are given on page 767

by Ian Watson [email protected]

XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-+-+0 9L+-+-+-+0 19mk-+-+-+-0 9zP-+-+-+l0 9-+PmK-+-+0 29k+-+-+p+0 9+-+L+-+-0 9+-mK-+-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-sN-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0 9tr-+-+-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy ? ? 1864 1914 Win Win XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-vL-+-mk0 9-+-+k+-+0 9+-+-+pzp-0 9+-+qzP-+p0 39-+-+-tR-+04 9-+-+N+-mK0 9zp-+-+pmK-0 9sN-+PzP-+-0 9P+-+-+-+0 9p+-+-+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9zP-+-+-+-0 9p+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy ? ? 1933 1960 draw Win

764 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE December 2017

KristmasThe answers are given onKwiz page 575

If you want to become one of the best chess Do you want some tricKier ones? players in the world, having a name that begins 6) Who is the current World Chess Solving with a ‘K’ has been a good start: Kasparov, Champion? Karpov, Korchnoi, Keres – not to mention 7) Which Indian-born player has been Carlsen and Capablanca (Hey, don’t argue – called ‘the greatest natural player of they’re the same letters in many languages...). modern times’? Not to forget Kramnik - the only World 8) Who played the famous Five Queens Konkeror to start and end with a “K”. It works Game? even better in endgame studies: 9) What is the name of the Kasparian, Kazantsev, Kling, position where Black Korolkov, Kaminer, Kuznetsov, draws with bishop and Kralin, Krikheli, Kubbel... knight against White’s queen even though So, as you’re all both OTB White’s king and queen players and study fans, here is a are free to roam the Kombined Kwiz: board? 1) Who lost the ‘Immortal 10) Who was a President Game’, to Adolf Anderssen? from 1993 to 2010, but is 2) Which study komposer ko- still a President? wrote ‘Chess Studies’ with Horwitz in 1851? Now, for those who really 3) What’s the name of the opening 1.e4 e5 know their studies: try to identify the 2.f4 exf4 3.¤f3 ? komposer of each of the four studies, from 4) Which study komposer’s surname kan among the names already mentioned. be preceded by GM GM? 5) Who won the FIDE World Chess Oh, yes, I nearly forgot: now solve the Championship in 1999? studies

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Solutions to Problems (See page 763)

More from the class of 1937

As in the November issue, Michael Lipton 1...¢xf6/¦xe6/Re1 2.£e5/£xe6/£f3 – celebrates the attainment of octogenarian but 1...¥b2! refutes. So finally we settle status by another of Britain’s leading on 1.¤xg5!, with another new threat, composers (and frequent contributor to this time 2.¤xh4. The continuations are these pages), Barry Barnes. Whenever 1...fxg5/¦f4/£xc5 2.£e5/£xf4/£xc5, dedicating a problem in this way, it and this time there is no defence. behoves the composer to ensure that it is a particularly fine problem which Epaulette mates... will bring pleasure to the dedicatee and this one, I feel sure, fits the bill. The ...is the term used to describe the two key is 1.¦xf3!. This threatens 2.¦xf1, mates achieved in Christer’s attractive and random moves by the black bishop, 2-move helpmate. As you’ll recall, we e.g. 1...¥b6, fail to defeat that threat. are looking for two BWBW sequences Any move westward by the black rook, of moves creating a position in which though, or 1...¥f2, does meet the threat. Black is mated. It transpires that ¦a8 They all also unpin the white rook; so and ¤d5 form one white ̔team’ and ¦f6 you will see that ...¦>a1/b1/c1 etc and and ¥e5 another. In each solution, the ...¥f2 are met by parrying moves of members of one team are successively the unpinned white rook to six different captured by a black piece that is then squares on the 3rd rank (in the case of blocking a potential flight square next ...¥f2, it has to be 2.¦g3 to reclaim g1). to the black king, while the members Finally, ...¦f2 and ...¢g2 are both met of the other team create mates in which by 2.¦(x)f2. What a lot of (completely the minor piece stands behind the black accurate) play to get from just ten pieces! king, guarding two of its flight squares – 1.gxf6 ¤f4 2.fxe5 ¦xa4 and 1.£xa8 Threat correction again ¦xf3 2.£xd5 ¦e3. Our second problem also bears a There and back again similarity to one by the same composer in the last issue. We again want to move A drawback with long problems such as a knight that is getting in the way of those in which Paul specialises is that the white queen, but the way in which unless you have a super-computer you to do so is less straightforward than at may not be able to verify their soundness, first appears. If we make a random move but I’m pleased to say that his 7-mover such as 1.¤c3 we threaten 2.£e4, and is sufficiently succinct to have been thus we have mates after the defences 1... verified by my little computer! Careless g4/¦b4/¦xe6/¥d3/¤d6/¦e1, namely attempts to round up the black king fail 2.¤xh4/£xc5/£xe6/£xd3/¤e7/£f3; – 1.a5? ¢b5 2.e5 ¢c4!; 1.¥e3? b5!) - but we don’t have a mate after 1...¦f4!. and so, surprisingly, we have to sacrifice Therefore we can’t achieve 1.knigt any one of the white officers: 1.¤c6! Admire and 2.£e4#; so we need a knight move the adroitness of the play that ensues that threatens a different mate (threat when the black b7 pawn has thus been correction again). Try 1.¤xf6. We don’t hobbled – 1...bxc6 2.¥e3 c5 3.¥xh6 threaten 2.£e4 but we do threaten ¢d4 4.¥g7+ ¢c4 5.¥a1 h6 6.¢b2 2.£e5. Now we have the continuations ¢d4 7.¢b3#.

766 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE December 2017 Endgame Studies (See page 764)

1) Kieseritsky 2) Kling 3) The King’s Knight’s Gambit (no points if you put King’s Gambit, nor any for Kieseritsky Gambit – I didn’t promise all the answers would be surnames.) 4) Kasparian. He was a Grandmaster of Chess Composition and his forenames were Genrikh Moiseyevich. He was a very strong OTB player and could have got the OTB Grandmaster title; a pity he didn’t, because then he would have been GM GM GM Kasparian. 5) Khalifman

6) Kasper Piorun 7) Sultan Khan. Not Viswanathan Anand – where’s the ‘k’ in that? 8) AleKhine (Oh, kome on, by now you know I’m devious; and you had a hint.) 9) Karstedt’s Position 10)Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who was President of Kalmykia until 2010 but remains FIDE President – I think (he resigned in a strop earlier this year, but then rekanted) Kling 1864

1.c7 ¦c1 2.¥c6 ¦d1+ 3.¢e7 ¦e1+ 4.¢f7 ¦f1+ 5.¢g7 ¦g1+ 6.¢h7 wins. Not 4.¢f6? ¦e8 5.¥xe8 ¢b7, nor 5.¢g8 ¦b1 Kubbel 1914

1.¥e4 ¢xa7 2.¤d5 ¥g8 3.¤e7 ¥f7/e6 4.¤c6+ ¢a6 5.¥d3+ ¢b7 6.¤d8+ or 3...¥b3 4.¤c6+ ¢a6 5.¥d3+ ¢b7 6.¤a5+ or 3...¥a2 4.¤c6+ ¢a6 5.¤b4+. . Keres 1933

1.¦h6+ gxh6+ 2.¢h5 ¢g7 3.¥b6 a1£ 4.¥d4+ draws. Like Smyslov and others, Paul Keres komposed in his early life. Kasparian 1960

1.¤c4 £xe7 2.¤d6+ ¢d7 3.¢h5 h6 4.¢g4 h5+ 5.¢g3 h4+ 6.¢h3 £h7 7.¤f8+. (The position after 6.¢h3 is a reciprocal zugzwang.) Black’s alternative first move leads to a second line which echoes the first line 1...¢xe7 2.¤d6 £a7 3.¤c8+. 1.¤c6? £xe6+ 2 dxe6 stalemate; 1.¤g7+? ¢xe7 2.¤c6+ ¢f8 3.¤e6+ ¢g8; 1.¤b7? £xb7 2.d6 £h1+ 3.¢g7 £g2+ 4.¢h8 ¢f7 5.¤d8+ ¢e8 6.¤e6 ¢f7 is a positional draw. 5.¢h3? h4 6.¢g2 h3+.

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