Contents Founding Editor: B.H. Wood, OBE. M.Sc † Executive Editor: Malcolm Pein Editorial...... 4 Editors: Richard Palliser, Matt Read Malcolm Pein on the latest developments in the game Associate Editor: John Saunders Subscriptions Manager: Paul Harrington 60 Seconds with...Thomas Engqvist...... 7 Twitter: @CHESS_Magazine The Swedish author and IM twice enjoyed playing David Bronstein Twitter: @TelegraphChess - Malcolm Pein Website: www.chess.co.uk Battling with the Best ...... 8 Andrew Ledger reports from the European Club Cup in Greece Subscription Rates: United Kingdom Mr & Mrs Monopolise the Manx Money...... 12 1 year (12 issues) £49.95 The Isle of Man attracted a stellar field, watched by John Saunders 2 year (24 issues) £89.95 3 year (36 issues) £125 Brilliancies in Batumi ...... 20 Europe Ding Liren and Sarunas Sulskis both won in style at the Olympiad 1 year (12 issues) £60 2 year (24 issues) £112.50 The Welsh Ordeal ...... 24 3 year (36 issues) £165 Carl Strugnell reports as much on the Kobuleti Olympiad as Batumi USA & Canada 1 year (12 issues) $90 The 300 Most Important Chess Positions ...... 30 2 year (24 issues) $170 Thomas Engqvist presents three and you can win his new book 3 year (36 issues) $250 Rest of World (Airmail) Christmas Stocking Fillers ...... 31 1 year (12 issues) £72 Uncertain what you want for Christmas? Sean Marsh has some tips 2 year (24 issues) £130 3 year (36 issues) £180 Never Mind the Grandmasters...... 34

Distributed by: Carl features a game won and annotated by Jovanka Houska Post Scriptum (UK only), Unit G, OYO Business Park, Hindmans Way, Forthcoming Events...... 35 Dagenham, RM9 6LN - Tel: 020 8526 7779

How Good is Your Chess?...... 36 LMPI (North America) 8155 Larrey Street, Montreal (Quebec), Daniel thought Poland were the hard luck story of the Olympiad H1J 2L5, Canada - Tel: 514 355-5610 Opening Trends...... 40 Views expressed in this publication are not Lines of the English remain popular, as shown by Aronian-Duda necessarily those of the Editors. Contributions to the magazine will be published at the Editors’ discretion and may be shortened if space is limited. Find the Winning Moves...... 41 Can you do as well as the players at the 4NCL International? No parts of this publication may be reproduced without the prior express permission of the publishers. Still Going Strong...... 44 All rights reserved. © 2018 Sarah and Alex Longson reflect on running the UK Chess Challenge Chess Magazine (ISSN 0964-6221) is published by: Chess & Bridge Ltd, 44 Baker St, London, W1U 7RT Overseas News...... 50 Tel: 020 7288 1305 Fax: 020 7486 7015 Mike Basman took on a fellow chess legend in Haarlem Email: [email protected], Website: www.chess.co.uk Home News...... 52 FRONT COVER: Matthew Turner and Simon Williams qualified for the British KO Cover Design: Matt Read Cover image: John Saunders Solutions ...... 54 US & Canadian Readers – You can contact us via our American branch – Chess4Less based in West Palm This Month’s New Releases ...... 55 Beach, FL. Call toll-free on 1-877 89CHESS (24377). Sean Marsh looks at new books on the Trompowsky and QGD You can even order Subscriber Special Offers online via www.chess4less.com Saunders on Chess...... 58 John on what a chess player really shouldn’t say, but sometimes does

Printed in the UK by The Magazine Printing Photo credits: Joost Jansen (p.51), Batumi Olympiad (pp.21, 23), Niki Riga (pp.9-10), Company using only paper from FSC/PEFC John Saunders (pp.1, 12-19). suppliers www.magprint.co.uk www.chess.co.uk 3 Mr & Mrs Monopolise the Manx Money

A stellar field contested the Isle of Man International, but Radek Wojtaszek and his wife Alina Kashlinskaya were the standout successes, reports John Saunders

The 5th Chess.com Isle of Man International Open, held at the Villa Marina, Douglas, over nine rounds from 20th to 28th October, once again attracted an amazingly strong field to compete for its huge rewards – the first prize being £50,000 – and resulted in a feast of chess for players and spectators alike. Some commentators have billed this as the strongest open of all time, and by some metrics this is a perfectly valid claim, given the 75 GMs present, of whom no fewer than 20 were rated above 2700. The only real rival to this claim would be its immediate predecessor in 2017, which gloried in the presence of the world champion and his soon to be challenger , whereas the 2018 tournament, because of the proximity of the London world championship match, lacked these two and also the other two current players with ratings in excess of 2800. Ding Liren had been slated to play, but unfortunately his Can you spot any superstars? The impressive setting of the Villa Marina in Douglas once ongoing mobility problem ruled this out. again played hosted to the Chess.com Isle of Man International, the world’s strongest open. Another difference between the 2017 and 2018 tournaments was the absence of a This year the same two young stars were Swiss-paired first round, the results go 0-1, random for the first-round pairings. back, showing off their shiny new GM titles 1-0, 0-1, 1-0, etc, monotonously down the Though FIDE’s rating overlords had allowed and, of course, stronger than ever, but there page with very few exceptions, as Goliath this innovation to go ahead in 2017 – were more where they came from (and bashes David with his heavy club and drives successfully, if one takes account of the show elsewhere). To their ranks had been added D. him into the ground like a tent peg. of hands vote in its favour by a substantial Gukesh, born in 2006, already an IM and with If you do this with the 2018 pairings, you proportion of the competitors at the prize- at least one major GM scalp to his name; will find just one result which went in favour giving – after the 2017 tournament FIDE had Raunak Sadhwani, born in 2005, and already of the weaker party – we’ll return to that one had a change of heart and brought in a ruling an IM; and, as well as the above young presently – but there were more draws than whereby scores achieved in competitions Indians, Vincent Keymer of Germany, born in might usually have been expected. The point, where random pairings had been used 2004, with the IM title and a formidable I suppose, is that 2600-2700 players may be wouldn’t count towards norms. This ultra- coach in the shape of . Keymer’s stratospherically strong, but players in the cautious decision might have had a reputation went before him as he had won 2300-2400 range are no mugs either, and detrimental effect on the 2018 result. the Grenke Open in March/April of this year quite a lot of them dug in for draws against As well as the long list of established ahead of 49 GMs, while scoring an eye- the superstars, several of whom were less players, the tournament also had its fair share watering 8/9 and, needless to say, a GM familiar than their opponents when it came to of dangerous aspirants, and the prospect of (page 50 of the June CHESS features the rough and tumble of life in an open clashes between present and future stars is one of his wins from that event). tournament. one of the factors which gives open To the play: shorn of its first-round Deprived of a first round win were such tournaments of this quality their huge random pairing bizzaz (let’s hear a loud ‘boo’ names as , Vladimir Kramnik, Wesley spectator appeal. Last year we saw some of for those FIDE killjoys), round one consisted So and Hikaru Nakamura – the last perhaps the earliest encounters between the leading of 82 mismatches between players separated being the most surprising since he is probably lights and the young stars such as by 300 rating points. Yet all was not lost... by the most adept open tournament performer Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa and Nihal Sarin, the weaker players. Usually when you run amongst the elite players, with his string of born in 2005 and 2004 respectively. your eye down the results of an orthodox successes in Gibraltar. Amongst the English

December 2018 12 Brilliancies in Batumi England had plenty to cheer, but the Chinese were even happier at the Olympiad

Seeded ninth, England could be delighted simple 24 Íf4 with a plus, and if 24...dxc4? to finish fifth at the Batumi Olympiad. Ding Liren-J.K.Duda 25 e7. A crushing 3½-½ defeat of Kazakhstan in China vs Poland 24...Ëf6 25 Ìb5! the final round enabled England to catch ’s Accepted up Poland on 17/22. Only the three sides who tied for first (China, the USA and Russia 1 d4 Ìf6 2 c4 e6 3 Ìf3 d5 4 Ìc3 dxc4 in order of tie-break and medals) scored 5 e4 b5 6 e5 Ìd5 7 Ìxb5 Ìb6 8 Íe2 a match point more, with Armenia, France, Ìc6 9 0-0 Íe7 10 Ëd2!? India and Ukraine four of the sides who A recent idea, deploying the queen to the finished on 16. kingside ahead of developing the queenside. England’s performance was all the more 10...0-0 11 Ëf4 Îb8 remarkable considering that the whole team A month earlier Black had also failed to and captain John Nunn were suffering from equalise with 11...Ìb4 12 Ëg4 Îe8 13 Îd1 heavy colds. Nunn’s decision to largely trust Íb7 14 h4 Ëd7 15 Ìc3 Îad8 in Dreev- the top four, only bringing in Nick Pert when Grachev, Moscow (blitz) 2018. one of the others needed a day off, most 12 Ìc3 f5 13 Ëg3 Êh8 14 Îd1 Ìb4 certainly paid off, as John Saunders pointed Duda has sensibly aimed to restrict White out last month. on the kingside and now plans to take over on The star performer was David Howell who the queenside. Ding realises that he must scored an impressive 7½/10 on board 3 for a The aforementioned stunning idea. Ding counter on that flank. 2760 performance. David ground well might be extraordinarily hard to beat, but he 15 b3! cxb3 16 axb3 a6 17 Íc4 Ìc2 18 Îa2 against lower-rated , comfortably also possesses Tal-like vision and creativity Ìb4 19 Îa1 Ìc2 20 Îa2 Ìb4 21 Îe2! held Arkady Naiditsch as Black when England at times. went down to a determined in 25...dxc4 round 4 (only Russia also defeated England, 25...Ìxc4 26 Ìg5 Ëg6 27 bxc4 is also while France were the only other opponents far from clear, although here, like in the game, to escape with a draw). We enjoyed David’s the most certainly belongs to White. final round victory in last month’s Editorial and 26 Ìxd6 cxd6? you’ll have to see if you can find his Now the e- gets out of control. As concluding blow against Italy in this month’s such, the intermezzo 26...Íxe6! was Find the Winning Moves. indicated, and if 27 Ìxc4 Ìxc4 28 bxc4 On board two Luke McShane began a little Ìc6 when Black might well have been able to slowly, but chipped in with important beat off the attack. victories over Argentina, as we also saw last 27 e7 Îe8 28 Ìg5 Ëg6 month, and Israel. Apart from when This runs into a powerful blow, but Black outplayed by the in-form Shakhriyar couldn’t allow 28...h6? 29 Ëh5. Mamedyarov, Mickey Adams was typically 29 Îxd6! f4! 30 Ëh4! solid and professional as he amassed ‘+2’ on top board, whilst on board 4 Gawain Jones Centralising and intending to roll Black saved a couple of tough endgames and also over in the centre in the event of 21...Ìxc4?! only lost to Azeri opposition, in the shape of 22 bxc4. Rauf Mamedov, while finishing on 6½/10. 21...a5! Of the three medalists, perhaps the most Black in turn prepares to meet 22 Íg5 relieved to be one was Russia, for whom only with 22...Ìxc4 23 Ëh4 Îe8 24 bxc4 Ía6. avoided losing rating It appears that he has control of the position points as he racked up 7½/10 on board two. thanks to his grip on d5, but Ding’s powerful Both the U.S. and China had an out-of-form next changes all that. player in the shape of Hikaru Nakamura and 22 d5! Wei Yi respectively, but the Americans also A bold and unexpected idea. Thanks to an had Fabiano Caruana putting up an even more remarkable follow-up Ding soon undefeated 7/10 for a 2859 performance on obtains a monstrous initiative. As such, Duda top board. Overall, though, they probably should likely now have opted for 22...Ì4xd5 didn’t win quite enough individual games. In 23 Ìxd5 Ìxd5 24 Ìd4 Îb6, holding contrast, Bu Xiangzhi racked up ‘+5’ on board everything together and keeping matters Ding has worked out that his attack is too four for China, whilst at the top end of the rather unclear. strong, so spurns the pretty repetition which team Ding Liren chipped in with 5½/8, 22...exd5?! 23 e6 Íd6 24 Ëh3!? was on offer with 30 Îxg6 Íxh3 31 Ìf7+ winning one of the games of the Olympiad in White relies on his attacking chances and Êg8 32 Ìh6+. the process. mighty , but he did also have the 30...Ëb1 31 Îe1

December 2018 20 The Welsh Ordeal

Carl Strugnell reports not so much from Batumi, as from the Kobuleti Olympiad

With 36 hours of sleep deprivation, including a nine-hour stopover in Minsk, I wasn’t too happy on arrival in Georgia to learn the hotel we were staying in wasn’t the one I had scribbled down. Maybe the volunteer team had got it wrong, as I tried to weigh up which option was worse. Back up two months prior to the event. I’d spent most of August updating my openings and during September had played 14 classical games as a warm-up for the Olympiad. The plan was to detach from result-expectancy, to enter a ‘flow’ state of mind, where everything is light and easy, and, theoretically at least, you play at your best. Only the plan had backfired. In the Belgrade League after a 3/3 start, I found myself up against the distinguished Richard Rapport from Hungary. Of course, I felt lucky just to have the chance to blows with number 25 on the world ranking list. Moreover, what easier than to detach oneself from the result when everyone has you The Welsh team in action at the Batumi Olympiad. Nearest the camera is top board Carl down as lost before the game...except when Strugnell, then leading scorer, Jonathan Blackburn, followed by Alex Bullen and Allan Pleasants. the position on the board is deadly drawish and it’s a question of just playing the other move me way into the night and the liquid remedy I Ìe4 13 h3 Íh5 14 Ìbd2 Ìxd2 15 Ëxd2 you were analysing for a handshake agreement. resorted to, to shake it off, only made things worse. Íxf3 16 Ëc3 Back in Georgia, we’re now climbing up a rocky road which seems to lead nowhere. I C.Strugnell-R.Rapport need sleep desperately, but morning is rising Belgrade League 2018 and I know that it will just jet lag me entirely. Again, I’m weighing options and my decision- making ability is in counter-intuitive mode. The biggest part of an hour away from the airport the minibus rocked up at a five star, palace-looking resort. The Welsh squad met up that evening. Everybody had had time to come to their senses. As pretty as the surroundings were, we knew it spelt disaster. We were stranded 30km from the venue, in a small town named Kobuleti, where stray dogs shied away in fear of a beating when you come to pet them. We I’d opened the right file in my database, then discovered the buses would be leaving a but then checked in a paranoid state every whole hour and a half before the round to single other line my 2600+ opponent could ensure we had time for security checks. That play, and finally forgot about his main stuff. I also meant we had to hang around for ages knew how to get up to here, I knew it was After the game Rapport told me this before kick off if all went well. Preparing and good, more or less, but not really why... should position be dead draw: 30 Íb5! f4 eating got mushed into a simul-like activity. 16...Îb8!? 31 Íxc6 dxc6 32 c4 g5 33 c5 Íe2 34 f3 Trying to get a pawn out of it gives Black a Ê Ê Í Ê Ê Ì g6 35 g1 c4 36 f2 f5 and Black C.Strugnell-D.Anton Guijarro bad piece arrangement. Instead, 16... xe5 shouldn’t be able to make progress. 17 dxe5 Íe4 18 Îad1 was a little better for 30 f4 Êe8 31 c3 Íd1 32 g3 Ìd8 Wales vs Spain White in Smirin-L’Ami, Wijk aan Zee 2017, Some 55 moves and three micro while 16...Íxg2 17 Êxg2 Ìb8 18 Îac1 c6 imprecisions later, I finally threw in the towel. 19 Êh2 f5 20 Îg1 Îa7 21 Îg2 Ëd7 22 Îcg1 1 e4 e5 2 Ìf3 Ìc6 3 Íb5 a6 4 Ía4 Ìf6 gave White the initiative in Ponomariov- It’s hard to get what would have been a 5 0-0 Íe7 6 Îe1 b5 7 Íb3 d6 8 c3 0-0 Eljanov, Kiev 2013. famous half-point out of your head. It haunted 9 d4 Íg4 10 Íe3 exd4 11 cxd4 d5 12 e5 17 gxf3

December 2018 24 THE 300 MOST IMPORTANT CHESS POSITIONS

IM Thomas Engqvist presents three important endgame positions courtesy of his new book for Batsford, which you can even win a copy of this month!

Position 150 Position 160 Position 167 Réti, 1921 Réti, 1928 Berger – Bauer Correspondence 1889-1891

White to move White to move

Why is this pawn ending important? You It’s unbelievably magical that this position White to move will never reach this position in a game, but is a draw, despite the fact that White is two it’s the ideas it represents that are important. pawns down, although thanks to Position Sometimes it’s possible to win even The position is a very instructive and pure 158 it’s easier to understand that the miracle though the pawn majority is crippled. This example showing how to play with multiple of Dunkirk is indeed achievable. instructive position arose in a correspondence plans or double threats with every move. 1 Êg6 Êb6 game a long time ago. White has two goals. He wants either to 1...h5 2 Êxg7 h4 3 Êxf6 leads to exactly If White wants to win he must participate support his pawn or catch the enemy pawn. the same position as the previous example by in a hair-raising pawn race since that’s the On the surface it looks impossible, but the Réti. 1...f5 2 Êxg7 f4 3 Êf6 f3 (3...Êb6 4 only way to win. Exact calculation is required geometry of chess can sometimes fool you. Êe5) 4 Êe6 or 4 Êe7 is a draw as well. and in over the board play it wouldn’t be so 1 Êg7! 2 Êxg7 h5 2...f5 3 Êf6 f4 4 Êe5 f3 5 Êd6 easy to find the ingenious win achieved by By placing the king on this square White is is likewise a draw. Berger. following two paths at the same time and 3 Êxf6 h4 4 Êe5 and again we have the He played: accordingly has two plans in mind. same position as in Réti’s magnum opus. 1 c4!! bxc3 2 Êe3 Êg5 1...h4 Don’t forget illusions and miracles in chess! So what is going on? Here comes the next 1...Êb6 2 Êf6 Êxc6 3 Êg5 and the black The great chess teacher GM Ludek Pachman shocker! pawn is lost. once said that there are no miracles in chess and 3 a4!! 2 Êf6 Êb6 to a certain extent he’s right, but nevertheless 3 Êd3 is a draw after 3...Êxg4 4 a4 h5 5 2...h3 doesn’t win on account of 3 Êe6 or we have to be prepared for the extraordinary b4 h4 5 b5! and both pawns promote. 3 Êe7, escorting the passed pawn to c8. when it occurs, whether we solve studies or However, after shocker number two it’s a 3 Êe5!! play a game. It’s sometimes possible to run different story because Black is soon forced The double threat of 4 Êd6, supporting through a wall and we have to understand when to capture the b-pawn and that makes a the c6-pawn, and 4 Êf4, trapping the enemy that is indeed a reality – since magic sometimes difference. White gains a crucial in the pawn, secures half a point. interweaves with real life. pawn race.

December 2018 30 3...Êxg4 4 b4 axb4 CHRISTMAS STOCKING FILLERS

5 Êd3!! Another surprise move. How many are there in this position? 5 a5 surprisingly leads to a draw after 5...b3 6 Êd3 b2 7 Êc2 Êf3!. This is the point, Black concentrates on promoting his c-pawn. 8 a6 Êe2 9 a7 b1Ë+ 10 Êxb1 Ëd2 11 a8Ë c2+ 12 Êa2 c1Ë 13 Ëg2+!. The queen ending is an easy draw. 5...h5 6 a5 h4 7 a6 h3 8 a7 h2 9 a8 Ë and White wins handsomely by following up with Unsure what you want for Christmas? the deadly Ëh1. Let Sean Marsh be your guide... The advantage with promoting a pawn is that it automatically controls the It’s that time of the year again. A time for It is interesting and far from the standard, opponent’s corner on the long diagonal, so quiet reflection on the year soon to end and often lazy offering from a who has never underestimate the cheapest material on the new one about to begin. It is normal clearly not read the book he is introducing. “The on the board, since it can suddenly turn out to for one’s attention to turn to the really big author demonstrates his knowledge with clear be the most valuable piece on the board! questions in life, such as ‘which chess books is chess examples, and to facilitate the readers’ my library lacking?’. understanding, he uses parallels from everyday A Challenge to Readers! Fortunately, we are here to help by life, which I consider to be very accurate.” Can you find the move that world providing a few observations on several There are seven parts to this very champion Magnus Carlsen played in the books from 2018 not previously covered in impressive book, covering a variety of subjects following position and can you also explain our regular column. Some are well-known titles including openings, decision-making and the the reasoning behind it? – including the winner of the 2018 ECF Book use of computers. Quite simply, overall there The three best solutions submitted to us of the Year contest – and others are lesser- is a vast array of high-quality information. will win a copy of 300 Most Important Chess known books that deserve more attention. Plenty of intrigue can be found in the Positions, as well as a copy of the new There were plenty of impressive books chapter titles, such as ‘Policemen of the Batsford edition of a classic work, Paul Keres’s over the course of 2018 and four of them Chess Board’, ‘Magnetic Skin’, ‘Walking Practical Chess Endings. To enter email ended up on the shortlist for the 2018 English without Moving’, ‘Progress without Change’, [email protected] or by post to Chess & Chess Federation Book of the Year Award. The and ‘On the Breaking Ice’. ‘Anatoly Karpov’s Bridge Ltd., 44 Baker Street, London, W1U runners-up have already received detailed Billiard Balls’ should also grab the attention. It 7RT, postmarked no later than January 31st. reviews here in CHESS, namely: Alekhine’s is based on a comment by the twelfth world Odessa Secrets: Chess, War and Revolution by champion, in which he said: “Bishops are Sergei Tkachenko (Elk and Ruby Publishing rebounding from the edges of the board, Carlsen – Ivanchuk House); Carlsen vs Karjakin World Chess similarly to billiard balls rebounding from the Foros 2008 Championship 2016 by Lev Alburt and Jon edges of the table.” Crumiller (Chess Information and Research The matter is not so simple and has not Centre); Small Steps to Giant Improvement by previously been covered in depth in print. , (Quality Chess). “Often it is surprisingly difficult to transfer a The judging panel discussed the merits of from one flank to the other. It is the winner at length and believe me, it had to therefore better decided beforehand where be good to beat the other three outstanding the bishop should be developed. It is quite candidates on the short list. John Pigott possible that it will stay there for the rest of reviewed the winning book in the June issue, the game.” but any ECF award-winner always deserves a reminder of its content...

Under the Surface Jan Markos, 288 pages, Quality Chess RRP £19.99 SUBSCRIBERS £17.99

Vlastimil Babula’s foreword to this work - White to move now available in paperback - sets the scene. www.chess.co.uk 31 Overseas News

GREECE – Fine performances at the Olympiad 18 Ìce2 h4 19 Íg5! 26...Íg6 and in the Isle of Man saw Radoslaw Wojtaszek Likewise, if 26...Ìg6 27 Îxg6+! Íxg6 28 gain 22 points and climb to world no.16 when Ìxe6! fxe6 29 Ëxg6+ when White’s pieces the latest rating list was unveiled by the FIDE are superbly coordinated and the finish might Office on November 1st. Meanwhile it’s all be 29...Êf8 30 Ëh6+ Êe8 31 Ëh8+ Êe7 very tight at the top, Magnus Carlsen finding 32 Ëg7+ Êd6 33 Ëc7#. himself down to 2835, which left him just 27 Ìxe6! three points ahead of Fabiano Caruana going Far stronger than the mundane 27 Ìc6 into their match. Back in third on 2817 is Ëc7 28 Ìxd8 Ëxd8 29 h4. , which is just one 27...fxe6 point ahead of that immovable object who is Equally deadly would be 27...Ìxe6 28 really on a roll, Ding Liren. Îce1 Ëf5 29 Íxe6 fxe6 30 Îxg6+. Michael Adams at 2706 is now the world 28 Îxg6+! Ìxg6 29 Ëxg6+ Êf8 30 no.38, 10 places and 9 points ahead of David Ëh6+ Êe7 31 Ëh7+ 1-0 Howell. Matthew Sadler isn’t far behind at 31...Êe8 32 Îg1 spells the end. 2693, with all of Gawain Jones (2683), Luke McShane (2667), and Nigel Short (2646) The annual Hoogeveen Chess Festival also making recent gains. After her fine Olympiad Svidler is quite aware that two can tango featured a second match between Vladimir Jovanka Houska is up to 2419, putting her 50th on the kingside. Fedoseev and Jorden van Foreest, as well as a on the women’s rating list. Harriet Hunt is 2440, 19...hxg3? strong Open with a twist: the top four players while at the top of the list we find Oxford Shankland has already been rather after seven rounds didn’t play in the final two student Hou Yifan at 2658, putting the Chinese optimistic in this game, but this capture is rounds, but rather faced off in semi-final Í star some 90 points ahead of Ju Wenjun. definitely too much. 19... e7 was required matches. Egyptian Grandmaster Bassem when Black is still fully on the board after Amin defeated Dmitry Kryakvin in the final, Ë Ë HOLLAND – recovered from a 20 e3 hxg3 21 hxg3 e5!?, angling to stir but Russian pride was satisfied as 23-year- Í Ë Ê horrific experience at the European Club Cup up trouble, as with 22 f4 h5 23 g2 g5. old Fedoseev overcame 19-year-old van Í by overcoming Sam Shankland in the Dutch 20 xf6! gxf6 Foreest, albeit only after a blitz play-off. town of Hoogeveen (21-27 October). In Unfortunately necessary, as 20...gxh2+? Late October was a busy time for chess in Ê Ë Porto Carras the eight-time Russian 21 h1 gxf6 22 h6 gives White far too the Netherlands, with the Haarlemse Í Î Champion had finished strongly with a win strong an attack, as shown by 22... g3 23 g1! Meesters also taking place (20-28 October). Ë Î and the better of a draw with the world hxg1 + 24 xg1 and Black collapses down the We were delighted to see IM Mike Basman Ì Ì Í champion no less, but had earlier lost as many g-file, as if 24... g6 25 xe6! fxe6 26 xe6#. playing in the top section. The 72 year old Ë Í Ê as four games in a row for the first time in his 21 h6 e5 22 h1 g2+ remained faithful to his favourite openings in career. In Hoogeveen the first blow was Even this will fail to prevent White from Haarlem, winning one game with the Grob struck by the U.S. Champion, but Svidler hit generating a decisive attack down the g-file. and another with the Borg, as he finished on Ê Í Ì Ë Ê back immediately, won again in Game 4 and 23 xg2 xd4 24 xd4 e5 25 h1 ‘-3’ in this 10-player all-play-all. Dutch FM then held tight to triumph 3½-2½. Good enough, but there was a pretty win Bart Gijswijt triumphed overall, but he wasn’t Ì Ê available in 25 f5! exf5 26 h1, cutting involved in the most spectacular game, which out the defence Shankland tries, and cleaning took place in the fifth round when the English Î Ì Í P.Svidler-S.Shankland Black up with 26... xd1+ (or 26... h7 27 xf7+! chess legend faced a Dutch chess legend, and Ê Ë Ê Ë 4th matchgame, Hoogeveen 2018 xf7 28 xh7+ e6 29 exf5+ xf5 one also known for his original play. 30 Îe1+) 27 Îxd1 Ìh7 28 Íxf7+! Êxf7 Queen’s Gambit Accepted 29 Ëxh7+ Êf8 30 Îg1 Ëe6 31 Îg7. 25...Íxe4 M.Bosboom-M.Basman 1 Ìf3 d5 2 e3 Going down in flames rather than reach a Haarlem 2018 A quiet start, but play soon transposes completely lost endgame after 25...Îxd4 into a line of the QGA. 26 Îxd4 Ëxd4 27 Îg1+ Ëxg1+ 28 Êxg1. 2...Ìf6 3 c4 e6 4 Ìc3 dxc4 5 Íxc4 a6 26 Îg1+ 6 0-0 b5 7 Íb3 Íb7 8 d4 Ìbd7 9 Ëe2 1 c4 g5 2 h4!? c5 10 Îd1 Ëb8 11 e4 cxd4 12 Ìxd4 The 55-year-old IM and renowned blitz Íd6 13 g3 0-0 14 f3 Îc8 exponent is never a man to shirk a challenge. New in practice and far from forced. One 2...g4 3 g3 Íg7 4 Íg2 c5 5 e3 d6 6 Ìe2 decent alternative would be 14...Íc5 15 Íe3 Ìc6 7 d4 Ìe5 followed by ...Ëa7, ...Îac8 and ...Îfd8. Unusually classical play from Bosboom as 15 Íe3 Ìf8 16 Îac1 Black’s pawn on g4 looks a little out of place. White’s major pieces are the better 7...Íd7 8 Ìbc3 Ìf6 9 0-0 0-0 10 Ìd5 centralised. We now discover why Shankland Beginning to up the ante. There was left his queen on b8, but his next asks too nothing wrong either with the immediate much of the black set-up. 10 b3. 16...h5?! 17 Ëd2 Îd8 10...Ìh5 11 Îe1 Îc8 12 b3 e6?! This was necessary to deal with the threat This doesn’t fit in well with Black’s 10th of 18 Ìxe6, but does rather suggest that the move. 12...e5 followed by ...f5 would have rook shouldn’t have gone to c8 in the first place. offered better chances for counterplay.

December 2018 50 13 Ìef4!?

Bosboom can’t resist the most artistic move. 13 Ìdf4 would have avoided the It was an eagerly awaited clash when Manuel Bosboom (left) took on fellow chess legend possibility in the next note and transposed to Mike Basman in Haarlem. The game began with the Borg and most certainly didn’t disappoint. the game after 13...Ìxf4 14 Ìxf4. 13...Ìxf4 before his last move. It’s a dangerous sortie, 22 Ìf6+ Êg7 23 Îe4! would also have left The point behind his 12th move. The alter- but possibly 19 c5!? would have been White with a powerful attack, but after native was 13...Ìxg3 14 fxg3 exd5 15 Íxd5, stronger, as well as neat. Following 19...Ëxc5 20...Ía4! anything might have happened. but even here Black appears to be struggling (there’s also the critical 19...Îxb7 20 Íh6 Indeed, this great scrap might well have with, for instance, 15...cxd4 16 Ìh5! Íh8 Ëc3 21 Îe3 Ëd4 22 Îd3 Ëe5 when White ended in a fitting shared point following 17 exd4 Ìxd4 18 Íh6 Ëb6 19 Êh2 leaving can win the queen with 23 Ëxg4+ Êh8 24 21 Ëxd6 Ëxb4 (21...Îfd8 22 Ëxb8 Îxb8 his king the more exposed of the two. Íg7+ Ëxg7 25 Ìxg7 Íxg7 26 Îxd6, 23 bxa5 Îxb7 24 Îc1 isn’t at all clear, but 14 Ìxf4 cxd4 15 exd4!? which leaves him with a powerful queenside shouldn’t leave White worse) 22 Ìf6+ Êg7 Here too 15 Ìh5! would have been pretty majority to boot; White should be doing well 23 Ìh5+ (23 Ëf4!? is a try for more, but effective. here, although in practice, with Black having Black can maintain the balance with 15...Íxd4 three pieces for the queen, anything might 23...Ëb2! 24 Íh6+ Êh8 25 Íxf8 Íxe1 White also finds himself with the much have happened) 20 Ëxg4+ Êh8 26 Íg7+ Êxg7 27 Ìh5+ Êf8 28 Ëxb8+ better-placed minor pieces in the event of 21 Íe3 Ëf5 22 Ëxf5 exf5 23 Îxa1 Îxb7 Êe7, and if 29 Ëxa7 Íxf2+ 30 Ëxf2 15...Ìxd4 16 Ìh5 e5 17 Íb2. 24 Íd4+ White will regain , Ëxb7) 23...Êg8 24 Ìf6+. 16 Íxc6! Íxa1 17 Íxb7 Îb8 although the resulting opposite-coloured 21 Ìf6+ Êh8 bishops grant Black some chances to hold. Now Black collapses because of h7, but if 19...Íc3 21...Êg7 22 Ëxg4 or 21...Íxf6 22 Íxf6 Even the highly creative Basman had Ëxc4 23 Ëd2 and it’s going to be mate on clearly missed the rejoinder this runs into. As the dark squares. such, 19...Íh8 might have been critical, and 22 Ëd3 Íxf6 23 Íxf6+ Êg8 24 Ëe3 1-0 if 20 b4! (20 Íg2 f6 21 Íf4 Ëxh5 shouldn’t give White enough for a piece after HUNGARY – Judit and Sofia Polgar once 22 Íxd6 Ëf7 23 Íxb8 Îxb8 24 Ëxg4+ again staged a ‘Global Chess Festival’, with Íg7) 20...Ëa4! 21 Ëxd6 Îxb7 22 Íf6. the main emphasis on October 13th the This must have look pretty scary over the sisters’ hometown of Budapest. The day board, but after 22...Ëxb4! 23 Ëe5 Íxf6 before Judit gave an online simul against 24 Ìxf6+ Êh8 White has nothing better players from 20 different countries, which than a slightly unusual repetition with 25 was watched by an audience of 100,000 on Ëe4 Êg7 26 Ëxg4+ Êh8 27 Ëe4 Êg7 28 Twitch, and on the big day itself both Judit Ìh5+ Êh8 29 Ìf6 Êg7. and Sofia gave simuls at the Hungarian 20 b4! National Museum. The audience also got to 18 Ìh5 enjoy a chess-themed recital from Jason Bosboom can’t resist the chance to hurl a Kouchak, as well as singer-songwriter Juga piece even closer to the black king. He also performing her new song ‘’. Of had 18 Íg2!?, and if 18...Íc3 (or 18...Íg7 the various events held in parallel around the 19 Ìh5) 19 Ëxg4+ Êh8 20 Îd1 with world, perhaps the most striking was the promising play for the exchange. decision by the tiny Dutch island of 18...Ëa5 Schiermonnikoog to change its name to the The board has caught fire. White’s main ‘Island of Chess’ for the day. idea was 18...Îxb7 19 Ëxg4+ Êh8 20 Íg5 The First Saturday tournaments, organised f5 (or 20...f6 21 Íh6) 21 Ëf3 with a double by Laszlo Nagy in Budapest each month, saw attack, after which White once again has 12-year-old Uzbek wunderkind Javokhir promising . Basman’s choice, Sindarov triumph with 7/9 at the October activating the queen, is sensible, as would edition. That was impressive enough in itself, have been 18...f5!? 19 Íg5 Ëe8, although but it means that Rameshbabu even here White’s bishops continue to radiate Praggnanandhaa isn’t the second youngest power and leave him with decent grandmaster of all time after . compensation after 20 Ëxa1 Ëxh5 21 Íg2. 20...Ëxb4? Instead it’s Sindarov, who only made his 19 Íg5 Now it’s all over as Black’s kingside is torn second norm at the World Bosboom had presumably prepared this to smithereens. 20...Ëa4 21 Ëc1 Ëxb4 Championship in September ahead of his third www.chess.co.uk 51 in Budapest, thereby fulfilling the GM title focussed on Saint Louis. The U.S. capital of to triumph by some two points. requirements at the age of 12 years, 10 chess recently hosted the St. Louis Fall Chess The staff at the and Scholastic months and 8 days. Classic (10-18 October). The first of two all- Center of Saint Louis had little time to rest for play-alls, Group A, saw Alexey Dreev prove too on October 23rd the venue hosted the start of strong, the 49-year-old Russian racking up an the 14th edition of Susan Polgar’s SPICE Cup. undefeated 6½/9 to outclass the field. Lazaro This annual event is a strong Swiss for those Bruzon Batista was second on 5½, with the currently studying in higher education in likes of Yury Kuzubov, Ray Robson and Jon America, and saw Jorge Cori and Illya Nyzhnyk Ludvig Hammer further back. Meanwhile triumph with 6½/9 before the 23-year-old Armenian GM Hovannes Gabuzyan swept all Peruvian won an Armageddon game against before him in Group B, amassing a mighty 7/9 the 22-year-old Ukrainian to take the title. Home News

BURY ST EDMUNDS – Alan Merry was in the Challengers: 1 Julian Tang (Leicester) 5, 2-5 Isle of Man as top seeds Adam Hunt and Mohammed Sheikh (Kettering), Syema Richard Pert shared the top honours at the Sheikh (Leicester), Yoav Bankirer (Cam- Bury St Edmunds Congress (20-21 October). bridge), Christopher Willoughby (Essex) 4. Open: 1-2 Richard Pert (Brentwood), Adam Minor: 1 Roman Bartels (Cambridge) 5, 2-4 Hunt (Woodbridge) 4/5, 3-7 Neil Bradbury Anusha Subramanian (Maidenhead), Joshua (Welwyn Garden City), Ashley Stewart Tang (Leicester), Mae Catabay (Colchester) 4. The Dutch island of Schiermonnikoog staged (Linton), Shaun Munson (Ipswich), Mark Le- a major celebration of chess on 13 October. Vine (Bury St Edmunds), Ryszard Maciol (Cambridge) 3½. J.Pein-A.Merry RUSSIA – The Women’s World Championship Major: 1 Peter Finn (High Wycombe) 4½, 2- Cambridge (rapid) 2018 was underway in Khanty-Mansiysk as we 3 Chris White (Richmond), Jan Balogh (Bury went to press. In our Christmas issue we’ll have St Edmunds) 4. the full results of this 64-player knockout, in Intermediate: 1-2 Andrew Donnelly (Bury which Ju Wenjun was bidding to retain her St Edmunds), Jerzy Cholewinski (Ipswich) world title. The biggest upsets in the opening 4½, 3-4 Cameron Little (Sudbury), Angus round were Elizabeth Paehtz’s defeat to the Irving (Ipswich) 4. young Iranian WIM Mobina Alinasab and Olga Minor: 1-2 Nina Pert (Brentwood), Chris Girya being eliminated by Zhai Mo. Shepherd-Rose (Bury St Edmunds) 4½, 3-4 Mark Nettleton (Lowestoft), Peter Housden SPAIN – made a welcome (Ipswich) 4. appearance at the Salamanca Masters (24-27 October), one of a number of events which CAMBRIDGE – Jonathan Pein caused an celebrated the University of Salamanca’s upset as he defeated top seed Alan Merry to 800th anniversary. In this rapid event Topalov triumph at the Cambridgeshire Rapidplay on proved largely too strong, conceding only a September 23rd, a tournament which draw to the young Spanish GM Miguel Santos, attracted plenty of players, not least juniors. who also drew with Anatoly Karpov. Santos Open: 1 Jonathan Pein (Wood Green) 5/5, Having run into trouble in the early finished second on 5/7, half a point ahead of 2-3 Alan Merry (Bury St Edmunds), Johannes middlegame, White has recovered well, Karpov and Julio Granda Zuniga, if also a point Arens (Germany) 4. sacrificing a pawn for activity. He now and a half behind Topalov. Major: 1-2 Gavith Dharmasena continued to take the fight to his higher- (Cambridge), Joseph Battisti (Italy) 4½, 3-5 rated opponent: USA – Almost every month it feels like the Kian Dharmasena, Julia Volovich (both 30 Ìh5! Ìxh3+ eyes of the chess world are at least part Cambridge), Peter Tibbert (Northampton) 4. Risky. There was also 30...Îf5! when 31

Decemeber 2018 52 Ìxf5 Ìd3+ 32 Êf1 Ìxe1 33 Ìxh6+ Êh7! Congress (2-4 November), at its new home, under-Lyme) 6½, 2-4 Lavanya Maladkar, 34 Ìxf7 Ìxc2 would have remained quite the Lysses House Hotel in Fareham. Andrew Watson (both West Nottingham), unbalanced, as well as roughly level. Open: 1 Matt Chapman (Fareham) 5/6, Jeremy Brockes (Hampstead) 6. 31 gxh3 Îf3? 2 Mike Waddington (Dorchester) 4½, 3 David Now Black loses a piece for insufficient Pye (Cosham) 4. compensation. A better try was 31...Îf5 Major: 1-2 Brendan O’Gorman (Coulsdon), 32 Ìg3 Îg5 33 Êg2 Íd6 34 Ìde2 h5 Robert Page (Broadstairs) 4½, 3-4 David T.Ravi-S.Williams when Black has only two pawns for the piece, Agostinelli (Southampton), Nick Burton Telford 2018 but unravelling will not be so easy for White. (Ilkley) 4. 32 Êg2 Îxh3 33 Ìxg7! Îh4 Minor: 1 Ryan Cheung (Southampton Of course, if 33...Êxg7? 34 Ìe6+ Êg8 University) 6, 2-4 Richard Meredith 1 d4 f5 2 Ìf3 Ìf6 3 g3 g6 4 Íg2 Íg7 35 Ìxc5, while White was ready to meet (Chandlers Ford), David Nelson 5 0-0 0-0 6 b3 d6 7 Íb2 Ìe4 8 Ìbd2 33...Íb4 with 34 Îe8+! Êh7 35 Îd8 Íg4 (Southampton), Phil Pinto (Emsworth) 4. Ìc6 9 Ìe1 d5! 36 Ìgf5. Establishing a favourable Leningrad- 34 Ìgf5 Îg4+ 35 Êf3 Îg5 36 Ìe7+ LONDON – Ben Keohane (London) won the Stonewall hybrid. Êf8 37 Ìexc6 Open at the Muswell Hill Rapidplay on 9...d5! 10 e3 e5 11 Ìdf3 exd4 12 exd4 There goes a pawn and Pein went on to October 16th, while Raghu Kamath f4! 13 Ìe5 Ìg5 14 h4?! convert his extra piece: (Richmond) and Michael Saunders (London) Weakening. 14 Ì5d3 was a better try, 37...Íg4+ 38 Êe3 h5 39 Îf1 Íd6 tied for in the Major and Adah Ogah (Harrow) and if 14...f3 15 Ìxf3 Íg4 16 Ìf4, or even 40 Ìd8 Îe5+ 41 Êd2 f5? 42 Ì4e6+ triumphed in the Minor. Then at the 14 Ía3 Îf5 15 g4!?, but not 14 Ì1d3? Êe7 43 Ìc6+ Êxe6 44 Íxe5 Íxe5 45 Îe1 Hampstead U2200 Congress (20-21 Ìxe5 15 Ìxe5 Íxe5 16 dxe5 f3. Êf6 46 Ìxe5 Êg5 47 Ìxg4 fxg4 1-0 October), Savin Dias triumphed. 14...Ìe4 15 Ì1d3 Ìxe5 16 Ìxe5 Íe6 Under-2200: 1 Savin Dias (Hendon) 4½/5, 17 Ëd3 Íf5 18 g4! Íe6 19 c4? CREWE – IM Dietmar Kolbus popped over 2 Shyam Modi (Syston) 4, 3 Alexander 19 f3 was required, refusing to fear any from the Isle of Man, but had to settle for a Jamieson (Hammersmith) 3½. ghosts in the case of 19...Ìg3 20 Îfe1 share of first at the Crewe Congress (12-14 Under-1900: 1-2 Oliver Finnegan Ëxh4 21 Ìxg6 hxg6 22 Îxe6. October). (Loughton), Xavier Cowan (Richmond) 4½, 3 19...Íxe5 20 dxe5 Ëxh4 21 cxd5? Open: 1-3 Dietmar Kolbus (Isle of Man), Tashika Arora (Oxford) 3½. The ugly 21 f3 was by now obligatory. Stuart Clarke (Holmes Chapel), Jacob Boswell Under-135: 1 Savas Stoica 4½, 2-4 Eric 21...f3! (Leek) 4/5. Eedle (both Barnet), Jerwynn Lau Another thematic Dutch blow and a Major: 1 Karl Lockett (Crewe) 5, 2-9 David (Richmond), Nick Goulbourne (Hendon) 4. favourite breakthrough of Williams’. White Patrick (Halifax), Steven Potter (St Helens), would now find himself being cleaned up in SWANSEA – Welsh Champion Gerry Heap Sam Davies (Southport), Reg Clucas the event of 22 Ëxe4 fxg2 23 Ëxg2 Îf4 24 triumphed at the West Wales Congress (12- (Altrincham), John Ryan, David Boulden (both f3 Íxg4. The text, though, is even worse. 14 October) Denton), Micheal Connor (Great Lever), 22 Íxf3 Ìg5 23 Íg2 Îf3! Neville Layhe (Crewe) 3½. Open: 1 Gerry Heap (Carmarthen) 4½/5, 2 Intermediate: 1 Jozef Nemcek (Chester) Adam Musson (Neath) 4, 3-5 Jon 4½, 2-3 Gary White (Priorslee), Steve Underwood (Seaton), Sven Zeidler Edwards (Sutton Coldfield) 4. (Abergavenny), Joe Fathallah (Cardiff) 3½. Minor: 1 Harry Gardiner (Crewe) 5, 2 Lewis Major: 1 Kimberly Chong (North Cardiff) 4½, Chatten (Wallasey) 4½, 3 Martin Cockerill 2-3 Tomasz Miga (Llanelli), Andrew Thomas 4. (Wallasey) 4. Minor: 1 Eleanor Collins (Swansea) 4½, 2-3 Joy Fursman (Clevedon), Joel Chung DOUGLAS – The Chess.com Isle of Man (Swansea) 3½. International (20-28 October) wasn’t just about the Masters section, as covered earlier TELFORD – The 4NCL celebrated its 25th in these pages. birthday at its International Congress in Major: 1-3 Jason McKenna (Oxford), Ken Nor- Telford (31 October - 4 November). In a man (Wokingham), David Ireland (Coventry) 5½/7. hard-fought Open, top honours went to Oleg Minor: 1-2 Pedro Deus (Portugal), Gary Korneev, despite being held to a draw by White (Priorslee) 5½, 3 Kupsjar Jannur Nottingham teenager Jonah Willow in the (Mongolia) 5. opening round, and Tamas Fodor. They both went home with £750, but even happier 24 Ëxf3 DUNDEE – Quality Chess colleagues Jacob were Matthew Turner and Simon Williams A lovely tactic. 24 Íxf3 Ìh3+ and Aagaard and Andrew Greet tied for first at who qualified on tie-break for the British 25...Ìf4+ will win the white queen. the Dundee Congress (19-21 October). Knockout Championship, which will once 24...Ìxf3+ 25 Íxf3 Íxg4 26 Íg2 Íh3 Open: 1-2 Jacob Aagaard, Andrew Greet again take place alongside the London Chess 27 Íxh3 (both Bearsden) 4½/5, 3 George Neave Classic. The only disappointing news was that Or 27 f3 Ëg3 28 Îf2 Îf8 and, just as in (Edinburgh) 4. during a routine anti-cheating by the the game, Black’s attack remains far too strong. Major: 1-4 Adria Borras Carbonell arbiters, one player had to be disqualified for 27...Ëxh3 28 Îae1 Ëg4+ 29 Êh2 Îf8 (Edinburgh), Daniel Thomas (East Kilbride), Pawel receiving electronic assistance. 30 f3 Ëf4+ 31 Êg2 Îf5 32 Íc3 Îh5 33 Kosior (Dundee), Robert Taylor (Syston) 4. Open: 1-2 Oleg Korneev (Spain), Tamas Îf2 Ëg5+ 34 Êf1 Îh1+ 35 Êe2 Îxe1+ Minor: 1-2 Lee Bishop (Edinburgh), Alisdair Fodor (Hendon) 6½/9, 3-8 Teja Ravi (India), 0-1 McLeod (Aberdeen) 4½, 3-7 David Simon Williams (Farnham), Matthew Turner Ainsworth, Aravind Kumar (both Edinburgh), (Glastonbury), Keith Arkell (Paignton), Daniel Iwo Labuda (Perth), Laurenziu Archip Fernandez (Marple), Ravi Haria (Elstree) 6. (Dundee), Damien Williamson (Oban) 4. Under-2050: 1 Aliriza Atif Gorgun (Swindon) 7, 2-4 Roger De Coverly (Bourne FAREHAM – Matt Chapman is the new End), Adrian Zdanowski (Telford), Anita Hampshire Champion after defeating David Somton (West Nottingham) 6. Pye in the final round of the Hampshire Under-1825: 1 Joe Hirst (Newcastle- www.chess.co.uk 53 This Month’s New Releases

sort of statement that most specialist books The Exchange Queen’s Gambit for Black omit. The other aspect making the book very Tibor Karolyi, 280 pages accessible is the inclusion of a ‘Quick Repertoire’, Chess Evolution in addition to the more traditional, more RRP £22.95 SUBSCRIBERS £20.65 detailed ‘Step by Step’ guide. The main lines currently centre on Black’s Regardless of the rise in 1 d4 deviations, attempts to exploit the early bishop move there are still some players who will insist on and also the weakened dark queenside playing the main lines after 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6. Ì Í Ì Í Play the Trompowsky Attack squares with 1 d4 f6 2 g5 e4 3 f4 c5 Tibor Karolyi appears to be making it his Dmitry Kryakvin, 264 pages where White tries to win back the tempo with mission to offer excellent coverage for Chess Stars Publishing 4 f3. This can lead to all sorts of weird and players upholding the honour of Black’s RRP £19.99 SUBSCRIBERS £17.99 wonderful positions, where an open mind is ‘straight bat’ defence. We have already seen often as important as an . One two volumes from him dealing with the There’s no doubt about it; if you play sample is 4...Ëa5+ 5 c3 Ìf6 6 d5 Ëb6. increasingly popular Semi-Tarrasch Defence chess, you will encounter a whole range of and now he has turned his attention to the offbeat 1 d4 openings, such as the London Exchange Variation, against which he offers a and Colle Systems, because club players quite complete and serious repertoire for Black. naturally want to adopt such easy-to-learn There is no doubt that stalwarts including openings. It is interesting to see how 1 d4 and the Tartakower-Bondarevsky-Makogonov 2 Íf4 has replaced 1 d4 and 2 Íg5 as the system offer Black a very solid option against anti-main line theory weapon of choice, but 1 d4, but still, “Many simply had worries adherents are now running about the after cxd5. This the risk of sinking into a Thames-sized river fear did not appear from nowhere; many of theory of their own. great players – and especially Kasparov and Perhaps it is time for creative 1 d4 players Karpov – scored really well with it. But chess, to return to their first love – the tricky with the emergence of ‘the computers’, had Trompowsky Attack. Kryakvin’s new book changed dramatically ever since these giants stresses the importance of having a universal retired and the exchange variation became weapon up one’s sleeve “To force the more appetizing from Black’s point of view.” opponent into your own territory”, especially Players of a certain age may recall Ludek in a tournament climate in which games come Not to be outdone on visually suspicious Pachman’s classic explanation of how Black thick and fast. Kryakvin’s interest in the moves, White can now, according to the should play in the third volume of his classic opening came via his wife, WIM Elena author, gain an advantage with 7 Íc1! when series Complete , but we have Tomilova, and then the author was tempted he can not only hold the queenside together, lacked a modern treatment for some time. to try it for himself, with excellent results. but also produce a significant space The lines covered in this book are reached Ì Ì There are two parts to the book. The bulk advantage in the centre. specifically after 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 c3 f6 of the work is devoted to 1 d4 Ìf6 2 Íg5 Incidentally, people who like to defend 1 4 cxd5 exd5. and the second part presents anti-Dutch d4 with 1...f5 really should take a look at the The book offers a chapter on ideas, again with 2 Íg5 as the key move. The final chapter, as the Dutch looks to be under ‘Masterpieces’, presenting four classic coverage includes oddball tries such as pressure after 2 Íg5. examples of how Black should handle the 2...Ìg8, 2...b5 and 2...h6, all granting White The prose explanations are excellent pawn structure. The most instructive game an early advantage. These are followed by throughout the book and these will help shows Petrosian outplaying Bobotsov at the more extensive coverage of 2...e6, 2...c5, newcomers to the murky world of the 1968 Lugano Olympiad, replete with expert 2...e6, 2...d5 and 2...Ìe4. Trompowsky feel their way through the manoeuvres designed to exploit weak I like the way the author breaks things into confusion. Kryakvin makes a very good case squares in the white camp. simple terms, without falling into the trap of for adding this weapon to one’s 1 d4 armoury. Then there are eight chapters offering dumbing down the message. For example, Sean Marsh extremely thorough coverage of all lines, after 1 d4 Ìf6 2 Íg5 he says, “White’s whether White opts for an early Íg5 or not. bishop is developed to g5 with the There are three main plans for White: the straightforward idea to disrupt his opponent’s minority attack; central expansion with f2-f3 pawn structure. It is understandable that and e2-e4; and 0-0-0 with hopes of a Black can react in many different ways. He kingside attack. Black needs to be ready for all can attack the enemy bishop, avoiding the of the options or risk being worse very quickly. doubling of his pawns, or inflict a counter There are various tricky move orders strike against his opponent’s centre.” designed to throw White off the natural This is a near-perfect summary of the paths, such as an early ...Ìh5 to offer an very basic ideas for both sides and exactly the exchange of the dark-squared bishops and www.chess.co.uk 55 attempts to develop the c8-bishop as quickly Bridge, ideal for those who like to study their as possible. The latter plan always runs the chess in some detail. The various search risk of running into Ëb3 or Ëf3 with an functions have been speeded up and a assault on the light squares, but Karolyi offers number of training options added, such as some very interesting ideas to help Black ‘Instant Analysis’, which rapidly analyses any achieve the aim – although players will unannotated game, highlighting the key definitely need to do their homework as there mistakes and tactical motifs missed. are lots of lines to consider. Indeed, in the There are three types of ChessBase Í chapter dealing with early .. f5 ideas, there 300 Most Important Chess Positions package for you to choose from: are more than 20 lines to consider. Thomas Engqvist, 302 pages, paperback Starter Package – £175 (or £157.50 Considerable attention is given to the old RRP £16.99 SUBSCRIBERS £15.29 for Subscribers), which features the – but still difficult – lines arising from 1 d4 d5 Having penned detailed works for Everyman ChessBase 15 program and the Big Database Ì Ì Í 2 c4 e6 3 c3 f6 4 cxd5 exd5 5 g5 c6 Chess on Petrosian, Reti and Stein, Swedish IM 2019, as well as online access; Í Ë 6 e3 f5 7 f3, when Black must accept the Thomas Engqvist moves across to the Mega Package – £250 (Subscribers – doubling of his pawns on f6. The author Batsford stable to present a book for the club £225), which is the same as the Starter opines that this is Black’s only problem and he player. Each of the 300 positions consists of Package, but with the Mega Database 2019, will, after all, secure the bishop-pair. a diagram followed by a short instructive as well as slightly improved ChessBase There is always much wrestling for control extract. Engqvist begins with what he sees as subscription terms; of the f5-square. If White can gain and then the 50 most important opening positions, Premium Package – £415. (Subscribers keep control of it then Black will be worse. although this section could really have been – £373.50). This is the Mega Package, but The ideas given by Karolyi include sending labelled key ideas in the early middlegame with the addition of the Corr Database 2018 Black’s queen’s knight on a tour, through d7, after the most important opening structures. and the Endgame Turbo 5 on a 128GB USB stick. b6, c4 (or c8), and finally to d6, to help with Coverage continues with 150 middlegame Please note that if you just want to update the defence of that weak square. positions and then 100 are devoted to the from ChessBase 14 to ChessBase 15, you may This is a key position. endgame. The explanation is succinct and this do so, quoting your serial number or returning work might well suit those who like to dip into the original DVD to Chess & Bridge, and all for a chess book when on a train, bus or plane. just £89.99 (Subscribers – £80.99). For an extract from 300 Most Important Chess Positions and the chance to win a copy, do turn to page 33.

Checkmate: TV Season One Hosted by Anna Richardson & Simon Williams, 3 DVD set Better Thinking, Better Chess RRP £24.95 SUBSCRIBERS £22.45 At long last the modern equivalent of The Black to play Joel Benjamin, 224 pages, paperback RRP £24.95 SUBSCRIBERS £22.45 Master Game has made it on to DVD. Filmed in Malta, a mixture of leading male and female White is on the way to establishing the Subtitled ‘How a Grandmaster Finds his players battled it out over six rounds. The standard bind on f5 with 13 Ìg3 and this can Moves’, this work for New in Chess sees contestants were Tiger Hillarp Persson, be a big problem for Black. Among the Benjamin do exactly that. These days the Jovanka Houska, Irina Krush, Igor Lysyj, Nino interesting analysis of 12...f5 and 12...Ìb6 three-time U.S. Champion spends much of his Maisuradze, , Elisabeth (with which Kramnik once suffered badly time coaching and is aware that the challenge Pähtz, Richard Rapport, Nigel Short and Ju against Carlsen), the author offers a brand isn’t so much pointing out to his pupils the Wenjun. With just under half an hour of new idea with 12...Íb4+. move they missed, but why. Benjamin coverage per round, and commentary by the The aim: “To obtain the opposite-coloured certainly does a fine job of pointing the reader Ginger GM and Anna Richardson, who shot to bishop endgame”, which could indeed happen in the right direction. His coverage may well fame on The Big Breakfast and has presented after the sample line make you consider more moves in certain various shows ever since for Channel 4. After 13 Êd1 Ìb6 (there goes the aforementioned types of position and fewer in others, while two DVDs of footage of each round, the third knight manoeuvre again) 14 Ìg3 Ìc8 also having a better idea of how much time to DVD sees Simon Williams devote as many as 15 Ìgf5 Ìd6 16 Íd3 when “Sooner or later spend over an important decision. 9 hours to an analysis of the games. Black will take on f5 and get the opposite- coloured bishop endgame.” The above snippet will give an idea of the depth of this book and the high level it is aimed at helping. Club players will be out of their depth in most places apart from the ‘Masterpieces’ chapter, but serious tournament players looking to hold off one of White’s main tries for an advantage after 1 d4 should find plenty of lofty material into which ChessBase 15 to sink their teeth. ChessBase PC-DVD Clinch It! The latest version of the famous database Cyrus Lakdawala, 256 pages, paperback Sean Marsh program is now available from Chess & RRP £24.95 SUBSCRIBERS £22.45

December 2018 56 “I was much better, but threw it away” is a player, with the emphasis chiefly on familiar refrain heard at chess clubs up and explaining the key motifs for each side, as down the land. Help for those who didn’t well as some basic theory. The likes of the convert is at hand in this work subtitled ‘How Evans and King’s are featured, to Convert an Advantage into a Win in Chess’. although the majority of coverage is Lakdawala is painfully aware of how easy it is unsurprisingly devoted to the to mess up a big advantage and, indeed, and the Ruy Lopez. In a welcome supplies many examples from his own games. development, Souleidis goes beyond the Moreover, he recognises that the cause often The Hyper Accelerated Dragon video format, where he frequently features isn’t a lack of technique, as much as practical (Extended Second Edition) leading grandmaster and correspondence and psychological issues, such as poor nerves. Raja Panjwani, 248 pages, paperback games, adding plenty of further material as The ever lively style of Lakdawala might not RRP £27.50 SUBSCRIBERS £24.75 text and in ChessBase format. be able to sort those out, but this book is Like Quality Chess, Thinkers Publishing packed full of common sense and should help aren’t afraid to quickly update their books and to improve your conversion rate. bring our new editions. Here the Canadian IM updates his repertoire with his favourite opening, 1 e4 c5 2 Ìf3 g6. Panjwani begins with 3 d4 cxd4 4 Ìxd4 Íg7 5 Ìc3 Ìc6 6 Íe3 Ìf6 before tackling the Maroczy Bind and the 4 Ëxd4 variation. Coverage is rounded off by a thorough examination of an early c2-c3 from White, while throughout Together with the Candidates: Budapest Panjwani strikes quite an upbeat note as he 1950 until Berlin 2018 constantly outlines dynamic methods of Alexey Kuzmin, 280 pages, paperback Closing Gambit: 1978 Korchnoi versus counterplay for Black. RRP £27.95 SUBSCRIBERS £25.15 Karpov and the Kremlin Last month we reviewed new works on Alan Byron (director), DVD Carlsen and Caruana, and this recent work RRP £14.99 SUBSCRIBERS £13.49 could also be considered well timed, Alan Byron’s documentary about the 1978 appearing, as it did, just before the world world championship is another most welcome championship match. Kuzmin follows up his development on DVD, especially as the days earlier Together with Morozevich for Thinkers become ever colder and the nights ever Publishing by presenting a history of all the longer. We have to agree with the publicity Candidates tournaments and matches since blurb that “The film presents the riveting, 1950, while challenging readers to solve a true story of an event – so extraordinary, it wide range of positions. Indeed, the work King and Pawn Endgame could have been culled from the pages of a might well be seen as one suitable largely for Vassilis Aristotelous, 136 pages, paperback John Le Carré bestseller.” We featured Closing the serious student – attempting to find RRP £14.99 SUBSCRIBERS £13.49 Gambit in our August pages and will have a what move the greats did each in position and Readers are likely aware of the basic full review next month. then learn from the detailed solutions. motifs in king and pawn endgames, the opposition and shouldering away the opponent’s king, but do you still panic when realising that a king and pawn ending might appear on the board? The Cypriot author aims to help with his coverage of “Essential Knowledge and Techniques” of these ever tricky endgames, coverage which should help to improve readers’ knowledge of and confidence in this ever-important part of Mega Database 2019 the game. Vladimir Kramnik - ChessBase DVD The Inside Story of a Chess Genius RRP £164.95 SUBSCRIBERS £148.45 Carsten Hensel, 256 pages, hardback The latest edition of ChessBase’s premium RRP £19.99 SUBSCRIBERS £17.99 database now contains a whopping 7.6 Carsten Hensel was Vladimir Kramnik’s million games, of which 72,000 are manager throughout much of his rise in the annotated. Purchasers also receive a year’s 1990s and then his title matches with Garry access to a weekly update service. See page Kasparov and Peter Leko. As such, he is ideally 39 for more details. placed to explain just what went on behind By quoting your serial number or returning the scenes at some pivotal moments in chess the older DVD to Chess & Bridge, it’s possible history. Hensel’s account is well written, as to upgrade from Mega Database 2018 to The Open Games: A Detailed Overview well as often dramatic, and is now available in Mega Database 2019 for £64.99 Georgios Souleidis, PC-DVD, English for the first time, courtesy of Quality (Subscribers – £58.49), or for £114.99 if running time: 8 hours Chess. Finally, Kramnik fans may become upgrading from an older version (Subscribers RRP £26.95 SUBSCRIBERS £24.25 even more excited when learning that some – £103.49). Please note too that if you’re The Greek IM has been long domiciled in of his most memorable games are included – not interested in the annotated version, the Germany and his name may well be known to annotated by the man himself. unannotated Big Database 2019 is also readers. Souleidis splits up his coverage of the available, retailing at £64.99 or £58.49 for many lines which can arise after 1 e4 e5 into Subscribers. 36 videos. His focus is squarely the club ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ www.chess.co.uk 57