ISSN 0007-0440

9770007 044000 10 ith 2016 already well underway, may we wish all our readers good

Editorial health and happiness throughout the New Year and every success with your endeavours, whatever they may be! And sincere thanks for 15 yourW continued loyalty to . As we embark on 2016 there are important changes at BCM. Firstly, James Pratt and John Upham both stepped down from BCM at the end of 2015. James has C AC OUN SE T A B S

S

E played a major role in BCM’s editorial team, whilst John has provided so many H C could have been with Fritz 15 – Fritz can now • “My Games Cloud” – access your server M P R E M I U of our photos and also served as our IT manager, in particular helping BCM 6 MONATE Fritz ist das „populärste deutsche Schachprogramm“ Lorem ipsum dolor sit, Spiegel) show you what you missed right after the games collection at the click of a mouse! consectetuer adipiscing elit. hat alles,. Obwas Anfänger, Schachspieler Vereinsspieler wünschen: oder neue Profi: Fritz-Engine Der neue von FRITZ Aenean commodo ligula Starautor Vas Rajlich, automatische Spielstärkeanpassung, eget dolor. Aenean massa. neuentwickelte Handicap- und Coachfunktion, Stellungserklä game. You can, of course, also try to find the establish and expand its digital presence. So, let us take this opportunity to extend rung, farbige Gefah- renanzeige, Eröffnungsstatistik, automati sche Partieanalyse, eine Datenbank mit 1,5 Millionen Partien. • “Training” - test, train, and improve your UND: Der neue ChessBase Account Premium bietet Ihnen (Der Zu- PREMIUM ACCOUNT way to win yourself using the handy exercise gang auf die ChessBase Welt jederzeit und überall: Online spielen our sincere gratitude to both of these highly valued and able colleagues for their lorem ipsum dolor sit auf playchess.com, Trainingsvideos, Datenbankzugriff, Taktiktrai ning, Analyse mit Fritzonline und Let's und und und. Mit tactical skills at any time. More than 34,000 COUNT ameter meter AC Fritz15 haben Sie das populärste Schachprogramm auf Ihrem PC function – an approach certain to boost your - E und über das Internet mobilen Zugang auf (Der die Chess Base Welt:

S zur Chessbase Welt

- 6 Monate Online-Zugang very considerable efforts in bringing out BCM month after month since 2011. We So geht Schach heute! INKLUSIVE training tasks are waiting for you! A LIVE DATABASE

B lorem ipsum dolor sit S

S Fritz ist dasameter „populärste meter deutscheFEATURELISTE: Schachprogramm“ own conversion technique and playchess ELO!

E M . Ob Anfänger, Vereinsspieler oder Profi: Der neue FRITZ-

H Spiegel) C U - Fritz 15 Engine (64 und 32 Bit Engine) entwickelt - I hat alles, was Schachspieler Star-Autor wünschen: Vas Rajlich neue Fritz-Engine von - wish them both well in whatever new direction they take. M P R E StarautorMY Vas GAMES Rajlich,CLOUD automatische- 64 Bit- und 32 Spielstärkeanpassung, Bit Programmoberfläche • “Let’s Check” – access our unique analysis lorem ipsum dolor sit neuentwickelte Handicap-- und ChessBase Coachfunktion, Account Premium Stellungserklä (6 Monate) 6 MONATE ameter meter rung, farbige Gefah- renanzeige,- Neue Trainingsmodule: Eröffnungsstatistik, Handicap & Sparring! automati - sche Partieanalyse, eine Datenbank- Neues Eröffnungsbuch mit 1,5 Millionenvon Alex Kure Partien. New author, new engine database with over 200 million deeply UND: Der neue ChessBase (überAccount 4 Mio. Stellungen), Premium bietet Ihnen Zu- Lorem ipsum dolor sit, FRITZ ONLINE 64 BIT MULTIPROCESSOR gang auf die ChessBase Welt jederzeit und überall: Online spielen VERSION

lorem ipsum dolor sit - Datenbank mit über 1,5 Mio. Partien u.v.m. VERSION consectetuer adipiscing elit. 64 BIT MULTIPROCESSOR auf playchess.com, Trainingsvideos, Datenbankzugriff, Taktiktrai Aenean commodo ligula ameter meter ning, Analyse mit Fritzonline und Let's check und und und. Mit eget dolor. Aenean massa. 64 BIT MULTIPROCESSORVERSION analyzed positions and much more! Fritz15 haben Sie das populärste Schachprogramm auf Ihrem PC Vasik Rajlich is new to the Fritz team. The Secondly, we are delighted to announce an exciting new collaboration with one und über das Internet mobilen Zugang auf die Chess Base Welt: PREMIUM ACCOUNT VIDEO FLAT PLAYCHESS So geht Schachlorem ipsum dolorheute! sit lorem ipsum dolor sit ameter meter American shook up the world of computer ameter meter FEATURELISTE: of the world's most respected and prestigious chess publishers, . - Fritz 15 Engine (64 und 32 Bit Engine) entwickelt Star-AutorOPENINGS Vas Rajlich INKLUSIVE lorem ipsum dolor sit 6 Monate Online-Zugang LIVE DATABASE - 64 Bit- und 32 Bit Programmoberfläche zur Chessbase Welt chess just a few years ago, reaching the top Fritz 15 comes with Premium lorem ipsum dolor sit ameter meter  - ChessBase Account Premium (6 Monate) ameter meter - Neue Trainingsmodule: Handicap & Sparring! 64 BIT MULTIPROCESSOR Both our houses share a long tradition in publishing BCM has been part - Neues TRAININGEröffnungsbuch von Alex Kure with his program, “Rybka”. He is the author of access to the new ChessBase (über 4 loremMio. ipsum Stellungen), dolor sit MY GAMES CLOUD - Datenbank mit über 1,5 Mio. Partien u.v.m. lorem ipsum dolor sit ameter meter ameter meter of Britain's chess playing scene for over 130(!) years, while Informant was SYSTEMVORAUSSETZUNGEN: VERSION the new Fritz 15 engine, so there’s no question web tools for over ENGINE CLOUD Minimum: Pentium III 1 GHz, 2 GB RAM, Windows Vista, XP (Service Pack 3), FRITZ ONLINE lorem ipsum dolor sit 7/8, DirectX9, Grafikkarte mit 256 MB RAM, DVD-ROM Laufwerk, Windows lorem ipsum dolor sit ameter meter Media Player 9 und Internetzugang für Programmaktivierung, , Updates und that it will be one of the world’s strongest! ameter meter ChessBase account -WebApps. Empfohlen: PC Intel i5 (Quadcore), 4 GB six months! established exactly fifty years ago, in 1966, when it launched its revolutionary

RAM, Windows 7/8, 8.1 oder Windows 10, DirectX10, Grafikkarte mit 512 MB LET‘S CHECK RAM oder mehr, 100% DirectX10- kompatible Soundkarte, Windows Media VIDEO FLAT lorem ipsum dolor sit Player 11, DVD ROM Laufwerk und Internetzugang für Programmaktivierung, lorem ipsum dolor sit ameter meter Updates und ChessBase Account-WebApps. yearbook. Nowadays it comes out quarterly and about half of its content is made ameter meter

CB NEWS Excellent overview, better access OPENINGS lorem ipsum dolor sit lorem ipsum dolor sit ameter meter up of cutting edge articles, whilst retaining all the traditional elements of its CHESSBASE GMBH ameter meter Osterbekstr. 90a · SYSTEMVORAUSSETZUNGEN: 22083 Hamburg · Germany If you watch a lot of training videos or work TRAINING Minimum: Pentium III 1 GHz, 2 GB RAM, WindowsE-Mail: info@.com Vista, XP (Service Pack 3), lorem ipsum dolor sit 7/8, DirectX9, Grafikkarte mit 256 MB RAM,www.chessbase.com DVD-ROM Laufwerk, WindowsISBN 978-3-86681-382-3 original conception. We would like to record our sincere gratitude to the CEO ameter meter Media Player 9 und Internetzugang für Programmaktivierung, , Updates und ChessBase account -WebApps. Empfohlen: PC Intel i5 (Quadcore), 4 GB extensively with databases, the revamped data- RAM, Windows 7/8, 8.1 oder Windows 10, DirectX10, Grafikkarte mit 512 MB ENGINE CLOUD RAM oder mehr, 100% DirectX10- kompatible Soundkarte, Windows Media Chess Informant unverb. Preisempfehlung 69,90 of , Josip Asik, and the whole Informant team for making this lorem ipsum dolor sit Player 11, DVD ROM Laufwerk und Internetzugang für Programmaktivierung, base window is something you’ll love. It doesn’t ameter meter Updates und ChessBase Account-WebApps. ISBN 978-3-86681-382-3

LET‘S CHECK CHESSBASE GMBH just automatically display all the Fritztrainer or collaboration a reality. lorem ipsum dolor sit Osterbekstr. 90a · ameter meter 22083 Hamburg · Germany E-Mail: [email protected] unverb. Preisempfehlung 69,90 www.chessbase.com other courses installed on your hard drive, the CB NEWS lorem ipsum dolor sit ameter meter improved game list also offers enhanced access Working closely with Chess Informant, we decided to offer our readers a special New Fritz, new friend options and sorting functions – in a manner similar to the original ChessBase software! issue dedicated to the , held at London’s Olympia in The completely reworked “friend” mode th December 2015. This was the 7 such event and the strongest so far, with the makes Fritz 15 the ideal training partner. One program, many facets During the course of a game, Fritz is able participation of world champion helping to raise it to the level of to constantly tailor its level to your playing Fritz 15 doesn’t just offer direct access to play- FRITZ 15 £ 50 / 69,90 € Category 22 and an average players’ FIDE rating of 2784. strength and how much time you are using. chess.com – it also opens the door to the world - New 64 Bit –Fritz multiprocessor engine of the new ChessBase web tools: The program can give you a sign when a tac- - Improved 64 Bit- and 32 Bit program interface th tical opportunity presents itself or point out To mark the 7 Classic this issue of BCM has many great new writers and - Premium membership to the new ChessBase • “On-demand video” – unlimited access to typical mistakes to help you improve. Another Accounts and to Playchess.com (six months) talented photographers, we have also added more pages and for good measure exciting element is the new evaluation function our comprehensive database with training - Database with over 1.5 million games etc. given BCM a totally new and fresher look. that analyzes your playing strength throughout videos on every aspect of the royal game, the game. Where are your strengths – where recorded shows, interviews etc. are your weaknesses? The opening? Middle- • “Live Database” – access the ChessBase So, we very much hope you enjoy this special issue, brought to you also with the System requirements: Minimum:   game? Or perhaps the endgame? Fritz 15 gives online database with 8 million games. enthusiasm and passion for chess and in particular British chess of our new you an ELO rating for all three phases! You Pentium III 1 GHz, 2 GB RAM, Windows 7/8, colleagues, it’s a Classic BCM! definitely need to see this! DirectX9, 256 MB graphics card, DVD-ROM drive, Windows Media Player 9 and Internet access for program activation, access to Playchess.com, Let’s Check Improve your conversion and program updates. Shaun Taulbut Stephen Lowe technique Recommended: PC Intel i7 (Quadcore), 4 GB RAM, Windows 8.1/10, DirectX10, 512 MB graphics card, Chairman Director “I should have won that!” How often have you 100% DirectX10-compatible sound card, Windows been frustrated after playing a good game of Media Player 11, DVD-ROM drive and Internet access blitz on playchess.com that somehow went for program activation, access to Playchess.com, Let's wrong? Stoke your curiosity and find out what Check and program updates.

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 3 Carsten MUELLER IMPRESSUM

THE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE Founded 1881 Contents www.britishchessmagazine.co.uk

In proud collaboration with CHESS INFORMANT www.chessinformant.org 6

Chairman Shaun Taulbut How Director Stephen Lowe Magnus CEO Josip Asik (Chess Informant) Won GM Luke McShane Editors CARLSEN´S Jimmy Adams and Josip Asik Assistant Editor Sabrina Chevannes 15 The moral winner and the Art Director Vladimir Vuksan unlucky loser... CLASSIC Photography David Llada, Harald Fietz, GM Ray Morris-Hill, John Upham, Anastasya Karlovich and Andreas Kontokanis 21 The Berlin Wall endgame or COMEBACK should we say middlegame? Newsdesk GM Karsten Müller agnus made a remarkable confession recently. He stated publicly that his Shaun Taulbut confidence had been “dented” by his “not so stellar performance in the six months Jimmy Adams 26 The Thirteen Problems Mprior to the London Classic.” Advertising GM Stephen Lowe Indeed, he had lost more tournament games than any other previous classical chess reigning 28 Topalov toppled! world champion in that same period of time. Enquiries IM Andrew Martin The trouble began in the first round of the first leg of the Grand Tour, in Stavanger, Norway, [email protected] where he was forfeited on time in a winning position against , principally 32 The Openings in Olympia IM Yang-Fan Zhou because the specific rules of this competition had not been properly explained to him. This ISSN 0007-0440 seemed to affect his play and he then suffered three more defeats, one of which was even © The British Chess Magazine Limited 38 It´s a Knockout! against his trainer, Jon Hammer, a wild card entry by the host country. Company Limited by Shares GM David Howell Further individual defeats in the St Louis leg of the Grand Tour and the European Team Registered in England No 00334968 Championships meant a significant drop in his all-time high FIDE rating and Magnus began 44 Wild West London play in the Classic at Olympia in a rather apprehensive state of mind, despite having won the Non-subscription correspondence: GM World Rapidplay Championship in the meantime. Albany House, 14 Shute End Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 1BJ 47 Big Ben strikes... But Magnus likes London and, in turn, London has been kind to Magnus. It was here that he GM David Smerdon had been a three-time winner of the Classic and a qualifier for a World Championship match BCM subscription department: with Vishy Anand, after winning the on tie-break. Warners 52 find the way to win West Street, Bourne, Lincs Coincidently, in the most recent London Classic, he again benefited from a tie-break rule that England PE10 9PH 53 9 wins for Luke in London declared him winner of the tournament. This rule also gave him the right to play a match against the Tel: +44 (0)1778 392042 Rapidplay winner of a gruelling playoff between and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, the other two players [email protected] on the same final score as him, in order to decide the final overall placings in the Grand Tour. Jon ludvig hammered! 12 monthly issues 54 However, Maxime, the winner of this match, was given very little time to recover before UK: £55 Europe: £70 RoW: £85 GM Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant commencing the final decider with Magnus and was defeated in a two game rapidplay. Printed in the UK When Anum met Anand : by Lavenham Press Ltd 56 So Magnus took his chances and won not only the Classic but also the Grand Tour. He had Cover photograph: Magnus Carlsen 60 THERE´S NO BIZ LIKE PRO–BIZ! played many long games in the tournament and his efforts were rewarded with a $150,000 (Photo by David Llada) FM Josip Asik paycheck. No wonder he chose London to make his comeback!

4 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 5 Luke McSHANE

he line-up in London was formidably strong, but with very narrow differences in strength between Tthe players. Often in an all-play-all, there are one or two obvious targets, and the stronger players focus their energy on trying to beat them. In London, Michael Adams described himself, with a grin, as the tournament underdog, but his deep understanding and solid style command the respect of the top players. Indeed, his nine draws out of nine games was no great shock, but nonetheless extremely impressive. HOW MAGNUS by GM Luke McShane WON

Without any obvious targets, and perhaps on account of the imminent Armageddon blitz game. That Magnus Carlsen — Candidates tournament in March, the play was initially conservative. The Berlin puts you into the final against the came in for some misplaced criticism, but that mixes up cause and Norwegian, where you’re back to maxime Vachier-Lagrave effect. Just as any other opening, the position moulds itself to the mood of the playing rapid chess. The World London 2015, Rapid Playoff, Game 2 players. It is enough to remember Anand’s brilliant 23...b5!! in the following Champion applies gentle pressure position from the final game of the World Championship in Sochi 2014. in the first game, but you’re XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY buoyed by success against Giri 9-+-+-mk-+0 But first let’s ask you to imagine yourself in the and defend resourcefully, until you 9r+-tr-vl-+0 shoes of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave after nine rounds reach this position: 9+-+-+-+-0 9+kzp-+p+-0 at the London Chess Classic. A couple of rounds 9-+-zPR+-+0 9-zp-+lsNnzp0 ago, you finished off a powerful game against Anand 9+-+-+-zpp0 in exquisite tactical style. That, plus a solid early “Carlsen needed a win 9zp-zpNzP-zp-0 win against Topalov, put you on ‘plus 2’, tying for 9-+-mK-+-+0 9P+P+-+P+0 first place with Anish Giri and Magnus Carlsen. The in the last round to 9+-+-+-zP-0 three of you are pitted together in a playoff for Grand catch the leaders! His 9+P+-+-mKP0 Chess Tour placings. The vagaries of the tiebreak 9-+-+-+-tr0 9-vL-+-zP-+0 system mean that you must first play a ‘semi-final’ determination in 9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+RtR-+-0 match against Giri – the winner of which will then these situations has xiiiiiiiiy face Carlsen in the final. This is ‘fair’ only in the You know it must be drawn, but with your xiiiiiiiiy sense that it was according to the rules of the Tour, made for some epic passive and cut off from the d-, there are Carlsen – Anand though of course it places the semi-finalists at a still some adventures left before you shake Game 11, serious practical disadvantage. final rounds in the hands. The immediate check on d2 looks like it World Championship, Sochi 2014 past, but this time he chases White’s king to c5, supporting the pawn, You lose the first rapidplay playoff game with which looks like where it wants to go anyway. White against Giri (a Berlin endgame!), and then was very close to the And the d-pawn can’t advance immediately, so rally strongly to win the second game, and the precipice.” why not kick the ?

6 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 7 Luke McSHANE Luke McSHANE

44...¢f7 44...¦d2+ was perhaps the the h-pawn, since 50...h2 51 ¦e2 achieves 55 g5 and the checks no longer work with simplest way, but it’s not simple! 45 ¢c5 nothing. So instead, 50...¦f1 looks good? White’s pawn on the fifth rank. h4 46 gxh4 gxh4 47 ¦e3 h3! is the subtle Then 51 ¦h3 ¢e7 and you’ll definitely 1-0 McShane point. If White captures the pawn, then make it to the f-file, and then you’re home ....¢e8 gets the king to the crucial spot in and dry! If White advances the king, he front of the d-pawn. 48 ¢c6 h2 49 ¦h3 runs into infinite rook checks on f6–f7–f8. Magnus Carlsen — Michael Adams Now Black’s king is no longer needed in The f-file is the key! Oh gosh, hang on a the defence. The h2 pawn stops White ever second: 50...¦f1 51 ¦h3 ¢e7 52 ¦h7+! London 2015, Round 4 using his rook to shield his king. 49...¢g7 ¢f8 53 ¢g6 ¢g8  is that ok? 54 ¦g7+ 50 d7 ¦c2+! etc. ¢h8 55 ¦f7! forces the rooks off because of After starting with six draws, some were the mate on f8. That’s bad news. But you’re surprised that Carlsen made it to the playoff 45 ¦e3 An excellent square, keeping rated 2765, you can handle the pressure. You at all. But he worked enormously hard in Black’s king cut off, and preparing to notice that if you wait with your king, and London, averaging more than 56 moves shield White’s own king. It also keeps tabs White moves his king to the h-file, there per game. He pushed relentlessly against on an advancing h-pawn. won’t be that devilish check on h7. both Anand and Adams without success. We join the game after Carlsen has won the 45...h4 If instead 45...¦d2+ you have to 50...¢d6 51 ¢h5 ¦f1? 52 ¦xh3 ¢e7 At for a pawn. figure out which way Magnus will advance last, you’ve found a rickety bridge back XIIIIIIIIY his king. After 46 ¢c5 you might well see NEW: Database version! across the river. But the World Champion that 46...¢f6 47 ¢c6 ¢f5 48 d7 h4 is a has seen further. And he repeats moves just 9-tr-+-+k+0 , because you can give up the rook for Download BCM for to tease you. 9+-snL+pzp-0 the d-pawn. But 46 ¢e5, what about that? ChessBase or any PGN reader Black draws in many ways, but none of 53 ¢g6 ¦f6+ 54 ¢g7 ¦f7+ 55 ¢g6 ¦f6+ 9-zp-+-+-zp0 them are forcing and immediate. www.britishchessmagazine.co.uk XIIIIIIIIY 9+-vl-+-+-0 XIIIIIIIIY 46...h3 47 ¢e5 A mechanism to remember. 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+R+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0 A rook can multitask, guarding a pawn 9+-+-mk-+-0 9+-+-+-zPP0 9+-+-+k+-0 from the side and shielding its own king 9-+-+-zP-+0 at the same time. But they must stay on the 9-+-+-trK+0 9-+-zP-+-+0 same file. So, as Black, you wait: 9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+R+-mK-0 9+-+-+-zp-0 xiiiiiiiiy 47...¦h1 48 d7 ¢e7 49 ¢f5+ ¢xd7 9-+-+-+P+0 31 ¢g2 g6 32 ¥c6 ¤e8 What to exchange? 9-+-mK-+-zp0 50 ¢xg5 9+-+-+-+R0 I’m sure both players considered that if 9+-+-tR-zP-0 XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-+-+0 White swaps for , and a pair 9-+-+-+-tr0 of rooks disappear and the b-pawn drops 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 off, then Black is busted in the rook vs 9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+k+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy bishop endgame. But now, if you exchange xiiiiiiiiy 56 ¢g5! Very clever! With your king the bishop for the knight, are you confident 46 g4! Of course. Exchanging pawns would 9-+-+-+-+0 shackled to the rook, there’s no time for that you will be able to force a pair of rooks dumb down the exam. Now you think about 9+-+-+-mK-0 56...¢f7, on account of 57 ¦h7+. Or else off? And then, are you confident that the leaving the pawn safely on h4. If White got 56...¦f1 57 ¦h7+ is deja-vu, and game b-pawn makes no difference? Magnus his king all the way to d8, and the pawn to 9-+-+-+P+0 over. So... reckoned that swapping rooks was more d7, does he have a way to win? You can’t 9+-+-tR-+p0 promising, but it’s a tough decision. see how, but you know that would be the 9-+-+-+-+0 56...¦a6 57 ¦f3! And again, game over. Lucena position if there were no kingside The f-file was the falsest of friends. The 33 ¦d7 ¤f6 34 ¦a7 ¢g7 35 ¦a8 ¦xa8 pawns, a simple win starting with ¦e3–e4!. 9+-+-+-+r0 desire to get the king over obscured the 36 ¥xa8 h5 37 ¦a4 ¤g8 38 ¥d5 ¤e7 So it would only take one nuance and xiiiiiiiiy other drawing idea: 51...¦a1! 52 ¦h3 ¦a8!, 39 ¥a2 ¤c6 40 ¦a8 ¤b4 41 ¥c4 Here you’re dead and you still don’t know what You’ve crossed the river to defuse the when the distant checks with ¦h8–g8+ 41 ¦a7 would force of knight to do if he moves the king to e5 instead and d-pawn, but the bridge has burned down secure the draw. Ironically, Black couldn’t for bishop. Adams clearly permitted it, and you’d like some counterplay and it’s about and you urgently need to get the king achieve the same goal with 52...¦f8, Carlsen chose not to play it, so they must time to make your 222nd move of the day... back across. You know that will cost you because 53 ¦d3+! ¢e7 54 ¦e3+! ¢d7 have judged that the b6 pawn makes the

8 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 9 Luke McSHANE

Hikaru Nakamura resulting position into a draw. But if I were ¢d7 68 f5 ¥e3 69 ¦g7 ¢e8 70 ¦g8+ has yet to defeat looking for an improvement for White, this ¢d7 71 ¦g7 ¢e8 72 g6 ¤h6+ 73 ¢f3 Magnus at is where I’d start. ¤xf5 74 ¦f7 ¤h4+ 75 ¢xe3 ¤xg6 76 ¦b7 classical chess. b4 77 ¢e4 b3 78 ¦xb3 41...¤c6 42 f4 ¤e7 43 ¢f3 ¤f5 44 ¦a7 1/2-1/2 McShane ¤d6 Photo by XIIIIIIIIY David Llada 9-+-+-+-+0 Magnus Carlsen — 9tR-+-+pmk-0 London 2015, Round 7 9-zp-sn-+p+0 After much striving, Magnus got a break  9+-vl-+-+p0 against his regular customer Nakamura. We join the game after White has finally broken 9-+L+-zP-+0 through with his king to g7, at the cost of 9+-+-+KzPP0 exchanging another pair of pawns. We all 9-+-+-+-+0 know that the bishop pair confers an edge in an open endgame like this one. But even 9+-+-+-+-0 an unstable knight is a tricky piece, and I’m xiiiiiiiiy sure the players’ heads were spinning as they With the knight on d6, Black’s position calculated the variations. 71 ¥xa6 ¤c5 72 ¥b5 ¢c7 73 ¢e5 ¤b3 isn’t easy  even with my engine running seems to be impregnable. Notice how the 74 ¢d5 ¤a5 and now White has to lose a it took a while to figure out that White will b6/c5/d6 trio stops White’s king from ever XIIIIIIIIY move with the king: 75 ¢c5 ¤b3+ 76 ¢c4 eventually get his king to the queenside approaching. 9-+-+k+-+0 ¤a5+ 77 ¢d5 ¤b3 78 ¥a4!. It was crucial without the knight doing any damage. 9+p+-+pmK-0 not to advance the a-pawn earlier: 78...¤d2 45 ¥d5 ¥d4 46 ¦d7 ¥c5 47 ¥a2 79 ¥c2 and soon the a-pawn can roll. 69...a5 70 a4 With the pawn on a5, 70 c6 ¢f6 48 g4 hxg4+ 49 hxg4 ¢g7 50 ¦d8 9p+-+-+-+0 XIIIIIIIIY ¤b5 does not cause Black any problems. ¤b7 51 ¦d7 ¤d6 52 ¢e2 ¢f8 53 ¢d3 9+-zP-+P+-0 9-+-+k+-+0 70...¢f7 71 ¥d5+ ¢g7 54 ¥d5 ¢f8 55 ¦d8+ ¢g7 56 ¥c6 9-+-sn-vLn+0 ¢h7 57 g5 ¢g7 58 ¥d5 ¢h7 59 ¦d7 9+L+-+-+-0 XIIIIIIIIY ¢g7 60 ¢e2 ¢f8 61 ¢f3 ¢e8 62 ¦c7 9zP-+-+-+-0 9p+-+-+-+0 ¥d4 63 ¢g4 ¥e3 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9+-zP-mKP+-0 9+-+-+k+-0 9+L+-+-+-0 9-+-sn-+-+0 9-+-+k+-+0 xiiiiiiiiy 9-+-+-zP-+0 9+-tR-+p+-0 62...f6 63 ¥e4 ¤f2 64 ¥b1 Magnus is 9zP-+-+-+-0 9zp-zPLmK-+-0 happy to repeat the position just to ratchet 9-+-+n+-+0 9P+-sn-+-+0 9-zp-sn-+p+0 up the pressure. 9+-+L+-zP-0 9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0 64...¤g4 65 ¥e4 ¤f2 66 ¥xb7 ¤d3 xiiiiiiiiy 9-+-+n+-+0 9-+-+-zPK+0 67 ¢xf6! 67 ¥d6 gives Black a straight- 69 f6? I think this is a mistake, but it’s 9+-+-vl-+-0 forward defence: 67...¤xf5+ 68 ¢xf6 very understandable. Advancing a pawn, 9+-+-+-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 ¤xd6 69 ¥c6+ ¢d8 70 cxd6 ¤b2! which away from the knights, to a square which xiiiiiiiiy seems enough to draw, e.g. 71 ¢e6 ¤c4 complements the bishop doesn’t seem a bad 71...¢f8? The decisive error. 71...¢g6! 9+-+-+-+-0 72 a4 a5 73 ¢d5 ¤e3+ 74 ¢c5 ¤f5 75 ¥b5 idea. But an immediate 69 c6 was stronger. is an unlikely square, but remaining next Xiiiiiiiiy ¤h6 76 ¢b6 ¤f7 77 d7 ¤e5 etc. Now 69...¢d8 70 f6 wins, or 69...¤b5 to the f-pawn ensures that White can’t 64 ¥xf7+!? The best practical try, but 70 ¥xa6 ¤ed4 71 ¥xb5 ¤xb5 72 a4 leaves approach the knights with his king. 72 c6 Mickey stays calm and steers the game 67...¤xf4 68 ¢e5 ¤fe2! All credit to more pawns than one knight can handle. So ¤xc6+ 73 ¥xc6 ¢f7! 74 ¥d5+ ¢f8 towards a draw. Nakamura for not making it easy. 68...¤xf5 instead 69...¤xc6+ 70 ¥xc6+, whereupon I and we reach an endgame subtly different 69 ¢xf5 ¤d3 was very tempting, but White suspect Magnus couldn’t quite decide whether from that which could be reached after 64...¤xf7 65 ¦c6 ¥d4 66 ¦xg6 b5 67 ¦g8+ wins with some clever footwork. 70 c6 ¢d8 or not the position was winning. It certainly 69 c6!. This one is drawn, essentially

10 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 11 Luke McSHANE Luke McSHANE because Black will eventually meet ¢c5-b6 ambitions in this game too, as a win would bearing the scent of a Grand Prix Attack. with the ¤c3xa4 and ¢f8-f7xf6. have put him into the playoff instead. But Grischuk handles it well  by patiently bolstering the pawn on e6 he prevents 72 ¢e4! ¤c2 There is no other move, as 1 ¤f3 c5 2 e4 d6 3 ¥b5+ ¤d7 4 0–0 a6 Carlsen’s activity from increasing. White controls all the central light squares. 5 ¥d3 ¤gf6 6 ¦e1 b5 7 c4 g5!? Passing with 72...¢e8 is met by 73 ¢e3, 21...¢h8 22 f5 a5 23 a4 £d8 24 h3 £e7 which yokes the knights, soon to be XIIIIIIIIY 25 ¥a6 Exchanging the bishop before it followed by ¥c4 to pick one off. 9r+lwqkvl-tr0 can exert pressure from b7. 9+-+nzpp+p0 73 c6 ¤c3+ 74 ¢e5 9p+-zp-sn-+0 25...¥xa6 26 £xa6 ¤h5 27 ¦f3 ¦g8 XIIIIIIIIY 9+pzp-+-zp-0 XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-mk-+0 9-+P+P+-+0 9-+-+-+rmk0 9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+L+N+-0 9+-+-wqpvl-0 9-+P+-zP-+0 9PzP-zP-zPPzP0 9Q+-zpp+-zp0 9zp-+LmK-+-0 9tRNvLQtR-mK-0 9zp-zp-+P+n0 9P+-+-+-+0 xiiiiiiiiy 9P+-+P+-+0 9+-sn-+-+-0 Topalov used this thrust to beat Carlsen 9+-sN-sNR+P0 made it a 9-+n+-+-+0 at the earlier in the year, 9-+-zP-+P+0 dramatic last round so of course Grischuk anticipated an 9+-+-+-+-0 improvement. 9+-+-+-mK-0 Photo by David llada xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy 74...¤xa4 74...¤xd5 75 ¢xd5 ¤b4+ 8 ¤xg5 ¤e5 9 ¥e2 bxc4 10 ¤c3!? 28 ¤b5 An extraordinary decision. 76 ¢d6 ¤xc6 77 ¢xc6 leaves Black a Carlsen put this piece on a3 in St Louis. With Grischuk’s counterplay gaining 31 ¤xe5 dxe5 31...£e1+ forces an short to save the pawn endgame. Both sides had intriguing alternatives over momentum, it looks reckless to fling an immediate draw, since after 32 ¦f1 ¦xg2+ the next few moves. extra piece to the queenside, whist blocking leads to perpetual. But it seems both players 75 ¥b3! Pretty, finally winning one of the the ’s retreat. But although there was overlooked that 32 ¢h2 ¤g3 33 ¤g4 fails hapless horses. 10...¦b8 11 ¦f1 h6 12 ¤f3 ¤d3 13 ¤e1 a solid alternative in 28 fxe6 fxe6 29 ¤e2 to halt the attack, since 33...¤e2 wins on ¤xb2 14 ¥xb2 ¦xb2 15 ¥xc4 ¦b4 I can see that one might mistrust this as the spot. 75...¤b6 76 ¥xc2 a4 77 c7 ¢f7 78 ¥xa4 Before ¥c4-b3 imprisons the rook. being too passive. 1-0 McShane 32 £xe6 £e1+? 32...£g5 keeps Black 16 £e2 ¥g7 17 ¤c2 ¦b6 18 ¦ab1 0–0 28...¥e5 29 ¤g4 £h4 30 fxe6? very much in the game, as after 33 g4!? 19 ¦xb6 £xb6 20 ¤e3 e6 21 f4 It seems safe to exchange the pawns first, ¤f4 34 £f5 £e7! White’s queen is rather Magnus Carlsen — XIIIIIIIIY but this capture allows Grischuk a big awkwardly placed. Alexander grischuk opportunity. Magnus must have considered 9-+l+-trk+0 30 ¤xe5! dxe5 terrifying, as here 31 fxe6 33 ¢h2 ¦xg2+ 34 ¢xg2 London 2015, Round 9 9+-+-+pvl-0 ¤f4! is decisive. But miraculously, 31 ¤d6 XIIIIIIIIY returns to the fray just in time  Black has In the eighth round, Carlsen tried for nearly 9pwq-zppsn-zp0 no more than a draw. 9-+-+-+-mk0 a hundred moves to realise a wafer-thin 9+-zp-+-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0 advantage against Topalov, who by then 30...fxe6? A natural reflex in time-trouble, was having a nightmare tournament  but 9-+L+PzP-+0 but after 30...¦xg4! 31 hxg4 £h2+ 32 ¢f2 9-+-+Q+-zp0 the Bulgarian held his nerve. That left 9+-sN-sN-+-0 ¤f4! White is in real danger, although you 9zpNzp-zp-+n0 Carlsen needing a win in the last round 9P+-zPQ+PzP0 need great presence of mind to assess from 9P+-+P+-+0 to catch the leaders. His determination in afar the position after 33 ¦g3 ¤xe6 34 ¦f3 these situations has made for some epic 9+-+-+RmK-0 ¢g7!. Black’s minor pieces are superb, and 9+-+-+R+P0 final rounds in the past, but this time he was xiiiiiiiiy White’s crippled kingside provides much 9-+-zP-+K+0 very close to the precipice. It’s important The position is quite unbalanced, and more than enough for the to remember that Grischuk certainly had White’s setup is optically pleasant, while exchange. 9+-+-wq-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy 12 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 13 Luke McSHANE by GM Pentala Harikrishna 34...£xd2+ This doesn’t work, but wounded by a gruelling struggle against Grischuk must have judged 34...£e2+ Carlsen the night before, badly lost his 35 ¦f2 ¤f4+ 36 ¢g3 £xf2+ 37 ¢xf2 way in a comfortable position. ¤xe6 38 ¤d6 to be a hopeless endgame. 35 ¢g1 £e1+ 36 ¦f1 £e3+ 37 ¦f2 £e1+ Anish Giri’s results in the 38 ¢g2 38...£xe4 39 ¢h2 puts an end to of 2015 were outstanding: 5½/9 in Norway, The the checks. 5/9 at the Sinquefield Cup, and 5½/9 at the 1-0 McShane final stop, the London Chess Classic. That moral superb overall score of “plus 5” (undefeated!) In the tough environment of the London has cemented Giri’s place in the world elite, winner Classic, I would also like to make special though I’m sure you know by now that it mention of Anish Giri’s play, which was wasn’t quite enough to win the Tour. admirably opportunistic. The first round McShane and the highlight was his win against Topalov, who succumbed to a diabolical rook sacrifice while trying to nurture a positional unlucky advantage in time-trouble. loser...

Veselin Topalov — Anish Giri London 2015, Round 1 he third and final event of the Grand Chess Tour was especially “Giri was the only player XIIIIIIIIY Timportant as it determined the who hadn’t lost a single absolute winner of this extremely strong 9-+-tr-+k+0 series. Apart from the $300,000 prize fund classical game in the whole 9wQ-+-+p+-0 for the London Classic, there was also a Grand Chess Tour!” 9p+-+-+-zp0 big bonus waiting for those grandmasters who finished in the top three places in Anish Giri scored the highest number of points 9zP-+-+-zp-0 the Grand Tour overall, so chess fans all short a period. When top grandmasters do not over the three stages of the Grand Tour. But the 9-+-+n+-+0 over the world were expecting fireworks in have enough time to rest or prepare at leisure winner was decided on placings not points... each and every game! they tend to turn to solid play, which was in 9+P+-+LzPP0 contrast to that which we saw in the previous Photo by Ray Morris-Hill 9-+-wqrzP-+0 However, things did not turn out quite Grand Tour tournaments in Norway and St.Louis. like that and the got a 9+RtR-+-mK-0 hefty share of the blame. In fact this But when all is said and done, there were xiiiiiiiiy dour opening has never before been still plenty of interesting moments and here I subjected to such criticism as it was have chosen to annotate two games which I 33...¤xf2! 34 ¥xe2 ¤xh3+ 35 ¢f1 £d5 during the London Chess Classic! found instructive. Anish Giri — Hikaru Nakamura 36 ¥h5?? White should play 36 ¢e1 Ironically, last year Vishy Anand even London 2015, Round 8 when Black only has a by suggested that it should be called the Regarding the first game, I should mention that 36...£h1+ 37.¥f1 £e4+ 38.¥e2 £h1+. London Defence, because of the impact Giri was the only player who hadn’t lost a single 36...£h1+ 37 ¢e2 £g2+ 38 ¢e1 ¦e8+ it had on the Kasparov – Kramnik world classical game in the whole Grand Chess Tour! 1 ¤f3 Anish often opens this way, not 39.¢d1 ¤f2+ 40.¢c2 ¤e4+ and White title match held there in 2000. I consider that to be a phenomenal achievement necessarily because he wants to play a Reti resigned as 41 ¢d3 £d2+ 42 ¢c4 ¦c8+ à la Petrosian or Kramnik. He shared first prize opening, but in order to meet 1...d5 with 43 £c5 ¦xc5 is mate. But, in my opinion, the problem was in London and only a strange and indeed highly 2 d4, entering a Catalan  and 1...c5 with caused not by the big cash prizes, nor controversial scoring system prevented him 2 e4, happily switching to a king’s pawn Then, in round 3, the resources he found because of the London weather, nor even from winning the overall series. But 2015 has opening. Moreover, playing for a win in in Grischuk’s saved his the Berlin Defence itself! It is simply due to been a fantastic year for Anish, since, apart from this game, he did not want to open directly skin, and his second win came in the the fact that the same players have to play many other achievements, he has also qualified with 1 e4 because the Berlin Defence was penultimate round, in which Nakamura, repeatedly against each other within too for the World Championship Candidates. endemic in London!

14 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 15 Pentala Harikrishna Pentala Harikrishna

1...d5 2 g3 ¤f6 3 ¥g2 e6 4 0–0 ¥e7 12 ¤xe5 ¤f6 13 ¤c4 c6 ½-½ (40) was 16...¥f8 Why not go for the a6-pawn? Giri  Aronian, Skopje 2015. Well, if 16...¥c8?! then the showy move XIIIIIIIIY 7 e4 ¤c6 8 ¦e1 A tricky move order. 17 ¦xe7! gives White chances (as indeed 9rsnlwqk+-tr0 Had White pushed e4-e5 first, Black does the quiet 17 ¥g5! ¥xa6 18 ¤h4!). 9zppzp-vlpzpp0 would not have moved ...£c7. On the For example, 17...¦xe7 18 ¥d6 ¦e8 other hand, many games have been (18...¦e6 19 ¥xc5 ¥xa6 20 ¤bd4 ¤xd4 9-+-+psn-+0 played from the position arising after 21 ¤xd4 £xc5 22 ¤xe6²) 19 ¥xc5 9+-+p+-+-0 8 e5 ¤d7 9 ¦e1 b5 10 ¤f1 b4 which can ¥xa6 20 ¤fd4 ¤xd4 21 ¥xd4 ¥c8². best be described by the familiar chess 17 ¤e5 ¤xe5 18 ¥xe5 ¤d7 19 ¥f4 £b6 9-+-+-+-+0 term “unclear”. An unclear position arises after 19...¦ac8!? 9+-+-+NzP-0 XIIIIIIIIY 20 c4 dxc4 21 ¦xe6 fxe6 22 dxc4 £xc4 9PzPPzPPzPLzP0 23 ¤a5 £d4 24 £e2 £f6÷. 9r+lwq-trk+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9tRNvLQ+RmK-0 9zpp+-vlpzpp0 xiiiiiiiiy 9r+-+rvlk+0 5 d3 But here Anish is in no mood to 9-+n+psn-+0 9zp-+n+pzpp0 play a main line of the Catalan, despite 9+-zpp+-+-0 9Pwq-+l+-+0 having recently found some fresh 9-+-+P+-+0 ideas in this opening  including an 9+-zpp+-+-0 innovation with which he surprised even 9+-+P+NzP-0 9-zp-+-vL-+0 the famously well-prepared Peter Leko 9PzPPsN-zPLzP0 at the World Cup in Baku last year. No 9+N+P+-zP-0 doubt he feared that Nakamura would 9tR-vLQtR-mK-0 9-zPPwQ-zPLzP0 have planned an improvement in this xiiiiiiiiy Read GM Harikrishna’s line, the more so in view of his recent 8...£c7 I think 8...b5!? is the right signature column 9tR-+-tR-mK-0 defeat against Eljanov in a game which move order. As a kid I was taught not to xiiiiiiiiy went 5 d4 0–0 6 c4 dxc4 7 £c2 a6 8 a4 develop my queen at c7 as White plays THE NEW ROMANTICS 20 c3 Instead 20 c4 would have forced ¥d7 9 £xc4 ¥c6 10 ¥g5 ¥d5 11 £c2 his bishop to f4 and then usually gets in In every CHESS INFORMANT Black to take on c3, since 20...dxc4 21 ¥xa8 ¥e4 12 £c1 (12 £d1 c5 13 dxc5 ¥xc5 the thrust ¤d5 at some point! Then might c3 22 bxc3 ¦xa8 23 c4 favours White. 14 ¤bd2 ¥c6 15 ¤e5 ¥xg2 16 ¢xg2 follow 9 exd5 (9 a4 b4 10 exd5 ¤xd5 Therefore, why should White play 20 c3 ¥e7 17 ¦c1 ¤bd7 18 ¤xd7 £xd7 11 ¤c4 ¥b7÷) ¤xd5 (9...exd5 10 a4 bxa4 at all? 19 ¤f3 £xd1 20 ¦fxd1, and White 11 ¦xa4²; otherwise, upon 10...b4, White 20...¦ac8 21 £c2 d4 Black has to play won in 46 moves, was the continuation has the nice move 11 d4!? giving him a ¤e4 18 £d1 c4 19 ¥xe4 dxe4 20 ¤c5 21...h6 later on, so maybe he could have of the Giri  Leko game) h6 13 ¥xf6 pleasant position) 10 ¤e4 ¥b7 11 c3 a6 ¥d5³) ¥f5÷. done it right away. ¥xf6 14 ¦d1 a5 15 ¤bd2 ¥h7 16 ¤b3 12 a4 b4 and, though Black lost this game, 14 a5 £b5 15 £d2 ¥e6 15...a6!? 16 ¦e2 22 ¤d2 h6 23 h4 dxc3 24 bxc3 c6 17 £c3 ¥e7 18 ¤c5 £c7 19 ¤e5 it was not due to the opening as he has a ¥d7 17 ¦ae1 ¥f8 18 ¤e5 ¥e6=. ¤a6 20 ¤xb7 £xb7 21 ¥xc6 £c7 decent position here. Svidler  Karjakin, 16 a6! This move must have come as a XIIIIIIIIY 22 ¥xa8 £xc3 23 bxc3 ¦xa8 24 ¤c6 Baku 2015. surprise for Hikaru. 9-+r+rvlk+0 ¥d8 25 ¤xd8 ¦xd8 26 f3 ¦c8 27 ¦a3 9 £e2 b5 10 a4 With queens on c7 and e2, XIIIIIIIIY 9zp-+n+pzp-0 and White eventually won. Eljanov  10 e5 is interesting and I can only assume Nakamura, Baku 2015. that Anish did not go for this as he might 9r+-+r+k+0 9Pwq-+l+-zp0 5...0–0 6 ¤bd2 c5 Though at first sight then have been forced into double-edged 9zp-+-vlpzpp0 9+-zp-+-+-0 6...¤c6!? seems strange, Aronian and play, for example after 10...¤d7 11 ¤f1 a5 his second Sargissian have employed it 12 h4 b4 13 ¥f4 a4 14 a3 ¥a6 15 ¤e3. 9P+n+lsn-+0 9-zp-+-vL-zP0 several times. In fact, after taking a closer You see, Anish likes not only to obtain an 9+qzpp+-+-0 9+-zPP+-zP-0 look, I found it to be quite interesting advantage but also to keep firm control of 9-zp-+-vL-+0 9-+QsN-zPL+0 and a good way to avoid long theoretical the game! battles. Nevertheless I still feel that White 10...b4 11 exd5 exd5 12 ¤b3 ¦e8 13 ¥f4 9+N+P+NzP-0 9tR-+-tR-mK-0 should maintain slight and enduring £b6 I prefer 13...£d8 since then the queen 9-zPPwQ-zPLzP0 xiiiiiiiiy pressure. 7 e4 dxe4 8 dxe4 e5 9 ¤c4 will not be under attack. 14 £d2 (14 ¤e5 24...bxc3?! Best is 24...¤f6! 25 ¥b7 £xd1 10 ¦xd1 ¤xe4 11 ¤fxe5 ¤xe5 ¤xe5 15 ¥xe5 ¥g4 16 £d2 ¥e6 17 d4 9tR-+-tR-mK-0 (25 ¤c4 ¥xc4 26 ¦xe8 b3!! [26...¤xe8 xiiiiiiiiy 16 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 17 Pentala Harikrishna Pentala Harikrishna

27 dxc4 b3 28 £b2²] 27 £b2 9 ¥g2 b5 10 ¤d5 ¤xd5 11 £xd5 ¦xe8 28 dxc4 ¤h5³) b3 26 £b1 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave — b2 27 ¦a3 ¤h5. Veselin Topalov XIIIIIIIIY 25 £xc3 ¤f6 26 ¤c4 £d8 London 2015, Round 3 9r+lwqkvl-tr0 After 26...£b4 27 £c2 ¥xc4 9+-+n+pzp-0 28 ¦xe8 ¦xe8 29 £xc4 ¦e1+ 30 ¦xe1 £xe1+ 31 ¥f1 ¤g4 1 e4 c5 Topalov sticks to his long-time 9p+-zp-+-+0 32 £a2 h5 my machine says the favourite Sicilian. He also has the Berlin 9+p+Qzp-+p0 game is equal, but it seems to Defence in his repertoire! But, as we all know, me that White is slightly better. Topalov is an uncompromising player and in 9-+-+P+-+0 27 ¥b7 ¤d5 28 £d2 ¤xf4 this case, by adopting the Najdorf variation, 9+-+-+-zPP0 29 £xf4 £xd3 30 ¤e5 £d6 he is clearly in the mood for a fight. 9PzPP+NzPL+0 31 ¦ad1 £c7 32 ¤c6 I think 2 ¤f3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ¤xd4 ¤f6 5 ¤c3 this is what Hikaru must have a6 6 h3 White has many choices here. Bobby 9tR-vL-mK-+R0 missed in his calculations. If it Fischer’s 6 h3 is currently trendy and has been xiiiiiiiiy were not for this move, Black played in quite a few theoretically important 11...¦b8 There isn’t anything wrong would have decent chances of games over the past couple of years. with this move. However I quite like the survival. 6...e5 Alternatives are 6...¤c6, 6...e6 and 6...g6. idea of Montenegrian GM Nikola Djukic, 32...£xc6 33 ¥xc6 ¦xc6 34 £a4 who played 11...£c7 and successfully ¦ec8 35 ¦d8 c4 36 ¦xc8 ¦xc8 XIIIIIIIIY equalised against in XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 the European Team Championship, 9+p+-+pzpp0 Reykjavik 2015. I wonder if Veselin 9-+r+-vlk+0 was aware of that game, which went 9zp-+-+pzp-0 9p+-zp-sn-+0 11...£c7!? 12 ¥e3 ¥b7 13 £d2 ¤f6 9+-+-zp-+-0 14 ¤c3 ¦c8 ½–½ (32). 9P+-+l+-zp0 12 ¥e3 ¥e7 13 £d2 ¤f6 14 0–0 0–0 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave 9-+-sNP+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 15 ¢h2 ¥b7 I prefer 15...£c7 as I 9Q+p+-+-zP0 9+-sN-+-+P0 feel that Black’s bishop belongs on the 9PzPP+-zPP+0 h7-b1 diagonal rather than on a8-h1. 9+-+-+-zP-0 White s idea is to play ¤c3 and ¤d5, in Now on to my second choice from the 9tR-vLQmKL+R0 ’ 9-+-+-zP-+0 London Classic. French which case Black would lose a tempo by 9+-+-tR-mK-0 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave had a bad time xiiiiiiiiy playing ...¥b7 and then ...¥a6. in the first six months of 2015, but he then 7 ¤de2 7 ¤b3 ¥e6 8 f4 ¥e7 (8...¤bd7 9 f5 16 ¤c3 ¦c8 17 a4 b4 18 ¤d5 ¤xd5 xiiiiiiiiy ¥xb3 10 axb3 d5 11 exd5 ¥b4 12 ¥d2 19 exd5 a5 20 £e2 ¥g5 21 ¥xg5 £xg5 37 ¦xe6! Now Black is totally lost, as his more than made up for that in the second 0–0÷) 9 f5 ¥d7 (9...¥c8 10 £f3 b5 11 a3 22 h4 £f6? Black would be absolutely pieces lack coordination. half of the year! He entered the elusive ¥b7 12 g4 d5 13 exd5 e4 14 £e2 ¤xd5 fine here if he had played 22...£e7!. 37...fxe6 38 £d7 ¦c5 39 £xe6+ ¢h7 top 10 and is now steadily marching 15 ¥g2 ¥h4+ 16 ¢f1 ¤xc3 17 bxc3 0–0 23 £b5 £e7 24 £xa5 ¦xc2 25 ¦ac1 40 £f7 ¥d6 41 h5 ¦g5 42 ¢g2 c3 towards the magical 2800 mark. In fact 0-1 (67) was Sutovsky  Wojtaszek, Bilbao ¦xb2 26 ¦b1 ¦a2 27 £xb4 ¥a6 43 f4 A neat game by Anish. White slowly he was only a hair’s breadth away from 2014) 10 ¥e3 b5 11 £f3 b4 12 ¤d5 ¤xd5 XIIIIIIIIY increased the pressure and made good use winning the Grand Chess Tour. 13 exd5 ¥g5 14 ¥xg5 £xg5 15 ¥d3 of his bishops. For much of the time the ¥b5 16 h4 £d8 17 g4 ¤d7 0–1 (40) was 9-+-+-trk+0 engines claimed that Black was doing very If an extra day had been allocated for the played in Grandelius  Giri, Doha 2015. 9+-+-wqpzp-0 well, however, over the board, most of the 7...h5 8 g3 8 ¥g5 ¥e6 9 ¥xf6 £xf6 arising positions are hard to play for Black. tie-break games, he would have not have 10 ¤d5 £d8 11 £d3 g6 12 0–0–0 has also 9l+-zp-+-+0 1-0 Harikrishna had to play the final match against Carlsen been played many times in top level games, 9+-+Pzp-+p0 almost immediately after conducting but Black usually does quite well in this three hard battles with Giri  which variation. 9PwQ-+-+-zP0 surely placed him at a disadvantage. To 8...¤bd7 There is also 8...¥e6 9 ¥g2 ¤bd7 9+-+-+-zP-0 add to his misfortune, he does not qualify 10 a4 ¥e7 11 0–0 ¦c8 12 ¥e3 ¤b6 13 b3 9r+-+-zPLmK0 for the next Grand Tour because his Elo d5!? which paid off for Black in Caruana  rating is too low. Vachier-Lagrave, Wijk aan Zee 2015. 9+R+-+R+-0 xiiiiiiiiy 18 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 19 Pentala Harikrishna by GM Karsten Müller 28 £b3 White could have got a better version of what occurs in the game by continuing instead 28 ¦a1 ¥xf1 29 ¦xa2. 28...¥xf1 Correct is 28...¦e2!. Black The Berlin Wall underestimates the dangers lurking in the position and decides to simplify. His bishop endgame � or is much more active than White’s and so I fail to understand why he exchanged his rook and bishop for his opponent’s less should we say active counterparts. 29 £xa2 ¥xg2 30 ¢xg2 ¦a8 30...e4! middlegame? is necessary, in order to open up White’s kingside. Otherwise White’s pawn is unstoppable. After 31 a5 e3 32 ¦e1 £e4+ Incidentally there is a further English connection. When Garry 33 ¢h2 comes 33...¦c8. Could it be that Kasparov played for the “Classical World Topalov missed this move in his calculations? Championship”, in London 2000, his defeat by a two point Then the further continuation might be margin was attributed to his failure to penetrate his opponent’s 34 ¦xe3 ¦c2 35 ¦xe4 ¦xa2 36 ¦e8+ chessic reconstruction of the infamous Berlin Wall. ¢h7 37 ¦a8 ¦xf2+ 38 ¢g1 ¦d2=. Moreover, in the wake of the opening’s effectiveness, it rapidly 31 a5 e4 32 ¦b3! A timely move that gained new-found popularity and IM John Cox even wrote a restricts Black’s counterplay. book boldly entitled The Berlin Wall: the variation that brought 32...f5 33 £d2 £c7 34 £b2 down Kasparov. And with full justification, as in the title match XIIIIIIIIY Kasparov was unable to win a single game with the white pieces – which included four failed attempts to scale the Berlin 9r+-+-+k+0 Wall. In fact by Game 13 he was so frustrated and demoralised 9+-wq-+-zp-0 by the resilience of the opening that he assented to an uncharacteristically insipid draw in only 14 moves, when facing 9-+-zp-+-+0 it for the last time in the match. Yet the normally so combative 9zP-+P+p+p0 Kasparov claims 13 is his lucky number...Anyway, time passed 9-+-+p+-zP0 and Kasparov changed what was an initially negative view of the Berlin Wall and, in 2002, actually played it himself, as Black, 9+R+-+-zP-0 against Judit Polgar in the Russia versus the Rest of the World 9-wQ-+-zPK+0 It is hard to say when the term “Berlin match. But the result was catastrophic for him and he suffered Wall” first entered common chess his first ever defeat against a woman player. 9+-+-+-+-0 parlance. Perhaps the BCM itself can xiiiiiiiiy claim this honour with its publication in Nevertheless, not so long ago, while analysing a game in Chess 34...¦xa5 34...£xa5!? 35 ¦b7 £a1 August 1979 of a ten page theoretical Informant 118, Kasparov made an emphatic statement: “The Berlin 36 ¦xg7+ ¢f8 37 £xa1 ¦xa1 38 ¦g5 article “Breaking down the Berlin Wall” – is not an endgame at all. It’s a sharp middlegame without queens.” ¢f7 39 ¦xf5+ ¢g6 40 ¦g5+ ¢h6 even if this title did refer generally to the “The Berlin 41 ¦g8 ¦d1 42 ¦e8 ¦xd5 43 ¦xe4 should Berlin Defence’s solidity and focused However, this needs some qualification. In practical play, the be enough for White to convert to a win. specifically on 1 e4 e5 2 ¤f3 ¤c6 is not an Berlin requires a very high standard of accuracy in order to 35 ¦b7 ¦a2 36 £b5! ¦xf2+ 37 ¢xf2 3 ¥b5 ¤f6 4 0-0 ¤xe4 5 ¦e1, endgame at handle its subtle nuances and profound manoeuvres. And this £c2+ 38 £e2 and Black resigned as there whereas the so-called “Berlin Wall”, that applies even for well-prepared and world-class grandmasters. is no perpetual check. is so popular with elite players today, all. It’s a sharp So...perhaps the safest advice the BCM can give to less 1-0 Harikrishna arises after with 5 d4 ¤d6 6 ¥xc6 dxc6 proficient players is: “Don’t try this at home!” 7 dxe5 ¤f5 8 £xd8+ ¢xd8. middlegame without But, back at the Chess Classic, where there was an elite field Of course, as is well-known, ten years after ”  in contention for an awful lot of prize money, the competitors the publication of this prophetic(!) article, queens. were not too keen on taking undue risks and therefore the Berlin the real Berlin Wall was broken down... Kasparov seemed to fit the bill perfectly. And so it was, 15 years after

20 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 21 Karsten MÜLLER

Kramnik confounded Kasparov with his devilish choice of opening in 33 ¤c4? This is too slow. Grischuk a Hammersmith theatre, the Berlin Wall remained intact just a stone’s should seize the moment with 33 ¤b7! throw away in all games played with it in the London Chess Classic at after which White should win in the Olympia... long run, e.g. 33...¦d3+ 34 ¢e4 ¦xh3 (34...¦d2 35 ¦c7+ ¢f8 36 ¤d6 ¦xb2 GM Karsten Müller now explains in moves and words just how 37 ¦xf7+ ¢g8 38 ¦a7 a3 39 ¦a8+ ¢h7 difficult it is, even for the world’s very best players, to handle Berlin 40 ¦xa6 a2 41 ¢d5 ¦d2+ 42 ¢c6 wins) positions – no matter whether you call these a middlegame or an 35 ¦c7+ ¢f8 36 ¤d6 ¦h2 37 ¦xf7+ endgame! ¢g8 38 ¦b7 h4 39 ¦b8+ ¢h7 40 ¢f3 ¦h3+ 41 ¢g4 a3 42 bxa3 ¦g3+ 43 ¢xh4 Over to you grandmaster... ¦xc3 44 ¦b7 wins. 33...a3 34 bxa3? 34 ¦c7+ ¢e6 35 ¢e4 XIIIIIIIIY ¦d1 (35...a2? 36 ¦c6+ ¢e7 37 ¦xa6 The London tournament saw a number wins) 36 bxa3 was White’s last chance to of encounters with the Berlin endgame. I 9-+-tr-+-tr0 fight for the full point. have selected two of these for this article. 9zp-+-+p+-0 34...¦d3+ 35 ¢e4 ¦xc3 36 ¤d6 ¦xa3 9-zppsNk+p+0 37 ¦c7+ ¢e6 38 ¦xf7 Alexander Grischuk — Anish Giri 9+-zp-zPnzPp0 XIIIIIIIIY London 2015, Round 3 9-+-+-zP-+0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-+Rsn-0 1 e4 e5 2 ¤f3 ¤c6 3 ¥b5 ¤f6 4 0–0 9+-+-+-+P0 ¤xe4 5 d4 ¤d6 6 ¥xc6 dxc6 7 dxe5 ¤f5 9PzPP+-mK-+0 9p+-sNk+p+0 8 £xd8+ ¢xd8 9 h3 ¢e8 10 ¤c3 h5 9+-+RtR-+-0 9+-zp-zP-zPp0 Read GM Karsten Müller’s 11 ¤e2 b6 12 ¥g5 c5 13 ¤c3 ¥b7 14 ¦ad1 signature column ¥xf3 15 gxf3 c6 16 ¤e4 ¥e7 17 f4 ¥xg5 xiiiiiiiiy 9-+-+KzP-+0 22...¤d4? This plays into White s hands. 18 fxg5 ¢e7 19 ¤d6 ¢e6 20 f4 ’ 9tr-+-+-+P0 ENDGAME STRATEGY Better is 22...a5 23 ¦d3 c4 24 ¦d2 b5 9-+-+-+-+0 XIIIIIIIIY 25 ¦ed1 a4 with drawing chances as In every CHESS INFORMANT 9r+-+-+-tr0 Black has gained space on the queenside. 9+-+-+-+-0 9zp-+-+pzp-0 23 c3 ¤f5 24 ¢f3 ¤g7?! I don’t like this xiiiiiiiiy retreat, yet I cannot suggest anything better. 38...¤e8!? This simplification into a rook XIIIIIIIIY 9-zppsNk+-+0 25 ¦d2 ¢e7 26 ¦ed1 ¦hg8 27 a4 a6 endgame leads to a clear draw. 9r+-+kvl-tr0 9+-zp-zPnzPp0 28 ¤c4! ¦xd2 29 ¦xd2 b5 30 ¤a5 ¦c8 39 ¦f8 ¤xd6+ 40 exd6 ¦a4+ 41 ¢e3 9zppzp-+pzpp0 31 ¦d6 bxa4 32 ¦xc6 ¦d8 32...¦xc6 ¢xd6 42 ¦f6+ ¢d5 43 f5 43 ¦xg6 ¦a3+ 9-+-+-zP-+0 33 ¤xc6+ ¢d7 34 ¤a5 ¤f5 35 ¢e4 44 ¢f2 ¢e4 45 ¦f6 h4 46 g6 ¦f3+ 47 ¢e2 9-+p+l+-+0 9+-+-+-+P0 ¤g3+ 36 ¢d3 ¢e6 37 ¤c4 wins; Also ¦xh3=. 32...¦b8 33 ¦c7 ¢f8 34 ¤c4 wins. 9+-+-zPn+-0 9PzPP+-+-+0 43...¦a3+ 44 ¢f4 ¦a4+ 45 ¢e3 ¦a3+ 9-+-+-+-+0 XIIIIIIIIY 46 ¢f4 ¦a4+ 47 ¢e3 9+-+R+RmK-0 1/2-1/2 Müller 9+-sN-+N+P0 xiiiiiiiiy 9-+-tr-+-+0 9PzPP+-zPP+0 Though Giri has equalised, he should now 9+-+-mkpsn-0 9tR-vLR+-mK-0 act in a direct manner. 9p+R+-+p+0 20...¦ad8? In this endgame with rooks and Vishy Anand Magnus Carlsen xiiiiiiiiy knight against rooks and knight White’s 9sN-zp-zP-zPp0 11...¥c5 This is very provocative. 11...¥b4 slight weighs very heavily. The London 2015, Round 3 12 ¤e2 ¥d5 13 ¤ed4 ¤xd4 14 ¤xd4 ¦d8 direct 20...¤xd6! would have led to a 9p+-+-zP-+0 15 ¥d2 (15 ¥e3!? f6 16 a3 ¥f8 17 exf6 drawn rook endgame, e.g. 21 ¦xd6+ ¢f5 9+-zP-+K+P0 1 e4 e5 2 ¤f3 ¤c6 3 ¥b5 ¤f6 4 0–0 gxf6 18 f3 favours White slightly) ¥c5 22 ¦d7 ¦hf8 23 ¢g2 ¦ad8 24 ¦xa7 ¦d2+ 9-zP-+-+-+0 ¤xe4 5 d4 ¤d6 6 ¥xc6 dxc6 7 dxe5 ¤f5 16 ¤f5 ¥f8 17 ¥e3 b6 18 f3 ¥e6 19 g4 25 ¦f2 ¦xf2+ 26 ¢xf2 ¢xf4=. 8 £xd8+ ¢xd8 9 ¤c3 ¢e8 10 h3 ¥e6 ¦d5= Vachier-Lagrave  Fressinet 2698, 21 ¦fe1 g6 22 ¢f2 9+-+-+-+-0 11 ¦d1 Caen 2011. xiiiiiiiiy 22 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 23 Karsten MÜLLER Karsten MÜLLER

12 g4 ¤e7 13 ¤g5 ¥d5?! But this is the kingside was probably underestimated 40...¤xe5! 41 axb5 (41 ¥xe5 ¦xe5 42 axb5 43 b6 ¦b8 44 ¥c5=. probably going too far.13...¤g6!? 14 ¢g2 by Anand. ¦e2+ 43 ¢f3 ¦xc2+) ¤xg4 43 bxc6+ ¢xc6 44 ¥d4 ¦e8 h5 looks more natural. 29 a4 a6 30 ¢g2 ¢c8 31 ¢f2 b6 32 ¢f3 (a) 42 ¢f3 ¤e5+ 43 ¥xe5 (43 ¢g2 ¤c4 14 ¤ge4 Even the very sharp 14 ¤xd5!? ¢d7 33 ¢f2 ¢c8 44 b6 ¤e3+ 45 ¢h2 ¤xf5 46 b7 ¤xg3 XIIIIIIIIY cxd5 15 e6 f6 16 ¤f7 ¦f8 17 ¥f4 ¦c8 XIIIIIIIIY 47 b8£ ¦xb8 48 ¦xb8 ¤e4 +) ¦xe5 9-+-+r+-+0 18 ¥g3 is a real option. 44 ¢g4 f6 45 b6 ¢c8 +; 9+-+-+p+-0 14...¥b6 15 ¢g2 15 a4!? a5 16 ¤xd5 cxd5 9-+k+r+-+0 (b) 42 b6 ¤e3+ 43 ¢f2 (43 ¢f3 g4+ 17 ¤g3 favours White slightly. 9+-zp-+p+-0 44 ¢f4 f6 45 ¥f2 ¢c8 46 b7+ ¢b8 47 ¢g3 9-+k+-+-+0 15...¦d8 16 ¥f4 16 ¤xd5!? cxd5 (16...¦xd5 9pzpn+-+-+0 a4  +) ¤xf5 44 b7 ¤xg3 45 b8£ ¤e4+ 9zp-+p+Pzp-0 17 ¥f4 ¤g6 18 ¥g3 ¤xe5? 19 ¦e1 wins; 46 ¢e3 ¦xb8 47 ¦xb8 ¤xc3  + 9-+-vL-+n+0 also 16...¤xd5? 17 c4 is fatal for Black) 9+-+pzPPzp-0 XIIIIIIIIY 17 ¤g3 retains a slight advantage. 9P+-+-+P+0 9-tR-+-+-+0 9+-zP-+-+-0 16...¤g6 17 ¥g3 h5 18 f4 hxg4 19 hxg4 9-+P+-+K+0 ¢e7 20 ¦h1 ¥d4 21 ¤xd5+ cxd5 9+-zP-+-vL-0 9+-+k+p+-0 9-+P+-mK-+0 9-+p+-+-+0 9+R+-+-+-0 XIIIIIIIIY 9zp-+p+-zp-0 xiiiiiiiiy 9-+-tr-+-tr0 9+-+-tR-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 45 ¢g3! Anand exploits his activity in 9zppzp-mkpzp-0 xiiiiiiiiy precise fashion and brings all his forces 34 ¦e3? Rightly criticised by Anand at 9+-sn-mK-+-0 into active positions, since his rook will 9-+-+-+n+0 the press conference. He wants to transfer 9-+P+-+-+0 soon reach f6. 9+-+pzP-+-0 his king to the queenside, but this is just 9+-+-+-+-0 45...¤e5 45...¤e3 46 ¦b6+ ¢c7 47 ¦f6=. wishful thinking. 34 ¢f3 is called for. xiiiiiiiiy 46 ¦b6+ ¢c7 47 ¦f6 ¢d7 47...a4 48 ¥xe5+ 9-+-vlNzPP+0 34...¤a5 35 ¦e1 ¤c4 36 ¢f3 ¢d7 37 ¢g2 ...and four pawns for the exchange are just ¦xe5 49 ¦xf7+ ¢b6 50 ¢g4=. 9+-+-+-vL-0 a5 38 ¢f2? White cannot wait any longer. too many. Finally 40...bxa4? 41 e6+ fxe6 48 ¥xe5 ¦xe5 49 ¢g4 ¢e7 50 ¢xg5 ¦e1 9PzPP+-+K+0 The direct activation 38 ¦h1! draws 42 ¦b7+ ¢d8 43 f6 a3 44 ¦b8+ ¢d7 45 51 ¦a6 f6+ 52 ¢g4 ¦g1+ 53 ¢f4 ¦f1+ according to the computer, but it looks very ¦b7 with a perpetual check. 54 ¢g4 ¦g1+ 55 ¢f4 ¦f1+ 56 ¢g4 9tR-+-+-+R0 scary to the human eye: 38...¤xe5 39 ¦h7 41 ¥f2! ¤xe5 42 axb5 ¤xg4 If 42...¤c4 1/2-1/2 Müller xiiiiiiiiy ¢c6 40 ¥xe5 ¦xe5 41 ¦xf7 ¦e4 42 ¢g3 White faces a critical decision. ¦xa4 43 ¦g7 ¦c4 44 ¦xg5 ...and White 22 ¤c3 This is possible, but now any draws the resulting race, e.g. 44...¦xc3+ small mistake will be costly and this forces 45 ¢f4 ¦xc2 46 ¦g8 a4 47 g5 ¦c4+ VACHIER-LAGRAVE 2773 0 1 1 2 CARLSEN 2834 1 ½ 1 ½ Carlsen to find the only solution. Alexei 48 ¢g3 ¦c1 49 ¢f4=. GIRI 2784 1 0 0 1 VACHIER-LAGRAVE 2773 0 ½ ½ Shirov strongly favours the alternative 38...c6 39 ¢g2 b5! 40 ¦b1 22 ¤g5!? to keep more dynamic potential, e.g. 22...¦xh1 23 ¦xh1 ¦h8 24 ¦d1 XIIIIIIIIY ¥e3! (24...¥xb2? 25 ¤f3 b6 26 f5 ¤f8 9-+-+r+-+0 27 ¦xd5±) 25 ¢f3 d4 26 ¤e4 maintaining 9+-+k+p+-0 LONDON, XII 2015 a slight advantage. The 7th London Chess Classic 22...¥xc3! Not 22...c6? 23 ¤e2 ¥xb2? 9-+p+-+-+0 The third and final event of the Grand Chess Tour 2015 24 ¦ab1 ¦xh1 25 ¢xh1 ¥a3 26 ¦xb7+ 9zpp+pzPPzp-0 ¦d7 27 ¦b3 ¥c5 28 f5 ¤f8 29 ¥h4+ f6 CARLSEN 2834 • ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 5½ 12 30 ¦c3 winning. 9P+n+-+P+0 GIRI 2784 ½ • ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 5½ 10 23 bxc3 ¢d7 24 f5 ¤e7 25 ¦ae1 ¦de8 9+-zP-+-vL-0 VACHIER-LAGRAVE 2773 ½ ½ • ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 5½ 8 26 ¢f3? White does not have time for 9-+P+-+K+0 ARONIAN 2788 ½ ½ ½ • ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 5 7 this at the moment. First 26 ¥f4! ¢c6 GRISCHUK 2747 0 ½ ½ ½ • ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 4½ 6 (26...g6? runs into 27 e6+ fxe6 28 f6±) 9+R+-+-+-0 CARUANA 2787 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ • ½ ½ ½ ½ 4½ 4½ 27 ¢g3 is very unpleasant for Black. xiiiiiiiiy ADAMS 2737 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ • ½ ½ ½ 4½ 4½ 26...¦xh1 27 ¦xh1 ¤c6 28 ¦e1 28 ¦h7 40...¦h8? This move is too abstract and ¤xe5+ 29 ¢f4 ¤c6 30 ¦xg7 ¦e4+ 31 ¢f3 gives Anand time finally to improve his NAKAMURA 2793 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ • 1 ½ 4 3 ¢e7 only leads to a drawn position. bishop. He had a deep and more or less ANAND 2796 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 • 1 3½ 2 28...g5! This strong way of blockading forced win with the computer line. TOPALOV 2803 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 • 2½ 1

24 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 25 Stuart CONQUEST Stuart CONQUEST

Seven times we saw the main line “Berlin Wall”, with an early queen swap on d8. Black loses rights! White has a lead in development! The old The textbooks warned us, but now we know we can safely play ...¤d6, ...¤f5, and even ...¤e7, and ...¤g6. Black is robust. He has the light-squared bishop. Thirteen However he arranges his pieces, Black looks to have a sound position. Extensive computer preparation  and the lessons of thousands of top-flight games  means that when sharper positions do arise on the board, they are Problems mostly already known to be ok for the second player. by GM Stuart Conquest It would be interesting to know how many Berlin endgames were played in the Open section. I suspect not that many. Neither side can pretend it drastically improves their winning chances (though I remember used to score well in Opens with it), besides which, don’t people play chess mostly for fun? hirteen games in London began with 1 e4 Just think of all the off-beat systems in the Lopez that Black can dabble in, e5 2 ¤f3 ¤c6 3 ¥b5 ¤f6, but there was on moves three or four, if he wants to avoid main lines. I think other “absent” Tno , Caro-Kann, Alekhine’s, openings from London like the King’s Indian are more what Opens are about Scandinavian, Philidor, Pirc / Modern, or Petroff.  which is not to overlook the strange opening move-order in Nakamura v Yes, with a certain air of nostalgia even the Petroff is Vachier-Lagrave (1 d4 ¤f6 2 ¤f3 g6 3 e3), which avoided the Grünfeld, and missed these days! Come back, all is forgiven! led to a Benoni. If you belong to the world super-elite then you need First published in book form in 1932, the stories in Agatha Christie’s the Berlin in your repertoire, perhaps even with both The Thirteen Problems  almost all of which had already appeared in colours. In London, six out of ten players used the Berlin monthly magazines  are famous for heralding the earliest appearance with Black, and two who didn’t (Anand and Vachier- of a certain Miss Marple. Perhaps we need the super-sleuth of St Mary Lagrave) had to face it twice each from the White side. Mead to make a return, and solve a new problem: in super-elite events and Only Aronian and Adams had a Berlin-free event. matches, what to do about the Berlin?

A draw with Black at the highest level is always a satisfactory result. In the Berlin, XIIIIIIIIY Black can also win of course. The middlegames can be sharp and complex. But however you look at it, exchanging queens a few minutes into the contest 9R+-+-+-sN0 dramatically reduces the potential for middlegame chaos and confusion, at least 9+-+-zpr+-0 for the spectators. Even among watching GMs in the VIP lounge, a game which Stuart Conquest 2015 began with this “tabiya” was generally ignored  a collective sigh would emit  and 9-+-+k+-tr0 the game would be put aside like something in the oven that takes a while to cook. White to play and mate in two 9+-+-+pwQR0 Now and again there would be a glance at it, to see if it was getting “interesting.” moves. Solution in February BCM. 9-mK-+-+-+0 Depending on your taste, an interesting Berlin is almost an oxymoron. 9+-+-+-+-0 In five games White tried 4 d3. This is doubtless the best move against a player 9p+-+-+-vL0 you are expected to beat, and would be my choice if I were still an active player. The problem is, it’s inferior to 4 0-0. To me, 4 d3 is saying two things: “I want to 9+-+L+-+-0 play chess”, but also “I am happy to leave the refutation of the Berlin to others.” I xiiiiiiiiy suspect that if every top player consistently chose 4 d3 in super-tournaments, we would see even more Berlins than we do now. It’s not a scary move. There is a reason why Kasparov never played it. Magnus went for 5 ¦e1 against Giri, which at least keeps the queens on. Unfortunately, on the adrenalin count it’s not a day out at Alton Towers. Like every other Berlin in London, the game was drawn. 1 e4 players did not venture down other paths either. No-one tried the Scotch, Four Knights, or Vienna  and there were no Evans or King’s !

26 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 27 Andrew MARTIN

by IM Andrew Martin options, asking White what he is 26...¥xg4 27 £xg4 £xg4 28 ¦xg4 ¥f8 doing. Here is a recent example 29 ¤d5 Black obviously thought that he of 11...¤d7  12 0–0–0 ¦c8 could hold this position, but it is not going 13 ¢b1 ¥xd5 14 £xd5 b5 to be much fun. White’s attempt to win will 15 £d2 ¤b6 16 h4 ¥e7 17 g3 begin with action on the queenside, in an ¦c5= D.Mastrovasilis  Dziuba, attempt to force weaknesses and perhaps Topalov Poland 2015. create a . 12 0–0–0 ¤d7 13 ¢b1 ¦c8 14 ¤ec3 29...¥e7 30 c3 ¦c6 31 ¢c2 ¢d7 32 ¢b3 toppled! ¦c5 ¥d8 33 a4 ¦c5 33...¦c4 seems a little 14...¤f6 looks pretty equal. more active. 15 ¥e2 b5 16 a3 ¤b6 17 g4 hxg4 34 axb5 ¦xb5+ 35 ¢a2 a5 36 b4 axb4 or most of the tournament there had 18 ¤xb6 £xb6 19 hxg4 ¦xh1 37 cxb4 It proved very easy to obtain a passed been a lot of fighting chess but very 20 ¦xh1 ¥g7 pawn. The challenge now is to advance this Ffew games that generated much The commentators thought that pawn, but additional piece coordination is excitement. The audience had to put up with White may be a fraction better here, needed before that can happen. scraps of interesting play with, on average, but it very difficult to Black 37...¦b7 38 ¢b3 ¦b8 39 ¦g1 ¦b7 40 ¦g3 only one decisive game per round and a down to any great degree. If White ¦b8 41 ¦g1 ¦b7 42 ¦a1! Anand gives staple diet of Berlin defences to the Lopez, plays g4-g5 then Black can redirect up a pawn, as he must, in order to make which is not exactly to everyone’s taste. his dark-squared bishop to e7. If progress. This is an excellent decision, Topalov, who started the tournament leading he plays b4, then...¦c6 and where but one still feels that Black should be the overall Grand Tour with 17 points, ahead does he go from there? Anand able to hold. of Nakamura 16, Aronian 15, Carlsen 15 understands his edge is small and 42...¥xg5 43 ¢c4 ¥d8 44 f3 f5 45 ¦h1 etc., was the only player who tried hard to continues patiently. fxe4 46 fxe4 g5 47 b5 sharpen things up – but unfortunately this 21 £e3 £b7 22 ¦d1 £c7 23 g5 came at his own expense! £c6 24 ¦g1 XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-vl-+-+0 9+r+k+-+-0 Vishy Anand — 9-+-+k+-+0 9-+-zp-+-+0 Veselin Topalov 9+-+-+pvl-0 9+P+Nzp-zp-0 London 2015, Round 5 9p+qzpl+p+0 9+ptr-zp-zP-0 9-+K+P+-+0 9-+-+P+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 1 e4 c5 2 ¤f3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ¤xd4 ¤f6 Basically, White’s idea is to play g2-g4 and 9-+-+-+-+0 5 ¤c3 a6 6 h3 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave gain ground on the kingside, so Black takes 9zP-sN-wQ-+-0 beat Topalov earlier on with 6 h3, so Anand the radical decision to stop him. Black 9-zPP+LzP-+0 9+-+-+-+R0 reminds him of this uncomfortable fact. cedes the g5 square, but remains solid xiiiiiiiiy 6...e5 7 ¤de2 h5!? and so far nobody has even come close to 9+K+-+-tR-0 This was the position Anand must have XIIIIIIIIY refuting 7...h5. xiiiiiiiiy seen long before. Black is very limited as 8 ¥g5 ¥e6 It is possible to delay or even 24...£d7 24...a5 25 ¥g4 b4 looks a bit to what he can do, despite the extra pawn. 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 omit ...¥e6: For example: 8...¤bd7 9 ¤g3 more active. Topalov seems reluctant to 47...¦b8 48 ¦h7+ ¢e6? I think he should 9+p+-+pzp-0 g6 10 ¥c4 ¥e7 11 ¤d5 ¤xd5 12 £xd5 take any action and this is why Anand is go backwards and just stay put: 48...¢c8 0–0 13 ¥xe7 £xe7 14 ¥b3 h4 15 ¤f1 able to get on top. Black can fight here: 49 ¢b4 ¦b7 50 ¦h8 ¢d7 51 ¦g8 ¦b8 9p+-zp-sn-+0 ¤f6 16 £d3 ¥d7 17 0–0–0 ¦ad8 18 ¤e3 26 ¥xe6 fxe6 27 axb4 axb4 28 ¤a2 £a4 52 ¦g7+ ¢c8 53 ¦g6 ¢d7 54 ¦g8 ¦b7 9+-+-zp-+p0 ¥b5 19 ¥c4 ¥c6 20 f3 b5 21 ¥b3 a5, 29 £e2 (29 £d3 ¦a5 30 £b3 £xb3 and how does White win from here? 9-+-+P+-+0 as in Harikrishna  Sasikiran, Berlin 2015. 31 cxb3 ¦b5 32 ¤c1 ¥f8 33 ¤d3 ¥e7=) 49 ¢b4 g4 He could not play ...¦b7 and 9 ¥xf6 £xf6 10 ¤d5 £d8 11 £d3 g6 ¦a5 30 £c4 d5= 31 exd5 exd5 32 £c8+ this makes a big difference. 9+-sN-+-+P0 A new move, when previously Black had ¢e7 33 £c7+ ¢e8. 50 ¦g7 g3 51 ¦xg3 ¦b7 52 ¦g6+ ¢d7 9PzPP+NzPP+0 played either 11...¤c6 or 11...¤d7, both 25 £g3 ¦c8 26 ¥g4!² The only real 53 ¦g7+ ¢c8 So the same idea has arisen, of which also seem quite stable. Topalov attempt to win is to exchange light-squared but Black no longer has a g-pawn! 9tR-vLQmKL+R0 simply gives his bishop a couple of extra bishops and station the knight on d5. 54 ¦g8 ¢d7 55 ¢c4 ¦b8 56 ¦g7+ xiiiiiiiiy 28 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 29 Andrew MARTIN Andrew MARTIN XIIIIIIIIY his forces. 11 ¤b5 ¤xb5 12 ¥xb5 some such idea. 9-tr-vl-+-+0 £b6 13 ¥a4 ¥d7 14 ¥e3 e6 15 b4 15...¦c8 We have to check out 15...0–0 9+-+k+-tR-0 ¤xb4 16 ¥xd7+ ¢xd7 17 ¤e5+ 16 h5 ¦fe8. Is this so bad for Black? Risky, 9-+-zp-+-+0 ¢e8 18 ¦b1 £a6 19 £h5 g6 certainly, but the computer suggests it is 20 £f3 f5 21 ¦xb4!? cxb4 22 exf5 playable: 9+P+Nzp-+-0 ¥d6 23 ¤c4 ¥e7 24 fxg6 hxg6 17 hxg6 (17 ¥h6 b3!) hxg6 18 ¥h6 b3! 9-+K+P+-+0 25 £g4 19 axb3 (19 £e3) £xd2 20 ¥xd2 ¤cxd4. (a) 25...¦g8 would have given White 16 ¥b3 £b5+ 17 ¢g1 h6 18 ¢h2 g5! 9+-+-+-+-0 problems to solve: 26 h5 (26 ¢g1 Topalov is not holding back and this pawn 9-+-+-+-+0 ¦d8 27 £e4 £c6) ¦d8 27 ¥d4 thrust makes for entertaining viewing. 9+-+-+-+-0 £a4 with the idea of...¦xd4; 19 ¦hd1 ¢f8 20 ¢g1 ¦d8 21 hxg5 hxg5 (b) 25...£b5 26 £xe6 £c6 27 £e5 22 ¥xg5 ¤xg5? After the comments xiiiiiiiiy £f6 28 £b5+ £c6 29 £e5 £f6 earlier, it’s a surprise that 22...¤xg5 is a 56...¢e6 56...¢c8 57 ¤e7+! ¥xe7 30 £b5+ £c6 ½–½ Svidler  mistake. Instead 22...¥e8! stabilises the 58 ¦xe7 ¢d8 59 ¦h7 ¦c8+ 60 ¢d5 is Nepomniachtchi, Kazan 2014. position and prepares central counterplay: decisive. 9...cxb4 Topalov is in the mood for a 23 ¥e3 ¦d6! Black is now well placed to 57 ¢b4 ¥a5+ A nice try. fight. Black can actually decline the repel any attack and, with the further ...f6 58 ¢c4 He should take: 58 ¢xa5! ¦xb5+ white pawn in favour of development and ...¥f7, he will have plenty of play in a 59 ¢a4 ¦a5+ 60 ¢b3 ¦a3+ 61 ¢c4 and this may be more prudent: very complex situation. ¦a4+ 62 ¤b4 ¦a1 63 ¦g6+ wins. Match of the Day commentator Andrew Martin 9...g6 10 bxc5 ¥g7 11 ¥a3 ¤c6 12 ¦b1 23 £xg5 ¥h6 24 £h4± ¥g7 25 £f4 ¥h6 Photo by John Upham 58...¥d8 59 ¦g8 Let’s try a different way. 0–0=. As long as Black controls d4, then Of course, the players were tired by this this is a very respectable position for him. XIIIIIIIIY point. of time moving a single piece around in Jakovenko  Nepomniachtchi, Kazan 2014. 9-+-tr-mk-tr0 59...¦c8+ 59...¢d7 would not alter the result. order to deny White castling rights. This 10 ¤d5 g6 11 d4 ¥g7 12 ¥e3 ¤c6 9zpp+lzpp+-0 60 ¢d3 ¦b8 61 ¦h8 ¢d7 62 ¦h7+ ¢e6 is a controversial and sharp variation, 63 ¢c4 ¦c8+ 64 ¢b4 ¦c1 65 b6 ¦b1+ which is almost certainly okay for Black, XIIIIIIIIY 9-+n+-+-vl0 66 ¢a5 ¥xb6+ If 66...¦f1 67 ¢a6 ¦a1+ but which requires great precision by him. 9r+lwqk+-tr0 9+q+N+-+-0 68 ¢b7 ¦c1 69 ¢a8 ¦a1+ 70 ¦a7 decides. 9zpp+-zppvlp0 67 ¤xb6 ¦a1+ 68 ¢b5 ¦b1+ 69 ¢c6 XIIIIIIIIY 9-zp-zPPwQ-+0 ¦c1+ 70 ¢b7 ¦b1 71 ¢c7 ¦c1+ 72 ¢d8 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 9-+n+n+p+0 9+L+-+N+-0 ¦e1 73 ¦h4 ¢f6 74 ¦g4 9zpp+-zppzpp0 9+-+N+-+-0 9P+-+-zPP+0 1–0 Martin 9-+-+n+-+0 9-zpLzPP+-+0 9+-tRR+-mK-0 A gruelling struggle from start to finish. 9+-zp-+-+-0 9+-+-vLN+-0 xiiiiiiiiy Indeed, we had to make do with this type 9P+-+-zPPzP0 26 ¤g5 26 £h2! was probably even of play throughout the first six rounds of 9-+L+P+-+0 stronger, when ideas for Black are hard the London Classic. 9+-sN-+N+-0 9tR-+Q+K+R0 to come by: 26...¥e8 (26...¦e8 27 ¤c7; 9PzP-zP-zPPzP0 xiiiiiiiiy 26...¥g4 27 ¦xc6! £xc6 28 £e5 ¦g8 However Round Seven brought the 13 ¦c1 A new move, perhaps improving 29 £xe7+ ¢g7 30 ¤e5 £e6 31 ¤xg4+  tournament to life in a sudden and 9tR-vLQ+K+R0 on either 13 £d2 or 13 h4, which had gone £xg4 32 ¤f6) 27 ¦c5 £e2 28 ¤f4 £b2 unexpected way. The fact that there were no xiiiiiiiiy before. White just activates his rook. The 29 ¦f5 winning. Berlins gave everyone hope! 9 b4! Many moves have been tried knight on e6 is Black’s problem piece, as 26...¥xg5 27 £xg5 Demoralised, Topalov here, but 9 b4 is clearly one of the most it hampers his development. Moreover, if now gave up. White’s threats include ¦xc6 aggressive. White gambits a pawn, almost Black castles short, he may run into a quick or ¥c4, followed by ¦d3-f3. Black never  Veselin Topalov Evans -like, in order to dominate attack with h2-h4. So whilst objectively this managed to get his act together, with the king the centre. Topalov had not been displaying position is reasonable for Black, practically on f8 being his prime liability. It was definitely London 2015, Round 7 particularly good form in the Classic and it remains difficult to handle. not Veselin’s tournament and he was not only so Aronian decides to try to take him out. 13...¥d7 14 £d2 £a5 15 h4 Not only toppled from the No.1 spot in the Grand Tour 1 c4 c5 2 ¤f3 ¤f6 3 ¤c3 d5 4 cxd5 9 h4!? is another interesting idea, pre- dissuading Black from castling short, but standings, but also finished in last place in ¤xd5 5 e4 ¤b4 6 ¥c4 ¤d3+ 7 ¢e2 empting ...g6: 9...¤c6 10 d3 ¤ed4! A good thinking about tidying up the white king London without scoring a single win. ¤f4+ 8 ¢f1 ¤e6 Black spends a great deal move, enabling Black to develop the rest of position with g3 and then ¢g2-h2, or 1-0 Martin

30 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 31 Yang-Fan ZHOU The Openings in Olympia by IM Yang-Fan Zhou

he opening choices and battles of the world’s elite are always a hot topic. If Fischer crushes Najdorf with the h3 Najdorf, or Giri holds Anand and Vachier-Lagrave with ease using the Berlin Defence, the lines are most likely to be more than decent.

T ontokanis Entire opening trends are set by Grandmasters, and club players try to optimise their own opening choice by emulating the best of them. So what was most popular and successful at the London Classic? Below is a histogram for first moves from 45 games at the Classic. Playoff games weren’t included due to the faster time controls.

24 With 24 of 45 games 0-1 starting 1 e4, it was the 20 Zhou Yang-Fan student Cambridge University title is closing in on the grandmaster K Andreas by Photo most popular first move, 2015 0.5 but statistically the least 16 1-0 successful for White. After 12 13 ¢h2, heading for g3, but this proved 11 ¥f4 11 ¤e2 b6 12 ¥g5 c5 13 ¤c3 1 e4 e5, all 18 games 8 to be unsuccessful after 13...c5 14 ¤db5 ¥b7 14 ¦ad1 ¥xf3 15 gxf3 c6 16 ¤e4 proceeded to a Ruy Lopez ¢d8 15 ¥e3 a6 16 ¤a3 b6 17 ¤e4 h5 ¥e7 17 f4 ¥xg5 18 fxg5 ¢e7 19 ¤d6 4 and resulted in 18 draws! 18 ¢g3 hxg4 19 hxg4 ¥c6 20 ¤g5 ¢e8 was all Grischuk’s analysis and Black

Most games revolved Frequency 0 21 f4 f5 22 ¦ad1 g6 23 ¤e6 fxg4! and can never enter a king and pawn ending. around the Berlin Defence. 1st Move e4 d4 ¤f3 c4 Black took over and in fact almost won the White wins by playing f4 and eventually game. ½-½ (38) Grischuk  Nakamura. bringing the king to e4 and exploiting the Anand’s choice was 11 ¦d1 which gave motif. him an advantage after 11...¥c5 12 g4 ¤e7 RUY LOPEZ e6!? looks like quite a dangerous sacrifice, 13 ¤g5 ¥d5 XIIIIIIIIY but Caruana neutralised it easily. 13...¥d6 XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-+-+-tr0 1 e4 e5 2 ¤f3 ¤c6 3 ¥b5 ¤f6 4 0–0 14 ¥xd6 ¤xd6 15 exf7+ ¢xf7 1 6 ¤e5+ 9zp-+-mkpzp-0 ¤xe4 5 d4 ¤d6 6 ¥xc6 dxc6 7 dxe5 ¤f5 ¢f6 17 ¤g4+ ¢f7 ½-½ Vachier-Lagrave 9r+-+k+-tr0 8 £xd8+ ¢xd8 9 ¤c3 ¢e8 10 h3  Caruana. And after 10...¥e6 9zppzp-snpzpp0 9-zppsN-+-+0 XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9-+p+-+-+0 9+-zp-zPnzPp0 9r+l+kvl-tr0 9r+-+kvl-tr0 9+-vllzP-sN-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9zppzp-+pzpp0 9zppzp-+pzpp0 9-+-+-+P+0 9+-+-+-+P0 9-+p+-+-+0 9-+p+l+-+0 9+-sN-+-+P0 9PzPP+-zP-+0 9+-+-zPn+-0 9+-+-zPn+-0 9PzPP+-zP-+0 9+-+R+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0 9tR-vLR+-mK-0 19...¢e6 20 f4 ¦ad8 (20...¤e3 21 f5+ 9+-sN-+N+P0 9+-sN-+N+P0 xiiiiiiiiy ¢e7 22 f6+ gxf6 23 exf6+ ¢f8 24 ¤xf7! 9PzPP+-zPP+0 9PzPP+-zPP+0 14 ¤ge4 (But 14 ¤xd5! is stronger, with ¢xf7 25 ¦d7+ ¢f8 26 ¦f3) 21 ¦fe1 the forcing idea of 14...cxd5 15 e6! f6 g6 22 ¢f2 ¤d4 23 c3 ¤f5 24 ¢f3 and 9tR-vL-+RmK-0 9tR-vL-+RmK-0 16 ¤f7 ¦g8 17 ¥f4) 14...¥b6 15 ¢g2 though Grischuk had a huge advantage, xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy ¦d8 16 ¥f4 ¤g6 17 ¥g3 h5 18 f4 was Giri managed to escape! ½-½ (47) 10...h5 10...b6 11 ¦d1 ¥b7 12 ¥f4 ¦c8 13 Grischuk tried 11 g4 ¤e7 12 ¤d4 ¥d7 ½-½ Anand  Carlsen. Grischuk  Giri.

32 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 33 Yang-Fan ZHOU Yang-Fan ZHOU XIIIIIIIIY 11...¥e7 12 ¦ad1 ¥e6 13 ¤g5 ¦h6 14 g3 ¥f6 16 e5 ¥e7 17 ¦d1 gave White a nice 5 dxc5 ¤c6 6 c3 e6 7 b4 a5 8 £b3 ¥c4 15 ¦fe1 ¦g6 16 ¤ce4 ¦d8 17 ¦xd8+ edge, and eventually a winning position, 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 ¥xd8 18 b3 ¥d5 19 c4 ¤d4 but both players missed the winning move 9+p+-zppzpp0 XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY later on. ½-½ (58) Caruana  Grischuk. 9p+-zp-sn-+0 9r+lwqkvl-tr0 9+p+-+p+p0 9-+-vlk+-+0 7 h3 0–0 8 ¤c4 ¤d7 9 £e2 b5 10 ¤e3 9+-+-+-+-0 9zppzp-+pzp-0 ¤b6 11 ¤f5 ¥xf5 12 exf5 9-+-sNP+-+0 9-+n+pzp-+0 9-+p+-+r+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9+-sN-+-+-0 9zp-zPp+-+-0 9+-+lzP-sNp0 9r+-+-trk+0 9PzPP+-zPPzP0 9-zP-+-+-+0 9-+PsnNvL-+0 9zp-zp-wqpzpp0 9tR-vLQmKL+R0 9+QzP-zP-+-0 9+P+-+-zPP0 9-snp+-+-+0 xiiiiiiiiy 9P+-+-zPPzP0 9P+-+-zP-+0 9+pvl-zpP+-0 6 h3 6 ¥g5 e6 7 f4 h6 8 ¥h4 £b6 9 a3 9tRN+-mKLsNR0 ¥e7 10 ¥f2 £c7 11 £f3 b5 12 g4 ¤c6 xiiiiiiiiy 9+-+-tR-mK-0 9-+-+-+-+0 13 0–0–0 ¥b7 14 h4 d5! (Striking at the 8...f5 8...axb4 9 cxb4 b6 hitting White’s xiiiiiiiiy 9+-+P+N+P0 perfect moment, making use of the b7 queenside immediately was a good A novelty which seems to equalise without 9PzPP+QzPP+0 bishop. Now Black is doing fine.) 15 e5 alternative. Then 10 ¥b5 £c7 11 ¤f3 bxc5 problems. ¤e4 was an exciting Sicilian battle. ½-½ 12 bxc5 ¥a6=. 9 ¤f3 ¥g7 10 b5 ¤b8 with 20 cxd5 cxd5 21 ¤d6+ cxd6 22 exd6+ 9tR-vL-mK-+R0 (43) Grischuk  Vachier-Lagrave. a messy position in which Caruana put Giri ¤e6 23 ¤f3 ¥f6 24 ¥e3 ¢d7 25 ¥xa7 xiiiiiiiiy 6...e5 7 ¤de2 h5 8 ¥g5 ¥e6 9 ¥xf6 £xf6 under some pressure, but never obtained a ¦h6 26 ¦d1 ¢xd6 27 ¥b8+ ¢c6 10 ¤d5 £d8 11 £d3!? After 11 ¤ec3 real advantage: ½-½ (36) Caruana  Giri. 28 ¦c1+ ¢d7 29 ¦d1 ¢c6 30 ¦c1+ ¢d7 12...¤d7?! This takes away the d7 g6 12 ¥c4 ¥h6 and Black stands well. Carlsen’s original play didn’t achieve 31 ¦d1 ½-½ (31) Vachier-Lagrave  Giri. square away from Black’s own queen anything against Nakamura’s Slav defence (12...f6 followed by ...£d7 or even XIIIIIIIIY (but Carlsen eventually ground his way The notorious Berlin ending was often 12...£d7 immediately was better). 9rsn-wqkvl-tr0 to victory with excellent technique!), avoided by White. Many of these games Nakamura said he had planned 12...e4?! 9+p+-+pzp-0 whilst Nakamura prepared a novelty in the fizzled out to equal positions rather but realised 13 £xe4 was strong since Catalan which bore fruit against Anand. quickly such as Adams’ 4 d3 against 13...£xe4+ 14 dxe4 ¦fe8 15 ¤d2 does 9p+-zpl+-+0 Nakamura, but some lines packed a not give Black enough compensation. 9+-+Nzp-+p0 1 d4 ¤f6 2 ¤f3 e6 3 c4 d5 4 g3 ¥e7 stronger punch. 13 ¤d2! A strong manoeuvre, heading 5 ¥g2 0–0 6 £c2 c5 7 0–0 cxd4 8 ¤xd4 £b6 for e4. 9-+-+P+-+0 9 ¦d1 ¤c6 10 ¤xc6 £xc6 11 ¥g5!? 1 e4 e5 2 ¤f3 ¤c6 3 ¥b5 ¤f6 4 d3 ¥c5 13...¥b4 14 c3 ¥a5 15 ¤e4 with a 9+-+Q+-+P0 XIIIIIIIIY 5 ¥xc6 dxc6 6 ¤bd2 very pleasant position, which Nakamura 9PzPP+NzPP+0 XIIIIIIIIY was lucky to hold. ½-½ (45) Caruana  9r+l+-trk+0 Nakamura. 9tR-+-mKL+R0 9zpp+-vlpzpp0 9r+lwqk+-tr0 xiiiiiiiiy 9zppzp-+pzpp0 The queen move is an improvement which 9-+q+psn-+0 Anand has used a number of times before. 9+-+p+-vL-0 9-+p+-sn-+0 1–0 (74) Anand  Topalov. 9+-vl-zp-+-0 9-+P+-+-+0 9-+-+P+-+0 9+-+-+-zP-0 After 1 e4, all the bloodshed occurred in 9PzPQ+PzPLzP0 9+-+P+N+-0 the 7 Sicilian games. Other than Carlsen’s CLOSED OPENINGS 9PzPPsN-zPPzP0 games (a Sveshnikov as Black, which held 9tRN+R+-mK-0 Vachier-Lagrave easily, and 3 ¥b5+ as After 1 d4, the opening choices were more xiiiiiiiiy 9tR-vLQmK-+R0 White, which beat Grischuk), 5 out of 7 varied. Caruana surprised Giri with the A new plan  White is happy to trade the xiiiiiiiiy games were Sicilian Najdorfs. Trompowsky, which quickly reached new, bishop for the knight. 6...£e7 6...¥e6 7 0–0 ¥d6 8 d4 ¤d7 original territory, but certainly nothing 11...h6 12 ¥xf6 ¥xf6 13 ¤a3 Now Black 9 dxe5 ¤xe5 10 ¤xe5 ¥xe5 11 f4 ¥d4+ 1 e4 c5 2 ¤f3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ¤xd4 ¤f6 critical as Giri was fine in the opening. can’t play ...¥xa3 and White has significant 12 ¢h1 f5 13 £h5+ g6 14 £e2 0–0 15 ¤f3 5 ¤c3 a6 1 d4 ¤f6 2 ¥g5 d5 3 e3 c5 4 ¥xf6 gxf6 pressure. 1–0 (41) Nakamura  Anand.

34 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 35 Yang-Fan ZHOU Yang-Fan ZHOU XIIIIIIIIY 9r+lwq-trk+0 11 ¤g5!?N with aggressive intentions, Interestingly, it turns out that the choice RETI SYSTEMS but Carlsen showed White has no attack. of the first move has hardly changed, 9zpp+-vlpzpp0 11...¤f6 12 £f3 ¦b8 13 0–0 ¥d6 with very similar proportions between the Funnily enough, Carlsen’s win against 9-+n+psn-+0 14 £h3 h6 15 ¦fe1 0–0 (15...¥xh2+ was 4 moves in 2012 and 2015. There were Grischuk in the Sicilian started out with also possible 16 £xh2 £xh2+ 17 ¢xh2 notably more decisive results, most likely 1 ¤f3. 9+-zpp+-+-0 hxg5+ 18 ¢g1 ¤d5! when White has due to the scoring system used (3 points 9-+-+P+-+0 compensation for the pawn but nothing for a win, 1 for a draw) and the stronger 1 ¤f3 c5 2 e4 d6 3 ¥b5+ ¤d7 4 0–0 a6 9+-+P+NzP-0 more) 16 ¤f3 ¥f4 and the position field in 2015 (2791 average compared to 5 ¥d3 ¤gf6 6 ¦e1 b5 7 c4 g5!? The liquidated. ½-½ (40) Aronian  Carlsen. 2752). 1 c4 was again the most successful novelty Topalov used to beat Carlsen 9PzPPsN-zPLzP0 4 cxd5 ¤xd5 5 e4 ¤b4 6 ¥c4 ¤d3+  perhaps something to take note of, but in August. No doubt Carlsen was better 9tR-vLQtR-mK-0 it’s difficult to come to certain conclusions prepared this time. XIIIIIIIIY from such a small number of games. 8 ¤xg5 ¤e5 9 ¥e2 bxc4 xiiiiiiiiy 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 Not rushing with e5, h4, ¤f1–h2-g4. 9zpp+-zppzpp0 XIIIIIIIIY 8...£c7 9 £e2 b5 10 a4 b4 11 exd5 exd5 18 9r+lwqkvl-tr0 12 ¤b3 ¦e8 13 ¥f4 £b6 14 a5 £b5 9-+-+-+-+0 16 0-1 9+-+-zpp+p0 15 £d2 ¥e6 16 a6= The pawn on a6 9+-zp-+-+-0 14 2012 0.5 looks nice but Black is solid and has more 12 1-0 9p+-zp-sn-+0 space. 1–0 (43) Giri  Nakamura. 9-+L+P+-+0 10 9+-sNn+N+-0 8 9+-zp-sn-sN-0 6 9-+p+P+-+0 9PzP-zP-zPPzP0 4 9tR-vLQmK-+R0 2 9+-+-+-+-0 Frequency 0 9PzP-zPLzPPzP0 xiiiiiiiiy 1st Move e4 d4 ¤f3 c4 1 c4 was the least played but statistically This seems very disruptive but Black loses 9tRNvLQtR-mK-0 most successful first move and full of a lot of time. creative ideas. Grischuk even played 1 c4 e5 7 ¢e2 ¤f4+ 8 ¢f1 ¤e6 9 b4! Opening up For the reader’s interest, the graph below xiiiiiiiiy 2 d3!? against Anand with success. It looks 10 ¤c3! Carlsen’s improvement  there’s the position to make the most of his lead in shows the first move choices of each player. no hurry to recapture the c-pawn, so the like the lazy approach of a Sicilian player, development. The players are ranked in order of their knight is much better placed here. 10 ¤a3 trying to play a tempo up, but it seems quite 9...cxb4 10 ¤d5 and Topalov could not final tournament standing (1st equal on the reasonable, avoiding all the theory after the ¦g8. 0–1 (40) was Carlsen  Topalov, Saint cope with White’s huge initiative. 1–0 (27) left to 10th on the right). Some players had Louis 2015. 10...¦b8 11 ¦f1!? alternatives. Anand went for a Grand Prix Aronian  Topalov. 5 Whites as opposed to 4 since it was a against ¤d3. 11...h6 12 ¤f3 ¤d3 13 ¤e1 Attack setup but was always on the back nine round all play all. Giri played all four ¤xb2 14 ¥xb2 ¦xb2 15 ¥xc4² 1–0 (38) foot. Aronian was the only player to play For comparison, here is the same graph moves, whilst Vachier-Lagrave and Adams Carlsen  Grischuk. 1 c4 twice (contributing 2 of the 5 games!) for the 4th London Chess Classic in 2012, are clearly hardcore e4 enthusiasts! which was a 9 player all play all. Yang-Fan Zhou 1 c4 ¤f6 2 ¤c3 c5 3 ¤f3 d5 3...e6 4 e3 Giri’s 1 ¤f3 against Nakamura transposed d5 5 cxd5 ¤xd5 6 d4 cxd4 7 exd4 ¤xc3 into a King’s Indian Attack. I used to play the KIA with the caveman approach 8 bxc3XIIIIIIIIY £c7 9 ¥d2 ¤d7 10 ¥d3 b6 of an all-out attack on the kingside, 5 but, as said to me, “The 9r+l+kvl-tr0 4 c4 problem with the King’s Indian Attack 9zp-wqn+pzpp0 3 ¤f3 is that there s just no attack  against ’ ” d4 a strong player there’s just no way to 9-zp-+p+-+0 2 break through. Giri’s more sophisticated 9+-+-+-+-0 1 e4 play with which he scored a victory, is 9-+-zP-+-+0 Frequency certainly a better approach, although 0 objectively Black should be fine. 9+-zPL+N+-0 Giri Anand Adams Carlsen Aronian Topalov Caruana 9P+-vL-zPPzP0 Grischuk 1 ¤f3 d5 2 g3 ¤f6 3 ¥g2 e6 4 0–0 ¥e7 9tR-+QmK-+R0 Nakamura 5 d3 0–0 6 ¤bd2 c5 7 e4 ¤c6 8 ¦e1 Vachier-Lagrave xiiiiiiiiy 36 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 37 David HOWELL David HOWELL

by GM David Howell Black’s queen heads to g6, where it would pressurise the key e4-square. Amazingly enough, as mentioned above, Gawain faced this exact position the day before It´s against Rowson. I had glanced over at their board at this exact a KNOCKOUT! moment and wondered why White was not simply better after The British Knockout Championship fielded a select group of castling queenside. It all seemed top British grandmasters and ended up in a clear overall win by so logical; Black is struggling strategically  he lacks pawn David Howell who won his matches against Yang-Fan Zhou, breaks, his king has no real and Nick Pert. shelter, and his g7-bishop will struggle for a productive future. Looking back on the tournament as a whole, this game was the catalyst for The only way Black could ever me. I had struggled badly in the Quarter-finals, having been on the brink of hope for counterplay was to get defeat in my first game with the White pieces. Making an early mark here in a kingside attack going with the Semi-finals was essential. ...h6-h5-h4, but that would XIIIIIIIIY require White to put his king on HOWELL 2688 1 0 ½ ½ 1 3 “ the wrong side of the board... 9r+lwq-trk+0 While preparing for this Of course, before I could even finish the JONES 2620 0 1 ½ ½ 0 2 9zppzp-+-vl-0 game, I was absolutely thought, Rowson castled kingside and I 9n+-zp-+-zp0 was forced to reconsider my understanding David HOWell — Gawain Jones certain Gawain would of chess... 9+-+Pzppzp-0 play this move. It fits his 19 0–0–0! A novelty. Having examined British Knockout Championship, 9-+P+-+-+0 this move in light of the Rowson game, Semi-finals style perfectly  dynamic, and having analysed it since, I can now 9+-sN-+NvL-0 conclude that my instincts were indeed 1 d4 ¤f6 2 ¤f3 g6 3 c4 ¥g7 4 ¤c3 0–0 5 e4 9PzP-+LzPPzP0 aggressive, tricky. correct  White is better. 19 0–0 £g6 d6 6 ¥e2 e5 7 d5 The Petrosian System 9tR-+QmK-+R0 Unfortunately it is just 20 ¦fe1 ¦f7 21 ¦ad1 (21 c5!) ¦af8 against the King’s Indian. The former World 22 ¦e2 was the continuation of Champion himself once even claimed that xiiiiiiiiy unsound.” RowsonJones, British Knockout 2015, he made a living from winning with this 12...f4 Black regains the piece, but which ended in a Black win after many variation! I had never used it before, but White’s remaining minor pieces will White from fixing the kingside structure adventures and swings in evaluation. had studied it deeply earlier in the year. exert influence over the important e4- by playing g3-g4 himself. However, this 19...b5!? Somehow, while preparing for 7...¤a6 Gawain had shown a preference square. If Black wants to keep this allows a different plan. this game, I was absolutely certain Gawain for this move in the past and, as fate would variation alive, the immediate 12...e4!? 18 £d2 £e8 would play this move. It fits his style decree, it also featured in his game against might be worth considering: 13 ¤d2 perfectly  dynamic, aggressive, tricky. in the quarter-finals the ¥xc3! (13...f4 14 ¤dxe4 fxg3 15 hxg3 XIIIIIIIIY Unfortunately it is just unsound. 19...£g6 day before! More on that later... 7...a5 is ¥f5 16 0–0 leaves Black struggling 9r+-+qtrk+0 would lead to a more normal game, but the main line. for compensation, despite his strong 9zppzp-+-vl-0 Gawain mentioned that he didn’t fancy 8 ¥g5 This move signals the start of a long g7-bishop.) 14 bxc3 f4 15 ¤xe4 ¥f5 his position after the simple 20 f3. Indeed, concrete variation, which had hitherto been compared to the game, Black has space 9-+-zp-+-zp0 White still holds all the trumps (i.e. pawn contra-indicated for White by several sources. and strongholds for his pieces. 16 ¥xf4 9+-+Pzpl+-0 breaks) and after getting his king to safety 8...h6 9 ¥h4 g5 10 ¥g3 ¤xe4 A clever gxf4 (16...¥xe4? is inaccurate: 17 ¥e3 (¢b1–a1 was a recurring idea in my prep) temporary sacrifice. ¥xg2 18 ¦g1 ¥e4 19 h4) 17 ¤d2 £f6 9-+P+N+p+0 it will only be a matter of time before 11 ¤xe4 f5 12 ¤c3 An important positional 18 0–0 £xc3 19 ¥g4 with roughly 9+-+L+-zP-0 c4-c5 or fxg4 will cause some discomfort. idea. 12 ¤fd2 keeps the wrong minor piece. balanced chances, although I prefer White. 9PzP-wQ-zPP+0 In the meantime Black simply struggles for 12...fxe4 13 ¤xe4 ¥f5 and White’s bishop 13 ¤d2 ¤c5 14 ¤de4 fxg3 15 hxg3 ¤xe4 useful moves. on g3 has no future. 16 ¤xe4 ¥f5 17 ¥d3 g4 Black prevents 9tR-+-mK-+R0 20 cxb5 a6 xiiiiiiiiy 38 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 39 David HOWELL David HOWELL XIIIIIIIIY 23 £e2 In hindsight, 23 ¦de1! might have variation could be: 25...£a1+ 26 ¥b1 e4 so now I moved in for the kill. 9r+-+qtrk+0 been simpler. The threat of ¦xh6 may not 27 £xg4 e3 28 fxe3 ¦xe3 29 £g6 and 30...¦f6 31 £h7+ ¢f8 32 ¥f5 ¦e7 32...c5 9+-zp-+-vl-0 be very sophisticated, but it is devastatingly White’s attack arrives first. might have been worth a try, to rid himself 9p+-zp-+-zp0 strong: 23...£xa2 24 ¦xh6 and now all of 25...£a1+ The move I expected, but of a . The idea is 33 dxc6?! Black’s options seem insufficient: apparently we both missed a great save for £f7! 34 ¥d3 d5 with counter-chances. 9+P+Pzpl+-0 (a) 24...cxb6 25 ¥h7+ ¢f7 26 ¦xd6 Black. 25...¦b8! is so counter-intuitive, but 33 ¥e6 ¢e8 Giving up the exchange 9-+-+N+p+0 ¦ac8+ and now the cold-blooded 27 ¢d1! suddenly playable! There is a small but crucial with 33...¦fxe6 fails to ease the pressure: wins immediately (over the board I assessed detail which allows Black to hang on in 34 dxe6 ¦xe6 35 £f5+ ¦f6 36 £d7. 9+-+L+-zP-0 27 ¦c6 ¦fd8 as unclear); variations similar to the one above: 26 £xg4 34 ¦dc2 £b6?! The final mistake, though 9PzP-wQ-zPP+0 (b) 24...£a1+ 25 ¢c2 £a4+ 26 ¢b1 only £a1+ 27 ¥b1 ¦xf2 28 £c8+ ¥f8 29 £e6+ Black’s position was already highly 9+-mKR+-+R0 helps White; ¢h8 and here we see the big difference. White unattractive. (c) 24...¦f7 is the engine’s way of cannot play 30 ¦d2??, as above, since Black 35 ¦c6 £a7 35...£a5 was probably xiiiiiiiiy defending, but White looks in good shape now has 30...¦f1+ Instead, White must settle Gawain’s idea, but White’s king is safe and 21 b6! The key move, which I blitzed out after 25 ¦g6. for a draw with 30 ¦xh6. happy after 36 ¢b1!. confidently. However by this point my 23...£xa2 24 b7 26 ¥b1 26 ¢c2 £a4+ 27 ¢b1? fails to memory was starting to get a little hazy. escape perpetual check after 27...¦xf2!. XIIIIIIIIY I knew White was objectively doing well, XIIIIIIIIY 26...£a5 27 ¦xg4 £c5+ 28 ¦c4 28 ¥c2! 9-+-+k+-+0 but finding accurate moves over the board 9r+-+-trk+0 is stronger, but at the board this somehow 9wq-zp-tr-vlQ0 is a whole different matter. The idea is, 9+Pzp-+-vl-0 felt risky. White again seems to be winning: of course, to keep lines closed while my 28...¦xf2 29 £e4 and the threat of £h7 9p+RzpLtr-zp0 king seeks shelter. The fact that d6 is 9p+-zp-+-zp0 picks up material. 9+-+Pzp-+-0 undermined is just a bonus. 9+-+Pzp-+-0 28...£b6 28...£xf2? 29 £xf2 ¦xf2 30 21...¥xe4 Positionally undesirable (White’s ¦xc7 was the endgame I expected, but the 9-+-+-+-+0 bishop will always be superior to Black’s 9-+-+L+p+0 b7-pawn seems too powerful. I actually 9+-+-+-zP-0 piece of dead wood on g7) but this is tempting 9+-+-+-zP-0 wasted a lot of time on the clock calculating 9-zPR+-zPP+0 for concrete reasons. One alternative stands 9qzP-+QzPP+0 the following variation: 30...¦b8 (30...e4 31 out: 21...£a4 22 ¤c3 £d7! It’s hard to ¥xe4) 31 ¥d3! e4 32 ¦f1 ¥xb2+ 33 ¢b1 9+-mK-+-+-0 retreat like this, but suddenly White’s grip 9+-mKR+-+R0 and White wins. xiiiiiiiiy over e4 is loosened: 23 £e2 e4 24 ¥xe4 and xiiiiiiiiy 29 ¦d2 £xb7 30 £e4 36 ¦xd6! Now I was starting to enjoy although the computer loves White, at least 24...¦ae8! Gawain, as ever, finds the most myself. It is not often you can backrank- the g7-bishop looks threatening. accurate defence, covering any potential XIIIIIIIIY mate a king on e8 in the middlegame! 22 ¥xe4 £a4 checks on e6 Now I was finally on my own. 9-+-+rtrk+0 36...¦xf2 36...cxd6 37 ¦c8 mate. The automatic 24...¦ab8? incredibly loses 9+qzp-+-vl-0 37 £g6+ ¦ff7 38 ¢b1 £g1+ 39 ¢a2 XIIIIIIIIY on the spot. White’s attack is surprisingly £f1 40 ¦b6! A familiar motif helps to 9r+-+-trk+0 fast: 25 £xg4 £a1+ 26 ¥b1 and there is 9p+-zp-+-zp0 deliver the decisive blow. With 9+-zp-+-vl-0 no way to save the game. For example: 9+-+Pzp-+-0 inevitable, Gawain resigned. (a) 26...e4 27 ¦d2! (calm) ¦xb7 28 £e6+ 1-0 Howell 9pzP-zp-+-zp0 ¦f7 (28...¢h8 29 £xe4) 29 £c8+ and White 9-+R+Q+-+0 9+-+Pzp-+-0 picks up the rook on b7 while covering b2; 9+-+-+-zP-0 9q+-+L+p+0 (b) 26...¦xf2 27 £c8+ and everything 9-zP-tR-zPP+0 PERT 2572 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 2 comes with check: 27...¥f8 28 £e6+ ¢h8 HOWELL 2688 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 4 9+-+-+-zP-0 29 ¦d2! ¦xd2 30 £f6+ and my silicon 9+LmK-+-+-0 9PzP-wQ-zPP+0 friend declares checkmate in 23 for White xiiiiiiiiy 9+-mKR+-+R0 after 30...¥g7 31 ¦xh6+!. We finally see the fundamental reasons why David HOWell — Nicholas pert 25 ¦h4?! My first long think of the game, White’s bishop is often stronger than its British Knockout Championship, Final xiiiiiiiiy and...a mistake! This looked so natural opposite number in these types of structures. The idea behind Black’s last move. I was over the board, but I couldn’t kick the The g7-bishop is blocked by its own pawns In this final game of our match, I was still in preparation here and remembered feeling that there was something better. while the bishop on b1 combines attack and faced with a dilemma  how to play with that White had two strong options, but by And indeed there was. 25 ¦d2! covers defence perfectly. Especially with major White when only needing a draw? I was this point I decided that calculation was everything, leaving White’s queen free to pieces on the board, having the initiative is very aware of the pitfalls of playing too required to choose between them. cause some light-square damage. A sample key in opposite-coloured bishop positions, passively. In the end I resorted to using an

40 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 41 David HOWELL David HOWELL

1½ order: 11 axb3 ¤xd4 and now White has 22 ¦c3 a6 23 ¦c7 b5 Black should hold 29 ¦xh7 29 g4+! is far more efficient than HOWELL 2688 1 ½ the beautiful 12 ¥e3! with advantage. the draw, but it is slightly uncomfortable. the text, but somehow given the match YANG-FAN ZHOU 2459 0 ½ ½ 11 cxd4 ¥xb3 12 £xb3 e6 12...£xd4 is 21 ¥c5+ ¢f7 22 ¦e7+ ¢g6 situation this felt vaguely more risky. simply too greedy with Black’s king still XIIIIIIIIY 29...¦d1+ 30 ¢h2 ¦d2 Here Nick offered FERNANDEZ 2479 0 0 0 stuck in no man’s land. For example: a draw, and it took all my powers of self- 13 ¥e3 £c4 14 ¥xb6 £xb3 15 axb3. 9r+-+-+-tr0 control not to accept immediately. After McSHANE 2669 1 1 2 13 ¤c3 £b4 13...¥e7 also lets White 9zpp+-tR-zpp0 the initial rush of relief, I managed to calm simplify into a symmetrical position: myself down to the point where my hand JONES 2620 ½ 1 1½ 14 d5 exd5 (14...¤xd5 15 ¦d1 ¦d8 16 ¤xd5 9-vl-+-zpk+0 even made a move before I could bail out. ROWSON 2569 ½ 0 0 exd5 17 £xb7) 15 ¥e3 0–0 16 ¥xb6 axb6 9+-vL-+-+-0 31 f3 ¦bb2 31...¦xf3 feels like a better 17 ¤xd5 and Black’s winning chances are way of trying to save the game, reducing next to nil. 9-+-+-+-+0 action to one side of the board. However, PERT 2572 ½ ½ 1 1 3 14 d5 £xb3 15 axb3 ¤xd5 16 ¤xd5 exd5 9+P+-+-+-0 things still aren’t so easy while both pairs McSHANE 2669 ½ ½ 0 0 1 17 ¦d1 9-zP-+-zPPzP0 of rooks remain on the board. 32 ¦xb6 ¦ff2 33 ¦g7. XIIIIIIIIY 9tR-+-+-mK-0 32 ¦hg7 ¢f4 33 ¦bf7 9r+-+kvl-tr0 xiiiiiiiiy XIIIIIIIIY old favourite of mine, the 2 c3 Sicilian. 9zpp+-+pzpp0 23 ¥xb6?! I was finding it hard to focus 1 e4 c5 2 c3 ¤f6 3 e5 ¤d5 4 ¤f3 ¤c6 around here. I knew that I was better, but 9-+-+-+-+0 5 d4 cxd4 6 ¥c4 ¤b6 7 ¥b3 d5 8 exd6 9-+-+-+-+0 should I play safe? Somehow it is always 9+-+-+RtR-0 £xd6 9 0–0 ¥e6 9+-+p+-+-0 difficult to make decisions with so many 9-zp-+-zp-+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-+-+0 tempting options on every move. My original intention was 23 b4! which looks stronger: 9+-+-+-+-0 9r+-+kvl-tr0 9+P+-+-+-0 23...¥xc5 24 bxc5 ¦hc8 25 ¦c1 ¦ab8 9-+-+-mk-+0 9zpp+-zppzpp0 9-zP-+-zPPzP0 26 ¦c3 and Black is tied up. The g7 or b7 pawns are likely to drop in the near future. 9+-+-+P+P0 9-snnwql+-+0 9tR-vLR+-mK-0 23...axb6 24 ¦ae1 ¦hd8 25 ¦xb7 ¦a2?! 9-tr-tr-+PmK0 9+-+-+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy Nick correctly goes active, but chooses 9+-+-+-+-0 9-+-zp-+-+0 At this stage I started to feel relaxed. I had the wrong rook. 25...¦d3! was the key a lead on the clock (a rare thing!), a risk- move, solving all Black’s problems. 26 h3 xiiiiiiiiy 9+LzP-+N+-0 free position, and it appeared from Nick’s ¦xb3 27 ¦ee7 ¦g8 and the big difference 33...¦d6 This is slow, and White’s 9PzP-+-zPPzP0 body language that he had come ready for from the game continuation is that b6 is h-pawn now begins its march. 33...f5 also a full-blooded battle, and was unready for protected. fails: 34 ¦g4+ ¢e3 (34...¢e5 35 ¦g5 9tRNvLQ+RmK-0 the sudden shift in scenario. 26 h3 ¦xb2 27 ¦ee7 Now White wins a ¢e6 36 ¦fxf5 ¦xg2+ 37 ¦xg2 leads xiiiiiiiiy 17...¥c5 17...¥e7! looks too simple to be pawn. to a winning pawn endgame for White) Nick had already faced this line a couple strong, but it is actually now White who must 27...¦xb3 27...¦g8 no longer works due to 35 ¦xf5 and Black is simply too slow to of times in 2015. There are reams of theory be slightly careful: 18 ¦xd5 0–0 19 ¥e3 ¦ad8 28 ¦xb6. create a mating net: 35...¢f2 36 h4 ¦d1 here, most of which leads to imbalanced 20 ¦xd8 ¦xd8 21 ¢f1 (not 21 ¥xa7? ¦a8 28 ¦xg7+ ¢f5 37 ¦gg5! ¦bb1 38 ¢h3 ¦h1+ 39 ¢g4 play where Black is usually in good health. 22 ¦a5 ¥d8 23 ¦a3 b6) a6 22 ¦c1. I had got ¢xg2 40 ¦b5 with a trivial win. Luckily, having played this opening since this far in my preparation, and was confident XIIIIIIIIY 34 h4 f5 35 h5 ¦b5 36 ¦g6 ¦d1 36...¦bd5 childhood, I was aware of a rare and forcing of holding the endgame, despite the b2-pawn 9-+-tr-+-+0 was the final chance, but after 37 ¢h3 it variation which would kill any hopes he feeling slightly tender long-term. 9+R+-+-tRp0 looks as though White should eventually harboured of a prolonged, nervy battle. 18 ¦xd5 ¥b6 19 ¦e5+ Giving my make progress. 10 ¤xd4! Cynical and unambitious, but opponent an unpleasant decision to make. 9-zp-+-zp-+0 37 ¦gf6 ¦dd5 38 h6 ¢e3 39 h7 ¦d8 40 ¦f8 perfect for the match situation. The move 19...¢f8 Luckily for myself, Nick was 9+-+-+k+-0 1-0 Howell itself looks anti-positional, but White’s virtually obliged to play this move, due to lead in development compensates for the the match situation. 19...¢d7 is objectively 9-+-+-+-+0 temporarily bad . 10 ¥xe6 much stronger, but leads to an immediate 9+r+-+-+P0 is the old main line; while I have played draw: 20 ¥f4 ¦ad8 21 ¦d1+ ¢c6 9-+-+-zPP+0 10 ¤a3 several times in the past. 22 ¦c1+ ¢d7 23 ¦d1+. 10...¤xd4 10...¥xb3 is an inaccurate move 20 ¥e3 f6 After 20...¥xe3 21 ¦xe3 g6 9+-+-+-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 42 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 43 Nicholas PERT Nicholas PERT

British Knockout Championship Finalist Nick Pert reports on — Nicholas Pert 10 ¤g2 £d7 Raising the stakes! I have the rough and tumble rapid chess he experienced in a game declared my intention to castle queenside. that is regarded unofficially as the most spectacular of the British Knockout Championship, The only way for White to stop this is to Quarter-Finals capture another pawn, which allows me to entire London Chess Classic festival! Read his full report on increase my lead in development. the British Knockout Championship in the February BCM. 1 ¤f3 d5 2 c4 d4 3 g3 ¤c6 4 ¥g2 e5 5 0-0 11 £xb7 ¦b8 12 £a6 f5 13 ¥f3 d3! Now A risky variation instead of 5 d3 which things are starting to get crazy. I wanted Jonathan had chosen against me in the to prevent d2-d3 as this would allow him longplay game. However it was a strange to develop his queenside pieces, but it may choice as it gave me a chance to create a come at the cost of another pawn. very double-edged position. Though there 14 ¦e1 Taking on e2 was another option are more solid alternatives than 5...e4, such but at this stage I really just wanted to keep as 5...a5 or 5...¤f6, I wasn’t interested in advancing my pieces towards his king. any of them. Incidentally, our longplay 14...¤d4 15 ¤f4 ¥g4 16 £xa7 Capturing game had continued 5 d3 ¥b4+ 6 ¥d2 a third pawn, so now all bridges have been a5 7 0–0 ¤ge7 8 ¤a3 ¥f5 9 ¤c2 ¥xd2 burned and the attack simply must work for 10 £xd2 h6 11 ¤h4 ¥e6 12 f4 exf4 me to have a chance of winning this game. 13 £xf4 £d7 with an eventual draw. 16...¦d8 5...e4 6 ¤e1 h5! XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-trkvl-tr0 9r+lwqkvlntr0 9wQ-zpqsn-zp-0 9zppzp-+pzp-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+n+-+-+0 9+-+-+p+p0 9+-+-+-+p0 9-+Psn-sNl+0 9-+Pzpp+-+0 9+-+p+LzP-0 9+-+-+-zP-0 9PzP-zPPzP-zP0 9PzP-zPPzPLzP0 9tRNvL-tR-mK-0 9tRNvLQsNRmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy WILD xiiiiiiiiy 17 ¥xg4? Opening the h-file is perhaps I was vaguely aware that this move was the decisive mistake. White must find some WEST LONDON! playable, although I didn’t know anything accurate moves here, as in rapid chess it is else about the line. But, given the match much easier to attack than defend, which situation, I didn’t need a second invitation explains my whole approach to this phase of n the Quarter-finals, I was paired against the reigning British by GM Nicholas Pert to go on the attack! the match in which I raised my aggression Champion, Jonathan Hawkins, against whom I played my 7 ¥xe4 ¥h3 All previous games had level. Best for White is 17 ¥d5! ¤xd5 most striking game of the Knockout Championship and the continued with 7...h4. 18 £xd4! ¤xf4 19 £xf4! (If 19 £xd7+ oneI which most people have commented upon. 8 £b3! A nice intermediate move. £xb7 is ¢xd7 20 gxf4 ¦h6 The attack is not a big threat. I would like to play ...£d7 and over yet! 21 exd3 ¦g6 22 ¦e3 ¥d6µ) Prior to this, the first longplay game against Jonathan was a “Capturing a third ...0–0–0 but there is not time to play both dxe2 20 ¤c3 h4 with unclear play. solid draw. In the second game he gained a small advantage, these moves. 17...hxg4 18 ¤xd3 And a fourth pawn! but I managed to equalise and hold the draw. But it was once pawn, so now all 8...£c8 Not 8...¥xf1? 9 £xb7 which 18...£d6?! This is not the best way to get we hit the rapidplay that the action really started. I tried hard to favours White. the queen to the h-file. 18...¤ec6! 19 £a4 g5 attack him in the first of these rapid games, but he countered bridges have been 9 £b5 ¤ge7 9...¤f6!? 10 ¥xc6+ bxc6 with ...£h7 to follow was the most accurate. well and in the end he was the one who launched a successful burned and the 11 £xc6+ ¥d7 is a tempting sacrifice 19 ¤c3 The computer’s choice is 19 £a4+, attack against my king. Therefore, trailing 2–1 in the match, as the light squares around White’s king but then 19...c6 20 ¤b4 g5 21 d3 £h6 I knew I had to win the next game and with hindsight I now attack simply must are very weak. Black has good long-term 22 h4 f4 still looks dangerous. realise that his choice of opening played right into my hands... work for me...” compensation for his material deficit. 19...£h6 ...g5! is a slightly more accurate

44 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 45 Nicholas PERT move order as ¢g2 can be met by ...£c6+, trying to survive and reach a playable when ...£h6 is a big threat. position in the time scramble. 20 £a4+ c6 21 h4 g5 21...gxh3? 22 ¢h2 33 ¥c7 ¤xe1+ Again I go for the safety- would be good for White, as my own first move, bagging some more material in BIG BEN h-pawn blocks my attack. case the attack fails. 22 ¤b4? 22 ¢g2 is the best defensive 34 ¦xe1 £g2 Bringing the queen back attempt as ...gxh4 can be met by ¦h1, in an into the game, now that it has done its job STRIKES… attempt to keep the h-file closed. I would on the kingside. still much rather be Black here though, e.g. 35 ¢b3 35 ¢b1 £b7 36 ¦c1 ¥h6 37 ¦c3 by GM David Smerdon 22...f4 23 ¤xf4 ¤ef5! 24 ¦h1 gxf4ƒ. ¥d2 38 ¦c2 £h1+ was a line that may 22...gxh4 23 d3 £h7 24 ¤cd5 Trying to have dissuaded Jonathan from the more create some threats and confusion before I natural king move. utch GM Benjamin Bok secured what he break through on the h-file. 35...¥g7 35...£b7 36 ¦c1 ¤d5 is described as “the biggest success of my career” 24...¢f7 This move prevents ¤f6+ and at crushing, but the players were very low on Dby winning the prestigious London Chess the same time unpins my c6 pawn, thereby time at this stage. Classic FIDE Open. This was a nice and timely finish for enabling me to capture the knight on d5. 36 d4 ¥xd4 37 £xd4 ¦xc7 38 £f4 ¦b7 the young Dutchman’s 2015, the second half of which 25 ¥f4 hxg3 26 fxg3 39 a3 £e4 Here, a rook up, I thought I should has seen him reinstate himself as a strong contender for just simplify the position and accept that it the Netherlands 2016 Olympiad team. XIIIIIIIIY won’t be mate, but Jonathan tries to keep his 9-+-tr-vl-tr0 chances alive by retaining the queens on the 9+-+-snk+q0 board. However the real impact of this is that I don’t know Bok personally, It was Benjamin Bok’s time... his king becomes very vulnerable again. though naturally I have seen Photo by Ray Morris-Hill 9-+p+-+-+0 40 £f1 £d5+ 41 ¢c2 him around at tournaments and 9+-+N+p+-0 he is also active in both the XIIIIIIIIY Dutch and German leagues. I 9QsNPsn-vLp+0 9-+-+-+-+0 could be wrong, but I get the lead over four hungry challengers. But he 9+-+P+-zP-0 9+r+-snk+-0 impression that he is a diligent was paired against one of them, and with the 9PzP-+P+-+0 and committed student of the black pieces. Given the tournament standings 9-+-+r+-+0 game, which, having finished and Lenderman’s higher rating, the spectators 9tR-+-tR-mK-0 9+-+q+p+-0 his studies, he now plays knew they were in for a fighting spectacle. xiiiiiiiiy professionally. With only two 26...cxd5 I played this move more or less 9-sN-+-+p+0 spots secured in the Dutch instantly, as both players were short on time, 9zP-+-+-zP-0 team and three very much up and I just decided to bag a piece. If I had 9-zPK+P+-+0 for grabs, he’ll need to nurture this attitude Alex Lenderman – Benjamin Bok longer to think I may have spotted the forced to further big results in order to upstage London Open 2015 mate: 26...¤f3+!! 27 ¢f1 (27 exf3 £h1+ 9+-+-tRQ+-0 such names as Sokolov and Tiviakov from 28 ¢f2 £xf3+ 29 ¢g1 ¦h1 mate) £h1+ xiiiiiiiiy their slots. Two years ago, Bok was seen 1 ¤f3 ¤f6 2 c4 c5 3 d4 cxd4 4 ¤xd4 e6 28 ¢f2 £h2+ 29 ¢e3 (29 ¢f1 £g1 mate) 41...¦xb4! And Jonathan resigned. 42 axb4 as one of the next big Dutch talents when 5 ¤c3 ¥b4 6 g3 ¤xd5+ 30 ¤xd5 ¦e8+ 31 ¥e5 ¦xe5+ ¦c6+ 43 ¢b1 £e4+ 44 ¢a2 £c4+ 45 ¢a1 he secured the GM title by his nineteenth 32 ¢f4 ¥h6 mate. ¦a6+ 46 ¢b1 £e4+ 47 ¢c1 ¦a1+ birthday and rose as high as 2617 in the XIIIIIIIIY 27 ¢f2! White runs for cover on the was the line I calculated, but if I had reached live ratings in mid 2014. However, the 9rsnlwqk+-tr0 queenside, where he is strongest. this position I would have probably found subsequent 12 months were disappointing, 9zpp+p+pzpp0 27...£h2+ 28 ¢e3 dxc4 29 £a6 ¦h6!? This that instead 47...¦c6 48 ¢d2 £d4 is mate. leading some pundits to wonder whether is another move I played very quickly, as I had 0-1 Pert Bok would go the way of several promising 9-+-+psn-+0 seen the idea a couple of moves earlier. White Nick Pert will be annotating more games young Dutch GMs and slowly disappear 9+-+-+-+-0 cannot capture the rook, and it will effectively from the Knockout Championship in the from the elite chess scene. 9-vlPsN-+-+0 reroute to e6 where it attacks White’s king February BCM. and also offers some protection to my own. His recent rise back over 2600, coupled with 9+-sN-+-zP-0 30 £xc4+ Of course if 30 ¥xh6 ¥xh6+ wins. PERT 2572 ½ ½ 0 1 1 3 this tremendously impressive tournament 9PzP-+PzP-zP0 30...¦e6+ 31 ¢d2 ¤f3+ 32 ¢c2 ¦c8 victory, suggest otherwise. Going into the White is very tied down and desperately HAWKINS 2569 ½ ½ 1 0 0 2 last round, Bok held a slender half-point 9tR-vLQmKL+R0 xiiiiiiiiy 46 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 47 David SMERDON David SMERDON XIIIIIIIIY After the text, the game transposes into Classic just passed, cheekily exclaimed to happen sooner or later. a well-trodden line of the Nimzo that with more than a hint of innuendo, “I’d do 9rsnlwq-trk+0 13 bxc3 ¥a6 usually goes 1 d4 ¤f6 2 c4 e6 3 ¤c3 ¥b4 just about anything for the bishop pair.” 9zpp+-+pzpp0 XIIIIIIIIY 4 ¤f3 (or 4 g3) c5 5 g3. This was used by 9-+-+psn-+0 Kasparov around the turn of the century Indeed, you’d be hard pressed to find 9r+-+-trk+0 to good effect, but it has essentially been a grandmaster to dispute this golden 9+-+p+-+-0 9zp-+-+pzpp0 disarmed by modern theory and is more rule, but at this point I guess I should 9-vlPsN-+-+0 commonly seen these days at grandmaster sheepishly raise my hand from the 9l+p+p+-+0 level through the game’s move order. back of the GM classroom and ask the 9+-sN-+-zP-0 9wq-+n+-+-0 White’s “big idea” is that eventually unaskable: Why? Perhaps the unaskable 9PzP-+PzPLzP0 9-+-+-+-+0 Black will give in and play...¥xc3, after is also unanswerable, or perhaps I just 9tR-vLQmK-+R0 which White will have a semi-open b-file don’t possess the strategic knowhow 9+QzP-+-zP-0 and excellent diagonals for his bishops. to appreciate the double dioceses. Or xiiiiiiiiy 9P+-vLPzPLzP0 perhaps this segway Opening the position against the bishops At this point I’d like Aussie GM David Smerdon has gone on for far too might seem a tad counter-intuitive at first. 9tR-+-+RmK-0 to take a moment to Photo by Harald Fietz long. In any case, let us But on the other hand, Black is slightly xiiiiiiiiy expound upon this conclude one thing for ahead in development, controls the centre, An important tabia for this variation, and for notion of the mighty certain: Benjamin is and  well, why should we be scared of those the general debate about the bishops. Black bishop pair. Once not afraid! bishops anyway? Don’t get me started again. has a virtual space advantage due both to upon a time, long 8 cxd5 8 ¤c2 ¥xc3+ 9 bxc3 £c7! is no the powerful knight on d5 and the fact that ago in a musty chess In amateur practice, problem for Black, and was even played by ...c6-c5 is potentially playable (c3-c4, on the cafe somewhere, an White often becomes Lenderman on the other side of the table: contrary, is more easily prevented  and we excitable kibitzer scared of the prospect 10 ¤e3 ¦d8= Kamsky  Lenderman, shall soon see the importance of this). looking on at a master of doubled isolated Philadelphia 2010. game considered pawns (despite the 8...¤xd5 9 £b3 9 ¥d2 is again too timid On the other hand, if White should manage the position and compensation of the two and allows Black to consider “saving” to find a way to dislodge the central steed, exclaimed, “Two bishops  but see below his bishop after 9...¤xc3 10 bxc5 ¥c5. the bishops could indeed make themselves bishops are better than for a different take on But again, I don’t see the need: 9...¥xc3! felt, particularly against Black’s queenside one!” Most likely he this topic...) and plays the 10 bxc3 e5 with excellent counter-chances. pawns. A key element to the play therefore was commenting on timid 6 ¥d2, after which 9...£a5! Slightly less accurate is 9...¤c6, revolves around White’s dark-squared the fact that one player Black equalises after which gives White an extra option that a bishop; if Black can keep it restricted, he was a piece up, but his basically any developing certain Magnus took advantage of recently. has good chances of seizing the advantage. unintentional outburst move. 6 ¤db5 is more However, “advantage” may be the wrong If not, conventional wisdom about the was seized upon, ambitious than 6 ¥d2, term given how the game turned out. I guess bishop pair may have its day once more. exhalted, expounded, but Black can look to one of the few drawbacks of being World 14 ¦fe1!? Interesting, but this doesn’t twisted, and passed down the ages of chess the future with confidence so long as he Champion is that your losses, no matter necessarily mean good! 14 ¦fd1 is far more mythology until the present day, whereby has courage (or a good memory) and plays how theoretically irrelevant, will often popular, and definitely critical. The pawn this accidental proverb has etched its place 6...d5!, as 7 ¥f4 0–0 8 ¤c7? (8 e3 a6 9 ¤c7 get quoted by shameless annotators... 10 contains a little poison, so Black should instead in the marbled laws of strategic wisdom. I ¦a7³) ¤e4!! 9 ¤xa8 £f6 wins. ¤xc6 bxc6 11 0–0 £a5 12 ¤e4!? ¥a6! 13 try to control c3-c4: 14...£c5 (14...¥xe2?! jest, of course, but only a little. £c2 h6 14 a3 ¥e7 15 b4 £b5 16 ¦e1 (it 15 c4! ¥xd1 16 ¦xd1 £b6 17 cxd5 6...0–0 Black’s alternative is to start the must be said that White has a certain little £xb3 18 axb3 cxd5 19 b4±) 15 e4 (15 c4!? Nowadays, you’d be hard pressed to read knight dance immediately with 6...¤e4, something here) £c4 17 £b2 c5!? 18 ¤xc5 £xc4 16 e4 ¤b6 17 ¦dc1 £xb3 18 axb3 a chess periodical without at least half a e.g. 7 £d3 ¥xc3+ 8 bxc3 ¤c5 9 £e3 (18 £e5!±) ¥f6 19 £a2 ¦ac8?! 20 e4!± ¥b5© ½-½ (37) Bukavshin  Jakovenko, dozen references to the holy Bishop Pair, as played by my younger self many years 0–1 (62) Carlsen  Naiditsch, Tromso 2014. Chita 2015) and now there usually follows a seemingly indisputable advantage in ago, and here 9...d6 is comfortable enough 10 ¥d2 10 0–0 is interesting only in a the sequence 15...¥c4 16 £a4 ¤b6 17 £b4 and of itself for the possessor. GM Larry for Black. C.Vernay  Smerdon, Budapest fleeting sort of way, as Black can soon £h5! 18 ¥e3 ¥e2 19 ¦d2 ¦ab8 20 ¥xb6 Kaufman’s reams of computer analysis 2007. The immediate 6...d5 is surprisingly give back the pawn for equality: 10...¤xc3 axb6 21 £d6 as was seen all the way back led him to conclude that the main goal of playable after 7 £a4+ ¤c6 8 ¤xc6 11 bxc3 (11 a3 ¤xe2+ 12 ¤xe2 ¥c5 in Kasparov  Anand, Wijk aan Zee 2000, the opening for both players was to secure ¥xc3+ 9 bxc3 bxc6, but there’s no reason 13 ¥xb7 ¥xb7 14 £xb7 £b6!=) ¥xc3 and here Black has gradually worked out this trump, while GM David Howell, in an for Black to allow this option. 12 ¥b2 ¥xb2 13 £xb2 £b6!=. that equality is assured after 21...¦fc8!. interview at the very same London Chess 7 ¥g2 d5! 10...¤c6 11 ¤xc6 bxc6 12 0–0 ¥xc3! It had 14...¦ab8 15 £c2 £c5 Having been given

48 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 49 David SMERDON David SMERDON the chance to push White’s queen back, I 18...¦d7 19 ¦eb1 19 c4!=. Covering the important f5 square and 32...¦d2 33 ¦b8 ¦xc2 33...e3 also wins, would have been tempted to squash all 19...¦bd8 20 ¦b2 20 c4!=. lining up towards h3. and is faster, 34 ¦xd8+ ¦xd8 35 ¥xe3 c3-c4 ideas in an instant with 15...¥c4!?, 20...¥c4!³ Finally Black blinks, but it’s 30 f3? It’s hard to believe, but my computer £xg3+ 36 ¢f1 ¤g4 37 fxg4 £xe3. But e.g. 16 e4 ¤b6 17 e5 ¤d5 18 ¦e4 £a6 a favourable one. It is clear that White’s keeps trying to tell me that after 30 £b1! Ben’s move is cleaner. 19 ¦h4 ¥d3!=. dark-squared bishop remains chained and White can survive. The white forces make 34 ¦xd8+ ¢h7 35 ¦xc2 e3! 36 ¥xe3 16 a3 Preventing any ...¤b4 ideas, although is nothing more than a target for Black, and such a depressing picture that a human 36 ¥e1 ¤h5! 37 ¦d3 ¤xg3 38 ¥xg3 this allows Black to increase his lead in so Ben has his advantage. Converting it, could barely accept such an assessment, £xg3+ 39 ¢h1 £xh4+ 40 ¢g2 £f2+ development even further. 16 e4 ¤b4! 17 £a4 however, is quite another matter. He finds but the proof is in the silicon pudding, 41 ¢h1 h5 decides. ¤d3! is dangerous. White had better think a nice sequence to secure the advances as they say. Or at least they should. 30... 36...£xg3+ 37 ¢f1 £h3+ 38 ¢e1 about bailing out: 18 ¥e3 (18 £xa6?? £xf2+ ... c6-c5 and ...e6-e5. e4 (30...¦xc4 31 ¦b8=) 31 ¥c3 ¦xc4 19 ¢h1 £xd2  +) £xc3 19 ¦ed1 ¥b5! 21 a4 £a5! 22 £c1 £a6 23 ¥e1 ¤f6 32 ¥xf6 ¦xc1+ 33 £xc1 £xf6 34 ¦c2=. XIIIIIIIIY and now 20 £b3 is a sad necessity, because 24 £c2 c5 25 a5 e5 Black has definitely 30...e4!µ The culmination of Black’s 9-+-tR-+-+0 20 £xa7?! ¦a8 21 £d4 £xd4 22 ¥xd4 c5! made progress, having completed the clever central strategy. After this powerful stroke, 9zp-+-+pzpk0 23 ¥e3 c4³ can only favour Black. manoeuvre initiated on move twenty. White’s there is no longer any escape for White. 16...¦fd8 17 ¥f3 h6 queen’s bishop makes for a sorry sight. 31 ¦b3? Losing, but as trainers are prone 9-+-+-sn-zp0 26 ¥g2 ¥d5?! 26...£e6! was more to saying (despite its obvious logical 9zP-zp-+-+-0 XIIIIIIIIY precise. 27 f3 e4! and White’s position is inconsistency), “There are no good moves 9-tr-tr-+k+0 untenable. 28 fxe4 ¤g4! 29 ¥f2 £e5 and in a bad position”. 31 ¦cb1 was the best 9-+P+-+-zP0 9zp-+-+pzp-0 here, probably White is already lost, or at chance, once again giving up the c4 pawn 9+-+-vLP+q0 least close enough for practical purposes. for some much-needed counterplay. But 9-+R+P+-+0 9l+p+p+-zp0 For example (a) 30 ¥f3? ¤e3 31 ¥xe3 to make this move by this point would 9+-wqn+-+-0 £xg3+ 32 ¢h1 (32 ¢f1 £xf3+) £xh4+ be psychologically difficult, as it would 9+-+-mK-+-0 33 ¢g2 ¦d6  +; (b) 30 £c1 ¤xf2 definitively acknowledge that the last half- xiiiiiiiiy 9-+-+-+-+0 31 ¢xf2 ¦d6µ. dozen moves by White had been nothing 38...¤e4!! A beautiful finishing shot. How 9zP-zP-+LzP-0 27 ¥xd5 27 e4! ¥c4 28 f3 looks wimpy, more than wasted time. 31...¦xc4 32 £b3! fitting that the knight delivers the knockout 9-+QvLPzP-zP0 but White should already have been and the annoying pin requires a less blow by the side of his rival minor piece! thinking about grovel-mode. At least after aggressive response by Black to maintain Or perhaps that’s just how I see it... 9tR-+-tR-mK-0 a subsequent ¥f2 White can claim to be an advantage, e.g. 32...¤d7!µ. 39 fxe4 £xh4+ 40 ¢f1 £xd8 41 ¦d2 xiiiiiiiiy doing something with his problem child. 31...£h3!! Decisive. £xa5 42 ¦d3 £b4 and White resigned. A waiting move that I must confess I don’t 27...¦xd5 28 c4 ¦d4 29 ¦c1?! White 0-1 Smerdon really understand, although of course this again hesitates at a critical moment. He XIIIIIIIIY move can only be useful later on. However, instead had two chances to sacrifice his 9-+-tr-+k+0 given that White could have guaranteed c-pawn once again for much-needed 9zp-+-+pzp-0 equality on any of the next three moves with counterplay, and it transpires that his Leading scores in FIDE Open: the push c3-c4, Black should have preferred chances would not have been worse after 9-+-+-sn-zp0 18...¥c4! if he wanted to play for a win. either shot. 29 ¦ab1!? ¦xc4 30 £f5!©; or 9zP-zp-+-+-0 Benjamin Bok 8 18 h4?! White continues the game of 29 £f5!? £xc4 30 £xe5÷. Evgeny Postny, Jumabayev, Eric Hansen, 9-+Ptrp+-zP0 Jonathan Hawkins, Jahongir Vakhidov, Daniel chicken with the h-pawns. 18 c4! was 29...£e6! Sadzikowski 7 a chance, and a chance that needed to XIIIIIIIIY 9+R+-+PzPq0 Tigran Gharamian, , Alex be taken. 18...£xc4 (18...¤b6 19 ¥b4! 9-+-tr-+k+0 9-+Q+P+-+0 Lenderman, Kamil Dragun, Tal Baron, Tiger gives White enough equality for a draw: Hillarp Persson, Prasanna Vishnu, Benjamin 19...£xc4 20 ¦ec1 £xc2 21 ¦xc2 ¥b5 9zp-+-+pzp-0 9+-tR-vL-mK-0 Gledura, Tamas Fodor Jr, Miklos Galyas, Peter 22 ¦ac1 ¥a4 23 ¦c5 ¥b5= 24 ¥xc6 9-+-+qsn-zp0 xiiiiiiiiy Wells, Piotr Nguyen 6½ ¥xe2) 19 £xc4 ¥xc4 20 ¦ec1 and White’s 32 ¥f2 32 e3 ¦d2!! 33 ¥xd2 £xg3+ 34 ¢f1 Romain Edouard, Sergey Grigoriants, compensation is worth the pawn, but no 9zP-zp-zp-+-0 £xf3+ 35 ¢g1 (35 ¢e1 ¤g4 36 £c3 Francesco Rambaldi, Erik Blomqvist, Mishra more, and a draw is the likely outcome. 9-+Ptr-+-zP0 ¤h2  +) £g3+ 36 ¢h1 £xh4+ 37 ¢g1 Swayams, Mads Andersen, , John Bartholomew, Alexander Cherniaev, Joerg Perhaps, given the tournament situation, 9+-+-+-zP-0 £g3+ 38 ¢h1 £f3+ 39 ¢g1 ¦d6!! and Wegerle, Thorben Koop, Kassa Korley, Kalle Lenderman wanted to keep more pieces on after the hovering of White’s kingside Kiik, David Martins, , Martin the board to maintain the complexity  an 9-tRQ+PzP-+0 pawn structure, mate is inevitable. Lokander, Tania Sachdev, Fabian Englert, understandable decision, but objectively 9+-tR-vL-mK-0 Also winning for Black are 32 fxe4 ¤g4; Mindaugas Beinoras, Alexandre Vuilleumier, also a risky one. xiiiiiiiiy 32 ¦cb1 e3!! 33 ¦xe3 ¤h5!. V.Ap.Karthik, Akshaya Kalaiyalahan 6

50 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 51 Test yourself find 9 wins the way for Luke to win ...in these positions taken from the London Chess in London Classic FIDE Open 2015. Solutions are on page 59. Rapidplay XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-trr+k+0 9-+-trr+k+0 9r+-+-+k+0 9zp-zp-+pzp-0 9zpp+-wqpzp-0 9+Q+-zpp+p0 9-+-+-+-zp0 9-+p+-sn-zp0 9-+-zp-vlp+0 9+P+-+-+-0 9+-zp-+-+-0 9+-zpP+-+-0 n the Super Rapidplay, Luke McShane carried his superb form into day two, 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+P+-wQl+0 9-+-+PvLP+0 as he rushed to a perfect 9/9, securing 9zP-+-+-zP-0 9sN-zPP+-zP-0 9+-zP-+P+P0 tournamentI victory with a round to go. In 9-zPQ+L+q+0 9P+-tR-zPLzP0 9-+R+-+K+0 the last round, he was held to a draw by 9+-mK-+RsN-0 9+-+-+RmK-0 9+-+-wq-+-0 Alex Lenderman, but he nevertheless left xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy second-place finisher Hrant Melkumyan a 1. E. Ronka – R. Edouard 4. S. Brozel – P. Roberson 7. E. Kalerwa - E. Guo whole point behind him. Black to move Black to move Black to move XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY consequences of ...¤d4-e6, ¤xe5, when I 9r+-wq-trk+0 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+r+kvl-tr0 Eric HANSEN – Luke McSHANE noticed a lovely tactical opportunity. 9+p+-vlpzpp0 9+-+-+-+-0 9+l+p+-+p0 Super-Rapid London 2015 23...¤b3! 24 ¤b2 As good a try as any. 9-+-+l+-+0 9-+r+-+-+0 9p+q+pzpp+0 24 £xb3 £xd3 recovers the knight, with 9zpN+pzp-+-0 9zp-+-+pzp-0 9+-+-+-+L0 an extra pawn and a positional advantage. 9Psn-+P+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-vLPwQ-+0 I had an unusually good run in the Super 24...¤xa1 25 £xa1 White is lost, but if he 9+-zP-+-+-0 9+QtR-zPqzPk0 9+-zp-+-+-0 Rapidplay. My play on the first day left could advance c3-c4 and route a knight to d5, a lot to be desired, but I stumbled to 5/5. he would have some real compensation. So I 9-zP-wQLzPPzP0 9P+-+-zP-+0 9PzPP+-zP-zP0 On Sunday I woke up in high spirits, and opened the queenside as quickly as possible. 9sN-+RmK-+R0 9+-+-+K+-0 9+K+R+-tR-0 played much better. Everything seemed to xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy go my way and I won my next four games 25...c6 26 c4 a6 27 bxc6 £xc6 28 f4 h5 2. T. Rogers – 5. T. Hebbes – J. Hawkins 8. N. McDonald– F. Kugler and also the tournament. 29 ¤h2 exf4 30 ¥xf4 b5 31 axb5 axb5 A. Bukojemski Black to move White to move 32 cxb5 £xb5 33 ¤f3 ¦a8 34 £c1 ¦a2 Black to move XIIIIIIIIY 35 ¦f2 ¦ea8 36 ¢h2 ¦a1 37 £c2 ¦8a2 XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-trrvlk+0 38 e5 £b3 39 £xb3 ¥xb3 40 exf6 gxf6 9r+-+r+k+0 9-+-+-+k+0 9r+-+-snrmk0 9zp-zpq+lzpp0 41 ¥e3 ¥d6+ White will soon shed more 9zpp+-zp-vl-0 9+R+-+p+-0 9wq-+-+p+p0 material after 42 g3 ¥d5. 9-+-+p+Q+0 9-+pwq-+pwQ0 9pvl-+pzPpwQ0 9-zp-+-zp-+0 0-1 McShane 9sn-+p+-sNn0 9+p+-+-+-0 9+p+lzP-+-0 9+Pzp-zp-+-0 9-+PzP-+qvL0 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-vL-+0 9P+NsnP+N+0 Super Rapidplay Scores: 9+-+-+-+P0 9+-+-+-zP-0 9zP-+LtRN+-0 9+-zPPvL-+P0 1 Luke McShane (ENG) 9½/10, 2 Hrant 9PzP-sN-zPP+0 9-+r+-trLzP0 9-zPP+-+PzP0 9-+-+-zPP+0 Melkumyan (ARM) 8½, 3-11 Alex Lenderman 9tR-+-+-mK-0 9+-+-+-tRK0 9+K+-tR-+-0 (USA), Eric Hansen (CAN), Nick Pert (ENG), xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy 9tR-+Q+R+K0 Romain Edouard (FRA), 3. M. Grigoryan – J. Barj 6. P. Dukaczewski – 9. P. Papp – T. Hebbes xiiiiiiiiy (NOR), Sergey Grigoriants (RUS), Rinat Black to move A. Hagesaether White to move In this middlegame, Eric Hansen has just Jumabayev (KAZ), David Eggleston (ENG), Black to move advanced c2-c3, and I was mulling the Tamas Fodor jnr (HUN) 8, etc.

52 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 53 Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant

misplaced dark squared bishop which White would have preferred on e3. JON LUDvIG 19...e5 I felt this was my only chance for counterplay before White himself plays e4–e5. HAMMERED! 20 dxe6 fxe6 21 ¢h1 e5 Again almost forced, otherwise White will consolidate by GM Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant his position and Black will be left with a vulnerable pawn centre. n the seven years since the London Classic established itself on the chess scene, 2015 22 ¤e2 was my first visit to this fascinating chess festival. This is all rather incredible considering XIIIIIIIIY that my home town of Edinburgh is just a train ride away whereas for most other tournamentsI I have to fly! 9r+-+-trk+0 9+p+l+-vlp0 This game was the final one played on the first of two days allocated for the Super-Rapid 9-wq-zp-snp+0 tournament. I’d just had a lucky escape with the white pieces against Rowson and was feeling pretty good on 4 out of 4. However I had not yet succeeded in following my pre-planned 9zp-+-zp-+-0 strategy of playing quickly and was constantly miles behind on the clock, relying a lot on the 9-+-+PzPP+0 10 second increments. My next opponent was a very strong young Norwegian player, who I first met when we both played in the 4NCL for Wood Green a few years ago. Oh, and I almost 9+-vL-+-+P0 forgot to mention, now he acts as a second to the most famous Norwegian player! Between 9PzP-wQN+L+0 the rounds there was no time for opening preparation but I reminded myself that the most 9+-tR-+R+K0 important thing was to trust my instinct. Let’s see what came of it: xiiiiiiiiy 22...¥c6 Before playing this move I tried to calculate the consequences of sacrificing XIIIIIIIIY the pawn on d6. Eventually without and decided to give it a go. 9r+l+-trk+0 reaching a final conclusion I decided Jon Ludvig HAMMER ‒ 9 e3 After this instant reply I started 9+p+pzppvlp0 to play it as other options looked grim. Ketevan ARAKHAMIA-GRANT wondering whether what was obscure for 9pwq-+-+p+0 Given time White would advance with f5, Super-Rapid London 2015 me was well-known to my opponent. But then ¤g3 and g5 crashing through on the what to do? I continued to improvise and, 9+-+Psn-+-0 kingside. objectively speaking, not very well, but 9-+-sN-+-+0 23 £xd6? My opponent picks up the gun. 1 c4 ¤f6 2 ¤f3 c5 3 ¤c3 ¤c6 4 g3 g6 I somehow succeeded in confusing my I don’t know how much he calculated, 5 ¥g2 ¥g7 6 d4 cxd4 7 ¤xd4 0–0 8 0–0 opponent. 9+-vL-zP-zP-0 I suspect he rejected the alternative of The Maroczy system is a good choice for 9...a6 To my astonishment I discovered 9PzP-+-zPLzP0 defending the e4–pawn with ¤g3 on rapid chess. White has a small pull based on after the game that the move 8...£a5 was account of Black’s capture on f4, followed having more space: he avoids sharp theory in favour with the elite over the last couple 9+-tRQ+RmK-0 by the pin along the h6–c1 diagonal. and can just play from general understanding. of years. You can check it for yourself, but xiiiiiiiiy However this seems the best. 8...£a5 The most popular continuation it was played by Anand, Caruana, Grischuk White enjoys an advantage in development 23...¤xe4 24 £e6+ ¢h8 25 £b3 The here is to exchange knights on d4 in order and Aronian. Some of them employ it and space. Nevertheless there are no main move I was expecting was the bishop to play....d6 next. 8...¤xd4 9 £xd4 d6 only in rapid and blitz. There is already obvious pawn weaknesses in Black’s capture on e5: 25 ¥xe5 and I’d calculated 10 £d3 but although close to equality this a sizeable body of theory with the main position. If I manage to complete my 25...¦ae8 (However this is all unnecessary leads to a slow positional game which move 9 ¤b3. The modest looking 9 e3 has development, neutralise White’s pressure because of the simple 25...¤g3+! 26 ¤xg3 can be a little passive for Black. I could been scoring well, it protects the d4 knight along the c-file and exchange a few minor ¥xg2+ winning the loose queen.) not quite recall all the ins and outs of the and prevents Black’s queen sortie on the pieces, Black should equalise. 26 ¥xg7+ ¢xg7 and I could not see any line involving the pawn sacrifice 8...d6, kingside. After 9 e3 the best for Black 14...d6 15 f4 ¤g4 16 £d2 a5 The manoeuvre immediate dangers coming my way, for although I knew that it was supposed to is to offer the same pawn sacrifice with ¥c3–a5 followed by invasion on the c-file example the exchange sacrifice 27 ¦xc6 be playable for Black. Then I remembered 9...d6 10 ¤b3 £h5 11 £xh5 ¤xh5 0–1 had to be stopped. bxc6 28 £d7+ ¢g8 should not succeed an obscure line that was shown to me by (22) Tomashevsky  Radjabov, Berlin 2015. 17 h3 ¤f6 18 g4 ¥d7 19 e4 White’s desire to because the white queen seems a lonely one of the Scottish juniors I was coaching 10 ¥d2 £c7 11 ¦c1 ¤e5 12 ¤d5 ¤xd5 increase his space advantage is understandable warrior in the Black camp. at this year’s World Youth Championships 13 cxd5 £b6 14 ¥c3 but this overextends. The drawback is the 25...£e3 At this point, I did not see the

54 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 55 Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant Anum SHEIKH follow-up idea that occurred in the game her game, supported by suitable tactics, but who can resist centralising the queen here is her win in the European Youth in such a fashion! Under 10 Girls Championship held last 26 ¦ce1 ¤c5 year in Porec, Croatia, against a Russian opponent who had previously taken the XIIIIIIIIY gold medal in Konya. 9r+-+-tr-mk0 9+p+-+-vlp0 9-+l+-+p+0 Anum Sheikh  Olga Melenchuk 9zp-sn-zp-+-0 European Youth U10 Girls' Championship, 9-+-+-zPP+0 Porec 2015 9+QvL-wq-+P0 1 e4 e5 2 ¤f3 ¤c6 3 d4 exd4 4 ¤xd4 ¤f6 9PzP-+N+L+0 5 ¤xc6 bxc6 6 e5 £e7 7 £e2 ¤d5 8 c4 ¥a6 9 b3 g6 10 g3 ¥g7 11 ¥b2 £e6 12 ¥g2 9+-+-tRR+K0 At this point Anum analysed 12 cxd5 £xd5 xiiiiiiiiy 13 £xa6 £xh1 but considered it too messy There were also other ideas I briefly and preferred the simpler text move, after considered and then I suddenly saw which she remains in complete control of this backward move of the knight, after the game. checking all the other squares where it 12...¤b6 13 0–0 0–0 14 ¤d2 ¦fe8 15 f4 could jump forward! ¦ad8 16 ¤e4 £e7 17 ¦ad1 d5 Probably 27 ¤g1 There is no way to survive for fearing 18 £f2 intending to launch a flank White without conceding considerable attack by f4-f5, Olga decides to react in the material damage. centre. 27...£xe1 28 £c4 White should have 18 exd6 cxd6 accepted a position the exchange down in order to prolong the game and increase XIIIIIIIIY my nervousness over the little remaining 9-+-trr+k+0 time on my clock! Nevertheless after Until Anum came along, it had been a 9zp-+-wqpvlp0 28 ¦xe1 ¥xg2+ 29 ¢xg2 ¤xb3 30 axb3 very long time  perhaps almost a decade! exf4 the outcome of the game would When  since England won any medals 9lsnpzp-+p+0 doubtless be a win for Black. in official World or European Junior 9+-+-+-+-0 28...¥xg2+ 29 ¢xg2 £e4+ But now I Anum Championships. But, in the summer of have an extra rook. The game is over and last year, then 8 years of age, she ended 9-+P+NzP-+0 the rest was played through inertia. the drought by scoring 7/9 and taking the 9+P+-+-zP-0 30 £xe4 ¤xe4 31 f5 ¤xc3 32 bxc3 gxf5 met bronze medal in the European Schools 9PvL-+Q+LzP0 33 gxf5 e4 34 ¤e2 ¦ad8 35 ¦f4 ¦d2 Girls U9 Championship, in Konya, Turkey, 36 ¦xe4 ¦xf5 37 ¦e8+ ¦f8 38 ¦e7 ¦xa2 Anand for which she was also awarded the FIDE 9+-+R+RmK-0 39 ¢g3 b5 40 ¤f4 ¥f6 41 ¦e6 a4 42 ¤d5 Women’s Candidate Master title. In the xiiiiiiiiy ¥g7 43 h4 ¦d2 photo you might also just notice she is 19 ¥xg7 Perhaps even stronger here is 0-1 Arakhamia-Grant wearing a FIDE badge in recognition of 19 f5 For example: 19...¥xb2 20 £xb2 he young lady making the this achievement. £e5 21 £xe5 ¦xe5 22 ¤xd6 winning. first move for Vishy Anand 19...¢xg7 20 £b2+ White can also Read GM Arakhamia-Grant’s Tat the London Classic is Anum then appeared on the front cover of continue with 20 £f2 e.g. 20...f6 signature column 9 year old Anum Sheikh from the July/August 2015 edition of the English 21 ¦fe1 £f8 22 c5 with a major positional Ilford, East London. And, unlike Chess Federation’s magazine Chess Moves. advantage. INTUITION other juniors undertaking this 20...f6 Of course if 20...¢g8 then 21 ¤f6+ In every CHESS INFORMANT traditional task, she did not forget As a representative example of the patient wins the exchange. to press the clock afterwards! but purposeful way Anum builds up 21 £a3

56 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 57 Anum SHEIKH Solutions XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-trr+-+0 Other of Anum’s successes in 2015 include 13 ¤xe6! fxe6 14 ¤xd6+ ¢f8 15 ¥xf6 Another youngster 12-year-old Sacha joint British Girls’ U9 Champion, highest ¤xf6 16 ¤xb7 e5 17 f4! ¢g8 18 fxe5 ¤e8 Brozel started with a bang, defeating 9zp-+-wq-mkp0 scoring Under 9 girl in the Delancey UK 19 ¥h3 h6 20 £d7 £xe5 21 ¥e6+ ¢h7 experienced Mark Lyell (2228) in round 9lsnpzp-zpp+0 Chess Challenge, and the London Girls’ U10 22 £xe7 £d4+ 23 ¢g2 ¤f6 24 ¥f5+ one and then splitting the point against title. She also plays for the all-girls team, ¢g8 25 £e6+ ¢f8 26 ¥g6 1-0 John Cox (2342) in the next round. 9+-+-+-+-0 Essex Dragons, in the Junior4NCL league. In this game Federico demolished his far However, he, too, fell away in the end 9-+P+NzP-+0 higher rated opponent with play reminiscent scoring just 3. International tournament Contrary to indications on the London of Mikhail Tal! chess is tough! 9wQP+-+-zP-0 Chess Classic website, Anum has never 9P+-+-+LzP0 been associated with the Chess in Schools 9+-+R+RmK-0 and Communities Charity. She doesn’t need to be, as her dad, Nas, a good strength 21...¥c8xiiiiiiiiy Missing the defence 21...d5! player himself, clearly gives her all the Solutions to 22 £xe7+ ¦xe7 23 ¤c5 ¥c8 Or chess tuition she needs! Find The Way To Win (page 52) if instead 22 £xa6, then 22...dxe4 etc. Now Olga s position falls apart. Though actually born in Kashmir, Anum ’ 1. E. Ronka  R. Edouard: Black had rook has just played 1 £c1-h6 in this difficult 22 ¤xd6 ¥g4 Though 22...¦f8 loses the came to England at about the age of and two pawns for knight and bishop but position but should have instead controlled queen to 23 ¤f5+ Black could have tried 7 months, and started playing chess White got greedy with his last move of 1 cxb5 the g1-a7 diagonal with 1 £e3. This mistake 22...£e3+ 23 ¢h1 ¦e7 but even then competitively two and a half years ago. and after 1...£xf1+! resigned, since 2 ¥xf1 allowed 1...¦xg2! 2 ¦f1 If 2 ¦xg2 £d1+ Anum had a choice of either 24 ¤f5+ ¦e1+ wins. 0-1 3 ¦g1 £f3+ etc. 2...¦g1+! 0-1 White ¥xf5 25 ¦xd8 ¤xc4 26 £b4 or, first, So what was she doing at the London resigned because if 3 ¢xg1 (3 ¦xg1 £d5+) 24 £a5, threatening to win the black Chess Classic, apart from making a very 2. T. Rogers  A. Bukojemski: White’s last £d4+ 4 ¢h1 £e4+ finishes off the game. queen by 25 ¦de1, and only then playing strong move for Vishy? Well, in the Under move 1 c2-c3?? was not a good idea since now 1...¥g5! traps White’s queen. 2 f4 Also 7. E. Kalerwa  E. Guo: 1...¦a1! 2 ¥h2 ¤f5+, thereby avoiding the ....¤xc4 trick. 1800 Weekender, she scored an undefeated 2 cxb4 ¥xd2+ 3 ¦xd2 d4 is hopeless. 2...¥xf4 To defend against the threatened 2...£g1 23 ¤xe8+ ¦xe8 24 £xe7+ ¦xe7 25 ¦de1 3/5  but this included a half point bye as 3 £xf4 exf4 4 cxb4 £h4+ 0-1 Clearly White mate. 2...£f1+! 3 ¢g3 ¥e5+! 4 ¢h4 If 4 f4 ¦xe1 26 ¦xe1 ¢f7 27 ¥xc6 ¥d7 she missed one playing session because of does not have enough compensation for the £xf4+ 5 ¢h4 ¥f6 mate. 4...£e1+! 5 ¢g5 28 ¥xd7 ¤xd7 29 b4 When it having to attend Saturday school. loss of the queen after 5 ¢f1 dxe4. h6+ In fact 5...f6+ also does the same job. comes to winning a won endgame, 0-1 White saw that 6 ¢xh6 £h4 is mate. no pre-teen does it better than Anum. We hope to hear of many more successes 3. M. Grigoryan  J. Barj: After enterprisingly The attack was carried out very precisely by sacrificing the exchange on e6 and then a bishop 20-year-old Emma Guo. 29...a6 30 b5 ¤c5 31 b6 a5 32 ¦b1 ¤b7 from the talented  and competitive!  on g6 for a strong attack against the black 33 c5 ¤xc5 34 b7 ¤xb7 35 ¦xb7+ 1-0 Anum Sheikh in the near future. king, White then faltered with 1 h3??, possibly 8. N. McDonald  F. Kugler: 1 ¦xg6! hxg6 If having the line 1...£xh4 2 ¤df3 £f4 3 £h7+ 1...e5 2 ¦xf6+ ¢d8 3 ¦xf8+ ¦xf8 4 £xf8+ ¢f8 4 ¤xe6+ in mind. Instead, 1 £h7+ ¢f8 ¢c7 5 ¥xe5+ d6 6 £e7+ ¢b8 7 ¦xd6 wins. 2 h3 £e2 (2...£xh4 3 ¤df3 £f4 4 ¤xe6+) 2 ¥xg6+ ¢d8 If 1...¢e7 then 2 ¥xf6 mate. Federico ROCCO – Daniel ABRAHAMS 3 £g6 ¢g8 4 ¤df3 would have given White 3 ¥xf6+ ¥e7 4 ¥xe7+ ¢xe7 5 £g5+ 1-0 a ferocious attack. 1...£xg2+! 0-1 White After 5...¢f8 6 £f6+ ¢g8 7 £f7 is mate. A BRILLIANCY London Open 2015 resigned as after 2 ¢xg2 ¤f4+ and 3...¤xg6 1 e4 c5 2 ¤f3 e6 3 d3 b6 4 g3 ¥b7 5 ¥g2 she is left a rook down. 9. P. Papp  T. Hebbes: 1 ¤g5! This FROM THE threatens 2 ¤xh7 ¤xh7 3 £xh7+ ¢xh7 d6 6 0–0 ¤d7 7 ¤bd2 £c7 8 b3 ¥e7 9 ¥b2 4. S. Brozel  P. Roberson: White has just 4 ¦h3 mate. 1...¥xe3 Black simply cannot FIDE OPEN ¥f6 10 d4 cxd4 11 ¤xd4 a6 12 ¤c4 ¤e7 played 1 ¦d1-d2??, which limits the mobility cope with the many threats. If 1...¥xg2, XIIIIIIIIY of his queen along the c1-h6 diagonal. then 2 ¦g1 ¦c8 3 ¦xg2 ¥xe3 4 ¥xe3 9r+-+k+-tr0 No doubt 1 ¦de1 was rejected because of £b7 (4...£xe3 5 ¤xf7 mate or 4...£c7 Fierce attacking player, 13-year-old Federico 9+lwqnsnpzpp0 1...£xe1 2 ¦xe1 ¦xe1+ 3 ¥f1 ¥h3 mating, 5 ¥c5!) 5 ¦g3, heading for h3. 2 ¥xe3 £c7 Rocco, underrated at only 1855 and a but instead the forced 1 f3! was good, whereas 3 ¥c5! A beautiful final blow. 3...£xc5 allows 9pzp-zppvl-+0 now Black plays 1...g5! 2 £e3 £d6 and 4 ¤xf7 mate and on other queen moves White Golders Green tournament regular, was very White s queen is lost. 0-1 captures the knight on f8 and mates on h7. 1-0 disappointed with his eventual tally of 3/9 9+-+-+-+-0 ’ after having scored 3 points from the first 9-+NsNP+-+0 5. T. Hebbes  J. Hawkins: White’s queen is defending a mate on d1, so Black plays Incidentally, female players are well five rounds. He beat players rated 2132, 2162 9+P+-+-zP-0 represented in these puzzles: Featured are and 2111 whilst his lowest rated opponent 1...¦b6! 2 £c2 ¦b2 Also 2...¦b1+ 3 £xb1 9PvLP+-zPLzP0 £h1+ 4 ¢e2 £xb1 wins. 0-1 Petra Papp Hungary, Emma Guo Australia and was 2023. However, Federico was especially Meri Grigoryan England. And A. Hagesaether pleased with his round 5 game. 9tR-+Q+RmK-0 6. P. Dukaczewski  A. Hagesaether: White is ’s husband! xiiiiiiiiy

58 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 59 Josip ASIK

those magic moments when the pieces Now that’s my kind of chess... The only THERE´S dance swiftly underneath the fingers of a trouble was that I couldn’t remember all genuine fast-playing attacker. the moves or the order in which they were NO BIZ played! To make matters worse I then made Nevertheless the game ended in a dead a critical positional mistake  after which, I drawn endgame position  after 79 moves! have to admit, I felt like hapless prey being LIKE However, we still got a ticket for the next closely watched by a determined snake, round, because we each won our extra patiently lying in wait for the right moment PRO BIZ! Armageddon game. Obviously I put my to strike. Slowly but surely, doomsday was – win against Lee Green down to my blitz approaching. And by the time we reached training with Naka. the following position our only chance was to resort to desperate tactics. FM Josip Asik (CEO of Chess The next game was another tough challenge. Informant)  assisted(!) by Just before it started I got some friendly Hikaru Nakamura  explains how advice: “Watch out for Terry Chapman!” Terry Chapman and Michael Adams – he rocked the chess world by Of course there was no reason for me to Josip Asik and Hikaru Nakamura emerging as winner of the Pro-Biz waste time assessing the threat level posed Pro-Biz Cup, London 2015, Rapid Cup after defeating GMs Caruana, by Mickey Adams... Aronian and Adams and their XIIIIIIIIY business associates… Play then began with a sharp line of the 9-+-+-+-+0 XIIIIIIIIY English Opening  whereupon a brilliant 9tr-+-trpmk-0 Imagine you have just been presented with 9rsn-+kvlntr0 win by a young Judit Polgar suddenly 9-+Lvl-wqp+0 this trophy on a big stage, just moments crossed my mind... I recalled it because before the World Champion joins you 9+p+-zp-zp-0 it was played the same year as I won the 9zp-+P+-+p0 alongside other prize-winners of an 9p+-wq-+pzp0 Junior Championship of Belgrade. 9-zpR+P+-zP0 international grand prix. And, by teaming 9+-+p+-+-0 9+-+-+-zP-0 up with you, World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura also has the opportunity to proclaim 9-+-+-+PzP0 Jean-Luc Costa – Judit Polgar 9P+-tR-zPK+0 himself one of the winners of the London 9+-sNL+Q+-0 Biel 1987 9+-+Q+-+-0 Classic! On top of all this, of course, what 9PzPPzP-zP-+0 xiiiiiiiiy actually happened was precisely what you 1 d4 ¤f6 2 c4 c5 3 ¤f3 cxd4 4 ¤xd4 e5 37...g5 38 £xh5 gxh4 39 £g4+ ¢f8 had previously dreamt would happen... 9tR-vL-mK-+R0 5 ¤b5 d5 6 cxd5 ¥c5 7 ¤5c3 0–0 8 g3 40 ¥a4 ¦ac7 41 ¦xc7 ¦xc7 42 f4 hxg3 xiiiiiiiiy ¤g4 9 e3 f5 10 ¥g2 f4 11 h3 43 e5 ¥xe5 44 fxe5 £h6 I was so happy “Oh, c’mon, wake up, what a wildly far- 11...¤c6 12 £xd5 0–0–0 13 £xd6 XIIIIIIIIY to play such a move, which placed our fetched fantasy!” ¦xd6 14 ¥e4 ¤f6 15 ¥xc6 ¦xc6 16 f3 opponents literally in a state of shock! Nakamura would certainly have regarded 9rsnlwq-trk+0 After the game they analysed it for quite I do admit that my primary concern before this as a winning position for White, that 9zpp+-+-zpp0 a long time, trying to answer that all too the event was that I wouldn’t embarrass is unless he was aware that my weakest 9-+-+-+-+0 frequently asked question: “Where did myself by playing some idiotic moves in point is not knowing how to calmly I go wrong?” After all, the game had the full glare of the chess media. Anyway, nurture an advantage and if necessary 9+-vlPzp-+-0 undoubtedly been winning for them many in the first game, at least I played pretty play defensively. Really I just wanted to 9-+-+-zpn+0 moves before. well at the start... attack! 9+-sN-zP-zPP0 45 £d4 £h2+ 46 ¢f3 ¦c3+ 47 £xc3 9PzP-+-zPL+0 £h5+ 48 ¢xg3 bxc3 49 ¦d1 £e2 50 d6 Josip ASIK and Hikaru NAKAMURA – As it turned out, the pleasure of this game c2 51 ¥xc2 £xc2 52 ¦h1 ¢e8 53 ¦h8+ Lee GREEN and only came when we tried to blitz our 9tRNvLQmK-+R0 ¢d7 54 ¦a8 £d3+ 55 ¢f4 £d4+ 56 ¢f5 Pro-Biz Cup, London 2015, Rapid opponents with furious endgame play. xiiiiiiiiy £f2+ 57 ¢g5 £g2+ 01 Naka had only asked me beforehand: 11...¤xf2 12 ¢xf2 fxe3+ 13 ¢e1 ¦f2 So we were in the final! I felt relieved, the 1 e4 c6 2 ¤f3 d5 3 ¤c3 ¥g4 4 h3 ¥h5 “Do you play fast?”  “Oh, yes, I have 14 ¦g1 £f8 15 £d3 ¤a6 16 a3 ¥f5 worst was over. 5 g4 ¥g6 6 exd5 cxd5 7 ¤e5 a6 8 h4 h6 prepared myself with one-minute games 17 ¥e4 ¥xe4 18 £xe4 ¥d4 19 ¥xe3 ¤c5 9 ¤xg6 fxg6 10 ¥d3 £d6 11 £f3 Now on the Internet!” So now here I was 20 ¥xd4 exd4 21 £xd4 ¦e8+ 22 ¢d1 The Pro-Biz Cup, held at the Hilton Hotel, something’s got to give  d5 or g6. occupying a ringside seat and savouring £f3+ 01 Olympia, the day after the London Classic

60 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 61 Josip ASIK A Repertoire for Blitz & Rapid Sharp, Surprising and Forcing Lines for Black and White had finished, was actually a fun event in go back to d5 with the knight, but for some Evgeny & Vladimir Sveshnikov 416 pages - £19.99 which chess players from the world of reason I headed toward “the safe way”... Every day, countless numbers of rated blitz and rapid games are business were invited to team up with one 19 ¤xc8 ¦xc8 20 ¤xe5 ¤xe5 21 £xd6+ being played in online and over-the-board competi ti ons. In blitz, of the London Chess Classic super-GMs £xd6 22 ¦xd6 ¦xa2 and believe it or even more than in classical chess, it is important to make the right and compete in a knockout tournament not, the game concluded with an opposite- decisions quickly and almost insti ncti vely. World-famous opening in which the partnering players make coloured bishop draw in 39 moves. expert GM and his son, IM Vladimir Sveshnikov, alternate moves. The grandmasters and have created a repertoire that is forcing, both narrow and deep, and aggressive. The Sveshnikovs want you to end up in positi ons the businessmen were also invited to Nevertheless, just as in the first round, magazine get together before the game in order to we each won our Armageddon game, I NEW! where it is relati vely easy to keep fi nding the moves with the exchange views, understand strengths and against Justin Baptie and Hikaru versus greatest practi cal eff ect. agree a strategy... Lev Aronian. And because I finished rather quickly I had the opportunity to watch my But why was it that I wanted to team up with team-mate wrap up his game in style. Mastering Chess Middlegames Naka in the first place  and not someone Lectures from the All-Russian School of Grandmasters else? Well, quite simply, I liked his style Alexander Panchenko 272 pages - £16.99 and indomitable fighting spirit. But now I Hikaru Nakamura – Levon Aronian The secret of GM Alexander Panchenko’s success was his dedicati on had learned something else as well  he is Pro-Biz Cup, London 2015, Blitz as a teacher combined with his outstanding training materials. Now, a down-to-earth guy, really natural, really XIIIIIIIIY his classic Mastering Chess Middlegames is available in translati on. friendly. And he even knew a lot about the It presents almost 450 examples and tests on the most important chess in my home country of Serbia  that 9-+-wq-tr-+0 topics of middlegame technique. Defence and counteratt ack are did surprise me. And, one more thing, he 9tR-+ntr-vlk0 his main themes, and his concise training material on realising the had also used Chess Informant to help pave 9-+p+p+-+0 advantage and two minor pieces against a rook may be the best his way to the stars! NEW! ever seen. Panchenko’s didacti c brilliance shines through in this 9+-+pzPl+-0 book and his aim is always to take practi cal decisions. In the next game, as we agreed beforehand, 9-+-+-vLNzP0 Hikaru played my signature move against 9+p+-+NwQ-0 the Sicilian  4 £xd4  after which I Bologan’s Ruy Lopez for Black thought it would have to be our best game 9-+-+-+P+0 How to Play for a Win against the Spanish Opening in the series! But... 9+-+-tR-+K0 A Victor Bologan 544 pages - £22.99 xiiiiiiiiy With his bestselling Bologan’s Black Weapon’s in the Open Games 31 h5 £e8 32 £h4 ¥xg4 33 £xg4 ¦xf4 he shook up the world of repertoire books. Now Bologan is back Josip Asik and Hikaru Nakamura – 34 ¤g5+ ¢h6 35 £xf4 £xh5+ 36 ¤h3+ with the much awaited companion volume on the Ruy Lopez, Justin Bapti and Levon Aronian ¢h7 37 ¦b7 ¦f7 38 £xf7 10 presenti ng a repertoire with hundreds of theoreti cal improvements, Pro-Biz Cup, London 2015, Rapid alternati ves and fresh weapons. At its heart are the Breyer Variati on XIIIIIIIIY After shaking hands, Hikaru jumped up and the Marshall Att ack. Featured again are ‘The Fast Lane’, the from his chair and came over to me. All ‘The Very Fast Lane’ and the ‘Arsenal of Strategic Ideas’. He presents 9r+ltr-+k+0 he wanted to know was if I had won too, NEW! two opti ons against every line: a common sense approach and an 9+p+nzppvlp0 because that would mean we were the aggressive weapon. 9p+nzp-+p+0 overall winners. You see, because of the rules, his win was irrelevant as only the 9wq-+-+-+-0 amateur games counted when it came to The Double Queen’s Gambit 9-+P+P+-+0 determining whether we progressed further A Surprise Weapon for Black 9+-sN-+N+P0 in the competition or indeed finished first. Alexey Bezgodov 272 pages - £18.99 9PzP-wQLzPP+0 Former Russian Champion Alexey Bezgodov provides a complete I was almost shouting: “We did it man, repertoire for Black against 1.d4, starti ng with the surprising 2...c5! 9+RvLR+-mK-0 we did it!” and then we were united in against both 2.c4 and 2.♘f3. There is comparati vely litt le to study xiiiiiiiiy cherishing the moment. Probably none of and Black is able to solve most of his opening problems and get a 14 b4 £c7 15 ¤d5 £b8 16 b5 axb5 the other contestants took the tournament positi on that is both solid and acti ve. “What more can one ask?”, 17 cxb5 ¤ce5 18 ¤xe7+ ¢f8 We are a pawn anywhere near as seriously as we did.  says Alexey Bezgodov. He provides dozens of exercises to test your up! It’ll be easy, you might think. However, understanding of his system. Bezgodov promises: “It will bring many crazy as it may sound, I wanted so much to of the publishers from NEW! practi cal successes and much creati ve sati sfacti on!”

62 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE available at your local (chess)bookseller or at newinchess.com www EX CL .chessinformantOFFERUSIVE.

org