4.20 June 2012 No. 6 Volume 132: Anand Retains World Championship With David Howell

www.britishchessmagazine.co.
uk
£4.20 June 2012 No. 6 Volume 132
Anand retains World Championship
with David Howell

282 THE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE
MEDIA NEWS
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THE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE 283
Editorial
The World Championship has ended in Moscow with the narrowest victory for the title
holder, Viswanathan Anand, 42, over Boris Gelfand, 43. After the twelve games played at
the classical time-limit the match was level at 6-6, so a tie-breaker came into operation
whereby four rapidplay games were contested in one day, the players having 25 minutes
each plus an additional ten seconds per move played. The reigning champion won the sec-
ond of these games, the other three being drawn. Having fallen behind in the match Gel-
fand obviously faced an immense task to come back in the last two deciding games.
Thirteen draws out of the sixteen games played will not, regrettably, delight any would-
be sponsor. We happily refer the reader to Andrew Martin’s coverage on his YMChessMas-
ter YouTube Channel and Your Aged Editor’s notes on our website. The verdict seems to be
that this was a fair, sporting and very tough match. David Howell, who joins us as a regular
columnist, takes us through the opening games this month.
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
In this month’s issue

282 Media News
286 News from Abroad – Adams in Chicago, Kramnik/Aronian in Zurich …
289 Game of the Month “A tentative start” said Adams. But what does David Howell say?
293 Quotes & Queries
294 Endings for Experts
298 Games Department with International Master Andrew Martin
302 News from the British Isles
304 Spot the Continuation
306 Ask the Arbiter
308 Endgame Studies
309 Spot the Continuation Solutions
310 Problem World
311 Book Reviews
312 Study Solution (IRW)
313 A Unique Guest
316 Opening Perils II
317 Test Your Chess or, if you prefer, just enjoy …
320 Peachcroft’s World: Part 1
321 Dearing’s Discoveries Bogo-Indian, Q.I.D. and Nimzo transpositions
326 The Doeberl Cup with Carl Gorka and two Slavs
328 Letter from Liechtenstein with Ken, Dinah & Oliver
330 Practical Play
334 The Victor Bologan Interview
Above, left: WIM Natasha Regan on top board for a pre-Olympiad

England-Wales Ladies match held in tandem with the e2e4 Amersham Congress.
Above, right: WFM Maria Yurenok scored 1.5/2
beating Lynda Roberts and drawing with WFM Olivia Smith.
Below, left: WFM Ann-Marie James scored 2/2
beating Alyssa Wang and WFM Suzy Blackburn.
Below, right: Louise Head debuted for England in round two versus Alyssa Wang.
Above, left: Olivia Smith played top board for Wales and faced
Natasha Regan and Maria Yurenok in successive rounds.
Above, right: Suzy Blackburn had two tough games versus WFM Khanwal Bhatia
in round one and Ann-Marie James in round two.
Below: The Welsh Ladies team of Lynda Roberts, Olivia Smith,
Suzy Blackburn and Alyssa Wang pose for their Captain.
News from Abroad

Sigeman & Co, Malmo, Sweden
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 Caruana * ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 5½
2 Leko ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 5
3 Giri 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 4
4 Grandelius 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 4
5 Li Chao ½ 0 ½ ½ * 0 1 ½ 3
6 Tikkanen 0 0 0 ½ 1 * 0 1 2½
7 Hector 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 * 0 2
8 Berg ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 * 2
Bulgaria. 18th-28th April. Panagyurishte, a currently ranked number two in the world.
town in Southern Bulgaria, hosted this Aronian won the first game, but lost the
year's national championships. 1st I third, the remainder being drawn.
Cheparinov 10/11; 2nd K Rusev 8.5 ... 12
players. Ivan Cheparinov, defending cham- V Kramnik
pion, first won the title in 2004. L Aronian
Game 3
Czech Republic. National Championship at Scotch Four Knights C47
Kouty nad Desnou, 12th-20th May. 1st= D [Taulbut]
Navara & A Kislinsky both 7/9 ... 47 players.
1 e4 e5 2 Ìf3 Ìc6 3 Ìc3 Ìf6 (Word has it
Cuba. Havana, 4th-14th May. Double round that Kramnik prepared for this game by
all-play-all, Capablanca Elite 1st V Ivanchuk reading the new Everyman books by Cyrus
(UKR) 6.5/10; 2nd= I Nepomnyashy (RUS) & L Lakdawala.-Ed) 4 d4 Kramnik opens the
Dominquez-Perez (CUBA) both 5.5 … 6 play- position. 4…exd4 5 Ìxd4 Íc5 5…Íb4 6
ers. Ìxc6 bxc6 7 Íd3 is perfectly good for Black.
6 Íe3 Íb6 7 Ëd2 0–0 8 0–0–0 Îe8 9 f3 d5
Georgia. National Championship, 12th-24th Black opens up in the centre taking advan-
May, Tbilisi: 1st B Jobava 10/11; 2nd= M tage of his active rook on e8 10 exd5 Ìxd5
Gagunashvili, D Zarkua & L Paichadze all 7.5 11 Íg5 White is practically forced to play
… 12 players. Kasparov presented the prizes. this move because of the attack on e3 and
d4. 11…Ìxc3 Black chooses to sacrifice his
Switzerland. Zurich staged a six-game queen with good play but there were alter-
match, 21st-28th March, between the for- natives:
mer World Champion Vladimir Kramnik of a) 11…Íxd4 12 Íxd8 Íe3 13 Ìxd5
Russia and the Armenian, Levon Aronian, Íxd2+ 14 Îxd2 Îe1+ 15 Îd1 Îxd1+ 16
Êxd1 Ìxd8 17 Ìxc7 Îb8 with advantage to sumably Aronian concluded that 21…Íd4
White because of the extra pawn; 22 c3 Íf6 23 Îd1 Îc8 (23…Îxd1+ 24 Êxd1
b) 11…Ìde7 12 Ìxc6 (12 Íxe7 Ëxd4 g5 25 b3 with advantage to White) was too
with advantage to Black) 12 Ëxd2+ 13 passive. 22 c3 Íc5 23 Îe2 h6 24 g3 The key
Íxd2 Ìxc6 14 Íc4 with a tiny advantage to move. White prepares f4 with a break-up of
White; probably the best line for Black. the Black position. 24…a5 25 f4 a4 26 f5
c) 11…f6 12 Íc4 is better for White. Íd5 27 Ëd3 Even though White is on a
12 Íxd8 Ìxd1 The other way is not as good tightrope the Black pieces are awkwardly
12…Íxd4 13 Íg5 Ìxd1 14 Ëxd1 with the tied defending each other. 27…Íb6 28 b3
edge for White. White has queen for rook axb3 29 axb3 Ìa5 30 Îe8+ Kramnik sacri-
and piece but Black still has some counter- fices his rook for one of Black's bishops; this
play. 13 Íxc7 A difficult move to foresee, is a practical choice to take the initiative.
the bishop sacrifices itself. 13 Íg5 Ìxd4 14 30…Îxe8 31 Ëxd5 With the threat of b4
Ëxd1 h6 15 Íd2 Íf5 16 Íd3 Íxd3 17 cxd3 trapping the knight 31…Îd8 32 Ëb5 Îd6 33
Îe2 Black has good counter-chances with Êc2 White prepares b4 33…Êg7 34 b4 Ìb7
his active pieces; probably equal. 13…Íxc7 35 c4 The White pawns roll forward. 35…Îf6
13…Íxd4 14 Ëxd1 Íe6 also leads to a com- 35…Ìd8 36 Ëe5+ Îf6 37 c5 Ìc6 38 Ëe4
plex position. 14 Ìxc6 Ìe3 14…bxc6 15 Íc7 39 b5 Ìe5 40 Ëb7 Ía5 (40…Íd8 41
Ëxd1 Íe6 16 Êb1 is better for White but Ëb8 wins material) 41 Ëa8 Íb4 42 Ëe4
there is still a lot of play in the position. 15 Íxc5 43 Ëxe5 Íb6 44 Êd3 Ía5 45 g4 Íb6
Íb5 The key to Kramnik's play; he can leave 46 Êe4 Ía5 47 Ëd4 Íb6 48 Ëc3 Íd8 is a
the knight on c6. 15 Ìb4 Íf4 16 Ìd3 Íh6 potential fortress position 49 Ëd2 Íc7 50
17 f4 was another line of play with a slight h4 gxh4 51 g5 is a winning continuation. 36
edge for White. 15…bxc6 16 Íxc6 Ìc4 g4 Ìd8 37 c5 Íc7 38 Ëd7 White wins mate-
16...Íf4 17 Êb1 (17 Íxe8 Ìxg2 18 Îd1 Íe6 rial 38…Ìc6 39 b5 Ìa7 40 Ëxc7 40 b6 Íxb6
wins for Black) 17…Íf5 18 Íxa8 Îxa8 19 41 cxb6 Ìc6 42 b7 with a winning position
Îe1 with a winning advantage to White as for White. 40…Ìxb5 41 Ëe5 Ìa7 42 Êd3
Black cannot exploit the double attack on Black resigned because he cannot prevent
c2, again very hard to see in advance. 17 the king invading his position. 1–0
Ëd4 Íe6 18 Íxa8 Íb6 19 Ëd3 19 Ëe4 is
critical defending the bishop on a8 but USA. St Louis, 8th-19th May. National
Black then has 19 Íe3+ 20 Êd1 Ìxb2+ 21 Championship. After so many changes of
Êe1 Íd7 22 Ëb7 Íb6+ and now if 23 Êf1 format the event has again settled down to
(23 Êd2 Íe3+ 24 Êc3 Ìa4+ 25 Êb4 Íd2+ is a straightforward all-play-all with a dozen
also difficult for White) 23…Íb5+ mates. grandmasters. 1st H Nakamura (unde-
19…Îxa8 Black has won back a piece, end- feated!) 8.5/11; 2nd G Kamsky (defending
ing up with three pieces for a Queen and champ) 7.5; 3rd A Onischuk 6.5; 4th= V Ako-
two pawns. White will have the advantage if bian, A Lenderman & Y Shulman all 6; 7th R
he can avoid a number of traps and push Robson 5.5; 8th RL Hess 5.
the passed pawns forward. 20 Îe1 White
protects e3 and threatens Îxe6. 20…Îd8 21 After a play-off, Irina Krush took the La-
Ëe4 g5 Perhaps too weakening but pre- dies’ Championship.
13
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Game of the Month

David Howell
davidwlh@aol.com
Anand – Gelfand, Moscow, 2012 World Champion in 2007, Vishy has convinc-
It has felt like a long ingly defended his title against Kramnik and
time coming but, nearly two Topalov – both of whom presented formi-
years to the day since dable obstacles at the time. His universal
Viswanathan Anand suc- style, combined with his superb tactical
cessfully defended his title ability, has allowed him to remain at the top
against Veselin Topalov, of the game for so long. Gelfand, on the
chess fans have another other hand, has a more defined style, with a
World Championship match to drool over. solid positional understanding often provid-
The journey has been a difficult one. After ing the base for forceful dynamic play. He is
much uncertainty and discontent with the known as a consummate professional, with
qualification process, a new challenger was his complete dedication to chess enabling
finally found. Somewhat surprisingly for him to hit a peak so late in his career. Anand
many, Boris Gelfand was the man to be- might be touted as the favourite, but Boris
come Anand’s challenger, having emerged is certainly capable of anything on his day!
victorious in the 2009 World Cup and sub- Both players have been guilty of below-
sequently last year’s Candidates Matches. par form in tournament chess during the
Despite many onlookers (Kasparov among last year, but this is understandable. With
them) claiming that neither player can be such an important match on the horizon, it
called the strongest in the world, there is no is only natural to save all one’s energy (and
doubt that both Anand and Gelfand have preparation) for when it really matters. Af-
successfully proven themselves in match ter months of training and a field of world-
play. Carlsen and Aronian might be higher class seconds supporting them, it was clear
rated, but this particular battle for the that both players would arrive in Moscow
crown is a fitting tribute to the continued fully fresh and motivated ...
prowess of the older generation. On a personal note, I have played
Let us begin by examining the contest- against both Anand and Gelfand a couple of
ants. Both players are hugely experienced times. From this first hand experience, what
and battle-hardened warriors, having com- struck me most were their awesome skills of
peted at the very highest level for the past calculation and their effortless intuition.
two decades. What they might lack in Boris certainly taught me a lesson in our
youthful energy, they make up for with re- games!
fined opening repertoires and profound Without further ado, let us turn our at-
judgment. Since becoming the undisputed tention to the action:
12…Ëxa2!
Black fearlessly grabs a pawn that could
V Anand
later turn out to be important. At the same
B Gelfand
time White must misplace his rook. Boris
Game 1
shows that he is not afraid of White’s lead in
Exchange Gruenfeld D85
development or any possible preparation.
[Howell]
13 Îb2 Ëa5 14 d6
The most testing. White tries to cause
1 d4 Black some discomfort before he can castle
As expected, Anand opens the match and fully mobilise his forces. If, instead, 14
with the move which gave him so much joy dxc6 0-0 15 Íf4 Ëxc3 16 Îb6 Ëa5 17 Ëb1
against Kramnik and Topalov. Tellingly, he c4, White’s pieces can’t quite co-ordinate to
also shies away from any theoretical de- support fully the c6-pawn.
bates in Gelfand’s favourite Petroff and Na- 14…Îa7
jdorf defences. For now! A strong defensive move. Black secures
1…Ìf6 2 c4 g6 3 Ìc3 d5 his centre and threatens to bring his king to
The Gruenfeld Defence, and already a safety.
big surprise! The majority of experts had W________W
been expecting a showdown in the popular
Queen’s Gambit Declined, while in recent
[WDbDkDW4]
years Gelfand had also been a frequent Slav [4WDW0pgp]
player. However, the Gruenfeld is somewhat [pDp)WDpD]
of an Israeli specialty and with many sharp,
forcing lines it is a logical choice for a well-
[1W0WDWDW]
prepared player. [WDWDPDWD]
4 Ìf3 Íg7 5 cxd5 Ìxd5 6 e4 Ìxc3 7 bxc3 c5 [DW)WDNDW]
8 Íb5+
A counter-surprise, but this rare varia-
[W$WDW)P)]
tion has a drawish reputation. [DWGQDRIW]
8…Ìc6 9 d5!? W--------W
An obvious move which has been virtu- 15 Íg5
ally ignored in competitive play! At first it A natural idea, but probably not best.
may seem that White is prematurely trying Most commentators expected 15 Íf4! plan-
to take advantage of a harmless pin, but ning 15…0-0 16 Ìe5 with an unclear posi-
things are less clear than they look. tion. Over the board this would be quite
9…Ëa5 hard to evaluate. For example, Black can
(9…Íxc3 is not to be recommended for now play the ambitious 16…Ëxc3 (16…Íxe5
Black, on account of White’s sudden initia- is also playable), but might be forced to play
tive after 10 Íd2. But 9…a6 is a decent alter- imaginatively after 17 Îc2 Íxe5 18 Îxc3
native). Íxc3 19 Ëc2 Íd4 20 dxe7 Îxe7 21 Íd6
10 Îb1 a6 11 Íxc6+ bxc6 12 0-0 Îfe8 22 Íxe7 Îxe7 with a fascinating ma-
White plays for speed, not worrying terial imbalance.
about material for the moment. 15…exd6
Forced, but strong; Gelfand has foreseen but it can also be a very flexible defence,
the coming simplifications. leading to various set-ups.
16 Ëxd6 Îd7 17 Ëxc6 Ëc7! 3 Ìc3 Ìf6 4 e3
Black is now able to get his king to safety White avoids the more popular varia-
and simplify. Soon his two bishops and out- tions which can arise after 4 Ìf3 dxc4 or
side passed pawn might start to play a role. 4…e6 5 Íg5, and instead opts for the solid
18 Ëxc7 Îxc7 19 Íf4 Îb7 20 Îc2 Semi-Slav.
Ugly, but White already has to play ac- 4…e6 5 Ìf3 a6
curately. A hybrid system in which Black tries to
20…0-0 21 Íd6 Îe8 22 Ìd2 f5 23 f3 keep his options open. Anand shows faith in
White keeps the centre closed, hoping to Black’s solid structure and starts to demon-
limit the scope of Black’s bishop pair. Gel- strate deep preparation throughout this
fand now decides to relieve the tension game.
when he could have continued to apply 6 b3 Íb4 7 Íd2 Ìbd7 8 Íd3 0-0 9 0-0 Íd6
pressure without any risk. 10 Îc1 e5!
23…fxe4 After some natural moves, Anand liber-
Perhaps 23…Íd7 was a better try, when ates his cramped position with this pawn
White cannot capture on c5 (24 Íxc5 Îc8 break. White cannot keep the tension due to
with a big advantage for Black). the threat of e5-e4 and must therefore give
24 Ìxe4 Íf5 Black an active IQP position, or play as he
Draw agreed. did in the game.
11 cxd5 cxd5 12 e4!?
So, overall a moral victory for Gelfand. (12 dxe5 Íxe5 is known to give Black full
With the Black pieces he managed easily to equality. For example, a few games have
fend off White’s opening attempt and could continued: 13 Ìe2 Ìe4 14 Íxe4 dxe4 15
have even claimed a small advantage once Íc3 Íg4!)
the queens were exchanged. In some ways it 12…dxe4 13 Ìxe4 Ìxe4 14 Íxe4 Ìf6
is natural to want to get on the scoreboard, A novelty, but a natural move and An-
but it is also a pity that he did not try harder and had obviously done his homework well.
to grind down Anand from a position of 15 dxe5 Ìxe4 16 exd6 Ëxd6 17 Íe3 Íf5 18
strength. An interesting battle to begin the Ëxd6 Ìxd6 19 Ìd4
match. One nice nuance is: 19 Îfd1 Îfd8 20
Íb6 Îfc8! ‘with equality.’
19…Îfe8 20 Ìxf5 Ìxf5 21 Íc5 h5 22 Îfd1
B Gelfand
Îac8 23 Êf1 f6 24 Íb4 Êh7 25 Îc1
V Anand
Draw agreed.
Game 2
QGD, Semi-Slav D45
To the naked eye, this might seem like a
[Howell]
fairly mundane draw, but from the view-
point of opening preparation and match
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 strategy it was very telling. Anand is imply-
So it is Anand’s turn to show his hand. ing that he is happy to stay ultra-solid as
The Slav Defence is known for its solidity, Black with a sound and flexible opening
variation whilst Gelfand refused to take any with which it was played, Gelfand was still
risks once more, but no doubt he will come in his preparation. Impressive! Black tries to
back armed with more dangerous ideas. open lines for his active pieces.
17 Íd4!
Safest, and probably best. White had to
V Anand
avoid pitfalls such as: 17 fxe4? Îxc3! 18 Ëxc3
B Gelfand
Ìxe4 19 Ëb4 Ìg3 with a winning plus. 17
Game 3
Ìxe4? is just as bad: 17…Ìxe4 18 fxe4 Îxf1!
Gruenfeld D70
19 Îxf1 Ìc4 with a vicious attack.
[Howell]
17…Ìa4
17…Îe8 was interesting. The idea is
1 d4 Ìf6 2 c4 g6 3 f3 again 18 fxe4 Îxc3! with complications.
An ambitious continuation, trying to 18 Ìge2! Ëa5
force Black into an unfamiliar opening, such 18 exf3 would allow White to swing his
as the Samisch King’s Indian. queen over to h2 in some lines.
3…d5 19 Ìxe4 Ëxd2 20 Ìxf6+ Îxf6 21 Îxd2 Îf5
Staying on Gruenfeld territory. 22 Íxg7 Êxg7 23 d6
4 cxd5 Ìxd5 5 e4 Ìb6 6 Ìc3 Íg7 7 Íe3 0-0 The smoke has cleared and the position
8 Ëd2 e5 has become greatly simplified. White’s extra
8…Ìc6 9 0-0-0 f5 has been popular pawn is likely to fall. Meanwhile, Black’s
among GMs lately, but apparently both pieces are all active and well coordinated.
players had concluded that this line favours 23...Îfc5 24 Îd1 a5 25 Îh4 Îc2
White. Instead, we see a move less explored. Gelfand continues his activity!
9 d5 c6 10 h4!? 26 b3 Ìb2 27 Îb1 Ìd3 28 Ìd4 Îd2 29
Black naturally wants to open the cen- Íxd3 Îxd3 30 Îe1
tre, but White takes time out suddenly to After a fairly forcing sequence, it begins
launch a kingside attack! From my own ex- to look as if Black’s threats were illusory.
perience with the Gruenfeld, this type of White is beginning to become active him-
lunge is actually quite positional. If Black self. However, Gelfand now plays accurately
allows the h4-h5 push, he will often have to to foil Anand’s hopes.
capture back on g6 with the f-pawn and 30…Îd2! 31 Êb1 Íf5+ 32 Ìxf5 gxf5 33
compromise his own structure, while his Îe7+ Êg6 34 Îc7
pieces will take a while to cover the newly It turns out that 34 d7! was stronger but
weakened squares around his king. Anand’s choice is forgivable. With the time
10…cxd5 11 exd5 Ì8d7 12 h5 Ìf6 13 hxg6 control looming, it is not nice to allow your
fxg6 opponent’s rooks to invade. 34…Îcc2 35 Îc4
Unfortunately 13…hxg6 14 Íh6 looks maintains some advantage.
like checkmate soon. 34…Îe8 35 Îh1 Îee2 36 d7 Îb2+ 37 Êc1
14 0-0-0 Íd7 15 Êb1 Îxa2
Prophylaxis against Black’s queenside Draw agreed. Another fighting game,
counterplay. and a good omen of things to come…
15…Îc8 16 Êa1 e4!
A novelty and judging from the speed David continues next month.
Quotes & Queries

Alan Smith
caissals@hotmail.com
5981 Thematic openings tournaments are a international events, but here used his theo-
way of testing the merits of a certain varia- retical knowledge to good effect.
tion. The first such international event was Here is a game by the winner, from ‘The
a Kings Gambit Accepted tourney at Vienna New York Daily Tribune’ 19.2.1894.
in 1903. This was won by the great Chigorin,
who was playing on home ground in this
GHD Gossip
opening. He scored 13/18, to take first prize,
H Friedmann
a point and a half ahead of Frank J. Mar-
NY, 1894
shall. Isidor Gunsberg was tenth, with just
KGA, Kieseritzky C39
two points. The format for most thematic
events has been double round, so each
player meets his opponent with both col- 1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 Ìf3 g5 4 h4 g4 5 Ìe5 Íg7
ours. Subsequent events tried different 6 d4 Ìf6 7 Íc4 d5 8 exd5 Ìh5 9 Íb5+ Êf8
openings. The Rice Gambit enjoyed a brief 10 Ìc3 c6 11 Íc4 Ëe7 12 d6 Ëxd6 13 Ìxf7
vogue in the early 20th century, due to the Ëe7+ 14 Ëe2 Ìg3 15 Ëxe7+ Êxe7 16 Ìxh8
generous prizes provided by the inventor, Ìxh1 17 Ìf7 f3 18 Íg5+ Êf8 19 gxf3 gxf3 20
Professor Isaac L. Rice. Several events were 0–0–0 Ìf2 21 Îd2 Ìh3 22 Íe3 Íf6 23 Ìg5
played, with increasingly poor results for Ìxg5 24 hxg5 Íe7 25 Ìe4 Íf5 26 Ìg3 Íg4
the gambit. (See ‘Julius Finn’ by Olimpiu 27 Îh2 Íd6 28 Îh4 Íxg3 29 Îxg4 Íd6 30
Urcan, published by McFarland). There was Îh4 Ìd7 31 Îxh7 Ìb6 32 Îf7+ Êg8 33 Íb3
also a King's Gambit Declined 2…Íc5 tour- Ìd5 34 Íxd5 cxd5 35 Îxf3 Êg7 36 Îf5 Îf8
nament at Vienna 1904/05, won by Carl 37 Îxd5 Îd8 38 c3 Êg6 39 Êc2 Íe7 40 Îxd8
Schlechter, just half a point ahead of Geza Íxd8 41 Êd3 1–0.
Maroczy; (see ‘Carl Schlechter’ by W.H.
Goldman, p. 210). In 1921 the newly in- We also refer the interested reader to
vented Saragossa opening, 1 c3 (see BCM ‘The Master Who Never Was’ by G.H. Diggle,
01/12, p.33), was tried out in a three master BCM 01/69, p.1, a portrait of Gossip.
event at Mannheim. Siegbert Tarrasch won
with +3 =1. The first ever thematic tourna- rrrrrrrrrr
ment was a less grand event; just six players
were attracted to a Kieseritsky Gambit We are on Twitter and Facebook, Kindle
tournament, held by the New York City CC in and on sale at W.H. Smith’s, C&B, Foyles and
February, 1894. This was won by George John Menzies!
Gossip, who was a perennial back marker in
Endings for Experts

Nick Pert
nickpert@hotmail.com
This month and next I W________W
shall be giving games from
the UK scene, so put away
[WDWDkDWD]
all those repetitive opening [DWDbDWDp]
manuals and join me in the [WGWDWDWD]
fun! (Sounds a bit like Ray
Keene in The Times.-Ed.)
[DWDW)WDW]
[WDWDBDWD]
[DW4W0W)W]
JJ Cox [WDWDWDK)]
D Smerdon [DWDWDWDW]
4NCL, 2011/12
English A13
W--------W
48…Îb3?!
[Pert]
48…e2! 49 Êf2 Íb5 threatening Îc1–f1
followed by queening 50 Ía5. Attempting
1 c4 e6 2 g3 d5 3 Ìf3 Ìf6 4 Íg2 dxc4 5 Ìa3 to defend with Íe1 50…e1Ë+! 51 Êxe1
Ëd5 6 0–0 Ìbd7 7 Ëa4 c6 8 Ëxc4 Íxa3 9 Îe3+ and Black wins.
Ëxd5 cxd5 10 bxa3 b6 11 a4 Ìe4 12 Íb2 0– 49 Íc5 Íb5?!
0 13 d3 Ìec5 14 a5 Ía6 15 axb6 axb6 16 It’s still not too late to play Îc3 and re-
Ìe5 Íb5 17 Ìxd7 Íxd7 18 Îfb1 Îa6 19 turn to the previous position.
Íc3 Îc8 20 Íb4 Îa7 21 Îc1 Îac7 22 Êf1 f5 50 Íxh7!
23 Íd2 Êf7 24 Íe3 Ìa4 25 Îxc7 Îxc7 26 Not only winning a pawn but also giving
Êe1 Îc2 27 Êd1 Îb2 28 Íd4 Îb4 29 Íe5 White the option of Íg6+ and removing the
d4 30 Êe1 Ìc3 31 Îc1 Ìxa2 32 Îc7 Êe8 33 bishop from the e file where it can be lost in
Íxg7 Ìc3 34 f4 Îb2 35 Íf3 Îb4 36 Îc4 some variations.
Îb1+ 37 Êf2 Ìd1+ 38 Êg2 Ìe3+ 39 Êh3 50…e2 51 Íg6+!
Ìxc4 40 dxc4 Îd1 41 e3 Îd3 42 Íxd4 Îb3 51 Íf2? does not work so well because
43 c5 e5 44 fxe5 f4+ 45 Êg2 bxc5 46 Íxc5 of 51…Íc6+ 52 Êg1 and White is in a pre-
fxe3 47 Íe4 Îc3 48 Íb6 carious position trying to stop the pawn
John Cox and David Smerdon had been queening and facing back rank threats.
fighting out a complicated ending, and 51…Êd8?
David was getting on top. However, at the 51…Êd7 52 Íf5+ Êc7! is the way to go
crucial moment, the Australian let slip his and now the bishop cannot get to a5
advantage. (52…Êc6 53 Íf2 would prevent Íc6+ for the
time being) and so give White more time to he is playing against Ameet Ghasi, a very
organise his defences. talented player who has been quiet on the
52 Íb6+! chess scene for the last few years. This game
Fantastic defence by Cox, using all avail- was an example of the high standard of play
able resources. in Richard's games this season.
52…Êe7 53 Ía5 Îe3 54 Íe1! W________W
54 Êf2? falls for a trap 54…e1Ë+ 55
Íxe1 Îe2+ 56 Êf1 Îxe5+ 57 Êf2 Îe2+ 58
[WDW4WDWD]
Êf1 Îe6+ 59 Êf2 Îxg6–+ [DWDWDWDW]
54…Îxe5 55 Êf2 [W$W0WDkD]
55 g4! Êf6 56 Íf5 Looks like a more
solid defence.
[DWhPDN0b]
55…Êf6 56 Íc2 Êg5 [pDPDpDWD]
56…Êe6 Maybe Black should try and [)WDWDWDB]
come in down the queenside as he will have
little joy on the kingside.
[WDWDWDW)]
57 Êf3 Îe8 58 h4+ Êh6 59 g4 Îd8 60 Íf5 [DWDWDWDK]
Îd1 61 Êf2 Îd4 62 Êe3 Îd1 63 Êf2 Íc4 64 W--------W
Íe4 Îd4 65 Êe3, ½–½. 37…g4
Overall, an excellent defensive display The complications begin, as Black
from John Cox to hold the draw from a diffi- threatens to win a piece.
cult position against a strong GM. 38 Ìxd6 Êg5
38…gxh3 39 Ìb7+ would win the rook
on d8, although even this variation is not
AK Ghasi
totally clear-cut.
RJD Palliser
4NCL, 2011/12 W________W
Symmetrical English A37 [WDW4WDWD]
[Pert]
[DWDWDWDW]
[W$WHWDwD]
1 Ìf3 c5 2 g3 Ìc6 3 Íg2 e5 4 c4 g6 5 Ìc3
Íg7 6 0–0 Ìge7 7 d3 0–0 8 Îb1 d6 9 a3 a5
[DWhPDwib]
10 Íd2 Îb8 11 Ìe1 Íe6 12 Ìd5 b5 13 b3 [pDPDpDpD]
h6 14 Ìc2 f5 15 f4 exf4 16 gxf4 Íf7 17 Êh1 [)WDWDWDB]
bxc4 18 bxc4 a4 19 Íc3 Ìxd5 20 Íxg7
Êxg7 21 cxd5 Ìa5 22 Îxb8 Ëxb8 23 Ëa1+
[WDWDWDW)]
Êh7 24 Îb1 Ìb3 25 Ëc3 Ëd8 26 e4 Îe8 27 [DWDWDWDK]
Îf1 c4 28 dxc4 fxe4 29 Ìe3 Ëh4 30 Ëb4 W--------W
Ìc5 31 Ëb6 Ëd8 32 Ëxd8 Îxd8 33 Îb1 g5 39 Íf1 g3!?
34 fxg5 hxg5 35 Îb6 Íh5 36 Íh3 Êg6 37 This game is a great example of Black
Ìf5 fighting for activity, with material being less
Richard Palliser had a tremendous 4NCL significant. Kasparov, in his prime, would
season, securing a GM norm. In this game often play in this vein.
40 hxg3 e3 41 g4 Îh8+ (51…Îd8 52 Íc6 Êg3 53 Êg1 Ìd3 54

White tries to fight fire with fire. As Íxa4 Ìc5 looks drawn) 52 Êg1 Ìxg2 53
Black cannot capture on g4 with the bishop Êxg2 Îd8 leaves Black better although a
due to the fork Ìf7+, White is hoping that draw is most likely.
after Êxg4 he can swap-off Black's danger- 51…Êg3 52 d7 Îd8 53 Íh3
ous bishop with Íe2+. Desperation. 53 c6 Êf2 leads to mate.
41...Îf8! 53…Ìxh3 54 c6 Îf8 55 Ìe3 Îf2 0-1
A strong move, Palliser lets his strong e3 And White cannot stop mate. An excel-
pawn go in order to maximise his piece lent attacking endgame from Palliser - and
activity. good defensive play from Ghasi - but both
42 Ìf5 Êxg4! 43 Ìxe3+ players had slight slips in the complications.
43 Íe2+? does not work now 43…Êxf5
44 Íxh5 Îh8–+
KC Arkell
43…Êf3 44 Ìc2 Êf2 45 Íh3 Íg4?
N Berry
Palliser sets a trap; however, the simple
4NCL, 2011/12
…Îh8 looks strongest. 45…Îh8 threatening
QGD, Exchange D35
…Íg4 46 Îf6+ Íf3+ 47 Êh2 Ìe4 ~ threat-
[Pert]
ening Ìxf6 and Ìg5 ~ 48 Îg6 Ìd2 ~
threatening Ìf1 ~ 49 Îg1 Íxd5 and White
can't defend against multiple threats e.g. 1 Ìf3 Ìf6 2 c4 e6 3 Ìc3 d5 4 d4 Íe7 5 cxd5
Ìf3, Ìf1, Îxh3+. exd5 6 Íg5 c6 7 e3 Íf5 8 Íxf6 Íxf6 9 Íd3
46 Îh6! Êg3! Íxd3 10 Ëxd3 0–0 11 b4 a6 12 0–0 Ìd7 13
Palliser starts to create mating threats a4 Ìb6 14 Îfc1 Íe7 15 b5 axb5 16 axb5
on the other rank. Ìc4 17 Ìd2 Ìxd2 18 Ëxd2 Îxa1 19 Îxa1
W________W Íb4 20 Ëb2 Íxc3 21 Ëxc3 Ëd7 22 Ëb4 h5
23 h3 Îc8 24 bxc6 bxc6 25 Ëc5 Ëf5 26 Îc1
[WDWDW4WD] Ëe6 27 Ëb6 g6 28 Ëa6 Îc7 29 Îb1 Ëc8 30
[DWDWDWDW] Ëa5 Êg7 31 Îc1 Êg8 32 Ëa4 Ëd7 33 Îc5
[WDWDWDW$] Êg7 34 Ëc2 Ëe6 35 Îa5 Îc8 36 Îa6 Ëd6 37
h4 Êg8 38 g3 Êg7 39 Ëb3 Êg8 40 Îb6 Îa8
[DWhPDWDW] 41 Ëc3 Îc8 42 Ëa5 Ëe6 43 Îb7 Ëf5 44 Ëa3
[pDPDWDbD] Îe8 45 Ëa4 Îc8 46 Ëa3 Îe8 47 Ëa6 Îc8 48
[)WDWDWiB] Îb6 Ëd7 49 Îb1 Ëe8 50 Ëb7 Êg7 51 Îc1
[WDNDWDWD] Êg8 52 Ëa6 Êg7 53 Ëa4 Êg8 54 Ëc2 Êg7
55 Îb1 Ëe6 56 Îb7 Êg8 57 Ëc5 Îa8 58 Îb1
[DWDWDWDK] Ëf5 59 Îf1 Îa6 60 Ëe7 Îa8 61 Ëd6 Ëc2 62
W--------W Ëf6 Îb8 63 Êg2 Îa8 64 Îe1 Ëe4+ 65 Êg1
47 Íg2 Îe8 48 Îg6 Ìd3 Ëc2 66 Ëe5 Îa2 67 Îf1 Êh7 68 Ëf4 Êg7 69
The knight now enters the attack. Ëe5+ Êh7 70 Ëf4 Êg7 71 Ëe5+ Êh7 72
49 d6 Ìf4 50 Îxg4+! Ëf6 Êg8 73 Ëg5 Êg7 74 Êh2 Ëe2 75 Êg2
The best defensive try. Ëc2 76 Ëe5+ Êh7 77 Ëf4 Êg7 78 g4 hxg4
50…Êxg4 51 c5?? 79 Ëxg4 Îa8 80 h5 Îe8 81 hxg6 Ëxg6 82
White has no time for this move. 51 d7 Ëxg6+ Êxg6 83 Êf3 Êf5 84 Îh1 Îe6 85
Îh8 Îf6 86 Îe8 Îe6 87 Îf8 Îf6 88 Îe8 Îe6 Black cannot defend successfully against the
89 Îc8 Îf6 90 Êe2 Îe6 91 Îc7 f6 92 Êd3 threat of Îh7-h8) 113 Êe5! and White can
Êg4 93 Êe2 Êf5 94 f3 Îd6 95 Êd3 Îe6 96 use the Black f-pawn as a shelter from rook
Îc8 Êg5 97 Îg8+ Êf5 98 Îg1 Îd6 99 Îh1 checks, allowing White to win. 113…f4 If the
Êe6 100 Îc1 Êd7 101 e4 Îe6 102 Îa1 Îe8 f-pawn was off the board Black could draw
103 Êe3 dxe4 104 fxe4 f5 105 Îa7+ Êe6 with …Êd8 when Êf6 could be answered by
106 e5 c5 107 Îa6+ Êd7 108 Îd6+ Êc7 109 Îf1+, so Black tries to sacrifice the pawn! 114
Êf4 cxd4 110 Îxd4 Êf6! f3 115 Îf4 Êd8 116 Êf7. Now the Berry
The final weekend of the 4NCL featured king cannot get in front of the pawn
many exciting endgames. This one was a 116…Îe1 117 Îxf3 Îe2 118 Îd3+ Êc7 119 e7
tough battle between endgame expert, GM Îf2+ 120 Êe8 Îf1 121 Îc3+ Êb7 122 Îc4!
Keith Arkell, and one of Scotland's top play- This is a standard winning technique, White
ers for many years, Neil Berry. Berry had ‘builds the bridge’. Keeping the Black king
been slightly worse all game, nursing the cut off, White moves his rook to the fourth
type which can be very tiring to defend. We rank where it cannot be attacked by the king,
pick up the action on move 110, with both and White will be able to use the rook to
sides down to a rook and pawn each, but block Black's checks 122…Êb6 123 Êd7 Îd1+
White very much with the upper hand. 124 Êe6 Îe1+ 125 Êd6 Îd1+ 126 Êe5 Îe1+
W________W 127 Îe4 and White wins.
111…Îd8! 112 Îa4 Êd7 113 Êxf5
[WDWDrDWD]
[DWiWDWDW] W________W
[WDWDWDWD] [WDW4WDWD]
[DWDW)pDW] [DWDkDWDW]
[WDW$WIWD] [WDWDWDWD]
[DWDWDWDW] [DWDW)KDW]
[WDWDWDWD] [RDWDWDWD]
[DWDWDWDW] [DWDWDWDW]
W--------W [WDWDWDWD]
110…Îf8? [DWDWDWDW]
Black can draw with …Îd8 when a rook W--------W
exchange would lead to a drawn king and 113...Îb8??
pawn endgame: 110…Îd8 111 Îa4 Êd7 112 The final mistake, Black can draw with
Êxf5 Îf8+= …Îf8+. Now Keith shows his technique to
111 Êg5? clinch the win.
111 e6! In rook endings, when you can 114 Îa7+ Êe8 115 Êf6! Îb1 116 Îa8+!
advance either the king or pawn, it is almost Forcing the king out from in front of the
always advisable to advance the pawn first as pawn in unfavourable circumstances.
this restricts your opponent’s options; 116…Êd7 117 e6+ Êd6 118 Îd8+ Êc7 119
111…Îd8 112 Îa4 Îd1 (112…Êd6 113 Îa6+ e7 1-0
Êe7 114 Êe5 f4 115 Îa7+ Êe8 116 Êf6! and Black cannot stop the queening.
Games Department
Andrew Martin
a.martin2007@yahoo.co.uk
is more combative. Black concentrates on

S Movsesian queenside counterplay via the c file and the
M Perunovic possible occupation of c4: 11 Íe3 Ì8d7 12
European Cham- Ëd2 Ëc7 (12…a5 is unclear) 13 0–0–0 0–0–0
pionship, 2012 14 f4 g6 15 Îhf1 Ìc4 16 Íxc4 Íxc4 17 Ìd5
Sicilian Najdorf B92 Íxd5 18 Ëxd5± ; A Iwanow-J Zawadzka,
[Martin]
Warsaw, 2012, draw in 32. 8…b5 9 g5 Ìfd7
10 Îg1 Íb7 11 Íe3 0–0 12 Ëd2 Ëc7 13 h4
Ìb6 14 Ìa5 Ìc4 15 Íxc4 bxc4 16 Ìxb7
1 e4 c5 2 Ìf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Ìxd4 Ìf6 5 Ëxb7 17 Ìd5±; K Istvanovszky-G Takacs,
Ìc3 a6 6 Íe2 e5 7 Ìb3 Íe7 8 g4!? Hungary, 2012.
The battle for the d5 square starts in 9 Íe3
earnest. The advance g2-g4 is very common 9 f4 Ìc6! gives Black plenty of counter-
in this type of position and it is certainly play, but this logical move has been unjus-
dangerous in this specific instance. Black tifiably ignored in favour of 9…b5 in recent
does not need to take a time out with 8…h6 games; 10 f5 (10 0–0 exf4 11 Íxf4 0–0 12
to slow down White's plan, but feels that he h3 Íe6 13 Ëd2 Îc8) 10…a5 11 a4 Ìb4 12
has to. Íe3 (12 0–0 0–0 13 Íf3 Íd7 14 Ëe2 Íc6)
W________W 12…d5.
9…Íe6
[rhb1kDW4] The interpolation of 9…a5! 10 a4 seems
[DpDWgp0p] to favour Black, as he can now plant a
[pDW0WhWD] knight on b4. The efficiency of this method
[DWDW0WDW] can be seen after 10…Ìc6 11 Îg1 Íe6 12
Íf3 Ìb4 13 Ëe2 Îc8 14 0–0–0 Íc4; S
[WDWDPDPD] Halili-A Bach, Plovdiv, 2012 when Black held
[DNHWDWDW] the initiative and the advantage; drawn in
[P)PDB)W)] 48.
10 Íf3 Ìbd7 11 Ëe2 Îc8
[$WGQIWDR] 11…Ìb6 12 0–0–0 Ìc4 Black places a
W--------W higher priority on taking the bishop on e3
8…h6! than occupying the c-file. This appears to
There are alternatives, but recent evi- be a very good way of treating the position:
dence suggests that Black's defensive task is 13 h4 Ìd7 14 h5 Ìxe3 15 fxe3 b5 16 Ìd5
not at all easy: 8…Íe6 9 g5 Ìfd7 10 h4 Ìb6 Íg5 17 Êb1 0–0 18 Ìd2 Ìb6 19 Ìf1 Ìc4
20 Ìg3 Íxd5 21 exd5 Ìxe3 & Black is bet- Now White is crawling all over his op-
ter. A second Black knight appears on e3, ponent. It seems to me that Perunovic never
spelling difficulties for White: 22 Îd3 Ëb6 really enjoyed playing this position.
23 Íe4 Îfc8 24 c3 Îab8 25 Îe1 Ìc4 26 a3 21…Íxh4
a5 27 Êa2 b4 ~ The classical attacking W________W
pawn lever, leaving White lost ~ 28 cxb4
axb4 29 Íf5 Îc7 30 Îb3 Ìd2 31 Íd3 Ìxb3
[qDrDkDW4]
32 Ëe4 Ìc1+; 0–1 N Nestorovic-B Dastan, [DWDnDp0n]
Skopje, 2012. A very nice and thematic win [pDN$bDW0]
for Black.
12 0–0–0 Ëc7 13 h4 Ëc4
[HpDW0WDW]
W________W [WDWDPDPg]
[WDrDkDW4] [DWDWGBDW]
[DpDngp0W] [P)P!W)WD]
[pDW0bhW0] [DWIWDW$W]
[DWDW0WDW] W--------W
22 Îd1
[WDqDPDP)] Surprisingly missing 22 Îxe6+! which
[DNHWGBDW] wins instantly: 22…fxe6 23 Ëd6 Ìdf8
[P)PDQ)WD] (23…Íd8 24 Ëxe6+ Êf8 25 Ëd6+ Êg8 26
Ëd5+ Êf8 27 Íc5+ Ìxc5 28 Ëxc5+ Êg8 29
[DWIRDWDR] Ëd5+ Êf8 30 Ëd6+ Êg8 31 Ëe6+ Êf8 32
W--------W Ìxe5+-) 24 g5+-
14 Îd3 22…Ìhf8 23 g5 hxg5 24 Íxg5 1–0
Exchanging queens leaves both players 8 g4 will have an intimidating effect on
with weaknesses, which is enough to call most Najdorf players if they haven't any-
the position equal: 14 Ëxc4 Îxc4 15 Îhg1 thing specific prepared. Objectively though,
h5! 16 gxh5 (16 g5 Ìg4) 16…Ìxh5 17 Íe2 Black should be fine after either 8…h6 or
Îc7 18 Íg4 Íxg4 19 Îxg4 Êf8 20 Îdg1 (20 8…Ìc6.
Ìd5 Ìhf6!) 20…g6 21 Ìd5 Îc8 22 f3.
14…b5 15 Îg1 Ìh7 16 Ìd5 Íd8
L Dominguez-Perez
The main problem for Black is that
V Ivanchuk
16...Íxd5 is met by 17 Îc3! after which
Capablanca Elite, Havana, 2012
Black cannot get to a good position:
Scandinavian B01
17…Ëxc3 (17…Ìc5 18 Ëd1! Ëxc3 19 bxc3
[Martin]
Íe6 20 Ìxc5 dxc5 21 Êb1. White is ahead)
18 bxc3 Íe6 19 g5 hxg5 20 hxg5 Îxc3 21
Êb2 Îc4 22 Îh1±. But, as the actual game Among the strongest Grandmasters, Iv-
goes, his position deteriorates move-by- anchuk has one of the widest opening rep-
move. ertoires. According to the situation and
17 Ëd2 Ëc6 18 Ìb4 Ëb7 19 Îxd6 Íe7 20 opponent, he seems willing to try almost
Ìa5 Ëa8 21 Ìbc6 anything. As I write this in the middle of a
dreary world championship match, such Íxd3?! I am not sure this is necessary
boldness and awareness that the spectators (17…Íe7! 18 Íd4 0–0 19 Ìe4 Ìd5 is un-
need to be entertained are very welcome. clear) 18 Íxd3 Íc5 19 Ìe4 Íxe3+ 20 Ëxe3
1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Ëxd5 3 Ìc3 Ëa5 4 d4 Ìf6 5 Ëb6 21 Ëxb6 axb6 22 Îxc6 Ìd5 23 Îe1
Íd2 c6 6 Íd3 Êe7 24 Ìxg5 Ìb4 25 Îc3 Îxa2 26 Íc4
One of Black's main positional ideas in Îxb2 27 Ìxf7 Êxf7 28 Íxe6+ Êf6 29 Íxd7
this entire variation is to find a good home Îd8 30 Íh3 Îd6 31 Îc7 Ìc2 32 Îe2 Îb1+
for the bishop on c8. White is playing di- 33 Êf2 Ìb4 34 Îxh7 Ìd3+ 35 Êg3 Êg6 36
rectly against this plan. Îhe7 Ìc5 37 Íg4 b5 38 Î7e5 Îc1 39 h4 b4
6…Íg4 40 Îg5+ Êh6 41 Îe8 1–0; S Azarov-S Ser-
6…Íf5?? 7 b4 gienko, St Petersburg, 2011. After 10 Ìcd5
7 f3 Íh5 8 Ìge2 Ìbd7 9 Ìf4 Íg6 Ëd8 11 Ìxf6+ Ìxf6 12 Ìxg6 hxg6 13 c3
W________W White has faint edge.
10…hxg6 11 Ëe2 e6
[rDWDkgW4]
[0pDn0p0p] W________W
[WDpDWhbD] [rDWDkgW4]
[1WDWDWDW] [0pDnDp0W]
[WDW)WHWD] [WDpDphpD]
[DWHBDPDW] [1WDWDWDW]
[P)PGWDP)] [WDW)WDWD]
[$WDQIWDR] [DWHBDPDW]
W--------W [P)PGQDP)]
10 Ìxg6 [$WDWIWDR]
Straightforward, but I am not sure that W--------W
this natural capture gives any advantage 12 Ìe4 N
whatsoever. Other moves have been tried A new move, according to Chessbase,
recently: 10 Íc4 Ëb6 11 Ëe2!? Íxc2 but not exactly innovative. White has oth-
(11…Ëxd4 12 0–0–0 Ëe5 13 Ëf2 e6 14 erwise castled long: 12 0–0–0 0–0–0 13
Îhe1 Ëc5 15 Íe3 Ëa5 leaves Black pretty Êb1 Ëb6 14 Ëf2 Ìd5 15 Ìxd5 cxd5 16 c3
solid, unless White can sacrifice on e6. Let's Ìe5 17 Ëe2 Ìxd3 18 Ëxd3 Ëc7 19 g3 Ëc4
take a look: 16 Ìxe6 (16 Íxe6 fxe6 17 20 Ëxc4+ dxc4 21 h4 Íe7 22 Íg5 Íxg5 23
Ìxe6 Êf7 18 Ëe2 Ëa6–+) 16…fxe6 17 Íxe6 hxg5 Îh5 24 Îxh5 gxh5 25 Îh1 g6 26 f4
0–0–0 There seems no way to augment the Êc7 27 Êc2 Êc6 & Black is a little better; B
pressure: 18 Íxa7 (18 Ëg3 Íb4 19 Íd4 Guettinger-B Kappe, Germany, 2010.
Îhe8 20 Êb1 Îxe6 21 Îxe6 Íf7) 18…c5) 12 12…Íb4!
Îc1 Íf5 13 d5 ~ An attempt to blow Black Encouraging White to play c2-c3 is use-
out of the water before he castles, which is ful to Black in that it slows up the thought
successful in our featured game, but Black of castling long.
appears to defend adequately. 13…g5 14 13 c3 Íe7 14 g3 Ìxe4 15 fxe4 Íg5 16 0–0
Íe3 Ëa5 15 dxc6 bxc6 16 Ìd3 e6 17 0–0 Íxd2 17 Ëxd2 c5 18 Ëf2 0–0 19 e5
This is about the best White could do; a Êh1 g5! followed by Ëxe5 and …g4) 31…Îd2
small and non-threatening edge. Black's 32 Ëf3 Ëxb4 33 c6 Ëc5+ 34 Êh1 Îc2 35
task now is to find scope for his knight. Îd3 Îxd3 36 Ëxd3 Ëxc6+ and White's ex-
19…Îad8 20 Íe4 cxd4 21 cxd4 Ìb8! 22 posed king will lead to his demise.
Îad1 Ìc6 23 Îd3 Ëb6 24 Îfd1 Îd7 25 Îb3 30 Îa4 c5!
Ëa6 26 Îa3 Ëb5 W________W
W________W [WDW4WDkD]
[WDWDW4kD] [0WDrDW0W]
[0pDrDp0W] [WDWDpDpD]
[WDnDpDpD] [Dq0W)pDW]
[DqDW)WDW] [RDW)WDWD]
[WDW)BDWD] [DPDWDW)W]
[$WDWDW)W] [PDWDW!W)]
[P)WDW!W)] [DWDWDRIW]
[DWDRDWIW] W--------W
W--------W 31 dxc5
White is trying hard to get something, 31 Îd1 is equally fruitless: 31…Ëb6 32
but Black is very comfortable. Ëc2 Îxd4 33 Îaxd4 cxd4 34 Îd3 Ëa5 at-
27 Íxc6 bxc6 28 Îf1 f5 29 b3? tacking e5 35 Ëe2 g5–+.
A very odd move, cutting the rook on a3 31…Îd2 32 Ëf3 Ëxc5+ 33 Êh1 Ëc2
off from his colleagues. 29 Îc1 Îfd8 30 Îb3 Once Ivanchuk starts hitting you, you
Ëd5 31 Ëe3 is more natural and approxi- stay hit!
mately equal. W________W
W________W [WDW4WDkD]
[WDWDW4kD] [0WDWDW0W]
[0WDrDW0W] [WDWDpDpD]
[WDpDpDpD] [DWDW)pDW]
[DqDW)pDW] [RDWDWDWD]
[WDW)WDWD] [DPDWDQ)W]
[$PDWDW)W] [PDq4WDW)]
[PDWDW!W)] [DWDWDRDK]
[DWDWDRIW] W--------W
W--------W 34 Îc4 Ëxa2 35 Îh4 g5 36 Îh5 g4 37 Ëc6
29…Îfd8 Ëxb3 38 Îg5 Îd1 0-1
Black could also have played 29…c5 im- The Centre-Counter is still very much in
mediately with similar results, e.g. 30 dxc5? business and games like this one show that
Îfd8! 31 b4 (31 Îa4 Îd2 32 Ëf3 Ëxc5+ 33 it cannot be brutalised.
News from the British Isles

4NCL. The Four Nations Chess League final weekend took place over 5th-7th May.
Division One Championships

P W D L GP Pts
Wood Green Hilsmark I 7 7 0 0 43 14
Guildford I 7 4 1 2 35.5 9
White Rose I 7 4 0 3 30 8
Cheddleton I 7 4 0 3 26.5 8
Barbican 4NCL I 7 3 1 3 28 7
Jutes of Kent 7 2 1 4 23 5
Barbican 4NCL II 7 0 3 4 21 3
e2e4.org.uk I 7 1 0 6 17 2
Division One, Demotion Pool: Cam- Championship of Wales, 6th-9th April. 1st=
bridge University I 14/14, Wood Green TJ Kett, RS Jones both 5.5/7; 3rd= SP Zeidler
Hilsmark II 10, Guidlford II 9, Blackthorne & T Brown 5.
Russia 7, Oxford I 7, The AD’s 6, Bristol I 2,
Anglian Avengers I 1. Diary. Forthcoming weekender in Somerset:
Division Two, Promotion Pool: AMCA Millfield School, Butleigh Road, Street.
Dragons 12/14, Warwickshire Select I 10, matthewturner@millfieldprep.com.
South West Dragons 9, Sambuca Sharks 9, Open/U150/120. 14th-15th May.
Pandora’s Box Grantham 8, White Rose II 4,
King’s Head 3, Poisoned Pawns 1. Frome Congress, 11th-13th May, drew 155
Division Two, Demotion Pool: Barbican players:
Youth 12/14, Spirit of Atticus 11 … 8 teams. Open 1st= PV Byway, O Gill & GP Morris all
Division Three: e2e4.org.uk II 18, KJCA 4/5. U170 1st IP Ponter 4.5/5. U140 1st PD
Kings 17, North East England 17, Wessex 16, Dimond 5/5. U115 1st= DG Woodruff, SJ
Hackney … 44 teams. Crockett & WM Curry all 4.5/5.
Amersham. e2e4 Congress, 19th-20th May. Great Yarmouth. 28th-29th April. Open 1st
Open 1st ML Hebden (beat Arkell in the last RJD Tozer 4/5; 2nd= E Matthewson, L Hill,
round) 4.5/5; 2nd= J Hawkins & RS Jones TPD Chapman, DJ Spence & RJ Ilett all 3.5 …
both 4; 4th= MJ Wadsworth ... 37 played. 28 players competed, including Robert Bel-
U170 1st PK Tart 4.5/5 ... 31 players. U140 lin, who withdrew on 2.5/3. U165 1st KR
1st= L Osiyemi (NGR) & M Subrmaniam Shaw 4.5/5 … 25 competed. U130 1st AD
both 4.5/5 ... 45 players. Bell 4.5/5; 2nd ZP Vane 4 … 24 ran.
Cardiff. The Welsh capital welcomed the Huddersfield Rapidplay, 29th April, drew 72
players to celebrate the anniversary of the Merseyside League. Div I: Atticus I 22, Aig-
founding of the local club in 1852. burth I 22, Widnes I 21 … 8 teams. Div II:
Mark Hebden took the £1,000 prize with Atticus III 23 … 8 teams. Div III: Southport I
six straight wins. Grading prizes were 18 … 7 teams.
awarded to: A Longson, M Gruca, D Keddie,
D Firth, DJ Tooley, T Hilton, K Winter, D Nottingham Congress. 21st-22nd April.
Boulden, G Clarke, D Hubbert, S Firth & V Open 1st ML Hebden 4.5/5; 2nd= AR
Orlic. Under 20 age prizes went to Mitchell Jaunooby & J Burnett both 4 … 35 played.
Burke and Steve Jones. See yorkshire- U165 1st S Hunter 4.5/5 … 45 players. U135
chess.org/huddersfield-rapidplay. 1st MJ Harper 4.5/5 … 47 competitors. U110
1st PG Broderick 4.5/5 … 40 played.
Lanarkshire League, Scotland. A big turn-
around with last year’s winners finishing Prestwick Airport Congress, Scotland. 4th-6th
way down the table: Div I: Crowwood 8/9; May. Open 1st S Sulskis (LTU) 4.5/5; 2nd= S
E Kilbride 7.5 … 10 teams. Div II: Lanark B Burns-Mannion & C Allor (NGR) both 4; 4th=
9.5/10 … 6 teams. Elaine Bamber, PM Jamieson ... 36 competi-
tors. Major 1st C Sykes 4.5/5 ... 41 ran. Minor
London League, 2011/12: Div I Wood Green 1st R Copeland 4.5/5 ... 46 played.
(defending champs) 11/11; Drunken
Knights 9; Cavendish I 7; Athenaeum I 6 … 101st Richmond Rapidplay, 20th May, Open:
12 teams. Div II Wimbledon I 11/12 … 13 1st A Cherniaev (RUS) 6/6; 2nd= J Rado-
teams. Div III Greater London 11/12 … 13 vanovic, N Rizvi, IL Snape & IC Ward all 4 …
teams. Div IV Imperial College 10.5/12 … 21 high-flyers. U170: 1st J Singh 5.5/6 … 21
13 teams. Div Major Hammersmith played. U135 1st= I Ivanov & R Meikle-
11.5/14 … 8 teams. Div Minor Hammer- Biggs both 5/6 … 23 played. U100 1st L Bul-
smith 10/12 … 7 teams. lock 6/6; 2nd= P Asenov, A Bates & D
O’Malia all 4 … 16 played.
London Team Rapidplay. 28th April. The
hosts took the Silver medal: the favourites, Surrey Border League. Div I: Drunken
Gold. Eight teams entered, the front run- Knights A 8/10 … 6 teams. Div II: Reading A
ners being: 1st Barbican (JJ Cox, DA Sands, 5/8 … 5 teams. Div III: Guildford D 6.5/10 …
PP Taylor, Natasha Regan, Kanwal Bhatia & 6 teams, Bell Trophy: Camberley, Haslemere
LJ Barron) 14/14; 2nd Imperial College 10; Trophy: Camberley.
3rd Athenaeum 8.
Teignmouth Rapidplay. 14th April. Open 1st
Ninety-one played in the Golders Green SJ Piper 5.5/6; 2nd= SJ Homer & EM White 5
Rapidplay on 12th May. Open: 1st= A Cher- ... 32 players. U140 1st= BR Wilkinson, A
niaev (RUS) & PJ Sowray both 5/6. U170: 1st Conway, P Pierstorff ... 38 runners. Team
I Segura 5.5/6. U145: 1st CB Nettleton 5/6. prize: Newton Abbot 12.5, Taunton Titanics
U120 1st WM Thorpe 5.5/6. D Everitt, Faye ... 13 teams. U12 1st T Finch 5.5/6; 2nd GT
Ainscow & J Kelly were amongst those col- Susevee both 5 ... 14 players but 'an absence
lecting grading prizes. of East Devon players..'. U9 prize: D Davies.
Best Girl Nandaja Narayanan.
Spot the Continuation

We present an opportunity to sharpen your tactical eye with some interesting continua-
tions. Ten positions are given, again from the games of Boris Gelfand. As always, the player
to move is indicated by (W)/(B). We thank My Most Memorable Games by Boris Gelfand (Edi-
tion Olms) for further inspiration.
Solutions on page 309.
W________W W________W
[WDWHW4Wi] [WDWDWDWD]
[DWDRDW1p] [DWDW4WDW]
[WDWDWDWD] [WDWDWDWD]
[0W!W4WDW] [DWDWDWDW]
[W0WDWhWD] [WDWDWDW0]
[DWDWDWDW] [DWDW0WDk]
[P)PDWDpD] [WDWDKDWD]
[DK$WDWDW] [DWDWDW$W]
W--------W W--------W
I. B Gelfand – P Nikolic (W) II. J Lautier – B Gelfand (B)
Munich SKA, 1994 Dos Hermanas, 1995
W________W W________W
[rhbDW4kD] [WDW4WDkD]
[0WDWDpgW] [DWDWDpDW]
[WDp!WDW0] [WDW$WDpD]
[DpDWDW0W] [DW4R0WgW]
[qDBDWDWD] [WDqDPDP0]
[DW)WHN)W] [DWDQDWDP]
[W)WDW)PD] [WDWDWDPD]
[DKDRDWDR] [DWDNDWDK]
W--------W W--------W
III. B Gelfand – T Radjabov (W) IV. S Movsesian – B Gelfand (B)
Amber Blindfold, 2007 Sigeman & Co., Malmö, 1999
W________W W________W
[WDWDWDWD] [WDWDWDWD]
[DWiWhWDW] [DWHWDW0p]
[W0WDB0W0] [PDWDpDWD]
[DPDPDWDP] [DWDWDpDW]
[WDWIWDPD] [WDWDWDWD]
[DWDWDWDW] [DRDrhkDP]
[WDWDWDWD] [W)WDWDWD]
[DWDWDWDW] [DWDWDWIW]
W--------W W--------W
V. B Gelfand – L Ljubojevic (W) VI. P Nikolic – B Gelfand (B)
Amber Blindfold, 2002 Candidates, Sarajevo, 1991
W________W W________W
[WDWDWDWD] [rDrDWDkD]
[DWDWDWDW] [Dp1Wgp0p]
[RDWDW)nD] [WDW0bhWD]
[0W)kDpGr] [0WDW0WDW]
[W0WDW0WD] [PDnDPDP)]
[DWDWDWDW] [DNHWDPDW]
[P)WDWDKD] [W)PDW!WD]
[DWDWDWDW] [DKGRDBDR]
W--------W W--------W
VII. B Gelfand – P San Segundo (W) VIII. A Motylev – B Gelfand (B)
Madrid, 1996 Russia –v- RoW, Moscow, 2002
W________W W________W
[rDWDW4Wi] [Wib4WDWD]
[DWDW$BgW] [0W1WDW4W]
[nDWDWDWD] [W0WDpDW0]
[DWDWDW0W] [DWgW)WDW]
[W1W)PDbD] [WDWDN)BD]
[0WDWDNGW] [DWDWDW)W]
[WDWDW)PD] [P)W0QDP$]
[DWDQDRIW] [DKDWDRDW]
W--------W W--------W
IX. B Gelfand – A Shirov (W) X. G Sagalchik – B Gelfand (B)
Rubinstein Memorial, 1999 USSR Jnr. Ch., Jurmala, 1985
Ask the Arbiter

Alex McFarlane
ahmcfarlane@yahoo.co.uk
ABC of the Laws of Chess opponent’s frequent absence from board

Part 1 (Bladder Control Malfunction).
Bishop: Piece religiously moved along a
A diagonal.
Adjournment: A way of artifi- Blitz: A very fast form of chess favoured by
cially halting a game to allow the young and young at heart, where
computers to establish the moves are made faster than you can think.
best moves. Now an increas- Not popular in Coventry, Cologne or Clyde-
ingly rare occurrence. bank.
Adjudication: A medieval process for decid- Blunder: A bad move usually only played
ing the outcome of a game which could not when short of time (for some this means
be completed on the night. Despite the ar- with less than 1 hour left).
chaic nature of the process our silicon Book: A term for published theory as in
friend will often be involved in the analysis “Arbiter you must give me the half point. It
and decision making process. is a book draw.”
Algebraic Notation: The official method of Brilliancy: The move that capitalises on your
recording the moves played but shunned by opponent’s mistake.
many more mature players who prefer the Bye: Given to one player if an odd number
more complex English Descriptive. in the tournament when it is scored as a
Arbiter: A failed player who now upholds win or may be requested when it is scored
the Laws. Someone more concerned with as a draw. Instruction given by arbiter to
the way a piece is moved than with the particularly obnoxious competitor.
threats it makes.
Armageddon: A play-off game in which the C
side given less time is given the advantage Capture: To take a piece. (For Scottish play-
of a draw. As a method of deciding the ers this is different from eating a sandwich
winner it is preferable to arm-wrestling. at the board.)
Attack: An assault on the opponent’s posi- Castle: Non-chess players’ name for the
tion and, occasionally, on the opponent rook. More correctly a move of the king in-
himself. volving a rook. The big building visible from
the Edinburgh Congress playing hall.
B Check: Either to announce an attack on the
BCM: Abbreviation for either ‘British Chess king, or more usually, what players don’t do
Magazine’ or medical condition explaining properly before making a move.
Checkmate: An attack on the king which ing, you do not have to adopt the heraldic
leaves it with no escape. Usually achieved at pose when making this capture.
the end of a brilliant series of moves by you Exchange: The building which ensured that
or a few lucky ones by your opponent. Also the phone call got through which cost you
a self-imposed torture by those who don’t the game.
know how to resign.
Chess Engine: Software. Can be used to cheat, F
especially if installed on a mobile phone. FIDE: The world body and provider of the
Clock: A timing device often used to provide Laws of Chess. Pronounced ‘Fee-Day’ to en-
an excuse for losing e.g. “I was winning sure that the ECF can collect Gold Member-
until he started moving quickly”. ships.
Compensation: A balance between material Fifty Move Rule: A method of claiming a
deficit and developmental advantage. What draw to ensure that neither player dies of
you claim after slipping on the floor in the boredom. It can be claimed after 50 moves
gents. without a pawn move or piece capture.
Congress: An assembly of chess players for a File: A vertical row of squares. A device used
competition except in Blackpool where it is by youngsters to remove the crosses from
called a Conference. kings.
Crosstable: The results of a tournament in Flag: Device used to indicate that a time
tabular form, often required for rating the period has been reached. A description of a
event. It is not a term used to express the player’s performance if, having started well,
feelings of the desk at which a player has they then fade badly.
left his detritus.
G
D GM: A very strong player, lesser mortals
Dispute: A disagreement between two play- claim these players have been genetically
ers, usually resolved by the arbiter who modified.
shows that both were wrong. Grade: A numerical indication of the weak-
Draw: A sucking motion on the end of a ness of a player. This is often used to assign
cigarette which is no longer allowed in players to sections in competitions. A quick
chess venues. An agreement to end hostili- look at national grading lists will prove that
ties and to share the point(s). a Welsh beginner is as good as an English
Draw Claims: These come in various forms GM.
(a) a draw claim in the last two minutes; (b)
a draw by repetition; (c) stalemate; (d) 50 H
move rule or (e) draw by perpetual. (e) does Half: A very small measure of Scotch con-
not actually exist but that doesn’t stop it sumed in the bar after a match. The usual
being claimed! points scored in a drawn match.
Hand: Only one may be used in making a
E move and pressing the clock. There is no
En Passant: A peculiar pawn move which ruling on the number of fingers which can
involves capturing a pawn which moved be used to salute your opponent’s win.
two squares as if it had moved one. In pass- To be continued next month …
Endgame Studies
Ian Watson
ian@irwatson.demon.co.uk
W________W W________W W________W
[WDWGWDWD] [WDWDNHWD] [W!WDWDWD]
[DbDWDWDW] [DWDWDWDW] [DWDWDWDW]
[WDkDWDWD] [WDWDWDPD] [WDWDWDWD]
[DWDWDWDK] [DWDWDWDk] [DWDRDWDW]
[WDWDWDWD] [WDWDWDWh] [WDWDWDWD]
[DWDWDWDW] [DWDWDWIW] [DWDWDpDW]
[WDNDWDpD] [WDWDWDWD] [WDWDWDWD]
[DWDWDWDW] [DWDWDWDW] [1WDWgKDk]
W--------W W--------W W--------W
Study A Study B Study C
Draw Win Draw
Give White’s fourth move Give White’s fifth move Give White’s third move
Have a go at three studies from the study-solving competition held in

Kiev last April. Between rounds of the European Solving Championship
2012, the competitors had the chance to take part in this informal study-
solving event. Perhaps not everyone’s idea of relaxation, but most com-
petitors chose to participate. We were given 40 minutes to solve nine stud-
ies. We didn’t have to write down the full solution; instead, we just had to
give a specific move of the solution. The setter chose which move we had to give, but chose
a move that would show we had understood the full solution. For example, in the first, you
have to give White’s fourth move. If necessary, you are allowed to set up the position and
move the pieces.
This new type of competition is the invention of Georgy Evseev. If you haven’t heard of
Georgy, shame on you! Four times winner of the World Championship for solving, most
recently in 1998, he is also currently number one in the Elo ratings for solving. There’s a
ranking system for solving, very similar to the otb system, and it has both Elo ratings and
GM/IM/FM titles. The nine studies were (relatively) simple ones, but by no means easy to
solve when you had less than five minutes for each one. Our own Jonathan Mestel – who
has a solving GM title in addition to his otb titles, and is a former World Solving Champion
– solved all nine of the studies correctly. Don’t be put off by that – the rest of us Brits were
a very long way off 100%....
The solutions are given on page 312.

Spot the Continuation Solutions

See pp. 304-305.
I. Nikolic had played 35…Îe2xe5? (whereas 35…Ëg8! 36 Ëd4 Ìe6 37 Ìxe6 Ëxe6 38 Ëd3 is
level) missing 36 Ìf7+! Êg8 (36…Ëxf7 37 Îxf7, 36…Îxf7 37 Îd8+) 37 Ìxe5 Ëf6 (37…Ëh6
38 Îg1) 38 Ìg4 (38 Îg1 removes any chances of further resistance) 38…Ëe6 39 Ëg5+ Ìg6
40 Îdd1 Êg7 41 Ëh6+ Êg8 42 Ìe3 and Nikolic resigned, 1-0.
II. “This ending is of theoretical importance” – Gelfand. 63…Îe4! (63…Êh2 64 Îg4 h3?
[64..Êh3 puts Black back on the winning path] 65 Îg8 Êh1 66 Îg3 h2 67 Îg8 Îf7 68 Êxe3
Îf1 69 Îh8!, 63…Îe6, 63…Îe5 and 63…Îe8 amount to the same thing) 64 Êf3 (64 Îg8 Îg4)
64…Êh2! 65 Îg2+ (65 Îg8 e2) 65…Êh1 66 Îe2 Îe8 67 Êg4 Êg1 68 Êf3 Îg8! 69 Îe1+ Êh2
70 Îe2+ Êh1 71 Êf4 Îg3 72 Îb2 Êg1 73 Îa2 Êf1 and Lautier resigned, 0-1.
III. 22 Îxh6! bxc4 (22…Íxh6 23 Ëg6+ Íg7 24 Îh1) 23 Îdh1! Îe8 24 Ìxg5 Íe6 25 Îxe6!
fxe6 26 Ëc7! and Radjabov resigned seeing a forced mate e.g. 26…Îf8 27 Ëe7 Îf6 28 Îh7
etc, 1-0.
IV. 36…Îxd5! 37 Îxd8+ (37 Îxg6+ Êh7) 37…Îxd8 38 Ëxc4 Îxd1+ 39 Êh2 Íf4+ 40 g3 hxg3+
41 Êg2 Îd2+ and Movsesian resigned, 0-1.
V. 57 g5! fxg5 (57…hxg5 58 h6 Ìg6 59 h7 Êd6 60 Êe4 Ìh8 61 Êf5) 58 Êe5 and the Black
knight is dominated by the bishop forcing 58…Ìc8 (58…Êd8 59 Êd6 Êe8 60 Êc7) 59 Êf6
Ìd6 60 Êg6 g4 61 Íxg4 Ìxb5 62 Êxh6 Êd6 63 Êg7 Êe7 64 h6 Ìd6 65 h7 Ìf7 66 d6+ and
Ljubojevic resigned, 1-0.
VI. 55…Îxb3! 56 a7 Îd3 57 a8=Q+ Êg3 58 Ëa1 Îd1+ 59 Ëxd1 Ìxd1 60 Ìxe6 g6 61 b4 f4!
62 Ìc5 Ìc3 63 Ìd3 g5 64 Êh2 h5 65 Êf1 Êh2 and Nikolic resigned, 0-1.
VII. Black had played the tempting 48…Îh1-h5? (whereas 48…Îh7! 49 c6 Ìe5 50 Íxf4 Ìxc6
51 Êg3 is only slightly better for White) allowing 49 f7! Îxg5+ 50 Êf2 Ìf8 51 c6 f3 52 Îa8
Ìg6 53 c7 Îg2+ 54 Êf1 and San Segundo resigned, 1-0.
VIII. 16…Ìa3+! 17 Êa2 (17 bxa3 Ëxc3 18 Íc2 Ëc7 with advantage to Black) b5! 18 g5 Ìd7
19 Ìd5 Íxd5 20 Îxd5 bxa4 21 Êxa3 () 21…axb3 22 Êxb3 a4+ 23 Êa2 a3! 24 bxa3 Ìb6 25
Îb5 Ìa4 26 Îb3 d5 27 exd5 Ìc3+ 28 Êa1 Îcb8 29 d6 Íxd6 and Motylev resigned, 0-1.
IX. 23 Îd7! - “Alexei called this a prosaic move and I have to agree with him!” – Gelfand.
(Also strong was 23 Íe6! Ëxe7 24 Íxg4 Ëxe4 25 Ìxg5) 23…Íxd7 24 Ìxg5 Ëb6 25 Íe6!
Ëxe6 (25…Íe8 26 Ëg4 Íxd4 27 Ëh4+ Êg7 28 Ëh7+ Êf6 29 e5+ Êxg5 30 Ëg7+ Íg6 31
Íh4+ Êf4 32 Ëxg6 is certain death for the Black king.) 26 Ìxe6 Íxe6 and Gelfand won in
39 moves, 1-0.
X. 33…Îxg4! 34 Ëxg4 Ía6 35 Ìxd2 (35 Îhh1 Íd3+ 36 Êa1 Íxe4 is crushing) 35…Îxd2 36
Îd1 Îxb2+ and Sagalchik resigned not wishing to see 37 Êxb2 Ía3+ 38 Êxa3 (39 Êb3 de-
lays the same mate by one move!) 39…Ëc3+ 39 Êa4 b5#, 0-1.
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
Follow us on Twitter using @BCMChess
Problem World
Christopher Jones
cjajones1@yahoo.co.uk
This month, a couple of mate in two problems, which you may find re-
warding to solve (in which case you may like to avert your gaze from the
next two paragraphs for the time being!). The contributors are leading fig-
ures from the British composing community: Colin, a former President of the
British Chess Problem Society, has for very many years edited the Problem
Album in CHESS, and John, also a former BCPS President, was a long-time
Editor of the BCM problem pages and more recently has for many years edited the BCPS
magazine, The Problemist. More details about The Problemist, and more two movers to
solve, at the BCPS website: www.theproblemist.org.
In Colin's problem, it's tempting to activate the Ía2 by playing 1 Íf7, threatening 2
Íg6#. Now 1...Ìe5 would fail to 2 Ìe7# and 1...Ìf4 to 2 g4#; but 1...Ìxg3! refutes. Perhaps
the position of those two black knights and of the so-far-unused wÎc2 might cause one to
consider the otherwise unlikely-looking 1 Íb1! This move, which carries no threat, is in fact
the excellent key. You can check out that every Black move now allows mate, e.g., 1...Ìb4 2
Îf2; 1...Ìe1 Îc5; 1...Ìe5 2 Ìe7; 1...Ìf4 g4. An extremely well-concealed battery!
John's original arises from a composing tourney set at the BCPS weekend event in
Bournemouth in April for two-movers showing half-pins. If the d7B moves, a half-pin is
what results: the thematic tries are 1 c8N+? Íxc8! (2 e8N??) and 1 e8N+? Íxe8! (2 c8N??).
So a subtler approach is called for; the key is 1 Îa5!, which threatens 2 Ìe4#. Now the d7B
can defend in a number of ways, but 1...Íc8 and 1...Íxe6 fail to 2 e8N# and 1...Íe8 to
1...c8N#. And the leading White players are put to good use in further variations: 1...Ëxa5
2.Ìb7; 1...Ëxc5 cxb8Ë; and 1...Ìf8+ exf8Ë.
Promotions both to N and to Q by both the wPs.
W________W W________W
[WDWDRHND] [WhWDWDWD]
[DWDpDW0W] [1W)b)WDK]
[WDW)WDWD] [RDpiN)nD]
[DWDWDk)W] [DWHW0PDW]
[WDWDnDWI] [WDWDWDWD]
[DWDnDW)W] [DWDWDWDW]
[BDRDWDWD] [WDWDWDBD]
[DWDWDWDW] [DWDWDWDW]
W--------W W--------W
Colin Russ J.M. Rice
Mate in Two: Original Mate in Two: Original
Book Reviews
Vishy Anand: World Chess Champion – Life and Games
by Vishy Anand and John Nunn. (GAMBIT). 544 pages. pb. www.gambitbooks.com
Viswanathan (Vishy) Anand comes from the Madras region in southern

India and is the greatest chess-player of his generation. He became famous
as a child prodigy, playing master standard chess at lightning speed, and at
18 he achieved the Grandmaster title in 1987. He contested his first world
championship match in 1995, and won the FIDE Championship in 2000. He
has been World Champion since 2007, and has won many elite-level tour-
naments throughout his long career. Grandmaster John Nunn is a three-
time World Chess Solving Champion, who is famous for the quality of his chess writing.
This book is a new expanded edition of the award-winning 1998 title Vishy Anand: My
Best Games of Chess, featuring thirty extra games from the period of Anand’s greatest suc-
cesses. The original work won the prestigious BCF ‘Book of the Year’ award. Anand selected
the new games and John Nunn wrote his annotations with equal lucidity to Anand’s own,
giving a total of 87 games from the period 1986 to 2011.
Also new are a biographical sketch by Sean Marsh and a detailed career record. At the
2011 London Chess Classic, Marsh recorded two interviews with the genial Anand and he
has drawn on this material for his 16-page appreciation of the World Champion. This in-
sightful piece focuses primarily on Anand’s incredibly difficult journey to capture the ulti-
mate title. For example, the 1991 Candidates match against Karpov represented a steep
learning curve for Anand. Losing the very close match was a pivotal historical point. To
quote Marsh: “It was a disappointment and a reminder to all that being a prodigy is one
thing, but finding that extra little something to battle one’s way to the absolute summit of
the chess world is another matter.”
Every game selected for this book has been furnished with variations and authoritative
notes. In most games at least the first ten moves are given with little or no commentary
because Anand wished to avoid becoming ‘embroiled in opening theory’. The many dia-
grams accompanying each game facilitate playing through the variations and getting back
to the game score easily. Consequently, the games are lavishly annotated with a good bal-
ance between words and moves; the emphasis being on the middlegame and endings.
Anand has been one of the world’s top players for more than two decades – establishing
his place in the hall of fame by winning the unified World Championship in 2007, and suc-
cessfully defending his title against Kramnik and Topalov. However, it’s not just his results
that make Anand special. His style of play leads to highly spectacular games, and his speed
of thought is legendary. In his youth it was not unusual for him to finish a tournament
game in just 20-30 minutes, while his opponent would be in severe time trouble. For exam-
ple, his game against the strong Czech grandmaster Ftacnik at the Biel Interzonal in 1993
was a Sicilian Najdorf involving horrendous complications, which Anand won using only
about 30-35 minutes. It is interesting that Anand states in one of his notes to this game: “In
such messy and complex positions, I think it is better not to calculate too much – the tree of
variations can get enormously dense. I prefer to wait to see what my opponent plays, and
that immediately removes a large percentage of possible branches.” Evidently, in many
cases, Anand supplements his calculating skills with superb judgment. This game won the
prestigious Best Game Prize in Informator.
In this book, Anand’s 44 opponents have been selected from the top players in the
world, and those allotted at least three games each include Karpov, Kasparov, Carlsen,
Kramnik, Ivanchuk, Topalov, Kamsky, Adams, Gelfand, J Polgar, Shirov and Bareev. I note
that in 59 of the 87 games Anand has the white pieces, with which he is particularly deadly.
Anand and Nunn have produced a high quality game collection – an excellent chess book
that is sure to provide the reader with many hours of enjoyment. Highly recommended!
Phil Hughes
the Caro-Kann: move by move by Cyrus Lakdawala (Everyman Chess).

www.everymanchess.com. US $29.95 UK £19.99. 432 pages. 53 illustrative games.
‘This new series provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By
continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions through-
out the book, the move by move format greatly encourages the learning
and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of
opening knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are de-
signed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your pro-
gress as you learn. In this book, Cyrus Lakdawala examines the Caro-Kann,
which enjoys a rich reputation. It provides an ideal blend of soundness
and dynamism, which allows Black to create counterplay from a solid platform. Lakdawala
shares his experience and knowledge of the Caro-Kann, presents a repertoire for Black and
provides answers to all the key questions.’- from the publisher’s blurb.
Systems examined: (‘in order of popularity’) 4…Ìd7, 3 e5, Panov/Botvinnik, Quasi P/B
(Houska’s ‘little brother’), Exchange, Two Knights, Fantasy, King’s Indian Attack, 2 Ìe2.
Spelling mistake: not ‘Smsylov’ but Smyslov and, I’m sorry, Capablanca against Atkins
was not a mismatch (p.9). No sign of Warren H. Goldman or 4…Íf5 or the Larsen/Bronstein.
Verdict: Beautifully printed, ideal for home students and teachers. Very ‘user friendly.’
Endgame Studies Solutions (See p. 308)

(The required moves are in bold.)
Study A: 1 Ìd4+ Êc5 2 Ìe2 Íf3+ 3 Êh4 Íxe2 4 Íg5 g1Ë 5 Íe3+ Ëxe3 stalemate.
(4...Êd4 5 Íd8 Êc5 6 Íg5 repeats.) Study B: 1 Ìg7+ Êg5 2 Ìge6+ Êh6 3 g7 Ìf5+ 4 Êg4
Ìxg7 5 Ìd4 any 6 Ìf5 mate. If 4....Ìe7, White wins slowly by bringing his king round to
attack the Black knight. So how does the solver know the main line is indeed the main line
– the required solution line? In a study, all White’s moves have to be unique – the only way
to achieve the stipulation – and in the 4....Ìe7 variation, White has a choice of winning
fifth moves. Study C: 1 Ëb2 Ëxb2 2 Îh5+ Ëh2 3 Îh4 f2 4 Îh5 and Black is in zugzwang.
(IRW)
A Unique Guest
Garry Kasparov
© www.informant1966.com/garryschoice
8 h3
8 Îg1 Black still pushes …e5. 8…e5 9 cxd5
M Paragua
cxd5; or 8 Íd2 dxc4 9 Íxc4 b5 10 Íe2 Íb7.
D Das
The dangers for White can be seen in the
New Delhi, 2012
game M Carlsen - L Aronian, Linares 2009:
QGD, Semi-Slav D45
11 e4 Íe7 12 g5 hxg5 13 Ìg5 b4 (13…c5).
[Kasparov]
8…e5 9 Íd2 0–0 10 g5 exd4 11 exd4 Îe8+
12 Íe2 hxg5 13 Ìxg5
This may not be a game between famous W________W
players, but a move like the one we are about
to see would be a unique guest even on chess
[rDb1rDkD]
Olympus. I had never seen anything like it [0pDnDp0W]
and the only qualification is that it did not [WDpgWhWD]
actually take place over the board. As so of-
ten, the brilliancy remained just off stage,
[DWDpDWHW]
but we can enjoy it just as well. [WDP)WDWD]
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Ìc3 Ìf6 4 e3 e6 5 Ìf3 [DWHWDWDP]
Ìbd7 6 Ëc2 Íd6 7 g4
The spike that took the world by storm
[P)QGB)WD]
after being introduced by Shirov in 1992. I [$WDWIWDR]
faced it first with Black against Adams that W--------W
year and was greatly surprised, but I took on 13...dxc4!? N
c4 and won quickly. After testing it against 13…Ìf8; P Svidler - B Gelfand, Melody
computers several times I took up the move: Amber, 2010.
7…h6 14 0–0–0 Ìb6 15 Îhg1 Íe6
Considered best. 7…0–0 8 g5 Ìh5 9 Íd2 Both sides have completed development
f5 10 gxf6 Ìhxf6 11 Ìg5 Ëe8 12 0–0–0 h6 and White must attack.
13 h4; A Shirov – T Thorhallsson, Reykjavik, 16 Íh5
1992; 7…dxc4 8 e4 e5 9 g5 exd4 10 Ìxd4 16 h4 is too slow.16…Ëd7 17 Ìe6 Ëe6
Ìg4 11 h3 Ìge5 & Black is slightly better; M (17…Îe6 is also fine).
Adams - GK Kasparov, Dortmund 1992. 16…Ëd7 17 Ìce4 Ìxe4?
17…Ìbd5! could lead to another fiery 20 Ìh7!

exchange, leading to a draw, 18 Ìxf7 Íxf7 This sacrifice launches the combination
19 Íxf7+ Êxf7 20 Ìxf6 Êxf6 (20…Ìxf6 21 White was planning with his 19th move.
Ëg6+ Êg8 (21…Êf8 22 Íh6) 22 Ëxf6 Îf8 23 20…Íxh7
Ëh4 is unclear) 21 Ëh7! Íf8 22 Îg6+ Êe7! The equalising 20…Ìd5 is possible here,
23 Íg5+ Êf7 24 Îg1 Îe6 25 Îxg7+ Íxg7 26 but this causes complications: 21 Îxg7+ (21
Íh6 Îe1+ 27 Îxe1 Îg8 28 Îg1 Ëxh3 29 Ìf6+ Ìxf6 22 Ëxf6 Íg6 23 Íxg6 fxg6 24
Îxg7+ Îxg7 30 Ëxg7+ Êe6=. Îxg6 Íh2 is unclear) 21…Êxg7 22 Îg1+
18 Ëxe4 Íf5 Íg6 23 Íxg6 fxg6 24 Ëh6+ Êg8 25 Îg6+
W________W Îg7 26 Ìg5 Îxg6 27 Ëxg6+ Ëg7 28 Ëe6+
Êh8 29 Ìf7+=
[rDWDrDkD]
[0pDqDp0W] W________W
[WhpgWDWD] [rDWDWDkD]
[DWDWDbHB] [0pDq4p0b]
[WDp)QDWD] [WhpgWDWD]
[DWDWDWDP] [DWDWDWDB]
[P)WGW)WD] [WDp)WDW!]
[DWIRDW$W] [DWDWDWDP]
W--------W [P)WGW)WD]
19 Ëh4? [DWIRDW$W]
Who amongst us has not let a superior W--------W
simplification pass by while chasing a bril- 21 Îxg7+ Êxg7 22 Íh6+
liant sacrificial win? 19 Íxf7+ was better, The king is lured up the board by a
but I cannot blame White for missing Black's steady diet of pieces.
spectacular defence. 19 Íxf7+ Ëxf7 20 22…Êxh6
Ìxf7 Íxe4 21 Ìxd6 Îe6 22 Ìxb7± 22…Êg8 23 Îg1+ Íg6 24 Íxg6 Îe1+
19…Îe7 (24…fxg6 25 Îxg6+ Îg7 26 Îxg7+ Ëxg7 27
W________W Íxg7 Êxg7 28 Ëg5+=; 24…Íf4+ 25 Ëxf4
fxg6 26 Ëf6 Îae8 27 Ëxg6+ Êh8 28 Ëf6+=)
[rDWDrDkD] 25 Îxe1 fxg6 26 Ëf6 Ëh7 27 Ëe6+ Êh8 28
[0pDqDp0W] Ëf6+ =
[WhpgWDWD] 23 Íxf7+?!
Remarkably, a mistake after which Black
[DWDWDbHB] should have the advantage! Again, it is un-
[WDp)QDWD] kind to chastise White for believing this is
[DWDWDWDP] completely winning and indeed, it did lead
[P)WGW)WD] to a quick mate in the game. Unfortunately,
there is no room for justice on the chess-
[DWIRDW$W] board, only truth. It is a minor tragedy that
W--------W White did not play the superior 23 Îg1. I say
“minor” because it is unlikely that Black square for the Black king. Composers will
would have found the spectacular rejoinder recognise the move as a distant relative of
considering he misses the same move in the the theme known as Mitrofanov's Deflec-
game a move later, 23 Îg1. As in the game, tion, named for the fine Russian composer
this leads to mate unless Black finds Leopold Mitrofanov's Gold Medal Study from
23…Ëg4!! 1967 (White: Êa5; pawns - a6, b5, d5, g6, h5
W________W Black: Êa7, Ìe1, Ìe5, Íd6; pawn - h2). In
the study, the queen steps in to block a
[rDWDWDWD] check on a square where she can be freely
[0pDw4pDb] captured, but so capturing removes Black's
[WhpgWDWi] ability to check on the diagonal (1 b6+ Êa8
2 g7 h1(Ë) 3 g8(Ë)+ Íb8 4 a7 Ìc6 5 dxc6
[DWDWDWDB] Ëh5+ 6 Ëg5!! Ëxg5+ 7 Êa6 Íxa7 8 c7!!
[WDp)WDq!] with inevitable mate. An unforgettable
[DWDWDWDP] masterpiece). But here the goal is more one
[P)WDW)WD] of clearance than of deflecting any of the
White pieces. It is a pity Black missed this
[DWIWDW$W] incredible resource. Not only would he have
W--------W contributed to compendiums of spectacular
I have searched my memory and my da- moves for all time but he may well have
tabase without finding a move of such star- gone on to win the game. The shock value
tling beauty. This queen of easy virtue offers alone would have been immense. Of course,
herself up to no fewer than four captures, the computer sees …Ëg4 instantly as it is
including a discovered check that leads to the only move. A less spectacular thematic
another discovered check, and yet White can precursor from master play comes from V
do no better than draw. No matter how long Topalov – J Polgar, Novgorod 1996. In similar
one looks, it seems impossible. More on this fashion White interposed the queen to cre-
sacrifice after White's 24th move, 24 Íxg4+ ate an escape path for his king: 25 Îxg4+
(24 Îxg4?? Îe1+ 25 Êd2 Íb4# This mate is Êxf7 26 Ëxh7+ Êe8 27 Îg7 Êd7 28 h4 Ìd5
the icing on a cake that is already quite 29 h5 Êc7 30 h6 Êb6 & Black is a little bet-
sweet enough! 24 Ëxg4?? Îg8–+) 24…Êg7 ter.
25 Íf5+ Íg6 26 Íxg6 fxg6 27 Ëg4 Êh8 28 25 Ëh6+ Êxf7 26 Ëxh7+ Êe6 27 Ëe4+ Íe5
Ëh4+ (28 Ëxg6 Íf4+ 29 Êc2 Îf8 30 Îg4 28 Ëe5+ Êf7 29 Ëh5+
Îh7 31 Îf4 Îf4 32 Ëe8+ Êg7=) 28…Êg7= 29 Ëf4+! Êe6 30 Îe1+ Êd5 31 Îe5+
23…Êg7 24 Îg1+ Êf8?? Êd6 32 Îf5+ Êe6 33 Ëe5#
Missing his chance for a win, or at least 29…Êf8 30 Ëh8+ Êf7 31 Ëh7+
a draw, and missing a chance of immortal- 31 Ëg7+! Êe6 32 Ëe5+ Êf7 33 Ëf4+ ~
ity. Now mate is forced and White eventu- see 29 Ëf4! ~
ally gets the job done. 31…Êe6 32 Ëe4+ Êd6 33 Ëf4+ Êd5 34
But if 24…Ëg4!! The queen steps into the Îg5+ Êe6 35 Ëe5+ Êf7 36 Ëg7+ 1–0
line of fire on an empty square where she
can be captured by three pieces, two with Thanks Josip!
check. The point is clearance of the d7 BCM in partnership with Chess Informant
The Perils of Choosing an

Opening Repertoire
JM Way
julesway68@hotmail.co.uk
Part Two – Black
In my previous article, BCM 03/12, p.148, I looked at the perils of choosing an open-
ing repertoire from White’s point of view. My approach to this issue is similar with
Black. I would recommend non-theoretical lines.
Against 1 e4 I opt for things like the Scandinavian, the Modern, the Hippopotamus,
the Alekhine and rarer lines of the Caro-Kann. I tend to avoid the Sicilian like the plague,
having lost important games in the past, notably in a Varsity match v Singh (of Cam-
bridge University) in 1989 - largely due to his superior knowledge of the opening. I am not claiming that
he wouldn’t have won anyway, but I did go wrong in a key line and this was what cost me the game.
When I resumed competitive chess a few years ago I made a conscious decision to avoid theoretical
lines. I therefore watched Andrew Martin’s excellent DVD The Scheming Scandinavian, which features a
lot of interesting material, including instructive games by the innovative grandmaster, Julian Hodgson.
The Scandinavian is a fairly rare defence in competitive chess, but please bear in mind that Anand
played it against Kasparov in a World Championship match in 1995. It is largely non-theoretical, al-
though Jovanka Houska and Christian Bauer have recently written books on the system, both of which I
would recommend. Bauer is much ‘meatier’, but Houska’s book is more accessible and covers non
…Ëa5 lines, including 2… Ìf6.
Against 1 d4 I often play the Queen’s Gambit Declined, aiming for solidity and ‘putting ten men
behind the ball’, to borrow an analogy from football. This approach secured me a draw against the
strong Scottish player, Tony Dempsey, in the 2011 Scottish Championships in Edinburgh. However,
White does have the option of a Catalan, which is hard to negotiate, but Black can hold his or her own.
An important game is Poobalasingam v Summerscale, from Coulsdon, where Aaron handles the Cata-
lan far more expertly than I did in the same tournament:
P Poobalasingam
AP Summerscale
Jessie Gilbert Memorial, 2010
Catalan E09
1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Ìf3 Ìf6 4 g3 Íe7 5 Íg2 0–0 6 0–0 c6 7 Ëc2 Ìbd7 8 Ìbd2 b6 9 e4 Íb7 10 e5 Ìe8 11
cxd5 cxd5 12 Îe1 Îc8 13 Ëd1 Ëc7 14 Íf1 Ëc2 15 Ëxc2 Îxc2 16 Ìb1 Îc8 17 Ìc3 Ìc7 18 a3 Ìb8 19 h4
h6 20 g4 Ía6 21 Íh3 Ìb5 22 Ìd1 Ìc6 23 Íe3 Ìa5 24 b4 Ìc4 25 a4 Ìba3 26 b5 Ìc2 27 Îa2 Ìxe1 28
Ìxe1 Ìxe3 29 Ìxe3 Îc1 30 Ì3c2 Íb7 31 Êg2 Íxh4 32 a5 Îb1 33 axb6 axb6 34 Îa7 Îb8 0–1
If I am feeling more adventurous against 1 d4 I might opt for a Stonewall Dutch, Modern Benoni or a
Chigorin Defence, which all lead to enterprising play. I particularly like Richard Palliser’s recent book on
the Modern Benoni, published by Everyman, in which he wisely focusses on the more fashionable lines.
Test Your Chess

IM Shaun Taulbut
shauntaulbut@aol.com
You have Black along- both score a point and lead to a closed posi-
side the Indian Interna- tion.
tional Grandmaster, Deep 6 Íd3 Ìc6
Sengupta. Your opponent 1 point. Black continues with his plan of
is Andrei Istratescu of attacking the White centre, pressurising the
Romania. Try to work out pawn on d4.
Black’s moves starting as 6…b6 scores a point.
early as move three. Take special care before 7 Ìe2
selecting moves 24, 33, 34 and 36. 7 Ìgf3 is an alternative with the inten-
Cover the page – you know the drill – tion of a gambit after 7…Ëb6 8 0–0 cxd4 9
and slide the paper down the page like a silk cxd4 Ìxd4 10 Ìxd4 Ëxd4 11 Ìf3 when
scarf as the game unfolds. And your White has good play for the pawn.
thoughts entwine. 7…cxd4
2 points; Black exchanges in order to at-
tack the front of the pawn chain with …f6
A Istratescu
since White has defended the base on d4
D Sengupta
adequately. 7…f6 scores a point and now 8
Hastings Masters, 2011/12
Ìf4 Ëe7 9 Ëh5+ Ëf7 10 exf6 gxf6 yields a
French Tarrasch C06
slight advantage to White.
[Taulbut]
8 cxd4
8…f6
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Ìd2 Ìf6 2 points for this direct line; the slower
2 points for this move. Black chooses to Leningrad, beginning 8…Ìb6, scores a point.
attack e4, inviting White to set up a pawn 9 Ìf4
chain in the centre with e5. The main alter- This sharp line forces Black to sacrifice
native is 3…c5 which also scores 2 points. 1 the exchange.
point for 3…Ìc6, 3…Íe7 or 3…dxe4. 9…Ìxd4
4 e5 2 points. The best move forcing White to
4…Ìfd7 attack on the kingside as his centre cannot
1 point. Sounder than 4…Ìe4!? 5 Ìxe4 be maintained.
dxe4 6 Íe3 with advantage to White. 10 Ëh5+
5 c3 10…Êe7
5…c5 1 point. Black has compensation for the
2 points for this important move attack- displacement of his king.
ing the white pawn chain. 5…b6 or 5…f5 11 exf6+
11…Ìxf6 19…Ëb6
2 points. Black develops quickly after 2 points. The position demands that
this move. Black plays actively.
12 Ìg6+ 20 Ëxd3
12…hxg6 20…Ëxb2
1 point 2 points. Black has some threats against
13 Ëxh8 f2 to compensate for the material deficit.
13…Êf7 21 Îd1
2 points. Black defends g6 and opens the 21 Ìb3 Íe6 still leaves White with an
diagonal for his king’s bishop. edge.
14 Ëh4 21…Ëxa2
14 0–0 e5 is another continuation. 2 points. Black now has passed pawns
14…e5 on the queenside as compensation for the
2 points. Black protects the advanced exchange. But is that enough?
knight on d4 and allows the queen’s bishop 22 h4 a5
to come into play. 2 points; Black must rush to drum up
15 Ìf3 play.
15 Ìb3 Íb4+ (15…Ìxb3 16 axb3) 16 23 Îc1
Êf1 is similar to the game. 23 Íxf6 gxf6 (23…Íxf6 24 Ìb5 Íe6 25
15…Íb4+ Ìc7 d4 26 Ìxe6 Ëxe6 with an unclear posi-
2 points. 15…Ìxf3+ also scores 2 points; tion) 24 h5 opens up the position to White's
and now 16 gxf3 Íf5 17 Íxf5 gxf5 18 Ëg5 advantage.
with a slight edge for White. 23…Ìe4
16 Êf1 2 points; the threat against f2 yields
16 Íd2 Ìxf3+ 17 gxf3 Íxd2+ 18 Êxd2 counterplay.
Ìe4+ wins the White queen; 16 Ìd2 e4 17 24 Ëe3
Íb1 Ëc7! is winning for Black. 24 Ëf3+ Êg8 25 Íe3 Íd7 with the
16…e4 threat of …Îf8.
Two points. 16…Ìxf3 17 Ëxb4 Ìd4 18 W________W
Íe3 with advantage to White.
17 Ìxd4
[rDbDWDWD]
17…exd3 [DpDWgk0W]
1 point. Black's advanced pawn can be [WDWDWDpD]
dangerous so White must play energetically.
18 Íg5
[0WDpDWGW]
With the threat, naturally, of Íxf6. 18 [WDWHnDW)]
Ìc6 is met by 18…Ëe8 19 Íe3 Íd6 20 Ìd4 [DWDW!WDW]
when White has an edge but Black is not
without counterplay. 18 Íe3 is also possible
[qDWDW)PD]
18…Íe7 [DW$WDKDR]
2 points; defending against the threat of W--------W
Íxf6 24…Ía3!
19 Ëg3 3 points; a clever move, retaining the
dark-squared bishop. tage, but Black may be able to hold with

25 Îc7+ 37…b5.
This invasion is tempting. 25 Îd1 Íc5 32…Ëb3
25…Êg8 3 points
1 point. Now Black has the edge due to the
26 g3 weakness of the White king.
26 Êg1 Ëa1+ 27 Êh2 Íd6+ 28 g3 Ëa4 is 33 Ëd1
also possible. 33…Íh3+!!
26…Íd6 5 points for this splendid attacking
Score 2 points, driving back the rook. move.
27 Îc2 34 Êh2
27…Ëa4 34 Êxh3 Ìf2+ wins the queen.
1 point defending e8 if necessary. 34…Ëxf3
28 Êg2 4 points
28…Íd7 35 Ëxd5+
1 point. Black has survived the opening 35 Êxh3 Ìf2+
with some chances. 28…Íc5 scores 2 points 35…Êh7
~ and now: 29 Îhc1 (29 Ëb3 Ëxd4 30 Íe3 1 point
a4 31 Ëa2 Ëe5 32 Íxc5 Íg4 gives Black 36 Îg1
counterplay on the kingside light squares) 36 Êxh3 Ìxg5+ 37 hxg5 Ëxd5.
29…b6 is satisfactory for Black. 36…Ìxg5!
29 Îhc1 3 points
29…Ëb4 37 Ëxe5
2 points; threatening …Íc5 37 Ëxf3 Ìxf3+ 38 Êxh3 Ìxg1+ 39 Ìxg1
30 Ëd3 a3 40 Îa2 b5 41 Ìf3 b4 42 Ìd2 Íb2 43
30…a4 Ìb3 Îc8 and wins.
2 points; pushing the pawn allows Black 37…Ëf2+
to increase the pressure. 1 point.
31 f3 38 Êh1
31…Íe5 38…Ìf3 0-1
2 points. 31…Ìxg3 scores one point 32 1 point. White cannot prevent mate
Ëxg6 Íe5 33 Ìe6 Ëd6 34 Íf6 Íxf6 35 with giving up his queen.
Ìg5 Íe8 (35…Íc6 36 Îe1 Ìe4 37 fxe4 Ëb4
38 Îe3 wins; 35…Îd8 36 Ëh7+ Êf8 37 Ëh8+ Now add up your points.
Êe7 38 Ëxd8+ Êxd8 39 Ìf7+ Êe7 40 Ìxd6 62-68 Grandmaster
Êxd6 41 Êxg3 b5 is complex) 36 Îc8 wins; 54-61 International Master
31…Ìxg5 scores 1 point 32 hxg5 Íe5 33 48-53 FIDE Master
Ìe2 Ëb3 again with a very complex posi- 38-47 National Master
tion. 28-37 County Player
32 Ìe2 18-27 Club Player
32 fxe4 Ëxd4 33 Ëxd4 Íxd4 34 Îd2 0-17 Novice
with a plus for White 34…Íf6 35 exd5 a3 36
Íxf6 gxf6 37 Îa2 gives White the advan- Email us and tell us how you scored!
Peachcroft's World
An Affair of Honour Part 1
Don Emigh
"Watch closely," said Peachcroft. "You just move the queen out
like this so that the queen and the bishop deliver mate on the
bishop two square. It's all over." He leaned back, a faint smile flick-
ering over his sallow features. Lenny looked puzzled. He reached as
though to move one of the chess pieces and said, "But what if he
moves his knight to rook . . ." Peachcroft leaned over the table and quickly pushed his
queen's pawn forward one square. The knight move was now impossible.
"That was a detail," he said. "What's important here is that you grasp the concept,
Lenny. Concepts! That's what the game is all about. As an example, we might consider the
position I obtained against the respected master, M., at the famous New York tournament
in 19__. After two hours of play M. was convinced that I was exchanging pieces merely to
draw the game. He was more than willing to fall in with this line of play since my reputa-
tion as a fierce attacking player was well known in the East."
Peachcroft's grey eyes glowed. A stray lock of black hair fell over one eye. His face took
on a Zukertort expression. "You know, I have to tell you that most of the weaker masters try
to avoid provoking the full fury of my combinational play."
Lenny was impressed, as he always was, by the recitations of this formidable player. He
sat quite still, a round-faced and inferior chap, listening for more to be said. But that
seemed to end the conversation, for Peachcroft had forgotten what he was talking about.
Now it happened in this interval of time that a youth of perhaps some sixteen years
slouched through the door. A cheery sort was he, with peachfuzz on his chin, a backward
baseball cap on his head, a ring in his nose and an oversized T-shirt lettered "Die, Loser"
hanging to his knees. Peachcroft turned his cold grey eyes in the kid's direction. "I know
him," he whispered to himself. "I know him," he said again behind clenched teeth.
"What?" asked Lenny, leaning forward. Anything Peachcroft said was meant to be heard,
he felt.
"That obnoxious, self-assertive juvenile is the new club champion. I was out of town at
the time of the tournament, otherwise I would have crushed him like a fish, and right now
the title would be mine. Oh, why was it necessary for me to be picking apples in Yakima
when I could have been at the Club, winning the championship!" "I don't know," said Lenny,
sympathetically. "Why was it?" Peachcroft ignored the question and the expression on his
face changed from a look of mournfulness to one of hard determination.
"Well, we will have this out here and now, Lenny. This place isn't big enough for both
him and me. I'm going over."
To be continued ….
Dearing’s Discoveries
Eddie Dearing
edwardjdearing@yahoo.co.uk
This issue we take a look this line. After 4 Ìc3 Íb7 5 a3 White trans-
at a dangerous White poses to the Petrosyan while avoiding
weapon versus the Nimzo- Black's most robust line of defence. A full
and Queen’s Indian, explore discussion of the Petrosyan System is be-
several potential improve- yond the scope of this article. However I add
ments over established the- some examples.
ory and even throw in a bonus game that 5 Ëc2!?
shows how you can achieve an improved 5 Íg5 is popular, although probably not
version of this system against the Bogo- too dangerous for Black; 5 Ëb3!? c5 6 a3
Indian. Ía5 7 Íg5 gained a following in the nine-
ties on account of White's chances to castle
White enters the Queen’s Indian via the long and launch an attack. Today Black has
move order 1 d4 Ìf6 2 c4 e6 3 Ìf3 b6, then comfortably resolved problems in the 5 Ëb3
invites a transposition to either (i) a Ëc2 system. The text is different: White has no
Nimzo-Indian, with the move order 4 Ìc3 aggressive intentions. 6 a3 Íxc3+ 7 Ëxc3,
Íb4 5 Ëc2!? Íb7 6 a3, or (ii) White’s more the 4 Ëc2 Nimzo-Indian.
dangerous lines in the Petrosyan Queen’s 5…Íb7 6 a3 Íxc3+ 7 Ëxc3
Indian, via the move order 4 Ìc3 Íb7 5 a3 White has now successfully transposed
(which rules out Black’s most dangerous line, to a line of the classical main line of the
3 Ìf3 b6 4 a3 Ía6!?). Capablanca Nimzo. As White could have
played the 4 Ëc2 Nimzo at move three,
what point does the elaborate move order
V Kramnik
trick serve? While the main line of the 4
J Polgar
Ëc2 Nimzo Indian is by no means bad for
Sofia MTel Masters, 2005
Black, it is also not the most difficult to face.
Queen’s Indian E32
Black achieves a solid position, a lead in
[Dearing]
development, whilst White gets the long
term advantage of the bishop pair, a slight
1 d4 Ìf6 2 c4 e6 3 Ìf3 b6 4 Ìc3 Íb4 space advantage, control of the centre. In a
4…Íb7 5 a3! reveals an important point standard Nimzo Black has far more aggres-
to White's move order. These days Black's sive options: 4…c5 or 4…d5, intending the
most persuasive response to the 4 a3 sys- sort of hyper-aggressive central counter-
tem is 4…Ía6 - an Adams favourite - that strike that I advocated for Black in Play the
scores very well for Black, and is largely re- Nimzo-Indian.
sponsible for the decline in popularity of 7…Ìe4
7…0–0 is also possible, in which case 8 e3 better. It's the type of slight advantage that
leads us back into our main game. However, can easily escalate to a decisive advantage
castling immediately gives White the option should Black make a small positional inac-
of developing the bishop to g5 and taking curacy.
the game in a different direction. The fol- 8 Ëc2 0–0 9 e3 f5 10 Íe2 d6 11 0–0 Ìd7 12
lowing games show the type of small struc- b4 Îf6!?
tural advantage that white is aiming for, W________W
and also illustrate a recent discovery that
has been causing black some headaches: 8
[rDW1WDkD]
Íg5 d6 9 Ìd2 Ìbd7 10 e3!? (10 f3 is the [0b0nDW0p]
most popular move, however recently Black [W0W0p4WD]
has found ways to neutralise White's
threats in the ensuing middlegames; the
[DWDWDpDW]
text aims for a similar middle game but [W)P)nDWD]
with the added advantage of potentially [)WDW)NDW]
being able to do without f3) 10…c5 11 dxc5
bxc5 12 Íd3!? (White attempts to develop
[WDQDB)P)]
without the aid of f3; however he can of [$WGWDRIW]
course choose to transpose back into the W--------W
main lines: 12 f3 Ëb6 13 Íd3 d5 14 0–0 h6 Black's most popular move; however,
15 Íh4 d4 16 exd4 cxd4 17 Ëc2 Îac8 18 b4 there are reasonable alternatives
Ìd5 19 c5 Ëc7 20 Ìc4 Ía6 21 Íg3 Ëd8 22 a) 12…a5 seeks to simplify the queen-
Îfe1 Ëf6 23 Ìe5 Ìxe5 24 Íxa6 Ìg6 25 side. After 13 Íb2 axb4 (13…Ìg5 14 d5
Íxc8 Îxc8 26 Ëe4 Ìc3 27 Ëb7 Îf8 28 Ëa6 Ìxf3+ 15 Íxf3 e5 16 Íe2 axb4 17 axb4
h5 29 Íd6 Îd8 30 Îac1 h4 31 h3 e5 32 Ëf1 Îxa1 18 Îxa1 b5 19 c5 Íxd5 20 cxd6 cxd6
Ëg5 33 Íxe5 Ìf4 34 Íxf4 Ëxf4 35 Ëd3 21 Íxb5 Ìf6 22 Íf1 Ëc8 23 Ëd3 Ëb7 24 b5
Ìd5 36 c6 Îc8 37 Ëe4 Ëxe4 38 Îxe4 Ìc3 Ìd7 25 Ía3 Îf6 26 Îd1 Ìb6 27 Ëc2 Íe4
39 Îxc3 dxc3 40 Îc4 Êf8 41 c7; 1–0 D 28 Ëb3+ Íd5 29 Îxd5; 1–0 A Shipov-J Kvisla,
Navara-A Moiseenko, Khanty-Mansiysk, Tromsoe 2006) 14 axb4 c5 15 Îxa8 Íxa8 16
2011) 12…a5 (12…Íxg2?! 13 Îg1 Íc6 14 Îa1 cxb4 17 Ëb3 was comfortably better for
Íh6 drops the exchange, however; 12 h6 White in L Van Wely-JH Timman, Hilversum
13 Íh4 Íxg2 14 Îg1 Íc6 15 0–0–0 is risky) 2006, again on account of the two bishops,
13 0–0 Ëb6 14 Îfd1 h6 15 Íh4 Îab8 16 space advantage and superior pawn struc-
Îab1 Îfd8 17 Íc2 Íc6 18 Íg3 Ìf8 19 Íh4 ture;
Ì8d7 20 f3 Îe8 21 Íg3 e5 22 Ìf1 d5. Note b) 12…Ëf6!? has only been played a few
that White just improves his position and times, but has held up pretty well for Black
waits. Black can liquidate the central pawn (so far, anyway). Play has continued 13 Íb2
mass. Most transformations will leave him (13 Ìe1!? with the idea of f3 and Ìd3 is also
with either hanging or isolated pawns. 23 sensible. Then 13…a5 14 f3 Ìg5 15 c5 bxc5
Íe1!? (this is a good idea; however, 23 cxd5 16 bxc5 dxc5 17 Îb1 Íd5 18 dxc5 Ëe7 19 c6
Ìxd5 24 Ëc4 Ì7f6 25 Íd3 a4 26 Îd2 Ëa5 Ìb6 20 a4 e5 21 Íb5 led to a quick draw in
27 Îc1 looks pretty good for White) 23…Îa8 Z Kozul-A Shariyazdanov, Porec 1998, how-
24 cxd5 Ìxd5 25 Ëb3 & White is slightly ever White enjoys a comfortable edge in this
position) 13…Ëh6 14 d5! Îae8 (14…e5 15 Íd5! Íxd5 (17…c6?! 18 Íxc6 Îc8 19 b5
Ìd2) 15 Ëa4! Îe7 (15…Ìdf6 16 Ëxa7! Ìg4 Ìg5?! 20 Ëxf5 Íxc6 21 bxc6 Îxc6 22 Ìh4!
17 Ëxb7 Ìg5 18 h3 Ìxh3+ 19 gxh3 Ëxh3 Îh6 ‘only move’ 23 g3 Îc5 24 Îd5 Ìe6 25
20 dxe6 Îxe6 21 Ëd5+-) 16 Ìd4 when Îfd1 Ëe8 26 Ëe4± yielded White a strong
White holds the slightly better chance but positional advantage in I Sokolov-S Kristjans-
the game remains complicated and double- son, Selfoss 2002) 18 Îxd5 Ìdf6 (18…c5 19
edged; Îxf5 Ëe7 20 Ìe5 dxe5 21 Ëxe4 Îe8 with a
c) 12…Ëe7 13 Ìd2!? (13 Ìe1 c5 14 f3 small advantage for White - Roiz) 19 Îxf5
Ìef6 15 Íd3 g6 16 Îb1 Íc6 17 Íd2 White Ëd7 20 Îf4 Îe8 21 Ìh4 Îh6 22 Ìf5 Îg6 23
is slightly better; G Grigore-M Doroshenko, Îc1! c5 24 Îd1! d5 25 bxc5 bxc5 26 Ìh4
Bucharest 1995) 13…Ëg5 14 d5 Îae8?! 15 Îh6 27 Íxf6 Îxf6 28 Îxe4 Îxe4 29 Ëxe4
f4! Ëh4 16 Ìxe4 fxe4 was S Shipov-A Gris- dxe4 30 Îxd7 g5 31 Îxa7+- M Roiz-A But-
chuk, Krasnoyarsk 2003, and now Postney, norius, Catalan Bay, 2007;
in Chessbase Magazin, suggests 17 Ëa4! Ìf6 (b) Given that Black has already ex-
18 Ëxa7 Îb8 19 dxe6 Ìg4 20 h3 with a changed his dark-squared bishop, it may
clear advantage to White; 12…c5 13 Íb2 seem sensible to close the centre with
Ëe7 14 Îad1 a5 15 Ëb3 axb4 16 axb4 Ìdf6 13…e5. However this also shuts in the b7-
17 Ìd2 Ìxd2 18 Îxd2 Ìe4 19 Îdd1 cxd4 bishop, and gives White a free hand to ex-
20 Íxd4 Ëc7 21 f3 Ìg5 22 Îa1 was agreed ploit his bishop pair.
drawn in H Steingrimsson-G Sargissian, W________W
Plovdiv, 2008, although White actually en-
joys a comfortable edge in this position.
[rDW1WDkD]
13 d5! [0b0nDW0p]
The dynamic d-pawn sacrifice is here a [W0W0pdrD]
key resource. White is compelled to go for
this, as 13 Ìe1 Îh6 14 g3 Ëg5 15 f4 Ëg6 16
[DWDPDpDW]
Íf3 Ìdf6! 17 Ëg2 Ìg4! is good for Black. [W)PdnDWD]
13…Îg6 [)WDW)NDW]
The most common response; however
Black has alternatives:
[WDQDB)P)]
(a) Accepting the pawn with 13…exd5 [$WGWDRIW]
tends to give White the easier game; for W--------W
example 14 Íb2 Îg6 (14…Îh6!? has been 14 Ìd4!
endorsed by GM Golod on the basis that 15 The more obvious 14 dxe6 is known to
cxd5 Íxd5 16 Îad1 Íe6 is slightly better be bad on account of 14…Ìf8!
for Black; however taking this analysis a 14…Ëg5
steps further, we can see that (16…c6 17 One of Black's more recent attempts in
Ìd4 Ëh4 18 h3 Îg6 19 Ìxf5 Ëg5 20 Íg4±) this position. Previously 14…exd5 had been
17 Ìd4! Ëh4 18 h3 Ìf8 19 Íc4!? Ëh5 20 played with poor results.
Ìxe6 Ìxe6 21 Íd5 Îc8 22 f4! Ëe8 23 Íxe4 15 g3 exd5
fxe4 24 Ëc4! b5 (24…Êh8? 25 f5! Ìg5 26 f6! (a) 15…Ìf8 is Kramnik's suggestion; how-
is killing) 25 Ëxe4 is actually very good for ever, taking this analysis a step further 16
White) 15 Îad1 dxc4 16 Íxc4+ Êh8 17 Íb2 a5 17 Íd3 Ëh5 18 Îab1!? exd5 19
cxd5 Íxd5 20 Ìxf5 Ëxf5 21 f3 Ëg5 22 fxe4 21 Îa2!

Ëxe3+ 23 Êh1 Íe6 24 Îbe1 Ëg5 25 e5 is Kramnik takes time out to simultane-
better for White. ously develop the a1–rook and bolster his
(b) 15…Ìe5!?, instigating an ambitious kingside defences. Instead, 21 f4 runs into
sacrifice, may be actually Black's best e.g. 21…Ëxg3+! 22 hxg3 Îxg3+ 23 Êh1 Îh3+ 24
after 16 Ìxe6 Îxe6! 17 dxe6 Ëg6 (intending Êg1 when Black escapes with a perpetual
18…Ìg5) 18 Ëb3 Ìg5 19 e4 f4 20 f3 Ìxe6 21 check (analysis by Postney in Chessbase
Êg2 Êh8 22 Íb2 fxg3 23 hxg3 Ìf4+ 24 Êf2 Magazin).
Ìh3+ 25 Êg2 Ìf4+ 26 Êf2; draw agreed; A 21…Îf8 22 f4 Ëg4 23 Ëe7! Îg8 24 Îg2!
Drozdovskij-A Grischuk, Odessa, 2007. Ìd3 25 Ëxa7
16 cxd5 Íxd5 Having secured the kingside White can
W________W round up Black's queenside pawns.
25…h5 26 Ëa6 Ìxc1 27 Îxc1 h4 28 Ëe2
[rDWDWDkD] Ëxe2 29 Îxe2 hxg3 30 Ìxf5 gxh2+ 31 Êh1
[0W0nDW0p] Îg1+ 32 Îxg1 hxg1Ë+ 33 Êxg1
[W0W0WDrD] W________W
[DWDbDp1W] [WDWDWDri]
[W)WHnDWD] [DWDWDW0W]
[)WDW)W)W] [W0W0WDWD]
[WDQDB)W)] [DWDWDNDW]
[$WGWDRIW] [W)WDn)WD]
W--------W [)WDW)WDW]
17 Íc4!
By forcing an exchange of the light-
[WDWDRDWD]
squared bishops White creates an access [DWDWDWIW]
route to the Black queenside. W--------W
17…Íxc4 18 Ëxc4+ Êh8 19 Ëc6! Îd8 20 White has an extra pawn, all Black
Ëxc7 Ìe5 pawns are weak.
W________W 33…Îa8 34 Îa2 Ìc3 35 Îh2+ Êg8 36 Îg2
Êf7 37 Ìxd6+ Êe6 38 Ìc4 b5 39 Ìa5 Êf6
[WDW4WDWi] 40 Îd2!
[0W!WDW0p] With two extra pawns and excellent co-
[W0W0WDrD] ordination White has a winning advantage.
The rest is technique.
[DWDWhp1W] 40…g5 41 Îd3 Ìe4 42 fxg5+ Êxg5 43 Êg2
[W)WHnDWD] Îf8 44 Îd5+ Êg4 45 Îd4 Êf5 46 Ìc6 Îg8+
[)WDW)W)W] 47 Êf1 Îa8 48 Ìe7+ Êe5 49 Ìc6+ Êf5 50
[WDWDW)W)] Ìe7+ Êe5 51 Ìg6+ Êf5 52 Ìh4+ Êe5 53
Ìf3+ Êf5 54 Ìh4+ Êe5 55 Ìf3+ Êf5 56
[$WGWDRIW] Îd5+ Êf6 57 Îd3 Îh8 58 Êe2 Êe7 59 Ìd4
W--------W Îh2+ 60 Êf3 Ìd6 61 Îc3 Îh3+ 62 Êg4 1-0
While the Queen's Indian is by far Black's Bogo-Indian White's queen recaptures on d2
most common response, the Bogo-Indian directly (without moving to c2) and then
(3…Íb4+) is of course also possible. Fortu- only moves to c2 when pushed by Ìe4. If
nately, if you are familiar with the system you like White's chances in the Classical
outlined in our last game, you can achieve a Nimzo line illustrated in our last game, you
significantly improved version of that varia- are going to love White's chances in this
tion against the Bogo. To illustrate this, Anti-Bogo version.
please find below a bonus game, which 12…exd5 13 Ìd4! Ëf6 14 cxd5 Íxd5 15
demonstrates how White can achieve such Íb2
an improved Classical Nimzo. 15 f3 has also scored very well for White;
however in practice the first player has a
perfect score with the text move.
R Kempinski
T Warakomski W________W
Polish Championship, 2008 [rDWDW4kD]
Bogo-Indian E14 [0W0nDW0p]
[Dearing]
[W0W0W1WD]
1 d4 Ìf6 2 Ìf3 e6 3 c4 Íb4+ 4 Ìbd2 b6 5 a3
[DWDbDpDW]
Íxd2+ 6 Ëxd2!? Íb7 7 e3 0–0 8 Íe2 d6 9 [W)WHnDWD]
0–0 Ìbd7 10 b4 Ìe4 11 Ëc2 f5 [)WDW)WDW]
W________W [WGQDB)P)]
[rDW1W4kD] [$WDWDRIW]
[0b0nDW0p] W--------W
[W0W0pDWD] 15…Ëg5
Black’s alternatives have also scored
[DWDWDpDW] badly; e.g. 15…c5 16 Ìb5 Ëg6 17 f3 Ìg5 18
[W)P)nDWD] Îad1 Íe6 19 Ìc7 Îac8 20 Ìxe6 Ìxe6 21
[)WDW)NDW] Îxd6 cxb4 22 Íc4 Êh8 23 Ëe2 Ìf4 24 Ëd2
[WDQDB)P)] Ìf6 25 Ía6 Ìh3+ 26 Êh1 f4 27 Íxc8 fxe3
28 Ëxe3 Îe8 29 Ëd2 1–0 led to another
[$WGWDRIW] quick win for White in R Kempinski-E Gazis,
W--------W Ikaria Island, 2009 (notably the GM playing
This position looks almost identical to White here is also the hero of our main
the position reached in Kramnik-Polgar, game).
above. However, there is one key difference: 16 f3 Ëxe3+ 17 Êh1 Ìef6 18 Ìxf5 Ëb3 19
12 d5! White has saved a tempo and there- Ëc1 Íf7 20 Íb5 Ìe5 21 Ëg5 Íg6 22 Ìe7+
fore can play this pawn sacrifice immedi- Êh8 23 Íxe5 dxe5 24 Ìxg6+ hxg6 25 Ëxg6
ately. Where did this extra tempo come Ëd5 26 Íd3 Îad8 27 Íc2 Ëc4 28 Îac1 Îd2
from? Note that in the last variation 29 Íb1 Ëf7 30 Ëg5 Îe2 31 Íg6 Ëe7 32
White's queen reached the c2-square via the Ëh4+ Êg8 33 Ëc4+ 1–0
route Ëc2, Ëxc3, Ëc2. However, in the
Doeberl Cup
Carl Gorka
carlgorka@hotmail.com
This year, 5th-9th April,

the premier weekend event
P Karthikeyan
in Australia reached its
D Sengupta
fiftieth edition. The tour-
Canberra, 2012
nament is played over
Queen’s Gambit Declined D30
Easter, and has graduated
[Gorka]
from a long weekend event
to a 9-round swiss. ‘The
Doeberl’ was originally sponsored by Eric 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Ìf3 c6 4 e3 Ìf6 5 Ìbd2 c5
Doeberl, a local businessman. Coinciding 6 cxd5 exd5 7 dxc5 Íxc5 8 Ìb3 Íb6 9 Íe2
with this event was the launch of a book by 0–0 10 0–0 Ìc6 11 Ìbd4 Íg4 12 h3 Íh5 13
another local player and friend of the Doe- Ìxc6 bxc6 14 b3 Ëd6 15 Íb2 Îfe8 16 Ìd4
berl family, Bill Egan. Bill chronicles the Íg6 17 Îc1 Îac8 18 Ía6 Îc7 19 Ëe2 Ìd7
history of the Doeberl Cup. 20 Îfd1 Ìb8?!
The list of winners of the Cup is a Who’s Black's last move moved a piece to a
Who of Australian chess: Ian Rogers, Daryl worse square. From here on, White system-
Johansen, Cecil Purdy, Max Fuller, Robert atically builds an attack against Black's
Jamieson, Greg Hjorth and David Smerdon. king.
International winners include Christiansen, 21 Íd3 Îce7 22 Ëg4
Arakhamia and Miles. The current Austra- W________W
lian number one, Zong Yuan Zhao, is an-
other former champion and as the second
[WhWDrDkD]
seed was considered a big chance to give [0WDW4p0p]
this year’s event a home winner. Unfortu- [Wgp1WDbD]
nately, Zhao started the tournament with
very heavy ’flu, and couldn’t make it past
[DWDpDWDW]
the second day. In the end, the tournament [WDWHWDQD]
went to the foreign masses, with a four- [DPDB)WDP]
way tie for first between A Horvath (Hun
2487), G Szabo (Rom 2553), L Vajda (Rom
[PGWDW)PD]
2597), and K Rathnarakan (Ind 2410). The [DW$RDWIW]
Indian IM gained a GM norm for his efforts W--------W
in a tense last-round game with his compa- 22...h5
triot, the winner of the game taking a GM Weakening the king's defences, but
norm and the tournament. Black is already short of things to do.
White's bishops menace Black's kingside. 13 Íg5 g6

23 Ëg5 Íc7 24 Ìf5 Ëh2+ 25 Êf1 Îe6 26 13…h6 14 Íxh6 gxh6 15 Ëxh6 looks
Íxg7 Íd8 27 Ëh6 Íh7 1–0 scary for Black. 15…e5 16 Ëg5+ Êh8 17
Ìxe5 Ëxd4 18 Îe1 (18 Ëh6+ Êg8 19 Îe1
As a nice touch to the fiftieth anniver- Ëxb2 20 Ëg5+ (20 Ìg6 Ëxf2+ 21 Êxf2
sary event, the organisers invited a number Ìg4+ 22 Êg3 Ìxh6 23 Ìxe7+ & White is
of former winners. The opening ceremony slightly better) 20…Êh8 21 g4 Ëxf2+ 22
was quite an emotional affair with Eric Êxf2 Ìe4+ 23 Íxe4 Íxg5 & Black is
Doeberl’s daughter making a heart touch- slightly worse) 18…Ëxf2+ 19 Êxf2 Ìe4+ 20
ing speech. Other things which added to Íxe4 Íxg5 21 h4 Íf6 22 Íf3±
the tournament included commentary by 14 Îd1 Îe8 15 Íc2 h5 16 h3 Êg7?
Ian Rogers in a nearby suite. I made the 16…Ìh7 17 Íxe7 Ëxe7 18 Ëxe7 Îxe7
mistake of walking into this room soon 19 g4±
after finishing, looking for a gentle quarter 17 Ëf4
hour, only to be pounced upon by Ian who W________W
had me showing him my game. Luckily, it
was my best of the tournament, and it was
[rDb1rDWD]
even luckier that I was able to recall it all. [0pDWgpiW]
[WDpDphpD]
C Gorka [DWDWDWGp]
I Sukandar [WDP)W!WD]
Canberra, 2012
Semi-Slav D45
[DWDWDNDP]
[Gorka] [P)BDW)PD]
[DWDRDKDR]
1 d4 d5 2 Ìf3 Ìf6 3 c4 c6 4 Ìc3 e6 5 e3 W--------W
Ìbd7 6 Ëc2 Íd6 7 e4 17...Ëa5
A line that has never really found a full 17…Ìg8 18 Ìe5 Îf8 19 h4 f6 20 Ëe4
following. Ëe8 21 Ëxg6+ Ëxg6 22 Ìxg6 fxg5 23 Ìxf8
7…dxe4 8 Ìxe4 Ìxe4 9 Ëxe4 0–0 Êxf8 24 hxg5 Íxg5 25 Îxh5+-
Not the best move. 9…Íb4+; 9…e5 10 18 Ìe5 Ëxa2 19 Íh6+ Êg8
dxe5 0–0 11 exd6 Îe8 12 Ëxe8+ Ëxe8+ 13 19…Êh7 20 Ìxf7 Ëxc4+ 21 Íd3 Ëb3 22
Íe3 is another line. Íxg6+ Êg8 (22 Êxg6 23 Ëg5+ Êxf7 24
10 Íd3 Íb4+ Ëg7#) 23 Íc2 Ëb5+ 24 Íd3+-
10…Ìf6 11 Ëh4 c5 20 Íxg6 fxg6 21 Ëg5 1–0
11 Êf1 Ìf6 12 Ëh4
"White gets an attack for free" - I And finally, Macauley Peterson was in-
Rogers. vited to make video recordings of the event
12…Íe7 which can be found on the Doeberl website,
12…h6 13 g4 www.doeberlcup.com.au
Letter from Liechtenstein

Ken Norman, with Oliver Jackson
Three English players took 15 Ìf7+ Êe8 16 Ìxh8 Ìe4 17 0–0–0 Íd6
part in the Liechtenstein Sen- 18 Îde1 Ìg5 19 Íe5 White will extricate
iors – for players born in 1952 his knight with a winning position.
or earlier – 11th-19th May. 13 0–0 Íxc3
The Seniors was won by I've got some compensation.
Grandmaster Vladimir Ok- 14 bxc3 0–0 15 Ëf3 c6 16 Îad1
hotnik rated 2463 from France with 8/9. This looked natural as I had ideas of an
There was a three-way tie for second place eventual c4 but it came to nothing.
between IM Josef Pribyl rated 2307 from the 16…Ìd7 17 Íd3 Ëg5 18 Ìxd7 Íxd7 19
Czech Republic, myself, CM Kenneth I. Nor- Îde1 Íe6 20 Ëe4 g6?! This weakens the
man (2168) and Oliver A. Jackson (2192), all black squares so I've now got very good
of whom scored 6.5. Oliver Jackson won five chances 20…Ëh5 21 Ëd4 b6 22 Îe4 c5 23
games, drew three games and lost just one Ëf2 Ìf6 24 Îh4 Ëg5 25 Íf4 Ëd5 26 c4 Ëd4
game to the tournament winner. My result 27 Ëxd4 cxd4 28 Íe5 Îfd8 29 Îxf6 gxf6 30
was uncharacteristic with six wins, two Íxf6 Êf8 31 c5+- Black's in a mating net.
losses and one draw in the last round with 21 Ëd4 Ëd8?! This retreat gives White a
Pribyl. My wife, Dinah M. Norman (1866), lost free hand on the kingside as the threat of
in round one to a much stronger opponent. swapping queens is easily avoided.
Then, in round two, she beat a lower rated 22 Êh1 Ëb6?!
player and followed this by seven draws, Black was desperate to relieve the pressure
placing her in 19th= . A total of 55 played. on his position but these queen moves only
help White. 23 Ëh4 Ëd8 24 Ëh6 Ëd7 25 c4
OA Jackson-v-P Hohler, If I was to break through I needed to
King’s Gambit Accepted C34 [Jackson] shift this knight.
25…Ìb4 26 Íe5!?
1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 Ìf3 Ìf6 4 e5 Ìe4 5 d3 Not the strongest move but I knew that
Ìg5 6 Íxf4 Ìe6 7 Íg3 d6 8 d4 dxe5 9 d5!? my opponent would be worried by the
Instead of the simple recapture of the e5 bishop move 26 Íh4! f6 27 Íxg6 Ëg7 28
pawn I wanted to take my opponent out of Ëxh7+ Ëxh7 29 Íxh7+ Êxh7 30 Îxe6
his comfort zone. 9…Ìf4 10 Ìxe5 Ìxd5 11 Ìxa2 31 Íxf6 Îae8 32 Îxe8 Îxe8 33 g4+-.
Ìc3 26…f5 27 Íc3 Ìxd3 28 Îxe6! Îfe8
I had originally planned to play c4 here 28…Ìc5 29 Îxg6+ hxg6 30 Ëxg6++-
but after Íb4+ my king gets the runaround, 29 Îxg6+ hxg6 30 Ëh8+ Êf7 31 Ëg7+ 1–0
so I abandoned the idea.
11…Íe6 12 Íc4 Íb4 The dates of next year’s Liechtenstein
12…Ìxc3 13 Ëxd8+ Êxd8 14 Íxe6 fxe6 Seniors are 3rd to 11th May, 2013.
Practical Play
Alan Dommett
a.j.dommett@btinternet.com
tion, but couldn't quite pinpoint why! In-

PA Williams deed, despite the counter-attack on the b-
PC Girdlestone file looking dangerous enough for White to
Bournemouth curtail it and force a liquidating line, sub-
Grand Open, 2012 sequent analysis showed that 15 Ìxd4
Nimzo-Indian E20 Ëxb2+ 16 Ìde2 Íxc3 17 Îa2! Íe2 18 Îxb2
[Dommett]
Íxd1 19 Îb1 was winning for White and
the unease was well-founded.
1 d4 Ìf6 2 c4 e6 3 Ìc3 Íb4 4 f3 c5 5 d5 b5 15 b4 Íb7 16 Ëxd7 Ìxe2 17 Ìxe2 cxb4 18
6 e4 bxc4 7 Íxc4 exd5 axb4 Íxb4 19 Îab1
The pseudo-sacrifice. …Ìxd5 could have Fritz prefers the immediate hit on the
been tried, but White was never likely to fall queen, probably because an instant pawn
headlong into 8 exd5?? Ëh4+ and the car- prop for the black-squared bishop is avail-
nage that ensues. able, but White has a fine follow-up move
8 Íxd5 Ìxd5 9 Ëxd5 Ìc6 10 Ìge2 Ía6 11 and the next passage of play has Black
Êf2 0–0 12 Îd1 Ía5 scrambling to stay in the game.
A fascinating position in which a pas- 19…a5 20 Íe7! Íxe7 21 Ëxe7 Ëa7+ 22
sionless crime had previously been commit- Ìd4!
ted: Moskalenko-Atlas, Podolsk, 1990, when A bold placement of the knight on its
White played the meek and far from wild strongest square, regardless of the pin.
13 Ëg5, thereafter settling for a draw in 16 Most club players might well have decided
moves. Here, too, White turns down the d- to beat a retreat with 22 Êe1?, when
pawn, but comes up with a clever subtlety 22…Íc8 23 Ëxa7 Îxa7 sees Black pile in
that threatens mayhem on the queenside behind his passed pawn and have the bet-
13 a3!? Ìd4 ter of the ending.
Something needed to be done to answer 22…Íc8 23 Ëxa7 Îxa7 24 Ìc6 Îa8 25 Îa1
the threat of 14 b4 and Black keeps a re- a4 26 Îd4 Îe8?!
treat of the bishop to b6 in reserve just in A token effort to stop the knight trot-
case his opponent risks exchanges at d4 or ting on to another prime square because
a suicidal capture of the c-pawn. the back rank mating threat guarantees its
14 Íg5 Ëb8 safety.
Being present at the post-match analy- 27 Ìe7+ Êf8 28 Ìd5 Íb7 29 Ìc7 Îed8 30
sis it was interesting to hear Black say that Îaxa4
at this stage he felt uneasy about his posi- The pawn goes at last and with it any
vestige of counterplay. 19…h5 20 Ëf5 Ìh4 21 Ëf4 Ìg6 22 Ëf5

30…Îxd4 31 Îxd4 Îa2+ 32 Êg3 Êe7 33 An 'improving the clock' situation (if re-
Ìb5 Íc6 34 Ìd6 Êe6 35 Ìf5 quired, White has the c7-square to avoid a
.. and wanders into a mating net .. draw by repetition) but the tactic could
35…Êe5?? 36 f4+ 1–0 have reaped an even richer reward.
22…Ìh4 23 Ëf4 f5? 24 Îd7?!
Had it saved enough time for 24 Ëe5! to
DWL Howell
be analysed fully at this point and not one
SK Williams
move later. As the following lines show,
Bournemouth Grand Open, 2012
Black is pretty much dead in the water: 24
The Lion B07
Ëe5 f6 (24…Îf8 25 exf7+ Îxf7 26 Îg1 Îd8
[Dommett]
27 Íe2+-; 24…Îh7 25 Îg1 Ìg6 26 exf7++-;
24…Ìg6 25 Ëxf5+-) 25 Ëg3 Íf8 26 Ëc7!
1 e4 d6 2 d4 Ìf6 3 Ìc3 Ìbd7 4 g4 Íe7 27 Íc5 Ìg6 28 Îd7+-
A no-nonsense attempt to disrupt the 24…Ëb4 25 Ëe5 Ìg6 26 Ëxf5 fxe6 27
core strategy behind the Lion system (as Ëxe6
defined by Black's previous move) by means A knight capture with check no longer
of a bayonet attack. Benchmark work for works, as the rook hangs and now White
the defence has to be in the Jerry van Re- must accept an enforced passage of play
kom/Leo Jansen collaborations and this that sees Black consolidate his material
sub-variation is dubbed The Lion's Mouth in advantage.
a first edition of their book published in 27…Ìf8 28 Ëe5 Êxd7 29 Ëxh8 Ëe1+ 30
2002. Íc1 Ëxf2 31 Íc4
4…h6 5 h3 e5 6 Ìge2 Íe7 7 Íe3 c6 8 a4 The h-pawn is ignored, due to 32…Ëf3
Ìf8 making it easy for Black to get the queens
No real surprise to see this re-routing of the off. Of course, there was also another added
knight instead of 8…Ëc7 and an edging incentive to consider - going all out for that
towards the so called Hanham position in first prize!
the Philidor. 31…Ëc5 32 Îd1+ Êc7
9 Ìg3 Ìg6 10 Ìf5 Íxf5 11 gxf5 Ìh4 Suddenly the Black king appears to be a
Something doesn't look quite right bit of a liability whichever side of the board
about this knight on the rim and Black may he frequents.
already regret not going for an instant mir- 33 Íf4+ Êb6 34 Ëc3! Ëb4
ror-image (…g5) bayonet thrust, if only to The only way to avoid a skewer, but this
make 11…Ìf4 an option here. time the offer to exchange queens is not
12 Ëe2 d5 13 0–0–0 Ëa5 14 dxe5 Ìxe4 15 made from a position of strength.
Ìxe4 dxe4 16 f6!? 35 Íe3+ Êc7 36 Íf4+ Êb6 37 Ëd4+ Íc5 38
With the e-pawn becoming a potential Ëxe4
lifeline for the knight it is time to target the Black finds himself without a decent
quarry in a different way! move and in seeking belated refuge for the
16…gxf6 17 Ëg4 Ëxa4 18 Êb1 Ìg6 19 e6! king is about to entomb his queen instead.
Two pawns up, but Black's king looks 38…a5 39 Îd3 Êa7 40 Îb3 Ëa4 41 Íe3
distinctly vulnerable. Ìd7 42 Íxc5+ Ìxc5 43 Ëd4 b6 44 Îa3 1–0
Above: GM Levente Vajda (ROM) plays CM Enrique Nava Baro (SPA) and behind, Luke Li Zihao (NZL) plays
GM Deep Sengupta (IND) during the Doeberl Cup, see pp. 326-7.
Below: GM Zong-Yuan Zhao (NZL) takes on Anton Smirnov (AUS), one of Australia's
great future hopes, and currently ranked the eighth under-12 in the world.
Behind are BCM’s Carl Gorka (ENG) and GM Gergely Szabo (ROM).
Above: Oliver Jackson plays GM Rosendo Balinas (PHI) during

the 1978 Benedictine Masters in Manchester.
Below: Victor Bologan played in many US events including the 1999 World Open.
The Victor Bologan Interview

Grandmaster, thank you for agreeing to chat. I have read two other interviews with you, one
from ‘New in Chess’ and the other from ‘Grandmaster Square’. Let’s start with the Square
Interview. It says you were coached by Solonar, Chebanenko, Lanka and Dvoretsky. Of these,
Ion Solonar is a new name to me. Can you help … ?
Yes, Ion Solonar is my first coach, who is still working with the young talents in
Chisinau. I am very grateful to him mainly because he taught me how to love chess. He is 76
now but still in very good shape.
And I see you are addressed by your second name, of Viorel, and not Victor. So you are not
Korchnoi (who is Viktor anyway) ... !
Yes actually I do have two names with two different meanings. In the eastern part of
Europe I am mostly called by my home name Viorel and in the West I am called by my
official name Victor. I like both of them.
I was excited to learn you have worked with Alexei Shirov. Did that bring Fire on Board to
you, too?
Sure Alexei influenced my chess, we were working for about 5 years together and our
friendship never ended. But beside the fire on board I sometimes prefer quiet endgames
with little advantage like in my recent games with I Popov and Melkomyan from Plovdiv, at
the European Individual 2012.
You were a student at the Russian Academy of Physical Culture. Where is that? Moscow?
Yes. I finished in 1993 The Russian State University for Physical Culture and Sport from
Moscow. Later in 1996 I got my PhD degree at the same University. These seven years spent
in the Moscow University helped me not only to improve my chess but also open for me
new possibilities.
I see you are widely travelled. Canada, South America, much of Europe. Have you visited
England? (We’d appreciate seeing you in our events!)
Yes my list of visited countries includes over 50 countries. I have very good memories
playing in England starting with the junior tournament in The Oakham Young Masters,
1992 where I shared the 2nd=, and ending with my very pleasant experience of playing for
Wood Green team led by a very nice person, Brian Smith.
What are your greatest successes on the tournament circuit? Aeroflot? New York, 1997?
Beside the mentioned New York and Aeroflot, I can add the Dortmund 2003 ahead of
Kramnik, Anand, Radjabov and Leko.
Preparation must be massively important to you; that’s a given. What about other factors?
Do you believe in luck (as I believe, the Dutch Grandmaster Donner did)?
Other factors are extremely important and my PhD work is dedicated to that. In the last
years my psychological mood, evening walks with a friend, good sleep. As for luck, it comes
when you deserve it. That's a rule!
You have written books of your Selected Games, on the Slav, King’s Indian and the
Rossolimo Sicilian. Any more planned, I wonder .. ? And how are the sales going?
Yes, and I add to the Chebanenco Slav. The sales are going well and the editors do ask me
for more books. One of them I am about to finish and the name is Catalan for White.
Several DVDs are under your authorship. Are these straightforward to present? Systems such
as the Caro or Philidor are subtle defences after all, not necessarily easily understood by
average players (who might prefer something more direct, I mean to say ..)
Surprisingly the DVD Philidor sells well, since I use a very easy language to explain main
ideas, and also I always give a full repertoire which is very important for the amateur
purchaser. He doesn't have to look for other information in other sources.
You have played in many Olympiads. Any happy memories to share here?
Olympiads are very special. For me the best was the Torino Olympiad when our squad
made 18th place. I liked also the way the Olympiad was organized in Bled 2002.
What about the forthcoming match, Anand-Gelfand? Anand will win easily I believe.
Everybody says that, but Gelfand was on the top all these 20 years as well, so he has
extremely deep understanding of chess, one of the deepest in the world, so if he will
manage to minimise the physical factor then he has good chances. Opening will be very
important in this match.
And when is your happiest moment? At the board, away from chess or both?
My happiest moments I always leave with my family. As for chess, I think until now both
moments from Dortmund - when Anand resigned against me and I secured the
tournament for myself with extremely difficult draw against Kramnik in the last round.
Finally, are you a religious man? A church goer? Strictly scientific in your thinking?
I am both the scientist and believer. I don't see any contradiction in that. If without
knowledge it's very difficult to leave, then without faith the life is like empty. Without deep
philosophy it's difficult to convince yourself to wake up in the morning to go to swim for
two kilometers or to run 10 km, especially when you are 40. Philosophy helps.
What are your best games?

With Anand from Dortmund and the recent one from Plovdiv with Mchedlishivili.
Victor Viorel, thank you on behalf of The British Chess Magazine.

The perfect guide for
those who need a win
against 1.e4!
NEW!
4 The basic strategies & plans

4 A fresh approach of all major lines
4 New weapons in several variations
4 A wealth of novelties
Paperback s 368 pages s £ 23.95 s available at your local (chess)bookseller or at newinchess.com s a A publication

4.20 June 2012 No. 6 Volume 132: Anand Retains World Championship With David Howell

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£4.20 June 2012 No. 6 Volume 132

Anand retains World Championship

with David Howell

Advertising BBC Radio 4 presented ‘The Turing

BCM Subscription Department, Warners, English Arbiters suspended from duty at

In this month’s issue

Above, left: WIM Natasha Regan on top board for a pre-Olympiad

News from Abroad

DEEP FRITZ 13 99,90

Game of the Month

Quotes & Queries

Endings for Experts

40 hxg3 e3 41 g4 Îh8+ (51…Îd8 52 Íc6 Êg3 53 Êg1 Ìd3 54

is more combative. Black concentrates on

News from the British Isles

Division One Championships

Spot the Continuation

Ask the Arbiter

ABC of the Laws of Chess opponent’s frequent absence from board

Have a go at three studies from the study-solving competition held in

The solutions are given on page 312.

Spot the Continuation Solutions

Viswanathan (Vishy) Anand comes from the Madras region in southern

the Caro-Kann: move by move by Cyrus Lakdawala (Everyman Chess).

Endgame Studies Solutions (See p. 308)

17…Ìbd5! could lead to another fiery 20 Ìh7!

The Perils of Choosing an

Test Your Chess

dark-squared bishop. tage, but Black may be able to hold with

cxd5 Íxd5 20 Ìxf5 Ëxf5 21 f3 Ëg5 22 fxe4 21 Îa2!

This year, 5th-9th April,

White's bishops menace Black's kingside. 13 Íg5 g6

Letter from Liechtenstein

tion, but couldn't quite pinpoint why! In-

vestige of counterplay. 19…h5 20 Ëf5 Ìh4 21 Ëf4 Ìg6 22 Ëf5

Above: Oliver Jackson plays GM Rosendo Balinas (PHI) during

The Victor Bologan Interview

What are your best games?

Victor Viorel, thank you on behalf of The British Chess Magazine.

4 The basic strategies & plans

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