British Chess Magazine - 10.2021 (October)

Volume 141
OCTOBER
2021
NEPO AND THE ROAD FROM

EKATERINBURG
TO DUBAI
IS THIS THE LAST
‘SLOW-SPEED’
MATCH FOR
THE TITLE?
TOURNAMENT REPORTS:
▪ MELTWATER CHAMPIONS TOUR
CARLSEN WINS THE
WORLD’S RICHEST ONLINE EVENT
▪ SHARJAH MASTERS
TABATABAEI COMES TOP IN A
4-WAY TIE
▪ THE MANX LIBERTY MASTERS
THE VICTORY OF LUKE MCSHANE
▪ NORWAY CHESS
CARLSEN WINS;
YOUNGTERS SHINE;
NEPO DISGUSTED
ISSN 0007-0440
02110
9 770007 044000
PAINTER PETER HEREL RAABENSTEIN

ON THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ART AND CHESS
MARCEL DUCHAMP SAID IT BEST: "WHILE NOT EVERY ARTIST IS A CHESS
PLAYER, NOT EVERY CHESS PLAYER IS AN ARTIST"
IMPRESSUM
Contents
BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE
Founded 1881
www.britishchessmagazine.co.uk
Chairman Shaun Taulbut

Director Stephen Lowe
628
Editors Quotes and Queries
Milan Dinic and Shaun Taulbut
The Uncomplicated
Photo editor
Capablanca
David Llada
597 Tabatabaei comes top in a
Prepress Specialist 4 way tie at Sharjah Masters
Milica Mitic By IM Shaun Taulbut
Photography
David Llada, Norway Chess Official, 602 Finish of the world’s richest online event
2020 Expo 2020 Dubai LLC, Carlsen wins the
Wikipedia Meltwater Champions Tour
By GM Aleksandar Colovic
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Stephen Lowe 610 Interview: Peter Herel Raabenstein
"While not every artist
Enquiries is a chess player, not every
editor@britishchessmagazine.co.uk
chess player is an artist"
ISSN 0007-0440
© The British Chess Magazine Limited 612 NEPO AND THE ROAD FROM
EKATERINBURG TO DUBAI
Company Limited by Shares By Peter O’Brien
Registered in England No 00334968
617 Underrated/Overrated (Part One)
Postal correspondence: By Grandmaster Raymond Keene OBE
Albany House, 14 Shute End
Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 1BJ
620 SHAME
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By Alexis Levitin
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By IM Shaun Taulbut
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626 Book Review
Cover photography: Ray’s variegated prose
David Llada
By David Taylor
578 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

October 2021
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10/141
Norway Chess 2021 report
CARLSEN wins Norway Chess

YOUNGTERS shine
NEPO disgusted
By GM Alex Colovic / alexcolovic.com
Photo: Norway Chess Official
The traditional Norway Chess tournament took place in Stavanger from 7−17
September. Six players played a double round−robin. The tournament had two
parallel stories - the rise of the youngsters and the Carlsen−Nepomniachtchi duels
on the eve of their match.
The system was peculiar and seems to reflect a change in how chess is played to minimise
undecisive outcomes of matches. In case of a draw, the players played an Armageddon
game immediately after the draw with the same colours of pieces they had in the original
game. White had 10 minutes against Black’s seven, with a one−second increment starting
from move 41. A win in the Armageddon game gave one and a half points, the loser got
one point, while a win in the classical game gave three points. The time control for the
classical games was 120 minutes for the whole game with a 10−second increment starting
from move 41.

October 2021
The Rise of the White switches his attention to the

Youngsters queenside. He wants to undermine the
knight on c3 by playing a3. This will lead
The event started with one classical win. to the exchange of the pawn on b4 which
Richard Rapport beat Aryan Tari with would also open some space for the bishops.
Black. This immediately put him in the
lead, which was extended with his win 37...b5 38.¦c1 ¥d8 39.a3
in round four against Firouzja. Rapport XIIIIIIIIY
won a third classical game against Tari 9-+rvl-+-+0
in the second half of the event and a
fourth one against Karjakin. From the 9+-+-+pmk-0
way he was playing it seemed he would 9-+-+p+pzp0
win the tournament! 9+p+-+-zP-0
Rapport’s wins were fine technical efforts. 9-zp-zP-zP-zP0
Here is an example of his technique. 9zPLsn-zPK+-0
Richard Rapport – Alireza Firouzja] 9-vL-+-+-+0
9th Norway Chess 2021 Stavanger NOR (4.2)
9+-tR-+-+-0
XIIIIIIIIY xiiiiiiiiy
White executes his plan. Now to keep the
9-+-+-+k+0 knight on c3 Black must bring his bishop to
9+-tr-zppvlp0 substitute the pawn on b4.
9-zp-+-+p+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-zp-zP-+-+0
9+Lsn-zP-+-0
9P+R+-zPPzP0
9vL-+-+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
White has a stable advantage thanks to the
pair of bishops and his extra central pawn,
but the knight on c3 is annoying.
31.f4 White’s natural plan is to push

forward his central majority and expand on
the kingside.
31...e6 32.g4 ¥f6 33.g5 Fixing Black’s

structure on the kingside, the f7-pawn
in particular.
33...¥e7 34.¢g2 ¢g7 35.¢f3 White

centralised his king.
35...h6 36.h4 ¦c8 37.¥b2 After having

achieved the maximum on the kingside, Richard Rapport

10/141
XIIIIIIIIY
39...¥a5 40.axb4 ¥xb4 41.e4 White 9-+Rtr-+-+0
got rid of the a-pawn and opened the
a-file, weakened the position of the 9+-+Pmkp+-0
knight on c3 by exchanging the pawn on 9-+-+-+p+0
b4, gained space on the kingside before
that and now starts to advance in the
9+-+-+-zP-0
centre and wants to create a passed pawn 9-zpLvl-zP-+0
by pushing d5. 9+-sn-+K+-0
41...¥a5 42.d5 exd5 43.exd5 hxg5 44.hxg5 9-vL-+-+-+0
b4 Black managed to reinforce the knight on 9+-+-+-+-0
c3 by getting his second pawn to b4.
xiiiiiiiiy
45.d6 ¦d8 46.¦d1 ¥b6 47.d7 With this A tactical blunder, but these always happen
advance White allows for the move ¦d6, when playing under pressure for too long.
activating his rook.
51...¥b6 was the only move to stay in the
47...¢f8 48.¦d6 ¥a7?! game. Black wants to continue with ...¢e7 and
XIIIIIIIIY it’s not easily obvious how White can make
progress. 52.¥b5 Another idea is to put the
9-+-tr-mk-+0 bishop on h3 and play for the f5–push. White
9vl-+P+p+-0 can also bring back the rook on the d-file with
¦c6–d6 and then continue to look for ideas.
9-+-tR-+p+0 52...¢e7 53.¥xc3!? bxc3 54.¢e4 White first
9+-+-+-zP-0 centralises the king to d5 and then wants to
9-zp-+-zP-+0 play ¦c4–e4–e8. Black will then be forced to
sacrifice the exchange on d7. A sample line
9+Lsn-+K+-0 is 54...¥a5 55.¢e5 ¥b4 Black first waits.
9-vL-+-+-+0 56.¢d5 ¥a5 57.¦c4 threatening ¦e4–e8, but
now Black takes on d7 57...¦xd7+ 58.¥xd7
9+-+-+-+-0 ¢xd7 59.¢e5 ¢e7 with a likely draw.
xiiiiiiiiy
It was more resilient to get rid of the 52.¥xf7! Now Black loses his kingside.
rook on d6 as soon as possible with
48...¥c7 49.¦d3 (49.¦c6? ¦xd7 just 52...¢xd7 53.¦c4 ¢e7 54.¥xg6 ¦d6
loses the pawn on d7.) 49...¢e7 even 55.¦xb4
though White keeps the advantage after
50.¥c1 intending ¥e3 or f5. Black 1–0
is passive and can only wait because
taking on f7 is bad given: 50...¦xd7?
51.¦xd7+ ¢xd7 52.¥xf7 and the g6- Rapport spoiled his tournament with two
pawn falls as well. classical losses in the last three rounds.
49.¥c4 ¥c5 50.¦c6 This is the He tried to defend a worse technical

difference between 48...¥a7 - now the position against Carlsen and failed. Then he
rook can attack the bishop from c6 and was blown off the board against Firouzja in
can proceed to c8. the last round (more on this below).
50...¥d4 51.¦c8 ¢e7? Nevertheless, Rapport’s result was enough

to propel him into the top ten, a place where
he definitely belongs.

October 2021
‘The position should be a draw, but

against Carlsen... ‘, Karjakin said when
he was asked to give his opinion on this
endgame. The former World Champion
candidate was spot on. In the above
position, White has the theoretical
advantage of the better bishop and
pawn structure (Black always needs to
be careful about the pawn on a6), but
Black’s centralisation should be enough
to prevent the white bishop from coming
to c8 or b7.
30...c5 It was perfectly possible to keep the

pawn on c7 and play 30...¢e5 or 30...g6.
31.¢e3 cxb4 32.cxb4 ¢e5 33.h4 White

wants to create a passed pawn by h5–h6, so
Black’s next is forced.
33...g6 34.¥g4 ¥e6 Stopping ¥c8.

Alireza Firouzja
35.h5 White decides to sacrifice his
pawn on g5 to force the black king to
Firouzjas abandon the dominating position on e5.
path to the top It is the only attempt in this position.
The other youngster who broke through 35...gxh5 Again the only move, but it’s
into the top ten was Firouzja. He had elementary to see that the bishop cannot be
quite a different tournament path, though. taken given h6.
After losing to Rapport and beating Tari,
Firouzja lost yet another drawn endgame 36.¥xh5 ¢f5 Now the pawn on g5
against Carlsen. cannot be defended, but now the
white king can move forward via the
Magnus Carlsen - Alireza Firouzja d4–square.
9th Norway Chess 2021 Stavanger NOR (6.1) 37.¥f3 ¥c8
XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0 9-+l+-+-+0
9+-zp-+pzp-0 9+-+-+p+-0
9p+-mk-+-+0 9p+-+-+-+0
9zPp+l+-zP-0 9zPp+-+kzP-0
9-zP-+-+-+0 9-zP-+-+-+0
9+-zP-+-+P0 9+-+-mKL+-0
9-+-+-mK-+0 9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+L+-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy
10/141
Again the only move, preventing ¥b7. 46.¥g2 f1£ 47.¥xf1 ¥xf1 48.a7 ¥g2
with a draw.;
38.¢d4 ¢xg5 39.¢e5 Instead of going
towards the queenside Carlsen plays a more 41...¥d7! was another way to draw, using
subtle move. the king to support the f-pawn. 42.¥b7 ¢g4
43.¥xa6 f3 44.¥b7 ¢g3 45.¥e4 After
39.¢c5 is the alternative, but Black’s 45.a6 f2 Black promotes first, even though
passed f-pawn provides enough that is also a draw. 45...¥c8 46.¢d6 f2
counterplay. For example: 39...f5 40.¢b6 47.¥d3 ¥a6 48.¢c5 ¢h2! to avoid a check
f4 41.¢c7 ¥g4 42.¥b7 ¥e2 43.¥xa6 from a8! 49.¢b6 ¥c8 50.a6 ¥f5! with
f3 44.¥b7 f2 45.¥g2 f1£ 46.¥xf1 the idea of harassing perpetually the white
¥xf1 47.a6 ¢f5 48.a7 ¥g2 49.¢b6 ¢e5 bishop after 51.¥xb5 ¥d7 52.¥c4 ¥e6
50.¢xb5 ¢d6 with a draw as Black is in
time to blockade the pawns. 42.¢xf4 ¢f6 43.¥d5! Preventing the king
from using the e6–square to move closer to
39...f5 40.¢d6 f4 This is also possible. the queenside.
40...¢f4 was a way to draw, but Black had 43...¥d7 Black is practically in zugzwang
to see that after the forcing 41.¥c6 ¢e3 so he must give away something.
42.¢c7 ¥e6 43.¢b6 f4 44.¢xa6 ¥c4
45.¢b6 f3 46.a6 f2 47.¥g2 f1£ 48.¥xf1 43...¢e7 44.¢e5 ¢d8 45.¢d6 amounts
¥xf1 49.a7 ¥g2 50.¢xb5 ¢d4 he is just to the same - Black must allow the white
in time to latch onto White’s b-pawn and bishop to come to b7.
draw after 51.¢b6 ¢c4 52.b5 ¥a8 53.¢a6
¢c5 54.b6 ¢c6. 44.¥b7 White wins the pawn on a6 and the
rest is easy.
41.¢e5 ¢g6??
XIIIIIIIIY 44...¢e6 45.¢e4 ¢d6 46.¥xa6 ¥c6+
47.¢d4 ¥e8 48.¥b7 ¥d7 49.¥f3 ¥c8
9-+l+-+-+0 50.¥e2 ¥d7 51.¥d3 ¥c6 52.¥e4
9+-+-+-+-0 XIIIIIIIIY
9p+-+-+k+0 9-+-+-+-+0
9zPp+-mK-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0
9-zP-+-zp-+0 9-+lmk-+-+0
9+-+-+L+-0 9zPp+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0 9-zP-mKL+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy 9-+-+-+-+0
Firouzja’s position collapses. He had two
principled ideas here that were sufficient for 9+-+-+-+-0
a draw, but each required some precision. xiiiiiiiiy
Forcing the exchange of bishops as, if
41...¥h3! Black uses his bishop as 52...¥d7 53.a6, the a-pawn promotes. The
in the lines we saw, from the f1–a6 game that changed Carlsen’s fortunes in
diagonal, both to defend his pawn on the tournament.
b5 and to allow the advance of his own
passed pawn. For example: 42.¥b7 1–0
¥f1 43.¥xa6 f3 44.¥b7 f2 45.a6 ¥d3

October 2021
But then something incredible happened. As XIIIIIIIIY

Firouzja said, the game with Carlsen was
a big lesson for him and he immediately 9r+-wq-trk+0
showed it by winning his final four(!) 9+pzp-+-zp-0
classical games, starting with a win over
the contender.
9-+nzpp+-zp0
9zp-+-zp-+-0
Alireza Firouzja – Ian Nepomniachtchi 9P+-+Psn-+0
9th Norway Chess 2021 Stavanger NOR (7.3) 9+-zPPtRN+P0
9-zP-sN-zPP+0
1.e4 e5 Nepomniachtchi was using
different openings in Norway and replying
9tR-+Q+-mK-0
1...e5 to 1.e4 was particularly surprising xiiiiiiiiy
for a life-long Najdorf player. He did the Firouzja didn’t expect the Giuoco
same in the game against Carlsen. Piano and forgets the theory. White
had to prepare to chase away the knight
2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥c4 ¤f6 4.d3 ¥c5 5.c3 d6 on f4 by defending the pawn on h3
6.0–0 0–0 7.¦e1 a5 One of the possible set- with 15.£f1 or 15.¢g2, intending g3
ups for Black. He can also put the pawn on in both cases.
a6 or leave it on a7.
15...£f6?! But Black also misses his
8.h3 ¥a7 9.a4 h6 10.¤bd2 ¥e6 chance to punish White for the misstep.
XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-wq-trk+0 15...d5! was quite strong, intending
...d4 when the rook on e4 must leave the
9vlpzp-+pzp-0 pawn on d3 unprotected. Surprisingly,
9-+nzplsn-zp0 White’s position lacks harmony and the
9zp-+-zp-+-0 threat turns out to be quite annoying.
16.¤e1 ¦f7 when Black can calmly
9P+L+P+-+0 continue to double on the f-file having
9+-zPP+N+P0 taken space in the centre, leaving White
awkwardly placed in the process.
9-zP-sN-zPP+0
9tR-vLQtR-mK-0 16.¤h2 Now we are back to the usual
xiiiiiiiiy manoeuvring. White now regroups to
The main move in this position. As a achieve the g3 push to get rid of the knight
general tendency lately Black has started on f4.
to avoid the positions after the exchange
on e6, as practice has shown that White 16...¢h8 17.£f1 Defending the pawn
can defend against the initial attack on the on h3.
kingside while the pawns on the e-file will
remain and will give him some advantage 17...¦f7 18.¤df3 ¦af8 18...g5!? 19.g3
after he pushes d4. ¤g6 was an interesting alternative, with
the idea of putting a rook on g8 and then
11.¥xe6 fxe6 12.¤c4 ¤h5 13.¥e3 ¥xe3 either threatening to return to f4 with the
This is all theory. The main alternative is knight or preparing ...h5–h4.
13...¤f4.
19.g3 ¤h5 20.¦d1 £e7?!
14.¦xe3 ¤f4 15.¤cd2?!

10/141
XIIIIIIIIY 23.£d1 ¤g6 24.d4 White achieved

his dream scenario. He defended his
9-+-+-tr-mk0 kingside and pushed d4. It is evident that
9+pzp-wqrzp-0 Nepomniachtchi’s lack of experience
in these structures was crucial for his
9-+nzpp+-zp0 lack of understanding of what needed
9zp-+-zp-+n0 to be done.
9P+-+P+-+0 24...exd4 25.cxd4 ¤f6 26.£c2 e5 This
9+-zPPtRNzPP0 creates a weak pawn on e5, but Black was
9-zP-+-zP-sN0 in an unenviable situation already.
9+-+R+QmK-0 26...¦e7 27.¦de2 b6 was an alternative,
xiiiiiiiiy but White has free hands to improve, for
Black’s activity has come to a standstill example, 28.¤d2 ¢g8 29.¤hf3 ¢h8
on the kingside, but there was no reason to 30.¦c3 and so on.
signal a retreat as just staying there would
prevent White from coming into play. It 27.dxe5 dxe5 This is practically forced.
is worth noting that only after White has
managed to get his pieces back into play Black cannot keep taking on e5 with a
and push d4 can he take advantage of the piece because after 27...¤xe5 28.¤xe5
static structure e5–e6–d6. £xe5 29.f4 £e6 30.¤f3 White advances
even further after f5, g4 etc.
20...£g6 kept the tension in the kingside.
White doesn’t have many constructive 28.¦c3 c6 29.¦d6 White is clearly better
moves now. 21.¦d2 (21.¢h1 d5 with the here, apart from the better structure (the
idea ...d4 is quite OK for Black, the point pawn on e5 needs constant attention) he
being that White cannot take twice on also has access to the f5–square and has
e5 because the pawn on f2 hangs after activity in the centre along the d-file.
22.exd5 exd5 23.¤xe5? ¤xe5 24.¦xe5
¦xf2; 21.¤h4 £f6 and the knight on 29...¦d7 30.¦cd3 ¦ff7 31.¤f1 Re-routing
h4 has no prospects and needs to come the knight to c4 via d2 or e3.
back. 22.¤g2 £g5 and again Black’s
presence on the kingside makes it difficult 31...¦xd6 32.¦xd6 ¦d7 33.¦xd7 £xd7
for White to create play.) 21...¢g8 Black 34.¤1d2 The exchange of all rooks didn’t
waits. 22.¢h1 ¤f6 23.£d1 with the make Black’s life easier as the drawbacks
idea of activating the queen with £b3. of his position (the pawn on e5) still remain.
23...£h5 24.¢g2 g5 25.£b3 ¤d8 with
unclear play. 34...¤h5 35.¢h2 Avoiding ...¤f4 tricks.
21.¢g2 White continues to improve his 35...¤f6 36.£c3 £c7 37.¢g2 c5 This is
position, though the immediate 21.d4 was just awful, further weakening his position,
also possible. in this case on the light squares, but
Nepomniachtchi just couldn’t sit still.
21...£e8 22.¦d2 ¤e7? The knight will
be useless on g6 so this manoeuvre only It was better to sit still with 37...£d8 but it
wastes time. is far from being fun. White strengthens the
grip with 38.¢f1 £d7 39.h4 £d8 40.¢e2
22...b6 23.£d1 ¤f6 was more to the point. followed by ¤c4, attacking Black’s queenside.
Now 24.d4 can be met by 24...exd4 25.cxd4
e5! 26.d5?! ¤b4 with good play for Black. 38.£d3 ¤e7 39.¤c4 ¤c6 40.£d6!

October 2021
XIIIIIIIIY 49...£xb2 50.e7 ¤xe7 51.£xe7 b4

52.£e8+ ¢h7 53.£e4+ ¢h8 54.£d5
9-+-+-+-mk0 Stopping the b-pawn.
9+pwq-+-zp-0
54...£a3 55.¤b3 £a4 56.¤d4 £e8
9-+nwQ-sn-zp0 57.£b7
9zp-zp-zp-+-0
9P+N+P+-+0 1–0
9+-+-+NzPP0
9-zP-+-zPK+0 He continued with wins over Karjakin with
9+-+-+-+-0 Black, Tari and eventually crushed Rapport
in the last round duel, deciding the fate of
xiiiiiiiiy second place in the tournament.
The exchange of queens emphasises
Black’s weaknesses.
Alireza Firouzja – Richard Rapport
40...£d7 40...£xd6 41.¤xd6 b6 42.¤d2 9th Norway Chess 2021 Stavanger NOR (10.2)
with ¤2c4 next wins material, for example:
42...¢g8 43.¤2c4 ¤d7 44.¤c8 and the 1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 ¤f6 A perfectly
pawn on b6 falls. viable move as an alternative to the theoretically
more solid main moves 3...g6 and 3...e6.
41.¤fxe5 ¤xe5 42.£xe5 £xa4 43.£xc5
White won a pawn and is now winning by 4.¤c3 ¤d4 With this move Black enters
simply pushing the passed e-pawn. complications, but it will turn out that his
opponent was better prepared for them.
43...£c2 44.e5 ¤g8 45.£d5 Centralising Calmer alternatives are 4...£c7 and 4...g6.
the queen and preventing checks along the
long diagonal. 5.e5 ¤xb5 6.¤xb5 ¤d5 7.0–0 For a long
time the move 7.¤g5 was considered the
45...£b3 46.e6 b5 47.£a8! main and most dangerous one, but Black
XIIIIIIIIY manages to neutralise White’s attempts
after 7...f6, as was played in the blitz game
9Q+-+-+nmk0 Caruana-Carlsen at the Norway Chess
9+-+-+-zp-0 event in 2019.
9-+-+P+-zp0 7...a6 8.c4 ¤b4 9.¤c3 d6 10.d4!?
9zpp+-+-+-0 XIIIIIIIIY
9-+N+-+-+0 9r+lwqkvl-tr0
9+q+-+-zPP0 9+p+-zppzpp0
9-zP-+-zPK+0 9p+-zp-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+-zp-zP-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy 9-snPzP-+-+0
Threatening e7.
9+-sN-+N+-0
47...¢h7 48.£e4+ ¢h8 49.¤xa5 Going 9PzP-+-zPPzP0
to e5 was a good alternative, but a matter
of taste really as now White wins a piece by 9tR-vLQ+RmK-0
simply pushing the e-pawn further. xiiiiiiiiy
10/141
A rare move, played only in one more 20.b4 ¦c6 21.¦e1 ¢f7?
game from 1978. Rapport was probably XIIIIIIIIY
well-prepared for the commonly played
10.exd6. 9-+-+-vl-tr0
9+p+qzpkzpp0
10...cxd4 11.£xd4 White sacrifices
material for the initiative. 9p+rzP-zp-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
11...¤c2 12.£e4 ¤xa1 13.¥f4 ¥e6 The 9-zP-+QvL-+0
only move, covering the e-file.
9+-+-+N+-0
14.¦xa1 White is an exchange down but 9P+-+-zPPzP0
his lead in development is tremendous
and Black cannot easily finish the 9+-+-tR-mK-0
development of his kingside, which xiiiiiiiiy
means that his king will be stuck in the Black succumbs under the pressure, but the
centre for some time. way out wasn’t easy at all.
14...¦c8 15.¤d5 Continuing in active 21...e5! was the only move, but allowing
fashion. two possible sacrifices on e5 doesn’t look
right... and yet, it is! 22.¥xe5 (22.¤xe5
15.b3 is a more restrained alternative, with also looks scary, though Black manages
unclear play after 15...dxe5 16.¥xe5 £d7 to hold the balance after the forcing
with ...£c6 next. line 22...fxe5 23.£xe5+ ¢d8 24.£a5+
¢c8 25.b5 ¦c5! 26.£b6 £xb5 27.d7+!
15...dxe5 16.¤xe5 f6 17.¤f3 ¥xd5?! £xd7 28.£a7 ¢d8 29.£b6+ ¢c8
XIIIIIIIIY 30.£a7 with a repetition.) 22...¢d8 the
only move for Black. Now again both
9-+rwqkvl-tr0 sides play only moves: 23.a4! ¥xd6
9+p+-zp-zpp0 24.b5 ¦c7 25.¥xd6 £xd6 26.bxa6
£xa6 27.¤d4 £c4 28.¤e6+ ¢c8
9p+-+-zp-+0 29.¤xc7 £xe4 30.¦xe4 ¦d8! the last
9+-+l+-+-0 precise move. 31.h4 ¢xc7 with an equal
9-+P+QvL-+0 rook endgame.
9+-+-+N+-0 22.¤d4! Taking control over the e6–square.
9PzP-+-zPPzP0
22...e5 22...exd6 23.£d5+ ¢g6
9tR-+-+-mK-0 24.¥d2! with the idea or ¦e3 - the
xiiiiiiiiy bishop is needed on d2 in order to
17...¢f7 18.¦d1 g6 is the engine’s way protect the c1–square.
for a Black advantage, but it’s difficult
to criticise Rapport for not wanting 23.£d5+ ¢g6 24.¥xe5! ¦xd6 24...fxe5
to play with that dominant knight 25.¤f3 is crushing, the black king won’t
on d5. survive for long.
18.cxd5 ¦c5 19.d6 £d7 19...e5? is bad 25.¥xd6 ¥xd6 26.£e4+ ¢f7 27.£d5+
as Black cannot keep the rook on the ¢g6 28.g3
fifth rank to protect the e5–pawn. After
20.b4 ¦b5 21.a4 ¦b6 22.¤xe5! Black’s
position collapses.

October 2021
XIIIIIIIIY An impressive game by Firouzja.

9-+-+-+-tr0 Firouzja’s scintillating finish ensured he
9+p+q+-zpp0 entered the top ten at the age of 18 with
2770, the same rating as Rapport, and
9p+-vl-zpk+0 now the two of them complete the top ten
9+-+Q+-+-0 of the October rating list.
9-zP-sN-+-+0
9+-+-+-zP-0
9P+-+-zP-zP0
9+-+-tR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy The
The material is equal, but Black’s king is
under attack and White’s pieces are controlling
Carlsen-
everything. By opening a luft White makes sure Nepomniachtchi
his king will be safe against threats on the back Showdown
rank and is now ready for the final assault.
The second intrigue of the event
28...h6 29.¦d1 Intending to use the pin was the games between Carlsen and
on the d-file, taking advantage of Black’s Nepomniachtchi. Some two months
loose pieces there. before their match for the title of World
Champion it was interesting to see
29...¦e8 30.¤f3 ¦e6 31.¤h4+ ¢h7 how they would approach these games
32.£d3+ A precise move that ends the game. from two aspects – which openings they
With ¤f5 next White wins the bishop on d6. would choose and which strategy they
would choose.
The hasty 32.¤f5? throws away the win in view
of 32...¦e5!, when White loses the knight on f5. Both Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi drew
all their classical games before meeting in
1–0 round four.
Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi

10/141
Magnus Carlsen - Ian Nepomniachtchi XIIIIIIIIY

9th Norway Chess 2021 Stavanger NOR (4.1)
9r+l+kvl-tr0
9zppzp-+pzpp0
1.e4 e5 A major surprise! 9-+p+-+-+0
Nepomniachtchi is a life-long Najdorf player 9+-+-zPn+-0
and he unsuccessfully tried the French at the 9-+-+-+-+0
first stage of the Candidates. Going for 1... 9+-+-+N+-0
e5 in the game against the World Champion
(and against Firouzja later in the tournament) 9PzPP+-zPPzP0
has two major implications: he wants to 9tRNvLR+-mK-0
change his repertoire for the match and play
something more solid, so he tests it before the xiiiiiiiiy
match begins; he wants to lead Carlsen on a 9...¥d7? is bad here in view of 10.g4 ¤h6
false trail, by playing an opening he doesn’t 11.h3, when Black’s knight on h6 is out
intend to choose in the match. Irrespective of of play.
which of the above is true, the surprise value
was great, and Carlsen definitely didn’t 10.¤c3 ¥e6 Black can also start with 10...
expect the Berlin to appear on the board. h6 or play 10...¤e7 with the idea of ...¤g6.
2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 ¤f6 4.0–0 ¤xe4 5.d4 11.¤g5 ¥c8 12.h3 ¥e7 13.¤f3 h5 Going
back to e6 with the bishop or playing
XIIIIIIIIY 13...¤h4 are valid alternatives.
9r+lwqkvl-tr0
9zppzpp+pzpp0 14.¤e2 The knight is well-placed on f4
from where it controls the e6 and d5 squares.
9-+n+-+-+0
9+L+-zp-+-0 14...¤h4 15.¤xh4 ¥xh4 16.g3 ¥e7
17.¢g2 ¥f5 18.c3 c5 19.¥e3 g5 Now
9-+-zPn+-+0 Black prevents ¤f4 because he weakened
9+-+-+N+-0 the d5–square with his previous move, so
9PzPP+-zPPzP0 ¤f4–d5 was a serious threat.
9tRNvLQ+RmK-0 20.f3 Threatening g4, which would fix the g5–
xiiiiiiiiy pawn and liberate the g3–square for the knight.
Carlsen decided to go for the endgame
rather than the popular alternative 5.¦e1. He 20...g4!
explained this choice by the fact that he had XIIIIIIIIY
suffered as Black in the endgame so he thought
he could try to pose some problems there. 9r+-+k+-tr0
9zppzp-vlp+-0
5...¤d6 6.¥xc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 ¤f5
8.£xd8+ ¢xd8 9.¦d1+ This check forces
9-+-+-+-+0
the king to e8 and narrows Black’s choice 9+-zp-zPl+p0
as it prevents plans with ...¥d7. On the 9-+-+-+p+0
other hand, the rook on d1 takes the spot
from the other one on a1 - often the f1–rook 9+-zP-vLPzPP0
goes to e1 and the a1–rook to d1. 9PzP-+N+K+0
9...¢e8
9tR-+R+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
October 2021
Black understands that he needs to prevent Berlin because his main problem is the
g4. He weakens the f4–square now, the one lack of connection between the rooks,
he wanted to control with his last move, but in view of the king’s being stuck on the
he worsens White’s structure in the process. back rank.
21.¤f4 gxf3+ 22.¢xf3 b6 Black prepares 24.¦ad1 ¦xd2 25.¦xd2 ¥d8 26.h4
for 23.¤d5, which now, with the c5–pawn Fixing the pawn on h5.
defended, can be met by 23...¥d8.
26.g4?! would be bad in view of 26...
23.¦d2 hxg4+ 27.hxg4 ¥c8 with ideas like ...¥b7
XIIIIIIIIY and ...¦h3 when all White would have
managed would have been to weaken his
9r+-+k+-tr0 position.
9zp-zp-vlp+-0
26...c6 Covering the d5–square.
9-zp-+-+-+0
9+-zp-zPl+p0 27.¤g2 Carlsen re-routes the knight to
9-+-+-sN-+0 f3 via e1, but this takes time. Still, it is
difficult to suggest something constructive
9+-zP-vLKzPP0 for White.
9PzP-tR-+-+0
27...¥g4+ Black could have eliminated the
9tR-+-+-+-0 pawn on e5 by 27...f6, which was also fine
xiiiiiiiiy for him.
Carlsen keeps it steady, but perhaps this
was a moment when he could have tried a 28.¢f2 ¦g8 29.a3 ¥e7 30.¥f4 ¦g6
more direct approach. 31.¤e1 ¥e6 32.¤f3 White achieved his
plan but that didn’t bring him much.
23.g4!? was more direct, forcing Black
to solve concrete problems. 23...hxg4+ 32...¥d5 33.¥g5
24.hxg4 ¥d7 25.¤d5 ¦c8 This is better than XIIIIIIIIY
25...¥d8 26.¥f4 when White is pressing.
26.¦h1 (26.¥f4 ¦h3+ 27.¥g3 Now 9-+-+k+-+0
27.¢e4? drops the g4–pawn to 27...¥xg4. 9zp-+-vlp+-0
27...¥c6 28.¢f4 ¥g5+ 29.¢xg5 ¦xg3
30.¤f6+ ¢e7 and Black is fine.) 26...¦g8 9-zpp+-+r+0
Black cannot leave the h-file by exchanging 9+-zplzP-vLp0
rooks as then White’s rook will penetrate 9-+-+-+-zP0
along the empty file. 27.g5 ¥e6 28.¢e4
now White wants to improve further with 9zP-zP-+NzP-0
¦h7 and ¦f1, putting pressure on f7, so 9-zP-tR-mK-+0
Black must act. 28...c6 29.¤f4 (29.¤f6+
¥xf6 30.exf6 ¦d8 is fine for Black, as 9+-+-+-+-0
with the opposite-coloured bishops and the xiiiiiiiiy
blockade on the light squares he is safe.) Allowing simplifications.
29...¥g4 avoiding the capture on e6. Black
is fine here, but White has managed to pose Putting the other light piece on g5 with
some problems and can continue to do so. 33.¤g5 was also rather harmless as it
doesn’t threaten anything. 33...f6 (or just
23...¦d8 Exchanging one pair of rooks marking time with 33...¢f8; but 33...¥xg5?
is always beneficial for Black in the is a mistake as after 34.¥xg5 White can

10/141
create a passed pawn by g4 and has good 1...e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥c4 ¥c5 4.c3 ¤f6
chances.) 34.exf6 ¦xf6, with no problems 5.d4 This gives the game a more forcing
for Black. nature than the Giuoco Piano after 5.d3.
33...¥xf3 34.¥xe7 ¢xe7 35.¢xf3 ¢e6 5...exd4 6.e5 d5 7.¥b5 ¤e4 8.cxd4 ¥b6
36.¢f4 Defending the pawn on e5 and 9.¤c3 0–0 10.¥e3 A major tabiya of this line
threatening ¦d6, so Black’s next is forced. of the Italian where Black has an ample choice.
36...¦g4+ 37.¢f3 ¦g6 38.¢f4 ¦g4+ 10...¥g4 This has been played by Carlsen
39.¢f3 more than once. The alternatives are
10...¥d7, 10...f5, 10...f6 and 10...¤e7.
½–½
11.h3 ¥h5 12.£c2 ¤xc3 Carlsen has also
played 12...¥g6 and 12...f5.
Carlsen won the Armageddon that followed
so he was definitely more content with the 13.bxc3 f6 14.exf6 £xf6 15.¥e2 ¤a5
first encounter! Carlsen follows his earlier game with So.
Black can also play 15...¥g6, 15...¦ae8
The World Champion had a strange event. and 15...¥xf3.
After drawing the contender he lost from
a very favourable Sveshnikov position 16.0–0 ¥xf3 17.¥xf3 c6
against Karjakin in his first-ever loss in the XIIIIIIIIY
Sveshnikov since 2009 and dropped to a
minus score.
9r+-+-trk+0
9zpp+-+-zpp0
But then, as he usually does, Carlsen 9-vlp+-wq-+0
immediately struck back and beat Firouzja
(see above), starting a series of four 9sn-+p+-+-0
consecutive victories – his subsequent 9-+-zP-+-+0
victims were Tari, Rapport and Karjakin.
9+-zP-vLL+P0
Carlsen himself couldn’t explain the sudden 9P+Q+-zPP+0
change in his fortunes, as he said that he 9tR-+-+RmK-0
didn’t do anything differently compared
to the first part of the event when all he xiiiiiiiiy
could do was draw. One way or another, Black has given up the bishop pair but,
these four wins ensured a third consecutive by eliminating the knight on f3, he has
victory in the Norway Chess events. stopped White’s idea of putting a knight
on e5 and he has the better pawn structure
The last round of the tournament saw the and the c4–square for his knight to
second game between Nepomniachtchi and guarantee equal play.
Carlsen.
18.¦ae1 ¤c4 19.¥c1 £g6 20.£d1 Finally
Ian Nepomniachtchi - Magnus Carlsen deviating from Carlsen’s previous game.
9th Norway Chess 2021 Stavanger NOR (10.1) 20.£xg6 hxg6 21.¦e7 ¦f7 22.¦e2 ¥a5 gave
White little in: ½–½ (48) So,W (2772)-Carlsen,M
1.e4 Playing White the Challenger sticks (2847) chess24.com INT 2021.
to his usual first move even though he’s
played a lot of Retis via 1.¤f3 or 1.c4 or 20...¦ae8 21.¦xe8 £xe8 22.¥e2 £e6
pure English Openings. 23.¥xc4

October 2021
XIIIIIIIIY Carlsen again won the Armageddon to

pile more misery on his future match
9-+-+-trk+0 opponent. Nepo wasn’t happy. Not so
9zpp+-+-zpp0 much because of Carlsen’s wins against
him in the Armageddon game, but because
9-vlp+q+-+0 of his own performance at the tournament,
9+-+p+-+-0 summing it up as “disgusting” (in his
9-+LzP-+-+0 own words: “The result is disgusting,
completely disgusting!").
9+-zP-+-+P0
9P+-+-zPP+0 He started well, with a win over Karjakin
in round one (which was played during the
9+-vLQ+RmK-0 first free day as Nepomniachtchi arrived
xiiiiiiiiy later in Norway due to visa issues).
Giving up any hope to play for more in
this game. Ian Nepomniachtchi – Sergey Karjakin
If White had wanted to try something he 9th Norway Chess 2021 Stavanger NOR (1.3)
had to keep the bishops. After 23.¥d3 £f7
preventing ¦e1 by putting pressure on the 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 ¤f6 4.0–0
f2–pawn. 24.£c2 h6 25.a4 c5!? with pressure ¤xe4 5.d4 Nepomniachtchi goes for the
on the d4–pawn for good play. Black can also endgame, having a curious idea prepared.
shuffle with 25...¥c7 and threaten something
like ...£d6. The position remains balanced 5...¤d6 6.¥xc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 ¤f5
but the game would have continued. 8.£xd8+ ¢xd8 9.¤c3 ¢e8 10.h3 h5
Karjakin almost always goes for this line
23...dxc4 24.¦e1 £f7 25.£e2 ¥a5 and Nepomniachtchi knew he could count
26.£e3 White’s control over the e-file on it happening again.
compensates for Black’s better bishop.
11.¥f4 ¥e7 12.¦ad1 ¥e6 13.¤g5 ¦h6
26...h6 27.¥a3 ¦d8 28.h4 ¢h7 29.¦e2 14.¦fe1 ¦d8 15.¦xd8+ ¢xd8 16.¤ce4
£f5 30.£c1 ¦d5 31.f3 b5 32.¦e4 ¥b6 XIIIIIIIIY
33.¥e7
XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-mk-+-+0
9-+-+-+-+0 9zppzp-vlpzp-0
9zp-+-vL-zpk0 9-+p+l+-tr0
9-vlp+-+-zp0 9+-+-zPnsNp0
9+p+r+q+-0 9-+-+NvL-+0
9-+pzPR+-zP0 9+-+-+-+P0
9+-zP-+P+-0 9PzPP+-zPP+0
9P+-+-+P+0 9+-+-tR-mK-0
9+-wQ-+-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy
The beginning of the interesting idea
xiiiiiiiiy discovered by Nepomniachtchi’s second,
Neither side can make progress, so the Potkin.
draw was agreed.
At the World Cup Karjakin faced 16.g4 hxg4
½–½ 17.hxg4 ¤d4 18.¦d1 c5 and managed to

10/141
Nepo on his performance at the tournament:

“The result is disgusting, completely disgusting!"
draw thanks to his deep preparation in: ½–½ 18.b3 Threatening ¤f7.
(35) Vachier Lagrave,M (2749)-Karjakin,S
(2757) Krasnaya Polyana RUS 2021 18...¢c8 19.¤xf7 ¦g6 20.¤h8!
16...c5 17.¤f6!?
XIIIIIIIIY
XIIIIIIIIY 9-+k+-+-sN0
9-+-mk-+-+0 9zppzp-vl-zp-0
9zppzp-vlpzp-0 9-+-+-sNr+0
9-+-+lsN-tr0 9+-zp-zPn+p0
9+-zp-zPnsNp0 9-+-+-vL-+0
9-+-+-vL-+0 9+P+-+-+P0
9+-+-+-+P0 9l+P+-zPP+0
9PzPP+-zPP+0 9+-+-tR-mK-0
9+-+-tR-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy
White had a good alternative in
xiiiiiiiiy 20.¤d5, but this definitely looks more
This interesting move is White’s idea. The aesthetically pleasing.
move severs the connection between the
rook on h6 and the bishop on e6 as now 20...¦xf6 21.exf6 ¥xf6 22.¥e5 Black
White threatens ¤xe6. has a pawn for the exchange but his pieces
are not coordinated and the position is
17...¥xa2? After a long think Karjakin already winning for White.
enters a losing position. Karjakin wasn’t in
good shape in Norway and here it shows. 22...¥xe5 23.¦xe5 ¤d4 24.¦xc5 b6
25.¦c4 c5 26.¦a4 ¥b1 27.c3 ¤c6
17...¥c4 was the correct way. After 28.¤f7
18.¦d1+ ¢c8 19.¤g8 ¦a6! Black has
sufficient counterplay, though the lines are
rather complicated.

October 2021
XIIIIIIIIY This is a typical situation in the English

Opening when the light-squared
9-+k+-+-+0 bishops have been exchanged. It is well
9zp-+-+Nzp-0 known how to play in such situations
- with White’s pawns on light squares
9-zpn+-+-+0 White has the better bishop and Black’s
9+-zp-+-+p0 threat of ...f4–f3 is easily dealt with
9R+-+-+-+0 by 15.¤c4!. After that, White wants to
put his bishop on e3 (after f3) and then
9+PzP-+-+P0 expand on the queenside. I am certain
9-+-+-zPP+0 Nepomniachtchi knew all about this,
but his desire to be aggressive and win
9+l+-+-mK-0 at all cost backfires badly.
xiiiiiiiiy
The knight comes back into play and, with 15.f4? This prevents ...¥g5, but weakens
a clear exchange up, the rest is a matter of his own king.
simple technique.
15.¤c4! intending f3 and ¥e3, a typical
28...¥c2 29.¦a3 a5 30.¤d6+ ¢c7 set-up for White in the English Opening
31.¤c4 ¤a7 32.¤e3 ¥h7 33.b4 ¤b5 after the exchange of the light-squared
34.¦a1 cxb4 35.cxb4 axb4 36.¤d5+ ¢d6 bishops. 15...b5 (15...¥g5? 16.¥xg5
37.¤xb4 hxg5 17.£h5 is pretty bad for Black as
his pawns on the fifth rank are exposed.)
1–0 16.¤e3 f4 17.¤f5 with the idea £g4.
17...¦xf5 18.exf5 £xf5 19.£e2 and
Black shouldn’t have enough for
After draws in rounds five and six the the exchange.
wheels came off when Nepomniachtchi
lost two games in a row to Firouzja and, 15...exf4 16.gxf4 ¥f6 17.¤c4 ¤a6 18.£f3
surprisingly, Tari. My impression was that ¦ae8 Suddenly Black is better developed
he was punished for his excessive self- and White’s centre is under severe pressure.
confidence. As an example, take a look at
the following decision: 19.£h3 ¥d4 20.¥e3 b5! 21.¥xd4 bxc4
22.¥c3 cxd3 White’s centre collapses and
Ian Nepomniachtchi – Aryan Tari he tries one last trick.
9th Norway Chess 2021 Stavanger NOR (8.2) 23.¦g1 ¦f7 24.¢h1!? ¦xe4?
9rsn-+-trk+0 9-+-+-+k+0
9zpp+qvl-zp-0 9zp-+q+rzp-0
9-+-zp-+-zp0 9n+-zp-+-zp0
9+-zpPzpp+-0 9+-zpP+p+-0
9-+-+P+-+0 9-+-+rzP-+0
9+-+P+-zP-0 9+-vLp+-+Q0
9PzP-sN-zPKzP0 9PzP-+-+-zP0
9tR-vLQ+R+-0 9tR-+-+-tRK0
10/141
It’s curious that both players failed to Now it’s over.

calculate precisely the lines after the
sacrifice on g7. 26.¦ag1 ¦g4 27.¦1xg4 fxg4 28.£xd3
¤b4 29.£e4 ¦e7 30.£f4 ¤xd5 31.£c4
24...£a4! was the strongest move, though £f5 32.¦xg4 ¢h7 33.¥d2 £f3+
24...d2!? was good enough, attempting to 34.¢g1 £d1+
lure the c3–bishop from the long diagonal.
25.b4 preventing ...£xe4. 25...d2! with 0–1
...£c2 next when Black should win.
25.¦g6? It’s strange that Nepomniachtchi

didn’t take the accidental tactical chance. After winning the Candidates,
Nepomniachtchi has shown more
25.¥xg7! ¦xg7 26.¦xg7+ £xg7 maturity and stability in his play while
27.£xf5 and the threat of ¦g1 forces Black keeping the fast pace with which his
to give up his queen, which guarantees moves keep coming. Inevitably this
White against a loss. What he had to see gave him more confidence and this
was that after 27...£d4 28.¦g1+ £xg1+ served him well until Stavanger.
29.¢xg1 d2 30.£g6+ ¢f8 31.£xd6+
¦e7 32.£xh6+ ¢g8 33.¢f2! he still In Norway he seemed to have lost his
gives a perpetual after 33...d1£ 34.£g6+ balance when it comes to confidence and
with a perpetual check. over-confidence. The example against
Tari is a typical one and against Firouzja
25...¦xf4 he was outplayed from an equal position
XIIIIIIIIY where he didn’t have much experience
(see the game above).
9-+-+-+k+0
9zp-+q+rzp-0 Perhaps it’s a good thing for
Nepomniachtchi that this warning sign
9n+-zp-+Rzp0 happened before the match. He will draw
9+-zpP+p+-0 his conclusions and will be more careful
9-+-+-tr-+0 in Dubai. Whether that will be sufficient
for the confident World Champion we
9+-vLp+-+Q0 will see soon enough.
9PzP-+-+-zP0
9tR-+-+-+K0
xiiiiiiiiy
NORWAY CHESS - FINAL STANDINGS

1 MagnusCARLSEN 36.6
2 Alireza FIROUZJA 35
3 Richard RAPPORT 26.5
4 Ian NEPOMNIACHTCHI 24.8
5 Sergey KARJAKIN 19.5

October 2021
TABATABAEI COMES TOP IN A 4-WAY TIE

AT SHARJAH MASTERS
Amin Tabatabaei - Arkadij Naiditsch
By IM Shaun Taulbut
4th Sharjah Masters 2021 Sharjah UAE (8.3)
The strong Sharjah Masters ended
with a four-way tie for first place 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 ¤f6 4.d3 ¥c5
between Tabatabaei, Eljanov, Salem and 5.¥xc6 dxc6
Maghsoodlloo with 6.5/9. XIIIIIIIIY
Tabatabaei took first place on tie break and 9r+lwqk+-tr0
the first prize of USD 10,000. 9zppzp-+pzpp0
Eljanov beat Tabatabaei in their individual 9-+p+-sn-+0
game in Round Seven but then Tabatabaei 9+-vl-zp-+-0
beat Naiditsch in Round Eight to reach 6/8 9-+-+P+-+0
and catch up. The four-way tie was decided
using the Bucholz tie break. Eljanov took 9+-+P+N+-0
the second prize of USD 8,000. 9PzPP+-zPPzP0
We start with the Tabatabaei win against 9tRNvLQmK-+R0
Naiditsch xiiiiiiiiy
10/141
White opts for a quiet position aiming for a XIIIIIIIIY

positional edge.
9r+-+r+k+0
6.¤bd2 ¥e6 7.0-0 ¤d7 8.¤b3 9+pzpn+qvl-0
XIIIIIIIIY 9p+p+-+p+0
9r+-wqk+-tr0 9tR-+-zpp+p0
9zppzpn+pzpp0 9-zPN+P+-zP0
9-+p+l+-+0 9+-zPPvLPzP-0
9+-vl-zp-+-0 9-zP-+Q+K+0
9-+-+P+-+0 9+-+-tR-+-0
9+N+P+N+-0 xiiiiiiiiy
9PzPP+-zPPzP0 22...¦e6 22...f4 looks best, blocking the
kingside.
9tR-vLQ+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy 23.¦aa1 ¥f8 24.g4 ¢h7 24...f4 is
8...¥xb3 8...¥e7 9.d4 with a slight essential, keeping the kingside closed.
advantage for White.
25.exf5 gxf5 26.¥g5 26.g5 gives White the
9.axb3 0-0 10.£e2 ¦e8 11.¥g5 ¥e7 advantage.
12.¥e3 ¥f6 13.g3 White prepares a
later f4. 26...b5 27.¤e3 Now White invades the
kingside light squares.
13...g6 14.b4 ¤f8 15.¤d2 ¥g7 16.c3 £d7
17.¤c4 f5 27...fxg4 27...f4 28.¤f5 hxg4 29.fxg4
White is much better.
XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+rsnk+0 28.fxg4 e4 29.¦f1 £g8 30.d4 hxg4
9zppzpq+-vlp0 30...¥e7 31.¥xe7 ¦xe7 32.¦f5 hxg4
33.¦h5+ wins.
9-+p+-+p+0
9+-+-zpp+-0 31.£xg4 ¦ae8 32.£h5+ ¥h6 33.¦f7+
Black resigns as after ...¢h8 34.¤f5
9-zPN+P+-+0 wins the bishop on h6 or White could
9+-zPPvL-zP-0 capture on d7.
9-zP-+QzP-zP0
1-0
9tR-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
18.¦a5 18.f4 fxe4 19.dxe4 exf4 20.¦xf4 is
slightly better for White.
18...a6 18...b6 19.¦a3 ¦ed8 20.exf5

£xf5 21.¦d1 retains an advantage
for White.
19.¦e1 £f7 20.f3 ¤d7 21.¢g2 h5 22.h4

October 2021
This was the Eljanov win against Tabatabaei 21.¦xb7 ¦ad8 22.£e2
Pavel Eljanov - Amin Tabatabaei

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-trr+k+0
4th Sharjah Masters 2021 Sharjah UAE (7.1)
9+R+-+pvlp0
1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 4.¥g2 d5 5.¤f3 9p+n+-snp+0
¥g7 6.b3 dxc4 7.bxc4 c5 8.¥b2 cxd4 9wq-+-+-+-0
9.¤xd4 0-0 10.¤d2 e5 11.¤b5 a6 12.¤c3
¤c6 13.0-0 9-+P+p+-+0
XIIIIIIIIY 9+-sN-zP-zP-0
9r+lwq-trk+0 9P+-sNQzPKzP0
9+p+-+pvlp0 9vL-+-+R+-0
9p+n+-snp+0 xiiiiiiiiy
9+-+-zp-+-0 22...h5 22...£f5 is better here, defending
e4, when Black has some play on the
9-+P+-+-+0 kingside light squares.
9+-sN-+-zP-0
9PvL-sNPzPLzP0 23.¤d5 ¤xd5 24.¤b3 ¤f4+ 24...£a4
25.cxd5 ¦xd5 is slightly better for White
9tR-+Q+RmK-0 but it is the best line for Black.
xiiiiiiiiy
13...¥e6 Black has good play against the 25.gxf4 £f5 26.¥xg7 ¢xg7 27.h3 ¦e6
c4 pawn to offset the white play down the 28.¦d1 ¦d3 29.£b2+ ¢g8 30.¦d7
b-file. XIIIIIIIIY
14.¦b1 ¥h6 14...¦e8 looks best here, 9-+-+-+k+0
eg if 15.¥a3 ¦c8 16.¦xb7 ¤a5 17.¦b1 9+-+R+p+-0
¤xc4 18.¤xc4 ¦xc4, with good play 9p+n+r+p+0
for Black.
9+-+-+q+p0
15.e3 ¥g4 16.¥f3 ¥xf3 17.¤xf3 9-+P+pzP-+0
XIIIIIIIIY 9+N+rzP-+P0
9r+-wq-trk+0 9PwQ-+-zPK+0
9+p+-+p+p0 9+-+R+-+-0
9p+n+-snpvl0 xiiiiiiiiy
9+-+-zp-+-0 30...g5 30...h4 may be better, though White
still has ¦d5.
9-+P+-+-+0
9+-sN-zPNzP-0 31.¦d5 This x-ray move wins material.
9PvL-+-zP-zP0 31...£h7 32.f5 32.¤c5 ¦xd1 33.¤xe6
9+R+Q+RmK-0 ¦xd5 34.cxd5 fxe6 35.dxc6 also wins as
xiiiiiiiiy the c-pawn cannot be stopped by the black
17...e4 17...¦e8 is playable. queen.
18.¤d2 ¦e8 19.¥a1 ¥g7 20.¢g2 £a5 32...¦e8 33.¦1xd3 exd3 34.£f6 ¤e7
Black gives up a pawn for active play. 35.£xg5+ ¢h8 36.£f6+ ¢g8 37.¦xd3

10/141
¤xf5 38.¦d5 £g6+ 39.£xg6+ fxg6

40.¤d4 ¤e7 41.¦d7 a5 42.c5 a4 43.c6
¢f7 44.c7 ¢f8 45.¤e6+ Black resigned
as, after ...¢f7, 46. ¤d8+ followed by
¦xe7 wins; the c-pawn queens.
1-0
Veteran Oleg Romanishin scored

the following exciting and brilliant
sacrificial win.
Robert Baskin - Oleg Romanishin

4th Sharjah Masters 2021 Sharjah UAE (7.23) Oleg Romanishin
1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥c4 ¤f6 4.¤g5 d5 13.¤c3 ¦fe8 14.b3 ¤d5 15.¥b2 ¤f4
5.exd5 ¤a5 6.¥b5+ ¥d7 7.£e2 ¥e7 16.£f1 £g4 Black springs into action;
8.¤f3 e4 9.¤e5 White cannot defend with 17.¦g1 because
of the stunning 17...¥a3 18.¥xa3 ¤d3+
XIIIIIIIIY 19.cxd3 exd3 +, winning.
9r+-wqk+-tr0 XIIIIIIIIY
9zppzplvlpzpp0 9r+-+r+k+0
9-+-+-sn-+0 9zp-+-vlpzpp0
9snL+PsN-+-0 9L+p+-+-+0
9-+-+p+-+0 9sn-+-+-+-0
9+-+-+-+-0 9-+-+psnq+0
9PzPPzPQzPPzP0 9+PsN-+-+-0
9tRNvL-mK-+R0 9PvLPzP-zPPzP0
xiiiiiiiiy 9tR-+-mKQ+R0
9...c6 10.dxc6 bxc6 11.¤xd7 £xd7
12.¥a6 0-0 xiiiiiiiiy
17.¤e2 ¤xg2+ 18.¢d1 ¦ad8 Black
XIIIIIIIIY prepares a further sacrifice on d2.
9r+-+-trk+0
9zp-+qvlpzpp0 19.¦g1 ¦xd2+ 20.¢xd2 20.¢c1 ¦ed8
wins.
9L+p+-sn-+0
9sn-+-+-+-0 20...¥g5+ 21.¢c3 21.¢d1 ¦d8+ 22.¥d3
exd3 23.cxd3 £f3 24.¦xg2 £xd3+
9-+-+p+-+0 25.¢e1 £d2#.
9+-+-+-+-0
9PzPPzPQzPPzP0 21...¥f6+ Also 21...£f5 22.¦d1 £c5+
23.¥c4 ¥f6+ 24.¤d4 ¦b8 25.¢d2 ¥xd4
9tRNvL-mK-+R0 is interesting.
xiiiiiiiiy
22.¢b4 ¥xb2

October 2021
XIIIIIIIIY a6 27.¥xe8 £xe8+ 28.¢xa5 £b5#

9-+-+r+k+0 XIIIIIIIIY
9zp-+-+pzpp0 9-+-+-+k+0
9L+p+-+-+0 9+-+-+p+p0
9sn-+-+-+-0 9p+-+-+p+0
9-mK-+p+q+0 9mKqzp-+-+-0
9+P+-+-+-0 9-+-+p+-+0
9PvlP+NzPnzP0 9+PzP-+-+-0
9tR-+-+QtR-0 9Pvl-+NzPQzP0
xiiiiiiiiy 9tR-+-+-tR-0
The white king has no hiding place. xiiiiiiiiy
0-1
23.£xg2 £e6 24.¢a4 c5 25.c3 g6 26.¥b5
4TH SHARJAH MASTERS 2021 SHARJAH UAE FRI 17TH SEP 2021 - SUN 26TH SEP 2021
LEADING FINAL ROUND 9 STANDINGS:
Rk SNo Name FED Rtg Pts TB1ss TB2 TB3
1 18 GM Tabatabaei M. Amin IRI 2624 6.5 0.0 42.5 36.0
2 3 GM Eljanov Pavel UKR 2680 6.5 0.0 42.0 36.0
3 4 GM Salem A.R. Saleh UAE 2679 6.5 0.0 40.5 34.5
4 2 GM Maghsoodloo Parham IRI 2695 6.5 0.0 38.0 32.0
5 33 GM Mchedlishvili Mikheil GEO 2571 6.0 0.0 45.5 39.0
6 9 GM Jumabayev Rinat KAZ 2651 6.0 0.0 44.0 38.0
7 12 GM Narayanan.S.L IND 2632 6.0 0.0 43.5 37.0
8 26 GM Yakubboev Nodirbek UZB 2604 6.0 0.0 40.0 33.5
9 23 GM Gupta Abhijeet IND 2612 6.0 0.0 38.0 32.5
10 5 GM Adhiban B. IND 2672 5.5 0.0 39.0 33.5
11 28 GM Delgado Ramirez Neuris PAR 2588 5.5 0.0 39.0 32.5
12 17 GM Erigaisi Arjun IND 2626 5.5 0.0 38.5 32.5
13 10 GM Abdusattorov Nodirbek UZB 2648 5.5 0.0 38.5 32.5
14 25 GM Niemann Hans Moke USA 2609 5.5 0.0 37.5 32.0
15 7 GM Paravyan David RUS 2660 5.5 0.0 37.0 31.5
16 27 GM Sadhwani Raunak IND 2603 5.5 0.0 36.5 31.0
17 34 GM Sindarov Javokhir UZB 2571 5.5 0.0 34.5 29.0

10/141
FINISH OF THE WORLD’S RICHEST ONLINE EVENT
Carlsen wins the

Meltwater Champions Tour
By GM Alex Colovic / alexcolovic.com
Photo: David Llada/BCM Archive
The final event of the 10−month−long Meltwater Champions Tour took place from 25th
September to 4th October. Initially the event was planned to happen in San Francisco as an
over−the−board event, but the pandemic forced the organisers to adjust their plans, so they
kept it online. The only difference was that some players, like the World Champion, Giri
and Duda, played from the studio in Oslo. The prize fund of the tournament was $300,000.
The players didn’t start on an equal footing. Their previous results from the Tour were taken
into account and this practically meant that only the leader Carlsen or So, who was trailing him
by four points, had a chance to win the first prize of $100,000. For each match win the player
got three points, while a win in the Armageddon gave the winner two points and the loser one.
The leader started the event in convincing fashion, defeating Duda 2.5−0.5. The first game
was particularly impressive.
Magnus Carlsen - Jan-Krzysztof Duda the easiest solution. It is here that Carlsen
wanted to use a rare idea.
Meltwater Tour Final 2021 chess24.com INT (1.1)
9.¦b1
XIIIIIIIIY
1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 d5 4.cxd5 ¤xd5 Duda
avoids the Exchange Variation of the QGD and 9rsnl+kvl-tr0
aims for the Semi−Tarrasch type of position.
9zppwq-+pzpp0
5.¤f3 A curious choice by Carlsen, inviting 9-+-+p+-+0
a line that is considered is considred good
for Black. The usual move is 5.e4.
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-zP-+-+0
5...c5 6.e3 The move 6.e4 would have led 9+-zP-+N+-0
to the main lines of the Semi−Tarrasch.
9P+-+-zPPzP0
6...cxd4 7.exd4 ¤xc3 8.bxc3 £c7 Black’s 9+RvLQmKL+R0
last two moves are nowadays considered xiiiiiiiiy
October 2021
The usual move here is the natural With a king on f1 the h3–square is the only
9.¥d2, defending the pawn on c3. way for the rook from h1 to get into the game.
Carlsen sacrifices it with check and
hopes to get a strong initiative, thanks 12...0–0 13.¦h3 ¤f6? This natural move
to his lead in development. is the decisive mistake, strange as it may
seem. Black allows ¤e5, after which
9...¤d7 9...£xc3+ Black will take on all White’s pieces obtain open access to
c3 on the next move, but it was also Black’s kingside.
possible here. 10.¥d2 £c7 11.¥d3.
with 0–0 and £e2 next, White has quick 13...£c7 was better. After 14.¥g5 f6 (or
development as good compensation for 14...¥d6 15.¦c1 £a5 16.£e2 with good
the pawn. compensation for White.) 15.¦c1 £d8
(15...£a5? 16.£c2! gives White a winning
10.¥d3!? The bigger surprise. White is attack after 16...h6 17.£e2 with the idea
ready to sacrifice the pawn and lose the of £e6 and now a pretty line is 17...¤b6
right to castle! Previously White played 18.¥xh6! gxh6 19.¦g3+ ¢h8 20.¦c5!!
the more natural 10.c4. blocking the 5th rank so the black queen
cannot join the defence on the kingside
10...£xc3+ 11.¢f1 ¥e7 12.h4! 20...¥xc5 21.£e3 with the inevitable
XIIIIIIIIY £xh6 mating.) 16.£c2! fxg5 17.¥xh7+
¢h8 18.hxg5 and it’s incredibly difficult
9r+l+k+-tr0 for Black to defend here. He should play
9zpp+nvlpzpp0 18...¦xf3! 19.gxf3 ¥xg5 20.¥f5+ ¥h6
21.¥xe6 £f6, with unclear play.
9-+-+p+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0 14.¤e5 Threatening ¥xh7, winning
9-+-zP-+-zP0 the queen.
9+-wqL+N+-0 14...£a5 15.¦g3 Now the threat is ¥h6.
9P+-+-zPP+0
15...¢h8 16.¥g5 Now White wants to take
9+RvLQ+K+R0 on f6 and follow up with £h5.
xiiiiiiiiy
Another title for the

World Champion: MAGNUS CARLSEN

10/141
16...h6 In view of So’s bad form and

XIIIIIIIIY Carlsen’s relatively good form,
9r+l+-tr-mk0 the gap continued to widen and
9zpp+-vlpzp-0 Carlsen won the event with two
9-+-+psn-zp0 rounds to spare
9wq-+-sN-vL-0 allowing the gap between them to broaden.
9-+-zP-+-zP0 In view of So’s bad form and Carlsen’s
relatively good form, the gap continued to
9+-+L+-tR-0 widen and Carlsen won the event with two
9P+-+-zPP+0 rounds to spare. Curiously enough, he won
in the same way in which he had won the
9+R+Q+K+-0 London Candidates in 2013, when both he
xiiiiiiiiy and his main rivals, Kramnik in London
17.¥xh6! A beautiful finish. and So now, lost.
17...gxh6 18.£f3! With the simple yet Unfortunately, the final event was not
unstoppable threat of £f4xh6. spared the embarrassment of the quick
draws by the usual suspects − Nakamura,
1–0 Radjabov and So. The match between
the first two was particularly tasteless,
with the four rapid games ending in our
It appears that this game gave Carlsen well−known Berlin and QGD repetitions
confidence after the shaky end of his we have seen way too often in the
previous event, the European Club Cup, games between these players. To make
when he was lost, but managed to save the it even worse, Nakamura was playing
game against Mamedyarov. another event simultaneously, the Titled
Tuesday on Chess.com! On Tuesday,
In fact, Carlsen managed to beat 28 September, he was playing So and
Mamedyarov only in the Armageddon in conveniently the last three rapid games
the second round, but more importantly, were quick repetitions. It is the opinion
his closest rival So lost to Vachier, thus of this author that while that speaks of
Magnus Carlsen and Anish Giri have a real handshake before their online match in
Round 6 of the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour! (photo: Champions Tour)

October 2021
Nakamura’s unparalleled ability, it does 48.¢c3! ¢e5 49.¢d2! waiting for Black
show disrespect towards the organiser of to step on d5 and only then to come to d3.
a $1.6 million Champions Tour.
48...¢e5 Threatening ...¢e4. White loses
In the tie-breaks Nakamura won his matches the opposition now and the game.
against both Radjabov and So. Radjabov’s
blunder in a drawn pawn endgame is 49.¢d3 Or 49.¢e2 ¢e4 and the king
instructive. enters via f3 or d3.
Teimour Radjabov – Hikaru Nakamura 49...¢d5 Black enters via e4 or c4.

Meltwater Tour Final 2021 chess24.com INT (2.5) 0–1
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0 Radjabov ended in second place of the
9+-+-+-+-0 Meltwater Tour. Speaking about his overall
9-+-+k+-+0 Tour finish, Radjabov said he is ‛very
happy to be second’ adding that this was ‛a
9+p+-+p+p0 very hard year’ for him. ‛It really brought
9-zP-+-+pzP0 me a lot of pleasant moments and I have
9+-+-zP-zP-0 great memories of the Tour.’
9-+K+-+-+0 Speaking of blunders, the World Champion
9+-+-+-+-0 also made a rather elementary one when
facing Vachier.
xiiiiiiiiy
The position is a dead draw. It only remains Magnus Carlsen –
to find the correct square for the king. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Radjabov failed.
Meltwater Tour Final 2021 chess24.com INT (3.3)
48.¢d2?? The critical opposition happens
on the d3 and d5 squares, so it was 1.e4 c5 2.¤c3 d6 3.¥b5+ ¥d7
necessary to go to c3. 4.¥xd7+ £xd7 5.¤f3 ¤f6 6.d4 cxd4
Unfortunately, the final event was not

spared the embarrassment of the quick
draws by the usual suspects - Nakamura,
Radjabov and So. The match between the
first two was particularly tasteless, with the
four rapid games ending in our well-known
Berlin and QGD repetitions we have seen
way too often in the games between these
players. To make it even worse, Nakamura
was playing another event simultaneously,
the Titled Tuesday on Chess.com
10/141
7.¤xd4 g6 In the previous game that One interesting theoretical

Carlsen won Black played 7...e6 and
this was again met by 8.b3 followed by aspect of the event was the
¥b2,£d2 and 0–0–0. repetitive use of the Tarrasch
Defence. It forms an important
8.b3 Carlsen experimented with the b3, ¥b2
development in more games in this event. part of Artemiev’s opening
repertoire, but it was also used
8...d5 Obviously Vachier’s preparation and by Giri and Carlsen
quite unexpectedly Carlsen errs massively.
White has nothing to show for the pawn
9.e5?? now and Black won in 39 moves.
XIIIIIIIIY
9rsn-+kvl-tr0 0–1
9zpp+qzpp+p0
9-+-+-snp+0 One interesting theoretical aspect of the event
was the repetitive use of the Tarrasch Defence.
9+-+pzP-+-0 It forms an important part of Artemiev’s
9-+-sN-+-+0 opening repertoire, but it was also used by
9+PsN-+-+-0 Giri and Carlsen. Here’s an overview of the
Tarrasch Defence in the event.
9P+P+-zPPzP0
9tR-vLQmK-+R0 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov -
Vladislav Artemiev
xiiiiiiiiy
9.£d3 was better, when White can again Meltwater Tour Final 2021 chess24.com INT (5.1)
continue with ¥b2 and 0–0–0.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5
9...£c7 Small tactic that wins a pawn in 5.¤f3 5.e4 was tried by Mamedyarov
view of the double attack on the knight on against Artemiev, but he didn’t achieve
c3 and the pawn on e5. much after 5...dxe4 6.¥b5+ ¥d7 7.¤ge2
¥xb5 8.¤xb5 a6 9.¤bc3 cxd4 10.¤xd4
10.¤ce2 £xe5 11.¥f4 £h5 12.f3? 12.h3! ¤f6 when Black was fine and eventually
was better, when White has compensation even won the game.
for the pawn.
5...¤c6 6.g3
12...¥h6! 13.g4 £h3 XIIIIIIIIY
XIIIIIIIIY
9rsn-+k+-tr0 9r+lwqkvlntr0
9zpp+-zpp+p0 9zpp+-+pzpp0
9-+-+-snpvl0 9-+n+-+-+0
9+-+p+-+-0 9+-zpp+-+-0
9-+-sN-vLP+0 9-+-zP-+-+0
9+P+-+P+q0 9+-sN-+NzP-0
9P+P+N+-zP0 9PzP-+PzP-zP0
9tR-+QmK-+R0 9tR-vLQmKL+R0
October 2021
6.¥g5 was tried by Duda. Black obtained 19.¥xb6 ¦xa2 20.¥d4 ¥c6 with
easy play after 6...¥e7 7.¥xe7 ¤gxe7 an equal endgame in the game: ½–½
8.dxc5 d4 9.¤e4 0–0 10.g3 £d5 11.¤ed2 (31) Giri,A (2777)-Carlsen,M (2855)
£xc5 ½–½ (54) Duda,J (2756)-Artemiev,V chess24.com INT 2021.
(2699) chess24.com INT 2021.
9...bxc6 10.0–0 0–0 11.£c2 ¥b6 12.¤a4
6...¤f6 7.¥g2 cxd4 Dubov’s Tarrasch ¥a6 13.¦d1 ¦e8 14.e3 ¦c8 15.b4 £e7
seems to be the trusted choice of the 16.¦b1 ¤e4 17.¤xb6 axb6
elite players. XIIIIIIIIY
8.¤xd4 ¥c5 9.¤xc6 9-+r+r+k+0
XIIIIIIIIY 9+-+-wqpzpp0
9r+lwqk+-tr0 9lzpp+-+-+0
9zpp+-+pzpp0 9+-+p+-+-0
9-+N+-sn-+0 9-zP-+n+-+0
9+-vlp+-+-0 9+-+-zP-zP-0
9-+-+-+-+0 9P+Q+-zPLzP0
9+-sN-+-zP-0 9+RvLR+-mK-0
9PzP-+PzPLzP0 xiiiiiiiiy
With very good play for Black - he no
9tR-vLQmK-+R0 longer has an IQP and can create play on
xiiiiiiiiy the queenside with ...h5–h4. The knight on
9.¤b3 was Giri’s choice when he faced e4 is not inferior to a bishop and in fact Giri
the Tarrasch against Carlsen. 9...¥b6 obtained a winning position before spoiling
10.¤a4 0–0 11.¤xb6 axb6 12.¤d4 it and losing. 1–0 (35) So,W (2778)-Giri,A
(12.¥e3 h5! is known to give Black (2777) chess24.com INT 2021.
good play.) 12...¦e8 13.0–0 ¤xd4
14.£xd4 ¦xe2 15.¥e3 ¦c2 16.¦fc1 0–1
¦xc1+ 17.¦xc1 ¥d7 18.£xb6 £xb6
Even the greatest masters of chess can

overlook a checkmate: LEVON ARONIAN

10/141
To conclude the overview of the event, I offer The latest fashion, but I remember this
you a curious case of a mate-in-one blunder. move was played against me in the junior
championship of Yugoslavia in 1990!
Levon Aronian - Jan-Krzysztof Duda
Meltwater Tour Final 2021 chess24.com INT (6.1) 12...¥d7 was played almost automatically
in the past, but modern practice showed that
1.e4 Aronian did some serious work during life is not easy for Black after 13.£xc3,
the pandemic and included 1.e4 in his 13.¤xc3, 13.¢g1 or 13.¢b1 - too many
repertoire. moves to neutralise!
1...e6 2.d4 d5 3.¤c3 ¥b4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 13.¤xd4 ¤xd4 14.£xd4 ¥d7 15.£d6?!
¥xc3+ 6.bxc3 ¤e7 7.£g4 Going for the XIIIIIIIIY
most critical line.
9r+-+k+r+0
7...£c7 The sharpest reply. The calmer 9zppwqlsnp+-0
alternative is 7...0–0.
9-+-wQp+-+0
8.£xg7 ¦g8 9.£xh7 cxd4 10.¤e2 ¤bc6 9+-+-zP-+-0
11.f4 dxc3 12.£d3 d4!? 9-+-+-zP-+0
XIIIIIIIIY 9zP-zp-+-+-0
9r+l+k+r+0 9-+P+-+PzP0
9zppwq-snp+-0 9tR-vL-mKL+R0
9-+n+p+-+0 xiiiiiiiiy
9+-+-zP-+-0 It seems Aronian forgot his preparation.
9-+-zp-zP-+0 White achieves nothing with the move.
9zP-zpQ+-+-0 In the aforementioned game I played
9-+P+N+PzP0 15.¥e3 ¤f5 16.£c5 and here my opponent
mistakenly exchanged queens 16...£xc5?
9tR-vL-mKL+R0 The move 16...£c6 or 16...0–0–0 are better.
xiiiiiiiiy
WESLEY SO:
EVERYTHING WENT WELL EXCEPT…
Commenting on his performance in the last

leg of the Meltwater Chess Tour, Wesley
So – who was, alongside Carlsen, closest
to winning the Tour but ended up in fourth
place, said the following:
‛I feel everything went well except the

last tournament. Considering everything
that happened, fourth place was a good
finish for me. I don’t think I could have
done better than fourth, considering what
went wrong.’

October 2021
17.¥xc5 after which I converted my 18.¦a3 was better, with the idea of taking
advantage without problems; 15.¦g1 is the on c3 with the rook.
most commonly-played move.
18...£d2# Probably an unpleasant surprise
15...£a5 16.£b4 £d5 17.a4? White wants for Aronian, but it happened once to
to develop the bishop on the a3–f8 diagonal, Kramnik too, though he was playing against
a common theme in the Winawer, but not a computer then...
quite appropriate here.
0–1
17.£xc3 was better, though after
17...£e4+ 18.£e3 £xc2 Black has
excellent compensation. The Meltwater Champions Tour was a
successful series of events and already the
17...¤f5 In this position Aronian spent more new tour for 2022 has been announced, the
than 5 (!) minutes and decided to follow up first tournament scheduled for February.
with his plan started on the previous move,
to develop the bishop on the a3–f8 diagonal. There will be no shortage of online chess
next year!
18.¥a3??
XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+k+r+0
9zpp+l+p+-0
9-+-+p+-+0
9+-+qzPn+-0
9PwQ-+-zP-+0
9vL-zp-+-+-0
9-+P+-+PzP0
9tR-+-mKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

10/141
INTERVIEW: Painter PETER HEREL RAABENSTEIN

on the connection between art and chess
MARCEL DUCHAMP SAID IT BEST:

"While not every artist is a chess player,
not every chess player is an artist"
By BCM
Peter Herel Raabenstein‘s recently British Chess Magazine: How did you think
published book Chess in Art was met with of writing this book and why?
a lot of praise, including by FIDE, the
world chess body. The book focuses on the Peter Herel Raabenstein: I wanted to buy
artist’s relationship with the game of chess such a book for my uncle for his anniversary
and looks at how that connection developed but I couldn’t find any! So, I said that I
over eight centuries, from 1100 to 1900. It would at least create a calendar with 12
includes paintings by more than 700 artists. images. I started searching on the Internet.
It was some time around the year 2000 that
In an interview with BCM, painter Peter the whole idea was still in its infancy. The
Herel Raabenstein explains how he views more pictures I found and the more I read
the link between art and chess and what about them, the more I started enjoying the
prompted him to create this book. connection and the idea was born.

October 2021
BCM: How did you go about finding images

depicting chess, how long did it take you, and
what was the overall process?
PHR: I visited galleries, libraries, events. I

drew materials from old postcards, magazines,
other publications. It took me 11 years. Then
I was searching the images on the internet
in good resolution. It was a tremendous job
but, even so, I didn’t manage to find a lot of
images at all, but I didn’t give up.
BCM: What is your personal connection to chess?
PHR: My grandfather taught me the rules The Game of Chess (or Portrait of the
artist's sisters playing chess), 1555. An oil
when I was five. I have never played on canvas painting by Italian Renaissance
in a chess club. However, I love chess. artist Sofonisba Anguissola. She was 23
When I lived in Holland, I liked to visit years old when she painted it
the Wijk aan Zee tournament. There I
had the opportunity to see the best chess playing chess). It is a painting by Sofonisba
players play and enjoy the atmosphere. Anguissola from 1555. Anguissola was
around 20 years old when she painted it.
BCM: Did things come up during your time
working on this book that surprised you? This was the first picture in the book Chess
in Art. I first received this from a friend on
PHR: You will always be surprised by a postcard from Poland!
something, such as how the figures have
changed over the centuries, or that women BCM: What key point would you like a
played around 1400! reader to take from this book?
BCM: How would you define the relationship PHR: I think that the book is a nice gift
between art and chess? for those who love chess and art and can
be a gateway to exploring the way in
PHR: Marcel Duchamp said it best. "While which human perception and depiction of
not every artist is a chess player, not every chess developed.
chess player is an artist".
This is the first volume covering the period
BCM: Based on your research, how has the from 1100 to 1900. The second is intended
chess display changed from 1100 to 1900? to cover the years 1900−2000. I’m still
working on this book. I’m contacting living
PHR: It is clear that chess was a matter for artists from all over the world. If all goes
rich people. The poor did not have the time well, the book should be published in 2022.
or the opportunity to learn this beautiful
game. The depiction of chess in art changed Peter Herel Raabenstein (1967,) is a
as the lifestyle in society changed. Czech painter and conceptual artist. He
lives and works in Prague. Founder of the
BCM: What image do you consider best for Zátiší Gallery in Prague, which focuses on
displaying chess? contemporary and modern art, he is the
author of the unique painting workshop
PHR: I particularly like The Game of "Become a Painter" and the author of the
Chess (or Portrait of the artist’s sisters book Chess in Art.

10/141
A REVIEW OF
“EIGHT GOOD MEN”
BY DORIAN ROGOZENCO,
ELK AND RUBIN 2021; AND
“NAIL IT LIKE NEPO”
BY ZENON FRANCO,
ELK AND RUBIN 2021
NEPO AND THE

EKATERINBURG
IS THIS THE LAST

‘SLOW-SPEED’ MATCH
FOR THE TITLE?
By Peter O’Brien
Photo: David Llada
October 2021
ROAD FROM
TO DUBAI

10/141
A Candidates tournament, followed by a World On the issue of future

Championship match, seems to be a well-
established process in the chess world. Yet arrangements for any type of
appearances can be deceptive. Prior to 2000,
there had been a couple of decades essentially
world championship, the new
under the 2K – Karpov and Kasparov (5 world technological and financial
title struggles), which had been preceded by
a trio of matches of a half-altered 2K (even if actors in the chess world are
those matches had been organised by the FIDE
of that epoch). Indeed, from effectively 1975
bound to have a strong say,
till 2008, the world title was held by one of along with FIDE
the 3K. It is perhaps the Carlsen years which
have offered the sense of order. Things have the tournament lead to marked differences in
nevertheless been changing notably. Since player performance? Fortunately, although the
Anand – Gelfand just over a decade back, two Chinese contestants did vary their results
matches have been shortened drastically. And (Wang Hao doing less well, and Ding Liren
only one of the last five has been settled at much better), there was consistency.
classical time speeds.
Indirectly, the COVID-19 driven explosion of
This time round, the process has taken on a very online play, and the financial benefits for the
different feel as a result of - both directly and game of switching almost entirely to rapid and
indirectly - COVID-19. blitz tournaments, have cast doubt on whether
future years warrant a world championship
Directly, two main things happened. First: the cycle at slow speed. Simply put: is the cycle
risks posed for over the board play by the that will be completed in Dubai in November
pandemic led to the withdrawal of a qualified the last we will see?
candidate, and his replacement by a player
whose performance had a significant impact on The two books under review do not raise
the final outcome of the tournament. Second, these questions as such, and maybe it is
the long time lag between the two halves of right that they do not. All decisions taken
the tournament, due to the persistent health by authorities under COVID had perforce
risks, inevitably raises questions about the to be made in a context where the many
valuation of the results. Would the period that uncertainties meant that any action could
elapsed between the first and second parts of easily be criticised. Since I normally work
in conditions where similar doubts cloud
The COVID-19 driven what is done (or not done), I personally
am not about to join the club of the critics
explosion of online play, – hence I think the authors are wise to
and the financial benefits refrain from comments. On the issue of
future arrangements for any type of world
for the game of switching championship, the new technological and
financial actors in the chess world are bound
almost entirely to rapid and to have a strong say, along with FIDE, the
blitz tournaments, have cast voices of prominent players and federations,
and quite possibly they will be influenced
doubt on whether future years by a large number of contributions from
warrant a world championship social media. What will emerge from those
communications/ discussions/ votes (?!) is
cycle at slow speed an open matter.

October 2021
Rogozenco sets out all the games of the numerous points in each game to assess what
Candidates. Annotations are provided by the is happening. Franco then conducts a short
author along with no fewer than 13 other dialogue with the reader, going over the options
renowned players, including Kasparov, Peter in each situation. He frequently indicates
Heine Nielsen and the extremely gifted young that there is not necessarily a clear “right” or
Russian star Esipenko. The level of detail is “wrong” to what Nepo did or the reader might
not great, though I am inclined to rate that a have considered. We all know this is the way
sound choice. Individual games have already things actually are – often we don’t know. The
been examined in some depth elsewhere (for secret, it seems, is to stay in there.
instance, in these pages GM Colovic provided
us with a close look at the key game from round I recall reading a book by a famous diplomat
eight, where Caruana defeated MVL). And which had an introductory quotation saying “In
substantial digging will certainly continue for a the game of nations, there are no winners and
long while. Instead, the author seeks to convey no losers - there are just those who manage to
a sense of how the attitudes of individual keep playing”. Suitably modified, this is what
players were evolving as the tournament Nepo did successfully in Ekaterinburg.
proceeded. This is valuable. He highlights the
approaches of three players in particular. At the end of each game, Franco offers a few
key lessons, a few cautionary maxims. In this
Grischuk continued his life-long addiction to way, the book becomes a series of case studies
what has to be labelled self-imposed time of decision-making under risk. This method, not
trouble. The costs of that affliction, in terms heavy but very practical, of course, meshes well
of points and that splendid player’s prospects with the overall message concerning Nepo’s
for winning the tournament (or indeed any pragmatism. He chose to “dose” his wonderfully
tournament at classical time controls), are all creative and adventurous talents with a clear
too clear. focus on how to win the tournament. Certainly
he was helped by the styles adopted by some
MVL likewise again showed us his immense of his opponents, the fact that Ding Liren was
tactical skills, yet had decided that he would dreadfully off form in the first half, and that
not alter his opening repertoire for anyone. Giri missed some real opportunities. But that
That made him more vulnerable to those noted is exactly what a tournament at this level
for the depth of their opening preparation. In (the Candidates is unique in this sense) is all
so doing, the French GM clearly damaged his about. Tension, nervous control, the courage to
prospects of victory. sometimes play safe even if you feel you could
go for more, and the determination to stay in
Nepomniachtchi, on the other hand, the hunt throughout.
demonstrated exceptional pragmatism. Past
events have shown how, at this level, it is All this naturally leads to talking about Nepo’s
crucial to exhibit enough risk-averse behaviour chances against Magnus. We know from
to limit the damage. As Carlsen has said, it’s
often better to raise your performance floor We know from a number of
than to raise your performance ceiling.
examples in the last couple
Zenon Franco’s book on Nepo does much of years that the off-beat
more than look at his career over the past
decade and a half. The 30 selected games, originality of the Russian
including some from the Candidates, plus Champion is something which
several parts of games, serve also as a kind
of instruction manual. The reader is invited at Magnus finds disturbing
10/141
Source: 2020 Expo 2020 Dubai LLC

a number of examples in the last couple the board which would have certainly made
of years that the off-beat originality of the Nimzovitch envious.
Russian Champion is something which
Magnus finds disturbing. This suggests that In the 20 months extending from the start of
the recent additional ingredient of solidity and the Candidates till now, Nepo has had to focus
measurement of risk puts him in the best place on play at classical time controls. Magnus, on
to defy the World Champion. the contrary, has spent the vast majority of his
time playing rapid and blitz, with enormously
Intriguingly, Magnus seems to be coming into the impressive results. It seems probable that the
match on somewhat of the opposite trajectory. rich treasure of combination-focused games
From the earlier period of a crystal-clear he has played in that time has reinforced his
classical style, he has relentlessly experimented capacity to cope with Nepo’s creative gifts.
with so many fresh approaches that he must Put differently, while he has devoted less time
be considered THE truly all-round player. Look, to classical speed chess, he has been able to
for example, at the wonderful middlegame deal, under pressure, with a bewildering range of
zugzwang he wove in his win against Fedoseev tactical situations.
in early August. There he exhibits a control of
Seen from this perspective, then, it looks as if
In the 20 months both players have been “raising the floor” and
extending from the start broadening their scope. This suggests that there
will be a very close match. Once again, there is
of the Candidates till now, a significant probability that, as in the last two
title matches, the final decision will be made in
Nepo has had to focus on rapid games. This brings us back to the opening
play at classical time controls. comments in this article, namely that this could
be one of the last occasions, if not the last,
Magnus, on the contrary, has when the world title is decided under the current
spent the vast majority of his format. If that is so, we can at least be confident
that these two players, both in their prime, will
time playing rapid and blitz produce a spectacle worthy of what is at stake.

October 2021
UNDERRATED/OVERRATED (PART ONE)
THE MOST UNJUSTLY LAUDED AND THE MOST UNFAIRLY DENIGRATED

By Grandmaster Raymond Keene OBE
Daniel Johnson is the founding editor of the online newspaper The Article
(thearticle.com) where I contribute a weekly chess column every Saturday. In a previous
incarnation Daniel edited the monthly Standpoint Magazine, where one of his innovations
was to introduce a regular: Underrated/Overrated feature. Inspired by this format I shall
be devoting my pieces for the BCM this month and the next to the theme of the most
unjustly lauded and the most unfairly denigrated of the recognised masters of our game.
New books on two of those involved also give me a useful peg on which to hang my
disquisitions.
The first is Efim Bogoljubov, whose reputation has suffered badly from two decisive match
defeats at the hands of the great Alexander Alekhine. Indeed, voices have been raised which
question his suitability to challenge in the first place for the supreme chess title. It should, though,
be noted that commentators at the time of Bogoljubov’s first challenge, in 1929, praised the
aggressive quality and fighting spirit of the games, in particular when compared to the draw-
heavy contest from two years earlier, which brought Alekhine the title against Capablanca.
International Master Grigory Bogdanovich has written two volumes designed to rehabilitate
Bogoljubov’s reputation: The Creative Power of Bogoljubov, Volumes I and II, published
by Elk and Ruby. Bogdanovich’s trenchant conclusion is as follows: “It took several years
of daily work to eliminate the historical injustice that had pushed the legacy of one of the
most outstanding chess players in history, Efim Dmitrievich Bogoljubov, to the back of the
closet, where it remained mostly ignored for decades. The reasons for the oblivion of his
work boil down to both political conflict and banal human envy. He lived half of his life
away from the land where he had been born (Russia) and raised, and remained a stranger
in both his original and adopted (Germany) countries. I hope that these two volumes will
rescue Bogoljubov’s games from obscurity, because they have much to teach us!”

10/141
Let us take a brief look at Bogoljubov’s élan. Whereas the 1929 challenge to
record in elite and large-scale tournaments: Alekhine was fully justified, the reprise
in 1934 was unnecessary. This does
– Pistyan 1922: not, however, detract from the fact that
first prize ahead of Alekhine. Bogoljubov’s superlative performances
during the 1920s fully justified his selection
– Carlsbad 1923: as the appropriate challenger to Alekhine at
shared first with Alekhine and Maroczy. the close of that decade.
– Breslau 1925: Efim Bogoljubov - Alexander Alekhine

first, way ahead of Nimzowitsch and
Rubinstein. 3rd General Government Warsaw POL (2),
12.10.1942
– Moscow 1925:
first ahead of Lasker and Capablanca. 1.e4 Annotation by Alexander Alekhine.
– Bad Kissingen 1928: 1...e6 2.d4 d5 3.¤c3 ¤f6 Alekhine had a

first ahead of Capablanca, Euwe, soft spot for the French Defence ever since
Rubinstein and Nimzowitsch. he had used it to defeat Capablanca in
their historic 1927 clash, game one. There
– Bogoljubov won matches against Alekhine chose 3…¥b4 as promoted by
Nimzowitsch in 1920 and two against future Nimzowitsch, which, to my mind, is far
World Champion Max Euwe in 1928. more suited to Alekhine’s dynamic style.
From these outstanding performances it is 4.¥g5 ¥e7 5.e5 ¤fd7 6.h4

clear to me that Bogoljubov most certainly XIIIIIIIIY
deserved his shot at Alekhine’s title in 1929.
9rsnlwqk+-tr0
Bogoljubov also won no fewer than 16 games 9zppzpnvlpzpp0
against Alekhine, which I believe is the
second most of any of Alekhine’s numerous 9-+-+p+-+0
first-class opponents. (Euwe won 18). 9+-+pzP-vL-0
After his first defeat by Alekhine,
9-+-zP-+-zP0
Bogoljubov seemed to lose some of his 9+-sN-+-+-0
Bogoljubov vs Alekhine
9PzPP+-zPP+0
9tR-+QmKLsNR0
xiiiiiiiiy
“This interesting attack was introduced by me
at Mannheim in 1914 and since then has been
incorporated into master praxis.” Alekhine
was, however, completely unaware of the
earlier game between the highly talented Mrs
Louisa Matilda Fagan and George William
Richmond, London 1897. Mr Richmond
accepted the pawn sacrifice offered by 6h4
and was duly crushed in 27 moves.
6...c5 One of the numerous replies which

are possible but which do not present

October 2021
White with any difficulties. Much more is time but I had already lost my taste for
promising is 6...f6. this position and also my confidence in the
resistance I would be able to offer. ”
7.¥xe7 ¢xe7 if 7...£xe7 there follows
8.¤b5. 22.bxc4 dxc4 23.¦e3 c3 “Too late I realized
that 23...£xa2 is refuted by 24.¤d2! with
8.£g4 ¢f8 9.¤f3 ¤c6 “With the the double threat of ¦a3 and ¦ef3.”
offer of an exchange of queens by 9...
cxd4 10.£xd4 £b6 Black could obtain 24.¤b3 £a3+ 25.¢d1 If resistance is
approxmate compensation.” I doubt, possible, it is only by means of 25...£b2
though, that Bogoljubov would have desperately clinging on to the c3 pawn,
been particularly perturbed by this with the further idea of ...¥b5 and
recommendation, since he had already eventually a rook check on d8. This
beaten Spielmann with 11.£xb6 at Baden concept is not mentioned by Alekhine.
Baden 1925 (where Alekhine had won a
glorious first prize). 25...a5 26.¤fd4 ¢e7 27.¦ef3 ¥e8 28.¤e2
£b2 29.¤xc3 ¦d8+ 30.¦d3 ¥c6
10.dxc5 ¤xc5 sharper would have been XIIIIIIIIY
10...¤dxe5 11.¤xe5 ¤xe5 12.£g3 f6.
9-+-tr-+r+0
11.0–0–0 a6 12.¦h3 h6 Usually Black 9+p+-mkpzp-0
does not worry about the king’s side and
seeks counterplay on the queen’s flank. 9-+l+p+-zp0
This move is not corrected and, as will be 9zp-+-zP-+-0
seen, White manages to take possession 9-+-+-wQ-zP0
of and exploit the strong strategic point
d4. The opportune move would have been 9+NsNR+-tR-0
12... £c7 13.¦g3 f6 14 exf6 gxf6 with 9PwqP+-zPP+0
changes of a counterattack.
9+-+K+-+-0
13.¦g3 ¦g8 14.¥d3 ¤xd3+ 15.¦xd3 xiiiiiiiiy
£b6 16.¦d2 £c7 17.£f4 ¥d7 18.¤e2 In case of 30...Qxc3 there would follow 31
¦c8 19.¤ed4 ¤a5 20.¦d3 ¤c4 ¦xd8 attacking the queen.
21.b3 £a5
XIIIIIIIIY 31.£c4 ¦xd3+ 32.¦xd3 ¦c8 33.£c5+
¢e8 34.£xa5 ¥xg2 35.f3 ¥f1 36.£b5+
9-+r+-mkr+0 ¢f8 37.£xb7 ¦e8 38.¦d7 ¢g8 39.£c7
9+p+l+pzp-0 ¦f8 40.¦d8 ¦xd8+ 41.£xd8+ ¢h7
42.¢d2
9p+-+p+-zp0
9wq-+pzP-+-0 1–0
9-+nsN-wQ-zP0
9+P+R+NtR-0 Alekhine’s summation: “Bogoljubov
9P+P+-zPP+0 exploited my mistakes very well, winning
the game in elegant style.” In spite of this
9+-mK-+-+-0 setback against Bogoljubov, Alekhine
xiiiiiiiiy still went on to win the tournament by a
“A blow which is based on a tactical full point.
calculation. With ...¤a5–c6 Black would
have been able to defend himself for some

10/141
number three in the world – Henrique Mecking.

Brazil’s foremost player and, at one point,
Shame By Alexis Levitin
Back in the seventies, I lived on a lagoon in a age, he replied: “Remorse? Of course not.
Brazilian village called Lagoa da Conceição. A man has to be a man.” I bought fresh
The surrounding hills, carpeted in lush shrimp for dinner from him several times
tropical forest, were inhabited by monkeys. a week. When a venomous snake appeared
The wide lagoon was shallow, placid, and in my yard he came over with his machete
filled with shrimp. My little rowboat, blue and cut off its head.
and white, hand-built by a carpenter just for
me, bobbed contentedly at the end of my My best friend during my two and a half
little pier. It looked like paradise. year stay on the island of Florianopolis was
Martim Afonso de Haro. Martim’s father
My next-door neighbour was a slender, was a major Brazilian painter who had
elderly shrimp fisherman who threw his trained in Paris and only returned to Brazil
circular net with the controlled grace of a because of the war. Martim carried himself
danseur. Like everyone else in the village, like an aristocrat, was supremely intelligent
he was illiterate. It turned out that, in his and was my constant chess buddy
youth, fifty years earlier, he had murdered throughout my stay in Brazil. We played
his wife with a machete. He had found more than a thousand games and I never
her in bed with one of his friends, so he won once. But it was always interesting,
had no choice. She had been seventeen at and I had no regrets. My cowardice did not
the time. Taken aback, I asked if he had manifest itself with Martim. I played him
regrets, almost half a century later. Without every day, I never backed down, I always
a flicker of hesitation, without a shadow of gave it my best. He was simply better than
doubt, standing perfectly erect in his old I. Significantly better.

October 2021
My cowardice manifested itself with He studied the board for quite some time.
another player. One day, in the cramped Then he broke his silence: “I offer you
quarters of the Florianopolis chess club, a draw.” Mecking, Brazil’s foremost
I was introduced to Henrique Mecking, player, a man in contention for the world
only in town for a family visit. Mecking championship, the man who had been third
was Brazil’s foremost player and, at at Hastings, the greatest player in whose
one point, number three in the world. presence I had ever been, was offering me
He had become the first Brazilian to a draw. Perhaps he was afraid of being late
achieve International Grandmaster status for dinner. Perhaps he was simply bored
the year before. The year before that he at the slow pace of my moves. I will never
had finished tied for third, behind only know. As for me, I was afraid that, if we
Karpov and Korchnoi, at Hastings. In continued, he would be strong enough to
1977, two years after our encounter, he rally his forces and manage to crush me even
reached a FIDE ranking of 2635. He was from that serious disadvantage. I was sure
considered a worthy contender for the he would maneuver his two knights with
world championship during the seventies, such dexterity that I would be exhausted
but his career was stifled by a dreadful trying to foresee his incursions, his forks, the
disease, which prevented him from entirety of his web of branching possibilities.
playing throughout the eighties. I knew that honour demanded that I play on.
I teetered on the razor edge between honour
I don’t know why he was so kind as to and the temptation of a somewhat sullied
agree to play me, an unknown nonentity. glory, and, after a long silence of my own, I
Perhaps he was bored. Perhaps he was said “I accept.”
killing time before meeting his family
for dinner at a local seafood restaurant. In doing so, I knew that half a century later
I, of course, did not mention that my I would be able to say to you and our small
ranking had never risen beyond 1875. world of chess: “Believe it or not, I once
We sat down in a corner and played an got a draw with Mecking.” As we both can
informal game with neither chess clock see, however, I gained that questionable
nor notation. That was the game that led glory be steeping myself in shame.
to my greatest glory and greatest shame.
Alexis Levitin's work as a translator
I was White and he played a Sicilian Dragon of poetry has carried him repeatedly
variation in which a rook is exchanged for to Portugal, Brazil, and Ecuador,
a knight and greater mobility. I was excited where this story took place. He began
at my qualitative advantage, but he made playing chess with his father and his
sure there were no open files for my rooks step-father, both solid Russian chess
to exploit. Half an hour later, however, I players, at the age of six. He has
somehow managed to create an unpleasant played in cafes, restaurants, and on
fork that resulted in the loss of his second beaches around the world, but rarely
rook. That exchange had not been planned. enters tournaments. His only trophies
We both gazed at the board in silence. I had are for a high school championship
two rooks for two knights! I suspect my in 1956, a second place at the
heartbeat was far above my cross-country Polgar Chess Authority in 1999,
runner’s norm of 60. Was it possible that I and the Plattsburgh Chess Club
might defeat Brazil’s greatest chess player? Championship in the year 2000.

10/141
Luke
MCShane
WINS THE MANX
LIBERTY MASTERS
By IM Shaun Taulbut
Photo: David Llada
This event was won by England’s Luke 7.¤c3 ¤bd7 8.b3 ¦e8 9.¥b2 e5 10.dxe5
McShane with 6.5/9 ahead of Polish GM Kasper 10.e3 is worth consideration, retaining
Piorun with 6/9. The organiser was Dietmar the tension.
Kolbus who also played in the tournament.
10...dxe5 11.¤g5 White aims a knight at e4
We look at two of Luke McShane’s most which can then go to d6.
interesting wins from the event.
11...¤c5 Black decides to allow an
We start with the win against Richard Pert, an exchange of queens to keep control of e4.
ending in which White had drawing chances.
12.b4 12.£xd8 ¦xd8 13.¦fd1 ¥f5 is equal
Richard Pert - Luke McShane as Black has control of e4.
Manx Liberty Masters 2021 Douglas ENG (3.1)
12...£b6 13.bxc5 13.a3 h6 14.¤ce4 ¤cxe4
1.d4 ¤f6 2.¤f3 g6 3.g3 ¥g7 4.¥g2 0-0 15.¤xe4 ¤xe4 16.¥xe4 ¥e6 17.c5 £c7
5.0-0 c6 6.c4 d6 leaves Black with a slight advantage.
XIIIIIIIIY
9rsnlwq-trk+0 13...£xb2 14.£b3 £xb3 15.axb3
9zpp+-zppvlp0 XIIIIIIIIY
9-+pzp-snp+0 9r+l+r+k+0
9+-+-+-+-0 9zpp+-+pvlp0
9-+PzP-+-+0 9-+p+-snp+0
9+-+-+NzP-0 9+-zP-zp-sN-0
9PzP-+PzPLzP0 9-+P+-+-+0
9tRNvLQ+RmK-0 9+PsN-+-zP-0
xiiiiiiiiy 9-+-+PzPLzP0
Black opts for a complex King’s Indian 9tR-+-+RmK-0
rather than playing ...d5, when White has
a slight edge in the symmetrical position. xiiiiiiiiy
October 2021
Black has the two bishops but he must XIIIIIIIIY

play accurately to counter White’s lead
in development. 9-+-tr-+-+0
9zp-+-+p+p0
15...e4 16.¤gxe4 ¤xe4 17.¤xe4 ¥xa1
18.¦xa1 9-+L+-+p+0
XIIIIIIIIY 9+-+-+-+-0
9r+l+r+k+0 9-+-+-+-+0
9zpp+-+p+p0 9+-mk-zP-zPl0
9-+p+-+p+0 9-+-+KzP-zP0
9+-zP-+-+-0 9+R+-+-+-0
9-+P+N+-+0 xiiiiiiiiy
Black has enough counterplay in this
9+P+-+-zP-0 position for equality with his active king.
9-+-+PzPLzP0
32.¦a1 ¦d6 33.¥e4 a6 34.¥b7 ¥g4+
9tR-+-+-mK-0 35.f3 ¥e6 Black has a slightly better
xiiiiiiiiy position as White cannot capture the a-pawn
White has sacrificed the exchange for a because of the potential check on c4.
pawn but his knight has a strong outpost on
d6 and pressure down the open a-file 36.¢e1 ¥c4 37.¦c1+ ¢b4 38.¦b1+ ¢c5
39.¥e4 a5 40.¥c2 ¦b6 41.¦xb6 ¢xb6
18...¢f8 19.e3 ¦d8 20.¤d6 ¢e7 20...a5 42.¢d2 ¢c5 43.¢c3 ¥b5 44.h4 h6
21.b4 a4 is worth consideration, but Black 45.¥b3 ¥e8 46.f4 f6 47.¥g8 a4 48.¥a2
plays solidly, aiming for equality. g5 49.hxg5 hxg5
21.b4 ¦xd6 22.cxd6+ ¢xd6 23.c5+ ¢c7

XIIIIIIIIY
XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+l+-+0
9r+l+-+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0
9zppmk-+p+p0 9-+-+-zp-+0
9-+p+-+p+0 9+-mk-+-zp-0
9+-zP-+-+-0 9p+-+-zP-+0
9-zP-+-+-+0 9+-mK-zP-zP-0
9+-+-zP-zP-0 9L+-+-+-+0
9-+-+-zPLzP0 9+-+-+-+-0
9tR-+-+-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy
The position slightly favours Black but
xiiiiiiiiy should not be enough to win if White plays
Black has given back the exchange for an perfectly - but this is very difficult in practice
equal position: his king is more active.
50.e4 ¥g6 51.¥b1 ¥f7 52.e5 fxe5 53.fxg5
24.¢f1 b6 25.cxb6+ ¢xb6 26.b5 An energetic If 53.fxe5 a3 54.¥f5 ¢d5 Black is winning.
sacrifice; 26.¢e1 ¥b7 is almost equal.
53...¥g8 54.¥c2 a3 55.¥f5 ¢d6 If 55...
26...¢xb5 27.¦b1+ ¢c5 28.¦c1+ ¢b4 a2 56.¢b2 ¢d4 57.g6 ¢e3 58.g4 ¢f4
29.¦b1+ ¢c3 30.¥xc6 ¥h3+ 31.¢e2 ¦d8 59.¢a1 ¢g5 60.¢b2 repeats the position.

10/141
56.¥e4 ¢c5 57.¥f5 ¢c6 58.¥e4+ 12.¦e1 ¥b7 Now White has to consider
¢d6 59.¥f5 ¥d5 60.¥d3 ¢e7 61.¥f5 the threat against e4 so defends the
¢f8 62.g6 ¢g7 63.¥d3 ¢f6 64.¥c2 pawn again.
¢g5 65.¥d3 ¥g8 66.¥c2 ¢g4 Now
Black captures on g3, keeping his edge. 13.¥c2 h6 13...exd4 14.cxd4 ¤b4 15.¥b1
c5 16.d5, with a slight edge for White, is
67.¥e4 ¢xg3 68.¢c2 ¢f4 69.¥c6 The also playable. In this line, if 15...¤xe4
losing move; White should play 69.¥d3 ¢e3 16.¤xe4 ¥xe4 17.¥xe4 ¦xe4, 18.£b3
70.¥f5, keeping tabs on the black e-pawn. gives White good play.
69...¢f5 70.¥e8 e4 Now the black 14.a3 a5 15.¤f1

e-pawn wins the game as White cannot
stop both pawns. XIIIIIIIIY
9-tr-wqr+k+0
71.¥f7 a2 72.¢b2 e3 73.¥xg8 e2 9+lzp-+pzp-0
0-1 9-vlnzp-sn-zp0
9zpp+-zp-+-0
The second win we look at is a Ruy Lopez 9-+-zPP+-+0
Archangel variation. 9zP-zP-vLN+P0
Luke McShane – Viktor Erdos
9-zPL+-zPP+0
9tR-+QtRNmK-0
Manx Liberty Masters 2021 Douglas ENG (4.1)
xiiiiiiiiy
1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 a6 4.¥a4 ¤f6 15...¤a7 The knight is not well placed here
5.0-0 b5 6.¥b3 ¥c5 7.c3 d6 8.d4 ¥b6 but Black cannot play 15...exd4 16.cxd4
9.¥e3 0-0 10.¤bd2 ¤xe4 since 17.d5 wins material.
XIIIIIIIIY 16.¤g3 exd4 17.¥xd4
9r+lwq-trk+0 XIIIIIIIIY
9+-zp-+pzpp0 9-tr-wqr+k+0
9pvlnzp-sn-+0 9snlzp-+pzp-0
9+p+-zp-+-0 9-vl-zp-sn-zp0
9-+-zPP+-+0 9zpp+-+-+-0
9+LzP-vLN+-0 9-+-vLP+-+0
9PzP-sN-zPPzP0 9zP-zP-+NsNP0
9tR-+Q+RmK-0 9-zPL+-zPP+0
xiiiiiiiiy 9tR-+QtR-mK-0
Black has played the Archangel Defence, a
dangerous line which White has countered xiiiiiiiiy
solidly with ¥e3. Black now puts pressure White now has a clear edge because of his
on e4. better minor pieces.
10...¦e8 11.h3 ¦b8 11...exd4 12.cxd4 ¥b7 17...c5 18.¥xf6 £xf6 19.¤h5 £e7 Not
looks best here. Black cannot capture twice 19...£g6 20.¤h4 £g5 21.¤f5 g6 when
on e4 because of ¥d5. 22.£xd6 is much better for White.

October 2021
20.¤f4 White has a positional edge with

control of d5.
20...c4 21.¤d5 ¥xd5 22.£xd5 £e6

23.¦ad1 £xd5 24.¦xd5 ¥c7
XIIIIIIIIY
9-tr-+r+k+0
9sn-vl-+pzp-0
9-+-zp-+-zp0
9zpp+R+-+-0 27...¤c6 28.¤d4 Best is 28.a4 bxa4 29.¦b1
9-+p+P+-+0 a3 30.bxa3 ¦xb1 31.¥xb1 ¦e8 32.¦b5
¦b8 33.¦xb8+ ¥xb8 when 34.¤d2 wins
9zP-zP-+N+P0 the pawn on c4.
9-zPL+-zPP+0
28...¤xd4 29.¦1xd4 ¥b6 The losing
9+-+-tR-mK-0 move; 29...¦e5 30.f4 ¦xd5 31.¦xd5
xiiiiiiiiy retains an advantage.
25.¦ed1 25.a4 looks good, eg 25...bxa4
(25...b4 26.¤d2 bxc3 27.bxc3 ¦b2 28.¦c1 30.¦xb5 ¦eb7 31.¦xc4 ¥xf2 32.¦c8+
¦a2 29.¤xc4 is very difficult for Black) ¦xc8 33.¦xb7 ¥d4 34.¥b3 ¥e5 35.¥xf7
26.¥xa4 ¦e7 27.¦e2 is strong for White
since Black is tied up. With two extra pawns for White and an
overall strong position, Black resigned.
25...¢f8 26.g3 ¦e7 27.$g2 27.¤d4 ¦e5
28.¤f5 ¦xd5 29.¦xd5 ¤c8 30.¦d2 is 1-0
worth consideration.
MANX LIBERTY MASTERS 2021 DOUGLAS ENG SAT 18TH SEP 2021 - SAT 25TH SEP 2021.
CATEGORY: 12. AVE: (2531)
Rk Name ELO FED 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pts. TPR
1 GM McShane, Luke J 2674 ENG ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 6.5 2681
2 GM Piorun, Kacper 2638 POL ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 6 2644
3 GM Lupulescu, Constantin 2660 ROU ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 5.5 2597
4 IM Gavrilescu, David 2477 ROU ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 5.5 2617
5 GM Parligras, Mircea-Emilian 2583 ROU 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 5.5 2605
6 GM Erdos, Viktor 2622 HUN 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 4 2478
7 IM Galyas, Miklos 2448 HUN ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 3.5 2460
8 IM Csonka, Balazs 2496 HUN ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 3.5 2455
9 IM Pert, Richard G 2416 ENG 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 3 2419
10 IM Kolbus, Dietmar 2295 GER 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 2 2337

Review
10/141
Book
Fifty shades of Ray
RAY’S
VaRieGated
PROSE
The unifying thread is
found in Ray’s fascination
with all manner of pioneer-
ing - whether in chess, in
art, in science, in travel, in
ideas, in historical journeys
or in literature
The title of this extraordinarily rich journeys or in literature. There is a love

verbal collage is paradoxical. Rightly, of experimentation and of imaginative
it hints at the exceptional breadth, wit leaps which makes Ray Keene irresistibly
and nuanced scholarship of Ray Keene’s drawn towards attempts to synthesise
writing - in a field where monochromatic the apparently irreconcilable. There is
and unemotional statements tend to also, it seems to me, an intense dislike
hold sway. However, within a panoply of mediocrity or mundanity, as well as a
of erudite reference, profound analysis passion for excellence.
and quixotic juxtaposition, Ray’s prose
is always distinctively... Ray’s prose. ‘Le All this adds up to a range of interests
style, c’est l’homme’ applies especially which has appeal way beyond the
well to Grandmaster Keene: chess chess-playing monomaniac. If you are
players too have distinctive styles, can someone who has a horror of anything
also be expressive and reflective of that strays from the mechanistically
their personalities. This collection of calculating analysis of infinite opening
essays often gives insights into Ray the variations, or the cold-blooded
player, but simultaneously it reveals the dissection of myriad rook and pawn
amateur (in its true sense) eclecticism endings - regarding such extravaganzas
and restless curiosity of its author. as tantamount to chess anathema -
then this is not the book for you. It is a
For me, the unifying thread is found in book for and by someone who is never
Ray’s fascination with all manner of more at home than when discussing
pioneering - whether in chess, in art, in Roman poetry, Islamic culture or the
science, in travel, in ideas, in historical Soviet chess hegemony (to name but

October 2021
To those to whom
chess remains a wonderfully and
uniquely enchanting blend of art,
mathematics and science,
with limitless metaphorical
connotations for life itself,
Ray Keene offers the
perfect antidote to chess-
writing tedium
three of the very many predilections of ‘How Jewish pioneers discovered a new
the author) - preferably over a good meal beauty of chess’ to my own favourite, as
or glass of wine. one educated in the Greco-Roman classics,
‘Two questions posed by Borges’, where
There have been very many books about Ray entertainingly and with a typically
chess - many by Ray himself - as well original take revisits two questions which
as many which are encyclopaedically have for centuries intrigued readers and
comprehensive and virtually unreadable: scholars of Virgil.
the influence of chess computing
programmes has undoubtedly affected Provocative, challenging, colourful, spicy,
the game in many ways, some actually here is a menu of delights: a meze table
beneficial, but it has also led to much or tapas board where piquant flavours
mind-numbingly turgid prose, preceded jostle for attention. It even looks as good
by such formulae as ‘here the engine as it tastes, with elegant chess diagrams
suggests...’. a most pleasing feature. You will not
necessarily like or agree with everything,
So, to those to whom chess remains a but you will leave the book with your
wonderfully and uniquely enchanting mind buzzing with the sheer verve and
blend of art, mathematics and science, ebullience of this vivid evocation of the
with limitless metaphorical connotations game of life.
for life itself, Ray Keene offers the perfect
antidote to chess-writing tedium. The
section headings themselves contain
unexpected and tempting delights, from David Taylor

10/141
Openings
for Amateurs
The
Uncomplicated
Capablanca
By Pete Tamburro
ptamburro@aol.com
In the December 2020 issue of BCM we

went through a complicated and tense Jose Raul Capablanca -
struggle won by Larry Evans in 84 moves Harry Golombek
in a Queen’s Gambit utilising the minority
attack. It reminded me of several years Margate, 1939
ago when an adult club player asked me
to explain the minority attack. I gave him 1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 ¥b4 4.£c2
several games as examples, but he still XIIIIIIIIY
wasn’t sold on the idea because it was
"too complicated". Teaching games are not 9rsnlwqk+-tr0
always easy to find. You want a game that 9zppzpp+pzpp0
exhibits a theme in a clear way, without
a lot of excess distractions from possible 9-+-+psn-+0
variations. 9+-+-+-+-0
Why I didn’t think of Capablanca, I
9-vlPzP-+-+0
don’t know! I was going through Harry 9+-sN-+-+-0
Golombek’s book on Capablanca the 9PzPQ+PzPPzP0
other day, and − lo and behold − there
was Capa giving a lesson on the minority 9tR-vL-mKLsNR0
attack to Golombek! The game has that xiiiiiiiiy
Capa clarity and is not too complicated For a while, this was all the rage. Capa
to understand. Enjoy! won some nice games with this, and the

October 2021
move was even named after him. No XIIIIIIIIY

doubled pawns on c3 and c4 for White
and he gets the two bishops! Back in the 9r+lwqk+-tr0
day, that seemed sufficient. Of course, 9zpp+n+pzp-0
life - like chess - is more complicated
than that. We’ve covered in these pages 9-+p+-sn-zp0
all the fun that can emerge from 4... 9+-+p+-+-0
c5; however, Golombek, heads for the 9-vl-zP-+-vL0
"Purdy Rule" with 4...d5 because White
is threatening e4. There is also the 9+-sNLzP-+-0
Milner-Barry variation with 4...¤c6, 9PzPQ+-zPPzP0
which has some rollicking aspects to
it. Black has enough choices to suit any 9tR-+-mK-sNR0
style of play. xiiiiiiiiy
The bishop will have a role on g3 along that
4...d5 5.cxd5 An interesting decision wonderful diagonal.
based on Capa’s less than pleasant
opening against Nimzovich with 5.¥g5 9...0–0 10.¤f3! Yes, an exclamation mark.
dxc4 6.¤f3 b5 7.a4 c6 Thus, since With the knight on f3, it can at some point
Black can get away with taking the head to e5 to attack c6 or go from d5 to e3
pawn, Capa exchanges first, then plays to lock down the c5 square. It’s not just a
the bishop to g5.; Capablanca got into routine developing move. White could play
difficulties as Black against Euwe at 10.¤ge2, but the knight has less influence
Carlsbad in 1929 with 5.a3 ¥xc3+ there, although, as the Evans article pointed
6.£xc3 dxc4 7.£xc4 0–0 8.¥g5 c6? out, Botvinnik used the idea of ¤ge2.
(8...b6) 9.¤f3 He wasn’t perfect.
10...¦e8 11.0–0 ¥e7 12.¥g3 If Capa plays
5...exd5 6.¥g5 c6? It’s too soon to call 12.h3 to prepare Bg3, then 12...¤e4.
this the losing move; however, by playing
the less active c6, Golombek is setting 12...¤f8 There is a nasty surprise in store
his pawn structure for exactly how Black for Black if he tries to get the bishop on g3:
wants it for the minority attack. 12...¤h5? 13.¤xd5! cxd5 14.¥c7+–.
Playable, but not an easy equality is 13.h3!

6...h6 7.¥h4 0–0 8.e3 ¥e6 9.¥d3 c5 XIIIIIIIIY
10.¤ge2 (10.dxc5? d4!) 10...¤c6 (10...
c4!?) ; 6...0–0 7.e3 h6 transposes. 9r+lwqrsnk+0
9zpp+-vlpzp-0
7.e3 ¤bd7 Golombek criticised his 7th
move and suggested 7...¥g4 would be 9-+p+-sn-zp0
more "lively”. It does get the bishop 9+-+p+-+-0
off the back rank before ¤bd7 can be 9-+-zP-+-+0
played, but the lively part might have
been more to Capa’s liking. 8.f3 ¥e6 9+-sNLzPNvLP0
9.¥d3 c5 10.¤ge2 h6 11.¥xf6 £xf6 9PzPQ+-zPP+0
12.dxc5 ¤d7 13.f4! ¤xc5 14.0–0 ¤xd3
15.£xd3 ¥xc3 16.¤xc3 0–0–0 17.f5±. 9tR-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
8.¥d3 h6 9.¥h4! Now that the black queen has breathing
room, White sets about protecting his
bishop. Mind you, White hasn’t moved

10/141
his queenside pawns. He prepares for the 18...¥xd3 The lively play Golombek was
long term right here in the opening. It’s looking for lay in 18...¥d6! 19.¥xf5 ¤xf5
also worth noting that White’s last few 20.¤c5 £e7 21.b5 b6 22.¤cd3 c5 23.dxc5
moves were absolutely necessary to make bxc5 24.¦fd1 c4 25.¤c6 ¥xh2+ 26.¢xh2
sure Black did not get the play on the £c7+ 27.¤f4 and White’s still better, but
kingside he wanted. it’s more of a fight.
13...¥e6 14.¦ab1 19.£xd3 ¤d7 20.¦fc1 Another moment

XIIIIIIIIY when Capa could have played 20.b5,
but it just emphasises the lock on the
9r+-wqrsnk+0 queenside by White. He can play b5 when
9zpp+-vlpzp-0 he wants to.
9-+p+lsn-zp0 20...¤xe5? A long time ago, Purdy
9+-+p+-+-0 wrote about the possibility of the
9-+-zP-+-+0 following manoeuvre against the
minority attack. If you have time, you
9+-sNLzPNvLP0 can get the knight to c4: 20...¥d6
9PzPQ+-zPP+0 21.¤f3 (White can avoid this, however,
with 21.¤g4 ¥xh2+ 22.¤xh2 ¦e7
9+R+-+RmK-0 23.b5) 21...¥xh2+ 22.¤xh2 b5 23.¤c3
xiiiiiiiiy ¤b6 24.a4 a6 25.a5 ¤c4 and the weak
Golombek’s comment: "Now commences c6 pawn is protected! White is still
the famous and formidable minority attack better but will have to work a lot harder
on the queenside, against which Black is to convert this to a win.
helpless unless he can manage to create
sufficient compensating counter-attack on 21.¥xe5 ¥d6 22.¥xd6 £xd6
the kingside." Unfortunately for the future Golombek’s remark: "One might have
British champion, the kingside counter thought that Black, with his numerous
never really became sufficient. His next exchanges, had eased his position,
few moves were his plan, but when the but in reality White, by extremely
smoke clears on move 22, he’s lost. economical means, has been able to
bring his minority attack to a rapid
14...¤h5 15.¥h2 g6 15...¤f6 16.b4 ¥d6 climax, as is demonstrated by the next
17.¦fc1 ¥xh2+ 18.¤xh2 ¦c8 19.¤f3. powerful blow."
16.¤e5 Move 10’s goal is now realised. 23.b5!
16...¤g7 17.b4 The very first move of the

XIIIIIIIIY
minority attack occurs on move 17! Do 9r+-+r+k+0
remember, though, the preparation and 9zpp+-+psn-0
piece placement that went before.
9-+pwq-+pzp0
Also possible was 17.g4 ¥d6 18.f4 f5 9+P+p+-+-0
19.£g2, but that would get complicated. 9N+-zP-+-+0
Capa sticks with his queenside plan.
9+-+QzP-+P0
17...¥f5 18.¤a4!? A bit of imprecise play 9P+-+-zPP+0
on White’s part. He can play "the move"
right now: 18.b5! ¥xd3 19.£xd3 (19.¤xd3 9+RtR-+-mK-0
with a distinct advantage.) xiiiiiiiiy
October 2021
At long last. Note that White’s pieces are attack on c6. We saw that he could even
all where they are supposed to be. The have played b5 sooner, but the omission
knight helps prevent c5. The queen will was not critical to the outcome of the
recapture on b5, and the rooks are ready game. Black had some possibilities of
to invade. It is instructive to compare making it more difficult, but perhaps
this diagram with the one after move Golombek’s seeing the inevitable took
14. The pawn structure tells the tale, a little bit out of him, considering the
and the comment about looking at c6 as reputation of the living legend sitting
the losing move does not seem like such across the board.
hyperbole at this point. The "vertical"
pressure of the queen and two rooks You should take a look at the Evans game
overwhelms the opponent’s passively (mentioned at the start of this article) as
placed minor pieces. a contrast. It was a monumental battle.
The more you play over these types of
23...cxb5 If 23...¦ec8 24.bxc6 bxc6 positions, the better you will get. The
25.£a6 ¤f5 26.¤c5 The knight path minority attack has appeared as a weapon
from c3 to a4 to c5 to d3 is a key theme against the Stonewall Dutch, so it has
to remember with this piece. 26...¦c7 other uses as well. Its most popular use is
27.¤d3 £e6 28.g4 ¤e7 29.¦b7 ¦xb7 in the Exchange Variation of the Queen’s
30.£xb7 Gambit Declined. Some good games
to study are Najdorf-Eliskases, Mar del
24.£xb5 ¤e6 Defending the b7 pawn can Plata, 1947; Chukaiev-Chernikov, 1964;
get the d5 pawn lost: 24...¦e7 25.¦c5 ¦d8 Beliavasky-Yusupov, URS Ch, 1983.
26.¤c3 For the pinnacle of the struggle for both
sides, the Alekhine-Capablanca match
25.¤c3! Golombek notes that White in 1927 can’t be beaten. There is much
should not get too hasty with gobbling the more. You can learn a good deal about
b7 pawn: 25.£xb7 ¦eb8 26.£c6 £xc6 chess by studying these games.
27.¦xb8+ ¦xb8 28.¦xc6 ¦b1+ and Black
gets unnecessary activity.
25...¦ed8 26.£xb7 £a3 Ends the game

sooner, but it doesn’t matter.
27.¤xd5 £xa2 28.¤b4 £a4 29.¤c6

Either the black rook or queen will be gone.
Black Resigned.
1–0
Capa’s handling of the minority attack

was instructive and straightforward.
As soon as the pawn structure with c6
presented itself, he set about optimising
his king’s knight and queen’s bishop on Footnote: Historical footnote on the round
the kingside, while the queen’s knight that Capablanca won this game, from BCM,
set about on its aforementioned path, 1939, page 247: "This was a field day for
The heavy pieces were, of course, placed the minority attack in the Queen’s Gambit.
on c1 and b1. When all was ready the The three grandmasters all played it and
pawns moved confidently forward to the they all won." Flohr, Keres, Capablanca

10/141
Problem
World
by Christopher Jones
cjajones1@yahoo.co.uk
Grandmaster of Chess Composition
Solutions are given on page 638
1 XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-zp0
9+-+-wQ-+-0
9-+-+-+-mk0
9+-+-+-+p0
9-+-+-+nsN0
2 XIIIIIIIIY
9-sN-+-+-+0
9+-+p+-+-0
9-snp+p+-+0
9mKpmkP+-+-0
9-snl+-wQ-+0
9+-+-+N+-0
9-+p+-+-+0
9+-+-+-tRK0 9+-+-+-+-0
Nikolay Akimov (Kazakhstan) Kabe Moen (USA)
3 4
Mate in 2 Mate in 2
Original ORIGINAL, after H.Jansen
9-+-+-sn-tr0 9ksn-+-+-+0
9mK-+-+-zpk0 9zp-+p+-+-0
9p+-+L+-+0 9p+pzP-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0 9zP-zP-+-+-0
9-+l+-+NsN0 9-+p+-+-+0
9+-+-zp-+-0 9+-zP-zp-zp-0
9-+rvl-+-tR0 9P+-+P+P+0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-vlLtRK0
Steven B. Dowd and Kostas Prentos Ljubomir Ugren (Slovenia)
(USA / Greece) Helpmate in 17.5
Mate in 3 Original
Original

October 2021
Endgame Studies
by Ian Watson
ian@irwatson.uk
1 XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-mk0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+K+-+0
9+-+-+N+-0
9-+-sN-+-+0
9+-+-zp-+-0
2XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9sN-+-mK-+-0
9k+-+-+N+0
9+-+p+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-zp-0
9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-vL0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+n+-+-0
J. Mendheim N. Mansarliskiy & S. Tkachenko
3 4
Aufgaben fur Schachspieler 1832 64 1998
Mate in 9 moves win
9-+-+-+-vl0 9-+-+-+-vl0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-+-+p0
9k+P+-+-sN0 9k+P+-+-sN0
9+-+-+-+p0 9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-sN0 9-+-+-zp-+0
9mK-+-+-+-0 9mK-+-+N+-0
9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0
P. Michelet P. Michelet
Original, after Rinck 1935 2021 Original 2021
win win

10/141
The Line
The Troitsky Line. The father of chess endgame studies, Alexei Troitsky, thoroughly
investigated the ending of two knights versus pawn in the 1930s. Two knights and king
cannot force mate against a lone king, but KNN v KP can be won, if the pawn can be
blockaded by one of the knights. The other knight and the king force the enemy king
into a corner and then the blockading knight comes over to complete the mate. That only
succeeds if the blockaded pawn is far enough back, otherwise it promotes and prevents the
mate. Troitsky worked out how far back it has to be; for example, if it’s on the a−file it can
have got to its fifth rank, but no further, on the b−file, if it’s beyond the third rank, that’s
drawn, c−file fourth rank, d−file fifth rank. e/f/g/h are a reflection of a/b/c/d. So there’s a
line across the board, and this has gained the name the Troitsky Line.
You may think that is for endgame study enthusiasts only, that the ending of two knights
against pawn does not occur in over−the−board play. Not so. It has arisen many times; for
example, Karpov had it and he lost to Topalov even though the pawn was beyond the
Troitsky Line, because he didn’t know the defensive strategy. Indeed both players made
mistakes, Topalov not being well−booked on it either, but Karpov made the final error.
Many other players have been faced with this ending. Others have had the option to lead
play into it, but decided not to, because they didn’t know whether the position was won
or not, or how to play it. A few over−the−board players are well−versed in it, and notable
amongst these is Colin McNab. He is an OTB GM, but he is also a problem and study
expert, and when faced with the two knights v pawn ending he handled it much better
than his opponent and indeed far better than Karpov or Topalov. That was in the EU
Championship in 2006 against Mika Karttunen.
McNab won in 22 moves from when the NN v P arose in the game, even though with
best play it should have taken 79 moves to achieve mate. That shows an issue with NN v
P - it very often takes more than 50 moves to give mate, so although Colin had blockaded
the pawn far enough back, in an over−the−board game with best play, it should have been
a draw. Indeed, in the least favourable ‘winning’ position, it takes 115 moves to force
mate. So there is a ‘second Troitsky Line’, where the knights win even if the 50−move rule
applies.
The 50−move rule in OTB chess has been changed several times. Composed positions
comply with OTB rules, but there have to be a few exceptions and, fortunately, in studies
the 50−move rule has not ever been in force. There is sense to that: the play begins from
a position in which we do not know what happened before, so the 50−move count might
have begun before the ‘start’ position.
The Line isn’t a perfect rule; there are some exceptions. Our first position is one of these,
from a century before Troitsky’s analyses. It’s an exception because Black’s king is in the
wrong corner; from a general start position, the defender has to allow his king to be forced
into a corner, but if he heads for the wrong one, the attacker has a much easier task. That
was the mistake that Karpov made against Topalov. Notice, in the Mendheim position, that
when White has blockaded the pawn, his blockading knight has a short route to mating a
king on a1, h1, and h8, but a longer route to mate a king on a8. Incidentally, this position
isn’t strictly a study; indeed, it was composed as a mate in nine.

October 2021
Our second position, however, is an authentic study. It shouldn’t be too challenging to

solve, because now you know that the white bishop is going to be captured and that the
d−pawn will have to be blockaded on d5 or d4.
The reason I am writing this article is that I’ve been sent two new studies by Paul Michelet.
Paul is one of the UK’s leading composers and he often takes existing studies by well−
known composers and improves them. He was inspired to these by the Rinck study that
was in this column in the February 2021 issue. He noticed that it can be improved and
then it occurred to him that he can also incorporate the Troitsky Line idea in the improved
version. In his first setting, the black pawn is behind the Line, so White will win if he can
capture the black bishop. In his second setting, if you remove the black pawn that is on
h7, then White can’t win, because the f−pawn is blockaded too far down the board, but the
addition of the h7 pawn enables White to win because an exception to the Troitsky Line
arises in the solution.
The solutions are given on page 639.
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10/141
QUOTES AND QUERIES

THE EVOLUTION OF THE
FAJAROWICZ
VARIATION
6207 Here are two pairs of games
By Alan Smith
15...¥g6 16.b3 ¦he8 17.¤f3 £f6 18.¤d4
between well-matched opponents, all four ¥c5 19.¤d5 Hoping for time to regroup.
of whom were prizewinners in the British
Championship. The first pair features the 19...¦xd5! 20.cxd5 ¥xd4 21.¦d1 ¤b2
Fajarowicz Variation which modern theory
frowns upon, but back in the 1930s the 0-1
theoretical evaluation of the line was not clear.
Leicester Evening Mail, 8th August 1934
Baruch Wood - Alfred Lenton
Chester 1934 Fast forward five years...
1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 ¤e4 The Baruch Wood - Alfred Lenton
Fajarowicz variation.
Birmingham - Leicester 1939
4.¤f3 ¤c6 5.£c2 d5 6.exd6 ¥f5
7.£a4 White avoids a trap, 7.dxc7 £xc7 1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 ¤e4 4.¤f3
8.£b3 0-0-0 9.¥e3 ¥b4+, and Black is ¥b4+ 5.¤bd2 £e7 Varying from one of
winning, according to MCO 9. his previous games, 5...¤c6 6.a3 ¥xd2+
7.¤xd2 ¤xd2 8.¥xd2 ¤xe5 Davey -
7...¥xd6 8.¥d2 8.g3 ¥c5 9.¥e3 £f6 Lenton BCF ch 1936, White blundered his
10.¥xc5 £xc5 11.£a3 £e7 was van queen and lost swiftly.
Doesburgh- Richter Munich 1936.
6.£c2 f5 7.exf6 7.a3.
8...£e7 9.e3 ¤c5 10.£d1 0-0-0
11.¤c3 11.a3 was a sensible precaution. 7...¤xf6 8.a3 ¥d6 9.e3 ¤c6 10.b4
b6 11.¥b2 ¥b7 12.¥d3 White is not
11...¤b4 12.¤d4 ¤bd3+ 13.¥xd3 attacking: the bishop belongs on e2.
¤xd3+ 14.¢f1 £h4 15.£e2 15.g3 £h3+
16.¢g1 ¤xb2 17.£b3 ¤d3 and White is 12...¤e5 13.¤xe5 ¥xe5 14.¤f3 ¥xb2
still struggling to activate his rooks. 15.£xb2 0-0 16.0-0 ¤g4! 17.£e2?

October 2021
White’s sense of danger deserted both rooks while 16...¤c6 17.£xf6 is

him. 17.¥e2 was safe, while Wood himself no better.
suggested 17.£d4! when 17...¥xf3 18.gxf3
¤e5 is met by 19.¥e4 and Black can’t play 1-0
19...¤xf3+ on account of 20.¥xf3 ¦xf3
21.£d5+. Cheshire Observer, 20th March 1970
17...¦xf3! 18.gxf3 ¤xh2 19.e4 19.¢xh2

£h4+ 20.¢g1 £g5+ 21.¢h2 ¦f8. The next game features similar
overoptimism. Black can play ...¤a5/...¤e5
19...¦f8 20.¢h2 £h4+ 21.¢g2 £g5+! and on to c4 in some lines of the Sicilian,
but like Lasker - Pirc Moscow 1935, this
0-1 does not seem to be one of them.
Staffordshire Advertiser, 4th February 1939

Victor Knox - John Littlewood
6208 Vic Knox and John Littlewood Cheshire - Lancashire 1972

were regular opponents for over thirty
years. Here are two examples of their 1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.d4 cxd4 4.¤xd4
uncompromising play. £b6 5.¤b3 ¤f6 6.¤c3 e6 7.¥e3 £c7
8.¥e2 Rather than 8.¥d3.
Victor Knox - John Littlewood 8...a6 9.0-0 b5 10.a3 ¤e5? Way too
ambitious. Black should settle for 10...d6
Cheshire - Lancashire 1970 11.f4 ¥e7 with a Scheveningen structure.
1.e4 e5 2.¤c3 ¥c5 A sideline with an 11.f4 ¤c4 12.¥xc4 bxc4 13.e5 cxb3
impeccable pedigree. A favourite of 14.exf6 bxc2 14...gxf6 was mandatory.
Anderssen and Bird, it was later adopted
by Capablanca, Alekhine and Larsen. 15.£d4! gxf6 16.¤d5! A thematic
Black dodges the sharper lines of the sacrifice in the Sicilian. I presume John was
Vienna, arising from 2...¤c6 3.f4 or expecting 16.£xf6 ¦g8 when Black should
2...¤f6 3.f4 be okay.
3.¤f3 d6 3...¤c6 transposes to an inferior 16...exd5 17.£xf6 ¦g8 18.¦ae1 d6

line of the Three Knights. 19.¥b6+ £e7 20.£xd6 Threatening
21.£d8 # and 21.£c6+.
4.d4 exd4 5.¤xd4 ¤f6 6.¥c4 c6 7.0-0
7.¥b3 is more circumspect. 20...¦xg2+ 21.¢xg2 ¥h3+ 22.¢xh3
c1=£ 23.£xe7+! ¥xe7 24.¦xc1
7...b5 8.¥b3 ¥xd4 This wins a piece, but
White gets good counterplay. 1-0
9.£xd4 c5 10.£d1 c4 11.¤xb5 cxb3 Crewe Chronicle, 19th October 1972

12.¤xd6+ ¢f8 If 12...¢e7 White has the
happy choice between 13.e5 and 13.¤xc8+
£xc8 14.£xb3.
13.e5 bxc2 14.£f3 ¥a6 15.¦e1 £a5

16.¥h6! Black is lost: 16...¤bd7 loses

10/141
Solutions to Problems (See page 632)

This month’s originals
We start with two 2-movers which should be quite easy to solve (but of course do
feel free just to read on and enjoy the nice play in their solutions), and then turn to an
interesting 3-mover (welcome to this column to its co-author Kostas Prentos!), for which
the inspiration was a long-ago OTB game of the great problemist Sam Loyd; Steven Dowd
remarks “one of my favourite ideas in direct mates is trying to make OTB combinations
into plausible problems”. Finally, a contribution from our regularly-featured expert in long
helpmates. In this case, we are looking for 35 ‘half-moves’, initiated by White, in which
Black collaborates in achieving a position in which he is mated. Very long helpmates like
this one tend to be easier than helpmates in say 4 or 5 moves because the possibilities
for both sides, necessarily, are limited, and in this problem the need for White not to run
completely out of moves will give you the intro to the solution.
An introduction to the Rukhlis? Inspired by Sam Loyd
In his Chess Wizardry: The New ABC In our 3-mover, the key, 1.¤e5!, grants a flight
of Chess Problems John Rice defines the (h6) but threatens mate next move by any move
Rukhlis as “a pattern of moves combining of the h4 knight. The skill of the composers is
mate-change and mate-transference. At seen in that in each of the four defensive tries by
least two set or virtual-play [i.e., the play Black that extend play to move three it is one,
after unsuccessful ‘tries’ by White] mates and only one, of the possible continuations by
are transferred to different defences after the h4 knight that works – and each of the four
the key, while the original defences gain continuations works once. Thus, the solution
new mates”. Nikolay’s 2-mover goes runs: 1…¥xe6 2.¤f5+ ¢g8 3.¤e7; 1…¤xe6
part way to this by showing the pattern 2.¤hg6+ ¢g8 3.¦xh8; 1…e2 2.¤hf3+ ¥h6
in relation to one defence: in the diagram 3.¤g5; and 1…¥e1 2.¤g2+ ¥h4 3.¦xh4.
position if it were Black to play 1…¤e3
would allow 2.¤f3. After the nice, flight- Once more
giving key, 1.£g7!, 1…¤e3 is no longer the murky world of helpmates
met by 2.¤f3 (which would fail against
2…¢h5) but is met instead by 2.£xh6. As I said above, the early play in Ljubomir’s
However, after 1…h5 (the other defence helpmate is determined by the need to give
to the threatened 2.£g4) White’s mating the white king breathing space. In a fashion
move is indeed 2.¤f3. familiar to aficionados of very long helpmates
the white king then must mark time while its
A focus on the square d5 counterpart sets off on a long journey that
culminates in his freeing the square c6 for
In Kabe’s 2-mover White would like to his knight and thus facilitating the movement
move the d5 pawn, so that 2.£d4, now of the white d-pawn, before dashing back to
guarding d6, would be a threatened mate. a8 – a prodigious round trip by His Majesty,
However, if 1.d6?, 1…e5! is a successful determined with complete accuracy by the
defence. So the key is 1.dxe6!, and the composer’s expertise – 1…a3 2.¥f2 a4
nice effect of this is that there are now five 3.¥xg1 ¢xg1 4.¢b7 ¢h1 5.¢c8 ¢g1
defences, all involving moves to d5 and all 6.¢d8 ¢h1 7.¢e8 ¢g1 8.¢f7 ¢h1 9.¢e6
met by different mates – 1…¥d5 2.£xb4; ¢g1 10.¢d5 ¢h1 11.¢xc5 ¢g1 12.¢d5
1…d5 2.£f8; 1…¤4d5 2.¤a6; 1…¤6d5 ¢h1 13.c5 ¢g1 14.¤c6 ¢h1 15.¤e7 dxe7
2.¤xd7; and 1…¢d5 2.£e5. 16.¢c6 e8=£ 17.¢b7 £xd7+ 18.¢a8 £c8.

October 2021
Solutions to Endgames (See page 633)

Mendheim
1.¤e2 ¢g8 2.¢e7 ¢h8 3.¢f8 ¢h7 4.¢f7 after 4…¢xc7. In the resulting position,
¢h8 5.¤f4 e2 6.¤g6+ ¢h7 7.¤f8+ ¢h8 the black pawn is blockaded behind the
8 ¤e7 (or ¤h4) e1£ 9.¤e(h)g6 mate. Troitsky Line.
Mansarliskiy & Tkachenko In the Rinck study, White began by

attacking the bishop with 1.¤f7, but that
1.¥g1 ¤f2 2.¤c6 ¤h3 3.¥e3 g2 doesn’t work here because Black can move
4.¤d4 g1£ 5.¥xg1 ¤xg1 6.¤f4 ¢b6 his bishop to, say, g7 and then after 2.c7 he
7.¤d3 ¤h3 8.¢f6 wins, for example will remove it from g7 with a check before
by 8…¤g1 9.¢f5 ¤h3 10.¢g4 ¤f2+ playing …¢b7.
11.¤xf2 ¢c5 12.¤e2 d4 13.¤d3+ ¢c4
14.¤ef4. 6.¤e5? ¤h3 7.¤d3 ¤g5 and Michelet
the knight escapes.
1. c7 ¢b7 2.¤f7 ¥a1 3.¢a2 ¥g7
Michelet, after Rinck 4.¤d6+ ¢xc7 5.¤e8+ ¢c6 6.¤xg7
h5 7.¤e6 h4 8.¤eg5 ¢d5 9.¤h3 ¢e4
1.c7 ¢b7 2.¤f7 ¥a1 3.¢a2 and the 10.¤h2 etc. 8…h3 9.¤xh3 ¢d5 10.¤f2 is
bishop is dominated because White will the variation that uses the exception to the
play 4.¤d6+ and fork the king and bishop Troitsky Line.
Hardinge Simpole
is delighted to announce
the publication of
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of Ray
Chess in the year of the
Coronavirus Pandemic
Raymond D. Keene
With an Introduction
by CJ de Mooi

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Volume 141

NEPO AND THE ROAD FROM

PAINTER PETER HEREL RAABENSTEIN

Chairman Shaun Taulbut

578 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

It´s now even easier to subscribe

An exclusive chess magazine!

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 579

Norway Chess 2021 report

CARLSEN wins Norway Chess

580 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

The Rise of the White switches his attention to the

31.f4 White’s natural plan is to push

31...e6 32.g4 ¥f6 33.g5 Fixing Black’s

33...¥e7 34.¢g2 ¢g7 35.¢f3 White

35...h6 36.h4 ¦c8 37.¥b2 After having

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 581

49.¥c4 ¥c5 50.¦c6 This is the He tried to defend a worse technical

50...¥d4 51.¦c8 ¢e7? Nevertheless, Rapport’s result was enough

582 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

‘The position should be a draw, but

30...c5 It was perfectly possible to keep the

31.¢e3 cxb4 32.cxb4 ¢e5 33.h4 White

33...g6 34.¥g4 ¥e6 Stopping ¥c8.

584 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

But then something incredible happened. As XIIIIIIIIY

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 585

XIIIIIIIIY 23.£d1 ¤g6 24.d4 White achieved

586 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

XIIIIIIIIY 49...£xb2 50.e7 ¤xe7 51.£xe7 b4

588 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

XIIIIIIIIY An impressive game by Firouzja.

Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 589

Magnus Carlsen - Ian Nepomniachtchi XIIIIIIIIY

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 591

592 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

XIIIIIIIIY Carlsen again won the Armageddon to

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 593

Nepo on his performance at the tournament:

594 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

XIIIIIIIIY This is a typical situation in the English

It’s curious that both players failed to Now it’s over.

25.¦g6? It’s strange that Nepomniachtchi

NORWAY CHESS - FINAL STANDINGS

596 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

TABATABAEI COMES TOP IN A 4-WAY TIE

White opts for a quiet position aiming for a XIIIIIIIIY

18...a6 18...b6 19.¦a3 ¦ed8 20.exf5

19.¦e1 £f7 20.f3 ¤d7 21.¢g2 h5 22.h4

598 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

Pavel Eljanov - Amin Tabatabaei

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 599

¤xf5 38.¦d5 £g6+ 39.£xg6+ fxg6

Veteran Oleg Romanishin scored

Robert Baskin - Oleg Romanishin

600 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

XIIIIIIIIY a6 27.¥xe8 £xe8+ 28.¢xa5 £b5#

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 601

FINISH OF THE WORLD’S RICHEST ONLINE EVENT

Carlsen wins the

Another title for the

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 603

16...h6 In view of So’s bad form and