Hey there!
Here's a nice article about the current world's number 1 Vishy Anand. Well, it's a given fact that his family stayed here when he was around 9 years old. Had lessons from a Filipino Chesser (sorry I dont have my data for now). I'm wondering where he took his grade schooling when they where here.
Here's the link: http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?leftnm=5&subLeft=3&chklogin=N&autono=311890&tab=r (just copy and paste guys!)
Hi there!
From my chess news alert, courtesy of google chess news, comes this one:
Vietnam will host the World Youth Chess Championships 2008 in southern Vung Tau city from Oct. 19-31 with the expected participation of some 1,500 athletes from over 100 countries and regions, according to the Vietnam Chess Federation on Tuesday.
Grade School:
Champion: International School Manila
2nd : Ateneo de Manila
3rd : La Salle GreenHills
4th : Colegio de San Agustin Makati
Hi there!
I received an email from one of my chess yahoogroups and this guy wrote a good article about Chess Coaching... I replied to his email and asked for his approval for posting of his article here. I wish he'd reply asap favorably.
Here's a teaser:
First of all a few facts about myself: I am an International Master, an
active chess player and for the last 10 years I have been chess coach. I
wish to share some of my knowledge and even to let loose the anger I got
from so many absurdities I have heard from weak coaches, from some
students and chess books.
Still, I prefer keeping my anonymity.
My articles are addressed specially to the players with ratings up to 2300, who want to progress. These articles have all a certain structure. I welcome any feedback but I'll answer to questions when my spare time allows me to.
What to do to improve at chess?
In order to seriously and constantly improve, there are some things that
you need to do for you. So, first of all, I will write about what you need to do/know, and further on I will talk about what the training program should offer to you.
1. Goal
2. Rating
3. Games
Many people want progress and for this they buy many books A lot can be said here but I will conclude with: play, play and play more.
The next paragraph does not address to those who are fans of "online chess" exclusively.
The only games which are taken into consideration for a "real chess" player are the OTB (over-the-board) games ...
4. Training method
Another grave mistake many people do is unorganized study. It doesn't matter if you have 6 or 30 hours a week at hand for study, but how you use that time.
A chess training session should last at least 2 full hours,...
Moreover, within every training day, studying a certain material should exceed at least one hour (besides the simple tactic exercises.)
If you had 6 hours devoted to study per week, good chess training would be of 2 hours in 3 different days:...
5. Computers
The commercial products of nowadays and the different softwares are extremely harmful. The study of chess must be done with the real board in front and not on the computer with different "magical" softwares! It's almost like you would learn to play billiards on the computer. Our brain must "see" the chess board in 3D not in 2D
and, of course, it must "see" the real board and not one on the computer!
The computer is an excellent instrument and a very important one in our days but only for the following:...
6. The apportionment of the openings/strategy/ tactics/endings
7. The Study with Criticism and Analysis
As coach I am forced to own all the good books on chess, including the ones which are only said to be good. When I create a good chess material I take 5-10 books which treat that subject and I can hardly come out with 2-3 pages with good ideas and good examples.
I will be back on this thread and also on my blog from ...
Hi guys!
Here's NM Marlon Bernardino's news report about the recently held UPLB Chess Tourney:
PINERO TOPS UPLB CHESS TOURNEY
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO
ARNEL PINERO defeated Rodolfo Panopio in the seventh and final round to score 6.5 points and emerged as the solo champion in the 4th UPLB Rapid Chess Tournament held at Student Union Bldg., University of the Philippines, Los Baños, Laguna, over the weekend.
Pinero, winner of this event in 2006, received a P5,000 cash and a trophy. Tied for 2nd to 4th places were Sta. Rosa City pride Nathaniel Cruz, former PCU stalwart John Perzeus Orozco and top Calamba player Ireneo Gonzales. They equally divided the total cash prizes amounting to P6,000.
Rounding up the top 10 were Panopio, Michael Concio, Raffy Oliveros, Philip Cadiao, Generoso Salmorion and Rico Belecina.
Adjudged category winner were Christian Nanola (top kiddie-male), Alexis Anne Osena (top kiddie-female), Mark Tanamor (top junior), Irene Rivera (top lady), and Wilfredo Bituin (top senior).Organized by the UPLB Chess Club and Laguna Chess Association, the event attracted 89 Laguna players. (MARLON BERNARDINO).
Hi there!
Fresh from the chess news oven(my inbox), we have received the letter of invitation from Mr. Ildefonso L. Datu for this year's Dr. Jose P. Leviste Sr. Chess Festival.
Details:
The whole tournament is divided into three divisions: Grade School, High School, and College Division. Each division will employ the nine-round Swiss System tournament play with an active time control of 25 minutes per player. FIDE Laws of Chess will be employed by the tournament.
The tourney is in honor of the memory of Ateneo alumnus Dr. Jose P. Leviste Sr. (HS ’33, AA ’35), himself a good chess player. For both College and High School Divisions, P5,000.00 and a trophy will go to the top placer. The 2nd runner ups will receive P3,000.00 plus trophy; the third placers will receive P2,000.00 plus trophy. The 4th and 5th place overall finishers will receive P1,000.00 and a gold medal and P500.00 and a silver medal respectively. For the Grade School Division, P3,000.00 and a trophy will go to the top placer. The 2nd runner ups will receive P2,000.00 plus trophy; the third placer will receive P1,000.00 plus trophy. The 4th and 5th place overall finishers will receive P700.00 and a gold medal and P400.00 and a silver medal respectively.
Registration begins on March 1, 2008. The registration fee is slated at P 280.00 but individuals who register on or before March 28, 2008 need only pay P250.00 as an early bird reward. Interested parties may register at the Ateneo University Athletics Office, 2nd floor of the Blue Eagle Gym.
Students must bring their current school IDs upon registration. For inquiries you may call 4266001 loc. 4193 or 4265955 and look for Mr. Rodel Cubos or Ms. Marlyn Franco or you can text (0922) 6920503. Inquiries shall be entertained beginning March 1, 2008.
Hi guys!
The champion in the elementary/grade school category of the recently held 4Th Xavier Interscholastic Invitational Chess Tournament is non-other Paulo Bersamina.
Currently a grade 4 student at the La Salle Greenhills on an athletic scholarship grant. At a very young age, he has had major chess achievements locally and internationally.
Paulo started to play chess when he was 4 years old. His two older brothers taught him the moves. Then his father taught him the fundamentals. He started to play tournament chess when he was 6. He honed his skills playing against members of the Meralco Chess Club when he was 7. Up to now, Paulo and his brothers and father are still members of the Meralco Chess Club.
Here's some details of Paulo:
Paulo S. Bersamina
Date of Birth: February 1, 1998
Place of Birth: Manila
Father: Norlito G. Bersamina
Mother: Rosalie S. Bersamina
Achievements:
Champion – 2006 National Age Group Chess Championship (8 year old-under)
Champion – 2006 ASEAN Age Group Rapid Chess (8 year old-under) Jakarta
Champion – 2006 ASEAN Age Group Blitz Chess (8 year old-under) Jakarta
Top Performer 8 yr. old-under- 2006 Lance Cabrera Rapid Chess Tournament
Champion – 2006 1st IA Gene Poliarco Rapid Chess Tournament(14 yr old-under)
Silver Medalist – 2006 ASIAN Schools Chess Festival (9 yr old-under) Singapore
Member – 2007 NCR Champion Manila Team (Grade School)
3rd Place – 2007 NCR Meet (Grade School)
5th Place – 2007 National Age Group Chess Championship (10 yr old-under)
2nd Place – 2007 Shell Active Chess Iloilo Leg (14-under)
Finalist – 2007 Shell Active Chess Grand Finals (14-under)
Board 1 Gold Medalist – 2007 PRADA (Grade School Division)
Member – 2007 PRADA Champion- La Salle Green Hills Chess Team
Top Performer 12 yr old-under – 2007 Hon. Prospero Pichay Chess Challenge
Champion – 2008 Mandaluyong Meet (Grade School)
Champion – 2008 4th Xavier Invitational Chess Championship (Grade School)
ACADEMICS:
Grade 1 – First Honors, Star Section (PBES)
Grade 2 – Second Honors (UE)
Grade 3 – Second Honors (UE)
Grade 4 – LSGH. He is not in the Top 5 as of the 2nd Trimester. But he is Outstanding in Conduct and has a weighted average of 91. As of the 2nd Trim, his lowest grade is 83-Science, and the highest is 96-Math. Paulo is well above the ceiling of 84 (weighted average) with no grade lower than 80 set by LSGH for their varsity players this 2008.
Hi there!
And here's the write up of NM Marlon Bernardino about the Philippines' summer capital tournament:
BAGUIO CITY CHESS TOURNEY GETS UNDERWAY
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO
THE Second City Camp Proper non-master chess tournament will officially start on February 9-10 at the Barangay City Camp Proper in Baguio City.
Organized by Mr. Jun Laberino in close cooperation with SK of City Camp Proper, Brgy. Captain Aurora G. Abellera, SK chairman Fatima Dacumos and Chairman Committee Sports Isabelito Angara, at stake are cash prizes with the champion receiving P10,000, the runner-up getting P5,000 and third placer pocketing P3,000.
Fourth to fifth placers will be receiving P2,000, and P1,000 respectively while sixth to eight placers gets P500 each.
The tournament is open to all non-master players and will be a seven-round Swiss System event which offers 45 minutes time control for both players.
In the kiddies division, the champion receive P1,500, the second placer gets P1,000 while P800 for third placers. Fourth to fifth placers likewise receive P500 each.
Adjudged category winners for top junior, top lady and top senior will each receive P1,000.
Registration pegged off P250 for the non-master section while P100 for the kiddies section.
For inquiry, please call or text tournament organizer Mr. Jun Laberino at mobile no.0927-938-8861 for complete details. MARLON BERNARDINO
Hi there!
Last Saturday, we witnessed the emerging of the new Xavier Invitational Interscholastic Chess Tournament champions, The Xavier Chess Team! Coached by NM Erwin Carag and IA and Chess Trainer Rolando "Rolly" Yutuc, together with Mr. John Sy, they guided these junior players into new heights!
"Eto yung unang beses na talunin namin ang La Immaculada" expressed Erwin full of joy. La Immaculada was the 3 time champion of the said event. The 4th Xavier Chess Tournament was the biggest one. We had 9 schools and more than a hundred participating players!
The Team championship for the high school category were taken by Xavier School while for the elementary or grade school, The International School Manila took home the championship trophy.
For the grade school individuals, Paulo Bersamina of La Salle Greenhills, coached and accompanied by his parents, took the top place with a clean 6-0 slate! It in these times you'll know the efforts and hardwork put in by the player and the coach. Congratulations! Players placing on 2nd to 5th, we have Paul Go, Tyler Sy, Angelo Ezekiel Nuestro and Gabriel Pumarega.
For the high school individuals, FM Joel Pimentel of La Salle Greenhills like wise took home the gold medal! Followed closely by La Immaculada Concepcion School' Expedito Bolico Jr on 2nd and on third we have Trevor Chan, Hiezel Coraje and Jeffrey Go.
Here's the final results, sent to us by Mr. John Sy (thanks!)
GS Team Final Standings
Place Name Score
1 ISM-A 16
2-4 CSA-A 15.5
ATENEO-A 15.5
LA SALLE 15.5
5 LICS 14.5
6 ISM-B 13.5
7-8 XAVIER-A 13
SOUTHRIDGE-A 13
9 CSA-B 12
10 XAVIER-C 9
11-12 MGIS 7.5
XAVIER-B 7.5
13 XAVIER-D 7
14-15 SOUTHRIDGE-B 6
ISM-C 6
16 XAVIER-E 4.5
17 ATENEO-B 4
18 LSM 3
GS Final Individual Standings
Place Name Score Buch. Berg. Wins Progr.
1 Bersamina, Paulo 6 22.5 23.00 6 21.0
2-5 Go, Paul 5 23.0 17.50 5 20.0
Sy, Tyler 5 21.5 13.00 4 16.0
Nuestro, Angelo Ezekiel 5 19.5 16.00 5 18.0
Pumarega, Gabriel 5 19.0 15.50 5 16.0
6-7 Fulcher, Lawrean 4.5 19.5 15.25 4 14.0
Jang, Jun Woo 4.5 19.5 12.75 4 17.0
8-19 Catindig, Pearl 4 26.0 14.50 4 18.0
Jang, Jae Woo 4 24.0 13.00 4 17.0
Lumacad, Jerome 4 23.0 10.00 3 14.0
Peralta, Migz 4 22.0 12.50 4 15.0
Fernandez, Sam 4 21.0 11.50 4 15.0
Vizcarra, Philip 4 20.0 11.50 4 17.0
Jeon, Yo Han 4 19.0 12.00 4 14.0
Madarang, Jerome 4 19.0 8.00 3 14.0
Labadan, RC 4 18.5 11.00 4 12.0
Andaman, Greg Luigi 4 18.0 11.00 4 15.0
Wong, Paul Vincent 4 18.0 9.00 4 13.0
Kim, Max 4 13.5 8.00 4 12.0
20-23 Abundo, Ronald 3.5 20.0 6.75 3 14.0
Castillo, Patrick 3.5 18.5 6.50 2 11.0
Peralta, Enzo 3.5 16.5 8.25 3 12.0
Lee, Shawn 3.5 11.0 6.25 3 8.5
24-39 Ramos, Alfonso 3 22.5 10.00 3 15.0
Uy, Trevor 3 21.5 5.00 2 11.0
Tung, Jason 3 20.5 5.00 2 11.0
Morales, Justin 3 20.0 9.50 3 13.0
Victorino, Daniel 3 20.0 8.00 3 13.0
Hsieh, Andy 3 19.5 10.00 3 12.0
Ramos, Noah 3 19.0 7.00 2 10.5
Tan, Spencer 3 19.0 4.00 2 9.0
Ting, Kyle 3 18.5 7.00 3 11.0
Tambunting, Isaac 3 17.5 6.00 3 11.0
Sopungco, Andrew 3 17.0 6.00 3 8.0
Andaman, Greg Dominic 3 16.5 2.00 1 9.0
Kang, Mosae 3 16.0 3.50 3 10.0
Ang, Erwin 3 15.5 4.00 2 7.0
Wong, Paul Lawrence 3 15.5 3.50 2 9.0
Tan, Aaron 3 13.0 5.50 3 7.0
40-41 Edano, Benedict 2.5 18.5 6.00 2 9.5
Tan, Brucie 2.5 18.0 2.25 1 7.5
42-53 Chua, Aidan 2 22.5 6.50 2 9.0
Uy, Trent 2 20.5 4.50 2 9.0
Hernandez, James 2 19.5 6.00 2 9.0
Ng, Ian 2 18.5 2.00 1 6.0
Nicolas, Jet 2 17.5 6.00 2 9.0
Christensen, Shawn 2 17.5 2.00 1 4.0
Ramos, Lucas 2 16.0 5.00 2 7.0
Melwani, Lynlyn 2 16.0 0.00 0 3.0
Hou, Jefferson 2 14.0 3.00 2 7.0
Chua, Andrea 2 14.0 1.00 1 6.0
Kho, Nymark 2 12.5 4.00 2 5.0
Lee, Vince 2 12.0 1.00 1 3.0
54-56 Chua, Andrew 1.5 17.5 0.75 0 3.5
Lorenzo, Steven 1.5 16.0 1.75 1 6.5
Nuestro, Angelo Isaiah 1.5 15.5 4.25 1 6.5
57-60 Melwani, Joshua 1 16.0 0.00 0 3.0
Manalac, Victor 1 14.5 1.00 1 5.0
Lee, Eldrin 1 14.0 1.00 1 6.0
Uy, Hendrik 1 13.5 0.00 0 4.0
61 Tiu, Patrick 0.5 14.0 0.75 0 2.5
HS Final Team Standings
Place Name Score
1 XAVIER-A 17
2 LICS-A 16
3 LA SALLE 14.5
4 LICS-B 13
5 XAVIER-B 11.5
6-7 SOUTHRIDGE-A 10.5
XAVIER-C 10.5
8 CSA-A 4.5
9 SOUTHRIDGE-B 4
10 LSM 3.5
11 CSA-B 0
HS Final Individual Standings
Place Name Score Buch. Berg. Wins Progr.
1 Pimentel, Joel 5.5 18.5 15.00 5 20.0
2 Bolico, Expedito 5 16.0 14.00 5 16.0
3-5 Chan, Trevor 4.5 22.0 13.25 4 17.5
Coraje, Hiezel 4.5 20.0 13.25 3 14.0
Go, Jeffrey 4.5 19.5 12.00 3 13.0
6-10 Lahoz, Miguel 4 21.0 13.25 3 14.0
Porquez, Basil 4 21.0 11.25 3 17.0
Yee, Marvin 4 19.5 12.25 3 13.5
Ongsyping, Anderson 4 18.5 8.75 2 11.0
Ramos, Antonito 4 15.5 9.50 4 10.0
11-14 Fulcher, Steaven 3.5 21.5 11.25 3 13.5
Lorca, Kevin 3.5 20.0 11.50 1 13.5
Ledesma, Mervin 3.5 18.5 7.50 3 12.0
Sopungco, Aaron 3.5 16.5 7.75 3 10.5
15-21 Revalo, Clinton 3 24.5 10.50 3 15.0
Javier, Collins 3 23.5 11.50 2 14.0
Go, Kevin 3 19.5 7.50 3 12.0
De Lara, Marlo 3 19.5 7.50 3 11.0
Dunton, Dred 3 18.5 9.50 3 11.0
Sy, Marc 3 17.0 7.75 2 11.0
Tan, Jefferson 3 14.0 4.00 2 9.0
22-26 Pe, Justin 2.5 19.0 4.75 2 10.5
Coherco, Wayne 2.5 18.5 3.25 2 11.5
Lumacang, Joseph 2.5 18.5 2.75 1 9.0
Capinpin, Nikki 2.5 17.5 5.25 2 10.0
Yao, Payton 2.5 15.5 5.75 2 8.5
27-31 Magbanua, Jezreel 2 18.5 0.00 1 6.0
Medalla, Bien 2 17.5 2.50 1 7.0
Ancanan, Mark 2 16.5 5.75 1 7.0
Anisco, James 2 15.5 0.00 0 5.0
Haw, Martey 2 15.0 0.00 0 3.0
32 Bautista, Martin 1.5 13.5 3.25 1 7.0
33-34 Nuestro, Angelo 1 15.5 2.00 1 5.0
Duay, Jon Carlo 1 15.5 0.00 1 4.0
35-36 Diesmos, Johann 0 15.0 0.00 0 0.0
Obrero, Marvin 0 12.0 0.00 0 0.0
Hi!
Here's NM Marlon Bernardino's take on the story of Fischer liking balut, one of the Philippines' famous duck egg:
BOBBY FISCHER LOVES BALUT SAYS EUGENE TORRE
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO
THE new breed of chess players and sports fans may know Robert James "Bobby" Fischer only by refutation as a maverick, a rebel and an eccentric.
But for Eugene Torre, Asia's first ever Grandmaster, Fischer was more than just a chess genius. He was a good friend.
"Hanggang sa ngayon ay hindi pa din ako makapaniwala na wala na si Bobby (Fischer), dumb founded ako at very sad," said the 56-year-old long-time vanguard of RP chess, who gave an inspirational message at the closing rites of the 20th season SCUAA-NCR men's and women's chess competition last Thursday at the PhilSCA campus in Pasay City. "Wish ko kay Bobby, Rest in Peace and may he (Fischer) receive the loved he missed here in earth there in heaven," he added.
According to Torre, Fischer frequently visits the country to visit him and feast on "balut" and sinigang.
"Mga lima hanggang anim na balut ang kaya ni Bobby sa isang kainan lahat yun ha (kasama 'yung ulo), mahilig din siya sa Sinigang na Isda gaya ng bangus," said Torre, who recalled a memorable experience when he brought "balut" for Fischer in Belgrade, Hungrary in 1993. "Sabi sa akin ng immigration officer ano daw 'yung dala ko. Ang sabi ko ay balut at binuksan ko at nag offer ako sa kanya kung gusto n'ya, ayaw naman," said Torre, Hall of Famer of PSA.
According to electronic mail "weekender", Fischer died of kidney failure, not in hospital as previously reported but at his home in the suburbs of Reykjavik, "the site of his greatest triumph" in 1972 when, single-handedly, he wrested the world crown from champion Boris Spassky, who had the support of the Soviet Union and its massive chess resources.
Torre also said he has no idea that Fischer was ill because one of Fischer's daily routine was a two-or-three hour walk.
"Kaya nga surprise ako na wala na si Bobby kasi health buff 'yun eh," he said.
Torre is the second/ partner of Bobby in the 1992 epic rematch Fischer-Spassky that took place in Yugoslavia. Fischer beat Spassky, 10-5, the said match.
"Sa tingin ko ay y'ung "trust" sa akin ni Bobby (Fishcer) kaya ako ang kinuha niyang second/ trainer sa rematch nila ni Spassky noong 1992 sa Yugoslavia. Baka kasi may mag spy," said Torre.
BOBBY IS A SUPER GENIUS
Torre also revealed yesterday how Bobby is a super genius. "Grabe ka genius si Bobby, mga late 70's naisip niya na ang pagkakaroon ng isang chess clock na hindi mananalo ang player sa oras lamang at that time ay mechanical chess clock pa lamang ang ginagamit, I mean magkakaroon ng increment o madagdagan ng minuto kasi nawawala na ang quality ng game pag sa oras ka lamang nanalo, sinabi niya sa akin iyan ng 80's pero na introduce yan noong 1992 sa rematch nila ni Spassky na pinangalan sa kanya, Fischer clock (digital chess clock)," Torre said.
TORRE WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE FISCHER CHESS RANDOM; You can kill a good men but you cannot kill a good idea---Fischer
Torre also said that he will comtinue to promote the Fischer Chess Random.
"Itutuloy ko ang promosyon ni Bobby sa Fisher Random, maganda kasi eh," said Torre, who is schedule to face Argentine champion in the introduction of Fischer Chess random in the 1996 Buenos Aires Fischer Chess Random but failed to materialize to varying reason.
" Naalala ko pa ang sinabi ni Bobby (You can kill a good men but you cannot kill a good idea)
Chess960, also called Fischer Random Chess, is a chess variant produced by former World Champion Bobby Fischer by modifying the rules of Shuffle Chess so that castling possibilities exist for all starting positions. It was originally announced on June 19, 1996, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Fischer's goal was to create a chess variant in which chess creativity and talent would be more important than memorization and analysis of opening moves. His approach was to create a randomized initial chess position, which would thus make memorizing chess opening move sequences far less helpful. The initial position is set up in a special way and there are 960 such positions, thus the name 'Chess960'.
(MARLON BERNARDINO).
Hi!
Here's the extra edition of The Weekender:
Extra!!! The Chess Plaza Weekender
Monday, 28 January 2008 Quezon Memorial Circle,
Quezon City Weekday Edition
YOUTH TRIUMPHS OVER EXPERIENCE
Aronian, Carlsen win Corus main event
ARMENIAN super hero Levon Aronian and Norwegian wunderkind Magnus Carlsen drew their final games to split the two top prizes in the main event of the Corus Super in Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands Sunday (early Monday in Manila).
It is their first major victory in what can be called a key part of the “Grand Slam of Chess.”
With them in Group A are 12 other top-rated players, including world champion Viswanathan Anand of India and former world champions Vladimir Kramnik of Russia and Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria..
Aronian, 25, and Carlsen, 17, are two of the five younger combatants among the world’s 14 toughest fighters, the super grandmasters (having Elo ratings of 2700 and above), in Group A of the Super Corus Tournament.
The three others are Teimour Radjabov, 20, of Azerbaijan, Ukrainian prodigy Pavel Eljanov and two-time world junior champion Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, who will be 24 and 25 this year, respectively.
Eljanov (2692) is the only one among the 14 megastars who has a rating below 2700.
Aronian heads the Armenian team that captured the gold in the 37th World Olympiad held in Turin, Italy in 2006 while Carlsen is the reigning Norwegian champion who has fired the imagination of his fans with his outstanding performance in almost all major tournaments.
His performance in Wijk aan Zee has been nothing less than phenomenal. He and Aronian dominated the event right from the start, but the teenaged Norwegian suffered his first loss in the ninth round to Peter Leko, 28, of Hungary and again in the 11th round to world champion Viswanathan Anand of India.
Unperturbed by these two losses, Carlsen buckled down to work against past world champion Vladimir Kramnik, beating him in a brilliant display of tactical fireworks in the penultimate 12th.
In the 13th and last round, Carlsen (White) battled Radjabovto a draw in 65 moves of a King’s Indian Defense. Radjabov has been the world’s No.1 junior player until this year because he turns 21 in March.
This enabled the teenager to cling to his premier position along with Aronian, who held Judit Polgar of Hungary with Black in 57 moves of a double-edged Marshall Attack against the Ruy Lopez.
Only Boris Gelfand of Israel and Leko won their final assignments—against Eljanov, in 38 moves of an English Opening, and Mamedyarov, in 27 moves of a Ruy Lopez, Steinitz variation, respectively.
Both winners played White.
Besides Carlsen-Radjabov and Polgar-Aronian, the games drawn in the 13th round were Anand-Kramnik, Ivanchuk-van Wely and Topalov-Adams.
World champion Anand had a slow start, drawing most of his early games after losing to Radjabov in the opener.
Radjabov had a rollercoaster ride midway and up to the end could not seem to find his form.
Polgar, regarded as the strongest female player in the history of the game, had a few fine games but was similarly inconsistent.
The most consistent was Ivanchuk, but he had too many draws as he finished the event undefeated.
The final Group A standings: 1-2. Aronian and Carlsen, 8.0 each; 3-4. Anand and Radjabov, 7.5 each; 5-6. Leko and Ivanchuk, 7.0 each; 7-8. Kramnik and Adams, 6.5 each; 9-11.Topalov, Polgar and Mamedyarov, 6.0 each; 12-14.Eljano, Gelfand and Van Wely, 5.0 each.
In Group B, 29-year-old Sergei Movsesian of Slovakia took the first prize with 9.5 points from 13 games, a full point ahead of runners-up Nigel Short of England and Etienne Bacrot of France.
Movsesian cornered the first prize after drawing with WGM Humpy Koneru, who will be 21 this year, is a former world under-20 women’s champion.
The draw ensured that nobody could catch up with Movsesian, compelling Short and Bacrot to also draw their own final-round games.
The two superstars equally divided the second and third prizes, with Short winning the silver on tiebreak.
WGM Koneru, the lone woman in the group of 14, finished in 11th place.
In Group C, 15-year-old GM Fabiano Caruana of Italy and the United States took the first prize solo with an extraordinary 10 points from 13 games against some of the strongest players in the world.
The Italian-American prodigy finished two points ahead of his closest rivals, Dimitri Reinderman, 35, of The Netherlands and 14-year-old Parimarjan Negi of India.
US women’s champion Irina Krush ended up in fifth place with 7.0 and GM Li Shilong of China in 10th with 6.0.
In the honorary group of four senior players, 76-year-old early tournament leader Viktor Korchnoi of Switzerland suffered a heartbreaking loss to former Dutch champion Jan Timman in the sixth and final round to slide down to a tie for second to third places with his conqueror.
Veteran Serbian GM Ljubomir Ljubojevic, a frequent Manila visitor in the past, took the first prize with an impressive win against 70-year-old Lajos Portisch of Hungary, GM Eugenio Torre’s co-champion in the Toluca (Mexico) Interzonal of 1982 that elevated the Filipino to a world title candidate in 1983.
Ljubojevic had 4.0 points, followed by Timman and Korchnoi with 3.0 apiece. Cellar-dwelling Portisch had 2.0.
So far, the most exciting games played in Group A were Topalov-Kramnik in the ninth round (featured in the regular Sunday edition), Carlsen-Anand and Aronian-van Wely in the 11th round, and Kramnik-Carlsen in the 12th round.
I am reserving these gems for the wrap-up in the regular edition. In the meantime, here is how Leko efficiently disposed of Mamedyarov in the last round.
P. Leko (2753) – S. Mamedyarov (2760)
Rd. 13, Ruy Lopez, Deferred Steinitz (C72)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 4...Bc5 5.0–0 would have equalized 5.0–0 Bd7 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 b5 7...Nxd4 8.Bxd7+ Qxd7 9.Qxd4! favors White 8.Nxc6± Bxc6 9.Bb3 Nf6 10.c4 Be7 Better than 10...Nxe4 11.Re1 Be7 12.cxb5 axb5 13.Qf3! 11.Nc3 0–0 12.Re1 Re8 13.Bf4 Rb8 14.Qc2 b4 15.Nd5 Nd7 16.Be3 Bf8 17.f3 Ba8 18.Rad1 c6 19.Nf4 Qc7 20.Nd3 a5 21.c5 Bb7
19.Nf4 Qc7 20.Nd3 a5 21.c5 Bb7 22.Bf4 Ba6 Fritz suggests 22...Ne5!? as an interesting option 23.cxd6± Bxd6 24.Bxd6 Qxd6 25.Ne5!
Superb, a discovered attack on the queen and knight to ensure control of the only open file and the seventh rank to boot..
25…Qxe5 Of course not 25...Nxe5 because of 26.Rxd6! 26.Rxd7 Red8 Missing his best shot, 26...Kh8! 27.Red1! Black resigns. If 27…Rxd7 28.Rxd7! and if 27.Bxf7+ Kf8 28.Qxc6! and White wins. 1–0
Meanwhile, past world women’s champion Antoaneta Stefanova led a 42-player field with a perfect score of 4.0 wins from four rounds in the GibTel Open in Gibraltar, the British-controlled island garrison off the Spanish coast guarding the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean.
A mere half point behind her was Chinese superstar Bu Xiangzhi, who once held the record of being the world’s youngest person to win the grandmaster title, the first Asian to do so. He did it in 1999 at the age of 13 years, 10 months and 13 days.
Hi guys!
Here's another great issue for the week. We are very grateful to have The Weekender sent to us for posting, as what Tito Manny said, since last year. Of course, this great endeavor has always been a collaboration between the two best chess journalist of our time, Manny Benitez and Bobby Ang. Without these two, Philippine Chess would not be in existence.
As what I have always said, it was Mr. Bobby Ang's book, Inside Philippine Chess which I bought last December 2003, made me go back into chess, and after three years, made me want to put up a personal blog.
Thanks guys!
Here it is:
The Chess Plaza Weekender
Sunday, 27 January 2008
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
Vol. II No. 33
FOR PHILIPPINE CHESS
‘I am willing to go to jail,’ says NCFP boss
By Marlon Bernardino
FOR the sake of Philippine chess, former Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. is willing to go to jail.
“Handa akong magpakulong para sa kapakanan ng Philippine chess (I am willing to go to jail for the sake of Philippine chess),” the president of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines told media representatives. “Filipino chess lovers are worth dying for,” he added, paraphrasing Ninoy Aquino..
Butch Pichay made the statement just before delivering the keynote address at the opening of the 20th season of the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association-National Capital Region last Monday at the Rizal Memorial Track Oval.
Pichay was apparently alluding to the contempt suit filed against him by lawyer Samuel Estimo, which arose from the latter’s petition seeking to stop the NCFP from holding its board election in Tagaytay City last Saturday, January 19.
Despite a temporary restraining order issued by Judge Reynaldo Daway of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, the board election was held as scheduled, ostensibly by a general assembly of NCFP delegates under the supervision of the Philippine Olympic Committee.
With Atty. Rommel Tacorda of the Bureau of Customs presiding, the NCFP general assembly took note of a report that there was no NCFP constitution and by-laws filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The assembly then drafted a new constitution and a new set of by-laws and proceeded with the election.
This prompted Estimo to file a contempt suit, charging that Pichay and his group had “toyed with the rule of law.”
A hearing was held last week by the judge but nobody from the NCFP showed up in court. The Pichay camp has said that it had no active participation in the proceedings.
In a press release to the media, Estimo claimed that Judge Daway “showed displeasure” at the non-appearance of the respondents and ordered them through their lawyers to explain their absence.
The judge has scheduled another hearing on the petition for Wednesday, January 30.
Newspaper reports said Pichay was reelected president and named concurrent chairman at the board’s first meeting at Linden Suites on Ortigas Avenue in Pasig City last Thursday.
Tagaytay Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino was also reelected secretary general.
Present at the meeting was Fide’s honorary president Florencio Campomanes.
Three vice presidents were likewise elected, namely, Romeo Serratubias, Bro. Rolando Dizon and Val Rosabal.
Former NCFP directors Willy Abalos and Casto “Toti” Abundo, who had inhibited themselves from running for the board in Tagaytay, were named executive and events director, and Fide representative, respectively.
‘I can’t believe Fischer is dead,’ Torre laments
A WEEK after news of the death of former world champion Robert James Fischer flashed across the globe, his bosom friend for many years, Grandmaster Eugenio Torre, finally broke his silence.
“Hanggang sa ngayon ay hindi pa rin ako makapaniwalang na wala na si Bobby (Up to now I still cannot believe that Bobby is gone),” said Torre.
Asia’s first grandmaster was interviewed during the closing rites of the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association-National Capitol Region in Pasay City Thursday.
Torre gave the inspirational talk to the players. With him at the rites was the country’s newest grandmaster, Jayson Gonzales.
“Wish ko kay Bobby ay ‘Rest in peace’ and may he receive in heaven the love he missed here on earth,” he added.
The 56-year-old icon who served as Fischer’s second during his return match against Boris Spassky in the old Yugoslavia in 1992 also told vignettes on the life and career of Fischer.
“Sa tingin ko ay ’yung ‘trust’ sa akin ni Bobby kaya ako ang kinuha niyang second/trainer sa rematch nila ni Spassky noong 1992 sa Yugoslavia. Baka kasi may mag-iispay sa kanya (I think he got me as his second/trainer because of his trust in me. You know, there might be people spying on him),” Torre said.
He also revealed Fischer’s fondness for balut and sinigang.
“That is why he loved eating balut,” he said, recalling that he once brought the American eccentric lots of balut in Belgrade in 1992.
He said he could not believe Fischer had died of kidney failure because he knew him as a physical fitness buff who used to walk two to three kilometers as his morning exercise every day. —Marlon Bernardino
To be continued next week.
BIGGEST UPSET YET IN WIJK AAN ZEE
Carlsen clobbers Kramnik
NORWEGIAN wonder boy Magnus Carlsen clobbered world No. 1 Vladimir Kramnik in the penultimate 12th round of the Corus Super in Wijk aan Zee Saturday.
In what could be the biggest upset yet in this prestigious event, Carlsen (Black) forced the resignation of the former world champion from Russia on the 57th turn of a positional Symmetrical English, Fianchetto and Hedgehog duel.
Carlsen pulled it off just two rounds after losing with White to reigning world champion Viswanathan Anand of India, Kramnik’s foremost rival.
The 17-year-old Norwegian sensation bounced back into the lead jointly with Levon Aronian, the 25-year-old super hero of Armenia.
Between themselves, the two young superstars have been dominating the main event of the Corus Super since Day One.
Each had 7.5 points.
MY FAVORITES
‘The best player in history’
LIKE the millions of his fans worldwide, I closely followed the career of Robert James Fischer, played over countless games of his (usually only those he won), and got terribly disappointed when he refused to face his Soviet challenger, Anatoly Karpov, a refusal that led to his being stripped of the world title in 1975.
To me, Fischer epitomized Caissa’s fiercest warrior on earth for all time, one whose mind thrived on conflict and rage—the “killer’s instinct”.
I remember buying most of Bobby’s books and books about Bobby—The Life and Games of Bobby Fischer by Frank Brady, Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess (borrowed by someone and never returned), My 60 Memorable Games, Fischer’s Chess Games (with an Introduction by Raymond Keene), FISCHER SPASSK:, The New York Times Report on The Chess Match of the Century, etc.
Just recently, Weekender problemist Joselito P. Marcos gave me Garry Kasparov’s My Great Predecessors Part IV. Sometime ago, my good friend and neighbor, architect Ady Yazon, also gave me Bobby Fischer Goes to War by David Edmonds and John Eidinow.
I must confess that I have put Fischer and Kasparov on a pedestal as my top favorites, along with Paul Morphy, Adolf Anderssen, Alexander Alekhine, Mikhail Tal, Frank Marshall, and all the immortals like Akiba Rubinstein and Rudolf Spielmann who were fierce fighters on the board, in that order.
In Fischer’s book, the devil-may-care spirit of adventure and romance, as manifested in the sacrifice of a piece, particularly the queen, reigns supreme.
The following game (dated 1957 in a database but 1956 in Fischer’s Chess Games published by the Oxford University Press) was selected by Kasparov as the first game to illustrate Bobby’s brilliance on the board even in his adolescence and teens.
For some undisclosed reason, Fischer himself did not include this in My 60 Memorable Games, although it has been dubbed “The Game of the Century.”
Donald Byrne – Bobby Fischer
Rosenwald, New York 1956
Gruenfeld, Russian System (D97)
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.d4 0-0 5.Bf4 d5 5...d6 6.e4 would have equalized 6.Qb3 dxc4 Black has equalized 7.Qxc4 c6 d5 8.e4 Nbd7 9.Rd1 Nb6 10.Qc5 Bg4 11.Bg5 Na4 12.Qa3 Not 12.Nxa4? Nxe4 13.Qb4 a5 14.Qxb7 Nxg5 15.Qxc6 Rc8!Nxc3 13.bxc3 Nxe4 14.Bxe7 Qb6 15.Bc4 Nxc3 16.Bc5 Rfe8+ 17.Kf1 Be6!!
17...Nxd1? would be bad: 18.Bxb6 axb6 19.Qb3 Bxf3 20.Qxf3! 18.Bxb6? 18.Qxc3 was a bit better, but Black would still be ahead Bxc4+! 19.Kg1 Ne2+ 20.Kf1 Nxd4+ 21.Kg1 Ne2+ 22.Kf1 Nc3+ 23.Kg1 axb6 24.Qb4 Ra4 25.Qxb6 Nxd1 26.h3 Rxa2 27.Kh2 Nxf2 28.Re1 Rxe1 29.Qd8+ Bf8 30.Nxe1 Bd5 31.Nf3 Ne4 32.Qb8 b5 Missing the more decisive 32...Kg7! 33.h4 h5 34.Ne5 Kg7 35.Kg1 Bc5+ 36.Kf1 Ng3+ 37.Ke1 Bb4+ 37...Re2+ was quicker: 38.Kd1 Bb3+ 39.Kc1 Ba3+ 40.Kb1 Re1#! But Bobby the child is now playing for fun 38.Kd1 Bb3+ 39.Kc1 Ne2+ 40.Kb1 Nc3+ 41.Kc1 Rc2#! 0-1
Here is another Fischer gem highlighted by a queen sacrifice.
Bobby Fischer – L. Myagmarsuren
Rd 3, Interzonal, Sousse 1967
King's Indian Attack (A08)
1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.g3 c5 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.Ngf3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.e5 Nd7 9.Re1 b5 10.Nf1 b4 11.h4 a5 12.Bf4 a4 13.a3 bxa3 14.bxa3 Na5 14...Bb7 15.Rb1 Qc7 16.h5 equalizes 15.Ne3 Ba6 16.Bh3 d4 17.Nf1 Nb6 18.Ng5 Nd5 18...h6 would have led to equality 19.Bd2 Bxg5 20.Bxg5 Qd7 21.Qh5 Rfc8 22.Nd2 Nc3 23.Bf6 Qe8 23...Kh8 24.Qg5 Rg8 should restore the balance 24.Ne4 g6 25.Qg5 Nxe4 26.Rxe4 c4 Fritz suggests 26...Bb7 27.Rf4 Qf8 27.h5 cxd3 28.Rh4 Ra7 29.Bg2 dxc2 30.Qh6 Qf8 31.Qxh7+!!
There is no doubt that Bobby had a photographic mind and an elephantine memory, as well as a lively imagination. It is said that he could remember almost all the games he had played and could discuss the moves with any of his opponents even if the games took place a long time ago.
While on a tour of West Germany in 1967, I met GM Wolfgang Unzicker at his office in Munich and he told me that in his teens, Bobby used to have a miniature chessboard and pieces with him wherever he went.
Another German player I met in Berlin, whose name I cannot now recall, told me that he and his friends once invited Bobby to tour Buenos Aires one evening.
While they all watched a rather exciting girlie-girlie show, they noticed that Bobby was silently moving pieces about on his magnetic board!
Also, Bobby learned to read Russian and used to buy or borrow Russian chess magazines so he could keep abreast of the latest trends in opening theory.
To accommodate as many of his gems as possible, the next games are “in the raw.”
The first game shows his win against “the Great Dane”, who was the strongest grandmaster in the West before Fischer burst onto the scene.
R.J. Fischer – B. Larsen
Rd 8, Interzonal Portoroz 1958
Sicilian Defense (B77)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0-0 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Bc4 Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Be6 11.Bb3 Qa5 12.0-0-0 b5 13.Kb1 b4 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.Bxd5 Rac8 16.Bb3 Rc7 17.h4 Qb5 18.h5 Rfc8 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.g4 a5 21.g5 Nh5
22.Rxh5! gxh5 23.g6 e5 24.gxf7+ Kf8 25.Be3 d5 26.exd5 Rxf7 27.d6 Rf6 28.Bg5 Qb7 29.Bxf6 Bxf6 30.d7 Rd8 31.Qd6+ 1-0
The following game shows young Bobby’s advanced knowledge of opening theory because of his avid reading of Russian chess magazines.
R.J. Fischer – S. Reshevsky
Rd 6, US Ch, New York 1958
Sicilian Defense (B35)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 0-0 8.Bb3 Na5 9.e5 Ne8
10.Bxf7+! Kxf7 11.Ne6! dxe6 12.Qxd8 Nc6 13.Qd2 Bxe5 14.0-0 Nd6 15.Bf4 Nc4 16.Qe2 Bxf4 17.Qxc4 Kg7 18.Ne4 Bc7 19.Nc5 Rf6 20.c3 e5 21.Rad1 Nd8 22.Nd7 Rc6 23.Qh4 Re6 24.Nc5 Rf6 25.Ne4 Rf4 26.Qxe7+ Rf7 27.Qa3 Nc6 28.Nd6 Bxd6 29.Rxd6 Bf5 30.b4 Rff8 31.b5 Nd8 32.Rd5 Nf7 33.Rc5 a6 34.b6 Be4 35.Re1 Bc6 36.Rxc6 bxc6 37.b7 Rab8 38.Qxa6 Nd8 39.Rb1 Rf7 40.h3 Rfxb7 41.Rxb7+ Rxb7 42.Qa8 1-0
Here’s a beautiful game illustrating a move that is both offense and defense while ostensibly sacrificing a bishop.
R.J. Fischer – R. Shocron
Mar del Plata 1959
Ruy Lopez (C97)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d6 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 Bd7 13.Nf1 Rfe8 14.Ne3 g6 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Nh2 Rad8 17.Qf3 Be6 18.Nhg4 Nxg4 19.hxg4 Qc6 20.g5 Nc4 21.Ng4 Bxg4 22.Qxg4 Nb6 23.g3 c4 24.Kg2 Nd7 25.Rh1 Nf8 26.b4 Qe6 27.Qe2 a5 28.bxa5 Qa6 29.Be3 Qxa5 30.a4 Ra8 31.axb5 Qxb5 32.Rhb1 Qc6 33.Rb6 Qc7 34.Rba6 Rxa6 35.Rxa6 Rc8 36.Qg4 Ne6 37.Ba4 Rb8 38.Rc6 Qd8 39.Rxe6 Qc8 40.Bd7!!
Unpinning the rook and attacking the enemy queen. The bishop is immune, e.g., 40…Qxd7?? 41.Rxg6#!, and Black’s queen is doomed. If 40…Qc7 41 Rxe7 Qd6 42.Re8+! Rxe8 42. Bxe8. 1-0
The next was played in the 1959 Candidates’ Tournament hosted by the old Yugoslavia, where Fischer was treated as a folk hero. Black is the grandmaster that popularized the gambit named after him.
R.J. Fischer – P. Benko
Rd 10, CT, Bled/Zagreb/Belgrade, old Yugoslavia 1959
Sicilian Defense (B57) 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bc4 Qb6 7.Nde2 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Bb3 0-0 10.Kh1 Na5 11.Bg5 Qc5 12.f4 b5 13.Ng3 b4 14.e5 dxe5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Nce4 Qd4 17.Qh5 Nxb3
After 17…Nxb3
18.Qh6! exf4 19.Nh5 f5 20.Rad1 Qe5 21.Nef6+ Bxf6 22.Nxf6+ Qxf6 23.Qxf6 Nc5 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Qe7 Ba6 26.Qxc5 Bxf1 27.Rxf1 1-0
The Estonian grandmaster, Paul Keres, was one of the top three players in the world when World War II broke out. Showing no awe, Fischer trots out a tactical gem to force him to surrender.
P. Keres - R. Fischer
Rd 15, Candidates Tournament, Bled/Zagreb/Belgrade 1959
Modern Benoni (A48)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.Nbd2 c5 5.c3 cxd4 6.cxd4 d5 7.Bxb8 Rxb8 8.Qa4+ Bd7 9.Qxa7 Ne4 10.e3 Nxd2 11.Nxd2 e5 12.Nb3 0–0 13.Qc5 Rc8 14.Qb4 Re8 15.Be2 exd4 16.Nxd4 Qh4 17.Qxb7 Bxd4 18.Qxd7 Bxb2 19.Rd1 Bc3+ 20.Kf1 d4 21.exd4 Qe4 22.Qg4 Qc2 23.g3 Qxa2 24.Bb5 Qd5 25.Bxe8 Qxh1+ 26.Ke2 Rxe8+ 27.Kd3 Be1!
After 27…Be1!
The bishop cuts the line of force from the rook to clear the way for the queen to take a bead on White’s king. 0–1
Back in America, Fischer once again proved he was head and shoulders above everybody else.
R.J. Fischer – S. Bernstein
US Ch, New York 1959
Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack (C89)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 e4 10.dxc6 exf3 11.Qxf3!?
After 1.Qxf3!?
Meeting Black’s plan head-on.
11…Bg4 12.Qg3 Bd6 13.Qh4 Re8 14.f3 Bf5 15.d4 Bxh2+ 16.Kxh2 Ng4+ 17.Kg3 Qxh4+ 18.Kxh4 Rxe1 19.fxg4 Rxc1 20.gxf5 Rd8 21.a4 b4 22.d5 Rb8 23.d6 cxd6 24.Bc4 Rc8 25.Bxa6 Rxc6 26.Bb5 Rb6 27.c4 d5 28.a5 g5+ 29.Kxg5 h6+ 30.Kg4 Rb8 31.a6 dxc4 32.a7 Ra8 33.Bc6 h5+ 34.Kg5 Rxb1 35.Rxb1 Rxa7 36.Rc1 Ra2 37.Rxc4 Rxb2 38.f6 1–0
In this game, he shows his mastery of the Marshall Attack—from the White side.
R.J. Fischer – H. Berliner
US Ch, New York 1960
Alekhine’s Defense (B03)
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 cxd6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Bd3 Bg7 8.Nge2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 e5 11.d5 Ne7 12.b3 Nd7 13.Ne4 Nf5 14.Bg5 f6 15.Bd2 Nc5 16.Nxc5 dxc5 17.Bxf5 Bxf5 18.f4 exf4 19.Nxf4 Qd6 20.Nh5 Rae8 21.Nxg7 Kxg7 22.Bf4 Qd7 23.Qd2 Rf7 24.Bh6+ Kg8 25.Rae1 Rfe7 26.Rxe7 Qxe7 27.h3 Qe4 28.Qf2 Qe7 29.g4 Bd3 30.Rd1 Be4 31.d6 Qe5 32.Bf4 Qc3 33.d7 Rd8 34.Qe2 Qf3 35.Qxf3 Bxf3 36.Bc7 1-0
One thing noticeable about Fischer’s play even during his teens was his mastery of opening theory, thanks, I must repeat, to his knowledge of Russian trends.
R.J. Fischer – H. Seidman
US Ch, New York 1960
Ruy Lopez (C89)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 e4 10.dxc6 exf3 11.Qxf3 Bg4 12.Qg3 Bd6 13.f4 g5 14.d4 Kh8 15.Re5 gxf4 16.Bxf4 Nh5 17.Rxh5 Bxh5 18.Nd2 Re8 19.Rf1 Re2 20.Bd1 Rxd2 21.Bxh5 f6 22.Re1 Bxf4 23.Qxf4 Rxb2 24.Re8+ Qxe8 25.Bxe8 Rxe8 26.h3 b4 27.cxb4 Rxb4 28.Qxf6+ Kg8 29.Qg5+ Kh8 30.Qf4 Ra4 31.Qf7 Rg8 32.Qxc7 Rxa2 33.Qe5+ Rg7 34.g4 h6 35.Qb8+ Rg8 36.c7 1-0
And here is an amusing mating threat in the middle of the board!
R. Fischer – T. Petrosian
Bled 1961
French Defense, (B17)
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.Bc4 Bf5 8.Qe2 e6 9.Bg5 Bg4 10.0–0–0 Be7 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Nd5 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Kb1 Rd8 15.Qe4 b5 16.Bd3 a5 17.c3 Qd6 18.g3 b4 19.c4 Nf6 20.Qe5 c5 21.Qg5 h6 22.Qxc5 Qxc5 23.dxc5 Ke7 24.c6 Rd6 25.Rhe1 Rxc6 26.Re5 Ra8 27.Be4 Rd6 28.Bxa8 Rxd1+ 29.Kc2 Rf1 30.Rxa5 Rxf2+ 31.Kb3 Rh2 32.c5 Kd8 33.Rb5 Rxh3 34.Rb8+ Kc7 35.Rb7+ Kc6 36.Kc4!
After 36.Kc4!
Black resigns as his king faces 37.Ra7#! 1–0
A close examination of almost all the games Fischer played as he matured would show more than a hint of creativity.
It is said that Soviet GM Efim Geller was ahead in their lifetime score. The game below belies the implication of the Russian’s claim.
R.J. Fischer – E. Geller [C72]
Bled 1961
Ruy Lopez (C72)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.0-0 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.c3 Qf6 8.g4 Bg6 9.d4 Bxe4 10.Nbd2 Bg6 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Nxe5 Bd6 14.Nxg6 Qxg6 15.Re1+ Kf8 16.Nc4 h5 17.Nxd6 cxd6 18.Bf4 d5 19.Qb3 hxg4 20.Qb7 gxh3+ 21.Bg3 Rd8 22.Qb4+ 1-0
Manuel Aaron of India, Fischer’s opponent in the next game, was Asia’s second international master, next only to IM Cardoso. Here the young American wizard toys with the outstanding Indian player.
M. Aaron – R. Fischer
Rd. 3, Interzonal, Stockholm 1962
King’s Indian (B81)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 Nbd7 7.Qd2 c5 8.Nge2 a6 9.Ng3 cxd4 10.Bxd4 Ne5 11.Be2 Be6 12.Nd5 b5 13.cxb5 axb5 14.Bxb5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bxd5 16.a4 e6 17.0-0 Qh4 18.Ne2 Rfc8 19.Be3 Nc4 20.Bxc4 Qxc4 21.Rfc1 Qa6 22.Rxc8+ Rxc8 23.Nc3 Bc4 24.f4 d5 25.Bd4 Bxd4+ 26.Qxd4 Qb7 27.Qf2 Ba6 28.Rd1 Rc4 29.Rd2 Rxc3! 0-1
And now, here are two miniature gems Fischer carved against much older rivals in major tournaments.
R. Fischer - R. Steinmeyer
USA-ch New York (6), 1963
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Nf3 Nf6 7.h4 h6 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 e6 10.Bd2 Nbd7 11.0-0-0 Qc7 12.c4 0-0-0 13.Bc3 Qf4+ 14.Kb1 Nc5 15.Qc2 Nce4 16.Ne5 Nxf2 17.Rdf1 1-0
When you play over Bobby’s games, you can feel the tension all throughout as he tries to make every move count.
R. J. Fischer – R. Weinstein
US Ch New York 1963
Ruy Lopez (C96)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 cxd4 12.cxd4 Bb7 13.d5 Bc8 14.Nbd2 g6 15.b4 Nb7 16.a4 Bd7 17.axb5 axb5 18.Rxa8 Qxa8 19.Re3 Qc8 20.Ra3 Qc7 21.Nb3 Nh5 22.Bd3 Rc8 23.Qf1 Nf6 24.Bg5 Rb8 25.Ra7 Qd8 26.Qa1 Qe8 27.Qa6 Qc8 28.Nxe5 dxe5 29.Bxf6 Bxf6 30.Qxf6 Qc3 31.Nc5 Nxc5 32.bxc5 Be8 33.Bf1 Qxc5 34.Re7 b4 35.d6 Qb6 36.Bc4 1-0
When he first came to Manila in 1967 at the invitation of Meralco, Fischer was known as the unofficial world champion. He quickly showed his vaunted strength by beating all his Filipino opponents, except the late Rosendo Balinas Jr., who escaped with a draw.
R. Balinas Jr. – R. Fischer
Meralco, Manila 1967
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.g3 g6 7.Bg2 Bg7 8.0-0 0-0 9.h3 Bd7 10.Nde2 Nc6 11.b3 b5 12.Be3 Qc8 13.Kh2 Qc7 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Nd8 16.Bd4 Rc8 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Qd4+ Kg8 19.c3 e5 20.dxe6 fxe6 21.Rad1 Nf7 22.f4 Qc5 23.Qxc5 Rxc5 24.Rd3 Rfc8 25.Rfd1 a5 26.g4 Kf8 27.Re3 Ke7 28.Bd5 Kf6 29.g5+ Ke7 30.c4 Nd8 31.Nd4 bxc4 32.bxc4 Kf7 33.Rde1 exd5 34.Re7+ Kf8 35.Rxd7 Rxc4 36.Ree7 Rxd4 37.Rxh7 Kg8 38.Rhg7+ Kf8 39.Rh7 ½-½
Rosendo Bandal – R.J. Fischer
Meralco, Manila 1967
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.Nxd5 Nxd5 6.Qxd5 Nc6 7.Nf3 d6 8.Ng5 Qe7 9.Qe4 h6 10.Qxe7+ Bxe7 11.Ne4 Be6 12.Bf4 Nb4 13.Kd2 0–0–0 14.a3 Nc6 15.e3 d5 16.Nc3 dxc4+ 17.Ke1 a6 18.Be2 Bf6 19.Bf3 Ne5 20.Bxe5 Bxe5 21.Ke2 b5 22.Rac1 Kc7 23.Rhd1 Kb6 24.Rc2 Rxd1 25.Kxd1 Rd8+ 26.Kc1 b4 27.Nd1 bxa3 28.bxa3 Rd3 29.Nb2 Bxb2+ 30.Rxb2+ Ka5 31.Ra2 c3 32.Be2 Bxa2 33.Bxd3 Bb3 34.f4 c4 35.Be4 Ka4 36.Bd5 Kxa3 37.Bxf7 Kb4 38.e4 a5 39.e5 a4 40.Bg6 a3 41.Bb1 c2 42.Bxc2 a2 43.Kb2 c3+ 0–1
R.J. Fischer – Ramon Lontoc
Meralco, Manila, 1967
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 Be7 8.f4 Nbd7 9.Qf3 h5 10.Be3 Qc7 11.0-0-0 Nc5 12.f5 e5 13.Nde2 Nxb3+ 14.axb3 b5 15.Bg5 Bb7 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.Rxd5 Rc8 19.Qd3 Ke7 20.Kb1 h4 21.Rd1 Rhd8 22.c3 Qb6 23.b4 Rc6 24.Ng1 Bg5 25.Nf3 f6 26.g3 hxg3 27.Nxg5 fxg5 28.Qxg3 Kd7 29.Qxe5 Kc7 30.Qxg7+ Rd7 31.Qxg5 1-0
R.J. Fischer – Glicerio Badilles
Meralco Manila 1967
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 d6 6.Bf4 e5 7.Be3 a6 8.N5c3 Nf6 9.Bc4 Be7 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.Bxd5 0-0 12.Nc3 Kh8 13.0-0 Be6 14.Bb3 Na5 15.Nd5 Nxb3 16.axb3 Bxd5 17.Qxd5 Qc7 18.c3 g5 19.Ra4 Rad8 20.Rb4 Rd7 21.Rb6 Kg7 22.Ra1 f5 23.exf5 Rxf5 24.Ra4 Rf8 25.Rc4 Qb8 26.Rcb4 Qa8 27.c4 a5 28.R4b5 a4 29.Rxb7 axb3 30.h4 Rxb7 31.Rxb7 Rf7 32.Bxg5 Qa1+ 33.Kh2 Qxb2 34.Qe6 Qxf2 35.Rxe7 1-0
R.J. Fischer – Renato Naranja
Meralco, Manila 1967
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 e5 4.Nd5 Nf6 5.Nec3 Be7 6.Bc4 0–0 7.d3 h6 8.f4 d6 9.f5 b6 10.h4 Bb7 11.a3 Rc8 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 13.Qh5 Ne7 14.Bg5 d5 15.Bxf6 dxc4 16.Qg4 g6 17.dxc4 Qd6 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.fxg6 fxg6 20.Qxg6+ Qg7 21.Qxg7+ Kxg7 22.Rd1 Rcd8 23.Rxd8 Rxd8 24.Nd5 b5 25.cxb5 Bxd5 26.exd5 c4 27.a4 Rxd5 28.Ke2 Rd4 29.Rd1 Re4+ 30.Kf3 Rf4+ 31.Ke3 c3 32.b3 1–0
R.J. Fischer – Agustus Vister
Meralco, Manila 1967
1.e4 c6 2.d3 d6 3.f4 Nf6 4.Nf3 g6 5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 Nbd7 7.0-0 Qb6+ 8.Kh1 Ng4 9.d4 Ndf6 10.Nc3 h5 11.h3 Nh6 12.Nh4 Bd7 13.e5 dxe5 14.fxe5 Nfg8 15.Na4 Qc7 16.Nc5 0-0-0 17.Bf4 Bf5 18.e6 Qb6 19.exf7 Nf6 20.Bxh6 Bxh6 21.Nxf5 gxf5 22.Qe2 Qxb2 23.Qe6+ Nd7 24.Nxd7 Rxd7 25.Qxh6 Rdd8 26.Qe6+ Rd7 27.Rab1 Qc3 28.Rxf5 Qxd4 29.Bxc6 1-0
Roumel Reyes – R.J. Fischer
Meralco, Manila, 1967
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.g3 Be7 8.Be3 b5 9.a3 Bb7 10.Bg2 Nbd7 11.Qe2 Rc8 12.Rd1 Rxc3 13.bxc3 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 Bxe4 15.0-0 Qa8 16.f3 Bd5 17.Rf2 0-0 18.Re1 Rc8 19.Bd2 Bd8 20.Qd1 Bb6 21.Be3 Rxc3 22.Nf5 exf5 23.Bxb6 Nxb6 24.Qd4 Rc6 25.Re7 Be6 26.Re2 Qf8 27.Rb7 Nc4 28.h4 h5 29.g4 Ne5 30.Re3 hxg4 31.fxg4 f4 32.Rc3 Rc4 33.Qd2 Qc8 0-1
As most players today know, Robert James Fischer proved to all and sundry that he was indeed the strongest player in the world when he crushed his rival candidates for the world title and shutting out two of them, Mark Taimanov of the Soviet Union and Bent Larsen of Denmark, 6-0, one after the other.
To show that neither outcome was a fluke, Bobby proceeded to dispose of former world champion Tigran Petrosian, also of the mighty Soviet Union, by a lopsided 6.5-2.5 score, in the semifinal match.
This set the stage for his “Match of the Century” versus the Soviet world champion, Boris Spassky.
Fischer, however, demanded that the prize fund be increased—the original pot was only US$1,400. This was raised by 50,000 British pounds (about $125,000) donated at the 11th hour by a London millionaire, James Slater.
The match began on July 11 and ended on August 31, 1972 in Reykjavik, the same city where he would die 35 and one-half years later.
Until Fischer actually sat on his swivel chair to play in Reykjavik, nobody could be sure that the match would go on as scheduled. In fact even after the first round, which he lost after impetuously grabbing a poisoned pawn with his bishop, Fischer still threatened to leave Reykjavik.
B. Spassky – R.J. Fischer
Rd 1, Wch28, Reykjavik 1972
Nimzo-Indian, Rubinstein (E56)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e3 0–0 6.Bd3 c5 7.0–0 Nc6 8.a3 Ba5 9.Ne2 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Bb6 11.dxc5 Qxd1 12.Rxd1 Bxc5 13.b4 Be7 14.Bb2 Bd7 15.Rac1 Rfd8 16.Ned4 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 Ba4 18.Bb3 Bxb3 19.Nxb3 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Rc8 21.Kf1 Kf8 22.Ke2 Ne4 23.Rc1 Rxc1 24.Bxc1 f6 25.Na5 Nd6 26.Kd3 Bd8 27.Nc4 Bc7 28.Nxd6 Bxd6 29.b5 Bxh2
After 29…Bxh2
30.g3 h5 31.Ke2 h4 32.Kf3 Ke7 33.Kg2 hxg3 34.fxg3 Bxg3 35.Kxg3 Kd6 36.a4 Kd5 37.Ba3 Ke4 38.Bc5 a6 39.b6 f5 40.Kh4 f4 41.exf4 Kxf4 42.Kh5 Kf5 43.Be3 Ke4 44.Bf2 Kf5 45.Bh4 e5 46.Bg5 e4 47.Be3 Kf6 48.Kg4 Ke5 49.Kg5 Kd5 50.Kf5 a5 51.Bf2 g5 52.Kxg5 Kc4 53.Kf5 Kb4 54.Kxe4 Kxa4 55.Kd5 Kb5 Black threatens to counter with Kd6 56.Kd6 1–0
Fischer lost his second game by default because he had stubbornly refused to play unless cameras were banned from the playing hall.
It took a lot of effort to bring back Fischer to the arena. He finally acceded after the organizers agreed to ban all cameras. He was down 2-0 and everybody thought it would be a long and difficult struggle for the 29-year-old American.
Because of his insistence that there should be total silence in the playing hall, the third game was played in a small “ping-pong” room backstage. And there, Fischer scored his first-ever win against the Soviet champion!
B. Spassky – R.J. Fischer
Rd 3, Modern Benoni (A77)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Nd2 Nbd7 8.e4 Bg7 9.Be2 0–0 10.0–0 Re8 11.Qc2 Nh5 12.Bxh5 gxh5 13.Nc4 Ne5 14.Ne3 Qh4 15.Bd2 Ng4 16.Nxg4 hxg4 17.Bf4 Qf6 18.g3 Bd7 19.a4 b6 20.Rfe1 a6 21.Re2 b5 22.Rae1 Qg6 23.b3 Re7 24.Qd3 Rb8 25.axb5 axb5 26.b4 c4 27.Qd2 Rbe8 28.Re3 h5 29.R3e2 Kh7 30.Re3 Kg8 31.R3e2 Bxc3 32.Qxc3 Rxe4 33.Rxe4 Rxe4 34.Rxe4 Qxe4 35.Bh6 Qg6 36.Bc1 Qb1 37.Kf1 Bf5 38.Ke2 Qe4+ 39.Qe3 Qc2+ 40.Qd2 Qb3 41.Qd4? Better was 41.Ke1 but this also gives Black a big lead, says Fritz Bd3+!
After 41…Bd3+!
Black resigns. If 42.Ke1 Qxb4+ 43.Kd1 Qb3+ 44.Ke1 b4! 0–1
From hereon Fischer gained momentum, drawing level with Spassky in the fifth round, 2.5-2.5, and it was all systems go for him.
After the 10th round, Fischer was safely ahead, 6.5 - 3.5, an incredible feat considering his 2-0 score after the first two games, the second of which he had lost by default.
Fischer’s fans held their breath as their hero continued preparing for the next games. At this point, disaster struck, caused by Bobby’s tendency to throw caution to the winds when he spots a chance to crush his opponent’s ego in over-the-board play. Once again, it was a poisoned pawn that proved too tempting to ignore.
Actually, after that fateful backstage duel, Spassky was barely recognizable, except in the 11th round when Fischer took his bait, hook line and sinker.
B. Spassky (2660) – R.J. Fischer (2785)
Rd 11, Sicilian Najdorf (B97)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 Taking the so-called poisoned pawn 9.Nb3! Qa3 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Be2 h5 12.0–0 Nc6 13.Kh1 Bd7 14.Nb1 Qb4 15.Qe3 d5 16.exd5 Ne7 17.c4 Nf5 18.Qd3 h4 19.Bg4 Nd6 20.N1d2 f5 21.a3 Qb6 22.c5 Qb5 23.Qc3 fxg4 24.a4 h3 25.axb5 hxg2+ 26.Kxg2 Rh3 27.Qf6 Nf5 28.c6 Bc8 28...bxc6 offers the last chance for counterplay: 29.Rxa6 Rxa6 30.dxe6 Bxe6 31.bxa6 Be7 32.Qxf5, with equality 29.dxe6 fxe6 30.Rfe1 Be7 31.Rxe6!
After 31.Rxe6!
Decisive, and Black resigns. 1–0
Fresh insights can be had from an account of that historic match by GM William Lombardy, then a priest and former world junior champion, who served as Fischer’s second.
The Weekender is fortunate to have a copy, courtesy of journalist Ignacio “Iggy” Dee, of Lombardy’s insightful narration of the event from the Fischer camp’s viewpoint.
According to Lombardy, the most crucial game occurred in the 13th round, which was adjourned overnight.
Here is what happened on the board.
B. Spassky (2660) – R.J. Fischer (2785)
Rd 13, Wch28, Reykjavik, Iceland 1972
Alekhine’s Defense (B04)
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 g6 5.Bc4 Nb6 6.Bb3 Bg7 7.Nbd2 0-0 8.h3 a5 9.a4 dxe5 10.dxe5 Na6 11.0-0 Nc5 12.Qe2 Qe8 13.Ne4 Nbxa4 14.Bxa4 Nxa4 15.Re1 Nb6 16.Bd2 a4 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bh4 Bf5 19.g4 Fritz suggests 19.Red1 Be6 20.Nd4 Bc4 21.Qd2 Qd7 22.Rad1 Rfe8 22...Bxe5 was best 23.f4 Bd5 24.Nc5 Qc8 25.Qc3 e6 26.Kh2 Nd7 26...Bf8 could be tried 27.Nd3? Missing his best shot, 27.Nxd7! c5! 28.Nb5 Qc6 29.Nd6 Qxd6 30.exd6 Bxc3 31.bxc3 f6 32.g5 hxg5 33.fxg5 f5 34.Bg3 Kf7 35.Ne5+ Nxe5 36.Bxe5 b5 37.Rf1 Rh8 38.Bf6 a3 39.Rf4 a2 40.c4 Bxc4 41.d7 Bd5 42.Kg3 Ra3+ 43.c3 Rha8 Best was 43...a1=Q! 44.Rh4 e5 45.Rh7+ Ke6 46.Re7+ Kd6 47.Rxe5 Rxc3+ 48.Kf2 Rc2+ 49.Ke1 Kxd7 50.Rexd5+ Kc6 51.Rd6+ Kb7 52.Rd7+ Ka6 53.R7d2 Rxd2 54.Kxd2 b4 55.h4 Kb5 56.h5 c4 57.Ra1 gxh5 58.g6 h4 59.g7 h3 60.Be7 Rg8 61.Bf8 h2 62.Kc2 Kc6 63.Rd1 b3+ 64.Kc3 Fischer spent an hour searching for the best reply and came up with h1=Q! 65.Rxh1 Kd5 66.Kb2 66.Rd1+ should be tried to restore the balance f4 67.Rd1+ Ke4 68.Rc1 Kd3 69.Rd1+??
After 69.Rd1??
The final blunder. Better but not enough was 69.Rc3+ Kd4 70.Rf3 c3+ 71.Ka1.
"I didn't make enough of the fact that Fischer had consumed an entire hour over only one move," Spassky said later.
69...Ke2! 70.Rc1 f3! 71.Bc5 Rxg7! 72.Rxc4 Rd7 73.Re4+ Kf1 74.Bd4 f2!, and White resigns in a hopeless situation. 0-1
Botvinnik was quoted as saying that this was Fischer’s “highest creative achievement”. What possibly impressed the doyen of world chess at the time was the way Bobby went about resolving the problem of having two bishops of opposite colors left on the board, and herding his phalanx of passed pawns toward their goal.
How I wish we had enough space to print the entire Lombardy article!
In any event, Fischer reached the 21st and last round without further mishap. And he was crowned the new world champion, the first and only American to win the honor and the only player from the West to break the Soviet Union’s stranglehold on this game of kings.
Here is the 21st game.
Boris Spassky (2660) – Bobby Fischer (2785)
Rd 21, Wch28, Reykjavik 1972
Sicilian Taimanov (B46)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 exd5 9.0–0 Bd6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bd4 0–0 12.Qf3 Be6 13.Rfe1 c5 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.Rad1 Rfd8 17.Be2 Rab8 18.b3 Better than 18.Bxa6 Rxb2 19.a4 Rxc2! c4 19.Nxd5!
After 18.Nxd5!
Exploiting the potential pin.
19…Bxd5 20.Rxd5 Bxh2+! A counterblow, as Black fights back 21.Kxh2 Rxd5 22.Bxc4 Rd2 23.Bxa6 Rxc2 24.Re2 Rxe2 25.Bxe2 Rd8 26.a4 Rd2 27.Bc4 Ra2 28.Kg3 Kf8 29.Kf3 Ke7 30.g4 f5 31.gxf5 f6 32.Bg8 h6 33.Kg3 Kd6 34.Kf3 Ra1 35.Kg2 Ke5 36.Be6 Kf4 Activating its king for the endgame 37.Bd7 Rb1 38.Be6 Rb2 39.Bc4 Ra2 40.Be6 h5 41.Bd7!, and the game was adourned for the night. 0–1
The first two games below are my favorites when I was just beginning to understand the beauty of chess, having learned the moves quite late in life at the age of 24, a por’binsiyano just arrived in the Big City fresh from the backwoods of Mindanao.
What I like most, after Bobby’s fantastic “Game of the Century” was his win against the inventor of the Najdorf variation in the Sicilian Defense, the Polish-Argentine Jew who fled from Hitler’s Nazi “storm troopers.”
Miguel Najdorf was an authentic prodigy who mastered blindfold chess, setting the world record in the most successful simultaneous exhibition without sight of the board.
Here is how Fischer (White) outwitted Najdorf in his pet Sicilian Najdorf.
R.J. Fischer – M. Najdorf
Rd 2, OIympiad, Varna 1962
Sicilian Najdorf (B90)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 b5 7.Nd5 Bb7 8.Nxf6+ gxf6 9.c4 bxc4 10.Bxc4 Bxe4 11.0-0 d5 12.Re1 12.Bb3 e6 leads to equality e5 Best was 12...Bxg2!?, e.g., 13.Ne6 Qd7! 13.Qa4+ Nd7 14.Rxe4!
After 14.Rxe4!
14…dxe4 15.Nf5 Bc5 Fritz suggests 15...Rb8!? 16.Ng7+ Ke7 17.Nf5+ Ke8 18.Be3 Not 18.Bxa6? Qb6! Bxe3 19.fxe3 Qb6 20.Rd1 Ra7 21.Rd6 Qd8 21...Qb8 would be bad because of 22.Rc6 Kd8 23.Qa5+ Rc7 24.Rxa6!, and White surges ahead 22.Qb3 Qc7 22...Qc8 was necessary but not enough, e.g., 23.Bd5 Rc7 24.Bxf7+! 23.Bxf7+ Kd8 24.Be6! Complete encirclement! 1-0
One can almost hear the boom-boom-boom from Bobby’s crushing blows, right?
Here is the other Fischer gem I admire because of its originality and, consequently, creativity.
R.J. Fischer – P. Benko
Rd 10, US Ch, New York 1963
Pirc Defence: Austrian Attack (B09)
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.f4 Nf6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Bd3 Bg4 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 Nc6 9.Be3 e5 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.f5 gxf5 12.Qxf5 Nd4 13.Qf2 Ne8 14.0-0 Nd6 15.Qg3 15.Rad1 Kh8 gives White a clear advantage Kh8 16.Qg4 c6 If 16...c5 17.b3! 17.Qh5 Qe8?? A costly blunder. 17...c5 offers the best chance, says Fritz: 18.b3 f5 18.Bxd4 exd4 19.Rf6!
After 19.Rf6!
Lovely—a blockade that only a Fischer can conceive over the board, indeed!
19...Kg8 Of course not 19...Bxf6 because of 20.e5! The text is meant to evade the queen’s lethal line of fire 20.e5 Better than 20.Rxd6?! dxc3 21.bxc3 Qe5 22.Qxe5 h6 21.Ne2! Without effective counterplay, Black resigns, e.g., 21…c5 22.Rxd6! Qxe5 23.Qxe5 Bxe5 24.Rxh6! 1-0
One of Iggy Dee’s favorites is this win with White by Bobby against Oscar Panno of Argentina in Buenos Aires in 1962.
What makes it fascinating is its sudden violent turn from a quiet positional game to a highly tactical assault unleashed by Fischer after the preparatory 28.Be4!.
R.J. Fischer – O. Panno
Rd 8, Buenos Aires 1970
King’s Indian Attack (A04)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.0–0 Nge7 7.Re1 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 d5 11.e5 Bd7 12.Nc3 Rc8 13.Bf4 Na5 14.Rc1 b5 15.b3 b4 16.Ne2 Bb5 17.Qd2 Nac6 18.g4 a5 19.Ng3 Qb6 20.h4 Nb8 21.Bh6 Nd7 22.Qg5 Rxc1 23.Rxc1 Bxh6 24.Qxh6 Rc8 25.Rxc8+ Nxc8 26.h5 Qd8 26...Qc7 may be tried 27.Ng5 Nf8 28.Be4 Qe7 29.Nxh7!
After 29.Nxh7!
Breaching Black’s defenses.
29...Nxh7 30.hxg6 fxg6 31.Bxg6 Ng5 If 31...Qg7 32.Bxh7+!, with White forging ahead 32.Nh5 Nf3+ 33.Kg2 Nh4+ 34.Kg3 Nxg6 35.Nf6+ Kf7 35...Qxf6 does not improve anything, says Fritz: 36.exf6 Kf7 37.Qg7+ Ke8 38.Qxg6+ Kd7 39.Qg7+ Ne7 40.Qxe7+ Kc8 41.f7 Bd7 42.f8Q+ Kb7 43.Qxd7+ Ka6 44.Qfd6#! 36.Qh7+! It’s mate next: 36….Kf8 37.Qg8#! 1–0
Perhaps the best known game played by Bobby Fischer in his younger years, besides his “Game of the Century” at the age of 13 against Donald Byrne, was his Board 1 draw with world champion Mikhail Botvinnik of the Soviet Union at the Varna Olympiad in 1962.
Here is the score and comments culled from various sources, courtesy of Iggy Dee.
M. Botvinnik – R.J. Fischer Rd. 10, Olympiad, Varna 1962
Gruenfeld, Russian System (D98)
1.c4 g6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0–0 7.e4 Bg4 8.Be3 Nfd7 9.Be2 If 9.Qb3 Nb6 Nc6 9...Nb6 10.Qd3 would have equalized 10.Rd1 Nb6 11.Qc5 Qd6 12.h3 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Rfd8 14.d5 Ne5 15.Nb5 Qf6 16.f4 Ned7 17.e5 17.Qc2!? may be more exact, e.g., 17…Qxb2 18.Qxb2 Bxb2 19.Rb1! Qxf4! Black has equalized 18.Bxf4 Better than 18.Qxe7 Qe4 19.0–0 Bxe5! Nxc5 19.Nxc7 Rac8 20.d6 exd6 21.exd6 Bxb2 22.0–0 Nbd7 23.Rd5 b6 24.Bf3 Ne6 25.Nxe6 fxe6 26.Rd3 Not 26.Rdd1 Nc5 27.Kg2 Bc3! Nc5! 27.Re3 e5 28.Bxe5 Bxe5 29.Rxe5 Rxd6 30.Re7 Rd7 31.Rxd7 Nxd7 32.Bg4 Rc7 33.Re1 Kf7 34.Kg2 Nc5 35.Re3 Re7 36.Rf3+ Kg7 37.Rc3 Re4 38.Bd1 Rd4 39.Bc2 Kf6 40.Kf3 Kg5 41.Kg3 Ne4+
After 41…Ne4+
The sealed move at adjournment. Fritz suggests 41...h5!? to keep the advantage.
42.Bxe4! The drawing move found in overnight analysis Rxe4 43.Ra3 If 43.Rc7 Ra4! Re7 44.Rf3 Rc7 45.a4 Rc5 45...Kh6!? could be tried for a winning chance 46.Rf7 Ra5 47.Rxh7 Rxa4 48.h4+ Kf5 49.Rf7+ Ke5 50.Rg7 Ra1 51.Kf3 b5 52.h5 Ra3+ 53.Kg2 gxh5 54.Rg5+ Kd6 55.Rxb5 h4 56.f4 If 56.Rf5 a5! Kc6 57.Rb8 57.Re5!? may be better h3+ 58.Kh2 a5 59.f5 Kc7 60.Rb5 Kd6 61.f6 Ke6 62.Rb6+ If 62.Rf5 Kf7! Kf7 63.Ra6 Kg6 64.Rc6 a4 65.Ra6 Kf7 66.Rc6 Rd3 67.Ra6 a3 68.Kg1 ½–½
I remember reading reports from the scene saying that the two protagonists, 32 years apart in age, spoke not a word throughout the event, their heads nearly bumping into each other in a vivid portrait of intense and unwavering focus and concentration.
It was the following game, however, that gave Fischer’s reputation as a chess master without peer a big, big boost.
R.E. Byrne – R.J. Fischer
Rd 3, USA Ch, New York 1963
Fianchetto Gruenfeld (D71)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.e3 0-0 8.Nge2 Nc6 9.0-0 b6 10.b3 Ba6 11.Ba3 Re8 12.Qd2 e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Rfd1 Increasing the pressure on the isolated pawn on d5, Fritz notes, saying that 14.Rad1 could ensure equality Nd3! 15.Qc2 Nxf2 16.Kxf2 Ng4+ 17.Kg1 Nxe3 18.Qd2 Nxg2!!
After 18…Nxg2!!
Instead of 18...Nxd1 19.Rxd1 Bxe2 20.Nxe2, which would have given White a clear advantage—Frit.z 19.Kxg2 d4 Theme: Clearance for a6-b7 20.Nxd4 Theme: Interference. If 20.Qxd4 Bxd4, says Fritz Bb7+ 21.Kf1? More accurate was 21.Kf2, but this would still give Black winning chances, e.g., 21…Qd7 22.Nf3 Qxd2+ 23.Nxd2 Bxc3 24.Rac1 Bd4+! Qd7!!
After 21…Qd7!!
A quiet move that seals White’s doom: 22.Ndb5 Qh3+ 23.Kg1 Bh6! 0-1
“A bitter disappointment,” Fischer writes in My 60 Memorable Games, explaining: “I’d hoped for 22.Qg2 Qh3+ 23.Kg1 Re1+!! 24.Rxe1 Bxd4+ with mate to follow.”
Needless to state, this game won the brilliancy prize.
The introductory note to the game, written by GM Larry Evans who helped Bobby write the book, quoted K. F. Kirby, editor of the South African Chess Quarterly: “The Byrne game was quite fabulous, and I cannot call to mind anything to parallel it. After White’s eleventh move I should adjudicate his position as slightly superior, and at worst completely safe. To turn this into a mating position in eleven more moves is more witchcraft than chess! Quite honestly, I do not see the man who can stop Bobby at this time…”
It also quotes Byrne as saying: “And as I sat pondering why Fischer would choose such a line, because it was so obviously lost for Black, there suddenly came 18…Nxg2. This dazzling move came as the shocker, the culminating combination of such depth that even at the very moment at which I resigned, both grandmasters who were commenting on the play for the spectators in a separate room believed that I had a won game!”
PINOY GEMS WITH A HISTORY
Trio of dauntless fighters
BECAUSE it never came to pass, one can only speculate how Bobby Fischer would have fared if he had played a simultaneous exhibition here in 1967 when he came as a guest of Meralco to face seven Filipino masters across the board one on one.
Be that as it may, not one of the local masters could hold a candle to the then 24-year-old American who was regarded in the West as the uncrowned chess champion of the world.
That reputation of course was part of the anti-Soviet media hype during the Cold War because at the time he still could not beat Russian GM Boris Spassky, who was yet to become world champion in 1969.
At any rate, of the seven brave Pinoys, only one managed to pass muster in a way: Rosendo Balinas Jr., who, playing White, held him to a draw by repetition of moves. Nine years later, Balinas won his GM spurs by topping a tough Soviet tournament in faraway Odessa.
Ten years earlier, however, another Filipino, Asia’s first International Master, then 19-year-old Rodolfo Tan Cardoso, had beaten the 14-year-old Fischer in the third round of their exhibition match in New York sponsored by the soft-drink manufacturer, Pepsi Cola.
Thirteen years after the 1967 Meralco exhibition series, Fischer would meet one of the seven again—IM Renato Naranja, who very nearly upset him but had to settle for a draw in the 1970 Interzonal Tournament held in Palma de Mallorca in Spain.
Here are the Cardoso and Naranja games in chronological order (see Balinas game on page 10):
R. Cardoso – R. Fischer
Rd 3, Exhibition Match, NewYork 1957
Sicilian Najdorf (B91)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.g3 e5 7.Nde2 Be7 8.Bg2 0–0 9.0–0 Nbd7 10.h3 b5 11.a4 b4 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Qc7 14.c3 Better than 14.Qxa8 Nb6 15.Qxc8 Rxc8! Bb7 15.Qd1 Nc5 16.f3 a5 17.Be3 Ba6 18.Rc1 Rab8 19.f4 19.c4!? was a viable option bxc3 20.Rxc3 20.Nxc3 Bxf1 21.Bxf1 Bf6 favors Black Rxb2 21.Rf2 Qb6 21...Qb7 22.fxe5 Nxe4 23.Qd4 would benefit Black 22.Rc1 Qb3 23.Nc3³ exf4 24.Rxb2 Qxb2 25.Bxc5 Better was 25.gxf4 Bc4 26.Bd4! dxc5! 26.gxf4 Not 26.Nd5 Bf6 27.gxf4 Bd4+ 28.Kh1 Bd3!, and Black is way ahead c4 Missing 26...Bd3! 27.Nd5 Bh4! 27.Nd5 Bc5+ 28.Kh2 Bb4 29.Rc2 Qb3! Black is way ahead 30.e5 Qxa4?? Missing 30...Qd3!? 31.Bf3 c3! 31.Be4! g6 32.Qg4 Missing 32.Nf6+ Kh8 33.Qg4! Bb7?. Best was 32...f5 33.exf6 Qe8! 33.Nf6+! Kg7 34.Qh4 Rc8?? The final mistake 35.Qxh7+ Kf8 36.e6!
After 36.e6!
The central breakthrough aimed at breaking up the pawn shield and exposing the bishop on b7.
36...Rc7 Not 36...fxe6 because of 37.Bxg6 37.Qg8+ Ke7 38.Qxf7+ Kd8 39.Rd2+! Decisive Bd5 Of course not 39...Bxd2+ because of 40.Qf8#! 40.Rxd5+! Black resigns as mate is in the air, although White missed the more decisive 40.Qg8+! Ke7 41.Nxd5+ Kd6 42.Qf8+ Kc6 43.Nxc7+ Kb6 44.Qb8+ Kc5 45.Na6#! 1–0
Several analysts believe that Naranja missed an opportunity or two for a win. You be the judge.
R. Naranja – R.J. Fischer
Rd 8, Interzonal, Palma de Mallorca 1970
Symmetrical English (A35)
1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.e3 Nf6 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.Qh4 Be6 11.Rd1 Qb6 12.Rb1 Qc5 13.b4 13.b3 Qe5 14.Bb2 g5 could favor Black Qf5 Missing the equalizer: 13...Qe5, e.g., 14.Bb2 g5 15.Qd4, with equal chances 14.e4 Qe5 15.Rb3 Bd7 16.f4 Qe6 17.f5 gxf5 18.exf5 Qxf5 19.Bg5 h6 20.Bxh6 Qh7 21.Bg5 Qxh4 22.Bxh4 Be6 23.Bxf6 exf6?? Fritz condemns this move, saying it allows White back into the game. Instead, it suggests 23...Bxf6, e.g., 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.Rxd5 Rfd8 24.Nd5 24.Nb5 was stronger Rfd8 25.Rf3 Kf8 26.Nxf6 Fritz suggests 26.Kf2 Rac8! 27.Nh7+?!
After 27.Nh7+?!
Missing his best shot, 27.Rd4! Could this have led to a win against one of the strongest players in the world?
27…Kg8 Keeping the balance 28.Nf6+ Bxf6 29.Rxf6 Bxc4 30.Bxc4 Rxc4 31.Rfxd6 Rxd6 32.Rxd6 Rxb4 33.Rd2 b5 34.Kf2 Ra4 35.Ke3 Kg7 36.Kd3 Ra3+ 37.Kd4 a5 38.Kc5! White’s king marches forward e, but Black neutralizes its advance b4! 39.Kb5 f5! 40.g3 Kf6 Activating his king to meet the enemy in the open field: a draw is in the offing 41.Re2 Kg5 42.Rf2 Kg6 43.Rd2 Kf7 44.Re2 Kf6 45.Kc4 g5 46.Kb5 Kg4 47.Rf2 Kh3 48.Rd2 ½-½
BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (1)
Matter of Attitude (Part II)
ONE day I went to watch an international tournament with Naser Sharief, a strong chess-playing executive who has had stints here and abroad as a management consultant. After spending the whole afternoon walking back and forth from several games, he came up to me and told me that he did not see anything special from the games of the GMs and IMs. They were just more consistent in avoiding mistakes.
I am sure there is a lot of truth in this – last “Chess Piece” we went over some truly exceptional players, but admittedly they are few and far between. Let us take a look at the leading Chinese players. By the way, I am going to make a few controversial statements here which will surely result in my image appearing in some voodoo dolls created for perpetual stabbing and eternal damnation, enough perhaps to bring me to the special hell alongside child molesters and people who talk in theaters.
Several years ago, GM Alex Yermolinsky (this is the Russian-turned American GM who has an opinion on everything) wrote a very uncomplimentary article in his open chess diary against the Chinese players. He said a lot of idiotic things, but one part of the following passage made sense:
“For long years I have had difficulties distinguishing one Chinese player from another. It was not only due to their physical resemblance as appears to my untrained eye, but also thanks to the striking similarities of their chess styles. They all were booked up in the opening, solid yet passive in the middlegame, but with an alert tactical eye to seize their chances. Good players, all in the 2525 to 2575 range. I almost had the feeling that I was up against the tag team of an opening specialist, to be replaced by a middlegame tactical wizard, followed by an endgame virtuoso”.
If you look at the rating list the top Chinese players are:
1 GM Wang Yue 2698
2 GM Bu Xiangzhi 2691
3 GM Ni Hua 2680
4 GM Wang Hao 2665
5 GM Zhang Pengxiang
2640
6 GM Ye Jiangchuan
2612
7 GM Peng Xiaomin
2590
8 GM Zhao Jun 2589
9 GM Xie Jun 2574
10 GM Li Chao 2566
With a few notable exceptions, they have the same characteristics:
1) Good preparation in the openings.
2) Solid yet passive in the middlegame, but with an alert tactical eye to seize their chances.
3) Good technique in the endgame.
4) Do not socialize with other players, after every game they would retire to their rooms with their laptops to prepare for the next.
5) Play the whole year round in local, team and international tournaments.
Yermo’s feeling that he is going up against a tag team is quite a good insight.
How about the Filipino players? In terms of theoretical preparation, for many years it was the perception that the best-schooled were GM Joey Antonio, GM Mark Paragua and IM Jayson Gonzales. But we are slipping here. GM Joey, for example, has recently been wiped out for playing into a refuted line, which is a bit surprising considering that it was in his favorite opening:
Jakovenko, Dmitrij (2596) - Antonio, R. (2539) [B19]
Montreal WCT Montreal (6), 19.01.2005
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bf4 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Bb4 13.c3 Be7 14.c4 Bb4?
The game Acs-Gyimesi from Hungary 2003 has already shown this move to be misguided. Better is 14...Qa6.
15.Ne4! Ngf6 16.Nd6+! Ke7 17.c5! b6 18.0–0 bxc5 19.Ne5! Nxe5 20.dxe5 Bxd2?
Another mistake. The only way to continue resisting is 20...Nd5.
21.exf6+ gxf6 22.Rad1 Bf4
After 22...Bf4
23.Nxf7! Kxf7 24.Qg6+! 1–0
I can show you many more examples, but the bottom line is that we need a training school which gives the players the proper materials to brush up on their openings. Here are some mistakes our Federation has made:
● Issue laptops to players without the appropriate software and without training them in computers. What the heck are they going to use their laptops for? Play counter-strike, probably.
● There is an item in the budget of the Philippine Sports Commission for “chess coach”. For a long time they have appointed office staff to this position so that he can get a salary without the Federation spending for it. This has to stop – appoint a coach who is really a coach, and appoint a coach who can really help. There are many kinds of coaches – IM Rudy Tan Cardoso, for example, would be brilliant teaching kiddies to play chess, but he would be out of place teaching the likes of Wesley So whose skill and theoretical level is far above his own.
● Give money to the players and ask them to do self-study at home. Am I the only one who can see that this is perhaps the most ineffective way to train?
● Give money to the players and ask them to go abroad to play in tournaments. This is another obvious mistake. You have to train them here before letting them go abroad and convince them that they are supposed to get results and not treat the tournament as a junket. In the corporate world executives are grounded, demoted and even fired for not getting results. Why should our players be any different?
In closing, I will show you this game played by NM Efren Bagamasbad against the superGM from Singapore (formerly China), Zhang Zhong.
Zhang Zhong (2634) - Bagamasbad, Efren (2342) [B27]
3rd Pichay Cup Intl Open Duty Free Fiesta Mall (3.11), 02.12.2007
Take note that the disparity in ratings between Zhang and Efren is around 300 points. This means that in a 10–game match Zhang will beat him seven times and draw thrice without a single loss.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.c3 Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.cxd4 d5 6.e5 Nc6 7.Bb5 Bd7 8.Nc3 a6 9.Bxc6 Bxc6 10.Bf4 e6 11.0–0 Ne7 12.Qd2 h6 13.h3 Rc8 14.Rfe1 Nf5 15.Ne2 Bb5 16.Ng3 Nxg3 17.Bxg3 0–0 18.Nh2 Kh7 19.h4 Qe7 20.Ng4 Rc4 21.b3 Qb4! 22.Qe3?!
[22.Qxb4 Rxb4 23.Rad1 Rc8 is equal, but Zhang wants more]
22...Rc3?!
Taking the pawn right away is better, but Efren wins it later anyway
23.Qf4 Rd3 24.Nf6+ Bxf6 25.Qxf6 Rxd4 26.a3 Qxb3 27.Qe7 Kg8 28.Qxb7 Bc4?
As explained to me by Bagamasbad, he was so excited that he had it in him to outplay a superGM with Black that his brain refused to function. He need not have rushed and could have just consolidated his forces with 28...Re8 (preventing the queen from getting back into the game via e7 and f6) followed by grabbing control of the c-file, etc., etc.
29.Qa7! Rg4 30.Kh2 Qb8?
Blind to White's threat. 30...Bd3 retains the advantage.
31.Qe3!
Threatens the pawn on h6 as well as 32.f3, trapping the rook.
31...Kh7?
Black falls apart. He should have given up the pawn instead of the exchange. After 31...Qb3 32.Qxh6 Bd3, there is still a lot of fight.
32.f3 Rxg3 33.Kxg3 f5 34.Rab1 Qc7 35.Qb6 f4+ 36.Kf2 Qe7 37.Qb7 Rf7 38.Qxe7 Rxe7 39.Rb8 g5 40.hxg5 hxg5 41.Rh1+ Kg7 42.Rhh8 Bd3 43.Rbg8+ Kf7 44.Rxg5 Rc7 45.Rhg8 1–0
Yes, even a master who is not internationally titled like Efren can outplay a Zhang Zhong. Our players can do it, with every new tournament we have discoveries like Kim Steven Yap, David Elorta, Hamed Nouri, Rolando Andador, Dino Ballecer, Ernesto Fernandez, etc., but in the next tournament we find out that they are inconsistent. With more training, local tournaments and strong competition, this consistency will come.
We can beat the Chinese. It is just a matter of attitude on the part of the players and political will on the part of the Federation.
Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Monday, January 21, 2008.
BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (2)
Fischer Nuggets
BY this time everyone already knows that one of the world’s greatest chess geniuses, Bobby Fischer, has died of kidney failure. He was 64 years of age. As our Davao correspondent Jun Atmosfera points out, even Fischer's death has chessic significance --he died at 64, the number of squares in a chessboard.
In a nutshell, Bobby Fischer became the 11th world chess champion after he defeated Boris Spassky in their 1972 “Match of the Century” at Reykjavik, Iceland. Fischer will be remembered for his deep opening preparation (he completely raised the bar and forced his contemporaries to try to follow his pace), his precision (much imitated but not approached), and a clear strategic style which makes chess seem all too easy.
Fischer learned the rules of the game in 1951 at the age 6 together with his 12-year-old sister Joan from the instructions in a chess set. He was so fascinated with the game that he played night and day and pretty soon his mother was publishing advertisements looking for chessplaying children of the same age.
He played in chess tournaments one after the other, but his early chess successes cannot be compared to those of a genius, and the quality of his games as well gave no hint that he would become world champion.
The year 1957 was his break-out year. Fischer wryly commented that after all those games and tournaments he “just got better.” In July he won the US Junior Championship in San Francisco and in August the USA Open Championship in Cleveland, Ohio (he finished even with GM Arthur Bisguier, but was declared winner on tiebreaks). Finally, in December there came the 4th Rosenwald Tournament, which also served as the USA Closed Championship and the zonal tournament in which the first two would qualify for the 1958 Interzonal in Portoroz. In a great sensation, the 14-year-old Fischer scored eight wins and five draws to become USA Champion, a full point ahead of chess legend Samuel Reshevsky.
He went on to play at Portoroz and qualified for the Candidates’ tournament, in the process earning for himself the International Grandmaster title, the youngest ever in history at that time. This record was to stand for 33 years until it was broken in 1991 by the Hungarian Judit Polgar. From an unknown in early 1957, Fischer had already become the toast of the chess world, and everyone awaited his inevitable climb to claim the chess throne. It was to take 14 more years.
Fischer had always made a big deal about not caring what everybody said about him, but that was not true. For example during this time the press nicknamed him “the Corduroy Killer” because of the sweaters and corduroy trousers Bobby always wore, but by the time of the 1959 US Championship he was already playing in a suit, white shirt and tie.
There is a nice epilogue to this story about the suits. Bobby Fischer admired the dapper appearance of GM Miguel Najdorf of Argentina, who turned up in a different suit every day. One day he came up to “Don Miguel” and asked if he had a lot of suits. “About one hundred and fifty” was the answer.
Ten years later they met again and Fischer excitedly came up to Najdorf with the news that he had built up his personal collection of suits to 187, which was met by the response “Congratulations Bobby! But I was only joking all those years ago. At most I only had about ten different suits.”
In 1963 Bobby Fischer made history by winning all 11 of his games in the USA Championship to emphasize his dominance of American chess.
His detractors talked about the weak field in the US tournament, but I don’t buy that – how can you say that Sammy Reshevsky, Pal Benko and Robert Byrne, all of whom were either former and future Candidates, were weak? And what about Larry Evans, Donald Byrne and Art Bisguier?
The critics also pointed out that in the 1962 Stockholm Interzonal which Fischer won by a mile, 17.5/22, he only got one win out of the top eight opponents – most of his points were against the bottom 14 players, against whom he had 12 wins and two draws.
Now this criticism was refuted in a very convincing manner by Fischer. In the 1970 Palma de Mallorca Interzonal he closed with seven wins against the likes of Gligoric, Taimanov, Mecking and Uhlmann, and then blanked Taimanov 6-0 in their Candidates Match. This was followed by another 6-0 whitewash, this time against the Danish chess legend Bent Larsen, and then victory in the first game of his Final Candidates’ Match with Tigran Petrosian, an unparalleled 20 straight games. His powerful play continued and culminated in a 6.5-2.5 victory over the former world champion, and finally in a 12.5-8.5 triumph over Boris Spassky for the chess crown, after which he disappeared, never to play another official game of chess.
Most readers were brought up in the bible of My 60 Memorable Games. It only covered his career up to 1967 though, and today I will show you what I believe to be his best game from 1967 up to the end of his career. This is the 7th game of his Candidates’ Finals Match with Tigran Petrosian.
Fischer,Robert James (2760) - Petrosian,Tigran V (2640) [B42]
Candidates Final, Buenos Aires (7), 19.10.1971
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6
Known as the Sicilian Kan.
5.Bd3 Nc6
After 5...Nc6
Nowadays this move is considered inaccurate and replaced by 5...Nf6. Fischer's continuation in this game has a lot to do with the current assessment. If Black had wanted to go into the Taimanov, he would have played 4...Nc6. Now, after 4...a6 5.Bd3 Nc6, he allows White to go into a variation of the Taimanov with the useless move ...a6 played.
6.Nxc6! bxc6
Neither pawn capture equalizes. Now, by simple means (c2-c4 and Nc3) White achieves an advantage in space and has an excellent game. If on the other hand Black had taken with the d-pawn then 6...dxc6 7.Nd2! e5 (otherwise White will cramp him with e4-e5) 8.Nc4 (or he can try 8.Qh5) 8...Nf6 9.0–0 Qc7 10.Bd2 (threatening Bd2-a5) 10...Bg4 11.Qe1 b5 12.Ne3 (12.Ba5) 12...Bc5 (12...Be6 13.a4) 13.Nxg4 Nxg4 14.Qe2 Nf6 15.b4 White is doing well. Leko,P (2701)-Khalifman,A (2628)/ Budapest 2000 1–0 (52).
7.0–0 d5 8.c4! Nf6
Both
1) 8...dxe4 9.Bxe4 Qxd1 10.Rxd1 Bd7 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.Bf3 followed by Na4 and Bf4 (Short,N (2615)-Stoeckmann,H/ Krefeld 1986 1–0 39); and
2) 8...dxc4 9.Bxc4 Qxd1 10.Rxd1 Nf6 11.Nc3 Be7 12.Bf4 0–0 13.Bd6 Ra7 14.f3 Re8 15.Bxe7 Raxe7 16.Na4 (Byrne,R-Denker,A/ Lincoln 1969 1–0 65) leave Black with the inferior game.
9.cxd5 cxd5 10.exd5 exd5?
Either 10...Qxd5! or 10...Nxd5 was better. Fischer is usually a fast player, but now he feels the stirrings of a novelty and devoted 20 minutes of thought calculating the final sequence.
11.Nc3! Be7 12.Qa4+! Qd7?!
Better is 12...Bd7 13.Qc2! 0–0 14.Bg5! but even then White is better.
13.Re1!
Fischer can win material with 13.Bb5 axb5 14.Qxa8 0–0 but then Black gets counterplay. He prefers a squeeze.
13...Qxa4 14.Nxa4 Be6 15.Be3 0–0
[15...Nd7 to watch over the b6 and c5 pawns is met by 16.f4! g6 17.Bd4 0–0 18.Rac1 followed by a2-a3 and b2-b4 with a strong grip on the queenside]
16.Bc5 Rfe8 17.Bxe7 Rxe7 18.b4! Kf8 19.Nc5 Bc8 20.f3 Rea7 21.Re5! Bd7 22.Nxd7+! Rxd7 23.Rc1
Threatening Bxa6.
23...Rd6 24.Rc7 Nd7 25.Re2 g6 26.Kf2 h5 27.f4 h4 28.Kf3 f5 29.Ke3 d4+
[29...Nf6 30.Kd4 Ne4 31.Rec2 followed by Ra7 and Rcc7 wins]
30.Kd2 Nb6 31.Ree7 Nd5 32.Rf7+ Ke8 33.Rb7 Nxb4 34.Bc4
Petrosian resigns. He cannot prevent 35.Rh7, after which it is a forced mate after 35...Rf6 36.Rh8+ Rf8 37.Bf7+ Kd8 38.Rxf8. 1–0
I am sure that there have already been many articles about Fischer the chess player. The Filipino reader, of course, would like to know more about Fischer and the Pinoys or Fischer and the Philippines, especially back in 2000 when he stayed for the better part of a year in Baguio City.
All that will be taken up on Monday. Once again, beg, borrow or steal, but be sure to buy Businessworld then.
Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Friday, January 25, 2008.
FROM MY SWIVEL CHAIR
Bobby Fischer’s enduring legacy
THIS issue is dedicated to the memory of Robert James Fischer, whose “secret” burial in a quiet Catholic churchyard in the countryside of Iceland has generated controversy. Indeed, in death as in life, controversy seems to dog the greatest player of all time.
That is not, however, Bobby Fischer’s enduring legacy. What must endure for all time is the grace and beauty of his games.
This is why I decided to devote nine pages of this issue to his games, including a couple that he had lost in his brilliant, albeit at times stormy, career. From his “Game of the Century” as a 13-year-old who “suddenly became good,” to his quietly positional game that everybody, including two grandmasters at the scene who were analyzing the game for the spectators, thought he would lose.
Unfortunately, I have failed, because of space limitations, to include one exceptionally brilliant game, which I dub his swan song: the 11th game in his 1992 rematch vs Boris Spassky in the old Yugoslavia. Abangan ang kasunod!.
We invite all readers to play over these games to be able to appreciate the competitive—nay, combative—spirit of Bobby Fischer as chess player without peer, one who strove to win at every turn of the road, however rough and rocky it might be.
More than the storms that buffeted his life and career, Fischer’s lasting legacy has been his uncompromising fidelity to truth and integrity in the way he played chess. He elevated this mind-boggling game into an art of incomparable beauty by striving to play to win—always!
With the presentation of these games, we bid farewell to the “best player in history.”
—0—
CHESS czar Butch Pichay’s avowal that he is “willing to go to jail” for the sake of Philippine chess shows how dedicated he is in his advocacy of this game of kings as a national sport for Filipinos.
Nevertheless, I hope he and his co-respondents in the case filed by lawyer Sammy Estimo will appear in court on Wednesday to present their side. I say this with only peace and NCFP unity and solidarity in mind. It takes two to tango, you know.
Gens una sumus! We are one family!
—0—
TWO prodigies, Magnus Carlsen of Norway and Fabiano Caruana of Italy, are showing to the world that being young is no hindrance to their domination of the game despite the presence of much older, more experienced and higher rated rivals.
We are confident that 14-year-old Wesley So will follow in their footsteps. And so will many of our gifted youngsters. May their tribe increase!
—0—
I WISH to thank Lorenzo “Lawrence” Escalante of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia for his gift to The Weekender: Adobe Acrobat 5. He is here on vacation and went out of his way early Saturday night to visit us at our home in Quezon City.
Lawrence was with two of his friends and former classmates at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila—they belonged to the first graduating class of this very prestigious university run by the city government of Manila.
Chess quote
“Fischer demolished the Soviet chess machine but could build nothing in its place. He was an ideal challenger - but a disastrous champion.” —Garry Kasparov
The Weekender
Quezon Memorial Circle
Quezon City
Manuel O. Benitez
Editor & Publisher
Alfredo V. Chay
Circulation Manager
=================================
Published every weekend
NOT FOR SALE!
===============================
Hey!
Residents of the 1st District of Laguna, here is something that might interest you. Posted by Rookdens of NCFP Forum:
Greetings:
We are planning to put up a chess center somewhere in the vicinity of Binan national highway where Laguna chess players can get together and play. This is spearheaded by NM Ricky Merano and supported by Binan Chess Club.
If anyone is interested, these are our contact number:
Ricky Merano - President 09102128636
DD Lemsic - 09155912715
Joel Hicap - 09178444665
Patrick Presidente - 09209532551
Thank you and more power!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey! Here's NM Marlon Bernardino's report on the development of Atty. Estimo's case against the NCFP:
FILIPINO CHESS LOVERS WORTH DYING FOR---PICHAY
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO
FOR the sake of Philippine Chess, National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. is willing to go in jail.
"Handa akong magpakulong para sa kapakanan ng Philippine Chess," Pichay told to the local media, who is invited to be a guest speaker in the opening round of 20 th season of SCUAA-NCR last Monday at the Rizal Memorial Track Oval referring the contempt charges filed against them by NCFP chair QC Congressman Mat Defensor, executive director Sammy Estimo and their group before the Quezon City regional trial court.
"Filipino chess lovers worth dying for," added Pichay, who produce three grandmasters---Darwin Laylo, Wesley So and Jayson Gonzales under his term. The former Congressman from second district of Surigao del Sur also hold a numerous international tournament and clean and minimize the so called allegedly mafia in Philippine Chess---networking and game-fixing.
It shall be recalled that Estimo had earlier asked the court to stop the election, saying Pichay's group (Tagaytay City mayor Abraham Tolentino Jr.,Willy Abalos, Red Dumuk, Fide delegate Casto "Toti" Abundo, Atty. Renato Seratubias and Atty. Edmund Legaspi) did not properly inform the board of the election of officers. He later set his own election of officers for February 2. Judge Daway scheduled another hearing on Estimo's petition for January 30.
Judge Daway scheduled another hearing on Estimo's petition for January 30.Pichay, Tolentino, and five other NCFP directors did not actively participate in the election due to the TRO. But the general assembly, led by Atty. Rommel Tacorda of the Bureau of Customs, decided to draft and later approve the NCFP Constitution and By-laws. It also went ahead with the election of a new set of directors.
The NCFP general assembly noted that there was no approved NCFP Constitution and By-laws submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission. They then gave the leadership of Pichay and Tolentino overwhelming support in the voting.
Meanwhile, in a press release sent to the publication yesterday by Estimo, NCFP president Prospero" Butch" Pichay, Jr., Tagaytay City mayor Abraham Tolentino, Willy Abalos, Red Dumuk, Fide delegate Casto "Toti" Abundo, Atty. Renato Seratubias and Atty. Edmund Legaspi snubbed the hearing set yesterday by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Reynaldo Daway on the contempt charges filed against them by NCFP chair Congressman Mat Defensor, executive director Sammy Estimo and their group.
According to Estimo's press release, Judge Daway showed displeasure at the non-appearance of Pichay & co. who were summond to explain their defiance of the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the court when they held the election of NCFP directors on January 19 at the Tagaytay Convention Center.
Judge Daway also noted the continuing toying with his TRO when executive director lawyer Sammy Estimo presented before the court as evidence the news articles yesterday showing the organizational meeting of the illegal NCFP directors on January 24 in Pasig City.
Judge Daway gave Pichay & co. a last chance to appear before the court on January 30 at 10:00 a.m.(MARLON BERNARDINO).
Champions: Rizal Technological University (RTU) champion women's team with Dr. Enerico M. Sampang, president of PhilSCA and chairman of SCUAA-NCR games '08 (center) and newly-installed GM Jayson Gonzales (3rd from right). 
Hi there!
Here's something from one of the most active chess club in the land:
NM Rolly Andador, the third highest placed Filipino in the recent PGMA Cup, will be playing in a Blitz Tournament at the Meralco Center in Ortigas on February 2. Coach Rolly, as he is fondly called, is the coach of the La Salle Greenhills Team. This will be his second visit to Meralco. Last year, he conducted a simul with selected kids and employees of the power company.
Hi there.
I am calling on all journalists, chess writers and interested individuals: If you have articles, announcements and other issues you want posted here, please send it thru philippinechess at gmail.com.
Don't forget, this blog is for everyoone who finds the need to be published.
There you go... As you wished Mamang Bidoy
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Hi guys!
Rizal Technological University takes their 15th Chess Championship Title in the 20th season of State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association-National Capital Region (SCUAA-NCR) also known as Blue Thunder, this is a very impressive feat! Imagine, 2 decades in the running and you win the championship title in 15 times ut of the 20 staging? Malup-heeeet!
Congratulations to the RTU community! Cheers! (So baduy to be using such words... anyways, I'm trying to make copy of the words one blogger is using.. heheheh! so cheap ha!)
NM Marlon, thanks for the news!
Hi guys!
Here's NM Bernardino's news report on Rizal Technology University's rare feat:
RTU INCH CLOSER TO ITS' 15TH CONSECUTIVE SCUAA-NCR CHESS TILT
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO
Team Standings after round 3: (Game points, Single round-robin format)
Men's division:
11.5 points—RTU; 5.5 points—EARIST; 4.0—TUP; PHILSCA—2.5; PUP—0.5 points
Women's division
9 points—RTU; 8.5 points—EARIST; 3.5 points—TUP; 1.5 points—PHILSCA, PUP
Games today (Thursday): January 24: 5th rd (10am) RTU-bye, PUP-TUP, Earist-PHILSCA; awarding (1pm)
RIZAL Technological University (RTU) moved closer to its 15 th consecutive men's chess title after beating host school Philippine State College of Aeronautics (PhilSCA), 3.5-0.5, after the third round of 20th season of State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association-National Capital Region (SCUAA-NCR) being held yesterday at the 2nd floor Conference Room in Philippine State College of Aeronautics (PhilSCA) Campus in Pasay City on Tuesday.
Edsel Montoya, Richelieu Salcedo and Randolf Dalauta provided the important wins for Blue Thunder from board one to four, in order.
Montoya disposed Kenneth Sumili after 27 moves of a Sicilian Defense, Salcedo tronced Herneo Medina after 47 moves of Scandinavian Duel while Dalauta nipped Nestor Cruzado after 23 moves of French Defense.
Ocsar Domingo split the point with RTU's board 2 player Paulo Florendo after 30 moves of an Queens Gambit Declined to prevent a possible shut-out loss for the the Pasay based school Stealth woodpushers.
"Salamat sa tulong ng Poong Maykapal sa patuloy na biyaya na nakakamit ng team. S'yemre kasama din ang full support ni presidente (Dr. Jose Q. Macaballug) dahil papalapit na ang team mahigit isa't kalahating dekada na pagiging kampeon sa men's chess competition," said RTU coach Engineer Dennis Mejia.
"Saka malaking bagay din 'yung naka-una agad kami sa first two round," Mejia, referring to the back to back shut-out wins of RTU over PUP and Earist last Tuesday.
The 1997 Las Vegas, Nevada North American Open runner-up Mejia along with fellow coach Hernani Quillenguen and 1994 Moscow Olympian NM Mauro Yasay produced a dozen chess master under their watchful eyes in the likes---GM candidate Roland Salvador, 1996 Philippine Junior Champion and national masters (NMs) Roberto Suelo, Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr., Romeo Alcodia, Nicomedes Alisangco, Robert Arellano, Nelson Villanueva and Julius Sinangote and heavy-weight non-masters such as Edwin Llamo, Cesar Apalla, Jose Aquino, Rainier Labay, Ronnie Tamares, Christopher Tan, Rector Abinal and Eduardo Campos, among others.
In other matches saw, Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Technology (EARIST) also post a similar 3.5-0.5 victory over Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) to climb at solo second place with 5.5 points. Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) took a bye in the third round.
In the distaff side, defending champion RTU women's team maintain a slim a 0.5 lead after a 3-1 triumph over PhilSCA. RTU currently had 9.0 points while the closest-rival Earist had 8.5 points after beating PUP, 3.5-0.5.
Deputy arbiter NM Rudy Ibañez said that Asia's First Grandmaster Eugene Torre is invited to give inspirational message today, Thursday, 9am before the final round while newly-installed GM Jayson Gonzales is invited to usher the closing rites at 1pm.
No less than Federation of Schools Sports Association of Philippines (FESSAP) chairman Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. and Dr. Enrico M. Sampang, president of PhilSCA and chairman of SCUAA-NCR Games '08 officially declared the opening last Monday at the Rizal Memorial Track Oval in Vito Cruz, Manila along with Prof. Gigi A. Manoag, Executive Sports Director of SCUAA-NCR Games '08 and other school officials.
The Collegiate league is composed of 11 team sports, six individual and dual sports, and two demonstration sports with this year's them is "Moving Ahead towards Sports Excellence." (MARLON BERNARDINO).
Hi there!
Finally, I got hold of the pictures from Mark of Xavier. Here, enjoy them:
By the way, here's a link sent in by John Sy of Xavier, http://w3.xs.edu.ph/?p=2759. Did you know GM Bong Villamayor, the 4th Filipino GM visited Xavier and did a "simul" against the 8 students/players of Xavier Chess Team?
Hi guys!
Got a comment from a envious reader! Hahahaha! I published his comment though... Well, he said the life and source of this blog is Manny Benitez. Well, for the past days, its a fact. Can't help it guys! Need to earn for my self and this blogging thing just won't feed a single mouth.
Tito Manny, the comment also suggested that you put up your own blog, would you like to do that? Heheheh!
Somehow, people always have this idea that they know what they're saying or know what's better for somebody else's life.
OMG!
Read and enjoy! If not, then don't visit this blog! It's 2008 man! You've got choices in front of you, it's up to you.
DO you have your own blog? Then continue blogging, if not, then if you want (choices), you can start one, if not, don't.
Or you can continue commenting here, or if you want not, then don't.
Hahahah! This is life man! Online, real time or offline!
Gotta go for now! I need to check my inbox for another email from Mr. Manny Benitez' The Weekender!.
Hi there!
First, let me salute a good man and a friend, Mr. Manny Benitez who have published several extra edition of (TW)The Weekender almost everyday since last week. "Wow! tito Manny, grabe yung surge of energy and inspiration to write ha!"
Here's one TW that features the King of Chess, the great Robert "Bobby" Fischer:
Extra!!! The Chess Plaza Weekender
Saturday, 18 Jan. 2008 Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
Weekday Edition
NOLTE GRABS 1ST I.M. NORM IN TARAKAN
Bobby Fischer dies in Iceland at 64
ROBERT JAMES “BOBBY” FISCHER, regarded by many as the greatest chess player to walk the earth, has died in a hospital in Reykjavik, the Icelandic capital, at the age of 64. News of his death spread like wildfire around the globe overnight.
The reclusive and eccentric former world champion was stricken with kidney failure, Iceland’s radio and television networks announced to the world.
He had renounced his American citizenship and had been a refugee from US justice since playing his so-called world title rematch with former world champion Boris Spassky in Belgrade, capital of the former Yugoslavia, in 1992.
During his years of self-exile, Fischer lived for a while in Asia, shuttling between Manila and Tokyo. He was arrested and detained in a Japanese jail by immigration authorities until he was bailed out and flown to Reykjavik in 2005.
It was the Fischer-Spassky “Match of the Century” in Reykjavik in September 1972—at the height of the Cold War—that triggered the worldwide boom in chess.
Fischer became the first American world champion when he beat the Soviet champion, breaking Moscow’s iron hold on the chess throne since 1948.
In 1975, however, Fischer, who never played a single game of chess in public during his reign, was stripped of his title by the World Chess Federation, better known by its French acronym, Fide, when he refused to defend his crown against Soviet challenger Anatoly Karpov.
Because of Fide’s action, the United States Congress passed a resolution to proclaim Fischer as still the world champion—the first and only American to be declared as such in Capitol Hill.
Seventeen years later, he had become a man wanted by the US government, a refugee from justice for his violation of United Nations and US sanctions against Yugoslavia, which by that time was in the midst of a genocidal ethnic strife.
After being stripped of his title he left New York City and moved to California where he lived the life of a drifter.
In 1981, he was jailed as a vagrant for a night in Pasadena in 1981 as Robert James—this is the incident that possibly made him hate his homeland and much later renounce his US citizenship in Reykjavik.
Shortly after that incident, he wrote a pamphlet with the title, I Was Tortured in a Pasadena Jailhouse. He then left the United States, and traveled incognito in the Americas, Europe and Asia, resurfacing only in 1992 to face Spassky in Belgrade in a match financed by a wealthy banker.
The Fischer-Spassky “return match” took place at a time when Yugoslavia was an international pariah because of its civil strife that saw the massacre of hundreds of civilians in Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Kosovo.
Fischer’s second in that match was Eugenio Torre, Asia’s first grandmaster and close friend of the eccentric American.
It is said that Bobby lived for months in Baguio City in the late nineties and early part of the new millennium.
When he was arrested in July 2005 at the Narita Airport in the suburbs of Tokyo, Fischer was about to board a flight to Manila,
Japanese immigration authorities accused Fischer of traveling without the proper documents, his passport having been invalidated.
He was under detention for deportation proceedings when he was bailed out by a group of fans and friends and flown to Reykjavik where he lived as a citizen of Iceland following his renunciation of his US citizenship.
Born on March 9, 1943 in Chicago to Jewish parents (it is said that his biological father was an East European man who led a bohemian life), but grew up under the care of his mother, the former Regina Wnder, after she and her husband, Gerard Fischer, said to be a German physicist, had divorced.
Bobby learned chess at the age of six in Brooklyn. It is said that he and his sister taught themselves but he laster came under the wing of Herman Helms, the “Dean of American Chess” and Brooklyn’s chess hero.
In his first US championship in 1955, Bobby finished in fifth place. In 1967, at the age of 14, he won the US crown and became US champion for eight successive years.
He became a grandmaster at 16, a world record that remained unbroken, until 1991 when Judit Polgar became national champion of Hungary.
Among his contributions to chess, Fischer has invented the Fischer clock and advocated the so-called Fischer Random Chess, also known as Chess 960, in which the pieces are arranged at random in the back ranks to prevent playing by rote.
Nolte gets IM norm in Asean Masters joust
FILIPINO Fide Master Rolando Nolte captured his first International Master norm while IM Jayson Gonzales narrowly missed his third and final norm on a technicality.
Nolte achieved the IM result by downing Indonesian GM Herman Ardiyansah in the ninth round of the Asean Masters Circuit in Tarakan.
Gonzales should have similarly gotten the GM title in the ninth round if not for the fact that one of the three grandmasters he had faced was a fellow Filipino, Mark Paragua, who had beaten him in the fourth round, it was explained.
As calculated by reader John Manahan, Gonzales could have availed of the 7.0 points from nine games rule on GM norms.
The Filipino IM had six wins, two draws and a loss against three GMs, one IM, one WIM, two Fide masters and two untitled players over the past nine rounds.
They had an average rating of 2396.11, enabling Gonzales to achieve a performance rating of over Elo 2600.
YOUTH PREVAILS OVER EXPERIENCE
Radjabov joins Aronian, Carlsen
ANOTHER young superstar, 20-year-old Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan, joined Levon Aronian, 25, of Armenia and 17-year-old Magnus Carlsen of Norway at the helm of the main event of the Corus Super Tournament in Wick aan Zee.
Radjabov, the former top junior player in the world, soared to a tie for first to third places with Aronian and Carlsen on the back of the Azeri super GM’s win against highly-rated Ukrainian GM Pavel Eljanov, 24.
The three tournament leaders have 3.5 points each from two wins and three draws.
In a tie for fourth and fifth places at 3.0 each were former world champion Vladimir Kramnik and the world’s strongest female player, Judit Polgar of Hungary, a mother of two.
Besides Radjabov, only former world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria and two-time world junior champion Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan won in the fifth round, against Dutch champion Loek van Wely and Boris Gelfand of Israel, respectively.
Reigning world champion Viswanathan Anand of India remained winless with 2.0 points from four draws and one loss.
Trailing behind the five leaders were Mamedyarov, van Wely, Michael Adams of England, and Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine at 6-10; Anand and Topalov at 11-12; and Gelfand and Eljanov at 13-14.
The Weekender of Mr. Manny Benitez, extra edition wherein he has given Atty. Sammy Estimo a chance to air his side. There Atty. discusses about the NCFP constitution and other matters pertaining to, well, NCFP.
Extra!!! The Chess Plaza Weekender
Tuesday, 20 January 2008
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
Weekday Edition
Estimo threatens to sue Pichay for contempt
LAWYER Samuel Estimo has threatened to sue former Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. and his group for alleged contempt of the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by a Quezon City Regional Trial Court stopping a National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) board election.
In a press release emailed to The Weekender Sunday, Estimo claimed that NCFP president Pichay and his co-respondents in the TRO had “toyed with the rule of law.”
“What they could not do directly they did it indirectly,” he said.
Estimo explained that the group’s “lawyers had appeared at the TRO proceedings and when they lost and Quezon City Judge Reynaldo Daway issued the TRO, they brazenly defied it and toyed with the TRO.”
He denied the allegation that the NCFP had no constitution and by-laws.
“We have in our possession the original copies of the NCFP Articles of Incorporation (SEC Reg. No. A20012818, October 16, 2000) and the By-laws,” Estimo said, adding that “we had even submitted them to the court as documentary proofs that the Constitution and By-lasare are registered with the SEC contrary to the claim of Pichay and (Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham) Tolentino.”
In its press release, published almost verbatim by The Weekender in its regular Sunday edition, the Pichay group said the NCFP’s General Assembly had “voted to ratify its first real constitution and by-laws and then elected former Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero ‘Butch’ Pichay and 14 others to a new, four-year term.”
Estimo said there was no need for “Pichay and his co-respondents to draft a new Constitution and By-laws because these documents are extant in the records of the Securities and Exchange Commission.”
“They just did it to legitimize the Tagaytay polls and went around the TRO issued by the Court,” he said.
He went on: “Pichay and co-respondents could not feign non-participation in the electoral process. They claim they were just observers and merely let the General Assembly conduct the polls where they got elected along with 13 others. But it was Pichay and Tolentino who initiated everything and billeted the members of the voting clubs in the hotels inside the Tagaytay International Covention Center.
“If it is true that the NCFP did not have a Constitution and By-laws, under what law did Pichay, Tolentino and their co-respondents gain their positions during the March 2006 polls where thousands of votes of GM Eugene Torre, Mila Emperado of Metropolitan Chess Club, Dr. Jenny Mayor and those of our Regional chess coordinators were cast?”
Estimo also claimed that Fide’s honorary president, Florencio Campomanes, who he said attended the NCFP election in Tagaytay City, “knows about the existence of NCFP Constitution and By-laws and their SEC regulations because it was he, GM Eugenio Torre and I who jointly prepared and helped each other to give juridical and legal personality to the NCFP.”
He charged that “the unlawful Tagaytay NCFP polls (held Saturday) disenfranchised hundreds of voting chess clubs nationwide. I understand only thirty-six (36) clubs participated and certainly, this number does not represent the majority of chess voters in this country.”
The Pichay camp claims that 175 votes were cast and that the NCFP president was reelected unanimously.
Among those who got the highest number of votes were Tolentino, who is the incumbent secretary general, and Pichay allies Ed Legaspi and Red Dumuk.
NCFP chairman and Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor and former Benguet Gov. Raul Molintas were among those elected to the board in Tagaytay. Both are identified with the Estimo camp.
Under the presidency of Pichay, the NCFP has produced three new grandmasters in just a little over four months—Darwin Laylo, Wesley So and Jayson Gonzales.
The Philippines had its first grandmaster in 1974 in the person of Torre, who is also Asia’s first. Since then, only five more earned the GM title—the late Rosendo Balinas Jr., Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr,, Buenaventura “Bong” Villamayor, Nelson Mariano II and Mark Paragua, in 2005.
In other words, only six Filipinos acquired the coveted title in 31 years, as against four in just over four months of 2007-08.
This is why The Weekender is calling for a united NCFP.
Carlsen grabs lead solo in Corus Super
Cheparinov apologizes to Short over handshake row
SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Norwegian wunderkind Magnus Carlsen has captured the lead just by himself in Group A of the ongoing Corus Super Tournament in the world-famous Dutch resort of Wijk aan Zee.
In Group B, trouble erupted when Ivan Cheparinov of Bulgaria refused to shake hands with Nigel Short of England but the Bulgarian later apologized rather than lose his game by forfeiture as decreed by the chief arbiter.
Carlsen and 25-year-old Ukrainian superstar Levon Aronian had been jointly leading the 14-player pack in the main event that features the brightest superstars in the world, including reigning champion Viswanathan Anand of India and former champions Vladimir Kramnik of Russia and Veselin Toplaov of Bulgaria.
Aronian, however, slid down to the third slot when he lost to Kramnik in the sixth round.
Carlsen strengthened his hold on the lead also in the sixth when he defeated Hungarian wonder woman Judit Polgar, who is rated as the strongest female player in the history of the game.
After eight rounds, Carlsen had the solo lead with 5.5 points from three wins and five draws, followed by Kramnik and Aronian who were tied for second to third with 5.0 each.
Then came Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan, who had shared the lead briefly with Carlsen and Aronian in the fifth round, and Anand in a tie for fourth to fifth with 4.5.
Anand who had been struggling since losing to Radjabov in the opener soared to the top five on the back of his victory over Polgar in the eighth canto.
Behind the five leaders with 4.5 points each were two-time world junior champion Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine, Michael Adams of England and Loek van Wely of The Netherlands.
Peter Leko of Hungary followed with 3.5 in a tie for 10th to 12th with Topalov and Polgar, while Boris Gelfand of Israel and Pavel Eljanor of Ukraine brought up the rear in a tie for 13th and 14th with 2.5 each.
In Group B, Sergei Movsesian of Slovakia led with 6.0 points from eight games, followed by Etienne Bacrot of France with 5.5 and two Dutch grandmasters, Jan Smeets and Daniel Stellwagen with 4.5 each.
Group C had the teenaged American-Italian prodigy, Fabiano Caruana, setting the pace with 6.0 points, followed by Dimitri Reinderman of The Netherlands in solo second with 5.5.
In a tie for third to fifth with 5.0 each were Arik Braun of Germany, John van der Wiel of The Netherlands and Parimarjan Negi of India with 5.0 each.
The imbroglio between Short and Cheparinov arose from remarks made by Short about former world champion Topalov and his Bulgarian team. Cheparinov was Topalov’s second in Elista where Fide’s champion lost the crown to classical champion Kramnik in a reunification match in September 2006.
Short accepted Cheparinov’s apology, clearing the way for them to play their eighth-round game.
Mariana top barangay team in QC 4th District
MARIANA topped Quezon City’s 4th District Inter-barangay Team title series over the weekend at the Amoranto Sports Complex.
Peter Lim and Neil Villanueva powered the team to garner 22.5 points and enter the next part of the series sponsored by Councilor Ariel Inton.—Marlon Bernardino
Hi there!
Here's Mr. Manny Benitez' TW:
The Chess Plaza Weekender
Sunday, 20 January 2008
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
Vol. II No. 32
Pichay, Tolentino top NCFP board election
TAGAYTAY CITY—In a rare show of force, the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) General Assembly voted to ratify its first real constitution and by-laws and then elected former Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero "Butch" Pichay and 14 others to a new, four-year term.
In a well-attended general assembly held at the Tagaytay International Convention Center (TICC) over the weekend, officers and representatives of various chess clubs and associations from all over the country drafted and then approved the NCFP constitution and by-laws.
They then proceeded to give Pichay "one of the most resounding victories in a Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)-supervised election of a national sports association” in recognition of his leadership during which the NCFP produced three of the country's nine grandmasters in less than five months.
Pichay garnered a perfect 175 votes and Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino finished a close second with 173.
Third was another long-time Pichay lieutenant, Atty. Edmundo Legaspi, with 130 votes.
Two other Pichay allies, Atty. Romeo Serratubias and Red Dumuk, wound up fourth and fifth with 123 and 119 votes, respectively.
A total of 175 votes were counted in the four-hour long election supervised by no less than POC deputy secretary-general Mark Joseph.
Also present were FIDE honorary president Florencio Campomanes and FIDE administrator and NCFP director Casto “Toti” Abundo.
The election of the board of directors came despite an earlier temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by Quezon City Judge Reynaldo Daway of Branch 90 on a petition filed by a former NCFP secretary-general, Atty. Samuel Estimo, and seven other board of directors.
Estimo had earlier asked the court to stop the election, saying PIchay’s group did not properly inform the board of the election of officers. He later set his own election of officers for February 2.
Judge Daway scheduled another hearing on Estimo’s petition for January 30.
Pichay, Tolentino, and five other NCFP directors did not actively participate in the election due to the TRO. But the general assembly, led by Atty. Rommel Tacorda of the Bureau of Customs, decided to draft and later approve the NCFP Constitution and By-laws. It also went ahead with the election of a new set of directors.
The NCFP general assembly noted that there was no approved NCFP Constitution and By-laws submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission. They then gave the leadership of Pichay and Tolentino overwhelming support in the voting.
“I am very happy with this overwhelming show of support to my leadership,” said Pichay when told about the new mandate given him by the NCFP general assembly.
“I have always said, there is nothing in this world that can stop us from achieving our dream of regaining our status as one of the top chess-playing countries in the world and producing more world-class GMs and super-GMs,” added Pichay, noting the rise of Jayson Gonzales as the country’s ninth GM during the ASEAN Masters Circuit in Tarakan.
Pichay took a dig at his critics, saying that too much politics was hurting the development of local sports.—PR
World pays homage to Bobby Fischer, 64
IN life he was considered to be an iconoclast, a rebel, a maverick, and eccentric, but soon after his death at the age of 64 on Thursday, the world, except his homeland, rose to pay homage to Bobby Fischer as “the best chess player in history.”
Even the great Garry Kasparov, who has posted the all-time highest Elo rating (2851 in 2005), said: “Fischer’s beautiful chess and immortal games will stand forever as a central pillar in the history of our game.”
The venerable London chess problemist, Leonard Barden, described Fischer as “a brilliant but controversial chess world champion responsible for a global boom in the game.”
Other living legends had similar words of praise. Here are some culled from ChessBase News:
● Viktor Kortchnoi: "A chess genius has died; a loss for humanity."
● Lajos Portisch: "A big shock; the best chess player in history has passed away."
● Ljubomir Ljubojevic: "A man without frontiers. He didn't divide the East and the West, he brought them together in their admiration for him."
● Jan Timman: "A great player and a great example for many. His book My 60 Memorable Games had a big impact on me. It is a shame he didn't continue to enrich the world of chess with his unparalleled understanding after 1972."
These four great players are pitted against each other in an honorary section of the Corus Super Tournament in the world-famous Dutch resort of Wijk aan Zee.
Fischer died of kidney failure, not in hospital as previously reported but at his home in the suburbs of Reykjavik, “the site of his greatest triumph” in 1972 when, single-handedly, he wrested the world crown from champion Boris Spassky, who had the support of the Soviet Union and its massive chess resources.
He had been ailing for months and the Icelanders seemed to know about it but could not publicize it because an ailment is considered to be a very private matter in Iceland that the media could not write about.
He left at least one heir, a six-year-old daughter of his Chinese-Filipino girlfriend from Davao whom he met during his stay in Baguio City seven years ago.
Strangely enough, not a single American player, even former East Europeans who have migrated to the US, came out with a statement honoring Fischer.
Even the US Chess Federation was silent as of Sunday about the death of the eight-time US champion and only American ever to wear the world crown.
Fischer was also the only American player ever to be proclaimed still champion of the world by a then defiant US Congress in the face of a World Chess Federation decision to strip him of his crown for his refusal to defend it against challenger Anatoly Karpov of the Soviet Union in 1975.
But then, Fischer aroused the wrath of officials, private American institutions, and individuals with his anti-US ranting soon after the infamous Al Qaeda suicide attack on the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia on September 11, 2001.
From Cold War hero of the West to villain in the New Millennium, that’s the story of Fischer’s life and career as a US-born iconoclast.
Kasparov himself has revealed that there were many “silent” fans of Fischer in the former communist superpower despite his having humbled the Soviet world champion.
Here is the complete statement Kasparov issued on Friday as soon as he learned of Fischer’s death:
“With the death of Bobby Fischer chess has lost one of its greatest figures. Fischer’s status as world champion and celebrity came from a charismatic and combative personality matched with unstoppable play.
“I recall thrilling to the games of his 1972 Reykjavik world championship match against Boris Spassky when I was nine years old. The American had his share of supporters in the USSR even then, and not only for his chess prowess. His outspokenness and individuality also earned him the quiet respect of many of my compatriots.
“Fischer’s beautiful chess and his immortal games will stand forever as a central pillar in the history of our game. And the story of the Brooklynite iconoclast’s rise from prodigy to world champion has few peers for drama. Apart from a brief and peculiar reappearance in 1992, Bobby Fischer’s chess career ended in 1972. After conquering the chess Olympus, he was unable to find a new target for his power and passion.
“Fischer’s relentless energy exhausted everything it touched—the resources of the game itself, his opponents on and off the board, and, sadly, his own mind and body. While we can never entirely separate the deeds from the man, I would prefer to speak of his global achievements instead of his inner tragedies. It is with justice that he spent his final days in Iceland, the site of his greatest triumph. There he has always been loved and seen in the best possible way: as a chess player.”
Robert James Fischer was born in Chicago on March 9, 1943 to Gerhardt Fischer, said to be a German physicist, and Regina Wender, a nurse, both of Jewish ancestry.
The Fischers got estranged before the birth of Bobby, whose biological father, according to Kasparov in his book, My Great Predecessors, Part IV, was a Hungarian émigré by the name of Paul Felix Nemenyi, an engineer who like Gerhardt was dubbed a communist in FBI files.
In his narration, Kasparov makes no bones about the fact that his main source was the FBI dossier.
Among Fischer’s best-known games, Kasparov selected the American champion’s 1957 win as a 13-year-old adolescent with Black against Donald Byrne, brother of GM Robert Byrne, who became one of his seconds in Reykjavik.
Fischer himself did not include it in My 60 Memorable Games, the book that has had the greatest impact on chess players, including Kasparov by his account, all over the world.
D. Byrne – R. Fischer
Rd 8, Rosenwald, New York 1956
Gruenfeld Defense (D97)
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.d4 0–0 5.Bf4 d5 6.Qb3 dxc4 7.Qxc4 c6 8.e4 Nbd7 9.Rd1 Nb6 10.Qc5 Bg4 11.Bg5 Na4 12.Qa3 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Nxe4 14.Bxe7 Qb6 15.Bc4 Nxc3 16.Bc5 Rfe8+ 17.Kf1 Be6 18.Bxb6 Bxc4+ 19.Kg1 Ne2+ 20.Kf1 Nxd4+ 21.Kg1 Ne2+ 22.Kf1 Nc3+ 23.Kg1 axb6 24.Qb4 Ra4 25.Qxb6 Nxd126.h3 Rxa2 27.Kh2 Nxf2 28.Re1 Rxe1 29.Qd8+ Bf8 30.Nxe1 Bd5 31.Nf3 Ne4 32.Qb8 b5 33.h4 h5 34.Ne5 Kg7 35.Kg1 Bc5+ 36.Kf1 Ng3+ 37.Ke1 Bb4+ 38.Kd1 Bb3+ 39.Kc1 Ne2+ 40.Kb1 Nc3+ 41.Kc1 Rc2# 0–1.
SINULOG FESTIVAL IN CEBU
Urbiztondo tops blitz tourney
WEEKENDER contributor Rey Urbiztondo of Ozamis City outclassed businessman Roy Roa of Oroquieta City in the fifth and final round to capture the top prize in the Individual Blitz Championship held by the Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (Cepca) as part of the Sinulog Festival.
BPI manager Urbiztondo, who used to be the mainstay of the Cebu Institute of Technology, swept through the event undefeated.
Playing Black, the champion blitzed out Roa in just 28 moves of a Sicilian Defense, Maroczy Bind variation.
“I’m happy to win this event because this is all for prestige and honor,” Urbiztondo told NCFP president and former Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Butch Pichay. He added that he hoped “to bring the best to Mindanao.”
Before facing Roa, he had blitzed out Jong Melendrez, Bong San Pascual and Jun Olis, and then drew with Engr. Rocky Rocamora
It will be recalled that in 1983, Urbiztondo tied with IM Rico Mascariñas in the tough Cebu All Students Open Championship.
In the Sinulog Team Match, Urbiztondo defeated Ben Dimaano of Cepca, 1.5-.05, but this was not enough for his Northern Mindanao
team to win the event, and despite another win by Dr. Reynaldo Feliciano, one of his teammates, who took the Board 2 title. Cepca A won the event, 15-9.
Meanwhile, in Quezon City, the first leg of the Inter-Barangay Chess Team Tournament elimination series for District 4 got under way at the Amoranto Sports Complex.
The tournament is open to all non-master players from Quezon City with a rating of 1900-below. It is one of the sports tourism projects of Councilor Ariel Inton of the fourth district, in close cooperation with Mayor Sonny Belmonte.
The top five teams that qualify will advance to the championship round after the district elimination round.
The finalists are guaranteed of at least P2,000 each.
The other elimination phases are scheduled as follows: District 3 on February 16-17 at the Barangay Covered Court; District 2 on March 16-17 at the NDC Plaza; and District 1 on April 22-23 at the Quezon City Hall Path Walk.
For inquiries, contact 0927-9668522 or 922-2913.
—MARLON BERNARDINO
GMs Paragua, So to play in Aeroflot, says Pichay
IF plans push through, Grandmasters Mark Paragua, 23, and Wesley So, 14, will be the first Filipinos to play in the Aeroflot Open to be held from February 13 to 23 in Moscow, the very heartland of Russian chess.
NCFP president-reelect Prospero “Bucth” Pichay revealed this Sunday, saying that the trip to Russia would be his gift to Paragua for topping Group B in the inaugural Asean Masters Circuit, which ended this weekend in Tarakan, Indonesia.
In Group A. GM So finished in fourth place with 7.0 points, the highest score obtained by a Filipino there.
The Filipinos with So in the group were GM Eugenio Torre, fifth place with 6.5, NM Hamed Nouri ninth with 3.5, and IM Barlo Nadera 12th with 2.0.
GM Zhang Zhong of Singapore captured the first prize with 8.0 out of 11, followed by Indonesian IM Tirto with 8.0, and Indonesian GM Susanto Megaranto with 7.5.
As bannered in Friday’s extra edition, IM Jayson Gonzales achieved his third and final GM norm to capture the GM title while FM Rolando Nolte took the IM title.
In an email to The Weekender, IM Nolte said he earned his first IM norm in Calcutta in 2001 during the first Asian Individual Championship and the second one in the Second PGMA Cup last November at the Duty Free Shop in Parañaque City.
He still has to have it confirmed, though, by the chief arbiter, IA Gene Poliarco.
In the Asean Masters, Paragua finished first in Group B with 9.0 out of 11, followed by Armenian IM Ashot Nadanian and Gonzales in a tie for second and third with 7.5, and Nolte in fourth with 7.0.
Even before the Indonesian arbiters realized it, The Weekender contributor John Manahan had calculated that Paragua and Nolte had earned their final GM and IM norms, respectively, under the nine-game rule.
In Group C, WIM Beverly Mendoza finished in seventh place with 5.0 and WNM Christy Lamiel Bernales in eighth with 4.5. IM Irwanto Sadikin topped the group with 9.0.–Marlon Bernardino
A NEW STAR IS BORN
Singer sweeps Phil Artists joust
A YOUNG singer captured the championship trophy in the 29th Philippine Artists Rapid Chess Tournament held yesterday at the nipa-roofed chess plaza of the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City, journalist Ignacio Dee reports.
Albert Rivera, a ward of International Master Ronald Bancod, swept off the board all his rivals in the nine-round event.
With a perfect 9/9, Rivera finished 2.0 points clear of singer/composer Willie San Juan.
Yet another singing celebrity, Heber Bartolome, ended up in a tie for third to fifth places with Ricardo Alvarado and Neil Dumlao. They had 5.5 points each.
Dee served as tournament director and chief arbiter assisted by Ray Hipolito, QMC Plaza Chess Club manager and vice chairman of its management committee named by the Quezon City Parks Development Foundation, Inc., which administers the QMC park.
At the center of the green “family entertainment” park is the mausoleum of the first President of the Philippine Commonwealth, Manuel Luis Quezon, and his wife, the former Aurora Aragon, both from Baler, which was then part of Tayabas province, now named after its illustrious son.
Foundation president Charito Planas and Odette Alcantara, a former Olympiad player who founded and heads the Philippine Artists Chess Club in Quezon City, graced the occasion.
The Philippine Artists tournament is probably the longest privately organized chess event in the country.
It plans to organize a “Tournament of Champions” next year. It will likely be a very strong event with all former champions, including Christopher Castellano, and the defending titleholder, Rivera, competing for the trophy.
This year’s tournament was held under the auspices of journalist Nestor Mata, a newspaper columnist famous for being the lone survivor in the plane crash that killed President Ramon Magsaysay over half a century ago.
The QMC has the only sheltered chess plaza in the country. It has been the venue of major events like that of the Chess Arbiters Association of the Philippines last month.
PINOY SHINES DOWN UNDER
Sales 9th in Aussie Championship
FILIPINO Fide Master Jesse Noel Sales, 40, has tied for the seventh to 10th prizes in the just-concluded Australian National Championship.
FM Sales (2299) who is still listed on the NCFP rolls took the ninth slot on tiebreak in the competition held at the Parramatta RSL Chess Club in Sydney, New South Wales from January 2 to 11, with 38 participants from all over Australia and overseas.
The Filipino veteran campaigner who grew up in the United States also took part in Philippine tournaments in the early part of the new millennium but moved on to Australia three years ago.
Serbian GM Dejan Antic (2480) won the first prize but it was 44-year-old IM Stephen Solomon of Queensland who took the title of Aussie champion. Only Australian citizens are qualified to wear the national crown.
It was Solomon’s first time to be named Australian national champion in 14 tries since he first entered the annual series in 1981, according to The Week in Chess (Twic) electronic newsmagazine.
Solomon tied with another expatriate, Hermann Van Riemsdijk, for the second and third prizes.
GM Antic, 39, had 8.5 points from 11 games while IM Solomon and Van Riemsdijk were half a point behind, with the Australian winning over the expatriate on tiebreak.
George Xie of New South Wales finished alone in fourth place with 7.5 points. Behind him in a tie for fifth and sixth were Moulthun Ly of Queensland and Max Illingworth of New South Wales. Ly edged out Illingworth on tiebreak.
The two had 7.0 points each
With FM Sales in the seventh to 10th places were Igor Goldenberg of Victoria, 18-year-old Felix Klein of Germany and Tomek Rej of New South Wales. They were half a point behind Ly and Illingworth.
Sales’ best effort was his win with Black against Australia’s homegrown GM Darryl Johansen of Victoria in a 71-move marathon arising from an Italian opening.
Thanks to reader John Manahan who shared his database with The Weekender, here is the game as analyzed by Fritz.
It is highly instructive, especially in the endgame wherein Black has his king, one pawn, and a dark-squared bishop against White’s king and a dark-squared bishop.
D. Johansen (2475) – J.N. Sales (2299)
Rd 10, Aussie Ch, Parramatta, Sydney.2008
Giuoco Piano (C54)
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5 d5 7.Bb5 Ne4 8.cxd4 Bb6 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Be3 Bg4 11.h3 Bh5 12.g4 12.Qb3 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Ng5 would led Black equalize Bg6 13.Ne2 a6 Fritz says 13...Nb4!? should be considered: 14.0-0 c6! 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Rc1 f6 16.Nf4 Better than 16.Rxc6 fxe5 17.Nxe5 Ba5+ 18.Nc3 Be8! fxe5 17.Nxe5 Rxf4 18.Bxf4 Qf6 18...Ba5+ could be tried, e.g., 19.Ke2 Qf6 20.Nxg6 Qxg6 with even chances 19.Be3 White now has the edge Ba5+ 20.Kf1 Rf8? 21.Rxc6 21.Nd7 seems even better, Fritz notes: 21...Qf7 22.Nxf8 Qxf8 23.Rh2! Qh4 22.Rh2 Qg3 23.Nxg6 hxg6 24.Qb3 Nd2+ 25.Bxd2 Qxh2 26.Qxd5+ Kh8 27.Be3 Qxh3+ 28.Kg1 Qxg4+ 29.Qg2 Qd1+ 30.Kh2 Rf5 31.Rc1 31.Rxa6 Bb6 helps Black Rh5+ 32.Kg3 Qd3 33.Rc5 Bb4 34.Rxh5+ gxh5 35.Qd5 Qg6+ 36.Qg5 Bd6+ 37.Kh3 Qxg5 38.Bxg5 Kh7 39.Kh4 Kg6 40.d5 Be5 41.b3 Bd4 42.f4 Bf2+ 43.Kh3 Bc5 44.Kg3 Bd6 45.Kf3 Kf5 46.a4 h4 Missing 46...a5!, which could give Black the advantage 47.Bxh4 Bxf4 48.b4 Bd6 49.Bd8 Ke5 50.b5 Kxd5 Another miss: 50...axb5!? 51.axb5 Kxd5! 51.bxa6 Restoring the balance Kc6 52.Kg4 52.a5!? should not be overlooked to retain equality Kb6! 53.Kg5 Kxa6 54.Kg6 c5 55.Kxg7 55.Kf5!? may be tried, says Fritz c4! 56.Kg6 If 56.Bf6 Ka5! c3 57.Kf5 c2 58.Bg5 Ka5 59.Ke4 Kxa4 60.Kd3 Kb3 61.Bh6 Kb2 61...Ba3 62.Bf4 Kb2 was also playable 62.Bg5 Kb1 63.Kc3 63.Bh6 was better but not enough Ba3 64.Kb3 Bc1 65.Be7 Bd2 66.Ba3 Ba5 67.Kc4 Be1 68.Kb3 Bd2 69.Kc4 Ba5 70.Kb3 Bc7 71.Bb2 Bd6! White is in zugzwang: if 72.Bc3/Bd4 c1=Q! and if 72.Ba3 Bxa3!, allowing the birth of a new black queen. 0-1
Together with GM Ian Rogers, Johansen cut his teeth in international chess in the Asian Cities Championship in the late seventies and eighties hosted by the then British colony of Hong Kong under the auspices of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank.
GM Rogers has retired from active competition because of illness.
OVERVIEW OF WORLD’S MOST PRESTIGIOUS TOURNAMENT
Aronian, Carlsen early Corus leaders
YOUTH appears to have gained the ascendancy over experience in the main event of the ongoing Corus Super Tournament in Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands.
After five rounds, 17-year-old Magnus Carlsen of Norway and Armenian superstar Levon Aronian, 25, were still ensconced in a tie for first to third, with Teimour Radjabov, 20, of Azerbaijan as the latest to climb to the top of the 14-player pack in Group A.
The problem with the older combatants—they are not really that old as the oldest in Group A is the Ukrainian icon Vassily Ivanchuk, 38—is their tendency to lead the game into drawing lines early on.
He and world champion Viswanathan Anand of India, who turned 38 only last month, appeared to play for a draw in the first few rounds. In fact, the Indian wizard tended to play only “safe” moves, which is why he lost to Radjabov in the opener.
Since then Anand managed only to settle for draws, and has remained winless as this is being written.
An examination of the games of Aronian, Carlsen, and Radjabov would readily show that these top three superstars play with extreme confidence in their own ability to find the best and usually most aggressive move in any given position.
Those of their elders like Anand and Ivanchuk show a kind of tentativeness, as though they are not too sure whether to meet their challenge head-on or resort to some subtle maneuvers that seem “safer.”
L. Aronian (2739) – V. Topalov (2780)
Rd 1, Fianchetto Grünfeld (D71):
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Nb6 7.Nf3 Nc6 8.Bf4 0-0 Of course, not 8...Bxd4?? because of 9.Nxd4 Nxd4 10.Be5! 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.Nb5 9.e3 h6 10.h4 Bg4 11.Rc1 e5 12.dxe5 Qe7 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Qxd5 Nb4 15.Qc4 Be6 16.Qxc7 Nd3+ 17.Kd2 Qb4+ Missing 17...Qe8!? 18.Nd4 Nxc1 19.Rxc1 Qa4 20.Nxe6 fxe6! 18.Qc3 Better than 18.Kxd3 Rac8 19.Qxc8 Bxc8! Qxc3+ 19.Rxc3 Nxf2 20.Nd4 Nxh1 21.Bxh1 Rfd8 22.Rc7 Rac8 Not 22...Bd5 23.Bxd5 Rxd5 24.Kd3! 23.Rxb7 Bxa2 24.Rxa7 If 24.b3 Kf8, with equal chances Be6 24...Bd5 would benefit White, e.g., 25.Bxd5 Rxd5 26.Kd3 Bxe5 27.Ke4 Bxf4 28.Kxd5 Bxe3 29.Nc6 Bxa7 30.Ne7+ Kg7 31.Nxc8! 25.Rb7 Bf5 26.Bf3 Rc2+ 27.Ke1 Rc1+ 28.Kf2 Be6 29.g4 Bc8 30.Rb8 Rf8 31.h5 g5 32.Bg3 Ra1 33.Rb6 Re8 34.Be2 Bxe5 If 34...Ra5 35.Kf3 35.Bxe5 Rxe5 36.Rxh6 Re4 37.Bf3 Re5 38.Rc6 Be6 39.Nxe6 fxe6 40.Be2 Rb1 41.Rb6 Rd5 41...Kg7 42.Bf3 gives White the edge 42.Bc4 Rd2+ 43.Kf3 Rbxb2 44.Rxe6 Rbc2 45.Rg6+ Kh8 46.Be6 Rc6 47.Ke4 Rd8 Not 47...Re2 48.Rg8+ Kh7 49.Re8! 48.Kf5! White is now way ahead and victory is in sight Rc5+ 49.Kf6 Rf8+ 50.Ke7 Rf3 51.Bf5 Re5+ 52.Kf7 Rfxf5+ 53.gxf5 Rxf5+ 54.Ke6 Ra5 55.e4 Kh7 56.e5 Ra1 57.Rxg5 Kh6 58.Rg2 Kxh5 59.Kf6 Rf1+ 60.Ke7 Ra1 61.e6 Kh6 62.Kf7 1-0
Here is a highly instructive game won by Carlsen as White. Note how he activates his king in coordination with his knight toward the endgame.
M. Carlsen (2733) – P. Eljanov (2692)
Rd 2, Gruenfeld Defense (D91)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bg5 Ne4 6.Bh4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 dxc4 8.Qa4+ Qd7 9.Qxc4 b6 10.e3 Ba6 11.Qb3 Bxf1 12.Kxf1 0–0 13.Ke2 c5 14.dxc5 Na6 15.Rhd1 Qb7 16.c6 Qxc6 17.Bxe7 Rfe8 Of course not 17...Bxc3?? because of 18.Rac1 Rfc8 19.Rxc3! 18.Ba3 Qxc3 19.Qxc3 Bxc3 20.Rac1 Bb4 21.Bb2 Bf8 22.Nd4 Nc5 23.g4 Re4 24.Kf3 Rae8 25.h3 f6 26.Ba3 Kf7 27.Rc2 Na6 Fritz suggests 27...R4e7!? 28.Bxf8 White now has the edge Kxf8 29.Rc6 Kg7 30.Nb5 R4e7 31.Rdd6 Nc5 32.Nc7 Better was 32.Rxf6 Nd7 33.g5 Ne5+ 34.Ke2 Nxc6 35.Rxc6 Re5! Rf8 33.h4 Rff7 34.Nd5 Rd7 35.Rxd7 Nxd7 36.Kg3 Nc5 37.f3 h6 38.Nf4 g5 38...Kh7 could help White, e.g., 39.h5 g5 40.Nd5! 39.Nh5+ Kg6 40.f4 gxf4+ 41.exf4 Kh7 42.f5 42.Nxf6+ is clearly inferior, Fritz notes, citing 42...Rxf6 43.Rc7+ Kg8 44.Rxa7 Rf7 45.Ra8+ Kg7! Kg8 43.Kf3 43.Rc8+ was stronger Nd7 44.Ke4 Kf8 If 44...Nc5+ 45.Kd5 Nd7 46.Rc8+ Nf8 47.Rd8!, and White surges on 45.Rc8+ Ke7 46.Kd5 b5 47.Rh8 Nb6+ 48.Kc6 Nc4 49.Ra8 Ne5+ 50.Kc5 Nd7+ 50...Nxg4 would benefit White: 51.Nf4 Kd7 52.Rxa7+ Ke8 53.Ra8+ Kd7 54.Nd5! 51.Kxb5 Kd6 52.Rxa7 Rf8 53.Kb4 Nc5 53...Rb8+ 54.Kc3! also gives White the point 54.Kc4! 1–0
It was Radjabov who drew first blood, catching world champion Viswanathan Anand flat-footed with a fierce attack right from the opening bell until Anand meekly surrendered after being badly battered in their Semi-Slav encounter.
You could hardly recognize Anand as he tried evading the powerful blows unleashed by the highest-rated junior player for the past few years.
Radjabov, however, failed to follow up his dramatic opening-round victory and lagged behind the younger Norwegian Wonder Boy Carlsen, who swept through the first three rounds before settling for a draw against his closest rival, Armenia’s Aronian.
Here is how the Azeri superstar clobbered the world champion without mercy.
T. Radjabov (2735) – V. Anand (2799)
Rd 1, Semi-Slav (D43)
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Ne5 Bg7 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.Bd6 Trapping Black’s king in the center a6 14.Re1 Bf8 15.Bg3 Bg7 16.Bd6 Bf8 17.Bxf8 Rxf8 17...Kxf8 18.b3 would have equalized 18.b3 If 18.e5 Qc7 19.Ne4 0-0-0 b4 19.Na4 c3 20.a3 a5 21.d5 Qe7 22.d6 22.dxe6!? was playable, e.g., 22…fxe6 23.Bh5+ Kd8 24.Nb6, with a clear advantage Qf6 Equalizing 23.e5 Qf4 Better than 23...Qxe5 24.Ba6 Qxe1+ 25.Qxe1 Bxa6 26.axb4 axb4 27.Qe4, and White has the edge 24.Bd3 bxa3 24...h5 could benefit White, e.g., 25.axb4 axb4 26.Nc5 Rxa1 27.Qxa1 Nxc5 28.Qa7!, and White forges ahead 25.Qe2 Qd2 26.Rxa3 Qxe2 26...f6 would have kept the balance: 27.exf6 Rxf6 28.Ra2 Qxe2 29.Raxe2 27.Rxe2 g4 28.Nxc3 Rg8 29.Ne4 Kd8 30.Nd2 c5 31.Bb5 Bd5 32.Nc4 Rg5 33.Rea2 Nxe5 34.Nb6 Not 34.Nxa5 Rb8 35.Ba4 c4 Rb8 35.Rxa5 Be4 36.Ra7 f6 36...h5 37.R2a5 would boost White’s lead 37.R2a6 Rg8 38.Rc7 38.Ba4 c4 39.bxc4 would have given White a big boost Rf8 39.Rxc5 39.Nd7 is more precise, e.g., 39…Nxd7 40.Rxd7+ Kc8 41.Rc7+! Rf7 40.d7! The game has taken a critical turn in one of the most complicated positions seen lately. From hereon, the rooks and minor pieces do a dance of sorts. 40…Nxd7 41.Nxd7 Rxd7 42.Bxd7 Kxd7 43.Rc3 f5 44.Ra7+ Kd6 45.Rh7 Bd5 46.Rxh6 Bxb3 47.h3 gxh3 48.Rhxh3 Bd5 49.Rc2 Ke5 50.f3 Kf6 51.Kf2 Rb4 52.Re2 Kg6 53.Kg3 Ra4 54.Rh4 Ra7 55.Rb2 Kf6 56.Rhb4 Ke5 57.Re2+ Kf6 58.Rd2 Ke5 59.Re2+?? Throwing away the advantage. 59.f4+ was better Kf6 60.Kf4 Ra3 61.Rd2 Ra5 62.Re2?? 62.Rb6 Ra4+ 63.Kg3 was better Ra3 63.Kg3 Ra8?? 64.Rc2 Ke5 65.Rh4 Rg8+ 66.Kh2 Ra8 67.Re2+ Kf6 68.f4 Ke7 69.Rh7+ Kd6 70.Kg3 Rg8+ 71.Kh3 Rg4 72.g3 Rg8 73.Rd2 Rc8 74.Kh4 Rc3 75.Rg7 Ra3 76.Rc2 Bc6 77.Rc1 Rb3 78.Rg1 Bd5 79.Kg5 Kc5 80.Kf6 Kd4 81.Re1 Rb6 82.Rd7 Rc6 83.Ke7 Ra6 The end is near as Black’s options dwindle: 83...Rb6 84.Rd6 Rb7+ 85.Kf6! 84.Rd6 Ra7+ 85.Kf6! Crowding out the black monarch, ensuring the capture of its bishop and pawns, e.g., 85…Kc5 86.Rdxe6! Bxe6 87.Kxe6, etc. 1-0
Radjabov soared to the top by defeating Eljanov in brilliant fashion in the fifth round.
P. Eljanov (2692) – T. Radjabov (2735)
Rd 5, King’s Indian (E70)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bd3 0-0 6.Nge2 c5 7.d5 e6 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bf4 Ng4 10.Qd2 Na6 11.a3 Nc7 12.f3 Ne5 13.0-0 exd5 14.cxd5 If 14.exd5 Re8 Nxd3 15.Qxd3 b6 16.Qd2 Kh7 17.Ng3 Ba6 18.Rfe1 Re8 19.a4 Bc4 20.Nf1 Bxf1 21.Rxf1 a6 22.Bg3 Qd7 23.Rae1 b5 24.f4 Fritz says 24.a5 should be considered with the idea of restoring the balance b4 25.Nd1 f5 26.exf5 Qxf5 27.Ne3 Rxe3! A sacrifice to seize the initiative and stay ahead, but with his purpose cleverly hidden. 28.Rxe3 Bd4 29.Bf2 Bxe3 30.Bxe3 Nxd5 30...Re8 was playable, e.g., 31.Bf2 Nxd5, and Black surges on 31.Rd1 Re8 Stronger was 31...Nxe3 32.Qxe3 Qf6! 32.Bf2? 32.Qxd5 is best: 32...Qxd5 33.Rxd5 Rxe3 34.Rxd6! Nxf4! 33.Qxd6?? 33.Be3 Qg4 34.Bxf4 also gives Black a boost Qe4! White resigns as there is no way he can stop mate. 0-1
Even former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia and the legendary amazon, Judit Polgar of Hungary, could not get in stride right away. It took both titans three rounds to warm up with draws before posting their first wins.
One would think that they would play for a win from then on, but to the fans’ dismay, they could not find their stride again and settled for draws in the fifth round.
In fact, besides Radjabov, only two-time world junior champion Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and former world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria managed to score wins in the fifth round—against Dutch champion Loek van Wely and Boris Gelfand of Israel, respectively.
Still at sea apparently was world champion Viswanathan Anand, who again settled for a draw. His opponent? Armenian superstar Levon Aronian.
Apparently, too, the Ukrainian Eljanov has become the group’s favorite whipping boy despite his high rating. Here is how he was cowed by Kramnik into submission.
V. Kramnik (2799) – P. Eljanov (2692)
Rd 4, English Opening (A16)
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Qa4+ Bd7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 c5 7.g3 Nc6 8.Bg2 Qb6 9.0–0 Qb4 10.Qxb4 cxb4 11.Nb5 Rc8 12.b3 e5 13.Bb2 Be7 14.d4 e4 15.Ne5 Be6 16.d5 Bxd5 17.Bh3 Be6 18.Bxe6 fxe6 19.Rfc1 0–0 20.Nxc6 Rxc6 Better than 20...bxc6 21.Nxa7 Rc7 22.Nxc6! 21.Rxc6 bxc6 22.Nxa7 c5 23.Nc6 Nd5 24.a4 bxa3 25.Rxa3 Rc8 26.Ra6 Bf8 27.e3 If 27.Na5 Kf7 Nc7 28.Ra7 Nd5 29.Ne5 Rb8 30.Nd7 Rxb3 31.Ba3 Be7 If 31...Rd3 32.Nxf8 Kxf8 33.Bxc5+ Kg8 34.Bd4! 32.Bxc5 White gets a clear edge Bxc5 33.Nxc5 Rb1+ 34.Kg2 Rb2 35.Ra3 Nf6 36.Ra8+ Kf7 37.Ra7+ Ke8 38.Ra6 38.Nxe6 Ng4 leads to equality Ng4 39.Nxe4 Nxe3+ 40.Kf3 Nd5 41.Rxe6+ Kf8 42.Rd6 Ne7 43.Rd8+ Kg7 44.Rd7 Kf8 45.Nf6 h5 46.Ra7 Rb5 47.Ke4 Rb4+ 48.Ke3 Rb5 49.Ne4 Re5 50.f3 Rb5 51.h3 Nd5+ 52.Kd4 Ne7 53.Ra6 Rf5 54.Ke3 Nd5+ 55.Kf2 Ne7 56.Ra8+ Kg7 57.Ra7 Kf8 58.Rb7 Ra5 59.g4 hxg4 60.hxg4 Rd5 61.Kg3 Ra5 62.Kh4 Re5 63.Nf6 Kf7 64.f4 Ra5 65.Nd7 g5+ 66.fxg5 Ke6 66...Ra8 would help White: 67.Nf6 Ke6 68.Rb6+ Kf7 69.Nh5! 67.Kh5+- Rd5?? 68.Nf8+! The coup de grace: 68….Kd6 69.Rd7+ Kc6 70.Rxe7! 1–0
Here is how Ms Polgar outplayed former world title candidate Gelfand in the same round. Apparently, Polgar’s biorhythm is similar to that of Kramnik because they had the same pattern of performance from the first to the fifth rounds.
B. Gelfand (2737) – J. Polgar (2707)
Rd 4, Catalan (E01)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 d5 6.Bg2 e5 7.Nf3 d4 8.0-0 Nc6 9.e3 d3 A strong pawn, says Fritz 10.Nc3 Bb4 11.Bd2 0-0 12.a3 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 Better than 13.bxc3 Qe7! Ne4 14.Bxe5 Bg4 15.Bd4 Ng5 16.Bc3 Rc8 17.b4 Re8 18.h4 Ne4 19.Bb2 Qd7 20.Qc1 d2 20...Bxf3 21.Bxf3 Qf5 22.Qd1 allows Black to equalize 21.Qc2² Bf5 22.Qb3 Be6 22...Bh3 23.Bxh3 Qxh3 24.c5 would have equalized 23.Qc2 23.Nxd2 Nxd2 24.Qc3 f6 also lets Black restore the balance Bf5 24.Qa4 Qd3 24...f6 25.h5 should equalize 25.b5 Nd8 26.Qxa7 Ne6 Fritz suggests 26...f6!? 27.g4! White strengthens his hold on the lead Bxg4 28.Ne5 Qc2 29.Nxg4 Better than 29.Qxb7, e.g., Nd6 30.Qd5 Nxc4! Qxb2 30.Bxe4 Not the dubious 30.Qxb7 because of 30…Nc3 31.Qf3 Rc5! Rxc4 31.Bf3?? Better but inadequate was 31.Rab1, e.g., 31…Rc1 32.Qa4 d1Q! Rc1! 32.Raxc1 dxc1=Q 33.Rxc1 Qxc1+ 34.Kg2 h5 35.Nh2 Nc5 36.Bxb7 Qc2 37.Bd5 Qg6+ 38.Kh1 Nd3 39.Nf3?? After 39.Nf3??
The losing moment. Best was 39.Bg2 Nxf2+ 40.Kg1, etc. 39...Nxf2+! 40.Kh2 Ng4+! 0-1
Venerable Viktor Korchnoi has demonstrated that at 76 he still packs a wallop with the power of a 26-year-old’s knockout punch on the board.
He and Dutch titan Jan Timman, 56, won their first games in the first round of the honorary section of the Corus Super Tournament in Wijk aan Zee.
Korchnoi, playing White, shot down Lajos Portisch, 70, of Hungary while Timman outplayed with the Black pieces Ljubomir Ljubojevic, 57, in the opening round Friday.
All four were each among the world’s top 10 players—or even top two or three in the case of Korchnoi in the late seventies—during their heyday.
Here is how Korchnoi bared his fangs and his youthful vigor on the board.
V. Korchnoi (2605) – L. Portisch (2530)
Rd 1, Qurrn’s Gambit Declined (D37)
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Nxd5 exd5 9.Bd3 Bb4+ 10.Kf1 Nf6 11.Qc2 c6 12.h3 Bd6 13.Be5 g6 14.Ke2 Re8 15.Rhd1 Bxe5 16.Nxe5 Be6 17.b4 Rc8 18.Kf1 Nh5 18...Nd7 19.Nxd7 Qxd7 20.a3 would have equalized 19.Rac1 Ng7 20.Qb1 If 20.Qc5 a6 Bf5 21.Qb2 f6 22.Nf3 Bxd3+ 23.Rxd3 Re7 24.Rdc3 a6 25.a4 Rec7 26.Qb3 Ne6 27.e4 Kg7 28.Re3 dxe4 If 28...Nf4 29.e5 29.Rxe4 Not 29.Qxe6 exf3 30.Rxf3 Qxd4! Nf8 30.Rce1 Qd6 31.Nd2 If 31.a5 Rf7! Rf7 31...Rd8 32.Kg1 would have equalized 32.Nc4 Qd5 33.Qc3 Rd8 34.Nb6 Qd6 35.Kg1 g5 36.Nc4 Qd7 37.h4 If 37.Ne3 Ng6 gxh4 38.Rxh4 Ng6 39.Rhe4 Re7 40.Rxe7+ Nxe7 41.Qg3+ Ng6 42.Ne3 With the idea of hopping to Nc4-e3-g4-e5 42...f5 43.Qg5 Rf8 44.Rd1 f4 45.Ng4 Qe7 46.Qh6+ Kh8 Missing 46...Kg8!?, which would have restored the balance: 47.Ne5 Qxb4 48.Nxg6 Rf6 47.Ne5! Nh4 47...Rg8 would favor White: 48.Nxg6+ Rxg6 49.Qxf4 Qxb4 50.Qe5+ Kg8 51.Re1! 48.d5 48.Rd3! was better: 48…Kg8 49.Rh3, and White soars Rg8 49.Qe6 Qxe6 50.dxe6 Re8 51.Rd8! Surprise, surprise! This move shows Korchnoi’s “youthful alertness” over the board as he steps up his initiative with this stunning move and the check with a fork as its tactical motif.51…Rxd8 52.Nf7+ Kg7 53.Nxd8 Kf6 54.Nxb7 Kxe6 55.Nc5+ Kd5 56.Nxa6 Nf5 57.Kh2 Kc4 58.Kh3 h5 59.f3 Ne7 60.a5 60.Kh4 Nd5 61.Kxh5 Kb3 would give White a big boost Nc8 61.Kh4 White is now winning Kb5 62.Nc7+ Kxb4 63.a6 c5 64.Nd5+ Kb5 65.Nxf4 Kxa6 66.Kxh5! The end, e.g., 66…Kb5 67.g4! 1-0
Here is how Timman, publisher of New in Chess and former Dutch champion, outwitted the veteran Serbian star:
L. Ljubojevic (2543) – J. Timman (2561) [E00]
Rd 1, Honorary Group, Corus Super, Wijkaan Zee ’07
Modern Benoni (A60)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Bg2 b5 7.a3 Bb7 8.Nc3 a6 9.e4 g6 10.Nge2 Bg7 11.0-0 0-0 12.b4 Nbd7 13.Rb1 Re8 14.h3 Rc8 15.Qb3 cxb4 16.axb4 Nb6 17.Rd1 Nc4 18.Rd3 Qb6 19.g4 Nd7 20.Bf4 Nde5 21.Rg3 h6 22.h4 Rc7 23.Rf1 Bc8 24.Bh3 Bd7 25.Kg2 a5 26.Bc1 Intending to go to Bf4-c1-a3-b4. Better than 26.bxa5 Nxa5 27.Qb1 b4! 26...axb4 26...a4!? 27.Qd1 Bc8 would have equalized 27.Qxb4 Qa5 28.Qxa5 Nxa5 29.Ba3 Nec4 The knight dominates 30.Bb4 Nb3 30...g5 31.hxg5 hxg5 32.Rf3µ] 31.Nxb5 Bxb5 32.Rxb3 Rxe4 33.Re1 Ba4 34.Rbb1 Fritz suggests 34.Rg3!? Rb7 Black is now way ahead 35.Bc3? Weak, missing his best shot, 35.g5!, although Black would still be leading Rxb1 36.Rxb1 Rxe2 37.Rb4 Ne3+ 37...Bxc3?! is dubious: 38.Rxc4 Bf6 39.Rxa4 Bxh4 40.Ra6, and White has wrested the lead 38.Kf3 Nxd5 38...Bxc3?! is much weaker :39.Rxa4 Rd2 40.Kxe3 Rxd5 41.Bg2! 39.Kxe2 Nxc3+ Not 39...Bxc3 40.Rxa4 g5 41.hxg5 hxg5 42.Bf1! 40.Ke1 Bd7 41.Rb8+ Bf8 42.g5 42.Kd2 Ne4+ 43.Ke3 Nc5 gives Black a boost Bxh3 43.gxh6 Be6 44.h7+ Kxh7 45.Rxf8 Nb5! Here White toppled his king because that extra pawn backed by the two minor pieces will prevail. 0-1
LEGEND LIVES AGAIN IN NAMESAKE
Tigran Petrosian ‘resurrected’
HIS parents were not mistaken in naming him after one of the greatest players the 20th century world had seen.
This must be the thought running in the minds of the fans of Tigran L. Petrosian after hearing that the 23-year-old grandmaster has surged ahead in the ongoing 58th National Championship in Yerevan, the Armenian capital.
As this is being written, GM Petrosian looks certain to capture Armenia’s national crown, with the same constancy and steadiness his great namesake (no relation) used to display at the board in the sixties.
His namesake, Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian (1929-84), was a partially deaf former street sweeper of Armenian descent in the then city of Leningrad (called by its ancient name, St. Petersburg, in the post-Soviet era), one of the liveliest centers of Soviet chess, where he rose to fame as the ninth world champion (1963-69).
Already, the much younger Tigran L. Petrosian has shown a capacity for greatness. This manifested itself as early as 2002 when he won the title of Armenian Under-18 champion and in 2004 when he became world vice junior champion (silver medalist).
He is now on the verge of winning the national crown, which could be a stepping stone toward fulfilling his dream of becoming a great world champion someday, just like the man after whom he had been named.
In the ongoing national championship, he has shown a rare steadiness in moving toward his goal, staying undefeated after seven rounds and playing with verve and occasional sparks of brilliance.
But first, let’s be entertained by one of his most amusing games as a child of 10.
T.L Petrosian - Le TD
World U-10 Ch, Szeged, HUN 1994
Two Knights, Max Lnge Attack (C55)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.e5 d5 5...Ng4 6.0–0 d6 7.exd6 Qxd6 8.h3 would have equalized 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.0–0 Be7 Fritz cites 9...Bc5 10.c3, with equality 10.f3 Nc5 11.f4 f6 11...f5!? may be tried 12.f5! fxe5?? “Strolling merrily down the path to disaster,” says Fritz, which suggests 12...0–0 13.e6 Be8, with White’s lead reduced.13.Qh5+ Kf8 14.Ne6+! Bxe6 15.fxe6+ Bf6 16.Qf7#! 1–0
Unless he loses his focus in the last few rounds, Petrosian can be regarded now as a shoo-in for Armenia’s throne. This is because he already has successfully met his toughest challenge—against top-seeded GM Smbat Lputian in the fifth round.
But before he faced his toughest rival, Petrosian did a little “exercise,” whipping into submission another tokayo, Tigran Nabaldian.
T.L. Petrosian (2606) – T. Nalbandian (2505)
Rd 5, Armenian Ch, Yerevan 2008
French Defense (C10)
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Bg5 h6 7.Nxf6+ Nxf6 8.Bh4 c5 9.Bd3 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Bc5 Of course not 10...Qxd4 because of 11.Bb5 +!, and Black’s queen falls in a discovered attack 11.Nb3 Be7 12.Qe2 Qd5 13.f4 Qh5 14.Qxh5 Nxh5 15.Bxe7 Kxe7 16.0–0 Rd8 17.Rae1 Nf6 18.Re5 Preparing to advance the pawn to f5 Rd5 19.Re2 Bd7 20.f5 Rc8 21.fxe6 Bxe6 22.Bf5 Kd6 23.Bxe6 fxe6 24.Rfe1 e5 25.Nd2 b5 26.Nf1 Ke6 27.Ne3 Rd4 28.Nd1 Nd7 29.c3 Rd6 30.Ne3 Rf8 31.Nc2 Rd5 32.g3 a5 33.Kg2 Kd6 34.Ne3 Rd3 35.a4 bxa4 36.Nc4+ Kc6 36...Kc5! was more precise, e.g., 37.Nxe5 Nxe5 38.Rxe5+ Rd5 39.Rxd5+ Kxd5, restoring the balance 37.Rxe5 a3 Not 37...Ndxe5 because of 38.Nxe5+!, forking king and rook 38.Re6+ Kd5 39.Nxa3 Rd2+ 40.R6e2 Rxe2+ 41.Rxe2 Ne5 41...a4 42.Rd2+ Kc6 43.Nc4 is bad for Black 42.b3 White now has the edge Nc6 43.Nc4 Rf6 44.Ra2 g5 45.Nxa5 Ne5 46.Rd2+ Ke4 47.Re2+ Kd5 48.h3 Ra6 49.b4 h5 50.Kf1 50.Rd2+ Ke4 and White surges ahead Rf6+! 51.Kg2 Weak. Better was 51.Rf2! Nf3 52.Ke2 Ng1+ 53.Ke3 Rxf2 54.c4+ Kd6 55.Kxf2 Nxh3+ 56.Kf3 g4+ 57.Ke3! Ra6 52.Rd2+ Ke4 53.Kf2 53.Rd8 h4 should widen White’s lead Rf6+ 54.Ke2 Rf3? 55.Nc4! “It's best to give back material,” says Fritz, trotting out the following variation explaining why Black has to surrender: 55.Nc4 Kf5 56.g4+ Kf6 57.Rd6+ Ke7 58.Rd5 Rxh3 59.Rxe5+ Kf6 60.Rf5+ Ke6 61.Ne3! 1–0
Judging by his current Elo rating and his extensive experience on the international circuit, GM Lputian, who will be 50 next month, should have found it quite easy to set the pace in the Armenian National Championship.
Because he had White and was the second seed in the absence of the 25-year-old Armenian superstar Levon Aronian, Lputian should have tried hard to outwit the less experienced Petrosian when they faced each other in the sixth round.
But he didn’t, or couldn’t, find the right moves nor could he make any dent on Petrosian’s chess armor. Hence, the veteran fighter found himself fighting for a draw in the endgame instead.
I suspect that Lputian, who has been a grandmaster since 1984, lacks the drive and the ambition to climb the highest mountain of success as shown in his rather lackadaisical style of play. His record shows that he has won numberless first prizes, but mostly in events that do not really count.
His first two games were so-called grandmaster draws, first against the top seed, 27-year-old Karen Asrian, and then against Artashes Minasian. Both games lasted for less than a dozen moves—the first in 10 and the second in 11!
Not having found the momentum as the tournament progressed, the 28-year-old Olympiad veteran had two more draws—real ones this time—and scored his first win in the fourth round.
Asrian was worse—he never got out of the intellectual rut into which he had fallen, won only twice and lost once, drawing the rest. In short, he was never in contention for a prize throughout the event!
How Petrosian held Lputian to a draw with Black shows the latter’s lack of will to win.
S. Lputian (2616) – T.L. Petrosian (2606)
Rd 6, Classical King’s Indian (E90)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.e4 d6 6.Bd3 0-0 7.h3 e6 8.Nf3 exd5 9.exd5 Re8+ 10.Be3 Rxe3+? Fritz suggests 10...Na6!?, with equality 11.fxe3 White now has the edge Qe7 12.0-0 Better was 12.Qd2 Nfd7, and White forges ahead Nfd7 13.Qe2 Ne5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Rf3 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Nd7 17.Raf1 Ne5 18.Rf6 18.Rf4 may be tried to keep the lead Bf5 19.R6xf5 gxf5 20.Bxf5 Qg5 21.Rf4 Qg3 22.Re4 a6 23.Qh5 Not 23.Qf2 Qxf2+ 24.Kxf2 Kg7! h6 24.Bg4 24.Qxh6?? leads to a mate in two, says Fritz:24...Nf3+ 25.Kh1 Qe1#! Kg7 25.Qf5 Rg8 26.Qf4 If 26.Kf1 Re8 Qxf4 27.exf4 Nxg4 28.hxg4 Kf6 29.Kf2 Rxg4 30.g3 Rg8 31.Re1 31.Kf3 b5 favors Black b5! Equalizing 32.Rb1 Rb8 33.a3 h5 34.Kf3 Kf5 35.Rb2 Re8 36.cxb5 axb5 37.Rxb5 Ra8 38.Rb7 f6 39.Rh7 39.Ke3 gives Black a chance to equalize: 39…Rxa3 40.Kd3 Ra4 Rxa3 39...Kg6 40.Rd7 equalizes 40.Rxh5+= Kg6 41.g4 Rxc3+ 42.Ke4 Rc4+ 43.Ke3 Rd4 44.f5+ Fritz favors 44.Rf5!? Kg7 45.g5 fxg5 46.Rxg5+ Kf6 47.Rg6+ Ke5 48.Re6+ Kxd5 49.Re7 Rd1 50.f6 Rf1 51.f7 Rf6 52.Kd3 Rf5 53.Ke3 c4 54.Rc7 Rf1 55.Ke2 Rf6 56.Ke3 Rf5 57.Re7 Kc6 57...c3 58.Rc7 gives White the lead 58.Kd4 d5 59.Ra7 59.Re6+!? would allow White to play on 59...Kb5 60.Re7!, with equal chances Kd6! The best 60.f8=Q+! Rxf8 Seeing that the two pawns could be taken soon enough, the two protagonists agreed to a draw. ½-½
In the seventh round, as reported in The Weekender’s extra edition last Thursday, Lputian went on to defeat Artashes Minasian in the same way that Petrosian took the measure of Tigran Kotanjian.
Levon Aronian, Vladimir Akopian, Smbat Lputian, Artashes Minasian, and Karen Asrian were members of the Armenian national team that won the 2006 Olympiad in Turin, Italy.
As this is being written, Aronian and Magnus Carlsen of Norway were joint leaders of the main event in the Corus Super Tournament in the Dutch city of Wijk aan Zee.
PINOY GEMS WITH A HISTORY
Nouri’s quest for recognition
FOR the past year, Hamed Nouri, the dreaded giant killer from Escalante City in Negros Occidental, has met frustration after frustration in his quest for a place in the sun or at least recognition of his exceptional talent on the board.
With an Elo rating of 2404, he should by now be a Fide master or, more fittingly, an international master.
The NCFP has awarded him the National Master title, true, but this is a non-title as far as Fide is concerned.
It is to be hoped that this taciturn and soft-spoken giant killer from Escalante will earn a Fide title in the ongoing Asean Masters Circuit in Tarakan, Indonesia.
In the First President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Cup in November 2006, Hamed caused a stir when his penultimate-round victim, Russian GM Vladimir Belov, lodged a complaint accusing him of “possibly cheating by electronic means” because he was wearing a baseball cap.
Accosted by tournament officials accompanied by Belov, the 27-year-old Hamed dutifully took off his cap—and showed why he was wearing it: a bald pate!
Unsatisfied that no electronic gadget was found on Hamed’s person, GM Belov took along with him the Filipino’s score-sheets, including those Hamed won against local GMs. Those historic games have been lost forever.
It can be said that Hamed Nouri’s games show a degree of mastery that only an internationally recognized player may possess.
Here is a game that he won against a leading Woman International Master:
H. Nouri (2404) – B. Mendoza (2132)
2ndPGMA Cup Open, Parañaque City.2007
Reti Opening/King's Indian Attack (A03)
1.Nf3 f5 2.d3 d6 3.e4 g6 If 3...e5 4.Nbd2, equalizing 4.h4 Nf6 5.h5 Bg7 5...Nxh5 6.Rxh5 gxh5 7.Ng5 should also equalize 6.h6 Better was 6.hxg6, e.g., 6…hxg6 7.Rxh8+!, and White gets a clear advantage Bf8 7.Bg5 Nc6 8.Nc3 Be6 9.Qe2 fxe4 10.dxe4 Qd7 11.0-0-0 Ng4 12.Qd2 Nge5 13.Nd5 a6 Not 13...Nxf3 because of 14.gxf3 Ne5 15.Bf6 Nxf3 16.Qe3!, and White surges ahead 14.Qc3 14.Nxe5! was best: 14…dxe5 15.Qe3 Bxd5 16.exd5! Nf7 15.Be3 Bg4 Not 15...Bxd5 16.exd5 Ncd8 17.g3!, and White is way ahead 16.Rd2 Bxf3 17.gxf3 0-0-0 18.Bh3 18.Bd4 e6 19.Bxh8 gives White great advantage e6 19.Bb6!! That bishop and the knight on d5 cannot be captured: the power of pins!
19...Bxh6 Not 19...cxb6 A pinning theme 20.Nxb6+, a royal fork 20.Bxc7 20.f4!? may be tried Bxd2+ 21.Kxd2 Qe8 22.Qf6 Rd7? Fritz notes 22...Ng5 was best: 23.Qxg5 Rd7 23.Bxe6 Winning Rf8 24.Rxh7 Ncd8 25.Bxd8 Qxd8 26.Rxf7 1-0
And here is one he won against an Indonesian IM:
N. Situru (2375) – H. Nouri (2404)
Rd. 5, Asean Masters, Tarakan 2008
Sicilian Taimanov (B48)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.0-0 Nc6 8.Be3 b5 9.a3 If 9.Nb3 Bb4! Bb7 Black is behind in development, Fritz warns..If 9...Bd6 10.h3! 10.Nb3 Ne5 Equalizing 11.Bf4 d6 12.Qe2 Be7 13.Bg3 Nc4 14.Nd1 0-0 15.a4 e5 16.Re1 Rfc8 17.c3 g6 17...Qd7 18.Bh4 keeps the balance 18.Qc2 18.Nd2 Nxd2 19.Qxd2 Bc6 with equality Bf8 18...Nh5 leads to equality: 19.Nd2 Nxg3 20.hxg3 19.f3 19.Nd2 Bh6 20.Nf3 Nh5 also equalizes Nh5 The best 20.Bf2 Nf4 21.Bf1 d5 22.exd5 Bxd5 23.Nc1 b4 24.g3 Ne6 25.Bxc4 25.Qd3 could favor Black, e.g., 25…Qb7 26.Ne3 Nxe3 27.Qxe3 Bxf3! Bxc4 26.Be3 Qb7 27.Qf2 b3 28.a5 Rd8 29.h4 f5 30.Ne2 Not 30.Bb6 f4! Rd3 30...Qc6 31.f4 Nc5 32.Qg2, and Black surges ahead 31.f4 Qe4 31...e4 was stronger 32.fxe5 Qxe5 33.Nf4 Nxf4 34.Bxf4 Qc5 35.Re5 Qc6 36.Ne3 Bf7 36...Bc5 is also playable: 37.Kh2 Re8 38.Re1 Rxe5 39.Bxe5, and Black is way ahead 37.Nf1 Best was 37.Qg2 Qc8 38.Re1! Bd6-+ 38.Re3 Rxe3 39.Bxe3 Re8 40.Rd1 Bf8 40...Bc4 could be better: 41.Qg2 Qxg2+! 41.Bb6 Qe4 42.Qd4 Qc2 Not 42...Qe2 43.Rd2 Qb5 44.Qd7! 43.Rd2 Re1 44.Rf2 Another interesting idea is 44.Qf4!?, e.g., 44...Qc1 45.Be3! Qe4 Black surges on 45.Rd2 Better was 45.Kh2!? Qc6 46.Kg1! Bc4 46.Rf2 Bd5 47.Qxe4 Bxe4 48.Rd2 Bh6 49.Rd8+ Kf7 50.Bc5?? A gross mistake that hastens White’s demise. Fritz suggests 50.Rd7+ Ke6 51.Rxh7! 50...Rb1 Missing 50...Re2!? and Black can already relax 51.Rd7+ Ke6 52.Rxh7 Bc1! White resigns. 0-1
MY FAVORITES
A new force from Baku
IT may be too early to say this, but it looks like 2008 may be the year that Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan, who will turn 21 on March 12, will finally make it to the Top Ten Players in the world.
Indeed, that has long been overdue. Since he landed among the world’s Top 100 at the age of 14 seven years ago, Teimour’s climb up the ladder of success has been nothing less than phenomenal.
He demonstrated his growing power as a player in 2003 when he became the youngest person, at 16, to defeat then world No. 1 Garry Kasparov of Russia, who like him was also born in Baku, Azerbaijan.
But while Teimour is obviously an Azeri, Garry was not because he was born to a Jewish father and an Armenian mother. Up to now that former Soviet satellite Azerbaijan is independent of Moscow, the Azeris and the Armenians remain on constant strife.
Against that backdrop of this socioeconomic strife, it is not surprising that that sensational win in Linares in 2003 did not endear Teimour to his kababayan. The Azeri lad once bitterly complained that Kasparov had prevented him from taking part in major events overseas.
Now that Kasparov, who has lived in Russia since fleeing from the civil strife in Azerbaijan, is staying aloof from chess competitions because of his avowed campaign to fight the supposedly anti-democratic rule of Russia by the former KGB chief, President Vladimir Putin, the field looks free for Radjabov to conquer.
Radjabov proved this amply when he outplayed reigning world champion Viswanathan Anand of India in the first round of the main event in the ongoing Corus Tournament in the Dutch resort of Wijk aan Zee.
Blogger Mig Greengard has criticized Anand for failing to force a draw through repetition of moves, but a close examination of the game shows Radjabov in complete control from beginning to end, except for occasional lapses.
This has been confirmed by Fritz and I think what Mig saw was a mirage.
Moreover, Radjabov’s victory in the ACP World Rapid Cup in Odessa last month makes him the favorite of fans who admire constancy and consistency in the upper levels of global chess. enemy king Bf8 17.Bxf8 Rxf8 17...Kxf8 18.b3 would have equalized 18.b3 18.e5 Qc7 19.Ne4 0-0-0 b4 19.Na4 c3 20.a3 a5 21.d5 Qe7 22.d6 Better was 22.dxe6!? fxe6 23.Bh5+ Kd8 24.Nb6! and White would have the edge Qf6 Restoring equality 23.e5 Qf4 Better than 23...Qxe5 24.Ba6 Qxe1+ 25.Qxe1 Bxa6 26.axb4 axb4 27.Qe4! 24.Bd3 bxa3 25.Qe2 Qd2 26.Rxa3 Qxe2 26...f6 would have led to equality, e.g., 27.exf6 Rxf6 28.Ra2 Qxe2 29.Raxe2, and the balance is kept 27.Rxe2 g4 28.Nxc3 Rg8 29.Ne4 Kd8 30.Nd2 c5 31.Bb5 Bd5 32.Nc4 Targeting the isolani on a5 Rg5 33.Rea2 Nxe5 34.Nb6 Rb8 35.Rxa5 Be4 36.Ra7 Preparing to advance the d-pawn f6 36...h5 37.R2a5 would boost White’s lead 37.R2a6 37.R2a4 was more precise, e.g., 37…c4 38.bxc4 and White is way ahead Rg8 38.Rc7 38.Ba4 c4 39.bxc4 h5 was better Rf8
Radjabov, T. (2735) - Anand, V. (2799)
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (1), 12.01.2008
Semi-Slav Defense (D35)
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Ne5 Bg7 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.Bd6 Preventing …O-O a6 14.Re1 Bf8 15.Bg3 Bg7 16.Bd6 Trapping the enemy king Bf8 17.Bxf8 Rxf8 17...Kxf8 18.b3 would have equalized 18.b3 18.e5 Qc7 19.Ne4 0-0-0 b4 19.Na4 c3 20.a3 a5 21.d5 Qe7 22.d6 Better was 22.dxe6!? fxe6 23.Bh5+ Kd8 24.Nb6! and White would have the edge Qf6 Restoring equality 23.e5 Qf4 Better than 23...Qxe5 24.Ba6 Qxe1+ 25.Qxe1 Bxa6 26.axb4 axb4 27.Qe4! 24.Bd3 bxa3 25.Qe2 Qd2 26.Rxa3 Qxe2 26...f6 would have led to equality, e.g., 27.exf6 Rxf6 28.Ra2 Qxe2 29.Raxe2, and the balance is kept 27.Rxe2 g4 28.Nxc3 Rg8 29.Ne4 Kd8 30.Nd2 c5 31.Bb5 Bd5 32.Nc4 Targeting the isolani on a5 Rg5 33.Rea2 Nxe5 34.Nb6 Rb8 35.Rxa5 Be4 36.Ra7 Preparing to advance the d-pawn f6 36...h5 37.R2a5 would boost White’s lead 37.R2a6 37.R2a4 was more precise, e.g., 37…c4 38.bxc4 and White is way ahead Rg8 38.Rc7 38.Ba4 c4 39.bxc4 h5 was better Rf8 39.Rxc5 Missing 39.Nd7!? Nxd7 40.Rxd7+ Kc8 41.Rc7+! Rf7 40.d7! Throwing a monkey wrench into Black’s position. 40…Nxd7 41.Nxd7 Rxd7 42.Bxd7 Kxd7 43.Rc3 f5 44.Ra7+ Kd6 45.Rh7 Bd5 46.Rxh6 Bxb3 47.h3 gxh3 48.Rhxh3 Bd5 49.Rc2 Ke5 50.f3 Kf6 51.Kf2 Rb4 52.Re2 Kg6 53.Kg3 Ra4 54.Rh4 Ra7 55.Rb2 Kf6 56.Rhb4 Ke5 57.Re2+ Kf6 58.Rd2 Ke5 59.Re2+?? A mistake. Better was 59.f4+ Kd6, and White surges ahead Kf6 60.Kf4 Ra3 61.Rd2 Ra5 62.Re2?? Releasing the pressure on Black: 62.Rb6 was better Ra3 63.Kg3 Ra8? Worsening his position. Better but not enough was 63...Ra7 64.Rd4 Ba2, but White would still be ahead 64.Rc2 Ke5 65.Rh4 Rg8+ 66.Kh2 Ra8 67.Re2+ Kf6 68.f4 Ke7 69.Rh7+ Kd6 70.Kg3 Rg8+ 71.Kh3 Rg4 72.g3 Rg8 73.Rd2 Rc8 74.Kh4 Rc3 75.Rg7 Ra3 76.Rc2 Bc6 77.Rc1 Rb3 78.Rg1 Bd5 79.Kg5 Kc5 80.Kf6 Kd4 81.Re1 Rb6 82.Rd7 Rc6 83.Ke7 Ra6 84.Rd6 Ra7+ 85.Kf6! Black resigns as White will soon harvest the black pawns. 1-0
GAMES OF GIFTED KIDS
U-18 champion—at age 12!
BAKU Wonder Boy Teimour Radjabov was so advanced in his mastery of the game that he caught the chess world by surprise when he captured the Under-18 world crown at the age of 12 in 1999.
Two years later, at the age of 14 years and 14 days, Teimour became a grandmaster.
His progress was so rapid that he soon entered the world’s elite group of 100 grandmasters and, in 2003, became the youngest person—at 16!—ever to defeat the then world No. 1, Garry Kasparov himself, in the Linares (Spain) Super Tournament.
Teimour still holds that record, has stayed among the Top 100 since 2001, has been the top-rated junior player for the past four or five years, and is currently ranked No. 12 overall in the world!
Indeed, he holds one of the most enviable track records among the crop of child prodigies in the history of the game.
Will you be surprised if he becomes world champion some day and break Kasparov’s record as the youngest classical world champion?
Even as a child, Teimour already showed he was head and shoulders above his contemporaries. Let his games as a youngster speak on his behalf, like his win with White against Anand in 2003 when he was only 16 years old.
V. Anand (2774) – T. Radjabov (2648)
Rd. 2, Dortmund Sparkassen, Germany 2003
Sicilian Lowenthal and Kalashnikov (B32)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4 If 6.Bg5 Nf6 Be7 7.b3 f5 8.exf5 Bxf5 9.Bd3 e4 10.Be2 a6 11.N5c3 Bf6 12.0-0 Nge7 13.a3 13.Bg4 Bg6 allows Black to level the field 0-0 13...d5!? should not be overlooked , e.g., 14.Bg4 dxc4 15.Bxf5 Nxf5 16.bxc4 0-0! 14.Ra2 Qa5 15.b4 Qe5 16.Re1 b5 Fritz suggests 16...Rad8!?, with equal chances 17.cxb5 axb5 18.Bxb5 Nd4 19.Bf1 d5 20.Rd2 Be6 21.f4 Qxf4 22.Rf2 Not 22.Rxd4? because of 22...Qf2+ 23.Kh1 Bxd4! Qxf2+ 23.Kxf2 Nb5 24.Kg1 Not 24.Bxb5 Bd4+! Nxc3 25.Nxc3 Bxc3 26.Bb5 26.Re3 Rfc8 leads to equality Bxe1 27.Qxe1 Nf5 28.Bb2 Rac8 29.Ba4 Rf7 30.h3 If 30.Bd1 Nd6, restoring the balance h5! 31.b5 h4! 32.Be5 d4 With the idea of pushing it to d3 33.b6 33.Qxe4 Ne3 34.Qb1 Ba2 benefits Black e3! The struggle now hinges on this pawn 34.Kh2 Not 34.Bc7 d3 35.Bd1 Bd5!, and White will be hard put stopping the advancing pair of black pawns d3 35.Qb4? Courting disaster, but White’s position has worsened 35.Bc7 is better but inadequate to stop the downslide: 35…Rfxc7 36.bxc7 Rxc7! e2 36.Bc3?? 36.Bb3 Bxb3 37.b7 Rxb7 38.Qxb7 would boost Black’s advantage 36...Rxc3! “ Touché!” says Fritz in appreciation. 37.Qxc3 Ng3 38.b7 Rxb7 39.Qa5 39.Qxd3 Nf1+ 40.Kg1 e1Q 41.Qd8+ Kh7 42.Qd3+ g6 43.Qxf1 Qe3+ 44.Kh1 Bd5!, and Black wins Rb8! White topples his king in abject surrender. 0-1
As early as 13 years of age, Teimour had become a sharp tactical player as this game would show.
T. Radjabov – A. Nakamura
World Under-10 Ch., Menorca 1996
Anti-King’s Indian Systems (A49)
1.Nf3 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.b3 g6 4.Bb2 Bg7 5.g3 0-0 6.Bg2 c6 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.c4 Qc7 9.Nc3 Rd8 10.Qc2 e5 11.Rfd1 Re8 12.e4 b6 13.Ba3 Bf8 14.Rd2 Bb7 15.Rad1 Rad8 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.Bd6 Bxd6 18.Rxd6 Re7 18...b5 19.a3 would benefit White 19.Qd2± Ree8? 19...Ne8 could be stronger, e.g., 20.Rd3 Ng7! 20.Nxe5! A surprise shot that ensures the point. 20...Rxe5 If 20...Nxe5 21.Rdxd8! 21.Rxf6! Ree8? If 21...Nxf6 22.Qxd8+!, with a winning attack 22.Rd6 The clincher, e.g., 22…Bc8 23.e5 Rxe5 24.Bxc6! 1-0
CHESS MAGIC
Sparkling tactics of ‘Baku Boys’
BOTH Garry Kasparov and Teimour Radjanov saw the first light of day—on April 16, 1963and on March 12, 1987—in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, which is well known for its fondness for chess like most other cities and towns in Eastern Europe.
I am sure it is more than just coincidence that both “Baku Boys” played sparkling chess and dominated the game during their equally brilliant careers, 24 years apart.
Growing up in a community where chess flourishes could be the strongest stimulus for mastering the game. But of course, one must have genuine native talent—or, in their case, ingenuity.
What distinguishes their games from the run-of-the-mill variety?
To my mind it is their perfect sense of timing.
Here are a few games that seem to reinforce that belief. First, Garry’s gems as a Baku Boy:
. G. Kasparov – A. Sendur
World Youth, Wattognies 1976
Pirc Defense, Classical (B08)
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 Nbd7 6.0–0 6.e5 was best, e.g., 6…Ng8 7.Bf4 Nf8 0–0 7.e5 dxe5 8.dxe5 Ng4 9.e6 Nde5 10.Qxd8 Rxd8 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.Nb5 c6 13.Nc7 Rb8 14.f4 Ng4 15.Bxg4 Bd4+ 16.Kh1 Bb6 17.f5 Bxc7 18.fxg6 fxg6 19.Bh6 Be5 20.Rad1 Rxd1?? This falls into White’s plan. Fritz suggests 20...Re821.Rxd1 Bd6 22.Rf1! Threatening mate via 23.Rf8#! Black resigns. 1–0
G. Kasparov – O. Vasilchenko
Kiev 1973
French Tarrasch (C03)
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nc6 4.Ngf3 Nh6 5.e5 5.c3 Be7 would have given White a clear advantage .f6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.Nb3 Nf7 9.Bf4 9.0–0 fxe5 10.dxe5 Bb5 would allow Black to equalize f5 10.h4 Be7 11.Qd2 b6 12.c3 Bb7 13.Be3 Qd7 14.Nc1 Ba6 Preventing White from castling short 15.Rh3 Qb5 16.Ne2 Qxe2+ 17.Qxe2 Bxe2 18.Kxe2 0–0–0 19.Ng5 Nxg5 20.hxg5 Rdf8 21.g3 g6 22.Rh6 Rf7 23.Rah1 Rg7 24.Kf3 Kd7 25.g4 fxg4+ 26.Kxg4 Ke8 27.b4 a6 28.a4 Kd7 29.b5 a5 30.c4 dxc4 31.Rc1 Re8 32.Rxc4! Bd8 33.Kf4 Ree7 34.Ke4 Rgf7 35.Rc6 Rg7 36.d5 exd5+ 37.Kxd5 Re8 38.e6+ Kc8 39.Bd4 Rgg8 40.Rxh7!
Now, let’s take a look at Teimour’s games during his adolescene in Baku.
T. Radjabov – G. Jones [A05]
Rd. 5, World U-10, Cannes, France 1997
Symmetrical English, Double Fianchetto/Hedgehog
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.b3 g6 3.Bb2 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 c5 6.c4 Nc6 7.0-0 d5 7...d6 8.d4 would have equalized 8.cxd5² Nb4 9.Qc1 Bf5 10.Nh4 Not 10.Qxc5 Nc2 11.Nc3 b6, and Black equalizes Bxb1 11.Rxb1 Rc8 12.Bh3 Nd7 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.e4 Kg8 15.a3 Na6 16.d3 Rc7 Fritz suggests 16...Nc7 17.Qh6 Ne5?? A mistake that hastens Black’s demise. 18.f4 Nxd3 19.Nf5!!
T. Radjabov – D. Kanovsky [A05]
Rd 1, Euro U-12 Ch, Mureck 1998
Anti-King’s Indian (A49)
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.b3 g6 3.Bb2 Bg7 4.g3 0–0 5.Bg2 d6 6.d4 Nbd7 7.0–0 c5 8.c4 Rb8 9.Nc3 b6 10.Qc2 Bb7 11.d5 e5 11...a6!? may be tried to equalize 12.Nb5 Qe7 13.Nxa7 e4 14.Ne1 b5 15.Nxb5 Bxd5 16.Nxd6! A double whammy Qxd6 17.cxd5 Qxd5 18.Rd1 Qe6 19.Qc1 c4 20.bxc4 Rfc8 21.Qa1 Qxc4? 21...Rxc4 and Black can breathe, says Fritz 22.Bh3 Qxe2 23.Bxd7 Rd8 24.Be5 Ra8 25.Ba4 Ng4 26.Bxg7 Nxh2 27.Kxh2 Qxf1 28.Qf6 Rxd1 29.Bh6!
BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (1)
Good Advice
OUR Davao correspondent, Mr. Jun Atmosfera, emailed me a few weeks ago that we should have more “Chess Piece” columns dedicated to good practice advice for over-the-board play. Aside from Makogonov’s “theory of the weakest piece” and Larsen’s “no opening problems”, today we will concentrate on a nugget from Nunn’s “Secrets of Practical Chess” and this is on time management.
“When analyzing a given position, it is fair to say that one almost always sees more in the first five minutes than in the next five minutes. The five minutes after that is even less productive, and so on. I have observed that if a player spends more than 20 minutes over a move, the result is almost always a mistake.
“If you have thought about a position for some time and are still unsure what to play, then it is essential to be ruthlessly pragmatic. You have to ask yourself whether further thought is really going to help you make a better decision. Suppose your lengthy cogitation is the result of indecision; for example, say there are two moves, both of which have roughly equal merit. If you have not been able to decide between them up to now, it is reasonable to suppose that there is in fact little to choose between then.
“...My advice is to obey your instinctive feeling as to which of the two moves is better or, if you don’t have any preference, just choose at random.”
Another English GM, Michael Adams, has counseled that you should always choose the more active move, because especially in games with quick time controls, the mistakes cannot be avoided – they will come. Having the more active position gives you more scope to strike a surprise tactical blow on your opponent’s position or, if your game is inferior, allows you more swindling chances.
In the local chess scene we have National Master Efren Bagamasbad, who is a very strong and talented player, but a GM has whispered to me that whenever Efren slumps over into deep thought, the result is usually a mistake. I was a witness to this phenomenon:
Torre, Eugenio (2570) - Bagamasbad, Efren [C02]
FEBTC Open Greenhills (2), 26.02.1997
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Bd7 6.a3 Bb5 7.b4
Not a very common move, but Zvjaginsev used it to score a crucial victory against Volkov in the 1998 Russian Semi-Final tournament in Samara, and since then it has caught on a bit.
7...cxb4 8.Bxb5+ Qxb5 9.cxb4 Nd7 10.Nc3 Qc6 11.Na4 Nb6 12.Nxb6 axb6 13.Bb2 Ne7 14.0–0 Nc8 15.Rc1 Qd7 16.Rc3 Be7 17.Qc2 Bd8 18.Rc1 Ne7 19.Qd3 Nc6 20.R1c2 0–0 21.Bc1 h6 22.Bf4 Na7 23.h4 Nb5 24.Rb3 Be7 25.h5 f5 26.exf6 Bxf6 27.Be5 Qe8 28.Re2 Rc8 29.Re1Rc4 30.a4 Bxe5! 31.Nxe5
It was only here that Eugene noticed what a bad position he had. If
1) 31.dxe5 Rxf3! 32.gxf3 (32.Qxf3? Nd4 33.Qe3 Nxb3 34.Qxb3 Qxh5 black wins easily) 32...Nd4 or
2) 31.Rxe5 Rxf3! 32.gxf3 Nxd4 with a big advantage for the second player in both instances.
31...Nd6 32.Qd1
[32.Nxc4? dxc4 wins]
32...Rc7 33.Rbe3 Ne4 34.Rf1 Rf6 35.b5 Qc8!
Very good, threatening 36...Nxf2 37.Rxf2 Rc1.
36.Ng6!
The defense which offered the most chances. Here is where Efren went into deep thinking. 36...Nxf2 is met by an attack against his e6 with 37.Qe2 and after 37... Ne4 38.Rxf6 gxf6 (38...Nxf6? 39.Rxe6) 39.Qg4 Rc1+ 40.Kh2 Qc7+ (40...Kh7? 41.Qxe6 Qxe6 42.Nf8+) 41.Nf4+ Kh8 42.Qh4 the position is a bit too murky for Efren's taste. Yet that is precisely the route he should have taken. After 45 minutes' thought he played.
36...Rcf7?
Now it is White who gets the advantage.
37.f3 Ng3 38.Rfe1 Nxh5 39.Ne5 Re7 40.Qd2 Rc7 41.Ng4 Rf8 42.Qb4?!
No reason not to take the e6-pawn.
It’s mate on g7 and there’s nothing Black can do about it, except to delay it by sacking his queen, 29…Qxf2+ etc .1–0
42...Nf4 43.g3 Nh3+ 44.Kg2 Ng5 45.Ne5 Rc2+ 46.R1e2 Rxe2+ 47.Rxe2 Qe8 48.Re1 Qc8 49.Qb2 Qa8 50.Qb3 Qa5 51.Re2 Re8 52.Rc2 Qa8 53.Ng6 Qd8 54.Qd3 Nf7 55.Nf4 Qf6 56.Rc7 Qd8 57.Rxb7 Nd6 58.Ra7 1–0
Efren was completely discouraged by the turn of events, yet even in the final position he was not yet lost. Eugene’s remark when he accepted the resignation was “I think you fell asleep!”
Bobby Fischer himself told me that for training purposes he advises that the player take up 10-second chess. This is the form of blitz where you have to make a move within 10 seconds or be forfeited. Practicing in this way will build up your decisiveness.
Here is a rather extreme example of indecisiveness, referred to by Vlastimil Hort as the worst day of his life.
First, some background. GM Hort, then representing Czechoslovakia, reached the candidates’ matches in 1976 by qualifying through the 1976 Manila Interzonal. His first round match was against the former world champion Boris Spassky held in Reykjavik, Iceland. During the latter stages of the competition, Spassky fell ill and was unable to play. During Candidates matches, each player was allotted a fixed number of rest days to accommodate such situations, but Spassky exhausted his entire allocation of time-outs and was still unable to compete. At this point Hort would have been entirely within his rights to claim the match won by forfeit, and indeed many of his peers would have done so. In the event, however, Hort made the sporting gesture of offering Spassky one of his own time-outs so that the ex-champion could complete his recovery. In the last game of the match with the score still tied here is what happened:
Spassky, Boris (2610) - Hort, Vlastimil (2620) [E14]
Candidates QuarterFinals Reykjavik (15), 1977
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.e3 Bb7 5.Bd3 d5 6.0–0 Nbd7 7.b3 Be7 8.Bb2 0–0 9.Nc3 c5 10.Qe2 Rc8 11.Rfd1 Qc7 12.Rac1 Rfe8 13.cxd5 exd5 14.Bf5 g6 15.Bh3 Rcd8 16.Na4 Ne4 17.dxc5 bxc5 18.Bxd7 Qxd7 19.Ne5 Qc7 20.f3 Nf6 21.Nd3 c4 22.Ndc5 Bc6!
Some romantics might be distracted with the possibility of 22...Bxc5 23.Nxc5 Qxc5 24.Bxf6 Rxe3 but it is all a mirage, because White can simply play 25.Qf2! followed by Bd4, and Black gets a lost position.
23.Bd4 Bb5 24.Qf2 Nd7 25.Nxd7 Bxd7 26.Nc3 Bf5!
A deep move. After ...
27.e4 dxe4 28.Nxe4 Bxe4 29.fxe4 c3!
Hort has the advantage. White cannot take the pawn with 30.Rxc3 Qxc3 31.Bxc3 Rxd1+ 32.Be1 Bb4.
30.Rf1 Bb4 31.Bxa7 Rd2 32.Qe3
[32.Qxd2? Qxa7+ 33.Qf2 Bc5]
32...Ra8 33.Bb6 Qd7 34.a4 c2 35.Bc5
Hort can play 35...Qg4! threatening mate on g2. After 36.Rf2 (36.g3 Qh5) 36...Rxf2 White has a very unpleasant choice. If he takes with the queen then 37.Qxf2 Qd1+ 38.Qf1 Bxc5+; with the king allows 37.Kxf2 Bxc5 Qxc5 Qf4+. All of this very elementary for a GM of Hort's stature, but Hort was enjoying himself too much calculating all of the winning tactics and, although he had upwards of 15 minutes left, he allowed his flag to fall. With this he lost the game and, tragically, the match. 1–0
Isn’t this a ridiculous conclusion to the match? Caused by ridiculous indecisiveness. There is a lesson here for all of us.
Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Monday, January 14, 2008.
Chess quote
“Chess is life.”
—Bobby Fischer
BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (2)
Matter of Attitude (Part 1)
MY younger brother, Rudy Ang (who is now by the way the Dean of the John Gokongwei School of Management in Ateneo), spent several years abroad to study for his Master’s degree in Boston College. After graduating at the top of his class he worked for a bank in Boston. Once in a while he would come home to the Philippines for a quick vacation. I never let it on, but I looked forward to these visits – this was during the 80s when I completely gave up chess to earn a living. Rudy would drop by a chess shop in Boston, buy a book, and bring it home to me as a pasalubong. He didn’t play chess himself but usually picked up a good title.
One of these books was “Chess Informant 46”. During these years I would read the Informant from cover to cover, but in the first few games of that book I saw Kasparov vs Ivanchuk, and it completely depressed me. I mean, have you ever followed a Karpov game? If you concentrated hard enough you will see what he is trying to do, and you would marvel at the tremendous resources he is bringing to bear on the position. In other words you can at least follow the idea. Look at this masterpiece.
Karpov, Anatoly (2715) - Shirov, Alexei (2710) [D46]
Biel (13), 1992
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Be2 0–0 8.0–0 dxc4 9.Bxc4 b5 10.Be2 Re8 11.Rd1 Qc7 12.b3 e5 13.h3 Bb7 14.Bb2 a6 15.dxe5 Nxe5
Black's b7-bishop is in a bad place, right? Watch how Karpov works against it.
16.a4! Rad8 17.Ng5!
The idea is to place a knight on e4 and then on c5, completely blockading the bishop. If Shirov plays 17...h6 then 18.Nge4 Be7 19.Nxf6+ Bxf6 20.Ne4 Be7 21.Nc5 completes the outpost.
17...Qe7 18.Nce4 Nxe4 19.Nxe4 Bb4 20.Ng3 f6 21.Bxe5 Qxe5
[21...fxe5 22.Bd3 g6 23.Be4]
22.Bd3 h6
After 22...g6 comes the thematic sacrifice 23.Bxg6 hxg6 24.Qxg6+ Kh8 (24...Kf8 25.Nf5 Qc7 26.Qxf6+ Kg8 27.Nh6+ Kh7 28.Nf7 wins) 25.Qh6+ (of course not 25.Nh5? Qg5) 25...Kg8 26.Nh5.
23.Bg6 Rf8 24.Nf5 c5 25.axb5 axb5 26.Ra7 Qc7 27.Nh4
Threatening 28.Bh7+ Kh8 29.Ng6+
27...Rxd1+ 28.Qxd1 Ra8 29.Qg4!
The rook is immune to capture: 29...Rxa7 30.Qe6+
29...Qc6 30.Rxb7 Qxb7 31.Qe6+ Kh8
[31...Kf8 32.Be4 Qc8 33.Ng6#]
32.Be4
Shirov resigns. He is powerless to prevent Ng6+, Kh7, Ne7+, Kh8, Qf5 followed by mate. 1–0
Looking at a Kasparov game is like chess of a different league. You have no idea what is going on – he suddenly gives up a pawn for no reason, opens up his own king position and out of the blue he has a mating attack, and Ivanchuk has to resign. And you know, Ivanchuk is not just any riffraff grandmaster – he is, in fact, one of the strongest players in the world!
Kasparov, Garry (2760) - Ivanchuk, Vassily (2625) [A29]
URS-ch Moscow, 1988
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0
In his 1987 World Championship match against Karpov, Garry with White had this position on the board three times and lost twice. You can be sure that he is armed to the teeth in this line. Only such a player as Chuckie would dare to face him here.
6...e4 7.Ng5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Re8 9.f3
Obviously, White must get rid of the e4-pawn in order to develop his pieces normally. Besides, opening up the f-file cannot be wrong.
9...exf3
In the aforementioned world champion match Karpov unleashed the novelty 9...e3!?, although Garry found a good reply: 10.d3 d5 11.Qb3! Na5 12.Qa3 c6 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.f4 Nc6 15.Rb1 Qc7 White had the edge because of his opponents' weak pawns. That he eventually lost the game was due to time trouble, not from the position he got from the opening. Kasparov, G (2740)-Karpov, A (2700)/ Seville WCh match 1987 0–1 (32).
This was a big surprise for me - why didn't he take the pawn on d5. Surely after 11.cxd5 Qxd5 12.Nd4 White would have the advantage? Actually, no. Later on it dawned on me that after 12...Qh5! 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.e3 (14.Bxc6? Qc5+) 14...Bg4 Black has good attacking prospects. That is exactly my point, however. "It dawned on me" after many many hours of analysis, while Kasparov saw it in his mind's eye during the game.
11...Ne4
I am losing the thread. Why didn't Black just take the pawn on c4? Apparently he was afraid of 11...dxc4 12.Bg5 when the pressure on f6 is too much to bear, especially in view of the half-open f-file. A sample line is 12...h6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Ne5 and there is a double attack on f7 and c4. White restores material parity with the better position to boot.
12.Qc2!
Still intent on giving up the pawn on c4.
12...dxc4 13.Rb1!!
Such a move would never have entered my head. Apparently, its purpose is to prevent ...Bf5 because of the weakness of the b7-pawn.
13...f5
14.g4!
A big shock. He gives up a pawn and at the same time opens up his king position.
14...Qe7
So why didn't Ivanchuk take the g-pawn? Kasparov indicated that the continuation would be 14...fxg4 15.Ne5! Nxe5 16.Bxe4 Ng6 17.Bxg6 hxg6 18.Qxg6 Qd7 19.d5! b6 (19...Qe7 20.Ba3 Qe3+ 21.Rf2) 20.Ba3 Bb7 21.e4 c5 22.Rf5 Rxe4 23.Rbf1 Bxd5 24.Rh5). Unbelievable.
15.gxf5 Nd6
Another surprise. Why can't Ivanchuk retake the pawn? Well ... 15...Bxf5 16.Ng5! g6 17.Nxe4 Bxe4 18.Bxe4 Qxe4 19.Qxe4 Rxe4 20.Rxb7 Ne7 (20...Rc8 21.Bh6! Rh4 22.Rxc7) 21.Rxc7 Nf5 22.Rxc4 and it is now White who has the extra pawns!
16.Ng5 Qxe2 17.Bd5+ Kh8 18.Qxe2 Rxe2 19.Bf4
White is already winning. The immediate threat is 20.Bxd6 cxd6 21.Rbe1 and he takes over the e-file with the inevitable mating threats.
19...Nd8
Nothing works:
1) 19...Bxf5 20.Bxd6 Bxb1 21.Nf7+ Kg8 22.Nd8+ Kh8 23.Rf8 mate!;
2) 19...Ne7 20.Bf3 Rxa2 21.Bxd6 cxd6 22.Rbe1 winning material.l
20.Bxd6 cxd6 21.Rbe1! Rxe1 22.Rxe1 Bd7 23.Re7 Bc6 24.f6! 1-0
Chuckie resigns because after 24...Bxd5 25.Re8+ Bg8 26.f7 Nxf7 27.Nxf7 is mate.
Does the reader feel like me that the moves were played on a plane of existence above our own? We are still trying to figure out what they are trying to do and then POW! They have done it.
With people like Karpov, Anand, and Kramnik, you get a different feeling – you can follow their games, but you can also appreciate the high level of refinement, efficiency, and thoughtfulness they bring into play.
On the other hand, there are very strong GMs around who bring none of that. Their style is pragmatism, just building up their position and waiting for you to make a mistake. We will have more to say about this next Chess Piece.
Reader comments and /or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Friday, January 18, 2008.
Chess quote
“A chess game is divided into three stages: the first, when you hope you have the advantage, the second when you believe you have an advantage, and the third... when you know you're going to lose!”—Savielly Tartakower
Chess trivia
“The history of chess goes back at least 1,400 years, where the game originated in India and Persia.”—From the Internet
FROM MY SWIVEL CHAIR
Day of grief and joy
IT came like a shockingly cold wintry North Wind from the Arctic Circle, that sad news of the death of Bobby Fischer in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik. And we Filipinos grieved over the totally unexpected passing of our bearded hero who had lived incognito in our midst for many months four years ago.
Then came the tropical South Wind from equatorial Indonesia with the glad tidings that two of our players had earned their grandmaster and international master titles—Jayson Gonzales and Rolando Nolte, two of our most amiable friends. And we welcomed it with joy
Somehow we managed to cope with both powerful emotions that left many of us totally spent in woe and wonder over the passing of both events in just one day.
To recapture the significance of Fischer and Reykjavik, I have decided to publish a highly personalized tribute to the greatest chess iconoclast of them all from a friend who wishes to remain anonymous.
“Like many teenagers hooked to the game, we followed the Fischer-Spassky match, which began on July 11 and ended late August, by buying newspapers, both morning and evening papers for the scores and analysis by local masters.
“The Match set many us on chess for life. When Martial Law was declared on Sept 23, 1972, it was a Saturday, the last day of prelim exams at UST. In that frenzied afternoon, I borrowed The Golden Treasury of Chess by Father Francis Wellmuth from a political science senior, with the promise to return it when classes would resume.
“Wellmuth and the Fischer-Spassky Match made days meaningful, but one still longed for the companionship of new friends in college. Since meeting in Cubao or Escolta was out of the question, phone calls was the best option.
“The chess bug, inflicted by Fischer's rousing victory, was everywhere. Perhaps it helped ease the boredom and uncertainty of military rule for many young Filipinos.
“Those halcyon days of 1972, 36 years ago, acquire meaning with the death of Bobby Fischer, a balm for many Filipinos faced with uncertainty during Martial Law. There was always a chess game tomorrow, even if there were no classes.
“When classes resumed in October, there was no time for chess since catching up on schoolwork was vital. After the second semester opened in November, chess life at the Faculty of Arts and Letters at UST resumed, the game boomed. Wellmuth's black volume game collection was returned, the joys extracted from it.
“There were chess clubs along Avenida, Rizal. One was the Alekhine Chess Club near UE and Double Check near Odeon Theater. With Eugene fast-rising and Bobby's glamor, it was hip to play chess.
“Now, older, balder, fatter, we can only pine for those days. Sometimes, we recreate the magic replaying games, breathing tournament atmosphere. Like the firefly, fast growing extinct in Metro Manila, the allure of chess lives only for a moment, a flicker.”
To new GM Gonzales and new IM Nolte, congratulations from The Weekender readers.
You have both done us proud, indeed!
The Weekender
Quezon Memorial Circle
Quezon City
Manuel O. Benitez
Editor & Publisher
Alfredo V. Chay
Circulation Manager
Published every weekend
NOT FOR SALE!
Hi there
The pictures you are about to see are from the camera I brought. Mark's photos have not come in so let's wait for awhile. Hope you like the pictures...
Mr. John Sy, the man behind the Chess Program of Xavier School
La Immaculada Concepcion School, three time Xavier Chess Tournament Champion 
Ooops This one is Fluffy, Shawn's crazy, lion look-alike Pomeranian:
Here's the standings from 4th Xavier Invitational Interscholastic Chess Tournament sent in by Mr. John Sy, thanks!
GS Team Standings
Place Name Score
1 LA SALLE 10.5
2 CSA-A 9.5
3 ISM-A 9
4 LICS 8.5
5 ATENEO-A 7.5
6-7 SOUTHRIDGE-A 7
ISM-B 7
8 CSA-B 5
9 SOUTHRIDGE-B 4
10-12 XAVIER-B 3.5
XAVIER-A 3.5
XAVIER-E 3.5
13-15 XAVIER-D 3
XAVIER-C 3
ISM-C 3
16 MGIS 2.5
17 ATENEO-B 2
18 LSM 1
HS Team Standings
Place Name Score
1 LICS-B 9.5
2 LICS-A 8.5
3-4 XAVIER-A 7
LA SALLE 7
5 XAVIER-B 6
6 SOUTHRIDGE-A 5.5
7 XAVIER-C 5
8 CSA-A 3.5
9-10 SOUTHRIDGE-B 1
LSM 1
11 CSA-B 0
GS Individual Standings
Place Name Score Buch. Berg. Wins Progr.
1-7 Catindig, Pearl 3 8.5 5.50 3 9.0
Bersamina, Paulo 3 8.0 5.00 3 9.0
Jang, Jae Woo 3 8.0 5.00 3 9.0
Ramos, Alfonso 3 7.5 5.00 3 9.0
Go, Paul 3 7.0 4.00 3 9.0
Vizcarra, Philip 3 6.5 3.50 3 9.0
Nuestro, Angelo Ezekiel 3 6.0 3.00 3 9.0
8-9 Jang, Jun Woo 2.5 7.0 2.75 2 8.0
Abundo, Ronald 2.5 6.5 3.25 2 8.0
10-27 Andaman, Greg Luigi 2 8.0 3.00 2 7.0
Hsieh, Andy 2 8.0 3.00 2 7.0
Lumacad, Jerome 2 8.0 3.00 2 7.0
Uy, Trevor 2 8.0 3.00 2 6.0
Jeon, Yo Han 2 7.0 3.00 2 6.0
Sy, Tyler 2 7.0 3.00 2 6.0
Fernandez, Sam 2 7.0 2.00 2 7.0
Morales, Justin 2 7.0 2.00 2 7.0
Victorino, Daniel 2 7.0 2.00 2 7.0
Peralta, Migz 2 7.0 2.00 2 6.0
Pumarega, Gabriel 2 6.5 1.50 2 6.0
Hernandez, James 2 6.0 2.00 2 5.0
Labadan, RC 2 6.0 2.00 2 5.0
Madarang, Jerome 2 5.5 2.00 2 6.0
Kim, Max 2 5.0 2.00 2 5.0
Ting, Kyle 2 5.0 1.00 2 5.0
Wong, Paul Vincent 2 5.0 1.00 2 5.0
Nicolas, Jet 2 4.5 2.00 2 5.0
28-33 Fulcher, Lawrean 1.5 7.0 2.25 1 5.0
Edano, Benedict 1.5 7.0 1.25 1 3.5
Lorenzo, Steven 1.5 5.5 0.75 1 3.5
Nuestro, Angelo Isaiah 1.5 5.5 0.75 1 3.5
Ramos, Noah 1.5 5.0 1.25 1 3.5
Peralta, Enzo 1.5 4.0 0.75 1 4.0
34-53 Chua, Aidan 1 7.5 1.50 1 4.0
Castillo, Patrick 1 7.0 2.00 1 4.0
Wong, Paul Lawrence 1 7.0 0.00 0 3.0
Melwani, Joshua 1 7.0 0.00 0 1.0
Ng, Ian 1 6.5 1.00 1 3.0
Lee, Eldrin 1 6.0 1.00 1 4.0
Tambunting, Isaac 1 6.0 1.00 1 4.0
Manalac, Victor 1 6.0 1.00 1 3.0
Kang, Mosae 1 6.0 0.50 1 4.0
Uy, Trent 1 6.0 0.50 1 4.0
Andaman, Greg Dominic 1 6.0 0.00 1 4.0
Tung, Jason 1 6.0 0.00 1 4.0
Sopungco, Andrew 1 6.0 0.00 1 3.0
Tan, Spencer 1 6.0 0.00 1 2.0
Ang, Erwin 1 5.5 0.00 1 2.0
Hou, Jefferson 1 5.0 1.00 1 3.0
Tan, Aaron 1 5.0 0.00 1 2.0
Uy, Hendrik 1 5.0 0.00 0 2.0
Chua, Andrea 1 4.5 1.00 1 2.0
Ramos, Lucas 1 4.0 0.00 1 2.0
54-57 Chua, Andrew 0.5 5.5 0.75 0 1.5
Tan, Brucie 0.5 5.0 0.25 0 1.5
Tiu, Patrick 0.5 4.5 0.75 0 1.5
Lee, Shawn 0.5 3.5 0.25 0 1.5
58-61 Christensen, Shawn 0 5.5 0.00 0 0.0
Lee, Vince 0 5.0 0.00 0 0.0
Melwani, Lynlyn 0 4.0 0.00 0 0.0
Kho, Nymark 0 3.0 0.00 0 0.0
HS Individual Standings
Place Name Score Buch. Berg. Wins Progr.
1-2 Revalo, Clinton 3 7.5 4.50 3 9.0
Pimentel, Joel 3 7.0 4.00 3 9.0
3-5 Javier, Collins 2.5 8.0 4.25 2 8.0
Porquez, Basil 2.5 7.5 4.25 2 8.0
Chan, Trevor 2.5 7.0 3.50 2 7.5
6-16 De Lara, Marlo 2 8.0 3.00 2 6.0
Go, Kevin 2 7.5 2.50 2 7.0
Lahoz, Miguel 2 7.0 3.00 1 6.0
Yee, Marvin 2 7.0 3.00 1 5.5
Bolico, Expedito 2 7.0 2.50 2 6.0
Lorca, Kevin 2 6.5 2.25 1 6.5
Fulcher, Steaven 2 6.5 2.00 2 6.0
Coherco, Wayne 2 6.5 1.00 2 7.0
Coraje, Hiezel 2 6.0 2.50 1 5.5
Pe, Justin 2 5.0 1.00 2 5.0
Capinpin, Nikki 2 4.0 1.00 2 5.0
17-21 Go, Jeffrey 1.5 7.0 1.75 1 4.0
Ledesma, Mervin 1.5 6.5 2.00 1 5.0
Lumacang, Joseph 1.5 6.0 1.75 1 5.0
Bautista, Martin 1.5 4.5 0.75 1 4.0
Sy, Marc 1.5 4.5 0.75 1 4.0
22-32 Medalla, Bien 1 7.0 2.00 1 4.0
Dunton, Dred 1 7.0 1.00 1 4.0
Tan, Jefferson 1 6.5 1.00 1 3.0
Ongsyping, Anderson 1 6.0 1.50 0 3.0
Sopungco, Aaron 1 6.0 1.00 1 3.0
Ancanan, Mark 1 5.5 1.25 0 3.0
Nuestro, Angelo 1 5.5 0.00 1 3.0
Yao, Payton 1 5.0 0.00 1 4.0
Duay, Jon Carlo 1 4.5 0.00 1 2.0
Magbanua, Jezreel 1 4.0 0.00 1 2.0
Ramos, Antonito 1 3.5 0.00 1 2.0
33-36 Diesmos, Johann 0 6.0 0.00 0 0.0
Obrero, Marvin 0 5.0 0.00 0 0.0
Anisco, James 0 4.5 0.00 0 0.0
Haw, Martey 0 3.5 0.00 0 0.0
Hi there!
The 1st to 3rd rounds of 4th Xavier Interscholastic Invitational Chess Tournament happened last Saturday, January 19, 2007. It was a good Saturday for me for a lot of reasons.
It was by far the biggest Xavier Chess Tournament and yes (so sorry Mr. John!) it was late by an hour and a half. Let's be clear on this though: the organizers were there, Mr. Alex Dinoy (of the Shell Active Chess) was there too ready to do the arbitration but we had to wait for some schools.
During the wait, I had the chance to chat and observe other chess coaches. Interestingly, Southridge School's chess coach Mr. Lito Aguilar asked me a great question, Am I a Master? to which John replied quickly, "Ibang master yan!" and Sonny (of ISM) "Master Rapper yan!" Hay hay hay!
Well, I have to write more stuffs now because am waiting for the file download sent to me by Marc, the student, potographer and chess player of Xavier who was kind enough to give into my request for the pictures he took last Saturday.
Ok, while waiting here's a run down of the schools who participated last Saturday here's a rundown of the participating schools:
1. La Salle Greenhills-LSGH(Grade School and High School)
2. La Immaculada Concepcion School
3. Colegio de San Agustin (Makati)
4. Southridge School
5. Ateneo de Manila University
6. International School Manila
7. Mahatma Gandhi International School (ISM)
8. Lourdes School -Quezon City (Independent)
9. Xavier School
LSGH boys are favored to bring home the top prizes both for for grade school and high school division. Ateneo, I was told by their very friendly coach, NM Butel(maybe wrong spelling), sent their development team which is a good move to allow their upcoming players the chance and experience to play on their own without their stars. Hay! It's so good to have a "farm team"!
I was able to chat with Sir Sonny, the coach of ISM who generously shared to his insights on way to deal with chess club and other coaching issues. My goodness,ISM's players have improved a lot! In third round for grade school, I think I saw at least three greened-shirt (ISM) players playing on top boards! Great!
Of course, the three time Xavier Invitational champions, LICS always have players playing or fighting on the top boards, be it in grade school or high school category.
And yes, for my team, we managed to get 1.5 points out of possible 12 points. Huhuhu! Long way to go, long way!
Oops! Before I forget although the whole world knows it... The great Robert "Bobby" Fischer is dead at 64! The pride and sorrow of the chess kingdom! I got the message from NM Erwin Carag around 5 in the morning and man oh man! I was surprised to with what I felt. I felt bad, really! I never thought I'd be affected by news of his death. Don't know why but I suppose it's because I haven't had the chance of seeing him play actively during this phase in my life, chess life.
The chess world lost one of our greatest! It's time to move on Bobby!
Whatever happened to the 1st NCFP Congress last Saturday? I heard it pushed thruin Tagaytay and the newspapers says Congressman Pichay won the presidential seat again together with 14 other directors. Let's see what's next after this.
GM Gonzales is the ninth Fiiipino GM and the third one in less than 6 months!
Here's an announcement from NAPCA:
To : Sports Department of Cities and Municipalities,
Chess Clubs, Schools and Organization
From : The joint project of the National Chess Federation of the
Philippines and the National Association of Philippine
Chess Arbiters, Inc.
Subject : 2nd NCFP ARBITERS' SEMINAR
February 9-10, 2008 Baguio City
In cognizant to the just concluded FIDE Arbiters Seminar held September 21-24, 2007 at Cebu international Convention Center, Mandaue, Cebu City . It is important that some of the delegates of the prestigious International Seminar will share their skills and knowledge in the Laws of Chess to the participants of the NCFP Chess Arbiters Seminar.
This seminar is a fitting follow-up of the program to discover qualified Arbiters ready to officiate in CHESS activities nationwide. Our move is to support the program of NCFP under the leadership of President Prospero ?Butch? Pichay and Secretary-General Abraham ?Bambol? Tolentino.
A joint project of NCFP and NAPCA Arbiters Program cordially invites your representative to attend the NCFP CHESS ARBITERS? SEMINAR on February 9 ( 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ) to February 10 ( 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ) 2007 at the Seminar Room- University of Baguio , Baguio City .
Facilitators
INTERNATIONAL ARBITER WILLY ABALOS
Chairman, Committee on Tournament Organization & Management
National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP)
FIDE ARBITER & INSTRUCTOR ATTY. ROMMEL TACORDA
Chairman, National Association of Philippine Chess Arbiters (NAPCA)
The seminar registration fee is only Php 1,500.00 inclusive of food, materials, Seminar Uniform and other paraphernalia. Certified Arbiters will be issued by a Certificate of Completion to be signed by President and Secretary-General of NCFP.
For registration and inquiries please contact FA Ilann Perez, NCFP 381-7224 / 09053269576 or NAPCA Teddy Sarmiento (Baguio City) Rolando Suarez(Central) 8863478 / 757-9253 / 09167716369 or Rolando Li��West) 671-7256 / 09179934851 / 09215307050 / 09166169586 or Avelino Carredo(East) 4305342 / 09208889412 or Joseph Estallo (North) 8826288 / 09228914199 or Leo Erazo(South) 09206460671 or Joseph Estallo 09228914199 or Francis Geriane 5415761. Registration Forms available at NCFP or NAPCA.
Hi!
I found a website about Philippine Chess last week and it contains chess news sometime during the neo-establishment of the NCFP. It ocntains lots of news articles which is a good source of Philippine Chess history. I don't really know who owns it but it's really nice.
Here it is:
http://members.tripod.com/archkman/index.htm.
Check it out!
Hi there!
Received a newslink about the The Regional Trial Court Branch 90 of Quezon City issuing a Temporary Restraining Order Wednesday to stop the First NCFP Congress on January 19, 2008 in Tagaytay. That's tomorrow folks and am thrilled to tell you I don't know what's going to happen about Philippine Chess after this. A showdown? or a No show? or a show off?
Anyways, here's the link sent in to me:
http://sports.inquirer.net/inquirersports/inquirersports/view/20080117-112925/TRO-stops-chess-polls
TRO stops chess polls
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:47:00 01/17/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- There will be no election of officers of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines scheduled on Jan. 19 in Tagaytay City.
The Regional Trial Court Branch 90 of Quezon City issued a Temporary Restraining Order Wednesday calling for the group headed by NCFP president Prospero Pichay Jr. to cease and desist from conducting the elections slated at the Tagaytay Convention Center.
Judge Reynaldo Daway signed the TRO based on a petition filed by another NCFP group headed by lawyer Sammy Estimo on Tuesday.
The petitioners, who also include NCFP board chair Matias Defensor, Go Teng Kok, Jesus Torre, Brig. Gen. Arturo Carillo, Dr. Jenny Mayor, Raul Molintas and Eduardo Madrid, want the election to be held on Feb. 2 at the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City. Jeannette I. Andrade
Chess Congress to push thru in Tagaytay, says Pichay:
The FIRST NATIONAL CHESS FEDERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES National COnress will push through as scheduled on Jan. 19 at the Tagaytay INternational Convention Center in Tagaytay City, according to NCFP President Prospero "Butch" Pichay.
Pichay called on all officers and members of duly recognized chess clubs and affiliates to attend the assembly.
On Wednesday...
Extra!!! The Chess Plaza Weekender
Thursday, 17 January 2008
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City Weekday Edition
PINOY GEMS SPARKLING IN INDONESIA
So, Paragua, Torre shine in 8th round
RP trio still leading in Group B; Mendoza in 2nd win
WITH three more rounds to go, three Filipino grandmasters started flexing their muscles with sparkling wins in all three categories of the Asean Masters Circuit’s inaugural leg in the Indonesian city of Tarakan in East Kalimantan (Borneo).
In Group A, GMs Wesley So, 14, and Eugenio Torre, 56, outclassed their rivals while GM Mark Paragua strengthened his bid for the gold in Group B with a mini-sparkler of a game against Indonesian GM Herman Ardiyansah.
In Group C, WIM Beverly Mendoza posted her second win in a thrilling duel of wits with up-and-coming Singaporean WFM Victoria Chan to raise her rank to a tie for fifth to seventh places.
Wesley remained in solo second with 5.5 points after posting a brilliant win against Indonesian GM Nasib Ginting.
The Filipino wunderkind, however, was only half a point ahead of IM Tirto of Indonesia, who had also trounced his compatriot, IM Tirta Chandra Purnama.
Former Chinese champion Zhang Zhong, now playing under the Singaporean flag, towered
over his 11 rivals in Group A with 7.0 points and it looked like he was on the verge of clinching the gold.
With his latest win, Torre climbed to a tie for fourth to fifth with Indonesian GM Susanto Megaranto. They had 4.5 points each, decidedly within striking distance of So and Tirto.
Asia’s trailblazing grandmaster has been on a virtual rollercoaster ride in Tarakan.
In Group B, GM Paragua seemed certain of capturing the gold with his lofty score of 7.0 points from six wins and two draws.
He was a full point ahead of GM-candidate Jayson Gonzales, who was held to a draw in the eighth by GM Cerdas Barus.
Filipino Fide Master Rolando Nolte, however, was on shaky ground in a tie for third to fourth with his eighth-round nemesis, Armenian IM Ashot Nadanian. They each had 5.0 points.
Just half a point behind them was Indonesian FM Syarif Mahmud, followed by Filipino National master Oliver Barbosa and Indonesian IM Salor Sitanggang with 4.0 each.
In Group C, solo leader IM Irwanto Sadikin had a phenomenal 7.5 points from eight games to lead his closest rival and compatriot, GM Edhi Handoko, by 1.5 points.
Trailing behind the leaders were FM Graham Chua of Singapore and Evi Lindiwati of Indonesia with 4.5 each, followed by Vietnamese WFM Nguyen Thi May Hung, WIM Mendoza and Singaporean WFM Jeslin Tay with 4.5 each.
Giant-killer Christy Lamiel Bernales, the 14-year-old who had shone in the first few rounds until she stumbled against WIM Mendoza in last, remained pegged to the eighth place with 3.5 after suffering her third straight loss in the eighth to group leader IM Sadikin.
GM Paragua produced a brilliant gem of a game as he made short shrift of the Sicilian Defense, Taimanov Variation, put up by veteran GM Ardiyansah.
Here is the score as analyzed by Fritz:
M. Paragua (2521) – H. Ardiyansah (2409)
Rd 8, Sicilian Taimanov (B49)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qc7 Not 4...d5 5.exd5 Qxd5 6.Be3! 5.Nc3± e6 6.Be2 Nf6 7.0–0 a6 Secures b5 8.Be3 Bb4 9.Na4 Rb8 9...0–0 10.Bd3 would have equalized 10.c4 10.a3 Be7 11.Nc3 0–0 could help Black Bd6 Fritz suggests 10...Nxe4!?, e.g., 11.Qd3 f5, with equality 11.f4 Nxe4 12.Bf3 Nf6? 12...Bxf4!? should be studied more closely, says Fritz: 13.Bxf4 Qxf4 14.Nxc6 bxc6! 13.Nf5 exf5 14.Bb6 Qxb6+ 15.Nxb6 Bc5+ 16.Kh1 Bxb6 17.Re1+ 17.Qd6 Kd8 is also playable Kd8 18.b4 Bc7 19.b5 Na5??
The losing moment, says Fritz. 20.b6 Bxb6 21.Qd6! The clincher: 21.Qd6 Ba7 22.Qe7+ Kc7 23.Qe5+ d6 24.Qxa5+ Bb6 25.Re7+ Bd7 26.Qxf5! 1–0
The most thrilling eighth-round duel arose between GM So and IM Ginting.
W. So (2526) – N. Ginting (2393)
Rd 8, Sicilian Richter-Rauzer (B65)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 Be7 8.0–0–0 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 0–0 10.f4 Qa5 11.h4 Not 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qxe5 b5! Rd8 12.Qe3 h6 13.Be2 Bd7 Not 13...hxg5 because of 14.hxg5 g6 15.Qh3!, 14.Qg3 Kh8 14...hxg5 would still be a mistake: 15.hxg5 Kf8 16.Rh8+ Ng8 17.Qh4 Bxg5 18.fxg5! 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Ng8 17.Qf4 17.Rhf1 Be8 18.Bd2 Bc5 benefits Black Be8 18.Bd3 f6 19.exf6 Bxf6 19...gxf6 is bad, e.g., 20.Bxh6 Rac8 21.Bc4 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1! 20.Bxf6 Nxf6 21.g4 e5 22.Qf1 Bc6 23.g5 Ng8 24.Rg1 e4 25.gxh6 Nxh6 26.Qg2 Nf5 27.Bxe4 Rxd1+ 28.Rxd1 Ne3 29.Qg6 29.Qf3 may be better, e.g., 29…Bxe4 30.Qxe3, with a huge advantage Bxe4 30.Nxe4 Rc8 30...Qf5 31.Qxf5 Nxf5 should reduce White’s advantage 31.c3! Nxd1? 32.Ng5 Rxc3+ 33.Kb1 Fritz says 33.bxc3 was playable Rc1+ 34.Kxc1 Qc5+ 35.Kb1 Nc3+ 36.bxc3 Qb5+ 37.Ka1! Disheartened that he could not trap White’s king, Black resigns..
1–0
68TH ARMENIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Petrosian strikes again
FAST-RISING Armenian star Tigran L. Petrosian struck again in the seventh round, beating his tokayo, Tigran Kotanjian, in 38 moves from White’s side of the Ruy Lopez, to tighten his grip on the lead with 6.0 points from five wins and two draws.
Petrosian, who has vowed to follow in the footsteps of his namesake, the late ex-world champion from the defunct Soviet Union, boosted his lead by 1.5 points over the top seed, Smbat Lputian, whom he fought to a draw in the sixth canto.
Lputian stayed within striking distance of the solo leader by crushing Ashot Anastasian with Black in just 20 moves of a French Winawer to raise his score to 4.5, just 1.5 behind with six more rounds to go.
Snapping at Lputian’s heels in the race for top honors were the Minasian brothers, Ara and Artashes, and Samvel Ter-Sahakyan, who had 4.0 each in a tie for third to fifth places.
In solo sixth was Anastasian with 3.5, followed by four three-pointers, namely, Kotanjian, Karen Asrian. Zaven Andrasian and Arman Pashikian.
An Internet report said Petrosian was not related at all to his namesake, the late world champion who was a Russian-born ethnic Armenian.
Standings after 8 rounds:
Group A
7.0 points -- Z. Zhong (SIN); 5.5 -- W. So (RP); 5.0 -- Tirto (INA); 4.5 -- S. Megaranto (INA), E. Torre (RP); 4 -- M. Hafizulhelmi (MAL), H. Nouri (RP); 3.5 -- C. Purnama (INA); 3.0 -- N. Ginting (Indonesia), C. Kosasih (INA), N. Situru (INA); 1.0 -- B. Nadera (RP)
Group B
7.0 points -- M. Paragua (RP); 6.0 -- J. Gonzales (RP); 5.0 -- R. Nolte (RP), A. Nadanian (ARM); 4.5 -- S. Mahmud (INA); 4.0 -- O. Barbosa (RP); I. Sitanggang (INA); 3.5 -- S. Prayitno (INA); 3.0 -- C. Barus (INA), H. Ardiansyah (INA); 2.5 -- T.M. Mk (MAL); 0.5 -- I. Sukandar (INA)
WIM Section
7.5 points -- I. Sadikin (INA); 6.0 -- E. Handoko (INA); 5.0 -- G. Chua (SIN), E. Lindiawati (INA); 4.5 -- T.M. Hung (VIE); B. Mendoza (RP), J. Tay (SIN); 3.5 -- C. Bernales (RP); 2.5 -- T. Handayani (INA); 2.0 -- V. Chan (SIN); 1.5 -- N. Verdiana (INA), D. Citra (INA)
MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino Grandmaster Mark Paragua trounced veteran GM Herman Ardiansyah of Indonesia in the eighth round Wednesday to boost his lead in the inaugural ASEAN Masters Chess Circuit in the Indonesian city of Tarakan in East Kalimantan (Borneo).
The still-unbeaten Paragua prevailed with white in only 21 moves of a Sicilian Defense, Taimanov variation, to show the way in the 12-player Grandmaster B category with 7.0 points on six wins and two draws.
The win gave the 23-year-old campaigner from Quezon City a one-point lead over fellow Filipino campaigner International Master Jayson Gonzales going into the final three rounds of the 36-player tournament.
Gonzales, who is seeking to become the country’s ninth GM, drew his match against GM Cerdas Barus of Indonesia after 103 moves of the Queen’s Indian Defense to stay in second place.
Gonzales, also coach of UAAP champion Far Eastern University, needs to score 2.5 points in the remaining three rounds to earn his third and last GM norm.
Another Filipino, National Master Rolando Nolte, slipped to a tie for third and fourth places with five points after losing the eighth-round match to Ashot Nadanian of Armenia after 47 moves of the Ruy Lopez opening.
FIDE Master Oliver Barbosa drew with FM Syarif Mahmud of Indonesia to stay in fifth place with four points.
In the category-9 Group A division, GM Wesley So whipped IM Nasib Ginting of Indonesia in 37 pushes of another Sicilian to stay in solo second place behind top seed GM Zhang Zhong of Singapore.
The 14-year-old So has 5.5 points on four wins, three draws and only one loss.
Zhang, who handed So his only loss in the third round, is now one and a half points ahead with seven points.
Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre defeated IM Nathaniel Situru of Indonesia in 49 moves of the Sicilian Alapin to move into a two-way tie for fourth place with GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia with 4.5 points.
In the women’s section, WIM Beverly Mendoza crushed WFM Victoria Chan of Singapore in 50 moves of another Sicilian to climb into a tie for fifth place with 5.5 points.
Mendoza, however, is a full three points behind runaway leader Irwanto Sadikin of Indonesia.
Another Filipina, Christy Lamiel Bernales, suffered her fourth straight setback at the hands of Sadikin and remained with only 3.5 points. Marlon Bernardino, contributor
And here's another Weekender, Extra Edition from Mr. Manny Benitez:
Extra!!! The Chess Plaza Weekender
Wednesday, 16 Jan. 2008
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City Weekday Edition
AS TORRE LOSES ANEW IN TARAKAN
Wesley whips Barlo to take solo second
RP trio intact in Group B as Jayson closes in on Mark
By Marlon Bernardino
THE world’s youngest grandmaster appeared to regain his form in the ongoing Asean Masters Circuit in Tarakan with a brilliant win on Tuesday to seize solo second place.
Fourteen-year-old Wesley So, officially recognized now as a grandmaster by the tournament organizers, outclassed his compatriot, IM Barlo Nadera, to stay 1.5 points behind Group A solo leader GM Zhang Zhong of Singapore, a former national champion of China who had dealt him his only loss in the third round.
In other developments:
● GM Mark Paragua and Fide Master Rolando Nolte played a peaceful draw to conserve their 1-2-3 positions in Group B even as IM Jayson Gonzales soared to solo second past Nolte in third with a well-execute win against Malaysian FM Mok TzeMeng, Paragua led with 6.0 points, followed by Gonzales with 5.5 and Nolte 5.0 in an all-Filipino show of strength.
● GM Eugenio Torre suffered his second loss in Group A to slide back to a tie for sixth and seventh places with equally unlucky Indonesian GM Susanto Megaranto, who also suffered his second loss. They had 3.5 each, half a point behind IM Tirto of Indonesia, NM Hamed Nouri of the Philippines and IM Mas. Hafizulhelmi of Malaysia.
● In Group C, 14-year-old WNM Christy Lamiel Bernales suffered her third loss to drop to a tie for sixth to seventh places. She had been in second place until she lost her delayed first-round game to WIM Beverly Mendoza last Sunday. Still in first place with 6.5 points from seven games was Indonesian IM Irwanto Sadikin, followed by his compatriot, GM Edhi Handoko, and FM Graham Chua of Singapore in a tie for second and third with 5.5 points.
In a stunning display of tactical fireworks, Wesley (White) went after Barlo with what looked at first as a premature assault led by a knight and a bishop to tear Black’s French Defense barricades apart.
The assault was triggered by an innocent-looking pawn sacrifice on the sixth turn that enabled White to quickly penetrate Black’s position and send his king fleeing as early as the 12th move.
After a few more moves, it was clear that Black’s position was on the verge of collapse as Wesley massed all his forces against the fleeing king.
The end came on the 29th turn when Wesley checked the enemy monarch with his knight backed up by his queen, a bishop and two rooks all aimed at Black’s weakened back rank.
It was the Bacoor schoolboy’s third win, his first having been against GM Megaranto in the fifth round and the second against NM Nouri in their delayed first-round duel.
GM So had drawn three games—against Indonesian FM Cecep Koshashi in the second round, GM Torre in the fourth and IM Tirto in the sixth.
His only loss was to GM Zhang in the third round.
Here is the score of Wesley’s brilliant win as analyzed with the help of Fritz:
W. So (2526) – B. Nadera (2417)
Rd 7, Asean Masters, Tarakan 2008
French Defense (C17)]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Ba5 6.b4 cxb4 7.Nb5 Nc6 8.axb4 Bxb4+ 9.c3 Be7 10.Ba3 a6 11.Bxe7 Ngxe7 12.Nd6+ Kf8 13.Bd3 Qc7 14.Qh5 Nd8 15.Ne2 Bd7 16.0–0 Nc8 17.Nxc8 Rxc8 18.f4 Qb6 If 18...Kg8 19.Rf3!, with distinct advantage 19.Rab1 Not 19.Bxh7 Bb5 20.Rfb1 Qc6Q! Qa7 20.Kh1 Not 20.Bxh7?! b6, and Black equalizes b5 21.f5 exf5 22.Bxf5 Rc6 Fritz suggests 22...Kg8 23.Nf4! Rxc3??. 23...Bxf5 24.Qxf5 Qe7 gives White a big lead 24.e6! Bc6 25.Rbe1 26.e7+! Ke8 27.exd8=N+! Kxd8 28.Qxf7 Qf6 29.Ne6+! The coup de grace, and Black resigns as he will still get mated even if he gives up his queen. 1–0
With four more rounds to go, IM Gonzales, FM Nolte and NM Nouri looked likely to earn their GM and IM norms.
TITANIC STRUGGLE IN WIJK AAN ZEE
Aronian, Carlsen still lead after draw
EARLY leaders Levon Aronian of Armenia and his teenaged Norwegian rival, Magnus Carlsen, held on to their joint lead after battling to a draw in the fourth round of the Corus Super Tournament in the Dutch resort of Wijk aan Zee Tuesday.
All the participants in the three categories as well as the honorary mini-tournament of four famous senior players took a day off on Wednesday.
Aronian, 25, and Carlsen, 17, will still lead the 14-player main event with 3.0 points from two wins and two draws each when hostilities resume on Thursday.
Breathing down their necks were four rivals led by another young superstar, 20-year-old Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan, who also halved the point with his compatriot, two-time world junior champion Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, 21.
The three others were former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia, Dutch champion Loek van Wely and Judit Polgar of Hungary, the lone female player in the event.
The four had 2.5 points each.
Each of them posted his or her first win in the fourth round—Kramnik with against Pavel Eljanov of Ukraine, Van Wely against another former world champion, Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, and Polgar against Boris Gelfand.
Reigning world champion Viswanathan Anand of India vs Michael Adams of England as well as Peter Leko of Hungary vs Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine also ended in draws.
Meanwhile, GM Tigran L. Petrosian held at bay his toughest opponent yet, veteran campaigner and Olympiad player Smbat Lpuitian, in the sixth round of the 68th Armenian Championship.
With the draw, Petrosian still held the solo lead with a score of 5.0, 1.5 points ahead of his closest rivals, Artashes Minasian, Ashot Anastasian and Lputian himself.
Only Tigran Kotanjian among the leading players scored a win, with White against Samvel Ter-Sahakyan.
Petrosian has remained unbeaten after six rounds.
Hi!
Two more days and we'll finally know whether NCFP will move forward or be in the doldrums. Yes, January 19 it is! The showdown! Election of the NCFP officers! Go out and vote! Hahahahha!
And as what I've reported weeks ago about former Congressman Pichay gracing the SCUAA-NCR on Monday, January 21. Here is NM Marlon Bernardino's report:
SCUAA-NCR GETS UNDERWAY; PICHAY TO GRACE OPENING DAY
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO
NEWLY elected Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) president Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. starts this year by gracing the opening of the 20th season of State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association-National Capital Region (SCUAA-NCR) on January 21 at the Rizal Memorial Track Oval. The theme of this year's edition is " Moving Ahead Towards Sports Excellence".
Pichay who is also the president of National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) will render an inspirational message in front of six participating teams to give the players a great eye opener before their game starts on January 22 at the Philippine State College of Aeronautics (PhilSCA) Campus in Pasay City.
"I always have time to give message especially to all students who has passion in sports." said Pichay who had a successful years in chess since he became President including producing two grandmasters---Darwin Laylo and Wesley So under his term and staging numerous international chess competition. Pichay, the former congressmen from second district of Surigao del Sur also the chairman of Federation of Schools Sports Association of Philippines (FESSAP).
Prof. Gigi A. Manoag, Executive Sports Director of SCUAA-NCR Games '08 is in-charge of the presentation of participating teams while Dr. Enrico M. Sampang president of PhilSCA and chairman of SCUAA-NCR Games '08 will give introduction to the guest speaker.
"His presence (Pichay) in our opening day will be a day to remember for us, his words are really inspiring and that will help our players to become good athletes." Manaog lamented.
"We're excited and ready to defend our title in Arnis competition, I hope that this will be a great year for us not only in our school but in this collegiate organization." said Sampang.
PhilSCA is the host school dominated the men's Arnis competition since 2004 while their women's team settled only second to Philippine National University (PNU) in last year edition but the champions will not participate this year.
Participating team are Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Rizal Technological University (RTU), Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Tehcnology (EARIST), Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) and newly-member Marikina Polytechnic College (MPC). A total of eleven (11) team sports, six (6) individual and dual sports and three (3) demonstration sports are up for grabs. MARLON BERNARDINO
Hi there!
The 4th Xavier INvitational Interscholastic Chess Tournament is happening on January 19 and 26 at the High School Multi-purpose Hall, Xavier School, San Juan Metro Manila.
To date, we have 92 players, 52 for the grade school division and 40 for the high school division.
We have the following schools participating in the Invitationals:
Grade School:
Mahatma Gandhi International School
International School Manila
Xavier School
Lourdes School Mandaluyong
La Immaculada Concepcion School
Colegio de San Agustin
Southridge School for boys
Ateneo de Manila
High School:
Lourdes School Mandaluyong
International School Manila
Xavier School
La Immaculada Concepcion School
Colegio San Agustin
Southridge School for boys
ANother Weekended Extra Edition form Mr. Manny Benitez:
Extra!!! The Chess Plaza Weekender
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
Weekday Edition
HALFWAY THRU ASEAN MASTERS
Pinoys in 1-2-3 race for Group B honors
By Marlon Bernardino
THREE Filipinos with Grandmaster Mark Paragua at the helm were in a tight race for honors in the seventh round of the inaugural Asean Masters Circuit on Tuesday in the Indonesian city of Tarakan in East Kalimantan (Borneo).
Paragua, International Master Jayson Gonzales and Fide Master Rolando Nolte hurdled their sixth-round assignments on Monday to lead the 12-player pack in Group B (GM category).
Playing Black, GM Paragua (2521) outclassed untitled Indonesian player Sugeng Prayitno (2312), while Gonzales and Nolte gave their rivals, IM Salor Sitanggang of Indonesia and NM Oliver Barbosa of the Philippines, a sound drubbing.
The still-unbeaten Filipino grandmaster tightened his grip on the lead with 5.5 points from five wins and one draw, followed by Gonzales and Nolte in a dead heat with 4.5 apiece. Gonzales, however, was leading Nolte on tiebreak.
In Group A (GM category), Singaporean GM Zhang Zhong seemed certain of the first prize with 5 points, 1.5 points ahead of his closest rivals, after beating with White Mas. Hafizulhelmi of Malaysia in the sixth round.
Trailing behind him with 3.5 each were GM-elect Wesley So, IM Tirto and GM Susanto Mgaranto of Indonesia, and GM Eugenio Torre,
in that order on tiebreak as published in a tournament bulletin.
Torre caught up with the runners-up after beating FM Tirta Chandra Purnama of Indonesia in the sixth round on Monday.
Wesley, the Philippines’ No. 2 player with 2525, captured the second slot solo after winning his delayed first-round game against NM Hamed Nouri on Sunday.
However, the 14-year-old schoolboy slid back to join the other runners-up in a tie for second to fifth places after halving the point with lower-rated IM Tirto (2413) in their sixth -round duel on Monday.
NM Hamed Nouri, still smarting from his loss to So on Sunday, agreed to a truce with his compatriot, cell-dwelling IM Barlo Nadera. Nouri was in a tie for sixth to eighth places with IM Hafizulhelmi and Indonesian IM Nathaniel Situru with 3.0 points each.
In Group C (WIM category), WNM Christy Bernales suffered her second straight loss, this time to FM Nugyen Thi May Hung of Vietnam, to slide down to a tie for third to sixth places with four others. They had 3.5 points apiece.
Bernales (1933) was in second place when she lost her delayed first-round game against her compatriot, WIM Beverly Mendoza (2099).
Christy’s loss followed her stunning victory over GM Edhi Handoko of Indonesia in the fourth round on Friday.
Mendoza was in solo seventh after drawing with WFM Jeslin Tay Le-jin of Singapore in the sixth round.
Leading Group C entering the seventh round with 5.5 points was Indonesian IM Irwanto Sadikin, followed by his GM Handoko with 4.5.
Hazards of the trade
In the rush to beat self-imposed deadlines, mistakes were made in yesterday’s extra edition, spotted by eagle-eyed Regin Raymnund Dais who, despite having been excused from helping out on a Monday afternoon, sent us the corrections nevertheless. Here they are:
In the boxed “Flash” bulletin, the score of Wesley So should have been 3.0 and that of Zhang Zhong 4.0 after the delayed first-round games were played.
One big mistake that I myself spotted two weeks too late: the date should be 2008, NOT 2007. I really was caught napping there. Sorry for such bloopers.
On course for norms
IM Jayson Gonzales and FM Rolando Nolte need two points each from the last three rounds to get a nine-game GM norm, according to contributor John Manahan, a statistician..
He says that Nolte needed only a point on the next three rounds to claim a nine-game IM norm while NM Hamed Nouri needs two points from his next three games for the same nine-game IM norm.
“Go for it guys!” Manahan wrote The Weekender in an email.
Ten Filipinos led by IM So and GMs Paragua and Torre, are competing in the Tarakan circuit, which is set to end on Sunday, January 20.
Tournament official Kristianus Liem has been the source of the results and games from the Indonesian city of Tarakan in East Kalimantan.
CORUS SUPER TOURNAMENT IN WIJK AAN ZEE
Carlsen, Aronian lead in main event
TWO young global superstars, 17-year-old Norwegian wunderkind Magnus Carlsen, and Armenia’s Levon Aronian, 25, held on to their joint lead in the 14-player field of the main event as all games in the third round ended in draws Monday.
Carlsen defeated two-time world junior champion Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in the first round and Ukrainian GM Pavel Eljano in the second, and then battled Michael Adams of England to a draw in the third.
Aronian upset former world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria in the first and former world title candidate Boris Gelfand of Israel in the second before drawing his third game with Peter Leko of Hungary.
Aronian has posted the highest performance rating so far of 3029, as against Carlsen’s 2999.
In third place with 2.0 points from one win and two draws was Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan, conqueror of reigning world champion Viswanathan Anand of India..
Here is how Carlsen took the measure of Eljanov:
M. Carlsen (2733) – P. Eljanov (2692)
Rd 2, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee NED (2) 2008
Gruenfeld Defense (D91)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bg5 Ne4 6.Bh4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 dxc4 8.Qa4+ Qd7 9.Qxc4 b6 10.e3 Ba6 11.Qb3 Bxf1 12.Kxf1 0–0 13.Ke2 c5 14.dxc5 Na6 15.Rhd1 Qb7 16.c6 Qxc6 17.Bxe7 Rfe8 Of course not 17...Bxc3?? because of 18.Rac1 Rfc8 19.Rxc3! 18.Ba3 Qxc3 19.Qxc3 Bxc3 20.Rac1 Bb4 21.Bb2 Bf8 22.Nd4 Nc5 23.g4 Re4 24.Kf3 Rae8 25.h3 f6 26.Ba3 Kf7 27.Rc2 Na6 Fritz suggests 27...R4e7!? 28.Bxf8 White now has the edge Kxf8 29.Rc6 Kg7 30.Nb5 R4e7 31.Rdd6 Nc5 32.Nc7 Better was 32.Rxf6 Nd7 33.g5 Ne5+ 34.Ke2 Nxc6 35.Rxc6 Re5! Rf8 33.h4 Rff7 34.Nd5 Rd7 35.Rxd7 Nxd7 36.Kg3 Nc5 37.f3 h6 38.Nf4 g5 38...Kh7 could help White, e.g., 39.h5 g5 40.Nd5! 39.Nh5+ Kg6 40.f4 gxf4+ 41.exf4 Kh7 42.f5 42.Nxf6+ is clearly inferior, Fritz notes, citing 42...Rxf6 43.Rc7+ Kg8 44.Rxa7 Rf7 45.Ra8+ Kg7! Kg8 43.Kf3 43.Rc8+ was stronger Nd7 44.Ke4 Kf8 Best was 44...Nc5+! 45.Kd5 Nd7 46.Rc8+ Nf8 47.Rd8!, and White surges on 45.Rc8+ Ke7 46.Kd5 b5 47.Rh8 Nb6+ 48.Kc6 Nc4 49.Ra8 Ne5+ 50.Kc5 Nd7+ 50...Nxg4 would benefit White: 51.Nf4 Kd7 52.Rxa7+ Ke8 53.Ra8+ Kd7 54.Nd5! 51.Kxb5 Kd6 52.Rxa7 Rf8 53.Kb4 Nc5 53...Rb8+ 54.Kc3! also gives White the point 54.Kc4! 1–0
Hi there!
Late last December, I again accomodated for a week a chess student in my house. She was a 10 year old girl from Bacoor Cavite who once was my neighbor in Imus and whose father is a good friend of mine.
She was preparing for the Regional Games 2008 because she conquered the Cavite Provincial Chess Qualifying Tournament. At the age of 10 and currently a grade 5 student from Imus Pilot Elementary School, I believe she has the most crucial ingredient needed to become a star sooner... that is her hardwork and discipline!
All sessions I've provided her was simply about visualization, tactical training, whole-game approach and elementary end game lessons. I showed a bit of opening but did'nt really emphasized on it because I am not to teach anyone with anything if I'm not sure of the lesson.
Mate in three's, two's and one's the best part of the sessions. In fact we time this part of our lesson so as to give us a hint whether we are improving or not on speed aspect, plus of course visual know how.
That's mentoring? Coaching? Training? Teaching? What was I doing? Or simply facilitating one's learning? Let's ask the dictionary:
Main Entry: 1coach
Pronunciation: \ˈkōch\
Function: noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English coche, from Middle French, from German Kutsche, from Hungarian kocsi (szekér), literally, wagon from Kocs, Hungary
Date: 1556
2[from the concept that the tutor conveys the student through examinations] a: a private tutor b: one who instructs or trains; especially : one who instructs players in the fundamentals of a competitive sport and directs team strategy (a football coach)
Main Entry: 2 mentor
Function: transitive verb
Date: 1976
: to serve as a mentor for : tutorMain Entry: fa·cil·i·ta·tor
Pronunciation: \fə-ˈsi-lə-ˌtā-tər\
Function: noun
Date: 1799
: one that facilitates; especially : one that helps to bring about an outcome (as learning, productivity, or communication) by providing indirect or unobtrusive assistance, guidance, or supervision (the workshop's facilitator kept discussion flowing smoothly)
Main Entry: train·er
Pronunciation: \ˈtrā-nər\
Function: noun
Date: 1598
1: one that trains
2: one (as a machine or vehicle) used in training
3: a person who treats the ailments and minor injuries of the members of an athletic team
Hi there!
News here and there about Philippine chess...
ASEAN MASTER CHESS CIRCUIT: MIXED RESULTS IN THE DELAYED
FIRST-ROUND GAMES
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO
Individual Standings after round 5 including the delayed first-round games: (Single round-robin format/ three division)
Group A
4 points— Z. Zhong (Singapore); 3— W. So (RP), N. Situru (Indonesia), M. Hafizulhemi (Malaysia), Tirto (Indonesia); 2.5 points—E. Torre (RP), H. Nouri (RP), C. Purnama (Indonesia), N. Ginting (Indonesia), S. Megaranto (Indonesia); 1—C. Kosashi (Indonesia); 0.5—B. Nadera (RP).
Group B
4.5 points—M. Paragua (RP); 3.5 points— J. Gonzales (RP), R. Nolte (RP); 3— S. Sitanggang (Indonesia), A. Nadanian (Armenia), S. Mahmud (Indonesia), 2.5— O. Barbosa (RP), C. Barus (Indonesia); 2— H. Ardiansyah (Indonesia); 1.5— S. Prayitno (Indonesia); 0.5—I.Sukandar (Indonesia), T.M. Mk (Malaysia)
WIM
5 points—I. Sadikin (Indonesia); 4—E. Handoko (Indonesia), 3.5—C . Bernales (RP), G. Chua (Singapore); 3— E. Lindiawati (Indonesia); 2.5—B.Mendoza (RP), T.M. Hung (Vietnam); 2— J. Tay (Singapore), T. Handayani (Indonesia); 1—N. Verdiana (Indonesia), V. Chan (Singapore); 0—D. Citra (Indonesia)
THE FILIPINOS posted contrasting results in the delayed first-round games played late Sunday in the on-going first ASEAN Masters Chess Circuit in Tarakan, Indonesia.
Filipino GM Mark Paragua, who early posted four straight win settled for a draw with compatriot FM Oliver Barbosa while WNM Christy Lamiel Bernales suffered her first lost to countryman Woman International Master Beverly Mendoza.
The 23-year-old Paragua, remain on top with 4.5 points in GM (Grandmaster) B event while Bernales was stuck at 3.5 points but still at no.3 position in Women International Master (WIM) section. Bernales, daughter of a former taxi driver from Nueva Ecija, is now two points shy to of clinching the WFM title according to National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr.
According to electronic mail "weekender report", each group has 12 players. Groups A and B have three grandmasters each while Group C has only one grandmaster (Edhi Handiki, whom Bernales had thrashed in the fourth round) and four other titled players.
In other results in the (Grandmaster) B event, 2004 Mallorca World Chess Olympiad country's top scorer IM Jayson Gonzales, who is bidding his third and final GM norm, split the point with FM Rolando Nolte. The duo (Gonzales and Nolte) notch identical 3.5 points apiece and was tied at second to third placers.
Meanwhile, GM Wesley So closed in on early leader top seed GM Zhang Zhong (2617) of Singapore when the Filipino prodigy trounced his compatriot, FM Hamed Nouri, in the delayed first-round games.
The 14-year-old Bacoor wunderkind now has 3.0 points, the same output of Indon IMs Nathaniel Situru and Tirto and Malaysian IM Mas Hafizulhelmi entering the sixth round, as against Zhong's 4.0. The former Chinese champion and currently chess teacher in Singapore only drew his first-round game versus another Indon GM Susanto Megaranto.
Eugene Torre, Asia's First Grandmaster trounced IM Barlo Nadera to raise his total 2.5 points. Nadera, prodigy of NM Bombi Aznar, who hails from Mandaue, Cebu remains at the cellar dweller with 0.5 points. MARLON BERNARDINO.
Extra!!! The Chess Plaza Weekender
Sunday, 13 January 2007
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
Special Edition
FIRST WIN FOR WONDER BOY IN TARAKAN
So trips Megaranto as Mark, Christy surge ahead
By Marlon Bernardino
BACOOR WONDER BOY Wesley So (2521) stunned Indonesian superstar Susanto Megaranto (2563) in the fifth round to score his first win in the Asean Masters Circuit even as Mark Paragua and Christy Bernales surged ahead with straight wins to keep Filipino hopes alive for a golden harvest in Tarakan.
The 14-year-old Filipino grandmaster-elect, who started with two draws and a loss, played solidly but wittily in defeating Indonesia’s strongest player in Group A (GM category).
But it was GM Paragua who created the biggest sensation by posting his fourth straight win, against WIM Irine Sukandar of Indonesia, to keep a perfect score after four games in Group B (also a GM category).
In Group C (WIM category), 14-year-old WNM Christy Lamiel Bernales closed in on leader IM Irwanto Sadikin of Indonesia with her second straight win—against Indonesia’s Tri Handayani—to boost her score to 3.5 from three draws and a win.
Both Paragua and Bernales have remained undefeated after four games.
=================================
FLASH!
WESLEY SO closed in on early leader Zhang Zhong when the Filipino prodigy trounced his compatriot, NM Hamd Nouri, in the delayed first-round games played late Saturday in Tarakan.
Wesley now has 4.0 points entering the sixth round, as against Zhong’s 5.0. The former Chinese champion only drew his first-round game vs GM Megaranto.
WNM Bernales, however, lost to WIM Mendoza in their first-round game.
=================================
Three other Filipinos posted wins in the fifth round—NM Hamed Nouri in A and IM Jayson Gonzales and FM Rolando Nolte in B.
Each group has 12 players. Groups A and B have three grandmasters each while Group C has only one grandmaster (Edhi Handiki, whom Christy Bernales had thrashed in the fourth round) and four other titled players.
The sad news was that Filipino icon Eugene Torre, Asia’s first grandmaster, suffered his first loss in the fifth round—with Black to IM Nasib Ginting of the host country.
Other Filipinos who lost in the fifth round were IM Barlo Nadera in Group A (with Black to Indonesian IM Tirto), NM Oliver Barbosa in Group B (also with Black to Indonesian GM Cerdas Barus) and WIM Beverly Mendoza in Group C (with White to FM Graham Chua of Singapore).
The standings after the fifth round:
Group A—1. GM Zhang Zhong (SIN), 4.5; 2-4. IM Nathaniel Situru (INA), IM Mas. Hafizulhelmi (Mas) and IM Tirto (INA), 3.0; 5-7. NM Hamed Nouri (PHI), FM T.C. Purnama (INA) and IM Nasito Ginting, 2,5; 8-9 IM Wesley So (PHI) and GM S. Megaranto (INA), 2.0; 10-11. GM Eugenio Torre (PHI) and FM Cecep Kosashi (INA), 1.5; and 12. IM Barlo Nadera (PHI), 0.5.
Group B—1. GM Mark Paragua (PHI), 4.0; 2-6. IM Salor Sitanggang (INA), IM Ashot Nadanian (ARM), FM Syarif Mahmud (INA), IM Jayson Gonzales (PHI) and FM Rolando Nolte (PHI) 3.0; 7. GM Cerdas Barus (INA), 2.5; 8-9. GM H. Ardiyansah (INA) and NM Oliver Barbosa (PHI), 2.0; 10. Sugeng Prayitno (INA), 1.5; and 11-12. WIM Irine Sukandar (INA) and Mok Tze-Meng (MAS), 0.5.
Group C—1-2. IM Irwanto Sadikin (INA) and GM Edhi Sandoko (INA), 4.0; 3-4. Christy Lamiel Bernales (PHI) and FM Graham Chua Xing-Jian (SIN), 3.5; 5. NM Levi Indiawati (INA), 3.0; 6. Nguyen Thi Moi Hung (VIE), 2.5; 7-8. Jeslin Tai Li-Jin (SIN) and NM Tri Handayani (INA), 2.0; 9. WIM Beverly Mendoza (PHI), 1.5; 10-11. WNM Narasa Verdiana (INA) and WFM Victoria Chan Wei-Yi (SIN), 1.0; and 12. WNM Citra Dewi (INA), 0.5.
W. So (2526) – S. Megaranto (2563)
Rd 5, Alekhine Defense, Four Pawns Attack (B03)
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 exd6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.Nge2 Bg4 9.Be3 Qd7 10.0-0 Nb4 11.b3 Nxd3 12.Qxd3 d5 13.c5 Nc8 14.Ng3 Bh4 14...0-0 15.Rae1 would have equalized, says Fritz 15.f3 Be6 16.Nh5 0-0 17.Qd2 Bd8 18.Rae1 f6 19.Re2 Bf7 20.Nf4 If 20.Ng3 Re8 Ne7 Equalizing 21.Rfe1 Nc6 21...Re8 22.a3 should keep the balance 22.Bf2! Be7 23.b4 a6 24.a4 Rfe8 25.b5 axb5 26.axb5 Na5 27.Ncxd5 Bxd5 28.Nxd5 Qxd5 29.Rxe7 Rxe7 30.Rxe7 Nb3 31.Qc3 Ra1+ 32.Re1 Rxe1+ 33.Qxe1 Kf7 34.Qc3 Ke6 34...Qe6 35.b6 c6 36.h3 would give White the edge 35.h4 h5 35...Kf7 would boost White’s lead: 36.Qe3 c6 37.b6! 36.Be3 36.Qe3+ was stronger Kd7 36...Kf7 should reduce White’s lead 37.Qc2 f5 38.Qc3 g6 Better was 38...f4, cutting down White’s advantage 39.Bf2 Qe6? 40.Bg3 Missing the more decisive 40.c6+!Qd5 41.Be5 c6 42.bxc6+ Also playable was 42.Qb4 Kxc6 43.Qb4 Nc1?? The final mistake..
44.Qb6+ Kd7 45.Qxg6! 1-0
M. Paragua (2521) – I.K. Sukandar (2266)
Rd 5, Queen’s Indian Defense (E12)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.Nc3 Bb7 5.Bg5 Be7 6.Qc2 6.e3 Ne4 7.Nxe4 Bxe4 favors Black 0-0 6...h6 may help White: 7.Bxf6 Bxf6 8.e4! 7.e3 d5 7...h6 8.Bxf6 Bxf6 9.Be2 would have equalized 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bd3 Nbd7 10.0-0 Re8 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 Equalizing 12.Ne5 12.Rac1 c6 keeps the balance a6 13.g4 g6 14.f4 Bd6 14...c5 leads to equality 15.g5 Bxe5 16.fxe5 Ng4 Restoring the balance 17.Rf4 Nxe3 18.Qf2 Qxg5+ 19.Kh1 Nc4 20.Rxf7 Rf8 20...Nxe5!? was best 21.Rf1 Qh6 22.Bxc4 dxc4+ 23.d5 b5? 24.Qf3+- b4 25.Ne4 Bxd5 26.Rxf8+! It’s all over: 27.Nf6+ Kh8 28.Qxd5! 1-0
SURPRISE SWEEP OF THE MASTERS
‘MJ’ Turqueza, 15, wins NCFP Execs
A 15-YEAR-OLD schoolboy pulled off the biggest surprise in last Saturday’s NCFP Executives and Professionals rapid chess tournament when he emerged overall champion with a phenomenal score of 10 points from 11 games.
Mari Joseph “MJ” Turqueza, son of lawyer Gene Turqueza, made a clean sweep despite the presence of seven national masters and other leading players at the Greenhouse Grille on Matalino Street in Diliman, Quezon City..
The elder Turqueza is the incumbent president of the Quezon Memorial Circle Plaza Chess Club in Quezon City
For good measure, MJ (White) defeated NM Efren Bagamasbad in 50 moves of a Nimzo-Indian duel in the 11th and final round to claim the first prize and championship trophy.
NM Stewart Manaoag finished in second place with 8.5 followed by NMs Bagamasbad and Randy Segurra, 8.0, NM Almario Marlon Bernardino, 7.0, and NM Wilfredo Neri, 6.0.
In seventh place was Dr. Jenny Mayor with 4.5 points, followed by Leodegario Ricaña, 4.0, NMs Samuel Estimo and Mario Rebano, 3.5, Dr. Johnny Corales, 3.0, and Emil Cabagay, nil On his way to the title, he shot down five national masters—Manaoag, Segura, Neri, Rebano and Bagamasbad, in that order.
Only Estimo and Bernardino among the national masters escaped with draws against MJ, a sophomore at Diliman Preparatory School.—Marlon Bernardino
The Chess Plaza Weekender
Sunday, 13 January 2007
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
Vol. II No. 31
FILIPINOS ARRIVE ONE DAY LATE
Bernales downs GM, Paragua scores 3/3!
HERE is the latest pecking order in Philippine chess. All the International Masters from No. 6 to 12 have either one or two GM norms and so, given the opportunity, the self-imposed goal of 5 GMs next year by NCFP President Pichay is attainable.
Some readers have asked me why I, by habit, always remove the name of IM Rogelio Barcenilla from the top Filipino list. Indeed, at 2503 he would have appeared at no. 6, but by policy I do not include in the list players who have lived abroad for many years, have their whole families there, have no intention of coming back to the Philippines or of representing the country in international team competition. This is the same reason why we have not listed IM Enrico Sevillano and IM Angelo Young, who anyway a year or so ago have transferred their affiliation to the US Chess Federation.
A surprise entrant is Dino Ballecer at no. 14 – this former college standout gained almost 60 rating points from his unbelievable performance in the 2nd President GM Arroyo Cup, where he defeated Li Ruofan, IM Ronald Bancod, Oliver Barbosa and IM Barlo Nadera aside from drawing with Eugene Torre, IM Jayson Gonzales, and Vietnamese GM Dao Thien Hai. And Dino is not yet even a National Master.
Ballecer,Dino - Nadera,Barlo A (2477) [C00]
2nd PGMA Cup Duty Free Fiesta Mall (9.4), 28.11.2007
1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 c5 5.g3 Be7 6.Bg2 Nc6 7.0–0 Qc7 8.Re1 b6 9.c3 Bb7 10.a3 a5 11.exd5 exd5 12.Nf1 0–0 13.Bf4 Qd8 14.d4 h6 15.h4 Re8 16.Ne5 Bf8 17.Qd3 c4 18.Qc2 a4 19.Rad1 b5 20.Nh2 Qb6 21.Nhg4 Nxg4 22.Nxg4 Ne7 23.Ne5 Rad8 24.g4 Qf6 25.Bg3 Bc8 26.Re3 Qb6 27.Rde1 f6 28.Ng6 Kf7 29.Nxf8 Kxf8 30.Qh7 Qb7 31.Bh3 Kf7 32.Bf4 Kf8 33.Bxh6 gxh6 34.Re6 1–0
I hear that there will be a 12-game match between GMs Torre and Antonio in the summer of 2008, with Quezon City majority floor leader and fourth district councilor Ariel Inton as one of the prime movers.
Do you guys remember that back in 1998 there was the first 12-game Torre vs Antonio match sponsored by the Land Bank of the Philippines with Toto Ferrer from the Active Chess Center for Asia as the Project Manager? The organizers left no stone unturned to come up with a high-quality show:
1. Match was held in the auditorium of the Land Bank branch in Buendia. A separate room was made available for the press, managed by Bong Villamayor, and even hired Idel Datu as official analyst so as to be able to guide the press people in the status of the game.
2. Both players were billeted together with their seconds in 5-star hotel accommodations and had the services of rented limousines to ferry them back and forth between the playing area and their living quarters.
3. There was a bulletin published every day featuring the games plus analysis prepared by Joseph Sanchez and yours truly.
4. They even arranged for former World Champion Anatoly Karpov to grace the occasion.
By Marlon Bernardino
TEN Filipino players arrived one day late and missed the first round of the inaugural Asean Masters Circuit Tuesday, but this did not prevent two of them—14-year-old WNM Christy Lamiel Bernales and 23-year-old GM Mark Paragua—from creating a sensation in Tarakan City, East Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Bernales (Elo 1933), of Nueva Ecija and Quezon City, became the Philippines’ brightest hope in Tarakan when she defeated Indonesian GM Edhi Handoko (2437) in the fourth round in Group C (WIM category) while Paragua (2521) posted a perfect score of three wins from three games in Group B (GM category).
Top favorites Wesley So and Eugene Torre did not fare too well in Group A (GM category).
GM So, the 14-year-old wonder boy from Bacoor, Cavite, posted two draws and a loss while Torre, 56, Asia’s first grandmaster, had three draws from three games (see earlier report with games on pages 4 and 5).
The 10 Filipino players arrived one day late because of a flight snafu on their way to Tarakan in East Kalimantan, Indonesia’s half of the island of Borneo off the Philippines and Malaysia. It was learned that a Sunday flight had been aborted and they had to wait for the next flight two or three days later.
It was indicated in the results sent to The Weekender through journalist Ignacio Dee by tournament official Kristianus Liem that the Filipinos, who were paired against each other, would be able to play their first-round games during a break in the 11-round Asean Masters.
The tournament began last Tuesday, January 8, and will end on January 20, a Sunday.
Still to be played in the first round are Torre vs IM Barlo Nadera and So vs NM Hamed Nouri in Group A; IM Jayson Gonzales vs FM Rolando Nolte and Paragua vs NM Oliver Barbosa in Group B; and WIM Beverly Mendoza vs WNM Bernales in Group C.
Among the foreigners, still to be played in the first round is Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia vs Zhang Zhong of Singapore.
Paragua has so far made a clean sweep of his first three games in Group B, winning with Black against Armenian IM Ashot Nadanian in the second round, with White against Indonesian FM Syarif Mahmud in the third, and with Black against IM Gonzales in the fourth.
WNM Bernales has also remained undefeated. She started auspiciously with a win with White against WFM Victoria Chan of Singapore in the second round, a draw with Black against Norosa Verdiana of Indonesia in the third, and a win with White against GM Handoko in the fourth.
GM-elect So, who lost to GM Zhang in the third round, and GM Torre went after each other fiercely but the older player found a way to force a draw via repetition of moves.
Here is how Bernales outwitted the Indonesian grandmaster:
C.L. Bernales (1933) – E. Handoko (2437)
Rd 4, Scandinavian Defense (B01)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 c6 8...Nc
6 9.d5 Ne5 10.Qb3 would help White, Fritz warns 9.Bf4 If 9.Qb3 Qc7! Bg4 10.Qb3 Bxf3 Not 10...Bxd4 11.Rad1 Bxf3 12.Bxf3, when White gets the edge 11.Bxf3 Qxd4 12.Be3 Qd8 Fritz says the equalizing 12...Qd7!? should be considered 13.c5 Cristy now has the edge Bxc3 14.bxc3 14.cxb6?! Bd4 allows Black to equalize Nd5 15.Bh6 Re8 16.Qxb7 Qd7 17.Qxd7 Nxd7 18.c4 N5f6 18...Nb4 19.a3 Nc2 20.Bxc6 Nxa1 21.Bxd7 gives White the lead 19.Bxc6 Rac8 20.Bb5 Red8 20...Rxc5 is bad for Black, e.g., 21.Rad1 Rc7 22.Rd2! 21.c6 White now has tremendous advantage Ne5 22.Rad1 Rd6 23.Rxd6 exd6 24.Rb1 Ne8 25.Ba6 Rxc6? Better but still inadequate was 25...Rd8 26.Rb8 f6 27.Bb5 Kf7 28.Rxe8! 28...Kxe8 29.f4 a6 30.Ba4 30.fxe5? is no good, says Fritz, citing 30...axb5 31.cxb5 Rc5 32.exd6 Rxb5 and the tables are turned Ke7 31.fxe5 Rxc4 32.exd6+ Good timing, I must say Kxd6 33.Bb3 Re4 34.Bg8 Ke7 35.Bd2 Not 35.Bxh7 Kf7! h5 36.Kf2 Kf8 37.Bb3 Kg7 38.Kf3 Rd4 39.Be3 Rd6 40.Ke4 g5 41.Bd5 Kg6 42.a4 Rd7 43.a5 f5+ If 43...Re7+ 44.Kd4! 44.Ke5 Re7+ 45.Be6 f4 46.Bc5 Re8 47.Kd6 g4 48.Bc4 Rd8+ If 48...Kg5 49.Bb6!, and wins 49.Kc6 Rd2 49...f3 50.gxf3 gxf3 51.Bxa6 boosts White’s lead 50.Bxa6 f3 50...Rxg2 51.Bd3+ Kg5 helps White 51.gxf3 gxf3 52.Bc4 f2 52...Kf5 won’t work: 53.a6 Rd8 54.a7! 53.a6 Rc2 54.Bd3+ Kg5 55.a7! 1-0
And here is how GM Paragua outwitted his compatriot.
J. Gonzales (2455) – M. Paragua (2521)
Rd 4, English Opening (A13)
1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 e6 3.Bg2 d5 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.Qa4+ c6 6.Qxc4 b5 6...Bd6 would have equalized, says Fritz 7.Qc2 Bb7 8.d4 8.0-0 c5 would help Black Nbd7 Equalizing 9.a4 c5 10.0-0 b4 11.Nbd2 Rc8 12.Qd3 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 Be7 15.N2b3 0-0 16.Rd1 Ne5 17.Qb5 Qd5+ 18.Qxd5 Nxd5 19.Nf5 Bf6 20.Nd6 Rc6 21.Nb5 a6 22.N5d4 Rc7 23.e4 Nb6 24.f4 Nec4 25.e5 25.a5 Nc8 equalizes Bd8 26.a5 Nc8 Not 26...Nd5 because of 27.Kf3! 27.Bd2 Ne7 28.Bxb4 Ne3+ 29.Kf3 Nxd1 30.Rxd1 Re8 31.Bd6 Rb7 32.Rc1 Nf5 33.Rc8 f6 Fritz suggests 33...h5 34.Kg4 34.Ra8!? Regaining the edge fxe5 34...h5+ would benefit White: 35.Kxh5 Kf7 36.Kg4 Nxd4 37.Nxd4 f5+ 38.Kf3 Bxa5 39.Rc2! 35.fxe5 35.Bxe5 Rb4 equalizes Kf7 Restoring the equilibrium 36.Rc6 Nxd6 Best was 36...Bxa5! 37.Rxd6 Not 37.exd6? Rb4 38.d7 Rg8! Bc7 38.Rxa6 Bxe5 39.Nf3 39.Nc6 Rxb3 40.Nxe5+ Kf6 41.Nd7+ Ke7 gives Black a boost Bxb2 39...Rb4+ may be stronger 40.Nc5 40.Ng5+!? must be considered, says Fritz Rb4+! 41.Kh3 Bf6 42.Nd2 Rc8 43.Ra7+ Kg6 44.Nxe6 Rc2 45.Rd7 Kf5 46.Nf4 Rxf4! Eliminating the defender f4 47.gxf4 Rc3+ 48.Kg2 Ke6 49.Rb7 Rc2 50.Kf3 Rxd2 51.h3 Rd3+ 52.Kg4 Ra3 53.Rb6+ Kf7 54.a6 g6 55.Rb7+ Be7 56.f5 Ra4+ 56...h5+!? makes it even easier for Black: 57.Kf4 g5+ 58.Ke4 Rxa6! 57.Kf3 gxf5 58.a7 h5 59.Rc7 Ke6 60.Rb7 h4 61.Rc7 Ra3+ 62.Kg2 f4 63.Kf1 Bd6 64.Rb7 Bc5 65.Rb3 Rxa7 66.Ke2 Ra3 White topples his king, although Black missed the more decisive 66...Ra2+! 0-1
MAJOR UPSETS ROCK WIJK AAN ZEE
Anand, Topalov, Mamedyarov fall
THREE of the world’s superstars led by reigning champion Viswanathan Anand fell from the Dutch sky over Wijk aan Zee as major upsets rocked the opening rounds Saturday (early Sunday in Manila) of the four-tier Corus Super Tournament.
India’s Anand, 38, playing Black, surrendered to Teimour Radjabov, 20, of Azerbaijan on the 85th turn of a marathon duel arising from a Semi-Slav Defense against the Queen’s Gambit Declined.
The two other upset victims in the first round of the main event were former world champion Veselin Topalov and two-time world junior champion Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan.
Both succumbed to younger rivals—Topalov, 32, to Armenian superstar Levon Aronian, 25, and Mamedyarov, 22, to 17-year-old Norwegian prodigy Magnus Carlsen, the world’s strongest junior player, vice Radjabov who will be 21 this year.
IN THE GRASSROOTS
Reyes brothers riding high again!
IT looks like the year 2008 will see more of the teenaged Reyes brothers—14-year-old Narquinden (Arden) and 15-year-old Narquingel (Archie)—romping off with the top prizes in local tournaments for non-masters.
Nobody will be surprised if they both make it to the top of their respective age groups in this year’s youth championships being lined up by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.
The year just ended saw Arden top the Under-16 Championship held on Rizal Day, December 30, by the Chess Arbiters Association of the Philippines (CAAP) at Ramon Magsaysay High School in Cubao, Quezon City.
Arden also captured the Christmas Season offering of the Quezon Memorial Circle Chess Plaza Club on December 27, barely two weeks after his elder brother, Archie, topped the Marikina Youth Championship.
In the CAAP competition, Archie finished in sixth place. In fact, every time one of the two wins the top prize, his brother would never be too far behind.
What made Arden’s victory at Magsaysay High doubly significant was that his first runner-up was no less than last year’s national Under-12 champion, Jan Emanuel Garcia, regarded as one of the most promising prodigies in the country today.
Arden finished the seven-round tournament with an extraordinarily high 6.5, a mere half point ahead of Jan Emmanuel.
Behind them in a tie for third to fourth places with 5.5 each were Sherwin Tiu and Nathaniel Gravillo.
Jan Nigel Galan, another outstanding youngster, took the fifth prize, winning on tiebreak over three others—Archie Reyes, Kristian Paulo Cristobal, Jude Emil Fronda, and Jayson Mercado..
Jan Jodilyn Fronda, also an outstanding teenaged girl, took the Top Lady Player honors, while Jose Carlo Castro took the Top Unrated Player and Aufernee Bonifacio the Top Under-10 Player.
The CAAP Youth Championship attracted 49 players from Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Most of them were students who took advantage of the two-week Christmas school holiday.
The CAAP holds monthly tournaments.
NCFP to hold board election on Jan 19 in Tagaytay
THERE is only one national chess federation and it will hold its board election on January 19 at the Tagaytay City Convention Center, NCFP president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. has announced.
In a posting on the official NCFP website, Pichay denied reports published in Manila newspapers that a supposed breakaway faction was set to hold its own election at the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City on February 2.
“Let it be known that the NCFP election will be held as scheduled on January 19 at the Tagaytay Convention Center,” said Pichay in a telephone interview as quoted in the NCFP posting.
“As far as I am concerned, there is no other NCFP election but the one approved by the NCFP Board during our meeting at the Duty Free Fiesta Mall in Parañaque last month,” he added.
He said there would be a full line-up of candidates to be presented to voting member clubs.
Both NCFP board members Go Teng Kok, who is a former president, and “Doc” Jenny Mayor were quoted as saying that they were in full support of Pichay in Tagaytay. The two had been mentioned in published press releases as being identified with the breakaway faction.
Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino is the NCFP secretary-general.
Phil Artists’ tourney at QMC
IT’S all systems go for the Philippine Artists’ tournament to be held next Saturday, January 19, at the Quezon Memorial Circle Chess Plaza in Quezon City.
It is open to all chess-playing artists and chess players dabbling in the arts.
AFTER LATE ARRIVAL AT TARANAK, INDONESIA
Paragua, 4 others draw first blood
GRANDMASTER Mark Paragua and four other Filipino players drew first blood in the inaugural Asean Masters Circuit being held in the Indonesian island city of Taranak, East Kalimantan (southern Borneo).
The four were International Master Jayson Gonzales, Fide Master Rolando Nolte, National Master Hamed Nouri, and untitled 14-year-old Cristy Lamiel Bernales.
However, apparently the Philippine contingent arrived late for the tournament—the first of four legs initiated this year by the Asean Chess Confederation—because their first games were all in the second round.
It was not known whether the 10 Filipinos were declared to have lost by default—that is, if it was their fault for being late—or were to play their first games during a day off because the circumstances behind their tardiness were beyond their control.
The Tarakan leg was scheduled to get under way last Tuesday, January 8, and will end on January 20, a Sunday. From Indonesia, the Asean Masters Circuit will move on to Vietnam.
The games were furnished in an email sent by Kristianus Liem of the Indonesian Chess Federation to The Weekender through journalist Ignacio “Iggy” Dee.
Top favorites Wesley So and Eugene Torre drew their first games—against FM Cecep Kosasih and GM Susanto Megaranto, both of Indonesia, respectively.
Other Filipinos who drew their first games were IM Barlo Nadera, Woman IM Beverly Mendoza, and NM Oliver Barbosa.
Paragua led the Filipinos with a scintillating win with Black against IM Ashot Nadanian of Indonesia, followed by IM Gonzales vs Indonesian WIM Irene Sukandar, FM Nolte vs FM Mok Tze Men of Malaysia, Nouri vs IM Nasib Ginting of Indonesia, and Bernalez vs WFM Victoria Chan of Singapore.
In the third round, Paragua and GM-candidate Gonzales struck again, winning against Indonesia’s FM Syarif Mahmud and Sugeng Prayitno.
So, Nadera, Nouri, and Mendoza bowed down to GM Zhang Zhong of Singapore, GM Megaranto, and FM Tirta Chandra Purnama while Torre, Barbosa, Nolte, and Bernales drew against IMs Tirto and Salor Sitanggang, WIM Sukandar, and untitled Norasa Verdiana, all of Indonesia.
After three rounds, GM Paragua and IM Gonzales led the Filipinos with 2.0 points from two games, followed by FM Nolte and Bernales with 1.5 each, GM Torre, and NMs Nouri and Barbosa with 1.0 each, and So, Nadera, and Mendoza with 0.5 each.
Both Paragua and Gonzales played with vigor and accuracy in their first two games.
A. Nadanian (2431) – M. Paragua (2521)
Rd 2, Sicilian Defense (B20)
1.e4 c5 2.Ne2 d6 3.g3 If 3.Nbc3 e5! Nc6 4.Bg2 g6 5.0-0 Bg7 6.c3 e5 7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nxd4 9.Be3 Nxe2+ 10.Qxe2 Ne7 11.Rd1 Nc6 12.Qd3 Targeting d6 Nd4 13.Nd2 13.Nc3 0-0 enables Black to equalize 0-0 13...Bg4 14.f3 Be6 15.Bxd4 exd4 16.Nb3 would have equalized 14.Bxd4 exd4 15.Nb3 Qb6 16.Rd2 a5 17.Nxd4 a4 18.Rad1 Bg4 19.Bf3 Bd7 20.Qa3 Be5 21.Ne2 Increasing the pressure on the isolated pawn on d6, Fritz notes Bc6 22.Nf4 Better was 22.Rxd6 Bxd6 23.Rxd6 Rad8 24.Rxd8 Rxd8 Qc5 23.Qxc5 dxc5 24.Nd5 Rfe8 25.Nb6 Ra6 26.Nd7 Bxd7 27.Rxd7 Rb6 28.Be2 Rxb2 29.Bc4 Rf8 30.Rxf7?? Weak. Best was 30.R7d2 a3 31.Kf1! Rxf7!
NCFP president Prospero Pichay is pinning his hopes on the country’s newest GM, 14-year-old Wesley So, who earned his third and final norm at the Pichay Cup International Open in Parañaque City.
So is the youngest GM in the world and the seventh youngest person ever to win the title IM Gonzales was the country’s 11th-hour entry as he manifested his intention to seek actively his third and final GM result.
His win with White against Indonesia’s WIM Sukandar shows his determination to make good his promise to capture the elusive GM title. He mounted his campaign in the GMA Cup last November but found himself in poor form.
In Tarakan, he seemed to have regained his old fighting form.
J. Gonzales (2455) – I.K. Sukandar (2266)
Rd 2, English Opening vs King’s Indian (A25)
1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Nd5 Bc5 6.e3 d6 7.Ne2 Bf5 8.d4 exd4 9.exd4 Bb6 10.Bg5 Not 10.Nxb6?! axb6 11.0-0 0-0, and Black has equalized Ba5+ 11.Nec3 0-0 12.0-0 Re8 13.Qd2 Bg6 14.Rfe1 Re6 15.Bh3 Re4 16.Nxf6+ 16.Bxf6 was more precise, e.g., 16…Bxc3 17.Qxc3 and White has a huge advantage gxf6 17.Be3 Re8 18.a3 Bxc3 19.Qxc3 d5 20.c5 Ne7 21.Bf4 Be4 22.Re2 Bf5 23.Bg2 23.Rxe7 was playable, e.g., 23…Bxh3 24.Rxc7 Re7 25.Rxe7! Be6 24.Qb4 Rb8 25.Qa5 Nc6 26.Qd2 Qd7 27.Rae1 Ne7 28.h3 b6 29.cxb6 Rxb6 30.g4 Reb8 31.b4 Ra6 32.Re3 Ng6 33.Bg3 f5 34.Rc3 Rc8 35.Rec1 fxg4 36.h4 36.Qd3 was stronger: 36…Rb6 37.Rxc7 Rxc7 38.Rxc7 Qd8 39.hxg4!, and White surges ahead Qd8 37.b5 Ra4 38.h5 Nh4 39.Rxc7 Best was 39.Bxc7! Rxc7 40.Rxc7 Rxa3 41.h6! Rxc7 40.Bxc7 Qe7 41.Be5 Rxa3 41...Rc4 should be tried to reduce White’s lead, e.g, 42.Rxc4 dxc4 42.Qh6 Nf5 43.Qf4 Qh4 44.Bxd5 h6? Weak, but there’s nothing better: 44...Bxd5 45.Rc8#! 45.Bg2 45.Bxe6 seems even better, says Fritz, citing 45...fxe6 46.Qe4! Qxh5?? 46.d5 Bd7 47.Bb2 Rc3 48.Qb8+ Kh7 49.Qh8+ Missing his best shot, 49.Bxc3! f6 50.Qxa7! Kg6 50.Qg8+! It’s all over: 50…Ng7 51.Rxc3! 1-0
It was FM Nolte, however, who has produced the finest game yet among the Filipinos.
R. Nolte (2412) – Mok Tze Meng (2346)
Rd 2, Caro-Kann Defense (B15)
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 Covers b5 4.Nf3 d5 5.h3 Nh6 6.Bf4 f6 7.exd5 cxd5 8.Nb5 Na6 9.c4 0-0 10.cxd5 Qxd5 11.Nc3 Qf5 12.Bh2 Rd8 13.Bc4+ Kh8 14.0-0 e5 15.Re1 Nb4 16.Ne4 b5 17.Bxb5 Bb7 18.a3 18.g4 Qe6 19.Qa4 Bf8 gives White the edge Bxe4 Not 18...exd4 19.Nxd4 Qd5 20.axb4! 19.Nh4 Qc8 20.Rxe4 Qc2 21.Re2 Rxd4 22.Qxd4! 22...exd4 23.Rxc2 Nxc2 24.Rd1 d3 25.Bxd3 Nd4 26.Bxg6! hxg6 27.Rxd4 Rc8 28.g4! Rc2? 28...g5 was better but White would still be ahead, e.g., 29.Nf3 f5 29.Nxg6+ Kh7 30.Nf4 Rxb2 30...Rc7 does not help much, says Fritz 31.Rd7! The clincher: 31…Kg8 32.Rxa7! 1-0
After a disappointing performance in the GMA and Pichay Cups, NM Nouri appears to be slowly regaining his “giant-killing” ways by outplaying an Indonesian IM, but stumbled again when up against a GM in the next round.
H. Nouri (2404) – Nasib Ginting (2393)
Rd 2, Closed Sicilian (B23)
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bc4 Nc6 6.0-0 e6 7.f5 exf5 8.Qe1 Nge7 9.d3 h6 10.Bd2 Ne5 10...0-0 will favor White11.Qh4 Kh7 12.Rae1 11.Nxe5 dxe5 If 11...Bxe5 12.Bf4, with equality 12.exf5 If 12.Qf2 b6! Nxf5 Equalizing 13.Ne4 0-0 14.Qf2 b6 15.b4 Bb7 16.bxc5 bxc5 17.Rab1 Bc6 18.Bc3 Rc8 19.Ba6 Rb8 20.Qxc5 Rxb1 21.Rxb1 Nd4 22.Kh1 22.Bb7!? looks like a viable alternative, says Fritz: 22…Bxe4 23.dxe4 Nxc2 24.Bd5 with equal chances Qa8 23.Rf1? Fritz suggests 23.Qe7! f5 Black surges on 24.Bb4 Rd8 Missing 24...Kh7 25.Rf2 Ne6! 25.Qe7? Best but inadequate was 25.c3 Ne2 26.d4 Nxd4 27.cxd4 Bxe4 28.d5 Kh8 25...fxe4!? seems even better 26.Qf7 fxe4 27.Qxg6 Rd7 27...e3!? and Black can already relax, says Fritz 28.Bc4 e3??
Ruining a winning position: 28...Bd5 29.Bxd5 Qxd5! 29.Rf8+! Qxf8 30.Bxf8 1-0
Our thanks to John Manahan for helping us get the results.
LIVING UP TO A LEGEND IN ARMENIAN TITLE SERIES
Tigran Petrosian takes early lead
ARMENIAN Grandmaster Tigran L. Petrosian is determined to live up to his namesake, the legendary world champion from the Soviet Union in the 1960s.
After two rounds, Petrosian grabbed the solo lead with a perfect score of 2.0 points in the Armenian National Championships.
The 24-man field of participants does not include Armenian superstar Levon Aronian, who is competing in the main event of the prestigious Corus International Tournament, which kicked off Saturday in the Dutch resort of Wijk aan Zee (early Sunday in Manila).
Petrosian started auspiciously in Yerevan with a win with White against GM Ashot Anastasian in the opener and with Black against IM Levon Babujian in the second round.
Half a point behind the solo leader were GMs Ara and Artashes Minosian, Zaven Andrasian, Karen Asrian, and Fide Master Samvel Ter-Sahakyan. They had 1.5 points each in a tie for the second to sixth places.
With one point from two draws each were GMs Smbat Lputian and Arman Pashikian. Lputian, who like the Minosian brothers, is a veteran international campaigner.
GM Arsen Yegiazaran was in ninth place with a half point.
Trailing behind were three still-scoreless participants—GMs Anastasian and Tigran Nalbandian along with IM Babujian.
T.L. Petrosian (2606) – A. Anastasian (2562)
Rd. 1, Sicilian Kan (B43)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 b5 6.g3 6.Bd3 b4 7.Nce2 Bb7 could favor Black Bb7 Equalizing 7.Bg2 Nc6 8.0–0 Nge7 9.Nb3 Na5 10.Nc5 Nec6 11.Nxb7 Nxb7 12.e5 Rc8 13.Re1 Be7 If 13...Nba5 14.b3 14.Qg4 Kf8 14...Bf8 15.Bg5 Qc7 16.Bf4 could help White 15.h4 15.Bf4 h5 16.Qe2 h4 would likely boost Black h5 16.Qd1 d5 17.exd6 Nxd6 18.Bf4 18.a4 b4 19.Na2 a5 favors Black g6 Missing 18...Nc4 19.Qb1 and the balance is restored 19.Bxc6 Rxc6 20.Qf3 Qc8 21.Be5 Rg8 22.Qf4 Nc4 23.Qh6+ Ke8 24.Qh7 Rf8 25.Bg7 Nxb2 26.Ne4 Nc4 27.Bxf8 Bxf8 28.Ng5 Qc7 29.Nxe6 29.Rad1 is stronger, e.g., 29…e5 30.Nxf7 Qxf7 31.Rd8+ Kxd8 32.Qxf7!, and White surges ahead fxe6 Reducing White’s lead 30.Rxe6+! 30...Kd8 Not 30...Rxe6+ because of 31.Qxc7! 31.Rd1+ Rd6 32.Rdxd6+ Nxd6 33.Qg8 Kd7 34.Rxg6 Qd8 35.Qe6+ Kc7 36.Rg5 Nc4? Better but inadequate was 36...Qd7 37.Qxd7+ Kxd7 38.Rxh5 Ne4, and White would still have the edge 37.Qxa6 Qd1+ 38.Kh2 Qf3 38...Qd4 won't change anything anymore: 39.Rf5 Be7 40.Qxb5!, winning 39.Qa7+ Kd8 40.Rxb5 Bd6 41.Rg5 Qf6 42.Rg8+ Bf8 43.Qb8+ Ke7 44.Qc7+ Ke8 45.Qc8+! Clinching the point: 45…Ke7 46.Qxc4 Qxf2+ 47.Kh3 Qf5+ 48.Kg2! 1–0
L. Babujian (2439) – T.L. Petrosian (2606)
Rd 2, King’s Indian, Classical Variation (E91)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 0-0 5.Nf3 d6 6.Be2 Bg4 7.0-0 Nfd7 8.Ne1 Bxe2 9.Nxe2 Nc6 10.Be3 e5 11.d5 Ne7 12.Nd3 f5 The thematic attack, notes Fritz 13.f3 c5 14.b4 If 14.Qb3 Qc7! cxb4 Black has equalized 15.Nxb4 Rc8 16.Qb3 Nc5 16...Qc7 would help White: 17.Nd3 fxe4 18.fxe4 Qxc4 19.Rxf8+ Bxf8 20.Qxc4 Rxc4 21.Nf2! 17.Bxc5 Rxc5 18.Nd3 Rc7 19.c5 The typical lever Nc8 20.cxd6 Nxd6 21.Nc3 Rc4 22.Rac1 22.Rab1!? is an interesting idea, Fritz notes Qa5!
23.f4? Fritz says 23.exf5 was much better: 23...Bh6 24.Nxe5! fxe4 Seizing the initiative and the lead 24.Nxe4 24.Nxe5 favors Black, e.g., 24…Bxe5 25.fxe5 Qc5+ 26.Kh1 Rxf1+ 27.Rxf1 Rxc3! Rxe4 25.fxe5 Rxf1+ 26.Rxf1 Bxe5 27.Qc2 Qc3 27...Bd4+ might be quicker 28.Qb1 28.Qxc3 won’t work, e.g., 28...Bxc3 29.Nf4, and Black is way ahead Qd4+ 29.Kh1 Rh4 30.h3 White now is running out of good moves Nf5 White resigns in the face of certain defeat: 31.Rxf5 gxf5!, although Black missed the much stronger 30...Ne4! 0-1
WITH 16 STARS IN ODESSA KNOCKOUT SERIES
Radjabov captures ACP Rapid Cup
SIXTEEN of the world’s brightest stars entered the ACP Rapid Cup knockout series held from January 4 to 7 in Odessa under the auspices of Ukraine’s Pivdenny Bank, with young Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan emerging as the best of the lot.
Seven of the combatants were from Russia—Peter Svidler (2763), Dmitry Jakovenko (2720), Alexander Grischuk (2711), Ernesto Inarkiev (2681), Anatoly Karpov (2655), Evgeny Najer (2634), and Boris Savchenko (2589), while Ukraine had four, namely, Vassily Ivanchuk (2751), Sergey Karjakin (2732), Pavel Eljanov (2692), and Yuri Drozdovsky (2574).
Alexei Shirov (2755) represented Spain, Boris Gelfand (2737) Israel, Teimour Radjabov (2735) Azerbaijan, Judit Polgar (2707) Hungary, and Alexander Shabalov (2522) of the United States of America.
Only Shabalov, Savchenko, and Drozdovsky did not belong to the superstar category on the basis of their latest Elo ratings.
At stake in the five-stage series were prizes totaling US$136,000.
As in most of the other major tournaments where youth and experience clashed, youth prevailed in the clutches.
On his way to the top, Radjabov who until the last quarter of 2007 was the world’s highest rated junior player, first disposed of Drozdovski in the preliminaries, Ivanchuk in the quarterfinals, Jakovenko in the semifinals, and Grischuk in the finals.
The Azeri GM was also the only one during the entire event to pull off a checkmate—on Drosdovski in their third game in the preliminaries. Here is how he did it with Black:
Drozdovskij,Y (2574) - Radjabov,T (2735) [D79]
Rd 1.2, Fianchetto Gruenfeld, Symmetrical (D79)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 c6 5.Nc3 d5 6.cxd5 cxd5 7.Bg2 0-0 8.Ne5 e6 9.0-0 Nfd7 10.f4 Nc6 11.Kh1 Nb6 12.b3 f6 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Ba3 Rf7 15.Rc1 Ba6 16.Rf2 f5 17.e3 Bf8 18.Bxf8 Qxf8 19.Rfc2 Rc8 20.Ne2 Rfc7 21.Ng1 c5 22.dxc5 Rxc5 23.Nf3 Qd6 24.Nd4 Kf7 25.h3 Nd7 26.g4 Nf6 27.gxf5 exf5 28.Nf3 Ne4 29.Ne5+ The knight dominates the center Ke7 30.Bxe4 dxe4 31.Qxd6+ Kxd6 32.Rd2+ Ke6 33.Rcd1 Bb5 34.Kg2 Rc2 35.Kg3 Missing his best shot, 35.a4!?, and White hangs on 35...Be8 36.Nc4 Rxd2+ 37.Rxd2 (37.Nxd2? Rd8-+) 37...Bxa4 38.Nd6! Rxd2-+ 36.Rxd2 Rc3 37.a4 Rxe3+ 38.Kh4? 38.Kg2 Bd3 39.h4 is better but not enough Be8? Missing his winning shot, 38...Bf1!, e.g., 39.Rh2 h6! 39.Rd8 Ke7 40.Ra8 Rxb3 41.Rxa7+ Kd6 42.Ra8 Bc6 43.Ra6 Rc3 44.a5 h6 45.Nf7+ Kc5 46.Ra7? Best was 46.Ne5 Bb5 47.Rxg6! e3! Seizing the moment 47.Kg3?? The fatal mistake: 47.Re7 offered the only chance to get some counterplay Rc1 48.Ne5 Rg1+ 49.Kh4 e2 50.Re7 50.Nd3+ would only delay the inevitable: 50...Kc4 51.Rd7 Bxd7 52.a6 Kxd3 53.a7 e1Q# e1Q#!
There are no if’s or but’s about mate! 0-1
Grischuk kayoed Karpov in the first stage but only after a playoff. The former world champion held the distinction of being the only one to hold on in the first round until he got eliminated in the playoff—in their second blitz duel, when he lost on time after only 18 moves!
A. Karpov (2655) – A. Grischuk (2711)
Rd 1.4, Sicilian Najdorf (B90)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e6 Safety first 7.Be3 b5 8.Qd2 If 8.a3 Bb7 Nbd7 9.g4 h6 Prophylaxis, a la Nimzowitsch 10.h4 b4 11.Na4 11.Nce2 d5 12.Bg2 dxe4!, and Black is ahead d5 12.Rg1 dxe4 13.0-0-0 Qa5 14.b3 exf3 15.Nxf3 Bb7 16.Bg2 Nd5 17.Bd4 Nc5 17...Bc6 18.Ne5 Nxe5 19.Bxe5 leads to White’s advantage 18.Nxc5 Bxc5 At this point the flag of White’s clock fell. At any rate, Black is leading, e.g., 19.Bxc5 Qxc5, etc. 0-1
The Russian finalist then disposed of his compatriot, four-time national champion Svidler, in the second-round quarterfinals and another youthful rival, Karjakin, in the semifinals.
It took Grischuk four games before he could subdue Karjakin, who also posted one win against him in the playoff.
Here is how Grischuk resolved the issue with Black in their fourth and final game.
S. Karjakin (2732) – A. Grischuk (2711)
Rd. 3.5, Ruy Lopez, Deferred Steinitz (C73)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 4...Bc5 5.0-0 equalizes 5.Bxc6+ bxc6 6.d4 f6 7.Be3 Ne7 8.c4 Ng6 9.Nc3 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Qa4 Bd7 12.c5 Kh8 13.Rad1 Qe8 13...Bg4 would give White a big boost, e.g., 14.cxd6 Bxd6 15.dxe5 fxe5 16.Nd2 (If 16.Qxc6 Bxf3 17.gxf3 Nh4!, and Black surges ahead) Bxd1 17.Rxd1! 14.h3 d5 15.dxe5 Fritz suggests 15.Qa5, and White hangs on fxe5 Black seizes the initiative and the lead 16.Ne2 16.exd5 cxd5 17.Qa3 Rxf3 18.Nxd5 Bxh3 19.Qb4 favors Black d4 Missing 16...Rxf3!, e.g., 17.gxf3 Nh4 18.Ng3 Bxh3 19.exd5 Nxf3+ 20.Kh1 Bxf1 21.Qe4 cxd5 22.Qxf3!, and Black is way ahead 17.Bd2? Better but not enough was 17.Nxe5 dxe3 18.Nxd7 Rxf2 19.Rxf2 exf2+ 20.Kxf2! Rxf3! Breaching Black’s defenses. 17...Bxc5?! would be bad: 18.Qc2 Be7 19.Kh2!
18.gxf3 Nh4 19.Qa3?? White has lost his nerve... understandable when you consider his position, says Fritz, e.g., 19.Ng3 Bxh3 20.Qb3 Qd7! Bxh3 19...Bxc5 nails it down, Fritz notes: 20.Qxc5 Qe6 21.Nf4 exf4 22.Qf5 Nxf5 23.exf5 Qxf5, and Black surges on 20.Kh2 Bg2 Missing the winning move, 20...Bxf1! 21.Rxf1 Qh5! 21.Ng3 Qd7 22.Nf5 Nxf5 23.Kxg2 Nh4+ 24.Kh2 Rf8 25.f4 Qg4 26.Qg3 Qh5 Best was 26...Qe2!? 27.b4 exf4 28.Bxf4 Qxe4! 27.f3 Nxf3+ Black is on the verge of victory 28.Kg2 Nh4+ 29.Kg1 Bxc5 30.Rc1 Ba7 31.fxe5?? 31.Qh3 Qe2 32.Qxh4 was the correct line d3+ 32.Kh2 Nf5+ Best was 32...Rxf1!, and it becomes clear that Black will call all the shots 33.Qh3 Restoring the equilibrium Qe2+ 34.Kh1?? 34.Qg2 should bring relief: 34...Qh5+ 35.Qh3 Qe2+ 36.Qg2 Qh5+ 37.Qh3, with equal chances Qxe4+ 34...Ng3+ seems even better, says Fritz: 35.Qxg3 Rxf1+ 36.Rxf1 Qxf1+ 37.Kh2 Qe2+ 38.Qg2 Bf2!, and Black forges ahead 35.Rf3 Ng3+! 36.Qxg3 Rxf3 37.Re1 Rf1+ White resigns as mate is next: 38.Kh2 Qh1#! 0-1
Grischuk, however, found out in the finals that he could not stand up to Radjabov’s youthful vigor on the board.
Here is how the Azeri superstar demolished the Russian’s Caro-Kann Defense in their second game:
T. Radjabov (2735) – A. Grischuk (2711)
Rd 4.3, Caro-Kann Exchange/Panov-Botvinnik Attack (B13)
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nf3 g6 8.0-0 Bg7 9.Re1 0-0 10.Bg5 Bf5 11.Bxf5 gxf5 12.Qc1 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Na3 a6 may favor Black Ne4 Equalizing 13.Bf4 Qd7 14.Nbd2 Kh8 14...f6 15.Qc2 keeps the balance 15.Nf1 Rg8 16.Ng3 Nxg3 Fritz suggests 16...f6!? as a viable alternative: 17.Qd1 e5, with equality 17.Bxg3 Bf6 18.b4 Rg6 19.b5 Na5 20.Ne5 If 20.Be5 Nc4 21.Bxf6+ Rxf6 Bxe5 Keeping the equilibrium 21.Bxe5+ f6 22.Bf4 22.Bg3 Nc4 retains equality Nc4! 23.Qc2 23.Qd1 Re8 24.b6 axb6 favors Black Rag8 23...Re8 24.b6 axb6 25.Qe2 would help White 24.g3 Nd6 If 24...Re8 25.Re2! 25.a4 Ne4 26.c4 Ng5 Best was 26...e6, e.g., 27.cxd5 Qxd5 28.Rac1, and the balance stays 27.Kg2! Ne6 28.Qxf5 Nxf4+ 29.Qxf4 dxc4 30.Qe4 R6g7 30...e6 31.Qxe6 Qxd4 32.Rad1 gives White a clear advantage 31.Rac1 Rc8 32.Rc3 a6 33.bxa6 bxa6 34.Qe6 Qb7+ 35.Kg1 35.Kh2 could be a bit stronger Qc7? Black starts flip-flopping. Best was 35...Rc6!?, e.g., 36.Qe2 Qc8, although White would still be ahead 36.Rec1 If 36.Qxa6 Rgg8! Rcg8 37.Qxc4 37.Re3 Rc8 should boost White’s lead Qd7 38.Kg2 Rg6 39.Re3 f5 40.Rf3 Qd6 Fritz suggests 40...Rd8!?, but White would still be ahead 41.Qc5 Qd7 42.Qe5+ R6g7 43.Rc7 Qxa4 44.Rxe7 Qc6 Good moves are now hard to find 45.Rxg7 Rxg7 46.d5 Qd7 46...Qc7 offers the last chance for counterplay, but it won’t alter the course of events: 47.Qxf5 a5 and White is still ahead 47.Rxf5 47.Rc3 was the winning shot: 47...Qb7 48.Kh2 h6 and White surges on Kg8 48.Qb8+! Black surrenders as mate is just a step away: 48…Qd8 49.Qxd8#! 1-0
WORLD’S OLDEST TOURNAMENT
83rd Hastings ends in 3-way tie
THE world’s oldest chess tournament, the 83rd Hastings International Congress, has ended in a three-way tie among three European grandmasters who garnered 7.5 points each after 10 rounds in the historic Hastings beach resort in southwestern England.
The pooled first to third prizes were divided equally among Vadim Malakhatko (2596) of Belgium, Nidjat Mamedov (2565) of Azerbaijan, and Valeriy Neverov (2558) of Ukraine.
Six other grandmasters finished just half a point each behind the leaders. They were Falko Bindrich ((2512) of Germany, Glenn Flear (2493), Gawain Jones (2567) and Nicholas Pert (2539) of England, Bogdan Lalic (2500) of Croatia, and Milos Pavlovic (2536) of Slovenia.
Nine others led by GM Boris Chatalbashev (2581) of Bulgaria had 6.5 points each to land the 10th to 18th slots.
The International Congress was held from December 28, 2007 to January 6, 2008, with 103 players competing in the main event.
The tradition started in 1925 to commemorate the famous 1895 Hastings Tournament which saw all the world’s leading players, headed by world champion Emanuel Lasker and his predecessor, Wilhelm Steinitz, taking part.
The top prize, however, went surprisingly to the lone American entry, Harry Nelson Pillsbury.
Here is the famous game won by Pillsbury against Isidor Arthur Gunsberg, a Hungarian-English player, in the last round:
H.N.Pillsbury – I.A. Gunsberg
Final round, Int’l Tmt, Hastings, ENG 1895
Gruenfeld (D94)
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 g6 [3...Bf5 4.Qb3 Qc7 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Bb5+ Nd7 7.Nc3=] 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Bd3 0–0 7.Ne5 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Nd5 9.f4 Be6 10.Qb3 b5 11.Bxd5 Bxd5 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.Qxd5 cxd5 14.Nd3 Nd7 15.Bd2 Rfc8 16.Ke2 e6 17.Rhc1 Bf8 18.Rxc8 Rxc8 19.Rc1 Rxc1 20.Bxc1 Bd6 21.Bd2 Kf8 22.Bb4 Ke7 23.Bc5 a6 23...a5 24.g4 would have equalized 24.b4 f6 25.g4 Bxc5 26.bxc5 Nb8 27.f5 g5 27...Nc6 28.Nf4 g5 29.Nxe6 Kd7 would give White tremendous advantage 28.Nb4 White now is clearly ahead a5 29.c6 Kd6 30.fxe6 Nxc6 31.Nxc6 Kxc6 32.e4 dxe4 33.d5+!! A powerful punch that White found over the board as he fought to revive his game. At the start, Pillsbury had thought he needed only a draw to win the first prize, but found out before this move that one of his rivals was winning his last game and could catch up with him if he merely halved the point. 33...Kd6 If 33...Kxd5+ 34.e7! 34.Ke3 b4 35.Kxe4 a4 36.Kd4 h5 36...Ke7 offers the last hope: 37.Kc4 b3 38.axb3 a3, White still leads 37.gxh5 a3 38.Kc4 f5 39.h6 f4 40.h7! Black resigns with mate in the air, e.g., 40…f3 41.h8=Q f2 42.Qb8+ Ke7 43.Qa7+ Kd6 44.Kd4 f1Q 45.Qd7#! 1–0
In the 2007-08 tournament, one of the most exciting and amusing endings was won by Ukrainian GM Neverov, one of the top three winners.
V. Neverov (2558) – S. Satyapragyan (2404)
Rd 3, Premier Hastings, ENG 2007
Nimzo-Indian, Rubinstein (E46)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Nge2 Re8 6.a3 Bf8 7.g3 7.e4 e5 gives Black a chance to equalize d5 8.Bg2 c6 9.b3 dxc4 10.bxc4 e5 11.d5 11.dxe5 Qxd1+ 12.Nxd1 Rxe5 leads to equality e4 12.0-0 cxd5 13.Nxd5 Bg4 14.Ra2 Nbd7 15.h3 Be6 16.Nef4 Bxd5 17.Nxd5 Nc5 18.Rd2 Nxd5 19.Rxd5 Qb6 20.Qd4 If 20.f3 Qe6, with equal chances Nb3 Not 20...Rac8 21.Bb2! 21.Qc3 Nxc1 22.Rxc1 Rac8 22...Qe6 23.Rcd1 would have equalized 23.a4 White plans c5 23.Re5 Qd6 24.Rxe4 Rxe4 25.Bxe4 b5 equalizes Qc6 24.Qa1 g6 25.a5 Qa6 26.Qa4 Re6 26...f5 leads to equality: 27.Rd7 Red8 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.Qb5 27.c5 b6 28.c6! bxa5 If 28...Rc7 29.Kh2 29.Bf1 Missing 29.Rxa5!?, e.g., 29…Qb6 30.Ra6!, and White surges on Qb6 30.Rb5 Qd8 31.Rb7 Qe8 Not 31...Qd5 32.Rd7 Qe5 33.c7! 32.Rc2 Bb4 33.Rxa7 33.Bb5!? a6 34.Bxa6 would have given White a clear edge Rcxc6 33...Rexc6?? would be bad because of 34.Bb5 Rxc2 35.Bxe8! 34.Bc4 Rf6?? 34...Rc5 would have reduced White’s lead: 35.Qxe8+ Rxe8 36.Bxf7+ Kf8 37.Rxc5 Bxc5 38.Rxa5 Kxf7 39.Rxc5 Ke6, with the edge 35.Rxf7! Demolition of pawn structure, and Black resigns. 1-0
Belgian GM Malakhatko, a 30-year-old former Ukrainan player who migrated to Belgium, started with a loss, but recovered soon enough to top the field with 7.5 points from six wins, three draws and one loss in the 10-round Swiss tournament.
In fact, among the top three, he had the best performance. After losing to a virtual unknown, he got a good grip on himself and posted an amazing streak of four straight wins before holding leading English GM Mark Hebden to a draw with Black in the sixth round.
A gutsy fighter, he won again in the seventh round, drew his eighth game, won the penultimate ninth, and drew his final game.
When he started on December 28, he only had 2596. But when he won a share of the top three prizes, he fittingly had a rating of 2603 based on the new list issued by Fide on New Year’s Day.
Here is his win with White in the penultimate ninth, against the Benko Gambit launched by Black.
V. Malakhatko,V (2603) – M. Pavlovic (2536)
Rd 9, Benko/Volga Gambit (A58)
1.c4 Nf6 2.d4 c5 3.d5 b5 3...d6!? should equalize, says Fritz 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.g3 d6 8.Bg2 Bg7 9.Nf3 Nbd7 10.Rb1 0–0 11.0–0 Qa5 12.Bd2 Rfb8 13.Qc2 Qc7 14.b3 Nb6 15.Nh4 Bb7 16.e4 Ba6 17.Rfe1 Ng4 18.h3 Ne5 19.Re3 Nbd7? 19...h6 was better but White would stay ahead, e.g., 20.f4 Ned7 21.Ne2! 20.a4 20.f4 g5 21.Nf5 Ng6 22.Nxg7 gxf4 23.gxf4 Kxg7 would give White a big boost Bd3? 20...Qa7 is best 21.Rxd3 White takes a big leap forward Nxd3 22.Nb5 22.Qxd3 c4 23.bxc4 Ne5 24.Rxb8+ Qxb8 was also playable Qc8? 22...Rxb5 could have cut White’s lead, e.g., 23.axb5 N3e5 23.Qxd3!
23…c4 24.Qxc4 Qxc4 25.bxc4 Rxa4 26.Bf1 Nc5 27.Re1 Ra1 28.Rxa1 Bxa1 29.f3 Ra8 30.Be3 Ra2 31.Bxc5 dxc5 32.f4 Bb2 33.e5 f6 34.exf6 exf6 35.Be2 Kf8 36.Nf3 Ke7 37.Kf2 Kd7 37...Bc1 does not improve anything, says Fritz, trotting out this line: 38.Ne1 Bd2 39.Nd3! 38.Ne1 Black resigns,realizing that if he answers with 38…Ba3 39.Nc3! quickly wins. 1–0
Meanwhile, GM Mamedov had a fascinating win with Black in the fourth round.
E. Gurbanzade (2179) – N. Mamedov (2565)
Rd 4, Sicilian Richter-Rauzer (B63)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3² d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 Qb6 8.0–0–0 a6 9.Be2 Qxd4 10.Qxd4 Nxd4 11.Rxd4 Bd7 12.Rhd1 Bc6 13.f4 Be7 14.Bf3 h6 15.Bh4 g5 16.fxg5 Nd7 17.Bg3 The pressure on d6 grows hxg5 18.Nd5 18.h3 gives Black a chance to equalize, e.g., 18…Ne5 19.Be2 Rd8! Bxd5 19.exd5 e5 20.Rb4 f5 21.Rxb7 Fritz suggests 21.h3 as an interesting alternative e4! 22.Be2 f4 23.Bf2 Rxh2 24.Rg1 Ne5 25.Rb4 e3 Don't underestimate that pawn, Fritz warns 26.Be1 Kf7 27.Kd1 Rah8 28.Bxa6? 28.Ra4!, and White hangs on Ra8 Black seizes the lead 29.Ra4 29.Bf1 Rxa2 30.Ke2 Kg6 would give Black a boost f3 30.gxf3 e2+!! The winning stroke. 31.Kc1 Rxa6! 32.Rxa6 Nxf3 33.Rg3 Nxe1 34.Re3 Nxc2! 0–1
As a bonus, here is a fascinating miniature gem of a game.
S. Abu Sufian (2361) – J. Mansson (2161)
Rd 4, Sicilian Najdorf (B96)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qc7 8.Qf3 b5 9.f5 b4 10.Ncb5! The start of a series of sacrifices and other beautiful moves.
10…axb5 11.fxe6 fxe6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Qxf6 Qe7 14.Qxh8 Qh4+ 15.Kd1! Qxe4 16.Bxb5+ Bd7 17.Rf1! Threatening back-rank mate Qg4+ 18.Be2! Qg7 19.Bh5+! Ke7 20.Rf7+! Qxf7 21.Bxf7 Kxf7 22.Ke2! 1–0
Sheer magic, indeed!
DO YOU REALLY NEED BOTH ROOKS?
Two famous games say no
JOURNALIST Ignacio “Iggy” Dee has contributed two famous games showing that rooks can be expendable under certain circumstances. In other words, one of these two heavy weapons can be sacrificed on the altar of victory.
As every player knows, two rooks are considered to be more powerful than a queen is, and this can be shown in mathematical terms: a queen is equivalent to 9.0 points while each rook is valued at 5.0. Therefore, two rooks are equal to 10 points, or one point higher than a queen’s value.
This is the basis for the principle in chess that rooks must be doubled along a file or a rank to maximize their force.
Another principle calls for the rooks to control open or half-open files. A further third is for a player to let his rook or, better still, both his rooks control his seventh—or his opponent’s second—rank.
Finally, a fourth calls for a rook to be behind its advancing pawn in the endgame.
All these principles emphasize the importance of rooks as the most effective offensive weapon, next only to the queen.
In swapping off pieces, it is said that, depending on the position, a bishop or a knight may be sacrificed for one rook since these minor pieces are valued at only 3.0 points apiece.
Basically, one point in this scale of values is equivalent roughly to one pawn (on its original square, that is, since the pawn increases in value as it advances forward to its queening square—colorfully and naughtily described by Nimzowitsch as a pawn’s inherent “lust to expand”).
Leonid Yudasin (2538) - Joel Benjamin (2563)
HB Global Chess Challenge, Minneapolis USA 2005
Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Nd2 e6 9.Ngf3 Bxf3 10.Nxf3 Better than 10.gxf3 Bd6 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.Qxb7 Rb8!, when Black surges on Bd6 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.0-0 0-0 13.Rae1 Nd7 14.Qc2 g6 15.Re3 Qf4 16.Rfe1 Rab8 17.Qe2 Rfc8 18.h3 Rc7 19.Nh2 Ne7 20.Ng4 Kg7 21.Rf3 Qg5 22.Bb5 Nc6?? Black has his weakest point, f7, exposed. So…
23.Rxf7+!! Kxf7 24.Qxe6+ Kg7 25.Qd6? Missing his best shot, 25.Bxc6!, e.g., 25...bxc6 26.Qd6! Qd8 The best 26.Bxc6 Rxc6 26...bxc6?? would benefit White: 27.Re7+ Kh8 28.Nf6!, and White forges ahead 27.Qe7+ Kh8 28.Qf7 Rc7 28...Nb6 29.Re7 Qg8 30.Qf4 would have equalized 29.Re7 Qg8 30.Qf4 Qf8 31.Rf7 Qg8 32.Nh6 Qd8 33.Qe3 Rbc8 34.Re7 Qf8 35.Nf7+ Kg8 36.Qe6 Rc6 Not 36...Nf6 because of 37.Nd6+ Kh8 38.Nxc8 Rxc8 39.Rf7!, and White surges ahead 37.Nd6+ Missing 37.Qxd7!?, and White can already relax, Fritz notes: R6c7 38.Nh6+ Qxh6 39.Qxd5+ Kh8 40.Qe5+ Kg8 41.Qe6+ Kh8 42.Qf6+ Kg8 43.Rxc7 Qc1+ 44.Kh2 Rxc7 45.Qd8+ Kf7 46.Qxc7+ Ke6 47.Qe5+! and White is leagues ahead Kh8 38.Rxd7! Black resigns in the face of certain defeat. 1-0
● Wolfgang Uhlmann - Bent Larsen
1/4 Las Palmas, 1971
Semi-Slav, Meran (D47)
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.d4 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.e4 b4 10.Na4 c5 11.e5 Nd5 12.Nxc5 Bxc5 13.dxc5 Qa5 14.Qe2 14.0–0 Nxc5 15.Bc2 Rd8 is better Nxc5 15.Bb5+ Kf8 16.0–0 h6 16...Nb3 17.Rb1 Qxa2 18.Be3 would have equalized 17.Be3 Nxe3 18.fxe3 Kg8 19.Rac1 Ne4 20.Bc6 Bxc6 21.Rxc6 Qxa2 22.Qc2 Ng5 22...Qd5!?² should be examined more closely, says Fritz 23.Nd4 White now has the edge Qd5 24.Rc5 Qd8? 25.Rc7 25.h4 and White can already relax: 25...b3 26.Qf2 Kh7 27.hxg5 Qxg5 b3 25...Qd5 26.h4 Qxe5 27.hxg5 Qxe3+ 28.Qf2 Qxf2+ 29.Rxf2 gives White a big boost 26.Qc6 26.Nxb3 seems even better: 26...Qd5 27.h4 Qxe5 28.hxg5 Qxe3+ 29.Qf2, and White is way ahead Qd5 27.h4 Qxe5?! A dubious move condemned by Fritz. Strangely enough, this proves to be a turning point—for Black! 27...Qxc6 could favor White, Fritz notes, citing 28.Nxc6 Ne4 29.Rfxf7!
28.Qxa8+ Kh7 29.Qxa7 Qxe3+ 30.Kh2 Rd8 Fritz notes that 30...Qe5+ would help White, e.g., 31.Kh1 Rd8 32.hxg5 Rxd4 33.Rcxf7 Rh4+ 34.Kg1 Qh2+ 35.Kf2 Rf4+ 36.Rxf4 Qxf4+ 37.Kg1! 31.Nf3 Missing his best shot, 31.Nc6! Qe4 32.Qf2!, and White is winning Qf4+! Seizing the lead 32.Kg1 Nxf3+ 33.Rxf3 Rd1+ 34.Kf2 Qxh4+ 35.g3 Qh2+ 36.Ke3 Qd2+ 37.Ke4 Qd5+ 37...Re1+ leads to mate: 38.Re3 Qd5+ 39.Kf4 Qf5#! 38.Ke3 Not 38.Kf4 Rd4+ 39.Ke3 Rd3+ 40.Kf2 Qxf3+ 41.Kg1 Rd1+ 42.Kh2 Rh1#! Rd3+! Black resigns in the face of a mating attack: 39.Kf2 Qxf3+ 40.Kg1 Rd1+ 41.Kh2 Rh1#; 38...Re1+ 39.Kf2 Qd2#! 0–1
PINOY GEMS WITH A HISTORY
Wesley’s ‘walk in park’ to GM title
AS reported in The Weekender of December 16, 2007, Wesley So “followed a very safe route and cautious style to capture his third and final norm and the title” in the Third Prospero Pichay Jr. Cup International Open held early last month.
In short, it was like “taking a walk in the park”—a safe stroll that precluded any misstep as had happened in the First and Second PGMA Cups and the Philippine Open in Subic as well as in the Asian Individual Championship in Cebu.
In those four events, Wesley stumbled at crucial turns, usually toward the endgame, often at times when he felt a GM result was within his grasp.
Learning from his mistakes, Wesley forced himself to develop self-restraint by reining in his youthful exuberance, and not to look for “brilliancies” but to focus on safety-first measures in the Pichay Cup. In the process, he developed a liking for short, quick draws.
Along the way, he has matured steadily and now plays like the grandmaster that he truly is.
At the Asean Masters in Tarakan, with the GM title in the bag, Wesley who is competing in Group A is expected to fall back anew on his trademark sharp tactical plays.
Srdjan Sale (2453) - Wesley So (2254)
Rd. 3.9, 8th Dubai Open, UAE 2006
Irregular Opening (A00)
1.g3 c5 2.Bg2 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.e4 e6 6.d3 Nge7 7.c3 0-0 8.0-0 b6 9.a4 Ba6 10.Na3 Rc8 10...d5 11.e5 would have equalized 11.Re1 d6 12.Be3 e5 13.Nc4 Qc7 14.Qb3 Rcd8 15.Rad1 h6 16.Bc1 Kh7 17.Ne3 exf4 18.gxf4 f5 19.exf5 19.Nd5 Qd7 allows Black to equalize Nxf5 20.Nxf5 Rxf5 21.Nh4 Rf6 22.Qc2 Ne7 23.Qe2 Nf5 24.Nxf5 Rxf5 25.Be4 Rf6 26.Qg2 Bc8 27.Re3 Be6 28.Rg3 Qf7 29.Re1 Re8 30.Bd2 d5 31.Bf3 Qd7 32.b3 Bf7 33.Re5 Rd6 34.Rxe8 34.Bg4 Qc6 35.Rxe8 would give Black a big boost Qxe8 35.f5 Qe5 36.Bg4! d4! 37.c4 gxf5 38.Bxf5+! Qxf5! Black accepts the challenge 39.Rxg7+ Kh8 40.Rg3 Rg6 Not 40...Rf6 41.Qe2! 41.Qa8+ Not 41.b4 Rf6 42.h3 Qe5!, and the balance is restored Kh7! 42.Qxa7?? The losing moment. 42.Qf8! offered the best chance to White.42...Rf6! White resigns in disgust with himself. At any right, Black is decidedly winning, e.g., 43.Kh1 Qf1+ 44.Rg1 Qf3+ 45.Rg2 Rg6 46.Qxf7+ Qxf7 47.Rxg6 Qxg6! 0-1
Here is a beautiful minigem of a game that Wesley won in Cebu despite being off-form at that time.
Wesley So (2516) – M. Mahjoobzardast (2479)
Rd 4.9, Asian Individual Ch 2007
Pirc Defence, Austrian Attack
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Bd3 Na6 7.0-0 c5 8.d5 Nc7 9.Qe1 e6 10.dxe6 fxe6 11.e5 Nfd5 Not 11...Nh5 12.f5 gxf5 13.Bg5! 12.Ne4 Nxf4 12...Ne8 13.Bb5 gives White the edge 13.Bxf4 White now has tremendous advantage Rxf4 14.Nxd6 Nd5 15.Qg3 Qf8 16.Rae1 16.Nxc8?! allows Black to equalize: 16…Rxc8 17.b3 Ne3! Ne7?? This simply worsens the situation. Best was 16...Bd7! 17.Ng5! Rxf1+ 17...Rf5 helps White, e.g., 18.Bc4 Bxe5 19.Rxe5 Rxf1+ 20.Bxf1 Nd5 21.Nxc8!, and White surges ahead 18.Rxf1 Nf5 18...Qxf1+ won't improve anything: 19.Kxf1 h6 20.Qf3!, and White is winning 19.Bxf5 gxf5 20.Rxf5!! If 20…exf5 21.Qb3+!, and a smothered mate follows. 1-0
In the Pichay Cup Open, Wesley began a quiet game that he just as quietly forced to end with another beautiful sacrifice of the exchange. To think that only two pawns had been swapped by either side!
W. So (2531) – R. Legaspi (2334)
3rd Pichay Cup Open, Parañaque 2007
Sicilian Kan (B42)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3² e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.0–0 d6 7.c4 Be7 8.Nc3 0–0 9.Kh1 Nc6 10.Be3 Bd7 11.f4 Qb8 12.Qe2 Re8 13.Nf3 h6 Not 13...Qc7 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5, and White leads 14.Rad1 Qc7 15.e5 Ng4 16.Bc1 h5 16...dxe5 was better, e.g., 17.fxe5 Bb4! 17.Bb1 dxe5 18.fxe5! The clincher: 18…Rad8 19.h3 Ncxe5 20.Nxe5 Qxe5 21.hxg4 Qxe2 22.Nxe2 hxg4 23.Bc2! 1–0
MY FAVORITES
Karjakin comes of age
SIX years after becoming the world’s youngest grandmaster ever, Ukrainian GM Sergey Karjakin has come of age—at 18!
Now the second strongest junior (under-20) player in the world, the Ukrainian prodigy is proving his record-making feat at the age of 12 in 2002 was no fluke. He still holds the record and it looks like it will stay in the books for a long time.
Karjakin and Norway’s Wonder Boy Magnus Carlsen, 17, now the No. 1 junior, proved they are potential world champions when they reached the semifinals of last November’s World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.
This week, Karjakin proved beyond doubt that he can beat at will almost any of the leading players 10 to 20 years older than he is.
In the Association of Chess Professionals’ knockout series among 12 of the world’s strongest players in the Black Sea resort of Odessa, the Ukrainian disposed of Hungarian Wonder Woman Judit Polgar, 30, by a phenomenal 2-0 score in the first stage.
Polgar herself was one of the world’s amazing child prodigies, winning the individual Olympic gold at the age of 11. She became the world’s first female overall national champion and as such broke the 30-year-old record of Bobby Fischer as the youngest person to become a GM in 1991.
In the second stage, world No. 14 Karjakin (Elo 2732), knocked out former world-title candidate Boris Gelfand of Israel, who ranks No. 11 in the world with 2737.
In the semifinals, Karjakin lost to Alexander Grischuk (2711), who in turn lost to Teimour Radjabov (2735) in the finals. Teimour, the former top junior player for years, is now 21
S. Karjakin (2732) – J. Polgar (2707)
Rd. 1.2, Sicilian Defense, O’Kelly Variation (B28)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.c3 If 3.Nc3 e6 e6 3...d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 would have equalized 4.d4² d5 5.e5 Nc6 6.Be2 Bd7 7.0–0 Rc8 8.a3 c4 9.Ng5 Na5 10.Be3 Nb3 11.Ra2 Ne7 12.f4 12.Bh5!? is worthy of consideration, says Fritz, e.g., 12...g6 13.Bg4, with equal chances Nf5 13.Bf2 Be7 14.Nf3 h5 If 14...Ba4 15.Qe1! 15.Nbd2 Ba4 16.Qe1 Kd7 17.Nxb3 Bxb3 18.Ra1 Qb6 19.g3 19.Nd2 Ba4 leads to equality Nh6 If 19...Kc7 20.Nd2! 20.Qd2 20.Nd2 is worth looking at, says Fritz h4 21.Ne1 21.Nxh4 deserves consideration: 21...Bxh4 22.gxh4! hxg3! 22.hxg3 Rcg8 23.g4 g5 23...Kc8 24.Bg3 could favor White 24.f5 Nxf5 24...exf5 should be tried, e.g., 25.gxf5 g4! 25.gxf5! exf5 26.Bg3 Qe6 27.Rf2 f4 28.Bh2 Rh4 28...f3 could boomerang: 29.Rxf3 g4 30.Rg3! 29.Rg2 Rgh8 30.Nf3 Rh3?? This gives White new chances, says Fritz, which suggests 30...Rg4! instead to bring relief 31.Nxg5! 31…f3 Not 31...Bxg5 because of 32.Bg4 Qxg4 33.Rxg4 Rxh2 34.Qxh2 Rxh2 35.Kxh2!, and White forges ahead 32.Nxe6 fxg2 33.Nc5+ Kc6 33...Ke8 won't improve anything: 34.Nxb3 Rxh2 35.Qf4! 34.Qf4 Bc2 35.Qxf7 Bxc5 36.Qe6+ Best was 36.dxc5! R3h6 37.Bf3! Kc7 37.dxc5 R3h6, and Black resigns without waiting for White’s next move. 1–0
Gelfand put up stiffer resistance but just the same could not dislodge his much younger rival.
S. Karjakin (2732) – B. Gelfand (2737)
Rd 2.3, French Defense (C10)
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bd7 5.Nf3 Bc6 6.Bd3 Nd7 7.0-0 Ngf6 8.Ng3 Be7 9.Qe2 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Better than 10.gxf3 c5 11.Be3 cxd4 12.Bxd4 Bc5 13.Bxc5 Nxc5 14.Bb5+ Ncd7! c6 11.Re1 0-0 12.c3 Re8 13.Bf4 Qa5 14.a3 Bf8 15.Rad1 e5 16.Be3 Rad8 17.Bb1 Qd5 18.Ne4 exd4 19.Bxd4 Nxe4 20.Bxe4 Qg5 Fritz suggests 20...Qb3 21.Bxh7+ Kxh7 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.Qh3+ Kg8 24.Qxd7 Qd2?? This gives White new chances. Better was 24...Rd8 25.Qxb7 c5 26.Qxa7 cxd4 27.cxd4 Bc5 25.Be3 White now has a clear advantage. Not 25.Rxd2?? because of 25...Re1#! Qe2 26.h3 Re6 27.Qd2 27.Bxa7?! is dubious: 27…Qxb2 28.a4 Qxc3 29.Qxb7 Qa5 Qxd2 28.Rxd2 a6? 29.Rd7 Re7 30.Rd8 Re5 30...f6 31.Bc5 Rf7 32.Rb8 would give White a big boost 31.b4 Rd5 Not 31...g5 because of 32.Rb8!, with White having a huge advantage 32.Rc8!? Black resigns in the face of likely defeat: 32…g5 33.Bc5 Rxc5 34.bxc5, and White is winning. Fritz points out, however, that 32.Rb8! would have given White a firmer grip after 32…g5. 1-0
GAMES OF GIFTED KIDS
Karjakin, model for all youngsters
ATTENTION, parents: Sergey Karjakin can be the model for your son or daughter who may have the makings of a grandmaster and/or a world champion.
Consider these:
● Sergey became a grandmaster in 2002 at the age of 12 years and seven months old. Today, five years later, he still holds the record as the youngest person ever to earn the coveted title.
● He has been world under-12 champion and many times boy champion of his native Ukraine, where he was born on January 12, 1990 (yes, yesterday was his 18th birthday).
● He was only 12 years old and a very fresh grandmaster when he served as a second to another Ukrainian prodigy, Ruslan Ponomariov, when the latter fought Ukrainian icon Vassily Ivanchuk for the world crown in February 2002. Ruslan won and became the youngest-ever world champion—at 18!
● Last November, Sergey reached the semifinals of the World Cup held in the Siberian winter resort of Khanty-Mansiysk, the same prestigious event in which two-time National Open champion and the Philippines’ newly minted GM Darwin Laylo competed, the first Filipino ever to do so.
● Last week, Sergey reached the third stage of the ACP knockout series by beating two of the world’s best players—Judit Polgar of Hungary, regarded as the strongest female player in chess history, and former world- title candidate Boris Gelfand of Israel, who is currently rated No. 11 in the world.
Let’s now take a look at his games as a gifted kid.
S. Karjakin – S. Baraniuk
Ukrainian U-12 Ch, Simferopol 2000
Sicilian Defense (B40)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Fritz suggests 5.Nd2 a6 5...Bb4 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 would have equalized 6.Bd3 Best was 6.e5!? Ng8 7.Bf4, with a distinct advantage Nc6 7.Be3 e5 8.Nb3 8.Nde2 gives Black a chance to equalize 8…d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxd5 Qxd5 d6 8...d5! was more precise, e.g., 9.Bg5 d4 10.Bxf6 gxf6, with equal chances 9.0-0 Be7 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.exd5 Nb8 12.c4 f5 13.c5 13.f4 0-0 gives White the lead 0-0 14.f4 e4 15.Bc4 Kh8 16.Qd2 dxc5 17.Bxc5 Bxc5+ 18.Nxc5 b6 19.Nb3 b5 20.Be2 Bb7 21.Rfd1 Intending d6 Qb6+ 21...Nd7 22.d6 should equalize 22.Qd4 Qxd4+ 23.Nxd4 If 23.Rxd4 Nd7 Nd7 Not 23...Bxd5 24.Nxb5 axb5 25.Rxd5! 24.Rac1 Nb6 24...Bxd5!? could be tried, e.g., 25.Nxb5 Bxa2, with equal chances 25.d6 White now has the edge Nd5 26.Ne6 White surges ahead Rfe8 27.d7 27.Nc7 was also playable, e.g., 27…Nxc7 28.Rxc7 and White is way ahead Rxe6 28.Rxd5!
An unpleasant surprise, Fritz notes.
28...Rd8 If 28...Bxd5 29.Rc8 29.Rc7 Rb6 29...Bxd5 offers the last chance for counterplay: 30.Rc8 Rd6 31.Rxd8+ 30.Re5 Rg8 31.Re8 Rd6 32.Rxg8+ More decisive was 32.Rxb7 g6 33.Rbb8!, and wins Kxg8 33.Rc8+! It’s all over: 33…Kf7 34.d8=Q Rxd8 35.Rxd8! 1-0
Even as a child, Sergey was adept at both colors. Here is a gem of a game he won with Black—at 11!
L. Lenic (2092) – S. Karjakin (2338)
U-14 Boys, European Youth, Halkidiki GRE 2001
Sicilian Scheveningen/Najdorf (B87)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 b5 8.Bg5 Be7 9.Qf3 Qb6 10.0–0–0 10.Rd1 gives Black a chance to equalize, e.g., 10…b4 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.Ba4+ Kf8! 0–0 11.h4 Nbd7 12.h5 h6 13.Be3 Qb7 14.Qg3 Kh8 Better than 14...Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Qxe4 16.Bxh6, and White has the edge 15.Bxe6 Fritz suggests 15.f3! fxe6 16.Nxe6 Rg8 17.Nf4 Ne5 17...Nxe4? 18.Nxe4 Qxe4 19.Rd4 Qxf4 20.Bxf4 gives White a boost 18.Ng6+ Kh7 19.f4 19.Nd5 was better, e.g., 19…Nxd5 20.Nxe5 dxe5 (Not 20...Nxe3?? because of 21.Qg6+ Kh8 22.Nf7#!) 21.Qg6+ Kh8 22.Rxd5 Nc4 Best was 19...Neg4 20.Bd4 b4 21.Bxf6 Nxf6! 20.Bd4 Restoring the equilibrium b4? Better was 20...Bd8 21.Qd3 Re8 21.Bxf6?? Throwing away a nice position, Fritz notes, suggesting instead 21.Nd5 Bd8 22.Qd3 Nxb2 23.Bxb2, and White surges on Bxf6! 22.Nd5 Bxb2+ 23.Kb1 Be6 24.Qd3 Rac8 25.Nge7 Na3+ 26.Kxb2 Rxc2+ 27.Qxc2? Nxc2 28.Kxc2 Re8 29.Ng6 Bxd5 29...Qc6+ makes it even easier for Black: 30.Kb1 Qc4! 30.exd5 Re2+ 31.Kb3 Qc7! Black resigns as mate is in the air. 0–1
CHESS MAGIC
Just kids’ stuff
AS can be gleaned from the previous article, Sergey Karjakin could already play like a grandmaster at the age of 10, two years before he became a full-fledged GM.
His is what we call a natural talent, a God-given gift given to him at the moment of conception, which in terms of biology and parapsychology bolsters my favorite theory of racial memory. This in turn is anchored on the notion that memory can be inherited through the genes.
In other words, like Morphy, Capablanca, and many other geniuses in chess history, Sergey belongs to that eternal tribe of immortals—a phenomenon that has neither a beginning nor an end.
“For men may come and men may go, /But I go on forever,” as the British poet Alfred Lord Tennyson puts it in his Song of the Brook.
I suspect that playing magical chess is, to Sergey and his ilk, just that—a game. It’s just kids’ stuff. “Everyone can do it—if he knows how.” Or something to that effect, as the saying goes.
S. Karjakin (2338) – B. Itkis (2455)
Int’l Tmt, Nikolaev, UKR 2001
Classical Caro-Kann (B19)
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Ngf6 11.Bf4 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Qc7 13.0–0–0 e6 14.Ne4 Be7 15.g3 15.Nxf6+ helps Black equalize: 15…Nxf6 16.Ne5 Bd6! 0–0–0 16.Bf4 Qa5 17.Kb1 Qf5 Stronger than 17...Nxh5 18.Bd6 Bf8 19.b4, with White having the edge 18.Nxf6 Qxd3 Not 18...Qxf6 19.Qc3 Nb6 20.Qa5! 19.Rxd3 Bxf6 20.g4 Nb6 21.Ne5 Bxe5 22.Bxe5 f6 22...Rhg8 23.Rhd1 would have restored the balance 23.Bg3 Rd5 24.Re1 Rhd8 25.Red1 f5 26.f3 fxg4 27.fxg4 Rg5 27...Rg8!? could be tried, e.g., 28.Bf4 Rf8! 28.Bh4 Clearly, White has the edge Rxg4 29.Bxd8 Kxd8 30.Re3 Nd5 31.Rxe6 Nf6 32.c3 Nxh5 Fritz suggests 32...Rg5!? 33.d5! c5 34.d6 Nf4? 34...Nf6 may be better but not enough, e.g.,35.Re7 b6 and White is still way ahead 35.Re4 Kd7 36.Re7+ Kd8 37.d7!!
In the next game, the 11-year-old prodigy is outplayed by his rival, which goes to show that wizardry can work either way and that if you are good at it, you can by the same token lose more readily than if you had a cut-and-dried style.
S. Karjakin (2388) – A. Korobov (2467)
2nd Governor's Cup Kramatorsk, UKR 2001
Sicilian, Sozin Attack (B88)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Be3 Be7 8.0–0 0–0 9.f4 If 9.Bd3 d5 Bd7 Missing 9...d5!? 10.Bb5 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 dxe4! 10.Bb3 Qc7 11.Ndb5 Qb8 12.a4 a6 13.Na3 If 13.Nd4 Na5! Na5 14.Ba2 14.Nc4!? may be tried, e.g., 14...Nxc4 15.Bxc4, with equality b5! 15.b4 Nc6 16.axb5 axb5 17.Naxb5 Nxb4 18.Nd4 18.Bc4 Rxa1 19.Qxa1 Bxb5 20.Nxb5 Rc8 gives Black tremendous advantage Nxa2 19.Nxa2 Nxe4 20.Qf3 20.Qd3!? d5 21.Nc3 Rxa1 22.Rxa1 favors Black d5 21.c4? 21.Rab1 Qc8 22.Nb4 Bf6 gives Black the game Ra3 22.Qe2 Bc5 23.cxd5 Qa7 23...Bb5! and Black can already relax: 24.Qxb5 Bxd4 25.Qxb8 Bxe3+ 26.Kh1 Rxb8! 24.Rfd1 Ra8! White resigns. 1-0
The third game shows Sergey, already a grandmaster at 12, at his most effective role as a chess magician, making every move count and choosing his target, be it a piece, a pawn, a square, or a cluster of pieces and pawns, as carefully and judiciously as possible.
S. Karjakin (2523) – O. A. Kulicov (2397)
Int’l Tmt, Sudak UKR .2002
Sicilian Defense (B31)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3² Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0–0 Bg7 5.c3 Nf6 6.Re1 0–0 7.h3 Ne8 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 Nc7 10.Ba4 d5 11.e5 b5 12.Bb3 a5 13.Nc3 Ba6 14.Be3 Qd7 15.Qd2 a4 16.Bc2 f5 16...Na5 17.Nxa4 bxa4 18.Qxa5 favors White 17.Ne2 Ne6 18.Rac1 Rfc8 19.h4 Nf8 19...b4 should be tried 20.h5 e6 20...b4 21.Nf4 Bc4 22.b3 axb3 23.axb3 could benefit White 21.h6 Bh8 22.Nf4 Qe7 23.Nd3 Nd7 24.Bb1 Bb7 25.Nc5 Na5 25...Nxc5!? was best: 26.Rxc5 Qd7 26.Bg5 Qe8 27.Nxb7 Nxb7 28.Bd3 Nb6 29.Qb4! Black resigns, finding himself in virtual Zugswang! 1–0
BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (1)
New Ratings
Philippines’ Top 15 Players
January 2008 Rating List
1 GM Rogelio Antonio, Jr. 2529
2 GM Wesley So 2526
3 GM Mark Paragua 2521
4 GM Eugenio Torre 2519
5 GM Darwin Laylo 2508
6 IM Joseph Sanchez 2492
7 IM Oliver Dimakiling 2484
8 IM John Paul Gomez 2469
9 IM Roland Salvador 2462
10 IM Jayson Gonzales 2455
11 IM Ronald Dableo 2452
12 IM Rolly Martinez 2447
13 GM Nelson Mariano 2447
14 Dino Ballecer 2434
15 GM Bong Villamayor 2425
HERE is the latest pecking order in Philippine chess. All the International Masters from No. 6 to 12 have either one or two GM norms and so, given the opportunity, the self-imposed goal of 5 GMs next year by NCFP President Pichay is attainable.
Some readers have asked me why I, by habit, always remove the name of IM Rogelio Barcenilla from the top Filipino list. Indeed, at 2503 he would have appeared at no. 6, but by policy I do not include in the list players who have lived abroad for many years, have their whole families there, have no intention of coming back to the Philippines or of representing the country in international team competition. This is the same reason why we have not listed IM Enrico Sevillano and IM Angelo Young, who anyway a year or so ago have transferred their affiliation to the US Chess Federation.
A surprise entrant is Dino Ballecer at no. 14 – this former college standout gained almost 60 rating points from his unbelievable performance in the 2nd President GM Arroyo Cup, where he defeated Li Ruofan, IM Ronald Bancod, Oliver Barbosa and IM Barlo Nadera aside from drawing with Eugene Torre, IM Jayson Gonzales, and Vietnamese GM Dao Thien Hai. And Dino is not yet even a National Master.
Ballecer,Dino - Nadera,Barlo A (2477) [C00]
2nd PGMA Cup Duty Free Fiesta Mall (9.4), 28.11.2007
1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 c5 5.g3 Be7 6.Bg2 Nc6 7.0–0 Qc7 8.Re1 b6 9.c3 Bb7 10.a3 a5 11.exd5 exd5 12.Nf1 0–0 13.Bf4 Qd8 14.d4 h6 15.h4 Re8 16.Ne5 Bf8 17.Qd3 c4 18.Qc2 a4 19.Rad1 b5 20.Nh2 Qb6 21.Nhg4 Nxg4 22.Nxg4 Ne7 23.Ne5 Rad8 24.g4 Qf6 25.Bg3 Bc8 26.Re3 Qb6 27.Rde1 f6 28.Ng6 Kf7 29.Nxf8 Kxf8 30.Qh7 Qb7 31.Bh3 Kf7 32.Bf4 Kf8 33.Bxh6 gxh6 34.Re6 1–0
I hear that there will be a 12-game match between GMs Torre and Antonio in the summer of 2008, with Quezon City majority floor leader and fourth district councilor Ariel Inton as one of the prime movers.
Do you guys remember that back in 1998 there was the first 12-game Torre vs Antonio match sponsored by the Land Bank of the Philippines with Toto Ferrer from the Active Chess Center for Asia as the Project Manager? The organizers left no stone unturned to come up with a high-quality show:
1. Match was held in the auditorium of the Land Bank branch in Buendia. A separate room was made available for the press, managed by Bong Villamayor, and even hired Idel Datu as official analyst so as to be able to guide the press people in the status of the game.
2. Both players were billeted together with their seconds in 5-star hotel accommodations and had the services of rented limousines to ferry them back and forth between the playing area and their living quarters.
3. There was a bulletin published every day featuring the games plus analysis prepared by Joseph Sanchez and yours truly.
4. They even arranged for former World Champion Anatoly Karpov to grace the occasion.
What was the result of the match? Well, it became apparent that Eugene was terribly out of form – after a fighting draw in game 1 he blundered very badly in the second game to go one-down.
Antonio,Rogelio Jr (2520) - Torre,Eugenio (2560) [C78]
Manila m (2), 17.02.1998
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Bc5
In 1988 Thessaloniki Olympiad Eugene brilliantly defeated the Colombian GM Alonso Zapata in this line, which some people call the Classical Defence of the Ruy Lopez. IM Gary Lane wrote a well-received openings book on "The Ruy Lopez for the Tournament Player", and he calls Gulko, Winants and Eugene Torre as Chief Innovators of this line.
Lately it is only Katerina Lahno of the Ukraine who plays this line with any regularity among the top players, but she is a woman, and who follows women's openings anyway?
6.c3 b5
The player of the black pieces might think that it would be a good idea to retreat his c5-bishop so as to decrease its vulnerability to a later d2-d4, but in fact there is no time for that and White can play 6...Ba7 7.d4! Nxe4 8.Re1 f5 9.Nbd2 Nxd2 (9...0–0 10.Nxe4 fxe4 11.Rxe4 White has a strong position) 10.Nxd2 e4 11.Nxe4! 0–0 (11...fxe4 12.Rxe4+ Kf8 13.Qf3+ Kg8 14.Bb3+ d5 15.Bxd5+ Qxd5 16.Re8#) 12.Bg5 Ne7 13.Ng3 Rf7 14.Qe2 Kf8 15.Nxf5 1–0 Stahlmann-Muller/ corr 1936.
7.Bb3 d6 8.d4 Bb6 9.h3 Bb7 10.Re1 0–0 11.a4 Na5?! 12.Bc2 c5
Black can also go for pressure against the e4-point via: 12...exd4 13.cxd4 Re8 14.Nbd2 b4 15.b3 although even here White has a tiny space and central advantage.
13.d5 c4 14.Na3 Qd7 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.Rxe3 Rfb8 17.Nd2
Preparing b2-b4
17...Bc8 18.b4 cxb3 19.Nxb3 Nxb3 20.Bxb3 Qc7 21.Nc2 a5 22.axb5 Rxb5 23.Ba4 Rc5 24.Na3 Ba6 25.Bc6 Rb8 26.Rb1 Rb6 27.Qc2 g6 28.Ree1 Rbxc6 29.dxc6 Qxc6 30.Qb2 Kg7
He could have tried 30...Nxe4!? 31.Qb6 Qxb6 32.Rxb6 Bd3 33.c4 d5 with chances for both sides, but I recall that Eugene was already in a bit of time trouble hereabouts.
31.Qb8 Nd7
[31...Rxc3 does not win a pawn. White's reply would be 32.Rb6 Qc5 33.Qxd6 Qxd6 34.Rxd6 Bb7 35.Nb1 Rc2 36.f3 and White would still be justified in playing for a win]
32.Qd8 Bd3 33.Rbd1 Rxc3 34.Nb1 Bxb1 35.Rxb1 a4 36.Rbd1 a3?
[36...Rc5 followed by ...d6-d5 would have eliminated his only remaining weakness]
37.Qe7 a2 38.Kh2
38...Qc5?? 39.Qxd7 1–0
After this came 10 straight draws, and the match ended 6.5-5.5 in favor of GM Antonio. There were some murmurs of sponsor disenchantment with the fighting content of the games, because Land Bank never wanted to have anything to do with supporting chess matches again.
I hope this time we find the players in a better fighting mood.
By the way, did you know that in 1999 there was a secret training match between the same two GMs in preparation for GM Joey’s stint in the FIDE World Championships? The final score was a draw 6-6, but the games were real hammer-and-tongs affairs. I promised to keep a lid on the match for five years, but that vow of silence has long expired. Do you want to know more about it? Well, just keep reading “Chess Piece”.
Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Monday, January 7, 2008.
BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (2)
Torre vs Antonio
IN 1998 GMs Eugene Torre and Joey Antonio played a 12-game match which ended with a score of 5.5-6.5 in favor of the latter. GM Joey won once and there were 11 draws. There was some criticism about the lack of fight in the match, some of them coming from the sponsors.
What the general public did not know was that the two protagonists played another 12-game match in July 1999 as part of the training of GM Joey for the Las Vegas World Championship, which started on July 25, 1999. It was held at the President’s Tower in Timog Avenue, under the sponsorship of Sportsman Jerry Acuzar. The match was not open to the public, but some games were played in a mini-auditorium in that building, where officers and employees of Mr. Acuzar’s companies were allowed to watch.
I remember the events very vividly – we enplaned for Las Vegas on July 21, and the night before, on the 20th, my eldest son was born. Eugene and myself were the seconds of Joey, and in the middle of the last minute preparations I asked to be excused so that I can be with my wife. Hon. Florencio Campomanes then angrily accosted me with the immortal words: “Where are you going? What do you intend to do in the hospital? Are you a doctor?”
Unforgettable Campo.
The match ended in a final score of 6-6, but there was not a single short draw and it was a hammer-and-tongs affair, with four wins each and four draws. I actually think that Eugene Torre was a bigger beneficiary of that match – he had been in semi-retirement for a few years and this rust allowed GM Joey to get an early lead, but towards the end Torre was unstoppable and leveled the match with two powerful wins.
Also, to be fair to Eugene: that was a training match, so the openings were stipulated beforehand, and of course GM Joey was the one who chose the positions from where the game would start.
Antonio, Rogelio Jr. - Torre, Eugenio [C48]
Antonio vs Torre training m Quezon City (2), 08.07.1999
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Ba4 Bc5
This was the agreed-upon starting position.
6.Nxe5
Readers should familiarize themselves with the following trap: 6.0–0 0–0 7.Nxe5? If White wants to take the e5-pawn he should do so before castling. Now Black has a refutation in place: 7...d6
1) 8.Nd3?! Bg4! wins immediately. Let's follow through to the end ... 9.Qe1 (9.f3 Nxf3+ 10.Kh1 Nxh2) 9...Nf3+!! 10.gxf3 Bxf3 11.Nxc5 Ng4 12.d3 Qh4 13.Bf4 Qh3 0–1 Carraro,D-Zuriel,S/ Villa Martelli 2002.
2) 8.Nf3 is the lesser of the two evils, but White gets doubled pawns on the f-file. 8...Bg4 9.d3 Nd7 10.Bxd7 Qxd7 11.Be3 Nxf3+ 12.gxf3 Bh5 13.Kg2? (13.Nd5 followed by Nf4 is much better) 13...f5 14.e5 f4 15.Bxc5 dxc5 16.Qe2 Rae8 17.Rae1 Re6 18.h3 Bg6 19.Kh2 Bf5 the White king cannot survive this. Liublinsky,V-Lilienthal,A/ Moscow 1945 0–1 (31).
6...0–0 7.Nd3
There is another pitfall here. If 7.Nf3? d5! is strong, 8.Nxd4 Bxd4 9.e5 Ng4 10.0–0 Qh4 wins. Here is how it will end: 11.h3 Nxf2 12.Rxf2 Qxf2+ 13.Kh2 Bg4! 14.hxg4 (14.Qxg4 Bxe5+ 15.Kh1 Qf1# mate; 14.Qh1 Bxe5# mate) 14...Qh4# 0–1 Nebel-Hallman/ corr 1946.
7...Bb6 8.e5 Ne8 9.Nd5
Threatens Black's dangerous bishop on b6 and gets out of the way of his c-pawn which wants to go to c3.
9...d6 10.Ne3
Definitely stronger than 10.c3 Qh4 11.Ne3 Qe4 which was good for Black in Tylor-Milner-Barry, Hastings 1938/39
10...c6
In game 10 of the match, Eugene tried another move and won quickly: 10...dxe5 11.Nxe5 Qg5 White has to be careful here:
1) Not 12.Nf3? Nxf3+ 13.Qxf3 Bxe3! which wins material. If white recaptures with the d-pawn then ...Qa5+, if he takes with the f-pawn the move ...Qh4+ wins the a4-bishop just as well.
2) 12.Nd7?! Bxd7 13.Bxd7 f5 14.c3 f4 15.cxd4 fxe3 16.dxe3 Qxg2 with a strong attack. Franzoni,G-Godena,M/ Manila Olym 1992]
3) GM Joey’s move is best: 12.N5c4! f5 13.c3 (I was very interested to see in the Moscow world championship that GM Alexander Motylev prepared this line against Alexei Shirov. Here he unveiled the powerful 13.h4! and got a serious advantage in both of his White games. Shirov couldn't equalize and the conclusion was that Black did not have sufficient compensation for his pawn deficit) 13...f4! 14.cxd4 fxe3 15.Nxe3 Bxd4 16.0–0 Bh3 17.Qe2 Nd6 18.Bd1 Rf5 19.f4 Rxf4 20.Rxf4 Qxf4 21.gxh3 White wins a piece but Black's pressure is very strong. 21...Rf8 22.Bc2 Nf5 23.Bxf5? Rxf5 24.Kh1? GM Joey thought he was winning but he obviously overlooked the following Black sequence. 24...Bxe3 25.dxe3 (25.Qxe3?? Qf1+ 26.Qg1 Qf3+ 27.Qg2 Qd1+ 28.Qg1 Rf1) 25...Qe4+ 26.Kg1 Rg5+ 27.Kf2 Rg2+ 28.Kf1 Rxe2 29.Kxe2 Qg2+ 30.Kd3 Qxh3 0–1 Antonio, R-Torre, E/ Antonio vs Torre training mla 1999.
11.0–0 Bc7 12.f4
[12.c3 was previously considered best, but this assessment was severely deflated during the Short vs Speelman candidates match. Speelman continued 12...Ne6! 13.f4 dxe5 14.Nxe5 Nxf4! and equalized easily]
12...dxe5 13.Nxe5 b5
After the game, GM Joey told me that he was hoping Eugene would play 13...f6 here, for he intended 14.c3! fxe5 15.fxe5 Ne6 16.d4 with a strong central pawnroller. However analyzing the line afterwards, it appears to be unsound. Instead of retreating the knight Black could give back the piece advantageously with 15... 15...Rxf1+ 16.Qxf1 Be6! 17.cxd4 Qxd4 18.Bb3 Qxe5 19.Bxe6+ Qxe6 and White has to struggle for a draw.
14.Bb3 Bxe5 15.fxe5 Qg5 16.c3 Nxb3 17.axb3 Qxe5
Material parity has been restored, but that does not mean the position is equal. White has the better pawn structure and Black lacks good squares for his pieces. Actually my initial impression was that Eugene would hold this position easily, but to my surprise GM Joey played very well and pushed him against the ropes.
By the way, we were training for the FIDE World Championship, so we used the official time control of 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 50 minutes for the next 20, then 15 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds added starting move 1. This translates to 2 hours for 40 moves, then 1 hour for the next 20, then play to finish with 20 minutes for every additional 10 moves. Quite a comfortable pace - conducive to really fighting chess.
At this point in the game White had 1 hour 13 minutes left, while Black slightly less: 1 hour and 5 minutes.
18.Qf3 Qd6 19.Nf5 Bxf5 20.Qxf5 a5
Over the last three moves, Eugene was really thinking it out, taking more than 40 minutes figuring out the nuances - he left himself with 23 minutes for the remaining 20 moves before the first time control.
21.d4 Nf6 22.Bg5 Nd5 23.Bd2 a4 24.bxa4 Rxa4 25.Rxa4 bxa4 26.Ra1 Nb6 27.Qc5 Qxc5 28.dxc5 Nd7 29.Rxa4 Nxc5 30.Rc4 Nb3 31.Be3 c5 32.Ra4
Of course 32.Bxc5?? loses to 32...Rc8.
32...f6 33.Kf2 Rc8 34.g4 Rc7 35.Kf3 c4 36.h4
Time remaining: White 54 minutes; Black, 2 minutes!
36...h6 37.h5 Kf7 38.Bf4 Rc8 39.Ra7+ Kg8 40.Be3 Kf8
Eugene makes the time control with 18 seconds to spare, but in the meantime GM Joey had managed to put his rook on the 7th rank and was winning.
41.Ke4 Re8+ 42.Kf4 Re7
White's threat is 43.Rc7 Na5 44.Bc5+ Kg8 45.Bb6 and the pawn will fall.
43.Ra8+ Kf7 44.Rc8 g5+
Pawn cannot be saved: 44...Na5 45.Bc5 Rd7 46.Bb6.
45.hxg6+ Kxg6 46.Rxc4 h5 47.Rb4 Na1 48.gxh5+ Kxh5 49.Rb6 Nc2 50.Bf2 Kg6 51.c4
Game is over.
51...Ne1 52.Rd6 Ng2+ 53.Kf3 Ne1+ 54.Kg3 Nc2 55.Kf4 Kf7 56.Rb6 Re2 57.Kf3 Re8 58.Rb7+ Kg6 59.c5 Ne1+ 60.Bxe1 Rxe1 61.c6 Rc1 62.c7 Kf5 63.b4 1–0
Reader comments and/or suggestions is urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Friday, January 11, 2008.
FROM MY SWIVEL CHAIR
Moment of truth—or just hype?
ON Saturday, January 19, the NCFP will hold its board election at the Tagaytay City Convention Center, about two hours’ drive by car from Quezon City. Two weeks after that, another group from the same NCFP that claims to have majority of the board members, will hold a similar election—in Quezon City.
Now, which is which? Or is it really just a numbers game?
I find it amusing, however, that the Manila press has swallowed this yarn, hook, line and sinker.
Where in the world can you find a supposed breakaway faction announcing to all and sundry that it is doing just that—breaking away?
In a power struggle, one is not supposed to telegraph his plan or plot. What gives, man?
In the meantime, there has been a tug-of-war between the two camps for the votes of two members, both of whom have denied being with “the other camp.”
Everything now hinges on whether the election set for January 19 will have the number that it says it has.
If it has a quorum, then the supposed breakaway election set for February 2 won’t come to pass. Otherwise, we better be prepared for a long court battle that will become a numbers game.
Either way, everybody will be the loser. Particularly the reputation of Philippine chess and the support it needs from corporate Philippines.
That is what is at stake. The self-centered and self-promoting “kingmakers” within the federation should be condemned for their pettiness and myopic vision that might drive would-be patrons and sponsors away.
—0—
IT looks like the Antonio-Torre match will push through. If it reawakens public interest in the royal game, well and good. Both protagonists deserve our support.
It should not be the end in itself, however. It should be followed up by a series of matches or even a match-tournament between the young grandmasters and the older, more experienced ones.
Even Antonio himself admits that the most logical match should be between the two highest rated players—between himself and 14-year-old GM Wesley So.
This is also well and good. After all, chess development and promotion should focus more on the young rising stars than on the old fading ones, whose role should more and more involve instruction, not active competition.
The torch must be passed.
—0—
THE Weekender is an electronic newsletter that is being read by chess players not only here but also in Europe, America, the Middle East, and Australasia.
Except for one Sunday, December 23, 2007, when a virus shut it down, The Weekender has come out regularly since June 10, 2006.
The Weekender is meant to be the voice of chess players. Let your opinions be heard!
My thanks to Regin Raymund Dais for his editorial help.
Chess quote
“Chess is everything—art, science, and sport.”
—Anatoly Karpov
Chess quote
“Chess is a sea in which a gnat may drink and an elephant may bathe.”
—Indian proverb
The Weekender
Quezon Memorial Circle
Quezon City
Manuel O. Benitez
Editor & Publisher
Alfredo V. Chay
Circulation Manager
Published every weekend
NOT FOR SALE!
Here's an update for the 1st ASEAN Masters courtesy of Mr. John Manahan and Mr. Manny Benitez:
1st Leg ASEAN MASTERS CHESS CIRCUIT
TARAKAN, INDONESIA, 8th - 20th JANUARY 2008
GM TOURNAMENT "A"
GM Zhang, Zhong SIN 2617
GM Megaranto, Susanto INA 2563
IM So, Wesley PHI 2526
GM Torre, Eugenio PHI 2519
IM Nadera, Barlo PHI 2417
IM Tirto INA 2413
FM Kosasih, Cecep INA 2408
Nouri, Hamed PHI 2404
IM Ginting, Nasib INA 2393
FM Purnama, Tirta Chandra INA 2383
IM Mas, Hafizulhelmi MAS 2382
IM Situru, Nathanael INA 2375
Average Rating:2450.25 Category 8
GM : 8/11
IM : 6/11
Round 1 on 2008/01/08 at 15:00
SNo. Name Rtg Res. Name Rtg SNo.
1 GM Torre,Eugenio 2519 IM Nadera, Barlo 2417 12
2 GM Megeranto,Susanto 2563 GM Zhang,Zhong 2617 11
3 IM Tirto 2416 ½ - ½ FM Kosasih,Cecep 2408 10
4 GM So,Wesley 2526 Hamed,Nouri 2404 9
5 IM Ginting,Nasib 2393 ½ - ½ IM Situru,Nathaniel 2375 8
6 FM Purnama,Tirta Chandra 2383 ½ - ½ IM Hafizulhelmi,Mas 2382 7
Round 2 on 2008/01/09 at 15:00
SNo. Name Rtg Res. Name Rtg SNo.
12 IM Nadera,Barlo 2417 ½ - ½ IM Hafizulhelmi,Mas 2382 7
8 IM Situru,Nathaniel 2375 1-0 FM Purnama,Tirta Chandra 2383 6
9 Hamed,Nouri 2404 1-0 IM Ginting,Nasib 2393 5
10 FM Kosasih,Cecep 2408 ½ - ½ GM So,Wesley 2526 4
11 GM Zhang,Zhong 2617 ½ - ½ IM Tirto 2413 3
1 GM Torre,Eugenio 2519 ½ - ½ GM Megaranto,Susanto 2563 2
Round 3 on 2008/01/10 at 15:00
SNo. Name Rtg Res. Name Rtg SNo.
2 GM Megaranto,Susanto 2563 1 - 0 IM Nadera,Barlo 2417 12
3 IM Tirto 2413 ½ - ½ GM Torre,Eugenio 2519 1
4 GM So,Wesley 2526 0 - 1 GM Zhang,Zhong 2617 11
5 IM Ginting,Nasib 2393 1 - 0 FM Kosasih,Cecep 2408 10
6 FM Purnama,Tirta Chandra 2383 1 - 0 Hamed,Nouri 2404 9
7 IM Hafizulhelmi,Mas 2382 ½ - ½ IM Situru,Nathaniel 2375 8
GM TOURNAMENT "B"
Paragua, Mark g PHI 2521
Barus, Cerdas g INA 2479
Gonzales, Jayson m PHI 2455
Nadanian, Ashot m ARM 2436
Nolte, Rolando PHI 2412
Sitanggang, Salor m INA 2410
Barbosa, Oliver PHI 2410
Ardiansyah, H g INA 2409
Mok, Tze-Meng f MAS 2346
Mahmud, Syarif f INA 2344
Prayitno, Sugeng INA 2312
Sukandar, Irine K wm INA 2266
Average Rating:2400.83 Category 7
GM : 8.5/11
IM : 6.5/11
WGM : 5.5/11
WIM : 4/11
Round 1 on 2008/01/08 at 15:00
SNo. Name Rtg Res. Name Rtg SNo.
1 IM Gonzales,Jayson 2455 FM Nolte,Rolando 2412 12
2 WIM Sukandar,Irine K 2266 0 – 1 FM Mahmud,Syarif 2344 11
3 Prayitno,Sugeng 2312 0 – 1 IM Nadanian,Ashot 2436 10
4 GM Paragua,Mark 2521 Barbosa,Oliver 2410 9
5 GM Ardiansyah,H 2409 ½ - ½ GM Barus,Cerdas 2479 8
6 IM Sitanggang,Salor 2410 1 – 0 FM Mok Tze Meng 2346 7
Round 2 on 2008/01/09 at 15:00
SNo. Name Rtg Res. Name Rtg SNo.
12 FM Nolte,Rolando 2412 1 – 0 FM Mok Tze Meng 2346 7
8 GM Barus,Cerdas 2479 0 – 1 IM Sitanggang,Salor 2410 6
9 Barbosa,Oliver 2410 ½ - ½ GM Ardiansyah,H 2409 5
10 IM Nadanian,Ashot 2436 0 – 1 GM Paragua,Mark 2521 4
11 FM Mahmud.Syarif 2344 ½ - ½ Prayitno,Sugeng 2312 3
1 IM Gonzales,Jayson 2455 1 – 0 WIM Sukandar,Irene K 2266 2
Round 3 on 2008/01/10 at 15:00
SNo. Name Rtg Res. Name Rtg SNo.
2 WIM Sukandar,Irene K 2266 ½ - ½ FM Nolte,Rolando 2412 12
3 Prayitno,Sugeng 2312 0 – 1 IM Gonzales,Jayson 2455 1
4 GM Paragua,Mark 2521 1 – 0 FM Mahmud. Syarif 2344 11
5 GM Ardiansyah,H 2409 1 – 0 IM Nadanian,Ashot 2436 10
6 IM Sitanggang,Salor 2410 ½ - ½ Barbosa,Oliver 2410 9
7 FM Mok, Tze Meng 2346 ½ - ½ GM Barus,Cerdas 2479 8
WIM TOURNAMENT
Irwanto, Sadikin m INA 2456
Handoko, Edhi g INA 2437
Lindiawati, Evi INA 2114
Mendoza, Beverly wm PHI 2099
Chua Xing-Jian, Graham f SIN 2075
Nguyen, Thi Mai Hung wf VIE 2062
Tay, Li-Jin Jeslin SIN 2050
Handayani, Tri INA 2036
Bernales, Christy Lamiel PHI 1933
Dewi, Aa Citra INA 1900
Verdiana, Norasa INA 1890
Chan, Wei-Yi Victoria wf SIN 1876
Average Rating: 2077.33
WIM : 8/11
Round 1 on 2008/01/08 at 15.00
SNo. Name Rtg Res. Name Rtg SNo.
1 Citra,Dewi AA 1900 0 – 1 WFM Thi May Hung Nguyen 2063 12
2 FM Chua,Graham 2075 0 – 1 IM Sadikin,Irwanto 2456 11
3 WFM Tay,Jeslin 2050 ½ - ½ Lindiawati,Evi 2114 10
4 WIM Beverly, Mendoza 2099 Bernales,Christy L 1933 9
5 WFM Chan,Victoria 1876 0 – 1 Handayani,Tri 2036 8
6 Verdiana,Norasa 1890 0 – 1 GM Handoko,Edhi 2437 7
Round 2 on 2008/01/09 at 15.00
SNo. Name Rtg Res. Name Rtg SNo.
12 WFM Thi May Hung Nguyen 2063 0 – 1 GM Handoko,Edhi 2437 7
8 Handayani,Tri 2036 ½ - ½ Verdiana,Norasa 1890 6
9 Bernales,Christy L 1933 1 – 0 WFM Chan,Victoria 1876 5
10 Lindiawati,Evi 2114 ½ - ½ WIM Mendoza,Beverly 2099 4
11 IM Sadikin,Irwanto 2456 1 – 0 WFM Tay,Jeslin 2050 3
1 Citra,Dewi AA 1900 0 – 1 FM Chua,Graham 2075 2
Round 3 on 2008/01/10 at 15.00
SNo. Name Rtg Res. Name Rtg SNo.
1 FM Chua,Graham 2075 ½ - ½ WFM Thi May Hung Nguyen 2062 12
3 WFM Tay,Jeslin 2050 1 – 0 Citra,Dewi AA 1900 1
4 WIM Beverly,Mendoza 2099 0 – 1 IM Sadikin,Irwanto 2456 11
5 WFM Chan,Victoria 1876 0 – 1 Lindiawati,Evi 2114 10
6 Verdiana,Norasa 1890 ½ - ½ Bernales,Christy L 1933 9
7 GM Handoko,Edhi 2437 1 – 0 Handayani,Tri 2036 8
Result Round 4 on 2008/01/11 at 15:00
GM TOURNAMENT "A"
SNo. Name Rtg Res. Name Rtg SNo.
12 IM Nadera,Barlo 2417 0 – 1 IM Situru,Nathanael 2375 8
9 Hamed Nouri 2404 ½ - ½ IM Hafizulhemi,Mas 2382 7
10 FM Kosasih Cecep 2406 0 – 1 FM Purnama Tirta Chandra 2303 6
11 GM Zhang Zhong 2617 1 – 0 IM Ginting,Nasib 2393 5
1 GM Torre,Eugenio 2519 ½ - ½ GM So,Wesley 2526 4
2 GM Megaranto,Susanto 2563 ½ - ½ IM Tirto 2413 3
GM TOURNAMENT "B"
SNo. Name Rtg Res. Name Rtg SNo.
12 FM Nolte,Rolando 2412 ½ - ½ GM Barus,Cerdas 2479 8
9 Barbosa,Oliver 2410 1 – 0 FM Mok Tze Meng 2346 7
10 IM Nadanian,Ashot 2431 1 – 0 IM Sitanggang,Salor 2410 6
11 FM Mahmud,Syarif 2344 1 – 0 GM Ardiansyah,H 2409 5
1 IM Gonzales,Jayson 2455 0 – 1 GM Paragua,Mark 2521 4
2 WIM Sukandar,Irine K 2266 0 – 1 Prayitno,Sugeng 2312 3
WIM TOURNAMENT
SNo. Name Rtg Res. Name Rtg SNo.
12 WFM Thi May Hung Nguyen 2062 ½ - ½ Handayani Tri 2036 8
9 Bernales,Christy Lamiel 1933 1 – 0 GM Handoko,Edhi 2437 7
10 Lindiawati,Evi 2114 1 – 0 Verdiana,Norasa 1890 6
11 IM Sadikin,Irwanto 2456 1 – 0 WFM Chan,Victoria 1876 5
1 Citra,Dewi AA 1900 0 – 1 WIM Mendoza,Beverly 2099 4
2 FM Chua,Graham 2075 1 – 0 WFM Tay,Jeslin 2050 3
Rank after round 4
GM TOURNAMENT "A"
1. IM SITURU Nathanael 2375 INA 3/4
2. FM PURNAMA Tirta Chandra 2383 INA 2.5/4
3. GM ZHANG Zhong 2617 SIN 2.5/3
4. IM HAFIZULHELMI Mas 2382 MAS 2/4
5. IM TIRTO 2413 INA 2/4
6. GM MEGARANTO Susanto 2563 INA 2/3
7. HAMED Nouri 2404 PHI 1.5/3
8. IM GINTING Nasib 2393 INA 1.5/4
9. GM TORRE Eugenio 2519 PHI 1.5/3
10 FM KOSASIH Cecep 2408 INA 1/4
11 GM SO Wesley 2526 PHI 1/3
12 IM NADERA Barlo 2417 PHI 0.5/3
GM TOURNAMENT "B"
1. GM PARAGUA Mark 2521 PHI 3/3
2. FM MAHMUD Syarif 2344 INA 2.5/4
3. IM SITANGGANG Salor 2410 INA 2.5/4
4. IM NADANIAN Ashot 2431 ARM 2/4
5. GM ARDIANSYAH H 2409 INA 2/4
6. BARBOSA Oliver 2410 PHI 2/3
7. IM GONZALES Jayson 2455 PHI 2/3
8. FM NOLTE Rolando 2412 PHI 2/3
9. GM BARUS Cerdas 2479 INA 1.5/4
10. PRAYITNO Sugeng 2312 INA 1.5/4
11. WIM SUKANDAR Irine K 2266 INA 0.5/4
12. FM MOK Tze Meng 2346 MAS 0.5/4
WIM TOURNAMENT
1. IM SADIKIN Irwanto 2456 INA 4/4
2. GM HANDOKO Edhi 2437 INA 3/4
3. LINDIAWATI Evi 2114 INA 3/4
4. BERNALES Christy Lamiel 1933 PHI 2.5/3
5. FM CHUA Graham 2075 SIN 2.5/4
6. WFM THI MAY HUNG Nguyen 2062 VIE 2/4
7. HANDAYANI Tri 2036 INA 2/4
8. WFM TAY Jeslin 2050 SIN 1.5/4
9. WIM BEVERLY Mendoza 2099 PHI 1.5/3
10. VERDIANA Norasa 1890 INA 1/4
11. CITRA Dewi AA 1900 INA 0/4
12. WFM CHAN Victoria 1876 SIN 0/4
And we have a report from NM Marlon Bernardino:
14-YEAR-OLD GIRL BEAT INDON GM IN ASEAN MASTERS CHESS CIRCUIT
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO
A 14-year-old girl from Nueva Ecija and currently based from Quezon City is the newest RP's brighest hope. Woman National Master (WNM) Christy Lamiel Bernales had only an elo rating of 1933 but enough to score the biggest upset so far by beating second seed Indon Grandmaster Edhi Handoko who possesed an elo rating of 2347 in the inauguration of ASEAN Masters Chess Circuit in Tarakan, Indonesia on Friday.
With the win, Bernales remain undefeated with two wins and a draw to raise her total of 2.5 points in three outings in the Womens International Master (WIM) section. She also prevent Handoko's a possible share the lead with ertswhile co-leader and top seed Indonesian IM Sadikin Irwanto (2456) who beat WFM Victoria Chan (1876) of Singapore. The undefetead Irwanto improve his record with 4.0 points while Handoko was stuck at 3.0 points.
National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. was very happy for the impressive showing of Bernales.
" May bago na naman tayong pag-asa ng bansa sa chess. Maganda ang pinakikita ni Christy Lamiel (Bernales) sa Asean Masters sa Tarakan, Indonesia at tinalo niya si GM (Edhi) Handoko," said Pichay, who is aiming to produce two more grandmasters before the end of the year. Pichay, made history in RP chess by producing two grandmasters---Darwin Laylo and Wesley So in less than a year under his term.
However, compatriots Woman International Master Beverly Mendoza (2099) bowed to Dewi AA Citra (1900) of Indonesia. Mendoza, also from Nueva, Ecija province remains 1.5 points.
Meanwhile, GM Mark Paragua (2521) defeated countryman IM Jayson Gonzales (2455) to post his third straight wins in the GM (grandmaster) B event to grab the solo leadership board. Gonzales was dropped into a tie for sixth-eight placers with 2 wins and a loss with FMs Rolando Nolte (2412) and Oliver Barbosa (2410).
Nolte halve the point with GM Cerdas Barus (2479) of Indonesia while Barbosa bested FM Mok Tze Meng (2346) of Malaysia.
In the GM (grandmaster) A event, Eugene Torre (2519) split the point with fellow GM Wesley So (2526) while IM Barlo Nadera (2417) bowed to solo leader IM Situru Nathaniel (2375) of Indonesia. (MARLON BERNARDINO).
Keep it up guys!
Hi there!
Yesterday, I called our nowadays-phase as the lull, chess lull in our country. Today, the scene is again starting to breathe life. With everyone waiting (and anticipating)for January 19, it's a good sign of chess activities courtesy of (MCC)Metropolitan Chess Club of WNM Mila Emperado and Quezon City Sports Council.
We have from MCC:
Bonus for chess enrollees
FUN Games like blitz, problem solving and a "simul vs masters" are among the various activities that await early enrollees in this eyar's first series of MILO-sponsored Checkmate Saturday- and SundayOnly chess classes at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the St. Francis Square, behind SM Mega Mall, Mandaluyong City.
Open to kids 5 years and older, the clinic officially starts on January 19 and 20.
Each series consists of six chess lectures and one final evaluation tournament for participant.
REGISTRATION for the Quezon City Inter-Baranggay Chess Team Tournament is ongoing at the Office of Majority Floor Leader and 4th district councilorAriel Inton.
The tournament is open to all non-masters from Quezon City with an ELO rating of 1900and below.
The elimination round in each baranggay will be a seven round Swiss system event with the top five teams advancing to the championship round. The finalists are assured of a cash prize of PhP 2,000.00
Hi there!
IM Angelo Young owns and manages this Touch Move Chess Center based in Chicago, USA. Our chess friend, Mr. John Sy of Xavier school informed me about TMCC's online homepage at www.tmchesscenter.com. If you go there and check what's in store, you'll likely to find an active, bursting with energy kind of chess center where it is open 6 days a week. Activities include a twice a week free chess lectures for members by IM Young and other instructors.
Of course, tournaments, tournaments and more tournaments are held daily in the center. I have sent in an email to him but so far have not received any replies... hope he finds time to reply to an unknown soul like mine.
To Im Young and his TMCC, congratulations and good luck! You make Filipinos proud once again!
On to local scene, not much chess tourneys happening, a lull after a christmas-full of tourneys. Probably everyone's waiting for the result of the NCFP elections on January 19. We'll wait and see.
Questions about the procedure:
1. Who is qualified to vote?
2. Who are the candidates?
3. Will the splinter group be attending?
4. Will ex-congressman Prospero Pichay Jr. be running for a re-election?
5. What about Secretary General and Tagaytay City Mayor Tolentino, is he running?
6. What about the directors, are they running for a post?
These are some of the questions I have in mind. I believe those inside of the NCFP has more question in their heads, deeper ones.
Honestly, I have asked someone, an IA, about membership concerns for NCFP and the reply I got was something like "It's a federation so the membership is by club" Then I followed it up with another question, If that's the case, why are we looking for NCFP ID's if it's by club membership? And all I got was ____________________________. A blank stare, a what's the next question please stance. Hay naku!
If it was my choice and power, I'd put Mr. Bobby Ang and Mr. Manny Benitez and of course WNM Mila Emperado. Eyebrows are raising? well, I believe in flower power most especially when it comes to organizing and delegation of people.
For the past term of President Pichay, we saw the revival of the game in our land, putting it in the middle of Pinoy pop culture which the game needed! This coming elections, I really wish to see people with sincere desire to help win a seat in the NCFP board.
They say part of Philippine Chess problems are the players themselves and I can't say much about it. One thing is sure though, if it were true, the only thing that can heal this issue is time. In due time, these players (the young once) will go and be replaced by our younger, more refined (hopefully) and educated chess players. Hoping that they apply the lessons of chess in real life. Not the argumentative side of the game but more on the reflective aspect.
Chess is suppose to make you a better person- Bobby Ang.
May God save the King!
Oh yes!
After reading at least two news articles regarding the February 2 NCFP election of officers, I am now amazingly surprised and of course relieved of worries about the internal dissension within the federation.
As of today, I have read more than three news articles coming from former Congressman and current NCFP President and Basketball Association of the Philippines President Prospero Pichay Jr and Tagaytay Mayor and NCFP Secretary-General Bambol Tolentino's camp regarding the controversy.
It's final, the legit is the January 19, 2007 NCFP elections to be held in Tagaytay City, an hour away drive from my place, Imus Cavite.
One of the NCFP directors, Dr. Jenny Mayor, denied the reports about the February 2, Quezon City venue-to be held elections.
That settles the score at least for the followers of the game in our land.
Question here, who votes? who gets the right to vote? to be heard? Or the same chess people you see in each major tourneys?
If it's by members-only thing, my God, I have not met anyone here in the land who claims to be a legit, registered NCFP member.
Of all the national sports association (NSA) in the Philippines, our Chess Federation has almost always been on top when it comes to controversies. I know other NSA's are also going thru such dilemnas like the Bowling Association and Philippine Horse Racing Association but ours has always been consistent.
Remember last year? also in January when some of our young and GM candidates were suspended by the federation because of allegations of game-fixing?
Let's really hope this does not become a yearly habit.
On to other news.
Ex-Congressman Pichay will be the guest speaker for the 20th Schools, Colleges and Universities Athletic Association on January 21 at the Rizal Coliseum. With him as the President of Basketball Association of the Philippines, I am very sure he'll have his hands full this year... I do pray he won't give up his position as a president of NCFP.
And of course before I forget, the proposed merger between the two major Collegiate Leagues in the land, University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was stashed aside by the UAAP board, at least for now.
These two leagues are not just basketball. Of course chess is also there and others. If it was me, I'd approve that proposal right in the opening moves.
Issues like ticket sales and longer season for the athlete-students were made as an excuse but I really believe it has something to do more with money. That ends it all.
Imagine 16 chess teams vying for the top place? Wow! More PGN files to watch! Hahahahahaha! National Age Groupers and National Juniors during the summer season would be a thing of beauty as it would be a primer for the UAAP-NCAA Chess Tourney!!!
We'll see what happens.
And yes, this is the Olympiad year,people, NCFP, be one!
Hi there!
We are only on the 8th of January and look at NCFP, showing us the dissension that's happening within. I just read now about this February 2 election of NCFP...Am confused now because I remember very well there is also a January 19 NCFP election in Tagaytay.
Two factions, one NCFP??? A blunder, a questionable move... as always, one for the ages!
This certainly will not be helpful for the chess development in our land. As always, each leadership will give us a glimpse of what's in store for the federationwhich in turn will direct the involvement and development of our players.
God save the King!
Hi guys!
Here's our TW from Mr. Manny Benitez for the year 2008:
The Chess Plaza Weekender
Sunday, 6 January 2007
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
Vol. II No. 30
‘I’LL PLAY SLAMBANG CHESS VS JOEY’
Torre off to Asean Masters with So
By Marlon Bernardino
WITH their upcoming P1.2 million rematch more or less assured by pledges of support from Quezon City officials and business entities, Asia’s trailblazing grandmaster, Eugenio Torre, has vowed to play aggressively against GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio.
“Kailangang mas agresibo tayo (I have to play more aggressively),” he said, adding that he would play “slambang chess”.
Torre, 56, made his vow in an interview with NBN4 TeleDyaryo Sports host Sam Refran last Friday.
He was interviewed before his trip to Indonesia with 14-year-old GM-elect Wesley So to compete in the inaugural Asean Masters Circuit in Tarakan, which begins on Tuesday, January 8, and ends on January 20, a Sunday.
Torre said his participation in the inaugural Asean Masters would be part of his preparation for his match against Antonio, who beat him by one point in their 1998 Philippine Independence Centennial Match sponsored by the Land Bank in Makati City.
Antonio chimed in: “Naglalaro ako sa ICC (I play regularly at the Internet Chess Club).”
He revealed that he works out at the gym and plays basketball as part of his preparations for their return bout.
Antonio is also scheduled to leave the country this week for Thailand where he will serve as head coach of the Philippine paraplegic chess team, the defending champion in the annual Asean ParaGames.
Councilor Inton praised GMs Torre and Antonio for their contributions to Philippine chess, saying that both grandmasters have a large following in the country and abroad.
He revealed that the Quezon City government under Mayor Sonny Belmonte was fully behind the return bout between two of the country’s leading players.
At least two business entities have pledged support too for the match. These are the New San Jose Builders, Inc. under president Jerry Acuzar and Eurotel.
Inton publicly thanked both firms, particularly Acuzar of New San Jose Builders, for their support.
If the Antonio-Torre match pushes through, the winner will get P800,000 and the loser P400,000.
(Journalist Ignacio Dee reports that the agreement has been drawn up but has yet to be signed.—Ed)
It will be a 12-game match to commemorate the World Championship Match between titleholder Anatoly Karpov of the then Soviet Union and his challenger, Viktor Korchnoi of Switzerland..
The match was held in Baguio City in 1978, a year after Korchnoi defected from the Soviet Union.
Antonio is currently the country’s No. 1 player with 2529 and Torre No. 4 with 2519.
IM So, who is just waiting for the official Fide confirmation of his GM title, earned when he achieved his third GM result in the Prospero Pichay Cup International Open early last month, is No. 2 with 2526.
GM Mark Paragua occupies the third slot with 2521.
Below Torre are.GM-elect Darwin Laylo (2508), Rogelio Barcenilla (2503), IMs Joseph Sanchez (2492), Oliver Dimakiling (2484), John Paul Gomez (2469), and Roland Salvador (2462).
In 11th to 20th are IMs Jayson Gonzales(2455), Ronald Dableo (2452) and Rolly Martinez (2447); GM Nelson Mariano (2447), NM Dino Ballecer (2434), GM Buenaventura Villamayor (2425), IMs Julio Catalino Sadorra (2423), Barlo Nadera (2417) and Rico Mascariñas (2416); and NM Rolando Nolte (2412).
Pichay warns:
‘Keep games clean, or else…’
CHESS CZAR Prospero Pichay Jr. has warned players to keep their games clean or he would impose stiff sanctions, including a lifetime ban on “recidivists.”
He issued the warning in talks to individual players as well as in brief remarks at the 2nd Rizal Day Executive Rapid Chess Tournament held at the Lunera last Sunday (see results on page 4 and comment on page 20).
He said he would punish erring players regardless of their rank and title if they get involved in game-fixing.
“Even grandmasters will be punished,” he warned.
Pichay pledged to give all-out support to Philippine chess until it regains its premier position in Asia. This includes an incentives program giving P30,000 a month to any player who attains an Elo rating of 2600 and above.
83RD YEAR CELEBRATION OF OLDEST TOURNAMENT
Azeri GM leads in Hastings Congress
AN unheralded grandmaster from Azerbaijan entered the penultimate ninth round of the Masters Open at the helm of a field of 103 players in the 83rd Hastings International Congress on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in the famous beach resort.
GM Nidjat Mamedov (2575) seized the lead in the eighth round when, playing Black, he outwitted English GM Mark Hebden in a thrilling endgame.
Mamedov had 6.5 points, half a point ahead of GM Boris Chatalbashev of Bulgaria and Vadim Malakhatko of Belgium, the previous tournament leader, IM Simon Williams of England and GM Milos Pavlovic of Serbia.
According to The Week in Chess (Twic), Williams had a good chance of becoming England’s newest grandmaster after he battled Malakhatko to a draw with White in the eighth round.
Behind the leaders were 12 titled players (mostly grandmasters and international masters) led by English GM Nicholas Pert.
Hastings is the world’s oldest and once most prestigious tournament. It is also the only major chess event straddling both the old year and the new, having started on December 28 and set to end today.
Its best known tournament was that of 1895 won by American genius Harry Nelson Pillsbury despite the presence of world champion Emanuel Lasker and his predecessor, Wilhelm Steinitz, recognized in history as the first world champion.
Winning a won game is said to be one of the most difficult tasks. Here is how Mamedov did it with Black.
55...b1=Q!? 55...Qb6!? seems even better, says Fritz: 56.Qe1 Qc6 57.Qd2 Qxg2+ 58.Qxg2 Nxg2 59.Kxg2! 56.Qxf6+ Kg8 57.Qe6+ Kf8 58.Qc8+ Fritz says 58.Qf6+ won’t improve anything, e.g., 58...Ke8 59.Qc6+ Kf7 60.Qd5+ Ke7 61.Qe5+ Kd7 62.Qd5+ Kc7 63.Qf7+ Kb8 64.Qe8+ Ka7 65.Qd7+ Qb7 66.Qd4+ Q1b6 67.Qxh4 Qf2, and wins Kf7 59.Qc7+ Qe7 59...Qe7 60.Qc4+ Kg7 61.Nh5+ Kh7 62.Ng3 Qb2 63.Qd3+ Kh8 64.Qf1 Qf7 65.Qe2 Qxe2 66.Nxe2 Qf2 67.Nf4 Nf3+ 68.Kh1 Qe1#! 0-1
NCFP poll in Tagaytay
IT’S now official: the NCFP will hold its board election on January 19 at Tagaytay City’s Convention Center. This was announced by president Butch Pichay and secretary general Bambol Tolentino.
NAVA, PALOMO BAG GOLD MEDALS IN MALAYSIA
FEU sweeps Asean World Varsity joust
WITH Fide Master Roderick Nava and Jenny Rose Palomo setting the pace, Far Eastern University captured the 12th Rakan Muda General Asean Chess Challenge of the World Inter-University Championships held recently in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
FM Nava won the individual gold on tiebreak over IM Shojaat Gharehgardeh of Iran’s Azad Islamic University while Palomo took the individual women’s gold.
Yet another FEU stalwart, James Bulicatin of Team B, grabbed the individual men’s bronze.
Far Eastern University had two teams when it represented the country in Kuala Lumpur as 2007 champion of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
The National University of Singapore took the second prize in the team competition on tiebreak, with FEU’s Team B seizing the third prize. The two runners-up had 25.5 points each, with NUS having 212 tiebreak points and FEU Team B 200.
Behind the three top teams were University of Colombo Team A, University of Malaya Team A, India’s PTVA, Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, Iran’s AIU, University of Malaya Team B, University Pendidikan Sultan Idris Team A (Malaysia), and University Islam Antarabangsa (Malaysia), in that order.
Behind Palomo in the individual women’s competition were Thi Minh Hien Ho of NUS, second prize, and Nur Shazwani Zulkafli of UMA, third prize. Palomo had 7.5 as against the 7.0 points earned by Thi, who won on tiebreak, and Nur.
Nava and Palomo who had 7.5 points apiece from seven wins, one loss and one draw, received 1,000 ringgit (Malaysian dollars) each.
Nava’s only loss was to fellow FM Hong Nguyen Li of NUS in the fourth round. Palomo bowed to Dawn Hai Sau Mun of NTA in the opener.
Both prizewinning FEU teams had IM Jayson Gonzales as head coach and NM Alex Milagrosa as assistant coach.
Gonzales is also one of the country’s leading players. He has earned two GM norms and needs only one more to get the coveted title of International Grandmaster.
The FEU head coach thanked the university’s athletics director, Mark Oliver Molina, and National Chess Federation of the Philippines president Prospero Pichay Jr. for their “unwavering support.”
He described 2007 as the best year yet for FEU chess, saying that “we are very happy because we won three major tournaments, here and abroad.”
During the year, FEU, which is based in Manila, had won the UAAP in Manila and UniGames (University Games) in Bacolod City before sweeping the 12th GACC in Kuala Lumpur.—Marlon Bernardino
2ND RIZAL DAY EXECUTIVE RAPID AT LUNETA
Castellano captures P7,000 plum
YOUNG but experienced campaigner Christopher Castellano (2057) outraced all his rivals to capture the P7,000 top prize with a perfect 6.0 points from six games in the 2nd Rizal Day Executive Rapid Tournament held by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines last Sunday.
Among his rivals in the 30-man field were some of the leading national masters.
Tied for second to third a full point behind him were two other “young but experienced” players, Gary Legaspi (2092) and Ritchie Evangelista (1922).
Legaspi took the title on tiebreak but the two pocketed P4,000 each as his share of the combined second and third prizes totaling P8,000.
The three winners also received a trophy each besides their cash prizes.
Six other runners-up went home P1,167 richer plus a medal each after tying for the fourth to ninth prizes totaling P7,000 (increased by P2 for equal sharing)..
The six were Butch Villavieja (2083), Richard Villaseran (1922), Verth Alora (2011), Ric Portogalera 2068), Jenny Mayor (2068) and Jun Rojano (1935). They had 4.0 each.
With 3.5 each, Dennis San Juan (2068) and Anatoly Guaniezo (1815) pocketed P500 each as their shares of the P1,000 10th prize. San Juan landed the 10th berth on tiebreak.
The rest of the 30-player field: Mario Rebano (1990), Manuel Morato (unrated), Willie Abalos (2008), Romel Tacorda (1810), Junrie Salubre (183), Lito Dormitorio (1818), Ricardo Jimenez (1924), Stewart Manaog (2187);
Orlando Pascual (1773), Roberto Grepo (2086), Gerry Yulo (1827), Efren Bagamasbad (2187), Reinhard Orth, Ben Valeroso, Mark Blanco, Rolando Radoc, Ceferino Gonzales, Eduardo Santos (1633), and Antero Pobre.
With P20,000 at stake, the event was sponsored by the Tagaytay City government under Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who is also NCFP secretary general.
Guest speaker was NCFP president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr., a former congressman representing the lone district of Surigao del Sur.
Fide Arbiter Patrick Lee served as chief arbiter, with the assistance of FA Ilann Perez. Both are members of the NCFP secretariat under Mayor Tolentino.
The Luneta Chess Plaza, which is the first plaza of its kind in the country, served as the venue for the Rizal Day Executive Rapid.
Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the national hero, was known to have been a chess player of no mean ability.
The Spanish colonial authorities had him executed on December 30, 1896. His two novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, sparked the Revolution of 1896 under Andres Bonifacio and his Katipuneros.
Phil Artists to hold tourney on Jan 19 at QMC Chess Plaza
THE Philippine Artists Chess Tournament will be held on January 19 at the Quezon Memorial Circle Chess Plaza in Quezon City.
The tournament will start at 10 am, according to a press release from the Philippine Artists, a chess club that has been in existence since 1978.
At stake is a trophy executed by noted sculptress Impy Pilapil.
The tournament is by invitation, but artists who like to play chess and chess players who dabble in art are welcome to join, says the club in its press statement.
For inquiries, interested parties may call Odette Alcantara, president of the Philippine Artists Chess Club, at 647-1181 or Ignacio Dee at 0918-942-2705.
‘WHY WERE WE PUNISHED?’
Barcenilla breaks his silence
AFTER seven years of silence, GM-candidate Rogelio “Banjo” Barcenilla has come out to set the record straight about the 2000 ruling by the World Chess Federation denying him his third—or even fourth—GM norm and, consequently, the title of International Grandmaster.
It will be recalled that Banjo, as his friends and fans call him, topped the Jack Collins Memorial GM Tournament at the Marshall Chess Club in New York in June 2000 thereby earning his final GM norm and the title.
The World Chess Federation, however, rejected his application for the GM title later that year on the ground that the Collins Memorial did not meet the requirements for awarding a GM norm because it was similar to a Scheveningen type of tournament, formulated to make it easier for a GM candidate to get a norm.
He said there was no rule at the time that the Scheveningen was no longer a valid basis for awarding a GM norm.
What was approved by Fide in Doha, Qatar, was the rule that a Scheveningen-type tournament could not serve as basis for a GM norm award if it included unrated players.
“You can check the lineup (of the 2000 Collins tournament) and you will see that we were all rated players,” he told The Weekender in an email conveying his “Happy New Year” greeting.
“Why were we (players) punished? Why not just the organizers? Why not approve our applications since we won the tournament?” Banjo asked in his email.
The organizers had advertised it as a GM tournament.
Since then, he has concentrated on making a living and Dame Fortune has smiled on him and his wife, nee Lilibeth Lee and their family (she is the daughter of Antonio Lee who, contrary to what I had earlier head, is very much alive and is doing all right in Iligan City).
The Barcenillas now live in Arizona where they run four homes for the elderly and, I gather, live quite comfortably like any prosperous American family—with three cars, including a brand-new 2007 Lincoln Navigator!
Like Josh Waitzin of Searching for Bobby Fischer fame, Banjo has switched from chess to the martial arts and is now a first degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
But unlike Waitzin who has given up on chess, Banjo still dreams of playing as a GM. “I am now a GM, but not in chess. You see,” he joked in the vernacular, “I am now a GM—the general manager of our company!”
Levity aside, Barcenilla holds an enviable track record and impeccable credentials in chess: an International Master with two GM norms, a current Fide rating of 2503 and USCF rating of 2560.
His earliest achievement: first prizes in the national kiddies and under-16 age group in 1985.
Among other first prizes he won before he and his wife migrated to the United States: Philippine Juniors in 1986 and 1989, Asian Juniors, 1989 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and 1990 in Kerala, India; Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur, 1990 and 1991; and Philippine National Championship in 1996.
In other words, he has been national kiddies champion, national under-16 champion, two-time national junior champion, two-time Asian junior champion, two-time Malaysian Open champion, and two-time national champion, as gleaned from the records posted on the Net.
Banjo was also the first Filipino to win the silver in the World Juniors. This was in 1991 in Romania.
In team events, Banjo first played in the 1998 Olympiad in Thessaloniki, Greece, the second time in 1992 in Manila and the third time in 1996 in Yerevan, Armenia He also won the board one gold playing for the Philippines in the 1991 Asian Team Championship in Dubai, UAE.
In the US he has consistently topped tournaments.
By his account, Barcenilla has won four GM norms—first in the 1993 Invitational GM Tournament in Jakarta, second at the 1996 Olympiad in Yerevan, Armenia, third in 1998at the Subic Bay Management Authority GM Tournament in Zambales, and fourth in the Jack Collins Memorial in mid-2000
Now, who says that Banjo should not be a grandmaster? Who says that he is not a victim of injustice perpetrated by chess leaders of his time?
WHEN RUSSIAN TITANS CLASH, FIREWORKS ERUPT
Morozevich, the gutsiest gladiator
AT 30, world No. 4 Alexander Morozevich has emerged as the most tenacious fighter among the global megastars by capturing the 60th Russian Championship Superfinals despite a draw and a loss at the start and another loss towards the end of perhaps the toughest tournament on this planet.
It could be the toughest not because of the Elo ratings or the obstacles to be hurdled in the format but because the tournament put together some of the world’s toughest warriors from the No.1 chess superpower.
Their ratings do not tell the whole story, but their individual styles of play speak volumes.
In fact, I found it difficult to select the most sparkling games simply because almost every decided game seemed to be a candidate for selection. That’s how tough Russian super GMs can be.
This is true in both the men’s and women’s divisions where a dozen of the nation’s gutsiest gladiators from either gender fought over 11 rounds in a double all-play-all event.
Morozevich began with a far from tame draw, an exciting battle of wits spanning 53 moves. He had Black against another superstar, Dmitry Jakovenko, last year’s top favorite in the same event but was overtaken and outraced by Russia’s fastest-rising young star today, Evgeny Alekseev.
Let’s start with the two losses of the champion, who garnered 8/11 points, a full point ahead of first runner-up Grischuk, the “other Alexander,” who was just half a point ahead of Evgeny Tomashevsky.
Morozevich’s first loss took place in the second round, to a virtually unknown GM.
A. Morozevich (2755) – N. Vitiugov (2594)
Rd. 2, Sicilian Taimanov (B48)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3² e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.f3 If 8.a3 b5! Ne5 9.0-0-0 Bb4 10.Nb3 b5 11.Kb1 Nc4 12.Bxc4 bxc4 13.Nc1 Rb8 14.Ka1 0-0 15.Bf4 e5 16.Bg5 Ne8 17.N1e2 d6 18.a3 a5 19.Qc1 19.Rb1 Be6 gives Black a chance to equalize Be6! 20.Na2 f5 Not 20...Bc5 21.Be3! 21.Nec3 21.axb4 axb4 22.exf5 Rxf5 could help Black Qb7 If 21...fxe4 22.fxe4 Bc5 23.Be3! 22.Rhf1 Fritz suggests 22.Be3! instead Bc5 23.Rfe1 f4 24.Re2 Rf7 25.Bh4 Qa7 26.Rde1 26.Qd2 might benefit Black: 26…Be3 27.Qe1 Rfb7! Rfb7 Black is now way ahead 27.Nd1 Nc7 28.Bf2 Bxf2 29.Rxf2 Rxb2! A sacrifice of the exchange that Morozevich had least expected..
30.Qxb2 If 30.Ndxb2 Qxf2! Rxb2 31.Kxb2 Nb5 32.c3 Qb6 33.Kc1 Nxa3 34.Rb2 Nb5 35.Kb1 Qc5 36.h3 Bd7 37.Ree2 Kf7 38.Red2 Bc6 39.Nc1 Ke7 40.Ra2 Qa7 41.Ne2 Nc7 42.Nb2 Bb5 Fritz prefers 42...Qc5! 43.Nc1 43.Nd1 Bd7 helps Black Ne6 43...Ke6! was even stronger 44.Ra3 Qb6 45.Nd1 [45.Ka2 Nc7 46.Re2 Bd7 Nc5 45...Bc6+ seems even better 46.Rb2 a4 47.Rb4 47.Ka2 Nb3 48.Ne2 d5 49.exd5 Qg6 Nb3 48.Ne2 Qc5 49.Ra2 d5 50.exd5 Qxd5 51.Nf2 Bd7 51...a3!? makes it even easier for Black, says Fritz: 52.Rxa3 Qd2 53.Ra2 Qe1+ 54.Kb2 Qxe2+! 52.Kb2 Nc5 53.Ka3 Na6 54.Rab2 Nxb4 55.cxb4 Bf5
56.Nc3 Qd4 57.Nfd1 Kd8 58.b5 Kc7 59.Kxa4 e4 60.fxe4 Bxe4 61.Kb4 g5 62.Ra2 h5 63.Ra6 Bxg2 64.Rh6 g4 65.hxg4 hxg4 66.Ka5 Kc8 68.b6 68.Na4 doesn't improve anything Bf3 69.Rc7+ Kd8 70.Na4 Qxd1 71.Nc5 Qe1+! 0-1
His second loss was in the ninth round, with White to Alexey Dreev, one of Russia’s titans.
A. Morozevich (2755) – A. Dreev (2607)
Rd. 9, Classical Sicilian (B56)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3² Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.f3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be3 0–0 9.Qd2 a5 10.Bb5 Be6 11.0–0 d5 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.Qxd5 Bxd5 15.Rfd1 Bxb3 16.axb3 Nd4 17.Bd3 Bc5 18.Kf2 b6 19.Rac1 Rac8 20.Bc4 b5! 21.Bd5 Rfd8 22.Bb7 Rb8 23.Be4 Restoring the balance g6 24.Ra1 f5 25.Bd3 Bb6 26.Ra2 Fritz prefers 26.c3!? f4 27.Bxd4 exd4 28.Ke2!, with equality Kg7 27.g3 b4 28.Re1 Rbc8 29.Bc4 f4 30.gxf4 exf4 31.Bxd4+ Rxd4 32.Kf1 Rd2 33.Re6 Missing his best shot, 33.Re2! Be3! Black surges ahead 34.Rxa5 Rxc2 35.h4 Rd8 36.Rd5 Ra8 37.Rd7+ Kh6 38.Ba6 Rf2+ 39.Ke1 Rxb2 40.h5 Rb1+ 41.Ke2 Rb2+?? Fritz suggests 41...Rxb3!, e.g., 42.hxg6 Rb2+ 43.Ke1 hxg6, and Black is winning 42.Ke1 Rxb3 43.hxg6 hxg6 44.Rdd6 Rb1+ 45.Ke2 Rg1 46.Kd3 Rb8 47.Ke2 b3 48.Bd3 Rg8 49.Re5 Ra8 Clinching the point: 50.Ra6 Rd8 51.Rxe3 fxe3! 0–1
In a tournament where everybody is almost as strong as everybody else, it is next to impossible to post more than two successive wins. Only a Fischer or a Kasparov could do that in the recent past.
Morozevich, however, did it with a phenomenal run of six straight wins over his rivals—a very rare feat in Russia where highly rated players are almost a dime a dozen.
After losing to Nikita Vitiugov in the second round, Morozevich wasted no time in trying to jump back into the bandwagon, which he did almost with ease and decidedly with élan.
His first win was with Black in the third round against Evgeny Tomashevsky (2646), currently No. 14 in his homeland despite the slight drop in his rating to 2644 on the list issued on January 1.
E. Tomashevsky (2646) – A. Morozevich (2755)
Rd 3, Reti Opening (A09)
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 d4 3.g3 c5 3...Nc6 4.d3 would have equalized 4.e3 4.d3 Nd7 allows Black to equalize Nc6 5.exd4 cxd4 6.Bg2 e5 7.0–0 f6 7...d3 8.Re1 f6 9.Nc3 also keeps the balance 8.d3 Nge7 9.a3 Prophylaxis a5 10.Nbd2 Ng6 11.h4 Be7 12.Re1 0–0 13.h5 Nh8 14.Nh4 g5 14...Be6 was best, e.g., 15.f4 Qd7 16.Qf3, with equality 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Be4 f5 17.Bxc6 If 17.Bd5+ Kg7! bxc6 Equalizing 18.Nhf3 Nf7 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.Rxe5 Bd6 21.Re1 c5 22.Nf3 Kg7 22...f4!? is an interesting idea, says Fritz: 23.Ne5 fxg3 24.fxg3 Qf6, with equality 23.Bg5 Qc7 24.Nh4 24.b4 Bb7 25.bxc5 Bxc5 keeps the balance Rf7 25.Qe2 Bd7 26.f4 Rh8 27.Kf2 Qb7 28.Rab1 Rh5 29.Nf3 Bc6 30.Rg1 Fritz prefers 30.Bh4!?, equalizing Rf8 31.Nh4 Rxg5!:
32.fxg5 f4 33.g4 Re8 34.Qd2 Re3 35.b4 Qe7 36.bxc5 Qxg5 37.Rh1 Bxh1 38.Rxh1 Bxc5 39.Qd1 Qe7 40.a4 Rg3 41.Ng2 Bb4 42.Rh2 Qe5 43.c5 f3 44.Nh4 Qf4! 0–1
What gives Morozevich an advantage over his rivals is his ability to play either color with aplomb.
In fact as can be readily seen, he lost both times with White and recovered quickly with Black in the third and fourth rounds.
In the fourth round, however, he won again with Black against A. Rychagov putting himself in the lead
A. Rychagov (2528) – A. Morozevich (2755)
Rd 4, Queen’s Indian (E15)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bg2 Bb4+ 8.Bd2 Bd6 9.0–0 0–0 10.Nc3 Re8 11.Re1 Bb7 12.Rc1 a6 13.Nh4 Qd7 14.Rc2 Ne4 15.Qc1 Nc6 16.Nf3 Nb4 17.Rb2 a5 18.a3 Na6 19.Rc2 f6 20.Bf4 Bf8 21.Na4 Qb5 22.Qb2 c5 23.Nc3 Nxc3 24.Rxc3 a4 25.Qc2 axb3 26.Rxb3 Qa4 27.Qb1 c4 Fritz suggests 27...Rad8! instead, although White is still a bit ahead 28.Rxb6 Bc6 29.Qf5 Rad8 30.Nd2 Ba8 31.Re6 Rxe6 32.Qxe6+ Kh8 33.Nb1 Nb8 34.Bxb8 34.Nc3!? Qxa3 35.Rc1 is best Rxb8 35.Bxd5 35.Nc3 is still the best Bxd5 36.Qxd5 Qc2 37.Kg2 h6 38.Qf7 Kh7 39.a4 Qe4+ 40.f3 Qxd4 41.Rc1 Rb2 42.Qe6 42.Qxf8 leads to mate: 42...Rxe2+ 43.Kh3 Qf2 44.Qh8+ Kxh8 45.Nc3 Qg2+ 46.Kh4 f5 47.h3 Qxf3 48.g4 Rh2 49.gxf5 Rxh3#! Bc5 42...Bb4 43.a5 keeps the balance 43.Qxc4 Qf2+ 43...Qxc4!? should be tried, e.g., 44.Rxc4 Rxe2+ 45.Kf1 Rf2+ 46.Ke1 Bb6! 44.Kh3± Rxe2 45.Qd3+ g6 46.Rxc5 Qxh2+ 47.Kg4 Re7 48.Qd6?? Missing 48.Nd2! h5+! 49.Kf4 Qe2 50.Rc3 Kg7!
Morozevich’s most crucial game thus far came in the seventh round when he outplayed his namesake and closest rival, Alexander Grischuk.
A. Morozevich (2755) – A. Grischuk (2715)
Rd. 7, Slav Defense (D10)
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Bf4 Nc6 5...Qb6 6.Qd2 would have equalized 6.e3 Bf5 7.Bb5 e6 8.Qa4 Qb6 9.Nf3 Be7 10.Ne5 0-0 11.Bxc6 Not 11.Nxc6? bxc6 12.Bxc6 Qxb2! Rfc8 12.0-0 12.Bb5 a6 13.f3 axb5 14.Qxb5 Qxb5 15.Nxb5 Rc2 favors Black bxc6 13.Rfc1 c5 14.dxc5 Rxc5 15.b4 Rcc8 16.a3 d4 16...Nh5 17.Qd7 Qd8 18.Qxd8+ Bxd8 19.g4 Nxf4 20.exf4 leads to equality 17.exd4 Qxd4 18.Nc6 Qd7 19.b5 Bf8 20.Qa6 Bc5 21.Rd1 Bd3? 21...Qe8 would allow Black to play on 22.Bg3 Ng4 23.Qa4 f5 24.h3 24.Qb3 should benefit White f4 24...a6 is bad: 25.hxg4 axb5 26.Ne5 bxa4 27.Nxd7 Bxf2+ 28.Bxf2 Rxc3 29.Bd4!, and White surges on 25.Bh4 Nh6? 26.Ne4 Bf8 27.Qb3! Black resigns: 27…Qd5 28.Qxd3 Qxd3 29.Rxd3. 1-0
After his seventh-round loss to Morozevich, first runner-up Grischuk settled for a draw against Konstantin Sakaev in the eighth and posted two wins in succession—against Artyom Timofeev in the ninth and Andrey Rychagov in the 10th, both times with Black.
In the 11th and final round, however, Grischuk could not make any headway against four-time national champion Svidler and they agreed to a peaceful ending after 39 moves of an English Opening.
This assured Grischuk of the second prize, a full point behind champion Morozevich.
A. Timofeev (2637) – A. Grischuk (2715)
Rd 9, Caro-Kann, Advance (B12)
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Be3 e6 5.Nd2 Nd7 6.c3 f6 7.Ngf3 Bg6 8.h4 Bh5 9.Be2 Ne7 10.Bf4 Qb6 11.0–0 11.Qb3 Qxb3 12.axb3 c5 allows Black to equalize Bf7 Fritz prefers 11...Qxb2!?, e.g., 12.Rb1 Qxa2 13.Rxb7 Bg4, with equal chances 12.b4 Qd8 13.Re1 f5 14.Ng5 Bg8 15.h5 h6 16.Nh3 g5 17.hxg6 Nxg6 18.Be3 Bf7 19.g3 If 19.a4 Rg8 Be7 20.f4 20.Bh5!? was better a5 21.a3 b5 Not 21...h5 because of 22.Nf3! 22.Nb3 22.a4 axb4 23.cxb4 bxa4 24.Rxa4 Rg8 favors Black a4 23.Nc5 Nb6 24.Kf2 Nc4! 25.Rh1 Qc7 26.Bh5 Rg8 27.Nd3 0–0–0 27...Nxe3 is dubious, e.g., 28.Kxe3 Rg7 29.Kd2 28.Ng1 Nh8 Better than 28...Nxe3 29.Kxe3 Nh8 30.Ne2! 29.Qf3 29.Bf3!? should be considered—Fritz 29...Bxh5 30.Rxh5 Nf7 If 30...Bf8 31.Ke1! 31.Ne2 Rg4 32.Ra2 Rdg8 33.Nb2 If 33.Ke1 Qd8! Bf8 34.Nxc4 dxc4 35.Rd2 Qd7 36.Ke1 Nh8 37.Bf2 Qd5 38.Ng1 Ng6 39.Qxd5 cxd5 Better than 39...exd5 40.Rxf5 Kd7 41.Nf3, which boosts White’s lead 40.Nf3 Ne7 41.Ke2 Kd7 42.Nh2 Rxg3 43.Bxg3 Rxg3 44.Rc2 Rg2+ 45.Kd1 Rg1+ 46.Ke2 Rg2+ Best was 46...Ra1! 47.Kd1Restoring the balance Rg1+ 48.Ke2 Ra1 49.Rh3 Rxa3 50.Rg3? 50.Nf3! was best Nc6! 51.Kf2 Not 51.Nf3 Bxb4! 52.Rg7+ Be7!, and Black surges on Bxb4! 52.Rg7+ Not 52.cxb4 because of 52...Rxg3! Be7 53.Nf1 b4 54.Ke3 54.Ng3 offers a small chance: 54...b3 55.Rc1, but Black is way ahead Ra1 55.cxb4 Rxf1 56.b5 Nb4 56...Re1+ might be quicker: 57.Kd2 Nxd4 58.Kxe1 Nxc2+! 57.Rf2 57.Rc3 offers a slim chance Rxf2 58.Kxf2 a3 59.b6 a2 60.b7 Nc6 60...Nd3+ and Black has prevailed, e.g., 61.Kg2 Kc7 62.Rxe7+ Kb8 63.Re8+ Kxb7 64.Re7+ Kb6 65.Rxe6+ Kb5 61.Rg1 Kc7 0–1
Morozevich demonstrated an unshakable determination to win by bouncing back from his second defeat in the ninth round: he first settled for a draw in the penultimate 10th and then won his 11th and final game.
This enabled him to finish one full point ahead of Grischuk, who managed only to draw his final game after two straight wins.
A. Morozevich (2755) – E. Inarkiev (2674)
Rd 11, Ruy Lopez, Archangelsk and Moller Defenses
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.a4 b4 7...Nxe4? is worthless because of 8.axb5 Nb4 9.Nxe5, and White is way ahead 8.d4 d6 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 dxe5 11.Qxd8+ Bxd8 12.f3 Be7 13.Be3 Bd6 14.Nd2 a5 15.Rfc1 Ke7 16.c3 bxc3 17.Rxc3 If 17.bxc3 Bd7 Bd7 Black has equalized 18.Bc4 Rhb8 19.b3 Rb4 20.Kf2 Rab8 20...Rb7 21.Rd1 should keep the balance 21.Ke2 Rd8 22.Nb1 Nh5 23.g3 g6 23...c6!? is an interesting alternative, says Fritz 24.Rd3 Ng7 25.Nc3 Bc6 25...c6 26.Bg5+ f6 27.Bxf6+ Kxf6 28.Rxd6+ Ke7 29.Rad1 would have reduced White’s lead 26.Nd5+ Bxd5 27.Rxd5 27.exd5?! Rbb8 helps Black Ra8 28.Bc5 Ne6 29.Bxb4 Bxb4 30.Rd3 Nd4+ 31.Kf2 Bd6 32.h4 h6 33.Kg2 c5 34.Rf1 Rg8 35.f4 Rg7 36.Rc3 f6 37.Rf2 Kd8 37...f5 can be met by 38.Re3 Kf6 39.fxe5+ Bxe5 40.h5 gxh5 41.exf5 38.Bd5 Rc7 39.Rc1 Ke8 40.Rcf1 Ke7 41.h5 gxh5 42.Rh1 Kd8 43.Rxh5 Rg7 44.Kh3 Rh7 45.Rh4 45.Bc4 Kd7 boosts White’s lead Ke7 45...exf4 46.gxf4 h5 47.Kg2 would benefit White 46.Rg4 h5 47.Rg8 h4 48.f5 hxg3+ 49.Kxg3 Bc7 50.Rg2 c4? 50...Kd7 51.Kf2 Bd8 52.Rf8 would also benefit White 51.Bxc4 51.bxc4 might be quicker, says Fritz Rh1 51...Bd6 would help White, e.g., 52.Kf2 Bc5 53.R2g7+ Rxg7 54.Rxg7+ Ke8 55.Ke1! 52.Rg7+ 52.Kf2 and White can already relax, according to Fritz Kd6 53.Rf7 Bd8 54.Kf2 Nc6 55.Rgg7 Rc1 56.Rd7+ Kc5 57.Rd5+ Kb4 58.Rb7+! The clincher: 58…Ka3 59.Rd6 Rc2+ 60.Ke3! 1–0
The race for the top among the dozen Russian women was much closer than among the men, with four of them finishing in a tie for first to fourth with 7.0 points apiece from 11 games.
European women’s champion Tatiana Kosintseva captured the women’s plum on tiebreak, winning by a very narrow margin after a few scary rounds where she was struggling in the middle of the tournament.
She had five wins, two losses and four draws, as against second prizewinner Elena Tairova, who had six wins, three losses and two draws, third prizewinner Evgenija Ovod, who had four wins, six draws and one loss, and fourth prizewinner Ekaterina Korbut, who like Tatiana had five wins, four draws and two losses.
Tatiana, however, won against higher-rated opponents, a fact that determined her premier position.
All four winners are full-pledged international masters, which is slightly higher than the title of woman grandmaster (WGM).
WGM Natalija Pogonina finished in fifth place with 6.0 points, winning on tiebreak over Tatiana’s elder sister, Nadeshda, who took the sixth slot. Pogonina had four wins, three losses and four draws while Nadeshda had three wins, six draws and two losses.
Tatiana K proved steadier than her rivals, and most of her games sparkled.
But it was WGM Pogonina, 22, who caught the attention of spectators with her spectacular wins in the first three rounds enabling her to grab the lead early on.
N. Pogonina (2462) – E. Kovalevskaya (2448)
Rd. 3, Philidor Defense (C41)
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.0–0 0–0 7.Re1 c6 8.a4 b6 8...Qc7 9.a5 would have equalized 9.b3 a6 10.Bd3 Re8 11.Bb2 Bf8 12.Ne2 exd4 13.Nexd4 Ne5 14.h3 Nxd3 15.Qxd3 c5 16.Nf5 d5 16...Rxe4 17.Ne3 Bb7 18.Rad1 leads to equality 17.exd5 Bxf5 18.Qxf5 Qxd5 19.Qf4 Re4 20.Qc7 Qe6 20...Qd7 21.Qxd7 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 Nxd7 23.Rd1 would benefit White 21.Rxe4 Nxe4 22.Re1 Re8 23.Qb7 f5 24.Ng5! Re7 25.Qxa6 Qd5 26.Nxe4 Rxe4 27.Rxe4 Qxe4? 27...fxe4 was best but White would still win 28.Qe2 28.Qxb6+- Qe1+ 29.Kh2 f4 30.Qc6 Qxf2 31.Qd5+ 31.Qe6+ was much stronger, e.g., 31…Kh8 32.Qg4!, and White surges on Kh8 32.Qf3 Qxc2 33.Qxf4 Kg8 34.Qc4+ Qxc4 35.bxc4 Bd6+ 36.Kg1 Kf7 37.Kf2 g6 38.Ke3 Ke6 39.Ke4 Bc7 40.Bc3 Bd8 41.a5 Kd6 42.a6 Kc6 43.a7 Best was 43.Ke5!? Kb7 44.Kd5 Bb6 45.a8=Q+ Kxa8 46.Kc6 Ka7 47.Be5 Ka6 48.Bd6 Ka5 49.Bxc5 Bd8 50.Kd7 Bh4 51.Bd6! The persuader, and Black resigns because she has to give up her bishop if she wants to stop White’s isolated passed pawn on c4 from becoming a queen. 1–0
Here is what I consider to be Tatiana Kosintseva’s best effort in the Superfinals:
T. Kosintseva (2492) – T. Shadrina (2379)
Rd 10, Sicilian Scheveningen, Keres Attack
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.g4 h6 7.h3 a6 8.Bg2 Qc7 9.Qe2 Nc6 10.Be3 Ne5 11.f4 Nc4 12.0-0-0 Bd7 Black is behind in development, Fritz notes 13.Kb1 Rc8 14.Bc1 b5 15.Rhe1 Be7 16.e5 dxe5 17.fxe5 Nh7 18.Nd5 Fritz suggests 18.Rd3, keeping the balance Qd8?? Ruining her position. Better was 18...exd5!? 19.Bxd5 Nf8! 19.Nf5 exf5 20.gxf5 0-0 20...Bxf5 21.Nf6+gxf6 22.exf6 Be6 23.Rxd8+ Bxd8 would boost White’s lead 21.f6 Bc5 22.Be4 Best was 22.fxg7!? Re8 23.Qh5!, and White is way ahead g6 23.e6?? This hands over the advantage to the opponent, according to Fritz fxe6?? Black lets it slip away: 23...Bxe6 24.Ne7+ Bxe7 25.Rxd8 Bxd8 26.Bxg6 Bxf6, with equality 24.Qg2 Rxf6?? 24...g5 would save the game, Fritz notes: 25.Bxh7+ Kh8 25.Nxf6+! White surges ahead Qxf6 26.Rf1 Qg7 27.Rxd7! Sealing Black’s fate.
27...Qxd7 28.Qxg6+ Qg7 29.Qxe6+! 1-0
17TH PAMPLONA INT’L MAGISTRAL IN SPAIN
Vallejo 1st, Wang Yue 2nd
SPANISH superstar Francisco “Paco” Vallejo Pons (2660) captured the title with China’s Wang Yue (2703) in second place in the 17th Pamplona International Tournament held from December 21 to 29 in Spain.
Both winners went through the event undefeated, with Vallejo collecting 4.5 points from two wins and five draws and Wang 4.0 from one win and six draws.
With global megastar Alexei Shirov (2739) back in his homeland of Latvia despite still playing under the Spanish flag, Vallejo now dominates Spain’s chess scene and is the reigning national champion.
In Pamplona, Wang, who topped last year’s Philippine Open in Subic, won on tiebreak over Baadur Jobava of Georgia, who landed the third slot with the same score from two wins, four draws and one loss.
Three other grandmasters tied for the fourth to sixth slots with 3.5 points each—Sergei Movsesian of Slovakia, Alexander Beliavsky of Slovenia and Ibragim Khamrakulov of Spain.
Actually, Khamrakulov scored the most wins—three—among the winners, but he also had three losses and a draw to finish with the same score as those of Movsesian and Beliavsky, a former world title candidate.
In seventh and eighth places were IM Maxim Rodshtein of Israel and GM Gabriel Sargissian of Armenia. Rodshtein had 3.0 points from one win, four draws and one loss, while Sargissian had 2.0 from four draws and three losses.
Here’s is Vallejo’s finest effort.
I. Khamrakulov (2604) – F. Vallejo Pons (2660)
Rd 1, Giuoco Piano (C54)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 a6 6.0–0 Ba7 7.h3 d6 8.Bb3 h6 9.Be3 g5 10.Bxa7 Nxa7 11.d4 Qe7 12.Nbd2 g4 13.hxg4 Nxg4 13...Bxg4 14.Ba4+ c6 15.Bb3 would have equalized 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.g3 Rg8 16.Qe2 Bd7 17.Rfd1 0–0–0 18.Nc4 h5 19.Ne3 Kb8 19...Nxe3 20.Qxe3 Nc6 21.Qh6! would benefit White 20.Nf5 20.Nd5!? must be considered, says Fritz: 20...Qc5 21.Rd2, with equality Bxf5 21.Rxd8+ Qxd8 22.exf5 Qf6 23.Re1 Re8 Instead of 23...Qxf5 24.Nxe5 h4 25.Nxg4 Rxg4 26.Qe8+ Nc8 27.Qxf7, which favors White 24.Qc4 Re7 Better than 24...Qxf5 25.Qxf7 Qc8 26.Qxh5!, and White has a clear edge 25.Nh4 If 25.Qb4 Nc8 Nc8 26.Qd5 Nd6 27.Bc2 Qh6 If 27...Qg7 28.Qd2! 28.f3 28.c4!? might be a viable alternative, Fritz notes Nf6 29.Qd1 Re8 30.Kf2 Rg8 31.Qc1 31.Qe2 Nd7 boosts Black’s lead Qg7 32.Rg1 e4 33.Qd1 exf3 34.Qxf3 Re8 35.Kg2 Qg5 36.Kh1? Re3 37.Qg2 Nde4 38.Nf3 Qg4 39.Bd1 Qxf5 40.Rf1 Qg6 41.Rg1 41.Kg1 was necessary, says Fritz: 41...Ng4 42.Bc2 Ng4 42.Rf1 Qd6! The end: 43.Kg1 Nxg3! 0–1
Wang Yue, the first Chinese player to break through the 2700 barrier, played solidly as this game would show.
Wang Yue (2703) – S. Movsesian (2670)
Rd. 6, Queen’s Gambit Declined (D38)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 0–0 7.e3 c5 8.dxc5 Nbd7 9.Rc1 Qa5 10.a3 10.Bxf6 Nxf6 11.Bd3 Qxa2 could favor Black Bxc3+ Equalizing 10...Bxc5? doesn't work because of 11.b4 Bxb4 12.axb4 Qxb4 13.Qd2, and White is way ahead 11.Rxc3 Ne4 12.b4 Nxc3 13.Qa1 Better than 13.bxa5 Nxd1 14.Kxd1 Nxc5 and Black surges ahead Qa4 14.Qxc3 a5 15.b5 Nxc5 Missing his best shot, 15...b6!? 16.cxb6 Nxb6 16.Qxc5 Bd7 17.Be2 Rfc8 18.Qxd5 Rc1+ 19.Bd1 Qxb5 20.Qxb5 Bxb5 21.Nd4 Bd7 21...Ba4!? 22.Ke2 Ra1 reduces White’s lead 22.0–0 Rac8 23.Bf3 Kf8 24.Bxb7 R8c3 25.a4 Bxa4 26.Bd8 Bb3 27.Nxb3 27.Bxa5? Bc4 28.h4 Rxf1+ 29.Kh2 Rcc1!, and Black is way ahead Rxf1+ 28.Kxf1 a4?? 28...Rxb3 29.Bd5 Rb5 benefits White 29.Nd4 Rc5 30.Bb6 Re5 31.Ba6 31.Bc7! makes it even easier for White a3 32.Bc4! It’s all over: 32…Ke8 33.Nc2! 1–0
HARMONIE IN GRONINGEN
Greeks rule the roost, Adly 4th
FIVE grandmasters—two Greeks, a Dutchman, the world junior champion from Egypt, and a Georgian international master—finished in a tie for first to fifth places with 6.5 each in the Harmonie A Tournament hosted by the Dutch city of Groningen during its 10-day chess festival last month.
The five winners were GMs Stelios Halkias (2589) and Dimitrios Mastrovasilis (2559), both of Greece; GM Ernst Spike (2539) of the host country, The Netherlands; GM Ahmed Adly (2494), the reigning world junior champion from Egypt; and IM Davit Lobzhanidze (2489) of Georgia.
Harmonie A was the main event of the yearly Groningen Festival, which was held from December 21 to 30, attracting 50 players from all over The Netherlands, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Li Shilong (2509), a Chinese grandmaster who took part in the Philippine Open in Subic last April and landed as one of the top prizes with 6.0 points, finished in Groningen with the same score—6.0—as two others to tie for sixth to eighth places. Strange coincidence, indeed!
With Li in the same 6.0-point bracket were GM Hristos Banikas (2591) of Greece and IM Michael Hoffmann of Germany (2471). Li had been an early leader, reaching the third round with a perfect 3.0.
Below them were five 5.5-pointers led by Dutch GM Friso Nijboer (2559).
Nine others led by Dutch GM Dimitri Reinderman (2510) and IM Amon Simotuwe of Zambia (2446) trailed behind them.
The festival was held from December 21 to 30 in the Dutch city of Groningen.
S. Halkias (2590) - Heemskerk (2233)
Rd. 3, Queen’s Gambit Declined (D55)
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.d4 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.e3 0–0 8.Rc1 c6 9.Bd3 Nd7 10.0–0 dxc4 11.Bxc4 e5 12.h3 exd4 13.exd4 Nb6 14.Bb3 Re8 15.Re1 Bf5 16.g4 16.Rxe8+ gives Black a chance to equalize: 16…Qxe8 17.Qd2 Qd7 Rxe1+ Seizing the initiative 17.Qxe1 Bd3 If 17...Bg6 18.Ne4! 18.Ne5 Bxe5 19.dxe5 c5 Missing 19...Qh4 20.Kg2, with equality 20.Qe3 c4 21.Bd1 Qe7 22.f4 f6 23.e6! Watch out for this pawn, which drives a wedge into the center f5 24.Bf3 Rd8 25.Re1 Bc2 If 25...Rf8 26.a4! 26.Bg2 26.g5 was stronger., e.g., 26…hxg5 27.fxg5 Bd3, and White would have a clear advantage Kh8 If 26...Bd3 27.g5! 27.g5! hxg5 If 27...Kh7 28.Qf3 28.fxg5 28.Qe2 Bd3 29.Qh5+ Kg8 30.fxg5!, and White surges ahead Rd6?? Better but not quite enough was 28...Bd3, with White still having the edge 29.Qe2! Winning Be4 30.Nxe4 fxe4 31.Qh5+!! Black resigns in disgust as he sees the futility of further resistance. 1–0
Although Li took only his share of the sixth to eight prizes combined, he played what I think was the most fascinating game as far as tactics, based on White’s back-rank weakness, are concerned.
W. Spoelman (2445) - Li Shilong (2509)
Rd. 6, Sicilian Taimanov (B48)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 f5 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Qd2 If 7.Ndb5 Qb8! Bb4 8.f3 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 0-0 11.c4 d5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.e5 Better than 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bd2 Bf5! Nd7 14.f4 Nb8 14...Qxc2 15.Qd2 Qxd2+ 16.Kxd2 would have equalized 15.Bd3 Nc6 15...Rd8!? is worth looking at, says Fritz 16.Qxd5 White now has a distinct advantage Nb4 17.Bxh7+ Kxh7 18.Qe4+ Bf5 19.Qxb4 Qxc2 20.0-0 Not 20.Qxb7 Qc3+ 21.Kf2 Qc2+ 22.Ke1 Rab8! Rfd8 21.Rac1 21.Qxb7? won't work because of 21...Be4 22.Rf2 Qxf2+ (22...Bxb7? looks very tantalizing, but 23.Rxc2 Rd3 24.Bc5!) 23.Kxf2 Bxb7!, and Black surges ahead Qxa2 22.Qxb7 a5 23.Qf3 Kg8 24.Bb6 Rdc8 25.Bc7 Not 25.Ra1 Qc4! Qb2 Restoring the equilibrium 26.Qf2 Qb3 27.Bd6! 27.Bb6 Rxc1 28.Rxc1 a4 leads to equality a4 28.Ra1 a3 Don't underestimate that pawn 29.Qa2 29.Qf3 Qxf3 30.Rxf3 a2 would have equalized again Qb6+ 29...Qb7!? was also playable: 30.Rf2 Rc3! 30.Qf2 Qb3 31.Qa2 31.Qf3 Qxf3 32.Rxf3 a2 equalizes Qd3 31...Qb7 32.Rf2! favors White (Not 32.Bxa3 Rc2 33.Qxc2 Bxc2!) 32.Rfd1 Not 32.Bxa3?? Rc2 33.Qxc2 Qxc2! Qe4 33.Re1 Not 33.Qf2 Rc2 34.Re1 Qb7! Qb7 34.Re2 34.Bxa3?? would be a blunder: 34...Rc2 35.Qxc2 Bxc2!, and Black wins Be6 34...Rc3 35.Qd2 Rc2 36.Qxc2 Bxc2 37.Rxc2 favors Black 35.Qb1 Qa7+ 36.Kh1 a2 37.Qg1 Qb7 Not 37...Rc6 38.Rb2! 38.f5 Restoring the balance Bc4 39.Rd2 Qe4 40.f6 Ra4 Best was 40...gxf6 41.exf6 Be6 41.Qd4?? Better was 41.Rd4 Qf5 42.fxg7 Qb1+ 42.Rd1 Bb3 43.Qxa4 Qxd1+ Weaker is 43...Bxa4 44.Raxb1 axb1R 45.Rxb1 gxf6 46.exf6 44.Rxd1 Bxa4 45.Rg1? Missing 45.Ra1! Rc2 Black is winning 46.h3?? The final mistake, not that it matters anymore, says Fritz.46…Bc6 47.e6 47.Ra1 offers a small chance: 47...Rxg2 48.Rxa2 Rxa2+ 49.Kg1 gxf6 50.exf6, although Black is still ahead Rxg2!! White resigns. 0-1
PINOY GEMS WITH A HISTORY
That Antonio-Torre rematch
THE Filipino chess community was caught by surprise when suddenly, like a flash of lightning out of a clear blue sky, the news streaked across the nation that Grandmasters Rogelio Antonio Jr. and Eugenio Torre had agreed to a rematch.
Yes, a rematch after nine years since they dueled as part of the centennial celebration of Philippine Independence in 1998 courtesy of the government-owned Land Bank. Incredible!
My first reaction was that it was a well-calculated media hype and hoopla to generate public interest in a clash between two of the country’s older grandmasters who still dominate the national chess scene.
Why do I think so? Because even now there is no set date except “in the summer” of this year! And because one of them is the iconic Torre, Asia’s first grandmaster, and the other the flamboyant “GM Joey,” the media took it hook, line, and sinker.
Apparently, whoever thought of such a “brilliant” idea wished to dampen the national euphoria over having two new grandmasters—Darwin Laylo and Wesley So—in the space of just two-and-a-half months plus the fact that one of them, Bacoor Boy Wonder Wesley, is at 14 the world’s youngest GM.
To my mind and perhaps those of many others, the best and most exciting match should be between Wesley and either Joey or Torre, especially the latter.
The Bacoor Boy Wonder and Torre have not played a decisive game yet since Wesley became an IM. Therefore, why not Wesley So vs Eugene Torre—a 14-year-old prodigy against a 56-year-old icon?
That would be similar to the Oslo match in 2005 between then 15-year-old wunderkind Magnus Carlsen and his former mentor, Simen Agdestein, then 46, when they met in a best-of-three playoff for Norway’s national title.
In any event, an Antonio-Torre rematch would similarly be interesting, albeit not in the same degree as a Wesley-Eugene bout. I hope either one pushes through for the sake of Philippine chess.
Aleksander Wojtkiewicz - Rogelio Antonio Jr.
Bacolod, 1991
Grunfeld, Fianchetto (D78)
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.d4 c6 6.Nc3 d5 7.Qb3 dxc4 8.Qxc4 Bf5 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.h3 Ne4 11.Rd1 a5 12.e3 Qc8 13.Nxe4 Bxe4 14.Bd2 h6 15.Qe2 Re8 16.Rac1 Nb6 17.Ne1 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 e5 19.dxe5 Bxe5 20.Nd3 Bg7 21.Bc3 Bxc3 22.Rxc3 Nd5 23.Rc4 Qe6 24.Rd4 Re7 25.a3 Rae8 26.Qf3 h5 27.Nf4 Nxf4+ 28.Qxf4 Qe5 29.Qxe5 Rxe5 30.Rd8 Kf8 31.Kf3 Rb5 32.Rxe8+ Kxe8 33.Rd2 Ke7 34.g4 a4 35.Ke4 Ke6 36.f4 37.hxg4 f5+ 38.Kf3 Rb3 39.gxf5+ gxf5 40.Rh2 c5 41.Rh6+ Kf7 42.Rh7+ Kg6 43.Rc7 b6 44.Ra7 b5 45.Ra6+ Kf7 46.Ra7+ Kf6 47.Ra6+ Ke7 48.Ra7+ Ke6 49.Ra6+ Kd5 50.Rf6 Rxb2 51.Rxf5+ Kc4 Preparing …b4 52.Re5? Weak. Fritz suggests 52.Rf8 Rb3 53.f5 Rxa3 54.Rd8 b4 53.axb4 cxb4 54.f5 Rb1 55.Ke2? a3 56.Ra5 b3 57.f6 57.Ra4+ Kd5 58.Rxa3 also boosts Black’s lead by 58.f7 Re1+!! The two exclamatory marks were supplied by Fritz. 59.Kxe1 b1=Q+ 60.Ke2 Qb2+! White resigns, realizing that Black knows whereof he moves: 61.Kf3 Qf6+ 62.Ke2 Qxf7 63.Rxa3 Qh5+ 64.Kf2 Qb5! 0-1
Mikhail Tal - Eugenio Torre
Brussels (Belgium) it (5), 1987
Pirc Defense (B07)
1.e4 d6 2.d4² Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be3 c6 5.Qd2 Nbd7 6.0-0-0 Qa5 7.Kb1 b5 8.Bd3 Nb6 9.Nd5 Qxd2 10.Nxf6+ exf6 11.Rxd2 Nc4 12.Bxc4 bxc4 13.Ne2 f5 14.Nc3 Be7 15.Bh6 fxe4 16.d5 c5 16...Bb7 17.Nxe4 cxd5 equalizes 17.Nxe4 Bf5 17...f5 should equalize 18.Re1 Kd8 19.Ng3 Bd7 20.Bg7 Re8 21.Bc3 Missing 21.Rde2!? Bh4 22.Rxe8+! Kc7 22.Ba5+ Kb7 23.Ne4 f5 Equalizing 24.Ng3 Bh4 25.Rde2 Rxe2 26.Rxe2 Re8 27.Rxe8 Bxe8 28.Kc1 Bf7 29.f3 Bxd5 30.Kd2 Bg5+ 31.Kd1 Bf4 32.Bc3 Bc6 33.Bd2 Be5 34.c3 d5 35.Nf1 d4 36.Ke2 Kd7 41.Kd1 Ke6 41...f4 might be quicker 42.Ke2 h5 43.Nf1 h4 44.h3 Bc6 45.Bc1 Bf4 45...f4 makes it even easier for Black, says Fritz 46.Bd2?? Ke5-+ 47.Ke1 Bd7 48.Ke2 g5 49.Ke1 g4 50.hxg4 fxg4 51.fxg4 Bxg4 52.Bxf4+ Kxf4 53.Nd2 Be6 Missing 53...Kg3! 54.Kf2 Bd5 55.Nf1 Be4 56.Nd2 Bd5? 57.Nf1 Ke4 58.Ke2 d3+ 59.Kf2 d2 60.Nxd2+ Kd3 61.Nf1 Kc2 62.Ne3+ Kxb2 63.Nxd5 Kxa3 64.Nb6?? The losing moment. 64...Kb3! 65.Nxa4 Kxa4 0-1
MY FAVORITES
Caissa’s ‘Alexander the Great’
RUSSIA has several strong players named Alexander, but only one of them can truly be called “the Great” after the young Macedonian king who conquered much of the known world of his time three centuries before the birth of Christ.
He is no other than Alexander Morozevich, 32, who has just won the Russian Superfinals, replacing last year’s champion, Evgeny Alekseev, 22, who did not take part this year to defend his crown.
Morozevich now ranks No. 4 in the world with 2765, rising from No. 6 on the October 2007 list, despite the results of the Superfinals not yet being included in Fide’s computations.
The other highly-rated Alexander from Russia is Grischuk, who now ranks No. 21 in the world, dropping from No. 15 last October.
Above Morozevich on the Fide ratings list are Nos. 1 and 2 former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia and his successor, reigning champion Viswanathan Anand of India followed by another former champion, Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria.
Morozevich has been my favorite since he topped the Lloyd’s Bank Festival in London when he was only 17 in 1994 by an amazing score of 9.5 out of 10 games.
Two or three years later, however, his fans were disappointed when he fared poorly in the World Juniors (Under 20), but made up for it in 2000 when he posted the highest performance rating and won the bronze medal on Board 2 of eventual champion Russia.
What I like about Morozevich’s style is his penchant for trying to be original on the board by adopting little-known opening systems.
What I don’t like about his play is its inconsistency: he performs well in one tournament and flounders in the next, one reason for his failure to stay long at the top of the global list of players.
A. Morozevich (2755) – K. Sakaev (2634)
Rd. 5, Superfinals, Russia 2007
Slav Defemse (D10)
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Bf4 Nc6 5...Qb6 6.Qd2 would have equalized 6.e3 a6 7.Rc1 Bg4 8.f3 Bd7 9.g4 e6 10.h4 Be7 11.Bd3 0-0 12.Bb1 Qb6 13.Rh2 Rfc8 14.h5 Be8 15.Qd3 Nb4 16.Qd2 Nd7 17.Nh3 Nf8 18.Bg5 Qd8 19.Bxe7 Qxe7 20.f4 f6 21.Kf2 Qd6 22.Ng1 Rc7 23.Nf3 Rac8 24.h6 g6 25.a3 Nc6 26.e4 Qd8 27.Ba2 Ne7 28.e5! f5 29.Rg1 Rc6 30.Bb1 Kh8 31.Rhg2 fxg4 32.Rxg4 Bf7 33.Ne2 Nd7 34.Ng5 Bg8 35.R4g3 Nb6 36.b3 Qf8 37.a4 Nd7 38.a5 R6c7 39.Rf3 Nb8 40.b4 Nbc6 40...Qxh6? won't work because of 41.f5 Qh2+ 42.Rg2!, and White surges ahead 41.Rc1 Qxh6 42.Rh3 Qf8 43.f5 Nxf5 44.Nf4 Qe8 45.Bxf5 exf5 46.Rc5 Rd8 47.Qe3 h5 48.e6 Re7 49.Rxc6! 49...bxc6 Not 49...Qxc6 because of 50.Qe5+! 50.Qe5+ Rg7 51.Qf6 Rb8 52.e7! Bh7 Not 52...Qxe7 53.Nxg6+! 53.Re3 Kg8 54.Qe6+ Kh8 55.Qf6 Kg8 55...Rxb4?? would be a horrible blunder: 56.Nxg6+ Qxg6 57.e8=Q+ Bg8 58.Qxg8+ Kxg8 59.Qd8+ Qe8 60.Qxe8#! 56.Qe6+ Condemned by Fritz, but White wants to save time on his clock Kh8 57.Qd6 Ra8 58.Qc7 Rg8?? 58...Bg8 was the best, says Fritz 59.Nfe6! Black resigns 1-0
A. Morozevich (2755) – E. Inarkiev (2674)
Rd. 11, Superfinals, Moscow 2007
Ruy Lopez, Archangelisk and Moller Defenses (C78)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.a4 b4 8.d4 d6 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 dxe5 11.Qxd8+ Bxd8 12.f3 Be7 13.Be3 Bd6 14.Nd2 a5 15.Rfc1 Ke7 16.c3 bxc3 17.Rxc3 Bd7 Equalizing 18.Bc4 Rhb8 19.b3 Rb4 20.Kf2 Rab8 21.Ke2 Rd8 22.Nb1 Nh5 23.g3 g6 24.Rd3 Ng7 25.Nc3 Bc6 26.Nd5+ Bxd5 27.Rxd5 Ra8 28.Bc5 Ne6 29.Bxb4 Bxb4 30.Rd3 Nd4+ 31.Kf2 Bd6 32.h4 h6 33.Kg2 c5 33...h5 34.Rad1 favors White 34.Rf1 Rg8 35.f4 Rg7 36.Rc3 f6 37.Rf2 Kd8 37...f5 38.Re3 Kf6 39.fxe5+ Bxe5 40.h5 gxh5 41.exf5 boosts White’s lead 38.Bd5 Rc7 39.Rc1 Ke8 40.Rcf1 Ke7 41.h5 gxh5 42.Rh1 Kd8 43.Rxh5 Rg7 44.Kh3 Rh7 45.Rh4 Ke7 46.Rg4 h5 47.Rg8 h4 48.f5 hxg3+ 49.Kxg3 Bc7 50.Rg2 c4? 51.Bxc4 Rh1 52.Rg7+ Kd6 53.Rf7 Bd8 54.Kf2 Nc6 55.Rgg7 Rc1 56.Rd7+ Kc5 57.Rd5+ Kb4 58.Rb7+! Black resigns in the face of certain defeat: 58…Ka3 59.Rd6 Rc2+ 60.Ke3! 1-0
GAMES OF GIFTED KIDS
A not-so-famous prodigy
LITTLE is known about Alexander Morozevich’s childhood, but his games even then showed that he had tremendous gifts as a child.
His biography in the Wikipedia mentions as his first international achievement his having won the Lloyds Bank Tournament in London in 1994 when he was just 17 years old with a phenomenal 9.5/10 score. It does not mention his failure to capture the World Juniors crown two or three years later.
In ChessGames.com, his biographical sketch also mentions his London victory as his initial accomplishment abroad, followed by his 8.5/9 win in Kishenev, USSR in 1998 and 8/9 win in Pamplona, Spain. Again nothing about the World Juniors,
Surely, a player with his phenomenal gift as one of the world’s best and brightest as an adult must have been a very precocious child. His games show it but perhaps even then his lack of steadiness at the board must have prevented him from winning significant honors in global youth competitions.
Alexander was born on July 18, 1977 in Moscow and was trained by the Soviet master Sukov as a child. As I said, nothing much is known about him during his childhood and this is probably due to his miserable showing at the World Juniors.
But in 2000, he started making gigantic waves internationally when he won the bronze medal on Board 2 for the Russian team at the biennial Olympiad.
Among the tournaments where he left a mark were his No. 1 overall performance in the Melody Amber Blindfold and Rapid of 2002, beating Vladimir Kramnik twice and finishing joint second in the same event the following year, finishing joint first and second with Kramnik there in 2004, and winning the Biel Festival three times in a row, 2004, 2005, and 2006.
His third victory in that Swiss festival in 2006 became a lead story of The Weekender, despite his loss to Norwegian wonder boy Magnus Carlsen along the way.
A.Morozevich – J. Hohn
Moscow 1991
Sicilian Sheveningen/Najdorf (B87)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 b5 8.0-0 Be7 Black should quickly conclude development, Fritz notes. 8...b4!? 9.Nce2 Nxe4 would have equalized 9.Qf3 Qc7 10.Qg3 Nc6 10...b4 11.Nce2 also leads to equality.11.Qxg7? won't work because of 11...Rg8 12.Qh6 bxc3!, when Black surges on 11.Nxc6 Not 11.Qxg7? Rg8 12.Nxe6 Bxe6! Qxc6 12.f3 12.Re1 0-0 13.Bh6 Ne8 could favor Black 0-0 13.Be3 Bb7 14.a4 Rfd8 15.Ne2 e5 16.Nc3 b4 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 Qd7 19.a5 Qb5 20.Rfd1 Rf8 20...Rab8 would benefit White: 21.Qe1 Rdc8 22.Ba7! 21.Qf2 Bd8 22.Qf1 f5 23.Bc4! Qe8 24.Qe1 f4 25.Bf2 Rf6 26.Qxb4 Bc8 27.Qa4 Bd7 28.Qb3 Bc8 29.Bd3 Qh5 30.Kf1 Qxh2 31.Ke2 Rh6?? This solves nothing, e.g., 31...Qh5 32.Rh1 Qe8 33.Bxh7+! 32.Rh1! Fritz calls this “the punch.” 32...Qxh1 32...Kf8 does not save the day: 33.Rxh2 Rxh2 34.Qc4! 33.Rxh1 Rxh1 34.Qa4 Kf7 1-0
T.I. Minogina – A. Morozevich
Moscow Open 1991
Classical King’s Indian, Petrosian (E92)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Nf3 e5 7.d5 a5 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 Na6 10.Nd2 h5 10...c6 11.0-0 equalizes, Fritz notes 11.a3 Bd7 12.Bg5 Qe8 13.h4 Ng4 14.Bxg4 hxg4 14...Bxg4 15.f3 Bd7 16.g4 would help White 15.f3 f6 16.Be3 g3 17.Qe2 f5 18.exf5 gxf5 19.f4 Qe7 Best was 19...exf4!? 20.Bxf4 Nc5! 20.0-0-0 White now has the edge exf4 21.Bxf4 Qxe2 22.Nxe2 Nc5 23.Kc2 b5 24.Nxg3 Rfb8 25.Rb1 bxc4 26.Nxc4 Bb5 27.b3 a4 28.b4 Ne4?? This gives White counterplay: 28...Bxc4 29.bxc5 29.Nxe4 Fritz suggests 29.Ne3!? fxe4 30.Nb2 Rf8 31.Be3 c6 32.Rbd1 Fritz endorses 32.dxc6!?, e.g., 32...Rac8 33.Rbc1 Rxc6+ 34.Kb1 Rxc1+ 35.Rxc1! Rac8 33.Kb1 c5 33...cxd5!? could be tried: 34.Rxd5 Rc3! 34.bxc5 Restoring the balance dxc5 35.d6!? Also playable was 35.h5 Rb8 36.Rd2! Rb8! 36.Kc2 Bd7 37.Rb1 Rb3 38.Nd1 Rfb8 Missing 38...Rxa3!? 39.Rb7 Ra2+ 40.Kc1 Bg4!, and Black would surge on 39.Nf2 c4 40.Rhc1 R8b5 41.Re1 Rd5 42.Nd1 42.Nxe4 Bf5 43.Bd2 boosts Black’s lead Bg4 43.Rc1 43.Bd2 offered the last chance for counterplay Bxd1! 44.Rcxd1 Rc3+! It’s mate in two: 45.Kb1 Rb5+ 46.Ka2 Rc2#! 0-1
CHESS MAGIC
Alekhine’s rare kind of wizardry
AS far as creativity in chess is concerned, I have very few choices as a source of material for this series and one of them is Alexander Alekhine, the controversial Russian aristocrat who became a Nazi collaborator in Germany during World War II.
It was this regrettable aspect of his life and career that has in effect tarnished his image posthumously and virtually toppled him from his pedestal of respectability. The Allied Powers of World War II have never forgiven him for that.
Ideology and politics aside, however, nobody can deny the fact that Alekhine was one of the greatest players the world has ever known.
Dynamic in style and ruthless at the board, Alekhine was the epitome of a chess magician—highly imaginative with an eye for combination. He could calculate more deeply and accurately than any of his rivals.
It is said that one of the secrets of his enduring success was his habit of carrying in his pocket wherever he went a miniature magnetic chessboard that enabled him to focus on the game every minute of his waking hours.
This is because he would tinker with his pieces every time he was idle anywhere he might have been at any time of the day or night.
In other words, chess was his life, which is why he was the original Alexander the Great in chess.
An analysis of his games would show that he was what one may call an “endgame player.”
Even in the opening and middle phases of the game, he always had the ending in his mind and checkmate was his ultimate goal.
Bold and even daring most of the time, he would not hesitate to make sacrifices if his intuition told him he was on the right path.
Let his games speak in his behalf.
A. Alekhine – N. Zubareef
Moscow 1916
Nimzo-Indian, Classical (E32)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 b6 4...0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 should equalize, says Fritz 5.e4 Bb7 6.Bd3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 Better than 7.Qxc3 Bxe4 8.Ne2 d5! 7...d6 8.Ne2 Nbd7 9.0-0 0-0 10.f4 h6 11.Ng3 Qe7 12.Qe2 Preparing e5 Rae8 13.Ba3 c5 14.Rae1 Kh8 15.d5 15.e5!? was stronger, e.g., 15…Ng8 16.Ne4 Bxe4 17.Qxe4 Ng8 16.e5 g6 Prophylaxis. Fritz suggests 16...dxe5!? 17.Qd1 Qd6! 17.Qd2 exd5 18.cxd5 dxe5 18...Bxd5!? 19.Bb5 Bb7 20.exd6 Qd8 was playable 19.c4! Kh7 20.Bb2 Fritz says 20.fxe5 was stronger: 20...Qg5 21.Qxg5!, and White is way ahead Ngf6? 20...b5 was safer 21.fxe5 Ng4 22.e6 Qh4 23.Rxf7+ Rxf7 24.Bxg6+!! 24...Kxg6 25.Qd3+ Kg5 26.Bc1+ Kf6 27.Qf5+ Kg7 28.Qxf7+ Kh8 29.Qxe8+ 29.Qxd7? would be a mistake: 29...Qxh2+ 30.Kf1 Rf8+ 31.Ke2 Qxg2+ 32.Kd1 Qxa2!, and Black surges on Kh7 30.Qxd7+ Kh8 31.Qe8+ Kh7 32.Qf7+ Kh8 33.Bb2+ Nf6 34.Bxf6+ Qxf6 35.Qxf6+ Kh7 36.Nh5! Black resigns as it’s mate next: 36….Bxd5 37.Qg7#! 1-0
A. Alekhine – N. Asgierssen
Iceland 1931
Classical French, Alekhine-Chatard Attack (C13)
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 4...dxe4 5.Nxe4 Nbd7 6.Qf3 should equalize 5.Bxf6 Bxf6 Equalizing 6.Nf3 0-0 7.Bd3 Re8 7...dxe4!? 8.Nxe4 Bxd4 should keep the balance 8.e5 Be7 9.h4 c5 10.Bxh7+ Kxh7 11.Ng5+ Bxg5 12.hxg5+ Kg8 13.Qh5 Kf8 14.0-0-0 a6 14...cxd4!? is worth looking at, says Fritz: 15.Rxd4 Ke7, with equality 15.g6 Ke7 16.gxf7 Rf8 17.dxc5 Nd7?? 18.Rxd5!! The start of a fierce assault. 18...Qa5 19.Qg5+ Fritz says 19.Rd3 should make it even easier for White: 19...Qc7 20.Qg5+ Kxf7 21.Rf3+! Kxf7 20.Rh7 Rg8 Fritz warns that 20...exd5?? leads to instant death: 21.Rxg7+ Ke6 22.Re7#! 21.Rd4 Qxc5 22.Rxd7+! Bxd7 23.Ne4 Qb5 24.Nd6+ Kf8 25.Qf6+!! gxf6 26.Rf7#! 1-0
BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE
1990 Manila Interzonal
Manila Interzonal
Ninoy Aquino Basketball Stadium
29 June – 14 July 1990
Final Top Standings
1-2 GM Boris Gelfand URS 2680, GM Vassily Ivanchuk URS 2680, 9.0/13
3-4 GM Nigel Short ENG 2610, GM Viswanathan Anand IND 2610, 8.5/13
5-11 GM Alexey Dreev URS 2615, GM Viktor Korchnoi SUI 2630, GM Sergey Dolmatov URS 2615, GM Predrag Nikolic YUG 2600, GM Robert Huebner FRG 2585, GM Gyula Sax HUN 2600, GM Leonid Yudasin URS 2615, 8.0/13
12-20 GM Mikhail Gurevich URS 2640, GM Kiril Georgiev BUL 2580, GM Branko Damljanovic YUG 2515, GM Alexander Khalifman URS 2615, GM Jaan Ehlvest EST 2655, GM Ljubomir Ljubojevic YUG 2600, GM Yasser Seirawan USA 2635, GM Alexei Shirov URS 2580, GM Johann Hjartarson ISD 2520, 7.5/13
Total of 64 participants
This tremendously strong tournament took place 17 years ago. For the benefit of our younger readers, I will do a quick historical rundown:
DUE to the ever-increasing number of players who have earned the right to take part in the interzonal stage of the world championship, the World Chess Federation (FIDE) decided that starting in 1990-Manila all 64 participants should take part in a single 13-round Swiss-system tournament to determine the 11 qualifiers to the Candidates’ matches. They were to be joined by the top three of the previous cycle (Speelman, Jussupow and Jan Timman) and, after the first elimination, the loser from the 1990 Kasparov-Karpov world championship match.
This tournament was played before the break-up of the Soviet Union. Two years later during the 1992 Manila Olympiad the following players would be representing their former Soviet republics directly:
Belarus – Boris Gelfand (soon to migrate to Israel)
Ukraine – Vassily Ivanchuk
Estonia – Jaan Ehlvest
Latvia – Alexei Shirov (soon to move to Spain)
Armenia – Rafael Vaganian and Smbat Lputian
The same is true of Yugoslavia. Of its four representatives here, Predrag Nikolic was to emerge two years later during the 1992 Manila Olympiad representing Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In January 1, 1993 Czechoslovakia peacefully split off into the Czech and Slovak Republics. The former is usually regarded as the stronger republic chess-wise; however, their two representatives here, the same ones who were Boards 1 and 2 of the combined Olympiad team, were from the Slovak Republic.
For a while the organizers could not decide whether to hold the tournament in Baguio or in Manila. It was a good thing that they decided on the latter, because the day after the closing ceremonies the great earthquake of 1990 shook Manila. One of the casualties was Eugene Torre's car which was hit by falling debris. In Baguio the earthquake was even stronger and caused many fatalities - several buildings and hotels collapsed. One of the affected hotels, the Hyatt, where many of the GMs would have been billeted had the tournament been held there, sustained many fatalities.
Ivanchuk was upset by England's Murray Chandler in the first round. Not to be discouraged, Chuckie shot into the lead with a five-game win streak (over Cabrilo, Zapata, Nick de Firmian, Nikolic, and Portisch). He held this lead with five draws and after a penultimate victory over Alexander Khalifman it seemed that he had assured himself of the overall tournament gold. He agreed to a short 11-move draw with Anand in the last round.
However, the unexpected happened. Gelfand and Ehlvest (both Soviets) were expected to also do a quick handshake in order to assure qualification into the Candidates' matches for both players, but as if to highlight that all was not peaceful in the Soviet front Gelfand went for a win and got it. Aside from eliminating Ehlvest, Gelfand was able to tie for first with Ivanchuk and in fact was declared champion on tiebreak.
This turn of events caught Chuckie by surprise - he went into the comfort room and screamed his heart out in frustration. This created a bit of a scene when Philippine security men, fearing the worst, rushed into the toilet with guns drawn.
This Interzonal was the greatest tragedy in GM Mikhail Gurevich's career - he built up a big lead and two rounds before the end only needed half a point to assure himself of first place. His nerves could not take it and he lost to Anand and Short and tumbled out of the Candidates'. Viswanathan Anand is now the reigning world champion, but in 1990 he was considered a dark horse and by winning his last three games became the second Asian after Eugene Torre to qualify for the Candidates’ matches. The Gurevich-Short game was also a bit of a sensation. Gurevich was White and played the Exchange Variation of the French hoping to take off all the pieces on the board to get the draw. Short did not force matters, slowly took the advantage and ground down his opponent. For many years after, this game was cited in the books as how not to play for a draw.
The Damljanovic-Ljubojevic final round game between Yugoslavs was also fraught with drama. A win for either player would mean qualification while a draw would eliminate both. For Ljubojevic, this was his seventh attempt at the candidates’, and he had never gotten closer to his goal. He had adjourned a winning position against Kiril Georgiev in the 10th round and then won against Tal in the 11th. However, nerves also got into the picture and he bungled the endgame win versus Kiril with an extra pawn and had to agree to the draw after 193 (!) moves. Their final round game took a very dramatic course and ended with perpetual check, and both GMs were eliminated.
Eugene Torre did not do very well in this tournament and finished with an even score. His only consolation was that he scored 2.5/3 against the American contingent of Boris Gulko, Gata Kamsky, and Stuart Rachels.
Torre, Eugenio (2530) - Kamsky, Gata (2650) [C54]
Manila Interzonal (12), 1990
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0–0 6.0–0 d6 7.Bb3 a6 8.Nbd2 Ba7 9.Nc4 h6 10.Re1 Be6 11.Be3 Bxe3 12.Nxe3 Qd7 13.Nh4 Bxb3 14.Qxb3 b6 15.Nhf5 Kh7 16.Rad1 Rfe8
The reason why Kamsky didn't kick out the knight with 16...g6 was because he was afraid of 17.Ng3 Rfe8 18.Rf1!? followed by f2-f4.
17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.Qxd5 Rad8 19.d4 Kg8
In order to be able to play ...Ne7 without losing the f7-pawn.
20.Ne3 b5 21.h3 Ne7 22.Qb3 Qc6 23.d5 Qc5 24.a4 Rf8 25.Qc2 Rb8 26.b4 Qb6 27.Ra1 Ra8 28.c4 bxc4 29.Qxc4 f5 30.Rec1 Rac8 31.b5 axb5 32.axb5 fxe4 33.Ra6 Qd4
[33...Qb7 is refuted by 34.Rc6!]
34.Qa2! Qd3?
Maybe better was 34...Qb4!? Gata is oblivious to Eugene's hidden threat.
35.Rc4!
White will play Ra3 and trap Kamsky's queen.