Monday, July 30, 2007

Of chess and men

Hi guys!

Last saturday, I brought my daughter to her weekly art lessons in a small school in Bacoor Cavite where I used to teach. I was hoping I'll be able to catch on with "SIO", the school directress youngest brother who sells fruits and food for his family.

In 2003, before I got hooked with our game, I've heard a lot of stories about him. Sio, is a known figure in the place, called "master ng camella" by people who know him and who do not. Stories like, he quit schooling because of chess, he got hooked with chess and forgot all about his studies.

Fast forward, for the past three weeks of me being the driver for my potential art maestro daugther, has to suffer the long wait of 3 hours while waiting for the art session to finish.

Luckily that day, I got to his place in time and played 11 games against him. you see, this guy, on the outside, is pretty average vendor looking guy. No qualms, no pretensions.

But when we sat face to face against each other over the board, whaaaahhh! I'll tell you the score, I won 2 games, drew once and lost 8 games against him. The first game we had, I won and you know what he said? "Di pala pwedeng paganun ganun lang ang tira dito kay sir"

Came the next eight games. He won patiently, methodically against me. He was the kind of opponent who bores me, who veers away from out right-exchanges and establishes attack thru solid setting up of defensive lines. The funny thing was, each time he wins the game, he would offer a consolation to me by saying "tsamba lang ang panalo ko sa yo" To which I reply, "lupit mo Sio, tsamba, sunod sunod, taya ka sa Lotto kung tsamba lang panalo mo!" Hahahahaha!

Chess never ceased to amaze me. A lot of people say it's a genius game which I feel is an overrated statement. Inf act, Patrick Wolff, a former US Champion and a chess writer, has this to say

"...chess is some of the most fun there is! And get that idea out of your head that you have to be a genius to learn how to play chess! Could millions of people in US alone play, and enjoy chess if you had to be some kind of genius to learn it?"


I even came across this certain article, a research article on the connection of High IQ and playing chess competitively. It says there, the result of the study, that there is no connection with how high, or low your IQ is and your play of chess is affected.

We now arrive at this "People from all walks of life, rich, poor, highly learned, school drop-out and everything in between can play chess, enjoy chess and even excel in chess, without any necessicities except maybe... to fall in love with all it's beauty"

I believe the key here is creativity. You take Sio, a fruit vendor who threw away his grand, financially stable future, because he fell in love with chess and all it's beauty.

They say music is the food for the soul, then chess is the language of creative creations of the brain.


Your suffering from sleep disturbance, go get a board and play with someone. This won't cure your condition nor put you to sleep, but definitely, this will help you pass time better than counting sheeps, or in our case, counting lizards on our ceilings.

You want to have you child an improved focus and attention? Get him to play chess!

Go now, play chess, be creative and forget all that stuff with IQ equivalents. All you need is a chess set, an opponent and yourself. Let loose and an dbe lost in the complicated computations of your chess army.

The Weekender

Hi there!

The Weekender by Mr. Manny Benitez:

WITH BITOON, CUNANAN AT THE HELM

Qualifying finals start this p.m. in Tagaytay

ELEVEN men and 10 women qualifiers from the preliminaries start battling this afternoon in the relatively cooler highland city of Tagaytay for the eight slots in the two teams to be sent to Macau for the Asian Indoor Games in late October this year.

The number of male qualifiers may rise if no grandmaster shows up at Tagaytay’s Convention Center today.

As of yesterday, the only one expected to take part was GM Joey Antonio who was last heard to be in California, where he tied for second place along with IM Enrico Sevillano in the Pacific Coast Open held at Agoura Hills near Malibu.

IM Richard Bitoon won on tiebreak over NM Alex Milagrosa for the top slot in the nine-round selection tournament held at the Marketplace in Mandaluyong City.

The two finished with 7.0 points each.

Bitoon who led the field with 6.5 points after the penultimate eighth had an easy sailing in the ninth and final round by halving the point after a few moves with top-seeded IM Wesley So.

Milagrosa, on the other hand, made a dramatic finish by upstaging the country’s No. 6 player, IM Oliver Dimakiling, in a hard-fought duel of wits.

Dimakiling who needed only a Draw mistakenly entered into complications created by Milagrosa, who desperately needed to win.

Although playing White, the Turin Olympiad veteran soon lost a pawn and gradually gave ground as Milagrosa capitalized on his material and positional advantage in the endgame.

As a result Dimakiling lost his chance to play in Macau, having landed the 19th slot with a mere 6.0 points.

Had he won, he would have likely topped the tournament as he had the highest tiebreak points entering the final round.

Ironically, both rivals are originally from Bohol, although Dimakiling grew up in Davao City.

Behind the two were NM Roderick Nava, IM Barlo Nadera, NM Rolando Nolte, FM Fernie Donguines. NM Emanuel Senador, IMs Ronald Bancod, Wesley So and Jayson Gonzales, and NM Mirabeau Maga.

Tournament director Willie Abalos announced that players next in rank had a good chance to enter this afternoon’s finals if not one of the grandmasters showed up in Tagaytay.

It was understood that No. 2 GM Eugene Torre had begged off because he was busy writing his book, and that neither GM Bong Villamayor nor Nelson Mariano II, who work as chess teachers and trainers in Singapore could come home for the finals.

The next in rank to the 11 qualifiers were Arlan Cabe and Jerome Bolico.

Among the women, 15-year-old WGM Kimberly Jane Cunanan won the top slot on tiebreak over 13-year-old Christy Lamier Bernales and WNM Shercila Cua. They had 6.5 points each.

Bernales is also Shell’s NCR kiddies champion and a veteran of the Asian Games held in Vietnam earlier this year.

Seven others qualified for the finals, namely, Sherily Cua, WIM Sheerie Joy Lomibao, Catherine PereƱa, Ylem Rulp Jose, WIMs Cristine Rose Mariano, and Beverly Mendoza, and former age-group champion Chardine Cheradee Camacho.

IA Elias Lao Jr. served as chief arbiter with the assistance of NA Ilann Perez and NA Patrick Lee.

Joey Antonio. Sevillano tie for 2nd in California

FOUR Filipinos led by GM Joey Antonio finished among the leaders in the Pacific Coast Open held at Agoura Hills in California from July 19 to 22.

With Antonio in second to fifth was IM Enrico Sevillano, former Philippine and Asian junior champion from Cebu now based in California, followed by the third bracket of 4.0-pointers that included the Banawa brothers, Joel and Jouaquin, who are now based in Los Angeles.

California-based American GM Melikset Khachiyan (2580) took the first prize of $1,609 after outplaying GM Antonio (2573).

Antonio and Enrico pocketed $362 each along with GM Larsen Bo Larsen of Denmark and GM Suat Atalik of Turkey.

With the Banawas were American GM Alex Yemolinsky and FM Harutyun Akopian.

CALIFORNIA’S SEVEN-YEAR-OLD ‘CHESS QUEEN’

Filipino girl makes it big in US

REMEMBER this name: Arissa Jade Marasigan Torres. She may one day be the first Filipino women’s champion of America if not the world.

Already, this seven-year-old Fil-American kid has made big waves in California by winning the under-eight title in the Susan Polgar World Open Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, earlier this year and has been featured in the Californian community newspaper as well as on its website, Bakersfield.com.

Arissa Jade is the daughter of a former US Navy man, Rommel Torres, and the former Sheila Marasigan. Both came from the Philippines, met in Long Beach and now reside in Bakersfield, California.

Arissa is the younger of two daughters. She and her 11-year-old sister, Sabrina, both play chess but it looks like Arissa is more gifted and Sabrina is now her No. 1 fan. “She beats me a lot,” Sabrina told the Californian.

The Torres family was featured in the Californian and its website, Bakersfield.com, in an article written by Louis Medina, apparently a Fil-American staff writer.

“Arissa Jade Torres may be shy, soft-spoken and only 7 years old, but she has all the confident moves of a chess queen,” Medina wrote.

“The soon-to-be second-grader at Patriot Elementary School (in Bakersfield) has been playing the game seriously for only a year, but she has already competed in six tournaments, winning first place in one of them; she had a trophy that stands taller than she is and she beats most of the adult members of her extended family.”

Arissa was born to a chess-playing family. Medina quotes her mom, Sheila, as saying: “When she was 2, we bought a chess set and she would play with the pieces.” Her dad, Rommel, chimed in that at 4, she “actually came to us and asked us how to move them.”

She now trains under an American coach, John Marble, whom she met at a chess academy that she herself had read about in a brochure in school.

“He’s a great coach,” Sheila was quoted as saying. “We love him. He really propelled her because she loves him.”

Under Marble’s guidance, she topped the under-eight section of the Susan Polgar World Open last month, with Queena Deng and Bridget LeeSang as her runners-up.

Another Chinese-American girl, Sylvia Yang, won the main event for girls.

Marble said one of Arissa’s rivals in her age group was the state champion of Texas.

Arissa herself would not talk much about her victory. “I’m so shy,” she told Medina, adding: “I was very happy and my family was happy and I got up there and I felt very excited.”

Marble said Susan “invites only the best girls at each age limit to compete in an attempt to encourage chess for women in the United States.”

Readers will recall that Susan Polgar—she used to be known by her Hungarian name Zsuzsa—is a former women’s world champion from Hungary who now lives in the United States where she has become the foremost promoter of the game and trainer of gifted girls.

She led the US team that for the first time won the silver—she also won the individual gold—at the 2004 World Olympiad in Calvia, Spain..

Just recently, she was hired by the Texas Technological University as its head coach, with her husband and long-time business manager, Paul Truong, as her deputy.

Our thanks to journalist Ignaco Dee for submitting the original Bakersfield.com article to The Weekender.—Editor

GM Joey’s back in harness

FANS of the country’s top-rated player, Grandmaster Rogelio Antonio Jr., must be very much delighted to hear the news that “GM Joey” is back in harness, so to speak.

After almost a year of trying to shake off the cobwebs caused by a minor ailment and possibly a temporary loss of self-confidence, Joey (2539) is back there in the California ramparts battling wit for wit fellow grandmasters and lesser lights in an open tournament.

And he proved he still has got what it takes by tying for second place just half a point behind the eventual winner, American GM Melikset Khachiyan (2580), his only conqueror (story on page 1).

The event was the Pacific Coast Open in the rolling resort of the Agoura Hills, just beside the better-known “coastal village” that is home to the wealthy and the famous, Malibu.

Be that as it may, we hope this will be the start of an honest-to-goodness campaign for a super-GM rating by the country’s most ferocious and creative player.

Antonio, 45, is himself a late bloomer, having earned his GM spurs when he was in his late 20s. He has publicly credited Aaron Nimzowitsch’s My System with having propelled his phenomenal climb to the very top of the ladder after a rather late start.

Joey’s style of play is highly dynamic, aggressive and tactical, but with strict adherence to positional principles articulated by Nimzowitsch in his book, the bible of many a player of note, as the Filipino star’s most famous games will show.

• Rogelio Antonio Jr. (2507) - Sergei Movsesian (2651)
35th World Olympiad, Bled, Slovenia 2002
Sicilian Defense (B22)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.Bc4 e6 7.0–0 d6 Not 7...dxc3 because of 8.Bxd5 cxb2 9.Bxb2! 8.exd6 If 8.cxd4 Be7 Bxd6 9.cxd4 0–0 10.Nc3 Bb4 11.Qd3 Nce7 12.Bd2 Nb6 13.Bb3 Ng6 14.Qe4 Bd7 15.Qxb7 Rc8 16.Qe4 Bc6 17.d5 Bxc3 Missing the equalizing 17...Nxd5, e.g., 18.Bxd5 Bxd5 19.Qxb4 Bxf3 18.dxc6 Not 18.bxc3 Nxd5 19.Qd4 Qc7! Bxb2 19.Rab1 Bf6 20.Rfc1 Qc7 21.h4 Rfd8 22.h5 Ne5 23.Bf4 Nxf3+ 24.gxf3 Qe7 25.Rd1 Bg5 25...Rxd1+ may favor White: 26.Rxd1 Qc5 27.c7 Qxh5 28.Bc4! 26.Be5 Bf6 27.Bf4 27.Rxd8+ allows Black to equalize, e.g., 27…Rxd8 28.c7 Rf8! Qe8 27...Rxd1+ 28.Rxd1 Qc5 29.c7 Qxh5 30.Bc4 could favor White 28.Rxd8 Bxd8 29.Rc1 Bc7 30.Bg5 Bd8 If 30...Qf8 31.Be3, and the balance is kept 31.Bf4 Not 31.Be3 a5! Qe7 32.h6 Bc7 33.Qd4 e5 34.Qe4 Re8 35.Be3 g6 36.Rd1 Rd8 36...Qf6 37.Kg2 Kh8 38.Bxb6 Bxb6 39.Rd7 gives White a huge advantage 37.Rxd8+ Qxd8 38.a4 Qd6 39.a5 Nc8 40.Qc4 Qf6 Missing his best shot, 40...Qe7!, which would have reduced White’s lead 41.Qd5! White is now way ahead Bd6 42.Kf1 Stronger was 42.Bc4 Qf5 43.Ba6 Bc7 44.Bxc8 Qxc8 45.Bxa7! Kf8 43.Ke2 43.Bc4 Ke8 should give White great advantage Ke8 Not 43...Qe7 44.Bc4 Qc7 45.Kf1! 44.a6 Qe7 45.Qb5 Bc7? If 45...Qc7 46.Qb7! 46.Bc5 More precise was 46.Qb7! Qf6 47.Qc4 Bb6??

The fatal mistake. Better but inadequate was 47….Qf5. It’s downhill for Black from this point on, but for White’s occasional oversight.

48.Qd5 Qe6 49.Qxe6+ Overlooking 49.Qd1!, clinching the win, e.g., 49...Qxc6 50.Ba4 Bxc5 51.Bxc6+ Ke7 52.Qd7+ Kf6 53.Qxc8! fxe6 50.Bxb6 Nxb6 51.Bxe6 Ke7 52.Bg8 Na8?! 53.Kd3 Nc7 54.Ke4 Nxa6 55.Kxe5 Nc7 56.Bxh7 Kf7 57.f4 a5 58.f5 gxf5 59.Bxf5 a4 60.Bb1 Nb5 61.Bd3 Na7 62.c7 a3 63.Bb1 Nc8 64.Kd5 Na7 65.Kc5 Kg8 66.Kb6 Nc8+ 67.Kb7 Nd6+ 68.Kb8 68.Kc6 would have ended the debate: 68...Nc8 69.Bf5 Na7+ 70.Kb6! Kh8 68...a2 69.Bxa2+ Kh7 would still give White the point 69.c8=Q+! Black resigns, realizing the futility of further resistance: 69…Nxc8 70.Kxc8+-; 69.f4 a2 70.Bxa2! 1–0

• Rogelio Antonio Jr. (2513) - A Maltese (2174)
Rd, 1, Global Chess Challenge, Minneapolis 2005
Pirc Defense (B07)

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.f4 h6 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.e5 Bg7 8.Qf3 0–0 9.0–0–0 c6 10.g4 Qa5 11.Bc4 c5 12.exd6 exd6 13.dxc5 dxc5 Missing 13...Bxc3!?, which would have equalized, e.g., 14.Qxc3 Qxc3 15.bxc3 dxc5 14.Rd6 Nc6 15.Rxg6 Nd4 16.Qe4 Be6 17.Bxe6 Nxe6 18.Rxg7+ Nxg7 19.Nf3 Better than 19.Qxb7 Rab8 20.Qf3 Ne6! Qb4 20.Qxb4 cxb4 21.Nd5 a5 22.g5 22.Nf6+ Kh8 23.Ne5 would have given White a distinct lead h5? Better was 22...Rfd8!, e.g., 23.Nf6+ Kf8 24.gxh6 Nf5, with equal chances 23.Nf6+ Kh8 24.Ne5 Rac8 25.Nfd7 Rfe8 26.Nxf7+ Kh7 27.Nd6 Kg6 27...Red8 would also let White surge ahead: 28.Nf6+ Kg6 29.Nxc8 Rxc8 30.Re1, and White is winning 28.Nxc8 Even stronger was 28.Rd1! Rxc8 29.Re1 Rc7 29...Re8 won’t alter the course of events, e.g.,30.Rxe8 Nxe8 30.Re7!

Showing Black the door 1–0

BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (1)

Fantastic Shirov


THERE are some games which really make an impression. Way back in the ’80s I had retired from chess to concentrate on my work, but when I saw this Tal combination the excitement once again consumed my being, and there was no way the chess sets and books in the back cabinets could be kept hidden away anymore:

Tal,Mihail (2605) - Hjartarson,Johann (2555)
Reykjavik, 1987

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 cxd4 14.cxd4 Rac8 15.Ne3 Nc6 16.d5 Nb4 17.Bb1 a5 18.a3 Na6 19.b4 g6 20.Bd2 axb4 21.axb4 Qb7 22.Bd3 Nc7 23.Nc2 Nh5 24.Be3 Ra8 25.Qd2 Rxa1 26.Nxa1 f5 27.Bh6 Ng7 28.Nb3 f4 29.Na5 Qb6 30.Rc1 Ra8 31.Qc2 Nce8 32.Qb3 Bf6 33.Nc6 Nh5 34.Qb2 Bg7 35.Bxg7 Kxg7 36.Rc5 Qa6 37.Rxb5 Nc7 38.Rb8 Qxd3 39.Ncxe5 Qd1+ 40.Kh2 Ra1 41.Ng4+ Kf7 42.Nh6+ Ke7 43.Ng8+ 1–0

Or how about this? Shirov’s 49th move was one of the most incredible moves ever played.

Topalov,Veselin (2740) - Shirov,Alexei (2710)
Linares 15th (10), 04.03.1998

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bb5+ c6 8.Ba4 0–0 9.Ne2 Nd7 10.0–0 e5 11.f3 Qe7 12.Be3 Rd8 13.Qc2 Nb6 14.Bb3 Be6 15.Rad1 Nc4 16.Bc1 b5 17.f4 exd4 18.Nxd4 Bg4 19.Rde1 Qc5 20.Kh1 a5 21.h3 Bd7 22.a4 bxa4 23.Ba2 Be8 24.e5 Nb6 25.f5 Nd5 26.Bd2 Nb4 27.Qxa4 Nxa2 28.Qxa2 Bxe5 29.fxg6 hxg6 30.Bg5 Rd5 31.Re3 Qd6 32.Qe2 Bd7 33.c4 Bxd4 34.cxd5 Bxe3 35.Qxe3 Re8 36.Qc3 Qxd5 37.Bh6 Re5 38.Rf3 Qc5 39.Qa1 Bf5 40.Re3 f6 41.Rxe5 Qxe5 42.Qa2+ Qd5 43.Qxd5+ cxd5 44.Bd2 a4 45.Bc3 Kf7 46.h4 Ke6 47.Kg1 Bh3 48.gxh3 Kf5 49.Kf2 Ke4 50.Bxf6 d4 51.Be7 Kd3 52.Bc5 Kc4 53.Be7 Kb3 0–1

Recently I saw another masterpiece from Shirov, and I had just GOT to show it to BusinessWorld readers.

Gelfand,Boris (2733) - Shirov,Alexei (2735)
3rd Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup Odessa UKR (7), 06.07.2007

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1
Both protagonists are experts in this Gruenfeld line. In fact, in the 80s and 90s, they were the ones who, together with Khalifman, Chernin and later Kramnik who popularized this move in conjunction with Nf3. The idea is to discourage ...Bg4 because the b7 pawn is attacked. Another advantage is that the rook is off the long diagonal and so White can play d4-d5 without losing his rook.

8...0–0 9.Be2 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Bd2

White has to sacrifice a pawn if he wants to win. After 11.Qd2 Qxd2+ we get a comfortable position for Black and White's center pawns can be made into weaknesses.

11...Qxa2 12.0–0

This is now regarded as the Modern Main Line of the Gruenfeld Exchange Variation.

12...Bg4 13.Be3

Why can't White take the b-pawn? Well, after 13.Rxb7 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Bxd4 Black recovers the pawn. But wait! Cox has carried the variation further and now claims that 15.Bb4 Rd8 16.Qc1 e5 17.Be7 Re8 18.Qh6 wins for White. Well, IM John Watson has recommended sacrificing the queen with (18.Bf6 Qa6! 19.Re7 Nd7 20.Bg5 Nc5 Black is OK) 18...Qe6! 19.Bg4 Qxe7! 20.Rxe7 Rxe7 Black has rook, bishop and pawn for the queen, a dangerous outside passed pawn on the a-file, and a powerful bishop on d4.

13...Nc6 14.d5 Na5 15.Bg5 b6

The “normal” move is 15...Qa3. The alternative 15...Bxf3 was dealt with drastically by Kramnik in Linares 1999: 16.Bxf3 Rfe8 17.e5! Nc4 (17...Bxe5 18.d6! Bxd6 (18...exd6 19.Bd5 Qa3 20.Bd2 threatening Bb4. Black's position is under pressure) 19.Ra1 Qc4 20.Rxa5 Bxh2+ 21.Kh1! White has the upper hand.) 18.d6 Nxe5 19.Bd5! Qa3 20.Bxe7 Bf8 21.Bxb7 Bxe7 (21...Rab8 22.d7!) 22.Bxa8 Bxd6 23.Bd5 White has won an exchange and the opposite color bishops actually helps him as it exerts pressure on f7. Kramnik,V (2751)-Svidler,P (2713)/ Linares 1999 1–0 (33).

16.Bxe7 Rfe8 17.d6 Nc6 18.Bb5 Nxe7 19.h3

A new move. Gelfand vs Van Wely in Wijk aan Zee 2006 continued 19.Bxe8 Rxe8 20.dxe7 Qa3! 21.h3 Bxf3 (21...Be6 is also possible.) 22.Qxf3 Qxf3 23.gxf3 Rxe7 The endgame is quite satisfactory for Black and the game drawn on the 26th move.

19...Bxf3

19...Red8?! looks like a nice tactical shot, however Black manages to outwit himself. After 20.hxg4 Qe6 White wins a piece via 21.e5! Bxe5 22.Nxe5 Qxe5 23.Re1]

20.Qxf3 Qe6 21.Bxe8 Rxe8 22.dxe7 Rxe7!?

Black is not doing so badly - bishop and pawn vs rook is not so bad if you have two passed pawns on the queenside. Shirov handles the following play quite impressively.

23.Rfe1 Bd4 24.Rbd1 Qe5 25.Rd3 a5 26.Qd1 Bc5 27.Re2 Re6 28.g3 Rd6! 29.Kg2 Rxd3

30.Qxd3 a4 31.Rd2 a3 32.Qc4 Kg7 33.Rd7 Qf6 34.f4!?

Gelfand is taking a risk to generate winning chances. After the safe 34.Qa2 b5 35.Rd5 Qc3 36.Rd7 we are headed for the draw.

34...Qb2+ 35.Kf3 Qf2+ 36.Kg4 h5+ 37.Kh4 g5+!

Shirov had seen all of this, of course, as otherwise he is mated starting with Qxf7+.

38.fxg5 Kg6!

Shirov now threatens the diabolical 39...Qf4+!! 40.gxf4 Bf2 checkmate!

39.Qc3?

Also bad is 39.e5? Qf5; After the game, with the benefit of computer analysis, it was determined that 39.Rd3! followed by Qd5! is White's best defence, generating threats against the opponent's king.

39...f6!? 40.Rd5

A better chance was 40.gxf6, but on the other hand, 40.Qxf6+? allows a spectacular finish 40...Qxf6 41.gxf6 a2 42.Ra7 a1Q 43.Rxa1 Be3! This position deserves a diagram.

There is mate either via Bg5 or Bf2.

40...a2 41.Rf5?

After 41.Rf5

Stronger was 41.Rxc5 bxc5 42.Qe5 with the point that 42...fxe5 is stalemate. However, after getting over his shock Shirov will probably continue 42...fxg5+! and he will still win when White runs out of checks. Look at the position above. Do you know what Shirov would play?

41...Qf4+! 42.gxf4

If 42.Rxf4 fxg5# mate!

42...Bf2+ 43.Qg3 Bxg3+ 44.Kxg3 a1Q 45.Rxf6+ Kg7 46.e5
[46.Rxb6?? Qg1+]

46...b5 47.Kh4 b4 48.Kxh5 Qd1+ 49.Kh4 b3 50.e6 b2 51.Rf7+ Kg8 52.Rb7 b1Q 53.Rxb1 Qxb1 54.Kg4 Qe4 0–1

Wasn’t that great?

Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.

This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Monday, July 23, 2007.
Chess quote

“Half the variations which are calculated in a tournament game turn out to be completely superfluous. Unfortunately, no one knows in advance which half.”—GM Jan Tinman, former Dutch champion and publisher of New in Chess.

BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (2)

Chinese still rising


WE here in the Philippines have already gotten used to the fact that we are no longer No. 1 in Asia. Even if we don’t count the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, both China and India have far outstripped us. Need I remind you that in the 2006 Asian Games we were in 8th (!) place behind India, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Qatar and Bangladesh?

We are having troubles holding our own now against our Southeast Asian rivals Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar and, coming soon, Singapore.

The bad news is that whereas we are at best standing still the Chinese have not yet stopped improving. If you look at the latest FIDE Rating List (July 2007) you will see them consistently going up the ladder. 20-year old Chinese GM Wang Yue gained 40 points from the Calvi Open in France (a scorching 6/7), Cappelle la Grande (7/9) and the Philippines (7/9). His FIDE rating is now 2696, which puts him at No. 22 in the world and No. 1 in China, although Grandmasters Bu Xiangzhi, with 2685 (No. 25), and Ni Hua at 2681 (No. 31), are not far behind. Here are all of China's super-GMs (the number in parenthesis is their respective ages):

GM Wang Yue (20) 2696
GM Bu Xiangzhi (22) 2685
GM Ni Hua (24) 2681
GM Zhang Pengxiang (27)2649
GM Zhang Zhong (29) 2634
GM Ye Jiangchuan (47) 2632
GM Wang Hao (18) 2624

If you really want to weep compare this against the Philippines’ top five:

GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. (45) 2539
GM Eugene Torre (56) 2536
GM Mark Paragua (23) 2525
IM Wesley So (14) 2516
IM Oliver Dimakiling (27) 2500

You will also notice that the Chinese have undergone another generation change. In the 80s their top players were Qi Jingxuan, Liu Wenzhe and Chen Te. All three have since retired and the latter is the current coach of the national team. In the 90s it was Wang Zili, Xu Jun, Ye Jiangchuan and Ye Rongguang who took over the top, and by the early 2000s it was Peng Xiaomin, Zhang Zhong and Wu Wenjin.

Now it is Wang Yue, Bu Xiangzhi and Wang Hao, and the first two are on the verge of becoming the first Chinese players to reach the stratospheric ELO 2700 plateau.

In contrast the top player of the Philippines in the 70s and even now is still the same – Eugene Torre!

Wang Yue was born on the 12th of March 1987 in Taiyuan, China. Yes, that’s the place where they have these regular international chess events. In 1999 he got his first world title – the Under-12 Championship in Oropesa del Mar. This might not sound much, but consider that his rivals in that section were the former US champion Hikaru Nakamura, and Russian finalists Evgeny Tomashevsky and Evgeny Romanov.

Bu Xiangzhi was born two years earlier, on December 10, 1985. He became an International Grandmaster in 1999 at the age of 13 years, 10 months, and 13 days, at that time the youngest GM in chess history. He was later on overtaken at the "youngest" list by Sergey Karjakin of Ukraine.

Bu played played first board in the 2006 Turin Chess Olympiad, where the Chinese team finished in second place. He won four games and drew eight, including his games against top Grandmasters Vladimir Kramnik, Viswanathan Anand and Levon Aronian.

On the other hand Wang Yue has gone on a rampage starting 2006. He scored 10/12 points at the 37th Chess Olympiad (2006) in Turin, Italy, helping China to second place and winning the fourth-board gold medal in the process.

His next success was joint second place at 6th Aeroflot Festival (2007) and joint first at Cappelle la Grande (2007).

Both events were very strong.

In particular, the former had 75 GMs and you had to be at least 2500 before you could sign up!

The two of them have similar styles: pragmatic rather than forceful, counterattacking instead of aggressive, accurate in preference to brilliant.

Some would say they play boring chess. That may be true, but always with a touch of poison:

Bu Xiangzhi (2656) - Rensch,Daniel (2382) [A32]
Canadian Open Ottawa (6), 11.07.2007

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 d5 6.Bf4 Be7 7.e3 0–0 8.Be2 Nc6 9.0–0 a6?!

Black was taking the opening lightly and White rapidly takes advantage.

10.Bf3! h6?

The second inaccuracy. He should have tried to defuse the situation in the center with 10...Nxd4 11.Qxd4 dxc4 12.Qxc4.

11.Rc1 Bd6 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Bxf4 15.Bxc6 Bxe3 16.fxe3 bxc6 17.Nxc6 Qg5

White is a pawn up with superior development. The ending is quick.

18.Qd4 Re8 19.Rf3 Qg4? 20.Ne7+! Kf8 21.Rcf1! Qe6 22.Qd6! Rxe7 23.Rxf7+ Qxf7 24.Rxf7+ Kxf7 25.Qd5+ 1–0

That is exactly what I am telling you. These guys are not flashy, but they hardly ever make a mistake. On the other hand, you err, they pounce.

Li Shilong (2539) - Wang Yue (2598) [B33]
Ch-CHN Wuxi CHN (9), 04.07.2006

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c4

An aggressive line favored by the Ukrainian IM Artur Frolov, bringing his other knight into action fast. The drawback is the weakness of the d4-square.

11...b4 12.Nc2 a5 13.Be2 0–0 14.0–0 Bg5 15.Qd3 Be6 16.Rad1 Bxd5 17.Qxd5 Qb6 18.Qb5 Qc7 19.c5 dxc5 20.Qxc5 Rac8 21.Bg4 Ne7 22.Qxc7 Rxc7 23.Ne3 g6 24.Rd7

Who would have thought that placing his rook on the all-powerful 7th rank would be the cause of his troubles?

24...Rxd7 25.Bxd7 Rd8

If White withdraws the bishop to b5 then 26.Bb5 Bxe3 27.fxe3 f5 28.Bc4+ Kh8 29.exf5 Nxf5 and he has difficulties. On the other hand 26.Ba4 Rd4 27.Bc2 Kg7 leaves him in a passive position. So White decides to keep the bishop where it is.

26.Rd1 Bxe3 27.fxe3 Nc8

Threatening 28...Nb6. The bishop cannot go to a4 because of the knight, and after 29.Bg4 Rxd1+ 30.Bxd1 Nc4 wins a pawn.

28.Rc1 Nd6 29.Bc6 Rc8

Pinning the bishop again.

30.Rc2 Nb5 31.Rc4 Nd6 32.Rc2 Nb7 33.Kf2?

After 33.Kf2

Missing the "drop of poison"

33...b3!

[33...Nd8 34.Ba4]

34.axb3 Nd8 (Winning the bishop) 35.b4 Rxc6 0–1

A month ago, much was made of the gold medal that Haridas Pascua won the ASEAN youth competition. Haridas' victory is of course laudable, but has anyone pointed out that the Philippines only finished 3rd in Southeast Asia? Vietnam won a total of 143 medals (75 gold, 29 silver, 39 bronze), Singapore was second with 52 medals (12 gold, 23 silver, 17 bronze) and Philippines had 41 medals (8 gold, 10 silver, 23 bronze).

We've got a lot to do to catch up.

Reader's comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.

This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Friday, July 27, 2007.

FROM MY SWIVEL CHAIR

Video games behind poor play?


READER Norlito Bersamina has written us to say that a possible addiction to video games, in particular what is popularly known as DOTA, may have caused the deterioration of the performance of local players, some of them the country’s strongest masters.

He also sent me a recent news feature by the Associated Press, quoting a report by the council of the American Medical Association seeking the inclusion of addiction to video games as a psychiatric disorder in the manual of the American Psychiatric Association.

The AMA council warns that about five million American youngsters may now be addicted to video games.

Citing his own experience as a student in his younger days, Bersamina says it is possible that thousands of Filipino kids are similarly addicted considering the proliferation of game centers in Metro Manila and other cities all over the country.

It was his habit of playing video games that knocked him out of the honor roll in his university class and that the after-effects had been such that he found it impossible to regain the academic honors that he had lost.

Bersamina was reacting to a Weekender report that leading players in the country have suddenly found it difficult to maintain their standing, with some of them on a steady and even rapid decline in their ratings.

A check with people in the know within chess circles confirmed that several leading players are known to be habitually playing DOTA, so much so that they even hold katuwaan tournaments among themselves.

Another possibly addictive game is ironically one that was invented by a Filipino. It’s called oil strike, and it has among its habitual players for fun or for wagers several highly rated and ranked masters.

In the AP report, the AMA council warns that video games “can be as powerfully addictive as heroin” to kids.

A 21-year-old shot himself in a suicide that was apparently caused by his addiction to video games, says a support group.

Several adults have pleaded for help in their postings, saying that their addiction to video games had cost them their jobs, their self-esteem and family life.

—0—

WITH Red Dumuk as delegation head, four young stars will fly to Singapore on Saturday, August 4, to take part in the Under 16-Olympiad. They are IM Wesley So, Karl Victor Ochoa, Haridas Pascua and Franz Grafil.

Letters I treasure

Dear Manny,

I really admire your generosity in sharing news materials with chess aficionados. Your altruism is rare to find. You are a gem to mankind.
Keep up the good work.

Congrats for a job well done.

Warm regards.
Ros

(From Judge Rosendo Bandal Jr., RTC, Dumaguete City. He is a former national champion—Ed)

—0—

I’ve just received your copy of The Weekender. It's great to know that you are still at it after all these years. Wish you continue your good work for the sake of chess. …I now appreciate the saying “....once a chess player, forever a chess player.” Many times I’ve tried to quit chess but to no avail! Good luck!

Thank you.
IM Petronio Roca

The Weekender

Quezon Memorial Circle
Quezon City
Manuel O. Benitez
Editor & Publisher
Alfredo V. Chay
Circulation Manager

=================================
Published every weekend
NOT FOR SALE!
=================================


Till then!

Friday, July 27, 2007

Philippine Scholastic Chess Society

Hi there!

The yahoogroup called Philippine Scholastic Chess Society is looking for members and I believe one of our earnest readers requested to become a member. Your request has been approved and much is expected from you since you said, you are a program director for a chess team.

Guys, if your interested, simply click the link on my right control panel entitled Philippine Scholastic Chess Society!

The guy's email ad was agkramos@hotmail.com. His request statement was

"I am the Program manager for a School Chess team and would like to widen my network for chess enthusiasts"


Hmmn! Interesting coz' the past 3 days, the surname was familiar. What could his plans be? We'll keep you updated.

I have other groups available for you to join and I will approve your requests for membership, it's free, it's educational, above all, it's for anyone and everyone with clean intentions!

agkramos@hotmail.com...

Cavite Inter-Town Chess Tournament

The Sports Development Office of The Provincial Government of Cavite will be organizing the Cavite Inter-Town Chess Team Tournament. Sometime between the 4th week of August to the 1st week of September. Exact date and venue to be confirmed before the end of the week next week.

When this one pushes thru, I guess Bacoor Team will be one of the heavy favorites, assuming their resident Whiz Kids, Wesley So and Vince Angelo Medina, play for their team. As we all know, Wesley is a GM candidate while Vince, won a medal in the recently held age group championship in Thailand, together with Haridas Pascua and other future chess superstars of our land.

Another team to watch out for will be the team from Dasmarinas. NM Robert Suelo Jr is a Dasma resident, together with a female Thailand medalist, 8 year old Antonette San Diego.

Not really sure who will play for Team Tagaytay but I believe, Truman Hernaez, of Luneta Park fame and Team Tagaytay mainstay, is on board a cruiser line earning green bucks for his family. The last time I met up with his father, I was told, Truman was working on his papers for a "seaman's" job.

Also, Cavite Chess Federation is a good idea which is right now being explored to by Imus Chess Association's President, Mr. Assiscio Bagaipo.

That's it for now guys! Have a nice, relaxing weekend.

Oopps! Before I forget, The NCAA Chess games will be held in SM Manila but I guess it will be moved to the 5th floor of the said venue. Last sunday, the admin guy went around to show the schedule and venue for the next two weekends and the venue to all the coaches.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Forget not

Before this one gets lost in the exchange of write-ups...

Yes, the boys stood behind their opponents... Admit it or not!

I asked someone about this while I was there at the venue and you know what I got? Pre' psywar sa chess yan, minaaliit nila mga kalaban nila.

This will have to be the last post about that "fateful sunday".

It's time to move on JD. It took me 10 years before I had the feel to read him and try to get to know Haulden C.

I was there

Hi guys!

There was a comment from another guy who asked not to be named or published. He asked me questions regarding the "fateful sunday"

Yes! I was there, in fact I can describe to you guys how the coaches meeting was facilitated... There were several moves on the part of the coaches to raise issues regarding the chess clocks, the technicalities and other things. Right? But, as an admin, the guy simply went back to his statement that everyone has to write down their concerns and it will be bring up to the Management Committee. yes! I was really there.

The finger pointing, it really happened! The "sisihan" among the teammates, it did happen and I was even corrected by my sources how the conversation took place among the winning players.

Man, It did happen! Why would I concoct such stories?

Proofs? The admin guy for the event was from the host school CSB. He was wearing checkered polo. There was this nice looking guy wearing the famous green shirt. And in fact, he comes in and out of the playing hall and interestingly, he waves his hand discretely to the board 1 player of the said team each time. How's that?

And yes, I heard the admin guy wearing checkerd polo that there are spies who would follow players taking a break from the game.

Need I say more?

I was there!

C'mon, it happened! What I missed saying from the "last post" which I followed up last night was how dominating the CSB-LSGH team against the losing UPH. Mincemeat they made out of them.

Aside from that, yup! Vomit-inducing scenario of swellheads against ass-heads of UPH.

Hahahhahaha!

Mr. Alex, do you really want to be interviewed for PCC? Because after last nights' laugh-out-loud session I had with a very good friend regarding your comments, I felt, sincerely felt, that maybe, you have a lot to share among us. You would'nt be the Program Coordinator of LSGH Chess Program for nothing, right?

Send me your email so I can send you my questions regarding chess, students' chess development and training. And maybe we can have a nice exchange of insights on how to vent out reactions without sounding repetitive and verbigorous.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Comments made by Mr. Alex Ramos of LSGH

Hi there guys!

We received 5 comments from Mr. Alex Ramos, program coordinator of Chess (I suppose from DLSU-LSGH) and somehow, it was long and well-explained regarding the "last post".

Mr. Ramos, thank you for your comments and this will surely add thrill to our community of readers. For one, as what the late freedom fighter and publisher of Philippine Star, Mr. Max Soliven says, "one cannot become a journalist unless he doesn't irk someone else's feelings..."

Here's your request to have your comments published. Geeh! I love this!

Mr. Kiko,

It is nice of you to watch the Chess games at your most convenient time. Hardly am I impressed by your comments of being a good doer and righteousness attitude.

I too am a La Sallian and have watched the games. Pardon my reaction but you are not any close to what you have commented against the poor defenseless boys who is the object of your commentary.

Di ba it is best to double check your information before your start lambasting others specially if it pertains to querstionable incidents. Much more you are placing a negative description aginst another person. Kawawa naman ang mga bata no way to defend themselves.

I can answer you point by point if only to enlighten your very biased observation coming from an insider who have been watching at a closer view of the games.

True Board 4 of CSB-LSGH lost due to a technical rule of 20 moves...

NCAA rules do not allow talking without permission of the arbiter during games.

an hour earlier the LSGH boys were being reminded of the rules.

There was never an instance that the boys were all milled around the back of the poor UPHC boys.

Are you familiar with NCAA Rules/ If not please read so that before you start shooting from the hip you know the rules that the boys are following then it will enlighten you. all the boys after the games are required to step out of the playing area.

Do you know how strict the rules are that we porselves police the area itself because any infraction may coz the participants penalties.

You say or insinuated Board 3 and Board 2 players were arguing, It never occurred but a simple conversation since the arbiter and game officials were there at the time of the incident. If the boys were caught talking they can be disqualified. Instead the boys had to vent their comments subtlely to the coaching staff standing and sitting right next to them in the bench. I do not find any rudeness on the part of the boys but mainly self expression of dissatisfaction and there was never any instance that the boys were nasty or on the verge of fighting.

You dont know the relations of the boys to each other so you have no right to judge them.

Lstly the board one player pointing to the poor boy of UPHDC neither occurred instead a few minutes after the board 4 loss, LSGH Board 1 player raised his right hand to call the attention of the Arbiter also to report the infraction of the board one player of UPHDC. He was pointing to the clock and not the person.

I wonder how you can interpret things out of context to the extent of of maligning the boys of their true values. There was never an instance of any display of disrespect to anyone much more create a scene to dishonor the name of our alma mater.

Maybe next time before you start writing negative comments piliin mo ang facts mo na correct factual and most of all compassionate because you are writing about minors. Boys are boys but being La sallians they know they are bound by the school regulations when they go out to represent the school.

I was there and I am answering you point blank that your comments against the LSGH boys is wrong, misplaced and full of wrong information.

I hope this will be an enlightenment for you. We too were present and are not blind nor deaf. we know the truth and the truth shall prevail.

July 24, 2007 11:53:00 AM PHT

Alexander said...

One more thing if you truly want to understand the way NCAAChess games are played please stay and observed for one month then you would understand how the games are played.

Since you have access to many information get a copy of the Rules. If you have a hard time I would gladly assists you and give you an interview.

I have followed NCAA Chess for the last Six years and have seen its ups and downs....

I have never seen at any of the six years the boys from any of the participating schools being nasty towards each other wether teammates or against other boys from the other schools.

The NCAA Chess Management Committee sees to it that the boys and coaches follow the rules to the letter or they are penalized.

The Arbiter is a witness to all of these events which he judegs fairly.

Walang barumbado sa NCAA Chess tournaments.

Kung teacher ka nga then you should know boys behavior and could easily determine a negative attitude from a positive attitude.

I hope I am reaching out to you to refrain from maligning helpless boys who have no way of confronting an adult like you who is widely educated and have resources to watch international tournaments.

Responsible adults lalo na highly educated adults are more mature and understanding and are very careful about their choice of words too.

If you truly care about the state of Chess in the country you support the youth you do not malign them publicly for all their weaknesses and follies.

You educate them, advise them and encourage them and you show by example right conduct and behavior.

Thank you and I hope you will publish my too reactions to your comments.

It just pains me to hear an adult maligning young boys.


Alex Ramos
Program Director
Chess


July 24, 2007 12:06:00 PM PHT

Anonymous said...

Hey Mr Kiko,

I wonder you have failed to post my responses to you about how you ridiculed hapless young players... would you mind letting your readers read the otherside of the story...

You know as I was reading again your post of that fateful Sunday Chess game... I noticed you were too kind to say the trumpling of the Letran Juniors of their opponents but not so kind to the CSB LSGH team.

Another observation if truly you were there as you say so, of all the highlights of the day you never mentioned the bigger story of the day. Are you aware of it?

Maybe because you have not posted my own comments to your commentaries is that you really did not know what happened that day and simply what you wrote was a product or a feed from another source similarly as I have read your previous postings in your blogs.

Tsk tsk tsk... looks like you failed to notice how the Letran players hounded the CBS-LSGH players while they were playing at the moment when they should be playing against JRU.... whats the score really.... our Letran players are exempted from your ridicule that they too were looking over the shoulders of the CSB=LSGH players... dont you find it funny ...

Oh I smell something fishy... some real bias to favor one team over the other.

You see if truly the CSB-LSGH boys committed something they should have been penalized... so what violation did they commit, what crime or what sin have they committed to be ridiculed by a highly educated person who has resources to compare excellent chess games.... to the extent of turning a blind eye to the same misdemeanor your favorite team has committed too....

I can't blame you for seeing green only then maybe on the otherhand you maybe not seeing the truth or real facts of the day...

I truly admired your previous posts but for a simple boo boo of maligning and giving judgement to a bunch of hard playing youthful chess players I have lost the respect to you....

I will tell you more.... as the LSGH boys were to depart the playing venue... since they were placed at the inner part of the activity center, they had to pass by the other tables of the other teams.... did you ever notice that departure.... I doubt it.... anyway as they passed the UPHD table the players came forward and extended warm congratulations to the LSGH boys which in turn they responded with a warm handshake and a pat in the back... oh yeah you were too green blinded that you did not noticed the respect of each player for each other...

As you commented the swell headed LSGH Junior players were too proud not to exchange pleasantries with the other boys..

Yup the swell headed undisciplined LSGH boys as you have described ... they are young and they have such an attitude that you don't know what shall become of them when they grow older..... well I will add some more for your info... did you notice that all teams were given a bunch of chairs and a nice plastic table... did you notice what was given to the CSB-LSGH boyss... of course you did not notice... they were given the cabinet for equipment as table and no comment or disgust was ever heard from them..... did you notice how the other teams were being fed cold drinks and hot sandwiches during the actual game and yet the CSB-LSGH boys did not enjoy the same service de luxe... did you hear them mince words of inggit or nasty remarks.... of course not..... Meron bang ganyan sa mga tournament na pinanood mo with all of those GMs and untitled players...... Well again your commentaries are the right ones only as far as you are concerend.....You wondered how we were training our boys ... well.... these boys have trained and competed for years that the bond between them cannot be broken down by a smear campaign....

The kind of discipline they have is that while in the playing area they are focused on the game and nothing else.... no comments just play their best....

Hay hay hay... just by the looks it appears your commentaries on that fateful Sunday game was not well placed as far as I am concerend simply because it has the touches of a smear campaign....blinding yourself with such ferocity to malign hapless young boys while turning your eye from the misdemeanors of the other boys... How I wonder why you just had to write a crucifixion of the young LSGH boys who only came to win honors for themselves and for our beloved alma mater....

What do you say now Mr Kiko....

July 25, 2007 1:06:00 PM PHT

Anonymous said...

Hey Mr. Kiko I am waiting that you post the reactions of the readers.... it has been more than 24 hours.....

July 25, 2007 1:08:00 PM PHT


Okey now? Here at PCC, we make sure you get published for all your rantings and ravings... By the way, this a blog, a personal blog which means, I can anytime, write, rant and rave about anything and anyone in this world wide web.

Of course, I read somewhere along those thousand lines of comments, you wished to be interviewed. But so far in our blogs' history, it's only Mr. Ang whom I felt is qualified for one. Disclaimer: Criteria and qualification is subjected to my liking!

Above all, I would like to congratulate the boys of CSB-LSGH for winning all but one match in that fateful sunday you wish to call. I sense that you are trying to catch on with Letran's points? Only if you will beat the Fronda siblings on boards 1 and 2 of the juniors.

You mentioned that nurturing of the kids should be part of my writings... well, as you wished to be read here, I guess it's your main job to nurture them and tell them that they are suppose to bond together in times of wins and losses.

Again, good luck! Is LSGH still coached by the suspended IM? Just asking.

Congratulations! You are on the cyber news!!!

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

The last post

Hi there!

Nope! Am not going to say goodbye to you guys nor take a break from blogging about this community of chess playing country. Do not be misled with the post title we have now.

I am referring to the last post I made before this one... The NCAA Chess Tournety which I watched over the weekend.

Someone commented on it and he/she scholar-listically explained his/her side about it. Like standing behind ones opponent is part of chess strategy...counter-attack...

Ok! I maybe a novice, a beginner, a complete newbie in this game of chess. But hey! I was lucky enough to have the time and resources to watch international tournaments held recently in our country and somehow, I never saw anyone, from a GM to an untitled player, stand behind his/her opponent so close that one can hear the other breathing. Tell me, is that all part of the strategy? hheheh! It amounts to something like "hey, c'mon, would you lik me to show you the move which would end your suffering?" Hahahahahah!

Again, it could have been a different school, could have been from the blue compound run by our beloved Jesuit priests. The sad thing is, it came from my beloved sister/brother school, One-La Salle school. Yes! The system we ave now for all DLSU schools is called One La Salle.

Maybe chess is really a violent game. No blood but all symbols point towards it. Or maybe we are seeing the development of the all-crazy community of chess players, my goodness!

What would have Holden Caulfield thought of this if he was still alive?

Again, chess is suppose to make you a better person. (PERIOD)

Sunday, July 22, 2007

NCAA Chess Tournament

Hi there!

I watched the 2nd day of the 1st round of the double round robin chess tournament of the 83rd NCAA games at the SM Manila, ground floor. The junior and senior games were played simultaneously with Lao as the arbiter and a guy from host school for chess, College of St. Benilde.

Letran juniors had a perfect score of 4 points from yesterday and I guess they did again today. The match between College of St. Benilde-La Salle Greenhills juniors against the University of Perpetual Help Dalta System juniors was interesting. Board 4 of CSB-LSGH lost on a time forfeit. Having the time control of 2 hours with a minimum 2 moves for the first hour, CSB player was on his 19th move as his timer reached the first 60 minutes of the match. He was leading and dominating his opponent only to lose on time forfeit. Board 3 player of CSB was heard to have said some nasty things about his teammate only to be reprimanded by their board 2 team mate who happens to be the brother of board 4 player.

Something like this:

Board 3 on board 4: Ano kasi, di mo ba alam yun?

Board 2 on board 4: Sige ok lang yun...

Board 3 on Board 4: Sayang yan, bakit kasi di mo alam...

Board 2 on board 4: Wag ka nga manisi, pag ikaw nagkakamali di kanami ginaganyan!

Whew! Talk about team bonding!

Hay hay hay! And to think these players are only in their junior years, high school level. Scary to think of the future..

Interestingly too, I recently started reading the book "Catcher in Rye" by JD Salinger and he said in the first few pages something like this: "The more expensive a school is, the more crooks it has" Ouch! ouch!

And I've been a teacher since the start of the millennium... Don't get me wrong, I go for the green compound since I've had a taste of my graduate studies in our DLSU main campus, along taft avenue in Manila.

I wonder what kind of training and learnings they are given because the four players of CSB had the gall to stand behind their opponents while waiting for their moves! Such an attitude!!! Scholastic Chess ain't suppose to be that way! AS what Mr. Bobby Ang said, Chess is suppose to make you a better person!

Hay naku!

Also seen this afternoon are the titled coaches of some of the participating schools. FM Fernie DOnguines of CSB Seniors and NM Homer Cunanan of San Sebastian.

Anyways, swellheads abound everywhere and it pains to know that they come from all age brackets. Board 1 of LSGH even finger pointed face blank his opponent. My goodness! What are you?

So much for these stories of swellheads!

I got the Weekender of Tito Manny but it's all encrypted, I guess is a cyber virus. Need to email him about it.

Till then!

Friday, July 20, 2007

Chess Tourneys on July 21

Hi guys!

Been very busy with all the preparation for the coming opening of our school, Augist 6. Imagine all of us needing to attend those meetings, workshops and team buildings which halts all your classroom/department preparations but really makes one smile because of those freebies like sumptous lunch and meriendas. Hahahahah!

Got this thru Doc Jenny of NCFP:

2nd Ulrike's All Professional's Chess Challenge at Ulrike's Chess Center, Escoda corner General Lunastreet, Paco Manila.

Registration fee is PhP 500.00. Champion goes hoem with 4,000 pesos with "elegant" trophy.

For details, please contact Jenny Mayor at 09194782209 or 09157828666.

And the 83d season of NCAA is heating up with the Chess Games opening on July 21, 2007 at the SM Manila, 5th floor. You can come and watch the event to start at around 10 am.

Be there guys!

Thursday, July 19, 2007

BARRION TOPS ANGELES CHESS TOURNEY

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

UNHERALDED Emerson Barrion of Olongapo City defeated former solo leader Jerry Areque of Bacolod City in the seventh and final round to rules the 1st Haring Bastos 2050 and Below Open Chess Tournament over the weekend at the Robinso's Balibago Mall in Angeles City, Pampanga.

Barrion who finished with 6.5 points won the black pieces after 25 pushes against Areque in their final encounter to went home the championships trophy plus the top prize worth P4,000 in this event which is backed up by Sydney, Australia based Angelito Camer.

Areque on the other hand was stuck at 6.0 points that put him in a tie for 2nd to 4th placers in the company of Giovanni Orazzaga and Clement Valledor of Quezon City. The trio receive medal and P1,366 each for their effort in the event organize by Good Move Chess Club headed by multi-titled coach National Master Homer Cunanan.

Adjudged category winner were WNM Kimberly Jane Cunanan (top Lady), Darlito Pascual (top 50 years old and above), Homel Aristotle Cunanan (top Under 12), Jelly Joy Valdez (top Under 16), Jeremy Calilung (top Under 20), Cezar Magdangal (top Unrated), Romeo Lopez, (top Pampanga).


What an event name? Haring Bastos? so we can safely say that Emerson Barrion is the Haring Bastos for 2007? My God! Will never want to have my name or my loved ones names be associated with such title. For those who do not understand the FIlipino word Bastos, it means vulgar, inappropriate. the word Hari means King. King of Inappropriateness? The Vulgar King handing out his orders! Geeeh! Put this two together then you get something connected with gambling. My goodness!

Anyways, congratulations to the tournament winners!

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

FILIPINO GM PARAGUA LOSS TO RUSSIAN IM FAILED TO FINISH SOLO FIRST IN THE NORTHEAST OPEN CHESS

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

COUNTRY'S No.3 Filipino Grandmaster (GM) Mark Paragua (2525) failed to finish clear first in the just concluded 13th annual Northeast Open Chess Championships after losing his fifth and final round match last Sunday in Stamford, Connecticut, USA.

The 23-years-old 2003 Vietnam Southeast Asian Games most bemedalled athlete with three gold suffered a heart-breaking loss to Russian International Master Yury Lapshun in the final round.

It was a sorry loss to Paragua from Marilao, Bulacan whose leading entire tournament and needed only a draw in his last match to finish solo first in this Continental Chess Association tournament.

Paragua finish with a 4-1 win-loss record, good him for a tie for first to seventh place in the company of IM Lapshun, FM Bryan Smith, FM Ilye Figler, and United State Masters Daniel Yeager, Max Enkin and Eigen Wang.

Paragua whose stint here is being supported by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr., New York immigration lawyer Gerry Albano, Dickies VP president Dody T. Arcaya and sportsman Jeremy Regino, defeated earlier Matthew Derek Meredith, Jeffrey Haskel, Lonnie Kwartler

and Bryant Smith, respectively.

The 1998 World Rapid Under-14 champion had an impressive performance in the past regarding his US chess campaign, which aims to back his chess status in the world's top 100. His best ELO record is 2621 in the April 2006 FIDE-RP list.

In his first US tournament this year, Paragua settled runner-up place (4/5) last June 15-17 in Bradley Open in Windsor, Connecticut then followed a tie for 2 nd to 6th place last June 21 in the 20th Thursday Night Championships in New York, New York.

However in the tough 35th annual World Open in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania last July 28 to July 4, he lost to Israeli GM Leonid Yudasin in the fifth round that force him to withdrew his participation to prevent losing his ELO rating points and focus in the side event, the game 10 minutes.

Paragua, the only Filipino back to back FIDE World Championships qualifier, finish with 2-3 win-loss card in the Open section but bounced back by winning the side event game 10 minutes with 4.5 points out-of-five games, much known the rapid chess format, one of the favorite game of the former child prodigy. (MARLON BERNARDINO).

SAN PEDRO, LETRAN-CALAMBA TOP ENTRIES IN LAGUNA CHESS

From MARLON BERNARDINO:

DEFENDING CHAMPION San Pedro, bannered by former De La Salle University-Manila stalwart, Engr. Joel Anthony Hicap, veteran campaigner Ricky Merano, fast-moving Ervil Villa, Bernard Punzalan & Arsenio Valencerina Jr, is heavily favored to win the Open Division of the 2007 Governor Lazaro Inter-Town / Inter-Commercial Chess Team Championship on August 4-5 at Rockpoint Hotel, Spa & Conference Center, Brgy San Antonio II, San Pablo City.

Powered by one of Laguna's top junior players, Bryan Cyril Martinez, Arvin San Juan, Rommel Ortillo, Cesar Nikko Sechico & John Mikko Gotengo, the Letran-Calamba leads in the Mixed (Juniors, Women, Kiddies) Section.

Led by Rodolfo Panopio Jr, conqueror of a Chinese grandmaster, during the 2007 Philippine International Open Chess Championship in Subic last April, the Calamba City is also a contender for the top plum.

Organized by the Laguna Chess Association, in cooperation with the, Provincial Sports & Games Development Office, the tourney offers P20, 000 plus trophy for the champion team. With the expected entries coming from Sta. Rosa City , San Pablo City , Cabuyao, Los Banos, Sta. Cruz, Pagsanjan, Lumban, Liliw, Nagcarlan, Famy, Siniloan, Sta. Maria, Mabitac, Pakil, Pangil, Cavinti, & Paete, this year's event is seen to be the biggest Laguna Inter-town / Inter-commercial.

The deadline for registration is July 30. All players are required to wear their respective team uniforms during play. Players are reminded to be in proper dress code.

For further inquiries, pls contact Laguna Chess Association President, Dr. Alfredo Paez at (049) 5317628 / (0921) 2728172. (MARLON BERNARDINO)

PLAYERS (OPEN)

I San Pedro – Engr. Joel Anthony Hicap
Ricky Merano
Ervil Villa
Bernard Punzalan
Arsenio Punzalan Jr.

II Calamba City – Rodolfo Panopio Jr
Ruel Gonzales
Ragas
Richie Jocson
Rommel Revilla

III Cabuyao Engr. Edwin Lorenzo
Vicente Vargas
Henry Boroc
Anthony Gallon
Balden Corpuz


This Laguna tournament is incomplete without the province pride, IM John Paul Gomez. C'mon guys, why aren't you dying to get him in to any of your teams?

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

CEBUANO SEVILLANO WINS US CHESS TOURNEY

From Marlon...

Final Standings: eight man invitational-field, single round-robin format

IM Enrico Sevillano (PHILIPPINES) 6.5 points
Julian Landaw (USA) 4.5 points
IM Jack Peters (USA) 4.0 points
IM Timothy Taylor (USA) 3.5 points
Ron Hermansen (USA) 3.5 points
John Daniel Bryant (USA) 2.5 points
John Funderberg (USA) 2.0 points
Reynaldo del Pilar (PHILIPPINES) 1.5 points

FILIPINO INTERNATIONAL MASTER Enrico "Ikong" Sevillano settled for a fighting draw against United States Master John Daniel Bryant after 28 moves of a Sicilian-Alapin using the black pieces to emerge over-all champion in the just concluded 2007 Southern California Chess Federation (SCCF) State Championship over the weekend in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Sevillano, a native of Cebu City and prodigy of sportsman/ NM Matias "Bombi" Aznar finished with 6.5 points, on six wins and a draw in the final round to captured the title in the eight man invitational-field using the single round-robin format.

It shall be recalled, Sevillano settled for runner-up place in the 47 th Annual Pacific Southwest Open last June 29 to July 1 at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel.

Earlier, Sevillano beat Julian Landaw (USA), Ron Hermansen (USA), compatriot Reynaldo del Pilar (PHILIPPINES), IM Jack Peters (USA)
IM Timothy Taylor (USA) and John Funderberg (USA), and draw to Bryant, respectively, enroute the title. (MARLON BERNARDINO).

Sunday, July 15, 2007

This Week

Posting for Kiko Goodventure, this is Claire "Bright" Goodventure. Kiko is out on a 2 week IBO (International Baccalaureate Organization) Workshop...

I've been instructed to post the whole edition of The Weekender by Mr. Manny Benitez. Here it is:

NAT’L TRAINING POOL

Elimination series set

ALL players wishing to take a crack at the National Training Pool for members of the team to represent the country in the second Asian Indoor Games in Macau later this year should register on or before Saturday, July 21, for the selection tournament set for July 23-27, the National Chess Federation of the Philippines has announced.

The five-day elimination series will be held on the fifth floor of Marketplace Shopping Center on Kalentong Ave., Mandaluyong City.

According to the NCFP website, the start of the series was reset from Sunday to Monday to allow players and coaches from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to compete in the tournament.

The top nine male players and top 10 female players will qualify for the finals, along with the country’s five grandmasters who have been automatically seeded. In the event any of the top seeds fails to join the finals, he will be replaced by the next ranking player from the elimination series.

Registration for the elimination phase is free and there will be no cash prizes, either.

The four top players from the finals for either gender will form the men’s and women’s teams to be sent to Macau for the Asian Indoor Games, which will be held from October 25 to November 2 in the former Portuguese colony on South China’s coast.

Interested parties may call up the NCFP office, tel. No. 536-8507, or send an email to NCFPsecretariat@yahoo.com.

FOURTH TAIYUAN GM MATCH
Foreign team leads Chinese, 15.5-12.5


A MULTINATIONAL team of four lesser-known foreign players caught a higher-rated four-man Chinese squad flat-footed and was leading, 15.5-12.5, after seven rounds in the fourth Taiyuan GM Scheveningen event.

Starring for the foreign team was a 31-year-old Russian GM known mainly for his usually unorthodox but fierce attacking style, Vadim Zvjaginsev (2658), who had 5.0 points from three wins and four draws.

On the Chinese side, new No. 1 player Wang Yue, 20, had the highest score with 4.0. Wang Yue (2696) captured the top slot in last Aprils’ Philippine Open at Subic Freeport.

Zvjaginsov had the able assistance of Ivan Cheparinov of Bulgaria, the brilliant second of past Fide world champion Veselin Topalov during his world title match against his successor, reigning world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia.

Cheparinov (2657) matched Wan Yue’s 4.0 from board two, followed by Armenia’s Karen Asrian (2608) with 3.5 and Hungary’s Caaba Balogh (2567), 3.0.

Teenage Chinese superstar Wang Hao (2624) had 3.5 on board two while Zhang Pengxiang (2649) on board three and Ni Hua (2681) on board four pitched in with only 2.5 each.

Zvjaginzov proved nearly invincible with the White pieces as he revived old classical openings like the King’s Gambit, supposedly disreputable among modern-day, computer-trained grandmasters.

• V. Zvjaginsev (2658) - Wang Hao (2624)
Rd. 1, 4th GM Match, Taiyuan 2007
King’s Gambit Accepted (C36)

1.e4 e5 2.f4! exf4! The accepted line, which promises to steer the game to lively, double-edged positions 3.Nf3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 Nf6 6.Bxf4 Qe4+ 7.Qe2 Qxe2+ 8.Bxe2 Nd5 9.Bd2 Be7 10.0–0 c6 11.c4 Nf6 12.Nc3 0–0 13.Bd3 Rd8 14.Rae1 Be6 15.Ne2 Nbd7 16.Nf4 Nf8 17.Bc3 Bd6 18.Nxe6 Nxe6 19.Bf5 Nc7 20.Ba5 Nfe8 21.Ng5 g6 22.Bh3 b6 23.Bc3 f6 24.Ne6 Nxe6 25.Bxe6+ Kg7 26.g4 Also playable was 26.d5 cxd5 27.Bxd5 Bc5+ 28.Kh1 Rac8, with White having a huge advantage h6 Safer was 26...a5 27.d5 Bc5+ 28.Kh1, reducing White’s lead 27.Kg2 a5 28.d5 c5? Better was 28...Bb4 29.Bxb4 axb4 30.dxc6 Rd6 29.h4! g5 30.hxg5 hxg5 31.Bf5 Nc7 Not 31...Bf8 because of 32.Rh1 Kf7 33.Rh7+ Bg7 34.Kf3! 32.Bc2 Rf8 33.Rf5 Rae8 34.Rxg5+ Kf7 35.Bg6+ Kg8 36.Bxf6!

The logical end, says Fritz: 36….Rxf6 37.Bxe8+ Kf8 38.Bc6! 1–0

Atalik, Howell lead in top-heavy Canada Open

VETERAN campaigners Suat Atalik of Turkey and David Howell of England led a field of heavyweights with 5.0 points after six rounds in this year’s edition of the Canadian Open Championship.

Snapping at their heels just half a poin behind were such favorites as Bu Xiangzhi of China, Nigel Short of England, Vadim Milov of Switzerland and Sergey Tiviakov of the Netherlands, along with Kamil Miton of Poland and Chanda Sandipan of India, most of them fresh from the World Open in Pennsylvania.

Besides the five runners-up already mentioned, there were 12 others in the batch of 4.5-pointers.

Short was one of the superstars who produced a well-played minigem of a game, against a much lower-ratted local player.

• Short,N (2691) - Kaminski,V (2149) [C18]
Rd. 1, Canadian Open, Ottawa 2007
French Defense (C18)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.h4 Nbc6 8.h5 h6 9.Qg4 Rg8 10.Bd3 Nf5 11.Ne2 Qa5 12.0–0 Qa4 13.Bxf5 exf5 14.Qg3 Ne7 If 14...cxd4 15.Bxh6 dxc3 16.Bxg7 f4 17.Nxf4 Rxg7 18.Qxg7 Qxf4 and White surges on 15.dxc5 Bd7 16.Nd4 Nc6 If 16...0–0–0 17.Rb1! 17.Bxh6 Nxd4 18.cxd4 Kf8? Best was 18...Qxd4 19.Bxg7 f4 19.Be3 Qxc2 20.e6!! Bc6 21.Qd6+! Ke8 22.exf7+ Missing his best shot, 22.Qc7!, e.g., 22...Rf8 23.Bg5! Kxf7 23.Qg6+ Ke7 24.Bg5+! Mate looms: 24…Kd7 25.Qd6+ Kc8 26.Bf4 Qxf2+ 27.Rxf2 Re8 28.Qc7#! 1–0

INAUGURAL CAAP TOURNAMENT RESULTS HERE

Arbiters lauded for promoting game
By Alfredo Vergara Chay

GRANDMASTER Eugene Torre and lawyer Sammy Estimo, executive director of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, have lauded the Chess Arbiters Association of the Philippines for its efforts to promote chess in the country.

The two chess leaders paid tribute to CAAP during its recent inaugural tournament at Ramon Magsaysay High School in Cubao, Quezon City, which saw Mandaluyong City’s Ricardo Jimenez and Far Eastern University student James Balicatan, 18, emerge as co-champions.

The first CAAP-sponsored tournament was open to non-masters rated 1950 and below.

The two top players scored 6.5 points each to evenly share the pooled top prizes of P6,000. Jimenez took the title on tiebreak.

Ervill Villa of Laguna finished the event half a point behind the leaders to pocket the third prize of P1,000, while Glenn Caballero of V. Luna Chess Club and Emil Chua had 5.5 points each to share the P1,000 pooled fourth and fifth prizes.

Category winners who each received P500 were kiddies “king” Alcon John Datu of the University of the East, top senior Juancho Caunti of Caloocan City, and top lady Jacqueline Ynot of National University.

Those who finished in sixth to 10th places were given P300 each, namely, Revin Brian Vasaloo, Rogelio Seguban, Emmanuel Emperado (son of Metropolitan Chess Club president Mila Emperado), Randolph Dalauta and QMC Chess Plaza habituƩ Stephen Manzanero.

At the closing ceremony, Torre, who was the first NCFP president and an alumnus of the host school, recalled the days when the Philippines was lording it over Asia in chess as he urged the 96 participants to further sharpen their playing skills and broaden their knowledge of chess theory with the help of the latest technological tools.

Lawyer Estimo cited CAAP’s role in seeking to unite Filipino chess arbiters nationwide and to standardize tournament arbitration and officiating.

He said he would recommend the affiliation of CAAP to the NCFP board and that the group be tapped for future tournaments to be organized by the federation.

The two NCFP leaders had also earlier sworn into office the CAAP directors and officers at rites held at the Rotary Club of Marikina Building.

QMC plaza habituƩ Shercila Cua top RP female player

WOMAN National Master Shercily Cua has become the country’s top female player, the NCFP revealed in its official website, which also named GM Joey Antonio as the top male player as earlier reported by The Weekender.

Shercily and her sister, WNM Sherily Cua, usually play at the QMC Chess Plaza on weekends. They won the inaugural Katuwaan Family Tournament organized by the QMC Chess Plaza’s management committee last December.

Both have won major prizes in local tournaments, with Shercila instrumental in the Philippine women’s team landing the top slot in Group C of the 37th World Olympiad held in Turin, Italy last year.

The NCFP posted the following announcement on its website: “In the women’s division, WNM Shercila Cua wrested the top spot with an ELO of 2224.

“WNM Catherine PereƱa is second overall with ELO of 2218, followed by WFM Sheerie Joy Lomibao with ELO of 2174, WIM Beverly Mendoza, with ELO of 2154 and WIM Cristine Rose Mariano with ELO of 2083.”

As reported in the July 1 issue of The Weekender, “Antonio is still the No. 1 player in the country with Elo 2539, followed by GM Eugene Torre with 2538 and GM Mark Paragua with 2525…”

WORLD OPEN HIGHLIGHTS

Akobian’s first big win this year

HIS victory over GM Alexander Stripunsky in the Armageddon playoff for the title makes the $400,000 World Open in Pennsylvania the first major event the 23-year-old Armenian-American grandmaster, Varuzhan Akobian, has won this year.

The recent Manila visitor must have had his lucky star hitched to the cash-rich World Open because it was also there that he earned his first GM norm in 2002, just a year after he moved to California from Yerevan, Armenia where he was born on November 19, 1983.

Akobian earned his second norm by topping the Imer Konig Memorial, where he beat such stalwarts as the late GM Alex Wojtkiewicz and six-time US Open champion Walter Browne later that year, and his third in 2003 at the Gufeld Memorial in California.

World Open champion Akobian was one of the foreign titans who competed in the GMA Cup in ParaƱaque City last November, beating among others GM Joey Antonio.

He also came for the Philippine Open in Subic where he finished in the same bracket (5.5 from nine games) as GM Eugene Torre, whom he had beaten at the San Marino Open soon after the 37th Olympiad in Turin last year.

Vakuzhan learned chess at the age of five during his family’s two-year-stay in Mongolia, where the freezing winds forced him and his sister to stay indoors and play the royal game.

When he and his family moved from Armenia to America in January 2001, the 17-year-old was already a well-established player back home where he was considered to be one of his country’s two top players, the other being Levon Aronian, who won the Kasparov Cup in 1997 with him as runner-up.

• V. Akobian (2574) – D. Howell (2518)
Rd. 4, 35th World Open, Philadelphia 2007
Gruenfeld Defense (D80)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Ne4 5.Bh4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 dxc4 7.e3 If 7.Qa4+ Nd7, with equality Be6 8.Rb1 b6 9.Nf3 Bg7 10.Nd2 0–0 10...c5 11.Bxc4 Bxc4 12.Nxc4 should equalize 11.Be2 If 11.Qf3 c6! f5 11...c6 12.a4 would have equalized 12.0–0 Nd7 13.Qa4 c5 14.Bxc4 Bxc4 15.Qxc4+ Kh8 16.Nf3 Qe8 17.Qe6 Bf6 18.Bxf6+ Rxf6 19.Qb3 e5 20.a4 Rb8 21.Rfd1 e4 22.Nd2 Qe6 23.Qb5 Qc6 24.Qa6 If 24.Qxc6 Rxc6 25.d5 Rc7! Qb7 25.Qe2 Qc6 26.Nc4 Rc8 26...cxd4! should be tried, e.g., 27.cxd4 Rc8, with equal chances 27.d5 Qb7 Not 27...Qxa4?? as it’s a poisoned pawn, e.g., 28.Ra1 Qb3 29.Rdb1 Qxc3 30.Ra3 Qxa3 31.Nxa3, and White surges on 28.Rb5 Re8 29.a5 If 29.Qc2 Qb8! a6 Restoring the balance 30.Rxb6!

30…Nxb6 31.axb6 Rxb6 32.Nxb6 Qxb6 33.Qa2 Rd8 34.h3 Kg7 34...Qd6 35.c4 Rb8 36.Rb1 favors White 35.Rb1 Qf6 35...Qc7 may be safer 36.c4! Kh6 37.Qa5 Rc8 38.Rb6 Qh8 39.g3 Ra8 40.Kg2 Qc8 41.Rc6 Qb7 42.Qxc5! Clinching the point, e.g., 42…Qd7 43.Rc7! 1–0

Joel “Cholo” Banawa was unlucky to be paired in the first round against GM Stripunsky, whom Akobian defeated in the playoff, and so lost his first game. The 17-year-old California-based Filipino junior player, however, made up for it by winning his second game.

• J. Banawa (2310) – J. Larsen
Rd. 2, 35th World Open, Philadelphia 2007
Modern Benoni (A69)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0–0 6.Nf3 c5 7.d5 e6 8.Be2 exd5 9.cxd5 Re8 10.Nd2 a6 11.a4 a5 12.0–0 Na6 13.Bf3 Nb4 Better was 13...Nd7 14.Qb3, with equality 14.Nc4! Re7 If 14...h5 15.h3 gives White the edge 15.e5 Ne8 16.Ne4 Bf5 17.Ncxd6 Bxe4? 17...Nxd6 was the saving resource: 18.Nxd6 Bc2! 18.Nxe4 Nxd5 19.Nxc5 Qb6 19...Qc7 20.Qxd5 Rd8 gives White tremendous advantage 20.Qxd5 Not 20.Bxd5 Qxc5+ 21.Kh1 Rd7 22.Bxf7+ Rxf7! Rd8 21.Qc4 Rc7 21...Bxe5 hardly improves anything 22.fxe5 Rxe5 23.b4 axb4 24.Be3 Rxe3 25.a5! 22.Be3 Bf8 23.e6!

23…Bxc5 24.exf7! The point Kf8 25.fxe8Q+ Rxe8 26.Bxc5+ Rxc5 27.Qd4 Rd8 27...Rb5 offers the only chance to get some counterplay: 28.Qxb6 Rxb6 28.Qh8+ Kf7 29.Qxh7+! 1–0

Too bad that Cholo, who ranks No. 10 among US juniors, could not pass muster against the likes of GMs Stripunsky and Sergey Erenburg.

Numerous sparkling and instructive games came out of the world’s richest Swiss open tournament, which was dominated by grandmasters, most of them from what was once the Soviet socialist empire and its East European satellites.

All the eight players who finished in a tie of 6.5 points each, including Akobian and Stripunsky, were grandmasters and so were the vast majority of the top 30 in the main event.

There were hardly any non-Americans or non-Europeans among the top players, except two Indian grandmasters—Chanda Sandipan, who joined the top eight, and Abhijit Kunte, who was among the runners-up with 6.0 points.

But first, here’s a minigem won by GM Eugene Perelshteyn, one of the 5.5-pointers.

• E. Perelshteyn (2531) – D. Ludwig (2373)
Rd. 2, 35th World Open, Pennsylvania 2007
Semi-Slav Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.g4 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Nd5 9.Bd2 Qe7 10.Ne4 Bc7 11.g5 f5 11...h6 12.gxh6 Rxh6 13.0–0–0 should equalize 12.gxf6 N7xf6 13.Rg1 0–0 14.0–0–0 Kh8 14...Nxe4 should be tried 15.Neg5 g6 16.Ne5 Bd7? 17.Nxh7! Qxh7 18.Nxg6+ Kg8 19.Bd3!

Bull’s-eye! There’s no way that Black’s queen can dodge the bullet. 1–0

However, Perelshteyn himself fell victim to the slashing attack of India’s Sandipan in a game highlighted by surprisingly high mobility of pieces on both sides of the board and a series of sharp and furious exchanges.

• C. Sandipan (2552) – E. Perelshteyn (2531)
Rd. 7, 35th World Open, Pennsylvania 2007
Sicilian Defense, Maroczy Bind (B37)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 d6 7.Nc2 Bg7 8.Be2 0–0 9.0–0 Nd7 10.Bd2 Nc5 11.b4 Ne6 12.Rb1 a5 13.b5 Ne5 14.f4 Nd7 15.Be1 b6 15...Ndc5 16.Qd2 would have equalized 16.Nd5! Bb7 17.Bh4 Nf6 18.Bf3 Nc5 19.Nd4 Rc8 20.Nc6 Bxc6 21.bxc6 Rxc6 22.Nxf6+ exf6 23.e5! A powerful discovered attack Rc7 24.Qxd6 Rd7 25.Qc6 g5 26.fxg5 fxg5 27.Bg3 Nd3 28.Qxb6 Nxe5 29.Bxe5 Qxb6+ 30.Rxb6 Bxe5 31.Rb5 Bd4+ 32.Kh1 Bc3 33.Rxg5+ Kh8 34.c5 f6 35.Rg4 Rd4 I35...Rd2 would have reduced White’s lead: 36.Rc4 Be5 37.a3 36.c6 Rxg4 If 36...Rd2 37.Rb1! 37.Bxg4 Be5 38.Re1 Rf7 38...Bd6 may be tried 39.Bd7 Bd6 40.Re6 Bc7 If 40...Be5 41.Rxe5! fxe5 42.Kg1! 41.Re8+ Kg7 42.Be6 Rf8 43.Re7+ Kh6 44.h4!


IM Josh Friedel, 20, is the No. 2 junior player in the USA, next only to former US champion Hikaru Nakamura, 19, the top seed in the World Open. But Friedel, who upset US champion Alex Shabalov in the US Nationals, fared quite poorly in Philadelphia but for occasional flashes of brilliance.

• Bry Smith (2386) – J. Friedel (2474)
Rd. 7, 35th World Open, Pennsylvania 2007
Ruy Lopez, Archangelisk/Moller Defense (C78)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.a4 Rb8 7...Bb7 could be tried 8.axb5 axb5 9.Nxe5 Nxe5 10.d4 Bxd4 11.Qxd4 d6 12.f4 Nc6 If 12...Ng6 13.Nc3 13.Qc3 Ne7 14.e5 Ne4 15.Qe1 d5 16.Nd2 Nxd2 17.Bxd2 c5 18.e6 If 18.c3 0–0 c4 Equalizing 19.Qe5 19.Ba2 should be played to restore the balance: 19...0–0 20.Ba5 Qb6+! 20.Be3 f6 21.Qc3 Qc6 22.Ba2 Bxe6 Not 22...Qxe6 because of 23.Bc5 d4 24.Qxd4, and White would have a clear advantage 23.Bd4 Kf7 If 23...b4 24.Qf3! 24.Bb1 If 24.Qf3 Rhe8! Ra8! 25.Rxa8 Rxa8 26.Qd2 Bf5 27.c3 Re8 28.Qd1 g6 29.g4 Be4 30.Qe1 Bxb1 31.Qxb1 Qe6 32.h3 32.Qd1 Nc6 33.Bc5 Qe4 favors Black Qe4 33.Qe1 Qxe1 34.Rxe1 Rd8 35.Ra1 Nc6 36.Bc5 d4 37.cxd4 Nxd4 38.Ra5 Missing his best shot 38.Kf2! Ne2+!

Black now has overwhelming advantage.

39.Kh2 Rd2 40.Ra7+ Ke8 41.Re7+ Kd8 42.Rxh7 Rxb2 43.Be7+ Kc8 44.Bxf6 c3 45.f5 gxf5 46.gxf5 Nd4+ 47.Kg3 c2 48.Bg5 Nxf5+ 49.Kg4 Nd4 50.h4 Rb1 51.h5 White resigns realizing the futility of further resistance. 0–1

CIUDAD DE LEON CHAMPION FOR SEVENTH TIME

Anand crushes Topalov to cop plum

WORLD No. 1 Viswanathan Anand of India showed he is still the man to beat in the forthcoming World Championship when he handily disposed of past Fide world champion and world No. 2 Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria in the Ciudad de Leon Rapid KO Tournament of Champions in Spain last Monday.

Anand, who was 2000-01 Fide world champion, and Topalov, 2005-06, had earlier knocked out the two other former Fide world champions, Ruslan Ponomariov of Ukraine, 2001-02, and Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan, 2004-05, respectively.

Anand totally outclassed Ponomariov, 3-1, while Topalov had a little more difficult time in subduing Kasimdzhanov, 2.5-1.5.

In their final match, Anand showed he was leagues ahead of Topalov in rapid chess by outplaying him, 3-1—the same score with which he had knocked out Ponomariov.

Like Ponomariov, the best that Topalov could do was to draw two games against Anand as he lost twice in their best-of-four match.

• V. Anand (2786) – V. Topalov (2772)
Final game, Ciudad de Leon, Spain 2007
Sicilian Scheveningen (B84)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.Be2 Nbd7 8.0–0 b5 9.a4 b4 10.Nc6 Qc7. 11.Nxb4 d5 12.Nxa6 Bxa6 Not 12...Rxa6 because of 13.exd5 Ra5 14.dxe6 fxe6 15.Nb5! 13.exd5 Bd6 Not 13...Bb4 because of 14.dxe6 fxe6 15.Nb5 Bxb5 16.Bxb5! 14.h3 14.Bxa6! Rxa6 15.Qd3! was playable exd5 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.Qxd5 Bb7 Best was 16...0–0!? 17.Bxa6 Rxa6 17.Qc4! Bc6 18.b4 Qb7 18...Ne5 favors White, e.g.,19.Qc3 Ng6 20.Bb5 Bh2+ 21.Kh1 Bxb5 22.Qxc7 Bxc7 23.axb5! 19.Rad1 Be7 19...Ne5 20.Qd4 Bc7 was playable 20.b5! White is clearly ahead Bxg2 21.Rxd7 Kxd7 22.Qg4+! Ke8 22...f5! was better: 23.Qd4+ Qd5 23.Qxg2 Qxg2+ 24.Kxg2 Rxa4 25.b6 Ra5 26.Rd1 Bg5?? A blunder under terrible pressure, but the game was lost in any case, says Fritz: 26...Bc5 27.b7 Ke7 27.b7 Ke7 28.Bb6 Re5 29.Bd8+!!

A beauty. If 29…Rxd8 30.Rxd8 Kxd8 31.b8=Q+! 1–0

Topalov is to challenge the winner of the World Cup, which will be held later this year.

Ivanchuk wins Pivdinny Bank Cup, Grischuk second

NEW World No. 4 Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine has continued his winning streak by topping the Pivdinny Bank Cup in Odessa just half a point ahead of his closest rival, world No. 14 Alexander Grischuk of Russia, in a neck-and-neck race down the homestretch.

Ivanchuk’s finest performance was his win with Black against the world’s highest-rated junior player, 20-year-old Teimour Radjabov of Baku, Azerbaijan (see also page 10).

• T. Radjabov (2747) – V. Ivanchuk (2729)
Rd. 4, Pivdenny Bank Cup, Odessa 2007
Modern Benoni (A70)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.h3 Bg7 8.e4 0–0 9.Bd3 a6 10.a4 Nbd7 11.0–0 Re8 12.Re1 Qe7 13.Bf4 Nh5 14.Bh2 Rb8 If 14...b6 15.Qd2! 15.g4 Nhf6 16.e5 dxe5 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.Rxe5 Qxe5 19.Bxe5 Rxe5 20.Qb3 20.Qd2 Bd7 should give White the edge h5 20...b6 may be tried, says Fritz 21.Qb6 Bd7 22.f3 hxg4 23.hxg4 Re3 24.Qd6 24.Bxa6 Rxf3 25.Qd6 Re8 was playable Rbe8 25.Bxg6 25.g5 may be tried Rxf3! Restoring the equilibrium 26.g5 Bh3 27.gxf6 Rxf6 28.Qxf6?? A grievous error. Best was 28.Bxf7+! to stay in the game. Bxf6! Seizing the lead and the initiative 29.Bd3 Re3 30.Rd1 Bd4 31.Kh2 Kf8 32.d6 Be5+ 33.Kg1 Bd4?? Black’s turn to blunder. Best was 33...Bd7! 34.Kh2 Bg4 35.Rd2 Rh3+ 36.Kg2 Be3 37.Rd1 Bf4 38.Be2 Rh2+ 39.Kg1 Bd7 40.Bf3? Missing his best shot, 40.Rd3! Rxb2! 41.Ne4 Be3+ 42.Kh1 Bd4 43.Ng5 f6 44.Ne4 Bxa4 45.d7 Ke7 46.Rc1 Bb5 Missing the decisive 46...Bc6! 47.Rd1 Ba4 Although Black missed his best call, 47…Bxd7!, White resigns in the face of certain defeat: 48.Rc1 Bc6! 0–1

Ivanchuk started his climb back to the top 10 by winning all major tournaments he entered last year.

The Ukrainian superstar finished with 7.0 points from nine games after winning his last game—with White against a compatriot, cellar-dwelling Vladimir Tukmakov.

PINOY GEMS WITH A HISTORY

Sevillano soaring high again!

NATIVE Cebuano turned American IM Enrico Sevillano is continuing to soar high in his adopted homeland since becoming the first Filipino to qualify and finish among the top 20 in the United States Championship last May.

His latest feat was to make a sweep of the first four rounds of the Southern California State Championship, beating along the way IM Jack Peters, Los Angeles Times chess columnist.

Peters had a week earlier edged him out of the top prize by half a point in the Pacific Southwest Open. Sevillano ended up second.

Early last month, the California-based former Asian junior champion also won the third prize in the prestigious US National Open in Las Vegas, Nevada, soon after topping the Lina Gurnette Memorial Classic in Los Angeles, California.

In both events, he finished ahead of Peters. Both shied away from the $400,000 World Open in Philadelphia where another Filipino, Virginia-based Anton del Mundo, topped the Under-2400 event.

Yet another Filipino, 17-year-old Joel Banawa of Los Angeles, California, faltered, however, in the second half of the main event and finished with only 3.0 points and lost 15 points in the process. Cholo, however, clung to his 10th ranking among the top US junior players with Elo 2400 (USCF rating).

Sevillano migrated to America a year after his fine performance in the 1992 Manila Olympiad. He has since made a name for himself and soon was playing under the US flag as a member of the US Chess Federation.

Almost all other Filipino players who have moved on to America are still affiliated with the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

In the July ratings list issued by the World Chess Federation, IM Sevillano (2497) ranks No. 33 in the whole USA.

In his latest outing, Sevillano showed the same supreme self-confidence he had apparently gained when he finished 18th in the US Championship in Stillwater, Oklahoma and was bolstered further when he won the third prize in the US Open in Las Vegas.

• Jack Peters – E. Sevillano
Rd. 4, SCCF State Ch, LA 2007
Ruy Lopez (C84)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.d4 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.h3 Bb7 10.Nbd2 Nd7 11.Re1 Bf6 12.Nf1 Ne7 13.Ng3 g6 13...c5 14.Be3 should equalize 14.Bh6 Bg7 15.Qd2 c5 16.Rad1 exd4 17.cxd4 c4 18.Bc2 Kh8 19.Bg5 f6 20.Bf4 d5 21.h4 dxe4 22.Nxe4 Nd5 If 22...Nb6 23.h5 gxh5 24.Nh4 Bxe4 25.Rxe4 23.Bd6 23.h5 f5 24.Neg5 Nxf4 25.Qxf4 Bxf3 26.Nxf3 Qb8 gives White the edge Re8 24.h5 N7b6 25.Bc5 c3 26.bxc3 Nc4 27.Qc1 g5 If 27...gxh5 28.Bd3 28.Bb1 28.Nfd2 Nxd2 29.Qxd2 Qd7 was playable Qd7 29.Qc2 29.Nfd2 Qg4 30.Nxc4 bxc4 also gives White the edge Bh6 29...Nde3 30.fxe3 Bxe4 31.Qf2! 30.Ng3 Bf8 31.Nf5! Qf7 32.Bxf8 Rxf8 33.h6 Na3 34.Qb3 Nxb1 35.Rxb1 Better than 35.Qxb1 Nxc3 36.Qc2 Nxd1! Qg6 35...Qd7 36.Qc2 leads to equality 36.Nd6! Bc6 37.c4 37.Re6 should be tried, e.g., 37…Qh5 38.Ne4! Nf4 Keeping the balance 38.cxb5 axb5 39.Nxb5 40.Nh2 Bxg2 41.Nc3 41.Nc7 should be tried: 41...Rad8 42.a4, with equal chances Bc6 42.Re3 Nh3+ 43.Rxh3 Qxh3 44.d5 Bd7 45.Ne4 Qxh6 46.Nc5 Bf5 47.Rd1 If 47.Re1 Rfb8 48.Qc4 Rc8, and Black surges on Qh5 47...Rfc8 was stronger, e.g., 48.Qe3 Rxa2, with overwhelming advantage 48.Rc1 Qe2 49.a4 Rac8 49...Rfc8 was best 50.Nf3??

50.Nf3??

The start of White’s collapse. Fritz suggests 50.Nf1 to keep White in the game.

50...Be4 Missing 50...Rxc5 51.Rxc5 g4! 51.Nd4?? Hastening his own doom Qg4+ 52.Kf1 Bg2+ 53.Ke1 Qxd4! The end: 54.Nd3 Rfe8+ 55.Kd2 Rxc1 56.Kxc1 Re2 57.Kb1 Bxd5 58.Qb2 Qxd3+ 59.Qc2 Qxc2+ 60.Ka1 Re1#! 0–1

• E. Sevillano (2497) – Pavel Savine (2014)
Rd. 1, 47th Pacific Southwest Open, Burbank 2007
Sicilian Defense (B22)

1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 e6 7.h3 Bh5 8.0–0 Nc6 9.Be3 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Bxe2 11.Qxe2 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Be7 13.Rd1 Qc6 14.Nd2 0–0 15.Nf3 Rfd8 16.Rd3 Qb5 17.Bxf6 Rxd3 18.Bxe7 Qd7 19.Ne5 Rd2 20.Qe1 Qd5 21.c4 Qd4 22.Nf3!

White wins a piece. 1–0

MY FAVORITES
Blackburne, the ‘Black Death’

ONE great player who enlivened the chess world because of his extraordinary combinative powers, with or without sight of the board, as well as his love for whiskey was a swashbuckling English chess pirate known as the “Black Death.”

Joseph Henry Blackburn was born in the English midland city of Manchester on December 10, 1841 and died in ordinary circumstances back in his home city on September 1, 1924, three months before his 83rd birthday.

Although he learned chess in his late teens while working in a hosiery warehouse, he found the game much to his liking, inspired as he was by the genius of Paul Morphy.

Blackburne left the knitting industry to devote his time to chess and soon became one of the greatest players in England. For a time, he was even ranked No. 2 in the world, next only to Wilhelm Steinitz.

It was in Vienna, Austria in 1873 that the tournament book christened him the “Black Death” for his powerful performance with the black pieces, ending up equal first with Steinitz but losing to the future world champion in the playoff.

Indeed, Blackburne was arguably the strongest tournament player of his time, always ending at the upper end of the table, but a rather poor match player—one reason for his failure to become world champion.

Among his match conquerors was the great Johannes Zukertort, the rival Steinitz defeated in his first defense of his crown in 1886.

He mastered blindfold chess to such a degree that it was by playing without sight of the board against as many as 16 players that he earned most of his money, which is why he would tour Britain at least twice a year.

It is said that he rarely lost a game in simul and was equally adept at it without sight of the board.

Blackburne’s fondness for whiskey was legendary. Once somebody berated him for downing a player’s glass of whisky while he was walking around the boards during a simultaneous display, and he retorted: “He left it en prise and I took it en passant!”

It was in endgame mating combinations that he excelled, and this is the subject in this week’s “Chess Magic” series.

• Emanuel Lasker – J.H. Blackburne
London 1899
Ruy Lopez. Steinitz Defense (C62)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.d4 Bd7 5.d5 Nb8 6.Bd3 Be7 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Ne2 c6 9.c4 Na6 10.Ng3 Nc5 11.Bc2 b5 11...a5! may also be played 12.b4 Nb7 13.dxc6 Bxc6 14.cxb5 Bxb5 15.a4 Bd7 16.0–0 g6 If 16...a5 17.b5 17.h3 h5 18.Be3 a5 19.b5 Rc8 20.Rc1 Nc5 21.Nd2 21.Bb3 was stronger h4 22.Ne2 g5 Fritz suggests 22...Be6 23.Bxg5 White now surges ahead Rg8 24.Bxh4 Missing 24.Bxf6! Bxh3 25.Bg3 Be6 26.Re1 Ng4 27.Nf1 Bg5 28.Rb1 Rh8 29.Nc3 Bf4 30.Nd5 Qg5 31.f3??

Giving Black a chance for counterplay. Best was 31.Bxf4!

31…Rh1+!! A sacrifice in the best tradition, says Fritz 32.Kxh1 Bxg3 33.Nxg3 Nf2+ 34.Kg1 Nxd1 35.Nf5 Bxf5 36.exf5 36.Rbxd1 won’t work because of 36...Be6 37.Ne3 Nb3! Qd2 37.Rexd1 Qxc2 38.Rbc1 Qxf5 Rd8 40.Nc4 Nb7 Missing the clincher 40...Qf4! 41. Qf4 42.Kf2 Qxa4 43.Rc7 Nc5 44.Rh1 Rd7 45.Rc8+ Ke7 46.Rhh8 46.Rd1 was necessary Qd4! It’s all over: 47.Rce8+ Kf6 48.Rh6+ Kg5! 0–1

• J.H. BlackburneH – A. Nimzowitsch
St. Petersburg 1914
Irregular Opening (A00)

1.e3 d6 2.f4 e5 3.fxe5 dxe5 4.Nc3 Bd6 5.e4 Be6 6.Nf3 f6 7.d3 Ne7 8.Be3 c5 9.Qd2 Nbc6 10.Be2 Nd4 11.0–0 0–0 12.Nd1 Nec6 13.c3 Nxe2+ 14.Qxe2 Re8 15.Nh4 Bf8 16.Nf5 Kh8 17.g4 If 17.b3 b5, with equality Qd7 18.Nf2 a5 19.a3 b5 20.Rad1 Rab8 21.Rd2 b4 22.axb4 axb4 23.c4 Ra8 24.Qf3 Ra2 25.g5 g6 26.Ng4! gxf5 26...fxg5 may be played, e.g., 27.Nf6 g4! 27.Nxf6! Nd4 28.Qf2 Not 28.Qh5 because of 28…Qf7 29.g6 Qxg6+ 30.Qxg6 hxg6 31.Nxe8 Nb3! Qc6 29.Nxe8 Qxe8 30.Bxd4 exd4 31.exf5 Bd7 32.Re1 Qf7 33.Qh4 Ra8 34.Rf2 Bc6 35.Qg4 Re8 36.Rxe8 Qxe8 37.Re2 Qd7 38.Re6 Ba8??

38...Ba4 offered the chance, says Fritz.
39.g6! hxg6 40.Rxg6 Qh7 41.Qg3 Qh5 42.Rg4! The end: 42…Qxf5 43.Rh4+ Qh7 44.Qe5+ Kg8 45.Rg4+ Qg7 46.Rxg7+ Bxg7 47.Qxc5! 1–0
A fine win by a man pushing 74!

CHESS MAGIC (1)

JH’s miniature mating gems


ENGLISH wizard Joseph Henry Blackburne’s main strength was his ability to combine piece-and-pawn play in such a uniquely harmonious or even startling way that his combinations could not easily be anticipated, especially in mating attacks.

It must be emphasized that Blackburne worked out his combinations over the board through the sheer power of his intellect, without the aid of computers or guideposts found in books. His was pure talent.

A romantic, he was a product of his time—a swashbuckling daredevil in the game of kings.

I have chosen a few sparkling miniature mating gems he carved in the hope readers will find them as instructive as they are inspiring.

• NN – J.H. Blackburne
England 1880
Giuoco Pianissimo, Hungarian Defense (C50)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+?? 4.Nc3 was best, maintaining the balance Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ “I used to call this the Kentucky opening. For a while after its introduction it was greatly favored by certain players, but they soon grew tired of it,” Blackburne said in a note to this move g6 Fritz suggests 6...Ke6!, e.g., 7.f4 Qf6, with Black way ahead 7.Qxe5! d6?? Fritz condemns this as turning over the advantage to White and suggests 7...Qe7 8.Qxh8 Qxe4+ 9.Kd1 Qxg2 10.Qxh7+ Kf8, with Black way ahead 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0–0 Best was 9.d4 Nf6 10.Nd2 Bxd4, with a clear edge Nf6 10.c3?? What a pity, victory was in sight!, says Fritz: 10.Qd8 Bb6 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qd3! Ng4! 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5! 13.Qxa8 Qxh3+!! Giving White no time to rest or regroup his pieces for the defense 14.gxh3 Bxe4#!

A pretty picture! 0–1

• J. H. Blackburne - NN
Kidderminster, Worcestershire 1863
Danish Gambit (C21)

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qe3 Nf6 leads to equality dxc3 4.Bc4 If 4.Nxc3 Bc5, with equal chances d6 If 4...cxb2 5.Bxb2 Qe7 6.Nd2! 5.Nxc3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Ne5?? The equalizing 6...Nf6 was much better 7.Nxe5+- dxe5 8.Bxf7+! Ke7 Not 8...Kxf7+ because of 9.Qxd8! 9.Bg5+ 9.Qb3 Nf6 10.Be3 was stronger Nf6 10.Qh5 10.Qb3 c6 11.Be3 Qc7 was more precise c6 Best but inadequate was 10...Bg4 11.Qxg4 Kxf7 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Rd1 Qa5 12.f4 Qc5 13.fxe5 Qxe5 14.0–0 h6 15.Be8 Be6 6.Rxf6! Removing a guard gxf6 If 16...Qxf6 17.e5! 17.Rd7+! Decisive Bxd7 18.Qf7+ Kd6 19.Qxd7+ Kc5 20.Be3+! Kb4 21.Qxb7+ Ka5

“I announced mate in three,” says Blackburne 22.b4+! Bxb4 23.Bb6+!! axb6 24.Qxa8#! The nicest combinations are those leading to mate, Fritz quips 1–0

• Harper – J.H. Blackburne
London 1868
Two Knights Game, Max Lange Attack (C55)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.0–0 5.e5 Ng4 6.0–0 d6 should keep the balance d6 6.Ng5 Ne5 7.Qxd4 h6 8.Nf3 Nxf3+ 9.gxf3 Bh3 10.Re1 Nd7 11.f4 Qh4 12.Qe3 g5 13.Qg3 Rg8 14.Bf1?? 14.Nc3 was the balancing move gxf4 Black is now way ahead 15.Qxg8 Nf6 16.Qh8?? “The white queen is completely out of the game,” says Blackburne Qg4+ Missing a mating line, 16...f3! 17.Bb5+ Ke7 18.Qg7 Bxg7 19.Bf4 Qxf4 20.Bf1 Ng4 21.Bxh3 Qxh2+ 22.Kf1 Qxf2#! 17.Kh1 f3 18.Bxh3 Qxh3 19.Rg1 Ng4 20.Rxg4 20.Qxf8+ won’t workl, e.g., 20...Kxf8 21.Bxh6+ Ke8 22.Rxg4 Qxg4 23.Nd2 Qg2#! Qxg4 A queen’s mate on g2 can be delayed but not stopped: 21.Qg8 Qxg8 22.Bg5 Qxg5 23.Nd2 Qg2#! 0–1

• J.H. Blackburne – T.H. Worrall
Manchester 1880
French Defense (C10)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 c6 4.Bd3 dxe4 5.Bxe4 Nf6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Bxf6 Bxf6 8.Nf3 Nd7 9.0–0 0–0 10.Qe2 Nb6 11.Rad1 Nd5 12.Ne5 Bxe5 13.dxe5 f6 14.exf6 Qxf6 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Rd3 Be6 17.Re1 Rae8 18.Rf3 Qg6 19.Rxf8+ Kxf8 20.Qd2 Bd7 21.Rxe8+ Bxe8 22.Ne2 Qf6 23.c3 Qg6 24.h3 Qe4 25.f3 Qc4? 26.Nd4 Qxa2?? Qf4+ Kg8 28.Ne6 Qb1+ 29.Kh2 It’s mate next move and the only way to delay it is via 29…Bf7 30.Qb8+! Be8 31 Qxe8#! 1–0

CHESS MAGIC (2)

Triumvirate of Wizards


AS far as The Weekender is concerned, there are three players from the current crop of superstars still active on the international circuit that can be called the “Wizards of Chess” owing to their highly creative and artistic, albeit too risky, style of play.

They are former Fide world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine, and Alexei Shirov of Spain.

From the Weekender’s point of view, they can be compared to the likes of the legendary wizards Henry Joseph Blackburne of England, Frank Marshall of the United States and Mikhail Tal of the defunct Soviet Union.

Topalov, Ivanchuk and Shirov proved this in their latest efforts—Topalov in Ciudad de Leon, Spain, where he lost to the “speedy, safe and sure” Anand but not without first carving a magical gem, and Ivanchuk and Shirov in the Pivdinny Bank Cup in Ukraine (see also page 6).

In journalist Ignacio Dee’s view, the third game, Gelfand-Shirov, “belongs to the ages.”

• V. Topalov (2772) – R. Kasimdzhanov (2677)
Rd.1, Ciudad de Leon, Spain July 7,.2007
Closed Catalan (E06)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.Qc2 Nc6 7.0–0 Nb4 8.Qb3 a5 9.a3 Nc6 10.Bf4 a4 11.Qc2 dxc4 12.Qxc4 Nd5 13.Nc3 Nb6 14.Qd3 Bd7 15.Rad1 Na5 16.h4 Nac4 17.Ng5 Bxg5 18.Bxg5 Qe8 19.Bc1 Bc6 20.e4 Rd8 21.Rfe1 f6 22.g4 Qf7 23.Qg3 Kh8 24.Rd3 f5 25.Rf3 Rxd4 26.gxf5 e5 27.Bg5 Nd7 28.Bc1 Nf6 29.Rd3 Rfd8 30.Red1 Qe7 31.Nd5 Rxd3 32.Rxd3 Bxd5 33.exd5 Nd6 34.Bh3 Nde4 35.Qe3 Nc5 36.Rd1 Nb3 37.Bg2 c6! 38.Qa7 Not 38.dxc6 because of 38...Rxd1 Nxc1 39.d6 Ne2+ 40.Kf1 Qf7 Best was 40...Nf4, e.g., 41.Bxc6 Qf7! 41.Kxe2 Qc4+ 42.Ke1 Qb5?? 43.Rd2 e4 44.Bf1 Qe5 45.Be2 h6?? 46.Qxb7! e3 47.fxe3 Qxe3 48.Qe7 Qg1+ 49.Bf1 Rd7 50.Qe6 Kh7 51.Rd3 Qh2 52.Be2 Qxh4+ 53.Kd1 Qf4 54.Kc2² c5 55.Rd1 Qf2 56.Rd2 Missing his best short, 56.Kb1! Qf4! Restoring the equilibrium 57.Bb5 Rd8 58.d7 With a clear edge h5? Better was 58...c4, reducing White’s lead 59.Qe7 Now White is again surging ahead Qb8 60.Rg2 Ng4 61.f6! Rg8 Not 61...Ngxf6 because of 62.Qexg! 62.f7 62.Rxg4! hxg4 63.Bc4! would have clinched the point Rf8 63.Rxg4! Qxb5 64.Qe4+ Missing a mating line via 64.d8=Q! Qb3+ 65.Kb1 Qxf7 66.Rg1 Rxd8 67.Qxf7 Rd1+ 68.Rxd1 Kh6 69.Rd5 g6 70.Qf8+ Kh7 71.Rd7#! Kh8 65.Rg5 Qb3+ 66.Kc1 Qxf7 67.Rf5!!

Fritz calls this “the crowning sacrifice.”

67...Qxf5 68.Qxf5 Rxf5 69.d8=Q+ Kh7 70.Qe8! 1–0

• V. Korchnoi (2623) – V. Ivanchuk (2729)
Rd. 6, Pivdenny Bank Cup, Odessa 2007
Queen’s Gambit Accepted (D27)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e3 a6 6.a4 c5 7.Bxc4 Nc6 8.0–0 Be7 9.dxc5 0–0 10.Qc2 Bxc5 11.Rd1 Bd7 12.Ne4 Nb4 13.Nxf6+ Qxf6 14.Qe2 Bc6 15.e4 Rfd8 16.Rxd8+ Qxd8 17.Bd2 Nc2 18.Bg5 Nd4 19.Nxd4 Qxd4 20.Bd3 Qb4 21.Qc2 Bd4 22.Ra2? Overlooking the lethal queen-check in the back rank! 0–1

• B. Gelfand (2733) – A. Shirov (2699)
Rd. 7, Pivdenny Bank Cup, Odessa 2007

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1 0–0 9.Be2 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 11.Qd2 Qc7 12.Bb2 may be better Qxa2 Equalizing 12.0–0 Bg4 13.Be3 Nc6 14.d5 Na5 15.Bg5 b6 16.Bxe7 Rfe8 17.d6! Nc6 18.Bb5 Nxe7 19.h3 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 Qe6 21.Bxe8 Rxe8 22.dxe7 Rxe7 23.Rfe1 Bd4 24.Rbd1 Qe5 25.Rd3 a5 26.Qd1 Bc5 27.Re2 Re6 28.g3 Rd6 29.Kg2 Rxd3 30.Qxd3 a4 31.Rd2 a3 32.Qc4 Kg7 33.Rd7 Qf6 34.f4 34...Qb2+ 35.Kf3 Qf2+ 36.Kg4 h5+ 37.Kh4 g5+ 38.fxg5 Kg6 39.Qc3?? Giving Black new chances. Best was 39.Rd3! f6 40.Rd5 a2 41.Rf5?? 41.Rxc5! would have led to better counterplay, e.g., 41…bxc5 42.Qe5 fxg5+ 43.Qxg5+ Kf7 44.Qxh5+ Ke7 45.Qe5+ Kd7 46.Qd5+ Kc7 47.Qe5+ Kb6 48.Qc3! Qf4+!!

Shirov’s immortal stroke, a sacrifice of the queen to clear the way for his bishop.

42.gxf4 If 42.Rxf4+ fxg5! Bf2+! 43.Qg3 Bxg3+ 44.Kxg3 a1=Q! The point 45.Rxf6+ Kg7 46.e5? 46.f5 was better but it won’t change the course of events, e.g., 46…b5 47.Rg6+ Kf8 48.Kh4 Qe1+ 49.Kxh5 Qe2+ 50.Kh6 Qxe4 51.Rf6+ Kg8 52.Rg6+ Kh8 and Black would still be winning b5 47.Kh4 b4 48.Kxh5 Qd1+ 49.Kh4 b3 50.e6 b2 51.Rf7+ Kg8 52.Rb7 b1=Q 53.Rxb1 Qxb1 54.Kg4 Qe4! White toppled his king in the face of certain defeat: 55.Kg3 Qe3+ 56.Kg4 Qxe6+ 57.Kg3 Kh7! 0–1

GAMES OF GIFTED KIDS

Hou Yifan, 13, China’s wonder girl


CHINESE national women’s champion Hou Yifan is only 13 years old, but her string of successes in her career will likely surpass those of most female players two, three or even four times her age.

If her progress continues on a steady and even keel, barring any unforeseen tempests along the way, she will likely catch up with or even surpass her idol, Hungarian wonder woman Judit Polgar, regarded as the strongest female player ever.

Yifan first got into the global limelight in 2003 when she won the world under-10 girls’ championship in Halkidiki, on the Grecian island of Crete, according to her bio-sketch in chessgames.com.

In 2004, she competed with the boys in the same age group and won the bronze, also in Halkidiki.

In 2005, she finished fifth in the Arrows Cup in Jinan, China with a performance rating of just below 2400.

That same year, Yifan qualified for the women’s World Championship and became the youngest ever—at the age of 12—to vie for the highest crown a girl could aspire to in this game of kings and queens.

She reached the third round in the Fide knockout series where she lost to IM Nino Kurtsidze of Georgia after knocking out IM Nadezhda Kosintseva of Russia in the first round and WGM Natalia Zhukova of Ukraine (see game below) in the next to post a decent performance rating of 2504.

Last year was another busy year for 12-year-old Yifan who, like Filipino IM Wesley So, played in the 37th Olympiad in Turin and won the silver medal on board four for scoring11 points from 13 games with a performance rating of 2506.

Soon after that, she landed the fourth place in China’s National Championship for women, but, like everybody else, she also had her dismal hour later when she fared poorly—only 3.0 points from nine games—in the North Urals Cup, won by Ukrainian wonder girl, Katerina “Katya” Lahno.

She recovered quickly, however, and made up for it by finishing second to her compatriot, Yang Shen, in the women’s World Junior Championship.

This year, she started auspiciously by taking the fifth prize in Group C of the annual, three-tier Corus Tournament at Wijk aan Zee in the Netherlands for which she received the WGM title. How Yifan performs against male rivals can be seen in the second featured game.

Finally, last month, Hou Yifan won the women’s national crown in the historic city of Chonqing.

• Hou Yifan (2269) - Natalia Zhukova (2432) [C24]
FIDE Women's World Ch, Ekaterinburg 2006
Bishop’s Opening (C24)

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 Bc5 4.Nc3 c6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 d6 7.Nge2 Nbd7 8.0–0 8.a3 gives Black a chance to equalize, e.g., 8…b5 9.Ba2 0–0 Nf8 Better was 8...g5 9.Bg3 h5! 9.d4 exd4 10.Nxd4 Ng6 11.Bg3 0–0 12.Kh1 Bb6 13.f3 Bc7 Missing 13...Nh5 14.Bf2, with equal chances 14.Bb3 a6 15.Qd2 Nh5 16.Bf2 Bb8 17.Rad1 Qc7 18.Bg1 Nf6 19.Nf5 d5 20.Ng3 dxe4 21.fxe4 Ng4 21...Kh7 22.Bc5 Re8 23.Qf2 keeps the balance 22.Nce2 22.Rxf7 Rxf7 leads to drawing lines b5? 22...Ba7 and Black hangs on, says Fritz 23.Bc5 Ne7 24.Bxf7+!

Sharp and deadly.
24...Kh7 Not 24...Rxf7+ because of 25.Qd8+! 25.h3 Nf6 26.Bb3 Re8 27.Qd3 Kh8?? 27...Ng6 was better 28.Nf4! Nfg8 29.Bxg8 Kxg8 30.Qb3+ Kh7 31.Qf7 Bd7 32.Bxe7. 1–0

• John Van der Wiel (2511) – Hou Yifan (2509)
Rd. 3, Corus Group C, Wijk aan Zee 2007
Sicilian Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qc7 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.f5 Nc6 10.fxe6 fxe6 11.Be2 Nxd4 12.Qxd4 Qf7 13.Na4 Bd7 14.Nb6 Rd8 15.0–0 Be7 16.Nxd7 Rxd7 17.Qc4 Rg8 18.Rf4 Rg5 19.Bg4 Re5 20.Qc8+ Bd8 21.Raf1 Rc7 22.Qb8 Kd7 23.c4 Be7 24.Kh1 Qe8 25.Qa7 Qc8 26.Be2 b5 27.Qd4 bxc4 28.Rh4 f5 29.exf5?? 29.Rd1 should be tried, Rxe2! The best 30.f6 Qg8 31.Rg4 Bxf6!

The final nail.
32.Qf4 Qd8 33.Qf3 Re5 34.Rf4 Be7 35.Rf7 Rcc5 36.Qb7+ Qc7 37.Qa8 Rf5! 0–1

BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (1)

Basic Checkmates


DO you remember your first steps in learning chess? My experience is that most of us start from watching other people play, become fascinated with the silent war going on, try a game with another beginner, perhaps your brother or classmate, win your first game, and then are forever hooked on the sport.

Then you play other beginners and maybe after you start losing you would either look for someone to teach you, or buy a chess book and learn something about the strategies and tactics of the game.

It is from the beginner’s books that you learn about Fool’s Mate and Scholar’s Mate. As everyone knows Fool’s Mate is 1.f3 e5 2.g4 Qh4# and Scholar’s Mate is 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qh5 Nf6 4.Qxf7#

Oh joy! Having learned these two cheap tricks you then proceed to mate your beginner-friends. Of course soon they will catch on to your tricks and you have to go back to your books and look for more. And when they catch up to that or buy their own books to research your “cheap tricks” become a bit deeper – you start studying whole opening systems! And that, is when you become an “openings’ expert”. Then you play in a school league game and find out that your knowledge of the openings is very superficial – your opponents know everything in your arsenal and more. It is then that you start with the Openings Encycopedias, Chess Informants, databases, etc etc.

Marish Production (Ramon Quesada) wrote a short biography on Eugene Torre back in the 70s called “Beyond the 13th Move”. The title refers to his game vs GM Robert Byrne of the USA during the 1974 Nice Olympiad – Eugene needed only a draw to qualify as an International Grandmaster and this precious half-point was granted on the 13th move.

In the second half of the book Eugene annotated his 15 Memorable Games”. You know what game he chose for no. 1? I quote it here with his original notes (in italics—Ed.).

Torre,Eugene - Torre,Jorge [C50]
skittles game, 1964
[GM Eugene Torre]

Here is an exciting game I remember playing against my brother Jorge wherein I tried to employ the first trap. Before the game, Jorge offered me the usual extra knight which I proudly refused this time. I was intent on beating him fairly and squarely.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

My big brother tries to avoid a possible jump of my knight to g5. Theoretically this is unnecessary and a waste of tempo in this early part of the game. Jorge was not fond of reading chess books.

4.Nc3 d6 5.d4

Tension grips me. Will Jorge sense I am up to something?

5...Bg4

Jorge, it seems, is oblivious of my deadly plan!

6.dxe5

As I take the pawn, I can feel the warm flow of blood inside me. You can imagine the excitement of a little boy about to beat his big brother.

6...Nxe5

Jorge finally does it!!! It's hard to believe, but he falls right smack into the trap. He could still have avoided the trap by 6...dxe5 or even 6...Bxf3 followed by 7...Nxe5.

7.Nxe5! Bxd1?!

I put a question mark and then an exclamation point after Black's last move because this leads to an immediately mate for him while granting White an artistic victory.

8.Bxf7+ Ke7 9.Nd5# 1–0

I daresay that the seeds of an International Grandmaster were planted in this humble game.

Are “cheap traps” only useful for these beginner’s games? Definitely not. Cheap traps introduce the novice to simple tactics from which pattern recognition would be born. Here is a recent brilliant game which refuted a White opening line. If you look at it carefully you might detect that it bears a remarkable similarity to GM Eugene’s tactic.

Ahn,Martin (2302) - Ruck,Tamas (2334) [C45]
TCh-BEL 2006-7 Belgium BEL (9), 25.02.2007
Scotch Game

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4

This, of course, is the Scotch Game. Black has a major decision to make here. He can either opt for the complications of 4...Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4, or the simpler 4...Bc5 5.Nxc6 Qf6 6.Qd2. Kasparov and Adams prefer the first, Short and Beliavsky like the second.

4...Bc5 5.Nb3

When Kasparov started playing 5.Nxc6…, but we shouldn't forget that previous to that it was 5.Nb3 which was considered to give Black more problems.

5...Bb6 6.Nc3

Usually White precedes this move with 6.a4 a6 and only then plays 7.Nc3 however, in a recent game there continued 7...Qf6 8.Qe2 Nge7 9.h4 (9.Nd5 Nxd5 10.exd5+ Ne7 11.h4 d6 12.Bg5 Qe5 was very comfortable for Black in Hanset-Van Weersel, Belgium 2005) 9...h6 10.g4 Nd4 11.Nxd4 Bxd4 12.Bd2 d6 13.f4 g6 14.Bg2 Bd7 15.g5 hxg5 16.hxg5 Rxh1+ 17.Bxh1 Qe6 18.Qd3 and White was regretting putting his pawn on a4. Ansell,S (2379)-Ganguly,S (2536)/ Edinburgh 2003 0–1 (37)

6...Nf6!?

Black has 6...d6 and 6...Qf6. The text is supposed to be weak because it exposes the knight to the dangerous pin Bg5. Let's look at what happens.

7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 d6 9.a4

After this game nobody will play this move anymore. Perhaps Radulov's move 9.Qe2 is best, because the other moves are bad:

1. 9.Nd5? Nxe4 10.Bxd8 Bxf2+ 11.Ke2 Bg4+ 12.Kd3 Ne5+ 13.Kxe4 f5+ 14.Kf4 Ng6#;
2. 9.f3 Be6 10.Qd2? Nxe4! 11.Qf4 Ng5 12.0–0–0 Ne5 13.Bd3 Bxb3 14.axb3 Ne6 15.Qa4+ Qd7 16.Bb5 c6 17.Be2 Be3+ 18.Kb1 Nc5 Black is a pawn up with a fine position. Alapin,S-Janowski,D/ Vienna 1898 0–1 (51).

Now look at this position and compare it with the Torre game above. What do you think is Black's next move?

9...Nxe4!! 10.Bxd8 Bxf2+ 11.Ke2 Bg4+ 12.Kd3 Ne5+!

Taking back the queen 12...Bxd1 is not good enough. After 13.Nxe4 Nb4+ 14.Kc3 Be1+ 15.Nbd2 Bxd2+ 16.Nxd2 Nd5+ 17.Kd4 Bxc2 18.Bc4 Rxd8 19.Bxd5 White has a knight for three pawns. Black will need to play well to draw this one.

13.Kxe4 f5+ 14.Kd5 Rxd8 15.Qxg4

Forced, otherwise he is mated.

15...c6+ 16.Ke6 0–0!

This is the attraction of the game - Black doesn't want the queen!
17.Nd5 fxg4 18.Bd3 g6 19.Rhf1 Kg7 20.Nd4 Rfe8+ 21.Ne7 Bh4 22.Bxg6 Rxe7+ 23.Kf5 Rf8+ 24.Ke4 Nxg6+
[24...d5+ 25.Ke3 Nc4+ 26.Kd3 Re3#]
25.Kd3 Ne5+ 26.Kc3 Bf2 0–1

Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.

This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Monday, July 9, 2007.

BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (2)

Ivanchuk surges back


The World’s Top 10 Players

As of July 2007

1 GM Viswanathan Anand IND 2792
2 GM Veselin Topalov BUL 2769
3 GM Vladimir Kramnik RUS 2769
4 GM Vassily Ivanchuk UKR 2762
5 GM Alexander Morozevich RUS 2758
6 GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov AZE 2757
7 GM Peter Leko HUN 2751
8 GM Levon Aronian ARM 2750
9 GM Teimour Radjabov AZE 2746
10 GM Dmitry Jakovenko RUS 2735

Significant Rise:

1) Vassily Ivanchuk (38 yrs old) rejoins the top 10 list
2) Dmitry Jakovenko (24 yrs old), already acknowledged as one of the world’s foremost endgame experts, has made it to the top 10 for the first time.

Significant Fall:

1) David Navara (2656) lost 64 points to drop from 14th to 54th in the world. David is a very intriguing character – how can one apparently so fragile play such powerful chess? He is extremely modest, polite, apologizing all the time, speaks in a monotone and has a habit of looking at the floor while he talks. Always immaculately dressed, during play he never bends over the board and in fact prefers to sit as far as possible from it so as not to disturb his opponent.

2) Former top-10 players Alexey Dreev and Viktor Korchnoi both dropped out of the top 100 list. In the case of Viktor the Terrible he has been in and out, but for Dreev this is the first time he has fallen out since god-knows-when. Korchnoi is already 76 but Dreev continues to be an active player at 38 and will surely barge back soon.

The most impressive rise was that of Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk who gained 33 points in the past three months and climbed back into 4th position. You will recall that back in 1990 “Chuckie” was already no. 4 in the world (he actually reached no. 3 in 1992) and now, 17 years later, he is back at fourth. This is a testament to his high class. Many GMs had commented over the years that when it comes to chess understanding Ivanchuk was in no way inferior to Kramnik or Anand – it is only a recurring problem with nerves that keeps him away from the highest title in the world.

I recently saw in a blog the lines written by a chess fan: “Ivanchuk is like a god of chess. I love how he plays the game. You never now just how Chucky is going to beat you: mating attack, endgame grind, strange material balance, etc. In contrast to Chucky's versatility, every Kramnik win looks the same.”

Ivanchuk is in the middle of a great run. He scored 6/9 in the Russian Team Championships, in the process defeating Alexander Morozevich, then proceeded to Havana where he dominated in the Capablanca Memorial (7.5/9, 2 pts ahead of second placer Lenier Dominguez), and then 3.5/4 in the German Bundesliga. His rating does not yet include the Aerosvit Tournament in Foros, Crimea:

Aerosvit Foros 17th-30th June 2007

1 GM Vassily Ivanchuk UKR 2729, 7.5/11
2 GM Sergey Karjakin UKR 2686, 7.0/11
3-6 GM Alexander Onischuk USA 2663, GM Peter Svidler RUS 2736, GM Loek Van Wely NED 2674, GM Alexei Shirov ESP 2699, 6.0/11
7 GM Lenier Dominguez CUB 2678, 5.5/11
8 GM Sergei Rublevsky RUS 2680, 5.0/11
9-10 GM Dmitry Jakovenko RUS 2708, GM Pavel Eljanov UKR 2686, 4.5/11
11-12 GM Krishnan Sasikiran IND 2690, GM Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu ROM 2693, 4.0/11

Average Elo: 2693 <=> Category: 18

He stands to gain more than 10 pts from this win, and that should catapult him past Topalov and Kramnik for the no. 2 position in the world.

This July Ivanchuk did not slow down and came from behind to win the 2007 Pivdinny Bank Cup, a three-day round-robin rapid event in Odessa, Ukraine. Grischuk started out with 3/3 on the first day, including a win over Ivanchuk. But Chucky came back with his own 3/3 on the second day to tie for the lead. On the last day Ivanchuk scored wins over Smirin and Tukmakov to take first place alone on 7/9.
Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup (Rapid)
Odessa, Ukraine
4th-6th July 2007
1 GM Vassily Ivanchuk UKR 2729, 7.0/9
2 GM Alexander Grischuk RUS 2717, 6.5/9
3-4 GM Teimour Radjabov AZE 2747, GM Alexei Shirov ESP 2699, 5.5/9
5 GM Boris Gelfand ISR 2733, 5.0/9
6 GM Yuri Drozdovskij UKR 2558, 4.0/9
7 GM Etienne Bacrot FRA 2709, 3.5/9
8 GM Viktor Korchnoi SUI 2625, 3.0/9
9-10 GM Ilia Smirin ISR 2650, GM Vladimir Tukmakov UKR 2551, 2.5/9

It is a pity that Ivanchuk is not participating in the world championship later this year in Mexico. His chess mastery will be missed.

Shirov,Alexei (2699) - Ivanchuk,Vassily (2729) [C91]
Aerosvit Foros UKR (10), 28.06.2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.d4 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.Re1 Bg4 10.Be3 exd4 11.cxd4 d5 12.e5 Ne4 13.Nc3 Nxc3 14.bxc3 Qd7

A multi-purpose move, first to keep a watch on the white squares in the diagonal c8-h3, and also to make way for his knight on e8.

15.h3 Bh5 16.g4 Bg6 17.Nd2
Intending f2-f4-f5.
17...a5!?

A new move, Ivanchuk intends to exchange white-squared bishops. Black has countered the f-pawn advance threat by 17...f5 18.Qf3 Rad8 (18...fxg4?? 19.Qxd5+ wins a piece) 19.Qg3 Na5 20.Bf4 Qe6 21.g5 c5 with counterplay. Arencibia,W (2485)-Servat,R (2450)/ Matanzas 1995 1/2 (37).

18.f4 a4 19.Bc2 Bxc2 20.Qxc2 f5 21.exf6

White cannot make progress without this move, as otherwise his bishop on e3 will just become one big pawn.
21...Bxf6 22.Nf3 Rae8 23.Bf2 h5!? 24.Qg6
Not 24.g5? Qxh3.
24...Re4 25.Rxe4 dxe4 26.Nh2?

After 26.Nh2

White should have played 26.Ng5. The text allows a brilliant combination.
26...Nxd4!! 27.cxd4
[27.Rd1?? Ne2+]
27...Bxd4 28.Rb1

What else?
1 28.Re1 Bxf2+ 29.Kxf2 Qd2+ 30.Re2 Rxf4+ 31.Kg3 h4+ 32.Kxh4 Qxe2;
2 Or 28.Rf1 e3
28...e3! 29.Bg3 h4! 30.Bxh4 Rxf4 31.Qd3 Qd5!
With the threat of ...e3-e2+.
32.Nf1 Rf2 33.Nxe3
[33.Bxf2 exf2+ 34.Kh2 Be5+ wins the queen]
33...Rg2+ 34.Kh1
[34.Kf1 Qf3+ 35.Ke1 Bc3+! 36.Qxc3 Qe2#]
34...Qf3! 0–1

Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.

This column was first published in Businessworld on Friday, July 13, 2007.

Despite playing White always, Ehlvest loses to champion Rybka

ONCE again, a super grandmaster has lost miserably to a super software program, confirming that no man can match wits with a strong chess-playing machine.

Former interzonal champion Jaan Ehlvest (2629) failed to win a single game against the current world computer chess champion Rybka, a software programmed by American cyber expert IM Casik Rajlich.

Rybka won, 4.5-1.5, despite playing Black in all six games. The machine won three and drew three, going through the match unbeaten.

The machine demonstrated its mastery of human-designed opening systems, winning with the Nimzo-Indian Defense in the first round, the Reti Opening in the third round and the Center Counter (Scandinavian Defense) in the fourth.

It held Ehlvest to draws in the second round against a Queen’s Pawn Opening, in the fourth with a Gruenfeld Defense and in the sixth with the Scandinavian

Kramnik DVD tells of career highlights

WORLD champion Vladimir Kramnik has recorded a DVD that will reveal rare glimpses of his life and career.

Chessbase News said he made the recording in Hamburg earlier this week, before rushing off to Cologne to give moral support to his friend, heavyweight champion Vladimir Klitchsko, who was defending his IBF title.

Dr. Klitchsko and his brother Vitali, a former heavyweight boxing champion, are close friends of Kramnik’s.

The Klitchsko brothers also give their support to Kramnik with their presence during important matches.

In the DVD, Kramnik tells the story of how he reached the top and gives glimpses of how he prepares for major tournaments and matches.

FROM MY SWIVEL CHAIR

Ian Rogers, Aussie model player



GRANDMASTER Ian Rogers, 47, has retired from active chess competition, according to the latest Australian Chess Federation’s newsletter that I received early yesterday morning. Australia’s No. 1 player for the past 25 years, Rogers is said to have retired for reasons of health on advice of his doctor.

—0—

GM Rogers and his wife, Cathy Rogers, also a chess celebrity Down Under, are familiar figures to Filipinos as they have visited Manila a number of times in the past. Rogers first came in 1976 and has taken part in Philippine events, including the 1992 Manila Olympiad.

—o—

HE has also been one of the closest rivals of GM Joey Antonio and other Filipino players in the Bangkok Open, as well as in the Dato Arthur Tan Open In Kuala Lumpur, a great number of times. In fact, Ian also competed in the Cebu Grandmasters Tournament of 1992 where he won a major prize (was it the top one?).

—0—

I FIRST saw Rogers, along with another future Aussie grandmaster, Darryl Johansen, in the Asian Cities Championship that Hong Kong hosted annually in the late seventies and early eighties. The two steered Sydney to a number of victories in that series, if my memory serves me correctly.

—0—

THE last time I saw GM Ian Rogers was in the Commonwealth Championship of 1984 where I represented Hong Kong but lost almost all my games because I had to leave the tournament hall for work two hours earlier than the rest. You see, I foolishly entered the event without getting a proper leave of absence from the SCM Post!

—0—

ALTHOUGH he won’t be competing anymore in tournaments either in Australia or overseas, GM Rogers will
continue serving as coach and chess writer. He is a regular
contributor to Chess Life of the US Chess Federation and other popular international chess publications.

—0—

THE ACF newsletter paid tribute to GM Roger: “Australian chess players will miss Ian on the tournament scene. Fortunately, he will still be able to write and coach, two activities that helped create his reputation as arguably the most influential chess player Australia has produced…” He coaches the ACF Junior Squad.

—0—

IT would do well for our top players to make the same contribution that Rogers is doing for gifted youngsters in his homeland. Passing the torch to younger talents by coaching and training them is the best legacy a player worth his salt can leave behind. Don’t you think so, too?

—0—

GOOD to know that the Selection Tournament for the National Training Pool will not be taxing the players with registration fees and that, in turn, there will be no cash prizes. This is as it should be. After all, qualifying as a national trainer is enough reward.

Chess quote

“Some part of a mistake is always correct.”—Savielly Tartakower
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