Greetings of Peace, of Warmth and Health to all of you! Today marks our first post for the year 2008 and we have lots of articles in store for you courtesy of Mr. Manny Benitez' The Weekender, NM Marlon Bernardino's and of course Mr. Bobby Ang's.
Read on:
Courtesy of Mr. John Manahan...
FIDE Rankings, Top Juniors:
Rank Name Title Country Rating Games B-Year
1 Carlsen, Magnus g NOR 2733 37 1990
2 Karjakin, Sergey g UKR 2732 36 1990
3 Wang, Hao g CHN 2665 62 1989
4 Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime g FRA 2637 8 1990
5 Rodshtein, Maxim g ISR 2614 23 1989
6 Kuzubov, Yuriy g UKR 2606 27 1990
7 Nepomniachtchi, Ian g RUS 2600 11 1990
8 Caruana, Fabiano g ITA 2598 26 1992
9 Popov, Ivan g RUS 2595 39 1990
10 Laznicka, Viktor g CZE 2595 30 1988
11 Mamedov, Rauf g AZE 2583 23 1988
12 Baramidze, David g GER 2582 27 1988
13 Andreikin, Dmitry g RUS 2573 22 1990
14 Lenic, Luka m SLO 2568 32 1988
15 Li, Chao b CHN 2566 33 1989
16 Vovk, Yuri m UKR 2561 45 1988
17 Zhigalko, Sergei g BLR 2558 18 1989
18 Brkic, Ante g CRO 2558 15 1988
19 Gareev, Timur g UZB 2557 0 1988
20 Nguyen, Ngoc Truong Son g VIE 2551 12 1990
21 Zhou, Jianchao g CHN 2551 0 1988
22 Amin, Bassem g EGY 2547 0 1988
23 Bluvshtein, Mark g CAN 2544 0 1988
24 Khairullin, Ildar g RUS 2544 0 1990
25 Romanov, Evgeny m RUS 2543 0 1988
26 Le, Quang Liem g VIE 2540 0 1991
27 Braun, Arik m GER 2536 0 1988
28 Moranda, Wojciech m POL 2533 0 1988
29 Andriasian, Zaven g ARM 2532 0 1989
30 Czarnota, Pawel g POL 2530 0 1988
31 Ragger, Markus m AUT 2530 0 1988
32 Fier, Alexandr g BRA 2528 0 1988
33 Gopal, G.N. m IND 2528 0 1989
34 Howell, David W L g ENG 2528 0 1990
35 Hou, Yifan wg CHN 2527 0 1994 F
36 Negi, Parimarjan g IND 2526 0 1993
37 So, Wesley m PHI 2526 0 1993
38 Kovalyov, Anton m ARG 2525 0 1992
39 Rakhmanov, Aleksandr g RUS 2524 0 1989
40 Tukhaev, Adam g UKR 2524 0 1988
41 Feller, Sebastien g FRA 2522 0 1991
42 Kravtsiv, Martyn m UKR 2516 0 1990
43 Grigoryan, Avetik m ARM 2509 0 1989
44 Ramirez, Alejandro g CRC 2509 0 1988
45 Edouard, Romain m FRA 2507 0 1990
46 Gonda, Laszlo m HUN 2507 0 1988
47 Bachmann, Axel m PAR 2505 0 1989
48 Ajrapetjan, Yuriy m UKR 2504 0 1988
49 Kiselev, Vitaliy g RUS 2504 0 1988
50 Warakomski, Tomasz m POL 2502 0 1989
RP Rankings of FIDE:
Rank Name Title Fed Rating G B-Year
1 Antonio, Rogelio Jr g PHI 2529 8 1962
2 So, Wesley m PHI 2526 28 1993
3 Paragua, Mark g PHI 2521 9 1984
4 Torre, Eugenio g PHI 2519 9 1951
5 Laylo, Darwin m PHI 2508 2 1980
6 Barcenilla, Rogelio m PHI 2503 0
7 Sanchez, Joseph m PHI 2492 3 1970
8 Dimakiling, Oliver m PHI 2484 9 1980
9 Gomez, John Paul m PHI 2469 0
10 Salvador, Roland m PHI 2462 33 1982
11 Gonzales, Jayson m PHI 2455 8
12 Dableo, Ronald m PHI 2452 9 1979
13 Martinez, Rolly m PHI 2447 0
13 Mariano, Nelson g PHI 2447 0 1974
15 Ballecer, Dino PHI 2434 8
16 Villamayor, Buenaventura g PHI 2425 0
17 Sadorra, Julio Catalino m PHI 2423 8 1986
18 Nadera, Barlo A. m PHI 2417 9 1965
19 Mascarinas, Rico m PHI 2416 0 1953
20 Nolte, Rolando PHI 2412 9
21 Barbosa, Oliver PHI 2410 8 1986
22 Bitoon, Richard m PHI 2404 9 1975
22 Fernandez, Ernesto PHI 2404 9
22 Nouri, Hamed PHI 2404 9
25 Ranola, Yves m PHI 2390 0
26 De Guzman, Ricardo m PHI 2389 8 1961
27 Bancod, Ronald m PHI 2388 12
28 Garma, Chito m PHI 2383 7 1964
29 Roca, Petronio m PHI 2374 0
30 Cain, Celestino PHI 2371 0
31 Senador, Emmanuel PHI 2370 6
32 Chiong, Luis m PHI 2361 0 1957
33 Young, Angelo m PHI 2360 12
34 Lluch, Victor PHI 2352 9
35 Severino, Sander PHI 2350 7
36 Cabe, Arlan PHI 2347 0
37 Donguines, Fernie f PHI 2345 7
38 Ortiz, Eduardo PHI 2343 0
39 Bagamasbad, Efren PHI 2337 9
40 Del Mundo, Anton PHI 2334 0
41 Legaspi, Rhobel PHI 2334 0
42 Nava, Roderick f PHI 2333 9
43 Banawa, Jouaquin PHI 2331 0 1987
44 Balico, Jerome PHI 2322 0
45 Atutubo, Rodrigo PHI 2321 8
45 Yap, Kim Steven PHI 2321 8
47 Perona, Jun PHI 2320 0
47 Makinano, Anthony PHI 2320 0
49 Naranja, Renato m PHI 2317 0
50 Vuelban, Virgilio f PHI 2314 59 1972
51 Salcedo, Raymond PHI 2312 6
52 Sevillano, Voltaire PHI 2310 6
53 Tolentino, Rustum PHI 2304 6
54 Sales, Jesse Noel f PHI 2299 14 1967
55 Montoyo, Ted Ian PHI 2297 0
56 Pialan, Fernandito PHI 2293 9
57 Maga, Mirabeau PHI 2292 0 1952
57 Gloria, Eric PHI 2292 0
59 De Ramos, Julius PHI 2290 0
60 Mayor, Jenny PHI 2287 0
61 Lupien, Alexander PHI 2277 0 1959
62 Llavanes, Ronald PHI 2271 0
63 Pacis, Adrian f PHI 2269 0 1958
64 Estimo, Samuel PHI 2264 0
65 Maninang, Rafaelito m PHI 2261 0 1950
66 Paulo, James Florendo PHI 2257 11 1989
66 Mercado, Levi PHI 2257 0 1967
68 De Ramos, Joseph Julius PHI 2256 0
69 Milagrosa, Alexander PHI 2248 8
70 Castellano, Christopher PHI 2246 9
71 Villanueva, Hugo PHI 2242 0 1961
72 Villanueva, Nelson PHI 2239 0
72 Yutuc, Rolando PHI 2239 0
74 Perena, Catherine PHI 2234 4
75 Andador, A. PHI 2228 9
76 Tan, Jonathan PHI 2220 0
77 Garcia, Jan Emmanuel PHI 2213 0
78 Branzuela, Ali PHI 2209 8
79 Cua, Shercila PHI 2203 0
80 Andador, Rolando PHI 2199 0
81 Merben, Roque PHI 2197 0
82 Panopio, Jr Rodolfo PHI 2195 6 1970
83 Molina, Antonio f PHI 2189 0 1955
84 Cantonjos, Allan PHI 2184 0
84 Lomibao, Sheerie Joy wf PHI 2184 4 1979
86 Suelo, Roberto Jr. PHI 2183 8
87 Ochoa, Carl Victor PHI 2182 8
88 Pascua, Haridas PHI 2174 11 1993
89 Diez, Boris Michael PHI 2173 8
90 Legaspi, Edmundo PHI 2170 0 1951
91 Bernardino J., Al PHI 2169 0 1977
91 Magno, Enerose PHI 2169 0
93 Paez, Alfredo PHI 2155 0 1969
94 Manon-og, Ramon Jr. PHI 2144 6
95 Adoptante, Roderick PHI 2136 0 1971
96 Cunanan, Homer PHI 2133 0
97 Cua, Sherily PHI 2132 0 1987
98 Dimarucut, Francis Erik PHI 2111 1
99 Lincoln, Yap PHI 2107 0
100 Camacho, Chardine Cheradee PHI 2106 12 1994
101 Mendoza, Beverly wm PHI 2099 0 1981
102 De Gracia, Louie PHI 2096 0 1961
103 Ernesto, M. Yap PHI 2072 0
104 Fernandez, Dandel PHI 2066 0
105 Danny, Baltazar PHI 2059 0
106 Mariano, Cristine Rose wm PHI 2054 0
107 Pimentel, Joel PHI 2050 0
108 Jose, Rulp Ylem PHI 2044 0
109 Marcial, Augusto S. PHI 2030 0
110 Jacquias, Percival PHI 2013 0
111 Antonio, T. Molina PHI 2011
112 Salvador, Aices PHI 1998 2000
113 Marbella, Antonio PHI 1993 0
114 Leysa, Ferdinand PHI 1986 0 1965
115 Abdullah Y, Tato PHI 1983 0
116 Docena, Jedara PHI 1973 0
117 Glenda, Baylon PHI 1971 0
118 Daylo, Leo Jr. PHI 1969 0
119 Calacday, Eric PHI 1967 0 1979
120 Ausan, Leotito J PHI 1950 0
121 Calacday, Henry PHI 1940 0 1973
122 Cunanan, Kimberly Jane PHI 1939 0
123 Bernales, Christy Lamiel PHI 1933
124 Valerio, Axel John PHI 1806 0
EX-UP STANDOUT WINS RIZAL DAY EXECUTIVE CHESS
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO
FORMER UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES (UP) standout Christopher Castellano of Cainta, Rizal trounced Verth Alora of Anda, Pangasinan in the sixth and final round to rules the just concluded Second Rizal Day Executive Chess Championship at the Luneta Chess Plaza in Manila's Rizal Park on Sunday.
The undefeated Castellano, a Musician-Tenor prevailed with the black pieces after 50 moves of a Sicilian-Alapin to pocket the top purse of P7,000 in the one-day event sponsored by Tagaytay City government headed by Mayor Abraham N. Tolentino, who is also the NCFP's secretary general under the leadership of NCFP president Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr.
Castellano finish with 6.0 points after six games of play in the 30 player's field.
Gary Legaspi of Antipolo City and Richie Evangelista of Bolinao, Pangasinan notch identical 5.0 points apiece to finish in a tie for 2 nd to 3rd places. The duo receive P4,000 each.
Rounding up to the top 11 place were No.4 Butch Villavieja (P1,167), No.5 Richard Villaseran (P1,167), No.6 Alora (P1,167), No.7 Ric Portagalera (P1,167), No.8 Dr. Jenny Mayor (P1,167), No.9 Jun Rojano (P1,167), No.10 Dennis San Juan (P500) and No.11 Anatoly Guaniezo (P500). (MARLON BERNARDINO).
TORRE VERSUS ANTONIO REMATCH IN QUEZON CITY
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO
THE rematch between Grandmasters Eugene Torre and Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr. will take place in Quezon City in March.
The city government through fourth district councilor and majority floor leader Ariel Inton is helping the organizers in raising the pot money for the highly anticipated duel between the country's chess legends.
"We take pride that both Eugene and Joey are longtime residents of Quezon City," said Inton.
They're no ordinary residents. Both are recipient of the city's Most Outstanding Citizen award.
Inton believes the rematch will be followed not only by chess enthusiasts in the Philippines but throughout the world.
"They (Torre and Antonio) have international following," Inton noted. "This will jumpstart our program of lifting the city through sports tourism."
The sports tourism program is a brainchild of Inton himself that aims to promote Quezon City as the country's sports capital.
The Torre-Antonio II will be a 12-game series with the winner getting P800,000 and the loser going home with P400,000.
New San Jose Builders, Inc. president Jerry Acuzar, the sponsor of the first Torre-Antonio match 10 years ago, vowed to support the rematch.
"I called up Jerry (Acuzar) and he said he'll help," related Inton. "I will also recommend this event to Mayor SB (Sonny Belmonte)."
Last year, Inton and Quezon City hosted the one-on-one match between money game experts Dennis Orcollo and Yang Ching-shun.
Inton's sports tourism program has a busy schedule this year.
Quezon City will also host the exhibition match between World Pool Championship winner Daryl Peach of England and runner-up Roberto Gomez. Also lined up in program are women's basketball tournaments, QC inter-barangay chess events, among others.(MARLON BERNARDINO).
Extra!!! The Chess Plaza Weekender
Sunday, 30 December 2007
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
Special Edition
VISA, FLIGHT SNAFU
RP squad trip to India off
THE Filipino chess community was abuzz with rumors Sunday that the impending trip of the national squad to India for the Asian Team Championship had been called off. There was no official confirmation, but top officers were quoted by sources.
The team is supposed to fly to the Indian city of Visakhapatnam, venue of the regional tournament, on Wednesday, January 2, with the games to begin on Thursday, January 3.
The latest scuttlebutt indicated that the five-man Philippine team, supposed to field 14-year-old Grandmaster-elect Wesley So on top board, could not get visas because of the holiday season and that there were no available flights.
Moreover, New Delhi has clamped strict security measures on the entry of travelers into the country following the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto while she was on the campaign trail in neighboring Pakistan last week.
Rioting had earlier erupted in cities across Pakistan in an unprecedented wave of violence triggered by the Bhutto assassination.
World leaders have called for calm even as they expressed concern that the violence in Pakistan could spill over to India and other countries in southern and central Asia.
Journalist Ignacio Dee said insiders had confirmed that the team members signed their visa applications only last Friday and that no flights to India had yet been booked.
Dee also lamented the failure of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines to prepare the team for the event. As this is being written, nobody has yet been named to manage the team.
Defintely, members of the team—GM-elect So, GMs Mark Paragua, Joey Antonio and Eugene Torre and GM-candidate Julio Catalino Sadorra—have not yet received their tickets and travel papers, according to Dee’s sources.
But an unconfirmed report said one of the GMs has withdrawn in a huff and was replaced by an IM. Another GM refused to hand in his passport, the source added.
NCFP president Prospero Pichay Jr., a former Surigao del Sur congressman, had earlier intimated that he wanted GM-elect So to be on top board as part of preparations for the 38th World Olympiad to be held in November next year in Dresden, Germany.
Meanwhile, the NCFP was rumored to be on the verge of a schism, with a breakaway faction deciding to hold a separate election of officers.
The separatist faction will time its own election on January 19, sources have told Dee.
The NCFP board under its president, former Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr., is set to hold its election of officers in Tagaytay City on January 19.
Dee said he learned from an insider that the breakaway faction intends to hold theirs also on January 19 in Quezon City.
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY FUN FOR PLAYERS
So, Barbosa, Alora top blitz groups
GRANDMASTER-ELECT Wesley So, National Master Oliver Barbosa and non-master Verth Alora captured the top prizes in their respective groups at the Fianchetto Realty/Gold Edge Assets Christmas Invitational Tournament held at the Prince Gregory Condominium in Cubao, Quezon City last Friday.
GM-elect So won the premier prize of P4,000 by knocking out all his rivals, including co-finalist GM Joey Antonio and semifinalist International Master Chito Garma, in a clean sweep of the GM-IM blitz category.
GM Antonio received P2,000 as second prize while IMs Ronald Dableo and Garma shared P1,000 each as the third and fourth prizes.
IM Ronald Bancod, fifth, GM Darwin Laylo, sixth, and IM Jayson Gonzales, seventh, had P750 each for their efforts
Among the other masters, NM Oliver Barbosa ran off with the P3,000 first prize with NM Alex Milagrosa taking the second prize of P1,500.
NMs Emmanuel Senador and Erwin Carag shared P750 each for their landing the third and fourth prizes.
Twelve others, including WIM Cristine Mariano, got P500 each—NMs Rolando Nolte, Marlon Bernardino, Jerome Balico, Allan Sasot, Efren Bagamasbad, Ernesto Absin, Adrian Pacis, Mirabeau Maga, Ponce Badilles, Andrew Vasquez, and Rudy Ibañez.
Alora pocketed the top prize of P2,000 for the non-masters, followed by Jenny Mayor with P1,000 in second place. Ildefonso Datu in third, Rolly Yutuc in fourth and Marc Nazario in fifth got P500 each.
A total of 28 players took part in the event with prizes coming from chess celebrities.
‘GM Joey’ heads New Year Fide ratings list of RP players
By Marlon Bernardino
GRANDMASTER Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr., 45, remains the Philippines' highest rated player on the January 1, 2008 ratings list issued by the World Chess Federation (Fide), with 14-year-old GM-elect Wesley So three points behind him.
Antonio, who has been selected as the most outstanding Quezon City sportsman, has an Elo rating of 2529, while Wesley, now the youngest grandmaster in the world, has 2526.
On the October 1, 2007 quarterly list, Antonio had 2540 and So 2531.
According to reader John Manahan, the results of the Third Prospero Pichay Jr. Cup International Open held in Parañaque City earlier this month and the Singapore Masters Open were not included in the Fide calculations.—Ed)
Antonio is the head coach of the Philippine team that will defend its Asean Paraplegic Games title on January 16 in Thailand. The event is a sports festival for athletes with disabilities.
Under Antonio, the team snared eight of a total nine gold medals in the 2005 Manila edition of the event.
Antonio says he studies and practices chess five hours every day besides doing a physical workout in the gym that includes playing basketball.
"Pero sayang na napostpone 'yong Asian Team Chess Championship sa India dahil handang-handa na tayong lumaban para sa karangalan ng ating bansa (a pity that the Asian Team Chess Championship has been put off because I prepared for it to help win honors for the country),” he said.
According to him he is also preparing for his return match with GM Eugenio Torre during the summer season this year.
Their first match, which Joey won, took place 18 years ago.
Torre, Asia’s trailblazing grandmaster, is No.4 on the Fide ratings list with 2519, behind No. 3 Mark Paragua who has 2521.
The 56-year-old, many-time national and Asian champion said he would also prepare hard for their return bout.
"Paakyat ako ng Baguio City ngayon, maganda kasi maghanda duon, tahimik at every year ay duon talaga kami ng pamilya ko mag spend ng New Year's Eve (I’m going to Baguio where the climate is good for preparing for our rematch; my family and I traditionally spend New Year’s Eve there)," Torre said.
The Chess Plaza Weekender
Sunday, 30 December 2007 Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City Vol. II No. 29
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Reyes bags 1st prize in QMC youth joust
DARK HORSE Narquinden “Arden” Reyes, 14, outsteadied the favorites to capture the P2,000 plum in Thursday’s Christmas Season offering of the Quezon Memorial Circle Chess Club—a Rapid Championship for boys and girls aged 16 and younger.
The one-day six-round Swiss tournament, held at a time control of 30 minutes per game per player, attracted 45 youngsters, some of whom are the country’s leading prodigies in their respective age groups.
Narquinden is the younger brother of Narquingel “Archie” Reyes, the 15-year-old boy who romped off with the title in the Marikina Age Group Invitational held last Sunday at the city’s Sports Complex.
Arden captured the premier prize with 5.5 points from five wins and one draw.
Half a point behind him were two of the favorites—Jan Jodilyn Fronda, 14, and Marc Christian Nazario, 13, who tied for the second and third prizes totaling P1,800, which they divided.
Fronda was under-14 silver medalist in the National Youth Championshps held last March, finishing behind group champion Chardine Cheradee Camacho.
Nazario was a medalist in the Asean Age Group Championships in Thailand when he was 10.
In solo fourth place was another favorite—Jan Nigel Galan, a former national age-group champion who had a victorious tour in the United States.
Jerome Villanueva, Jan Emmanuel Garcia, Homel Cunanan, Marikina Age Group champion Archie Reyes, Jude Emil Fronda and Mari Joseph “MJ” Turqueza each received an electronic game player worth P350 per unit as the fifth to 10th prizes.
Garcia won the national under-12 boys’ title while Fronda was one of the top under-16 five.
Six other youngsters each won an electronic game player: 14 and under—John Ray Zamora for the boys and Akiko Suede for the girls; 12 and under—Angelo Estebar, boys, and Cherry Ann Mejia, girls; 10 and under—Giovanni Mejia, boys, and Marie Antoinette San Diego, girls.
Cherry Ann was the girls’ champion in Marikina Sunday.
Ferdinand Reyes Jr., Aldous Roy Coronel, Bernard Tenorio, Mikee Suede and Christine Laz received a Weekender printout.
The QMC Plaza’s management committee hosted the event as its Christmas gift to Metro Manila’s gifted youth like Shell NCR champion Mari Joseph.
MJ’s father, Gene Turqueza, alawyer, is the president of the QMC Plaza Chess Club and the plaza’s management committee chaired by Weekender editor Manny Benitez, with Ray Hipolito as vice chairman, club manager Alfredo V. Chay as club vice-president, and Cynthia “Chi” Nazario, mother of Marc Christian, as treasurer and public relations officer.
Atty. Charito Planas, a former councilor and vice mayor of Quezon City, urged the young chess players to develop personal discipline because she said discipline strengthens one’s character and regulates the behavior of every person.
Planas heads the Quezon City Parks Development, Inc., which administers the Quezon Memorial Park, one of the country’s national shrines and the mausoleum of President Manuel Luis Quezon, the first president of the Philippine Commonwealth. It also contains the mortal remains of his wife, Aurora Aragon Quezon.
Atty. Turequeza donated P3,000 to the prize fund while the committee members pitched in with P500 each.
The event ran smoothly under tournament director Alex Dinoy, overall coordinator of the annual Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship, while Joey Moseros served as chief arbiter with the assistance of Chay and Oscar Gonzales, as deputies.
Stewards were Jose Aguilar and Boying Medillo.
Fine weather prevailed except for an early afternoon drizzle that was hardly felt by the players at the nipa-roofed outdoor chess plaza, the only sheltered plaza of its kind in the country today.
India-bound RP team faces visa problem
WITH New Delhi tightening its travel entry rules following the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in neighboring Pakistan, the national squad is facing a grave visa problem, journalist Ignacio “Iggy” Dee reports.
The squad is set to play in the Asian Team Championship, which begins on January 3 in Visakhapatnam, India.
With the players signing their application forms only last Thursday or Friday, he said the possibility of calling off the team headed by new Grandmaster Wesley So seemed likely.
Members of the India-bound squad are GMs Mark Paragua, Joey Antonio, Eugene Torre, and Julio Catalino Sadorra (see pages 4-5) for his games.
Dee said as of yesterday there had been no decision yet as to who would fly to India to serve as team manager.
Unconfirmed reports said the team had not yet bought tickets and there seemed to be no available flights bound for India.
Meanwhile, efforts by The Weekender to contact NCFP director and tournament committee chairman Willie Abalos proved futile.
A REMARKABLE RECOVERY
Moroz leads in Russian Superfinals
AFTER a draw with a lower-rated player and a loss to a virtual unknown, top seed Alexander Morozevich scored an incredible six straight wins to lead the pack by 1.5 points over his closest rival after eight rounds in the ongoing Russian Superfinals.
World No. 6 Morozevich (2755) appeared off form when he drew with GM Dmitry Jakovenko (2710) in the opener and lost surprisingly to GM Nikita Vitiugov (2594) in the second round
Shaking off the rust and the cobwebs, Morozevich buckled down to work and won his next assignment, a gem of a game against a “super grandmaster” – Artyom Timofeev,(2637) – and with Black at that!
Timofeev was so badly shaken he has not recovered since then and remains at the bottom with only 2.5 points from eight games.
Among those he toppled in his phenomenal climb to the very top were two of Russia’s megastars—four-time national champion Peter Svidler (2732) and former world youth champion Alexander Grischuk (2715)!
The standings after eight rounds: 1. Morozevich, 6.5; 2. Evgeny Tomashevsky (2646), 5.0; 3. Grischuk, 4.5; 4-7. Vitiugov, Alexey Dreev (2607), Jakovenko and Farrukh Amonatov (2637), 4.0 each; 8-10. Svidler, Andrei Rychagov (2528) and Ernesto Inarkiev (2674), 3.5 each; 11. Konstantin Sakaev (2634), 3.0, and 12. Timofeev, 2.5.
IN THE GRASSROOTS
All roads lead today to Luneta
FITTINGLY, all roads lead today to the Luneta Chess Plaza, not far off from the monument to Dr. Jose P. Rizal, where the National Chess Federation of the Philippines will stage its second Rizal Day Executive Championship.
The Tagaytay City Government headed by Mayor Abraham Tolentino, who is also the federation’s secretary general, is sponsoring the one-day event.
It will be a seven-round rapid Swiss tournament—25 minutes per game per player—and will get under way at 10 a.m.
As announced earlier, a prize fund of P20,000 is up for grabs, with the champion taking the lion’s share of P7,000.
His runners-up will get P5,000, P3,000, and P2,000, with the fifth to 10th prizes getting P1,000 each.
In case of a tie, the combined sum will be equally divided between or among identical scorers.
Registration fee is P600 per player and includes lunch.
The event is open to all non-masters regardless of their ratings.
The chess plaza is near the Japanese garden.
Come one, come all!
Reyes, Mejia top Marikina Age Group Championship
YOUNGSTERS Narquingel “Archie” Reyes and Cherry Ann Mejia topped the Marikina City Age Group Invitational Championships held last Sunday at the city’s sports complex.
Archie, 15, who defeated his brother, Narquindel “Arden” Reyes, 14, in the fifth and final round of the Juniors division (18 years old and younger) won the title on tiebreak over Mari Joseph “MJ” Turqueza.
The two winners, who had 4.5 points each, evenly divided the first and second prizes totaling P3,500.
Among the kiddies (aged 14 and younger), Cherry Ann drew with Normel de Jesus in a battle between two 12-year-olds in the fifth and final round to create a three-way tie at 4.5 points each with Homel Cunanan, 10.
Cherrie Ann won the title on tiebreak over her two rivals.
Marikina City Mayor Marides Carlos Fernando and GM Eugene Torre performed the ceremonial moves to open the event held to usher in the Christmas holiday season for schoolchildren.—Marlon Bernardino
NM Vasquez tops Meralco blitz tourney, Tan in 2nd slot
THE Meralco Chess Club invited National Master Andrew Vasquez to a one-day blitz tournament in its headquarters on Ortigas Avenue in Pasig City last week and he promptly won the event, as expected, club president Rolly J. Sol Cruz reports.
Vasquez had 11 wins and one draw.
Jojo Orjaleza of Meralco’s Valenzuela Sales Office had the distinction of being the only one who managed to hold the national master to a draw and earn the “Meralco GM” norm.
However, it was Ricky Tan of the electric company’s Revenue Assistance Management who took the silver with 11 points, losing only to NM Vasquez.
The bronze went to ageless Romy Aguilar of Meralco’s Call Center. Aguilar was the oldest participant.
The other participants were Meralco employees Darryl Mata, Ren Santos, Sol Cruz, Manny Benitez Jr., Jun Saul, and junior players J.C. Andan, Justin Lim and Junior Sol Cruz.
A SCINTILLATING PERFORMANCE IN SINGAPORE
Sadorra analyzes two best games
FILIPINO International Master Julio Catalino Sadorra Jr. has demonstrated once again that he is ready to join the elite group of grandmasters by finishing fourth in the star-studded Singapore Masters Open held two weeks ago in the island republic.
Sadorra, who earned his first GM norm in the Prospero Pichay Jr. Cup International Open held earlier this month at the Duty Free Fiesta Mall in Parañaque City, narrowly missed his second GM norm when he finished as the only IM in the top five of the Singapore event.
The reason? His opponents’ average Elo rating was below the minimum required. Definitely not his fault!
The 20-year-old IM who lives in Singapore with his parents has analyzed two of his best games exclusively for The Weekender in response to a request via email.
Chalito, Julio’s businessman-father (his mom is a teacher), admits that he plans to let his son go back to college so he can pursue a career other than chess.
He believes that unless one is among the top 50 players in the world, he cannot live comfortably on his chess earnings alone.
As a Christmas bonus to readers, we now proudly present the two games with IM Sadorra’s notes in italics.
Julio Sadorra (2414) - Irene Sukandar (2275)
Rd. 2, Masters Open, Singapore 2007
Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch (E27)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 d5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.e3 Re8
[8...c5 9.Bd3 Nc6 10.Ne2 Re8; 8...Bf5]
9.Bd3 Nc6 10.Ne2 Ne7
During the game I chose between two ways to prevent Black's coming …Bf5. However, after analyzing the consequence of g4 I realized that it would just complicate matters, and I didn't need that when I already had a positional advantage (in this case, more central pawns). Additionally, White has a simple plan: to push the pawn to e4 and roll Black over with the central pawns. Thus, my next move.
11.Ng3
[ 11.0-0?! Nf5; 11.g4 Ng6 12.0-0 ( 12.h4 Ne4 13.fxe4 dxe4 14.Bc4 Nxh4 15.Nf4 ( 15.Qb3 Nf3+ 16.Kd1 Ne5) 15...Nf3+ 16.Kf2 Bxg4 17.Qb3 Qf6 White may be objectively better but Black certainly has reasonable compensation for the piece (dark-squared bishop) which I find hard to make use of in the game; 12...c5]
11...h5 12.0-0
[12.e4 dxe4 13.fxe4 Ned5 14.Qc2 ( 14.Bd2 h4 15.Ne2 Nxe4µ) 14...Nxe4 15.Nxe4 f5.]
12...h4 13.Nh1
I remembered seeing this maneuver in a game by the Armenian GM Vaganian.
13...Nf5
[13...Bf5 14.Nf2 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 c5 16.e4 dxe4 17.fxe4 cxd4 18.cxd4 Nc6 19.Bb2±]
14.Re1 Nd6 15.Nf2 Nh7 16.e4
White has won the strategic battle.
16...h3 17.g3!?
[17.e5 Nc4 ( 17...Nf5 18.Nxh3 Qh4!?) 18.g3 ( 18.g4 Qh4 19.Ra2 ( 19.Bf4 Nb2) 19...g5 20.Nh1. OK, e5 may be objectively stronger but having the bishop pair, I didn't feel like closing the center; therefore, I tempted Black to open it up.]
17...dxe4
YES!! For White, that is! [17...c6 was more stubborn.]
18.fxe4 b6? 19.e5 Nb7
[19...Nf5 20.Qf3]
20.Qh5 Nf6 21.Qh4 Qd5 22.Re4! Nh7
[22...Nd6 23.exf6 Nxe4 24.Bxe4; 22...Nxe4 23.Bxe4 Qe6 24.Qh7+ Kf8 25.Bg5 f6 26.exf6 Qf7 27.fxg7+ Qxg7 28.Bh6+-]
23.c4 Qd8
[23...Qc6 24.d5 Qd7 25.Rg4+-]
24.Qh5 g6 25.Qh6
The second game IM Sadorra analyzed was his sixth-round draw with the eventual champion, Georgian GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili, who is also vice president of the World Chess Federation (Fide).
Azmaiparashvili earned his GM spurs in 1988 having scored several tournament victories. Among them were Pavlodar in 1982, Moscow 1986, Albena 1986, and Tbilisi 1986, Less than a year after becoming a grandmaster, he won the top prize at the Lloyds Bank Open in London in 1989.
The Georgian grandmaster won the Singapore Masters Open title on tiebreak over Singaporean GM Zhang Zhong, a former national champion of China.
Singapore’s first grandmaster, Wu Shaobin, also came from the mainland already with the title.
Here is the game where Azmaiparashvili was held to a draw, with Sadorra’s notes in italics.
Julio Sadorra (2414) - Zurab Azmaiparashvili (2606)
Rd. 6, Masters Open, Singapore 2007
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Exchange Variation (D35)
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 Bf5 7.Qf3 Bg6 8.Bxf6 Qxf6 9.Qxf6 gxf6 10.Kd2
After thinking for roughly 10 minutes, I came up with this move and the idea was to either start a standard minority attack on the Q-side or to conquer f5 with the knight from g1 via e2-g3 or f3-h4.
10...a5
He puts an end to my first plan right away.
11.Bd3 Na6 12.Nf3 Nc7 13.Nh4 Ne6 14.a3!?
Here I could've forced the situation with 14.f4 Bxd3 15.Kxd3 h5 but was at a loss after this move and I also didn't like it because it might later give him counterplay along the e-file. Besides, according to the classics the threat is stronger than its execution.
14...Kd7 15.g4
Now I'm also adding another threat, namely, Be2.
15...Bxd3
[15...Bd6 16.Be2 Ng5 17.f4 Ne4+ 18.Nxe4 Bxe4 19.Rhg1 Rag8 20.Rg3 Rg7 21.Rag1 Rhg8 22.Bd3±]
16.Kxd3 h5 17.h3 Be7 18.f3
[¹18.Nf5 is more natural.]
18...Rh7 19.Nf5 Rah8 20.Ng3
[20.h4 hxg4 21.fxg4 Ng7 22.Nxg7 Rxg7 23.Rag1 f5 ( 23...Rhg8 24.h5 f5! 25.h6 Rh7 26.gxf5 Rxg1 27.Rxg1 Rxh6=) 24.gxf5 Rxg1 25.Rxg1 Rxh4 26.Rg7 Ke8 27.Rg8+ Bf8 28.e4 Rh3+ 29.Kc2 Rh2+=]
20...Ng7 21.e4!
[21.Nce2?! hxg4 22.hxg4 Rxh1 23.Rxh1 Rxh1 24.Nxh1 f5=]
21...dxe4+ 22.Kxe4 Bd6 23.f4
[23.Nf5 Re8+ 24.Kd3 Nxf5 25.gxf5 h4 26.Ne4 Be7; 23.Nce2 Re8+ 24.Kd3 h4 25.Nf5 Nxf5 26.gxf5 Rh5]
23...hxg4 24.hxg4 Rh4 25.Nce2
[ 25.Kf3? f5!]
25...Ke6 26.Nh5!?“ f5+?!
[26...Nxh5 27.Rxh4 Ng3+ 28.Kf3 ( 28.Nxg3 Rxh4 29.Kf3 Kd5µ) 28...Rxh4 29.Kxg3 Rh8 30.Nc3 f5 31.d5+! ( 31.Re1+ Kf6 32.g5+ Kg6 33.d5) 31...cxd5 32.Re1+ Kd7 ( 32...Kf6 33.Nxd5+ Kg6 34.Ne7+ Bxe7 35.Rxe7±) 33.Nxd5 fxg4 34.Nf6+ Kc6 35.Re2=]
27.Kd3 Rxh1 28.Rxh1 Ke7 29.Neg3 Nxh5 30.Rxh5 Rxh5 31.gxh5 Bxf4 32.h6 Bg5 33.Nxf5+ Ke6 34.Ke4?
[34.Ng7+! Kf6 35.Ne8+ Kg6 36.Nd6±]
34...a4!
After 34…a4!
35.h7 Bf6 36.Kf4 b6 37.Ke4 Bh8 38.Ne3 Bg7 39.Nc4 f5+ 40.Kd3 b5 41.Ne5 c5 42.Nf3 Kd5 43.dxc5 Kxc5 44.Kc2 Kd5 45.b3!
[45.b4!? Ke4? 46.Ng5+ Ke5 ( 46...Ke3 47.Ne6 Bh8 48.Nc7 f4 49.Nxb5 f3 50.Nc3+-) 47.Nf7+ Kf6 48.Nd6 f4 49.Nxb5 Kg6 50.Nc3 f3 51.Nd1 Kxh7 52.Kd3+-]
45...Ke4 46.bxa4 bxa4 47.Nd2+ Kd4 48.Nf3+ Ke4 49.Nd2+ Kd4
[49...Ke3 50.Nc4+ Ke2? ( 50...Kd4) 51.Nb6! f4 52.Nxa4 f3 53.Nc3+ Bxc3 54.Kxc3 f2 55.h8=Q f1Q 56.Qe5+!+-] ½-½
CARLOS TORRE MEMORIAL IN MEXICO
Ivanchuk flying high again!
WORLD No. 2 Vassily Ivanchuk is flying high again after his World Cup debacle. In Merida, Mexico, the Ukrainian icon knocked out all his rivals to retain the title in the tournament honoring Mexico’s first-ever grandmaster whose exploits stunned the chess world before World War II, particularly in the 1930s.
Reaching the Carlos Torre Memorial knockout finals, Ivanchuk served notice that he was out to keep the title by outplaying Cuban champion Lazaro Bruzon, 1.5-0.5.
The Ukrainian icon followed this up with an identical score against another Cuban star, Omar Almeida.
Ivanchuk, however, found the going tougher in the semifinals, winning and losing his first two games against a veteran German campaigner, GM Alexander Graf, whom he spotted by 211 Elo points—his rating of 2787 against Graf’s 2576.
The Ukrainian then held the German to a draw in the first of their best-of-two playoff and, raising his game a notch in their second game, beat him for a 2.5-1.5 score.
In the other semifinal encounter, Indian prodigy Pentala Harikrishna (2668) easily booted out Cuban GM Jesus Noguiras (2549), 1.5-0.5, to set the stage for a showdown with Ivanchuk.
The more experienced and higher rated Ukrainian, however, proved too tough for the Indian and Ivanchuk reclaimed the Torre Memorial title by a score of 3-1 from three wins and one loss.
One of Ivanchuk’s most exciting games was his win with Black against Bruzon.
L. Bruzon (2607) – V. Ivanchuk (2787)
Rd. 1.1, Petroff Defense (C43)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.dxe5 Bc5 5.Qd5 Bxf2+ 6.Kd1 f5 7.Bc4 Fritz suggests 7.exf6!?, e.g., 7…Nxf6 8.Qe5+ Qe7 9.Qxe7+ Kxe7 10.Nc3! Qe7 8.Nc3 c6 9.Qd3 b5 10.Bb3 a5 11.a4 b4 12.Nxe4 fxe4 13.Qe2 d5 14.exd6 14.Qxf2 exf3 15.gxf3 0-0 benefits Black Qxd6+ 15.Bd2 e3 16.Rf1 Better than 16.Bc4 Ra7 17.Kc1 Re7! Ba6 Black is now ahead 17.Bc4 Bxc4 18.Qxc4 Ra7 Not 18...exd2 19.Rxf2 Ra7 20.Rxd2! 19.Ke2 Re7 20.Be1 Qg6 21.g3 Re4 Not 21...Bxe1 22.Raxe1 Nd7 23.Rd1! 22.Qd3 Nd7 23.Rd1? 23.Bxf2!? should be tried, e.g., 23…Nc5 24.Qd1! 0-0 Black surges ahead 24.Qxd7 Qh5 25.g4 Qh3 26.Ng5 Qg2 27.Bxf2 Rxf2+ Missing his best shot, 27...Re5!, e.g., 28.Qe6+ Rxe6 29.Nxe6 Rxf2+ 30.Rxf2 Qxf2+ 31.Kd3 e2! 28.Rxf2 exf2+!
Here is the game that gave the Mexican plum again to Ivanchuk, this win also with Black against the up-and-coming international star from India.
P. Harikrishna (2668) – V. Ivanchuk (2787)
Rd. 4.4, Pirc Defence (B07)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Nbd2 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bd3 0-0 6.0-0 Nc6 7.h3 e5 8.c3 a5 9.Re1 Nd7 10.Bb5 exd4 11.cxd4 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 Bxd4 13.Nf3 Bf6 14.Bh6 Re8 14...Bxb2 should be tried: 15.Bxd7 Bxd7 and Black has equalized 15.Qd2 c6 16.Bf1 Nc5 17.Qc2 Qe7 18.Rad1 a4 Missing 18...Nxe4!? 19.Bd3 d5!, and Black is ahead 19.Bf4 Keeping the balance Rd8 20.e5 20.Bxd6 Rxd6 21.Qxc5 Rxd1 22.Qxe7 Bxe7 23.Rxd1 Be6! dxe5! 21.Rxd8+ Qxd8 22.Nxe5 Ne6 23.Ng4 Bd4 Not 23...Nxf4 24.Re8+ because of 24...Kg7 25.Rxd8 Bxd8 26.Bc4! 24.Bd2 h5 Fritz suggests 24...Nc7!? 25.Ne5 Restoring the balance Qf6 26.Nf3 26.Bc3!? may be tried for equality Bxb2! 27.Bc4 Not 27.Ng5 a3 28.Ne4 Qe5!, and Black dominates the game a3 27...Nd4 28.Re8+ Kg7 29.Nxd4 Bxd4 should boost Black’s lead 28.Ng5?? Another bit of territory lost, Fritz notes, suggesting 28.Qd3 instead Nxg5-+ 29.Re8+ Kg7 30.Bb4 Bf5 31.Qe2 31.Bf8+ Kh7 32.Qe2 Nxh3+ 33.gxh3 Qg5+ 34.Kh1 Qc1+ 35.Kh2 Rxe8 36.Qxe8 Qf4+ 37.Kg1 Qxc4 Nxh3+!
TRIUMPHANT COMEBACK ENDS WITH WORLD CUP
Hard work pays off for Kamsky
WORLD CUP champion Gata Kamsky’s impressive victory earlier this month in Russia’s Siberian resort of Khanty-Mansiysk can be regarded as the triumphant culmination of three years of struggle on the comeback trail.
Of course he made a clean sweep from the first to the seventh and final round of the knockout series held after the qualifying preliminaries.
In all rounds except one, the fourth in which four-time Russian champion Peter Svidler fought him over four games before being booted out, Kamsky showed that his patient build-up backed by hard work over three difficult years was a small price to pay.
His reward: a second chance to capture the world crown and the fortune in millions of dollars that comes with the territory. In the meantime, he pocketed the US$120,000 cash prize that came with the Cup.
By winning the World Cup, Kamsky has grabbed the right to challenge former world champion Veselin Topalov. If he wins their match, he will challenge whoever wins the return match in October next year between reigning world champion Viwanathan Anand and the man he dethroned, past champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia (see also page 10).
All this showed that the former American champion—he won the US title at the age of 17 in 1992, just three years after defecting from the Soviet Union—had never left chess at all even while spending seven years in college to finish his law studies (after one year of medical studies).
Kamsky, known for his serious mien (he rarely smiles), left the global chess scene in 1997 a year after losing in his bid to challenge then reigning Fide world champion Anatoly Karpov.
It was clearly in self-disgust: Kamsky was then 22 years old and he lost to a 44-year-old champion!
When he finally returned to active competition by taking part in the 2004 US championship, he already had a diploma as a lawyer and was quoted as saying that “I plan to practice law after I achieve my goals in chess.”
In other words, only after he wins the world crown—a magnificent obsession, indeed!
The fact is, his return did not cause a ripple of excitement in the chess world because his initial performance was so-so.
Patiently, he drifted from one tournament to another, mostly minor ones in the Brooklyn Chess Club near where he lives, and then to other events in the United States and abroad, until he began winning those that counted, and finally the World Cup.
The rest, to use a shopworn saying, is history.
And now his games, the finest of which in terms of both strategy and tactics in positional play was his win with White against the Bulgarian qualifier, Kiril Georgiev..
● G. Kamsky (2714) – K. Georgiev (2649)
Rd. 3.1, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk ’07
Ruy Lopez: Deferred Exchange (C85)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.d3 Qd6 8.b3 Be6 9.Bb2 Nd7 10.Nbd2 c5 If 10...0-0 11.Qe2, with equality 11.a4 a5 12.Re1 0-0 13.Nf1 13.Nc4 Bxc4 14.dxc4 Rad8 leads to equality f6 14.Ne3 g6 15.Nd2 Nb8 16.Qf3 Nc6 17.Qg3 Nd4 18.h4 Kh8 19.Ndc4 Qd7 20.Rac1 b6 21.f3 Rae8 22.Qh2 Bd8 23.Rcd1 Bxc4 Fritz suggests 23...c6 to restore the balance 24.dxc4 Qf7 25.h5 gxh5 26.c3 Ne6 26...Nxb3 27.Nf5 should equalize 27.Nf5 Ng7 28.Qh3 Nxf5 29.Qxf5 Re6 29...Rg8 30.Rd7 Be7 31.Rxc7 leads to equality 30.Kf2 Gaining a clear advantage Rd6 30...Be7 31.Rh1 helps White 31.Rxd6 cxd6 32.Rh1 Qg6 33.Rxh5 Qxf5 34.exf5 Rg8 35.Bc1 Rg7 36.Bh6 36.Rh1 Rd7 keeps the lead Rd7 37.Ke2 Be7 37...d5!? must definitely be considered, says Fritz 38.Rh4 Rd8 39.Kd3 d5 40.cxd5 Rxd5+ 41.Kc4 Rd7 42.Rg4 Bd8 43.Kb5 Rf7 44.Kc6 Ra7 Not 44...Re7 45.Re4!, and White surges on 45.Bf8 45.Re4!? was stronger h5 46.Rg6 Kh7? 46...Rf7 47.Rh6+ Kg8 would boost White’s lead 47.c4 Rf7 48.Rh6+ Kg8 49.Bd6 Be7 50.Bc7 Rg7 51.Rg6 Rxg6 52.fxg6 Kg7 53.Kd7 Bf8 54.Bxb6 Kxg6. Mere momentum. Black resigns without waiting for White’s next move as he realizes the futility of further play: clearly, White will break through on the Q-side and win the race for a new queen. 1-0
Gata Kamsky’s first game in Khanty-Mansiysk in Siberia—his homeland by birth—shows that the former Russian-turned-American was prepared to do battle against all comers.
Here is his scintillating win with White against the reigning world junior champion from Egypt.
● A. Adly (2494) – G. Kamsky (2714)
Rd. 1.2, Khanty-Masysk 2007
English Opening (A12)
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Bf5 4.0-0 e6 5.c4 c6 6.b3 Be7 7.Bb2 h6 8.d3 0-0 9.Nbd2 a5 10.Ne5 Bh7 11.Qc2 Na6 11...Nbd7 12.a3 would have equalized 12.a3 Qb6 13.Qc3 Rfd8 14.d4 Qc7 15.c5 Nd7 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.b4 b6 18.Nf3 Better than 18.bxa5 bxc5 19.dxc5 Bf6! Qb7 19.Qd2 Not 19.bxa5 bxc5 20.Qd2 cxd4 21.Bxd4 c5! axb4 20.axb4 Bf6 21.Rfc1 bxc5 22.bxc5 Nb4 23.Bc3 Rxa1 24.Rxa1 Nc2 25.Rc1 Qb3 26.Ba5 Ra8 27.Bc7 Qb2 “Pawn d4, live or die!,” says Fritz 28.e3 Ra2 29.Ne5 Not 29.Ne1 Nxd4 30.Qxb2 Rxb2 31.exd4 Bxd4! Bxe5! 30.Bxe5 If 30.dxe5 Qa3 31.Rd1! Ra1! Black has seized the lead 31.Rf1 Rxf1+ If 31...Bd3 32.Qxd3 Nb4 33.Qd1 Rxd1 34.Rxd1! 32.Bxf1 Qb1 33.f3 Not 33.Qe2 Ne1!, and Black surges ahead Nb4?? There were better ways to keep up the pressure, Fritz notes, e.g., 33...Ne1 34.Qf2 Bd3! 34.Kg2 Restoring the balance Bd3 35.Bxd3 Nxd3 36.g4 f6 If 36...Nb2 37.Qe2! 37.Bg3 e5 38.dxe5 If 38.h4 Qb3! fxe5! 39.Qc3?? A blunder that could cost him the game. Better but inadequate was 39.h4. Qd1 Black now has a huge advantage 40.Qa3 40.Qa5 won’t work: 40...Qe2+ 41.Kg1 Qxe3+ 42.Kg2 Qe2+ 43.Kg1 Qxf3! Qe2+
41.Kh3 Kh7 41...Qf1+ was stronger: 42.Kh4 Nf2 43.Kh5! 42.g5 Not 42.Qa1 Qxf3 43.Qb1 e4 44.Qxd3 exd3 45.e4 g5 46.exd5 Qf1#! Qxe3 43.Qa6 Qxf3 44.g6+ Kxg6 45.Qxc6+ Desperation. He should resign now instead Kh5 Missing a mating line: 45...Kg5 46.Qg6+ Kxg6 47.c6 Nf4+ 48.Kh4 Qh5#! 46.Qe8+ g6 47.Qxe5+ 47.Qxg6+ cannot change destiny 47...Kxg6 48.c6 Nf4+ 49.Kh4 Qh5#! Nxe5 48.c6 Qf1#!
In panic and not too experienced, White must not have seen this humiliating ending. 0-1
In the World Cup, his toughest fight was against four-time national champion Peter Svidler, who extended their match to the fourth game before being knocked out.
● P. Svidler (2732) – G. Kamsky (2714)
Rd. 4.4, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk.2007
: Ruy Lopez, Deferred Steinitz (C76)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.d4 g6 7.0-0 Bg7 8.d5 Nce7 9.c4 Nf6 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.Nc3 0-0 12.c5 Nh5 13.cxd6 cxd6 14.Be3 Rac8 15.Na4 Qb5 16.Nb6 Rcd8 16...Rc7 17.a4 Qb4 18.Re1 would have equalized 17.Rc1 Nc8 If 17...f5 18.a4 Qb4 19.Rc7 18.a4 Qe8 19.Qb3 Nxb6 20.Bxb6 Rd7 21.Rc4 Bh6 22.Be3 Bxe323.Qxe3 23.fxe3 Qd8!, with equal chances f5 24.Ng5 Nf4 25.g3 h6 26.Nf3 26.gxf4!? hxg5 27.fxg5 also leads to equality fxe4 27.Qxe4 Nh5 28.Nd2 28.Nh4 Kg7 keeps the balance Qf7 29.Qd3 Nf6 30.f4 Kg7 31.fxe5 If 31.Rf3 Rfd8 dxe5 32.d6 Qe6 33.Rc7 Rff7 33...Rxc7 would help White, e.g., 34.dxc7 Qb6+ 35.Kg2 Qxc7 36.Qe2! 34.Ne4 34.Rxd7!? should be considered, says Fritz: 34...Rxd7 35.Nc4! Rxc7-+ 35.dxc7 Qb6+ 36.Kg2 Qxc7 37.Nc3 Qc6+ 38.Kg1 Fritz suggess 38.Qf3!?, but Black would still be ahead Qb6+ 39.Kh1 Qxb2 40.Qc4 Qb6 41.Ne4 a5 42.Nc5 Qc6+ 43.Kg1 Re7 44.Qb5 e4 44...Qxb5!? makes it even easier for Black: 45.axb5 e4 46.b6! 45.Qxc6 bxc6 46.Rc1 Nd5 47.Kf2 Kf6 48.Nb3 Rb7 49.Nxa5 Rb2+ 50.Ke1 Nb4 51.Rc3 Rxh2 52.Nxc6 Nd3+ 53.Kd1 Ra2 54.a5 h5 Also playable was 54...Kf5 55.Rc2 Ra4! 55.Rc2 Ra3 56.Kd2 Ne5 57.Nxe5 Kxe5 58.Rc5+ Kd4 59.Rg5 59.Rb5 would favor Black, e.g., 59…e3+ 60.Ke2 Ra2+ 61.Ke1 Ke4! Ra2+ 59...e3+ might be quicker, says Fritz: 60.Ke2 Ra2+! 60.Kd1 Kd3 61.Rd5+ Ke3 62.Rg5 Kf2 63.Rxg6 Rxa5 64.Rf6+ Kxg3 65.Ke2 Rg5 66.Rf1 h4 67.Ke3 h3 68.Rg1+ Kh4 69.Rh1 Rg2 70.Kxe4 h2 71.Kf3 Kh3!
What Kamsky has said—that he plans to practice law after achieving his “goals in chess”—shows that he believes it is his destiny to be world champion. That the World Cup was held in his birthplace must have reinforced that belief to an extent that we can only speculate about.
Born to a Tatar family in Siberia on June 2, 1974, Gata Kamsky was obviously a precocious child. He was only 12 when he won the Soviet under-20 age group crown, and only 16 when he became a grandmaster and one of the top 10 players in the world, the youngest to achieve that honor.
He defected from the Soviet Union in 1989 because he felt being discriminated against as a gifted young player and was only 14 going on 15 when he decided to leave Russia and go to the United States.
Clearly, he made the right decision because his climb to the top was rapid in America: making it to the top 10 in the world in July 1990, winning the US crown in 1991 and reaching the finals of the Professional Chess Association’s 1994-95 elimination series for the right to challenge PCA world champion Garry Kasparov.
In the PCA series, Kamsky knocked out a future world champion, Vladimir Kramnik, and a future world title candidate, Nigel Short, but lost in the final round to another future world champion, Viswanathan Anand.
In Fide’s candidates matches held a bit later, he was luckier, avenging his previous loss by beating Anand and winning the right to challenge world champion Karpov in 1996.
True, Kamsky lost to Karpov, 7.5-10.5, but the American won US$500,000 for his efforts. This was the money that he spent acquiring his law diploma, after which he immediately made his comeback.
That he has reached this far shows that his victories in the chess arena as a teenager were no fluke.
In Khanty-Mansiysk, Kamsky proved he could handle all kinds of opponents, from the experienced to the youthful talents who now dominate the global scene
After disposing of Svidler, the would-be champion took the measure of the former youngest-ever world champion (at 18) and a record-holder as the youngest person (at 14 years and 17 days), to become a grandmaster, Ruslan Ponomariov of Ukraine.
● G. Kamsky (2714) – R. Ponomariov (2705)
Rd. 5.2, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk 2007
Sicilian Najdorf, Poisoned Pawn (B97)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 If 8.Nb3 Nbd7 Nc6 Fritz suggests 8...Qxb2!?, e.g., 9.Rb1 Qa3, with equality 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nb3 Bd7 11.0–0–0 0–0–0 12.Be2 h5 13.Rhf1 Be7 14.Rf3 Rdg8 15.Bf1 Kb8 16.Kb1 h4 17.Qe1 Rg4 18. Qc7 19.Ne2 Rh5 20.h3 Rg8 21.f5 Rhh8 22.Nf4 Bf8 23.Qf2 Rg5 24.fxe6 fxe6 25.Rc3 Rh6 26.Nd4 Re5 27.Nd3 Rxe4 28.Nb4 Rxd4 29.Rxd4 Qa5 Better was 29...f50!?: 30.Rxh4 Rxh4 31.Qxh4 Bg7, reducing White’s lead 30.Rxh4 f5 30...Rxh4 could boost White’s lead: 31.Qxh4 Nxb4 32.Qxf6! 31.Rxh6 31.Rxc6 might be quicker: 31...Bxc6 32.Qd2! Bxh6 32.Rb3 Nxb4 33.Rxb4 Bc6 34.g4 fxg4 If 34...Qc5 35.Qg3 35.Rxg4 Qe5 36.Rg8+ Kc7 37.Bd3 37.Qh4 keeps an even firmer grip: 37...Bd5 38.Bxa6 Qe4 39.Qxe4! Be3 38.Qg3 38.Qh4 Bd7 was also playable Qc5 38...Qxg3 could favor White: 39.Rxg3 Bf2 40.Rg7+ Kd8 41.Rh7! 39.b4 39.Qg7+ Bd7 was playable Qd4 40.Qg7+ Qxg7 41.Rxg7+ Kd8 42.h4 e5 43.h5 e4 44.Be2 Bf4 45.Rg6! In the semifinals, Kamsky knocked out the youngest combatant in the World Cup, Norway’s most famous prodigy, Magnus Carlsen, 17, even as Alexei Shirov disposed of Ukraine’s Sergey Karjakin, 18.
● G. Kamsky (2714) – M. Carlsen (2714)
Rd. 6.2, World Cu,p Khanty-Mansiysk 2007
Petroff Defence ( C43)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 d5 5.dxe5 Be7 6.0-0 Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.Re1 Nc6 9.Nc3 9.Nbd2 Nc5 gives Black a chance to equalize Bg6 9...Bb4!? 10.Bxe4 dxe4 11.Qxd8+ Rxd8 keeps the balance 10.Bd2 Nxd2 11.Qxd2 d4 12.Ne4 0-0 13.a3 Qd5 14.Qf4 Rfe8 15.Re2 Bf8 16.Ng3 Bxd3 17.cxd3 Re6 18.Nh5 Rae8 19.Rae1 a5? 19...R8e7 is best, says Fritz 20.Qg4+- Rg6 Not 20...Nxe5?? 21.Rxe5 f5 22.Qxf5 Rxe1+ 23.Rxe6 Rxe6 24.hxg4, and White surges ahead 21.Nf4 Rxg4 22.Nxd5 Rg6 23.g4 23.Nxc7 is stronger, e.g., 23…Rc8 24.Nb5!, and White is way ahead Rd8 23...f6!? should be tried 24.exf6 Rxe2 25.Rxe2 gxf6 26.Nxc7! 24.Nf4! Rh6 25.g5 Re6 26.Nxe6 fxe6 27.Rc1 Rd5 28.Rc4 Bc5 29.h4 Bb6 30.Kg2 Ne7 31.h5 Rd8 32.Re4 Nf5 33.Nh4 Ne7 34.Kg3 g6 35.Kg4 Rd5 35...gxh5+ 36.Kxh5 Rf8 37.Rc2 would boost White’s lead 36.hxg6 hxg6 37.a4 37.Nf3! was better Kf7 38.Rc1 Rd8 39.Rh1 Kg7 Not 39...Rh8 40.Rf4+ Nf5 41.Rf3, and White has a huge advantage 40.Ng2 Nf5 40...Nd5 41.Nf4 Nxf4 42.Rxf4 fsvors White 41.Nf4 Re8 42.Ree1 c5 42...c6 won’t save the day: 43.Rh2 Bc7 44.Kf3! 43.Rh3 1-0.
GERMANY TO HOST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Anand-Kramnik return bout set
REIGNING world champion Viswanathan Anand of India and past champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia have signed an agreement to play their return match in the German university city of Bonn in October next year.
The prize fund, amounting to 1.5 million euros (about US$2.1 million), will be evenly divided between the two protagonists and will include taxes and licensing fees.
The world title match will be held from October 11-30, 2008 at the Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn, the former capital of West Germany during the Cold War.
It will be staged under the patronage of German Finance Minister Peer Steinbruck with Evonik Industries, a German corporation based in Essen, as the exclusive sponsor.
Evonik Industries was the sponsor of the match between Kramnik and Deep Fritz in Bahrain last year. Fide, which has its main office in Athena, Greece, will collaborate with the German government in organizing the match.
As far as Fide is concerned, the world title match and the Olympiad in Dresden, Germany, are two of the most important events next year.
News of the Anand-Kramnik return bout was announced by UEP Promotions and confirmed by the World Chess Federation (Fide) on its official website.
The match will consist of 12 games to be played under classical time controls, according to the UEP press release posted on The Week in Chess (TWIC) Web site.
Classical time control calls for 2½ hours of play per game per player, with at least 40 moves to be played within the regulation period. The standard time control, which gives each player 90 minutes to finish a game, has also been called “classical” in some Fide reports.
Anand won the title at the World Championship tournament held in Mexico City last September, with Kramnik finishing in a tie for second and third with Boris Gelfand of Israel.
Kramnik, the then classical world champion, wrested the title from the then Fide world champion, Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, in a reunification match held in September last year in Elista, capital of the Russian republic of Kalmykia and home city of Fide president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who is also President of Kalmykia.
Ilyumzhinov replaced Florencio Campomanes of the Philippines as Fide chief in 1995.
Under the new Fide rules governing the world championship, Topalov will face World Cup champion Gata Kamsky in a match to determine the challenger to whoever wins the Anand-Kramnik match in Bonn (see also pages 7-9).
It is not known exactly where and when the Topalov-Kamsky match will be held and when and where its winner will challenge the winner of the Anand-Kramnik return match.
All these events are a spin-off from last year’s reunification match, achieved after lengthy negotiations off and on between Ilyumzhinov and the different parties as a result of the Prague Agreement signed by the Fide chief with leading players headed by former world champion Garry Kasparov.
Kasparov who broke away from Fide in the 1990s lost his classical world title to Kramnik in London seven years ago. He retired from active chess competition in 2005 to engage in Russian politics.
Recently, the former world No. 1 chess player was arrested and detained during a protest rally against Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Kasparov heads the United Civil Front, a political party he created, and was instrumental in forming a coalition of anti-Putin Forces, known as The Other Russia. Anti-Putin forces, however, appeared to have made no dent on Putin’s popularity as indicated in the just-concluded parliamentary elections that carried the ruling United Russia Party to an overwhelming victory in the Duma.
FIRST MAJOR EVENT IN THE NEW YEAR
Four groups formed for Corus
FOUR groups of some of the strongest players in the world will see action when the Corus Super Tournament unfolds in the Dutch resort of Wijk aan Zee next month.
Three of the groups—A, B, and C—will have 14 players each while the fourth group will consist of four of the world’s strongest and most famous oldies and middies.
The four are Viktor Korchnoi (2611) of Switzerland, Jan Timman (2559) of the Netherlands, Ljubomir Ljubojevic (2550) of Serbia, and Lajos Portisch (2530) of Hungary.
Six of the highest-rated grandmasters, topped by world champion and No. 1 Viswanathan Anand (2801), are among the 14 combatants in Group A, which will have an average Elo rating of 2741 based on the October 2007 quarterly ratings list.
Besides Anand, the superstars competing in the premier group are GMs Vassily Ivanchuk (2787) of Ukraine, Vladimir Kramnik (2785) of Russia, Veselin Topalov (2769) of Bulgaria, Peter Leko (2755) of Hungary, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2752), Teimour Radjabov (2742) of Azerbaijan, Levon Aronian (2741) of Armenia, Boris Gelfand (2736) of Israel, Magnus Carlsen (2714) of Norway, Judit Polgar (2708) of Hungary Pavel Eljanov (2681) of Ukraine, and Loek van Wely (2680) of the Netherlands.
French prodigy Etienne Bacrot (2695) heads the list of 14 participants in Group B, which has an average Elo rating of
The others are GMs Gabriel Sargissian (2673) of Armenia, Ivan Cheparinov (2670) of Bulgaria, Sergey Movsesian (2670) of Slovakia, Pentala Harikrishna (2668) of India, Michal Krasenkow (2668) of Poland, Nigel Short (2649) of England, Daniel Stellwagen (2639) of the Netherlands, Ian Neopmniachtchi (2611) of Russia, Humpy Koneru of India, Erwin l’Ami (2577), Ian Smeets (2558), and Wouter Spoelman of the Netherlands, and Hou Yifan (2502) of China.
Ukraine’s GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko (2651) is the highest rated in Group C, followed by 15-year-old Italian-American prodigy Fabiano Caruana (2594), who is now a grandmaster.
The others in the lowest-rated group (average rating: 2497) are GM Friso Nijboer (2559) of the Netherlands, 19-year-old IM Arik Braun (2541) of Germany, 14-year-old GM Negi Parimarjan (2514) of India, GM Dimitri Reinderman (2510) of the Netherlands, GM Efstratios Grivas (2509) of Greece, GM John van der Wiel (2496) of the Netherlands, WGM Anna Ushenina (2486) of Ukraine, GM Pontius Carlsson (2482) of Sweden, WGM Irina Krush (1475) of the United States, and GM Zhaoqin Peng (2419), IM Mark van der Werf and untitled Dennis Ruljkgrok, all of the Netherlands.
Besides the megastars taking part in the annual tournament, older players in the honorary group, especially two-time world title challenger Korchnoi and Portisch of Hungary, bear watching.
Korchnoi had been the challenger of Karpov in 1978 in Baguio City and in Merano, Italy in 1980, while Portisch was the toughest rival of Filipino GM Eugenio Torre at the Toluca Interzonal in Mexico in 1982.
It’s a pity that the Corus organizers did not invite the Philippines’ foremost prodigy, 14-year-old Wesley So, who is now the youngest grandmaster in the world and whose current rating (2531) is higher than the ratings of most of the Group C participants in Wijk aan Zee.
The annual Corus is the first major tournament of the year and traditionally one of the toughest competitions in the world. It will be held from January 11 to 17.
PINOY GEMS WITH A HISTORY
Sadorra’s sudden sparkle
FOR the past five or six years, Julio Catalino Sadorra has been some sort of celebrity in the Philippines even though he lives with his parents in Singapore. This year has been a bit different: he is now a grandmaster candidate and his games sparkle!
It all started in the Second President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Cup International Open where he shot down the top seed, GM Ni Hua of China, in the second round (see page 2 of The Weekender of November 25).
Sadorra then followed this up with another sensation in the Third Prospero Pichay Jr. Cup International Open by beating Singapore’s new No. 1, GM Zhang Zong—also in the second round (see page 10 of The Weekender of December 9).
Indeed, the 20-year-old Filipino international master has become a favorite sportsman of my favorite newspaper, which played up his performance in his next tournament, the Singapore Masters Open last week where he finished in fourth place, the only IM to land among the top five, the other four being GMs.
Despite his exploits in this king of games, his parents want Julio Catalino to return to college and earn a degree that will ensure a worthy career for a lifetime.
“He should be among the top 50 in the world to be able to play chess as a lifetime career,” his father Chalito quipped in a chat with me during the Pichay Cup held early this month at the Duty Free Fiesta Mall of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Parañaque City.
Actually, Sadorra started sparkling in the Asian Championship held at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City, two months before the PGMA and Pichay Cups.
● Nguyen Anh Dung (2537) – J.C. Sadorra (2421)
Rd. 6, Asian Individual Championship, CICC 2007
Queen’s Fianchetto Defense (A50)
1..d4 Nf6 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qc2 d6 6.Bd2 0–0 7.a3 Bxc3 8.Bxc3 Qe7 9.e3 e5 10.d5 Nb8 11.Be2 a5 12.b3 Bg4 13.0–0 Bh5 14.e4 Bg6 15.Bd3 Nh5 16.g3 Nf6 17.Nh4 c6 18.b4 a4 19.Rad1 Rc8 20.dxc6 Nxc6 21.Nxg6 hxg6 22.f3 g5 23.Qe2 Nd7 24.Qe3 Nf8 25.f4 gxf4 26.gxf4 exf4 27.Qxf4 Ng6 28.Qg3 Nce5 29.Ba1 If 29.Rc1 Rc7, and Black has equalized Nxc4 Instead of 29...Nxd3 30.Qxd3 Re8 31.Qd4, with equality 30.Bb1 30.e5 dxe5 31.Bxg6 fxg6 could favor Black Nge5 Better than 30...Rc7 31.Ba2! 31.Rf2 Rc7 32.Rdf1 Qe6 33.Ba2 b5 34.Rf5 Re8 35.Bxe5 dxe5 36.Kh1 If 36.Rh5 Qg6 37.Qxg6 fxg6! Qc6 37.Qf3 Ree7 38.Rf2?? Safer was 38.Rh5 g6 39.Rh4! Nd6! Gaining positional advantage 39.Bd5 Qc1+ 40.Rf1 Nxf5 41.exf5 Qg5 42.f6 Qxf6 43.Qe2 Qb6 44.Rg1 44.Qd3 does not save the day: 44...Red7 45.Qf3 Qh6! g6 Best was 44...Rc3!, e.g., 45.Qg4 Qh6! 45.h4 45.Qd3 Kg7 46.Bg2 also allows Black to keep the lead Qd4 46.Rxg6+ Kf8 47.Rd6 47.Rg3 offers a small chance: 47...Qxd5+ 48.Qg2 Qd1+ 49.Qg1 Qxg1+ 50.Kxg1 Rc1+ 48.Kg2 Qxh4!
It’s all over, e.g., 49.Qf2 Qg4+ 50.Kh2 Qh5+ 51.Kg2 Qg5+ 52.Kh2 Rec7, and Black clinches the point. 0–1
● A. Branzuela (2187) – J.C. Sadorra (2414)
Rd. 1, PGMA Cup Int’l Open.’07
Sicilian Najdorf (B90)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Rg1 If 6.Bc4 g6 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.g4 d5 9.g5 Nxe4 10.Nxe4 dxe4 11.Qxd8+ Kxd8 12.Bg2 Kc7 13.Be3 h6 14.Bxe4 14.h4! was best hxg5 15.Rxg5 Nd7 15...Rxh2 16.Rxe5 Rh4 17.Nd4 equalizes 16.0-0-0 a5 Not 16...Rxh2 17.Nd2 Rh4 18.Bg2! 17.Bd5 Bxd5 18.Rxd5 Rxh2 If 18...a4 19.Na5! 19.a4 19.Rg4!? is worth looking at, says Fritz, e.g., 19...Ra6 20.Rc4+ Rc6 21.Nxa5 Rxc4 22.Nxc4! Rh4 20.Nc5 Missing his best shot, 20.Rg1! Nxc5! Seizing the initiative and the lead 21.Bxc5 f6 22.Bxf8 fxg5 Not 22...Rxf8?! 23.Rxg7+ Kc6 24.Rxa5 Rh1+ 25.Kd2 Rd8+ 26.Kc3, and White has restored the balance 23.Bxg7 Rxa4 24.Bxe5+ Kc6 25.Rd6+ Kc5 26.Rg6 Ra1+ 26...g4 was more precise 27.Kd2 Rd8+ 28.Ke2 Rc1 29.Rxg5 Rxc2+ 30.Ke3 Kc4 31.f4 Rd3+ 32.Ke4 Re2+ 33.Kf5 Rb3 33...b5 34.Rg1 boosts Black’s lead 34.Kf6 a4 35.f5?? 35...Rb6+! The clincher: 36.Kf7 Rxe5 37.Rg4+ Kb3! 0-1
● R.J. Magallanes – J.C. Sadorra (2414)
Rd. 1, Pichay Cup Int’l Open 2007
French Defense (C19)
1.e4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.a4 Nbc6 8.Nf3 Qa5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.Bd3 f6 11.exf6 Rxf6 12.Ba3 b6 Not 12...Qxa4?? 13.Bb2 Qxa1+ 14.Bxa1!, and White surges on 13.h4 13.dxc5!? bxc5 14.c4 allows Black to equalize Ba6! Not 13...Qxa4?? 14.Bb2 Qxa1+ 15.Bxa1! 14.Bxa6 Qxa6 15.dxc5 Ng6 16.Ng5 16.cxb6 Nf4 17.Rh2 was better h6! 17.Nh3 Nxh4 18.f4 Qc4 19.Kd1 Rg6 20.Qd3 Qxd3+ 21.cxd3 Rxg2 22.Re1 d4 23.c4 Nf3 24.Rxe6 Na5 25.cxb6 Rd2+ 26.Kc1 Nb3+ 27.Kb1 Nxa1 28.b7 Rb8 29.Re7 Rxd3 30.Bd6 Rb3+ 31.Kxa1 R8xb7 32.Rxb7 Rxb7 33.c5 d3 34.Nf2 d2 35.c6 Rb6 36.c7 Rc6 37.Kb2 Kf7 38.f5 Ke8 39.Nd1 Kd7 40.Bf8 Rc1! The end: 41.Ne3 Re1!, and Black wins. 0-1
MY FAVORITES
Ivanchuk’s amazing sparkle
I HAVE said this before and I say it again: but for his rather fragile nervous system, 38-year-old world No. 2 Vassily Ivanchuk (2787) should have been world champion long ago.
His nerves failed him again in the recent World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk where he was unceremoniously dumped by Romanian GM Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (2668) in their fifth game when they met in the third round of the knockout series, 3-2.
It is also possible that Ivanchuk had reached the limits of his endurance, having just won the World Blitz in Moscow with a sensational final-round victory over his old rival, reigning world champion Viswanathan Anand of India—a rivalry dating back to the 1987 World Junior Championship in Baguio City!
It is a fact that among all players on the global circuit today, Ivanchuk had the best tournament record this year, winning almost all major events except the two-year-long world championship cycle.
Strangely enough, however, most of the wins by this temperamental genius from Ukraine happened in Latin America, where he is known to have swept through memorial tournaments, the latest of which was the Carlos Torre Memorial in Merida, Mexico last weekend.
Carlos Torre (1905-1978) was Mexico’s first grandmaster who made big waves overseas by winning several events on the European and American circuits in the 1930s. Merida was his home city.
● V. Ivanchuk (2787) – S. Mamedyarov (2752)
Rd. 28, World Blitz, Moscow 2007
Ruy Lopez, Deferred Steinitz (C76)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 4...Bc5 5.0-0 would have equalized 5.c3 Bd7 6.d4 g6 If 6...Nf6 7.0-0 7.Bg5 f6 8.Be3 Nh6 9.h3 Nf7 10.Nbd2 Bg7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Re1 h5 Not 12...f5 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 17.Nf3! 13.Nf1 Kh7 14.Bc2 Ne7 15.Qd2 Bh6 16.Rad1 Be6 17.Bb3 Bxb3 18.axb3 Qe8 19.c4 Rd8 20.Qc3 g5 21.Ng3 g4 21...h4!? may be tried to reduce White’s lead, e.g., 22.Nf1 exd4 23.Nxd4 Qd7 22.Nxh5! Ng5 If 22...Ng8 23.hxg4 Bxe3 24.Rxe3! 23.Nxg5+ 23.Nxf6+!? could be stronger, e.g., 23…Rxf6 24.Nxg5+ Bxg5 25.Bxg5! Bxg5 24.hxg4 Ng6 24...Qg6 25.Bxg5 Qxg5 26.Rd3 benefits White 25.f3 Qe6 26.Kf2 Kg8 27.Rh1 Kf7 28.Bxg5 fxg5 29.Qd2 Qe7 Better than 29...Ne7 30.Qxg5 Rg8 31.Qd2 30.Ng3 30.Nf4 seems even better 30...gxf4 31.Rh7+ Ke8 32.Rxe7+! Rh8 If 30...Nh4 31.Qa5! 31.Nf5 Qf6 32.Qa5 b6 33.Qd5+ Qe6 34.Qb7 Qd7 35.Rh5 35.Rxh8 Rxh8 36.c5 bxc5 37.dxc5 Ne7 38.cxd6 Qc8 39.Qxc7 Qxc7 40.dxc7! was playable Nf4 35...exd4 36.Nxd4 Rxh5 37.gxh5! 36.Rxg5 36.Rxh8 might be the shorter path: 36...Rxh8 37.dxe5! Kf6 37.Rg7 Rh2 38.g5+ Ke6 39.d5+!
V. Ivanchuk – G. Kasparov
Linares, Spain 1991
Sicilian Moscow (B52)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4 Ngf6 5.0-0 5.Nc3 cxd4 6.Qxd4 g6 could favor Black cxd4 5...Nxe4!? 6.Re1 Nef6 equalizes 6.Qxd4² a6 7.Bxd7+ Bxd7 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.c4 e6 10...Rg8 11.Nc3 leads to equality 11.Nc3 Rc8 12.Kh1 h5 13.a4 h4 14.h3 Be7 15.b4 a5 16.b5 16.bxa5 Qxa5 17.Nb5 Bc6 gives White a clear advantage Qc7 17.Nd2 Qc5 18.Qd3 Rg8 19.Rae1 Qg5 20.Rg1 Qf4 21.Ref1 b6 22.Ne2 Qh6 23.c5 Rxc5 23...dxc5 deserves consideration: 24.Nc4 Rb8 24.Nc4 Kf8 25.Nxb6 Be8 26.f4 f5 27.exf5 Rxf5 28.Rc1 Kg7 Not 28...Qf6 29.g4! Rc5 30.Nc4!, and White is way ahead 29.g4! Rc5 30.Rxc5 dxc5 31.Nc8 Bf8 Better was 31...Bd8 32.Qd8 Qg6 32...c4 gives White the lead 33.f5 Qh6 33...Qf6 offered the last chance for counterplay: 34.Qxe8 c4 34.g5 Qh5 35.Rg4 Not 35.Qxe8?! Qxe2 36.Qc6 Qd3 with equality exf5 36.Nf4 Qh8 37.Qf6+ Kh7 38.Rxh4+!
GAMES OF GIFTED KIDS
Boy genius from Ukraine
EVEN as a child, Vassily Ivanchuk was already known outside the borders of his homeland Ukraine. This world-famous country by the Black Sea was then just a part of the Soviet Union, the communist giant sprawled behind the Iron Curtain since its birth from the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 until its collapse in late 1991.
I remember learning about Ivanchuk from the British Chess Magazine but I don’t remember any of his games in the Informant, popularly known even among Filipino players by its original Slavic name, Informator, published yearly in the then Yugoslavia.
By and large, the communist propaganda machine grounded out “leaks” to the Western world about a Ukrainian lad believed to be an authentic genius and billed as the potential rival of Garry Kasparov, the Armenian Jew from Azerbaijan, another Soviet satellite, who wrested the crown from Kremlin’s fair-haired boy, champion Anatoly Karpov, in 1985.
Even then, there were reports that Chuky was “not like us,” as he was to be described later by the globetrotting Eduard Gufeld in a Hong Kong seminar I attended, and that he was a highly nervous player at the board, who kept glancing at the ceiling while at play.
Most likely, it was Ivanchuk as the iconic grandmaster that inspired Ukrainian geniuses born after him to follow in his footsteps. To name two: Ruslan Ponomariov, the world’s youngest ever world champion (at 18 in early 2002), and Sergey Karjakin, the world’s youngest person to become a GM (at 12 years and seven months in May 2002).
Karjakin served as Ponomariov’s second up to the final round when the latter had to face their compatriot, the great Chuky, and their common idol, whom Ruslan soon outplayed.
● V. Ivanchuk – A. Dreev
Leningrad (Russia) 1985
Semi-Slav Defense (D31)
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 c6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Qxd4 7.Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8.Be2 If 8.Qe2 Nf6 Na6 8...Qxg2 9.Bf3 Qg5 10.Ne2 favors White 9.Bd6 9.Ba5 f6 10.Nf3 e5 leads to equality Qf5 9...Qxg2!? may be tried, e.g., 10.Qd2 Nf6! 10.Nf3 Qa5+ 11.Nd2 Ne7 12.0–0 Nf5 13.Ne4 Nxd6 14.Nxd6+ Ke7 15.Qd3 Rd8 16.Rad1 Qc7 17.Qxh7 17.c5!? should be tried: 17...Nxc5 18.Qe3 Rxd6 19.Qxc5, with a clear edge for White Rxd6 Restoring the balance 18.Qxg7 e5 19.Qxe5+ Re6 19...Be6 may be tried, e.g., 20.Qg5+ Kf8 21.Qh6+ Kg8 20.Qg5+ Rf6 21.Rd3 Qf4? Fritz suggests 21...Qb6 22.Qg8 White is now way ahead Rd6 23.Re3+ Re6 24.Rd1 Rxe3 25.Qd8+ Ke6 26.Bg4 f5 Not 26...Qxg4+because of 27.Rd6+!, a classical mating theme 27.fxe3 Qe5 28.Bh5 Qc7 29.Qg8+ Ke5 29...Kf6 will not stop mate. Try it out on the board! 30.Qe8+ 30.Qh8+ leads to mate: 30…Ke6 31.e4 Nc5 32.exf5+ Kxf5 33.Rf1+ Qf4 34.Qf8+ Kg5 35.Qxf4+ Kxh5 36.Qf7+ Kg5 37.Qg7+ Kh5 38.Rf6 Bf5 39.Rh6#! Kf6 31.Rd8 31.Qf8+ leads to mate. Try out on the board! Rb8 32.Qg6+!
● G. Serper – V. Ivanchuk
Leningrad, 1985
Sicilian Dragon, Yugoslav Attack (B77)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 f5 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0–0 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.Bb3 Ne5 11.Bh6 Bxh6 12.Qxh6 Rc8 13.Nde2 b5 14.h4 b4 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.exd5 a5 17.h5 g5 18.Qxg5+ Kh8 19.c3 Fritz suggests a close study of 19.a4!?, leading to equality Rg8! 20.Qe3 Rxg2 Preventing 21.0–0 21.Bc2 21.f4 will benefit Black: 21…Bb5 22.Nd4 Nd3+ 23.Kf1 Rf2+ 24.Qxf2 Nxf2+ 25.Kxf2 bxc3 26.bxc3 Rxc3!, and Black is way ahead bxc3 21...Bb5 is more precise: 22.Nd4 Qb6 23.0–0–0 bxc3!, with Black having a big lead 22.b3 If 22.bxc3 Qc7 23.Rc1 Qc4! Bb5 23.Nd4 Rd2 24.Rg1??
24...Qb6! The end: 25.Rg3 Rxd4! 0–1
CHESS MAGIC
Vassily’s stylish wizardry
ONE distinctive feature of Vassily Ivanchuk’s play is its style, which is one of the most complicated among today’s leading players. It is said that he does not hesitate to make a move that puts his own game in apparent difficulties temporarily for as long as he thinks it is the best and, therefore, the winning blow in that position.
It is this style of play that is the most conducive to producing brilliancies. Oddly enough, it is when he faces a rival who closely resembles his manner of play that fireworks erupt and give birth to eternal sparklers.
It is no wonder, then, that the two games chosen for this series were won by Ivanchuk against tactical players like Alexei Shirov of Spain and Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, both of whom have created countless gems on the board themselves.
In his duel with Shirov, Ivanchuk (as White) adopts the ultra-sharp Botvinnik System of the Queen’s Gambit Declined against Black’s Semi-Slav Defense.
The Ukrainian wizard pulls off a surprise, and seemingly purposeless sacrifice of the queen (condemned by Fritz) to trigger a series of exchanges in a wide-open game that culminates in positional and material advantage for White: two active rooks and three connected pawns against an inutile queen with two isolated pawns in the endgame.
● V. Ivanchuk – A. Shirov
Rd. 3, Hoogovens, Wijk aan Zee 1996
QGD, Semi-Slav/Botvinnik System (D44)
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5 Not 9.exf6 gxh4 10.a4 Bb4! hxg5 10.Bxg5 Nbd7 11.exf6 Bb7 12.g3 If 12.Qf3 Qa5, with equal chances c5 13.d5 Qb6 14.Bg2 0-0-0 14...b4 15.Na4 Qd6 16.Bf4 keeps the balance 15.0-0 b4 16.Na4 Qb5 17.a3 17.dxe6 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Qc6+ (not 18...fxe6? because of 19.f7!) 19.f3 Qxe6, and it’s a balanced game exd5 18.axb4 cxb4 19.Be3 Nc5 20.Qg4+ 20.Nxc5 tends to help Black, e.g., 20…Bxc5 21.Qg4+ Kb8 22.Qf4+ Ka8 Rd7 If 20...Qd7 21.Qxd7+ Nxd7, and it’s even; if 21...Kxd7?? 22.Nxc5+ (if 22.Bxc5 Kc6 23.Bxa7 with White ahead) Bxc5 23.Bxc5, and it’s White’s game 21.Qg7??
White loses his initiative, says Fritz without mentioning the loss of the queen. It suggests instead 21.Nxc5 Bxc5 22.Rfd1 Bxe3
23.fxe3, with a clear edge for White.
21...Bxg7 But of course 22.fxg7 Rg8 23.Nxc5 d4 23...Rc7!? could be tried: 24.Nxb7 Rxb7 25.Bxa7 Rxg7! 24.Bxb7+! Leveling the game Rxb7 25.Nxb7 Qb6 26.Bxd4 Qxd4 27.Rfd1 Qxb2 28.Nd6+ Kb8 29.Rdb1 Qxg7 30.Rxb4+ Kc7? Fritz notes that 30...Ka8 would keep Black in the game, e.g., 31.Rba4 f6! 31.Ra6 White is now ahead Rb8 32.Rxa7+ If 32.Rb7+ Rxb7 33.Ne8+ Kb8 34.Nxg7! Kxd6 33.Rxb8 Qg4 34.Rd8+ Kc6 If 34...Ke6 35.Ra1, and White surges on 35.Ra1! It’s all over: 35…Kc5 36.Rc1! 1-0
Most of Ivanchuk’s gems were won with White, as in the next game in which he outplays Bulgaria’s superstar in almost all phases of the game.
● V. Ivanchuk – V. Topalov
Linares-Morelia 2007
Sicilian Najdorf (B90)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nf3 Be7 8.Bc4 0-0 9.0-0 Be6 10.Bxe6 fxe6 11.Na4 Ng4 12.Qd3 Nxe3 13.Qxe3 b5 14.Nb6 Ra7 15.Nd5 Rb7 16.Qd2 Nc6 17.Rad1 Rd7 18.Qc3 Nb8 19.Nxe7+ Qxe7 20.Rd3 h6 21.Rfd1 Rfd8 22.h4 Kh7 23.R1d2 Qf8 24.Qb3 Qe8 25.a4 Qg6 26.axb5 axb5 27.Re3 Na6 28.Qxb5 Nc5 29.Qc4 Ra7 30.Re1 Qe8 If 30...Nb7 31.Qc6, and White has a distinct advantage 31.b4 Also playable was 31.Nxe5 Rc7 32.Nf3! Na4 If 31...Nb7 32.Qe2 32.Qb3 Nb6 33.Red1 Rad7 34.Qd3 34.b5 Qe7 also keeps the lead for White Rc8 35.c3 Ra7 36.Qe3 Ra6 37.Qe2 37.Rxd6?! is dubious, e.g., 37…Nc4 38.Rxa6 Nxe3 39.fxe3 Rxc3! Nc4 38.Ra2 Rac6 39.Ra7 R6c7 40.Rda1 Qf7?? A costly mistake. Better but inadequate would be 40...Rxa7 41.Rxa7 d5, and White is still leading 41.Qxc4!!
A fitting climax that ends it all: 41…Rxa7 42.Rxa7 Rxc4 43.Rxf7 Rxc3 44.Rd7! 1-0
BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (1)
Unknowns
THE 12th world champion, Anatoly Karpov, made his international debut in 1966. The Soviet Chess Federation received an invitation to send two players to an international junior tournament, and they sent Karpov and Viktor Kupreichik. When they arrived in Czechoslovakia it turned out that the tournament was for adults. There being no time to send replacements, the two youngsters were given the green light to participate. The result was a sensation – Karpov and Kupreichik finished 1-2.
His successor to the world title, Garry Kasparov had a similar experience. In 1979, at the age of 16, without even a FIDE rating, he participated in the very strong Banja Luka GM tournament, where 14 out of the playing field of 16 were international grandmasters. The result was:
1 Garry Kasparov, 11.5/15
2-3 Ulf Andersson, Jan Smejkal, 9.5/15
4 Tigran Petrosian, 9.0/15
5 Andras Adorjan, 8.5/15
6 Milorad Knezevic, 8.0/15
7-8 Aleksandar Matanovic, Walter Shawn Browne, 7.5/15
9 Enver Bukic, 7.0/15
10-13 Guillermo Garcia, Milan Vukic, Drazen Marovic, Slavoljub Marjanovic, 6.5/15
14-15 Bojan Kurajica, Roman Hernandez, 6.0/15
16 Milenko Sibarevic, 4.0/12
I am sure that a mere perusal of the names involved will impress upon the BW reader the strength of the tournament.
Please note that the former world champion Tigran Petrosian is 2.5 points behind young Garry.
Kasparov,Garry - Browne,Walter S (2540) [E12]
Banja Luka (3), 13.04.1979
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 c5 5.d5 Ba6 6.Qc2 exd5 7.cxd5 d6 8.Nc3 Nbd7 9.Bf4 Be7 10.g3 0–0 11.Bg2 Re8 12.0–0 Nh5 13.Bd2 Nhf6 14.Rfe1 Bf8 15.a4 Ng4 16.Nb5 Bb7 17.e4 a6 18.Na3 Rb8 19.h3 Ngf6 20.Bc3 Qc7 21.Nd2 Bc8 22.Bf1 g5 23.Nf3 h6 24.Nc4 b5 25.axb5 axb5 26.e5 Nxd5 27.Nxd6 Bxd6 28.exd6 Qd8 29.Ne5 Nb4 30.Qd2 Nxe5 31.Rxe5 Rxe5 32.Bxe5 Nc6 33.Qe3 Nxe5 34.Qxe5 c4 35.Bg2 Be6 36.Ra7 b4 37.Be4 c3 38.Bh7+ Kxh7 39.Qxe6 1–0
Garry, like Mihail Tal before him, accomplished the rare feat of jumping from untitled to International Grandmaster in one swoop.
That was the way it was in the 60s – the two chess powers Soviet Union and Yugoslavia would send complete unknowns to international tournaments and they would respond by winning the event.
Remember Albin Planinc? Here is his debut:
Unzicker,Wolfgang - Planinec,Albin [C88]
Vidmar mem Ljubljana (10), 1969
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 b5 6.Bb3 Bb7 7.d3 Be7 8.c3 0–0 9.Re1 h6 10.Nbd2 Re8 11.d4 Bf8 12.d5 Na5 13.Bc2 c6 14.dxc6 Bxc6 15.Nf1 Qc7 16.Ng3 d5 17.Qe2 Rad8 18.Nd2 g6 19.Ndf1 Nc4 20.Ne3 Nxe3 21.Qxe3 dxe4 22.Nxe4 Nd5 23.Qg3 Re6 24.Bb3 f5 25.Qh3 Qe7 26.Ng3 Kh7 27.Nf1 Qf6 28.Qg3 Ree8 29.Bd2 e4 30.Ne3 Ne7 31.Rad1 g5 32.Qc7 Rd7 33.Qb6 Nc8 34.Qa5 f4 35.Ng4 Qf5 36.h3 h5 37.Nh2 Bb7 38.Bc1 Rg7 39.Bc2 Bc5 40.Nf3 Nb6 41.Nd4 Qf6 42.b3 g4 43.hxg4 hxg4 44.Ba3 g3 45.Rd2 Bxd4 46.cxd4 Qh6 47.Qc3 b4 48.Bxb4 Nd5 49.Qf3 Nxb4 50.Bxe4+ Kh8 51.d5 Nxd5 0–1
Nowadays the Chinese have taken over this role. An untitled 16-year old, Wang Hao, completely dominated the 2005 Malaysian Open with a score of 10/11. His aggressiveness was so focused that even when first place was assured he was still attacking:
Rogers,I (2569) - Wang Hao (2512) [A28]
Malaysian Open Kuala Lumpur MAS (11), 26.08.2005
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3 Bb4 5.Qc2 d6 6.a3 Bxc3 7.Qxc3 e4 8.Ng1 Ne5 9.b4 b6 10.f4 exf3 11.Nxf3 Ne4 12.Qd4 Nxf3+ 13.gxf3 Qh4+ 14.Ke2 Qf2+ 15.Kd3 Qxf3 16.Qxg7 Bf5 17.Qxh8+ Ke7 18.Qg7 Rg8 19.Qxg8 Nf6+ 20.Kc3 Nxg8 21.Rg1 Qf2 22.Rxg8 Qxf1 23.e4 Be6 24.Rg3 Qxc4+ 25.Kb2 Qxe4 26.Rc3 Kd7 27.d3 Qe2+ 0–1
The 2007 Malaysian Open was won by yet another untitled Chinese teenage wonder, Li Chao.
With the series of international tournaments organized in the Philippines, Pinoys are finally getting their chance to measure their strength against their foreign counterparts, and now new names are coming to the fore – Hamed Nouri last year, Kim Steven Yap, Dino Ballecer, Rolando Andador and David Elorta this year.
Elorta reminds me of Richard Bitoon a few years back. He is completely fearless, constantly striving for the initiative, and fights back strongly in dubious positions. I’d like to show you this game of his from the just-concluded Pichay Cup.
Zhou Weiqi (2477) - Elorta,David (2132) [D23]
3rd Pichay Cup Intl Open Duty Free Fiesta Mall (2.10), 02.12.2007
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Qb3 dxc4 5.Qxc4 b5 6.Qc2 Bb7 7.Bg5 Nbd7 8.e3 Qb6 9.Nc3 e6 10.Bd3 Rc8 11.Qe2 a6 12.a4 Bb4 13.0–0 0–0 14.e4 e5?
Can this move be possible? The idea seems to be 15.dxc5 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Ng4, but even then White is better.
15.axb5 cxb5 16.Na2
Zhou's idea is to double Black's pawns on the f-file.
16...Bd6
[16...Be7? 17.dxe5 White wins a piece]
17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Nh4 O
Obviously White's attacking chances in the kingside are quite serious. Now, if he could only get one of his rooks on the 3rd rank ...
18...Kh8 19.Qh5 Rg8 20.Qxf7 Rg7 21.Qh5 Rg5 22.Qf7 Rg7 23.Qh5 exd4 24.Nf5 Rg6 25.Ng3 Rc5 26.Qe2 Bf4 27.Nb4
Heading for d5.
27...Qe6 28.Nd5 Bb8
[28...Bxd5? 29.exd5 opens the b1–h7 diagonal with a double attack]
29.Rfc1 Rg8 30.Qh5 Qe5 31.Qh3 Qg5 32.Rd1 Nf8?!
It seems to me that 32...Bc8 threatening a discovered attack on the white queen is better.
33.Ne7 Rg7 34.Ngf5 Rf7 35.Nd5 Ng6 36.Nxd4 Qe5 37.Nf3 Qd6 38.b4 Rc8 39.Bf1 Re8 40.Rac1 Nf4 41.Qf5 Nxd5 42.exd5 Qxb4 43.Ng5 Rg7 44.Ne6
White is playing for a win. He could have gotten a draw here with 44.Qxf6?! Qf4 45.Nf7+ Kg8 46.Nh6+ Kh8 47.Nf7+ repetition.
44...Rg6 45.g3 Qd6 46.Bd3 Re7 47.Be4
White plans to play 48.Qf3, attacking the rook which cannot leave the 6th rank because of the unprotected f6-pawn. After 48...Rh6 49.Qe3 the rook would be forced to go 49...Rh5, and then 50.Bf3 Re5 51.Qh6! White wins.
47...Ba7! 48.Qf3 Rh6
Because of Black's 47...Ba7 the white queen can no longer harass the rook from e3.
49.Rc2 Bb6 50.Rdc1 Re8 51.Kg2?
Zhou misses winning brilliantly with 51.Qg4! Rg8 52.Rc8! take note that Black's rook cannot move because of Qg7 checkmate.
51...Qe5 52.Qg4 f5! 53.Bxf5
[53.Qxf5 Qxf5 54.Bxf5 Bxd5+ 55.Kg1 Rhxe6 56.Bxe6 Rxe6 and wins]
53...Bxd5+ 54.Kg1 Rhxe6
[54...Bxe6? 55.Re2 Qd5 56.Qg5 wins]
55.Bxe6 Qxe6 56.Qxe6 Rxe6 57.Rd1 Bc4 58.Rd7 a5 59.Rcd2 a4 60.Rb7 Rf6 61.Rdd7 Bg8 0–1
Was David Elorta lucky? No such thing – he constantly muddied the waters and gave his opponent opportunities to err. He deserved to win.
Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was first published in BusinessWorld the other Friday, December 17, 2007.
Chess quote
“Chess, with all its philosophical depth, its aesthetic appeal, is first of all a game in the best sense of the word; a game in which are revealed your intellect, character, will.” —Boris Spassky
.BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE
The Keres Plan
GATA KAMSKY won his final match of the World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk against GM Alexei Shirov 2.5-1.5 and crowned himself as the 2007 World Cup Champion. Aside from the top prize of US $120,000, Gata will meet former world champion Veselin Topalov in a match next year to determine who will face the winner of the Anand-Kramnik match for the absolute world championship.
On his way to the finals Kamsky was undefeated in steamrolling Egyptian GM (and reigning World Junior Champion) Ahmed Adly, the tough Israeli GM Boris Avrukh, former world top-10 GM Kiril Georgiev of Bulgaria, 3-time Russian Champion GM Peter Svidler, former world champion Ruslan Ponomariov, and the phenomenal former child prodigy Magnus Carlsen. No one can say that Kamsky was lucky and only faced weakies!
I really do not want to talk about Gata Kamsky so much, because for me the father (Rustam, a former boxer) and son team are so personally distasteful. They have done much to discourage sponsors from getting involved into chess. There is a saying that all news is good news, but that probably only applies if we are talking about rumors of illicit romances, or who is mad at whom, but when it comes to allegations of cheating, attacking the sponsors for not paying right away, or even threatening to kill their opponents, that sort of publicity no one wants to be connected with!
My usual antidote for situations like this is to concentrate on their chess, so let us forthwith talk about one of my favorite players!
KERES PLAN
The great Estonian Grandmaster, Paul Keres (1916-1975), was also known as the strongest ever player never to become world champion. He started out as a wild attacking player, but later on found out that it was not enough and had to put in a lot of work into developing his positional skills. Keres became so good at the latter that his reputation became that of a universal player, able to play equally well in the opening, middlegame, endgame, whether attacking or defending.
Look at this game:
Keres,Paul - Botvinnik,Mikhail [B63]
Alekhine Memorial Moscow, 1956
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 h6 8.Bxf6 gxf6
[8...Qxf6? 9.Ndb5 Qd8 10.0–0–0 Black loses a crucial central pawn without compensation]
9.0–0–0 a6 10.f4 h5 11.Kb1 Bd7 12.Be2 Qb6 13.Nb3!
Keres had tried to implement the same plan against Petrosian in the Amsterdam Candidates' earlier in 1956, but after 13.Rhf1 Qxd4 14.Qxd4 Nxd4 15.Rxd4 h4 16.f5 Rc8 17.Rd3 the wily Armenian had managed to simplify the position. This time Keres removes that possibility by withdrawing the knight first.
13...0–0–0 14.Rhf1
Now we see the idea behind the Keres Plan: White castles queenside, plays Be2 and then Bh5 if possible, then Rhf1–f3 and then position the rook at either d3 or h3 as the need arises.
14...Na5 15.Rf3 Nxb3 16.axb3 Kb8 17.Na4 Qa7
The exchange 17...Bxa4 18.bxa4 doesn't make sense for Black, as he will be giving up the two bishops as well as allow White the strong square on b3 for his rook.
18.f5! Be7 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Rxf6! Rh7
Is there anything better for Black? Let’s see:
1) 20...Bxf6 21.Qxd6+ Ka8 22.Nb6+ wins the queen;
2) 20...Bxa4 21.Rxe6;
3) 20...b5 21.Rf7 Be8 22.Rxe7! Qxe7 23.Nc5 with a dangerous attacking position. For example if 23...Ka7 then 24.Qa5!
21.Rg6! b5 22.Nc3 Qc5 23.Na2!
Heading for d3.
23...Ka7 24.Nb4 Rf8 25.Bf3 h4 26.h3 Bc8 27.Nd3 Qc7 28.Nf4 Rf6 29.Bg4! Rxg6
[29...Rhf7 loses another pawn to 30.Nxe6! Bxe6 31.Bxe6 Rxg6 32.Bxf7]
30.Nxg6
Threatening Nxe7 followed by Qxd6. Under time pressure, Black collapses.
30...Bb7 31.Bxe6 Bd8 32.Bd5 Bxd5 33.Qxd5 Rf7 34.e5 1–0
I remember that former US Champion Hikaru Nakamura once claimed that he does not read chess books, for there is nothing that Smyslov can teach him.Why is youth wasted on the young?
At least Gata Kamsky knows the importance of studying the games of the masters. Here we see him adopting the Keres Plan to defeat former world champion Ruslan Ponomariov.
Kamsky,Gata (2714) - Ponomariov,Ruslan (2705) [B97]
World Cup Khanty-Mansiysk RUS (5.2), 07.12.2007
The following game is typical of Kamsky's style - all throughout this game there is a feeling of CONTROL, of not letting any of the complications get away.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2!?
A surprise. Kamsky is known to be a staunch supporter of 8.Nb3. However, he had lost painfully to Topalov in Sofia last year with that move—Kamsky was leading the tournament and the defeat enabled Topa to overtake him and win.
8...Nc6
This is the "afraid-of-an-improvement" syndrome. Shirov reveals that his 7...Qb6 was only a bluff and he did not intend to take the poisoned pawn on b2.
9.Bxf6
White's knight on d4 is attacked, but if he moves 9.Nb3 right away then Black has the counter 9...Ng4 followed by 10...Qe3. That is why Kamsky immediately destroys the knight.
9...gxf6 10.Nb3
We have transposed from the Poisoned Pawn Variation to the Rauzer. Kamsky now adopts the Keres Plan.
10...Bd7 11.0–0–0 0–0–0 12.Be2 h5 13.Rhf1 Be7 14.Rf3
Compare this position with that of the previous.
14...Rdg8 15.Bf1 Kb8 16.Kb1 h4 17.Qe1 Rg4
By attacking the f4-pawn the white rook is prevented from going to h3.
18.a3
I am sure both players considered the flashy sacrifice 18.Nd5!? objectively speaking, though, after 18...exd5 19.exd5 Bf8 (of course not 19...Ne5 20.fxe5 fxe5 21.Rxf7) 20.dxc6 Bxc6 Black's two bishops and two rooks become too active.
18...Qc7
There are a lot of hidden tactics here. 18...Na5? is met by 19.Nd5! exd5 20.Nxa5 with Rb3 to follow. 20...Bd8 is met by 21.Rxd5.
19.Ne2 Rh5?!
This one appears to be an inaccuracy, but I don't know what to suggest as better.
20.h3 Rg8 21.f5! Rhh8
[21...exf5 22.exf5 Rxf5 23.Nf4 e.g. 23...Rh8 (or else White will take on h4) 24.Nd5 Qd8 25.Rxf5 Bxf5 26.Nd4 Nxd4 27.Rxd4 Be6 28.Be2 followed by Bf3]
22.Nf4 Bf8 23.Qf2 Rg5 24.fxe6 fxe6 25.Rc3
With the idea of Nd4.
25...Rh6 26.Nd4 Re5 27.Nd3! Rxe4 28.Nb4 Rxd4
[If 28...Ka8 29.Bxa6!]
29.Rxd4 Qa5
Both players were in time trouble here, but Kamsky mops up without any great difficulty.
30.Rxh4 f5 31.Rxh6 Bxh6 32.Rb3 Nxb4 33.Rxb4 Bc6 34.g4 fxg4 35.Rxg4 Qe5 36.Rg8+ Kc7 37.Bd3 Be3 38.Qg3 Qc5 39.b4 Qd4 40.Qg7+ Qxg7 41.Rxg7+ Kd8 42.h4 e5 43.h5 e4 44.Be2 Bf4 45.Rg6 1–0
By the way, did you know that Eugene Torre has faced Gata Kamsky only once over the chessboard? This was during the 1992 Manila Interzonal, and El Eugenio won quite convincingly. You want to see that game? Well, you have to stick around for the next Chess Piece.
Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Friday, December 28, 2007
FROM MY SWIVEL CHAIR
Looking forward to a fruitful new year
LIKE you and everybody else, I look forward to a happy, peaceful, and productive new year that will enrich my life spiritually and intellectually. Happy New Year!
Sadly, however, there seems to be a brewing schism in the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, as bruited about in the Filipino chess community, torn apart as it already is by intrigues and often-malicious gossips.
Is it true that a group associated with a highly respected player wants to break away from the NCFP headed by former Congressman Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr?
A fly on the wall buzzed to me that this group planned to hold an election earlier this week but it was called off at the last minute. Why? Your guess is as good as mine.
The Weekender condemns this move as nothing but a petty, pointless, and self-destructive conspiracy among people who have nothing better to do with their lives.
The group is said to claim as having nine partisans in the present NCFP Board. The Pichay “faction” says it has eight. Why is this so? Is it not a 15-member board? Or is it because there are political butterflies among them?
And to think that some of those said to have cooked up the plot are lawyers! Aren’t lawyers supposed to be members of the Bar in good standing and ethical “officers of the court”?
Then why resort to moves that can be a bit off the pale of the law and may give rise to costly litigations that could damage Philippine chess beyond redemption?
It seems weird that the plot, if true, was hatched soon after the present NCFP leadership has helped produce two grandmasters in a span of only two-and-a-half months and on the eve of a major international event, the Asian Team Championship.
If this group wants to take over the NCFP, why does it not wage its fight within the ranks? Why does it have to break away? If indeed it has the numbers, why not press for a showdown?
The Weekender is not siding with either “faction.” It condemns factional strife and crookedness in any form. It wants unity and harmony in the local chess community, backward as it is.
I, for one, look forward to a peaceful and productive year where Philippine chess can regain its place of pride in Asia and then the rest of the world.
Peace, man, peace!
—0—
MY apology to readers, particularly the one affected, for a booboo that appeared in the extra edition of December 22 when I was still under stress following the viral crash of my computer: “Rolando Andrade” should have read “Rolando Andador.”
In the December 19 extra, “third round” should have read “fourth round” in the lead paragraph re Kamsky.
Chess quote
“To put children under pressure at a young age is a dangerous trend. It doesn’t help anyone. I don’t think any child should put his or her career at stake for chess or any other sports. There should be always something to fall back upon if you don’t succeed in sports.”—Viswanathan Anand
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Hi, just wanna share some pictures and event details from the Marikina chessfest, QCMC holiday chessfest and CAAP chessfest held at RMHS. Follow this link http://www.kiddiechessplayer.blogspot.com. Happy New Year!!!
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