7/9/2019 – The Alekhine Memorial in Voronezh is considered as one of the strongest tournaments in Russia. You have a host of Russian players who are under-rated and fighting for the top spots. RUPALI MULLICK, who was present at the event, with her son Raahil, brings us a detailed report from the venue. It includes photos, game analysis and videos, but also interviews with the first and second placed players Savchenko and Visakh who show us their best games along with analysis.
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Boris Savchenko, not to be overlooked
One tournament lost in the shuffle of super strong June action, the 23rd Alekhine Memorial finished with the top board players fighting tooth and nail to stay ahead of the rest of the field. IM Sergey Pavlov (UKR), Arseniy Nesterov (RUS) and Azamaty Utegaliyev (KAZ) were clear leaders after five rounds with a 4½/5, but 16-year-old, untitled Arseniy Nesterov (RUS) won everyone’s hearts. His fabulous, solid performance on the top table enabled him to maintain a half point lead after round 6 over the rest of the players. At the end of the eighth round, while Arseniy was at leading with 6½/8, there were 8 players trailing the 16-year-old by only half a point at 6.0/8. The ninth round presented many twists and turns and ended up with both Visakh and Savchenko tying for first place with 7.0/9. But due to a better tiebreak Savchenko clinched the title.
GM Visakh NR vs Arseniy Nesterov | Photo: Rupali Mullick
Ultimately it came down to the last round, as GM Visakh NR showed his edge against youngster Arseniy Nesterov when he scored a crucial win on board one, moving closer to a top three finish.
GM Nikita Maiorov took an early draw against GM Dmitry Kryakvin on board number 2, and ended up with 6½/9.
Aftermath of a non-game with a move repetition beginning on move 7 | Photo: Rupali Mullick
In contrast, Savchenko, who was in a must win situation for a top three finish, scored a brilliant win on board three against IM Sergey Pavlov, who had been among the leaders all through the tournament!
Savchenko (black) against Pavlov | Photo: Rupali Mullick
Untitled and very talented Azamat Utegaliyev from Kazakhstan conceded to a draw against GM Nikita Meshkovs on board four and missed out on a top five finish, but took home a GM norm with a performance rating of 2612!
Azamat Utegaliyev vs Nikita Meshkovs | Photo: Rupali Mullick
GM Abhimanyu Puranik of India had to settle for an early draw by repetition against Belarusian GM Alexei Fedorov, thus finishing with 6.0/9. He was given a special prize of 3rd Best Foreigner.
Abhimanyu Puranik receives his prize | Photo: Rupali Mullick
IM Joshua Daniel Ruiz Castillo from Colombia crossed the 2500 Elo rating mark and got his GM title after defeating GM Abhimanyu Puranik in Rd 7, he also won the special prize of 2nd Best Foreigner. Check out this very interesting game and video where Joshua shows his win over GM Abhimanyu Puranik:
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1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.0-0b56.Bb3Bb77.Qe2Bc58.c3C77: Ruy Lopez: 3...a6 4 Ba4 Nf6, unusual linesd68...0-0=might be
stronger.9.d39.Rd19.Rd1Ba710.d4Qe711.d5Na512.Bc2c613.a4Nc414.b3Nb615.dxc6Bxc61/2-1/2 (45) Miroshnichenko,E (2548)-Malaniuk,
V (2556) Warsaw 20029...h610.Nbd210.Be310...0-0=11.Rd1Re811...Bb612.Nf1Bb613.Ng3Bc8NPredecessor:13...Ne714.Nh4d515.Qf3Ng61-0 (37) Kordis,K (2224)-Michelakos,P (2098) Nikea 201114.h3Be614...Na5=feels stronger.15.Bc215.Bxe6Rxe616.Be315...d515...a5=keeps the balance.16.d4!±exd417.e5Nd718.cxd4f618...Nf819.Qd3Black must now prevent
Qh7+.Nf8
20.Qc3!Nb821.a4Nbd722.exf6White should play22.a5Ba723.Qc622...Nxf622...Qxf6±is a better defense.23.Nh5Qf723.a5 Keeping
Black busy.Ba724.Bf424.Ne5+-24...c525.dxc5Bxc525...b4+-26.Qxb4Rc826.Qxc5±Rc827.Qb6Rxc228.Nd4Rc429.Qxa6Bd730.b3Rc331.Nxb5Re6
32.Qb7!Bc832...Rxb3was worth a try.33.Qc7Re833.Qa8Ra634.Qxa6Bxa635.Nxc3b4 is the strong threat.Ng635...d436.Be5d336.Be3+-Qb837.Bb6Nf438.b4Qb7Hoping for ...d4.39.Rd4Ne4?39...Qc640.Ngxe4dxe441.b5Bxb542.Nxb5Strongly threatening
a6.Resist42.Rd8+Kh7+-42...Qc642...Ne2+43.Kh2Nxd443.Rd8+White is clearly winning.Kh7( -> ...e3)44.Be3And now a6 would
win.Ne2+45.Kh1Qxb546.a6Accuracy: White = 61%, Black = 31%.1–0
Starting with Black's alternatives on move 3 and working through until the main lines of the Closed Lopez and the Marshall and Anti-Marshall, the viewer will find his knowledge of the opening developing in tandem with an improvement in his tactical ability.
Ruiz Castillo on his win over Puranik
IM Sergey Pavlov was 'Best Foreigner' but narrowly missed his final GM norm | Photo: Rupali Mullick
GM Visakh N R finished joint first, but had to settle for second place due to a worse tiebreak at 7.0/9 | Photo: Rupali Mullick
On this DVD Grandmaster Daniel King offers you a repertoire for Black against the Catalan, based around maintaining the rock of a pawn on d5. Keeping central control ultimately gives Black good chances to launch an attack against the enemy king.
Interview with GM Visakh NR after the tournament
The winner of the tournament, Russian GM Boris Savchenko with 7.0/9 | Photo: Rupali Mullick
After the tournament ended, GM Boris Savchenko sat down with me for a detailed interview. He gave some fine advice as to what youngsters ought to be doing in order to become stronger chess players. His suggestion is to study the classics. He also goes on to show a brilliant attacking game that he played against Rudik Makarian in round five.
Try to train your attacking play with Savchenko and then later go on to check the analysis and the video below.
Savchenko vs Makarian, Round 5
What is an interesting way to create play for White in this position?
Continue the attack in the most incisive way
Black has won a pawn so now it's time to get your final piece into the game!
Black has castled, but his king is no safer on g8. How to continue as White?
White to play
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1.e4c62.Nc3d53.Nf3dxe44.Nxe4Nf65.Qe2!?Savchenko goes for something off beat.5.Nxf6+is the main move in the position.5...Nxe46.Qxe4Qd57.Qf4Qf58.Qe3e68...Qxc29.Bd3Qa410.b3Qa511.Bb2Savchenko felt that he
has good compensation in this position.9.Bd3Bc510.Qe2Qf611.Be4!
A strong move which creates the threat of d4 followed by Bg5.h612.h4!?
Creative play by the Russian GM.12.c3looks the most natural, but
Savchenko thought it was too slow.12...Nd712...e5?!13.d4Bxd414.Nxd4exd415.Bxc6+±13.g4!?Inspired play!Bd6?!13...e514.d4
looks quite strong, but the engine non chalantly just mentionsexd4
and there is no good discovered check.14.d4!Qe715.g5hxg516.Bxg5Nf617.c4?!17.0-0-0Qc718.Ne5Nxe419.Qxe4+-Leads to a position that
very passive and lost for Black.17...Qc718.c5Bf419.Ne5!Savchenko
finds a strong move.Qa5+!?19...Bxe520.dxe5Qxe521.Bxc6++-20.Kf1Bxe521.dxe5Nd721...Nd5was much better but Rudik wanted to play as
concretely as possible. After Nd7 both c5 and e5 pawns are hanging.22.Rd1!Now Nxc5 is not possible because there is a mate on d8.Qxc5How to
continue the attack?23.Rh3!A brilliant move bringing in the last piece
and threatening to double down the d-file.Qxe524.Re3Qc725.Qf3!25.Bg6Nf6∞25...0-026.Rxd7!A powerful finishing shot.Bxd727.Bf6g628.Qg428.Qh5gxh529.Rg3+Qxg3-+28...e529.Qg529.Qh5?gxh530.Rg3+Bg4-+29...Qd630.Rd3Bh3+31.Rxh31–0
The Indian youngsters fought hard against the strong Russians and learnt tremendously from them! You may not have the best tournament but when you still go home smiling, it shows the grit and determination of these youngsters!
Savitha Shri, Raahil Mullick, Rakshitta Ravi and her mother Sai Meera Ravi | Photo: Rupali Mullick
While the players fight it out inside the playing hall, Chess mom and WIM Sai Meera uses her time outside to ‘talk Chess’ with a local Voronezh player (almost every day!), even though they don’t speak the same language! | Photo: Rupali Mullick
A cute little chess dog named Pat, meaning ‘Stalemate’, all dressed up in his chess jumpsuit, entertained people outside the playing hall! | Photo: Rupali Mullick
Interview with the tournament director Alexander Raetsky
Rupali MullickRupali is the mother of twelve-year-old Raahil Mullick, an upcoming chess talent from Mumbai. She has a Ph.D in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a partner at JVM Industries. Her husband Prashant is a FIDE Rated player making them a complete chess family.
Videos by Nico Zwirs: Nimzo-Indian with 4.e3 b6 and Robert Ris: French Advance Variation with 6.Na3. Alexander Donchenko analyses his winning game against Fabiano Caruana from the Saint Louis Masters 2024. “Lucky bag" with another 43 analyses by Edouard,
The Black Sniper is back – sharper and deadlier than ever! This dynamic system (1...g6, 2...Bg7, 3...c5 against 1.e4, 1.d4 and 1.c4) creates unpredictable, high-pressure positions, leaving opponents struggling to adapt.
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