ChessBase Magazine # 148 (DVD+Booklet)
Review by Prof. Nagesh Havanur
Misha Tal once confessed, he didn’t relish playing matches, seeing the
same opponent day after day. But he loved the hurly-burly of the tournament
hall and taking on a new opponent every round! Just for this reason he would
have enjoyed the recently concluded European Championship at Plovdiv, though
I don’t know how he would have managed with rules like “no smoking”.
This issue of ChessBase magazine devotes considerable space to the Plovdiv
marathon, with 348 players and 11 rounds, offering 1877 games.

It was a dramatic contest with changing fortunes, several leading grandmasters
suffering unexpected defeats in the hands of younger players.

Eventually the tournament was won by Dmitry Jakovenko, who beat the leader
Fressinet in the last round to take the trophy with 8.5/11.The decisive encounter
is annotated by Jakovenko himself in this issue.
There are also games from recent tournaments like Bundesliga 2011-2012 and
Russian Team Championship. Curiously, it’s a different event that receives
more attention here: the Zürich Chess Challenge, a friendly match between
Kramnik and Aronian.

Most of the games were hard-fought and the match ended with honours even (3:3).
In this issue they are annotated by several hands, with Kramnik himself analyzing
his victory against his talented opponent. However, there is one game that appears
to have escaped the attention of annotators. It was played in rather exceptional
circumstances. The fourth game had ended in a draw before the prescribed minimum
of 30 moves or three hours. So according to match rules a rapid game had to
be played (not counted in the final score).
1.e4 | 1,184,215 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
1.d4 | 958,932 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
1.Nf3 | 286,327 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
1.c4 | 184,722 | 56% | 2443 | --- |
1.g3 | 19,884 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
1.b3 | 14,598 | 54% | 2428 | --- |
1.f4 | 5,953 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
1.Nc3 | 3,906 | 50% | 2384 | --- |
1.b4 | 1,790 | 48% | 2378 | --- |
1.a3 | 1,250 | 54% | 2406 | --- |
1.e3 | 1,081 | 49% | 2409 | --- |
1.d3 | 969 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
1.g4 | 670 | 46% | 2361 | --- |
1.h4 | 466 | 54% | 2382 | --- |
1.c3 | 439 | 51% | 2425 | --- |
1.h3 | 289 | 56% | 2420 | --- |
1.a4 | 118 | 60% | 2461 | --- |
1.f3 | 100 | 47% | 2427 | --- |
1.Nh3 | 92 | 67% | 2511 | --- |
1.Na3 | 47 | 62% | 2476 | --- |
Please, wait...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.c3 d6 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 Bb6 10.Nbd2 Rb8 11.Qe2 a5 12.a4 b4 13.0-0 g5 14.Bg3 0-0 15.Nc4 Ba7 16.Nfd2 h5 17.h3 h4 18.Bh2 Kg7 19.Kh1 Rh8 20.d4 bxc3 21.bxc3 exd4 22.e5 dxc3 23.exf6+ Qxf6 24.f4 cxd2 25.fxg5 Qe6 26.Qd1 Rxb3 27.Qxb3 Ba6 28.Qf3 Bxc4 29.Qxc6 Bd4! 30.Bg1 Bxa1 31.Rxa1 Re8 32.g6 Qf6 33.Qxc4 Re1 34.Kh2 Rxa1 35.Bd4 Rh1+! 0–1
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
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Kramnik,V | 2801 | Aronian,L | 2820 | 0–1 | 2012 | C77 | Zürich Chess Challenge | |
Please, wait...
An imaginative performance by Aronian. But what went wrong with Kramnik? Insufficient
attention to his b3- bishop proved to be his undoing. He could have taken better
care of the piece with 13.Bd5!? (Shipov’s idea) or 15.Rab1 (Mikhalevski’s
suggestion). In the middle game also he had his chances with 24.Ne4! and again
with 26.Ne5! Once he missed them, it was Aronian all the way.
This brings me to the other sections of the Magazine. There are 11 videos in
this issue. Among them I would single out Shirov’s presentation on the
French Winawer 7.Qg4 Qc7 Variation and the Sicilian Rossolimo (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3
Nc6 3.Bb5). Alexie knows his stuff, having lit fire on both sides of the board!

Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 7.h4!? 7.Nf3 7...Qc7 8.Bd3!? 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 cxd4 10.Ne2 Nbc6 11.f4 dxc3 8...cxd4 9.Ne2 dxc3 9...Qxe5? 10.cxd4 Qc7 11.Qxg7 Rg8 12.Qxh7 Rxg2 13.Kf1 Rg8 14.Rg1 Rxg1+ 15.Kxg1 Nbc6 16.Bg5 10.Qxg7 Rg8 11.Qxh7 Qxe5 11...Nd7 12.f4 Rxg2 13.Ng3 12.Bf4 Qf6 13.h4 Rxg2 14.Kf1 Rg8 14...Rg4? 15.Bg5 Qf3 16.Rh2! 15.Bg5!N Qh8 16.Qxh8 Rxh8 17.Bf6 17.Nxc3 Nd7 18.Nb5 18.Ke2!? 18...Kf8 17...Rg8 18.Bh7 18.h5 Nd7 19.Bxc3 f6! 20.Nd4 e5 21.Nb5 21.Nf5?! Nxf5 22.Bxf5 Nc5 23.Bg6+ Ke7 21...Kf7 22.Nd6+ Ke6 23.Nb5 Kf7 24.Bb4 e4 25.Be2 Ne5 18...Nd7! 19.Bxc3 19.Bxe7 Rh8 19...Rf8 20.Bg7 f5 21.h5 21.Bxf8 Nxf8 21...Rf7 22.h6 Nf8 23.Bg8 23.Bxf8 Kxf8 23...Nxg8 24.Bxf8 Rh7 25.Bg7 Kf7 26.Nd4 Nf6 27.Nf3 Ne4
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Winawer
Variation | - | Shirov,A | - | | | C18 | CBM 148 | |
Please, wait...
Going by Shirov’s analysis, it appears that 8.Bd3 sets quite a few problems
for Black in this variation (7.Qg4 Qc7) But the merits of other option 7…cxd4
still remain an open question, especially after 8.Bd3. Nevertheless, it’s
a treat to listen to Shirov.
There are 13 detailed opening surveys on CBM 148, ranging from the Caro-Kann
to the King’s Indian. For reasons of space I have not
done them justice here. Apart from these surveys, there are also exercises in
opening traps, middle game tactics and endgame technique. Dr. Karsten Müller
is the master of ceremonies for the latter.

GM Karsten Müller (right), seen above with GM Rainer Knaak, editor
of ChessBase Magazine
Müller is rightly regarded as one of the greatest experts on the final
phase of the game. Here is a pearl from his selection of endgame positions.
65.Ke7‼ Kxe4 66.d6 Nf5+ 67.Kf6! Nxd6 68.h6 g4 69.h7 Kf3 70.h8Q Ne4+ 71.Ke5 Nf2 72.Qa8+ Kg3 73.Kf5 Kh2 74.Kf4 g3 75.Kf3 g2 76.Qb8+ Kh1 77.Qh8+ Kg1 78.Qd4 Kh1 79.Qh4+ Kg1 80.Qxf2+ Kh1 81.Qxg2# 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Bluebaum,M | - | Tabatt,H | - | 1–0 | | | German Championship 2012 | |
Please, wait...
Overall, this DVD has 2954 games of which 95 are deeply annotated.
Commmended for the serious player.
P.S.: The European Championship was not without its share of controversy: