7/29/2018 – Among other things this issue includes games from the World Championship Candidates, Grenke and Gashimov Memorial Tournaments. 2295 games (several annotated) with 10 opening surveys from the Caro-Kann to the Queen’s Indian. A collector’s issue. Not to be missed.
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When gladiators fight unto death
The Editor was bemused.
"Why does it take so long to write a review?"
"Some times it’s just one game and you are trying to figure out all the answers yourself without looking at ChessBase. But you don’t get them and then you check out the magazine" I replied.
Presently we shall see that game here. The main part of the DVD is devoted to the Candidates Tournament. Three of the players have annotated their games in this issue. So we have Caruana on his encounter with Grischuk, Ding Liren on his battle with Mamedyarov and Kamnik on his victory over Aronian. I was particularly interested in another game Kramnik versus Caruana. This was a magnificent duel with both players fighting on the edge of precipice. In this issue the game is annotated by Evgeny Postny and a separate commentary is provided by Karsten Müller. By way of comparision I have also checked the annotations by Timman (New in Chess), Jacob Aagaard (Ameican Chess Magazine) and Mikhalevski (ChessPublishing.com) among others. From my experience, I can say, it’s impossible for one annotator to get everything right. This game is incredibly complicated. Readers are well-advised to check the analysis here with a “microscopic” eye.
Kramnik vs Caruana, Berlin Candidates, Round 4 | Photo: World Chess
Kramnik vs Caruana, Candidates 2018
Vlad has just received a shock when he thought he was winning
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1.e4e52.Nf3Nf6Kramnik himself used to play the Petroff during 1990sTill he found the Berlin with2...Nc63.Bb5Nf6make Kasparov's
life miserable and win the World Championship in 20003.Nxe5d64.Nf3Nxe45.Qe2This leads to an early exchange of queens.However, it is no
sign of peaceful intentions.5.d4d5the standard line has no
surprises for Caruana. A few rounds later Karjakin tried5.Nc3and won against Caruana.5...Qe76.Nc3Nxc37.dxc3Qxe2+8.Bxe2Nc69.Be3Be710.0-0-00-011.Rhe1Bf612.Nd2This move, preparing to
play Ne4 is clumsy and costs tempi.12.Nd4makes more sense. 12...Re813.Bf3Ne514.Bf4Kf8The immediate14...c6allows15.Nc415.Bd5c616.Bb3Bf517.h3needlessly complicating matters for
himself17.Nc4Nxc418.Bxc4d519.Bd3should be level.17...g518.Bh2Kg7Commentators suggested the freeing advance18...d5!19.c4It is necessary to prevent...d6-d5 before playing Ne4.19.Ne4Bxe420.Rxe4d5is good for Black.Karsten M�ler prefers19.f4gxf420.Bxf4d521.c419...g420.Ne4Bxe421.Rxe4Bg5+21...Rad822.hxg4±22.Kb1gxh323.c5?!Now the whole board goes up in
flames.But the complications favour Black.23.gxh3!is simple and
good. Afterf5Postny gives24.Ree1Perhaps better than
Karsten M�ler's24.Bxe5+dxe525.Rd7+Kf6!26.Re1Bh424...Nf325.Rxe8Rxe826.Bxd6Re2Not23.Rxd6?Nxc4!24.Rxe8Rxe825.Rd1Nd2+26.Ka1hxg2-+with the twin threats of ...Nf3
and...Re2.23...f5!Vlad was only expecting23...hxg2?24.cxd6Nf325.Rg4But now the pawn on f5 would not allow the rook on g4.24.Rb4hxg225.Rxb7+Kh826.cxd6Burning his boats. White is ready to
give up a piece.Worse is26.Rg1?Nf327.Rxg2??Re1#26.Bg1dxc5-+followed by...Rad8 is also hopeless for White as the
bishop on g1 cannot hold out for long.26...Nf327.Ba4If27.Bg1?Re2-+27...Nxh228.Bxc6Rad8!In the press conference
after the game Caruana said, he did try to see if the spectacular move28...Re4!?worked. It didn't.29.Rg129.Bxe4?fxe430.Rg1e331.Rxg231.fxe3Rf8-+31...e232.Rg1Nf1-+29...Re630.Bxg2Rxd631.Rh1Rad829.d729.Bxe8?Rxd630.Rxd6??g1Q+-+After29.Bxg2White has nothing to show for the
piece and the pawn on d6 does not count for much.29...Re230.Bxg2Rxf2-+31.Bc6Ng4?Karsten M�ler gives31...Nf1!32.Rxa732.c4Nd2+32...Ne332.Rxa7A pawn is a pawn.However, Timman
prefers32.c4Ne333.Rg1Be734.Rc1Bc535.Rb5Bd436.c532...Ne333.Rg1h6?Obvious and wrong. This move allows White to find
counterplay. But then Caruana was in time trouble. He had only two minutes
on the clock.Karsten M�ler gives33...Rxc2!34.Rc7Bf635.Rc8Rxb2+36.Kc1Rxa2-+34.Rc7Kg7?Now the bishop gets pinned.If34...Nxc2?35.Rxg5Rxd736.Rc8+Kh737.Bxd7hxg538.Rxc2Rxc239.Kxc2+-On 34...Rxc2?Timman gives35.Rxg5!Rxd736.Rc8+Kh737.Bxd7Rxc838.Rxf5!+-Postny and Karsten M�ler
rightly prefer34...Kh7!35.Bb535.a4?Rxc236.Rc8Bf635...Rd236.a4f437.a5f338.a6f239.Rh1Bf440.Rb7Bb841.a7Bxa742.Rxa7=(M�ler).35.a4A menacing pawn advance.not35.Rxg5+?hxg536.Rc8??Rf1#35...Kf7Karsten
M�ler gives35...Rxc236.Rc8Rxc637.Rxd8Rd638.Re8Ng439.Rf1Kg6=40.Rg8+Kh741.Re8Kg6=36.Bb5"A winning attempt in mutual
time trouble"-Timman36.a5Rxc237.a6Bf638.a7Rxb2+39.Kc1Rc2+=is safer.36...Ke7?!Postny prefers36...Nd5!37.Rc8Nb638.Rxd8Bxd839.a5Nxd740.Bxd7Bxa5=Karsten M�ler offers36...Rd2!37.a5Rd538.c4Rd239.Rc8Bf640.Rxd8Rxb2+=37.a5Rf4If37...Kd6?38.Rc6+Ke739.a6+-38.c3Preventing both
...Rb4 and...Rd438.a6Rb4=38...Kd6Experts have questioned
this move.It's hard to believe, such an obvious move can be wrong.Instead they recommend38...Rg4After39.Rh1Black can try
Postny'sNd5or Karsten M�ler's39...Kd6White is slightly
better in each case.39.Rb7?The tragedy for Vlad has begun.One
move before the time control he misses the win.Postny gives39.Rc6+!Ke740.a6Rxd741.Rc8Ra742.Re8+Kf643.Rxe3+-39...Rg440.Re1f441.a6h5Karsten M�ler gives41...f342.a7f243.Rxe3Bxe344.Rb8Rg1+45.Kc2Rg246.Bf1Bxa747.Rxd8Rg748.Bh3f1Q49.Bxf1Rxd750.Rh8Be351.b442.a7Ra843.b4?After the game
Caruana indicated,43.c4!was stronger and he intended to reply withKc5There follows44.b4+Kd445.Bc6Kc346.Rc7+-43...h444.c4?There was a win with44.d8Q+!Bxd845.Rd7+Ke546.Bc6Rxa747.Rxa7+-44...h345.c5+?The previous idea still
works, but it's not as decisive.45.d8Q+!Bxd846.Rd7+Ke547.Bc6Rxa748.Rxa7±45...Ke546.Rb8Vlad thought he was winning
with this move. Sadly, it's based on a miscalculation.Karsten M�ler
gives46.c6h247.c7Rg148.Bc6Rxe1+49.Ka2Nd5Aagaard's line also
draws.49...Ra1+50.Kxa1Nd551.Bxd5Kxd552.c8Qh1Q+=50.Bxd5Kxd551.c8Qh1Q52.Rb5+=White draws by perpetual check.His
other line is complicated.46.Bc6h247.Rh1Rg1+48.Kb2f349.Bxf3Rg350.Rxh2Rxf351.c6Nc4+=46...Rxa747.Rg8Threatening 48.Rxg5
Rxg5 49.d7-d8 =Q. Black's position looks hopeless.Bf6‼48.d8Qthe only move48.Rxg4?Kf549.Rxe3fxe350.d8QBxd851.Rg1h252.Rh1Bf6-+48...Bxd849.Rxg4Till now White was a piece
down and now he is an exchange up. However, his troubles are not over.49.Rxd8??Rg2-+49...Bf6with the same veiled threat of
....Ra1+, once the king moves away50.Rg6Rb751.Be2After the more
obvious51.Bd3Black rook has more play.Rxb4+52.Ka2Rd453.Bb5Rd2+=51...Rxb4+52.Ka2Nc2trying to weave a mating netSimpler is52...Ke653.Rb1Ra4+54.Kb3Ra8=Postny's line is
similar.52...Be753.c6Ra4+54.Kb1Rb4+=53.Rc1Nd4If53...h2?54.c6+-54.Bd3This move has been criticised.But54.Bg4suggested by some experts also does not win.h2!55.Re1+Kd556.Rxf6Now Black is a whole rook down!Ra4+57.Kb2Rb4+58.Kc1Rc4+59.Kd1Ra460.Rh660.c6Ra1+61.Kd2Rxe162.c7Rd1+!=60...Kc461.c6In New in Chess Magazine, 04/2018 CC-GM Rolf Knobel gives61.Be2+Kc362.Ra6Nxe263.Rxa4Ng1and White draws by perpetual check.64.Ree464.Rxf4h1Q=64...h1Q=61...Kd3threatening
mate!62.Rh3+f363.Bf5+63.Bxf3??Ra1#63...Nxf564.Rxf3+Kc465.c7Nd666.Rf4+Kb567.Rxa4Kxa468.Rh1Kb569.Rxh2Kb6=54...Ra4+55.Kb1?"I decided to repeat moves, but then suddenly ...Nb3
came." Kramnik.Postny gives the paradoxical 55.Kb2!Ke656.Rh1As Aagaard shows, it works.Rb4+57.Kc3Nc6+58.Rxf6+Kxf659.Rxh3=55...Nb3!56.Re1+56.Rc2Ke657.Rh2Nxc558.Rxh3Nxd359.Rxd3Ra1+60.Kc2=56...Kd557.Kc2Postny gives57.Rxf6Ra1+58.Kb2Rxe159.Kxb3h260.Bc4+Kxc561.Rf5+Kd662.Bd5f3!63.Bxf3Re3+64.Kc2Rxf365.Rh5!Rf2+66.Kd3=57...Nd4+58.Kb1?This doesn't lose yet. But it draws him close to the same peril
as before.Postny gives58.Kc1!Nf359.Rd1Ra1+60.Bb1+=58...Nf359.Rd1??Moving the rook to a "safer" square costs him the
game.59.Rf1Nd2+60.Kc2Ra2+61.Kd1Nxf162.Bxf1h263.Rh6f359.Rxf6Nxe160.Bf1h261.Rh6Kxc562.Rxh2=59...Ra1+60.Kc2Rxd161.Ba661.Kxd1h262.Rh6Bh4-+61...Rd2+61...h262.Bb7+Ke563.Bxf362.Kc1Bb2+63.Kb1Kxc5The last potential threat is
eliminated.64.Bb7Ne565.Rf6f366.Rf5f2and a despairing Vlad
resigned here.0–1
Despair! Nothing is left. A terrifying battle! | Photo: Evegeny Surov / chessnews.ru
This issue includes all games from the Candidates’ Tournament and each of them is annotated. That alone makes it a collector’s issue.
What about Magnus?
The magazine also includes games from Grenke and Gashimov Memorial Tournaments. As is known, Carlsen was pipped at the post by Caruana. Magnus was bogged down by draws and could not find a win to win the superior ending against Caruana. He fared better in the Gashimov Memorial Tournament scoring first ahead of Ding Liren and Karjakin.At the time of writing he is playing in the Biel Chess Festival. It would be followed by the Sinquefield Cup and European Club Cup ( he would be skipping the Olympiad, though).Hopefully, he would find the form for the world championship to be held later this year.
Siesta Variation returns
To return to this magazine, there are as many as ten opening surveys ranging from the Caro-Kann to the Queen’s Indian Defence. Among them Krisztian Szabo’s survey of the Siesta Variation deserves special mention. This variation was adopted by Capablanca who employed it twice with success way back in 1928.
35.855 games and videos by Adrian Mikhalchishin, Georgios Souleidis & Yannick Pelletier
Apparently, he had picked up the idea from Frank Marshall who played it against him their 1909 Match (the line itself has its ancestry in an old game, Walbrodt-Von Scheve, DSB Kongress, Dresden 1892). Here is an amusing miniature:
Admittedly, current theory and practice has gone much ahead in this variation. In this case it’s also to good to know the path that has been traversed so far.
Apart from these surveys, there are regular sections on opening traps, middlegame tactics and endings. There is much else in this DVD that deserves to be explored. In all, there are 2295 OTB games of which 156 are annotated. The commentators include Caruana, Kramnik and Ding Liren to mention regular contributors like Krasenkow, Mikhalchshin and Marin. A major contribution is made by Daniel Fernandez who has annotated 29 games. He is followed by Michael Roiz with ten games.
Enjoy the best moments of recent top tournaments (Berlin, Baden-Baden and Shamkir) with analysis of top players. In addition you'll get lots of training material. For example 10 new suggestions for your opening repertoire.
Nagesh HavanurProf. Nagesh Havanur (otherwise known as "chessbibliophile") is a senior academic and research scholar. He taught English in Mumbai for three decades and has now settled in Bangalore, India. His interests include chess history, biography and opening theory. He has been writing on the Royal Game for more than three decades. His articles and reviews have appeared on several web sites and magazines.
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