CBM 194 Review: How to remain sane

by Nagesh Havanur
4/13/2020 – ChessBase offers a window to the world of professional chess. The current issue offers a bird’s eye view of three major events, Jerusalem Grand Prix, London Grand Chess Tour and Wijk aan Zee 2020, including 1249 games, 11 opening surveys, demo lectures and exercises for training. Games annotated by Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Romain Edouard, David Navara, Alireza Firouzja, Anish Giri, Wesley So, Igor Stohl, Jorden van Foreest and Peter Heine Nielsen, to mention a few. PROF. NAGESH HAVANUR takes a look. | Photo: Alina l'Ami

ChessBase Magazine 194 ChessBase Magazine 194

Tata Steel 2020 with analyses by Giri, Firouzja, So, Duda, Navara, Van Foreest and many more. Videos by Daniel King, Mihail Marin and Simon Williams. 11 opening articles with new repertoire ideas and training sessions in strategy, tactics and endgame!

More...

“I am under house arrest!”

The phone rang. It was my friend Max.

“I am under house arrest!”, he complained. “My daughter is not letting me out.”

“Good for you”, I said. “And for everyone else.”

“You are also on her side. Why can’t you come?”

“I can…if she allows me.”

“She will. Get me something to read, will you?” 

“OK.”

I stay nearby and it’s a quiet place with few people around. My friend’s daughter looked relieved when she saw me. Chess would keep her dad occupied. Ever since the pandemic hit the world, his generous heart has thought of nothing but help. Left to himself, he would have rushed to join a relief effort, never mind that he is past seventy. 

“They also serve who stand and wait.”(1) I assured him. “Some day our turn will come and then we can also help. Meanwhile give your heart some rest.”

He didn’t believe me, “They think I am too old to help, and I am not. What to do? Any way, what have you got for me?”

I pulled out the recent issue of ChessBase Magazine and soon we were transported to a world that was still real weeks before. Among others, this issue carries games from Jerusalem Grand Prix, 11th London Chess Classic and Wijk aan Zee Tournaments.

A battle of generations

We started with games from the Jerusalem Grand Prix in this issue. As is known, this 
was the last in the series to determine places in the Candidates’ Tournament.  It was a strong field that included Vachier-Lagrave, Nepomniachtchi, Gelfand, Wei Yi and Karjakin, among others.

Ian Nepomniachtchi came first, beating Wei Yi 1½:½ in the last round. I was curious to see how he got past Gelfand — an experienced campaigner — in the first round. In this issue. Igor Stohl annotates his fighting draw with Boris, who dominated the position from the word go. I would like to draw the attention of readers to one more game, the last of the mini-match, when Gelfand was trailing by one point and it was imperative for him to win.

 
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1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 e5 5.Nxe5 0-0 6.f4 d6 7.Nf3 Nxe4 8.Nxe4 Re8 9.d3 f5 10.Be2 fxe4 11.dxe4 Na6 12.0-0 Nc5 13.f5 gxf5 14.Ng5 Qe7 15.Bh5 Rf8 16.Qd5+ Be6 17.Nxe6 c6 18.Bg5 Qxg5 19.Qxc5 Qe7 20.Qf2 Qxe6 21.exf5 Qxc4 22.Kh1 Kh8 23.Qg3 Be5 24.Qh3 Rf6 25.Bg6 Qg8 26.Rae1 Raf8 27.Rf3 Kg7 28.Bh5 Qxa2 29.Rb3 Rxf5 30.Rxb7+ Kg8 31.Qg4+ Kh8 32.Rxh7+ Kxh7 33.Bg6+ Kh6 34.Bxf5 Qg8 35.Qh3+ Kg7 36.Re4 Kf6 37.Rg4 Qd5 38.Rg6+ Ke7 39.Qh4+ Ke8 40.Qh5 Kd8 41.Qg5+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Gelfand,B2684Nepomniachtchi,I27670–12019A16Jerusalem FIDE Grand Prix1.4
Gelfand,B2684Nepomniachtchi,I27670–12019A16Jerusalem FIDE Grand Prix

Boris Gelfand, Ian Nepomniachtchi

Nepomniachtchi went on to win the fourth stage of the Grand Prix — he knocked out Gelfand in round one | Photo: Niki Riga

Reti would have been pleased

Richard RetiThe 11th London Chess Classic was held as the final stage of the Grand Chess Tour. Ding Liren beat Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the final, World Champion Magnus Carlsen finished third by beating Levon Aronian. Now that bald summary can hardly do justice to the battles of this tournament.

Perhaps readers should look up the news stories once again to see how the drama unfolded before the spectators.

In this issue, Romain Edouard annotated quite a few encounters from the event. Here we shall see the last of these games, Ding Liren versus Vachier-Lagrave. For the sake of completeness, I have also checked commentaries by others, not to mention annotations by Ding Liren himself.

A model game that would have pleased Reti! [Pictured]

 
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1.c4 c5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 e5 6.0-0 Nge7 7.d3 d6 8.a3 a5 9.Rb1 0-0 10.b3 Rb8 11.Bb2 h6 12.Nd2 Be6 13.Nd5 b5 14.e3 Qd7 15.Re1 Bg4 16.Qc2 Rfc8 17.Ne4 Nxd5 18.cxd5 Ne7 19.Nd2 Bh3 20.Bh1 Nf5 21.a4 h5 22.axb5 Rxb5 23.Ra1 h4 24.Bc3 Ra8 25.Ra4 Qd8 26.Bf3 Rab8 27.Rea1 Bh6 28.Re1 Qg5 29.Ne4 Qd8 30.Ra3 Ne7 31.Nd2 Nf5 32.Qd1 Bg7 33.g4 Nh6 34.Kh1 f5 35.gxf5 gxf5 36.Rg1 Qd7 37.Qe2 Kh8 38.Ra4 Rxb3 39.Rxh4 Rxc3 40.Rxh3 a4 41.e4 Rc2 42.Rh5 f4 43.Qd1 Rbb2 44.Nc4 a3 45.Bg4 Qd8 46.Nxb2 Rxb2 47.Be6 a2 48.Rxg7 Kxg7 49.Qg1+ Kf8 50.Rf5+ 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ding,L2801Vachier-Lagrave,M27801–02019A3711th London Classic 20202.2
Ding,L2801Vachier-Lagrave,M27801–02019A3711th London Classic 2020

Ding Liren, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

Ding Liren won the 2020 Grand Chess Tour after beating ‘MVL’ in the final of the London Chess Classic | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Grand Chess Tour

Caruana calls it a miracle!

The Wijk aan Zee Tournament was the most prestigious among them all, with the participation of Magnus Carlsen. As is known, Caruana won the event with a score of 10/13, two points ahead of Magnus, who finished with 8/13. The World Champion was bogged down by some tough draws.

Here, young Duda analyses Caruana's game with Carlsen, and you will see how both players were courting danger throughout in their quest for victory. Magnus had his way with another young player, Alireza Firouzja, and with a touch of jujitsu brought him down. The game would have delighted Aron Nimzowitsch, the apostle of Hypermodern chess. In this issue it is annotated by Peter Heine Nielsen. My own favourite is the eighth-round battle between Caruana and Anand. 

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 0-0 7.e3 Bf5 8.Qb3 Nc6 9.Bg5 a5 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.a3 a4 12.Qxd5 Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 Na5 14.Qe5 Qc6 15.c4 Nb3 16.Qxf5 Nxa1 17.Bd3 g6 18.Qf4 Nb3 19.0-0 Qd6 20.Qh6 Qf6 21.c5 b6 22.cxb6 cxb6 23.Ne5 Rfc8 24.f4 Rc1 25.Rxc1 Nxc1 26.Bc4 Ra7 27.Ng4 Qd6 28.Qg5 Qe7 29.Qb5 Kg7 30.f5 f6 31.Qd5 Qf8 32.fxg6 hxg6 33.e4 Qc8 34.h3 Rd7 35.Qe6 Qd8 36.e5 f5 37.Qf6+ Qxf6 38.exf6+ Kh7 39.Ne5 Rd6 40.f7 Kg7 41.Nf3 Nb3 42.Ng5 Nd2 43.Be6 Rd8 44.Kf2 Kf6 45.Bd7 Ne4+ 46.Nxe4+ fxe4 47.Be8 Ke7 48.Ke3 Rb8 49.Bxa4 b5 50.Bb3 Ra8 51.Kxe4 Rxa3 52.Be6 Ra1 53.d5 Rd1 54.Ke5 Rf1 55.d6+ Kf8 56.Kd5 Rf6 57.d7 Ke7 58.Kc6 Rf2 59.Kxb5 Rb2+ 60.Kc6 Rb8 61.Kc7 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Caruana,F2822Anand,V27581–02020D38Tata Steel-A 82nd8
Caruana,F2822Anand,V27581–02020D38Tata Steel-A 82nd

Fabiano called his victory a miracle

Anand took great risks in this tournament and suffered another defeat in the hands of Wesley So in a sharp battle. The latter has annotated the game in this issue. 

This brings me to the rest of the DVD. Apart from standard features on middlegame tactics, endgame play and training this issue has as many as 11 opening surveys ranging from the Caro-Kann to the Queen’s Gambit Accepted. Among them, I would single out the articles on Two Knights’ Defence and the Anti-Marshall Variation in the Spanish.

In this second part of the series(2) on the Two knights’ Defence, Renato Quntiliano deals with the Main Line and indeed it is up to date. However, I would have liked to see his own annotations to the following classic instead of citing analysis by others. 

The Bohemian Caesar speaks

Both Steinitz and Chigorin were passionate seekers of truth and fought whole World Championship matches on principled positions. The Two Knights’ Defence was a major battleground between these two legendary players. The following game was a turning point between those matches, and for a change we are going to see it through the eyes of the loser.(3)

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Be2 h6 9.Nh3 Bc5 10.d3 0-0 11.Nc3 Nd5 12.Na4 Bd6 13.Ng1 f5 14.c3 Bd7 15.d4 e4 16.c4 Ne7 17.Nc3 Be6 18.b3 Bb4 19.Bb2 f4 20.Qc2 Qxd4 21.Kf1 f3 22.gxf3 exf3 23.Bxf3 Bf5 24.Ne4 Bxe4 25.Qe2 Bxf3 26.Qe6+ Kh7 27.Bxd4 Bxh1 28.Qh3 Nf5 29.Be5 Rae8 30.Bf4 Nd4 31.Qd3+ Be4 32.Qxd4 Rxf4 33.f3 Ref8 34.Qxa7 c5 35.Qc7 Nc6 36.a3 Rxf3+ 37.Nxf3 Rxf3+ 38.Kg1 Bd2 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Steinitz,W-Chigorin,M-0–11890C59Cable Match2
Steinitz,W-Tschigorin,M-0–11890C59Cable Match Analysis

Admittedly, engines today would see it all differently. But then let us remember those wise words of Isaac Newton, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”

Wilhelm Steinitz, Mikhail Chigorin

Mikhail Chigorin, from Saint Petersburg, and Wilhelm Steinitz, from New York, conducted a telegraph match from October 23, 1890 to April 28, 1891

The Anti-Marshall under attack 

The second opening survey that interested me was on the line 8.a4 d5!? in the Ruy Lopez, analysed by Krisztian Szabo with inputs from Simon Williams. For a moment you begin to wonder if it works for Black, then White has to look for other lines in this opening. However, there are some drastic remedies here as shown in the sideline below. I have kept it simple for readers not familiar with current theory.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.a4 d5 9.axb5 dxe4 10.bxc6 exf3 11.Qxf3 11.d4!? S.Williams exd4 12.Qxf3 Re8= 11...e4 11...Be6!? is suggested by S.Williams, calling it a weird move which doesn't look right - but it's a really a tricky one! 12.Bxe6 12.Rxe5 Qd6 12...Bxb3!? 13.cxb3 13.Qxb3?! Ng4 14.Re2 Bc5 13...Re8 14.g3 13.Re1 Ng4 14.Bxe6 Qxh2+ 15.Kf1 looks good for White. Bh4!? 16.Qxg4 fxe6 17.Ke2 Rxf2+ 18.Kd3!+- is given as winning by the computer... Quite amazing! 12...fxe6 13.Qe2 Bc5 14.Nc3 14.Kh1?! Qd4 15.h3 15.f3? Ng4! 16.fxg4 Rf2-+ 15...Qxf2 14...Qd6 14...Ng4 15.Qxg4 Bxf2+ 16.Kf1 and Black's attack is not quite enough. 15.Ra4 Qxc6 16.Rc4 Qd6 and the computer considers the position to be much better for White, but by human measures, in my view, it is complicated. 12.Qc3 12.Qe2! Bd6 12...Bc5 13.Nc3± 12...Bg4 13.Qe3 13.Qf1 Bb4 14.Nc3 Bf5 15.Rxa6± 13...Re8 14.h3 Bh5 15.Nc3± 13.h3 The natural developing 13.Nc3?! could have been met by Bxh2+! 14.Kxh2 Ng4+ 15.Kg3 15.Kg1? Qh4-+ 15...Qd6+ 16.f4 exf3+ 17.Kxf3 Nh2+ 18.Kf2 Qf4+ 19.Kg1 Ng4 20.Qf3 Qh2+ 21.Kf1 Qh4 and Black still has strong pressure. 13...Re8 13...Qe8 14.d4 exd3 15.Qxe8 Rxe8 16.Rxe8+ Nxe8 17.cxd3 14.Ra5 14.Nc3 Re5 15.Ra4 14...Rb8 15.Bc4 Although White's queenside is undeveloped, objectively his position should be a bit better. 12...Bd6 13.d4 Rb8?! 13...exd3 14.Qxd3 Ng4 15.h3 Bh2+ 16.Kf1 Qxd3+ 17.cxd3 Ne5 18.Rd1 14.Nd2 Ng4?! 15.g3 15.h3!+- 15...e3 16.fxe3 Nxh2 17.e4 Bb4 18.Qd3 18.Qe3± 18...Bxd2 19.Bxd2 Qxd4+ 20.Qxd4 Nf3+ 21.Kf2 Nxd4 22.Ba4 Rxb2 23.Reb1 Rxb1 24.Rxb1 Nb5= 25.Bxb5 axb5 26.Rxb5 Be6 27.Bf4 f5 28.Bxc7 fxe4+ 29.Ke3 Rf3+ 30.Kxe4 Rc3 31.Rb8+ Kf7 32.Be5 Rxc6 33.Rb7+ Ke8 34.c3 Rc4+ 35.Bd4 Bd7 36.Kd3 Ra4 37.Bxg7 Bf5+ 38.Kd2 Rg4 39.Be5 h5 40.Bd6 h4 41.Re7+ Kd8 42.gxh4 Rxh4 43.Re5 Kd7 44.Bc5 Be6 45.Be3 Ra4 46.Rg5 Rg4 47.Rh5 Bc4 48.Bd4 Rg2+ 49.Ke3 Re2+ 50.Kf4 Re6 51.Be5 Rg6 52.Ke4 Kc6 53.Rh4 Be6 54.Rh7 Bd7 55.Bf4 Re6+ 56.Kd4 Rf6 57.Rh4 Rg6 58.c4 Be6 59.Rh7 Bd7 60.Rh5 Rg4 61.Rh6+ Kb7 62.Rf6 Rh4 63.c5 Bh3 64.Kd5 Bg2+ 65.Kd6 Rh7 66.Rg6 Bc6 67.Rg1 Rd7+ 68.Ke6 Kc8 69.Bd6 Rh7 70.Rg8+ Kb7 71.Bf4 Ba4 72.Rb8+ Kc6 73.Be3 Rb7 74.Rc8+ Rc7 75.Rb8 Rb7 76.Re8 Bb3+ 77.Ke5 Bf7 78.Rf8 Re7+ 79.Kd4 Rd7+ 80.Kc3 Rb7 81.Rc8+ Kd7 82.Ra8 Bd5 83.Rh8 Kc6 84.Rh6+ Kb5 85.Rd6 Bc6 86.Rd2 Be4 87.Rd4 Bc6 88.Rb4+ Ka5 89.Rh4 Kb5 90.Rh2 Be4 91.Kd4 Bg6 92.Kd5 Rd7+ 93.Ke6 Rd3 94.Rb2+ Kc4 95.Bf2 Be4 96.Rc2+ Kb5 97.Ke5 Bc6 98.Bd4 Rh3 99.Rb2+ Kc4 100.Bf2 Rh5+ 101.Kd6 Rh6+ 102.Kc7 Be4 103.Ra2 Rc6+ 104.Kd7 Rf6 105.Bh4 Rf7+ 106.Kd6 Bf3 107.c6 Bxc6 108.Kxc6 Kd4 109.Ra4+ Kd3 110.Bg3 Rf5 111.Kd6 Rb5 112.Bf2 Ke2 113.Bc5 Kf3 114.Rc4 Rb8 115.Ke5 Re8+ 116.Kf5 Ke2 117.Rc3 Kd2 118.Rh3 Kc2 119.Bd4 Re2 120.Ra3 Kd2 121.Kf4 Kc2 122.Be3 Kb2 123.Rd3 Kc2 124.Ke4 Rh2 125.Ra3 Rh4+ 126.Bf4 Kb2 127.Rf3 Kc2 128.Kd4 Rh8 129.Rc3+ Kb2 130.Be5 Rh4+ 131.Kd5 Kb1 132.Bd4 Rh2 133.Rb3+ Kc1 134.Kc4 Rc2+ 135.Bc3 Kd1 136.Rb1+ Ke2?? 136...Rc1= 137.Kb3 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kovacevic,A2537Brenjo,S24721–02005C88SCG-chT13
Anti-Marshall-Neo-Marshall- C88Analysis

For now, the Anti-Marshall has survived.

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. The main database of the issue has 1249 recent games, of which 30 are deeply annotated. Apart from the GMs I have already mentioned, the commentators include Anish Giri, David Navara and Igor Stohl. A major contribution is made by Romain Edouard, who has annotated 11 games. It may be noted that there are more annotated games in the sections on opening theory and training.

Recommended.  


ChessBase Magazine 194

Tata Steel 2020 with analyses by Giri, Firouzja, So, Duda, Navara, Van Foreest and many more. Videos by Daniel King, Mihail Marin and Simon Williams. 11 opening articles with new repertoire ideas and training sessions in strategy, tactics and endgame!


Notes

(1) Readers of course know the line, “They also serve who stand and wait.”  It’s from John Milton’s poem “On his blindness”. 
(2) The first part of the series in CBM 194 dealt with the Traxler Counterattack (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 !?).
(3) The annotations to the Steinitz-Chigorin 1890 Cable Match are taken from the International Chess Magazine that Wilhelm Stenitz edited. A selection of his writings is available from The Collected Works of Wilhelm Steinitz (DVD) published by Sid Pickard.


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Prof. 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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