European Club Cup: Magnus does not falter

When ratings count

Like we mentioned yesterday, the fact that each match at the European Club Cup is played in six boards makes it very hard for the lower-rated teams to spoil their stronger colleagues' record. On Saturday, we saw some individual upsets, but the teams that started on top of the ratings list maintained their perfect score. In round two, the closest match-up was the one that faced Valerenga (fifth seeds) against Molodezhka (seventh seeds), and the higher-ranked Norwegians ended up winning 4½:1½.

The big star in Greece helped Valerenga get the victory — the World Champion took down Potkin after leaving the opening with a balanced and apparently easy-to-draw position:

Carlsen kept creating small threats until Potkin cracked while trying to find a quick way to simplify into a drawn endgame. The win allowed Carlsen to breathe more comfortably at the top of the live ratings list, as he is now 8.7 points ahead of Caruana. The Norwegian will have a tougher task tomorrow, when he will sit opposite AVE Novy Bor's first board (Wojtaszek, Harikrishna or Navara).

 Wojtaszek might have the difficult task of facing the World Champion on Sunday | Photo: Niki Riga

All eyes on Magnus as the World Championship match approaches | Photo: Niki Riga

Another 4½:1½ was seen in Mednyi Vsadnik-Itaka. The longstanding leader of the team from Saint Petersburg, Peter Svidler, rested on the first day and showed up only to be surprised by Aleksandar Indjic's perseverance from the black side of a Najdorf. Both players spent a lot of time in the early stages, and when things got sharp Indjic was the first one to slip:

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• Video 1, 2, 3: how to survive versus whites most aggressive approach: 6. Bc4, 6. Be3 and 6 Bg5
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The Serbian grandmaster went for the flashy 34...Bc3, as White cannot take the bishop without allowing Black to double the rooks on the b-file, getting a quick mating attack. The computer gives 35.Qg5 as the strongest response, but Svidler's 35.Na4 is also good. After 35...gxf6 36.bxc3, Black's doubling on the b-file is no longer effective — the knight defends b2. 

A typical Svidler pose | Photo: Niki Riga

A complicated sequence followed and Svidler let his advantage slip away during time pressure...but the position remained a mess. By move 41, Black's initiative more than compensated the material disadvantage. Furthermore, White was walking on a tightrope:

Here, Peter played 42.g4, allowing 42...Nb2, which forces a series of simplifications that favour Black. The computers suggest the impossible 42.g3, which saves White with a perpetual check that would only arise after a tricky five-move sequence. The game continued 43.Kxb1 Nxa4+ 44.Qb4 Nxc3+ 45.Kc2 Rxb4 46.axb4.

Indjic needed six more moves to prove the endgame was winning for Black.

Focusing can be hard when the pressure is mounting | Photo: Niki Riga

A lot of players arrived in Halkidiki straight from Batumi, after representing their national teams in the Olympiad. However, there is a player that missed over-the-board action but anyway arrived as a winner from Georgia: Julio Granda. The experienced Peruvian grandmaster was part of Arkady Dvorkovich's ticket and is now a FIDE Vice-President.

In his game against Dennes Abel, Granda smothered White's position by advancing his central pawns, opening lines against the king. After 35...Qxf2, Abel had seen enough:

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The first DVD deals with the initial phase of the game, when the all the reigning principles can be crystalized into just one: DEVELOPMENT!

So far, one team has won all twelve games in Porto Carras: the Czech AVE Novy Bor, which brought Radoslaw Wojtaszek and Pentala Harikrishna in round two, after the 2700+ rated stars had rested on opening day. Meanwhile, Alkaloid and Odlar Yurdu have only given up half a point so far. 

Alkaloid will face the SV Werder Bremen in round three | Photo: Niki Riga

The real struggle amongst the toughest squads starts tomorrow. The pairing system put Magnus' team on first board against the team that has shown the highest level of dominance so far! There will be no lack of media hype, and surprises are to be expected.

Round 3 pairings (top 10 boards)

Master Class Vol.8: Magnus Carlsen

Scarcely any world champion has managed to captivate chess lovers to the extent Carlsen has. The enormously talented Norwegian hasn't been systematically trained within the structures of a major chess-playing nation such as Russia, the Ukraine or China.

Games from Round 2

Ugra beats Kyiv in women's section

Since only twelve teams registered in the women's section, the ECU is using a combined format: two groups of six teams have been formed, each group will play a single round robin tournament (five rounds) and two teams from each group will move forward to a knockout finale.

The closest match-up in terms of strength from round two was Ugra against Kyiv Chess Federation (from Group A). Ugra, that has a very evenly distributed line-up with all the players in the 2400-2500 rating range, took down the Ukrainian team 3½:½ with wins by Natalija Pogonina, Olga Girya and Marina Nechaeva. The Russian-based team is sharing the lead in its group with Nona, the Georgian squad — both teams are paired against each other on round three.

Natalija Pogonina is on 2/2 so far | Photo: Niki Riga

The strongest team in Group B is Cercle d'Echecs de Monte-Carlo, which defeated Odlar Yurdu 3:1 on Saturday. Anna Muzychuk won her game with a beautiful combination:

First Steps in Gambits and Sacrifices by IM Andrew Martin

Gambit play and the joy of sacrificing is an important part of the improving process. In order to become a strong player you must learn to attack and make combinations. Many continue to play in an aggressive style throughout an entire chess lifetime!

Anna uncorked 30.Rf6! and Black cannot take with the pawn due to the queen+bishop mating threats. Gunay Mammadzada found the only way to continue fighting and captured with the rook, but had to resign on move 38, when White was three pawns up in an endgame.

Natalia Zhukova | Photo: Niki Riga

Round 3 pairings

Games from Round 2

Links

• Official site
• Official Regulations
• Full results - Open (Chess-Results)
• Full results - Women (Chess-Results
• Round 1: Favourites crash through