Finding inspiration in Haarlem (1/2)

by Alina l'Ami
11/5/2016 – "A Dutch legend, a Syrian refugee and a 64 year-old Israeli… and chess, of course. That's all it takes to rediscover the pleasure of the 64 squares, through the pleasure of the others. One doesn't necessarily need to be around Carlsen to feel the spark of the beauty of chess. The light in a chess player's eyes wired for this game is just as fascinating and, perhaps, the best mirror a chess lover could possibly find." Thus starts an illustrated report by Alina L'Ami.
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 Last week in Haarlem during the HWP Festival, consisting of a Masters Group (nine round robin IM event) and two Opens (A and B, depending on the strength of the contestants) I had the chance to meet or see again such inspiring characters.

One of a kind: Manuel Bosboom

Some of Bosboom's creative efforts

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Sure, it was 'just' a Blitz game but that doesn't take a tenthmeter from Bosboom's merit. Just to recap, the greatest K eating GMs for breakfast was at his prime that year: a world champion, the highest rated player and in formidable shape. You remember the sensational rook sacrifice he executed against Topalov? If not, quickly check your database. I promise you'll have no regrets but rather a burning desire to show it to all the non chess players, since that game has the power to convert. During one of the rest days of the legendary Wijk aan Zee chess tournament, named Hoogovens back then and nowadays Tata Steel Chess, a Blitz event was organized. Names like Kasparov, Anand, Kramnik, Svidler, Topalov and...Bosboom could be seen on the list. The Dutch IM was a last minute replacement for Shirov (who suffered a medical intervention that day) and was, presumably, an easy prey for the bigger fish as well. In the Dutch scenes however, Manuel was not an unknown figure. A faithful customer in the weekend tournaments and an expert in the Blitz events, Bosboom was and continues being the cherry on the cake of many competitions. His bizarre approach to chess for some, daring or provocative for others, creative, original, chaotic or artistic - would be a pale attempt in describing someone's style that's just...unique. But about his signature moves, attacks and chess avalanches - later on. Bosboom (bos=forest; boom=tree - in Dutch) true to his uncompromising play, succeeded once again to shock the audience. This time not with a brilliant mate in 10 moves, not with a study-like miraculous escape in the endgame but with a beautifully conducted and rather 'restrained'-for-his-taste play. And yet the Boss was forced to miss the forest for its trees... 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3 Nf6 4.Bd3 Bg4 5.Bc2 g6 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 Bg7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qd1 Nc6 10.d3 Rb8 11.Nd2 b5 12.a3 Nd7 13.Nf3 Nde5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Be3 Qb6 16.Kh1 Bg7 17.f4 a5 18.Qc1 b4 19.Ba4 Rfc8 20.Rb1 Qa6 21.c4 Nd4 22.Qd2 Rb6 23.f5 Qb7 24.Bxd4 Bxd4 25.Bb5 e6 26.f6 Kh8 27.Qg5 Qc7 28.Rbe1 Qd8 29.Re2 Qf8 30.a4 Rd8 31.b3 h6 32.Qh4 Kh7 33.Rf3 d5 34.e5 dxc4 35.Bxc4 Bc3 36.Re4 Rd4 37.Rff4 Rb8 38.Rxd4 Bxd4 39.Re4 Rd8 40.Qf4 Bc3 41.h4 h5 42.g4 hxg4 43.Qxg4 Qh6 44.Kg2 Rd4 45.h5 Qd2+ 46.Qe2 Qg5+ 47.Kf1 gxh5 48.Rxd4 Bxd4 49.Qe4+ Kh6 50.Qa8 Qg1+ 51.Ke2 Qe3+ 52.Kd1 Qg1+ 53.Ke2 Qh2+ 54.Kd1 Bc3 If one didn't know who had which color, he would probably have to think like Sherlock Holmes, to discover where's David and where's Goliath... Nevertheless, this game, as memorable as it was, is in fact not clearly showing Manuel's play(full!) in its complete beauty. For that some more gas, explosives, grenades and poison are needed on the chess board... 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kasparov,G2812Bosboom,M24900–11999B50Hoogovens 5'10
Bosboom,M2490Anand,V27840–11999E12Hoogovens 5'2
Bosboom,M2424Leko,P27341–02014A14EU-Cup 30th1.2
Bosboom,M2397Lopez,J22331–02016A40Haarlem Masters 20162.4

Gifted with magic powers, Manuel Bosboom can drag you into a fantasy and before you know it, make it real too. His own twists and views on chess are unmatched and they do make you feel part of something special.

Manuel is like a candle...

…burning himself up to light the chess pleasures in our minds and hearts. The Dutch community is lucky to have a distinctive chess player like him on their list.

In Bosboom's footsteps: had my own share of fighting chess, with most of my games spinning out of control (photo: Patrick Put)

Two of my games

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Partly thanks to the friendly tournament atmosphere, partly inspired by Bosboom and quite considerably out of desperation, I started a king march. Felt really scary, especially the first steps: 23.Kf2 And for the right reasons Rg4 is in fact the best move. But I was mostly afraid of 23...Rxb3 24.Kg2 that's what I planned, trapping the rook, but after Rxb5 25.Nxb5 Qxb5 Black has more than enough compensation for the exchange. 24.Kf3 Any port in a storm. Qb7 These are time trouble moves and it looked indeed very dangerous to me. But stronger was the central blow with: 24...d5! since 25.Nxe6 is not working in view of dxe4+ 26.Kxg4 Qxe6+ 27.Kg3 Qe5+ I would expect a 0-1 with such a lively, or rather shaky king. Didn't cross my head but it is what the computer suggests, in cold blood as usual. 24...h5 25.gxh6 Bd7 26.Nc6 f5 the paths have been smoothened out for a more effective approach to the white king. 25.Re1 Bc8 26.Nc6 f6 27.Qd5+ Kg7 Here is where I stopped breathing for a second and thought ok. Now what?! I am an optimist too and I always try to find a way, a straw to hold me above the water even if the skies are pitch black. And I did find a shelter: 28.Ke3! From a dream position, Black has to cope now with a rather unbalanced play and a funny king on e3, while the clock was mercilessly ticking...you feel the trend is changing in such moments and you can only hope you'll be there to take your chance. f5 Hunting the white king is so natural, given the course of the game but it created infiltrations to the black one as well. Black is still holding the best cards after 28...a6 where I planned to just do nothing and continue 29.Kd2 :) But I doubt I would have happily smiled after the game. White has too many weakness and a very unhealthy king. 29.Qd4+ Apparently 29.Kd2 was stronger for a reason which will be revealed later on. 29...e5 30.Qxd6 Rxe4+ Better was 30...Qxb5 Had I played Kd2 earlier, this additional possibility wouldn't have been available for Black; but who can find such finesses in time trouble? Too hard for me. 31.Kd2 Rg3 the computer gives 0.00, which makes me think White will eventually give a perpetual or so. Obvious as ABC...:) 31.Kd2 Rxe1 32.Kxe1 5 moves were necessary to bring the king back to its initial place after a journey which didn't lack adrenaline. Yes, the king is a powerful piece indeed. Qb6 32...Re8 is not saving anything because of 33.h5 and suddenly the kings reversed their roles: the one on e1 is completely comfortable while its enemy on g7 will have to suffer the consequences of White's invasion. 33.Qxe5+ Kg8 34.Qd5+ Kh8 35.Re2 Qg1+ 36.Kd2 Qa1 37.Qe5+ Qxe5 38.Rxe5 f4 39.Ke1 a6 40.b6 Bd7 41.Ne7 Rb8 42.Nd5 Bc6 43.Nxf4 Rxb6 44.Re6 a5 45.Rd6 Ra6 46.Ne6 h6 47.Nc5 Rb6 48.Rxg6 hxg5 49.hxg5 Kh7 50.Rh6+ Kg8 51.Kd2 Kf7 52.Rf6+ Ke7 53.Kc3 Kd8 54.Ne6+ 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
L'Ami,A2322Warmerdam,M23881–02016E73Haarlem Masters 20162.1
L'Ami,A2322De Jager,J2417½–½2016A40Haarlem Masters 20167.1

Playing crazy chess is not too bad, but the Masters group (click on image for high-res version) was clearly dominated by...

IM Thomas Willemze, who won the tournament with 6.5/9. Being efficient, calm and making no mistakes is easier said than done.

Among those who tried to stop Thomas were Maurice Schippers...

...Nargiz Umudova (now the wife of GM Twan Burg)...

Willemze – Umudova

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As thrilling and satisfactory crazy games are, having patience, cold blood and seizing the right moment requires a great deal of practicality. Thomas Willemze displayed all of it, crowned beautifully his strategy through tactics as well and won the tournament in a convincing manner. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.0-0 a6 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Re1 b5 7.c4 g5 8.Nxg5 Ne5 9.Bf1 bxc4 10.d4 cxd3 11.f4 Ng6 12.Bxd3 h6 13.e5 hxg5 14.exf6 Nxf4 15.Bxf4 gxf4 16.fxe7 Bxe7 17.Nc3 Be6 18.Qa4+ Kf8 19.Rxe6 fxe6 20.Qxf4+ Ke8 21.Re1 Qd7 22.Qg4 Kd8 23.Rxe6 d5 24.Bf5 c4 25.Qd4 Qa7 26.Rb6 Rh6 27.Nxd5 Ke8 28.Bd7+ cute move Kxd7 29.Nxe7+ Ke8 30.Nc8 Rxc8 31.Qe3+ Qe7 32.Qxe7+ Kxe7 33.Rxh6 Rb8 34.b3 a5 35.bxc4 Rb2 36.Ra6 Rxa2 37.h4 Kf7 38.Kh2 a4 39.c5 a3 40.c6 Ke7 41.Ra7+ Kd6 42.c7 Kd7 43.h5 Rc2 44.c8Q+ Kxc8 45.Rxa3 Kd7 46.Re3 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Willemze,T2401Umudova,N22671–02016B51Haarlem Masters 20161.2

...myself and Max Warmerdam alike, but to no avail.

Only one player took a full point from Thomas, Jasel Lopez. It didn't change much though – a well deserved 1st place.

Masters standings

Continued in part two...

Links

The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 13 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.
Alina is an International Master and a very enthusiastic person in everything she does. She loves travelling to the world's most remote places in order to play chess tournaments and report about them here on ChessBase! As chance would have it Alina is also an excellent photographer.

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