IV Floripa Open: Tales of war

Tales of war

All photos by Albert Silver

The Floripa Open has lived up to its billing as a major event, not just in the smooth organization and excellent playing conditions, but in the many fun battles and sometimes unexpected results. If the first three rounds had only left three of the ten grandmasters in the top spots, six rounds has been enough to right the ship for many, and the top five spots are taken up by GMs on tiebreak.

While none of them can possibly be unhappy with their share of first, since to do so would be absurd, a few will have a slightly bittersweet taste in their mouth at a feeling of a missed opportunity. 

One such player will be 20-year-old CM Vitor Carneiro, who has represented Brazil numerous times over the past years in World Youth championships around the globe.

CM Vitor Carneiro (2432 FIDE)

After a perfect 3.0/3 start against lower-rated opposition, the CM, whose rating is a well-established 2432 FIDE for the record, finally faced his biggest challenge: GM Alexandr Fier, 2557 FIDE, and a very dangerous and resourceful player. The raw scoresheets will show he lost to the grandmaster in 54 moves, but in fact he had more or less committed hara-kiri on the clock after a mere 14 moves. 

An Anti-Sicilian Repertoire

Tired of spending hours and hours on the boring theory of your favourite opening? Then here is your solution, play an Anti-Sicilian with 3.Bb5 against 2...d6 or 2...Nc6, and 3.d3 against 2...e6. In 60 minutes you will get a crash course in how to avoid mainstream theory and in understanding the ideas of this Anti-Sicilian setup. After these 60 minutes you should be able to survive the Sicilian for a long time, without being bothered by new developments found by engine x supported by an x-core machine. Now that it finally comes down to understanding, let's play chess!

After 10 moves, White had a very promising position which mostly required him to complete his development and then begin exploiting his space and center. He did so, but took 36 minutes here to play 11.Rhe1. After 14 moves, he was down to just 8 minutes on his clock compared to Black’s one hour and more. Fier never let him get back to his feet and exploited this advantage mercilessly. Still, to Carneiro’s credit, he bounced back with two wins and is now in the leading group with 5.0/6.

One doesn't need to be a titled player like FM Edgar Rodrigues to enjoy (or suffer) through the full gamut of emotions at the board...

... and it is this sort of appeal that is almost impossible to explain to a non-player.

There is no age to enjoy chess

Among the hopefuls who have risen out of their comfort zone is FM Daniel Rangel, who has been extremely active in the past year, with nearly 90 rated games, and investing in his game. He recently worked together with IM Dragan Stamenkovic, a Serbian native who has been living in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in order to overhaul his opening repertoire, and with great effect.

IM Dragan Stamenkovic is an experienced teacher, who at the event has been running a very well supplied selection of chess books at unusually accessible prices. He took one day off his sales to play in the tournament's blitz competition where he came in sole second.

In Rio de Janeiro, where Daniel is located, the 24-year-old is known for his passion for chess and bodybuilding, in equal parts as far as anyone can tell. After a decent start with 2½ / 3, he overcame GM Matsuura in round four, when the latter faced his younger opponent’s attack too passively and paid a heavy price. In round five, Rangel faced the out-of-form GM Delgado, and emerged with a draw.

FM Daniel Rangel has been in great form and is on course for a first IM norm

This actually yielded him a place on table three against a resurging Granda Zuniga, where he finally succumbed. Nevertheless, with a 2434 performance, he is still superbly positioned for an IM norm, having already faced three grandmasters with a 50% score. He will decide his fate in the last rounds.

GM Krikor Mekhitarian has also been in good shape, and is tied for first with 5.0/6

GM José Cubas from Paraguay was having a solid event until an unexpected loss to FM Charles Gauche in round six

The leaders entering round six were Brazilian GM Alexandr Fier, a veteran of opens in Europe, based in Georgia with his wife and child, and Uruguayan GM Andrés Rodrigues, who took the title of the first Floripa Open in 2015. With 4½ / 5, there was always the question of a safe draw between them, but this was soon dispelled.

There were no quick draws on the schedule and the result between the two leaders GM Fier (left) and GM Rodrigues (right), was a very exciting all-out war

Tactic Toolbox Scheveningen

All players meeting the Sicilian with White or playing it with Black will be entertained, surprised and their knowledge enriched by spending moments with this selection of the best tactical positions.

Black struck back with 25…Rxd3! And after 26.Qxd3 f6! things were looking dire for White. The weather now began to make itself heard. As if timing itself for one of those melodramatic Hollywood blockbusters, a thunderstorm unfolded outside so raucously that from within the playing hall it sounded as if a symphony played on kettle drums was being performed on the roof.

Andrés Rodrigues has proven himself time and time again how talented an attacker he can be, so one can never count him out of a battle until the scoresheets have been signed. Fier is no slouch in this area, but mistakenly took a poisoned pawn and suddenly the momentum shifted once more.

After 31.h4!? Black grabbed the pawn somewhat carelessly with 31…Bxh4?! And after 32.Qa3! It was Black’s turn to sweat. The threats on the 8th and 7th ranks could not be ignored, and the question on the minds of the spectators crowding around the board area was whether White had irreversibly changed the course of the game. Looking after, the engines are quick to pronounce their cold infallible evaluations, but in the heat of the battle, with the clocks ticking away inexorably, and gold on the line, such numbers have little meaning.

Alexandr Fier, whose last name is actually pronounced 'fear', was fearless in his defense in round six

Alexandr Fier’s defensive skills cannot be underestimated, nor his guts and grit. With less than two minutes left on White’s clock, Black was fearless in his defense, and ability to provoke White. Look at the position below:

Here Black played 40…Kg5! and even the masters and grandmasters who were watching it were taken aback, a couple holding back a grin. This counterintuitive foray with the king straight into the lion’s jaws was quite a surprise and it also ate up the last seconds left of White’s time, the saving grace for Black. In the final position, after

The engines show White can forcibly win after 48. g5+! with a lengthy forced line. The problem is that White literally had fewer than ten seconds left, and even if he strongly suspected this would win, a single misstep might actually cost him the game in view of Black’s material advantage. With a visible grimace as he saw his clock with five seconds left, Rodrigues played 48. Qf2+ and repeated the position for the third time.

Andrés Rodrigues ½-½ Alexandr Fier

Standings after six rounds

Complete standings

Live games

Links

• Official tournament site
• 4th Floripa Open: a massive start