1/7/2024 – As the new year gets underway, it's traditional to look both forwards and backwards. 2023 saw Magnus Carlsen abdicate his world title, Ding Liren capture the vacant crown after a nail-biting match against Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ju Wenjun retain her world title also by a narrow margin after defeating her countrywoman Lei Tingjie. Jon Speelman looks back to 2023 and forward to 2024. | Photo: Fabiano Caruana | Photo: Lennart Ootes
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The most significant moments of 2023
[Note that Jon Speelman also looks at the content of the article in video format, here embedded at the end of the article.]
The previous year, Uzbekistan had won the Chess Olympiad in Chennai and as China gained both world titles for the first time, the centre of gravity of world chess does seem to be moving east, with India in particular the home to an extraordinary flowering of young talent. Indeed as we look forward to the Candidates tournament in Toronto in April, three of the eight players are Americans and three are Indians.
Let Toptrainer Sokolov show you the ins and outs of middlegames. This course is about the catalan structures vs. semi-slav/triangle setups
The battle last month for the final spots in the Candidates has been discussed on ChessBase and throughout the chess world in minute detail. What I would say, is that FIDE rather obviously needs to make better rules. You simply can't expect professional games players not to game regulations which are so patently gameable....
The battle to reach Toronto was perhaps all the keener because the winner will play Ding rather than Carlsen. Shorn of the glorious responsibility of being champion, Carlsen had a tremendously successful year except for some games in huge open tournaments in which impertinent players rated in the 2500 and 2600s very much refused to roll over and die.
Being the first Chinese champion must be a massive responsibility and Ding has hardly played since the match. At least he is scheduled to be in Wijk aan Zee at the end of this week.
By the end of April we'll know who will challenge Ding next year. I guess that Fabiano Caruana is the favourite, but a priori it looks very open.
In the meantime there will be furious action in 2024 both over the board and virtually including the 45th Olympiad which will be held in Budapest in September. With so many emerging talents, this is a very exciting time to play and follow chess and there should be some glorious battles.
For now here are a some of not necessarily the best games but the most significant moments of 2023. I've got three of the world championship games, a win by Magnus Carlsen during his world cup triumph and one of his losses against a young gun in Qatar; and one of Vidit Gujrathi's wins in the Isle of Man. These are the annotations I already had in my databases and I've added small introductions as well.
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1.e4
1,180,950
54%
2421
---
1.d4
956,910
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
285,509
56%
2441
---
1.c4
184,270
56%
2442
---
1.g3
19,857
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,569
54%
2428
---
1.f4
5,946
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,897
50%
2383
---
1.b4
1,788
48%
2379
---
1.a3
1,247
54%
2406
---
1.e3
1,080
49%
2409
---
1.d3
965
50%
2378
---
1.g4
670
46%
2361
---
1.h4
465
54%
2381
---
1.c3
438
51%
2425
---
1.h3
289
56%
2420
---
1.a4
118
60%
2461
---
1.f3
100
47%
2427
---
1.Nh3
92
67%
2511
---
1.Na3
47
62%
2476
---
Please, wait...
1.d4 This, game 2, set the tone for the early part of the world championship match as Ding was tentative and Nepo played splendidly.Nf61...d52.c4dxc43.Nf3Nf64.e3e65.Bxc4c56.0-0a6and just oine instanc eof h3 in twicbase7.Nc3Nc68.a3b59.Bd3Bb710.a4b411.Ne4cxd412.exd4Be713.Be3Qd514.Nfg5h615.Nxf6+Bxf616.Be4Qd717.d5exd518.Nxf7Kxf719.Bxd5+Kf820.Qh5Nd421.Bxb7Qxb722.Qc5+Kg823.Bxd4Rc824.Qd6Rd825.Qe6+Qf726.Qxf7+Kxf727.Bxf6Kxf628.Rac1Rd229.Rc6+Kf730.Rb1Re831.h4Ree232.Rxa6Rxf233.Rf1Rxf1+34.Kxf1Rxb235.Rb6½-½ (35) Thorfinnsson,B (2349)-Hardarson,R (2285) Hafnarborg ISL 20032.c4e63.Nf3d54.h3!?An interesting idea to try to put psychological pressure on Mepo immedaite;ly. Apaarently Richard Rapport is in Ding's team and this is perhaps his sort of thing.dxc4Going into a sort of Queen's Gambit Accepted in which h3 is probably not a huge asset.4...Be75.Nc30-06.Bg5h67.Bxf6Bxf68.Qc2dxc49.0-0-0c510.dxc5Qc711.Ne4Be712.Qxc4Na613.e3Nxc514.Nxc5Qxc515.Qxc5Bxc516.Bd3Rb817.Be4f518.Bc2b519.Ne5Rb720.Kb1a521.g3a422.Rd2g523.Rhd1f424.exf4gxf425.Ng6Re826.Rd8Kf727.Nxf4Rxd828.Rxd8Bd729.Rh8Bxf230.Rh7+Kg831.Be4Ra732.Nxe6Bxe633.Rxh6Bc434.Rf6Bd435.Rf4Bc536.Rf5Be337.b3axb338.axb3Be239.Re5Kf840.Bf5Re741.Rxe7Kxe742.Kc2Bf243.Bd3Bxd3+44.Kxd3Bxg345.Kc3Kd646.Kb4Kc60-1 (46) Meshkovs,N (2535)-Shuvalova,P (2498) chess.com INT 20224...c65.Nc3Bb46.e30-07.Bd2Nbd78.Bd3Re89.0-0b610.cxd5exd511.Qc2Bb712.a3Bxc313.Bxc3c514.dxc5bxc515.Bb5d416.exd4Bxf317.gxf3Qb618.Qa4Re719.Rfe1Rae820.Bxd71-0 (20) Botev,S (1627)-Hristov,P (1988) Teteven BUL 20185.e35.Qa4+Nbd76.Qxc4a67.Qc2b58.e4Bb79.e5Nd510.Be2c511.dxc5Bxc512.0-0Rc813.Qd1Qc714.a4b415.Nbd2Nxe516.Nb3Nxf3+17.Bxf30-018.Nxc5Qxc519.Bg5h620.Rc1Qa521.Rxc8Rxc822.Bd2Bc623.b3Nc324.Bxc3bxc325.Bxc6Rxc626.Qc2g627.Rc1Qb428.g3a529.Kg2Qc530.h4Qd431.Rd1Qe532.Kh2Rb633.Rd3Rc634.Rd8+Kg735.Rd3h536.Re3Qd437.Kg2Qd5+38.Kh2Qf539.Rd3Kh740.Kg2Rc741.Kg1Qxd342.Qxd3c243.Qb5c1Q+44.Kh2Qc545.Qd3Rb746.Qf3Rd747.Kg2Kg748.Kh2Qf549.Qe3Rd550.Qa7Rd351.Kg2Rxb352.Qxa5Qxa50-1 (52) Gatineau,Y (2423)-Gago Padreny,I (2289) chess.com INT 20205...c56.Bxc4a67.0-0Nc68.Nc3b58...cxd49.exd4Be710.Be30-011.Rc1b512.Bd3Bb713.Qe2Nb414.Bb1Nbd515.Bd2Nxc316.Bxc3b417.Bd2Bxf318.Qxf3Qxd419.Rc2Qd520.Qe2a521.Be3Rfd822.Rd2Qe523.Rfd1Rxd224.Rxd2Rc825.Rd1Nd526.Qd3g627.Bd4Qc728.Qf3Qf429.Be4Qxf330.Bxf3Bf631.Bxd5Bxd432.Bb7Rd833.Kf1Rd734.Bf3e535.b3Rc736.Rd2Kg737.Bd5Rc1+38.Ke2Bc339.Rd1Rc2+40.Kf3Bd441.Rf1Rxa242.g4f543.Kg3Kf644.h4h645.gxf5gxf546.f3Be347.Kh3Bf448.Rh1Ke749.Bg8Rf250.Bh7Kf651.Bg8Rxf3+52.Kg2Rg3+0-1 (52) Kosasih,C (2320)-Nay Oo Kyaw Tun Jakarta INA 19979.Bd3Bb710.a4b411.Ne4Na5
A very similar position has arisen a couple few times with White playing a3 rather than h3 and then a3-a4 (so that Whiote's h pawn was on h2). Howdver in none of the three games I've seen did Black try the ctitical Na512.Nxf6+A bit submissive. White want sto play Nxc5 but Ding must have talked himself out of it.12.Nxc5Bxc513.dxc5Rc8?!was my first reaction but13...Qd5is apparently what Anand suggested.14.Qe2Ne415.Rd1Qxc516.Nd2Nxd217.Bxd2Nb318.Qg4Nxa119.Bxb4Qc620.Rxa10-0-021.Bf113...Nd7is the engione's choice.14.c6Bxc614...Nxc615.Qe20-016.Rd115.Nd4Nc516.Bc2Bd517.Qg4Qf618.Bd2Rb819.e4Nxe420.Bxe4Qxd421.Qg30-022.Bf413...Be414.Bxe4Qxd115.Rxd1Nxe414.e4!is strong14.Qe2Nb314...Nxe414...Bxe415.Bxa615.c6Bxc616.Bxa6Qxd117.Rxd1Ra818.Bb50-019.Be312...gxf6!Taking e5 away from the white knight and opening the g file. Both a rook on g8 and the b7 bishop will now point towards g2.12...Qxf613.e4is a very strong response. If thencxd413...h614.Bg5Qg615.Bh4!Qh516.Rc113.e413.dxc5was better to avoid ...c4.Bxc513...Qd714.c6Bxc615.Nd4Bb716.Qe213...c4!13...cxd414.Nxd4Rg815.Be3f516.Nxe6!I was looking at16.Qh5fxe417.Bb5+axb518.Nxe616...fxe617.Qh5+with a massive attack.14.Bc2Qc715.Bd2Rg815...0-0-0was also poosisble immediately when Blakc has the extra option of16.Rc1Kb816...Rg817.Bd3Kb816.Rc116.Qe1f517.d50-0-018.Bxb4Bxb419.Qxb4fxe420.Bxe4Qf4not20...f5?21.d620...exd516...0-0-017.Bd317.Qe1f518.Kh117...Kb818.Re1Of course White wants to play Bxc4 but after18.Bxc4Nxc419.Qe219.b3Bxe420.Rxc4Qb719...Rc820.b3Nxd221.Rxc7Nxf3+22.Qxf3Rxc7Black has a bug material advantage and should win.23.Qf423.Qxf6Bxe424.Qd8+Rc825.Qb6+Bb726.f3Be723...Rg624.Rc1e525.dxe5Bh618...f5!19.Bc219.exf5Rxd420.Nxd420.Bf1Bxf321.Qxf3Rxd2-+II looked ror something "cleaner" for Black but actually this is very easy.20.Be2Bc521.Kh1Qd620...Rxg2+21.Kf1Rxf2+!I missed this and was looking at Qh221...Qh222.Be3Bh623.Nf3Qh1+24.Ke2Bxf3+25.Kxf3Qxh3+26.Ke2Qxe3+27.Kf1Qxf2#22.Kxf2Qh2+23.Ke3Bh6#19.Kh1f620.Bc2e519...Nc620.Bg5
20...Rxg5!21.Nxg5Nxd422.Qh5f623.Nf3?!This makles it pretty easy for Black though nNxh7 and Nf7 should both loose too.23.Nxh7Bc524.Bd124.Nxf6Qf424...Rf825.Bb1Nb326.Rc2Nd227.Qe2Bxe428.Nxe4fxe424...Bd624...Rh825.Rxc425.Nxf6Bh2+26.Kh1Bf423.Nf7Rd723...Nxc224.Rxc2Bxe424...b325.Rd2
The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest openings which continues to enjoy high popularity from club level to the absolute world top. In this video series, American super GM Fabiano Caruana, talking to IM Oliver Reeh, presents a complete repertoire for White.
Jonathan SpeelmanJonathan Speelman, born in 1956, studied mathematics but became a professional chess player in 1977. He was a member of the English Olympic team from 1980–2006 and three times British Champion. He played twice in Candidates Tournaments, reaching the semi-final in 1989. He twice seconded a World Championship challenger: Nigel Short and then Viswanathan Anand against Garry Kasparov in London 1993 and New York 1995.
2nd Move Anti-Sicilian Powerbase 2025 is a database and contains a total of 12090 games from Mega 2025 or the Correspondence Database 2024, of which 874 are annotated.
Ruy Lopez Powerbase 2025 is a database and contains a total of 12092 games from Mega 2025 and the Correspondence Database 2024, of which 1276 are annotated.
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