![](/Portals/4/files/news/2014/events/olympiad/tromso01.jpg)
Marin on Tromso – round three selection
One of the main problems of modern opening preparation is how to break Black's walls in a series of fashionable hyper-solid lines. At first sight, this may seem to be a perennial problem, but things have not always been like this. Fashion and general approach change with the alternation of generations. In the best years of Tal and Kasparov, for instance, one common question was how to avoid being smashed tactically in the King's Indian! Moreover, some of Black's most reliable openings of today enjoyed a rather questionable reputation in the past.
After the supposedly warming-up days, the third round scheduled matches between teams of similar strength already, which makes natural the emergence of solid variations. The good news for those believing in the inexhaustible character of our favourite game is that in a few important games between strong players Black's walls did not stand White's pressure. The first game of the today's selection features what may be the main source for White's nightmares: the Berlin Defence. In the past, this was considered a modest variation, suited only for players wth good defensive skills in desperate need of a draw with black. Things have changed quite a lot over the past decades...
![](/Portals/4/files/news/2014/events/olympiad/caruana01.jpg)
In the 2800+ club: GM Fabiano Caruana, board one for Italy
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.h3 9...Bd7 9...h6 10.Rd1+ Ke8 11.Nc3 Bd7 12.Bf4 Rd8 13.Ne4 Be7 14.g4 10.Rd1 Be7 11.g4 11.Nc3 Kc8 12.g4 11...Nh4 12.Nxh4 Bxh4 13.Nd2!? Kc8 14.Nf3 Be7 15.Rd3 c5 15...h6 16.Bg5 c4?! 16...Re8!? 17.Rd4 Bc6 18.Bxe7 Bxf3 19.Kh2 Re8 20.Bh4 c6 21.Re1 Bd5 22.f4 a5 23.c3 b5 24.Rd2 b4 25.Bf2 bxc3 26.bxc3 Rb8 27.f5 a4 28.Bc5 28...Rb7 29.Kg3 Kd7 30.Ba3 Rb5 31.Kf4 Rbb8 32.h4 Rb5 33.h5 h6 34.Rdd1 f6 35.e6+ Kc7 36.Rb1 Reb8 37.Rb4 Ra8 38.Reb1 Rab8 39.Ke3 Kb6 40.Rd1 Rxb4 41.Bxb4 Kc7 42.Re1! 42...Kd8 42...Bg2 43.Rb1! Kc8 44.Rg1! Bd5 45.Bf8 42...Re8 43.Rb1 Rb8 44.Bd6+! 43.Bf8 Rb7 44.e7+ Ke8 45.Re2!? 45.Kf4!? 45...Rb1 46.Bxg7 Kxe7 47.Kf2+ Kf7 48.Bxh6 a3 49.Bf4 Rd1 50.Bd6 Rd3 51.Re7+ Kg8 52.h6 Rh3 53.Rg7+ Kh8 54.Rg6 Rxc3 55.Be7 Kh7 56.Bxf6 Rc2+ 57.Kg3 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Caruana,F | 2801 | Negi,P | 2645 | 1–0 | 2014 | C67 | 41st Olympiad Tromso 2014 Open | 3 |
Please, wait...
![](/Portals/4/files/news/2014/events/olympiad/leko02.jpg)
Top Hungarian board: Peter Leko in round three
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3!? 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 5...Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd2 Be6 9.0-0-0 Qd7 10.h4 h6 11.b3 11.Kb1 11...Bf6 12.Nd4!? a6 12...Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Bxd4 14.Qxd4 0-0 15.Bd3 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.g3 0-0-0 15.Bh3 Kb8 16.Rhe1 Rde8 17.Bg2 d5 18.Bc5 g5 19.hxg5 hxg5 20.Qe3 Qg7 21.Bxd5!? exd5?! 21...Bxc3 22.Bxc6 Rd8 22.Qxe8+! Rxe8 23.Rxe8+ Bd8 24.Rxd5 Kc8 24...b6 25.Rdxd8+ Nxd8 26.Rxd8+ Kb7 27.Bd4 25.Be7 25...Qxe7? 25...b6!? 26.Bxg5 Kb7 27.Bxd8 Qf7! 28.Rde5 Nxe5 29.Rxe5 Qxf2 30.Bh4 26.Rxe7 Bxe7 27.Kd2 27...Bf6 28.Ke3 Ne7 29.Rd3 Nf5+ 30.Kf3 b5 31.Kg4 Nd6 32.Kh5 Kd7 33.Kg6 Be7 34.f4 gxf4 35.gxf4 Ke8 36.f5 Nf7 37.Re3 Kf8 38.f6 Bd6 39.Rh3 Kg8 40.Kf5 Kf8 41.Rh5 Ke8 42.Rh7 Bf8 43.Rh4 Kd7 44.Rh7 Ke8 45.Rh1 Bd6 46.Kg6 Kf8 47.Rh7 Ne5+ 48.Kf5 Nf7 49.Rg7 Nd8 50.c4! bxc4 51.bxc4 Nb7? 51...Nf7 52.Kg6 Ke8 53.f7+ Kd8 54.Rg8+ Kd7 55.Ra8 55.f8Q Bxf8 56.Rxf8 Kc6 57.Rf5 Nd6 58.Ra5 Kb6 59.Ra4 55...Nd8 56.Kg7 Ne6+ 57.Kg8 Nc5 58.f8Q Bxf8 59.Kxf8 Kc6 60.Ke7 Kb6 61.Kf6 Kb7 62.Rh8 Nd7+ 63.Ke6 Nb6 64.c5 Na4 65.Kd5 Nc3+ 66.Kc4 Nb5 67.Rh6 Na7 68.Kd5 Nb5 69.Rh3 c6+ 70.Kc4 a5 71.Rb3 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Leko,P | 2740 | Wang,Y | 2718 | 1–0 | 2014 | C42 | 41st Olympiad Tromso 2014 Open | 3 |
Please, wait...
It may seem strange that I have put the Leningrad Dutch into the same category with the Berlin and the Petroff defences. The Dutch is highly non-symmetrical and has been traditionally considered a good weapon to play for a win by assuming high psoitional risks. However, over the past years White has systematically failed to prove an advantage in the main lines with g2-g3, so players like Kramnik and Aronian have started experimenting with rare and unexplored systems of developing. Besides, the description "wall" surely applies to the structure Black is aiming for, maybe to a higher extent than in the aforementioned openings. On basis of all these, I hope you will wellcome the Leningrad Dutch in the group of wall-defences.
![](/Portals/4/files/news/2014/events/olympiad/round03-01.jpg)
Top boards for Bulgaria: Ivan Cheparinov (left) and Veselin Topalov
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6!? 4.a3 g6 5.Bf4 Bg7 6.e3 0-0 7.Nf3 d6 8.Be2 8...h6 8...Nc6 9.Qc2 Qe7 9.h3 g5 10.Bh2 Nbd7 10...Qe7 11.Qc2 Nc6 12.d5 Nd8 13.Bd3 11.Qc2 b6 12.Rd1 Kh8 13.b4 Bb7 14.d5! e5! 15.Nd2 15.Qxf5?! Nxd5 16.Qc2 Nxc3 17.Qxc3 e4 18.Nd4 c5 15...c6?! 15...a5 15...f4 16.dxc6 Bxc6 17.0-0 Rc8 17...f4 18.Nde4 18.Qxf5! Ne4 19.Qxf8+! Bxf8 20.Ndxe4 Qc7 21.Rd2 Kg7 22.Rfd1 22...Nf6 23.Nxd6 Bxd6 24.Rxd6 Qe7 25.Bg3 Be8 26.Rxf6!? Qxf6 27.Ne4 Qg6 28.Nd6 Ba4 29.Rd5 Qb1+ 30.Kh2 Rf8 31.c5 Bb3 32.Rxe5 Qc2 33.Bf3 33...Rxf3 34.gxf3 bxc5 35.bxc5 Ba4 36.Nf5+ Kg6 37.c6 h5 38.Nd4 Qc4 39.h4 gxh4 40.Bxh4 a5 41.Re6+ Kf7 42.Re7+ Kg6 43.c7 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Topalov,V | 2772 | Vallejo Pons,F | 2698 | 1–0 | 2014 | A85 | 41st Olympiad Tromso 2014 Open | 3 |
Please, wait...
About the author
![](/Portals/4/files/news/2014/topical/products/marin03.jpg)
GM Mihail Marin, born in 1965, has several times been Romanian champion and first made the leap over the Elo barrier of 2600 in 2001. Marin possesses a rare gift for a grandmaster – he is able to explain in readily comprehensible terms the ideas behind moves, variations and positions. This ability is there for all to admire in his contributions to ChessBase Magazine. Marin has written some books which have earned the highest of praise, among which are "Secrets of Chess Defence" and "Learn from the legends". Marin lives in Bucharest and is married to women's International Master Luiza Marin.
ChessBase DVDs by GM Mihail Marin
![](/Portals/4/files/news/2014/topical/products/marin02.png)
View all of GM Mihail Marin here
All you need to know about the Olympiad
- Full information on the games, the venue, the atmosphere and what's happening on and off the chessboard – 68 pages in PDF, 45 MB in size.
- All practical details you need to know before and after your arrival, including information about money, the climate, arriving at Oslo and Tromsø Airports, lost or delayed luggage, check-in at the hotels, the accreditation desk, information offices and the opening ceremony.
All ChessBase reports on the 2014 Olympiad in Tromsø