![](/Portals/4/files/news/2014/events/olympiad/tromso01.jpg)
Marin on Tromso – round four selection
When around the age of 16 I was awarded the honour of defending the junior board of the strong IT Bucharest team, I immedately felt the pressure of responsability on my (still) fragile shoulders. As a general rule, many of the top board games ended in rapid draws in the decisive matches and everybody would rush to see if I and the girl of the team (now WGM Cristina Foisor, currently playing in Tromso) could win the match. To me, this looked as if two military powers would threaten each other with their nuclear weapons (equivalent to the GMs and IMs from the team) but actually send only the infantery (us, the juniors) into the fight. Not really fair, nor relevant for the overall strenght of the teams. The picture I prefer is when, just like the medieval hero kings, the player on the top board decides the match to his team's favour. The rule "If our best player beats your best player, we are better", inspired from the David vs Goliath fight, sounds a bit simplistic, but applies on many occasions, involving all kind of psychologycal aspects.
For today, I have picked up three top board games illustrating this situation. All the matches ended in 2.5-1.5 and in the first two cases the top game was the only decisive one. Anticipating a bit, I have discovered some further (purely chess-wise) similarities between this games. The winner always started in a slow mode, without displaying any territorial ambitions. Each time there was some discussion around the d5-square (or, in the game won by Black, the d4-square), while in the final position the vulnerability of the enemy king was the telling factor. And I hope you will forgive me for resorting to a game by Carlsen for the second time since the start of this series; he is the World Champion after all!
![](/Portals/4/files/news/2014/events/olympiad/round04-01.jpg)
Magnus Carlsen, Norway, playing Radoslaw Wojtaszek, Poland, with Garry Kasparov kibitzing
![](/Portals/4/files/news/2014/events/olympiad/round04-02.jpg)
The thirteenth World Champion does not seem to like the position of the fifteenth
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 2...e6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 g6 5.d3 Bg7 6.Be3 e5 7.Nh3 Nge7 8.f4 Nd4 8...0-0 9.f5 gxf5 10.Qh5 Nd4 11.0-0-0 9.0-0 0-0 10.Qd2 Bd7 11.Nd1! Qc8 12.Ndf2 Ndc6 13.c3 13...b5 13...b6 14.fxe5 dxe5 14.fxe5! Nxe5 15.Bh6 N7c6 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Nf4 Qd8 18.Rad1 Rc8 19.Qe2 h5?! 20.d4 cxd4 21.cxd4 Ng4 22.h3 Nxf2 23.Qxf2 23...Ne7 24.Rd3! b4 25.Rf3 Qe8 25...Bb5? 26.Nxh5+! 26.g4! hxg4 27.hxg4 Bb5 27...Bxg4 28.Rg3 Qd7 29.Bh3! f5 29...Bxh3 30.Nh5+ 30.d5 28.Re1 Qd8 29.g5 Qb6? 30.Bh3 Rcd8 31.Be6 Be8 32.Nd5 32.Rh3 32...Nxd5 33.Bxd5 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.
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Carlsen,M | 2877 | Wojtaszek,R | 2735 | 1–0 | 2014 | B26 | 41st Olympiad Tromso 2014 Open | 4 |
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![](/Portals/4/files/news/2014/events/olympiad/mvl02.jpg)
Maxim Vachier-Lagrave, board one for France
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.c4 0-0 5.d4 d6 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.0-0 e5 8.e4 exd4 8...c6 9.h3 Qb6 9.Nxd4 Re8 10.h3 a6 11.Re1 Rb8 12.Rb1 Ne5 13.Bf1 13.b3 c5 14.Nc2 b5 15.f4 Nc6?! 16.e5 13...c5 14.Nc2 b5 15.cxb5 axb5 16.b4 c4 17.Nd4 d5! 18.Bg5 dxe4 19.Nxe4 Bb7 20.Bg2 Bxe4 21.Rxe4 Qb6 22.Bxf6 Bxf6 23.Qe2 Re7 24.Nc2 Rd8 25.Re1 Rdd7 26.Ne3 Kg7 27.Rd1 Nd3?! 27...Rd3 27...Qd8 28.a4 Rxe4 29.Bxe4 Rd4 30.a5 Qd6 31.Qg4 Kh6 32.Nc2 32...Nxf2! 33.Rxd4 Bxd4 34.Qh4+ Kg7 35.Bxg6! Ng4+ 36.Kf1 hxg6 37.Nxd4 Qxd4 38.Qxg4 Qd3+ 39.Qe2 39.Kf2 c3 39...Qxg3 40.a6 Qxh3+ 41.Kg1 Qg3+ 42.Kf1 Qc3 43.Qa2 Qh3+ 44.Kg1 c3 45.Qa1 45.a7 Qe3+ 46.Qf2 46.Kf1 Qc1+ 47.Ke2 c2 46.Kg2 Qd2+ 47.Qxd2 cxd2 46...Qxf2+ 47.Kxf2 c2 48.a8Q c1Q 45...Qg4+ 46.Kf1 Qf3+ 47.Kg1 Qe3+ 48.Kf1 Kh7 48...Kh7 49.Qa2 Qc1+ 50.Ke2 Qb2+ 0–1 - 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.
Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2768 | Mamedyarov,S | 2743 | 0–1 | 2014 | E68 | 41st Olympiad Tromso 2014 Open | 4 |
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![](/Portals/4/files/news/2014/events/olympiad/mamedyarov02.jpg)
Top board for Azerbaijan: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
![](/Portals/4/files/news/2014/events/olympiad/jobava01.jpg)
A uniquely imagnitive and exciting player: Baadur Jobava, who features in this Daniel King interview
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.Nf3 g6 2.c4 c5 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.Nc3 d6 6.0-0 e6 7.a3 Nge7 8.b4 0-0 9.Rb1 b6 10.Nb5!? 10.Bb2 cxb4 10...Bb7 10...a6 11.Nc3 11.Bb2 e5?! 12.bxc5 bxc5 13.d3 Qd7 14.Nd2 f5 15.Ba1 Rab8 16.Qa4 Ba8 17.Nc3 Rbc8 18.Nd5 18...g5 18...f4 19.Nxe7+ Qxe7 20.Bd5+ Kh8 21.Ne4 19.e3 Ng6 20.Qd1‼ g4 21.f3 h5 22.fxg4 hxg4 23.h3 Nce7 24.hxg4 fxg4 25.Qe2 Kh8?! 26.Be4! Bxd5 27.cxd5 Rxf1+ 28.Nxf1! Bh6 29.Nh2 Rg8 30.Nxg4 Nh4 31.Nxe5! Rxg3+ 31...dxe5 32.Bxe5+ Rg7 32...Bg7 33.Qh5# 33.Rb8+ Nc8 34.Qh5 32.Kf2 Qh3 33.Rb8+ Nc8 34.Rxc8+ Kg7 35.Nc6+ Kf7 36.Qh5+ 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.
Jobava,B | 2713 | Leon Hoyos,M | 2517 | 1–0 | 2014 | A37 | 41st Olympiad Tromso 2014 Open | 4 |
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About the author
![](/Portals/4/files/news/2014/topical/products/marin01.jpg) |
Mihail Marin
Born in 1965, GM Mihail Marin 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