Porto Mannu 2018
There are different possible approaches when organizing one's chess agenda. Some players wish to extend their chess map with each new tournament, while others prefer returning again and again to the places they like most. Even though not completely indifferent to the former issue, there are tournaments where I return with never diminished delight even after 10, 20 or more years. The Capo d'Orso international open, hosted by the Porto Mannu Residence Resort, is one of my absolute favourites.
The excellent playing conditions, idyllic environment and organizer's kindness are a few elements allowing one to combine serious chess with a dream vacation.

Our day-by-day preparation mainly consisted of Italian coffee, Mare Nostrum and, of course, Bronstein's games
(Click or tap to enlarge all images)
The popular touristic area Capo d'Orso (the Bear's Cape in Sardinian) owes its name to a massive rock in the shape of a bear. No matter how many pictures you take, they are mere appetizers for the true feeling you get in Porto Mannu.

The bear from far | Photo: Laura Santini

The bear up close and local foliage in Mariya Yugina's artistic and pictorial vision

The beach and the bay on a summer's day | Photo: Mariya Yugina
Even though the Semi-Tarrasch cannot offer a complete repertoire against 1.d4, being conditioned of White’s move order, it is an excellent complement to the Nimzoindian Defence. Throughout history, great players like Fischer, Kortschnoj and Kramnik have included the Semi-Tarrasch in their repertoire which strongly speaks about its safe character and Black’s possibilities for counterplay. GM Mihail Marin presents a complete Semi-Tarrasch repertoire for Black, explaining the main strategic ideas of the resulting structures.

Spying on my wife Mariya Yugina while she made a few sketches

In the playing hall, conducting a true chess symphony | Photo: Yuri Garrett
Despite the participation of a big bunch of young talented players, the 10th edition ended in a success for the more experienced grandmasters. Both the winner Karen Movsziszian and the runner-up, myself, are well passed of the Senior age limit, while the bronze medalist Vladislav Nevednichy is quite close to it, too.
Two crucial games for the top classification were Movsziszian-Sonis and Marin-Ivanisevic.
Movsiszian 1-0 Sonis (annotated by GM Mihail Marin)
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.g3 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c5 4.0-0 Nc6 5.d3 e5 6.Na3 Bd6 7.c4 7...d4 8.e3 0-0 9.exd4 cxd4 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Nd2 Qe7 13.Nc2 f5 14.Re1 Qf6 15.a3 15...e4!? 15...a5 16.dxe4 f4 17.e5! Bxe5 18.Ne4 Qf5 19.Nb4 f3 20.Bf1 Qh5 21.c5 Bh3 22.Qd3 Bxf1 23.Qxf1 Rad8 24.Rad1 Ne7 25.Nd3 25...Ng6 26.Nd2 Bb8 27.Re4 Rd7 28.Rde1 Kh7 29.b4± Rdf7?! 30.Rxd4 Rf5 31.Re3 Qg5 32.Qd1 Qf6 33.Ree4 Rf7 34.Ne1 Be5 35.Rd3 Bc3 36.Rd6 Qg5 37.Ndxf3 Rxf3 38.Nxf3 Qf5 39.Re3 Ne5 40.Kg2 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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- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Movsziszian,K | 2527 | Sonis,F | 2448 | 1–0 | 2018 | A08 | Porto Mannu op 10th | 8 |
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On this DVD, Mihail Marin presents the major tactical themes and options available for both sides in the Benoni. Based on an interactive format the well-known theoretician and Grandmaster invites you to take part and challenge yourself.

Taking the success naturally: Veni, Vidi, Vici | Photo: Laura Santini
Marin 1-0 Ivanisevic (annotated by GM Mihail Marin)
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.0-0 0-0 6.c4 c5 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.d5 Na5 9.Nd2 e5 10.e4 Bd7 11.b3 a6 12.Qc2 b5 13.Bb2 Rb8 14.Rae1 h5 15.Nd1 h4 16.Bc3 Bh6 17.Ne3 Nh5 18.Bf3 Ng7 18...Bh3 19.Bxh5 Bxe3 19...Bxf1 20.Ndxf1 gxh5 21.Nf5+- 20.Rxe3 Bxf1 21.Bd1 Bh3 22.g4+- 19.Bd1! Bh3 20.Ng2 f5 21.f4 21.Nxh4 Bxf1 22.Rxf1 21...b4 22.Bb2 Bxg2 23.Kxg2 exf4 24.e5!? fxg3 25.e6± Qg5 26.Nf3 h3+!? 27.Kxh3 Qg4+ 28.Kg2 Nh5 29.Ne5 Qg5 30.Nf7 Qd2+ 30...Rxf7 31.exf7+ Kxf7 32.Bxh5 gxh2+ 33.Kh1 Qxh5 34.Qe4+- 30...Nf4+ 31.Rxf4 Qxf4 32.Nxh6+ Qxh6 33.hxg3 Qg5 34.Rh1 Rf6 35.Qc1 f4 35...Qxc1 36.Bxc1 Re8 37.Bb2 Kg7 38.g4+- 36.Qxf4! 31.Re2! Qxc2 31...Nf4+ 32.Rxf4 Qxf4 33.hxg3+- 32.Rxc2 32.Nxh6+ Kh7 33.Bxc2 Kxh6 34.hxg3+- 32.Rxc2 Bg7 33.Bxh5 Bxb2 34.Rxb2 gxh5 35.Rxf5+- 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.
Marin,M | 2544 | Ivanisevic,I | 2570 | 1–0 | 2018 | E66 | 10th Porto Mannu Open | 7.1 |
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The second DVD deals with the middlegame positions where static factors play a determining part, permanently taking into account the inseparable dynamic and tactical elements.

Marin vs Ivanisevic | Photo: Yuri Garrett
Mariagrazia de Rosa and Mariya Yugina, first and second in the woman classification, respectively.
This DVD offers Black a complete repertoire against all weapons White may employ on move six. The recommended repertoire is not as risky as other Sicilians but still offers Black plenty of counter-play.

Men may play better chess, but ladies are the true champions when displaying happiness for the conquered medals | Photo: by Laura Santini

"What is so funny, Yuri? I really played well!" | Photo: Laura Santini
The videos on this DVD give White a repertoire with concrete variations against all main lines Black can play and also show the typical strategic and tactical ideas of the Slav and the hidden subtleties of the position.

"If I start attacking him now would I be in time to go to the beach?" | Photo: Yuri Garrett
Final standings (top 20)
1 |
4 |
GM |
Movsziszian Karen |
ARM |
2527 |
7,5 |
51,0 |
41,25 |
2434 |
2 |
3 |
GM |
Marin Mihail |
ROU |
2544 |
7,0 |
55,0 |
42,25 |
2478 |
3 |
5 |
GM |
Nevednichy Vladislav |
ROU |
2525 |
6,5 |
52,0 |
35,50 |
2401 |
4 |
9 |
GM |
Colovic Aleksandar |
MKD |
2432 |
6,5 |
51,5 |
36,25 |
2395 |
5 |
10 |
IM |
Bulmaga Irina |
ROU |
2419 |
6,5 |
51,0 |
37,00 |
2291 |
6 |
7 |
IM |
Christiansen Johan-Sebastian |
NOR |
2504 |
6,5 |
50,5 |
34,25 |
2392 |
7 |
13 |
FM |
Risting Eivind Olav |
NOR |
2301 |
6,5 |
46,5 |
32,75 |
2215 |
8 |
8 |
IM |
Sonis Francesco |
ITA |
2448 |
6,0 |
55,5 |
35,25 |
2442 |
9 |
2 |
GM |
Rambaldi Francesco |
ITA |
2556 |
6,0 |
53,5 |
34,00 |
2458 |
10 |
1 |
GM |
Ivanisevic Ivan |
SRB |
2570 |
6,0 |
52,0 |
33,25 |
2459 |
11 |
11 |
FM |
Haug Johannes |
NOR |
2401 |
6,0 |
51,0 |
33,00 |
2358 |
12 |
12 |
IM |
Lehner Oliver |
AUT |
2396 |
6,0 |
50,0 |
32,25 |
2336 |
13 |
35 |
|
Zgadzaj Rafal |
POL |
2131 |
6,0 |
48,5 |
30,00 |
2122 |
14 |
6 |
GM |
Dvirnyy Danyyil |
ITA |
2513 |
5,5 |
54,0 |
30,50 |
2431 |
15 |
16 |
FM |
de Francesco Klaus |
GER |
2280 |
5,5 |
50,5 |
28,50 |
2294 |
16 |
20 |
|
Visser Henk-Jan |
NED |
2255 |
5,5 |
49,0 |
28,00 |
2307 |
17 |
21 |
FM |
Viviani Alessio |
ITA |
2252 |
5,5 |
47,5 |
27,00 |
2273 |
18 |
27 |
FM |
Esposito Luca |
ITA |
2208 |
5,5 |
47,5 |
26,75 |
2236 |
19 |
14 |
FM |
Ranaldi Lucas |
NOR |
2283 |
5,5 |
47,0 |
27,00 |
2283 |
20 |
22 |
FM |
Bentivegna Francesco |
ITA |
2247 |
5,5 |
46,5 |
25,75 |
2185 |
Looking at the games and classification it is easy to overlook a true hero of this tournament and Italian chess in general. Despite his ALS [a neurodegenerative disease], Alessio Viviani, who a few years ago won the Porto San Giorgio tournament, obtaining a Grandmaster norm, gave a hard time to a few Porto Mannu favourites.

Allessio Viviani playing with a custom chess board setup | Photo: Yuri Garrett
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