Reflections on CBM 196: Chess in the virtual world

by Nagesh Havanur
8/29/2020 – It was not quite the apocalypse. But the pandemic wreaked death and destruction of a magnitude never seen before. While many are still struggling to survive, the worst is over. The human spirit remains indefatigable and there are efforts to rebuild and rehabilitate lives. Amidst this chaos chess has survived and indeed flourished in the virtual world. This issue offers coverage of two major events, the Magnus Carlsen Invitational and the FIDE Online Nations Cup and offers all available games (405 of them!) from the Silkway Online Blitz Cup, the proverbial icing on the cake. It includes games annotated by Anish Giri, Alireza Firouzja and Romain Edouard, just to mention a few. Our columnist Nagesh Havanur takes a look at some of the decisive encounters featured in this issue. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

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Magnus wins by a whisker

Even as I write these lines, Magnus has won the final set of the eponymous Carlsen Tour in an Armageddon tie-break with Nakamura. In fairness to the American, he showed his fighting spirit as never before and proved himself to be as good as the world champion. As for Magnus, he has come ahead of his opponents in each of the online tournaments he has played this year. We have known a few world champions of the past readily accepting challenge from rivals. Magnus has done more — he has invited challenge through his own initiative and in this endeavour he has been well-supported by sponsors and organizers. 

Admittedly, he has not had it easy in any of these events, but prevailed over his opponents with sheer will power, not to mention innate chess talent.

Magnus Carlsen Invitational 2020

Photo: magnuscarlsen.com/en

In the Carlsen Invitational he took some appalling risks and paid the price in quite a few games, to Giri, Nepomniachtchi, Ding Liren and Nakamura. Still, he managed to come first. This issue includes all the games from the event. It is not easy to pick and choose from the lot. Maybe the following game would do.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.a4 Rb8 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.d4 Bxd4 10.Qxd4 d6 11.f4 Nc6 12.Qc3 Ne7 12...Bb7 has been played in a couple of games, but after 13.axb5 axb5 14.e5 Ne4 15.Qe3 Ne7 16.Nd2 Nxd2 17.Bxd2 0-0 18.e6 Black is in trouble. 13.axb5 axb5 14.e5 Ne4 15.Qf3!? 15.Qe1 had been play a little more often. 15...Nc5 15...d5? 16.Nc3 Nxc3 17.Qxc3 0-0 18.Be3± ½-½ (40) Lobanov,S (2372)-Grigorjev,I (2203) St Petersburg 2014 16.Ba2 0-0 17.Be3 Bb7N A good novelty by the World Champion - but Hikaru Nakamura knew how to react to it! 17...Nf5 18.Bf2 Be6 19.Rd1 Qe7 20.Nc3 ½-½ (47) Milman,L (2462)-Mulyar,M (2410) New York 2011 18.Qh3 Ne4 19.Nc3 Nxc3 20.bxc3 Bd5 20...Nd5!? was also playable - but it's so much more logical to exchange the light-squared bishops. 21.f5! Bxa2 22.Rxa2 dxe5 23.f6 A very tricky position. gxf6 23...Ng6 24.fxg7 24.Bh6 Qd5 25.Raa1 Rfd8 can't be an improvement for White 24...Re8 25.Qf5 Nf4! should be close to a draw. 24.Bh6 Re8 After 24...Qd6!? 25.Qg4+ Ng6 26.h4 Black has a choice between two unbalanced slightly worse endgames: Rfe8 26...Qe6 27.Qxe6 fxe6 28.Bxf8 Rxf8 29.Ra7 Rf7 27.h5 Qe6 28.Qxe6 Rxe6 29.hxg6 hxg6 25.Ra6!? Rb6 25...c6!? may have been better: 26.Rxc6! Rb6 26...Nxc6?? 27.Qg4+ 27.Qg4+ Ng6 28.Rfxf6 Rxc6 29.Rxc6 26.Rxb6 cxb6 27.Qg3+ Ng6 28.h4 f5 29.h5 f4 29...Qh4 30.Qxh4 Nxh4 31.Bg5 and the knight is trapped. 30.hxg6! hxg6 30...fxg3? 31.gxf7+ Kh8 32.fxe8Q+ Qxe8 33.Rf8++- 31.Qg4 Qc8? 31...Qe7 was necessary, keeping good control of the dark squares. 32.Qh4! Now Black is lost as Bg5/f6 or Rf3/h3 is coming. Qc5+ 32...Qd8 33.Bg5+- 32...Qe6 33.Bg5 Kg7 34.Qh6+ Kg8 35.Rf3+- 33.Kh2 Qd6 34.Bg5! f5 35.Rf3! e4 36.Rh3 f3+ 37.Bf4 Qd7 38.Qh8+ Kf7 39.Rh7+ Ke6 40.Qe5# And mate! 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nakamura,H2736Carlsen,M28631–02020C78Carlsen Inv Prelim1.2

A nice game. Apparently, Magnus wanted both his opponent and the viewers to savour the last moment. So he walked into checkmate.

Magnus Carlsen Invitational 2020

The Carlsen-Ding Liren encounter in the semi–final was as engrossing. In the third round, Magnus essayed the King’s Gambit and lost, and now he was in danger of elimination. To his credit, he got back to beat Ding Liren in a dramatic game.

 
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1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Be2 This line in the Anti-Meran does not allow Black to develop his queenside as easily as in the Meran. 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 leads to the Meran Variation. 6.Qc2 is the Main Line of the Anti-Meran. 6...Bd6 6...dxc4 is met by 7.a4 preventing...b5 and White can play Bxc4 at a time of his choosing. 7.0-0 0-0 8.b3 b6 9.Bb2 Bb7 10.a4 Aiming for queenside expansion that can leave Black cramped. 10.Rc1 is more often played here. But I prefer the more flexible 10.Qc2 reserving options on the placement of rooks. 10...a5 An obvious move that prevents a4-a5 advance. But in combination with the ensuing...c5 it allows the White knight to go to b5. 11.Bd3 Allowing the queen to develop on e2 and preparing e3-e4. Rc8 12.Qe2 c5 This freeing move is standard, however, it allows the White knight to occupy b5 for good. 12...Qc7 preparing...e5 advance deserves attention. If 13.Rfc1 Qb8 13.Nb5 Bb8 14.Ne5 Qe7 15.f4 This move allows e4 to become an outpost for Black. dxc4 16.bxc4 Ne4 17.Rad1 Rcd8 18.Ba3? ChessPublishing columnist, Glen Flear sees this move as too optimistic. He recommends 18.Nc3 a sober move contesting Black's control of e4. 18...Nxe5 19.fxe5 f5 20.Rb1? Chasing a mirage. Ding Liren thinks, the rook would target the pawn on b6 or the bishop on b7 when the file is opened. Unfortunately, it does not happen and the rook is misplaced. After 20.Bxe4 Bxe4 21.Nc3 Ba8 White's pawn centre is under threat. Black rooks and bishops are active, giving him the superior position. 20.Bb2! maintains the precarious balance in the centre. 20...Qg5 21.Rb2? 21.Rf4! followed by 22.Rbf1 with chances for both sides was the right course according to Peter Svidler at Chess24.com 21...Rf7 At Chess24.com Peter Svidler preferred 21...f4 22.Rxf4 Rxf4 23.exf4 Qxf4 22.Qe1 Rfd7 23.Re2 h6 24.Bb2 Bc6 25.Bc2 Kh8 26.Rf3!? A sacrifice of the exchange or oversight!? Glen Flear suggests a waiting policy with 26.Kh1 26...Qg6 A pragmatic decision. For now Magnus is playing it safe. Otherwise he could have tried 26...Nc3 27.d5 27.Rg3? Nxe2+ 28.Qxe2 Qh4-+ 27...Nxe2+ 28.Qxe2 Bxb5 29.axb5 Rf8 30.d6 Ra7∞ 27.Rh3 If 27.Bxe4 Bxe4 28.Rg3 Qf7 29.Nd6 Bxd6 30.exd6 Rxd6 31.d5 Rg8 32.Be5 Rd7 33.d6 Kh7 27...Qg5 28.Rf3!? Now we know, the sacrifice of the exchange is deliberate. Nc3 29.d5 Nxe2+ 30.Qxe2 Bb7? Magnus hopes that the bishop has an important role to play on this diagonal. With accurate play Ding would have proved hm wrong. Otherwise 30...Bxb5! 31.axb5 Rf8 32.d6 Ra7∞ was necessary. 31.Rg3 Qh4 32.d6± It appears that White dominates the position, with the Black rooks and the bishop on b8 immobile. 32.dxe6?? Rd2-+ Here Glen Flear recommends 32.e4! and it is not easy for Black to defend his position. In "New in Chess" Magazine (#4, 2020)Anish Giri recommends an even better move 32.Nd6! Bxd6 33.dxe6 Re7 34.exd6 Rxd6 35.Bxf5+- 32...Be4 33.Bd1 33.Bxe4 Qxe4= 33...Bc6 34.Rh3 Qg5 35.Rg3 Qh4 36.Rh3 Qg5 He has gained a little time with this repetition of moves 37.Nc3? This move has been criticised. But Ding Liren must have felt it was doing little work on b5 and wanted to get it back into play. Commentators recommended 37.Rg3! Qh4 38.Rh3 Qg5= with a repetition of moves 37...Rf8? Magnus wants to double the rooks on the f-file and push ...f5-f4. But this move quickly made towards time control is slow. With more time he would have found 37...Bxd6! 38.exd6 Rxd6 39.Rg3 Rd2 40.Rxg5 Rxe2 41.Bxe2 hxg5 38.Qf2 Qd8 In the Russian magazine "64 Chess Review" (05/2020), Evgeny Gleizerov gives 38...f4 39.e4! Qxe5 40.Rxh6+! Kg8 41.Nd5! Qxd6 42.e5! Qxd5 43.cxd5 gxh6 44.d6 After Rg7 we have a position, difficult to assess. Black has two rooks for the queen and even a passed c-pawn. However, his bishop on g8 still remains immobile. He also gives 38...Bxd6 39.exd6 Rxd6 40.Rg3 Qh4 41.Nd5 Rd7∞ 39.Ne2 Kh7? Played in the last seconds before the time control. He missed 39...Bxd6! 40.exd6 Rxd6 41.Bc2 Kh7∞ 40.Nf4 Bxd6! A terrific move, breaking out of the stranglehold and creating a dangerous counterattack. If 40...Re8? 41.Nxe6! Rxe6 42.Qxf5++- 41.Nxe6? A tempting move winning back the exchange. But it generates active play for Black. After 41.exd6 Rxd6 42.Be2± White is doing well. Note that Bxa4?? loses to 43.Bxg7!+- 41...Qe8? Evgeny Gleizerov suggests 41...Be7‼ 42.Nxf8+ Bxf8 43.Be2 Be4 42.Nxf8+ Bxf8 43.Qxf5+ Not 43.Bc2 Be4 43...g6 44.Qf1? It looks safe to guard everything with the queen. Still it is wrong. Evgeny Gleizerov gives 44.Qc2 Be4 45.Qb3 Bxg2! 46.Kxg2? 46.Rg3 Be4 was the lesser evil. 46...Rd2+ 47.Kg1 Or 47.Kg3 Qf7 48.Bf3 Qf5-+ 47...Qd7-+ However, Anish Giri comes with the only move to save the position. 44.Qb1! reserving c2 for the bishop Be4 44...Rd2 45.Bf3= 45.Bc2= The point. 44...Bg7? 44...Rd2! won on the spot. 45.Bc2?? A terrible blunder. if 45.Bc3 Bxe5 46.Bxe5 Qxe5 47.Rg3 Rd2 48.Bh5!? Be8 49.Bd1 h5-+ Soon White would run out of moves and he wouldn't be able to defend his position. He could have put up a sterner resistance with 45.Rg3! Be4! 45...Rd2!? is met by 46.Bc3! But not 46.Bc1 Ra2 47.Bb3 Ra1 48.Bc2 Qf8 49.Bxg6+ Kh8 50.Bf7 Rxc1 51.Qxc1 Qxf7 46...Ra2 47.Bb3 Ra3 48.Bc2 Rxc3 49.Bxg6+ Qxg6 50.Rxg6 Kxg6 51.Qb1++- 46.Qe1 Bxe5 47.Bxe5 Qxe5 45...Rd2!-+ and a despairing Ding Liren resigned. Commentators had a field day analysing 46.Bxg6+ Qxg6 47.Rg3 Qh5 48.Rxg7+ Kxg7 49.Qf6+ Kh7 50.Qe7+ Kh8 51.Qf8+ Kh7 52.Qe7+ Kg8 53.Qe6+ Qf7 54.Qc8+ Kh7 Now a fun line is 55.Qh8+ Kxh8 56.e6+ Rxb2 57.exf7 Rxg2+ 58.Kf1 Kg7 It's all over. 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ding,L2791Carlsen,M28630–12020D45Carlsen Inv Final 4

The dragon has the last word

The other major event was the FIDE Online Nations World Cup. In the end, it turned out to be a contest between China and the USA. In this issue Simon Williams offers commentary on the critical duel, Yu Yangyi versus Wesley So. It may be of interest to note that Yu Yangyi himself annotated the whole game in a recent issue of the New in Chess Magazine (#4, 2020). His commentary does offer an insight into the mind of the winner. But what about the loser? Surely, Wesley So too must have something to say about his painful defeat. As of now I have not been able to find any. Maybe he would reveal his thoughts in the next encounter with Yu Yangyi. 

To return to Simon Williams’ commentary in this issue, it is fairly instructive. However, I would have liked to see greater emphasis on the main flaw in Black’s opening play.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 d5 5.Qb3 c5 6.dxc5 Na6 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.c6 Qa5 9.Bd2 bxc6 10.g3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Be7 12.Bg2 0-0 13.0-0 e5 14.Qc2 Qc7 15.Qe4 f6 16.Qc4+ Kh8 17.Be3 Nb8 18.Rfd1 Ba6 19.Qe6 Bxe2 20.Rd2 Ba6 21.Nh4 Bc8 22.Qc4 f5 23.Nf3 h6 24.Rad1 Kh7 25.h4 Rf6 26.Ng5+ hxg5 27.hxg5 Rg6 28.Bd5 f4 29.Be4 Bxg5 30.Rd6 Bf6 31.Kg2 f3+ 32.Kxf3 Bg4+ 33.Kg2 Bxd1 34.Rxd1 1–0
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Yu,Y2709So,W27701–02020D38Nations Cup Online Final1.3

The final display has a magic touch appreciated by one and all. But how did Wesley So land up in such a terrible position? In all probability he was surprised by the theoretical novelty, 8.c6, and thought he could reduce White’s firepower with an exchange of knights. That was the flaw. The knight on d5 had neutralized the g2-bishop’s pressure on the diagonal and also retained the option of returning and defending the kingside. Once the knight was exchanged, the whole h1-a8 diagonal became vulnerable to pressure by the bishop.  It also cost Black precious tempi, and he remained behind in development.

One game that has received relatively less attention is the following encounter between the same Yu Yangyi and the talented Jan Duda.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 The Nimzo-Indian Defence 4.e3 The Rubinstein Variation 0-0 5.Nge2 The Reshevsky Variation avoiding doubled pawns and preparing f3 and e4 Re8 Currently this move is in vogue. It creates a safe haven for the bishop on f8 and prepares against e3-e4 advance in the long run. 5...d5 6.a3 Be7 is more usual. 6.a3 Bf8 7.Ng3 7.e4 is tempting. Apparently, White has a perfect pawn centre and one of the bishops has just become free to move to g5 and pin the Black knight. There follows d5! 8.e5 Nfd7 9.cxd5 9.c5 b6 10.b4 a5 11.Be3 axb4 12.axb4 Rxa1 13.Qxa1 Nc6 14.Qa4 Bb7 15.b5 Ncxe5! 16.dxe5 bxc5 9...exd5 10.f4 Not 10.Nxd5 c5! White's pawn centre is in a state of collapse and his pieces remain undeveloped. 10...c5 11.Be3 Nc6 and White's pawn centre is under pressure. 7...d5 8.Be2 b6 9.0-0 Bb7 sidestepping the opponent's opening preparation 9...Ba6 10.b3 Nc6 was seen in Gupta, A-Duda, J, Gibralter Masters 2018. This brief encounter was drawn. Apparently, Duda was not too happy with line as White exerted pressure on the c-file. 10...Nbd7 followed by ...c7-c5 deserves attention. The immediate 10...c5 followed by ...Nbd7 is also possible. 10.cxd5 exd5 11.b4 11.f3 preparing e3-e4 is premature on account of c5 11...Nbd7 12.Qb3 c6 12...c5 is ruled out on account of 13.bxc5 13.f3 a5 14.Rb1 b5 15.e4 Nb6? This move could have waited. . He had to attack White's pawn centre first with 15...dxe4 . After 16.fxe4 axb4 17.axb4 Nb6 18.Rd1 Bc8= Black has sufficieent counterplay in the centre. 16.e5 Nfd7 17.f4 Nc4 18.Kh1 Qb6 19.Qd1 Nb8 Trying to generate more counterply on the queenside. If 19...axb4 20.axb4 Na3 21.Rb3 Nc4 22.Bd3 followed by Bb1 and Qd3 with an attack on the king. 20.f5 Na6 21.Bxc4 dxc4 22.Qg4 22.Nce4 followed by Qh5 and Ng5 is even more decisive.If h6 23.e6 fxe6 24.f6+- 22...Red8 23.Be3 axb4 24.axb4 Nxb4 25.Rxb4! Ra3 If 25...Bxb4 26.Nce4 Bf8 27.Nh5+- 26.Nge4 Rxc3 27.Nxc3 Bxb4 28.Bh6! g6 29.fxg6 hxg6 30.e6 Qxd4 31.Ne4 Going for a combinational finish. The prosaic 31.exf7+ Kh7 32.Bf4+- also won. 31...Qd3 32.exf7+ Kh7 33.Ng5+ Kh8 If 33...Kxh6?? 34.Qh4+ Kg7 35.Ne6# 34.Bg7+! Elegant till the end. Kxg7 35.Ne6+ Kh7 36.Qh4# 1–0
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Yu,Y2709Duda,J27531–02020E46FIDE Nations Online Cup Prelim

A fine game that shows both the depth of Yu Yangyi’s opening preparation and superb attacking play. 

For reasons of space I have not done justice to several other games in this issue. 
Do not miss Magnus Carlsen-Anish Giri (a rare victory over the world champion that Anish Giri annotates himself), Fabiano Caruana-Hikaru Nakamura, Alireza Firoujza-Ian Nepomniachtchi and Vladislav Artemiev-Levon Aronian, to mention only a few.

When two lions fight

All this is serious stuff. How about some thrills and spills? Check out the games from the Silkway Cup in this issue. This was an online blitz tournament dedicated to the Republic Day of Azerbaijan (28th May), and Independence Day of Georgia (26th May). The 15-round competition brought together the best Azerbaijani and Georgian chess players including 25 grandmasters.

The mammoth event was won by Rauf Mamedov with a score of 11½/ 15 points ahead of Baadur Jobava (11/15 points) and Nijat Abasov (10½/15 points). But what happened to Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, our warlord? He finished with “only” 10/15, sharing 4th to 6th places with other players. In the following game he was at the receiving end:

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.Nc3 0-0 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bd2 c5 7.d5 e6 8.Qc1 Kh7 9.h4 h5 10.e4 exd5 11.cxd5 d6 12.Qc2 a6 13.a4 Re8 14.Bd3 Kg8 15.Ng5 Nbd7 16.0-0 Ne5 17.Be2 Bd7 18.Rae1 Rb8 19.Nd1 b6 20.Ne3 b5 21.axb5 axb5 22.b3 Rc8 23.Bc3 c4 24.bxc4 Nxc4 25.Bxc4 bxc4 26.Rb1 Nh7 27.Bxg7 Nxg5 28.hxg5 Kxg7 29.Rb7 c3 30.f4 Rc7 31.Rb6 Qe7 32.e5 Qd8 33.Rxd6 Qb8 34.Rb1 Qa7 35.Rbb6 Ba4 36.Rxg6+ fxg6 37.Qxg6+ Kf8 38.Kh2 Rg7 39.Qd6+ Kg8 40.Nf5 Qd7 41.Qf6 Rf8 42.Nh6+ Kh7 43.Qxf8 c2 44.e6 Qc7 45.e7 c1Q 46.Qf5+ Kh8 47.Qf8+ Kh7 48.g6+ Rxg6 49.Qf7+ Rg7 50.Qf5+ Kh8 51.Rf6 Qxe7 52.Rf8+ Qxf8 53.Qxf8+ Kh7 54.Qf6 Qd2 55.Ng4 Rxg4 56.Qf7+ Kh6 57.Qf8+ Rg7 58.Qh8+ Kg6 59.f5+ Kf7 60.Qf8+ Kxf8 0–1
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Mamedyarov,S2764Mamedov,R26540–12020E61Silkway Cup Online3

A rousing battle in which the loser deserves as much credit as the winner! Later Mamedov was to say that this victory gave a real boost to his confidence. 

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Rauf Mamedov

Photo: EuropeChess.org

Back in the old days it was much more exciting to face each other and go into battle!

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Rauf Mamedov

Photo: Chess Room, Mechanics Institute /  milibrary.org/chess

“We are buddies, off the board!”

Not all games from this event are of the same standard and quite a few have incomplete scores. However, if you see the games of those warriors, Mamedov, Jobava and Mamedyarov from this event, you won’t be disappointed.
In the second part of the review I shall deal with the rest of the magazine. 
Watch this space.

To be continued


Analyses from the Magnus Carlsen Invitational and FIDE Nations Cup by Giri, Duda, Firouzja, Adhiban and others. CBM Special: Boobby Fischer! 11 articles with new repertoire ideas. Videos by Werle, King and Marin. Training: tactics, strategy and endgame!


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Prof. Nagesh Havanur (otherwise known as "chessbibliophile") is a senior academic and research scholar. He taught English in Mumbai for three decades and has now settled in Bangalore, India. His interests include chess history, biography and opening theory. He has been writing on the Royal Game for more than three decades. His articles and reviews have appeared on several web sites and magazines.

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