12/8/2017 – The 2nd edition of Runavik Open took place in Runavik, Faroe Islands from November 20-26. Blue water, enchanting skies, lush green land and mountains all around! With 12 GM’s and a total of 25 titled players in a field of 59 players, there may have been expectations of a drawfest. There were 4 Indians, an army of ex soviet GM’s, and more than a handful of exciting young players. Nikita Maiorov broke through everything to win with 7.5/9. He had to go through more than his share of difficult moments, trials and tribulations, but deservedly came out on top. Read on to find games and pictures. | Photo: Fiona Steil-Antoni
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Making a run at Runavik
The sound of howling winds and darkness greeted me, as I stepped out of the Vagar airport. The difference between the Summer, when I participated in the Faroes Open and Winter couldn’t have been starker. While the Summer months had 20 hours of brightness and 4 hours of darkness, in the winter, it was the exact opposite. The winds were stronger and fiercer, but one thing didn’t change — the warmth and hospitality of the Faroese people.
We were picked up at the airport and driven to Klaksvik, a small city that is a 30 minute drive to Runavik. The organizers had a few initial hiccups with the broadcast, and the stay arrangements, by the second day, all the little wrinkles were ironed out. They managed to find accommodation for most of us in Runavik and by the third day, we were all set and ready to fight.
The fight
Most of the top seeds sailed through with 2 / 2. By the third round, it was already a clash of GM’s at the top tables. GM Nikita Maiorov, the eventual winner had the most unenviable opponent — the 13 year old kid Nihal Sarin. He already had his work cut out and was worse for most part of the game, but showed resilience to salvage a draw. The top seed, Deep Sengupta showed excellent technique to beat GM Tejas Bakre and move into the sole lead after three rounds.
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29...Kg7Black has managed to hold the balance till here, but White
keeps a slight edge and tries to press.30.a4Re731.axb5Bxb5?A
strange decision.31...axb5would've held the balance.32.h4h532.h4Re533.Qc3Re834.Qd4Re735.Qc3Re836.Re1Rxe137.Qxe1h638.Qe3g539.Qa7+Qd740.Qd4Qd641.hxg5?!41.Bg4!gxh441...Kf842.Be6Ke743.Qe4+-41...Bd742.Bxd7Qxd743.h5+-42.Qa7+Kf843.Be6Be844.Qh7+-41...hxg542.Bg4Kf843.Be6Ke744.f4gxf445.gxf4Qc746.Kf3Be847.Kg4Bg648.Qe3Kd849.Qa3Be850.Kf5Qh7+51.Kxf6Qg6+52.Ke5Qg7+53.Ke4Qg2+54.Kd4Qg7+55.Kxc4Bb5+56.Kb4Qf8+
In the fourth round, Sengupta was held to a draw by GM Vadim Malakhatko. I managed to join him in the lead with the following victory against GM Mikhail Ulibin of Russia.
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1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.Bg5Be75.e5Nfd76.Bxe7Qxe77.f40-08.Nf3c59.Qd2Nc610.dxc5Nxc511.Qe3a612.a3!?Rd813.Rd1b514.b4Ne4!14...Nd7is too passive, and White would get a slight advantage after15.Ne2Bb716.Ned4Nxd417.Nxd415.Nxe4dxe416.Rxd8+Nxd8?16...Qxd8!17.Qxe4Bb718.Bd3g619.0-0a5=
Black has enormous compensation and winning the pawn back will only be a
matter of time.17.Ng5Bb718.Nxe4a5
I took a longtime here, but I
was unable to solve the problem of which was the best move.19.Nd6?19.Qc5!Qxc520.Nxc5axb421.axb4Bd521...Ra1+22.Kf2Bd523.Rg1±22.Kf2Nc622...Ra223.Bxb5!Rxc2+24.Ke3Rxg225.Rc1Rxh226.Na4±23.Bxb5Nxb424.c4Ra2+25.Ke3Bxg226.Rb1Nc2+27.Kd3Na328.Rd119.Bxb5axb420.a4Rc8!20...Qc721.Qc5Qxc522.Nxc5Bxg223.Rg1±21.Bd3Bxe422.Bxe4Nb723.Qa7Qc524.Qxc5Nxc525.Bf3Nxa426.Kd2g6=19...axb420.axb4Bd521.Kf2Ra1Now, the game got into mutual
time scramble territory, with we both having lesser time than the amount of
moves to make.22.h4Nc622...f623.Nxb5Qxb424.Nc3Bc625.exf6gxf626.Rh3Nf727.Kg123.Rh3f6?the decisive mistake.23...Nxb4It's near impossible to calculate the consequences of this move with the
amount of time my opponent had.24.Qc5Rc1!25.Qc8+25.Qxb4Qa7+26.Re3Rxf1+27.Kxf1Qxe3-+25...Qf826.Rc3Bc427.Bxc4Qxc828.Nxc8bxc429.Rxc4Rxc2+30.Rxc2Nxc2=24.Bxb5Nxb425.Qc525.Qc3was more
tempting, as afterQa7+White always has26.Re3but I saw that Qc5 was
going into a winning endgame, and I preferred to take the safer way.25...Qa726.Rc3Qxc5+27.Rxc5h528.Rc8+Kh729.exf6gxf630.Rc7+Kh631.f5Ra232.Nf7+Kg733.Ng5+Kh834.Rc8+Kg735.Nxe6+35.Rc7+was the
sensible thing to do in time trouble, but I was a bit nervous about repeating
three times by mistake.35...Kf736.Rc7+Kg837.Nd437.Nf4Bf738.Nxh5I just missed that White can take Nh5.37...Rb238.Be2Bf7My initial
instinct was to improve my king's position with Ke3, but we know what happens
there.39.Rc8+Kg740.Rc7Kf8Phew. I am surprised at the accurace I
showed in 30 seconds play, but unusual things do happen in life.41.Bf3Nd3+42.Kg3Ne543.Ne6+Kg844.Be2Ra245.Nf4Ra3+46.c3Nc447.Rxc4Bxc448.Bxc4+Kh749.Nd5Kh650.Be2Ra251.Bf3Ra652.c4Rc653.Ne31–0
The French Defence is an aggressive and tough opening. Typically, the second player shows his ambitions as early as on move three in the main, after - 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 - the Winawer Variation. Black’s intentions are clear - pressure in the center, and quick development. Check the new Learn in 60 minutes to find a repertoire based on the move 4.Ng1-e2. The author GM Dejan Bojkov used it to win a crucial game at the Canadian Open Championship 2011, which helped him share victory at this prestigious event.
I managed to defeat Deep in the fifth round and move into the sole lead after five rounds with 4½ / 5. In the meanwhile, Nihal was as deadly as the little Tasmanian devil, as he showed some signs of what is to come. After his laptop crashed in the morning before the game, he decided to just play some London system. His opponent was the 37-year-old International Master Jensson Einar Hjalti. He managed to last exactly 13 moves before Nihal’s pieces came crashing down on him.
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1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3Nc66.Bg5e67.Qd2a68.0-0-0Be79.f4Bd710.Nf3b511.e5Played after a 18 minute think.b412.exd6This came as a surprise to me.bxc313.Qxc3Bf814.Bc4The first
moment where I really had to think and make a decision.h615.Bh4Qa515...g516.fxg5hxg517.Bxg5Bg7was my initial intention, bringing out the
pieces.16.Qd3?!16.Bxf6gxf617.Qxf6Rg818.Ne5Nxe519.fxe5Rg620.Qf3Rc821.Rhf1Rg722.Qf4Rc516...Nb417.Qb3Rb818.Ne5Ne418...Qc5was very strong and was my initial intention. I don't quite
remember what I calculated here.19.Nxd7Kxd720.f5Bxd621.fxe6+fxe622.Bxe6+Kc719.a3Bxd620.Be1Bxe521.fxe5Na2+?21...Ba422.Qf3Qc7!I had missed this move completely.23.axb4Qxc424.b3Qc725.bxa4Qxe526.c3Rc822.Qxa2Qxe523.Bxa6I had missed that my
opponent had this, and I had assumed that I was just better due to the
exclusion of White's Queen.Nc524.Bc40-0??25.Bg3??I saw25.b4only after playing 0-0... and I had no idea how to react to b4.Na426.Rxd7Nb627.Rxf7!Kxf728.Bxe6+Ke729.Bb3+-25...Qg5+26.Kb1Rb727.Rhe1Rc828.Rd4Qg628...Na429.Bb3Nc5would be a draw, but
we both were trying to win.29.Red1Ba430.Rd8+Rxd831.Rxd8+Kh732.Ka1??The decisive mistake.32.b4!Had to be played at some point.Ne433.Bd3is close to winning according to the comp, but it's quite hard
for us humans to make such accurate evaluations.32...Qg533.Rd1Bxc234.Re1Nb3+35.Bxb3Rxb336.Rg1h537.Bd6Qe338.Rh1Qd439.Rc1Rd30–1
All players meeting the Sicilian with White or playing it with Black will be entertained, surprised and their knowledge enriched by spending moments with this selection of the best tactical positions.
"Simple yet aggressive!" Enjoy this new exciting DVD by Simon Williams. Let the famouns Grandmaster from England show you how to gain a very exciting yet well founded opening game with the London System (1.d4 d5 2.Bf4).
Meanwhile, Nikita notched up a victory over the European Under 14 Champion Jonas Bjerre. This setup a clash against me in the sixth round, with me having an half point edge. Meanwhile, the organizers once again showed us a taste of the Faroese hospitality as they arranged for a powerful replacement laptop for Nihal in short notice. They also took it upon themselves and managed to fix his laptop after several hours and days of effort.
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1.d4Nf62.c4g63.g3Bg74.Bg20-05.Nf3c56.d5d67.Nc3e68.0-0exd59.cxd5Re810.Re1!?a611.a4Nbd712.h3I was out of book around
here, but I played all the natural moves quickly.Rb813.Bf4Qc714.e4Nh515.Bd2b516.axb5axb517.Bf1My opponent had played rapidly until this
point. I was the first to think. I wasn't quite sure what to do here, for both
c4 and b4 seemed attractive.c417...b418.Nb5Qb619.g4!the key move
for White in this position.Nhf619...Bxb220.Ra2Nhf621.Rxb2Ba622.Nc7Qxc723.Bxa6Nxe424.Bc4±20.Bf4Bf820...Nxe421.Nd2+-21.Nd2±18.b4?18.g4!this inclusion is quite
important.Nhf619.b4ifcxb320.Nxb5Qc220...Qb621.Ba5And now,
Black doesn't have b2.21.Qxc2bxc222.Nxd6Nxe423.Nxe8Bxa124.Rxe4Rb125.Re7Rd126.Bh6c1Q27.Bxc1Rxc128.Kg218...cxb319.Nxb5Qb6
My opponent missed b2 here after Ba5.20.Rb1Nc521.Be3Bxh322.Bxc5Qxc523.Nxd623.Qxb3Bd723...Qxd624.Bxh3b2The game has liquidated into
an equalish position. The logical conclusion would be a draw.25.Kg2Rbd825...Be526.Nxe5Qxe527.d6Red828.d7Nf629.Re2h5=26.Qc2Re727.Red1Rc728.Qe2Re829.Qb5Rxe430.Qb8+Bf831.Rxb2By this time we were
in absolute time scramble.Nxg3?32.Rb632.fxg3is the pointRc2+33.Rd233.Kh1Qf633.Kg1Qc5+34.Kh1Qf233.Kf1Qf6!33...Qxb834.Rxb8Rxd2+35.Nxd2Re2+36.Kf3Rxd237.Be6!White should be able to draw
here.32...Qf433.Rc6Ree733...Rxc634.Qxf4Rxf435.dxc6Nf5is just
losing after36.Nd4!Nd637.c7f538.Nxf5!+-34.Rd4?34.Rdc1Ne235.R1c4Qxc436.Rxc4Rxc437.d6Nf4+38.Kg3Nh5+38...Rb739.Qxb7Bxd639.Kh2Rb740.Qa840.Qxb7Bxd6+41.Kg140...Ra741.Qxa7Bxd6+42.Kg1Rc1+43.Bf134.Rdc1Ne235.R1c4!Qxc436.Rxc4Rxc437.d6Nf4+38.Kg3Nh5+39.Kh2I had calculated upto this, but I felt that I could maybe
try to hold a fortress.34...Ne435.Rxc7Rxc736.Rc436.Rxe4Qxe437.Qxc7Qxd5is probably just a draw.36...Qxf3+37.Kxf3Rxc438.Ke3Nd639.Bd7Here, I initally had seen Rb4, but after Qb4 Nf5+ Bxf5, I couldn't be
sure if Black wins. Around some point here, my opponent offered me a draw,
which receded into the background. Only Black can try here of course.Then I
thought I would play h5. Finally I decided to just give a couple of checks and
decide, when I suddenly saw that I had just a second. Before I could move and
press the clock, it turned to 0. Quite unbelievable.1–0
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.
With this, Nikita moved into the lead with 5 / 6. He was joined along by the defending champion IM Gudmundur Kjartansson, who had reached there on the back of two crushing victories over GM Malakhatko and his flatmate, GM Vladimir Hamitevici.
After my heartbreaking loss on time, I obviously felt numb and frustrated. I decided that revenge was a dish best served cold, and just went online to flag a series of opponents over bullet games. This didn’t help much though, as a sleepless night ensued. I had to collect myself with all my willpower to recover with a victory over GM Igor Khenkin. However, even as I was winning, Nikita was on his way towards masterful positional victory over Kjartansson to go into the sole lead.
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1.d4Nf62.c4e63.Nf3b64.g3Bb75.Bg2Bb4+6.Bd2c57.Bxb4cxb48.0-00-09.Qd3d610.Nbd2Nbd711.a3bxa312.Rxa3Qc713.e4e514.Rd1
White already has a slight edge here.a615.Rc3Rfe816.Ne1exd4?!
I am not sure if Black should be hasty with this, as White now has a clear
edge due to his better pawn structure.16...Nf817.Nc2Ne6was
probably better, maintaining the tension.17.Qxd4Nc518.f3Rad819.Qf2a520.Ra1Bc621.Nc2Nfd722.Nd4White simlpy has a clear advantage. Black's
pieces are struggling.Ne523.Nf1Ned324.Qd2Nb425.Ne3Bd726.Rd1Na427.Ra3Nc528.h4d5Black tries to seek counterplay like a caged animal.29.cxd5Qxg330.Nef5Bxf531.Nxf5Qe532.Qc3Rxd533.exd5Qxf534.Qd2h635.d6Rd836.f4Qf637.Re3Ne638.d7Na639.Qc3Qxh440.f5Nec741.Rg3f642.Rd4Qh543.Rdg4Rxd744.Qxf6Ne845.Bd5+Kh746.Qf8Very strong
play by White. It's very hard to criticise any move.1–0
There are few names which, like that of Alexei Shirov, can be associated with fantastically imaginative and tactically influenced play. Now the Latvian grandmaster is presenting a DVD on precisely that element of the game of chess. And one that is completely based on his own games.
Deep managed to catch up with a crushing attacking over the Northern Lights Open winner GM Xu Yinglun. In the eighth round clash between those two titans, this happened:
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1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.d4exd44.Nxd4Bc55.Be3Qf66.c3Nge77.Bc40-08.0-0b6!?This is not the most usual move in this variation, but definitely
has been in fashion lately.9.Qd2Qg610.f3d5!11.Bxd5Nxd512.exd5Ne513.b3?13.Bf4Re814.b4Nc415.Qf2Bd616.Bxd6Qxd617.Nd2Qxd518.Rfe1=13...Ba614.Bf4?Complete collapse from Deep, who was exhausted
by this point after a tough morning round.14.Rf2Rfe8Is a very very
difficult position to defend for White, but for good or bad, he had to go here.
15.Nc2Nd316.Bxc5Nxf217.Be3Nd314.c4Bxc4!15.bxc4Nxc416.Qc1Nxe317.Qxe3Rfe818.Qd2Qf6-+14...Bxf115.Bxe5Bd3Black is just
winning here. Aside from the material advantage, Black's pieces are also much
better placed.16.Qd1Rad817.b4Bxd4+18.cxd4Rxd519.Nc3Rd720.Qa4c621.Rc1Rfd822.a3h523.Nd1b524.Qa6Be225.Kh1Qd30–1
This made the climax of the tournament a bit of anti-climax, as Nikita drew comfortably against GM Igor Korneev in the final round to finish a well deserved first. His opening preparation was solid, but his quality of play was consistently at a very high level. I had a quick draw against Xu to share second with five other players. I would like to thank the Mayor of Runavik — Tórbjørn Jacobsen, without whom the tournament wouldn’t have happened, and to Faroese Chess President Finnbjørn Vang for his hospitality and for making the event happen.
Top Three prize winners with the Mayor of Runavik and President of Faroese Chess Federation| Photo: Tórbjørn Jacobsen
Finnbjørn Vang, President of Faroese Chess Federation, the man behind Runavik Open | Photo: Tórbjørn Jacobsen)
Nihal is a tough opponent to most people, but in fact the Mayor has faced stronger (he drew Garry Kasparov in an exhibition game during Garry’s visit to this wonderful Island!) | Photo: Tórbjørn Jacobsen)
Mayor vs. Maiorov: The champion’s toughest opponent | Photo: Tórbjørn Jacobsen
The whole group (click or tap to expand) | Photo: Tórbjørn Jacobsen
Fiona Steil-Antoni had a great time in the Faroes and did her usual magic behind the camera | Photo: Fiona Steil-Antoni
Runavik Open will be back next November, but before that, the 2nd Faroes Open will take place in Sandavagur from July 7th-14th. I highly recommend that you join me there. ;)
Those interested should write to ‘faroesopen@faroesopen.com’. More details can be found in the official website. The Runavik Open will be back next year from November 12th-18th, 2018.
Srinath NarayananSrinath is a 23-year-old Indian Grandmaster. A former World Under 12 champion, at the age of fourteen he became an IM and had shown surprising and unswerving loyalty to the title ever since, until March 2017, when he crossed the 2500 mark and completed the requirements to become a grandmaster. He loves chess and likes to play in tournaments all around the globe.
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