10/27/2015 – The first report about the Global Chess Festival in Budapest conveyed a general impression of the Festival and showed how visitors saw the 1000 faces of chess. The second part brings analyses of the games of the Highlander Cup and shows the many different ideas and ways Judit Polgar and her organizing team had to attract children to chess. Pictures, games, analyses .
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The Festival took place in the Budapest castle on the shore of the Danube. A splendid and prestigious location that underlines how representative chess can be.
Judit Polgar in front of the entrance to the festival area.
The presence of the Minister of National Development Miklos Sesztak underlined this even further.
Judit, Minister Miklos Sesztak, and Sofia Polgar in a visibly optimistic mood
For the participating kids it was a true chess feast and for their accompanying parents an all-day family entertainment.
The Chess Palace hall at the Global Chess Festival
The Chess Palace Educational program just received the BELMA (Best European Learning Material Award) special prize for innovation, awarded at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
The educational carpet of the Chess Palace
Sofia Polgar teaches the beginners
Sofia Polgar at the chess stairs
Mother and son think that chess and life are wonderful in... a 1000 ways
In chess and in life one must keep the balance...
...between expansiveness...
...and relaxation.
Daniel Yarur (left) from Chile explains his ideas about chess to the public.
The festival attracted representatives from various countries,
e.g. Chile, New Zealand or the USA.
Judit invites children to take a bite of chess chocolate at the closure of the festival
The 3D chess palace where kids could cash in chess money for valuable items.
At the desk are Judit's children Oliver and Hanna, who were helping the festival organization.
Throughout the day one could watch chess performances...
...on the stage of the Chess Palace.
Playing for the Chess Palace cup
Chess is suitable for all ages and... heights
Signaling a back rank mate?!
To be a good chess player you need to know how to fish in muddy waters... and not only.
A well-known face of chess
Picture 18
No, Judit did not change her mind in regard to retire from tournament chess.
But for a photo she went back the board. Her "opponent" is Vujity Tvrtko,
one of the best known anchormen in Hungarian TV.
Same issue. Handling a marzipan chess set is delightful, but cannot be considered to be serious chess.
But Judit was the driving force behind the festival and practically everywhere:
...introducing the activities...
...giving a simul...
...signing autographs...
...giving interviews...
...or just kibitzing!
As an art, chess can go hand in hand with:
Dancing...
...singing...
... or painting!
To many advanced and experienced players, the central attraction might have been the Highlander Cup, a concept explained in the first part of the report.
Judit Polgar, the soul of the festival, welcomes the players and spectators in the playing hall.
To nostalgic people like yours truly, the most remarkable match was the semifinal Karpov-Gledura, ending with the surprising but entirely deserved win of the young Hungarian. Looked at from the spectator's area, Karpov's play was painfully slow in both games, even though the former World champion showed his renown class in at least some moments.
Anatoly Karpov, searching for his former class
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1.e4
1,157,099
54%
2422
---
1.d4
940,742
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
279,272
56%
2441
---
1.c4
180,870
56%
2443
---
1.g3
19,622
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,033
54%
2427
---
1.f4
5,819
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,708
51%
2384
---
1.b4
1,731
48%
2378
---
1.a3
1,177
53%
2402
---
1.e3
1,054
48%
2407
---
1.d3
927
50%
2376
---
1.g4
648
46%
2360
---
1.h4
438
52%
2371
---
1.c3
418
51%
2423
---
1.h3
260
55%
2413
---
1.a4
101
59%
2476
---
1.Nh3
88
66%
2510
---
1.f3
82
47%
2435
---
1.Na3
38
62%
2477
---
Please, wait...
1.Nf3Nf62.c4c6(!!) An admirable decision. Karpov has never ever played
the Slav in his life, but his never ceasing passion for chess makes him trying
new openings even though nowadays he does not have too much time to study.
When playing the last move, Karpov might not have been aware that his decision
is similar to that of his first historic rival, Kortschnoj. At the age of 70,
Viktor Lvovich used the Slav for almost the first time in his life (exluding a
couple of irrelevant old games) to defeat Boris Gelfand in Biel 2001!3.Nc3d54.e3a65.d4Bf56.Qb3Ra77.Nh4Be68.c5Nbd79.Be2g510.Nf3h611.0-0Bf512.Qd1Bg713.b4
Following Karpov live was a thrilling
experience. I could not refrain from whispering to my son my thoughts. The
playing hall was set up as a big amphitheatre and our seats were far away from
the boards, so I guess the slight violation of the rules for spectators did
not disturb the players in any way. Having studied so many of Karpov's games
as a teenager, I was not surprized that I could guess many of his moves, but I
could not help thinking that Karpov was less sure of himself, since he played
very slowly and his moves usually arrived at least one minute after I thought
them up. In this moment, though, I could feel the difference of class between
me and my former idol. I told my son that Black is doing well with the
exception of the fact that his major pieces are not connected properly, but
could not come up with a concrete suggestion. Karpov's next two moves offer a
brilliantly simple solution.13...0-014.Bb2Ra815.a4b5A double edged
decision, exposing the b-pawn to later positional piece sacrifices on b5.15...Qc716.b5e5was a worthy alternative.16.cxb6?!This frees Black
of any worries.Qxb617.Ba3a5?Not at all typical for Karpov. In his
best days, he would think of completing his development before making a pawn
break. For instance17...Rfe8would over-defend the e7-pawn, not only
making ...a6-a5 more viable, but also preparing a possible .. .e7-e5.18.b5!Suddenly, White has strong initiative.Rfe819.bxc6Qxc620.Rc1Qb721.Nb5Rac8
22.Bxe7!A simple but elegant combination, based on White's
superior activity and the hanging black pieces.Ne422...Rxc123.Qxc1Rxe724.Nd6Qb625.Nxf523.Ba3Rxc124.Qxc1Rc825.Qb2Nb6Black's
counterplay does not compensate for the pawn since the g7-bishop is a mere
spectator. This piece would have needed the e-pawn to clear the long diagonal
by means of ...e7-e5.26.Qb3g427.Ne5Nd228.Qd1After this move Karpov
still had around 15 seconds on his clock, but in his hopeless attempt to find
a proper continuation he lost on time.28.Qd1Nxf129.Nd61–0
16.e4?!The same type of mistake as 17...a5 from the first
game between the same opponents. Karpov displays premature pawn activity
before completing his development, again highly non-typical for him. Just as
in the previous game, a rook move would have been the proper preparing of
e2-e4:16.Rd1!something which in a better shape he would have played
automatically.16...Nfd417.Nxd4Nxd418.Bxh6Nb319.Qe3Qd3?During
the game I was worried of19...Bxh620.Qxh6Qd2, which, indeed, wins an
exhange.20.Nd5!Bxd521.exd5Bxh6
22.Qxh6?White should have
stabilized the position with22.Qxd3cxd323.Rxb3d224.Rd3keeping his
extra pawn with chances to win a second one after f2-f4. But moves like Qxh6
tend to be played automatically in rapid games.22...Qd2Better late than
never! This move remains annoying despite the delay.23.Qh4c3
24.Rbd1?This loses without a fight. While Karpov was thinking, I whispered the
following line to mys on:24.Rxb3c225.g4According to the engines,25.Rb2is slightly preferable, with chances to maintain approximate equality.25...c1Q26.Rh3First I thought White would be winning, until noticingKg7!leaving White with just some (but probably not enough) compensation for
the exchange after27.Qh7+Kf628.Rxc1Rxc1+29.Bf1, since his king is
also vulnerable.24...Qa2The c-pawn will soon win a rook.25.d6c226.Bd5cxd1Q27.Rxd1Qc228.Qg4
28...Qxd1+!?The most practical decision,
simplifying to a won ending.29.Qxd1Rc130.Bxb3Rxd1+31.Bxd1Rd8
Black's win is a simple matter of technique, but Gledura kindly offered a draw,
which ensured him the qualification to the final. I remember Karpov's
explanation of his draw offer with a pawn up in the 24th and last game of the
1974 Candidates' match against Kortschnoj. Karpov was leading with 12-11 and a
draw was enough to get him the right to challenge Fischer. He confessed that
he had little doubt that he could win the last game without too much trouble,
but felt this would have been a bit unfair, as his opponent had been
practically forced to play "va banque" with the black pieces in order to try
equalizing. In the same comment, Karpov also refers to a similar historic
episode from the 1935 Alekhine-Euwe match. Before the 30th and last game, the
Dutch challenger was leading by one point and he told to his opponent that he
would agree to a draw in any kind of position. Which actually happened after
Alekhine's unsuccessful atempts to attack left him two pawns down in the
ending...½–½
Kasimdzhanov used an interesting setup
based on keeping the bishop on c5. This spared him a whole tempo, allowing him
to start active operations in the centre first, but also offered him the
choice of retreating with the bishop along the initial a3-f8 diagonal later.11...d512.exd5Bxd513.Ng3Bxb314.axb3Qd515.Be3Rad816.Qc2Bf817.Rad1Qd7
Black has a great position, with space advantage in the centre and
slightly better mobilization of forces. However, White's position is quite
solid and with a bit of patience and care he should be able to maintain
equality.18.d4?!But this is an invitation to trouble. The opening of the
centre will play into the hands of the player with a more harmonious
coordination. As mentioned above, it is Black who enjoys this status.Nd519.Bc1?!Probably overlooking Black's 21st move. It would have been to part
with the bishop, even though this was likely to offer Black better prospects
in the endgame.exd420.Rxe8Qxe821.Nxd4
21...Ndb4!Suddenly, White
cannot avoid getting nasty weaknesses.22.Qf5The problem with22.cxb4Nxd4is not onlyof aesthetical nature. Indeed, it is annoying to play with
triple pawns, but in fact White loses at least an exchange due to the threats .
..Ne2+ and ...Nf3+.22...Nxd423.cxd4Qd724.Be3Qxf525.Nxf5Rd526.Ng3
With his queenside intact, the Isolani would not be such a great problem,
but the next move shows White faces insurmontable troubles.26...Rb527.Ne4Nd528.Rd3f529.Nc5Nxe330.fxe3Bxc531.dxc5Rxc532.Rd7Rc233.g4fxg434.hxg4Rxb235.Rxc7Rxb336.Kf2a537.Kf3a438.Kf4Rb639.e4a30–1
In the final Gledura once again justified Judit's trust to invite him to play in such strong company. Kasimdzhanov later admitted that in the first two games (both ended in draws) he not only failed to get an advantage, but also felt under constant pressure. But in the first play-off game the former FIDE-World Champion won practically out of the opening.
Chess can be fun even with 20K euro at stake.
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1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.Nc3After failing to get an
advantage in the first rapid game with the topical5.d3Kasimdzhanov
switches to a relatively rare continuation.5...b56.Bb3d6Maybe not a
bad move, but Black should know what he is doing in the next phase.6...Be7and6...Bc5are safer.7.Ng5d58.Nxd5
8...Nd48...Bc5?was
played in the blitz game Dominguez Perez,L (2754)-Aronian,L (2803) Beijing
2013 (½-½, 77) and White missed the winning9.Nxf7!Kxf710.Nxf6+Kxf611.Qf3+Ke712.Qf7+Kd613.Qd5+9.Ne3Nxb310.axb3h611.Nf3Nxe412.Nxe5
12...Bb7?!Deviating from a famous classical game in which Black
castled long:12...Qf613.Nf3Bb714.Qe20-0-015.0-0Bd6with strong
attack for the lost pawn in Thomas,G-Keres,P Margate 1937 (0-1, 25)13.0-0Bd614.d40-015.Nf5With the black king on g8, White's attack adds to the
extra pawn. The game is practically decided.c516.Qg4Bxe517.dxe5Ng518.h4Ne619.Bxh6!Clearly the simplest and most effective continuation in a
won position.I was expecting19.Nxg7but then understood that Rustam
refrained from it because ofQd4messing up the waters too much for a blitz
game. Actually, White has a funny way to win a second pawn among other winning
continuations:20.Nf5+Qxg421.Nxh6+Kh722.Nxg4But even here, Black
would not have resigned as soon as in the game.19...g620.Rad1Qc721.Bxf8Rxf822.Nd6Bc623.h5White is an exchange and two pawns up and has
the decisive attack. Enogh arguments for:1–0
The second play-off game featured a much less linear story. Up to a certain point Benjamin played a fine positional game, but then "blundered a square" and things started going Rustam's way.
When the game advances deep concentration is needed.
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1.d4Nf62.c4e63.Nf3Bb4+4.Nbd2b65.a3Bxd2+6.Qxd2Bb77.e30-08.Be2d59.b3Nbd710.0-0c511.Bb2Qe712.Rfd1Rfd813.Rac1Rac814.Qe1h6Both players have regrouped optimally but the unchallenged b2-bishop offers
White the better chances in the long run. Since White cannot improve his
position any longer, the next move is just logical: bishops need free
diagonals!15.dxc5Nxc516.b4Nce417.Ne5dxc418.Nxc4Rxd119.Rxd1Bd520.Rc1Bxc421.Bxc4Rd822.f3Nd623.Bb3Nf5
The Bogoindian did not
work too well for Black, who faces the joyless perspective of an ending with
two knights dominated by the bishops. But White's next move solves all Black's
problems.24.e4?The correct way to gain space was24.g4Nd625.e424...Nd4After occupying such a square, Black is completely out of danger.
Realizing that he had messed things up terribly, Gledura embarks an
adventurous attack, which will be calmly and effectively parried by his mighty
opponent.25.e5Nxb326.exf6Qd627.Rc3Qd128.Re3Qxe1+29.Rxe1Rd230.Be5g531.Re3Nd432.h4
32...gxh4!This pawn will ensure the knight's
stability on f5. We can notice that Rustam's last game policy is different
than that illustrated by the second Karpov-Gledura game above. If the position
is better, why would one offer a draw just to win the match (or mini-match)?
This looks more like a Fischer approach!33.Re4Nf534.Rg4+Kh735.b5Rd536.Bb8Rxb537.Bxa7Ra538.Bxb6Rxa339.Bf2Ra1+40.Kh2Ra241.Be1Ra142.Bc3Rc143.Be5Rc544.Re4Kg645.f4Rc146.Rb4h547.Rb8Ng348.f5+Kxf549.Bxg3hxg3+50.Kxg3Kxf651.Kh4Rc552.Rg8Rf50–1
1.Nf3Nf62.c4c6(!!) An admirable decision. Karpov has never ever played
the Slav in his life, but his never ceasing passion for chess makes him trying
new openings even though nowadays he does not have too much time to study.
When playing the last move, Karpov might not have been aware that his decision
is similar to that of his first historic rival, Kortschnoj. At the age of 70,
Viktor Lvovich used the Slav for almost the first time in his life (exluding a
couple of irrelevant old games) to defeat Boris Gelfand in Biel 2001!3.Nc3d54.e3a65.d4Bf56.Qb3Ra77.Nh4Be68.c5Nbd79.Be2g510.Nf3h611.0-0Bf512.Qd1Bg713.b4
Following Karpov life was a thrilling
experience. I could not refrain from whispering to my son my thoughts in
whispering mode. The playing hall was set up as a big amfitheatre and we had
our sits quite far from the boards, so I guess the slight violation of the
rules for spectators did not disturb the players in any way. Having studied so
many of Karpov's games as a teen-ager, I was not surprized that I could guess
many of his moves, but I could not help thinking that Karpov was less sure of
himself, since he played very slow and his moves usually arrived at least one
minute after I thought them up. In this moment, though, I could feel the
difference of class between me and my former idol. I told to my son that Black
is doing well with the exception of the fact that his major pieces are not
connected properly, but could not come up with a concrete suggestion. Karpov's
next two moves offer a brilliantly simple solution.13...0-014.Bb2Ra815.a4b5A double edged decision, exposing the b-pawn to later positional piece
sacrifices on b5.15...Qc716.b5e5was a worthy alternative.16.cxb6?!This frees Black of any worries.Qxb617.Ba3a5?Not at all typical
for Karpov. In his best days, he would think of completing his development
before making a pawn break. For instance17...Rfe8would over-defend the
e7-pawn, not only making ...a6-a5 more viable, but also preparing a possible ..
.e7-e5.18.b5!Suddenly, White has strong initiative.Rfe819.bxc6Qxc620.Rc1Qb721.Nb5Rac8
22.Bxe7!A simple but elegant combination,
based on White's superior activity and the hanging black pieces.Ne422...Rxc123.Qxc1Rxe724.Nd6Qb625.Nxf523.Ba3Rxc124.Qxc1Rc825.Qb2Nb6Black's counterplay does not compensate for the pawn since the g7-bishop is a
mere spectator. This piece would have needed the e-pawn to clear the long
diagonal by means of ...e7-e5.26.Qb3g427.Ne5Nd228.Qd1After this
move Karpov still had around 15 seconds on his clock, but in his hopeless
attempt to find a proper continuation he lost on time.28.Qd1Nxf129.Nd61–0
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