Attacking finish!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

The Magistral is taking place in Buenos Aires and finishes later today.  It is a very strong tournament with Alexi Shirov as the top rated.  There are many fighting games so far and Shirov has not found it easy at all..he is in the lead but has had considerable luck so far!  Below is a nice attacking game by Black, taking advantage of an imprecisely played opening by White. 

There are 2 critical positions after the opening stage.  The first is after White's 18th move:

POSITION BEFORE BLACK'S 18th MOVE:

gm LEMOS

gm SLIPAK

If White could castle then he would not be doing so badly, and for this reason Lemos takes advantage of the pin along the c-file:

18...d4!

This move opens the lines around the White King and starts a King hunt that soon ends in a mating attack, the usual fate of those who provoke fate by not castling in sharp and complex openings....

POSITION BEFORE BLACK'S 25th MOVE:

BLACK TO PLAY AND MATE IN 5 MOVES!

[Event "Magistral Ciudad de Buenos Aires"]
[Site "Caissa's Web"]
[Date "2012.5.31"]
[Round "5.4"]
[White "Slipak, Sergio"]
[Black "Lemos, Damian"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "D45"]


1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 e6 5. Qc2 Bd6 6. b3 O-O 7. Bb2 e5 8. cxd5
cxd5 9. Nb5 Nc6 10. Nxd6 Qxd6 11. Bb5 Nb4 12. Qc1 Bd7 13. Bxe5 Qb6 14. Be2
Rfc8 15. Bc3 Bb5 16. a3 Bxe2 17. axb4 Bxf3 18. gxf3 d4 19. exd4 Qe6+ 20. Kd1
Qf5 21. Rg1 Nd5 22. Ke2 Re8+ 23. Kd1 Rac8 24. Re1 Qxf3+ 25. Kc2 Rxc3+ 0-1

Nice attacking game!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

From the recently completed Asian Nations Cup. Both of the players below are female competitors.  White's play deserves much praise.

POSITION AFTER 19 MOVES:

Wang Jue  (2350)

wgm  Ding Yixin (2350)

A sharp position from the Sicilian Defence, with opposite side castling and pawn storms.  White is ahead in the race, but if he delays even one move then ...b4 could open his King to great danger.  The key idea in this type of position is to find the correct plan to build the initiative with threats...

 

20. e5!

A beautiful solution to the problem!  White vacates the e4 square for one of his minor pieces.  If now 20...d5 then 21.Ne4!! (anyway!) is devastating.

Or if 20...b4 then 21. Pxd6  Nxd6  22.Ne4!  PxP 23.NxN!  QxN 24.Be4!!  with mutiple threats.

20...PxP  21.Be4!!

Threatening simply Qh5!  If now 21...PxB  22.Qh5! and Black is soon mated.  Or if the clever 21...Bb7!?  then 22.Bd3!! PxB  23.Qh5 with a similar ending...Black tries to build a trench around his King:

21...Kxg7!? 22.Qh5! Rh8

Black is holding on for the moment and seems to have everything covered...

23.Ba7!!

A pretty little move that , besides the obvious threat to the Rook, opens the way for the Rook along the d-file.  Clearly Black can not take the Bishop as it would be mate in 2 moves starting with 24.Qh6-ch

23...Rb7

what else?

And now the most efficient way to put Black away is 24.Rhf1!!  RxB (what else?) 25.Rxf7-ch!!  with a forced mate in 5 moves, as the reader can easily verify for himself.

INSTEAD, Ding played the prosaic  25.BxR , which was good enough to win in 34 moves.

[Event "Asian Nations Chess Cup w"]
[Site "Zaozhuang CHN"]
[Date "2012.5.19"]
[Round "3.4"]
[White "Ding Yixin"]
[Black "Wang Jue"]
[Result "1-0"]

[Eco "B90"]
[Annotator ""]
[Source ""]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e6 7. g4 Be7 8. Bg2
Nfd7 9. Be3 Nc6 10. Qe2 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 O-O 12. O-O-O Qc7 13. f4 Rb8 14. g5 b5
15. Kb1 Nb6 16. a3 Nc4 17. f5 a5 18. f6 Bd8 19. fxg7 Re8 20. e5 dxe5 21. Be4
Kxg7 22. Qh5 Rh8 23. Ba7 Rb7 24. Bxb7 Bxb7 25. Nxb5 Qc8 26. Rhf1 Rf8 27. b3
Be7 28. Qe2 Bd5 29. bxc4 Qxc4 30. Qxe5+ Kg8 31. Nc3 Bxa3 32. Nxd5 exd5 33.
Bd4 Qb5+ 34. Ka1 1-0

Today's winning legs !

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

''Look way, way, way up...''

LEG JOKE

Little Lucy went out into the garden and saw her cat Tiddles lying on the ground with its eyes shut and its legs in the air.

She fetched her Dad to look at Tiddles, and on seeing the cat he said, as gently as he could, "I'm afraid Tiddles is dead, Lucy."

"So why are his legs sticking up in the air like that, Daddy?" asked Lucy as she fought back the tears.

At a loss for something to say the father replied, ''Tiddles' legs are pointing straight up in the air so that it will be easier for Jesus to float down from heaven above and grab a leg and lift Tiddles up to heaven."

Little Lucy seemed to take her Tiddles' death quite well...

However two days later when her father came home from work Lucy had tears in her eyes and said, ''Mommy almost died this morning."

Fearing something terrible had happen, the father shook the girl and shouted, "How do you mean, Lucy? Tell Daddy!"

"Well,'' mumbled Lucy, "Soon after you left for work this morning...

Putin has the last laugh....

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Anand and Gelfand will not be sent to a gulag as punishment for their lack of combativity in the just finished world championship!  The news was met with great relief by the families of both gentlemen!  There had been considerable anxiety when Putin summoned them to the Kremlin yesterday....

FIDE link

The players, however, were given a lesson in the language of diplomacy when Putin greeted them with a  speech laced with subtle irony that is given in full on the FIDE link above. It began:

''Good afternoon, gentlemen. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you. 

First of all I want to congratulate both of you on your brilliant results and a great game that I am sure gave great enjoyment to chess fans around the world....''

REGRETTABLY, Mr. Putin did not specify which game he was referring to....

''Diplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions.''

 Winston Churchill

 SPRAGGETT   ON   CHESS

No bid from Toronto for 2016

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

The deadline was yesterday.  The Toronto group involved decided NOT to submit an official bid.  No reasons were given, though I can think of atleast 30,000,000 plausible reasons right off my head!

Homepage of Toronto Bid today

Following the link:

click on to enlarge

LINK

Today's winning corner!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

''A heavy burden lifted from my soul
I heard that love was out of my control.''

Leonard Cohen

Paper Thin Hotel

Today's 5 second tactic!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

gm  Schlosser

gm  Naiditsch

From the French Team Championship today!  Here White played 22.Re4 (threatening the classic Rook sacrifice on h7 followed by a brutal mate along the h-file) and Black thought it over a bit and then resigned.  A reasonable decision, given that Black is defenceless against White's enslaught.  For example:  22...Bg7 can be met by 23.Bxg7 Kxg7  24.Rxh7-ch!  or 22...h6  23.Reh4! and there is no defence.

HOWEVER, in the diagram above, White has a forced mate in 5 moves! 

Do you see it?

SOLUTION:

White missed the flashy 22.Qh5!! and after 22...PxQ  23.Rg3-ch  Bg7  24. RxB-ch Kf8  25. Rxh7 and mate next move!

Today's winning play!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

“Games are nature's most beautiful creation” ― Leonard Cohen, Beautiful Losers

Deadline today for Toronto 2016 Bid !

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

The deadline is today at 13:00 GMT.  If a Toronto bid for the 2016 Olympiad is not received in the FIDE office then hopeful Toronto chess players can kiss their $#&»= goodbye!

Does Toronto have $30,000,000 to spare?

copyright by Mike Magnan

I had already written about Toronto's interest to bid for the 2016 Olympiad.  There is no doubt that the interest is (was) there, for some $50,000 seed money was raised by David Cohen and a working webpage was put on line. 

Even a cutesy video was made!

But best of intentions are rarely enough to get the job done  and  we should not be too surprised that the original line up of  prominent individuals (including several successful Toronto business people)  who wanted to be connected to a 2016 Toronto event quickly dwindled down to zero  when reality set in...

THE PRICE TAG OF $30,000,000 WAS A COLD SHOWER !

There was a rumour of a last-minute internal power struggle before everyone left, but no official confirmation from any of those involved.  Today only David Cohen remains in the bid and he even manages the website--which we should not be too surprised is for all intents and purposes dead.

Toronto chess organizer David Cohen

FROM TODAY'S  BID WEBSITE:

Barely a sign of life....I suppose we will soon know the truth!

SPRAGGETT  ON  CHESS

Today's winning dimple!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

"My girlfriend said to me in bed last night: 'You're a pervert.' I said, 'That's a big word for a girl of nine.'" 

 Emo Philips

Wittiest Sex Quotes

WCC: a disaster for chess promotion!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

The Anand vs Gelfand match will have done as much to damage the public perception of chess as Kasparov losing to Deep Blue in 1997!

And what about future sponsorships?  Who is going to be crazy enough to throw away this kind of money when even the die-hard chess fans have to make excuses and apologize to their non-chessplaying friends ... and even stop watching themselves?

UP  IN  SMOKE!

Is there a lesson to be drawn from this match?  Should we start holding world championship matches out of public view?  Is there anything to do about the impotence both players displayed in Moscow?  I don't know if there are any solutions...but  right now I am so disgusted with the attitude of both players that I just want to  forget about the match and pretend that it never happened.  I know that many of my readers feel the same way! 

ADVICE TO BOTH PLAYERS FOR THE FUTURE:

Today's winning whisper!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

“For women, the best aphrodisiacs are words. The G-spot is in the ears. He who looks for it below there is wasting his time.”  

Isabel Allende

Chess, the dark side, murder and Uros Djurovic

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

I think all chess players can relate to Uros Djurovic's Night of the Pawn short and/or animated films.  I particularly like the ones involving the Kung-Fu Cowboy!  It is abundantly clear that he loves the game of chess, and --while it is true that he is a POOR LOSER--haven't you once (or twice!) entertained the idea of murdering your opponent?  BE HONEST!  There is a little of the Kung-fu Cowboy in all of us...

THE RIPPER por studiobrigant

Uros Djurovic  (born 1979)

''He paints and draws, creates woodcuts and produces animated films from his works. His motifs tend to have a dark quality. Light and shadow are used to create somber urban scenarios. However, the aesthetic sequencing of the images in combination with intoxicating film music produces an utterly compelling atmosphere.''

GEORGE & MIKE por studiobrigant

SPRAGGETT  ON  CHESS

Today's quizzes

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

A good player needs to stay in shape and solving chess problems is the best way to do it.  Try your hand on these quizzes below!  They are all from actual games in international tournaments.  I will add more as the day progresses.  Good luck! Solutions later today.

 

1.

gm  GALKIN

gm YEMELIN

WHAT IS WHITE'S STRONGEST CONTINUATION?

______________________________________

2.

POSITION AFTER 33 MOVES:

gm  JOBAVA

im  CHIGHLADZE

From the recently completed Georgian Championship which saw Jobava win in brilliant style with a margin of 2.5 points!  In this game, however, the national hero was on the ropes for a long time since the opening, but his opponent allowed to claw his back into the game.

Here White can play the safe 34.Rc1 when Black has nothing better than to give a perpetual check after the forced continuation 34...Qf2-ch  35.Kh1  Qxg3!  36.NxR  Qxh3-ch etc.

BUT the question is whether White can do better?  CAN WHITE GET AWAY WITH 34.NxR ?

_______________________________________________________________________

3.

POSITION AFTER 25 MOVES

im BERADZE

im  ZARKUA

Also from the Georgian Championship.

WHAT IS WHITE'S FASTEST WAY TO WIN?

_______________________________________

4.

POSITION AFTER 15 MOVES:

Quparadze

Shanava

Also from the Georgian Championship.

WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

_____________________________________

5.

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 20th MOVE:

gm  ADAMS

im  AMANOV

From the Chicago Open that finished just yesterday.  Adams has White on the run, who can't seem to decide which side to castle on!   Black has a tactic in the position that crystalizes his plusses into something concrete:  a clear advantage!

WHAT IS BLACK'S BEST CONTINUATION?

_______________________________________

 

6.

POSITION AFTER 23 MOVES:

im  AMANOV

gm  SHULMAN

Also from Chicago.  Black looks solid enough, but you should never let the enemy's Queen near your King!  Let this be a lesson to you...

WHITE TO PLAY AND LAUNCH A WINNING ATTACK!

_________________________________________

7.

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 17th MOVE (17.Bg3):

WANG, T.H.

ALAVI

From the recently completed Asian Team Championship.  With White's last move Black is faced with a tough decision to make!  To take the d-pawn with the Rook or not to take the pawn!  Black finally decided to take it...

CAN BLACK GET AWAY WITH TAKING THE d-PAWN?

_____________________________________________________________

 

8.

POSITION AFTER 19 MOVES:

gm  SHIROV

gm  FLORES

From the Buenos Aires Magistral taking place right now.  Shirov has played recklessly in the opening and now finds himself not only behind in development, but also facing a very strong attack!  Here Flores played 20.Ng6!? which is good enough to maintain his advantage, but is not the fastest way to win.

WHAT IS WHITE'S STRONGEST CONTINUATION?

A few moves later:

POSITION AFTER 23 MOVES:

The game has proceeded with bravo dispayed by both players, but Shirov has not been successful in beating back the attack. 

HOW DOES WHITE BEST CONTINUE THE ATTACK?



A couple of moves later:

POSITION AFTER 25 MOVES:

The game has reached its concluding moments.  Here Flores blundered with 26.Kd1?? overlooking the exchange of Queens with 26...Qd8-ch! after which he is lost (for the first time in the game, but Shirov did not let him out!)

HOW CAN WHITE WIN IN THE POSITION ABOVE?
______________________________

9.

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 30th MOVE (30.Bd5):

gm  IVANISEVIC

gm  FINEGOLD

From the Chicago Open.  Ofcourse, White is lost but Finegold is not going down without a fight!  With his last move White threatens to capture on f7, which might be enough to turn the tables on the Serbian champion.

WHAT BRILLIANT CONTINUATION DID BLACK PLAY TO WIN IN 2 MOVES?


SOLUTIONS

Yemelin vs Galkin/St.Petersburg 1994;  White won after  21.Nxe6! Qxc3;  22.Rxd7  Bc8; 23.NxR BxN; 24.e6! PxP; 25.Rd8 etc

Chighladze vs Jobava/Georgian Ch 2012;  It was a mistake to take the  Rook:  Black won after 34... Qf2 35. Kh1 Qf1 36. Kh2 Qxe2! 37. Kh1 Qe1  Even more precise is 37... Qf1 38. Kh2 Qf2 39. Kh1 Qxg3 40. Rc2 Qe1 41. Kg2 e2 42. Rxe2 Qxe2 43. Kh1 Qf3 44. Kg1 Qxd3 etc.38. Kg2 Qd2 39. Kh1 e2 40. Rxe5 e1=Q 41. Rxe1 Qxe1 42. Kh2 Qe2 43. Kh1 Qxe7 The rest is easy: 44. Nxa7 Qe1 45. Kg2 Nd5 46. Qc6 Ne3 47. Kf3 Nf5 48. Qc5 Qf1 49. Qf2 Qxd3 50. Kg2 Ne3 51. Kh2 Qd4 [0:1]

Zarkua vs Beradze/Georgian Ch 2012; White won after 26.Rxf7!  NxR  27.Rf1  There is no defence. Black resigned.

Shanava vs Quparadze/Georgian Ch 2012;  White won after 16.Rxf7!!  The Rook can not be :16…KxR?; 17.Qh5-ch Kg8; (17…g6 18.Bxg6-ch!) 18.Rf1!  Bf8; 19.Rxf8-ch! And 20.Bc5-ch etc Nor can Black take the e-Pawn: 16…Qxe5? 17.Rxe7-ch! Wins.  The game continued  16…Nc6 but after 17.Rxg7  Qxe5  18.Rg3 Black is busted.

Amanov vs Adams/Chicago Open 2012; Adams got a clear advantage by giving up his 2 Rooks for the White Queen: 20… Rxe2-ch!; 21. Bxe2 Re8; 22. Qe3!? Rxe3; 23. fxe3 Bd5!; 24. Rg1 Qe6; 25. Rg3 Qb6; 26. Rd1 Qa5;  and White’s Pawns fall like apples while his Rooks struggle to get play.  Adams won effortlessly in 56 moves.

Shulman vs Amanov/Chicago Open 2012;   White has a winning attack after 24. e5! dxe5;  White’s idea is if 24... fxe5 25. Bxg6 hxg6; 26. Rxf8 Kxf8; 27. Qh8 Kf7; 28. Ne4 and Black is defenceless  25.Rh4!  The point! 25… f5 26. Qxh7 Kf7; 27. Nf3 Rh8; 28. Qxh8  Even better is 28. Qxg6! Kxg6; 29. Rxh8 Qe7; 30. Nxe5 Kf6; 31. Re1 winning the house. 28... Nxh8; 29. Nxe5 Again 29. Rxh8! is a recurring idea 29... Kf6?  Tougher, but also lost is the ending after 29... Kg8; 30. Rxh8 Kxh8; 31. Nf7 Kg8; 32. Nxd8 Rxd8; 33. a4 and so on 30. Rxh8 g5; 31. Rf8 (31.Rh7! is even faster) [1:0]  Black loses all of his pieces.  Crushing attack!  Worth remembering the ideas!

Alavi vs Wang/Asian Team Ch 2012;  After 17…Rxd4??; White wins beautifully with 18.RxR  QxR; 19.Qxc6-ch!!  With a forced mate!

Flores vs Shirov/Buenos Aires 2012; 

A:   The fastest win is with 20. Rxg6-ch! fxg6 (20... Kf8 is useless: 21. Rh6 Ne5 22. Rh8 Ke7 23. Qe4 etc;  worse still is 20... Kh8 21. Rh6 Kg8 22. Qh7 Kf8 23. Ng6 etc) 21. Qxg6-ch Kf8 22. Nf5! Re7 23. Qh6! and it is all over

B:  24. Rdxg4! hxg4 25. Qxf6!  With a crushing attack Not 25. Rxg4? c5! which turns the tables

C:  Pity!  After 26. Kd2! White wins easily 26… Rd8-ch; 27. Kc1 Qd4!?; 28. Qxd4 Rxd4; 29. fxe3 Rc4; 30. Kb2 fxg6; 31. Kb3 Re4; 32. Rg3 etc.  The ending is a piece of cake.

Finegold vs Ivanisevic/Chicago 2012; Black won cleverly with 30…Rxd5!  31.NxR Qd2!!  Winning a piece or mating.  Finegold threw in the towel.

 

SPRAGGETT  ON  CHESS