CHESS: MANILA: LET’S PLAY CHESS By Edgar De Castro – 22-year-old tops world rapid chess

LET’S PLAY CHESS –
Edgar De Castro

The 2018 world rapid championship, which ended Friday in St. Petersburg (Russia), paid off for Russian chess.

Local GM Daniil Dubov, 22, who is growing in strength, topped the table with 11.0 of 15.0 and added another porcupine quill to his fearsome reputation in speed chess.

Tied for second-fifth at 10.5 apiece were Azeri Shakriyar Mamedyarov (second), American Hikaru Nakamura (third), Russian Vladislav Artemiev (fourth) and Norwegian Magnus Carlsen (fifth).

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Rounding out the top 10 in tie-break order were Firouza Alireza (Iran), Yu Yangi (China), Anish Giri (Netherlands), Sergey Kariakin (Russia) and Tigran Petrosian (Armenia).

The tourney featured the participation of 206 players from various countries.

In the women’s championship, Ju Wenjun of China ran away with the top prize. The reigning world champion scored an impressive 10.0 of 12.0, without a  loss in the 124-field that included several former world champions. Biting the dust in a tie for second-third were Sarasadat Khademalsharieh of Iran and Aleksandra Goryachkina of Russia, a full point behind at 9.0.

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The following game is considered the gem of the tournament. Its every facet sparkles with light and fire.

World Rapid Championship 2018

W) P. Svidler (Russia)

B) D. Andreikin (Russia)

Reti Opening

1. Nf3         Nf6

2. c4          b6

3. g3          Bb7

4. Bg2         g6

5. O-O    c5

6. e3          Bg7

This is the hypermodern setup, applicable also in a number of other lines.

7. d4          O-O

8. Nc3        Ne4

9. Ne2        Nc6

10. Nf4       e6

11. Re1      f5

12. d5        exd5

13. Nxd5     Ne7

14. Nf4    Qc7

15. a4        g5

16. Nh5     4

17. Nh4    Ng6

18. Nxg7?!                   ….

Embarking on some interesting complications. A safer alternative is 18. Nxg6 and after 18…hxg6 19. Nxg7 Kxg7 20. a5, the game hangs in the balance.

18….          Nxh4

19. gxh4                      Kxg7

20. Qc2                       Rf6

21. b3        Rh6

22. Bb2ch                    Kf7

23. Bxe4                      Bxe4

24. Qc3                       Rg8

25. a5?     ….

Even in rapid chess, one cannot ignore precision play. Punishment in the form of mating combination comes quickly. Correct is 25. Qe5 and White can probably hold out.

25….          Qxh2ch!!

The start of a powerful combination (starring a Queen sacrifice), in which the White King walks from one treacherous vis-a-vis to another.

26. Kxh2   Rxh4ch

27. Kg3

. . . .

27. Kg1 leads to instant mate after 27….Rh1.

27….          Rh3ch

28. Kf4     Rf3ch

29. Ke5      Rg6!

0-1

Mate is unavoidable. Apart from the threat 30….Re6, there’s another in 30…d6..

Solution to last week puzzle

White to move and draw.

white=Kd1, Bg6,

black=Kb2, Bf4, Pb3, Pe3

Black is threatening to win with ….Ka1 followed by …b2-b1, so White played.

1. Bf7!        Ka2

If 1….Ka3/Kc3, then White plays 2. Bg6 b2 3. Bb1 and draw.

2. Be6        Ka3

Again 2…Kb2 3. Bf7 and draws.

3. Bf5! and draw.

(The Philippine Star) – December 30, 2018 – 12:00am

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RELATED STORY:

St. Petersburg: World Rapid Championship 2018 opens

by Klaus Besenthal
12/26/2018 – The rapid world title fight starts today in St. Petersburg’s Manege exhibition hall with the first of three days of rapid chess (WATCH LIVE). The Blitz Championship will follow on Saturday and Sunday. In the Open sections, the reigning champions Viswanathan Anand (Rapid) and Magnus Carlsen (Blitz) are back in action. In the women’s rapid tournament, Anna Muzychuk is the top seed followed by World Champion Ju Wenjun. | Photos: Lennart Ootes

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“King Salman World Chess Championships”

The Rapid and Blitz World Cup has been named after the Saudi Arabian ruler since last year. The oil and gas producers regularly sponsor major sporting events, and a year ago the World Championships took place in Riyadh, the capital of the country. That was initially planned to remain the case in 2018, but the event was relocated to St. Petersburg on short notice. The reasons for this are probably diverse, but the fact that players from Israel were not allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia a year ago, even though they would have been eligible to participate in the championships, has been the focus of public debate. Grandmaster Emil Sutovsky, President of the Association of Chess Professionals — and now FIDE Director General — has been a powerful advocate for the Israelis. Of course, the new FIDE President is Russian, while at the same time Saudi Arabia has been politically on the defensive of late. As a result, there is now apparently an unusual cooperation between Russia and Saudi Arabia in the hosting of the World Championships, which would be quite unthinkable in other sports. Anyway, during the next five days, “King Salman” and “St. Petersburg” will be referred to in the same breath.


Opening Ceremony of the championships | FIDE YouTube channel


There were, naturally, no visa problems for the large Israeli delegation led by Boris Gelfand [although the location diminished turnout among the top Ukrainian men due to Russia’s involvement in the ongoing military conflict in Eastern Ukraine -Ed.]. The dress code was also an issue last year and is more relaxed for women in the regulations for the tournament, however, T-shirts, sneakers, baseball caps, jeans or shorts (not that you’d want them in the St. Petersburg winter!) are not allowed. Instead, shirts with collars and blazers are required for men and shirt/blouse with a collar, jacket/blazer, trousers/skirt or dress for women.

Ju Wenjun and Magnus Carlsen were centre stage at the opening press conference

A mass of cameras in Russia’s second city

Prize funds

The guaranteed prize fund is distributed as follows: USD $350,000 to the Rapid World Championship (Open), $150,000 to the Rapid World Championship (Women).

Player starting rank — Open Rapid Championship (top 30)

No. Name RtgI
1 Carlsen Magnus 2903
2 Nakamura Hikaru 2844
3 Artemiev Vladislav 2812
4 Fedoseev Vladimir 2810
5 Aronian Levon 2802
6 Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2786
7 Wang Hao 2782
8 Karjakin Sergey 2774
9 Nepomniachtchi Ian 2771
10 Harikrishna Pentala 2758
11 Yu Yangyi 2758
12 Kamsky Gata 2757
13 Svidler Peter 2753
14 Le Quang Liem 2752
15 Korobov Anton 2740
16 Giri Anish 2739
17 Mamedov Rauf 2739
18 Tomashevsky Evgeny 2737
19 Grischuk Alexander 2732
20 Guseinov Gadir 2732
21 Jakovenko Dmitry 2731
22 Andreikin Dmitry 2725
23 Zhigalko Sergei 2724
24 Anand Viswanathan 2723
25 Dubov Daniil 2723
26 Sjugirov Sanan 2722
27 Jobava Baadur 2718
28 Gelfand Boris 2715
29 Anton Guijarro David 2708
30 Akopian Vladimir 2707

… 204 players

Tarjei J. Svensen@TarjeiJS

Only two days left until World Rapid & Blitz Ch: I made this table with results from previous WC’s. Carlsen tops with 8 medals since 2012, while Grischuk has 5 and Nepomniachtchi & Karjakin has 4. Who is your favourite?

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Player starting rank — Women’s Rapid Championship (top 30)

No. Name RtgI
1 Muzychuk Anna 2595
2 Ju Wenjun 2584
3 Lei Tingjie 2545
4 Kosteniuk Alexandra 2540
5 Lagno Kateryna 2539
6 Dzagnidze Nana 2515
7 Paehtz Elisabeth 2506
8 Muzychuk Mariya 2493
9 Harika Dronavalli 2484
10 Koneru Humpy 2479
11 Goryachkina Aleksandra 2477
12 Ushenina Anna 2471
13 Danielian Elina 2470
14 Stefanova Antoaneta 2466
15 Abdumalik Zhansaya 2444
16 Tan Zhongyi 2442
17 Bodnaruk Anastasia 2442
18 Arabidze Meri 2431
19 Atalik Ekaterina 2429
20 Khotenashvili Bela 2428
21 Zhao Xue 2425
22 Girya Olga 2425
23 Cramling Pia 2420
24 Shuvalova Polina 2411
25 Khademalsharieh Sarasadat 2402
26 Gunina Valentina 2396
27 Javakhishvili Lela 2388
28 Batsiashvili Nino 2382
29 Mammadova Gulnar 2382
30 Saduakassova Dinara 2381

… 123 Players

Schedule

All times are local time in Moscow (UTC+3).

Date

Event 

Rounds

Time

26 Dec 2018

Rapid – day 1

1-5

15:00

27 Dec 2018

Rapid – day 2

6-10

15:00

28 Dec 2018

Rapid – day 3

11-15

15:00

29 Dec 2018

Blitz – day 1

1-12

15:00

30 Dec 2018

Blitz – day 2

13-21

14:00

30 Dec 2018

Closing Ceremony

18:00

31 Dec 2018

Departure

Translation from German: Macauley Peterson

Links

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