CHESS: Carlsen stays hot online
Edgar De Castro
Magnus Carlsen posted his fourth consecutive victory to take a one-point lead at the Legends of Chess online Grand Tour, putting himself in position to secure one of the four semifinal spots.
The Norwegian top seed, who won the tour’s first and third editions, had a four-round total of 12.0 points. Russian top gun Ian Nepomniachtchi was in second place with 11.0 points, followed by compatriot Peter Svidler at 9.0.
Other scores read Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), 7.0, Boris Gelfand (Israel), 6.0, Anish Giri (Netherlands), 5.0, Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine), 4.0, Ding Liren (China), 3.0, Peter Leko (Hungary), 2.0, and Vishy Anand (India), 1.0.
The top four finishers after the preliminaries will advance to the knockout phase.
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Meanwhile, the FIDE online Olympiad is underway with over 1,500 players representing various countries world-wide competing. A total of 163 teams have registered for the online team competition, which replaced the over-the-board 2020 Chess Olympiad, postponed due to the pandemic.
Team matches will be played over six boards, with time control of 15 minutes plus five seconds increment. Teams are required to include three women and two under-20 junior players in their lineups.
Qualification phase among lowest-ranked teams is in progress at press time and can be followed live at chess.com. The top 12 teams will advance to the next phase, and will be joined by 38 seeded teams in a five-group, 10 teams single-round robin, in which the top three teams in each pool qualify for the next stage.
Team Russia is the top seed, followed by China and the USA.
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The Maroczy Bind has lost some of its horrors in recent years, but mostly in Dragon type positions, as in the game below. A well deserved point for the 8th-time Russian champion.
Legends of Chess Prelims 2020
W) P. Svidler (Russia)
B) P. Leko (Hungary)
Sicilian Defense Colors Reversed
1. Nf3 Nf6
2. g3 c5
3. Bg2 Nc6
4. O-O e5
For all the moves made so far, the opening is not yet completed.
5. c4 d5
6. cxd5 Nxd5
7. Nc3 Be6
Transposition of moves had led to a Sicilian Maroczy Bind, with colors reversed.
8. Ng5 Qxg5
9. Nxd5 Qd8
10. Ne3 Rc8
11. b3 Bd6
12. Bb2 O-O
Nothing new has come out yet, as the players prepare for middlegame maneuvers.
13. Rc1 b5
14. Nd5 a6
15. e3 Bxd5
16. Bxd5 Nb4
17. Be4 Nxa2
18. Ra1 Nb4
19. Bc3 a5
20. Qe2 Qb6
21. f4 Rfe8?
This move loses by force. 21….Rce8 is a better try to fight for initiative.
22. Bxh7ch! ….
Now White launches an irresistible attack, beginning with a beautiful Bishop sacrifice.
22…. Kxh7
If 22….Kf8, White has 23. Qh5 exf4 24. Bf5! with a winning attack.
23. Qh5ch Kg8
24. fxe5 g6?
This move make matters worse. 24….Rc7 may put up a longer resistance, though White should win after 25. exd6 Qxd6 26. Rf5 Qg6 27. Rxa5 Nd3
28. Rxb5, etc..
25. Qf3 ….
The engine suggests 25. Qh3! e.g., 25….Bxe5 26. Rxf7! Kxf7 27. Qh7ch Kf8 28. Rf1ch and White wins.
25…. f5
26. exd6 Re4
26….Qxd6 also fails after 27. Qb7 Rc7 28. Qxb5 Qd7 29. Rxd7 Rxd7 30. Rxa5.
27. Qg2! ….
Now the threat of 28. Qh3 followed by 29. Qh8ch leads to a painful invasion.. The rest as they say at the club, is a pianola.
27…. Nd5
28. d3 Nxc3
29. dxe4 Nxe4
30. g4 c4
31. gxf5 Qxe3ch
32. Kh1 1-0
Solution to last week’s puzzle.
White to move and win.
White=Kg1, Qd3, Rf1, Bd2, Ne7, Pa3, Pd4, Pf6, Pg2, Ph2
Black=Kh8, Qb2, Rc2, Re8, Na6, Pa7, Pb6, Pf7, Pg6, Ph7
1. Qe3! ….
.
Threatening 2. Nxg6ch.
1…. Nc7
2. Nxg6ch! Kg8
If 2….hxg6 3. Qh6ch Kg8 4. Qg7 mate.
Or 2….fxg6 3. f7 and wins.
3. Ne5 …
Threateniung 4. Qg3ch.
3…. Rxe5
4. Qg3ch Kf8
5. Qxe5 1-0
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White to move and win.
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7.26.2020