LET’S PLAY CHES

– Edgar De Castro

The Philippine Star

May 2, 2021 –

Top-seeded Magnus Carlsen reached the finals of the New In Chess Classic online tournament by defeating fifth seeded Levon Aronian, 5-3, in the semifinals.

The 30-year-old Norwegian, who was beaten twice in the first set, is looking to win his first Champions Tour title.

He will meet eight-seeded American Hikaru Nakamura in a two-set best-of-four matchup.

Nakamura, 33, dug deep to beat Azeri Shakriyar Mamedyarov, 5-4, in the deciding Armageddon tie-break.

The $100,000 New In Chess Classic is the fifth leg of the $1.5 million Meltwater Champions Tour. Previous leg winners were American Wesley So (first and third), Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan (second) and Dutchman Anish Giri (fourth).

Final-round games can be viewed live with commentaries starting at 1700 UTC at various chess websites.

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Meanwhile, at the Candidates Tournament in Yekaterinburg (Russia), local hero Ian Nepomniachtchi had a grand time. Despite a last-round loss, he clinched first ahead of an elite cast.

The new challenger will face reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen in a 14-game, $2.4 million World Championship match slated in Dubai in November.

Final 14 rounds standings. 1. Nepomniachchi, 8.5 points, Maxime Vachier Lagrave (FRA), 8.0, 3. Anish Giri (NED), 7.5, 4. Fabiano Caruana (USA), 7.5, 5. Ding Liren (CHN), 7.0, 6. Alexander Grischuk (RUS), 7.0, 7. Kiril Alekseenko (RUS), 5.5 and 8. Wang Hao (CHN), 5.0.

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In the following game, both players once again proved that chess is 99 percent tactics.

2021 New in Chess Classic Semifinal Knockout Game 4

W) S. Mamedyarov (AZE)

B)  H. Nakamura (USA)

Nimzo-Indian Defense

1. d4              Nf6

2. c4              e6

3. Nc3            Bb4

The Nimzo-Indian Defense, a flexible hypermodern opening, introduced into practice a century ago by  Aron Nimzowitsch (1886-1935), a well-known Danish world contender and writer.

4. Nf3             ….

The Kasparov Variation, popularized by former Russian  world champion Garry  Kasparov during the 1985 Kasparov-Karpov World Championship match.

4….                O-O

5. Bg5             c5!

It is well known that this system of development leads to equality. The alternative 5…..d6 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Qc2 b6 8. Bd3 Bxc3ch 9. bxc3! h6 10. Bh4 Bb7 11. Nd2!, slightly favors White.

6. Rc1             ….

After 6. e3 cxd4 7. exd4 h6 8. Bh4 d5 (8….Qa5 9. Bd3!? Bxc3ch 10. bxc3 Qxc3ch 11. Kf1 is unclear) 9. Rc1 Nc6 10. c5 g5! 11. Bg3 Ne4, the game is probably equal.

6….                h6

7. Bh4            cxd4

8. Nxd4           d5

9. cxd5            g5

10. Bg3           Qxd5

11. e3!?              ….

An interesting Pawn sacrifice, which aims to complicate matters.

11….                Qxa2

12. Bd3!?          ….

White sacs another Pawn for rapid development and possible Kingside assault. Other tries, however, leads to a good game for Black, e.g.,  12. Qc2 Nd5 13. h4 g4 14. Bd3 Bxc3ch  15. bxc3 Qxc2 16. Rxc2 Nd7, and Black has nothing to fear.

12….               Qxb2

13. O-O           Bxc3

14. Rc2           Qb4

15. Nb5            e5

16. Rxc3          ….

In Mamedyarov-Nakamura Game 5, play continued 16. Nxc3 Nc6 17. Qc1 Rd8 18. Rb2 Qc5 19. Bb1 Be6 20. Rb5 Qc4? 21. Ba2 Qd3 22. Bxe6 fxe6 23. Rxb7, and White wrests the initiative. (1-0 =61)

16….               Nc6

17. f4               Bg4

18. Qc2            ….

The players followed Game 2 of their semifinal match which went 18….Qe7 19. fxe5 Nh5 20. Be1 a6 21. Nd4 Nxe5 22. Rc7 Qd6 23.. Bh7ch Kh8 24. Bf5, and White obtains a decisive advantage (1-0 =33)

18….                exf4!

And here’s Nakamura’s improvement, (which the engine recommended), from the above-mentioned game.

19. exf4            Nd5

20. fxg5?           ….

The decisive error, as the c3 Rook is vital in White’s planned K-side assault.

20….                Nxc3

21. Nxc3           Rad8

22. Kh1             Qd4

Now Black’s pieces are actively posted and White’s attack will soon fizzle out. The rest, which needs no comment, is a routine technique for the American Blitz champion.

23. Bh7ch, Kh8; 24. h3, Bh5; 25. Rf6, Qe3; 26. Bf2, Qxg5; 27. Ne4, Qg7; 28. Bf5, Nd4; 29. Bxd4, Rxd4; 30. Qf2, Rdd8; 31. Qh4, Bg6; 32. Nf2, Rd5; 33. Ng4 , Rxf5.

0-1

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Solution to last week’s puzzle:

White to move and win.

White=Kd4, Rd8, Nd5, Pa6, Pc7, Pg2

Black=Kg7, Rc6, Bg4, Pa7, Ph4

1. Rg8ch!         1-0

If 1….Kxg8 2. Ne7ch Kf7 3. Nxc6 Bc8 4. Nxa7 Bxa6 5. Ke5! Kg6  6. Kf4 Kh5 7. c8Q Bxc8 8. Nxc8 h3 9. g4ch Kh4 10. Ne7 h2 11. Nf4ch Kh3 12. Ng3 and wins.

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