Chess Magazine Sep-2018

Volume 138
SEPTEMBER
2018
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IS CARLSEN EXHAUSTED?
IN THE FINAL MATCH BEFORE THE
WORLD TITLE SHOWDOWN, CARUANA
SHOWED THAT HE IS CAPABLE OF SAVING
LOST POSITIONS AGAINST CARLSEN
BRITISH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
ADAMS TRIUMPHS
AS BRITISH CHESS SHOWS
IT’S ALIVE AND KICKING
A walk down CHESS THEORY:
memory lane: New ideas in the Catalan
01809
THE CHESS LEGACY OF What to do against b6 in the

WILLIAM WARD Benko Gambit Declined
044000
ISSN 0007-0440
770007
Adam Raoof, prolific tournament organiser:

9
OUR CHESS SCENE IS EXPANDING AND COULD EXPLODE DEMOGRAPHICALLY

09/138 YOUR NON-CHESS PLAYING FRIENDS
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2017
Chess Journalists BEST BEST BEST BEST
of America LAYOUT LESSON ANALYSIS INTERVIEW
Awards CJA Awards • 2017 CJA Awards • 2017 CJA Awards • 2017 CJA Awards • 2017
514 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

September 2018
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IMPRESSUM
Contents
BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

Founded 1881
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Chairman Shaun Taulbut

Director Stephen Lowe
Editors
538
Milan Dinic and Shaun Taulbut
The Sinquefield Cup
Photo editor three-way split
David Llada
Prepress Specialist 528 Grand Chess Tour

Milica Mitic Nakamura dominates in
Rapid and wins St. Louis
Photography
By GM Aleksandar Colovic
British chess championships oicial,
Roger Noble and Arnold Lutton,
Grand Chess Tour oicial 532 Interesting detils from the GCT
The one-man Blitz
Advertising By GM Aleksandar Colovic
Stephen Lowe
559 How NOT to prepare!
Enquiries By Theo Slade
editor@britishchessmagazine.co.uk How To prepare!
By Milan Dinic
ISSN 0007-0440
© The British Chess Magazine Limited
563 Openings for Amateurs
Company Limited by Shares What to do against b6
Registered in England No 00334968 in the Benko Gambit Declined
By Pete Tamburro
Postal correspondence:
Albany House, 14 Shute End 569 Quotes and Queries
Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 1BJ William Ward
By Alan Smith
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572 Tournament organiser Adam Raoof about
UK: £55 | RoW: £85 the state of chess in the UK today
Your King Wants You!
Printed in the UK: by Lavenham Press Ltd By Adam Raoof
Cover photography: 574 Endgame studies:

Credit: Grand Chess Tour Smothered or forked
By Ian Watson

September 2018
British Chess Championships 2018
Michael Adams
the Champion
by IM Shaun Taulbut
Photo: British chess championships official/ Roger Noble and Arnold Lutton
The British Championships were held The games in the tournament have shown
at Hull City Hall from 27th July until 5th that British chess is very much alive and
August 2018. The sponsorship of Capital kicking, providing the audience with
Developments Waterloo Ltd and Hull City excitement and chess enthusiasts with
Council attracted a very strong field for the ideas and valuable resources for their
Championship with several Grandmasters, play. We have selected some of the most
including Adams, McShane, Howell interesting games in the event.
and Jones. After 9 games in the classical
competition, Michael Adams and Luke
McShane were tied on 7 points. Adams won The games in the
the title after a play off with McShane 3−1.
tournament have shown
The top prize was £10,000, with £1,000 for that British chess is
the British Women’s Champion. The time very much alive and
control was 90 minutes for 40 moves then kicking, providing
30 minutes to the end, with a 30−second
increment from move 1. the audience with
excitement and chess
The champion, Michael Adams, enthusiasts with ideas
complemented other players by saying
that this was the ‘strongest British and valuable resources
Championships ever.’ for their play
09/138
David Eggleston – Luke McShane 17.h4 ¢h8 17...h5 maybe best here trying
to hold up the White kingside play.
105th ch-GBR 2018 Hull ENG (2.4), 29.07.2018
18.g3 ¦f8 19.¢g2 White continues with
1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥c4 ¥c5 4.c3 ¤f6 his steady buildup planning to bring the
5.d3 d6 6.0–0 0–0 7.a4 a5 8.¤bd2 ¤e7 rook to h1 in some lines.
9.¦e1 ¤g6 10.¤f1 ¥e6
XIIIIIIIIY 19...¤g8 20.h5 g6 21.¤h4 ¤g7 21...£f6
9r+-wq-trk+0 is a good alternative.
9+pzp-+pzpp0 22.h6 ¤e6 23.¦e2 23.¤g4 is a good plan.
9-+-zplsnn+0
23...£e8 24.£g4 White has more space on
9zp-vl-zp-+-0 the kingside; Black plays to neutralise and
9P+L+P+-+0 round up the pawn on h6.
9+-zPP+N+-0 24...f6 25.¤2f3 £f7 Black aims for ...f5
9-zP-+-zPPzP0 which will give him the edge.
9tR-vLQtRNmK-0
26.£h3 ¦ae8 26...f5 is logical and good.
xiiiiiiiiy
Black offers the exchange of bishops as 27.¥d2 f5 28.exf5 gxf5 29.¦ae1
capture would open the f-file which he
could use to attack the White king. XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+rtrnmk0
11.¤g3 White decides to continue with
his kingside play not fearing the doubling 9+pzp-+q+p0
of the pawns; 11.¥xe6 fxe6 12.¤g3 £d7 9-+-zpn+-zP0
13.h3 with a slight advantage for White. 9zp-vl-zpp+-0
11...¥xc4 12.dxc4 £d7 13.h3 ¦fe8 9P+P+-+-sN0
14.¤h2 ¤f4 15.£f3 A good move; the 9+-zP-+NzPQ0
queen is well placed here.
9-zP-vLRzPK+0
15...¤e6 16.¤f5 9+-+-tR-+-0
XIIIIIIIIY xiiiiiiiiy
9r+-+r+k+0 White concentrates his firepower on e5
9+pzpq+pzpp0 with the potential to sacrifice there.
9-+-zpnsn-+0 29...f4 However, 29...e4 30.¤g5 ¤xg5
9zp-vl-zpN+-0 31.¥xg5 ¦e6 is better for Black and
perhaps safer.
9P+P+P+-+0
9+-zP-+Q+P0 30.b4 ¥a7 31.c5 White plays to complicate
9-zP-+-zPPsN0 as otherwise he just loses the pawn on h6
without compensation.
9tR-vL-tR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy 31...¤xh6 32.¦e4 32.¤xe5 dxe5 33.¦xe5
16...£d8 Not 16...c6 when17.¤xg7 ¢xg7 ¤g7 34.¥xf4 with compensation for the
18.¥h6+ is winning for White, Black must piece may be the best try.
defend the knight on f6.

September 2018
Gawain Jones – Jonathan Hawkins

105th ch-GBR 2018 Hull ENG (4.2), 31.07.2018
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.¤d2 dxe4 4.¤xe4 ¤d7

5.¤f3 ¤gf6 6.¤xf6+ ¤xf6
XIIIIIIIIY
9r+lwqkvl-tr0
9zppzp-+pzpp0
9-+-+psn-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-zP-+-+0
Opening of the event in the centre of Hull 9+-+-+N+-0
9PzPP+-zPPzP0
32...¦g8 33.¦h1 ¤g4 Black has strong
threats against f2 and down the f-file. 9tR-vLQmKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy
34.¢f1 ¥b8 A solid line from Black designed to blunt
down the attacking possibilities.
There is an interesting alternative here.
Giving up a piece with 34...¥xc5 is strong, 7.g3 Unusual but well motivated.
eg. 35.bxc5 ¤xc5 36.¦e2 fxg3 37.fxg3 e4
38.c4 ¤xa4 prevents ¥c3+ and should win 7...b6 Black plans to counter the fianchetto
for Black as he wins the piece back. with one of his own so White changes tack.
35.gxf4 exf4 36.c4 White aims to get his 8.¥b5+ ¥d7 9.a4 a6 9...¥xb5 10.axb5
bishop onto the long diagonal. £d5 11.0–0 £xb5 12.¤e5 gives White
very good compensation for the pawn
36...h5 36...h6 is good and winning for Black. as Black cannot prevent c4 attacking the
queen eg 12...¥e7 13.c4 £b4 14.£f3 0–0
37.¤g2 Now White is much better because 15.¤c6 £d6 16.¥f4 £d7 17.¤xa7.
the pawn on h5 will fall.
10.¥e2 ¥c6 11.0–0 ¥d6 12.¤e5
37...¢h7 37...¤f6 38.¥c3 axb4 39.¥xf6+ XIIIIIIIIY
£xf6 40.£xh5+ ¢g7 41.¤xf4 ¤xf4
42.£h7+ ¢f8 43.¦xe8+ ¢xe8 44.£xg8+
9r+-wqk+-tr0
£f8 45.£xf8+ ¢xf8 46.¦h8+ ¢e7 9+-zp-+pzpp0
47.¦xb8 is winning for White. 9pzplvlpsn-+0
38.cxd6 38.¤xf4 ¤xf4 39.¦xf4 ¤f6 40.¥c3 9+-+-sN-+-0
£g6 41.¦f5 is also winning for White. 9P+-zP-+-+0
38...¤f6 39.¤e5 £g7 40.£f5+ ¢h8
9+-+-+-zP-0
40...¢h6 41.¤xf4 wins. 9-zPP+LzP-zP0
9tR-vLQ+RmK-0
41.¦xh5+ ¤xh5 42.£xh5+ £h7 43.¤f7+
¢g7 44.¥c3+ ¢f8 45.£xh7 xiiiiiiiiy
1–0 White has the edge so Black chooses to
simplify.

09/138
12...¥xe5 13.dxe5 ¤d7 Exchanging

the queens.
13...£xd1 14.¦xd1 ¤d7 15.f4 a5 16.b3

0–0–0 17.¥a3 f6 with a small edge for
White is also playable.
14.£d4 0–0 14...¤c5 15.¦d1 £xd4

16.¦xd4 a5 is slightly better for White.
15.b4 ¥d5 16.¦d1 16.c4 c5 17.bxc5 bxc5

18.£d2 ¥c6 19.£d6 ¦c8 20.¥e3 is also
better for White.
16...c5 17.bxc5 bxc5 18.£e3 £c7 19.c4

¥b7 20.¥b2 ¦fe8 21.¦d6 ¥c6
XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+r+k+0
9+-wqn+pzpp0 A grandiose playing hall
9p+ltRp+-+0
9+-zp-zP-+-0 33...£e2 34.£d6 ¢f7 35.h3 35.¦b1 ¦e7
defends satisfactorily.
9P+P+-+-+0
9+-+-wQ-zP-0 35...¦e7 36.¦c1 £b5
9-vL-+LzP-zP0 XIIIIIIIIY
9tR-+-+-mK-0 9-+-+-+-+0
xiiiiiiiiy 9+-+-trkzpp0
White is better because of his outpost on d6.
9p+-wQp+-+0
22.¥f3 Not the best; White should retain 9zPq+-zPp+-0
his bishop pair with 22.¥c3 ¦ab8 when 9-+-+-+-+0
23.¥d3 is strong.
9+-+-+-zPP0
22...¥xf3 23.£xf3 ¤b6 24.£e4 24.£d3 9-+-+-zP-+0
is worth consideration.
9+-tR-+-mK-0
24...f5 25.£d3 ¦a7 26.£e2 ¤c8 27.¦d3 xiiiiiiiiy
¦b7 28.¦ad1 ¤b6 Black has gained a 37.£d1 White tries to disrupt Black by
little freedom now so White goes for a line switching the attack.
which leads to exchanges.
37...g6 37...£xe5 is best eg 38.£h5+ ¢f6
29.a5 ¤xc4 30.¦d7 £c6 31.¦xb7 39.£xh7 ¦c7 with equality.
£xb7 32.£xc4 £xb2 33.£xc5
38.£d8 £xe5 39.¦c8 £e1+ A
33.£xa6 is good eg 33...£c2 34.£d6 c4 mistake; 39...£g7 40.¦a8 g5 41.¦xa6
35.a6 £a4 36.¦b1 and if 36...c3 37.¦b4 £a1+ 42.¢g2 £e5 is only slightly
£a1+ 38.¢g2 c2 39.£d7 ¦f8 40.£xe6+ better for White.
¢h8 41.£xf5 with a winning advantage.

September 2018
5...c6 5...¤g4 6.¥g5 h6 7.¥h4 g5 8.¥g3

weakens Black’s kingside.
6.¥h6 ¥xh6 7.£xh6 £a5 8.¥d3 8.0–0–0

¥e6 is the alternative.
8...c5 8...£b6 9.¤ge2 £xb2 10.¦b1

£a3 11.0–0 White’s lead in development
compensates for the pawn sacrificed.
9.¤f3 9.d5 ¤bd7 10.0–0–0 ¤e5 11.¤f3

with an edge for White is also good.
9...cxd4 10.¤xd4 ¤c6 11.¥b5 ¥d7

12.0–0–0
XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+k+-tr0
9zpp+lzpp+p0
9-+nzp-snpwQ0
9wqL+-+-+-0
40.¢g2 £e4+ 41.¢h2 Now the threats
against the Black king are decisive, eg £f8. 9-+-sNP+-+0
9+-sN-+-+-0
41...e5 42.h4 ¢e6 43.£b6+ ¢f7 44.¦h8 9PzPP+-zPPzP0
1–0 9+-mKR+-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy
Michael Adams – Ameet Ghasi White has a slight edge with his advantage
in development.
105th ch-GBR 2018 Hull ENG (6.2), 02.08.2018
12...¤xd4 13.¥xd7+ ¤xd7 14.¦xd4 0–0–
1.e4 d6 2.d4 ¤f6 3.¤c3 g6 4.¥e3 ¥g7 0 Black castles queenside but White is able
5.£d2 to keep up the pressure.
XIIIIIIIIY 15.¢b1 ¢b8 16.¤d5 Aiming at the pawn
9rsnlwqk+-tr0 on e7 which forces a weakness as Black
9zppzp-zppvlp0 chooses to evict the knight.
9-+-zp-snp+0 16...e6 17.¤e3 ¤e5 18.¦hd1 £c7 19.a3 A
9+-+-+-+-0 sensible precaution.
9-+-zPP+-+0 19...a6 20.f4 ¤c6 21.¦4d3 ¦he8 22.g4 White
9+-sN-vL-+-0 aims for g5 locking down the weakness on h7.
9PzPPwQ-zPPzP0
22...b5 23.£h4 23.g5 ¤a5 24.¦c3 ¤c4
9tR-+-mKLsNR0 25.¢a2 is very good for White.
xiiiiiiiiy
White prepares to exchange the fianchettoed 23...¢a8 24.g5 ¤a5 25.£e1 25.¦c3 £b7
bishop with ¥h6; simple and good. 26.£xh7 ¦h8 27.£g7 ¦xh2 (27...£xe4

09/138
28.¦xd6) 28.¦xd6 ¦xd6 29.£f8+ ¢a7 36...a5 If 36...bxa4 37.¤xa4 ¢b8 38.£d4
30.£xd6 ¦h1+ 31.¢a2 £b6 32.£e7+ is good.
¤b7 33.£xf7 is winning as the Black
kingside pawns disappear. 37.£d4 bxa4 37...b4 38.¤b5 wins.
25...¦d7 26.¦c3 £b6 27.b3 38.¤xa4 ¢b8 39.¤b6 £b5 Best is 39...¤c5
XIIIIIIIIY 40.£xd6 ¤xe4 41.¤d7+ ¢b7 42.£xc6+
¢xc6 43.¤e5+ ¢b7 44.¦d4 f5 45.¤c4
9k+-+r+-+0 ¢a6 46.¦d8 with advantage to White.
9+-+r+p+p0
40.£h8+ ¢a7 41.¤c8+ ¢a6 42.¤xd6
9pwq-zpp+p+0 £b4 The losing mistake; 42...¤xd6
9snp+-+-zP-0 43.¦xd6+ ¢b7 44.£d4 should win.
9-+-+PzP-+0 43.c3
9zPPtR-sN-+-0
9-+P+-+-zP0 1–0
9+K+RwQ-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy Gawain Jones - Michael Adams
27.¤g4 is good moving the knight to f6 eg 105th ch-GBR 2018 Hull ENG (7.1), 03.08.2018
27...¦c7 28.¤f6 ¦d8 29.b3 ¦xc3 30.£xc3
¤c6 31.¤xh7. 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 a6 4.¥a4 ¤f6
5.0–0 ¥e7 6.¦e1 b5 7.¥b3 0–0
27...¦c7 28.¦xc7 £xc7 29.£b4 29.¤g4
¤b7 30.¤f6 is also very good.
XIIIIIIIIY
9r+lwq-trk+0
29...¦d8 30.¦d3 ¤b7 31.¢b2 ¤c5 9+-zppvlpzpp0
32.¦d4 £c6 33.¤d1 ¦c8 34.¤c3
9p+n+-sn-+0
XIIIIIIIIY 9+p+-zp-+-0
9k+r+-+-+0 9-+-+P+-+0
9+-+-+p+p0 9+L+-+N+-0
9p+qzpp+p+0 9PzPPzP-zPPzP0
9+psn-+-zP-0 9tRNvLQtR-mK-0
9-wQ-tRPzP-+0 xiiiiiiiiy
9zPPsN-+-+-0 Black signals his intention to play the
9-mKP+-+-zP0 Marshall Attack so White avoids this line.
9+-+-+-+-0 8.a4 b4 9.d4 d6 10.dxe5 White releases the
xiiiiiiiiy tension ; 10.h3 ¥b7 11.c3 is also playable
White still has the edge but Black has with a slight edge for White.
improved his position slightly.
10...¤xe5 10...dxe5 11.¥g5 £xd1 12.¦xd1
34...¦c7 Too passive; 34...h6 35.gxh6 ¦h8 ¤xe4 13.¥xe7 ¤xe7 14.¤xe5 ¤c5 is equal.
is best.
11.¤xe5 11.¥f4 ¥g4 12.¥xe5 ¥xf3
35.¦d2 ¤b7 36.a4 Breaking up the Black 13.£xf3 dxe5 14.¦d1 with a slight edge
queenside. for White is also playable.

September 2018
¢xf7 21.¦d7+ ¢g8 22.¦xc7 ¦f8 23.¦f1

¤d2 24.¦xc5 ¤xf1 25.¢xf1 ¦f6.
17...¥d4 17...¤d2+ 18.¥xd2 ¦xd2

19.¤d3 ¥a7 20.¦ad1 ¦xd1 21.¦xd1 ¦d8
with a slight edge for Black.
18.¤xf7 ¦d7 19.¤g5 White retains a

slightly better position here.
19...¤xg5 20.¥xg5 ¥xb2 21.¦ad1 ¦xd1

22.¦xd1 ¥c6 Preventing the White rook
from invading on d7.
In a rapid tie-break Adams took the lead 23.¥f4 ¥b5+ 24.¢g1 ¦c8 Black defends the
but allowed McShane c-pawn and has the long term threat of ...c5.
11...dxe5 12.£xd8 ¦xd8 13.¤d2 White 25.¦d5 ¥f6 26.¦h5 h6 27.¦f5 ¢e8
has a small edge based upon good squares XIIIIIIIIY
for his knight.
9-+r+k+-+0
13...¥c5 14.¤f3 ¥b7 Black complicates the 9+-zp-+-zp-0
game,14...¦e8 is satisfactory with equality.
9p+-+-vl-zp0
15.¤xe5 ¤xe4 16.¢f1 9zPl+-+R+-0
Alternatively: 16.¤xf7 ¥xf2+ 17.¢f1 ¦f8
9-zp-+-vL-+0
18.¦xe4 ¥xe4 19.¤d6+ ¢h8 20.¤xe4 9+L+-+-+-0
¥b6+ 21.¢e2 ¦ae8 22.¥d5 ¦e5 23.¥b7 9-+P+-zPPzP0
¦b8 24.¥c6 ¦e6 25.¥d5 ¦e5 leads to a
draw by repetition of moves. 9+-+-+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
16...¢f8 An unusual series of moves. 28.¦c5 Winning a pawn is not best;
28.¥xh6 c5 29.¥d5 ¦d8 30.¥e3 ¥a4
17.a5 and Black is better as his pawns become
XIIIIIIIIY very dangerous quickly eg 31.¥f3 ¥xc2
32.¥h5+ ¢d7 33.¦xc5 b3.
9r+-tr-mk-+0
9+lzp-+pzpp0 28...¦d8 29.h3 c6 Black now has the edge.
9p+-+-+-+0 30.¦f5 ¥d4 31.¥c7 ¦d7 32.¥b6 After
9zP-vl-sN-+-0 32.¥e5 g6 33.¥e6 ¦d8 34.¥xd4 gxf5
9-zp-+n+-+0 35.¥c5 f4 36.¥xb4 ¦d4 37.¥c3 ¦d1+
38.¢h2 ¢e7 39.¥f5 c5 is good.
9+L+-+-+-0
9-zPP+-zPPzP0 32...¥xb6 33.axb6 ¦b7 34.c4 bxc3 35.¦c5
¦xb6 36.¦xc3 a5 Black gets one of his
9tR-vL-tRK+-0 passed pawns moving which ties White down.
xiiiiiiiiy
17.¤xf7 ¦d2 is very good for Black eg 37.f4 a4 38.¥a2 ¦b7 Getting the rook
18.¥xd2 ¤xd2+ 19.¢g1 ¤xb3 20.¦ad1 back into play wins the game.

09/138
XIIIIIIIIY
39.f5 ¦d7 40.¦g3 ¢f8 41.f6 gxf6 9r+-wqkvl-tr0
42.¦g8+ ¢e7 43.¦g7+ ¢d8 44.¦g6
¦d2 45.¥g8 a3 46.¦xf6 a2 47.¥xa2 9zpp+l+p+p0
¦xa2 48.¦xh6 c5 49.¦h5 ¦c2 50.h4 9-+n+pzp-+0
¢e7 51.g4 ¥d3 The key winning move
unpinning the c-pawn and holding up the 9+L+p+-+Q0
White pawns. 9-+-zP-+-+0
52.¦d5 c4 53.h5 ¢e6 54.¦c5 ¢d6 55.¦c8
9+-sN-+N+-0
¢e5 56.¦e8+ ¢f4 57.h6 ¢g5 58.¦h8 9PzPP+-zPPzP0
¢g6 Stopping the White pawns. 9tR-+-mK-+R0
0–1 xiiiiiiiiy
9...a6 10.¥xc6 ¥xc6 Black has the two
bishops in compensation for his weakened
Mark Hebden – Gawain Jones pawn structure.
105th ch-GBR 2018 Hull ENG (8.3) 11.0–0 £c7 12.a4 0–0–0 Black moves his
king to relative safety on the queenside.
1.d4 ¤f6 2.¥g5 d5 3.e3
XIIIIIIIIY 13.¦fb1 ¥e8 Temporarily preventing b4.
9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 14.¤e2 ¢b8 15.¦c1 15.c3 f5 16.b4 is
9zppzp-zppzpp0 worth consideration getting the queenside
9-+-+-sn-+0 pawns moving quickly.
9+-+p+-vL-0 15...¦g8 16.c4 White attempts to open up
9-+-zP-+-+0 the position but Black is careful to keep the
9+-+-zP-+-0 position closed; not 16.£xh7 ¦g6 as the
queen is awkwardly placed.
9PzPP+-zPPzP0
9tRN+QmKLsNR0 16...dxc4 17.b3 ¦g6 18.bxc4 18.¦xc4 ¥c6
with good play.
xiiiiiiiiy
3...c5 3...¤e4 is also good. 18...f5 19.£h4 f6 Defending the pawn on
h7 allows Black to develop strongly.
4.¥xf6 White aims to disrupt the Black
pawn structure; 4.¤c3 ¤c6 5.¥b5 is worth 20.£f4 ¥d6 21.£e3 f4
consideration. XIIIIIIIIY
4...gxf6 4...exf6 5.dxc5 ¥xc5 6.¤c3 ¥e6
9-mk-trl+-+0
7.£d3 ¤c6 8.0–0–0 £a5 is slightly better 9+pwq-+-+p0
for Black. 9p+-vlpzpr+0
5.¤c3 5.dxc5 e6 6.£h5 ¥xc5 7.¤c3 ¤c6 9+-+-+-+-0
8.0–0–0 is worth consideration. 9P+PzP-zp-+0
5...¤c6 6.£h5 6.dxc5 e6 7.£h5 ¥xc5
9+-+-wQN+-0
8.0–0–0 is better. 9-+-+NzPPzP0
9tR-tR-+-mK-0
6...cxd4 7.exd4 e6 8.¤f3 ¥d7 9.¥b5
xiiiiiiiiy
September 2018
22.£b3 If 22.£xe6 ¥c6 23.d5 ¥d7 David Howell – Luke McShane

24.£e4 ¦dg8 25.g3 f5 26.£d3 fxg3
27.hxg3 f4 is unpleasant for White. 105th ch-GBR 2018 Hull ENG (9.1), 05.08.2018
22...e5 23.d5 If 23.c5 ¥f8 24.¦ab1 ¥c6 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 a6 4.¥a4 d6
25.¦d1 ¥e4 26.¦a1 ¥d5 27.£c3 e4 and XIIIIIIIIY
White is squashed by the advancing pawns.
9r+lwqkvlntr0
23...¥c5 Blockading the White pawns 9+pzp-+pzpp0
leaves Black with a big advantage because
of his play down the g-file. 9p+nzp-+-+0
9+-+-zp-+-0
24.¦ab1 ¥d7 25.¤c3 ¥h3 26.¤e4 26.g3 9L+-+P+-+0
is not possible because of the Black bishop
on c5. 9+-+-+N+-0
9PzPPzP-zPPzP0
26...¦xg2+ 27.¢h1 ¦g7 Essential to
defend b7 but Black will soon return to the 9tRNvLQmK-+R0
attack. xiiiiiiiiy
The Steinitz Deferred; a solid defence.
28.¦g1 ¦dg8 29.¤xf6 ¦xg1+ 30.¦xg1
¦xg1+ 31.¤xg1 ¥f5 5.0–0 ¥d7 6.d4 exd4 6...b5 7.¥b3 ¤xd4
XIIIIIIIIY 8.¤xd4 exd4 9.c3 is slightly better for White.
9-mk-+-+-+0 7.¤xd4 ¤xd4 8.¥xd7+ £xd7 9.£xd4
9+pwq-+-+p0 ¤f6 10.¤c3 ¥e7 White has the advantage
but Black has no weaknesses.
9p+-+-sN-+0
9+-vlPzpl+-0 11.¥f4 11.¦d1 with the potential threat of
9P+P+-zp-+0 e5 is possible.
9+Q+-+-+-0 11...0–0 12.¦ad1 £c6
9-+-+-zP-zP0 XIIIIIIIIY
9+-+-+-sNK0 9r+-+-trk+0
xiiiiiiiiy 9+pzp-vlpzpp0
Even though the rooks have been exchanged
the White king is still vulnerable. 9p+qzp-sn-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
32.£f3 ¥d4 33.£e2 £g7 34.¤e4 £g6 9-+-wQPvL-+0
35.¤d2 e4 The dominant pawns win the
game by stifling the knights. 9+-sN-+-+-0
9PzPP+-zPPzP0
36.¤b3 f3 37.£f1 ¥e5 With the deadly
threat of ...£h6 and if then h3 Black wins 9+-+R+RmK-0
with ..£f4. xiiiiiiiiy
13.¤d5 13.f3 ¦fe8 14.£d2 is an alternative.
0–1
13...¤xd5 14.exd5 14.£xd5 ¥f6 15.c3
¦fe8 16.£xc6 bxc6 17.f3 ¦ab8 18.¦f2
with a slight edge for White.

09/138
14...£xc2 14...£d7 is solid and almost

equal but Black goes for active play.
15.¦c1 £f5 16.¦xc7 ¥f6 17.£d2 ¦fc8

18.¦fc1 18.¦xb7 ¦c2 19.£d1 ¦xb2 (19...
h5 20.¥xd6 ¦d8 21.£b1 ¦xd6 (21...£xd5
22.£xc2 £xb7 23.¥a3 £d5 with equality
as if 24.b3 £d2) 22.¦c7 wins) 20.¦xb2
¥xb2 21.¥xd6 is better for White.
18...¦xc7 19.¦xc7 ¦e8 With threats

against the back rank.
20.h3 20.¥xd6 £xd5 21.£xd5 is better

for Black; 20.g3 h5 is equal. With 5/9 Jovanka Houska had the best
score among women, winning her eighth
20...h5 A key move giving the Black king British title
a flight square.
26.f4 Now Black is winning.
21.b3 21.¥xd6 ¦d8 22.¥b4 ¦xd5 is
slightly better for Black; 21.¦xb7 £b1+ An alternative was 26.g3 £e2 27.¢g2
22.¢h2 ¦e1 23.¦b8+ ¢h7 24.¦c8 ¦h1+ ¦d1 28.¦b8+ ¢g7 29.£c8 £f1+ 30.¢f3
25.¢g3 h4+ 26.¢f3 g5 is unpleasant. leads to a draw by perpetual check.
21...g5 22.¥e3 ¦e5 23.¦xb7 23.£e2 is better. 26...£e2 27.¢h2 gxf4 28.¥xf4 ¦d2
XIIIIIIIIY
23...¦xd5 24.£c1 24.£e2 is not so good here 9-+-+-+k+0
24...£b1+ 25.¢h2 ¦d1 and if 26.£xh5 ¥e5+ 9+-+-+p+-0
27.g3 ¦h1+ 28.¢g2 £f1+ 29.¢f3 £d1+.
9p+-zp-+-+0
24...¥e5 25.¦b4 25.¥xg5 ¦c5 26.£e3 9+-+-vl-+p0
£b1+ mates
9-tR-+-vL-+0
25...£d3 Threatening ...£d1+. 9+P+-+-+P0
David Howell finished third, after losing to
9P+-trq+PmK0
McShane in Round 9 9+-wQ-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
Exploiting the pin on the bishop.
29.£c6 29.£g1 d5 30.a3 d4 31.¥xe5

£xe5+ 32.¢h1 ¦e2 wins for Black.
29...¢g7 Preventing any checks.
30.a3 h4 31.¦c4 £e3 Another exploitation

of the bishop pin.
32.£e4 £g3+A queen sacrifice to force mate.
0–1

September 2018
THE TOP PLACINGS IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP:

Rk. Name
1 1 GM Adams Michael ENG 2706 Baden Baden 7.0
4 GM Mcshane Luke J ENG 2669 Wood Green 7.0
3 2 GM Howell David Wl ENG 2687 4ncl Cheddleton 6.5
3 GM Jones Gawain Cb ENG 2670 4ncl Guildford 6.5
5 6 GM Pert Nicholas ENG 2544 4ncl Guildford 6.0
7 GM Fodor Tamas Jr HUN 2506 4ncl Cheddleton 6.0
8 IM Ghasi Ameet K ENG 2494 4ncl Grantham Sharks 6.0
12 GM Gormally Daniel W ENG 2478 4ncl Blackthorne Russia 6.0
13 GM Fernandez Daniel H ENG 2477 4ncl Guildford 6.0
18 GM Arkell Keith C ENG 2406 4ncl Cheddleton 6.0
23 IM Eggleston David J ENG 2397 4ncl Cheddleton 6.0
12 5 GM Hawkins Jonathan ENG 2590 4ncl Cheddleton 5.5
11 IM Tan Justin Hy AUS 2481 4ncl Oxford 5.5
15 GM Wells Peter K ENG 2426 4ncl White Rose 5.5
17 IM Palliser Richard Jd ENG 2418 4ncl White Rose 5.5
20 IM Trent Lawrence ENG 2406 4ncl Guildford 5.5
21 FM Mcphillips Joseph ENG 2402 Bolton 5.5
22 IM Roberson Peter T ENG 2401 Grantham Sharks 5.5
19 9 IM Adair James R ENG 2492 4ncl White Rose 5.0
14 GM Ward Chris G ENG 2434 4ncl Kjca Kings 5.0
16 GM Hebden Mark L ENG 2423 4ncl Guildford 5.0
19 IM Houska Jovanka ENG 2406 4ncl Wood Green 5.0
24 FM Macklin Paul ENG 2363 Chorlton 5.0
25 FM Zakarian David ENG 2354 4ncl Oxford 5.0
35 Kalavannan Koby ARM 2277 Surbiton 5.0
36 IM Pritchett Craig W SCO 2274 Dunbar 5.0

09/138
Grand Chess Tour, 11th-15th August
Nakamura
dominates in Rapid and wins St. Louis
Photo: Grand Chess Tour official
The rapid and blitz part of the whole event in Saint Louis was played over 5 days, from 11
to 15 August. The rapid took 3 days and the blitz the remaining 2. The time control for the
rapid was 25 minutes + 10−second delay while for the blitz it was 5 minutes + 3−second
delay. The point of the delay is that the player cannot accumulate time, but his time doesn’t
start to run until the seconds of the delay have expired.
Nakamura continued his fine form after Paris and Leuven and won the rapid section with
6/9. This time he wasn’t alone, as another player on good form, Mamedyarov, fresh from
the victory in Biel (see the previous issue of BCM for details) scored the same result.

September 2018
Nakamura’s 29.£c5 The queen still finds the way to a7.

positional mastery 29...¤f6 30.£a7 g6 31.d4 Black is
Nakamura started with a loss to Anand, when paralysed. It’s impressive how with natural
he fell under attack, but then switched to pure moves White has managed to dominate a
positional play and his fantastic board awareness relatively simple position.
and tactical control proved too much for most
of his opponents. Here’s an example of his play 31...£d6 32.¦d1 £d8 Black can only
from the last round, when he needed to win. wait. This puts the onus on White to find
the breakthrough.
Hikaru Nakamura -
Leinier Dominguez Perez 33.h3 ¢g7 34.¦e1 ¤d7?
Saint Louis Rapid 2018 Saint Louis USA (9.1),

XIIIIIIIIY
XIIIIIIIIY 9-tr-wq-+-+0
9-+rwq-tr-mk0 9wQp+n+pmkp0
9zpp+-+pzpp0 9-+p+-+p+0
9-+p+-+-+0 9zp-+-+-+-0
9+-+p+-+-0 9-+-zP-+-+0
9-+P+n+-+0 9+P+-+-zPP0
9+P+P+-+-0 9P+-+-zPL+0
9PwQ-+-zPPzP0 9+-+-tR-mK-0
9tR-+-tRLmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy
34...£d6 was better, when White will need
xiiiiiiiiy to come up with something concrete. An
21...¤f6 The position is almost equal, but idea can be to put the rook on c5 and then
it is White to move and Nakamura starts to push d5.
pose small problems.
35.d5! Now the bishop reigns supreme.
22.£a3 a5 23.¦e7 ¦b8 23...b6 is what the
engine suggests, but it’s understandable that 35...cxd5 36.¥xd5 ¤f6 37.¥f3 This is
Black was reluctant to soften his structure. probably untenable for Black.
24.¦ae1 ¢g8 25.g3 It’s logical to improve 37...£c7 38.¢g2 h5 39.h4?

the position of the passive bishop, though it
was certainly possible to continue to play
XIIIIIIIIY
for domination by 25. £c5. 9-tr-+-+-+0
9wQpwq-+pmk-0
25...¦e8 25...£b6 would take control over
the c5–square but would allow 26.£d6 and 9-+-+-snp+0
Black still suffers. 9zp-+-+-+p0
26.¦xe8+ ¤xe8 27.cxd5 Opening the
9-+-+-+-zP0
position for the bishop. 9+P+-+LzP-0
9P+-+-zPK+0
27...£xd5 28.¥g2 £d8 28...£xd3
29.£xa5 ¤f6 30.£a7 £d6 31.a4 and 9+-+-tR-+-0
Black still has issues to solve. xiiiiiiiiy
09/138
Three in one: title, trophy and cash
Nakamura continued his fine form after Paris and

Leuven and won the rapid part with 6/9. This time he
wasn’t alone – Mamedyarov scored the same result
Hikaru Nakamura with Rex and Jeannie Sinquefield

September 2018
Not at all obvious, but this is actually a tournament Dominguez twice played 5 c3
tactical mistake that loses all the advantage. against Mamedyarov, both times getting
Still, these things are pardonable at faster good positions.
time controls as the refutation is not that
easy to see with the seconds ticking away. 5...d6 6.¦e1 g5!
39.a4! removes the pawn from the second

XIIIIIIIIY
rank, and by not moving the h-pawn keeps 9r+lwqkvl-tr0
the g4–square under control. 39...¦d8 9zppzp-+p+-0
40.£xb7 £xb7 41.¥xb7 ¦b8 42.¥f3
¦xb3 43.¦e5, winning the a5–pawn. 9-+nzp-sn-zp0
9+-+-zp-zp-0
39...£d8? Dominguez was probably 9-+L+P+-+0
reconciled to his fate.
9+-+P+N+-0
39...¦d8! 40.£xb7 £xb7 41.¥xb7 ¦d2! 9PzPP+-zPPzP0
and now we see the problem with 39. h4 -
it weakened the g4 square, allowing Black 9tRNvLQtR-mK-0
to put a knight there after 42.a4 ¤g4 and xiiiiiiiiy
White loses the f2–pawn. This is Mamedyarov’s idea.
40.¦e5 Now White wins. 7.d4? Play on the wing is answered by a

strike in the centre, but this one doesn’t
40...¤g4 41.¦d5 £c7 42.£xa5 b6 work tactically.
43.£d2 White is a clear pawn up with a
superior position. Nakamura decides the Mamedyarov has already played this
game quickly. position before. Only a month ago
Aronian chose 7.¤c3 ¥g7 8.d4?! Again,
43...¤f6 44.£d4 b5 45.¥xh5! ¦a8 this doesn’t look like the best option.
46.¥f3 ¦xa2 47.¦d6 £e7 48.g4 8...0–0 (8...exd4 9.¤xd4 ¤xd4 10.£xd4
0–0 looks comfortable for Black, with
1–0 ideas like ...¥e6, ...¤h5.) 9.dxe5 dxe5
10.¥e3 ¥g4= ½–½ (63) Aronian,L
(2764)-Mamedyarov,S (2808) Leuven
Mamedyarov’s trademark BEL 2018.
Mamedyarov went his own characteristic 7...g4 8.dxe5 gxf3 9.exf6 ¤e5!
way, with sheer aggression being his XIIIIIIIIY
trademark. The following opening variation,
quite in line with his aggressive intentions,
9r+lwqkvl-tr0
is his specialty and he scored 2.5/3 with it 9zppzp-+p+-0
(against So, Vachier and Dominguez). 9-+-zp-zP-zp0
Maxime Vachier Lagrave - 9+-+-sn-+-0
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 9-+L+P+-+0
Saint Louis Rapid 2018 Saint Louis USA (6.2) 9+-+-+p+-0
9PzPP+-zPPzP0
1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥c4 ¤f6 4.d3 h6
5.0–0 Perhaps already an imprecision 9tRNvLQtR-mK-0
in view of Black’s next. Later in the xiiiiiiiiy
09/138
Maybe this was missed by White. The One-man Blitz

9...fxg2? 10.e5!±
The blitz part was a one-man show.
10.¤d2 £xf6 11.gxf3 ¦g8+ Black is The Frenchman with two surnames
already winning, as White has nothing (as Korchnoi used to call him) scored
against the attack on his own king. a poor 4/9 in the rapid, but then went
on the rampage and destroyed the field
12.¢h1 ¤xc4 13.¤xc4 ¥h3 14.¤e3 with 13.5/18, a full 3(!) points ahead of
h5 15.¥d2 0–0–0 16.£e2 d5 17.¦g1 Nakamura in second. The second place
¦xg1+ 18.¦xg1 dxe4 19.fxe4 £xb2 was enough for Nakamura to secure
20.£xh5 ¥e6 21.¦g8 f6 22.¦h8 £d4 a second Grand Chess Tour win and
23.£a5 £xe4+ 24.¢g1 a6 25.¥c3 practically guarantee a place in the final
4 in London in December. Vachier’s
XIIIIIIIIY result in the blitz allowed him to overtake
9-+ktr-vl-tR0 Mamedyarov in the final standings, thus
9+pzp-+-+-0 taking second overall place in St. Louis.
9p+-+lzp-+0 Vachier is one of the rare elite players who
9wQ-+-+-+-0 willingly enters the Berlin endgame. In
St. Louis he played 5 of these endgames,
9-+-+q+-+0 winning 2 and drawing 3. Not at all a bad
9+-vL-sN-+-0 result and perhaps a sign that the white
9P+P+-zP-zP0 players will start coming back to the
most principled variation. Here’s his win
9+-+-+-mK-0 against Dominguez, using the typical e6-
xiiiiiiiiy breakthrough.
25...¥d5! This is the fine combination Maxime Vachier Lagrave -

which means that this game is worth taking Leinier Dominguez Perez
a look at.
Saint Louis Blitz 2018 Saint Louis USA (12.4)
26.¤xd5 ¦xd5! Great stuff - Black XIIIIIIIIY
sacrifices the bishop on f8 with a check,
but White is defenceless against the threat 9-+-tr-+-+0
of ...¦d1. 9+-zp-mkpzp-0
27.¦xf8+ ¢d7 28.¦f7+ ¢e8 29.¦e7+
9-zpl+-+-tr0
Giving White an opportunity to give more 9zp-zp-zP-sNp0
checks, but they end quickly. 9P+Psn-sN-zP0
29...¢xe7 30.£xc7+ ¦d7 31.£c5+ ¢f7 9+P+R+P+-0
32.£h5+ £g6+ Simplest: the endgame is 9-+-+-+P+0
an elementary win. 9+-+-tR-mK-0
33.£xg6+ ¢xg6 34.¥b4 ¦c7 35.c3 b6 xiiiiiiiiy
With his last move Black removed the
0–1 rook from d7 (he should have tried
to exchange it by playing 28...¤c2)
and allowed White to play one of the
strongest ideas in the Berlin endgame -
the e6–push.

September 2018
29.e6! fxe6 30.¤fxe6 ¤xe6 31.¦xd8 ¢xd8 49.¤g6 Surprisingly enough, this doesn’t
32.¤xe6+ ¢d7 33.¤xg7 It is not only the win! 49...¦xg6! 50.hxg6 ¥xa4 51.¦e7
pawn up, it is the two connected passed pawns ¥b3 52.¦xc7 ¥xc4 53.g7 a4 54.¦a7 b5
that decide the game in White’s favour. 55.¢f4 ¢g6 56.g5 b4 57.¦xa4 ¢xg7
58.¦a7+ ¢g6 59.¦c7 winning the c5–
33...¦g6 34.¤xh5 ¥xf3 35.¤f4 ¦g4 pawn. 59...¥d3 60.¦xc5 b3 61.¦c6+
36.g3 The only move, but of course ¢f7 62.¦b6 ¥c2 is a tablebase draw!
Vachier had it seen coming from earlier.
49...¢h7 50.¤g6 ¥xa4 51.¢f4? Black
36...¦g8 36...¦xg3+ 37.¢f2 is the simple gets a chance to save himself now.
justification.
51.¢h4! ¦e8 52.¤e7 g5 52...¥d7
37.¢f2 The pawns roll now. But in blitz, 53.¦e1 ¥xg4 (53...a4 54.g5 and there
even in completely winning positions, is no check from f8 as in the game)
chances may appear... 54.¢xg4 a4 55.¢f5 should still win
for White.
37...¥g4 38.h5 ¥f5 39.¤d5 ¢d6 40.¦d1
¢e5 41.¤f4 51...¥c2?
41.¤e7! ¦d5 wins more or less on the

XIIIIIIIIY
spot. The best Black can do is allow a 9-+-+-+r+0
pure rook endgame with White’s two 9+-zp-+-+k0
connected passed pawns on the kingside.
9-zp-+R+N+0
41...¥c2 42.¦e1+ ¢f5 43.¦e3 ¦d8 44.¤d5 9zp-zp-+-+P0
White messed it up a bit, but he is still winning. 9-+P+-mKP+0
44...¢g5 44...¦h8 45.¢e2 c6 (45...¦xh5? 9+-+-+-+-0
46.g4+ wins the exchange.) 46.¤xb6 9-+l+-+-+0
¦xh5 47.¢d2 wins for White.
9+-+-+-+-0
45.¦e5+ ¢h6 46.g4 ¥xb3 47.¤f4?! xiiiiiiiiy
White gets entangled again. 51...¦e8! 52.¤e7 ¥d7 53.¦e1 a4 54.g5
¦f8+! This is the point and the reason why
47.¦e6+ ¢g7 48.¦e7+ ¢g8 49.g5 ¥xc4 White should have gone to h4 on move 51.
50.¤f6+ ¢f8 51.¦xc7 and the pawns decide. 55.¢e5 a3 56.g6+ ¢h6 57.¦g1 a2 58.g7
a1£+ 59.¦xa1 ¢xg7 with a draw.
47...¦g8 48.¢g3 ¥d1 49.¦e6+
XIIIIIIIIY 52.¤e5 Now it’s winning again.
9-+-+-+r+0
52...¦f8+ 52...a4 53.g5 ¦f8+ 54.¢g3 a3
9+-zp-+-+-0 55.¦e7+ ¢h8 56.¦xc7 ¦a7.
9-zp-+R+-mk0
9zp-zp-+-+P0 53.¢g5 ¦g8+ 54.¢h4 Eventually the king
did arrive on h4!
9P+P+-sNP+0
9+-+-+-mK-0 54...a4 55.g5 a3 56.g6+ ¢g7 57.¢g5 ¢h8
9-+-+-+-+0 1–0
9+-+l+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
09/138
Vachier is one of the rare

elite players who willingly
enters the Berlin endgame.
In St. Louis he played 5 of
these endgames, winning 2
and drawing 3. Not at all a
bad result and perhaps a sign
that the white players will
start coming back to the
most principled variation
Caruana’s
crushing attacks
Third place in the rapid was taken by Caruana 22.£d1 Black is winning, with so many
and for me this was the biggest surprise! pieces hanging over White’s kingside.
Caruana has notoriously been having 22...g4 23.¤3d2 g3 24.fxg3 hxg3 25.h3
problems at faster time controls and this was ¦ag8 26.¤e3 ¥xh3! Natural as a baby’s
seen as a major problem in his forthcoming smile, as Fine would have said.
match with Carlsen (in case of a drawn
match a rapid tie-break is intended). But 27.gxh3 g2 28.¤g4 ¦xh3 29.£e2 ¦xg4
apparently Caruana has worked hard on this
aspect of his play and started with 3/3 in St. 29...¥h2+ mates faster, but anything wins.
Louis. The only thing more impressive than
the result was the manner of his victories. 30.£xe6+ ¢d8 31.£xg4 ¥e3+
Alexander Grischuk – Fabiano Caruana 0–1

Saint Louis Rapid 2018 Saint Louis USA (1.5)
XIIIIIIIIY If that weren’t enough of a crushing
9r+-+-+-tr0 attack, here’s Caruana's second attempt
9+pwqksn-+-0 from the next round.
9-+n+pzp-+0
9+LzPp+lzp-0
9Q+-zP-vl-zp0
9zP-vL-+N+-0
9-+-+-zPPzP0
9tR-+-tRNmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
September 2018
Levon Aronian – Fabiano Caruana

25.fxg3 £xg3 26.£e5 The only move to
Saint Louis Rapid 2018 Saint Louis USA (2.1) avoid mate, but it only prolongs the agony.
XIIIIIIIIY Black’s point is that after 26.gxf3 ¦g6
9-+-+-trk+0 White is mated.
9zp-+-+pzpp0
26...¤xe5 27.dxe5 £xe5 Two pieces for
9-tr-wq-+-+0 a queen is definitely not enough in this
9+-+p+-+n0 position.
9Q+-zPp+-sn0 28.¦ad1 f5 29.¦d7 ¦d6 30.¦xa7 £g3
9+NzP-+-+P0 31.¦b1 f4 32.¤c5 £e3 33.b4 f3 34.¦e7
9PzP-+-zPP+0 fxg2+ 35.¥xg2 ¦h6
9tR-+-tRLmK-0 0–1
xiiiiiiiiy
22.£a5 Again Caruana’s pieces are
dangerously close to White’s king. Caruana was indeed in great form and on
course to win the rapid section, but then
22...£g6 The queen joins in. disaster struck. In a completely winning
position against his second, Dominguez,
23.£xd5 ¤f3+ 24.¢h1 ¤g3+! Beautiful. this is what happened.
Caruana has notoriously been having problems at
faster time controls and this was seen as a major
problem in his upcoming match with Carlsen in
case of a drawn match a rapid tie break is foreseen.
But apparently Caruana has worked hard on this
aspect of his play and started with 3 3 in St. Louis

09/138
Fabiano Caruana,F - After this loss Caruana couldn’t win

Leinier Dominguez Perez another game and finished on 5.5/9,
clear third. Still, it is an encouraging
Saint Louis Rapid 2018 Saint Louis USA (7.1) sign for the title challenger that his rapid
XIIIIIIIIY chess level has risen and he can look
confidently ahead.
9-+-+-+R+0
9+-+-+-tRk0 Hikaru Nakamura,Hi -
9p+-+-+-+0 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
9+p+-+p+p0 Saint Louis Blitz 2018 Saint Louis USA (8.3)
9-+-+-wq-+0 XIIIIIIIIY
9zP-+-sN-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0
9-+-mK-+-+0 9zp-+-wq-mk-0
9+-+-+-+-0 9-zp-+-+l+0
xiiiiiiiiy 9+-zp-zp-+-0
52...¢h6 53.¢e2 This also wins, of course. 9-+P+-+-+0
53.¦g6+ ¢h7 54.¦8g7+ ¢h8 55.¦d7 9zP-+r+LzP-0
with the idea of ¦e6 was the fastest route. 9-+-+Q+-+0
53...£e4 54.¦e7?? A hallucination. He
9+-+-tR-mK-0
thought that he could play ¤f5 next... xiiiiiiiiy
Black is a pawn up with a dominating
54.¦g2! threatening mate on h8 54...£e5 position. A move like 37...£d6 should
55.¦8g6+ ¢h7 56.¦6g5 ¢h6 57.¦xf5 suffice to win. Mamedyarov has a
£e7 58.¢f2 and White’s superior forces black-out.
will win sooner rather than later.
37...e4?? 38.£xd3
54...£xe7
0–1 1–0
OVERALL STANDINGS After Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz

PLAYER GCT POINTS PRIZE MONEY
1 GM Hikaru Nakamura 33 $90,000
2 GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave 25 $60,000
3 GM Sergey Karjakin 24 $57,000
4 GM Wesley So 23 $65,000
5 GM Levon Aronian 19 $480,000
6 GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 15 $35,500
7 GM Alexander Grischuk 12 $25,000
8 GM Fabiano Caruana 11 $30,000
9 GM Viswanathan Anand 9 $25,000

September 2018

09/138
The Sinquefield Cup, 18th – 28th August
A three-way
split
Photo: Grand Chess Tour official
Even though the regulations stated that Vachier’s
‘there can be only one’, this year’s Najdorf expertise
Sinquefield Cup (18−28 August) ended up
with three (!) winners. The tournament started with two very
exciting opening duels in the Najdorf.
In a very ‘tight’ tournament the wins will be Vachier−Lagrave is the world’s leading
few and this year’s Sinquefield Cup proved expert on the opening and he is very
to be that kind of a tournament. People see consistent in his opening choices, never
this as a chance to whine and complain fearing the opponent’s preparation and
about the many draws and, when taken to having infinite belief in his own. In Rounds
the extreme, the end of classical chess. I 2 and 4 Anand and Grischuk tried to catch
always see such tournaments as being the the Frenchman in one of the sharpest
result of circumstances - the energy levels of lines of the opening, but eventually it was
the participants, the number of fresh opening Vachier who emerged victorious from the
ideas they have brought to the tournament, opening duels.
their motivation and their form being the
most important ones.

September 2018
18.hxg5 ¦xh1 19.¦xh1 ¤fd7 with an

Viswanathan Anand - excellent position for Black which he went
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave on to win in 59 Karjakin,S (2760)-Vachier-
Lagrave,M (2789) London ENG 2017.
6th Sinqueield Cup 2018 Saint Louis USA (2.4)
14...¤c5 Last year Vachier tried 14...d5
1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.¤xd4 against Caruana. Even though he drew he
¤f6 5.¤c3 a6 6.¥g5 e6 7.f4 h6 8.¥h4 was in some trouble in the opening. 15.e5
£b6 This variation is Vachier’s speciality. ¤e4 16.¦h3 ¤xf2 17.£xf2 b4 18.axb4
The inclusion of ...h6 and ¥h4 improves ¥xb4 19.f5 and White had the initiative
Black’s position in all the lines where in ½–½ (43) Caruana,F (2817)-Vachier
White sacrifices the ‘poisoned pawn’ on b2. Lagrave,M (2803) Karlsruhe GER 2017.
9.a3 15.¥d3 ¤xd3+
XIIIIIIIIY
9rsnl+kvl-tr0 XIIIIIIIIY
9+p+-+pzp-0 9r+-+k+-tr0
9pwq-zppsn-zp0 9+lwq-vlpzp-0
9+-+-+-+-0 9p+-zppsn-zp0
9-+-sNPzP-vL0 9+p+-+-+-0
9zP-sN-+-+-0 9-+-sNPzPPzP0
9-zPP+-+PzP0 9zP-sNn+Q+-0
9tR-+QmKL+R0 9-zPP+-vL-+0
xiiiiiiiiy 9+-mKR+-+R0
The main move. Now both sides develop in xiiiiiiiiy
typical Najdorf fashion. This is a deviation from Vachier’s game
against Giri from last year’s Grand Prix in
9.£d2 £xb2 10.¦b1 £a3 is the starting Palma de Mallorca, where he played 15...
position of the Poisoned Pawn variation, h5. However, Vachier repeated the same
but with the pawn already on h6 Black has move in Round 4 against Grischuk!
the important alternative in one of the most
critical lines: 11.e5 dxe5 12.fxe5 g5! and 15...h5!? Perhaps after prolonged and
according to theory Black is quite all right deep analysis Vachier returned to the
here. (12...¤fd7 is also possible and it would conclusion that this is best? After all,
amount to a transposition to the usual lines.) his improvement over the game with
Giri does seem convincing enough 16.g5
9...¥e7 10.¥f2 £c7 11.£f3 ¤bd7 12.0– ¤g4 17.¦hg1 £b6! This is Vachier’s
0–0 b5 13.g4 ¥b7 In the main line Najdorf improvement. The move is based on
with 6 ¥g5 e6 7 f4 ¥e7 when White plays tactical ideas because the bishop on f2
a3 Black’s best is considered to be ...¦b8 hangs after a ...¤b3+ or ...¤d3+. (17...
followed by a quick ...b4, but here White is In a very tight
too fast with his kingside pawn storm.
tournament the wins
13...¦b8? 14.h4 b4 15.axb4 ¦xb4 16.g5+–. will be few and this
year s Sinquefield Cup
14.h4 14.¥g2 is an alternative, but Vachier
showed how Black should react here: 14... proved to be that kind
g5! 15.h4 gxf4 16.g5 ¤e5 17.£xf4 hxg5 of a tournament
09/138
g6 18.¦xg4! hxg4 19.£xg4 e5 20.¤f3 A somewhat unfortunate square for the queen.
and White has excellent compensation
for the exchange. ½–½ (31) Giri,A 22.¦xh8 ¦xh8 23.¥b4 was the idea
(2762)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2796) Palma Anand played one move later. Here it
de Mallorca ESP 2017) 18.¢b1 (18.¦xg4 is also met with the same 23...¥xb4
hxg4 19.£xg4 e5 and the knight cannot 24.axb4 a5 and Black has enough
move in view of ...¤d3 and the bishop on counterplay on the queenside. 25.bxa5
f2 falls.) 18...b4 19.axb4 £xb4 20.¦xg4 £xa5 26.¤b3 £a6 27.¤ed4 b4 when
(20.¥e1 can be tried. However, after the bishop can be activated via a6 at
20...£b6 21.£e2 0–0 22.¦xg4 hxg4 a later stage.; 22.£f1! g6 23.¦h6 is a
23.£xg4 ¦fb8 in fact Black’s attack is possible improvement for White, who
faster here. 24.b3 a5 with ...a4 to come.) still wants to play ¥b4. For example,
20...hxg4 21.£xg4 ¦b8 White is now after 23...¦c8 24.¥b4 ¥xb4 25.axb4 a5
forced to repeat moves. 22.¤a2 £a4 26.£e1!± we now see the idea behind
(if Black tries to avoid the repetition White’s 22nd move - from f1 the queen
by 22...£a5 he runs the risk after 23.f5 has access to the e1–square, from where
of ending up worse. After 23...¤xd3 she controls b4.
24.¦xd3 e5 25.¤b3 £d8 26.¤c3 White
has a great position.) 23.¤c3 £b4 22...g6 23.¦xh8 23.¦h6 was still better
24.¤a2 £a4 25.¤c3 £b4 ½–½ (25) than the game move. 23...¦c8 24.£g1
Grischuk,A (2766)-Vachier-Lagrave,M a5 (24...¥c5 25.b4! fixes the structure
(2779) Saint Louis USA 2018. This looks in White’s favour. 25...¥e7 26.¢b2±
like a convincing way for Black to deal with the idea of ¤c1–b3.) 25.b4! axb4
with the problems in this topical line. 26.¥xb4 ¦he8 27.£e3 and White is
definitely pressing here, though Black
16.¦xd3 d5 17.e5 ¤e4 18.¥e1 0–0–0 remains solid.
Black has a safe king and a strong knight
on e4, but the structure resembles a French 23...¦xh8 24.¥b4 Black manages to
and this means a passive bishop on b7. create counterplay after this, but after
Additionally, White has active possibilities Anand’s last two hesitant moves Black
on the kingside. It’s no surprise then that was already fine.
Vachier didn’t like this too much and
switched to 15...h5 against Grischuk. 24...¥xb4 25.axb4
19.g5 hxg5 Black cannot avoid the opening

XIIIIIIIIY
of the h-file, as 19...g6 is met by 20.h5! 9-mk-+-+-tr0
9+l+-+p+-0
20.hxg5 £b6 21.¤ce2 ¢b8 22.£g2
XIIIIIIIIY 9pwq-+p+p+0
9-mk-tr-+-tr0 9+p+pzP-zP-0
9+l+-vlpzp-0 9-zP-sNnzP-+0
9pwq-+p+-+0 9+-+R+-+-0
9+p+pzP-zP-0 9-zPP+N+Q+0
9-+-sNnzP-+0 9+-mK-+-+-0
9zP-+R+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy
25...a5! 26.¦h3 26.bxa5 £xa5 27.¤b3
9-zPP+N+Q+0 £e1+ 28.¦d1 £f2 and Black has more
9+-mK-vL-+R0 than enough counterplay.
xiiiiiiiiy
September 2018
26...¦c8 27.£h2 27.¦h7 axb4, threatening

...b3 28.£h3 £a7 29.¢b1 ¤d2+ 30.¢c1
¤e4, leads to a repetition.
27...axb4 28.¦h8 £a7 28...b3 was also possible

29.¦xc8+ ¥xc8 30.¤xb3 £e3+ 31.¢d1 b4
and the bishop will be activated via a6.
29.¦xc8+ ¢xc8 30.¢b1 ¤d2+ 31.¢c1

¤f1 31...¤e4 was an alternative, with a
similar finale.
32.£h8+ ¢d7 33.¢b1 ¤d2+ 34.¢c1

¤e4 Neither player can avoid the repetition.
35.¢b1 ¤d2+ 36.¢c1 ¤e4 37.¢b1

¤d2+
½–½
In the key match of the
tournament, between
Carlsen's Grindings
the World Champion
After two rounds the early leaders were and the contender,
Mamedyarov, Aronian and Carlsen. the psychological
Mamedyarov used a fresh idea in the
Queen’s Gambit Declined to beat So advantage went to
in Round 1, Aronian opened with 1.e4 Caruana who showed
against Karjakin and managed to win that he is capable of
in the Berlin endgame, while the World
Champion inflicted Karjakin’s second saving lost positions
loss in his usual grinding style. against Carlsen
Magnus Carlsen – Sergey Karjakin
6th Sinqueield Cup 2018 Saint Louis USA (2)
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+r+-+0
9+-+-trlzpk0
9p+-+-zp-+0
9+-+p+R+-0
9-+p+-+P+0
9zP-vL-+P+-0
9-zP-tRPmK-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

09/138
Looks like yet another ‘dead-drawn’ 39.¦c5 ¦h8 40.¢g3 Preventing a check
position where ‘White cannot do anything’. from h2.
36...¦b7?! This allows White to change 40...¦b6 41.¦xc4 ¦h1 42.¦c7 ¦c1
the scenery, if not the objective evaluation. 43.¦d7 ¦c6
I would say that practically this is a bad XIIIIIIIIY
decision because the ensuing position is
definitely easier to play with White, who 9-+-+-+-+0
risks nothing. Black, on the other hand, 9+-+R+-zp-0
does need to be more careful compared
to the position before his last move, thus 9p+r+-zpk+0
making his life more difficult. This move 9+-+-+-+-0
also shows that Karjakin was in bad shape, 9-+-+-+P+0
as he needlessly allows White’s next and
at the same time fails to understand the 9zP-vL-+PmK-0
difficulties lying ahead 9-zP-+P+-+0
36...¢h6 would have been consistent with 9+-tr-+-+-0
the ‘doing nothing’ strategy. xiiiiiiiiy
44.a4 Carlsen strengthens the position by
37.¦fxd5! It is very instructive to show fixing the a6–pawn. It is amazing to observe
what the engine comes up with here: 37.¦d1 how Carlsen relentlessly goes forward
¦be7 38.¦e1 ¦d7 39.e3 ¦de7 40.¦f4 ¢g6 and even a defender par excellence like
41.¦d4 ¦h8 42.¢g3 ¦he8 43.¢f4 ¢h6 Karjakin cannot do anything about it!
44.e4 dxe4 45.¦exe4 ¦xe4+ 46.fxe4 and
White has definitely improved his position, 44...¦g1+ 45.¢f2 ¦a1?! An indiscernible
exchanging the backward e2–pawn for imprecision. The rook transfer to c4 doesn’t
Black’s d5–pawn, though that doesn’t mean help much.
that he has improved his winning chances.
45...¦h1 is what the engine suggests as
37...¥xd5 38.¦xd5 Black has two better, threatening a check from h2. 46.e4
problems in this position: he has weak ¢h6! This allows a check from g5, but the
pawns on a6 and c4 and his rooks are rather simplifications favour Black. Black’s idea
ineffective as there is nothing to attack. is to push ...g5 if allowed. (46...¦h8 47.a5
¦hc8 is an alternative plan, but White again
38...¢g6 Karjakin decides to give up the is making progress. 48.f4 ¦8c7 49.¦d8
c4–pawn in order not to have one rook ¦c8 50.¦d1 ¦8c7 51.¢e3 ¢f7 52.¦d8
passive defending it. ¢e7 53.¦b8 ¢f7 54.f5 ¦c8 55.¦b7+
¦8c7 56.¦b4 ¦c5 57.¦d4) 47.g5+ (47.a5
38...¦c8 allows the rooks to defend both g5=) 47...fxg5 48.¥xg7+ ¢h5 49.¥c3 g4
weak pawns, but this would allow White and there will be too little material left on
to advance in the centre. 39.e4 (39.¦d6 the board for White to play for a win.
¦a7 40.a4 ¢g6 41.a5 ¦cc7 42.e4 ¦d7
and White cannot avoid the exchange of 46.a5 ¦a4 47.¢g3 ¦ac4 48.¦a7 ¦e6
the rook.) 39...¦cc7 40.f4 ¦d7 41.¦h5+ 49.e4 White’s only plan is to push in the
¢g8 42.¦a5 ¦a7 43.g5 ¢f7 44.gxf6 gxf6 centre and the kingside. Ideally he would
45.¦f5 ¦d6 46.¦c5 and White wins the c4– like to push g5 or e5, in order to weaken the
pawn again, though the position remains a g7–f6 pawn chain and give the bishop on c3
draw 46...¦d3 47.¦xc4 ¦ad7 48.¦c6 ¦7d6 something to attack.
as the rooks have been activated.
49...¦c8 50.¦d7 ¦ec6?

September 2018
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+r+-+-+0
9+-+R+-zp-0
9p+r+-zpk+0
9zP-+-+-+-0
9-+-+P+P+0
9+-vL-+PmK-0
9-zP-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
Why allow f4? An uncharacteristic mistake The event attracted a lot of media
by Karjakin, not paying attention to his attention, bringing chess briefly back to
opponent’s plans. the global spotlight
50...¦ce8! still keeps White at bay. 51.¢f4 62...gxf6 63.¥e1+ ¢h3 64.¦h6#) 61.¦xa6
¦8e7 52.¦d5 ¦c7. is winning for White, who now has two
connected passed pawns on the queenside
51.f4! ¦8c7 52.f5+ This fixes the f6–pawn. and Black still has to take care of possible
attacks against the g7–pawn. Black’s passed
52...¢h7 53.¦d8 ¦c8 54.¦d3 ¦e8 e-pawn is easily controlled. 61...e4+
55.¦d4 ¦c7 56.¢f4 ¦ce7 57.¦c4 ¢h6 62.¢e2 e3 63.¦e6!
58.¢f3 ¦d7
59...¢h7 60.b4 Now we see Carlsen’s idea
XIIIIIIIIY on his previous move, but it allows Black
to escape.
9-+-+r+-+0
9+-+r+-zp-0 60.¥c3 Repeating and continuing to plan
e5 was stronger, but Carlsen had already
9p+-+-zp-mk0 made up his mind on his previous move.
9zP-+-+P+-0
9-+R+P+P+0 60...¦d6?! 60...¦dd8! was more
circumspect 61.¢e3 (61.g5 doesn’t work
9+-vL-+K+-0 because after 61...fxg5 White cannot
9-zP-+-+-+0 play ¦c7 because the bishop on d4 is
undefended.) 61...¦c8 62.¥c5 ¢g8, with
9+-+-+-+-0 the idea of putting the king on f7 63.¢f4
xiiiiiiiiy ¢f7=.
Allowing a tactical solution. But objectively
Black’s position is already very difficult. 61.¢e3 Now the bishop is defended and
the idea of g5 and ¦c7 becomes possible.
58...¢h7 59.e5 fxe5 60.¦c6; 58...¦d8
59.e5. 61...¢h6 This also prevents g5.
59.¥d4? But Carlsen misses it! 61...¦ed8!? is a very nice prophylactic

move - it puts more pressure on the bishop
59.e5! fxe5 60.¦c6+ ¢h7 (60...¢g5 and prevents the g5, ¦c7 idea. 62.g5 (62.
61.¦g6+ ¢h4 62.f6! with the nice idea of e5 fxe5 63.¥xe5 ¦e8 64.¢f4 ¦d1 with

09/138
enough counterplay) 62...fxg5 63.e5 ¦h6 66...¦d1 makes more sense, as Black
64.e6 ¦h4 is unclear, but Black is active always strives to exchange White’s rook.
enough not to risk losing. 67.¦xd1 ¦xd1 68.e5.
62.¦c1 Taking the d1–square away from A) 68...¦f1+ 69.¢e4 ¦e1+ 70.¢d5, with
the black rook once the bishop moves. the idea of going for the queenside, looks
dangerous, but even here Black should hold
62.¥b6 ¦d1. 70...fxe5 71.b5 (71.¢c6 ¦b1 72.¢b6 e4
73.¢xa6 e3 74.¥xe3 ¦xb4 75.g5 ¢f7=)
62...¢h7 63.¥b6 ¦d7 64.¥c5 64.¦c6 71...axb5 72.a6 ¦a1 73.a7 ¢f7 74.g5 g6
¦d1. 75.f6 ¦a6 76.¢xe5 ¢e8=;
64...¦ed8 64...g6! Once the bishop has B) 68...fxe5+ this is simpler, not letting the
left the long diagonal, this move is a useful king enter. 69.¢xe5 ¢f7 70.g5 g6 71.f6
one for Black to make as it simplifies ¦d2 72.b5 axb5 73.a6 ¦a2 74.a7 ¦a6=.
the position and gets rid of the potential
weakness on g7. 65.¥d4 gxf5 66.gxf5 ¦de7 67.¦e1 g5+! A good move, finally forcing
67.¢d3 ¦xe4 and Black is safe. 68.¦c6 the simplifications on the kingside.
¦f4 69.¥xf6 ¦xb4 70.¦xa6 ¦b5=.
68.fxg6 ¢g7 69.g5 ¢xg6 70.gxf6 ¢xf6
65.¦h1+ Carlsen continues to keep the 71.¦h1 In spite of the simplifications White
tension. continues to put pressure as the weakness on
a6 is still alive and the passed e-pawn needs
65.e5!? looks tempting, but it should lead constant attention. It’s incredible how Carlsen
to a draw after the forcing line: 65...fxe5 never really lets his opponents off the hook...
66.g5 ¦d1 67.¦xd1 ¦xd1 68.¢e4 ¦e1+
69.¥e3 ¢g8 70.b5 axb5 71.a6 ¦a1 72.a7 71...¦f7 72.¢e3 ¢e6 73.¦h4 73.¦h6+
¦a3, and here an entertaining continuation ¦f6 74.¦h7 ¦f7.
is 73.¥c5 b4 74.¢xe5 ¦a5 75.¢e6 b3
76.f6 b2 77.f7+ ¢h7 78.f8£ b1£ 79.a8£ 73...¦f6 74.¦h7 ¦f7 75.¦h5 ¢d7 76.e5 ¦f1
¦xa8 80.£xa8 £g6+ with a draw. The players were already playing on delay
time (no increments, but with the same 30–
65...¢g8 66.¢f4 66.g5 fxg5 67.e5 ¦d1 second buffer) and Carlsen correctly expected
68.¦xd1 ¦xd1 69.e6 ¦c1 and Black cannot that when this phase comes it will be even
lose this. more difficult for Karjakin not to blunder.
66...¦e8 77.¢e4 ¢c6??

XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+r+k+0 9-+-+r+-+0
9+-+r+-zp-0 9+-+-+-+-0
9p+-+-zp-+0 9p+k+-+-+0
9zP-vL-+P+-0 9zP-vL-zP-+R0
9-zP-+PmKP+0 9-zP-+K+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+R0 9+-+-+r+-0
xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy
September 2018
And here it comes. As usual, Carlsen’s Caruana stayed in the

perseverance paid off in the end.
lead until the
The simple checking would have done the final round when quite
trick. 77...¦e1+ 78.¢d4 (78.¢d5 ¦d1+) a few players could
78...¦d1+ 79.¢c3 ¦c1+ 80.¢b2 ¦e1
81.¦h7+ ¢c6 82.¦h6+ ¢b5 83.¢b3 catch him with a win.
(83.¦b6+?! is even dangerous for White His own game against So
after 83...¢c4 84.¦xa6?? ¦8xe5 and was ‘dull’ in his own
White will get mated!) 83...¦b1+ 84.¢c2
¦e1 is a repetition.
words, but the
surprise was actually
78.¦h6+ ¢b5 79.¦b6+ ¢c4 80.e6! So’s reluctance to even
Perhaps Karjakin missed the fact that the
pawn can run? The rest is simple as White try to play for a win
wins material. with White, which would
have qualified him for
80.¦xa6? ¦e1+ is still a draw.
the Final Four
80...¦e1+ 81.¢f5 ¦f1+ 82.¢e5 ¦e1+
83.¢f6 ¦f1+ 84.¢g7 ¦a8 84...¦e1 7...£d6!? is an interesting alternative, used
85.¢f7. by Kramnik to beat Svidler in 2015.
85.e7 ¦e1 86.¢f7 ¦e4 86...¦f1+ 87.¦f6. 8.¥xc6 bxc6 9.¤xc6 £e8 10.¤xe7+
£xe7 11.£a4 c5 12.dxc5 £xc5 13.¥e3
87.¦d6 ¦h8 88.¦xa6 £c7 14.0–0–0!?
XIIIIIIIIY
1–0 9r+l+-trk+0
9zp-wq-+pzpp0
9-+-+psn-+0
A new idea in the Catalan
9+-+-+-+-0
Another player joined the lead in Round 4. 9Q+p+-+-+0
With the help of a very interesting novel 9+-sN-vL-zP-0
idea in the Catalan (have you ever seen
White castle long in the Catalan?) Caruana 9PzP-+PzP-zP0
beat his compatriot Nakamura. 9+-mKR+-+R0
Fabiano Caruana – Hikaru Nakamura xiiiiiiiiy
Here comes Caruana’s original novelty!
6th Sinqueield Cup 2018 Saint Louis USA (4) This is an ambitious move, aiming both to
control the d-file and possibly mount an
1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤f3 d5 4.¤c3 ¥e7 attack on the kingside.
5.g3 Caruana prepared the Catalan for the
Candidates in Berlin and here he uses the After 14.0–0 ¤d5 15.¥d4 ¥d7
QGD move order to limit Black’s choices 16.£a3 a5 Nakamura suffered a bit
against it. The drawback is that the knight before drawing in: ½–½ (46) Svidler,P
is already committed to c3. (2763)-Nakamura,H (2780) Palma de
Mallorca ESP 2017.
5...dxc4 6.¥g2 0–0 7.¤e5 ¤c6 The main
theoretical continuation. 14...¤g4 The most direct attempt.

09/138
14...¥b7 is an alternative: 15.f3 ¤d5 with g5, and here Black has the strong
16.¥d4 a5 17.¤xd5 exd5 (17...¥xd5 26...£f2! with enough counterplay.
18.¥c3² as White’s bishop is more useful -
it defends b2, blocks the c4–pawn and eyes 24...¥c6 25.£c5 ¥e8? This is the
Black’s kingside.) 18.h4 is a more pleasant ‘psychological trick’ Caruana was playing
position for White to play, thanks to his for! Not wanting to part with material,
superior bishop. Nakamura allows a prospectless endgame.
15.¦d2 ¤xe3 16.fxe3 ¦b8 17.¦hd1 25...£b7! was stronger, because after
White dominates the d-file and his knight 26.£xc4 a4 Black lost the weak pawn on
is a more useful piece than Black’s bishop. c4 that required protection and obtained
Additionally, Black has two weak pawns on an open file and queenside activity in
the queenside and no clear plan. This makes exchange for it. 27.a3 ¥d5! 28.£d3 ¥b3
White’s position easier to play. with more than enough compensation.
17...a5 18.¢b1 h6 19.¢a1 The king is safer 26.£xc7 ¦xc7 27.¦d6

in the corner. As White’s position is solid XIIIIIIIIY
he can afford to make all the preparatory
moves. 9-tr-+l+k+0
9+-tr-+pzp-0
19...¦b4 20.£c2 ¦b8 21.£e4 ¥b7
22.£d4 From a4 the queen has moved to 9-+-tRp+-zp0
the central d4–square. Even though there is 9zp-+-+-+-0
nothing to attack on the open d-file, it is 9-+p+P+-+0
becoming increasingly unpleasant for Black.
9+-sN-+-zP-0
22...¥a8 23.e4 This further limits the bishop 9PzP-+P+-zP0
as the pawn is safely defended by the knight.
9mK-+R+-+-0
23...¦fc8 xiiiiiiiiy
XIIIIIIIIY White has a great endgame as without
queens the chances of Black creating
9ltrr+-+k+0 counterplay are minimal.
9+-wq-+pzp-0
27...¢f8 28.¦a6 ¦c5 29.¦a7 Preventing
9-+-+p+-zp0 ...¢e7.
9zp-+-+-+-0
9-+pwQP+-+0 29...¦bc8 30.¢b1 Centralisation
of the king. White can improve his
9+-sN-+-zP-0 position, while the same cannot be said
9PzP-tRP+-zP0 for Black.
9mK-+R+-+-0 30...¦h5 31.h4 ¦e5 32.¢c2 White
xiiiiiiiiy cannot successfully box Black with 32.g4
24.£f2! A cunning move. White would like g5 33.h5 as this allows 33...f5 and it
to exchange queens, but Black would avoid transpires that White has put too many
it if offered. The move threatens ¦d7 so pawns on light squares. 34.¦f1 ¦d8
Black’s next is logical. 35.exf5 exf5 36.¦a6 ¢g7 37.gxf5 ¥xh5
38.e4 ¥f7 and Black can hope to start
24.£d6!? £a7 25.h4 is a possible pushing his own passed pawns.
alternative 25...¥c6 26.g4 to follow up

September 2018
32...g5 In search of counterplay Black can

only play on the kingside.
33.¦f1 ¢g7
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+r+l+-+0
9tR-+-+pmk-0
9-+-+p+-zp0
9zp-+-tr-zp-0
9-+p+P+-zP0
9+-sN-+-zP-0
9PzPK+P+-+0
9+-+-+R+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
33...gxh4 doesn’t help much 34.gxh4
¦h5 35.¦f4 ¦d8 36.¦c7 ¦d4 37.a4 ¢g7
(37...¦e5 38.e3 ¦d3 39.¦f3 ¦h5 40.¦xc4 Nakamura was the main
¦d6 41.¦f4 and White is a pawn up.) disappointment of the
38.e3 ¦d3 39.¦c8 ¥d7 40.¦g4+ ¢f6
41.¦xc4 ¦xe3 and now White can win the tournament.
black bishop in two ways: 42.e5+ (42.¦c7 After brilliantly winning
¥e8 43.¦g8) 42...¦hxe5 43.¦gd4 ¥e8 the rapid and blitz in
44.¤e4+ ¢g7 45.¤d6.
Paris, Leuven and Saint
34.¦b7 White wants to put his king on e3 Louis, he slumped to -3 (3
but before that takes control of the b-file. out of 9) and shared last
34...¢g6 35.¢d2
with Karjakin
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+r+l+-+0
9+R+-+p+-0
9-+-+p+kzp0
9zp-+-tr-zp-0
9-+p+P+-zP0
9+-sN-+-zP-0
9PzP-mKP+-+0
9+-+-+R+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
35...f5? Nakamura loses his patience.
35...¦ec5 was better, keeping the position

as it is. For example: 36.¢e3 ¦8c7 37.¦xc7
¦xc7 38.hxg5 hxg5 39.¦d1 ¦c8 40.¦d6

09/138
¦b8 and Black should be able to draw as Fabiano Caruana - Sergey Karjakin
he gets counterplay along the b-file.
36.hxg5 fxe4? This completely ruins
Black’s structure. 1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 ¥b4 4.g3 As in
the game with Nakamura, Caruana aims for
36...hxg5 37.¦h1 is equally bad.; But the similar Catalan-like positions.
36...¢xg5 was more resilient, even though
White is still much better after 37.exf5 exf5 4...0–0 5.¥g2 d5 This is considered the
38.¦f4. principled choice.
37.¢e3 ¥c6 38.¦e7 ¦xg5 38...hxg5 5...c5 6.¤f3 cxd4 7.¤xd4 leads to the
39.¢d4 wins the e6–pawn. Romanishin variation in the Nimzo-Indian,
an old-time Kasparov favourite.
39.¦xe6+ ¢g7 40.¦e7+ ¢g6 41.¦d1 ¢f6
41...¦xg3+ 42.¢f4 ¦g5 43.¦d6+ ¢h5 6.¤f3 dxc4 7.0–0 ¤c6 8.£a4 ¥d7
44.¦ee6 wins for White. XIIIIIIIIY
42.¦a7 ¢e6 This prevents ¦d6, but the
9r+-wq-trk+0
rook can enter now using the h-file. 9zppzpl+pzpp0
9-+n+psn-+0
43.¦h1! h5 43...¦xg3+ 44.¢d4 ¦g6
45.e3 looks very sad for Black. 9+-+-+-+-0
9QvlpzP-+-+0
44.g4! Opening the h-file at all cost.
9+-sN-+NzP-0
44...¥e8 44...¦h8 45.gxh5 ¦hxh5 46.¦xh5 9PzP-+PzPLzP0
¦xh5 47.¢d4 is technically lost for Black. 9tR-vL-+RmK-0
45.gxh5 ¥xh5 46.¤xe4 ¦f5 47.¦a6+ xiiiiiiiiy
¢e7 48.¤d6 ¦e5+ 49.¢d4 Black loses Probably surprised, Karjakin choses a solid
material after 49.¢d4 ¦cc5 50.e4 followed line.
by ¤f5.
In the second rapid tie-break game So
1–0 was prepared and he chose 8...¤d5 9.£c2
¥e7 10.¦d1 ¥d7!? - not the most popular
move, but apparently So knew what he was
Caruana played his usual chess in doing. 11.e4 ¤cb4 12.£d2 ¤b6 13.¤e5
Saint Louis. Solid and pouncing on ¤c6 14.¤xc6 ¥xc6 and Black managed
the opportunity when it arose. He to equalise after 15.£c2 f5! 16.a4 fxe4
continues to play with confidence and 17.¥xe4 ¥xe4 18.£xe4 £d7 1–0 (62)
when he met the out-of-form Karjakin Caruana,F (2822)-So,W (2780), tie-break
in Round 6 this was apparent. In this m/2 2018.
game Caruana again used a fresh idea
in the Catalan. 9.¥g5 An improvement over So’s blitz
game against Anand played a few days
earlier.
9.£c2 ¥e7 0–1 (41) So,W (2780)-Anand,V

(2768) Saint Louis USA 2018.

September 2018
9...a5 9...¦b8!? is an interesting alternative 17.¦fd1 b6 (17...¤b3 18.d5!) 18.d5!

10.¦ad1 ¥xc3?! but probably this is too
complacent. (10...a5) 11.bxc3 h6 12.¥xf6 14...¤a5 15.£b4 ¦a7 16.¦ab1 b6 17.e3
£xf6 13.£xc4² ½–½ (67) Matlakov,M A typical Catalan move, supporting the d4–
(2735)-Tomashevsky,E (2713) St Petersburg pawn and preparing c4–c5.
RUS 2017; 9...¥xc3?! 10.bxc3 ¤xd4
11.£xc4 ¤xf3+ 12.¥xf3 gives White 17.e4 ¥c6 18.¦fd1 is a more direct way
obvious compensation for the pawn. to play.
10.¥xf6! With this exchange White wins a 17...¥c6 The exchange of the bishops
tempo to get his pawn back and maintains improves Black’s position, but he remains
a position with a comfortable space under severe pressure.
advantage.
18.¥xc6 ¤xc6 19.£b5 £a8 20.c4 ¦d8
10...£xf6 11.a3 ¥xc3 11...¥d6 12.£xc4 21.¦fc1
a4 13.¦ad1 is also more pleasant for White. XIIIIIIIIY
12.bxc3 £d8 13.£xc4 a4 Black aims to 9q+-tr-+k+0
establish some light-square control on the 9tr-zp-+pzpp0
queenside.
9-zpn+p+-+0
14.¤d2 9+Q+-+-+-0
XIIIIIIIIY 9p+PzP-+-+0
9r+-wq-trk+0 9zP-+-zP-zP-0
9+pzpl+pzpp0 9-+-sN-zP-zP0
9-+n+p+-+0 9+RtR-+-mK-0
9+-+-+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy
9p+QzP-+-+0 White makes natural moves and they
increase the pressure on Black’s position. It
9zP-zP-+-zP-0 is curious that the engine considers White’s
9-+-sNPzPLzP0 position to be only slightly better. That
definitely isn’t how it looks to a human!
9tR-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy 21...e5? And the human playing Black
Covering b3. cannot remain patient.
14.¤e5 is the engine’s preference. 14...¤a5 21...h6 and apparently Black is more or
(14...¤xe5 15.dxe5 is problematic for Black less fine. This is so difficult to believe...
as he cannot find a safe square for his 22.£b2 (22.c5 ¦a5) 22...¤a5 23.c5
bishop. 15...£c8 16.¦fd1 ¦d8 17.¦d3 ¥e8 ¦b8 24.cxb6 ¦xb6 (24...cxb6 25.¦c3 b5
18.¦xd8 £xd8 19.¥xb7 ¦b8 20.¥c6! now 26.£c2 is a tangible advantage for White.)
the bad bishop is exchanged in order to 25.£c3 ¤b3 26.¤xb3 axb3 27.¦xb3 ¦xb3
win the pawn on a4. White will eventually 28.£xb3 ¦xa3 29.£c4 ¦a7 and an engine
emerge with an extra passed pawn on the would definitely make a draw here with
queenside.) 15.£b4 ¥e8 16.¦ab1± the Black.
difference with the game is that the knight
is placed on e5 rather than on d2. From d2 it 22.d5 ¤b8 22...¤a5 was what Caruana
covers b3, but the engine sees that tactically expected as Black would gladly get rid of
Black cannot make use of it: 16...¦a7 the a-pawn in order to obtain counterplay

09/138
along the a-file. 23.£b4 ¤b7 24.¤e4 is In a typical Catalan fashion White’s pieces
still extremely good for White. dominate in this symmetrical position
thanks to their superior activity.
23.c5 Before Black manages to put the
knight on d7. The point is that the pawn on 27...f6?? Karjakin definitely wasn’t in
d5 doesn’t hang. form in Saint Louis, but even an out-of-
form Karjakin shouldn’t be making one-
23...¦a5 23...£xd5? allows a nice move blunders.
combination: 24.cxb6 £xb5 25.bxa7 £c6
26.axb8£. 27...¦f8 is the only move, as
considered by Caruana. 28.£d6
24.£b2 £xd5 25.cxb6 cxb6 26.¤c4 ¦c5 (28.£xb8 wins a pawn, but it will be
27.£xb6 very difficult to win with 4 vs 3 on
XIIIIIIIIY the kingside. 28...¦xc4 29.¦xc4 £xc4
30.£xe5) 28...£xd6 29.¤xd6 ¦xc1+
9-sn-tr-+k+0 30.¦xc1 and sooner rather than later
9+-+-+pzpp0 White will pick up a pawn.
9-wQ-+-+-+0 28.¦d1 £xd1+ 29.¦xd1 ¦xd1+ 30.¢g2
9+-trqzp-+-0 And Black cannot take on c4 in view of the
9p+N+-+-+0 check on e6.
9zP-+-zP-zP-0 1–0
9-+-+-zP-zP0
9+RtR-+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
It’s coming home? Caruana for Champion!

September 2018
This win set the stage for the game of 9...¥f5 10.0–0–0 £d7 11.¢b1 Both players
the tournament. Leading by half a point, finished development by normal means.
Caruana was Black against the World White will try to attack the kingside while
Champion in their last meeting before Black will oppose that by central play.
the match in November. Apart from the
prestige, the confidence before the match 11...¦fe8 12.h4 ¥f8 12...¥f6 looks more
and the lead in the tournament, the first active, but the bishop is also more exposed
spot on the rating list was also on the here after 13.¥g5!
line – for more than 7 years Carlsen has
kept it safely but in case of defeat he 13.h5 h6 Allowing h6 would be suicidal.
would have lost it to Caruana! The game
lived up to expectations. 14.¥e2
Magnus Carlsen – Fabiano Caruana

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+rvlk+0
9zppzpq+pzp-0
1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤f6 Caruana stays true to 9-+nzp-+-zp0
his reliable weapon. 9+-+-+l+P0
3.¤xe5 d6 4.¤f3 ¤xe4 5.¤c3 As he’s 9-+-+-+-+0
been doing lately, Carlsen goes for the most 9+-zP-vLN+-0
topical line.
9PzPPwQLzPP+0
5...¤xc3 6.dxc3 ¥e7 7.¥e3 ¤c6 8.¥c4!? 9+K+R+-+R0
XIIIIIIIIY xiiiiiiiiy
9r+lwqk+-tr0 A nice move - White would want to push
g4 and in order to do that he needs to play
9zppzp-vlpzpp0 ¤d4, so the bishop gets away in time from
9-+nzp-+-+0 a possible ...¤e5.
9+-+-+-+-0 14.¦dg1 is more of a blunt attempt, but
9-+L+-+-+0 not necessarily a worse one! This leads
9+-zP-vLN+-0 to very interesting play where Black must
tread carefully. 14...¥g4 15.¤h2! ¤e5!
9PzPP+-zPPzP0 (15...¥xh5? 16.g4 ¥g6 17.g5 h5 18.¤f1
9tR-+QmK-+R0 is exactly what White wants.) 16.¥b3
(16.¥e2 ¥xe2 17.£xe2 d5 18.g4 ¤c4µ
xiiiiiiiiy shows how Black counters White’s kingside
This is the idea the World Champion had attack with central action.) 16...¥f5
in mind. A rare move that steers the game 17.f4 ¤g4 18.¤xg4 ¥xg4 19.f5 d5!
clear of the deep theory in the main line (19...¥xf5?! 20.g4! again helps White to
after 8. £d2 followed by 0–0–0. Now Black speed up the attack 20...¥e4 21.¦h4 with
is more or less forced to castle short. g5 to come.) 20.f6 ¦e6 21.fxg7 ¥xg7 and
Black manages to prevent the attack from
8...0–0 8...¥e6?! 9.¥xe6 fxe6 10.h4!, with happening.; 14.¤h4 is another interesting
the idea of ¤g5, is unpleasant for Black. possibility 14...¥e6 15.¥xe6 £xe6 16.¤f3
¥e7 17.¦dg1 ¤e5 18.¤xe5 dxe5 19.g4
9.£d2 9.£e2 has been played by Dubov, ¦ad8 20.£e2 £c6 but Black shouldn’t
an original thinker. have too many problems here.

09/138
14...¥g4 Forcing further exchanges after 24.£xd5+ £xd5 25.¦xd5 ¤e4 26.¦xd8
the knight moves. ¤xc3+ 27.¢a1 ¦xd8 with an equal
endgame.
15.¤h2 15.¤d4 isn’t that effective now.
15...¥xe2 16.£xe2 ¤e5 is OK for Black 17.¥c1 A fine prophylactic move,
as he has prevented g4. removing the bishop from the vulnerable
e3–square.
15...¥xe2 16.£xe2
XIIIIIIIIY 17.g4 £c6 18.g5? (18.¥c1!) 18...¤c4
shows that White cannot just go forward
9r+-+rvlk+0 without paying attention to what Black
9zppzpq+pzp-0 does.
9-+nzp-+-zp0 17...£c6 18.f4 ¤c4 19.£d3 £e4 Caruana
9+-+-+-+P0 thought that with the exchange of queens
9-+-+-+-+0 he’ll be safe, but Carlsen’s evaluation was
more profound.
9+-zP-vL-+-0
9PzPP+QzPPsN0 20.g4 ¤e3 21.¦de1 £xd3 22.cxd3 ¤d5
23.¦eg1 White’s attack continues in the
9+K+R+-+R0 endgame and there is little Black can do
xiiiiiiiiy about it. Very deep understanding by the
16...¤e5?! With the idea of playing ...£c6 World Champion!
and ...¤c4. Natural as it may seem, this is
in fact the start of Black’s problems! 23...¦e6?
16...¦ad8! was a better way and the position

XIIIIIIIIY
is rich in possibilities for both sides. 9r+-+-vlk+0
Objectively though, Black should be more 9zppzp-+pzp-0
careful as White is the one trying to mount
an attack. 17.g4 d5 18.¦hg1 ¤e5 19.b3 9-+-zpr+-zp0
(19.g5 ¤c4 20.£d3 ¤xe3 21.fxe3 hxg5 9+-+n+-+P0
22.¦xg5 ¦e4 with an unclear position as 9-+-+-zPP+0
White cannot take on d5 23.¦xd5? £xd5
24.£xd5 ¦xd5 25.¦xd5 ¦xe3 and Black is 9+-zPP+-+-0
better in the endgame.) 19...£c6 20.£d2 9PzP-+-+-sN0
f6 21.f4 ¤f7
9+KvL-+-tRR0
A) 22.g5?! This is too blunt. 22...¤d6! xiiiiiiiiy
taking advantage of the e4–square and This is a mistake as a result of a blunder in
from there hitting c3. 23.¥d4 ¤e4 24.£c1 one of the critical lines.
fxg5 25.fxg5 hxg5 26.¤f3 (26.¦xg5?!
¤xg5 27.£xg5 £h6 28.£h4 ¥e7 and 23...¦e2 was better, but Black is still under
Black fends off the attack.) 26...¤xc3+ pressure. 24.g5 ¢h7 25.¤f1 (25.¤g4!?
27.¥xc3 £xc3 28.¦d3 £f6 and White leads to unclear play after 25...¦ae8
didn’t manage to create serious threats on 26.g6+ ¢g8 27.f5 f6 28.c4 ¤e7 29.¥xh6
the kingside; ¤xf5) 25...¦f2 26.¤g3 ¦f3 (26...¤xf4?
27.¤e4 ¦f3 28.gxh6 f6 29.¥xf4 ¦xf4
B) 22.¦ge1 is a more positional way to 30.¦g6±) 27.¤f5 White now wants to
treat the position, but it leads to a balanced double on the g-file by ¦h2–g2 27...¦f2
position after 22...¥a3 23.¤f3 ¤d6 28.¦f1 ¦xf1 29.¦xf1 ¦e8 30.¤g3 and

September 2018
White’s initiative continues as he can also is a better try according to the engine,
simply improve the position of his pieces with the next move also going backwards.
by c2, ¤e4, while Black is forced to 31...¢h7 32.¤f2 ¦xg1+ 33.¦xg1 d5
remain passive. 34.¢c2 ¥h6 35.¤g4 ¥xd2 36.¢xd2 and
White is better, but still not winning.
24.g5 ¤e7? Caruana follows his plan, but
after White’s next he realised his mistake. 31...¦e8 32.¤e3 The knight will land on
d5, but Black has time to consolidate and
24...¢h7 was better, but White has a big challenge it.
advantage after 25.¤g4 ¤e7 26.¤e3.
32...¦xg1+ 33.¦xg1 ¦e6 34.¤d5 ¤f6
25.gxh6 And here Caruana sank into a deep 35.¤c7 ¦e2 36.¤b5 ¦e6
thought. XIIIIIIIIY
25...¦xh6 26.f5 ¦h7 A sad necessity. 9-+-+-vl-mk0
9zpp+-+p+-0
26...¦xh5 was Caruana’s initial idea,
missing that White has the cute 27.¤g4 9-+-zprsn-+0
¦xh1 28.¤f6+! ¢h8 29.¦xh1#. 9+Nzp-+-+P0
27.¤g4? 27.f6! Carlsen said his intuition
9-+-+-vL-+0
told him to play this, but he didn’t listen to 9+-zPP+-+-0
it! 27...¤d5 (27...¤f5 28.¤f3 g6 29.¤g5 9PzP-+-+-+0
¦xh5 30.¦xh5 gxh5 31.¤e6+ ¢h7
32.¤xf8+ ¦xf8 33.¦g5 and the knight 9+K+-+-tR-0
is lost!) 28.¤g4 g6 29.c4 ¤b6 30.¤h6+ xiiiiiiiiy
¥xh6 31.hxg6 fxg6 32.¦xg6+ ¢f7 37.¦f1?! 37.¤xa7 is apparently critical
33.¦gxh6 ¦xh6 34.¦xh6 with a winning as it takes a pawn. 37...¢h7 threatening
endgame. to take on h5 38.¦h1 ¤d5 39.¥d2 ¥h6
40.c4 (40.¢c1 f5 when Black’s activity
27...¢h8™ 28.f6 ¤g8 compensates for the pawn deficit.)
XIIIIIIIIY 40...¥xd2 (40...¤e3 41.¤b5 f5 is an
alternative.) 41.cxd5 ¦e5 but Black has
9r+-+-vlnmk0 counterplay here since White has weak
9zppzp-+pzpr0 pawns and the knight still needs to find a
way back into the game.
9-+-zp-zP-+0
9+-+-+-+P0 37...¢g8 Now Black wants to take on h5
9-+-+-+N+0 and the position becomes equal.
9+-zPP+-+-0 38.¤c7 38.¤xa7 ¤xh5.
9PzP-+-+-+0
38...¦e2 39.¤b5 ¦e6 40.¤c7 ¦e2 41.¤b5
9+KvL-+-tRR0 ¦e6
xiiiiiiiiy ½–½
Now it’s not so simple any more. The
margin of error in the games of these A major disappointment for Carlsen! He
players is so small that even the smallest managed to outplay Caruana as a result of
inaccuracy is punished. his deeper understanding but faltered when
he had to be precise in his realisation. He
29.fxg7+ ¦xg7 30.¥e3 c5 31.¥f4 31.¥d2 would have liked to obtain a psychological

09/138
advantage over Caruana in the way he did reluctance to even try to play for a win
when he beat him in Stavanger in May, but with White, which would have qualified
this time the advantage goes to Caruana for him for the Final Four. So chose a
showing that he is capable of saving lost toothless line against Caruana’s Petroff
positions against Carlsen. where he couldn’t hope for more than a
boring draw. It is my conviction that this
Caruana stayed in the lead until the failure to find it in himself to try to play
final round when quite a few players for a win in the last round was the reason
could catch him with a win. His own he also lost to Caruana the play−off for
game against So was ‘dull’ in his own the 4th spot for the Final Four of the Grand
words, but the surprise was actually So’s Chess Tour in London in December.
Carlsen exhausted? Carlsen’s two wins in the

tournament lasted 88 and 97 moves. While this is
typical of him, it has been a while since he won a
game in a long and grinding endgame
September 2018
Two victories in the

last round
Two players managed to win in the last another better move. 22.£h6 ¢g8
round. Aronian started the tournament 23.gxf5 gxf5.
with a win in an endgame and he finished
it with a win after an enterprising sacrifice 22.gxf5 gxf5 23.¥xe4 fxe4 23...¦xe4
in a middlegame. allows a perpetual check, and here the
tournament standings come to the fore -
Levon Aronian – Alexander Grischuk a draw was OK for Aronian, but not for
Grischuk. 24.£g5+ ¢h8 25.£f6+.
XIIIIIIIIY 24.£f4 h6 25.£c7+
9r+lwqr+k+0 XIIIIIIIIY
9zpp+-+pzpp0 9r+-+r+-+0
9-+-+-+-+0 9zppwQ-+-mk-0
9+-+-+-+-0 9-+-+-+-zp0
9-+pzPn+-+0 9+-+q+-+-0
9vL-zP-+-zP-0 9-+pzPp+-+0
9P+Q+P+LzP0 9vL-zP-+-+-0
9tR-+-+RmK-0 9P+-+P+-zP0
xiiiiiiiiy 9+-+-+RmK-0
17...£d5 The position is dynamically xiiiiiiiiy
balanced as Black has excellent 25...¢h8? Now White doesn’t risk losing
blockade as compensation for White’s anymore.
pair of bishops.
25...¢g6! was best, but it would be
18.¦xf7 Objectively, this should lose. insane to expect this from a player
But Aronian had more than half an hour in time-trouble, even if it’s Grischuk
on the clock while Grischuk had around 26.¢f2 ¦ad8 27.¦g1+ ¢h5 and the
5 minutes to reach move 40. king is perfectly safe here!; 25...¢g8
was also better at least because Black
18.¦f4 ¥f5; 18.¦f3 ¥f5 19.¦af1 ¥g6 forces an exchange of queens. 26.¢f2
20.¦e3 f5 21.¦ef3 ¦ad8 is unclear, but (26.¦f4 would seem more desirable,
Black is absolutely safe here. but in fact it’s worse 26...h5! 27.¦f2
¢h8 28.¥d6 ¦g8+ 29.¢f1 ¦g6
18...¢xf7 19.¦f1+ ¥f5 20.g4 g6 21.£c1! 30.¥e5+ ¢g8 and now the plan of
Also played a-tempo by Aronian. He keeps h4–h5 from the game is not possible.)
piling up the pressure and Grischuk was 26...£f7+ 27.£xf7+ ¢xf7 28.¢e3+
burning his time. ¢g6 29.¦g1+ ¢h7 30.¦b1 b6 31.¥d6
and White has good drawing chances
21...¢g7? Black had at least two relatively because after putting the bishop on e5
clean winning moves. he can take on e4 and have a strong
central presence.
21...¦e6! allows Black to defend.
22.gxf5 gxf5 23.£g5 ¦f6 24.£h5+ 26.¥d6 ¦g8+ 27.¢f2 ¦g6 28.¥e5+ ¢g8
¢g8 25.£g5+ ¦g6; 21...£e6 was 29.¢e3

09/138
XIIIIIIIIY
Magnus Carlsen – Hikaru Nakamura
9r+-+-+k+0
9zppwQ-+-+-0 6th Sinqueield Cup 2018 Saint Louis USA (9)
9-+-+-+rzp0 XIIIIIIIIY
9+-+qvL-+-0 9-+-+-+k+0
9-+pzPp+-+0 9zpr+-+-zp-0
9+-zP-mK-+-0 9-+-+-zp-+0
9P+-+P+-zP0 9+-+-zp-+-0
9+-+-+R+-0 9-+-+P+-+0
xiiiiiiiiy 9+-+-+P+P0
A peculiar sight of a centralised king on e3 9R+-+-+PmK0
being perfectly safe with so many heavy 9+-+-+-+-0
pieces on the board!
xiiiiiiiiy
29...¦d8? The losing mistake. The Black didn’t have to allow this endgame,
idea is to play ...¦d7 or ...£d7 and but even this should be an easy draw.
take control over the 7th rank, but after
White’s next move Black finds himself 57...¢h7 57...g5 was pointed out by
in zugzwang! Carlsen as the easiest draw. 58.¢g3 ¢g7
59.¢g4 ¢g6 60.g3 ¦b1! 61.¦xa7 ¦g1=
29...¦e8! would have prevented White’s and White cannot make progress unless he
next move. The position is objectively equal exchanges to an elementary 3 vs 2 endgame.
now. 30.h4 h5 31.¦f5 ¦g3+ 32.¥xg3 62.h4 gxh4 63.¢xh4 ¦g2.
£xf5 33.£xc4+ £f7 34.£c5 and a
perpetual check is the most likely outcome. 58.¦a6 ¢g6 59.h4 ¢h5 60.¢h3 ¦f7
61.g4+ ¢h6 62.¢g3 g5? Why? The only
30.£e7! Suddenly Black doesn’t have a explanation is that Nakamura didn’t see the
single sensible move and cannot prevent winning plan.
the destructive h4–h5. The move is in fact a
prophylactic one, preventing Black’s idea 62...¦d7.
of putting a piece on d7.
63.h5 ¢g7 64.¢f2 ¦b7 65.¦a3 ¢h6
30...b5 Black cannot move a single piece. 66.¢e3 a5?
XIIIIIIIIY
30...£d7 31.¦f8+; 30...¦g4 31.£f6;
30...¦c8 31.¦f6. 9-+-+-+-+0
9+r+-+-+-0
31.h4 a5 32.h5 ¦g5 33.¦f6 ¦xe5 9-+-+-zp-mk0
34.¦g6+
9zp-+-zp-zpP0
1–0 9-+-+P+P+0
9tR-+-mKP+-0
The other player to win was the World 9-+-+-+-+0
Champion. If you thought that the position 9+-+-+-+-0
in the game with Karjakin was a dead draw,
then take a look at this. xiiiiiiiiy

September 2018
After this, White wins. Nakamura must isn’t because he’s become any less precise,
have thought it was a fortress. Keeping it is because people have learned, adapted
the pawn for the time being would have and started defending better in these
helped Black draw because he could endgames against him. He won against out-
have sacrificed the pawn at a later stage, of-form players in Saint Louis, but I think
when it would have distracted White’s that he will have to find other ways to win
rook and allowed Black to create against Caruana in November.
counterplay on the kingside.
Nakamura was the main disappointment
67.¦xa5 Now it’s instructive to see White’s of the tournament. After brilliantly
winning plan. winning the rapid and blitz in Paris,
Leuven and Saint Louis, he slumped to
67...¦b3+ 68.¢f2 ¦b2+ 69.¢g3 ¢g7 -3 (3 out of 9) and shared last place with
70.¦a7+ ¢g8 71.¦a1 ¢g7 72.¦f1 ¦a2 Karjakin. I have written previously of his
73.¦f2 ¦a3 74.¦d2 The king can move declining results in classical chess and
toward the centre. this bad result sees him out of the top 10
after a very long time.
74...¦a7 75.¢f2 ¢f7 76.¢e2 ¦b7 77.¦d3
¦a7 78.¢d2 ¢e6 79.¢c3 ¢e7 80.¢c4 Karjakin was equally bad, Anand and
¦c7+ 81.¢b5 ¦c1 82.¦b3 Now the king Vachier drew all their games, So was less
goes to b8 and the rook will be used to than so-so and Grischuk was entertaining
allow it to move towards the kingside by as ever, his time trouble being the main
winning the files by ¦c7 and ¦d7. reason why he didn’t win against Aronian
and share first instead of him.
82...¢f7 83.¢b6 ¦c2 84.¢b7 ¦c1
85.¢b8 ¢g8 86.¦b6 ¢g7 87.¦b7+ ¢g8 After winning Biel, Mamedyarov’s
88.¦c7 The king can move toward the excellent period continued, even though
kingside now. his +1 and sole 4th may not look like it.
Nevertheless, he increased his rating and
88...¦b1+ 89.¢c8 ¦b3 89...¦d1 90.¦d7. was generally out of danger and I see this
as another success for the Azeri.
90.¢d7 ¦xf3 91.¢e6 ¦f4 92.h6 White’s
superior activity, coupled with the cut-off
king on g8, give White a winning advantage.
The unforeseen
three-way
92...¢h8 93.¦b7 ¢g8 93...¦xg4 94.¢f5 tie-break
and White mates.
With a three-way tie for first place the
94.¦g7+ ¢h8 95.¢f7 ¦xe4 96.¢g6 regulations foresaw a rapid tie-break to
¦a4 97.¦h7+ 97.¦h7+ ¢g8 98.¦e7 be played the following day. However,
¦a8 99.¢xf6 and when the g5–pawn falls the tie-break was only considered as a
White wins easily with two connected two-player tie-break – in case of more
passed pawns. than two players the other(s) would
be eliminated using several additional
1–0 criteria. To everybody’s surprise, these
turned out to be completely equal for
all the three players! In such a case
Carlsen’s two wins in the tournament lasted the regulations stated that a drawing of
88 and 97 moves. While this is typical of lots would decide which two players
him, it has been a while since he won a would contest the title. Regulations
game in a long and grinding endgame. It aside (strange as it may sound!), the

09/138
players objected to this and after brief

discussion with the players the organisers
decided to overrule the regulations and
proclaimed all three players as winners
of the Sinquefield Cup.
This means that Caruana, Carlsen and

Aronian won the tournament with 5.5/9
and Nakamura, Vachier, Aronian and
Caruana qualified for the Final Four
tournament of the Grand Chess Tour in
London in December.
FINAL STANDINGS - GRAND CHESS TOUR

POS. PLAYER ROUND 9 RESULTS SCORE
T-1 GM Fabiano Caruana .5 5.5
T-1 GM Levon Aronian 1 5.5
T-1 GM Magnus Carlsen 1 5.5
4 GM S. Mamedyarov .5 5
T-5 GM Alex Grischuk 0 4.5
T-5 GM Viswanathan Anand .5 4.5
T-5 GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave .5 4.5
8 GM Wesley So .5 4
T-9 GM Hikaru Nakamura 0 3
T-9 GM Sergey Karjakin .5 3
FINAL STANDINGS After YNM GCT, PARIS GCT, STL Rapid & Blitz, & Sinquefield Cup
PLAYER GCT POINTS PRIZE MONEY
1 GM Hikaru Nakamura 34.5 $105,000
2 GM Levon Aronian 34.0 $95,000
3 GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave 31.0 $80,000
4 GM Fabiano Caruana 26.0 $85,000
5 GM Wesley So 26.0 $80,000
6 GM Sergey Karjakin 25.5 $72,500
7 GM S. Mamedyarov 25.0 $65,000
8 GM Alex Grischuk 18.0 $45,000
9 GM Vishy Anand 15.0 $45,000

September 2018
How How to prepare:

NOT to Some key points
prepare! on chess preparation
By Theo Slade By Milan Dinic

Usually, if an author shows one of their There is a lot of (both good and bad)
own games, it is invariably a win and advice out there on how best to prepare
almost always a very well−played game. for a game or tournament. The advice
However, this creates a warped perception typically covers not only pure chessboard
of the writer’s games and sometimes, as aspects but also suggestions about
I believe the case is here, it is helpful to physical and mental preparation.
know what NOT to do! In this article, I
would like to do something a little different Out of the vast pool of tips and suggestions
to the usual: I am going to feature one of from expert coaches and strong GMs,
my own games, but where things do not several points - phrased in one way or
go to plan! another - can be singled out:
I was White against John Stephens, a ▪ Find an experienced coach or player

very strong player, in a tournament with above your level to give you advice.
an unorthodox format: the White player The key benefit of having a person
had to travel to the Black player’s house to talk to and not solely relying on
to play the game! This meant that I had a computer or chess books is that
plenty of time to prepare. I had actually fellow players can answer practical
played John twice before as White: the questions which arise during
first time was a Slav, which was drawn learning, preparation and play.

09/138
after thirty moves, and the second game ▪ Analyse your own games and try to
I played a sideline against the Sicilian find out what mistakes you made, why
which I won in forty−seven moves. Both you made them, and what was better.
of these openings suit my positional style, If you can, analyse the game with the
which explain the positive results. opponent - it will provide you with
valuable insight on how they perceived
However, I remember thinking that if the game and your play.
I am going to be well prepared, I may
as well play sharp lines to maximise ▪ Analyse your opponent’s games and
that advantage. So I spent a lot of time style in advance. See what their preferred
learning theory as White in the 6.¥g5 openings and positions are. If possible,
Najdorf, which I played in this game. The try and find out what they are like as
problem is that, as GM Levon Aronian a person, how they behave. The more
said, no matter how detailed, thorough, you know about someone, the likelier
and creative your opening preparation you are to know what to expect and
is, it has to fit. The main thing is that possibly to identify “soft” weaknesses.
you are comfortable with the typical Knowing your opponent brings to
positions arising from the opening you mind Botvinnik’s famous quip: “If Tal
are playing. sacrifices a piece, take it. If Petrosian
sacrifices a piece, don’t take it”.
Theo Slade - John Stephens
▪ While GMs point out the importance
EJ Winter-Wood Shield 2014–15 (3), of good opening preparation, this
09.05.2015 seems to be a key factor only in very
high levels of play. Relying solely
1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.¤xd4 ¤f6 on memorising openings without
5.¤c3 5.f3 is the Sicilian sideline which I understanding the ideas, as well
was referring to in the introduction. as the middle game and endings
leads to false confidence. GM Igor
5...a6 6.¥g5 e6 7.f4 b5 8.e5 dxe5 9.fxe5 Smirov recommends playing ‘normal
£c7 10.exf6 £e5+ 11.¥e2 £xg5 12.£d3 openings’ i.e standard opening
XIIIIIIIIY lines which correspond to the basic
strategic ideas, rather than looking
9rsnl+kvl-tr0 for quick/cheap opening tricks. In
9+-+-+pzpp0 that respect, here at BCM we have
been trying to do our bit for many
9p+-+pzP-+0 years! We strongly recommend
9+p+-+-wq-0 following BCM’s ‘Openings for
9-+-sN-+-+0 Amateurs’ column by Pete Tamburro,
in which the author explains the
9+-sNQ+-+-0 central ideas and key moments of
9PzPP+L+PzP0 his chosen openings and how they
relate to the middlegame and ending.
9tR-+-mK-+R0 Ian Watson’s endgame studies in
xiiiiiiiiy BCM are also a valuable resource
After the game, I recall a funny demonstrating key concepts in
exchange with my coach at the time, endgame positions, and Chris Jones’
Dr. Dave Regis. I said that I knew the problem studies offer excellent
first twelve moves of the Polugaevsky strategic and positional training in all
Variation, probably sounding quite aspects of the game.
pleased with myself! However, he

September 2018
retorted: ‘the Polugaevsky Variation ▪ Make sure you read high quality
starts after twelve moves!’ This is what literature and sources on chess
can happen when you are playing an strategy in all three parts of the game.
unfamiliar opening! Ask coaches and more experienced
players what best suits your level. See
12...¦a7 13.0–0 ¦d7 I had prepared all what other strong players have read
of this, but now I am on my own, which and which sources they highlight as
looking back was pretty poor preparation. most important for the improvement
of their play. If you wish, write to
14.¤e4 This is quite obvious, but on the us and our authors directly and they
very next move I already make a huge will provide you with some initial
mistake! advice. Go to chess clubs, play lots
of chess with fellow players rather
14...£e5 15.¦ad1? than computers, discuss the game
XIIIIIIIIY and get their tips about what books
and sources stronger opponents found
9-snl+kvl-tr0 useful.
9+-+r+pzpp0
▪ Psyche yourself up! Imagine you are
9p+-+pzP-+0 already in the game or tournament
9+p+-wq-+-0 you are about to play. Train with a
9-+-sNN+-+0 chessboard, get a feel for the pieces
and what it’s like to sit in front of
9+-+Q+-+-0 an actual chess set - most advice is
9PzPP+L+PzP0 that players at a lower level should
spend most of their chess time over a
9+-+R+RmK-0 physical chess board while learning
xiiiiiiiiy from books.
15.¤f3 To me this is an unnatural
move since it is backwards and There are other aspects, where chess and
moving a pinned piece. 15...£xb2 (If life skills merge, which are important and
15...¦xd3 then 16.¤xe5.) 16.£e3 ¥b7 useful way beyond the chessboard:
17.¦ab1 £xc2 18.¤fg5 £c7 19.a4 b4
20.¦xb4 ¥xe4 21.¤xe4 ¥xb4 22.fxg7 ▪ Trust but verify. This principle is
unbelievably is all theory, when best one of the pillars of critical thinking
play continues 22...¥c3 23.gxh8£+ and in particular good journalism.
¥xh8 24.£h6 £e5 25.£xh7 ¢f8 Don’t take people’s word, but check
26.¤g3 and White has a big edge due to things to the best of your abilities.
his superior king safety, piece activity, At BCM we very much have this
and coordination. principle in mind!
15...¥b7 16.¥f3 ¥xe4 17.£xe4 £xe4 ▪ Have clear goals which you want to
18.¥xe4 ¦xd4 18...gxf6 is actually even achieve. Make sure they are suitable
better, with the point that 19.¦xf6 is for your level of play, interest and
impossible as the dark squared bishop goes time availability. Do not ask too much
the other way: 19...¥g7! of yourself, be realistic, and expect
disappointments and reverses as
19.¦xd4 ¥c5 I admitted to Dave after the inevitable and not to be feared.
game that I had missed this pin on the a7–g1
diagonal, to which he replied that this pin is ▪ Make a plan for your chess development
a very typical tactic in this line. Once again, which correlates to your strength and

09/138
the perils of playing a variation which you available time and resouces, and stick
have insufficient experience with… to it as best you can.
20.c3 gxf6 20...e5 fails to 21.fxg7 ¦g8 ▪ Make sure you have enough physical
22.¦f5 with a pin across the fifth rank: 22... and psychological strength. Chess
exd4 23.¦xc5. is a sedentary game, but games can
last for several hours and are often
21.¦xf6 ¢e7 21...e5 still does not work for very demanding in terms of nervous
the same reason: 22.¦f5 exd4 23.¦xc5. energy spent. So it’s important to
have the physical and mental strength
22.¦f2 f5 23.¥b7 ¥xd4 24.cxd4 ¦d8 to cope with this.
25.¦f4 ¦d7 26.¦h4 ¢d6 26...¦xb7 is met
by 27.¦xh7+. There are a lot of other aspects which
we could mention (for example,
27.¥f3
XIIIIIIIIY one’s personal style, temperament
and preferences). But – as Theo Slade
9-sn-+-+-+0 has often reminded us in his articles
9+-+r+-+p0 for BCM – dedication, hard work,
discipline and a well-structured plan
9p+-mkp+-+0 (work smart!) are vital and not only to
9+p+-+p+-0 success over the chessboard.
9-+-zP-+-tR0
9+-+-+L+-0
9PzP-+-+PzP0
9+-+-+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
½–½
So far I have defended well and I drew this

position after forty-one moves, which was
a decent result.
However, I was White, I went into the

game trying to win, and I had spent hours
preparing. In hindsight, this was a waste of
time as my opponent knew more theory, had
more experience, and understood the opening
better than I did. I would have been much
better off playing a line which suited my style,
because I had already done that and scored
1.5/2, which is better than what happened in
this game. Out of the opening I was fighting
for a draw for the rest of the game, obviously
very disappointing as White.
It is all too easy to do what I did:

superficially learn engine lines, but as soon
as you get out of book, make a mistake and
find yourself worse. You’ve been warned!

September 2018
Openings
for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro, ptamburro@aol.com
What to do against b6
in the Benko Gambit Declined
A few years back some promising young players came up to me and said they were running into
b6 instead of the more cooperative bxa6. They were running into problems when they played a5
because White used b5 as a strong outpost. When they tried not to play a5, their pieces got all
jumbled up. My instinct was to recommend a well-timed a5, but they weren’t convinced. We went
our separate ways. When I run into them again, I’ll see what they decided to do. As you will see
below, there are several ways offered to deal with this move, which has become extremely popular
in recent years.
This game was played in my hometown - New Jersey - at a very popular open tournament (we get
as many as 10 GMs and 4 IMs) because the town itself is beautiful with many stores and parks and
historic sites. Titled players like it because we give them free entry and free hotel accommodations
in exchange for some annotated games. The prize fund is generous for a state weekend tournament
- a 1500 first prize for top spot. The two players in this game are highly talented as their ratings
attest. It’s a very interesting plan that Black comes up with to upset the higher rated player.
Leonid Sokolin - Wesley Wang avoid a possible b7 later, which in some

lines becomes awkward for the rook. It
New Jersey Open, Morristown NJ, USA, 2017 restores material equality. The queen
attacks b2 and also then has b4 as a
1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.b6 strong square for the lady if White plays
XIIIIIIIIY a4. One possibility: 5...£xb6 6.¤c3 d6
7.e4 g6 8.a4 £b4 9.£c2 (9.a5 ¤xe4)
9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 9...¤bd7 10.a5 ¦b8 11.f4 ¥g7 12.¦a4
9+-+pzppzpp0 £b3 13.¥d3 0–0 14.¤f3 £xc2 15.¥xc2
¤e8 16.0–0 ¤c7 17.¦e1 ¤f6 18.h3 ¥d7
9pzP-+-sn-+0 19.¦a2 ¦b4=; Fedorowicz, also a Benko
9+-zpP+-+-0 Gambit author, offered two playable lines
9-+-+-+-+0 with 6...g6 and 6...¤bd7 in his column
in American Chess Magazine #3: 5...
9+-+-+-+-0 d6 6.¤c3 £xb6 (6...g6 7.e4 ¥g7 8.¤f3
9PzP-+PzPPzP0 ¤bd7 9.a4 a5 10.¥e2 0–0 11.0–0 ¤xb6;
6...¤bd7 7.e4 ¦b8 8.¤f3 g6 9.¥e2 ¥g7
9tRNvLQmKLsNR0 10.0–0 0–0 11.h3 ¤xb6).
xiiiiiiiiy
5...g6 I had a nice conversation with GM On the ICC, I have one opponent who,
John Fedorowicz about b6 as he was to with White, insists on playing this line,
write his column on it, and he said that which is played by several people. I
GM Michael Adams said that £xb6 like to play it as Black because the
right away was best. When you look at pushing of the a-pawn by White leaves
some of the lines below, that is pretty a wonderful hole at b4 for queen or
easy to understand. The queen takes rook or even knight a little later. Also,
the pawn - gets that out of the way to quite favourable for Black, if White

09/138
pushes to a5, is the idea of putting the £xb6, which will have to deal with a
bishop, who often doesn’t have much possible a5. The queen rook, if there is
of a range, on b5 to force an exchange. to be a kingside attack with f4, will find
It is also quite thematic, and you don’t the rook lift square at a3 very useful for
have to be a tactical wizard to stay in travel over to the kingside.
the game: 7.a4 g6 8.a5 £b4 9.¦a4 £b7
10.e4 ¥g7 11.¥c4 0–0 12.¤ge2 ¥d7 8...a5 Either move seems to be OK as
13.¦a3 £b4 14.£d3 ¥b5 15.¥xb5 £xb6 gets into the line mentioned above:
axb5 16.¥d2 ¤bd7 17.¤xb5 (17.£xb5 8...£xb6 9.a5 £b4 10.¦a4 £b7.
¤xe4) 17...¤e5 18.¥xb4 ¤xd3+
19.¦xd3 cxb4µ. Of course, our games 9.¥b5+
vary at various moves, but my opponent XIIIIIIIIY
keeps playing it with no real success.;
Perunovic, in The Modernized Benko 9rsnlwqk+-tr0
Gambit, gives this hair-raising line 9+-+-zppvlp0
among other variations along the way:
5...e6 (I asked GM Lev Alburt, quite 9-zP-zp-snp+0
the Benko player, what he would do 9zpLzpP+-+-0
against b6, and he offered the e6 line.) 9P+-+P+-+0
6.¤c3 ¤xd5 7.¤xd5 exd5 8.£xd5
¤c6 9.¤f3 ¦b8 10.¤e5 £f6 11.¤xc6 9+-sN-+-+-0
dxc6 12.£f3 ¥e7 (12...£xf3 13.exf3 9-zP-+-zPPzP0
¦xb6 14.b3 ¥e7 15.¥e3 ¥e6 16.¦c1
a5 17.¥d3) 13.¥d2 £xb2 14.¥c3 £c2 9tR-vLQmK-sNR0
15.¥xg7 ¦g8 (He omits this possibility: xiiiiiiiiy
15...¦xb6! 16.¥xh8 c4 17.¥c3 ¥g5 A recommended theory move, using the
18.¦d1 ¥f5) 16.£c3 £f5 17.f3 ¦xb6 bishop rather than the knight to make
followed by c4 with some initiative. It trouble on that side. Now, the question
is a highly tactical line with all sorts of for Black is what piece should cover the
tricks and traps along the way, so if you check?
are not so inclined, this would be one to
avoid. If you are so inclined, then you 9...¤bd7!? As you will see, Black
have some serious preparation ahead. has another plan for the ¤f6. Quite
good seems 9...¤fd7 10.f4 ¤a6 11.b7
6.¤c3 ¥g7 7.e4 d6 8.a4 ¥xb7 12.¤f3 0–0 where ¤b4 will keep
XIIIIIIIIY pressure on the d5 pawn. Not taking the
b6 pawn early on gets you 9...¥d7 10.b7
9rsnlwqk+-tr0 which is annoying.
9+-+-zppvlp0
10.f4 A case of 2500 going after 2400?
9pzP-zp-snp+0 He had a solid line with 10.¤f3 0–0
9+-zpP+-+-0 11.0–0 ¤g4 12.¤g5 ¤xb6 13.h3 ¤e5
9P+-+P+-+0 14.f4 h6 15.¤f3 (15.fxe5 hxg5 16.¥xg5
¥xe5 17.¥h6 ¥g7 18.¥xg7 ¢xg7=)
9+-sN-+-+-0 15...¤xf3+ 16.£xf3 ¥d7 17.f5 ¥xb5
9-zP-+-zPPzP0 18.axb5 ¤d7 and White will have to know
how to attack and Black will have to know
9tR-vLQmKLsNR0 how to defend.
xiiiiiiiiy
You can see White’s idea. It forces Black 10...0–0 11.¤f3 ¤xb6 12.0–0 ¤e8
to choose between a5, conceding b5, and

September 2018
XIIIIIIIIY 22.gxf3 ¥xg5 23.£xg5 ¥c4.

9r+lwqntrk+0 19.¤xe5 ¥xe5 20.¥h6
9+-+-zppvlp0 XIIIIIIIIY
9-sn-zp-+p+0 9-+-wq-trk+0
9zpLzpP+-+-0 9+-sn-zpp+p0
9P+-+PzP-+0 9l+Lzp-+pvL0
9+-sN-+N+-0 9zp-zpPvlP+-0
9-zP-+-+PzP0 9P+-+P+-+0
9tR-vLQ+RmK-0 9+rsN-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy 9RzPR+-+PzP0
This is Black’s idea - to reroute the cavalry
to c7 to go after the bishop. 9+-+-wQ-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
13.£e1 ¤c7 14.¥c6 ¦b8 15.f5 The Black now has a lovely move that puts the
pawn push seems white’s best bet as e5 is exclamation mark on the power of the two
prevented by the two knights’ Black attack Benko bishops. White’s now in trouble.
on d5, an idea worth remembering. If
White tries putting his knight on b5, Black 20...¥d3! 21.¦c1 ¤a6! Oh, my. Rubbing
has a counter shot with f5: 15.¤b5 f5 salt in the wound at b4.
16.e5 ¤cxd5 17.¥d2 ¥b7 18.¥xb7 ¦xb7
19.¥xa5 £d7 20.¦d1 ¤xf4 21.b3 d5=. 22.¥xf8 It really doesn’t matter. 22.£d2
c4 23.£f2 e6.
15...¤c4!? Most players shun the following
suggestion because it disrupts the integrity 22...£xf8 23.¥b5 ¤b4 Have patience. There
of the castled position. Still, Black can were several avenues to victory here. He does
consider it as an alternative. 15...gxf5 eventually end the game with £h6. 23...£h6.
16.exf5 ¥xf5 17.¤h4 ¥d3 (17...¥g6).
16.¦a2 16.£e2 ¥a6 17.¤b5 ¤b6 24.¦a3 ¦xb2 24...£h6.
18.fxg6 fxg6 19.£c2 ¤d7 20.¥d2 ¤xb5
21.axb5 ¥xb5 22.¥xa5 £c8 23.¥xb5 25.£h4 Stopping £h6 for now.
¦xb5 And Black’s queenside initiative
is real (that typical Benko c4 move is in 25...c4 Yes, Black will not trade off his
the air for a check or knight placement). dominating bishop for one that has nothing
White’s kingside attack is a vanished to do. The whole b5 square idea didn’t
dream; however, White can probably hold work for White.
a difficult game if up to the task.
26.¤d1 ¦d2 27.£g5 ¥d4+ 28.¢h1 ¦e2
16...¥a6 17.¦f2 ¦b3 18.¦c2 ¤e5 Again, 29.£g3 ¥e5 30.£h4 £h6
that gxf5 possibility is intriguing. Black’s
pieces spring to life: 18...gxf5 19.exf5 £c8 0–1
20.£e4 ¦b4 21.£xe7 £xf5 22.¦f2 ¤e5!
23.£xd6 (23.£xc7 ¤xf3+ 24.¦xf3 £c2)
23...¤d3 24.¦c2 ¥xc3 25.bxc3 (25.£xc7 There you go! Mate in 5. This game should
¥g7) 25...¦b1µ; Houdini suggests £b8. give you some important ideas as a Benko
Another idea that wants to capitalize on player, and the different options on move 5
the usual Benko queenside play. 18...£b8 are also worthy of study. I have to get back
19.£h4 ¤e5 20.¥h6 ¥f6 21.¥g5 ¤xf3+ to those boys!

09/138
Problem
World
by Christopher Jones
cjajones1@yahoo.co.uk
Grandmaster of Chess Composition
Solutions are given on page 574
1XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+Q+-+0
9+-+P+Nzp-0
9-+-+Nmkp+0
9tRl+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+Rvl-+K0
9-+rzp-+-+0
2
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-vL-+-mk0
9wq-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+K+0
9+-+-+p+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-zp-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+L+-+-+-0 9+Q+-+-+-0
3 4
Barry Barnes (Rochester) Paul Michelet (London)
Mate in 2 Mate in 5 (b)Pg3>h3
Original ORIGINAL
9-+-vL-+-mk0 9l+-mK-+-+0
9wq-+-+-+-0 9+-zpPtrp+-0
9-+-+-+K+0 9-vLp+-tR-+0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+n+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0 9-+rzPpzPp+0
9+-+-+-sn-0 9+-zp-mkq+-0
9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0
9+Q+-+-+-0 9+-+n+-+-0
Paul Michelet (London)) Christopher Jones (Bristol)
Mate in 6 (b)Ng3>h2 Helpmate in 3 - 2 solutions
Original ORIGINAL

September 2018
QUOTES AND QUERIES
By Alan Smith
6125 William Ward was a leading British 4.exd5 ¤xd5 5.¤f3 ¤c6 6.0-0 ¥g4
chess player for over twenty years. He came 7.¦e1 ¥e7 8.h3 ¥xf3 9.£xf3 ¤f6 10.c3
to the fore by tying with Blake for first prize A sensible move, white has the bishop
at Salisbury 1898. Two years later he made pair and has no need to rush. Larsen later
his debut for the Cable match team. In seven pointed out 10.¥b5 £d6 11.¥xc6+ bxc6
matches he scored +2 =3 -2 including a win 12.£g3!
over Marshall. He was one of the victors in
1911, when Great Britain finally secured the 10...0-0 11.¥b3 ¥c5? 12.¥g5 h6 13.¥h4
Sir George Newnes Trophy. £d6 14.¤d2 ¦ad8 15.¥c2 ¦fe8 16.¦ad1
16.¤xe4 may look tempting but allows the
Ward is one of the players who came close unpin with 16...¤xe4! when 17.¥xd8? is
to winning the British Championship, met by 17...¥xf2+.
but never won the title. He made four
appearances in the event 1905 to 1909. 16...£d5 17.¤e4 ¥e7 18.¥xf6 ¥xf6
Three times he placed in the top three, yet 19.¥b3! £b5 20.¤xf6+ gxf6 21.£xf6
Henry Atkins finished ahead of him each ¦e7 22.¦e4 h5 23.¦e3 ¢h7 24.¦g3 ¦g8
time. Even so Ward made a level score with 25.£f5+! ¦g6 Both king moves lose on
Atkins in these events. the spot.
Ward was champion of the City of London 26.¥xf7

Chess Club six times - 1902,1904 and 1906
then a hat-trick of victories 1909-1911. 1-0
William Ward - Sunday Times, 31st March 1907

Creassey Edward Cecil Tattersall
City of london - Combined Universities, 1907
One of Ward’s strengths as a player
1.e4 e5 2.¥c4 ¤f6 3.d3 d5 Favoured was his innovative handling of the
by Frank Marshall, this failed to gain a Sicilian Defence. The following game
wider acceptance. is a good example.

09/138
Augustus W. Mongredien - 14.¢h2 gxh3 15.gxh3 ¥xh3!? This bold

William Ward move works out well.
City of London CC Ch, 1908 16.¢xh3?? White obligingly falls in with

black’s plan. 16.£f3! ¥xf1 17.¥xf6 £e6
1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.¤xd4 ¤f6 18.¥f1 is correct, when white is probably
5.¥d3 This is an attempt to reduce black’s better.
options. if 5.¤c3 black can choose between
5...d6, 5...¤c6 and 5...¥b4. 16...£e6+ 17.¢h2 ¤g4+ 18.¢h1 ¤xf2+!
The sting in the tail.
5...¤c6 6.¤xc6 White has no better 6.c3
£b6 and 6.¥e3 d5 both favour black. 19.¦xf2 ¥xf2 20.£f3 20.¥xf2 allows
20...£h3#.
6...dxc6! A new idea in 1908, 6...bxc6 was
the preferred move at that time. 20...¥xh4 21.¥c4 £d7 22.¦f1 0-0-0
23.¤b3 ¦g3 24.£f5 £xf5 25.¦xf5 f6
7.0-0 e5 This position can also arise from a 26.¢h2 ¦e3 27.¥d3 ¦g8 28.¤d2 ¥g3+
Philidor’s Defence! 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 d6 3.d4 29.¢h1 ¥f4 30.¥f1 ¦eg3
¤f6 4.¥d3 ¤bd7 5.0-0 c6 6.dxe5 ¤xe5
7.¤xe5 dxe5. 0-1
8.¥g5!? This looks suspect, but it is quite The threat of ...¦g1# forces further
playable. exchanges.
8...h6 9.¥h4 ¥c5 10.¤d2 £e7 11.h3 West Sussex County Times,
White wished to avoid 11.¤f3 ¥g4 28th March 1908
11...g5!? 12.¥g3 g4 13.¥h4 Setting a trap,

white could also play 13.h4. Ward’s novelty was forgotten, but was
revived by Alekhine who used it to defeat
13...¦g8! Black is vigilant and avoids the Spielmann at New York 1927. This was not
pitfall 13...gxh3? 14.£f3! Ward’s only contribution to the theory of
the Sicilian Defence, he also introduced:
Ward one of ▪ Sicilian Dragon - 6.¥e2 ¥g7 7.¥e3 0-0
8.0-0 ¤c6 9.f4 £b6 Gunston-Ward City of
the players who London CC 1910.
▪ Sicilian Accelerated Dragon - 5.c4 ¥g7
came close to 6.¥e3 ¤f6 7.¤c3 0-0 8.¥e2 b6 Gunsberg-
Ward BCF Ch 1908.
winning the British In both cases he was successful.
Championship, The following game won the brilliancy

prize.
but never won the J. Davidson - William Ward
title. He made four City of London CC Ch, 1913
appearances in the 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 d6 3.d4 ¤f6 4.¤c3 This allows
event 1905 to 1909 Ward to transpose to the Hanham Variation,
4.dxe5 ¤xe4 5.£d5 is more testing.

September 2018
4...¤bd7 5.¥c4 ¥e7 6.0-0 0-0 7.¥g5 c6 22.¤xd5 22.¤e2 £h1+ 23.¤g1 ¥h2 is
8.a4 £c7 9.¤h4? Dubious move. no better.
9...exd4 10.£xd4 10.¤f5 goes nowhere 22...£h1+ 23.¢e2 ¥c3+ 24.¤e3 ¦xe3+
10...dxc3 11.¤xe7+ ¢h8 12.bxc3 ¤xe4. 25.fxe3 £g2+ 26.¢d3 ¥xe1 27.£b6 27.¦xe1
loses to 27...¦d8+ 28.¢c4 £d5+ 29.¢c3
10...¤e5 11.¥a2 h6 12.¥d2? This leaves £d2+ 30.¢c4 £xe1 when the attempt for
white’s pieces tangled up 12.¥c1 is passive counterplay with 31.£xb7 is met by 31...£xe3!
but necessary. 32.£xc6 £d4+ 33.¢b5 £b4+ 34.¢a6 ¦d6.
12...¤fg4 13.¤f5 According to plan.13.¤f3 27...£d2+ 28.¢e4 ¦e8+ 29.

¤xf3+ 14.gxf3 is not terrible, but black has
better 13...¥f6! 0-1
13...¥xf5! 14.exf5 ¥f6 15.£b4 a5 16.£b3 d5 Illustrated London News 21st June 1913
17.¥f4 Probably white’s best, the alternative is
17.f4? ¤c4 18.¥e1 ¤ge3 when f5 falls leaving
white a pawn down with a bad position. William Ward was a strong player as well as a
trailblazer in the Sicilian Defence. He defeated
17...¤f3+! 18.gxf3 £xf4 19.fxg4 ¥e5 Marshall, three times, Atkins, Gunsberg and
20.¦fe1 £xh2+ 21.¢f1 ¦ae8 Aiming to Blackburne. In his toughest tournament, City
cut off the white king’s escape route. of London CC 1900, he won fourth prize
ahead of Blackburne and van Vliet.
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BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE, the World’s Oldest Chess Journal
09/138
Prolific tournament organiser Adam Raoof

speaks about the state of chess in the UK today
Your
King
Wants
You!
“Chess should be a truly inclusive game, Bob Wade and Len Blackstock produce
regardless of age or physical ability, is daily newspaper bulletins at the Dubai
fairly simple to learn but almost impossible Olympiad in 1986 to a running a series of
to master. That’s why chess is for life − it Grandmaster Norm Tournaments played
can take that long to improve your game”, in by the likes of Luke McShane and
says Adam Raoof, one of the most active Simon Williams (in the heady days when
and dynamic people at the very centre of sponsorship was more readily available)".
the chess scene in the UK.
Adam’s chess credentials are impressive.
A well−known face in the chess circles, A fully qualified FIDE International
Raoof currently runs almost 70 rapid play Organiser and Arbiter, Adam was the
and standard tournaments a year, mainly non−playing England Captain for the
in the North London area. His tournaments 2000 Chess Olympiad in Istanbul and an
attract over 5,000 chess players of all ages Arbiter at the World Chess Championship
and abilities every year. This equates to Candidates event in 2013. He has also
over 30,000 graded games of chess! You acted as an advisor for films (Sherlock
can usually find all the results from Adam’s Holmes: A Game of Shadows) and the
events on chessengland.com or chess− theatre (Chess: The Musical) as part of his
results.com.
It seems to me that,
Adam Raoof and chess go back a long way. contrary to John
“I was 6 when my father taught me how each
chess piece moves on the board and about Nunn's opinion, the
12 when I joined Lewisham Chess Club and UK chess scene is
then started playing in tournaments, which in good health, is
is quite late, particularly these days. I've
been involved in chess organisation from expanding and could
the very start − because I enjoy organising be about to explode
things. These range in scope from helping demographically
September 2018
continuing campaign to ensure that at least that moment when young people have to
the board is the right way around! He is a decide whether to choose to pursue chess,
respected chess author and has even found or to concentrate on an alternative career.
time to appear on TV as arbiter for the
show Checkmate. I think that widespread use of chess
playing websites and social media
Raoof is the organiser of the annual July means we are moving into a new
Kings Place Festival in London’s Kings phase of online lessons, coaching and
Cross district. Now in its 6th year, it is the webinars. Chess events national and
largest rapid event in the UK with up to 400 local are streamed live on Facebook and
players taking part and one of the biggest YouTube. I even have my own Chess TV
prize funds in the UK, with a top prize Channel: www.twitch.tv/adamraoof/.”
of £1000. The beautiful venue comes at a
price, however, and Adam is now seeking Now in its 6th year, the
a sponsor to guarantee that the tournament
can continue for the next three years. annual July Kings Place
Festival in London’s Kings
Adam is well placed to stand back and take Cross district is the
a good hard look at the chess scene in the
UK. In his view, prospects for chess in the largest rapid event in the
UK don’t seem to be as gloomy as some UK with up to 400 players
have said. (see BCM’s interview with John taking part and one of
Nunn in our July 2017 issue.)
the biggest prize funds
Typically upbeat, he comments “Thanks with a top prize of £1000
to the proliferation of chess being taught
in schools, the boom in private coaching, Adam Raoof brings a refreshing and
coupled with chess on social media, I am invigorating perspective to the chess scene.
seeing an increase in the number of players His natural energy and enthusiasm have
taking part in my tournaments. I realise a galvanising effect and we feel sure that
that I am in something of a bubble living Adam will continue to achieve great things.
in London. It’s a bubble partly of my own Difficult financial realities of course are
creation; yet it seems to me that, contrary an ever present challenge for everyone
to John Nunn's opinion, the chess scene is involved with chess, but with creative
healthy, it is expanding and could be about people like Adam at the heart of the chess
to explode demographically”. scene in the UK there is every reason to be
positive about the future of the game.
In Raoof’s view, organising several strong
top level tournaments in the UK would Dear BCM Readers, we urge you to
greatly contribute to attracting attention remember Lord Kitchener’s famous
to the game and improve its status of the call to action and help Adam secure
game in the mind of the public, sponsors, the future of the splendid annual Kings
the government and the media. Place Chess Festival event. You can also
contact Adam directly by emailing him
“What we really need right now is a good at: Adam Raoof | chessengland.com
series of strong tournaments that will adamraoof@gmail.com.
encourage masters from around the world
to come to the UK and give our talented
young players a low cost chance to meet Your King is calling,
them on home turf. This would enable us step forward and do your duty!
to bridge the gap between junior chess and

09/138
Endgame Studies
by Ian Watson
ian@irwatson.demon.co.uk
1 XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-mk0
9zp-+-+-zpP0
9P+-+-+-zp0
9+-+-+pzpL0
9K+P+-+-vl0
9+-+-+-zp-0
2
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+N+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9wQ-+-+p+-0
9-+-+-+P+0 9-+-+n+-zp0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+K+-sn-mk-0
I Ionchev P Joita & V Nestorescu
Shakhmatna Misl 1982 Postsjakk 1986
draw
3 4
(Corrected by M Garcia)
wIN
9k+-tr-wq-+0 9-+-wq-mk-+0
9+-vl-+p+Q0 9zp-+r+p+R0
9-+-+-+-tR0 9-+p+n+-mK0
9zpK+-+-+-0 9sN-+rzp-+-0
9-+N+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0
9+P+-+-+-0 9+-+-+PzP-0
9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+Q+N+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy iiiiiiii
L Kubbel A Belyavsky
Shakhmatny Listok 1921 Korolkov MT 2008
Win win

September 2018
Smothered or forked
We all like winning, but it’s still more satisfying when we finish the game spectacularly.
My favourite memories are of smothered mates and of forking the enemy king and queen
– knights doing their weird wonders. Of course, whatever can be done over-the-board can
be done in studies with polish, panache and pizzazz. So, first two smotherings, then two
forking studies…
Bring on the knights… So how come there’s no knight on the board in the first study?
Well, obviously, you’ll have to promote, but first you need to prevent that Black
bishop interfering with your plan. You’ll need to prevent another Black defensive idea
too – he’ll try to self-stalemate.
The Joita & Nestorescu study would be tough to solve, but now you know there’s going
to be a smothering it should be do-able, especially when I tell you that it’s not the Black
king which is going to be smothered. King, queen and two knights beat king and queen, so
merely eliminating that f-pawn, say by 1.¤g5, won’t be enough. So, try and force Black
to set up the corner cage.
Now for the forkers. Kubbel was the first composer to improve on single forks and
instead set up a double-fork sequence. The knight will guzzle three Black men one
after the other, as if it was a game of draughts.
Our final study is by a composer who died in April this year, Albert Belyavsky
(not to be confused with the player Alexander Belyavsky). I suppose Belyavsky
had that Kubbel study in mind and decided to take the idea even further. The first
difficult move to find is White’s third, and White’s fourth sets up the hopping
madness.
The solutions are given on page 575.

09/138
Solutions to Problems (See page 566)
This month's problems
After a typically attractive opener from Barry, we have two longer solving challenges
from Paul. You may be glad to see positions that are more game-like in appearance than
the usual fare in this column! Indeed, Paul came across these positions while exploring
possibilities for endgame studies. The two problems (each in two parts) clearly form a
couplet, but they are sufficiently different to stand alone; after solving you may find an
interesting relationship between the solutions. Finally, a return to the murky world of
helpmates: in my 3-mover you’re looking for two B-W-B-W-B-W# sequences of moves.
Mate in 2 – ‘play from A variation on the theme

masked indirect batteries’
I quote the composer’s description of the In Paul’s second problem it’s again a
main thematic interest in this problem. You case of choosing between moves of the
will get an idea of what he means when white bishop. Paul advises me that in (a)
you see the key – 1.¤c5! (threat 2.£e6). it takes 13 moves to mate with 1.¥f6+
There is now potentially a ¦a5/¤c5 and 8 with 1.¥c7. So the key is 1.¥e7!,
battery, which could be fired by a move of and now after 1...£a6+ 2.¥f6+ we
the c5 knight (not against the black king have 2...£xf6+ 3.¢xf6 ¤h5+ 4.¢f7
directly but against squares to which the ¤f6 5.£g6! and after 1...¤h5 it’s
black king might wish to flee) if it were 2.£b2+ ¢g8 3.£b3+ ¢h8 4.£c3+
’unmasked’ by a move of the ¥b5. And £d4/¤f6 5.£c8+/£xf6+. Once again,
there’s a similar configuration on b1/c2/d3. part (b) shows the opposite choice
We see these batteries being fired in some being required: not 1.¥e7 (which mates
of the variations: 1...¥c4 2.¤e4; 1..¥xd7+ in 9) but 1.¥c7!, after which we have
2.¤xd7; 1...¦xc5 2.¦d6; 1...¥xc5 2.¦f3; 1...£a6+ 2.¥b6 £a3 3.¥d4+ ¢g8
1...¢f5 2.£e5. 4.£b8+ £f8 5.£b3+.
Mate in 5 (not 6 or 7!) Return of the Zilahi theme
Although it’s quite a game-like position, As you may recall, ’Zilahi theme’,
what Paul’s 5-mover resembles is a position beloved of helpmate exponents, simply
in which Black is about to resign! But in a means that a white piece captured in
problem one has to find the quickest mate, one solution mates in the other and vice
and it’s interesting that in this and in the versa. In this case, the pieces involved
next problem the obvious 1.¥f6+ is too are the white rook and white bishop
slow (it mates in 7, not 5). So a subtler (they often are!), and the motivation is
approach is required, and White chooses to allow the white king to occupy their
between 1.¥e7 and 1.¥c7. In part (a), squares, guarding possible flight squares
1.¥e7 is too slow after 1...£a6+ 2.¥f6+ for his opposite number in the mate
£xf6+ 3.¢xf6 g2, so the solution is positions: 1.¤xb6 ¢xc7 2.¢xd4 ¢xb6
1.¥c7 £a6+ 2.¥b6 £e2/b7 3.¥d4+ etc.. 3.£e3 ¦d6 and 1.¤xf6 ¢xe7 2.¢xf4
In part (b) similar logic excludes 1.¥c7, ¢xf6 3.¤e3 ¥xf7. It’s quite unusual in
and now the key is 1.¥e7!, after which we 3-move helpmates to see half the moves
have 1...£a6+ 2.¥f6+ £xf6+ 3.¢xf6 being played by kings!
¢g8/¢h7 4.£b7/£g1.

September 2018
Endgame Studies (See page 572)
Ionchev
1.¥g4 fxg4 2.c5 ¢xh7 3.c6 ¢g6 4.c7 ¢h5 5.c8¤ g6 6.¤b6 axb6 7.a7 b5+ 8 ¢a5 b4
9.a8¤ b3 and White mates, by, for example, 10.¤c7 b2 11.¤d5 b1£ 12.¤f6 mate.
Joita & Nestorescu
1.£e3+ f2 2.¤g5 h1£ 3.¤h3+ ¢h2 4.£xf2+ ¤g2+ 5.£g1+ ¤xg1 6.¤f2 draws. Please
set up this final position, just to savour the imprisonment of the Black queen!
The sidelines are: 1…¢h1 2.£f2; 1…¢g2 2.£g5+ ¤g3 3.¤f4+ ¢f2 4.£c5+ ¢f1
5.£b5+ and either 5…¢g1 6.¤h3+ ¢g2 7.¤f4+ or 5…¤e2 6.¤xe2 fxe2 7.£f5+
¢g1 8.£g4+ ¤g2 9.£xe2; 1…¢f1 2.£h6 ¢g2 3.£g5+ and similar to the last lines;
4…¢xh3 5.£xe2; and in the main line, 5.¢c2? £c1+ 6.¢d3 £d1+ 7.¢e4 ¤g3+
8.¢e5 ¢xh3 winning.
Kubbel
1.£e4+ ¢b8 2.¦b6+ ¥xb6 3.¢a6 ¦d7 4.£a8+ ¢xa8 5.¤xb6+ ¢b8 6.¤xd7+ ¢c8
7.¤xf8 wins. 2…¢c8 3.£b7+ ¢d7 4.¤e5+ ¢e7 5.£xc7+ ¢e8 6.£c6+ ¢e7 7.¤g6+
fxg6 8.£e6 mate.
Belyavsky
1.¦h8+ ¢e7 2.¤xc6+ ¢f6 3.¦g8 £xg8 4.£f5+ ¢xf5 5.¤e7+ ¦xe7 6.¤e3+ ¢f6
7.¤xd5+ ¢f5 8.¤xe7+ ¢f6 9.¤xg8+ ¢f5 10.¤e7+ ¢f6 11.¤d5+ ¢f5 12.g4 mate. Not
only multiple forks, but also a sort-of smothered mate and that by an apparently-innocent
pawn.
There are various difficult sidelines: 2.¦xd8? ¤xd8 and both knights are attacked; 2.£b4+
c5 3.£h4+ ¢d6 4.¤b7+ ¢c7 5.¤xd8 ¦xd8 6.¦xd8 (or 6.¦h7 ¦xd1 7.¦xf7+ ¦1d7
8.¢g6 ¦xf7 9.¢xf7 ¤d4 10.Qe4 ¢d6) 6…¦xd8 7.£f6 ¦xd1 8.£xf7+ ¦d7 9.£f6 ¦d5
10.£f7+ ¢c6 11.g4 c4 12.g5 ¦d7 and ‘Black seems to hold’ as Yochanan Afek put it in
his notes on this study, so I suppose we should give Belyavsky the benefit of the slight
doubt.
In the main line, 2…¢d6 3.¤xd8 ¤xd8 4.¤e3; also in the main line, 3.¤xd8? ¦xd1
or 3.¦xd8? ¤xd8 4.Se3 ¤xc6 5.£f5+ ¢e7 6.¤xd5+ ¦xd5 7.¢g7 ¤d8 8.£f6+ ¢e8
‘seems holdable’ (Yochanan again, in his column in the July 2018 issue of The Problemist,
where I first saw this stunning study.)

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Volume 138

BRITISH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS

THE CHESS LEGACY OF What to do against b6 in the

Adam Raoof, prolific tournament organiser:

OUR CHESS SCENE IS EXPANDING AND COULD EXPLODE DEMOGRAPHICALLY

The Chess Public Deserves The Best

514 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

It´s now even easier to subscribe

An exclusive chess magazine!

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 515

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

Chairman Shaun Taulbut

Prepress Specialist 528 Grand Chess Tour

Cover photography: 574 Endgame studies:

516 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

British Chess Championships 2018

518 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

Gawain Jones – Jonathan Hawkins

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.¤d2 dxe4 4.¤xe4 ¤d7

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 519

12...¥xe5 13.dxe5 ¤d7 Exchanging

13...£xd1 14.¦xd1 ¤d7 15.f4 a5 16.b3

14.£d4 0–0 14...¤c5 15.¦d1 £xd4

15.b4 ¥d5 16.¦d1 16.c4 c5 17.bxc5 bxc5

16...c5 17.bxc5 bxc5 18.£e3 £c7 19.c4

520 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

5...c6 5...¤g4 6.¥g5 h6 7.¥h4 g5 8.¥g3

6.¥h6 ¥xh6 7.£xh6 £a5 8.¥d3 8.0–0–0

8...c5 8...£b6 9.¤ge2 £xb2 10.¦b1

9.¤f3 9.d5 ¤bd7 10.0–0–0 ¤e5 11.¤f3

9...cxd4 10.¤xd4 ¤c6 11.¥b5 ¥d7

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 521

522 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

¢xf7 21.¦d7+ ¢g8 22.¦xc7 ¦f8 23.¦f1

17...¥d4 17...¤d2+ 18.¥xd2 ¦xd2

18.¤xf7 ¦d7 19.¤g5 White retains a

19...¤xg5 20.¥xg5 ¥xb2 21.¦ad1 ¦xd1

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 523

22.£b3 If 22.£xe6 ¥c6 23.d5 ¥d7 David Howell – Luke McShane

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 525

14...£xc2 14...£d7 is solid and almost

15.¦c1 £f5 16.¦xc7 ¥f6 17.£d2 ¦fc8

18...¦xc7 19.¦xc7 ¦e8 With threats

20.h3 20.¥xd6 £xd5 21.£xd5 is better

29.£c6 29.£g1 d5 30.a3 d4 31.¥xe5

29...¢g7 Preventing any checks.

30.a3 h4 31.¦c4 £e3 Another exploitation

32.£e4 £g3+A queen sacrifice to force mate.

526 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

THE TOP PLACINGS IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP:

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 527

Grand Chess Tour, 11th-15th August

528 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

Nakamura’s 29.£c5 The queen still finds the way to a7.

Saint Louis Rapid 2018 Saint Louis USA (9.1),

24.¦ae1 ¢g8 25.g3 It’s logical to improve 37...£c7 38.¢g2 h5 39.h4?

Three in one: title, trophy and cash

Nakamura continued his fine form after Paris and

Hikaru Nakamura with Rex and Jeannie Sinquefield

530 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

39.a4! removes the pawn from the second

40.¦e5 Now White wins. 7.d4? Play on the wing is answered by a

Maybe this was missed by White. The One-man Blitz

25...¥d5! This is the fine combination Maxime Vachier Lagrave -

41.¤e7! ¦d5 wins more or less on the