Earth and Cosmos

Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Alireza Firouzja

World Fischerandom Online Quarterfinal; match game 4 (15+2); Chess.com, October 6, 2019

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Position 594

Now here are the names of the four semifinalists of the 1st World Fischerandom Chess Championship (in alphabetical order): Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi, and Wesley So. Semifinals will be finally held on the Earth and over the board, and precisely at the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter at Høvikodden in Bærum municipality, Norway from next October 27–30. 1. b4 b5 2. Ng3 e6 3. e4 Ng6 4. Ne3 Be7 5. d4 0-0 6. Bd3 Nf4 7. 0-0 Bg5 8. Qd1 f6 9. Nh5 Nf7 10. h4 Bh6 11. Nxf4 Bxf4 12. Ng4!? That seems just a bit speculative.

12. ... d5?? This is a bad mistake that loses the game. Firouzja completely missed 12. ... f5! 13. exf5 exf5 14. Bxf5 Nd6 where Black’s Pawn deficit would be hugely compensated by his two Bishops as well as by his powerful h-side initiative. 13. Nxf6+! Kh8 14. Nh5 dxe4 15. Qg4 Bg5 16. d5. Now it is only too easy for Nepomniachtchi to carry out his final attack. 16. ... exd5 17. Bxg7+ Kg8 18. Qg3 exd3 19. hxg5 dxc2 20. g6! Nd6. Not 20. ... cxb1=Q on account of 22. gxh7+ Kxh7 23. Nf6 mate. 21. Bxf8 Qxf8 22. Rbc1 Ne4 23. gxh7++ Kxh7 24. Qxc7+ Kh6 25. Qh2 Kg6 26. Rxc2 Qd6 27. Nf4+ Kf6 28. Rc7! Rd8. 28. ... Qxc7 loses the Queen to 29. Nh5+. 29. Qh6+ Kf5 30. Rf7+ 1 : 0.

Freedom of speech and the socially engaged photography in the intersection of art and documentary are the focus of the comprehensive exhibition Norwegian Documentary Photography, on display at the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter till January 12, 2020. Photo: Anne Beate Nøsterud.