Trading Places

Jorden van Foreest – Nils Axel Grandelius
83rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 31, 2021
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Qd3!? Dernier cri. 6. ... Nbd7 7. Be2 b5 8. a4 Nc5!? This might be a novelty. In a game Ibadov – Afanasiev, 26th Chigorin Memorial, Saint Petersburg 2018 play continued 8. ... b4 9. Nd5 Bb7 10. Nxf6+ (10. Qc4!? may be an improvement) 10. ... Nxf6 11. Bf3 Nd7 12. a5 e6 13. Bd2 d5 with good prospects for Black. 9. Qe3 b4 10. Nd5 Ncxe4 11. a5 Nxd5 12. Qxe4 e6 13. 0-0 Bd7 14. Bd2 Be7 15. Bf3 0-0 16. Qd3 Qb8 17. c4 bxc3 18. bxc3 Ra7. 18. ... Bf6!? 19. c4 Nb4 20. Bxb4 Qxb4 21. Bxa8 Rxa8 it’s like the game (but with reversed colours): Black gave up the Exchange for a Pawn and a powerful Bishop pair. 19. Rfb1 Qc8 20. c4 Nf6

21. Nb5! A Knight sacrifice which eventually leaves White with a Pawn ahead and a powerful advantage. 21. ... axb5 22. cxb5 Bxb5 23. Qxb5 Nd7 24. Bb7 Qd8 25. a6 Bf6 26. Ba5 Qe8

27. Bc7!? A tempting but perhaps unnecessary Exchange sacrifice. 27. ... Bxa1 28. Rxa1

28. ... d5? An understandable desire, but the wrong way to pursue it, as White will never renounce his mighty Bishop pair for a mere Exchange. Best was 28. ... Nc5! 29. Qb6 Qd7 30. Qxa7 (30. Bxd6?! Qxb7!) 30. ... Qxc7 with unclear but likely balanced play. 29. Bd6+− Qd8 30. Rc1 g6 31. h3 Re8 32. Rc7 Nf6 33. Be5 Ne4 34. Qc6 Rf8 35. Bd4 Qb8 36. f3 Rxa6 37. Bxa6 Qb4 38. Be5 Qe1+ 39. Kh2 Nf2 40. Qc3 Qh1+ 41. Kg3 Qg1 42. Rc8 Nh1+ 43. Kh4 Qf2+ 44. g3 g5+ 45. Kxg5 f6+ 46. Kh6. Black’s checks are finally over. 46. ... fxe5 47. Qxe5 1 : 0.

In the end, Anish Giri got tied for first place with his fellow countryman Jorden van Foreest, thus requiring an all-Dutch tie-breaker, and it’s just the case to say that it was much ado about nothing. Such a tie-breaking format (two blitz games and an Armageddon game in case of draw), indeed, may be very ugly, and even uglier when it ends up in its worst outcome. Luckily enough, van Foreest, who played the best classical game of the last round, won the Armageddon at last and, for the first time, the Tata Steel title; he, too, being the second Dutchman to do so, following Jan Timman in 1985. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021.

Well, okay, Edna, let’s pretend it’s a Sunday like all others

Artwork © ivanlerma

U+00BD

Anish Giri – Alireza Firouzja
83rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 30, 2021
French Defence C11

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 a6 8. a3 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Bc5 10. Qd2 0-0 11. Be2 Qc7 12. 0-0. As they say, “slow and steady wins the race”. A very famous game went on 12. Bf3 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 Nb6 14. Ne2 Bxd4 15. Qxd4 Bd7 16. b3 Bb5 17. Nc3 Rfc8 18. Nxb5 axb5 19. Be2 Nd7 20. Ra2 Nb8 21. 0-0 Nc6 22. Qd2 Qb6+ 23. Kh1 Qa5 24. Qxa5 Rxa5 25. Raa1 Rca8 26. Rad1 Rxa3 27. Bxb5 Nb4 28. c4 R8a5 29. f5! (29. Rb1 d4∓) 29. ... exf5 30. g4 Rxb3 31. gxf5 Re3 32. Rb1 Nd3? (both are short of time; correct was 32. ... Ra2 33. Rxb4 Ree2 forcing perpetual check) 33. e6? (33. Ra1!⩲↑) 33. ... d4 34. Be8 Nc5 35. Bxf7+ Kf8 36. f6 gxf6 37. Rxf6 Ke7 38. Rh6 d3 39. Rxh7 d2 40. Rg1? Re1 41. Bh5+ Kxe6 42. Rg7 Ne4 43. Rg6+ Ke5 0 : 1 Topalov – Ivanchuk, 4th M-Tel Masters, Sofia 2008. 12. ... b6 13. Nxc6 Qxc6 14. b4 Bxe3+ 15. Qxe3 Bb7 16. Bd3 d4 17. Qe4 Qxe4 18. Nxe4 Bd5 19. Ng5 g6 20. Nf3 Bxf3 21. Rxf3 b5 22. Be4 Rad8 23. Rd3

23. ... Nb6. Black’s Knight proves to be a valiant defender. 24. Bb7 Na4 25. Bxa6 Nc3 26. Bb7 Ne2+ 27. Kf2 Nxf4 28. Rd2 d3. Who knows, maybe 28. ... f6!? might have been better here. 29. c3

29. ... Ne2? 29. ... Rb8 seems much better, with a tenable game for Black (30. Ke3 g5 31. Be4 Rbc8). 30. Ke3 Nxc3 31. Rxd3 Rxd3+?! This probably doesn’t help much, since after the exchange of Rooks White carries the siege of the b5-Pawn more easily. 32. Kxd3 Na4 33. Rc1 Rd8+ 34. Ke2 Kg7 35. Bc6 Rb8 36. Rc2 Kf8 37. Kd2 Ke7 38. Kc1 f6 39. exf6+ Kxf6 40. Kb1 Ke5 41. Ka2 Kd4 42. Kb3 Kd3 43. Rf2. It might have been simpler to enter a Rook endgame a Pawn up by 43. Bxb5+ Rxb5 44. Kxa4 with what seems to be a win for White (44. ... Rb8 45. Rc5 Re8 46. b5 e5 47. b6 e4 48. Ka5!+−). 43. ... e5 44. Rf7 Nb6 45. Bxb5+. The target Pawn has finally fallen, and now White should somehow be able to bring home the full point, even though there are still many remarkable technical difficulties to overcome. 45. ... Kd4 46. a4 Nd5 47. Rxh7 e4 48. Rf7 e3 49. Rf1 Nc3 50. Rf4+ Ke5 51. Rf3 Nxb5 52. Rxe3+. Not 52. axb5? on account of 52. ... Kd4 drawing at once. 52. ... Kd4 53. Rg3 Nd6 54. Rxg6 Ne4 55. a5 Kd5 56. a6 Nc5+ 57. Ka3 Nd3 58. a7 Ra8 59. Rg7 Kc6 60. h4 Nf4

61. g4? Nemesis falls, and White only draws. True, the mighty machines give here as winning for White 61. Ka4! followed by the Pawn check; for instance: 61. ... Ng6 62. b5+ Kb6 63. Rg6 Rxa7+ 64. Kb4 Re7 65. h5 and Black shouldn’t be able to keep at bay all White’s Pawns. But when there is only one solution, there are always too many ways not to spot it. 61. ... Ne6 62. Rf7 Nc7 63. g5 Rxa7+ 64. Kb2 Ra8 65. g6 Ne6 66. h5 Rh8 67. Rh7 Rg8 ½ : ½.

Almost unnoticed, on the eve of the last day of January, Giri arrived on the top of the mountain, but, as a consequence of today’s draw, he will have to go all out for a win in his final round game with David Antón Guijarro to clinch his first ever title in Wijk aan Zee — and if this ever were to happen, he would be the second Dutchman to do so, following Jan Timman in 1985. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021.

To be sure, Edna, you deserve far more than a mere magazine cover and a rural landscape, but flowers and trees do not grow everywhere

Artwork © Emma Rose (@art_emmarose)

Night Rider

Mode One

Aryan Tari – Andrey Evgenyevich Esipenko
83rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 29, 2021
Spanish Game C79

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. 0-0 Nf6 6. Re1 Bd7 7. c3 g6 8. d4 Bg7 9. Nbd2 0-0 10. Bc2 Nh5 11. dxe5!? New by simple means. Data base theory gave 11. Nf1 Bg4 12. d5 Ne7 13. h3 Bxf3 14. Qxf3 f5 15. Qd1 f4 16. Nh2 Nf6 17. c4 g5 18. Rb1 Qe8 19. b4 Qg6 20. c5 h5 21. f3 Bh6 22. Rb3 Kh8 with chances for both colours, Makropoulou – Öztürk, 3rd Women’s World Team Chess Championship, Mardin 2011. 11. ... dxe5 12. Nf1 Nf4 13. Ne3 Kh8 14. Nd5 Ne6 15. h4

15. ... h5? Thus Black denies himself any possibility for Kingside counterattack, instead leaving White with a free hand on the Queenside. 15. ... f5!? was much more to the point. 16. Be3 f6 17. b4 Ne7 18. Qe2 Nc8 19. c4 Qe8 20. c5 a5 21. a3 Na7 22. Bb3 Nb5 23. Bc4 axb4 24. axb4 Rxa1 25. Rxa1 f5?! One cannot but say that this came too late, even though now Black had indeed fallen into disgrace — as neither 25. ... c6 (26. Nb6) nor 25. ... Bc6 (26. Ra5) might have changed the story. 26. exf5 gxf5 27. Ng5 Nxg5 28. hxg5 f4

29. Ra8! A bolt from the blue, winning decisive material or mating. 29. ... Qg6. Of course the Rook is taboo: 29. ... Qxa8 30. Qxh5+ followed by mate in two. 30. Rxf8+ Bxf8 31. Bd2 Na3 32. Bd3 Qxg5 33. Qe4 1 : 0.

Tari scored today his first win in his “youth showdown” with Esipenko. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021.

Well, Edna, if you want to leave your imprint in history you just have to make the cover of the National Geographic before the world ends

Artwork © Maria Bee (@bymariabee)

Stretching the Imagination

Finally, it’s time to dance. All sizes are relative, and even a small room may be priceless in a matter world.

Round the World

The virtuoso dancer and media star Sofia has great ideas on how to bless the classroom with her dance skill and her photogenicity.

The studying hours

While the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” continues to be closed due to the pandemic, the dance still goes on, thanks to the virtual classes of Viola, who is teaching for free from her home.

More of a Long Story

Olga is always very shy in going on to the stage, but once she’s on it, she will never stop dancing.

Focus group

Given the actual circumstances, it made a lot of sense to move the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” into our house, even though, inevitably, the dance classes are no longer a holy exercise of the body. But, as a compensation, Olga, Sofia and Viola got gifts from Mado Flynn and shared secrets with each other.

Through Time

The Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) finally confirmed the rumours as to when and where the World Chess Championship match will be held. Thus Magnus Carlsen, the reigning World Champion, will defend for the fourth time his title in a 2 million €uros 14-game match alongside the World Expo in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 24 to December 16, 2021. Yet for the masterminds of the show there is still a big hole to fill up before chanting victory. Who will be the challenger? The press attaché of FIDE states that the Candidates Tournament 2020–21, which was halted midway in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, “is due to conclude in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in April”. Already a year has passed, but there’s no trace of it in the play, apart from a couple of melancholic posts on the wall. It took a miracle to bring the sleeping queen back to earth again. And then, an ice wind takes off her crown and carries it to the feet of a young knight. She snaps out of her trance just as nothing had happened. She starts over from where she was, whispering the last line of her notes.

Come on, Edna, you cannot ask him to spend his whole free day alone in his room, proofreading your one-thousand page biography

Artwork © palmar art (@palmar_art)

A Long Way Gone

Fabiano Caruana – Magnus Carlsen
83rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 27, 2021
Catalan Opening E00

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3. Caruana managed to surprise his illustrious opponent, who now took his time to think. 3. ... d5 4. Nf3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bd6 6. Bg2 c6 7. Nc3 0-0 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. Qb3 Nd7 11. 0-0 Qe7. One time Carlsen said he saw Reuben Fine as one of his “role models”, so it is worth mentioning here the alternative 11. ... Rd8 11. Rac1 dxc4 12. Qxc4 Qe7 13. Rfd1 e5 14. Ne4 Bc7 with good chances for equality, S. N. Bernstein – Fine, 2nd U.S. Chess Championship, New York 1938. 12. c5!? A novelty which appears to give White more satisfaction than 12. Rfd1 Rb8 13. e4 dxc4 14. Qxc4 e5= Istratescu – Blübaum, Match Germany–Romania, playchess.com, April 25, 2020 (time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move). 12. ... Bc7 13. e4 b6 14. exd5 exd5 (14. ... cxd5? 15. c6±) 15. Rfe1 Qf6. 15. ... Qd8 is probably wiser, but Carlsen doesn’t fear the challenge.

16. Nxd5! A petite combinaison which yields a Pawn to White. 16. ... cxd5 17. Qxd5 Rb8 18. c6 Rd8 19. cxd7 Bxd7. Of course Black’s Bishop pair and White’s isolani on d4 may be enough for Carlsen to be able to hold his own. 20. Ne5 Be6 21. Qe4 Bxe5 22. dxe5 Qe7 23. Qe3 Rbc8 24. Be4 Qc5. 25. Qxc5 Rxc5 26. f4 g6 27. Kf2 a5 28. Ke3 a4 29. Rec1

29. ... Rb5! Carlsen abstains himself from regaining the Pawn (to the detriment of his position), preferring instead to seek dynamic equality. 30. Rc2 Rb4. Threat: ... Rb4xe4+. 31. Bd3 h5 32. Rd2 b5 33. a3 Rb3 34. Rc1 b4! 35. axb4 a3 36. bxa3 Bf5 37. Rcd1 Rxa3 38. b5 Bg4 39. Rc1 Bf5 40. Rcd1 Bg4 41. Rc1 Bf5 42. Rcd1 ½ : ½.

Three-time Norwegian Chess Champion Jon Ludvig Hammer in his live commentary for TV2 said he didn’t know whether Black’s 15th move was an oversight or a sacrifice, but whatever it was, “Carlsen made it look the easiest thing in the world to draw the game”. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021.

Yeah, Edna, he must have felt that the only way to get a diploma was to change to another college before graduating from your class

Artwork © Tyla-Manai (@tyla_manai_arts)

Knights and Castles

Radosław Wojtaszek – Fabiano Caruana
83rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 26, 2021
King’s Indian Defence E94

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. e4 0-0 6. Be2 e5 7. 0-0 Bg4 8. Be3 Bxf3 9. Bxf3 exd4 10. Bxd4 Nc6 11. Be3 Re8 12. Qd2 Nd7 13. Rad1

13. ... Bxc3!? The beginning of an epic East Side story, in the most unthematic King’s Indian style. Whatever Caruana’s good reasons, one can only say that such a move would have made Chigorin happy! 14. Qxc3 Qf6 15. Qc1. Wojtaszek goes for an unclear Pawn sacrifice, preferring it to 15. Qc2 Nc5 16. b3 a5 which he assessed as exceedingly comfortable for Black. 15. ... Nc5 16. Qb1 Qe6 17. Rfe1. 17. b4 Nxe4 18. Rc1 is an alternative version of the Pawn sacrifice that might have its own claims for compensation. 17. ... Qxc4 18. b3 Qc3 19. Bd2 Qf6 20. Bc1 h5 21. Bb2 Ne5 22. Be2 h4 23. Qc1 g5 24. Bb5 Re7 25. Re3 Qg6 26. Be2 Rae8 27. Qc2 Ne6 28. f3? 28. h3 f6 was probably White’s best chance. 28. ... Nf4 29. Bf1 c6 30. Qf2 Re6 31. Rc3

32. ... d5! 32. g3 hxg3 33. hxg3 dxe4. 33. ... g4! was also very strong — which can be an euphemism not to say “stronger”. 34. gxf4. A little better was 34. fxe4 Nh5 35. Qf5, but after 35. ... Qh6 Black’s initiative continues. 34. ... gxf4+ 35. Qg2 exf3! 36. Qxg6+ Rxg6+ 37. Kh1 f2 38. Bh3

38. ... Nc4! Elegant to the end. 39. Rxc4 Re1+ 0 : 1.

Deep thoughts, long ponderings, beats, raps, and in the end Caruana sacrificed both his Knights to get here. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021.

Speed of Light

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was today invited to “virtually” join Sopiko Guramishvili’s broadcast in the studio at chess.com as a guest of honour, so as to share with the uncultured masses all the marvels and wonders usually reserved for her students at 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University). Screenshot courtesy of chess.com.

Well, Edna, after all today is another day, and whatever clouds may darken the sky, you will shine brighter than yesterday

Artwork © Figuras de Pasta Flexible (@celic.pastaflexible)

Blowing snow

Two women dance in a park on a snowy day in 北京 (Běijīng), China. Photo: 王钊 (Wáng Zhāo)/AFP/Getty Images.

Yeah, Edna, he is just writing a poem to you in the rap style of Eminem, even if he doesn’t want to admit it to himself

Artwork © 𝖒 𝖎 𝖆 (@look_what_i_drew_mum_)

A Day Out

Andrey Evgenyevich Esipenko – Magnus Carlsen
83rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 24, 2021
Sicilian Defence B84

Esipenko, 18, made the headlines today by winning in style against Carlsen. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e6 7. Be3 Be7 8. g4 b5 9. g5 Nfd7 10. a3 Bxg5 11. Qd2 Bxe3. The darkest omen of today dates back to 11 years ago: 11. ... Bf6 12. 0-0-0 Bb7 13. Rhg1 Nc5? 14. e5! Bxe5 15. Ndxb5! Nb3+ 16. cxb3 axb5 17. Bxb5+ Bc6 18. Bd4 Qc8 19. Bxe5 dxe5 20. Kb1 Rg8 21. Ne4 1 : 0 Ivanchuk – Negi, 38th Greek Team Chess Championship, Peristeri 2010. And — to add damage to injury — 11. ... Be7 also showed poorly in a subsequent rated game: 12. 0-0-0 Bb7 13. Rhg1 g6 14. Bh6 Nc6 15. Bg7 Rg8 16. Nxc6 Bxc6 17. Qh6 Qc7 18. Qxh7 0-0-0 19. Bd4 Ne5 20. Qh3 Qb7 21. Nd5 Kb8 22. Nxe7 Qxe7 23. Qe3 Qb7 24. f3 Rd7 25. b3 f5 26. exf5 exf5 27. Bxe5 dxe5 28. Rxd7 Qxd7 29. Qxe5+ Kb7 30. Rd1 Qe8 31. Qf6 Rf8 32. Qg7+ Qf7 33. Qxf7+ Rxf7 34. Rd4 Kc7 35. h4 Re7 36. Kd2 Re5 37. Rd3 Re8 38. Rd4 Re7 39. c4 bxc4 40. Rxc4 a5 41. Rd4 Re5 42. b4 axb4 43. axb4 Re7 44. b5 Be8 45. Rd3 Re5 46. f4 Re7 1 : 0 倪华 (Ní Huá) – 徐英伦 (Xú Yīnglún), 9th “弈诚杯” (“Yìchéng Cup”) Chinese Chess League, 无锡 (Wúxī) 2013. 12. Qxe3 Qh4? As the merits of the Queen’s sortie are anything but obvious, it can be definitely argued that it implies loss of time which will seriously affect Black’s position. Comparatively better would have been 12. ... Bb7 13. 0-0-0 Qe7 14. Nb3 Nc6 15. Qg3 Nc5 16. Nxc5 dxc5 17. Qxg7 Rf8 18. Bg4 Nd4 19. Ne2 0-0-0 20. Nxd4 cxd4 21. Rxd4 Rg8 22. Rxd8+ Qxd8 23. Qc3+ Qc7 24. Qxc7+ Kxc7 25. Bf3 f5 26. Re1 Kd7 27. Kd1 Rf8 28. Ke2 fxe4 29. Bh5 Rc8 30. Kd2 Rg8 31. Ke3 Bc6 32. Be2 ½ : ½ Frotscher – Gomila Martí, WS/MN/A/3, by correspondence, 2019. 13. Rg1 g6. If 13. ... 0-0 then 14. Rg4 followed by Queenside castling. 14. 0-0-0 Qe7 15. f4 Bb7 16. Kb1 Nc6? The losing mistake. 16. ... Nc5 17. b4! is relatively best, which perhaps Carlsen didn’t like too much either.

A crushing refutation now falls on Black: 17. Ncxb5!+− axb5 18. Nxc6 Bxc6 19. Qc3! 0-0 20. Qxc6 d5 21. exd5 Rfc8

22. d6! Qd8 23. Qxb5 Rcb8 24. Qc4 Rxa3

25. Qc7! Qe8. This is only a suffering, but neither 25. ... Qf6 26. Qxb8+! Nxb8 27. bxa3+− nor 25. ... Ra4 26. Bb5 Qf6 27. Qxb8+! Nxb8 28. Bxa4+− would change the outcome. 26. Rg5! Ra4 27. Ra5. Not 27. Bb5? on account of 27. ... Rxb5! 28. Rxb5 Qa8→ turning the tables.27. ... Rab4 28. b3 R4b7 29. Qc3 Qd8 30. Bf3 Rb4 31. Qc7 Qf6 32. Ra8. Avoiding a little trap: 32. Qd7?? Rxb3+! followed by mate in two. 32. ... Rxa8 33. Bxa8 Qf5 34. Kb2 (34. Qd7?? Rxb3+! 35. Kc1 Qxf4+ 36. Rd2 Ra3−+) 34. ... Rb5 35. Qxd7 Rc5 36. Rc1 Qxf4 37. Qe8+ Kg7 38. d7 1 : 0.

“Had a very unpleasant experience at the playing hall today, felt like a swab was being shoved into my nostril and all the way inside my brain, causing a lot of pain. Covid test after the game was not that bad though”, Carlsen tweeted afterwards. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021.

Yes, Edna, they may change both things and extras, but your divine right to eternally wearing the crown can never change

Artwork © (˶‾᷄ ⁻̫ ‾᷅˵) MALTEBOO (@malte.boo)

More Than a Game

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is one of the lecturers of “Ajedrez: más allá del juego” (“Chess: beyond the game”), a comprehensive free MOOC taught by the University of Salamanca through the MiríadaX platform and supervised by Amador González de la Nava, director of the Salamanca Chess Festival, which will soon celebrate its third anniversary. Screenshot courtesy of Acalanda Magazine.

One Saturday Afternoon

Fabiano Caruana – Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
83rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 23, 2021
Sicilian Defence B97

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. Be2 Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. e5 Nd5. Much worse is 12. ... dxe5? 13. fxe5 Nd5 14. Rb3 Qa5 15. 0-0 Bb4 16. Rxb4! Qc5+ (neither 16. ... Nxb4 17. Ne4 0-0 18. Bf6! h6 19. Rf3+− nor 16. ... Qxb4 17. Nxd5!+− would be of any benefit) 17. Rd4 Qxc3 18. Qxc3! 1 : 0 Pellant – Wong, 84th U.S. Open, Pasadena 1983. 13. Nxd5 exd5? Quite strangely, just two days after the débâcle suffered against Nils Grandelius, Vachier-Lagrave falls into another theoretical black hole. 13. ... cxd5! was called for, with a complex game.

14. e6! f6. Very probably Black’s position is hopeless already. For instance, both 14. ... Bxe6 15. 0-0 and 14. ... fxe6 15. f5! e5 16. 0-0 (Δ f5-f6) would leave White with a crushing attack. 15. Bh5+ Kd8 16. Bh4 d4

17. Bf2. Despite being a Pawn down, Caruana goes for simplification, assessing it as the simplest way to win. 17. Rb3 Qc5 18. Bf7+− was the alternative, and apparently the only one to avoid the exchange of Queens. 17. ... Qc3 18. f5 Qxd2+ 19. Kxd2 c5 20. Bf3 Ra7 21. g4 (21. Rb8+−) 21. ... g6. 21. ... Kc7 may be a little more rocky — but not that much: 22. Kd3 a5 23. Bd5 with a dominating position for White. 22. Bh4 Be7 23. Rb6. Black is paralysed, helpless and absolutely hopeless.

23. ... h5 24. h3 Ke8 25. Bg3 Rc7 26. Kd3 hxg4 27. hxg4 Rxh1 28. Bxh1 gxf5 29. gxf5 Bf8 30. Kc4 Rh7 31. Be4 Be7 32. Bxd6 Bxd6 33. Rxd6 Bb7 34. Bxb7 Rxb7 35. Rxa6 Rb2 36. Kxc5 Rxc2+ 37. Kxd4 1 : 0.

It would seem that Caruana is determined to repeat last year’s experience in Wijk aan Zee. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021.

Yeah, Edna, today it is Saturday once again, and you know what it means, but don’t tell ’em I told you, or else they will turn the calendar ahead to Monday

Artwork © ᴋᴀᴜᴇᴢɪɴɴ (@kauezinn.draws)

Odd One Out

Jorden van Foreest – David Antón Guijarro
83rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 22, 2021
Spanish Game C84

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 h6 10. a4 Bd7 11. Bc2 b4 12. Nbd2 Re8 13. a5 Bf8 14. Re1 Rb8 15. d4TN (15. Nc4 Qc8 16. Bd2 bxc3 17. bxc3 Ne7 18. d4 Ng6 19. d5 Bb5 20. Na3 Bd7 21. Nc4 Bb5 22. Na3 Bd7 23. Bd3 c6 24. c4 c5 25. Rb1 Qc7 26. Kh2 Be7 27. Qc2 Rxb1 28. Rxb1 Rb8 29. Rb2 ½ : ½ Mekhitarian – Leitão, Zonal 2.4 Absoluto 2013 Brasil – Peru – Bolívia, Ponta Negra, Manaus 2013) 15. ... bxc3 16. bxc3 exd4 17. cxd4 Nb4 18. Bb1 g6 19. Ra3 Bg7 20. Nf1 Rb5 21. Ng3

21. ... Nh5? Much of Black’s trouble is probably due to this move which effect is to rim the Rook out on the Kingside. 21. ... Nh7 followed by ... Nh7-g5 was quite likely to be a better way to stay in control. 22. Nxh5 Rxh5 23. d5! Cutting the board in two and putting the Black Rook out of play. 23. ... c5 24. Bf4 Bb2 25. Rae3 Qf6 26. Bg3 c4 27. Qe2 Bb5

28. e5. The newly Grandmaster Max Warmerdam conveniently noted that “Jorden could have gone for the beautiful 28. Bxd6! here, with the idea of sacrificing the Queen after 28. ... c3 29. Qxb5! axb5 30. Bxb4 with a winning advantage. Instead, he went for the more normal-looking 28. e5 which seems to give a winning advantage as well”. 28. ... Bxe5 29. Nxe5 dxe5 30. Bxe5 Rexe5 31. Rxe5 c3 32. Qe3 c2 33. Rxh5 gxh5 34. Bxc2 Nxc2 35. Qe5 Kg7 36. Re4 Bd3?? This puts an immediate end to Black’s suffering, but the ending ensuing after 36. ... Qxe5 37. Rxe5 Nd4 38. d6 Bc6 (38. ... Nc6? 39. d7!+−) 39. Kh2 Nb5 40. Rd5! was also tremendously bleak. 37. Qg3+ 1 : 0.

After five draws in a row, Dutch Grandmaster van Foreest finally broke the ice, by winning his first game of the year. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021.

Well, Edna, even though life can be very hard, you cannot eat only pastries and sweets at breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Artwork © KittyCathryn239

Doni Tondo

Visitors contemplate Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo, also known as Holy Family with Young St John the Baptist, at the reopening of the Uffizi galleries in Florence, Italy after months of pandemic-induced closure. Photo: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images.

Day to Day

Nils Axel Grandelius – Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
83rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 21, 2021
Sicilian Defence B97

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. f5 Be7 11. fxe6 Bxe6 12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. Bc4 Nbd7 14. Bxe6 Nc5 15. Bb3. The French Grandmaster is a specialist of the Poisoned Pawn Variation of the Sicilian Najdorf, which gave him both satisfaction — and sorrow. For instance: 15. Bc4 Ncxe4 16. Nxe4 Nxe4 17. Bf7+! Kxf7 18. Qd5+ Ke8 19. Qxe4 Qa5+ 20. Kd1! Qxg5 21. Rxb7 Rf8 22. Re1 Rf7 23. Rxe7+ Rxe7 24. Qxa8+ Kf7 25. Rf1+ Kg6 26. Qxa6 led to White being a (non-easy) Pawn up in a Rook and Queen endgame, Caruana – Vachier-Lagrave, 7th Norway Chess, Stavanger 2019. Another critical line is 15. Bf5 g6 16. Bh3 Ncxe4 17. Nxe4 Nxe4 18. Qd4 Qc3+ 19. Qxc3 Nxc3 in which he proved the soundness of Black’s defence: 20. Bxe7 Kxe7 21. Rxb7+ Kf6 22. 0-0+ Kg5 23. g3 Rab8 24. Rc7 Nd5 25. Ra7 Ne3 26. Rc1 Rb6 27. Re7 Nd5 28. Ra7 h5 29. Be6 Nc3 30. h4+ Kh6 31. Rf1 d5 32. Re7 Rh7 33. Re8 Rb2 34. Bg8 Rg7 35. Rd8 Ne4 36. Bxd5 Nxg3 37. Rh8+ Rh7 38. Rxh7+ Kxh7 39. Rf7+ Kh6 40. Bb3 Nf5 41. Ra7 Nxh4 42. Rxa6 Nf3+ 43. Kf2 Nd4 44. Kg3 Nxb3 45. cxb3 Kg5 46. Ra5+ Kf6 ½ : ½ 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) – Vachier-Lagrave, 4th Speed Chess Championship, chess.com, September 3, 2019, match game 20 (time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move. 15. ... Rc8 16. 0-0 Nxb3 17. Rxb3 Qc5+ 18. Be3 Qc4 19. Rf4

19. ... Qe6? There must have been something tremendously wrong in Vachier-Lagrave’s opening preparation. 19. ... Nh5! 20. Rf3 Nf6= is well-known patchwork theory. “After the game Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and I talked about that”, Grandelius then said. “Instead, he went for 19. ... Qe6, and after 20. Rxb7 I simply found myself a Pawn up”. 20. Rxb7 0-0 21. h3 Rb8 22. Ra7 Ra8 23. Rxa8 Rxa8 24. Nd5 Rb8 25. c4 Bd8?! 25. ... Nxd5 is probably a lesser evil, although 26. exd5 Qg6 27. Qf2 leaves White a Pawn ahead and the better game. 26. Qf2 Nd7 27. Bd4 Bg5 (27. ... h6 28. Qg3 Bg5? 29. h4!+−) 28. Rf5 Bh6 29. Kh2 Rc8 30. Qg3 g6 31. Qh4! Bf8 (31. ... Bg7 32. Qe7!+−)

32. Rf6! Qe8 (32. ... Nxf6 33. Nxf6+ Kf7 34. Qxh7+ Bg7 35. Ng4+−) 33. Rxf8+! Qxf8 34. Ne7+ Kf7 35. Nxc8 1 : 0.

Of the fourteen, Swedish Grandmaster Grandelius was today the only one to win, taking also the sole lead of the tournament. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021.