Two for One

王皓 (Wáng Hào) – David Wei Liang Howell
1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2019; Santon, October 21, 2019
Neo-Grünfeld Defence D71

王皓 (Wáng Hào) from China is the surprising winner of the Grand Swiss Tournament — having scored a better tie-breaker than Fabiano Caruana — and thus also the taker of the Candidates’ spot up for grabs. One can only notice that both Magnus Carlsen and Caruana, who didn’t need the victory in the tournament, made the fate of the winner and losers, crowning 王皓 (Wáng Hào) “King for a Night” and kicking Levon Grigori Aronian and Hikaru Nakamura off from next year’s Candidates Tournament. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Nf3 Nb6 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. e3 e5 9. Nc3 exd4 10. Nxd4 Nxd4 11. exd4 c6 12. d5 cxd5 13. Nxd5 0-0 14. Be3. If 14. Nc3 then 14. ... Qxd1 15. Rxd1 Bg4 16. Rf1 Nc4 17. Nd5 Kh8 18. Bg5 Rac8= Najdorf – F. Ólafsson, International Jubilee Grandmaster Tournament, Bled 1961. 14. ... Be6!?TN (14. ... Nxd5 ½ : ½ Grachev – Areshchenko, 20th Cappelle-la-Grande Open, Cappelle-la-Grande 2004) 15. Nxb6 axb6 16. Bxb7 Rxa2 17. Rxa2 Bxa2 18. Qa4

18. ... Bd5?? A blunder that loses immediately. Correct was 18. ... Be6 19. Qb4 Qf6 20. Qxb6 Qxb2 with dead equality. 19. Rd1+− Bxb7 20. Rxd8 Rxd8 21. f4 Bxb2 22. Qa7 Rd7 23. Qxb6 Ba1 24. Qb5 Rd1+ 25. Kf2 Bh1 26. Qe8+ Kg7 27. Bc5 h5 28. Bf8+ Kf6 29. Qe7+ Kf5 30. Qxf7+ Bf6 31. Be7 Rd2+ 32. Ke3 Rxh2 33. Qxf6+ Kg4 34. Qxg6+ Kh3 35. f5 Bd5 36. f6 Kg2 37. Qc2+ 1 : 0.

Howell showed no nerves for his afternoon’s showdown, and 王皓 (Wáng Hào) took easily advantage of such an unexpected acquiescence. Photo: John Saunders.

The laws of luck

David Wei Liang Howell – Danyyil Dvirnyy
21st European Team Chess Championship; Hersonissos, October 31, 2017
8/4n3/2N2k2/p2p3p/Pp1P3P/1P3PK1/8/8 w - - 1 48

Position after 47. ... Ng6-e7

The two-time Italian Chess Champion Danyyil Dvirnyy saved today both the honour and the day of Italy’s team managing to accomplish a “mission impossible” against the three-time British Chess Champion David Wei Liang Howell. Objectively speaking, he couldn’t have done that without his opponent’s help. In the position of the diagram, although under time pressure, Howell – very unwisely, no doubt – decided to play for a win, whereas 48. Nxe7 Kxe7 49. Kf4 Kf6 would have led to a neat draw (in spite of White’s extra Pawn), ensuring England team’s victory. 48. Nxa5(?) Nf5+ 49. Kf4 Nxd4 50. Nb7 Nxb3 51. a5 Nd4 52. a6? Howell stubbornly insists in his irrational search for a win, that simply doesn’t exist – not this way, I mean. 52. ... b3 53. a7 b2 54. a8=Q Ne6+ 55. Kg3 b1=Q 56. Qh8+ Ke7 57. Kh2 Qf5. So White ended up standing worse. The rest is a colourful succession of big and small steps towards self-destruction, nearly begging (just in extremis) for the mirage of a stalemate. 58. Qc3? Qf4+ 59. Kh3 d4 60. Qa3+ Kd7 61. Na5 Qf5+ 62. Kg3 Qe5+ 63. Kg2 Qe2+ 64. Kg3 Qe1+ 65. Kh2 Qxh4+ 66. Kg1 Qe1+ 67. Kh2 Qe5+ 68. Kh1 Qb5 69. Qa2 Qf1+ 70. Kh2 Qxf3 71. Nc4 Ke7 72. Qa6 Qf4+ 73. Kh1 h4 74. Qb7+ Kf6 75. Qc8 Qe4+ 76. Kh2 d3 77. Qh8+ Ke7 78. Qc3 Qf4+ 79. Kh1 Qf3+ 80. Kh2 Qf2+ 81. Kh1 h3 82. Qa3+ Kf6 83. Qa1+ Nd4 84. Qa6+ Kg5 85. Qa5+ Kg4 86. Ne3+ Qxe3 87. Qh5+ Kxh5 0 : 1.

The Pond in Winter

David Wei Liang Howell – 熊奕韬 (Jeffery Xióng)
Winter Chess Classic; Saint Louis, March 12, 2017
Queen’s Indian Defence E17

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb7 4. d4 e6 5. a3 g6 6. Qc2 c5 7. dxc5 bxc5 8. Bf4 Nh5 9. Bg5 f6 10. Be3 f5 11. Rd1 Be7!? Maybe new. The sharp “matrix” was 11. ... Nc6 12. Bg5 Be7 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. e3 0-0 15. Be2 Rad8 16. 0-0 g5 17. Ne1 g4 18. Nd3 a5 19. g3 Nf6 20. f3 h5 21. Rf2 d6 22. Nb5 gxf3 23. Bxf3 Ng4 24. Bxg4 hxg4 25. Qc3 Ba8 26. Kf1 Rd7 27. Rdd2 Rb8 28. a4 Rf8 29. b3 Kh7 30. Ke1 Nd8 31. Qxa5 Nf7 32. Nf4 Ng5 33. Kd1 Ne4 34. Kc1 Qf6 35. Kb1 Bb7 36. Qb6 Ra8 37. Nxd6 Nxf2 38. Qxc5 Ne4 39. Qb5 Nxd2+ 40. Kc2 Qe7 0 : 1 Dzagnidze – 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě), Women’s Grand Prix 2013-2014, 4th stage, Khanty-Mansiysk 2014. 12. g3 g5? Black’s strategy seems just a bit too primitive (and weakening as well), following apparently in the footsteps of 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě). 13. Bg2 f4? From bad to worse: Black comes up with the idea to provoke the opening of the g-file, which evidently gives White a new and unexpected strength. 14. gxf4 gxf4 15. Bc1 Nc6 16. Qd3. Tying the Black Queen to the defence of the d7-Pawn. 16. ... Rg8. Now 16. ... Qc7 17. Nb5 would only lose time, while if 16. ... a6 (preparing for ... Qd8-c7) there might follow 17. Rg1 Qc7 18. Ng5! with the upper hand on both wings. 17. Rg1. Winter is coming, as now the threat of Qd3xh7 becomes real.

17. ... Nf6. Black resignedly gives up the f4-Pawn, which means surrender. However, it is hard to suggest anything substantially better for Black as he finds himself in a kind of strategic Zugzwang; for instance: 17. ... Rg6 18. Kf1! (but also 18. Bf1! looks very strong) 18. ... a6 19. Bh1! (in true Fischarandom style!) with overwhelming preponderance. 18. Bxf4 Qa5 19. Kf1! Worth a castle! 19. ... 0-0-0 20. Nb5! White finishes in grand style. 20. ... Rdf8 21. Bh3 Rxg1+ 22. Kxg1 Rg8+ 23. Kf1 Qb6 24. Nd6+ Bxd6 25. Qxd6 Rd8 26. Ng5 Ba6 27. Nf7 Bxc4 28. Nxd8 Nxd8 29. Rc1 1 : 0. A crystal-clear demonstration of positional dominance by Howell.

Bivirga

Anton Demchenko – David Wei Liang Howell
17th European Individual Chess Championship; Gjakova, May 23, 2016
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 a6 6. 0-0 Ba7 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 d6 9. Nbd2 g5 10. Bg3 0-0. Vainly trying to improve on 10. ... Na5 11. Bd5 0-0 12. b4 c6 13. Bxf7+ Rxf7 14. bxa5 Qxa5 15. d4 Qxc3 16. dxe5 dxe5 17. Re1 Qb4 18. Nxe5 Rf8 19. a3 Qd4 20. Qb3+ Kh7 21. Rad1 Qb6 22. Qc2 Qc5 23. Nec4 Ne8 24. Nb3 Qe7 25. Nd6 Bg4 26. Rd2 Ng7 27. Nc5 Ne6 28. Ncxb7 Nd4 29. Rxd4 Bxd4 30. e5+ Kh8 31. Qc4 Bc8 32. Nxc8 Qxb7 33. Nd6 Qa7 34. e6 Bf6 35. Nf7+ Rxf7 36. exf7 Qxf7 37. Qxc6 Qf8 38. a4 a5 39. h3 Bg7 40. Rc1 Rd8 41. Qb6 Rd5 42. Qb7 Qf5 43. Rc8+ Kh7 44. Rc7 Rd1+ 45. Kh2 Qf6 46. Re7 1 : 0 Demchenko – Venkatesh, 8th International Chess Open, Chennai 2016. 11. a4 g4 12. Bh4! A tremendous surprise – in both practical and psychological ways. 12. ... Kg7. If 12. ... gxf3 then 13. Qxf3 Kg7 14. Rfd1 with the threat of Nd2-f1-g3-h5+.

13. Kh1! Intending – if Black doesn’t take the Knight – Nf3-g1 followed by f2-f4. 13. ... gxf3 14. Qxf3 Nb8 15. g4! White has only a Pawn for the Knight, but his initiative looks really dangerous. 15. ... Nbd7 16. Rg1 Rh8 17. Nf1 Qe8? The decisive mistake in a difficult position. Best was 17. ... Kf8 18. Ng3 Rg8 in order to answer 19. Nh5 by 19. ... Rg5! with the aim of reducing as most as possible the strenght of White’s attack. 18. g5! Big Bang disruption. 18. ... Ng8 19. gxh6+ Kf8. Or 19. ... Kxh6 20. Bg5+ Kh7 21. Be7+ Kh7 22. Qf5+ Kh6 23. Qh3 mate. 20. Qg3 Ngf6 21. Qg7+ Ke7 22. Rg6! Rg8 23. Bxf6+ Nxf6 24. Qxf6+ Kd7 25. Bxf7 1 : 0.

Anton Demchenko
Photo: Delhi Chess Association

No Other Way

Emil Sutovsky – David Wei Liang Howell
25th Paul Keres Memorial; Tallinn, January 10, 2016
Spanish C60

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7 4. Nc3 g6 5. d4 exd4 6. Nd5 Bg7 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bf6 Bxf6. The alternative is 8. ... Kf8, e.g. 10. 0-0 Kg7 11. Nd5 a6 12. Bxc6 Nxc6 13. Nxd4 Re8 14. Qd3 f6 15. f4 d6 16. Rae1 Nxd4 17. Qxd4 Be6 18. f5 Bxd5 19. exd5 Re5 20. Qb4 b5 21. fxg6 Qd7 22. Qh4 Rf8 23. Rf3 Rxd5 24. Rh3 Rh8 25. Rf3 Rf8 26. Rh3 Rh8 27. Rf3 Rf8 ½ : ½ 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Dzagnidze, 1st Hángzhōu Women Grandmaster Tournament, 杭州 (Hángzhōu) 2011. 9. Nxf6+ Kf8 10. Qd2 d5 11. Bxc6 Nxc6 12. Nxd5 Bf5 13. Qf4. For 13. Nxc7 Qxc7 14. exf5 Re8+ 15. Kf1 gxf5 16. g3 Qd8 17. Qd3 Qd5 18. Qb3 Qxb3 19. axb3 Kg7 20. Rd1 Kf6 21. Rd2 Re4 22. Kg2 Rhe8 23. Rhd1 see Giri – Cornette, French Team Chess Championship Top 12, Montpellier 2015. 13. ... Bxe4 14. Nxc7. 14. Qxe4 Qd6 15. Nxc7 Qxc7 leads to nothing special, Haznedaroglu – Chan Wei Xuan, 1st Campomanes Memorial Cup Open, Manila 2010. 14. ... Qe7

15. Nxa8. This is hardly an improvement over 15. 0-0-0? g5 16. Qg3 (Kutuzović – Stević, 8th International Open, Županja 2014) and now, after 16. ... Qc5 17. Rd2 Rc8 White would get into serious trouble. 15. ... Bd3+! 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. 0-0-0 Qc5 18. Rd2 Kg7 19. Re1? Sutovsky’s last chance was 19. b4! Qd6 20. Nc7! g5! 21. Qg3 Qxc7 22. Re1 f6 23. Rxe5! fxe5 24. Qxd3 Re8 and, although Black’s position is easier to play, White keeps reasonable drawing chances. 19. ... f6 20. Qg3? 0 : 1. For 20. ... Bf5 will leave Black with two pieces for the Rook and an imposing position.

David Wei Liang Howell (@DavidHowellGM)

Too Much is Not Enough

David Wei Liang Howell – Rinat Jumabayev
25th Paul Keres Memorial; Tallinn, January 9, 2016
English Opening A33

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. g3 Qb6 7. Ndb5 Ne5 8. Bg2 a6 9. Na3 Bxa3 10. bxa3 Nxc4 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Bg5 d5 13. Rc1 Nxa3? Gaining a second Pawn, but losing valuable time. Safer is 13. ... Rd8 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. e4 d4 16. Na4 Qb5 17. Rxc4 Qxc4 18. Nb6 Qc5 19. Nxa8 Bd7 20. Qg4+ Kf8 21. Qf4 Rxa8 22. Qxf6 Rc8 23. e5 Bb5 ½ : ½ Agrest – Wedberg, Swedish Chess Championship, Skara 2002 14. e4 d4 15. e5 Nd7 16. Ne4 Nxe5? Black cannot absolutely afford to take the third Pawn. If, however, 16. ... Nb5 then 17. Be7 Re8 18. Nd6 Nxd6 19. Bxd6 and, in spite of the two Pawns minus, White dominates the board.

17. Nf6+! Howell disdains the Exchange (17. Be7) in order to pursue the attack against the enemy King. 17. ... gxf6. 17. ... Kh8 18. Qh5 leads to mate. 18. Bxf6 Ng6 19. Qh5 e5. Hoping against hope. 20. Rc6! A cruel interference! What follows is a merciless execution. 20. ... Qd8 21. Qh6 Qxf6 22. Rxf6 Bg4 23. Bd5 Be2 24. Rxg6+ hxg6 25. Qxg6+ Kh8 26. Qh6+ Kg8 27. Be4 1 : 0.

Restlessness

Vladimir Vasilievich Fedoseev – David Wei Liang Howell
17th Open International; Dubai, April 14, 2015
Queen’s Gambit Declined D35

DubaiChess.ae report: “In a classic final-round showdown between the top two seeds, Howell, the pre-tournament favourite and top-seed, methodically outplayed the second-seeded Fedoseev with the Black side of a Queen’s Gambit Declined. With his two Bishops influencing action on both sides of the board, Howell proceeded to win a Pawn on the 38th move and then picked up a second Pawn on the 43rd move. Desperate for counter-play, Fedoseev sacrificed two more Pawns to create back-rank mating threats with his advanced e6-Pawn and Knight on the f5-square cutting off the exit route of Howell’s King.
Howell failed to react precisely to maintain his advantage as he chose to attack White’s e6-Pawn with his Rook on the 50th move, instead of moving his King out of harm’s way via a flight square on d8 to the Queenside. Fedoseev quickly pounced on the opportunity by attacking Black’s King with his Rook from an entry point on the h-file, at which point computer analysis showed Howell’s advantage had all but dissipated, as the Russian’s counter-attack was enough to force Howell to repeat moves to avoid getting checkmated. A draw was thus agreed on the 55th move”.

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bf4 c6 7. e3 Nh5 8. Bd3. Alexander Aleksandrovich Alekhine recommended 8. Be5 f6 9. Bg3. 8. ... Nxf4 9. exf4 Bd6 10. g3 0-0 11. 0-0 Re8 12. Qc2 Nf8 13. Rfe1. For the ugly 13. Nd1 see Alekhine – Em. Lasker, New York 1924. 13. ... Rxe1+ 14. Rxe1 Bd7 (14. ... Bg4) 15. f5 Qf6 16. Ne5 Re8 17. f4 Qd8 18. Qb3 Qb6 19. Qxb6 axb6 20. Kf2 Ra8 21. a4 Bc8 22. Bc2 Nd7 23. Kf3 Kf8 24. g4 f6 25. Nd3 Nb8 26. b4 Na6 27. Rb1 Nc7 28. Ne2 Bd7 29. Ng3 Be7 30. h4 Ne8 31. h5 h6 32. Ne2 Nd6 33. Nb2 b5 34. a5 Ne4 35. Bxe4 dxe4+ 36. Kxe4 Bxb4 37. Nd3 Re8+ 38. Kf3 Bxa5 39. Nc5 Bc8 40. d5 Bb6 41. Ne6+ Bxe6 42. fxe6 Rd8 43. Ng3 Rxd5 44. Nf5 Bc5 45. Ra1 Rd8

46. g5 fxg5 47. fxg5 hxg5 48. h6 gxh6 49. Rh1. “Black had managed to outplay his opponent in a positional battle and seize the initiative, but in the end, the Russian GM’s creative defence bamboozled the Englishman”, the editor of Chess-News.ru said. 49. ... Rd5. “It was not easy to decide on 49. ... Ke8 50. Rxh6 Rd1! 51. Rh8+ Bf8, and Black retains good chances after 52. Ng7+ (worse is 52. e7 Rf1+ 53. Ke4 Rxf5 54. Kxf5 Kxe7) 52. ... Ke7 53. Nf5+ Kxe6 54. Rxf8 Rf1+ 55. Kg4 Rg1+ 56. Kf3 b4”, the editor of Chess-News.ru said. 50. Kg4 Re5. “Here too, it was still not too late for 50. ... Ke8! with the idea of giving up the Bishop for the Pawn and using the King to support the passed Pawns on the Queenside: 51. Rxh6 Kd8 52. Rh8+ Kc7 53. e7 (After 53. Kxg5 we sooner or later reach a similar ending with either a Knight or the Exchange for three Pawns) 53. ... Bxe7 54. Nxe7 Rd1. Only Black can win, and his chances are very real”, the editor of Chess-News.ru said. 51. Rxh6 Kg8. “If 51. ... Ke8, then 52. Rh8+ Bf8 53. Kxg5, and he cannot take on e6 because of 54. Ng7+, whilst otherwise, White plays 54. Kf6 and is already in no danger of losing”, the editor of Chess-News.ru said. 52. Rg6+ Kh7 53. Rh6+ Kg8 54. Rg6+ Kh7 55. Rh6+ Kg8 ½ : ½.

灵魂伴侣 (Soulmate)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – David Wei Liang Howell
13th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, February 5, 2015
Four Knights Game C48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bc5 5. 0-0 0-0 6. d3 Re8 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. Nd5 Qd8 10. c3 a6 11. Ba4 Ba7 12. h3 Ne7 13. d4 Nxd5 14. exd5 exd4 15. Nxd4 b5 16. Bc2 Qf6 17. Qd3 g6 18. a4 c5 19. dxc6 dxc6 20. axb5 cxb5 21. Rae1 Rxe1 22. Rxe1 Bb7 23. Bb3 Rd8 24. Qg3 Bxd4 25. cxd4 Kg7 26. Rd1 Rd7 27. Qc3 h5 28. Ba2 Qc6 29. Qxc6 Bxc6 30. b4 Kf6 31. d5 Bb7 32. f4 Ke7 33. d6+ Kf6. It was probably safer to play 33. ... Rxd6 34. Rxd6 Kxd6 35. Bxf7 Be4 36. g4 hxg4 37. hxg4 Kc6! 38. Kf2 Kb6 39. Ke3 Bb1 40. Kd4 (clearly not 40. Bxg6?? because of 40. ... Bxg6 41. f5 Be8 42. g5 a5 and Black wins) 40. ... a5 with equality, as originally shown by Dennis Monokroussos. 34. g4 hxg4 35. hxg4 g5? “The tide had already turned in White’s favor, but now Black is in serious trouble”, Monokroussos writes. 36. fxg5+ Kg6. If 36. ... Kxg5 then 37. Bxf7! Bf3 38. Be6 (38. Rd4 Bxg4 39. Rxg4+ Kf6 followed by ... Rd7xd6, ... a6-a5 and ... Rd6-a6 with a theoretical draw) 38. ... Rd8 39. Rd4 Kf6 40. Kf2 Bc6 41. Bf5 Ke5 42. Ke3 Rxd6 43. Rxd6 Kxd6 44. Kd4 Be8 45. Be4 Ke6 46. g5 Bh5 47. Kc5 Ke5 48. Bb1 and wins (Monokroussos’ analysis). 37. Bb1+. The staff of Chess-News.ru recommends the straightforward 37. Bd5! forcing the transition into a won Rook endgame: 37. ... Bxd5 (37. ... Bc8 38. Bc6 is no better) 38. Rxd5 f6 (also after 38. ... a5 39. bxa5 b4 40. a6 b3 41. Rd2 White has an easy win) 39. Kf2 fxg5 40. Ke3 Kf6 41. Kd4 Ke6 42. Kc5 and White wins. 37. ... Kxg5 38. Bf5 Rd8 39. d7 Bf3 40. Rd4 Kf6 41. Rd3 Bb7 42. Kf2 Ke7 43. Re3+ Kd6 44. Re8 Kc7

45. g5? A miscalculation. White ought to play 45. Re7! first, so that if 45. ... Bd5 then 46. g5! followed by the decisive King’s entrance on the scene. Similarly, also “45. Ke3! was absolutely crushing. Black runs out of moves: 45. ... Bc6 46. Re7 f6 (46. ... Rf8 47. Kd4 Kd8 48. Re5! and the Pawn is still untouchable while the King slowly waddles in) 47. Rf7 Bxd7 48. Ke4 Kc8 49. Bxd7+ Rxd7 50. Rxf6 with a winning Rook endgame”, Grandmaster Alejandro Tadeo Ramírez Álvarez writes. 45. ... Bc6! 46. Re7 Rg8! “Hóu Yìfán must have missed this counterattacking move. Once the g-Pawn disappeares there is nothing left to play for”, Ramírez Álvarez writes. ½ : ½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Sophie Triay.

Großmeister-Remis

赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) – David Wei Liang Howell
New Zealand Open; Devonport, January 4, 2015
Grünfeld Defence D71

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 c6 4. Bg2 d5 5. e3 Bg7 6. Ne2 0-0 7. 0-0 a5. For 7. ... b6 8. b3 a5 9. Nf4 Ba6 see Topalov – Kamsky, Thessaloníki 2013. 8. cxd5 cxd5 9. Nbc3 e6 10. b3 Bd7 11. Ba3 Re8 12. Qd3 Na6 13. Rfc1 Nb4 14. Qd2 Bc6 15. Nf4 e5! 16. Nfe2. If 16. dxe5 then 16. ... Ne4 regaining the Pawn with interest. 16. ... e4

17. Rd1! Making room for the Knight. 17. ... Qd7 18. Nc1 Bf8 19. Bb2 Rec8 20. a3 Na6 21. f3 exf3 22. Bxf3 Bh6 23. Nd3 Ng4 24. Nf4 Nf6 25. Nd3 Ng4 26. Nf4 Nf6 27. Nd3 ½ : ½.

赵雪 (Zhào Xuě)