Answering machine

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev
26th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 8, 2019
English Opening A30

In the meantime, far away in the spring of Sochi, the new “Vlad” is doing his best to accredit himself — both at home and abroad — as the Russian answer to Magnus Carlsen. 1. c4 c5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Ndb4 8. Nxc6 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Nxc6 10. Nc3 Bd7 11. Be3 g6 12. Ke1 Bg7 13. Rc1. Another continuation is 13. Kc2 Rc8 14. Rhd1 Na5 15. Bd4 Bf5+ 16. e4 Bxd4 17. Rxd4 Be6 18. b3 f6 19. f4 Kf7 20. Kb2 Rhd8 21. Rcd1 Rxd4 22. Rxd4 Nc6 23. Rd2 h6 and Black eventually managed to draw, Carlsen – Topalov, 1st Norway Chess, Sandnes 2013. 13. ... f5!? A new move by Inarkiev in place of 13. ... 0-0 14. f4 e5 15. Kf2 exf4 16. gxf4 Be6 17. Rhd1 Rfd8 18. Rxd8+ Rxd8 19. Bxc6 bxc6 20. b3 Bf6 21. Ne4 Bh4+ 22. Ng3 Bd5 23. Rc5 a6 24. Ra5 Ra8 25. f5 gxf5 26. Ra4 Be4 27. Kg1 Bxg3 28. hxg3 Kg7 ½ : ½ Jakovenko – Nepomniachtchi, Grand Prix 2017, 1st stage, Sharjah 2017. 14. f4 Kf7 15. Kf2 Rac8 16. Rhd1 Be6 17. Nd5 Rhd8 18. b4 Bd4!? Inarkiev is in a hurry to simplify, which, however, gives his opponent the opportunity to subtly gain a small structural advantage: 19. Bxd4 Bxd5 20. Bb6! axb6 21. Rxd5⩲ Nxb4 22. Rxc8 Rxc8 23. Rb5 Nc6 24. Rxb6 Nd8 25. Ke3 e6 26. Kd3 Ke7 27. a4

27. ... Rc1? This is a very strange mistake. It seems that after 27. ... Ra8 28. Rb4 Kd6 White, in spite of all his good will, could hardly have hoped for a win. 28. Bxb7 Ra1 29. Rb4 Nxb7 30. Rxb7+ Kf6 31. Rb4 Ra2 32. Kc4 Rxe2?! 32. ... e5 33. Kb3 Ra1 was perhaps a tougher defence, but then after 34. Kb2! Re1 35. a5 Rxe2+ 36. Kb3 White should win anyway. 33. a5+− e5 34. a6 exf4 35. gxf4 g5 36. Ra4 Re4+ 37. Kb5 Re8 38. a7 gxf4 39. a8=Q Rxa8 40. Rxa8 Ke5 41. Kc4 Ke4 42. Re8+ Kf3 43. Kd3 Kg2 44. Rf8 1 : 0.

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev. Photo © Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Storm in a Teacup

Magnus Carlsen – Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev
King Salman World Blitz Chess Championship; ar-Riyāḍ (Riyadh), December 29, 2017
1r2r3/Rp3ppp/1k6/1B1n4/8/2P2P2/2K3PP/1R6 w - - 2 27

Position after 26. ... Kc6-b6

Today, on the first day of the King Salman World Blitz Chess Championship, Magnus Carlsen literally told the referee to fuck off. Everything started from the position of diagram: Carlsen – who was in a position to win – played 27. Rxb7+, and Inarkiev, as if nothing had happened, replied 27. ... Ne3+ leaving his own King in check. Now Magnus should have stopped the clock and claim the win. But no! Carlsen, on his turn, perhaps to repay Ernesto Kazbekovich in his own coin, played 28. Kd3, after which Inarkiev promptly called the referee claiming illegal move and the win. Quite arbitrarily the arbiter gave Inarkiev the win. And then all hell broke loose, as indeed Carlsen’s move could not be regarded as illegal. Grandmaster Jon Ludvig Nilssen Hammer illustrated the point better than others: “Magnus moved his King when it was in check. Of course he didn’t make an illegal move – it’s not illegal to miss out on claiming a win”. There were many lively exchanges of opinions, but finally the chief arbiter annulled his deputy’s decision and ruled that the game should be continued from the last legal move made (27. Rxb7+). Inarkiev refused and Carlsen was eventually given the win. 1 : 0.

Magnus’s fury. Photo: Ole Kristian Strøm/VG.

Still Another Day

Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev – Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Grand Prix 2017; 4th stage; Palma de Mallorca, November 24, 2017
Grünfeld Defence D84

With today’s draw against Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev, French Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave has delayed his final audition for the Candidates until tomorrow, when he will have to play all out for the win. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 0-0 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Nxd5 Qxd5 8. Bxc7 Na6 9. Bxa6 Qxg2 10. Qf3 Qxf3 11. Nxf3 bxa6 12. Rc1 f6 13. Rg1 Rf7 14. b3 Bd7!? Vachier-Lagrave changes his way. 14. ... Bf8 15. Nd2 Bb7 16. Ke2 Re8 17. f3 e5!? proved to be quite unclear (but substantially balanced) in Giri – Vachier-Lagrave, 2017 “Your Next Move” Grand Chess Tour Blitz, Leuven 2017, whilst for 14. ... Bb7 15. Ke2 Bf8 16. Ba5 e6 see 李超 (Lǐ Chāo) – Giri, 4th Norway Chess 2016, Stavanger 2016. 15. Ba5 e6 16. Nd2 Rc8 17. Rxc8+ Bxc8 18. Ne4 Bf8 19. Ke2 Bb7 20. f3 Kg7 21. Rc1 g5 22. Nc5 Bxc5 23. dxc5 Bc6 24. Rd1 Bb5+ 25. Kf2 Rd7. Certainly Vachier-Lagrave was not unfamiliar with what having Bishops of opposite colour would have meant. 26. Rxd7+ Bxd7 27. Bc7 e5 28. Bb8 Kg6 29. Bxa7 Kf5

30. Kg3. If 30. e4+ Black’s answer would equally have been 30. ... Ke6 (and certainly not 30. ... Kf4?? 31. c6! ~ 32. Be3 mate). 30. ... h5 31. e4+ Ke6 32. h4 gxh4+ 33. Kxh4 f5 34. Kxh5 fxe4 35. fxe4 Bc6 36. Kg4 Bxe4 37. Kg3 Bb1 38. a3 Bc2 39. b4 Ba4 40. Kf3 Kd5 41. Ke3 ½ : ½.

Second Screen

Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Grand Prix 2017; second stage; Moscow, May 21, 2017
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 a6 7. Re1 0-0 8. Bb3 h6 9. Nbd2 Ng4 10. Re2 Kh8. Intending ... f7-f5. 11. h3!? f5! This is probably not improvisation. The unbalanced outcome that will emerge from the following skirmishes is quite an unclear game. 12. exf5. Not 12. hxg4 fxg4 13. Nh2 g3 with a very dangerous initiative for Black. 12. ... Nxf2 13. Rxf2 Bxf2+ 14. Kxf2 Bxf5 15. Qe2 d5 16. Kg1 Qd6 17. Bc2 Rf7 18. b4 a5 19. Bb2 axb4 20. cxb4 Nxb4 21. Nxe5 Re7 22. Ndf3 Kg8 23. Qd2 Nxc2 24. Qxc2 c5 25. Qb3 Kh7 26. Kh1? As it will be soon clear, this is a bad mistake. Best was 26. d4 which would have probably been answered by 26. ... c4 eventually followed by ... b7-b5 with roughly equal chances. 26. ... d4 27. Bc1 Rxe5! 28. Bf4. Inarkiev stubbornly pursues his fatal Fata Morgana, but also after 28. Nxe5 Qxe5 29. Qxb7 Rf8 White’s position – in spite of the temporary material balance – is indefensible.

28. ... Qd5! Inarkiev apparently overlooked this pseudo-zwischenzug. 29. Rb1 Qxb3 30. Rxb3 Rd5 31. Ne5 Rxa2 32. Rxb7 Re2 33. g4 Be6 34. Nc4 Rd8 0 : 1.

“I’m happy with my play in Moscow as I did better than at Grand Prix’s first stage in Sharjah”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) told R-Sport. “Although I was defeated twice with White, I may notice that my overall results against men improved. I’m finally playing more steadily”. Photo © Vladimir Fedorenko/RIA Novosti.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (left) posing with Viktoria Korol (right), President of the charity fund “Наше наследие” (“Our Heritage”). Photo: chess-in-schools.org.

Carmel Winery

Boris Abramovich Gelfand – Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev
Match game 6; Magas, July 20, 2016
Queen’s Indian Defence E15

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 d5 6. Bg2 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 Be7 8. cxd5 exd5 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Nc3 Re8 11. Ne5 Bb7 12. Bc1 Nbd7 13. Bb2 Bd6 14. f4 c5. Let’s take a class at Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik’s chess school: 14. ... Ne4 15. Nxe4 dxe4 16. e3 Nf6 17. a3 c5 18. Qe2 cxd4 19. Bxd4 Qe7 20. b4 a5 21. b5 Bxe5 22. Bxe5 Nd7 23. Bd4 Nc5 24. f5 Nd7 25. f6 Qe6 26. Qh5 Ne5 27. Rf5 Ng6 28. fxg7 Rad8 29. Qxh7+ 1 : 0 Botvinnik – Padevski, 7th International Tournament, Monte Carlo 1968. Another try is 14. ... a6 15. e3 Qe7 16. g4 Ne4 17. Nxe4 dxe4 18. Nxd7 Qxd7 ½ : ½ Flohr – Ståhlberg, Gothenburg 1957. 15. e3 cxd4. The alternative was 15. ... a6 16. Rc1 Rc8 17. Na4 b5 18. Nxd7 Nxd7 19. Nxc5 Nxc5 20. dxc5 Bxc5 21. Rxc5 Rxc5 22. Bxg7 d4 23. Bxd4 Bxg2 24. Bxc5 Bxf1 25. Qg4+ Kh8 26. Bd4+ f6 27. Qf5 Kg7 28. Kxf1 Qd6 29. Qg5+ Kf8 30. Qf5 Kg8 31. Qg4+ Kf8 32. Qh5 Rc8 33. Qxh7 Rc1+ 34. Kg2 Qc6+ 35. Kh3 Rc2 36. Qh8+ Kf7 37. Qh7+ Kf8 38. Qh6+ Kf7 39. Qh5+ Kf8 40. Qh6+ Kf7 41. Qh7+ Kf8 42. Qh6+ Kf7 43. Qh7+ Kf8 44. Qh8+ ½ : ½ Rashkovsky – Kuzmin, 8th Chigorin Memorial, Sochi 1976. 16. exd4 Bb4!? A very artificial plan, especially if related to Black’s next move. Deserving consideration was 16. ... a6 like in the aforementioned game Rashkovsky vs. Kuzmin. 17. Rc1 Bxc3 18. Rxc3 Ne4 19. Rc2 Nf8. If 19. ... f6 there might follow 20. Nd3 intending f4-f5 followed by Nd3-f4-e6. 20. Qh5! g6. On 20. ... Ng6? 21. f5 Nh8 22. Bxe4 dxe4 23. f6! wins immediately. 21. Qh6. “There are pretty White’s threats in sight such as f4-f5, or even Bg2xe4 followed by d4-d5 opening the long diagonal for the b2-Bishop. Ernesto Inarkiev realizes the danger, but he is too eager to eliminate White’s Knight from its own outpost on e5”, says Grandmaster Bachar Kouatly in his commentary for Europe Échecs. 21. ... f6? 22. Bxe4! fxe5. Or 22. ... dxe4 23. Ng4 (Δ d4-d5) 23. ... Bd5 24. f5 e3 25. fxg6 Re6 26. Re2 and wins (Kouatly’s analysis).

23. f5! The End. 23. ... Re7 (23. ... dxe4 24. f6+-) 24. Bg2 e4 25. Ba3 Rf7 26. fxg6! Rxf1+ 27. Bxf1 Nxg6 28. Rf2 Qd7 29. Bh3 Qc6 30. Be7. The deadly threat is Be7-f6. 30. ... e3 31. Rf6 Qc1+ 32. Rf1 Qc6 33. Bf6 1 : 0.

Boris Abramovich Gelfand (right) vs. Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev (left). Photo: ruchess.ru

The Importance of Being Earnest

Ekaterina Sekenova (@katya_sekenova)

Ernesto already knows we are always with him, but if someone doesn’t believe it... Congrats to our Champion Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev!!!

Not an Easy Chair

Igor Viktorovich Kovalenko – Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev
17th European Individual Chess Championship; Gjakova, May 21, 2016
Queen’s Indian Defence E18

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Bd2 Bf6 9. Ne5 Nxc3 10. Bxc3 Bxg2 11. Kxg2 c5 12. dxc5 bxc5 13. Qd6 Qb6 14. Rad1 Qxd6 15. Rxd6 Be7 16. Rd2 d6 17. Nd3 a5 18. f4 Nd7 19. Ne5 Nb8 20. Ng4 f5 21. Nf2 Nd7 22. e4 Nb6 23. exf5 Nxc4 24. Re2 Rxf5 25. Rxe6 Bf8 26. Rfe1 Rf7 27. Ne4 d5 28. b3 Na3 29. Ng5 Rfa7 30. Be5 h6 31. Nf3 a4 32. Rb6 Ra6 33. Rb7 R6a7 34. Rb6 Ra6 35. Rxa6 Rxa6 36. Kf2 Rb6 37. Rd1 d4 38. Nd2 Nc2 39. Kf3 Rb7 40. Rb1 Nb4 41. a3 Nd5 42. bxa4 Ra7 43. Rb8 Kf7 44. Ke4 Nc3+ 45. Kd3 Rxa4 46. Nc4 Nd1

47. Rxf8+!? Kovalenko’s Exchange sacrifice doesn’t lose itself, but certainly doesn’t give him any chance of winning. The simplest way was 47. Bxd4! cxd4 48. Ne5+ Kg8 49. Ng6 Kf7 50. Ne5+ drawing by repetition. 47. ... Kxf8 48. Bd6+ Kf7 49. Bxc5 Ne3 50. Nb6? Pushing too hard for a win. 50. Nxe3 dxe3 51. Bb4 followed by Kd3xe3 would have clearly lead to a draw. 50. ... Ra5 51. Bb4 Rh5 52. a4? Consistency in fallacy. After 52. h4 Rb5 53. Nc4 Ke6 Black has obviously the better chances, but it’s not yet clear whether he can make anything substantial out of it. 52. ... Rxh2 53. a5 Ra2? 53. ... Rb2! 54. Bc5 Ra2 55. Bb4 Nc2 was simpler and quicker. 54. Na8? Here Kovalenko could have put up more resistance with 54. Kxd4 as after 54. ... Nc2+ 55. Kc5 Nxb4 56. Kxb4 Ke6 57. Na4 Kd6 Black’s win would be far more laborious. 54. ... Ke6 55. Ke4 Ra4 56. Nc7+ Kd7 57. Na6 Kc6 58. Bf8 Rxa5 59. Nb4+ Kb5 60. Nd3 Kc4 61. Bxg7. Or 61. Ne5+ Rxe5+! 62. fxe5 Ng4 63. Ba3 d3 winning easily. 61. ... Nf5 62. Ne5+ Rxe5+! 63. Bxe5 d3 64. Kxf5 d2 65. Kf6 d1=Q 66. f5 Kd5 67. Bf4 Qh5 0 : 1.

Kovalenko vs. Inarkiev. Photo: European Chess Union (@ECUonline).

The Footnotes

Radosław Wojtaszek – David Navara
17th European Individual Chess Championship; Gjakova, May 17, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D52

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Qa5 7. Nd2 Bb4 8. Rc1 Ne4 9. Ncxe4 dxe4 10. Bh4 Qxa2 11. Be2 Qxb2. Navara dares to grab the second, “poisoned” Pawn. The previous try was 11. ... Qa5 12. 0-0 Bxd2 13. Ra1 Qb4 14. Qc2 c5 15. Ra4 Qb6 16. Qxd2 e5 17. Ra5?? (a very serious blind spot by Grischuk; after 17. dxe5 White’s two Bishops surely compensate for the Pawn) 17. ... Qh6! 18. Bg3 exd4 19. Bf4 g5 20. Bg3 d3 with an overwhelming advantage for Black, Grischuk – Mamedyarov, Grand Prix 2014/2015, third stage, Tbilisi 2015. 12. Rc2 Bxd2+ 13. Qxd2 Qa3 14. 0-0 0-0 15. c5. With the threat of Rf1-b1 followed by Rc2-a2 trapping Black’s Queen.

15. ... b5. Black wisely returns a Pawn for making a way out. 16. cxb6. Now 16. Rb1 is answered by 16. ... Qa6 17. Ra2 Qb7 and, however funny-looking Her Majesty’s spot might appear, Black’s game is quite safe. 16. ... axb6 17. Rxc6 Ba6 18. Bxa6 Qxa6 19. Qc2 Qd3. Black returns also the second Pawn, implicitly agreeing to a draw. 20. Qxd3 exd3 21. Rc3 Rfc8 22. Rxd3 Rc2 23. Rb3 h6 24. h3 ½ : ½.

Radosław Wojtaszek vs. David Navara
Photo: European Chess Union (‏@ECUonline)

Baadur Jobava – Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev
17th European Individual Chess Championship; Gjakova, May 17, 2016
Ponziani Opening C44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 d5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Nbd2 a5 6. exd5. Stepping out from 6. Be2 Bc5 7. Qa4 0-0 8. b4 Bd6 9. 0-0 b5 10. Qxb5 axb4 11. exd5 Na5 12. cxb4 Bd7 13. Qxa5 Rxa5 14. bxa5 Nxd5 15. Ne4 Qa8 as occurred (by transposition) into Jobava – Caruana, Grand Prix 2014/2015, second stage, Tashkent 2014. 6. ... Nxd5 7. g3 g6 8. Bg2 Bg7 9. 0-0 0-0 10. a4 Nb6 11. Nb3 Bf5 12. Ne1 Nd5 13. Kh1. Jobava has achieved less than nothing out of the opening, but rather than play for a draw, he goes for a bold attack that looks like a block bet. 13. ... b6 14. f4 Qd7 15. fxe5 Nxe5 16. d4 Ng4 17. Qf3. White is obviously undeveloped and uncoordinated, but luckily for him, Inarkiev plays the only move which allow Jobava to escape to a draw. 17. ... Rae8

18. Qxd5 Nf2+ 19. Kg1. 19. Rxf2?? Rxe1+ loses both the Queen and the Knight. 19. ... Nh3+ ½ : ½.

Baadur Jobava vs. Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev
Photo: European Chess Union (‏@ECUonline)

Not yet twenty-one

Grandmaster Ivan Aleksandrovich Bukavshin died unexpectedly on Tuesday, apparently of a stroke. He was not yet twenty-one. News of his sudden death was reported in the early morning of today by the Russian Chess Federation. Ivan Aleksandrovich was born on May 3, 1995, in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. He lived in Tolyatti.

Ivan Aleksandrovich Bukavshin – Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev
13th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, March 30, 2015
Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Rc1 cxd4 10. cxd4 e6!? A very interesting novelty in a well-known tabiya. 11. Bc4 0-0 12. 0-0 Na5 13. Bd3 b6 14. h4 Bb7 15. h5 f5 16. e5 gxh5 17. Ng5 Qd5? A fatal slip. Correct was 17. ... Qe8 keeping cool.

18. Be4!! A deadly interference, which was evidently overlooked by Inarkiev. 18. ... Qd7. Not 18. ... fxe4 19. Qxh5 and wins. 19. Bxb7 Nxb7 20. Qxh5 Bh8. 20. ... h6 21. Nh3 Qf7 22. Qh4 was equally hopeless. 21. f4 Rae8 22. Rf3 Re7 23. Rg3 Rg7 24. Bf2 Qe8 25. Qh3 Nd8 26. Nxh7 Rxg3 27. Bxg3 Rf7 28. Ng5 Rd7 29. Rc8 Bg7 30. Bf2 Qg6 31. Qb3 Bf8 32. Qa4 Qg7 33. Rc3 Rc7 34. Rg3 Rc1+ 35. Kh2 Qh6+ 36. Rh3 Qg7 37. Qe8 Qe7 38. Qh5 Bg7 39. Qg6 Kf8 40. Nh7+ Kg8 41. Nf6+ Kf8 42. Rh8+ 1 : 0. It’s mate next move.

Ivan Aleksandrovich Bukavshin
Photo: ruchess.ru

Большой взрыв (Big Bang)

Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev – Alexander Sergeyevich Morozevich
16th Poikovsky Karpov Chess Tournament; Poikovsky, October 1, 2015
Queen’s Pawn Game A40

1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e4 Bb7 5. f3 f5 6. exf5 Nh6 7. fxe6 Nf5 8. Bf4 dxe6 9. Qa4+ Nc6 10. 0-0-0 Bxc3 11. bxc3 0-0 12. Nh3 Na5 13. Bd3 c5. Another try is 13. ... Qh4 14. Bg5 Qh5 15. Be4 Bxe4 16. fxe4 Nh4 17. Bxh4 Qxh4 18. Rhe1 g5 19. Qb5 h6 20. Qe5 Rae8 21. Rf1 Qg4 22. Rxf8+ Rxf8 23. d5 Qe2 24. Qxe6+ Kg7 25. Qe5+ Kg8 26. Qe6+ Kg7 27. Qe5+ Kg6 28. Qe6+ Kg7 ½ : ½ Muhvić – Marković, Opatija 1995. 14. dxc5 Qf6 15. Qc2 Rac8 16. g4 Nh4 17. Bxh7+ Kh8 18. Rd7 e5

19. Rd6! Ernesto Kazbekovich keeps the initiative by a skillful maneuver with his Rook and puts his opponent in a dilemma. 19. ... Qf7? A “natural” reply that produces the most disastrous consequences! The lesser evil was 19. ... Qe7 20. Bg5 Qf7, although after 21. Rhd1! Qxf3 22. R6d3 Qxg4 23. Rg3 Qh5 24. Bd3 White stands much better. Now the refutation is very elegant: 20. Rh6!! Fantastic! 20. ... Nxf3. As bad as any other move. 21. Bg6+ gxh6 22. Bxf7 exf4 23. Qg6! Rc6 24. Be6 Rxe6 25. Qxe6 1 : 0.

Alexander Sergeyevich Morozevich
Photo: ruchess.ru