The Raft of the Medusa

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa – Fabiano Caruana

1st Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour; second leg; Stage 1: Rapid Round Robin; time control: 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Paris, April 8, 2025

rnkrbnqb/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNKRBNQB w DAda - 0 1

Position #667

1. f4 d5 2. g4 g5 3. f5 d4 4. a4 a5 5. Na3 Bc6. If 5. ... Bxa4 then 6. Nc4 recovering the Pawn with a good game.
6. Bg3 Nfd7 7. Nb5 Be5! 8. Ra3 Qg7 9. c3

9. ... d3! Enterprising play. If, instead, 9. ... dxc3 then White can play 10. Rxc3! offering the Exchange for the initiative.
10. exd3 Bxh1 11. Qxh1 c6 12. d4! An interesting positional sacrifice. The alternative was 12. Nd4 Bxd4 13. cxd4 Qxd4 14. Qe4 Qxe4 15. dxe4 Nf6 with at least equality for Black.
12. ... Bxg3 13. Nxg3 cxb5 14. axb5 Nf6 15. Re1 Nbd7

16. Qf3. After 16. c4 a picturesque variation would be 16. ... Nxg4 17. Rxe7 Qxd4 18. Re4 Qh8 19. Rxg4 Nf6 20. Rxg5 h6 (the White Rook is trapped, but...) 21. Qg1! hxg5 22. Qc5+ Kb8 23. Qe5+ with a draw by perpetual check.
16. ... 0-0 17. Rxe7 b6 18. Qc6 Rac8 19. Qd6 Rcd8

20. Kc2? (20. Nh5! Nxh5 21. Rxd7⩲)
20. ... Rfe8 21. Rxe8+ Nxe8 22. Qc6 (22. Qe7 Qf6)
22. ... Nef6 23. Ra4 (23. h3 Qf8)
23. ... Qf8 24. Rc4 Qe7 (24. ... Nxg4! 25. Ne4 Qe7∓)
25. Qf3? White’s last chance was 25. Nh5! Nxh5 (25. ... Nxg4 26. Qg2!) 26. gxh5 h6 with a near balanced situation.
25. ... Qd6 26. Rc6? 26. h3 Qf4 wasn’t pleasant at all, but better than the text.
26. ... Qf4 27. Qd3?! The attempt to complicate matters by not exchanging Queens ends in disaster for White, but also after 27. Qxf4 gxf4 28. Nf1 Nxg4 Black should not have too much trouble converting.
27. ... Qxg4 28. Qc4 h5 29. Kb3 h4 30. Nf1 Qf4 31. Qe2 Re8 32. Ne3 g4 33. Qc4 g3 34. hxg3 hxg3 35. Rc7 Nc5+ 36. dxc5 Qxc7 37. Qh4 Qe5 38. Qg5+ Kf8 39. Qh6+ Ke7 40. d4 Qe4 41. c6 g2 42. Nxg2 Qxg2 43. Qf4 Kf8 44. c4 Qe4 45. Qxe4 Nxe4 46. c5 bxc5 47. dxc5 Nxc5+ 48. Kc4 Na4 49. b3 Ke7 50. bxa4 Kd6 0–1.

Twice Upon a Time

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa
86th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 16, 2024
Spanish Game C77

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 Bc5 6. 0-0 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 h6 9. Re1 0-0 10. Nbd2 Bb6 11. Nf1 Ne7 12. a4 Rb8 13. h3 Ng6 14. Ng3 c5 15. Be3

15. ... c4! 16. Bxb6 Rxb6 17. Ba2 Qc7 18. axb5 axb5 19. Bb1 cxd3 20. Bxd3 Nf4 21. Ne2 Nxd3 22. Qxd3 Be6 23. Ng3 b4 24. cxb4 Rxb4

25. Rad1?! 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) got the worst from his Ruy López and struggles to conveniently place his Rooks. Deserving consideration was 25. Ra6 Ne8 26. Qa3 Rb3 27. Qa1 Bxh3.
25. ... Rb6 26. Qa3 Rfb8 27. Rd2 Ne8 28. Nh2 Rb3 29. Qa1 Qb6! Threatening both ... Rb3xg3 and ... Rb3xb2.
30. Nhf1 Rxb2 31. Rxb2 Qxb2 32. Qxb2 Rxb2. Black has gained a Pawn, but will find it problematic to convert.
33. Ne3 g6 34. Ra1 Ba2 35. Nd1 Rb1 36. Rxa2 Rxd1+ 37. Kh2 h5 36. f3 Rb1+ 37. Rxb1 Bxb1 38. Ne2 Ba2 39. Kf2 Kf8 40. Nc3 Bb3 41. Ned5. Praggnanandhaa then said that, after this, he felt closer to victory, perhaps thinking about Botvinnik’s axiom that a Knight endgame is like a Pawn endgame.
41. ... Bxd5 42. Nxd5 f5

43. f4? A dramatic error that loses the game. 43. g3 Kf7 44. Ke3 was called for, defending to the bitter end.
43. ... Kf7! 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) must have hoped for 43. ... fxe4? 44. Ke3 with a draw in prospect.
44. exf5 gxf5 45. fxe5. 45. Ne3 Kf6 is also hopeless. What follows is a superb display of technique by Praggnanandhaa.
45. ... dxe5 46. g3 Ke6 47. Ne3 Nf6 48. Ke2 (48. Kf3 Ng4−+)
48. ... Ne4 49. Nf1 f4 50. gxf4 exf4 51. Kf3 Kf5 52. Kg2 Nd6 53. Nd2 Nf7 54. Nc4 Kg4 55. Kf2 Kxh4 56. Kf3 Kg5 57. Nb2 Kf5 58. Nd1 Ng5+ 59. Kg2 h4 60. Nf2 f3+ 61. Kg1 Kf4 62. Kf1 Ne4 0 : 1.

Just like last year: same round, same opponents, and... same result. Photo © Lennart Ootes.

The One Before

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa – Aditya Mittal

1st Julius Bär Challengers Chess Tour; 4thd stage; 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) Challenge; time control: 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; chess24.com, September 21, 2021

Sicilian Defence B96

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Nbd7 8. Qe2 Qc7 9. 0-0-0 b5. 9. ... Nb6? is incongruent with the line as it leaves White with a free hand to carry on his attack as he likes: 10. g4 Be7 11. Bg2 h6 12. Bh4 g5 13. fxg5 Nh7 14. Bg3 Bxg5+ 15. Kb1 e5 16. Nf5 Bxf5 17. exf5 0-0-0 18. h4 Be7 19. Bf2 Rhe8 20. Bxb6 Qxb6 21. Nd5 Qa7 22. Qc4+ Qc5 23. Qb3 Bf8 24. Nf6 1 : 0 Tatai – Avgousti, Zone 11 Tournament, Bečići 1981. 10. a3. The alternative is 10. g4!? on which there can follow 10. ... Bb7 11. a3 Be7 12. Rg1 Nb6 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. f5 e5 15. Nb3 Rc8 16. Rg3 Rg8 17. Kb1 Nc4 18. Nd2 Nb6 19. Rc1 Nd7 20. Na2 Nc5 21. c4 bxc4 22. Qxc4 Qd7 23. Qe2 Rb8 24. Ka1 a5 25. b4 axb4 26. axb4 Ba6 27. Nc4 Qb7 28. Qc2 Bxc4 29. Bxc4 Nd7 30. Qb3 Rg7 31. Bd5 Qa7 32. Bc6 Kf8 33. Kb2 Nc5 34. Qa3 Qb6 35. Bd5 Qb5 36. Ka1 Nb7 37. Nc3 Qb6 38. Na4 Qd4+ 39. Qc3 Qa7 40. Qa3 Qd4+ 41. Nb2 Nd8 42. Rc4 Qf2 43. h3 h5 44. Ka2 hxg4 45. hxg4 Rh7 46. g5 fxg5 47. Rf3 Qh4 48. f6 Bxf6 49. Rxf6 g4 50. Rf1 g3 51. Qa7 Rb5 52. Rc8 1 : 0 Micheli – Tatai, 2nd International Tournament, Madonna di Campiglio 1974. 10. ... Be7 11. Bxf6 Bxf6!? 11. ... Nxf6 is probably safer, although White still has the initiative after 12. g4 Nd7 13. g5 Rb8 14. Qe1!⩲↑ Garrido Outón – Valenzuela Gómez, 1st Masters Sevilla-B, chess24.com, July 9, 2021.

12. Ndxb5! axb5 13. Nxb5 Qb8 14. Nxd6+ Kf8 15. e5 Be7 16. h4!? Only time and theory will say whether the new is better than the old: 16. Qh5 g6 17. Qh6+ Kg8 18. h4 Bf8 19. Qg5 h5 20. Rh3 Bh6 21. Qe7 Nxe5 22. Rb3 Qa7 23. Qxa7 Rxa7 24. Nxc8 Bxf4+ 25. Kb1 Rc7 26. Nd6 Kh7 27. Ne4 Ng4 28. g3 Bh6 29. Bb5 Ne3 30. Rd7 Rxd7 31. Bxd7 Rd8 32. Rb7 Kg8 33. a4 Nc4 34. b4 Be3 35. a5 Ra8 36. Be8 Ne5 37. Nd6 f5 38. Bb5 1 : 0 Pons – Eilering, RE-2011-0-00077, by e-mail via the Lechenicher SchachServer (LSS), October 22, 2011. Or maybe there is not much difference. 16. ... Nc5 17. Rh3 Ba6 18. Qh5 g6 19. Qh6+ Kg8 20. Bxa6 Rxa6 21. b4

21. ... Bxd6?? A tragicomic mistake which reduces Black to complete paralysis. After the best defence, 21. ... Qa8! 22. bxc5 Rxa3∞ nothing is clear yet. 22. exd6 Nd7 23. Rc3 Rxd6. This precipitates the end, but Black could do little or nothing to avoid the inevitable. 24. Rxd6 Qxd6 25. Rc8+ Nf8 26. c4 f6 27. c5 Qe7 28. b5 Kf7 29. b6 Nd7 30. b7 e5 31. f5 gxf5 32. Qe3 Rd8 33. c6 f4 34. Qb3+ Kg7 35. cxd7 Qxd7 36. Rxd8 Qc7+ 37. Kb1 Qxd8 38. b8=Q Qd2 39. Qc2 Qe1+ 40. Ka2 e4 41. Qxf4 1 : 0.

Square in a Square

Vincent Keymer – Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa

1st Julius Bär Challengers Chess Tour; 4thd stage; 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) Challenge; time control: 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; chess24.com, September 20, 2021

Queen’s Gambit Accepted D27

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. 0-0 Nc6 7. Nc3 a6 8. a4 Be7 9. dxc5 Qxd1 10. Rxd1 Bxc5 11. b3. Although somewhat dated, the following game between two virtuosos of positional play may still be regarded as a model of defence: 11. Nd2 0-0 12. Nde4 Nxe4 13. Nxe4 Be7 14. Bd2 Rd8 15. Bc3 Bd7 16. Nd6 Bxd6 17. Rxd6 Be8 18. Rad1 Rxd6 19. Rxd6 Rb8 20. a5 Kf8 21. Rd1 Rc8 22. Bb3 Rc7 23. f3 Bd7 24. Kf2 f6 25. g4 e5 26. Kg3 Ke7 27. f4 Be6 28. Ba4 exf4+ 29. exf4 Rd7 30. f5 Rxd1 31. Bxd1 Bd7 32. Kf4 h6 33. h4 Kf8 34. Bf3 Ke7 35. Bd5 Bc8 36. g5 hxg5+ 37. hxg5 Bd7 38. g6 Bc8 39. b3 Nd8 40. Bb4+ Ke8 41. Bc3 Ke7 42. Bb4+ Ke8 43. Bd6 Bd7 44. b4 Bc8 45. Bc5 Bd7 46. Be4 Bc8 47. Bb6 Nc6 48. b5 Ne7 49. bxa6 bxa6 50. Bc5 Kd8 51. Bd3 Nd5+ 52. Ke4 Ne7 53. Kf4 Nd5+ 54. Kg4 Ne7 55. Kf4 Nd5+ 56. Ke4 Ne7 57. Bxe7+ Kxe7 58. Kd5 Kd7 59. Kc5 Kc7 ½ : ½ Flohr – A. K. Rubinstein, 3rd Chess Olympiad, Hamburg 1930. 11. ... 0-0 12. Nd2 Rd8 13. Bb2 Bd7 14. Nce4 Nxe4 15. Nxe4 Be7 16. Nd6 Bxd6 17. Rxd6 Be8 18. Rxd8 Rxd8 19. Bc3 Kf8 20. Kf1 Rc8 21. f4 h5 22. Ke2 Ke7. Probably simpler is 22. ... Ne7 28. Rc1 (otherwise ... b7-b5 follows) 28. ... Bc6 with a balanced game. 23. Bd3 f6 24. b4

24. ... Ne5!? Praggnanandhaa offers a Pawn for an active defence — and indeed it is hard to say whether such a decision deserves an exclamation mark or two. 25. Bxe5 fxe5 26. fxe5 Rc3 27. a5 Bc6 28. g3 Rb3 29. Rb1 Ra3 30. Rb2 Ra1 31. Kd2 g5 32. Kc3 h4 33. gxh4 gxh4 34. Bb1 Bd5 35. Kd4 Kd7 36. e4 Bc6 37. Ke3 Ra3+ 38. Kf4 h3! 39. Rd2+ Ke7 40. Rd3 Ra1 41. Rb3 Ba4 42. Rb2

42. ... Ra3?? An awful mistake which loses the game suddenly and melodramatically. After the correct 42. ... Bb5! White has hardly anything better than 43. Rb3 Ba4 with a likely draw by repetition. 43. Ra2+− Rxa2 44. Bxa2 Bc2 45. Bc4 Kf7 46. Bf1 Bb3 47. Bxh3 Kg6 48. Bg4 Bc4 49. h4 Bb3 50. Ke3 Kf7 51. Kd4 Ke7 52. Kc5 Bc2 53. Bf3 1 : 0.

The Unending Game

Volodar Arturovich Murzin – Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa

1st Julius Bär Challengers Chess Tour; 4thd stage; 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) Challenge; time control: 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; chess24.com, September 19, 2021

Sicilian Defence B40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. Qe2 e5 6. 0-0. One cannot but quote at this juncture the following game for theoretical reference: 6. d3 Be7 7. 0-0 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. a4 Re8 10. Na3 h6 11. Nc4 Bf8 12. Re1 Be6 13. Bd2 Rc8 14. Ne3 Na5 15. c4 g6 16. Nd5 Nxd5 17. cxd5 Bd7 18. Qd1 c4 19. Bf1 Nb3 20. Ra3 Nxd2 21. Qxd2 cxd3 22. Bxd3 h5 23. h4 a6 24. a5 Qf6 25. Be2 Bg4 26. Rc1 Qe7 27. Rac3 Qd7 28. Kg2 Be7 29. Ng1 Rxc3 30. Qxc3 Rc8 31. Qxc8+ Qxc8 32. Rxc8+ Bxc8 33. Nf3 Kf8 34. Nd2 Bd7 35. Nc4 Bb5 36. Kf1 Ke8 37. Nb6 g5 38. Bxb5+ axb5 39. Nc8 gxh4 40. Nxe7 Kxe7 41. gxh4 Kd7 42. Ke2 Kc7 43. Kd3 Kb8 44. b4 Kc7 ½ : ½ 林晨 (Lín Chén) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 45th Chinese Chess Championship, 兴化 (Xīnghuà) 2014. 6. ... Be7 7. Nc3. Both the opponents had their good reasons for coming here. First of all Praggnanandhaa who was savoring the still-fresh memory of 7. c3 0-0 8. Na3 Re8 9. d3 d6 10. Nc4 h6 11. h3 Be6 12. Kh2 Bf8 13. Bd2 g6 14. a4 Bg7 15. b4 cxb4 16. cxb4 d5 17. Na5 Nxa5 18. bxa5 Bd7 19. Bc3 Qc7 20. Rfc1 Bc6 21. Nd2 a6 22. Qd1 Rad8 23. Qb3 h5 24. Bb4 Qd7 25. Ra2 Bh6 26. Re1 h4 27. exd5 Bxd5 28. Bxd5 Qxd5 29. Qxd5 Nxd5 30. Rb1 hxg3+ 31. fxg3 Nxb4 32. Rxb4 Rxd3 33. Ne4 Re7 34. Nc5 Rd5 35. Rxb7 Rxb7 36. Nxb7 Be3 37. Re2 Ba7 38. Rc2 e4 39. Kg2 Rd7 40. Rc8+ Kh7 41. Nd8 Kg7 42. Nc6 Rd2+ 43. Kf1 Bf2 44. Re8 f5 45. g4 Bg3 46. g5 f4 47. Rxe4 f3 48. Rd4 Rh2 0 : 1 Bersamina – Praggnanandhaa, 9th Chess World Cup, Krasnaya Polyana 2021, match game 1. 7. ... d6 8. Nd5 Be6!? The same goes for Murzin, he too must have felt fine as well: 8 ... 0-0 9. c3 Nxd5 10. exd5 Nb8 11. d4 cxd4 12.cxd4 exd4 13. Nxd4 Bf6 14. Be3 Re8 15. Qd2 Bd7 16. b4 Na6 17. Rfc1 h5 18. Rab1 h4 19. Rc4 h3 20. Bf3 Nc7 21. b5 Rc8 22. a4 Nxb5 23. Rxc8 Nxd4 24. Rxd8 Nxf3+ 25. Kh1 Rxd8 26. Qd1 Ne5 27. Bd4 Bg4 28. Qb3 Rc8 29. Qxb7 Rc2 30. Bxe5 Bxe5 31. Qxa7 Bf3+ 32. Kg1 Bxd5 33. Qa5 Bg2 34. Qd8+ Kh7 35. Qh4+ Kg6 36. Re1 f5 37. Qb4 Rb2 38. Qc4 d5 39. Qc6+ Bf6 40. Qe8+ Kh6 41. Qc8 Kg5 42. Qc1+ Kg6 43. Qf4 Bg5 44. Re6+ Bf6 45. f3 Rb3 46. Kf2 d4 47. g4 fxg4 48. fxg4 Kf7 49. Rxf6+ gxf6 50. Qxd4 Kg6 51. Qf4 Rb6 52. Qc4 Rc6 53. Qg8+ Kh6 54. Ke3 Ra6 55. Qc4 Ra5 56. Kf4 Re5 57. Qf7 Re1 1 : 0 Murzin – Potkin, 28th Russian Team Chess Championship Premiere League, Sochi 2021. 9. Nxf6+ Bxf6 10. d3 0-0 11. c3 d5!

12. Ng5. It is just a little tactic. 12. exd5 was probably preferable. 12. ... Bxg5 13. Bxg5 f6. After 13. ... Qxg5 14. exd5 and White will regain the piece with equality. 14. Be3? It’s amazing how little it takes for White to be inexorably crushed. 14. Bd2 at once was much better.

14. ... d4! 15. Bd2 b5 16. Rfc1 Qd6 17. Bf1 Rac8 18. Qe1 a5 19. a4 dxc3 20. bxc3 b4 21. Be3 Rfd8 22. Rc2 f5 23. f3?! ⌓ 23. f4 seems to make a little more sense, even though Black would play 23. ... fxe4 24. dxe4 c4 anyway, with great superiority. 23. ... fxe4 24. dxe4 c4 25. cxb4? A ruinous error, which loses immediately, but by now White had very little hope of stopping the avalanche — for instance: 25. f4 b3 26. Rf2 Nb4! and there’s a roller coming.

25. ... Nd4!−+ 26. Rf2 axb4 27. f4 c3 28. Rc1 Bg4 29. Kg2 Qc6 30. Bd3 Nb3 0 : 1.

The Catcher in the Rye

Jonas Buhl Bjerre – Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa

1st Julius Bär Challengers Chess Tour; 1st stage; Polgár Challenge; time control: 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; chess24.com, April 10, 2021

King’s Indian Defence E92

Indian prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, 15, eventually won the Polgár Challenge, thus earning a wild card into his first Champions Chess Tour 2021 with the big boys. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 0-0 6. Be2 Nbd7 7. 0-0 e5 8. Be3 c6 9. d5 c5 10. Ne1 Kh8 11. g4 Ng8. Very much Chigorin-like. 12. Qd2 f5 13. gxf5 gxf5 14. exf5 Ne7 (14. ... Ndf6 15. Bd3 Ne7 16. Qc2 Qe8 17. Ng2 Qh5 18. f3 Nxf5 19. Bxf5 Bxf5 20. Qd2 Rf7 21. Ne2 Qh3 22. Ng3 Bg6 23. Rae1 Raf8 24. Bg5 Nh5 25. Ne4 Rxf3 26. Rxf3 Rxf3 27. Nxd6 e4 28. Nb5 a6 29. d6 Rd3 30. Qa5 h6 31. Qd8+ Kh7 32. Nc3 hxg5 0 : 1 Guadalpi – Jaracz, 6th European Individual Chess Championship, Warsaw 2005) 15. Kh1 Nf6 16. Bd3 Bxf5 17. Rg1 e4 18. Be2 Ng6 19. Rg5 Qd7 20. Nc2 Rf7 21. Rag1 Raf8

22. Qe1? This move is so bad that one may well attribute it to a mouse slip, as it’s quite obvious that it was the Knight which had to move to e1 (⌓ 22. Ne1!). Now Praggnanandhaa unleashes his attack: 22. ... Ne5! 23. Qf1 Nf3 24. Bxf3 exf3 25. Ne1. Just too late. 25. ... Ng4! 26. Bf4 Bd4 27. Bg3

27. ... Rf6! Threat: ... Rf6-h6xh2+. 28. Nxf3. Desperation, but if 28. Nb5 then 28. ... Ne3! 29. fxe3 f2 with devastating effect. 28. ... Bxc3 29. Nh4 (29. bxc3 Be4−+) 29. ... Be4+ 30. f3 Rxf3 31. Nxf3 Rxf3 32. Qg2 Rxg3! 0 : 1. Mate follows after 33. Qxe4 Nf2# or 33. hxg3 Ne3! 34. Qxe4 Qh3#.

5（五）

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa – 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié)

1st Julius Bär Challengers Chess Tour; 1st stage; Polgár Challenge; time control: 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; chess24.com, April 8, 2021

Queen’s Gambit Accepted D27

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 Nf6 4. Bxc4 e6 5. Nf3 c5 6. 0-0 a6 7. Nbd2 Nbd7 8. e4 cxd4?! That doesn’t give a good impression. A better course seems to be 8. ... b5 9. e5 bxc4 10. exf6 Nxf6 11. Nxc4 Bd7 12. Re1 Bb5 13. Nce5 Be7 14. a4 Bd7 15. Bg5 Rc8 16. Rc1 c4 17. Rxc4 Rxc4 18. Nxc4 Bc6 19. Nfe5 Ba8 20. a5 0-0 21. Nb6 Bb7 22. Qa4 Nd5 23. Bxe7 Qxe7 24. Qd7 Qb4 25. Nd3 Nxb6 26. Qxb7 Qxa5 27. g3 Nd5 28. b4 Qa3 29. Nc5 Qxb4 30. Qxb4 Nxb4 31. Ra1 Rb8 32. Ra4 Rb6 33. Kg2 g5 34. Kf3 Kg7 35. Ke4 h5 36. f4 g4 37. f5 exf5+ 38. Kxf5 Nc2 39. Nd3 a5 40. Rxa5 Nxd4+ 41. Ke4 Nf3 42. Rxh5 Rh6 43. Rxh6 Kxh6 44. h4 Nxh4 45. gxh4 ½ : ½ Grischuk – Caruana, 4th Champions Showdown Blitz, Saint Louis 2017, match game 2 (time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move). 9. e5 Ng4? (⌓ 9. ... b5) 10. Re1 Qc7 (10. ... b5 11. Bd3 Bb7 12. Be4±) 11. Qe2 Bc5 12. Bd3 f5 (12. ... 0-0?? 13. Bxh7+!+−) 13. exf6 Ndxf6 14. h3 Nh6 15. Nb3 Nf7 16. Nbxd4 Bxd4 17. Nxd4 0-0 18. Bc4. No doubt Black has come out of the opening very badly. 18. ... Kh8 19. Be3 Nd5 20. Rac1 Qd6 21. Bd2 Re8

22. Nf5! Qd8 23. Qd3 Bd7 24. Qg3 (24. Nxg7+−) 24. ... Rg8 25. Bxd5 exd5

26. Nxg7? Very exaggerated. 26. Ne7+− would have closed matters without particular difficulties. 26. ... d4! 27. Qd3 Rxg7 28. Bf4 Qf6 29. Bg3 Bf5 30. Qf3 Rag8? 30. ... Ng5 31. Qf4 d3 seems very strong. 31. Rc5! Nh6? (⌓ 31. ... Rg5) 32. Be5+− Qf8 33. Bxd4 (33. Rc7⊙+−) 33. ... Bd7. White now concludes elegantly: 34. Qxf8 Rxf8 35. Rg5 Nf5 36. Bxg7+ Nxg7 37. Re7 Ne6 38. Rh5 Bc8 39. Rexh7+ Kg8 40. Rh8+ Kg7 41. Rxf8 Nxf8 42. Rc5 Be6 43. b3 Kf6 44. f3 Nd7 45. Rc7 b6 46. Kf2 Nc5 47. Rc6 Nd7 48. g4 Ke5 49. Kg3 Bd5 50. f4+ Ke4 51. Rd6 1 : 0.

Little Things Matter

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)

1st Prague International Chess Festival; Challengers Tournament; Prague, March 10, 2019

Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6. 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) insists on the Russian Defence. 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 0-0 8. Qd2 Nd7 9. 0-0-0 c6. The alternative is 9. ... Nf6 10. Bd3 c5 11. Rhe1 Be6 12. Kb1 Qa5 13. c4 Qxd2 14. Bxd2 h6 15. h3 d5 16. Ne5 Rfd8 17. cxd5 Bxd5 18. g4 Kf8 19. g5 hxg5 20. Bxg5 Rd6 21. Re2 Be6 22. Rde1 Nd5 23. h4 Bxg5 24. hxg5 Nf4 25. Re4 Nxd3 26. Nxd3 Rad8 27. Kc1 b6 28. Rh4 g6 29. Reh1 Ke7 30. Re1 Kf8 31. Reh1 Ke7 32. Re1 Kf8 ½ : ½ Praggnanandhaa – Vocaturo, 44th Sunway Open, Sitges 2018. 10. Kb1. Sharper may be 10. h4 Re8 11. c4!? a6!? 12. h5 h6 13. Bd3 Nf6 14. Bd4 b5 15. Rde1 Be6 16. Nh4? (16. g4! bxc4 17. g5! cxd3 18. gxh6!∞) 16. ... bxc4 17. Bf5 Nd5! 18. Bxe6 Bg5−+ Tokhirjonova – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament, Khanty-Mansiysk 2018, match game 2. 10. ... Re8 11. Bd3 d5 12. h4 Bc5 13. Bf4!? A novelty of the young Indian Grandmaster. If 13. Bd4 Black replies with 13. ... Bxd4 14. cxd4 Nf6 15. Rde1 Ne4 16. Qf4 Qf6 defending well enough, Karjakin – Giri, 4th Grand Chess Tour, Rapid YourNextMove, Leuven 2018. Likewise 13. Rde1 proved not enough to bring any advantage: 13. ... Bxe3 14. Rxe3 Rxe3 15. Qxe3 Nf6 16. Re1 Qd6 17. Qe8+ Qf8 18. Qxf8+ Kxf8 19. Kc1 Bd7 20. c4 dxc4 21. Bxc4 Re8 22. Rxe8+ Bxe8 23. Kd2 Ke7 24. Ne5 Nd7 25. Nf3 Nf6 26. Ne5 Nd7 27. Nf3 Nf6 28. Ne5 ½ : ½ Aronian – Caruana, 43rd Chess Olympiad, Batumi 2018. 13. ... Nf6 14. Rde1 Ne4!? A Pawn sacrifice which basically has only defensive function, and so not easy to understand. 14. ... Rxe1+ 15. Rxe1 Bd7 was much consistent with Black’s “philosophy” of opening and near enough to equality.

15. Bxe4 dxe4 16. Rxe4! Be6 17. Qxd8 Raxd8 18. Be3 Bf8. 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)’s only hope is that White’s doubled Pawns on the c-file and Black’s Bishop pair can prove a sufficient compensation for the Pawn. 19. b3 c5 20. Bf4 f6 21. Rhe1 Kf7 22. c4 Bd7 23. Rxe8 Bxe8 24. Kc1 Bc6 25. Re3 h5 26. Ne1 Kg6 27. Bc7 Rc8 28. Bg3 Kf5 29. f3 g6. Maybe 29. ... g5 at once, in order to force 30. hxg5 fxg5 31. Re5+ Kf6 32. Re2 Re8 offered better defensive chances. 30. Kd1 b6. This is very questionable, because it gives meaning and scope to Bg3-b8 after an exchange of Rooks. 31. Nd3 Rd8 32. Ke2 g5 33. Kf2 Be8 34. hxg5 fxg5 35. Re5+ Kf6 36. Rd5 Be7 37. f4 Ke6? This loses a second Pawn, with consequences easy to guess. 37. ... Rxd5 38. cxd5 Kf5 was her comparatively best worst; for instance: 39. fxg5 Bxg5 40. Bb8 a6 41. Bc7 Ke4 42. Bxb6 Be3+ 43. Ke2 c4 44. Bd8 cxd3+ 45. cxd3+ Kxd5 46. Kxe3 with Black seeking an unlikely salvation in an opposite-coloured Bishops ending two Pawns down. 38. Re5+ Kd7 39. fxg5 Bg6 40. Rd5+ Kc8 41. Rxd8+ Bxd8 42. Bf4 h4 43. Kf3 Bf5 44. g3 hxg3 45. Kxg3 Kd7 46. Kh4 Ke8 47. Kh5 Kf8 48. Kh6 Kg8 49. Bd6 Kf7 50. Nf4 Bxc2 51. g6+ Kg8 52. Nd5 Be4 53. Bf4 Bxd5. Desperation, but 53. ... b5 54. Nc3 loses as well. 54. cxd5 Bf6 55. d6 Kf8 56. d7 Ke7 57. Bg5 1 : 0.

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa vs. 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn). Photo: Vladimir Jagr.

Vada Curry

Chennai, India: Chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, 12, poses for a picture as he is celebrated by his school friends after becoming the world’s second youngest chess Grandmaster ever. Photo: Arun Sankar/AFP/Getty Images.

One Day at a Time

Aryan Tari – Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa
56th World Junior Chess Championship; Tarvisio, November 22, 2017
Spanish Game C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. c3 d6 8. d4 Bb6 9. a4 Rb8 10. a5!? Ba7. Not 10. ... Nxa5? because of 11. Rxa5! Bxa5 12. dxe5 Ng4 13. Bg5 f6 14. exf6 gxf6 15. Bh4 with crushing consequences, Dolmatov – Sivokho, 8th Chigorin Memorial, Saint Petersburg 2000. 11. h3 0-0 12. Be3 exd4. The alternative is 12. ... Ra8 13. Nbd2 (for 13. Re1 h6 14. Nbd2 Re8 15. g4!? Qe7 16. Nf1 Nd8(!) 17. Ng3 c5 see Caruana – Carlsen, 4th Isle of Man International Chess Tournament, Douglas 2017) 13. ... Bb7 14. Re1 h6 15. Nf1 Re8 (15. ... exd4 seems much more to the point) 16. d5 (and here 16. Ng3 appears to be decidedly better) 16. ... Ne7 17. Bc2 c6 with quite a balanced game, Tari – Ochsner, 3rd Visma Chess Tournament, Växjö 2015. 13. cxd4 Nxe4 14. Qc2 Qe8 15. Nc3 Nf6 16. Rfe1 Qd7 17. Qd1!? A new move which, however, does not seem as good as 17. Ne4 Nxe4 18. Qxe4 Ne7 (but the Pawn sacrifice by 18. ... d5!? was well worth considering) 19. Ng5 Ng6 20. Bd5 c5 21. Bf4 with great play for White, Timofeev – Halkias, 8th Individual European Chess Championship, Dresden 2007. 17. ... Nb4 18. Bg5 Qf5 19. Bxf6 Qxf6 20. Ne4 Qf4 21. Rc1

21. ... d5!? Weakening both the c5 and e5 squares. It would seem a very uncomfortable position for Black to sustain, instead he will demonstrate the contrary, in spite of his dramatic shortage of time. 22. Nc5 Qd6 23. Qd2 Nc6 24. Ne5 Ne7 25. Ned3 Nc6 26. Nf4 Nxa5! What a courage! Taking such a Pawn with only one minute left! 27. Bxd5 c6 28. Qxa5 Qxf4 29. Bxc6 Bb6 30. Qc3 Qd6 31. Bf3 Rd8 32. b4 h6 33. d5. The only regret Tari might have is that he was blitzing his moves very speedily in order to exploit Praggnanandhaa’s lack of time. That was possibly the last opportunity he had for planting his Rook at e5, which, at least from an emotional perspective, might have impressed his very young opponent (only 12 years old!) just a little more. 33. ... Bb7 34. Qd3 a5 35. Nxb7 Rxb7 36. bxa5 Bxa5 37. Red1 Bc7! 38. g3 Bb6! Praggnanandhaa can even afford himself the luxury of counterattacking! 39. Kg2 ½ : ½. A hard-fought draw.

Age of Wonders

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
3rd Isle of Man International Chess Tournament; Douglas, October 2, 2016
Sicilian Defence B85

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Be7 7. 0-0 a6 8. f4 Qc7 9. Kh1 0-0 10. a4 Nc6 11. Be3 Nxd4 12. Qxd4 Bd7 13. e5 Ne8 14. Qb4 Bc6 15. Bb6 dxe5 16. Qa5 Qc8 17. fxe5 g6. Praggnanandhaa’s sister, Vaishali, got a slight edge after 17. ... f5 18. Rf4 g6 19. Rc4 Qb8 20. Rd1 Ng7 21. Bc7 Qe8 22. Bd6⩲ Vaishali – Dordzhieva, 34th World Junior Chess Championship Girls U-20, Bhubaneswar 2016. 18. Bd3!? A new attempt at improving the existing theory offer: 18. Rad1 Ng7 19. Rd3 (⌓ 19. Rd4 Δ Rd4-c4) 19. ... Nf5 20. Rfd1 Nh4 21. Bf1 f5 22. Bf2 f4 23. Kg1 Rf5 24. Ne2 f3 25. Nd4 fxg2 26. Be2 Rxf2 27. Kxf2 Qf8+ 28. Kg1 Bb4 29. Qb6 Bc5 30. Qa5 Rd8 31. Qe1 Qf4 32. c3 Bxa4 33. R1d2 Bb5 34. Qg3 Rxd4 35. cxd4 Bxd4+ 0 : 1 Lastin – Bukavshin, 64th Russian Chess Championship Higher League, Taganrog 2011. 18. ... Bd8 19. Ne4 Bxb6 20. Qxb6 Qd8 21. Qe3 Bxe4 22. Qxe4 Qc7 23. a5 (23. Rf3 Rd8 24. Qf4 Ng7=) 23. ... Rd8 24. b4 Ng7 25. g4 Qe7 26. Rae1 Rd7 27. Rf6 Rfd8 28. Ref1 Rd4 29. Qe3 Rxb4 (29. ... Rxg4! 30. Rxf7 Qh4∞)

30. Rxf7 Qxf7 31. Rxf7 Kxf7 32. Qc5 (32. Qg5!? Rd5 33. h4!?) 32. ... Rbd4 33. Qb6 R8d7 34. h3 R4d5 35. Kg2 Kg8 36. Kf3 Rxe5

37. h4. Critical was 37. Bxa6! Nh5! (37. ... bxa6?? costs the Rook after 38. Qb8+) 38. gxh5 (38. Bxb7 Rf7+ 39. Kg2 Re2+ 40. Kg1 Nf4↑) 38. ... Rf5+ 39. Ke4 bxa6∞ with an unbalanced balance. 37. ... g5? 38. h5? In mutual time trouble, Praggnanandhaa misses 38. Qa7! grabbing the upper hand. 38. ... Ne8 39. Bxa6? Just too late. 39. ... bxa6 40. Qxa6 Kf7 41. Qb6 Re1 42. Qb5 Nf6. The passed a-Pawn doesn’t compensate White fof his material deficit. 43. a6 Ra1 44. Qxg5 Rxa6 45. Qh6 Ke8 46. Ke2 Rf7 47. Qg5 Rd6 48. c4 Rd4 49. Qb5+ Nd7 50. g5 Rf5 51. Qa6 Ke7 52. Qa3+ Rc5 53. g6 hxg6 54. hxg6 Rxc4 55. g7 Rg4 56. Qa1 Re5+ 57. Kf3 Rxg7 0 : 1.

At 16, she was the youngest World Champion ever. Will he succeed in breaking the record? Photo: Mike Klein.