War and Peace

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
30th Russian Team Chess Championship Premier League; Sochi, May 7, 2023
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Nbd2 Nd4. Black may also play 5. ... 0-0 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Nc4 Re8 8. Bg5 b5 9. Ne3 Qd6 10. Nd2 Bd4 11. Rb1 h6 12. Bh4 Bxe3 13. fxe3 Bg4 14. Nf3 Nd7 15. b3 c5 16. h3 Be6 17. c4 a6 18. 0-0 f6 19. Bg3 Qc6 20. Qc2 Bf7 21. Kh2 ½ : ½ Vallejo Pons – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), FIDE Grand Prix 2017, 1st stage, Sharjah 2017.
6. Nxd4 Bxd4 7. c3 Bb6 8. d4 c6 9. dxe5 cxb5 10. exf6 Qxf6 11. 0-0 0-0 12. a4 bxa4 13. Nc4 d5 14. exd5 Bd7 15. Be3 Rfe8. The alternative is 15. ... Bxe3 16. fxe3 Qe7 17. Qd4 Rfe8 18. e4 f6 19. Rfe1 b5 20. Nd2 a5 21. Nf3 Bg4 22. d6 Qd7 23. e5 Bxf3 24. gxf3 fxe5 25. Rxe5 Rxe5 26. Qxe5 Re8? (after 26. ... Qf7! 27. Qxb5 Qg6+ 28. Kh1 Qxd6 29. Qxa4 Rf8! 30. Qxa5 Qc6! Black, in spite of being temporarily two Pawns down, should equalise) 27. Qd5+ Kh8 28. Rd1 h6 29. Rd4 Re6 30. Kf2 Rf6 31. h4 b4 32. c4 a3 33. bxa3 bxa3 34. c5 a2 35. Qxa2 Qh3 36. Qe2? (36. Qd5!! Qh2+ 37. Ke3 Qg1+ 38. Kd2 Qf2+ 39. Kd1! Qf1+ 40. Kc2 Qe2+ 41. Rd2+−) 36. ... Qh2+! 37. Ke3 Qg1+ 38. Kd3 Qb1+ 39. Ke3 Qg1+ 40. Kd3 Qb1+ 41. Kd2 Qb2+ 42. Kd3 ½ : ½ Nepomniachtchi – So, 5th Grand Chess Tour, 2nd stage, Zagreb 2019.
16. Nxb6 axb6 17. Qd2. The position seems more or less balanced or, if anything, a little bit easier for Black. Another continuation is 17. Bd4 Qg6 18. Qf3 b5 19. Rfe1 Bf5 20. d6 Re4 21. Rxe4 Bxe4 22. Qg3 Rd8 23. Re1 Bc6 24. Qxg6 hxg6 25. Bc5 Re8 26. Re7 f6 27. f3 Rxe7 28. dxe7 g5 29. Kf2 Kf7= with a draw soon, Efimenko – Eljanov, Battle of the Gladiators May 18–22, chess.com, May 20, 2020 (time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move).
17. ... b5 18. Rfe1 h6 19. h3 Qg6 20. Kh2 Re5

21. Bf4?? A gross oversight (or should it be considered a generous mistake?), which loses a Pawn and ultimately the game as well. Much better was 21. f4 Re4 22. Bf2 Rae8 23. Rxe4 Rxe4 24. Re1 Kh7 with at least equality.
21. ... Rxd5! 22. Qe3. Of course after 22. Qxd5 Bc6 the threat of mate costs White his Queen.
22. ... Rd3 23. Qe4 Qxe4 24. Rxe4 Bc6 25. Re2 f6 26. Kg1 Rad8 27. Rae1 b4 28. cxb4 R8d4 29. b5 Bxb5 30. Re4 Rxe4 31. Rxe4 Rd1+ 32. Kh2 Rb1 33. Rb4 Bc6 34. h4 Kf7 35. Be3 b5 36. Kg3 Ke6 37. f3 Bd7 38. Kf2 Kf7 39. Bd4 Rc1 40. Be3 Rc2+ 41. Kg1 Ke6 42. Kf1 Ke7 43. Kg1 Kd6 44. Rd4+ Kc6

45. Rd2. In sheer desperation White places his last bet on the Bishops of opposite colours, only to be disillusioned by Karjakin’s irreproachable technique. However, if 45. Rb4 then 45. ... Be6 threatening to bottle up White’s Rook with ... Be6-c4, to be followed by a gradual breakthrough into the adverse camp.
45. ... Rxd2 46. Bxd2 Kc5 47. Kf2 Kc4 48. Ke3 b4 49. Ke2 a3 50. bxa3 bxa3 51. Bc1 Kb3 52. Be3 Kc3 53. Bd2+ Kc2 54. Be3 a2 55. Bd4 h5 56. Ke3 Kb1 57. Ke4 Be6 58. Bc3 a1=Q 59. Bxa1 Kxa1 60. Kd4 Kb2 61. Kc5 Kc3 62. Kd6

62. ... Bh3! Elegant to the very end.
63. gxh3 Kd4 64. Ke6 Ke3 65. Kf7 Kxf3 66. Kg6 Kg3 67. Kxh5 Kxh3 0 : 1.

“Today, I remembered what it’s like to play classical chess”, Karjakin then said. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Chess Federation of Russia.

Nothing But Net

Magnus Carlsen – Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev

Champions Chess Tour 2021; Grand Finale Tournament; match game 2; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com/Oslo, September 28, 2021

Sicilian Defence B40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b3. A sideline variation named after Finnish Grandmaster Heikki Westerinen. 3. ... a6 4. Bb2 Nc6 5. d4. Usually White first plays 5. c4 aiming at a Maroczy Bind with a subsequent d2-d4. 5. ... cxd4 6. Nxd4 Qf6 7. Be2 Bc5 8. c3 e5 9. Nf3. Or 9. b4 Ba7 10. Nf5? (better is 10. Nf3 Nge7 similarly to the game) 10. ... d5!∓ Böhnisch – L. Portisch, 15th Berliner Sommer, Berlin 1997. 9. ... Nge7 10. 0-0 0-0 11. b4TN (11. c4 ½ : ½ Pérez García – Borges Mateos, 71st Cuban Chess Championship, Santa Clara 2008) 11. ... Ba7 12. a4 Ng6 13. Bc1 h6 14. Na3 Rd8 15. Be3 d5 16. exd5 e4 17. Nd2 Rxd5

18. b5. Here (maybe) White misses his best chance for a better future: 18. Bxa7! Nxa7 19. Nxe4 Qe5 20. Qb3 Be6 (20. ... Qxe4?? 21. Bf3+−) 21. f3 b5 22. Rfe1⩲ with a small edge. 18. ... Bxe3 19. fxe3 Qxc3. And now a strange thing happens or maybe it is not so strange — Artemiev has only a few seconds left, but it is Carlsen who begins to get nervous! 20. Nac4 Nce5 21. Nxe4. Or 21. Rc1 Qb4 22. Rb1 Qc5 23. Nxe4 Rxd1 24. Nxc5 Rxb1 25. Rxb1 Nxc4 26. Bxc4 axb5 27. Rxb5 Ne7 with near equality. 21. ... Rxd1 22. Nxc3 Rxa1 23. Rxa1 Nxc4 24. Bxc4 Ne5 25. Bd5 axb5 26. Nxb5 Ra6 27. Rc1 Bd7 28. Bb3 Be6

29. Nc7?? An inexplicable act of harakiri which must mean something too important to be asked. White had to play 29. Bxe6 first and now if 29. ... fxe6 then 30. Nc7 is good enough for a draw — which is also the most probable outcome after 29. ... Rxe6 30. Rc8+ Kh7 31. Rc7. 29. ... Bxb3 30. Nxa6 bxa6 31. Rc8+ Kh7 32. a5. For what it is worth, 32. Ra8 might make things more difficult for Black in case of 32. ... Bxa4 33. Rxa6 — but of course 32. ... Bc4 is always possible. 32. ... Bc4 33. Kf2 Bb5 34. Rc2 Nc4 35. Ra2 Kg6 36. Kf3 Kf5 37. g4+ Ke5 38. h3 g5 39. Kf2 f5 40. gxf5 Kxf5 41. Ra1 Ke5 42. h4 g4 43. Rc1 h5 44. Rd1 Nd6 45. Rc1 Bc4 46. Rb1 Nf5 47. Rb7 g3+ 48. Kg1 Nxh4 49. Rh7 Be2 50. Rg7 0 : 1. And Carlsen gives up without waiting for 50. ... Nf5.

Doomsday Clock

Volodar Arturovich Murzin – Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev

9th Chess World Cup; tie-break game 1; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Krasnaya Polyana, July 17, 2021

4b3/kp5p/p7/P3q1K1/1PB3Q1/8/6P1/8 w - - 2 41

Position after 40. ... Qh2-e5+

In the position of the diagram, White’s King (in check) should quite easily find his way towards survival, but, needless to say, both the contestants were short of time. 41. Qf5? (41. Kh6! Bg6=) 41. ... h6+! 42. Kg4 Qg7+? Black, in turn, misses the subtle 42. ... h5+! 43. Kg5 Qg7+ winning the Bishop. 43. Kf3?! Safer seems 43. Kh3 and if 43. ... Bd7 then 44. Be6 with roughly even chances. 43. ... Qc3+ 44. Qd3 Bc6+ 45. Kf4 Qf6+ 46. Ke3 Qg5+ 47. Kd4 Qxg2 48. Qe3 h5 49. Kc5? White’s instinct goes wrong again. His best was 49. Kc3+ Ka8 50. Qe5! with a very probable draw. 49. ... Qe4? The exchange of Queens leads to an ending which White just holds by a hair. Black had to play 49. ... h4! 50. b5 axb5 51. Bxb5 Ka8! with a win in sight. 50. Qxe4 Bxe4 51. Kd4 Bc6 52. Ke3 h4 53. Kf4 Bd7 54. Bd5 Kb8 55. Be4 Kc7 56. Bf3

56. ... Bc8. Apparently Black can’t make any progress. For instance: 56. ... Bc6 57. Be2 Bb5 58. Bd1! Kd6 59. Kg4 Ke5 60. Kxh4 Kd4 61. Bf3 Bc6 62. b5!! forcing a book draw. 57. Be2 Kc6 58. Bd3 Kc7 59. b5 axb5 60. Bxb5 Bd7 61. a6 bxa6 ½ : ½.

Murzin, 14, left the scene only after he lost his 2nd tie-break game against a formidable opponent such as Artemiev, thus confirming himself to be a rising star of Russian chess. Photo © Eric Rosen.

On the Line

Mateusz Bartel – Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev

1st European Online Chess Club Cup; Playoff Group A; time control: 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Tornelo, March 29, 2021

Spanish Game C77

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. d3 Qe7 8. h3 h6! 9. Be3TN (9. Nd2 Be6 10. a3 c5 11. Ne2 0-0-0 12. Nc3 g6 13. Qe2 Nd7 14. g4 Nb8 15. Nd5 Bxd5 16. exd5 f5 17. f3 Qf7 18. c4 b6 19. Nb1 Be7 20. Nc3 Bf6 21. 0-0-0 Rde8 22. Qd2 Nd7 23. Rhf1 Qe7 24. Rde1 Bg5 25. Re2 Bxe3 26. Qxe3 Qh4 27. Qg1 Rhf8 28. Kc2 Re7 29. Qg2 Ref7 30. gxf5 Rxf5 31. Qxg6 Qxh3 32. Rff2 R5f6 33. Qe4 Rf4 34. Qh7 R4f7 35. Qg6 Rf6 36. Qh7 R6f7 37. Qg6 ½ : ½ Barcenilla – Ippolito, 1st Copper State International, Mesa 2009) 9. ... Bd6 10. 0-0 c5 11. Nd2 g5! 12. Nc4 Be6 13. Nxd6+ cxd6 14. Ne2 g4 15. h4 Nh5 16. g3

16. ... f5! Black offers a Pawn for a volatile initiative. 17. exf5 Bd5 18. Nc3? A strange error, giving Black more than he was hoping for. Best was 18. Re1! Ng7 19. d4! with very complex play. 18. ... Bf3 19. Qd2 Ng7 20. Bxh6? This greedy capture just precipitates things. 20. ... Nxf5 21. Bg5

21. ... Nxh4!! Black’s Queen sacrifice must have come as a shock to White. 22. Bxe7 Nf5. 22. ... Ng6 is the dual. 23. Bh4 Nxh4 24. Qg5 Nf5! The final touch. Mate can only be delayed by a few useless checks. 25. Qg6+ Kd8 26. Qf6+ Kc7 27. Nd5+ Kc6 0 : 1.

A Theory of Semiotics

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 19, 2020
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. Bb5+. Another continuation is 8. h3 0-0 9. Be3 e6 10. Be2 b6 11. h4 Bb7 12. e5 cxd4 13. cxd4 Nc6 14. h5 Qd5 15. hxg6 hxg6 16. Rc1 Rad8 17. Bc4 Qa5+ 18. Kf1 Nxe5 19. Nxe5 Bxe5 20. Bd2 Rxd4 21. Bxa5 Rxd1+ 22. Rxd1 bxa5 23. Rh3 Rc8 24. Bb3 Bc6 25. Re3 Bb5+ 26. Kg1 Rc5 27. a4 Bc6 28. Re2 Kf8 29. Rc2 Rxc2 30. Bxc2 Ke7 31. Bb3 Bc7 32. Rc1 Kd7 33. Rxc6 Kxc6 34. Bc4 Kc5 ½ : ½ Goryachkina – A. O. Muzychuk, Women’s Grand Prix 2019–2020, 2nd stage, Monte Carlo 2019. 8. ... Nc6 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Ba3 cxd4 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. cxd4 Bg4 13. Bc5 Re8 14. Rb1 e5. The most usual is 14. ... Qd7, after which there could follow 15. Rb4 a5 16. Ra4 Qb7 17. h3 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 e5 19. Rc4 exd4 20. Bxd4 Bxd4 21. Rxd4 Qb2 22. Ra4 Red8 23. Qb3 ½ : ½ Smejkal – L. Portisch, Interzonal Tournament, Rio de Janeiro 1979. 15. dxe5 Qa5 16. Qc2 Bxf3 17. gxf3 Qd8!? A novelty which shouldn’t make too much difference with respect to 17. ... Bxe5 18. Rfd1 Qc7 19. h3 Bf4 20. Bd4 Be5 21. Be3 Bf4 22. Bd4 Be5 23. Be3 Bf4 24. Bd4 ½ : ½ Bogner – Karthik, 1st Josef Kupper Memorial, Zürich 2019. 18. Rfd1 Qg5+ 19. Kf1 Bxe5 20. Rb7 Rab8 21. Rdd7 Rxb7 22. Rxb7 Bxh2. 22. ... Qf6 23. Qb3 Bxh2 just transposes into the game.

23. Qb3. Goryachkina, perhaps, could aim for more with 23. Bd4, but then Black would give back his extra Pawn by 23. ... c5! in fact rejecting any of White’s claims. 23. ... Qf6 24. Bxa7 h5 25. Bd4 Be5. Clearly not 25. ... Qxd4?? on account of 26. Qxf7+ followed by mate next move. 26. Bxe5 Rxe5 27. Rb8+ Kg7 28. Qa3 (Δ 29. Qf8+ Kh7 30. Rb7+−) 28. ... c5 29. Qb2 h4 30. Ra8. The endgame is pretty equal, and Goryachkina has no difficulty in holding her own. 30. ... Kh6 31. Qb8 Rh5 32. Qf8+ Qg7 33. Qxg7+ Kxg7 34. Kg2 c4 35. Rc8 Ra5 36. Rxc4 Rxa2 37. e5 h3+ 38. Kxh3 Rxf2 39. Kg3 Re2 40. f4 Re1 ½ : ½.

Just like Beth, Goryachkina starts her Queen’s hunt all over again from a man’s world. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Alice Without a Looking Glass

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
73rd Russian Chess Championship Higher League; Sochi, October 10, 2020
Semi-Slav Defence D30

1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 Nf6 4. Qc2 e6 5. d4 Nbd7 6. b3 Bd6 7. Bb2. On 7. Nc3 Black can continue with 7. ... 0-0 8. Be2 b6 9. 0-0 Bb7 10. Bb2 Qe7 11. Rad1 h6 12. e4 Nxe4 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Qxe4 Nf6 15. Qh4 Rad8 16. Bd3 Ba3 17. Ba1 Bb4 18. Ne5 Rfe8 19. Bc2 Nd7 20. Qe4 f5 21. Qe2 Nxe5 22. Qxe5 Bd6 23. Qe2 Qg5 24. c5 bxc5 25. dxc5 Bxc5 26. Rxd8 Qxd8 27. Bxg7 Kxg7 28. Qe5+ Kf7 29. Qxc5 Qd5 30. b4 Qxc5 31. bxc5 Ba6 32. Rd1 Bc4 33. Rd7+ Re7 34. Rxe7+ Kxe7 35. a3 Kf6 36. f4 e5 37. g3 exf4 38. gxf4 Ke6 39. Kf2 Kd5 40. Ke3 Kxc5 41. Bxf5 Bf7 42. Bb1 Kd6 43. Ke4 Bg6+ 44. f5 Bf7 45. Bc2 ½ : ½ Esipenko – Goryachkina, 16th Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2018. 7. ... Qe7 8. Nbd2 h6 9. Ne5 0-0 10. Bd3 Ba3 11. Bxa3 Qxa3 12. f4 c5 13. 0-0 cxd4!? Of course, a significant improvement could be expected here from Goryachkina, because in a game played a few years ago, the careless 13. ... b6? culminated in a disaster for Black: 14. Nb1 Qa5? (14. ... Qa6 15. cxd5 b5 16. Nc3 is very bad too, but at least saves time) 15. Nc6 Qa6 16. cxd5 b5 17. dxe6 (17. Ne7+ Kh8 18. dxc5+−) 17. ... fxe6? (17. ... Qxc6 was best, though after 18. exd7 Bb7 19. e4 White must win anyway) 18. Ne7+ Kf7 19. Ng6 Rd8 20. dxc5 Nxc5 21. Qxc5 Rxd3 22. Ne5+ 1 : 0 Manigk – Gasik, 26th Czech Rapid G1, Pardubice 2015. 14. exd4 b6 15. cxd5 Nxe5 16. fxe5 Nxd5 17. Nc4 Qe7 18. Nd6 Nb4 19. Qd2 Nxd3 20. Qxd3 Bb7 21. Qg3 f5! With this freeing move, Black not only prevents Rf1-f6, but also induces her titled opponent to simplify to a drawish endgame. 22. exf6 Rxf6 23. Rxf6 Qxf6 24. Qe5 Bd5 25. Qxf6 gxf6 26. Rc1 Kg7 27. Rc8 a5 28. Rxa8 Bxa8 29. Kf2 Bd5 30. g4 Kf8 31. Ke3 Bc6

32. a4. 32. Nc4 b5! 33. Nxa5 Bd5 (White’s Knight is dominated) 34. a4 bxa4 35. bxa4 Ke7 36. Kd3 Bf3= draws as well. 32. ... Bd5 33. Nc4 Ke7 34. Kd3 Kd8 35. Nxb6 Bxb3 36. Nc4 Bxa4 37. Nxa5 Bd1 38. h3 h5 39. gxh5 Bxh5 40. Nb7+ Ke7 41. Ke3 e5 42. dxe5 ½ : ½.

Today, the top seed of the 73rd Russian Chess Championship Higher League — in fact a qualifier for the Superfinal — was held to a draw by two-time Russian Women’s Chess Champion. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

Sunday Matters

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – Fabiano Caruana
82nd Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 26, 2020
English Opening A13

In spite of having already won first prize yesterday, Caruana gave the best of himself also in his last round game against Artemiev. 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nd7 3. c4 dxc4 4. Qa4 a6 5. Qxc4 b5 6. Qc2 Bb7 7. Bg2 Ngf6 8. 0-0 e6 9. d3 Be7 10. a4 c5 11. Nc3 Qb6 12. axb5 axb5 13. Rxa8+ Bxa8 14. Bg5 0-0 15. Ra1 h6 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. Nd2!?TN (17. Qb3 c4 18. dxc4 bxc4 19. Qxb6 Nxb6 20. Nd2 Rd8 21. Nxc4 Nxc4 22. Rxa8 Rxa8 23. Bxa8 Nxb2 ½ : ½ Matsenko – Nyzhnyk, College Final Four 2017, New York 2017) 17. ... Bxg2 18. Kxg2 Rc8 19. Qb3 Rb8 20. Nce4 Be7 21. Kg1 f5 22. Nc3 Ne5 23. h3 h5 24. Nf3 Nxf3+ 25. exf3 Bf6 26. Re1 Kf7 27. Ne2 g5 28. g4 hxg4 29. hxg4 fxg4 30. fxg4 Qd6 31. Ng3 Qd5 32. Qc2 Bd4 33. Qe2 Rh8 34. Ne4 Qe5 35. Qf3+ Kg7 36. b3? Instead of this move, Artemiev should have forced the exchange of Queens with 36. Qg3, as after 36. ... Qxg3+ 37. Nxg3 Rf8 38. Ne4 Rf4 39. Kg2 Rxg4+ 40. Kh3 Rh4+ 41. Kg3 White regains his Pawn with a very drawish ending. 36. ... Rf8! 37. Qe2 Qd5 38. Rf1 Kg6. Obviously 38. ... Qxb3? 39. Nxc5!= leads nowhere. 39. Qd1 c4! 40. bxc4 bxc4 41. Kg2 Ba7. Caruana prefers to cash in the Pawn rather than invest on his dynamic advantage with 41. ... Rf4! 42. f3 c3∓ (which is what the engines give priority). 42. f3 cxd3 43. Qa1 Be3

44. Rd1? Maybe due to Caruana’s 41th move, White could now discourage Black from making any use of his extra Pawn with 44. Qe1! (and if 44. ... Qd4 then again 45. Qa1). The text dramatically fails to a pyrotechnic refutation. 44. ... Qc4 45. Qc3 Qa2+ 46. Nd2 Qc2!−+ 47. Qe5! A clever trick, but Caruana has calculated everything out. 47. ... Bxd2! Instead Artemiev was hoping for 47. ... Qxd1?? 48. Qxe6+ Kg7 49. Qxe3 Qe2+ 50. Qxe2 dxe2 51. Kf2 followed by the capture of the e-Pawn with a book draw. Now, despite any appearances to the contrary, there’s no perpetual check, but only the triumphant “long march” of Black’s King. 48. Qxe6+ Kg7 49. Qe7+ Rf7 50. Qe5+ Kf8 51. Qb8+ Ke7 52. Qe5+ Kd8 53. Qb8+ Kd7 54. Qb7+ Kd6 55. Qb6+ Ke5 56. Qb5+ Kd4 57. Qb6+ Kc4 58. Qe6+ Kc3 59. Qe5+ Kb3 60. Qd5+ Kb2 61. Qb5+ Bb4+ 62. Kg3 Qxd1 63. Qxb4+ Qb3 64. Qd2+ Kb1 65. Qe1+ Kc2 66. Qf2+ d2 0 : 1.

Things which don’t happen every day: Fabiano Caruana won the “Wimbledon of Chess” by 2 points! Photo: Alina l’Ami/Tata Steel Chess.

A Long Way to Go

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – Santosh Gujrathi Vidit

10th 海南 (Hǎinán) 儋州 (Dānzhōu) Super Grandmaster Chess Tournament; 儋州 (Dānzhōu), July 3, 2019

English Opening A37

1. c4 c5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nb5 d5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. 0-0 Nge7 10. Nbxd4 0-0 11. b3 Nf5 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Rb1 Qa5 14. Bb2!? A powerful novelty, in place of 14. Qc2 Be6 (as occurred in a recent game Oboladze – Nasuta, 20th European Individual Chess Championship, Skopje 2019). 14. ... Qxa2 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. g4 Ne7. Also worth considering was 16. ... Nd6, after which there might follow 17. Ne5 (17. Qd4+ f6 18. Qc5 Ne4 19. Qxc6 Bxg4 would furnish Black with a better version than that of the game) 17. ... Ne4 18. Rc1 Qd2 19. Nxc6 a5 with reasonable play for Black. 17. Qd4+ f6 18. Qc5 Ng8 19. Qxc6 Bxg4 20. Nd4. White’s dominating Knight and initiative more than compensate for the sacrificed Pawn.

20. ... Qa5 21. h3 Bf5 22. Ra1 Qb6 23. Nxf5+ gxf5 24. Qxd5 Rae8 25. Qxf5. After all, now it is White who has a Pawn more, even though turning it into a win is anything but easy. Artemiev somehow will manage to do it, also thanks to some questionable moves by his opponent. 25. ... Re5 26. Qf3 Rfe8 27. e3 a5 28. Rab1 Ne7 29. Rfd1 Ng6 30. Rd4 f5 31. Rd7+ R8e7 32. Rxe7+ Nxe7 33. Qg3+ Ng6 34. h4 h5?! There was another, indirect way to prevent White’s threat of h4-h5: 34. ... Qf6!? so as to reply to 35. h5? with 35. ... f4! saving everything. Artemiev would have probably continued 35. f4 Rc5 36. h5 Qh4 37. Qf2 Qxf2+ (37. ... Qxh5? loses to 38. Qb2+! Kf7 39. b4! axb4 40. Qa2++−) 38. Kxf2 Rc2+ 39. Kg3 Ne7 40. Bf3 contenting himself with a clearly better endgame a Pawn up — a smell of victory, but no certain win. 35. Rc1 Qf6 36. Rc7+ Re7 37. Rc6 Re6?! 37. ... f4!? 38. exf4 Re1+ 39. Kh2 Qxh4+ 40. Qxh4 Nxh4 41. Bd5 would have brought Black into an ending of Rook and Bishop vs. Rook and Knight likely two Pawns down, which, however, might have set White more technical difficulties. 38. Rxe6 Qxe6 39. Qc7+ Kh6 40. Qxa5 Nxh4 41. Qd5 Qe7 42. Bh1 f4 43. Be4 fxe3 44. fxe3 Qg7+ 45. Kf2 Qb2+ 46. Ke1 Qc1+ 47. Ke2 Qb2+ 48. Qd2 Qe5 49. Qd4 Qe7 50. Bd3 Ng2 51. Qe4 Qf6 52. Qxg2 Qb2+ 53. Kf1 Qc1+ 54. Kf2 1 : 0.

Artemiev (right) bounced back from yesterday’s defeat against 王皓 (Wáng Hào) with a laborious win over Vidit (left). Photo: 樊璐璐 (Fán Lùlù).

Ten Plus One

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – Denis Vasilyevich Pershin
26th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 10, 2019
English Opening A28

The last round of the 26th Russian Team Chess Championship marked the fourth win in a row for Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev, which pushes him towards the probably non-open door of the world’s top ten. 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. e4 Bb4 5. d3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 d6 7. g3 h6 8. Bg2 Be6 9. 0-0 Qd7 10. Nh4!? A novelty, or rather a new move order with respect to 10. Rb1 b6 11. Nh4 Bh3 12. Nf5 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 g6 14. Ne3 Nh5 15. Qg4 Ne7 16. h3 ½ : ½ Semcesen – Westerberg, 5th International Open, Västerås 2014. 10. ... 0-0-0!? This must not have been an easy decision, but it’s not clear which castling is better (10. ... 0-0 11. f4↑). 11. Qa4 Bh3 12. Nf5 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 Nh5 14. Rb1 Rde8? After this, Black will no longer be able to neutralise White’s Queenside attack. Pershin ought to have played 14. ... g6 at once, in order to answer 15. Ne3 and/or 15. Nh4 by 15. ... Nf4+! with good drawing prospects. So White would have better played: 15. Qb5! b6 16. Qxc6 Qxc6 17. Ne7+ Kd7 18. Nxc6 Kxc6 19. f4⩲ with a slight edge. 15. f3! g6 16. Ne3 f5 17. Nd5! With the powerful threat of Bc1-e3. 17. ... f4!? Black sacrifices the Exchange with the (unfounded) conviction that he will manage to launch a counter-attack on the Kingside. On the other hand, after 17. ... b6 18. Qa6+ Kb8 (18. ... Kd8 19. Qb7+−) 19. Be3 Qc8 20. Qa4 Qb7 21. Bxb6! axb6 22. Rxb6! cxb6 23. Rb1 Black would also fall down shortly. 18. g4 Ng7 19. Nf6 Qe7 20. Nxe8 Nxe8 21. d4 h5

22. g5! Pershin might have overlooked or underestimated this very strong move, which in fact keeps the h-file closed. 22. ... Qxg5+ 23. Kh1 a6 24. Ba3! Simply threatening c4-c5. By now White’s attack goes by itself. 24. ... Qh4 25. c5! dxc5 26. Bxc5. Threatening both Qa4-b3 and Rb1xb7. 26. ... Qh3. Black parried Rb1xb7, but not the other threat. 27. Qb3 b6. If 27. ... Nd8 then 28. Be7 winning easily. 28. Bxb6! cxb6 29. Qxb6 Kd7 30. dxe5 1 : 0.

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev (right) vs. Denis Vasilyevich Pershin (left). Photo © Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

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.

Holy Day, Holiday

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – Ivan Ivanovich Bocharov
26th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 1, 2019
Queen’s Indian Defence E15

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Nbd2 d5 6. Bg2 Bd6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. b3 Nbd7 9. e4 dxe4!? New, but not so new; after 9. ... Nxe4 10. Nxe4 dxe4 11. Ng5 Nf6 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Bxe4 Rb8 14. Qf3 Qc8 15. Bb2 Bb7 16. Rfe1 Bxe4 17. Rxe4 Re8 18. Rae1 Qd7 19. Kg2 Bf8 20. h4 b5 Black somehow managed to hold on to a draw, Gyimesi – Gordon, 2nd European Individual Chess Championship, Liverpool 2006. 10. Ng5 Be7 11. Ndxe4 Rb8 12. a4 Bb7 13. Be3 h6 14. Nxf6+ Bxf6 15. Bxb7 Bxg5 16. Bc6 Bxe3 17. fxe3 Qe7 18. b4 Rbd8 19. Qb3 e5 20. b5 Nf6 21. Qc3 Ng4 22. Rae1 Qg5 23. Kg2 h5 24. Rf3 h4 25. h3 Nh6!? Engines like more 25. ... Nf6 than 25. ... Nh6, although after 26. g4 (if 26. dxe5 then 26. ... Nd7 winning back the Pawn with good prospects of equality) 26. ... Qg6 27. Ref1! exd4 28. exd4 Nh5 29. Re1 Ng3 (in the end, the Black Knight goes to g3 anyway) 30. Bd5 White stands at least a little better. 26. dxe5 Nf5 27. g4 Ng3 28. Bd5 Rde8

29. a5 Qxe5? With this offer to exchange Queens, Bocharov deprives himself of any chance of counterplay, soon ending up in a painfully lost game. 29. ... Rxe5 (30. e4⩲) offered Black much better surviving chances. 30. Qxe5 Rxe5 31. e4 g6. After this, White’s Rook can even penetrate with gain of tempo, but it’s very likely that Black’s game were hopeless anyway. If, for instance, 31. ... Kh8 then 32. Rxf7 Rxf7 33. Bxf7 Rxe4 34. Rd1! with a relatively easy win. 31. ... g5!? is probably critical, but then after 32. a6! White would likewise put his opponent in a squeeze. 32. Rf6! With the obvious threat of Rf6xg6+. 32. ... Kg7 33. Rc6 Re7 34. e5 Kh6 35. Rf6 Kg5. Or 35. ... bxa5 36. Ra6 with an overwhelming advantage. 36. a6! White puts Black in a kind of zugzwang. 36. ... Rd7 37. Re3 Re7 38. Rff3 Kh6 39. Kf2 Kg5 40. Ke1 Kh6 41. Kd2 Rd8 42. Kc2 Rdd7? This last mistake leads to a pretty finish, but Black could not save the game either by 42. ... Rf8 43. Rf6 Kg7 44. Ref3 Ne2 (44. ... Rxe5?? 45. Rxf7+ is even worse) 45. Kd3 Ng1 46. Re3 (threatening Rf6-f1) 46. ... Rxe5 47. Rxf7+ Rxf7 48. Rxe5 Rd7 49. Re3 with an easily won ending (the Black Knight being virtually trapped). 43. Bxf7! 1 : 0. For if 43. ... Rxf7 then 44. e6! finis.

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev. Photo © Evgeny Vashenyak. Courtesy of the Russian Chess Federation.

Strictly Come Dancing

温阳 (Wēn Yáng) – Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev
14th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, March 2, 2016
Sicilian Defence B23

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. g3 b5 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. d3 e6 6. Nh3 d6 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. f4 Nc6 9. Be3. For 9. f5 b4 10. Nb1 e5 11. Nd2 see Y. Bernstein – Aloni, Netanya 1968. 9. ... Be7 10. e5! dxe5 11. fxe5 Nd7 12. Qg4 g6? If he had known what was expected, Artemiev would certainly have sacrificed the Exchange by 12. ... 0-0 13. Bh6 g6.

13. Rxf7!! A terrific blow which is designed to catch His Majesty out. 13. ... Kxf7. Or 13. ... Ncxe5 14. Qxe6 Bxg2 15. Kxg2 Nxf7 16. Nd5 and wins. 14. Rf1+ Ke8. If 14. ... Kg7 then 15. Nf4 Nf8 16. Nh5+ Kg8 17. Qf4 Qe8 18. Nf6+ Bxf6 19. exf6 and Black’s defence will fall pretty soon. 15. Qxe6 Ndxe5 16. Ne4. After 17 minutes of thinking. 16. ... Qc7 17. Nf4. 17. Nhg5! was even stronger. 17. ... Bc8. Probably not best move, but the situation was already exceedingly difficult for Black. 18. Nf6+ Kd8 19. Qd5+ Qd6 20. Bxc5 1 : 0. For if 20. ... Qxd5 then 21. Bb6 mate.

The Mirage

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – Alexander Anatolyevich Motylev
68th Russian Chess Championship; Chita, August 11, 2015
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 e5 4. Bxc4 exd4 5. exd4 Bd6 6. Nf3 Nf6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. h3 Nc6 9. Nc3 Bf5 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bh4 g5

12. Nxg5!? Theoretical novelty, nineteenth century style: Vladislav Mikhailovich sacrifices his Knight for two Pawns pursuing the mirage of an attack. So far, the accepted continuation was 12. Bg3 Bxg3 13. fxg3 Bg6 14. Ne5 with an edge for White, Liiva – Hübner, 14th Pühajärve Rapid Chess Tournament, Pühajärve 2013. “I could not resist”, then Artemiev said. 12. ... hxg5 13. Bxg5 Re8 14. Qd2 Nxd4. Bad news for Artemiev: Black wins back a Pawn. 15. Rad1 c5 16. b4 b6 17. bxc5 bxc5 18. Rfe1 Rxe1+ 19. Qxe1 Be6?? The crisis. A shocked Motylev falls right into a nightmare. Instead 19. ... Be7! and if 20. Qe5 only then 20. ... Be6! would set White the extremely difficult task of struggling to prove compensation for his sacrifice. 20. Bxe6 fxe6 21. Rxd4! Bh2+? From bad to worse, but also after 21. ... cxd4 22. Qxe6+ Kg7 23. Nd5 Nxd5 24. Qh6+ Kf7 25. Qh5+ Ke6 26. Qg4+ Kf7 27. Bxd8 Rxd8 28. Qxd4 White should win in the short-mid-long run. 22. Kxh2 Qxd4 23. Qxe6+ Kg7 24. Ne2! 1 : 0.