Yeah, Edna, I too think that there should also have been a prize for you!

12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov handing the winner’s prize of the 80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament to Magnus Carlsen, with Anish Giri (first from right) and Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik (second from right) standing in the background. Photo: Tata Steel Chess (@tatasteelchess).

The Day of the Mighty Wind

Magnus Carlsen – Anish Giri

80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; tie-break game 1 (5+3); Wijk aan Zee, January 28, 2018

English Opening A13

Magnus Carlsen won for the sixth time the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, after beating Anish Giri 1½ – ½ in the blitz tie-break. On the other hand, it was the first time that Giri has arrived so high, so it’s hopeful that both the winner and the loser have reasons to be happy with their marriage! 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. b3 d5 4. Bb2 Be7 5. e3 0-0 6. Nc3 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Nxd5 exd5 9. d4 Qa5+!? Giri improves on 9. ... cxd4(?) that helped 6th World Chess Champion Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik to create one of his most famous strategic masterpieces: 10. Qxd4 Bf6 11. Qd2 Nc6 12. Be2 Be6 13. 0-0 Bxb2 14. Qxb2 Qa5 15. Rfd1 Rad8 16. Rd2 Rd7 17. Rad1 Rfd8 18. h3 h6 19. Ne5 Nxe5 20. Qxe5 Qc5 21. Bf3 b6 22. Qb2 Rc8 23. Qe5 Rcd8 24. Rd4 a5 25. g4! Qc6 26. g5 hxg5 27. Qxg5 f6 28. Qg6 Bf7 29. Qg3 f5 30. Qg5 Qe6 31. Kh1 Qe5 32. Rg1 Rf8 33. Qh6 Rb8 34. Rh4 Kf8 35. Qh8+ Bg8 36. Rf4 Rbb7 37. Rg5 Rf7 38. Qh5 Qa1+ 39. Kg2 g6 40. Qxg6 Bh7 41. Qd6+ Rfe7 42. Qd8+ 1 : 0 Botvinnik – Zagoriansky, Sverdlovsk 1943. 10. Qd2 Qxd2+ 11. Kxd2 Nc6 12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. Bb5 Bb4+ 14. Ke2 Be6 15. Rac1 Rac8 16. Rhd1 Be7 17. h3 a6 18. Bd3 Nb4 19. Bb1 Rxc1 20. Rxc1 Rc8 21. Rd1. It makes no much sense to say too much about a blitz game, but one cannot but admire Carlsen’s skill in keeping his sleeping beauties almost continuously ready to awaken. 21. ... Nc6 22. g4 h6 23. Nd4 Nxd4+ 24. Bxd4 Ba3 25. f4 f6 26. Bg6 Kf8 27. Kf3 Ke7 28. h4 Bb4 29. Bd3 Bd7 30. e4. Finally making something happen. 30. ... Bc3. After 30. ... dxe4+ 31. Bxe4 Bc6 it seems impossible that Black may ever lose, but with Carlsen you never know it for sure. 31. Bf2! Bc6 32. exd5 Bxd5+ 33. Be4 Bxe4+ 34. Kxe4

34. ... Ke6? This should be the losing move, in spite that in a blitz game it’s very easy to play such a move. 34. ... Bb4(!) would have worked better in order to keep fighting for a draw. 35. f5+! Ke7 36. Rc1! Rc6. 36. ... Rc7 37. Bb6! makes no difference at all. 37. Kd3 Bb4 38. Rxc6 bxc6 39. Kc4 Bd6 40. Bc5. Now it’s an easy technical win. 40. ... Kd7 41. h5 Bf4 42. Bf8 Ke8 43. Bc5. 43. Bxg7?? Kf7 only draws. 43. ... Kd7 44. Kb4 Bd2+ 45. Ka4 Kc7. If 45. ... a5 there follows 46. b4! very much the same. 46. b4 Bf4 47. Bf8 Kb6 48. Bxg7 Bg5 49. Bf8 Bf4 50. Be7 Bg5 51. Kb3 Kc7 52. Kc4 Kd7 53. Bc5 Kc7 54. Kd3 Kd7 55. Be3 1 : 0.

Artwork © Willum Morsch‏

Not Everything Is Impermanent

Wesley So – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 28, 2018
Catalan Opening E01

1. c4 e6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. d4 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bd6 6. Nc3 0-0. “An unlucky idea, which had previously been played by strong players with success. However none of their opponents had played the direct response which So chooses”, Grandmaster Ian Rogers wrote in his report for the U.S. Chess Federation website. 7. cxd5. A very simple solution. 7. ... exd5 8. Nxd5 Nxd5 9. Bxd5

9. ... Bxg3. Thus Black regains her Pawn, but now White can hope for the initiative out of the opening of the g-file. I feel that 9. ... Ba3(!) must be a much better move, not regaining but sacrificing a Pawn! 10. Qb3 Bd6 11. Nf3 c6. Black should have urgently played ... Nb8-d7-f6. 12. Bc4 Bf5. That’s all another story, but the way it goes it reminds me of R. J. Fischer – Addison, Interzonal Tournament, Palma de Mallorca 1970. 13. Ng5. Like Morphy in the “Opera Game”, So also disdains the gain of the b7-Pawn to focus instead on the f7-Pawn. 13. ... Qe7 14. Qf3 Bg6. 14. ... Qf6 15. h4 Nd7 16. 0-0-0 might be a little better, but not so much as to neutralise, in the mid run, White’s powerful initiative. 15. h4 Bb4. Preventing – at least for now – h4-h5. 16. 0-0-0 Bxd2+ 17. Rxd2 h5. If 17. ... h6 then 18. h5 Qxg5 19. hxg6 Qxg6 20. Rdd1 followed by Rd1-g1 with tremendous attack. 18. Rg1. Threatening Qf3-g3 followed by Ngxf7. Black can do very little, if nothing, to defend, so she prepares to pay a heavy material price for avoiding even worse consequences. 18. ... Nd7 19. Qg3 Nb6 20. Bb3 Qf6 21. e4 Rae8 22. e5 Qf5 23. Bc2 Qg4 24. Bxg6 Qxg3 25. Bh7+ Kh8 26. Rxg3 f6 27. Bg6 fxg5 28. Bxe8 gxh4 29. Rg5 Rxe8 30. Rxh5+ 1 : 0. Thus 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s passage in the Netherlands ends with 2½ points out of 13, that it’s not so bad for one who, like her, until recently has been devoting much of her time to her studies, winning the Rhodes Scholarship for the University of Oxford, where, starting next September, she’s gonna study for a Master’s Degree in Education, focusing on children’s development.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) in black and white playing her last round game in Wijk aan Zee. Photo: Tata Steel Chess (@tatasteelchess).

But just before Dylan says “Lies that life is black and white”, here are Wesley So and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) in full colours. Photo: Cathy Rogers.

Eye of the Needle

Magnus Carlsen – Maxim Sergeevich Matlakov
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 27, 2018
Sicilian Defence B48

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Qd2 Nf6 8. f4 Bb4 9. Bd3 Na5 10. a3 Bxc3 11. Qxc3 Qxc3+ 12. bxc3 d5 13. exd5 exd5 14. Nb3 Nc4 15. Bd4 Ne4 16. Nc5 Nxc5 17. Bxc5 Bd7 18. 0-0-0 0-0-0 19. Bxc4 dxc4 20. Bb6 Rde8 21. Rd4 Re6 22. Rxc4+ Rc6 23. Rxc6+ Bxc6 24. Rd1 Bxg2 25. Rg1 Be4 26. Rxg7 Bg6. “This ending must be a draw but given Carlsen’s huge advantage on the clock and Pawn up he must be odds on to win”, Grandmaster Daniel W. Gormally said.

27. a4 Rf8 28. Kb2 Kd7 29. f5 Bxf5 30. Bc5 Rc8 31. Rxf7+ Ke6 32. Re7+ Kf6 33. Bb4 a5 34. Ba3 Rc4. 34. ... Rg8 35. Rxb7 Rg2 36. Bd6 Bxc2 37. Ra7 Bxa4+ 38. Ka3 Be8 39. Rxa5 leads to the same kind of ending, which could even be drawn – from an absolute viewpoint – but that it’s not drawn enough, from a human standpoint. 35. Rxb7 Rxa4 36. Ra7 Re4 37. Rxa5 Re2 38. Bd6 Bxc2 39. c4 Ke6 40. Ra6 Bf5+ 41. Kc3 Be4 42. Kd4 Kf5 43. Ra5+ Kg4? No, the King had to stay on the weaker side: 43. ... Ke6(!) – that was surely the best way (and maybe the only one) to play for a draw. 44. c5 Bf3 45. Ra7 h6 46. Rh7 Re4+ 47. Kd3 Re6 48. Kc4 Bc6 49. Rc7 Bh1 50. Kb5 h5 51. Rg7+ Kh4? A desperate self-stalemating mirage, which in fact makes things much easier for White. 51. ... Kf5 was obviously called for, but very probably it would not have been enough to make the impossible happen. Carlsen had a huge time advantage, and could torment his opponent for as long as he pleased. No one can defend such a situation. 52. Rg1. 52. Be7+! Kh3 53. Rg3+ Kh2 54. Bd6+− is the machine’s “dual”, but that’s not necessary. 52. ... Ba8 53. Kb6 Re2 54. Kc7 Bd5 55. Rg3 Bh1 56. Rc3 Kg4 57. c6 1 : 0.

Artwork © Willum Morsch

Volatile Frenemies

Anish Giri – Baskaran Adhiban
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 27, 2018
Benoni Defence A60

Magnus Carlsen and Anish Giri will go all out tomorrow to win the 80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament’s first prize. And whereas Carlsen defeated today Maxim Sergeevich Matlakov showing his superb technique in a Rook and Bishop of opposite colour endgame, Giri bent Baskaran Adhiban with elegant and crystal clear strategy. 1. c4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 d6 5. e4 e6 6. Bd3 exd5 7. cxd5 Bg4 8. Nbd2 Nf6 9. 0-0 0-0 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Nxf3 c4 12. Bxc4 Nxe4 13. Re1 Re8 14. Qc2 Nf6 15. Rxe8+ Nxe8 16. Bg5. Maybe it’s a novelty. Whatever it is, proof theory gave 16. Qb3 Qc7 17. Be3 Nd7 18. Rc1 Nc5 19. Qa3 Qd8 20. b4 Nd7 21. Qd3 Rc8 22. Bb3 Rxc1+ 23. Bxc1 Qc7 24. Bd2 a6 25. a4 Ne5 26. Nxe5 Bxe5 27. g4 Ng7 28. Kg2 h5 29. f4 Bf6 30. a5 hxg4 31. hxg4 Qd7 32. Bd1 Ne8 33. Be2 Nc7 34. Qc4 Nb5 35. Be3 Qe8 36. Kf3 Nc3 37. g5 ½ : ½ Khismatullin – Andreikin, 13th Open, Voronezh 2009. 16. ... Nf6 17. Nd4 Qb6? It’s not the best place for Her Majesty, and, very probably, it’s the mistake which will cost Black the game. 17. ... a6!? 18. Bb3 Nbd7 19. Ne6(!) Qc8 is Stockfish’s advice, leading to a simplified and materially equal position, which, however, would present an ideological challenge: White’s Bishop pair against Black’s Knight pair. 18. Be3 Ng4!?

19. Qe4! Adhiban was probably hoping for 19. hxg4? Bxd4 with a perfectly playable game. 19. ... Nf6. If 19. ... Nxe3 then 20. Qe8+ Bf8 21. fxe3 with the deadly threat of Nd4-e6. 20. Qe7 Nbd7 21. Nb5. And that’s the epiphany: White wins a decisive Pawn and remains with a powerful advantage, which Giri will convert with no difficulties. 21. ... Bf8 22. Bxb6 Bxe7 23. Bxa7 Ne5 24. b3 Nxc4 25. bxc4 Rc8 26. Re1 Bf8 27. Bd4 Nd7 28. Rc1 Ra8 29. Rc2 Ra6 30. Re2 Ra4. Black’s desperate Rook expedition hastens the end. 31. Re8 Rxc4 32. Rd8 Ne5 33. f4 Nd3 34. Bf6 Re4 35. Nxd6 Re1+ 36. Kh2 Nf2 37. Bg5 h5 38. Bh6 h4 39. g4 Kh7 40. Rxf8 Nd3 41. Rxf7+ Kh8 42. Rf8+ 1 : 0.

Artwork © Willum Morsch

Eye liner

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 27, 2018
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 Nc6 8. Qd2 Be6 9. 0-0-0. In round one, with colours reversed, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) experienced an unlucky start against Anish Giri: 8. Bd3 Be6 9. Qe2 Bf6 10. 0-0-0 Qe7 11. Kb1 a6 12. Rhe1 0-0-0 13. h3 Rhe8 14. g4 h6 15. Nd2 Bg5 16. f4 Bh4 17. Bf2 Bxf2 18. Qxf2 Qf8 19. f5 Bd7 20. f6 g6 21. Be4 Kb8 22. Nc4 Re6 23. Bxc6 Rxe1 24. Rxe1 Bxc6 25. Na5 Re8 26. Nxc6+ bxc6 27. Qg3 Qh8 28. Re7 Rxe7 29. fxe7 Qe8 30. Qe3 Kc8 31. h4 Kd7 32. Qxh6 Qxe7 33. b3 Qe4 34. g5 Qe5 35. Qf8 Qd5 36. Kb2 c5 37. Qg8 Qf3 38. Qf8 Qd5 39. Qg7 Qf5 40. Qg8 Qf3 41. a4 Qf1 42. Qf8 Qf5 43. Qa8 Qf1 44. Qe4 with a very slight initiative for White, Giri – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2018. 9. ... Bf6. After 9. ... Bxa2 10. b3 a5 11. Kb2 a4 12. Kxa2 axb3++ 13. Kxb3 Ra5 14. Kb2 it’s hard for Black to compensate for the Bishop, Bok – Burnier, 45th Internationales Schachfestival, Biel/Bienne 2012. If, instead, 9. ... Qd7 then 10. h4 [or 10. b3 Bf6 11. h3 0-0-0 12. g4 h6 13. Bg2 Kb8 14. Rhe1 Rhe8 15. Kb2 a6 16. Re2 Qe7 17. Rde1 Qf8 18. Nd4 Nxd4 19. Bxd4 Bxd4 20. Qxd4 Bd7 22. f4 Rxe2 22. Rxe2 Re8 23. Rxe8+ Bxe8= Carlsen – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2016] 10. ... h6 11. c4 0-0 12. Bd3 f5 13. Nd4 Ne5 14. b3 Bf6 15. Nxe6 Qxe6 16. Be2 Ng4 17. Bxg4 fxg4 18. Qd5 Qxd5 19. Rxd5 Rae8 20. Kd2 b6 21. g3 Be5 22. Re1 a5 23. a4 Rf3 24. Re2 Kf7 25. Rd3 Re6 26. c3 Bf6 27. Kc2 Re4 28. Kd2 Re6 29. Kc2 Re4 30. Kd2 Re6 ½ : ½ Lékó – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 50th Internationales Schachfestival, Biel/Bienne 2017. 10. Kb1 Qd7 11. Bg5 Bxg5 12. Nxg5 0-0-0 13. Nxe6 Qxe6 14. Bb5 Qf5!? A variation in theme that doesn’t evade the drawish nature of the line. The book’s end was so far 14. ... Rde8 15. Rhe1 Qf5 16. Bxc6 bxc6 17. Re3 Rxe3 18. Qxe3 Kd7 19. Re1 Qe6 20. Qc1 Qg4 21. Qe3 Qe6 22. Qc1 Qg4 23. Qe3 ½ : ½ 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) – 卜祥志 (Bǔ Xiángzhì), 5th 海南 (Hǎinán) 儋州 (Dānzhōu) Grandmaster Chess Tournament, 儋州 (Dānzhōu) 2014. 15. Bxc6 bxc6 16. Rhe1 Rhe8 17. f3 c5 18. b3 Kb7 19. Re2 Re6 20. Rxe6 fxe6 21. Re1 e5 22. Qd5+ c6 23. Qd2 Kc7 24. Re4 Qd7 25. f4 exf4 26. Qe2 Qf5

27. Ra4 Kb8 28. Qa6 Qd7 29. Rxf4 Re8 30. Kb2 h6 31. Qd3 Kb7 32. h4 Re6 33. Rf8 Re7 34. g4 d5 35. g5. If 35. Qg3 then 35. ... Qc7 with equality. 35. ... hxg5 36. hxg5 Rf7 37. Rg8 Re7 38. Rf8 Rf7 39. Rh8 Qd6 40. Qh3 d4 41. Re8 Rf2 42. Qd3 Rg2 43. cxd4 Qxd4+ 44. Qxd4 cxd4 45. Re7+ ½ : ½. Both 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) have serious reasons – hopefully as good as possible – to be disappointed about their relative performance in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament.

Artwork © Willum Morsch

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo © 2018 Rainer Ise.

Key to the Chess Openings

Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen)

Hits and Misses

Magnus Carlsen – Wesley So
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Groningen, January 24, 2018
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. Bf4 Bf5 4. e3 e6 5. c4 Bxb1 6. Qxb1 Bb4+ 7. Kd1 Bd6 8. Bg5 h6. Not 8. ... c5?! on account of 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Bb5+ Nc6 11. dxc5 Bxc5? 12. Bxc6+ bxc6 13. Qc2 with great advantage to White, Carlsen – Finegold, Professional Rapid Online (PRO) Chess League, Chess.com 2017. 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. cxd5. The alternative is 10. c5 Bf8 11. Qc2 c6 12. b4 a6 13. Bd3 Nd7 14. Ke2 g5 15. h3 Bg7 16. a4 Qe7 17. Rad1 0-0 18. g4 e5 19. Bh7+ Kh8 20. Bf5 exd4 21. h4 Ne5 22. Nxd4 gxh4 23. Bd3 Qg5 24. Rdg1 Nxd3 25. Qxd3 Bxd4 26. Qxd4+ Qg7 27. Qd2 Qf6 28. g5 hxg5 29. f4 Rg8 30. fxg5 Qe5 31. Rxh4+ Kg7 32. g6 Rh8 33. gxf7+ Kxf7 34. Qd4 Qxd4 35. Rxd4 Rag8 36. Rf1+ Ke7 37. Rdf4 Rf8 38. Rxf8 Rxf8 39. Rxf8 Kxf8 40. e4 dxe4 ½ : ½ So – Wojtaszek, 4th Gashimov Memorial, Şəmkir 2017. 10. ... exd5 11. e4 Be7 12. Bb5+ c6 13. e5 Qf4 14. Bd3 c5 15. dxc5 Nc6 16. Qc1 Qb4. Not 16. ... Qg4 17. h3! Qxg2?? because of 18. Ke2! and Her Majesty is in trouble. 17. a3 Qxc5 18. Ke2 Nd4+ 19. Nxd4 Qxd4 20. f4 0-0 21. Qd2 Qb6 22. Rhe1 f6 23. e6! A temporary Pawn sacrifice in order to seize the initiative on the light squares. 23. ... Qxe6+ 24. Kf3 Qd7 25. Rad1 Rad8 26. Qe3 Bd6 27. Bg6 f5 28. Qe6+ Qxe6 29. Rxe6 Bc5 30. Re5 30. Re5 Rf6 31. Bxf5 Bd6

32. Rdxd5! In the end it is White who has an extra Pawn! 32. ... Kf7 33. Re4 g6 34. Bg4 h5 35. Bh3 Re8 36. Red4 Be5 37. Rb4 g5 38. g3 b6. 38. ... g4+ 39. Bxg4 hxg4+ 40. Kxg4 is an even worse version of the same kind of ending. 39. Rd7+ Kf8 40. Rh7 g4+ 41. Bxg4 hxg4+ 42. Kxg4 Bd6 43. Rc4 a5 44. Rc6 Kg8 45. Rb7 Be5 46. Rcxb6 Rxb6 47. Rxb6 Bd4 48. Rb5 Re2 49. b3 Rxh2? Wouldn’t be so sure that White might have won, had So played first 49. ... a4(!) as, for instance, 50. Rb4(!) Bg1 51. Rxa4 Re3(!) would have put White facing some more technical difficulties (to say the least). 50. Rxa5. Grandmaster Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik said at this point that White’s ending “should be technically winning”. 50. ... Re2 51. Rd5 Bb2 52. a4 Bc3 53. Kf5 Re8 54. g4 Rf8+ 55. Ke4 Rb8 56. Rb5 Re8+ 57. Kd3 Be1 58. a5 Bf2 59. b4 Re3+ 60. Kc4 Re4+ 61. Kb3 Kf7 62. Re5 Rd4 63. b5 Rd3+ 64. Kc2 Rg3 65. g5 Bd4 66. Rd5 Be3 67. Rd3 Rg2+ 68. Kb3 Bc1 69. b6 Ke6 70. Rd4 Rb2+ 71. Ka4 Kf5 72. Rb4 Ra2+ 73. Kb5 Bxf4 74. Rxf4+ Kxf4 75. b7 1 : 0. An impressive display of will and technique.

Artwork © Willum Morsch

Magnus Carlsen and Wesley So playing at Academiegebouw of Groningen University. Photo © 2018 Jan Hendrik van der Veen/FocusGroningen.

The Gift of Time

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Baskaran Adhiban
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Groningen, January 24, 2018
Philidor Defence C41

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. 0-0 0-0 6. Re1 Nbd7 7. e4 e5 8. Nc3 c6 9. a4 Re8 10. h3 Qc7 11. Be3 b6 12. Qd2. If 12. dxe5 then 12. ... dxe5 13. a5 b5 14. Nd2 Nf8 15. b4 Ne6 16. Na2 Ba6 17. Qb1 Red8 18. Nb3 Bf8= Tatai – Barendregt, 9th IBM International Chess Tournament, Amsterdam 1969. 12. ... Bb7 13. Rad1 Rad8 14. Bg5. 14. Bh6 a6 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. Qe3 b5 leads nowhere for White, Karpov – Tkachiev, World Blitz Chess Championship, Moscow 2009. 14. ... a6 15. h4!? A new move. In Galkin – Novikov, 60th Russian Chess Championship (Higher League), Krasnoyarsk 2007 was seen 15. d5 cxd5 16. Nxd5 Bxd5 17. exd5 Rc8 18. c3 Qb7 19. Nh2 Nc5 20. Qc2 b5 with comfortable play for Black. 15. ... b5 16. axb5 axb5 17. b3 Qb8 18. dxe5 dxe5 19. Bh3 Nf8 20. Qe3 Rxd1 21. Rxd1 Bc8 22. Bxc8 Rxc8 23. Bxf6 Bxf6 24. Na2 Ne6 25. Nb4 Be7 26. Nd3 f6 27. h5 g5 28. b4 Rd8 29. Ra1 Rd7 30. Nh2 Nd4 31. Ra2 Ra7 32. Rb2 Ra3 33. Qd2 Qa8 34. c3 Ne6? Time trouble starts to have its effect. After long maneuvering and consolidating, Adhiban suddenly seems to lose his sense of danger, overlooking his opponent’s disruptive next move. Black should have elected an indirect defence of the Knight by 34. ... c5! 35. Nxc5 (35. cxd4 c4 cannot be better) 35. ... Ra1+ 36. Kg2 Bxc5 37. bxc5 Qxe4+ 38. f3 Nxf3! 39. Nxf3 g4 40. Qd8+ with a likely perpetual check coming.

35. Ne1? Heavily pressed by time, White doesn’t feel like she can dare to play into the wind: 35. Nxe5! fxe5 36. Qd7 Kf7 37. Ng4!+− would have given her an overwhelming position, with too many threats to meet. 35. ... Ra1 36. Kf1? Again time trouble and again a mistake (which could cost dear!). 36. Kg2 was still good enough, since in this case White could have advantageously met 36. ... c5(?) with 37. Nc2 eventually followed by f2-f3. 36. ... c5! 37. f3 cxb4 38. cxb4 Nd4. White has fallen in a kind of strategic Zugzwang, and perhaps here Black misses his best chance of tightening the grip with the immediate 38. ... Qa3, so as to answer 39. Kf2 (39. Kg2? Rxe1!−+) by 39. ... Bd8! with powerful threats. 39. Kg2 Qa3 40. Nd3 Qa4. The last move of the time control, it’s probably also the time Black let his opponent escape. Black’s position was already ideal, so perhaps other waiting moves, such as 40. ... Kg7 (41. Ng4?? Rg1+!), should have been taken into consideration. 41. Nc1! Qa3. Now 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), far from repeating the “wrong” position by 42. Nd3, spots her only one way out: 42. Ne2!! Bxb4 43. Qxb4 Qxb4 44. Rxb4 Ra2 45. Ng4 Kg7 46. Kf1! Nxe2 47. Rxb5 Nxg3+ 48. Kg1 Ne2+ 49. Kf1 Ng3+ 50. Kg1 Nxh5 51. Rb7+ Kg6 52. Rb6. Black’s two temporary extra Pawns (pretty soon he will have to give back one) are of no use. The ending is drawn. 52. ... Kg7 53. Rb7+ Kg6 54. Rb6 Ra5 55. Kf2 Kg7 56. Rb7+ Kg6 57. Rb6 Rc5 58. Ra6 Kg7 59. Ra7+ Kg6 60. Ra6 Rc2+ 61. Kg1 Kg7 62. Ra7+ Kg6 63. Ra6 Rc7 64. Nxe5+ Kg7 65. Ng4 Rf7 66. Ne3 Nf4 67. Nf5+ Kg6 68. Ra8 h5 69. Rg8+ Kh7 70. Rd8 h4 71. Rd6 Kg6 72. Ne3 Re7 73. Kf2 Nh3+ 74. Kf1 Nf4 75. Kf2 Re6 76. Rd7 Ra6 77. Nf5 Ra2+ 78. Kg1 Ne2+ 79. Kh1 Ng3+ 80. Nxg3 hxg3 81. Rd6 Kf7 82. Rd5 Re2 83. Kg1 Kg7 84. Rf5 Kg6 85. Kf1 Ra2 86. Kg1 Rf2 87. Kh1! Re2. 87. ... g4 88. fxg4 Rxf5 89. gxf5+ Kg5 90. Kg2 Kf4 91. e5 leads to a book draw. 88. Kg1 Kf7 89. f4 gxf4 90. Rxf4 Ke6 91. Rg4 Re3 92. Rf4 Ke5 93. Rf5+ Ke6 94. Rf4 Re2 95. Rg4 Ke5 96. Rxg3 Kxe4 97. Ra3 f5 98. Kf1 Re3 99. Ra5 Rb3 100. Kf2 Rb2+ 101. Kf1 f4 102. Ra3 Rc2 ½ : ½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Baskaran Adhiban playing at Academiegebouw of Groningen University. Photo © 2018 Jan Hendrik van der Veen/FocusGroningen.

One hundred one dalmatians

Gawain Christopher B. Jones – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 23, 2018
Catalan Opening E06

1. c4 e6 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. Nf3 Be7 5. 0-0 0-0 6. d4 dxc4 7. Ne5 Nc6. Karl Robatsch’s move. 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Na3 Bxa3 10. bxa3 Ba6 11. a4. If 11. Qd2 there might follow 11. ... Rb8 12. Rd1 [or 12. Qa5 Qc8 13. a4 Rd8 14. Qc5 (after 14. Ba3 Rxd4 15. Rab1 Black defended with a spectacular double Exchange sacrifice in Efimenko – Sakaev, 4th Serbian Team Chess Championship 1st League, Vrnjačka Banja 2010: 15. ... Rb6! 16. Bc5 Rd5! 17. Bxd5 cxd5 18. Bxb6 axb6 19. Qb4 Nd7 20. a5 b5 21. Qe7 c5 22. f4 d4 23. f5 e5 24. f6 gxf6 25. g4 h6 26. Rf5 ½ : ½) 14. ... Nd5 15. e4? Nc3 16. Be3 Nxa4 17. Qh5 c3−+ 赵骏 (Zhào Jùn) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 43rd Chinese Chess Championship, 兴化 (Xīnghuà) 2012] 12. ... Qc8 13. Qc2 h6 14. Bd2 Nd5 15. e4 Nb6 16. Bb4 Rd8 17. a4 Nd5! with a comfortable game for Black, Inarkiev – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), FIDE Grand Prix 2017, 3rd stage, Geneva 2017. 11. ... Qc8!? A very interesting novelty, preparing for a thematic sacrifice of the Exchange. 11. ... Qd6 12. Qd2 Rab8 13. Qa5 Rb6 was the already read book (with approximate equality), Hammer – Elsness, 93rd Norwegian Chess Campionship, Stavanger 2017. 12. Ba3 Rd8 13. Be7 Rd5!? Who knows, maybe 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) saved 13. ... Rd6!? for next time. 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Bxd5 cxd5 16. e4! dxe4 17. Qg4+ Kf8 18. Qxe4 Bb7 19. Qxh7. The passed h-Pawn is the only potential White’s winner in an otherwise unclear situation. However, White should first manage to exchange Queens in order to exploit it. 19. ... Qd7 20. Qh6+ Ke7 21. Qe3 Qxa4 22. Rab1 Bd5 23. Rb2 Rh8 24. Qc3 a5. Otherwise Qc3-b4+ follows. 25. f3 Kd7 26. Rc1 Ra8 27. Qe3 Rg8 28. Kg2 f5 29. Kf2 Rh8 30. Ke1 Qc6 31. Rc3 Qa8 32. Qe2 Qa7! 32. ... f4!? was another interesting possibility, as after 33. g4 Qd8 White doesn’t seem to have nothing better than returning the Exchange, with an unclear but basically even game. 33. Qd1

33. ... e5! 34. Qa4+ Kc8 35. Rxc4. White can no longer do anything but give back the Exchange. 35. ... Bxc4 36. Qxc4 Rd8. Not 36. ... Qxd4?? on account of 37. Qa6+ winning the Queen. 37. Kf1. Making possible the capture of the d4-Pawn. 37. Qxf7 Qxd4 38. Qxf5+ Rd7 39. Qf8+ was the most direct way to a draw – which Jones, in his psychological condition, might have well considered. 37. ... Qxd4 38. Qa6+ Kd7 39. Qb5+ Ke7 40. Kg2. Jones reached time control in a drastically changed situation, just to realise that the most he can hope for is to hardly strive for a draw. 40. ... Rd5 41. Qe2 Kf6 42. Rc2 Qb4. 42. ... c5(!) suggested itself, as 43. Qa6+ Kg7 44. Qxa5 e4 seems to be a little more troublesome for White. 43. Qe3 c5. 43. ... Kg6 44. h4 (not 44. Rxc7?? because of 44. ... Rd2+ 45. Kh3 Qb2−+) 44. ... f6 seems a little more persistent. 44. Qh6+ Ke7 45. Re2 Rb5 46. Rf2 Qb8 47. Qg5+ Ke6 48. g4 f4 49. Qf5+ Ke7 50. Re2 Kf8 51. Qf6 Qd6 52. Qxd6+ Rxd6 53. Rxe5 Rd2+ 54. Kh3 Rxa2 55. Rxc5 Ra3 56. Kh4 Rxf3 57. Rxa5 Rf2 58. h3 Rf3 59. Rh5 Ra3 60. Rf5 Rf3 61. Rf6 Kg7 62. g5 Kg8 63. Ra6 Kg7 64. Rf6 Kg8 65. Rh6 Rg3 ½ : ½.

Space without Matter

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Fabiano Caruana
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 21, 2018
Spanish Game C96

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Nd7. The Keres Variation. 12. d5. The alternative is 12. dxc5! dxc5 13. Nbd2 f6! (not 13. ... Qc7? because of 14. Nf1 Nb6 15. Ne3 Rd8 16. Qe2 Be6 17. Nd5! Nxd5 18. exd5 Bxd5 19. Nxe5± R. J. Fischer – Keres, Candidates Tournament, Willemstad 1962) 14. Nh4 Nb6 15. Nf5 Kf7 (R. J. Fischer – Ivkov, 4th Capablanca Memorial, Havana 1965) and now 16. Qg4! Kh8 17. h4! (intending h4-h5 followed by Nd2-f3-h4) should give White an edge (Fischer’s analysis). 12. ... Nb6 13. Nbd2. If 13. g4 then 13. ... h5! 14. Nh2 hxg4 15. hxg4 Bg5! 16. Nd2 g6 17. Ndf3 Bxc1 18. Qxc1 Kg7 with satisfactory play for Black, R. J. Fischer – Keres, Candidates Tournament, Willemstad 1962. 13. ... Bd7. If 13. ... f5 then 14. exf5 Bxf5 15. Bxf5 Rxf5 16. Ne4 with a very slight plus for White, Lékó – M. Adams, Miskolc 2005, match game 4. 14. Nf1 Nb7 15. b3 a5!? Caruana’s move is probably new. The old reference is 15. ... c4 16. b4(?) a5(!)= Kryvoruchko – J. Polgár, 40th Greek Team Chess Championship, Achaea 2012. 16. Rb1 c4 17. bxc4 Nxc4 18. a4 Qc7. Black sacrifices a Pawn in order to get active piece play. 19. axb5 Nb6 20. Be3 Rfc8 21. Bd3 Nc5 22. Re2 a4. Stockfish’s line 22. ... Nba4 23. Rc1 Nxd3 24. Qxd3 Qc4 25. Qxc4 Rxc4 would seem good enough to win back the Pawn and strive for equality. Instead, Caruana is even thinking about sacrificing a second Pawn in the hope to set up a blockade on the dark squares. 23. Ra2 Bd8 24. Bc2 Nc4 25. N3d2 Nxe3 26. Nxe3 Rcb8 27. c4 Qc8 28. Ra3. But as it is, White prefers not to take the second Pawn, focusing instead her attention on the Kingside. It just sounds a bit strange, since she concentrated her efforts above all on the Queenside, through a very static strategy. I guess that both Wilhelm Steinitz and Bobby Fischer would have taken the Pawn without thinking twice. 28. ... Ba5 29. Ndf1 Bb6 30. Ng3 Qd8. “[...] the engine says that White is better but just the sort of position where I’d play terribly as White. No obvious plan and Black has dangerous counterplay on the dark squares”, Grandmaster Daniel W. Gormally said. 31. Nef5 g6 32. Nh6+. “Hóu should be inspired by Magnus now and make a slightly dubious sac with 32. Nxd6!”, Gormally says. Indeed, it’s not clear at all what compensation White may claim after 32. Nxd6 Qf6, except for creating a brighter future for her suffering light-squared Bishop. 32. ... Kg7

33. Qd2? Probably best was 33. Rf3 Qh4! (33. ... Kxh6 34. Rxf7 is much unclear) 34. Rxf7+ Kh8 (not 34. ... Kxh6? on account of 35. Qc1+ g5 36. Rxd7!+−) 35. Qf3 Qxh6 36. Qf6+ Kg8 37. Nh5! (threatening 38. Rg7+ Kh8 39. Rxg6+ followed by mate) 37. ... Rf8! 38. Rg7+ Kh8 39. Rf7+ and draw by perpetual check. And, after all, White could even play 33. Ng4 which apparenly holds all without touching the status quo. 33. ... Qh4! 34. Ng4 Bxg4 35. hxg4 Qxg4 36. Kf1? 36. Qe2 Qh4! 37. Nf1 h5! would be hardly better, and in a way quite similar to the game. 36. ... Qh4 37. Ke2. The King has no peace. 37. ... h5! 38. Kf1 Rh8 39. Rba1 Qf6 40. Rf3 Qe7 41. Ne2 Nb3! 42. Bxb3 axb3 43. Ra6 Rxa6 44. bxa6 Ra8 45. Rxb3 Rxa6 46. g3 h4! 47. gxh4? This loses right off, but 47. Kg2 h3+ 41. Kxh3 Bxf2 was also quite hopeless. 47. ... Qxh4 48. Ng3 Bxf2! 49. Qxf2 Qh3+ 50. Ke2 Ra2+ 51. Ke1 Rxf2 52. Nf5+ Qxf5 53. exf5 Rxf5 54. Rb6 Rf4 55. Rc6 g5 56. Ke2 Rd4 57. Kf3 f6 58. Rxd6 Rxc4 0 : 1.

Artwork © Willum Morsch

Gambling for Fun

Magnus Carlsen – Gawain Christopher B. Jones
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 21, 2018
Sicilian Defence B76

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 0-0 9. 0-0-0 d5 10. Qe1 e5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Bc4 Be6 14. Kb1 Re8. It’s just a reculer pour mieux sauter. Jones usually plays ...Ra8-b8; for instance: 14. ... Rb8 15. Ne4 f5 16. Ng5 Bc8 17. h4 h6 18. Ne4 fxe4 19. fxe4 Rf4(!) with typical Dragon pride, Lampert – Jones, 9th International Open 2015, Wunsiedel 2015. 15. Ne4 f5. If 15. ... Qc7 there might follow 16. Bc5 h6 17. g4 Nf4 18. Bd6 Qb6 19. Bxe6 Rxe6 20. Bc5 Qb5 21. b3 Ree8 22. h4 Qe2 23. Qxe2 Nxe2 24. g5 h5 25. Rd6 a5 26. Rxc6 a4 27. Re1 Nf4 28. b4 a3 29. c3 Red8 30. Kc2 Ng2 31. Rh1 Bf8 32. Bb6 Rdb8 33. Bf2 Rd8 34. b5 Nf4 35. b6 Nd3 36. Rd1 1 : 0 Lékó – Trent, 3rd Isle of Man International Chess Tournament, Douglas 2016. 16. Ng5 Bc8 17. g4? “It’s quite difficult to understand Carlsen’s blunder, but 17. g4 is a good move if Black plays 16. ... a5 (instead of 16. ... Bc8 what Jones did), so maybe Magnus mixed things up. (?)”, Ukrainian Grandmaster Mikhail Vladimirovich Golubev said. “I think he wanted to play h2-h4 and later g2-g4. And suddenly, he had the ‘brilliant’ idea not to lose time, forgetting about ... f5-f4. That kind of accident happen in the best families :-)”, Spanish Grandmaster Miguel Illescas Córdoba argued. 17. ... f4. “17. ... f4 would be positionally catastrophic for Black if it didn’t win a piece”, Scottish Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson said. After all, it’s something that looks like a compensation! 18. h4 fxe3 19. Qxe3 h6 20. Qc5 Bb7 21. Ne4 Re6!? Well, maybe it’s a nervous move, but it was not easy not to be a little nervous. 21. ... Bf8 was also worth considering. 22. h5! Qb6? Jones would need the help of Wilhelm Steinitz to survive the storm. Now 22. ... Bf8 followed by ... g6-g5 was, according to the computer, Black’s best way to play for a win. 23. g5! hxg5? Not 23. ... Qxc5? because of 24. Nxc5 Re7 25. Nxb7 Rxb7 26. Rxd5!+−, but 23. ... Bf8 was still called for. And it was probably last call. 24. Qa3! Carlsen has already turned the tables, at least from an emotional standpoint. 24. ... Rb8

25. b3! “I can’t be sure, but 25. b3 looks like one of those classy moves that makes Magnus the best. Most punters, even Grandmaster punters like me, would probably have taken on g5, but then after 25. ... Bf8 26. Qd3 Ba6 Black fights back. Now Black has more to think about”, Rowson said. 25. ... Qd8!? 26. Qxa7(!) gxh5? By now Jones is too demoralized to put up a more stubborn resistance with 26. ... Re7! eventually followed by ... Rb8-a8. 27. Rxh5 Rg6 28. Rxg5! Rxg5 29. Nxg5 Qc8 30. Rg1. The rest is easy. 30. ... Ra8 31. Qb6 Ra6 32. Qc5 Qd7 33. Ne4 Kh8 34. Qf2 Qe7 35. Bxa6 Bxa6 36. Qh2+ Kg8 37. Qh6 Qa7 38. Qe6+ Kf8 39. Rg5 Ne3 40. Qd6+ Kf7 41. Nc5 Bc8 42. Rxg7+ 1 : 0.

Artwork © Willum Morsch

1. g4 h5

Magnus Carlsen – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 20, 2018
Semi-Tarrasch Defence D35

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e3. Carlsen avoids confrontation on 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5 7. Rb1 Be7 8. Nf3 [not 8. Bb5+ Bd7 9. Bxd7+ Nxd7 10. Rxb7? on account of 10. ... cxd4 11. cxd4 Nb6 12. Qd2 Qc8 13. Rxe7+ Kxe7 14. Nf3 f6 15. 0-0 Kf7! 16. e5 f5 and White has no sufficient compensation, Nepomniachtchi – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Grand Prix 2017, second stage, Moscow 2017] 8. ... 0-0 9. Bc4 Nc6 10. 0-0 b6 11. d5 Na5 12. Bd3 c4 13. Bc2 exd5 14. exd5 Bb7 15. Re1 Bf6 16. d6 Re8 17. Rxe8+ Qxe8 18. Bf4 Rd8 19. Bf5 g6? (19. ... Qc6! 20. d7 g6 was called for, though after 21. Bh3 Bxc3 22. Qe2 White stands better) 20. d7 Qf8 21. Bh3 Be4 22. Rc1 Qc5 23. Qe2 Bf5 24. Rd1 Bxh3 25. gxh3 Kg7 26. Rd6! Bxc3 27. Ng5 Qf5 28. Qe7 h6 29. Ne6+ Kh7 30. Nxd8 Qxf4 31. Nxf7 1 : 0 Svidler – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), FIDE Grand Prix 2017, 3rd stage, Geneva 2017. 5. ... c5 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. exd4 Nxc3 8. bxc3 Qc7 9. Bd2 Nd7 10. Qg4!? If 10. Nf3 then 10. ... b6 11. 0-0 Bb7 12. Re1 Bd6 with rough equality, Rantanen – Barbosa, 15th Bangkok Chess Club Open, Pattaya 2015. 10. ... Nf6 11. Qg3. A qualified member of Carlsen’s entourage tellingly explained that such an early exchange of Queens was aimed to produce a remake of the game Carlsen – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2016, when the four-time Women’s World Chess Champion, in a kind of cupio dissolvi, deliberately blundered a perfectly drawn King-and-Pawn endgame (by 45. ... h6-h5??). 11. ... Qxg3 12. hxg3 Bd6 13. Nf3 b6 14. a4 Bb7 15. a5 Ke7 16. Ke2 Ne4 17. Be1 h6 18. c4 Nf6. Hi, Magnus! Be careful at not falling into a Knight fork! 19. Bc3 Rhc8 20. Rhb1 Bxd3+ 21. Kxd3 Nd7 22. Nd2 Rhd8 23. Ne4 Bc7! 24. Bb4+ Ke8 25. f4 Rac8 26. axb6 axb6 27. Ra7 Nb8!

28. Rxc7! Carlsen sacrifices the Exchange in order to create a climax of sharp feelings. 28. ... Rxc7 29. Nd6+ Kd7 30. Nxf7 Rdc8 31. Ne5+ Ke8 32. Bd6 Rb7 33. c5 Nc6 34. Rxb6 Rxb6 35. cxb6 Nd8! 36. Bc7 Ra8 37. Kc4 Nb7 38. Kb5 Ra2 39. g4! Ke7! 40. g3 Nd6+ 41. Bxd6+ Kxd6 42. Nc4+ Kd7 43. Kc5 Rc2. The game is inexorably drifting towards a draw, but since we know already “The End”, we also know that it won’t end in a draw... 44. f5 exf5 45. gxf5 Rf2 46. Nd6 Rg2 47. Ne4 Rb2 48. g4 Rb1 49. Nd2 Rh1 50. d5

49. ... h5?? Virtually all the Rook moves along the first rank (except for ... Rh1-f1 and Rh1-b1) would have yielded a draw; for instance: 50. ... Rg1 51. Nc4 Rb1 52. d6 Rb3 and White cannot make progress. Apparently it was also important that the metaphoric gift were the same as that of two years ago (... h6-h5). 51. d6! Kc8 52. gxh5 Rxh5 53. Kc6 Kb8 54. Ne4 Rxf5 55. Nc5 1 : 0. “What a relief! It was a hard game. I got an early edge, but perhaps I didn’t play perfectly afterwards. I assumed that the game would have ended in a draw, but still I wanted to challenge her”, Carlsen finally told TV 2.

Artwork © Willum Morsch

Magnus Carlsen vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo © Jiri Buller/de Volkskrant.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo © Jiri Buller/de Volkskrant.

Metacriticism

Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler – Magnus Carlsen
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 19, 2018
English Opening A13

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. Qb3 c5 4. Nb5 Nc6 5. Nd6+ Kf8 6. Nf3 Qe7 7. Nxc8 Rxc8 8. e3 e5! 9. Qc2 e4 10. Ng1 Nf6 11. Ne2 Ba5 12. a3 h5! I know at least one person who would unconditionally approve this move. 13. b3 Rd8 14. Bb2 d5 15. cxd5 Rxd5 16. 0-0-0!? Ng4 17. Ng3! Nxf2 18. Bc4 Nxd1 19. Rxd1 Rg5 20. Rf1 Nd8 21. Nf5 Qd7 22. Qxe4 Rg4 23. Bxg7+! Rxg7 24. Nxg7 Qxd2+ 25. Kb1 Bc3

26. Rxf7+! Nxf7 27. Qe8+ Kxg7 28. Qxf7+ Kh6 29. Qf4+ Kg6 30. Qf7+ Kh6 31. Qf4+ ½ : ½. One cannot but admire this game as a superb piece of analysis.

The Tomorrow Code

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 19, 2018
Caro-Kann Defence B19

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 e6 8. Ne5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3. Nuances from the scrapbook: 9. ... Nf6 10. Bxh7 Nxh7 11. Qd3 Nd7 12. f4 Be7 13. Bd2 Nxe5 14. fxe5 Bxh4 15. 0-0-0 Bg5 16. Ne4 Bxd2+ 17. Rxd2 0-0 18. Qg3 f5 19. Nc5 Ng5 20. Nxb7 Qd5 21. b3 f4 22. Qg4 f3 23. Nc5 fxg2 24. Qxg2 Rf4 25. Qxd5 exd5 26. c3 Raf8 27. Rhd1 Ne4 28. Nxe4 Rxe4 29. c4 dxc4 30. bxc4 c5 31. dxc5 Rxe5 32. Rd5 Re4 33. R1d4 Rxd4 34. Rxd4 Rc8 35. Rd5 g5 36. Kd2 Kg7 37. Ke3 Kf6 38. Rd6+ Kf5 39. Rxh6 Rxc5 40. Kd4 Rc8 41. Kd5 g4 42. c5 g3 43. Rh1 Kf4 44. c6 g2 45. Rc1 Kf3 46. Kd6 Rh8 47. c7 Rh6+?? (47. ... Rg8 would have earned Black a draw) 48. Kd7 Rh7+ 49. Kc6 Rh1 50. Rc3+ Ke4 51. c8=Q Rh6+ 52. Kb5 g1=Q 53. Qe8+ Kf4 54. Qf8+ Ke4 1 : 0 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 郭琦 (Guō Qí), 7th “天津弈诚杯” (“Tiānjīn Yìchéng Cup”) Chinese Chess League, 成都 (Chéngdū) 2011. 10. Qxd3 Nd7 11. f4 Be7 12. Bd2 Nxe5 13. fxe5 Bxh4 14. 0-0-0 Bxg3 15. Qxg3 Ne7 16. Qxg7. The alternative 16. Bb4 Nf5 17. Qf4 g5 18. Qf2 g4 19. c4 Qb6 20. Bc5 Qa6 21. b3 g3 22. Qd2 0-0-0 23. Kb2 b6 24. Bd6 Nxd6 25. exd6 Rxd6 26. Qf4 Rd7 looks quite comfortable for Black, 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) – Giri, 79th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2017. 16. ... Rg8 17. Qf6!? It would appear one does not know what to invent in order to change the nature of a (very) drawish position. If 17. Qh7 then 17. ... Qd5 18. Kb1 0-0-0 19. Qxf7 Rxg2 20. Ba5 Qxa5 21. Qxe7 Qd5 22. b3 Rd7 23. Qf8+ Kc7 24. Rxh6 c5 25. Rh4 Qc6 26. Rh8 cxd4 27. Qc8+ Kb6 28. Qxc6+ Kxc6 29. Rh4 Re2 30. Rhxd4 Rxd4 31. Rxd4 Rxe5 32. Kb2 Rd5 33. Rh4 e5 ½ : ½ Šarić – Mamedyarov, 42nd Chess Olympiad, Baku 2016. 17. ... Nf5 18. Bxh6 Qxf6 19. exf6 Rd8 20. Bf4 Nxd4. 20. ... Rxd4 eventually followed by the exchange of Rooks might have been a clearer way to claim equality. 21. Rd2 c5 22. c3 Nc6 23. Bd6 b6 24. b4! cxb4 25. cxb4 a5 26. b5 Na7. Probably Black should have played 26. ... Nb4 27. Bxb4 axb4 28. Rc2 Kd7 29. Rh7 Rdf8 30. Rd2+ Kc7 31. Rh4 Rd8 (Stockfish’s analysis) with a likely draw.

27. a4. 27. Rhd1! at once seems much stronger (threatening both Bd6-e7 and Bd6-c7), for Black can not play either 27. ... Nxb5?? due to 28. Be7! followed by mate in a few moves, nor 27. ... Nc8?? because of the “dual” 28. Bc7! with mate coming soon. Therefore Black should have played 27. ... Rg5 (in order to answer 28. Be7 by 28. ... Rdd5), but then 28. a4 Nc8 29. Bb8(!) would have given White a much better position than in the actual game. 27. ... Nc8 28. Rhd1 Rg4 29. Bb8 Rxd2 30. Rxd2 Rxa4 31. Rc2 Kd8 32. Rd2+ ½ : ½.

Artwork © Willum Morsch

Clustering illusion

Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Hilversum, January 17, 2018
Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Bb4 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bf4. Theoretically speaking, the text is less fashionable than 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 Nbd7 [if 7. ... c5 then 8. e3 c4 9. Be2 Nc6 10. 0-0 g5 11. Bg3 0-0 12. Ne5 Bxc3 13. bxc3 Ne4 14. Bf3 Nxg3 15. hxg3 Bf5 16. Bg4 Be4 17. f4 Nxe5 18. dxe5 f6!? 19. Qd4 fxe5 20. fxe5 Qb6 21. Bf3 Qg6 22. Rad1 Rae8 23. Qxa7! Bxf3 24. Rxf3 Rxf3 25. gxf3 Qc2! 26. Qd4 Rxe5 27. Rd2 Qc1+ 28. Kf2 Rf5 29. g4 Rf7 30. Kg2 Qe1 31. a4 Qa1 32. Qe5 Qe1 33. Qd4 Qa1 34. Rf2 with a very slight edge for White, Lékó – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 7th 海南 (Hǎinán) 儋州 (Dānzhōu) Super Grandmaster Chess Tournament “人民网 (People’s Daily Online) Cup”, 儋州 (Dānzhōu) 2016] 8. e3 g5 9. Bg3 Ne4 10. Qb3 c5 11. Rc1 Qa5 12. Nd2 Nxg3 13. hxg3 cxd4 14. exd4 Nf6 15. Bd3 Be6 16. a3 Bxc3 17. Rxc3 Rc8 18. Rxc8+ Bxc8 19. Qb4 Qxb4 20. axb4 Ke7 21. Nb1 Bd7 22. Nc3 a6 23. f3 Kd6 24. Kf2 Ng8 25. Ra1 Ne7 26. Ra5 Rc8 27. g4 Rc6= 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2016. 6. ... 0-0. In Shankland – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Hawaii Grandmaster Challenge Rapid 2015, Honolulu 2015 was seen 6. ... c5 7. g3 Ne4 8. Rc1 Qa5 9. Bg2 Nc6 10. 0-0 Bxc3 11. bxc3 c4 12. Qc2 0-0 13. Nd2 Nxd2 14. Bxd2 Re8 15. e4 with a more promising game for White. 7. Rc1 c6 8. e3 Bd6!? As a matter of fact, the game now transposes into the Exchange Variation. For 8. ... 0-0 9. Qb3 Qb6 10. Be2 Be7 11. Nd2 Nbd7 12. h3 Bg6 13. 0-0 a5 take a look at Narayanan – Dubov, 15th Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2017. 9. Bxd6 Qxd6 10. Qc2 Re8 11. Bd3 Nbd7 12. 0-0 Nf8 13. h3 g6 14. Ne5 Nh5 15. Rfe1 Re7 16. Qa4 Nd7 17. Nf3 Ndf6 18. b4 a6 19. b5 cxb5 20. Nxb5 Bd7? A staggering blind spot. Black had to play 20. ... Qd8 21. Nc3 Be6. 21. Nxd6 Bxa4

22. Rb1? Svidler, too, plays a little lazily, apparently overlooking that by 22. Nc8 (threatening both Nc8xe7+ and Nc8-b6) 22. ... Re6 23. Ng5 White would have won the Exchange crystal clearly. 22. ... b5 23. Ne5? It looks like a careless inversion of moves. 23. Rec1(!) followed by Nf3-e5 would still have been strong, as 23. ... Nd7 wouldn’t work as well as in the game (due to 24. Rc7). 23. ... Nd7! Now, finally, the worst is over. 24. Rec1 Nxe5 25. dxe5 Rxe5 26. Rc7 Rf8 27. Rc6 Ra8 28. Rc7 Rf8 29. Rc6 Ra8 30. Rbc1!? d4!? 31. g4 Nf6 32. e4!? Re6 33. f4 b4! 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s playing well although terribly short of time. 34. Rc8+ Rxc8 35. Rxc8+ Kg7 36. e5 Nd5 37. Bc4 Nxf4 38. Rc7! This speculative move, though not objectively effective in turning the status quo, subjectively has a shocking effect on an opponent panicked by lack of time. After 38. Bxe6 Nxe6 Black shouldn’t have any particular problem with her position. 38. ... d3?? And here comes the blunder. Correct was 38. ... Nxh3+ 39. Kh2 Ng5 40. Bxe6 Nxe6 (but 40. ... d3?? 41. Bxf7! would likewise be only a cruel Fata Morgana) and Black should hold quite comfortably. 39. Rxf7+ Kh6 40. Rxf4 d2 41. Rd4 1 : 0.

Finally Svidler ended up winning a game which 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) just wanted to lose. Photo © Alina l’Ami/Tata Steel Chess.

It Happened in Bugojno

Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik – Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 16, 2018
Neo-Grünfeld Defence D78

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 g6 4. 0-0 Bg7 5. d4 0-0 6. c4 c6 7. Ne5 Be6 8. cxd5 Bxd5 9. Nc3. If 9. Bh3 then 9. ... c5 10. dxc5 Ne4 11. Nd3 Na6 12. Be3 Bc6 13. Qc2 Bd4 14. Bxd4 Qxd4 15. Bg2 Rac8 16. Nc3 Nxc3 17. bxc3 Qf6 ½ : ½ Speelman – Kasparov, World Cup, 3rd stage, Reykjavík 1988. 9. ... Bxg2 10. Kxg2 Nbd7. 10. ... Na6 11. Nf3 c5 12. d5 b5 seems quite more interesting, 温阳 (Wēn Yáng) – 徐铭辉 (Xú Mínghuī), 12th Chinese Team Chess Championship, 无锡 (Wúxī) 2016. 11. Qb3 Qb6 12. Rd1 Qxb3 13. axb3 Rfc8 14. f4 c5 15. Be3 cxd4 16. Rxd4 Nxe5 17. fxe5 Ne8 18. Rd7 Rc7? 18. ... Kf8 19. Rxb7 Bxe5 is the computer’s suggestion, and probably a best way to strive for survival.

19. Rxa7! Rb8. 19. ... Rxa7 is met by the zwischenzug 20. Rd8. 20. Rd5! b6. 20. ... e6 21. Rb5 b6 22. Rxb6! cannot be too better. 21. Nb5! Rxa7 22. Nxa7 Kf8 23. Rd7 Ra8 24. Bd4 1 : 0. Black can do nothing but wait for further damage.

The Higher Lower Game

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Maxim Sergeevich Matlakov
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 16, 2018
Spanish Game C89

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 d5!? 9. d4!? A sideline really not appealing. 9. ... exd4 10. e5 Ne4 11. cxd4 Bf5. 11. ... Bg4 12. Nc3 Bxf3 13. gxf3 Nxc3 14. bxc3 f5 15. Kh1 Na5 16. Rg1 leads to the most interesting position White can hope to obtain, Shirov – Bacrot, 24th Schachbundesliga, Bremen 2003. 12. Nc3 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Na5. This is meant to be an improvement on 13. ... Qd7 14. Bg5 Ba3 (that was not bad already), Bacrot – Anand, 8th Corsica Masters Knockout, Bastia 2004. 14. Bc2 Bxc2!? A not too substantial novelty. 14. ... Qd7 15. Bg5 Ba3 was played in David – S. Brunello, 75th Italian Chess Championship, Milan 2015. 15. Qxc2 Nc4 16. a4 Qd7 17. Bg5 bxa4 18. Rxa4 a5 19. Rea1 Rfb8. White’s got nothing out of the opening, but apparently that was what she aimed for. 20. R4a2 Bxg5 21. Nxg5 g6 22. h3 Rb6! 23. Nf3 Rab8 24. Qc1! Kg7 25. Kh2!? White feels a little uncomfortable and begins thinking about tactics. Maybe the King won’t feel home at h2, but it was not safe either way. 25. ... Qf5! 26. Nd2 Nb2!? 26. ... Qf4+ 27. Kh1 Rb2 gave Black a slight and safe edge, but apparently Matlakov wants more.

27. Nf3? Not 27. Rxa5 on account of 27. ... Nd3! 28. Qf1 Rb2 winning, but (very) much stronger seems 27. Nf1! Qxf2 28. Qg5! (threatening Nf1-g3) 28. ... h6 29. Qe7! (still threatening Nf1-g3), which, at the temporary cost of a Pawn, would have given White the initiative. 27. ... a4∓ 28. Rxa4? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), who lately played very rarely, does not seem too in the mood for coping with a bad position, so she sacrifices the Exchange in the vain hope of finding something. On the other hand, 28. Kg1 Nc4 29. Rxa4 Rb1 seems also hopeless. 28. ... Nxa4 29. Rxa4 Rb2 30. Qe3 Qe4 31. Qxe4 dxe4 32. Ng5 Rxf2 33. Nxe4 Re2 34. Nf6 Rbb2 35. Kg3 Re3+ 36. Kf4 Rxc3 37. Ra8 Rxg2 38. Rg8+ Kh6 39. Rh8. 39. Ng4+ Kh5 40. Rg7 h6 41. Rxf7 Rxh3 42. Nf6+ Kh4 43. Rh7 h5 44. Rxc7 Re2 is no better. 39. ... Rf2+ 40. Ke4 Rxf6? On the last move before time control Matlakov is too scared (by his ghosts) to reject the temptation of making things a little too easy. The right move was 40. ... g5 (41. Ng4+ Kg7 42. Rh7+ Kh7 43. Nxf2 c6−+). 41. exf6 Kg5 42. Rxh7 Kxf6 43. Rh8 Kg5 44. h4+ Kg4 45. d5 Rc4+ 46. Ke5? And so White is the one who makes the last mistake. Correct seems 46. Kd3! since 46. ... Rc1 47. Rh7 f5 48. Rg7 Kxh4 49. Rxg6 Kh5 50. Rg7 Kh6 should lead to a draw. 46. ... f5−+ 47. h5!? The last ditch. 47. ... Re4+ 48. Kf6 gxh5 49. Rc8 f4 50. Rxc7 f3 51. Rg7+ Kf4 52. Rh7 f2 53. Rxh5 Kg3 54. Rg5+ Rg4 0 : 1.

Also today 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) went through her calvary to finally emerge with a ½/4 score. Photo: Alina l’Ami.

The Repartee

Anish Giri – Magnus Carlsen
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 16, 2018
French Defence C18

1. e4 e6. The effect of surprise. 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Ne7 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. Qg4 cxd4 8. Qxg7 Rg8 9. Qxh7 Qc7 10. Ne2 Nbc6 11. f4 dxc3 12. Nxc3 Nd4 13. Bb2 Bd7 14. 0-0-0 Qb6 15. Qd3 Ndf5 16. Rd2!? From here starts the four-hand composition by the two illustrious rivals in order to rewrite the old screenplay: 16. Nb5 Rc8 17. g3 a6 18. Nd4 Ba4 19. Rd2 Rc4 20. Bg2 Nxd4 21. Bxd4 Qb5 22. Bf1 Qc6 23. Qe2 Nf5 24. Bb2 Rh8 25. Qf2 Nxg3 26. Bxc4 Nxh1 27. Qa7 Qxc4 28. Qb8+ Kd7 29. Qxh8 Bxc2 30. Rxc2 Qf1+ 31. Kd2 Qf2+ 32. Kd3 Qf3+ 33. Kd2 Qf2+ 34. Kd3 Qf3+ 35. Kd2 ½ : ½ Svidler – Vitiugov, 5th Alekhine Memorial, Paris/Saint Petersburg 2013. 16. ... Rc8 17. g3 Ne3

18. Ne4! Rxc2+! The repartee. 19. Rxc2 dxe4 20. Qxe4 Nxc2 21. Qxc2 Bc6 22. Bg2 Bxg2 23. Qxg2 Nd5 24. Kb1 Nc3+ 25. Ka1 Qb3 26. Bxc3 Qxa3+ 27. Kb1 Qxc3 28. Rc1 Qb4+ 29. Qb2 Qe4+ 30. Qc2 Qb4+ 31. Qb2 ½ : ½. Not an actual surprise.

Light Through an Eastern Window

韦奕 (Wéi Yì) – Gawain Christopher B. Jones
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 16, 2018
King’s Indian Defence E92

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. h3 0-0 6. Nf3. Jones insists with the King’s Indian, although also against Caruana, in their second-round game, after 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 Na6 8. g4 Nc5 9. f3 h5 10. Qd2 Nh7 11. 0-0-0 Black soon got crushed on both wings, Caruana – Jones, 80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2018. 6. ... e5 7. d5 a5 8. Bg5 Na6 9. Be2 Qe8 10. g4 Kh8 11. Nd2 Ng8 12. h4 f5 13. gxf5 gxf5 14. Bh5 Qd7 15. Qe2! A significant improvement over 15. exf5? Qxf5 16. Nde4 Nc5 17. Qe2 Nxe4 18. Nxe4 Nf6 and Black stands better already, K. T. Solomon – D. Popović, 30th International Open, Cappelle-la-Grande 2014. 15. ... Nf6 16. Bf3 fxe4 17. Ndxe4 Nxe4 18. Nxe4 Nb4 19. Bg2 Qa4? Perhaps trusting too much on his good luck. In fact, the text concedes White a powerful position centred on the strategic domination of the e4-square, so it seems better to play 19. ... c6 in order to answer 20. a3 by 20. ... cxd5 with quite a reasonable game. 20. Nc3! Qc2 21. Be4! Qxe2+ 22. Kxe2 Bg4+ 23. f3 Bh5 24. Rag1 Rf7 25. Be3 Bf6? It’s hard to blame Jones for overlooking 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)’s deadly blow, as also after 25. ... Raf8 26. Rh3 White’s positional advantage was likely to be telling in the long run.

26. Rg5! A spectacular coup de grâce delivered by 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) in spite of his shortage of time. 26. ... Bg6 27. Bxg6 hxg6 28. Rxg6 Nc2 29. Ne4 Be7 30. Ng5 Rf6 31. Rxf6 Bxf6 32. Ne6 Nxe3 33. Kxe3 Rg8 34. Ke4 c6 35. Kf5 Be7 36. Ng5 Re8 37. Ne4 Kg7 38. Ke6 Bf8+ 39. Kd7 Re7+ 40. Kxd6 Kf7 41. Rg1 cxd5 42. cxd5 Ke8 43. Nf6+ Kd8 44. Rg8 Re8+ 45. Rxf8! Elegant to the end! 45. ... Rxf8 46. Ke6 Rh8 47. h5 b5 48. d6 1 : 0.