Earth and Cosmos

Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Alireza Firouzja

World Fischerandom Online Quarterfinal; match game 4 (15+2); Chess.com, October 6, 2019

brqnkbrn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/BRQNKBRN w GBgb - 0 1

Position 594

Now here are the names of the four semifinalists of the 1st World Fischerandom Chess Championship (in alphabetical order): Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi, and Wesley So. Semifinals will be finally held on the Earth and over the board, and precisely at the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter at Høvikodden in Bærum municipality, Norway from next October 27–30. 1. b4 b5 2. Ng3 e6 3. e4 Ng6 4. Ne3 Be7 5. d4 0-0 6. Bd3 Nf4 7. 0-0 Bg5 8. Qd1 f6 9. Nh5 Nf7 10. h4 Bh6 11. Nxf4 Bxf4 12. Ng4!? That seems just a bit speculative.

12. ... d5?? This is a bad mistake that loses the game. Firouzja completely missed 12. ... f5! 13. exf5 exf5 14. Bxf5 Nd6 where Black’s Pawn deficit would be hugely compensated by his two Bishops as well as by his powerful h-side initiative. 13. Nxf6+! Kh8 14. Nh5 dxe4 15. Qg4 Bg5 16. d5. Now it is only too easy for Nepomniachtchi to carry out his final attack. 16. ... exd5 17. Bxg7+ Kg8 18. Qg3 exd3 19. hxg5 dxc2 20. g6! Nd6. Not 20. ... cxb1=Q on account of 22. gxh7+ Kxh7 23. Nf6 mate. 21. Bxf8 Qxf8 22. Rbc1 Ne4 23. gxh7++ Kxh7 24. Qxc7+ Kh6 25. Qh2 Kg6 26. Rxc2 Qd6 27. Nf4+ Kf6 28. Rc7! Rd8. 28. ... Qxc7 loses the Queen to 29. Nh5+. 29. Qh6+ Kf5 30. Rf7+ 1 : 0.

Freedom of speech and the socially engaged photography in the intersection of art and documentary are the focus of the comprehensive exhibition Norwegian Documentary Photography, on display at the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter till January 12, 2020. Photo: Anne Beate Nøsterud.

First Byte

Wesley So – Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler

World Fischerandom Online Quarterfinal; match game 4 (15+2); Chess.com, October 5, 2019

rbbkqrnn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RBBKQRNN w FAfa - 0 1

Position 900

The so-called 1st World Fischerandom Chess Championship is slowly going on, for now only through online knockouts, but pretty soon four aspiring Champions should materialise themselves in the form of men. 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Ng6 4. Qc3 c6 5. 0-0 Nf6 6. Qxc4 Bg4 7. Ng5 Nf4 8. Ng3 h6 9. N5e4. After 9. Nh7 Bxh7 10. Bxh7 Be6 Black would be even more comfortable. 9. ... Nxe4 10. Bxe4 Be6 11. Qc2 Qd7. Black finally prepares for castling. 12. Bxf4 Bxf4 13. Nh5 g5 14. Rad1 Qc7. Her Majesty wisely sets herself at an equidistance from White’s Rook on the d-file. 15. Nxf4 gxf4 16. d5 cxd5 17. Qb3 0-0 18. Bxd5 Bxd5 19. Rxd5 Rad8 20. Rf5. If 20. Rh5 at once, then 20. ... Rd6 could follow. 20. ... e6?! 20. ... Rd2 really came into consideration, in order to answer 21. Qh3 by 21. ... Qd6 22. Qg4+ Qg6 23. Qxf4 Rxe2 with a playable game. 21. Rh5 Kg7 22. Qh3 Rh8. After 22. ... Qc2 23. Rxh6 Qf5 24. Qh4 Rh8 25. Rxh8 Rxh8 26. Qe7± White’s extra Pawn in the heavy piece ending may well be the premise of further opportunity for a win. 23. Qg4+ Kf8. The only acceptable move. 24. Qh4 Kg7. If 24. ... Rd2 then 25. Qf6! winning a Pawn and retaining good winning chances.

25. e3! Rd2. 25. ... f5!? 26. exf4 Rd4 would seem a reasonable option, trying to keep White bottled and tied for as long as possible. 26. exf4 Rxb2?? A gross blunder, losing on the spot. 27. Qg3+ 1 : 0. For after 27. ... Kh7 28. Qg5! White forces mate next move, while 27. ... Kf6 28. Rxh6+! ends with a regicide too (28. ... Rxh6 29. Qg5 mate). Finally, if 27. ... Kf8 then 28. Qa3+ winning a Rook.