CHESS

THIS worldwide pandemic has created many challenges for the chess community. Most traditional tournaments have been cancelled, making hundreds of professional players temporarily unemployed. Some have switched to coaching — while others play online, where pickings are slim and problems with computer cheating are rampant.

However, the world’s top 20 players are busier than ever as elite online tournaments are held almost every week. For example, the Chessable Masters tournament with a first prize of $45,000 (€40,000) concludes next Sunday.

Before the weekend Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi had already advanced to the semi-finals, while Ding Liren, Nakamura, Giri and Grischuk were still battling it out in the quarter-finals. In the following game the world champion convincingly exacted revenge for an earlier defeat which Dubov inflicted on him in the same event: Dubov – Carlsen 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 e6 5.g3 Nbd7 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0–0 0–0 8.b3 b6 9.Re1?! Ba6 10.Nd2 Rc8 11.Bb2 c5 12.dxc5 Nxc5 13.b4 Nce4 14.Ncxe4 dxe4 15.b5 Bb7 16.e3 Bb4 17.Re2 Qd3 18.Rb1 Bc3 19.Ba3??

Had White played 19.Bxc3 Qxc3 20.Rc1, chances would remain about equal. 19...Rfd8 20.Rb3 Qxc4 21.Qe1 Qd5 22.Bb4 (D)

Many a player would be happy to play a pawn up after 22...Bxb4 23.Rxb4 Qe5, but the world champion found a much better line of play: 22...Qxb3! 23.axb3 Bxb4 24.Bf1 a5! 25.Qd1 h6! 0-1