CHESS

FOR the next two-and-a-half weeks, the attention of the chess world will be focused on Berlin, where yesterday the Candidates Tournament started. The winner will have the right to challenge Magnus Carlsen for the world championship.

The players are Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan, 2814); Kramnik (Russia, 2800); So (USA, 2799); Aronian (Armenia, 2797); Caruana (USA, 2784); Ding Liren (China, 2769); Grischuk (Russia, 2767); and Karjakin (Russia, 2763).

Aron Nimzowitsch came up with the concept of prophylaxis in chess — when a player stops the opponent’s threats before they can arise. This technique can be a double-edged sword, as the following game shows. It was played in the B-tournament of the recent Aeroflot Open in Moscow.

Korobkov – Navalgund

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nc3 c5 5.e3 0–0 6.Bd3 d5 7.0–0 cxd4 8.exd4 dxc4 9.Bxc4 b6 10.Qe2 h6 This is a risky move — while preventing Bc1–g5, Black spends valuable time and creates a potential target for White. 11.Rd1 Bb7 12.Ne5 Nbd7 13.Rd3!? Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qc7 (D)

It appears that Black is doing well — but with his next move and the subsequent play, White proved that Black’s 10th move had serious drawbacks: 15.Bxh6! gxh6? Black had to defend with 15... Nxe5 16.dxe5 gxh6 17.exf6 Qf4. 16.Rg3+ Kh8 17.Qe3 Ng8 18.Rxg8+ Kxg8 19.Qg3+ Kh7 20.Bd3+ f5 21.Qg6+ Kh8 22.Qxh6+ Kg8 23.Qxe6+ Kg7 24.Qg6+ Kh8 25.Qh6+ 1–0