Young GMs top Super GM event
At the recently concluded Mikhail Tahl Memorial in Moscow, youth once again came to the fore. Ian Nepomniachtchi, the tourney’s second youngest player at 26, topped the super GM event with an impressive six points out of a possible nine. The young Russian distinguished himself by essaying unorthodox and sharp lines, reminiscent of Tahl. Nepomniachtchi is one of Russia’s top talents and before long he is expected to get involved in the world championship cycles.
Dutch GM Anish Giri, the field’s youngest, took second with 5.5. He is only 21. Levon Aronian (Armenia) and Vishy Anand of India were tied at 5.0 apiece, followed by Li Chao of China, Shakriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan and the Russian tandem of Vladimir Kramnik and Peter Svidler at 4.5 each. Next was Evgeny Tomashevsky ( Russia), 3.5 and Boris Gelfand of Israel, 2.0.
10th Tahl Memorial W) I. Nepomnaichtchi (RUS) B) E. Tomashevsky (RUS) Scotch Game 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 ...
Nowadays this centuryold Scotch Game is a respectable and popular method of opening the game, though in bygone days it had lost its reputation because not a few thought that releasing tension early in the center allows Black to equalize without difficulty. Thanks to former world champion Garry Kasparov who resurrected the Scotch when he surprisingly employed it in the 1990 world championship match. Here Black’s promising alternatives are the Classical Variation 4... Bc5 and 4...Nf6, the Schmidt Variation.
4... Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4 Ba6
All according to theory. After 8...Nb6 9. Nd2 Qe6 10. b3 a5 11. Bb2 Bb4 12. a3 Bxd2ch 13. Qxd2 d5 14. cxd5 cxd5 15. Rc1, White has a slight advantage. Kasparov-Karpov, 1990 world championship match. 9. b3 ...
9. Nd2 Nb4 10. Nf3 c5 11. a3 Nc6 leads to equality. 9... g6
An interesting alternative is 9... Qh4. On 9... f6, there follows 10. Bb2 fxe5 11. Q h5ch g6 12. Qxe5 Nf6 13. Qxe7ch Bxe7 14. Be2 0-0 15. 0-0 d5 16. Nd2 and White stands slightly better, according to the computer. 10. f4 Bg7?!
Seems premature. Both 10...f6 11. Qe4 Nb6 12. Ba3 c5, and 10...d6 11. Qf2 Nf6 12. Ba3 Qe6 looks playable, according to the engine. 11. Qf2! ...
Very precise as it not only maintains central tension, but prevents Black from Queenside castling. 11... Nf6
The alternatives 11...Nb6 12. Ba3, and 11... Nb4 12. a3 Bxe5 13. fxe5 Qxe5ch 14. Qe2 Nc2ch 15. Kf2 Qxe2ch 16. Bxe2 Nxa1 17. Bb2 0-0 18. Bxa1 Rfe8 19. Bd4 d5 20. Nd2 both favors White. 12. Ba3 d6?!
12...Ne4 or 12...Ng4 should have been tried. The text move only makes matters worse. 13. Nc3 0-0 14. 0-0-0 ...
White has complete domination, and very calmly increases the pressure. 14... Ne8 15. g3 Bb7 16. Bg2 f6?
And here’s the losing move. After 16...Qd7 17. Rhe1 Qc8 18. Bb2 a5 19. Qc2 Rb8, Black is inferior, but the game continues. The text opens up the center for White’s pieces. 17. exd6 Nxd6 18. c5 Nf5 19. Rhe1 Qf7 20. Bf1! ...
Simple and elegant, after which Black cannot defend the threat of 21. Bc4 20... Rfd8 21. Rxd8ch Rxd8 22. Bc4 Rd5 23. Qe2 1:0 The threat of 24. Qe8 is decisive.
Solution to last week‘s puzzle: Black to move and draw white=Kf5, Qf7, Pf4, Pg4 black=Kh8, Qh6, Pg7 1... Qxf4ch!! 2. Kxf4 g5ch 3. Kxg5 Stalemate