Asian Nations Cup winds down
Not unexpectedly, the 2020 Online Asian Nations Cup, held under the auspices of the FIDE, will be in its final stages even before we go to press.
Top-ranked India advanced to the semifinals by beating a stubborn team Mongolia , 2.5-1.5, 2.5-1.5.
India will next meet Kazakhstan, which had an easier time clinching semifinal by whitewashing Team Philippines, 4-0, 3-1.
In other quarterfinal matches, Iran clobbered Singapore, 4-0, 2-2, while Australia blasted Indonesia, 3-1, 3.50.5, paving the way for a semifinal match up.
In the women’s bracket, India, Philippines and Mongolia advanced to the semifinals, while Iran and Indonesia were battling for the last spot as we go to press.
Semifinal and final matches can be followed live at various chess websites.
*** Meanwhile, the $150,000 US Online National Championship, the strongest and richest online national championship anywhere, gets underway Oct. 25-29.
World No. 8 Wesley So, No. 14 Lenier Dominguez-Perez and No. 18 and defending champion Hikaru Nakamura will be featured in the 12-GM all-play-all competition.
They will be joined by American teenagers Jeffrey Xiong, 19, ranked 31st in the world, Sam Sevian, 19, and 17-year-old Awonder Liang.
Also competing are world No. 40 Sam Shankland, Ray Robson, Dariusz Swiercz, Alex Lenderman, Alejandro Ramirez and Elshan Moradiabadi.
Time control will be 25 minutes plus five seconds increment.
Games can be viewed with live analysis courtesy of the St. Louis (USA) Chess Club.
*** Who is Alireza Firouzja? At 17, the talented Iranian exile is ranked 22nd in the October FIDE standard world rankings, and before long he is expected to get involved in the world championship cycle. It seems Firouzja, at such a tender age has graduated from the stage of combinative tendencies to the stage of positional maturity. Witness the following game where he excels in piece play. Altibox Norway Chess 2020 Round 10 W) A. Firouzja (FIDE) B) J K Duda (Poland) Reti Opening 1. Nf3 d5; 2. g3 .... Czech master, author and composer Richard Reti (1889-1929), more than any other, is responsible for putting the Fianchetto on the book.
2.... g6; 3. Bg2 ....
This is the Reti hypermodern set up, reachable by one transposition or another. Firouzja has a predilection for this type of development.
3.... Bg7; 4. d4 Nf6; 5. O-O O-O; 6. c4 c6; 7. b3 dxc4; 8. bxc4 c5; 9. Bb2 cxd4; 10. Nxd4 Qb6; 11. Qc1 Bd7; 12. Nd2 Nc6; 13. Nc2 Rac8; 14. Bc3 Qa6 14....Qc5 comes into consideration. 15. Qb2 Nh5 15....Na5 is probably a better alternative 16. Bxg7 Nxg7; 17. Ne3 Be6; 18. Nd5 Rfe8; 19. Rfc1 Na5; 20. e3 Nf5
20....Nh5, intending 21....Bxd5 followed by 22....Nf6 seems a good idea. 21. e4 Ng7; 22. Qa3 .... 22.c5 also favors White after 22....Nc6 23. a4 Qd3 24. Nb3 a5 25. Rd1 Qa6 26. Rac1, etc. 22.... Nc6; 23. Qxa6 bxa6; 24. f4 Kf8; 25. Kf2 Red8; 26. Rab1 Ne8; 27. Ke3 f6; 28. a3 Bf7
Or 28....Na5 29. c5! and Black’s game will be reduced to passive defense. Now White exerts pressure on the light squares. 29. Bh3! e6 29....Ra8 should have been tried, though Black is still in difficult situation. 30. Nb4 a5; 31. Nxc6 Rxc6; 32. c5 Nc7; 33. Bf1 e5 If instead 33....Ne8 34. Nf3 Rcc8 35. Rb5 Rb8 36. Rcb1 Rxb5 37. Rxb5 a4 38. Ra5 Rc8 39. e5, Black is almost out of playable moves. 34. fxe5 fxe5; 35. Nf3 Be8; 36. Rb7 Ne6; 37. Rxa7 Nxc5 After 37....Rxc5 38. Rxc5 Nxc5 39. Nxe5 a4 40 Bc4, White’s attack is too powerful.
38. Nxe5 Rf6; 39. Ng4 1-0
Black cannot avoid losing material. Solution to last week’s puzzle: White to play and win. White=Kc8, Ra5, Pc5, Pc7 Black=Ke8, Rb2, Pa2 1. Rxa2! Rxa2 Or 1....Rb1 2. Re2ch Kf7 3. Kd7 Rd2ch 4. Kc6 and wins. 2. Kb7 Rb2ch; 3. Kc6 1-0
*** White to play and win.