MARK RUBERY CHESS

The world’s premier chess league is the German Bundesliga and for many years it has provided a steady source of income for chess professionals across Europe and beyond. The players receive fees to represent various teams, some of which are the chess sections of famous football clubs. The Top League has been dominated by OSG Baden Baden (average rating 2761 with Caruana, Anand, Aronian etc.) for the last decade with only SG Solingen interrupting their reign in 2016. Sixteen teams are made up of squads of up to 16 players, from which the manager selects a match-day team of eight, depending on rating, form and of course, availability. Team members may be male or female, but there is also a separate Bundesliga for women's chess. The season starts in October and ends in April. Venues for matches alternate between the participating clubs to minimise or equalise travel commitments for players. Many of the titled professionals are paid an appearance fee and/or travel expenses.

Each playing weekend normally comprises two matches for each team, played on consecutive days. Hence, four venues play host to two matches on each of the two days. Over the course of the season there are 15 rounds, in order that all teams play each other once.

Aronian takes on a renowned expert in the French Defence and wins with surprising ease…

Aronian,L (2765) - Meier,Geo (2622) [C10]

Bundesliga 2018–19 Berlin GER (9.3) 01.03.2019

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.c3 c5 8.Bf4 a6 9.Be2 Bd6 10.Ne5 Qc7 11.Bf3 Nd7 12.0–0 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Bxe5 14.Qa4+ b5? (14…Bd7 15 Bxe5 Qxe5 16 Qa5 Bc6 17 Bxc6+ bxc6 is only a little better for White) 15.Bxe5 Qxe5 16.Qa5 Ra7 17.Bc6+