Rising above player disabilities
For 70 years, the United Nations has included Persons with Disabilities among its major Human Rights interests, even establishing a relevant active committee.
While protecting human rights is paramount, this movement is also about creating an emphasis upon ability and social inclusion. Chess, being one of the most extensive worldwide competitive activities, is fully in tune with this spirit.
On its highest level, the International Chess Federation has established its FIDE Commission for Chess for the Disabled. DIS recently even organized a seminar to train Chess Tournament Arbiters to consider related issues in their events.
Many competitions exist to specifically entice and include competitors with disabilities. Last month, for instance, FIDE’s World Chess Championship for Disabled was held in Dresden, Germany. Sixty-three competitors showed up to compete for individual and team titles and prizes.
While most entrants naturally were from Europe, other nations such as Israel and India were represented as well. Russia and Ukraine fully lived up to their chess reputations by supplying eight of the top 10 finishers, 5 and 3, respectively.
Partly blind Russian International Master Alexey Smirnov finished the seven rounds without a loss, taking first by 1⁄2 point over five others. His positional style of play was enhanced by a sharp tactical ability. Look at this miniature in which his opponent’s unsound combinational idea resulted in his queen becoming trapped: [Smirnov, Alexey-Babarykin, Stanislav] 1.c4 e5 2.d3 Nc6 3.a3 a5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Nf3 d5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.e3 g6 8.Be2 Bg7 9.Qc2 0–0 10.0–0 b6 11.Bd2 Bb7 12.Rac1 Nxc3 13.Bxc3 Qe7 14.Rfd1 Rfd8 15.Rb1 Re8 16.b4 axb4 17.axb4 Rad8 18.b5 Nd4 19.exd4 exd4 20.Bd2 Qxe2 21.Re1 Bxf3 22.Rxe2 Bxe2 23.f3 Re5 24.Re1 Ra8 1–0.
Babarykin was no patsy, by the way; he finished second. For another example of the champion’s style, see today’s featured game.
Game of the week Smirnov, A.-Grigorchuk, S. World Disabled Championship Dresden, Germany
1.Nf3(A) d5 2.d4(B) Nf6 3.c4 e6(C) 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4(D) 0–0 6.e3 b6(E) 7.Bd3 c5 8.dxc5 bxc5 9.cxd5 exd5(F) 10.0–0 Bb7 11.h3(G) Nc6 12.Rc1 g6 13.Qa4 Rc8 14.Rfd1 Qb6 15.Qb5(H) Nb4?(I) 16.Qxb6 axb6 17.Be2 Rfd8 18.a3 Nc6 19.Na4(J) Nd7 20.Bb5(K) Ncb8 21.Ne5(L) Nxe5 22.Bxe5 Nc6 23.Bg3 Na7 24.Be2 b5(M) 25.Nb6(N) 1–0
A) This move starts what is referred to as the Reti Opening. It is highly transpositional. meaning that it is subject to changing into other openings quite easily. B) It has now morphed into a Queen’s Pawn Game. C) Now we have the Queen’s Gambit Declined. D) A recent favorite of former World Champion Viswanathan Anand. More popular by far is 5.Bg5. Strangely though, its winning percentage for White is considerably lower than the Bf4 choice. E) Other often occurring and quite logical selections are 6...c5 and 6...Nbd7. F) After the exchanges, Black is left with “hanging pawns in the center. They are a potential weakness and can be targeted. If one moves forwards; e.g., ...c4, the other lags behind (becomes backward) and is vulnerable to attack. G) Giving the f4 Bishop a possible retreat. H) Both sides have been patiently completing their development. Now White offers a queen trade, perhaps hoping to start picking on the central pawns after 15...Qxb5 16.Bxb5.
I) Allowing White to create another pawn target at b6. J) At first, it seems Black can defend, but White shows otherwise. K) The d-pawn is attacked. L) It’s all about removing the Black Knights that defend the b-pawn. M) 24...Rc6 25.Bf3 Re6 26.Bc7 Rd7 27.Bxb6 c4 28.Nc5 Bxc5 29.Bxc5 Nb5 30.a4 Nc7 31.Rxc4 is another unsatisfactory attempt by Black. N) With his position collapsing, Black surrendered. His rook had one safe square, but look what could have happened: 25...Rc6 26.Nxd5 Re8 27.Bb8 Ra6 28.Nxe7+ Rxe7 29.Bd6 Rd7 30.Bxc5 Rd5 31.Rxd5 Bxd5 32.Rd1 Be4 33.f3 Bf5 34.Rd8+ Kg7 35.Ra8. The Champion gave a clean example of how good positional play can set up a tactically winning end.