Despite his chess career, Parimarjan remains a student at the Amity International School in Delhi. According to Diana Mihajlova, who interviewed him, Negi is “as keen on study as he is on chess, and he talks with an obvious enthusiasm about learning, books and the importance of academic formation in his life.” His father, J.B. Singh, said Negi “is very mature for his age. Very well read. He loves reading. Few people, certainly few chess players, have read as many novels as he has. His teachers say he is much ahead of all other kids. He can write very good compositions on any topic. When he is home — then it is more school, less chess. He will always keep up with chess but we have decided that he should also go to a good university.”
From this year, Mihajlova said, Negi can take a more specialized orientation at school, and his choice is economics, math and psychology.
“I am intrigued by psychology,” said the young GM. “Particularly chess psychology, but even in general I find it a very interesting subject.”
Parimarjan regularly trains. Said Mihajlova: “He usually combines his international trips to tournaments with extended training sessions, with trainers that are geographically placed conveniently close to a particular tournament. After Paris and Politiken in Denmark he stopped in Brussels for a couple of weeks training with GM Vladimir Chuchelov. While in Spain, playing at the Spanish League, he will have two weeks training with GM Elizbar Ubilava, who has been working with Negi since 2006. ‘Ubi’ is a former Anand second and the coach of the Indian Olympiad team. Parimarjan has also spent time in Athens for training sessions with GM Nigel Short.”
Although Negi plays through the games of old masters, he prefers contemporary games and GMs. “Anand has been my idol ever since I started playing,” he said. “I met him briefly in Corus. But we did not talk much.”
In a previous interview, he was asked about his chess style. “I don’t like to play the waiting game and draw,” he replied. “I want to create chances and keep my rivals guessing,”
Game of the week. Here’s our featured player in a game he himself annotated.
White: GM P. Negi (2590)
Black: GM P.H. Nielsen (2680)
Caro-Kann Defense
Politiken Cup, Copenhagen 2009
1.e4 c6 [A surprise. I didn’t really know what to expect because he had played much less in the last few years, but, looking through his games, the Petroff or Spanish seemed much likelier alternatives.] 2.d4 [I had experimented a couple of times with 2.Ne2 but this didn’t feel like the right choice against an experienced grandmaster.] 2…d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bd2 Ngf6 12.0-0-0 Be7 [12…Qc7 is more solid.] 13.Rhe1!? [I spent a few minutes to choose this variation. On the previous two occasions, I had successfully employed 13.Ne4, with plans revolving around a quick g4-g5. Of course, that brutal attack on Black’s position was clearly not the most efficient, and Nielsen was ready for it. This line, on the other hand, has recently come into prominence, and I had tested a few interesting ideas in the last few games.] 13…0-0 14.Qe2 a5 [This has been played far fewer times, and looks a bit dubious. It was played after Nielsen had thought a long time. I guess he was debating whether or not to test my preparation after the more direct c5.] 15.Ne5 [For a while during the game, I also considered playing Kb1, but then I didn’t see any point in moving the King from c1. So, I decided to try to build up pressure immediately.] 15…a4 [This looks like a somewhat inaccurate move to me. The idea of a3 is easily dealt with, and Black’s camp gets weaker dark squares which I might be able to utilize through threats like Ng6, targeting the e7 Bishop.] 16.a3 [16.Ng6 would not bring any dividends in this position: 16…a3! 17.b3 Re8 18.Nxe7+ Qxe7 and White doesn’t keep any control of the dark squares.] 16…c5? [This move was played after some thought. I think he was only considering the lines with dxc5, which, opening up the d-file, looks optically dangerous for Black. He may have missed 19.d5!, though I would still not expect him to voluntarily allow me to take the e7-bishop.] 17.Ng6! [Perhaps he missed this, or 19.d5. In any case, this move was extremely unpleasant for Black.] 17…Re8 [17…cxd4 was a plausible exchange sacrifice, as suggested by the computer. I seriously doubt this gives Black enough compensation, however, after: 18.Nxf8 Bxf8 19.Ne4 ] 18.Nxe7+ Qxe7 19.d5! [The opening of central files is, as usual, unpleasant for Black.] 19…Qd6 [19…Qf8 20.dxe6 arguably better places the queen because it’s out of the way. That said, I think it’s too passive.] 20.dxe6 Rxe6 [Better was 20…Qxe6. Accepting a slightly worse endgame, after 21.Qxe6 Rxe6 22.Rxe6 fxe6 seems to be a much better idea. With all of Black’s pawn weaknesses, he clearly has a worse position. In this position, however, nothing comes easily to White and Black remains a bit more solid. Though, as is clear from his move choice, he wrongly overestimated his chances for initiative.] 21.Qf3 Ne5? [Better was 21…Qc6 , of course, but after having avoided the queen exchange on the last move, to play this here would have been akin to admitting that Rxe6 was a ?! move.] 22.Qxb7 [Initially, I was slightly worried about taking the pawn, but then I realized the open files don’t promise Black anything.] 22…Rb8 23.Qa7 Nc6 [23…Nc4 24.Rxe6 fxe6 25.Bxh6! is an important resource.; 23…Rxb2 24.Kxb2 (24.Bc3 ) 24…Nc4+ 25.Kc1 , and the attack is over, though I also noticed that 24.Bc3 is, perhaps, even easier.] 24.Qxa4 [There is nothing like greediness. Not that I had choice in the matter.] 24…Nd4 [24…Rxe1 worried me much more. Allowing Qc4 isn’t a very good idea, as that more or less cuts all counterplay for Black. 25.Bxe1 (25.Rxe1 Qd5 ) 25…Qe6 (25…Nd4 26.Qc4 Qe5 27.Bc3 Qg5+ 28.Kb1 Nb5 29.Ka2+/- ) 26.Bc3 Qa2 27.b3 doesn’t seem to be a problem for White.] 25.Qc4! Nd5 26.Rxe6 [26.Ne4 was my original idea, but 26…Qb6 27.b3 Qa7! suddenly gets into weird complications.] 26…Qxe6 [26…fxe6 27.Ne4 Qb6 28.b3 Qa7 29.Qxc5 was another possibility. With the rooks exchanged, I can easily grab this pawn.] 27.Ba5!? [I guess White has other ways to win, but this one looks pretty smooth. It stops Qb6, which was causing me unnecessary weaknesses on the queenside, and nicely places the bishop for control of the d8-square — keeping it from the black rook. My opponent was also running out of time here, and with the position near collapse, I just needed to keep my nerves in check for the remainder of the game.] 27…Qe5 28.Re1 Ne2+ [A final attempt]. 29.Rxe2 Qxb2+ 30.Kd2 Qxa3 31.Qxd5 [This was the only move, but it wasn’t hard to find, as the king makes an easy escape. The final moves were not of much consequence.] 31…Qxa5+ 32.Ke3 Rd8 33.Qe5 Qa3+ 34.c3 Qc1+ 35.Kf3 Rd3+ 36.Re3 Qd1+ 37.Kf4 [A nice square for the king.] 37…Rd6 38.Nf5 Rf6 39.Kg3 and. 1-0.
Puzzler. I’ve yet to receive a correct solution. Come on dudes. Try harder.
White — Ka4, Ba6, Nb8, Nc6, Qc1, pawns on e3 and h4
Black — Kd5, Nd6, Rf7, Bh7, Rh3, pawns on b3, c4, c7, d4, e6 and f3
White to play and mate in four.
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