The participants are, in the order of their ratings, Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine, Levon Aronian of Armenia, Sergei Movsesian of Slovakia, Peter Svidler of Russia and Bu Xiangzhi of China.
According to ChessBase, “this event is striving to become the fourth major chess tournament in the world, after Wijk aan Zee, Linares and Dortmund. The six-player double round robin will also be the strongest tournament in Asia.”
After six rounds, Topalov shares first place with Bu, drawing four and scalping Svidler and Aronian. Bu also has two wins, thumping Movsesian twice with four more rounds to go so anything can still happen.
Stay tuned.
Game of the week. Here’s an interesting win by the world’s number six player in the recently held Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany. IM Jack Peters annotates.
White: GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2731, Azerbaijan)
Black: GM Trajko Nedev (2525, Macedonia)
38th Olympiad, Dresden 2008
1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 The Trompovsky Attack. Ne4 3 Bf4 c5 4 f3 Nf6 Theory concentrates on 4…Qa5+ 5 c3 Nf6. 5 dxc5 An unexplored alternative to 5 d5. b6!? As 6 cxb6 Qxb6 gives Black fair compensation. White would get an edge from 5…Qa5+ 6 Nc3 Qxc5 7 e4. 6 e4 bxc5 7 e5 Ng8? Falling dangerously behind in development. Black must try 7…Qc7. 8 Nc3 Nc6 9 Bb5 Nd4 10 Nge2!? Nxb5 11 Nxb5 Increasing his lead in development. Qa5+ 12 Nec3 a6 13 Nd6+! Even stronger than 13 Na3 Qb4 14 Bd2 Qxb2 15 Nc4 Qb7 16 0-0, which gives White plenty for a pawn. exd6 14 exd6 White’s idea is to bury the Bishop at f8 and inhibit development of Black’s Kingside. Qb4 If 14…Nf6 15 Qe2+ Kd8, White continues 16 Qe5!, threatening 17 Bg5. For example, 16…h6 17 0-0 Bb7 18 Rfe1 Rc8 19 Rad1 leaves Black helpless against Bf4-g3-h4. 15 Qe2+ Kd8 16 Bd2! Counting on 16…Bxd6? 17 Ne4 Qb6 18 Nxd6 Qxd6 19 Ba5+ to preserve the cramping pawn at d6. The obvious 16 Bg3?? fails, as 16…Qxb2 17 Kd2 Qb4 18 Rhe1 Qd4+ 19 Kc1 Bxd6 frees Black’s King. Bb7 White refutes 16…Qb8 17 Ne4 a5 by 18 0-0-0 Bb7 19 Bg5+! f6 20 Rhe1!, with overwhelming threats. 17 0-0-0?! Not as convincing as gaining material by 17 Nd5! Bxd5 18 Bxb4 cxb4 19 Qd2 Nf6 20 Qxb4. Black cannot save his Queen by 17…Qa4 18 b3 Qa3 because of 19 Ne3! Qb2 (also inadequate is 19…a5 20 Nc4 Ba6 21 Qe4) 20 Ba5+ Kc8 21 Nd1 or by 17…Qb5 18 c4 Qa4 19 b3 Qa3, as 20 Nc3 sets up 21 Nb1. Nf6 18 Rhe1 Bxd6? Black returns the piece but does not escape White’s pressure. Only 18…Qb6 hangs on. Then 19 Na4!? Qb5 20 Qe5! Qxa4 21 Qxc5 Qc6 22 Qg5 Bxd6 23 Qxg7 seems slightly in White’s favor. 19 Ne4 Bf4 As 19…Qb6? 20 Nxd6 Qxd6 21 Ba5+ costs Black his Queen. 20 Bxf4 Nxe4 21 fxe4 Re8 22 Qg4! Black has nullified threats on the e-file, but White can still use the d-file. Re6 23 Qxg7 Bc6 24 Qf8+ Re8 25 Qxf7, Black Resigns.
Puzzler. I’ve received e-mails from some of our readers offering their solutions to our puzzle, but still no cigar. Try again gentlemen.
White — pawn on d2, Ka7, Bb5, Nc6, Bd6, Nf5, Rh5
Black — pawns on c5 and d3, Na6, Kd5
White to play and mate in three moves.
Send your answers to “64” c/o Marianas Variety, P.O. Box 500231, Saipan MP 96950. Our fax no. is 670-234-9271. You can also e-mail idlasts @lycos.com or [email protected].
