Chess all over the world: December 2010

Friday, December 10, 2010

Simple chess by Tukmakov

Most of the time chess is a difficult game. But sometimes some players, usually very strong grandmasters, make it a very simple game :-) Have a look at this one, by chess legend Tukmakov, showing that more space can be enough to win a game!

() vs. ()
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Sunday, December 5, 2010

Cmilyte - Demina WWCC

The Women World Chess Championship began yesterday in Turkey. Here is an easy positional win of the first round.

() vs. ()
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[Event "WCh Women"] [Site "Antakya TUR"] [Date "2010.12.05"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Cmilyte, Viktorija"] [Black "Demina, Julia"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E11"] [WhiteElo "2514"] [BlackElo "2323"] [Annotator "SR"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "2010.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ {Bogo-indian defense} 4. Bd2 a5 (4... Qe7 { is the main move}) 5. g3 d5 (5... b6 {switches to a Queen's indian}) 6. Bg2 O-O 7. Qc2 c6 {maybe not the best idea} (7... c5 {is more logical}) 8. O-O Be7 9. Bg5 {now it's like a semi-slav but with the weird move a5 for black} h6 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Nbd2 {planning the typical advance e4} Nd7 (11... b5 $5) 12. e4 dxe4 13. Nxe4 Be7 {this bishop lost a lot of tempi : Bb4-e7-f6-e7} 14. Rad1 { very comfortable play for white! With a good center and a better development} Qc7 {playing for the thematic e5} 15. Qc3 {stopping black's plan} b6 { what else?} 16. b3 Bb7 17. Ne5 Rad8 18. c5 $1 {that's really thematic! White block the bishop in b7. On the other hand it's important to check that black can't play an easy Nd7-f6-d5 (which could be met here by Nc4-d6).} b5 (18... Nf6 19. Nc4 {is nice for white}) (18... Nxe5 19. dxe5 bxc5 20. Nxc5 { almost with a dream positional advantage for white!}) 19. f4 {Consolidating. White's position is pleasant but now Cmilyte must find a way to advance.} (19. b4 $2 {with the idea to stop b5-b4 and thus locking up the bishop in b7, but it wouldn't work} axb4 20. Qxb4 Ra8 { with Ra4 coming, with undreamed-of counterplay for black}) 19... Rfe8 { black's position is really cramped.} 20. a4 Nf8 $2 { a mistake which gives a good opportunity to white} (20... b4 {was normal} 21. Qc4 Nf6 22. Nxf6+ Bxf6 23. Qe2 { with a solid edge for white, even if not so easy to turn into victory.}) 21. Nd6 $1 {Cmilyte doesn't miss the chance} Bxd6 22. cxd6 Rxd6 (22... Qxd6 23. axb5 {is even worse for black}) 23. axb5 { with a pin and too much pressure on c6} f6 24. Nxc6 { white won a pawn and keep better pieces} (24. b6 {was easier} Qd8 25. Nc4 { winning}) 24... Bxc6 $2 (24... Ng6 {was better}) 25. bxc6 { now this passed pawn, very well protected, is a monster} Ra8 26. Qc5 Ng6 27. d5 e5 (27... Rad8 {was the last (very small) hope}) 28. Be4 Ne7 29. fxe5 fxe5 30. Ra1 Nc8 31. Bf5 (31. b4 $18 {was simple and strong too}) 31... Qb6 32. Qxb6 Nxb6 33. Be6+ Kh7 34. c7 {as it could be forseen the pawn now costs the knight} e4 35. Rac1 h5 (35... Nc8 36. Rf8 {would end the game}) 36. c8=Q Nxc8 37. Bxc8 {black can't even take in d5 :-)} Rb8 38. Bf5+ Kh6 39. Rc6 1-0

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Very nice study

To start this snowy December, here is a "not so simple not so hard" study of Herbstmann.

White to play and win.

Hint : the first idea doesn't work immediately. The second idea does but you will have to find a third idea for that!