Monday, March 24, 2008

Grischuk and his secret weapon

The young Grischuk playing with his favourite teddy!?


Sunday, March 23, 2008

Palmy ChessClub News

The Palmy club recently held its blitz Championship. Justin Davis (pictured) managed to win over a relatively small but committed field.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

115th Congress Review

Ker,A - Chandler,M [B22]New Zealand Championship Auckland (6.2), 18.01.2008
1.e4 c5 2.c3 Anthony remains faithful to his favourite reply to the sicilian.
2...g6 Not one of the mian continuation's, but perhaps playable, although this game should not be regarded as a success for black.
3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4 d5 [4...Bg7 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nf6 7.Bb5+ Bd7 8.Bxd7+ Qxd7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Qe2 Nc6 11.Bg5 h6 12.Be3 Ng4 13.Bd2 Rac8 14.Rad1 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Bxd4 16.h3 Bxc3 17.bxc3 Nf6 18.Bxh6 Rfe8 19.Rfe1 ½-½ Aagaard,J-Hartvig,O/Taastrup DEN 2002/]
5.e5 [5.exd5 Nf6 6.Bb5+ Nbd7 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.d6 exd6 9.Qe2+ Qe7 10.Bf4 Kf8 11.Nf3 Nb6 12.0-0 h6 13.Rfe1 Be6 14.Bg3 a6 15.d5 Nfxd5 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.Rad1 axb5 18.Rxd5 Kg8 19.Nd4 Rxa2 20.Rxd6 Qxd6 21.Bxd6 Bxd4 22.Be5 Rxb2 23.Qxb2 Bxb2 24.Bxb2 Kh7 25.Bxh8 Kxh8 26.f4 Kg7 27.Kf2 Kf6 28.Re5 Bc4 29.Ke3 b4 30.Kd4 b5 31.g4 b3 32.g5+ hxg5 33.fxg5+ Kg7 34.Kc3 ½-½ Smerdon,D-Rogers,I/Netherlands NED 2006/]
5...Nc6 6.Be3 [6.Nc3 f6 7.exf6 Nxf6 8.Bb5 Bg7 9.h3 0-0 10.Nf3 Nh5 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.0-0 Qd6 13.Re1 Nf4 14.Bxf4 Rxf4 15.Ne5 Be6 16.Rc1 Rf5 17.f4 Rc8 18.Na4 Rxf4 19.Nc5 Bf5 20.Qd2 Bh6 21.Qc3 Qf6 22.Rcd1 Qg5 23.Re2 Qh4 24.Rde1 Rf8 25.Nxc6 Be4 26.Ne6 Rf3 27.Nxe7+ Qxe7 28.gxf3 Bxf3 29.Nxf8 Qg5+ 30.Kf1 Qf5 31.Rh2 Bxf8 32.Re5 Qb1+ 33.Kf2 Be4 34.Rg2 Qh1 35.Rxe4 dxe4 36.Qc4+ Kh8 37.Qc8 Kg7 38.Qb7+ Kg8 39.Qd5+ Kg7 40.Qb7+ Kg8 41.Qxe4 Qxh3 42.d5 Qh5 43.b4 Qd1 44.Rg4 Qd2+ ½-½ Ivanov,V-Evdokimov,A/Moscow RUS 2008/]
6...Nh6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.h3 Such a move does not appear spectacular, but it is based on a deep understanging of the position. Black can only put pressure on white's center by either f6 or attacking the piece's defending d4, All of black's pieces are geared towards attacking d4 Bg7,Nh6-f5, Nc6 and Bg4 would complete the quartet, White's stops this. [8.Nf3 Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Nf5=]
8...Nf5 9.Nf3 0-0 10.Bd3 Nxe3 11.fxe3 f6 12.exf6 exf6 13.Qb3 Kh8 [13...Be6 14.Qxb7 Qd6 15.0-0 Rab8 16.Nb5 (16.Qa6 Bh6 17.e4 Rb6 18.Qa4 Rxb2 19.Rab1=) 16...Rxb7 17.Nxd6 Rxb2=]
14.Qxd5 Qe7 15.Qe4
1/2-1/2
Rather unambitious by white. A pawn is a pawn and to be happy with a draw may be a good tournament strategy but I am of the opinion that a draw is an absolute last resort.