Celebrating in Reykjavik

On the video you can follow the Vice-President of the Icelandic Chess Federation and Chairman of Reykjavik Club Ottar Felix Haukson singing at the closing ceremony of Iceland Team Championship. His team Taflfélag Reykjavikur won the title, and made him happy.

Bulgarian Men Final Started Today

72-th Bulgarian Final started today. Men event is category VІІІ, elo average 2438. 14 participants will play a round robin tournament. The norms are 9.5 for GM, 7 points for IM.

Four games were decisive at the start. So far there are no surprises, the elo favourites win their games.
GM Janev Evgeni 2485 ½ - ½ IM Kozhuharov Spas 2456
Mladenov Plamen 2288 ½ - ½ GM Petkov Vladimir 2434
FM Milchev Nikolay 2373 0 - 1 GM Spasov Vasil 2579
IM Iotov Valentin 2495 1 - 0 Tsvetkov Ilia 2352
IM Vasilev Milen 2470 1 - 0 FM Arnaudov G Petar 2345
IM Rusev Krasimir 2521 1 - 0 FM Lilov Valeri 2323
IM Nikolov Momchil 2500 ½ - ½ GM Radulski Julian 2511
You can follow the tournament on the official site-see section Recommended Tournaments on the left. 57-th Women Championship starts tomorrow.

Wang Hao Wins Reykjavik Blitz

One day after the successful finish of the Reykjavik open the Chinese player won the blitz tournament as well. He received 2500 $ for his efforts. Second is the Iranian GM Elshan Moradiabadi. It was a KO system and in case of equality one sudden death game was played. Top eight players received money prizes. The field was very strong, as you may see.
I would like to thank Ingvar Johannesson for the information that he sent me.

Final-1/8:
Thorfinnsson Bragi 0-2 GM Moradiabadi Elshan
Wang Hao 2-1 GM Kveinys Aloyzas
Mikhalevski Victor 1,5-1,5 FM Kjartansson David
Malakhatko Vadim 0-2 GM Adly Ahmed
Caruana Fabiano 2-0 GM Miezis Normunds
Halkias Stelios 1,5-1,5 GM Lie Kjetil A
Meier Georg 2-0 GM Stefansson Hannes
Hammer Jon Ludvig 0-2 GM Dizdar Goran
Final-1/4
Moradiabadi Elshan 2-0 GM Dizdar Goran
Wang Hao 2-0 GM Meier Georg
Mikhalevski Victor 2-1 GM Halkias Stelios
Adly Ahmed 1-2 GM Caruana Fabiano Final 1/2
GM Moradiabadi Elshan1,5-0,5 GM Caruana Fabiano
GM Wang Hao 2-0 GM Mikhalevski Victor
Final GM Moradiabadi Elshan 0,5-1,5 GM Wang Hao

Test Yorself 4

Mating in Centre.


1.Kd7+ [1.Kd6+? Kb4 2.Qb8+ Kc4 3.Qxb1=] 1...Kc5 [1...Kd3 2.Qg6+ drops the queen, as well as:; 1...Kb5 2.Qb8+] 2.Qc8+ Kd5 3.Qc6# 1–0 Pogosiants

A Contribution from a Friend

One remarkable young man send me a game of his specially for the blog. He is only 17 but already achieved certain success in the chess scene. He is Romain Edouard from France, and here are some of his best results in brief:
IM title in September of the 2006 year (awarded in february of 2007) ;
European U16 Champion in 2006 ;
2nd place in the strong closed GM tournament of La Roche Sur Yon 2007 ;
2nd place in European & World U18 Championship in 2007 ;
1st place with my team Clichy Echecs 92 in the French Championship 2007 (1st division).


Edouard,R (2507) - Petrosian,T (2606)
24e Open de Cappelle la Grande Cappelle la Grande, France (8), 2008
[Romain Edouard]
This game was round 8 in the Cappelle la Grande 2008 open. This tournament is, to my mind, one of the best organizations of the planet, and, this year, I even had the chance to play it with a great friend, which made be in great conditions to play my games. Unfortunately a "click" missed to me to beat some GMs, as in this game, so I couldn't manage to make a GM norm.
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.0–0 Bg6 7.Nbd2!?


A recent idea is to put the knight on b3. The idea is that ...c5 will often be a mistake (due to too much changes on c5, leaving a great d4-square for White) and that White is going to advance with Bd2-Qe1–Bb4, or Bd2-a3-Bb4, or Bd2-Na5-b4/c4 or sometimes some Bg5 before. Sometimes White can also try Ne1 with f4 plans. [7.b3 Nh6 8.c4 Nf5 is more classical, with ideas like 9.Nc3 Bb4! then ...Qa5, and Black is near by equalizing.] 7...Nh6 8.Nb3 Be7 [8...Nf5 looks better to me : 9.Bd2 (9.Bg5 Be7 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.c3 0–0 12.Na5!? Rab8 13.Qd2 looks lightly better for White, but probably near by nothing.) 9...Be7 10.Bd3 and in this position I think White is likely to keep with g4 and soon f4.] 9.Bxh6! I think the best move. Black just stands ridiculous with those h-pawns because the Bishop already came in e7. Now ...Bf8-...Bg7-...f5 is too much slow. 9...gxh6 10.Qd2 h5 11.c3!? Now that I gave my dark-squared bishop I try to put my pawn on dark-squares and plan to play Nc1–Nd3-Nf4 in most of cases. 11...Qb6 12.Bd3?! [12.Nc1 …0–0–0!? 13.Nd3 Be4 14.a4 was my first idea and is much better than 12.Bd3.] 12...Rc8?! [12...0–0–0! with ...Rdg8 and ...Be4 ideas should equalize for Black, I think.] 13.Rab1!?White achieved slight edge


I want to protect b-pawn and get some Nc1 and b4 ideas. [13.Nc1! c5 14.Ne2! was much better, I overlooked that after 14...cxd4 15.cxd4 Bxd3 16.Qxd3 Qxb2 17.Rab1 Qc2 I had 18.Qe3! with a great position.] 13...c5 Hard decision, but what else? 14.dxc5 Nxc5 15.Nxc5 Bxc5 16.Kh1!? This move aims to move the Knight on f3 and to play f4. [16.b4 Be7 17.Rfe1 is also good for White but I didn't like that much weakening the c3-pawn.] 16...0–0 [16...Bxd3? 17.Qxd3 Bxf2 18.Ng5 is terrible for Black.] 17.Ng5!?

17...f6 Otherwise after f4 Black's position is very difficult. 18.exf6 Rxf6 19.f4?! Too ambitious. [19.Rbe1!? Bxf2 20.Bxg6 hxg6 21.Rxe6! Rxe6 22.Nxe6 Qxe6 23.Qxf2 with an edge] 19...Be3 20.Qe2 e5? [20...Rcf8! was the move I had underestimated, after that I have to play carefully with 21.Bxg6 (21.Rf3?! Bxf4 22.Nxh7 Kxh7 23.Rxf4 Kh6!? is at least = for Black.) 21...hxg6 22.Qd3! Kg7 23.g3 e5 24.Qxd5 exf4 25.Qd7+ Kh6 26.h4 Qc6+ 27.Qxc6 bxc6 28.Rbe1 following Kh2, and Black still has problems according to Rybka.; 20...Bxf4? is of course wrong because of 21.Nxh7! Kxh7 (21...Bxh7 22.Bxh7+ Kxh7 23.Rxf4±) 22.Rxf4 Bxd3 23.Qxd3+ with large advantage] 21.f5!

[After 21.Nxh7 Kxh7! (21...Bxh7 22.Bxh7+ Kxh7 23.Qxh5+ Kg7 24.Qg4+ White wins) 22.fxe5 Rff8 23.Qxh5+ Bh6 Black can hold the game.] 21...Be8 [21...Bxg5? 22.fxg6 e4 only move 23.gxh7+ Kh8 24.Qxh5±] 22.Ne6 e4 23.Bc2 Kh8 [23...Bb5? doesn't work because of 24.Qxh5 Bxf1? 25.Qg4++-] 24.c4?! [24.Qe1! with Qh4 and Qg3 ideas was near by immediately winning, but I thought 24.c4 was even stronger.; 24.a4!? is also simple and excellent.] 24...Rxc4 25.Bb3 Rc8 26.Qe1!± White plans Qg3-Qe5, and Black is just near by losing. [26.Bxd5? Bb5„] 26...Bc6 [26...Bb5 27.Qg3 Bh6 28.Rfc1!? Re8 29.Bxd5 is an obvious edge for White] 27.Qg3 Bh6 28.Bxd5 [28.Qe5 Bg7 29.Bxd5 is the same as the game, as 29...Rxe6? doesn't work because of (29...Qb5? 30.Nxg7+-) 30.Qxe6 Re8 31.Qf7 Rf8 32.Qxh5! Bxd5 33.f6 winning] 28...Bxd5 29.Qe5 Bg7 30.Qxd5

30...Qc6 only move 31.Qd1 e3 32.Qxh5 Rg8 33.Qf3!? Qb5 [33...Qxf3 34.Rxf3 Bh6 35.h3+- following g4.] 34.g4 [34.Qe4! wins. It's hard to understand how it's possible not to play this logical move!] 34...Qe5 35.Rbe1 Bh6 36.h4 Rc8 [36...Re8 was the only move, but: 37.g5 Rexe6 38.gxf6 Rxf6 39.Re2 and White should win easily.] 37.g5 Rc2

38.Re2?? Crazy move! I just played it automatically because of time trouble, and I didn't think Black was just losing a piece if I just avoided the mate! [Both 38.Qh3; or 38.Nf4 win] 38...Rxe2 39.Qxe2 Rxf5 40.Rxf5 Qxf5 41.Qxe3 Bg7 42.Nxg7 only move [42.Nc5 Qb1+ 43.Kg2 Qxb2+ 44.Kf3 Qxa2=] 42...Qb1+ 43.Kg2 Qxb2+

Here I just played Qf2 desperately because I thought the rest was also draw. It's a mistake but I think my thoughts were right. 44.Qf2 [44.Kf3 Kxg7 45.Qxa7 Kg6! 46.Qa4 (46.Qe3 Qxa2 47.Qd3+ Kg7 48.Qc3+ Kf7 49.Qc7+ Kg6 50.Qb6+ Kg7 51.Qxb7+ Kg6 52.Qe4+ Kg7 and I doubt White can win this.) 46...Qc3+ with ...Kh5 ideas is just draw.] 44...Qxf2+ 45.Kxf2 Kxg7 46.Kf3 b5 47.h5 b4 48.Ke4 a5 49.Kd4 a4 50.Kc4 b3 51.axb3 axb3 52.Kxb3 Kf7 53.Kc4 Ke6 54.Kd4 Kf5 After this game I had to beat GM Miroshnichenko (2647) as Black to make the norm. Quite hard! I finally lost this game and finished very far from top places. ½–½

Icelandic Impressions

The tournaments are organized in memory of our beloved Champion Bobby Fisher
Politicians:
“When ingenious Mikhail Tal sacrificed his queen in the first Reykjavik open back in 1964 against Jon Kristinsson no one really believed that is it right. Tal said that he did not come that far only to make draws, but to play a good chess and went on to win the tournament with 12.5/13. This is all we ask from you-fight over the board and you will make us happy” said Lilja Gretarsdottir at her speech at the opening ceremony. Lilja is no only a president of the Icelandic Chess Federation. She is a deputy in the Iceland Parliament from the Left Green Party. One of the sixty three deputy members there. “I am not a typical politician. I just could not stand what they are doing with our nature, and decided to do the best that I can to stop them.” One of the days the Icelandic Prime-Minister Geir Haarde paid a visit to the hall. He once worked as a chess journalist for Morgunbladid newspaper back in 1972. “Geir is from the opposite party but we strongly connected with our chess passion”, smiles Lilja.
This year the tournament was in memory of the great champion Robert James Fisher, who recently passed away.

Winners:
It all started with a sensation when the tournament organizer Bjorn Thorfinsson beated the elo favorite Wang Yue from China. Actually all the three winners had a bad start. Stefansson drew his first game, and only Wang Hao won the first encounter, but then drew two games. Wang was very motivated and in the coming five rounds he scored five consecutive wins. In the meanwhile Fabiano Caruana was leading the tournament with 4.5/5 (and missed to convert his pawn up in the game against Halkias.) Stefansson as well did fine winning four games. Seventh round was disastrous for the Italian GM. Something went wrong with his home preparation, which gave a chance to his opponent Wang Hao to win convincingly. In the penultimate round the two Chinese players made a short draw, and local Hannes Stefansson managed to outplay V. Mikhalevski from Israel to join in the lead. In the final round Wang Hao tried to win solely the tournament against Stefansson but the Icelander was defending well and soon before the time control draw was agreed. This gave a chance for one of the winner in the game Halkias-Wang Yue to join the overall victory. In a very tense and nervous game in severe time trouble the Greek GM missed a forced draw shortly before he resigned.
Queen sacrifice for two light pieces was very fashionable in the last 2 rounds. Fashionable, but hardly profitable. Both Al Modiaki and Tiger Hilarp Person lost their games against Kveinys and Mikhalevski respectively. But while Al Modiaki’s sacrifice was a kind of overoptimistic, the Swedish GM prepared something very interesting and unusual in the opening which needs practical tests.

Piranhas:
There were some young players having the sign FM in front of their names. Do you know why? Because they are all current or future youth world champions. Three of them made IM norms. Sahaj Grover from India was the happiest of them scoring 6 points and achieving his second IM norm. In the decisive round he managed to beat Ray Robson, USA’s biggest hope for the moment. By the way Ray already did all his IM norms, and this was his fourth one. Grandelius Nils from Sweden scored a norm as well. But you will listen more about Iljya Nyzhnik from Ukraine and Srinath Narayanan from India.
GM norms:
Another valuable achievement was Inna Gaponenko’s GM norm. She had a very good start, but in the penultimate round lost and decided that her chances are over. That is why she prepared a drawish line against me in the final round, but failed to make the draw, and beated me, which appeared to be enough. Espen Lie from Norway scored a norm as well. He is very solid, plays strictly on the position. Even in the last round when he needed only a win against Adly he did not risk too much, and gave to his opponent the chance to go astray.
Honoree Group:
Four of Fishers best friends were invited to play a rapid tournament in his honor. This is the first tournament after Fishers death named after him, and sure more will follow. Annotator of the games was William Lombardy, and referees no one less but the tenth world champion, and historical rival of Fisher Boris Spassky. Boris Vasilievich would not mind taking part in the event himself, but he had just suffered from eye operation, and had to carry dark glasses. With his typical sense of humor he advised his friends from the honoree group: “To avoid forks, spoons, discovered checks, and doubled checks, and most of all-mate!” Lajosh Portish and Vlastimil Hort followed his advices, won two games and drew the rest to share the overall victory.
I keep on admiring the chess culture in this country. You meet different people here, and they are all very found in chess. Like the fisherman in the hotel, who told me that he did not play chess since 1972, but he would like to have a game with anyone from the tournament. Or the man from the hotel reception who appeared to be an IM. I guess that Bjorn is right by stating that 98 % of the Icelanders know how to play the game.

Runar:
Runar is a sailor. And because of the fact that he waited his boat to go to job he did not play the tournament. Then the weather changed, and he stayed. He did not miss a single game in the tournament. For him Bjorn says:” His tactical skill is enormous, his memory-stunning. He knows by heart plenty of games, all of them with sharp sacrifices, and beautiful tactical strokes. Beware of him at the chess board. But although he is that big (1.99 m height, 109 kilograms) he is your best friend if you are a chess player. He often plays at the European Club Team Competitions and knows most of the players there.” I remember a phrase of his to the foreign players when we went to a discothèque once:” You want to drink something-just order-I pay for it…”
The Bear
Bjorn in Icelandic means “bear”. “He totally underestimated me”, said the happy Bjorn after his game against Wang Yue in the first round. His performance in the tournament was great-he scored an IM norm, and had even chances for a GM one if he had won his final effort against Kietel Lie. Bjorn is a special case. Glitnir Bank was one of the sponsors of the tournament, but the works for their rivals-Kaupthing. By the way Kauphing Bank will again organize the open tournament in Luxembourg this May. Reykjavik open is usually organized on every two years, but the chess players have already the assurance of the Reykjavik state that it will be organized every year.
Check my recent chessbase reports for more.

Tournament Overview

Doorway to the Haute-Loire, the small town of Aurec-sur-Loire nestles in a picturesque curve of the Loire, where the foaming waters rushing down from the Velay find calm in the magnificent lake behind the Grangent dam.
Glorious countryside combines with a rich cultural heritage to make Aurec-sur-Loire an ideal place to visit less than an hour from Lyon...

But this is enough for representation, since you will not have enough time to see all the things if you decide to visit the Aurec open. It will take place on 23.03.2008, I highly recommend it to you. Price fund is 5000 euros, not bad at all for a one-day rapid. Nature is wonderful, organizer Olivier Deville will do his best to suffice your needs.

A few years ago when I took part in the open, there were various strong players to go into top 100 nowadays- such as Volokitin and Fedorchuk. I remember a curious case from the game Marciano-Fedorchuk: White was trying to win an endgame rook versus knight, and the Ucranian was in severe time-trouble. Then Marciano blundered his rook, and offered a draw, but Fedorchuk declined it:”What draw, I am a knight up!”

For more information visit: http://www.open-aurec.com/