ChessBase Journal provides a window to the world {of professional} chess. The most recent situation, CBM 217 is out. Our columnist, Nagesh Havanur takes a glance.
1582 video games (35 annotated), decisive encounters from the FIDE Grand Swiss deeply annotated. 12 opening surveys, 3 opening movies, 6 demo. lectures and a number of other workouts for coaching. Annotators embody Anish Giri, Nordibek Abdusattorov, Ruslan Ponomariov, Vidit Gujrathi and Praggnanandhaa amongst others.
Evaluation by Nagesh Havanur
Vidit and Vaishali shine
At the same time as I write these traces, the Wijk aan Zee Match has drawn to an in depth, with Wei Yi prevailing over Anish Giri, Gukesh and Abdusattorov in a blitz play-off to win the primary prize. A lot was anticipated of Vidit Gujrathi who was among the many leaders until the final spherical. Right here he was brilliantly outplayed by Wei Yi and ended up with a rating of +3, -1 = 9. The extent of chess at this time is excessive and competitors fierce as ever. All of it displays the wonderful uncertainty of profitable and dropping.
The FIDE Grand Swiss Match that concluded in November 2023 was a robust contest with 114 prime rating gamers and the members included veterans, Giri, Aronian, Shirov and the younger abilities, Abdusattorov, Duda, Firouzja, Pragggnaanadhaa amongst others. The present situation of ChessBase Journal offers with this large contest and it additionally showcases the winner, Vidit Gujrathi’s play. However his expertise, few anticipated Vidit to complete within the prime record of the FIDE Grand Swiss Match, not to mention clinch the title. He stunned each his rivals and chess followers together with his efficiency, 8.5 /11 (+7 -1 = 3). On this situation he annotates his recreation with Predke that enabled to qualify for the Candidates’ and in addition win this event.
Picture: Vidit versus Predke
Supply: https://grandswiss.fide.com/
It’s a high quality technical efficiency. I used to be extra drawn to his recreation with Sindarov.
It’s annotated by Anish Giri on this situation.
Whereas Vidit must be counseled for his combinational play, Sindarov additionally must be counseled for his preventing spirit on this recreation.
Nakamura got here second on this event and certified for the Candidates’. Within the following recreation he beats Caruana. It’s fascinating to see how Caruana wards off wave after wave of assault solely to lose ultimately.
Within the Girls’s Part R.Vaishali (Praggnaanadhaa’s sister) got here first forward of Anna Muzychuk and Tan Zhongyi. Curiously sufficient, her rating was an identical with Vidit’s within the Open Part, 8.5/11
(+6 -0 =5). She has now certified for the Candidates’ and joins Anna Muzychuk and others who’ve already entered the cycle. On this situation she annotates a key encounter.
A photograph end!
This situation additionally contains video games from the European Staff Championship. It was sturdy occasion with 38 groups collaborating within the Open part and 32 groups within the Girls Part. Bulgaria clinched Gold on this Feminine Part forward of Azerbaijan and France.
Within the Open Part Right here Germany and Serbia vied for the primary place. Predke and Sarana led Serbia. Keymer and Svane led Germany. Ultimately Serbia clinched gold on account of its superior Sonneborn-Berger rating over Germany. Nonetheless, Serbia got here near dropping the race when it met Greece within the final spherical.
Picture: Greece versus Serbia
Predke misplaced to Theodorou on the primary board. Solely Ivic and Sarana scored over their Greek rivals. Nonetheless, Indjic was outplayed by his opponent at the same time as they raced to make it to the primary time management.
If Kournkouolos-Arditis had gained this recreation, Serbia would have fallen behind by one level and Germany would have gained gold. Of their particular person match with Serbia that they had scored a win.
Picture: Germany versus Serbia
Nonetheless, Serbia had made an ideal effort to attract stage with Germany and had been rewarded ultimately.
One welcome shock was Carlsen’s participation within the occasion. He scored nicely (+5 =3 -0). Nonetheless, his efficiency was not with out adventures. The next recreation turned out to be outstanding.
Bjerre-Carlsen, 2023 (obtain pgn)
Opening movies and surveys
There are 3 opening movies on this situation:
Within the first video Rustam Kasimdzhanov provides an introduction to an uncommon line 5…Nxe4 within the Scotch 4 Knights Recreation,
1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Nxe4!?
Within the second video Mihail Marin presents evaluation of a uncommon line within the Spanish, generally known as the Taimanov Variation within the outdated days and now known as the Norwegian Defence on account of its revival by Simen Agdestein, the Norwegian GM. It arose in a recreation performed final yr, Puranik-Carlsen, Qatar Masters 2023. It might be seen “reside” right here:
You might also take a look at the strikes of the sport earlier than you hearken to Marin’s Demo Lecture:
Within the third video, Luis Engel concludes his evaluation of a brand new line within the Sicilian Najdorf Variation
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6.6.Rg1!?
Take your decide.
What’s extra, there are as many as 12 opening surveys starting from the Caro-Kann to the King’s Indian. Amongst them I might single out Petra Papp’s work on the Taimanov Variation (A67). After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 g6 7.f4 Bg7 8.Bb5+ Black has at all times confronted issues. Her conclusion is that White is at all times on the highest. As for Black, there isn’t any method of surmounting these issues. One can solely concur together with her except the silicon monster performs a miracle tomorrow and finds salvation for Black.
In recent times gamers who want to keep away from this line try out a distinct transfer order like 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5. Nonetheless, if White doesn’t oblige with d4-d5 advance, they might find yourself with transposition to the Sicilian or the Semi-Tarrasch.
Amongst different surveys I discovered Sergey Grigoryants’ evaluation of the French Classical Steinitz Variation fascinating (C11).
His most important line runs 1.e4 e62. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 a6 8.Ne2 Qb6 9.Qc1. Right here he analyses 9…f6, Black’s commonplace counter transfer. Maybe a case could also be made for Morozevich’s transfer, 9…g5!?. It has not been seen in OTB video games in recent times. Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless performed in correspondence video games.
Apart from opening surveys, this situation has commonplace options on ways, technique and the endgame. Right here I might make a particular point out of the part, Excelling in Endgames through which Karsten Müller continues his collection of demo. lectures on king and pawn endings. This part additionally provides a column, “Readers write” through which we discover contributions by consultants like Charles Sullivan and Frederick G. Davies. Within the outdated days their analyses associated the endgame. In latest days in addition they concentrate on later middlegame positions and once in a while necessary video games from the previous. Thus this column has acquired a person id of its personal and deserves a separate part.
Right here is the evaluation of a little-known recreation from the London 1922 Worldwide Match. It provides each the unique notes by Geza Maroczy who edited the Ebook of the Match and in addition annotations from a contemporary perspective by Frederick G. Davies.
Final, however not least, now we have Jan Markos’ demo lecture on traps. Sensible recommendation for the event participant.
Summing up
The primary database of the difficulty has 1582 video games of which 35 are deeply annotated. There may be a lot else on this DVD that deserves to be explored. Other than the gamers I’ve already talked about, the
commentators embody amongst others. It might be famous that there are extra annotated video games within the opening and coaching sections of this situation. Nicely, observe makes good.
Notes
1)There may be extra information. on the FIDE Grand Swiss Match on its official web site:
2) The European Staff Championship was reported in CHESS Ja. 2024 and British Chess Journal, December 2o23. I’ve discovered GM Aleksandar Colovic’s commentary on the sport, Kournkouolos-Indjic helpful on this BCM situation. The ChessBase Information Web page additionally carried experiences on the ultimate rounds of this necessary occasion:
https://en.chessbase.com/put up/european-team-championship-2023-r8
https://en.chessbase.com/put up/european-team-championship-2023-r9
Extra information. On this event could also be discovered on the official web site: https://etcc23.me/
3) The London 1922 Worldwide Match was gained by Capablanca forward of Alekhine, Rubinstein, Reti and Euwe amongst others. The Ebook of The Match was edited by Geza Maroczy with temporary notes. A 21st Century Version has been revealed by Russell Enterprises:
