 "Chess (#1087)")
The European Individual championships in Yerevan is clashing with the Rejkjavik Open and the Cappelle La Grande Open. The Euro obviously takes pride of place but the two other opens are both popular and well attended.
The Euro's top section has 258 players, including 203 titled players, and 15 players rated above 2,700, 39 from the Top 100, and over 120 GMs. As many as five players still had a perfect score after round three. Cappelle has a huge field with over 600 players including several Indian and Chinese GMs - the top seed is Ding Liren (2717). Rejkjavik also has a 2,700-plus top seed in Naiditsch and over 200 players.
Just to add to the scrunched up scheduling, Magnus Carlsen plays in the Festival De Uva (Brazil) this weekend. The world champion is rumoured to be receiving four World Cup Final tickets as part of his fee for this rapid event. Incidentally, Carlsen has pushed his rating to a new high of 2,881.
Levon Aronian is also at a personal best of 2830. The Armenian GM must be hot favourite at the Candidates next week. Most people are betting on the November title match involving Carlsen-Aronian.
One odd detail - Fide wants cities to bid to host the title match before the Candidates starts. This could reduce the money on the table since the challenger won't be known. For example, Armenia won't bid as big with an unknown challenger as it might if Aronian had already qualified. Given Fide's somewhat casual attitude to these matters, it is possible that the deadline for the title hosting bids will be postponed. This would be sensible if it makes for more optimal bidding after the challenger is known.
THE DIAGRAM, WHITE TO PLAY (White: Ganguly Vs Black: Tate, Cappelle-la-Grande Open 2014) is the start of an enterprising attack. Ganguly went for broke with 27.Qh6!? g5. White might have an edge anyhow with 27. Ne2 but the piece sacrifice risks little or nothing.
Play continued 28.Nh5 gxh4 29.Rd4!? Bxd4+ An attempt to remove Be5. White could also continue 29. Nxf6+ Bxf6 30. Rxf6 Rxf6 31. Qxf6 and pick up h4. Play continued 30.cxd4 Na6 If black responds 30.-Qxd5, there is only a perpetual but this is also okay.
Play went 31.Nxf6+ Rxf6 32.Rxf6 Rg7 33.Qh5 Qc8 34.h3 Qc1+ 35.Kh2 Qg5 36.Qe8+ Kh7 37.Qe4+ Kg8 38.Rc6 Nc7 39.d6 Nb5? The only outright error black makes. Instead, 39.-Qd5! 40. dxc7! Qxe4 41. c8=Q+ Kh7 42. Rc2 Qf4+ leaves black with a perpetual in hand. Now, white wins after 40.Rc8+ Kf7 41.d7 Rg8 42.Qe8+ (1-0). The game could end 42.-Rxe8 43. d7xe8=Q+ Kf6 44. Qd8+ Kg6 45. Rc6+.
The Euro's top section has 258 players, including 203 titled players, and 15 players rated above 2,700, 39 from the Top 100, and over 120 GMs. As many as five players still had a perfect score after round three. Cappelle has a huge field with over 600 players including several Indian and Chinese GMs - the top seed is Ding Liren (2717). Rejkjavik also has a 2,700-plus top seed in Naiditsch and over 200 players.
Just to add to the scrunched up scheduling, Magnus Carlsen plays in the Festival De Uva (Brazil) this weekend. The world champion is rumoured to be receiving four World Cup Final tickets as part of his fee for this rapid event. Incidentally, Carlsen has pushed his rating to a new high of 2,881.
Levon Aronian is also at a personal best of 2830. The Armenian GM must be hot favourite at the Candidates next week. Most people are betting on the November title match involving Carlsen-Aronian.
One odd detail - Fide wants cities to bid to host the title match before the Candidates starts. This could reduce the money on the table since the challenger won't be known. For example, Armenia won't bid as big with an unknown challenger as it might if Aronian had already qualified. Given Fide's somewhat casual attitude to these matters, it is possible that the deadline for the title hosting bids will be postponed. This would be sensible if it makes for more optimal bidding after the challenger is known.
THE DIAGRAM, WHITE TO PLAY (White: Ganguly Vs Black: Tate, Cappelle-la-Grande Open 2014) is the start of an enterprising attack. Ganguly went for broke with 27.Qh6!? g5. White might have an edge anyhow with 27. Ne2 but the piece sacrifice risks little or nothing.
Play continued 28.Nh5 gxh4 29.Rd4!? Bxd4+ An attempt to remove Be5. White could also continue 29. Nxf6+ Bxf6 30. Rxf6 Rxf6 31. Qxf6 and pick up h4. Play continued 30.cxd4 Na6 If black responds 30.-Qxd5, there is only a perpetual but this is also okay.
Play went 31.Nxf6+ Rxf6 32.Rxf6 Rg7 33.Qh5 Qc8 34.h3 Qc1+ 35.Kh2 Qg5 36.Qe8+ Kh7 37.Qe4+ Kg8 38.Rc6 Nc7 39.d6 Nb5? The only outright error black makes. Instead, 39.-Qd5! 40. dxc7! Qxe4 41. c8=Q+ Kh7 42. Rc2 Qf4+ leaves black with a perpetual in hand. Now, white wins after 40.Rc8+ Kf7 41.d7 Rg8 42.Qe8+ (1-0). The game could end 42.-Rxe8 43. d7xe8=Q+ Kf6 44. Qd8+ Kg6 45. Rc6+.
Devangshu Datta is an internationally rated chess and correspondence chess player