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03-03 Contents_Chess mag - 21_6_10 21/03/2019 21:42 Page 3

Chess
Founding Editor: B.H. Wood, OBE. M.Sc †
Contents
Executive Editor: Malcolm Pein Editorial....................................................................................................................4
Editors: Richard Palliser, Matt Read Malcolm Pein on the latest developments in the game
Associate Editor: John Saunders
Subscriptions Manager: Paul Harrington 60 Seconds with...Blair Connell ....................................................................7
Twitter: @CHESS_Magazine The Guildford-based player is a big fan of the Jobava London System
Twitter: @TelegraphChess - Malcolm Pein
Website: www.chess.co.uk Gunina Shines ........................................................................................................8
The Russians dominated the inaugural Cairns Cup in St. Louis
Subscription Rates:
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1 year (12 issues) £49.95 Daniel King presents a brave and brutal mating attack
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Will you be playing somewhere over Easter?
Europe
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More excitement and instruction from Gibraltar
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USA & Canada The Path to the Top..........................................................................................20
1 year (12 issues) $90 News of who qualified for the Championship Pool in the 4NCL
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Deep Learning expert Kanwal Bhatia enjoyed two new books
Rest of World (Airmail)
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Ben Graff looks back to 1969 and Petrosian vs Spassky
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Distributed by: James Sherwin....................................................................................................30
Post Scriptum (UK only), John Stubbs and Chris Beaumont met up with the American legend
Unit G, OYO Business Park, Hindmans Way,
Dagenham, RM9 6LN - Tel: 020 8526 7779 Find the Winning Moves.................................................................................37
Can you do as well as the players at the 4NCL and on the Rock?
LMPI (North America)
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Carl Portman’s autobiography would be called ‘My Greatest Mistakes’
Views expressed in this publication are not
necessarily those of the Editors. Contributions to Readers’ Letters ................................................................................................42
the magazine will be published at the Editors’ Your thoughts on newspaper columns and The Grandmaster
discretion and may be shortened if space is limited.
How Chess Ideas Evolve.................................................................................44
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without the prior express permission of the publishers.
Amatzia Avni charts the journey of a couple of his creations

All rights reserved. © 2019 Overseas News...................................................................................................47

Chess Magazine (ISSN 0964-6221) is published by: 62nd seed Kaido Kulaots won the ever strong Aeroflot Open
Chess & Bridge Ltd, 44 Baker St, London, W1U 7RT
Tel: 020 7288 1305 Fax: 020 7486 7015 Young Stars Shine .............................................................................................50
Email: [email protected], Website: www.chess.co.uk Bob Jones reports from Exeter as Shreyas Royal annotates

FRONT COVER: Home News ..........................................................................................................52

Cover Design: Matt Read Success for Arkell, Hebden, McPhillips and Imperial College
Cover image: Lennart Ootes
Solutions ...............................................................................................................54
US & Canadian Readers – You can contact us via our
American branch – Chess4Less based in West Palm
This Month’s New Releases ..........................................................................55
Beach, FL. Call toll-free on 1-877 89CHESS (24377).
You can even order Subscriber Special Offers online Sean Marsh enjoyed Michal Krasenkow’s best games collection
via www.chess4less.com
Saunders on Chess............................................................................................58
John remembers when MCO was the definite opening tome

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3
08-10 CairnsCup_Chess mag - 21_6_10 21/03/2019 22:18 Page 8

Gunina Dazzles
Irina Krush was up there throughout, but it was to be a Russian victory on American soil
as Valentina Gunina saw off compatriot Alexandra Kosteniuk in the first Cairns Cup
The inaugural Cairns Cup took place in
that modern-day chess capital of not just the
U.S., but almost the world, Saint Louis.
Named after Rex Sinquefield’s wife, Dr.
Jeanne Sinqufield, née Cairns, the tournament
was a prestigious 10-player all-play-all for
many of the world’s leading female players, as
they battled for a $150,000 prize fund.
Notably only two American players were
invited, both former U.S. Women’s Champions,
namely GM Irina Krush and IM Anna Zatonskih,
as the Cairns Cup, like the Sinquefield Cup
each August, was very much an international
event. There was an unfortunate lack of players
from that modern-day powerhouse for
women’s chess, China, and neither Muzychuk
was able to take part, but GM Dronavalli
Harika represented India, while the first and
third seeds both hailed from Russia, namely
Alexandra Kosteniuk and Valentina Gunina. A tense final round encounter heads towards its conclusion. Valentina Gunina (right) no longer
Which country have we yet to mention has her mighty pawn on a2, but would simplify the position to draw with Alexandra Kosteniuk.
which supplied the second and fourth seeds?
You likely worked out it was Georgia, who authorities happy. Kosteniuk became but the 37 Îb2
were represented by Nana Dzagnidze and latest player to fail to impress in an anti- Suddenly White threatens the queen and
Bela Khotenashvili. IM Elisabeth Paehtz from Berlin, quickly finding herself worse as White, has ideas of dxe5. The initiative is Kosteniuk’s.
Germany, GM Marie Sebag of France and IM tied down to a backward d-pawn. Eventually 37...Ëa7 38 Îc6
Zhansaya Abdumalik from Kazakhstan she got d3-d4 in and we pick up the action in 38 Ëf2! would have overprotected e3
completed the stellar line-up. The majority of the midst of the time scramble. and after 38...Îc7 39 Îa1 White’s central
players were in their thirties, albeit with ages pressure might yet have led somewhere.
ranging from Zatonskih at 40 down to young 38...Ìg8
Abdumalik who is still only 19 and a great A.Kosteniuk-V.Gunina Wisely eliminating any notion of Îxf6.
prospect for Asian chess. Round 9 Now the machine argues for the sensible
The early leader on 2½/3 was Kosteniuk, 39 Êh2, improving the king while keeping up
closely followed by both Gunina and Krush. the pressure. Kosteniuk, however, opted for
The Sinquefields must have been delighted to full mobilisation of her pieces.
see both an American player on a plus score 39 Íc5? Ëa8 40 Îbb6 a3
and more than half the games being decisive.
Both those trends would continue throughout
the tournament, with 56% of the games
featuring a winner, while even the only two
games drawn in under 30 moves (by
repetition) were not exactly dull.
Those early rounds largely set the pattern
for the tournament. By the end of round 6
Gunina had caught up Kosteniuk, with Krush
breathing down their necks on 4½/6.
However, Kosteniuk would then draw her
next two games, while Krush who would
otherwise enjoy an excellent tournament, 35...Ìh6
likely overplayed her hand as she went down Hitting the white queen, but Black should
to defeat against Sebag. That left Gunina to have taken control of the c-file. After
pull out a half-point lead entering the final 35...Îc7 36 Îb1 Ëb6 White’s defences
round courtesy of victory over Zatonskih. would have been quite solid, but it wouldn’t Reaching the time control. White is very
The ninth round saw the two leaders have been at all easy for her to find a way to active and had no doubt relied on her next
finally meet and this was no prearranged try and win the game. move, but unfortunately would discover that
draw to maintain harmony between friends 36 Ëh4 Íf7? she is not really attacking the black queen.
and potentially keep the Russian chess This square was needed for the knight. 41 Îa6 a2!

April 2019
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37-39 FTWM_Chess mag - 21_6_10 21/03/2019 22:03 Page 37

Find the Winning Moves

24 puzzles to test your tactical ability, with, as ever, the positions grouped
in rough order of difficulty. The games come from various recent events,
such as the 4NCL and Gibraltar. Don’t forget that whilst sometimes the key
move will force mate or the win of material, other times it will just win a pawn.

Solutions on page 54.

Warm-up Puzzles

(1) P.Gayson-P.Doherty (2) S.Okhai-E.Alizada (3) G.Trueman-R.Cowan

4NCL, Horwich 2019 Kidlington 2019 4NCL, Horwich 2019
White to Play White to Play Black to Play

(4) D.Fridman-A.Tukhaev (5) V.Kovalev-M.Aditya (6) K.Kulon-M.De Verdier

World Rapid Ch., St Petersburg 2018 Moscow 2019 4NCL, Telford 2019
White to Play White to Play White to Play

www.chess.co.uk 37
50-51 EastDevon_Chess mag - 21_6_10 21/03/2019 21:55 Page 50

Young Stars Shine

Bob Jones reports from the East Devon Congress held at Exeter’s Corn Exchange
This popular event attracts many of the
same faces year on year, but there can often
be a sprinkling of newcomers to add to the
mix, as was the case in 2017 when John
Nunn entered at the last minute.
There were no Super-GM elder statesmen
this year (9-10 March), but there were several
first-time visitors among the younger age
bracket that produced interest. 20-year-old
and top-graded Will Claridge-Hansen, for
example, recently arrived in Exeter from
Chesham, Bucks, to read History at the
University. Another was Shreyas Royal, who hit
the headlines in the popular press last year
when his father’s work permit was due to
expire, with the prospect of being forced to
return to India. After much campaigning
eventually the Home Secretary, Sajid Javid,
relented and agreed that the country could ill-
afford to lose the boy’s talents, nor his father’s
as an IT consultant, allowing them to apply for
a UK passport, which will shortly be settled. Exeter undergraduate Will Claridge-Hansen moves against Exeter-educated John Stephens.
Whatever the merit or otherwise of Shreyas’s
dodgy sobriquet of last year in the press of been expected to finish first or first equal, but 19 Ëe4! Íf8 20 Ìxe6!
“the world’s best 9 year old”, a grade of 186 at in the fourth round he had to contend with that So if 20...fxe6 21 Ëxe6#. 20 Ëh4 h5
that tender age is not to be sniffed at. mercurial IM Jack Rudd, whose brain seems to 21 g4 was also winning.
The pair make for an interesting compare- work at speeds most of us can only imagine. 20...Îe8 21 Îxc6! 1-0
and-contrast exercise, being, as they are, at Consequently, like many of Jack’s opponents, With Ëd4 to follow, this is definitely winning.
opposite ends of the junior chess trail. Will Will got short of time in a playable rook and
feels he has achieved enough in the past pawn ending, and this, coupled with Jack’s In strong company at the top end of the
decade to satisfy himself for now – he’s recent coaching sessions with endgame Open, Shreyas scored 3/5. If he wanted to
overtaken his father’s grade (210), won a supremo, Keith Arkell, tipped the balance in meet experience, he certainly found it in the
British title (Under-14), and represented his favour of the older player. So Will had to settle fifth and final round when he was paired
country in the Glorney Cup, etc. He’s had a go for second place on 4/5. Nevertheless, he was against John Wheeler. Born in Plymouth almost
at most of the junior tournaments and happy with this quick win in round 3 and kindly 80 years ago, John has been a stalwart player
championships on the circuit, and would now penned some quick notes. and organiser in Westcountry chess since
like to ease off a bit and just enjoy playing for childhood, and would have been more than
pleasure in local tournaments, like this one. happy to put the boy through his paces. The
Shreyas, on the other hand, at just 10 is W.Claridge-Hansen - J.Tambini endgame was terrific to watch as John had a
only at the beginning of his decade-long trail Exeter 2019 mate in one lined up, but Shreyas didn’t panic,
for honours in junior chess, and probably at kept his cool and used his resources in a very
senior level long before he’s 20. His father, open opposition to just keep the initiative and
Jitendra Singh, explains how he set off by force mate himself a few moves later. What
letting his son try all sorts of different sports players! What a game chess can be when two
and games, and it was the boy himself who enterprising players meet head on and ignore
felt a natural affinity for chess and wished to their 70 years age difference.
pursue that particular pastime. At the Shreyas chose it as his best game of the
moment, mum and dad are happy to take him weekend and happily annotated it for us.
around the country at weekends to events
like this, just for the experience of meeting
players of all ages and experience. How far
Notes by Shreyas Royal
Shreyas climbs up the ladder of success
remains to be seen, and will depend on how
S.Royal-J.Wheeler
he responds to the increasingly tough
challenges he meets on the way. At the Exeter 2019
moment though, the signs are looking very Black has somewhat underestimated Queen’s Gambit Declined
good indeed. White’s attack, which now runs:
So how did they both fare in Exeter? With a 18 Ìg5 g6 1 d4 Ìf6 2 c4 e6 3 Ìc3 d5 4 cxd5 exd5
grade of 222 Claridge-Hansen could have Forced, but very weakening. 5 Íg5 c6 6 Ìf3 Íe7 7 e3 Íf5 8 Íd3

April 2019
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50-51 EastDevon_Chess mag - 21_6_10 21/03/2019 21:55 Page 51

Íxd3
8... Ìe4 is also possible.
9 Ëxd3 Ìbd7 10 0-0 0-0 11 Îab1!
The main idea for White in these type of
positions (the Carlsbad structure) is to play
the minority attack, i.e. b4, a4 and b5.
11...Îe8 12 b4 a6
Or 12...b5 13 a4! a6 14 a5!, preventing
Black’s knights from getting to c4 via b6. In
the meantime he has a weakness on c6 which
I can double or triple on the c-file against.
13 a4 Ìe4 14 Íxe7 Ëxe7 15 Ìd2!? f5!
16 Ìe2 Ìxd2 17 Ëxd2 Ìf6 18 Ìg3
g6?! 19 Îfc1 h5?!
Creating some weaknesses.
20 b5 h4 21 Ìe2 axb5 22 axb5 Ìe4
23 Ëe1

Youth versus experience is not such a rare sight in chess clubs up and down the land, but such
a young player as Shreyas battling a much more experienced opponent is rare in an Open.

33 Ìxd5! is probably better. time and initiative to keep control of the

33...f4 34 Ìe6! fxe3+ 35 Êg1 Ëf6 situation.
Or if 35...Ëe5 36 c7 e2 37 Îe1. 36...Ëf2+ 37 Êh1 e2 38 Îh8+! Êxh8
36 c7 39 c8Ë+ Êh7 40 Ëd7+ Êh6 41 Ëg7+
Êh5 42 Ëh7+ 1-0
Resigns, in view of the unavoidable
42...Êg4 43 Ëxg6 mate.

23...c5? After the game, Shreyas’s father explained

Black weakens his d5-pawn, freeing d4 that his family were numerologists, not
for my knight and allowing me to control the uncommon in India. In numerology it is
a1-h8 diagonal. 23...Îec8 is a better try, believed that manipulating the digits involved
although White is still clearly better after in a child’s time, day, week, month and year of
24 bxc6 bxc6 25 Ìc3!. birth will give clues as to their inborn talents
24 dxc5 Îec8 and probable future career. In Shreyas’s case
24...Ìxc5? 25 Ìf4 wins. the parents went to an expert who, after
25 c6 bxc6 26 bxc6 Îa6 27 Îb7! Îc7?! learning of the details, did some calculations
If 27...Ëd6 28 Îd7 or 27...Ëe6 28 Ìd4. and determined that his names should start
28.Îb8+ Êh7 29.Ìd4 Îa2 30.Ìb5 with the letters ‘R’ and ‘S’. The discussion
Îxf2 continued and they settled firstly on Royal,
30...Ìxf2 would allow 31 Ëc3!. Bob: White is on the verge of being mated one of the words that the English donated to
31 Ìxc7 Ëg5 32 Ëxf2 Ìxf2 33 Êxf2?! (again!), but calculates that he has enough Indian culture, and then agreed on Shreyas,
meaning ‘supreme’. All of which might
account for how he has become, at such a
young age, a supreme player of the Royal
Game. It was written in the stars!

Prizewinners:

Open: 1 Jack Rudd (Barnstaple) 4½/5,

2 Will Claridge-Hansen
(Exeter University) 4,
3-7 Jasper Tambini (Surbiton),
Paul Hampton (Seaton),
Graham Bolt (Exeter),
David Littlejohns (Taunton),
Mike Stinton-Brownbridge
(Plymouth) 3½.
Major: 1 Christof Brixel (Hammersmith) 5,
2-3 Sam Cotterill (Coventry),
George Lekoudis (Hastings) 4.
Minor: 1 Ray Hunt (Sidmouth) 4½,
2-5 Paul Foster (Medway),
Charles Doidge (Teignmouth),
Shreyas pictured with his parents, father Jitendra and mother Anju. The 10-year-old finished Colin Thompson (Chippenham),
just outside the prizes in the East Devon Open, but did play a model Minority Attack. John Harris (Forest of Dean) 4.

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52-52 Home News_Chess mag - 21_6_10 21/03/2019 21:54 Page 52

Home News
BELFAST – Ahead of venturing down to County (Birmingham), John Conway (Coventry), Kate Featuring Hou Yifan on top board, Oxford
Claire for the Bunratty Congress (see p.48), Walker (Shrewsbury), Tomas Fabik (Rugby) 4. out-rated Cambridge by on average almost
Luke McShane gave a simul at Belfast’s Under-110: 1 John Rayner (Nuneaton) 4½, 200 points per board, but despite having
Stormont Hotel on February 20th. Leading 2-3 Ben Larkin (Stratford), Kajus Mikalajunas white the Chinese star was fairly comfortably
Strand CC member Gabor Horvath managed (Leicestershire) 4. held by Matthew Wadsworth. Isaac Sanders,
to win, with the Civil Service’s Danny Roberts Filip Mihov and at the death Daniel Abbas
securing an honourable draw as the leading DONCASTER – The popular Doncaster won for the Dark Blues, as they were pushed
English GM won the remaining 27 boards on Congress once again took place at Hall Cross all the way by a determined Light Blue side and
what was a memorable night for chess in Ulster. Academy (22-24 February). only eventually got home 4½-3½. Both Gwilym
Open: 1-2 Peter Shaw (Wakefield), Ali Price and Gustavo Leon Cazares defeated
BLACKPOOL – Mark Hebden and Joseph Jaunooby (Denton) 4/5, 3-6 John Anderson higher-rated opposition for Cambridge who
McPhillips each won £550 as they shared (Lowestoft), Chris Izod (Jesmond), Yichen still lead overall by 59-56, with 22 draws.
first prize in arguably Britain’s most Han (Forest Hall), Leo Keely (Huddersfield) 3½.
competitive weekend event overall, namely Major: 1 Paul Robson (Chester-le-Street) 4, TELFORD – A regular 4NCL venue also hosted
the Blackpool Congress (8-10 March). 2-6 Jim Davis (Worksop), Mark Collinson this year’s British Universities Chess Association
Open: 1-2 Mark Hebden (Leicester), Joseph (Hull), Mark Whitehead (Rochdale), Tim (BUCA) Championships (23-24 February), in
McPhillips (Bath/Bolton) 4½/5, 3-9 Ismael Turner (Beverley), Karl Potter (Syston) 3½. which Imperial College, London triumphed in
Molano Lafiente (Spain), Phil Watson (Bradford), Intermediate: 1-5 Steven Watson, Phil both the Open and separate Plate competition.
Matthew Parsons (Huddersfield), Stuart White Bawden (both Hull), Noel Stewart (York), Andrew Meanwhile University College London won the
(Bearsden), Peter Gayson (Dunstable), Roy Ellames Allen (Worksop), Chris Tinker (Wakefield) 4. Bowl, but the capital was denied a clean sweep
(Lytham St Annes), Elliot Frew (Troon) 3½. Minor: 1 Farrell Clifford (Doncaster) 4½, 2-7 as the University of the West of England,
Major: 1-2 Nick Burrows (Cowley), Joshua David Dunne (Nottingham), Paul Gelder Bristol triumphed in the Shield.
Pink (Stockport) 4½, 3-6 Robert Newton (Alwoodley), Dave Peardon (Hetton Lyons), Imperial’s first team was Yeoh Li Tian,
(Rochdale), Chris Doran (Chester), Phil Bull Chris Stratford (Huddersfield), Roger Walker Constantin Müller, Aron Eu Wen Teh, and Adam
(Wolverhampton), Ravi Wariyar (Forest Hall) 4. (Belper), Chris Fraser (Spondon) 4. A. Taylor. Their top board, a 2522-rated
Intermediate: 1 Martin Brejter (Edinburgh) young Malaysian IM, certainly knows how to
5, 2 Ralph Stirrat (Cumbernauld) 4½, 3-4 Robert GOODWICK – The Dyfed Congress once again attack as seen in the following game:
Dean (Pudsey), George Harman (Worsley) 4. took place at the Fishguard Bay Hotel (22-24
Minor: 1 Zak Tomlinson (Doncaster) 5, 2 February). Victory in the Open went to regular
David Teague (Harrogate) 4½, 3-7 James competitor FM Sven Zeidler, while one of the M.Fernandez-Yeoh Li Tian
Rigby (Liverpool), Pawel Szutkowski Under-1700 grading prizes went to 14-year- Southampton I vs Imperial I
(Spalding), Noel Boustred (Gosforth), Jade old Cardiff schoolgirl Susanna Fraser who King’s Indian Defence
Stirrup (3Cs), John Illingworth (Newham) 4. performed some 350 points above her rating.
Standard: 1 Robert Arthurton (Skegness) 5, Open: 1 Sven Zeidler (Devizes) 5/5, 2 Gerry In classic reversed KIA and AlphaZero-
2 Phillip Shaughnessy (Urmston) 4½, 3-8 Heap (Carmarthen) 4, 3-9 Paul Byway approved fashion Black had rammed the
Jeff Foy (Liverpool), John MacDonald (Kings (Hertford), Iolo Jones (Cardigan), Adam May, white kingside with his h-pawn and now
Head), George Viszokai (Maddocks), Kevin Alan Young (both Llanelli), Mike Waddington struck.Note too how White had been far too
Waterman (Hartlepool), Nick Holmes (Dorchester), John Waterfield (Caerleon), slow to open queenside lines for counterplay.
(Shrewsbury), David Scorer (Clitheroe) 4. Howard Williams (Cardigan) 3½.
Major: 1 Scott Hammett (Haverfordwest) 5,
BRISTOL – Keith Arkell was held to a draw in 2 Ben Brewer (Cardigan) 4, 3-4 Paul Scott
the final round by Chris Beaumont, but that (Abergavenny), Robert Narayan-Taylor
ensured outright first for the weekend tourn- (Carmarthen) 3½.
ament expert in the FIDE-rated Open at the
Bristol Winter Congress (15-17 February). LEYLAND – The Leyland Rapidplay saw a
Leading scores: 1 Keith Arkell (Paignton) three-way tie for first in the top, Under-195
4½/5, 2-3 Chris Beaumont (Bristol), Joseph section on February 24th.
McPhillips (Bath/Bolton) 4. Major: 1-3 Phil Armstrong (Oldham), Peter Jowett
(Preston), Graham Dobson (Lancaster) 4½/6.
COVENTRY – The Warwickshire Open Intermediate: 1 Phil Ramsey (Southport) 5½,
Championships took place in Coventry (22- 2 Kevin Winter (Bradford) 5, 3 Anthony Tatar
24 February), with Nottingham teenager (Hoylake) 4½.
Jonah Willow winning the Open for the Minor: 1 Edward Jackson (3Cs) 5½, 2-3 Andrew
second successive year, while Henrik de Santos (Preston), David Willey (Carlisle) 4½.
Stepanyan retained his Warwickshire title. 23...Íxd4!
Open: 1 Jonah Willow 4½/5, 2-4 Aditya Munshi LONDON – Former Latvian Minster of Finance The decisive blow is struck not on the king-
(both Nottingham), Henrik Stepanyan (Sutton and ECU Vice-President Dana Reizniece- side, but in the centre where Black is about to
Coldfield), Ranesh Ratnesan (Surbiton) 4. Ozola gave a simul at the London Latvian enjoy two highly dangerous and mobile pawns.
Under-1975: 1 Graham Ashcroft (Preston) House on February 15th. The event raised 24 exd4 Ìxd4 25 Ëd2 Ìf3 26 Ëe2 d4
4½, 2-5 Rohan Pal (Birmingham), Ben Graff money for Latvian charities and saw the 27 Íc1 e3 28 Íxe3 dxc3 29 Îd1 Ëf6
(Kenilworth), Adithya Pramod Paleri WGM finish with an impressive +13 =2 -0. 30 Íd3 Íxd3 31 Ëxd3 Îxe3! 0-1
(Wimbledon), Neil Homer (Northampton) 4. On 2nd March the 137th Varsity match Finishing in style by removing the
Under-140: 1-4 Chinmay Monga took place at the RAC Club, Pall Mall. guardian of f2.

April 2019
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55-57 Books_Chess mag - 21_6_10 21/03/2019 21:51 Page 55

This Month’s
New Releases
Learn from Michal Krasenkow the knight and swinging the rook over to h4.
Michal Krasenkow, 408 pages M.Krasenkow-V.Korchnoi Korchnoi slipped up with 20...b5?! and after
Thinkers Publishing Essen 2002 many adventures found himself in an
RRP £29.99 SUBSCRIBERS £26.99 endgame a pawn down, which Krasenkow
Thinkers Publishing are, just like Elk and was able to convert on the 53rd move.
Ruby (see below), an innovative publisher The game demonstrates Krasenkow’s style,
working hard to bring fresh new titles to the which is combative and original. Sometimes,
chess public. They have several titles by games presented and annotated by the world’s
players we do not often see in print. Books by very best players leave the reader with the
Kamsky and Tukmakov are in the pipeline, but impression that the winner was more or less in
first there is this very interesting volume by control throughout the game, but the games in
the Polish Grandmaster, trainer and writer. this book are all genuine struggles, with all sorts
The book is in three main parts. The first (and of twists and turns.
smallest) provides a relatively brief overview Essentially a ‘best games’ collection, this is
of the author’s life and chess career. The second a book showing the gritty side of chess
offers 54 annotated games, all of which are battles at a level just below the absolute top.
instructive. They are arranged by theme rather As such, club players will be able to relate to
than chronology. The third part presents 12 the struggles and will derive comfort from
interesting endgames from the author’s games. understanding that even strong
Krasenkow is a talented player, but makes Krasenkow may have expected 15...Íb5 grandmasters have their faults and their
no secret of the fact that progress was not here, as “exchanging light-squared bishops, was games are not always as smooth as others
always smooth – “My path to the top was by a good positional idea, when Black would have would have you believe.
no means a speedy ascent”, despite having been close to equality, but what my opponent Sean Marsh
several sessions in his younger years with came up with was completely unexpected.”
luminaries such Smyslov, Dvoretsky, Zlotnik 15...Íxe5!? 16 dxe5 Ìb6 “Hmm...has he Smyslov on the Couch
and Razuvaev. He writes of the struggle to overlooked a simple bishop lunge?” Genna Sosonko, 200 pages
“overcome the symbolic barrier of a 2600 17 Íb4 Elk and Ruby
rating!” – a feat achieved only in 1996 after This looks strong, as 17...Îe8 18 Îfd1 RRP £19.99 SUBSCRIBERS £17.99
numerous near misses in the region of 2595. Ëc8 19 Íd3 leads to “a clear advantage for Sosonko follows up his books on Bronstein
This is a very honest and refreshing White” and 17...Ìxc4 turns out well for the and Korchnoi with this new volume on Vasily
appraisal of his struggle to reach the top of his first player also. Things were never simple Smyslov, which offers a completely new
game and it will make a good connection with with Korchnoi though and he had planned the approach to the life and times of the great
the vast majority of readers who also find extraordinary: champion. There is only one chess game in this
chess improvement to be very hard work. The 17...h5!? book and that is right at the end. It is Smyslov’s
theme continues when Krasenkow admits his “Well, I saw this move from the corner of own favourite and it was played when he was
failings: “Unfortunately, throughout my life, I my eye, but couldn’t believe it was possible. just 14. It was memorable to Smyslov as it was
could not bring myself to work on chess Korchnoi plays without prejudice.” the first game of his to be published.
regularly enough” and: “Poor memory was also Black is (temporarily) winning a piece, but
a big disadvantage. Yes, such a player can he is clearly going to find his king in need of
sometimes achieve success, but does he have special care. K.Gerasimov-V.Smyslov
a chance to reach the world’s top?” 18 Ëxh5! Ìxc4 19 Îfd1 Ëe8 20 Îd4
Moskvoretsky District Ch., 1935
Nevertheless, despite – or because of –
the struggle to makes significant progress –
he reached one of the summits when he
played in the 1997 FIDE World
Championship, progressing well until being
knocked out by Nigel Short, but still earning
$60,000 – his biggest-ever pay packet.
“Never before, or later in my career, did I earn
close to that amount in a single tournament.”
One very positive aspect of the book is
that the games will be very fresh to most
readers. This became apparent when I looked
at the section on ‘Various and Memorable’
games and found the encounter with
Korchnoi was new to me, and a very
interesting one it is too. There are two intentions here: capturing

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19...Îd3! 20 Ëxb6 Îxh3! 21 Íd4 Íh2+ he was better, when he worse – and all the An Attacking Repertoire with 1.d4! Vol.2
22 Êh1 Íxe5+ 0-1 endgames too.” Nick Pert, PC-DVD;
Elk and Ruby are doing a fine job in bringing running time: 5 hours, 50 minutes
Yes, it is a great finish – and one which out unusual and extremely interesting books. RRP £26.95 SUBSCRIBERS £24.25
impressed Mikhail Tal, but perhaps a strange They have, for example, recently announced a The bulk of the second stage of Pert’s
one to choose from such a long and very forthcoming translation of Sally Landau’s auto- repertoire consists of his tackling both the
successful career. Then Smyslov states his biography, which promises to offer chess fans Nimzo-Indian, where 4 Ëc2 is the weapon of
“Greatest success” came “at the Young a lot of new material on another champion – choice, and Black’s various Benoni systems.
Pioneers’ championship, when I won all eleven for Sally was the first wife of Mikhail Tal. As on the first DVD, coverage is clear and
games. Not a single draw, not one!” A truly Let’s be clear: one will not learn how to pretty detailed, but prospective buyers
extraordinary choice for a player who played play better chess from Smyslov on the should be aware that the Grünfeld and King’s
in three world title matches in the 1950s and Couch; this is not an instructional book. It is, Indian do not feature at all. As such, we wonder
who was still a serious candidate in the however, a gold mine of information on the if a third DVD might be in the pipeline.
1980s. It is quite typical of the eccentric real Vasily Smyslov, shining a bright light on Do note that both Attacking Repertoire
nature of the seventh champion of the world. one of the lesser-chronicled king of chess. DVDs may be purchased together from Chess
Think of Smyslov’s games and one would Sean Marsh & Bridge for the special price of £52.00 or
immediately think of ‘harmony’, but what just £46.80 for Subscribers.
springs to mind when thinking of his
personality? This is not so easy; he remained ChessBase Magazine 188
remarkably uncontroversial throughout his ChessBase PC-DVD
title battles with Botvinnik and anything RRP £17.95 SUBSCRIBERS £16.15
written by Smyslov gives away very little The latest edition of CBM is for
about his own character. ‘March/April 2019’. The emphasis is on Wijk
Here we find a plethora of anecdotes and aan Zee, from which Anand, Giri, Nielsen,
background information, derived from many A Complete Guide to Svidler and even Robert Hübner have
years of discussions between writer and Countering Offbeat Openings annotated games. Elsewhere, in video format,
subject. Sosonko’s narrative does not follow a Andrew Greet & Richard Palliser, 528 pages, Daniel King advocates Black meets the King’s
linear path; little stories come and go out of paperback Gambit with 2...exf4 3 Ìf3 d5!?, while
chronological sequence, almost as if Sosonko RRP £19.99 SUBSCRIBERS £17.99 Romain Edouard enthusiastically recommends
were relating them in person to the reader. Everyman Chess continue to package up 2 Íg5 against the Dutch.
There are three sections: The Real Vasily some of their classic works. The 1 e4 player
Smyslov, Match Fixing in Zurich and the could still do far worse than follow Andrew
Soviet Chess School, and The Final Years. The Greet’s recommendations against the likes of
middle section is somewhat tangential; it the Pirc and Scandinavian, with his Beating
deals with Bronstein’s accusations that orders Unusual Chess Defences: 1 e4 being joined
from ‘upstairs’ helped Smyslov win the 1953 under one cover by your Editor’s Beating
Candidates Tournament. Bronstein still has Unusual Chess Openings, which offers a
many fans, but he was a very bitter man at complete repertoire for Black against
times. Sosonko weaves in numerous other everything apart from 1 d4 and 1 e4. Greatest 525 Puzzles
incidents from the Soviet days, but frankly Also just released from Everyman is A Csaba Balogh, 216 pages, paperback
they are not especially relevant to the Complete Repertoire Based on 1 b3 and RRP £17.99 SUBSCRIBERS £16.19
Smyslov situation and would be better off as 1...b6 (416 pages, paperback, RRP £19.99, The Hungarian Grandmaster continues to
part of a separate book. There must be a Subscribers £17.99), which teams up turn out puzzle books for Chess Evolution, his
great deal to reveal about the Karpov years, Christian Bauer’s Play 1...b6 with Jonathan latest collection of 525 positions featuring
for example, when ex-world champions were Tait and Byron Jacobs’ Nimzo-Larsen Attack. some quite tricky ones and with all the games
careful not to disturb the peace. played last year.
Smyslov was a very eccentric character. He
claims to have “organized the Kramnik-Topalov Marin’s English Love – A Complete
match in Elista” on the strength of an interview Repertoire for White after 1.c4 Vol.1
he gave to Radio Liberty. Other claims include Mihail Marin, PC-DVD;
strange forebodings of doom, including asking running time: 7 hours, 13 minutes
Spassky’s father-in-law to postpone a RRP £26.95 SUBSCRIBERS £24.25
mountaineering expedition, only for disaster to It’s been ten years now since Mihail Marin
strike when the man ignored the advice. These An Attacking Repertoire with 1.d4! Vol.1 first began his series of repertoire works for
are the sort of stories which define the Nick Pert, PC-DVD; Quality Chess devoted to the English. As
character of Smyslov. He appears rather running time: 6 hours, 35 minutes such, this second new two-part DVD series
detached from reality, inhabiting his only little RRP £26.95 SUBSCRIBERS £24.25 from ChessBase is likely to be welcome by all
world yet still believing himself to be somehow The first of a two-part 1 d4 and 2 c4 ‘Marin disciples’ of 1 c4. This DVD covers both
part of the bigger picture. repertoire for ChessBase from the strong 1...e5 and a King’s Indian approach from Black.
Smyslov remained dedicated to creating English Grandmaster and experienced coach. Against the former, Marin remains true to 2 g3,
new chess studies right to the end, taking Unsurprisingly Pert recommends the Botvinnik but does have some new ideas and app-
great pride in his compositions. Chess games and Kasparov-approved approach to the roaches, such as with 2...Ìf6 3 Íg2 c6 4 Ìf3!?.
took up less of his time, but there are Exchange QGD, featuring an early Ìge2 and
interesting snippets here and there. “You f2-f3. The QGA is also dealt with in aggressive Marin’s English Love – A Complete
know, Genna, Tal came to my place exactly a fashion by 3 e4, but the choice of the Repertoire for White after 1.c4 Vol.2
month before his death. It pained me to look Exchange Slav may raise a few eyebrows. Pert Mihail Marin, PC-DVD;
at him. He was as sick as a dog. We started concludes his largely pretty detailed coverage running time: 6 hours, 37 minutes
playing blitz, and he won every single game. by presenting a fairly quick repertoire against RRP £26.95 SUBSCRIBERS £24.25
Well, he won literally every position – where the likes of the Albin and Chigorin. Against 1...e6, 1...c6 and 1...c5 Marin

April 2019
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remains true to a 2 g3 approach. This DVD is an ideal weapon for both faster time best games of his first chess career, since he
once again blends a good description of the controls and for playing for a win against would retire after losing the FIDE world cham-
key ideas with some fairly cutting-edge lower-graded opposition. After 2 e5 Ìd5 3 pionship match to Anatoly Karpov in 1996.
theory, not least in the main line of the Reti d4 d6 Kornev advocates both 4 c4 Ìb6 5
and the tabiya after 1 c4 Ìf6 2 g3 c6 3 Íg2 exd6 cxd6 and 4 Ìf3 g6. The Modern Endgame Manual: Mastering
d5 4 Ìf3. Essential Rook Endgames
As with the Pert DVDs both volumes of Adrian Mikhalchishin, 320 pages, paperback
Marin’s English Love may be purchased RRP £22.95 SUBSCRIBERS £20.65
together from Chess & Bridge for the special Chess Evolution continue to publish their
price of £52.00 or just £46.80 for Subscribers. FIDE-approved definite endgame series, with
the latest volume covering some of the most
important of all the endings, rook endgames.
Mikhalchishin is typically thorough and
The Big Book of Chess Tactics spends plenty of space examining those
Istvan Pongo, 800 pages, hardback positions where one side has an extra flank
RRP £39.95 SUBSCRIBERS £35.95 pawn. He also takes a good look at the
This is a new version from Modern endgames of both Botvinnik and Smyslov,
Chesspartner Publisher of a Hungarian chess which further serves to show that his
Master Class Volume 11 – classic, an extremely thorough work definition of ‘essential’ is actually quite an
Vladimir Kramnik devoted to just about every imaginable advanced one.
ChessBase PC-DVD; tactic you can think of. The systematic
running time: 9 hours, 36 minutes coverage is divided into three main parts:
RRP £26.95 SUBSCRIBERS £24.25 tactics which win material, defensive tactics
The Master Class team of Mihail Marin, and the various types of mate. Those who
Karsten Müller, Yannick Pelletier and Oliver really like tactics and beautiful moves will
Reeh once again team up well to examine all certainly appreciate many of the great
aspects of the play of one of the greats of the number of positions within.
royal game, namely the recently retired 14th
world champion, Vladimir Kramnik. The DVD Unconventional Approaches
contains all of Kramnik’s games, as well as to Modern Chess Volume 1
399 interactive training positions taken solely Alexander Ipatov, 360 pages, paperback
from those games. Meanwhile the video RRP £28.95 SUBSCRIBERS £26.05
presentations examine such facets as The Ukrainian-Turkish 2650-rated
Kramnik’s contribution to the Berlin and his Grandmaster has his own views on how one
endgame technique. should study and approach chess. Ipatov
The Bishop: Danger on the Diagonal believes that all levels of player should work
Sergey Kasparov, 248 pages, paperback on their general chess education, while
RRP £24.95 SUBSCRIBERS £22.45 relying largely on offbeat and surprise
It’s clearly a good time of year for new opening weapons, as he himself has tended to
series, with the Belorussian Grandmaster do throughout his career. In this first volume
beginning his ‘The Power of the Pieces’ by of two Ipatov analyses in detail a variety of
looking firstly at the bishop for Russell offbeat lines – all from Black’s perspective –
Enterprises. The 140 or so game fragments making this work suitable for those who like
Masterworks: Rare and Beautiful unsurprisingly include ones connected to an early surprise or who want to add some
Chess Sets of the World such topics as attacking with opposite- new lines to their black repertoire.
D.L. McClain (ed.), 232 pages, hardback coloured bishops and the French bishop, while
SPECIAL PRICE £19.99 Kasparov also looks at various material
Former New York Times chess columnist imbalances, such as two bishops against
Dylan Loeb McClain has long been a fan of a bishop and knight.
beautiful chess set and in this hardback
work presents some of the rarest, most
artistic and most expensive sets ever made.
The likes of Jon Crumiller supply detailed
insights while throughout the photography Understanding Minor Piece Endgames
is of a very high quality. Karsten Müller & Yakov Konoval,
384 pages, paperback
RRP £29.95 SUBSCRIBERS £26.95
The Chess Gamer Volume 1: Anything by Karsten Müller on the
The Awakening 1989-1996 endgame has to be taken note of and here
Gata Kamsky, 440 pages, paperback the German endgame maestro teams up
RRP £30.95 SUBSCRIBERS £27.85 with Yakov Konoval, a former pupil of
Kudos to Thinkers Publishing for Botvinnik’s and expert on endgame
convincing the American chess legend to databases, to explore seven-piece minor-
Play the Alekhine Defence publish with them, especially when we learn piece endgames in some detail. There are
Alexei Kornev, 288 pages, paperback that “This is going to be my only work on certain five- and six-piece endgames the
RRP £19.99 SUBSCRIBERS £17.99 chess, a subject that I feel I have learned authors believe the reader should simply
It’s been a while since we saw a repertoire enough about to share with you some of my know, but to help they are particularly good
work devoted to the Alekhine. Russian knowledge.” In this first of two volumes at listing and explaining the key principles in
Grandmaster Kornev believes that 1 e4 Ìf6 Kamsky covers his early chess life and the each type of endgame covered.

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