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Friday, June 21, 2013

Blog Activity June 22-30 2013

Blog Activity June 22-30 2013
Updates will be limited as I will be playing in a RR tournament.

Sicilian Sidelines Selection-TWIC 970-971 2013-06

More About Voronezh,Russia
Game 4 was played in the Voronezh Master Open, so here is more on the city.

The Chamber Choir of Voronezh State Pedagogical University from Voronezh, Russia, conducted by Boris Yarkin, performing at Ohrid Choir Festival 2012.
Complete information is available on OhridChoirFestival.






TWIC 970-971
Here is a selection of games from non-main lines.

Game 1

GM Hamdouchi's bishop pair gave full compensation for the queenside pawn weaknesses.

Milliet,S (2391) - Hamdouchi,H (2602)
SI Hyper-Accelerated Dragon 2..g6[B27]
French Top 12 2013 Haguenau FRA (8.7), 06.06.2013


Position 1
White has a good hold of the c5 strongpoint. What do you recommend for black?

Black to Play
18.Ba3


Game 2
Black found a nice plan, ..h5-h4 idea, to prevent a kingside attack and then converted a better structure in a RRB-RRB ending.

Gallagher,Jo (2518) - Skoberne,J (2558)
SI 3.Bb5 e6 [B30]
Mitropa Cup 2013 Meissen GER (8.2), 08.06.2013


Position 1
Black has the better structure and better king. What do you recommend for black now?


Black to Play

22.f3


Game 3

GM Spasov reached an interesting rook ending after an original maneuvering phase.

Sanduleac,V (2414) - Spasov,V (2565)
SI 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3 [B30]
2nd Grand Europe Open 2013 Golden Sands BUL (5.14), 14.06.2013


Position 1
Both sides have doubled pawns but black has the e-file. What do you recommend for black?

Black to Play
31.Rxf3


Game 4
White gave a pawn early in a mysterious way for some compensation. Black lost control late in the queen ending.

Onischuk,V (2581) - Rozum,I (2501)
SI Kan 2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 b6 [B40]
17th Voronezh Master Open Voronezh RUS (5.6), 17.06.2013


Position 1
White has gone three pawns down and the d3 pawn is under attack. What do you recommend for white? 

White to Play
66...Qxa6


Game 5 
Black used the bishop pair to good effect in a kingside attack.

Sedina,E (2349) - Edouard,R (2666)
SI 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 [B51]
TCh-SUI 2013 Switzerland SUI (3.3), 26.05.2013


Position 1
White is attacking g7 and black is attacking f2 but everything seems well defended on the kingside. What do you recommend for black?

Black to Play
32.Ne3

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Sicilian Najdorf English Attack-TWIC 971 June 18, 2013

TWIC 971
The English Attack against the Najdorf continues to be popular. Here are the two recent examples.

Game 1-6.Be3 e5 Najdorf Center
GM Nakamura added a wrinkle to the fast growing body theory in the 8..h5 anti-English Attack plan. GM Caruana tried to play the whole board but overextending allowed black to fight back with some tough defence.

GM King analyzes


Caruana,F (2774) - Nakamura,Hi (2784)
SI Najdorf 6. f3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Be3 h5 [B90]
8th Tal Memorial Moscow RUS (4.3), 17.06.2013


Position 1
The 8...h5 restraining plan continues to take the sting out of any prospective kingside attack ideas. The new wrinkle is 12...Rc8 and black is fine. Black does not commit the queen too early which gave black other defensive options.


12..Rc8N

Position 2
The position is tense. What do you recommend for black?

Black to Play
28.Qg2


Game 2-
6.Be3 e6-Scheveningen Center
The small center is also popular. The early commitment of the light bishop 9.Bd3 did not help white get any kind of attack going. GM Parligras took over the role of attacker on the queenside with some nice play and converted the extra pawn in a RB-RN;R-R ending.

More on Golden Sands, Bulgaria



Janev,P (2223) - Parligras,M (2565)
SI Najdorf 6.Be3 e6 7.f3 b5 8.Qd2[B80]

2nd Grand Europe Open 2013 Golden Sands BUL (1.11), 10.06.2013

Position 1
White would like to attack but black has not committed the king yet. Black is however ready on the queenside. What do you recommend for black?


15.b3

Position 2
The P+ technical endgame was of some interest. White is counting on the passed c-pawn supported by the king for counterplay. What do you recommend for black?

39.Kd5