Position after 21.Rb7!

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 The Rossolimo variation, a favourite attack of many GM's. 3...g6 4.0–0 Bg7 5.Re1 e5 6.Bxc6 Before Black plays Nge7 6...dxc6 7.d3 Qe7 8.Nbd2 Nf6 9.Nc4 Nd7 10.a4! Reinforcing the Nc4 10...0–0 11.a5 Rd8 12.Bd2 Nf8 13.Rb1 f6 14.b4!? Giving away the structural advantage for piece dynamics. 14...Be6 [14...cxb4 I would prefer not to have weak pawns.] 15.Ne3 b6 16.bxc5!N [16.axb6 axb6 17.bxc5 1/2–1/2 Anand,V-Leko,P/Monte Carlo 2004] 16...bxc5 17.Qc1 Bf7 18.Qa3± Rab8 19.a6! Generating a support square on b7 19...Ne6 20.Nc4 Rdc8 21.Rb7! Rxb7 22.axb7 Rb8 [22...Qxb7 23.Nd6+-] 23.Na5 Qd7 24.Qa4 Bf8 25.Rb1 Nd8 26.h3 There is no hurry. 26...Bd6 27.Be3 Be6 28.Nd2 Nxb7 29.Nac4 Nd8 30.Nxd6 Rxb1+ 31.Nxb1 Qxd6 32.Nd2 Qe7 33.Qa3 Black loses two pawns 33...Bf7 [33...Nb7 34.Qxa7] 34.Bxc5 Qd7 35.Be7! Stronger than Qxa7 35...Kg7 36.Bf8+ Kg8 37.Be7 Kg7 38.Bxd8 Qxd8 39.Qxa7+- Qd6 40.Nb3 Qb4 41.Kf1 Preventing counterplay 41...Kg8 42.Qc5 Qb7 43.Na5 Qb1+ 44.Ke2 Qh1 45.Qxc6 Qxg2 46.Qxf6 Qxh3 47.Qxe5 Two extra pawns in the centre, White is clearly winning. 47...Qg4+ 48.Kd2 h5 49.Nc6 Qf3 50.Qh2 Qf6 51.Ne5 Be6 52.Ke3 g5 53.f4 h4 54.Nf3 Bg4 55.Nxg5 Qb6+ 56.d4 Qb1 57.Qxh4 Qc1+ 58.Kf2 Qxf4+ 59.Kg2 A great game by White, one of the candidates in the event. 1–0

Position after: 29.Qxh4+!!

Prepare yourself for a spectacular game with a queen sacrifice included! 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 4.h3 d5 5.Nf3 Nf6!? [5...dxe4 is the more solid alternative] 6.e5 Ne4 7.Nxe4 dxe4 8.Ng5 c5 9.Bc4 0–0 10.c3 Sustaining the centre pawn chain. 10...cxd4 11.cxd4 Nc6 12.Be3 b5!? 13.Bb3 [13.Bxb5?? would just hang a piece 13...Qa5+] 13...Bb7 14.h4!? Qa5+ 15.Kf1 White goes all-in for the attack. 15...h5 [Another sample game with this idea is 15...Rad8 16.h5 Nxd4 17.Bxd4 Qb4 18.hxg6 hxg6 19.Qg4 Rxd4 20.Qh3 Rfd8 21.Bxf7+ Kf8 22.Qh8+!! 1–0 Fernandez Romero,E-Diaz Castro,S/Dos Hermanas 2006/CBM 111 ext (22)] 16.g4! Rad8 17.gxh5 Nxe5 18.hxg6 White must be winning here, as his attack i extremely strong. Fritz is already giving +4 for White. 18...Nf3 19.Nxf7! Rxf7 20.Bxf7+ Kf8 21.h5 b4 22.h6 Ba6+ 23.Kg2 Bf6 24.h7 Black could have easily resigned here as he is an exchange down and about to lose another piece. 24...Kg7 25.d5?! [25.Bh6+ Kh8 26.Bg8! is already winning as the threat g7 and then h8=Q can't be stopped.] 25...Qc7 26.h8Q+ Rxh8 27.Rxh8 Kxh8 28.Qh1+ Nh4+ [28...Bh4 29.Bd4+ Nxd4 30.Qxh4+ Kg7 31.Qh7+ Kf6 32.Qh8+ Kf5 33.g7+-] 29.Qxh4+!! Bxh4 30.Bd4+ Bf6 31.Bxf6+ exf6 32.Rh1+ Kg7 33.Rh7+ Kf8 34.g7+ [34.g7+ Kxf7 35.g8Q+ Kxg8 36.Rxc7+-]  1–0

Position after: 38.Kf1!!

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Qc2 dxc4 5.Qxc4 Bf5 6.g3 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e6 8.Bg2 Be7 9.0–0 0–0 10.Re1 Ne4 11.Qb3 Qb6 12.Nh4 Bxh4 [12...Qxb3 13.axb3 Bxh4 14.gxh4 Nef6 15.e4 Bg6 16.Bf4 Rfe8 17.Bd6 a6 18.d5 cxd5 19.exd5 e5= Kludacz,M-Kononenko,T/Warsaw POL 2001/] 13.gxh4 [13.Nxe4 Bxe4 14.Bxe4 Bf6 15.Qc2 Bxd4 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.e3 Bf6 18.Bd3 Nc5 19.Be2 Rad8 20.Rb1 Qb4 21.Kf1 Qe4 22.Qxe4 Nxe4 23.Bf3 Nd2+ 24.Bxd2 Rxd2 25.Re2 Rfd8 26.Ke1 Rxe2+ 27.Kxe2 ½–½ Benko,P-Gheorghiu,F/Mar del Plata 1965/; 13.Qxb6 Nxb6 14.Nxe4 Bxe4 15.Bxe4 Bf6=] 13...Nef6 14.e4 [14.Qxb6 Nxb6 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bxf6 gxf6=] 14...Bg6 [14...Qxb3 15.axb3 Bg4=] 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.Bf4 The position seems to be equal, White's bishop pair and centre compensates his broken kingside pawn structure. 16...Rfe8 17.Rad1 b5 18.Bd6 e5 19.d5 Nh5 Heading for the f4 square. 20.Bf1 f6 21.b3 Nf4 22.a4 bxa4 23.bxa4 Bf7 [23...Rec8!?] 24.Rb1 Ra7 [Critical was 24...cxd5 25.Rxb7 d4÷] 25.Red1 Rc8 26.Ne2! Nxe2+ 27.Bxe2 cxd5 28.exd5 Now White's position looks better. 28...Nf8 29.Bb5 Raa8 30.Be7 Ng6 31.d6 Nxe7 32.Bd7!? [32.dxe7 Be8! 33.Bd7 Bxd7 34.Rxd7 Re8 35.Rbxb7 Kf7 36.Kg2 Rxa4 37.h5 Ra6³] 32...Nc6 33.Rxb7 [33.Bxc8 Rxc8 34.Rxb7 Nd4 35.a5 Bd5µ] 33...Nd4 34.Bxc8 Rxc8 35.Rdb1 Now Black must be careful. 35...Rf8?! 36.Rb8 Be8 37.a5 Nf3+ 38.Kf1!! Aronian gives up the rook. 38...Nd2+ 39.Ke1 Nxb1 40.a6! Black can't stop the pawns. 40...Bc6 41.a7 Kf7 42.d7! Ke7 43.Rxf8 Kxd7 [43...Kxf8 44.d8Q+] 44.a8Q Bxa8 45.Rxa8 h5 46.Ra7+ Ke6 47.Rxg7 Kf5 48.Rg3 The knight is trapped. 1–0

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Bullet Championships-07 Recap

  The tourney started with a major surprise as defending champion JohnJR did not play in the tournament to defend his title!

The top rated player in the tournament was IM Adaptation (2565).  The format was quadruple elimination, and Adaptation had a second round draw as black and a third round loss, quickly stealing two of his precious lives.

He was unable to fully recover and finished in fourth place.  SurfacePlasmon got off to a fast start, racking up 4 points in the first four rounds, but was unable to continue his dominance, eventually finishing third.  In the end, it came down to bulletmaster (FM) and AntiKiller, both established bullet players on ICC.  Head to head, bulletmaster won back to back decisive games to secure the 2007 Bullet Championship!

The winner of the u2000 1 0 championship was alberannon.  Congratulations to our champions, and we hope you’ll join us next year for the 2008 Bullet Championship!

Lesson by IM Angel Martín

Angel Martín is an International Master from Spain. He's a former four-time Spanish Champion and Assistant Manager of the Spanish chess magazine Peón de Rey. Proof-reading and translations to English was prepared by International Master, Michael Rahal.

Pawn weaknesses: the isolated pawn

The theme of the isolated pawn has been studied in previous lessons, although on that occasion we examined the case of the centre isolated pawn (the typical d4 isolated pawn). The positive factors of this pawn (centre supporting squares, rupture possibilities, more space in the centre), above all in the middle games, exceed the negative factors.

However, on this occasion we shall look at the case of an isolated pawn, situated outside the centre squares, and placed on a semi-open file, which has to be constantly defended. Black will have a very passive position and in the end he will lose the pawn, see the model game.

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.d4 [The alternative is 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 where Black normally continues with 6...Nc7 followed by ...e5.] 5...cxd4 [The most logical move, although there are some other options for Black. For example, he can try to play positions of the Queen's Gambit Tarrasch Defense with 5...e6 6.cxd5 exd5 (6...Nxd5 is also possible) 7.Bg2 Be7. Or he can try 5...dxc4 6.d5 Na5 7.e4 where White sacrifices a pawn for good compensation.] 6.Nxd4 dxc4 7.Nxc6 Qxd1+ 8.Nxd1 bxc6

[Black has won a pawn, although he can't really keep it for long. But after he loses one of the pawns on the "c" file the other pawn will be isolated on a semiopen file, and therefore it will be subject to attack. White's advantage, based on his superior pawn structure, can be countered by active play, although in practice it's not easy for Black.] 9.Bg2 Nd5 10.Ne3 Ba6 [Black decides to keep his c4 pawn, which puts some pressure on White's queenside. The alternative is to conserve the c6 pawn with 10...e6!? 11.Nxc4 Ba6 and if 12.b3 Bb4+ 13.Bd2 Bxd2+ 14.Nxd2 Black still has to solve some problems and the game Gulko - Jelen, which we offer in the illustrative games, is a good example.] 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.Bxd5 Rc8 13.Bd2 e6 14.Be4!? Bc5 15.Bc3 0–0?!

An imprecision. Without the queens on the board, the king may be better in the centre, in view of the simplifications that will allow it to play a more active role. Therefore more precise was 15...f6!? 16.e3 Ke7 17.0–0–0 Bb5 18.h4 h5 19.Rd2 as in the game Hjartarson,J-Arnason,J. Nordic zt 1992 in which Black didn't have any trouble equalizing the game.

16.e3 Rfd8 17.Rd1 Bb5 18.Ke2!? [We have already mentioned that the king was OK in the centre, and that is why Ivanchuk refrains from castling.] 18...Ba4 19.Rxd8+ Rxd8 20.Rc1 f5 21.Bf3 Kf7 22.Ke1

[White's plan is clear: play Be2 y and pressure the c4 pawn. Although Black can defend it with two pieces, a third attacker with b2-b3 will be incorporated, taking advantage of a pin.] 22...Bb5 23.Be2 a6? [A mistake. Black protects his bishop to take the sting out of b2-b3 but now he simply won't have time to defend the pawn. Necessary was 23...Rc8 24.Bd2 (if 24.Be5 Bb4+) 24...Be7 25.a4 (25.b3 is answered by 25...cxb3! 26.Rxc8 b2 and White must give back the rook with 27.Rc1 bxc1Q+ 28.Bxc1=) 25...Ba6 (25...Bxa4 26.Ra1 y Rxa7) 26.b3 Ba3 27.Rb1 Be7 28.bxc4 e5 although White still keeps the advantage.] 24.Bd2 Bd6 25.Bxc4 Be5 26.b3

[White is now a pawn up and Ivanchuk doesn't miss his chance to win with precise play.] 26...Ra8 27.a4 Bxc4 [Neither better is 27...Bd7 28.Ke2 and the black pawn on a6 or a5 is under attack.] 28.Rxc4 Rb8 29.Rb4 [More natural is 29.b4 which was also a good move. However, it is easier to win this position without rooks.] 29...g5 [Black can't avoid the exchange, as 29...Rc8 30.Rb6 would force 30...Ra8 with a very passive position.] 30.Rxb8 Bxb8 31.Ke2 Ke8 32.e4! g4 [This move leaves the f4 square unprotected and White will soon take advantage of this factor, but 32...h6 didn't give White much hope anyway.] 33.exf5 exf5 34.Bf4 Ba7

[Obviously the pawn ending after 34...Bxf4 35.gxf4 is simple. White just places his king on d4 and takes advantage of his queenside pawn majority to deflect the black king.] 35.Be3 Bb8 36.Kd3 Kd7 37.Kc4 Ke6 [Also after 37...Kc6 38.b4 White's win is routine.] 38.b4 h5 39.b5 axb5+ 40.Kxb5 [If the passed pawn is further away, then the black king has more difficulties stopping it. That is why White captures with his king.] 40...Kd5 41.a5 Ke4 42.a6 h4 [If 42...Kf3 the most simple is 43.Kb6! although 43.a7 Bxa7 44.Bxa7 also wins.] 43.gxh4 1–0

ICC Quiz #2926
submitted by ChessDreams



White mates in 2

To play this puzzle on the ICC type:
tell trainingbot number 2926
Then type: play trainingbot

ICC Quiz #2950
submitted by CommanderSolo



White mates in 2

To play this puzzle on the ICC type:
tell trainingbot number 2950
Then type: play trainingbot

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The Chigorin Defence According to Morozevich- Morozevich & Barsky

A World Class Player on the Opening he Made Popular by Alexander Morozevich and Vladimir Barsky.

In this highly personal book Morozevich reveals the ideas and secrets behind his pet lines in the Chigorin.

With 50 previously unpublished rapid and blitz games against top grandmasters. Soft cover, 240 pages.

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Secret Notes - Bronstein & Voronkov

This book, published shortly after the passing of David Bronstein, gathers accounts of David's finest trials and tribulations. He includes some thirty instructively annotated games from the period after his defection from the USSR in 1976. Bronstein also looked back into the past, including details of a secret training match against Victor Korchnoi in 1970, the games of which have never been published. A fitting tribute to a remarkable man. Published by Trafalgar.

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How to Succeed in the Queen Pawn Openings - John Watson & Eric Schiller

This single chess book provides the material needed to deal with the ramifications of playing 1.d4 d5, the most frequently played queen pawn opening now and throughout the last two centuries. The unique part of the book is that it arms players of both White and Black to successfully combat a wide range of opening variations with which the opponent can frustrate their goals.

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Solution to ICC Quiz #2926
submitted by ChessDreams

1.Qh8+!! Kxh8; 2.Rf8#

Solution to ICC Quiz #2950
submitted by CommanderSolo

1. Re8+!! Qxe8 (1...Bxe8; 2.Qg8#) 2.Qxf6#