From Mainz....to Mexico City!

July Marathon Results!

 Top (Best) Finishers for the marathon:  Blitz U1600 – 1st place Titano, 2nd place aplmm1, 3rd place dalf.  Blitz O1600 – 1st place littleboyblue, 2nd place searchforbobby1, 3rd place Superselector.  Bullet U1800 – 1st place spacecadet, 2nd place trapula, 3rd place outbacker5.  Bullet O1800 – 1st place nekochabo, 2nd place PearlNecklace, 3rd place FytinFrank.  Standard – 1st place akibael, 2nd place TerryMalloy, 3rd place ARSENAL.  1st place winners receive a 2 month extension on ICC.  2nd and 3rd place winners receive a 1 month extension.  Congrats to all our winners from the July marathon!  Check back next week for the marathon winners for “Most games played” for each section!  

Saturday Ratings Limited Blitz!  Every Saturday at 19:00 server time, 2 tourneys will open for certain rating categories.  Tomato will host a 2 6 7rd swiss tourney for 1200-1800 rated players.  At the same time, a 2 6 5rd swiss will be open for u1300 rated players in Littleper.  Come on out and join a tourney that you have a good shot at winning.  You’ll also have a great shot at having a fun time!

Wild 27 (Atomic) Championships!  Qualifiers begin August 17th!  There will be 2 sections; 1 0 bullet and 3 0 blitz.  Bullet qualifiers will be 12 rounds swiss style, and blitz qualifiers will be 7 rounds swiss style. The top 3 finishers in each qualifier will advancing to the final, along with the next 4 best finishers in the series of qualifiers.  Will anyone be able to dethrone last year’s champion, MoltenThinker? 

Stay tuned to find out!

Game annotated by GM Alexei Shirov

The Latvian-born, elite grandmaster Alexei Shirov is regarded by many as one of the most imaginative attacking players of the modern era.
Next Tuesday, he will be John Watson's guest on his show. So, as a small mini-Shirov tribute, we highlight his many talents through game annotations and some of his top-selling products in the ICC Store.

The first game of my mini-match against David Navara ended with a draw after I missed some reasonable winning chances. There would be no tie-break in case of the 1-1 score, so I wanted to try to press with White pieces to the maximum

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 The first surprise. Normally David plays 5...d6 setup, after which I was going to place my bishop on c4 (and later on on b3) like Ivanchuk did against him in Calvia. 6.Be2 Nowadays 6.Be3 followed by Qd2 and 0-0-0 is much more popular, but sometimes I tend to be conservative. 6...d6 Oh, dear...now it looks like I am forced to play the line that I tried to avoid in my preparation. 7.Be3 Nf6 8.f4 Be7 9.g4!?

This 'good old style' agressive advance took me some half an hour. I perfectly realised that it might be very risky (after all it had only been tried in rapid chess before) but, as I said, to play the main lines starting with 9.Qd2 or; 9.0-0 was not my intention for that day. 9...Qa5!?N Having also spent half an hour, Navara comes up with a very interesting novelty. 9...d5 10.e5 Nd7 11.g5~~ was seen in the game Ponomariov-Zviagintsev, Moscow (Russia vs ROW), 2001. 10.Nb3 Probably the only reasonable answer. 10.0-0?! would be strongly met by 10...Nxd4 11.Qxd4 e5=/+. 10...Qc7 The maneuver Qb6-c7 is rather typical in many Sicilian setups. But here it is especially effective because normally White tries to challenge it by placing his queen on f3 and the bishop on d3, while now he has already played 6.Be2, so 11.Bd3 would be a loss of tempo. After due thought I chose the different, highly risky plan. 11.g5 After 11.Qd2 b5 my idea wouldn't work because of 12.g5?! b4=/+ 11...Nd7 12.Qd2 b5 13.0-0-0!?

This was the idea. Normally it's not advisable to allow b4, especially when you have no e2 square, so you have to choose whether to place your knight on b1 which is very passive, or a4 where it can simply be lost! However, the alternative 13.a3 Bb7 14.0-0-0 Nc5! didn't appeal to me at all, as Black would probably get a slightly better game without any effort. 13...Bb7 I had a feeling that after 13...b4 14.Na4 Bb7 15.h4 my knight would be 'safe' on a4 but I might easily be wrong. 14.f5!? Another committing decision as the e5 square is very important for Black, but I felt that there was no way back as 14.h4 could be answered by 14...Na5! 14...Nde5 Possibly a first step in a wrong direction as now there is no longer the b4 idea for Black. The immediate 14...b4!? was what, of course, concerned me the most, as after 15.fxe6! (15.Na4?! doesn't seem correct in view of 15...exf5! 16.exf5 Nce5 17.Rhf1 Rc8 18.f6 gxf6 19.Rf4 fxg5 20.Rxb4 Nf3 21.Bxf3 Bxf3=/+) 15...fxe6 16.Na4 Black would have a strong 'silent' move 16...Rc8! (16...0-0?! 17.Bg4! Nd8 18.Qxb4 would favour White) and it's not easy to find an appropriate answer. Probably, the best move is 17.Rhf1! and after 17...Nce5 (17...Rf8!?) 18.Nd4 Qa5 19.Nxe6 Black can already go for the perpetual check after 19...Qxa4 (although 19...Rg8!? is interesting too) 20.Nxg7+ Kd8 21.Ne6+ Ke8 22.Bh5+ Ng6=.15.Rhf1 Na5! Correctly rejecting 15...0-0-0 16.Nd4 and White stands better. 16.Nxa5 Qxa5 17.a3

17...0-0-0? But now this castle is diffcult to explain because White will be even more comfortable than in the above-mentioned line. After 17...b4 Black would still have a reasonable game, for example 18.Na2! (18.axb4?! is not good because of 18...Qa1+ 19.Nb1 Bxe4 20.f6 Rc8! 21.fxe7 Rxc2+ 22.Qxc2 Bxc2 23.Kxc2 Qa4+ and White can be in danger) 18...Bxe4! (less attractive would be 18...Nc6 19.Nxb4 Nxb4 20.Qxb4 Qxb4 21.axb4 Bxe4 22.fxe6 fxe6 23.c3+/- and the a6 weakness would tell) 19.f6 gxf6 20.gxf6 Bf8 21.Nxb4 (21.Qxb4 Qxb4 22.Nxb4 Bb7 seems equal) 21...d5 22.Qc3 Bxb4! 23.axb4 Qa4 and the strong control over the center compensates the king's weak position. 18.Bd4+/-

Suddenly, White is simply much better because Black has no counterplay. It is also rather easy to continue. 18...Rhg8 18...h6 should have been tried as it would at least fix the pawn structure on the kingside. Still, White would have had a huge advantage after 19.f6 gxf6 20.gxf6 Bf8 21.Qe3 h5 22.Kb1 Nd7 23.Qg5+/-.19.Qe3 Nc4 As David admitted after the game, he saw too late that 19...Nc6 would be answered by 20.f6! Nxd4 21.fxe7! and White is winning after 21...Nxe2+ 22.Nxe2 Rde8 23.Rxf7 Qc7 24.Nf4 Rxe7 25.Nxe6 Qd7 26.Qc3+ (26.Nc5!? +-) 26...Kb8 27.Rxe7 Qxe7 28.Qg3!+-; 19...Qc7 would also lose to 20.f6 gxf6 21.Bb6+-.20.Bxc4 bxc4 21.h4! Rd7 22.Bb6(+)

In time-pressure, I tried to get some additional seconds thanks to the increment. Not very aesthetical but still a practical approach. 22...Qe5 23.Bd4 Qa5 24.fxe6 fxe6 25.Bb6 Qe5 26.Bd4 Qa5 27.e5!

Now Black's defense collapses as he has simply too many weak pawns. 27...Re8 [27...Qc7 28.Na4!+-] 28.exd6 Bxd6 29.Bxg7!+-

So, one of them drops. The game is over. 29...Bc5 30.Bd4 Bxd4 31.Rxd4 Qc5 32.Rff4! [32.Rd3 Qxe3+ 33.Rxe3 Rd4!+/- would still give Black some small chances in the endgame.] 32...Bc6 33.Rde4 Qd6 34.Rxc4 Red8 35.Kb1

Black will certainly lose more pawns. Therefore he resigned. I would like to give a special mention to David's very friendly behaviour during the post-mortem despite the unfortunate result. His love of chess is evident, so I can only wish him to develop his talent even further. 1-0

8th Montreal International July 19-29

  The 8th Montreal International 2007 is a 9-round Round Robin that take place 19-29 July 2007 in Montreal, Canada. The GMs participants are: Ivanchuk, Kamsky, Eljanov, Short, Harikrishna, Sutovsky, Tiviakov, Miton, Bluvshtein and Charbonneau. You have more information in the ICC LIVE coverage page. Also, visit MonRoi website.

40th Biel Chess Festival 21st July-3rd August

The main GM is very strong in spite of defending champion Alexander Morozevich deciding not to play due to health reasons (some treatment he needs and from which he'll need to recuperate before the world championship in Mexico City). Players: Radjabov, Polgar, Grischuk, Carlsen, Van Wely, Onischuk, Bu Xiangzhi, Avrukh, Motylev and Pelletier. You have more information in the ICC LIVE coverage page. Also, visit the official website.

Fire on Board Shirov's Best Games - Alexei Shirov

In this collection of his best games, Grandmaster Alexei Shirov shows why he is widely regarded as one of the most aggressive and inventive players of the modern era. It contains a delightful selection of his favourite games, each of which is explained in detail, together with sections on tactical highlights and endgames. Special attention is devoted to the super-sharp Botvinnik variation, which Shirov has used to remarkable effect against the world’s leading players.


Published by Everyman, 240 pages. Read more

Price $19.95 -  Buy now!

My Best Games in the Caro Kann Defence - Alexei Shirov

The Caro-Kann Defence, which arises after the moves 1.e4 c6 followed by 2...d7-d5, is considered one of the most solid and reliable replies to the double step of White’s e-pawn. Black . ghts for his share of the centre without accepting an unnecessary weakening of his position, patiently waiting for his chance. Shirov’s preferred weapon against this sound black set-up has always been the Advance Variation 3.e5, avoiding the simpli. cation after 3.Nc3 dxe4 and reaching a type of position of greater tactical and strategic complexity – with chances and risks for both sides. Thus, the main topic of the DVD are the white and black plans following 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3, which the Latvian super grandmaster explains by means of the best games from his own practice. And apart from impressive White wins, these also include two examples with Shirov leading the black pieces!

Video playing time: 4 h 53 m

Please note this is software for a PC and does not require any other software though can be used in conjunction with ChessBase 9 or Fritz 9 and better.

Get $7.50 off any 3 "My Best Games ..." by Alexei Shirov. Just enter the word ANY3SHIROV in the REDEEM COUPON box as you go through the Checkout. Read more

Price $37.95 -  Buy now!

Fire on Board, part 2: 1997-2004 - Alexei Shirov

Alexei Shirov has dazzled and inspired a generation of chess fans with his unique brand of attacking chess. The Grandmaster, originally from Riga, Latvia, is widely regarded as one of the most aggressive and inventive chess players of the modern era, an argument backed up by his wealth of amazing games, rich in tactical fireworks and extraordinary moves. Fire on Board begins where the best-selling first edition left off in 1996. Shirov traces his progress at the top of the chess world since that year and presents a delightful collection of his favourite games, all explained in great detail to the reader. 200 pages. Read more

Price $20.95 -  Buy now!

My Best Games in the Slav and Semi-Slav - Alexei Shirov

The Slav is now the most popular answer to the Queen's Gambit and is distinguished by the move c6. In the sharp lines of the Semi-Slav e6 is also played and of course the two often transpose.

Shirov's lecture covers the history of the opening which he has contributed to and advanced the development of many lines. In the Meran Variation, Shirov’s name is linked to what is now known as the 'Shabalov Attack' attributed to Shirov's Latvian contemporary Alexander Shabalov who also left his homeland and is a former US champion. After 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 it was Shirov and Shabalov who introduced the move 7.g4 into chess praxis in 1992. Today there are over 1000 games in the Mega Database with that variation. Shirov recounts the way this extravagant line arose and explains some of its most important ideas. Video running time: 5 hrs 20 min.

Alexei Shirov was born and raised in Riga the home town of tactical genius and former world champion Mikhail Tal and his style is reminiscent of the 'Magician of Riga'. In the early 90s, a meteoric rise took the young Latvian into the world's top 10 by the age of 22 with an Elo rating of nearly 2750 . Shirov has been one of the world's leading players ever since, delighting chess fans with his boundless creativity and fighting spirit.

System requirements: Pentium PC, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, DVD drive, soundcard

Get $7.50 off any 3 "My Best Games ..." by Alexei Shirov. Just enter the word ANY3SHIROV in the REDEEM COUPON box as you go through the Checkout. Read more

Price $36.95 -  Buy now!

Solution to ICC Quiz #3240
submitted by alexy1

1.g6!! fxg6 2.Kxf6 g5 3.Kf5! g4 4.hxg4#

Solution to ICC Quiz #3107
submitted by dbrock

1.Ne7+ Kh8 2.fxg7+ Kxg7 3.Qxf8#