PRO Chess League Kicks Off

After 11 seasons, the internet-based US Chess League has expanded into the PRO Chess League.  There are three major differences between the two leagues.  While the USCL had teams from all corners of the United States, the PCL will be an international affair with teams from five of the seven continents: North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa.  To attract greater spectator interest, games will be played at a rapid time control of G/15 + 2 second increment.  Players from one team will face all four from the other team, for a total of 16 games.  Finally, each team may field one "Free Agent" in their weekly lineup, in addition to three local players, as long as the average rating does not exceed 2500 FIDE.

Perhaps most exciting is that the PRO Chess League promises to showcase several elite chess players of the world!  Indeed five of the top 7 on the January 2017 FIDE list will participate.

• #1 Magnus Carlsen (Norway)
• #2 Fabiano Caruana (Montreal)
• #4 Wesley So (Saint Louis)
• #5 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Marseille)
• #7 Hikaru Nakamura (Miami)
• #13 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (San Jose)
• #22 Lenier Dominguez (Miami)
• #29 Li Chao (Montreal)

Two Bay Area squads have registered among 48 total entries from around the world.  The San Francisco Mechanics, organized by the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club, were one of the founding members of the USCL.  Grandmasters Patrick Wolff and Vinay Bhat will lead the way, backed up by International Masters Yian Liou, Cameron Wheeler (IM-elect) and Teddy Coleman.  Youth will be served by four high school students: Cameron, FM Rayan Taghizadeh, FM Josiah Stearman and NM Siddharth Banik.

The other local team was formed by Bay Area Chess to represent Silicon Valley.  The San Jose Hackers, among the highest rated in the league, feature a quintet of Grandmasters headlined by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, ranked #3 in the world on the rapid rating list.  The other GMs are Rauf Mamedov, Daniel Naroditsky, Zviad Izoria and Cristian Chirila.  The San Jose roster also includes two IM-elects and a trio of juniors: NM Teemu Virtanen, NM Ivan Ke and 10 year old NM Christopher Yoo.

Both Bay Area squads will compete in the Red Division against other American cities in the Central and Pacific time zones.  Indeed the locals square off head-to-head in round 2 on January 18!  The competition will be stiff, with the Saint Louis Arch Bishops, Webster Windmills, Rio Grande Ospreys and Dallas Destiny all fielding strong rosters.  The other three sections are the Blue Division (Eastern time zone plus Canada and South America), Green Division (Europe, Asia and Africa) and the Orange Division (Europe and Africa).  Click here for a list of players for all 48 teams.

Matches take place every Wednesday on Chess.com, starting on January 11.  Since the matches consists of four mini rounds and 16 games total, a whopping 384 rapid games will be completed each week.  The pairings for the first six weeks have been predetermined.  The seventh week (February 22) will be a playoff positioning round.  During the playoffs, each division crowns a champion.  The division winners will square off in semifinals on Saturday, March 25 and a final on Sunday, March 26.  The four division champions are guaranteed at least $3,000 from the prize fund and the league champion wins $20,000!

Good luck to both the San Francisco Mechanics and San Jose Hackers in the inaugural season of the PRO Chess League!

PRO Chess League Links

• CURRENT STANDINGS
• PRO Chess League Links 

• PRO Chess League Announcement
• PRO Chess League Latest News
• PRO Chess League Facebook
• PRO Chess League Twitter
• San Francisco Mechanics Fan Page
• San Francisco Mechanics Facebook
• San Francisco Mechanics' Institute Website 
• San Jose Hackers Fan Page
• San Jose Hackers Facebook
• San Jose Hackers Twitter
• San Jose Hackers Website

Magnus Strikes Again, Retains Title

World Champion Magnus Carlsen
Credit: Maria Emelianova and Chess.com

World Champion Magnus Carlsen claimed the chess crown for the third time by prevailing in a competitive title match in New York.  The challenger Sergey Karjakin of Russia gave the Norwegian titleholder all that he could handle, refusing to crack despite several losing positions.  After a dozen classical games, the combatants remained tied with one win each and ten draws.

The first two games of the rapid playoff also ended drawn.  As the pressure mounted, Carlsen sacrificed a pawn in the third rapid game and finally crashed through.  The fourth and final tiebreak game also ended in favor of the Norwegian after a spectacular queen sacrifice 50. Qh6+ forced checkmate in one.  A battle that many observers criticized as being dull and uninteresting concluded with perhaps one of the most memorable checkmates in chess history!

The first chess title bout between two players born after 1980 has concluded in favor of the defending champion.  For Carlsen, this was his third successful championship match, the first two coming against Viswanathan Anand in 2013 and 2015.  He can expect to face another challenger in late 2018.  For now, the champ can enjoy a vacation to celebrate his 26th birthday, which coincidentally was the day of the playoff.

Tal Meets Qh6 and Carlsen Wins

Watch Israeli GM Tal Baron broadcast the final moves of the World Championship match between Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin.  Within a minute, his live reaction runs the gamut from disbelief to pure ecstasy as Carlsen first played Rc8+ and followed up with the spectacular queen sacrifice Qh6+.  Karjakin immediately resigned, unable to prevent checkmate in one.

World Championship Results

Players stare at board in full concentration during Game 7. (credit: Chessbase)

World Championship Match
New York City
November 11 - 28
Games Begin 11AM Pacific time
Tiebreaks on November 30 (if necessary)

         |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-----|
 Round # | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10| 11| 12| TOT |
         |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-----|
 Carlsen | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | 0 | = | 1 | = | = | 6.0 |
         |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-----|
Karjakin | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | = | 0 | = | = | 6.0 |
         |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-----|

Magnus Carlsen plays White in Games 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12
Sergey Karjakin plays White in Games 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11

• Game 1 Drawn - Trompowsky - 42 moves - Annotated by Ponomariov
• Game 2 Drawn - Ruy Lopez Closed - 33 moves - Annotated by Ponomariov
• Game 3 Drawn - Ruy Lopez Berlin - 78 moves - Annotated by Seirawan
• Game 4 Drawn - Ruy Lopez anti-Marshall - 94 moves - Annotated by Rogozenko
• Game 5 Drawn - Giuoco Piano - 51 moves - Annotated by Nunn
• Game 6 Drawn - Ruy Lopez anti-Marshall - 32 moves - Annotated by Hillarp-Persson
• Game 7 Drawn - Queen's Gambit Accepted - 33 moves - Annotated by Hillarp-Persson
• Game 8 Karjakin Wins - Colle Zuckertort - 52 moves - Annotated by Caruana
• Game 9 Drawn - Ruy Lopez Archangel - 74 moves - Annotated by Caruana
• Game 10 Carlsen Wins - Ruy Lopez anti-Berlin - 75 moves - Annotated by Wesley So
• Game 11 Drawn - Ruy Lopez Closed - 34 moves - Annotated by Wesley So
• Game 12 Drawn - Ruy Lopez Berlin - 30 moves - Annotated by Seirawan

Tiebreaker on Wednesday, November 30.

1. Four games of Rapid G/25 with 10 sec increment. 
2. If still tied, two games of Blitz G/5 with 3 sec increment.
3. If still tied, repeat until 10 Blitz games are completed.
4. If still tied after 14 tiebreak games, then one Armageddon game. White gets 5 minutes, Black gets 4 minutes.  Black wins if drawn!  A 3 second increment kicks in on move 61.

Carlsen vs Karjakin Match Begins Today

Carlsen and Karjakin smile on the day before Game 1. (credit: Chess24)

The World Chess Championship 2016 begins today at 11AM Pacific time. Defending champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway faces challenger Sergey Karjakin of Russia, but born in Ukraine. The venue is the Fulton Market Building in the South Street Seaport of Manhattan, New York. This will be the first title bout featuring two players of the Computer Age. Karjakin is 26 and Carlsen turns 26 on November 30, the day of the tiebreaker, if necessary. Both grew up analyzing with computers, studying databases, and playing blitz on the internet.

When they were kids.... (credit: Chess Daily News)

The competitors are two of the three youngest Grandmasters in history. Carlsen is both the #1 rated player in the world at 2853, and holds the highest rating in history of 2882. He earned the GM title in 2004 at the tender age of 13 years, 4 months and 27 days. Carlsen was crowned world champion in 2013, vanquishing Viswanathan Anand of India. He also won a rematch in 2015. On the other hand, Karjakin became the youngest GM ever in 2002, amazingly only 12 years and 7 months old. Now he is #9 in the world at 2772, with a lifetime peak rating of 2788. He qualified for the title match by winning the strong Candidates Tournament earlier this year, outlasting the top rated American Fabiano Caruana in the final round. While Karjakin has competed against the strongest players in the world for the past decade, this will be his first shot at the chess crown.

Most experts have tabbed Carlsen as the favorite. They cite his higher rating and greater experience in title matches. His universal style has few known weaknesses, and his ability to grind out a win from a seemingly drawn endgame is second to none. Carlsen could play almost any opening imaginable, and sometimes chooses to avoid mainstream theory simply to obtain the middlegame he prefers. For someone who enjoys marathon games, he is fit as an athlete, an advantage that may be less significant against an opponent his own age.  

This is the board they will play on. The glass window
is a special mirror that spectators can see through, but
the players cannot. (credit: Dan Lucas of US Chess)

All that said, Karjakin is a dangerous challenger, a talented junior who dominated tournaments back in his youth. Over the years, he has also shown few weaknesses. Perhaps his strength lies in defending, an attribute that highlights resourcefulness and resilience. In many ways, Karjakin’s style mirrors that of the world champion. Another advantage could be in the opening, where he draws upon the accumulated knowledge of the Soviet Chess School. Never before has Karjakin received unconditional financial support of the Russian Chess Federation and the Kremlin. His team of seconds may include some of the best of the world, or at least, the former Soviet Union.  No doubt, he will be fully prepared, and probably an even stronger player than ever.

The match lasts just 12 games, short by historical standards. For example, the famous encounter between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky in 1972 went 24 rounds. And the first match between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov in 1984 was controversially aborted after 48 games over nearly five months! As a result, the subsequent four Kasparov-Karpov matches were capped at 24 games. In spite of historical precedent, 12 games became the modern standard in 2008, when Viswanathan Anand soundly defeated Vladimir Kramnik.

The World Chess Championship 2016 runs from November 11 to 30. Games are scheduled one per day starting at 11AM Pacific time, with a rest day after every two games (plus an extra day off before the final game). Carlsen has the white pieces in rounds 1, 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12. Once either player reaches 6.5 or 7.0 points, the match terminates immediately. On the other hand, if they finish tied 6 to 6, then a 4 game rapid time control tiebreaker will occur on November 30.

Carlsen won in Bilbao just 4 months ago. (credit: Chessbase)

Who will win? These two combatants have battled 21 times in classical chess, with the Norwegian scoring 4 wins against only 1 for the Russian. Karjakin’s lone win came in 2012, while Carlsen has won three straight (not counting draws), most recently this July in Bilbao, Spain. No doubt, the defending champion remains the clear favorite. My prediction is +2, which translates to Carlsen scoring 2 wins more than losses (e.g. 6.5-4.5 with 3 wins, 1 loss and 7 draws). Let the show begin!

Recommended websites:

• Official site with LIVE coverage: https://worldchess.com/nyc2016/


• Other LIVE coverage: https://www.chessclub.com/live (paid account required)


• Other LIVE coverage: https://www.chess.com/tv


• Other LIVE coverage: https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tournaments/


• LIVE Twitter: https://twitter.com/hashtag/CarlsenKarjakin?src=hash


• Preview at US Chess: https://new.uschess.org/news/the-couch-potatos-guide


• Preview at Chessbase: http://en.chessbase.com/post/what-the-experts


• Preview from AP: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/more-sports/


• Post game analysis: http://en.chessbase.com/tagged?tag=WCC2016

Carlsen vs Karjakin Match in Manhattan

Magnus Carlsen (Credit: Tata)

Sergey Karjakin (Credit: Tata)

VS

Press Release from the World Chess Federation (FIDE):

The FIDE World Chess Championship Match 2016 is to take place at the Seaport District in Manhattan, New York.

The three week long Championship Match, to be held from November 11th to 30th, will be contested by 25-year-old reigning champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway and his challenger, 26-year-old Sergey Karjakin of Russia.

When they were kids.... (Credit: Chess Daily News)

The Match arena will be built within the Fulton Market Building, a five minute walk from Wall Street, and will also feature dedicated spectator and VIP lounges with panoramic views of the Brooklyn Bridge as well as retail space, a restaurant, TV studios and much more.

• Here is the full press release.


• Or check out the article at Chess.com.


• If you prefer mainstream media, read the New York Times or The Telegraph.

Young Reporters Interview Magnus Carlsen

Carlsen poses with two young reporters.  Photo by Dein Spiegel.

A pair of 13-year old reporters from Hamburg, Germany interviewed the World Champion prior to a celebrity simultaneous exhibition.  The two youngsters asked several unusual questions, including from whether he plays on Gameboy (no), dreams about chess (mostly important losses), or would skip a chess match to play a soccer game with Real Madrid (yes).

Many chess kids and their parents will smile at the following exchange.

Q: Magnus, when you were a child, did you cry after losing a chess game? And if yes: when did you stop doing so?

A: Who says that I am not crying today? ... Okay. I think, I was 16 when I last cried after losing a game. But you should not be ashamed of that. The tears only show that you are ambitious and that you want to achieve something.

Read more about this interview at the ChessBase news website. 

Follow the World Cup in Baku

The 2015 Chess World Cup begins on September 11 in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan and the birthplace of the 13th World Champion Garry Kasparov.  A total of 128 participants have been paired much like college basketball's March Madness, with the top seeds facing the lowest rated in the first round.  Each round consists of two classical games (40/90, G/30, inc/30) followed by a third day of rapid and blitz tiebreaks (if necessary).

At the end of 7 rounds over 26 grueling days, the champion earns $96,000 and, perhaps more significantly, the top two qualify for the 2016 Candidates Tournament to determine the official challenger to Magnus Carlsen, the reigning World Champion.  Can former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik win two World Cups in a row, or will one of the young superstars finish on top?

• Official Website
• Watch Live Games (start at 3:00am Pacific)
  
• World Cup Odds (match by match)

View from hotel in Baku. Credit: Caruana

Top 16 Seeds (with Live ratings)

• #1 Veselin Topalov (BUL) 2813
• #2 Hikaru Nakamura (USA) 2816
• #3 Fabiano Caruana (USA) 2796
• #4 Anish Giri (NED) 2798
• #5 Wesley So (USA) 2760
• #6 Vladimir Kramnik (RUS) 2777
• #7 Alexander Grischuk (RUS) 2774
• #8 Ding Liren (CHN) 2782
• #9 Levon Aronian (ARM) 2784 eliminated in round 2
• #10 Dmitry Jakovenko (RUS) 2748
• #11 Sergey Karjakin (RUS) 2762
• #12 Evgeny Tomashevsky (RUS) 2758
• #13 Boris Gelfand (ISR) 2741 eliminated in round 1
• #14 Pentala Harikrishna (IND) 2737 eliminated in round 2
• #15 Michael Adams (ENG) 2742
• #16 Peter Svidler (RUS) 2727

On one hand, three of the Top 5 seeds represent the USA.  On the other hand, there are six Russians among the Top 16 participants.  N.B.: The seeds reflect the August rating list, not the more current September list.

Nine Americans 

• #2 Hikaru Nakamura 2816 advanced to round 3
• #3 Fabiano Caruana 2796 advanced to round 3
• #5 Wesley So 2760 advanced to round 3
• #41 Ray Robson 2680 eliminated in round 1
• #47 Gata Kamsky 2680 eliminated in round 1
• #54 Alexander Onischuk 2662 eliminated in round 2 by #11 Karjakin (RUS)
• #63 Sam Shankland 2656 eliminated in round 2 by #2 Nakamura (USA)
• #79 Varuzhan Akobian 2635 eliminated in round 1
• #112 Sam Sevian 2556 eliminated in round 1 by #17 Radjabov (AZE)

The format of the World Cup favors many upsets, starting as early as the first round!  Even one miscalculation could mean a premature flight home.  Four years ago, local star Sam Shankland scored the upset of his life by eliminating the Hungarian super-GM Peter Leko!  The following young players are poised to defeat higher seeded opponents in Baku.

Fpawn Upset Watch List

• #22 Yu Yangyi (CHN) 2721 (age 21) advanced to round 3
• #24 Wei Yi (CHN) 2734 (age 16) advanced to round 3
• #45 Vladislav Artemiev (RUS) 2675 (age 17) eliminated in round 2
• #46 Hou Yifan (CHN) 2671 (age 21) eliminated in round 2
• #64 Ivan Bukavshin (RUS) 2657 (age 20) eliminated in round 1
• #78 S.P. Sethuraman (IND) 2640 (age 22) advanced to round 3
• #80 David Anton Guijarro (ESP) 2628 (age 20) eliminated in round 1
• #90 Alexander Ipatov (TUR) 2625 (age 22) eliminated in round 2
• #97 Lu Shanglei (CHN) 2599 (age 20) advanced to round 3

Learning Chess from the Best

Two World Champions: Hou Yifan and Magnus Carlsen. Credit: Alina L' Ami

Editor's Note:  I first published this article about two years ago.  The thoughts remain vivid and relevant today.  If you are rated 1800 or higher and struggling to move to the next level, please take the following advice to heart.  Good luck! 

One of the best ways to improve in chess is to study master games.  I strongly encourage any student rated 1800+ to regularly review the games of recent elite Grandmaster tournaments.  Watch some of the world elite or pick your own favorites.  Bay Area fans might follow American top players Hikaru Nakamura and Wesley So, or perhaps local prodigies Sam Shankland and Daniel Naroditsky.  Chinese families, for example, may cheer for Ding Liren, Yu Yangyi or 15-year old talent Wei Yi, currently the youngest player over 2700.  Those with ties to India may prefer former world champion Vishy Anand.

What should you pick from these games?  A typical A player can learn from the positional strategies and tactical creativity of the super Grandmasters.  As you improve, you should attempt to mimic the strengths of your superiors.  Experienced experts and masters know to focus on their favorite openings, picking up new variations based on the latest trends.  You will find out that the strongest players pick mainstream openings simply because they offer the best chances to win.

In some sense, growth of the internet has diminished the importance of studying collections of games by the champions of yesteryear.  Nonetheless, any true disciple of Caissa should read some of the classics, e.g. Alekhine's Best Games of Chess, Life and Games of Mikhail Tal and My Sixty Memorable Games by Bobby Fischer.  You should also take advantage of the expanding wealth of information online to supplement the foundation presented in these books.  The modern chess student benefits from the many resources at his fingertips.
 
My favorite website to watch tournaments is, of course, the Internet Chess Club (ICC).  You can find quality event coverage, analysis, photos and videos elsewhere too, including Chess Life Online, Chessbase, Chess.com, Chess24, Chessdom, and TWIC.  The MonRoi and CCA websites broadcast the top boards at many major American tournaments.  The CCSCSL in Saint Louis offers a wealth of content, from live coverage of the US Championship to dozens of YouTube lectures.

Upcoming Major Events

• US Championship in Saint Louis, April 1-12
• Gashimov Memorial in Azerbaijan, April 16-25
• World Team Championship in Armenia, April 19-28
• FIDE Grand Prix in Russia, May 13-27
• Norway Chess, June 15-27
• Dortmund Chess Classic, June 27 - July 5
• Sinquefield Cup in Saint Louis, August 23 - September 4
• World Cup in Azerbaijan, starts on September 10

Happy New Year 2015!!

Bright winter day in the Austrian Alps.

Wishing Everyone Many Brilliant Moves for 2015!

The first Bay Area chess event of 2015 is in the books.  The New Year Championship drew 180 players to the San Francisco Airport Hyatt for $13,000 in prizes.  Elite Chinese Grandmaster Xiangzhi Bu dominated the strong Open section, finishing a full point ahead of the other two GMs.  Yours truly finished with a respectable but unsatisfying performance.  Click here for USCF rated results.

The largest local adult tournament of the year is just 10 days away!  The Golden State Open, which attracted almost 300 participants a year ago, guarantees a $25,000 prize fund.  Note that this event moved 25 miles south from Concord to the Dublin-Pleasanton Holiday Inn, near BART.  Register soon and view the advance entries at ChessAction.com.      

If you enjoy following top level international chess festivals, then you're in luck!  The Tata Steel Tournament at Wijk aan Zee (Netherlands) begins this weekend.  The Masters section features World Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway plus four more of the Top 10: Italian-American Fabiano Caruana, defending champion Levon Aronian of Armenia, Dutch-Russian Anish Giri, and the young American immigrant (from the Philippines) Wesley So.  The Challengers include the Czech David Navara, the young Chinese star Wei Yi, and a pair of American Grandmasters with strong ties to the Bay Area: Orinda native Sam Shankland and the now 14-year old prodigy Sam Sevian.  Each section is a 14-player round-robin, meaning 13 rounds, beginning on Saturday at 4:30am PST.  Make sure to check out the live internet coverage when you wake up (especially Twitter and Instagram).

Happy New Year to All!

2014 World Chess Championship

Anand begins Game 1 with the white pieces. Credit: Chessbase.

World Champion Magnus Carlsen (NOR) vs Challenger Viswanathan Anand (IND).

Carlsen Wins to Retain Title

G1

G2

G3

G4

G5

G6

G7

G8

G9

G10

G11

G12

Total

Carlsen

=

1

0

=

=

1

=

=

=

=

1

x

6.5

Anand

=

0

1

=

=

0

=

=

=

=

0

x

4.5

Format = 12 Game Match, first to 6.5 wins.
Schedule = Games on Nov 8 - 25. Rest on every 3rd day. If needed, tiebreaker on Nov 27.
Play begins at 3:00pm Moscow time, 7:00am New York time, 4:00am California time.
Time Control = 40/120, 20/60, G/15 with a 30 second increment after move 60.

Game by Game Log

1. White = Anand. Exchange Gruenfeld opening. Anand held a small middlegame advantage, but then Carlsen began pressing in even endgame. Drawn in 48 moves.
2. White = Carlsen. Ruy Lopez, Anti Berlin Wall 4.d3. Carlsen loaded Alekhine's Gun on move 28. Under pressure, Anand blundered on move 34 and immediately lost!   
3. White = Anand. Classical Queen's Gambit Declined. Carlsen challenged Anand in a theoretical line, allowing a protected passer on c7.  Anand won prosaically in 34 moves.
4. White = Carlsen. Sicilian with 3.g3. A quiet opening gave Carlsen a small advantage, but Anand defended well in a Queen endgame. Drawn in 47 moves.  
5. White = Anand. Queen's Indian with 4.g3. Anand obtained superior development, but this edge evaporated with careful defense. Drawn in 39 moves.
6. White = Carlsen. Kan Sicilian, Maroczy bind. Despite a horrible double blunder on move 26 when Anand could have won, Carlsen scored in 38 moves using his strong bishop pair.  
7. White = Carlsen. Ruy Lopez, Berlin Wall 9... Ke8. Theory for 24 moves. Anand sacrificed a piece to draw an endgame with all pawns on Queenside. R+N vs R drawn in 122 moves. 
8. White = Anand. Classical Queen's Gambit Declined. Playing swiftly all game, Carlsen equalized without much difficulty. Drawn in 41 moves.
   
9. White = Carlsen. Ruy Lopez, Berlin Wall 9... Ke8. Surprisingly, drawn by repetition in just 20 moves. Carlsen retains the lead, but Anand plays white in 2 of last 3 games.
10. White = Anand. Russian variation of Gruenfeld. Anand played an interesting line using the bishop pair, but gave up his advantage on move 28. Drawn in 32 moves. 
11. White = Carlsen. Ruy Lopez, Berlin Wall 9... Bd7. Anand obtained good position after 23... b5, but overpressed with 26... Rdb8 and 27... Rb4. Carlsen clinched in 45 moves.
12. Not necessary

Preview of Carlsen vs Anand II

Carlsen and Anand before Game 1 of 2013 match. Credit: A. Karlovich

Exactly one year ago, the chess world became captivated by a Battle for the Ages in Chennai, India.  A young lad from Norway, just 22 years old, dared to challenge the reigning champion, a veteran with two decades of experience among the chess elite.  Alas, the champion capitulated on home turf, scoring nary a victory in a result as shocking as the meteoric rating gains already achieved by the Norwegian.  Meet Magnus Carlsen, the 16th World Champion.

Magnus Carlsen - the World Champion!
Credit: chesshouse.com

Much changed over the past year.  Carlsen earned a record rating of 2882 in May, but his recent results have proven modest by his lofty standards.  Indeed, he awkwardly found himself looking up to a peer!  Not only did Fabiano Caruana exceed the performance of the World #1, but he inched within 24 points of the top rating.  Does Carlsen hear the increasingly loud steps of his pursuers?  

On the other hand, the 15th World Champion Vishy Anand recovered from a slump in 2012-13 to gain 20 rating points this year.  Most importantly, he dominated the Candidates Tournament in April to become the official challenger.  In better form and no longer feeling pressure to defend the world title at home, the Tiger from Madras can compete with renewed vigor!

Artist rendering of venue in Sochi 2014.

While accounts of the first Carlsen vs Anand match describe a lopsided victory achieved through endurance and endgame technique, the storyline could have been very different had Anand seized opportunities in the first three games.  The veteran equalized easily with black in Game 1, and then found himself with the advantage in both Games 2 and 3.  The materialistic 29... Bxb2 in Game 3 should have been sufficient to take an early lead.  Alas, Anand was too timid, under too much pressure, and too respectful of his opponent.  Consecutive defeats in Game 5 and Game 6 sealed the Indian champion's fate.

The Rematch kicks off this Saturday, November 8, on neutral ground in Sochi, Russia.  The first to score 6.5 wins; there will be a rapidplay tiebreaker in case of a tie after 12 games.  The venue is the ultra modern Media Center of the 2014 Winter Olympics, and the organizers promise live coverage comparable to the recent Sinquefield Cup and Tromsø Olympiad.  Rounds begin at 3pm Moscow time, which converts to 4am in San Francisco.  Wake up to watch the critical 3rd and 4th hours of play while enjoying breakfast!         
Official website = http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/
Who will win the Rematch in Sochi?  Please vote in the unscientific poll at the upper right side of this blog.  Select the victor as well as the margin of victory.

Team USA Clawing Into Contention

Harbor of Tromsø with hills in background. Credit: Truong

As the 2014 Chess Olympiad in Tromsø, Norway begins its second week, the tension mounts both on and off the boards.  Teams from roughly 170 nations traveled to this remote locale north of the Arctic Circle despite sporadic flight delays, visa hassles and even threats of terrorism.  The host city has drawn positive reviews, especially for the beautiful scenery amidst water and mountains.  A few complaints included the FIDE zero-tolerance rule at the start of rounds and the use of portable toilets instead of more permanent facilities  For fans back home, the live coverage seems quite thorough.

• OFFICIAL WEBSITE
• LIVE GAMES (starting at 5 AM Pacific)
• CHESSBASE REPORTS 
• RESULTS and PAIRINGS
• ON-SITE REPORT (from IM John Donaldson)


• TEAM USA (Final)
• OPEN in 14th place with 15 MP
• WOMEN in 8th place with 16 MP

World #2 Aronian plays white vs #1 Carlsen. Credit: Truong

After 7 rounds, a clear leader has emerged in both sections.  In the Open division, Azerbaijan (13 MP) defeated Cuba (11 MP) and moved 1 match point ahead of China (12 MP) and three other teams.  One big surprise is the Czech Republic (12 MP), which stunned top rated Russia (10 MP).  In the Women division, defending champion Russia (14 MP) knocked off top rated China (12 MP) to establish a 2 match point advantage over three teams.

Open Leaders (after Round 7)

• 1st with 13 MP = Azerbaijan
• 2nd-5th with 12 MP = China, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Romania
• 6th-14th with 11 MP = France, Cuba, Armenia, India, Ukraine, Hungary Poland, Germany and USA
• 15th-27th with 10 MP = Netherlands, Russia, Israel and others

Women Leaders (after Round 7)

• 1st with 14 MP = Russia
• 2nd-4th with 12 MP = China, Hungary and Poland
• 5th-11th with 11 MP = France, Georgia, USA, Indonesia, Ukraine, Armenia and Colombia
• 12th-22nd with 10 MP = Germany, India, Iran, Romania and others

The American delegation has seen ups and downs during the first seven rounds.  Both the men and women have won five matches.  However, each squad lost in third round (the men to Holland, the women to top rated China) and have since drawn an additional match, for a total of 11 match points out of a possible 14.  The men find themselves in 14th place, ahead of top ranked Russia, but the women stand in 7th place thanks to superior tiebreaks.  With four rounds to go, Team USA remains in contention for the medals, but must finish very strong.  No doubt 17 or 18 match points will be necessary for a spot on the podium, leaving almost zero room for error. 

Trivia from Tromsø

FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov

1. Open division stats: 172 teams from 167 countries.
2. Women division stats: 134 teams from 129 countries.  
3. Americans GM Sam Shankland and WGM Sabina Foisor are two out of only four players (from more than 1500) remaining with a 100% score after 7 rounds!
4. Shortest win: 1.d4 g5 2.e4 f6 3.Qh5#  Seriously! (Zimbabwe vs Togo women, Round 4)
5. Longest game: 139 moves (Vachier-Lagrave vs Jobava, 1-0, Round 7)
6. Reigning World Champs (Magnus Carlsen and Hou Yifan) both lost in Round 7!

   

   13th World Champion Garry Kasparov

7. The greatest social gathering at each Olympiad is the Bermuda party.  Chess photographer David Llada tweeted: “This was, with little doubt, the worst Bermuda party ever. Still, it was better than the average party.”
8. The election of FIDE President occurs on Monday 8/11.  Western European countries and USA support ex-champion Garry Kasparov, but incumbent Kirsan Ilyumzhinov remains entrenched after nearly 20 years in power.  Who will win?  Stay tuned!
9. Weather: Sunny with low 46 / high 64.  Sunset 10:17pm.  Sunrise 3:24am.

Candidates Tournament 2014

World #2 Aronian

14th World Champ Kramnik

15th World Champ Anand

In the world of professional chess, a Candidates Tournament seeks to determine the next challenger to the reigning World Champion.  Over the years, this elite event has taken one of two formats: either a series of knockout matches or a traditional round-robin.  The 2014 FIDE Candidates Tournament features an 8-player double round-robin for the right to face Magnus Carlsen.  The octet will contest 14 rounds from March 13 to 31 in the remote Russian city of Khanty-Mansiysk. 

16th World Champ Carlsen

The 2771 average field consists of two former champions, four Russians and the current top three on the live ratings, excluding the #1 ranked Norwegian himself.  Two players qualified at the 2013 World Cup, two from the 2012-13 Grand Prix and two more by rating.  The final participants are the loser of the 2013 World Championship and a local player selected by the organizer.

Participants

1. Levon Aronian 2830 (#2 ranked from Armenia)
2. Vladimir Kramnik 2787 (14th World Champ from Russia)
3. Veselin Topalov 2785 (Bulgaria)
4. Viswanathan Anand 2770 (15th World Champ from India)
5. Sergey Karjakin 2768 (Russia)
6. Peter Svidler 2758 (Russia)
7. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2757 (Azerbaijan) 
8. Dmitry Andreikin 2709 (Russia)  

Seven of the world's top dozen Grandmasters will participate. Unfortunately, the top American, Hikaru Nakamura, did not qualify despite achieving several excellent results over the past two years.  And in light of the current events, it is fortuitous that no Ukrainian earned an invitation. 

Karjakin as dark horse?

Who will win?  While almost anyone could conceivably finish first, the smart money says either Aronian or Kramnik.  Each of the top four brings more than a decade of top level chess experience to the table.  The dark horse could be Karjakin, a talented and still young prodigy whose recent results have been inconsistent.  Please vote in the poll at the right side bar.

Don't forget to follow the action starting on March 13!  Depending on your schedule, watch the games live or play through the moves later.  Check out the official website or enjoy the Game of the Day videos at the Internet Chess Club (members only).

Bhat versus Carlsen

While Magnus Carlsen won the Zurich Chess Challenge against elite competition, pushing his record rating to 2881, one Bay Area chess aficionado came to grips with his close encounter with the World Champion three weeks ago.  Indeed, GM Vinay Bhat not only locked horns with the Wonderboy himself, but actually had a chance to pull off the stunning upset.  Must see TV!

Fortunately, Bhat shares the story with the readers of his chess blog.  He annotates the blitz game and points out the missed opportunities in the endgame.  He also comments on the setting and the demeanor of his esteemed opponent.  Thank you Vinay!

When we shook hands, he shocked me immediately when he said that he reads this blog on occasion, although he admitted he used to read it more when I was playing regularly! He also told me about how he first heard about me, after a game of mine against GM Wang Yue from China in 2002 showed up in New In Chess. It was a Bb5+ Sicilian where he remembered some nice tactical sequences I used, but also that I didn’t manage to win from a

GM Vinay Bhat

much better position.

Read more at Moral and Not So Moral Victories.

One other thing I realized from the bughouse and blitz games (and this was confirmed in between the two by his team), is that Magnus is ultra-competitive and hates losing even a casual game.

Additional comments at The Tale of the Tape.

Carlsen Meets Technology Leaders

In his first business trip as the 16th World Chess Champion, the Norwegian born Magnus Carlsen rubbed elbows with some of the movers and shakers of the tech boom.  The journey began at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where he calmly swept all 20 challengers in a simul organized by Nordic Semiconductor.

Coach Joe Lonsdale (Sr) + Carlsen
Below: Exec Joe Lonsdale (Jr)

The following week, Carlsen flew into the Bay Area for his second visit.  At a social event hosted by Joe Lonsdale, the youthful co-founder of Palantir and Addepar, the champion posed for photos with guests and narrowly defeated local Grandmaster Vinay Bhat in a bullet game.  Check out ChessDryad for photos taken by Richard Shorman.  The next day, Carlsen challenged Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg after dining with top executives, a game which has been politely described as a lesson.

Lesson with Facebook founder.

However, the most popular event was a Question & Answer session hosted by the tech forum Churchill Club.  Chess master Peter Thiel, perhaps better known for founding PayPal, moderated an exciting discussion that touched on diverse topics, from his recent title match against Vishy Anand to the role of computers in the royal game.  For those unable to attend (like me), the hour long dialog was recorded and uploaded to YouTube (click on video at top).  Highly recomended!

Wide-Ranging Carlsen Interview

The 16th World Champion spoke candidly for half an hour on Norwegian television about chess and other topics, some a bit awkward for him.  The program aired on December 25.  Fortunately, the video has English subtitles.  Check it out!

• Importance of self-confidence
• Any superstitions?
• Donald Duck fan
• Strategy for blindfold chess 
• Nightmares about chess
• Girls and relationships
• Kasparov and Fischer
• Autism and IQ
• Does he cry sometimes?
• Modelling for G-Star
• His view on money  

16th World Champion Magnus Carlsen

Magnus the Champ!  (photo from Chessbase)

Once the subject of a book titled Wonderboy, the Norwegian superstar Magnus Carlsen has reached the pinnacle of chess.  He played in his first tournament at age 8, became Grandmaster at 13, earned the #1 rating in the world at 19, and finally claimed the World Championship one week before his 23rd birthday!

In a match watched around the globe, Carlsen defeated the Indian national hero Viswanathan Anand, nearly twice his age, with a dominant performance.  The final score was 6.5 to 3.5.   Already the youngest to reach #1 and the third youngest Grandmaster in history, Carlsen now stands as the second youngest champion, barely older than his former trainer Garry Kasparov.

The following list includes all of the classical World Champions, following the lineage of Kasparov after he broke away from FIDE in 1993. Vladimir Kramnik vanquished Kasparov in 2000 and reunified the chess championship in 2006.

1. Wilhelm Steinitz 1886-1894
2. Emanuel Lasker 1894-1921
3. José Raúl Capablanca 1921-1927
4. Alexander Alekhine 1927-1935 and 1937-1946
5. Max Euwe 1935-1937
6. Mikhail Botvinnik 1948-1957, 1958-1960 and 1961-1963
7. Vasily Smyslov 1957-1958
8. Mikhail Tal 1960-1961
9. Tigran Petrosian 1963-1969
10. Boris Spassky 1969-1972
11. Bobby Fischer 1972-1975
12. Anatoly Karpov 1975-1985
13. Garry Kasparov 1985-2000
14. Vladimir Kramnik 2000-2006
15. Viswanathan Anand 2006-2013
16. Magnus Carlsen 2013-

Make sure to check out this Time magazine article written by Kasparov himself.