Norway Chess R04: Carlsen grabs the lead
In Round 4 the joint leaders Levon Aronian and Fabiano Caruana stumbled whereas Magnus Carlsen did not miss his chance to overtake them and to grab the pole position. The battle between Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Aryan Tari – two players who did not score even a half-point in three rounds – the latter prevailed in Armageddon after the classical game was drawn. The central game of Round 4 Carlsen – Caruana saw a popular line of Nimzo-Indian in which Black (Caruana) reached a satisfactory position although White had some pressure on c4-pawn. Somewhat unexpectedly Fabiano decided to sacrifice this pawn but did not get anything in return. Still, Black could have put a stubborn resistance but after 30… Rc6? 31.c5! Caruana was doomed. Levon Aronian and Alireza Firouzja had a discussion in the Caro-Kann defense. After Black solved all his opening problems and demonstrated accuracy in the subsequent maneuvering game the opponents agreed to a draw on move 31. The Armageddon game was full of swings with the evaluation changing several times in the course of this fast-paced encounter. Levon obtained a great attacking position with White and could have finished off his opponent several times but after failing to find the best continuations eventually collapsed in a knight endgame. Aryan Tari had some chances to score three points in the classical game with Jan-Krzysztof Duda but the Polish GM escaped into a drawn rook ending. For the first time in this tournament, two out of three games came down to Armageddon. After Aryan blundered a piece Jan-Krzysztof came very close to victory but being in a terrible time-scramble, he missed not only a win but also a draw. Photo: Lennart Ootes Official site: https://norwaychess.no/en/
Global Chess Festival Online kicks off on October 10
The sixth edition of the Global Chess Festival founded by Judit Polgar takes place on October 10th, 2020. The event highlights art, education, science, and sport in connection with chess. As tradition has it, the Festival is held on the second Saturday of October and this time this resulted in a special date: 10/10/2020! This year’s festival is special in many ways. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the entire festival has been moved online. Nevertheless, the forum offers you a full and varied program for young and old alike. There are 40+ programs waiting for the guests on a virtual platform that was specially designed for this event. All through the day, there are Champions Talks with celebrities such as Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik, the Polgar Sisters, Jan Timman, John Nunn, and Simen Agdestein (who discovered and trained the current World Champion Magnus Carlsen). The guests of the festival can listen to lectures on Chess and Decision-Making in Sports, Chess in Prisons and Business Lessons that can be drawn from chess. There is a Master Class by Judit in which she looks at highlights of her rich career, and Judit and Sofia Polgar give simuls. If you want to play yourself you can also sign up for Chess Tournaments open to amateurs in the age groups 4 to 120 with beautiful prizes. Relax while watching a film on Chess Brains or the Polgar family. Check out the full list of programs here. Selected programs: Judit Polgar Method (10:40 CEST) Business Lessons from Chess by Norbert Fogarasi, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley, Hungary (14:30 CEST) Chess and Soccer Champions Talk with Simen Agdestein (ALL DAY) Chess Behind Bars by Carl Portman Dessert with the Polgar sisters by Yasser Seirawan (18:30 CEST) Champions Talk with Chess Scientist John Nunn by Judit Polgar (ALL DAY) 14th World Champion Vladimir Kramnik, AI and the new chess variants (15:30 CEST) A friendly talk by Judit Polgar with Garry Kasparov (19:30 CEST) Champions talk with Chess Artist Jan Timman by Judit Polgar (ALL DAY) If you want to take part in the Global Chess Festival, you can register here. Official website: http://www.globalchessfestival.com/
Play Magnus listed on Oslo Stock Exchange
First chess company traded since the 1990s The ancient game’s biggest investment ever Founded by World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen (Oslo, 8 October 2020) Play Magnus Group, the tech firm founded by World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen, has been listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange today. The company has now gained more than 250 shareholders and is trading on Oslo’s Merkur Market. Shareholders have provided the company with NOK 300 million ($30.2m) in fresh equity, which will be used for technology development and further growth. “This is a milestone in the company’s history, and we are proud that many strong institutional investors have decided to join the team. Now, we are ready to take the next step for the company, and a listing on Merkur Market will be important for the company’s ability to continue its strong growth,” said co-founder and chairman of the board of Play Magnus Group, Anders Brandt. In combination with the capital increase, some of the existing shareholders sold a small part of their shares. The transaction implies a valuation of the equity of Play Magnus Group at NOK 796 million ($85.8m).Following the share issue, the American asset manager Luxor Capital is the largest shareholder with 10.96% of the shares. Magnus Chess, owned by Magnus Carlsen and his family owns 9.5% of the company. The issue was also significantly oversubscribed. In total, the company now has just over 250 shareholders.The World Chess Champion said: “The company’s unique vision is to make chess available to new target groups all over the world. In addition, our model will help many more chess players and coaches to be able to make a living from chess. The company has just started on this journey and I look forward to being part of it going forward.” Play Magnus Group offers services where everyone can play, watch, and learn chess. The group’s services consist of the Play Magnus App Suite, chess24, Chessable and CoChess. In addition, in 2020 the group launched a professional online chess tournament, the Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour, which gained significant interest and viewership worldwide. Play Magnus Group has more than 3 million registered users across the platforms and approximately 35,000 monthly paying customers worldwide. Play Magnus Group has an annual revenue run-rate of approximately USD 7 million, with around 120% YoY revenue growth for H1 2020. ABG Sundal Collier ASA and SpareBank1 Markets AS are acting as Joint Bookrunners in connection with the Private Placement. About Play Magnus Play Magnus AS was established by Magnus Carlsen, Espen Agdestein, and Anders Brandt in 2013. Play Magnus Group offers solutions for chess players all over the world through its ecosystem of products and services. The company offers eLearning and entertainment services through its market-leading brands: chess24, Chessable, CoChess, Play Magnus, and The Champions Chess Tour. Play Magnus’ group’s vision is to grow chess to make the world a smarter place
Norway Chess R03: Aronian joins Caruana at the top
Fabiano Caruana scored just one point in Round 3 and allowed Levon Aronian to catch up with him after beating Jan-Krzysztof Duda. Magnus Carlsen is just one point behind the leaders after winning the all-Norwegian battle with Aryan Tari. Jan-Krzysztof Duda’s woes continue as he suffered another defeat, this time at the hands of Levon Aronian. After quick exchanges in the opening, the opponents reached an absolutely equal rook endgame but by making one inaccuracy after another the Polish GM found himself in a tough position which he failed to hold. Fabiano Caruana got some initiative with black pieces against Alireza Firouzja but the youngster managed to consolidate his position and the opponents shook hands on move 36. The Armageddon game saw the Queen’s Gambit Accepted with colors reversed in which Firouzja’s pawns on the queenside proved to be much more dangerous than Caruana’s central pawns. Alireza stopped the leader and now sits on 5.5 points. Magnus Carlsen went for a sharp line of the Rauzer with Black but up to some point his opponent Aryan Tari was playing with precision and obtained a promising position. However, the younger of two Norwegians went astray on move 23 and then four moves down the road missed a spectacular blow 26…Re1! Although the World Champion did not take the shortest way to victory, the result of the game was never in doubt. Standings after Round 3:1-2. Aronian, Caruana – 73.Carlsen – 64. Firouzja – 5.55-6. Duda, Tari – 0
Norway Chess R02: Caruana shoots ahead
Alireza Firouzja slammed a rook down in disgust as he lost on time to Magnus Carlsen in an Armageddon game where he’d looked to be cruising to victory. That left Alireza tied for 2nd place with birthday boy Levon Aronian, who made Aryan Tari regret playing the Marshall against one of its best exponents. Out in front after two rounds of Altibox Norway Chess is Fabiano Caruana, who made it 6/6 with a convincing win over Jan-Krzysztof Duda, though the Polish star put up strong resistance before conceding defeat in 94 moves. Carlsen ½-½ Firouzja (Magnus wins in Armageddon) This match-up between the current and perhaps future kings of chess has already become a classic, and it lived up to its billing on Tuesday in Stavanger. The classical game saw Alireza Firouzja play the Queen’s Gambit Declined, and in fact the same line that the watching Vladimir Kramnik had played against Magnus in the Legends of Chess in July. Alireza varied on move 10, however, and then followed up with the bold 11…b5!? What followed was a tense battle, with Magnus coming close to a winning advantage. “The computer shows that 35.Bd6! wins”, said Magnus, but he also noted of 35…d4 36.exd4 Rxf3+ 37.Kg1! that, “I didn’t even consider a line where I’m letting him take on f3!” Magnus instead played 35.Bd3, which he thought was much better for him, only to be shocked by 35…d4 36.e4 Ra8 37.Bc4 Rc2! The World Champion described that move as “incredibly unpleasant”, and it was the kind of moment he had in mind when he summed up: “I feel like I missed too many things today. It’s about the opponent as well, since he has a very tricky style, he always plays for some little tactics, but I feel like today was not great, so I still have a way to go.” That meant Magnus would play Armageddon for the second day in a row, and chess fans were treated to a repeat of the Carlsen – Firouzja game in the World Blitz Championship late last year. This time Alireza had the black pieces and only needed a draw, and while Magnus had 10 minutes to his opponent’s 7, that gap had been cut to a minute when Firouzja went for the bold 13…f5. Magnus burnt up more time before playing 14.0-0-0?! (short castling looks much safer) and soon Firouzja was completely on top. It looked like he had everything worked out until 31.Rxf3: 31…Rxf3 32.Qxf3 Qxh2+! 33.Re2 Qxg3!! was exactly in Alireza’s style, and there would have been no hope left for Magnus. After 31…Nxg3, however, the position simplified to a roughly equal rook and pawn endgame. That should still have been enough for Alireza, but in fact, by the final position things had gone wrong for the Iranian wunderkind, since, as in the World Blitz Championship, Firouzja lost on time! “It was obviously pretty undeserved, the Armageddon thing, but it happens!” said Magnus, who admitted he’d been “completely outplayed” for most of the game. It was another painful loss for the 17-year-old, but in the bigger picture, it only cost him half a point. Alireza is a point ahead of Magnus thanks to winning a classical game in Round 1, and Kramnik summed up, “so far the play of Alireza Firouzja is very convincing”. Caruana 1-0 Duda The leader, on a perfect 6/6, is Fabiano Caruana, who was in impressive form for a second game in the row. Jan-Krzysztof Duda continues to disappoint in the opening, this time finding himself in deep positional danger by move 20, before he made things much worse with 23…b6? Fabiano himself later commented on the move, “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it, because it just looks dead lost”. He felt 23…Nbd7 was essential, while in the game Black was in a hopeless situation when the white pieces were able to occupy the outposts on a6 and c6. To Duda’s credit, however, he kept cool and brought the game to a simplified ending where White’s two minor pieces were too much for Black’s rook, but it took another 60 moves for Fabiano to finally drive a stake through his opponent’s heart and pick up the full 3 points. Aronian 1-0 Tari Levon Aronian was celebrating his 38th birthday and even later had a concerto performed in his honor! He was able to enjoy it since he’d earlier beaten local hero Aryan Tari, who sprang a surprise in the opening by playing the Marshall. During a Banter Blitz session earlier this year, Levon (“LeeVaughn”) had joked about Black’s pawn sacrifice being a “common blunder”. Of course, he’s arguably the world’s leading player of that opening with Black, and his response was to test Aryan in the main lines: “I was thinking my opponent played the Marshall for the first time in his life, so I should try to play something structural so he would have to think how to attack.” Aryan was clearly struggling to formulate a plan and, imperceptibly, his compensation for the sacrificed pawn slipped away until he simply found himself in a dead lost endgame. Tari played on for a while, but there was to be no heroic resistance and he resigned on move 48. That means Aronian joins Firouzja in second place behind Caruana, with the scoring system this year rewarding classical wins to the full. Text: Colin McGourty (chess24.com) Photo: Lennart Ootes Official site: https://norwaychess.no/en/
Norway Chess R01: Caruana and Firouzja take early lead
Fabiano Caruana and Alireza Firouzja are the early leaders of Altibox Norway Chess after winning their classical games with the black pieces. Fabiano bamboozled Aryan Tari with a bold pawn sacrifice in the opening, while Jan-Krzysztof Duda seemed to have dug himself out of an opening disaster only to let Firouzja take over in time trouble. Magnus Carlsen’s unbeaten classical streak stretched to 122 games as he drew against Levon Aronian before winning their Armageddon game. There are 3 points for a classical win, 1.5 points for a win in Armageddon and 1 point for a loss in Armageddon More to follow Text: chess24.com Photo: Lennart Ootes Official site: https://norwaychess.no/en/
Chess meets history
On October 1, in 17 districts of Antalya, chess was taken to amazing historical places under the Turkish Chess Federation’s project “Chess meets history”. About a thousand players took part, with chess boards being placed in Alanya Castle and ancient cities Phaselis, Perge, Finike, and other landmarks. The Turkish Chess Federation is planning to expand this project to all historical points of the county. Another interesting project by the Turkish Chess Federation “Chess in Streets” has been held for the sixth time this year from September 12 to September 20, 2020, with hundreds of players from all over the country participating under the motto “put on your mask, keep your distance and make your move”. They supported this initiative by playing chess in gardens, streets, seasides, mountains, and forests.
FIDE Vice-President Anastasia Sorokina visits Albania
From September 29 to October 2, FIDE Vice-President, Chairperson of Belarus Chess Federation Anastasia Sorokina paid a visit to the capital of Albania Tirana, and held a number of fruitful working meetings with local authorities. The main focus was on chess development and establishing international cooperation between FIDE and the Albanian Chess Federation. During a working meeting with the Rector of the University of Sports of Tirana, Professor Agron Kasa, the parties discussed possible cooperation with the University of Sports in the certification of school teachers under the project “Chess in Schools” the Albanian Chess Federation actively involved in. During a meeting with Mr. Stavri Bello, Secretary-General of the NOC Albania at the National Olympic Committee office, the potential of holding FIDE events, seminars, and workshops in Albania was also discussed. From September 25 to 27 September 30, Tirana hosted the Final of the Youth Championships. Anastasia Sorokina together with the President of the Albanian Chess Federation Mr. Eduard Shalsi and the Vice President Mr. Erald Dervishi took part in the closing ceremony and awarded the winners. Anastasia Sorokina also gave a simul to the participants of the championships. The working meetings in Albania laid a solid foundation for further close cooperation between FIDE and the Albanian Chess Federation.
Silla – Bosch Serinsys wins Spanish Team Championship
The highest division of the Spanish Team Championship (Campeonato de España por Equipos de Club de División de Honor) was held in Linares from September 23 to September 29. Eight best local teams with six boards in each (one woman) competed in the round-robin format. The defending champion Magic Extremadura from Merida did not manage to repeat its last-year result and finished third. The new champion, Silla – Bosch Serinsys (with Anton Korobov and Alexei Shirov on top boards) drew all three matches with the main competitors but won all the rest. Andreu Paterna, Magic Extremadura, and Beniajan – Duochess were not as “rational” as they exchanged blows facing each other and lost critical points. Before the final round Silla – Bosch Serinsys was one point ahead of Andreu Paterna but faced a strong opponent Gros Xake Taldea whereas its main rival took on Solvay. Andreu Paterna did its part, convincingly winning the match, and got a theoretical chance to catch up with the leader in case it would have stumbled. Etienne Bacrot (Gros Xake Taldea) scored a nice victory over Anton Korobov, but Alexei Shirov and Nijat Abasov pulled Bosch Serinsys in front. The fate of the match and the title was decided on the fifth board where Alwar Alonso held a tough position vs. Alejandro Franco and earned so much needed draw that handed his team a victory by a slim margin. Final standings: 1. C.A. SILLA – BOSCH SERINSYS – 11 (26)2. C.A. ANDREU PATERNA – 10 (24½)3. C.A. MAGIC EXTREMADURA – 9 (23½)4. C.A.C. BENIAJÁN – DUOCHESS – 7 (22)5. GROS XAKE TALDEA – 7 (20)6. C.A. JAIME CASAS – 6 (22½)7. C.A. SOLVAY – 6 (21)8. C.A. COLLADO VILLALB – 0 (8½) Photo: FEDA Official site: www.feda.org
REGISTRATION: FIDE Online Olympiad for people with disabilities
The International Chess Federation pleased to announce the opening of registration for the first FIDE Online Olympiad for People with Disabilities. The event will take place from November 20 to December 3, 2020: Please check the regulations for a complete schedule. The registration deadline is by October 20, 2020. We should register online through the link https://dis-olymp.fide.com, using the unique username and password that has been sent by email to your President. Please remember that your federation can register up to 4 national teams, as per point 2 of the Regulations. Your participation is most welcomed. FIDE DIS Commission