FIDE Fair Play Seminar in Durrës, Albania, announced
FIDE Fair Play Commission, in collaboration with FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess and the Albanian Chess Federation, is pleased to announce the upcoming FIDE Fair Play Seminar, scheduled to take place in Durrës, Albania, from October 4-7, 2023. The seminar will coincide with the European Club Cup 2023, making it an ideal opportunity for chess arbiters, organizers, and others interested in gathering and learning crucial aspects of fair play in chess. The seminar aims to provide fair play knowledge and share the best practices at events. Scope of the seminar – Fair Play Legal Framework – Anti-Cheating Regulations – Prof. Regan’s Statistics – Technical devices and their usage – Fair Play Theory and Practice at OTB Events Lecturers will also cover various topics such as preparations for an event, interaction with tournament officials and spectators, crowd management, preventing or detecting cheating, observations, body language, psychological aspects and odd behaviours, statistics, etc., all in the spirit of recognizing, detecting, and preventing unethical practices and promoting a positive chess culture. At the end of the seminar, on the successful completion of the exam, the seminar participants will receive an FPE seminar norm as one of the requirements for the FPE title. The FIDE Fair Play Seminar is open to all chess enthusiasts, players, coaches, arbiters, organizers, and officials who share a passion for promoting fair play, learning more about the dark side of the sport and the practices of recognition and prevention, upholding the highest ethical standards in chess. Attendees will gain invaluable knowledge and insights to reinforce fair play practices within their respective chess federations and communities. Dates: October 4-7, 2023 Location and venue: Grand Blue FAFA, Durrës, Albania Photo: fafa.al/grand-blue-fafa/ Registration Registration for the FIDE Fair Play Seminar opens on the 1st of August. Registration deadline: 1st of October. The number of places is limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess covers 10 spots for 10 female participants (seminar + exam only) – on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve your spot, please send a registration e-mail to: fairplay@fide.com and secretary.fpl@fide.com. Visa & Accommodation Regarding visa requirements and accommodation, please email the Organizing Committee (office@clubcup2023.com).More information on the following link – clubcup2023.com/tournament-info/visas/ Seminar fee: 200 EUR Exam fee: 50 EUR Seminar Language: English Seminar Lecturers: Bojana Bejatovic – FPL SecretaryLecturer 2 – To be confirmedLecturer 3 – To be confirmed Another important seminar will run at the same dates, so those interested can benefit from attending both. You have a chance to become a certified DGT e-boards operator. Seminar Agenda and Syllabus will be provided additionally. We look forward to welcoming you at the FIDE Fair Play Seminar to fortify the foundations of fair play in chess.
FIDE World Youth Olympiad 2023: Day 1 Recap
The FIDE World Youth Olympiad 2023 kicked off today at Eindhoven’s High Tech Campus in the Netherlands. The “smartest square kilometre in the world” is a fitting backdrop for the U16 team chess tournament, which brings together 252 players from 63 teams and 47 countries. The Olympiad is a 9-round Swiss tournament with a time control of 45 minutes with an increment of 10 seconds per move starting from move 1. Each team consists of four players, of which at least one woman player. Opening Ceremony This year, the Royal Dutch Chess Federation marks its 150th anniversary as the oldest chess federation in the world. The President of the Federation and WGM, Bianca de Jong-Muhren, expressed her enthusiasm during the opening ceremony, stating, “We managed to bring an international youth championship to the Netherlands, with a new international women’s top tournament as a bonus. We are going to make it an unforgettable event!” After the opening ceremony, she seamlessly transitioned to providing commentary alongside IM Stefan Kuipers. The event’s opening was graced by Maes van Lanschot, Eindhoven’s alderman of sports and a chess enthusiast, who made the ceremonial first move alongside Yichen Han, the first board player from the Dutch team. Round 1 results Top team Kazakhstan 1 had a significant challenge against Australia 1. Boards 1-3 ended in draws, with only the game between WCM Cheng (Australia) and WIM Alua Nurmanova of Kazakhstan (pictured below) ending in favor of the favorite. After an inaccuracy in black’s opening, white seized control of the dark squares. This became evident when the white knight landed on d6 on move 12. With control over these dark squares, the white player didn’t let go of the advantage. With a devastating king’s attack and a beautiful final combination, white decided the game. The second team in the starting list, China, had less trouble against the 4th team from the Netherlands. Boards 1-3 saw intense battles, with the advantage often leaning towards China during the games. Sascha Kurt saved the honor for the Dutch team by holding his opponent to a draw. On board 4, WIM Lu launched a strong attack against Boyd Leenen. The attack was a great example of aggressively breaking through a position. A visual delight with piece sacrifices, perhaps not as much for Boyd Leenen. Check out the game on lichess.org And now, on to the first surprise between Georgia and Turkey. According to the ratings, Turkey was the favorite, although the rapid ratings seemed to be somewhat misleading. On board 1, IM Gurel (Turkey) had a chance to clinch a win against FM Kiladze (Georgia), who agreed to a draw in a better position due to severe time pressure. Board 4 also seemed in favor of Georgia for a long time, but unfortunately, Kesaria Mgeladze couldn’t convert her advantage into a win against WCM Akat. The fate of the match was decided on the boards in between, with special attention to board 3, where IM Erdogmus demonstrated how to seize and maintain control. As often happens in these openings, it’s a risk for black to exchange on d4 and thus give up the center. Nevertheless, black did this, giving white a pleasant spatial advantage. When the black knight was banished to b7 on move 20, black had to admit that there were many weak spots in the position. It became a long ordeal where Erdogmus showed that there’s no need to rush to exploit weaknesses. Check out the game on lichess.org Despite Erdogmus’s win, the match was tied 2-2 draw, as the Georgian WFM Kirtadze proved stronger than FM Kilic. Moving on to the host country, the Netherlands, which stands in 4th place with their first team and surely aims to contend for the podium. On board 1, FM Yichen Han seemed to struggle to achieve much with his London System. However, his opponent from Kazakhstan 5(!) was a bit too greedy by capturing the h-pawn. Rooks love open lines, so Han probably welcomed this move. Not much later, Bogdanov made an even bigger blunder. A rough start for the black player. For Kazakhstan 5, Mariya Kholyavo upheld the honor by defeating Dana Verheij in an exciting game. In a tactical feast from the Sicilian Defense, Kholyavo showed better calculation. Take a look at the various tactics in this game. FM Arthur de Winter (board 2) and Prajit Kumar (board 3) engaged in battles where they proved superior to their opponents. The other Dutch teams enjoyed success. Team 4 lost to China but teams 2 and 3 won their matches. Team 2, consisting of Kobe Smeets, Roger Labruyere, Rhys Arnold, and Isafara Gergin, faced off against Thailand 2. The result was 3-1, with Isafara unfortunately losing to an opponent who played extremely precisely. The remaining games were far from smooth, but determination and sharpness were on the Dutch side. Team 3, with Noah Ritzerveld, Wouter Terlouw, Oscar Zecha, and Fleur Westerhof, proved to be too much for Uganda 3. Quite a young team, with Fleur Westerhof from 2009 as the “oldest” player on the team. Results of top10 matches: Australia 1 – Kazakhstan 1 1½-2½China – The Netherlands 4 3½-½Georgia – Turkey 2-2The Netherlands 1 – Kazakhstan 5 3-1Kazakhstan 4 – Hungary 1-3Uzbekistan – Canada 2 4-0Paraguay – Azerbaijan 0-4France – Morocco 3-1Canada 3 – Israel 0-4Romania – South Africa 1 4-0 Text: Bram Klapwijk Photos: Lennart Ootes and Frans Peeters Official website: youtholympiad2023.fide.com/
FIDE World Cup Round 5 Game 2: Decisive outcomes and missed opportunities
All but one spot for the final eight in the Open has been decided after today’s round. Three out of four games in the Women’s tournament see one side drop a winning position Magnus Carlsen eliminated Vasyl Ivanchuk with another victory today. Nijat Abasov and R Praggnanandhaa join Carlsen as a trio that progresses to the final eight with a 100 per cent score in round five. Caruana is also through, along with Dominguez, Erigaisi and Gukesh. Nepomniachtchi and Vidit will decide in tomorrow’s tiebreak who will take the last remaining place in the quarter-finals. Tan Zhongyi is the only player to qualify for the semi-finals among the women, while the rest go to the tiebreaks. Three of the four games in the Women’s tournament today saw one side drop a winning position. The Open Tournament Highlights Vasyl Ivanchuk, the great chess wizard from Ukraine, finally broke. In his second game against Carlsen, he suffered another defeat, this time with the white pieces. Ivanchuk had his chances in the Anti-Marshall line of the Ruy Lopez but did not find a way to increase pressure, and after mutual inaccuracies, the opponents entered an even bishop endgame (with Carlsen having a runner on the b-file). The Ukrainian GM completely misplayed it blundering a pawn, and resigned two moves later. Baku will definitely see a new World Cup champion as the winner of the previous edition, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, is also out. After a draw in the first game, he lost as White to Fabiano Caruana in an exciting game. Ian Nepomniachtchi enters his third tiebreak of the World Cup as he drew again today against Vidit Santosh Gujrathi. Azerbaijan’s Nijat Abasov is through, having defeated Saleh Salem in both games. Dominguez, Gukesh and Erigaisi are also through – they all drew their games, having won in the first duel. Praggnanandhaa also advanced after a late win against Ferenc Berkes. The formidable Hungarian master had an excellent run at the World Cup. However, today he found himself in a difficult position on the black side of the French Defence. Playing actively on both flanks, Praggnanandhaa achieved a dominant position by move 24, before executing a nice combination that left him with a winning endgame. The Women’s Tournament Highlights While the Open tournament featured a lot of winning games, things were slightly different in the Women’s World Cup, with plenty of missed chances. Elisabeth Paehtz and Anna Muzychuk drew once again today. Muzychuk had a clearly winning position in the endgame after a blunder by Paehtz but let it slip within two moves. Harika Dronavalli and Aleksandra Goryachkina played the Berlin line of the Ruy Lopez, which ended in a rook endgame. The two spent a lot of time testing each other before deciding to call it a day. With two draws, the victor will be decided in the tiebreaks. Polina Shuvalova made a comeback against Bulgaria’s Nurgyul Salimova. In a game which saw huge swings – with Salimova at one point winning – Shuvalova came out victorious after securing two passers for a knight, with rooks on the board. Tan Zhongyi is through after securing a draw against Bella Khotenashvili. In an endgame with a pair of bishops and a pair of rooks on the board, Khotenashvili was on the brink of victory twice but misplayed both times. The full results of today’s games can be found here: worldcup2023.fide.com/pairings. The tiebreaks game of round five starts on Monday, 14th of August, at 3 PM local time in Baku, Azerbaijan. Here follows a closer look at some of the top games of the second day of Roud 5: Fabiano Caruana is in great shape, and he is showing it. He went to the tiebreaks only once so far (against Yilmaz in round three, beating him both times). Today, he defeated the 2021 World Cup winner, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, on the black side of Nimzo-Indian. Black has a sizable edge, as his knights are much more active than the white bishops. Choosing between two evils, Duda took the “wrong” knight. He should have taken the one on c4, although after 20.Bxc4 dxc4 21.Qa3 Nf6 White’s position is no fun. Instead, Jan-Krzysztof played 20.Bxe4 but after 20…fxe4 21.fxe4 Rxf1 22.Rxf1 dxe4 Black’s c4-knight is dominating, and the queen is coming to d5 next. 23.Qc3 Kh7 24.Bf4 Qd5! X-raying the white king. White has no reasonable defence against a coordinated attack of Black’s pieces. 25.Kg3 Rf8 26.Qb4 Rf7 27.Rc1 g5! after this move White’s position falls apart. 28.Qxc4 gxf4+ 29.Kg2 f3+ 30.Kf1 Qd7 (30…Qxc4 was enough, but Fabiano wanted to finish the game with a direct attack) 31.d5 Re7. Now these two pawns will wreak havoc on White. 32.Qc5 Re5 33.Re1 Rxd5 34.Qc2 Qb5+! The end is near for White. 35.Kf2 Qb6+ 36.Kf1 Rd4 37.Kf2 Qa6+ 38.Kg1 Qd6 39.Kf1 Rd1 40.Qe3 Qd3+ 41.Kf2 (after 41.Qxd3 Rxe1+ 42.Kxe1 exd3 White inevitably runs in zugzwang) Rd2+ 43.Kg3 f2 In this position, the 2021 World Cup winner finally threw in the towel. 0-1 Praggnanandhaa ended Ferenc Berkes’ ambitions in the World Cup today, scoring a spectacular victory. The Hungarian was in a difficult spot after the opening. Pragg, who is much better, has just pushed g2-g4. For better or worse, Ferenc should have retreated his knight to e7, although his position is not to be envied. 24….Nxh4? This capture fails to a nice combination by the young Indian. 25.Nxh4 Qxh4 26.Bxc4! bxc4 27.Rxc6! Rxc6 28.Ra8+ Kd7 29.Qf3 f5 30.b5 Rc8 31.Nxd5! A sacrifice Black cannot accept as it leads to checkmate. 31…Qxg4+ 32.Qxg4 fxg4 33.Nb6+ Kc7 34.Nxc8 Kb7 35.Ra6 Kc8 36.Rxe6 and White’s passers are much faster. 1-0, 48 moves. Nurgyul Salimova (playing as Black) had a chance to qualify for the next stage directly. She had a dominant position against Polina Shuvalova but ended up spoiling it. Both sides exchanged critical mistakes in this see-saw game, but Salimova did it one time too many. Salimova has a knight for two pawns, but White’s pawns have still not advanced far, and Black is holding everything. White just played 33.h3, and the best option was 33…hxg4 (or 33…a1Q+ straight away with the
World Cup Round 5 Game 1: Multiple victories and surprises in Baku
Round five of the World Cup in Baku saw a day of gripping matches with seven out of 12 games played in both the Open and the Women’s tournament ending in victories The Open tournament saw as many as five games finishing in a victory. Magnus Carlsen triumphed over Vasyl Ivanchuk in a poignant match, after choosing a better plan during strategical manoeuvring. Leinier Dominguez Perez, Nijat Abasov as well as Indians Gukesh D and Arjun Erigaisi are also among the winners of the first day of round five. There were two decisive games in the Women’s tournament – former World Champion Tan Zhongyi defeated Bella Khotenashvili while Polina Shuvalova lost to Nurgyul Salimova after a mistake in an even endgame. Elisabeth Paehtz had a relatively quick draw with Anna Muzychuk, while Aleksandra Goryachkina and Harika Dronavalli split a point following a long debate in the Tarrasch. The Open Tournament Highlights In the match of the day, Magnus Carlsen defeated the Ukrainian legend Vasyl Ivanchuk after a challenging game which lasted 43 moves. The match between the two is more than chess, especially in the current circumstances. Until shortly before the World Cup started it wasn’t even clear whether Ivanchuk will be allowed to leave his war-torn country to play. Despite coming straight from a war zone, Ivanchuk showed incredible strength and focus and made it to the final 16. However, today wasn’t his day on the board. Playing the Catalan, Ivanchuk made a mistake in the positional manoeuvring, allowing Carlsen to activate his pieces and build up momentum. By move 36 Black was in deep trouble with Carlsen having two extra pawns and posing threats across the board. Ivanchuk tried to find a vent for his pieces, but Carlsen played very precisely and didn’t allow Black any chances. Rather than continue to suffer, Ivanchuk decided to resign after three hours of play. Leinier Dominguez Perez scored as White against Alexey Sarana. In the Sicilian, Perez emerged with slightly more initiative and with a pair of bishops. Sarana underestimated the threat that bishops posed and, after a blunder, entered a losing position. Wang Hao lost with white pieces against Gukesh D. While the two sides were even for most of the game, the Chinese Grandmaster misplayed in the endgame allowing Black to progress his d-pawn to promotion and win material. Another Indian, Arjun Erigaisiwas trying to squeeze blood from a stone in an even endgame against Nils Grandelius and, eventually, his determination paid off as the Swedish GM overlooked a pawn. In the final twist of the day, Saleem Saleh made a fatal error in an equal endgame against Nijat Abasov that cost him a game. Vidit and Nepomniachtchi drew in the Petrov Defense. After an imprecision by Nepomniachtchi (who was playing as Black), Vidit had a slight edge but then he missed the best move and the game was even until the end, finishing with a threefold repetition. Hungarian Ferenc Berkes and R Praggnanandhaa split a point in the Semi-Slav. Caruana and Duda also drew their game. After a theoretical debate in the Petrov where both sides played very precisely, the two gradually transitioned towards a drawn rook endgame and decided to split a point. The Women’s Tournament Highlights Tan Zhongyi was the first to score a victory in the Women’s quarter-finals. She defeated Georgia’s Bella Khotenashvili with white pieces. The former World Champion was better throughout the game, but on two occasions she dropped her advantage and allowed Black to equalise. Khotenashvili didn’t use these opportunities and ended up losing with an effective sacrifice combination leading to checkmate. Bulgaria’s Nurgyul Salimova staged a surprise, defeating Polina Shuvalova. In the Queen’s Gambit Declined, White (Salimova) gained a slight edge which she held throughout the game. The two reached an endgame with a minor piece and a rook each and it looked like a draw. However, Shuvalova somewhat surprisingly gave up an important pawn on g5, leaving White with a runner on the g-file. White then transitioned to a winning rook endgame and converted her advantage by move 77. Aleksandra Goryachkina and Harika Dronavalli drew their game in the Tarrasch Defence. Anna Muzychuk and Elisabet Paehtz also split a point. In the Four Knights Sicilian, the two quickly progressed to an even rook endgame and decided to call it a day. The full results of today’s games can be found here: worldcup2023.fide.com/pairings. The second game of round five starts on Sunday, 13th of August, at 3 PM local time in Baku, Azerbaijan. Here follows a closer look at some of the top games of the round five: Magnus Carlsen defeated Vasyl Ivanchuk with white pieces in the Catalan. It’s Black’s turn to move and the best option here was to continue development with Rfe8. However, Ivanchuk took on f3 and from this moment on his position started to deteriorate. 22…Bxf3 23.Nxf3a6 24.Ra4 White got more space while Black has no good active options. 30.Qc2! Sensing opportunity, Carlsen begins to align an attack on the black king. 30…g6 31.Ba2 Kg7 32.Ng5 Rf8 33.e6 The computer suggested Qe4 and Ree4 as stronger options. Now Black could have played 33…Nd4 with complications although White is significantly better. Ivanchuk, however, played 33…f6? 34.Bb1! f5 35.Qc1 Rd5? 36.Ba2! Rc5 37.Qe3 Nd5 38.Qd2 Rf6 39.b4 Rc3. With the pendulum-like manoeuvre of his bishop White unhinged Black’s defence and now Magnus proceeds to simplify the position into a winning game. 40.Bxd5 cxd5 41.Qxd5 f4 Black tried to find a way for some activity but to no avail. 42.gxf4 Rf5 43.Qe4 and at this point Ivanchuk decided to call it a day, finding himself in a dead end without any solid viable moves. 1-0 A very important victory for Carlsen. Leinier Dominguez Perez scored a solid win against Alexey Sarana. The position is even. White has a pair of bishops and more initiative but overall, Black should be able to hold. However, Sarana overlooked a threat from the bishops’ pair. 21…b5? (21…Rbc8 and 21…Kh8 keeping the balance were much better options) 22.Qe5 Rac8 23.h5! Bxc2 Forcing Black to remove his
FIDE World Senior Team Championships 2023: Registration deadline extended
All FIDE member Federations have an excellent opportunity to register their teams and become a part of the World Senior Teams Chess Championships 2023 in Struga (North Macedonia), situated on the shore of spectacular Ohrid Lake. The registration deadline has been extended to August 18. The Championships will take place from September 18 (arrival) to 29 (departure), 2023. The event will be played in two categories: age 50+ and age 65+. There will be separate Women’s Championship(s) if there are at least ten teams from at least two continents. Otherwise, women’s teams will play in the open tournament(s). Every player must have reached or reach the required age in the year of competition. Official website: seniorteam2023.fide.com E-mail: seniorteam2023@fide.com Regulations and invitation letter (pdf)
World Cup Round 4 Tiebreaks: Hikaru Nakamura and Ju Wenjun are out
Round 4 tiebreaks saw another set of top players eliminated from the World Cup, including a shocking exit by one of the world’s top players, Hikaru Nakamura In the Open tournament, Magnus Carlsen triumphed over Vincent Keymer after two rapid tiebreak matches. Hikaru Nakamura, one of the favourites in the event, was eliminated after losing both tiebreak games to the 18-year-old Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa. In the Women’s tournament, World Champion Ju Wenjun was eliminated after losing to Germany’s Elisabeth Paehtz in the first tiebreaker (0.5:1.5), while Georgia’s Bella Khotenashvili defeated India’s Humpy Koneru. The Open Tournament Highlights Magnus Carlsen managed to qualify to the next stage but it wasn’t easy: the World Champion in Rapid had to play two sets of rapid matches against German prodigy Vincent Keymer who gave the Norwegian a nasty shock, defeating him two days ago. The first tiebreak match ended with two draws, despite Carlsen having strong chances in both games. The second tiebreak match started with a draw where neither side managed to get an advantage. In the second game, Carlsen had a winning position by move 23. However, he first dropped the advantage but then regained it a few moves later. Carlsen continued to gradually improve his position until forcing Keymer to surrender after 68 moves in a queens’ endgame. One of the strongest world players, including in rapid chess, Hikaru Nakamura, was knocked out of the World Cup today by R Praggnanandhaa who turned 18 just yesterday! The Indian defeated Nakamura in both of their rapid games during the first tiebreak. In both games, Praggnanandhaa emerged better from the opening and held the initiative until sealing the victory. Surprisingly, as soon as Praggnanandhaa won, Magnus Carlsen, who was in the middle of his own game, stood up to congratulate the Indian player. Speaking after his victory, the 18-year-old Indian happily noted: “It is one of my best days”. In another notable upset, Azerbaijan’s Nijat Abasov overcame the seasoned Grandmaster Peter Svidler, winning 1.5:0.5 in their rapid tiebreak. Svidler lost the second rapid game as White after blundering in an even position. One of the top favourites, Ian Nepomniachtchi, defeated Nihal Sarin 2:0 in their rapid tiebreak match. Sarin had more chances in the first game and missed a win, while in the second his opponent dominated throughout the game. Salem Saleh advanced into the round of 16 after defeating Daniele Vocaturo in both rapids finishing a great run of the Italian GM in Baku. Gukesh D is also through after beating Esipenko 1.5:0.5 in the first tiebreaker. Duda, Dominguez and Ivanchuk progressed to the 1/8 stage after winning in their second rapid matches of the day. The longest tiebreak duel of the day was played between China’s Wang Hao and Germany’s Rasmus Svane. After all four games in the two rapid tiebreak matches ended in a draw, it all came down to the Blitz. In time trouble, Wang Hao missed a winning opportunity in game one which ended in a draw. In the second 5+3 game the opponents split a point as well. The German finally broke in the endgame of the first 3+2 game allowing Wang to win and proceed to the next stage. The Women’s Tournament Highlights The Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun has been knocked out of the Women’s World Cup after losing the second tiebreak game to Germany’s Elisabeth Paehtz. The tiebreaker saw a quiet draw in game one, but in game two Paehtz (playing as White) punished her opponent’s imprecisions made early on and converted her sizable positional advantage in a rook endgame. In another big upset, Women’s fourth strongest woman player, Humpy Koneru, lost both of her rapid games against Georgia’s Bella Khotenashvili. The Georgian was clearly better in game one, but in the second duel, Harika blundered in an even position and ended up facing checkmate. Bulgaria’s Nurgyul Salimova is through to the next stage, having prevailed over Medina Warda Aulia 1.5:0.5 in the first tiebreaker after the player from Indonesia blundered in a better position as Black in game two. Harika Dronavalli bested Dutch Women’s Champion Eline Roebers. The full results of today’s tiebreaks can be found here: https://worldcup2023.fide.com/pairings. Round five starts on Saturday, 12th of August, at 3 PM local time in Baku, Azerbaijan. Here follows a closer look at some of the top games of the round four tiebreaks: In the first game of the tiebreak rapid match, Praggnanandha achieved a better position as Black as early as move nine after White played 9.a3 White should have opted for 9.d4 as was played in numerous games but Hikaru mixed up his move order. After 9…Ba5 10.d3 Nxd5! 11.cxd5 Nb8 (a seemingly unnatural but the right move) 12.dxe4 gxh4 13.Bh6 Re8 14.gxh4 Qxh4 15.Qc1 f6 16.Kh1 Nd7 and Black had little problem converting his extra piece. 33 moves, 0-1 The Indian prodigy outplayed Nakamura in their second game as well, justifying his place in the final 16. Peter Svidler was out after misplaying in an even position, against Nijat Abasov. The best option for White was 25.Bc7. Instead, Svidler played 25.Bg5? but overlooked a strong reply by his opponent. 25…Ne5! 26.Nd6 Nxd6 27.Bxb7 Bc5 and White resigned facing either losing his queen or checkmate attack he can not defend himself from. 0-1 Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun exits the World Cup without much to show. In almost all of her games – including those where she had the initiative of the first move – she played rather quietly and without much vigour. After making a relatively quick draw in an uneventful game where she was White, she got punished in the second one by Paehtsz. Ju started making mistakes early on, and White kept picking up on them. 9…Qb6? A first mistake. 9…Nxe5 is better for Black. 10.0-0 Be7 11.Nxd7! Nxd7 12.Bxd5! In the case of 12…exd5 13.Nxd5 and the e7-bishop is falling with the king trapped in the centre awaiting an unpleasant end. 12…Qxb2 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.Qd3 0-0 White has a sizable advantage thanks to a better pawn structure and more active pieces. By move 22, White
FIDE against sexism and sexual abuse in chess
Statement of International Chess Federation against sexism and sexual abuse in chess At FIDE, we are deeply moved by the letter signed by over 100 women chess players denouncing sexist and sexual violence in chess. This letter, initiated by 14 women of French chess, has reverberated throughout the chess world. We commend these women for their courage and solidarity. FIDE stands firmly against any behavior and actions based on sexism including any form of abuse. We are proud that more women are playing chess than ever before, and they deserve a safe and respectful environment. We want to underline that we take any reports of sexism and abuse very seriously and are committed to improving the chess world. We want to encourage more girls and women to play chess and pursue their passion, whether as a hobby, a sport, or a career. We continue our work on a safeguarding policy for women in chess, as we want to provide them with the tools and support to feel safe and confident. In the meantime, we urge any women players who have faced misconduct to file a complaint with the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission. The EDC operates with confidentiality and respect for the complainant’s privacy. We believe in the power of the chess family too. Together, we can improve the culture and make our chess community a safe, respectful, and friendly space for everyone. Even if just one woman is experiencing abuse, it is one too many.
FIDE World Junior Rapid & Blitz U20 Championship: Free accommodation available
The chess world’s spotlight will turn on Pula (Sardinia), Italy, this fall as the first-ever FIDE World Junior Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship U20 approaches. The event will take place on the second-largest Mediterranean Island from October 9 (arrival) to October 16 (departure), 2023. The Organizing Committee is thrilled to announce an amazing opportunity for the first 50 Federations to reach out. Seize a unique chance to get free accommodation for a boy and a girl chess player in our partner hotels by registering by August 25, 2023. Players will be accommodated on a “first come, first served” basis in the partner hotels (check out the official website). To take advantage of such an opportunity, please email the OC juniorrapidandblitz2023@fide.com expressing your interest and including the following details: Name, Surname, and FIDE ID. Only National Chess Federations can apply; individuals cannot submit their own requests. Regulations and invitation letter (pdf) Official website: juniorrapidandblitz2023.fide.com Email: juniorrapidandblitz2023@fide.com Photo: Olaf Tausch
GM Aleksandar Matanovic dies at 93
The renowned Yugoslav/Serbian Grandmaster Aleksandar Matanovic passed away in Belgrade on 9th August, two months after celebrating his 93rd birthday. Following the passing of Yuri Averbakh in May of 2022, Matanovic was the world’s oldest living Grandmaster. An eulogy by Milan Dinic Matanovic with his wife, Vesna, in Amsterdam in 1960 The President of FIDE, Arkady Dvorkovich, expressed his condolences to the family and added:“Aleksandar Matanovic made significant contributions to chess both on and off the board. From his remarkable games and tournament successes, to founding the Chess Informant and contributing to FIDE, his impact was profound. I had the privilege of meeting Matanovic in Belgrade at the end of January this year. Despite his age, his energy and passion were still evident. While the chess world mourns the loss of one of its heroes, Matanovic and his legacy will be forever remembered.” A journalist by training and a highly successful player, Matanovic has left an indelible mark on the chess world, both with his games and with his writing. Alongside Svetozar Gligoric, Borislav Ivkov and Milan Matulovic – he formed the backbone of the second superpower in the chess world, marking the golden era of Yugoslav chess from 1950 to 1980. Matanovic was also the vice president of FIDE from 1990 to 1994 and the director and editor of the esteemed Chess Informant (Šahovski Informator) publishing house which he co-founded in 1966. Aleksandar Matanović was born on the 23rd of May 1930 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. He learnt chess at the age of six from his sister. He became the Youth Champion of Serbia in 1947 and then the Youth Champion of Yugoslavia in 1948. He won the title of National Master in 1949, became IM in 1951 and a Grandmaster in 1955. He won the Yugoslav chess championship thrice – in 1962, 1969 and 1978. From a tournament in Australia in 1970 His first appearance in the Yugoslav team was in 1950 when he defeated Albert Pinkus 2:0 in a radio match between Yugoslavia and the US (which ended with an 11,5:8,5 victory for Yugoslavia). From 1954 to 1978 he was a permanent member of the Yugoslav Olympic team winning five silver and four bronze medals, as well as five individual medals (one gold, three silvers and one bronze). Altogether, Matanovic played in 11 chess Olympiads and was undefeated in four of them. In five European championships, between 1957 and 1977, he won four silver and one bronze team medal. In 1980 he was the coach of the national team that won the final Olympic medal for Yugoslavia. After retreating from actively playing chess, Matanovic continued to write and promote the game – with books (aimed at children and chess enthusiasts), articles and public appearances. Matanovic in May 2023 In May this year, to commemorate his 93rd birthday, the oldest newspaper in the Balkans – Serbian daily Politika – asked Matanovic to write a biographical article. He finished it with the following lines: “Chess is a game. Games [are a way to] determine the values of the various factors in sport. Not just human versus human. The chess player is the one side and chess is the other. When a chess player discovers all the secrets of chess, and that is in progress, chess will lose. When a violinist completely masters his instrument, or when a doctor discovers what causes a disease – they will win. The game is a conflict. Conflict, in anything, leads to progress. In chess, for example, the events on the board today are different from those of the previous era – they are on a higher level. When you set out on a journey of no return, who and what you are depends on what you leave behind. When my time comes, I will leave behind my wife, son, three grandchildren, three daughters-in-law, four great-grandchildren, the chess language, and countless games played… And the hope that everything that directed our lives will be better than it was”. Photos: Family archive / Courtesy of the Serbian Chess Federation
FIDE World Cup: Carlsen remains in the race, but Wesley So is out
The world’s highest-rated player won the second game against Vincent Keymer, to clinch the tiebreaks. American Wesley So has been eliminated, while Fabiano Caruana advances to the next round. Goryachkina, Shuvalova and Tan all go to the next round of the Women’s World Cup Magnus Carlsen had a lucky break today surviving his “first serious scare” as he put it. Following a stunning defeat in the first game, he made an error in the first part of the second but wasn’t punished. In the end, he defeated Vincent Keymer with white pieces thanks to a better performance in the endgame. Fabiano Caruana is also through, while Wesley So is out after not being able to achieve more than a draw against Sarana. In the Women’s tournament, among the top favourites, Alexandra Goryachkina and Polina Shuvalova qualified for the next round, while Ju Wenjun and Elisabeth Paehtz will decide the winner on the tiebreaks. Humpy Koneru won her second game against Khotenashvili, reaching the tiebreaks. The Open Tournament Highlights Magnus Carlsen made a comeback today as White after a loss in the previous game to Vincent Keymer. In the Ruy Lopez, Vincent Keymer held the position well but missed a brilliant chance on move 17…Nxe4!, which left Carlsen “shocked”. After that, Carlsen started to play “hesitantly at times” but was “completely fine”, according to the post-mortem by the winner. But in the endgame, the young German star started to err. First, right before the time control he gave Carlsen an easy and clear plan of pushing the a-pawn. In positional manouvering that occurred, Keymer could not find the best path forward and soon Carlsen’s king invaded and was winning. In the post-game interview world’s number one player was very open about his feelings: “Progressing in the World Cup is one thing… but honestly, since day one I was wondering what am I doing here, why am I spending all this time playing classical chess which I just find stressful and boring. But it’s also not a good state of mind. First of all, you should try to do well. But these were my thoughts. If I lose, that’s gonna be another humiliation in the World Cup.” You can watch the full interview on our YouTube channel. Wesley So has been eliminated from the race after drawing his second game with Sarana (having lost the first one). In the exchange line of the Grünfeld, the position was even throughout without either side managing to gain more chances. Having joined the race from round two, Wesley So’s performance in Baku was not at his own level, going through rounds only after tiebreaks and making lucky saves of significantly weaker positions. On the other hand, Sarana’s skilful victory over So in game one, as well as his performance in the previous games, suggests that he is someone to look out for. Fabiano Caruana qualified after beating compatriot Ray Robson in 27 moves, following an effective attack on the black king. In the post-game interview, Caruana was very enthusiastic but noted that he is starting to feel more tired and has less energy to visit the gym, a habit he is following every day. The other players to qualify today are Vidit, Berkes (who knocked out Ponomariov), Grandelius and Erigaisi (who won after Sindarov blundered in an even rook endgame). Ian Nepomniachtchi, Hikaru Nakamura, Leinier Dominguez and 2021 World Cup winner Jan-Krzysztof Duda all head for the tiebreaks having drawn both of their round four games. Joining them there are heavyweights Svidler, Ivanchuk and Wang Hao. Berkes goes to the Grand Swiss Ferenc Berkes has won one of the three tickets for the FIDE Grand Swiss, reserved for players who reach the Round of 16 at the World Cup! The other two may go to Vahap Sanal and Daniele Vocaturo if they win the tiebreaks tomorrow. The Women’s Tournament Highlights Aleksandra Goryachkina is through to the next stage after she defeated Nino Batsiashvili with white pieces. In the Queen’s Gambit Declined, Goryachkina was having more initiative from the outset and by move 15 was completely dominating. Polina Shuvalova is also through after defeating Serbia’s Teodora Injac who blundered in the opening. Humpy Koneru staged a comeback, defeating Bella Khotenashvili to clinch the tiebreaks. Despite being slightly better in the first part of the game, Khotenashvili allowed Koneru to improve her position and then gave her a huge advantage. Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun had another draw today with Elisabeth Paehtz and the two will face each other in the tiebreaks. In the Berlin line of the Ruy Lopez, the two quickly exchanged pieces in the centre and went for a theoretical draw with a threefold repetition, ending on move 15. It seems that both sides feel they have better chances against one another in the tiebreaks. Among other notable results, Tan Zhongyi qualified after a furious attack against Zhu Jiner. Sisters Marya and Anna Muzychuk drew their second game and will have to decide in the rapid who will move to the next round. The full results of today’s round can be found here: https://worldcup2023.fide.com/pairings Tiebreaks of round four will take place on Friday, 11th of August at 3 PM local time in Baku, Azerbaijan. Here follows a closer look at some of the top games on the second day of round four of the World Cup. Magnus Carlsen defeated Vincent Keymer with white pieces, to stay in the race for the next round of the World Cup. Although the position was even through most of the game, Carlsen had a lucky break after making an error early on. The best move was to play the h1-rook to f1. Instead, Magnus played 16.a3?? Keymer proceeded correctly but missed the key move: 16…Bxc3 17.Qxc3 and now Keymer exchanged the queens. Instead, he should have played 17…Nxe4 and after 18.Qxe5 (If fxe4, then Qxe4) Rxe5 19.Nf4 Rf5 20.Ne2 Ng5 And Black is better. This is how Carlsen summed up what had happened after he made the 16.a3 move: “At first,