European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

**Jack Maguire** · Sunday, 18th October, 2015, 01:03 PM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

Shakh certainly had an entertaining game today, sacrificing the exchange on move 6!

http://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2015-...r-Koykka_Pekka

**Wayne Komer** · Sunday, 18th October, 2015, 01:04 PM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

European Club Cup Skopje

October 18, 2015

The commentators are Borki Predojevic and Sandra Djukic. Both women’s and men’s games are being shown.

https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-to...cup-2015/1/3/1

Many of the top grandmasters are being rested but Topalov, Giri, Grischuk and Ivanchuk are in there today. Giri has had some time off and said that he is hungry for chess. As I write his game against Henri Pohjala is roughly even. The good thing about this tournament is that there is always the chance of an upset – Elo 2400 players are not patzers.

The Ivanchuk game had him against Adam Hunt of Great Britain. There is a 300 Elo rating difference.

European Cup
Round 1
Hunt, Adam – Ivanchuk, Vassily
B14 Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Bb4 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Bd2 O-O 9. Bd3 Nc6 10. O-O Be7 11. Re1 Bf6 12. Ne4 Bxd4 13. Neg5 g6 14. Nxd4 Nxd4 15. Nxh7 Kxh7 16. Qh5+ Kg8 17. Bxg6 Nf6 18. Qh6 fxg6 19. Qxg6+ Kh8 20. Bc3 Nf3+ 21. Kh1 Nxe1 22. Qh6+ Kg8 23. Qg6+ Kh8 24. Qh6+ ½-½

Both players were working out their lines at the board. Vassily spent 11, 22 and 17 minutes on moves 10 through 13 and Adam spent 30, 13,3 and 18 minutes on moves 12 through 15. Vassily’s knight is pinned, his bishop bare, at the end, so a draw was acceptable.

Baadur Jobava is black against Nderim Saraci of Kosovo. The 19-year-old is just setting out on his chess career.

European Cup
Round 1
Saraci, Nederim – Jobava, Baadur
B40 Sicilian Defence

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 b6 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. d3 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Bd2 Bf6 11. Ne5 Bxe5 12. Rxe5 Nxc3 13. Bxc3 Bxg2 14. Kxg2 Nc6 15. Re1 Rc8 16. Kg1 Qd5 17. Qg4 Nd4 18. Bxd4 cxd4 19. Rec1 Rc5 20. Qf4 Rfc8 21. Qd2 Qc6 22. Qb4 e5 23. a4 h5 24. h4 Rxc2 25. Rxc2 Qxc2 26. a5 Qxd3 27. axb6 axb6 28. Qxb6 Qf3 29. b4 d3 30. Qd6 e4 31. Qd5 Rc2 32. Rf1 d2 33. Qd8+ Kh7 34. Qd5 Qd3 35. Qxh5+ Kg8 36. Rd1 Rc1 37. Kh2 Qc2 0-1

European Cup
Round 1
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Koykka, Pekka
A85 Dutch

1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. h4 d6 5. h5 Nxh5 6. Rxh5 gxh5 7. e4 Be6 8. Be2 Kd7 9. Nh3 Bg7 10. Nf4 Qg8 11. d5 Bf7 12. exf5 Kc8 13. Kf1 Nd7 14. Be3 Be5 15. Ne6 Nf6 16. c5 Ng4 17. Bd4 Bxe6 18. dxe6 Qg7 19. Bxe5 Qxe5 20. Bxg4 hxg4 21. cxd6 Qxf5 22. Qd4 Qf6 23. Qxg4 exd6 24. e7+ Kb8 25. Qd7 1-0

If you are not sated with watching the games of recent tournaments and a 300 Elo difference between the players doesn’t worry you, then the Club Cup is worth a look.

**Wayne Komer** · Sunday, 18th October, 2015, 04:31 PM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

European Club Cup

October 18, 2015

Just to finish off the day, both Anish Giri and Veselin Topalov ground down their lower rated opponents.

European Club Cup 2015
Round 1, October 18, 2015
Giri, Anish – Pohjala, Henri
A11 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. c4 c6 5. b3 Bg7 6. Bb2 O-O 7. O-O a5 8. d3 Bg4 9. Nbd2 Nbd7 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Nxf3 Re8 12. Qc2 e5 13. cxd5 Nxd5 14. a3 Qe7 15. e3 Qc5 16. Rac1 Qxc2 17. Rxc2 Nc7 18. Nd2 Nb5 19. Ra1 Bf8 20. Bf1 Nd6 21. Rd1 Red8 22. Nf3 Bg7 23. d4 exd4 24. Nxd4 Nf6 25. g4 Nde8 26. Bg2 Nc7 27. Rdc1 Nfe8 28. Bf3 Nd5 29. h4 Nec7 30. h5 Rd7 31. hxg6 hxg6 32. Rd1 Rad8 33. Kg2 Ne7 34. Rh1 Ned5 35. Kf1 Nf4 36. exf4 Bxd4 37. Bc1 Bg7 38. f5 Nd5 39. fxg6 fxg6 40. Be2 Rf8 41. Rh3 Re8 42. Bd2 Bf8 43. Bc1 Bg7 44. Bd3 Re6 45. Kg2 b5 46. Rf3 Rf7 47. g5 Rd7 48. Bf1 Ne7 49. a4 Rd5 50. Rh3 Nf5 51. axb5 cxb5 52. Bd2 Re8 53. Ra2 Kf7 54. Bxa5 Ra8 55. b4 Nd4 56. f4 Ne6 57. Rf2 Rf5 58. Rh4 Rh8 59. Rg4 Bd4 60. Rf3 Ba7 61. Bd3 Rd5 62. f5 gxf5 63. Rxf5+ Rxf5 64. Bxf5 Rg8 65. g6+ Kf6 66. Bd3 Bb8 67. Kf3 Ng5+ 68. Ke2 Bd6 69. Bb6 Ne6 70. Be3 Be5 71. Kf3 Bd6 72. Bf2 Ng5+ 73. Kg2 Ne6 74. Kf3 Ng5+ 75. Ke3 Re8+ 76. Kd2 Ne6 77. g7 Bf4+ 78. Rxf4+ Nxf4 79. Bd4+ Kf7 80. Bxb5 Rc8 81. Ba4 Ne6 82. Bb3 Re8 83. b5 Kg8 84. b6 Kh7 85. Bxe6 Rxe6 86. b7 Re8 87. Be5 Kg8 88. Kd3 Kf7 89. Kd4 Kg8 90. Kc4 Kf7 91. Kd5 Kg8 92. Kc6 Kf7 93. Kb6 Re6+ 94. Ka7 Re7 95. Ka8 Rxe5 96. g8=Q+ 1-0

Endgame database: White wins in 10 moves after 96..Kxg8

Round 1, Oct. 18, 2015
Karttunen, Mika – Topalov, Veselin
E00 Queen’s Pawn game

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. Nf3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 a6 6. Bg2 Qc7 7. O-O Qxc4 8. Na3 Qc7 9. Bg5 Nc6 10. Rc1 h6 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. Qa4 Rb8 13. Rfd1 Be7 14. Qc2 f5 15. Qc3 O-O 16. Nxc6 bxc6 17. Nc4 d5 18. Nd2 c5 19. Rc2 a5 20. Nb3 a4 21. Nc1 c4 22. Nd3 Bd6 23. Qd2 Kh7 24. Nc1 Be5 25. b3 axb3 26. axb3 c3 27. Qd3 Rb4 28. Qf3 Bg7 29. e3 Bb7 30. Qh5 Qe7 31. Ne2 Rxb3 32. Nd4 Bxd4 33. exd4 Qf6 34. Bf1 Rc8 35. Qf3 Kg7 36. Qe3 Rc6 37. Rdc1 Rb4 38. Rd1 f4 39. gxf4 Qg6+ 40. Qg3 Kf6 41. Qxg6+ fxg6 42. Kg2 g5 43. fxg5+ hxg5 44. Rd3 e5 45. Rdxc3 Rxc3 46. Rxc3 Rxd4 47. Rb3 Bc8 48. Be2 Rd2 49. Rb6+ Ke7 50. Bh5 e4 51. Rg6 e3 52. Rxg5 Rxf2+ 53. Kg3 d4 54. h4 Bf5 55. Bf3 Kf6 56. Rg8 d3 57. Rf8+ Ke5 58. Re8+ Be6 59. Rd8 d2 60. Rd3 e2 61. Bxe2 Rxe2 62. Kf3 Rh2 63. Ke3 Bf5 64. Rxd2 Rh3+ 65. Kf2 Kf4 66. Kg2 Rg3+ 67. Kh2 Be4 68. Rf2+ Bf3 69. Rb2 Rg4 70. Rb4+ Be4 71. Rb3 Rg2+ 72. Kh3 Rd2 73. Rb4 Rd3+ 74. Kh2 Rd1 0-1

Endgame database: Black wins in 13 moves after 75.Rxe4+

Chessbomb kibitzers

beerpatzer_: The guy playing Topalov looks like Andy Richter

beerpatzer_: or maybe Philip Seymour Hoffman

FM_Malek: hey, Topi blundered

FM_Malek: he probably missed 62. Bg4+ Kxg4 Re4+ Kf3 Rd4 Rxd4! Kxd4 Ke2 and it is a draw

Arthas: oh my, Topa missed 68…Kg4

optimuswise: wow!

Arthas: clearly, I know absolutely nothing about this position, black wins anyway...

**Jack Maguire** · Monday, 19th October, 2015, 02:16 PM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

Yannick Pellitier is now a perfect 2/2 with White against Nakamura, having beaten Naka 10 years ago in the 38th Biel Chess Festival and again today, both times in less than 40 moves. Naka loses his 2800+ status and drops to number 4 in the world in live ratings with this loss.

http://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2015-...akamura_Hikaru

**Wayne Komer** · Monday, 19th October, 2015, 04:10 PM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

European Club Cup 2015

Round 2

October 19, 2015

Anish Giri goes down to Vlastimil Babula of the Czech Republic. Any comments are from chessbomb.com kibitzers:

Round 2, Oct. 19, 2015
Babula, Vlastimil – Giri, Anish
D31 QGD, 3.Nc3

1. d4 e6 2. c4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. e3 b5 6. a4 c6 7. Bd2 a5 8. axb5 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 cxb5 10. b3 Bb7 11. bxc4 b4 12. Bb2 Nf6 13. Bd3 O-O 14. O-O Nbd7 15. Nd2 Qc7 16. f4 a4 17. Rb1 Qd6 18. Qe2 Rfd8 19. e4 Nc5 20. e5 Qc6 21. dxc5 Rxd3 22. exf6 Rad8 23. Nf3 Qxc5+ 24. Kh1 b3 25. Rbd1 R3d6 26. Be5 Rxd1 27. Rxd1 Qa5 28. Nd4 g6 29. h3 Qb6 30. Kh2 h6 31. c5 Qa6 32. c6 Qxe2 33. Nxe2 Rxd1 34. cxb7 Rd8 35. Nc3 a3 36. Nb5 a2 37. Nd6 Rb8 38. h4 Kh7 39. g4 1-0

If 39...Kg8 40.Bb2 Kh7 41.Kg3 g5 42.hxg5 hxg5 43.fxg5 Kg6 44.Kf3

- comical position, black in prison
- black king was jailed
- congrats Babula

Nakamura takes the fall too, Pelletier said he used a novelty against Nakamura he “had been waiting for ten years to use.”

Round 2, Oct. 19, 2015
Pelletier, Yannick – Nakamura, Hikaru
E97 King’s Indian, Orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. b4 a5 10. Ba3 b6 11. bxa5 Nh5 12. Nd2 Nf4 13. axb6 Rxa3 14. Nb5 Ra5 15. bxc7 Qd7 16. a4 Ba6 17. Nb3 Bxb5 18. cxb5 Qxc7 19. Nxa5 Qxa5 20. g3 Nxe2+ 21. Qxe2 Bh6 22. Rfb1 Rb8 23. b6 Rxb6 24. Rxb6 Qxb6 25. a5 Qc5 26. Ra4 Kg7 27. a6 Nc8 28. Rc4 Qb5 29. Qa2 Nb6 30. Rc6 Na4 31. a7 Qa5 32. Kg2 Qxa7 33. Rc4 Bg5 34. Qxa4 Qb7 35. Rb4 Qc7 36. Qc6 Qa7 37. Qxd6 Be7 38. Qxe5+ 1-0

- Naka should have taken the game more seriously
- Congrats Pelletier, we Swiss people are very proud of you
- What a day, Giri + Naka lost
______

Jon Ludvig Hammer tweeted that he prepared for this game by reading Ivanchuk Move by Move. He had beaten Vassily before at ECC 2010 as White in a Catalan.

Round 2, Oct. 19, 2015
Ivanchuk, Vassily – Hammer, Jon Ludvig
A09 Reti, Advance Variation

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. b4 c5 4. g3 a5 5. b5 g6 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. O-O Ra7 8. a4 b6 9. Ra2 e5 10. d3 Be6 11. Ng5 Bc8 12. e4 f6 13. Nh3 h5 14. f4 Bg4 15. Qe1 Qc8 16. Nf2 Bd7 17. Nd2 h4 18. gxh4 Nh6 19. Nf3 exf4 20. Bxf4 O-O 21. e5 fxe5 22. Bxe5 Bf5 23. Re2 Bxe5 24. Nxe5 Rg7 25. Qd2 Rh7 26. Ne4 Nd7 27. Ng5 Re7 28. Ng4 Bxg4 29. Rxe7 Rxf1+ 30. Bxf1 Nf5 31. Qf4 Nxe7 32. Qf7+ Kh8 33. Qh7# 1-0

- Black is a piece up = 0-1
- I still believe Chucky is secretly the strongest human player in the word, he occasionally show it by destroying Carlsen
- Chucky is great but Jobava is greater
- LOL, mated
_______

The rating difference here is Tregubov 2600 (Russia) and Gohla 2165 (Germany)

Round 2, Oct. 19, 2015
Gohla, Ulf – Tregubov, Pavel
E46 Nimzo-Indian, Reshevsky Variation

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Ne2 d5 6. a3 Be7 7. Ng3 c5 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. b4 Be7 10. Bb2 a5 11. b5 Nbd7 12. cxd5 Nb6 13. d6 Bxd6 14. Nce4 Nxe4 15. Nxe4 Be7 16. Qd4 f6 17. Rd1 Bd7 18. Be2 Rc8 19. Qd2 e5 20. O-O a4 21. Nd6 Bxd6 22. Qxd6 Rc2 23. Rd2 Rxd2 24. Qxd2 Be6 25. Qb4 Bb3 26. h3 Qd7 27. Rc1 Rd8 28. Bf3 Rc8 29. Rxc8+ Nxc8 30. Qc5 b6 31. Qc6 Qxc6 32. bxc6 Kf7 33. Bc3 Ke6 34. Bb4 Bd5 35. e4 1-0

34…Bd5? 35.e4 Bxc6 36.Bg4+ Kf7 37.Bxc8 Bxe4 38.Bd7 Bc2 39.Bd6 h6

Pavel is married to Alexandra Kosteniuk.
_____

And finally, a Grischuk game, which shows a strategic retreat, where, after Black’s 36th move, we have on the 8th rank, R, Q, B, B, R, K!

Round 2, Oct. 19, 2015
Ragger, Markus – Grischuk, Alexander
E99 King’s Indian, Orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. d4 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Ne1 Nd7 10. Nd3 f5 11. f3 f4 12. Bd2 Nf6 13. c5 g5 14. Rc1 Ng6 15. Nb5 Rf7 16. Ba5 b6 17. cxd6 cxd6 18. Be1 a6 19. Nc3 a5 20. Bf2 Rb8 21. a4 Bf8 22. Nb5 g4 23. Rc6 Rg7 24. Qc2 Bd7 25. fxg4 Nxg4 26. Bxg4 Bxg4 27. Ne1 Nh8 28. Kh1 Nf7 29. h3 Bd7 30. Nf3 Ng5 31. Bh4 h6 32. Nxd6 Bxc6 33. Nf5 Be8 34. Nxh6+ Kh8 35. Nf5 Rc8 36. Qd3 Rg8 37. Nxe5 Qf6 38. Nf3 Bd7 39. Qd2 Bxf5 40. Qxf4 Bh6 41. exf5 Rcd8 42. Ne5 Rxd5 43. Ng4 Qd6 44. Qxd6 Rxd6 45. Bg3 Rc6 46. Be5+ Kh7 47. Nf6+ Rxf6 48. Bxf6 Ne4 49. Be5 Bg7 50. f6 Re8 51. fxg7 Rxe5 52. Rf3 Nc5 53. Rf6 Re6 54. Rf4 Re4 55. Rf6 Re6 56. Rf4 Kxg7 57. Rg4+ Kf7 58. Rf4+ Ke7 59. Kh2 Re4 0-1

**Wayne Komer** · Tuesday, 20th October, 2015, 01:56 PM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

European Club Cub 2015

Round 3

October 20, 2015

The usual commentators are Borki Predojevic and Sandra Djukic. Today, GM Ian Rogers steps in for a while. There is a tweet from David Smerdon: Caruana, Grischuk and Nakamura all fighting for the board three prize, there’s something strange with the system.

Ian says that Smerdon is an Australian GM. A German friend was getting rid of his chess books and gave them all to Ian, except one, Smerdon’s Scandinavian.

So, there you are. If you are ever marooned on a desert island and allowed to take just one chess book, it could be Smerdon’s Scandinavian. Of course, you won’t have a board and pieces or an opponent but still…

Ian Rogers was born in Hobart, Tasmania as was Errol Flynn. He was Australia’s highest rate player for twenty years. He retired from competitive chess in 2007 and mainly comments on it now.
_______

Nakamura got caught yesterday in prep by Yannick Pelletier, today he takes Ortega right away.

European Club Cup 2015
Round 3, Oct. 20, 2015
Nakamura, Hikaru – Ortega, Lexy
D43 QGD, Semi-Slav

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. cxd5 exd5 7. e3 Be7 8. Bd3 O-O 9. Qc2 Re8 10. h3 Nf8 11. Bf4 Ng6 12. Bh2 Bd6 13. Bxd6 Qxd6 14. O-O-O b6 15. g4 Bb7 16. g5 Ne4 17. Bxe4 dxe4 18. Nd2 c5 19. d5 Qe7 20. Ndxe4 b5 21. f3 b4 22. Na4 Rad8 23. d6 Qe5 24. d7 Re7 25. Naxc5 Bxe4 26. Nxe4 Rdxd7 27. Kb1 Nf8 28. h4 Rc7 29. Qg2 Red7 30. h5 Rxd1+ 31. Rxd1 Ne6 32. f4 Qf5 33. Rd5 Qxd5 34. Nf6+ gxf6 35. Qxd5 fxg5 36. f5 Rc5 37. Qe4 Nf8 38. h6 f6 39. Qe7 1-0

European Club Cup 2015
Round 3, Oct. 20, 2015
Caruana, Fabiano – Jobava, Baadur
B12 Caro-Kann Defence

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e6 6. c4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 Bxd2+ 8. Qxd2 Ne7 9. Nc3 Nbc6 10. cxd5 exd5 11. f4 O-O 12. O-O-O Nxd4 13. Qxd4 Nf5 14. Qxd5 Qb6 15. Qe4 Be6 16. Bd3 h5 17. Kb1 g6 18. Bc2 Rad8 19. Nd5 Qf2 20. Bb3 Kg7 21. Rhf1 Qc5 22. Rfe1 a5 23. Rc1 Qf2 24. Re2 Qa7 25. Nc7 Bxb3 26. axb3 Rd4 27. Qf3 a4 28. e6 axb3 29. Qxb3 Ra4 30. Qc3+ Nd4 31. b3 Kh7 32. Rd2 1-0

European Club Cup 2015
Round 3, Oct. 20, 2015
Kramnik, Vladimir – Neopmniachtchi, Ian
A49 King’s Indian, Fianchetto (without c4)

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 d5 5. O-O O-O 6. c3 b6 7. c4 c6 8. Ne5 Bb7 9. Nc3 Nbd7 10. Qa4 Nxe5 11. dxe5 Ne4 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Bf4 e3 14. Bxe3 Bxe5 15. Rad1 Qc7 16. c5 Bxb2 17. Qb3 Bf6 18. cxb6 axb6 19. Bxb6 Qc8 20. Rc1 Qg4 21. Rc2 Ra6 22. Bf3 Qa4 23. Qxa4 Rxa4 24. Rd1 Ba8 25. Bc5 Rb8 26. a3 e5 27. e3 e4 28. Be2 Rb7 29. Rc4 Rxc4 30. Bxc4 Kg7 31. a4 Be7 32. Bxe7 Rxe7 33. a5 f5 34. Rd8 Ra7 35. a6 Kf6 36. Re8 c5 37. Kf1 Kg7 38. Ke2 Bc6 39. Rc8 Bd7 40. Rg8+ Kh6 41. Rb8 Bc6 42. Rb6 Ba8 43. Bb5 Rc7 44. Kd2 Rc8 45. Kc3 Kg5 46. h3 h5 47. Kc4 h4 48. Re6 hxg3 49. fxg3 1-0

- Big Vlad is amazing
- good teaching by Vlad with 7.c4 and the endgame
- Nepo will resign any time now
_______

The World Blitz Champion goes down to Evgeniy Najer of Russia and he wasn’t in time trouble at the end. Evgeniy is the European Individual Chess Champion, winning the title in March of this year.

European Club Cup 2015
Round 3, Oct. 20, 2015
Grischuk, Alexander – Najer, Evgeniy
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. c3 Nf6 5. Qe2 a6 6. Ba4 b5 7. Bc2 Bb7 8. d4 g6 9. a4 Bg7 10. e5 dxe5 11. dxe5 Bxf3 12. gxf3 Nd5 13. e6 fxe6 14. axb5 axb5 15. Rxa8 Qxa8 16. Qxb5 Nc7 17. Qa4 Qxf3 18. Be4 Qh5 19. Bf4 Nd5 20. Bg3 Nb6 21. Qc6 e5 22. Qe6 Rf8 23. Na3 Rf6 24. Qg8+ Bf8 25. Qb3 Qg4 26. Qc2 Bh6 27. Qe2 Qh3 28. Qf1 Qxf1+ 29. Kxf1 Rd6 30. Kg2 Bf4 31. Re1 c4 32. Re2 Nc5 33. Nb5 Rd1 34. Bc2 Rc1 35. Na3 Nd3 36. f3 Bxg3 37. hxg3 e4 38. fxe4 Nxb2 39. Rd2 Nd7 40. Bb1 Rxc3 41. Nb5 Rb3 42. Nc7+ Kd8 43. Ba2 Rb7 44. Nd5 Ke8 45. Kf2 e6 46. Nc3 Nd3+ 47. Ke3 N7e5 48. Ke2 Rf7 0-1

Half of the games are unreported until much later in the day – therefore, a ranking list at this time is impossible. It appears that SOCAR, Siberia and Obiettivo will be at the top. So, if you have money riding on one of these, you can rest assured and go watch the Blue Jays game.

**Caleb Petersen** · Tuesday, 20th October, 2015, 09:33 PM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

It's not everyday you see a 2600 GM blunder away a game in one move to a fairly simple tactic! If you want to feel better about your own games take a look at Daniil Dubov vs Chao Li. It's really unfortunate for Dubov that all the tactics work for black. e.g. Bxe5 Bxe5+ Rc3 (Qc3 Bxc3+ Rxc3 is an instant win for black) Rc8 Qe7+ Bg7 Qxg7 and c8 is covered. Any reasonable move would have at worst led to a slight edge for black, and it seems to me after 37. g4 white should be playing for the advantage. Other moves that spring to mind are Qe7, Rce1, Ree1, Rg1 etc. He won't be too happy with himself tonight!

**Wayne Komer** · Tuesday, 20th October, 2015, 10:16 PM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

European Club Cup

October 20, 2015

I hadn’t seen that game, Caleb. It has three comments in chessbomb:

Round 3, Oct. 20, 2015
Dubov, Daniil – Li, Chao
B56 Sicilian Defence

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bd7 6. Be2 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O O-O 10. h4 h5 11. Kb1 Rc8 12. f3 Ne5 13. Nd5 Nc4 14. Bxc4 Rxc4 15. b3 Nxd5 16. exd5 Rc5 17. Ne6 Rxc2 18. Kxc2 fxe6 19. dxe6 Qc7+ 20. Kb1 Bxe6 21. Bd4 Bf5+ 22. Ka1 e5 23. Bb2 Rd8 24. Rc1 Qe7 25. Qb4 Qd7 26. Rhe1 Kh7 27. Rcd1 Qc7 28. Rc1 Qd7 29. Rcd1 Qc7 30. Qc3 Qe7 31. Qa5 b6 32. Qb4 Qc7 33. Rc1 Qd7 34. Rcd1 Qc7 35. Re2 d5 36. Rc1 Qb8 37. Rxe5 Qxe5 0-1

Three comments on the results of 37. Rxe5

- damn
- that hurt
- what a tragedy

**Wayne Komer** · Wednesday, 21st October, 2015, 02:11 PM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

European Club Cup

October 21, 2015

Round Four

Borki Predojevic has Ivan Sokolov as his partner for part of the last half of today’s broadcast.

You might recall the lengthy interview of Ivan that appeared in ChessBase.com a while ago:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/intervi...an-sokolov-1-2

The first few questions:

Sagar Shah: How did you start playing chess?

Ivan Sokolov: I started to play chess in 1974 when I was six years old. I learnt the game from my father who was an amateur chess player. I joined the Chess Club Bosna where I remained a member for almost the next thirty years. As I improved at the game I participated in Junior tournaments, did well and this is more or less how it all began.

SS: Your first published rating was 2235 in 1984 and then you became an IM within two years in 1986 and then a GM in 1987. That was a real quick rise!

IS: At that point of time ratings below 2200 did not exist. So all the players who did not have a rating back then were treated as 2200. The title of FIDE Master (FM) was relatively important as not many people had it. To become a FM you needed to have a stipulated number of rated games and a rating of above 2300. In January 1985, I achieved the FM title. From then on my progress was pretty quick.

In 1986 I was already an IM and within a year I became a GM. By present day standards becoming a GM at the age of 19 is nothing special to talk about but at that time I was the youngest GM in the world. In the history of chess I was the fifth youngest grandmaster only to be overtaken by Spassky, Tal, Fischer and Kasparov.

SS: When you became a GM did you decide to pursue chess professionally or were you still studying?

IS: I was studying at the law university. I was awarded the grandmaster title at the Karpov-Kasparov match in Seville, 1987. After receiving the title, I quit studying and devoted myself to chess full time.

SS: On your path to becoming a GM who was the player whom you idolized?

IS: At that time, I and my friends were frantically analysing all the games of Kasparov. Though he was the World Champion it was not clear that he was better than Karpov because all those matches were very closely contested. But let me put it is this way: he had a more appealing style to the young players than Karpov. Kasparov used to dictate the style of chess openings and the opening theory. I remember that in one of the of the World Championship matches, Kasparov was regularly opening the game with 1. c4 and everybody in the world started to play the English Opening! So, Kasparov had the biggest influence on me and I was studying his games very carefully. Apart from Kasparov, I liked the style of Spassky very much. I think he is underestimated as a World Champion and did not get in chess history the place he deserves. He was very versatile and strong, maybe one of the best World Champions. From the past, I also studied a lot of games of Alekhine.

______

In the second part of the interview he talked about the procedure of writing chess books, his work as a coach and living in the Netherlands.

http://en.chessbase.com/post/intervi...an-sokolov-2-2

He certainly has a commanding presence during the analyses here and takes a dominant role with respect to Borki. Then, Sandra comes back. Her main strength is her knowledge of the players in the Women’s Tournament.
______

With winners meeting winners, the matches have become more interesting. Today’s pairings:

Topalov-Leko, Caruana-Karjakin, Adams-Nakamura, Radjabov-MVL, Svidler-Kramnik, Dominguez-Aronian, Vitiugov-Grischuk, Ivanchuk-Wojtaszek and Tomashevsky-Harikrishna among others.

Topalov and Kramnik are relentlessly grinding down their lower-rated opponents. Kramnik is the first of the two to get the point:

European Club Cup
Round 4, Oct. 21, 2015
Svidler, Peter – Kramnik, Vladimir
D37 QGD, 4.Nf3

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 dxc4 7. Ne5 Qd6 8. Nxc4 Qa6 9. Qb3 Nc6 10. e3 Rb8 11. Qb5 Qxb5 12. Nxb5 Nb4 13. O-O Bd7 14. Nc3 Rfc8 15. a3 Nbd5 16. Bd2 c5 17. dxc5 Rxc5 18. Ne5 Be8 19. Nxd5 Nxd5 20. Rfc1 Rxc1+ 21. Rxc1 Bf6 22. Nc4 Rd8 23. b4 b5 24. Na5 Nb6 25. Bc3 Rc8 26. Bc6 Bxc6 27. Bxf6 Bd5 28. Rxc8+ Nxc8 29. Bd4 f6 30. Bc5 Kf7 31. Kf1 e5 32. Ke2 Ke6 33. f3 f5 34. h4 g6 35. Kf2 Nb6 36. g4 fxg4 37. fxg4 h5 38. Kg3 Na4 39. Bxa7 Nc3 40. Bb8 Ne4+ 41. Kh3 Nf2+ 42. Kg3 Nxg4 43. e4 Bxe4 44. Nb3 Kd5 45. Nd2 Ne3 0-1

40. Bb8? Better 40.gxh5 gxh5 41. Kf2 Nb1

Borki and Sandra highlight this game:

Round 4, Oct. 21, 2015
Rublevsky, Sergei – Christiansen, Johan-Sebastian
C07 French, Tarrasch, Open Variation

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 cxd4 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Bc4 Qd6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Nb3 Nc6 9. Nbxd4 Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Be7 11. b3 O-O 12. Bb2 Qf4 13. Qe2 Bc5 14. Rad1 e5 15. Nf3 e4 16. Ne5 Bb6 17. Rd6 Ne8 18. g3 Qf5 19. Rd5 Nf6 20. Rb5 Qh3 21. Nxf7 Rxf7 22. Bxf6 gxf6 23. Qxe4 Bd7 24. Bxf7+ Kxf7 25. Qxb7 Re8 26. Qd5+ Kg6 27. Qd3+ Bf5 28. Rxf5 Qxf5 29. Qd1 h5 30. h4 Qe4 31. c4 Rd8 32. Qc1 Rd3 33. c5 Qd4 34. Qc2 Bxc5 35. Re1 Kg7 36. b4 Rxg3+ 37. Kf1 Qg4 38. fxg3 Qf3+ 0-1

- first time that JSB beats a 2700
- if he sees 33….Qd4
- He did!
- This kid’s got the right attitude

Adams-Nakamura went to a draw:

Round 4, Oct. 21, 2015
Adams, Michael – Nakamura, Hikaru
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, Open Variation

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nf5 8. Nf3 O-O 9. d4 d5 10. c3 Bd6 11. Bd3 Nce7 12. Qc2 g6 13. Bg5 f6 14. Bd2 c6 15. c4 Ng7 16. Bh6 Bg4 17. Nfd2 Re8 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. Nc3 Qd7 20. cxd5 Nxd5 21. Nxd5 cxd5 22. Qb3 a6 23. g3 Be6 24. Bf1 Bf7 25. a3 h5 26. h4 Rac8 27. Bg2 Qc6 28. Nf1 f5 29. Rxe8 Rxe8 30. Bf3 f4 31. Rd1 b5 32. Qd3 Rc8 33. Kg2 Be6 34. Re1 Qd7 35. Kg1 Rf8 36. Bg2 Bc7 37. Nd2 Qd6 38. Re5 Qd7 39. Re1 Qf7 40. Kh2 Bg4 41. Nf3 fxg3+ 42. fxg3 Bxf3 43. Bxf3 Qxf3 44. Re7+ Kh6 45. Qxf3 Rxf3 46. Rxc7 Rf2+ 47. Kh3 Rxb2 48. Ra7 b4 49. Rxa6 bxa3 50. Rxa3 Rd2 51. Ra7 Rxd4 52. Kg2 Re4 53. Rd7 Re5 54. Kf3 Rf5+ 55. Ke3 g5 56. Rd6+ Kg7 57. hxg5 Rxg5 58. Kf4 Rg4+ 59. Kf3 d4 60. Rd5 Kg6 61. Rd6+ Kg7 62. Rd5 Kg6 63. Rd6+ Kg7 ½-½

And finally, Topalov wears away Leko:

Round 4, Oct. 21, 2015
Topalov, Veselin – Leko, Peter
E15 Queen’s Indian, Nimzowitsch Variation (exaggerated fianchetto)

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 d5 6. cxd5 exd5 7. a3 Ne4 8. Bg2 Bd6 9. Nfd2 Bb7 10. Qc2 f5 11. Nc3 O-O 12. Nb5 Nc6 13. b4 Be7 14. e3 a5 15. bxa5 Rxa5 16. Rb1 Qd7 17. Qb3 Kh8 18. Nxe4 fxe4 19. Bd2 Ra6 20. O-O Na5 21. Bxa5 Rxa5 22. a4 Ba6 23. Rfc1 c6 24. Nc3 Rb8 25. Bf1 Bc8 26. Na2 h6 27. Nb4 Bb7 28. Na2 Bd8 29. Nc3 Rba8 30. Rb2 Bc7 31. Qd1 Bd8 32. Qh5 Bc8 33. Rbc2 Be7 34. Ne2 Ba3 35. Rb1 Rxa4 36. Rxb6 Bb7 37. Nf4 Rb4 38. Ng6+ Kh7 39. Ne5 Qe8 40. Qxe8 Rxe8 41. Rxb4 Bxb4 42. Rb2 c5 43. dxc5 Rxe5 44. Rxb4 Re7 45. Rb6 Rc7 46. Bb5 Bc8 47. Rc6 Rb7 48. Rxc8 Rxb5 49. c6 Rc5 50. Kg2 Rc2 51. h4 h5 52. c7 g6 53. g4 d4 54. exd4 e3 55. Kf1 e2+ 56. Ke1 g5 57. hxg5 h4 58. Rf8 h3 59. Rf6 1-0

57.hxg5?, better is 57.d5 gxh4 58.d6 h3 59.d7 h2 60.Rh8+ Kxh8 61.d8=Q+

So, it looks like SOCAR, headed by Topalov wins the match against Obiettivo, headed by Leko; Siberia, headed by Kramnik wins against Mednyi, headed by Svidler; Alkaloid, Ivanchuk over AVE, Wojtaszek and University, Gelfand bows to Vaalerenga, Romanov.

**Wayne Komer** · Thursday, 22nd October, 2015, 11:37 AM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

European Club Cup 2015

October 22, 2015

Round 5, Part 1

The matchups today have more than a dozen pairings that should prove entertaining and instructive!

The top board is Kramnik-Topalov. Their record in classical games is 16 to 11 in favor of Kramnik with 32 draws. No love has been lost between the two since their World Championship Match in 2006.

1. Kramnik-Topalov
2. Giri-Aronian
3. Grischuk-Caruana
4. Adams-Li
5. Wang-Radjabov
6. Mamedyarov-Korobov
7. Leko-Ivanchuk
8. Tomashevsky-Karjakin
9. Nakamura-Jakovenko
10. Andreikin-Vachier-Lagrave
11. Bacrot-Kryvoruchko
12. Yu-Vocaturo
13. Shirov-Svidler
14. Dominguez-Bauer
15. Pelletier-Vitiugov
______

On yesterday’s matches Dennis Monokroussos said this in chessmind:

http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/201...t-to-meet.html

In round 4 of the European Club Cup the top teams - teams at least half-composed of 2700+ players - started to face off. The two absolute top teams, SOCAR and Siberia, both won their matches, and will face each other in round 5. SOCAR (Topalov, Caruana, etc.) defeated a mighty opponent, Obiettivo Risarcimento Padova with an undefeated 4-2 score, as Veselin Topalov defeated Peter Leko on board 1 while Shakhriyar Mamedyarov bested Etienne Bacrot with Black on board 5. As for Siberia (Kramnik, Aronian, Grischuk, etc.) it was an even more convincing 4.5-1.5 win against Mednyi Vsadnik. Vladimir Kramnik beat Peter Svidler with Black (maybe keeping his slim chances of becoming a rating qualifier for the Candidates' alive) on board 1

Also 4-0 in team matches is Alkaloid (Ivanchuk, Tomashevsky, etc.). It only won one game against AVE Novy Bor, but that was all they needed. Again it was a Chinese player coming through: Yu Yangyi defeating Zbynek Hracek on board 6(!).

On the slightly lower boards, one result was shocking. University-Belorechensk lost to Vaalerenga, despite outrating them on every board by a minimum of 168 points (on board 1) and a maximum of 339 points (on board 6). Staggering.

(Gelfand (UB) drew with Romanov (V), Tari (V) drew with Malkhov (UB), Rublevsky (UB) went down to Christiansen (V), Sagafos (V) beat Landa (UB), Aleksandrov (UB) beat Kvisvik (V) and Tregubov (UB) drew with Vea (V) for a UB-V result of 2.5-3.5)

**Wayne Komer** · Thursday, 22nd October, 2015, 02:10 PM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

European Club Cup 2015

October 22, 2015

Round 5, Part 2

Kramnik, Vladimir – Topalov, Veselin
A46 Queen’s Pawn, Yusupov-Rubinstein System

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 c5 4. Bd3 b6 5. O-O Bb7 6. c4 cxd4 7. exd4 Be7 8. Nc3 d5 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. Ne5 O-O 11. Qg4 f5 12. Qe2 Bf6 13. Bc4 Re8 14. Rd1 Nd7 15. Bb5 Bxe5 16. dxe5 Qe7 17. Nxd5 Bxd5 18. Qh5 g6 19. Qh6 Rec8 20. Bg5 Qf7 21. Bxd7 Qxd7 22. Bf6 Qf7 23. b3 Qf8 24. Qf4 Rc2 25. h4 Rac8 26. h5 Qe8 27. Rd3 R2c3 28. Rad1 gxh5 29. Rxd5 exd5 30. e6 R3c7 31. Rxd5 Qxe6 32. Qg5+ Kf8 33. Rxf5 Rf7 34. Qh6+ Ke8 35. Re5 Rc6 36. Qxh5 1-0

- Kramnik allows himself a quick fist pump after beating Topalov in a beautiful game

(Kramnik on 3.e3) – I played this in Rapid and Blitz but maybe he didn’t notice. It’s my new way of playing with White – just trying to get a game.

Kramnik has been having eye trouble and had extra lighting the other day. Topalov didn’t let him have it today so Kramnik said: That’s OK, I am even better playing blindfold.

________

I feel very sorry for Ivanchuk with the way this game ends up. He should have played 36…fxg6 instead of Rb7. That line is very tricky – maybe a ‘computer’ one instead of a ‘human’ one.

Round 5, Oct. 22, 2015
Leko, Peter – Ivanchuk, Vassily
C42 Petrov, Nimzowitsch Attack

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 Nc6 8. Qd2 Bf5 9. O-O-O Qd7 10. Kb1 O-O 11. h4 Rae8 12. Be2 Bd8 13. h5 h6 14. Nh2 Ne7 15. Bf3 Be6 16. Bxb7 c6 17. Ba6 Nd5 18. Nf3 Qc7 19. Qd3 Nxe3 20. fxe3 d5 21. Qe2 Qb6 22. Nd4 Bg5 23. Nxe6 Rxe6 24. Bd3 Bf6 25. Qd2 Rb8 26. b3 Qc5 27. Kb2 a5 28. a4 Rb4 29. Rb1 Re8 30. Rhf1 Reb8 31. Ra1 Rg4 32. Rxf6 gxf6 33. Qf2 Qd6 34. Qf5 Rxg2 35. Qh7+ Kf8 36. Bg6 Rb7 37. Rf1 Ke8 38. Qg8+ Qf8 39. Bxf7+ 1-0

Round 5, Oct. 22, 2015
Pelletier, Yannick – Vitiugov, Nikita
E00 Catalan Opening

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bd6 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Nbd7 8. Qb3 c6 9. Nc3 Qe7 10. Rad1 dxc4 11. Qxc4 e5 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bxf6 Nxf6 14. dxe5 Bxe5 15. Nxe5 Qxe5 16. Rd2 Be6 17. Qb4 Rab8 18. Rfd1 Rfe8 19. e4 g5 20. h3 c5 21. Qa3 a6 22. Nd5 Bxd5 23. exd5 Qd6 24. Rc2 Nd7 25. Qa5 b5 26. Bf1 Re4 27. b3 Rb4 28. Re2 Nf6 29. Rde1 Rd4 30. Bg2 Nxd5 31. Re8+ Rxe8 32. Rxe8+ Kg7 33. Rd8 Qc7 34. Qxc7 Nxc7 35. Rxd4 cxd4 36. b4 Kf6 37. Kf1 d3 38. Ke1 Ke5 39. Kd2 Kd4 40. Bf1 Nd5 41. Bxd3 Nxb4 42. Bb1 Nd5 43. Bc2 a5 44. Bd1 Nc3 45. Bb3 f6 46. h4 gxh4 47. gxh4 Ne4+ 48. Ke2 a4 49. Bf7 b4 50. Bg8 Nc3+ 0-1

Round 5, Oct. 22, 2015
Grischuk, Alexander – Caruana, Fabiano
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, Open Variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 Ke8 10.h3 h5 11.Ne2 b6 12.Bg5 Bb7 13.Rad1 Be7 14.Bxe7 Kxe7 15.Nf4 c5 16.Ng5 Rh6 17.c3 f6 18.exf6+ Kxf6 19.Nfe6 Rg6 20.f4 Ne3 21.Rd7 Rxg5 22.Nxg5 Nxf1 23.Kxf1 Rc8 24.g4 hxg4 25.hxg4 Bc6 26.Rf7+ Kg6 27.Kf2 Bd5 28.Rd7 Bxa2 29.Kg3 a5 30.Ne4 Bb1 31.f5+ Kh6 32.Nd2 Bc2 33.Nf3 Be4 34.Ne5 Kg5 35.Nf7+ Kf6 36.Kf4 Bxf5 37.gxf5 g6 38.fxg6 Kxg6 39.Rd8 Rxd8 40.Nxd8 Kf6 41.c4 Ke7 42.Nc6+ Kd6 43.Ne5 b5 44.Ke4 c6 45.b3 Kc7 46.Kd3 a4 47.bxa4 Kb6 48.Kc3 Ka5 49.Kb3 1-0

The last game to end is Adams versus Chao Li.

Round 5, Oct. 22, 2015
Adams, Michael – Li, Chao
C42 Petrov, Nimzowitsch Attack

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 Nc6 8. Bd3 Bf6 9. Qe2 Qe7 10. O-O-O Bd7 11. Rhe1 O-O-O 12. Qf1 Be6 13. Bb5 Ne5 14. Bxa7 Nxf3 15. gxf3 Be5 16. Re4 Qf6 17. Ra4 Qxf3 18. Be3 c5 19. h4 Kc7 20. Be2 Qc6 21. Bb5 Qf3 22. Be2 Qh3 23. Qg1 Qh2 24. Qxh2 Bxh2 25. h5 Be5 26. Rh4 h6 27. Kd2 b6 28. a4 Bf6 29. Rh2 Rhe8 30. Rg1 Bd5 31. b3 Re5 32. c4 Bc6 33. Rh3 Kb7 34. Rhg3 d5 35. cxd5 Bxd5 36. Kc1 c4 37. bxc4 Be6 38. c5 bxc5 39. f4 Rxe3 40. Rxe3 Bd4 41. Rd3 Bc4 42. Rxg7 Bxd3 43. Rxf7+ Kb8 44. cxd3 Be3+ 45. Kc2 Rd4 46. f5 Rxa4 47. Bf3 Bg5 48. Bd5 Ra6 49. Be6 Rd6 50. Rg7 Bf4 51. Rg6 Kc7 52. f6 Rd8 53. f7 Rf8 54. Kc3 Kd6 55. Kc4 Be3 56. Bd5+ Kd7 57. Bc6+ Ke7 58. Be8 Bd4 59. Kd5 Bf2 60. Re6+ Kd8 61. Kc6 Bd4 62. Bd7 1-0

Of the last couple of positions for Black, a kibitzer writes “Asphyxiation”.
_______

All the other games in the top fifteen (given in last posting) except these, were draws.

Today’s results are Siberia-SOCAR 3.5-2.5, Obiettivo-Alkaloid 3-2 and that would make Siberia first after Round 5.

**Wayne Komer** · Friday, 23rd October, 2015, 11:17 AM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

European Club Cup 2015

October 23, 2015

Round Six, Part 1

The penultimate round, with lots of interesting matchups again:

1. Ivanchuk-Kramnik
2. Aronian-Tomashevsky
3. Jakovenko-Grischuk
4. Li Chao-Andreikin
5. Kryvoruchko-Wang Yue
6. Korobov-Yu Yangyi
7. Topalov-Wojtaszek
8. Harikrishna-Giri
9. Caruana-Navara
10. Laznicka-Adams
11. Radjabov-Sasikiran
12. Bartel-Mamedov
13. Nepomniachtchi-Leko
14. Karjakin-Inarkiev
15. Najer-Nakamura
16. MVL-Dubov
17. Zvjaginsev-Bacrot
18. Dvirnyy-Grachev
19. Sutovsky-Svidler
20. Dominguez-Durabaylli

Nakamura is playing Najer, who beat Grischuk in Round 3.

Ivanchuk-Kramnik seems to being played without the lamp for auxiliary lighting.

Sometimes an inanimate object intrudes itself in a chess match. You’ll recall that Fischer’s lush designer chair was an object of envy and of suspicion during the 1972 Match.

In the World Cup Baku, the bottled mineral water was mentioned several times by the commentators. Karjakin had a hand injury which didn’t allow him to open up his water bottle and he had to seek help from either Svidler or a security guard.

In this tournament, Kramnik’s lamp was an issue – at least with Topalov.

Anyway, if you want to see a photo of the lamp, at the table of Kramnik-Nepomniachtchi, go to:

https://chess24.com/en/read/news/kra...llision-course

**Wayne Komer** · Friday, 23rd October, 2015, 02:31 PM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

European Club Cup

Round 6, Oct. 23, 2015

Part 2

Ivanchuk, Vassily – Kramnik, Vladimir
C54 Giuoco Piano, d3 variation

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. Bb3 a6 7. Nbd2 Be6 8. O-O O-O 9. Re1 h6 10. Nf1 Bxb3 11. Qxb3 Re8 12. Be3 Bxe3 13. Nxe3 Qd7 14. h3 Ne7 15. Nh2 c6 16. Rad1 d5 17. Nhg4 Nxg4 18. hxg4 Rad8 19. d4 exd4 20. Rxd4 Qc8 21. Red1 b5 22. Qc2 dxe4 23. Qxe4 Nd5 24. Qd3 Qe6 25. Qf5 Qxf5 26. gxf5 Re5 27. g4 Kh7 28. R1d2 h5 29. gxh5 Rd6 30. b3 a5 31. Nxd5 Rdxd5 32. c4 bxc4 33. bxc4 Rxd4 34. Rxd4 Rxf5 35. Rd7 f6 36. Ra7 Rxh5 37. Kg2 Kg6 38. f4 Rc5 39. Kf3 Kf5 40. Ke3 Rxc4 41. Rxa5+ c5 42. a4 Re4+ 43. Kd3 Kxf4 0-1

Ivanchuk plays two weak moves in a row: 31.Nxd5 and 32.c4 and Kramnik is back in the game.

Round 6, Oct. 23, 2-15
Najer, Evgeniy – Nakamura, Hikaru
A40 Queen’s Pawn, Keres Defence

1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. e4 Bb7 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. Ne2 Nb4 6. O-O g6 7. Nbc3 Nxd3 8. Qxd3 Bg7 9. d5 d6 10. f4 Ne7 11. Be3 O-O 12. Nd4 e5 13. fxe5 dxe5 14. Nf3 Ba6 15. b4 h6 16. b5 Bc8 17. c5 g5 18. Rad1 Ng6 19. a4 bxc5 20. Bxc5 Re8 21. Qe3 a6 22. d6 Be6 23. Nd5 Bxd5 24. Rxd5 axb5 25. d7 Re6 26. axb5 g4 27. Ne1 Nf4 28. Rd1 Rb8 29. Nd3 Qxd7 30. Nxf4 exf4 31. Rxd7 fxe3 32. Rfxf7 Be5 33. Kf1 Rf6+ 34. Rxf6 Bxf6 35. Bxe3 Rxb5 36. Bxh6 Rb4 37. Rxc7 Rxe4 38. Bd2 Ra4 39. Bc3 Rf4+ 40. Ke2 Bxc3 41. Rxc3 Kf7 42. Ke3 Rf1 43. Rc6 g3 44. hxg3 Rf5 45. g4 Ra5 46. Kf4 Kg7 47. g5 Ra2 48. g3 Ra4+ 49. Kf5 Ra5+ 50. Kg4 Ra1 51. Kf5 ½-½

One of the chessbomb kibitzers calls this Owen’s Defence.

Chess.com -The Owen Defence, or English Defense, is characterized by the moves 1...e6, 2...b6 or 1...b6, 2...e6. This defense is an uncommon hypermodern defense named after John Owen for his use of it in the mid 19th century. This defense goes back farther than the Indian defense, but did not see popularity until English masters Tony Miles and Raymond King used it in the 1970s to great effect. Their theory on the opening made it into a definite playable defense for black that could prove well if white did not know what to do.
_______

Both Baadur Jobava and David Howell come in to talk about their games with Borki. Baadur is in a good humour. David talks his nervousness and says that he hasn’t had a good chance to watch the top board because he has been shooed away. Both agree that Kramnik has been playing phenomenally, winning four games straight and two of those without his lamp!

Round 6, Oct. 23, 2015
Jobava, Baadur – Cvitan, Ognjen
B23 Sicilian, Closed (3.Nge2)

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. Nge2 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 Nc6 6. d3 Rb8 7. O-O Nf6 8. f4 O-O 9. h3 Nd7 10. Kh2 b5 11. a3 a6 12. g4 Bb7 13. Ng3 Nd4 14. Nce2 Nxe2 15. Qxe2 a5 16. g5 b4 17. h4 Ba6 18. axb4 cxb4 19. h5 Bb5 20. e5 e6 21. exd6 Nc5 22. h6 Bh8 23. Be3 Na4 24. b3 Nc3 25. Qf2 Qxd6 26. Rxa5 Rfc8 27. Ba7 Qd8 28. Rfa1 Nd1 29. Qe2 Nc3 30. Qf2 Nd1 31. Qe1 Nc3 32. Bxb8 Rxb8 33. Ra8 1-0

Ognjen Cvitan (born 10 October 1961) is a Croatian (formerly Yugoslav) chess grandmaster. Cvitan earned the International Master title by winning the 1981 World Junior Championship. His grandmaster title was awarded in 1987.

Round 6, Oct. 23, 2015
Howell, David – Roiz, Michael
C45 Scotch, Potter Variation

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb6 6. Nc3 Nf6 7. Qe2 O-O 8. Be3 d5 9. O-O-O d4 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bh4 Qd6 12. Kb1 Qe6 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Nd5 Qd6 15. f4 Be6 16. c4 Nb4 17. Qf3 Rfe8 18. Nxd4 Bxd4 19. Rxd4 Qc5 20. Qc3 a5 21. a3 Na6 22. Be2 c6 23. Ne3 Rad8 24. Rhd1 Rxd4 25. Rxd4 Qb6 26. Bd1 Nc5 27. Bc2 a4 28. e5 Bc8 29. g3 Nb3 30. Rd6 Nc5 31. Nd5 Qa7 32. Ne7+ Kf8 33. Nxc8 Rxc8 34. Qe3 Qa5 35. f5 Re8 36. Rxh6 Kg8 37. f6 Nb3 38. fxg7 1-0

David W. L. Howell was born in 1990 in England. His mother comes from Singapore which explains the fact that his two middle initials stand for Wei Liang. He is the youngest chess grandmaster in the U.K.

_______

Now let’s see, who wins the ending of two queens vs rook, knight and pawn..?

Round 6, Oct. 23, 2015
Karjakin, Sergey – Inarkiev, Ernesto
C95 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer, Borisenko Variation

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. a4 Bf8 14. Bd3 c6 15. b3 g6 16. Bb2 exd4 17. cxd4 d5 18. e5 Nh5 19. g3 Ng7 20. h4 bxa4 21. Ng5 c5 22. bxa4 c4 23. Bf1 Bb4 24. Ba3 a5 25. Qf3 f6 26. Bxb4 axb4 27. Nxc4 fxg5 28. Nd6 Rf8 29. Qb3 Qb6 30. Nxb7 Qxb7 31. Bg2 Ra5 32. e6 Nf6 33. hxg5 Ne4 34. e7 Rf7 35. Rab1 Qxe7 36. f3 Nd2 37. Qd3 Nxb1 38. Rxe7 Rxe7 39. Qxb1 Rxa4 40. f4 Nf5 41. Bxd5+ Kg7 42. Qc1 Ra5 43. Qc6 Rxd5 44. Qxd5 Nxg3 45. Qd6 Nf5 46. Qxb4 h5 47. gxh6+ Kxh6 48. d5 Kh5 49. Kf2 Kg4 50. Qa4 Rf7 51. Qe4 Ra7 52. d6 g5 53. Qf3+ Kh4 54. Qh1+ Kg4 55. Qd1+ Kxf4 56. d7 Ra2+ 57. Ke1 Ne3 58. Qd6+ Kf3 59. Qf6+ Kg3 60. d8=Q Ng2+ 61. Kd1 1-0
_______

Round 6, Oct. 23, 2015
Sutovsky, Emil – Svidler, Peter
C95 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer, Borisenko Variation

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. Bg5 h6 15. Bh4 Qc8 16. N3d2 g6 17. dxe5 Rxe5 18. f4 Re8 19. e5 dxe5 20. f5 g5 21. Bf2 e4 22. Ng3 e3 23. Rxe3 Bc5 24. Rxe8+ Qxe8 25. Qe1 Qf8 26. Nde4 Bxe4 27. Nxe4 Nxe4 28. Qxe4 Re8 29. Qc6 Bxf2+ 30. Kxf2 Qe7 31. Kg1 Nf6 32. Qf3 Qc5+ 33. Qf2 Re3 34. Kf1 Qc4+ 35. Kg1 Re2 36. Bb3 Qe4 37. Qg3 c5 38. Bd1 Rxb2 39. Bf3 Qe3+ 40. Kh1 Qxc3 41. h4 Rb4 0-1
_______

The results of the top teams:

1. Ivanchuk-Kramnik 0-1
2. Aronian-Tomashevsky ½-½
3. Jakovenko-Grischuk ½-½
4. Li Chao-Andreikin 1-0
5. Kryvoruchko-Wang Yue 1-0
6. Korobov-Yu Yangyi ½-½
7. Topalov-Wojtaszek 1-0
8. Harikrishna-Giri ½-½
9. Caruana-Navara ½-½
10. Laznicka-Adams ½-½
11. Radjabov-Sasikiran 1-0
12. Bartel-Mamedov 1-0
13. Nepomniachtchi-Leko ½-½
14. Karjakin-Inarkiev 1-0
15. Najer-Nakamura ½-½
16. MVL-Dubov ½-½
17. Zvjaginsev-Bacrot ½-½
18. Dvirnyy-Grachev ½-½
19. Sutovsky-Svidler 0-1
20. Dominguez-Durabaylli 1-0

and Alkaloid-Siberia 2.5-3.5, SOCAR-Novy Bor 3.5-2.5, ShSM-Obiettivo 2.5-3.5 and Odlar Yurdu-SPB 1.5-4.5, which means that Siberia is still at the top.

In Live Ratings, the top five are: Carlsen, Topalov,
Anand, Kramnik and Nakamura. The Old Guard is back.

**Wayne Komer** · Sunday, 25th October, 2015, 01:46 AM

Re: European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

European Club Cup 2015

October 24, 2015

Final Round

Chess.com - Siberia (Russia) finished undefeated and won the European Club Cup on Saturday after playing 3-3 against Obiettivo Risarcimento in the final round. Nona (Georgia) won gold, and all its matches, in the women's section.

“I feel great,” said GM Pavel Maletin, the coach of Siberia after his team had finished the European Club Cup in Skopje undefeated. “It was a difficult tournament. A lot of tough games, tough matches. I was worried about all players of our team every day!”

Worldchess.com - In the early going, Siberia found itself in a hole as the hero of Round 6, Li Chao B of China, was crushed by Obiettivo Risarcimento Padova’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France, who is one of the only western players to have maintained a good score against top Chinese players as they have risen to power.

Vachier-Lagrave wasted no time in blasting the game wide open with 15. b4!, looking to open lines on the weakened Black queenside. After 15. … Nf6 16. bxa5 bxa5 17. Nc4 Nd5 18. Ne5 f4 19. Qb3, Black’s position was already critical, with the enormously active white pieces raking the board. If Li had more time on the clock at this point he might have been able to offer a bit more resistance, but as it played out, Vachier-Lagrave collected the full point in just 32 moves.

Not for nothing, though, had Siberia made it this far unscathed. Their squad showed great resilience to adversity throughout the tournament, and this round was no exception. In Round 6, Li’s countryman, Wang Yue, had a really awful game. But in Round 7, the roles were reversed and it was Wang’s time to shine. In an encounter with another Frenchman, Etienne Bacrot, Wang, who had White, played the trendy 5. h3 line against the King’s Indian and conducted the opening and middlegame excellently.

In the end, there were just too many weaknesses and Black had to lose material. Wang converted his advantage flawlessly and helped Siberia draw the match and clinch the championship.

European Club Cup 2015
Round 7, Oct. 24, 2015
Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime – Li Chao
D10 QGD, Slav

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 g6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.Be2 O-O 7.O-O b6 8.a4 a5 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.b3 Ne4 11.Nxe4 dxe4 12.Nd2 Bb7 13.Ba3 f5 14.Rc1 Nd7 15.b4 Nf6 16.bxa5 bxa5 17.Nc4 Nd5 18.Ne5 f4 19.Qb3 Rb8 20.Bb5 Bxe5 21.dxe5 fxe3 22.fxe3 Rxf1+ 23.Rxf1 Rc8 24.Bc4 Qd7 25.e6 Qc6 26.Rc1 Nb6 27.Ba6 Bxa6 28.Rxc6 Rxc6 29.Bxe7 Bc4 30.Qc3 Nd5 31.Qxa5 Nc7 32.Qa7 1-0

Round 7, Oct. 24, 2015
Wang Yue, Bacrot, Etienne
D71 King’s Indian, Makagonov System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.h3 O-O 6.Nf3 e5 7.d5 Nh5 8.g3 f5 9.exf5 gxf5 10.Ng5 Nf6 11.g4 Qe8 12.gxf5 Bxf5 13.Be3 Na6 14.Rg1 Kh8 15.Bd3 e4 16.Be2 Nc5 17.Qd2 c6 18.O-O-O cxd5 19.cxd5 Rc8 20.Kb1 a6 21.h4 b5 22.Ne6 Nxe6 23.dxe6 b4 24.e7 Qxe7 25.Na4 a5 26.Qxd6 Qxd6 27.Rxd6 Rfd8 28.Rxd8+ Rxd8 29.Rg5 Rd5 30.Nb6 Re5 31.Bd4 e3+ 32.Kc1 Re4 33.Bxf6 Bxf6 34.Rxf5 exf2 35.Bd3 Re1+ 36.Kc2 Bxh4 37.Nd5 Kg7 38.Rf4 Rh1 39.Ne3 Rh2 40.Nf1 Rh3 41.Be4 Bf6 42.Rxf2 a4 43.Rf3 Rh4 44.Bd3 Rh5 45.b3 axb3+ 46.axb3 Rc5+ 47.Bc4 h5 48.Ne3 h4 49.Nd5 Be5 50.Kd3 Bd6 51.Ke4 Ra5 52.Kf5 Ra1 53.Kg4 Rh1 54.Ne3 1-0

Round 7, Oct. 24, 2015
Roiz, Michael – Ivanchuk, Vassily
D12 QGD, Slav

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Be4 7.f3 Bg6 8.Qb3 Qc7 9.Bd2 Be7 10.g3 O-O 11.Rc1 Rd8 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.cxd5 exd5 14.Bg2 Qb6 15.Qc2 Nbd7 16.O-O Rac8 17.Rfd1 c5 18.Be1 Qe6 19.Bf2 a6 20.Qe2 b5 21.dxc5 Bxc5 22.Rc2 b4 23.Na4 Bxe3 24.Rxc8 Bxf2+ 25.Qxf2 Rxc8 26.Bf1 Ne5 27.Kg2 Qf5 28.Rd2 Ne4 0-1

22.Rc2? better is f4

And from Round Six:

Round 6, Oct. 23, 2015
Haag, Gregor – Aleksandrov, Aleksej
A13 English Opening, Agincourt Variation

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. d4 Nf6 4. e3 a6 5. Nc3 dxc4 6. Bxc4 b5 7. Bd3 Bb7 8. Qe2 Nbd7 9. e4 c5 10. d5 c4 11. Bc2 e5 12. O-O Rc8 13. Nd1 Bd6 14. a4 O-O 15. axb5 axb5 16. b3 cxb3 17. Bxb3 Nc5 18. Bc2 b4 19. Bb2 Ba6 20. Rxa6 Nxa6 21. Nxe5 Bxe5 22. Bxe5 Re8 23. f4 Qb6+ 24. Kh1 b3 25. Bb1 Rc1 26. Qb2 Rec8 27. d6 Nd7 28. Bxg7 Qxd6 29. Bd4 Rxb1 30. Qxb1 Qxd4 31. Qxb3 Qxe4 32. Qg3+ Kh8 33. Re1 Qd4 34. Nc3 Nf6 35. Nb5 Qb6 36. Qh4 Nc5 37. h3 Nce4 38. Na3 Rg8 39. Nc4 Qe6 40. Ne5 Qd5 41. Kh2 Qa2 42. Rg1 Rg3 43. Qh6 Kg8 44. Nc6 Qe6 0-1

Aleksej Aleksandrov (born 11 May 1973 in Belarus) got his GM title in 1997.

________

Final Ranking After Round 7

1. Siberia (Russia)
2. SOCAR (Azerbaijan)
3. Mednyi Vsadnik (Russia)
4. Obiettivo Padova (Italy)
5. Ave Novy Bor (Czech Republic)
6. Alkaloid (Macedonia)

Top Boards

1. Kramnik, Valdimir 4.5/5 for 90%
2. Najer, Evgeniy 4.5/5 for 90%
3. Adams, Michael 5/6 for 83.3%
4. Radjabov, Teimour 4/5 for 80%
5. Aleksandrov, Aleksej 5/5 for 100%

European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

European Chess Club Cup Skopje 2015

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