Prague International Chess Festival 2020

[Hans Jung]

I enjoyed the round 3 games. Duda - Shankland was a crazy queen sacrifice - amazing lines. Maybe Sam missed a win but lots to see and analyse.

[Hans Jung]

Lots of fighting games. 6 wins in three rounds but couldve been lots more. Great chess.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 4 5 draws but how is that possible?? In the Firoujza - Vitiugov game how could Firoujza not win ?? He was + 10 at one point - crazy desperate queen sack by Vitiugov trying to survive, massive fireworks tactics and then a draw. Shocking.

[Hans Jung]

The Anton - Duda game I didnt want to see drawn for another reason. The queens knight went form c3 - b5 - a3 -b1 - d2 -b3 -c1 - d3 -c5 No no no not c5 dont exchange the knight?? How about f2, h1, g3, e2, c1, b3, a5? How often do you get to do that?? What a shame.

[Hans Jung]

In the Grandelius game I feel for him. He seemed to have everything, two bishops, better position, wins a pawn and the nothing?? Stone dead draw.

[Hans Jung]

I loved the Navarra attack but sometimes there just isnt enough. Sure looked like it though but I cant come up with any breakthroughs.

[Wayne Komer]

Prague International Chess Festival 2020

February 15, 2020

Round Four

Round 4, Feb. 15
Ragger, Markus – Navara, David
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.O-O O-O 6.c3 d6 7.Re1 h6 8.h3 a5 9.Nbd2 a4 10.Bb5 Bd7 11.Nf1 Ne7 12.Bxd7 Nxd7 13.Ng3 f5 14.d4 Bb6 15.exf5 Nxf5 16.Nxf5 Rxf5 17.Be3 exd4 18.Bxd4 c5 19.Be3 Qf6 20.Nd2 d5 21.g4 Re5 22.Nf3 d4 23.Nxe5 Nxe5 24.f4 dxe3 25.fxe5 Qxe5 26.Qe2 c4 27.Kh1 Kh8 28.Qxc4 Re8 29.Qe2 a3 30.bxa3 Ba5 31.Rf1 Bxc3 32.Rad1 Qe4+ 33.Kg1 Bd4 34.Rfe1 Bc5 35.Rc1 b6 36.a4 Rf8 37.Rxc5 Rf2 38.Rc8+ Kh7 39.Qxf2 exf2+ 40.Kxf2 Qf4+ 41.Kg2 Qd2+ 42.Kf1 Qd3+ 43.Kg2 Qd5+ 44.Kg3 Qd6+ 45.Kg2 Qd2+ 46.Kf1 Qxa2 47.Rc3 Qxa4 48.Ree3 Qa2 49.Ke1 b5 50.Rb3 Qa1+ 51.Kd2 Qd4+ 52.Kc2 b4 53.Rf3 Qc4+ 54.Kb2 Qe2+ 55.Kb1 Qd1+ 56.Kb2 Qd2+ 57.Kb1 Kg6 58.Rbd3 Qe2 59.Rd6+ Kg5 60.Rd5+ Kg6 1/2-1/2



Round 4, Feb. 15
Harikrishna, Pentala – Shankland, Sam
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf, Lipnitzky Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.O-O Be7 8.Bb3 O-O 9.f4 Nc6 10.Kh1 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 b5 12.f5 b4 13.Qxb4 d5 14.Qd4 dxe4 15.Qxd8 Rxd8 16.fxe6 Bxe6 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Bxe6 fxe6 20.Nxe4 Bxb2 21.Rab1 Rd4 22.Rfe1 Ba3 23.c3 Ra4 24.g3 Rc8 25.Kg2 Rc6 26.Re2 Bd6 27.Rb7 Be5 28.Rb4 Rxb4 29.cxb4 Bd4 30.Nc5 Bc3 31.Rxe6 Rxe6 32.Nxe6 Bxb4 33.Nc7 a5 34.Kf3 Kf7 35.Ke4 Bd6 36.Nb5 Bb8 37.a4 h5 38.Na3 Ke6 39.Nc4 Bc7 40.h3 Bxg3 41.Nxa5 g5 42.Nc6 g4 43.Nd4+ Kd6 44.hxg4 hxg4 45.Nf5+ Kc5 46.Nxg3 Kb4 47.Kf4 Kxa4 48.Kxg4 1/2-1/2

Round 4, Feb. 15
Firouzja, Alireza – Vitiugov, Nikita
C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 h6 10.a4 Bb7 11.Re1 Re8 12.Nbd2 Bf8 13.Nf1 Na5 14.Bc2 c5 15.Ne3 Qd7 16.Nh2 d5 17.axb5 axb5 18.Qf3 c4 19.Nhg4 Nxg4 20.Nxg4 dxe4 21.dxe4 Qe6 22.Qg3 Kh8 23.f4 exf4 24.Bxf4 Nb3 25.Rad1 Rad8 26.e5 Nc5 27.Rxd8 Rxd8 28.Nf6 gxf6 29.Qh4 Rd3 30.Bxh6 Bxh6 31.exf6 Qxe1+ 32.Qxe1 Ne4 33.Qh4 Kh7 34.Qh5 Nd6 35.g4 Bf3 36.Qe5 Bf8 37.Kf2 Ne4+ 38.Kf1 Kg8 39.Qxb5 Rd5 40.Qb8 Rd2 41.Bxe4 Bxe4 42.h4 Bd3+ 43.Kg1 Be4 44.Kf1 Bd3+ 45.Kg1 1/2-1/2

Position after Black’s 35…Bf3. What move should White make?



Stockfish says 36.h4 or Kf1 or Qh4. My engine likes 36.Bb1 or Kh2!

Round 4, Feb. 15
Anton Guijarro, David – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
A16 English

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.h4 Bg7 6.e4 Nxc3 7.dxc3 Qxd1+ 8.Kxd1 Bg4 9.Kc2 Nd7 10.Nd4 e5 11.Nb5 Kd8 12.f3 Be6 13.h5 a6 14.Na3 b5 15.Nb1 c6 16.Be3 Kc7 17.a4 Rhb8 18.Nd2 Bf8 19.Nb3 Nb6 20.axb5 axb5 21.Rxa8 Rxa8 22.hxg6 hxg6 23.Rh8 Rd8 24.Nc1 Be7 25.Rxd8 Bxd8 26.Nd3 Nd7 27.Nc5 Nxc5 28.Bxc5 Kd7 29.b4 Bh4 30.Bd3 Bg3 1/2-1/2

Round 4, Feb. 15
Grandelius, Nils – Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.Bc4 Qd6 8.Nbd2 Bf5 9.b4 Bb6 10.Ng5 O-O 11.Nde4 Nxe4 12.dxe4 Qxd1+ 13.Kxd1 Bg4+ 14.f3 Bd7 15.a4 h6 16.a5 hxg5 17.Bxg5 Bxa5 18.bxa5 b6 19.Bd5 Rac8 20.axb6 cxb6 21.h4 Rfe8 22.Bxc6 Rxc6 23.Rxa7 Be6 24.Ra3 b5 25.Ke2 Rec8 26.Bd2 Rd8 27.Rha1 Kh7 28.Ra8 Bc4+ 29.Ke1 Rd3 30.R1a6 Rxa6 31.Rxa6 b4 32.Rc6 bxc3 33.Rxc4 Rxd2 34.g4 Rh2 35.Rxc3 Rxh4 1/2-1/2

Standings after Round Four

1 Vidit 3
2-4 Vitiugov, Firouzja, Duda 2.5
5-6 Grandelius, Anton 2
7-9 Harikrishna, Shankland, Ragger 1.5
10 Navara 1

Firouzja meets Vidit in Round 5.

In the Open, Aman Hambleton has 1.5/2, Omid Malek has 1, as does Thomas Roussel-Roozmon. Jafar Faraji has two losses.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 5 Sam Shankland built a commanding position and then went astray with several inaccurate moves shedding pawns and allowing a bishop sacrifice for the passed pawn. = draw

[Hans Jung]

Firoujza went to far in the opening and was duly punished by Vidit's pressure play.

[Hans Jung]

Grandelius had Qf2 which threatened mate but allowed Qxh7+ and Rh3+ leading to checkmate by Navarra. The game turned and Grandelius didnt find important defensive moves and Navarra's rooks played an instrumental role in the kingside breakthru.

[Wayne Komer]

Prague International Chess Tournament 2020

February 16, 2020

Round Five

Round 5, Feb. 16
Shankland, Sam – Anton Guijarro, David
A45 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 c5 3.dxc5 Na6 4.f3 e6 5.e4 Bxc5 6.Nc3 d5 7.Qd2 O-O 8.O-O-O Bd7 9.Bxa6 bxa6 10.e5 Ne8 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Qxd5 Qb6 13.Qxd7 Nc7 14.Ne2 Ne6 15.Kb1 Ba3 16.b3 Qf2 17.Qd3 Rfd8 18.Qe4 Qxg2 19.Rdg1 Qf2 20.Rf1 Qb6 21.Be3 Bc5 22.Bc1 Rac8 23.Rd1 Bf8 24.Bb2 a5 25.Nc3 Qf2 26.Qe2 Qh4 27.Ne4 a4 28.Nd6 Rb8 29.Qe4 Qxe4 30.Nxe4 a5 31.Nc3 axb3 32.cxb3 Rdc8 33.Rd5 Rb4 34.Rxa5 Rf4 35.Ne2 Rxf3 36.Nd4 Nxd4 37.Bxd4 h5 38.Rc1 Re8 39.Rb5 Kh7 40.a4 Rd8 41.Bb6 Rdd3 42.a5 Rxb3+ 43.Rxb3 Rxb3+ 44.Kc2 Ra3 45.Kb2 Bb4 46.Ra1 Rh3 47.Ra4 Rxh2+ 48.Kc1 Bxa5 1/2-1/2

Round 5, Feb. 16
Navara, David – Grandelius, Nils
A33 English, symmetrical variation

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.g3 Qb6 7.Nb3 Ne5 8.e4 Bb4 9.Qe2 d6 10.Bd2 a5 11.O-O-O a4 12.Na1 O-O 13.Nc2 Bc5 14.f4 Nc6 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Nd7 17.Bf4 f6 18.exf6 Nxf6 19.Bh3 e5 20.Bxc8 exf4 21.Be6+ Kh8 22.gxf4 Nd4 23.Nxd4 Bxd4 24.Rd3 a3 25.b3 Nh5 26.Qxh5 Bxc3 27.f5 Bb2+ 28.Kb1 h6 29.Rhd1 Bf6 30.Qe2 Qa5 31.Qe1 Qc7 32.Qg3 Be5 33.Qe3 Bf6 34.R1d2 Rfe8 35.Rd7 Qc6 36.R2d5 Rac8 37.Rf7 Bb2 38.Qd2 Rb8 39.Bd7 Qb6 40.c5 Qd8 41.f6 Bxf6 42.Bb5 Re1+ 43.Kc2 Qg8 44.Rxf6 gxf6 45.Rd7 Qg6+ 46.Bd3 Re4 47.Re7 f5 48.Bxe4 fxe4 49.Qd4+ Kg8 50.Qd5+ Kf8 51.Re6 Qg5 52.Re5 Qg6 53.Rf5+ Kg7 54.Qe5+ Kh7 55.Qc7+ 1-0

Round 5, Feb. 16
Vitiugov, Nikita – Harikrishna, Pentala
D02 Queen’s Bishop game

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.Nbd2 cxd4 6.exd4 Bf5 7.Bb5 Qb6 8.c4 dxc4 9.a4 e6 10.O-O Bd3 11.Ne5 a6 12.Ndxc4 Bxc4 13.Nxc4 Qd8 14.Bxc6+ bxc6 15.Ne5 Qd5 16.Rc1 Bd6 17.Re1 Rc8 18.Qe2 O-O 19.Qxa6 Ra8 20.Qxc6 Qxc6 21.Rxc6 Bxe5 22.Bxe5 Rxa4 23.Bd6 Rfa8 24.b4 h5 25.b5 R8a5 26.b6 Rb5 27.Rc8+ Kh7 28.Bc5 Ra2 29.Rc7 Kg6 30.Ra7 Rab2 31.h3 Nd5 32.Ra3 R2b3 33.Rea1 Nxb6 34.Rxb3 Rxb3 35.Bxb6 Rxb6 36.h4 Rb4 37.Rd1 Kf5 38.d5 e5 39.d6 Rb8 40.d7 Rd8 41.Rd6 f6 42.f3 Kg6 43.Kf2 Kf7 44.f4 exf4 45.Kf3 Ke7 46.Ra6 Rxd7 47.Kxf4 Rd4+ 48.Kg3 g6 49.Kh3 Rd6 50.Ra3 Ke6 51.Kg3 Ke5 52.Kf3 Rd5 53.g3 Kf5 54.Rb3 g5 55.hxg5 fxg5 56.g4+ hxg4+ 57.Kg3 Rd4 58.Rb5+ Kg6 59.Rb8 Ra4 1/2-1/2

Round 5, Feb. 16
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Ragger, Markus
C68 Ruy Lopez, Exchange, Keres variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 f6 6.d4 exd4 7.Qxd4 Qxd4 8.Nxd4 Bd7 9.Be3 O-O-O 10.O-O-O Ne7 11.h4 h5 12.Nde2 Ng6 13.f3 Bd6 14.Na4 Be6 15.Nc5 Bf7 16.Nd3 b6 17.b3 Ba3+ 18.Kb1 c5 19.Bc1 Bxc1 20.Kxc1 c4 21.Ndf4 Rxd1+ 22.Kxd1 cxb3 23.cxb3 Ne5 24.Kc2 Rd8 25.Rd1 Rxd1 26.Kxd1 Kd7 27.Kd2 Kd6 28.Nd4 g6 29.Kc3 c6 30.a3 a5 1/2-1/2

Round 5, Feb. 16
Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi – Firouzja, Alireza
D13 QGD Slav, Exchange variation

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bf4 a6 7.Rc1 Bf5 8.e3 e6 9.Be2 Qb6 10.O-O Qxb2 11.Na4 Qb4 12.a3 Qa5 13.Qb3 b5 14.Rxc6 Qxa4 15.Qc3 e5 16.Nxe5 b4 17.axb4 Ne4 18.Qa1 Qxa1 19.Rxa1 Bxb4 20.Rcxa6 Rxa6 21.Rxa6 O-O 22.Nc6 Rc8 23.g4 Nc3 24.Bf1 1-0

Position after Black’s 10….Qxb2



Vidit leads the Prague Masters with 4/5 as Alireza Firouzja's pawn grab left him with a lost position after just 12 moves!


Standings after Round Five

1 Vidit 4
2-3 Vitiugov, Duda 3
4-5 Anton, Firouzja 2.5
6-10 Navara, Harikrishna, Shankland, Grandelius, Ragger 2


Monday, Feb. 17 is a rest day

_____________

From the Open

Prague Chess Festival Open
Round 1, Feb. 14
Troffiguer, Olivier – Roussel-Roozmon, Thomas
A45 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 cxd4 5.exd4 a6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 Nc6 9.O-O-O e6 10.g4 Be7 11.Kb1 Rc8 12.g5 Nd7 13.h4 Na5 14.Bh3 Nc4 15.Rd3 b5 16.Re1 Ndb6 17.h5 g6 18.Qg3 b4 19.Nd1 Rc6 20.Qh4 Rf8 21.hxg6 hxg6 22.Re2 Na4 23.Bc1 Qa5 24.b3 Nc3+ 25.Nxc3 bxc3 26.Qg3 Kd7 27.f4 Ba3 28.Qe1 Bxc1 29.Qxc1 Rh8 30.Rg2 Rh4 31.Rg4 Rxg4 32.Bxg4 Rc8 33.Rh3 Na3+ 34.Ka1 Nb5 35.Rh7 Ke7 36.Bxe6 Kxe6 37.Qe3+ Kd6 38.Rxf7 Qd8 39.a4 Qe8 40.Qe5+ Qxe5 41.fxe5+ Ke6 42.Rf6+ Ke7 43.axb5 axb5 44.Rxg6 Rh8 45.Rh6 Rf8 46.Rf6 Rh8 47.Rb6 Rh4 48.Rxb5 Rxd4 49.Rc5 Rd1+ 50.Ka2 d4 51.b4 Ke6 52.Kb3 Kf5 53.Kc4 Rd2 54.Rd5 Rxc2 55.Rxd4 Rc1 56.Rd3 c2 57.Rd2 Kxe5 58.Kc3 Rg1 59.Kxc2 Rxg5 60.Kb3 Rg6 61.Ka4 Ra6+ 62.Kb5 Ra8 63.Rd7 Ke6 64.Rb7 Kd6 65.Kb6 Rh8 66.b5 Rg8 67.Ka7 Rg1 68.Rh7 Ra1+ 69.Kb7 Rb1 70.b6 Rb2 71.Rc7 Rb1 72.Rc2 Ra1 73.Kb8 Kd7 74.b7 Ra3 75.Rd2+ Ke7 76.Rd4 1-0

[Hans Jung]

Vidit - super tactician!

[Wayne Komer]

Prague International Chess Tournament 2020

February 18, 2020

Round Six

Round 6, Feb. 18
Harikrishna, Pentala – Anton Guijarro, David
E01 Catalan, Closed

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Bb4+ 5.Nd2 O-O 6.Nf3 dxc4 7.a3 Bxd2+ 8.Bxd2 Nc6 9.e3 b5 10.b3 Bb7 11.bxc4 bxc4 12.O-O Ne7 13.Qc2 c5 14.Qxc4 cxd4 15.Qxd4 Qxd4 16.Nxd4 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 Rfc8 18.Rfc1 h6 19.Nb5 Ne4 20.Be1 a6 21.Nc7 Ra7 22.Ba5 Rb8 23.Ra2 Rb3 24.Rc4 Nd6 25.Rb4 Rxb4 26.axb4 Nc4 27.Rc2 Nxa5 28.bxa5 Kf8 29.f4 Nf5 30.Rc6 Ke7 1/2-1/2

Round 6, Feb. 18
Ragger, Markus – Shankland, Sam
C55 Two Knights Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 h6 5.c3 d6 6.O-O g5 7.Bb3 Bg7 8.Nbd2 a5 9.a4 Qe7 10.Nc4 Be6 11.Ne3 Qd7 12.Re1 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Bxd5 15.Nxe5 Bxe5 16.d4 O-O-O 17.dxe5 Qe6 18.Bxd5 Rxd5 19.Qc2 Nxe5 20.Be3 Qg4 21.Red1 Nf3+ 22.Kh1 Nh4 23.Rg1 Rhd8 24.h3 Qd7 25.Rge1 Rd3 26.Qe2 Qd5 27.Qf1 h5 28.c4 Qc6 29.Kg1 f6 30.f3 Nf5 31.Bf2 h4 32.Qe2 Rd2 33.Qe4 Qxe4 34.fxe4 Nd4 35.Rab1 Ne2+ 36.Kf1 Nf4 37.Be3 Rc2 38.Bxf4 gxf4 39.Re2 Rxc4 40.b3 Rb4 41.e5 f5 42.e6 Re4 43.Rc1 Re8 44.Rec2 Re7 45.Rc5 b6 46.Rxf5 R7xe6 47.Rf7 Re7 48.Rxe7 Rxe7 49.Rc4 Rf7 50.Kf2 c5 51.Re4 Kc7 52.Re6 Rd7 53.Rh6 Rd2+ 54.Kf1 f3 55.gxf3 Rd4 56.Rh7+ Kc6 57.Rh6+ Kb7 58.Rh7+ Ka6 59.Kf2 c4 60.bxc4 Rxc4 61.Ke3 Rxa4 62.f4 Ra3+ 63.Ke2 Rxh3 64.f5 Rc3 65.Rxh4 Rc6 66.Kd3 Kb5 67.Rf4 Rf6 68.Kd4 Rf8 69.f6 Kb4 70.Kd5+ Kb5 71.Kd4 Rf7 72.Rf1 Rd7+ 73.Kc3 Rc7+ 74.Kd3 Rf7 75.Kd4 a4 76.Kc3 Ka5 1/2-1/2

Final Position



Round 6, Feb. 18
Grandelius, Nils – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 a6 6.Bxd7+ Bxd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.Qd3 Rc8 9.O-O h6 10.Nd2 Qc7 11.Rd1 Nf6 12.Nf1 Bg4 13.Re1 Be6 14.Ne3 Be7 15.Rd1 O-O 16.a4 Bc4 17.Nxc4 Qxc4 18.a5 Qxd3 19.Rxd3 Rc4 20.f3 Rfc8 21.Kf1 Kf8 22.Bd2 Ne8 23.Nd5 Rxc2 24.Bc3 Bh4 25.Ne3 Rf2+ 26.Kg1 Re2 27.Kf1 Rf2+ 28.Kg1 Re2 29.Kf1 Rf2+ 1/2-1/2

Round 6, Feb. 18
Firouzja, Alireza – Navara, David
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 h6 7.Nbd2 O-O 8.h3 a6 9.a4 Re8 10.Qb3 Be6 11.a5 b5 12.axb6 cxb6 13.Bxe6 Rxe6 14.Rd1 d5 15.exd5 Qxd5 16.Qxd5 Nxd5 17.Ne4 Bf8 18.g4 a5 19.h4 Rd8 20.g5 hxg5 21.hxg5 Nce7 22.Nh4 Ng6 23.Nxg6 Rxg6 24.Kf1 f5 25.gxf6 gxf6 26.Ng3 Bh6 27.Bxh6 Rxh6 28.d4 Nf4 29.dxe5 Rxd1+ 30.Rxd1 fxe5 31.Ke1 Kf7 32.b3 Ke8 33.c4 Rg6 34.Kd2 Rd6+ 35.Kc2 Rxd1 36.Kxd1 Kd7 37.Kd2 Kc6 38.Kc3 Ne6 39.Ne4 Nc5 40.Nxc5 Kxc5 41.f3 b5 42.cxb5 Kxb5 43.Kc2 Kb4 44.Kb2 a4 45.bxa4 Kxa4 46.Kc3 Kb5 47.f4 Kc5 48.fxe5 Kd5 49.e6 Kxe6 1/2-1/2

Round 6, Feb. 18
Vitiugov, Nikita – Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi
A45 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 c5 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.exd4 b6 6.h3 Be7 7.a4 O-O 8.Nbd2 d6 9.Bb5 Ba6 10.O-O Bxb5 11.axb5 Nd5 12.Bg3 Nc7 13.c4 a6 14.bxa6 Rxa6 15.Qb3 Qd7 16.Rxa6 Nbxa6 17.Ra1 Rb8 18.Ne4 h6 19.Nc3 Bf8 20.Qa4 Qxa4 21.Rxa4 Rb7 22.b4 Nb8 23.b5 Nd7 24.Kf1 f5 25.h4 Be7 26.Bf4 Kf7 27.Na2 e5 28.dxe5 Nc5 29.Ra3 d5 30.cxd5 Nxd5 31.Bd2 Ne4 32.Rd3 Ra7 33.Nc1 Nc7 34.Be3 Ra1 35.g3 Nc5 36.Rd1 Nxb5 37.Re1 Ke6 38.Ne2 Rxe1+ 39.Kxe1 g5 1/2-1/2

Standings after Round Six

1 Vidit 4.5
2-3 Vitiugov, Duda 3.5
4-5 Anton, Firouzja 3
6-10 Navara, Shankland, Harikrishna, Ragger, Grandelius 2.5

____________

CHESS IN THE MOVIES

The players of the Masters, Challengers, and Futures groups had a free day on Monday. They could, like fans, visit the Aero Cinema Film Festival. Among other films, it featured the documentary “Album 61” about Grandmaster Boris Gelfand, who also played a chess simul against the young chess players. Lubomir Kavalek and Jan Novak then recalled the famous movie director Milos Forman and his relationship to chess.

In the morning, a children's day took place in the Hotel Don Giovanni. At 3 pm, chess players from the Futures category played a chess simul with Grandmaster Boris Gelfand in the Aero Cinema. The Israeli player, who fought in 2012 against the Indian Grandmaster Anand for the World Championship title, challenged eleven rivals with a final score of 7.5 - 3.5. It was a great experience for young talents.

After the simul the Film Festival started

The first film played in the Aero Cinema was the documentary by director Halil Efrat “Album 61”. He captured a chess fight for the World Championship title between Boris Gelfand and Viswanathan Anand, from the perspective of an Israeli challenger. The movie was followed by a lecture by Lubomír Kaválek, on the topic “How Miloš Forman played chess,” where he was joined on the stage by the co-author of Forman's autobiography Mr. Jan Novák. And how did Kaválek meet Forman in the first place? “I went to one of his friend’s apartment and he was just coming out. So we introduced ourselves and Forman tells me that he is in a hurry, but that he considers chess as an ingenious invention like a gramophone… or a light bulb. And with that bulb he just called from the lower floor as he left. It didn't make much sense to me at first, but then I realized that a gramophone was equal to sound and a light bulb was light. And both are the basis of the film.” A great friendship brought Forman and Kaválek together, which was strengthened by chess. The two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker liked the game very much, even so that we owned the old chairs in his office on which the best chess players of that time were sitting. Lubomír Kaválek talked about this at the lecture. “Miloš was in Venice at the Festival, so I invited him to Merano, where Korchnoi and Karpov played together. So we watch them play, and he tells me that those chairs where chess players sit for 5 hours must be very comfortable. I confirmed that to him, and he asked if he could go buy them. So we went to the organizer, Miloš wrote a check and they promised to deliver it in due time. But nothing happened for a long time, so I persuaded the organizer to contact the company, and finally they arrived. And Milos had those chairs in his study, sitting on them when he wrote the scripts ... The Karpov chair broke down in about three years, but the Korchnoi chair still remained. And when Karpov played with Kasparov in New York in 1990, I promised that Karpov would give him a new chair.”

Amadeus vs. Mozart

The famous director also played chess and one of his rivals was the current World Champion. “Miloš was in Valencia, preparing the play “A Walk Worthwhile”. And Magnus Carlsen played a simul nearby. And one Spanish journalist thought that Milos, as Amadaeus, could play a game against chess Mozart - the nickname I gave to Carlsen when I wrote about him for the Washington Post.” And the chess game was eventually organized. The director of the “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest”, “Hair” or “Valmont”, did not do well for a while, and in the end he even praised. “They were playing, and at some point, Forman said he didn't know what to do. And he expected Carlsen to advise him. But Carlsen does not react, he is like a statue. So Miloš thought for a moment and then played something, and Magnus said it wasn't bad at all. And Forman then told me that at that moment he felt as if he got the third Oscar”, Lubomír Kaválek recalled. His lecture was followed by a documentary film about the current World Champion simply named “Magnus”.

http://praguechessfestival.com/chess-in-the-movies

[Hans Jung]

Rd 6 Anton should have played on in the final position. He had good chances in an interesting endgame. Also Sam Shankland was better through the entire long endgame and apparently more than once missed winning chances.

[Wayne Komer]

Prague International Chess Tournament 2020

February 19, 2020

Round Seven

Round 7, Feb. 19
Shankland, Sam – Grandelius, Nils
D86 Grunfeld, Exchange, Classical variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 O-O 10.O-O Na5 11.Bd3 b6 12.Rc1 e5 13.dxe5 Bxe5 14.f4 Bg7 15.Ng3 Bg4 16.Qc2 Qd7 17.Rf2 Rfd8 18.Bf1 Be6 19.f5 Bc4 20.Bg5 f6 21.Bf4 Bd3 22.Qd1 Bxf1 23.Qxf1 Qd3 24.Qe1 g5 25.Rd2 Qc4 26.Bd6 Qf7 27.e5 fxe5 28.Qe4 Nc4 29.Rd5 b5 30.Rcd1 Nb2 31.Rf1 Bf6 32.Rxc5 Nc4 33.Rd1 Be7 34.Rc7 Bxd6 35.Rxf7 Bc5+ 36.Rd4 Bxd4+ 37.cxd4 Nd6 38.Qe2 Nxf7 39.dxe5 Rac8 40.e6 Rc1+ 41.Kf2 Nh6 42.e7 Re8 43.Qe6+ Nf7 44.Nh5 Rc2+ 45.Ke3 1-0

Round 7, Feb. 19
Anton Guijarro, David – Ragger, Markus
E60 King’s Indian Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.e4 Bg7 6.Nc3 e6 7.Bg5 exd5 8.cxd5 h6 9.Be3 O-O 10.Qd2 Re8 11.Be2 Kh7 12.Rc1 Qe7 13.b3 Na6 14.Bxa6 bxa6 15.Nge2 Nd7 16.O-O Nb6 17.Ng3 a5 18.Bf2 Bd7 19.Nce2 h5 20.Qxa5 h4 21.Nh1 Qg5 22.Be1 h3 23.Nhg3 Bd4+ 24.Bf2 hxg2 25.Kxg2 Bxf2 26.Rxf2 f5 27.h4 Qh6 28.Rh1 f4 29.Nf1 Re5 30.Kg1 Rh5 31.Rfh2 Kg8 32.Kf2 Kh7 33.Ke1 Re5 34.Nd2 Qg7 35.Rg1 Rae8 36.Rg5 Nxd5 37.Rxe5 Ne3 38.Rxe8 Qa1+ 39.Kf2 Nd1+ 40.Kg2 Ne3+ 41.Kf2 Nd1+ 42.Kg2 Ne3+ 43.Kf2 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Feb. 19
Navara, David – Vitiugov, Nikita
A20 English Opening

1.c4 e5 2.g3 c6 3.d4 e4 4.a3 d5 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Bg2 Be7 7.f3 exf3 8.Nxf3 O-O 9.O-O h6 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Nh4 Nc6 12.Nf5 Be6 13.g4 Re8 14.Nxe7+ Nxe7 15.g5 hxg5 16.Bxg5 Nh7 17.Bh4 Qd7 18.e3 Nf5 19.Qe1 Nf8 20.Rd1 Ng6 21.Bg3 Nh6 22.e4 dxe4 23.Qxe4 Re7 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.Qxd5 Qxd5 26.Bxd5 Ng4 27.Rd3 Rd8 28.Bb3 Nf6 29.d5 Re2 30.d6 Ne5 31.Rc3 Nc6 32.Rd3 Ne5 33.Bd1 Re4 34.Rc3 Nc4 35.Bf3 Nd2 36.Bxe4 Nfxe4 37.Rc7 Nxf1 38.d7 Kf8 39.Kxf1 Nxg3+ 40.hxg3 Ke7 41.Rxb7 Rxd7 42.Rb5 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Feb. 19
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Firouszja, Alireza
A11 English

1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.b3 Bd6 6.Bb2 O-O 7.Qc2 e5 8.Be2 e4 9.Ng5 h6 10.h4 Re8 11.Nh3 Na6 12.a3 dxc4 13.Bxc4 b5 14.Be2 b4 15.Nd1 bxa3 16.Bxa3 Nb4 17.Bxb4 Bxb4 18.g3 Ng4 19.Ra2 Qf6 20.Kf1 Bf5 21.Kg2 Rad8 22.Nc3 a5 23.Nf4 Qe5 24.Rc1 Rd6 25.Qd1 Nf6 26.h5 Red8 27.Nb1 g5 28.hxg6 fxg6 29.Qh1 Kg7 30.Na3 Bxa3 31.Rxa3 g5 32.Nh5+ Nxh5 33.Bxh5 Rxd2 34.Rxc6 Bd7 35.Rg6+ Kh7 36.Qc1 Be8 37.Rxa5 Qxa5 38.Qc4 Rxf2+ 39.Kxf2 Qf5+ 0-1

Round 7, Feb. 19
Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi – Harikrishna, Pentala
D37 QGD, Hastings variation

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 b6 7.Bd3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Bb7 9.O-O a6 10.Qe2 b5 11.Bd3 Nbd7 12.Rfd1 Rc8 13.Ne5 Qe8 14.Rac1 Nxe5 15.Bxe5 c5 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.dxc5 Rxc5 18.Ne4 Rxc1 19.Nxf6+ gxf6 20.Rxc1 f5 21.Rc7 Bd5 22.Qh5 Qd8 23.Bxf5 exf5 24.Rd7 Qxd7 25.Qg5+ Kh8 26.Qf6+ Kg8 27.Qg5+ Kh8 28.Qf6+ Kg8 29.Qg5+ 1/2-1/2

Standings after Round Seven

1 Vidit 5
2-3 Vitiugov, Firouzja 4
4-6 Anton, Duda, Shankland 3.5
7-9 Ragger, Navara, Harikrishna 3
10 Grandelius 2.5