Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 12, 2020

The Hikaru Nakamura – Haik Martirosyan Match

5+1 (HN-HM 7.5-0.5)

Round 1, Game 1, Nov. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – Martirosyan, Haik
A05 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.e3 e6 3.b3 c5 4.c4 Be7 5.Bb2 O-O 6.Nc3 d5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Nxd5 exd5 9.d4 Nc6 10.Be2 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Qa5+ 12.Kf1 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Bf5 14.Bd3 Be4 15.f3 Bxd3+ 16.Qxd3 Rfe8 17.Kf2 Bc5 18.Bxc5 Qxc5 19.Rac1 Qb6 20.Rhd1 a5 21.Qd4 Qh6 22.h3 Re6 23.Rc5 Rae8 24.Rd3 Rc6 25.Rxa5 Rc2+ 26.Rd2 Rxd2+ 27.Qxd2 Qh4+ 28.Kf1 d4 29.Qxd4 Qe7 30.Rd5 h6 31.Rd7 Qa3 32.Qd2 Rf8 33.Rd8 Qa6+ 34.Kf2 Rxd8 35.Qxd8+ Kh7 36.Qd2 g6 37.a4 Qc6 38.Qd3 h5 39.Qc4 Qd7 40.Ke2 Qd6 41.Qxf7+ 1-0

Round 1, Game 5, Nov. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – Martirosyan, Haik
E15 Queen’s Indian, Nimzowitsch variation

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 e6 3.c4 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Be7 7.Nc3 d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bg2 O-O 10.O-O Re8 11.Rc1 Nbd7 12.Ne5 Bb7 13.Bg5 Nf8 14.e3 Ne6 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.b4 c6 17.Qb3 Qd6 18.f4 Nc7 19.Rc2 Be7 20.a3 a5 21.bxa5 b5 22.a4 Rxa5 23.Rfc1 Qa3 24.Qb1 Qd6 25.axb5 cxb5 26.Ne4 dxe4 27.Rxc7 Ba8 28.Bxe4 Bxe4 29.Qxe4 Ra1 30.Rxa1 Qxc7 31.Qc6 Qb8 32.Qd5 Rf8 33.Nxf7 b4 34.Nh6+ 1-0

3+1 (HN-HM 5.5-2.5)

Round 2, Game 12, Nov. 12
Martirosyan, Haik – Nakamura, Hikaru
D37 QGD, Hastings variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 Nbd7 7.Be2 dxc4 8.O-O a6 9.a4 b6 10.Bxc4 Bd6 11.Bxd6 cxd6 12.Bd3 Bb7 13.e4 e5 14.Re1 Re8 15.Qd2 Rc8 16.Rad1 Qe7 17.Bb1 Qf8 18.Ba2 h6 19.Nh4 d5 20.exd5 Qb4 21.Nf5 exd4 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.Qxd4 Qxb2 24.Nd6 Rb8 25.Nxb7 Rxb7 26.d6 b5 27.axb5 axb5 28.h3 b4 29.Rb1 Qa3 30.Bc4 bxc3 31.Bxf7+ Kxf7 32.Rxb7 Qc1+ 33.Kh2 Qd2 34.Qc4+ Kg6 35.Rc7 Qxd6+ 36.Kg1 Qd1+ 37.Kh2 Qd2 38.Qxc3 Qxf2 39.Qd3+ Qf5 40.Qxf5+ Kxf5 41.Rc1 g5 42.Rf1+ Kg6 43.Re1 Nc5 44.Re5 Nd3 45.Ra5 Nf4 46.Ra4 Ne6 47.Kg1 h5 48.Ra6 Nc5 49.Rc6 Ne4 50.Rc8 h4 51.Rc1 Nd5 52.Rd1 Nf4 53.Kh2 Nh5 54.Re1 Nhg3 55.Ra1 Kf5 56.Ra8 Kf4 57.Rf8+ Ke3 58.Ra8 Nd2 59.Kg1 Ne2+ 60.Kh2 Nf1+ 61.Kh1 Neg3+ 62.Kg1 Nd2 63.Re8+ Nde4 64.Re7 Ne2+ 65.Kh2 Kd4 66.Re8 Nf4 67.Rd8+ Ke5 68.Re8+ Ne6 69.Kg1 Kf5 70.Ra8 Nf6 71.Kf2 Kf4 72.Ra4+ Ne4+ 73.Kg1 Nc5 74.Ra8 Nd3 75.Rd8 Ke3 76.Re8 Nc1 77.Kh2 Na2 78.Re7 Nb4 79.Re8 Nd3 80.Re7 Kf4 81.Kg1 Ne5 82.Re8 Nd7 83.Re7 Ndf6 84.Ra7 Kf5 85.Ra5+ Kg6 86.Ra6 Kg7 87.Kh2 Nd5 88.Ra5 Ndf6 89.Kg1 Kg6 90.Kh2 Nd6 91.Kg1 Nc4 92.Ra8 Ne3 93.Ra3 Nfd5 94.Ra6+ Kf5 95.Ra8 Nf4 96.Rf8+ Kg6 97.Rg8+ Kh6 98.Rh8+ Kg7 99.Ra8 Nexg2 100.Ra3 Ne1 101.Kf2 Ned3+ 102.Kf3 Kf6 103.Ke4 Nc5+ 104.Kd4 Nce6+ 105.Ke4 Nc5+ 106.Kd4 Nfe6+ 107.Kd5 Nd7 108.Ra6 Nf8 109.Ke4 Ng6 110.Kf3 Nf4 111.Kg4 Ng6 112.Kh5 Kf5 113.Rxe6 Nf4+ 114.Kh6 Nxe6 0-1

Position after White’s 75.Rd8



Hikaru takes a 10.5:1.5 lead with a 114-move slow death by knights that must have been one of the most painful losses yet for Martirosyan

Round 2, Game 16, Nov. 12
Martirosyan, Haik – Nakamura, Hikaru
D37 QGD, Hastings variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 Nbd7 7.Be2 dxc4 8.O-O a6 9.a4 c5 10.d5 exd5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.Qxd5 Nf6 13.Qxd8 Rxd8 14.Bc7 Re8 15.Bxc4 Be6 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.a5 Nd5 18.Be5 c4 19.Rfc1 Rac8 20.Nd2 Nb4 21.Rxc4 Nd3 22.Bc3 Bf6 23.Rb1 Rxc4 24.Nxc4 Bxc3 25.bxc3 Rc8 26.Nd6 Rxc3 27.g4 Rc2 28.Rxb7 Rxf2 29.Rb3 Nc5 30.Rb6 Nd3 31.Rxa6 h6 32.Rc6 Ra2 33.Nc4 Ne1 34.h3 Nf3+ 35.Kf1 e5 36.e4 Kh7 37.a6 Kg8 38.Nd6 Rd2 39.Rc3 Rxd6 40.a7 Ra6 41.Rc8+ Kf7 42.a8=Q Nd2+ 43.Ke2 Rxa8 44.Rxa8 Nxe4 45.Ke3 Nf6 46.Ra5 Ke6 47.Ra7 g5 48.Ra6+ Kf7 49.Kf3 Ke7 50.Ra7+ Ke6 51.Rg7 e4+ 52.Ke3 Ke5 53.Re7+ Kd6 54.Ra7 Ke5 55.Re7+ Kd6 56.Rf7 Ke5 57.Rxf6 Kxf6 58.Kxe4 h5 59.gxh5 Kg7 60.Kf5 Kh7 61.Kxg5 Kg7 62.h6+ Kh7 63.Kh5 Kh8 64.Kg5 Kh7 65.h4 Kh8 66.Kg6 Kg8 67.h7+ Kh8 68.Kh6 1/2-1/2

Final Position



Poor Haik!

1+1 (HN-HM 8-2)

Round 3, Game 17, Nov. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – Martirosyan, Haik
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nbd2 Nd7 7.Nc4 Bd6 8.d4 Qe7 9.O-O O-O 10.c3 f6 11.Re1 Nb6 12.Nxd6 cxd6 13.h3 Be6 14.b3 Bf7 15.Qd3 Bg6 16.Nh4 Qf7 17.Ba3 Rfd8 18.Rad1 d5 19.Nxg6 Qxg6 20.dxe5 fxe5 21.exd5 Nxd5 22.Qxg6 hxg6 23.Rxe5 Nxc3 24.Rxd8+ Rxd8 25.Re7 Nb5 26.Bb2 Rd2 27.Bxg7 Rxa2 28.Be5 b6 29.Rg7+ Kf8 30.Rxg6 c5 31.h4 Re2 32.f4 Nd4 33.h5 Nf5 34.Rf6+ 1-0

Round 3, Game 19, Nov. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – Martirosyan, Haik
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nbd2 Be6 7.Nb3 Bd6 8.Na5 Rb8 9.O-O O-O 10.Be3 c5 11.h3 Qd7 12.Nd2 b6 13.Nac4 Qe7 14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4 Bxf4 16.Rxf4 Nd7 17.Qh5 f6 18.Raf1 b5 19.Ne3 Ne5 20.Rh4 g5 21.Rg4 Bf7 22.Qh6 Bg6 23.Rg3 Nf7 24.Nd5 Qd6 25.Rxf6 Nxh6 26.Rxd6 cxd6 27.Rxg5 Nf7 28.Rg3 b4 29.Nc4 Kh8 30.Nf4 Ne5 31.Nxg6+ hxg6 32.Nxd6 Rfd8 33.Rg5 Rxd6 34.Rxe5 c4 35.dxc4 Rd2 36.b3 Rxc2 37.Rg5 Kh7 38.h4 Rd8 39.e5 Rxa2 40.e6 Re2 41.Ra5 Rdd2 42.Rg5 Rxe6 43.c5 a5 44.Rg4 a4 45.bxa4 b3 46.a5 b2 47.Rb4 Re1+ 48.Kh2 b1=Q 49.Rxb1 Rxb1 50.a6 Ra1 51.c6 Rc2 52.c7 Rxc7 53.a7 Raxa7 54.h5 gxh5 55.Kh3 Rc4 56.g3 Ra3 57.Kh2 Rcc3 58.Kh3 Rxg3+ 59.Kh4 Rg1 0-1

After 19 games, Haik Martirosyan finally grabs a win against Hikaru Nakamura!

Round 3, Game 25, Nov. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – Martirosyan, Haik
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Indian variation

1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 d5 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.d4 h6 6.Bd3 Bxd3 7.Qxd3 Nbd7 8.O-O Be7 9.Nbd2 O-O 10.e4 dxe4 11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Qxe4 c6 13.c4 a5 14.a3 Bd6 15.Rfe1 Re8 16.Rad1 Qe7 17.d5 cxd5 18.cxd5 e5 19.Nh4 Qf6 20.Nf5 Nc5 21.Qg4 h5 22.Qf3 Qg6 23.Nxd6 Qxd6 24.Qxh5 f6 25.Re3 e4 26.Rg3 Nd3 27.Qg6 Re7 28.Bxf6 Nf4 29.Bxe7 Qxg6 30.Rxg6 Nxg6 31.Bg5 Ne5 32.d6 Rc8 33.d7 1-0

Round 3, Game 26, Nov. 12
Martirosyan, Haik – Nakamura, Hikaru
A40 Queen’s Pawn-KID

1.d4 g6 2.Nf3 Bg7 3.c4 d6 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.e3 Nf6 6.Be2 O-O 7.d5 Nb8 8.O-O e5 9.e4 Nh5 10.Ne1 Nf4 11.Nd3 Nxe2+ 12.Qxe2 f5 13.f3 f4 14.c5 g5 15.h3 h5 16.cxd6 cxd6 17.Nf2 Nd7 18.b3 Rf6 19.Ba3 Rg6 20.Rac1 a6 21.Rfd1 Nf6 22.Rd3 g4 23.hxg4 hxg4 24.fxg4 Nxg4 25.Nxg4 Bxg4 26.Qf2 Bf6 27.Na4 Bh4 28.Qb6 Qg5 29.Qxb7 Rf8 30.Rc2 Bg3 0-1

Hikaru Nakamura wraps up a 21:5 victory and will play Vladimir Fedoseev in the quarterfinals!

Final Score Nakamura-Martirosyan 21-5

Sunday’s Match:

November 15, 2020 at 12 Noon / 18:00 Central Europe: Caruana-Duda

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 11, 2020

The Levon Aronian – Ian Nepomniachtchi Match

5+1 (LA-IN 4.5-3.5)

Round 1, Game 1, Nov. 11
Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Aronian, Levon
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Bf5 3.d3 e6 4.Nd2 Nf6 5.g3 h6 6.Bg2 Bh7 7.Nh3 c5 8.O-O Nc6 9.e4 Be7 10.exd5 exd5 11.Nf4 O-O 12.Re1 Re8 13.Nf1 d4 14.Nd2 Qd7 15.Nc4 Bf8 16.Qd2 Rxe1+ 17.Rxe1 g5 18.Ne2 Re8 19.Nc1 Rxe1+ 20.Qxe1 b5 21.Ne5 Nxe5 22.Qxe5 Ng4 23.Qe1 b4 24.Ne2 Bd6 25.Bc1 Kg7 26.h3 Nf6 27.Kf1 a5 28.a4 Qe6 29.Ng1 Bf5 30.Qxe6 Bxe6 31.Nf3 Nd7 32.h4 f6 33.Nd2 Be7 34.hxg5 hxg5 35.Nc4 Bxc4 36.dxc4 Bd6 37.Ke2 Kg6 38.Bc6 Ne5 39.Be8+ Kf5 40.f3 Ke6 41.Bb5 Nf7 42.Kf2 f5 43.Bc6 f4 44.Bd5+ Kf6 45.g4 Ne5 46.Be4 Be7 47.Ke2 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Game 2, Nov. 11
Aronian, Levon – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Be3 Nc6 9.Qe2 Ne7 10.O-O-O d5 11.exd5 Nexd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Kb1 Qc7 14.Bc1 Be7 15.Qe4 Rc8 16.c3 f5 17.Qa4+ Kf7 18.Bd3 Rhd8 19.Qa5 Qc6 20.g4 g6 21.gxf5 gxf5 22.Rhe1 Bf6 23.Bc2 b6 24.Qxa6 Nb4 25.Qf1 Nxc2 26.Kxc2 Qa4 27.Qh3 Rxc3+ 28.Kb1 Ra8 29.Qxh7+ Bg7 30.Qh5+ Kg8 31.Rd8+ Rxd8 32.bxc3 Ra8 33.Re2 Qb5 34.Rb2 Qd3+ 35.Ka1 Qd1 36.Qg5 Bxb3 0-1

Round 1, Game 6, Nov. 11
Aronian, Levon – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3 Nf6 4.Be2 g6 5.O-O Bg7 6.d3 O-O 7.Be3 c4 8.d4 Nxe4 9.Bxc4 d5 10.Bd3 Nc6 11.Nbd2 Bf5 12.Bxe4 dxe4 13.Ng5 e5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Ngxe4 Bxe4 16.Nxe4 Nc4 17.Bc5 Re8 18.Nd6 Nxd6 19.Bxd6 Qb6 20.Ba3 Rad8 21.Qc2 Bh6 22.Rad1 Rxd1 23.Rxd1 Qe6 24.h3 Qxa2 25.Qa4 Ra8 26.Qe4 Qb3 27.Rd7 Rb8 28.Bd6 Qd1+ 29.Kh2 Bf8 30.Qf4 Qd5 31.Bxf8 1-0

Round 1, Game 7, Nov. 11
Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Aronian, Levon
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Nbd2 Nd4 6.Nxd4 Bxd4 7.c3 Bb6 8.d4 c6 9.dxe5 cxb5 10.exf6 Qxf6 11.O-O O-O 12.Qh5 Qc6 13.Nf3 d6 14.Re1 f6 15.Be3 a6 16.Bxb6 Qxb6 17.Qd5+ Rf7 18.Rad1 Bg4 19.Qxd6 Qa5 20.Qd5 Bxf3 21.gxf3 Re8 22.f4 g6 23.e5 Qb6 24.Rd4 fxe5 25.Rxe5 Rf8 26.Re7 Kg7 27.Qe5+ Qf6 28.Rdd7 Rxe7 29.Rxe7+ Kh6 30.Qc7 Rh8 31.h3 Qf5 32.Kh2 Qc2 33.Qc5 1-0

(3+1 LA-IN 4.5-4.5)

Round 2, Game 9, Nov. 11
Nepomniachtchi – Aronian, Levon
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.b4 Bb6 9.a4 O-O 10.Nbd2 Bf5 11.Ba3 e4 12.dxe4 Nxe4 13.Nxe4 Bxe4 14.Qxd6 cxd6 15.O-O-O Rac8 16.Bd5 Bxd5 17.Rxd5 Ne5 18.Kc2 Nc4 19.Bc1 Bxf2 20.Kb3 Rfe8 21.Rf1 Be3 22.Re1 Re6 23.Bxe3 Nxe3 24.Rd3 Nc4 25.a5 Rxe1 26.Nxe1 Kf8 27.Nf3 Ke7 28.Nd4 g6 29.Nb5 a6 30.Nd4 h5 31.Ne2 Ne5 32.Rd4 Kd7 33.Nf4 Kc6 34.Nd5 Re8 35.h3 f5 36.c4 g5 37.Nc3 g4 38.b5+ Kd7 39.Nd5 gxh3 40.gxh3 Rh8 41.Nf4 Kc7 42.Ne6+ Kd7 43.Nc5+ Kc7 44.b6+ Kc6 45.Ne6 Rg8 46.Kb4 Rg3 47.Nd8+ Kd7 48.Nxb7 Nc6+ 49.Ka4 Nxd4 50.c5 dxc5 51.Nxc5+ Kc6 52.Nxa6 Rxh3 53.Nb4+ Kb7 54.Nd5 Rh4 55.Nf6 Nc6+ 56.Kb5 Rb4+ 57.Kc5 Ra4 58.Nd7 Rxa5+ 59.Kd6 h4 0-1

Round 2, Game 10, Nov. 11
Aronian, Levon – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
C18 French, Winawer, Advance

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.h4 Qc7 8.h5 h6 9.Nf3 b6 10.Rh4 Ba6 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 12.Qd3 Nb8 13.Rg4 Nf5 14.Nh4 Nxh4 15.Rxh4 Nc6 16.Rg4 Kf8 17.Qg3 Ne7 18.a4 Nf5 19.Qd3 Rc8 20.Kd1 cxd4 21.cxd4 Qc4 22.Rf4 Ke8 23.Ba3 Rc7 24.g4 Ne7 25.Bd6 Rc8 26.Kd2 Rg8 27.Bxe7 Qxd3+ 28.Kxd3 Kxe7 29.Rf3 Rc4 30.c3 f6 31.exf6+ gxf6 32.Rg3 e5 33.f3 Rgc8 34.Ra3 exd4 35.cxd4 Rb4 36.Rg2 Rcc4 37.Re2+ Kf7 38.a5 b5 39.a6 Rxd4+ 40.Ke3 f5 41.gxf5 Rh4 42.Rg2 d4+ 43.Kd3 Rf4 44.Ke2 Rb2+ 0-1

Round 2, Game 15, Nov. 11
Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Aronian, Levon
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Bf5 3.d3 e6 4.Nd2 Nf6 5.g3 Be7 6.Bg2 O-O 7.Nh3 h6 8.a3 a5 9.e3 c5 10.Nf4 a4 11.e4 Bh7 12.exd5 exd5 13.O-O Nc6 14.Re1 axb3 15.Nxb3 d4 16.a4 Bd6 17.Ba3 Nd7 18.Bc1 Ra6 19.Bd2 Nde5 20.a5 c4 21.dxc4 Nxc4 22.Nd3 Bxd3 23.cxd3 Nxd2 24.Nxd2 Rxa5 25.Nc4 Rxa1 26.Qxa1 b5 27.Bxc6 bxc4 28.dxc4 d3 29.Rd1 Qb6 30.Bd5 Qb3 31.Be4 Qxc4 32.Bxd3 Qc5 33.Be4 Be5 34.Qa2 Bf6 35.Rd7 Qb5 36.Qd2 g6 37.Kg2 Kg7 38.Rb7 Qe5 39.Bd5 Qd6 40.Qa2 Be5 41.Bxf7 Kh8 42.Bd5 Qf6 43.Be4 Bd4 44.f4 g5 45.Rh7# 1-0

Mating Position



Round 2, Game 17, Nov. 11
Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Aronian, Levon
A15 English Opening

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3 c5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bb5+ Nc6 7.b3 Bd6 8.d4 cxd4 9.Qxd4 O-O 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.O-O Bg4 12.Bb2 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Nd7 14.Ne2 Be5 15.Qd2 Qf6 16.Rab1 Qxf3 17.Ng3 Rfe8 18.Rfc1 Re6 19.Qd1 Qf6 20.Qe2 Qh4 21.Qf3 Rae8 22.Qg2 Rg6 23.Kh1 h5 24.Rg1 Bxg3 25.fxg3 Qg4 26.Rbf1 Rxe3 27.Rf4 Qe6 28.Bd4 Re2 29.Qf3 Rxa2 30.Rf1 Qh3 31.Rf2 Rxf2 32.Qxf2 Rg4 33.Rf3 Re4 34.g4 Qxg4 35.Bc3 Qe6 36.Rg3 Rg4 37.Re3 Re4 38.Rg3 Ne5 39.Qxa7 d4 40.Bd2 Qd5 41.Qb8+ Kh7 42.Kg1 Rg4 43.Be1 Nf3+ 44.Kf2 Nxe1 45.Rxg4 Nd3+ 46.Ke2 Nc1+ 47.Kd2 Nxb3+ 0-1

1+1 (LA-IN 5-3)

Round 3, Game 19, Nov. 11
Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Aronian, Levon
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Bf5 3.d3 e6 4.Nd2 Nf6 5.g3 h6 6.Bg2 Bh7 7.Nh3 a5 8.a3 c5 9.O-O Nc6 10.e4 Be7 11.exd5 exd5 12.Nf4 O-O 13.Re1 Re8 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Rxe8+ Qxe8 16.Rb1 d4 17.Nd5 Bd8 18.Qg4 Ne5 19.Re1 Bg5 20.Qd1 Bxd2 21.Qxd2 Qb8 22.Qf4 Nc6 23.Nc7 g5 24.Qd6 Qf8 25.Qf6 Rd8 26.Bd5 Qg7 27.Re8+ Rxe8 28.Nxe8 Qxf6 29.Nxf6+ Kg7 30.Nxh7 Kxh7 31.Bxf7 Ne5 32.Be6 Kg7 33.Kg2 Kf6 34.Bc8 b5 35.f4 gxf4 36.gxf4 Nf7 37.Kf3 Nd6 38.Bd7 Ke7 39.Bc6 Kf6 40.Bd5 b4 41.a4 Nf5 42.Bb7 Ne3 43.Ke4 Ke6 44.Bc8+ Kd6 45.f5 Ke7 46.Ke5 Nxc2 47.f6+ Kf8 48.Kd6 Ne1 49.Bf5 Kf7 50.Kxc5 Kxf6 51.Be4 Ke5 52.Kb5 Kd6 53.Kxa5 Kc5 54.Ka6 Nc2 55.Bg6 Na1 56.Bf7 Nc2 57.a5 Ne1 58.Bc4 Nf3 59.h3 Kc6 60.Bb5+ Kc7 61.Be8 Ne5 62.Bb5 Nf3 63.Bc4 Ne5 64.Kb5 Nc6 65.a6 h5 66.Kc5 h4 67.Bd5 Na7 68.Bb7 Kb8 69.Kb6 Nc8+ 70.Bxc8 Kxc8 71.a7 1-0

Round 3, Game 21, Nov. 11
Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Aronian, Levon
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Bf5 3.d3 e6 4.Nd2 Nf6 5.g3 Be7 6.Bg2 O-O 7.e4 dxe4 8.dxe4 Bg4 9.Ne2 Bb4 10.c3 Be7 11.h3 Bh5 12.g4 Bg6 13.O-O e5 14.Ng3 Re8 15.Nf5 Bf8 16.Qe2 Nc6 17.Rad1 Qc8 18.Nc4 a5 19.Nce3 a4 20.h4 h6 21.b4 a3 22.Bc1 Nd8 23.Qf3 Ne6 24.Nxh6+ gxh6 25.Qxf6 Nf4 26.h5 Be7 27.Qxe5 Bg5 28.Qb5 c6 29.Qc5 Bxe4 30.Bxe4 Rxe4 31.Rfe1 Ne6 32.Qf5 Rf4 33.Qc2 Ng7 34.Qe2 Qe6 35.Rd4 Rxd4 36.cxd4 f5 37.gxf5 Nxf5 38.Nxf5 Qxf5 39.Bxg5 Qxg5+ 40.Kf1 Rf8 41.Qe6+ Rf7 42.Re3 Kf8 43.Qe8+ Kg7 44.Qe4 Qf6 45.Rg3+ Kf8 46.Qd3 Qf4 47.Qe2 Qxd4 48.Kg1 Qa1+ 49.Kg2 Qb2 50.Qe3 Qxa2 51.Qc5+ Ke8 52.Rg8+ Kd7 53.Qd4+ Qd5+ 54.Qxd5+ cxd5 55.Ra8 Rf5 56.Rxa3 Rxh5 57.Ra7 Rg5+ 58.Kf3 Kc6 59.Ke3 h5 60.f4 Rf5 61.Ra8 Kb5 62.Rb8 Rf7 63.Kd4 Rxf4+ 64.Kxd5 b6 65.Ke5 Rxb4 66.Rh8 h4 67.Rh5 Ka4 68.Kd5 b5 69.Kc5 Rc4+ 70.Kd5 Kb3 71.Rf5 b4 72.Rf3+ Rc3 73.Rf4 h3 74.Kd4 Ka3 75.Rf1 h2 76.Ra1+ Kb2 77.Rh1 Rc2 78.Kd3 b3 79.Rf1 Ka2 80.Rh1 0-1

Round 3, Game 23, Nov. 11
Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Aronian, Levon
C22 Centre game, Berger variation

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qe3 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Bd2 O-O 7.O-O-O Re8 8.Qf4 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 Rxe4 10.Qg3 d5 11.f3 Re6 12.a3 Rd6 13.Bb5 d4 14.Bd2 Rd5 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Ne2 c5 17.Bg5 Ba6 18.Nf4 Rf5 19.h4 Qd6 20.Rhe1 h6 21.Bxh6 Nh5 22.Nxh5 Qxh6+ 23.Kb1 Rxh5 24.Qxc7 Qb6 25.Qd7 Bb5 26.Qg4 Qg6 27.Qf4 Ba4 28.Rd2 Qf6 29.Qc7 Rxh4 30.Rde2 d3 31.cxd3 Bb5 32.Re3 Rd4 33.Qxc5 Bxd3+ 34.Ka1 Bg6 35.g4 Rd2 36.Qb4 Rad8 37.Re8+ Kh7 38.Rh1+ Bh5 39.Rxh5+ Kg6 40.Qe4+ 1-0

Round 3, Game 25, Nov. 11
Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Aronian, Levon
C45 Scotch, Mieses variation, main line

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.h4 f6 9.c4 Ba6 10.Rh3 fxe5 11.Bg5 Nf6 12.Re3 d6 13.Qf3 Qd7 14.Nc3 Be7 15.Bd3 O-O 16.Bf5 Qe8 17.Be6+ Kh8 18.Qh3 Bc8 19.O-O-O Bxe6 20.Qxe6 h6 21.f4 exf4 22.Re2 Bd8 23.Qf5 Qd7 24.Qd3 Nh7 25.Ne4 Qf5 26.Rf1 hxg5 27.hxg5 Bxg5 28.Rh1 Bh6 29.Qc3 f3+ 30.Rxh6 fxe2 0-1

Final Score

Levon Aronian – Ian Nepomniachtchi 14-11

Tomorrow’s Match Nakamura - Martirosyan

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020
November 8, 2020

The Wesley So – Nodirbek Abdusattorov Match (continued)

1+1

Round 3, Game 25, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
B10 Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 Qc7 4.Nbd2 g6 5.e5 Bg4 6.d4 Bg7 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Nxf3 e6 9.c3 c5 10.Bb5+ Nc6 11.O-O Ne7 12.Be3 O-O 13.Re1 a6 14.Bxc6 Nxc6 15.Qd2 cxd4 16.cxd4 Rac8 17.h4 Qa5 18.Rac1 Qxd2 19.Bxd2 Rfe8 20.h5 f6 21.exf6 Bxf6 22.hxg6 hxg6 23.Be3 Kf7 24.Rc3 Na5 25.Rec1 Rxc3 26.Rxc3 Nc4 27.b3 Nd6 28.Bf4 Nb5 29.Rd3 Rc8 30.Ne5+ Kg7 31.Rg3 g5 32.Bxg5 Bxg5 33.Rxg5+ Kf6 34.Rg6+ Kf5 35.g4+ Ke4 36.Rxe6 Nxd4 37.Re7 Kf4 38.Kg2 Rc2 39.Kh3 Rxa2 40.Nd3+ Kg5 41.Re5+ Kf6 42.g5+ Kf7 43.Rxd5 Ne6 44.f4 Ra1 45.Kg4 Rg1+ 46.Kf3 Rf1+ 47.Kg3 Ng7 48.Rd7+ Kg8 49.Rxb7 Nf5+ 50.Kg4 Ng7 51.Ne5 Rg1+ 52.Kf3 Ne6 53.Rb8+ Kg7 54.Rb7+ Kg8 55.Ng6 a5 56.Rb6 Kf7 57.Ne5+ Ke7 58.Ng6+ Kf7 59.Ne5+ Ke7 60.Ke4 Rf1 61.Ng6+ Kf7 62.Ne5+ Ke7 63.Nd3 Kf7 64.Ke5 Ng7 65.Rf6+ Kg8 66.Ra6 Rf3 67.Ke4 Rf1 68.Rxa5 Ne6 69.Ra6 Nc7 70.Rc6 Ne8 71.Ne5 Re1+ 72.Kf5 Rf1 73.Rc8 Kf8 74.g6 Ke7 75.Rxe8+ Kxe8 76.g7 Rg1 77.Kf6 1-0

Round 3, Game 26, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, Kaufmann variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Be3 Bxe3 6.fxe3 Ne7 7.Ba4 Ng6 8.Bb3 O-O 9.Nc3 d6 10.O-O c6 11.Qe1 Be6 12.Ng5 Bxb3 13.axb3 h6 14.Nf3 d5 15.Nd2 dxe4 16.Ndxe4 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 f5 18.Nd2 Qg5 19.Nf3 Qh5 20.Qb4 Rf7 21.Qc5 Re8 22.Rxa7 e4 23.dxe4 Rxe4 24.Nd4 Nh4 25.Qc4 Kh7 26.Qe2 Qxe2 27.Nxe2 Rxe3 28.Kf2 f4 29.Ra4 g5 30.Nd4 c5 31.Nb5 Rd7 32.Nc3 Rd2+ 33.Kg1 Rxg2+ 34.Kh1 Rh3 0-1

Round 3, Game 27, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
B92 Sicilian, Najdorf, Opocensky variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nf3 Be7 8.Bg5 Be6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.O-O O-O 11.Nd5 Nd7 12.Bc4 Nb6 13.Bb3 Rc8 14.c3 Bxd5 15.Bxd5 Nxd5 16.Qxd5 Qb6 17.Qb3 Qxb3 18.axb3 Rfd8 19.Rfd1 Kf8 20.Ne1 Ke7 21.Nc2 Ke6 22.Nb4 Bg5 23.Kf1 f5 24.exf5+ Kxf5 25.Ke2 Ke6 26.Ra5 Rc5 27.Rxc5 dxc5 28.Nd3 b6 29.f3 a5 30.g3 h5 31.f4 Bf6 32.fxe5 Be7 33.Nf4+ Kxe5 34.Rxd8 Bxd8 35.Nxh5 g5 36.g4 b5 37.Kd3 Kd5 38.h3 c4+ 39.bxc4+ bxc4+ 40.Ke3 Bb6+ 41.Kf3 Bd8 42.Ke3 a4 43.Ng3 Bc7 44.Ne4 Bf4+ 45.Kf3 Bc1 46.Nf6+ Ke6 47.Ne4 Bxb2 0-1

Round 3, Game 28, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf, Byrne Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.O-O-O b5 10.Kb1 Rc8 11.f3 h5 12.g3 Nb6 13.Bxb6 Qxb6 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bf5 16.Bd3 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 Be7 18.Rhg1 g6 19.Nd2 Kf8 20.h3 Bg5 21.Ne4 Be3 22.Rge1 Bf2 23.Re2 Bc5 24.g4 b4 25.Rf1 hxg4 26.fxg4 Rc7 27.Qf3 a5 28.Qf6 Kg8 29.Ng5 Qb5 30.Nxf7 Rxh3 31.Ng5 1-0

Final Score

Wesley So – Nodirbek Abdusattorov 18 - 10

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 8, 2020

The Wesley So – Nodirbek Abdusattorov Match (continued)

3+1 (WS-NA 7-2)

Round 2, Game 11, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
A11 English

1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 Bg4 5.d4 Bxf3 6.Qxf3 e6 7.a3 Nbd7 8.g4 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Nd5 10.e4 N5b6 11.Ba2 c5 12.d5 c4 13.dxe6 fxe6 14.O-O Bc5 15.Be3 Qf6 16.Qe2 Bxe3 17.fxe3 Qg5 18.Bxc4 Nxc4 19.Qxc4 Ke7 20.Rf4 Qc5 21.Qd4 Qxd4 22.exd4 Rhf8 23.Raf1 Rxf4 24.Rxf4 Rc8 25.e5 Nb6 26.Rf3 Rd8 27.Nb5 Nc8 28.Rc3 a6 29.Rc7+ Kf8 30.Nc3 Ne7 31.Rxb7 Rxd4 32.h3 Ng6 33.Rb6 Ke7 34.Kf2 Nxe5 35.Ke3 Rd6 36.Rb7+ Rd7 37.Rxd7+ Kxd7 38.Kd4 Nf3+ 39.Kc5 Ng5 40.Kb6 Nxh3 41.Kxa6 Nf2 42.Kb7 Nxg4 43.a4 h5 44.a5 h4 45.a6 h3 46.Ne2 h2 47.Ng3 Ne5 48.a7 1-0

Round 2, Game 12, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Nc3 Nd4 6.Nxd4 Bxd4 7.O-O O-O 8.Be3 c6 9.Ba4 Bxe3 10.fxe3 d5 11.Qf3 Be6 12.Bb3 a5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.e4 Nf4 15.g3 Bxb3 16.axb3 Ne6 17.Qe3 Qd4 18.Nd1 Qb4 19.Qf2 a4 20.bxa4 Rxa4 21.Rxa4 Qxa4 22.Ne3 Nd4 23.c3 Ne6 24.Nf5 f6 25.Qb6 Qb5 26.Qxb5 cxb5 27.Kf2 Ra8 28.Ke3 Ra2 29.Rf2 b6 30.d4 exd4+ 31.cxd4 Ra4 32.b3 Rb4 33.Rb2 g6 34.Ne7+ 1-0

Round 2, Game 13, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
B12 Caro-Kann, Tartakower (fantasy) variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.e5 c5 6.f4 cxd4 7.Qxd4 Be6 8.Nf3 Nh6 9.Bb5+ Kf8 10.O-O a6 11.Bd3 Nc6 12.Qf2 Ng4 13.Qe1 h5 14.Ng5 Qd7 15.Na4 b5 16.Nc5 Qa7 17.Nxe6+ fxe6 18.b4 Kf7 19.Kh1 a5 20.c3 Rac8 21.Bd2 axb4 22.cxb4 Nd4 23.a4 Rxc5 24.axb5 Qc7 25.bxc5 Qxc5 26.Bb4 Qb6 27.Ra6 Qb7 28.Bc5 Nf5 29.Bxf5 gxf5 30.Ra7 Qxb5 31.Rxe7+ Kg8 32.Bg1 Rh6 33.h3 Bf8 34.Rc7 Rg6 35.hxg4 hxg4 36.Bh2 g3 37.Bxg3 Bb4 38.Qf2 Ba5 39.Rc5 Qa6 40.Bh2 Bb6 41.Rc6 1-0

Round 2, Game 14, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
C48 Four Knights, Rubinstein Counter-Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.O-O c6 6.Bd3 Nxf3+ 7.Qxf3 d6 8.Be2 g6 9.d3 Bg7 10.Qg3 h5 11.h4 Ng4 12.Nd1 Bf6 13.Ne3 Bxh4 14.Qf3 Bg5 15.g3 Nxe3 16.fxe3 Qe7 17.Qf2 Bg4 18.Bd2 Qe6 19.Bc3 O-O 20.Bd2 f5 21.exf5 Bxf5 22.Qg2 Bh3 23.Rxf8+ Rxf8 24.Qh2 Bg4 25.b3 e4 26.Re1 Bxe2 27.Rxe2 exd3 28.cxd3 Qd5 0-1

Round 2, Game 15, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
B15 Caro-Kann, Tartakower variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.c3 Bd6 7.Bd3 O-O 8.Ne2 Re8 9.Qc2 h5 10.Be3 Nd7 11.O-O-O Nf8 12.h3 Be6 13.Kb1 a5 14.Nf4 Bxf4 15.Bxf4 b5 16.g4 Qd5 17.c4 bxc4 18.Be4 Qb5 19.a4 Qb6 20.gxh5 Rad8 21.Rhg1 Bd5 22.Bxd5 Rxd5 23.Bh6 Ne6 24.Bxg7 Nxg7 25.h6 Rg5 26.h4 Rxg1 27.Rxg1 Kh8 28.Rxg7 Re1+ 29.Ka2 f5 30.Qxc4 1-0

Round 2, Game 16, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
C67 Ruy Lopez, open Berlin Defence, l’Hermet variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.dxe5 Nxb5 7.a4 Nbd4 8.Nxd4 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 d5 10.exd6 Qxd6 11.Qe3+ Be6 12.Nc3 Qc6 13.Nb5 Bc5 14.Qg3 O-O-O 15.Be3 a6 16.Bxc5 Qxc5 17.Nc3 h5 18.Rad1 g6 19.h4 Bf5 20.Qf4 b6 21.Ne4 Rd4 22.Rfe1 Rhd8 23.Rxd4 Qxd4 24.Kh2 Kb8 25.c3 Qxa4 26.Qg5 Re8 27.f3 Bxe4 28.fxe4 Qc6 29.e5 Kb7 30.Qf4 Qd5 31.Re2 a5 32.c4 Qe6 33.Qf3+ Ka7 34.g3 Re7 35.Qf4 Qg4 36.Qxg4 hxg4 37.Re4 Ka6 38.Kg2 a4 39.c5 b5 40.Kf2 Ka5 41.Ke3 b4 42.Kd3 Kb5 43.Rxg4 Rxe5 44.Rf4 f5 45.g4 fxg4 46.Rxg4 Rd5+ 47.Ke4 Rxc5 48.Rxg6 Rc2 49.h5 Rxb2 50.h6 Rh2 51.Kd3 a3 0-1

Round 2, Game 17, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
B10 Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.dxe4 Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1 g6 6.a4 f5 7.Bc4 Bg7 8.Ng5 Nf6 9.Bf7+ Kf8 10.Be6 Na6 11.exf5 gxf5 12.Ke2 Nc7 13.Bxc8 Rxc8 14.Bf4 Nfd5 15.Bxc7 Nxc7 16.Nd2 e5 17.Nc4 Ke7 18.Rad1 Nd5 19.Ne3 Nxe3 20.fxe3 e4 21.Rhf1 Rcf8 22.Rd2 h6 23.Nh3 Be5 24.Nf4 Bxf4 25.Rxf4 Ke6 26.g4 Rhg8 27.gxf5+ Ke5 28.Rd4 Rg2+ 29.Kd1 Rfg8 30.Rdxe4+ Kf6 31.Re6+ Kf7 32.Rxh6 c5 33.b3 Rg1+ 34.Ke2 Rc1 35.Kd3 Rd8+ 36.Kc3 Rg8 37.Kb2 Re1 38.f6 Rg2 39.Rh7+ 1-0

Round 2, Game 18, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
C48 Four Knights, Rubinstein Counter-Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.O-O c6 6.Bd3 Nxf3+ 7.Qxf3 d6 8.Be2 g6 9.d3 Nh5 10.g3 Ng7 11.Qg2 Ne6 12.f4 Nd4 13.Bd1 Be6 14.Ne2 Nxe2+ 15.Bxe2 Qd7 16.Qf2 Bh3 17.Re1 Bg7 18.Be3 O-O 19.d4 f5 20.dxe5 dxe5 21.Rad1 Qf7 22.b3 fxe4 23.fxe5 Qc7 24.Bc4+ Kh8 25.Qd2 Rad8 26.Qb4 b5 27.Rxd8 Rxd8 28.Bf1 Bxf1 29.Rxf1 Qxe5 30.Rf7 h5 31.Qe7 Rd1+ 32.Kg2 Qxe7 33.Rxe7 Re1 34.Kf2 Rh1 35.Kg2 Re1 36.Kf2 Rh1 37.Kg2 Re1 1/2-1/2

Round 2, Game 19, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
B10 Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.dxe4 Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1 g6 6.a4 Bg7 7.c3 f5 8.Bd3 fxe4 9.Bxe4 Nf6 10.Bc2 Bf5 11.Bxf5 gxf5 12.Nd4 Ne4 13.Nxf5 Nxf2+ 14.Ke2 Nxh1 15.Nxg7+ Kd7 16.Na3 Na6 17.Bh6 Raf8 18.Rxh1 Rf6 19.Be3 Rg8 20.Rd1+ Kc8 21.Bd4 Rxg7 22.Bxf6 exf6 23.Kf3 Nc5 24.a5 Nd7 25.Nc4 Kc7 26.g4 b5 27.axb6+ axb6 28.Kf4 b5 29.Nd6 Re7 30.Ne4 Re6 31.Rxd7+ Kxd7 32.Nc5+ Kd6 33.Nxe6 Kxe6 34.h4 Kd6 35.Kf5 Ke7 36.b3 Kf7 37.Ke4 Ke6 38.Kf4 Ke7 39.Ke3 Ke6 40.Ke4 Kd6 41.Kf5 Ke7 42.c4 bxc4 43.bxc4 Kf7 44.Kf4 Ke6 45.Ke4 c5 46.Kf4 Ke7 47.Kf5 Kf7 48.Ke4 Ke6 49.Kf4 Ke7 50.Kf5 Kf7 51.g5 fxg5 52.Kxg5 Kg7 53.h5 Kf7 54.Kf5 Kg7 55.Kg5 Kf7 56.Kh6 Kg8 57.Kg5 Kg7 58.Kf5 Kh6 59.Kg4 Kg7 60.Kg5 1/2-1/2

1+1 (WS-NA 5.5-3.5)

Round 3, Game 20, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
C45 Scotch, Mieses variation, main line

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.h4 Qe6 9.g3 f6 10.exf6 Qxe2+ 11.Bxe2 Nxf6 12.c4 Bb7 13.Nc3 O-O-O 14.Be3 Re8 15.O-O-O c5 16.Rhe1 Bc6 17.b3 g6 18.Kc2 d6 19.Bc1 Bg7 20.Bb2 Rhf8 21.f4 Nh5 22.Bxh5 gxh5 23.Nd5 Bxb2 24.Kxb2 Bxd5 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 26.Rxd5 Re2+ 27.Ka3 Re3 28.Rg5 Kb7 29.f5 Rf3 30.Rxh5 Rxg3 31.Rxh7 Rf3 32.Rh5 Rf4 33.Kb2 Rf2+ 34.Kc3 Rxa2 35.Rg5 Rh2 36.h5 Kc6 37.f6 Rh3+ 38.Kd2 Kd7 39.Rg7+ Ke6 40.f7 Ke7 41.Rh7 Rxb3 42.h6 Rh3 43.Ke2 a5 44.Kf2 a4 45.Kg2 Rh5 46.f8=Q+ Kxf8 47.Rxc7 Rxh6 48.Ra7 Rh4 49.Rxa4 Ke7 50.Kf3 Ke6 51.Ke3 Rd4 52.Ke2 Kf5 53.Ke3 Ke5 54.Ke2 Ke6 55.Ke3 Ke5 56.Ke2 d5 57.Ra5 Rxc4 58.Kd3 Rd4+ 0-1

Round 3, Game 21, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
B10 Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 Qc7 4.e5 Bg4 5.d4 e6 6.Nbd2 c5 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Nxf3 cxd4 9.Bb5+ Nc6 10.O-O Bc5 11.Nxd4 Ne7 12.Be3 Bb6 13.c3 Qxe5 14.Re1 Qf6 15.Qg4 O-O 16.Bg5 Qg6 17.Rad1 h6 18.Bxe7 Qxg4 19.hxg4 Nxe7 20.f4 Rad8 21.f5 Rd6 22.Kh2 Bc7 23.Kh3 a6 24.Ba4 Rb6 25.fxe6 fxe6 26.Nxe6 Rc8 27.Bd7 Bd6 28.Bxc8 Nxc8 29.Nd4 Ne7 30.b3 Ng6 31.g3 Be5 32.Rd3 Rf6 33.Nf5 Rc6 34.Ree3 Bf6 35.Rxd5 Kh7 36.c4 b5 37.cxb5 axb5 38.Rxb5 Rc2 39.a4 Nf8 40.a5 Kg6 41.Nh4+ Kf7 42.Nf3 Nh7 43.b4 Ra2 44.Rb7+ Kg6 45.Nh4+ Kg5 46.Rf3 1-0

Round 3, Game 22, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
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 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 O-O 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Re8 11.Rxe8+ Nxe8 12.d5 d6 13.Nd2 Bg5 14.a4 a5 15.Ra3 Bd7 16.g3 Nf6 17.Bg2 Qe8 18.c4 b6 19.h3 h5 20.h4 Bh6 21.b3 Bg4 22.Qf1 Be2 23.Qe1 Bxc4 24.Qxe8+ Rxe8 25.Nxc4 Re1+ 26.Kh2 Rxc1 27.Ra2 Ng4+ 28.Kh3 Rc3 29.Na3 Rxb3 30.Nb5 f5 31.Nxc7 f4 32.Ne6 f3 33.Bh1 Ne5 34.Nd4 Rb1 35.Bxf3 Rb4 36.Nc6 Nxf3 37.Nxb4 axb4 38.Rb2 Bd2 39.Kg2 Bc3 40.Re2 b3 41.Re8+ Kf7 42.Rb8 b2 43.Rxb6 Nd2 44.a5 b1=Q 45.Rxb1 Nxb1 0-1

Round 3, Game 23, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
B54 Sicilian Defence

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.Bxd7+ Qxd7 7.Nf5 Nf6 8.Nc3 Nxe4 9.Nxg7+ Bxg7 10.Nxe4 d5 11.Bh6 O-O 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.Qd2 dxe4 14.Qg5+ Kh8 15.Qf6+ Kg8 16.Qg5+ Kh8 17.Qf6+ Kg8 18.Qg5+ Kh8 1/2-1/2

Round 3, Game 24, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nc3 Nd7 7.Be3 Bxe3 8.fxe3 Qe7 9.O-O b6 10.Ne2 Bb7 11.Ng3 g6 12.a4 a5 13.d4 O-O-O 14.Qe2 h5 15.h4 Rhe8 16.c3 c5 17.d5 Nf6 18.Ng5 Rf8 19.Nh1 Kb8 20.Nf2 Bc8 21.c4 Ng4 22.Nxg4 Bxg4 23.Qf2 f6 24.Nf3 Bxf3 25.Qxf3 f5 26.exf5 Qxh4 27.f6 Qxc4 28.Rad1 Rd6 29.f7 Rd7 30.d6 Rdxf7 31.Qxf7 Rxf7 32.Rxf7 cxd6 33.Rdf1 Qxa4 34.Re7 Qc6 35.Rf8+ Qc8 36.Rxc8+ Kxc8 37.Re6 Kd7 38.Rxg6 a4 39.Rh6 b5 40.Rxh5 b4 41.Kf2 Kc6 42.Ke2 a3 43.bxa3 bxa3 44.g4 d5 45.g5 Kd6 46.g6 Ke6 47.Rg5 Kf6 48.g7 Kxg5 49.g8=Q+ Kf5 50.Qxd5 Kf6 51.Qxc5 e4 52.Qxa3 Ke5 53.Qc5+ Ke6 54.Qd4 Kf5 55.Qd5+ Kf6 56.Qxe4 Kg5 57.Qf4+ Kg6 58.e4 Kg7 59.e5 Kg6 60.e6 Kg7 61.e7 Kg6 62.e8=Q+ Kg7 63.Qg5+ Kh7 64.Qgg6# 1-0

Final Position



(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 8, 2020

The Wesley So – Nodirbek Abdusattorov Match

From Peter Doggers in chess.com

In the fourth match of the 2020 Speed Chess Championship Main Event GM Wesley So (@GMWSO) defeated GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (@ChessWarrior7197) 18-10. The next match is Nepomniachtchi vs. Aronian on Wednesday, November 11, at 9 a.m. Pacific / 18:00 Central Europe.

A full news report will be posted soon. Here's our preview:

With the thriller between Fedoseev and Firouzja still fresh in our memory, it's almost time for the next speed chess match. On Sunday we'll see the clash between the new American champion and the biggest talent from Uzbekistan since Rustam Kasimdzhanov.

Abdusattorov was born on September 18, 2004, in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. He became a GM at the age of 13 years, one month, and 11 days. Only four players in history have been younger when they got the title.

In 2012 Abdusattorov won the World Youth U8 Championships in Maribor, Slovenia. In 2014, at nine years old, he beat two GMs in a tournament in his home city of Tashkent.

In April 2015, Abdusattorov set a new record for the youngest player to enter the top-100 juniors, at 11 years old. Currently the Uzbek number-two, he is closing in on Kasimdzhanov with only a 35-point Elo difference on the classical rating list.

Abdusattorov qualified for the Main Event by coming in fourth in the Speed Chess Championship Grand Prix. He won the October 6 edition.

Interestingly, Abdusattorov and So have never played each other, over the board or online.

"He is strong in all parts, especially in the middlegame," said the Uzbek GM, who plans on playing fast, about his opponent: "I will have a good chance if I will put pressure on his clock."

Abdusattorov said that the 3+1 time control will be the most important ("because it’s my favorite") and for preparation, he plans to check his opponent's games and play online blitz and bullet.

https://www.chess.com/news

5+1 (WS-NA 5.5-4.5)

Round 1, Game 1, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nd2 e6 5.Nb3 a6 6.Nf3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Nxc5 Qa5+ 9.c3 Qxc5 10.Nd4 Ne7 11.Qa4+ Nbc6 12.Be3 Qa5 13.Qxa5 Nxa5 14.Nxf5 Nxf5 15.Bb6 Nc4 16.Bxc4 dxc4 17.a4 Ne7 18.a5 Nd5 19.Ra4 Rc8 20.Bd4 Kd7 21.Kd2 h5 22.Re1 h4 23.Re4 Rh5 24.Be3 Rf5 25.Ke2 Nxe3 26.Kxe3 Rc5 27.f4 g5 28.g3 hxg3 29.hxg3 gxf4+ 30.gxf4 f6 31.exf6 Rxa5 32.Rxa5 Rxa5 33.Re5 Ra1 34.f5 Rf1 35.fxe6+ Ke8 36.f7+ Ke7 37.Kd4 b5 38.Kc5 Rf2 39.Re3 Rf5+ 40.Kb6 b4 41.cxb4 Rb5+ 42.Kxa6 Rxb4 43.Rf3 1-0

Round 1, Game 2, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nc3 Nd7 7.Be3 Qe7 8.Qd2 Bxe3 9.Qxe3 Nf8 10.O-O-O Bg4 11.d4 exd4 12.Rxd4 Ne6 13.Rd2 Bxf3 14.gxf3 O-O 15.f4 Qc5 16.Qg3 f5 17.Re1 Rad8 18.Rxd8 Rxd8 19.Qe3 fxe4 20.Qxe4 Nd4 21.Qe7 Qxe7 22.Rxe7 Rc8 23.Kd2 Kf8 24.Rd7 Nf5 25.Ne4 Ke8 26.Rd3 b6 27.Ng3 Nd6 28.b3 c5 29.c4 a5 30.Ke3 a4 31.Ne4 Nf5+ 32.Kd2 Ra8 33.Kc3 axb3 34.axb3 Nd4 35.Rd2 Ra1 36.Ng3 Rb1 37.Rb2 Rxb2 38.Kxb2 Kf7 39.Kc3 Kf6 40.b4 Ne6 41.f5 cxb4+ 42.Kxb4 Nd4 43.Nh5+ Kf7 44.Ng3 Nf3 45.h3 Ng5 46.h4 Nf3 47.h5 Ne5 48.Kb5 Ke7 49.c5 bxc5 50.Kxc5 Kf6 51.Kd5 Nd3 52.f3 h6 53.Ke4 Nc5+ 54.Kf4 Nd3+ 55.Ke4 Nc5+ 56.Kf4 Nd7 57.Ne4+ Ke7 58.Nc3 Nf6 59.Ke5 Nxh5 60.Nd5+ Kd7 61.f4 c6 62.Nb6+ Ke7 63.Nc8+ Kd7 64.Nb6+ Kc7 65.Nc4 c5 66.Ke6 Nxf4+ 67.Kf7 h5 68.Kxg7 h4 69.Ne3 h3 70.Ng4 c4 71.Kg8 c3 72.f6 c2 73.f7 Ne6 0-1

Round 1, Game 3, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 Qb6 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Na4 Qa5+ 9.c3 c4 10.b4 Bxb4 11.cxb4 Nxb4 12.Nc3 Nc2+ 13.Kd2 Nxa1 14.Qxa1 Ne7 15.Nh4 h6 16.Nxf5 Nxf5 17.Rb1 O-O 18.Rxb7 Rab8 19.Qb2 Rxb7 20.Qxb7 Qa3 21.Bd1 a5 22.Bc2 Nxe3 23.fxe3 Qb4 24.Qc6 Rb8 25.Qc7 Qb6 26.Qxb6 Rxb6 27.Na4 Rb5 28.e4 dxe4 29.Bxe4 Rb4 30.Bc2 f6 31.exf6 gxf6 32.Kc3 Kf7 33.a3 Rb5 34.Nc5 Ke7 35.Kxc4 Rb2 36.Kc3 Ra2 37.a4 Ra1 38.Be4 f5 39.Bf3 Kd6 40.Kb2 Rh1 41.Nb7+ Kc7 42.Nxa5 Rxh2 43.Kc3 h5 44.Nc4 h4 45.a5 h3 46.gxh3 Rxh3 47.Ne5 Rh2 48.Kb4 Rb2+ 49.Kc5 Rc2+ 50.Kb5 Rb2+ 51.Kc5 Rc2+ 52.Nc4 Rc3 53.Be2 f4 54.Kb4 Rc2 55.Bf3 Rf2 56.Ne5 Rb2+ 57.Kc4 Rc2+ 58.Kb4 Rb2+ 59.Kc3 Ra2 60.Nc4 Rf2 61.Be4 Re2 62.Kd3 Ra2 63.Bf3 Ra4 64.Bg4 Kb7 65.Bxe6 f3 66.Bd5+ Ka6 67.Bxf3 Rb4 68.Kc3 Ra4 69.Bd1 Ra1 70.Bc2 Rc1 71.d5 Kb5 72.d6 Kc6 73.Kd2 Ra1 74.Kc3 Rc1 75.Kb3 Ra1 76.Be4+ Kd7 77.Kb4 Re1 78.Bd5 Rd1 79.Kc5 Ra1 80.Bc6+ Ke6 81.Bb5 Rb1 82.a6 Ra1 83.Kb6 Rb1 84.a7 Ra1 85.Bc6 1-0

Round 1, Game 4, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
C45 Scotch, Mieses variation, main line

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.h4 Qe6 9.g3 d6 10.c4 Nb6 11.Bg2 Bb7 12.O-O dxe5 13.b3 O-O-O 14.Bb2 Bd6 15.Nd2 Rhe8 16.Ne4 Be7 17.Rfe1 c5 18.a4 f5 19.a5 Nd7 20.Nc3 Bxg2 21.Kxg2 c6 22.f3 h5 23.Rad1 g5 24.hxg5 Bxg5 25.f4 Bf6 26.fxe5 Bxe5 27.Na4 Qg6 28.Bxe5 Rxe5 29.Qf3 h4 30.Rxe5 Nxe5 31.Rxd8+ Kxd8 32.Qf4 Qxg3+ 33.Qxg3 hxg3 34.Nxc5 Ke7 35.Kxg3 Kd6 36.Nb7+ Kc7 37.Nc5 Kd6 38.Nb7+ Kc7 39.Nc5 Kd6 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Game 5, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
C58 Two Knights Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 Nd5 9.Nf3 Bd6 10.O-O O-O 11.Re1 f5 12.Nxe5 Qf6 13.Nf3 g5 14.c4 Nf4 15.Bf1 g4 16.d4 gxf3 17.Qxf3 Ne6 18.c5 Nxd4 19.Qc3 Bc7 20.b4 Nb7 21.Bc4+ Kg7 22.Bb2 Rd8 23.Nd2 a5 24.Nb3 axb4 25.Qxd4 Rxd4 26.Bxd4 Qxd4 27.Nxd4 Kf6 28.Nxc6 Nxc5 29.Nxb4 1-0

Round 1, Game 6, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
C48 Four Knights, Rubinstein Counter-Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.O-O c6 6.Bd3 Nxf3+ 7.Qxf3 d6 8.Be2 Bg4 9.Qe3 Qb6 10.d3 Qxe3 11.Bxe3 Bxe2 12.Nxe2 d5 13.f3 Bd6 14.a4 a5 15.c3 dxe4 16.dxe4 Nd7 17.Kf2 Bc5 18.Rfd1 O-O-O 19.Nc1 Bxe3+ 20.Kxe3 Nc5 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.b4 axb4 23.cxb4 Ne6 24.Nd3 f6 25.h4 Kc7 26.a5 Rd4 27.Rc1 Rd8 28.g3 h5 29.f4 exf4+ 30.gxf4 f5 31.exf5 Nd4 32.Rc5 b6 33.Re5 Nc2+ 34.Ke2 Nd4+ 35.Kf2 bxa5 36.bxa5 Nxf5 37.Rxf5 Rxd3 38.Rf7+ Kd6 39.Rxg7 Ra3 40.Rg5 c5 41.a6 c4 42.Rxh5 Kc6 43.Rg5 Kb6 44.f5 Rxa6 45.Rg6+ 1-0

Round 1, Game 7, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
D35 QGD, Exchange variation

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 Nf6 6.e3 Bf5 7.Qb3 Nc6 8.g4 Nxg4 9.Qxd5 Qxd5 10.Nxd5 Bb4+ 11.Nxb4 Nxb4 12.Rc1 Nd5 13.Bg3 O-O-O 14.Ne2 c6 15.Rg1 Ngf6 16.Nc3 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Ne4 18.f3 Nxg3 19.Rxg3 g6 20.e4 Be6 21.a3 f5 22.Bd3 Rhf8 23.Ke2 fxe4 24.fxe4 Rf4 25.Rf1 Rdf8 26.Rxf4 Rxf4 27.c4 Rh4 28.Rg2 Bg4+ 29.Ke3 Rh3+ 30.Kd2 h5 31.e5 Be6 32.a4 g5 33.Rxg5 Rxh2+ 34.Kc3 Rh3 35.Kd2 Rh2+ 36.Ke3 Rh3+ 37.Ke4 Rh4+ 38.Ke3 Rh3+ 39.Kd2 Rh2+ 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Game 8, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
B22 Sicilian, Alapin’s variation

1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nf3 d6 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 Nc6 7.Bc4 Nb6 8.Bb5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Bd7 10.Nxd7 Qxd7 11.O-O e6 12.Nc3 a6 13.Bxc6 Qxc6 14.Re1 Bb4 15.Qg4 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Kf8 17.Bf4 h5 18.Qg3 h4 19.Qg4 Nd5 20.Be5 f6 21.c4 Ne7 22.Bxf6 gxf6 23.d5 exd5 24.Re6 Qxc4 25.Rxf6+ Ke8 26.Qg7 Kd7 27.Re1 Rae8 28.Rfe6 Qc5 29.Qg4 Kd8 30.Qf4 Nc6 31.Qf6+ Kd7 32.Qg7+ Re7 33.Rxe7+ Nxe7 34.Qxh8 1-0

Round 1, Game 9, Nov. 8
So, Wesley – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 Qb6 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Na4 Qa5+ 9.c3 c4 10.b4 Bxb4 11.cxb4 Nxb4 12.Nc3 Nc2+ 13.Kd2 Nxa1 14.Qxa1 h6 15.Qb2 Rb8 16.Qb5+ Qxb5 17.Nxb5 Ne7 18.a4 g5 19.Kc3 Kd7 20.Nd2 Bg6 21.h4 a6 22.Nd6 b5 23.Nf1 b4+ 24.Kb2 c3+ 25.Kb3 Nc6 0-1

Round 1, Game 10, Nov. 8
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – So, Wesley
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf, Byrne Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.O-O-O b5 10.f3 h5 11.g3 Rc8 12.Kb1 Be7 13.Nd5 Bxd5 14.exd5 Nb6 15.Bxb6 Qxb6 16.Bh3 Rb8 17.Rhe1 O-O 18.f4 Rfe8 19.fxe5 dxe5 20.d6 Red8 21.d7 e4 22.Qe2 g6 23.Nd2 Nxd7 24.Nxe4 Nf6 1/2-1/2

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 4, 2020

The Alireza Firouzja vs Vladimir Fedoseev Match (continued)

Round 3, Game 22, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
B13 Caro-Kann, Exchange, Rubinstein variation [Event

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 Na5 8.Qa4+ Bd7 9.Qc2 Qb6 10.Nf3 e6 11.Nbd2 Bb5 12.Ne5 Be7 13.O-O Bxd3 14.Nxd3 O-O 15.Rfe1 Rac8 16.Nf3 Ne4 17.h4 Nc4 18.Re2 Bd6 19.Rae1 Bxf4 20.Nxf4 Qd6 21.g3 h6 22.Kg2 b5 23.a3 a5 24.Nd3 Rc7 25.Nfe5 Rfc8 26.f3 Nf6 27.g4 Nd7 28.Nxf7 Kxf7 29.Rxe6 Qf8 30.Nf4 Ndb6 31.Qg6+ Kg8 32.Re8 Rf7 33.Rxf8+ Rcxf8 34.Nh5 Nc8 35.f4 N8d6 36.f5 Ne4 37.Rxe4 dxe4 38.f6 Ne3+ 39.Kg3 Nf1+ 40.Kh3 Ne3 41.Qxe4 Nc4 42.Qg6 Nd6 43.g5 hxg5 44.hxg5 Ne8 45.fxg7 Rf3+ 46.Kg4 R8f7 47.Qe6 Nxg7 48.Qc8+ Rf8 49.Qc6 Nxh5 50.Kxh5 R3f7 51.g6 Rf1 52.Kh6 R8f6 53.Qd5+ Kf8 54.Qd8# 1-0

Round 3, Game 23, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
D78 Neo-Grunfeld

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.d4 d5 6.c4 c6 7.Ne5 b6 8.Nc3 Bb7 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Bg5 Nbd7 11.Qb3 h6 12.Bf4 e6 13.Rac1 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Ba6 15.Qa3 Bb7 16.Nb5 Ne8 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Qb4 a6 19.Nc3 Qd6 20.Qb3 Nf6 21.Rcd1 Rfc8 22.f3 b5 23.e4 Qb6 24.e5 Nd7 25.f4 Rc4 26.Ne2 Rac8 27.g4 f5 28.gxf5 exf5 29.Qe3 Nf8 30.h4 h5 31.Nc3 Ne6 32.Bxd5 Bxd5 33.Nxd5 Qd8 34.Nf6 Rxd4 35.Rxd4 Qxd4 36.Qxd4 Nxd4 37.Rd1 Ne2+ 38.Kf2 Nxf4 39.Rd7+ Kf8 40.Nh7+ Kg8 41.Nf6+ Kf8 42.Kf3 Ne6 43.Rd6 Kf7 44.Rxa6 Rc4 45.Ra7+ Kf8 46.Ra8+ Kf7 47.Ra7+ Kf8 48.Kg3 Rc2 49.b3 Rc3+ 50.Kf2 b4 51.Rb7 Rc2+ 52.Kg3 Rxa2 53.Rxb4 Rd2 54.Rb7 Rd3+ 55.Kf2 Nc5 56.Rc7 Ne4+ 57.Nxe4 fxe4 58.b4 Rb3 59.Rb7 Rh3 60.b5 Rxh4 61.b6 Rh2+ 62.Ke3 Rb2 63.Kxe4 h4 64.Kd5 h3 65.Kc6 Kg8 66.Rb8+ Kg7 67.Ra8 Rb1 68.Ra2 g5 69.e6 Kf6 70.Re2 Ke7 71.Re5 g4 72.Rh5 Kxe6 73.b7 Kf6 74.Rb5 Rxb5 75.Kxb5 h2 76.b8=Q h1=Q 77.Qf4+ Ke6 78.Qxg4+ Ke7 79.Qg5+ 1/2-1/2

Round 3, Game 24, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
B67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.O-O-O Bd7 9.f4 b5 10.Nxc6 Bxc6 11.Qe1 h6 12.Bh4 Be7 13.Bd3 Qc7 14.a3 Rb8 15.Na2 a5 16.Rf1 O-O 17.e5 dxe5 18.fxe5 Nd5 19.Qe4 g6 20.Rxf7 Rxf7 21.Qxg6+ Kf8 22.Qxh6+ Ke8 23.Bg6 Bxh4 24.Qxh4 b4 25.Rf1 Qb6 26.Bxf7+ Kd7 27.Bxe6+ Kxe6 28.Qh6+ Kxe5 29.Re1+ Kd4 30.Qd2+ Kc5 31.Qf2+ Kb5 32.Qe2+ Ka4 33.Qc4 Rc8 34.Qb3+ Kb5 35.Qd3+ Kc5 36.Re6 Qb5 37.Qf3 Qc4 38.b3 Qd4 39.axb4+ axb4 40.Kb1 Nc3+ 41.Nxc3 Bxf3 0-1

Round 3, Game 25, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 h6 6.O-O Nd7 7.c3 Ne7 8.Nbd2 c5 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Bb5+ Nd7 11.Nd4 Bg6 12.Re1 a6 13.Ba4 Nf5 14.N2f3 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Be7 16.Qg4 h5 17.Qg3 Bh4 18.Nxe6 Bxg3 19.Nxd8 Bxf2+ 20.Kxf2 Kxd8 21.e6 b5 22.Bb3 Nc5 23.Bxd5 Nd3+ 24.Kg1 Nxe1 25.Bg5+ f6 26.Bxa8 Nc2 27.Rd1+ Ke7 28.Bb7 fxg5 29.Bxa6 Kxe6 30.Bxb5 Rb8 31.a4 Be4 32.b4 Ke5 33.Rd7 Bf5 34.Rxg7 Kf6 35.Rc7 Rd8 36.h3 Rd1+ 37.Kf2 Rd2+ 38.Kg1 Ne3 39.Bc6 g4 40.hxg4 hxg4 41.Kh2 Nf1+ 42.Kg1 Ne3 43.g3 Bd3 44.b5 Nf5 45.b6 Rb2 46.b7 Ba6 47.Bb5 Bxb7 48.Rxb7 Nxg3 49.a5 Ra2 50.a6 Nf5 51.a7 Nh4 52.Bc6 Nf3+ 53.Kf1 Ke5 54.Rf7 Nd2+ 55.Ke1 Nf3+ 56.Rxf3 gxf3 57.a8=Q Rxa8 58.Bxa8 Kd6 59.Bxf3 Kc5 60.Kd2 Kc4 61.Kc2 Kc5 62.Kd3 Kb5 63.Kd4 Kb6 64.c4 Kc7 65.c5 Kd7 66.Kd5 Kc7 67.c6 1-0

The score after three rounds stands at 12.5 – 12.5, therefore, they go to a 4-game playoff at 1+1 and Armageddon, if necessary:

(1+1 AF-VF 1.5-2.5)

Round 4, Game 26, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
B12 Caro-Kann, Exchange variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.c3 Bg4 6.Qb3 Qc7 7.Bg5 e6 8.Nd2 Bd6 9.Ngf3 Nbd7 10.Bh4 O-O 11.O-O Rab8 12.a4 Bh5 13.Rfe1 Bg6 14.Qc2 Rfe8 15.Bg3 Bxg3 16.hxg3 a6 17.a5 Rbc8 18.Bxg6 hxg6 19.Qd3 Ng4 20.Re2 Nb8 21.Nb3 Nc6 22.Ng5 Rcd8 23.Qf3 Nf6 24.Qd3 Re7 25.f4 Ree8 26.Kf2 Ne7 27.Kf3 Nf5 28.Nc5 Qc6 29.g4 Nh6 30.Rh1 Nfxg4 31.g3 e5 32.fxe5 Nxe5+ 33.dxe5 Qxc5 34.Qd4 Qxd4 35.cxd4 Rc8 36.g4 Rc4 37.Rd2 Rec8 38.Nh3 Rb4 39.Nf4 Rb3+ 40.Ke2 Rd8 41.Rg1 g5 42.Nd3 Rb5 43.b4 g6 44.Rc2 Rd7 45.Ke3 Kg7 46.Rc5 Re7 47.Rxb5 axb5 48.Kf3 f6 49.exf6+ Kxf6 50.Nc5 Nf7 51.Rh1 Kg7 52.Ra1 Nd6 53.a6 bxa6 54.Rxa6 Ne4 55.Nxe4 Rxe4 56.Rb6 Rxd4 57.Rxb5 Kf6 58.Rb6+ Ke5 59.Rxg6 Rf4+ 60.Kg3 Rxb4 61.Rxg5+ Kf6 62.Rxd5 Rb1 1/2-1/2

Round 4, Game 27, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
D78 Neo-Grunfeld

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.d4 d5 6.c4 c6 7.Ne5 Be6 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.Nc3 Nbd7 10.Bf4 Rc8 11.Rc1 Qb6 12.Qd2 Rfd8 13.Nxd7 Bxd7 14.Be5 Bc6 15.e3 e6 16.Rc2 Ne8 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Rfc1 Nd6 19.b3 Qa5 20.h4 h5 21.Bf1 Bd7 22.Bd3 Rc6 23.Nb1 Qxd2 24.Nxd2 Rdc8 25.Rxc6 Rxc6 26.Rxc6 Bxc6 27.Kf1 Bb5 28.Ke2 Bxd3+ 29.Kxd3 Kf6 30.a4 g5 31.Nf3 g4 32.Ne5 Kf5 33.Ke2 f6 34.Nd3 e5 35.a5 b6 36.axb6 axb6 37.Kd2 Ke4 38.Ke2 Nb5 39.dxe5 fxe5 40.Kd2 d4 41.exd4 Nxd4 42.b4 b5 43.Nc5+ Kf3 44.Ke1 Nc2+ 45.Kf1 Nxb4 46.Nd7 Nd3 47.Nf6 b4 0-1

Round 4, Game 28, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 a6 6.Bxd7+ Bxd7 7.c4 e5 8.Qd3 b5 9.Nbd2 Nf6 10.b3 Be7 11.O-O O-O 12.Bb2 Qb8 13.c5 Rd8 14.Rac1 dxc5 15.Nxe5 Be6 16.Qe2 Qb7 17.Rfe1 Rac8 18.h3 h6 19.Nf1 c4 20.bxc4 bxc4 21.Bc3 Nd7 22.Nxd7 Rxd7 23.Ne3 Qxe4 24.Qb2 Qg6 25.Kh1 Bc5 26.Nf1 Rd3 27.Ng3 Bxf2 28.Qxf2 Rxg3 29.Be5 Rd3 30.Re3 Rcd8 31.Rce1 Rxe3 32.Rxe3 Rd3 33.Rxd3 cxd3 34.Bc3 Kh7 35.a3 Qe4 36.Kh2 f6 37.Qg3 Bd5 38.Qf2 h5 39.Bd2 Kg8 40.Bc3 Kf7 41.Bd2 Ke6 42.Qg3 g5 43.Qe3 Kf5 44.Qxe4+ Kxe4 45.Kg3 Kd4 46.Kf2 Kc4 47.g3 Kb3 48.Ke3 Bc4 49.Bb4 Bb5 50.Kd2 Bd7 51.h4 gxh4 52.gxh4 Bb5 53.Be7 f5 54.Bd6 Kc4 55.Be5 Kd5 56.Bc7 Ke4 57.Ke1 Ke3 58.Bb6+ Kf3 59.Kd2 f4 60.Bc7 Kg4 61.Bd8 f3 62.Ke3 Kg3 63.Bc7+ Kg2 0-1

Round 4, Game 29, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
A97 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 c6 4.O-O Bf5 5.c4 e6 6.Qb3 Qb6 7.d3 Nbd7 8.Qc2 dxc4 9.Qxc4 Qc5 10.Qb3 Qb6 11.Qc2 Be7 12.Nc3 O-O 13.Be3 Qc7 14.Rac1 a6 15.a3 Rac8 16.Rfd1 h6 17.Qb3 e5 18.Nh4 Be6 19.Qc2 Ng4 20.Bd2 Bxh4 21.gxh4 Qb6 22.Be1 Bb3 23.Qd2 Bxd1 24.Rxd1 f5 25.Qc2 Kh8 26.Na4 Qd8 27.Bb4 Qxh4 28.e3 Qxh2+ 29.Kf1 f4 30.Bxf8 Rxf8 31.exf4 Rxf4 0-1

Fedoseev wins the playoff 2.5-1.5 and the match 15.0-14.0

It was a long and exciting match between two young, talented men.

Vladimir was born in 1995 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Peter Doggers writes of him:

Fedoseev was born in St. Petersburg, a city that has produced numerous grandmasters. He achieved that title himself in 2011 when he was 16 years old. Three years later, he entered the world's top 100.

The year 2017 saw his breakthrough as he won the Aeroflot Open and thus qualified for the Sparkassen Chess Meeting In Dortmund, where he finished in a shared second place. At the end of the year, he came in second on tiebreak at the World Rapid Championship, behind GM Vishy Anand.

Fedoseev is looking good in the individual encounters between the two. He won both over-the-board games (a classical game at the 2018 Abu Dhabi Masters and a game at the 2019 World Blitz), and each player won one of the two blitz games they played in Titled Tuesdays.

"I guess he is a really strong talent," Fedoseev said about Firouzja. "For me, I can say that he is playing kind of heartbreaker chess, which is really unpleasant to play against. I can say that he is the future of chess at the moment."

Fedoseev, who will play from his home in Moscow ("Normally I have a perfect connection and a cool place to play from my work office"), expects a close match. He thinks the bullet segment will be most important: "Because it’s the end of the match, so in many cases, it will be decisive."

https://www.chess.com/news/view/firo...-chess-preview

• November 8, 2020 at 9 a.m. / 18:00 Central Europe: So-Abdusattorov

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 4, 2020

The Alireza Firouzja vs Vladimir Fedoseev Match (continued)

3+1 (AF-VF 4.5-3.5)

Round 2, Game 10, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
E62 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Uhlmann variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.g3 O-O 5.Bg2 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O e5 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Bg5 Be6 10.Nd2 h6 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.Nd5 Bg7 13.Ne4 Nd4 14.e3 Nf5 15.Nc5 Bc8 16.Qb3 c6 17.Nc3 Qe7 18.Qa3 h5 19.Rfd1 h4 20.N3e4 hxg3 21.hxg3 Re8 22.Rd2 Nh6 23.Rad1 Bg4 24.f3 Bc8 25.Nd7 Qxa3 26.bxa3 Kh8 27.Kf2 Re7 28.g4 Bxd7 29.Rxd7 Rae8 30.Rxe7 Rxe7 31.Rd8+ Ng8 32.Nd6 Bf6 33.c5 Kg7 34.Ne4 Bh4+ 35.Ke2 Rc7 36.Re8 Be7 37.g5 b6 38.Kd3 Bxc5 39.Nxc5 bxc5 40.Rxe5 Rd7+ 41.Kc3 Ne7 42.e4 Kf8 43.Bf1 Rd1 44.Bd3 Rc1+ 45.Kd2 Ra1 46.Bc4 Rg1 47.Rxc5 Ke8 48.Ra5 Nc8 49.Bb3 Rg2+ 50.Ke3 Rg1 51.Kf4 Rc1 52.Ra4 Ke7 53.Rd4 Nb6 54.Rd2 c5 55.Rc2 Rxc2 56.Bxc2 Kd6 57.Ke3 Nc4+ 58.Kd3 Ne5+ 59.Ke2 c4 60.f4 Nc6 61.Ke3 Kc5 62.e5 Nd4 63.Be4 c3 64.Kd3 c2 65.Kd2 Ne2 66.Bxc2 Nxf4 67.Bb3 Kd4 68.Bxf7 Kxe5 69.Kc3 Kf5 70.Kb4 Kxg5 71.Ka5 Kf6 72.Bxg6 Nxg6 73.Ka6 Ke6 74.Kxa7 Kd7 75.Kb6 Kc8 76.Kc6 Kb8 77.Kb6 Ka8 78.a4 Ne5 79.a5 Nc4+ 80.Kb5 Nxa5 81.Kxa5 Ka7 82.Kb5 Ka8 83.a4 Kb8 84.a5 Ka8 85.a6 Kb8 86.Ka5 Ka7 87.Kb5 Ka8 88.Kb6 Kb8 89.a7+ Ka8 90.Ka6 1/2-1/2

Round 2, Game 11, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
D78 Neo-Grunfeld

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.d4 d5 6.c4 c6 7.Ne5 Ng4 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.Bf4 Nxe5 10.Bxe5 Nc6 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.Nc3 e6 13.Qd2 Qf6 14.Rad1 Rd8 15.Rfe1 h6 16.h4 Qe7 17.e4 dxe4 18.d5 e5 19.Qe3 Na5 20.Qxe4 Bf5 21.Qa4 Qc5 22.Rc1 Rac8 23.b4 Qd4 24.Nb5 Rxc1 25.Rxc1 Qb2 26.Rc7 a6 27.Qxa5 axb5 28.Rxf7+ Kxf7 29.Qxd8 Qxb4 30.d6 Qe1+ 31.Kh2 Qxf2 32.Qe7+ Kg8 33.d7 Bxd7 34.Qxd7 Qxa2 35.Qe8+ Kg7 36.Qxe5+ Kg8 37.Qb8+ Kg7 38.Qxb7+ 1-0

Round 2, Game 12, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
E62 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Uhlmann variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O e5 8.d5 Ne7 9.e4 h6 10.b4 a5 11.Ba3 axb4 12.Bxb4 b6 13.a4 Ne8 14.Qb3 Rb8 15.Nb5 f5 16.a5 bxa5 17.Bxa5 fxe4 18.Nd2 Nf5 19.Nxe4 Nd4 20.Qd3 Bf5 21.Rfb1 Qd7 22.Bc3 Nxb5 23.Rxb5 Rxb5 24.cxb5 Nf6 25.Nxf6+ Bxf6 26.Qc4 Rb8 27.Bf1 Bd8 28.Ra7 Bh3 29.Bd3 Bf5 30.Be2 h5 31.Ba5 Bh3 32.Bxc7 Bxc7 33.Rxc7 Qf5 34.f3 Qb1+ 35.Qc1 Qxc1+ 36.Rxc1 Bd7 37.Kf2 Kf8 38.Ke3 Ke7 39.Rb1 Rb6 40.Bd3 Be8 41.Kd2 Bf7 42.Bc4 g5 43.Kc3 g4 44.fxg4 hxg4 45.Kb4 Rb8 46.Ra1 Be8 47.Ra7+ Kf6 48.Be2 e4 49.Rc7 Ke5 50.Bc4 Kd4 51.Rg7 Rc8 52.Be2 Rc2 53.Bxg4 Rb2+ 54.Ka3 Rxb5 55.Re7 Ra5+ 56.Kb4 Rb5+ 57.Ka3 Ra5+ 58.Kb4 Ra8 59.Bf5 Rb8+ 60.Ka3 Ra8+ 61.Kb2 Rb8+ 62.Kc1 Kxd5 63.Bxe4+ Kd4 64.Bf5 Bc6 65.g4 Rh8 66.Bh7 Rf8 67.g5 Rf1+ 68.Kd2 Rf2+ 69.Re2 Rxe2+ 70.Kxe2 Ke5 71.h4 d5 72.Bd3 d4 73.h5 Be8 74.h6 1-0

Round 2, Game 13, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
D77 Neo-Grunfeld

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.d4 d5 6.c4 dxc4 7.Na3 Nc6 8.Nxc4 Nd5 9.e3 Nb6 10.b3 Nxc4 11.bxc4 e5 12.Ba3 Re8 13.d5 Na5 14.Rc1 b6 15.Nd2 Bd7 16.Nb3 Nxb3 17.Qxb3 e4 18.Rfd1 Bg4 19.Rd2 c5 20.Bb2 Qd6 21.a4 Rab8 22.Bxg7 Kxg7 23.a5 Bd7 24.axb6 axb6 25.Bf1 Ra8 26.Rb2 Reb8 27.Rcb1 Qf6 28.Qc2 Ra3 29.h4 Bg4 30.Bg2 Rc3 31.Qa4 Bf3 32.Qa7 Rc1+ 33.Rxc1 Qxb2 34.Rf1 Qe5 35.Bxf3 exf3 36.Rd1 Qd6 37.e4 Re8 38.Re1 Qf6 39.Qa3 Qd4 40.Qxf3 Qxc4 41.e5 Qd4 42.Qf6+ Kg8 43.h5 Qd2 44.Re3 Qd1+ 45.Kh2 Qxh5+ 46.Kg2 Qd1 47.d6 Qd5+ 48.Rf3 c4 49.Kh2 Qe6 50.Qf4 b5 51.Qd4 1-0

Round 2, Game 14, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
E62 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Uhlmann variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O e5 8.d5 Ne7 9.e4 h6 10.b4 a5 11.Ba3 axb4 12.Bxb4 b6 13.a4 Ne8 14.Qb3 Rb8 15.Nb5 f5 16.a5 bxa5 17.Bxa5 fxe4 18.Nd2 Nf5 19.Nxe4 Nd4 20.Qd3 Bf5 21.Rfb1 Qd7 22.Bc3 Qf7 23.Nxd4 Rxb1+ 24.Rxb1 Bxe4 25.Qxe4 Qxf2+ 26.Kh1 exd4 27.Rf1 Qe3 28.Rxf8+ Kxf8 29.Qxe3 dxe3 30.Ba5 Bd4 31.Be4 g5 32.Kg2 Nf6 33.Bf5 Bb6 34.Bc3 Ke7 35.Kf3 Nd7 36.Bxd7 Kxd7 37.Bg7 h5 38.Bh6 g4+ 39.Ke2 Ke7 40.Bxe3 Kf6 41.Bxb6 cxb6 42.Ke3 Ke5 43.Kd3 Kf6 44.Kd4 Kf5 45.Kd3 Kf6 46.Kc3 Ke5 47.Kb4 Ke4 48.Kb5 Kf3 49.Kxb6 Kg2 50.c5 Kxh2 51.cxd6 1-0

Round 2, Game 15, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c6 3.Bg2 Bf5 4.O-O e6 5.d3 Nf6 6.c4 dxc4 7.dxc4 Qxd1 8.Rxd1 Nbd7 9.Nc3 e5 10.b3 Bb4 11.Bb2 O-O 12.Nh4 Be6 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 g6 15.Nf3 f6 16.Kg2 a5 17.Rac1 Be7 18.Bc3 a4 19.b4 Nb6 20.c5 Nd5 21.a3 Rfd8 22.Bb2 Bf8 23.Bc2 Bh6 24.e3 Kf7 25.Re1 Nc7 26.Rcd1 Bd5 27.g4 Nb5 28.Kg3 Bg7 29.e4 Be6 30.Rxd8 Rxd8 31.Rd1 Ra8 32.g5 Ke7 33.h4 f5 34.Re1 f4+ 35.Kg2 Bb3 36.Bd3 Ke6 37.Re2 Rd8 38.Rd2 Rd7 39.Kg1 Nc7 40.Bf1 Rxd2 41.Nxd2 Ba2 42.Bh3+ Ke7 43.Nf3 Nb5 44.Bf1 Nd4 45.Nxd4 exd4 46.Bd3 f3 47.Kf1 Be5 48.Bc1 Bb3 49.Ke1 Ke6 50.Bd2 Bh2 51.Kf1 Ke5 52.Bc1 Bf4 53.Bxf4+ Kxf4 54.Ke1 Kg4 55.e5 Kxh4 56.b5 Kxg5 57.b6 Be6 58.Be4 Bc8 59.Bxf3 Kf4 60.Bxc6 Kxe5 61.Bxa4 d3 62.c6 Kd4 63.Kd2 Kc5 64.cxb7 Bxb7 65.Kxd3 Kxb6 66.Ke3 Kc7 67.Bc2 Kd6 68.Kf4 Ke6 69.Kg5 Kf7 70.Kh6 Kg8 71.Bb3+ Kh8 72.a4 Ba6 73.a5 Bb5 74.Bd5 Ba6 75.f4 g5 76.fxg5 Bc4 77.Be4 Ba6 78.Bxh7 1-0

Round 2, Game 16, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
E62 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Uhlmann variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O e5 8.d5 Ne7 9.e4 h6 10.b4 a5 11.Ba3 axb4 12.Bxb4 b6 13.a4 Ne8 14.Qb3 Rb8 15.Nb5 f5 16.a5 bxa5 17.Bxa5 fxe4 18.Nd2 Nf5 19.Nxe4 Nd4 20.Qd3 Bf5 21.Rfb1 Qd7 22.Bd2 Nf6 23.Ra7 Bxe4 24.Bxe4 Nxe4 25.Qxe4 Nf3+ 26.Kg2 Nxd2 27.Qxg6 Rf6 0-1

Round 2, Game 17, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nd7 3.d4 Nb6 4.Bg2 Bf5 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Nh4 Bg6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.e4 e6 9.exd5 exd5 10.O-O Be7 11.Re1 O-O 12.Qd3 c6 13.Bg5 Qd7 14.Re2 Rfe8 15.Rae1 Bb4 16.Rxe8+ Rxe8 17.Rxe8+ Qxe8 18.Ne2 Nc4 19.b3 Nb2 20.Qe3 Qxe3 21.Bxe3 Nd1 22.Bf4 Ng4 23.c4 dxc4 24.bxc4 Ngxf2 25.d5 Bc5 26.dxc6 Ng4+ 27.Kf1 Nde3+ 28.Bxe3 Nxe3+ 29.Kg1 Nxc4+ 30.Kh1 bxc6 31.Bxc6 Ne5 32.Bd5 g5 33.Bb3 g4 34.Nc3 Kf8 35.Ne4 Bb6 36.Kg2 f5 37.Ng5 Ke7 38.h3 Be3 39.Ne6 gxh3+ 40.Kxh3 g5 41.Ng7 Kf6 42.Ne8+ Kg6 43.Bc2 Bc5 44.Nc7 Ng4 45.Nd5 Nh6 46.a4 a5 47.Kg2 g4 48.Nf4+ Kf6 49.Kf1 Nf7 50.Ke2 Nd6 51.Nd5+ Ke5 52.Nf4 Bb6 53.Ng6+ Kd4 54.Ne7 Ke5 55.Ng6+ Kf6 56.Nf4 Bd4 57.Kf1 Be5 58.Nd5+ Ke6 59.Nc7+ Kd7 60.Nb5 Ne4 61.Kg2 Nxg3 62.Na3 f4 63.Bd1 f3+ 64.Kf2 Nf5 65.Nc4 Bd4+ 66.Ke1 f2+ 0-1

1+1 (AF-VF 4.5-3.5)

Round 3, Game 18, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
C01 French, Exchange

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bd6 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 c6 8.c3 Bg4 9.Bg5 Nbd7 10.Nbd2 Qc7 11.Qc2 Bh5 12.h3 Bg6 13.Nh4 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 Rfe8 15.Nf5 Bf8 16.Qf3 Rxe1+ 17.Rxe1 Re8 18.Rxe8 Nxe8 19.Qe3 Ndf6 20.Bf4 Qd7 21.g4 Nc7 22.Be5 Nfe8 23.Nf3 Ne6 24.Bh2 f6 25.Nd2 g6 26.Nh4 Bd6 27.Bxd6 Qxd6 28.Ng2 N8g7 29.f4 Kf7 30.Nf3 Nf8 31.Kf2 Nd7 32.h4 h5 33.g5 Nf5 34.Qd2 Qe7 35.Qe2 Qxe2+ 36.Kxe2 Nb6 37.b3 Nc8 38.Nd2 Ncd6 39.Kd3 Ke6 40.c4 Ne8 41.cxd5+ cxd5 42.Nf3 Ned6 43.Nd2 Ng3 44.Nf3 Ngf5 45.gxf6 Kxf6 46.Ne5 Ne4 47.Nd7+ Ke7 48.Ne5 Kf6 49.Nd7+ Kf7 50.Ne5+ Kg7 51.Nf3 Ned6 52.Ne5 b6 53.Nc6 a5 54.Ne5 Kf6 55.Nd7+ Ke6 56.Nxb6 Nb5 57.Na4 Nbxd4 58.Nc5+ Ke7 59.a3 Nc6 60.Kc3 Kd6 61.Nd3 Nfd4 62.b4 a4 63.Kb2 Ne6 64.Ne3 Ncd4 65.Kc3 Ne2+ 66.Kd2 N2xf4 67.Ne1 Ke5 68.Nd1 Kd4 69.Nc3 Kc4 70.Nxa4 Kb3 71.Nc5+ Kxa3 72.Ned3 Nxd3 73.Nxe6 Nxb4 74.Nf4 Nc6 75.Nxg6 Ne5 76.Nxe5 Kb4 77.Kd3 Kc5 78.Nf3 Kd6 79.Ke3 Ke6 80.Kf4 Kf6 81.Nd4 Kg6 82.Ke5 Kg7 83.Kxd5 Kf6 84.Ke4 Kg6 85.Ke5 1-0

Round 3, Game 19, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
E63 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Panno System

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.d4 d6 6.c4 Nc6 7.Nc3 a6 8.b3 Rb8 9.d5 Na7 10.Be3 c5 11.dxc6 Nxc6 12.Rc1 Bd7 13.Ne1 Rc8 14.Nd3 Bf5 15.Qd2 Qd7 16.Rfd1 Bh3 17.Bh1 Qd8 18.Nf4 Bd7 19.Bg2 Ng4 20.Nfd5 Nxe3 21.Qxe3 Re8 22.Nb6 Bd4 23.Rxd4 Qxb6 24.Rd3 Qxe3 25.Rxe3 Be6 26.Rd1 Rc7 27.f4 Rb8 28.Bd5 Bxd5 29.Nxd5 Rd7 30.Kf2 Kf8 31.Nb6 Rdd8 32.Rd2 Kg7 33.a3 Re8 34.b4 Rbd8 35.Red3 Rb8 36.Rc3 f5 37.Re3 Kf7 38.Rb3 Rbd8 39.a4 Nb8 40.Rbd3 Nd7 41.Nxd7 Rxd7 42.c5 Red8 43.cxd6 Rxd6 44.Rxd6 Rxd6 45.Rxd6 exd6 46.Ke3 b5 47.axb5 axb5 48.Kd4 Ke6 49.h3 h5 50.e3 Ke7 51.Kd5 Kd7 52.h4 Kc7 53.Ke6 Kc6 54.Kf6 Kd5 55.Kxg6 Kc4 56.Kxh5 Kxb4 57.Kg5 Kc5 58.h5 b4 59.h6 b3 60.h7 b2 61.h8=Q b1=Q 62.Qc8+ 1-0

Round 3, Game 20, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
B93 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f4 e5 7.Nb3 Nbd7 8.Bd3 Be7 9.O-O O-O 10.a4 b6 11.fxe5 dxe5 12.Be3 Bb7 13.Qf3 Rc8 14.Rad1 Re8 15.Qh3 Qc7 16.Nd5 Qb8 17.c4 Bxd5 18.cxd5 Nc5 19.Nxc5 Bxc5 20.Bxa6 Bxe3+ 21.Qxe3 Rc2 22.Bb5 Rd8 23.Bc6 Rxb2 24.Rb1 Rxb1 25.Rxb1 Qd6 26.h3 g6 27.Rxb6 Nh5 28.a5 Nf4 29.a6 Qe7 30.Rb2 Qg5 31.Kh2 1-0

Round 3, Game 21, Nov.4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
D78 Neo-Grunfeld

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.d4 d5 6.c4 c6 7.Ne5 Be6 8.cxd5 Bxd5 9.Nf3 Ne4 10.Qc2 Nd7 11.Re1 Ndf6 12.Ne5 Rc8 13.f3 Nd6 14.Bh3 Nf5 15.Bxf5 gxf5 16.Qxf5 Be6 17.Qf4 c5 18.dxc5 Rxc5 19.Nd3 Rc4 20.Qg5 Qb6+ 21.Be3 h6 22.Qxg7+ Kxg7 23.Bxb6 axb6 24.Nc3 Ra8 25.a3 Nd7 26.Kf2 Bf5 27.Rad1 Bxd3 28.Rxd3 Ne5 29.Rd5 Rc5 30.Red1 Nc4 31.Rxc5 bxc5 32.Rd7 b6 33.Nd1 e6 34.Rb7 Ra6 35.e4 Kf8 36.Ke2 h5 37.f4 Nd6 38.Rb8+ Ke7 39.Kd3 Ra4 40.Nc3 Rd4+ 41.Kc2 Nxe4 42.Rxb6 Rd2+ 43.Kc1 Rd4 44.Nxe4 Rxe4 45.Kd2 Rd4+ 46.Kc3 h4 47.Rc6 Re4 48.Rxc5 hxg3 49.hxg3 Re3+ 50.Kb4 Rxg3 51.a4 Rf3 52.Rc4 Rf1 53.a5 Kd6 54.Kb5 Ra1 55.a6 Kd5 56.Ra4 Rxa4 57.Kxa4 Kc6 58.b4 Kb6 59.b5 f6 60.Kb4 e5 61.fxe5 fxe5 62.Kc4 Ka7 63.Kd5 Kb6 64.Kxe5 Kc7 65.Kd5 Kb6 66.Kd6 Kxb5 67.a7 1-0

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 4, 2020

The Alireza Firouzja vs Vladimir Fedoseev Match

Lawrence Trent and Laurent Fressinet are commentating on chess24 and Danny Rensch and Anish Giri are on twitch.tv.
Everyone keeps talking about Big Fish. That happens to be the name Fedoseev plays under.

5+1 (AF-VF 3.5-5.5)

Round 1, Game 1, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
A00 Van’t Kruijs Opening

1.e3 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Nf3 e6 4.Bd3 f5 5.O-O Nf6 6.c4 Be7 7.Nc3 O-O 8.Qc2 Bxf3 9.gxf3 Qe8 10.Ne2 Qh5 11.Kg2 Qh4 12.Bd2 Nc6 13.a3 Nh5 14.Rh1 Rf6 15.Rag1 Rh6 16.h3 Rg6+ 17.Kf1 Rxg1+ 18.Kxg1 Rf8 19.Kf1 g6 20.f4 d6 21.Ng1 Qf6 22.Nf3 e5 23.c5 exd4 24.cxb6 d5 25.bxc7 Rc8 26.Nxd4 Nxd4 27.exd4 Qd6 28.Be2 Nxf4 29.Bxf4 Qxf4 30.Qc6 Qxc7 31.Qxd5+ Kg7 32.Kg2 Bf6 33.Bf3 Rd8 34.Qb7 Qxb7 35.Bxb7 Rxd4 36.b4 Rd2 37.h4 Bd4 38.Rf1 Ra2 39.Bf3 Kf6 40.Kg3 Be5+ 41.Kg2 Bd4 42.Kg3 Rxa3 43.Rd1 Be5+ 44.Kg2 Ra4 45.Rd7 h5 46.Rb7 Bd6 47.b5 Bc5 48.Rc7 Bb6 49.Rc6+ Kg7 50.Re6 Rxh4 51.Bd5 Rd4 52.Rd6 Rd2 53.Kg3 Bc7 0-1

Round 1, Game 2, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
E10 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 e6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.b3 b6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.O-O Bb7 11.Bf4 Re8 12.Rc1 c6 13.Bh3 Ba3 14.Rc2 Nf8 15.Ne5 c5 16.dxc5 bxc5 17.Nd3 Qb6 18.Bc1 Bxc1 19.Qxc1 c4 20.bxc4 dxc4 21.Nf4 Ba6 22.Nd5 Qa5 23.Rd1 Rad8 24.Rcd2 Ne6 25.Bxe6 fxe6 26.Ne7+ 1-0

Round 1, Game 3, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
C83 Ruy Lopez, open, Classical

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.c3 Be7 10.Nbd2 O-O 11.Bc2 f5 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.a4 b4 14.Re1 Bg4 15.h3 Bh5 16.Bf5 Bd6 17.Qc2 Re8 18.g4 Rxe1+ 19.Nxe1 Qe8 20.Ndf3 Bg6 21.Bxg6 hxg6 22.Be3 bxc3 23.bxc3 Na5 24.Rd1 Nc4 25.Bg5 c6 26.Bxf6 gxf6 27.Nd4 c5 28.Ndf3 Qe4 29.Qd3 Rb8 30.Qxd5+ Qxd5 31.Rxd5 Kf7 32.Nd2 Ke6 33.Rd3 Nxd2 34.Rxd2 Rb1 35.Re2+ Kd5 36.Kg2 Ra1 37.Nc2 Rxa4 38.Ne3+ Kc6 39.h4 Be5 40.h5 gxh5 41.gxh5 Rh4 42.Ra2 Rxh5 43.Rxa6+ Kb5 44.Ra3 c4 45.Ra8 Rh2+ 46.Kf3 Rh4 47.Ke2 Bxc3 48.Rb8+ Ka4 49.Ra8+ Kb3 50.Rb8+ Ka4 51.Ra8+ Kb5 52.Rb8+ Ka4 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Game 4, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
E12 Queen’s Indian, Petrosian System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 Bb7 5.Bf4 Be7 6.Nc3 O-O 7.d5 Re8 8.e3 Nh5 9.Bg3 Bf6 10.Be5 Bxe5 11.Nxe5 Nf6 12.Nf3 d6 13.Be2 Nbd7 14.O-O a6 15.b4 exd5 16.cxd5 b5 17.Qb3 Nb6 18.Rfd1 Ne4 19.Nxe4 Rxe4 20.Qc2 Qe7 21.Rac1 Nc4 22.Nd2 Bxd5 23.Bxc4 Rxc4 24.Nxc4 Bxc4 25.Rd4 g6 26.h4 d5 27.Qd2 a5 28.e4 axb4 29.axb4 Ra2 30.Qe3 Qxb4 31.exd5 Qd6 32.Re1 h5 33.Qc3 Ra8 34.Rde4 Rf8 35.Re8 Bxd5 36.Rxf8+ Qxf8 37.Qxc7 Be6 38.Rd1 Qb4 39.Rd8+ Kh7 40.Qe5 1-0

Round 1, Game 5, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
D78 Neo-Grunfeld

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.d4 d5 6.c4 c6 7.Ne5 Be6 8.cxd5 Bxd5 9.Nf3 Ne4 10.Qc2 Nd7 11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 c5 13.e4 Bc4 14.Re1 cxd4 15.cxd4 Rc8 16.Qb2 Nc5 17.Qa3 Ne6 18.Be3 Nxd4 19.Nxd4 Bxd4 20.Rad1 e5 21.Bxd4 exd4 22.Qxa7 b6 23.Qa3 Ra8 24.Qc1 b5 25.Bf1 Bxf1 26.Rxf1 Rxa2 27.Qb1 Ra5 28.Qb4 Qb6 29.Qxd4 Qxd4 30.Rxd4 Ra4 31.Rd5 Rxe4 32.Rxb5 Re6 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Game 6, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
E62 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Uhlmann variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O e5 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Bg5 Be6 10.Qxd8 Rfxd8 11.Nd2 h6 12.Bxf6 Rxd2 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.b3 Rad8 16.Rfd1 R8d4 17.Rxd2 Rxd2 18.Kf1 Rc2 19.Nd1 f5 20.Ne3 Rb2 21.Nd1 Rc2 22.Ne3 Rb2 23.Nd1 Rc2 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Game 7, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
D78 Neo-Grunfeld

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.d4 d5 6.c4 c6 7.Ne5 Be6 8.cxd5 Bxd5 9.Nf3 Ne4 10.Qc2 Nd7 11.Re1 Rc8 12.Nc3 Nxc3 13.bxc3 c5 14.e4 Bc4 15.d5 e6 16.Bg5 Qa5 17.Nd2 Ba6 18.c4 Bxa1 19.Rxa1 exd5 20.exd5 f5 21.d6 Nf6 22.Qb2 Qd8 23.Bd5+ Kg7 24.Re1 Qxd6 25.Re6 Qd8 26.g4 h6 27.Bxf6+ Rxf6 28.h4 Rc6 29.Bxc6 Qd4 30.Qxd4 cxd4 31.Bd5 Rxe6 32.Bxe6 Kf6 33.gxf5 gxf5 34.Bd5 b6 35.f4 1-0

It took 7 games and over an hour, but Alireza Firouzja finally has a win and now trails by just 2 points

Round 1, Game 8, Nov. 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Firouzja, Alireza
E73 King’s Indian, Semi-Averbakh System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 O-O 6.Be3 e5 7.d5 Na6 8.Nf3 Ng4 9.Bg5 f6 10.Bh4 g5 11.Bg3 Nh6 12.Nd2 f5 13.exf5 Nxf5 14.Nde4 b6 15.Bd3 Nc5 16.Bb1 h6 17.O-O a5 18.Re1 Qe7 19.f3 Bd7 20.Bf2 Qf7 21.Qc2 Bh8 22.Nb5 Rac8 23.a3 Nd4 24.Nxd4 exd4 25.Nxc5 bxc5 26.Re6 Bxe6 27.dxe6 Qg7 28.Qa4 c6 29.Be4 Qc7 30.Re1 Be5 31.h4 Rf6 32.hxg5 hxg5 33.Qc2 Re8 34.e7 Rxe7 35.Qd3 Qd7 36.Qb3 Kg7 37.Qb6 d5 38.Bd3 g4 39.Qxc5 gxf3 40.cxd5 cxd5 41.Rxe5 Rxe5 42.Qxd4 Qe6 43.Qh4 Kf7 44.Qh7+ Kf8 45.Bc5+ Ke8 46.Bb5+ Kd8 47.Qh8+ Kc7 48.Qg7+ Rf7 49.Qg3 f2+ 50.Bxf2 Kb7 51.Bd3 d4 52.Qh4 Re3 53.Qxd4 Re1+ 54.Bxe1 Qxe1+ 55.Kh2 Qe7 56.Be4+ Kc8 57.Qc4+ Qc7+ 58.Qxc7+ Kxc7 59.b4 axb4 60.axb4 Rf4 61.Bf3 Rxb4 62.Kg3 Kd6 63.Kh3 Ke5 64.Kg3 Kf5 65.Bd5 Ra4 66.Bf3 Ra3 67.Kf2 Kf4 68.Ke2 Ra2+ 69.Kd3 Ra3+ 70.Kd4 Rxf3 71.gxf3 Kxf3 1/2-1/2

Firouzja looked to be winning a 2nd game in a row but he lost his way in a wild end to Game 8!

Round 1, Game 9, Nov. 4
Firouzja, Alireza – Fedoseev, Vladimir
A08 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.O-O e6 5.d3 Be7 6.e4 O-O 7.e5 Ne8 8.Re1 Nc6 9.Bf4 b5 10.h4 a5 11.a3 Ba6 12.Nbd2 b4 13.h5 Nc7 14.h6 g6 15.Nf1 d4 16.Qd2 c4 17.dxc4 Bxc4 18.Bg5 bxa3 19.Bxe7 Qxe7 20.bxa3 Bxf1 21.Bxf1 Rad8 22.Nh2 f5 23.exf6 Qxf6 24.Bg2 Ne5 25.Qxa5 Nd5 26.Qd2 Nc3 27.a4 d3 28.cxd3 Nxd3 29.Rf1 Nf4 30.Qe3 Rd3 31.Qe1 Nfe2+ 32.Kh1 Qg5 33.a5 Rxg3 34.fxg3 Nxg3+ 35.Qxg3 Qxg3 36.Rxf8+ Kxf8 37.a6 Nb5 38.a7 Nxa7 39.Rxa7 Qe1+ 40.Bf1 Qe4+ 41.Bg2 Qe1+ 42.Bf1 Qe4+ 43.Bg2 Qe1+ 1/2-1/2

(to be continued)

[Amit R]

GM Hammer felt Carlsen was just being straightforward, since Artemiev is the stronger blitz player compared to Giri ; he felt Carlsen was just looking forward to the challenge, to help prepare for Nakamura.

Carlsen on who he'd face in the quarter-final among Artemiev and Giri: "I would pick Artemiev. He's by far the stronger blitz player of the two." Shots fired?

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 2, 2020

The Magnus Carlsen – Parham Maghsoodloo Match (continued)

1+1 (M.C.-P.M. 10-2)

Round 3, Game 18, Nov. 2
Maghsoodloo, Parham – Carlsen, Magnus
B07 Pirc-Robatsch

1.Nf3 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.d4 d6 4.c3 Nf6 5.Bd3 O-O 6.O-O Nc6 7.h3 e5 8.Re1 Re8 9.d5 Ne7 10.c4 Nd7 11.Nc3 h6 12.a3 f5 13.b4 Nf6 14.c5 f4 15.Nh2 g5 16.Be2 Rf8 17.a4 Ng6 18.Ba3 Nh4 19.a5 Rf7 20.b5 dxc5 21.Bxc5 Bf8 22.Bxf8 Qxf8 23.d6 Be6 24.dxc7 Rxc7 25.Nd5 Bxd5 26.exd5 Rd8 27.Ng4 Nf5 28.Bd3 e4 29.Bxe4 Nd6 30.Bd3 Nxg4 31.Qxg4 Re7 32.Re6 Rxe6 33.dxe6 Qf6 34.Re1 Nc8 35.Be4 b6 36.h4 Ne7 37.hxg5 Qxg5 38.Qh3 bxa5 39.Qc3 Qxb5 40.Qc7 Re8 41.Qxf4 Qh5 42.Re3 Ng6 43.Bxg6 1-0

Round 3, Game 19, Nov. 2
Carlsen, Magnus – Maghsoodloo, Parham
B32 Sicilian, Labourdonnais-Loewenthal variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4 Be6 7.N1c3 Rc8 8.Nd5 a6 9.Nbc3 g6 10.Bd3 Bg7 11.h4 h6 12.h5 g5 13.g4 Nge7 14.f3 Nd4 15.Be3 O-O 16.Nxe7+ Qxe7 17.Rc1 Qd8 18.Kf2 Qa5 19.Qd2 b5 20.Nd5 Qxa2 21.Ra1 Qb3 22.Ra3 Bxd5 23.cxd5 Rc2 24.Qxc2 Qxc2+ 25.Bxc2 Nxc2 26.Rxa6 Rc8 27.Rc6 1-0

Round 3, Game 22, Nov. 2
Maghsoodloo, Parham – Carlsen, Magnus
C18 French, Winawer, Advance

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 Ne7 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.Qg4 Kf8 8.h4 b6 9.h5 h6 10.Qd1 Ba6 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 12.a4 Nb8 13.Nf3 Nbc6 14.O-O cxd4 15.cxd4 Rc8 16.Ba3 Kg8 17.Qd3 Na5 18.Bb4 Nc4 19.Rfb1 Nf5 20.a5 bxa5 21.Bc5 Qc7 22.Rb5 Rb8 23.Rxb8+ Qxb8 24.g4 Nxd4 25.Bxd4 a6 26.Kg2 Qd8 27.Qb3 Kh7 28.Qd3+ Kg8 29.Rb1 a4 30.Rb7 a3 31.Qb3 Kh7 32.Rxf7 Rf8 33.Qb7 Rxf7 34.Qxf7 Qg8 35.Qd7 a2 36.g5 hxg5 37.Nxg5+ Kh6 38.Nxe6 g6 39.Nf4 gxh5+ 40.Kh2 Qg4 41.Qxg4 hxg4 42.e6 Kg5 43.Nxd5 Nd6 44.Ne3 Nb5 45.Be5 Nc7 46.e7 Ne8 47.Kg3 Kg6 48.Kxg4 Kf7 49.Nf5 Nf6+ 50.Bxf6 Kxf6 51.e8=Q 1-0

Danny and Jon Ludvig are an amusing and knowledgeable team of commentators. They are so involved at their conversation at one point that Magnus wins the game, the players go on to the next and the guys are unaware as to what happened!

In spite of what is happened here, Danny says that Parham is one of the best bullet players in the world with a rating of 3096 and Magnus (3313) is beating him handily.

Round 3, Game 23, Nov. 2
Carlsen, Magnus – Maghsoodloo, Parham
C11 French Defence

1.e4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nce2 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Nf3 Be7 8.a3 a5 9.h4 b5 10.Nf4 Ba6 11.Bd3 Qb6 12.Be3 b4 13.Bxa6 Rxa6 14.axb4 axb4 15.O-O O-O 16.Rxa6 Qxa6 17.h5 h6 18.Nh2 bxc3 19.bxc3 Qc4 20.Qg4 cxd4 21.cxd4 Nxd4 22.Rc1 Nc2 23.Nxe6 Qxg4 24.Nxg4 Nxe3 25.Nxf8 Kxf8 26.Rc8+ 1-0

Round 3, Game 24, Nov. 2
Maghsoodloo, Parham – Carlsen, Magnus
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 O-O 6.Nbd2 d5 7.Bb5 dxe4 8.dxe4 a5 9.O-O Qe7 10.h3 Rd8 11.Qc2 Nb8 12.Rd1 Nbd7 13.Bf1 b6 14.Nc4 Bb7 15.Re1 a4 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bh4 b5 18.Ncd2 g5 19.Bg3 Nh5 20.Kh2 Bc6 21.b4 axb3 22.axb3 g4 23.Nh4 Rxa1 24.Rxa1 Qg5 25.Nf5 Nxg3 26.fxg3 Nf6 27.Rd1 gxh3 28.Nf3 Ng4+ 29.Kh1 Rxd1 30.Qxd1 Nf2+ 31.Kh2 Nxd1 32.Nxg5 hxg5 33.b4 hxg2 34.Bxg2 Bf8 0-1

Round 3, Game 25, Nov. 2
Carlsen, Magnus – Maghsoodloo, Parham
B01 Scandinavian Defence

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 a6 9.a4 Nc6 10.h3 b6 11.Bf4 Bb7 12.Qd2 e6 13.Rad1 Ne7 14.Ne5 Ned5 15.Bg5 Qd6 16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Bb3 c5 19.dxc5 bxc5 20.Bxd5 Rad8 21.Bxf7+ 1-0

Round 3, Game 26, Nov. 2
Maghsoodloo, Parham – Carlsen, Magnus
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Modern variation

1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be6 5.c4 dxc4 6.bxc4 Bxc4 7.Qa4 Bd5 8.Bxd5 Qxd5 9.Nf3 f6 10.Nc3 Qd7 11.Kd1 Bc5 12.e3 Nge7 13.Ke2 O-O-O 14.Qc4 Bb6 15.Rhd1 Kb8 16.a4 Na5 17.Qb5 Qg4 18.Ba3 e4 19.Bxe7 c6 20.Qb4 exf3+ 21.Ke1 Qxb4 22.Bxb4 c5 23.Bxa5 Bxa5 24.Ne4 b6 25.Rac1 Rd3 26.g4 Rhd8 27.h4 Kc7 28.h5 Kc6 29.Kf1 Bxd2 30.Rb1 Bb4 31.Rdc1 h6 32.Kg1 R8d7 33.Kh2 a5 34.Kg3 Ra3 35.Kxf3 Rxa4 36.Ng3 Ra2 37.Nf5 a4 38.Kg3 a3 39.f4 Kb5 40.Kf3 Rb2 41.Ra1 c4 42.Nd4+ Rxd4 43.exd4 c3 44.Ke3 Kc4 45.Rd1 b5 46.d5 Bc5+ 47.Ke4 Rd2 48.Rxd2 cxd2 49.Rd1 a2 50.Rxd2 a1=Q 0-1

Round 3, Game 27, Nov.2
Carlsen, Magnus – Maghsoodloo, Parham
B20 Sicilian Defence

1.e4 c5 2.a3 b6 3.Nf3 Bb7 4.Nc3 d6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Nd7 7.g4 g6 8.h4 Bg7 9.Be3 a6 10.h5 Rc8 11.f3 e6 12.Qd2 Ne7 13.O-O-O b5 14.h6 Bf6 15.g5 Be5 16.f4 Bxd4 17.Qxd4 e5 18.Qxd6 Rc6 19.Qb4 a5 20.Qxb5 Ba6 21.Qb3 Bxf1 22.Rhxf1 O-O 23.f5 Qc7 24.fxg6 Nxg6 25.Nd5 Qc8 26.Kb1 Rc4 27.Qb5 Rxc2 28.Qxd7 Qc4 29.Nf6+ Kh8 30.Qd3 Rxb2+ 31.Kxb2 Rb8+ 32.Ka1 1-0

Round 3, Game 28, Nov. 2
Maghsoodloo, Parham – Carlsen, Magnus
B01 Scandinavian, Pytel-Wade variation

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nge2 b6 6.Bf4 Qd7 7.Qd2 Bb7 8.O-O-O e6 9.h4 b5 10.Ng3 b4 11.Nce2 a5 12.h5 h6 13.Be5 Nc6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Nf4 O-O-O 16.d5 Ne5 17.Qe3 exd5 18.Qa7 Qc6 19.Qxa5 Qc5 20.Qxc5 Bxc5 21.Nf5 Bxf2 22.Rd2 Bc5 23.g3 c6 24.Bh3 Kc7 25.Rf1 Rdg8 26.Kb1 Ba6 27.Re1 Nf3 0-1

Round 3, Game 29, Nov. 2
Carlsen, Magnus – Maghsoodloo, Parham
A00 Saragossa Opening or the Bongcloud

1.c3 c6 2.f3 f6 3.Kf2 Kf7 4.Ke3 Ke6 5.Kf2 Kd6 6.Ke3 Kc7 7.Kd3 Qe8 8.Kc2 d6 9.Qe1 e6 10.Kd1 Ne7 11.Na3 Nd7 12.Nc2 Nb6 13.d3 Bd7 14.Bd2 Nbc8 15.Kc1 c5 16.Kb1 Nc6 17.e4 Kb8 18.Ne2 Nb6 19.d4 a6 20.Ne3 Ka7 21.a4 Na5 22.b4 Nb3 23.a5 Na4 24.Ra3 Nxd2+ 25.Qxd2 cxb4 26.cxb4 Rc8 27.d5 exd5 28.Nxd5 f5 29.Qd4+ Kb8 30.Nec3 fxe4 31.Nxe4 Bc6 32.Bc4 Qg6 33.g3 h5 34.h4 Qf5 35.Rd1 Rh6 36.Bb3 Nc5 37.bxc5 dxc5 38.Qe3 c4 39.Bxc4 Bxa3 40.Qxa3 Rd8 41.Qd3 Re6 42.Kb2 Re5 43.Nec3 Qf8 44.f4 Ree8 45.Qd4 Qd6 46.Bb3 Qg6 47.Qb6 Qxg3 48.Nb4 Qg2+ 49.Ka3 Rxd1 50.Nxa6+ Ka8 51.Nc7+ Kb8 52.Bxd1 Re1 53.a6 1-0

For more on the Bongcloud see:

https://forum.chesstalk.com/forum/ch...gcloud-opening

Parham said that he lost confidence in this match and he had a hard time keeping to the time limit.

Magnus Carlsen beats Parham Maghsoodloo by an absolutely crushing 24:5 scoreline and will play the winner of Giri-Artemiev in the quarterfinals!

Carlsen on who he'd face in the quarter-final among Artemiev and Giri: "I would pick Artemiev. He's by far the stronger blitz player of the two." Shots fired?

Final Score

Magnus Carlsen – Parham Maghsoodloo 24-5

On Wednesday, November 4, the match Firouzja-Fedoseev is on. One hopes that it is more equal than today’s match.

On November 8 So-Abdusattorov is on.

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 2, 2020

The Magnus Carlsen – Parham Maghsoodloo Match

Lawrence Trent joins Jan Gustafsson as a commentator. Lawrence now sports, if that is the right verb, a completely shaven bald head.

5+1 (Result MC-PM 6.5-2.5)

Parham loses five games in a row. If he can win a couple of games and bounce back, it will be worth the watch. But Magnus is his opponent and he seems to be always short on time.

Round 1, Game 5, Nov. 2
Carlsen, Magnus – Maghsoodloo, Parham
E49 Nimzo-Indian, Botvinnik System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5 9.Ne2 Nc6 10.O-O b6 11.Bb2 Bb7 12.Bd3 e5 13.Ng3 cxd4 14.cxd4 exd4 15.Rc1 Re8 16.e4 Nd7 17.Bb5 Nc5 18.f3 a6 19.Bxc6 Bxc6 20.Bxd4 Ba4 21.Bxc5 Bxd1 22.Rfxd1 Qxd1+ 23.Rxd1 bxc5 24.Rc1 Rec8 25.Nf5 Kf8 26.Nd6 Rc7 27.Nc4 Rd8 28.Kf2 Rd4 29.Ke3 Ke7 30.h4 f6 31.g4 Kd7 32.h5 Kc6 33.Kf4 Kb5 34.Ne3 c4 35.Nd5 Rc5 36.Rb1+ Ka4 37.Ke3 Rd3+ 38.Ke2 Rb3 39.Rc1 c3 40.Kd3 c2+ 41.Kd4 Rb1 42.Nc3+ Rxc3 0-1

Round 1, Game 6, Nov. 2
Maghsoodloo, Parham – Carlsen, Magnus
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.h3 h6 10.Nc3 Bd7 11.Ne2 c5 12.Rd1 Kc8 13.Nf4 Bc6 14.Nd5 b6 15.c4 Kb7 16.Bf4 Rd8 17.Rd2 g5 18.Bh2 Ng7 19.Rad1 Ne6 20.g4 Bg7 21.Bg3 Rd7 22.h4 Rhd8 23.b3 b5 24.Kf1 a5 25.Ke2 a4 26.Ke3 axb3 27.axb3 Ra8 28.hxg5 Ra3 29.Rd3 hxg5 30.Nd2 bxc4 31.Nxc4 Ra8 32.Nf6 Rd4 33.f3 Ra2 34.R1d2 Ra1 35.Rxd4 cxd4+ 36.Kf2 Bf8 37.Nb2 Bb4 38.Rc2 Ra2 39.Re2 Ra3 40.Nc4 Rxb3 41.Ne4 Bd5 42.Rc2 d3 43.Rc1 Bxe4 44.fxe4 d2 45.Rd1 Rd3 46.Kg2 Nc5 47.Bf2 Nxe4 48.Be3 Kc6 49.Kf3 Kd5 50.Nb2 Rb3 0-1

Round 1, Game 7, Nov. 2
Carlsen, Magnus – Maghsoodloo, Parham
C42 Petrov’s Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.g3 Bc5 5.Bg2 d6 6.c3 O-O 7.O-O a5 8.h3 Re8 9.Re1 b5 10.Nbd2 a4 11.Nf1 h6 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Nxe3 Ne7 14.d4 Ng6 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Qc2 c6 17.c4 Be6 18.Rad1 Qa5 19.Rd6 Rac8 20.Red1 b4 21.Bf1 Qc5 22.R6d2 b3 23.axb3 axb3 24.Qb1 Ra8 25.Nh2 h5 26.h4 Ra2 27.Be2 Rea8 28.Nf3 Ng4 29.Nxg4 Bxg4 30.Qd3 Nf8 31.Qxb3 Ne6 32.Qc3 Bxf3 33.Qxf3 g6 34.Rd7 Rf8 35.R1d2 Nd4 36.Qe3 Qb4 37.Kg2 Rxb2 38.Rxb2 Qxb2 39.Bxh5 1-0

39.Bxh5! was a bolt from the blue that shocked Parham enough for Magnus to win another game!

Round 1, Game 8, Nov. 2
Maghsoodloo, Parham – Carlsen, Magnus
A20 English Opening

1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 h5 4.h3 Bc5 5.e3 d6 6.Ne2 a6 7.Nbc3 Nge7 8.a3 Ba7 9.b4 h4 10.g4 f5 11.gxf5 Bxf5 12.d4 exd4 13.exd4 Qd7 14.Be3 O-O 15.c5 Rae8 16.Qb3+ Kh8 17.O-O-O Bh7 18.Rd2 Nf5 19.d5 Qf7 20.Na4 Nxe3 21.fxe3 b5 22.cxb6 cxb6 23.b5 Na5 24.Qb4 Rc8+ 25.Kb2 Nc4+ 26.Ka1 axb5 27.Rd4 Nxe3 0-1

Round 1, Game 9, Nov. 2
Carlsen, Magnus – Maghsoodloo, Parham
C50 Giuoco Pianissimo

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.O-O d6 6.c3 a5 7.Re1 O-O 8.Nbd2 Be6 9.Bb5 Qb8 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.d4 exd4 12.cxd4 Bb4 13.a3 Bxd2 14.Nxd2 a4 15.Nf1 Qb3 16.Qxb3 Bxb3 17.f3 Nd7 18.Bd2 c5 19.Bc3 f5 20.dxc5 Nxc5 21.e5 d5 22.Bb4 Nd3 23.Bxf8 Nxe1 24.Rxe1 Kxf8 25.Rc1 Rc8 26.Rc5 f4 27.Nd2 Ke7 28.Nxb3 axb3 29.Rxd5 c5 30.Kf2 Ke6 31.Rd1 c4 32.Ke2 Kxe5 33.Kd2 Kd4 34.Re1 Rd8 35.Re4+ Kc5+ 36.Kc1 g5 37.Re5+ Kd4 38.Rxg5 Re8 39.Kd2 c3+ 40.bxc3+ Kc4 41.Rg7 b2 42.Rb7 Rd8+ 43.Kc2 Re8 44.Rb4+ Kc5 45.Kxb2 Re2+ 46.Kb3 Rxg2 47.h4 Rg1 48.Rxf4 Rb1+ 49.Kc2 Rh1 50.a4 Ra1 51.Kb2 Rh1 52.Rb4 h6 53.a5 Rh3 54.a6 1-0

3+1 (M.C.-P.M. 7.5-0.5)

I switched over to twitch.tv to watch Danny Rensch and Jon Ludwig Hammer commentate.

Round 2, Game 10, Nov. 2
Maghsoodloo, Parham – Carlsen, Magnus
A12 English, Caro-Kann Defensive System, Bogolyubov variation

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.b3 Bg4 4.Bb2 e6 5.e3 Nf6 6.h3 Bh5 7.Nc3 Nbd7 8.g4 Bg6 9.Nh4 Ne4 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.Qc2 Nxc3 12.Bxc3 a5 13.Bg2 Nf6 14.O-O Bb4 15.f4 Bxc3 16.Qxc3 O-O 17.d3 Qe7 18.g5 Nh5 19.Kh2 Rfd8 20.d4 Qb4 21.Rfc1 Qa3 22.Bf3 Rd7 23.Rc2 Rad8 24.c5 Ra8 25.Rb1 Rb8 26.Qd2 b6 27.cxb6 Rxb6 28.Rc3 Qd6 29.Rbc1 a4 30.bxa4 Ra7 31.a5 Rxa5 32.Rxc6 Rxc6 33.Rxc6 Qxc6 34.Qxa5 Qc2+ 35.Kg1 Qc1+ 36.Kf2 Qc2+ 37.Ke1 Ng3 38.Qd2 Qb1+ 39.Bd1 Ne4 40.Qc2 Qb4+ 41.Ke2 Kh7 42.Kd3 Qe1 43.Bf3 Nf2+ 0-1

Final Position



Round 2, Game 11, Nov. 2
Carlsen, Magnus – Maghsoodloo, Parham
B30 Sicilian, Nimzowitsch-Rossolimo Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.b3 Ne7 6.O-O Ng6 7.e5 f6 8.Bb2 Be7 9.d3 O-O 10.Nbd2 Rb8 11.Qe1 Ba6 12.Nc4 Qc7 13.Qe3 Rbe8 14.Rae1 Rf7 15.h4 Bxc4 16.dxc4 fxe5 17.h5 Nh4 18.Nxe5 Rf5 19.g4 Rff8 20.f4 d6 21.Nd3 Bd8 22.Qh3 Qd7 23.Re3 e5 24.fxe5 Rxf1+ 25.Kxf1 Rf8+ 26.Ke2 Bg5 27.e6 Qe7 28.Re4 d5 29.cxd5 cxd5 30.Re5 Bf6 31.Re3 c4 32.Bxf6 cxd3+ 33.Kxd3 Qxf6 34.e7 Re8 35.Qh1 Qa6+ 36.Kd2 d4 37.Qd5+ Kh8 38.Re5 1-0

Lost on time

Round 2, Game 13, Nov. 2
Carlsen, Magnus – Maghsoodloo, Parham
A45 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Qd2 c6 6.Bh6 Bxh6 7.Qxh6 Nbd7 8.Nf3 Qa5 9.Bd3 b5 10.O-O b4 11.Ne2 Ba6 12.Bxa6 Qxa6 13.Ng3 Qb5 14.Rfe1 e5 15.Rad1 O-O-O 16.a3 a5 17.axb4 axb4 18.h3 Qb6 19.c3 Rhe8 20.Ra1 Kb7 21.Ra4 c5 22.cxb4 cxd4 23.Rea1 Ra8 24.b3 Rxa4 25.bxa4 Qxb4 26.Qc1 Rc8 27.Qf1 Qc4 28.Qb1+ Ka7 29.a5 Qc2 30.Qb5 Rb8 31.Qf1 Nc5 32.Rc1 Qd3 33.Nxe5 Qxf1+ 34.Kxf1 dxe5 35.Rxc5 Nd7 36.Rd5 Rb7 37.f4 exf4 38.Ne2 Nf6 39.Rxd4 Re7 40.Nc3 Re6 41.Nb5+ Kb7 42.Nd6+ Ka6 43.Kf2 Kxa5 44.Kf3 g5 45.Nxf7 h6 46.Nxh6 Nxe4 47.Rxe4 Rxh6 48.Re5+ Kb4 49.Rxg5 1-0

Round 2, Game 14, Nov. 2
Maghsoodloo, Parham – Carlsen, Magnus
B41 Sicilian, Kan, Maroczy bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Qc7 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.Nxc6 dxc6 9.Be3 e5 10.h3 Be6 11.O-O Be7 12.c5 O-O 13.a3 Rfd8 14.Qe2 Nh5 15.Bc4 Nf4 16.Bxf4 exf4 17.Bxe6 fxe6 18.b4 Qe5 19.Na4 Rd4 20.Rad1 Rad8 21.Nb6 Rxe4 22.Qg4 Rxd1 23.Rxd1 h5 24.Qf3 Re1+ 25.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 26.Kh2 Qe5 27.Nc4 Qf5 28.Nd6 Bxd6 29.cxd6 Kf7 30.Qc3 Qd5 31.Qc5 Qxc5 32.bxc5 e5 33.a4 a5 34.h4 Ke6 35.g3 b6 36.cxb6 Kxd6 37.gxf4 exf4 38.Kg2 c5 39.Kf3 Kc6 40.Kxf4 Kxb6 41.Ke5 Kc6 42.f3 g6 43.f4 c4 44.Kd4 c3 45.Kxc3 Kc5 46.Kd3 Kb4 47.Kd4 Kxa4 48.Ke5 Kb5 49.Kf6 a4 50.Kxg6 a3 51.f5 a2 52.Kxh5 a1=Q 53.Kg6 Qh8 54.f6 Kc6 55.f7 Kd7 0-1

Round 2, Game 15, Nov. 2
Carlsen, Magnus - Maghsoodloo, Parham
C01 French, Exchange variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.c4 c6 6.Nc3 Ne7 7.h3 O-O 8.Bd3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Bf5 10.O-O Nd7 11.Re1 Nb6 12.Bb3 Ned5 13.Ne5 Re8 14.Qf3 Be6 15.Ne4 f6 16.Nd3 Bf7 17.Bd2 Bf8 18.Nec5 Qc7 19.Ba5 Rad8 20.h4 Qc8 21.h5 h6 22.Rac1 Rxe1+ 23.Rxe1 Re8 24.Rxe8 Qxe8 25.Nxb7 Bxh5 26.Qg3 Qe4 27.Qe3 Qf5 28.Bxb6 axb6 29.Nd8 Kh8 30.Qg3 c5 31.dxc5 bxc5 32.Nb7 Nb6 33.Nbxc5 Bxc5 34.Qb8+ Nc8 35.Nxc5 Qxc5 36.Be6 Kh7 37.Qxc8 Qe5 38.Qg8+ Kg6 39.Bf7+ Kf5 40.Bxh5 Qe1+ 41.Kh2 Qxf2 42.Qd5+ 1-0

It's official, Magnus had "adopted" Parham, winning 10 games in a row... and the match still isn't over!

Round 2, Game 17, Nov. 2
Carlsen, Magnus – Maghsoodloo, Parham
A05 Reti, King’s Indian Attack, Spassky’s variation

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 b5 3.e3 a6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.O-O e6 6.b3 c5 7.Bb2 d6 8.c4 Nbd7 9.Qe2 Be7 10.Nc3 b4 11.Na4 O-O 12.d4 Qc7 13.Rfd1 Rad8 14.Nh4 Ne4 15.d5 exd5 16.Nf5 Bf6 17.cxd5 Bxb2 18.Qxb2 Nef6 19.e4 Rfe8 20.f4 Bc8 21.e5 Nxe5 22.fxe5 Rxe5 23.Nh4 Rde8 24.Nf3 Re2 25.Rd2 R2e3 26.Rf1 Bd7 27.Qc1 Bb5 28.Re1 Rxe1+ 29.Nxe1 c4 30.h3 c3 31.Rf2 Qa7 32.Bf3 Ne4 33.Bxe4 Rxe4 34.Kg2 Qd4 35.Nf3 Qxd5 36.Nb6 Qc6 37.Nc4 f6 38.Ne3 d5 39.Nf5 d4 40.g4 d3 41.Kg3 Qc7+ 42.Kg2 Bc6 43.Kg1 Qd7 44.Qd1 d2 45.Nxd2 Qd3 46.Qf1 Qxd2 47.Rxd2 cxd2 48.Kh2 Bb5 49.Qd1 Re1 50.Qxd2 Re2+ 51.Qxe2 Bxe2 52.Nd4 Bd3 53.Nc6 a5 54.Nxa5 Bb1 55.Nc6 Bxa2 56.Nxb4 Bxb3 57.Kg3 Kf7 58.h4 g5 59.hxg5 fxg5 60.Nc6 Be6 61.Nd4 Kf6 62.Kf3 h6 63.Nxe6 Kxe6 64.Ke2 Kd7 65.Kd3 Kc6 66.Ke4 Kc5 67.Kf5 Kd6 68.Kg6 Ke6 69.Kxh6 Kf7 70.Kh5 Kf8 71.Kxg5 Kg7 72.Kh5 Kh7 73.g5 Kg7 74.g6 Kg8 75.Kh6 Kh8 76.g7+ Kg8 77.Kg6 1/2-1/2

Position after White’s 62.Kf3. Does Parham have a win here?



(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 1, 2020

The Maxime Vachier-Lagrave – Nihal Sarin Match

From chess.com

The preview: On one side, we find a seasoned French number-one, who turned 30 earlier this month and who is the world number-three on the October FIDE blitz rating list. On the other side is the 16-year-old rising star from India who is 79th on the global list but has extensive experience of playing on Chess.com. Sarin has played an incredible 29,178 games, more than any participant in the competition.

Chess.com's @Rakesh did some digging, and one of the amazing facts he found is that Vachier-Lagrave became an IM in the year his opponent was born! If that doesn't scare Nihal enough, the "Frenchman with two names" is also a two-time European Blitz champion.

He won the World Junior Championship in 2009 and has a fine list of major tournament victories that includes Biel (five times!), Dortmund (2016), and the Sinquefield Cup (2017). Currently, MVL leads the FIDE Candidates Tournament for which the second half is postponed to the spring of 2021.

Vachier-Lagrave said he's not going to underestimate his young opponent: "His play is very consistent in blitz, and that's one of the reasons he is a very dangerous opponent. Nihal will rarely make big mistakes, and the main challenge will be to convert the promising positions I will get, as he will not make my life easy in those games."

The Frenchman, who will play from his home in Paris, expects the 5+1 time control to be important: "All time controls will be important tomorrow. Maybe 5+1 will be more crucial as if I get to a good start, it will be much easier to cruise on to victory."

About preparation, MVL said: "I played a bit more blitz online lately and generally work on being more focused during the course of the internet blitz, as I feel like it is my main weakness."

Sarin can not only boast of almost 30K games on our site; he is also currently rated higher than MVL. He is the seventh player in blitz (closely followed by MVL in ninth place) and the number-three in bullet (MVL is 28th).

Sarin is the 2019 Asian Blitz Champion and was an integral part of the Indian team that won the 2020 FIDE Online Olympiad on Chess.com.

The 16-year-old is the youngest participant in the competition. He qualified by winning the Junior Speed Chess Championship where he defeated GMs Andrew Tang, Anton Smirnov, and Haik Martirosyan.

Asked whether he has a favorite first-round opponent in the SCC, he humbly replied: "I'm clearly going to be the weakest, and it will be great to play anyone."

Sarin will be playing from his home in Thrissur, Kerala, India. He mentioned "calculation and resilience" as Vachier-Lagrave's points and suspects the 3+1 time control will be the most important part of the match. About his preparation, he said:

"I will check his games and have an approximate idea of the areas I want to go to, with the help of my coach."

https://www.chess.com/news/view/2020...-sarin-preview

GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (@Lyonbeast) defeated GM Nihal Sarin (@NihalSarin) 16.5-11.5 in the first match.

There were a total of 9 games at 5+1, then 9 games of 3+1 and finally, 10 of bullet chess 1+1.

It is impossible to give the scores of every game in every match. I will give two games from each section.

5+1 (Result MVL-NS 6-3)

MVL-Sarin Match
Round 1, Game 1, Nov. 1
Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime – Nihal Sarin
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.a3 O-O 9.Nc3 Na5 10.Ba2 Be6 11.b4 Bxa2 12.Nxa2 Nc6 13.c4 Nd4 14.Nc3 Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 c6 16.Be3 Qc8 17.Rfc1 Qe6 18.Ne2 Rfc8 19.cxb5 cxb5 20.Nc3 h6 21.h3 Rc6 22.Nd5 Rac8 23.Rxc6 Rxc6 24.a4 bxa4 25.Rxa4 Bd8 26.Kh2 Kh7 27.Ra2 Qd7 28.Qd1 Qb7 29.Qb3 Rc8 30.Nxf6+ Bxf6 31.Qd5 Qxd5 32.exd5 Rb8 33.Rxa6 Rxb4 34.Rxd6 e4 35.d4 Bxd4 36.Bxd4 Rxd4 37.Kg3 g5 38.Rf6 Kg7 39.Rd6 Kh7 40.Kg4 e3+ 41.Kf3 exf2 42.Kxf2 Kg7 43.Ke3 Rd1 44.Ke4 Rd2 45.g4 Re2+ 46.Kd4 Rh2 47.Rb6 Rxh3 48.d6 Rh1 49.Kd5 Rd1+ 50.Kc6 Kf6 51.Rb2 Ke5 52.Re2+ Kf4 53.Rf2+ Kxg4 54.Rxf7 h5 55.d7 h4 56.Rf1 Rd2 57.Rf2 Rd3 58.Kc7 h3 59.d8=Q Rxd8 60.Kxd8 Kg3 61.Rf1 h2 62.Ke7 Kg2 63.Rf5 g4 0-1

Round 1, Game 2, Nov. 1
Nihal Sarin – MVL
D52 QGD, Cambridge Springs Defence, Rubinstein variation

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e3 Qa5 7.Nd2 dxc4 8.Bxf6 Nxf6 9.Nxc4 Qd8 10.Rc1 Be7 11.g3 O-O 12.Bg2 Bd7 13.O-O Rc8 14.Qb3 Rc7 15.Rfd1 Qb8 16.Ne4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 Rd8 18.Ne5 Be8 19.Nd3 b6 20.Kg2 c5 21.dxc5 bxc5 22.Qxb8 Rxb8 23.b3 a5 24.Rc3 f5 25.Bf3 g5 26.h3 h5 27.Rdc1 g4 28.Be2 Rbc8 29.Nf4 Bf7 30.Bc4 Rc6 31.Rd3 e5 32.Bxf7+ Kxf7 33.Nd5 Bf8 34.hxg4 hxg4 35.Rc4 Rd6 36.e4 fxe4 37.Rxe4 Ke6 38.Nf4+ Kf5 39.Rxd6 Bxd6 40.Nd5 Kxe4 0-1

3+1 (Result MVL-NS 5-4)

Round 2, Game 11, Nov. 1
MVL – Nihal Sarin
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.a3 O-O 9.Nc3 Na5 10.Ba2 Be6 11.b4 Bxa2 12.Rxa2 Nc6 13.Bg5 Ng4 14.Bd2 Nf6 15.Re1 Qd7 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 Na7 18.a4 c6 19.dxc6 Nxc6 20.c4 d5 21.axb5 axb5 22.Rxa8 Rxa8 23.cxb5 Nxb4 24.Nxe5 Qxb5 25.Qg4 Nc2 26.Nxf7 Nxe1 27.Qe6 Kf8 28.Ne5 Qe8 29.Nd7+ Qxd7 30.Qxd7 Ra1 31.Kf1 Nf3+ 32.Ke2 Nxd2 33.Kxd2 Ra2+ 34.Ke3 Bc5+ 35.d4 Ra3+ 36.Kf4 Be7 37.Qxd5 Ra6 38.g3 h6 39.Ke4 Rd6 40.Qa8+ Kf7 41.Qa2+ Kf8 42.h4 Rf6 43.f4 Rd6 44.h5 Rf6 45.g4 Rd6 46.Qa8+ Kf7 47.d5 Rd8 48.Qc6 Rd6 49.Qc8 Rd8 50.Qe6+ Kf8 51.Qf5+ Kg8 52.g5 hxg5 53.fxg5 Re8 54.Qd7 Kf8 55.Kf5 Ba3 56.Kg6 Be7 57.Qe6 1-0

Round 2, Game 13, Nov. 1
MVL – Nihal Sarin
B10 Caro-Kann, Two Knights variation

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Qe2 Bf5 6.d3 e6 7.Nxf6+ gxf6 8.g3 Nd7 9.Bg2 Qc7 10.Nd4 Bg6 11.O-O O-O-O 12.Be3 h5 13.b4 Ne5 14.b5 c5 15.Nb3 h4 16.a4 hxg3 17.hxg3 Bh5 18.f3 Bd6 19.Nd2 Rdg8 20.Ne4 Be7 21.a5 f5 22.b6 axb6 23.axb6 Qc6 24.Bf4 Qd5 25.d4 Nc6 26.Nxc5 Qxd4+ 27.Be3 Bxc5 28.Bxd4 Nxd4 29.Ra8+ Kd7 30.Qd3 Rxa8 31.c3 Ra3 32.g4 Ke7 33.gxh5 Ne2+ 34.Kh2 Rxh5+ 35.Bh3 Rxh3+ 0-1

1+1 (Result MVL-NS 5.5-4.5)

Round 3, Game 21, Nov. 1
MVL – Nihal Sarin
B10 Caro-Kann, Two Knights variation

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Qe2 Bf5 6.d3 e6 7.Nxf6+ gxf6 8.g3 Nd7 9.Bg2 Qc7 10.Nd4 Bg6 11.O-O O-O-O 12.Be3 h5 13.b4 Ne5 14.b5 c5 15.Nb3 h4 16.a4 hxg3 17.hxg3 Bh5 18.f3 Bd6 19.Nd2 Rdg8 20.Ne4 Be7 21.a5 f5 22.b6 axb6 23.axb6 Qc6 24.Bf4 Qd5 25.d4 Nc6 26.Nxc5 Qxd4+ 27.Be3 Bxc5 28.Bxd4 Nxd4 29.Ra8+ Kd7 30.Qd3 Rxa8 31.c3 Ra3 32.g4 Ke7 33.gxh5 Ne2+ 34.Kh2 Rxh5+ 35.Bh3 Rxh3+ 0-1

Round 3, Game 27, Nov. 1
MVL – Nihal Sarin
D00 Queen’s Pawn, Mason variation

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nd2 Bf5 5.Ngf3 e6 6.Be2 Bd6 7.Bg3 O-O 8.O-O h6 9.c4 Bxg3 10.hxg3 Nbd7 11.Qb3 Qb6 12.Rfc1 Ne4 13.Nxe4 Bxe4 14.Nd2 Bg6 15.Rc3 Nf6 16.Rac1 Rfd8 17.Qa3 a6 18.Rb3 Qc7 19.Nf3 Bh5 20.Bd3 Bxf3 21.gxf3 g6 22.f4 Kg7 23.Kg2 h5 24.Qb4 Rab8 25.c5 Rh8 26.Rh1 Qe7 27.f3 Nd7 28.Qc3 h4 29.g4 h3+ 30.Kf1 h2 31.Qe1 Rh3 32.Qf2 Rbh8 33.Rxb7 Qd8 34.g5 Nf8 35.b4 e5 36.dxe5 Ne6 37.f5 Nxg5 38.f6+ Kf8 39.Be2 Kg8 40.Qg2 Ne6 41.Bd3 R3h6 42.f4 d4 43.Qxc6 dxe3 44.Qd6 Kh7 45.Rxf7+ Kg8 46.Rg7+ Nxg7 47.Qxd8+ 1-0

______________

What is apparent is that these youngsters are playing online chess for eight hours a day or more. I am speaking particularly of three – Nihal Sarin, Alireza Firouzja and Parham Maghsoodloo but others may be doing the same (Abdusattorov?). They are getting a formidable education – if they have good coaching too.

Tomorrow Maghsoodloo meets Carlsen. I am anticipating quite a match!

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 1, 2020

You can watch the event on chess24 at:

https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-to...vl-nihal/1/1/1

with Jan Gustafsson and Peter Svidler at 12 noon EST. They are also carrying the games on chessbomb as well as a number of other sites.

First up, MVL and Nihal Sarin.

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

October 29, 2020

Broadcast and Streaming:

All 2020 Speed Chess Championship matches will be broadcast live with full chess-master commentary on Chess.com/TV, Twitch.tv/Chess and Youtube.com/Chess.

2020 Speed Chess Championship Main Event Schedule and Results:

Dates: November 1-December 13, 2020.

November 1, 2020 at 9 a.m. / 18:00 Central Europe: Vachier-Lagrave vs. Sarin

November 2, 2020 at 9 a.m. / 18:00 Central Europe: Carlsen-Maghsoodloo

November 4, 2020 at 9 a.m. / 18:00 Central Europe: Firouzja-Fedoseev

November 8, 2020 at 9 a.m. / 18:00 Central Europe: So-Abdusattorov

November 11, 2020 at 9 a.m. / 18:00 Central Europe: Nepomniachtchi-Aronian

November 12, 2020 at 9 a.m. / 18:00 Central Europe: Nakamura-Martirosyan

November 15, 2020 at 9 a.m. / 18:00 Central Europe: Caruana-Duda

November 16, 2020 at 9 a.m. / 18:00 Central Europe: Giri-Artemiev


Main Event Format:

Each 2020 Speed Chess Championship match will feature 90 minutes of 5/1 blitz, 60 minutes of 3/1 blitz, and 30 minutes of 1/1 bullet chess.

The bracket will feature eight invited players and eight qualified players.

The invites in the main bracket will be seeded as listed above.

The main bracket will be a single-elimination knockout.

The winner of each match advances to the next line in the bracket.

If a match is tied after the last 1+1 bullet game, a tiebreak of four additional 1+1 games will be played as a mini-match.

If a match is still tied after the mini-match tiebreaker, a single armageddon game will be played: White 5+0, Black 3+0, Black gets draw odds. The player with the highest Chess.com blitz rating at the start of the armageddon chooses his color.

See the bracket at:

https://www.chess.com/article/view/2...s-championship