2007/08/18

Chess greetings from holidays

Yes, I'm back, but I haven't unpacked my luggage, since I will leave for Wien on August 28. I've spent a lot of holidays this year and I hope to play at least one chess tourney in 2008, if I will be so lucky again. I was in Dorf Tirol, a little and nice mountain place near Meran, where Karpov and Korchnoj played their world championship match in 1981. There was only one Internet point (and not a cheap one...) in the neighbourhood, so it was a bit difficult to have chess news. But echoes of Caruana's first place in Vlissingen arrived even in Dorf Tirol (the news were on the Italian Teletext). This has probably been his most prestigious victory up to now, with a 2715 performance and a final draw, with Black pieces, against former world champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov. About his only loss in round 7, with Tiviakov, he didn't lost on time (as I previously reported), but resigned in a drawn position (he was in terrible time trouble). In Vlissingen Fabiano scored his fourth GM norm in six months, so nobody can say he doesn't deserve the GM title now :-) His rating is growing and growing (he is now between 2585 and 2590, I think) and he could soon break the 2600 wall - he would be the first Italian player in chess history, if I don't mind -. In the meantime, his participation to the C-group in Wijk aan Zee next January has been confirmed: this will be a IX or X category event with 14 players; GM Efstratios Grivas (GRC), GM Pascal Charbonneau (CAN), IM Pontus Carlsson (SWE) and IM Irina Krush (USA) will be some of his most dangerous opponents. Official site will be: http://www.coruschess.com/.
Coming back to holidays, I post here my "chess postcard" from Meran and I wait for photos and "chess postcards" of your holidays from all over the world: write your first and second name, country and the place where the photo has been taken and, if you want, a short message.

Dario Mione, Italy
Chess greetings from Meran!

I will create a special section on www.messaggeroscacchi.it ("Chess holidays" would be the title) or post them here. You can send your photos in .JPG format both to dario(at)strababos.it and redazione(at)messaggeroscacchi.it.
I will annotate a "serious" chess game tomorrow. Now I just report a blitz game I played in Meran against a friend (a 2100+ player: the final score of our "match" was 3-2 in my favor :-) ).

Mione,D - PA [C00], Meran (blitz game) 12.8.2007
1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Ne2 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.d4 Be7
7...cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 is the main alternative.
8.Nf4
Inspired by Caruana's victory over Barua in Vlissingen (round 8).
8...cxd4 9.cxd4 Nb6?!
9...Qb6 looks more precise.
10.Bd3 0–0 11.h4
White is now ready to demolish Black's castle.
11...f6?
The decisive mistake. Black could only survive by playing 11...f5 , although after 12.exf6 Bb4+ (12...gxf6 13.Rh3 Kh8 14.Ng5! with a crushing attack) 13.Kf1 Qxf6 14.Qc2 g6 15.h5 White is better.
12.Bxh7+!
Starting the fireworks...
12...Kxh7
Forced.
13.Ng5+! Kg8
13...fxg5 14.hxg5+ Kg8 15.Qh5+- is only a postposition.
14.Qh5!
14.Ngxe6? is bad: 14...Bxe6 15.Nxe6 Qd7 16.Nxf8 Rxf8 and Black is much better.
14...fxg5
What else? If 14...Bb4+ then 15.Kf1 fxg5 16.hxg5 Ne7 (16...Rf5 17.Qh8+ Kf7 18.g6+ Ke7 19.Qxg7+ Ke8 20.Rh8+ Bf8 21.Qh7+-) 17.g6 Nxg6 18.Qh7+ Kf7 19.Qxg6+ Ke7 (19...Kg8 20.Rh7 Rf7 21.Qh5 Kf8 22.Rh8+ Ke7 23.Rxd8 Kxd8 24.Qxf7+-) 20.Qxg7+ Ke8 (20...Rf7 21.Ng6+ Ke8 22.Rh8+ Bf8 23.Rxf8++-) 21.Qg6+ Kd7 22.Nxe6 Rg8 23.Rh7+ Be7 24.Qh6 Qe8 25.Bg5+-
15.hxg5 Bxg5
If 15...Nxe5 then 16.dxe5 Bxg5 17.Qh7+ Kf7 18.Qg6+ Kg8 19.Nh5 Qc7 20.Bxg5 Qxe5+ 21.Kf1 etc. - see notes on move 18.
16.Qh7+ Kf7 17.Qg6+ Kg8
17...Ke7 leads to an even spectacular ending: 18.Nxd5+! Kd7 19.Bxg5 Qe8 (19...Nxd5 20.Bxd8 Rxd8 21.Qxg7+ Nce7 22.Rh8+-) 20.Qxg7+ Qf7 (20...Ne7 21.Nf6+ Rxf6 22.exf6 Nbd5 23.f7+-) 21.Qxf8! Qxf8 22.Rh7+ Ne7 (22...Ke8 23.Nc7#) 23.Bxe7 Qf5 24.Bd6+ Qxh7 25.Nf6+ Kd8 26.Nxh7+-
18.Nh5 1–0
White is two pieces down, but has a crushing attack, so Black resigned. E.g.:18.Nh5 Qc7 (18...Rf7 19.Bxg5 Ne7 20.Bxe7 Qxe7 21.Nf6+ Rxf6 22.exf6 Qxf6 23.Qe8+ Qf8 24.Rh8++-) 19.Bxg5 Nxe5 (19...Nxd4 20.Nf6+ Rxf6 21.exf6 Nc2+ 22.Kd2 Nc4+ 23.Kc1+-) 20.dxe5 Qxe5+ 21.Kf1 Nd7 (21...Qxb2 22.Bf6 Qxf6 23.Nxf6+ Rxf6 24.Qe8+ Rf8 25.Rh8++-) 22.Re1 Qxb2 23.Bf6 Qxf6 24.Nxf6+ Rxf6 25.Qe8+ Nf8 26.Rc1+-

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