Garry, a (happy) Russian in Milan...

I'm exhausted. I can't say it wasn't a nice evening at Dal Verme theatre. Kasparov spoke for about 15 minutes to the audience (about chess and... politics): he was in a very good mood and he was as brilliant and polite as usual. His young wife Dasha was with him: they had a baby about 8 months ago. Unfortunately this was not that kind of event where journalists can make questions (and receive anwers :-) ). So... here are the questions I couldn't make to Garry (and some pictures I took).

Garry speaking to his interpreter (his wife on the right)
1) From chessboard to politics, from a virtual battlefield to a less defined one but definitely more real. Who is or has been you toughest opponent: Karpov, Kramnik, Putin or who-ever?
2) About your "war" against Putin, you told to "Spiegel": "We are not playing chess, we're playing roulette". Do you think, apart from the next elections results, that "battle for democracy in Russia", as you call it, would be less "bloody" without him? And, in case your coalition didn't win elections, are you ready to fight more and again?

A brilliant speaker
3) You were on top of the Fide list for two decades. Last April you were in the "top 100" list of the most influential people on "Time magazine". What's your next target?
4) You titled your last book "How life imitates chess". An ambitious title, since chess become a comparison for life and not the opposite, as one should expect. Is that title a tribute to chess or a way to impress readers? (Just a note here: this book will be published in Italy by Mondadori, probably in the next few months).

Garry signing books: he was in a very good mood
5) Russia is in a big chaos. Fide, headed by a Russian politician, a friend of Putin's, is in a big chaos too. Don't you think you may come back to chess, in 10 or even 20 years, and become the Fide president? (When I asked him this question three years ago in Turin he answered something like: "My attention is all for Russian people now").
6) What do you think about the present confusion in the world championship cycle? Rules are changing almost once a month...

Garry (second from right) with all other guests:
the evening is almost finished
7) And what do you think about the cooperation between Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and Bessel Kok? Would you ever cooperate so promptly with Putin or his coalition if they will win next elections?
8) Kramnik, Anand, Aronian, Leko, etc. who do you think will be the winner in Mexico city? And who do you think is the best active player of the world nowadays?

Leaving the scene: bye bye Garry
9) When you won a memorable game against Topalov in Wijk aan Zee 1999 you told your best game hadn't been played yet. You gave up professional chess, now. Can you tell what is your best game ever? And your most memorable tournament?
That's all. You can obviously use these questions if you find Kasparov on your way in the next few months :-)
I will report on this evening as soon as possible. I will leave for Rome on Monday morning and I won't be able to update this Blog (and my Italian site) for a few days, but I think I will have the possibility to write an article on my fiancée's lap-top along the week (I will have a new lap-top in a few weeks: my old one is dead :-) ). So stay tuned.
Vladimir Kramnik almost secured first place in the Sparkassen chess meeting, which will end tomorrow in Dortmund (Germany). Vlad won against local idol Arkadij Naiditsch in round 6, while Anand and Alekseev drew their game; Leko beat Gelfand with Black pieces and now share second place with them on 3.5 (Kramnik is on 4.5). Official site: http://www.sparkassen-chess-meeting.de/. You can also find a Dortmund section on my Italian site www.messaggeroscacchi.it (direct link: www.messaggeroscacchi.it/mondo/dortmund07.html).
Here is our game of the day: please forgive me, I'm too tired for commenting anything.

Kramnik,V (2772) - Naiditsch,A (2654) [E04], Dortmund 30.6.2007
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Qa4 Nd7 7.Qxc4 Nb6 8.Qb5 a6 9.Qd3 e5 10.Nxe5 Nb4 11.Qd1 Qxd4 12.Qxd4 Nc2+ 13.Kd1 Nxd4 14.Be3 Nf5 15.Bxb6 cxb6 16.Nc3 Bc5 17.e3 0–0 18.Ke2 Re8 19.Nd3 Rb8 20.Rhc1 Be6 21.Bd5 Bd7 22.Ne4 Bf8 23.Rc7 Rbd8 24.Nc3 Nd4+ 25.Kd2 Be6 26.exd4 Bxd5 27.Nxd5 Rxd5 28.Rxb7 b5 29.a4 Rxd4 30.axb5 Red8 31.bxa6 Rxd3+ 32.Ke1 Re8+ 33.Kf1 Rdd8 34.a7 Ra8 35.b4 Re7 36.Rxe7 Bxe7 37.b5 Bc5 38.Rc1 Bd4 39.Rc4 Bxa7 40.Ra4 Rb8 41.Rxa7 Kf8 42.Ra5 Ke7 43.Ke2 Rb6 44.Kd3 Rd6+ 45.Kc4 Rd2 46.b6 Kd6 47.Rb5 Rc2+ 1–0

Great battle for young fighters in Sicily

More than 660 "wunderkinds" will compete in the 2007 Italian U16 championship, to be held in Palermo (Sicily) from tomorrow to July 7. Master Axel Rombaldoni from Pesaro (one IM norm) and Italian female champion Roberta Brunello from Bergamo are clear favorite in the main U16 event (in male and female groups respectively). Sicily will be (that's obvious) the more represented region with 111 players; Emilia Romagna follows on 69, Marche on 63, Lazio on 48 and Piemonte on 47; only 33 participants from Lombardia, 16 of them coming from Bergamo (where I live) and only 13 from Milan (the second most populated Italian city after Rome). Official site: http://www.palermoscacchi.it/.
As expected, Ukrainian superGM Vassily Ivanchuk won the 2007 Aerosvit tournament, which ended today in Yalta (Ukraine). Chuky drew his last game against Svidler and scored 7.5 points out 11, a half more than his young compatriot Sergej Karjakin. Alexander Onischuk (USA), Peter Svidler (RUS), Loek Van Wely (NED) and Alexei Shirov (ESP) shared third place on 6, Cuban top GM Lenier Dominguez was placed fifth on 5.5. After three great months of chess, Chuky will be fourth in the July Fide list on 2762, just a few points behind Topalov and Kramnik (both on 2769, if I don't mind). Vishy Anand will arise to 2792 and consolidate his first place thanks to his good performance in the German Bundesliga. Official site of the Aerosvit tourney: http://www.ukrchess.org.ua/aerosvit2007/index_e.htm.
The day has come: Garry Kasparov will be in Milan tomorrow (June 30). I know he's not very approachable in this period (he is a politician, don't you remember?) and he will not give any press conference, but I'll try to ask him a few questions, if possible (I'm an accredited journalist, after all :-) ). If not, he will give a lecture about "Competions", anyway, and you will read my report here by tomorrow or Sunday evening. Official site of the cultural event Kasparov will take part in: www.lamilanesiana.it.
And now here is our game of the day...

Sasikiran,K (2690) - Van Wely,L (2674) [D44], Yalta, 29.6.2007
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5 hxg5 10.Bxg5 Nbd7 11.g3 Bb7 12.Bg2 Qb6 13.exf6 0–0–0
The extra-sharp Botvinnik System of the Slav Defence was much popular only a few year ago at top level, but is considered too risky for Black nowadays. Van Wely shows he is not afraid...
14.0–0 Bh6
14...c5 15.d5 b4 16.Na4 Qb5 17.a3 etc. is a more common variation.
15.Bxh6 Rxh6 16.b3
A rare move. 16.Qd2 and 16.Ne4 have been played more often.
16...cxb3 17.Ne4
17.axb3 Nxf6 18.Ne2 e5 19.Qc1 Rdh8 20.h4 exd4 21.Rd1 c5 22.Nxd4 Bxg2 23.Kxg2 Rh5 24.Nf3 was played in Del Rio Angelis-Dominguez, Ubeda 2001: White has better chances, but Black managed to get a draw. The game Hofmann-Bohne, Bad Bergzabern 1997, went 17.Qxb3 Nxf6 18.a4 b4 19.Ne2 a5=
17...Nxf6 18.Nc5 b2!
A strong novelty. Czerwonski- Kaszowski, Poland 2000, continued 18...bxa2 19.Rxa2 Nd7? 20.Qc1 and White soon got a huge advantage.
19.Rb1 e5 20.Qd2
20.Qf3 is interesting, e.g.: 20...exd4 21.Qf4 Rdh8 22.Qf5+ Kb8 23.Rxb2 Bc8 24.Qe5+ Qc7 25.Qxd4 and White is even slightly better.
20...Rh5 21.Qxb2
21.Rxb2 Rxd4 22.Qc3 b4 23.Qf3 Qxc5 24.Qxf6 was more complicated.
21...exd4 22.Nxb7 Kxb7 23.a4 a6 24.Rfc1 Nd5 25.a5
25.Qe2 Rh6 26.axb5 axb5 27.Rb3 is an interesting alternative for White.
25...Qxa5 26.Qxd4 Qb6
26...Qc7 looks even stronger.
27.Qg7 Rf5 28.Rb2 Qc7 29.Re2
29.Rbc2 is probably better.
29...Qd6 30.h4?
30.Qa1, followed by h4 on the next move, was much more precise.
30...Qf6! 31.Qg4
White's Queen is now unable to cooperate with her Rooks.
31...Re5 32.Rd2?!
32.Rxe5 Qxe5 33.h5 would give White more drawing chances.
32...Qe6 33.Qd4 Re1+ 34.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 35.Kh2 a5
Sasikiran's position is now almost desperate.
36.Rc2 a4 37.Be4 Qb4! 38.Qd3 Rd6 39.Bf3 Kb6 40.Qf5 Qb3 41.Bd1?
The last mistake in a very bad situation: 41.Rc1 is probably the best way to prolong the resistance.
41...Nc3 42.Rd2
42.Bf3 a3 43.Rc1 Qb2 wouldn't help.
42...Qe6 43.Qf4 Rxd2 44.Qxd2 Nxd1 45.Qxd1 a3
White should resign.
46.Qd4+ Kb7 47.h5 Qd5 48.Qh8 a2 49.h6 Qd1 50.Qf6 a1Q 51.Qxf7+ Kb6 0–1
And Sasikiran finally shook hands.

Chuky on the crest of a wave

The Dortmund supertournament took a rest day, but this doesn’t mean there was no excitement today in the chess world. In Yalta, Ukraine, Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk beat Spanish GM Alexei Shirov with Black pieces and took sole lead in the Aerosvit supertournament: he is now on 7/10 with only one round to go. His young compatriot Sergey Karjakin follows on 6.5, Russian superGM Peter Svidler (unbeaten) and Shirov share the third place on 5.5. It's just a pity that Chuky won't play the next World championship tournament in Mexico City. He is playing at his best in this period and he should be a very tough opponent for everyone (and even a serious candidate to win the title). Top games of the 11th and final round will be Ivanchuk-Svidler and Jakovenko-Karjakin. Official site: http://www.ukrchess.org.ua/aerosvit2007/index_e.htm.
Sergei Tiviakov won the 2007 Dutch championship: he took the title by beating Daniel Stellwagen on a rapid tie-break (1.5-0.5), after both finished on 7.5/11. Ivan Sokolov and Friso Nijboer shared third place on 6.5, Jan Smeets and Erwin L’Ami were fifth on 6. GM Peng Zhaoqin dominated the Women’s event by scoring 8 points ou of 9 (unbeaten). Indian GM Humpy Konery took clear first in the main open with 7.5/9; Georgian GM Mikheil Mchedlishvili was placed second on 7. Official site: http://www.schaakbond.nl/nk2007/.
And now here is the brilliant win scored by Chuky today.

Shirov,A (2699) - Ivanchuk,V (2729) [C91], Yalta 28.6.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.d4
Not the favorite move at top level. The immediate 7.Re1 is much more popular.
7...d6
7...Nxe4 8.dxe5 Nc5 9.Bd5 Bb7 10.Nc3 0–0 is the main continuation. With the text move Black tries to re-enter the main line.
8.c3 0–0 9.Re1
Shirov definitively deviates from the super-theoretical line 9.h3 Re8 10.Re1.
9...Bg4 10.Be3
10.d5 is more common; 10...Na5 11.Bc2 c6 12.h3 Bc8 13.dxc6 Qc7 14.Nbd2 Qxc6 15.Nf1 Nc4 16.Ng3 Re8 is quite a popular continuation.
10...exd4 11.cxd4 d5!?
11...Na5 12.Bc2 c5 is good as well.
12.e5 Ne4 13.Nc3 Nxc3 14.bxc3 Qd7 15.h3 Bh5 16.g4
An ambitious move. 16.Bc2 is the main alternative.
16...Bg6 17.Nd2 a5
This looks to be a new (and interesting) move. 17...f5, 17...Na5 and even 17...Bh4 have been played before.
18.f4 a4 19.Bc2 Bxc2 20.Qxc2 f5!?
The position is quite complicated now, but it looks like Black has completely equal chances.
21.exf6 Bxf6 22.Nf3 Rae8 23.Bf2
23.Ne5 was probably a better alternative.
23...h5
A strong and ambitious move. Black now has a dangerous initiative.
24.Qg6
Shirov spent a lot of time for this move, but 24.f5 hxg4 25.hxg4 g6 26.Bg3 gxf5 27.gxf5 looks more cautious.
24...Re4 25.Rxe4 dxe4 26.Nh2?
26.Ng5 Bxg5 27.Qxg5 hxg4 28.hxg4 leads to a complicated (but probably drawish) position. The text move is a serious mistake, after which Chuky wins almost by force.
26...Nxd4!
A nice end effective blow.
27.cxd4 Bxd4 28.Rb1 e3 29.Bg3
29.Be1 Rxf4 30.Kg2 h4! was not better.
29...h4!
The decisive blow. Now White is completely hopeless.
30.Bxh4 Rxf4 31.Qd3 Qd5 32.Nf1
32.Rb4 c5 33.Rxd4 cxd4 34.Bg3 Rf6 would only prolong White's agony some more moves.; while 32.Rxb5 e2+ loses on the spot.
32...Rf2! 33.Nxe3
33.Bxf2 exf2+ 34.Kh2 Be5+ 35.Qg3 Bxg3+ 36.Nxg3 Qxa2 would lose anyway.
33...Rg2+ 34.Kh1
If 34.Kf1 then 34...Qf3+ 35.Ke1 Bc3+ 36.Qxc3 Qe2#
34...Qf3 0–1
White's only chance to avoid mate is 35. Nxg2, but 35... Qxd3 36. Kh2 (36. Re1 Qxh3#) 36... Qxb1 is not very promising :-), so Shirov resigned. An impressive win by Chuky and one of the best games of the whole tourney!

Vlad, an ill killer in Dortmund

His participation was in question only a few days before the tournament, because of a strong respiratory infection. But antibiotics enabled him to play. And now Vladimir Kramnik leads alone on 3/4 the 2007 Sparkassen Chess Meeting, held in Dortmund (Germany). The world champion defeated young Norvegian prodigy Magnus Carlsen in convincing style in round 4, while Russian champion Evgeny Alekseev couldn't get more than a draw against Hungarian top-GM Peter Leko; Israeli Boris Gelfand also shared the point with Azeri "Shakh" Mamedyarov; Vishy Anand outplayed Arkadij Naiditsch in the endgame and this means that he joined Alekseev on second place at 2.5. Tomorrow (my birthday :-) ) there will be the second and last rest day; round 5 games: Leko-Kramnik, Mamedyarov-Anand, Naiditsch-Alekseev and Carlsen-Gelfand. Official site: http://www.sparkassen-chess-meeting.de/. You can also find a Dortmund section on my Italian site www.messaggeroscacchi.it (direct link: www.messaggeroscacchi.it/mondo/dortmund07.html).
Ukrainian prodigy Sergey Karjakin still lead jointely with his compatriot Vassily Ivanchuk on 6/9 the 2007 Aerosvit supertournament, but Spanish GM Alexei Shirov, who beat Russian GM Dmitry Jakovenko with Black pieces in round 9, is now just half a point behind them. Alexander Onischuk, Lenier Dominguez, Loek Van Wely and Peter Svidler follow on 4.5. Shirov-Ivanchuk will be the main duel of round 10. Official site: http://www.ukrchess.org.ua/aerosvit2007/index_e.htm.
Fide finally made a statement on his own site about the resignation of the first appeal committee of the 2006 match between Kramnik and Topalov. "There have been continuing accusations in interviews, articles and letters that the original members of the Appeals Committee of the World Championship Match between Topalov and Kramnik in Elista in 2006 abused the match regulations as well as the contract with players", you can read on www.fide.com. "The Presidential Board and the Fide President want to stress once again that the decisions of the Appeals Committee in the match were in accordance with the match regulations as well as the contracts and were meant to ensure equal playing conditions for both players. The resignation of the members of the Appeals Committee that time was made to ease the atmosphere and ensure that the match continued". Yes, well, but why has Fide published this statement only now?
Our game of the day is the easy win by Vlad against Carlsen in Dortmund.

Kramnik,V (2772) - Carlsen,M (2693) [E05], Dortmund 27.6.2007
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.d4 Be7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4
8.a4 is the main alternative.
8...b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2
The continuation 10.Bf4 Nc6 11.Rd1 Nb4 12.Qc1 Rc8 13.Nc3 Nbd5 14.Nxd5 Bxd5 gives Black full equality.
10...Nc6 11.e3 Nb4 12.Bxb4 Bxb4 13.a3 Be7 14.Nbd2 Rc8 15.b4
15.Nb3 has also been played, but the text move looks more effective.
15...a5 16.Ne5 Nd5?
After 16...Bxg2 17.Kxg2 c6 18.Rab1 (18.Nd3!? axb4 19.axb4 Nd5 was played in Marin-Marciano, Bucharest 1993) 18...axb4 19.axb4 Nd5 20.Nd3 Qb6 21.Rfc1 White got a slight advantage in Zueger-Moor, Switzerland 2001. The text move is not a new idea, but I can't find it on my database. That doesn't look good on move 16, anyway.
17.Nb3! axb4
Almost forced. 17...a4 18.Na5 followed by Nac6 is better for White anyway.
18.Na5!
A strong intermidiate move.
18...Ba8 19.Nac6 Bxc6?!
19...Qe8 (or 19...Qd6) was slightly better, although White keeps a better position after 20.Bxd5 exd5 21.Nxe7+! Qxe7 22.axb4 Qxb4 23.Rfb1 Qd6 24.Rxb5.
20.Nxc6 Qd7 21.Bxd5 exd5 22.axb4
White hasn't done anything special, but he has a big advantage now.
22...Rfe8
22...Ra8 23.Ra5 Rxa5 24.bxa5 Ra8 25.a6! was hopeless for Black.
23.Ra5 Bf8
Black can't do anything to protect the "b5" pawn. His position is almost lost!
24.Ne5
The immediate 24.Rxb5 was also possible.
24...Qe6 25.Rxb5 Rb8
After 25...Bxb4 26.Rxb4 c5 27.dxc5 Qxe5 28.Rd1 White wins easily.
26.Rxb8 Rxb8 27.Qxc7 Bd6
27...Rxb4 28.Ra1 f6 29.Nd7 was also hopeless for Black.
28.Qa5! Bxb4?
28...Bxe5 29.dxe5 Qxe5 30.Rd1 wouldn't be much better, but the text move loses immediately.
29.Rb1
Simple and decisive.
29...Qd6
Forced. 29...Bxa5 30.Rxb8++-; 29...Bd6 30.Rxb8+ Bxb8 31.Qd8+ +-.
30.Qa4 1–0
Now after 30... Bd2 31. Rxb8+ Qxb8 32. Qd7 Qf8 33. Qxd5 Black is two pawns down without any compensation. So Carlsen resigned.

Old kings have lost their fighting spirit

Alexander Khalifman is the king of all (old) kings. The Russian GM and former world champion took clear first place in Bazna (Romania), where the "Kings tournament" ended today. Khalifman scored 7 points out of 10 by beating Rafael Vaganian in the last and decisive game: they were tied going into the final round. The Armenian GM was placed second on 6, Slovenian GM Alexander Beliavsky follows on 5.5. Unfortunately it was not a really exciting event: 43 games out of 55 ended in draws, 21 of them in 22 moves or less. Hungarian GM Zoltan Ribli (average moves per game: 23) and Swedish GM Ulf Andersson (a.m.p.g.: 21) both drew all their "battles". Beliavsky won only one game (against the winner) and share all other points, but he was much more fighting, with an average of 43 moves per game. This was a category 13 tournament. Official site: http://www.clubulregilor.ro/.
Vassily Ivanchuk beat Sergei Rublevsky in round 8 of the Aerosvit supertournament and joined compatriot Sergey Karjakin on 5.5/8, a point clear of Spanish GM Alexei Shirov. Five players follow on 4: Onischuk, Van Wely (who won against Indian GM Krishnan Sasikiran), Dominguez, Svidler and Jakovenko. Official site: http://www.ukrchess.org.ua/aerosvit2007/index_e.htm.
Gianpietro Pagnoncelli, president of FSI (Italian Chess Federation), was awarded with the "Silver Star for sports merits" by Coni (Italian National Olympic Committee). Pagnoncelli was born on February, 1950, near Bergamo (my hometown :-) ). He is a Fide International arbiter since 1998 and he is a great tournaments organizer, too (the Presolana Chess Festival is his best known creature). I know him since I was 15 or 16 (I will be 32 on June 28 :-) ) and I've sometimes played against his son Marco, a master class player. Congratulations, Gianpietro!
And now here is our game of the day, the decisive battle of the Kings tournament...

Khalifman,A (2624) - Vaganian,R (2590) [C09], Bazna 26.6.2007
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5
3...Nf6 is a totally different continuation.
4.Ngf3 Nc6
4...cxd4 5.exd5 Qxd5 is more popular, but this "old" line is perfectly playable. The main continuation is 6.Bc4 Qd6 7.0–0 Nf6 8.Nb3 Nc6 9.Nbxd4 Nxd4 10.Nxd4 a6 etc.
5.exd5 exd5 6.Bb5 Bd6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.0–0 Nge7 9.Nb3 Bd6
9...Bb6 is an interesting alternative.
10.Re1 0–0 11.Bd3
11.Bg5 Bg4 leads to an approximately equal middlegame.
11...h6 12.h3 Nf5 13.c3 Qf6
13...Bc7 has also been played.
14.Bc2 Rd8 15.Qd3 g6 16.Nh2
Probably a new move. 16.Qd2 Bf8 17.Nh2 Qg7 and 16.Bd2 a5 17.a4 b6 are more common continuations.
16...Bxh2+
16...h5 (to prevent Ng4) 17.Nf3 Nh4 18.Nbd4 was slightly better for White.
17.Kxh2 Nh4?
Such a blunder is rare for an experienced (and French expert) player like Vaganian...
18.Bxh6 Ne5??
When he played 17...Nh4, Vaganian probably intended to reply with 18...Qxf2 to 18.Bxh6, but he must have seen that White gets a huge advantage after this move, e.g.: 19.Re2 Qf6 20.Qd2 Nf5 21.Bg5 Qd6+ 22.Bf4 Qf8 23.Rae1 and Black is almost paralyzed. But the text move is even worse and loses immediately.
19.Qg3 Nef3+
19...Ng4+ 20.hxg4 g5 21.Bxg5 Qxg5 22.Re5 Qf6 23.Rae1 was not better.
20.gxf3 Nxf3+ 21.Kg2 1–0
After 21.Kg2 Nxe1+ 22.Rxe1 Bd7 (22...Qd6 23.Re8+; 22...Qb6 23.Qe5) 23.Bg5 Qh8 24.Bxd8 Rxd8 25.h4 White is simply a piece up, so Black resigned. Thanks to this miniature Khalifman took clear first place in the tournament.

Dear players, be kind please!

Chess players, be kind or... you'll lose the game! The Fide Presidential Board, held in Tallinn, decided on setting up behavioural norms in chess events. No, this is not a joke. The PB discussed "several recent cases in different chess tournaments where the attitude of players toward their opponent or officials, journalists etc. was not acceptable under conventional social behaviour". This is why Fide decided, at last, that "any player who does not shake hands with the opponent (or greets the opponent in a normal social manner in accordance with the conventional rules of their society) before the game starts in a Fide tournament or during a Fide match (and does not do it after being asked to do so by the arbiter) or deliberately insults his/her opponent or the officials of the event, will immediately and finally lose the relevant game". You can say this is ridiculous, I think it is a sad necessity. I'm personally aware of some episodes where players even insulted their opponents... Perhaps they just got nervous for some reasons and reacted in a wrong way (perhaps their opponent were a bit guilty themselves, too), I don't know: this doesn't justify them anyway. Remember you are playing chess, not football :-) You have to be sporty, whatever happens. If you can't stand a loss (because this is the main reason why a player gets nervous), just give up chess and try another sport. More details on www.fide.com.
The Sparkassen Chess Meeting had a rest day. Tomorrow's games will be Mamedyarov-Kramnik, Carlsen-Alekseev, Gelfand-Anand and Leko-Naiditsch. Official site: http://www.sparkassen-chess-meeting.de/. You can also find a Dortmund section on my Italian site www.messaggeroscacchi.it (direct link: www.messaggeroscacchi.it/mondo/dortmund07.html).
Round 7 of the Aerosvit supertournament was played in Yalta,Ukraine. Sergey Karjakin strengthened his lead by beating Loek Van Wely; Vassily Ivanchuk and Alexei Shirov also won against Pavel Eljanov and Krishnan Sasikiran respectively. Standings: Karjakin 5/7; Ivanchuk 4.5; Shirov 4; etc. Official site: http://www.ukrchess.org.ua/aerosvit2007/index_e.htm.
And now here is Karjakin victory's...

Karjakin,S (2686) - Van Wely,L (2674) [B90], Yalta 25.6.2007
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nf3
Karjakin usually plays 7.Nb3 at this point. The text move is a solid alternative.
7...Be7 8.Bc4 0–0 9.0–0 Nc6 10.Re1 b5 11.Bf1 Rb8 12.Bg5 Ng4 13.Bc1
Probably a new move. White deviates from the game Anand-Topalov, Morelia-Linares 2007, which continued 13.Bd2 Be6 14.Nd5 h6 15.h3 Nf6 16.c4 Qd7 17.b3 Bd8 18.Rc1 Bxd5 19.cxd5 Ne7 20.Bd3 Bb6 21.Nh4 g5 22.Nf3 Rfc8 23.Rxc8+ Rxc8 24.Nh2 Ng6 25.Ng4 1/2–1/2.
13...Qb6 14.Qd2 Nf6 15.h3 Re8 16.Qd1
It looks like White is a bit confused...
16...h6 17.b3 Bf8 18.a4 b4 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Na5?!
The first inaccuracy. After 20...Ne7 Black has completely equal chances.
21.Be3 Qc7 22.Nd2 f5 23.Nc4 Be7?!
Probably not the best choice: 23...Nxc4 24.Bxc4 Qf7 looks safer.
24.Qh5!
Now Black is in deep trouble.
24...Rf8
This allows White to finish the game with a brilliant combination. 24...Rd8 and 24...Bd7 had to be considered.
25.Nxa5 Qxa5 26.Bxh6!
First blow!
26...gxh6?
Now Black loses by force. 26...Bd7 was the only way to survive, although White has a huge advantage after 27.Bg5.
27.Qg6+ Kh8 28.Qxh6+ Kg8 29.Qg6+ Kh8 30.Re3!
Now Black has to prevent Rg3.
30...f4
Almost forced, but...
31.Rxe5!
Second and decisive blow!
31...dxe5 32.Qh6+ Kg8 33.d6
Wonderful! White is one Rook and one Bishop down, but Black doesn' have a good defence!
33...Rf7
This loses immediately, but after 33...Qd8 34.Bc4+ Rf7 35.dxe7 Qxe7 36.Qg6+ Kf8 37.Bxf7 Qxf7 38.Qd6+ Kg7 39.Qxb8 Black is hopeless anyway.; 33...Bxd6 loses even sooner: 34.Bc4+ Rf7 35.Qg6++-
34.Bc4 Bf5 35.dxe7 1–0
After 35...Qc5 36.Qg5+ White takes the Rook back with a totally winning position, so Black resigned. "I was lucky today!", commented Karjakin after the game.

An Italian king for European Union

Long life the king! Italian GM Michele Godena won the European Union title by scoring 8 points out of 10 in the Eu championship, which ended today in Arvier. Serbian GM Nikola Sedlak took first place on tie break, but Serbia didn't run for medals, since it is not part of Eu yet. So, after some disappointing results in the last two months, Italian champion finally played at his best and could achieve a well-deserved gold medal in this strong competition. Congratulations, Michele!
German GM and Elo-favourite Thoms Luther was placed third (which means silver medal) on 7.5 along with young Italian IM Fabiano Caruana (bronze), Irish GM Alexander Baburin and Croatian GM Miso Cebalo. Lithuanian GM Sarunas Sulskis, Croatian GM Nenad Sulava and Spanish MF Marcos Llanez Vega. Italian IM Sabino Brunello, who scored a GM norm after round 9, lost his last game against Sulskis and was placed 10th on 6.5; his sister Marina, 13 years old, scored only half a point less than him. Very well indeed! Official site: www.scacchivda.com. Final report (in Italian) on my Italian site at http://www.messaggeroscacchi.it/dblog/articolo.asp?articolo=76.
Russian champion Evgeny Alekseev beat Azeri #1 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov to take over the lead in the Sparkassen chess Meeting. Alekseev is on 1.5/2 along with World champion Vladimir Kramnik, who won a nice ending against Boris Gelfand. The other games, Anand-Leko and Naiditsch-Carlsen, were both drawn. Next round will be on Tuesday. Official site: http://www.sparkassen-chess-meeting.de/. You can also find a Dortmund section on my Italian site www.messaggeroscacchi.it (direct link: www.messaggeroscacchi.it/mondo/dortmund07.html).
At the Presidential Board meeting, which is currently being held in Tallinn, Estonia, Fide has introduced a new Grand Prix series and a new world championship cycle. Fide made some special rules to govern the 2007-2009 stage, in order to give Topalov the chance to enter it. You can download the "New World Chess Championship Cycle rules" on the www.fide.com site. Some explanations are given on the www.chessbase.com site. Here is an excerpt: "Former Fide world champion Veselin Topalov gets to play an eight-game Challenger's Match against the winner of the 2007 World Cup. If Kramnik does not win the Mexico City world championship tournament he gets to play a match against the winner of Mexico, as a one-time right to challenge the new world champion. The winner of this match will play against the winner of the Challenger's Match. If Kramnik wins the World Championship tournament in Mexico City then he has to play Topalov directly for the world championship in 2008. In this case there will be no Challenger's Match. Instead the winner of the 2007 World Cup in Khanty-Mansyisk gets to play a world championship match against the winner of the Kramnik-Topalov match in 2009". In any case, there's a high possibility to see a Kramnik-Topalov re-match by the end of 2008...

Alekseev,E (2679) - Mamedyarov,S (2757) [B85], Dortmund 24.6.2007
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 d6 7.0–0 Nf6 8.Be3 Bd7 9.a4 Be7 10.f4 0–0 11.Nb3 Rc8 12.a5 Nb4 13.Bf3 e5 14.Rf2 Qc7 15.Rd2 Be6 16.Bb6
This should be a new move according to my (old) database. 16.Ra4 is the main line here, e.g.: 16...Bxb3 17.Rxb4 (17.cxb3 d5? (17...Nc6=) 18.exd5 Bc5 19.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 20.Kh1 Rfe8?! 21.d6 Rcd8 22.Qg1 Qxg1+ 23.Kxg1 and White won, Mokry-Cebalo, Reggio Emilia 1991) 17...Bc4 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.exd5 exf4 20.Bb6 Qb8 21.Re2 Rce8 22.Rxf4 Nd7 with chances for both sides, Nunn-Dzindzichashvili, Thessaloniki 1984.
16...Qb8 17.f5 Bxb3
17...Bd7 had to be considered.
18.cxb3 Nd7 19.Be3 b5?!
19...Nc5 looks better.
20.axb6 Nxb6 21.Kh1
21.f6!? was an interesting alternative, e.g.: 21...Bxf6 (21...gxf6? 22.Bg4 with the idea Bf5, Qh5) 22.Rxd6 Na8 (22...Rc6 23.Rxc6 Nxc6 24.Rxa6) 23.Rxf6 gxf6 24.Bg4 Rfd8 25.Qe2 Rc6 26.Bd7 Rd6 27.Bf5 Nc7 28.Qh5 Kf8 29.Qxh7!? and White has a dangerous attack.
21...Rc6 22.Be2 Qb7 23.Bf1! Rfc8 24.Qg4 Nd7 25.Bc4 Nf6 26.Qf3 h6 27.Bf2 Rxc4?!
Black loses his nerves. A quiet defence like 27...Bd8 with the idea ...a5 or ...Bb6 was preferable.
28.bxc4 Rxc4 29.Bh4!
White has some initiative anyway and he is also an exchange up now.
29...Rd4 30.Rad1 Nc6 31.Bxf6 Bxf6 32.Nd5 Bg5 33.Rxd4 Nxd4 34.Qa3 Qc6 35.Qc3 Qb5 36.b4
Black can just wait for the end: he has no serious counterplay in this position.
36...Qe2 37.Qd3 Qa2 38.Rf1 h5 39.g3 f6 40.Kg1 h4
Repeating the position by 40...Ne2+ 41.Kh1 Nd4 was probably better, although after 42.Re1 White has a hugh advantage anyway.
41.Rf2 Qa1+
41...Qa4 42.Kg2 hxg3 43.hxg3 would only prolong the agony some more moves.
42.Kg2 Kh7 43.gxh4 Bf4 44.Kh3! Kh8 45.Ne7 1–0
A very convincing win by the young Russian champion!

Sabino, a young future GM for Italy

I probably made a wrong calculation, or I just ignore some rules... Whatever happened, it seems that half a point was enough for Italian IM Sabino Brunello to score his first GM norm in the European Union championship... and he drew against Croatian GM Nenad Sulava! This means, according to official site, that he did it! Many congratulations, Sabino! And happy birthday in advance: he will be 18 years old on June 27. Another Italian idol, GM Michele Godena, beat Swedish GM Evgenij Agrest with Black pieces and now share first place with Serbian GM Nikola Sedlak (having a better tie-break) with only one round to go: they're both on 7.5/9. Croatian GM Miso Cebalo follows on 7, eight players are on 6.5: Brunello, German GM Thomas Luther, Slovakian GM Tomas Likavsky, Irish GM Alexander Baburin, French IM Vladimir Okhotnik and GM Erik Prie, Italian IM Fabiano Caruana and Sulava. Top boards of 10th and last round: Sedlak-Cebalo, Godena-Sulava, Prie-Luther, Baburin-Likavsky, Okhotnik-Caruana, Sulskis-Brunello. Official site: www.scacchivda.com.
Veselin Topalov will not play in Mexico City, as Bulgarian Federation asked to Fide. But, according to a press release from Peter Rajcsanyi (Fide Pr and Marketing Director), "Topalov will have an eight-game Challenger Match against the winner of the 2007 World Cup in the year 2008 as part of the new WCCh cycle". According to the regulations, if "Kramnik wins the WCCh tournament in Mexico City 2007, a match between Kramnik and Topalov, the current and the previous world champions, will take place in 2008. In that case, the winner of the Kramnik-Topalov match will play against the winner of the 2007 World Cup". More details at: http://www.chessdom.com/news/topalov-wcc.
Azeri GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, number six in the world, beat German GM Arkadij Naiditsch in a tense 44-move battle and took sole lead in the 2007 Sparkassen Chess Meeting, which started today in Dortmund. Alla other games were drawn: Kramnik-Anand was a Slav which Anand held comfortably in 35 moves; Gelfand-Alekseev, a Symmetrical English, looked fine for Black, but was drawn in 23; Carlsen-Leko was an Anti-Marshall that ended in a 29-move draw. Official site: http://www.sparkassen-chess-meeting.de/. You can also find a Dortmund section on my Italian site www.messaggeroscacchi.it (direct link: www.messaggeroscacchi.it/mondo/dortmund07.html).
And now here is our game of the day...

Agrest,E (2561) - Godena,M (2558) [D43], Arvier 23.6.2007
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 c6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.0–0 Nbd7 11.Ne5 h5!?
Probably a new move. 11...Bg7 is the main line here.
12.Nxd7 Qxd7 13.Be5 Rh6 14.Qc1 Rg6 15.Rd1 Ng4 16.Bg3 f5
Godena is usually not an attacker, but in this game he shows he can be...
17.f3 Nh6 18.b3 cxb3 19.axb3 Kf7 20.Bf2 a6 21.Ra2 Be7 22.Bd3 g4 23.Be3 Rh8 24.f4 Rf8 25.Re2 Kg8 26.Bb1 Qc7?!
26...h4, keeping the initiative, was much stronger.
27.d5! fxe4?
27...Qb8 was more precise.
28.Bxe4 Nf5 29.dxc6?
After 29.dxe6 White has excellent winning chances, e.g.: 29...Nxe3 (29...Rxe6 30.Nd5! Qc8 31.Nxe7+ Nxe7 32.Bc5+-; 29...Qc8 30.Bxf5 Rxf5 31.Qc2 Rff6 32.f5+-) 30.Bxg6 Nxd1 31.Nd5+-
29...Bxc6 30.Na2?!
A weak move. 30.Nxb5 was the only way to fight for the initiative, e.g.: 30...axb5 31.Bf2 h4 32.g3 e5!? 33.Rc2 hxg3 34.hxg3 Bxe4!? 35.Rxc7 Rh6 36.Kf1 Rh1+ 37.Bg1 Nxg3+ 38.Kf2 Rxf4+ 39.Qxf4 exf4 40.Rxe7 Kf8 and the position is all but easy to understand. After 30.Na2, instead, Black can start a strong attack.
30...e5
30...Nxe3 31.Qxe3 Bxe4 32.Qxe4 Qc5+ 33.Kh1 Qf5 would also give Black good winning chances.
31.fxe5 Qb7 32.Bxf5 Rxf5 33.Bc5?!
33.Qc2 Be4 34.Qd2 Rxe5 35.Bd4 Bg5 36.Qb2 would give White better chances to fight for a draw.
33...Bf3 34.Rf2
34.gxf3?? gxf3+–+
34...Rxe5 35.Bd4 Bxd1 36.Bxe5 Bxb3 37.Kh1 Qc6 38.Nc3 b4 39.Qb1 Bf7 40.Ne2 Qc5
Time control: Black has a totally won position.
41.Qf5 Qd5 42.Qxh5 Rg7 43.Rxf7
43.Qf5 Be6 44.Qh5 Bd7 was not better for White.
43...Qxf7 44.Qh6 Rh7 45.Qc6 Bf8 46.Kg1 Rh5 47.Bd4 Rf5 48.Ng3 Rd5 49.Ne2 b3 50.Qc8 Qf5 51.Qc4 Kh7?!
51...b2 52.Bxb2 Bc5+ 53.Bd4 Qe6 would win immediately.
52.Qxb3 Rb5 53.Qc3 Rb1+ 54.Nc1 Bh6 0–1
An important win for Godena, who now has excellent chances to be the 2007 EU champion.