Monthly Archives: October 2018
TWIC 1250 Caro-Kann Defence
Here is a nice game in the quiet Exchange Variation
Lenderman-Dreev
Exchange Variation
St Louis Fall A 2018 Rd7
After 18.Bf2(Diagram)
You need to be very observant to see what the problem in White’s position is
What do you recommend for Black?

Pecking Away at the Woodpecker Oct 24-2018
Exercise 857 from Chapter 2 Intermediate Level of The Woodpecker Method
White to Play
(a)What do you recommend for White?(This is the exercise)
(b)Evaluate 35.f6 (my question to the readers) This was my proposed solution today on my second cycle through the book.

This is my second time through the book. The reader is supposed to get faster each of the seven recommenced times through but I am getting slower.
The slow tedious process of checking solutions takes almost as long as the solving session. Today I found what I thought was an interesting attacking idea but failed to see what was wrong until I checked with an engine.
TWIC 1250 Hungarians in Action-Kozak,A(HUN)
This weeks issue of TWIC is now available
Selected games features Adam Kozak
Gabizon-Kozak
Semi-Slav
World Youth Open U16 2018 rd3
After 32.Qxf3(Diagram)
White has a pair of ineffective bishops and suffers from a severe lack of space.
What do you recommend for Black?

World Youth Chess Championships 2018
Kozak got 5.5/9
| Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | Rtg | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 | Rp | K | rtg+/- | ||
| 1 | 1 | GM | Esipenko Andrey | RUS | 2634 | 7,5 | 0,5 | 46,0 | 50,0 | 5 | 6 | 2529 | 20 | -10,8 | |
| 2 | 15 | FM | Abdisalimov Abdimalik | UZB | 2217 | 7,5 | 0,5 | 45,0 | 48,0 | 4 | 6 | 2537 | 20 | 72,2 | |
| 3 | 9 | FM | Gavrilescu David | ROU | 2315 | 7,0 | 0,0 | 44,0 | 48,0 | 5 | 6 | 2494 | 20 | 39,6 | |
| 4 | 5 | IM | Yakubboev Nodirbek | UZB | 2354 | 6,0 | 0,0 | 42,5 | 44,0 | 4 | 5 | 2352 | 20 | 2,6 | |
| 5 | 7 | IM | Blohberger Felix | AUT | 2330 | 6,0 | 0,0 | 39,5 | 42,0 | 4 | 5 | 2330 | 20 | 7,2 | |
| 6 | 4 | FM | Shubin Kirill | RUS | 2375 | 5,5 | 0,0 | 44,5 | 48,5 | 4 | 4 | 2313 | 20 | -13,2 | |
| 7 | 2 | IM | Matviishen Viktor | UKR | 2405 | 5,5 | 0,0 | 40,5 | 43,0 | 4 | 5 | 2275 | 20 | -26,0 | |
| 8 | 3 | IM | Kozak Adam | HUN | 2390 | 5,5 | 0,0 | 37,0 | 39,5 | 4 | 5 | 2235 | 20 | -25,0 | |
| 9 | 19 | FM | Petriashvili Nikoloz | GEO | 2157 | 5,0 | 0,0 | 47,5 | 51,5 | 5 | 4 | 2377 | 20 | 47,2 | |
| 10 | 16 | FM | Semjonovs Ilja | LAT | 2197 | 5,0 | 0,0 | 46,0 | 49,0 | 5 | 4 | 2306 | 20 | 26,4 | |
| 11 | 8 | FM | Chukavin Kirill | EST | 2316 | 5,0 | 0,0 | 43,5 | 46,5 | 5 | 5 | 2253 | 20 | -12,8 | |
| 12 | 21 | Alexakis Dimitris | GRE | 2100 | 5,0 | 0,0 | 40,0 | 43,0 | 4 | 4 | 2300 | 20 | 45,2 | ||
| 13 | 20 | FM | Stoleriu George | ROU | 2146 | 5,0 | 0,0 | 36,5 | 39,5 | 4 | 4 | 2238 | 20 | 20,8 |
Global Chess Festival Oct 13 2018
This year’s venue was the National Art Gallery.
There was a usual number of speeches, some dancing and some singing
Zsofi and Judit game simuls and one of the interviewers in a nice blue dress was IM Anna Rudolf
There was a well dressed guy playing a classical piano piece and the was the odd long distance video shown on the big screen.
Kids had lots to do.
I mostly just watched and bought an expensive bottle of water
BTCh 2018 Rd2
I contributed a draw with Black defending a Caro-Kann
Three MTK teams were in action at the Lauder School, with two of the three winning
I. osztály, Lilienthal csoport
HÜSI SC II – Sirály SE I 4,5:7,5
MTK Budapest III – Vasas SC II 7:5
Aquaréna KSC III – SENSE I 8:4
BEAC II – Barcza GSC I 7:5
Lombik-Fabulon – Mattolda SSC I 6,5:5,5
Pénzügyőr SE III – Tabáni Spartacus II 5:7
II. osztály, Bilek csoport
Csepeli TK I – Sirály SE II 7,5:4,5
MTK Budapest IV – Törekvés SE 7:5
Pestszentlőrinc II – SENSE II 8,5:3,5
Újpesti KSE I – Barcza GSC II 4:8
Palota Sakk I – A. Láng MKKE 6:6
Pénzügyőr SE IV – Sárkány DSE II 4:8
III. osztály, Szén csoport
BEAC III – ART 3F SE 4:8
MTK Budapest V – Csepeli TK II 5,5:6,5
Aquaréna KSC IV – ATTE-ARISZ 3,5:8,5
Pestszentimre – Rákosliget 7,5:4,5
HÜSI SC III – TF SE 4,5:7,5
HASE III – Barcza GSC III 11:1
Újpesti KSE II – Mattolda SSC II 6:6
Sirály SE III – Sárkány DSE III 3,5:8,5
Pdouchy-Yip
Exchange Caro-Kann
After 22.Nb3(Diagram)
White offered a draw which was accepted.
TWIC 1248 Hungarians in Action
Selected games features the Olympiad
Here is a nice positional game by Almasi
Almasi-Gonzalez
Reti vs Slav
Hungary-Costa Rica Rd11
After 24..Na4(Diagram)
The Qb2 is under attack
What do you recommend for White?
Sipila-Berkes
King’s Indian Defence
Finland-Hungary Rd8
White walked his king into the middle of the board early in the game.
After 21.Kd3(Diagram)
The Kd3 is looking very majestic in the middle of the board
What do you recommend for Black?
Leko-Nyback
Spanish Anti-Marshall 8.a4
Hungary-Finland Rd8
Queen endings are very complicated due to the many checking possibilities.
After 26.Qxa6+(Diagram)
White just took a pawn with check. Here is a case of two passers vs one in a queen ending
What do you recommend for Black?
Final Ranking after 11 Rounds – Open
Hungary had a slightly disappointing result.
| Rk. | SNo | Team | Team | Games | + | = | – | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | |
| 1 | 3 | China | CHN | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 372,5 | 28,5 | 149 | |
| 2 | 1 | United States of America | USA | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 360,5 | 29,0 | 147 | |
| 3 | 2 | Russia | RUS | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 354,5 | 29,0 | 144 | |
| 4 | 11 | Poland | POL | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 390,0 | 28,0 | 158 | |
| 5 | 9 | England | ENG | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 340,0 | 27,5 | 142 | |
| 6 | 5 | India | IND | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 388,0 | 29,0 | 156 | |
| 7 | 27 | Vietnam | VIE | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 379,5 | 30,5 | 138 | |
| 8 | 8 | Armenia | ARM | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 371,0 | 27,5 | 152 | |
| 9 | 7 | France | FRA | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 366,0 | 28,5 | 153 | |
| 10 | 6 | Ukraine | UKR | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 337,0 | 26,0 | 152 | |
| 11 | 32 | Sweden | SWE | 11 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 333,0 | 29,0 | 135 | |
| 12 | 15 | Czech Republic | CZE | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 331,5 | 27,5 | 143 | |
| 13 | 16 | Germany | GER | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 317,5 | 27,0 | 139 | |
| 14 | 35 | Austria | AUT | 11 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 300,5 | 27,0 | 133 | |
| 15 | 4 | Azerbaijan | AZE | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 402,5 | 29,5 | 159 | |
| 16 | 36 | Uzbekistan | UZB | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 341,0 | 30,5 | 135 | |
| 17 | 23 | Iran | IRI | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 337,0 | 28,5 | 138 | |
| 18 | 12 | Hungary | HUN | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 321,0 | 26,5 | 139 | |
| 19 | 40 | Egypt | EGY | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 298,5 | 26,0 | 135 | |
| 20 | 25 | Greece | GRE | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 295,0 | 26,5 | 134 | |
| 21 | 37 | Kazakhstan | KAZ | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 289,0 | 26,0 | 137 | |
| 22 | 46 | Mongolia | MGL | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 279,0 | 27,0 | 126 | |
| 23 | 28 | Canada | CAN | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 277,0 | 25,0 | 133 | |
| 24 | 50 | Lithuania | LTU | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 272,5 | 23,5 | 136 | |
| 25 | 24 | Spain | ESP | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 336,5 | 29,0 | 138 |
TWIC 1248 Hungarians in Action
The latest issue of TWIC is now available
GM Hoang had an amazing Olympiad scoring a massive 8.5/10 on board one
| Hoang Thanh Trang GM 2423 HUN Rp:2636 | |||||||||
| Rd. | SNo | Name | Rtg | FED | Rp | Pts. | Res. | Bo. | |
| 2 | 269 | Bejatovic Bojana | 2057 | MKD | 2046 | 5,0 | w 1 | 1 | |
| 3 | 70 | IM | Lujan Carolina | 2350 | ARG | 2385 | 5,0 | s ½ | 1 |
| 4 | 48 | IM | Melia Salome | 2391 | GEO | 2382 | 4,5 | w 1 | 1 |
| 5 | 54 | IM | Shvayger Yuliya | 2375 | ISR | 2368 | 6,0 | s 1 | 1 |
| 6 | 94 | WIM | Khomeriki Nino | 2313 | GEO | 2358 | 7,0 | w 1 | 1 |
| 7 | 127 | WGM | Eric Jovana | 2261 | SRB | 2284 | 4,5 | s 1 | 1 |
| 8 | 3 | GM | Koneru Humpy | 2557 | IND | 2466 | 5,5 | w 1 | 1 |
| 9 | 28 | IM | Zatonskih Anna | 2431 | USA | 2421 | 6,0 | s ½ | 1 |
| 10 | 61 | WGM | Vo Thi Kim Phung | 2368 | VIE | 2232 | 4,5 | s 1 | 1 |
| 11 | 101 | WIM | Unuk Laura | 2299 | SLO | 2206 | 4,0 | w ½ | 1 |
Final Ranking after 11 Rounds – Women
The ladies team did well finishing 5th on tiebreaks
| Rk. | SNo | Team | Team | Games | + | = | – | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | |
| 1 | 3 | China | CHN | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 407,0 | 30,5 | 153 | |
| 2 | 2 | Ukraine | UKR | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 395,5 | 30,0 | 154 | |
| 3 | 4 | Georgia 1 | GEO1 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 375,0 | 28,0 | 153 | |
| 4 | 1 | Russia | RUS | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 379,5 | 30,5 | 146 | |
| 5 | 13 | Hungary | HUN | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 372,0 | 29,5 | 141 | |
| 6 | 12 | Armenia | ARM | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 366,0 | 27,0 | 155 | |
| 7 | 10 | United States of America | USA | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 359,5 | 27,5 | 152 |
.
GM Hoang Thanh Trang(2423)-GM Koneru(2557)
Zukertort System
Hungary-India Rd8
After 28..Kf7(Diagram)
White is very active and well centralized
What do you recommend for White?
Eric-Hoang Thanh Trang
French Defence Classical 5.Nce2
Serbia-Hungary Rd7
After 33.Kg3(Diagram)
Photo IM Gara,A FB

GM Hoang(front left), IM Gara,A, Terbe,J,Lakos,N WGM Gara,T(front right) Rear GM Papp,Gabor (Coach)
BTCh Monday 6-Board 2018 Rd1
MTK-Honved
I think MTK lost the match but I contributed a win. Boards 1 and 3 drew quite quickly while I declined my opponent’s early draw offer feeling that my chances were good in a symmetrical structure.
My opponent was a bit late, I my guess is he was coming from work.
The time control was G/90 no increments so my extra few minutes turned out to be quite useful. I tried the Caro-Kann at the Budapest Open and lost. Today I decided to give it another try.
Demjen-Yip
Caro-Kann Panov Attack
Board 2
After 20.Rad1(Diagram)
Black is a pawn up, has two nice bishops in the centre and White’s kingside pawn shelter is looking quite loose. Everything points to something good about to happen but there are possible complications with the Be4 under attack and the x-ray attack on Qd8 from the Rad1
What do you recommend for Black?
I took a guess at my opponents rating.
We played at the nice Cultural Center
Geller,E on the Minority Attack
Minority Attack
It is generally accepted wisdom to study classical games to see typical plans. Here is a nice game by Geller,E one of the best players not to become World Champion.
Geller-Bannik
Queen’s Gambit Declined Exchange Variation
URS-ch25 1958
After 29..f6(Diagram)
After some fancy jiggling around Geller reached this position. The Qb2 was making Xray eyes at Kg7 on the a1-h8 diagonal so Black put a stop to any tricks with his last move
What do you recommend for White now?


















