Selected games

The Rossolimo Sicilian 3.Bb5(+) is a popular and practical way to play that does not need the massive theory load of the Open Sicilian

McShane-Svidler

Sicilian 3.Bb5+ Nd7

Bundesliga 2018-19 rd2

After 18..Ke7(Diagram)

The situation is chaotic. Black must be careful about the c7-pawn and his kingside pieces are out of play. White is down an exchange and is tied to defending the Bc1

What do you recommend for White?

After 18..Ke7

Hou Yifan-Zwirs

Sicilian 3.Bb5+ Nc6

Bundesliga 2018-19 rd1

After 22.Nxb4(Diagram)

White has two extra pawns while Black has the bishops to brag about. Neither side is fully mobilized in this sharp ending

What do you recommend for Black?

After 22.Nxb4

Two Knights Variation

Selected games

There are two main ways to meet this line, 3..Bg4 and 3..Nf6 which is recommended by Fernandez,D in The Modernized Caro-Kann(Thinkers Publishing 2018)

Baramidze-Pitl

Two Knights 3..Bg4

Bundesliga 2018-19 rd2

After 22..Nxc5(Diagram)

Black has staked his position on the speed of his queenside attack and left his king in the centre

What do you recommend for White?

After 22..Nxc5

Selected games

5.Re1 is a very popular way to avoid the rock solid Berlin Endgame. Here are three interesting games from this week

Kevlishvili-Hakobyan

St Louis Winter B 2018 rd3

5.Re1-7.Bf1 Nf5

Position 1

After 29.f4(Diagram)

White has just made a committal advance is a level looking RB-RB ending

What do you recommend for Black?

After 29.f4

Position 2

After 38.Re7(Diagram)

White has just activated his rook

What do you recommend for Black?

After 38.Re7

Warmerdam-Bacrot

5.Re1-7.Bf1 Nxe5

Bundesliga 2018-19 rd1

After 17.d5(Diagram)

White has just shut out the active Bb7

What do you recommend for Black?

After 17.d5

Harikrishna-Aronian

Tata Steel India Rapid rd8

5.Re1-7.Bf1 Nxe5

After 43..Kxe6(Diagram)

The Nd7 has just been attacked

Calculate what happens after 44.Nc5+

After 43..Kxe6

Selected games

Here are some interesting games from the Women’s World Championship.

Muzychuk-Stefanova

Petroff 6..Bd6-9.Qc2

WCh Women 2018 rd3.1

After 15..Nfd7(Diagram)

The 6..Bd6 is becoming quite a popular way to play the Petroff with the benefit of being solid and having less theory than 6..Nc6. The main line is 9.Nc3 but Muyzchuk got a good game with 9.Qc2

White has more space, the e-file and better development

What do you recommend for White?

After 15..Nfd7

Lagno-Lei Tingjie

Petroff 5.Bd3

WCh Women 2018 rd4

After 15..Qa5(Diagram)

5.Bd3 is a sideline that proved to be quite effective in this game without Black having to make any obvious blunders

White has been pushing hard on the kingside with g4-g5 but the centre is open and Black has no obvious weaknesses. The Qa5/Na6 are not doing much and Black has yet to complete development. White has Qd1/Bc1/Ra1 also sitting at home

What do you recommend for White?

After 15..Qa5

The feature game shows some key ideas behind the Breyer Variation.

Cernousek-Balogh,Cs

Breyer 14.d4 c4

TCh-SVK 2018-19 rd2

After 19..Na4(Diagram)

White has a space advantage but his c3-pawn is under attack. The hope is for the Re3 to swing over to the kingside to start an attack

What do you recommend for White

• 20.Bd2 Passively defending the pawn
• 20.Bb2 Passively defending the pawn
• 20.c4 just getting rid of the weak pawn
• Something else

After 19..Na4

Here are a couple of key games in the Taimanov/Kan complex

Selected games

The Kan 7.Be2

7.Be2 is recommended by Kotronias and Semkov in Attacking the Flexible Sicilian. White keeps the d-file clear and keeps the Qd3 queen lift to the kingside idea in mind

Perske-Almasi,Z

Sicilian Kan 7.Be2 b6

Bundesliga 2018-19 rd2

After 31..Rxc4(Diagram)

Black is holding the position with active rooks and a dark square blockade with pressure on e4 and g5

What do you recommend for White?

After 31..Rxc4

The Taimanov 7.Qf3 Queen Transfer Variation

7.Qf3 is recommended by Shaw in Playing 1.e4 Sicilian Main Lines(Quality Chess 2018) with idea of Qg3 and a quick kingside attack being one of the main ideas.

Leko-McShane

Taimanov 7.Qf3 Ne5

Bundesliga 2018-19 rd1

Leko’s 13.h3 idea turned out poorly

After 20.Bc3(Diagram)

Black has an extra pawn while the Kd2 looks quite clumsy. The problem is Black is far behind in development and is uncastled

What do you recommend for Black?

(a)20..Qxd4 trading queens hoping that the isolated a-pawn is not a problem

(b)20..Qc6 going for the middlegame kill considering the wandering Kd2

(c)Something else

After 20,Bc3

Entries so far- Tournament info see Hungarian Chess Federation

The event is a 6-round Swiss with 3 groups

Location

Prémium Apartmanház Budapest Konferencia terme

1139. Budapest, Országbíró utca 44-46.

Schedule

• Nov 22 rd1
• Nov 23 rd2-3-4
• Nov 24 rd5-6

Group A-Starting rank

Group B-Starting rank

Group-Starting rank

The latest issue of TWIC is now available

Selected games features GM Hoang in the Women’s World Championship

Hoang was elminated in rd2 in the tiebreaks

Lagno-Hoang

French Defence

Tiebreak game 2

After 22..Bf8(Diagram)

Black seems to be slightly passive but at least the Rg8 is doing something

What do you recommend for White?

After 22..Bf8

MTK 4.5-Hort SE 1.5

The Hort club is quite far away requiring a tram ride, a metro ride to the end of the line and then a short commuter train trip to somewhere that resembles the middle of nowhere.

I contributed a win on board 4

• Laci A won
• Molnar won in a mad time scramble after blunder a rook but both players had about 10 seconds left
• Elena drew
• Istvan B won
• Laci G lost

It took me about 5 years before I scored my first win against Bokros,I  and this game puts the score around 6-2 for him. Lately we have been debating the Mieses Variation of the Scotch but today was something new.

Bokros,I-Yip,M

Caro-Kann 4..Nd7

Board 4

After 20.a3(Diagram)

White has grabbed a lot of space while Black is solid with no real weaknesses

What do you recommend for Black?

After 20.a3

Laci,G

Laci A

Me ( I have more than one sweatshirt with the same color)

From Quality Chess

Publication date is November 2018

The Queen’s Indian Defence

Vladimir Kramnik

Practical Chess Beauty