April 18, 2010
Position No. 6103: Black to play and win. From the game Darwin Yang-Irina Krush, Lubbock 2010.
Solution to Position No. 6102: Not convincing is 1 . . . Rh6? 2 Rd1, but Black wins with 1 . . . Re3!, threatening mate with 2 . . . Rxg3+ 3 fxg3 Qf1+. If 2 Rxe3 dxe3 3 Re2, then 3 . . . Qf3+ 4 Kg1 Rh6 mates. If 2 Rd3, then 2 . . . Qe4+ 3 f3 Rexf3 4 Rgxf3 Rxf3 5 Rf3 Qxc2+ wins. And if 2 Qd1, Black leaves White helpless by 2 . . . Rxg3+ 3 fxg3 Qe4+ 4 Kg1 Qe3+ 5 Kg2 d3. For example, 6 a3 permits 6 . . . Qe4+ 7 Kg1 Rh6 8 Rg2 Qe3+ 9 Rf2 Rf6 10 Qd2 Rxf2 11 Qxf2 d2.
The world championship match between champion Viswanathan Anand of India and Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria begins Friday in Sofia, Bulgaria. The schedule calls for a rest day after every two days of play except that there will be an additional rest day May 9, between the 11th and 12th games. If the score reaches 6-6, the players will break the tie with a series of faster games May 12.
Topalov, ranked second in the world at 2805, deserves to be considered a slight favorite over Anand, fourth at 2787. However, one can imagine almost any outcome.
Anand has more experience in matches and he plays more soundly, with better judgment, but Topalov is more determined and much more daring. He should benefit from playing in his home city. The very short match (only 12 games, half the traditional distance) favors Anand, who is more likely to tire and who should have the advantage in faster tiebreak games if necessary. Finally, Topalov and his manager, who were scolded by the World Chess Federation for dirty tricks during his 2006 loss to Vladimir Kramnik, will undoubtedly try to upset Anand with off-the-board maneuvers. Topalov has already announced that he will not speak directly to Anand during games and that any draw offers must be transmitted through the arbiter.
Send your prediction of the final score to jack.peters@latimes.com. Include the number of wins for each player. The best guesser will win a prize.
Local news
The eighth annual Western Pacific Open takes place next weekend at the Hilton Hotel, 5711 W. Century Blvd. in Los Angeles. The five-round main event offers a guaranteed prize fund of $5,000. Entrants may begin play Friday evening or Saturday morning.
The two side events (a five-round scholastic tournament and three-round Hexes) will be held Sunday only. For details and online entry, see westernchess.com.
The Spring Chess Festival, organized by the Adams Square Merchants Assn. and the AAA Chess Club, attracted 105 chess players and many spectators to Glendale on April 10 for a day of chess on a blocked-off city street. Alec Baghdasarian and Alex Chakmakian tied for first in the grades K-3 section, and Gor Mirzoyan and John Quin shared top honors in the grades K-7 section. Aghvan Ghahramanyan won an Open section that included kids and adults. Harry Keshishian directed.
Today's games
We continue our tribute to the late Vassily Smyslov.
GM Vassily Smyslov (U.S.S.R.)-GM Mikhail Botvinnik (U.S.S.R.), Game No. 9, World Championship, Moscow 1954: 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 The Winawer variation of the French Defense, an appropriate battleground for two pioneers of the system. 4 e5 c5 5 a3 Ba5 Even then, a seldom-seen alternative to 5 . . . Bxc3+. 6 b4 cxd4 Too greedy is 6 . . . cxb4?! 7 Nb5. 7 Qg4 Ne7 8 bxa5 dxc3 9 Qxg7 Rg8 10 Qxh7 Still considered a critical position. However, Botvinnik's next move is regarded as inferior to 10 . . . Nbc6. Nd7 11 Nf3 Nf8 12 Qd3 Qxa5 13 h4 Black must generate counterplay before this valuable passed pawn decides the game. Bd7 14 Bg5 Rc8 What else? If Black threatens . . . Bd7-b5 with 14 . . . a6, simply 15 Nd4 Nc6 16 Nxc6 Bxc6 17 Rh3 secures White's advantage. 15 Nd4 Nf5 Inviting 16 Nxf5 exf5 17 Rd1 Ne6 18 Qxd5 Qxd5 19 Rxd5 Nxg5 20 hxg5 f4, when Black has good chances to draw. 16 Rb1 Rc4? Overlooking a devastating tactic. Smyslov claimed "an undisputed advantage" for White after 16 . . . b6 17 g4 Nxd4 18 Qxd4 Qxa3 19 Bd3, but Black had to risk it. 17 Nxf5 exf5 18 Rxb7 Re4+?! Still oblivious, but 18 . . . Rc8 19 Be2 Ng6 20 0-0 Bc6?! 21 Rxf7! wouldn't help. 19 Qxe4! dxe4 20 Rb8+ Bc8 21 Bb5+ Qxb5 22 Rxb5 Ne6 23 Bf6 Rxg2 24 h5 Ba6 25 h6, Black Resigns.
