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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd10-IM Hambleton A(CAN)

Hambleton ground out an extra P in an opposite color B-B ending with GM persistence and a bit of luck.

Muir,Andrew J (2313) - Hambleton,Aman (2472) 
Nimzo-Indian Karpov Variation 11.Ne5[E54] 
Reykjavik Open 2013, Iceland (10.16), 27.02.2013


Position 1
Black has won a pawn but is hampered by the open kingside. What do you suggest for white?

White to Play


22...Bc5

Position 2
White is down a pawn and is facing the gradual advance of the queenside majority. Black has a mobile with a clear path to the queenside on the dark squares. How should white defend?

White to Play


32...f5

Position 3
White has a difficult defence but is not lost. Ke2 is tied to the f2 pawn which leaves black's king free to infiltrate unopposed on the queenside. Is there a defence for white?

White to Play



41...Bxh4


Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd9-IM Hambleton A(CAN)

Hambleton had a nice position right way in the opening and soon bagged an extra P. There was no trouble converting in the ending.

Hambleton,Aman (2472) - Jayakumar,Adarsh (2271)
Delayed Stonewall[A84] 

Reykjavik Open 2013, Iceland (9.39), 26.02.2013

Position 1

White won a pawn early and returned it to complete development. Now white has pressure with the bishop pair while black has a loose structure to worry about. What do you recommend for white now?

White to Play



27...Nd6

Beauty and Chess Geek-Ipatov Interview

Here's the latest video from BeautyandChessGeek done by Orlova in Reykjavik.

Orlova says 'Hi' from Reykjavik






Orlova's site YelizavetaOrlova

Her Youtube Channel BeautyandChessGeek 

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd10 Standings

Results Chess-results Site Reykjavikopen 2013
Hambleton won his last two games to finish with a respectable 6.5/10.

'Pavel Eljanov and Wesley so finish on top with 8 points after their mutual draw but Amin Baseem managed to catch up with his last round victory.'-Tournament site report 

SNoNameFIDE12345678910Pts.
39FMHambleton Aman24721½½½½1½0116.5
125Murray Michael A.201701010011015
139WCMOrlova Yelizaveta1978010½001½1½4.5

Hambleton Results by Round
FM Hambleton Aman 2472 CAN Rp:2343 Pts. 6.5

Rd.SNoNameRtgIFEDPts.Res.
1152Leimeister Winfried1909GER4w 1
293Omarsson Dadi2212ISL6s ½
390Wang Yiye2226CHN5.5w ½
488Karason Askell O2235ISL5s ½
5102Maack Kjartan2136ISL5.5w ½
676FMCubas Pons Juan Miguel2284ESP6s 1
747NMNorowitz Yaacov2432USA7.5w ½
873WGMCherednichenko Svetlana2307UKR6.5s 0
981FMJayakumar Adarsh2271USA5.5w 1
1071IMMuir Andrew J2313SCO5.5s 1

Orlova Results by Round
WCM Orlova Yelizaveta 1978 CAN Rp:1764 Pts. 4.5

Rd.SNoNameRtgIFEDPts.Res.
126GMMaze Sebastien2556FRA6w 0
2196Ramtin Raman1661IRI2s 1
370FMKvisvik Brede2314NOR5.5w 0
4202Jacobsen Trond1610NOR2.5s ½
5209Davidsdottir Nansy1479ISL3.5w 0
6175Bauza Mercere Eduardo1809ARG3.5s 0
7218Hrafnsson Hilmir1331ISL3s 1
8185Leosson Atli Johann1736ISL4.5w ½
9189Seim Fredrik1714NOR4s 1
10176Hyotyla Tapio1792SUI4.5w ½

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Cappelle La Grande 2013 Rd5-Hansen E

Thanks to Hugh Brodie for posting the PGN on Chesstalk
A quiet draw for Hansen in rd5.

Gurevich,M(2581)-Hansen,Eric(2557)

Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd8-Hambleton A

This game was full of drama and missed chances for both sides. White was given the first go on the attack as Hambleton chose to keep the queens on. Later Black missed winning chances and eventually blundered to allow white the win.

Cherednichenko,Svetlana (2307) - Hambleton,Aman (2472) 
Colle vs Queen’s Indian[A46]
Reykjavik Open 2013 (8.15), 25.02.2013


Position 1
White's pieces look scattered and are not making any direct threats. What do you suggest for white?

White to Play

20...Bf8

Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd9 Standings

Hambleton and Orlova both won in rd9(See chess-results).

SNoNameRtgIFED123456789Pts.
39FMHambleton Aman2472CAN1½½½½1½015.5
125Murray Michael A.2017CAN0101001104
139WCMOrlova Yelizaveta1978CAN010½001½14

Hambleton's Results by  Round
A win in rd9 brings Hambleton up to Rp:2304 and 5.5/9.


Rd.SNoNameRtgIFEDPts.Res.
1152Leimeister Winfried1909GER4w 1
293Omarsson Dadi2212ISL5s ½
390Wang Yiye2226CHN5.5w ½
488Karason Askell O2235ISL5s ½
5102Maack Kjartan2136ISL4.5w ½
676FMCubas Pons Juan Miguel2284ESP5s 1
747NMNorowitz Yaacov2432USA6.5w ½
873WGMCherednichenko Svetlana2307UKR5.5s 0
981FMJayakumar Adarsh2271USA4.5w 1

Cappelle La Grande 2013 Rd4-Hansen E(CAN)

Hansen chose a quiet positional approach to exploiting black's uncastled king and compromised pawn structure.

Hansen,E (2557) - Kambrath,Y (2232) 
Sicilian Kan[B46] 
Cappelle La Grande(4), 26.02.2013


Position 1

White to Play


17..Rg8

Cappelle La Grande 2013 Rd3-GM Hansen E(CAN)

Hansen had to weather a storm in the middlegame before taking over in a complex R-R ending.

Todorcevic,M (2419) - Hansen,E (2557) 
French Winawer 4.Bd2[C15]
Cappelle La Grande(3), 26.02.2013


Position 1
The position is complicated and it is not clear who has the safer king and who is attacking who. Black's king is hiding behind a wall of pawns while Kb2 is exposed on the b-file. 

What do you suggest for white?

White to Play


37...Qa5

Monday, February 25, 2013

Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd7-IM Hambleton(CAN)

Hambleton had the early advantage but then black had the upper hand before peace was agreed with RRN vs Q in a hugely complicated fight.

Hambleton,Aman (2472) - Norowitz,Yaacov (2432) 
Queen’s Gambit Declined[D31]
ReykjavĂ­k Open 2013 (7.6), 24.02.2013


Position 1
The position is complicated. White has a mobile mass of kingside/central pawns while black's is not yet castled. What do you suggest for white?

  • 22.f5(cash in right away while black in uncastled)
  • 22.Rhf1(complete mobilization first as black is not safe castling on either wing)
  • Something else
White to Play

21...Nd7

Position 2
Black has 4 pawns for a rook and is on the attack. How should black continue?

Black to Play

40.Kh2

Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd8 Standings

Rd8 Chess-results Also see Reykjavikopen 2013
Hambleton lost to WGM Cherednichenko, Svetlana(2307).

SNoNameRtgIFED12345678Pts.
39FMHambleton Aman2472CAN1½½½½1½04.5
125Murray Michael A.2017CAN010100114
139WCMOrlova Yelizaveta1978CAN010½001½3

Hambleton's results by round
Rating performance is 2261.

Rd.SNoNameRtgIFEDPts.Result
1152Leimeister Winfried1909GER3.5w 1
293Omarsson Dadi2212ISL4.5s ½
390Wang Yiye2226CHN5w ½
488Karason Askell O2235ISL4s ½
5102Maack Kjartan2136ISL4w ½
676FMCubas Pons Juan Miguel2284ESP5s 1
747NMNorowitz Yaacov2432USA5.5w ½
873WGMCherednichenko Svetlana2307UKR5.5s 0

Orlova's results by round
Rating performance is 1725.


Rd.SNoNameRtgIFEDPts.Result
126GMMaze Sebastien2556FRA4.5w 0
2196Ramtin Raman1661IRI2s 1
370FMKvisvik Brede2314NOR4w 0
4202Jacobsen Trond1610NOR2.5s ½
5209Davidsdottir Nansy1479ISL2.5w 0
6175Bauza Mercere Eduardo1809ARG2.5s 0
7218Hrafnsson Hilmir1331ISL2s 1
8185Leosson Atli Johann1736ISL3w ½

Cappelle La Grande 2013 Rd1-Hansen E(CAN)

Tournament Site Cappelle-chess 2013
For more see Hansenchess

Here is Hansen's rd 1 win against the tricky London System.

Payen,A (2325) - Hansen,E (2568) 
London System vs King’s Indian[A48]
Cappelle La Grande (1), 23.02.2013


Position 1
Black's queen is under attack. What should black do?
  • 31..Qe4(centralize and keep the option of ...Nd4)
  • 31..Qd4(stay on the d-file for future infiltration)
  • Something else

Black to Play



31.c4

McGill Open Championship May 3-5 2013(Notice)

McGill Open Championship May 3-5 2013 -See Mcgill-open-2013


McGill University-Montreal
Photo Felix Dumont chesstalk


McGill University Open 2012

Why participate?- The tournament is open to all.
- A competitive first section (2000+) CFC and FIDE rated.
- Registration fees starting at $45 ($30 for junior players).
- A discount for McGill alumni!
-Lots of different hotels and restaurants nearby the tournament site, which is directly between downtown and the Mount Royal.
- $3000 in prizes (including class prizes and a prize for the best win).
-Encourage the university that won (and organized) the 2013 Universities Championship.
-May is the best month to visit Montreal or take a walk on the Mount Royal and still, the hotels are cheaper at that time of the year!

Note : The online payment system should be working within a week. (by March 1 est)

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd6-Orlova Y

Here is Orlova's rd6 game. An easy to overlook intermediate move cost Orlova a piece.

Bauza Mercere,Eduardo (1809) - Orlova,Yelizaveta (1978)
Sicilian 4…Qb6[B32]
Reykjavik Open 2013, Iceland (6.88), 23.02.2013


Position 1

White wants to attack but how to break down the kingside?

White to Play



30..Bg5

Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd6-Hambleton

Hambleton played a nice attack after breaking with ...d5 from a Nimzo-Indian hedgehog.

Cubas Pons,Juan Miguel (2284) - Hambleton,Aman (2472)
Nimzo-Indian 4.Qc2 c5[E38]
Reykjavik Open 2013 Reykjavik, Iceland (6.32), 23.02.2013


Position 1
Black's position looks serene. How should black continue?

  • 19...Ne5(with the idea of hitting the queen with ...Ng6)
  • 19...Nf8( with the same idea)
  • 19...Rcd8(to support the ...d5 break)
  • 19...h6 (to take away g5 from the queen)
  • Something else

Black to Play

19.Rc2

Position 2
The attack on the kingside is ready to explode. How should black continue?

Black to Play

32.Qb6